One, two, three, she counted to herself. Her steps quickened, she was nearly running now, but it felt as if she were only walking, or perhaps even being dragged along – she didn't know. For her, the planet had seemingly stopped spinning. Her heart raced, her breaths came fast; this time she really was running, as some part of her mind notified her. But her thoughts had locked arms, successfully blocking her rationality. Her mind echoed, "You're running!" but Stella was only walking. No, the planet had stopped; Stella was being dragged along. She was right to think so, too – her brain somehow couldn't deny it. "You're drifting, moonbeam," it said, and she accepted it. She was drifting now in this universe, just unable to pinpoint where she was or where she was drifting toward. She wasn't entirely motionless, after all. Oh, but she didn't know; right now, she knew nothing.
"I'm telling you, stop!" Her fingers, swift and instinctive, moved to push away the hands that had gripped her, flinging the person holding her backward with a burst of light.
"Damn it, girl, seriously!"
Her breaths were uncontrollable, her vision darkened, and her balance wavered. The exhaustion from both physical and mental fatigue, compounded by her use of magic, was taking its toll. This place did that to her – the broken morale, the unsaid words hidden in conversations, it all drained her. She missed the security those arms had once offered her, but they belonged to a body not much better off than hers. And now Stella was becoming distant.
When she fell back onto her bottom, too worn out to care, she lay down on her back, trying to catch her breath. Tecna leaned over her, quickly checking to see if she was alright. As the only one with a clear head in the group, she felt more responsible than ever, carrying the weight for everyone. She scanned their surroundings, unwilling to become the subject of anyone's gossip. Nothing had changed after all; everyone was still brimming with hatred. She'd hoped Aisha's pregnancy might calm things down, but even they were so entangled in conflicting emotions that she couldn't imagine how it would turn out.
"My vocal cords hurt from calling out to you, and now I'll have to drink one of Flora's disgusting concoctions to fix it. Explain yourself, what's going on with you?"
Without opening her eyes, still out of breath, Stella ran her fingers through her hair, trying to shake off what was likely a panic attack. Tecna must have noticed her attack, but she seemed to act as if she hadn't, likely trying to distract her friend's mind. And of course, it was working.
"Fallen."
"I can see that you're fallen." She rolled her eyes and sat down beside Stella, crossing her legs. Running her hands through her damp hair – she'd just come from the shower – she tried to smooth it, though she probably looked like a complete wreck at that moment. But what could she do? She'd taken it upon herself as the group's elder sister to bear the weight of everyone's issues. Who was running around like a madwoman, who got pregnant despite not being ready and wanted an abortion, who was locked in her room sulking, refusing to talk to anyone, who trained day and night in the prince's quarters to hone herself and her magic, and who, despite being sensitive, was berating her friend over her lack of respect for nature by wanting an abortion – she had to know it all. Yes, Tecna was in over her head.
"I don't understand why you're broken. Don't act like we have time."
Stella finally managed to regain some of her strength, the noise in her head quieting slightly, allowing her to murmur as she opened her eyes to look up at her friend, who wore a mix of anger and concern. "That's why I was running instead of walking depressed."
Normally, sarcasm was something Tecna both loved and appreciated, but this time, she didn't even flinch. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she was deeply saddened; her friends were all falling apart, each one suffering terribly. Stella, above all, held herself accountable for everything, though no one understood why. If it weren't for me, Bloom would be safer, Musa would have continued her life without having to live with a specialist who gave her so much trauma. Aisha and Nabu wouldn't have gotten so close, and Flora wouldn't have lost respect for Aisha. And you, Tecna, you would've only accepted your bond with Timmy when you chose, not under pressure and obligation. At least, not under the weight of all this.
Tecna didn't feel the need to hear this again; she'd stopped counting long ago, as Stella repeated it like a broken record. She wouldn't sleep at night, sneaking into Brandon's room after his grueling training sessions, as if she were a baby needing his comforting arms. Sometimes she'd go to his room, waiting for him to return. And no matter how exhausted he was when he arrived, he wouldn't sleep until Stella had. They'd developed a silent agreement between them, learning the truth and sealing it away forever, hoping never to speak of it again.
Every day, a new conflict erupted in the girls' common area. Flora tried persuading Aisha to change her mind, but the rebellious water fairy, despite being her closest friend, had turned her back, frustrated they didn't understand, and was patiently awaiting the abortion date. She wasn't idle in the meantime. She hadn't told her parents yet – Nabu was their ideal match for her, so the two young lovers chose to wait in silence. While Nabu seemed calm on the surface, deep down, he was saddened by Aisha's desire to end the pregnancy. Yes, they were young, and they could be parents later if they wished. But right now, there was a baby, albeit small and without a formed heart, but it existed. Why was she abandoning it when it had chosen to come now? Nabu didn't understand, but he also felt it wasn't right to interfere. After all, it was Aisha who would carry and give birth to the child. He'd voiced his thoughts, but ultimately, the choice was Aisha's.
Flora, however, was losing her mind over it. Because the baby was here, because nature had granted this gift, and Aisha was brushing it off, Flora was no longer the calm person she once was. She'd transformed, loudly making her stance known, every day, on justice and respect. When it came to Mother Nature, Flora's stance was clear: stand and show respect, plain and simple. Aisha, however, finally snapped, swearing at Mother Nature, prompting Flora to slam the door as she stormed out, her only restraint being that Aisha was pregnant.
"Stella, I need you. I can't hold anything together. Even I'm falling apart, and I don't fall apart. Look at me, Stella, I'm out of control. My hands are shaking as I say this. If I lose control, what's left of me?"
Stella quickly sat on her bottom, grabbing Tecna's hands. "I have to pull myself together," she thought, but what good was that if she couldn't? She couldn't pull herself together. That's why she ran and trained until she dropped every single day. If only they could go back to Alfea, if only they could leave... But for some reason, Faragonda insisted on them staying at Red Fountain. Why was this the case? It was a massive question mark for all of them, but Tecna knew the reason behind this wasn't just about learning to protect themselves. Tecna had realized it the moment Faragonda and Griselda set foot there. It was as if, the moment they went missing, whatever happened had made their world collapse.
"Tecna, believe me, I want so badly to be able to do something, but... I can't. This is all I am."
Tecna watched her shoulders slump, frowning as she pulled her hands away from Stella's. "What do you mean, this is all you are? How many times have we saved this universe? This planet? The other planets? Is it the baby that's shaken you, Stella, or Brandon? He's working too sloppily, damn it, everyone's working so sloppily I'm about to lose my mind!"
Noticing the slight tremor in her, Stella felt a spark ignite within. She was listening to Tecna with ears wide open, as though if she spoke any more, she would disappear.
"Stella, I need you. Grab Flora and Aisha, shake them, talk to them; I can't do it. I tried, but they called me a robot. Look, I don't need these kinds of compliments, understand? They're messing with my head, saying what I want to hear just to get rid of me."
Ah, Tecna. Stella knew that the reason behind the girls' anger when they called her a robot was more of a critique than a compliment, but she decided not to comment on it right now, thinking that what Tecna didn't know wouldn't hurt her. Maybe later, she could grab both Aisha and Flora by the bottoms and get a promise from them never to talk to her so aggressively again. Her heart began to warm; finally, her emotions were shifting from pathetic and shattered to anger and awareness. If she'd known it would be this easy, she would have talked to Tecna sooner!
"Alright. You rest, I'll handle it."
"Who said anything about resting?! I want it handled already; I miss my friends, and you won't hear that from me again!"
As Stella smiled at her sincerely, Tecna grumbled, pushing her shoulder. Did they really need to get emotional? "Don't get cocky, Stella."
In response to Tecna's grumbling, Stella burst out laughing, and even though a few people turned to stare in surprise, she ignored them, wrapping her arms around Tecna and taking a deep breath. "Thank you, Tecna."
"Whatever you're doing with Brandon, I don't know, but go ahead and sleep together or something already. He's practically climbing the walls since he can't touch you."
Stella pulled back, staring at Tecna in shock as she took out a device that started beeping in her pocket, rolling her eyes. After typing something quickly on the screen, she glanced at Stella, who was still staring at her in shock, then slowly stood up, awkwardly helping Stella get up as well.
"Don't look at me like that; he can't get close to you because you're feeling bad. He even kisses you with hesitation. Are you that far gone that you didn't notice?"
"Am I that far gone? Why didn't you shake me sooner?!"
Tecna rolled her eyes, certain she'd rolled them more times than she could count, and leaned in closer to Stella, speaking in a voice that was nearly a whisper. "You didn't notice his actions, and you didn't feel the pressure of some things either?"
This time, Stella looked at her, bewildered, as though she hadn't understood. Pressure of what? Her eyes widened with realization as her hands flew to her mouth, while Tecna shook her head, quickly returning to her device and typing something again. "Stop wasting time. I'll handle Musa. You just deal with those two maniacs. Then we'll take care of Bloom together. At least she's the most well-behaved; she's just trying to discover her powers. Musa's going nuts, not eating, not talking, and constantly singing moody songs. I'll end up hurting myself, and then you'll see."
Noticing that Stella was still stuck on the Brandon topic, Tecna sighed and pinched her arm. Although Stella let out a painful scream, she quickly pulled herself together.
"Princess, there are also other girls in this school aside from us, you know. Almost all of them are in a specialist's bed every night, so you understand they've made boyfriends. At this rate, Aisha won't be the only one to leave this school with a baby on her lap. We should probably teach them a protection spell at some point. After all, you can't always trust a man; you always need to take your precautions."
"For goodness' sake, Tecna." Stella spoke with her face buried in her hands, not caring that her voice was muffled, and unable to stop her cheeks from getting redder. "Shut up."
As the vase crashed into the door, Stella released the handle just in time, narrowly avoiding the vase smashing against her own head instead. Though she was hardly prepared, she was about to give her friends one of those "We're stronger together" speeches. But now, she didn't care. Tecna was right: the longer this dragged on, the more they all suffered, and the further they drifted apart. Stella was relieved Bloom was the last one; lately, the resolute expression on Bloom's face had her feeling unnerved. She'd dismissed it as pride—a product of adapting to her powers and the resulting surge of confidence. Yet, something nagged at her, stirring an inexplicable unease. Rather than seeking answers, Stella found herself shying away, haunted by the creeping doubt and guilt.
"If it's not going to kill me, I'll come in."
Aisha lifted her head, breathless, and mumbled as she tossed the glass in her hand to the floor. "Come." Her voice was thick with tears, an unmistakable sound of someone being torn apart by everyone's expectations. They hadn't told her parents about the pregnancy; she and Nabu had agreed to delay that conversation when he became her fiancé. Now, though, she was alone. Even Nabu had stopped talking to her, lost in his fixation on fatherhood as if this were their only chance at having children.
Stella entered, quietly closing the door behind her, and with a wave of her hand, swiftly tidied up the room without even glancing at Aisha before sitting on the couch. As Aisha prepared to head to her room, Stella's hand moved again, and she sent her floating softly onto the single armchair. A startled cry escaped Aisha's lips, while Stella rested her elbows on her knees, her chin propped on her hands, and gave Aisha a look that clearly said, don't even start. Aisha hadn't expected this; Stella had been so gentle lately, so kind it bordered on pampering. If anyone had gotten a free pass from her, it was certainly Stella. But Stella had Tecna to consider as well. Kindness had its limits—after a point, it was just good intentions left open to abuse.
"Don't start, Ash. I've listened to you—your anger, your fear, your frustration. I absorbed all of it to lighten the load on you. But instead, it's only grown heavier. We need to put an end to this."
"Easy for you to say."
Stella tried to keep her temper in check as she looked at Aisha's face, scrunched up in disdain. "Easy for me to say? Name one feeling I haven't shared with you since we were little. None, you can't. And you know it's true, as well as I do."
Flora entered, casting a sidelong glance at her two friends before heading for her room, but she, too, soon found herself flung onto an armchair. Now, with two furious and hurt friends seated before her, Stella felt a piercing headache take root. She tried not to think of Brandon's arms, but if anything could soothe her right now, it was sinking into his masculine scent and drifting into sleep. Thanks to Tecna, even these innocent thoughts had taken on a different shade now. Stella had sensed how tense and strained Brandon was, but she'd always attributed it to work and the massive news stories that had recently demanded his attention. How foolish she'd been. She would have to fix that, once she'd talked to the girls. Despite the absurdity of the situation, she realized her cheeks had flushed pink, her body warming instantly. Noticing Aisha and Flora glaring at her, she snapped back to attention.
"Make peace. Talk. Do whatever it takes, but let this end. You can't live your entire lives dragging this out."
Flora grumbled, making to stand, but Stella pinned her in place, her patience finally snapping as light burst from her eyes. She hissed, "I said enough. Fix your damned issues right here. I need you! For heaven's sake, stop being so selfish!"
"If you're talking about selfishness, take it up with Aisha. Not me. After all, she's the one rejecting nature's gift, only thinking of herself."
Aisha rubbed her face roughly with her hands, laughing bitterly. "Nature? Sex, Flora. I had sex, and now there's a baby inside me. I'm not obligated to give you a biology lesson. Maybe stop making everything about you?" Stella's shoulders slumped, but she reminded herself not to give up too easily, clearing her throat. Flora's cheeks had turned crimson; talking about sex always unsettled her. But this was no time for sensitivity.
"Heartless. That's why you're selfish. There's a life growing inside you—are you even aware of that?"
Aisha swallowed, knowing Flora was right. If Flora could just try to understand her, she would realize the decision was hers to make instead of constantly pressuring her. But for some reason—and she chalked it up to Flora being the guardian fairy of nature itself—she kept pushing, as if it were her right to speak on the matter. But it wasn't. Even Nabu had stepped back, leaving the decision to Aisha, yet Flora pressed on.
"When I have this baby, and I don't love it—will you feel no guilt, Flora? If I birth it, and I blame it for the parts of me I'll give up to care for it, you'll be just as responsible. I made one mistake, one. And I don't want to be forced to live with it. Yet you keep going on about nature and beauty, equating a baby with a plant. Sure, a plant needs care and love, you're right! But a plant doesn't demand you abandon your life for an exhausting, overwhelming new one. No plant at nineteen asks you to sacrifice yourself and devote your life to it!"
The tears streaming from her eyes weren't triggered by wild hormones or exhausted patience this time; they were fueled by a sense of hurt. Stella felt her sadness creeping up and lowered her head, mindful that Aisha didn't want to seem pitied. Recently, Stella had done her best to keep her lips in a firm line whenever she was around Aisha, hiding any sadness or heartbreak. It hadn't been easy, especially since everything lately seemed so bleak.
"Aisha…" Flora held her hand, gazing at her with teary eyes. "We'll be here to help you." Aisha nodded quickly and forced a small smile, but now, tears were streaming down her face, her breath turning into quiet sobs. "Which one of you can I ask to stay by my side constantly? Because that's what I'll need—continuity. I'm going to be the mother, I have to be the one who shows the baby what motherhood feels like, but I'm not ready—not in the slightest. I can't even bond with the baby; I've tried, but I just can't!"
Swallowing hard, Stella came over and sat on the ground between them, taking both of their hands in hers. She didn't want to say anything but wished Flora could finally understand: the only one who had the right to decide here was Aisha. Yes, maybe Aisha did need to hear some hard truths, but not in this way, not by pushing her.
Just then, Nabu stepped into the room, his shoulders slumping as he took in the scene. Straightening up, he moved quickly toward them, but Stella, noticing that the girls hadn't seen him yet, subtly signaled for him to stop and wait. Right now, the girls came first.
"What scares you right now is how completely your life is about to change! But you won't be alone; we'll change our lives with you. I can promise you that, at least for myself. You can be both a guardian and a warrior, even with the baby. The only difference is that you won't be living at Alfea. You'll be in the palace, with Nabu, not the family home you ran from."
As Aisha's eyes sparkled with fresh hope, Stella sensed a shift in her, though she didn't dare celebrate too soon. Stella had made the same promise Flora had: she would be by Aisha and Nabu's side for anything they needed. Aisha just saw that as impossible, but Stella always kept her promises.
"I can't expect you to shape your lives around mine."
Flora hugged her tightly, easing Aisha's tension and letting her surrender to her emotions until she couldn't hold back her tears any longer. "You won't have to expect it; we want to do this. Remember, it's 'one for all.'"
Stella smiled, gripping their hands tighter, unable to stop her own eyes from welling up. When had they grown up this much? Then again, had they ever really stayed children? Stella only remembered running and playing like a child a few times. Growing up as both royalty and a fairy brought its own difficulties. There were expectations—always expectations to fulfill. Aisha, too, had crossed into adulthood the night that news arrived. It didn't take years; it happened in an instant.
"I'll live every moment of my life for you and for our baby." Nabu sat down on the arm of Aisha's chair, startling both girls. Aisha looked up, pulling herself from Flora's arms to face him. They all looked as though they were ready to sprint in their sweatpants, and for some reason, this made Stella's frayed nerves relax, even bringing a smile to her lips. "I'll hold on to life with you and with the baby, Aisha. If you're ready, I'll walk with you every step of the way."
Aisha, still streaming with tears, looked quickly at the girls, who smiled back, showing their support. Nabu took a deep breath, gripping tightly to the woman in his arms, clearly trying hard not to cry himself. With a knowing look, Flora nodded to Stella, standing up to give them some privacy. She held out her hand for Stella to join her, but Stella kept her eyes fixed on Nabu, giving her friend a sly grin.
As Nabu blinked rapidly, trying to hold back his tears, Stella's grin widened.
"Stella!" Flora grabbed her arm, pulling her to her feet. Stella planted her feet firmly, still watching Nabu with a mischievous look.
"Get lost, Stella."
"Not going anywhere until I see you cry, snot-nosed Nabu."
