Fire and Ice Ch. 02
In a flash, Bloom and Icy are appear in Bloom's personal room at Alfea.
Icy steps away to examine the room's contents. "So, this is where you sleep? To bad it took marriage for you to show me," the witch jokingly teases causing the fairy to blush a bit.
"I… uh… I'll go find Faragonda to see if she can help us. You just stay here."
The witch huffs and sits on the bed. "I still don't like this idea of yours."
"Is it because of where we are or because it was my idea?" Bloom glares.
"Can it not be both?"
The redhead sighs. "Look, Icy. There are three people who might have the know how to remove these," she raises her hand to show the ring. "Saladin from Red Fountain, Griffin at Cloud Tower, and then Faragonda here in Alfea. Any Specialist would just put you behind bars without hearing our side of the story. And do you really think the other witches will lend a hand?"
Icy looks away, not wanting to give in. Even though the pesky fairy is right.
Bloom sits next to the witch. "What if I promise to let you go free once everything is done?"
The white-haired girl turns to her in disbelief. "You really think you can do that?"
"I'm sure I can convince Faragonda to agree. It's Griselda that we'll have a problem with."
"Ugh! Fine! Just don't take too long," Icy crosses her arms before a smirk comes across her face. "My beloved wife," she starts cackling as soon as the fairy's face turns almost the same shade of red as her hair.
Bloom then glares. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
"I'm a witch, I have to take advantage of your misery somehow."
The fairy stands to leave with a huff. "I should get going."
.oOo.
Bloom is on her way to the Headmistress' office when she is tackled by a familiar blue blur. "Oh, Kiko!" she hugs the rabbit. "I'm so sorry to worry you. I'll explain everything as soon as I see Faragonda first."
Then, Griselda's voice enters the conversation. "Now would be a good time?"
Looking up, Bloom finds the stern face of the assistant headmistress along with a concerned Faragonda.
"Are you alright, Bloom?" Faragonda walks up to her former student. "You vanished last night, and everyone's been worried sick."
"It's sort of a long story," the fire fairy gets up.
Griselda fiddles with her glasses to make sure what she sees is correct. "Is that a wedding ring?"
Bloom holds up her hand to better show the said ring and gives the two teachers a sheepish smile. "I can explain."
.oOo.
After waiting for what seems like eternity for Bloom to return, Icy decided to snoop around the room. She eventually came across some sketch books. "Had no idea she was this talented," the witch comments as she turns the page. She finds a rather wicked drawing of her and her sisters. "Could have made me look meaner than Darcy at least," she continues through the book. There are various other sketches as well. From landscapes of places that she recognizes from around Magix to portraits of the rest of the Winx in different clothing.
Icy eventually comes across an old sketch of Sky. She never liked the guy before but something about seeing his face now boils her blood. The witch rips out page and instantly freezes it. "Oops! I'm sure Bloom won't miss this," and drops it causing the page to shatter.
Just then a muffled voice is heard. "Bloom? is that you?" the door then opens to reveal the Fairy of the Sun Stella stepping through. She gasps at the sight of Icy. "What are you doing here!?" then she glances at the sketch book in the witch's hands then at the ice on the floor.
"Stella? What is it?" walking up behind the Princess of Solaria is Musa, followed by Tecna, Flora and Aisha. All of whom froze at the sight of the witch.
Icy looks at the book then back at the fairies. She drops the book and holds her hands up. "Wait! I can explain!" Before her eyes, the Winx transformed.
Musa throws her hands out. "Bass Boost!"
.oOo.
Faragonda sits at her desk with her hands folded in front of her, thinking about the information she was just given. "This is very concerning."
Across from the headmistress is Bloom holding Kiko and standing next to her is Griselda.
Griselda scolds the redhead. "I cannot believe you brought a witch here and not just any witch! Did you really think we would offer leniency for what she and the Trix has done?"
"It was the only way I could get her to come," Bloom defends. "I Promised that she can leave when everything's done. I know she's done a lot of bad things but right now this problem is both of ours to share."
Faragonda closed her eyes for a moment to think. "Very well. If Icy behaves she can remain here on school grounds."
"You can't be serious, Faragonda!?" Griselda questions the head teacher.
"Griselda. Both girls are in some sort of trouble. It is the least we can do," Faragonda tells her assistant before turning to the redhead. "Now, Bloom, let me see the ring."
The Fairy of Flames stands with her arm out stretch to the headmistress.
The elder woman hums as she examines the ring. "You say that you cannot remove them yourselves?"
"The only thing we haven't tried was cutting off our finger and I don't think either of us want that," Bloom says as Faragonda tugs on it herself.
"These engravings," she taps on it. "Are very peculiar. They appear to be a language. Not one that I recognize," Faragonda explains. "Whatever magic it is, it must be old. Real old," the older woman lets the hand go. "We'll have to do some research to find what kind of enchantment this is and to figure out how to undo it."
Bloom sighs. "I guess that's the best I can ask for. Thank you so…" she suddenly clenches her head with the feel of her eardrums bursting.
The two older women are beside the young fairy as she begins to scream in pain.
Griselda puts a hand on her shoulder. "Ms. Bloom!?"
"Is everything alright?" Faragonda kneels next to her.
The only thing Bloom can do was scream, "So loud!" she jumps out the seat, accidentally throwing Kiko down in the process, transforms, and flies out of the office.
.oOo.
As Stella throws another blast at Icy, the witch quickly raises a shield.
"Will you just listen!?" Icy shouts. "Bloom brought me here!"
"Yeah, right!?" Stella scoffs. "Why would she do that?" the sun fairy charges.
Icy easily dodges it, releases an ice blast, and freezes Stella to the wall. The witch then readies an ice shard, only to drop it on the floor. She sighs. As much as she would like to teach this princess a lesson, Icy knows that to harm one of the Winx would put her on Bloom's bad side. One place she does not want to be if she wants to get out of this mess smoothly.
The witch is then hit by a blast of pixelated energy, knocking her down.
Tecna shouts. "Now!" her, Musa, Flora, and Aisha unleash a blast of magic at once.
Icy closes her eyes, readying herself for contact. Only, it never reached her. Cracking one eye open, she finds that Bloom is standing in front of her with a barrier surrounding them. Her friends stop their attack and looks at their leader with their heads tilting.
Bloom turns and kneels next to Icy, shouting. "ARE YOU ALRIGHT!? WHY DOES IT FEEL LIKE MY EARS EXPLODED!?"
"WHAT!?" Icy shouts back. "I CAN'T HEAR YOU! I THINK MY EARS EXPLODED!"
Stella breaks out of her icy prison. "What's going on here!?"
Both Bloom and Icy holds a hand to their ears, shouting. "WHAT!"
"Seems like an explanation is in order," Faragonda walks into the room. "I was worried when you took off suddenly, Bloom. Are you alright?"
Instead of answering, Bloom shout "SORRY, FARAGONDA! I CAN'T HEAR YOU RIGHT NOW!"
"WHAT'S SHE SAYING!?" Icy shouts.
"WHAT!?"
Faragonda walks up to Bloom. "Maybe this will help," and places her hands over the girl's ears. With a glow, the redhead soon finds her hearing returning.
Bloom sighs. "Thank you, Faragonda."
"Just hold still!" Griselda scolds. The assistant headmistress stands in front of Icy with hand glowing. The witch is putting up a fight. "I'm only trying to help!"
Icy refused to relent, as she has no idea what the woman is wanting to do. The witch did not calm down until a hand was placed on her shoulder. Glancing over, she finds Bloom standing beside her with a smile. The Ice Witch then sighs and lowers her arms to allow Griselda to do whatever it is she was going to do.
"There!" the older woman removes her hands. "Better now?"
"Finally! That was just miserable!" Icy looks over to see Griselda glaring at her. "If you're expecting a thank, it's not gonna happen."
"Icy?" Bloom speaks. "Griselda did just heal you. Not only that, she and Faragonda has agreed to your terms. It's the least you can do."
Icy huffs and turns away. "Thank you for returning my hearing. By the way!" she then turns to Bloom. "I wouldn't have lost if you hadn't left me alone!"
"Hey! I rushed here as fast as I could when my ears started bursting!"
"That only happened because your friend," Icy points at Musa. "decided to play that dreadful noise she calls music!"
At that, Musa shouts, "Hey!" she approaches the two. "I did that because we found one of the Trix trashing our friend's room!"
"I was not trashing the room!"
"Then what were you doing with that book!?"
"I was looking at it!"
It was at that moment Bloom notices one of her sketch books thrown on the floor. "This book?"
"Yes!" both Musa and Icy tells the redhead.
Bloom picks it up and discovers something. "There's a page missing?" she turns to Icy who rolls her eyes.
"It was just a drawing of that Sky. I never liked his face, and I didn't think you would mind now that he's your ex."
Before Bloom could say anything to that, she finds Stella standing in front of her.
"What is she talking about?"
"Uh, me and Sky called off the engagement."
The Sun Fairy grabs both of Bloom's hands. "How come you never said anything!? You must be miserable."
"I'm not as upset now as I was yesterday. It was done mutually."
Icy is heard releasing a laugh. "She moved on pretty quick if you asked me?"
"Nobody did!" Stella shouts at the witch before turning back to her best friend. "I'm so sorry that this has happened. I just want to let you know that no matter what, I'll be here for you," she tightens her grasp around Bloom's hands and soon notices something about one of the redhead's fingers. "What… is that?" she releases one of the hands to get a better look at it.
The rest of the Winx gather around to look at what has caught the Princess' attention.
Tecna note. "It kinda looks like a wedding band?"
Bloom's reddening face and refusal to look any of them in the eye is the only answer they needed.
"What!?" Musa shouts.
"Really?" Tecna bewilders.
"When?" Aisha marvels.
"Congratulations!" Flora beams.
"So," Stella moves closer. "Who's the lucky guy?"
"Uh?" Bloom has no idea how to answer that.
Icy walks up behind the redhead, clearing her throat. "Ahem!" and holds her out her hand next to Bloom's, revealing the matching set.
The five fairies look at Icy's ring and then back at Bloom's. When they finished processing what they saw, they simultaneously shout, "What!?"
Bloom pinches the bridge of her nose before turning to Icy, seeing the smirk on the witch's face. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
Icy looks up as if to think for a moment. "Um? Yeah, a little bit."
Stella then grabs Bloom by the shoulders. "How did this happen!?"
The Fire Fairy shrugs. "We're not sure."
Icy then butts in. "As far as we can tell. The two of us ended up really drunk last night and when we woke up, we were hitched."
"Believe it or not, that's the least of our worries."
"What could be more bothersome than being married to your archnemesis?" Tecna points out.
Faragonda steps up to them, reminding everyone that she and Griselda are present. "You see, girls, those rings seem to have a powerful enchantment that forces them to share a link where what one feels the other does so as well."
"Wait?" Musa starts processing. "You mean that when I—"
Icy cuts her off. "When you were blowing out my eardrums, you were doing the same to her."
The song fairy gasps and runs up to hug Bloom. "I'm so sorry, Bloom."
"It's alright Musa," the redhead accepts the embrace. "You had no idea."
"Where's my apology?" Icy demands.
Musa looks at the witch. "I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions and attacking like that."
"Same here," Tecna lowers her head.
Aisha adds in a "Yeah!"
Flora, looking down shamefully "I'm dreadfully sorry."
Icy nods as to approve. "Well, given our history with one another, I cannot say that I blame you for reacting the way you did. Apology accepted."
Stella stomps her foot. "I don't buy it!"
"Stella?" Bloom steps up to her friend.
"This has to be a trick of sorts. I mean, she is a Trix after all. Perhaps she placed a spell to make you think these things and because she fooled you, you were able to convince Faragonda that it is real."
"Oh, Stella?" Bloom is unsure of how to convince Stella as the princess is stubborn.
Icy is at a loss as well. That is until her brows rose as an idea comes to her and a mischievous smile creeps onto her face.
Bloom notices this. "Icy? What are you thinking?"
Instead of answering, the witch takes a step up to the Sun Fairy, holds her hand up, and wiggles her fingers.
"Icy! Don't—Ow!" Bloom is cut off as the witch slapped herself on the side of her face and the fairy feels the stinging sensation on the side of her own. "Did you enjoy that one?"
The witch is nursing the red shaped handprint on her face. "Not as much as I thought I would."
The Fire Fairy glares before kicking her bed, stubbing her toe. Both her and Icy lets out an "Ow!" Bloom falls onto her bed and Icy hops in place.
"You did that on purpose!" Icy accuses.
"You did the same thing!"
"Oh, yeah?" the witch goes to punch a wall only to be stopped by shouting.
"Enough!" Faragonda glares at the two. "I know what you two are going through must be stressful. But that is no excuse to act like children! I am very disappointed in you, Bloom. You should know better," she scolds the fairy.
"Sorry, Faragonda," Bloom looks down.
"And as for you!" the old woman turns to Icy. "My leniency will only go so far. I will not tolerate you causing trouble for anyone in my school. Do you understand?"
With a glare, the witch refused to answer the headmistress. She then glances at Bloom who has a pleading look. Icy sighs before replying. "Yes, Ma'am."
"Very good," Faragonda nods in approval. "Now then, Icy. As long as you behave, you may remain in Alfea. I'll also send word to the other schools and the authorities that you are under the protection of my school."
Icy huffs and turns away before mumbling. "Thanks!" she then turns back to the headmistress. "So, where am I gonna stay?"
The headmistress looks between Icy and Bloom. "Until we know how strong this magical bond is, it would be best that the two of you share the same room."
A resounding "What!?" from every other occupant in the room.
"Furthermore," the headmistress quiet them down. "Until we figure the extension of this link, the two of you should never be apart. And for whatever reason you do separate, I'd advise that it should not be done for more than an hour," she warns before leaving.
Griselda fiddles with her glasses. "I'll see to it that spare bedding is delivered to the room. In the meantime, I suggest that you tidy up a bit," she adds before leaving them.
The girls look around and sees the damage that they have done to Bloom's room. The redhead sighs as she goes over to straighten her drawing desk as Icy starts picking up some books.
The witch looks up at the other four Winx. "Well!?" she snaps at them. "Aren't you going to help? I wasn't the only one who trashed this place."
"Icy!" Bloom whispers. But Musa, Tecna, Flora, and Aisha begin helping them while Stella sits on the bed to supervise.
End