The drive to the Olive Garden was marred by an awkward silence, as Alyssa held the hands of the two most important in her life. As the drive continued Vanessa spoke up. "So Alyssa you look lovely in that dress, it really makes your hair pop, doesn't it Mike?"
"Huh oh yeah it does" Mike stammers "You know Alyssa, I'm sorry for the way I treated you. While you three were gone Vanessa talked to me some more and I realized that I was wrong to be apprehensive of you."
"It's okay Mike, it's quite alright, thank you for the kind words," Alyssa replied a soft smile forming on her lips.
"Look at you two I can hardly wait to be given away by you Daddy. I just knew you would get along with the two most special women in my life." Bloom gushed.
"This makes me so blissful seeing everyone get along, it truly warms my heart and makes me feel like I'm floating on air," Flora said her lips curling into a warm smile.
The rest of the drive to the Olive Garden was uneventful and peaceful, the landscape blurred by. When the group arrived at the Olive Garden, Bloom, who was to the left of Alyssa got out of the off-white sedan and held out a hand to Alyssa who graciously took it, and then returned the favor to Flora.
Walking into the restaurant the party of 5 was met by a young hostess named Jasmine. "Hi. Party of 5?" she asked in a chipper voice. "follow me please." she motioned for them to follow her leading them to a booth. "Your server is Lilly and she'll be right out," Jasmine explained going through the usual hostess script. A few moments later Lilly came out with a pitcher of water and a vibrant personality.
"Hi, I'm Lilly and I'll be taking care of you tonight. Can I get you started with something to drink?"
Vanessa spoke first handing the waitress her ID, "I'll have the Cabernet Sauvignon, 1960."
"I guess I'll have water since I need to drive everyone home." Mike smiled
"I'll have Coke." Alyssa continued.
"Water for me please," Flora said kinda nervous.
"And I'll have water as well please." Bloom finished.
Lilly finished writing down the drink orders and then looked up and asked "Okay are you ready to order or do you need more time?"
The party of 5 all agreed that they needed more time and Lilly left them to converse among themselves,
"So, Alyssa," Mike started "Are you happy at Alfea?"
"Oh very much so, my time has been made even better by your daughter being there. I don't think I told you about the moment I fell for Bloom. It's kinda the same way I fell for Flora." Alyssa answered
"Oh come on, baby don't tell this story. It's embarrassing." Bloom begged.
"Yeah come on it's not that great of a story," Flora added.
"Come on just once more before the wedding." Alyssa pleaded
"Fine." Bloom and Flora said giving in, knowing that the story is rather cute anyway.
"So… when I fell for Flora I believe it was my first full day there at Alfea. I had faced relentless bullying and my powers went out of control, all I wanted was to get some rest, and found the door to the shared dorm locked. I had resigned myself to sleeping in the hall without bedding when Flora came out of the dorm and decided to sleep with me and bring bedding." Alyssa started. "About a month later the same thing happened and Bloom was the one who brought me bedding and we ended up tangled up in the bedding."
"but then a few weeks later Alyssa was in the infirmary because of a severe bullying accident and Flora and I took turns watching her while she recovered. She was in a coma." Bloom explained. "We took twelve-hour shifts watching her, but on the night she woke up we both were in the tiny infirmary bed with her. I think that's when my feelings were cemented, what about you Flora?"
"Yeah same here, I knew that I loved Alyssa at that point." Flora gushed, as the waitress returned with the drinks.
"Here we are. Have you gotten a chance to look over the menu?" Lilly asked.
"Yeah, I think we have. I'll have The tour of Italy dish." Vanessa said, placing the first order.
"I'll have the build-your-own pasta with fettuccine, mushroom sauce, and broccoli." Flora politely ordered.
"I'll have the Chicken tortellini, Alfredo," Mike said.
"if you don't mind I'd like the Eggplant Parmigiana," Bloom said.
"As for me, I'd like the Seafood Alfredo." Alyssa finished.
"Okay, those will be out shortly, enjoy the meal." Lilly cheerfully said walking away.
As the night unfolded, the atmosphere once lively became dark and an evil energy rolled over the restaurant. A black portal opened up and 5 figures descended, Ogron, Anagan, Gantlos, Duman, and Valtor. Ogron, the leader of the Black Circle, saw Alyssa and then shouted. "There she is the last earth fairy, Anagan, Gantlos, Duman grab her, take her, and then we'll have the last earth fairy."
Valtor shot Ogron a look of disapproval. "You insufferable imbeciles Alyssa and Bloom aren't earth fairies, Alyssa is the Princess of Mystelar you know that quintuple star system. And Bloom is the keeper of the dragon flame of Domino. I can't believe you don't know the difference."
Alyssa, Bloom, and Flora shot up from the table and transformed into their Believix forms. Alyssa was the first to speak to Valtor. "Valtor! What are you doing here? I thought you were spending 600 years in the omega dimension."
"Oh, Alyssa you think that your ability to pass judgment on me as the princess of Mystelar would have held me, well its true that I only spent a minuscule time of the judgment passed on me it felt like an eternity, now I've come to make good on my curse. It's been far too long Alyssa, Bloom, and Flora…" Valtor trailed off before looking at Mike and Vanessa. "How about we up the ante," Valtor, with a wave of his hand imprisoned Mike and Vanessa in a ring of evil magic, "Now then let's see here… ah yes I remember now." Valtor walked up to Alyssa his eyes piercing her like daggers. "It's time for my revenge dear princess. I believe you know that your ancestors loved me, and I didn't reciprocate. Your ancestor was one of the first witches to attend Cloud Tower. Now Alyssa be a good princess and try and take me again. Oh, how that ancestor would have loved to see you now… she may have not been an ancestral witch but she was powerful in her own right. It's a pity she's been erased from most of Mystelar's historical documents… I guess King Alaric and Queen Seraphina are embarrassed by that ancestor, I mean I would be too if my family name was tarnished by her."
Alyssa stood there her anger reaching a fever pitch, flew forward knocking into Valtor and pushing him into an empty booth, instead of using her magic she engaged Valtor in fisticuffs pummeling his face with punches. "You...don't...get...to...talk...about...my...family...like...that." emphasizing each word as a punch connected to Valtor's face. "I...beat...you once...before...I'll...do...it...again." her anger was clear and there was no sign of slowing down. "I...won't...forgive…you...for...what...you...did...to...James." as Alyssa was rearranging Valtor's face, Bloom and Flora looked at each other concerned.
"S...should we intervene?" Flora asked looking scared.
"Nah...let her have this moment of catharsis she needs it," Bloom reassured Flora.
As Alyssa was thoroughly beating Valtor's face in, the Wizards of the Black Circle had to make a strategic retreat,
"Come on we need to find the real last Earth fairy." Ogron declared taking his fellow Wizards of the Black Circle with him. "This isn't over you three" He stated addressing Alyssa, Bloom, and Flora, "We'll find that earth fairy and then you'll be sorry."
Valtor on the other hand was still getting his face pummeled and Alyssa was showing no signs of slowing down, eventually, Bloom had to pull Alyssa off of Valtor, holding her arms back. "That's enough!" Bloom shouted. "I get that he pushed you over the edge but you don't need to keep punching."
Alyssa still seething from rage tried to break free and demanded. "Let me go, Bloom, I need to finish this."
Flora finally spoke up "No, Alyssa you don't, you shouldn't let your anger define you. Revenge for revenge's sake won't get you anywhere. You need to calm down."
As Bloom and Flora tried to calm down Alyssa, Valtor taunted "I'll be waiting Alyssa, evil runs in your blood." Then, suddenly he vanished to his palace, and everything seemed to go back to normal, Alyssa, Bloom, and Flora returned to the dresses they were wearing and sat back down. Mike and Vanessa seemed to have no recollection of the events that just transpired. After the lovebirds sat down Lilly came back with the dinner.
"Okay, so we have the Tour of Italy for the lovely woman with wine. The Chicken tortellini Alfredo for the lovely gentleman. The build-you-own pasta with fettuccine, mushroom sauce, and broccoli for the brunette, the Eggplant Parmigiana for the girl with the fire red hair, and the Seafood Alfredo for the one with her black hair roots showing. Enjoy."
As the dinner progressed, everyone was getting well acquainted and closer. Everyone seemed to be having a good time, before long, everyone finished dinner and it was time to go. Mike paid around 130 dollars and left a 50-dollar tip for excellent service and friendly staff. On the drive back Bloom and Flora had fallen asleep on Alyssa's shoulders looking so peaceful with their hair in their faces and each having an arm wrapped around Alyssa. Vanessa smiled as she looked in the rear-view mirror. When the car arrived back at the loft Alyssa had to wake Bloom and Flora up.
"Hey, you two wake up we're back at the loft," Alyssa whispered, gently shaking Bloom and Flora awake. When the three were ready they took hands and walked up to the loft, they were exhausted even though it was only 7 pm. The trio passed out in the huge king bed wondering who the last earth fairy was, why did the Black Circle wanted her, and how in the hell Valtor escaped his icy prison, they needed to be on their guard and come up with a game plan to find and protect the last earth fairy.