Chapter 25: Familiar Faces
It has been so far really relaxing and peaceful for Bloom since they came back to Earth to spend the break with her parents, nothing to do with evil witches, studying or fighting monsters, especially the Grimm. She didn't want to make her parents too worked up about it, least she has Taren with her in case of trouble. Speaking of which, Taren came with her as she asked and offered a hand around the house despite being a guest in their home. They had to be careful not to use their magic as often on Earth to draw too much attention. Mike and Venassa found out from Bloom and also Taren when both he and his friends were forced to leave their homes from some dangerous people and not seen or heard from their families and friends in almost a year now, they gave their sympathy and relief he hadn't given up on seeing them again as they couldn't imagine what it be like not seeing their daughter for all that time.
Bloom and Vanessa were preparing dinner in the kitchen as Bloom was chopping up the carrots while her mother was stirring.
"So, how long are you home for? How many days off did the school give you?" Vanessa inquired to know.
"Um, one week." Bloom answered.
"Mmm, that's not very long"
"I know, but it's better than nothing." Bloom assured her as she still missed them since enrolling in Alfea.
"Home economics is not your best subject, is it?" Vanessa decides to help by taking the knife from Bloom and starts chopping faster.
Bloom let out a soft sigh and watch. "Hmm, I'll never learn."
But this didn't stop her mother from supporting her. "You've grown over the last few months."
"You think so?" Bloom asked if she was right.
"I think so, you managed to handle your magic well since we showed up in Magix." Taren added when he came with a bag of groceries after helping them with some shopping.
"Thanks, Taren, just put them down on the table." Vanessa told him and appreciating the help of Bloom's friend before looking back at her daughter. "I agree, you've certainly have."
Taren puts the bag down and smells something. "Uh, something cooking?"
Bloom took notice and sniffed something. "Mom, do you smell something burning?
Vanessa gasps when she sees the oven is on fire. "Oh my! What a disaster!" Vanessa grabs a towel to try and put out the fire before it spreads.
"Mom, no! Let me do it!" Bloom focuses on her magic to control the fire in order prevent it from getting worse. Waving her hand to open the hatch and the flames flew above her.
"Watch out!" Hearing her mother cry out over concern, but Bloom knew she got it covered. Taren watches her and much as he knows what she was doing but was ready to summon his keyblade if need to.
"Don't worry. I know what I'm doing!" Raised her hands to make the smoke and fire swirls until it was gone.
They were relieved to see the kitchen wasn't damaged and stopped the fire, Vanessa sighs and slumps down to a chair.
"You are amazing." Vanessa praised her after seeing how much her daughter has grown to become more confident in her powers and use them for a good cause.
"I only saved the kitchen." Bloom thought it didn't seem like a big deal to her.
"You may not be a very good cook, but your powers are stunning." Vanessa said.
Bloom smiled at her. "Alfea doesn't offer home EC classes. But on the other hand, it's a great school for fairies."
"Why don't you take Taren and show him around Gardenia, I'll clean up and finish the cooking after I rest up." Her mom suggested.
"You sure?" Bloom asked her and did want to give her friend a tour around the place while they were on Earth.
"No worries, besides I think you two should have fun." Seeing Vanessa encouraging her and wanting her daughter to enjoy being a teenager. Knowing much about Taren to trust that he be well behaved. "Just don't be too long."
Bloom was riding around Gardenia on her bike while Taren decided to use a skateboard, made one from during his time on Magix with Timmy's help to craft aboard, but making sure it wasn't high tech but just to do some tricks. Bloom never saw him on a skateboard until she learned he made it before they left for Earth and interested to see if he was good with it.
Taren kept up with her and had a bit of fun to see who can reach the park first, she was enjoying her time and let go of the handlebars to spread her arms up to enjoy the breeze.
"You look like your enjoying yourself." Taren said when he noticed the expression on her face.
She nodded. "Just feel good to be home with my folks, and it was nice of you to help out and all."
"Better than sitting around to relax."
"Like trying to get out of bed?" Bloom gave a teasing grin to see his expression change.
"Very funny." He got the feeling this won't be the last time he'd be hearing this joke from his friends. The two stopped when they see a firetruck on the road and parked up to them to see her father lean out of the window.
"Hey there, guys, how's it going?" Mike waved to them.
"Hi, Daddy. We were just taking some stroll around." Bloom said.
"Hi, Bloom." One of the firefighters waved to him, knowing her since she often visits her dad at the station.
"Oh, hi guys." She waved back at them.
"Who's your friend? Your boyfriend?" Hearing one of them ask caused the two to flush at that response and quickly reacted.
"No! He's just a friend! Only invited him during the break!" Bloom quickly replied.
"Yeah, that's right!" Taren said and tried to hide the flush when he almost lost his footing on his board.
Mike decided to end the chatter as they had to get going. "Well, anyway I'll see you at dinner. Just be careful, Bloom."
The firetruck drives off.*
"Yeah, have a good day." Waving to her father goodbye before she turns to see Taren with a flush still on her face. "Sorry about that, I guess they must've thought that-"
"I-uh, no big deal." Taren scratched the back of his head and didn't let it get to him, at least to think they were just hanging out, that's all. "So, uh, should we get going?"
"Yeah, come on." Bloom took the lead for him to follow. Neither of the two was aware of certain people watching from the corner.
"Is that the kid?" The first one asked through the car.
"Who else could it be? I mean well, just like his dad." The second one said. "And seems he's doing fine."
"Oh, I can tell. SO how should we do this? Go up to him and say 'hi?' or just keep watching like a pair of strangers?" The first one asked.
"Nah, let's just wait a little longer and see if he recognize us. And try not to cause some trouble."
"Aw, your no fun. Like I'm gonna do that when we found him."
The two went on foot after a long ride with Taren carrying his board in his arms and enjoying the time without having to worry about any problems during the break.
"So when did you started skateboarding?" Bloom asked him out of being curious.
"Just started out a little before we showed up on Gardenia. Started to give some practice between sparring with the Specialists and studying." Taren said. "Mostly different from surfing.
"Can't go wrong with trying new hobbies, everyone seems to be getting better especially since Stella and Musa now summoned their Titans." Pulls out her medallion in her hand and wondered what could her Titan could be when she can try to bond with it.
"Yeah, maybe next time can perhaps invite the others to Destiny Islands when all this is over." Taren thought about it as a way to hopefully succeed and celebrate back home sometime.
Hearing this made Bloom smile brightly over the thought of it. "Really? I'd love to see it some time."
"Well, well, well, look who's back." But the moment she had was spoiled by one person other than the Trix that could get on her nerves and wished it didn't had to be this day when wanting to spend time with Taren. Standing by the corner at the door was a girl about their age with long black hair parted to one side with a pair of glasses, wearing a green tank top and a pair of khaki capris.
"Uh, Mitzi. I'm here on break." Acting mostly surprise to keep calm and not get frustrated with the girl who is so spoiled and self-centered thinking she's above everyone. And also to spite those she looked down on just because she came from a rich family.
"On break? From what?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.
"From school." Bloom simply told her. "I have to go." Bloom tries to ride off but Mitzi steps in the way.
"What's the rush? Everyone in our class is asking why you left." Wanting to find out for certain.
The young keyblade wielder didn't like the aura from her, the way she acts reminded him of some back home.
"Uhh, I switched schools, that's all." Bloom didn't want to reveal where she really been and knowing Mitzi will mock her if she believes she was going crazy.
"Why? Gardenia High School was too hard for you? Where did your parents send you anyways? To a school for slow learners?|" Let out a mocking laugh to tease her.
Bloom starts to get angry and doing her best not to use her powers on Mitzi, even if she was tempted to make rain pour down on her.
"Actually, she's telling the truth. I just happen to meet her there with a school I went to." Taren spoke up to her defense, breaking the silence to get the snobbish brat's attention.
"Oh, and who's this? Your friend?" Mitzi inquired with a snobbish tone that gotten on his nerves. "Listen, take an advice from someone, don't waste your time with someone like Bloom who likes to imagine herself someplace far away."
Taren narrowed his eyes and didn't like the way she talked about his friend like that, she really showed a lot of traits he looked down on. "You mean someone like you for example?"
"WHAT?!" Shocked by his remark and almost yelled at him, causing Bloom to try not to laugh from his response.
"Thanks, but better off being with Bloom. And from the way you act reminds me of some I cant stand just because you think your all popular and rich." He told her which surprised Bloom and smiled for him sticking to her side.
"And what makes Bloom so special? On a date?" She asked him with her hands held on to her hips. "Could of done better to be with someone else."
"Well, that's your problem, Mitzi. Bye!" Bloom told her to give the last word before she rode off on her bike with Taren on his skateboard, leaving the shocked Mitzi after unable to find out about them.
"Sorry about her, she can be a real pain in the neck at times." Bloom thought to say something and forgot to give him the heads up about her.
"It's no prob, she just seems like any other I met and no different." Taren replied. "She kinda reminds me of someone back at Auradon."
"Guess they would have something in common." Bloom thought it be a bad idea for the two to meet one day. Taking her mind off from it and looked around to think. "Months have passed and Mitzi hasn't changed a bit. But I feel different. The time in Alfea changed me, nothing will ever be the same again."
He could relate to that as he knew when he returns home, it might not be the same thing after all this time. "Believe me, nothing ever will be."
Bloom wanted to ask how he handled something like that when suddenly stopped and see a man around the corner with a strange spectre hovering over him.
"Hang on a second." She pulled the breaks on her bike.
"What? What is it?" Taren didn't know what was up when she started rubbing her eyes.
"Did you see that?" Bloom asked, keeping her voice down to whisper.
Taren looked to her direction and saw nothing. "See what?"
"That man! I saw something." She watches the spectre looking at the flowers and followed the man. She thought Taren could have easily saw it given that he was also magical himself. "You seriously didn't see that?"
The wielder shook his head. "No, ok, maybe try something else to see."
Taking his advice as Bloom sees the aura of a passing woman and took notice of her.
"Hey! What are you looking at? Don't you know it's rude to stare at people?"
Almost startled by the response and apologizes. "Sorry." Then realises what it was. "I think, I can see people's auras, they must be what their true nature shows."
This caught Taren's curiosity. "Really? Anything on me?" Maybe to see what she can find but hoping to least be careful of what he be thinking.
"Alright, try to think of something." Focuses on him to see anything above, unlike anyone else his was somewhat of a soft glow but faint, it was hard to read his aura at all. "Weird, I can't make out anything from yours."
Surprised to hear this and might be something to do with his magic perhaps. "Maybe its because I might have magic?"
That could be the reason for it. "Hmm, could be I mean, I never done it when we were in Alfea. Maybe need to look into it when we get back."
They show up at the flower shop where Bloom's mother works and owns the place. There was a limo parked out the front that made them wonder what was going on until they walked in to see Vanessa talking to two people in suits when she saw the two teens.
"Ah, Bloom, come here." Vanessa called for her. "This is my daughter Bloom. And this is Mr. Bonner and Mr. Brown, my future business partners."
"Nice to meet you. Partners?" Bloom was confused about what was going on and turned to her mother.
"As of tomorrow, we will officially be partners." The grey-haired, mustached male named Brown explained to her.
Vanessa had a bright smile on her face to share the news with her daughter. "Your mother is about to become the co-owner of a chain of flower shops."
"Oh yes, the greatest opportunity of her life." Mr. Bonner said.
But as Bloom gave one look at the two and gasped when she sees the men's auras that reveal their sinister motives.
"And here's another poor sucker falling headfirst into our trap." Mr. Bonner proclaimed with a devious smile on his face.
"She has no idea what's awaiting her."
"As soon as the deal's signed, we'll kick her out of this pathetic flower shop and build a supermarket."
Taren didn't need to be a mind reader or someone's aura from how distressed Bloom was and remained silent until Vanessa escorted them out of the shop
"So, what do you think of your mother as a businesswoman?" Vanessa couldn't help but feel excited about it.
"Uh... do these go on the shelf?" Bloom walks over to a box of flowers but this didn't escape Taren and Vanessa's notice of her behavior.
"Yes, but there's no rush. Honey, is something bothering you?" Hearing her mother ask.
She decided to know more about the two so-called businessmen to be certain. "Where did you find those two?
Hearing about it from her daughter and replied. "I didn't find them, they're the ones who found the shop. They are two businessmen who work for a large company. Now tell me what's wrong."
Bloom sighed and looked to Taren who nodded. "Mom, I can see people's auras."
"Wha- what do you mean? I don't understand." This surprised her mother but continued to hear her out first.
Taren decided to join the conversation. "Bloom started seeing people's auras for what they really are, just happened recently."
Somehow this didn't surprise the mother compared to what she saw but wanted to know more from her daughter about this.
Bloom nodded to confirm it. "Right, they want to trick you, mom. Don't trust them!"
"But they seem like two people who really know what they're doing." Vanessa couldn't believe it but knew Bloom would never lie to her.
"Somehow I think they wanted you to believe that." Taren said.
"It's a trap. They are con-men."
"Well, how can I be sure?" She wanted to support her claim to find out.
"You have to believe in me and my powers. That's all." Bloom didn't want to ruin her mother's chance but wanted to protect her parents from being hurt. But she knew her mother had a point and didn't know how her aura magic worked yet.
"Maybe see how it goes, if they act somewhat funny or do something to make you change your mind, then we'll know." Taren thought out as it would show how desperate they could be.
Within the next day, the two businessmen returned with the papers to sign but were astonished to find out that Vanessa went back on the deal. Bloom and Taren were present to be sure nothing bad would happen.
"Vanessa, I don't understand why you've changed your mind." Mr. Brown asked her as well as his partner too.
Mr. Bonner nodded his head and was surprised as well. "A minute ago you were ready to go for it."
"What happened? We thought we had a deal?"
Not willing to say the truth of how and shakes her head. "Nothing happened. I just realized that I'm very happy with the way things are right now."
Both Bloom and Taren smiled and looked at each other in relief that she took their word.
"Please, take an extra to consider the offer. We'll come back tomorrow and discuss it further." Mr. Brown held up the contract papers for her, possibly in hopes of giving her time to think it through.
"That won't be necessary. My mind is made up and I want to keep my business as it is." Vanessa said and waved her hand to show she made her choice. But she noticed his eyes narrowed and looked very unpleasant about her choice. Taren saw this and remain quiet to wait if he or his partner attempt to do something.
"Listen, lady. Accidents happen, you know what I mean." The tone of Mr. Bonner's voice showed a sign of a threat to make her back down. Taren would have gone up to them to see how tough they were but Vanessa beat him to it.
"My decision is final!" Vanessa didn't want to be pushed around by the two now knowing what. Bloom now sees their auras, they were angry and frustrated to find their latest scheme failed'
"But, ah, as I said, whoops." Mr. Bonner knocks a potted plant off the desk to make it look it was an accident but Taren caught it with his hands before it could reach the floor. Bloom and Vanessa saw this and were relieved that he caught it.
Taren placed it back on the table and glared at him. "I think you two made your point." Giving a stern glare at them as a show he wasn't someone to be messed with. The two glared back at him and didn't say a word until they decided to leave.
Mr. Brown turned to Vanessa one last time before making his exit. "You'll regret it. You're throwing away a wonderful opportunity." But out of nowhere their pants fell to their feet and exposed their boxers. Vanessa gasped and tried to show some restraint of giggling, Bloom couldn't help but spotted a pink bird out of the corner of the desk with a pair of scissors and whistling innocently.
They made their leave when pulling up their pants to avoid the humiliation. Once they were gone Vanessa was relieved to have taken her daughter's advice. "Thanks, Taren. I appreciate it."
He shrugged his shoulders and smiled. "Not a prob, I'll head back to check on things at your place."
"Ok, I'll catch up with you." Bloom told him before he leaves the shop for the mother and daughter to have some time together.
Vanessa smiles and hugs her daughter. "Thanks, Bloom, I never doubted you for a second."
"Thanks, mom."
"And I can see why you like that boy a lot. He's quite something, isn't he." Vanessa said, making Bloom flush and sighs.
"Ok, I didn't tell you cause it sorta feels awkward. I mean, well just having a hard time thinking if he likes me back." Bloom asked her mother how to make someone like her for more than a friend.
"Well, you just let it come as it is. It wasn't all planned out when I met your father and I bet Taren feels the same way, why else wouldn't he had come with you." Vanessa said but noticed two people walk in. "Hello, can I help you two?"
Bloom sees a woman with long brunette hair and brown eyes wearing a formal suit that hugged her womanly figure.
"Hi there, sorry if we were interrupting anything." The woman asked politely.
"Oh, not at all, just had some… minor disagreements with a costumer." Vanessa said. "So what can I do for you miss?"
"Well, my friend and I were passing by this place and looking for someone who was told to be here." The brunette said. "Just a kid, possibly around the redhead's age, this high," Raised her head up to Bloom's hight but a little higher. "Red hair like her's maybe, blue eyes, or… hehe, a funny thing to say… carries a large key-shaped sword thingy?"
Bloom and Vanessa shared a startled look as they looked at each other then back to the brunette when describing Taren and his keyblade. "Uh, can I ask the name of this person?" The mother asked her and wasn't sure if she was someone to be trusted.
Bloom decided to try out her new powers and focused on the woman and was able to catch her aura to read, showing the phantom above her shaking her head and frustrated. "Ah crap! Why did you have to say that?! Now they'll think your some nutcase for mentioning the Keyblade! I hope Riku has better luck finding the kid than me!"
'Riku?' Then the name clicked and remembered where she heard that name before, from the books about the keybladers and among the heroes. "Uh, miss are you on about Taren?" But what did she mean by blue eyes? His were amber color.
The moment she heard Bloom mention his name made the brunette blinked and surprised. "Wait, so you know him? Oh, wait a sec! Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself! Oh, that's embarrassing." Chuckles and scratches the back of her head. "Let me introduce myself. My name is Tifa Lockhart."
Taren rode on his skateboard to make his way back to the Petersons' home, taking his mind from the two men and feels like they won't stop until they get what they wanted. He arrived back at Bloom's home and hopped off his board to make his way to the steps. "Maybe check what's on TV, maybe something to watch later." He thought and opened the door was opened. "Hey, Mike? You in?"
"Oh, Taren, Bloom not with you?" Mike came out to see him.
"She's with her mom to help out while I got spare time ." Taren explained but no doubt wanting to know the full story of what happened in the shop.
"That's good, oh and someone says he's a friend of yours in the living room." Mike told
"Huh?" He wondered who was expecting him here, and how they knew where he was?
"Long time no see, kiddo!" Sitting on the furniture drinking coffee was a familiar face that startled him, none other then...
"R-RIKU?!" Taren exclaimed, he blinked and was not sure if he was seeing things.
The silver-haired wielder of the Way to Dawn chuckled and sat up to approach him. "It's good to see ya again, Taren. Took us long enough, but better late than never."