Winx Club: The Dragon Awakens

by RayeWonderland

Bloom, a teen girl from Earth discovers she has magical abilities and enrolls in the Alfea College for Fairies. Along with her newfound friend Stella, a fairy princess, Bloom meets her other flatmates Flora, Musa, and Tecna. Together, they form the Winx Club and fight off the wicked Trix! This is a rewrite and I don't own anything from the Winx Club franchise.

1. A Dragon Awakens

A/N: Well, here it is! I was going to wait a month or two before posting because I was so nervous but after some encouragement from a friend I decided to upload the first chapter (split into parts for reading consumption) and I hope you like it. Now a heads up, this is a rewrite meaning a lot has been changed. Okay well, it's a mix of a rewrite, AU, and re-do on the show.

Some of you may be wondering, write a Winx fanfiction in 2024 (2019 when I started)? The answer is I've just always had these what-if stories in my head for Winx club and wanted to give it a shot, but it mostly began to grow with the Nick dub which wasn't great, but okay and I just wanted to fix some issues the show never addressed, changed or did poorly along with the original dubs. Think of this as a reboot I guess. It all kind of started with me workshopping some ideas and it led to character-building, world-building, and changes that fit perfectly for a reboot. One day I just sat down and started typing and well this is what I've been working on so far.

Also, there are going to be a lot of hard-to-swallow changes in here, stuff not everyone will like, I get it, I just hope you find it a fun read. I'm not going to say "My story is super mature and better than the original" I'm not like that, just as long as you enjoy it makes me happy. I enjoy working on this as well. Just wanted to clarify that there are character changes, scene changes, and even plot changes in this rewrite.

Hate it or love it, I'm glad you came to read it! Even if you think it's okay I'll take it!

Reviews are welcomed, as long as it's about the story itself. NO CO-WRITING REVIEWS ALLOWED; COMMENTS DELETED ON SIGHT. NO PROMOTION OF YOUTUBE CHANNELS OR OTHER WORKS.

This is a rewrite. Changes have been made that conflict with the original canon, characters are different so please go in knowing this, whether you like it or not please understand this is a rewrite. This is a long fic, and I did add a lot so enjoy my very long chapters :) This is:

Winx Club: The Dragon Awakens

Chapter 1: A Dragon Awakens

In the suburbs of Gardenia lived the Mason family, consisting of Mike, Vanessa, and their teenage daughter, Bloom. They had been living in an average-sized two-story house for the last fifteen years, shortly after Bloom had become a part of their family.

Ever since she was in middle school, Bloom had always seen beauty in the grim and occult, whether it be through music, nature, or art. Her work was dark, darker in tone than others her age were usually comfortable with, and the subject matter often mixed beauty with gloom, creating enchanting, mysterious pieces. This also explained why she loved fantasy movies, especially the ones enchanted in magic and sorcery. Her status as an aspiring artist also meant that she spent most of her time buried in her sizable collection of sketch pads. She had her room on the second floor with dark teal walls covered by a mix of her sketches. They showcased majestic landscapes, forests, parks, beaches, and fairy tale characters such as elves, trolls, witches, and fairies.

On a sunny Thursday morning in the middle of July, the girl was sound asleep in her bed, snuggled underneath her comforter with her curly orange-red hair spread messily over her pillow. An orange and white Maine Coon cat was sprawled out on top of the lump she made, soundly sleeping as well. They both could have slept there all day if an obnoxiously cheerful voice hadn't awoken them.

"Wake up pumpkin! The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and it's the start of a new day!" her mother joyfully said as she yanked open the curtain to let sunlight brighten the room.

Bloom growled from underneath her comforter. "Get out!" She muttered indignantly, still half asleep, wishing to get at least an hour more under the covers.

Vanessa ignored her daughter while she calmly skipped over to the bed. She was a soft-spoken, slender woman with olive skin and neck-length chestnut hair. A mischievous expression danced across her face as she regarded the lump peeking out of the mattress. She patted it gently. "Sweetie, get out of bed. You can't waste your time sleeping all day."

Sluggishly, Bloom tossed a pillow at her mother but missed by an inch before mumbling something unintelligible.

Vanessa simply smiled at the lump. "You're going to be late."

"Late?" Bloom said, confused.

She pushed back the covers from her head and wiped a spot of drool from the corner of her mouth, glancing over at her bedside alarm clock. It took a few seconds for her mind to register the time before her eyes widened. With a yelp, she tumbled out of bed, knocking the sleeping cat onto the floor. "Crap, I'm late to school!" she panicked, racing around the room. The teen frantically threw her closet doors open and grabbed a wrinkled hoodie while searching for a pair of pants to wear.

Her mother kept watching her, trying to hold back laughter.

"Why didn't you guys wake me up? Why didn't the alarm go off? God, I can't believe this, I've never been this late be- wait a minute." Bloom froze while trying to make herself look presentable and put on a pair of jeans at the same time. "It's the middle of July," she said, realization dawning on her face. "School's out." Her cheeks turned bright red as her eyes shifted towards her mother who had a wide grin on her face. "Mom, not funny!"

"Wow, seventeen seconds, that's much better than last year's," Vanessa giggled. "You always fall for that and it's funny every time."

"No, it's not," Bloom grumbled, picking up the startled orange cat off the floor. "I was trying to sleep."

"If you hadn't fallen asleep at four in the morning, you wouldn't be so tired," Vanessa argued, patting her daughter on the back. "What were you doing anyway?"

"Just getting some reading done," Bloom replied, stroking her cat. "I might've lost track of time."

Vanessa shook her head as her eyes shifted to a book on the floor. She picked it up to examine the cover then frowned. "Fairies, Witches, and Warlocks: Myth or Reality? Bloom?" the woman raised an eyebrow. "Don't you ever get tired of reading about these silly mythical creatures?"

"No, they may be silly mythical creatures to you, but I find them interesting," Bloom defended, letting out a small yawn.

"Uh-huh," Vanessa said. "Well, breakfast is ready and getting cold. I made your favorite - whole wheat pancakes."

Bloom groaned in a manner that was supposed to sound annoyed, but it disappeared when her mom kissed her on the cheek. She tried to hide her amused smile. As Vanessa left the room, she placed the cat back on the bed and gently rubbed his head causing him to purr before closing his eyes, "Sorry for knocking you on the floor Kiko... again."

She chuckled to herself before getting dressed, albeit this time at a reasonable pace. She searched through a pile of dirty and clean clothes mixed together at the bottom of her closet to find something to wear. She managed to pull out a navy-blue t-shirt, a pair of black jeans, and black combat boots. She placed each earring around her ears, two on each ear, and then her earring cuffs. She applied her makeup in shades of purple and black, and finished off the look with a black choker that had a blue heart-shaped gemstone in the center and a silver chain necklace.

Once her regular ensemble was completed, Bloom went downstairs to the kitchen and sat down next to her father. "Morning, dad."

Her dad, Mike, who was currently busy reading the day's paper, was a tall and muscular man with blonde hair and a fondness for light colors, unlike his daughter. Mike and Bloom were complete opposites of each other, from music to hobbies, yet they were both as headstrong as could be.

"Morning, pumpkin," he greeted back. "Want the comic section?"

Bloom held out her hand. "I always do."

Her father pulled the page with the newspaper comics and passed it over to his daughter. She folded the paper in half and started reading.

Her mom, who had just arrived with a dish full of pancakes and sausages, had a wide grin across her face as she sat down next to her husband.

Mike's eyes stayed fixed on the newspaper as he asked, "So, when can Shelia watch the flower shop?"

"Not until the twenty-first," Vanessa replied, fixing her own plate. "She's visiting her grandmother in Oregon."

Bloom frowned, lowering her paper. "You're not going to make me spend half the summer working in that flower shop again, are you? All that pollen makes me lightheaded."

"I know you don't like it there, but it's not that bad, and you always manage to make a sale," Vanessa pleaded.

"What do you expect from a charming girl like our Bloomington?" Mike added, a little too sweetly.

"Thanks, but I'd rather spend time with dad at the fire station," Bloom said, continuing to read the comics section, eyes now skimming over this week's comic strip. She wasn't going to fall for it.

Mike laughed. "Gee, thanks."

Vanessa sighed. "Fine, I'll work at the shop by myself until Sophia returns. I've done it for five years; a few weeks won't slow me down," she said, cutting into her pancake. "After that, we can plan out our annual family trip!"

"Great," Mike said, pleased. "I can tell my boss when we'll be going on vacation. He's been curious since he knows we go on trips this time of the month."

Bloom groaned. "Do we have to go back to that beach resort again?" she asked while drizzling chocolate syrup on top of her pancakes.

"Yeah, we've gone there every summer, why would we change that?" Mike replied, staring at his daughter's chocolate syrup-coated pancake. After noticing his daughter's slightly unhappy expression, he asked, "Is something wrong?"

"It's just that we've gone to that beach since..." Bloom thought about it for a moment as she took a bite from her chocolate-covered pancakes. "Since I was born, I think."

Vanessa waved her hand. "You're over-exaggerating."

"No, I'm not. Ever since I can remember, the one place we always go to in the middle of the summer is that beach resort and it sucks," Bloom reasoned. "Every time we go, bad things happen to me and no, I'm not exaggerating. Bad stuff literally happens to me every time we go. I always get sunburnt or a rash from the sand, the jellyfish sting me, it's too hot, and the bugs love biting me. And remember last year's shark scare?"

Mike and Vanessa's faces turned the same shade of red. That incident had left them stranded in the ocean in a boat for six hours.

"I thought you loved going to the beach," said her mother, concerned.

"It's okay, but it gets boring after the fifteenth trip to the same beach house at the same beach." Bloom poked at her syrup-infused pancake with a fork. "All my other friends are going on exciting trips for the summer. Rocky's going to Vegas, Juji's going to Hawaii, Selina's headed off to Comic-Con, and... Mitzi won't shut up about going on this big ski trip by herself!"

"We didn't know you felt this way," Mike said, starting to sympathize with his daughter's rant.

Bloom's eyes shifted toward her father. "You seriously never noticed me telling you how much I hated that beach?"

"We thought you were joking," Mike sheepishly replied.

Vanessa nodded with a shrug. "Well, do you have a place in mind?"

"Maybe..." Bloom said, pushing her pancakes around with her fork.

"What is it?" Mike asked curiously.

"Well, if you really want to know," Bloom paused, placing her fork down with a flourish of excitement on her face. "The Python Insanity Extravaganza!" When she was simply met with silent stares from her parents she continued. "It'll be the biggest event in the band's history! There will be music, tons of events, great food, and tons of booths. They'll be playing in Washington so it's not too far a drive. You'll like this next part. If we get tickets now, we can get the hotel gold package which will cover all the expenses."

Vanessa and Mike both shared the same incredulous look before simultaneously asking, "How much?"

Bloom paused, trying to remember the price she had seen for the tickets online for a few seconds then sheepishly answered, "Only... three hundred and fifty dollars."

Mike nearly spat out his coffee as Vanessa's eyes widened comically.

"To see a concert?!" her dad exclaimed.

"It's not just a concert," Bloom said, trying to defend the price. "It's an extravaganza!"

"Isn't Python Insanity that band that literally screams about death and destruction in almost every song?" Mike asked, his eyebrow raised. "Why would we want to be around that?"

"Th- they talk about more than that," Bloom spluttered. "Sometimes they'll talk about revolution and having fun. You don't know them. You're just saying that because you don't like rock music."

"That may be true," Mike agreed. "But what I'm getting at is that this extravaganza concert thing doesn't seem like a family vacation. It seems like a you vacation."

"There are plenty of fun activities for all of us to do there," Bloom reasoned. "I even heard there's going to be a tattoo tent."

Mike rested his chin in his hand, staring at his daughter, "Really?" he said in a deadpan tone.

"Yeah," Bloom replied, flashing him a nervous smile. "So..."

Mike rested back in his chair before saying, "We're not going. And before you ask, no, you can't go by yourself."

Bloom slumped back in her chair, the smile slipping into a scowl. She could feel a burning sensation in her chest but chose to ignore it so she wouldn't have an outburst. "This is so unfair. Why can't you treat me like an adult?"

"You're only sixteen. That means you're still our little girl and we're not letting you go to a random concert by yourself," Mike replied. "And even if your mom and I wanted to step foot at that 'extravaganza', we still couldn't afford it."

"Whatever," Bloom mumbled, gaining a glare from her father. She felt like she and her dad could never agree on anything, and this was just another coin in the well of things they'd argue about.

"Don't act like that, Bloom," Vanessa scolded. "Your father's right. It would be nice to go somewhere else but going to the beach is cheaper and still fun. You get that, right, sweetie?"

"Yeah, sure," Bloom said, shoving a pancake in her mouth to hold back her angry grumbles. "You said that last year, and the year before that, and the year before that, too."

Vanessa sighed with a small smile before saying, "If it makes you feel any better, we did get you something special."

"Something special?" Bloom asked through a mouth full of pancakes and a raised eyebrow. She stared at her smiling parents.

"Let's just say we got you a little something to help you get around Gardenia faster," Mike replied.

Bloom's face lit up with a big smile as she visibly restrained herself from choking on her breakfast. "Did you really get it?"

Her parents both nodded.

Bloom swallowed while wiping the chocolate sauce off her lips. She pushed back her seat and stood up. "Well, don't keep me waiting!"

...

"Is this necessary?" asked Bloom as she was led outside, her vision obscured completely by her father's warm hands about her face.

"Yes, it's a surprise," her dad said joyfully. "And there it is!" With that, he removed his hands.

In front of them was a new bicycle. It was bright red with a black helmet hanging from one of the handles. A straw basket was in front that was filled with what Bloom suspected were flowers and fruits from her mom's store. Bloom stared at the bike for what felt like a solid minute, unsure of how to react without disappointing her parents.

"Nice, huh?" Mike asked.

"I honestly don't know what to say," Bloom muttered as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"I already know what you're going to say," Mike replied happily, placing his arm around Bloom's shoulder. "Thanks, mom and dad, for the really, really cool bike. You are totally awesome.'"

Bloom remained silent, still pinching her nose.

Vanessa studied her daughter's face carefully, seeing her daughter's eager anticipation go to disappointment in a flash. After another second, the girl turned around to hug her parents while saying, "Gee, thanks, guys. It's nice."

"I'm glad you like it," Vanessa said.

I don't hate it, so that's a plus, Bloom thought. "I think I'll try it out and go to the park," she sighed in resignation. "Kiko might like that."

"That sounds good," her mother agreed. With that, Mike and Vanessa watched as their daughter dejectedly walked back into the house.

"Look at that, she doesn't even know what to say!" Mike said, turning to his wife.

"I guess, but don't you think she seemed to want something more ... sophisticated?"

"Like a bike with a speedometer?" Mike asked.

Vanessa sighed. "No, Mike. It's obvious she wanted a Vespa. Did you ever notice the hints she gave us since Christmas?"

"She left hints?" He asked, legitimately confused.

Venessa let out another sigh. "Maybe we could save up some money for one and give it to her for her birthday in December."

Mike scratched the back of his neck. "I'm not so sure about that; Vespa's are pretty dangerous. I heard the neighbor's son got a Vespa and-"

"We can't always base our decisions on stories and what-ifs. If we did, we'd never let her leave the house, you know that sweetie," she said, smiling and looping her arm around her husband's. "Plus, it's a Vespa, not a motorcycle."

"That's true. I'm just worried, you know," Mike said. "She's almost an adult and I-"

Vanessa cut him off. "I get it. Now shush, she's coming back down."

Bloom walked back outside, cradling her orange cat with a messenger bag slung over her shoulder. She placed Kiko in the basket along with her bag and hopped on the bike. She placed the black helmet on her head before waving her parents goodbye. As she began cycling down the road, she heard her dad call out, "Ride carefully and be back by six!"

"Whatever," she called back, sticking out her tongue.

...

"He'll never change," Bloom said sadly to Kiko while cycling. "Dad won't ever let me ride anything faster than this bike. I'm surprised he got me this. At least they got me something. Besides, it's the thought that counts."

As Bloom cycled towards the park, she pedaled past rows upon rows of local stores: her mom's flower shop, the grocer, Panera bread, and that new herbal store run by a cute old Wiccan couple. A few of the usual hipsters filed out the door, but no one gave them a second glance. This was just a normal day in Gardenia.

She spotted a group of her classmates talking while gathered on the side of the street. She curiously cycled over to see what was going on, and, at the center of attention, presenting her new hot pink Vespa, stood a girl with long black hair and dark blue pointy glasses. She had on a yellow-green tank top and yellow capris. It was Mitzi Vega, Bloom's worst enemy.

"It's too bad I won't have a chance to use it this month since I'll be going on a ski trip by myself. Such a shame," Mitzi said in a dramatic tone, obviously enjoying every second of attention she was receiving. "I hope no one steals it while I'm on my solo ski trip."

Seeing Mitzi showing off her new Vespa sparked a twinge of jealousy in Bloom. "Of course, she got a Vespa. Of course, she did," she mumbled. "If I just ride away quietly, maybe I can-"

"Oh, hey, Bloom," Mitzi greeted, spotting the silent bike rider.

"Hey, Mitzi," Bloom awkwardly greeted back, stepping off her bicycle. "Nice Vespa. When did you get it?"

"Like, this very morning, it was a gift from my parents before I went on my ski trip," Mitzi replied, petting the thing like it was her pet. "But, it's not just any Vespa. This is high quality, top model, and, like, very expensive."

"Which model is it?" Bloom asked.

Mitzi opened her mouth, about to answer, paused for a moment, then started checking the scooter for the model name.

"Yup, this sure is some super high quality, expensive scooter if you forget what the model is," Bloom joked.

"Very funny," the black-haired girl said sarcastically. "And for your information, it's a Vespa Primavera," she replied, finally finding the model name. "Bet you don't know what your brand is — oh, you have a bike?"

Bloom nervously chuckled at Mitzi's sudden realization of her mode of transportation.

"Yeah, just got it today," she replied. "It even came with flowers and a little cat." Kiko immediately popped his head out from the basket, chewing on a flower.

"Seriously, your parents got you a bike?" Mitzi asked, stunned. "Did they not want their poor little Bloom on a dangerous Vespa? How tragic."

The group of teens chuckled but Bloom only rolled her eyes. She wasn't going to let anything Mitzi said to her ruin her day, even if she had hit the bullseye. She and Mitzi had a love-hate relationship and Bloom knew well how to defend herself.

"Neither. I wanted a bike, so they got me one," Bloom shrugged. "Plus, Vespas are pretty dangerous. What if my poor Kiko got hurt?" She gently scratched the quiet cat's head, making him purr softly.

Mitzi smirked, shaking her head. "You and that cat. Is that, like, your only friend?"

"You're critiquing me on who I'm friends with?" Bloom smirked back, knowing how close Mitzi was to her own pet dog. "That's rich. Anyway, when will you be going on this extravagant vacation?"

"Plane leaves tomorrow morning," Mitzi answered with a carefree smile. "What about you, Bloom? Wait, don't answer." She paused, making an exaggerated thinking pose. "After careful thought, I've, like, de- deduced you'll be going to that same old funky beach resort, huh?"

Bloom refused to answer, only letting out an exhausted huff. This confirmed Mitzi's suspicions, making her clap her hands eagerly. Bloom held her head down avoiding eye contact with the group.

"I knew it!" she giggled. "You are just so plain, Bloom. Same old trip every summer. Such a sad way to spend your time off."

"You got me. Good job, Mitzi. I would give you a cookie, but I don't carry dog treats," Bloom shot back, making Mitzi's group chuckle as her nemesis fumed silently. "Anyways, you have a fun vacation."

"You too," Mitzi said, "Try not to get sunburned again, or else you'll peel like a dragon, you fantasy-obsessed freak."

"Try not to break your leg on those skis," Bloom shot back as she sulked back to her bike. She could feel a heat rising in her chest, it usually came when she got bothered by people like Mitzi, but she suppressed it as best as she could. "I should get going; Kiko and I are headed to the Frutti Music Bar. Got to try that new Triple Berry Blast Smoothie before I head to the park, ain't that right Kiko?" Kiko turned towards Bloom while nibbling on a flower. Bloom simply scratched his head with a smile.

"Whoa, exciting," Mitzi said, sarcastically spinning a finger in the air. "Ta-ta, Bloom, I'll send you a postcard from the slopes."

Bloom smiled curtly before turning away, mumbling under her breath before hopping back on her bike. Saying her farewells to the rest of the group she cycled down the path towards the Frutti Music Bar.

...

The Frutti Music Bar was a popular hangout spot. It served smoothies, shakes, and healthy snacks while also providing entertainment by bands and solo acts. Pictures were placed on the walls with spring and nature themes. They were known to serve some of the best drinks in Gardenia, including their new themed smoothies. Bloom just had to grab the new TBBS before she headed to the park since she had heard a dozen rave reviews about it.

She parked her bicycle at a bike rack and adjusted her messenger bag around her shoulder before hopping off.

"I'll be back. Kiko. Guard the bike." She gestured towards the bicycle to make sure her cat understood. He meowed back at her. Although Bloom knew he was more likely to fall asleep rather than do any actual guarding, she gave him a scratch on the head.

She entered the smoothie bar and walked towards the counter where she spotted the owner's young magenta-haired daughter, Roxy, chatting with a girl with long blonde hair, covered in body glitter and a bright yellow and orange sleeveless dress. All the other workers seemed to be busy, so Bloom approached Roxy. It also didn't hurt that she knew her personally.

Bloom tried to get the pink-haired girl's attention, but her attempts failed. Roxy was too busy eagerly discussing a funny anecdote, while the glittery girl quietly sipped from her tall pink smoothie. Bloom couldn't help but feel ignored as the two girls talked.

"So," Roxy said, leaning over the counter. "Sharon tried to load up all seven of the glasses at once, and then she got her stiletto stuck on one of the bar chairs. As you can imagine, she tripped."

The other girl laughed, nearly spitting out her smoothie. "That's what she gets for wearing stilettos!" She pulled her left hand up to her mouth, and Bloom noticed a shiny blue and yellow ring on it.

Bloom raised an eyebrow when she heard the ring-wearer speak. She had nothing against the girl, but what surprised her was how proper and chipper her English was. She expected a girl with purple eyeshadow and pink lipstick to speak in a valley girl accent, but instead, it was British.

Bloom cleared her throat, gaining the girls' attention, "I hate to interrupt, but I'd really like to order something."

Roxy gasped. "I'm so sorry, Bloom. I've been super distracted today. It's super busy and dad's on an important business trip, so he left me in charge while he's gone. I think I'm doing a pretty good job."

Bloom chuckled. "You do seem to be keeping the place in one piece, but the last time your dad went on an important business trip my dad found him camping in the woods while smoking weed and playing the bongos."

The girl chuckled loudly, nearly spitting out her smoothie.

"We don't talk about that," Roxy said, her eyes darting away in embarrassment while her cheeks turned a bright red. "This time he's actually off at a business meeting and won't be back until tomorrow. Now, what can I do for ya?"

"Well," Bloom started, placing her hands on the counter, nearly knocking over the girl's smoothie. The ring-wearer let out an annoyed huff, which Bloom simply ignored. "I'd like to try one of your Triple Berry Blast Smoothies, to-go."

"Yes, another patron of the TBBS! Those things have been selling like hotcakes! My new customer just ordered one." Roxy motioned towards the girl in the odd clothing who had been quietly sipping away on the tall berry mixture.

Upon noticing both girls' attention on her, the girl happily pulled away from her drink. "Ah, yes, I have, and it is brill," she complimented, a slight twang to her voice.

"I love it when you say fancy stuff like that," Roxy complimented, causing the shimmering girl to blush. "Bloom, this is my new friend, uh..."

"Just call me Stel," Stel replied.

"Bloom, this is my new friend, Stel. Stel, this is my friend and best customer, Bloom," Roxy introduced the two to each other. Bloom turned towards the glimmering girl, who wiggled her fingers politely in greeting.

"The one with the band?" shimmer-girl asked. "From what this adorable server girl has told me, you used to be in quite the popular rock band. Insipid Wishbone, was it?"

Server girl? 'Bloom wondered in her head. She had rarely seen anyone talk this proper or refer to a waitress as a server girl. "Um, Insect Wishbone. It wasn't really popular. Roxy is definitely exaggerating there, we just played here a couple of times last year."

"Oh? Odd name either way," the girl responded before taking another long sip from her drink. "Hopefully you didn't play any music that was as weird as your name."

"No, we didn't," Bloom replied, "Just mostly covers of pop songs." She felt old anger rise up. Memories of her bandmates shooting down her requests looped in her mind like a broken projector. "Anyways, I don't like to talk about it."

"With a name like that, I can see why," Stel jested.

Bloom raised an eyebrow, slightly offended.

"You guys were so awesome though," Roxy said. "My dad said he'd be totally okay with you guys playing again."

"That's not happening anytime soon," Bloom said, her face squirming in disgust. "I don't want to be rude, but can you start making that smoothie?"

"Coming right up!" Roxy said, spinning on her heel and walking over to a blender to start mixing the drink.

"In a rush?" Stel questioned.

"Kind of," Bloom answered. "I've got errands to run, people to see, the usual."

"Such a shame you aren't playing tonight. I could've given you a few recs, like playing something more, what's the word, poppy," Stel giggled. "I do love a good bubbly pop song over something like metal. It's all such incessant noise."

"Really," Bloom said, leaning her elbow on the countertop. "I'm not into that, what was it you mentioned, rave music myself or poppy music. It's such an incessant noise to me."

"Right," Stel smiled, taking a final sip from a smoothie. She smirked at the girl as she pushed her glass away. "Well, love, it's a terrible shame your band isn't a thing anymore. Now, what will I give you advice on?" Stel lazily eyed Bloom's ensemble. "Quite an interesting look you got there, especially the boots. Going for Van Gogh minus the missing ear?"

Bloom rolled her eyes. So, this was how she wanted to play?

"Thanks for the compliment!" she said with a faux chipper tone. "And no, it was more Avant-Garde inspired with a mix of early two thousand punk. What about you? Trying out a preppy heiress look?"

The shimmering girl flashed an equally sparkly smile before breaking out in laughter. "As a matter of fact, yes. This is the height of fashion from where I'm from, and I must say it does wonders for my complexion."

Bloom gave her an incredulous look before letting a small smile form on her lips. She had to admit, it was fun interacting with this strange girl, despite her initial misgivings.

"One TBBS served!" Roxy announced, placing the smoothie in front of Bloom. Bloom absent-mindedly twirled the straw about while she and Stel continued chatting. She had to admit; the girl was intriguing. She could see why Roxy was so focused on her before.

"Well, I've been here long enough," Stel reached into a side pocket on her long dress, much to the surprise of Bloom, and handed over a couple of small, gold-looking coins to Roxy. "I sadly do have actual errands to run and people to see."

"Leaving already? I thought you'd have more insults about my outfit," Bloom said.

"Oh, darling, trust me, I wasn't insulting your look," Stel said, hopping off the bar stool. "Though, maybe on my next visit, I can give you proper tips on how to vamp up your style."

"If I ever have the misfortune of running into you again," Bloom smirked.

"Brilliant," Stel sarcastically said with a curt smile.

"Before you go, I was wondering, where are you from?" Bloom quickly asked. To her surprise, the girl froze for a moment. "I can't quite place it. It sounds British, but not as well. Which part of Europe are you from?"

Stel eased up a bit before giggling. "Oh, sweetie. Is there even a point in saying it? It's too complicated for you to understand. Just think what you think. Bye!" She swiftly left the bar, taking large strides in her platform heels.

"What a weirdo," Bloom said, turning to Roxy.

"She's just... eccentric," replied Roxy as she examined the strange coins Stel handed her. "She seems nice though."

"You and I have a different definition of nice," Bloom said. "She didn't even say where she's from, just that it's too complicated to understand. I got a feeling she's secretly from New Jersey."

"Well, wherever she's from, they have strange currency," Roxy said, giggling. "I can't even guess what these are made of."

Bloom laughed. "Fitting." She grabbed her smoothie, taking a quick sip from the cup before handing over her own payment to Roxy. "Anyways, I've got to go. See ya, Rox."

"Bye," Roxy eagerly waved goodbye. Bloom turned on her heel and quietly left the music bar. She hopped back on her bike where Kiko was continuing to snack on flowers. She scratched the cat's head and then cycled down the road near the park.

...

The park was a large and well-kept place that was considered by many of the town's citizens to be the pride of the town. Almost every townsperson had contributed to help make the park nice, Bloom's mom donating several plants from her own shop over the years. Her parents had always taken her there when she was little. Not for the first time in her life, Bloom was reminded of why she loved the park so much. It was a field of green, yellow, and pink, a vibrant arena of beauty and life. The cool summer breeze felt sublime against Bloom's skin. In her bicycle basket, Kiko purred happily, feeling a similar sense of relaxation. Today the park was mostly empty, so it was easy for Bloom to find a secluded, quiet spot shaded by trees for the pair to rest in.

After parking her bicycle, she searched for her usual sketching spot underneath a large tree. With a happy sigh, she sat down and pulled out her sketchbook and pencils.

Kiko plopped down beside her as she silently hummed to herself.

"Sometimes, I wish mom and dad would take me on a vacation somewhere other than that beach resort. They don't seem to understand I hate it there," she said to her pet whilst sketching a goblin. "It's so obvious they want to go somewhere else, too. Sure, a vacation to Washington or New York isn't cheap, but going to the same place, again and again, is boring." Bloom paused, nibbling on her pencil. "Still, we could get to New York on a budget. We wouldn't have much to do.

"I just can't go back to that beach. If I get stung by another jellyfish, I'm going to scream." Her pencil flew off track as she remembered the agony of jellyfish stings. She groaned at the line, carefully erasing it. "Maybe if dad gets a promotion or a raise at work, it could happen. Or maybe mom's shop might get really popular. After all, who doesn't love flowers?" She paused, raising the pencil to her chin. "Okay, I don't, but others do. I could help her set up a Facebook page to attract more people. What do you think, Kiko?"

She looked down at her cat, who was sprawled out across the soft grass trying to find the perfect way to take his nap.

Bloom gently stroked his nose. "Aw, I guess you're happy as long as you get a nap, huh?"

She grinned and went back to her drawing as her pet took his daily nap. Bloom tapped the pencil on her chin as she stared at the picture in her sketchbook. She had too many ideas swimming around in her mind and she wasn't sure which to focus on. After thinking them over, she finally decided on drawing her version of a fairy. The novel she read last night had given her great ideas for one.

Almost an hour passed, and Bloom was adding the finishing touches to her artwork. She stared at it in pride. She did not abide by the stereotype of fairies being delicate, having flower petals as dresses, and needing a wand. Instead, she designed them with modern clothing that was suitable for flying. Instead of the typical pastel colors, she gave them dark shades instead. Overall, she was pleased with the outcome.

She started packing up her supplies, almost ready to leave. Suddenly, a beastly roar echoed throughout the park, causing the trees to ripple. It was unlike anything she had ever heard before. Before Bloom could react, a shriek followed up the echo. Kiko immediately jumped into her arms, shaking in fear.

"What was that?" she asked in alarm. Scrambling to her feet, she clutched Kiko to her chest. Several strange sounds echoed out from the forest, but what shocked Bloom the most was the panicked screaming that accompanied the sounds.

Bloom frantically searched through her bag before realizing she left her cell phone at home. She stomped her foot in anger before dropping everything and placing Kiko in the basket to keep him safe.

Without a second thought, she raced through the thicket of the woods. As she ran, the growls and screams grew louder and more erratic. She spotted a nearby glade through the trees and what she saw stunned her. The girl Bloom had met earlier was standing there, but she looked bloody and bruised. That wasn't even addressing her new outfit.

She wasn't in the dress she had on before. Instead, she now had on a sparkly orange one-shoulder crop top that exposed her midriff, matching short shorts, and knee-high boots. The top was slightly torn, scratches visible on her arms and legs. Her hair was in two long pigtails, accompanied by an orange headband. Her body was still shimmering, but it seemed like part of that was her normal skin. She was grasping on a long blue and white staff with a sun motif on the top, trying to support her trembling legs. What made Bloom blink twice was the girl's big, blue-teal sparkling wings sticking out from her back. She quickly hid behind one of the trees, unsure of what she saw. Her eyes had to be playing tricks on her, right?

With a horrible screech, a large black and red creature with long, jagged claws and sharp fangs darted at the winged girl. The girl jumped back as quickly as she could. With a desperate swing from her staff, she hit the creature on its side. "Rising Sun!" She yelled. A burst of energy emerged from the staff, sending the beast thrashing to the ground with a thud. It gurgled before vanishing into thin air.

Bloom could see a mix of blood and sweat drop from the girl's chin as she breathed heavily. The girl put a hand over her chest and then wiped her sweaty forehead.

"Whoa, she defeated it with..." Bloom paused. "Laser beams?"

"Give us the scepter, little girl," a deep, rasping voice growled, interrupting Bloom's thoughts. "Or my ghouls will pry it from your cold, dead hands."

Stel nervously took a few steps back as her eyes widened in fear at the sight in front of her. Bloom followed her stare and she realized why she was so terrified. On the opposite side of the glade, surrounded by a dozen small black creatures, stood a massive green, yellow, and brown humanoid monster covered in enormous pulsating muscles and warts. The creature was slightly hunched over with two beady black eyes, long yellow nails, a set of brown overalls, and a short untrimmed beard.

"Yo- you'll never take the Scepter of Solaria, you hideous barmy!" Stel exclaimed, trying to sound intimidating. "You and your ghouls better stand down or feel the true power of the Sun and Moon fairy!"

"Fairy?" Bloom whispered in shock. She quickly raised her hand to her mouth as she bit her bottom lip. She wanted to help but wasn't sure what she could do, or even if she should. She hated to admit it, but she was way out of her league here.

"Suit yourself." The beast smiled evilly before grunting out orders in an unfamiliar language. The small red creatures hissed; Bloom found herself holding her breath in fear as they charged at the girl.

The girl didn't look fearful though, as she calmly held up her hand. "Solar Wind!" She shouted. A strong gust of wind seemed to escape from the girl's hand, causing the creatures to fall back and roll on the grass, trying desperately to regain their balance.

Before they could recover, the sparkly girl positioned her staff at the creatures. "Solar Beam!" she said. Her staff shot out a single searing, bright beam of light, bisecting three of the creatures. Yep, definitely laser beams. Another creature hurled itself at the girl with its mouth wide open, but she casually fired another beam straight down its throat. The creature fell to the ground, and along with the other three monsters, dissolved into glittering dust.

One more attempted to grab her by the waist, but the fairy casually drove the butt of her staff into the red creature's stomach, causing it to topple over. Then, with a swing of her staff, she stabbed the creature, causing it to vanish as well.

Bloom found herself anxiously biting her lip again as the creatures vanished into glittering dust, leaving only four crowded around the beast. She had never seen creatures like this in real life before, only in cartoons. She most certainly never expected to see someone fighting them. Only a few hours ago she was chatting it up with Stel at the music bar and now she was watching her fight strange creatures with magic. Oh, and she had wings sticking out of her back, but that was beside the point. Despite her desire to help, Bloom tucked herself behind the tree. She still had no clue what to do. She didn't have any special powers.

"Do you want to wrap this up now?" she heard the girl ask. "Or would you like to have your huge pus-filled arse beaten too?"

The massive humanoid looked around, displeased with the destruction of its little henchmen. The corner of its eyes started turning red and it began breathing heavily.

Stel relished this and slowly held up her bloody hand while trying to hold herself up on her staff. With one index finger, she egged on the monster to attack her. It let out an angry roar and charged at her at an alarming speed.

Stel barely managed to evade the beast by throwing herself to the side as the creature's ham-sized fist swung through the air at where her head had been moments ago. It tripped and smashed into a tree, snapping it in half. The girl tumbled to the grass, wincing in pain. She scrambled away as the massive beast turned and tried to crush her with its massive-sized foot. Instead of crushing her, it left an impressively large dent on the ground with such force that Bloom could feel it in her legs.

"If you try anything like that again, I will annihilate you with a light bomb!" she warned. Despite her boldness though, it was obvious from her body trembling that she wasn't nearly as confident as she tried to sound.

The vomit-colored creature merely glared at her, as if deciding how to defeat the staff-wielding fairy. The girl slowly backed away as it kept coming closer. Bloom spotted two red creatures sneaking up behind the Stel, preparing to jump the girl.

"STEL, BEHIND YOU!" Bloom yelled, jumping out from her hiding spot.

The shimmering girl turned to notice the creatures, who immediately hissed at her. She instantly fired a blinding flash of light that made the creatures recoil back.

Bloom was relieved until she noticed the massive humanoid commanding the red monsters to charge at her instead. She tried to get away, but one of the creatures latched itself onto her leg, sending them both to the ground. The creature began to dig its claws deep into her upper thigh. Blood began trickling from the scars.

"HOLY SHIT!" Bloom screamed in pain as she tried to kick the creature off. "Get the hell off me! Get off! Get off!" She planted a foot in the middle of its face, but it only hissed again. With one strong kick, she sent the beast reeling back. In the scuffle, the beast left long gashes into both her jeans and leg.

The creature regained its footing and hissed at Bloom. The girl nervously crawled away as the creature charged towards her ready to claw at her head.

"Not again!" she shielded herself, ready for the attack. The creature, fortunately, took a bomb of flashing light to the back from her staff, turning him into a puff of smoke. The light-blasting girl gave her a reassuring smile before turning back to the monster.

"This is a fight between you and me, not innocent civilians!" Stel angrily stated.

The beast ignored Stel's anger to swipe at her. She evaded the claw swipe from the large monster as it tried to snatch her. Her movements were sluggish. It was obvious she wanted– and needed– to rest, but she wasn't going to let the beast take what was hers.

The creature barked at the last remaining black and red creatures to go for the frantic artist while the beast turned towards the trembling fairy. Bloom frantically tried crawling away again as they stalked towards her. "Stay away from me."

Stel was too busy trying to fight off the thundering beast, trying to not get any more injuries, leaving the terrified girl to fend for herself from the voracious creatures. The creatures closed in on Bloom, preparing to attack. As they hissed at her, she felt fearful and enraged. Her heart raced. She could feel something inside her chest, a strong form of energy that seemed to be hidden away in her for a long time, growing stronger by the second.

As the creature launched itself at Bloom, she held up her hands and yelled, "I said: STAY. AWAY. FROM. ME!" The flame that had been suppressed for so long was finally ignited.

A large barrier of fire exploded from her hands, extinguishing the last three remaining ghouls. The roaring flame wall crackled around her as she gazed at the flames shooting from her hands. The injured fairy barely managed to evade the oncoming blaze. Her enemy wasn't so lucky. Bloom's fire incinerated the right side of its body, causing it to cry out in agony.

As the flames died out, Bloom could see that the behemoth monster's whole right side had been scorched badly enough to have turned a raw pink, like bubblegum left out under a park bench.

It glared at the two girls with one good eye. "This isn't over. I'll come back with more ghouls to get both of you!" it shouted, backing away. "You haven't seen the last of me!" With a flash of smoke, the beast disappeared, leaving a dark black ring engraved on the ground.

A moment of silence lay over the two remaining girls. Bloom stared at her shaking hands. Even though the blaze had come from them, they appeared to be fine. There wasn't a single scratch or burn on them, unlike her leg. "Di- did I just do that?" she questioned, mystified. She fell onto her knees, the pain in her leg pounding with relentless fury.

"You most certainly did, love," the fairy girl congratulated, limping over to her. She held out her bloodied hand to help the girl up. "That was some kick-arse fairy fighting skills."

"Um, thanks... I think," Bloom said, grabbing her hand. "What... what just happened?"

"It's sort of difficult to explain," the girl said while struggling to lift the leg bleeding girl up. "But now that those ghastly barmies are gone, if you'll excuse me..." The shimmering fairy glanced at the spot where the monster had been. After a moment, her eyes rolled into the back of her head before she slowly collapsed to the ground, reverting to the dress Bloom had seen her in before, her cuts still being visible.

"Hey, are you all, right?" Bloom asked, crouching next to the girl. She winced from the pain in her leg as the dizzy girl let out a faint groan. "Right, that was a dumb question. Um... don't faint at least."

"Oh, I'm fine, I just need to rest real quick. This is a normal day for me," the girl reassured her. "Stuff like this can be healed up quickly. Although, it's a good thing I'm not at risk of being torn apart like a rag doll anymore. That wouldn't be too good for a Princess."

"Right," Bloom nodded, "Wait, what?"

The Princess ignored Bloom's reaction and stared down at her bleeding leg. "What about you, love? Your leg's pretty mangled."

"It's not that bad," Bloom said, sounding as calm as she could. The pain in her leg was unbearable, but she knew that compared to the Princess's injuries, it wasn't that bad. "Just a flesh wound. I'm more focused on the giant red alien creature that clawed it." She paused. "Not to mention...who are you?! What are you?! What were those creatures and how the hell did you do the thing with the laser beams and the staff?!"

"Hold on, love, one question at a time," Stel said sitting up. "I'm trying not to fall unconscious here. Do you mind helping me up?"

"Oh, sure." With Bloom's help, the girl managed to stand up while resting on Bloom's shoulder, although it pained both to be standing.

The girl groaned "Maybe I'm a tad in pain," she said, "I owe you one, love."

"For what?"

"You saved me back there," Stel replied, "If it weren't for you, I might've lost my scepter."

"Oh, uh, it was nothing, really," Bloom said nonchalantly, "Now, can you please tell me who you are?"

"Okay, I guess there's no use still lying to you. Allow me to properly introduce myself." Stel cleared her throat. "I am Princess Stella Luna Leanna Celestia Estelle Davenwood of Solaria, but my friends call me Stella or Stel."

Bloom cocked her head in confusion, much to Stella's surprise. "Is that your real name?"

"Of course, it is!" Stella exclaimed, slightly offended. "Haven't you heard of Solaria? The planet with two suns and moons?" She waited for the girl to respond. "Separated into two kingdoms?"

"Yeah, I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about," Bloom said, looking completely lost. "Did you hit your head back there?"

"That's the one thing that wasn't damaged. Plus, why would I lie about being a noble?" Stella asked, slightly offended. "My father was all over the news for donating a large amount of money for the queen's rot disease research."

"The who, what disease research?" Bloom asked, still unsure if this girl was crazy or not.

"How about this, he's in alliance with Edward Ó Faoláin, the king of the banshees and sirens. He's assisting him after the king was almost assassinated."

"Nope, none of anything you just told me sounds familiar...or makes sense," Bloom admitted. The only current royalty she knew about was Queen Elizabeth, and even though this girl had the accent, she wasn't from England, let alone any part of Europe.

"Then I am most certainly far from home, or even Alfea for that matter," Stella sighed. "So, where am I then?"

"Gardenia," Bloom answered.

Now, Stella was the one looking confused.

"It's in California... that's in America... none of this ringing a bell?" Bloom added. "What about Earth?"

Stella didn't say anything, only shifting her eyes around.

"You're telling me you don't know what Earth is?!"

"Well, I'm sorry, but you don't know what Solaria is, so we're even," Stella replied. "To be fair, interdimensional geography isn't something I spent much time studying."

"You said that like it was completely normal," Bloom muttered. "Wait a minute, are you saying you're from another planet?"

Stella started laughing, her sides heaving painfully as she did so. "Try another realm. I'd love to tell you more about it, but do you think we could hurry out of this part of the woods?"

Bloom glanced back at the burnt grass circle the beast left before leading Stella out of the forest to her bike, but she still seemed completely lost on what the girl was talking about.

Stella huffed. "Bleeding Omega, they didn't teach you this stuff in school?"

"No, the inter-dimensional geography class wasn't passed by the school board," Bloom sarcastically said. "I wasn't even aware there were different realms. Are there more places like yours?"

"Dozens, dearie!" Stella exclaimed. "I didn't expect to meet someone so ignorant about the Magix realm." Bloom took offense to that comment, but Stella didn't seem to notice, as she quickly changed the subject. "Honestly I came upon this place by mistake. I was out clubbing when that dimwitted beast stormed into the club and tried to corner me for my magical ring. I freaked and gate-jumped. Not a brilliant idea." Bloom kept quiet, still unsure if anything happening was real. "This magical ring in question is also my Scepter of Solaria, right, and it's a handy tool for channeling my magic while transformed. It can also open gates between worlds and goes well with any outfit. However, as I was trying to teleport back to Alfea College, I was so frightened I couldn't focus, and it brought me here."

"Okay," Bloom slowly nodded.

"Anyways, when I ended up here, I assumed it was gone and went to grab a drink. I forgot the dimwit had its own gate-jumper. When I returned here to teleport back, that's when I found him, and you know the rest."

"Gate-jumper?"

"Hello," Stella said. "That burnt circle you saw back there. That's what happens when you use gate rings. They always leave a circle imprint like when your guest leaves a glass on your freshly tidied cedar wood table without a coaster."

Bloom chuckled at hearing Stel finally using a phrase they both understood.

"Gate rings are enchanted rings that even beings without magic can use for teleportation between one place and another location. They're damn near impossible to remove the enchantment from, so it's a good thing we're leaving before that ogre reappears. They can heal pretty fast."

"That thing was an ogre?" Bloom exclaimed, alarmed, and astonished at the same time. "I thought ogres were make-believe! Then again, you had wings sprouting out your back not even two minutes ago, so what do I know?"

"Yeah, I take it that they're not common here," Stella replied, "but in Magix, they're not too hard to find if you know where to look. Some are good, most are bad, and there's a lot of them."

Bloom and Stella limped to the tree where she was sitting before the scuffle. Her bicycle was still parked underneath. Kiko was in the basket, still snacking on the flowers. Once there, Bloom couldn't stop herself from hyperventilating as she slowly lowered herself and Stella to the ground.

"Why are you sitting?" Stella asked, worried. "We have to find a place to hide."

"I just...I need a minute," Bloom said as she slumped against the tree. Resting her head on her knees, she repeatedly said, "Magic is real. Magic is real. Magic is real. Magic is real. Magic is real..."

"Oh, I understand. You're going through a bit of culture shock," Stella sympathized, patting the distraught Bloom. "Take your time."

"Thank you," Bloom whimpered. "So, if that was an ogre, what were the demons?"

"Demo— Oh, the little creatures. Those were imps," Stella answered. "The ogre called them ghouls, but they're imps. They're small, easy to create, and disposable creatures. Not that strong, though. That's why you saw them vanish into the air after being destroyed. Nasty things."

"Of course!" Bloom said, throwing a hand in the air. "Then what are you? A sorceress, wizard, witch? Because after seeing you fight that... that real-life ogre and his imps with magic, I'm assuming you're not human!"

"And you consider me a witch?" Stella rolled her eyes. "Ridiculous! For your information, I am a fairy."

Bloom bonked her head. "My fault, how would I have not known that when you had giant wings sticking out your back like a butterfly?" she sighed, trying to catch her breath. "Not to mention you've got this weird shimmering sparkle on your body."

"Yeah, that's a mix of body glitter and natural shimmer from my mum," Stella explained. "I can tone it down if you're bothered."

"It's fine, I'm processing a lot right now, the body glitter isn't the issue," Bloom replied, burying her head in her knees. "Wait. Aren't fairies supposed to be tiny with pointed ears and wings? They're extremely cheerful and obnoxious?" She paused for effect. "Actually, you nail that last part."

Stella was about to respond until she heard the last sentence. "Snide remark aside, most of what you described are pixies," she explained. "A fairy, like myself, is a magic-user who can transform into what you saw a moment ago. Our wings can be released whenever, but it's better to fight in fairy form to use our powers to their full extent."

"I can't believe this," Bloom said, trying to process everything she had seen and heard. She couldn't deny the existence of mythical creatures and magic after witnessing that battle, as mystifying as it all was. "There's no reason to call you a liar though. Okay, can you explain why an ogre of all things was after you?"

"How would I know?" Stella exclaimed. "One minute, I'm shaking my bum in the club and the next thing I know, it barges in, demanding I hand my scepter over. It certainly wasn't taking the Solaria Scepter without a fight. The Davenwood Reign is well known and loved, but sadly, we aren't without enemies. Amazingly, it wanted this little ring, but it does hold great power." the blond shrugged, pulling off her ring, then without a second thought, the ring transformed back into a staff, causing Bloom to jump back. She grinned. "You're like a child right now."

"Well, excuse me, but we don't have real magic around here; only illusions," Bloom said somberly. "I've always had an interest in magic and the supernatural, yet I didn't expect to see any of this. Shooting light beams from a staff, fairies, ogres, gate-jumping, I'm still trying to wrap my head around what just happened."

"I know it's a lot to take in. I could try filling you in on everything I know; it really won't be a lot," Stella said. "But, if you're telling me you're completely unaware of magic, how were you able to cast that ace fire wall? I assumed you'd at least know you're a fairy."

"A fairy?" Bloom stared back down at her hands.

"Of course, you are. Don't tell me you're not. That skill you used was most certainly fairy magic. Not witch magic or a simple mage. It's most certainly fairy magic."

"Cool..." Bloom sighed again. "How?"

"Hey, don't get me wrong, you don't seem like fairy material at all," Stella admitted, placing a hand on the girl's back. "But it looks like you're one of us."

"This is way too much to take in." Bloom shook her head. "One second I'm focused on vacation plans and smoothies and a bike and the next thing I know, fire is literally shooting from my hands!"

"Fascinating, isn't it?" Stella nodded. "Well, we can talk about this more later, we've been sitting here long enough. Do you have a place nearby where we can lay low? I need some rest and don't want to risk teleporting somewhere in my condition."

"Um, yeah. You can stay at my place," Bloom said, rubbing her leg. "We should probably hurry before it gets dark." She wrapped the Princess's arm around her shoulder and lifted them both up. A blistering pain shot up her leg again, but she tried ignoring it as much as she could.

Once Stella saw her mode of transportation was the girl's bike, she frowned. "A bicycle? Are you serious?"

"Sorry, the chariot's in the shop," Bloom replied, annoyed.

Stella pouted before noticing Kiko staring at her. "Aw, cute," she cooed, softly petting the cat's head.

Bloom tried placing her helmet over Stella's head, but the girl pushed it away with a look of disgust on her face. "Um, are you trying to give me helmet hair?"

"Yes, because your hair is the biggest issue," Bloom mumbled, placing the helmet back in the basket. Stella simply ran her fingers through her hair while looking away from the girl who rolled her eyes. "Whatever then."

"Are you sure you're okay to do this?" Stella asked as Bloom adjusted her footing. "Your leg is bleeding an awful lot."

"Oh, I hadn't noticed," Bloom said through gritted teeth. "I'm fine."

"All right," Stella shrugged. "Now, off to your place!"

Bloom huffed as she slowly pedaled out of the park. As she made her way down the familiar streets, her mind kept focusing on what Stella had told her. She couldn't stop wondering if she was right. Could she really be a fairy? And if so, what will this mean for her?

...

In a deep, dark cave in another world, shrouded by an equally dark forest, the ogre slumped over on a rock with grass sticking out from the sides as he healed. He winced as he felt the usual stinging on his body before letting out a soft grunt as his wounds began to regenerate. It was taking longer than usual since the fire had delayed the process. He silently grumbled as he got up to release a couple of imps from their chamber cages. A stalactite began to drip on his head as he kept grumbling to himself. Suddenly, he was startled by a loud, high-pitched shout.

"Knut, you worthless sack of shit!"

The ogre, known as Knut, whimpered upon hearing the angry voice. Suddenly, three dark shadows with massive white eyes began forming and approaching him. Knut started quivering and fell to his knees. "Your wicked enchantress, I know you're mad…" He gulped nervously. "I can explain."

"We had you do one thing!" the shrill voice snapped. "Take the bimbo's staff and bring it to us. How hard was that?"

"Sister, don't be so tough on him," said a second voice, one with more calmness and control. "This isn't the first time he's disappointed us."

"But it- it's not my fault," Knut stuttered.

"It's not my fault, it's not my fault," a third, raspy voice mocked. "Like we haven't heard that before!"

"I should've turned you into a tree the first time you screwed us over!" the first girl threatened.

"Please, your menacing sorceresses, do not punish me," Knut begged. "I was so close to taking her scepter and giving it to you, but then this earthling girl… sorta appeared and ruined everything."

"An earthling girl?" the first girl questioned. "You were defeated by some non-magi?!"

"She was no ordinary non-magi. She got magic, fairy magic," Knut tried to explain. "I swear. When I ordered my ghouls to go after her, one almost had her but then she created a giant fire wall. She hurt me real bad." Knut showed off his still burnt body.

"Hm, interesting," the second girl said.

"Then she…helped that Princess destroy all of my ghouls…" Knut paused, frowning. "They were so young!"

The third girl let out a groan. "Moron."

"What did this earth girl look like?" the first girl asked.

"Uh, well, she had red hair, I think, and she was wearing clothes," Knut explained.

The first voice sighed. "That's it? You don't even know what color her clothes were?"

Knut only shrugged then clasped his hands together, trying to be as apologetic as possible.

"You forgot to wear your glasses, didn't you?" the third voice impatiently asked.

Knut's eyes traveled to his feet. slowly before he nodded nervously.

"Where are they?"

"In my pocket." Knut slowly pulled out a pair of thick opaque glasses and placed them over his eyes. "I don't like the frames though."

"Oh no. Oh no. He doesn't like the frames. Sisters, he doesn't like the frames and so that gives him the excuse for removing them. That changes everything!" the first girl said, her voice shaking in fury. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

"I'm sorry!" Knut cried, falling to the ground.

"A nearsighted ogre, how asinine…" the second girl chided. "So, not only did you get defeated by an earth girl and a bimbo Princess, and then retreat like the coward you are, you did so without wearing your glasses… Do you mind if I take this one?"

"Go ahead," the first girl replied, exhausted.

"You are a moron!" she repeated.

"Knut, not only have you disappointed us yet again," the third girl scolded. "You lost the scepter, let a weak earth girl defeat you, and then you lost her too!"

"B-but your highnesses, that is not true. You see, before all my ghouls were mercilessly destroyed, one of them grabbed this from the earth girl." Knut pulled out a torn, dark blue, blood-stained piece of felt from his front pocket. "It looks like nothing, but this is a piece from that girl's clothing. If I give this to a hunting troll, it'll be able to track them down."

Knut whistled, causing a large humanoid troll with dark blue skin, glowing yellow eyes, three-fingered claw hands, long, disheveled dark blue hair, and a ring piercing around his nose to crawl out from the shadows. Knut held the cloth in front of the troll who began sniffing it.

"See?" Knut smiled nervously.

"Very well, then," the first girl said, still unconvinced, "After you're finished healing, go find that annoying earth girl and the Princess. If they fight back, have no mercy. And I cannot stress this enough: Bring back the scepter!"

"Yes enchantress, I won't let you down this time." Knut nodded with a gulp. With that dealt with, the shadows vanished, leaving the frightened ogre alone. He sighed as the tingling around his skin continued. He wasn't sure what was worse— the burns, or his bosses?

...

Bloom returned home past her curfew, no doubt worrying her parents. It had taken her two hours to ride back home with an extra person and a bloodied limping leg. Her father paced the floor, continuously staring at his watch. By the time the door opened, the sun had already gone down.

As Bloom entered the house, her father was about to scold her until he saw her bruised and bloodied, carrying the equally injured shimmering girl on her shoulder. "What happened to you?" he asked, horrified. "And who is that?"

"Dad, a minute!" Bloom snapped, lugging Stella over her shoulder.

Kiko scurried in behind them and plopped down on the armrest of an armchair.

Mike hurried over to the two injured girls and helped lead the badly injured Princess towards the couch.

"Is that Bloom?" Vanessa called in the hallway. "She better have an explanation for— what happened to you?" She covered her mouth in shock.

"I'm fine," Bloom reassured, sitting down in the armchair.

"One of your legs is bleeding!" Vanessa exclaimed, throwing her arms around the redhead. "Who hurt my baby? Who beat you up? Did they take your bike?"

"I'd love to explain what happened," Bloom mumbled, pushing her mother away. "But, could you please help the other girl lying on our couch?" She pointed towards Stella who was silently lying on the couch, examining her arm wounds. Mike and Vanessa turned towards her.

"Hello," she waved shyly. "I'm Stella."

"Oh dear," Vanessa said before running out of the room. "I'll go get the first aid kit."

Once Vanessa had left, Stella turned towards Bloom. "Bloom, I don't want to complain right now," she said, readjusting herself on the couch, "but that bike ride took way longer than it should have."

"One, thank you for not saying that until now," Bloom replied wryly. "Two, I have an injured leg, and I got you home safe and sound, so you have no room to complain!"

"Bloom, don't snap at the guest," Mike said, examining his daughter's leg. "Aside from your injured leg, are you okay?"

"Yes, dad," Bloom replied, giving him a reassuring smile. She looked at her scarred leg and luckily the bleeding had stopped, but it didn't take away the blistering pain.

"Well then, what happened?" Mike asked. "It looks like you were attacked by a rabid dog."

"Um, you aren't too far off," Bloom said, chuckling dryly. "Although the thing that attacked me was more of a vicious pack of wolves and a bear."

"What?" Mike exclaimed, causing Stella to jolt. "You were attacked by a pack of wolves and a bear?"

Bloom groaned as her mother came back in with a large first aid box. "Bloom, please tell us what happened. I must know how my baby was hurt. Oh, and you too, girl," she said, handing her daughter a roll of gauze for her injured leg.

"It's a bit unbelievable," Bloom paused, wrapping the gauze around her leg. "Let's see if this sounds right: Stella and I were attacked by, and I want you to listen, a giant ogre and a group of imps."

Mike gaped at his daughter. "Hold on a minute, you mean like…a really big guy and his gang?"

"Not even close, it was an actual hideous, violent mythical Shrek-like ogre and his demon-like goblin copycats," Bloom explained, wrapping the gauze around her leg. "I-it was no big deal though." Her father kept staring at her in silence. "The Princess can back me up. Right, Stella?"

"She's correct," Stella agreed. "Although as I said before, they were imps, but that ogre insists on calling them 'ghouls'."

A moment of silence filled the room while Bloom's parents just stared at her like she was crazy. The only sound was Stella's small noises of agony as her painful wounds were being cleaned.

Mike cleared his throat before saying, "Pardon?"

"Let me repeat this," Bloom said, readjusting in her chair. "I heard a scuffle coming from the forest. I found that girl fighting a giant ogre, like a real, giant ogre. When the ogre spotted me, he had his imps, which he called ghouls, attack me. One latched onto my leg, she saved me, and then I saved her."

"Sweetie, did you hit your head back there?" Mike asked concernedly, putting a hand on his daughter's head.

"Now you know how it feels to be asked that," Stella mumbled. "Your daughter is telling the truth, though. You see, I was out partying when— bloody Great Dragon, that stings! —when those beastly creatures attacked me. I managed to evade them for a short time, but sadly they found me in the forest. I was honestly in some deep sh—ouch! — I was in trouble. Then, your daughter saved me and herself by blasting away an imp with a fire wall and torching the ogre. I owe her my thanks indeed."

Mike and Vanessa exchanged the same confused expression.

"By the way, I'm a Fairy Princess."

"Okay," Mike said slowly.

"Do you believe me now?" Bloom asked.

There was a long pause. "...Nope, not really." Mike shook his head. "I think she's insane and you must have hit your head to be saying such delirious things. She must've attacked you! I'm calling the police."

Stella placed a hand over her chest, offended that someone would accuse her of such a thing as Bloom shrugged unsure of how to convince her dad that her story was real. Insane and fictional sounding, but real.

"Mike, let's be calm here," Vanessa said, trying to be rational. "We should at least contact this girl's parents, so they can come to pick her up. Sweetie, do you know your parent's phone number?"

"Yes, darling," Stella kindly replied, giving Mike a side glare. "But it would be difficult to contact them. You see, I'm from Solaria, this planet about six realms away, and my father is terribly busy with diplomatic business. It would be impossible to contact him, and don't get me started on my mum."

"That's it, I'm calling it," Mike said, standing up. "You are crazy! You did something to my daughter. I'm contacting the police and they're going to deal with you."

"Yeah, he's like this all the time," Bloom said, covering her face. "Nice hospitality, dad."

Stella groaned, before lifting her hand, causing a yellow flash to expel from it.

Mike froze. His eyes shifted towards the girl, who was smiling from ear to ear. He kept his eye on her while trying to pick up the phone on the receiver before pausing. "Stupid question, am I holding a carrot and a head of lettuce right now?" he asked slowly. Vanessa and Bloom both nodded. "So, the phone's just gone?"

"Yes, dear," Vanessa said, who before was applying bandages to Stella's wounds, but once the girl used her magic, she backed away from her.

"Di- didn't I pick up the house phone though? Now that's been replaced with vegetables…is this happening?" Mike stuttered, staring at the carrot and lettuce in fear. He seemed to think the vegetables might turn into something else.

"I'm not sure?"

Bloom tried to hold back her laughter, but seeing her father continually staring at the vegetables that were once the phone made her burst into giggles. "Princess, you just became ten times more awesome!"

Stella smiled. "Cheers. And sir, do you believe me now?"

"I definitely do!" Vanessa said, grinning.

"I am so confused right now," Mike said, swallowing hard. "Okay, maybe you're not some psychotic girl who escaped from a mental hospital, maybe you are a fairy Princess, and maybe I am holding lettuce and a carrot." He turned towards Stella. "Now can you please change this back?!"

"Of course," Stella paused. "How does that out-of-date phone work?"

Mike stared at her for a second before asking, "What do you mean how does a phone work? It has buttons, a receiver, and it's used to make calls on it!"

"Listen, mate. You need to lower the attitude," Stella said, putting her hand up. "I can see where your daughter gets it. I bloody well know what a phone is," she explained, bothered by the father's attitude towards her. "I need to know the mechanics of it to transform it back."

"In other words, you don't know how to change my phone back?" Mike asked.

Stella nodded, avoiding eye contact with the angry father.

"I was afraid that would be your answer." He rubbed the temple of his forehead before taking a bite from the carrot. "I might as well have a snack."

Stella snapped her fingers at Vanessa. "Love, I don't want to be rude, but do you mind finishing this up?" She pointed at the rest of her uncovered wounds.

Vanessa only smiled and went back to aid the girl. "So, you are a fairy," she said, sounding surprisingly peaceful. "That's amazing! For all these years, I didn't think they were real and now… well, this is a surprise, to say the least."

Stella beamed hearing such nice words. "Finally, someone is treating me with respect."

"I saved you!" Bloom rebutted. Stella rolled her eyes. "Anyways, mom, Stella told me I might be a fairy myself after I did that weird fire trick."

Vanessa's eyes widened then shifted towards her daughter, who simply shrugged.

"Yes, this daughter of yours is loaded with magic and I could see her becoming better with the proper training," Stella said confidently. "Bloom, you should go to Alfea with me. It's not too hard to register and it's one of the best magic schools in the whole eight realms."

"Alfea?" Bloom remembered the Princess mentioning that back at the park. She couldn't help but feel excited about the prospect of attending a magic school.

"Would you please stop listening to her nonsense?" Mike snapped, pacing the floor.

Stella covered her ears. "Geez, mate, you sure do love yelling."

Vanessa finished bandaging up Stella and went over to her husband to calm him down. She calmly patted him on the back, but he kept pacing the floor, seeming to want everything to go back to normal. "Bloom, can you please take Stella to the guest room, so she has somewhere comfortable to sleep?" she asked. "Your dad and I need to discuss this for a while."

"You don't have to ask me twice," Bloom said, eager to leave the awkward tension ever since Stella turned the phone into a salad. "Let's go, Princess."

...

Back in the woods, Knut reappeared in the glade with a flash, his body fully healed and with more imps with him along with the leashed hunter troll. The troll started sniffing the ground.

"Wear your glasses, Knut. Do our bidding, Knut. It's your fault you were set on fire, Knut. You're a dumbass, Knut. What the fuck is wrong with you, Knut? You're our scapegoat because stuck-up witches like ourselves are obviously more precious than your well-being, Knut!" Knut grumbled bitterly as the troll and his imps looked around. "Well, why can't you treat me better? I swear if they weren't paying me and… weren't terrifying, I would give them a piece of my mind."

The troll grunted, bringing Knut back to his mission. "Right, do your thing, troll."

He pulled out the torn cloth and lowered it close to the troll's nose. The troll took a long whiff and then immediately started tracking the scent. Knut grunted for the imps to follow behind.

...

"Sorry about the phone," Stella apologized as she sat down on Bloom's bed. "I might have overreacted just a tad."

Bloom shook her head. "No need to apologize. That was hilarious. The look on my dad's face was priceless. There's no way he'll be denying magic after that."

Stella laughed. "Well, I am an expert." Stella glanced at a poster on Bloom's wall. "So, this is your room?"

"Yup," Bloom said, sitting down at her desk. "My humble abode."

Stella took a quick look around the room noticing the dark makeup, guitar, strange posters, and Bloom's sketches. "I've only known you for a few minutes and this doesn't even shock me."

"Too grim?" Bloom dryly questioned with an annoyed expression.

"No- well- not really," she stuttered. "You're a good artist, the landscapes you've done are marvelous. You can take it to Alfea with a quick packing spell if you like."

"About that..." Bloom nervously walked over to the bed. She sat down next to the Princess mulling over how to say what she was thinking. "I don't think I'm going to Alfea."

"What?" Stella asked, surprised. "Why not?"

"I think I used up all my magic powers in the park," she answered, then cocked her head. "That's just a sentence that came from my mouth."

"Trust me, someone with magic like yours doesn't just lose that. They're just rusty from lying dormant for so long." Stella placed her hand on Bloom's knee. "Look, you've always had magic inside you. Sometimes, they can be summoned through strong feelings, such as fear, but they don't just go away."

"If that's the case, can this magic school you mentioned really help me? Are there more schools like it? What do they teach you? Does everyone use magic where you're from? How does one…"

"Whoa, calm down, love," Stella said whilst holding up her hands. "I learned all I know from Alfea, the Institute of Fairy Magic. There are many schools like it, but Alfea is the best. Yes, everyone can use magic to different degrees, but very few can transform like we can, and I wouldn't be able to go over all of the studies right now."

"How do you know they'll take me in?" Bloom questioned. "I didn't even know magic was a real thing until an hour ago."

Stella put an index finger to the redhead's lips, much to her annoyance. "I don't want to hear any more negativity. Bloom, you warned me when those imps were about to pounce on me and used your kick-arse powers to save me. Be proud of yourself. In my world, magic is a part of my life, and some people just have a tougher time honing their Spark."

"Spark?" Bloom questioned.

"Well Spark—Palladium called it something else but spark just rolls off the tongue more—is sort of like your special skill, so to speak. You're strongest when you use that special skill for power. Mine happens to be light." Stella demonstrated this by making her left-hand glow like a flashlight. "And I'm going to take a huge guess and say yours is fire because you usually don't pull off tricks like that unless you're born with that spark."

"So, could you explain how turning my house phone into a carrot and lettuce is related to light?" Bloom asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Just because you have a spark doesn't mean you can't learn new spells. If you do, you'll just limit what you can learn, simply because it's not based on your Spark. You can't change your spark though, but honestly, who would want to?" She tried crossing her legs, only to wince from her aching wounds. "Although, right now I wish my spark was regeneration. Anyway, by using your special skills, you'll figure out how to transform, use magic for fighting, for everyday tools, etc."

"Could you teach me anything now?" Bloom asked excitedly.

Stella chuckled. "Love, I'm still learning how to teleport properly and I'm not in the best shape to teach you even a simple molding spell… maybe after I'm healed up."

Bloom sighed. "All right. Do you mind if I show you something?" Her eyes drifted towards the thick mythology book she had been reading last night, still on the floor. She picked it up, staring at it for a second before slowly handing it over to Stella. "I've, uh, had this book for a while and it talks about fairies and witches and other things and I… uh, was sort of hoping you could look through it."

"I'm not a big reader, but sure." Stella took the book to examine the cover. "Fairies, Witches, and Warlocks: Fact or Fiction? Yep, this was most certainly written by a non-magi."

"Non-magi?" Bloom questioned, feeling something warm jump onto her lap. Kiko likely entered the room and chose to settle on her. He began purring, comforting the redhead.

"That's what we call humans who possess no magical power or live outside the realm."

"I am learning so much from you," Bloom smiled, gaining a casual hair flip from the golden-haired Princess. After spending a few minutes flipping through the book, Bloom finally broke the silence by asking Stella a whole set of questions. "Am I like the girl in that book? Is your world like that? You mentioned a kingdom earlier, how many kingdoms are there—"

"Would you give me a bleeding second to answer?" Stella asked amusedly, covering the anxious redhead's mouth. "Hm… first off, you are nothing like the girl in this book. Second, the world in this book is sort of similar, but most of it's just the usual non-magi beliefs. We're much cooler than these fairies, or should I say pixies. And there is a bundle of kingdoms and planets where I'm from." She tossed the book onto the floor. "Now, did I answer your questions?"

"Not even close," Bloom replied, removing the Princess's hand from her mouth. "Can you tell me more about your world?"

Stella tapped her chin for a second. "Instead of explaining it to you, why don't I just show you?"

"You can do that?" Bloom asked, intrigued. "How?"

Stella winked with a smile, then pulled a postcard out of a pocket on her dress. "A magic postcard! I knew this would come in handy." She stood up from the bed and calmly dropped the postcard down next to her.

"You just had that with you?" Bloom questioned, staring blankly at the postcard. "What's so magical about a postcard?"

"I got it as a souvenir, I thought it was cute. It's really simple and allows you to visit the place pictured," Stella said with a smile. Bloom simply shrugged in response. "This really is like talking to a child, brilliant. Just watch."

She snapped her fingers, causing the card to expand across the floor.

"What the-" Bloom gasped, astonished.

"Then, you just stick your hand in it, and you're transported there," Stella calmly placed her hand on the postcard, then right before Bloom's eyes, was sucked into the rippling surface.

Bloom stood up from her bed and cautiously approached the enormous card. She gently poked the surface, causing it to ripple again. It didn't feel like a liquid. In fact, Bloom didn't seem to feel anything at all. She touched it again, creating another set of ripples. She stared at Kiko, who had simply laid on the bed, seeming uninterested. Unsure whether she wanted to step foot into the card, that wasn't her choice when Stella's arm appeared at the top and grabbed the startled redhead by the wrist.

"Come on, love, I don't have all night."

"Wait-" Bloom exclaimed before being pulled into the card. She suddenly found herself standing in a large courtyard. The sun was bright and shining, the sky was a cloudless blue. Every color seemed to be on the postcard. She looked back up to see her room, then back down at the cobblestone floor. Bloom started trembling in excitement. "This is amazing!"

"Glad you like it," Stella replied, pulling a phone from her bag. "I'll be right back to give you a tour. I must make a call and the reception in this postcard is dreadful."

"Another thing I never thought I'd hear," Bloom said. "Who you calling?"

"Red Fountain. The boarding school across the Enchanted Forest. They are taught combat fighting skills and deal with these sorts of incidents," Stella explained. "I have to report the ogre attack to them, and I happen to have a friend who's training there, so I'll fill him in. You explore, I'll be back in a pinch." With that, Stella lifted her hand out from the picture and vanished, leaving Bloom behind.

Bloom found herself alone as she continued looking around the courtyard. It was covered in flagstone, small vases, and beds of flowers scattered all around. Green benches were placed around the field and old-fashioned lanterns hung from iron poles.

Bloom felt dizzy with amazement as she saw more glorious buildings surrounding the plaza. They were tall, old castle-like buildings covered in colorful tiles that enclosed her from almost all sides. They surrounded her on almost all sides, decorated in royal blue roof tiles.

"This is cool," Bloom finally said, cutting off the silence. "It's like a Disney musical."

"Oh, I love musicals!" Stella said, startling Bloom. She giggled as the redhead's face turned pink in embarrassment. "Sorry. Anyway, I contacted the guy and he said they'll be here soon."

"Wait, they're coming to my house?" Bloom asked, and the shimmering girl nodded. "No, that's not good. My dad doesn't really like guys my age coming over."

"And?" Stella questioned. "They're only coming to get some more information and hopefully protect us. I don't know what they're feeding the boys there, but those blokes are gorgeous hunks. You can take your pick when they arrive."

"I did not just hear that," Bloom blushed. "Enough about boys. Can you show me around like you promised?"

"I'd be glad to," Stella smiled. "The large castle in the background, that's the famous Alfea, the best and most prestigious school in the realm. This school welcomes any girl, even royals like me, and commoners like yourself, fauns, sirens, and even pixies. Any fairy can come here and hone their skills." Stella pointed to her right. "As I said before, across the Enchanted Forest is Red Fountain School for Heroics and Bravery, filled with gorgeous blokes." She then pointed left. "And, unfortunately, located to our left, is the creepiest place in the entire realm: Cloud Tower for Witches and Wizards."

"What's wrong with that school?" Bloom asked.

"It's filled with witches!" Stella repeated. "Those are some of the worst beings in the whole realm!"

"Yes, compared to the ogre and imps we just battled; witches are way worse than that." Bloom crossed her arms. "Look, I have no idea how this dimension works, but I'm pretty sure not all witches are evil."

"Okay, maybe, but most of the witches there are major tricksters," Stella insisted. "Just be wary if they offer you a drink or you'll be croaking for a week."

Bloom laughed. "Man, this place is amazing. I still can't believe it's all real."

"I know," Stella beamed. "The real thing is much better though because there's actual life, physical objects that can move and—" She was cut off when Bloom slammed into the flat, hard edge of the postcard while running over to investigate a lantern. "Ha, ha, ha, and there aren't any borders to smack into."

"Fantastic," Bloom wheezed.

...

"I can't believe this BS," Mike grumbled. "Fairies, ogres…this is completely ridiculous."

"Mike, it's not ridiculous; it's real," Vanessa said, resting her head on her husband's shoulder. "You can see she turned the house phone into vegetables."

"No, she didn't," Mike denied. "We're just having a hallucination."

"Well, if that was true, then how do you explain eating part of the phone?" Vanessa held up the half-eaten carrot. "There's no denying that this fairy Princess is a real fairy; you're just afraid to believe it. You have to admit Bloom has always had a lot of mystery surrounding her."

"Yes, but not magic being real! Fairies, witches, and other mythical creatures are not supposed to be real!" Mike exclaimed, slamming his fist on his knees. "They are fairy tales, make-believe, and now our daughter might be one of them? A freak of nature?"

"Mike!" Vanessa said, offended.

"That was a bit uncalled for," Mike admitted. "I'm sorry, honey, it's just so much to take in. I never expected this in Bloom, and besides, how come she hasn't shown any signs until now? How come she hasn't turned my phone into a salad?"

"Maybe it took her a while to figure it out. Maybe she knew the whole time and kept it a secret from us because she wanted to protect us. Maybe her magical powers manifest late in her teens?" Vanessa said, her lip slightly quivering. "Who knows? She's still our little girl and we have to be there for her."

"So, you're telling me we just let her head off to Hogwarts where she'll be taught how to ride on brooms and turn things into other things without knowing how to change them back?!" Mike picked up the eaten carrot and stared at it angrily. "She owes me a new phone!"

"Hogwarts is for wizards and I think that broom part is for witches," Vanessa corrected, causing Mike to snarl at her. "Not important. But Mike…I think with everything that's going on, we should finally tell Bloom the truth."

"This night just keeps getting better and better," Mike said, sarcastically. He rested his head in his hands before letting out a long sigh. "What worse can happen?"

After he asked that question, a loud crash came from the front door as it was knocked off its hinges. The couple froze as a massive ogre stomped in, along with his troll and a dozen growling imps.

"Mind if I come in?" he growled. The imps started circling around the living room and kitchen, some started climbing the walls and ceiling. "My friend here tracked a blonde fairy and a human girl to this house. If you could bring them both to me, then we can leave without any harm to either of you."

"Oh, Christ!" Mike exclaimed, banging a fist on his forehead. He slowly stood up before saying, "Let me guess, you're the monster that attacked that girl and my daughter."

"Maybe I am." Knut took another step into the house. "Now, hand me the girl." The imps started coming closer to the couple, hissing. "Or my ghouls can deal with you."

Mike stared at Vanessa who seemed to share the same look. "I can't let you do that," he said looking for a weapon. "You won't take her unless you get past me. I have a le— not this again!" He tossed the head of lettuce he grabbed and quickly grabbed a chair.

"Oh, please." Knut rolled his eyes. "Last chance. Hand over the girls or else!"

"Not a chance," Mike growled.

"Your choice," muttered the ogre before barking orders to the imps.

Two imps let out an ear-piercing screech before launching themselves at Mike but were knocked back by the chair slamming into them. They flew back into the bookcase, which resulted in several books falling to the floor. Another imp went for his leg, but Mike wasn't going down without a fight. He propelled it with a well-aimed kick, sending it flying past the shocked ogre.

Knut rubbed his chin. "Oh, come on, what is with you humans? Can't you just let them attack you?"

The rest of the imps approached barring sharp fangs and growling. Another suddenly leaped onto the coffee table, locking eyes with Vanessa before letting out a loud hiss. The brunette screamed before grabbing a vase and slamming it over the creature's head, knocking it out. As another charged toward her husband, she knocked it away with a large book.

"Whoa, good toss," Mike said, backing away from the monsters.

"Thanks, but I'm not sure I can fight any more off," she whimpered, running towards her husband. The two found themselves backed against the kitchen wall as the imps closed in on them, though they stopped when standing an inch towards them.

"Tell us where you're hiding the girls or you're going to be dinner for my ghouls," Knut barked.

"Cheerio," A familiar voice called from behind the ogre.

He smirked, turning around, only to be greeted with a searing blast of light in his eyes. He roared in pain and stumbled backward, releasing the leash for the troll.

Stella said, "I guess someone couldn't stay away."

"Why the eyes?!" Knut cried, clawing wildly at his face.

"Why not?" Stella said with a sarcastic shrug.

Bloom laughed as she stood by Stella's side. "Awesome."

Stella had already transformed in Bloom's room once they both heard the crash. It happened in a flash before Bloom's eyes. Stella's ensemble was missing the tears from the fight earlier, but her scratches were still visible. Her now transformed ring staff was being held on the left side. Bloom still wasn't sure how transforming worked, but that didn't stop her from being amazed when it happened before her eyes.

Knut was unamused as he growled, keeping his hand over his eyes. "Troll, attack!"

The troll barked in response and immediately charged at Stella and Bloom. The shimmering girl let out an aggravated huff as she casually kicked the troll down to the ground.

"Trolls aren't much of a challenge even when you're injured," Stella said with a sly grin. "All right, let's make this quick."

The Princess whirled her staff in the air before firmly planting it in front of her. She stepped closer, glaring at the towering Ogre, growling troll, and snarling imps.

"Enough of this!" the ogre roared, his dark eyes flashing with barely restrained rage. He turned to the creatures and bellowed, "We're not leaving without that staff. Ghouls, destroy them all!"

The creatures obeyed their master, jumping at the girls with fangs and claws bared.

"Bloom, I'll handle these two gross-outs!" Stella ordered, knocking the troll down with her staff again. "You take care of the imps."

"What?" Bloom exclaimed. She slowly turned towards the approaching group of imps. "This doesn't seem like a fair fight!"

"Just do that flaming wall thing again!" Stella exclaimed.

"Even if I could, I'm not burning my parents' damn house down!" Bloom grabbed a vase to fend off the advancing monsters that were now baring their fangs. She swung the vase as best as she could. The imps only hissed and growled as they came closer to her. "You don't want me, I'm not worth attacking. Oh God, the fangs again."

Suddenly, Bloom and the imps heard a crashing sound. Her eyes darted towards the noise where she noticed the troll colliding with the big-screen television, causing both to fall onto the floor. The troll quickly passed out from the trauma.

"Hah, knock out!" Stella cheered, then focused on Knut, who seemed ready to fight back.

"Oh, come on!" Mike shouted as he stared at his television in shock, now smashed to pieces on the floor.

While Stella took on Knut, Bloom found herself stuck in a corner, lacking any space to fight back. She tried shooting fire at them like she did in the forest, but nothing happened. She then aimed the vase at one of the imps, but it jumped back, causing the vase to hit the ground, breaking into pieces. One imp growled, then leaped at her. She tried to dodge to the side but tripped over the carpet while the beast flew past her.

Bloom bit down on her bottom lip and then slammed her fist on the ground as pain surged through her leg. "Mother fu- I was just getting over the pain," she whimpered. "Stella," she called, frustrated. "You done?!"

"Not even close!" Stella called back, shooting a solar beam at the ogre.

"Okay, cool, I got this," Bloom sarcastically said, attempting to lift herself up. Another imp came eye to eye with her. It lunged at her, but this time she tried to fight it off.

"GET OFF MY DAUGHTER!" Her dad roared. He raced over to her and pulled the creature off, throwing it against the wall. He had a broom in the other hand which he used to fight off the other imps. Several other imps became distracted by the pots and pans being thrown at them. At the same time, Knut tried swiping at Stella who was gliding around the room with her wings.

Out of the corner of her eye, Bloom noticed an imp sneaking up behind her father. "DAD, BEHIND YOU!" She shouted.

Mike barely had time to face this newfound threat before the imp sprang at him, barreling into his stomach and sending him crashing to the floor. The impact was immense as if someone threw a bowling ball full of rocks straight into his gut.

Bloom twisted her head around after hearing her mother scream. She saw another imp attempting to scratch her mother's hip. Terrified, Bloom grabbed a lamp and smashed it across the imp's head, sending him to the floor. Her victory was short-lived, as not a second later she was thrust to the ground by another annoying imp. She angrily shoved it off, though not before it gifted her with another set of slashes in her leg.

She looked over at her father. In his right hand, he was holding off a frenzied imp by his neck, the other trying to grab a weapon. A good thing too, as his right hand was running with blood. Shocked, Bloom found her legs moving backward all on their own. Just great. First, her magic wasn't working, and now her body wouldn't even let her help her father.

The imp continued clawing at her father's hand. Thinking fast, Mike grabbed the closest thing to him–the half-eaten, now bloodied carrot– and jammed it straight into the beast's eye. The imp let out a loud hiss. It forgot all about clawing Mike, rather focusing on removing the object from its eyes. However, it left itself wide open, allowing Mike to chuck the imp to the ground and slam his foot down on its back. The beast immediately vanished in a puff of air.

"I never thought that would work," Mike remarked.

Well. Looks like he could handle himself just fine.

Leaving her dad to defend himself, Bloom stumbled into the kitchen. Her breathing was panicked as she attempted to catch her breath. She stared at her scraped hands, hoping for something to happen. Yet they were still as stubborn as ever, not doing one single little magical thing. "Damn it!" She yelled out, slamming them on the counter.

"NOW I HAVE YOU!" a rasping growl blared from the living room. Bloom peeked from the corner and saw that Knut had both his massive fists around Stella's waist, holding her like she was a doll.

"Give me the Scept-teeeeer!" the ogre roared.

Stella blasted him dead in his right eye with a concentrated beam of light. "How 'bout I give you this instead!"

"You bitch!" he howled in pain. Blinded by the light, he hurled Stella through the front garden window. Glass exploded from the front window as Stella tumbled to the ground. He raised both his empty hands up to his eye, rubbing it like a maniac.

"Stella!" Bloom yelled, racing past the imps. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no!" She slammed the back door open, knocking it off its hinges. Eh. Practically everything had been broken tonight. What was one more door?

Outside, she found Stella sprawled out on the grass and surrounded by broken glass shards. Several pieces had lodged into her arms, leaving trails of blood that stained her clothes. Bloom rushed over to her, attempting to help her up.

"Come on, Stella," she pleaded, "you can't be out now!"

The ogre smashed through what was formerly her front window. Great. Just what she needed right now. More problems.

Bloom stumbled back, struggling to keep the near unconscious Stella in hand. The towering ogre stormed over to them, a murderous stare in his one good eye. Behind him, the troll and several imps blocked the way back into the house. "This is the last time I'm going to say this," he growled, "GIVE ME THE STAFF!"

"Never," Stella gurgled.

"Then I'll just take it from you!"

"Haven't you been trying to do that the whole time?" Stella said, "Besides, our backup should be here soon."

"Backup?" The ogre broke out into laughter. "That's so adorable. You think someone's about to save you." He was so caught up in his fit of hysteria that he didn't even notice a small grenade land in the cluster of imps. His laughter was cut short when the grenade went off. Several imps were sent flying back. The ogre and the troll were only slightly luckier, as the blast sent them tumbling onto their backs.

"You were saying?" Bloom heard an unfamiliar voice call. She glanced towards where it came from in shock.

Four strong, young men appeared, decked out in blue and white full bodysuits with long blue capes. One was tall, slightly lanky, with ruffled auburn hair, wire-rimmed glasses, and a freckled face. His hands were brandishing a grenade gun that was emitting smoke from the front end. The second guy had shoulder-length blonde hair, fair skin, and a blue longsword in his hands. Beside him stood a slightly tan guy with short brown hair. He had a green broadsword resting on his shoulder. Bloom's eyes drifted over to the last guy and his tall, spiky, magenta hair. She was so fixated on the unusual colored hair that if he weren't swinging a purple saber from hand to hand, she would have missed it completely.

As she watched the sword swing gracefully, Bloom noticed that it had a slight glow to it. Looking back at all the other weapons, she noticed they were glowing as well. The light made it look like they were energized.

"So, that's them?" she asked, catching her breath.

"Yeah. Took their bloody time to get here," Stella mumbled, her words slurring together.

"Are you okay?" the brunette yelled.

"Oh, we're feeling great! Preparing to go for a jog afterward! How the hell do you think we're doing?" Bloom snapped.

"Well, that was just plain uncalled for," the auburn-haired guy said, slightly offended.

"Don't worry ladies, just stay safely away from the beast!" the blue sword guy yelled. "We can take care of the rest."

"Get away from the ogre. What a great idea," Bloom grumbled under her breath. She let out small grunts while leading Stella away from the monsters.

Knut roared while pointing at the cluster of guys. The remaining six imps and the troll charged.

The anime character wanna-be stepped forth and casually sliced one of the imp's bodies in half with a clean-cut swing from his blade. He then went after the troll, separating the troll's hand from his body.

"My hand!" the troll cried out in pain.

"There's more where that came from," the hand-slicing boy threatened.

The troll began to run away, likely not wanting to see that threat come to fruition. It did little to help as the boy started running after the troll.

While he took care of the troll, two imps went after the boy with the blue sword. He slid between them before skewering one imp with his sword. Ducking down, he let the other land behind him. One of his friends quickly gored it, a green blade piercing through its chest.

The fourth imp crept closer towards the last boy who was fearfully backing away. His weapon was shaking in his hand, making him look like a kid who was given a gun with no instruction. Shaking his head, he raised his weapon to the beast to blow it to kingdom come. Yet a saber came flying through it, making it vanish into dust.

"You good?" Saber boy asked.

"That one was mine!" The boy with auburn hair stamped his foot.

"No problem, I left the other two for you," Saber boy sneered, returning to beating the troll.

As if on cue, two imps rose from the grass, hissing before being blown away by the freckled young man. He then readjusted his glasses before humming and reloading the grenade launcher.

The remaining men regrouped as Knut bellowed in frustration and annoyance. He charged at the three caped crusaders. He tried grabbing the girl's head as if to crush it into mush, but the fair-haired boy casually swayed away with an ease that came from years of practice, giving the ogre a slash to his side. Knut grabbed his side, turning to crush the brunette, but fell to his knees as the saber wielder sliced open his back.

The brunette planted the pommel of his sword onto the ogre's nose, fracturing it.

Knut grabbed his nose and screamed.

"Bloom, give me your hand," Stella ordered. Bloom, who was quietly watching in awe, slowly took the other girl's bloodied hand. Stella took a deep breath and then shouted, "Hey, ogre!"

"What?" Knut shouted, turning towards the girl.

"Eat Solar Flares, bitch!" Stella launched a combination of fire and bright light from both girls' hands. The blast shot deep into the ogre's open wound, causing him to cry out in excruciating pain.

"Oh, thank the dragons that worked!" Stella sighed.

"Jeez, how did we do that?" Bloom questioned, pulling her hand away from Stella to look at it.

"Old trick my tutor taught me to help out beginners," Stella muttered, struggling to keep her balance. "You're welcome."

"Thank you!" the auburn-haired guy shouted, then he turned towards the battered ogre. "My turn, now." The three others jumped back as the freckled warrior focused on the creature and took aim.

Knut's last eye widened in fear at the sudden awareness of what was about to happen, and he only sighed in defeat. With a loud explosion from the grenade gun, the ogre was launched backward. After a moment, he stood back up, wheezing from lack of breath. His body was disfigured from his messed up eyes to his chest, the rest of his body pink. One hand was blown to bits while the other one only had two fingers. Muttering something ineligible, he vanished in a flash of light and smoke.

"Where did he go?" the magenta-haired guy asked.

"I think he gate jumped," Bloom called. "Now, if one of you could be so kind as to stop standing there and help me carry her inside!"

Three of the guys rushed over and carefully helped bring the wounded Stella back inside, while the last one collected the whimpering and injured troll with a leash. Bloom stood by herself. She looked around her neighborhood and noticed house lights turned on all over the area. She groaned, knowing there was no way people hadn't heard that entire battle unless they were deaf.

Inside, Vanessa was bandaging her husband's wounds while holding back tears. When she saw the six people enter the ruined living room, she quickly raced over to Bloom and hugged her tightly.

"My baby! My precious baby, you're okay!" she wept. "I was so worried."

Bloom tried to pull away, but Mike followed suit and enveloped them both in a bear hug.

"Guys, I'm fine," she reassured, "and besides, you're embarrassing me." After a few seconds, the parents released their daughter and turned towards the caped crusaders.

"Thank you so much for saving my precious daughter," Mike said, patting his daughter's head. "If there's anything we can do for you—" Mike was cut off by the auburn-haired warrior.

"If one of you could assist me with mending her, that would be thanks enough." He sat next to Stella and placed a hand on her head.

"Shouldn't we bring her to the hospital?" Vanessa asked, eyeing Stella's arms.

"I can take care of this," the auburn-haired guy said, pulling out a small silver flask from his utility belt. "Administering this will fix her up. It's a concoction of healing and dissolving potions. It'll evaporate the glass and mend her wounds. She needs to repose herself for a day or two. Do you think you can house her here until then?"

"Of course, we can," Vanessa nodded. "It's the least we could do after you saved us. Right, Mike?" Mike stared at the gaping hole in his once nice living room, clutching his hair. "Mike!"

Mike stared at the group, his eyes bugged out, before slowly nodding. It was clear he was trying to resist the urge to scream.

As the other two began assisting Stella, the three other young men turned to Bloom, who was quietly glaring at them. "So, you're the Bloom Stella told us about. We're the Specialists," the tall fair-haired boy introduced in a proper voice. He didn't seem to notice the girl's anger. "I'm Brandon, squire of Prince Sky, that's him." He pointed toward the brunette who was checking his teeth with his sword.

"Hiya," he greeted.

"Riven," the magenta-haired boy said coldly in a raspy voice, holding out his hand.

Bloom shook it while continually giving the guys a death glare. "You have a bit of purple stuff on your face," she said, finally noticing the purple goop dripping from the magenta-haired boy.

"Oh, this is from the troll," he replied, nonchalantly. He stared down at the shaking troll with a mischievous look.

"Yeah 'kay then," Bloom said, awkwardly. "Who's the one with the glasses?"

"The nerd fixing up Stella is Timmy," Sky replied.

"So, you're all the men Stella contacted," Bloom said, trying to keep her composure.

"Sort of," Sky said. "Her, Brandon, and I go way back. So, it makes sense why she contacted us. That, and we're awesome."

Stella moaned, an odd way of laughing since she was in pain. "Glad you could save me, babe." Sky blew Stella a kiss.

"Well then, glad to know all your names and whatnot," Bloom said calmly, shifting her hips. Suddenly, without any warning, she came closer to the fair-haired specialists who smiled at her. Without a second thought, she angrily grabbed him by the collar of his uniform as her face turned bright red. "What the hell took you so long?"

"Um, what?" Brandon questioned nervously. His proper voice had turned into a scared whimper.

"Stella said she contacted you and it took you forever to get here!" she shouted, shaking Brandon. "Do you not see my house? There's a hole! A hole! What gives? Were you staring at the moon?"

"It took us some time to leave the school!" Brandon stuttered, his head jerking back and forth.

Mike ran over to pry his daughter away from the frightened man. He held her back as the redhead continued glaring at the group. Bloom flailed her arms at the squire, who took a few steps back. "You owe me a new wall!" she growled.

"Bloom, Bloom, just breathe," Mike advised, still holding her back. "They still got here, so let's at least be grateful for that."

Bloom wasn't listening as she attempted to snatch the nervous boy by his collar again, shouting unintelligible threats. The fire seemed to grow as she reached for him. Brandon hid behind Sky, trembling slightly. This caused Riven to start laughing as he took a seat in the armchair keeping a tight grip on the makeshift leash of the troll.

"If you'll allow me to explain," Brandon whimpered, trying to compose himself. He glared at Riven who was still chortling. "I- it took a while to convince the headmaster that Stella was in trouble, but if we knew how bad it was, we would have shown up earlier and with more men. If Sky had contacted the other staff—"

"Hey, leave me out of this," Sky said in mock offense, turning to his squire.

"Well, all you told us was that she was in trouble without describing anything," Riven said, wiping goop off his arm. "You're lucky we brought our weapons."

"I thought we were in a hurry," Sky mumbled, rubbing his neck.

"It's okay, darling," Stella said, giggling as Timmy and Vanessa finished binding her arms. "An honest mistake, isn't that right, floating pink rabbit?"

Bloom cocked her head. "Floating ...pink rabbit?"

"That's the effect of the potion kicking in," Timmy explained. "This one is pretty potent."

"Is everyone okay in there?" a worried yell came from outside.

"Oh, God," Bloom groaned, covering her face. Just what everyone needed.

"And that's the neighbors," Mike said, exasperated. He released his daughter and started to pace. He has been doing that a lot tonight.

"We need to vacate the premises," Timmy said, standing. His teammates just stared at him. "Leave. Guys, we need to leave."

"Then just say that dude," Sky said. "Also, Stella told us that this place —Earth, is it? — isn't connected to the multiverse, so we'll try to see if we can send someone to fix up your place."

"While you wait, just make up a good story and keep Stella hidden," Brandon added. "I doubt this is a good way to introduce magic into your world."

"That's the most logical thing I've heard tonight," Mike said, surveying his destroyed home. "Now, get out of my house. I'll take care of the neighbors." He headed outside, resisting the urge to cry.

"You don't have to tell me twice," Riven said, walking into the middle of the room. Sky and Timmy followed behind him.

Brandon cautiously walked over to Bloom, maintaining a safe distance between them. "Um, sorry we couldn't come sooner, Bloom. If we had, your house wouldn't …"

"Have a gaping hole in it?" Bloom asked through gritted teeth.

Brandon scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah, that's inconvenient. I get you're incredibly angry about what has happened, but please don't be resentful towards us. This isn't how we planned our first battle to happen… or for your house to be partially destroyed. As Specialists we must protect and serve, we couldn't fully accomplish that and for that, we apologize."

"I don't!" Riven called.

"Ignore him," Brandon said, annoyed. "I can promise you that a team will be able to help you with all of this… mess," the boy paused, avoiding eye contact with the redhead. "I feel like I should've worded that better. Um, also you have some pretty impressive powers, so I do hope to see you again."

Bloom walked closer to the nervous specialist, staring deep into his crystal blue eyes, causing him to tremble slightly. "You should head back before someone spots you."

"Yeah, would you hurry up?" Riven barked, yanking the troll with his leash.

Brandon rolled his eyes, then walked over to his team. Timmy pulled a remote-like device and pressed the red button, causing a portal to open in the middle of the room. Vanessa ducked behind the torn-up couch cautiously. One by one, the men vanished into the portal before it closed.

Stella giggled again, starstruck. "Aren't they amazing?" she breathed.

Bloom sighed, carefully lifting the fragile girl from the couch. "Let's just get you upstairs."

Her mother followed her. When they returned to the guest room, they both placed Stella on the mattress.

"I'm sorry for causing so much trouble," she apologized.

"Oh sweetie, there's no need to apologize," Vanessa said, adjusting the pillow underneath the Princess's head.

"Yeah, just rest for the night. You need it after today," Bloom added. "Um, I know you're kind of loopy right now, but…is that magic place always like what happened tonight?"

"Let me just say this, if all it involved was being thrown through windows every day, I would've locked myself in a madhouse by now," Stella said, slightly joking. "But that doesn't mean the whole world is bad. The realm is an enchanted and wondrous place where everything is pretty much possible. I've lived there for most of my life, so I would know." Stella paused, her eyes getting heavier. "That's why I think Alfea would be a great place for you."

With that Stella closed her eyes, falling deeply asleep. As she rested, Bloom looked at her mom, who seemed to know what she was thinking.

"We can talk about it tomorrow morning," she answered with a sigh. "Right now, you both should get some rest."

...

End

You made it to the end? You must be exhausted. Okay, that was chapter 1, exciting and action-packed right? Sure hope so, well anyway the other chapters should be out soon! For now, I hope you enjoyed this beginning, I posted the first three chapters currently, just thought it was the right thing to do. The rest of the chapters will be posted weekly, up to chapter 17 because that's how much I wrote :)

Thanks for reading.