Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

CHAPTER 1: THE OMEGA BREAKOUT

            The school year was coming to a close. Today was the day of graduation for the Class of 999, the class senior to that of the Winx. Flora stood with her friends, watching as Faragonda stood in front of the school. While the graduating seniors were in the Amphitheater with Griselda, the rising seniors and rising sophomores were sitting in the chairs arranged for the guests of the graduation. Faragonda stood on the stage, where she’d be giving her address to the Alfea graduates.

            “Congratulations,” she said brightly. “Another school year gone by! There were some difficulties, but as always, Alfea spirit stayed strong!”

            “Some difficulties?” Stella snorted. “Shadowhaunt was mega-disgusting! And to think we had to work with that brat queen who stole my snookums… I can’t believe it!”

            “Shh,” Flora frowned, looking over at Bloom, who was unusually quiet. She’d been held prisoner by Lord Darkar, until that Wednesday; they’d only just come home yesterday. It was no wonder she was tired and withdrawn. Flora knew she was very upset over what’d happened in Shadowhaunt, and Stella’s insensitivity didn’t seem to be helping.

            “To my rising sophomores,” Faragonda said warmly, “I am very proud of you. You have all passed Basic Training, and are officially certified to go on quests for the school! You will take pride in your new roles, as newly-inducted members of the UR Defense Administration. Your battle skills and spellcasting powers are superb at this point. I hope you will take this summer to rest and relax completely, but remember to keep fresh for the next school year.”

            Flora recalled the Basic Training Module, something only the Class of 1000 had never gone through. From about early Unimensis to early Trimensis, all Alfea, Red Fountain, and Cloud Tower freshmen had to go through the fifty-day course meant to prepare them for missions. It was a grueling program, spent in the Black Mud Swamp; students had to live in tents during the coldest months, and were pushed to their limits. They were woken up very early in the morning, and had to do intensive battle drills, immersive language lessons, spellcasting and potioneering exams, and go on exercises in all kinds of hard weather. They could only take sick time for a maximum of three days the entire period. Unfortunately, those who got badly sick or sustained strong injuries, such as a broken wing or bone, automatically failed Basic Training and would have to retake it the next year. They were allowed to retake freshman year up to three times.

            In short, Basic Training sounded like torture. Flora had never even started Basic Training, due to the battles against the Trix and the Army of Decay, which she was very thankful for. Of course, many argued the Battle of Magix had been far worse than even Basic Training. There weren’t any freshmen in her class who’d failed and had to repeat freshman year; every student had passed due to the Battle of Magix. But Basic Training was an intrinsic part of mission training, and was a fixed part of the curriculum. By the end of Basic Training, the freshmen were officially certified to go on missions on behalf of the UR – such as the quest which Bloom, Stella, and Layla took to Shadowhaunt.

            “And my rising seniors,” Faragonda added, “you have learned the skill of charmcasting, and have been on a great path of self-discovery. You learned the value of friendship through convergence, and to overcome your fears by gaining your Charmix. You have mastered so many important skills, which cannot be overlooked in this endless battle against evil. I know you will rise to the challenge of leadership next year.

            “And now is the moment you’ve all been waiting for,” she announced. “As many of you know, each year, a senior is chosen to represent the school as our Head Girl. This student is meant to guide the rest of the students through difficult times, as well as serve as a liaison between students and staff. She will work alongside the student government to make sure all is well with the student body, and will be instrumental in helping our incoming freshman class.”

It is never easy for us to choose.”

            It’s our year for that, Flora thought. She had seen two Head Girls in her time at Alfea, and they were both very helpful. She had gone to one for guidance in her freshman year, when she was in trouble with her friends for turning the entire apartment into a greenhouse; the Head Girl at the time had suggested she go to the Black Mud Swamp for some time until she was finished with her experiments. She had also gone to the Head Girl in Duodecemensis of her sophomore year, when her friends were continually squabbling; the Head Girl had passed the information onto Faragonda, who had therefore sent them to the Wildlands. The Head Girl worked alongside the elected student government to improve services at Alfea. I wonder who it’ll be. But she was completely unprepared for Faragonda’s next words.

            “The Head Girl for the Class of 1000 will be… Flora Fernández!”

            Flora stared around in disbelief as everyone started to cheer. “That’s our girl Flo!” Musa shouted. Stella let out a whoop of delight. Flora walked to the front, staring at everyone.

            I’m… Head Girl? Of course she’d speculated on who would be Head Girl, but in all honesty, she thought it might be Bloom or Layla. This was beyond her wildest dreams. Flora finally found words to speak.

            “Thank you,” she breathed. “I will do my very best.”

            “I know you will,” Faragonda answered. To the students she added, “Flora has been a role-model student throughout her time at Alfea. She is also one of the top in her graduating class. I hope you all will look up to her as a beacon of hope.”

            “I hope I’ll be worthy of it.” Flora felt nervous. For sure, she wanted to give back to Alfea what Alfea had given to her, but what if she did something wrong?

            “Take this time to relax,” Faragonda called out to the students. “You’ve all earned it. Now, please get ready to attend graduation.”

            “You’re amazing!” Stella squealed to Flora. “I can’t believe one of us got chosen!”

            “You totally deserve it,” Bloom added cheerfully, abandoning her gloom.

            “You rock, girl,” Musa declared.

            “You’re gonna be great!” Layla picked up Flora, and she gasped as her friend lifted her to the sky. “Here’s to our new Head Girl!”

            The rest of the quad cheered. Flora was in a daze as Layla put her back down, still stunned. Faragonda walked up to them with a smile on her face.

            “Thank you,” she told the girls. “Now, I need to speak with Flora.”

            Flora followed Faragonda. They walked up the steps, straight to her office; Flora numbly sat down on the chair. Faragonda smiled at her stunned expression.

            “There’s no need to be so shocked,” she said. “I know all the girls in this school this well – it is my duty to do so. I picked you because you are responsible, mature, hardworking, and so selflessly compassionate. I know you will do wonderful.”

            “Okay,” Flora heard herself say. “What do I do?”

            “You will come back to school on Sunday, Quadrimensis 16, to prepare for the school year.” Faragonda tapped something on her phone. “I sent you an email.”

            Flora pulled out her phone – her school phone. Upon coming to Alfea, each student received a school phone and a school computer. Unlike their personal cell phones and laptops, these were heavily encrypted with an incredible amount of security. Flora opened her Alfea email, seeing there was a file with a huge list of duties. She let out a gasp. “You gave me your phone number?”

            “Yes,” Faragonda answered. “I know I don’t give students my phone number, but I make an exception for the Head Girl. If ever there is an emergency, call me. I don’t care if it’s in the middle of the night. I will immediately come to assist.”

            “Okay,” Flora nodded.

            “You and the rest of the student government will lead Freshman Orientation,” Faragonda said. “That is from Quadrimensis 23 to Quintmensis 7. Your freshmen students will be settling into their dorms, and you and the other student government officers will be there for support. You will be in-charge of helping their transition, and explaining to them all the resources on campus. Your help will be very valuable – students will feel reassured, being helped by a peer.”

            Flora remembered her own Freshman Orientation, where she, Tecna, Musa, and Stella had first met. On their first day of orientation, Stella had destroyed the potions’ lab, because she was trying to make a “new shade of pink”. While her parents came to pay for the damages, Stella went on a trip to Earth. It was there she’d met Bloom, and had brought her back to Alfea. Bloom had moved in on the same day as the sophomores and seniors, as well as the other freshmen who hadn’t come for the orientation.

            “Does this include… Mirta?” she asked.

            “Of course,” Faragonda responded. “I know she’s one of your closest friends. You will help her adjust along with the other freshmen.”

            More than a friend, really… Flora thought, her heart beating fast as she thought of Mirta. Since she’d have Mirta by her side, she felt a bit better. But she still wasn’t very confident about the path forward.

            “But what if I fail?” she asked. “What if I make a mistake?”

            “Oh, you will make mistakes – lots of them,” Faragonda answered. “But you won’t fail. I have confidence in you, Flora. I wouldn’t have picked you otherwise.” She smiled. “Now, off you go. Time to celebrate – you’ve been through a difficult year, after all.”

            The next day, Flora was up bright and early. All her things were packed, and she pulled her luggage to the door. At around mid-morning, everyone was up and ready to leave. They headed down the hall, straight towards the quad.

            “School’s out!” Musa called as they ran down the steps of Alfea. They wore their bikinis, looking forward to a final day together before they all parted for spring break.

            “I can’t wait to go home,” Bloom said enthusiastically, and Flora was relieved to see her sadness had temporarily faded.

            “Aw, how was last night?” Stella laughed. “You and Sky were so cute together!”

            “Stella!” Bloom groaned, but Flora saw her smiling. Bloom and Sky had their first kiss after Bloom defeated Icy and the Army of Decay, but yesterday, they’d officially declared their love for each other. They’d gone from a casual relationship to a serious one. They’d had quite a few disagreements over the past year – Sky had unfairly accused Bloom of having feelings towards the fake Avalon, which Bloom had admitted to them she had. Flora knew Bloom had confused her admiration of Avalon over romantic feelings. It had been quite sickening how much Avalon had exploited her, to say the least – and the worst part was, Tecna had been the only one to recognize that. Not that Flora would bring that up right now, of course; that was exactly why Bloom had been so sad since they’d come back from Shadowhaunt.

            "Hey, guys!" A voice called out. Flora looked up and saw a girl with bright red hair waving at them, her black halter-top contrasting against her pale skin. She waved at them all, but her smile seemed to extend especially towards Flora.

            "Mirta!" Flora cried. She ran up to the girl and they both hugged tightly, as if they hadn't seen each other at all the past year. Mirta had gone with them on their trip to the Wildlands, and it had been she who had helped Flora restore the Flower of Life. She pulled back slightly and gazed lovingly into her girlfriend's eyes.

            She would have kissed her, had it not been for her friends behind, who didn't know a thing about Flora's sexuality. The only other people who know are Chatta and my parents, so let's keep it that way. She drew back and turned towards the other girls.

            "Mirta, come join us!" Bloom called. "We're gonna stop and get pizza, then we're going to the beach."

            "Yes, let's go," Flora agreed. "Before we head out."

            Mirta looked a bit hesitant, and Flora could understand why. Her girlfriend was rather insecure, especially around the Winx. It was not for nothing the six girls were at the top of their class. Mirta, on the other wing, had just completed her transition from witch to fairy, and would only be starting at Alfea this upcoming school year, as a freshman. She was understandably nervous about fitting in with the new culture, and the comments she might get from other girls. She squeezed her girlfriend's hand.

            "Don't worry," she said quietly, so only Mirta could hear. "The Winx aren't like that. We understand you. Respect you. Please come with us."

            "Sure," Mirta finally conceded.

            Just then, a golden chariot burst in through the Alfea gate, pulled by six white pegasi stallions. Bloom and Musa darted out of the way, and Layla cartwheeled to the side. Flora, Mirta, and Tecna looked upon the chariot with fright. The chariot ground to a stop right in front of Stella, who was squealing her head off.

            "What is the meaning of this?" Flora heard Griselda's outraged yell. The hook-nosed, ill-tempered woman stood on the steps to the school, her hands on her hips as she glared down at the chariot. "I was not informed of this. Who are you and why have you come?"

            Stella finally looked up. When she did, her jaw dropped. "Sir Marco!" she cried.

            "Stella, did you charter this chariot?" Griselda asked severely.

            Flora craned her neck to get a better look. The man was tall and mustachioed, with hair just as golden as Stella's. He tipped his hat to Griselda.

            "My apologies, signora,” he said in a Solarian accent. "I am Sir Marco Vanzetti of Solaria, member of the Royal Guard. I was sent to deliver a message of utmost importance to Her Royal Highness the Princess of Solaria. I assure you she did not know I would come."

            "Well, what is it?" demanded Griselda.

            The man turned to Stella. "Greetings, Your Highness. As you know, your eighteenth birthday is coming up on Sextmensis 18."

            "Unfortunately, during school," Stella muttered.

            Flora recalled that Stella was the second-oldest Winx, second to her. Her birthday was during the summer months in Magix, but that also coincided directly with school. Flora was the only Winx girl whose birthday fell during vacation; all others had birthdays during the school year.

            "Under normal circumstances, we would celebrate your coming of age then," Sir Marco said. "However, due to the calamities the Galaxy of Magix has been faced with for the last two years, your father believes you should not return home on that day. Therefore, His Radiance the King of Solaria has decreed your Princess Ball shall be held on Friday, Quadrimensis 14, approximately a month-and-a-half after you return home."

            "Already?" Stella cried out, startling Flora. "This is so awesome!" She began to dance around.

            "Umm"… Musa voiced what everyone else was thinking. "What is a Princess Ball?"

            "It's a tradition upheld in some kingdoms to signify the coming-of-age of a princess," Layla explained. "It’s held only in the four traditional realms, in which there are still noble titles – Andros, Solaria, Eraklyon, and Rêve. I had my Princess Ball a year ago, because the age of adulthood in Andros is sixteen." She sounded forlorn. Flora remembered that, until she'd met the Winx girls, Layla hadn't had any friends. Must have been a dull experience, not having any friends to share it with.

            “Your father has also put together a special surprise for you,” Marco continued, “a kind of gift. He is very much eager to celebrate with you.”

            “What kind of gift?” Stella wanted to know.

            “Stel,” Musa laughed. “It wouldn’t be a surprise if you already knew.”

            "Well, you’ve all got to come to this!" Stella exclaimed. "I can't wait to share it with you all! I'm going straight home now, so we can check out the Solarian fashions! You've all got to come home with me" –

            "But I'm going home to see my parents," Bloom protested.

            "And I was gonna hang out with Layla," Musa added.

            Flora looked over at Mirta. Mirta was going to be coming with her home to Linphea, and spend the break with her.

            "Okay, yeah sure," Stella said impatiently. "But you'd all better be there a week before the Princess Ball starts."

            "Wait a second, I can't come," Tecna suddenly said. "I've got to go home."

            "What?" Stella gasped. "Not even for the Ball?"

            "I'm sorry, but I have to be home," Tecna said firmly.

            "Tec," Stella pleaded, "you can't miss this opportunity! You've got to come! It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience! You" –

            "No!" Tecna cut her off. "The answer is no." She began to walk off, the other girls staring after her.

            "What's up with her?" Musa wondered.

            "I dunno, maybe she really can't go," Layla answered. "You don't need to be so pushy, Stella. Just let it go."

            "I wasn't being pushy!" cried Stella, stung. "You’re all my best friends! How could I not invite you to my” –

            "It's okay, Stel," Bloom said, putting an arm around her friend's shoulder. "I think we should just let it go."

            "I'll go talk to her," Flora said. Not waiting for an answer, she ran towards Tecna, who was storming off.

            "Tecna," she called, running up to her pink-haired friend. "Do – do you want to talk? You don't have to, but if you need someone, you" –

            The girl turned around, her face carefully devoid of emotion. Flora knew Tecna well enough to know it was a well-trained façade she put up whenever under stress. After all, she was from Zenith, a realm where efficiency was valued over emotion. Sometimes Flora wondered whether Zenithians were actually people, or if they were just duplicates of the robots they relied upon.

            First Bloom, and now Tecna? Bloom seemed quite cheerful today – she wasn’t really so upset. But the difference was, while Bloom talked about her emotions, Tecna held them inside. Besides, Bloom looked much happier now since they were leaving Alfea, thus casting her memories of Darkar behind. It was almost impossible to tell what was going on in Tecna’s head sometimes.

            "I'm fine," Tecna answered, rather stiffly.

            "No, Tec, you're not," said Flora softly. "Just tell me what it is. Why were you so upset? You" –

            "I didn't mean to show that," said Tecna, a bit of color coming into her face. "I mean – I apologize."

            "No Tecna, that's not what I mean," said Flora. "I just don't understand. We've been friends for so long – all of us. And yet, you don't want to come to the Princess Ball with us. You've never come to visit us in our home realms during any vacation. Why not?"

            Now Tecna's face changed – from a colorless, expressionless façade to a sardonic mask. "You think I don't want to come?" She let out a bitter laugh. "Believe me, Flora, I would if I could. But I must be with my family. It's simply not logical to go to the Ball when I have duties to attend to at home. I have to go."

            "Tecna, why?" Flora pleaded. She didn't know why Tecna was acting like this. Ever since she'd confessed her feelings to Timmy in the Wildlands, she'd become more open about herself. But it was times like this, especially when anyone started asking anything about her family, when she simply clammed up.

            Flora knew nothing about Tecna's family. Even after all these years, it was a highly guarded secret, something Tecna couldn't talk about. It was kind of like how Layla had been so nervous initially, stuttering and apologizing for everything.

            But Layla is different, Flora thought. She's scared of being left alone. Tecna wants to be left alone. And she's always so secretive about everything. This isn't good for her.

            "Look, Tec," she said, "I know things have been hard for you, even though you haven't as much as said so. But if you ever need a friend, well, I'm here. I'll always be here for you, Tecna."

            For a moment, a surprised look appeared in Tecna's electric blue eyes, the eyes that always appeared so emotionless all the time. But it was quickly replaced by her usual expressionlessness, and she responded with barely a whisper, "Thanks."

            "All right then," Flora answered. "Do you want to go back and join the others?"

            "No." The response came back sharp and brittle, and Flora pulled back in surprise. "Sorry," Tecna muttered. "I mean, I have to go back now. My parents need me. I – I'll see you in Quintmensis when school starts."

            "Bye, Tecna," Flora called softly. She could've sworn she'd seen a tear in her friend's eyes as she pulled away.

            The girls went to Kunti's Pizza, Bloom and Stella taking up the front. Stella was chattering nonstop about her Princess Ball, and the others followed, content to listen.

            “I can’t wait for my snookums to come,” she declared. “It’ll be so amazing!”

            “As long as the other elves don’t vie for your heart as well,” Musa said wryly.

            Elves were the male equivalent to fairies; Red Fountain was a school for elves. There were two pathways for warrior elves – those who chose to achieve transformations for battle, and those who primarily focused on muscle superstrength for combat. Sky, Brandon, Riven, and Timmy were all elves; however, since they’d never been trained in magical combat, they couldn’t use magic except for minor spells such as levitation. In fact, Flora didn’t even know many elves, other than Saladin, who’d chosen to use magic instead of swords. Amongst the royal and noble families, magic was considered “unmanly”, because elves were the most physically fit amongst all people, and in-fact had better natural potential for brute force rather than refined magic. In any case, it would be great if the boys could come; they all deserved something fun and relaxing after their long battles.

            "This pizza totally rocks," Musa exclaimed.

            "They make it so crispy and nice," Flora agreed. Since they came here so often, the man behind the counter already knew their orders without having to ask them. They usually got two pizzas between the other five Winx. Since Flora was a vegan, she couldn't eat pizza; however, the pizzeria did have a flatbread with tomato sauce and olives. She usually got a slice of that. In any case, since she was fasting now, for religious reasons, she wouldn’t be sharing any of her friends’ pizza.

            "Hmm, you're hyping it up so much," Mirta said, eyeing Flora with a mock-glare. "It'd better be as good as you say."

            "Order number 19032," the man called, giving them two boxes of pizza. Stella immediately walked up to him, and extended her arms to take it.

            "Thank you," another voice said, and a short girl wearing a purple dress grabbed the boxes. Stella immediately turned around, enraged.

            "Who are you?" she demanded. "That's our pie!"

            "Not anymore," the girl said coolly.

            Flora and Mirta exchanged uncomfortable looks. "Uhhh"… Mirta said, looking scared. "Where did she come from?"

            "And why's she taking our pizza?" Flora added.

            "I've been waiting here in line just as long as you," the girl retorted. "It belongs to me and my friends. The service here is so slow." She rolled her eyes disdainfully, the five girls behind her following suit.

            "Yeah, because they make pretty damn good pizza!" Stella snarled back. "And it's ours, so give it back. I paid for that pizza!"

            "Why don't we split it up?" Bloom asked the girl in the purple dress. "You give us one box, and you keep the other. We can eat that while we wait for them to make two more boxes."

            It seemed like a logical solution – Tecna would probably be impressed, thought Flora, feeling sad as she thought of how Tecna had been forced to go home by herself. But Stella and Purple Dress weren't buying it. Stella glared at her, and lunged for the boxes of pizza.

            But the other girl had a firm hold on them as well. The two of them fought, pulling with all of their might, neither one letting go. They pulled until the boxes flew in the air – the top one towards Stella, the bottom one towards Purple Dress. They screamed as they both fell to the floor, with sauce, cheese, and pie on their clothes.

            "My Spella McCarthy!" Purple Dress wailed. "I don't believe it!" She glared at Stella, and then stood up. "Banishus!" The red mass flew off of her dress and into the trash can.

            "Stainus removus!" Stella shouted. The spattered imprint on her orange crop-top disappeared.

            "What are you, Alfea girls?" Purple Dress asked disdainfully. "Is that why you're dressed so tackily?"

            "You're not ones to talk about tacky!" Stella retorted, eyeing Purple Dress and her friends with disgust. "That dress is so last millennium. You look like a prude."

            "Yeah, well, you look like a vamp," Purple Dress retorted. "And definitely from Alfea. We're from Beta Academy." The other girls nodded enthusiastically.

            "Chimera's the top in the whole school," one of the girls said, pointing to Purple Dress. "Beta is where we learn the real stuff. Alfea is a dumping ground. You guys are just wannabe" –

            "That's enough!" the man behind the counter barked. He had kept silent this whole time, but now he looked enraged. "You girls have spilt sauce all over my parlor. I'm not serving you any more pizzas the rest of this spring – either get out or I'm calling security. Are we clear?"

            Flora and Mirta didn't wait. They both ran out the door, Musa, Layla, and Bloom following close behind. Stella was still there, arguing with the very furious pizza man.

            "But that was my pizza!" she cried.

            "STELLA!" Bloom yelled. "Come on!"

            "Oh, all right," Stella grumbled, but not before giving Chimera a livid glare as she raced out.

            "We'll find another pizza place, don't worry," Musa said. "For now, I say we go hit up that beach."

            "Come on, let's hit the waves!" Layla called, racing towards the sea in her bright green bikini. Bloom and Musa followed suit.

            Stella stared at the waves in distaste. "I'm gonna go and get a tan," she said. "This sun feels so nice and warm, and it's filling me up with so much energy. No icky water for me, no thank you."

            She left. That left Flora and Mirta sitting under the shade of a tree, near the grass. Flora gazed towards the sea, where Layla was surfing effortlessly over waves, and Musa was unsuccessfully trying to join her. Bloom was swimming, grinning over at the other two as they both stood on their surfboards, one with more balance than the other.

            Flora reached a hand over the tree and stroked it lovingly. Similarly to how the sunlight gave energy to Stella and the sea's motion gave energy to Layla, Flora absorbed her power from all plants and trees. She was Linphean, after all. She closed her eyes, relaxing on the exchange of energy that she gave to the tree and the tree brought her.

            "You're really connected to them, aren't you?" Mirta's voice interrupted her thoughts.

            Flora opened her eyes and looked back to Mirta. "Yes, I am," she said. "The same way I'm connected to you." She gazed down at Mirta's slender figure, her white skin under the black swimsuit with neon pink stripes. Reaching a hand back, she stroked Mirta's exposed back. "That swimsuit looks great on you, by the way."

            Mirta blushed, her cheeks becoming red. Then her face became fearful. "Stop, someone might see." She pulled away from Flora.

            "No one's looking," Flora whispered, tucking a strand of Mirta's neon red hair behind her ear. "There're too many people on this beach between us and the other girls, and they're too busy having fun anyways." She frowned at her girlfriend. “So, you’re sure you don’t want my friends to know, right?”

            “I don’t want to,” Mirta whispered. “If we’re open about it, everyone will hate us. In Whisperia, gay people are branded as perverts, and the government does nothing to stop routine discrimination. I don’t think it’s much better in Andros or Zenith. Besides, some of your friends come from very conservative backgrounds. I just want to keep it between us for now, okay?”

            Flora nodded. “I won’t do anything you’re not comfortable with,” she said, looking into Mirta’s indigo eyes. Truth to be told, she had doubts about telling her friends, too; she didn’t know how they would take the news. “Are you sure you’re okay with coming home to Linphea with me? Speaking of which, what did your parents say?”

            Mirta shifted uncomfortably.

            "Well?" Flora pressed on.

            "I haven't told them yet," Mirta admitted. "I can't have them know I'm a fairy, and I can't let them know I'm bisexual. They'll be furious if they find out either" –

            "They don't even know you transitioned?" Flora was shocked. "Mirta, I thought you'd told them!"

            "I – I didn't," Mirta looked ready to cry. “I knew if I told them, they'd do everything in their power to stop it. I mean, I don’t need them – I don’t have to pay tuition at Alfea, as long as I work in the kitchen during the year.”

            "But" – Flora breathed. The second part didn't shock her – she and Bloom anyways had to work in the kitchen, along with several of the other girls who weren't covered. But she couldn't believe that Mirta still hadn't told her parents. "Are – are you sure they" –

            "I'm sure," Mirta interrupted her. "They think I'm staying the summer on an internship with Griffin, just like last year. I'm so sorry I lied to you, Flo. I shouldn't have, but it was just so hard, and I didn't want to" –

            "Don't worry about it," Flora said quietly, putting her arm around her shoulder. "You've been through so much one year, Mirta. The transition is so hard to make – you could've died through that process! But you're safe now, and alive. That's all that matters."

            "I couldn't have done it without you," Mirta sniffed, leaning over and hugging Flora.

            The action sent a tingle through Flora's back. She extended her hand over, gently stroking Mirta's half-exposed back. She's so sweet… She wanted nothing more than to kiss Mirta at that moment, to relieve all her problems –

            A shout pulled Flora out of her moment. The two girls pulled back, turning their heads towards the sea. Everyone around them was standing up, craning their heads for a look.

            Musa was running into the sea, followed by Layla and Bloom. She was panting as she ran against the current of the waves, and called, "Are you alright? What's going on?"

            "Let's go," Flora said, pulling Mirta to her feet. Mirta squeaked in surprise as Flora ran towards the waves, dragging her along. The two girls made it to the sea, and Flora stared down at the person Musa was pointing to.

            It was a mermaid, clearly exhausted. She had a red tail and a suit of armor over her upper body, and her blue eyes filled with alarm. She was panting as she looked at Musa.

            "Dame Chen?" Musa asked, while Layla turned the Melodian mermaid on her side so she could rest in a more comfortable position. "What's going on?"

            "Yeah, what's happening?" a voice called. Flora turned and saw Stella running towards them, her orange bikini bright against her skin. "What's going o" – She stopped as she saw Chen lying in the wet sand. "You poor thing! What happened? Are you alright?"

            "I was sent to find you, Musa," Chen panted, ignoring Stella. "Harmonia's in trouble. I was told you need to stay here, that" –

            "What?" Musa's voice shook with shock, and Flora knew that she was barely containing her emotions. "Why didn't I receive a text from someone?"

            "The entire Realm Wide Web is down," Chen explained. "They said some portal was opened, and it blasted a whole set of neural networks near the City of Symphonia and the province of Harmonia. You must stay here, though. That's why they told me to come and" –

            "I'm coming," Musa interrupted. "Don't even try to stop me. If Dad's in trouble, I need to help him. I need to" –

            "You're needed to guard the princess and the prince!" Chen protested. "Princess Galatea and Prince Kaito are being sent to Magix for their safety. You need to be here to make sure they’re all right" –

            "’Tea and Kai?" Musa gasped.

            Flora recalled Galatea and Kai were Musa's first cousins, as Musa's father, Hoe-Boe, had formerly been the crown prince of Melody. He'd given up his title in order to marry Matlin, a commoner who abandoned opera to perform rock music. At the time, rock had been a very shocking style to the conservative nobility of Melody, and they'd looked down upon it as Earthian-influenced music, which they saw as primitive. Hoe-Boe and Matlin's albums had proved very popular amongst the common people, and were slowly starting to gain traction in other realms as well. Hoe-Boe's brother, King Jun, was the father of Princess Galatea, who would inherit Melody's throne one day.

            "Yes," said Chen, urgently. "You need to stay here. This means no vacation plans as of now. I'm sorry, but you'll have to stay put."

            "Okay," Musa nodded.

            "I'll stay with you," Layla said. "The pixies will keep us entertained. Princess Galatea's parents have a hotel room booked, right?"

            "Yeah, probably," agreed Musa. She turned towards Chen. "What exactly is happening on Melody?"

            "There’s a portal to Omega in the Calliope Sea," Chen said urgently. "And it’s just been forcibly opened – we believe a mass breakout has occurred. Melodian authorities are trying their hardest to contain it, as well as minimize civilian damage, but we do not know what the situation is as of now. And no one knows why or how it happened."

            "Oh, no," gasped Musa. "That… that's horrible. What are we gonna do?"

            “Just stay put,” Chen said. "We're doing our absolute best to have the situation under control."

            "Thanks, Dame Chen," said Musa. "You'd better get back into the sea."

            "Yes," gasped Chen, and Flora recalled that, while merpeople's gills lasted longer in air than fairs’ lungs did in water, it was always better for them to be under the surface. "Catch… you… lat"… She dove under the sea and turned around.

            "What are we going to do now?" Musa asked worriedly.

            "We have to go home," Bloom said. "All of us have flights booked back home, and we can't stay. But tell us how things are going, Musa. Update us now and then."

            "Yeah," agreed Stella. "And they'd better find whoever it is who broke out."

            "I sure hope so," agreed Flora. Fighting interrealm criminals was not high on her priority list. I just need to make sure Mirta is okay. She's been through too much stress already. She gazed at Mirta, who had a worried look in her eyes.

            "Come on," Flora said, putting her arm around Mirta. "The spacecraft departs in three hours. We have to be at the spaceport." Come, let's get you home.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER 2: TO ZENITH

            It is impossible to study modern-day Zenithian culture without knowing of its history. In the last millennium, Zenith has gone through incredible changes – the coup d’état of 16002 (Age of Blood), to the Communist Revolution of 16003-16012, and then the assassination of the king in 16012, Zenith has changed incredibly. Many of the technological reforms of Zenith would not be possible without the changes, a consensus most historians have come to. At the same time, most would agree many of the actions of the People’s Republic of Zenith are nothing short of genocide –

            Tecna woke up with a jolt. Her breath came out in sharp gasps, and she stared at the ground, terrified of what had just gone through her head.

            What was I thinking? Saying something even remotely against the government was grounds for arrest in Zenith – even thinking it was a crime. The textbook, A Modern History of the Galaxy of Magix, was still fresh in her mind. If I said something in my sleep aloud…

            She glanced anxiously around the spacecraft. Fortunately, no one seemed to have noticed; everyone else was sitting silently in their seats, a dull, glazed look in their eyes. It was the look Zenithians always possessed, what they’d been programmed to do. And how I should behave, too.

            Around her was total silence. Tecna had no one for company, not even Digit, the pixie who had always brought life and chatter to her day. And for a long time, she would’ve preferred it this way; solitude was the state she preferred, the state she’d been programmed for.

            Until two years ago. The Winx, her closest friends in the world, had taught her how to feel, how to do something other than work and still find fulfillment. And Digit had been one of the best friends she could have asked for.

            But then she’d got that fateful call that morning, the one commanding her to return to Zenith early. It meant she couldn’t enjoy vacation like her friends, couldn’t go to Stella’s Princess Ball at all. Family always came first. And so did Mr. Vasiliev’s work.

            Still, she couldn’t stop thinking about what she’d learned from Realmwide History, taught by Professor Athena Agnes at Alfea. She hadn’t expected to find the subject material so interesting – she’d signed up for the Introductory level in the first semester of sophomore year, mainly to satisfy the Theoretical Magic requirement. But Musa, who was the best historian of them all, had been a huge help. Between her and Professor Athena, Tecna had gained real interest in the subject, and so had taken the Intermediate level in the second semester. There were several Ages in the modern-day system of historical documentation; the historical datings were done by the UR Official Calendar (the same as the Magixian Calendar), though each realm had its own dating system as well.

            The first Age was the Prehistoric Age, which was counted in negative years. The Age of Antiquity started on the year the earliest-known written work to have ever existed had been written. Then the Age of Discovery was when spaceship travel started, and more powerful realms (such as Zenith) formed unequal treaties with less powerful realms (such as Linphea). The Age of Industrialization was when corporate industries started, and when people started to think more about civil rights. The Age of Blood (A.4.) was an Age with many, many wars: all of the five Interrealm Wars occurred during this time. Between the Fourth and Fifth Interrealm Wars, the Great War of Magix occurred – and the First Pixie Genocide as a part of it.

            The Age of Unity (A.5.) was their current Age. The Treaty of Kurushahr was signed in Year 1, officially signaling the end of the war, and with that, the United Realms’ Association was founded. Magix became a democracy, and a prince of Magix, Arjuna Pandava, became the president of Magix. He was the one who proposed the founding of the United Realms. The UR Defense Administration, which was in-charge of defense all across the Galaxy of Magix, created Alfea, Red Fountain, and Cloud Tower during this time. Magix and Zenith were the superpowers of the world, followed closely by Domino. Then the Dominian Wars happened, and ended with King Oritel’s destruction. They were now in Year 999 of that Age, eagerly anticipating the new millennium.

            I get one last chance to read the textbook before I delete it from the server. Tecna opened her device, until she reached the page in which she’d left off.

            Zenith has been a great galactic power for many millennia. Since the Age of Discovery, it had a strong foothold in Linphea, and great influence across the Galaxy of Magix. However, Zenith became a true superpower during the Fifth Interrealm War.

            Surprisingly, it started with a revolt. Tsar Nikolai XXXXIV of Zenith was not a popular king, as many people were starving during this time. Having been partially educated in the Republic of Summa, the Galaxy’s only democracy at the time, he tried reforms which would give the common people more power. Another motivation was because his wife, Tsarina Theodora, had been a very poor peasant herself. He created the Duma, which was a federal legislature of elected officials, and allowed the freedom of the press.

            This was not a new discovery by any means. Summa, Linphea, Domino, Solaria, Fulgur, and Melody already had their own legislatures, and Summa had even become a democratic republic at this point. Tsar Nikolai attempted to bring the legislature, in the hopes of becoming a modern “enlightened” state. This measure failed because 43% of the Zenithian population was under the modern-day definition of the poverty line. It is a generally-accepted historical fact that when people’s basic needs aren’t met, civil liberties lose their relevance. The free press mocked him as the “Ice” Emperor, picking his ice-blue eyes as a means of ridicule. On 4 Quintmensis 16000 A.4., peasants travelled in thousands to the capital city of Kremniy, leading a massive demonstration known as the Kremniy Revolt.

            The revolt became a revolution. Seven years later, Josef Sokolov led the coup d’état of 16007 A.4., with a terrorist group known as the Winter Revolutionaries. On 6 Duomensis 16007, he imprisoned Tsar Nikolai and Tsarina Theodora.

            Meanwhile, the Fifth Interrealm War was going on. On 2 Septmensis 16003 A.4., the United Alliance (Domino, Solaria, Fulgur, Eraklyon, and Magix) declared war on the Drakon Powers (Whisperia and Drako, which had conquered Summa, Linphea, Andros, Melody, and Rêve). Zenith stayed out of it, but could not avoid it forever.

            After the coup, Sokolov installed himself as the Grand Premier of the People’s Republic of Zenith. The effectiveness of his reforms varied. He was able to somewhat successfully implement collectivized agriculture and industrialization (the poverty rate dropped from 43% to 38%). Unlike his predecessors, though, he ruled with an iron fist. Sokolov removed all freedom of the press, dissolved the Duma, committed the First Cyborg Genocide, and, most notably, banned works of art from before the coup. Modern-day historians (particularly from Magix) consider him to be one of the worst dictators of all, although many other researchers criticize this view, as studies are tainted by the propaganda war in Magix against the Zenithians, during the Cold War of the 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd centuries A.5. (see pg 938 for further reading).

            In addition, although collectivization fell apart in the 1^st century A.5. itself (see pg 940), it was successful enough to make Zenith a powerful military state. Robots and advanced computerized systems, which had been invented in 15484 A.4. for military purposes, could now operate airships, spaceships, drones, and grenades almost autonomously. The agricultural produce was distributed reasonably well (although farmers would revolt in the 1^st century A.5. due to lack of incentive to work; see pg 941). This allowed for industrial production to develop, and since Sokolov focused mainly on militaristic production, Zenith became an incredible wartime power. In 16008, Zenith joined the United Alliance, and was crucial in the defeat of the Drakon Powers in 16012 A.4. On 9 Duomensis 16012, Sokolov personally executed Tsar Nikolai and Tsarina Theodora, in a public, violent display of torture and skewering. Both are said to have gone to their deaths with great dignity.

            Once the monarch and his wife died, everything changed. Prior to their executions, Zenith had turquoise skies and orange vegetation – lauded as one of the most beautiful natural sights in all the realms. But as soon as Sokolov killed the tsar and tsarina, officially becoming the head-of-state, eternal winter set upon Zenith. Historians do not know why, but it is almost certain it is the result of a curse cast by Sokolov and his Winter Revolutionaries.

            After the war, Magix spearheaded the creation of the United Realms’ Association (UR), which was made of eleven realms – Magix, Summa, Linphea, Domino, Solaria, Andros, Fulgur, Zenith, Melody, Eraklyon, and Rêve (Whisperia and Drako were treated as conquered territories; eventually, Whisperia did join the UR). The communist rule continued until 674 A.5., when Zenith became a capitalist dictatorship. Communism was not stable, but capitalism led to even greater oppression. The current head-of-state, Great Premier Medea Alexandrova, has been well-known for her role in the Second Cyborg Genocide of 917 A.5.

            There are some resistance movements in Zenith. However, since so many citizens lie in poverty, it is unlikely any significant changes will happen within this century. In 16007 A.4., mere months before Zenith joined the United Alliance, the tsar’s son went missing. For a long time, there was an underground legend that Tsarevich Cyros Pyotr Nikolai, the Lost Prince of Zenith, would eventually return to take his kingdom back…

            Tecna snorted. As if that were ever possible. There was no way a prince could’ve reclaimed the throne to Zenith in the time of the Cold War. Anyways, he was long dead now.

            And what was this nonsense about turquoise skies and orange grass? For sure, there were more colors on other planets in general, but the “most beautiful natural sights in all the realms”? Really? Who cared if something was beautiful or not? Why was “beauty” so valued in realms such as Magix? After all, the color of a bridge was less important than making sure it wouldn’t collapse. She clicked “DELETE”, and the text file cleared from the device’s memory.

            Her Internet access would be heavily censored from now on, the moment she entered the Zenithian atmosphere. Ironically, the Realm Wide Web had been invented on Zenith, which also included the Winx Wide Web and Witch Wide Web, respectively, for fairs/merfolk and warlocks. (The Realm Wide Web was a server for common information, and the Winx and Witch Wide Webs were generally only used by the communities they served. Interestingly, Bloom had told her Earth had a more primitive type of Internet – the World Wide Web – but it had absolutely no connection with theirs whatsoever). The Zenithian government had kept the coding under absolute secrecy, so no other realm could have access to it; however, someone from Magix had stolen the code and brought it to Magix to be recreated. It was now in-use all across the Galaxy. In addition, Zenith had a huge population, of over 1 billion citizens. Those were the main reasons why Unified Zenithian was the most commonly-spoken language in the Galaxy (Magixian was second, and the Common Tongue was third). Even though Tecna’s textbook didn’t rely on Internet to be read, it was generally a good idea to delete any subversive material from her devices.

            The spacecraft hovered in a long line of ships headed towards Zenith. They eventually landed on a small asteroid chain, and all the passengers were called to disembark. Each planet had an enchanted forcefield around itself, so only those who passed through Immigration and Customs could enter. The immigration process was done on small asteroid chains within each planet’s atmosphere, known as outposts. Once she was approved by immigration officials, Tecna would be sent to an airship which would take her to Kremniy, her final destination.

            Immigration went by very quickly; Zenithian immigration was fully-run by robots and computers. All the realms integrated technology into their spaceport and airport procedures, to some degree, but Zenith was quite special. It was so efficient, Tecna got through immigration within fifteen minutes! She then reached her assigned aircraft, and climbed into her assigned seat for takeoff.

            She felt no emotion at all as the airship sped towards her home city. The ride only took about forty minutes, and she soon landed in the Kremniy Spaceport. It was easy to claim her luggage and then head out from there. Reaching into her neatly-organized wallet, she picked out enough money, which she had exchanged from Magixian rupees to Zenithian rubles.

            She climbed into a driverless taxi and sped down the road. The Fortress of Kremniy was to her left, a formidable mass of black steel, surrounded by robots and drones. It was there Premier Alexandrova resided.

            The taxi continued down the road, through the capital city of Kremniy. They were in the Upper District of the city, with beautiful, gleaming buildings. Only the wealthy and middle-class could afford housing here, of course – the Lower District was for the poor people. They lived in buildings that were made of wood, or at best, brick, materials that were known to be primitive. In the Upper District, every house was made of steel, and personal robots (as well as a few lucky Lower District people) polished the houses from dusk to dawn.

            Tecna had always pitied the people of the Lower District. Although Zenith was a very strong industrial nation, its poverty was infamous across all realms. But there wasn’t much she could do. As her textbook had so nicely reminded her, speaking out against the government was often a death sentence.

            The taxi rolled to a stop at Tecna’s house. It was a large mansion, with immense towers of steel and completely polished glass windows. The façade, as with all Zenithian buildings, was black; no color variation was allowed in any Zenithian house. She’d been forced to dye her hair black, too – also the only hair-color acceptable. Although pink, purple, and blue were natural hair-colors for those of Zenithian and Whisperian ethnicities, the Zenithian government didn’t allow any sort of color to be shown. She wasn’t even allowed to wear colorful clothes; she was forced to wear black or gray every time she went back home.

            Arriving home should’ve brought Tecna a sense of solace. And in fact, it almost did. There was a time when coming home brought her a sense of security and relief, as a home should. But then I went to Alfea…

            “There you are,” a man barked. Tecna looked up and saw her father, speaking harshly in the language of Unified Zenithian. Tecna bowed to him and climbed up the steps to greet him.

            Her father was a man of few words. A pioneer in the field of biomedical engineering, he was a hard worker. However, this also meant he pushed Tecna to aspire to the same. His austere face was enough to force her to complete whatever task was required of her.

            Since birth, it had been drilled into her head: work hard. Get top grades, apply for a high-ranking school, and above all, never stop working. She had learned her first computer programing language when she was four, and now knew all of the major coding languages, as well as how to hack into any site or get any computer to start working again. A feat that would’ve sounded impressive, if not for the fact that most of the kids she’d grown up with knew how to do it, too.

            She couldn’t understand why her friends found her technological literacy so impressive. Sure, she knew how to program, but so did nearly every family she’d interacted with at home. Any child born in a middle- or upper-class family in Kremniy was expected to learn computer programming. After all, it was the future in Zenith; much of its economy ran on it. The children competed to get into the best private schools, and from there, to the best universities. In those select universities, only the most erudite were chosen to work for government service – the highest honor any student could hope for.

            “Come on inside,” another harsh voice called, this time female. A tall woman with straight hair was standing in the doorway, a disapproving expression on her face. “Your luggage just arrived here.”

            Of course, thought Tecna. High efficiency. It always disoriented her, upon arrival in Zenith, how fast everything moved. Magix was known across the realms for its fastness, too, but administrative tasks still were completed quite a bit slower than in Zenith.

            “Your suitcase is not in-order!” Tecna’s mom shouted. “Your clothes have not been folded properly! You always make sure the clothes are folded at right angles and symmetrically, but now it’s crumpled! You even have one shirt inside out! You never have a problem with keeping everything neat – why is it so disorganized now? If you keep your things a mess, you’ll never get a job!”

            Tecna’s face crumpled. Her mother was right – usually her clothes were folded cleanly, and very quickly, too. She was even better at doing it than her parents – she could calculate angles and proportions in her brain within seconds! But she’d made elementary mistakes this time! She was doing statistics and coding all the time – how badly would this impact her performance at work?

            To her utter bewilderment, none of the other girls had been so organized with packing. In fact, they were downright untidy! Flora and Layla folded their clothes well (though not anywhere near perfectly), while Bloom and Musa half-rolled, half-folded all their clothes. Stella just threw everything in without bothering to organize!

            She remembered when she’d first learned she was sharing a room with Musa. The moment she walked into the door the first time, loud rock music was blaring. Musa’s bed was never made, and she wouldn’t organize her closet properly! Tecna remembered once, when she folded and organized Musa’s closet systematically, in their freshman year. They had a huge fight, and didn’t talk to each other for a week. Eventually, Flora and Bloom managed to bring them to an agreement, though Stella enjoyed watching the drama.

            In that regard, Timmy was so similar to her. He hated keeping things disorganized, and he was very annoyed when Riven kept messing up their room. He and Tecna had commiserated over that a few times during their sophomore year, when they were working together.

            Oh Timmy, where are you now? Tecna thought, squeezing her eyes shut. The Magixian boy had wanted to spend time with her over the summer, and have her over at his place. Tecna, already knowing what her parents would say, had declined.

            “Do you hear me?” Tecna’s mother repeated.

            Tecna shook herself out of her reverie and looked up at her mother. “Yes, Mother,” she said. “I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

            “Get the robot to iron and fold your clothes,” her mother said. “Now, go to the laboratory. Mr. Vasiliev has some work for you, and you need to complete it by tonight.”

            “Yes, Mother,” Tecna said automatically, and then walked down the hallway. “Goodbye.” She headed out the back door, and then into the yard. Finding a robotic car, she climbed in, quickly selecting the location of the lab and letting it take her there.

            As the car zoomed down the road, she thought about all of the rules she had broken in her past two years at Alfea. She had done so many stupid, immature, and downright illogical things. She’d interacted with so many girls, girls who spoke so freely without any fear of repercussions. Tecna couldn’t imagine talking to or about her parents like that. Shockingly, she’d made a group of friends, even though her parents had warned against making friends. But worst of all, she now had a boyfriend, who happened to be the love of her life.

            I shouldn’t like him, she thought, waves of guilt washing over her. After all, marriage in Zenith wasn’t based off of love – the very idea sounded ridiculous to her. Her parents’ marriage had been arranged based off of their wealth, and only after both of them had completed college. It had seemed absurd that anyone could marry just because they liked someone – at least, until last year.

            Now all Tecna wanted to do was to be with Timmy. To have his arms around hers, to play video games with him and Digit, to spend time tucked up under a cover with him and watch a movie. Just the simplest things sounded so appealing – and yet, she knew it wasn’t possible.

            Now I know why my parents didn’t want me to go to Alfea. Though they’d been happy that she’d gotten admission, they’d been hesitant to send her, on the fear their daughter would be susceptible to “unbecoming influences”. Finally, they’d acquiesced and let her go, on one condition: no boys. And she’d kept with that condition – at least, until last year.

            I can’t think about him, Tecna reminded herself. I have work to do. I can’t keep thinking about him.

            She reached the laboratory’s gate. It was Igor Vasiliev’s laboratory, and she worked there. Mr. Vasiliev was working on a top-secret project that even Tecna didn’t know about. Tecna had been selected as one of the programming staff, and she’d been working there since she was nine. Her main job was to oversee the computers’ statistical scans and make sure that they were doing their job. Her father said it was good life experience for when she graduated Alfea and came back to Zenith for graduate school. Not to mention, it would raise her status immensely as well.

            She grimaced, thinking of all the tasks she’d have to do in the lab – all of which didn’t involve Timmy or her friends. I wish I could go with them and get some pizza… But that was completely out of the question.

            Stop it, she forbade herself. Why am I thinking such things? She needed to banish such thoughts out of her brain. She was here to work, and nothing else.

            “What’s the four-digit passcode?” a voice above her head said.

            Tecna blinked, then remembered. “2048,” she said. The gates opened, and she walked inside.

            To enter the lab, she had to send a ray of her magical energy into the sensor. The sensor was able to catalog the magnitude of each fairy’s power, and as each fairy was different, it was a good way to keep track of who was who. There was also a facial recognition scan, which she passed easily, then entered the building.

            The interior was shiny and metallic. It was a huge laboratory, triple the size of Alfea. There was internal transportation to different sections of the lab, where different people worked. Tecna was about to get onto the transport, when an android walked up to her.

            “Anastasia Ivanova,” it said in a monotone, emotionless voice, similar to the voice she was often accused of speaking with. For a moment, Tecna didn’t respond, then she remembered. Anastasia. It was her proper, legal name, although not the name she’d applied to Alfea with. I’m Anastasia again. She swallowed as the robot continued speaking. “I have been sent to perform the routine medical checkup and make sure your internal software is working.”

            Oh right. “Thanks, Sammy,” Tecna said. She’d named all of the robots when she was twelve, not that they knew, of course.

            “Follow me,” Sammy said, and she followed the android to a medical room with computer screens on all four walls. They glinted back, reflecting her figure in their black, mirror-like form.

            “I need you to undress,” Sammy said. The door dead-bolted, and it added, “I have locked the door for extra privacy.”

            Tecna stifled a laugh. There’s nothing private about this place. Nevertheless, she stripped off her layers one by one, until she was standing completely naked, gazing down at her right side.

            On the left side of her body, she looked completely normal. Her leg and arm were made out of flesh, and so was her head and neck. She was very white, particularly because she spent much of her time indoors, but other than that, there was nothing abnormal about her.

            But there was a line exactly down half of her body. Her spinal cord was made of enchanted metal, and so was her right arm and leg. Her brain was also enhanced with neural networks, and she had an actual computer inside of there, one that could scan and record activities at an inhuman rate.

            When she was eight, she had been in a hover accident. The details were hazy, and she couldn’t recall much of her life before then. All she knew was that after the accident, she was a cyborg. The car had flipped on its right side, which was why she was more disproportionately affected there. She’d lost her leg, her arm, severed her spine, and damaged her brain. Which was why she’d had to have the surgery, a surgery that replaced much of her body and, essentially, made her into a robot.

            Being a cyborg was a source of shame in Zenith. It gave her the emotion of a person and the abilities of a robot, which was helpful most of the time. But there was also lingering resentment against cyborgs, particularly since they were more easily able to perform motor tasks than regular people. As a result, many pointed out it was unfair that people like her should be able to advance farther in the work sector, just because they had an ability that was artificially enhanced.

            Tecna could understand why many people felt like this. But that didn’t excuse the tremendous bigotry, discrimination, and subjugation of cyborgs in every aspect possible – legal, financial, socioeconomical, medical, educational – to name a few. Also, most of what she’d learned wasn’t innate ability. It had come through laborious years of practice and hard work.

            And yet, I’m still not good enough, she thought sadly. I still keep on screwing up. She had always prided herself on her calculations, her ability to deduce and decide through reason and logic. And yet, she’d made some very poor decisions last year. She’d mistakenly identified Avalon as the Angel of Doom (even though he had turned out to be a traitor) and her mistake had caused the Trix to get the Codex in Alfea.

            I caused so many mistakes last year, and it’s all because I kept losing control. I kept on thinking about Timmy, when I should have been thinking about my duty, my duty to my friends and my school. She clenched her fist.

            No more. I cannot allow myself to slip up. I cannot keep on making mistakes. Timmy’s going to have to take the backseat for now. The thought sent a wave of sadness through her, but she ignored it, continuing to gaze up at the screen.

            The screens around her scanned every part of her body. The android walked to the main computer and connected itself to it, no doubt synthesizing the information. Tecna could feel the transfer of energy between the several computers, and the main computer to the android. Finally, Sammy disconnected itself, printing out a slip of paper. It handed it to Tecna.

            Tecna looked down at the paper. A green check-mark was next to everything. Good. The android handed her clothes back.

            “Let me know when you want the doors to be opened,” it said.

            Tecna gazed down at the covering she used to disguise her arm and leg. It was a fleshy cover, and felt like regular skin at touch; however, it was illegal to wear one in Zenith. It was legal to wear in Magix, though, and she’d never taken it off once in her stay at Alfea.

            There was a reason why she barely hugged any of her friends, and it all came down to one word: cyborg. Although the flesh-covering was extremely good, there was always the chance it might slip, revealing her for who she was. That, and because hugs were an alien concept in her household. She wasn’t all that comfortable with people touching her.

            “Have a nice day,” Sammy chirped as Tecna finished dressing, walking out of the door.

            Tecna gazed at the screen ahead of her. It was filled with the usual propaganda, all stories about Zenith’s glory and strength. All of this she was used to; it was very common to see in Zenith. However, there was something she saw on the screen she hadn’t seen before: a sign that read TALKS WITH LINPHEA.

            Tecna halted. What’s going on? Why was Zenith talking to Linphea?

            She closed her eyes and focused on her internal computerized brain, which connected to the Realm Wide Web. Linphea, she commanded the computer to look up.

            Immediately, information flashed across her eyes. Whenever she was looking up something, the information came across her vision, though she could still see outside of her body as well. Zenith’s Web was, unfortunately, very censored, and she wished she’d found the information in Magix. She sighed and chose an article online.

Talks with Linphea successful, Zenith emerges victorious

            Tecna knew enough to know this headline article was crap. Zenith had never had good relations with Linphea; Linphea had been a Zenithian colony, after all. Even after Zenith had backed off, it had never stopped trying to exert its control. None of the other members of the UR would do anything about it, for they feared Zenith just as much as everyone else.

            Nevertheless, Tecna scanned through the article, trying to find the information she desired.

            On 8 Trimensis 999, Her Magnificence, the Great Premier Medea Alexandrova spoke with Queen Isabela of Linphea. Their talk was largely successful, with Linphea agreeing to eliminate its tariffs on produce.

            “I believe we can look towards a bright future,” said Mr. Aranov, spokesman for Premier Alexandrova.

            Since her ascent as head of state in 937, Premier Alexandrova has done nothing but good for the Zenithian people. She has given grants to workers, stabilized the economy, and stood up for Zenith’s prestige in the world. She has also tackled the Linphean issue head-on, stopping the greedy Linphean monkeys from charging exorbitantly high rates for their fresh produce.

            As for the Premier herself, she has some words of wisdom for her citizens.

            “Don’t worry about anything,” she says. “Our economy is safe, and in good hands. We, the Zenithians, are taking back the glory we once had as Emperors of the Galaxy of Magix, and will soon be victorious once more. In the meantime, everyone should keep doing their work for the good of your Motherland!”

            All hail the Great Premier! May she rule for a thousand years!

            The last two sentences were printed in every news article. She swallowed hard, wondering what was going on.

            Maybe I can contact Flora and find if she has any information. If she had the time, that was. A transport machine zoomed up to her, and she heard the automated voice: “Where do you want to go?”

            “Programming wing,” Tecna said automatically, sitting in the cable car. She zoomed down the alley, until, after a few minutes, she’d reached the wing she was looking for.

            A robot greeted her, by the name of Mischa. At least, that was what Tecna called it. It nodded to her and escorted her down to the wing.

            “Good day, Anastasia,” it said. “I have some work for you.” It pointed to the screen. “Log on.”

            Tecna picked a cable out of the drawer and motioned for the robot to hold it. “Plug this into my control panel,” she ordered. The robot lifted her shirt, reached her electrical sockets in her back, and plugged the cord in.

            Tecna gasped at the familiar jolt of electricity running through her back. The computer’s feed popped up in her brain almost instantly, prompting her to log in.

            She never did this at Alfea; after all, people would notice if she had an electric cord sticking out of her back. But here, on Zenith, it made her jobs a whole lot easier. She was able to connect wholly into the computer, coding directly from her brain. She logged in, and instantly gasped.

            REPROGRAM BIOTECH ROBOTS, the feed flashed across her brain. REROUTE WIRELESS IN COMPUTER 3459. REPAIR SET 67395505.

            “Mr. Vasiliev expects you to be done by tonight,” Mischa stated, and then left.

            Tecna sighed. If she ever lagged behind on a task, Mr. Vasiliev would punish her and have her stay on task. It had only happened a few times, but those times were unpleasant enough for Tecna to know that failure was not an option.

            I’d just better get started, she thought. And make sure I do my job. Sighing, she sat down and began to work.

            Her fingers clicked the keyboard as she fixed algorithms, changing different sequences. Panting, she typed as fast as she could, trying to get to the next task.

            I have to finish this. She remembered the times when she had been on a mission for Alfea, and rerouted the spacecraft’s computers with Timmy. Timmy… That adorable cubby face, those tender eyes…

            Stop it, she scolded herself. Not now. I can’t think about him now. Her fingers wobbled as she continued to type, one sequence after the other.

            This is all there is now…

Chapter Text

CHAPTER 3: THE LINPHEAN NEW YEAR

            The land was beginning to be reborn. Trees were just beginning to bud, and a hint of green was in the grass. The air was cold, but alive with the first tang of spring.

            "Here we are!" Flora exclaimed, climbing down from the convoy and giving Mirta a hand. "Isn't it beautiful?"

            "It is," said Mirta in wonder, gazing around. "I love it."

            The sight of Linphea at first glance never failed to amaze Flora. The time just before the spring equinox was her favorite time; everything was just beginning to come alive. It reinvigorated her powers, making her feel more awake than ever before.

            Alfea, Cloud Tower, and Red Fountain always let out at the end of Trimensis, the third month of the year as according to the Magixian solar calendar. In most realms, the third month of the year was spring.

            According to the Magixian Calendar, the Linphean spring also came in the third month of the year. However, local people used the Linphean Lunar Calendar, where spring came in the first month. Right now, it was the last month of the year, the month of the fast. Other realms also had seasonal disparities with Magix. She knew it was summer on Earth, Bloom’s home realm; in Stella’s and Layla’s realms, Solaria and Andros respectively, it was always summer. In Tecna’s realm, Zenith, the opposite was true; it was always winter.

            The Linphean Lunar Calendar was one of the few official state calendars to be based on the moon. Each month started and ended on the new moon. As a lunar month was twenty-nine or thirty days, twelve lunar months were slightly less than twelve solar months, and therefore did not match with the solar calendar. Therefore, every two or three years, a thirteenth moon was added at the end of the year. The solar and lunar cycles rarely ever matched up; however, this New Year (Trimensis 20 as according to the Magixian calendar) happened to be the spring equinox and the new moon.

            I can't wait to be home, thought Flora. She couldn't wait to introduce her girlfriend to her village, to teach her their traditions, to see her family friends. A new adventure was in their grasp…

            "How far is your house?" panted Mirta.

            “A bit far away,” Flora answered. She looked at Mirta in concern. “Are you tired?”

            "Just a little," gasped Mirta. "I – should – be – fi" – Her words ended as her knees gave way on the grass, and she collapsed.

            "Let's get you a transport," Flora said. She whistled for one, and a flying ladybug, the size of a van, landed next to them.

            Flora helped Mirta to her feet. "Look," she said, gently pointing her girlfriend forward. Mirta looked up, and her eyes widened.

            "That's a giant" – she gasped.

            "Ladybug," Flora finished for her, grinning. "Don't worry, they're really friendly – most creatures here are, honestly. Come on, get on and it'll take us home."

            Shakily, Mirta pulled herself onto its back, and Flora climbed in the front. "Head east, in the direction of Bosque Iztel," she said in Unified Linphean, pointing to the dark forest ahead of them. "We need to go to the village of Yuritzi. And please be slow; we have a tired passenger."

            The giant animal rose into the air and began to head in the direction opposite of the setting sun. Mirta clung tight to Flora's back, though there really was nothing to be scared of; Flora had never known of anyone that had fallen off a ladybug's back.

            "Sorry for being such a pain," Mirta gasped.

            "You’re not a pain," Flora laughed. "You're just tired from everything that's been going on. I think this trip will be perfect for you."

            "This place is beautiful, though," Mirta said, gazing around. The aerial view made the terrain stand out even more, an earthy land that spring was just starting to kiss. "You live in such an amazing realm."

            "Thanks," Flora smiled. "I knew you'd love it."

            She gazed down at the landscape. She was the only one of the Winx girls that didn't live in a city. Stella, Layla, and Tecna all lived in the capital cities of their respective worlds, and Bloom and Musa lived in small coastal cities. But Flora's family lived right in the heart of nature. It made sense; after all, her mother was a priestess, and it was her job to tend to the natural world around her.

            Her family was also fairly poor. They didn't own a very large house, and they didn't make much money, as her mother and her mother were priestesses. Her extended family on her mother's side lived with them, including her grandmother and great-grandmother. Linphean families were matrilineal, meaning a woman always welcomed her husband into her family, not the other way around. However, her great-grandmother would soon be departing to the capital city of Linphea, where she worked.

            After a few additional directions from Flora, the ladybug landed in front of their house. Her parents and grandmother came out of the house, tailed by Flora's little sister, Miele.

            Flora's father, Rodrigo Fernández, had a lively twinkle in his eyes, the same twinkle Miele always carried. He was a short man with reddish-brown hair and brown eyes, and skin notably paler than Flora's, which Miele inherited. He was always good-natured and outgoing, and had a loud voice. Flora, however, took more after her mother in both looks and personality. Her mother was Sacniete Fernández, named after the white Linphean valley flower, and had the same honey-brown hair, brown skin, and emerald-green eyes as Flora’s. She was also much more reserved and serious, and was a thinker, as expected by a member of the priesthood. Though she never raised her voice, she and Abuela were the authorities of the house, as were most Linphean women in their households.

            "It's good to see you," Flora's mother said warmly to Mirta, in the Common Tongue. "I'm so glad to see Flora's finally put herself out there and found someone. You must be special indeed." Mirta's cheeks went bright pink.

            "Welcome to our family," Flora's father agreed. "I'll assist you up the stairs." He carried Mirta into the house, and Flora’s mother followed.

            Flora followed, wanting to make sure Mirta was in safe hands. But before she could enter, she was met with a wide hug.

            "Abuela," she gasped, staring up.

            Rosada Fernández beamed up at her. Her skin was light brown and she had silvery hair that reached past her shoulders. She was two-hundred and ten years old, her mother’s mother.

            "My Florita," Abuela smiled, speaking in Lunian – the native language of those who lived in Lunia. "How good to see you." Her green eyes became wide and teasing. "I heard someone became Head Girl of Alfea?"

            "Er… yes," said Flora, trying to get past her. "We’ll catch up later, I've got to" –

            "Don't worry," Abuela Rosada laughed. "Your girl is fine. Your parents are taking care of her." Her eyes twinkled. "You don't need to be so" –

            "Impatient and hasty?" a voice interrupted. Iztel Fernández, Flora's ever-cranky great-grandmother, walked up to them. She was shorter than the rest of the women in the household, including Flora, and was also dressed in a white robe. Her white hair was in a staunch bun, and she walked with a cane and a hunched back. Despite her three-hundred and forty years of age (when most fairies lived on average to three-hundred years), she was very alert and sharp.

            "Watch your step coming into the house," she chided Flora. "I don't know what they teach in that school over there. The graceless manner of defeating criminals without learning anything about the actual people involved? I've always said you need to become a priestess, young 'un. We learn something useful, something that doesn't involve beating people down."

            "They learn how to defend the Galaxy of Magix at Alfea," Abuela reminded her mother. "A very valuable skill, if you ask me. The school is run by the most-skilled fairs in the realms."

            "And by the corporate power of the United Realms," Bisabuela snorted. "I'd sooner trust a Venus fly-trap to not eat my finger than those tycoons. They might as well make a united government and sell all our civil liberties, that's what they should do. We'd be subservient to the great powers of Magix and Zenith." She shook her head. "No, I was against it from the start. Learning profound magical ability takes time, and is not something that happens overnight."

            "We learn so many things at Alfea," Flora protested. "We learn how to defend ourselves, form great friendships, save the world" –

            "Ha!" Bisabuela snorted. "All warriors ever do is cause misery! Zenith has invaded Linphea so many times, not even historians can remember. Now, Linphean warriors are honorable; they know not to conquer and maraud. But you are born into a good priestly family, girl, and you should not be a Linphean warrior, much less a UR one! The United Realms is the worst organization ever created – all they ever do is dominate us lesser realms so Magix and Zenith can always be at the top"…

            Flora restrained a groan; Bisabuela never lost an opportunity to rant about the UR. Founded after the Fifth Interrealm War, it'd spurred a new age, the Age of Unity. Not all the realms of the Galaxy of Magix were in the UR; however, for the eleven member states (twelve before Domino had fallen), it had been instrumental in averting crises and wars. Unfortunately, it also meant small realms such as Linphea were subservient to more powerful nations.

            “Abuela,” Flora’s mother called to Bisabuela, coming down the steps. “Please do try to tone it down. Rodrigo and I just tucked Flora’s guest into bed.”

            "Oh yes, I forgot," Bisabuela muttered. "At least you have the sense not to spurn warlocks for who they are. The UR is made by fairs and for fairs only – another reason I spit on it. It's just one of their ridiculous moves to gain more power for themselves"…

            “I’m so relieved to see you safe and sound,” Mamá said to Flora with a smile, conveniently drowning out Bisabuela’s monologue. “We were so worried when we heard the Shadow Phoenix had captured your friend. You’re so lucky to be alive after all these dangerous scrapes.” She cast Flora a stern look, but then her expression melted again. “My bebe is safe with me.” She wrapped Flora in a hug.

            “Mamá,” Flora groaned, “this is great and all, but I really need to” –

            “Of course,” her mother laughed, giving her a small push. “Go and spend time with Mirta. You don’t have to be around us old folks!”

            Grateful for her mother’s intervention, Flora escaped quickly. From behind she heard Bisabuela grumble, "Now, why are youth so impatient these days?"

            Flora sped up the steps of the tiny cottage, to her room. Two twin beds were in the room: one was Flora's, and the other was one from their tiny guest bedroom. Mirta lay on the other bed, her eyelids fluttering sleepily. A teapot and two cups were on Flora's nightstand.

            "Your room is beautiful," said Mirta, lifting her head; Flora followed her gaze. A potted florita de iris was on the windowsill, shining all of the colors of the rainbow. It was Flora's favorite flower, and had been since she was little. That was the only decoration in the room; after all, priestly families were supposed to live very ingenuous, frugal lives. And yet, the simplicity made it sweeter than a room in a royal palace.

            “Here,” she said, pouring Mirta some tea. It looked like her mother had just brewed a pot – it was good and steaming. “Lilac tea – it’s really good.”

            "Thanks," Mirta yawned, downing the whole cup in one gulp. "The air coming from that window is so nice and" – She immediately collapsed on the bed, snoring like a baby.

            Flora walked up to her, spreading the comforter around her shoulders. She kissed Mirta's forehead and then went to her own bed. There was no sound, except for the chirp of the birds and Mirta's sound snoring.

            "Sweet dreams, Mirta," Flora said softly.

            That following week, Flora took Mirta out every day to walk around the countryside. Mirta turned out to be an excellent artist, and sketched pictures of birds and plants that she saw. The Bosque Iztel was also a good place to explore, and they always found something there.

            Flora had always been the outdoorsy type, as were most of the people she knew. She’d spent her entire childhood exploring this forest, observing the birds and flowers. But she had never gone out with a friend. At most, she had gone with her little sister Miele, but she was only twelve years old, and therefore wasn't allowed to go out too far on her own.

            But now she had someone to share it with. And that made it all the more fun, a warm spark to Flora's leisurely days.

            Her time wasn’t as leisurely as she’d hoped, though. She had online trainings to do, for her position as Head Girl. She and the other student leaders spent plenty of time on video calls, trying to figure out their newfound roles. They also trained with Faragonda and Griselda for their new duties, which included: addressing student grievances, helping students with academic and personal difficulties, conflict resolution, knowing when to report incidents, and, in extreme cases, crisis intervention. It was certainly a lot to handle, but with her family’s encouragement, she became more convinced she was ready for this role.

            She was glad Mirta got to completely relax, though. She relaxed on the hammock, helped around their very small garden, and met many of the villagers of Linphea. Most importantly, Mirta greatly enjoyed the food of Linphea. There were curried vegetables and homemade jam in every meal, fresh Linphean bread, and plenty of delicacies Mirta came to love. Flora only ate the delicious food before sunrise and after sunset. However, Miele was still a child, and would not observe the fast until she turned fifteen; Flora’s grandmother cooked for Mirta along with Miele, too. Mirta had said she would observe the fast, but Abuela refused, telling her after she’d gone through such a harrowing transformation, she had to eat properly.

            Mirta became close with Miele. In fact, she became a favorite with all the little ones, telling them stories of her adventures in Magix. To the children, her status as a biological witch was irrelevant; all they cared was that she was kind and told them stories. She treated them with the love of an older sister.

            However, that didn't mean things were perfect. Many of the older Linpheans, more conservative, distrusted her. A few flat-out avoided her. The first week of their vacation, no one had dared say anything against Mirta, for everyone feared Bisabuela. But the Saturday after they came home, she departed for the City of Trees, despite Abuela’s protests that she retire and stay in Yuritzi. And once she left, there was no one to hold the villagers back.

            Flora tried to shield Mirta from the gossip. But Linphean villages bred very strong gossip vines, and Mirta soon heard what the villagers had to say.

            "I don't get it," she said one afternoon, when they were in Flora's room. "I thought Linpheans were the kindest people in the realms."

            "No realm can be perfect," said Flora, frowning at Mirta. Her girlfriend sounded unusually somber; she hadn't been this way since her transition. "Are you unhappy here?"

            "No!" Mirta exclaimed. "Your family has been so unbelievably kind to me, and so many of the villagers are so nice! It's just – the ones that aren't make life difficult." She looked unhappily at her feet.

            "Peace, niñita," said Abuela, entering the room. "I know it's hard to see, but Linphea is changing. With the rise of the Realm Wide Web, people are starting to change their perceptions. But history's roots run deep – you see, there's a rather ugly reason why people here don't trust warlocks."

            "Why?" Mirta asked.

            "Before the Age of Discovery, Linphea only comprised of fairs," Abuela explained. “In Year 1 of that Age, when Prince Vladimir of Zenith flew in the first-ever successful space voyage, he encountered Linphea. The Age of Discovery, as you know, was the time when all realms were discovering space flight. Linphea was – and still is – very tribal and rural; compared to the giant of Zenith, it was vastly underdeveloped.

            “The other realms took advantage of our lack of production. They sealed unfair trade agreements with us, and started skirmishes in our realm. Many warlocks came here and preached their religions to us. We refused to follow the missionaries, and so they attacked. Yet, they were unable to subjugate us. For the trees in our realm have a mind of their own, and they protected us from harm."

            "Your trees protected you?" Mirta asked in amazement.

            "Yes," Flora smiled. "When provoked, the trees here move, Mirta. They can trap invaders in cages and slash their branches at people. But even the trees cannot stop foreigners from settling here if they wish."

            "So the warlock missionaries settled here," Mirta answered. "And all the warlocks who still live in Linphea are descendants of those missionaries."

            "Correct," Abuela nodded. "Now fast-forward to 1430 of the Age of Blood. At that time, Zenith, along with Magix and Domino, had grown into a fearsome empire. Linphea was still independent, but not for long. Zenith staged one of the bloodiest invasions in the history of the Galaxy, the Zenithian Invasion, killing a sixth of Linphea's population. The priestly families were attacked the most, as they were the largest group of intellectuals. When the trees rushed to defend us, their robots destroyed them, using some of the most advanced sorcery at the time. Fair and warlock lords ruled both in colonial Linphea.

            "But it was the warlock lords who were feared the most. For centuries, these warlocks had faced subjugation in their native realm of Zenith. And now, when they had the chance to subjugate others, they took it with a vengeance. Such is our nature – when we face oppression, instead of trying to help those weaker than us, we take it out on them in an attempt to build ourselves up. And we could do nothing about it, for without our trees, we were completely powerless to fight back."

            Flora had studied plenty about Zenithian imperialism – both from the Linphean and Zenithian side. She’d been brought up with Linphean culture her whole life, and upon starting at Alfea, she’d been expected to start learning another language. Flora, like most educated people in the Galaxy of Magix, was multilingual. Her native tongue was Lunian, a local language spoken by the people of Yuritzi; she’d learned Unified Linphean in her village school, and she’d learned the Common Tongue before applying to Alfea. At Alfea, all students were expected to learn a language other than one used in their native realms. To Bisabuela’s great displeasure, she’d chosen to study Unified Zenithian.

            Unified Zenithian was the only existing language on Zenith now; all other localized tongues had been forcibly wiped out. Along with learning the language, she had history and culture classes as well. By the second semester of language study, they were expected to speak only their chosen language in the classroom (no Common Tongue or any other language allowed). One way Flora had gotten to know Tecna really well was by speaking in Unified Zenithian to her. She was fully fluent in spoken Unified Zenithian, although she wasn’t the best when it came to literature. Still, she’d attended enough cultural events in Magix to see a different side of Zenithian culture – immigrant Zenithian culture. Those who’d come to Magix were much more sociable than those who just lived on Zenith – they had a vibrant cinema culture. She’d learned Zenithian history not just from the textbook, but by talking to Zenithian people as well. She couldn’t villainize Zenithian people one bit for what’d happened. At the same time, there were serious problems with the Zenithian government right now.

            "Oh no," Mirta breathed. "How did Linphea gain independence?"

            "The Linphean Resistance Movement of 12011 A.4. started – exactly five thousand years ago," Abuela explained. "Paz Gonzales was their leader. She was a wise woman – instead of fighting the Zenithians with hate, she tripped them with love. The Resistance Movement was an entirely non-violent movement, an attempt to peacefully end colonial rule.”

            Flora had heard this story a thousand times, but somehow, hearing it with Mirta by her side made it even better. Paz Gonzales was the champion for the weak and the dueler to the strong. What Abuela had said about the oppressed becoming the oppressors had never happened to Gonzales.

            “She also was the one who started the tradition of the fast,” Abuela added. “The fast is observed in the final month of the Linphean calendar. Zenith was trying to force its calendar on the Linpheans, so as a way of reviving our native calendar, she encouraged all able-bodied adults fifteen and older to abstain from all food and all drinks except pure water, from sunrise to sunset, until the Zenithian warriors were expelled. Fasting also helps people connect with their souls, which in turn increases their magical strength. This small sacrifice – the sacrifice of food – increases mental strength and compassion as well; the fast was to be followed until the Zenithian colonists were expelled. By starting this tradition, she and her followers venerated Linphèana.”

            Once Flora had turned fifteen, she’d been officially inducted as a member of the society of Linphéanidad. Three years ago, almost to the date, she’d had her Quinceañera, and they’d done a huge celebration of her coming-of-age, complete with the granting of flowers, procession of cows, and the gift of the turquoise ring (which was granted to every girl on her fifteenth birthday – boys got the equivalent of turquoise pins). It just so happened she herself was born on the New Year, so her Quinceañera was celebrated with the most vigor possible. This was her third year fasting, and her second year fasting at Alfea. Both times at Alfea, she had fasted during difficult times – once during the battle of the Army of Decay, and this past time during their excursion to Shadowhaunt.

            “Of course, the Zenithians weren’t about to let this movement continue. A great battle started, in which they massacred fifteen-hundred Peace Warriors in the City of Trees. Gonzales was also murdered in that terrible bloodbath.”

            The Day of Bleeding Hearts, thought Flora. That day marked the massacre, and always fell on the full moon in the middle of the fast; no Linphean partook of any food that day. She remembered that year’s Day of Bleeding Hearts, where she’d done the sacred rituals in her dorm room at Alfea, when Musa had slammed her door open and announced Bloom had been captured by Avalon.

            "The Resistance Movement died after Gonzales' death, but by then, other realms were paying attention. The realms that were under Zenith's yoke began to rebel, and the realms that weren't part of the Zenithian Empire began to object to Zenith's appalling treatment of the Linphean people.

            "After Gonzales' death, her daughter, Ixazalvoh, rose to power. She learned of the secrets of natural restoration, a skill highly revered by priestesses and only achievable by few. On the day of the new moon and the spring equinox, with the help of her fasting followers, she began the Restoration, a process in which they revived the trees and plants of this nation. Linpheans found their power-sources again, and the Zenithians finally ended their reign over Linphea.”

            Abuela finished her tale; Flora gazed over at Mirta. She looked completely, utterly stunned.

            "Wow," she whispered. "How is Linphea's relationship with Zenith now?"

            "Rocky," Abuela answered. "You see, Zenith has still been harassing us about trade. It is trying to make us enter unequal trade agreements. Linphea has been trying to stand firm on that issue, but we can't for so long."

            "Why not?" asked Mirta.

            "For one, we rely on Zenith for technological exports," Abuela explained. "However, Zenith relies on our agricultural produce, which is the reason why we're even having this trade war in the first place. Unfortunately, the nation that makes manufactured goods always gets to dictate the pace of trade, not the nation with the raw materials."

            "So why doesn't Linphea just industrialize more?" Mirta asked. "If it's so far behind other nations, why can't it build itself up?"

            "It's not as simple as that," Abuela frowned. "It's all about a value system, Mirta. The people of Linphea are poor, but we're happy being poor. We'd rather be simple and content than complex and miserable. That, I believe, is the secret to true happiness."

            New Year’s Day had arrived. A time of joy and rejuvenation, the villagers would join together for a feast at the temple, celebrating the end of the fast and the beginning of the spring.

            “Happy eighteenth, Flora!” Miele squealed, running into her room and waking Flora at dawn.

            “Thank you, Mielecita,” she answered, using the diminutive suffix after Miele’s name, which was meant to show affection. She was so excited to finally be coming of age, to be celebrating this momentous milestone she’d been anticipating for so long. And most importantly, to be celebrating it with Mirta.

            They’d had a candlelit vigil the previous night, under a clear black sky. They’d lit candles in a circle, and Abuela had said a prayer to the Mother Goddess, Linphèana (the creator of the world), and the Daughter Goddess, Dragónita (the protector of the world). A full hour was spent in meditation and appreciation of the gods and goddesses. Due to the seriousness of the vigil, only community members fifteen and older were allowed. Mirta chose to stay back with Papá and Miele, since she wasn’t a big fan of meditation. The stars shined brilliantly that night, giving Flora perfect peace as she meditated the full hour. Then they blew out the candles.

            And now it was just before sunrise. Flora showered and dressed, and Mamá helped her pull her dress on. It was a pink cotton dress spun out of flower petals, snaked with green vines and leaves. A green headband of rose leaves, adorned with rose flowers, nestled in her hair, which Mamá had carefully braided. She wore a tree-bark vest over her pink dress, the turquoise ring from her Quinceañera, and a little bit of blush on her cheeks.

            “You look beautiful,” Mirta gasped as she emerged from the bedroom, having been helped by Abuela.

            Flora smiled at Mirta. Her girlfriend looked quite beautiful herself, wearing a traditional Linphean skirt and a flowing, open tunic that bared her midriff. The clothing was a golden-brown color made from tree bark and cotton, and she wore a simple necklace made with dark blue stones. “You’re beautiful, too,” she said affectionately. “Where’s my birthday kiss?”

            “You’ve got it!” Mirta threw her arms around Flora, their lips meeting. They stood together for a minute, and then Papá coughed pointedly. “It’s time for the ceremony, lovebirds,” he laughed.

            They headed to the sunrise ceremony. Unlike in most other realms, where the new day started at midnight, the new day started at sunrise in the Linphean Calendar. They set up an altar with pots of flowers and other plants; Flora’s offering, the flores de iris, sat at the very top. There were only a few clouds, but those clouds were streaked brilliantly with hot pink. The horizon was bright yellow, a perfect ode to their festivities. Again, those fifteen and older went to the ceremony, and Mirta and Papá joined this time as well (Mamá and Miele stayed home). There was devotional singing, dancing, and praying, the beautiful pink and golden clouds illuminating the azure blue sky.

            Then, leaving breads to bake in their ovens, the whole village went out to celebrate. They first broke the fast with an enormous birthday cake, for Flora and all those whose birthdays fell during the fast! Miele ran around with pink nectar frosting on her face, and Flora and Mirta laughed as they ate as much cake as they desired. The rest of the morning passed in so many performances – Linphean folk dances, solo vocal and instrumental performances, performances with Linphean musical instruments, and the traditional children’s play. Flora herself had participated in the children’s play up till age fifteen, so she very much enjoyed seeing it.

            Now it was time to prepare for the feast. While Mirta, Miele, and Papá went to help set up the temple, Flora, Mamá, and Abuela went to get the bread and the rest of the food. They chattered together in their native language of Lunian,

            “My little Florita is all grown-up,” Abuela laughed as she picked up a pot of veduras oscuras. “I still remember you from when you were a bebita. You were always so adventurous and carefree. There was the time when you climbed all the way to the top of a tree and fell, and a bird caught you just in time” –

            “Abuela,” Flora said, fighting waves of embarrassment. Please don’t tell Mirta about that! One of the disadvantages of living with her extended family was there was no shortage of embarrassing stories about her childhood.

            “And now our bebe is the Head Girl of Alfea!” Mamá added proudly. “You defeated the Trix twice, and you defeated the Shadow Phoenix last year. Your bravery has made you into a true woman, Flora.”

            “Well, I hope there aren’t too many adventures next year,” Flora muttered. Melody had been stabilized in a week, and Galatea had been cleared to go back to her home. Still, not all the prisoners had been captured and sent back to Omega. The Melodian sages were trying to work on a way to close the portal, but they were struggling against its power. “Mirta needs time to relax.”

            “There will always be an adventure, Flora,” Mamá said solemnly. “As long as you are in a high position of power, there will always be something. And I trust that, whatever it is, both you and Mirta will find a way through.” She opened her arms. “Come here.”

            Flora hugged her mother tightly; she hadn’t realized how much she’d missed being in her mother’s arms. Suddenly, she began to cry.

            “Bebita?” Abuela asked in confusion. “Why are you so sad?”

            “It’s just – we all went through so much this past year,” Flora sniffled. “First Bloom, Stella, and Layla disappeared – we didn’t even know if they’d come back! Then Mirta nearly died during her transformation. And all through that time, the fake Avalon was exploiting Bloom – I mean, she really trusted him! He kidnapped her, and we only just saved her from Darkar! No wonder she was so upset just before we left Alfea!” She broke down into sobs.

            “Oh, sweetheart,” Mamá said sadly. “I know these experiences can be scary. But you must not discount how strong you, Mirta, and your friends are. As for Avalon – I know that must’ve been very traumatic for Bloom. He was her academic advisor, right?”

            “Yes,” Flora nodded; all students at Alfea had a faculty advisor. “Since his job was to help her study, no one questioned how much time they spent together. Well – except Tecna. She was right about him the whole time, and no one would believe her! If only we’d convinced Faragonda! And, even worse – she has to face the real Avalon now!”

            “But he’s not the same person,” Abuela pointed out. “Yes, it’ll be scary, looking at his face again. But he will be there for you all – I’m sure of it. You must not judge based on appearances.”

            “I know,” Flora whispered. “I’m just worried for my friends, that’s all.”

            “I understand,” Mamá said softly. “When you worry, just remember you have us, and we’re always here to support you. We love you so much.” She reached into her bag. “I have something for you.”

            Flora stared as her mother pulled out a silver necklace, with a turquoise pendant in the shape of a feather. There were silver-and-turquoise feather-shaped earrings as well, and a simple silver bracelet with one turquoise stone on it. Her mother placed the bracelet on Flora’s right hand, where she had her turquoise ring as well.

            “Mamá?” she asked in confusion.

            “This is a beloved collection of jewels,” Mamá answered. “It’s your eighteenth birthday, so I am gifting you with the full set. The tradition started with Bisabuela’s Mamá, who got her a set of carnelian jewelry for her eighteenth birthday. Abuela received jade, and I received lapis. We don’t usually like to partake in material gifts, so if you follow our tradition, this is the only set of jewelry you’ll own in your life.”

            “I”… Flora stammered.

            “You’ve earned it,” Abuela smiled. “You’re a grown woman now. The first part of your initiation was at age fifteen, and the second part is now. With this blessing, we will send you back to Alfea.”

            “Thank you,” Flora bawled, joy radiating through her. “I love you so much, too!” The three women embraced in a hug.

            They finally managed to carry all the food to the temple. The other families were there, placing their food on the tables, which were outside. Though it was still fairly cold outside, the air has a sense of life which it hadn’t had in the winter. Mirta’s eyes grew wide as she saw Flora, decked in her new jewelry. “Aren’t you fancy,” she laughed, kissing Flora on the cheek.

            It was only a short walk to the temple. The air was cool and pleasant, and it was high noon. Flora gazed around, marveling at how much greenery had sprung up in one week. They reached the temple, and Mirta gasped.

            Flora gazed up at the temple in wonder; every year, it looked more beautiful than the last. Mirta, her father, and the other villagers had done an excellent job of maintaining the gardens. All the spring flowers were up, decorating the temple with color. A string of candles hung over the temple, along with evergreen wreaths, to symbolize the cold of winter. Above those, the creeping flores de tierra were in full bloom, to represent the arrival of spring. Their sweet smell wafted everywhere, and Flora breathed in the heavenly scent with the joy of new beginnings.

            She put her arm around Mirta’s shoulder and gazed at the sun, which radiated a brilliant white. The sunlight glinted over the temple, making the flowers shine sweetly under the blue sky.

            “Greetings, citizens of Yuritzi!”

            Flora looked up at the entrance of the temple. Mamá and Abuela were standing at the top, wearing their priestly attire – an open white robe that extended to the floor. They wore garlands of flowers around their necks and the circumference of their heads, and each held a curved wooden staff in her right hand, made from the wood of the árbol sabio. Flora’s family was the only priestly family in the village, and therefore, they were in-charge of the celebration.

            “We gather today,” Abuela said solemnly, “to celebrate a sacred day to our ancestors. A celebration of Linphea, as a nation, and our Goddess, who made this possible.”

            Flora gazed at Mirta, who was gazing up at Flora’s grandmother with awe. She held Mirta’s hand, and they both smiled at each other.

            “The long fast is finally over,” Abuela continued. “For one moon, we have endured the pain of our ancestors, which we have needed to grow stronger as people.

            “Today is a celebration of independence, and a celebration of spring. It is the celebration of the Linphean spirit that lives within all of us, the spirit that never gives up.” For a moment, her eyes briefly rested on Mirta. “On this first day of Year 5000 of the Linphean Lunar Calendar – our five-thousandth year of independence – we honor our people, our nation, and our Goddess!”

            The sky was bright and cheerful. A hush sounded across the crowd, and they observed a moment of silence for the battles of their ancestors. Three guerreras stepped forward, heading towards the flagpole and raising the Linphean flag into the air. A rose-pink stripe on top, an olive-green stripe on the bottom, with a white stripe in the middle. In the middle of the flag was the crest of the árbol sabio, the wise tree that had lived through Linphea all throughout her days.

            And as the sun reached its apex, the flag bursting into bloom against the impossibly blue sky, the people cheered, a roar of joy and freedom. The two priestesses smiled at everyone.

            “Now,” Mamá said, “let the feast begin.”

            “Come on,” Flora said, leading her girlfriend to the table. Mirta gasped.

            Butterflies and bees buzzed happily around the table, filling their world with life. The cool spring noon air brushed past them as they sat down, heaping their plates with food. And as always, there was enough food for three villages.

            There was roast chayote de invierno, a type of Linphean squash that grew in the late winter and supplemented most fasting diets. Heaping dishes of floral stew were on the table, cooked with fermented flower-petals and sautéed in a butter sauce. Fresh cream came from the vacas de aire, a type of nomadic cow that flew. Entire agricultural tribes had been built around them, and had travelled the planet following these cows. Flora helped herself to the vegan food, which included a spring vegetable casserole, tofu kebabs, and fruits of several kinds.

            “The food looks really good,” Mirta commented.

            “I’ll say,” Flora answered. She let out a sigh.

            “Flora, what’s wrong?”

            Flora looked at her girlfriend in surprise. Mirta gave her the don’t try to fool me look. “What’s going on?”

            “I really enjoy this festival, trust me,” Flora answered. “There’s something that’s been bothering me, though.”

            "What?" Mirta immediately was alert.

            "Well, I've been thinking about what Abuela said about Zenith," Flora answered. "Even after all it’s faced, Linphea has been going on a steady trajectory upwards. As a nation, we're not very wealthy, but our people are generally happy and well-fed. But Zenith… it's never recovered from its problems." And the relationship between our two nations is still terrible, too.

            “That's because of its current system of government," Mirta answered. "Growing up in Whisperia, I never felt as if the government had any say in my actions or words. For all Whisperian society's faults, we had freedom of the press and a good government. But Zenith – it's a dictatorship. There is complete censorship, complete lack of freedom. Nothing matters except how many robots they produce."

            "That's so true," Flora agreed – she'd never thought about Zenith in the way Mirta had said. "And the people there are so robotic too. Sometimes I worry so much about Tecna, because she's just so closed from the rest of us. There, showing emotions is considered a weakness, and it's something that's been beaten from the population. Even after all these years, she still can't fully express herself."

            Mirta took Flora's hand.

            "Don't worry, Flo," she said gently. "Tecna will turn around, I'm sure of it. Even though she doesn't show it as well as you, she loves all of us strongly. I can tell just in the way she talks to all of us – especially to you, Flora. She'll be okay."

            "Thank you, Mirta," Flora said, smiling at her girlfriend in relief. "You've captured so much of the Linphean spirit already. And let me tell you this: for all our faults, when it comes down to bare loyalty and courage, there is no one you would want by your side other than a Linphean. We may be primitive by Magixian or Zenithian standards, but trust me, we are all about the connection between souls. Linphea lives within you, Mirta."

            “Dessert!” Miele shouted suddenly.

            Flora craned her neck and saw the dessert was, indeed, coming. Heaping dishes of Linphean fruit, cakes, and pies flew towards them, landing on the table. Mamá’s fruta de nacimiento sauce landed directly towards them. She picked up the bowl and offered it to Mirta.

            "I'm glad you think that about me," Mirta answered, looking pleased. "And like you said, although not everyone has been nice, this is by far the best vacation of my life. I'm happy you brought me here."

            Flora pulled Mirta into a hug, and they sat there together at the table. "I'm happy you came, too."

Chapter Text

CHAPTER 4: THE PRINCESS BALL

            Four weeks had passed of spring vacation. In those four weeks, Tecna had absolutely no clue what was going on with her friends. The Zenithian Internet blocked all interplanetary phone numbers, so she couldn’t call or text anyone. All she did, all day, was sit at a desktop computer, solving any problems that needed to be solved, coding more algorithms to enhance the robots' durability. From dawn to well after dusk, she worked.

            The work was much more than it had been in past years, but Tecna never complained. She knew that what the president was creating – whatever it was – was just reaching its final stages of development. She worked just as hard as the androids, the androids that operated off of battery and therefore could work as long as the battery lasted.

            She still hadn't been able to get any news about Linphea. The only international news she'd gotten was about Melody. The day she'd left for Zenith, a portal had been opened, letting loose various criminals of Omega. By now, the criminals had been contained, but the portal – well, that was a different story.

            And now, as she sat at the computer and worked, the door swung open. Surprised at the interruption, Tecna halted and turned towards the entrance. She jumped back in fear as a familiar man stepped in through the doorway.

            "No need to worry, girl," he smirked.

            Tecna swallowed. A visit from Igor Vasiliev, the head of the laboratory, was never a good thing. He was the Minister of Public Health on Zenith, a high-ranking official of the government. He was also a close friend of her father's, but she hated and feared him immensely. She backed her computer chair slowly, feeling terrified and defensive at the same time. Oh, why is he here – Then she saw the figure behind him, and all breath escaped from her mouth.

            Great Premier Medea Alexandrova stood in front of her, her eyes glinting. She wore a tight maroon dress, one that appeared to give her no room to breathe. Her eyes were narrow, and her hair was bright blue (the only person with non-black hair), tucked in a bun. Her lips were thin, a small line of magenta lipstick across her mouth. But it was her face that awed – and terrified – Tecna the most. Paler than the palest white, it made her look soulless and untouchable, a radiant beauty. There was no doubt about it; the premier was cold.

            "Your Magnificence," she breathed, standing up and bowing low to the ground. "It is an honor to meet you."

            Great Premier Alexandrova stepped forward.

            "It is good to meet you too, Miss Ivanova," she said. "One of Mr. Vasiliev's best workers, I hear. Though a cyborg, nonetheless."

            Tecna hid her wince. As premier for over a century, this woman had drafted some of the most significant anti-cyborg legislation in the history of Zenith. From the books she'd read in Magix, it had been a move to assuage the population. The people of Zenith had blamed her for their inability to put food on the table, but rather than listen to their complaints, the Premier had simply blamed it on the cyborgs. It had been easy to do, as cyborgs were universally resented, anyhow. The Second Cyborg Genocide, known to Zenithians as the Culling, had been incited by her.

            "The premier is with me on tour around the laboratory," Vasiliev said. "Today is her inspection day, to make sure everything is in working order."

            "Of course," Tecna nodded, trying best to hide her fear. The laboratory, in fact, was owned by Premier Alexandrova. Many decades ago, Vasiliev had been contracted by the premier to work on this project. She had never yet witnessed one of her inspections, much less met her in person, but she was instantly terrified. The stakes are much higher now… She couldn't afford to slip up.

            "Exactly," Premier Alexandrova answered. "The king of Solaria did send me an invitation to his daughter's Princess Ball, but I declined. It is much more important to check on my citizens." Her smile didn't meet her eyes; if anything, it looked more like a smirk.

            "Today is the Princess Ball?" Tecna gasped.

            "Yes," the premier said, and her smirk showed how little she thought of Tecna. "Time flies when you're working for your Motherland, doesn't it? Now, my dear, I must go." She sauntered out the room, Vasiliev following close by.

            Of course the ball is today, thought Tecna. It was Friday, Quadrimensis 14 already. Of course, if she’d been on the group-chat, she’d have seen thousands of texts about it from the first day of vacation itself.

            The whole thing is going to be televised. She was itching to see it, to see all of her friends in the castle. But to do so would be a diversion from her work… something that would be unacceptable. Not to mention, the Realm Wide Web was strictly censored on Zenith – they barely had access to any outside news or social media.

            But it wasn't every day a Princess Ball happened, and Tecna so desperately wanted to see her friends on screen. Besides, Vasiliev would be showing the premier around the lab, which meant he wouldn't have time to check on her. I'll do my work and watch at the same time. She set up a firewall around her computer, so Vasiliev wouldn't be able to see what she was doing, and hacked into the system so she could access the Internet. Keeping a tab open of her coding program at the same time, she typed "Princess Ball".

            A live-stream video on the Magix Modern Matrix appeared, and Tecna clicked on it. Immediately, she caught sight of Stella, under a canopy, and her friends, in the front row of the outdoor court. Tecna stopped for a moment to admire them.

            Stella, as the star of the show, was wearing a sparkling, floor-length purple gown with golden embroidery and blue opal jewelry. Her golden hair was up, falling in curls down to her waist. She sat on a gilded, red-and-yellow throne, next to her father. The king sat next to her on his larger throne, the throne that belonged to the sovereign of Solaria.

            His daughter’s face looked different from the last time she’d seen her, and it took a second for Tecna to realize why. She’s not wearing a magimask. Whenever they went out into Magix, Stella and Layla always wore magimasks, so as to disguise themselves as common people. It was a very effective way for Alfea princesses to blend-in at Magix, and also the way Sky and Brandon had gotten away with deceiving the Winx in their first year.

            The other girls were sitting in the chairs of the courtiers; Bloom and Musa were sitting with their respective boyfriends. Tecna was pleased to see, whatever danger that had passed on Melody, had obviously cleared enough for Musa to be there. Not that I can find out what's going on. She would have to spend a lot more time hacking to find real news, and more hacking meant a higher likelihood of getting caught.

            She gazed at the dresses. Layla was wearing a sunny yellow dress, Bloom had a blue tulle ball gown, Musa was wearing garnet red, Mirta wore a deep indigo, and Galatea wore pale lavender. Tecna, however, thought Flora's dress was the prettiest, even prettier than Stella's. She wore a simple yet form-fitting peach-pink dress that suited her brown skin, and had flowers pinned in her hair. She could also see Sky wearing a green royal toga, Brandon and Riven in the Red Fountain uniforms, and Kai wearing orange royal robes.

            As the video scanned momentarily through the rows of courtiers and guests, Tecna looked carefully to see who had come. The court was packed, everyone dressed elegantly. By the looks of it, all were barons and baronesses, dukes and duchesses, counts and countesses. Like many other realms, Solaria followed the system of feudalism, which meant status was based off of relation to the king. It was very much unlike Zenith, a capitalist dictatorship.

            Zenith hadn't always been capitalist, however. In the Age of Blood, its people had overthrown the king, and a dictator had taken his place. Zenith had become completely communist, centralizing all production. However, this method had proved to be very unstable, and in Year 843 of their current Age, the Age of Unity, Zenith had switched to capitalism. This switch had allowed the development of the Realm Wide Web to set off, and Zenith became a realmwide power.

            The king took out a box from his drawer and held it out to Stella, who let out a gasp. A diamond necklace shone dark orange and blue, the colors of Solaria, within its depths. The king began to speak. Though he spoke in Solarian, Common Tongue translations appeared at the bottom of the screen, and Tecna found she could easily understand.

            "My daughter is now approaching adulthood. In a few short months, she shall be eighteen, the official heir-apparent of Solaria. She is now formally ready to enter society as a true princess." The king smiled down at her.

            "Princess Stella Lucia Calisto di Solaria, please accept this token as a sign of your readiness to become part of society."

            With a gasp of excitement, Stella placed the necklace over her neck. A wave of solar and lunar energy passed through her body, and the crowd cheered.

            "Now," the king continued, "I have a special announcement for the public. I have kept it from all but my most trusted staff in the hopes of it being a surprise, and the fear that it would leak into the public. You paparazzi are devious," he said with a smile. The crowd laughed.

            Tecna could see Stella nervously looking at the other girls. She could tell this wasn't part of the script.

            "As you all know, I haven't been married for ten years," King Radius continued on. "My former wife, Lady Luna di Lunaria, has parted with me on good terms. However, the kingdom needs stability, someone to stay with me as I part into old age."

            Tecna watched the color drain from Stella's face. She could make out the other Winx looking at each other with wide, shocked eyes.

            "Therefore, I would like to announce my new bride." King Radius paused. "Countess Cassandra Rosa di Russo, and her daughter, Chimera Lilith di Russo, shall be our new family!"

            A ripple of shock went through the crowd. Tecna watched as a demonically beautiful girl and her mother stepped out to the crowd, waving at the people. From the onset, she could tell they were Lunarian, not Solarian; they had lighter complexion, and wore dark clothes, unlike the ethnic Solarians, who wore brilliant colors. The main planet of Solaria was orbited by two additional suns and two moons, and Lunaria was located on the largest moon. Looking at the countess and her daughter, she saw the mother was wearing a navy blue ball-gown adorned with gold, and her daughter was wearing a shimmering, deep purple gown with black lace from head to toe. Except for the wicked-looking cut and the absence of sparkles, it was basically a darker version of Stella's gown.

            There was cheering, but Tecna could tell it was very forced. The Winx stared at each other with horror, shocked at what had happened.

            But it was Stella's face that was the worst of all.

            She was keeping herself composed, as a princess always should, but Tecna could see the shock and anger in her eyes. She knew she was upset. And she stared at the king, amazed at what had just happened.

            Why is he remarrying? she thought. What kind of logic is there in that? He's got a stable kingdom, a beloved daughter, and great power! Why is he doing this?

            "And now," the king continued, "let us celebrate with this new era of prosperity, with Solaria and Lunaria together as one!"

            The people broke into cheers. The gentry began to dance; it was a custom, at the Princess Ball, that the people were well-fed and got to dance. King Radius took his daughter's hand, and they danced in the center of the room together.

            Tecna watched Stella's face very closely. She was doing a good job of hiding her emotions, but she could tell she didn't appear happy. The paparazzi probably know it, too. The endless speculators they were, they loved to spread rumors about the royal family in general. This time, though, it's probably true…

            A sudden rumble made everyone stop in their tracks. A clap of thunder sounded above them, frightening the citizens of Solaria. King Radius stared at everyone, his eyes wide.

            Then rain began to fall.

            King Radius gasped as he fell back, weakened by the storm. The crowd began to shout out in gasps of alarm. Stella stared at her father, her gaze stricken.

            What's going on? thought Tecna. It never rained on Solaria; Solarians got their water source from underground, not from the air. This new energy was something sinister.

            Then she gasped as Stella's dress began to burst open at the seams. She stared in horror as Stella's skin color changed from tan to green, and she let out an agonizing yell.

            "My daughter!" cried King Radius, still reeling from the rain. "What is going on?"

            Countess Cassandra stepped up and glared down at Stella.

            "This is not your daughter," she announced. "This is a monster, an imposter. Guards, take it into custody! Make sure it doesn’t cause any trouble!"

            Stella let out a wail.

            Tecna watched the camera shift uncertainly to the guards. After all, the countess was not authorized to command them; it was only King Radius who had that power. King Radius stared up at Monster Stella, and Tecna could see his expression horrified. Then his eyes hardened, and he shook his head.

            "Guards, after her."

            The effect was instantaneous. Stella yelped as the guards ran after her. She would've been captured and taken down to the dungeons, instantly under control –

            Had it not been for the rest of the Winx. They instantly dove in front of Stella, blocking the guards from attacking her. Layla said something to Brandon, who ran out of the camera's view, along with Sky, Riven, and Kai. Bloom grabbed Stella's hand, and they ran out of the hall.

            Tecna stared at the screen, perplexed. What's going on? She couldn't believe that this was happening. Why are they being attacked?

            I have to contact them. Immediately, she tapped her phone, breaking through the firewall, and called Flora’s number. The phone dialed, and her friend immediately picked up.

            "Tecna!" she shouted, and Tecna could see her standing in front of her, through the phone's screen. "Why are you" –

            "Tell her this isn't exactly the best time!" Layla shouted from wherever she was standing.

            Tecna gritted her teeth. The Magix Modern Matrix screen had moved from the girls to the citizens of Solaria, all of whom looked terrified. "I'm trying to help you! Obviously I know what's going on!"

            There was a silence. Then Bloom gasped, "But I thought you couldn't watch us from Zeni" –

            "There's no time for that!" Stella cried out. "Just tell us what to do, Tecna!"

            Tecna focused on her computer monitor in her head. She had downloaded maps of the Solarian palace in her brain for a history project at school, but had never remembered to delete them. And she was glad she hadn't; this could save her friends' lives.

            "I have a map here of the palace," she said. "Where are you right now?"

            "The Aviary," Galatea said breathlessly. It looked like she and Mirta had joined the Winx in the escape, while the boys were stalling for time. "We're trying to escape out of there."

            "Okay," said Tecna. "Send me your coordinates, Flora!"

            Flora sent her the coordinates on her phone. Tecna immediately looked them up, and connected them to the map.

            "Okay," she said. "From what I can see, you need to fly out, and go immediately to the ground. There's a tunnel due north of where you're standing. Head through the tunnel and get to the Star Beach. I'll mark your route and send you the map."

            "Thanks, Tec!" Musa gasped. "You're a lifesaver!"

            Tecna marked it as quickly as she could, and sent it to the Winx. Bloom scanned the map.

            "Okay," she said. "So from what this says, we need to fly out of here, straight to the tunnel, and then radio the boys to get the ship there. If they meet us there, we have a lower chance of getting caught" –

            "Stop where you are!"

            Tecna froze as she heard the guards' voices, speaking the Common Tongue.

            "Give over the monster," one of the guards yelled.

            "She's not a monster!" Bloom yelled. "She's Princess Stella of Solaria!"

            "Liar!" another guard shouted. "Our princess would never look that hideous! This is an imposter! Tell us what you've done with her!"

            "We haven't done anything with her!" Musa yelled back. "She's right here! Can't you see? She's been hexed!"

            “I’m the Princess of Andros!” Layla added. “You have to listen to us!”

            “‘Princess of Andros’?” The first guard laughed. “Let me tell you one thing. First of all – you are clearly an imposter. Secondly, you follow Solarian law while you’re in Solaria! For all we know, kidnapping princesses may be legal on Andros – but here it is NOT!”

            “Don’t diss my realm!” Layla shouted indignantly.

            "You're all under arrest," the second guard said grimly. "Under charges of kidnapping our princess, impersonating our princess, impersonating other princesses of various realms, attacking the King of Solaria, and darkening the First Sun of Solaria. The Helios Police will be here soon to end this. This is a clear attack on the regime of Solaria!"

            Shock ran through Tecna's body. The three Suns which orbited Solaria – the First, Second, and Third Suns – were essential to Solaria’s functioning. Not only was one of the Suns eclipsed, the guards thought the Winx had done it – that they were terrorists! How was everyone so blind?

            “We have no choice,” Bloom whispered. “We have to fight. Layla, Flora, Mirta – you get Stella to the ship. The rest of us will fight!” She stood her ground. “Dragon’s arrow!”

            “Sonic slap!” Musa and Galatea shouted together.

            “I can’t use my powers!” Stella cried.

            “Don’t worry,” Flora said reassuringly. “We’ll help you.” Tecna heard her gesturing the others into the tunnels, and telling Layla to carry Stella (she had incredible physical strength which rivaled even Brandon’s). She followed them into the tunnels, and Stella cried out.

            “There’re so many roots!” she cried. “How will we ever get my huge body through?”

            “That’s perfect!” Tecna called. “Flora, push the roots out of the way! Make them move behind you, so you can block the guards from entering!”

            “Good idea!” Tecna heard the sound of roots thundering and pushing into earth.

            “We need to get back to Alfea!” Stella cried hysterically. “My snookums won’t even want to look at me! I have to explain to him” –

            “Stella, no one cares!” Layla shouted, grunting as she carried her. “He loves you for who you are, obviously! Stop freaking out and making it so hard for me to carry you!”

            Despite the severity of the situation, Tecna couldn’t help but feel amused. Only Stella can get into these scrapes! She heard Mirta phoning Sky to pick them up at the Star Beach, and could hear their wings beating as they dodged roots and shot through the tunnel.

            “Is anyone coming after you?” she called.

            “No,” Layla frowned. “That’s kinda odd. You’d think they’d be right behind.”

            “The tunnel is sloping up!” Mirta shouted. “We’re almost at the beach! Sky’s ship is waiting for us!”

            Tecna listened to them flying upwards to the tunnel. They’ll be safe. She heard Flora, Layla, Mirta, and Stella’s shouts of relief as they burst through the surface.

            And then they let out a yell.

            “Battle hold!” a police officer shouted. The four of them cried out at the intensity of the spell, and Flora shouted to Tecna. “How’re we gonna get through this?”

            “We’re here!” a voice shouted. Tecna heard the sound of a spaceship, and Riven’s voice.

            “What?” another policeman cried. “They have an Eraklyonese royal spaceship now?”

            “It’s obviously a fake,” a policewoman answered.

            “Let them go!” Brandon’s voice came from the ship.

            “As if we’re bowing to a bunch of teenage terrorists,” the first policeman laughed. “We – the Helios Police – will apprehend you pests and take you straight to jail!”

            “Not gonna happen,” Riven declared.

            “That’s right,” Sky added. “We won’t let you take any of our girls.”

            Tecna heard Flora, Mirta, and Layla wince at the term “our girls”. Layla grumbled something under her breath. Stella cried from where she stood.

            “I’m sorry, snookums!” she cried. “I’m sorry I stopped being pretty!”

            “Stella, I care about more than your looks,” Brandon said. “I love you for who you are. You don’t have to prove to me anything. Come on – let’s get outta here!”

            “Why should we have to flee?” Musa grumbled. “We were invited here!”

            “Come on, let’s GO!” Layla and Bloom levitated Stella together, and the other girls flew up next to them. The guards flew up, ready to attack –

            “Hit it!” Musa shouted. The accelerator was floored, and Stella cried out as they zoomed forward.

            “Are you okay?” Tecna shouted frantically. She had to know the Winx were safe. She opened her mouth, ready to yell at Flora to send her their coordinates again –

            Then she squealed as she felt an electric jolt in her own bones.

            Tecna fell to the floor, the phone clattering to the floor. Electricity zapped her again, and she shrieked in pain. Scrunching her eyes, she turned her head to look in the face of Mr. Vasiliev.

            To say Tecna was terrified was an understatement. No, I thought I'd been careful… he can't have found me… Her heard\t was jumping up and down in her throat, and her wiring was out-of-control. He walked up to her and held her chin in his hand.

            "So you dared disobey me." He turned off the screen. "Disobeyed me and watched the network, instead of doing your work. Is this what you've grown up to become? Do you have any idea what would've happened if Premier Alexandrova had found out?" He pressed a button on his remote. Electricity zapped through her again, and she let out a yell.

            She stared in distress at the remote. There were only two buttons on it, but they meant torture. The first one was the “ELECTROCUTE” button, which Vasiliev pressed every time he wanted to keep her in-line. And the second one… Fear, the same fear as always, coursed through her body and into her circuits themselves.

            "You know what I can do," Vasiliev whispered; he was now mere inches from her face. "I made you, and I can also destroy you. Just don't forget that. You will not dare disobey me ever again. Is that correct?"

            Tecna nodded shakily. Shame coursed through her, and she bowed her head. How could I ever have shirked my responsibilities here? This man had done so much for her, and this was how she repaid him? "I'm sorry," she said meekly.

            "Now, back to work." Mr. Vasiliev zapped her screen on. "I will speak to your father about punishment at home."

            Tecna got to work fast. She slammed her fingers on the keys, and continued to work all through the night. She didn't stop once for food, water, or even a nap; the only thing important was her work. I have to make up for all my lost time… The only relief she found was that, the very next day, the Zenithian news broadcasted the escape of the “teenage terrorists” of Solaria.

Chapter Text

Alfea College for Fairies

SEMESTER I

999-1000 Academic Year

Headmistress: Faragonda Echo

Deputy Headmistress: Griselda Lykaios

Departments of Curricula:

Practical Magic (PM) – classes focusing on spells, charms, and enchantments. Head: Professor Palladium Palermo

Defense Magic (DM) – classes focusing on battle. Head: Professor Griselda Lykaios

Physical Magic (FM) – classes focusing on maneuvers. Head: Professor Lin “DuFour” Chang

Creative Magic (CM) – classes focusing on creating potions or art. Head: Professor Chika Yamamoto

Theoretical Magic (TM) – classes focusing on history/philosophy. Head: Professor Athena Agnes

Language Magic (LM) – classes focusing on language study. Head: Guardian Pixie Concorda Bhattar

Applied Magic (AM) – classes such as convergence or healing. Head: Professor Juan “Wizkiz” Rodriguez

Graduation Requirements:

            All students are required to take at least five classes a semester to remain in good academic standing. Each class is 5 credits. Students must take 5 credits of Defense Magic (DM) and 5 credits of the same language (LM) each semester, and 5 credits of Practical Magic (PM) each year. In addition, freshmen must take 5 credits of Aeroflynamics (FM) and 5 credits of Mission Planning (PM), and sophomores must take 5 credits of Convergence (AM). Seniors who gain their Enchantix powers will swap Advanced Battle (DM) for Higher Art Training (DM).

            To graduate, a student must have 30 total credits in one language (LM), 30 total credits in Defense Magic (DM), and 15 credits total in Practical Magic (PM). There must be 10 credits for each of the other departments. There are 115 required credits of core classes and 35 required credits of electives – 150 credits total for classes.

            In addition, there are three components, one corresponding to each year: Courage, Character, and Sacrifice. They are granted based off of satisfactory acquisition of Winx, Charmix, and Enchantix, respectively. Students must receive 10 credits in each – 30 credits total.

            In total, 180 credits are needed to graduate.

Academic Advisors (Class of 1000)

by Student Last Name

DuFour: Ama – Kon

Panacea: Dem – Hab

Palladium: Hua – Kha

Chika: Mau – Pat

Avalon: Pet – Rom

Wizkiz: Sab – Ter

Athena: Vas – Zha

Schedules:

Name: Andros, Layla Amina Fatima

Title: Fairy of Fluids

Realm: The Kingdom of Andros

Advisor: Chang, Lin “DuFour”

Class of: 1000

*Note: transfer student from the Andros Academy of Aviation

            Chang, Lin – Advanced Aeroflynamics (Mon & Wed; 12:40-14:00)

            Farzad, Nasreen – Advanced Barquese 1 (online)

            Lykaios, Griselda – Advanced Battle 1 (Mon & Wed; 11:10-12:30)

            Palermo, Palladium – Enchantbound (Tues & Thurs; 12:40-14:00)

            Yamamoto, Chika – Advanced Potions (Tues & Thurs; 15:40-17:00)

Name: Fernández, Flora

Title: Fairy of Nature

Realm: The Queendom of Linphea

Advisor: Agnes, Panacea

Class of: 1000

            Donadieu, Avalon – Intermediate Magiphilosophy (Mon & Wed; 09:40-11:00)

            Lykaios, Griselda – Advanced Battle 1 (Tues & Thurs; 11:10-12:30)

            Korsakov, Dmitri – Advanced Unified Zenithian 1 (online)

            Palermo, Palladium – Enchantbound (Tues & Thurs; 12:40-14:00)

            Agnes, Panacea – Intermediate Healing (Mon & Wed; 17:10-18:30)

Name: Ivanova, Anastasia Marie

Title: Fairy of Technology

Realm: The People’s Republic of Zenith

Advisor: Palermo, Palladium

Class of: 1000

            Donadieu, Avalon – Intermediate Magiphilosophy (Mon & Wed; 09:40-11:00)

            Lykaios, Griselda – Advanced Battle 1 (Tues & Thurs; 11:10-12:30)

            Rodriguez, Juan – Advanced Metamorphosis (Mon & Wed; 12:40-14:00)

            Palermo, Palladium – Elemental Sensations (Tues & Thurs; 17:10-18:30)

            Tanaka, Keiko – Advanced Whisperian 1 (online)

Name: Nakamura, Mirta Fujin

Title: TBD

Realm: The Warlocks’ Realm of Whisperia

Advisor: Yamamoto, Chika

Class of: 1002

            Acacia, Jessica – Beginner Unified Linphean 1 (Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs; 15:10-16:00)

            Chang, Lin – Introductory Aeroflynamics (Mon & Wed; 12:40-14:00)

            Palermo, Palladium – Introductory Battle 1 (Mon & Wed; 08:10-09:30)

            Palermo, Palladium – Spellbound (Tues & Thurs; 09:40-11:00)

            *Yamamoto, Chika – Advanced Potions (Tues & Thurs; 15:40-17:00)

Name: Peters, Bloom

Title: Fairy of the Dragon Flame

Realm: Earth

Advisor: Donadieu, Avalon

Class of: 1000

            Bhattar, Concorda – Prophecy (Tues & Thurs; 20:00-21:30)

            Kreisler, Liesel – Advanced Dominian 1 (online)

            Lykaios, Griselda – Advanced Battle 1 (Tues & Thurs; 11:10-12:30)

            Agnes, Athena – Advanced Realmwide History (online)

            Rodriguez, Juan – Advanced Metamorphosis (Mon & Wed; 12:40-14:00)

Name: di Solaria, Stella Lucia Calisto

Title: Fairy of the Sun and the Moon

Realm: The United Realms of Solaria and Lunaria

Advisor: Rodriguez, Juan “Wizkiz”

Class of: 1000

            ó Ceallaigh, Brian – Advanced Summian 1 (online)

            Chang, Lin – Advanced Aeroflynamics (Mon & Wed; 15:40-17:00)

            Chang, Lin – Advanced Flight Maneuvers (Tues & Thurs; 17:10-18:30)

            Lykaios, Griselda – Advanced Battle 1 (Mon & Wed; 11:10-12:30)

            Palermo, Palladium – (Tues & Thurs; 12:40-14:00)

Name: Xi, Musa Matlin

Title: Fairy of Music

Realm: The Realm of Melody

Advisor: Agnes, Athena

Class of: 1000

            Aziz, Aaliyah – Advanced Androsian 1 (online)

            Donadieu, Avalon – History of Fair Power (online)

            Lykaios, Griselda – Advanced Battle 1 (Mon & Wed; 11:10-12:30)

            Palermo, Palladium – Inventing Spells (17:10-18:30)

            Yamamoto, Chika – History of Warlock Power (online)

Chapter Text

CHAPTER 5: ORIENTATION

            "Oh, why did this happen?" Stella let out a wail.

            It was fortunate Sky and Brandon had arrived in the Eraklyonese royal ship. Since they obviously couldn’t get the Solarian ships to take them back home anymore, Sky had wisely ordered his guards to fly the ship to rescue the girls. After determining he wasn’t an imposter, they’d flown to pick up the girls, and they’d flown away from Solaria.

            Naturally, they’d been worried about the barrier around Solaria. All the planets of the Galaxy of Magix had magical barriers, preventing unauthorized individuals from getting in or out. The only way to leave a realm was to show ID at the outposts (the asteroid chains which orbited just within the planet’s atmosphere), and then the immigration official would open a hole in the barrier for them to pass. However, the storm had somehow weakened the barrier, so they were able to pass through without a problem. They’d just passed through Magixian immigration, and were approaching Magix City. Flora sat next to Mirta as Stella continued to fret, crying about how unattractive she was.

            "How could she do this to me?" she seethed. "That stupid spoiled brat came and ruined my Princess Ball! I spent so much on this dress! And how could my father marry her mother? Of all people – Chimera will become my stepsister!"

            "Calm down, snookums," Brandon said, tightening his arms around Stella in a reassuring embrace. "We'll get you back to normal."

            Flora squeezed Mirta's hand under the chair. I wish we could hug in public like that… As if hearing what she was thinking, Mirta cast her a warning look.

            "Nurse Ofelia says she knows a way to turn you back," Bloom said from her chair. "She and Ms. Faragonda will fix this. Don't worry, Stel, it's going to be fine."

            "I mean, I hate this look!" Stella cried. "I mean, it's like when Mirta got turned into a pumpkin, although she was kinda a cute pumpkin, not like this" –

            "Did you really have to remind her of that?" Musa asked wryly, pointing to the grimace on Mirta's face.

            Flora winced as well. Mirta had suffered from severe bullying, as well as anxiety, throughout her entire childhood. She remembered how she'd laid Pumpkin Mirta on her dorm table, how she'd tried every single charm she could think of to turn Mirta back. And how Mirta had stayed like that for months until it was over.

            No one had even searched for her. Griffin had reported her disappearance to the Magix Police, but with so few leads, they'd given up. Even her parents hadn't seemed so bothered. The Winx hadn't reported it to Faragonda or asked the seniors for help, because Mirta had begged them not to – she wanted to hide in the Winx’s dorm. She squeezed Mirta's hand even tighter.

            "We're approaching," Timmy called. He looked sad as he stared out the window. "Landing soon."

            Flora felt bad for him. If she was sad about not being able to express her feelings about Mirta, she was sure he felt sad, too. No one had heard from Tecna for two months – that was, until yesterday afternoon, during the Princess Ball.

            She does this every spring, thought Flora. She had never invited any of the girls to her house, or even to visit her. And she'd been so aloof her entire life.

            And then her call had disconnected. Just as Flora was about to confirm they were all right, it went away. Most likely, it had been some difficulty in interrealm connection – it happened quite often, with the interference of celestial radiation and inconveniently-located asteroid belts. Yes, that was probably what happened.

            But what if it was something else? What if something else was going on in Tecna’s home life, something they knew nothing about? She swallowed, hoping all was well on Kremniy, at Tecna’s home.

            She remembered that day, two years back, when they'd been punished for sneaking out to Cloud Tower. In the past two hectic years, it had been a day like any other, one that went overlooked in their memories of one another. But now she remembered it very clearly, as they stood in Griselda's office together.

            "Er, Ms. Griselda?" Flora had asked timidly as they'd stood in the deputy headmistress's office. "We were wondering when you're going to remove these." She gestured to the manacles around her wrists, which stopped her from using her magic.

            Griselda lifted her glasses and glared at the girls. Not a good sign. Her eyes skewered Flora, and she swallowed hard, stepping back.

            "Your intrusion to Cloud Tower was unacceptable," she said severely. "You're lucky you weren’t attacked by those students. No, you won't be getting those removed anytime soon, but that's only the beginning of the punishment."

            "Then what's the rest of it?" Musa asked.

            "You won't be getting your powers back for the rest of the weekend, and you won't be leaving campus," Griselda responded.

            Stella rolled her eyes. "So we get to hang out all weekend? Not exactly a punishment, Ms. G."

            Bloom and Musa burst into giggles. Flora did her best to contain herself, and even Tecna cracked a smile. They all stopped abruptly, however, when Griselda glared at them, her eyes monstrous and terrifying.

            "There will be NO hanging out," she snapped. "In fact, you will be cleaning the entire school from top to bottom, without magic. Here." She focused her powers on the closet across from her desk. It opened, and five brooms, a mop, and a bucket rushed out of the closet. She picked the mop up. "Here you go, princess of Solaria." She threw it into her hands.

            "What a strange-looking remnant of primitive technology," Tecna remarked, staring at it. "How odd. Let me see what my computer says about it." She pulled her portable laptop out of her pocket.

            "Oh, and one more thing, Miss Tecna," said Griselda, snatching the laptop and snapping it shut. "You won't be needing any computers, either. In fact, I've turned off the wireless in the entire castle."

            "What?" gasped Tecna. She tried to keep her face indifferent and emotionless, but Flora could see the fear behind her eyes. "But I don't know how to" –

            "Tecna, you look so scared," Bloom teased. "You're actually showing emotion for a change!"

            "Though by Tecna's standards, probably too much of it," Musa added.

            "I know," Tecna said quietly, wringing her hands together as she stared at the ground. "I know I shouldn't be acting this way. But ever since I've met you guys, and left Zenith, quite frankly" – she stared up at the ceiling – "I've been losing control."

            Flora began to giggle; so did the rest of the girls. Lose control? Tecna? She was the most rigid, uptight person they'd ever met. Tecna stared at them, alarm and annoyance in her eyes.

            "What's so funny?" she demanded. "That wasn't a joke! I don't" –

            "STOP!"

            The girls stopped laughing. Griselda glared at them, and they all backed down. "Dust and clean every surface of the castle! I want to see your faces reflecting in the desks!"

            "But, Miss Griselda," Tecna protested, "I still don't know how to" –

            "OUT!" Griselda barked. Flora grabbed Tecna's hand and pulled her out of the office. The other girls carried the equipment, quick as they could to escape Griselda's ire.

            "I don't understand!" Tecna protested, utterly confused. "How do I even use these things?"

            "Don't worry, Tec, it's not that complicated," Musa laughed. "You'll be a pro at it in no time."

            Later, while Musa, Stella, and Bloom were bickering about the cleaning, Flora stood with Tecna in the hall, trying to explain to her how to use a broom.

            "Let me show you," she laughed.

            "Thank you, Flora, but I'm sure I can figure out these primitive implements on my own." Tecna picked up the bucket and placed it on her head. "Ah-ha!"

            "Um"… Flora did her best to disguise her laugher. "You sure?"

            "Affirmative." With newfound confidence, Tecna picked up the broom and eyed it. "It's elongated so it can reach high places. Hmm." Carrying it over her head, she swept under a painting. Flora watched with amusement as Tecna swept roughly, pushing against the frame.

            The painting began to shake. Suddenly, its fastenings were undone, and it fell off the wall. Tecna gasped in horror as it fell on the ground, the glass splintering into hundreds of pieces.

            "No!" she cried in alarm, running to the floor. "What did I do?" Her hands fell to the floor, just about brushing the glass.

            "Tecna"… Flora stared at her in alarm, the smile gone from her face. "Get back from there. You're going to cut yourself!"

            Tecna wasn't paying any attention. To her shock, Flora saw that there were stress-lines across her suitemate's forehead.

            "Why did I do this?" she cried. "Now our efficiency has been cut by zero-point-two times! I'll have to clean this, and then I have to figure out how to clean the rest of the school" –

            "Tecna, please calm down," Flora whispered.

            "No, you don't understand, I should never have" –

            "No, it's okay."

            Tecna stared up at her. Flora smiled as reassuringly as she could, and stroked Tecna's shoulders.

            "Look, Tecna," she said, "I know you care about efficiency. But the thing is, it's fine. Yes, we need to finish cleaning by the end of today, but we'll get it done. The important thing is not making sure we get this done as fast as we can. The important thing is having fun."

            "Fun?" echoed Tecna. "Why would this ever be fun?"

            "Because we're getting to know each other," Flora answered, "and we're doing it together. Besides, you're forgetting one thing, Tecna: you don't have to do this alone."

            "What do you mean?"

            "We're all in this together," Flora answered. "The five of us were punished, and we're all taking equal responsibility for this – okay, maybe not Stella," she added. "But you're not alone, Tecna. No matter what happens, we'll always stand by your side."

            The stress-lines on Tecna's face disappeared, and her demeanor calmed. For a moment, she looked like a normal girl, with no worries at all. Then, slowly, she nodded.

            "Thanks, Flora," she whispered, brushing by her arm. A hint of a new friendship.

            And now Flora sat in the ship, remembering that fateful day. Tecna had been the odd one out from the start, and had certainly been very strange about the cleaning. They'd all laughed at it, passing it off as just one of Tecna's oddities.

            But now Flora was beginning to wonder how true that was. She'd never expressed delight when they all talked with each other about their boyfriends. It had taken the fall of the Army of Decay for her to even join in a group hug. And just as Flora had thought she'd worked through some of her emotional difficulties at the Wildlands, this had happened…

            "Let's go!" Stella yelled. "I want this fixed right now!"

            “Calm down, Stella,” Layla muttered. “Look – we’re at Alfea now!”

            Galatea and Kai let out amazed gasps. The majestic pink castle was ahead of them, its blue turrets shining brilliantly against the bright sun. The ship landed on the landing field just outside of the Alfea gate – the place where all their airships and spaceships parked.

            Stella ran out the rear door, followed by Brandon; Flora and the others followed. The Alfea gate opened for them to enter, and they ran into the castle and then the infirmary. Ofelia stood there, next to Headmistress Faragonda. Flora halted and stared up at her, the all-knowing woman who had served as their headmistress for many years. She looked gravely down at them.

            "Greetings, girls," she said. "You got into quite a bit of trouble."

            "Um, understatement of the month?" Stella screeched. "All it took was that jerk Chimera, and everyone turned against me! Me, the princess! My dad won't even speak to me" –

            "All right,” Faragonda said, raising her hand for silence. "Now here's what I'm going to do. Nurse Ofelia and I are going to break the hex.” She transformed.

            Flora stared at her lavender robe, at her bejeweled purple and green wings – the same colors as Tecna’s Winx outfit, in fact. Judging by the larger, more elaborate wings, she knew it was a form of magic higher than that of Charmix, but she didn’t know much beyond that. According to the Winx Wide Web, Enchantix was the name of the final fair form, which Flora’s mother and all the other women in her lineage possessed. But even with the Web, there was plenty of secrecy around it.

            "Boys, step outside," Faragonda ordered. The Specialists and Kai walked towards the door, and Brandon gazed uncertainly over his shoulder at Stella. Flora, Mirta, Bloom, Musa, Layla, Galatea, and of course Stella were left. Nurse Ofelia undressed Stella, pulling the torn remains of the dress off, as Faragonda lifted something from her neck.

            It was a purple-and-red vial of magical energy. Its power astounded Flora, and she stared at it, her mouth open wide. What is that? Faragonda held it over Stella.

            "Now!" she shouted, pouring its contents onto the fairy. Green dust, the scent of herbal tea, fell onto Stella, and she let out a cry as her body shifted. Her monster transformation changed, and she now looked like an ordinary girl again. Ofelia gave her a set of clothes, and she pulled them on, rushing to the mirror.

            "Wow, this monster transformation really softened my skin!" she gasped. "And that spot on my face from beforehand was gone! I don't have to cover it up with my hair to make it disappear" –

            "You'd think she was a model, the way she keeps going on," Layla laughed.

            Flora stared at Faragonda. "That must've been a really powerful enchantment," she said.

            "Whatever it was, it was awesome!" Stella gasped. "The most soothing sensation came over everywhere in my body, and I felt so… pure. Ms. F, what did you do?"

            "Oh, I daresay you'll find out," Faragonda smiled. "After all, senior year is just around the corner. Now, we need to talk about the political situation in Solaria, Stella."

            The girls frowned. Stella stared up at Faragonda in alarm, and the headmistress placed her hands on Stella's shoulders.

            "There is turmoil in your realm," she said. "The rain has stopped, but the King of Solaria is still searching for you. The real you, not your monster self – he hasn’t yet connected the two. He believes you've been captured by the same terrorists who brought a monster to the Princess Ball."

            "What?" gasped Stella.

            "There's more," Faragonda answered. "Solaria's relics have been stolen from the palace."

            All of the girls gasped in horror. Flora stared at Faragonda, her eyes wide. No… How is this possible? Stella, however, looked furious. "I bet it was that awful countess!"

            "Stella, you cannot jump to conclusions," Faragonda said severely. "You are going to be queen someday, and you cannot declare someone a traitor just because you assume so. In any case, I don't think it was a mere countess. It was someone much, much more powerful."

            "But how?" Stella gasped. "How did someone attack my realm like that? And why didn't those idiot guards realize I was spelled?"

            "Imagine how the situation looks, Stella," Faragonda frowned. "You didn't look very happy at the Ball – all the paparazzi were talking about how you didn't look like your normal self. And then you transformed into a monster. That makes everyone believe that you were an imposter, when you were indeed not."

            "What are we going to do?" Layla asked worriedly.

            "I'm going to radio your father and tell him that you're here, with your friends," Faragonda answered, "and that there is nothing to worry. I'll explain to him that someone put a spell on you and made you appear like an imposter. He will listen to me; I am well-known enough across all of the realms."

            "But then that leaves us the question," Bloom said: "who hexed Stella?"

            "The same person that stole the treasures," Faragonda answered. "Obviously, he wanted a diversion, so he could steal the realm's valuables. This is very troubling news indeed. I will look into this matter. In the meantime, I want you girls to sit tight."

            "How can you expect me to sit tight when my realm's under siege and my dad thinks I'm a monster?" Stella exploded.

            Faragonda glared at Stella with the power of ten Solarian suns. The princess shrank back, startled.

            "I am trying my best to keep this under control," she snapped. "Have you ever thought I might know about the situation more than you do? The reason why I'm asking you to relax is because stress doesn't solve problems. I promise your father will be in touch with you shortly. In the meantime, let me do my job!"

            What's with Faragonda? wondered Flora. She's never acted like this! She gazed at Stella, who had a stunned expression on her face.

            "Now go to the dorms," Faragonda continued, in a calmer tone. “I’ll have Griselda open your suites early. And remember – Freshman Orientation will start in a week. Remember to be on your best behavior – you are role models now.”

            "Thank you, Ms. Faragonda," the girls said quietly as they walked out. As soon as the door closed, they stared at one another in disbelief.

            "What's up with her?"

            "How'd the relics get stolen?"

            "Why won't she tell us anything?"

            As they walked, Flora realized she'd dropped her bracelet. Must be near the infirmary… She turned around to search for it, Stella's relieved voice and Brandon's promise of a date sounding through the air. She found it at the door to the infirmary, and picked it up.

            As she turned around, she thought she could hear Faragonda speaking to Ofelia. They were talking quietly, but Flora could still hear her speaking in a grave tone.

            "Something is not right here," she said. "How is it that someone was even able to put a charm on Stella in the first place? The security at all royal palaces is very strong."

            "I don't know, Headmistress," Ofelia answered. "What are you suggesting?"

            "Just think about it," Faragonda answered. "Events in the UR have been haywire. First the Omega Portal breaks open in Melody, Melody’s magical relics get stolen, then the Solarian relics are stolen, too. The realm of Fulgur also lost its relics, though I didn't tell the girls. The Melodian, Solarian and Fulgurian governments have been trying to keep it quiet."

            "What are you suggesting, Headmistress?" Ofelia asked.

            "I'm saying," Faragonda answered, "that something dark is approaching."

            Flora shuddered. I hope she's wrong… But inside, she knew that wasn't the case at all. If Ms. Faragonda says so, there's going to be trouble. She turned away, her shoulders stooping as she followed the other girls.

            The next day, Sunday, Quadrimensis 16, the rest of the student government leaders moved in. They got a day to settle in, but starting Monday, they were all business. While the Winx, Mirta, Galatea, and Kai hung out in Magix City, Faragonda showed Flora and the other student leaders around the Student Leader Suite, which had all the student leader offices.

            Flora was very familiar with this suite. She had come several times herself in her younger years, asking guidance from the Head Girl or the other student leaders for the on-campus resources. There were seven rooms total in the suite, for the seven student officers. Six out of the seven were elected at the end of each school year; Faragonda and the rising graduates interviewed the candidates, and the rising sophomores and rising seniors voted for the next student government. Layla had run for Leader of Academics, and Musa had run for Leader of Extracurriculars; much to their disappointment, neither of them got anything. The seventh officer was the Head Girl of Alfea, who was chosen by the faculty. As Head Girl, Flora would be leading them all.

            It was possible for one of the Student Leaders to be elevated for the position of Head Girl, and for the runner-up of the election to be put in her place. Usually, the Head Girl was chosen out of those who’d been voted in as Student Leaders. But it hadn’t happened this time, which was why it had come to Flora as a complete surprise. Nonetheless, she was determined to succeed. She chatted with the other girls as they all waited for Faragonda to find them their keys.

            “I can’t wait to help the students prepare for class!” cheered Sandra Demos of Eraklyon, the Fairy of Granite. As she was one of the five students in the Class of 1000 with the highest grades (as of the end of sophomore year), she had been eligible to run as Student Leader of Academics. Out of the other four, Layla had chosen to run against her. The votes had been extremely close – so close Faragonda could not decide who would win. But when Bloom was captured by Darkar, Layla had graciously ended her campaign, allowing Sandra to take the position.

            “I hope I can help the freshmen and the sophomores,” nervously said Frances Jean-Baptiste of Rêve, the Realm of Dreams. The Fairy of Empathy, she was good at sensing others’ emotions – her power with psychological magic was coveted in a school where most students (the Winx included) focused on elemental magic. (Elemental magic was the power of controlling the element which made up a fair’s power source). It was the main reason why she’d won the position as Student Leader of the Underclassmen. She had actually comforted Flora a few times the previous year, when she’d been crying with all the stress of that time – so Flora couldn’t think of anyone better for the position. She was a bit quiet, and found it difficult to speak up when needed, but was always eager to listen to others and to help out as much as she could.

            “You’ll be great,” Khadija Nazari of Andros answered warmly. As the Fairy of Rhythm, she had been one of the stars of the Dance Club, along with Layla and eventually Musa. The three girls had even danced together on stage at the Codex Benefit Concert, after Musa and Riven had defeated Darcy. She was very confident, and had really helped Layla feel welcome when she transferred to Alfea. Khadija, like Layla, was very headstrong – this had caused her to butt heads a few times with Tecna, when they went on a few training exercises together (both girls wanted to lead the group, while neither knew what she was actually doing). She had been chosen as the Student Leader of Interschool Relations, which meant she would work with Red Fountain and Cloud Tower (the other UR Defense Schools) to help students thrive.

            “And I’m happy to help you all as much as I can,” Kylie Khatri of Magix said cheerfully. The Fairy of Laughter, she was one of the most upbeat people Flora had ever met. She had been a little insensitive when she first started, taking everything as a joke, even in situations where it was obviously inappropriate. This had caused Musa to get annoyed with her, especially the time when she teased Musa about Riven and Jared (albeit not in an intentionally malicious way). However, she had really helped the students get through the Siege of Magix, especially when the Army of Decay was taking everyone’s morale. She had been chosen as the Alfea Student Secretary.

            “I’m really going to enjoy this,” Princess Kaia do Terra of Summa grinned. She was the Fairy of Moss, and also the princess of Terra, one of the five kingdoms of Summa – the Realm of the Natural Elements. The five kingdoms were: Caeli, Kingdom of Air; Ignis, Kingdom of Fire; Aqua, Queendom of Water; Terra, Queendom of Earth, and Spiritus, Monarchy of the Circle. Kaia had been a bit stuck-up in freshman year, due to her royal upbringing. Interestingly, this had caused her to butt heads with the equally arrogant Stella, as both ran for the Miss Magix teen beauty pageant. Kaia had only lost the competition because she slipped on a cushion of moss during her moss dance, even though she had carefully calculated the space between the moss piles (they later found Icy had put ice on the moss). Aside from Lucy, who cheated in the fairs-only contest (another instance of Magixian racism), Stella had been the only one who managed to evade Icy’s secret ice piles. This was because, when she modeled her own dresses made from special solar wax, the wax had warmed the ground where she stood, preventing any slippages. Kaia had eventually come to forgive Stella during the Siege of Magix, and they both fought side-by-side, gaining humility from the difficult conditions. She was the Alfea Student Treasurer, as she was very good at calculating numbers – very much like Tecna.

            “The clubs are going to run really well this year,” added Lin Zhao of Melody. As the Fairy of Arts, she was skilled in almost every field – singing, dancing, sketching, painting, sewing, and so much more. She had joined half the clubs on campus – including the Dance Club (joined by Layla and Musa), Magiball Club (joined by Layla), Modeling Club (joined by Stella), Cooking Club (joined by Bloom), Math and Science Club (joined by Tecna), Gardening Club (joined by Flora), and the Alfea and Red Fountain Orchestra (joined by Musa). The difficulty she found was that, though she could do most things decently, she found it difficult to be a master in one area. This was very much unlike the Winx – Flora was really good with healing charms and floral magic, Tecna was really good with computers and numbers, Layla was an incredibly strong athlete and warrior, Musa was great at singing and playing the flute, Bloom had great deductive skills, and Stella was a superb charmcaster (especially beauty charms). This allowed Lin to study and have fun at the same time (Bloom and Stella found that balance very difficult in their freshman year), but it also meant she didn’t have much initiative at first. Lin had learned how to be a good leader when it came to organizing events, but she still didn’t have excellent skill. This had been an advantage to her when she ran against Musa for the position, though; many students felt Musa was too focused singularly on music, and Lin was more well-rounded, which was needed for the job. That had been a fair criticism, and Musa had accepted her loss with grace.

            One by one, Faragonda showed them all their offices. Flora kept her key around her neck – she would keep it there at all times. The offices were all pleasant, furnished and decorated simply. At the end of the hall was a wide conference room. Flora could already tell this was a great place for a working environment. After seeing the other girls’ workspaces, they finally got to Flora’s office.

            It was a very quaint office. There was a wooden, dark-stained chair and similarly stained desk with a computer, where Flora was to do her work. There were drawers in the desk, with room to put her charts and report logs. On the other side of the room was two sofás, with a small coffee table in the middle of the two, and a bookshelf against the wall. There was also a beverage machine behind the sofás which supplied filtered water and different juices, as refreshments. A stack of Morphgel cups were on the side. Flora noted how her office was slightly bigger than the others’. Faragonda smiled at the girls.

            “These are the offices where you’ll see students,” she said. “Set a specific time every day for office hours, when you can be available in here for students to visit and talk to you.”

            “Hey, I want a beverage machine, too,” Kylie joked. “My office only has water!”

            Faragonda smiled. “Well, I’m sure Flora will let you come in from time-to-time. You should also have one time when all your office hours overlap. I suggest keeping Saturday open, from 08:00-12:00. You will also have a meeting with me and Ms. Griselda every Sunday morning. This is to keep up with everything.”

            I guess I won’t have Saturdays and Sundays off to hang out with my friends. The girls always hung out together on at least one day of the weekend – sometimes they went on all-day trips to Magix City. But she was willing to give some concessions for the sake of her new responsibilities. Faragonda continued to speak, but just to Flora this time.

            “Flora, you will have access to the profiles of every girl at Alfea – not their academic or disciplinary records, of course, but you are able to make notes of your own. All your official meetings need to be recorded – this is so the faculty and I are on the same page about how to help these particular students. You are also in charge of speaking to any student committee that comes to you with a petition or grievance, and, if necessary, to report it back to me. You will work with all the student leaders of the clubs at Alfea. You will work with the Head Boy of Red Fountain and the Head Girl of Cloud Tower to foster good connections between the three schools.”

            “Okay.” Flora knew, according to her Winxstagram feed, that Jared Wang of Melody was Red Fountain’s Head Boy, and Lucy Ariadne of Magix was Cloud Tower’s Head Girl. The three of them would be continually talking, making sure that they were up-to-date with everything. “That’s helpful.”

            “One more thing – and this is the most important,” Faragonda said, and her tone was grave. “You are all mandated reporters. If you know any student is causing harm to herself or others, you are required to report it back to staff. If you have any suspicion anything is happening, also, you need to report it. Student leaders in the past have been instrumental in averting crises, due to the strong trust the students have in them. I trust you to take your position very seriously.”

            Flora nodded solemnly. Occurrences such as which Faragonda was talking about were few and far between, but they still happened. Although each student was carefully vetted by the UR Defense Association, there were always bound to be some incidents where students overused their power. For example, Icy of the Trix had been Cloud Tower’s Head Girl all throughout Flora’s freshman year, and she’d certainly misused her power. Amaryl di CaStelini of Solaria also had a long-standing rivalry with Stella, though that had died down after the incident where Amaryl had tried to attack the Solarian princess. Just like the staff were in charge of reporting such incidents, Flora would be as well.

            “That includes your friends,” Faragonda continued. “If you notice anything happening with your friends, their safety is more important than any promises you could make. As you know, the pressure of being an Alfea student is very high, which means that students are susceptible to personal difficulties. It is imperative you are their voices of reason during trying times.”

            Flora swallowed. I may have to snitch on my friends… After all, her friends were prone to making questionable decisions. She and the other student leaders exchanged nervous looks.

            “But I do not mean to worry you.” Faragonda smiled down at them. “You have important responsibilities, yes, but you must have fun as well. And I have full confidence each and every one of you will do well.”

            “Yes, Ms. Faragonda,” the girls nodded. Faragonda nodded as well.

            “This week, you will be helping me, Griselda, and the faculty with the Freshman Orientation,” she said. “We must be ready, so we can help all the students starting here. You have all completed rigorous trainings while at home, but now, you must plan for the students to come. You will also plan for homecoming, which is on Saturday, Quintmensis 13.”

            “It’s early this year!” Khadija said in surprise.

            “I know,” Faragonda answered. “Every year, the schedule is very variable to change. We would’ve held it in early Sextmensis, but a very special guest is coming to Magix that day.”

            Flora stared in surprise. “Who?”

            “Oh, you’ll find out,” Faragonda smiled. “Your presences at the homecoming dance are required – the Red Fountain students will be there as well. Now, get to work. There’s a lot to be done.”

            After that, Flora didn’t have even a spare moment. They were so busy preparing for student orientation, getting everything put together, she couldn’t spend much time with her friends anymore. In addition to planning the logistics and the activities together, they also had their own projects to work on. Flora’s job was mainly to supervise, but she also had to plan her office hours, and review each student’s record as well. The work was hard, but she enjoyed it, because she was truly giving back to the Alfea community now.

            She wished she could spend more time with her friends, though. They were all happy for her, for sure, and they all spent time together at night, chatting about their days. And yet, she couldn’t help but feel it was a bit problematic. She wished she could have more of a balance between both. As it was, her duties were far more important now.

            It’ll be okay. It was just her first week as Head Girl, after all. She was sure she’d figure out how to make time for both her friends and her duties. Nothing would put a wedge between her and the rest of the Winx Club.

            On Quadrimensis 23, Flora stood with the Winx, welcoming the new students to Alfea. The new freshmen stared around in shock, their mouths gaping open wide.

            “It’s hard to believe I’m a freshman, too,” Mirta grinned. “I mean, I should be a senior, right? I am nearly eighteen, after all.”

            “Well, I’m sure you’ll have a great time,” Flora smiled. “We put a great program together! You’ll really enjoy it.”

            "Winx!" they heard tiny voice behind them.

            "The pixies!" Stella let out a whoop. Tune, Digit, Chatta, Amore, Lockette, and Piff zoomed towards the girls, their eyes filled with excitement.

            "Hey, look at you!" Chatta grinned. "You're here, and" – She grinned at Mirta. "You're here with your" –

            "Shh!" Flora said anxiously, looking around. Fortunately, no one else seemed to have noticed. They were chatting with their own pixies, excited to see them again.

            "Long time no see, right?" Layla asked, cradling Piff. Except for the Princess Ball, she, Musa, Galatea, and Kai had spent their whole spring break in Magix. Therefore, she had spent plenty of time in Pixie Village with Musa.

            “Nymph Ninfea told us you were here early,” Amore said. “What happened?”

            “And where is Tecna?” Digit asked.

            Flora frowned. “Tecna’s still on Zenith,” she said. “The rest of us went to the Princess Ball on Solaria. That was a bit of a disaster, though.”

            “Yeah,” Stella grinned ruefully. “But we’re back now. Don’t worry about it.”

            “Tec will be here soon,” Flora said to the disappointed Digit. “In the meantime, you’re welcome to live with us in our apartment. You and Tune can be Musa’s roommates now.”

            Bloom gazed over at the quad. "There're so many new freshmen this year," she pointed out.

            "Yeah, and some of them are freshmen we know!" added Stella, catching sight of one. "Hey, Nova!"

            Flora looked. A girl with bright orange hair was running towards them, grinning. She threw her arms around Stella.

            "This is Nova di Ricci," Stella announced. "She's from Solaria, and her father's the lord of the Ricci province. Everyone, say hi!"

            "Hi," everyone said, smiling at Nova. Flora watched as Nova gazed at all of them with her bright amber eyes, a smile on her face.

            "It's so great to finally be at Alfea!" she burst out. "I'm so excited! I've been waiting all my life for this, and now it's finally here! I can hardly wait!"

            "That's great," Flora grinned, remembering how excited she'd been when she'd received her acceptance packet, combined with a hefty amount of financial aid. "I'm happy for you, Nova."

            “I looked at the list a few days ago,” Galatea said to Nova. “You’re rooming with me and Mirta!”

            “That’s great!” Nova threw her arms around Galatea. “I’m so excited to meet you!”

            Over the last two weeks, Mirta and Galatea had been in the same suite together. From the list they’d peeked at, which’d been posted in the Alfea entrance hall since the previous night, it seemed Mirta and Nova were sharing a room. Jade Judas of Eraklyon and Clarice Ferrari of Solaria were together, and Princess Galatea and Alice Lavigne of Rêve shared a room. She hoped fervently the other girls were as good to Mirta as Galatea.

            "So, any more news from Solaria?" Stella asked worriedly as they walked towards the quad.

            "No," Nova frowned. "The paparazzi's through the roof about how you got hexed, though. No one can believe it happened."

            "I still can't believe it myself," Stella said, looking sad. "And that my dad's marrying that woman." She clenched her teeth.

            Flora frowned. In that past week, King Radius had come to visit Alfea, apologizing to Stella for having ordered his guards to attack. They'd embraced tearfully, and then Stella had asked him why he was marrying Countess Cassandra.

            "Why?" she'd shouted at him. "Why didn't you even ask me first? Do you have any idea how horrible this is?"

            "I thought it would be a wonderful surprise," King Radius said, taken aback. "I thought you'd be happy to have someone to consider a mother."

            "I already have a mom, and she's awesome!" Stella yelled. "How could you do this, Daddy? You know how I felt when you divorced Mom! And now you're letting – that woman – replace her!"

            "We've been through this many times, Stella," her father said. "Your mother and I just weren't meant for each other, and besides, she hated royal life. Solaria needs a queen, Stella, and Countess Cassandra is as good as any other. She's a clever woman, and she'll help me with the administrative tasks of royalty. Not to mention, her daughter Chimera is a lovely girl, and I'm sure you'll be close friends in no time" –

            To this Stella seethed uncontrollably and stormed out of her room, slamming the door in her father's face.

            And now Flora was standing with her friends, watching Stella as she spoke to Nova. I hope we can figure this out… She let out a sigh.

            “Come on,” she said, leading Mirta, Galatea, and Nova. “I know it’s a bit overwhelming to start, but I promise you, the other student leaders and I have put together a really good program for you guys.”

            The following week was spent in presentations, icebreakers, and activities. The new freshmen seemed quite attentive, though Flora noticed Mirta seemed a little bored. It made sense; she’d had the same orientation at Cloud Tower, after all. Though I hope this isn’t quite so traumatic, though… The other students weren’t unfriendly towards Mirta, but a few gaped at her square-shaped ears and green-tinted skin, which obviously marked her as a biological warlock. Mirta was a bit uncomfortable, but with Galatea and Nova by her side, she seemed fine. To make it more interesting, they gave long breaks between programs, and switched up the activities across the day.

            They spread everything out over the next two weeks. Frances opened the week up with an icebreaker activity, getting the students to know each other. They all said the realms they were from, and each got to explain a little about herself. Jade seemed to be a shy but smart girl, who was good at spellcasting, and Alice was a sweet little thing, completely in awe of Alfea. Both were commoners from their respective realms, and they were amazed at the new opportunity – similarly to how Flora had felt when she first started. Frances gave them a tour around campus, then gave a presentation on how she was there to assist the students in whichever way she could, so as to foster good relationships between everyone. Most of her activities were fun bonding activities, such as an enthusiastic winged relay race.

            Next was Lin’s activity – a club fair. In addition to the student government, the seniors who led clubs were also present. The process of choosing a club leader was less formal; the rising graduates would vote for the rising seniors who applied to be club leaders. The freshmen were invited to join clubs, so they could be more well-rounded. All the clubs were based off some kind of magical activity; the Dance Club involved dances which involved flying, the Cooking Club and Gardening Club used potions, and the Magiball Club revolved around a sport which required a lot of flying and spellcasting. The club leaders showed videos and other engaging materials, in the hopes of recruiting members. Clubs at Alfea were very involved, as Flora had learned when she joined the Gardening Club. They were also a full-semester commitment. Flora had been a part of the club for her freshman year, but had decided against continuing after that.

            Khadija’s activities were first a presentation on the relationships between Red Fountain and Cloud Tower. When Flora had been at her Freshman Orientation, they had only focused on relations with Red Fountain; since the start of the Dominian Wars, Alfea had quite negative relations with Cloud Tower. The interschool bullying had reached its all-time high when Flora had started at Alfea. After the defeat of the Army of Decay, Cloud Tower had resumed relations with Alfea and Red Fountain – as they were meant to have. With the other schools’ Leaders of Interschool Relations, she organized events where all the new freshmen got to mingle. They also learned about each other’s schools, and about the importance of working together. That was the most difficult presentation for the girls to take; of course they were fine working with the elves, but witches were universally disliked.

            Kylie picked up the next module with an introduction to more fun activities at Alfea. Homecoming, school-sponsored events, and other events in Magix. It was not for no reason they were located near Magix City, one of the biggest, most active cities in all the realms. She took them on a tour of the Magix Interrealm Mall, and in the Pink District, the wealthiest district of Magix, where the Spella McCarthy and Kunti’s Pizza were located. She also gave a presentation on how to maintain safety while in the city. For the girls who’d never been to Magix City before, this was the most awe-inspiring of the activities they’d had; the city was certainly filled with splendor.

            After that, it was Sandra’s turn to talk about academics. They had saved it as one of the last, so as not to overwhelm the students. She explained the basic curriculum they were expected to follow. In freshman year, they learned how to cast spells, especially those meant for battle; in sophomore year, they learned how to cast charms. In senior year, they learned the theory of enchantments. She explained thoroughly how students could speak to their academic advisors and faculty for help, how to speak to her for help, how to add, drop, or swap classes (they had the first month as the add/drop/swap period), and how to seek academic coaching from the seniors. A few students had been chosen as peer tutors – two per department – and so were in-charge of mentoring those who sought help. This one was a bit lecture-heavy, so Flora noticed a few girls getting bored, though quite a few listened attentively.

            Then Kaia gave a presentation on how she managed the budget allotted to student clubs. The UR Defense Schools were given a huge amount of money by the UR, and so they had excellent services. She explained about the medical, counseling, and residential life services on campus, and how to access them. It was very easy for students to access these services – they were all entitled to them, as a part of their tuition. She also explained how to access library services, which were extremely comprehensive at Alfea. She showed them the areas in which they could get help, and the medical, counseling, residential, and library staff explained a bit about their roles. The infirmary was a full primary care office, the counseling center was staffed with experienced therapists and psychiatrists, the residential office employed nighttime hall aides and gave residential accommodations to those who needed them, and the library was complete with print, digital, and media resources.

            The faculty also gave presentations on their own classes. None of the freshmen seemed worried when they spoke to Avalon, but Flora couldn’t help but feel withdrawn. He still had the same face as his impersonator. Yes, he wasn’t even remotely guilty of anything, but she just couldn’t bear the thought of having anything happen to her friends. Now that she thought of it, she realized Bloom seemed rather nervous around Avalon. The few times she crossed him in the hallway, she avoided eye-contact and quickly walked away. I hope things will turn out well for the poor guy…

            In the meantime, Flora had a one-on-one conference with each and every girl, held during the break times. Each conference lasted an hour, and the slots were signed up on a first-come, first-serve basis. There were also other office hours for students to choose and meet her, of course. She had Frances meet with Mirta for her conference, because it would be a conflict-of-interest for Flora to do so. She loved getting to know each of the students, and explaining to them resources they needed. Some of them were very funny, and most were so sweet. Sure, some were quite immature, but Flora had learned, through her training, how to work with those students. By their senior years, students at Alfea were extremely mature – they had so much of experience, after all. She was able to connect with the students on a personal level, and it really was her favorite part of the whole week. Faragonda had informed her she’d have a Conference Week twice in each semester; every student in Alfea, except for the Student Leaders, would have a conference with her. Flora was certainly looking forward to that.

            Finally, on the Friday before the start of classes, Flora gave her own presentation. All fifty students were present, and they stared up at the stage with admiring eyes. There were always new fifty places per class at Alfea every year, not including the freshmen from the previous year who were held back a year. There were some cases in which students left Alfea of their own accord; five girls had dropped out from Flora’s class after the Siege of Magix. Flora couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous at all the eyes on her. Seeing Mirta smile at her, she felt reassured.

            “I have met with each and every one of you personally,” she said. “I am honored to welcome you to Alfea. You are all so filled with potential, and I’m confident you will succeed in so many ways. I hope we have been approachable enough for you to feel comfortable coming to us. We touched upon this a bit in Kaia’s presentation, but mine will be about something very important: safety.”

            The room became quiet. The girls stared nervously at Flora, and she swallowed, gazing down at her script. But she couldn’t read the words verbatim, because then her speech would be boring. Why was public speaking so hard?

            “We’re all teenagers here,” she explained. “Unfortunately, that comes with its downsides. There are plenty of squabbles amongst the students, particularly in freshman and sophomore years. You have to come to us whenever there’s a problem. I know some of you may be nervous about speaking out against each other, but the goal is not to punish anyone – we just want to figure out a solution that works for everyone. That doesn’t mean we want there to be discord, of course – but we have to make this a safe space for each and every one of us.”

            She tried not to look at Mirta as she spoke, knowing much of it was directed towards her. Flora wanted to look at Mirta the whole time – she was the most beautiful girl in the room, after all – but she couldn’t favor anyone.

            “You must also be careful to stay away from as much danger as possible,” she added. “Students are not allowed to go out at night alone unless they’re in a group. If you ever have any problem, you are to call us immediately. All students must sign in and out with our secretary, Ira Kubal, before going anywhere. Remember to keep your phone encrypted and with you at all times.” She swallowed.

            “There are certain risks involved with being a student here at Alfea,” she explained. “You will have to face threats – both from criminals, and also from within yourselves. The journey will be hard. I’m not going to sugarcoat it – there is danger out there. I myself have faced it, and so has the rest of my class. In addition, you will also feel discouraged at times – a lot, actually – but that is a part of the learning process.

            “At the same time, we will prepare you as well as possible. The faculty here are extremely qualified, and you will all be equipped to work against your struggles. It will be a long journey, but it is so worth reaching your potential” –

            “I have a question,” one girl interrupted. “What kind of danger are you talking about?”

            Flora swallowed; this was not a good sign. The other student leaders had never been interrupted during their presentations. She quickly composed herself.

            “Well, I have faced some dangers myself,” she said. “The Army of Decay, and the famous Trix. You must’ve all heard about these events on the news. And then, of course, Lord Darkar” –

            “The Shadow Phoenix?” someone shrieked. “You faced him?”

            “Yes.” Why’re they so surprised? Didn’t they already know all this? Another girl called out in worry.

            “What’ll we be expected to do?” she asked nervously. “Will we fight monsters? Are we going to put our lives in danger?”

            “You won’t be asked to go on missions until your sophomore year,” Flora pointed out, “and you all have the right to refuse any quest you don’t want to go on. But yes, you will face dangers” –

            It was the wrong thing to say. Immediately, someone yelled out in shock, “They’re making us turn into child soldiers!”

            “So what?” Mirta glared at her. “The point of coming here is to be brave! This is what you signed up for. You have to be strong and learn how to defend the Galaxy!”

            “Hey!” Flora shouted sternly, but her words were in vain. Several of the students were jumping up in fright, terrified. She heard a few shouts like “We’re gonna die!” and “I wanna go home!” She buried her face in her hands. How could this have gone so wrong?

            She stared back at the other student leaders, whose mouths were agape. None of them knew what to say. She turned back to the chaos ahead, wondering how she was going to bring order back –

            “What’s all this?” a voice interrupted. Faragonda walked down the aisle, looking worried. “I could hear shouting from outside! Is everything all right?”

            That’s just great. Now Faragonda would see how badly she’d failed. One of the girls screamed at Faragonda, “This is so scary!”

            “They’re scared of the dangers ahead,” Flora whispered to Faragonda. “I made them afraid!”

            “Stand with the other student leaders, Flora,” Faragonda said, her voice neither angry nor kind. She stood authoritatively on the stage; immediately, the girls stopped shouting. How’d she do that?

            “I know you’re scared,” she said gently. “It is hard, being an Alfea student. But tell me: do you think I would’ve called you here if you weren’t capable? You understand why the application rounds were so rigorous, right?”

            The girls stared up at Faragonda; still, they were not very reassured. From the back of the stage, Flora could see the hint of a smile on Faragonda’s face.

            “You’re all starting a new journey,” she continued. “You will turn from girls into young women – not an easy task. But fear not. You are all with great support here. You have me, the faculty, and all the staff at Alfea. And you have these wonderful student leaders for support.” Except me, Flora thought. “Believe me when I say we will never throw you to the werewolves. You all will go through rigorous training before you can even think of getting sent to the battlefield. You will be battling, yes, but you will never battle alone.”

            I don’t think that’s true. After all, Flora had been forced into battle long before the end of her freshman year. Her whole class had, in fact. But it was working; the students had calmed down again. Faragonda gazed down at all of them, and then nodded.

            “I think that’s enough excitement for one day,” she said. “Please, go and rest. We’ll continue tomorrow.” The students all got up, and, in an orderly fashion, headed out the door.

            Flora wanted to sink to the ground and cry. The other girls next to her looked sympathetic, and Khadija placed a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry,” she said. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”

            “Flora,” Faragonda spoke, and Flora nervously looked up. The headmistress had a reassuring smile on her face. “Khadija is right – you didn’t say anything wrong. I was listening outside the whole time. What you could improve on is how you speak. You were slouching slightly, and you looked very nervous – students picked up on that. You must act more confident than you feel. Make sure to be caring, but also firm. Of course they already knew about the dangers when they signed up, but it somehow became more real upon arrival.”

            Flora had never even considered that. She herself hadn’t been scared of missions at Alfea. Well, she had at the very beginning, but when it came time to fight, she’d let instinct take over – fear had gone quickly out of the equation. A few tears dripped down her face. “I don’t know if I can do this.”

            “You certainly can,” Faragonda said kindly. “I heard your student conferences went excellently. You are great with people, Flora. I just think you need to hone in your confidence a little. You, too, can reach your full potential. Now, I’m going to say the same thing as I said to the freshmen. Get some rest. All of you,” she added. “Go have fun with your friends. Come on, you’ve all earned it. You’ve spent so much energy these past two weeks.”

            Flora nodded nervously, texting her friends. I’d better get going… Biding farewell to her peers, she headed up the stairs towards the dorms.

            What with the student orientation, conferences, and the freshman scare, Flora felt exhausted. It had been a long, tiring week, but she needed to meet with her friends in the quad. Looking for something more casual to change into, she opened the door to her room.

            But someone else was in there.

            "Mirta!" Flora's heart jumped as she saw Mirta lying on her bed. "Oh my goodness! Are you okay?" She sat down on the bed.

            Mirta turned her head towards her. "I'm fine," she said. "I was just waiting for you, that's all."

            "Oh." Flora remembered giving Mirta a key to her apartment. "That's fine." She frowned down at her. “You know, you didn’t have to shout at that girl in the Amphitheater.”

            “I’m sorry,” Mirta said sadly. “I just feel really out-of-place. Everyone tries to be nice, but these girls keep looking at me as if I’m some kind of alien. It’s really upsetting.”

            "I completely understand," Flora said. It was logical; after all, Mirta was a former witch in a fair's world. She couldn't expect her to not be scared.

            "Yes," said Mirta. "Look, Flora, I love it here – I can tell this is the place for me. But I can't help but feel sad. Most of the people here are great – but what happened in the Amphitheater today… it really ticked me off. Why do these girls act as if they’re so delicate? They don’t even know what I’ve been through!"

            "I understand how you feel," Flora answered. "I agree – they have to gain more courage. But all of them will in due time – remember to be patient with your classmates. In the meantime, I'll be with you every step of the way."

            Mirta smiled, gazing up at Flora. Flora gazed down at her with nothing but love in her heart. This beautiful girl, insecure yet resilient in so many ways, was on her way to becoming a fairy. A wonderful, strong-hearted fairy for sure. Flora knew there would be nothing but brilliance in her future.

            "You are going to be a great fairy," she said, stroking Mirta’s back as she spoke. "Nothing will stop you; I'll make sure of it."

            "But what about all those other girls?" Mirta asked tearfully. “Will I ever belong here?

            "I can't say for sure," Flora whispered. "I know prejudices are hard to overcome. And I don't know if they'll ever accept you.”

            Mirta's eyes began to water. Flora held her tighter, pushing her hair away from her face.

            "But what I can say is you can't let their opinions of you pull you down," Flora added. "You've made the transformation from witch to fairy because it was the right thing for you. You can't let them demoralize you. You've done it for the right reasons."

            Mirta brushed her tears away and looked up at Flora. "Sometimes I wonder whether it was the right decision."

            "Of course it was." Flora felt a wave of frustration run through her. "Mirta, you're so much more whole and complete now that you've made the change. I can see it."

            "You call this being whole and complete?" Mirta yelled. "Every day I wonder what I could've done differently to change this! Every day I wonder why I'm like this! So messed up, so broken, so out-of-control"… She began to sob profusely, holding Flora as tightly as she could.

            "Let it all out," Flora whispered. She lay back down, staring at Mirta's wounded face, how pale and sad she looked at everything. Misery shot through Flora as she stared at her grieving girlfriend.

            I wish I could take this pain away from her, she thought. But this isn't like growing a flower. This… she needs time to heal. She held Mirta firmly.

            "I won't ever let you go," she whispered.

            Silence reigned. Mirta's cries subsided and she looked up at Flora, tears in her eyes. She hugged her tightly.

            "I knew I could count on you," she said. “And I’m so proud of you, Flora. For everything.” Then she kissed Flora, full on the lips.

            The kiss brought Flora into her senses immediately, and she opened her eyes wide. Electricity tingled through her as she kissed Mirta back, keeping the suction between their lips as firm as possible. Her hand went down the back of Mirta's shirt, and she caressed her, never wanting to let go…

            There was a sudden gasp. A door banged open, pulling Flora out of the moment. She immediately disentangled herself from Mirta and turned towards the door, her eyes wide.

            Tecna was standing there, an expression of pure disbelief in her eyes. "Flora?" she asked uncertainly. Behind her, Mirta pulled back in surprise, staring at Tecna.

            Flora was the first to speak. "Tecna," she stammered, staring at her best friend. "I – you’re here already?”

            “I just arrived at Alfea fifteen minutes and forty-six seconds ago,” Tecna said, her voice shaking slightly. “I caught an early flight. I thought I’d come up here to unpack before meeting with you all.”

            Why didn’t she tell me? “The others aren’t here. I’m supposed to meet them in Magix City now.” She hesitated. “Now that you’re here, we can go together, right?”

            “I don’t know,” Tecna frowned, still staring at Mirta, who had backed up in fright. “I can’t believe I ran into this.”

            "Ran into what?" Flora asked, a sense of desperation running through her. Now Tecna knew everything, and she was giving the worst reaction possible. Tecna was staring at Flora, as if she'd changed into a different person entirely. The Fairy of Technology shook her head.

            "I know the other girls and I have boyfriends," she said, speaking the last word as if it was still something she needed to get used to. "On my first day at Alfea, I found that shocking enough, how every girl spoke freely about boys. But this – this is something else entirely." She drew in a breath. "I have to go."

            "Wait!" Flora pulled herself up off the bed. "Don't go! Please, Tecna, explain to me what you mean!"

            "Flora"… Mirta was tugging on her sleeve, but Flora ignored her.

            She turned towards Tecna, her eyes distraught. "I don't understand," she said. "Why do you have a problem with Mirta and me? What's the problem with us liking each other?"

            "It's unnatural, Flora," Tecna responded. "It's just… it's not supposed to happen. Girls aren't supposed to like each other in that way."

            "Flora!" Mirta called from behind. "You don't have to convince her. It's okay."

            "No, it's not okay," Flora insisted. She turned to face Tecna. "You're my best friend. I want you to accept me for who I am. I'm a girl who likes other girls – and Mirta most of all. You have to accept that."

            "Flora," Tecna answered, "it's completely unnatural, and I don't know what to say about it. You… I've never seen you act this way. It's completely irrational."

            She turned to go, clearly unable to process what had just happened. But Flora's next words stopped her cold.

            "What exactly is rational about love?"

Chapter Text

CHAPTER 6: THE HIGHER ART

            Those words had kept Tecna completely stunned that entire weekend. She'd barely opened her mouth during meals and other break times. What Flora had said completely shocked her.

            What exactly is rational about love?

            And Tecna could find no fault with that point. There was nothing rational about Flora's love, or Tecna's, for that matter. She was heads-over-heels obsessed with a boy from Magix, a boy who coded and programmed in a realm where everyone focused on magical energy. She adored Timmy with all her heart, and nothing would ever change that.

            The other girls had been quite thrilled to see her. Tecna pretended to enjoy spending time with the others, going out with them to Magix and to the beach, but she still couldn’t comprehend what was going on. She didn’t understand why Flora and Mirta were acting so strangely, nor could she understand why everyone was so happy when she was so miserable. It was like everything had changed since she’d been in Magix last.

            In fact, she still had lots of work to do. This was the first year Vasiliev was forcing her to continue programming from abroad. Before, he'd let her off during the school year, with the promise she'd work extra hard in the summer. This year, however, there was no such promise. During her spare moments, she spent as much time as possible coding in her room, avoiding Flora – avoiding everyone. Computers were so much easier to deal with than people.

            Finally, it was time for the sophomores and the rest of the seniors to move in. Sunday, Quintmensis 7 was a brilliantly cloudless day, perfect for the start of the school year. Tecna stood with Musa and Layla, and Bloom and Stella were chatting a few paces away. She saw Flora and Mirta standing ahead, watching as everyone filtered in.

            “You know, those two have been acting weird lately,” Layla remarked as they stood together. “I mean, I love how they’re really close – but they act as if they have some big secret. I wonder what it is.”

            Tecna froze, trying her best not to betray a single word. She could tell Flora and Mirta didn’t want anyone to know about their relationship, so she knew not to say anything. In any case, she herself didn’t really understand, so she didn’t have much to say on the matter. She saw a few sophomore girls walk in, giggling.

            “Well, maybe something fun happened during their time on Linphea,” Musa yawned, disinterestedly. “I don’t know, Lay. Ya know, I spent a lotta time practicing flute yesterday. I’m all pumped for when orchestra rehearsals start” –

            "Is there a witch in our presence?"

            The quad fell silent. Tecna saw one of those sophomore girls, Eris Drakos of Eraklyon, walking towards Mirta, tailed by Mariza Mahmoud of Andros and Lorie Fabiola of Solaria. Oh great, her again… She’d been picking fights with Cloud Tower students ever since she’d started at Alfea, and she’d tried to bully Layla the previous year for not fitting in. It hadn’t worked, but Tecna was worried about what she’d start next.

            "So we have a witch here," Eris laughed. "One of the best schools in Magix. My parents – who are on the school board, by the way – voted against your entrance into the school, but Faragonda overruled them. So here I am, stuck with a loser like you."

            Tecna could see how much Mirta was trembling. Flora put her arm around her and glared at Eris.

            "Don't talk to her like that," she responded. "She helped us fight the Army of Decay, before you were even here! And she's given us so much valuable insight into warlock culture. Please leave her alone."

            "Please," Eris mocked. "You sound like a little kid on the playground. ‘Please give me a turn on the swing’!'" She rolled her eyes. "You of all people, a Linphean, shouldn't be interacting with such" –

            "If you're not going to listen to her, you'd better listen to us, hotshot," Musa said, stepping forward. "I've been bullied before, and I'm not about to let you go after her."

            Good for her. Tecna remembered how Musa had been targeted by the Trix when she accidentally went to the Lunar District of Magix, where mostly only warlocks lived. They’d all chased Musa down the road, and cornered her against a wall – they could’ve killed her, had the Winx and the Specialists not shown up.

            “I’m not dealing with this, either,” Layla added. “I let you get away with a lot last year, but I won’t stand for this now.”

            "Same here," Bloom added. "Mirta's one of us. We're not putting up with your junk."

            "Yeah," agreed Stella, her left hand lighting up threateningly. "And if you don't believe it, well, there's new monster-transformation hex I've really been itching to try out" –

            "ENOUGH!" a voice shouted. Griselda walked towards the quad, her eyes blazing. She glared at Eris, and at Stella, who was pointing the orb at Eris's face.

            "Release that hex, or I'm getting the magic-reduction band," she ordered.

            Grumbling, Stella stepped backwards, the light disappearing from her hand. Griselda turned to face the Eraklyonese girl, who backed down.

            "I'll be watching you from now on," she snarled. "You'd better watch your step, Miss Eris."

            "Yes," said Eris, rather meekly. Never had Tecna been so glad to see Griselda in her life. Hopefully that’s the end of that… Unfortunately, that would be too much to hope for.

            "Don't worry, Mirta," Nova said, stepping forward. "Not all of us are like that."

            "I'm with her," agreed Galatea. "You helped us save Stella in Solaria. You'll always have my respect."

            "Are we going to start this school year or not?" Griselda demanded. "Sign in with your professors to receive your schedules! Sophomores go to Table 1, seniors go to Table 2, and freshmen come to me!"

            Tecna walked towards the second table, joining the long line with her friends. Her friends were chatting together, but she didn’t really feel like talking – especially not after everything that’d happened. She could still remember what’d happened on Zenith, and didn’t want to say much of anything to anyone.

            “Tecna?” a soft voice asked. Tecna jumped as Flora turned around, worry in her eyes. “Are you okay?”

            Is it that obvious? “I’m fine,” she answered abruptly.

            “Really?” Flora pressed on. “You haven’t been like yourself at all lately.”

            Tecna knew exactly what Flora meant; obviously, Friday was still on her mind. She also felt badly she hadn’t stood up for Mirta when Eris had been causing her trouble – she’d been the only Winx not to. But what could she do? She just couldn’t deal with people right now.

            “I’m fine,” she said, smiling slightly at Flora. Flora wasn’t fooled, though. She shook her head, and then headed back to the central quad. The secretary, Ira, gave her the schedule. Tecna was the last to get hers; then, she joined the other girls.

            Although Flora already had her schedule, and knew everyone else’s as well, she still joined as they swapped their papers with each other. The Winx all shared Advanced Battle 1 with Griselda, split over two different sections. Tecna, Layla, and Bloom were taking Advanced Metamorphosis together, Flora, Mirta, and Layla were in Advanced Potions, Stella and Layla were both in Advanced Aeroflynamics and Enchantbound, Musa was taking History of Warlock Power, and Flora and Tecna shared Intermediate Magiphilosophy.

            They had all taken classes their academic advisors had recommended. Each student had an academic advisor, sorted by last name. It just so happened each of the Winx had different academic advisors. Flora’s advisor was Panacea (professor of Applied Magic), Mirta’s was Chika (head of Creative Magic), Tecna’s was Palladium (head of Practical Magic), Stella’s was Wizkiz (head of Applied Magic), Musa’s was Athena (head of Theoretical Magic), Layla’s was DuFour (head of Physical Magic), and Bloom’s was Avalon (unfortunate, because of the previous semester’s events). Tecna wasn’t exactly thrilled to be taking Avalon’s Intermediate Magiphilosophy, but Palladium had insisted it’d be really good for her, and so she’d reluctantly acquiesced.

            She noticed Bloom’s face fall as she saw her academic advisor’s name on the front, thereby reminding her of what’d happened. “It’s going to be hard, having to deal with him,” she murmured.

            “I’m so sorry, Bloom,” Musa said sympathetically. “That’s really rough.”

            “You just have to remember he’s not the same person, sweetie,” Flora said kindly. “I’m sure it’ll all be fine.”

            Yeah right, thought Tecna. Anger rose through her own heart as she thought of Avalon, how he’d screwed them over badly the previous semester. If he causes any trouble this semester… She clenched her fists, and Flora shot her another steely look.

            “All right!” Griselda barked. “Let’s get started, then!”

            The students all lined up in order of class; the freshmen were at the front, sophomores in the middle, and seniors at the back. Mirta stood with her classmates ahead of Flora, looking nervous yet excited at the same time.

            Faragonda stood up and began to speak to the students of Alfea.

            "It is a pleasure to have you all," she smiled. "Greetings, girls, and I heartily welcome you back to Alfea. This is one of my favorite days of the entire year.”

            More cheering. The students looked up eagerly as Faragonda continued to speak, a smile on her face.

            “Before we start with the announcements for each class, selectively, I have a few general announcements,” she said. “As last year was just as chaotic than the year before” – that got a shaky laugh from everyone – “we are increasing security measures around here. Starting at twenty o’clock at night and ending at eight o’clock in the morning, there will be a curfew. A magical barrier will come up around the school, stopping anyone from entering or exiting.”

            A few grumbles; already the complaining had started. “That doesn’t give me any time for dates!” Stella exclaimed. Flora, Bloom, Musa, and Layla looked displeased as well.

            “There goes my 06:00 nature walk,” Flora sighed.

            Tecna shrugged; she couldn’t really care less. So what? Until Vasiliev’s work let up, she didn’t really have much time to do anything. Faragonda frowned, and continued speaking.

            “Alfea is always a target for magical mayhem,” she said. “Two years ago, the Army of Decay attacked the UR schools. Last year, Lord Darkar targeted us to search for the Codex, and was successful. It is long past time we installed these security measures. As always, students are expected to sign out at the front office with our secretary, Ira Kubal, whenever they leave campus.”

            “Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,” Stella said, rolling her eyes.

            “We also are having our nighttime staff on patrol duty,” Faragonda continued. “This is also for your safety. The castle will be protected, make no mistake. We do not want another calamity here.”

            The freshmen cast each other nervous looks. What’s their deal? A few of them looked back at Flora. Flora averted her gaze, staring down at her feet.

            “I would like to commence this year with a few words to our freshmen,” Faragonda announced. “Sophomores and seniors, please step back while we talk." Tecna watched, half-removed, as Faragonda made her obligatory speech about the girls' duties to become great fairies of the Galaxy of Magix. Then she dismissed the freshmen, and spoke to the sophomores about earning their Charmix and their new responsibility to go on quests.

            Like the quest to Shadowhaunt. Tecna remembered how Bloom, Stella, and Layla had been sent on the first quest to Shadowhaunt, and how they'd all gone to rescue Bloom the second time. Anger shot through her body again as she thought of Avalon.

            I won’t let anything happen, she thought fiercely, an irrational level of rage flowing through her body. I won’t.

            Then Faragonda dismissed the sophomores, and she turned to face the seniors, her eyes unusually grave.

            "It is time," she announced. "Your third and final year at Alfea. You all have worked incredibly hard to become what you've become now, and I could not be prouder of each one of you. However – not all of you will graduate this year."

            There was a collective gasp from the forty-five students. Tecna blinked in shock. Does she have statistics on that?

            "In order to graduate, you will have to pass the final exam," Faragonda continued on.

            Tecna heard Amaryl di CaStelini muttering to her friends. "I haven't even unpacked yet, and she's talking about finals. Can't she wait until tomorrow? And how bad can this exam be, anyways?"

            "I'm telling you this now because you need to hear it before you take a step into the building," Faragonda interrupted. Amaryl's cheeks became a bright red. "You need to hear this so you can understand what task you're undertaking."

            Celise Esposito of Solaria raised her hand. "Um, Ms. F, what do we do? How hard do we have to study for this exam?"

            "It's not a test you can prepare for," Faragonda answered. "It is a test you'll only go through when the time is right. That may be tomorrow, a few months from now, or even on the last day of this school year. But this is the critical year, the year that you develop magical maturity. If you don't get it now, chances are, you'll never get it."

            "What exactly is this thing that we have to get?" Tecna asked, unable to bear the suspense.

            Faragonda smiled down at her. "That is Enchantix. Yes, the final fairy form," she added, as several girls let out gasps. "It is the adult form of all fairs. And it is not easily found, either. For in order to earn Enchantix, a fair must be pure of heart."

            "What do we have to do to get it?" wondered Layla.

            Faragonda frowned and assessed the group of students.

            "No more interruptions," she said sternly, in a voice most unlike her. "This is important, and you need to hear it." The whispering in the corners hushed; the headmistress continued on. "This is a test of sacrifice. In order to earn Enchantix, a fairy must sacrifice herself for a fellow citizen of her same realm. This can be in any meaningful way that would cause you to endure a loss or put yourself in danger to save someone. It will provide you with so many new powers you never had before. For those of you who pass, that is." She frowned. "For the rest of you that don't, you'll stay exactly the same as you are now."

            A babble began to break out in the quad. Stella turned towards the other girls, her eyes blazing. “As long as it's not Chimera, I'll sacrifice myself for anyone!”

            What does she even mean? Tecna had to sacrifice herself for someone from Zenith? But she wasn’t even close with any of the other Zenithian fairies on campus! Sure, she spoke with them sometimes, but it wasn’t like they had many meaningful conversations.

            "Then, as full-fledged fairies," Faragonda continued, silencing everyone with a stare, "you shall protect your realms from destruction! That shall be your responsibility, as a graduate of Alfea." She nodded at the girls, who stared at her, their mouths agape.

            "But that is enough," she continued. "Now it is time for you to go in and unpack. But don't forget what I've told you. Only those that pass shall become true fairies of their realms!"

            She dismissed everyone with a hand-wave. Everyone began to leave the quad, talking worriedly. It seemed that the atmosphere had almost instantly changed; everyone had gone from excited to anxious almost immediately.

            The other Winx girls, however, were looking hopeful. "I mean, we've faced decay monsters and Shadowhaunt and the Trix before," Stella pointed out as they walked up the steps. "How hard could it be? I'm sure we'll pass!" She began to dance around.

            "I'm not so sure about that," said Bloom, who was staring at the ground.

            "Why not?" Tecna asked, feeling tired. What's with everyone today?

            "Faragonda said we need to save someone from our realm," Bloom continued on, "but my homeworld, Domino, was destroyed. Don't you see?" Her eyes flashed. "Unless Oritel and Marion are still alive, no one will be left. And I'll never get my Enchantix!"

            Classes commenced the next day. Although it was only the first day, it was clear the teachers were putting their noses to the grindstone. Since they’d finished most of the mandatory classes in freshman and sophomore year, the classes were more specialized. Alfea scheduling was very tough for sure, considering there were so many class offerings and so few time slots. Therefore, many classes, especially the theoretical classes, were asynchronous and online. Their largest class was Battle, which every student had to take every semester; divided into two sections, there were about twenty-five students in each section. Beyond that, they were free to choose whichever classes they wished.

            Each student was also required to take a language, the same language, all six semesters at Alfea; Tecna was taking Whisperian. She knew Flora was taking Unified Zenithian, Bloom was taking Dominian, Stella was taking Unified Summian, Layla was taking Barquese (from Fulgur), Musa was taking Androsian, and Mirta was taking Unified Linphean. They were all fluent in each of the languages they’d chosen. Although, by senior year, their language classes were online, they were expected to keep up by practicing with A.I. conversation software, pen pals, and by working on independent projects.

            Languages had come easy for Stella and Layla; they’d grown up learning several languages, as expected of royals – so it wasn’t so hard to learn another. Layla spoke Androsian, the Common Tongue, Barquese (from Fulgur), Souhai (from Rêve), Magixian, Eraklyonese; Stella spoke Solarian, Lunarian, Romulan, Reman, the Common Tongue, Magixian, Eraklyonese, and now Summian. Musa had struggled with Androsian and the Common Tongue, but she had learned Whisperian easily as a child, because it was closely-related to her native language, Harmonian. Flora spoke Lunian and Unified Linphean at home, but she struggled to learn Unified Zenithian – mainly because it was so different from her native language. As for Tecna and Bloom, they’d only known their native languages and the Common Tongue upon arrival. (The Common Tongue was similar to an Earthian language called “Irish”, which Bloom had learned from her adopted parents). Bloom picked up Dominian mainly because she had an interest in Dominian culture (even before she discovered her heritage), but Tecna had struggled the most with learning Whisperian. That was because, although her computerized brain could memorize words and grammar rules, forming coherent sentences was an entirely different matter.

            Fortunately, they’d all helped each other. Tecna had helped Flora with Unified Zenithian, and Musa had helped Tecna with Whisperian. Layla was already speaking quite advanced Barquese by the time she reached Alfea, so she spent much of her time helping Musa with her Androsian. Only Stella and Bloom had no help – but as Stella already spoke eight languages, it hadn’t been so hard for her to learn Summian (she wanted to learn it as a challenge). Bloom had struggled the most with Dominian, since she only had Tutor Liesel to speak to; however, both the fake and the real Avalon had helped her achieve fluency.

            That Friday, Quintmensis 12, Tecna settled down to do some work. The work was piling up immensely; although they didn't have a set final exam, the teachers seemed determined to stuff as much information in their brains as possible. However, that was all far from Tecna's mind. She was too busy staring at the code sent to her from the lab.

            The coding was just as complex as it had been the day before. And the day before that, and the day before that… She was struggling to balance schoolwork and Vasiliev’s work at the same time. She didn’t understand why Vasiliev found it suddenly so important now.

            I wish I could know what it was, Tecna thought. What even is this we're creating? But she had absolutely no idea. Why do we need to –

            Her head suddenly began to buzz. Startled, Tecna stared as red letters shot across her vision.

            BREAKING NEWS, it read. LINPHEA IMPOSES SANCTIONS ON ZENITH.

            What? Tecna thought, startled. Linphea did what?

            She immediately went to her tablet and searched for a Magix Modern Matrix article. Let me see what it says. Scanning, she read the words silently.

            As the trade-war escalates, Linphea has placed sanctions on Zenith. As of Quintmensis 20, no magi-fruit will be sold to Zenith.

            Tecna stared at the screen in dismay. Zenith depends on Linphea for agricultural exports! Although magi-fruit wasn't an essential item, it was a favorite of the Zenithian nobility, who loved Linphea's exotic fruit-collection. This was a clear move to debase Zenith.

            "Linphea's actions are very disappointing," Premier Alexandrova said in a statement. "This realm is unable to get over its grudges towards Zenith, and is unable to negotiate with us. It will be on Queen Isabela's head when our citizens starve."

            Our citizens are anyways starving, Tecna thought. Not to mention, the situation wasn't that dire; a lack of magi-fruit wasn't going to kill anyone. Still, the premier had a very good point, as forty-three-point-four percent of Zenith's plant produce imports came from Linphea. Not a small number by any imagination. And if Linphea bans any more stuff…

            She hoped Flora hadn't seen the news yet. Already they weren’t exactly on speaking terms, and this might make Flora feel worse about Tecna. Let's hope they resolve things. She was about to go back to programming when suddenly, her cell phone bleeped.

            Frustrated, she opened it. Who is it that's calling? She gasped as she saw Timmy's caller ID appear on her screen.

            "Timmy!" she squealed as soon as she opened the phone.

            "Tecna!" Timmy grinned at her, his adorable face showing up on her screen. "How're ya doin'?"

            "I'm doing well," she lied, smiling at him. The truth was, her mind was filled with confusion. But seeing Timmy somehow made it all better.

            "Where are you?" she asked.

            "I'm right at the quad," he answered.

            Tecna started. She ran to her window and saw that he was right. He was on a hover-bike, and once he saw her, he began waving and grinning. "I'm coming," she cried, and then she transformed.

            She burst open the windows, flying down to meet him. They hugged and he grinned at her, happy to see her again.

            "It's been so long," he said, in almost a hushed voice.

            Tecna could understand the feeling. It'd been two months since they'd last spoken, and three months since they'd defeated Darkar. It felt like an age between them, like forever. "I've missed you so much," she admitted.

            Timmy turned on his hover-bike and mentioned for her to sit behind him. "Let's go out for a bit."

            Tecna hesitated. "Timmy, I've got work to do. I have this huge project which needs to be finished tonight. I – I can't."

            "You always have work," Timmy pouted. "Come on, Tec, let it go for one night. We need some catching-up time."

            "I" – Tecna stared at him. How could she say no to his puppy-dog face? Timmy was right; she needed to spend time with him, or her heart would burst. "All right," she acquiesced, sitting behind him.

            She laughed as he sped the bike out into Lake Roccaluce. The lake looked beautiful at this time of night. They dismounted and sat down at the lakeside, chatting.

            "So, how's your break been?" he asked casually, as if he hadn't been wondering the entire time.

            It was a loaded question. Tecna swallowed once, and turned to face him.

            "I have a lot of work still left over from the break," she admitted. "Mr. Vasiliev, my boss, is pushing me to finish a bunch of sets by tonight."

            "So you said," Timmy frowned. "But it can't be that bad, can it? You just have to do some programming, right?"

            "Yes," Tecna said, staring at the ground, "every spring." She squeezed her eyes shut.

            "Wait a minute, what's going on?"

            Tecna opened her eyes. Timmy was frowning at her, his eyes dark.

            "You said you have this work every spring," he said, "and that it's really hard. So"… He took in a breath. "Are you saying you work every day in the spring?”

            "Er… Tecna stared up at him. "Yes," she finally admitted.

            "That's horrible!" cried Timmy. "How can he force you to do that?" He stood up immediately. "You need to quit that job!"

            "Timmy, no!" Tecna cried. "I can't!"

            "Even if you don't say anything to him, I can," Timmy declared. "Just give me his number and I'll ring him up." He sounded more confident that he felt, though, and she knew it.

            "You don't understand," she cried.

            "Why?" Timmy asked, his voice rising. "You're not bound to him, Tecna!"

            Yes, I am, thought Tecna. In more ways than you'll ever know. Nightmarish visions passed through her head, and she nearly cried out. I can't remember that…

            Timmy stared at her, and frowned. "Tecna, what's going on?"

            "Timmy" – she stammered. He can't know… he can't know…

            "Tell me," he answered.

            "No," Tecna cried. "If I tell" – She let out a shuddering breath.

            "Tell what?" Timmy prodded on.

            Tecna closed her eyes. If I tell, I could be expelled from Alfea… But she wanted so badly to tell. She loved Timmy, and knew that he loved her, too. I can trust him. I have to. She looked up at Timmy.

            "The only other person who knows is Digit," she said, "and I didn't tell her. Digit's a techno-pixie, so… she knows what I am. But my friends… I can't tell them, or anyone else."

            "Tecna," said Timmy gently.

            "I'm not a regular fairy," she choked out. "I'm a cyborg." She watched as Timmy stared at her, completely blown away.

            "You're a… cyborg?" he said at last.

            "Yes," cried Tecna. "I was in an accident when I was very young, Timmy. And the surgeons – they completely transformed me. I'm made of flesh and bone on one side, but the other side is made of steel. Look." She extended her right arm and pulled off the fleshy covering she always put on top.

            Timmy stared in amazement as it slid off, revealing steel.

            "This is what I am," Tecna continued, her voice trembling as she held her hand up. "I have 4D-printed nerves underneath, and they all connect to a computer interface on my back. And… Timmy?" She took in a breath. "Cyborgs have a terrible status in Zenith, and I'm lucky Mr. Vasiliev even hired me. If I don't do his work, then I'll be out of a job for good."

            Timmy looked shocked. "I can't believe you didn't tell anyone! Tecna – why? Why would you keep Zenith's horrible legal system to yourself?"

            "I'm sorry," Tecna whispered. "It's not like I don't trust you. It's just… if the wrong person finds out, then I'll have to leave and go home, to a world where there's nothing but work, work, and more work. And there's no love, and I wouldn't be able to see you ever again"… She buried her face in her hands.

            Timmy came up to her and brushed her shoulder.

            "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I didn't mean to upset you. I – I'll keep your secret, Tec. I swear." His voice trembled as he spoke. "You're the most amazing person I've ever met."

            Her sobs subsided. She looked up at Timmy, and managed a smile. "Thank you," she breathed. Then she leaned over and kissed him.

            HEARTBEAT 127.3 BEATS PER MINUTE, flashed across her vision. EMOTIONAL EXCITEMENT DETECTED.

            Tecna hadn't seen that flash across her feed since last Trimensis. What is this? I'm not supposed to be doing this…

            But she didn't stop it. She couldn't, for she was with the boy she liked. She wasn't going to let anything or anyone get in her way. And so she hugged him, holding him tightly in her embrace.

            "Thanks for understanding," she choked out.

            "No, thank you," Timmy answered. "You're so awesome." He smiled at her. "Now, let's go back."

            They boarded the hoverbike and headed back to Alfea. Tecna's mind was swirling as they flew, and they landed in the quad.

            Then she saw Layla running towards Tecna, a wild look in her eyes. "Where've you been?" she demanded. "There's trouble, Tecna! We need your help!"

            "What?" Timmy demanded, climbing off the bike. "What's going on?"

            "Andros is under attack."

            "I won't allow it." Faragonda shook her head.

            "But Ms. Faragonda!" Layla protested. "My realm's under attack!"

            It was that night. The Winx, minus Flora, were in Faragonda's office. Faragonda lifted a hand to silence them, and shook her head.

            "Too many things are going on now," she said. "Until we know what force is attacking the realms, we cannot send you girls. Let the Andros authorities and UR Defense Forces take care of it first."

            If only Flora was here, Tecna thought. She’d be able to convince Faragonda. But Flora was holding office hours in the Student Leader Suite. She couldn’t be with them right now.

            "We've faced villains before!" shouted Stella, outraged. "We're not helpless little girls!"

            "I know you aren't," Faragonda said. "And I trust each and every one of you. But not now. I have a gut feeling, and I am going to honor it."

            Tecna couldn't believe what she was hearing. Gut feelings aren't rational! She stared at Faragonda.

            "If we had a sixty percent chance of getting injured at Shadowhaunt," she said, "we probably only have about ten or fifteen percent chance of injury here. Ms. Faragonda, don't you think you're being a little" –

            "I am Headmistress of Alfea, Tecna," said Faragonda. "And I don't think I need to remind you the mistakes that come with faulty calculations."

            Tecna's cheeks burned as she remembered how she'd led the other girls to attack the false Professor Avalon last year, to defend Bloom. I was right about him, though! She clenched her fists.

            "You can't go," said Faragonda, and her tone was final.

            Musa and Layla were furious as they walked down the hall, Layla most of all. "I'm not letting my people suffer!" she fumed.

            Suddenly, Stella’s phone beeped. “Brandon?” she asked in confusion, picking up the phone. “What’s going on, snookums?”

            “We heard the news about Andros,” Brandon said. “Riven and I are here. Are you going to Andros to help the situation?”

            “I wish,” Layla said grumpily. “Ms. F won’t let us do anything.”

            “Not to worry,” Riven said, sounding rather smug. “We’re experts at sneaking out spacecrafts. We’re gonna bring one to you and sneak you off to Andros.”

            “All right!” Stella cheered. “Let’s get Flo and get moving! What’re we waiting for?”

            Tecna frowned, thinking about how important Flora’s role was. There was no way Flora could miss homecoming, and there was even less a chance she could disobey a direct order from Faragonda. The other Winx clearly thought the same way.

            “I don’t know if we can get Flora,” Musa frowned. “She’s supposed to be a role model for the school.”

            “So we’re just gonna have to go without her,” Bloom said, reluctantly.

            “Wait a minute!” Tecna frowned. “We’re not even going to tell her?” That doesn’t seem fair at all!

            “Tec, if we tell Flora, she’ll have no choice but to report it to Faragonda,” Layla pointed out. “It’s better this way. I know it sucks, but” –

            “We’re wasting time,” Riven said impatiently. “Do you want to go to Andros or not?”

            Tecna sighed. Bloom faced the camera.

            “We’re going,” she declared. “Come on everyone, let’s get moving.”

            "We're now within the atmosphere," said Riven, looking over at them. "Almost there."

            Tecna frowned. So many things could go wrong… They'd slept all night on the ship, and now it was Saturday dawn in Magix City; their disappearance would be discovered soon. And they would be punished upon returning back home.

            Tecna knew they were taking a risk by going. But she also knew it didn't matter. Layla's realm was much more important than whatever punishment they'd face back at Alfea.

            But we’re leaving Flora behind. Guilt poured through Tecna as she thought of her friend, whom she hadn’t spoken to for a week now. Was it right, to treat her like this? What kind of friends were they? What kind of friend was Tecna?

            She whipped out her phone. While the others weren’t looking, she sent Flora a text, explaining what had happened. Anyways, they’d put Magix enough distance behind so they wouldn’t be forced to turn back. She hoped fervently Flora would find it in her heart to forgive them.

            She gazed down at her camouflage suit. She was wearing long pants and long sleeves, whereas the other girls were wearing camouflage crop-tops and shorts – which eliminated the whole purpose, in her opinion. They were always expected to wear camouflage on training exercises and missions. Around their waists were belts, with a set of emergency tonics each.

            “Look, there’s the outpost.” Layla pointed ahead.

            There was a small set of asteroids ahead of them. Since Riven was able to radio the diplomatic office of the Outpost of Andros (only government or UR-owned ships could pass through), they were able to fly ahead of all the other spaceships in line. They landed on a hidden asteroid, visible only from government or UR ships, and a guard came up to the spaceship window. “Can I see your IDs?”

            Each of them took out his or her UR Student ID. This ID allowed them to freely travel to any realm within the UR, though they were only allowed to travel for official school business. However, this rule could be easily circumvented at times.

            “Your Highness?” the guard stared, looking at Layla. “And Princess Stella of Solaria?” He seemed dazed.

            “We’re here on Alfea business,” Layla said firmly. “Please let us through without any further delay.”

            “Of course.” The guard pressed a button. Immediately, a small hole in the barrier appeared – the forcefield which surrounded the entire planet of Andros. Riven drove the ship through it, and they flew downwards. They were quickly able to see what it looked like on Andros below.

            “Why are there so many clouds?” Layla wanted to know. “The monsoon season only starts in Septmensis. It should be clear and hot now!”

            “Those clouds look nasty!” Stella exclaimed.

            She was right, Tecna realized. The clouds were obviously thunderclouds – and it seemed like more than a thunderstorm. Layla looked at the dashboard, saying, “We are headed towards the Fortress of Andros, right?”

            “Yes,” Timmy frowned, “but there’s a problem. These clouds are too strong!”

            Tecna frowned as well. "I'll do a digi-scan," she offered, pulling out her portable device. She tapped a few buttons, connecting it to the Internet in Andros.

            HIGH WEATHER ALERT, her brain feed flashed across her vision. MAJOR STORM WATCH ON OLYMPUS ISLANDS.

            Tell me something I don't know, Tecna thought irritably, sending a wave of techno-magic to connect her internal computer into her device. Then she pointed it towards the clouds, sending it towards the glass and into the clouds.

            HIGH-ENERGY STATIC CLOUDS, the reading came back to her. LOWEST CLOUDS ONLY SIXTY-EIGHT HUNDRED METERS ABOVE SEA LEVEL. LIKELY MAGICALLY INDUCED.

            Just as I suspected, Tecna thought. She turned towards Riven and frowned. "These clouds have been magically induced," she said.

            "What?" Layla leapt up in alarm. “It must be a Fulgurian person!”

            Fulgur was the realm of weather; only a Fulgurian person could control aspects of the weather. But the average Fulgurian could only manipulate present weather conditions, not change them. (Stormy had Fulgurian blood, but even she could only create small twisters and create lighting out of electrical currents). Not only had someone created a storm, but that someone had created a monster storm all around this area – so powerful, it was interfering with radio activity. It’s some kind of enchantment – and a powerful one at that!

            "That means someone’s close by!" yelled Musa.

            "I say we go out now, and figure out what's going on," Stella said.

            "Hold it!" Riven shouted. "You girls are not going anywhere!"

            "Those clouds are too dangerous," Brandon added. "It's too close for you to go."

            "We'll just shield ourselves, then," Layla said, skewering him and Riven with dagger eyes. "What are you implying? That we girls aren't strong enough to go on our own?"

            "Woah, woah!" said Brandon, holding his hands out defensively. "I didn't say that, did I?"

            "You kinda did, snookums," said Stella, affectionately tapping him on the shoulder.

            Layla's eyes seemed to burn with fire as she glared at Riven. "You boys always think you're stronger than us."

            Well, we do have forty-three-point-eight percent less muscle-mass on average, thought Tecna. What's up with Layla? Riven sighed and threw his hands down.

            "Fine," he said, "go. Just don't blame us when you get zapped and fried."

            The ship lower-compartment door opened. The girls transformed and flew towards the storm. Musa closed her eyes.

            "I'll set up a sonic shield," she said.

            "Add that to my digital web," Tecna added. The two girls converged their powers, creating a bubble around them.

            "Let's hit it, then!" Bloom yelled. The six girls flew together, into the clouds.

            "This cloud is insane!" yelled Stella. "It's too strong for us!"

            All six screamed as they were blasted down apart. Tecna cried out as she burst through the cloud, the ground approaching at an alarming rate.

            "No!" she shouted, transforming instinctively. She looked at the other girls and saw they were unable to catch the air with their wings. Tecna’s triangular wings were the strongest out of all the Winx’s, which was why the other girls were free-falling through the sky. Her computerized brain was already calculating how long it’d take for them to hit the ground.

            I don’t have time for that! She saw the remains of a metallic Internet tower lying ahead of them. Metal… my element! Breaking off a piece of it, she manipulated the hard metal into soft strands, and immediately created a net. The other girls hit it, gasping in relief.

            “That’s like, a majorly hard spell!” Stella gasped. “That’s so impressive! And you did it so quickly, too! Thanks for saving us, Tec!”

            “It was nothing,” Tecna said modestly. Truth to be told, had she not had a computerized brain, that spell would’ve been impossible. Her brain had already calculated the length of the strands, to what degree to soften the material, and how to avoid the electrified power cables. I guess that’s one advantage of being a cyborg… not that I can tell anyone.

            Then she heard laughter. Loud and high, it came unmistakably from above them. She gasped as she recognized who it was. Oh no…

            "The Trix!" yelled Bloom. "I'd recognize that laugh anywhere!"

            "How'd they bust outta Omega?" Musa demanded, clenching her fists.

            Tecna grabbed her device, recalibrating it to sense them. They must be hiding in the clouds… She gasped in alarm as a warning popped up on her screen.

            "Right above us!" she yelled. "They're about to attack!"

            The Winx gasped in alarm and flew to the side. Shielded by a bubble, Icy, Darcy, and Stormy flew down, cackling.

            "You three!" Bloom gasped, firing at them. "It was you who caused the storm!"

            "Let's get 'em," Layla said grimly. Bloom nodded, and began addressing the girls.

            "Stella and Musa, you go after Darcy," she said. "Tecna, deal with Stormy. Layla and I will take Icy down!" She and Layla linked hands, flying towards the Witch of Ice.

            Wish Flora was here, Tecna thought with a pang. They would’ve worked well together, especially against Stormy. The storm-witch flew towards her, her teeth bared.

            "Don't think this is going to be easy," she said. "I'm not giving up."

            "Well, neither am I!" Tecna snapped back. She shot a spell at Stormy. "Metallic attack!"

            A steel railing on the beach broke off, flying towards the witch. Stormy smirked, then gasped with shock and rage as the metal melded, forming a sheet around her body. She fell down, gasping.

            Tecna looked over and saw that Musa and Stella had defeated Darcy, and she had fallen to the ground. Icy, on the other wing, was still just as strong as ever.

            "No!" she yelled, and a blast of cold energy shot across the islands. The metal was blasted off of Stormy. Stormy smirked as she flew up, facing Tecna again.

            "Don't think we're giving up that easily," Tecna snapped, her hands filling with electrical energy she’d harnessed from the air. "Not until you dismantle the storm you created!"

            "She didn't create the storm," a voice said behind her. Tecna gasped as a wave of energy hit her, and she toppled to the ground. The hit was like a punch in the guts, and she winced, turning around on her back and staring up.

            "I did," the voice continued. Tecna stared in horror as a man emerged from the clouds, smiling.

            He had long colorless hair and stormy gray eyes. His hair was smooth rather than static and his eyes were devoid of an electric spark – definitely not a trait of a Fulgurian. He was grinning deviously. The Trix flew up to join him, laughing as well.

            "I am Valtor," he announced as he flew down. "Destroyer of realms, creator of chaos.” He bowed.

            "You"… Bloom stared at him, at a loss for words. "I saw you on Solaria!"

            She did? thought Tecna, irritation rising up inside of her. Why does no one tell me anything? The wizard was smirking as well.

            "Oh yes," he said. "I saw you too." He flew towards Layla, who glared at him contemptuously. "Greetings, Princess of Andros."

            "I'm not afraid of you," Layla spat back. "I fought shadow-monsters and the Shadow Phoenix himself last spring! Clear out and remove these clouds!"

            "You're not in a position to bargain, my princess," Valtor drawled, and the Trix laughed maniacally. "Your attitude is rather unbecoming, I must say."

            "Shut up!" Layla slammed him with an attack, her strongest Charmix jinx.

            But Valtor simply caught the magical orb in his hand. Tecna gasped out loud at his sheer power, and he turned towards Layla, his eyes blazing.

            "Princess of Andros! Meet your fate with dignity! I have already taken the relics and enchantments of Melody, Solaria, Fulgur, and now Andros! Once I take over this galaxy, you shall forever be a reminder to all of what happens if they dare to confront I, the wizard Valtor!" He turned her spell against her, combined with his own magical energy, and shot it straight into her eyes.

            Layla screamed as she was blasted to the ground. Musa hollered in alarm and flew down to her friend.

            "Layla!" she yelled.

            The Trix and Valtor were laughing. "Later, losers," Icy crooned. With a snap of Valtor's fingers, the four of them vanished.

            "What happened?" Bloom demanded as they flew down to Layla.

            Layla stared blankly at them, and Tecna was shocked at what she saw. What had once been two vibrant, sky-blue eyes were now clouded and misty. Almost as if she's –

            "Blind," Layla said, finishing her thought. “I can't see anything! What are we gonna do?”

            This is horrible! Tecna realized. We should never have left Magix, especially not without Flora! Flora was the only one of them who knew healing charms. What are we going to do?

“Don’t worry, Lay!” Musa shouted. “I’ve got a few tonics here!” She detransformed into a camouflage outfit.

All Alfea and Cloud Tower students were required to wear camouflage when they were on missions. Cloud Tower students always wore tight camouflage suits (similar to Tecna’s), which many of them complained were stuffy. Alfea students had both summer wear and winter wear. In the winter, they wore fur-lined camouflage (vegan fur for the vegetarian/vegan students) and tall hiking boots. They were in summer camouflage now, so all the other girls wore camouflage crop-tops and short-shorts – in Tecna’s opinion, this defeated the whole point of camouflage! She was perfectly happy to keep the “stuffy” suit on all year, even in the summer.

They were also required to wear a belt, which held a number of healing and endurance tonics. Bloom, Stella, Layla, Sky, and Brandon had used them extensively in their first mission to Shadowhaunt, and the Winx (minus Bloom) and four Specialists had also used them in plenty on the second trip. Musa pulled out an orange tonic, which she gave to Layla.

“Good thinking, Muse!” Bloom called as Layla downed the tonic.

Nothing happened. Layla opened her eyes wide, but they were still misty. “I can sense this is a powerful hex,” she gasped. “That potion is only for middle-grade healing! What’re we gonna do?”

How will we save Andros? This was looking worse and worse by the minute. We have to get ourselves out of –

Musa looked towards the shore in alarm. "Um, guys, incoming!"

Three mutants were approaching them. Their eyes were menacing, and they had wide, feral teeth. What are those? For a second, she imagined seeing a ‘V’ shape on their necks, some kind of brand, but she couldn’t make out. They shot towards them, pointing their spears.

"RUN!" Musa shouted, grabbing Layla's hand and flying her away. Stella shot an attack towards them. "Take that, you jerks!" she yelled.

But nothing happened; the mutants didn't seem at all fazed by their attacks. If anything, they just made them angrier. Stella stared back in horror.

"How is that possible?" she yelled.

"I don't know, Stel!" Bloom answered. "Come on, let's get out of here before" –

THWACK! A discus slammed into the mutants, felling them and forcing them to the ground. A pink-haired boy caught the discus, and turned towards them with a smirk. "Miss us?" he asked.

"Riven!" yelled Musa. "Am I glad to see you!"

"What did you do?" Bloom asked, staring at the mutants.

"He stunned them," Brandon answered. "We found docking for the ship near the palace, and spoke with some of the guards. Turns out those mutants are actually merfolk, hexed by this wizard guy to turn on their own people!"

"What?" cried Layla. "My own people? Valtor's done this to them?"

"Oh, so that's his name?" Riven snorted. "He's a nasty piece of work, if you ask me. We should've never let you girls go out by yourselves – clearly you couldn't handle him."

Musa glared at him. "Never mind, I take that back"…

"Layla!" a voice called. Layla turned in the direction of the voice, wincing.

"Tressa!" she called.

A mermaid girl, about their age, rose to the surface. She wore a blue seaweed Androsian dress, studded with pearls, which added shimmer to her pale blue tail. Pearls were at her ears and throat. She wore a bright red headscarf, which contrasted nicely with her blue attire. In fact, Tecna knew exactly who this girl was: she was a close family friend to Layla, as well as the princess of the undersea kingdom of Tides. Layla’s father and this girl’s father were childhood friends, and had sworn themselves as honorary brothers; therefore, Tressa was Layla’s honorary cousin. All this Tecna knew because Layla talked about Tressa and her brothers all the time; as a lonely princess, visiting her cousins had been the most exciting part of her childhood. Tressa stared at Layla in horror.

"What happened to your eyes?" she gasped. "Did Valtor hex them, like he did to everyone else?"

"Yes!" cried Layla. "What's happening, Tress? What can we do?"

“Well, Valtor's taken the Realm Wide Web down,” Tressa answered. “He created this horrible storm that kills wildlife and creates havoc. Then, he turned the merfolk into his servants. We estimate about one hundred civilians and half the Royal Guard are under his command! Not only that, but the relics – the relics are Andros are with him!”

“What?” the Winx cried. Tecna felt her heart drop.

“They’re gone!” Tressa cried. “They’re gone, and Andros can no longer defend herself. It’s terrible!”

"Where're Uncle Neptune and Aunt Ligea?" Layla demanded.

"My family's imprisoned," Tressa said sadly. "I'm the only one who escaped – oh!" She threw her hands over her eyes.

"I'm a coward," she wailed. "I fled when I was needed the most! I failed to save my brothers, my parents, everyone" –

"Don't you worry, Tressa," said Layla. "We'll get them back."

"We sure will!" added Bloom.

"Let's go and find them," added Stella.

Tecna stared at them in alarm. "Hold on – we need some kind of plan! In this case, an unplanned ambush is”… she paused for her calculations to work… “thirty-three-point-five percent more likely to fail than a planned one.”

“What could we possibly do to plan?” Stella asked.

"We got overconfident before," Tecna pointed out. "Because of that, he was able to put the hex on Layla's eyes."

"That's what I said before, and no one listened to me," Riven added. Musa hissed at him.

"Cut it out!" she yelled. "Tec, I don't see what plan we can come up with."

"He blinded you completely?" Tressa asked, staring at Layla in horror. "Well, once we free my mother, she can heal you. She has a coral scepter with healing powers. Don't worry, she'll heal you in no time."

Just then, the mutants woke up. They turned towards the girls, snapping and snarling.

"Okay, Tecna, here's our plan!" Bloom said. "Specialists, you fight the mutants. Girls, let's go find Queen Ligea!"

"Get going!" Brandon yelled as he drew his sword.

This can't end well, Tecna thought uneasily as Layla created water-repelling bubbles for their heads. They swam down into the water, following Tressa into the sea's depths.

Swimming was a lot harder than flying. Tecna continually gasped for air as she burrowed down into the depths, wincing at the coldness of the water. Will our attacks even work down here?

"There's the prison," said Tressa in a hushed voice. "But the Kraken… it's there."

"Kraken?" asked Musa, puzzled. "What's that?"

"It's an undersea monster," said Layla, before Tecna could look it up in her computerized brain. "It’s used by royal families of undersea kingdoms to keep guard of their palaces. It looks like the Kraken has turned against the family and gone under Valtor's command."

That can't be good, thought Tecna nervously. Her heart beat wildly as the ground began to shake.

A monster with eight tentacles appeared, bellowing menacingly. It had plum-colored skin and tongues the color of vomit. Stella let out a yell.

"Eww!" she said. "Tressa, I don't think mermaids have good taste in guard!"

"The Kraken is only summoned in times of need!" Tressa protested. "It's never summoned like this. I – oh, no!"

The Kraken lunged at them, grabbing Layla around the waist. Layla let out a yell as she was dragged into the sea.

No! Tecna stared at it. You picked the weakest one of us! That isn't fair!

"After her!" Bloom yelled.

"Wait!" cried Tressa. "What about my family?"

"You go and free them," Bloom answered. "We'll buy you some time and keep the Kraken busy!"

The Winx swam furiously into the water, but the Kraken was much, much faster. They panted as they swam, rushing towards it.

"I can transport us there!" Stella said, grabbing the Ring of Solaria and transforming it into the Scepter. "Take us!" The Winx appeared in front of the Kraken, glaring at it.

"Sonic blast!" yelled Musa.

"Digital zap!" cried Tecna.

The spells momentarily stunned the Kraken; other than that, they did nothing. The Winx stared at each other in horror.

"No way!"

"Layla, we're not giving up on you!"

Tecna closed her eyes, and focused her power. "Digital web!" A web appeared in front of the monster. It let out an even fiercer bellow.

Tecna watched in horror as the digital web broke apart. The monster turned around and advanced on them, snarling.

"Oh no!" yelled Stella. "Looks like it wants us next!" She transformed the Scepter back into the Ring; it was too bulky to wield underwater.

"Fire arrow!" yelled Bloom.

But her Dragon Fire was noticeably much weaker underwater, and it had little effect on the Kraken. In fact, all their powers were weak. The Kraken advanced on them, glaring and snarling.

What are we going to do? thought Tecna helplessly. Are we all going to become Kraken food now?

"No!" a voice shouted. A mermaid, carrying a sword, was charging towards them. She slashed off three of the Kraken's tentacles, including the one that was holding Layla. Tecna, being closest to Layla at that moment, swam forward and grabbed her hand.

"Tressa!" the girls shouted in relief. "Queen Ligea!"

The queen smiled at all of them. "Thank you for your bravery," she said. "Thanks to you, my Tressa found that bravery within her as well" –

"I say we get outta here before that monster wakes up!" Musa yelled. "Let's go!"

The Winx all sped up through the cave's opening, fighting against gravity as they fled upwards. Tecna held firmly onto Layla's hand, pulling her up.

They all made it out of the cracks, and Tecna breathed a sigh of relief. Okay, now we can get to the shore…

"My mother promised she'll use her healing coral gem for you," Tressa said.

"Thank you, Queen Ligea," breathed Layla. "But what about King Neptune, Prince Nereus, and Prince Tritannus? What happened to them?"

Queen Ligea smiled sadly. "It'll take more than just the seven of us to free them. They are guarded much more heavily than I, by mutants and the Kraken alike. The king of Andros will have to sponsor a mission to free them. But in the meantime, we must hurry to cure Layla's eyesight. I know of an island that is not yet inhabited by thunderclouds, but will be by tomorrow morning. But we must go now, for we only have until the last rays of twilight. Once the clouds take over the entire realm, the sun will not rise on Andros until the storm is gone."

"Then we'd better hurry!" Panting, Bloom pushed herself through the water, with Stella and Musa following close behind. Tecna and Layla swam at a slower pace. Tressa and the queen were faster swimmers, being mermaids, but they remained in the rear to watch out for any danger, as their attack spells were strong underwater.

Tecna looked up and saw the surface ahead. "Is that the island right there?" she asked.

"Yes," affirmed the queen. "That's the island we're looking for."

"Stella, do you think you can transport us there?" she asked. “According to my calculations, it’s close enough for the ring to transport us.”

"It sure is!" said Stella, grabbing her Ring, which was on her finger again. "Good thinking, Tec" –

Suddenly, a roar sounded from below. Tecna and Layla gasped in alarm. "What is that?" cried Layla.

Tecna cried in alarm as she came face-to-face with the Kraken. It looked even more monstrous than before – the plum skin was even more revolting and the follicles on its body were huge. They were a snot-green, still growing and growing, even more terrifying than before. Tecna could only stare as it lifted its tentacles, ready to lash –

Suddenly, Tecna was shoved out of the way! She heard a THWACK sound, and then Bloom grabbed her, steadying Tecna again. Tecna stared in horror as she saw Queen Ligea, sinking to the floor!

“No!” Tressa shouted. She and Musa grabbed the queen’s motionless body, staring in horror as the Kraken drew up again. Stella instantly expanded her Ring into her Scepter.

"Transport us!" she yelled. In a matter of seconds, the six girls and the mermaid queen were transported to the surface.

Queen Ligea was right – the island wasn't taken over by darkness. But only a few sun rays shone from the horizon, and it would only be a matter of time before the sun disappeared completely.

"The wound the Kraken dealt is fatal," Tressa sobbed.

Tecna looked over and saw the queen with alarm. She was slowly dying, her breath becoming shallower and shallower by the minute. She stared in alarm, and backed up slowly.

That would’ve been me. Or it could’ve been one of the others, or even Tressa – if Queen Ligea hadn’t taken the blow for her, she’d probably be dead. Suddenly, she felt so foolish for ever coming with the Winx on this pointless mission. She stared in horror as Queen Ligea convulsed at the water’s surface.

Instantly, guilt overtook her as she thought of Flora. Flora, who’d never done them any wrong. How could she have ignored her? How could she have left her like that, refusing to even talk to her friend? What if she’d lost her on this mission?

I can’t treat her like this. She had to make up for what she’d done, had to make it up to Flora. But in the meantime, Queen Ligea was dying before their eyes. “What’re we going to do?” she asked helplessly.

Layla took the scepter from Tressa and held it.

"I can feel there's only enough power to heal one of us," she said. "I'm going to heal the queen." Her blind eyes flashed. "Even if darkness descends all over Andros and I never get my eyesight back again, I will not let Aunt Ligea die. Fear not, Tressa. Your mother will live!" She held the coral scepter high in the air, then lowered it to the queen's heart.

Queen Ligea gasped as color began to return to her face. The wound on her backside stitched itself, and she breathed normally again. She opened her eyes and saw Layla.

"Thank you"… she murmured.

"You saved her!" cried Tressa. "Thank you so much, Layla!"

As she spoke, a white light descended on Layla. Tecna gasped as Layla let go of her hand and was drawn up to the sky.

"What's happening?" gasped Stella.

A blinding flash shined over her. The Winx gasped, closing their eyes at its brilliance. When it was over, they stared up, amazed at what had just happened.

Layla was hovering in midair. She was wearing a green, pink, and purple top, and a striped green, pink, and purple skirt. A lime-green band had wound its way around her throat, with a purple-and-pink pouch. She wore lime-green barefoot sandals, and her hair had been done up with a purple net. She had lime-green wings, more colorful and ornate than they'd ever been before.

"Layla – you got your Enchantix!" Musa gasped.

"Way to go!" Stella cheered. "We've only had a week of classes, and you kicked that final exam's butt!"

But Tecna could tell something was still wrong. She frowned as she stared up at Layla's eyes, her milky white eyes. And then, she knew immediately what the problem was.

“She still can’t see,” she gasped.

“What?” Stella looked horrified. “How’re we gonna” –

“You’re not going anywhere.”

Tecna whirled around. The Trix had appeared, and were laughing maniacally at the girls. She backed up in horror, saying, “How’d they get here?”

“Look!” Musa shouted in horror.

The Kraken had appeared, sticking its head out of the water. It swam towards Queen Ligea, but before it could hit her, Darcy patted its head.

“Don’t attack the useless mermaid queen,” she crooned. “We need her alive.”

“You!” Stella looked disgusted. “You love disgusting, slimy creatures! We should’ve known!”

“Yes, you should’ve,” Icy smirked. “Not very smart, are we?”

Suddenly, seven of the eight tentacles burst forward, one for each of them. Tecna cried out as the Kraken wrapped its tentacle around her body, and she lay helpless, unable to fight. Icy, Darcy, and Stormy laughed.

“Let’s go,” Icy said. “Valtor is waiting for you.”

Chapter Text

CHAPTER 7: START A MOVEMENT

            The next morning, Flora woke up slowly, her eyes focusing. Her pink bedspread greeted her, soft and gentle against her body. The day was starting, and she felt more vibrant than ever. She leapt out of bed, and, with a flick of her fingers, changed from her blue nightgown to a white top with a dark pink skirt. She stood up, ready to go on her morning walk and start her meditation.

            Then she frowned, staring across the room. Bloom’s bed was completely empty, and it didn’t look like it’d been slept in. Her pajamas weren’t on the bed, either. Come to think of it, she hadn’t seen Bloom last night – or any of the other girls, for that matter. However, she’d been too tired from her meeting with the freshmen to investigate any further. Only Chatta and Lockette were in the room, sleeping side-by-side on Bloom’s dresser. She crept out of the room, knocking on the other doors.

            “Layla? Stella?” she called uncertainly. Pushing the door open, she let out a gasp.

            There was no one there, except for Piff and Amore. Neither of those beds had been slept in, either; the two princesses had clearly gone out. She checked Tecna and Musa’s room, but only Digit and Tune were inside. A bad feeling settled in Flora’s gut.

            What happened? Where had the other girls gone? And why hadn’t they taken her with them?

            She ran to her phone. And then she saw the message, her heart nearly stopping. It was from Tecna.

            I’m sorry we had to do this, but Andros is under attack. Since you were occupied with the meeting, the other girls and I rushed on a spaceship to Andros so we could help out. We did it without Faragonda’s permission. Tell the pixies we’re okay.

~Tecna

            Flora gasped aloud. Why did they go? How foolish could the other girls be? What should I do? Should I tell?

            She had no choice. Heading down the hallway, she walked past the other seniors’ apartments, straight towards the headmistress’s office and sleeping quarters. She soon passed by the freshmen’s apartments as well. Turning round the corner, she froze.

            Eris, Mariza, and Lorie were standing together, smirking. Eris was speaking to them, but her voice was loud enough for Flora to pick up.

            “Just wait until the hag screws up,” she said. “At the slightest provocation, I’ll report her back to my parents. They’ll have her expelled in no time.”

            “That’ll make her flower friend sad,” Lorie laughed. “She doesn’t deserve to be Head Girl. Stupid Linphean, that’s what she is.”

            “Her planet is so backwards,” Mariza added. “Just commoners, that’s what they are.”

            Flora’s blood began to boil – not at what they were saying about her, but what they were saying about Mirta. Technically, she couldn’t report them for this – they weren’t threatening violence or bullying right now. Nonetheless, she was not going to let them get away with this. “Hello,” she said coolly, stepping out from the corridor.

            The blood drained from Mariza and Lorie’s faces, and they stepped back, scared. Eris, however, wasn’t affected. “What’re you gonna do?” she sneered. “Snitch on us?”

            “Not this time,” Flora answered, forcing herself to keep her voice even. “But I’ll be watching you.” She turned down the hall, heading towards the headmistress’s office.

            She couldn’t worry about Eris right now – not when her friends could potentially be in danger. She rang Faragonda’s doorbell and the surprised “Come in!” called from within. Flora stepped into the office.

            Faragonda was emerging from the door to her bedroom, which led into the office. “Flora?” she said. “Is there something urgent?”

            “My friends,” Flora said quickly. “They’re in trouble.” She explained everything to Faragonda.

            Faragonda listened in silence. When Flora was finished, she frowned. “Let me put your worries at ease – I will figure out a way to help them. But in the meantime, we must pretend as if everything is normal. Don’t say a word about this to any of the other girls. My presence will be expected at homecoming tonight, but I’ll have something figured out by tomorrow morning.”

            “Tomorrow morning?” Flora gasped. “We need to help them immediately!”

            “No, I will help them,” Faragonda answered severely. “I cannot let you get in harm’s way.”

            Why isn’t she telling us anything? What was really going on here? Flora wanted to ask, but something in Faragonda’s expression didn’t invite further questions. “Okay,” she mumbled.

            “Thank you.” Faragonda’s voice became bright again, as if nothing had happened. “Now remember, homecoming is today. Make sure all the preparations are in-order.”

            With a sinking heart, Flora remembered how she’d spent the whole week preparing for homecoming, on top of all her coursework. She and Jared had gone to Magix and had food catered, and had gotten a committee to decorate the Great Hall. It was now looking just as festive as ever. But why are we celebrating, when there’s so much wrong right now?

            “Get ready,” Faragonda advised Flora. “I know you’re worried about your friends, but for now, I want you to relax. You’ve worked so hard this past month. Please, you have to remember the rest of Alfea now. Your duty is not to your friends alone.”

            She’s right, Flora realized. “Okay,” she nodded. Faragonda rose.

            “Now go set up,” she said. “The party will start tonight.”

            That night, Flora stood in the Great Hall, wearing a similar peach dress to the one she’d worn to Stella’s Princess Ball, only it was knee-length, not full-length. She gazed around at the hall, taking it all in with admiration.

            There were several tables set up, decorated with Quintmensis flowers and Eraklyonese jewels. Wreaths of flowers hung over the windows, and ribbons were tied to the ceiling. Priscilla’s handmade vases were beautiful; as an artesana, she made several of these bouquets every month, and sold them to students at Alfea. Morphgel balloons hung to the ceiling, and glittering lights hovered in the air. It looked absolutely magical.

            Alfea always hosted the parties, and Red Fountain students always came over for homecoming and prom. The boys had already arrived, and everyone was cheerfully hanging out, laughing and chatting. Flora stood next to Mirta, smiling.

            “You look beautiful,” she said, gazing at her indigo pantsuit. Mirta smiled back.

            “I’m happy we can do this together,” she said. “Even if we – well, we can’t declare ourselves as dates.”

            “I know,” Flora sighed, feeling slightly saddened. But she knew this was for the best. “How was your first week of classes?”

            “Hard,” Mirta sighed. “Wizkiz’s really piling up the work. But the others are really nice. My roommates – Nova, Galatea, Alice, Jade, and Clarice – they’re cool.”

            “That’s nice!” Chatta flew towards them, wearing a blue dress with matching blue heels. “It’s always great to have good friends!”

            “I’m glad,” Flora smiled. “I can’t wait for the party to” –

            “To kick out the hag?” a jeering voice called ahead of them. Eris and her friends stood in front of Flora and Mirta, smirking; to her dismay, Flora saw more girls behind her. What if they overheard us talking about dating? She glared coolly at Eris.

            “This is homecoming,” she said. “It’s a time for all students to have a good time together. I am telling you to” –

            “Save your breath, Head Girl,” Eris laughed. “You wouldn’t even make a good plant. Where do you think you can be a good leader?”

            Flora closed her eyes, praying for patience. Although she wanted nothing more than to slap Eris with a good old-fashioned jinx, she knew, as Head Girl, she had to set a proper example. “Please step away,” she said calmly. Eris laughed.

            “‘Please’?” she sneered. “I don’t think so.”

            “Shut up!” Chatta fired up. “You mean, cruel witch-hater! You should be expelled!”

            “I’m not the one who needs to be expelled,” Eris said hatefully. “I’m not leaving till this hag is” –

            “Is there a problem?” an unfamiliar voice interrupted. Flora turned around, and all breath left her body as she stared forward.

            A woman with a tiered green dress and a floral cape was walking out of a doorway, her eyes bright. Her long purple hair was styled to her waist, and she wore pink and purple flowers around her dress – the colors of Linphea. A crown of olive branches was in her hair, complete with shining roses. There could be no doubt who she was.

            “Your Majesty,” Flora stammered, curtsying low. Even Chatta fell silent. Mirta and the pixie stared up at the woman, and then they too bowed.

            The other students turned around to look. Their eyes grew wide as they saw the queen of Linphea, with Faragonda tailing her proudly. The headmistress smiled as she gazed at the girls.

            “This is Her Royal Majesty, Queen Isabela of Linphea,” she said. “As you all know, I work with all the sovereigns of each realm, but Her Majesty here is also a very good friend of mine. She has decided to come on a visit to Alfea with her daughter, Her Royal Highness, Princess Cristina of Linphea.”

            All eyes turned to a young girl, about twelve years of age, who wore a yellow dress with green flowers. Her expression appeared shy as she gazed at the Alfea students, her lavender hair falling loosely to her waist. Flora walked up to her and smiled.

            “Welcome to Alfea, Your Highness,” she said, extending her hand. “My name is Flora.”

            “Shake her hand,” Queen Isabela told the shy girl. Cristina’s small hand took Flora’s slender one, and she stared up at her. The queen gazed at Flora.

            “You’re the Head Girl,” she said. “It’s good to have a Linphean representing Alfea.”

            “It is,” Flora agreed, turning around to gaze at Mirta and the others. Eris had all but slunk away, and had turned towards the exit, her black dress trailing behind her. “This is my friend, Mirta Nakamura – and my bonded pixie, Chatta Ramanujan.”

            “Indeed,” Queen Isabela nodded, “Flora Fernández, great-granddaughter of Grande Sacerdotisa Iztel Fernández. Granddaughter of Rosada Fernández and daughter of Sacniete Fernández. You are from the village Yuritzi, in the province of Lunia, and the first member of your sacerdotal family to become a warrior. I’m pleased to meet you.”

            “Y-yes,” Flora answered, her voice startled. How does she know this much about me? She knew Bisabuela was the high priestess at the Temple of the City of Trees, and occasionally saw Queen Isabela, but she hadn’t imagined the queen actually knew who she was. The matriarch smiled down at Cristina.

            “My daughter will be attending Alfea in a few years,” she said. “She is the Fairy of Pollination. She is very excited to start her journey.” She looked at Flora. “Do you have any advice for her?”

            “Always follow your heart,” Flora said at once. “Be with the friends you love, and with the people who care for you. Never be afraid to express yourself for who you are. Above all, be open and kind.” A pang shot through her heart as she thought about the people she loved, her friends, who were on Andros.

            I can’t do anything for them. She had to focus on her role, which was right now and right here. She smiled down at Cristina, who looked at her with wide eyes.

            “It was overwhelming for me when I started,” she said quietly. “But I made the best friends possible. I’ve defeated criminals with them and had a great time learning here at Alfea. Coming here has been the best experience I’ve ever had – and I’m sure it’ll be the same for you as well.”

            “I hope so,” Cristina responded shyly. Queen Isabela nodded to Flora.

            “Well said,” she answered. “And what about you?” She raised her eyes at Mirta.

            “Well, I would say to, um, not worry so much about what others think of you,” Mirta said awkwardly. “Don’t let anyone get in your way. Stand up for what’s right, even if others think it’s wrong.”

            “And I say eat pie!” Chatta cheered. “The pies here are delicious!” She held out a pixie-sized cherry pie, and shoved the whole thing into her mouth.

            “Interesting,” Queen Isabela mused. “Very interesting.”

            What’s interesting? Flora thought. Mirta, looking more comfortable now, smiled at the princess. “You’re gonna be a great fairy, Your Highness.”

            “My friends call me Cristal,” the princess answered.

            “Oh, she likes you,” Queen Isabela laughed. “You are free to call her by her preferred name.” She turned around. “Thank you, Flora Fernández, Mirta Nakamura, and Chatta Ramanujan.” She headed down the hall with Cristal to talk to other students.

            “What was all that?” Chatta asked what all three of them were thinking.

            “I don’t know,” Flora answered. “But she seems really down-to-earth for, well, a queen.” Her voice grew confident. “Now come on. Let’s enjoy the rest of the night.”

            The two of them and Chatta headed towards the outside, where the pleasant Quintmensis air was blowing. There was no one guarding the front entrance. They walked out onto the fields, where other girls and their boyfriends were standing, and headed straight into the forest together.

            “This is so nice,” Mirta grinned. “I’m so happy to spend time with just you, Flora.”

            “Yeah!” Chatta cheered. “The three of us, together! It’ll be fun!”

            They’d reached the lake. The stars blinked sleepily over them, and the lake expanded ahead, dark and deep and beautiful. The moonlight illuminated the flowers and the greenery, which were the most beautiful parts of Roccaluce Forest. Mirta turned around and faced Flora, her eyes bright and her face stretched into a smile.

            “All alone,” she laughed. “No one’s here to bother us.”

            Not many other girls spent much time in the forest, Flora knew. At least, not as much as she did. Before the curfew, she’d gone on morning strolls through Roccaluce Forest, Gloomy Woods’ Forest, and even the Black Mud Swamp. It wasn’t the same as Linphea, but it was still beautiful. She smiled as she gazed at Mirta.

            “Yes,” she murmured. “We can do whatever we’d like.”

            “I’m tired,” Chatta yawned, lying on a patch of moss. “Goodnight, you guys.”

            “Goodnight,” Flora said gently. Chatta was only fourteen, after all; she needed more sleep than the rest of them. Anyhow, this let her spend more quality time with Mirta. She gasped as Mirta grabbed her shoulders, pushing her onto the ground.

            Flora’s heart raced as Mirta lay atop her, stroking her hair. Their lips met, and they made out for as long as they could. No words needed to be said; they were together now. Everything could wait – Andros could wait, the Winx could wait, Eris could wait. They eventually collapsed together on the soft grass, their limbs intertwined.

            Dawn soon came, and Flora awoke. It was a very peaceful morning, and the dew was welcoming against her skin. So as not to wake her up, she gently disentangled herself from Mirta, and gave the sleeping Chatta a gentle kiss on her head. She walked out towards the grove, staring around.

            The flowers were in full bloom now. They looked even more beautiful here than they had in the Alfea Great Hall, and Flora knelt down to admire them. If only the other Winx were here to admire them with me. Her heart grew sad as she thought of them, how they were still on Andros.

            Will they be okay? She hoped fervently they were fine, and would return to Alfea soon. She couldn’t bear it if something happened to them now! She swallowed, sitting on the ground.

            Suddenly, her phone rang shrilly. Startled, Flora opened her phone, staring as she saw Faragonda’s caller ID on her screen. She immediately picked up, asking, “Headmistress?”

            “Flora,” Faragonda’s worried face appeared. “I wanted to let you know I’m taking a ship to Andros to rescue your friends. Please, come back to Alfea to meet with myself and Ms. Griselda. She and you will be in-charge of assisting the student population while I’m gone.”

            “You’re rescuing my friends?” Flora gasped. “So you figured something out?”

            “I am going right now,” Faragonda answered. “Come to my office. Immediately.”

            “I’m coming,” Flora answered instantly. She wrote a short text-message to Mirta and Chatta, and then ran out of the clearing. Her heart beat fast as she thought of her friends on Andros, facing this secretly-shrouded danger.

            What’s going to happen to them now?

            Flora burst into Faragonda’s room, not even bothering to knock. Immediately, Faragonda and Griselda stopped talking and turned towards her. It looked like they were in some kind of argument.

            “Thank you for coming,” Faragonda said to Flora. “Now, I need you and Ms. Griselda to keep on-top of everything. Griselda will oversee daily functions and continue to work with the professors in my absence. She will also tighten security so the curfew is enforced. You will hold extra office-hours for the students. Reassure them, but do not tell them where your friends have gone. I’m sure many have already noticed their absence by now” –

            “And what’re you going to do?” Griselda barked, making Flora jump. “You’re going on this dragon-brained expedition by yourself? We’re not exactly young girls anymore, Faragonda.”

            “As I’ve already explained to you,” Faragonda said curtly, “Saladin and Griffin need to stay at their schools to increase their own security. I don’t want to disrupt the students’ progress by taking one of their professors out of class. I will be fine. Don’t worry.”

            “I want to come with you!” Flora heard herself say. She blinked, surprised at where the thought had come from.

            But of course, it’d been on her mind all this time. For sure, she wanted to save her friends! How could she not want to help them – when they were in so much trouble?

            “Absolutely not!” Griselda said sternly. “We need you here. You cannot risk your life next!”

            “So it’s decided, then.” Faragonda nodded. “I will go and rescue the” –

            “What’s all this?”

            Flora froze. Queen Isabela had just opened the door, and was gazing calmly at them. “I heard your students are in trouble?”

            “Yes, Isabela,” Faragonda said, taken aback. “Five students from Alfea and two students from Red Fountain went to Andros on some kind of rescue mission.”

            “An ill-planned one,” Griselda snorted.

            “Then we have no time to waste,” Queen Isabela declared. “We must be on our way.”

            “What?” Griselda looked even more outraged. “A queen risking her life for a foolish mission? What if the press finds out? They don’t even know you’re here!”

            “The press doesn’t need to know,” the queen answered coolly. “I will accompany Faragonda to Andros. And I want this girl here to come.” She pointed to Flora.

            Flora was taken aback. She wants me to come? What did the queen of Linphea see in her that made her so special?

            “Now, I cannot allow that,” Faragonda answered severely. “You certainly have the skill to come with me, Isabela, but I cannot put another one of my students in danger!”

            “That’s part of their role as Alfea students,” Queen Isabela responded. “They must be equipped for danger. And from what I understand, these girls have already seen a lot.”

            “You may be the queen of Linphea,” Faragonda snapped, “but I am Headmistress. You cannot overrule me in my position of authority” –

            “Please let me go.”

            Everyone turned towards Flora, who stared pleadingly. “I want to help my friends,” she protested. “I need to. I know them better than any of you. I could help figure out exactly where they’ve gone and how to find them.”

            Faragonda stared at the Magic Mirror behind her desk. She lowered her head once, and slowly, she nodded. “All right, Flora. But you are to stick with me at all times. Queen Isabela’s pilots will fly with us.”

            “I need someone to stay with my daughter while we’re gone,” the queen pointed out.

            “Mirta,” Flora answered instantly. “She and Chatta will keep her company.”

            “That’s a good idea.” The queen seemed pleased. “They would be good to help Cristina.”

            “Very well,” Faragonda nodded. “Griselda, make sure not to tell the other girls about this – not even the student government leaders.”

            “Of course,” Griselda sighed. “I’ll be here.”

            I can do this, Flora thought confidently. She would just keep a clear head, and all would be well.

            Thirty minutes later, Queen Isabela’s black-painted spaceship took off. Flora had called Mirta, and she and Chatta had agreed to stay with Cristal. Thankfully it was a Sunday, so no class would be disrupted. The ship took off, and Flora sat on one of the soft chairs.

            Her first time on a royal spacecraft had been before Stella’s Princess Ball; as a part of the invitation, Stella had chartered Solarian spacecrafts to pick them up. Flora and Mirta had flown out from Linphea, Bloom had flown out from Earth, and Musa, Layla, Galatea, Kai, Timmy, and Riven had flown out from Magix. The spacecraft had been lavishly decorated, with several rooms for passengers. There had even been a full bathtub on board, as well as a kitchen of excellent food. Flora and Mirta had slept in a very comfortable bed, with gilded walls and lavish paintings surrounding them both. Of course, when they were accused of terrorism, they couldn’t take the Solarian spacecrafts back. Fortunately, Sky and Brandon had come on an Eraklyonese royal spacecraft, so they’d been able to smuggle them out. Therefore, this was the third royal spacecraft she’d ever been on – all within weeks of the other.

            Compared to the others, this spacecraft was more modest. Sure, there were still two passenger rooms, a kitchen, and a bathroom, but there wasn’t as much decoration on the walls. At the queen’s insistence, Faragonda was sleeping in one of the rooms. Flora and Queen Isabela were seated in the main compartment, with two pilots, two guards, and four servants.

            “It’s good to meet you at last,” the queen said, sipping tea made from jasmine flowers. It tasted wonderful to Flora, though it was much hotter than she normally drank. A servant brought a plate of sugared figs and caramelized grapes to Flora, who stared in surprise.

            “It’s a common guerrero food,” Queen Isabela explained. “Fruta y azúcar. We usually have whipped cream and fried olive roots with it, but you don’t eat dairy nor root vegetables. Try it.” She handed Flora a fork.

            Flora bit into the fruit. The syrup was very intense, and overpowered the natural taste of the fruit. Nonetheless, she appreciated the queen’s gesture. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

            “Of course.” Queen Isabela dug up a spoon of vanilla ice-cream topped with whipped cream and fruta de nacimiento. “I came to Alfea because I was quite curious to learn about you, Miss Flora.”

            Flora nearly dropped her fork in surprise. “You w-w-wanted to see me?”

            “Yes,” Queen Isabela responded calmly. “You and your friends are young fairies with the most potential I’ve ever heard of. Your friend Bloom made news when she was discovered to be the heir to the former realm of Domino. Princess Stella and Princess Layla are always in the public eye, of course, and Musa Xi is the niece of King Jun. But I’m more interested in you and your friend Anastasia. You seem to be the most overlooked, but the ones with the most potential.”

            Flora blushed. Ever since the defeat of the Trix and the Army of Decay, the girls had certainly reached some level of fame. Stella and Layla were used to giving interviews, and Musa and Tecna were somewhat accustomed to more opulent lives, but Flora and Bloom had been quite shocked when mobbed by reporters. She gazed up at Queen Isabela.

            “I’m not really that special,” she said modestly. “With all due respect, Your Majesty, I can only try my best.”

            “Remember how I asked you to give my daughter advice?” Queen Isabela asked. “I found it very interesting you told her to follow her heart, and how your friend said to be indifferent to judgment. I think it’s time you and Mirta took that advice yourselves.”

            “What do you mean?” Flora was taken aback.

            “I saw those girls yesterday,” Queen Isabela answered, “and let me tell you something: I’ve faced opposition in my life, too. It’s correct to follow your heart and to disregard unfair judgment, and you also need a spark inside. This is my advice to you, young Flora: when something is wrong, never be afraid to start a movement.”

            What did Queen Isabela mean by that? “All right,” Flora answered nervously.

            “That’s all,” the queen answered, staring out the window. “Look – we’re approaching Andros now.”

            The stormy clouds ahead were clearly unnatural. Flora could make out something very sinister was going on, which scared her quite a bit. It seemed unlike anything she’d ever seen before. Faragonda came out of her room into the main part of the ship, staring.

            “Thank you,” she said to Queen Isabela. “I’m ready to fight now.”

            “How do we find out where the other Winx are?” Flora asked.

            “They would’ve most likely gone to the Fortress of Andros,” Faragonda pointed out. “Right on the coast of the Bahr Satie. We need to land there.”

            “Right,” Flora nodded. The Bahr Satie was the Bright Sea, and the capital city of Andros was right on its banks. A little way from the coast was the merfolk kingdom of Tides, ruled by Layla’s “uncle” – honorary uncle, as they called him. Layla had talked about them a lot – how she loved spending time with her uncle’s daughter, Tressa, who was the same age as them. Since she’d been shut up in the fortress all her life, a visit to Tides had been a very exciting occasion indeed. She gazed out as the ship headed towards the large fortress ahead of them.

            “Don’t worry,” the pilot said, noticing her concerned expression. “I’ve already radioed the gatekeeper staff of His Royal Majesty, King Teredor of Andros. We will be there soon.” He pressed a key on the dashboard. A laser-image of a flower bouquet, framed with an olive wreath, appeared on the ground. The coat of arms of Linphea!

            They reached just towards the fortress. A guard shot a ray of light into the ship, and they were pulled through the invisible protective barrier. Flora stared in awe, her jaw dropping as she saw the castle.

            It was a large fortress, with many walls and ramparts. There were beautiful palaces and gardens within the complex, and there was a huge reflecting pool in the central garden. The pilot steered the spaceship down, until it neatly landed at the Royal Spaceport of Andros.

            “There they are.” Queen Isabela glanced out the window.

            King Teredor and Queen Niobe of Andros were headed towards their ship, flanked by guards. The pilot tapped another button, and the black cover surrounding the ship peeled away to show a pink and purple spacecraft – the colors of Linphea. The same crest shined on the wings as Flora, Faragonda, and the queen walked down the ramp.

            “Greetings, King Teredor and Queen Niobe.” Queen Isabela curtsied.

            “We humbly thank you, Your Royal Majesties,” Faragonda said, doing the same. Flora stared rooted to the ground, her mouth open in shock.

            “Don’t just stand there,” Faragonda whispered to Flora. “You must remember your manners.”

            “Oh, right,” Flora stammered. “Uh, Your Majesties. Hi!” She bowed too low, and suddenly lost balance, hitting the wet ground.

            “Oh no,” she groaned. Her tracksuit was now muddy, and she felt embarrassed. “Sorry.”

            “Don’t worry about it,” King Teredor said shortly, as Faragonda helped Flora up. “We’ll all get soaked when we go out there. Right now the protective barrier is shielding the fortress from the rain, but we have to go out and find my Layla.”

            “Your Majesty!” a guard protested. “You can’t go to the front lines and risk your” –

            “This is my daughter we’re talking about,” King Teredor interrupted. “Have my armor ready.” He frowned at Queen Isabela. “May I ask why you’re here to help?”

            “I was visiting Alfea,” Queen Isabela explained, “undercover, of course.”

            “I understood that by the black tarp,” King Teredor snorted. “But why are you here?”

            Flora frowned at Faragonda. Why is this a big deal? Faragonda put a finger to her lips. Queen Isabela frowned.

            “I’m not expecting anything in-return for this,” she said. “I just came to help my friend, Faragonda.”

            “Right,” King Teredor snorted. “Linphea had better stop giving out favors to everyone. It’s why realms such as Zenith keep stepping on you.”

            “With all due respect, Your Majesty, we don’t have much time,” Faragonda interrupted. “We need to go.”

            “Very well,” the king answered. He turned to his wife.

            “Please, keep the castle together while I’m gone,” he said. “Make sure everyone is safe here.”

            “Of course,” Queen Niobe answered, worriedly. “Be safe, Teredor.”

            “I will.” King Teredor kissed his wife’s forehead just as a servant came to him with the armor. The king levitated the armor onto his body, and took his sword. “Let’s go.”

            King Teredor and several guards climbed on a blue-and-bronze royal airship, and Flora, Faragonda, and Queen Isabela followed with the queen’s staff. “Where will we go?” Flora asked.

            “Isabela,” King Teredor said, “I suppose I’ll tell you what’s been going on. On Friday night, the sky became unnaturally stormy and cloudy, and storms unleashed on many of our islands. The storms are only growing. In addition, our relics were kept safely in Tides – until someone broke into a government building. I received a report from King Neptune, just a few hours ago, about the theft.”

            “What?” Flora was horrified. Andros’s relics were stolen, too?

            “Yes,” the king said tersely. “Shortly after, I received another report from one of my spies, saying the Castle of Tides was taken under siege. My guess is, on her way to the fortress, Layla ended up somewhere in Tides and was trapped. We must go there immediately.”

            “How will we get there?” Flora asked.

            “This airship can turn into a seaship at our command,” the Androsian pilot answered as the ship sailed into the sky.

            They had to carefully sail, so as not to get hit by lightning strikes. It wasn’t hard to reach the sea; it was very rough and choppy. Fortunately, the airship had excellent radar, and, once it became a seaship, it was very good at navigating the troubled waters. Before they dove underwater, the guards made everyone wear underwater helmets – in-case they had to leave the ship for any reason. They soon reached a large city, and a signpost in both Androsian and the Common Tongue read: THE CITY OF THE SATIE SEA.

            There were underwater buildings – residential, commercial, and governmental together. As this was the capital city of Tides, there were many things to protect in the city. But many of the buildings were wrecked, even though there certainly were protective charms around the houses. Only the government buildings stood strong.

            “Well, that’s a relief – at least the government buildings weren’t wrecked by the storm,” King Teredor said dryly.

            “Where’re all the people?” Flora cried. “What happened to them?”

            “Every merfolk house has a vault,” one of the guards explained, “which is protected by stringent charms. It’s not underground – that wouldn’t help at all in a tsunami – but since it’s such a small area, it can be more easily protected. Each family is hiding inside their own vault. In addition, the merfolk police are responsible for creating protection barriers around their cities. But it looks like this storm was too strong for that.”

            “If the government buildings are safe, then the Palace of Pearls must be as well,” Faragonda pointed out. “It’s possible the royal family of Tides is locked in their own palace.”

            “Take a course towards the Palace of Pearls,” King Teredor ordered his pilot. “Have the cannons ready, in-case this turns into an armed struggle.”

            “I believe we should also get ready for spell-to-spell combat, if that becomes necessary,” Faragonda added. “Flora, please transform and be ready.”

            “Right.” Flora transformed into her Winx outfit, and Faragonda and Queen Isabela transformed to their Enchantix. The queen’s Enchantix dress was a dress with hundreds of beads and flowers stitched inside. She wore an armored vest and a war bonnet – a headdress made of wood, beads, and feathers – which somehow fit inside her helmet. Flora had read the transformation dresses changed styles with age, and could even be altered by the fairy herself. It was clear most of those beads had been stitched in by servants.

            Then the Palace of Pearls appeared ahead. It was a huge palace made entirely of pearls and coral, and in the brightest colors Flora could’ve ever imagined. Each pearl was a different color, and the coral was multicolored as well. Around the palace complex was a huge wall of coral reef, and most likely an invisible barrier as well.

            But there were no palace guards there to help them. The whole place seemed completely empty. What’re we gonna do?

            “We’ll have to break in somehow,” King Teredor frowned. “Everyone, let’s” –

            Suddenly, something sticky and wet wrapped itself around the ship! Flora gasped in horror, staring at the sight of tentacles, which took away all the light. She looked at the others and saw they were shocked as well.

            “What is that?” one of the guards cried.

            “It’s the Kraken,” the Androsian king said grimly. “Krakens are a species of eight-tentacled monsters. This one was chosen to guard the prison under the Palace of Pearls, and it listens to its master, King Neptune. But someone else has taken control over the Kraken!”

            “We need to get out of here, before the Kraken destroys this ship,” Faragonda declared. “To the emergency exit!”

            The pilot motioned for them to climb into the compartment below. After he had sealed the entrance back into the ship, he pressed a lever. A door underneath opened, instantly flooding this whole part of the ship with water. However, it was done cleverly so that, if they used the levers properly, water wouldn’t flood the main part of the ship. They all quickly swam out.

            Instantly, the Kraken unstuck itself from the ship, and attacked. Flora only just dodged out of the way. Queen Isabela and Faragonda converged their magic, and attacked the Kraken, which temporarily fell back.

            “We’ll keep it busy!” Faragonda shouted. “The rest of you, go!”

            “Search the prison,” King Teredor hissed, motioning for Flora and the other guards to follow him. The group split; while the Linphean guards stayed back to help Queen Isabela, the Androsian guards joined their king. They swam into the underwater entrance.

            Swimming was extremely hard, especially in these conditions. Flora held onto a female Androsian guard’s armor, allowing the guard to pull her ahead. The Androsians were excellent swimmers; their powers were based on water, after all. The same was true for all fairs and warlocks who lived near water – they learned how to swim well. Merfolk were not unique to Andros, and therefore, there were many communities of them all across the realms.

            The underwater helmets were incredibly helpful. Invented in 1230 of the Age of Blood, they allowed the wearer to see underwater clearly, hear people speak underwater, and of course, to breathe. It was truly amazing how powerful they were. If it weren’t for her lack of swimming capability and underwater spellpower, Flora would’ve been at home in the water.

            I sense something. “There’s warlock energy here,” she said. “And it seems… familiar.” Her eyes widened as she realized who it was.

            “It’s Icy, Darcy, and Stormy!” she cried. “They must’ve broken out of Omega!”

            King Teredor cursed. “We’d better hurry, then!” They continued to swim through the maze of tunnels.

            Fortunately, one of the guards had a map with him. The king and his servants had maps of the Tides prison available, so they were able to travel through. In fact, usually the land-dwelling prisoners were kept in the Tides prison, and the merfolk prisoners were kept in small bathtubs in land prisons. This made it virtually impossible for any prisoners to escape. The guards got them through all the high-security locks, until they reached the deepest vault in the prison.

            As they opened the door, she instantly heard voices. It must be the… Her eyes widened as she saw her friends, lying on the floor of the vault!

            “Winx!” she cried, swimming forward.

            The other girls, Brandon, and Riven instantly became alert, staring at Flora. All their heads were shoved into helmets – by their captors, of course. “You’re here,” Layla finally managed. “How did you get here?”

            “Faragonda brought me here,” Flora smiled. Everyone stared up at her in confusion, but it was Tecna who was the most confused of all. She stared at Flora in disbelief.

            Flora stared, too, wondering what Tecna was going to say. Will she still avoid me after this? What was she going to do?

            “Baba!” Layla cried as her father swam up to her. The two held each other tight, and for a moment, the king looked so happy. But then his eyes became stern and he glared down.

            “What did you think you were doing?” he cried. “Going on missions without the headmistress’s permission? And against a dangerous foe at that! You’re lucky to be alive!”

            “She saved us,” another voice called. “We would be trapped if it weren’t for her.”

            Flora looked around. There were two mermaids at the back of the vault, whom she didn’t recognize. They were elaborately-dressed in pearls and seashells, and were clearly of royalty. Behind them were one merman and two merboys. Flora stared in surprise.

            “I’m Princess Tressa,” the mergirl said. “These are my brothers, Prince Tritannus and Prince Nereus, and my mom and dad are here. We were all trapped in here together.”

            “Your Highnesses,” Flora stammered, bowing like she had before the Androsian king, only with less clumsiness. The mermaid queen laughed.

            “You can call our children by their first names,” she said. “Any friend of Layla’s is a friend of ours.”

            “Tritannus and Nereus are twins,” Tressa said. “They’re fourteen, and I’m seventeen.”

            “It’s so great to meet you!” Nereus said brightly. “I’m Prince Nereus of Tides, and I’m really good at water sports and combat! I bet I could’ve taken those hooligans who trapped us here down” –

            “No chance,” Tritannus snorted. He looked identical to his twin, only his face was downcast. It was easy to see which of them was more sociable. Layla let go of her father and stared at Flora.

            “The relics of Andros are gone,” she said. “They were taken by this terrible wizard!”

            “By a wizard?” Flora asked, her mind whirling. “But I sensed the Trix here!”

            “The Trix aren’t powerful enough to pull somethin’ like this off,” Musa answered. “They’ve teamed up with someone even worse.”

            “He’s so powerful!” Bloom cried. “But it’s so strange – I saw him on Solaria, too! Not only that, but his powers are like mine!”

            “What?” Flora didn’t understand.

            “Enough wasting time,” the mermaid king of Tides said sharply. “We need to get out of here. How do we plan on doing that?”

            “Quickly,” the king of Andros said, pushing open the vault door. The merfolk king waited until everyone else had left before he got out. He pushed the door open, and closed it behind.

            “Now,” he said, “let’s get out” –

            An energy blast hit Flora in the back, and she cried out in shock. Hitting the ground, she stared as she saw Stormy swimming over her, her face filled with rage. “How’d you get out?” the witch demanded.

            “You weren’t really there to stop us,” Musa retorted.

            It was a good thing Stormy wasn’t able to fire an electric bolt. Since they were underwater, there was no way for Stormy to take electricity from her surroundings. That turned out to be a very good thing in this case, because if electricity hit them, they’d all (including Stormy) be electrocuted and die.

            “Is that Stormy?” Layla called. Flora looked over at her friend and saw her eyes were completely blind. What happened to her?

            “Storm, what’s going on?” Darcy appeared. “Valtor told you to guard the vault while he and Ice decided what to do with them! Why would you leave?”

            “I didn’t think they’d actually escape,” Stormy muttered.

            “Have the prisoners been released without my command?” Icy appeared, but it wasn’t she who spoke. Another wizard swam by her, his face monstrous.

            “Who is he?” Flora gasped in horror.

            “He’s Valtor,” Bloom answered grimly. “There’s something strange about him, and… familiar. But I can’t tell what.”

            “Kids – get away from here!” the merfolk king barked. “The rest of us will guard against” –

            A blast of ice hit Flora, and she cried as she and the other girls were blasted backwards. “I don’t have my sword!” Nereus cried.

            “They took our weapons away, too,” Brandon said grimly. “And we’re anyways underwater. We can’t fight!”

            “Good thing I learned how to use magic, instead of that useless toy,” Tritannus said smugly. He attacked Valtor with a spell, but with a flick of Valtor’s hand, the energy beam turned back and hit Tritannus. He shouted in rage as he hit the ground.

            “You’re no match for me,” Valtor smiled. “I have all the spells, charms, and enchantments of the Treasury of Andros. I will defeat you all now.”

            Flora cried out as jets of water hit her, and she was slammed against the wall. The others were screaming at the impact as well. She could hear the Trix and Valtor laughing. King Teredor tried to attack Valtor with his sword, but it wasn’t working. How is he invincible?

            “You!” a voice snarled. Suddenly, the jets disappeared, and someone swam towards them. It was Faragonda and Queen Isabela! Valtor glared murderously at them.

            “Faragonda,” he hissed. “So we meet again.”

            Flora stared at the headmistress, whose face had gone pale. Valtor’s eyes were filled with rage, and Faragonda was shocked. “I suspected as much,” she whispered. “But I still can’t believe it.”

            “Ms. F?” Stella voiced what everyone was thinking. “What’s going on?”

            Just then, creatures came out of the shadows. Flora screamed as she saw monsters heading towards them – though they looked like merfolk, they clearly weren’t people! “What’s going on?”

            “Mutants,” Valtor laughed, “imprison them in the vault again!”

            “No!” The Androsian and Linphean guards shot forward, fighting against the mutants. Unfortunately, the mutants were quite strong. Queen Isabela looked at them, saying, “We have about three seconds to make a plan.”

            “There’s only one way to do this,” Faragonda said immediately. “We need fairy-dust. Queen Isabela, Queen Ligea, and I have that power, but the three of us aren’t enough. But we have someone else.” She pointed towards Layla.

            “What do you mean?” Layla’s cloudy eyes showed confusion.

            “You are an Enchantix fairy now,” Faragonda said, “and you have the power of fairy-dust. Notice the pouch around your neck. Go on, lift it up.”

            The guards were just about to collapse. Layla lifted her pouch, and to everyone’s surprise, glittering purple dust came out. It was the happy scent of coconut and salt water.

            “Layla, converge with Queen Ligea!” Faragonda ordered. “I’ll converge with Queen Isabela. The rest of you – use as much power as you can to weaken them!”

            Immediately, Flora linked hands with her friends. Each of them called upon her power-source – Flora funneled forward seaweed, Tecna levitated a few broken prison bars, Musa channeled the sound of the waves, and Bloom called upon her Dragon Flame. As there was no significant source of sunlight, Stella couldn’t really use her powers. Still, she cheered them on, shouting, “You can do it!”

            Suddenly, Valtor and the Trix looked shocked as the light overcame them. All the mutants became merfolk again, and the four of them were blasted backwards, hitting the wall.

            “Let’s go!” King Teredor and King Neptune swam forward to capture them.

            But Valtor flicked his fingers; instantly, the four of them escaped. The whole group stared at each other in disbelief, then at last, they let out a relieved exhale. The mermen of the Royal Guard swam up to King Neptune and his family.

            “We’ll get you back into the palace,” the captain said. “Don’t worry. You’re safe from that madman now.”

            “I found your weapons,” another guard spoke. He tossed Brandon’s spear, Riven’s knife, and Nereus’s sword back at each boy, respectively.

            “Hey, guys!” Layla shouted. “I can see!”

            “Yay!” the Winx, Brandon, Tressa, and Nereus cheered. Riven and Tritannus simply looked at each other and grunted. Flora felt extremely amused – she hadn’t imagined she’d meet someone as unsociable as Riven! Layla and Tressa grabbed each other in a hug.

            “We’ll see each other soon,” Tressa promised. “Bye for now.”

            “Bye,” Layla said tearfully as the merfolk family left. The Androsian guards helped the rest of them head back to the seaship; climbing back in, they watched as the ship reached the surface. With Riven’s help, the pilot found the Red Fountain spacecraft. A resounding cheer filled the air as they finally reached safely to their ship.

            But the clouds above their heads were still dark. Flora realized they’d stay that way for a long time, until the enchantment was broken. They parted ways – Queen Isabela went with King Teredor, back to her own ship, while the Winx, Specialists, and Faragonda boarded the Red Fountain spacecraft.

            “We did it!” Stella shouted. “I’m so excited!”

            “Oh, you won’t be for long.” Flora jumped in surprise as Griselda’s hook-nosed face appeared on the dashboard screen, glaring at them. “Faragonda just radioed me in to tell me you’re all safe. Naturally, this means punishment. Brandon and Riven are facing dragon-dung scooping duty for sneaking out a Red Fountain spacecraft and leaving the premises without permission. Girls, we’ll decide your punishment when we get back.” Her screen disappeared.

            “That’s great,” Stella groaned. “We had fun, though, didn’t we, snookums?” She kissed Brandon and held him tight.

            I’m glad we’re safe. Flora was about to sink into a chair, when suddenly, someone wrapped arms around her. She looked up, and stared in shock.

            Tecna was holding Flora tightly, tears falling down her cheeks. No words needed to be said – Flora knew exactly what this was about. The hug seemed to last forever. Finally, Tecna pulled back and stared into Flora’s eyes.

            “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I’m so sorry.”

            Flora was too choked up to respond; she began to cry as well. I’m just happy we’re together again. And now, everything could continue on as normal.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER 8: A BIRTHDAY FIASCO

Monday morning dawned sunny and unseasonably cold. As the ship neared Alfea, Tecna saw Queen Isabela’s ship had already landed. They landed in the training ground, a bit of a ways from the quad. Codatorta was waiting for them, his arms crossed.

“Uh oh,” Riven muttered.

“You had quite some nerve,” Codatorta barked as the two Specialists headed down the ramp. “All of you. Nonetheless, I’m quite impressed.”

“You are?” Brandon asked. Tecna was quite surprised as well. According to Timmy’s and my calculations, there is only one positive claim for every two-hundred twelve statements Codatorta makes. Codatorta nodded.

“Yes,” he said gruffly. “That doesn’t mean you’re getting off dragon dung duty, though. Come on.” He allowed the girls and Faragonda to pass, and then led the two boys into the spaceship.

Faragonda beckoned for them to follow; they soon entered Alfea's gate. Several other girls were in the quad, and they let out a gasp.

“The Winx! They’re back!”

"Where did they go?"

“Flora!” someone shouted. Tecna saw as Mirta and Chatta ran from the crowd, enveloping Flora in a hug. Behind Mirta tailed all the other pixies, as well as a small girl in silk pajamas. Wait a minute… that’s… Queen Isabela walked behind them, placing a hand on the small girl’s shoulder.

“Well, we’ll be off,” she announced. “My daughter and I will be heading back to Linphea now. Farewell.”

“Thank you, Queen Isabela.” Layla and Stella each shook Queen Isabela’s hand. “Bye, Princess Cristina.”

“Farewell, Your Majesty and Your Highness,” Tecna, Flora, Musa, Bloom, Mirta, and all the pixies called, not exactly in unison. Since Layla and Stella were royals, they were allowed to address the queen and the princess by their names; it was proper etiquette for the rest of them to address them by their royal titles. The princess ran up to Mirta and gave her a tiny hug.

“It’s been great having you, Cristal,” Mirta said warmly, hugging her back. “Maybe we’ll see each other again!”

She must be getting on with her quite well! Tecna was impressed how Mirta and Chatta had managed to connect with the princess of Linphea on a first-name basis. Well, she is nearly six years younger than us, so I suppose it makes sense.

“Thank you!” Cristal squeaked as she turned around to follow her mother.

“Bye!” the entire quad shouted as Secretary Ira closed the gate behind them.

“Enough with the weepy farewells,” a voice snapped, and Tecna jumped again as Griselda appeared. “You five ladies are in a lot of trouble.”

“What happened?” a few girls called.

“They left campus without permission,” Griselda answered shortly. To the Winx she added quietly, “Don’t tell any of the other girls about your trip to Andros, or about the Trix or Valtor – especially not Valtor.”

“Why not?” Musa wanted to know. “Aren’t you going to tell the others about how Valtor stole Andros’s relics? Why can’t we tell the truth?”

“Because I said so,” Griselda snapped. “Anyways, we have decided on your punishment." Black bands appeared over the girls’ wrists, excluding Flora, and Tecna immediately felt her energy drain. "Now, you must restack the shelves of the library, without magic."

"And on top of all your coursework," added Faragonda. "From five to nine p.m. every night, you will work in the library. We'll put these on for you every day at five, and take them off at nine."

"Well, that can't be too bad," Stella grinned. "How many books are there in that library, anyways?"

"Only nine hundred ninety-six thousand, eight hundred and twenty-five," said Tecna.

Stella gasped. "So like, a million?"

"How'd you come up with that number, Tecna?" asked Flora.

"Yeah," said Musa. "How'd you know that?"

Tecna's cheeks burned. She'd always been a skillful memorizer; in order to survive on Zenith, there was no way not to be. In her first year at Alfea, she'd done a scan of the library to make sure it was as impressive as she'd thought it was.

"Yes," she said defensively. "But that doesn't include the Restricted section. I couldn't scan that with my device." Or my brain, she thought privately.

"You won't be doing the Restricted section, anyways," Griselda answered. "Now you can work in the library all day. You'll want to finish a sizeable amount now; classes resume tomorrow." With a hand-wave, she dismissed the girls.

What with classes, sorting the library, and Mr. Vasiliev's work, Tecna's schedule had never been busier. It was worse than home, when she'd been doing the laboratory work full-time.

At home, she usually got five to six hours of sleep. Now at Alfea, she barely got one. There were some nights when she didn't sleep at all. In between classes, she snuck up to the apartment and took quick, fifteen-minute naps.

She told herself it was a punishment for her laziness. After all, she was nowhere near as productive as most of the other people she knew. Other interns in Mr. Vasiliev's lab worked fourteen hours a day without stopping. She was only working eight hours every night; what did she have to complain about?

She'd tried working in the dorm room once, but Musa had complained about Tecna's typing and how she couldn't sleep. So Tecna had moved to the sitting-room of the apartment. She became an expert at brewing Readiness Potions and All-Nighter recipes, so no one would think she was working so long. And since Musa was fast asleep by the time she went to the dorm, no one questioned her. Besides, Valtor was the talk of Magix; the news had discovered the theft of the relics by now. Faragonda was trying to quell the worry on campus, but it was obvious something was coming to the Galaxy of Magix.

            Though they still had plenty of cheerful moments together, as friends, she knew the other Winx were worried about what was going on in the world. Musa and Bloom were working on their coursework harder than in previous years, and Layla was in the forest for hours, practicing all the new moves Faragonda was teaching her. Since she had gained her Enchantix, she was switched from Griselda’s Advanced Battle class to Faragonda’s Higher Art Training, both of which ran at the same time. She was the only student in Faragonda’s new class, which made her extra determined to utilize all the time she had to master every move. Therefore, she was working hard, and encouraging them all to work hard, too. Even Stella was putting more effort into her coursework than usual.

In the meantime, Flora was hard at work as Head Girl. As the most important student representative on campus, she was now hosting office hours every night in her office. That meant they didn’t see much of her anymore. To Tecna’s knowledge, she was doing a really good job looking after the younger students and providing them with as much help as she possibly could.

Unfortunately, the bullying still hadn't ceased. Although Galatea and Nova, as well as the rest of Mirta’s roommates, walked with her all the time, Eris and her friends didn't stop going after Mirta. They hexed her in the hallways and sent magical origami to attack her at odd hours of the day.

Flora confided her worries with Tecna one day in the apartment, while they were both working on potions' homework.

"I'm so worried about Mirta," she said. "During other classes, I’ve heard Eris and her friends keep shooting jinxes at her, making fun of her because she can’t cast spells the same way they can. Layla and I always make sure to watch out for her during Potions, but nothing ever happens during that class – since most of us there are seniors, they don’t care enough to cause her trouble. Since I’ve never actually seen Eris’s gang hurt her, my words don’t carry much weight, and her roommates are too scared to do anything. Even as Head Girl, I can’t enact any change. We've spoken to Griselda twice, but we weren't able to prove Eris was the culprit. And for all her bravado, Griselda can't do much about Eris, either."

"Really?" Tecna asked absentmindedly.

"Yes," Flora cried, "because Eris has a lot of power, unfortunately. Her parents are on the school board! Faragonda only narrowly managed to convince the rest of the school board to let Mirta in. Griselda doesn't like Eris’s behavior any more than the rest of us, but she doesn't want to overstep her role and have the school board revoke Mirta’s admission!"

"That doesn’t sound good at all," Tecna said in alarm. If Griselda's scared of someone, then it must be bad…

"It is," Flora agreed. "What should I do, Tec? How do I make this better?"

"First of all, stop going to Griselda," Tecna advised. "She can give a few punishments, but it's not going to make things better. The girls are going to bully Mirta even worse if they’re called out by staff."

"Then what do I do?" Flora protested. "I can't just let this keep happening! I need to make it stop!"

"Wait it out," Tecna responded. "The girls will get tired if Mirta puts up a brave face and doesn't respond to any of their comments; it's only logical.”

"Okay," said Flora uneasily. "I'll try."

Tecna wished she could give better advice to her friend, but knew it was impossible. For starters, she wasn't good with this kind of thing. For another, she had too many worries on her own head to truly care about anyone else. The more work she did for Vasiliev, the worse she did in class. And it wasn’t anything she could bring up with anyone, either – they would just tell her to stop doing Vasiliev’s work. In the past, she’d gone to her advisor, Palladium, for any academic difficulties – in this case, though, she didn’t think speaking to him would even help.

She barely did her schoolwork anymore. Her battle jinxes in Griselda’s class lacked their normal intensity, she was struggling with plant transformations in Wizkiz’s Advanced Metamorphosis class, she wasn’t studying her magiphysics for Palladium’s Elemental Sensations class, and she was struggling with speaking proper Whisperian. Although all Alfea students achieved fluency in their chosen languages by the end of freshman year, Tecna’s progress had all gone downhill. Tutor Keiko, her Whisperian teacher, was giving more and more difficult assignments; as the Advanced level language classes were entirely conducted online, plenty of self-study was required. And Tecna had no time for self-study.

What really bothered her, though, was Bloom had gone back to her post-Darkar morose state. She was cheerful around the Winx, but she was avoiding her academic advising appointments, even though she really needed the help. As the only student in their class who was studying the Dominian language, she really needed Professor Avalon’s help – he was fluent in the language, after all. But she seemed too scared to even speak to him. Tecna knew fairly well why.

“I’m really nervous around Avalon,” Bloom said one day, in their dorm. “I know he’s not the same guy, but it’s just hard to keep that in mind. I’m supposed to book my start-of-semester appointment with him, but I just can’t bring myself to!”

“I was a bit nervous, too,” Flora said softly. “But I’m in his Intermediate Magiphilosophy class this semester. He teaches really well, you know.” She looked over at Tecna. “What do you think?”

“I think Bloom’s right not to trust him,” Tecna answered fiercely. “He may not be an imposter, but he still spent all those months in Shadowhaunt. I don’t like him.”

“That’s kinda unfair, Tec,” Musa protested. “I mean, he seems pretty nice.”

“Yeah,” Stella agreed. “I mean, just ask and I’ll lend you some clothes. If you look like a complete fashion star, you won’t be scared!”

“What kind of advice is that, Stel?” Layla laughed.

“It’s true!” Stella insisted. “Beauty does increase a girl’s confidence!”

“Or you could just talk to him,” Flora suggested.

“I don’t think that’ll work,” Tecna answered flatly. “Just avoid him as much as possible.”

“But I can’t,” Bloom protested. “I still have to work with him!”

“I would say spend more time with him,” Layla suggested. “That way, you’ll get over your fear. Just keep reminding yourself everything will be okay.”

Easy for you to say, Tecna thought, thinking of Vasiliev. Fear pounded through her heart every time he entered her mind; yes, she was far away at Alfea, but he was always there. There was no way she could forget his hold.

She was continuing to get lower-than-average marks. Of course, the only one to notice, initially at least, had to be Avalon. He pulled her after Intermediate Magiphilosophy one day to speak with her.

"You got a 72% on the test," he said. "I know everyone does badly once in a while, Tecna, but this isn't like you. I read all your reports from last year, from this class" –

"You mean from the fake you?" Tecna asked bluntly. The real Avalon's cheeks went bright red.

"Yes," he said, awkwardly, "but regardless of how he betrayed everyone last year, he still had to maintain appearances; therefore, he never strayed from the curriculum. And he always wrote glowing praise about you – although his tone changed halfway through the year. I can't imagine why."

"You mean after I singed his clothes off," Tecna said, holding back a smirk at the memory.

"Perhaps," Avalon nodded. "But even then, you always scored very highly in his class. Tecna, is there something going on in your life? From the little I've seen, you're a very bright student, and" –

“I don’t need to tell you anything,” Tecna answered fiercely. “You’re still a threat as far as I’m concerned. My friend Bloom feels miserable because of you. Faragonda should never have let you come back to Alfea!”

“I assure you, I have no intentions of harming Bloom,” Avalon protested. “It seems my imposter knew a lot about her birth family – mainly because he worked with Darkar. But the few times we’ve talked, it’s only been about academic-related matters. I don’t understand; you’ve stopped doing your work because you don’t like me?”

“Of course not!” Tecna answered incredulously.

“Then why?”

"It's none of your business," Tecna said abruptly. "In any case, let me be clear: I don't have time for this. Let me just do what I need to do."

She caught Avalon's pained expression as she stalked away, muttering under her breath. But she had no time for that now.

All she could think of was algorithms, coding, and more algorithms. I can't stop now… She sighed, lowering her gaze to the floor.

Two weeks passed. The girls finally finished sorting the library, and gazed at their work, pleased with themselves.

"We finished early – and we have half-an-hour to spare before Faragonda and Griselda come for inspection!" Stella cheered.

"In that case, why don't we have a good girl-talk?" Bloom asked.

"Yeah!" Musa grinned. "It's been a while since we've had one."

“I'll brew some tea.” Flora had joined them in the library, and was admiring how neat the bookshelves were. “Let me get my teapot and herbs.”

Five minutes later, the girls were sitting cross-legged on the floor. Flora poured tea for each of the girls, and Tecna sipped hers, loving the taste of Linphean herbs and nectar. She always does a really good job… Stella grinned towards the girls.

"So, let's talk about my favorite subject!" she laughed. "Boys!"

"I can't wait to see Sky again," Bloom grinned. "We haven't been allowed to go out all week, but he promised we'd do something special together soon."

"Yeah, you've got the perfect guy," Stella laughed, "all thanks to me, dawling!"

What? Flora looked as if she was about to burst into giggles. Tecna stared at Stella in disbelief, and asked, "Are you completely sane, Stella?"

"Of course I am!" Stella grinned. "I am bonded with the pixie of love for a reason. Amore and I make the best team ever. In fact" – she looked towards Flora and Layla, "I think you boyless gals will be able to find someone pretty soon."

"Oh no." Musa stood up. "Stella, you are not trying that matchmaking stuff again. We are not going through with that!"

I don't blame her… thought Tecna. She remembered last year, when Stella had set Musa up with Jared without her knowing. Musa hadn't forgiven Stella for quite some time.

"Yeah, no," Layla said. "I'm happy the way I am. Besides, I don't exactly have a choice in who I marry. My parents will pick someone for me in a decade's time."

"Your loss." Stella turned to Flora. "So, who's your dream guy?"

Tecna saw her friend look startled. Uh oh… The Fairy of Nature composed herself, trying to look as natural as possible. "I haven't really thought about it."

"Oh please!" Stella laughed. "It's every girl's dream to be swept off her feet by an adorable guy!"

"Not mine, apparently," Flora looked at the ground.

She's getting dangerously close to the subject, Tecna thought, knowing full-well that Flora hadn't told the others that she was dating Mirta. I don't think she wants them to know…

"So, what's your type, Flora?" Bloom asked. "Is he boisterous and brave? Or artistic and quiet?"

"I" – Flora stammered.

"Probably artsy and mega-silent," Stella grinned. "And shy. Don't worry, Flora, I'm sure you'll find someone this year!"

Okay, thought Tecna, her head spinning. Please let this end. She turned around and saw Faragonda and Griselda walk in. "They're here!" she shouted.

"Food in the library?" Griselda asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Er" – Musa said sheepishly.

"Sorry, Ms. G," Stella said cheerfully. "We promise not to spill it on the floor."

"It would be a shame, especially considering how spotless you’ve made it," Faragonda said. "In fact, I believe your punishment is to be lifted."

"Oh, and by the way, Bloom, this came for you in the mail," added Griselda, handing her a fancy envelope.

Tecna gazed at it. The envelope was embroidered in gilt, and shined brilliantly with cursive writing: From the Royal Family of Eraklyon. Bloom gasped.

"Open it!" breathed Stella.

Bloom tore it open. Breathless, the girls read the card, gazing over Bloom's shoulder:

Miss Bloom Peters of Earth:

You have hereby been invited to the Ritual of Protection at the Kingdom of Eraklyon, from Friday, 2 Sextmensis 999, to Saturday, 3 Sextmensis 999. You have been named the guest of honor of His Royal Highness Prince Sky Achilles Chiron of Eraklyon. Please arrive in formal attire at 09:00 sharp.

Thank you,

The Royal Family of Eraklyon

“Oh my Solare!” Stella squealed, jumping up and down. “That’s so amazing, Bloom!”

“Sky’s birthday is on Sextmensis 3,” Bloom said, frowning. “So is this a birthday party?”

“It’s more than just a birthday party, Bloom,” Layla laughed. “The Ritual of Protection is the male equivalent of a Princess Ball. It’s a huge ceremony, traditionally on the prince’s eighteenth birthday – or sixteenth, in my realm. On the first day, the prince shows off his skills – swordfighting, dragon wrangling, hoverbiking, you name it. The tournament lasts all throughout the day, and at night, there’s a religious ceremony. The second day is when the prince is officially welcomed into royal society. The king will formally deem his son as ready to join in political affairs.”

“A ceremony,” Tecna repeated, dazed.

“Wait – there’s more!” Musa said, pointing to a smaller note underneath the fancy invitation card.

“Ooh, he sent you a personal note!” Stella squealed.

Bloom read it. When she was finished, her eyes were shining with tears of joy. “Can you believe it? Sky’s gonna announce me as his girlfriend – to the whole world!”

“That’s incredible!” Flora cried. “I’m so happy for you, Bloom!”

Tecna stared at Bloom, amazed. Sky must really love her! She smiled as Stella let out a whoop.

“We're doing some mega-shopping now!” she declared. “I need a new dress, and so do you, Tecna! 'Cause you're not backing out of this one!”

I'm going? Tecna shouldn’t have been so surprised; after all, it’d be rude to not show up for a close friend’s big day a second time. I wonder if Timmy will take me? A part of her, the part she'd trained the hardest, shouted at her, No, you can't go. You have work to do. But the other part of her, the part that had grown more and more vocal now that she was away from Vasiliev, said: Go. It's just for one night, isn't it? You'll make it up the day after. And the day after that, and the day after that…

"Haven't you forgotten something?" Faragonda asked.

Tecna jumped. Faragonda was eyeing Bloom and Stella with a smile on her face. "You've forgotten something, haven't you?"

"Oh!" Bloom jumped nervously. "Um… can we go to the ball, Headmistress? Please?"

"Of course," said Faragonda with a smile. “I also am happy for you, Bloom.” Even Griselda grunted in appreciation.

"Yay!" shouted Stella. "Let's hit the mall!"

The work was starting to get worse. Vasiliev had started setting weekly quotas for her, and was having her finish three-thousand sets of algorithms per week. It would've been difficult enough at her home realm, but while juggling five classes on the side, it was nearly impossible.

To help mitigate her work, Tecna asked Digit to do some of her homework for her. Digit protested initially, but then acquiesced once Tecna told her how much work she had to do on the side.

"You have to do that much?" she asked, horror-struck. "Tecna, I don't get it. Why do you have to make so many algorithms?"

"It's the company I work for," Tecna answered. "Don't worry, Digit. If I'm efficient, I'll get today's work done in six hours and thirty-five-point-two minutes."

"That's still too much!" Digit fluttered around. “No wonder you don't have any time for anything else!” She shook her head. “This isn’t going to work, you know. I can do your written homework, but if you don’t practice your spells, you’re gonna do really badly. And as for Whisperian, forget about it. I don’t know any Whisperian, so it’s not like I can write your essays for you, and I certainly can’t go in your place for oral tests” –

"Please, Digit," Tecna begged her. "Look, I swear you won't have to do this for too long. The work will come to a close soon; Mr. Vasiliev never has me work into the school year. I'm sure that, a few weeks from now, I'll be fine."

This was a complete lie; Vasiliev had never said anything about the work letting up. In fact, he'd made it sound like the complete opposite. Digit sighed and shook her head.

"You're my bonded fairy, Tecna," she said, "and I'll do this for you. I can tell this work is really important to you." She settled on the table and opened her portable laptop.

Digit wasn't wrong about that; the work was very important to Tecna. But not for the reason she thinks… The two of them worked side-by-side in silence, Digit humming to herself as she looked up the answers to DuFour's worksheet on aeroflynamics.

Tecna smiled down at her pixie, who, attentively as ever, focused on her work. I knew I could count on her… It reminded her of that day last Sextmensis, after they'd bonded in the Alfea quad…

The two of them had been cuddled up in Tecna and Musa's room, playing computer games. Bloom and Stella were out on dates, Musa was helping Jared with his journalism project, and Flora was visiting Mirta in the hospital. As Tecna wasn't dating Timmy yet, she was with Digit, and the two of them cheered as their WinxCart sped across the racetrack.

"Oh, yeah!"

"Great programming!"

"Here's to future engineers!"

Tecna smiled; she hadn't been this happy in a long time. Bloom, Stella, and Layla's mission had been extraordinarily stressful for her, Flora, and Musa; many a night had been spent anxiously watching them on Realmwide Maps. In the stress that had ensued, one of her spinal circuits had gone undone, which at times made it difficult to move her fingers. But now her friends had come home safely, which left Tecna free to play with her new pixie friend. Even with my fingers not at full function, I can still play this game pretty well.

"It was nothing," she said modestly. "Nothing you couldn't have done without me."

She flicked the screen to the next level. She was about to hit START when Digit added, "So, I've been meaning to ask you: how annoying is that broken circuit in your spine?"

Tecna gasped out loud, turning around to face Digit. How did she know? The pixie sighed.

"I'm the Pixie of Technology, okay?" she said. "You’ve disguised yourself pretty well – your flesh-covering prevents even other Zenithians from knowing. But pixies have certain powers fairs don’t, so I can sense your wiring. And you've got a lot of it. In fact, I'd say you have enough electricity to blow this entire school up."

"You can't tell anyone, Digit," Tecna whispered. "If you tell anyone, I'll be expelled from Alfea. Cyborgs are forbidden from attending UR Defense Schools!"

"Well, that's a load of glitches," Digit said indignantly. "You're so good at coding, and they don't want you to train to defend the world! What are they scared of, exactly?"

"That's how the world is," Tecna said sadly. "You have to promise me, Digit. Promise you won't tell anyone."

"I've got your back, Tecna," said Digit, flying up to Tecna's spine. "Quite literally." She snuck under Tecna's shirt.

"I'll fix your broken wiring for you," she assured her friend. "Just hold still for a moment." She concentrated her magic on Tecna's spine.

Tecna gasped as electrical energy tingled up her spine, connecting every nerve into one big tree. She felt her fingers tingle, and then a bold surge of magic zapped them, sending life into her hand.

She gingerly wiggled her fingers. Unbelievable… Whereas it would've taken her a good portion of any evening to figure out, Digit had fixed it in mere seconds. She smiled at her bonded pixie.

"Thank you so much," she breathed.

"No problem," Digit smiled. "Oh, and by the way, your secret's safe with me. I won't tell a soul." She flew towards the screen. "Now, how about the next level?"

And now, they were working on their work and assignments, respectively. Side-by-side, fairy and pixie worked until midnight, when, worn out by the amount of work, they both fell asleep.

As the week passed by, Linphean-Zenithian relationships plummeted to an all-time low. The realms continued to fight about trade, and imposed reverse-sanctions on one another. She knew Flora was watching the news, too, though she tried to avoid it in conversation when they were together. I don't want her to feel bad…

And now, they were boarding the ship to Eraklyon. It was another one of Sky’s private spaceships, just as luxurious as the one before; although he and Brandon were already on Eraklyon, Sky had chartered a ship just for them. Timmy gasped as soon as he saw Tecna.

"You look so beautiful," he gasped.

"Thanks," Tecna smiled, a blush coming to her face. She was wearing a deep purple dress made of satin, with orange ribbons tied. No sparkles – Tecna had drawn the line on that – but it was bright enough that she didn’t feel like a cyborg from Zenith anymore.

“We just finished dragon-dung duty, like, yesterday,” Riven groaned. “Codatorta wouldn’t let us go until it was over. He had no choice but to let Sky and Brandon go early, though. Guess being a prince and a prince’s squire has lots of perks.”

“Lighten up,” Musa laughed affectionately. “At least we can all go together.”

"I'm so excited!" Chatta squealed, flying up and down. She was wearing a shimmering green dress, one that made her golden hair stand out. All the pixies were dressed-up, wearing beautiful colors. They were grinning as they looked at their respective bonded fairies.

"Sorry about missing the Princess Ball," Digit said, her indigo suit contrasting against the other pixies' dresses. "We had some work to do, helping the Pixie Elders move our Village. But we're so ready for this!"

"Actually, I'm kinda glad you missed the last one, to be honest," Stella said sheepishly. She was wearing a vibrant orange dress, one that, in Tecna's opinion, was too bright for her fair coloring. Her jewelry and her tiara looked ridiculous; anyone would think she was the star of the show, not Bloom. But she was beaming as she put her arm around her friend.

"You're gonna be amazing," she gushed.

"But what if I mess up?" Bloom asked nervously. "What if I trip on my dress? What if something goes wrong?"

"Nothing will go wrong," Stella assured her. "You're gonna be just fab-u-lous!"

But, as it turned out, Bloom would be right. Things would go much, much worse than they'd expected.

“I know something that’ll cheer you up, Bloom!” Musa called. “I finished writing my latest song!” She grabbed her guitar, and began to sing.

Tecna watched, enchanted, as Musa sang the words to “Like a Princess I’ll Be”. She’d written it in honor of Stella’s Princess Ball and Bloom’s role at Sky’s Ritual of Protection. She finished, and then the girls applauded. “Your songs are amazing!” Stella cheered.

“’Tea helped me with this one,” Musa grinned. “We’ve got a few hours to pass.” She lifted her guitar. “Ready for more?”

Tecna listened eagerly as Musa played several of the songs she’d composed in the past few years. In their freshman year, she’d written: “It Feels Like Magic” during their first week at Alfea; “This is the Beat” during their cleaning party; “We Are the Winx” after they’d founded the Winx Club; “Mean Girls” to bash at the Trix; “You and Me” to honor her relationship with her mom; “Searchin’” after Riven betrayed them; “Got to Go” after Bloom left Alfea; “Count on Me” when they’d gone to Domino. In sophomore year, she’d written: “We’re Back Again” for when they inaugurated the new Alfea building (which had been destroyed by the Trix); “Talking about Love” due to her frustration with Riven; “Together Forever” for Layla, her best friend; and “Crazy in Love with You” during the trip to the Wildlands.

They passed through immigration easily, and then they entered the Eraklyonese atmosphere. On most planets, the sky was blue; however Eraklyon was unusual in that the sky was green. It was a neon, unique lime color, which somehow made everything seem so much more cheerful. The color of vegetation was still a dark green, but since the sky was lime, the water was lime, too. Tecna knew there were other planets which didn’t have blue skies and green vegetation: Solaria had blue skies and golden vegetation; Lunaria, Romula, and Rema had blue skies and silver vegetation; Whisperia had orange sky and purple vegetation; Melody had red sky and magenta vegetation; and Rêve had yellow sky and purple vegetation. Apparently, Zenith used to have turquoise skies and orange vegetation, but Tecna was convinced it was just an urban legend. After all, the sky was always gray or black, and there was too much snow for any plants to grow. All crops had to be grown in greenhouses, and even then, Zenithian plants were always gray. One thing was for sure: there was no such thing as color on Zenith.

The ship flew over the Heraklion Walls, the walls which protected the capital city of the realm, Herakliopolis. Similarly to how Queen Isabela’s ship had radioed the Fortress of Andros, the pilot radioed the guards of the Fortress of the Olympians. They landed in the airfield, and then the pilot opened the doors.

“Look!” Bloom pointed out the window.

The Fortress was decorated with streamers and banners. In fact, it was open for all the guests today – Tecna could see so many royals and nobles dressed in brilliant colors. The pilot opened the door, and the royal guards escorted the Winx and the Specialists through the grounds.

They passed by jeweled palaces, fine sculptures, and rock gardens. As Eraklyon was the Realm of Stones, there was no shortage of rocks, stones, and precious gemstones. Eraklyonese marble was the most famous of all, and many of the buildings were made of pure marble and adorned with beautiful jewels. So many height measurements passed through Tecna’s computerized brain, but she shut them off. I just want to admire them as they are.

They soon reached a massive circular structure, which they stared at in awe. The Titanic Colosseum was a gigantic arena inside the Fortress of the Olympians. There were 100,000 seats in the circular space! The Colosseum was usually only reserved for the royals and a few nobles, but today, all the seats would be filled! Commoners were allowed to come, provided they went through immense security checks. They were chosen by lottery, and being selected was a great honor indeed. They were not permitted as overnight guests in the fortress, but they could still join in some parts of the festivities. They entered the Colosseum, and Tecna’s jaw dropped.

There were thousands of people already seated! She could make out the frontmost rows were for the close friends of the royal family. Above that, all the royals of the other kingdoms were seated, followed by the nobles, then the elected officials of Eraklyon, and then the commoners. They passed by a huge, railed jeweled podium, on which Flora saw King Erendor and Queen Samara.

“Wow!” Bloom gasped.

They soon made it to the very front row. Since they were close friends of Sky’s, they were given some of the best seats in the entire Colosseum. In a daze, Tecna took her seat, while the others chattered excitedly.

“I can’t wait to see the dragon wrangling!” Bloom smiled.

“The swordfighting is so great!” Layla added.

Tecna saw Flora give Mirta a small smile. Fortunately, Bloom and Layla were too busy chatting to notice, and Musa was talking with Riven and Timmy. As for Stella, she was staring around the crowd.

Tecna followed her gaze. The royals and the nobles from many of the kingdoms were there, including… King Radius and Countess Cassandra. Stella let out a gasp of outrage. "How dare she show her face here?"

Tecna cast Stella a sympathetic look. That’s horrible! It was thankful Chimera wasn’t there, or Stella would’ve probably hexed her into green skin. Anyways, Cassandra wasn’t married into the Solarian royal family yet, so why was she even at the ceremony? She must be really powerful.

"The ceremony's about to start!" Bloom shouted. The entire stadium quieted as a spotlight shined on the arena. The girls, Pixies, and Specialists leaned forward with bated breath.

“It is time,” a sentry called. “Please welcome His Royal Highness Prince Sky Chiron Achilles of Eraklyon!”

A huge cheer sounded as Sky vaulted into the arena, from an underground entryway, in bronze armor and elaborate accoutrements. He had green and brown cloth strips tied around his torso and neck – the colors of Eraklyon. A huge gold girdle was around his waist, studded with emeralds, jade, and diamonds, and his elaborate war helmet was absolutely beautiful. His smile was huge as he gazed around the crowd.

“Greetings, people of Eraklyon!” he shouted. Like the sentry, he was speaking in the Common Tongue – this was being broadcast to the whole world, after all. “I am honored to be your host today at the Titanic Colosseum! Welcome to the Fortress of the Olympians, everyone! Please welcome my squire – Brandon Angelos, from the province of Atlantis!”

“SNOOKUMS!” Stella squealed as Brandon appeared, wearing less elaborate bronze armor and with a simple spear at his side. He bowed before Sky, saying, “It is an honor to be here, Your Highness.”

It was strange to hear Brandon refer to Sky with his title. Since all UR Defense students were considered to be equals, none of the Winx nor the Specialists addressed Sky as a prince. Of course, things were different in Eraklyon; Brandon was technically Sky’s servant, after all.

Then Tecna saw King Erendor and Queen Samara rise from their seats. They walked down an elevated walkway, reaching the arena. Sky and Brandon knelt before Sky’s parents, and King Erendor spoke.

“It is my joy to induct my son into royal society,” he said. “He has grown up to be a fine prince, a noble warrior, and a proper gentleman. I could not be prouder of Prince Sky than I am now.”

“I too am proud of my son,” the queen added. “He has the courage of a king and the character of a royal. Today, we celebrate Prince Sky’s coming-of-age!”

More cheering sounded. A servant brought forth a case, which he opened. King Erendor drew out a bronze sword, studded with gold and emeralds. The entire stadium fell to a hush as the king unsheathed the sword.

“My son, it is time to present you with the Heraklion Sword,” he said. “It was forged in Year 16003 of the Age of Blood, for Prince Herakles, the crown prince at that time. It was with this Sword he fought courageously against the tyrants of Drako and Whisperia. Though he died in battle, this Sword has the magic of our homeland. As per tradition, the crown prince is entrusted with this Sword.” He lightly tapped the blade on Sky’s head, and a green light shined from the blade. “Take it, my son.”

Sky took the hilt, rising from his kneel. Immediately, green magic flowed around him, and everyone gasped in awe as the Sword shined the same emerald color. He raised the Sword high above his head, and a green beam of energy shot out of it, straight into the sky above!

“Woo-hoo!” Bloom and Stella cheered. The rest of the crowd roared.

Then Queen Samara turned to Brandon, who was still kneeling. “Brandon Angelos, you have been a loyal servant and a great friend to our son. Today you shall be honored by raising the flag of Eraklyon.”

Brandon stood, walking to the flagpole, which was at the center of the Colosseum. Several servants presented him the flag, and he strung it onto the flagpole. He pulled the string, and the flag rose into the sky, until it reached the very top. It burst into bloom – a brown stripe at the top and at the bottom, a white stripe in the middle, and a green olive wreath at the center.

Then someone else flew out of the space under the stage. She was dressed in a long red layered dress, and had rubies on her hair, earrings, and bracelets. “Wait – who is that?”

“Please welcome Lady Diaspro Rhea of Isis, here to sing the national anthem,” Brandon called.

The Winx let out shocked gasps. Why is Diaspro part of the ceremony? “Sky didn’t tell me this!” Bloom whispered, looking worried.

“I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about,” Tecna said practically. “You did help her last year, right? You, Flora, Sky, and Brandon saved her from the Patchamen. She might even be grateful to you for what you did. I don’t think you should worry.”

“My Love Crystal agrees,” Amore added. “It tells me the love Sky has for you is real.”

A servant handed Diaspro a mic. Immediately, the band started playing the background music to the national anthem, “Stone Warriors”. Diaspro sang in Eraklyonese, her strong mezzo-soprano voice sounding triumphant and sure.

“She’s good,” Musa admitted grudgingly as everyone clapped. “Not the best, though. I can’t imagine why they chose her. There’re Eraklyonese singers who know music for a living.”

Tecna agreed. Though she knew absolutely nothing about music, it seemed odd a professional wasn’t chosen to sing the national anthem. Diaspro’s family must have quite a bit of influence. Bloom only looked more worried.

“Now,” Sky called, as the trumpets blared, “let the ceremony begin!”

The rest of the showcase was incredibly exciting. Sky showed off his skills, which included: archery at moving targets, wrangling and riding dragons, doing flips on his hoverbike, flying a pegasus through an obstacle course, and showing off sword tricks. Brandon was there for safety reasons, in case Sky was hurt. Both Bloom and Stella kept watch anxiously, as their boyfriends were certainly entangled in dangerous sports. Between each event was a chorale, orchestral, or band performance, or dance, or solo performance. Sky came out excellently in just about every aspect, though Flora winced a little when he reigned in a dragon a bit too harshly. Tecna knew Flora considered dragon wrangling to be animal abuse.

She was fascinated by how perfectly choreographed everything was. Sky and Brandon moved effortlessly in their roles, and the stage was set up so nicely, as to minimize hazard. The transitions between events were seamless. As Sky maneuvered across the stage, evading gravity in so many different ways, Tecna’s computerized brain calculated his position and velocity to the highest extent possible. In her opinion, that was the best part – seeing how well the performances were executed!

They had a break for lunch in the middle of the tournament, with so many exotic foods. Edible rock appetizers, olive fritters, vegetable-laden spanakopitas, juicy falafels, soft pitas, spiced lamb, goat gyro, and krystalloméno froúto, or fruit laden with crystals. For dessert there were stone truffles, gem custards, baklavas, fried figs, and kéik me vyra, or sponge cake topped with moss. Tecna ate her fill, completely forgetting her problems.

After that, they went back to the Colosseum again. Sky continued his showcase, but this time, he had teammates. Again King Erendor and Queen Samara were called to the stage, and so were all the major noblemen – the Baron of Isis, the Baron of Venus, and the Baron of Atlantis – the three provinces of Eraklyon. Each baron stood with his family. Tecna caught sight of Diaspro standing with her father, the Baron of Isis, and her mother, the Baroness.

Like Solaria, Andros, and Rêve, Eraklyon followed a feudal system. Under the king were the barons; under them were the earls; under them were the lords; and under them were the commoners. The barons ruled over provinces, the earls ruled over counties, and the lords ruled over manors and cities; therefore, the executive power was completely within the hands of these ancient noble families. However, there was some sort of elected assembly at each level, so the power of each noble ruler was always checked. Each baron had chosen an earl from his province to join in the games alongside Sky and Brandon. All of them fought together in an intensive battle against stone mannequins which catapulted flaming rocks.

“Be careful, snookums!” Stella squealed as Brandon dodged a particularly intense flame.

“You do realize they all have charmed armor, right?” Digit pointed out. “The chainmail, shields, and weapons they bear are just as protective as those given to the highest generals in the army. No amount of fire will penetrate through those.”

“You could’ve told me that before,” Stella huffed.

The tournament ended in a terrific victory for the team. Everyone rose in a standing ovation, and the applause lasted for fifteen minutes! Bloom and Stella looked the most excited as Brandon and the earls lifted Sky into the air. Finally, it was time for dinner – a sumptuous, incredible banquet that was even better than lunch.

As dessert came to a close, the music became slower and calmer. Many couples stood up and started dancing in the ballroom. Unfortunately, since neither Sky nor Brandon were a part of this official dinner (they were not to be present at meals on the first day), Bloom and Stella didn’t have anyone to dance with. Flora and Mirta couldn’t dance together, so those four and Layla just sat together and chatted. After all, Eraklyon was very conservative – if anyone saw two girls dancing together (even as friends), they would stare. Musa, though, was dancing happily with Riven, who actually seemed to have improved in his dancing skills.

“Tec?” a soft voice called. Tecna looked up to see Timmy standing over her, extending a hand. “Um… wanna dance with me?”

“Sure,” Tecna smiled, rising and holding his hands. They slowly danced together, and Timmy tripped a few times – Tecna had to catch him once before he fell. He groaned, running his hand through his hair.

“I’ve never been good at this,” he said. “But I’ve always wanted to dance with you, Tecna. I didn’t have the confidence to do it until now.”

“Yeah,” Tecna agreed. “I’m glad we’re doing this. I’m glad you took me here.”

“Of course, Tec,” Timmy answered. “You’ve been happy today.”

For sure, Tecna was happy. She was happy to see the showcase going so well, happy to see Bloom and Stella were happy. She wanted this moment to never end. Judging by the look on Timmy’s face, she knew he felt the same.

She was so happy to be with the boy she loved. She was safe in his arms, with all other memories set aside for now. She would never forget how hard he’d fought for them in the Wildlands, nor his unconditional acceptance for her identity as a cyborg. Timmy sighed, holding her tight.

“Nothing will go wrong,” he said. “You’ll see, Tec. Everything will be fine.”

Then they noticed the ballroom was clearing. Tecna saw Musa turn around, asking, “Guys, are we going somewhere now?”

“Everyone’s headed towards the Emerald Church now,” Bloom said, “for the religious ceremony. We should go.” They all trooped out of the hall.

“Hey, Timmy,” Riven called, “I need your help with something. There’s a glitch in the GPS tracking system on my phone.”

“Yeah, sure,” Timmy said, reluctantly letting go of Tecna’s arm. “See you in a bit, Tec.”

Tecna watched as he headed over to Riven. She looked over at the others. Bloom and Stella were talking together, and so were Layla and Musa. Mirta was going to join Flora, but was pulled away by Stella, who was fussing with some problem about her dress. That left Flora to join Tecna, who looked over at Tecna nervously. Tecna swallowed, not meeting her friend's gaze. The Linphean fairy lightly touched her arm.

"Look, Tec," she said, "I know you haven't been sleeping well at night. Half the days, you look dead during Magiphilosophy. I didn't say anything to the others, because I didn't want them to worry, and I wanted to talk to you first. What's been going on?"

Tecna swallowed again, suddenly remembering Vasiliev and the lab. She’d worked extra hard this entire week to make sure she could come to the party. It had been extremely exhausting, and she'd had to force potions down her throat to stay awake throughout the day.

I can't tell Flora about my circuits. It'd already been a huge risk to tell Digit and Timmy; she couldn't bear to tell anyone else. If they found out about her cyborg machinery, then she could pack her bags and kiss Alfea goodbye.

“Nothing,” she said, forcing a smile on her face. “I’ve just been a bit stressed.”

"But why?" Flora scrunched her head in worry. "Tecna, what’s going on?"

Tecna couldn’t answer. “I” – She frowned, staring at her friend. “I can’t explain.”

"You don't have to," Flora answered. "Just promise me one thing, okay, Tec?"

"What is it?" Tecna asked.

"Promise me, whatever it is, you’ll be safe," Flora answered. "I don't want anything to happen to you, Tecna. Please, promise me that."

Tecna nodded. "I won't."

Flora smiled, and there was genuine sweetness in her expression. A question came into Tecna's head, and she frowned.

"Flora, may I ask you a question?"

"Sure," Flora smiled. "What is it?"

"How do you express yourself without fear of persecution? You, well, you like Mirta," she said awkwardly, "but how do you do it? How do you stay with her, even when the society around you doesn't want you that way? How do you do it?"

Flora let out a sigh. "Honestly? I think it was my parents that made all the difference. I told them I was a lesbian when I was sixteen, right before going to Alfea, and they've been nothing but supportive. There are some judgmental people in my village, but the climate is much less suffocating than Alfea, where just about every girl is straight. But I think the biggest difference comes from the parents, Tecna."

That's true, Tecna realized, a wave of envy shooting through her. Her parents wouldn't even let her be with her boyfriend, Timmy. And if she had happened to like girls…

"But even if your parents don't accept you for who you are," Flora continued, "you know I always will, Tecna."

Tecna smiled at her. “Thank you so much, Flora.” She sighed. "I take it the other girls don't know about you and Mirta."

"No." Flora shook her head. "I don't know how they would take the news if Mirta and I tell them. So for now, can we just keep it between you and me?"

"Got it." Tecna smiled. "I figured as much when you avoided Stella's questions that morning. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone." It pleased her, to have a secret that she and Flora could keep between themselves. Flora must really trust me… despite everything that's going on between her and my realm.

They soon reached the Emerald Church. True to its name, glittering emeralds made up every space on the façade of the temple! Stone statues of Prince Herakles and his father, King Theseus, were at the very front. Two priests stood in front of a flaming altar, and Tecna craned her head up.

Sky was seated on a throne to the right of his father, and Queen Samara was to the left of King Erendor. He was now dressed in a blue royal cape with a white toga, and a blue olive wreath around his head. The crowd came to a hush as the priest spoke.

“I am Cardinal Prometheus Agnes, the head of the Church of Herakles,” he said. “I welcome you to this ceremony.”

Sky drained the last drop in his wineglass. The drink, Tecna knew, was the krasi hyakintos, a wine made from white hyacinth petals. From the extensive bits of trivia she’d gathered, the wine was supposed to be sparkling clear. However, her sharp, computerized eyes could make out a slight tint in the liquid, which made it appear ever-so-slightly blackish. Why’s that?

“Normally, we would start with a ritual to Lord Heraklion, God Himself,” Cardinal Prometheus continued, “but we are changing tradition today. A special announcement will be made first.”

A ripple of surprise swept across the crowd. Bloom held her hands to her heart, and Stella squealed, “It’s time!” Sky rose from his throne.

"Greetings, everyone!" he shouted. The onlookers quieted and gazed eagerly at him. "I want to thank you all for joining in this great celebration with us.” He came closer to the crowd.

“I want to tell you about a girl I've met, who makes my eyes shine with joy every time I see her. She is the most beautiful and amazing girl in the Galaxy of Magix. Everything about her radiates with such fire – she brings such passion to my heart!”

“Wow, he’s really laying it on thick,” Timmy grinned. Tecna smiled back at him as Sky finished his speech.

"My friends, without further ado, let me introduce you to the love of my life… Lady Diaspro!"

The same girl in the red layered dress stepped out of the shadows, her eyes gleaming wickedly. Tecna gasped in shock as she ran forward, throwing her arms around Sky. Most of the crowd cheered, particularly the crowd from the province of Isis.

But for the Winx, this was nothing short of horror.

This is completely irrational, thought Tecna. Sky, who had never done anything cruel to anyone, was now publicly disowning his girlfriend of two years? Why is he doing this? What is going on?

Bloom gasped, tears falling down her eyes. "I feel so strange… like everything is coming to an end," she cried.

"I can't believe it," gasped Flora, holding Bloom’s shoulders before she could collapse. "Why would he do this?”

"He must really love Diaspro," Bloom sobbed. "It just took him until now to figure it out."

"Amore, what does your Love Crystal say now?" Layla demanded.

"I don't know," Amore wailed. "The Crystal – it's conflicted. This has never happened before. Oh, and here I thought today would be a beautiful day for love!"

Tecna could barely control her breathing. She stared at Bloom in alarm, wishing there was something, anything, she could do. Anything, to make this madness stop –

"I think we need to hear this directly from the Royal Cheater himself!" Stella said, firing up. "In fact, I'm gonna go over there and find out exactly what's going on!"

“Stella!” Tune sounded horrified. “You can’t confront the prince of Eraklyon at a public event! It won’t help us!”

“I’m all for it,” Chatta declared. “He needs to be taught a lesson!”

“Me too,” Layla added. “Don’t worry, Tune. Our status as princesses will help us.”

“Right,” Riven muttered under his breath. “Because that helped so much the last time.”

Stella stormed towards the steps. A guard, seeing the incoming princess, tried to stop her, but she simply halted him with a snap of her fingers. She was followed by Layla and Musa.

"Let's go," Flora said. She squeezed Mirta's hand once, whispering, "We'll be back, sweetie." Tecna and Bloom followed Stella, Layla, and Musa, and Flora undid the spell on the confused guard.

Diaspro was still laughing and hugging Sky. Rage filled Tecna as she stared at the two, disgusted. If someone took my Timmy away from me like that – She stopped, taken aback by her own possessive thought.

Diaspro whispered something in Sky's ears. Suddenly, Sky jumped up, glaring at the girls. "Guards! Go get those girls!"

"What?" gasped Bloom. "Sky, what are you" –

"They're here, disguised as Alfea fairies and princesses!" Sky shouted. "They're terrorists, come to destroy this national holiday!" He glared at the guards. "After them!"

The guards' eyes hardened. They drew their weapons and ran towards Bloom. Tecna watched, transfixed, as Bloom did nothing to defend herself.

"That is a lie!" she shouted.

"You expect them to believe us?" Stella cried, grabbing Bloom. The girls ran towards the palace gardens, panting. Tecna did her best to keep up with the others, fighting hard not to trip over her dress.

HEARTBEAT 147.4 BEATS PER MINUTE, flashed across her vision. UNUSUALLY HIGH. SEEK CAUTI –

Shut up! thought Tecna irritably. She focused on the girls in front.

"They're gaining on us!" Layla cried.

"I'll block them for a moment," Flora said. The brambles moved to block their way, and the guards hollered angrily. The girls ran as quickly as they could, rushing into the maze.

"First Sky disses Bloom, and then he calls us terrorists," Musa said. "He's gotta be hexed!"

"The same kind of hex that was cast on Stella," Layla added.

"After them!" a guard yelled, and Tecna snuck a look back. They'd sliced through the brambles and were now running towards the girls.

"That's it!" Layla yelled. "We're transforming, right now! Winx Enchantix!"

"Magic Winx!" shouted everyone except Bloom. Tecna felt her suit appearing, and for a moment, gasped in relief at no longer being in fancy party clothes. The guards let out a yell.

"I'll stop them!" Layla called, creating a barrier. The guards tried to attack the barrier, but their darts rebounded on them and they gasped, cursing. Layla smiled.

"My Enchantix powers makes it a lot stronger!" she called. "So see how you like that!"

"No, see how you like this!" a voice shouted. Sky was above them, riding the same dragon he’d wrestled with in the Colosseum. The dragon bellowed once, and a ray of fire cascaded, hitting Flora directly.

"Flora!" Musa cried, and Tecna watched in horror as her friend collapsed to the ground.

"We're here!" a voice behind them called. Timmy, Riven, Mirta, and the Pixies had caught up with them, and they stood with the Winx against Sky and his dragon. Timmy was panting as he ran after Riven.

“Good thing I helped Riven fix the GPS system on his phone!” he shouted. “We were able to track you down!”

Tecna recalled how she and Timmy had set up a GPS system on all their phones, so they all could see each other’s locations at all times. That way, if anything went wrong, they could help each other out. Layla and Riven picked up Flora, and they all stared at Sky, and the guards beyond the barrier.

“What’re we gonna do now?” Stella wailed.

“This is the same problem we had on Solaria,” Musa groaned. “What’re we gonna do?”

Mirta glared up at Sky. "What did you do to my – I mean, what did you do to Flora?"

Tecna saw Layla and Musa exchange a puzzled look. But it was quickly forgotten as Sky yelled, "That's nothing compared to this!" His dragon let out a mighty roar, spewing out a torrent of flames again, straight at Layla, Riven, and Flora –

"No!" Bloom yelled, dissipating the fire just before it could reach Flora. "That's it, Sky. I'm not letting you hurt my friends anymore!" She transformed, flying up to challenge Sky.

The dragon roared again, and Tecna gasped in horror. More dragons broke out of the royal armory, and people were screaming, trampling one another in the rush to get away. How did they leave? Where was Diaspro and the royal family? Where was Brandon? She stared ahead, and her eyes widened in horror.

King Radius had been knocked to the ground, with Countess Cassandra nowhere to be found. One particularly brutal dragon stood right in front of him, moving forward for a strike.

"No!" Stella cried, and she soared towards the dragon. Tecna watched in horror as the dragon pounced on Radius, letting out a breath of fire…

And Stella jumped right in front of it.

She screamed in pain, trying to deflect the flames away but eventually succumbing to her power. Letting out one last cry, she fell to the ground.

"Stella!" shouted everyone in alarm.

And then, a light began to shine on her. The Winx watched, transfixed, as another blinding light flashed over her. The same light that had engulfed Layla just a few weeks ago.

"Her Enchantix!" Layla shouted. "She's getting it!"

The light died away. Stella was standing, wearing a floating orange-and-pink top and orange-and-pink skirt, tied with turquoise lace. Turquoise barefoot sandals were strapped on her legs, and a blue band with an orange-and-yellow pouch was around her neck. She wore a turquoise crown barrette in her hair. Her wings were luminous, orange with pink, blue, and yellow prism designs.

"My Enchantix!" she cried out.

Suddenly, she squealed as she was grabbed from behind. An Eraklyonese guard grabbed her, throwing a black band around her arm. She immediately reverted back to her civilian form, confused and stunned.

"We're taking this one to the dungeon," he said.

“Wait!” Bloom shouted in alarm. She glared at Sky. “Stop this right now!”

“You’re all under arrest, too!” a guard shouted. “There’s no way out of here – the Heraklion Walls are under full guard. There’s no way out of this! Surrender, before you get into bigger trouble!”

“He’s right,” Layla whispered to Bloom, as she and Riven set Flora on the ground. “I’m gonna bring the barrier down.” Looking defeated, Tecna watched as the barrier disappeared. By then, Sky was nowhere to be found.

I can’t believe this happened. She was so worried about Bloom, and was terrified they might not make it back to Alfea. Why did Sky do this to us?

Then the guards came in, placing cuffs around their wrists. They were each carried one-by-one, straight into an underground complex. Tecna couldn’t even see anything; it was too dark. She was tossed into a cell, and the bars slammed shut. She lay on the ground, dazed and confused and scared.

What was going on? What dark force had uprooted all common sense and made Eraklyon completely irrational?

Chapter Text

CHAPTER 9: THE "V" OF VALTOR

Flora woke, wincing as she opened her eyes. "What happened?"

“Lie down,” a sharp female voice snapped. Flora felt a hot liquid being poured into her mouth, some sort of healing tea. She was finally allowed to sit up; she stared around.

She was in some kind of dungeon. Her eyes widened as she saw bars all around her; she tried to pull herself up, but she was too weak and the guard was too strong. The Eraklyonese woman glared at her.

“You’re not going anywhere,” she said. “Not until His Majesty decides what’s to be done with you.”

“Where are my friends?” Flora demanded. “Where am I? What’s going on?”

“You’ll find out soon enough,” the woman answered coldly. “Now, keep quiet.”

Now Flora remembered. She remembered how she’d been knocked unconscious by Sky’s dragon, and how, before that, Sky had declared them to be terrorists. The same way Cassandra called us terrorists back on Solaria! What was going on?

“We’re not the enemy,” she said, desperately. “Something’s wrong. Sky has been” –

“Don’t even start!” the guard yelled at her. “I don’t know what you’re doing or why you’ve come here, but the king and his lead detectives will soon make short work of you. You’re up for questioning very soon” –

Suddenly, a flash of light filled the air. Flora stared in disbelief as the guard crumpled, then Brandon appeared. “Let’s get out of here!” Breaking the lock with his spear, he helped Flora out.

“Where’s everyone?” Flora asked in a daze.

“We knocked the guards unconscious,” Brandon answered. “First I freed Riven and Timmy, and now we’re freeing you girls. Hold out your hand.”

Flora extended her right hand, where her band was. Brandon took out a knife and, slashing the band in two, it fell to the floor. Instantly, Flora felt her energy return. She smiled.

“All right,” she said, transforming. “Let’s go!”

They soon found Mirta, Tecna, Bloom, Musa, and then the Pixies as well. Much to their indignation, they’d been put in tiny metal boxes with holes on the side, because they could easily slip through the bars of a normal prison cell. The guards on Eraklyon seemed a bit smarter than Stormy on Andros; they were wise enough not to put them all in the same cell, at least. While the girls were freeing each other, Tecna and Timmy dismantled the security alarm system, so Brandon and Riven could easily take out the guards. Once all guards were knocked unconscious, they regrouped together.

“Where are Stella and Layla?” Bloom asked worriedly.

“They must be in a higher-security vault,” Musa realized. “Because they have their Enchantix!”

“I’ll do a scan.” Digit held out her device, and a wave of energy rippled from it.

“I’ll help you,” Tecna said, holding Digit in her hands. “Because this whole place is made of metal, I can also sense their location through that.” They finished their scan quickly.

“Done,” Tecna announced. “They’re further underground. Scan finished in nine point fifty-eight seconds.” She headed down the hall. “Follow me.”

They headed downwards, through a tunnel. Mirta crept next to Flora, and they exchanged a worried look. How are we going to get out of here? Even once they freed Stella and Layla, what were they going to do?

"I hate this!" a voice wailed. "I hate this I hate this I hate this I hate this!"

“That’s definitely Stella,” Musa said wryly.

“Let’s break this door down!” Riven pointed ahead of them, to a thick metal door.

“Riven, don’t” – But Riven was already running towards the door. Slamming it with his laser-sickle, he grunted, but it wouldn’t budge.

“99.98 percent of the surface-area is covered with a sealing charm,” Tecna told him. “But there is a way. There’s this tiny spot, which has just been missed by the charm.” Protective charms, according to Palladium in their sophomore Charmbound class, often had weak spots; their strengths often faded over time. Tecna jabbed the weak spot, denting the metal.

“There,” she said. “Now, let’s think about what to” –

“Hrahh!” Riven shouted, slamming his fists against the dent. The force of his brawn unhinged the door. Brandon joined in, and then, the door fell to the ground.

Suddenly, an alarm blared! Flora, who had slightly sensitive hearing, clapped her hands to her ears. “What’re we gonna do?” she asked desperately.

“Timmy!” Riven growled at him. “I thought you dismantled the system!”

“Don’t blame him,” Tecna retorted. “You were the ones who broke the door! Obviously the charm-and-alarm system is different for the higher-security vaults!”

“Call reinforcements!” one guard shouted from inside.

“We have no choice,” Timmy said. “We have to leave!”

“I’m not leaving without Stella!” Brandon shouted, running into the prison.

“Brandon!” Bloom shouted. She, Riven, and Musa ran after him. Flora looked at Mirta, Tecna, Timmy, and the Pixies.

“Pixies, we need your help,” she whispered. “Lockette, you can sense Stella’s location, right?”

“I can sense her if I hold Amore’s hand,” Lockette answered. “She is Stella’s bonded pixie, after all. We can both go together.”

“All of you go,” Tecna told them, catching on to Flora’s idea. “The rest of us will distract the guards.”

“Wait a minute!” Mirta protested as the Pixies flew off. “I don’t think Flora can fight right now!” She looked at Flora in concern. “You still need to rest!”

“Does it look like we can rest now?” Timmy asked frantically.

“I’ll be fine,” Flora whispered. The truth was, she was feeling quite tired and unwell. “It doesn’t matter. We need to save our friends.”

“Then let’s go,” Timmy said.

“Magic Winx!” Mirta called, while Flora and Tecna shouted, “Winx Charmix!” They all transformed, and they flew quickly in. The guards ran up to them, pointing their spears and shouting.

“Metallic swing!” Taking energy from the metallic walls, Tecna shot a wave of power at the guards. Mirta used the darkness of the underground prison to send a funnel of energy forward. Flora wished she had her vial of pollen with her, but they’d taken it away, so she couldn’t do anything. Fortunately, the others were more than capable. They caught up with Brandon and the others, helping them fight. Stella, Layla, and the Pixies appeared.

"Stella!" gasped Brandon. "There you are!" He ran up to her and slashed the band, which was on her left wrist. Stella was both left-handed, unlike the rest of the Winx, who’d had bands on their right wrists. It was easy to tell which was the spellcasting arm, depending on where the energy was concentrated.

“Thanks, Pixies,” Layla said as Riven removed her band, too. “We owe you one.”

A shout rang out. "Who dares infiltrate the dungeons?"

"Run!" Stella gasped. The girls transformed, at the same moment two guards came out of their quarters.

"The terrorists are escaping!" one of them yelled. "We should've them in the high security vault!"

"It was His Majesty's orders," spat the other one. "He won't put them in the high vaults until they’ve been convicted. A foolish move, if you ask me." She shot an attack at the girls.

"Digital screen!" Tecna yelled.

"Fire blockade!" Bloom added.

The two girls converged their powers to create a shield. The guards ran at them, holding their swords high in the air. Brandon, Riven, and Timmy leapt in front.

"Winx, go up and help the others save Sky," Brandon said. "He's more important than us. We need to prove Diaspro's deception!"

"But snookums"… Stella gasped.

"GO!" Brandon roared, bringing down his sword. The Winx and the Pixies flew towards the exit of the dungeons, up into the first floor.

"It's the terrorists!" shouted one of the soldiers. "We need to stop them!"

“Oh, give us a break,” Stella groaned. “We’re not terrorists!” She glared at the others. “Faster!”

But Flora, Mirta, Tecna, Musa, and Bloom were nowhere near as fast. Stella and Layla soared effortlessly, without any problems; but it was different for the rest of them, whose wings weren’t fast enough. Layla motioned for them to fly into a small alcove under the stairs, and she and Stella put up a protection barrier around. Mirta used her illusion powers to make the barrier less obvious. Tecna breathed a sigh of relief. “Now we can come up with a game plan.”

“Okay, how about this?” Layla turned around to the others. “We get out of here!”

“No!” Bloom shouted. “Not until Sky’s hex is gone!”

“Bloom, we’ve gotta go!” Musa said sadly. “It’s not safe here. Let’s get outta this humongous palace” –

“And then where?” Tecna pointed out. “The Fortress is completely secured. By my calculations, there’s a 0.93 percent chance of breaking through the Heraklion Walls. And even if we manage to get out of the Fortress, how would we ever get back to Alfea? We don’t have a ship, and our IDs were taken away from us!”

Flora felt her heart drop. She’s right! No matter what, they were completely screwed.

“We’ll get past that,” Layla answered, “because Stella and I are princesses. Our dads will bail us out! Faragonda will bail us all out! In fact, we need to contact her right now” –

“So what?” Bloom suddenly shouted. Tears were pouring down her face like a flood. “I want to reverse the hex on Sky! I’m not leaving till we do it!”

“Quite right!” Stella crossed her arms.

“Bloom,” Layla looked sad. “I’ve always said boys aren’t worth it. I’m sorry, but we have no proof he’s been hexed. I think it’s best we cut our losses and move on.”

“What?” Bloom looked horrified.

“I’m really sorry to say this,” Layla said grimly, “but escaping is our top priority now. If he were under a hex, Amore’s Love Crystal would’ve clearly told us so. The same way we saved Stel on Solaria, we need to get out and go back to Alfea” –

“How could you even say that?”

Flora jumped. Mirta was glaring at Layla, a fierce expression on her face. “I can’t believe you would say that to Bloom! Isn’t it obvious there’s real love there? Sky literally saved the whole Galaxy by confessing his love to her! He saved Bloom and he saved us! If I were Sky, I’d want someone to reverse the hex on me! This is something worth fighting for, but you just want us to leave? You’re her friend – you have to support her in this!”

Silence. Layla stared at Mirta, taken aback. In all honesty, Flora was shocked, and she could tell the others were as well. I wonder what I’d do if I were ever in Bloom’s position… What if something happened to Mirta, to cause her to turn against Flora?

“You’re right,” Layla said, looking ashamed. “I’m sorry, Bloom. I know I feel differently about boys than you, but if you really do believe there’s true love, we must fight for it. I’m by your side.”

“And so am I,” Musa added.

“Then we’d better split up,” Layla looked at the group. “I’ll stay with Musa, Tecna, and Mirta to fight against the guards. Stella, take Flora, Bloom, and the Pixies to find Sky!”

“Got it!” The protective barrier disappeared. Stella grabbed Flora’s hand and Bloom’s hand, and the Pixies sat on their shoulders. “Let’s go!” She zoomed forward.

“Mirta,” Flora called, “be care” – But they’d already disappeared around the corner. A thrill shot through her heart as Stella sped to unimaginable levels!

“This is incredible,” Bloom looked sad. “I wonder if I’ll ever be able to fly like this.”

I’m sure you will. Bloom could doubt herself as much as she wanted, but Flora had full confidence she’d face all her problems. She’ll face her fear of Avalon and get her Enchantix – and we’ll also save Sky! She frowned, thinking of how Mirta had been left without Flora, to fight against those guards.

I hope Layla can protect her. Of course she wanted Layla to protect all her friends, but Mirta in-particular. She couldn’t bear if anything happened to Mirta, the same way Bloom had lost Sky.

She supposed it shouldn’t be so surprising why Mirta felt so strongly about Bloom’s situation. It had taken a long time for her and Mirta to finally confess their feelings for each other, and both of them regretted having waited too long. Not so badly that it impacted their relationship, but still. She swallowed, remembering an incident the previous year, which made her realize how fragile Mirta truly was…

It had been a hot Octomensis day in Palladium's Charmbound class, which all the Winx girls were in except for Bloom. The other girls had complained about the heat, but not Flora; she was too busy daydreaming about Mirta.

Mirta's transformation was going very well. She was staying in the hospital, and Flora was visiting her as often as she possibly could. She found herself looking forward immensely to visiting her, to a degree which confused her. Why do I want to see her all the time?

"Attention girls!" Palladium announced. "I know it's a hot day and you don't want to be here" – to this the girls grumbled – "so we're going to do something fun." Immediately, the girls perked up.

Flora wasn't paying any attention. Oh, Mirta… I hope you're managing fine… She drew a rose in her notebook, one that was pink and beautiful, and imagined it in Mirta's hands. But… why? Why do I want that so badly? She sighed.

Palladium was holding a padlock in his hands. "This padlock is called a cincinno cattus, because witches used them to protect their cat-familiars in the Age of Antiquity. We're going to open this padlock with an Elventhien incantation. Now, when using one of the nine ancient languages of Magix, pronunciation is critical. It is pronounced patentibus mytrus. Who would like to give it a shot?"

"Me," Musa said, standing up eagerly. She walked to the front of the room, and focused her energy on the lock. "Patentibus mytrus!"

The lock transformed immediately, opening with a pink swirl. Palladium beamed at her.

"Excellent!" he said. "Now watch what happens when I change a syllable." He closed his eyes. "Patentibus mytros!"

The lock transformed instantly, denting itself into the shape of a cat. It let out an unexpected, very loud meow. The girls all laughed.

"Ooh, kitty kitty!"

"Looks like we need some cat food!"

Flora wasn't paying any attention. I'd like to get Mirta a cat… She smiled, imagining herself with Mirta, holding her hand as they walked out into a Linphean forest…

"Flora, your turn!"

Flora shot her eyes up. Palladium was staring at her, looking not at all amused. Okay… She got up and closed her eyes, concentrating her magical energy.

"Patentibus… Mirta!" she shouted.

Immediately, the lock went berserk. "Meow-meow!" it shouted, jumping up and down. Palladium tried to grab it, but it scuttled around the room, jumping out of the grasp. He glared at her.

"Flora!"

The girls were in hysterics. Flora saw Musa falling out of her chair, Stella giggling unceremoniously, and Layla gasping between pants. Even Tecna was laughing. She stared at them, confused and put-off.

"I don't know what happened," she said later to Mirta, as they both sat on her hospital bed. "He looked so annoyed with me. And – everyone was just laughing the whole time."

"I know the feeling," Mirta looked sympathetic. "It's horrible, when people laugh at you for making a mistake."

Flora winced. "Oh, Mirta"… She put her arm around her friend's shoulders. "I'm so sorry."

Mirta nodded. Flora found it hard not to tremble, especially when she was so close to this beautiful girl, someone she cherished so much. But… why? Why do I feel this way?

She gazed down at the girl. She was looking surprisingly healthy and in good shape; the transformation was going much more smoothly than anyone had expected. Some of her features had changed noticeably. Her skin was softer, her face was rounder, and her ears were losing their square shape and becoming more triangular. All of those were distinct features of fairs, which the transformation enchantment was helping her become. She'll be a fairy in no time…

"Flora?" Mirta interrupted her thoughts. "Why are you staring at me like that?"

Flora pulled away, almost as if she was stung. Mirta was staring at her with a perplexed expression on her face, and Flora felt her cheeks heat up.

"Sorry," she said, rather timidly. "I – I was just thinking of how healthy you look. You've managed quite well."

"Yeah," Mirta said, looking frustrated. "I wish I wasn't stuck here, in the hospital. It gets so boring, sitting here all day long. It's just… it really sucks." She let out a sigh. "But I can't go home."

"Why can't you just tell your parents?" Flora whispered. "I'm sure they would understand" –

"No," Mirta said, cutting her off. "They don't understand me at all." She closed her eyes.

"From the moment I was born, they were disappointed in me. I only acquired magical ability at age ten, whereas every other witch in the neighborhood could cast spells at age six. And even then, I never showed any interest in learning to brew potions or practice metamorphosis. I was always much more interested in flying. And they scorned me, saying that I might as well just be a fairy. They just don't care for me at all."

"Mirta"… Flora stared at her in shock. How could any parents be like this? They'd compared her, treated her like dirt, and thrown her under a rug. "I'm so sorry." She hugged her tightly.

Mirta stiffened for a moment, and Flora was afraid she'd gone too far. Then she felt Mirta squeeze her tightly. Flora felt her heart beat exponentially faster, something she hadn't expected.

But she's another girl, she thought frantically. I – I can't –

Suddenly, Mirta fell back, her legs shaking uncontrollably. She had an anguished look on her face as she fell back, her body moving into spasms. What's going on? Flora stood up immediately, running to the door.

"Nurse!" she yelled. "Mirta needs help!"

Two nurses immediately rushed in. Mirta lay helplessly on the bed, magical sparks shooting out of her body. A nurse immediately hooked her up to a machine, apparently trying to contain the magic.

But that only agitated her even further. A spark shot out, directly singing Flora. The force was harsher than she'd imagined, and she stumbled back, crying out with pain.

"You need to leave, now," one of the nurses told Flora.

"But Mirta" – Flora cried.

"Go!" the nurse yelled, and Flora sped out.

"We'll call you when we confirm what happened," the doctor said. She'd just arrived on the scene, and moved forward to assist the nurses in what they needed.

An hour passed. Flora sat in the waiting-room, sick with worry. What could've happened? Why was Mirta so ill? Just before coming to see her, she'd been absolutely fine – better than normal, in fact. But now she's…

"Flora," a voice called. The doctor was standing there, looking grim.

"She's not looking good," she said. "Her immune system is starting to fight the transformation. The potions we've been using have suppressed her immune system so far, but now her body's starting to fight back. We're hoping we'll be able to bypass her immune system and get the transformation through."

"And if not?" Flora gasped.

"If her body rejects the transformation," the doctor said, "then she'll go into shock, and we'll have to hook her to the ventilator. None have survived after that stage, so if that happens"… She didn't finish her sentence.

No, thought Flora, frantically. I thought – this can't happen! She could scarcely breathe.

"Don't worry," the doctor said, gently. "We will do our absolute best to make sure she's okay." She looked closely at Flora. "You really care about her, don't you?"

And Flora did, but it was more than just a friendly love. It's… I'm… And at that moment, she knew what it was.

I'm in love with Mirta. The realization dawned on her, and she stared down. I'm in love with another girl.

“We’re getting to the third floor!” Stella called.

Flora snapped back to reality, still holding tightly to Stella. She couldn’t help but feel amazed how Stella was pulling them all alongside her, without breaking even a sweat. Bloom’s attention snapped up as well. Lockette then spoke.

“I’m holding Bloom,” she said, “and, using her connection with Sky, I can sense where he is. We need to go down this corridor, take a left, and then it’s the door right ahead!”

“Okay,” Stella said, turning left, “definitely” – She let out a gasp.

The door ahead of them was bronze, studded with extravagant stones. It was huge, adorned with gold and emeralds. Stella walked up to it, turning around.

“This is a conference room,” she announced. “Perfect for planning any kind of event. I bet Sky’s in there, planning Part 2 of Botched Dragon Doom!”

“What should we do?” Amore squeaked.

A shout came behind them. “Look, I see the terrorists!”

“Hrahh!” Stella yelled, blasting the guards back. She tossed her Ring into the air, creating the Scepter of Solaria. But though she tried to slam the door open, it was charmed, and so wouldn’t budge.

“Who’s there?” Flora heard a shout from inside.

Then the door slammed open, knocking them back! Sky stood over them, the Heraklion Sword directly over Bloom. Flora sat up, gasping as Diaspro ran into the room, smirking.

“Capture her,” she ordered Sky, pointing at Bloom. “Take her to the highest-security vaults! I’ll deal with these two!”

“No!” Using the power of the moonlight from the windows, Stella hit Diaspro with so much force, she slammed against the wall! The guards rushed towards Stella, but she slapped them with a jinx as well. A trapping bubble formed around them, leaving them unable to move.

But Sky was still there. He was standing over Bloom, a look of anger on his features. But there was something more, Flora could tell. His eyes were cloudy and unfocused – which, according to Palladium, was a clear indication he was under a charm. When he spoke, it seemed almost robotic, but determined at the same time.

“You mean nothing to me,” he choked out. “I will escort you to the dungeons myself!”

“Sky!” Bloom sobbed. “Please! I’ve already lost so much. I’ve lost my kingdom, my birth parents, my trust in Alfea – but I can’t lose you! I – I love you!”

Sky suddenly stopped, startled. The Sword dropped to the floor. He stared blankly down at Bloom, his expression confused.

“It’s working!” Flora called. “Keep it up!”

“Don’t think I’ll fall for that!” Sky suddenly shouted, reaching for his Sword.

“ENOUGH!” With a huge burst of energy, Stella knocked Sky to the ground. Flora let out a horrified gasp as he fell, unconscious. While Stella helped Bloom sit up, Flora sat next to Sky, staring at his figure.

His beautiful ceremonial armor was dented, and his green ribbons had been torn off. But Flora could make out something more sinister, something she’d never seen before. She looked at the side of his neck, and let out a gasp.

A ‘V’ shaped, black brand was embossed into his flesh. When Flora touched it, it swelled up, and she gasped. “What’s this?” she cried.

“We’re here!” Musa called. Layla was leading the other girls past the contained guards, and they all landed next to Flora and Stella. Mirta smiled up at Flora, giving her a quick thumbs-up. Fortunately, no one noticed; they were too busy staring at the ‘V’ on Sky’s neck.

“I’ve seen that before,” Tecna said suddenly. “Remember when we were on Andros? I saw a hexed mermaid with the same symbol on her neck!”

Flora gasped; she turned straight to her friend. “Are you sure?”

“My photographic memory never lies.” Tecna stared down at Sky.

Flora knew to trust Tecna on this matter; her photographic memory had never failed them. But she’d always been confused why it was this way. It almost seemed like she had a computer inside her brain! “What do you think it is?”

“Why don’t we ask her?” Stella turned towards Diaspro.

“Let me out of here!” Diaspro yelled. She banged on the prism, but Layla smirked, holding her hands out. The barrier strengthened even further. She put her hands on her hips.

“Want to talk now?” she asked.

“I didn’t do anything!” Diaspro yelled. “Sky’s mine! I won’t let you do this!”

“What’s going on?” Flora saw Brandon, Riven, and Timmy appear. To her shock, she saw King Erendor and Queen Samara behind them!

“My son!” the queen cried, running up to Sky and kneeling next to him. The king glared at Brandon.

“You told me Sky was under a hex,” he snarled. “You have two seconds to show us proof, or we’re locking you in the dungeons with everyone else!”

“That’s easy!” Musa called. “Take a look at this big bugger here!”

The queen’s eyes went wide as she saw the huge ‘V’ on Sky’s neck. “Who could’ve done this?” she wailed.

“I can’t imagine who,” Layla said sarcastically, pointing at Diaspro.

“I j-just want him to love me!” Diaspro sobbed. “Everything was going so well until they showed up!”

“You did what?” King Erendor turned towards Diaspro, his eyes wide with rage.

“This wizard guy gave me a potion!” Diaspro said desperately. “I poured it into his krasi hyakintos. It worked – he immediately did everything I asked him to!”

“I knew it!” Tecna shouted. “I saw the drink was tinted!”

“How?” Flora asked in confusion; Tecna shut her mouth abruptly. None of the others had taken notice, though; they were too shocked.

“Turn him back!” King Erendor ordered. “Turn him back NOW!”

“I don’t know how!” Diaspro cried.

“Hold on a minute,” Stella said suddenly. “I think I know just the thing.”

“Really?” King Erendor raised his eyebrows. “Princess of Solaria? We haven’t forgotten the scandal surrounding your Princess Ball!”

To Flora’s even greater surprise, Stella didn’t retort back. Instead, she pulled something off her neck – a glimmering orange-and-pink pouch. Flora could see yellow dust, the scent of desert jasmine. It’s so beautiful! Layla let out a gasp.

“A wizard hexed away my eyesight,” she said, “and my fairy-dust cured it. So if a wizard has put a hex on Sky, then your fairy-dust can cure it?”

“Not just any wizard,” Stella answered. “Valtor. He’s done this to Sky.”

Flora felt her heart drop. “What?”

“I felt the same energy when he took Layla’s eyesight,” Stella responded. “I feel his energy now. It’s the strangest thing – my Scepter can sense his power!”

“Really?” Flora stared at the Scepter, which was glowing ever-so-slightly. It was so subtle, she would’ve missed it, but Stella could sense it immediately.

“Why’s that?” Musa looked puzzled.

“I don’t care!” Bloom shouted. She’d been silent the whole time, but now she was frantic. “Please, Stel! Give it a try!”

“I’ve got you, Bloom!” Stella grinned at her, and then she poured the fairy-dust over Sky.

A blinding white light shined over Sky’s body. Flora’s jaw dropped as the ‘V’ melted away, the inflammation healing itself and removing all traces of the mark. Sky stirred, and then, he opened his eyes.

“Sky!” Before Queen Samara could embrace her son, Bloom threw her arms around his neck.

Sky sat up, grimacing. “What happened?”

“You were under a hex,” Stella responded. “By Valtor.”

Sky’s eyes widened as he realized what had happened. “Great Heraklion.” He stared at Bloom. “I did all those horrible things to you! And your friends!”

“It’s okay, Sky,” Bloom sniffed.

“It’s not okay!” Sky gazed into her eyes. “I was conscious of what I was saying, what I was doing – but I couldn’t fight back. My body and my mouth just wouldn’t listen! It felt so horrible!”

That sounds horrible! Flora couldn’t believe Valtor’s magic was so powerful. How will we ever defeat him?

            “I’m sorry,” Diaspro wailed.

            “You will be punished,” King Erendor faced her. “I’ll have you in the dungeons now!”

            “Sky!” Diaspro turned towards him.

            “I’m sorry, Diaspro.” Sky shook his head. “I’ve always cared about you – but only ever as a friend. But I don’t think I can even have that respect for you now. You’ll have to live with what you’ve done. I hope someday you’ll find what you’re really looking for.” He turned to the guards.

            “Don’t be too harsh with her,” he said. “After all, I made a horrible mistake as well.”

            The guards grumbled, but when Stella and Layla undid the barrier, they pulled her away. Flora watched sadly after her, remembering how she and Bloom had helped rescue her the previous year. At that time, she’d thought Diaspro was changing her ways.

            But some people take a very long time to change. Or didn’t change at all. She hoped sincerely Diaspro would be able to come to terms with this, and find her own self-respect. Sky turned to face his father, his expression heavy.

            “I would still like to finish the Ritual of Protection,” he said. “It won’t be the same ceremonial affair as it was before, but I still want to speak to my people.”

            “Of course,” King Erendor nodded. “I’ll alert the Senate immediately.”

            “We are so proud of you,” Queen Samara whispered, tears in her eyes.

            Flora smiled slightly as she saw Bloom and Sky yet again embrace. Bloom turned to face the others.

            “All right,” she said. “Let’s do this.”

            Flora sat in the gardens, the same in which they’d been chased by the guards. Across was the Palace of Gems, which shined wanly in the morning’s light. She looked over at Mirta, who smiled back slightly at her. I’m so glad she’s okay. Tecna, Bloom, Stella, Musa, and Layla were also there. They were seated at the front of the assembly, with guards around them as protection. The Pixies and the Specialists sat there as well, looking quite disheveled.

            Everything at the ceremony had gone wrong. Yesterday, they should’ve had the religious ceremony at night, after dinner, which would’ve officially welcomed Sky as an adult. The sky had a certain dullness which, in the two times she’d been to Eraklyon, she’d never seen. No longer its usual lime green, it was now a depressing, dull gray.

Today was Sky’s actual birthday, and the first thing to be served in the morning should’ve been a huge cake. But the audience was silent as Sky stood in front of everyone.

            “Citizens of Eraklyon,” he announced, “today we have been hit by a great danger. I must inform you that, at one in the morning, the relics of Eraklyon were stolen.”

            A shocked cry sounded across the gardens. Flora’s eyes widened in horror, and she stared at the other Winx, who were also shocked. How? If they’d had any doubts about Valtor’s complicity before, they were gone now.

            “Not only that,” Sky continued, “but I was put under a hex, by a terrible wizard by the name of Valtor. Valtor also stole our treasures. I caused a terrible panic yesterday – I put all your lives in grave danger. I am so, so sorry.”

            The crowd was silent and stunned. Flora could see several of the guests were crying, and others were furious. This was a clear attack on the nation-state of Eraklyon. Sky’s eyes began to mist as well.

            “But worst of all,” he said, “I betrayed my real girlfriend. I chose someone else in her place, because the hex made me do so. That guilt will stay with me for a long time, but I am doing everything in my power to rectify it now.” He extended his hand towards Bloom. “Please, come up here.”

            Stunned, Bloom stood up, shaking as she walked towards Sky in her blue dress. The crowd stared in shock as Sky held her hand, squeezing it gently. Flora could see several cameras snapping, and people murmuring in shock. Sky then spoke, staring at everyone.

            “Bloom is the lost princess of Domino,” he explained. “Those of you who follow the Magixian news know her story very well. Raised on Earth, she discovered her magical powers, and was brought to Magix to study as a warrior in the defense of our Galaxy. Two years ago, she single-handedly defeated Icy Sekuko of the Trix, and, with the help of her friends, eliminated the Army of Decay. She is also the wielder of the Dragon Flame. Just a few months ago, she played a crucial part in defeating Darkar in the Underrealm of Magix. With her bravery, she and the same friends reversed the hex on me.” He stared into Bloom’s eyes.

            “I love you, Bloom,” he declared. “I will make it up to you. I will make it up to all of you! Not once in my wildest dreams did I think my first speech as crown prince would go like this – and I’ve been waiting for this for a long time. I won’t let us be defeated!”

            “I know you won’t,” King Erendor spoke. He had risen from his throne, and motioned for Sky to come. “Please kneel.”

            Letting go of Bloom, Sky knelt on the ground. The same cardinal as the day before walked forward, holding something on a cushion. A golden, emerald-studded crown – the Crown of the Heir. He spoke solemnly. “Do you promise, from this moment on forward, to be a servant to your people?”

            “Yes,” Sky said.

            “Do you swear to help your sovereign in every manner possible, to keep order and peace in the kingdom, and to uphold the Constitution and the Bill of Rights?”

            “Yes.”

            “Do you promise to bear the Heraklion Sword with honor, and defend the kingdom with all your might, even at the cost of your life?”

            “Yes,” Sky answered, “so help me Lord Heraklion.”

            “By the power invested in me as the Cardinal of the Church of Herakles, I, Cardinal Prometheus Agnes, declare you as Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Eraklyon. You may now rise.”

            Sky stood. Cardinal Prometheus placed the crown on his head, and the servant passed Sky the Sword. Sky turned forward towards the crowd, dressed in his royal green toga and ceremonial armor, his gold Crown and Sword making him shine like a true monarch. The crowd erupted into cheers. King Erendor stepped forward.

            “Miss Bloom,” he declared, motioning for Bloom, who was standing on the side, to come up. “I have seen how determined you were to save Sky. Your love for him knows no bounds. It is my pleasure to welcome you as his girlfriend. Thank you for saving his life.”

            “With young love such as this,” Queen Samara added, “I know the Kingdom of Eraklyon will rise again. We may have lost our relics, but our love will never die down. We will defeat this evil, and then, Eraklyon will stand stronger than before!”

            The crowd stood and roared. Tears dripped down Flora’s cheeks as she watched Bloom kissed Sky, and the flag of Eraklyon soared against the sky. She turned towards Mirta, who smiled gently at her. I know we will survive. Though Valtor’s imprint had nearly torn apart Bloom and Sky’s relationship, they had prevailed. She looked at Amore’s Crystal of Love, which now shined brighter than the sun.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER 10: VASILIEV'S COMMAND

"Andros is wet, Andros is dark, and Andros is useless," Valtor said. "The mutants serve no function anymore. We've taken all the enchantments this miserable realm has to offer; now we need to relocate. So you three give me some ideas."

The three witches and thewizard were in an underground hideout concealed by Valtor's collection of enchantments. Stealthy and undetectable, Valtor had stolen the magical treasures of Melody, Solaria, Fulgur, Andros, Eraklyon, and Whisperia. The witches frowned, in deep thought.

"Why don't we go to Shadowhaunt, Darkar's old place?" Stormy suggested.

"Do you really want to be reminded of that jerk?" Darcy asked disdainfully. "We're not going there. Besides, his old servants would probably turn on us the moment we enter."

"We need a place filled with ancient power," Valtor pointed out, "where I can keep this collection of spells."

"How about Cloud Tower Castle?" suggested Icy. "The school for witches, set up by the United Realms in Year 10 of the Age of Unity, along with Alfea and Red Fountain. A school tied to the history of Whisperia, our home realm."

"Hmmm." Valtor nodded, and Icy could tell he liked the idea. "Very interesting."

"It would be so much fun to go back there and kick Griffin's butt," Stormy sniggered. "She can't expel us for long, can she?"

"So that's what Griffin's doing, then? Headmistress of a UR school?" Valtor asked suddenly, his eyes flashing. "She and I have a score to settle. So it's decided, then. Cloud Tower it is!"

"Hey, Tec! Wake up!"

Tecna woke up with a start in Griselda’s classroom. Numbers had swirled through her dreams, and she gasped as she saw what was going on.

Five other heads were staring at her. To be precise, girls of the Winx Club. Musa, who sat in the seat next to her, took her hand.

"What's up, Tec? It's not like you ta fall asleep durin' class. I mean, that's a Stella thing."

"Hey!" said Stella, stung. "I don't always do that!"

"Yeah, sure," laughed Layla. "I've never actually seen you pay attention during a class. And you barely study, too."

"Seriously, Tecna, are you okay?" Flora asked. "You've been rather down lately."

Tecna sighed. It had been a week since the events on Eraklyon; she supposed everyone had been down lately. By now, it was common knowledge Valtor had stolen Eraklyon’s treasures. The media had finally figured out the treasures of the other five realms had disappeared, and so they all knew it was Valtor.

In fact, it was just obvious by how each planet looked. Solaria was besieged by rain, and no one could see the suns, moons, or stars anymore; Fulgur was randomly hit by all kinds of storms – twisters, blizzards, lightning strikes – and there were no rainbows there anymore; Andros was barraged by hurricanes and attacked by hexed merfolk; Eraklyon had a dull sky. And, of course, Melody was being blasted apart by prisoners from Omega. It was a horrible situation, but no one – least of all Tecna – knew what to do.

"I'm fine," she said, attempting a smile. "I've just been overworked, I suppose. There's so much work this semester."

"Tell me about it," groaned Musa. "There's hardly any time to write my compositions or practice my flute."

"And I can barely squeeze in a two-hour date with Brandon on Fridays," Stella added. "Like seriously! And tests in Aeroflynamics, of all classes? It’s supposed to be an easy class!"

"It sucks," agreed Bloom, "but I'm glad we're doing this. The teachers say they're stepping up our training because it's our final year, but I really think it's because of Valtor."

"I can't believe the UR still hasn't caught him," Flora added. "They've been sending all their forces after him, and he just hasn't been found."

"What's up with Ms. F, anyways?" Stella asked. "She always avoids questions about Valtor. It's like she's been hiding information from us."

"I've tried checking the library," Bloom said, "but I can't find anything. There's just no trace of information."

Tecna frowned. Although a lot had happened in between, she could clearly remember what Faragonda had told a week before, upon their return to Alfea. She'd been worried, and had done a miserable job of concealing it.

"There is no mistake what Valtor is after," she had told them. "The same thing Darkar was after, in fact. He wants complete world domination. And he will not stop at any price."

"Who is he?" Stella wanted to know. "Who is Valtor?"

Faragonda let out a sigh.

"Valtor is a man from Whisperia," she said. "Many criminals seem to hail from there, though for many complicated, political reasons. I always say it is a shame how fairs and warlocks have fought so many wars throughout the ages. Whisperia is the only non-fair kingdom in the United Realms, which means it’s often on the defensive when it comes to decision-time."

"So is that why Valtor's doing this?" Layla wanted to know. "Does he hate all fairs for what they've done to his kind?"

"It's not as simple as that," Faragonda answered. "He is very dangerous, Layla, and very cunning. He is one of the most manipulative men in the Galaxy. And he is very powerful, too. More powerful than you should have to face at this pivotal stage in your lives, if you ask me, but fate is not always too kind."

"Hold on a minute." Bloom frowned. "You’re speaking from personal experience, aren’t you? We saw how Valtor reacted when he saw you on Andros."

"Yeah," added Stella. "What’s with you and this guy?"

Faragonda frowned. "What's important is that we make sure Magix doesn't suffer the same fate as many of the other realms. The UR is working on defense mechanisms for the realms that haven't fallen, but they underestimate him; he is very capable of getting past all of them."

Tecna exchanged a glance with Flora. She completely just sidestepped that question about Valtor… What was Faragonda hiding? And why didn't she trust them?

"We must be on guard, girls," Faragonda said. "I have summoned you six here because you are the only ones who have faced him directly before, and two of you are the only girls in the senior class so far to have gained your Enchantix. So go back to your classes and train especially hard, so you can defend our school!" Her eyes flashed. "And please, don't mention this to any of the other girls. I don't want a panic created throughout the castle."

And so there they were now, in Griselda’s Advanced Battle class. The girls abruptly finished chatting as Griselda strode into the room, her severe eyes coming out from behind her glasses on her hooked nose.

"Good morning," she said crisply. "Now, it is time for us to practice advanced convergence. I assume you all read the pages I marked for homework last night."

No, I didn't, thought Tecna. In fact, she hadn't read any pages in any textbook for the last week; she'd been too busy with her coding. She yawned once.

"Good," said Griselda. "Now I want you to get into groups of three and practice with each other. Remember, this spell will only work with focused energy and a clear head"…

Tecna's head fell to the desk, and she suppressed a groan. It's going to be another long day…

That evening, Tecna strolled down Magix City with Timmy. They'd managed to see a movie together, and were laughing as they walked down the street.

"That was hilarious," Timmy laughed. "The protagonist could barely even operate his phone, and he somehow managed to defeat a villain?"

"I know," Tecna laughed. "It was so illogical. The antagonist was much stronger than the protagonist; but with a few lucky moves, he managed to defeat the villain. It's so ridiculous – after all, there's no such thing as luck."

"You really think so?" Timmy said in surprise.

"Of course," Tecna responded. Nothing happened by accident. Imposter Avalon hadn't invaded Alfea by accident. They hadn't defeated Darkar by accident. Everything, right from her hover crash to now, had always been predestined, planned by someone in charge.

"Hmm." Timmy stared at the night sky, looking thoughtful.

"What?" Tecna asked in surprise. "What are you thinking about?"

"I'm just wondering," he said, "whether you think we met each other by luck, or whether it was a conscious decision on our parts. What do you think?"

Tecna blinked in surprise. She had never thought of it that way before. What does he mean by that? She stared at him, completely taken aback.

"Well," she said, "You, Sky, Brandon, and Riven are all suitemates, and Stella was close with you guys. So, it was logical I’d get to know you."

"But how do you know?" Timmy pressed on. "How do you know we were meant to be?"

Tecna couldn't answer. How did it happen? How did something so illogical as their relationship spring out of the seeds of rationality? She frowned for a moment, thinking back to the first time they'd met, the exercise at the Black Mud Swamp…

The fifty girls of the freshman class were on a field exercise for Palladium's Spellbound class. As always, Tecna, Flora, Bloom, Musa, and Stella had teamed up, and they were walking through the Black Mud Swamp, trying to find the crystals.

Tecna didn't understand a thing they were trying to do. In the middle of the swamp, without any Web connection, she felt entirely deprived. Her scanners were still working, but in the middle of a wet, muddy patch of land, they were not very useful.

They were practicing the use of sensationals. Sensationals were a unique type of magic in which they could dive deep into the six senses – sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste, and magic. Apparently this was a “basic” exercise in understanding Nature – though Tecna didn’t think this was basic at all.

What is this Voice of Nature? How could Palladium tell them to follow this voice, akin to instinct? It was the most ridiculous thing she'd ever heard. Clearly he's never heard of statistical analysis –

Suddenly, her internal sensor pinged with alarm.

LARGE SHIP DETECTED OVERHEAD. SMOKE LEVEL HIGH.

Tecna snapped her eyes upward. A ship was barreling towards the ground, screeching with the sound of a wolf. The girls looked up in alarm.

"Let's go see what's going on!" Bloom shouted.

The girls raced towards the ship and peered anxiously through the windows. They gasped as they saw the boys coming out, unhurt except for their singed clothes.

"Are you all right?" Flora asked, worry in her eyes.

"Obviously," Riven snorted, crossing his arms and rolling his eyes. “Like we need you to help.”

Tecna frowned at him. What a rude boy… Already she didn't like his attitude.

"Where're you guys going?" Stella wanted to know.

Sky smiled, trying to look reassuring. "We're, um, on our first solo mission, ladies. We're very excited and" –

"The troll escaped!"

Everyone turned towards Timmy, who was staring frantically at a gaping hole in the spacecraft. The girls gasped.

"You were transporting a troll?" Bloom gasped.

"How'd it get away?" Musa demanded.

Tecna gazed at Timmy, who looked frantic and confused. Their eyes met briefly for a moment. And in that moment, she connected with him, for she knew what it was like to be fearful of the consequences of her actions.

Why am I feeling sorry for him? This had nothing to do with her. Why am I feeling sorry for a boy? Why am I even thinking about him? Her cheeks warmed slightly at the mere thought, and she instantly felt ashamed. She crossed her arms and turned around, gazing at the ground.

"Listen," Riven declared, "why don't you little girls go away and leave this job to the Specialists?"

"Who are the Specialists?" Stella rolled her eyes.

"Aw, snap!" Musa teased as Stella batted her eyes at Riven.

Riven glared at her. "Listen, you little airhead princess" –

"What Riven's trying to say," Brandon cut in, "is that it might be best if you leave the troll to us."

"I can tell her to bug off myself!" Riven snapped.

Tecna frowned. "But what if the troll finds the other girls?" she said fearfully, thinking of how aggressive that troll probably was.

"Just let us deal with it ourselves and stay out of our way!" Riven snapped. "Come on, guys, let's go." He sauntered off.

Bloom frowned as the boys walked away. "You know, maybe we should go after them."

"You mean after that jerk line Riven gave us?" Stella demanded.

"Yeah," Flora said softly. "I say we get back to our assignment and let them deal with it."

"Flora's right, Bloom," Stella added. "If Riven wants to get eaten by a troll, I say 'bon appetit'."

Flora frowned. "That's not quite what I said but" –

Tecna wasn't paying attention. She frowned at the ship ahead, scanning it with her feed. The reading came to her almost instantly from her downloaded database.

BURNT CAVITY, the screen read back. CREATED BY MAGICAL BLAST. She stared, taken aback.

"Hang on a minute, girls," she said. "It doesn't look as if that crack was created naturally. Someone has to have shot it from the outside."

"What?" Musa was instantly on her feet.

"In that case, we'd better go investigate," Bloom declared.

Stella sighed, throwing up her hands. "Fine. But don't complain if I spend an hour in the bathtub tonight."

The girls continued to walk. Tecna frowned, gazing towards the girls. The footprints disappeared as they walked, and she gasped.

"What happened?" Stella demanded, staring at the ground, the lack of footprints on the mud.

"Someone has to have levitated the troll," Flora said. "There's no other way."

"Great." Stella crossed her arms. "Troll's unfindable. I say we go home."

"It's not." Flora smiled. "There's another way."

"What?" Bloom asked.

"The Voice of Nature!"

Tecna groaned. "Not that again!" she cried out. "It's impossible. It won't work."

"Why not?" Flora stared at her.

"This nature voice thing doesn't exist," Tecna answered. "If you can't even use magic to connect with the trees, how do you expect this to work? It's impossible!"

"Linpheans have been doing it for millennia," Flora answered, "without using magic. Tecna, all you need to do is trust yourself."

Tecna barked a laugh. "That makes no sense."

"It does," Flora insisted. "You have to listen to the world around you. Just try it."

Tecna sighed. I'm not wasting my time arguing with her… Flora closed her eyes, her feet grounded in the mud.

"I think I can sense something," she whispered, opening her eyes. "The trees seem to be bristling ever-so-slightly, and the wind is beckoning. Something is amiss in that thicket." She pointed.

"Sounds nice and poetic, but I'm not sure that's what it is," Musa said.

"Exactly," Tecna declared. "This is a waste of time."

"No, I think Flora's onto something," Bloom said. "I think it's bristling ever-so-slightly, too."

"You're catching on, too," Flora smiled. "Yes, it's definitely that way."

"This is completely illogical, Flora," Tecna said. "I don't think" –

"Listen," Stella snapped, "have you got any better ideas? 'Cause if you do, I'm all ears. I didn't want to come to this stupid swamp in the first place, and I certainly don't want to be chasing some idiot guy with 'tude. But if you've got any better ideas, you'd better spill now, Tecna."

And Tecna had nothing. Palladium didn't even give us a map… She stared helplessly at Flora, who smiled and brushed her shoulder.

"Trust me," she said. "I know what we're doing."

She led the way. The girls followed, in order of most attentive to most skeptical: Bloom was in the front, tailed by Musa, and a yawning Stella. Tecna followed far in the rear, glaring at the ground.

I don't understand, she thought. How is this happening? This is impossible! Nothing is going to work. This isn't –

"Now that you mention," Musa said, "I sense something ominous here, too."

"Shh," Flora whispered. "I recognize these vines. They're Quietus Carnivorous; they hate noise."

"No way," Stella said, whistling. "Yoo-hoo! See, that didn't do anything" –

A vine snaked forward, grabbing her by the ankles. She screamed as she was pulled into the air, the girls staring at her. Flora darted forward and laid her hands on the vine.

"Calm down," she said soothingly. "We're not here to hurt you."

The vine uncoiled and moved away. Gasping, Stella got up, brushing the mud off of her clothes. Tecna stared at the vines, taken aback.

Why didn't I download any information about plants? Her scanner would've picked up on it immediately, and she wouldn't have to rely on information from someone who believed the Voice of Nature was her spiritual guide! She felt humiliated.

"I still don't see," she said, "that this is leading us the right way" –

A shout filled the air. Tecna jumped as she heard male voices, yelling in terror.

"Let's go!" Musa hissed.

Flora ran ahead, the girls running close behind. They gasped as they saw what was in front of them.

Timmy, Riven, Sky, and Brandon were hanging from the vines, gasping in pain. They were constricted terribly, their lungs in pain. And that wasn't all.

In front of them was a very blue, very gagged, sleeping troll.

"Oh no," Musa whispered.

As if sensing their presence, the troll woke up immediately. It leapt up, running towards the girls.

"Out of the way!" Bloom hissed.

The girls ran. The troll threw itself where they'd once stood, grunting the best it could through its gag.

"I'll calm the vines!" Flora gasped. She turned towards the vines and stroked them gently.

The vines recoiled. Tecna stared in disbelief as she saw Flora, once again, working her powers of nature on the plants. Without a single spell… She gasped.

The troll was gamboling straight towards her. She tried to move, but gasped as she found her feet were a foot-deep in very sticky mud. I'm stuck! Terrified, she frantically tried to lift her feet.

"No!"

Timmy jumped forward and shoved Tecna out of the way. They lay in a stunned heap together, mud splattered over.

"Thanks," Tecna whispered, feeling slightly ashamed she'd stood there so stupidly, illogically. I should’ve been of help to my friends! She forced herself off the mud, looking with distaste at her messy clothes.

She gazed at Timmy, the mud on his cheeks, his glasses askew. For a moment, he looked brave, even cute. But she forced the thought out of her mind as soon as she thought it.

Stop it, she scolded herself. But she couldn't help it. Their eyes met again, and this time, she managed a small smile.

"Thanks a lot, girls," Riven grumbled. "Look what you made happen!"

"We saved you!" Stella snapped.

"Quiet down!" Flora whispered. "We don't want the vines to attack us!"

"That thing is attacking us!" Stella protested.

And it was. The troll was pulling itself out of the mud, although it hadn't caught them yet. The worst part was that the girls, with their black magic-restricting bands on, couldn't even defend themselves. Riven stepped forward.

"Listen," he snapped, "we'll get it ourselves."

"You can't defeat a troll!" Musa gasped. "You're only sophomores!"

"You don't need to," Timmy said suddenly. "I have a better idea."

Everyone looked at him. He grinned a toothy, nerdy smile, and again, Tecna felt her cheeks flame ever so slightly.

"Let's get the gag off!" he said.

"Why?" Riven snapped. "No one wants to hear that thing yell!"

"Exactly," Flora said. "And neither do the vines. I say it's worth a try!"

"Let's go!" Sky and Brandon said together. In a quick motion, they ran towards the troll, and yanked the gag off of its face.

The effect was instantaneous. The troll, sensing its freedom, leapt up and let out a horrendous yell.

Almost immediately, vines snaked around the creature, leaving it completely trapped and constricted. The troll let out a yell as it was wrapped, unable to fight back.

"Nice work!" Musa whisper-cheered.

“All right,” Sky said with a smile. “We’ll contact the authorities and have them capture the troll. Thank you, girls, for your help!”

Tecna stared at Flora. I don't understand… She stared down at the shorter girl.

"How'd you get it?" she whispered. "You didn't even use a map. And yet, you knew that danger was ahead, and that the troll was with it. How'd you find out?"

"I can't explain it," Flora said, scratching her forehead. "All I know is that my inner self was guiding me. What Palladium calls the Voice of Nature, I call intuition. It just seemed… natural."

"Hmm." Tecna frowned. "Intuition. I shall have to look that up."

And it seemed, even two years later, that Tecna hadn't made any strides in finding this thing called "intuition". It still seemed foreign to her, even after interacting with these amazing, confident girls. How do I figure this out? She frowned and looked up at Timmy, trying to find a suitable answer to his question.

"Well, I guess that has to do a lot with instinct and intuition," she said. "After all, luck is based off of the unknown, and so is intuition, too. Some people are just good with their instinctual drive." She gazed unhappily at the ground. "Not me, though."

"What?" Timmy stared at her. "That's not true, Tecna. You're great with instinct, in fact! Who was it that suspected Avalon when no one else would?"

"That was purely based off of logic," Tecna said, her cheeks flaming. "I wasn't a genius or anything."

"But that's its own type of intuition," Timmy protested. "Since you're so knowledgeable, you know when things are right and when they're wrong. You're great, Tecna! You just have to believe it. And I know you'll do great things" –

Her ears beeped. In alarm, Tecna stared as red letters flashed across her screen.

REMINDER TO ALL ALFEA STUDENTS, the letters read. MAGICAL PROTECTION BARRIER ACTIVATED BY TWENTY O'CLOCK.

"Oh no!" she exclaimed, checking her internal clock. "It's nearly twenty o'clock. I have to go back to the dorm."

And I need to finish coding my sets, she realized. She'd been negligent in her work this past week, and really needed to make them up. I should never have come out on this date. But she hadn't regretted spending time with her boyfriend; it'd been too fun.

"Okay," Timmy said. "I'll give you a ride home."

"No," Tecna said, and Timmy stopped, surprised. "You’ll miss your own twenty o’clock curfew that way. I don't want you to go all the way to Alfea only to not reach Red Fountain."

She kissed him on the cheek once and then turned away. For a moment, she thought she could detect a glimpse of sadness in his eyes, but that disappeared as he smiled. She turned around and headed to the outskirts of the city, following the path back to Alfea.

I'd better get back to campus quickly, she thought. Inside or not, Griselda was activating the magical barrier at 20:00 sharp, which meant she had ten minutes and fifty-eight seconds to get there. I'll fly; it'll be quicker.

But just as she was about to transform, someone spoke.

"Well, well."

Tecna froze instantly. Her nerves felt as if they were made out of ice, and she found she could hardly breathe. No, not him… She swallowed.

"Mr. Vasiliev," she breathed.

"Correct." A man with a black lab coat and menacing yellow eyes smirked at her, standing tall above her. He smiled.

"What are you doing here?" Tecna gasped. How had this man, her worst nightmare, followed her all the way to Magix? He's supposed to be in Zenith, looking over the lab!

"I wouldn't be worried about me," the man smiled. "I just saw you walking with that boy, out of a theater. Quite the rebel, aren't you?"

Tecna's mouth fell open. Oh no oh no oh no oh no…

"Don't worry," the man smiled. "I have zero interest in telling your family. It would, quite frankly, be a waste of my time. But I know you haven't been spending enough time on my lab work, Tecna. You were supposed to finish four hundred sets this week, but you have barely finished two hundred." His eyes flashed. "I came here to give you some coaxing so you remember what comes first."

"I'm sorry," Tecna gasped, her eyes wide. "I" –

"You will finish six hundred sets tonight," Vasiliev responded. "If you are not done with the sets by morning, I will contact your parents and inform them, and they will withdraw you from Alfea."

"No!" Tecna's legs buckled. "Please, don't have them pull me from Alfea" –

"Well, you have a choice," the man smirked. "Finish them tonight or face the consequences. That's our deal." He walked up to her and stroked her leg.

"My little cyborg," he whispered. "I created you, out of metal and steel. And forever, your heart and soul shall be made of metal and steel, too."

Tecna wanted to pull away but couldn't. It was simply impossible. She gasped once, the memories this man had inflicted on her flooding back like a river of stone.

It had been a chilly day in Unimensis, her birth month. Tecna had been riding a hover-taxi home when, suddenly, it'd crashed and she'd been thrown to the street. The driver had been killed, along with the other two passengers, but she'd survived. At a cost.

Back then, Zenithian technology hadn't been as sophisticated as it was now, and 4D-printed arms and legs were hard to come by. But then Mr. Vasiliev, a gifted surgeon and printer, had stepped in. This man had fashioned all of her limbs and neural networks for her. In return, he expected her to work in his laboratory for no pay.

Her parents instantly agreed. They said she needed the training from Mr. Vasiliev, and if she protested, they simply punished her and ordered her to return to work again the next day. She'd never been able to explain to them why she was afraid of him, about the controls. And she knew she never would.

"I have the controls," Vasiliev smirked. "It's time you learned your duty, Tecna. Your parents sent you here to this school so you could make them rise in their social circle, which is great and all, but that doesn't mean you're absolved of your debt. You will do those six-hundred sets; is that clear?"

Tecna nodded shakily. Memories flashed through her mind, of when she'd fought Darcy and Stormy in Alfea's campus, and how they'd all faced Darkar down. When it came to enemies attacking her friends, she had no qualms taking them down.

But she couldn't stand up to this man.

"That's a good girl," Vasiliev smirked. "Now, go and do your work. I'll be off." With a wave of his hand, he disappeared.

Tecna looked at her watch and gasped. 20:01. The magical barrier would've been set off by now. She collapsed on the ground, dazed.

I can't get back into Alfea, she realized with dismay. It's no use begging Griselda to open the barrier – she won't compromise the school's safety just for one girl. A girl who can't even keep herself together. She buried her face into her hands.

No use whining, a voice in her head scolded her. It's your fault you ended up in this mess in the first place. You were going out with a boy instead of focusing on your duties. In fact, you've been remiss in your duties this entire time. What a fool you've been.

She would no longer do that again. She would finish all six-hundred of those sets tonight. No, she would do one thousand. I'm not letting my emotional weaknesses take over. Clenching her fists, she opened her backpack and pulled out her portable laptop, which she thankfully always kept with her.

It's time to do this. It's time to fulfill my duty to my family and Vasiliev. It's time to be who I'm supposed to be again.

Tecna opened her eyes. The sunlight was incredibly bright, and she winced as she started up at the sky. It was high noon. She stared at her laptop, which was right in front of her.

She didn't know when she'd crashed. All she knew was that she'd slept entirely too long; her head felt woozy, as she wasn't used to such sleep. She opened her laptop to check, and gasped in disappointment.

She'd only finished eight hundred and forty-eight sets. Enough to keep Vasiliev's threat at bay, but not enough to fulfill what she'd promised herself. Disappointment rose up in her, and she bowed her head.

"Tecna!" a voice behind her called. "There you are!"

Tecna jumped as if she had been shocked. Who's that? She gave a start as she saw who it was.

The five other Winx girls were flying above her. They flew down to the ground, and gasped at Tecna's muddy clothes and her tired eyes. The pixies were hovering over them as well, staring at her. Flora walked up to her and held her by the shoulders.

"Tecna," she said, "you have black circles around your eyes! You haven't been sleeping well at all! What happened?"

Tecna couldn't trust herself to speak. Of course there're black circles… She hadn't drunk any potion to remove them. In fact, she hadn't eaten or drunk anything at all since Vasiliev had cornered her.

"Did someone ambush you?" Musa demanded. "Were you attacked?"

Tecna tried to smile. "No, no one attacked me," she said. "I just had some work to do, and I got… carried away. And then I crashed.”

"What kind of work?" Digit wanted to know. "What was so important you couldn't come back to the dorm?"

Tecna frowned. "Well," she said, "um"…

"Tecna, you've been out for eighteen hours," Flora said. "At first Griselda thought you'd missed curfew, and that was all it was. But then you didn't come back in the morning, and everyone grew worried. Then Faragonda sent us and the pixies out to look for you. Tecna, what happened? Why were you out for so long?"

"We're the Winx," Bloom added. "We don't keep secrets from each other. Come on, Tecna, just tell us."

Tecna looked at her friends, her five trusted friends, and the pixies that'd helped them find her, and felt a rush of gratitude. And she wished, more than anything, that she could tell them. But I can't. To tell them would be to go against her family's creed, to spurn everything Vasiliev had done for her.

"Nothing," she said. "Nothing at all."

She was punished by being grounded for a week, unable to leave the castle. Faragonda and Griselda had been unable to get anything out of her, either, and she lay on her bed, tired yet fiercely working. The other girls had given up on trying to get an explanation out of her, and had left to go out with each other, in a state of confusion.

Tecna stared dully in the face of her laptop, opening up the sets. I must get to work… She slammed her fingers down on the keyboard, forcing herself to finish the remaining one-hundred-and-fifty-two sets she had to write.

I need to absolve my mistakes. I need to work…

Chapter Text

CHAPTER 11: SHARED FATE

It was a lazy day. The sun shined warmly on Flora as she lay on the ground, her eyes half-closed.

She lifted her head and looked over at Mirta, who was smiling. Their hands met. And then so did their lips, as the two of them lay entwined.

"This reminds me of the day I began my transformation," Mirta murmured as Flora stroked her hair. "Do you remember that?"

How could I forget? thought Flora. That day had been very significant for both of them. She could still remember that day in Quintmensis, a little over a year ago…

The two had been sitting together in the waiting-room of Dasha Avatar Hospital. It was two weeks after Bloom, Stella, and Layla had departed for their mission to Shadowhaunt. Flora, sick of moping around with Musa and Tecna, had elected to join Mirta at the hospital instead.

Flora carefully surveyed Mirta, whose cheeks blushed with excitement. However, her eyes betrayed worry, worry she was trying her hardest to hide.

"Are you sure about this?" Flora asked. "You don't have to go through this, you know. We'll love you for who you are, no matter what."

"I'm sure," Mirta answered. "Dr. Iyengar warned me about the risks, but she also said my body is strong and healthy. She thinks I'll be able to make it through fine."

Flora nodded, though doubt was starting to settle in her heart. Not because she thought Mirta shouldn't transform; she knew that her friend would be much happier in a body she'd be comfortable with. But she was worried about the adverse medical effects it would have on her. Not to mention, how would her family react once they found the news?

"What are you saying to your parents?" she asked.

"I stayed here throughout the break with Griffin, so we could get my name on the Alfea roster, renew my UR ID passport, and work out the medical insurance stuff," Mirta answered. Fortunately for them, the UR Defense Association granted complete medical coverage to all students and employees of the UR Defense Schools. "You wouldn't believe it - she's become somewhat of a mother to me. I know she looks gruff and rude, but once you get to know her, she's a really kind person. I told my parents I was staying at Cloud Tower over the spring, which wasn't a lie. They didn't really care; in fact, I bet they were glad to be rid of me"... She brushed a tear off her cheek.

"Don't say that," Flora said softly. "They're your parents. I'm sure they love you."

"No, they don't," Mirta answered, crossing her arms.

Flora sighed. Although a part of her still couldn't believe parents could be this cruel, she understood and respected Mirta's decision not to tell them. She was glad Griffin was treating her so kindly, though. The only problem was that, now that Cloud Tower’s school year had started, Mirta would be staying at the hospital.

"I'll come visit you as much as I can," she promised.

"Mirta Nakamura," a nurse called. Flora and Mirta immediately rose, following the nurse as she led them to Dr. Iyengar's office. The Magixian doctor sat at her desk, gazing up at Mirta.

"Good morning," she said as the two girls sat in front of her. "Before we proceed, I have to re-remind you of the risks."

Mirta swallowed. Under the table, Flora squeezed her hand.

"The transformation will take anywhere between six to eight months," Iyengar said. "During that time, your magical abilities will be very limited. Unlike witches, a fairy's ability to fly is directly linked to her magical ability, so you won't be able to fly at all. You will also notice your body starting to change – it will be very disorienting for you.

"Of course, there's no telling the transformation will even succeed. At any time, your body could reject the potions and spells we're giving you, and then you would be stuck in a half-state between fairy and witch. As your body won't be able to survive like that, you'll die. I want you to understand there's no guarantee of survival."

"I know," Mirta said, swallowing. "But I can't keep living like this. I'm going to do whatever it takes to become a fairy, or die trying."

"Very well, then." Iyengar nodded. "I just need you to sign here."

Flora watched Mirta's hands tremble as she signed the final form. In the realm of Magix, minors under age eighteen needed parental consent to undergo all treatment (with the exception of emergency care); however, all UR Defense students were free to make medical decisions for themselves, as they were legally considered as emancipated minors. (‘Emancipated’ in the sense of legal and medical decisions, not financial). It was part of their training, as future warriors of the various realms; the logic was that they needed to be free to make their own decisions before they could make decisions for the rest of the world. The doctor moved her hands, and a bed zoomed down from the wall.

"Lie on the bed," she ordered.

Mirta lay down. Flora sat directly across from her, watching her friend with worry. Mirta gave her a small smile.

"Don't worry," she said. "I’ll be fine."

The doctor closed her eyes. A ball of green light formed in her hands, and she focused on it. The sphere grew bigger and without warning, she thrust it into Mirta's heart.

The witch girl gasped as she was levitated into the air. Her hair flew up, only to fall back down. Her entire body seemed to shake, with surprise and shock. Then, without warning, she fell back to the bed.

"Mirta!" Flora was on her feet. "Are you all right?"

"She's fine," the doctor said, walking up to Mirta. "How do you feel?"

"I feel… great," Mirta said, and the doctor stared at her in surprise. "I feel a new energy running through me. It feels so right and – I think this was meant to be."

"You do look better," Flora whispered.

But Dr. Iyengar wasn't convinced. "I'm going to keep an eye on her. You can go now." She nodded at Flora, who headed out the door.

"I'll see you later," she whispered to Mirta, who smiled sleepily in assent.

And now they lay together, the breeze softly lifting past them. The sky was completely clear and gorgeously blue. A perfect day… She leaned over towards Mirta.

She felt her girlfriend move towards her, a gleam in her eyes. Flora put her arm around Mirta, gazing at her beautiful face. The two moved closer, their lips almost touching…

A rustle in the bushes. The two immediately jerked apart. Musa flew out of the bushes, her eyes wide.

"Flora, thank Symphonia you're here!" she cried. "We need you!"

"What is it?" Flora was already at her feet.

"Tecna's disappeared."

They'd found Tecna lying near Roccaluce Forest. She'd been half-asleep, confused and groggy as they woke her up. They'd tried to get answers out of her, but the Fairy of Technology had refused to tell them what was going on.

"Something's been going on," said Bloom.

"Yeah," agreed Musa. "She's been totally out."

"She's been like this every day," Flora added. "She's been tired every day during Magiphilosophy, though she's done her best to hide it. And succeeded."

The Winx immediately turned around to stare at her.

"You didn't tell us that," Musa said.

"Yeah," agreed Stella. "You kept that from us."

Flora felt wounded as her friends stared at her accusingly, and swallowed.

"I didn't want to say anything," she admitted, "because I promised Tecna I wouldn't. I tried to get her to stop, but she just wouldn't. She won't listen to us, I'm sure. She won't listen to anyone."

"Well, we've got to stop her," Bloom declared. "Haven't you noticed she's been doing badly in all our classes? I mean, I thought it was stress, but she's been averaging C's on every test. For, like, no reason at all!"

“How do you know that?” Flora asked in surprise.

“I heard Avalon telling Palladium about how she was doing in his class,” Bloom answered, “and he confirmed she was doing badly in, like, everything.” She frowned, staring down.

“How’s it going with you and Avalon, anyways?” Layla asked, voicing what Bloom was clearly thinking herself.

Flora remembered how little Bloom trusted Avalon. It was still hard for any of them to trust him, quite frankly, but it was especially hard for Bloom. “You don’t still feel scared around him, do you, sweetie?”

“Not anymore,” Bloom answered. “I just feel wary. We always keep the door open when we talk, even if it’s a bit more personal, and I sit right next to the door. He doesn’t have a problem with that. But I know it’s hurtful to both of us.”

“Why don’t you just ask Ms. F to change your academic advisor?” Stella asked.

“Stel, we’ve been through this,” Bloom responded. “That’s not fair to either of us. Besides, he is helpful during my language practice. I speak to him almost entirely in Dominian now!”

“That’s good.” Flora used to practice her Unified Zenithian with Tecna all the time, both last year and the year before. She knew Musa practiced Androsian with Layla as well. It was part of the reason why she was so close to Tecna, and why they got along so well. But Tecna was too busy these days to talk to her in Zenithian much – or at all, really. It was quite disconcerting, to say the least. She let out a sigh.

“I don’t know what it is,” she admitted. “I know she was really aloof when we first met, and it took some time for her to trust us. I’m worried she’s going back down that hole again. I don’t know why, though.” She just couldn’t figure out why Tecna was so consumed with her work.

“I didn’t know her in your freshman year,” Layla frowned, “so I can’t say anything for sure.”

“Well, Tecna has been actin’ really strangely,” Musa agreed. “She doesn’t go out with us so much anymore. Ever since we came back from Eraklyon, she’s been doin’ work all night. She waits ’til she thinks I’m asleep, then she heads into the sitting-room. I don’t know what she does!”

I don’t go out with you much, either. Flora’s duties took precedence over time with her friends, of course; she couldn’t spend as much time with them as before. Still, she managed to squeeze in a lunch date every alternate Sunday. Tecna wasn’t even joining them for that.

"Well, whatever it is, we won’t let her go back into her shell," added Stella. "Friends don't let friends do that."

Flora frowned. This doesn't sound like a good idea… But she had no choice but to follow along and listen to their plans. After all, it was she who had supplied them with the information so pivotal.

But the Winx got no further than they had on the day they'd found her. Another week passed, and still, there was no sign Tecna was getting any better. In addition, her coursework was getting poorer and poorer. Avalon had even offered her extra help after school, which she'd of course declined.

Flora hated seeing her like this. But she also hated seeing the Winx gang up on her, like some sort of criminals. Not that there was anything criminal with what they were doing, of course – they genuinely believed they were helping. But what they'd done was nothing but painful.

In the meantime, her own work as the Head Girl of students was getting more intense. As she was the main liaison between students and faculty now, several students came to her and asked her for help. She put aside two hours every day for office hours, and all of Friday and Saturday mornings. She enjoyed talking to everyone, and knew her classmates and the underclassmen much better than she’d known them before.

Sextmensis 18 arrived, and Stella turned eighteen. The Winx celebrated her birthday by going out to the beach after class and eating dolce luna, a Lunarian pastry made of milk chocolate and fiores di luna, or lunarblossoms. Stella also insisted on doing individual makeovers that morning, which Tecna and Musa reluctantly acquiesced to. That night, they all settled down for a slumber party.

"Tecna, you've been kinda down lately," Bloom said.

"I have?" Tecna said, feigning surprise. Flora knew this slumber party wasn't just about Stella's birthday; it was also about bringing Tecna closer to them. Well, slumber parties never hurt anyone.

"Yeah," Stella said. "And since it's my birthday, I thought of something totally fun we could do together! Why don't we do a Teen Fairy Quiz?"

"Oh," said Tecna, trying to sound cheerful. "Good idea."

Flora frowned, remembering the last time they did one of those – in the Wildlands. That same day, Stella got upset when Layla inadvertently reminded her of her parents' divorce, and Musa had stormed off after Jared accidentally reminded her of Riven, and his refusal to come to the Wildlands with them. That didn't end all that well… She sighed.

"Alright." Bloom pulled one up on her phone. The girls eagerly crowded around her, and Flora pushed her worry to the back of her mind, trying to force herself to relax and have fun.

"Question number 1: Let's say you're in bad need of a wing-shave, but you procrastinated and forgot to go to the wing-waxer. And now you have a test in aeroflynamics. Would you a) rush to the wing-waxer, b) ask to take the test another day, or c) take the test and accept whatever grade you get?"

"Rush to the wing-waxer it is," Layla answered. "Thank Marinus I don't have to do that anymore!"

"Yeah, you with your super-stylish and non-waxable Enchantix wings," Musa said enviously. "I vote 'b'. I don't feel like failing the test in front of everyone."

"Yeah, I vote 'b' too," Stella agreed. "DuFour's a total pushover."

"I'd just take the test," Flora said. "I'd be able to make it up with another test, anyways."

"What about you, Tecna?" Layla asked.

"Huh?" Tecna frowned. "Oh yeah. I'd go to the wing-waxer."

Flora frowned. Tecna didn't appear to really be paying attention, and by the looks of it, the other girls noticed too. I just hope she isn't doing more calculations in her head… Bloom frowned and went to the next page.

"Question number 2: There's this boy you're totally crushing on, and you want to meet him. Do you a) send him an anonymous love letter, b) make a love-potion for him to like you, or c) go up to him and tell him how you feel?"

"Ooh, here's the juicy stuff," Stella grinned.

Flora didn't see how juicy it was. She could understand why her friends were so boy-crazy; she'd been crazy about girls since she hit puberty, too. Yet, conversations like these always made her feel like the outsider, and especially now that she had a girlfriend, it was even more awkward.

"The love potion's the way to go," Stella said. "Totally tempting."

"Love potions aren't real, Stel," Layla said, rolling her eyes. "Just tell him how you feel. It's not that hard."

"Ha!" Musa laughed. "Come tell me that when you find a boyfriend, Layla! I vote 'b'. If he sings love songs for me, that's an added bonus."

"What about you, Flora?" Bloom asked.

Flora frowned. What did I do with Mirta? She remembered how shy she'd been last year, terrified to tell her. "Probably 'a'."

"Tecna!" Stella called out. "Wake up, girl!"

"What?" asked Tecna, pulling herself up from the pillow. "Sorry. I'd probably do 'a', too."

"Okay." Bloom looked at her list. "Question number 3 – er, this is a weird one" –

"What is it?" Musa asked.

"If you were alone with a really pretty girl and, out of nowhere, she told you that she like liked you, would you a) start to sweat nervously, b) reciprocate her feelings, or c) run out the room?"

For a moment, there was silence. Flora stared around awkwardly, and the other girls looked startled.

Finally, Stella spoke. "Um… 'c' all the way? How awkward is that?"

"It's not that weird," Musa said. "There're gay men in my hometown. They're fairly chill. Although, in that situation… I'd definitely vote 'a'."

"My parents have some gay friends," Bloom asked. "But I'm with Musa on this. It'd be totally awkward if another girl had the hots for me."

“It's just… unusual." Layla sat down, her arms crossed. "About a few centuries ago, there was a prince in the Androsian royal family who announced on interrealm television that he was gonna marry another man. Let's just say it didn't go well. Yeah… I feel bad for those people.”

"How weird would it be if someone was like that here at Alfea?" Stella asked.

Flora felt as if her heart had just stopped beating. Oh no… She lowered her head and stared at the ground.

Not for the first time, she was fiercely grateful that her friends didn't know she was with Mirta. If they found out, that would be the end… She couldn't let them know anything about their relationship.

"Um," she said, trying to make light of the situation, "I" –

"I can't believe it!" Bloom suddenly groaned. "Tecna's asleep again!"

And she was. Tecna was lying on the pillows, her mouth open and snores loud. Musa walked over to her.

"It's gonna take more than one slumber party for her to start opening up," she said. "She's totally zonked out."

Flora didn't tell anyone about her friends' feelings about gay people. She didn't even tell Mirta about what they'd said. Two more weeks passed, and they continued to spend time together, hanging out in each other's apartments and walking in the woods.

Anyways, she had plenty going on herself. Two Sundays after the slumber party, she had a meeting with Faragonda about the student body as a whole. The Headmistress sat across from Flora as she detailed the events of the last few weeks.

“I don’t understand what’s going on with Valtor,” she said. “Everyone’s really worried about him, and people are really trying to figure out what’s going on. Why can’t you just tell us?”

“I cannot,” Faragonda answered crisply. “As Head Girl, I want you to reassure the students that the faculty and I have this under control.”

“But there’s something going on, isn’t there?” Flora pressed on. “We can’t find anything on the web about this Valtor! All we get is information about some Zenithian criminal from the Fourth Interrealm War. There’s nothing to read. Why won’t you” –

“Flora, I don’t want you to question any further,” Faragonda said firmly. “This is not a matter for you – not even as Head Girl. Besides, there was something else I wanted to ask you about.” Flora frowned as Faragonda leaned forward.

“As you know, you are a mandated reporter,” she said. “I therefore have to ask you: do you know anything that’s going on with your friend Tecna?”

Flora frowned. For the last few weeks, Tecna had still been aloof and was very much worried about by the rest of the Winx. “What do you mean?” she asked, trying to keep her voice light and even.

“Is there something I should be concerned about?” Faragonda asked. “The faculty are noticing how unusually withdrawn she’s been, and I’ve received reports from Professor Avalon and Professor Palladium about poor focus. And she disappeared from campus some time ago. Is there anything she needs my help on?”

“Well,” Flora said. Then she frowned, thinking about what Tecna had told her.

She said she was stressed, but it can’t be that serious, right? She doubted telling Faragonda would do anything. She took in a deep breath. “No.”

Faragonda nodded. “Thank you for telling me. If that changes, please let me know.” She frowned. “As you know, Conference Week is this week. Have you figured out what you’re going to do?”

Conference Week took place the week before midterms. The Monday after tomorrow, the exams would start; therefore, Flora would need to talk to everyone before the exams started. The week after would be exams, and the week after that was the Week of the Rose, their one-week summer break. She nodded.

“I will see most of the student body,” she answered. “The exceptions are my friends, Eris, Lorie, and Mariza. I’ve asked Frances to speak to them for me.”

“I think that’s wise,” Faragonda agreed. “It doesn’t seem Eris and her peers will listen to you, anyways. What will you talk to the other girls about?”

“I’ll check-in about the semester,” Flora answered. “The first quarter of the year is almost over. First, I’ll tell them to talk to me about what’s going on, and then I’ll ask my questions. I want to give them a chance to talk first.”

“That’s a good approach,” Faragonda said, “but you still need to put your foot down if something goes wrong. I appreciate your willingness to listen, but you need to learn to be more authoritative. Just passing Eris and her friends on to Frances won’t make the problems go away.”

“Right.” Flora felt a little nervous. Faragonda adjusted her glasses.

“You’ll be busy this week, I expect,” she said. “Please, let me know if there’s anything I can do.”

Throughout the entire week, Flora was in her office throughout the day. The students had signed up for thirty-minute slots; the freshmen on Monday, Tuesday, and half of Wednesday; the sophomores on half of Wednesday, Thursday, and most of Friday; and the seniors on part of Friday, all day Saturday, and Sunday morning. Flora was still expected to attend class and to do her homework; she studied late into the nights. Other than classes, she was in her office from 08:00 in the morning to 21:30 at night. It was exhausting, but richly rewarding.

She spoke to many of the freshmen, asking them what they thought about diversity and equality, trying to get a survey of the climate. Though they didn’t use Mirta’s name in discussion, she knew many were uncomfortable with her presence on campus. Many of the freshmen – and even some of the sophomores – seemed to be scared of Eris. She’d already gleaned this much information from her usual office hours, as well as reports from Frances; but she wasn’t expecting it to be this bad. The seniors seemed to be the most well-collected of the bunch, but they were anxious about the Valtor incidents. In fact, everyone was anxious about Valtor. That was the main thing Flora heard throughout the week.

On Tuesday night, Flora was just finishing with the last student of the day. She’d spoken to all of Mirta’s roommates by now, and had quite a good idea of their personalities. Nova was very outgoing and extroverted, and a firm ally of Mirta’s – she always stood up for Mirta as much as she could, though she was honest to a fault (sometimes she only incensed Eris even further). Galatea was more reserved, but was extremely kind and generous (she was always there to talk to any of her suitemates), though she was a bit hesitant to stand up for Mirta, and also a bit naïve when it came to interacting with common people (she came from one of the most elite families in the Galaxy, after all). Alice and Jade were much shyer – Alice, though born of a noble family, didn’t have much confidence in herself, and Jade was just in-awe of everything (like Flora, she was a commoner of her own realm). Though they both didn’t see themselves as capable of much, their roommates were encouraging them, and so they were adjusting better to Alfea than Flora had initially thought. But Clarice – Mirta’s sixth suitemate – was an entirely different person.

She was seated across the room from Flora, slurping Solarian cactus-juice with a straw. Everything about her composure showed confidence – and even a little bit of arrogance as well. She was definitely more confident at age fifteen than Flora had been as a freshman (and possibly even now). Of all Mirta’s roommates, she’d interacted with her the least. Clarice was one of the few freshmen who hadn’t come for office hours all semester; in fact, the last time she’d come to Flora’s office was during Freshman Orientation. Flora sipped her own Linphean tea, nodding to Clarice.

“Is there anything you’d like to talk about?” she asked.

“We’re doing our Elemental Projects now,” Clarice responded.

“That’s right.” Flora remembered how, as one part of the curriculum, Palladium asked them to connect with their respective elements. The point of the Elemental Showcase was for each girl to showcase her element, where she’d be tested on her use of magic. After the exam, each girl (with the help of her academic advisor) came up with a title for herself that accurately represented her powers. The titles would stay with the students for the rest of their careers, and go on the front page of any resumés they put together for themselves. In Flora’s year, it had been the final exam for their Spellbound class, but it was now the midterm exam for Spellbound, so anyone who failed it at midterms could retake it at finals.

In Flora’s class, the Spellbound Elemental Showcase had taken place in the virtual simulator. Each girl was to enter the simulation of an uninhabitable environment, and use her element to improve it. Flora had used fertility magic and her own magicked plants (which had caused her to get kicked out to the Black Mud Swamp) to bring fertility to the environment of a planet called Glacia. Musa had planted Melodian music-trees, which would become saplings if she played her flute and sang (enhanced with a magic spell). Of the three of them, Tecna had the hardest time, as her element – technology – didn’t mesh well with nature. But, using an advanced computerized system of robots, seeds, fertility potions, and meteorological instruments, she managed to temporarily change the environment so the seeds would grow. It was the most creative project of them all, and though she’d gotten some help from Oleana Tenesa (their classmate and a count’s daughter from Fulgur), she’d done it all by herself, building the system over the course of a month. Second only to Bloom, she had received the highest marks.

Bloom’s simulator test was the hardest of all, but the most rewarding. As a part of her task, she’d used Summian ash to spread fertility through fire magic. She’d managed to grow a sufficient amount of trees, but just as Palladium was about to bring her out of the simulator, she’d been attacked by apparitions. She managed to successfully defeat them, just as Tecna and Palladium got her out of there. Both she and Tecna received massive amounts of extra credit – Bloom for defeating the apparitions, and Tecna for helping her get out. As for Stella, she’d utterly failed the test, because she’d been too busy with her Miss Magix teen beauty pageant to study. She’d been forced to retake the test at the end of the semester – the only one in the Class of 1000 to do so. It was extremely humiliating, but had taught her a valuable lesson.

Then they’d chosen their titles. As she had dominion over a huge breath of floral magic, Flora had been named as the Fairy of Nature. She knew Tecna was called the Fairy of Technology (due to her astounding reach over all technological software and hardware); Stella was the Fairy of the Sun and the Moon (which she’d received after passing her exam at the end of the semester); Musa was the Fairy of Music (due to her incredible skill at musical composition, singing pop music, and playing the flute); and Layla carried her title over from the Androsian Aviation Academy, as the Fairy of Morphix (a power which, which, as a member of the Androsian royal family, she’d been born with). At first, Bloom had chosen the title “Fairy of Fire”, but after she defeated Icy in the Battle of Alfea, Faragonda had changed her title to “Fairy of the Dragon Fire”. All the Winx, through a combination of natural talent and dedicated training, were unusually powerful for their age – to the point where they’d been featured very heavily in Magixian news.

“Our midterm projects are approaching,” Clarice continued. “Where we have to showcase our elements and then receive our titles. I’ve always had an affinity for lunar powers – I can use the moon’s energy to cast spells, control tides, and engage in battle. I’m going to present my project to Palladium and the rest of the class next Friday – the night of the full moon.”

Next Friday was Septmensis 13. “What will you do?” Flora asked.

“That’s what I need your help with,” Clarice answered. “I want to do a tide simulation on the Pandava Beach. I want to use my lunar powers to battle a small tide, fifty meters from the beach to the start of the waves. But to do that, I need your friend Layla to help.”

“That’s a very ambitious project,” Flora gasped, amazed. “And you’re only giving yourself ten days to prepare!”

“I know,” Clarice said angrily. “I could’ve started earlier if it weren’t for this stupid Eris stuff!”

“What do you mean?” Flora was taken aback.

“She’s been bullying Mirta nonstop,” Clarice responded furiously. “Mirta’s told you, right? Today she made moss balls fall on Mirta’s head during Aeroflynamics, when DuFour was demonstrating a maneuver. Then Lorie – she’s in our class – suggested DuFour choose Mirta first to demonstrate the move. But Mirta was too disoriented, plus she didn’t know what to demonstrate! Long story short, she twisted her wings, fell into a bush, and everyone laughed!”

“Mirta didn’t tell me that!” Flora was shocked.

“Well, it only happened this afternoon,” Clarice answered, “and you’ve been busy with conferences all day. So anyways, the last week I was working on a protective charm for Mirta, so she won’t get attacked by jinxes and stupid stuff like that. But it only works when the moon is out, plus I can’t be with her every second of the day!”

“I’ll brew a potion for her,” Flora said instantly. “I’m really impressed with you, Clarice. That’s a sophomore-year spell. You’re a really good friend to Mirta.”

“More than I can say about you!”

Flora jumped, shocked. “W-what do you mean?” she stammered.

“You haven’t been trying to help her enough,” Clarice said furiously. “You’ve been busy doing stupid administrative stuff all the time! You didn’t even think of creating a potion for Mirta until just two seconds ago! Why don’t you focus on protecting Mirta more!”

“I’ve been doing all I can!” Tears came to Flora’s eyes. “I have lots of responsibilities. Do you really think I care any less than you about Mirta? I know her a lot better than you, actually!”

“Then do something!” Clarice snapped. “Enough with the half-effort attempts! There needs to be some sort of systemic change – it’s not good enough to keep crying to Griselda! Something’s got to change around here!”

Flora’s mouth shut completely; she was at a complete loss as to what to say. “You still need to put your foot down if something goes wrong.” Faragonda’s words came back to her, and now tears slowly trickled down her cheeks. Clarice is right. I’m a terrible friend to Mirta.

But how was she going to help Mirta? What could she possibly do? There was no way to change the culture at the school; this was how it’d been for centuries, after all.

Unless…

Suddenly, Queen Isabela’s words came to her head. “When something is wrong, never be afraid to start a movement.” After all, the Alfea Resistance in the Battle of Magix had been a movement of its own, hadn’t it? Relations between Alfea and Cloud Tower students were much better than they’d been before the Battle of Alfea. Sure, they weren’t ideal, but no longer were fairy and witch students fighting each other on the streets of Magix!

I know how to change things. “Thank you so much for your input,” she said gratefully to Clarice. “You have no idea what it means to me. And I think I know just what to do.”

Clarice looked completely taken aback. Then, her face broke into a smile. “That’s so great!” She looked up. “What’re you gonna do?”

“I’ll have to figure it out,” Flora answered. “I need to talk to Khadija and Lin about next steps. But yes, I think I have an idea on how to make things better – not just for Mirta, but for the student body as a whole.”

“Well, I guess I’d better get back to the dorm,” Clarice checked her watch. “Thanks so much, Flora.” She sounded like she truly meant it.

Flora watched Clarice leave the room, her heart racing. She was nervous, but now knew exactly how to help Mirta and her friends. I’m gonna make sure things get better. More confident than she’d been before she’d entered the room, she stood up and headed out the door.

            “I think it’s gonna go great,” Layla said. “She seems really strong and really smart.”

            Flora and Layla stood on the Pandava Beach, facing the sea, while Layla prepared her spells for the upcoming battle. Today was Friday the 13^th – the last day of the exams. They’d finished, and Flora was still exhausted from them. Nonetheless, she still felt it was important for her to be at Clarice’s exam.

            She felt envious of Layla and Stella. Since they’d received their Enchantix powers already, they were exempt from the midterm exams – and all exams after that. Stella had gone home a week early – she was staying with her mother on Lunaria, and would be back the following week before the second quarter started. Layla had remained for Clarice’s exam, but would leave the next day along with everyone else. Well – not everyone else, exactly. Stella, Layla, and sometimes Musa would go home for the in-between breaks (summer and winter breaks, which were each only one week long), but Flora, Tecna, and Bloom stayed at Alfea. Flora and Bloom couldn’t afford spacefare four times in one year; they preferred to go home just for the two months of spring break and four weeks of fall break. They’d be hanging out together. Since Mirta was staying with them, it’d be all the more fun.

            Behind them, Mirta, Palladium, and the freshman class were standing on the grass, a little ways from the beach. Part of the expectation of the Elemental Showcase was for each Spellbound student to be present at all her classmates’ exams. They were in a specific section of the beach which had been cordoned off for UR Defense students. There was a magical barrier around it, as there was collectively around Roccaluce Forest, Gloomy Woods’ Forest, and the Black Mud Swamp. Only top UR personnel, and UR Defense administrators, teachers, and students, were allowed to enter through the barriers. All else needed explicit permission from the headteachers of the schools. By some miracle, Bloom had managed to get past the barrier on her first day – that was part of why Faragonda had been so willing to let her stay at Alfea. It was possible for people of very strong magical abilities to cross through the barrier, invited or not. After all, that was how the Trix had entered the premises, with their Army of Decay.

            “I hope your idea’s going well,” Layla commented as she bent the waves, curling them into Morphix balls. It was high tide, and the sea was definitely rougher than normal, because of the full moon’s pull. “You’re figuring out something to help Mirta, right?”

            “Yeah.” Flora had talked to several people, including all the Student Leaders, Faragonda, and of course Mirta and the Winx. All were very happy to get involved. She just needed approval from the Head Students of Red Fountain and Cloud Tower to join in as well. Jared had enthusiastically agreed to join in, but Lucy hadn’t responded yet. This surprised Flora, especially considering Lucy was so prompt with texts.

            “I hope you can pull off whatever you’re planning,” Layla continued. “I’m really worried about her, you know. She doesn’t seem like she’s doing very well. It’s good she has you, Flora.”

            “I’ll make sure she’s okay,” Flora declared. “She shouldn’t have to worry about anything at all.”

            Suddenly, Layla let out a short laugh. “You know – it’s funny. Stella’s still trying to figure out the matchmaking thing! She wants to pair you and Mirta with boys.”

            Flora jumped, startled. “R-really?” she stammered, remembering their Teen Fairy Quiz nearly a month before.

            “She’s crazy about it.” Layla rolled her eyes. “It’s so ridiculous. She’s sent Amore to talk to all the seniors at Red Fountain. Even Brandon thinks it’s silly, but once Stella gets something in her mind, we’re not getting it out.”

            “Well,” Flora said nervously, thinking of how safe she felt in Mirta’s arms, “I’ve kinda got my wings full now” –

            “Just tell her you’re busy, and she’ll stop,” Layla advised. “She doesn’t do it with me – I put my foot down. So did Musa last semester. You have to be firm. She’s a great friend, but she really tends to overdo it at times.”

            I hope she doesn’t try it too much. Flora really didn’t want to deal with that right now, especially with all her work. Layla sighed.

            “I really haven’t seen you much, Flo,” she said. “You don’t hang out with us much. Bloom, Stel, and Muse go on dates on Friday nights, and the four of us study together on Saturday mornings. But you have office hours on Saturday mornings, and you’re generally too tired on Fridays to go anywhere. I’m not saying you need to find a boy” – the word sounded sour in her mouth – “but you need to get back into social life again.”

            “I see so many freshmen and sophomores all day,” Flora responded, “and the Student Leaders as well. What social life do I need?”

            “I just wish we saw you more,” Layla said sadly. “This is our last year of college, after all. We’re supposed to have lots of fun together.”

            But it’s not that easy, is it? Valtor was stealing treasures from each realm, the classes were getting much tougher, and Eris was ruining everything. Whereas Flora before had got up at six in the morning, an hour after Stella, she now had to wake up at three in the morning to finish her schoolwork. And then she had long days ahead. Seeing Mirta, schoolwork, office hours, solving the world’s problems – how could she possibly hang out with her friends in the evenings? She was in bed by twenty-one o’clock every night.

            And now Tecna was all stressed out. What was Flora supposed to do? She’d even had to cancel her office hours for today, to help with Clarice’s project. It was eighteen o’clock, and the showcase was about to start. Layla transformed, and then she nodded to Flora.

            “Be ready,” she said, and then she dove into the waves.

            Flora turned back, heading to meet Palladium and the others. Clarice had transformed – she wore a glittering purple asymmetrical crop-top (strap on right shoulder) and trendy, glittering purple capri pants. Her purple boots were stylish, and she had purple bands fastening her pigtails. Silvery, translucent wings spiraled out of her back. She lifted her left hand – her dominant hand – and shot a ray of blue light towards the moon.

            “I’m ready,” she declared, flying to the beach.

            Flora watched as she pulled the power of the moon, creating a spherical shield around herself. Her expression was determined as she faced the sea, her fingers joined in a crescent shape. Pale blue light shined around her aura, and she gazed forward.

            The waves began to tower, directly pointed at Clarice. Clarice twirled in the air, keeping the waves at-bay and using the moon’s power to calm them down. Flora watched in amazement as she called upon the moon, which shined soothing rays of light onto the water. A huge wave rose to hit her, but she launched forward, powerfully blocking the wave from knocking her down.

            “She’s really good!” Mirta grinned, standing next to Flora. “It’s not for nothing she’s at the top of the class!”

            Then something rose from the sea. Everyone cried out in shock as a purple orca, the height of a tree, swam forward. The orca was made entirely of Morphix, and Flora could see purple magic rising from the sea – clearly Layla’s powers at work.

            “That thing is huge!” Galatea shouted in fear.

            “What’s Layla playing at?” Palladium asked angrily. “This is too dangerous. I will stop this right now!”

            “Wait!” Flora shouted, just before he could transform. “Let’s wait and see. Layla’s in perfect control – she won’t cause Clarice any harm. She might be able to pull it off!”

            “All right,” Palladium said reluctantly, stepping back.

            Waves towered into the air, lifting the orca up. It reached literally the height of the Alfea castle, straight over the Lunarian fairy. Instead of flying above it, Clarice simply hovered where she was. What’s she doing? She lifted her hands.

            “Moonbeam forcefield!” she cried, and a blue forcefield appeared above, causing the wave to stop moving midair. Unfortunately, the wave had gravity on its side, and Clarice struggled to hold the water up.

            “She can’t hold that amount of water above!” Nova exclaimed. “It’s gonna crash over her now!”

            Clarice gritted her teeth, struggling with the weight of the water. For a second, Flora saw fear flash across her features, but then determination took over. Flora watched as moonlight shined down on the orca from above.

            “What’s she doing?” Mirta cried.

            Suddenly, Clarice flew into the wave! Though the barrier still held underneath, keeping the wave high in the air, she was swimming on the other side. The water shoved her around, coughing – clearly, she hadn’t planned for the shock of how fierce it’d be. She tried to fly into the air, but her Magic Winx wings, now soaked in water, became completely useless. The orca opened its mouth wide.

            “Uh-oh!” Nova screamed.

            Clarice was starting to lose control over the forcefield. Flora could see the wave was so strong, if she let go, it would crash over the entire class – they’d all be badly bruised. What is Layla playing at? The orca leapt forward, and in one motion, swallowed the girl inside!

            “Enough of this madness!” Palladium bellowed. “I will stop this right now!”

            “Wait – look!” Mirta pointed to the orca.

            The orca was shining an azure blue, suspended over the wave, which continued to tower over the girls – even though Clarice was nowhere in sight. She must be inside the orca! It had nearly fallen to the level of the trees now, poised to strike. At the same time, Flora saw moonlight enveloping the waters, changing them from inky black to brilliant silver. The wave slowly slid backwards, down into the sea. Flora’s mouth was open as she saw the wave recede to the height of a tree, carrying the orca with it. She felt lunar energy – soothing yet powerful – radiate towards them, and the girls gasped in awe.

            And then Clarice let go! The wave fell into the sea, safely, not causing any harm to anyone. She blasted the orca apart from inside, the moonlight preventing her from sinking under. The waters gently carried her up to the beach, and deposited her on dry, powdery sand.

            “SHE DID IT!” Mirta and Nova roared.

            The whole freshman class roared with applause. Clarice coughed once as Layla appeared from the sea, her Enchantix wings easily repelling the water. She landed neatly next to Clarice, helping her stand up. The Androsian fairy’s eyes were wide with joy.

            “I had a hunch you could do it,” she declared, “which was why I pushed you extra-hard. I know it was dangerous, but a Lunarian fairy at the full moon is unbeatable. My friend Stella’s half-Lunarian, so she really puts up a mean fight.”

            “Full score!” Palladium shouted in amazement. “You just received the highest marks out of the entire class! As for you,” he added sternly to Layla, “impressed as I am by your tenacity and encouragement, you’ve just landed yourself a week’s worth of detentions.”

            “Whatever you say, Prof,” Layla answered good-humoredly.

            “I suppose that’s enough for one day,” Palladium sighed. “We’d best get back – we’re almost at curfew time.”

            He led the group, with Layla, Clarice, and Mirta’s roommates chatting together. Flora followed after. Suddenly, she sensed some kind of strange magic, something coming from behind her. She stopped, and Mirta turned around to stare at her.

            “What’re you doing?” she asked.

            “I sense something,” Flora whispered. “Look, just go back to the castle, okay? There’s some kind of strange power around. It’s almost – familiar.”

            “You sure you don’t want me to come with you?” Mirta asked.

            “I’m sure,” Flora answered.

            Mirta gave her a hug. Flora wished they could do more than just hug, but there was always the fear her classmates would look back and see. She drew back, and headed towards the group. While Mirta and her classmates walked southwest, towards the Alfea campus, Flora went due west, flying alongside the River Yudhishthira.

            The sensation grew only stronger as she flew past the water. Her wings were starting to ache after not being used for a while, but she couldn’t stop – she had to get there. She entered into Gloomy Woods’ Forest – the forest due north of Cloud Tower – and stopped as she saw someone ahead.

            He was dressed simply, holding an urn. Did someone close to him die? Her eyes widened as she saw the black hair, angular face, and white buttoned shirt. There could be no doubt who it was.

            “Professor Avalon!” she shouted.

            Avalon jumped in surprise! “Fl-Flora?” he asked in surprise. Flora landed next to him, returning to her civilian form.

            “Did someone close to you die?” she asked, sympathetically. “Are you giving them a burial?”

            “You could say that.” Avalon snatched the urn, and Flora sensed some kind of strange magic within it. Very powerful, and very… familiar. “What’s that?”

            “Don’t worry about it,” Avalon answered, a somewhat guilty expression on his face. Why? He looked up at her.

            “I’ll escort you back to campus,” he said. “Let’s get going. If we miss curfew, I know how to get through the barrier.” He walked forward, but Flora stopped.

            “What’s the enchantment over the urn?” she called.

            Avalon froze, and turned around. “There’s nothing going on,” he said. “Now, we need to get back to Alfea.”

            “This is something to do with Valtor, isn’t it?” Flora wanted to know. The memory of the wizard on Andros came to her mind, and suddenly, she felt as if Avalon knew something. And what he was doing right now was something related.

"I can’t tell you that," Avalon answered sternly. "I know you’re all worried about Valtor, but you cannot sneak around at the night and try to look for answers. We're keeping this from you for your own safety."

Really? thought Flora. Is it really safe for us to not know how to defend ourselves? She stared at Avalon.

            At that moment, she knew she couldn’t just let this go. I have to get an answer from him. Using her Head Girl authority, she rose her shoulders.

"We need to know," she said. “It's not just curiosity about Valtor, Professor! We have to stop him from doing any more damage.”

"I won’t let you face him," Avalon answered. “You’re not capable of fighting this wizard.”

"So you know what he’s capable of!" She stared at him. "Why won't you just tell us?"

"Headmistress's orders," he answered curtly. "We’re heading back to campus now." He moved forward again, but Flora stopped him.

"Look, Professor, all we want to do is defend our school," she said weakly. "I’m not trying to be a pain in Ms. Faragonda’s side, but we need to know what's going on."

"I already told you," Avalon answered. "These aren't my rules."

"But don't you remember being trapped in Shadowhaunt?" Flora pressed on. "I don't mean to hurt you by bringing up those memories, Professor, but didn't you feel helpless? As if you couldn't do anything? Well, that's how we all feel right now. We need to do this, Professor. We need to save Alfea!"

Something in Avalon's gaze shifted. He stared at her, and she held his gaze firm. Green eyes met brown. He stared, and then finally nodded.

"Alright, I will tell you," he said. "I'll tell you, because I believe you are more mature than the other girls, and because you are Head Girl. But I don't want you telling anyone else. Not even your friends."

Flora wasn’t exactly thrilled about keeping secrets from her friends. But she couldn’t help but deny there was a slight rift between them and her. This could just be another part of her Head Girl duties, right? It didn’t have to involve them, did it? “All right,” she answered.

“There’s more,” Avalon continued. “You must also promise not to tell anyone about the urn.”

What is he doing? “All right,” she answered impatiently, in a voice most unlike herself.

"Cloud Tower has fallen silent," Avalon explained. "Headmistress Faragonda has tried contacting Headmistress Griffin, but did not receive any information. When we sent a group of staff to investigate, they were unable to enter and figure out what was going on. We cannot say for sure whether it was Valtor, as he has left us no signs."

"Cloud Tower has been taken by Valtor?" Flora cried. Is that why Lucy didn’t respond?

"Like I said, we cannot say for sure," said Avalon grimly. "That is the reason why she hasn't alerted the students – she doesn't want to cause a mass panic. But I will warn you he is after us, and he's coming to Alfea next. Not just because of our treasures, but because of someone far greater, someone he knows will be the end of him. Bloom."

"Bloom?" Flora gasped. The panic they'd all faced at the end of last year, after her disappearance, was still fresh in her mind. "I-is he going to capture her, like Darkar?"

"Certainly not." Avalon shook his head. "He doesn't even want her around. He wouldn't be able to stand seeing someone else who has his power."

"But" – She thought about how Bloom had sensed Valtor on both Solaria and Andros, and how she and him seemed connected somehow. Suddenly, it became clear to her. "Valtor! He's got the Dragon Fire!"

"Exactly." Avalon nodded. “He has the same power as her.”

“So Stella’s Scepter sensed Valtor because it has a spark of the Dragon Fire in it,” Flora realized. It all suddenly made sense!

“You’re correct,” he answered. "But there is more to it than that, Flora. All fairs’ power-sources are at the essence of their spirits, the essence of their survival. And whatever puts Bloom's power out will put Valtor's out, too."

"You're saying"… Flora breathed.

"I'm saying," answered Avalon, "that whatever kills Valtor will kill Bloom as well. Their fates are inevitably tied. And for Valtor to be defeated, they may have to die – together.”

Chapter Text

CHAPTER 12: ALFEA UNDER SIEGE

Posted November 1, 2022.

"Tecna, are you okay?"

Tecna sipped her coffee absentmindedly, the heat of the day pouring down her cheeks. The outdoor seating-area of the café was fairly crowded, people chatting cheerfully with their boyfriends or girlfriends. It was the Week of the Rose now, which was their week of summer break. All UR Defense students had two months off in the spring, four weeks off in the autumn, and one week off each in the summer and winter. Stella had gone to her mother’s palace in Lunaria, Layla had gone to her family on Andros, and Musa went to Melody to visit her dad – the rest were staying in the dorms for that one week. She lifted her head slowly and gazed up at Timmy.

"Yes," she said tiredly. "I'm fine."

She'd lost track of how many people had asked her that question in the past two weeks. Consistently during midterms, people kept trying to ask her what was wrong. She'd tried to blow people off, telling them she'd just missed curfew and fallen asleep in a patch of mud.

But something just wasn't the same anymore. After finding Tecna in the forest, the Winx now thought there was something wrong with her, and kept trying to figure it out. Stella kept pulling Tecna over to do a makeover, and Layla would stop at nothing to get her to learn how to dance. Activities they knew she hated. It was like they were determined to change her.

"No, you're not," Timmy said. "I know something's going on. Tec, the other girls told me your work still hasn't let up, and it's taking up so much of your time. Can't you speak to Vasiliev and get him to let you off?"

"No," Tecna answered. "I'm lucky in comparison to so many of my colleagues. My workload is actually a lot less."

"I don't believe that," Timmy answered. "He probably told you that just to make you feel bad. Besides, your colleagues probably aren't juggling school and a full-time job together." He looked at her in concern. "It's coding, right? Is this something I can help you" –

"No," said Tecna forcefully; she couldn't tell him how Vasiliev had ambushed her the other night. "It's top-secret; I don't even know what the project's about. I'm forbidden from showing anyone the code. If I do, I could be imprisoned without even a trial" –

"Don't worry," Timmy said, trying to look brave. "We'll sort this out together, Tecna. You'll be okay."

Tecna closed her eyes. I can't start crying now… She seldom cried for any reason, and wasn't about to start.

"In the meantime, is there anything I can do?" Timmy asked.

The pink-haired fairy paused. I should tell him everything… He was the sweetest boy she'd ever met. If she told him what Vasiliev had done, it would be a great weight off her shoulders.

But I can't… To do that would be a death sentence. And then she would lose her friends as well. She swallowed, not meeting his gaze.

"No," she said. "I have it under control."

"Good evening. This is the Magix Modern Matrix Foreign News Channel. We are here to report on a very deadly issue."

Tecna lifted her head. She and Flora were sitting in the living room of their apartment, waiting for the news to come on. And now that it had, she pushed all other thoughts out of her life, watching intently as the newscaster spoke.

"With the rise of this mysterious criminal called Valtor, there has been nothing but discord. He has taken the magical relics of Melody, Solaria, Fulgur, Andros, Eraklyon, and Whisperia, which is over half the UR. Every realm is on high-alert now, for there is no telling where he will strike next."

Tecna stared at the screen in silence. Next to her, Flora was planting vegetables in pots, trying to stay busy, though she saw the worried look in her friend's eyes.

"I don't understand," Tecna said, frowning at her laptop. "I've checked everywhere for information, and there's nothing about Valtor. Nobody knows who he is."

"But then how did he get locked in Omega?" Flora asked.

"I don't know," Tecna answered. It seemed highly troubling to her; after all, such a case should've gone public. "I've checked every court record I can, and nothing has come up!"

"Maybe he's using a different name and a disguise," Flora suggested.

"Perhaps. Or maybe"... Tecna gazed down at the screen. "Maybe Ms. Faragonda knows something that she's not telling us."

"Really?" Flora stared at Tecna. "Why do you think that?"

"Think about it, Flora." Tecna got up and stared out the window. "You said she lost her temper with Stella after curing her of her monster transformation. She's kept mum about everything, and seems to be doing everything she can not to discuss Valtor on campus. How could she possibly not know?"

"Well"... Flora looked down at the seeds she was planting. "I don't know, Tec. That sounds awfully far-fetched, especially considering there's no information about him online.” Her tone sounded furtive, though, and Tecna couldn’t understand why.

"There's nothing far-fetched about it!" She felt a sense of irritation surge up in her. "It's perfectly logical, Flora. Why else would she" –

A flash across the screen startled her. Looking up, she saw the red letters signal BREAKING NEWS: ZENITH IMPOSES SEVERE SANCTIONS ON LINPHEA.

Tecna turned towards Flora, who was staring at the screen in shock. The newscaster, looking unusually grave, began to speak in a rapid pace.

"We received intel a few minutes ago that Zenith has placed sanctions on Linphea. In addition to the growing trade-war, Zenith is no longer selling any technological innovations to Linphea, including cell phones, computers, and other techno-gadgets."

Tecna gasped. Linphea depends on Zenith for its market! Although Linphea was the strongest agricultural realm in the UR, everyone depended on Zenith for a steady export of technology. This is going to mess Linphea's economy - as well as ours! She turned towards Flora, who had a shocked expression on her face.

"Oh no," she whispered. "What happened" –

"Queen Isabela of Linphea released a statement about this action," the newscaster continued on. "'Zenith's actions are reminiscent of old colonial times, and are unacceptable in a new world where we are moving past imperialism. Make no mistake, the Linphean people will fight back.'"

And Tecna couldn't blame her. In her past years at Alfea, she'd come to see the actions of her regime as horrendous. What was truly depressing was that the Zenithian government refused to do anything about its starving civilian population at home; instead, it was perpetually in a prove-nothing race against its former colony. I used to fall for that propaganda, too… She sighed, remembering her first day in Magix.

From the moment she'd stepped on Magixian soil, it was clear everything was so different. For starters, it was hot. For another, the sun was shining so brilliantly, a brightness that Tecna was completely unaccustomed to. Most incredibly, there was so much color on this planet! On Zenith, the sky was always gray or black, and the snow was pure white. Buildings were either gray or black, and no one was allowed to wear colored clothes, either. The only time Tecna had even seen color was if she was mixing chemicals in a potions’ lab, or when looking at something on a computer screen. It was so bright, it was really giving her a headache.

But most striking of all was how friendly the people were. There was so much chatter on the street, so much bustling and excitement. And it scared her, how foreign this world was.

In Zenith, nobody talked in the streets. There was too much fear cloaking the world, too much terror. And it just wasn't a good idea to speak unless absolutely necessary.

She had walked shakily into the road, staring around. Unfortunately, she'd downloaded no information about Magix, which made it harder to process what was going on. If only I had my scanners functioning like they do at home… She closed her eyes, trying to connect to the Web in Magix.

She gasped as someone knocked her over. Startled, Tecna fell to the ground, her wiring abuzz. A few seconds later, she heard a voice.

"Oh my goody goodness! I'm so sorry!"

Tecna squinted. A plant was coiling around her, and she stared blankly at it, its leaves turning up at her, its mouth (plants had mouths?) shouting something at her in a different language. A light brown-skinned girl with honey-brown hair peered over her, her emerald green eyes clouded with worry.

"I'm so sorry," she apologized. "I didn't mean to knock you over, but my plant doesn't like it when people knock over him, and I've been trying to keep him in order. So, I'm sorry, but I'm just trying to get everything in one piece" -

Tecna looked up at the girl. In addition to the plant, she was carrying a suitcase and a backpack. Why is she doing that? She stared blankly at her.

"I'm going to Alfea," the girl continued on, "so sorry if I'm a bit preoccupied."

"Er, so am I," Tecna said awkwardly.

"Really?" The girl looked surprised. "So can we go together?"

"Um"... Tecna wasn't sure about going anywhere with other people. After all, she was supposed to stick to herself. But I don't know the way… It might be safer to go with someone. "Okay."

"Great!" The girl grinned at her. "Let's go."

The girls walked together. Tecna followed along as Flora struggled with her bags, trying her best to levitate the suitcase but unsuccessful.

“It’s kinda weird to be missing Freshman Orientation,” she said. “I was supposed to go, but then my little sister was sick, and I stayed back to take care of her. Headmistress Faragonda seemed very understanding, though. I think I’m gonna really like her.”

“I didn’t plan on going,” Tecna answered abruptly. Vasiliev had worked her to the grindstone, not letting her leave until she’d finished his coding. The girl looked surprised.

"So," she said, trying to lighten the mood. "Where are you from?"

"Zenith," Tecna said uncertainly.

"Really?" The girl looked shocked, and for a moment, she pulled ever-so-slightly away from Tecna. "You don't look that Zenithian – you’ve got pink hair! I thought you were Whisperian or something."

That's completely ridiculous, thought Tecna. Her mother did have some Whisperian blood from her side, but other than the removal of the black hair-dye, she didn’t look different from any other Zenithian. Except for the cyborg part… A slight stab of pity overcame her.

"Where are you from?" she asked, her voice short and clipped.

"I'm" –

A sudden bird's screech filled the air. Tecna stopped short, and stared in front of her, horrified.

"What's going on?" she heard a man shout.

Tecna whirled around. A group of birds were attacking a storeowner, and he was jumping back, looking horrified. Other people were stopping in their tracks, staring at the man with mouths wide open. A few ran away.

"Oh no!" the other girl gasped, staring at the man.

Tecna tried to scan the birds, but in vain. They're Magixian birds, and I don't have any intel on them… She could only watch helplessly as the birds attacked the man. A few dove into his store.

"We have to do something!" the girl said desperately.

We do? thought Tecna, utterly taken aback. No, we need to run away! She'd come across occasions in Zenith where robots had malfunctioned, shooting electric rays at their owners and singeing their clothes. "Stop! We need to get out of here!"

But the other girl was already running towards the scene. "Stay away from him!" She focused her energy on the gardens around the store.

What's she doing? The plants began to uncoil, rising up towards the birds. Without growing in height, they wrapped themselves around them, catching them in their grip.

"What's she doing?" someone in the crowd shouted. "She's gonna get hurt!"

Suddenly, the birds broke out of the binds. They flew towards the girl, screeching and yelling.

No! Alarm shot through Tecna, and she lifted her hands. "Digital net!"

A net appeared in front of the girl. The birds collided into them, letting out a terrifying screech as they fell to the ground.

Tecna ran towards the girl, breathless. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," the girl panted. "Thanks for saving me." She looked up and towards the crowd.

Magix Police vehicles were appearing on the scene. Tecna shrank back, suddenly conscious of what she'd done. Not police… no, no, no! Why did I do this? Why didn't I just stay out of trouble? She squeezed her eyes shut. It was her first day in Magix – how could she have gotten in so much trouble?

Two policemen arrived and followed the storeowner into the store. A policewoman arrived and knelt on the ground, picking up the fallen birds.

"Hexed," she announced. "Someone hexed them to attack the store."

Really? Tecna stared at her, taken aback. The policewoman continued on.

"We'll take these birds to the Animal Conservatory to have them healed. They'll be fine," she added, to the other girl's worried look. "Now, what are your names?"

"Flora Fernández," the other girl said.

"And you?" The policewoman looked at Tecna.

Tecna shrank back in horror. However am I going to explain this to my parents? That she'd been so stupid, getting into trouble on the first day? This is it. This is the end.

"Tecna," she finally managed, her words coming out tight.

"Zenithian, aren't you?" the woman asked, and for a moment, her eyes hardened. “Of course you’re scared. Your robotic people just don’t follow due process, do they?

Tecna stared at her, dumbfounded. What does “due process” mean? All she understood was the policewoman had insulted her homeland and her people, as if Magix was so much better. But she didn’t want to say anything, and get in even worse trouble than she already was.

"We were just on our way to Alfea when this happened," Flora added.

"I daresay!" the policewoman said warmly. "Well, you're going to be wonderful fairies one day. That was excellent work, you too."

Wait… They weren’t in trouble? Flora and the policewoman were smiling, so did that mean she should smile too? She stared at them blankly, still confused.

"They saved my store." The storeowner emerged from inside the store, looking amazed. "What's even more impressive is a Linphean and a Zenithian worked together to make this happen."

She's Linphean? Tecna stared at Flora, stunned. What?

She'd never met a Linphean in her life. The only thing she knew about Linpheans was that they were dirty, uneducated, backwoods peasants. At least, that's what she'd been told her entire life. All throughout her life, she'd seen cartoons of naked Linpheans, painting them as foolish, low-down people.

But this girl wasn't dirty or uneducated. If anything, she was one of the brightest, kindest people she'd ever met. She'd saved the birds, without any regard to her own safety. And she'd been brave enough to step in the heat of things, when no one else in the crowd would.

"I know," the policewoman said, sounded impressed. "It's youth like these that make me hopeful for the future. Because of them, I see a bright dawn coming our way."

And now Tecna sat next to Flora as she planted seeds in her pot, not unlike the seeds of their relationship. She let out a sigh.

"When we first met," she admitted, "I thought you were a dirty, uneducated person. That's how the Zenithian media paints you guys – to us, all Linpheans are primitive." Flora stared at her in surprise.

"But I was so wrong," Tecna continued. "You're one of the bravest people I've ever known, Flora. I'm so glad I was proved wrong. And… I've come to realize the Zenithian media is filled with lies." She hung her head.

There was a silence, and then Flora said, "Can I tell you something, Tecna?"

"Sure," Tecna said dismally.

"Linpheans have a media, too," Flora said. "We don't have mass propaganda like Zenith, but we have some pretty caustic stereotypes of Zenithians, too. In fact, when I first met you, I wanted to pull away. And if that bird attack hadn't happened, I would've avoided you completely. I thought all Zenithians were war-raging monsters who didn't care how many people they hurt."

"Really?" Tecna said in shock. "That's the last thing from our minds!"

"I know," Flora nodded. "The truth is, you guys need to survive as much as we do. Our governments cause problems, but when it comes down to the people, they truly aren't aggressive at all. All they want is to feed their families and live stable lives. But since our governments are far too radical"... She sighed.

"They blow everything out of proportion," Tecna finished. "The Zenithian government's actions are disgusting; it literally wants to take over Linphea. What are its policies – Linphea first, Zenithians never? That's how it's become." She let out a sigh.

Flora smiled. "Well, whatever's going on with our respective nations, I'm glad it hasn't come between us. It's great hanging out with you, Tecna." She smiled at the Zenithian fairy.

Tecna smiled back, and a blush came across her cheeks. “You’re welcome,” she said. Suddenly, red letters flashed across her vision: SUNDAY, SEPTMENSIS 15, 999, NOW 15:00. MEETING WITH WINX, MIRTA, AND STUDENT LEADERS. EVENT CREATED BY FLORA.

“Um, Flora,” she said, “it’s 15:00. Aren’t we supposed to be meeting with the others?”

“Oh, right!” Flora gasped. “Thanks for reminding me, Tec! We’d better get going now!” She headed out the door.

Tecna followed her. Flora had finally finished figuring out her project, and had called the Winx and Mirta to a joint meeting, as well as the Student Leaders. It was the day before the second quarter of the year started – and therefore, all the students were back by now. They headed to the quad, where Bloom, Stella, Musa, and Mirta were waiting.

“We’ve been waiting for you!” Bloom called.

“Forgot?” Musa teasingly asked Flora.

Flora laughed. Tecna knew Flora tended to forget things, especially with her busy schedule. It was a good thing Tecna had a calendar and schedule programmed into her wiring. They sat on the picnic blanket, and Flora poured them tea.

            “We’re just waiting for the other Head Students to come,” she said. “Khadija and Lin will also be here.”

            “What is it?” Stella asked, clearly unable to bear the suspense.

            “Oh, you’ll see,” Flora smiled, pouring herself a cup as well.

            “By the way, congratulations on your new title, Mirta!” Bloom added.

            Mirta smiled. For her Elemental Showcase, she’d battled a mannequin which had the power to become invisible; using her illusionary powers, she made it visible again and battled it. Therefore, she had received the title of Fairy of Illusions. Nova had become the Fairy of Firelight (she did something involving lanterns), and Galatea became the Fairy of Opera (she brought a whole opera cast, singing along with them to defeat another mannequin). They’d all passed the exam, and were very relieved.

            Tecna sipped the tea, watching as Layla entered through the gate. “I just brought ice-cream,” she said. Instantly, Stella grabbed the container from her bag, which was magicked with a heat-resistance charm.

            “Ooh!” she squealed, pulling the cone of ice-cream out. “You brought me lemon sunshine – my favorite!”

            “Nice,” Musa grinned as she took out a fig and date ice-cream cone.

            They each took their ice-cream cones. Layla had coffee ice-cream with chocolate swirls, Bloom had dark chocolate chili, Mirta had strawberry-blueberry blast, and Flora had coconut-milk ice-cream infused with nectar. As for Tecna, she got plain vanilla – the only way she liked her ice-cream. She didn’t like sweets much to begin with, but this tasted fine. Stella rolled her eyes at Tecna.

            “You and your plain ice-cream,” she said teasingly. “You’ve gotta live your life in style!”

            “Stel,” Musa laughed. “Don’t start.”

            “Oh, I’m only just getting started,” Stella responded. “Flo, Mirta – Amore and I have found you the perfect matches!”

            “What?” Mirta spilled ice-cream over her shirt.

            “We’ve figured it all out,” Amore agreed – the only one of the pixies to come to the meeting. She was eating a tiny cone of bastani – which was ice-cream with saffron and rose. Amore loves her expensive stuff… Stella spoils her way too much. Stella laughed once more.

            “Okay, so here are a few guys,” she said, showing Flora and Mirta her Winxstagram feed on her phone. “I found seniors from Red Fountain who’re single and looking for girlfriends. There’s this guy, Miles Yagami from Whisperia, whose specialty is fighting with his spatha while hoverbiking. He’s a total flirt. Mirta, I think you’d go really well with him! He’s a good dancer, too. You need a cheerful guy like that to get you out of your head!

            “And for you, Flo,” she looked over at Flora, who was averting her gaze, “I found Spencer García, also from Linphea! He loves nature and he’s a vegetarian. He’s also one of Red Fountain’s best archers! He fought with his bow-and-arrow against the Army of Decay, and received lots of awards for it. He’s more outgoing, so he’ll get you out of your shell, too!”

            Mirta’s cheeks were flushed with embarrassment. As for Flora, she was staring at the ground, not looking up at any of them. Stella, completely oblivious per usual, continued chattering on.

            “In fact, I’m gonna text them right after this,” she declared. “You’ll both have dates by next Friday. I’m totally gonna turn your lives around” –

            “Stella,” Tecna said, annoyance coming over her. Surprised, Stella stopped mid-sentence; the others turned around to look at Tecna. “Maybe they just don’t want dates.”

            “Who could not want dates?” Stella demanded.

            “Why don’t you just let them be?” Tecna asked. “Have you ever thought they don’t need your matchmaking right now? Maybe they just want to be left alone?” In the corner of her eye, she saw Flora cast her a grateful look.

            “But they should have some fun,” Stella protested, “especially after all that’s happened with Valtor” –

            “Tecna’s right, Stel,” Layla added. “Just let them be.”

            Tecna gazed over at Stella, whose arms were crossed. Then she saw Amore on Stella’s shoulder, who was staring at Flora and Mirta. Why is she… But the thought went out of her mind as three Specialists entered through the gate.

            “SNOOKUMS!” Stella squealed, quite forgetting about their disagreement. She ran up to Brandon and gave him a huge hug. “How’re you doing?”

            “I’m all right, Stel,” Brandon answered with a smile. “Good to see you. You do know what we’re here for, right?”

            “We’d better get started,” Jared said, sitting down next to Flora. Khadija and Lin appeared from inside the castle, sitting next to them as well. Layla passed all of them cookies-and-cream ice-cream cones.

            “Sorry we’re late,” Lin said. “Are we ready?”

            “Wait, where’s Lucy?” Mirta demanded. “How can we start without her?”

            Tecna frowned. She’s right. Why hadn’t Lucy come to join them as well? It seemed odd, especially considering she usually showed up on-time to everything.

            “I texted her.” For some reason, Flora looked awkward. “Two days ago. And I texted her this morning. She hasn’t responded.”

            “She hasn’t responded to my texts, either.” Mirta looked worried. “I hope she’s okay!”

            “I’m sure she’s fine, Mirta,” Layla said reassuringly. “She’s probably busy studying for midterms, that’s all.”

            “Yeah,” Stella agreed. “She’ll probably write back once they’re over.”

            For some reason, Flora looked subdued. Mirta didn’t look reassured by the girls’ words, either. Maybe Mirta is right… But what could Tecna possibly say? She didn’t think Lucy was in trouble or anything. At the same time, she didn’t understand why Lucy hadn’t written back, especially about something as important as this.

            “I guess we’ll have to start without her,” Jared frowned. “Flora, are you ready?”

            Flora looked nervously over at Tecna, who gave her a small smile. I know she can do this. Even with the troubles around, she knew Flora could make this work. Flora took in a breath.

            “I’ve decided to start a new club,” she announced. “A club where students of all races and ethnicities can join together in mutual understanding. Fairs and witches of the schools can interact with each other. That was the whole point of the UR Defense Schools, right? For fairies, elves, and witches to work together? But it hasn’t happened. It’s wrong, and it needs to change.”

            “I agree!” Bloom declared.

            “So do I,” Musa added. The others nodded in agreement.

            “So, I have a few ideas,” Flora continued. “I will lead the club, and we’ll start by holding meetings at Alfea, in the Student Leader Suite. I’ve already received approval from Faragonda, and Kaia has put together the funds, which she distributes to each club. Jared will ask Saladin, and I’m sure Lucy will ask Griffin.” An uncomfortable look came to her eyes again, but she continued on. “We’ll start at the basics – getting to know each other, and then starting with fun activities. Once the group gets comfortable, we can talk about racial and ethnic tensions in our schools, and how to resolve them. We just need to advertise.”

            “I’ll put together a Winxstagram page,” Khadija offered. “I’m good with that.”

            “But only Alfea and Red Fountain students will see it, then,” Tecna pointed out. Winxstagram was run primarily by the Winx Wide Web. “What about the witches of Cloud Tower?”

            “Good point,” Jared agreed. “Maybe we should post videos on BrewTube.”

            “That sounds like a good plan.” BrewTube was a video-sharing platform, which has been created at the start of the Realm Wide Web server. It had initially been created on the Witch Wide Web, as a way to spread potion recipe videos; now, it was on the greater Realm Wide Web server as well. Any type of video could be posted, and fairs and warlocks used it extensively. It would be a great way to spread their influence to the UR Defense School community.

            “And I can coordinate events,” Lin added. “That is a part of my job, since I lead all the clubs. I just arranged a competition for the Magiball Club and a fashion show for the Modeling Club. It’s all gonna be great.”

            “Yeah,” Bloom smiled. “I’m so glad you came up with this, Flo.”

“What is this?” a sneering voice called behind them. “Don’t tell me you’re having a hag party now?”

Tecna spun around. Eris and her friends were standing behind them, sniggering, and she saw Mirta clench her fists. The Eraklyonese fairy stepped forward, smirking.

"Such losers," she said. “Your club is gonna fail. And you, hag, are gonna be kicked out of Alfea.”

“We don’t have time for this now, Eris,” Bloom called.

“Go away,” Layla snapped.

“Yeah, right.” Despite standing in front of twelve seniors, Eris didn’t even seem the slightest bit deferential. Though Lorie and Mariza seemed nervous, they were emboldened by Eris’s presence; Tecna knew the two freshmen wouldn’t dare act in this way on their own. “My parents could expel her right now.”

“And yet, they haven’t,” Musa retorted. “You wanna know why? Faragonda and Griselda don’t put up with this kind of crap!”

“Well, I’ll make sure she gets the boot.” Eris smirked at the former witch girl.

"Leave me alone." Mirta tried to sound brave, but Tecna could hear her voice waver. She glared at Eris.

“Enough is enough, Eris,” she declared. “According to my calculations, you have confronted Mirta in some way two-hundred-and-sixty-eight times since the start of the semester. That’s two-hundred-and-sixty-eight times too much!”

“You think I’m scared of you?” Eris laughed. “I won’t stop till she’s packed her bags!”

“For Solare’s sake!” Stella stood up, her face level with Eris’s. “Just get out of her face already!”

“Well, she can go sweep the floors with Knut” –

On and on they shouted. Khadija and Lin joined in, ordering Eris to back away, but she wouldn’t budge. Amore, Brandon, Jared, and Bishop were silent, as they didn’t have a position of authority at Alfea. Tecna felt anger raise through her throat.

How can this keep going on? First Vasiliev was pushing her, then Zenith placed sanctions on Linphea, and now the bullying wouldn’t stop? Something had to be done about Eris – and the one person to stop her wouldn’t do it! She turned around and glared at Flora.

“Do something!” she hissed. “Tell her to stop!”

“W-what?” Flora appeared startled.

“Use your authority,” Tecna answered. “Don’t be silent all the time. That’s just illogical!”

“But” –

“You’re the only one of us who hasn’t spoken,” Tecna pointed out. “You’re Mirta’s best friend. Just do it!”

Flora hesitated. “Eris,” she began, but her voice was drowned out. The arguing continued on, and Tecna’s fury built up. Her computerized brain was overloading, going haywire with the emotion she felt –

“STOP!”

Everyone shut up. Tecna glared at Eris once, then pointed to Flora. “She has something to say!”

“I d-do,” Flora stammered. “If you don’t go away, Eris, you’ll be in b-big trouble!”

“Convincing,” Eris crowed. Mariza and Lorie laughed.

“I mean it.” Suddenly, Flora gained her confidence back. “If you don’t shut up, I’ll have you sweeping the floors in-place of Knut!”

“What”… For the first time, Eris looked outraged. “You wouldn’t dare snitch on me like that” –

“I would,” Flora answered boldly. “And I will, if you don’t clear out. I am still Head Girl, and I order you to leave Mirta alone. I have Faragonda’s number with me right now!” She lifted her UR Defense phone.

“She means it, Eris,” Tecna added.

Eris glowered. She turned around, and saw Mariza and Lorie had vanished, just at the mention of punishment. She glared.

“I’ll be back,” she threatened, then turned and headed back into the castle.

“That’s a relief,” Musa groaned, and they all let out a collective sigh. “I need some music therapy right now.”

“Okay,” Jared said awkwardly, standing up. “I guess I should be going. I’ll pass the word on about the club, don’t worry.”

“Yeah, me too,” Lin added. “I have class now. Feel better, Mirta.”

“Don’t worry,” Khadija agreed. “Not all of us think like Eris – you’re really cool, actually.” While she Lin headed towards the castle, Jared and Bishop turned around and went to the gate.

“Mirta, are you okay?” Bloom was the first to ask.

Tecna looked and saw Mirta was crying. Tears poured down her cheeks, and Tecna felt extremely sympathetic. Musa walked over to her and placed her hands on her shoulders.

“Don’t worry,” she said. “We won’t let them get to you.”

“We really need to report this,” Layla said, frowning. “We can’t keep letting Eris get away with this.”

“Yeah!” Stella shouted. “I say we march up to Griselda’s office and give her a good kick in the” –

“Stop!” Flora protested. “Can’t you see you’re overwhelming her? Brandon, go back to Red Fountain with the others. Tec, stay with me. The rest of you, go back to the dorm. We need to talk to her, alone.”

“O-okay,” Layla said, surprised at Flora’s tone. “We’ll be off then.” They went back into the castle, Musa casting a confused look over her shoulder as they walked.

Flora held out her arms. “Come here.” Mirta hugged her tightly, and they both cried together. Tecna watched over them, wondering why Flora had asked her to stay back.

I’m not really good at these things. How could Flora expect her to be useful, in any capacity?

“I feel really bad,” Mirta whispered. “How am I ever gonna stay at Alfea? What if she really does kick me out?”

“That’s an empty threat,” Tecna said firmly. “She doesn’t have that power. Faragonda’s too smart for that.”

“Flora? Mirta?” Amore fluttered towards them, a nervous expression on her face. She gestured to her Love Crystal.

Tecna looked at it and saw it was radiating red – the color of love. Flora and Mirta stared at it, shocked. “Well”… Mirta stammered.

“You’re right,” Flora conceded. “We’re in a relationship together.”

“Why don’t you just tell the others?” Amore asked. “Why do you have to keep it a secret?”

“We just do,” Flora answered. “Well – Tecna knows, but the others don’t. I don’t know if they’re comfortable with non-straight relationships.”

“Why not?” Amore asked. “Pixies marry other pixies all the time.”

Tecna gasped. Pixies were an all-female species, which was why the Flower of Life was even necessary at all – in the absence of two sexes for sexual reproduction, it gave birth to each and every pixie in the world. “Really?” she asked, shocked.

“There’re lots of gay, lesbian, and polyamorous couples in my village, too,” Flora said sheepishly. “I can’t believe I didn’t think of that!”

“Come on, guys,” Amore pleaded. “They’re our friends!”

“Not now,” Mirta answered.

“But we never see you,” Amore pointed out. “You never hang out with us anymore!”

So what? Why didn’t the others understand – the same way Tecna understood? After all, she herself wasn’t spending much time with her friends. She looked at Amore’s big eyes, and shook her head.

“They should choose to tell when they want to,” she said. “Please don’t tell anyone. Just keep it between the four of us and Chatta.”

“All right,” Amore sighed. “But I don’t think this is a good idea.”

“What do you mean?” Mirta asked in alarm, but Amore had already flown away. She looked at Flora nervously. “What do you think she means?”

“I’m sure it’s nothing,” Flora answered reassuringly. “We’ll be fine.” She looked over at Tecna.

“I’m really thankful you helped me, Tec,” she said. “First you reassured me about Linphea and Zenith, then you helped me stand up for Mirta. I wouldn’t have found the courage if it weren’t for you.”

“It was nothing.” Tecna felt a blush come to her cheeks. “I didn’t do anything special.”

“But you did,” Flora insisted. “Whatever you’re struggling with now, I know you’ll get through this.”

She has way too much faith in me. Tecna was still stressed about Vasiliev, and all the work she had to do. But she didn’t want to disagree right now. Flora put her arm around her, saying, “I’m so happy you’re my friend, Tecna.”

And, like last time, Tecna found herself smiling back. I'm glad she's my friend, too… In that moment, an incredible wave of relief came over her, relief that Flora didn't hold her realm's actions against her, and that she was of some use to her and Mirta. And that, no matter what happened out there in the world, their friendship would hold through the test of time.

Palladium's Elemental Sensations class was starting to become Tecna's favorite, and not because of the content. No, it was because she could close her eyes and take a semi-nap, completely tuning out his boring lecture. Not to mention, since none of the other Winx shared the class with her, she didn't have to deal with their concern. Of course, it wouldn't be helpful when they actually started doing spells, but when he was going over theory, it was very useful.

All throughout the class, she closed her eyes, completely ignoring everyone else as she relaxed her aching head. Her brain was still buzzing from all the wiring, but she ignored it, trying her best to get a few minutes of rest. That's all I've been getting nowadays… But there was no use complaining; Vasiliev's work didn't get finished on its own.

Palladium stopped talking. She looked around and saw the other girls picking up their things, heading to their dorms, the quad, or their next class. Tecna got up to follow them, but Palladium rapped the desk.

"Not you," he said. "Stay back. I need to talk to you."

Great, thought Tecna as she sat down in her chair. Palladium sat down and passed her a magnet made of nickel.

“You’ve got the power of metal,” he said, “and so, I want you to connect with it. Fuse your mind with it, until you can sense everything from the metal’s perspective. Go ahead – try it.”

Should be easy. Palladium’s Practical Magic classes focused mainly on elemental magic. In freshman year, they’d learned how to connect with their elements and cast spells with it; in sophomore year, they’d learned how to manipulate the elements; and in senior year, they were learning how to deeply connect with the elements through advanced sensationals. A spark of power shot from her heart to her palms.

She could feel the metal’s ionic energy, and pushed further. The point was to sense the element at the atomic level, and to connect fully with it. Then, when she was fully immersed, an orange aura (her magic color) would shine around her body and make her eyes glow. Both she and Palladium would know. But instead of accepting her power, the metal was resisting her. Sweat poured down Tecna’s forehead as a shooting pain burst through her brain – not unbearable, but more than just a simple ache. She gasped as she was knocked out of her chair, landing unceremoniously on the ground. She sat up, staring in disbelief at the magnet.

It was smoking angrily, making a hissing noise. Palladium stared at Tecna, shaking his head.

"We've practiced this sensational for weeks now," he said. "Tecna, you should be able to do this. You haven't been practicing your spells." He extended his hand, and she took it, shakily standing up.

"I'm sorry," she said, but Palladium ignored her. He reached into his desk and pulled something out.

"And these," he said, “are your quizzes in the chemistry and physics portion of this class. I've never seen you get such poor scores. You've always been good with magical theory, but you made basic mistakes now. You said water was composed of H₂O₂, and you didn’t translate joules into electrical units properly. For Solare’s sake, you took Advanced Magiphysics in your freshman year itself. You know your math and sciences well.”

Tecna stared at the quiz. She'd gotten a 74% on one and a 52% on the other, which, in her books, was a fail. Red marks crossed out every mistake, and she winced at the sight.

Wish I could’ve used my internal calculator. Unfortunately, professors used technowave-detecting spells during quizzes and tests, so she always had to shut off her computing systems before an exam. Not to mention, using her internal calculator would generally be considered cheating. Palladium pulled out another few sheets of paper.

“And these are the instructors’ comments for the practical part of your midterm exams.” Palladium passed her four sheets of paper, one for each of her four practical classes. Griselda had given her a 76% in Advanced Battle 1, Wizkiz gave her a 69% in Advanced Metamorphosis, Palladium gave her a 65% in Elemental Sensations, and Avalon – of course, Avalon – gave her a 43% in Intermediate Magiphilosophy. She swallowed hard.

"You've never gotten below an 80% on theory exams before." Palladium frowned at her. “Especially your Intermediate Magiphilosophy class. I know sensationals have always been difficult for you, but you’re doing unusually badly.” He gazed at her intently.

"Tecna, is there something going on in your personal life that we need to know about? Something that's preventing you from doing your work?"

"No," said Tecna instantly. "Absolutely nothing."

"You disappeared from campus a few weeks ago," Palladium responded, "for no apparent reason. You never do anything without a reason. That gives me good reason to believe something's going on." He sighed. "I'm going to give you extra coaching after class."

"But" – Tecna gasped.

"No buts," he said firmly. "I've spoken with Headmistress Faragonda, and she's agreed. You need to learn these spells, Tecna. How do you think you’ll defend the Galaxy of Magix if you don't study? How will you graduate?"

Does he have to give me a lecture? Tecna thought irritably. It seemed everyone was ready to lecture her these days. Even Digit was starting to get annoyed.

"You told me I'd only be doing your homework for a few weeks at most," she had said. "It's been months, Tec. It's nearly Octomensis, and you still haven't been doing homework at all. I thought your work was going to let up!"

"I thought so, too," Tecna said with gritted teeth. "I'm sorry, Digit. Maybe in another few weeks."

"You say that every few weeks," Digit answered, "and it hasn't worked. Seriously, Tecna! How do you expect things to change?"

"I'm sorry," Tecna sighed.

"You need to actually spend time doing your own homework," Digit said. "The reason why you can't even do these attack spells is because you don't know them! You don't know the theory, the practice, nothing! How do you expect to" –

"Please stop!" Tecna cried out. Her head was buzzing with her wiring, and she didn't know how much longer she could take this. "You don't know how hard this is for me! Please, Digit." Her tone became begging. "Please do this for me."

Digit gave in, her voice wavering.

"Fine," she said. "But don't think I'm happy about it." She flew off, leaving Tecna to hopelessly stare at her.

"You have to think about your future, Tecna," Palladium continued on, and Tecna snapped back to the present. "And not just your future, for that matter. Great evil is coming, and we need every student on campus to put her best wing forward." He stared at her. "Do you understand?"

What else could she say? She nodded. Palladium sighed.

"Meet me in the Amphitheater," he said. "On Mondays from 14:10 to 15:30, we will train. You're not losing out on your magical education just because of something you won’t even tell us" –

BANG. A sudden thunderclap startled Tecna. She fell back, staring up through the window. What she saw made her shake with alarm.

The thunderclouds she saw were no ordinary thunderclouds. In fact, they were the exact same that had formed on Andros two months ago. She stared over at Palladium, whose eyes were narrowed.

"Something's happening," he said. "Something's going on" –

Suddenly, people began to appear at the top of the dome-shaped magical barrier. They were flying down towards the school in aerial formation, sending attack spells into the shield.

WITCHES, her scanner read back at her. AGES 15-18, FEMALE WARLOCKS. POSSIBLY HEXED.

"It's the witches of Cloud Tower!" Tecna gasped. "They've come to take us down!"

"Run!" Palladium roared, forcing the windows open. He transformed into his Enchantix and flew out; with hesitation, Tecna followed him. She ran into the quad and gasped at the sight above.

The witches were penetrating into the barrier.

"Students!" Faragonda shouted. "Get into formation! We need to defend our school if there's any hope of sending them back."

But why are they here in the first place? thought Tecna frantically. Our schools are supposed to be working together! They have been ever since we defeated the Army of Decay!

The clouds moved into the shape of a ‘V’. Then the dark ‘V’ mark imprinted the sky, the all-too familiar symbol. It can only be –

"Students of Alfea!" a voice shouted in the sky. Valtor flew down through the broken barrier, smirking deviously. "I am here for your enchantments and treasures. Surrender them, and I'll leave you alone. Refuse, and I'll blow you all to Oblivion."

"Never!" Bloom shouted. "We're not giving you our relics!"

Bloom! Tecna stared over, and saw Bloom in her Winx outfit. Next to her were Flora, Musa, Layla, Stella, and Mirta – they all had angry looks on their faces. Tecna felt a rush of gratitude as she ran towards them, joining the Winx Club and Mirta. Good thing I found them! Valtor began to laugh.

"Princess of Domino," he jeered. "Want to face it off?"

"No!" Faragonda zoomed towards him, and Tecna stared at her. She was wearing her fairy outfit, a lavender-and-white robe with bejeweled purple-and-green wings. The headmistress glared at him, her eyes blazing. "You will not attack any one of my students. Your quarrel is with me, and me alone!"

I knew it! thought Tecna. Something happened between the two of them, something horrible. But what? Valtor let out a derisive laugh.

"So be it," he jeered. "Witches of Cloud Tower, attack!"

The witches zoomed into the quad, firing from above. Tecna gasped as a jinx hit her, and she fell to the ground.

"Magic Winx!" she yelled, transforming into her Winx outfit. She soared into the sky, jinxing a witch with a digital attack. As she hit and dueled, her senses became more and more alive, and she fought more fiercely than ever before.

What was Palladium saying? I can fight as well as ever! Especially when my school is under attack! Gritting her teeth, she jinxed another witch.

The witches' eyes were completely glazed over, and their faces were blank. Tecna only saw pure white in their eyes, which was quite scary. What’s going on?

“Don’t use too much force, girls!” Avalon shouted. “They’ve clearly been hexed by Valtor! Defend the castle, but do not hurt them!”

All right, Tecna thought grudgingly, still not wanting to follow Avalon’s orders. But he was clearly right, even though much of the student body didn’t think so. Several of the underclassmen muttered about how there was no place for warlocks on campus.

Suddenly, the witch Tecna was dueling shifted her gaze. Tecna watched as she turned towards Mirta, her eyes blazing.

"Traitor!" she shouted. "Traitor! Traitor!"

The other witches began to chant as well. "Traitor! Traitor! Traitor!"

Oh no… thought Tecna, staring. Mirta began to tremble, looking horrified.

How are the witches doing that? thought Tecna. If they were under Valtor's hex, they should be oblivious to everything except what Valtor was telling them to do. Clearly, the hex wasn't strong enough for them to forget who Mirta was. Eris let out a laugh.

"That's what I've been saying all along," she said. "I bet you anything she engineered the attack!"

Tecna glared at Eris. That's it, I'm done with that girl… She lifted her hands, and sent a generic beam of light at Eris. The sophomore fairy squealed as she was blasted to the side.

"Seniors!" Wizkiz called to Tecna and her friends. "I want you over here!"

The Winx flew towards him, followed by Amaryl, Frances, Kaia, and Priscilla. Wizkiz pointed to Layla and Stella.

"You are Enchantix fairies," he said, "so I need you to help me create a barrier. Go find Judith, Katherine, and Sandra – they’re the best students in Palladium’s Enchantbound class. With your Enchantix fairy-dust, we should be able to expel them all."

"You got it!" Layla and Stella flew off to go find their peers. Wizkiz turned to the rest of them.

"I need you eight to patrol the halls of Alfea," he said. "Some of the witches may have gone there. Since you’re seniors, you all have a sensible command of your magic."

Not me, apparently, thought Tecna. Wizkiz pointed to the doors.

"Tecna, Musa, Flora, and Bloom, you take the east wing. Amaryl, Frances, Kaia, and Priscilla, you take the west. Understood?"

"But" – Flora hesitated, and Tecna knew why she was worried. Clearly, she didn't want to leave Mirta alone.

"GO!" Wizkiz roared, and Flora shut up.

"Mirta will be okay, Flora," said Amaryl, and Tecna marveled at how much these girls had changed. She remembered back in freshman year, when they'd argued during the Voice of Nature exercise, and sophomore year, when Amaryl had attacked Stella because of a petty grudge. Now they had only one mission at heart – to protect their school. And they weren't about to waste time arguing.

"Let's go!" Bloom led the girls into the building and through the hall.

Minutes passed. The girls flew into Wizkiz's classroom, doing a thorough search to make sure everything was secured. So far, it seemed as if it was. No one could've possibly slipped through the barrier.

"Wait a second, I sense somethin'," Musa said suddenly. "A sound wave." She closed her eyes.

"What is it, Musa?" Bloom had joined her, and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Someone's trying to tell me something," Musa said. "In that direction." She pointed to the door. "Let's go!"

The girls flew down the hall, down the steps and into the central hall. Musa closed her eyes for a moment, and then gasped.

"It's a sonic signal from Galatea," she said. "The Trix have captured her and are making her show them the Golden Gate!"

"They have?" asked Tecna. She could've kicked herself. Why didn't we go to the Golden Gate first, instead of wasting our time here? We should've kept the most important parts of the school under guard!

"But why is Galatea here?" asked Flora. "Shouldn't she be fighting along with everyone else?"

"She thought she heard them sneak into the school, so she followed them," Musa said grimly. "And now she's trapped. We've got to go and save her!"

They flew down to the library, and Tecna felt her magisensors in her brain going haywire. The Golden Gate had been thrust open, and they zoomed towards it. She heard Stormy's furious snarl at Galatea.

"We warned you not to mess with us," she said, "and then you – AARGH!" A spell knocked her to the ground.

Galatea looked towards them, and there was obvious relief in her eyes. "Musa! Winx!"

"What happened to your wings?" Flora gasped. Tecna stared at her and realized that Galatea's wings were indeed missing, cast from her Winx outfit. What happened?

"Save your questions for later," Bloom panted. "For now, we're taking these three down!" She glared at the Trix.

"Yeah," Musa added. "You picked on me two years ago, and I'm not letting you do this to ’Tea! Leave her alone!" She shot a sonic boom at Darcy, who dodged just in time.

"I'm glad you're here," Icy smirked, "because it just wouldn't be right to come to Alfea and not spend some quality time with you losers!" She shot an icy attack at Flora.

But Tecna darted in front of the way and created a shield, reflecting her own attack on her. "You're not taking our scrolls!"

Stormy snarled. Creating a twister out of air particles, the books on the floor rose up into the funnel, turning and turning in the air. The girls gasped.

Flora zoomed up into the air and transformed into her Charmix. "Pollen dust!" she yelled, uncorking a vial of pollen she always kept with her. It enveloped the funnel, and in seconds, it vanished.

"Ice storm!" yelled Icy and Stormy, converging their powers together. Bloom darted in front of the way, creating a fire-shield that contained their magic. The Trix gasped in shock and outrage.

"Let's go!" Tecna whispered to Flora. Flora closed her eyes, and pollen blinded both Icy and Darcy, making them shout in surprise.

Tecna lifted her hands in the air. "Winx Charmix!" she yelled, glaring at them. Using all the energy she had within her, she blasted an attack from her Charmix, slamming it straight into Icy and Darcy. They were knocked against the wall.

The Winx knelt on the floor, glaring at them. Icy and Darcy glared back. Then Stormy let out a laugh, one that made the hairs on Tecna's nonmetal arm stand.

"All right then." She created a deadly lightning-bolt, clearly a spell from Valtor’s collection. "If we can't have your precious spellbooks, then neither will you!" She shot one into the bookshelf.

"No!" Bloom yelled, but her words were in vain. Fire enveloped the books, and the Trix laughed. Icy and Darcy broke the spell on their eyes and joined their sister on the ground.

"Later, losers," Icy said. With a snap of her fingers, they vanished.

WARNING: FIRE AHEAD, Tecna's feed read back at her. HIGHLY VOLATILE.

I have to get a reading on this, thought Tecna. Closing her eyes, she focused her scanner on the fire.

"I'll try to smother the flames," Flora said desperately, sending pollen into the fire. But nothing happened. If anything, it gave the flames even more ammunition.

"How about a fire-on-fire attack?" Bloom sent a spark of her dragon into the fire, but that did nothing to stop it, either. The fire emitted venomous sparks at her, and she gasped, dodging to the side.

The results of the scan came back. Tecna scrolled through it as quickly as she could, gasping in alarm at what it said.

MAGICALLY-INDUCED FIRE, the reading responded. NEEDS HIGHER-LEVEL MAGIC TO BE EXTINGUISHED.

"There's nothing we can do!" Tecna called to her friends. "None of us have fairy-dust. We have to get Layla, Stella, or one of the professors here to fix it!"

"But by then there'll be no library left!" Bloom stared at her.

"I know," Tecna answered, "but there's no other way. Let's run and tell Griselda!"

The four girls flew out of the Golden Gate, choking and gasping. Suddenly Musa halted and stared in alarm.

"Where's Galatea?" she gasped.

"She" – Tecna stared blindly around. Where was she? What happened to her?

From inside the gate she heard a girl's coughing. Musa gasped in shock and outrage.

"She's trapped in the fire!" she yelled. "I have to go save her!" She flew into the flames.

"Musa!" Bloom yelled, but Musa was deaf to her cry. Tecna watched in horror as she darted into the fire, and they could see her no more.

"Don't do it, Musa!" Flora asked desperately. "It's too dangerous! Come back!"

Then a ray of pink light shot through the air. Galatea was blasted through the fire, and landed at their feet. She stared up at them, her eyes wide.

"Musa?" Tecna stared at the fire. Musa had used her power to save Galatea, but she was still stuck in the flames. "Musa!"

Suddenly, a blinding white light filled the air, and everyone closed their eyes. When it had passed, Tecna looked over and gasped.

The fire had completely disappeared. The only thing remaining to show there was a fire at all was a few charred books. And in front of them stood Musa, smiling and carrying a pouch of fairy-dust.

"Musa!" gasped Bloom. "You got your Enchantix!"

"I sure did," grinned Musa, and Tecna stared at her. She was wearing a red top and skirt with yellow lace, and yellow barefoot sandals on her feet. A red barrette was in her hair and a yellow band was around her neck. She had yellow wings behind her back, with red and purple jewels hanging from above. She held her fairy-dust upwards and flew towards Galatea.

"I'll get your wings back," she said, and turned it downwards. Galatea let out a gasp of relief as her wings emerged again.

"Thank you!" she gasped, grabbing Musa in a hug.

The girls flew out to the quad, where they saw the fighting had ended. The girls had expelled the witches from campus and a new protective barrier had formed thanks to Layla, Stella, Wizkiz, and the other seniors. Griselda came up to them.

"Thank heavens you're all right," she said. "You girls did remarkably well." A rare smile appeared on her face as she observed Musa. "And it appears you received your Enchantix."

"Is everyone okay?" Flora asked.

"Everyone," Griselda said, "except"…

"Ms. Faragonda," the girls said in unison. It was obvious something had happened to her; there was no other reason why Griselda would be so upset. The deputy headmistress swallowed and looked at them.

"Correct," she said. "She's disappeared; no one knows what's happened to her."

"Then we know what our next mission is," said Bloom, clenching her fists. "We're going to find Ms. Faragonda and bring her back home."

But Tecna didn't know whether they had a chance of getting Faragonda back home. Faragonda was powerful, but so was Valtor, and his strength far surpassed anyone else's. What are we going to do? She swallowed hard.

And how are we going to find Ms. Faragonda?

Chapter Text

CHAPTER 13: THE SEARCH FOR FARAGONDA

The next day Griselda summoned Flora, Layla, and Musa to her office.

"I want you three to go and search for Ms. Faragonda," she said. "You three are at the top of the senior class, and Flora is our Head Girl; you all can afford to miss a few days of instruction. Ms. Faragonda was last seen in Gloomy Woods Forest, though I'm not sure she'll turn up there. Search everywhere you can: Roccaluce Forest, Magix City, anywhere you think she'll show up. We will not last long without our headmistress."

Flora nodded, determination in her eyes. We won't let Valtor take our headmistress from us…

"My objective is to keep the school running as smoothly as possible," Griselda said. "I'm not sending anyone else because I want classes to still continue. Ms. Faragonda wouldn't want your schooling to end just because she disappeared. The only thing that’ll change, of course, is that Flora, you will have to cancel your office hours. Now, go on."

"Ms. Griselda?" Layla asked. "What do you think happened to her?"

Griselda let out a sigh.

"If she won, she would be back here with us," she said. "She wouldn't have left us."

"But then she could be" – Musa couldn't finish her sentence.

"That's what I need you girls to find out," Griselda said grimly. "Now go on. Alfea is counting on you!"

But two weeks later, they were still searching for Ms. Faragonda. Even with the help of all the pixies, they still couldn't find where she'd gone. And with their lack of progress, Griselda was getting very anxious, fearful for Faragonda's survival.

Mirta had offered to help Flora find Faragonda, but Flora refused, telling her girlfriend she was not up for it.

"Please stay and make sure you feel better," she said gently. "The energy you spent in the battle was too much. The other witches were ready to attack you."

"What are you saying?" Mirta glared at Flora. "That I can't handle myself?"

"No!" Flora held her hands in the air. "That's not what I said at all!"

“Don't you know how hard this is for me?" Mirta snarled. "Being ostracized by fairs and witches both? You have no idea how it felt when the witches and Eris ganged up against me! And they still do it! Nothing is stopping them!”

“That’s why we’re pushing for the Alliance Club, Mirta,” Flora said urgently. “So people like you aren’t discriminated against. It’s gonna make things better, I promise” –

“Well, you can’t do anything!” Mirta fired back. “Until we get Ms. F back, no alliance is happening anywhere! And you have no idea how it feels! How it feels every day, to have the threat of Eris’s hexes hitting me! And now you're trying to stop me from proving myself!"

Flora winced, remembering how the witches had called Mirta out while attacking Alfea. Eris had received no punishment, and she was just as cruel to Mirta as ever. I'm sorry… She put her arm around Mirta's shoulder.

"You'll get the chance to prove yourself, Mirta," she answered desperately. "I just don't want you to get hurt."

Mirta shoved Flora's arm away, storming off. "Forget I said anything."

And now Flora sighed as she followed her friends towards the woods. She knew something had changed in Mirta, something too painful and powerful. She's given up hope… She'd tried to talk to Mirta about it, but the former witch had refused, and they'd remained in a stalemate all week.

“You know, I’m worried,” Musa said, pulling Flora out of her thoughts. Flora gazed at her friend, gently tapping her on the shoulder.

“It’s okay, Musa,” she said. “We’ll find Ms. Faragonda – I’m sure of it. She can’t have left us.”

“It’s not even just that,” Musa whispered. “Everything’s going downhill. Six of the strongest realms in the UR have been attacked. Melody still hasn’t recovered from the disaster – apparently, they still haven’t been able to close the Omega Portal, and hundreds of convicts break into Melody every day. I don’t even know if I’ll be able to go home when the semester ends. The situation’s really bad.”

“Why can’t they close the portal?” Layla asked.

“That’s what everyone wants to know,” Musa answered grimly. “To be honest, a lot of people didn’t even know we had a portal, so it was kinda a shock when criminals started raiding their backyards. They’re affecting the rural areas really badly – even with the Melodian Army stationed there, it’s just not helping. The Melodian borders are completely shut, because they don’t want any criminals to escape into any other realms. Now everyone’s furious and petitioning, rioting, everything, but the government has refused to release any information about the portals.”

“How can they hide so much?” Flora gasped.

Musa shrugged. “Well, the common people don’t know the workings of the portal. I heard that, upon its foundation, the monarchy made the sages sign a non-disclosure agreement. So there’s that.”

"Guys, Lockette can’t sense Ms. Faragonda," Chatta urged, flying up to them. "You have to help us."

"I can't track Ms. Faragonda," gasped Lockette. "This energy… it's hurting too much. I just can't."

Flora gazed down at her pixie and Lockette; Griselda had sent the pixies with them, She knew that Chatta, friendly and encouraging though she was, had a tendency to be too impatient. Poor Lockette… She patted the pixie on the head.

"Don't worry, Lockette," she said. "I'm going to try to connect with the trees."

“You already tried that,” Layla protested, “and it didn’t work. Do you expect it to work this time?”

“We’re in a different location,” Flora answered, “and it’s worth a shot. We don’t have any other ideas.”

She transformed. Using her Charmix, she flew into the air, closing her eyes. She connected with the wildlife around her.

All week, she'd been trying, but to no avail. The negative energy had clouded the forest completely, giving her no recourse. But hopefully it's faded enough for me to focus… She called out.

Trees, she prayed silently. Please show me what happened to Ms. Faragonda. We need to know. The wind whipped itself around her as she connected with the woods, seeing whatever they’d seen before.

A vision appeared in front of her. She gasped as she saw the elderly headmistress taking on the younger Valtor, who'd attacked her as if she was nothing but an annoying pest. She had fought valiantly, but had been no match for him.

She sensed a crash to the west. But instead of showing her where the crash was, she could only see forest. But Faragonda’s life source, which the trees could sense, was still prevalent within the immersive vision she’d just had.

Flora opened her eyes. Tears of relief poured down her cheeks as she spoke to her friends.

"She’s alive," she said. "Ms. Faragonda's alive. But Valtor cast some kind of enchantment, which prevents the trees from knowing where she fell!”

“What?” Musa gasped. “How is that possible?”

“Where’d she go?” Layla demanded.

"She went that way." Flora pointed to the west, and Layla and Musa gasped.

"That way is Cloud Tower," Layla said.

"Valtor." Musa clenched her fists. "He must've beaten her and taken her prisoner!"

"That's what we have to check," Flora answered. "We have no choice. We have to infiltrate Cloud Tower."

"So what do you want us to do?" Chatta asked, firing up.

"Stay here and search more," Layla told them. "We have to go."

The girls flew to the west, towards the darkening, stormy sky. They were going to save their headmistress, or die trying. Without her, all hope for the Galaxy of Magix would be lost.

Flora landed on the steps of Cloud Tower, staring. She gazed in front of her, right in front of the door.

Someone was cowering on the steps. The three girls frowned at each other, attack spells at the ready. They marched forward, determined to figure out what was going on. The girl on the steps snapped her eyes up, and Flora gasped at who it was.

It was Mirta.

"Don't diss us like that!" Musa said indignantly.

"Mirta!" Flora ran up to Mirta, grabbing her hands. And to think we were about to attack her! Mirta instantly snatched her hands away, and Flora stared at her, confused and hurt.

"What are you doing here, sweetie?" she asked.

"I was worried about Lucy," Mirta confessed. "I don't know what possessed her to attack us, Flora. She – she's my friend. I have to go and save her!"

"We'll do the saving," Flora said. "Mirta, you only just transformed to a fairy. It's too dangerous for you."

"I don't care!" Mirta cried. "Lucy is my friend, Flora. If you cared, you'd let me come!"

Flora stepped backwards, stung. Behind her, Musa and Layla were raising their eyebrows at each other. There was a silence.

"I'm sorry," Flora whispered. "I shouldn't have – yes, come with us. We'll be happy to have you."

Mirta said nothing, but followed them. They entered the castle, and gazed around uneasily.

"Something's not right," Layla said. "How is it this easy for us to enter the castle? Shouldn't there be a protection charm or something around campus? I mean, is this really a good idea?"

"Well, it doesn't seem as if we've got a choice," Musa said dryly. "We'll just have to keep our ears and eyes open."

"I'll lead you guys to the dorms," said Mirta, flying in front.

Flora followed her, a bad feeling settling in her gut. Layla was right; there was something sinister going on. She stared in alarm as Mirta opened the dorm room.

Girls were lying motionless in their beds. They seemed to be barely breathing, stiller than wood. But it was their eyes that scared Flora the most. They were wide open, inhabited by a white, ghostly light. No iris or pupil could be seen.

Layla flew over and gently tapped one on the shoulder.

"They're in a state of suspended animation," she said. "It seems Valtor wants to regenerate their powers."

"Is he going to use them to attack us again?" Flora asked. Musa gritted her teeth.

"Well, I say we just unleash our Enchantix and fairy-dust them!"

“Wait!” Layla stopped them. “There are plenty of cases in which fairy-dust doesn’t work. Faragonda told me that on the first day of Enchantix training, in fact. I can sense that the potion Valtor has given them cannot be reversed easily.”

            Flora stared at Layla. I didn’t know Enchantix had so many limitations… Her heart sank. If we can’t even free these witches, how are we going to save Faragonda?

"And we need to find Lucy," Mirta added. She shot Flora a pointed glare. "I'm not letting anything get in my way of finding her."

Flora frowned, staring down. Why was Mirta being so confrontational? She knew that it was mainly her stress talking, but even then, she'd never been like this before. I don't understand what's going on. Letting out a sigh, she followed Mirta out of the dorm room.

And gasped as soon as she saw what was ahead of her.

There were two monsters, approaching from either end of the hall. They were menacing, their eyes dangerous and terrible.

"We're trapped!" Musa yelled.

"Everyone, stay calm," Flora said frantically. She heard Mirta tense up next to her, and grabbed her hand.

But Mirta pulled it away. There was a fierce edge to her eyes, one that shocked Flora. Mirta conjured an inky black battle spell and blasted it at one of the monsters.

But that did absolutely nothing. If anything, it incensed the monster even more. It charged at the girls, howling.

"RUN!" Musa yelled. The four ran back into the dorm. The monster bounded at them, letting out growls of anger.

"We can't go back in here!" Mirta yelled. "The monster will attack the witches!"

"Then we'll just have to fight it!" Layla picked up a Morphix sphere in her hands and threw it at the monsters. It created a lasso, binding them together.

But the monsters easily broke through the lasso. Flora collected her energy and sent it into the doorway.

"Pollen shield!" The green shield formed around the entrance, preventing the monsters from forcing their way in. Flora grimaced at the energy it took to keep the shield up. Layla and Musa flew through it to combat the monsters.

"We'll take care of it," they said in unison, slamming their energy into the monsters. This was more effective than when Mirta did it, but not for long. A monster leapt at Layla, and she only narrowly dodged.

Flora gasped in horror as she saw what was on the monster's head. It was the same ‘V’ shape that was ever-more prevalent than before.

"It’s him!" Flora yelled. "Layla, Musa, those monsters are being controlled!"

Layla stared in horror and saw she was right. The monster took advantage of her stillness and grabbed her by the ankle.

"No!" Mirta yelled, and she broke through the shield. Flora watched in horror as her girlfriend sent an attack spell into the monster, setting Layla free. Layla was able to escape and flew up to safety, just as the monster grabbed Mirta.

"Mirta!" Flora cried. "I'm coming!"

"I can take care of myself!" Mirta snarled back at her. She let out a scream as the monster shook her around.

"Flora, don’t move," Layla shouted back at her. "Musa and I have a plan." They linked hands and summoned their fairy-dust from their necks, shouting, "Enchantix Convergence!"

Pink and purple dust from Musa and Layla's pouches, respectively, sparkled through the air. Mirta stopped struggling as the monster stopped moving, staring up at the sparks. There was a blinding flash which made Flora avert her eyes, as much as she didn't want to. When it was over, she stared in surprise.

The two monsters had turned into two teachers: Ediltrude and Zara. Zara, who'd been holding Mirta, immediately dropped her and stared in surprise.

"Mirta?" she gasped.

"Professor Zara!" gasped Mirta. "We – what happened?"

"Valtor put hexes on all of us," Ediltrude said grimly. "I cannot believe he was able to turn us into monsters." She sounded disgusted, and then, she sighed. "You girls should not have come."

"We needed to come!" gasped Musa. "We need to find out what happened to Ms. Faragonda!"

"Ms. Faragonda's missing?" gasped Zara.

"She lost this major battle with Valtor," answered Layla. "And now we don't know what happened to her."

"Then what are you doing here?" demanded Ediltrude. "You won't find anything here! We'll take care of our students!" They flew in the opposite direction, away from the girls.

"We're not leaving here until we find Lucy," Mirta declared. "I don't care what they say!"

"Then let's go!" Layla flew forward.

The girls flew into another dorm. Suddenly, Mirta cried out as she saw what was ahead of her. "Oh no!"

Lucy was lying motionless on a bed, her eyes as void as the rest of the girls they'd seen. Unlike the others, however, she wasn't even breathing; Flora stared at her in horror. Mirta ran up to her, crying up as she shook her friend's shoulders.

"Lucy!" she cried out. "What did he do to you? Lucy, wake up!"

Suddenly, a menacing laugh trilled through the corridor. Flora looked up in horror as she saw the Trix streaming through the corridor, laughing. Mirta turned around, her eyes blazing.

"You three!" she yelled. "You hurt my friend!" She slammed an attack at Icy.

But Icy dodged it, laughing. Then she slammed Mirta back. Mirta screamed as she was hit into the ground, and fell with a groan.

"You fell for our trap," Darcy laughed. "And now, here you shall stay, forever locked with your friend. This is where it ends!"

"No!" Flora yelled, but it was too late. An ice-wall had appeared in the doorway, added with electric volts and shadowy plaque. The Trix dissolved into laughter and vanished, their cackle still echoing through the walls.

Layla stared at the ice-wall in distress. "We're trapped."

Suddenly, Mirta began to sob. She grabbed Flora by the waist, hugging her tightly. Flora held her as well, stroking her hair.

"I'm… sorry"… Mirta wept. "I didn't want to admit I was scared, but – I'm so scared, Flora! These last few weeks have just been… nightmarish… everyone angry with me, witches taunting me, like how they did here… And I feel so powerless that I can't do anything to save Lucy, and now we're stuck here… what are we going to" –

"It's okay to be scared," Flora whispered, quietly so that only she and Mirta could hear. “Admitting your fears is the first step to conquering them. Now that you’ve admitted them, we can face them.” Together.

“But Lucy won’t.” Mirta rushed up to Lucy, tears pouring down her cheeks. “Please, please wake up! You supported me during my fairy transformation – now I want to support you! Please! You’re my best friend!” She threw her arms around Lucy.

Suddenly, a pink glow emitted from Mirta’s chest. Mirta stared as the aura surrounded Lucy. “What” – she asked in confusion.

“She’s waking up!” Musa realized.

“What’s going on?” Lucy grimaced, putting her hand to her head. “My head hurts and I feel like I’ve been in a dream – what happened?”

“You’re safe,” Mirta whispered. “That’s all that matters.” She smiled at Flora. “You were right. Everything’s going to be okay.” She grabbed Flora in a hug. “Thank you.”

Flora hugged her back, but truth to be told, she didn't know how okay things would be. It was going to be hard to break through the barrier, even with Layla’s Enchantix. And they still didn't know how to find Ms. Faragonda.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER 14: THE KEEPERS' VAULT

"Tecna, we need to talk."

Tecna opened her eyes and stared vacantly from her bed. Bloom was staring at her, a worried expression on her face. Stella stood behind her, her arms crossed.

"What?" Tecna asked weakly, sitting up. Her head was spinning and her eyes were halfway shut. What do they want? Bloom sat down on her bed and sighed.

"We know something's up," she said. "You just haven't been yourself lately. At all. You've barely eat at the dining hall, and you’ve been staying up till odd hours of the night. So tell us what's wrong."

"Nothing," Tecna insisted. "Nothing is wrong."

"Don't give us that line," Stella snorted. "Your hair's limp, your smile's thin, and your eyes are so dull. Hell-o! You're in need of a complete makeover, girl. And you don't even complain to me about how messy my room is! You never fail to complain about my lack of efficiency!"

"We care about you, Tecna," Bloom added. "We have to know. We’ve been planning to put together a meeting for the Alliance Club – well, it’s cancelled now, I guess – but you made no plans to join us. And this is something that interests you. You care about Mirta and diversity just as much as we do."

Tecna's head was swarming. Why did they have to pick now of all times to talk? She was so exhausted – she'd only just finished her weekly assignment of five-thousand sets, and she was beyond exhausted. She was relieved Digit had gone out with the other pixies to look for Faragonda; otherwise, she'd never had heard the end of it. But it looked like she hadn't escaped at all.

"Tecna?" Bloom asked softly. "We're waiting. I'll have you know Digit told us she's been doing all your homework for you."

"She did what?" Tecna asked, outraged. She promised she wouldn't tell! She clenched her fists.

"Don't blame her," Stella said instantly. "That's something I'd do, not you! Seriously, what's going on?"

Tecna fell back down on her bed and stared limply at Bloom and Stella.

"I'm tired," she said shortly. "We can talk about this in the morning."

"Hell no!" Stella exploded. "We're talking about this, and we're talking about this now! We're not leaving here until we find out what's going on!"

"Shut up, Stella," Tecna fired back. "You may be a princess, but that doesn't mean you can expect me to answer to all of your" –

A shrill ring drowned out her voice. Startled, Tecna looked towards her phone, whose screen was flashing red. EMERGENCY DISTRESS CALL.

What? thought Tecna, staring. Whoever could be calling them? In confusion, she picked it up.

"Tecna," the voice on the other side called. "We need your help!"

"Flora?" breathed Tecna in confusion. "What's happening?"

"We're trapped in Cloud Tower," Flora cried. "The Trix ambushed us and locked us in this room, and we can't open it from the inside. We need you guys to help us out!"

"What?" gasped Stella in shock.

"Where are you?" Bloom demanded.

"In the north wing of the school." That was Musa's voice. "You've gotta hurry, Tec. We don't know what's going on!"

"Don't worry," Tecna said firmly. "We're coming." She switched the call off and glared at the other two girls. "Coming?"

Bloom and Stella looked at each other nervously. They nodded.

"All right," Bloom answered. "But we're continuing this conversation as soon as we get back. Don't think we've forgotten."

Tecna zoomed towards Cloud Tower, her triangular wings giving her maximum speed capacity as she barreled towards the castle. Stella was in the lead, and Bloom was behind her. They flew towards the entrance, landing at the steps of the castle.

"Let's go," Bloom said, pushing the door open. They walked into the hall.

As they walked, Tecna wished they'd had time to make a plan. After all, planning was her specialty. There had to be some smarter way of doing this than walking through Cloud Tower's front door.

But Bloom and Stella didn't seem to listen to her very much anymore. In fact, none of the Winx did – except for Flora. The rest of them all were intent on getting into Tecna's business and nagging her all day long.

I hate how they do this, thought Tecna, clenching her fists. They don't even know the circumstances, yet they try to act. If they don't know what's going on, they should just stay out of it. I don't poke into their lives! She gritted her teeth. I don't –

A blast of energy hit her in the back, and she screamed, falling. DARK ENERGY JINX   flashed across her screen. Bloom and Stella ran up to her.

"Are you okay?" Stella gasped.

"Fascinating," a voice behind her said. "I can feel the negativity in this room."

Grimacing, Tecna forced herself off the ground. I feel so weak… She gasped as she saw Valtor materialize in front of them, his eyes gleaming.

"The only negative energy here comes from you!" Bloom fired an attack spell at him.

But he simply caught it in his hands. Lifting his arms, he sent two more waves of electricity at them, cold and blue. Bloom and Stella screamed as they were also attacked.

"That," laughed Valtor, "is an anti-convergence hex. You won't be able to converge your powers anymore."

"We'll see about that!" snarled Stella. She and Bloom linked hands and focused their energy.

As soon as they focused their energy, they were hurled apart. They yelled in shock, and Valtor roared with laughter. When it was over, his grin was wide and menacing.

"Your negativity made the job so much easier, really," he said. "If you three weren't arguing with each other, it would be much harder for me to cast that hex. But since you're angry and frustrated, you're simply slim pickings."

Don't talk like that! But Tecna was growing weaker and weaker, and she could only stare up. Bloom flew in front of him, snarling, "What'd you do with Ms. Faragonda?"

"That old woman?" Valtor snorted. "I wouldn't worry about her. I'd worry about you." He blasted a hole through the ground. "Follow me!"

Tecna, Bloom, and Stella screamed as they were pulled through the crack in the floor. They fell to the ground, beaten and wincing.

"Now it's time to finish you off," Valtor smiled. Monsters crept in through the walls, moving into the center of the room.

Tecna watched with horror as the monsters surrounded them on all sides.

"Goodbye," Valtor laughed as he flew away, and Tecna winced as she got up.

Bloom sat up and hit a monster with an attack. It only laughed and moved forward. Cackling, the other monsters closed in, baring their teeth.

"Eww!" Stella screamed. "We've gotta stop them!" She shot another attack at a monster.

But the impact of the spell made her fall. As soon as she fell, Bloom rushed to help her up. She gasped as Stella's body electrocuted her, and she was blasted back.

"What just happened?" Stella asked in confusion. "Did I – shock you?"

"Was that Valtor's hex?" asked Tecna dazedly. She could barely understand what was going on at this point.

"So he didn't take our ability to converge – only to touch each other," Bloom realized.

"Okay, then whaddya say we slam these monsters down?" Stella asked, firing up. "We can do convergence without holding hands. It won't be as effective, but we'll do it!" She focused her energy hard on the minimal sunlight from outside. "Solar beam!"

"Dragon fury!"

"Metallic blast!" Tecna called, calling metallic pulses from the wall. Please, please work… Yellow light, red flames, and orange energy joined together and rippled outwards at the monsters.

The monsters screamed as they were hit by the waves. And then they fell, stunned. Stella put her thumb up.

"Way to go!" she cheered.

"Okay, let's get out of here!" Bloom yelled. They zoomed down the corridor and into the hall.

Adrenaline coursed through Tecna again, and she followed her friends, her eyes determined. We're not letting them take us down…

They reached a hall. It was made of stone, the heart of Cloud Tower. Tecna stared at what was ahead of her, her eyes wide.

"Ms. Griffin?" she breathed.

The old professor was behind bars, grimacing. The lock on her door was electric, and she looked downcast. As soon as she saw the three girls, her eyes jolted up in surprise.

"Don't worry." Bloom landed in front of her cage. "We'll get you out of there!"

"It's too dangerous," Griffin answered. “You’ll just be hurt.”

"We can't just leave you," Stella pointed out. "Besides, you could help us look for Ms. Faragonda."

"What happened to her?" Griffin was immediately on her feet.

"She lost this major battle with Valtor," Bloom answered. "No one knows what happened to her. We're looking for her!"

Griffin sat back down, heavily. After a moment, she sighed. "I cannot help you. I will not be able to leave."

"We'll get you out!" Bloom insisted.

"Don't waste your time," Griffin said darkly. "Just look for Ms. Faragonda." She let out a sigh. "I am the first headteacher to fall. If Faragonda falls too, it will be the end of us. She is our only hope!"

"All right," Bloom sighed. "How do we find her?"

"Find the Keepers of Cloud Tower," Griffin answered. "They've undoubtedly been put under Valtor's spell, so figure out how to break that first. They're very keen observers, and they know everything that's happened in this area. They should tell you where Ms. Faragonda's" –

A roar behind them told Tecna the monsters had woken up.

"Run!" shouted Stella, leaping into the air. They zoomed down the corridor, the monsters behind them. They let out a roar and tramped after them, hissing.

"Where are we going?" Tecna gasped, fighting for breath as she followed her friends.

"I – don't – know!" Stella gasped. "We need to get outta here!"

"Look!" said Bloom, pointing ahead. An ice-wall was where a door had once been, and Tecna stared at it in confusion. Why do I feel that's not original? Bloom halted and turned around in horror.

"We're trapped," she gasped.

"Not if we can break the ice wall," Tecna answered. "That's our only way out."

"But the monsters!" cried Stella, pointing at the creatures, who were bounding at them at an alarming rate.

"Listen," Tecna said grimly, "I'll break it down, you face the monsters. Understood?"

Bloom and Stella nodded. "Winx Charmix!" yelled Bloom. The two girls converged their powers, focusing on the monsters ahead of them.

Tecna frowned, transforming into her own Charmix. She scanned the ice-wall quickly, with the results coming back to her: MAGICALLY INDUCED ICE-WALL, ENFORCED BY WIND- AND DARK-ENERGY.

Just as I suspected, Tecna thought grimly. The Trix have been here! Now how do I break it?

She searched online. Almost instantly, the answer came back to her: CAN ONLY BE BROKEN BY STRONG ATTACK SPELLS.

She detransformed quickly, grabbing a strength tonic from her belt. She drank it quickly, and she felt her magic amplifying. She transformed again, feeling the energy run through her.

Let's hope I get it right. Using all the power in her Charmix, she pulled six metal cubes out of her pocket. They were small but indestructible, with the potential to cause damage. She slammed against the wall.

“Someone’s helping us!” a voice shouted from behind the wall.

“Keep fighting!” another voice called. “We’re blasting down the wall from this end, too!”

Tecna continued attacking, focusing all the energy she could muster. Come on, come on… She sent her strongest wave of attack into the ice.

The barrier broke to pieces.

"Tecna!" a voice shouted. Someone grabbed her tightly, hugging her. "You came! I'm so glad you came!"

"Flora," gasped Tecna. Flora's hug was making it difficult to breathe, and she drew back. Behind her were Mirta, Musa, Layla, and… Lucy. "Why're you here?" she asked, staring at the witch-girl.

"Mirta told me everything," Lucy grimaced, scratching her hair. “Apparently I was under a hex.” Tears came to her eyes. “And so was everyone else.”

“You’re gonna be okay,” Mirta said, taking her hand. “Come on – let’s get you to Alfea.”

"I can't just leave," Lucy protested. "I need to be here with my fellow classmates. I need to stay and help them through this nightmare! I’m our Head Girl!"

"If you want to stay, stay, but we have to leave," Tecna said. "We shouldn't be here."

"But we haven't found Ms. Faragonda!" gasped Musa. "We can't just leave her! We have to keep searching!"

"Of course!" Tecna felt a surge of irritation rise within her. "Just not right here! Can you at least let me download a map of this place?" She pulled her tablet out.

She could feel the intensity of the formerly trapped girls’ confused stares at her irritability. Bloom and Stella were glaring at her. Ignoring them as best as she could, she found the map, finding their coordinates.

"We're pretty close to the Keepers' Vault, actually," she said. "In fact, we just need to go down that corridor and find them."

"The Keepers?" Layla asked.

"Griffin told us we need to find them, and they'll tell us where Faragonda is," Bloom answered. "Lead the way, Tecna." She spoke the last sentence warily, as if she somehow didn't trust her.

Gritting her teeth, Tecna led the way down the corridor and the other girls followed. They reached a spiral staircase, which they promptly flew down. A dusty, black vault awaited them, and Tecna couldn't see a thing. She frowned, focusing her scanner again.

DARKNESS HIGH, the scanner read back at her. OTHER PRESENCE DETECTED AHEAD. SPECIES: WHISPERIAN NORTHERN GRIFFIN. LIKELY HEXED –

A screech appeared ahead of them. Something jumped out of the darkness, and Tecna gasped as it pounced suddenly on Bloom. A second one pounced on Mirta.

"Stop!" Flora shouted desperately.

"Now!" Layla, Stella, and Musa said together. They lifted their fairy-dust, circling around the two griffins.

The animals halted as the three of them converged their fairy-dust, working together to break the spell. A brilliant white light filled the air. Then the light receded, and Tecna stared at the creatures.

In the dim light, she could make out their features had softened. They looked more like griffins, and were clearly friendlier. The first one nodded to the three fairies.

"Thank you," he said. "You have freed us from this evil hex, and we are therefore under your debt. Ask us anything you wish."

Bloom stepped forward.

"Our headmistress, Ms. Faragonda, has disappeared," she said. "She was in a battle against Valtor, and then suddenly vanished. No one knows where she is or what happened to her. Could you please tell us: where did she go?"

The second griffin nodded. "Valtor and your headmistress had a long, arduous battle. She fought valiantly, but in the end, he was too young and strong for her. Not only did he capture her, but he also imprisoned her, in the base of an oak tree."

"She's stuck in a tree?" Stella gasped.

"Yes," the first griffin answered. "We can give you her coordinates."

Tecna typed the coordinates he gave in her tablet. It immediately popped up.

"Alright," she said. "Let’s go."

"Is there anything we can do to free Cloud Tower?" Lucy asked desperately.

"With your headmistress trapped in the heart of the tower, it is nearly impossible," the griffin said sadly. "All you can do is wait for the UR to help."

"We'd better go and find her quickly," Bloom said. "Thank you, griffins."

The seven girls sped out of the vault and out of Cloud Tower. Tecna followed in the rear, her mind a daze. What happened to Ms. Faragonda?

"I can't believe it," gasped Musa, tears in her eyes.

Tecna stared ahead of her. A baby, gnarled oak tree was in front of them, its roots twisted and grotesque. But that wasn't the most horrifying part. She stared at the trunk of the tree, completely shocked.

Etched into the trunk was Faragonda's face. She had a horrified look on her face, one of imminent doom. Seeing her, Tecna backed away, closing her eyes in shock.

She was glad Mirta and Lucy weren't here to see this. Mirta had gone back to Alfea with the Pixies, to tell Griselda what they'd found. Lucy had gone to the Magix Municipal Hall to give the police a statement; she would be helping the Magix authorities in their bid to free Cloud Tower. She'd thanked Mirta for coming for her, and they’d all tearfully embraced.

"Hold on." Flora walked up to the tree and placed her palms on its bark. A green aura formed around her, and she focused all her energy into the tree. Stepping back, she turned to face the other girls. "It is her."

"Our fairy-dust should have her out in no time," Stella declared.

"It's not quite so simple, Stella." Flora frowned. "The oak tree has grown around Ms. Faragonda's life essence. She is the tree."

"So… we can't hurt it without hurting her?" Layla asked.

Tecna's mind was spinning. This is absolutely bizarre… She'd never heard of anything like this. And completely illogical.

It wasn’t like they weren’t capable of Metamorphosizing themselves. Wizkiz taught a whole class about Metamorphosis, after all. But, other than Mirta’s pumpkin transformation, she’d never heard of someone else turning someone into a plant.

She tried to scan the tree. Nothing came up. And then she tried looking up a hex, any hex, that could've caused this. "There's no information like this on the Web!"

"Well, we've gotta do something!" Bloom declared, striding up to the tree. "We can't let Ms. F stay like this! Especially after everything she's done for us!"

Musa walked up to the tree, her voice barely an echo.

"Ms. Faragonda," she said, "I don't know if you can hear me, but don't worry. We're gonna save you."

I don't know how, thought Tecna. Especially when there's nothing in our database about this. She stared up at the tree.

As she stared, she wondered if Faragonda could see her right now from her prison. A weakened girl, a shell of her former self.

Chapter Text

Previously on AUP…

            “I'd sooner trust a Venus fly-trap than the UR. They might as well make a united government and sell all our civil liberties.” Bisabuela shook her head. "I don’t know what they teach in that school over there."

            "We learn so many things at Alfea," Flora protested. "We learn how to defend ourselves, form great friendships, save the world" –

            "Ha!" Bisabuela snorted. "All warriors ever do is cause misery! Now, Linphean warriors are honorable; they know not to conquer and maraud. But you are born into a good priestly family, girl, and you should not be a Linphean warrior, much less a UR one!”

***

"Is everyone okay?" Flora asked.

"Everyone," Griselda said, "except"…

"Ms. Faragonda," the five girls said in unison. The deputy headmistress swallowed.

"Correct," she said. "No one knows what's happened to her."

            "Then we know what our next mission is," said Bloom. "We're gonna find Ms. Faragonda and bring her back home."

***

Flora walked up to the tree and placed her palms on its bark. Stepping back, she turned to face the other girls. "It is her."

"Our fairy-dust should have her out in no time," Stella declared.

"It's not quite so simple, Stella." Flora frowned. "The oak tree has grown around Ms. Faragonda's life essence. She is the tree."

"So… we can't hurt it without hurting her?" Layla asked.

"Well, we've gotta do something!" Bloom declared. "We can't let Ms. F stay like this! Especially after everything she's done for us!"

Musa walked up to the tree, her voice barely an echo.

"Ms. Faragonda," she said, "I don't know if you can hear me, but don't worry. We're gonna save you. I promise."

CHAPTER 15: FLORA'S TRIAL

"Good," Griselda nodded. "We have our answer."

Layla, Musa, and Flora were in Griselda's office again. An hour had passed since they'd found Faragonda, but once they'd found the information, they wasted no time in going to see the deputy headmistress. Griselda turned towards the window, frowning. "You figured it out?"

"Yes." Flora nodded. "I called my parents and told them the situation. They told me to come home to Linphea."

"And then what?" asked Musa.

"We need to see the Sage of Linphea," Flora answered. "She's a famous priestess in the City of Trees, the capital city of Linphea – and she has a guaranteed solution.”

“What?” Musa and Layla demanded at the same time.

“Mamá didn’t say,” Flora answered. “But we know the Sage of Linphea well – she is very wise.” And also stubborn. “She wouldn’t let us down. But we have to hurry. I spoke with my mother, and she said now that a half-moon has passed, this enchantment will become permanent once the sun sets in Magix tonight."

"Then we'd better hurry," Musa declared.

"Actually" – Layla frowned. "I won't be able to come."

"What?" gasped Musa. "You can't ditch Ms. Faragonda like that! She needs us!"

"I'm sorry," Layla winced. "I wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't for something important. My parents are coming to Magix City today. They need to speak to me about something urgent."

That can't be good. Flora stared at Layla. "Is Andros in more trouble?"

"Possibly," Layla answered. "I have to go."

"All right," Griselda sighed. "I shall send Stella with you, then. Miss Flora, I'm putting you in charge of leading this quest."

"Okay," Flora nodded. "Don't worry. We should reach Linphea by dawn and be able to return tomorrow at nightfall. You should probably know something, though…"

"What is it?" asked Griselda.

"The Sage of Linphea’s my Bisabuela."

Flora's great-grandmother had never been kind about the UR. She hated its very existence, the fact that it had to be there to dominate relations between the realms. A woman well over three-hundred years old, she had a very conservative view on realmwide issues.

And yet, her wisdom was known throughout all the realms. Flora hoped her Bisabuela would see reason and eventually, acquiesce and help Faragonda.

The five-hour flight to Linphea was quiet. Griselda had arranged transport from Red Fountain, and Ben, a Red Fountain junior, was flying them. Flora, worn out from the battle, had collapsed on her chair and fallen asleep. Stella and Musa were Enchantix fairies, and therefore didn't need a nap. She woke up with a start as the ship touched down towards Linphea, sensing the atmospheric changes at once.

"We're here," Flora said at last as they entered the realm. It was a beautiful, fertile land, but even its beauty could not excite her spirits. "The City of Trees is this way."

"Are your parents meeting us?" Musa asked as they climbed off.

"My parents weren't able to make it," Flora answered, "but my little sister, Miele, is coming. She's going to take us to the City of" –

"Flora!" a voice called. A ten-year-old girl wearing a short sprigged dress and flowers in her hair ran towards Flora, her eyes bright.

"Mielecita!" Flora hugged her sister, picking her up the ground. "It's good to see you!"

"Where's she?" Miele asked, looking at Flora in confusion. "Where's your girlf" –

"Mirta's not here with us," Flora interrupted quickly. "She's back at Alfea. Two of my friends are here instead to take us to Bisabuela." She nodded at the others.

"I'm Musa Xi," said Musa.

"And I'm Princess Stella of Solaria," Stella added proudly.

"No way!" gasped Miele. "You’re like a fashion icon!"

"Why, thank you!" Stella beamed. “I can give you tips in style, if you ever want a boy" –

"Anyways," Flora said quickly, cutting Stella off, "Miele, could you show us to the Enchanted Stairway?"

Miele beamed, happy to be of service. "It's right this way!" She ran towards the copse.

The other girls followed her, and gasped. Flora grinned as she stared up at the capital city of her realm, at its beauty and natural splendor.

The city was made of the tallest trees Flora had ever seen. Birds chirped and sung in harmony, and flowers and mushrooms grew just as tall as the trees. The hills were gorgeous, green and fertile.

"We've got to get up there," Flora said, pointing up to the top of the trees.

"No problem," Stella smiled. "We'll just fly right up" –

"That doesn't work," Miele answered. "The Enchanted Stairway is run by strong winds. We won't be able to reach the top that way."

"Then how do we get up?" asked Musa.

"We take the express," Miele grinned, pointing to a large leaf on the ground. Wind swirled around and picked up the leaf, spiraling it upwards.

"Hop on!" said Flora.

The girls dove onto the leaf as it flew into the air, sailing through the trees. Miele let out a whoop. Flora grinned as she stared around.

It's so nice to be home again, she thought contentedly, staring around her. It's so nice –

A screech above her startled Flora. Confused, she stared above as she saw black pájaros dulces, flying towards the leaf. Their normally calm eyes were menacing, and she gasped as one slammed at their ship.

The girls screamed as they were attacked. These birds aren't the slightest bit aggressive! She let out a gasp as it barreled towards Stella, its eyes murderous and cold.

"HEEELP!" Stella screamed as she was tossed towards the edge, grasping tightly onto the raft for dear life. "I really hate heigh" –

Her hands gave way; to Flora's horror, she was battered off the raft by the wind. But instead of falling to the ground, her wings took hold, catching the air and soaring into the sky. Gasping in awe, she turned around at her friends and yelled, "My wings are stronger! They can handle the wind!"

"I'm coming, too," Musa grinned. "Let's finish these birds off!"

"Hang on," Flora protested, "we don't want to hurt them! They would normally never attack us like that. Something must be up!"

Musa and Stella exchanged glances. "Do ya think Valtor's around?" Musa asked.

"I don't know," Stella answered, "but" –

"HEEEEEEE!" Miele screamed in fright. Flora turned around and saw, with horror, a bird had picked her little sister off the leaf. Miele screamed, trying to break free, but the bird held tight.

"I'm coming!" Flora shot leaves at the bird, who squawked. To her even greater horror, the bird flew away, dropping Miele out of its clutches.

"Sun catcher!" Stella sent a ray of light to the screaming girl, who stopped struggling as her gravity was temporarily suspended. With all of her energy, Stella pulled Miele up to the leaf, where she at last collapsed in Flora's arms.

"Okay, it's time to take these down!" Musa said. "Attacking only makes them angrier, Stel. I vote we dust 'em!"

"How do we know these overgrown birds are really hexed?" Stella asked, looking at them in distaste. "Maybe that won't work."

"And maybe it will," Flora answered. "Try it, both of you!"

Stella and Musa linked hands, summoning their Enchantix pouches. Yellow dust merged with pink, and they both closed their eyes.

The dust scattered all around the birds, who stopped and howled in surprise. Flora watched as a white light enveloped the birds, so bright she had to look away. When it was over, the birds squawked timidly and flew away.

"Woo-hoo!" Stella cheered. "We did it!"

"And there's the City of Trees!" Miele added, pointing to the treetops ahead of them. Flora smiled as she saw the homes built into trunks of trees, the fairs dancing on the treetops and flowers and toadstools. It's so beautiful there… The leaf landed on a mushroom, and Flora stepped off.

"Come on," she said. "It's time to see my Bisabuela."

The leaves jingled as they walked from branch-to-branch, and Flora marveled at how easy these branches were to walk on. They were wide, almost the size of a paved road, but were intertwined, making it much more fun. Though she’d been to the capital city many times, it never ceased to amaze her.

The homes were built into trees of trunks. Linphean people were very friendly, and they waved to them from their windows as they passed by. At the top of the elongated flowers and mushrooms, fair children were dancing, playing together in the beautiful paradise they all shared. The blue sky was bright and cheerful as they walked towards the Tree of the Elder.

"Those flowers are beautiful!" Musa gasped, pointing at a bunch.

"Aren't they?" Flora grinned. The flowers were flores del iris, a rare type of flower that changed color from day to night.

They walked towards the Árbol Sabio, the tallest tree in the city. As soon as they entered through the hollow, the atmosphere changed. Flora gazed around the interior of the tree, letting out a gasp of awe.

Beautiful designs were carved into the sides of the trees. She could make out, through the dim light afforded by the sun, that they were very ancient. This is so beautiful… She stared forward, noting the curved wood of the platform in front of them, where the Sage was supposed to sit. This is so beautiful – but where is Bisabuela?

"Alfea girls," a voice above them said. "Including my bad girl Flora. Come here."

Flora stared up at Iztel Fernández, who was walking into the hollow from a back entrance. She was wearing a brown robe that reached all the way to her toes. Her white hair flowed down to her waist, and she stared grimly at them. "UR girls setting foot in this sacred place."

"Bisabuela," Flora protested. "We're not UR girls. We have to save the headmistress of Alfea. Please, help us."

"And why should I?" Sacerdotisa Grande Iztel asked irritably. "Ruined my realm, that's what they all did. This UR reduced Linphea to the status of rubble. Big, stinkin' corporate governmen' came and ruined us, that's what it did. Under the false name of 'peace', created a higher order where Linphea has ta bow down to the will of Magix and Zenith, Domino too before it was destroyed. The last four headmistresses of Alfea didn’t know what they were doing!”

Flora put her head in her hands. Apparently, the last four headmistresses of Alfea had been very questionable, though she didn’t know all the details and history about Alfea. Since Bisabuela had been alive when the last headmistress was there, of course she had a better idea of how it’d been.

"And that Faragonda woman," Iztel continued, "she’ll probably go the same way" –

"Hey!" Stella fired up. "Don't diss our headmistress!"

Iztel's eyes snapped up. Flora stared at her friend in disbelief, stunned. Oh Linphèana... She shot her friend a desperate look.

But Stella wasn't by any means finished. "If you knew her, you'd know what a totally amazing woman she is. She took down that jerk Valtor right in front of all of us, and lost, but she still had the guts to do it! Not to mention, she's taught us so much about how to be real fairies! So if you're gonna help us, then help instead of sitting around and whining!"

There was a silence. Flora, Musa, and Miele stared at Stella, completely taken aback. Flora squeezed her sister's hand, letting out a high sigh. We might as well turn back right now... Tears began to form, and she closed her eyes.

And opened them again as soon as she heard Bisabuela’s laugh.

"You've got good friends, Flora," she chuckled. "I like her." Flora swallowed as she gazed up at her wise great-grandmother's eyes.

"The answer is this," she said. "If you wish to free your headmistress from imprisonment's grasp, you must reverse the flow of time."

"Wait, you already know Faragonda’s trapped?" gasped Musa.

"What do you think?" Iztel answered. "We priestesses have our own network of communication. It’s extensive and wide."

"Wow," said Flora in amazement. Iztel snorted.

"This is why I wanted you to become a priestess, girl," she said. "You'd be learning and reflecting, instead of wasting your time on this martial nonsense." She sighed. "You must go to the Black Willow in the Marshlands."

"The Marshlands?" asked Flora, startled. "I thought that was a wasteland."

"Of course you did, you silly girl," Iztel said. "It used to be the most beautiful marsh of all the realms, until the Great Fire of 11728 in the Age of Blood, courtesy of Zenith" –

"Bisabuela!"

"Fine," Iztel muttered, breaking off from what would have been a two-hour rant. "There were two willows on the plains. One was killed and the other was badly charred. In grief, she began to weep for her sister. Her grief was so intense that the water flowed out of the cave and up the cliffside, all the way to the top of the mountain."

"A river that flows upwards?" gasped Musa.

"That's what I just said," snapped Iztel. "One drop of that water will turn back time and revive your headmistress. In order to harvest it, you must touch the water without touching it. I'll leave that one for you young 'uns to figure out." She let out a snort. "So go to the cave and get some water."

"Will do!" Stella said. "Let's go, girls!"

Right, thought Flora. They had no time to waste. Ms. Faragonda will remain a tree forever if we don't go...

"Oh, and there's one more thing, Princess Stella of Solaria."

Stella halted. Flora could see her eyeing the old woman with annoyance. "What?"

"You are going to break the enchantment on your father, correct?"

Stella growled. "Of course I'm not letting that jerk Cassandra control him. So?"

"If you wish to free him, you must proceed with caution," Iztel answered. "You may be tempted to rush out and do everything quickly, but that will not work. Too many young people these day just rush out and react, instead of taking the time to think. At the same time, you cannot be too hesitant and not act when the time is right, like those useless world leaders out there." Her eyes flashed. "And if nothing else, I will say this: you have good instincts, Stella of Solaria."

Bisabuela must really like her, Flora realized. It took a lot for the old priestess to give anyone a compliment, much less an impulsive girl like Stella. Stella's face flushed, and then she turned to the girls.

"Okay," she said. "So whaddya say we go and free Ms. Faragonda?"

Half-an-hour later, the girls were walking towards the cave. They walked urgently, their boots clinking against the ground. They had no time to waste; Faragonda's fate depended on them all.

Miele wasn't with them. Before heading to the cave, Flora had sent her home, much to her chagrin.

"But I wanna help you save Ms. Faragonda," she had protested.

"You can't, sweetie," Flora said gently. "You did a great job leading us to the City of Trees; we all appreciate you very much for that. But you're too young."

"But I'm a fairy!" Miele pouted.

"And you're going to be a great fairy when you grow up." Flora smiled. "But the girls and I will handle it now. Ladybug, take her home."

She picked up her sister and placed her on the ladybug, with the same ease as when she'd bathed her or changed her diaper when she was a baby. The ladybug soared into the air, and then Miele was off.

And now, they were entering the cave. There was a waterfall outside that extended all the way upwards, up the mountain. In the cave was a majestic, black willow with flourishing green leaves. Next to it was the charred stump of what had once been a tree, a very old one.

"This is beautiful," gasped Musa.

"So cool," agreed Stella. She was about to reach down and touch the water, but Flora stopped her.

"Wait!" she said. "You don't want to touch that, Stel. You could become a little kid again!"

"Oh," gasped Stella, pulling her hand away. "Then what do we do?"

"We have to touch the water without touching it," Flora reminded her.

"Obviously we need a cup or something," Musa pointed out. "I wish we'd thought to bring it ourselves!"

"No problem!" Stella picked up a large boulder from the ground. Sending solar energy into the rock, she melted the surface, creating a dent that would hold a fairly large amount of water. She grinned triumphantly and bent down towards the river.

A sudden flash of lightning hit Musa squarely in the chest. Flora jumped, startled, as the Trix appeared, cackling.

"You three!" Stella yelled, putting her hands on her hips.

"Musa!" Flora shouted. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," Musa panted, pulling herself to her feet. She glared at Stormy.

"What are you doing here, anyways?" Stella snarled. The three laughed.

"Destroying your little plan, that's what," Icy crooned.

"We've got some nature spells to cast," Darcy added. "Or rather, I have. It involves a new power Valtor gave me. Watch and learn!"

The witch sent a wave of nebulous energy into the water. Flora watched with horror as the water turned murky and black, grimy and unfixable. We'll never be able to bring this back to Ms. Faragonda now...

Icy and Stormy laughed. "Good work, Darce!" Icy smirked.

"Okay, it's showtime," said Darcy, her eyes blazing purple. "We're gonna finish you pixies off."

"No, it'll be we who finish you off!" Stella fired back. "Bring it on, hotshot!"

Icy fired a volley of ice at Stella, who dodged. Musa took on Stormy, slamming her with a sonic boom. And Darcy flew towards Flora, darkness in her eyes as she sent forward a dark wave.

No! Flora winced as the nuclear darkness hit her. Feeling nauseous, she pushed back with all her strength, hitting Darcy with a lotus spell.

But Darcy repelled it disdainfully, and with horror, Flora realized they'd gotten stronger. She stared at them, aghast. "It was you who set the birds on us!"

"It was," Darcy smirked. "I've also got some more for you, too." She shot a dark spell at Flora, who set up a green shield. Using up all the energy she could, she held the barrier tight, preventing it from hitting her. The dark spell went into the shield, and then there was no more.

Darcy gnashed her teeth in annoyance. "You're the only loser here without your Enchantix. Why is this so hard?"

"Because this is my home territory," she answered, hope rising in her. "You're not going to destroy it."

"Oh, I already have," Darcy laughed. "We heard all about your headmistress, living in a tree. There's no hope for her."

With a sickening feeling, Flora realized she was right. And if Ms. Faragonda isn't freed, then what chance do we have against Valtor?

"You're wrong!" a voice behind them said. "My sister Flora will never give up!"

Flora whirled around. Standing behind them was Miele, right in the entrance of the cave. Her eyes were bright and alert as she glared at Darcy, her hands balled into fists.

"Miele!" Flora ran up to her, trying to catch her sister in her arms, but the fight had made her considerably weaker and she was fighting for breath. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm – saving you from these witches!" Miele panted.

"As if!" Icy had stopped fighting Stella, and was turning around to gaze at Miele with interest. "Who is this little pipsqueak?"

"I'm Flora's sister, and I'm not a pipsqueak!" Miele fired back. "I'm a fairy!"

The Trix broke into laughter. Stella used their distractedness to her advantage, slamming Icy and Stormy with a solar blast. They gasped in outrage, slamming into the wall.

To Flora's even greater horror, Miele ran towards Darcy, howling. With a purple gaze over her eyes, Darcy picked up a nebulous spell in her hands.

"All right," she snarled, slamming it down, "if I can't break you, Flora, then maybe you need some convincing!"

No! Flora watched, horrified, as Darcy slammed all her power at Miele. The fledgling fairy was no match for the experienced witch, and she screamed in horror as she was thrown into the water.

"Mielecita!" Flora screamed. She could hear the Trix laughing above her, and whirled around in pain and anger. "That was my sister!" she snarled, shooting a jinx at them. Not waiting to see if it'd caught its target, she flew down, swimming through the water.

She hadn't even time to take a breath, and her body was growing heavier and slower by the second. Come on, come on... Her lungs were on fire, and every pore of her body screamed at her to swim back up to the surface and save herself.

But she knew she couldn't do that. I'm going to save my sister, no matter what cost. It was her fault this had happened, and she would live with her pain. At the bottom of the river she caught her sister, fighting against the spots of darkness in her vision.

Flora scooped her sister in her arms, who was frantically gasping for breath. She knew that time was running out. The darkness had covered half of her vision, and she felt as if a rope was strangling her by the neck. She didn't have enough energy to save both of them.

But I do have enough for Miele... With the last of her magical-energy, she pushed Miele upwards until she zoomed out of sight. Breathless and exhausted, but also relieved, she fell down, the water possessing her as she sank to the bottom of the bed.

She'd heard that suffocation was painful, but there was nothing. Only... peace. Letting out a slow breath, she closed her eyes. The last thing she saw was Miele shooting up to the surface of the river, into the light.

Flora opened her eyes. Something was around her – pink, tight walls with natural energy pulsing inside. She felt dry, warm, and safe, as if nothing would hurt her. Sitting up, she stared around at the walls.

Where am I? How had she gotten here? Was this the realm of the dead, the Otherworld of the gods? But if I'm dead, then how come I feel so whole?

She stared down at her brown body, completely naked. It was then that she felt it. A soft wind caressed her body, pollen glittering around her as she stared around.

Her body was covered in soft, olive sparkles. Then her outfit began to form. A short dress, in different shades of pink, flowed as if it was made of flowers itself. Stripes of blue were at her breastbone. Flora watched breathlessly as green vines snaked up her legs, fading to dark blue barefoot sandals. She gazed down at her chest and saw a pink, flower-shaped pouch between her breasts. Pink flowers appeared on her head, and her hair styled itself, going up in ringlets and falling down.

This is my Enchantix, she realized. I'm a full-fledged fairy now! Staring around, she felt magical energy rush over her shoulder blades. Like buds bursting into bloom, a pair of dark pink wings unfurled out, with green highlights and blue jewels.

The world around her changed. Flora watched as the pink roof above her parted, moving way to reveal a green cocoon. The rose around her burst into bloom, from a fledgling bud to a blossoming flower.

And just like the flower she stood on, Flora felt reborn. A new burst of energy rushed through her, sending waves of natural energy into her veins. She could feel nature itself connecting with her, sending its radiant vibrance into her body. And now... it's time for the showdown. The cocoon dissolved, and Flora found herself standing at the bottom of the river.

Before the water suffocated her, she flew up to the surface. Her Enchantix wings were less affected by the water than her wings from before. Bursting into the sky, she hovered magnificently in the air, gleaming triumphantly at the witches.

Musa and Stella gasped in amazement; Miele stopped crying. The witches were eyeing Flora with outrage as she flew towards them. She lifted her pink-and-green floral pouch from her neck.

Olive-green dust sprinkled into the murky waters, cleansing them at first touch. Within seconds, the water had turned from its sordid black to a gleaming, azure blue. Darcy shouted out indignantly at the enchantment Flora had cast.

Flora smiled. Focusing her new powers on the tree, she whispered quietly to it. Please help us out, she thought. Punish those witches for sullying your water and for nearly killing my sister Miele. I ask of you, bereaved willow, do not let them get away with this.

She had never commanded trees before. She'd only ever commanded smaller plants, often to trip a person or wrap themselves around an intruder. Trees were different, however; they had two of the six senses (sight and hearing), which was why they could never be commanded, only requested. And she had never been able to do that before with simply her Winx or Charmix power.

But it worked. The Black Willow could sense the righteous anger within her, and responded attentively to her call. With her help, the willow extended a branch forward, grabbing Icy, Darcy, and Stormy. The three were dumped into the river, howling and screaming as they disappeared under the surface.

"Way to go, girl!" Stella cheered. "That's some real power there!"

The three witches crawled out of the water unceremoniously, sopping wet. Flora flew to the ground and stared at them in fascination.

They had gone from being young adults to little girls. Younger than Miele, their faces and hairstyles were distinctly juvenile. They had identical pouts on their faces as they looked at each other.

"You looked like that, Ice?" Stormy asked. "I forgot you wore your hair in ponytails."

"I forgot you never had hair to begin with," Icy snarled back.

"Hey, what's this?" Darcy picked up a stone on the ground, streaked with the water of the Black Willow's tears. "That's pretty." She held it to her chest, but Stormy grabbed it.

"I want it!" she snarled.

"I saw it first!" Darcy defended herself.

"Hey, it's mine!" Icy bullied her two sisters, grabbing them both with her superior strength. "I'm the strongest!"

Flora watched the antics of the three triplets with amusement. How is it they're so predictable? Musa stepped forward.

"Hey, you'd better buzz off home right now!" she warned. "Unless you want extra homework!”

The three witch tots squealed and ran out of the cave, the stone falling to the ground. Flora, Musa, Stella, and Miele stood together and laughed until their sides ached.

As they stood together, Flora sat down and held Miele in her arms, gazing at her sister lovingly. Miele brushed a strand of Flora's hair out of her face, laughing. "Thanks for saving me, Flora."

"You tried to defend us first," Flora smiled. "Already I can tell your heart is in the right place." Miele grinned and snuggled against Flora's chest.

Flora knew she'd never forget this moment. The moment she'd risen to magical maturity, but also a quiet moment of pride and love. She knew no matter what, she would never forget what had made her rise to this ancient power of nobility and sacrifice.

"Let's go!" Musa shouted as the ship touched down on Gloomy Woods’ Forest.

Ben nodded. “We’d better get to the tree,” he said. “I’ve entered the coordinates in the system.”

"We've got to go quickly, though," Flora said, staring at the sky. Because of the delay the Trix had caused, it was almost twilight, the sun just on the horizon. "Once the last rays of sun set, we won't be able to save Ms. Faragonda!"

“Don’t worry,” Ben answered, “we’re on the fastest tr” –

BAM! A burst of light hit the ship! Flora and the others screamed as the ship was knocked over, falling. Then a parachute opened, and they stared around in shock.

“What happened?” Stella demanded.

“An attack spell!” Musa shouted. “Look, there’re attackers ahead of us!”

Flora stared in shock. Ben slammed a button, and the underneath compartment opened. “Come on!” he shouted, grabbing his flying saucer. They abandoned the spaceship – the girls transformed, while Ben drew his sword.

Two hexed witches, students of Cloud Tower, were battering the ship. Flora stared in shock as they turned their faces towards the four of them. Ben grabbed his sword.

“There’s no time,” he hissed. “I’ll face them off. You guys have to get to Faragonda!”

“I’ll search for the coordinates,” Musa said instantly, pulling out her phone.

“Wait!” Flora stopped her. “Just let me sense her tree. I’ll get us there!”

“Got it!” Ben shouted as he shielded himself from a particularly fierce jinx. “Go!”

The three zoomed forward. Flora led the way, closing her eyes.

Ms. Faragonda, she thought, let us find you.

She sensed Ms. Faragonda's tree ahead of them, towards the north. Heart plummeting, she gasped. "Ben's dropped us too far from her tree! We'll never make it!"

"Yes we will!" Stella grabbed her hand. "Our Enchantix wings are much faster. You just have to know how to use them!"

"Stella has been practicing in Enchantix Training, and Layla has been teaching me new skills all week," Musa added. "So don't worry. We'll be fine."

Flora nodded, following them. She hoped to learn the same skills as them during Enchantix Training. Assuming we free her in time... She glanced up and saw that a third of the sun was now below the horizon.

"Don't watch that!" Stella shouted, grabbing her hands. "Let's just go!"

"How do I use my fast wings?" Flora asked.

"Just focus within and feel your wings," Stella answered. "You'll be able to take magical energy from your inner reservoir to power your wings. It’ll affect your ability to cast spells, though."

That doesn't matter, thought Flora. The important thing is getting to Ms. Faragonda. She focused within and closed her eyes, linking hands with Stella and Musa.

A strong vine of energy grabbed her, snaking into her wings and giving her control. She could feel energy gathering between her wings, itching to go at a faster speed. Letting go of her friends, she zoomed towards the north.

She led the way, following her senses that connected her with the tree to the north, the tree that held their headmistress' lifeline. We have to get there... Heart pounding, she soared towards a tree...

And stopped as soon as four more witches appeared.

"Oh no!" gasped Flora, slowing down. There were too many of them for one person to take on alone! Musa flew forward, her eyes blazing.

"You go ahead, Flo!" she yelled. "We'll take care of this!"

Flora nodded, racing frantically with the water under her arms. Now half of the sun was under the horizon. I have to get to the grove. She flew frantically, flying against time.

She reached the grove of the tree, grabbing the saucer of water. And then she froze. Valtor was standing right there, a smile on his face.

"Well, well," he smirked. "A Linphean fairy from Alfea. So nice to see you."

Flora hovered, paralyzed with panic. No, no, no... She shot an ivy vine at him.

But he effortlessly dodged, flying towards her. She screamed as he bound her in a fiery cage. Stella’s right – my powers aren’t strong enough!

"Looks like your poor headmistress isn't going to be saved," Valtor jeered. "So sad."

Flora glared at him, trying her hardest not to burst into tears. Not now, not now… Her Enchantix, all for nothing. Valtor smiled, staring up at his prisoner as he spoke.

"I sent those witches after you to stop you from getting the water, which they obviously failed at," he said. "But I am here, and you are no match for me, little fairy."

That's not true, Flora thought. She had her Enchantix, and although she may still be weaker than Valtor, she wasn't going to fail. I have to do this. She focused her energy on the trees, calling to them. Trying to stall Valtor for as much as possible, she said, "What are you going to do to Bloom?"

"Bloom?" Valtor snorted, though she saw a surprised look in his eyes. "What would I care about that pathetic fairy?"

"I know you're after her," Flora said boldly. "It's not a secret she has the Dragon Flame. You're going to do something to her."

Valtor laughed. "After I finish you off, yes. But I'll let you know I'm saving her for the very last." His eyes burned. "You have no idea how easy it would be for me. She could be gone in an instant if I willed it, after all the power I've accumulated."

The trees listened to Flora's call. Flora forced her mind to work in two hemispheres as she stared at Valtor.

"You haven't answered my question. What do you want with her?"

"You think I'm going to give away all my secrets?" Valtor laughed. "As if. You mistake me for a novice, young fairy." He looked up as the trees twisted towards him, and gasped in surprise. "What" –

His words cut off as the branches grabbed him, pulling him by the waist. Gasping, Valtor tried to pull away, but was trapped. The fire cage disappeared. Flora smiled at him, sending him a stream of pollen dust as an insult.

"I think it's you who mistook me as a novice," she said smartly, flying away.

She had to be quick. She had no idea how long Valtor would be held, and in any case, the sun was barely above the horizon. Only a few rays penetrated through, illuminating the air. She reached Faragonda's tree and grabbed her water.

"Here goes nothing," she whispered, pouring the enchanted water over Faragonda's face. Combining it with her fairy-dust, she spiraled around the tree, from the roots, through the branches, and up to the crown. The sweet-scented dust spread everywhere, the young tree glittering from top to bottom.

And as the final ray of sun shone down, the tree burst into light. A white flash covered it from root to crown, and Flora fell to the ground, kneeling.

In the flash of bright light, an old woman stepped out, smiling. She placed her hand on Flora's head, and the Linphean fairy looked up, relieved to see her headmistress at last.

"Smart girl, Flora," she said. "I think you passed your final exam with flying colors. You have grown very much from your first day as a freshman at Alfea."

Flora looked gratefully at her headmistress, remembering her first day at Alfea. How scared she'd been, until she'd met Bloom and the others. And from then on, she'd grown, from a shy, apologetic girl to a loving, mature fairy. Her ability to profess her love to Mirta last year, after she'd helped her heal the Flower of Life, was proof of that growth and maturity. And now, she was a Fairy of Nature at last.

A shout behind her told her that Valtor had freed himself from the tree's clutches. Faragonda turned around, her eyes blazing.

"Now, Flora," she said. "Let's take him down together!"

Valtor smiled. "I don't think that will be necessary," he said. "This battle I concede to you, but not the war. You are free, Headmistress Faragonda, but do not mistake freedom for mercy, as you will be one of the last to fall." He bowed. "Flora, Fairy of Nature, until we meet again."

He vanished, presumably to Cloud Tower. Flora looked at Faragonda, who smiled gently and placed her hand on Flora's shoulder.

"Valtor's right," she said. "We will meet him again. But you have now joined the ranks of the Higher Art, Flora, and you will train with me to learn new skills. That, I am sure of."

Flora nodded, gazing at the almost-dark sky. Stars were beginning to appear, and she knew the battle would be long and arduous. But I can at least learn the Higher Art now. She held her head high.

And then help my friends take Valtor down.

Chapter Text

Previously on AUP…

“I’m sorry, guys,” Layla frowned. "I can’t come to Linphea."

"What?" gasped Musa. "Ms. Faragonda needs us!"

"I'm sorry," Layla winced. "My parents are coming to Magix City today. They need to speak to me about something urgent.”

 ***

"We've practiced this spell for weeks now," Palladium said. "Tecna, you should be able to do this." He reached into his desk and pulled something out.

"And these," he said, "are your quizzes from Advanced Battle.” She'd gotten a 74% on one and a 52% on the other.

"You've never gotten below an 80% on theory exams before." Palladium frowned at her. "Tecna, is there something going on in your personal life that we need to know about? Something that's preventing you from doing your work?"

"No," said Tecna instantly. "Absolutely nothing."

"You disappeared from campus a few weeks ago," Palladium responded, "for no apparent reason. That gives me good reason to believe something's going on." He sighed. "I'm going to give you extra coaching after class."

"But" – Tecna gasped.

"No buts," he said firmly. "I've spoken with Headmistress Faragonda, and she's agreed. How do you think you're going to defend the Galaxy of Magix? Great evil is coming, and we need every student to put her best wing forward. Do you understand?"

 ***

“Princess of Domino,” Valtor jeered, “want to face it off?”

"No!" Faragonda zoomed towards him. "You will not attack any one of my students. Your quarrel is with me, and me alone!"

I knew it! thought Tecna. Something happened between the two of them, something horrible. But what ?

CHAPTER 16: SEMESTER FINALS

I can't do this, Tecna thought, her head spinning. I just can't. She stared down at her desk, feeling exhausted and drained.

"We have midterms coming up in a few weeks," Avalon said, "and you haven't even learned spells we went over in the first month of school." He frowned at her. "Push forward, Tecna!"

Push forward. Words she'd heard from Palladium, Faragonda, and just about every teacher at this point. She suppressed a groan.

It was nearly 17:00. For the past hour-and-a-half, she had spent so much time with Avalon, practicing more stupid sensationals. And she still couldn’t get them right. She stared out the window; though sun was still bright in the sky, she felt just as dark as ever.

"You can do it," Avalon repeated. "You just have to try."

Tecna groaned. I don't want to do this… I hate being here. She stared down at the floor.

Upon viewing her grades, Palladium was now forcing her to go for extra coaching in all her classes. He'd spoken to Griselda, who'd been acting as temporary headmistress; she'd agreed to make Tecna go for extra help. And now Tecna had no choice but to work with all her professors, who’d all noticed her inadequacy in class.

This leaves me even less time to do Vasiliev's work. How could she, when she had an hour of extra lessons every night? It didn't help her, and it certainly didn't help her with all the work that was piling up on her shoulders.

"Go ahead," Avalon said. "Focus on your energy within. Focus your magical reservoir."

Tecna concentrated. I need to connect with my source. She focused inward, gritting her teeth as she tried to get in-tune with herself.

"Focus on your breathing first," the professor said. "That will help you."

Okay. Tecna closed her eyes, gasping in air. I'm so tired… She heaved her breath in and out, not feeling any calmer than before.

"You can't force this," Avalon said calmly. "Let it in, and let it out. Don't force anything."

Shut up! thought Tecna, gritting her teeth. You're so annoying! Letting out an irritated breath, she slammed her energy into herself.

Electricity zapped through her circuits. She screamed as she fell down, pain shooting through her limbs. Avalon ran to her and knelt down.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

Tecna didn't answer. Her headache was magnified, and white-hot pain shot through all her joints. No… Avalon extended a hand to help her up, but she stood herself. She leaned heavily on the desk, still panting.

"I'll get you to the infirmary," he said.

"No," Tecna said, pulling away. "I'll be fine."

"I don't think so," Avalon frowned. "Your energy just combusted. You need to be checked to make sure you're all right" –

"No," Tecna said forcefully. There was a reason why she avoided Nurse Ofelia as much as possible, and it was because she was a cyborg. I can't have her find out… That would be a complete, utter disaster.

"Okay, then," Avalon said warily. "Go and sleep, then."

Tecna forced down the bitter laugh in her throat. Sleep… yeah, right… She stalked off, lowering her head as she disappeared out of his classroom and into the hall.

That night was extraordinarily difficult. Tecna continued working at her sets; she had finished the eleven-hundredth and twenty-fifth of the week. Not nearly enough… Gritting her teeth, she stared up at the board in front of her, her eyes dull.

There were just too many distractions. If she didn't have to do so much work, and complete all Alfea obligations, she'd be fine. But now she had so many things going on around her, as well as Vasiliev's rules. I can't do this. I can't I can't I can't I can't…

BREAKING NEWS, suddenly flashed across her vision. THE RELICS OF SUMMA HAVE BEEN STOLEN BY VALTOR.

That’s just great! Why did feed always have to pop up in front of her vision when she was working? I swear, if I get one more of these…

As if on cue, the Magix Modern Matrix sent out another alert. BREAKING NEWS: ZENITH MISSILES DISCOVERED ON REMOTE PLANET.

Tecna sat up straight. What? Zenith was testing missiles now?

Please don't tell me what I think is going on. A bad feeling was settling in her gut, unavoidable and painful. She scrolled through her feed, trying to focus on that and her coding at the same time.

Zenithian missile activity has just been made public. For the past many months, the superpower has been testing missiles and other weapons under the radar. However, Triple M experts have just uncovered missile activity on the remote planet of Kronos, near the Kingdom of Eraklyon, amid heavy enchantments cloaking the activity.

Space, function(t48595) = 450; If function(t48595) = true, function(t48595(x)) = 393.6; function(t48596)…

This activity has been a cause for concern of many world leaders.

"This is very troubling news," a spokesman for Queen Isabela of Linphea said in a statement. "The Disarmament Treaty of 126 declared all missile activity to be illegal, and ordered disarmament of all UR nations. This is a clear violation of that treaty, as well as unacceptable for any progressive realm."

() = verified; (t48610(x)) = 85494; function(t48611)…

Zenith's clear violation of the Disarmament Treaty may lead to ramifications from the UR itself. It is not clear exactly what those ramifications might be, but the UR has never been afraid to step in as a governing body and sanction realms that do not follow to its creed. Zenith, as a signatory to the Disarmament Treaty, must adhere to all terms set by said Treaty and act as a proper realm in UR standing…

= true; binaryCode93002 = 01010001; .document…

"Ms. Faragonda's back!"

Tecna jumped, completely startled. What's going on? She stared blankly at Bloom, who'd just arrived in Tecna's dorm room. The pixies trailed behind her.

"Flora, Musa, and Stella succeeded," Bloom continued. "She's addressing the school now. We're all needed in the quad!"

"All right!" Digit cheered. "Three cheers for them!"

Tecna glared at the pixie, who was pointedly ignoring her. You won't own up to what you did? Fine.

After seeing the Faragonda tree in the forest, Tecna and Digit had gotten into a fight. Tecna was, naturally, furious that Digit had told the other Winx what she'd done.

"You promised you wouldn't tell!" she snapped at Digit. "How could you betray me like that?"

"Well, you promised me it'd be a few weeks at the most," Digit fired back, "and it's Octomensis already!"

"You know I have a lot of work to do!" Tecna snarled. "This was the least you could do for me, Digit! I can't believe I trusted you!"

"You know what?" Digit snarled. "I can't believe I didn't report you to Ms. Faragonda the moment you asked me to do your stupid homework! This is ridiculous, Tecna! It has to stop!"

"Well, I didn't force you to do my homework," Tecna retorted. "I don't even need you! I'll do my homework on my own!"

"Fine!" Digit flew out the window, slamming it shut behind her.

"Fine!" Tecna yelled, kicking the wall with her nonmetal foot. Oww! She fell to the floor, gasping at the pain in her toe.

And now, she got up as quickly as adrenaline would let her, tiredness overtaking her. I guess I'll have to finish my coding later… of course, another interruption… She changed quickly, and she and Digit followed Bloom out the door.

Girls were standing in the quad, staring. They cheered as Musa, Stella, and Flora walked by her side, shouting.

"Ms. F's back!" they chanted. "Ms. F's back! Ms. F's back!"

How do they have so much energy? thought Tecna, staring. She couldn't even remember what energy felt like, how it was like to be fully awake. There's nothing to even be excited about...

"Of course," Eris smirked. "Now she can get rid of the hag."

Tecna glared at Eris. Shut up… But she was too tired to do or even say anything about her. She stared up at the headmistress, who smiled and waved her hands for quiet.

"Thank you, girls," she said. "First of all, I'd like to thank Musa, Stella, and Flora, who journeyed courageously to Linphea. I was trapped in a tree, and they needed a special type of Linphean water in order to reverse the spell Valtor put upon me. I also have a special shout-out for our Head Girl Flora, who earned her Enchantix in the process. As she flew towards my tree to release me, she was cornered by Valtor. She successfully managed to trick him, and freed me just as twilight descended upon us."

She did what? thought Tecna in amazement. Flora smiled modestly, her cheeks turning as pink as possible on her brown skin. The fairies' cheers changed, and they began to chant, "Flora! Flora! Flora!"

"Now," Faragonda continued, and the chants hushed. "I apologize for calling you so late, out of your dorms. But I have decided it is time for you girls to know the truth. It was a mistake to ever shield it from you, and if anything should ever happen to me, you need to know why he's like this so you can step it up. I need you all to know about Valtor."

The tension increased; not a single eye strayed from Faragonda. It was clear she was giving them the information they'd wanted to hear for so long. Digit stopped tapping her phone and stared up at the headmistress.

"Two hundred years ago, the wizard we now know as Valtor was born," Faragonda said. "He was born in Whisperia, the son of a witch named Ahmya Yakunan. He was named Basan, after the fire-breathing beast of Whisperia. Although his mother was Whisperian in birth, for a time, she lived in a realm that is now buried in ice and snow. In fact, she had once been a servant in the Palace of Domino."

Everyone gasped. Tecna, the Winx, and the Pixies turned to stare at Bloom, who had a stunned expression on her face.

"King Ludwig had a wife, Queen Helga," Faragonda added. "However, their marriage was unhappy, and he was known to have many mistresses. One of them was a witch by the name of Ahmya, who gave birth to a son, Basan. The infant boy inherited wizard powers, and therefore, he should be considered more as a warlock than a fair. He is not a true Dominian, because he mostly has powers endemic to Whisperians. However, the young Basan had inherited one power of Domino’s, one which the Coven coveted: the Dragon Flame.

"The Coven soon found out. When the boy was three years old, they murdered his sickly mother and snatched him from her dead body. With his three mothers’ extensive training, he turned into a strong warrior, one of the strongest wizards in Whisperia.

"When Basan found he was the son of King Ludwig, he felt cheated. He became determined to claim his throne, and the Coven helped him. Travelling to Domino, he spent many years inciting anger against his half-brother, King Oritel."

Oritel, thought Tecna, her head spinning. Why does that name sound familiar? Digit gasped in amazement and horror.

"That's Bloom's birth father!" she hissed.

"So Basan staged a coup on King Oritel. His charisma and charm convinced many peasants, and even a few nobles, that his brother was weak and useless. It didn't hurt that he promised many gifts to better the peasants' lives. He also had more powerful magical abilities than Oritel, who’d trained with swords. With the peasants’ help, he was able to storm the Castle of Domino."

Every girl that wasn't already staring at Bloom was staring at her now.

"A bitter and bloody war ensued. The Civil War of Domino, from Year 822-840, was one of the longest and deadliest wars Domino had ever seen. I know this because I myself fought in the war, alongside Headmaster Saladin, Headmistress Griffin, and King Oritel and Queen Marion of Domino. We were a part of an elite organization known as the Company of Light. We defeated Basan, but at a high price; Oritel had lost five million men, as well as the faith of his people."

That's one percent of the kingdom, Tecna realized. Before eternal winter had set upon Domino, the population count had been about five hundred million; it had been one of the largest, most thriving realms in the dimension. No wonder Domino lost to the Coven so easily!

Now she thought she remembered studying the Dominian Civil War. They had talked about Basan, and how he'd almost destroyed the realm. However, no one ever told them Basan had the Dragon Flame, or that he was connected to the monarchy. That’s why he's so angry!

"Basan and the Sekuko Coven escaped," Faragonda continued. "Over the next hundred years, they launched random terrorist attacks here and there, around Domino. They tried again to conquer the kingdom, but they didn’t even come close. In 903, I left the Company of Light and became the headmistress of Alfea; Saladin and Griffin would preside over the other two schools. And finally, in Year 983, Basan launched his greatest battle. He no longer wanted to rule the kingdom; instead, he sought to destroy the nation his brother had worked so hard to build. This time, they were successful, and although Oritel banished his half-brother to Omega, the Coven brought eternal winter to Domino, at the cost of their lives.

"I was one of the warriors who aided King Oritel and Queen Marion, to defend the kingdom. We had just formed the Company at the time of the Civil War; since we were young then, we defeated Basan relatively quickly. But the years have gone by, and we kept fighting and fighting. I am old now – I am two-hundred and forty-four years old. I will soon have to pass the fight on to a new generation.

“Although there are records of Basan's incarceration, there are no records of this man called Valtor; he assumed this name after breaking out of Omega not too long ago. My only regret is that I couldn’t save Domino. But I promise you, girls, I will defend this school with my last breath." Her eyes flashed. "I need you to promise me, in turn, that you will not go out of your way to fight with Valtor." For a moment, her eyes rested briefly on Bloom, and then the other Winx girls. "Promise me you will not put yourselves in danger."

"We promise, Ms. Faragonda," one-hundred fifty girls said in unison.

"Good," Faragonda nodded grimly. "This is one of the worst threats the Galaxy of Magix has ever seen. I commend the teachers and the seniors who worked together to re-construct the magical barrier. I shall add some of my own power to it, and under my watch, nothing or no one else will penetrate through." She let out a long, heavy sigh, one with the weight of a thousand realms. "You girls are dismissed."

Everyone left the quad, exclaiming to each other in loud voices. Tecna stayed rooted, staring up at the headmistress in disbelief. She can't have… Oh, how is this happening? She turned around and saw that Stella was standing with Bloom, an arm around her shoulder.

"I can't believe this," Bloom said confusedly. "Valtor – he's my half-uncle?"

"Seems like it," Musa said grimly, joining them.

"Don't worry, we're going to fight him," Stella declared. "We're not letting this bitter rothead get my Bloom. You with me, Winx?"

"Yes!" said all the girls. Tecna silently echoed with them, not having the energy to say anything more.

"Hang on a second, we're missing someone," Flora said suddenly. "Where's Layla?"

"She's still with her parents," Musa answered. "But I thought she would’ve been back by n" –

As if on cue, Layla ran through the gates, crying. The girl's wavy hair was everywhere, and tears were streaming down her face.

"Layla!" gasped Flora. "What happened?"

"It's... it's just"... Layla sobbed, trying to regain her composure. Musa held her as she wept. "My parents have this tradition on Andros, but I didn't think they'd enforce it."

"What is it?" asked Tecna, a bad feeling settling in her gut.

"I’m turning eighteen next week,” Layla cried. “They've picked out the man they want me to marry."

"Who?" Stella exclaimed.

"He's an elf from a very wealthy family, on the island of Hosseini," Layla wept. "I don't know anything about him, except that his name is Nabu and my life is completely ruined."

Layla continued to sob, her cries piercing the air. All Tecna could do was stare, feeling more and more hopeless as she watched her friend cry.

If Tecna had to marry a man she didn't love, how would she react? How torn would she be, as if she could never accept or know herself?

If anyone had asked this to Tecna two years ago, she would have said it was commonplace. After all, the very notion of love where she came from was ridiculous. People married for logical reasons, such as wealth and attractiveness. And Tecna would someday marry a faceless stranger on Zenith, if nothing else, for the sake of procreation.

But now Tecna felt very much differently. She knew a lifetime without Timmy would be a lifetime of stabbing her own heart out. She could barely imagine the pain Layla was going through at having to marry a man she didn't love.

Of course, it was not like love was such an intrinsic quality for Tecna. In fact, it was fairly new for her to even consider it a possibility, an important part of life. After all, it had been only a few months ago that Tecna and Timmy hadn't even been dating; in fact, they had been as far apart from one another as could be…

She still remembered that day last summer, when Bloom, Stella, Layla, and Musa had gone to Magix for a weekend, without permission, of course. Flora and Tecna had elected to stay on campus, and Flora had joined Tecna in her room. Flora was having problems with her phone, so she showed it to Tecna.

"I don't understand," she said. "I have this so I can connect with Mirta instantly if she has any problem. But it's not working."

"Let me see." Tecna picked up the phone and opened it. "What's the problem?"

"I can't connect with Mirta's cell," Flora answered. "I don't understand why. She called me a few nights ago to talk, but I didn't even know until I went to the hospital to visit her."

Tecna frowned as she gazed at the phone. Faulty connections… She opened Settings and clicked on 'Connections'. Suddenly, it occurred to her.

"You need to reroute your connector," she said. "It's not working properly. If you fix that, then you'll be able to receive calls at any time."

"Can you fix it for me, Tec?" Flora asked. "Please? If it's not too much" –

Tecna was already tapping on the phone. "Here." She found the coding dialog, typed in some lines, and then handed it back to Flora. "Bingo."

"Tecna, thanks so much!" Flora squealed. "You're the best."

"I'm not really," Tecna said, her cheeks heating. "I mean, I'm great with computers and all, but I still don't understand this emotional stuff you guys keep talking about."

"I don't think you're giving yourself enough credit, Tecna," Flora said. "You're so much more laid-back than you were last year. It's been really fun hanging out with you."

"I hope," Tecna said moodily. She gazed out the window.

"Tecna, what's wrong?"

The pink-haired fairy turned to her friend, who was staring at her with concern in her eyes.

"Nothing," she said, attempting a small smile. "It's just… Timmy gets on my nerves sometimes."

"What do you mean?" Flora sat down on her bed, and patted the spot next to her. "Come sit next to me."

Awkwardly, Tecna stood up and sat next to Flora. She'd never sat on someone else's bed; back in Zenith, it was just considered rude. But she saw the other girls do it all the time, though it'd taken her a while to accept that this was a norm between close friends.

"He only talks about computers," she confessed. "Every time we meet together, we keep talking about different OS systems, phones, and computers. It's aggravating, and I don't know why" –

"I get it," Flora said. "You want him to speak to you like a girlfriend, not like a robot."

Tecna stared at Flora. "What? That's absurd! I don't think of him like"… She sighed, gazing down at her feet. "Okay, I suppose I do."

"Of course you have feelings for him," Flora said. "You two are compatible in so many ways. You'd be perfect for one another."

"But I can't have a boyfriend!" Tecna cried out. "My parents would be furious. The only reason they let me come to Alfea is because it's a girls' college. It's not proper, Flora, to date anyone!"

"What do you mean?" Flora stared at her in confusion.

"Zenithians don't date," Tecna answered. "Our parents choose who we are to marry, based off of wealth and compatibility. We don't fall in love."

"And yet, you clearly have," Flora pointed out. "Don't you see, Tecna? If you live life the way everyone tells you to, you'll be miserable."

Tecna did see. She could imagine a life without Timmy, a life without love, and it was too painful. She sighed, lowering her head. "But then what do I do?"

"Don't tell your parents anything," Flora advised. "I can't imagine why they wouldn't love you for who you are, but… if you're not comfortable having them know, then don't let them. You shouldn't get in trouble."

"Okay," Tecna sighed. "But then what do I do about Timmy? He's so infuriating! He won't talk about me like he cares about me – he only sees me as another one of his computers. He's a coward, that's all it is! He won't even treat me like" –

"Have you ever thought that you might be projecting your own nervousness onto Timmy?"

Tecna stared at Flora. "Nervous? That's absurd! I'm not"… She searched her computerized brain for a definition of nervousness.

NERVOUS, her computer read. EASILY AGITATED OR ALARMED; TENDING TO BE ANXIOUS; HIGHLY STRUNG.

"No," she declared to Flora, who was sitting patiently next to her. "I'm not nervous."

"Then what's stopping you from asking Timmy out?" asked Flora. "Tell him you like him. If you're not nervous, then you can take the first step."

"But"… How can I do that if my parents won't allow me to have a boyfriend in the first place?

"Tecna, I think you're really frustrated right now," Flora said. "You're rebelling against the restrictions of your realm, but at the same time, you find it hard to let go. And then you're also angry with Timmy for not taking the first step because you can't; therefore, you label him as a coward. That's why you're having so much trouble."

That makes more sense, Tecna thought. It's almost… logical. I didn't think of things that way. She stared at Flora.

"How are you so good at this stuff?"

"I don't know," Flora smiled. "How are you so good with computers? That's just who you are, Tecna. So? Are you going to ask him out?"

"No," Tecna said, getting up and walking to the window.

"What?" Flora asked, sounding startled.

"I can't," Tecna said. Her voice had changed, and she stared frostily out the window. "My studies come first, and so does saving Magix. I can't let Timmy get in my way."

And that's what she'd convinced herself, all the way up to the Wildlands. That time had been a turning point for her, one where she'd finally learned to let go.

And yet, I still don't feel happy, Tecna thought. I still don't feel empowered, or strong, or brave. Why can't I do this?

            “Tec?” A voice made her jump. Flora was walking towards her, looking worried. “Are you okay?”

            “I’m fine,” Tecna insisted. Why did everyone always insist on asking her that? Flora sat down next to her.

            “I’m really worried about you,” she said. “Tec, I know things are just getting worse and worse. I know there’s something you’re not telling me. Please, please try and seek some help.”

            “I don’t need any help.” Tecna stood up.

            “There are counselors in the school,” Flora pointed out. “Talking to one will really help. Please, Tec. We’re all very worried about you.”

            “I don’t need help,” Tecna repeated. What else could she say? Flora sighed.

            “Then come with me to the Alliance meeting,” she pleaded. “You spend all day in this room – it’s not healthy. Not to mention, you’d be a great support.”

            Tecna sighed. “Fine,” she gave in. Anything to stop the Winx’s nagging. Following Flora, she headed down the hall, until they reached the quad.

            She looked in surprise as she saw a group of students. There were plenty from Alfea and Red Fountain, of course. A few curious freshmen and sophomores had come, including Nova and Galatea. The other Winx and the Pixies were there, as well as Jared, Sky, Brandon, Riven, and Timmy. Timmy’s face lit up as he saw Tecna there with Flora. “Hey,” she greeted him. Flora walked up to the fountain.

            “Welcome, everyone!” she called. “On behalf of Alfea, I’m thrilled to start the first fair-warlock Alliance meeting!”

            Um, where are the warlocks? Tecna thought. Weren’t they still trapped in Cloud Tower?

            “I’m happy to see all of you,” Flora continued as Chatta sat on her shoulder. “Today’s agenda will be talking about ways we can make the environment of our schools more inclusive and accepting of” –

            “Sorry I’m late!”

            Tecna stared up in surprise. Lucy Arachne was running through the gates, panting as she reached the fountain. Mirta’s eyes widened.

            “Lucy!” She grabbed the witch girl in a hug, crying and laughing at the same time. “You’re back!” She leaned back and stared at her friend.

            “I’m back,” Lucy repeated, smiling. “It’s so good to see you.”

            “But aren’t you staying in the Magix Refugee Center?” Bloom looked puzzled.

            “They let me come here,” Lucy answered. “I wouldn’t miss the first Alliance meeting for anything. I saw the text you sent, Mirta, after we were captured by Valtor. And I want to help. Really, I do. There’re more of us who managed to escape – we’re all staying at the Refugee Center right now.”

            This is great. Despite her general gloom, Tecna couldn’t help but feel happy as she saw Mirta and Lucy embrace again. I just hope Eris doesn’t come and ruin it. Jared stepped forward.

            “I think one way we can be more inclusive is by holding community meetings,” he said. “Alfea and Red Fountain students are needed to help the escaped Cloud Tower students adjust to their lives. That’s one way of creating goodwill between the two communities.”

            “That’s a great idea,” Bloom said enthusiastically. “I also think we could hold joint events. Celebrate different cultural festivals that are held by different communities, fair or warlock. It’s a great thing to do.”

            “And by providing holistic education about both fairs and warlocks,” Musa added. “I’d love ta do that, really. Reading history is great.”

            Tecna nodded, knowing she’d do a great job. Professor Athena, Musa’s academic advisor as well as the department head of Theoretical Magic, was a very fair teacher in that regard; she’d helped push for diversity initiatives during their freshman year, when tensions between fairs and warlocks in the schools had been at an all-time high. Flora nodded.

            “I’ll see if we can book the Great Hall for events,” she said. “I know most warlocks celebrate full moons – in fact, my culture on Linphea celebrates full moons as well, because we follow a lunar calendar. We can do a sort of fusion of different traditions. Full moon circle ceremonies, fair sunrise dances, warlock potions that can only be brewed under the full moon – there’re all sorts of things we could do. And then there are other cultural festivals from so many different ethnic groups.”

            Tecna frowned, thinking of festivals from Zenithian culture. Truth to be told, there were none. Zenith didn’t have any special festivals, none that didn’t commemorate the Communist Party, anyways. She sighed. Flora clapped her hands.

            “Well, I guess we should get to work, then,” she said. “Let’s start planning initiatives. How about we break up into small groups and write down ideas?”

            Everyone took long posterboards that were on the ground. Flora took a pink pen and levitated her pen onto the paper, writing in flowery cursive. Surprisingly, Stella’s penmanship was beautiful as well; Layla’s was also good, too. Musa, however, wrote with a scrawl; she and Stella were left-handed, but while Stella had copious handwriting lessons as a child, Musa hadn’t; therefore, she struggled the most with pen-magic coordination. Well, except for Bloom; she still couldn’t levitate the pen and write. She always wrote with her hand, which was way less efficient, but still somehow got her through all her exams. Timmy looked up at Tecna.

            “Hey,” he greeted her. “It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other.”

            “I know,” Tecna sighed. “I’m sorry – I’ve just been so busy with schoolwork.”

            Timmy frowned. “Yeah, Musa mentioned something about that just before you came down. She was sure you weren’t going to come, in fact. She says you’ve been in your room all day.”

            “I have.” Tecna couldn’t help but feel irritated. Why does everyone have to know about my business? “I’ll be okay, though. I’m just stressed.”

            “Tecna, you can talk to me,” Timmy said urgently. “I know it’s hard, being a cy” –

            “Shh!” Tecna covered Timmy’s mouth with her hand. Fortunately, no one seemed to have noticed. “Be careful!”

            “Sorry,” Timmy sighed. “But in all seriousness, Tec, you really do need help.”

            “I’ll think about it.” Tecna didn’t want to make any promises. Timmy sighed.

            “Okay,” he said. “Call me tonight, okay? I miss talking to you.”

            “Me too,” Tecna whispered, thinking of all the missed time she had from not talking to Timmy. But Vasiliev’s work comes first. She couldn’t stop herself from working hard. Turning around, she absentmindedly scribbled something on the paper, anxious to go back to her computer and work on his logs.

Octomensis 16 was Layla’s birthday. To celebrate, the girls went out to the beach, the sun shining brilliantly on them. Tecna had tried to smile as they swam, sat, and talked together, but she truly wasn't in the mood. The brightness of the sun kept bothering her eyes, after weeks of staying indoors for so long. Plus the heat is going to make me sweat all over my rusty joints… She sighed, feeling miserable.

She didn't seem like the only one, though. Layla was happy to be celebrating her birthday, but very nervous about the prospect of marrying someone she clearly didn't want to be with.

"I'm definitely calling this marriage off," she told the other girls.

"Well, you should try him out first," Bloom suggested. "If you really don't want to be with him, your parents can't force you."

Wow, looks like someone’s naïve, Tecna thought, holding in a snort. She has no choice. She might as well surrender her autonomy right now! Bitterness overtook her, and she slammed her spoon into her bowl of ice-cream, topped with mixed tropical fruits from Andros. On the other side of the table, she saw Flora cast her a worried look.

"He may be a nice guy," Layla said, "but that's not the point. I don't want to get married so soon! This is ridiculous!"

"I'll talk to your parents," Stella suggested, "and check out the boy myself."

"No thanks, Stel." Layla looked at Musa. "What do you think?"

“Honestly, I don’t know,” Musa frowned. “You’re in a mind-slappin’ situation right there, Lay. Just like the one on Melody.” She let out a frustrated sigh. “I can’t go back home for fall break.”

“Musa, I’m so sorry,” gasped Layla. “How bad is the situation?”

“It’s taken interrealm media attention,” Musa answered. “Apparently the portal’s become something like a tornado, sending violent winds and destroying houses in the area. Some people have been injured from contact with it. The news-crews are tryin’ ta enter, but the Melodian government has banned them. Even UR Defense forces have been banned from entry, now that two hooligan criminals snuck onto a ship and are jammin’ up Summa. Not only that, but there’s no music anymore. Singing voices and musical instruments don’t work anymore! That’s really tough, because the languages of Melody are tonal. It’s gotten so bad, a radical sect has gained traction, claiming we should relocate to another planet.”

“What?” Bloom gasped.

Good luck with that, Tecna thought, wincing as the heat burned her left arm. I’m gonna have sunburn now… She lowered her head, wishing she cared more for the Melodian situation at hand. But she was unable to concentrate, with all the heat and sweat over her metal joints.

“Well, the Realm of Melody owns a few planets in the same area, so it wouldn’t be too hard,” Musa answered. “They have very harsh environments, but with the right potions and enchantments, they could make it work – somehow. It’s not gonna happen, though. Nobody wants ta leave Melody. But the king’s got real ’tude, that’s for sure. I spoke ta Galatea, and even she doesn’t know why things are like this.”

“Do you think something’s going on with that portal?” Flora asked urgently. “Something so sinister, they can’t tell anyone?”

“I was kinda hopin’ ya wouldn’t say that,” Musa answered. “But I’m sure it’s not that bad.”

“Yeah,” Stella agreed. “It’s not like that portal’s gonna blow up the whole realm, right?”

“Are you joking right now, Stel?” Musa groaned, putting her face in her hands.

“Sorry,” Stella apologized instantly. “I didn’t mean” –

“It’s fine,” Musa muttered. “It’s just – I’m really worried about my dad, stuck at home alone. It was really hard for him when my mom died. Mama was so great – she taught me practically everything I’ve needed to know. And now she’s gone.”

Tecna stared down. She could tell the other Winx were silent, all staring at Musa sympathetically. Musa didn’t talk about her mother much, even though she’d been a big part of her life. But there wasn’t much she could say or do to help her. Musa’s eyes watered.

“If she were alive, she wouldn’t stand for this,” she said. “She’d write to Uncle Jun and get him to stop. It’s not right. He can’t keep it a secret like this!”

“Muse, that sounds terrible,” Layla said gently. “I can’t imagine how hard that must be.”

“I miss her,” Musa said sadly. “A part of me wishes she were back. I wish she were here to comfort me – with the problems on Melody, the situation with Valtor, and to stay with my dad so he isn’t alone. Sometimes I wish there were some way she’d be still alive.”

“Well, you’re here with us now,” Bloom answered. “And we’re not leaving you.”

Tecna watched as Layla and Bloom (who were sitting on either side of Musa) hugged their Melodian friend together. There was a silence, then Bloom turned to Tecna.

“What do you think, Tecna?” she asked. “You’ve been silent all this time, but you’re always up-to-date on the news. What do you think’s going to happen?”

Tecna didn’t have much to say after all that. Her ice-cream had fully melted in the sun’s gaze, and was completely inedible. "I don't know."

While they were heading back to the dorm, Flora pulled Tecna aside.

"Tecna, we're really worried about you," she said. "You haven’t eaten much, and you barely talked while we were on the beach. Are you o” –

“My answer hasn’t changed since two days ago,” Tecna said flatly.

“Then why aren’t you eating?”

Tecna racked her brain, trying to think of an excuse. She thought of all the work she had to do for Vasiliev.

"Avalon gave a lot of work," she finally said. "That's all it is. I have a lot of work from Palladium, too."

Flora nodded, though Tecna could tell Flora knew she was lying. She let out a sigh.

Another few weeks passed. Tecna continued working on her sets, pushing herself even farther with her skills. Push forward… The same words Avalon had used pushed her to work harder for Vasiliev.

She could no longer hide the black circles around her eyes, but she didn't care to. She'd cast an illusion charm so it looked as if she was sleeping, when in reality, she was doing her work under the covers. It was fooling Musa for now, but she didn't know how long it would work.

She closed her eyes. I can't think about this… please, let me survive. She sighed.

Please, let me get through this week…

Unfortunately, Tecna was not going to get through the week. In fact, things were spiraling further and further down, more and more out of her control.

Novemensis arrived, which meant finals. Enchantix fairies were excused from them – meaning, all the Winx but Bloom and Tecna. Out of the whole senior class, only Layla, Stella, Musa, and Flora had gotten their Enchantix, and were therefore exempt. The forty-two of them remaining groused about not being exempt and stood in line, waiting for their room assignments to commence. They would be in this room for the rest of exam week, and would get their results promptly by Sunday.

"Surnames A to F, you're with Professor Athena," Griselda called. "G to K, you're with Professor Avalon. L to O, you're with Professor DuFour. And P to Z, you're with Professor Palladium."

Just my luck I had to end up with Avalon, thought Tecna as the elf ushered them into the room. Bloom gave her a thumbs-up while following Palladium, which she returned halfheartedly.

All that week, she was in a state of panic. She guessed on half the written portion for Palladium's class and all for Wizkiz. She wrote two sentences for her essay in the Whisperian language. The Internet, as always, was shut down during exam-week. Her mind was abuzz the entire time, overflowing with confusion, then anxiety, then terror.

I must pass, she thought feverishly, scribbling on the paper. I MUST. I cannot fail. Focus, Tecna, focus! But no matter how hard she tried, her mind went blank, and more often than not, she collapsed on the desk.

Then came the practical part. It was administered in all five of Tecna's classes, and proctored by each respective teacher. Girls stood in alphabetical order, waiting for their names to be called. The other girls spoke to each other feverishly, panicking about the exam.

"I'm gonna fail."

"I swear I haven't studied enough."

"I'm not going to graduate."

"Oh, why didn't I study plant transformations harder?"

SHUT UP! A storm was brewing in Tecna's mind. I don't want to hear about it! You're making it worse! She glared at the girls, but they took no notice; they were all too worried for themselves.

She was unable to transform into a lily when Wizkiz asked her to. Her grammar in spoken Whisperian was poor, and she couldn’t even maintain a dialogue through the oral test. Griselda had her duel a foe tailored specially for her; she was slammed unceremoniously into the wall. She couldn’t connect with a computer network, something she’d have had no problem with before.

But the worst performance, by far, was in Avalon's exam.

It was Friday, Novemensis 13, the last day of exams. It was mainly for all the students taking electives; therefore, many of the others were gone by now. He had her sit down in a mat, and sat down next to her, directing her to look into a crystal ball. "Reach into the recesses of your mind. I want you to perform a hypnosis sensational, one which will require great attention and calm. Empty your mind."

But Tecna couldn't empty her mind. She stared at the crystal ball, her head whirling with tasks she had to do. Reach my six-hundred-thousandth set. Go out to lunch with Bloom. Reach my six-hundred-thousandth set. Do a makeover with Stella. Reach my six-hundred-thousandth set. Meet Palladium for extra coaching. Reach my six-hundred-thousandth set...

Something black obscured her vision, starting as a dot in front of her, then expanding all across her view. Then her neural networks buzzed, and white-hot pain coursed through her limbs. The electricity was consuming her, eating her alive...

She woke up in the infirmary, breathless and exhausted. Nurse Ofelia was standing over her, hands on her hips.

"What have you been doing, young lady?"

"I" – Tecna stared at her. What happened? Why am I here?

"You've been working too hard," Ofelia said severely. "This is what happens when you don't pace yourself! You haven't given yourself rest at all!"

"That's not true!" Tecna cried. "I haven't studied at all!"

"Indeed." Faragonda stood in the doorway, looking unusually grave. "You failed all of your exams, Tecna. Your highest score was a 38% in Whisperian Composition and the lowest a 4% in Magiphilosophy. This was with both the written portion and practical part combined. Your final grade in Magiphilosophy is a 59%, just below the passing score." Her gaze skewered the girl lying on the bed. "Do you understand what this means?"

Nurse Ofelia blocked Faragonda, her eyes flashing. "The girl needs rest now, Faragonda, not more stress! You can talk to her about exams later!"

"This cannot wait," said Faragonda severely. "Normally, I would agree, but with Valtor on the rise, the situation is much more grave. Tecna, listen to me."

Tecna unwillingly met the headmistress's eyes.

"You have always been a good student. In the few classes I've had you, you've been a pleasure to teach, innovative and a skilled learner. This year, everything has taken a turn for you, and you've been on a downward slide from day one. Therefore, I ask you: what is going on in your life that is preventing you from pushing forward?"

The same question Avalon and Palladium asked me, Tecna thought. She stared up at Headmistress Faragonda.

"I cannot say."

"Then you will remain on campus all of next semester," said Faragonda. "You will not leave the grounds for any reason, not until you tell me what's going on. You are also on academic probation until your grades come up."

Tecna couldn't answer, couldn't even muster any feeling at this. The truth was, she was beyond caring at this point. Nothing really matters anymore... Faragonda left the room, leaving Nurse Ofelia to feed her Sleeping Potion. She eventually gave way, allowing the potion to force her into a dreamless sleep.

"Tecna!"

The pink-haired girl jumped as Digit flew into her arms. She stared tiredly at the pixie, too exhausted to even shoo her away.

She had just been discharged from the infirmary, on Ofelia's severe warning that she'd better rest and eat well from now on. Not going to happen... Digit stared up at her, her voice a squeak as she spoke.

"You know, I think you should tell Ms. Faragonda everything."

Tecna stared at Digit in horror. All she could say was, "What?"

"Tecna, she'll understand," Digit answered. "She'll understand that you're a cyborg, and that you have some work to do for Vasiliev's company. That's all it is, right?"

Tecna grimaced. Although Digit knew that Tecna worked for a man in Zenith and had computer wiring, she didn't know about the threats she was constantly hoarded with under his guardianship. Or about what he'd done to her. She shuddered at the memory, purposefully keeping her face blank. I can't, I can't...

"Tecna?" Digit was staring at her. "What do you think?"

"Digit, this is completely illogical," Tecna said. "First of all, if Faragonda finds I'm a cyborg, she'll expel me from Alfea. There's a reason we've been keeping it a secret, and it's because cyborgs aren't allowed at UR Defense schools." No school will accept us, because our computerized brains give us an advantage over everyone. Supposedly.

"So?" Digit asked. "Faragonda won't care. Besides, she can't expel you now, not after you've proven yourself so many times!"

"Digit, the answer is no!" Tecna snapped, rage building up in her. "You are so naïve! I'm not going to jeopardize myself just because" –

The sound of a door slamming open made her shut her mouth, and she turned around and stared. Flora was walking into the room, followed by Layla, Musa, and Stella.

"We heard voices yelling," Musa said uncertainly. "Um… Tec, are you okay?"

Flora walked forward and took Tecna's hands. "Sweetie, what happened? Faragonda said you were in the infirmary. We tried to come in but Nurse Ofelia wouldn't let us, because you were sleeping."

"What happened?" demanded Layla.

Tecna looked up hopelessly at her friends. "I failed my exams," she said.

"And?" Stella prompted her.

"I'm not allowed to leave campus."

Silence. Every girl stared at Tecna, at a loss for words.

"So, what are you going to do?" Layla asked finally.

"I have to work harder," Tecna answered. She could feel the stares of the girls on her face. "I need to get my degree. There's no other way."

"But you work too hard!" Stella exclaimed. "Seriously, girl, you need to just chill and sit back for once. If I worked this hard, I'd" –

"No," Tecna cut her off. "I have to do this."

"Enough is enough." Musa glared at her. "You're killing yourself, Tec. Ya bonkers, doing all this for Symphonia-knows-what-reason. Ya need ta stop, or else we'll" –

"Stay out of this!" Tecna fired; Musa took a step back, alarmed by her tone. "It's none of your business, all of you! Stay out of this, or else I'll" –

Bloom burst into the room. Tecna stopped herself as she saw Bloom's red hair over her face; she was clearly crying. Flora walked up to her roommate and stared at her. "Sweetie, what's happened to you?"

"Ms. Faragonda just told me everything," Bloom sniffed. "It - it's horrible."

"What happened?" Stella demanded, sitting her friend down.

"She told me more about Valtor," Bloom sobbed. "He's more than just my uncle – he's one of the deadliest enemies the Company of Light ever faced. And... he – he" – She put her hands over her face.

"Go on," said Layla gently.

"He's going to come after me," Bloom cried. "We're mortal enemies. And – I won't be able to fight him, girls. I'll never get my Enchantix! The entire Galaxy of Magix is going to fall, and it'll be all my fault!"

"So what?" Tecna snapped suddenly. "So what if you don't defeat him? He's going to win anyways! And it doesn't matter whether it's you or someone else."

Musa turned around slowly. "Have you gone insane?"

"Maybe I have," Tecna snarled, "because I am sick of hearing about everyone's problems! First you with your stupid arranged marriage" – she pointed to Layla – "then you with your precious Domino!"

"I don't know what's with you!" Bloom grounded her teeth in fury. "You're being totally unsupportive right now, Tecna!"

"Yeah," Stella added. "And that's totally not cool. Friends don't diss friends like that."

"Maybe you should all just stop loading your emotional baggage on everyone!" Tecna snapped back. "I may have problems, but I don't load them on people!"

"Aha!" said Musa suddenly. "So there is a problem!"

Tecna said nothing. All she did was get up and slam the door to her room, throwing herself facedown on her bed. But the accusing glares of her friends burned into her head all night, and she just couldn't do sets for Vasiliev. She was asleep by the time Musa opened the door.

Chapter Text

Alfea College for Fairies

SEMESTER II

999-1000 Academic Year

Headmistress: Faragonda Echo

Deputy Headmistress: Griselda Lykaios

Departments of Curricula:

Practical Magic (PM) – classes focusing on spells. Head: Professor Palladium

Defense Magic (DM) – classes focusing on battle. Head: Professor Griselda

Physical Magic (FM) – classes focusing on maneuvers. Head: Professor DuFour

Creative Magic (CM) – classes focusing on creating potions or art. Head: Professor Chika

Theoretical Magic (TM) – classes focusing on history/philosophy. Head: Professor Athena

Applied Magic (AM) – classes such as convergence or healing. Head: Professor Panacea

Graduation-Requirements:

            All students are required to take at least five classes a semester to remain in good academic standing. Each class is 5 credits. Students must take 5 credits of Defense Magic (DM) and 5 credits of the same language (LM) each semester, and 5 credits of Practical Magic (PM) each year. In addition, freshmen must take 5 credits of Aeroflynamics (FM) and 5 credits of Mission Planning (PM), and sophomores must take 5 credits of Convergence (AM). Seniors who gain their Enchantix powers will swap Advanced Battle (DM) for Higher Art Training (DM).

            To graduate, a student must have 30 total credits in one language (LM), 30 total credits in Defense Magic (DM), and 15 credits total in Practical Magic (PM). There must be 10 credits for each of the other departments. There are 115 required credits of core classes and 35 required credits of electives – 150 credits total for classes.

            In addition, there are three components, one corresponding to each year: Courage, Character, and Sacrifice. They are granted based off of satisfactory acquisition of Winx, Charmix, and Enchantix, respectively. Students must receive 10 credits in each – 30 credits total.

            In total, 180 credits are needed to graduate.

Name: Andros, Layla Amina Fatima

Title: Fairy of Fluids

Realm: The Kingdom of Andros

Advisor: Chang, Lin “DuFour”

Class of: 1000

            Chang, Lin – Advanced Flight Maneuvers (Tues & Thurs; 17:10-18:30)

            **Adamos, Codatorta – Introductory Dueling 2 (Tues & Thurs; 08:10-09:30)

            Farzad, Nasreen – Advanced Barquese 2 (online)

            Lykaios, Griselda – Advanced Battle 2 (Mon & Wed; 11:10-12:30)

            Agnes, Athena – Advanced Realmwide History (online)

**Note: class offered by Red Fountain

Name: Fernández, Flora

Realm: The Queendom of Linphea

Name: Fernández, Flora

Title: Fairy of Nature

Realm: The Queendom of Linphea

Advisor: Agnes, Panacea

Class of: 1000

            Chang, Lin – Advanced Aeroflynamics (Mon & Wed; 15:40-17:00)

            Lykaios, Griselda – Advanced Battle 2 (Tues & Thurs; 11:10-12:30)

            Korsakov, Dmitri – Advanced Unified Zenithian 2 (online)

            Agnes, Athena – Intermediate Realmwide History (online)

            Yamamoto, Chika – History of Warlock Power (online)

Name: Ivanova, Anastasia Marie

Title: Fairy of Technology

Realm: The People’s Republic of Zenith

Advisor: Palermo, Palladium

Class of: 1000

            Lykaios, Griselda – Advanced Battle 2 (Mon & Wed; 11:10-12:30)

            Palermo, Palladium – Enchantbound (Tues & Thurs; 12:40-14:00)

            Palermo, Palladium – Inventing Spells (Mon & Wed; 17:10-18:30)

            *Rodriguez, Juan – Advanced Computing (online)

            *Rodriguez, Juan – Spyware, Intelligence, and Coding (online)

            Tanaka, Keiko – Advanced Whisperian 2 (online)

*Note: placed out of Introductory and Intermediate Computing.

***Note: taking six classes due to failing Intermediate Magiphilosophy

Name: Nakamura, Mirta Fujin

Title: Fairy of Illusions

Realm: The Warlocks’ Realm of Whisperia

Advisor: Yamamoto, Chika

Class of: 1002

            Acacia, Jessica – Beginner Unified Linphean 2 (Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs; 15:40-16:00)

            Choudary, Faragonda – Mission Strategies (Tues & Thurs; 09:40-11:00)

            **Khatri, Krishnan – Introductory Aviation (Mon & Wed; 12:40-14:00)

            Palermo, Palladium – Introductory Battle 2 (Tues & Thurs; 08:10-09:30)

            Rodriguez, Juan – Introductory Metamorphosis (Mon & Wed; 09:40-11:00)

**Note: class taken at Red Fountain

Name: Peters, Bloom

Title: Fairy of the Dragon Flame

Realm: Earth

Advisor: Donadieu, Avalon

Class of: 1000

            **Adamos, Codatorta – Introductory Dragon Wrangling (Tues & Thurs; 09:40-11:00)

            Chang, Lin – Advanced Aeroflynamics (Mon & Wed; 15:40-17:00)

            Kreisler, Liesel – Advanced Eraklyonese 2 (online)

            Lykaios, Griselda – Advanced Battle 2 (Tues & Thurs; 11:10-12:30)

            Palermo, Palladium – Enchantbound (Tues & Thurs; 12:40-14:00)

**Note: class taught at Red Fountain

Name: di Solaria, Stella Lucia Calisto

Title: Fairy of the Sun and the Moon

Realm: The United Realms of Solaria and Lunaria

Advisor: Rodriguez, Juan “Wizkiz”

Class of: 1000

            ó Ceallaigh, Brian – Advanced Summian 2 (online)

            Lykaios, Griselda – Advanced Battle 2 (Tues & Thurs; 11:10-12:30)

            Palermo, Palladium – Inventing Spells (Mon & Wed; 17:10-18:30)

            Agnes, Panacea – Weather Predictions (Mon & Wed; 18:40-20:00)

            Agnes, Athena – Intermediate Realmwide History (online)

Name: Xi, Musa Matlin

Title: Fairy of Music

Realm: The Realm of Melody

Advisor: Agnes, Athena

Class of: 1000

            Aziz, Aaliyah – Advanced Androsian 2 (online)

            Chang, Lin – Advanced Aeroflynamics (Mon & Wed; 15:40-17:00)

            Donadieu, Avalon – History of Spells, Charms, and Enchantments (online)

            Lykaios, Griselda – Advanced Battle 2 (Tues & Thurs; 11:10-12:30)

            **Vavilova, Lilac – Introductory Hoverbiking (Mon & Wed; 09:40-11:00)

**Note: class taught at Red Fountain.

Chapter Text

Previously on AUP…

              A sudden rumble made everyone stop in their tracks. King Radius stared at everyone, his eyes wide.

            Then rain began to fall.

            Stella's dress burst open at the seams. Her skin color changed from tan to green, and she let out an agonizing yell.

            "My daughter!" cried King Radius, reeling in pain. "What is going on?"

            Countess Cassandra stepped up and glared down at Stella.

            "This is not your daughter," she announced. "Guards, take it into custody immediately!"

 ***

"Look, Professor, all we want to do is defend our school," Flora said weakly. “We need to know what's going on.”

"I already told you," Avalon answered. "These aren't my rules."

"But don't you remember being trapped in Shadowhaunt?" Flora pressed on. "Didn't you feel helpless? Well, that's how we feel right now. We need to save Alfea!"

Something in Avalon's gaze shifted. Green eyes met brown. He stared, and then finally nodded.

"Alright, I will tell you," he said. “I'll tell you, because I believe you are more mature than the other girls, and because you are Head Girl. But I don't want you telling anyone else.”

  ***

"Okay." Bloom looked at her list. "Question number 3 – er, this is a weird one" –

"What is it?" Musa asked.

"If you were alone with a really pretty girl and, out of nowhere, she told you that she like liked you, would you a) start to sweat nervously, b) reciprocate her feelings, or c) run out the room?"

For a moment, there was silence. Flora stared around awkwardly, and the other girls looked startled.

Finally, Stella spoke. "Um… 'c' all the way? How awkward is that?"

"It's not that weird," Musa said. "There're gay men in my hometown. They're fairly chill. Although, in that situation… I'd definitely vote 'a'."

"My parents have some gay friends," Bloom asked. "But I'm with Musa on this. It'd be totally awkward if another girl had the hots for me."

“It's just… unusual." Layla sat down, her arms crossed. "About a few centuries ago, there was a prince in the Androsian royal family who announced on interrealm television that he was gonna marry another man. Let's just say it didn't go well. Yeah… I feel bad for those people.”

"How weird would it be if someone was like that here at Alfea?" Stella asked.

CHAPTER 17: EL DÍA DEL AMOR

"It's pleasant out here, isn't it?" Flora's mother asked her as they sat down on the porch steps.

It was now fall break. After exams, students received a break from school, going home to spend time with their families. Musa had gone to Andros with Layla, making up for their missed time together in the spring. It was usually four weeks, but the schools had decided to change it to only two weeks, so that Alfea and Red Fountain would start their second semester earlier. Though the Cloud Tower students and faculty (with the exception of Headmistress Griffin) had been freed, Valtor still had Cloud Tower. As there was no room for them at either Alfea or Red Fountain, the witches were still at the Magix Refugee Center, while waiting for UR Defense Forces to help save their headmistress. They’d tried launching several missions to win back their school, all without success.

In addition, Valtor had the treasures of over half the UR now. Melody, Solaria, Fulgur, Andros, Eraklyon, Whisperia, and now Summa. With their treasures gone, each realm was more chaotic than ever: the suns and moons of Solaria hadn’t been visible for months; Fulgur was still attacked by colossal storms; though the hexes on the merfolk had worn off, Andros was still besieged by hurricanes; Eraklyon was getting earthquakes now; Whisperia was blindingly bright all day (it was supposed to be Realm of the Night); and Summa faced the threat of the opposing element in each of its kingdoms – earthquakes in the Kingdom of Air, floods in the Kingdom of Fire, wildfires and droughts in the Kingdom of Water, twisters in the Kingdom of Earth, and twisters, chills, droughts, and earthquakes/tsunamis all on the Spirit Islands. No one really knew what was happening on Melody, because the Melodian government had banned the news media from entering.

All that was left were Magix, Zenith, Rêve, and strangely enough, Linphea. Why didn’t he conquer Linphea first? Aren’t we the easiest targets? She sighed, gazing at the ground.

"Flora, what's going on?" her mother asked in concern.

"Sorry, Mamá," Flora responded. "I'm just worried about a lot of things. The safety of the Galaxy is at stake. And we're facing a lot of trouble at Alfea as well. What are we going to do?"

Her mother reached for her hand.

"I know it's hard, Flora," she said, "but you will be able to prevail. I believe that everything happens for a reason. They chose you for that school because they knew you'd be able to help the world, and you already have. Have faith in yourself. Just trust that, no matter what, you will defeat Valtor."

"Okay," Flora said uncertainly, only slightly soothed. Mamá sighed.

"I am a priestess," she said, "and there is only so much I can tell you, Flora. But I believe in you. Just trust in your friends, your teachers, and your school. You will get through this."

I don't know, Flora thought. The truth was, she was too worried about her friends to be able to trust in them. We'll have to get through this. She leaned heavily back against the steps.

They sat silently together, the breeze rustling past the Linphean trees. The cool wind soothed Flora's heart, and she closed her eyes, allowing her mother's wisdom to seep in. The birds chirped gently, a soothing lullaby to Flora's fears.

What Flora didn't know was that this would be the last time she saw her family in a long time. Her troubles weren't ending – in fact, they were just about to begin.

The second semester started amicably enough, autumn well on its way. The Winx girls returned back to Alfea, spending every weekend enjoying the cooler weather. That was, the weekends they could. Enchantix training was much more intense than Winx or Charmix, and Flora struggled initially to master the moves Faragonda taught her.

Before their dismissal home, Faragonda had announced they were opening classes for Alfea sophomores and seniors at Red Fountain. The girls could take a course in Dueling, Dragon Wrangling, Hoverbiking, or Aviation. The girls observed the class lists with interest.

"Kicking a boy's butt with a sword would be totally fun," Layla said, signing up for Dueling.

"I've always wondered how it'd be to ride that hoverbike," added Musa.

"I'd love to fly those spaceships on missions," Mirta grinned.

"And I'd really like to take a class in taming dragons!" Bloom said cheerfully. "It'd probably get me more in-tune with my powers. I mean, I am the Fairy of the Dragon Fire, after all."

Flora had no time to take these classes; since she was the Head Girl, she had far too many duties. Stella claimed she would lose time with her snookums, but Flora knew that was only part of the reason why. Stella needed to focus solely on her Alfea coursework so she could graduate. Although she'd passed her final exam by gaining her Enchantix, Alfea seniors still needed to get a passing score in each of their classes to graduate.

But no one was in more jeopardy than Tecna. She was banned from leaving campus, and was under academic probation in all of her classes. In addition to a full courseload of five classes, she had to take a sixth, to replace the credits she’d lost from failing Magiphilosophy. Obviously this meant she couldn't take a Red Fountain class, but that was the least of her problems. Flora was the only Winx girl she would even talk to.

"Here," she had said, passing Tecna some herbal tea, "drink it."

Tecna said nothing, though a glimmer of gratitude shined in her face. She lay down on her bed, a dull ache in her eyes. Heart filled with sorrow, Flora sat down next to her best friend.

"I wish you would tell us what's going on," she said softly.

"I can't," Tecna whispered. Her naturally white face was even paler than normal. "If I could, Flora, I would. But it's just too much."

"Then let it out," Flora insisted.

"No," Tecna said weakly. That was all she said. She turned around in the bed, closing her eyes, and Flora could press the issue no further.

Anyways, she had a duty to attend to. She, Jared, and Lucy were heading to Gloomy Woods’ Forest to see the Cloud Tower students who’d managed to escape, and to offer them support. She pulled on a sprigged rose-and-buttercup dress, with yellow autumn leaves in her hair. Finishing applying her makeup, she headed out the door, down the steps to the quad.

            She walked through the gates and towards the forest; soon she reached the place they’d agreed to meet. Jared was already there, standing with Zara. He waved at her as she skipped over to him, her dress flying in the air.

            The witches were grumbling; most of the freshmen and sophomores were staring defiantly at Flora and Jared. Though the seniors were better-rounded, as they’d fought at Alfea during the Battle of Magix, the other witches didn’t seem to care all that much for the fairs. Some of the other members of the Alliance Club were there, which was basically just the Pixies; The Winx and Specialists couldn’t make it, as they were all busy with classes. Even Mirta wasn’t there; she had Aviation class at Red Fountain. She stood in front of them, gazing at the group.

            “Hello,” she said. “I’m glad you came to see us.”

            Still more grumbling; clearly, the witches were not all that impressed. One of the witches raised her hands.

            “Good to see you’re all living it up,” she sneered. “Too bad Alfea wouldn’t let us board safely there, instead ditching us to a refugee center in Magix.”

            Flora winced. Unlike the time when the Army of Decay had attacked, Faragonda had not allowed the witches of Cloud Tower to stay with them; Valtor’s mind-controlling spells were still a concern, and she was worried they might still be under Valtor’s control to an extent. “I’m sorry,” she said instead.

            “You say you’re going to help us,” another girl spat. “You fairs only bother to consort with warlocks when it’s convenient for you. Not that we need help from stupid pixies!”

            “We don’t tolerate racial slurs,” Flora said calmly. “Pixie” was a common term amongst warlocks for fairs, and was meant to denote weakness. As real pixies had nearly been wiped out by the Pixie Genocides of the Age of Blood, they were considered to be inferior by the witches, and therefore, they used that term to harass fairs.

            “Yeah!” Chatta shouted, looking angry. “Have you ever seen a real pixie in action? Lemme tell you, we’re real” –

            “Chatta!” Flora said warningly, and Chatta fell silent. “Thank you. Now, I want today to be a productive meeting. Let all the animosity go, just for the next hour. We really do want to help.”

            “That’s right.” Lucy stepped out of the crowd, standing next to Flora. “We are all working together to make things better for all of us. The ultimate goal is to defeat Valtor. Let us all work together, and then we can put this behind us.”

            A few murmurs; clearly, Lucy was very much respected amongst the witches. Flora smiled at her.

            “Thank you,” she said. To Jared she added, “Do you have any things to say?”

            The Head Boy of Red Fountain stepped forward.

            “We’ve spoken to the UR Defense School Board for Cloud Tower,” he said, “and they’ve got a lot to say. For starters, they’re sending social workers to interview all the Cloud Tower students. I know most of you don’t want to go back to your home realms, because you want to help in the effort against Valtor. They’re going to offer you free counseling to help with the trauma of the invasion.”

            The witches stared up at them, looking surprised. Lucy smiled.

            “Best of all,” she said, “the UR Defense Association is planning a student rescue mission for Cloud Tower. The seniors and sophomores of each of the three schools will be involved in the attack. Faragonda and Saladin are working with the Association and will be providing more details soon. They are communicating through us. They wanted to let you know so you understand that hope is still there.”

            The students looked shocked. A freshman girl began sobbing. “Thank you so much”… She collapsed to the ground.

            “I thought the UR had forgotten about us,” a sophomore girl whispered.

            “Well, we haven’t,” Flora declared. “You may be witches, but you belong to the same Association as us. We’re all in this together.” She raised her hand. “For Magix!”

            “For Magix!” the students cheered, emboldened. Flora smiled, turning around.

            Her phone rang. Surprised, Flora stepped off to the side as the meeting dispersed, the Cloud Tower students enthusiastically interacting with the Alfea and Red Fountain students. It’s great they’re all getting along together! She picked up, and Mirta's face appeared as a hologram above the screen.

"Mirta!" Flora breathed. They hadn't seen much of each other lately; what with Flora's Head Girl responsibilities and Mirta's Aviation class at Red Fountain, there had been no time to go out together.

"Do you remember what day it is today?"

"What is it?" Flora rubbed her eyes, trying to remember. What with everything going on...

"Día del Amor!"

Flora shot her head up. Today was a special Linphean holiday that fell exactly on the half-moon, celebrated by couples who professed their love to one another. She gasped out loud.

"I'm so sorry, I totally forgot!"

"Not to worry!" Mirta grinned. "Just meet me at the grove near Lake Roccaluce."

"What for?" Flora asked.

"I've got a surprise for you."

The winds rustled as Flora made her way through the quad. Her feet were bare as she walked into the forest, laughing at the soft, squishy feel of the earth beneath her.

This is beautiful, she thought. A quiet, relaxed day with her girlfriend. Linphèana knew she needed one, especially after all that had happened.

She reached the grove, which was empty. Guess Mirta hasn't arrived here yet. She sat down on the grass, leaning back and stretching contentedly.

And then she froze as she heard a voice.

Flora sat up, grass sticking onto her skirt. She dusted herself quickly, standing up – but not fast enough. Bloom, Stella, Musa, and Layla appeared, and stopped as soon as they saw her standing there awkwardly, staring in surprise.

"Hey, Flo, where'd ya come from?" Musa asked.

Where'd you come from? Flora thought, her mind racing. This wasn't supposed to happen. Mirta and I are supposed to spend time by ourselves!

"Hey, what's with the dress?" Stella had caught Flora's dress, and was admiring the cut and the shape.

Flora shrank back, but Stella was in no rush. She laughed triumphantly.

"I knew it!" she laughed. "You're finally going out with a boy!"

"Stella!" Bloom and Musa called out.

"So?" Stella goaded. "Who is he? Tall? Handsome? Is he brave and strong, or is he a total nerd?"

Flora winced. I should text Mirta and tell her not to meet me here... But there was no way for her to text without Stella prying the phone out of her hands.

"Or maybe he's quiet and reflective, like you!" Stella continued on. "I'm assuming an artist, 'cause come on, you totally dig that stuff. Just give me his number and I'll make sure he treats you like a princess" –

"Stella," said Layla, quietly. "We came out here to talk about important stuff, not some stupid boy."

"Oh, sorry," Stella jumped up, remembering. "Flora, why don't you be a darling and join us? You're good at helping with this stuff."

How could Flora say no? She sighed, nodding as they walked towards the lake.

“These past few weeks have just been insane,” Musa said. “There’re just way too many things going on – and none of them good. What with Melody’s situation, Lay’s engagement, the Solarian royal wedding” –

“We have to do something!” Stella cried immediately. “I can’t believe Countess Cassandra hasn’t been evicted by now! I was hoping the situation would resolve itself, but look at what’s happened! She is such a scumbag!”

“You were there over break, right?” Layla asked. “Weren’t you able to spy on her? If you collected some intel, then we can figure something out.”

“I was going to go home,” Stella complained, “but then Chimera and I got into this huge fight on the phone. I told her she’d better not get in my way, and she got her dear mommy to scream at me for thirty minutes. Daddy told me it’d be better to just stay at Mom’s place in Lunaria, so I wouldn’t get into trouble.” She buried her face in her hands.

“Well, it looks like we’ve got some weddings to crash,” Musa declared. “We’ve just gotta figure out how to expose Countess Crooked, and then we’re all set.”

They reached the lakefront, gazing into the surface of Lake Roccaluce. Bloom knelt down, placing her hands into the water and soaking in its energy.

"This lake always calms me," she said. "I mean, this is where Daphne's spirit resides, after she was cursed. And it's where I got the Dragon Fire back."

Flora nodded absentmindedly, thinking quietly to herself, Mirta, Mirta, Mirta...

"I mean, Daphne was so brave," Bloom said, a tear dripping into the lake. "She sacrificed herself to save me from the Ancestral Witches. I'd like to think I'm as brave as her, but I don't know that I am."

Flora felt a wave of pity overcome her. She reached for Bloom's hand.

"It'll be all right, sweetie; trust me," she said. "I know you'll be able to face him. Even though you've both got the Dragon Fire, which means your fates will be tied, you'll still be able to stand up against him."

Bloom recoiled as if Flora's touch was made of lightning.

"What?" asked Flora, startled. "What did I say?"

"You said the exact same thing Faragonda told me," Bloom gasped. "How did you know he has the Dragon Fire?"

"I" – Flora stared around helplessly as the other girls cast her confused looks. "Well" –

She scanned her brain frantically, trying to think of an excuse. But she realized very quickly there was no way around the truth. I have to tell them. She sighed.

“A few months ago, I came across Avalon in the middle of the night,” she admitted. "He told me all this stuff about Valtor and his powers. About Bloom's fate being entwined with Valtor's."

"You mean you knew about this the whole time and didn't tell any of us?" Bloom gasped.

"Avalon made me swear to secrecy, I wasn't allowed to tell anyone" –

"You knew all this time and didn't tell us." This time Layla didn't even bother to phrase it as a question.

Flora stared at her friends hopelessly. She wished, with all her heart, that she could just retrace her steps and go back on what she'd said. But it was far too late. "I" –

"Flora, the best girlfriend in the world!" Mirta came running towards her, wearing a neon red jumpsuit and a pot of flores del iris in her hands. "Surprise! I'm sorry these flowers haven't budded yet, but I really wanted to surprise you and" –

She stopped as she saw the four other Winx girls standing behind Flora, their arms crossed. Mirta's eyes went wide, and she backed down, her arms trembling.

"Seems you've been keeping a lot of things from us," Layla said flatly.

Flora stared at her friends' gazes, all of which had gone from supportive to grim in two seconds. What just happened? Finally, it was Stella who spoke.

"How long have you been dating Mirta?"

Flora swallowed. "For about eight months now."

"And you didn't tell us?" Bloom asked. "Why not?"

"I" – In the corner of her eyes, Flora saw Mirta backing up slowly, her eyes downcast and terrified. "I thought – I thought you'd think differently about me. That you'd stop wanting to be seen with me after finding out I was gay."

Now Layla exploded. Flora shrank back as the dark-haired girl glared at her, rage in her eyes.

“And I suppose you thought the same thing about Valtor having the Dragon Fire? That you couldn’t tell us because you’d hurt our tender sensitive feelings? Flora, we’ve been through everything together! The Trix, Darkar’s conquest, the Codex trials, the Wildlands – everything! And to not tell us something that could’ve affected all of us? We could’ve all been in serious danger!”

“You kept it from us,” Bloom said angrily. “You didn’t tell us about your relationship with Mirta, when we’ve never kept secrets from each other. Worst of all, you didn’t tell us what we – I – needed to know, about the Dragon Fire! That’s just betrayal!”

"How can you expect us to trust you if you can't trust us?" Musa added.

With a sinking feeling, Flora stared at the other girls.

"I'm sorry"… she said weakly.

"Clearly not sorry enough." Stella's voice cut through the air like stone.

Flora turned towards Mirta, who was standing with a frozen, horrified expression on her face.

"We should go," she said quietly, putting her arm around Mirta. The two walked silently away from the grove.

“I can’t believe this,” Mirta whispered. “I just can’t believe this.”

They were in Mirta's dorm. The two girls were crying, sniffing as the insufferably cheerful sun shined in the sky. Flora put her arms around Mirta and rocked her quietly, closing her eyes.

"How could this have gone so wrong?" Mirta whispered.

Flora didn't know. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “This is all my fault.”

“How?” Mirta demanded.

“I should’ve told them about the Dragon Flame,” Flora whispered. “I really should’ve. I could’ve hurt everyone by not telling them” –

“Flora, this isn’t your fault.” Now Mirta grabbed Flora by the waist. “You kept it from them for a reason. They weren’t ready to know.”

“But they’re my friends,” Flora whispered, remembering what Bloom said: “We’ve never kept secrets from each other.”

They been through so much in the past two years, too. Whether it was fighting the Trix, defeating Darkar, rescuing the pixies, or even just bickering, they’d been like a family. How could I be so stupid not to tell them? Now they would never want to speak to her again.

“It’s still not your fault,” Mirta insisted. “Believe me, I know.” She frowned miserably. “What’re we gonna do now?”

"I don't know," Flora answered. "I just don't know."

That Monday, Flora woke up with a start to hear her phone ringing. Who is this? She stared as she saw Faragonda’s caller ID on the phone.

What? Faragonda had given her the office phone number, so that Flora could contact her in case of any emergency; their phone communications, though, had always been to a minimum. What’s going on? Heart pounding, she picked up. “Hello?”

“Flora.” Faragonda’s voice was stern. “To my office. Now.”

Confused, Flora headed out the door, not even bothering to change out of her nightgown. Leaving the apartment, she headed out past the seniors’ apartments, to Faragonda’s office. Opening the door, she stared forward.

Faragonda and Griselda were standing in front of her, looking grim. Faragonda had a laptop on her desk; turning it around, she showed Flora footage from the Triple M.

BREAKING NEWS: COUNTESS CASSANDRA AND DAUGHTER REVEALED AS TRAITORS, the headline read. PRINCESS STELLA AND FRIENDS CRASH WEDDING, RECLAIM THRONE.

Below that was an image of Stella, Bloom, Musa, and Layla, each wearing an identical black suit with an orange, blue, red, or green stripe on the side, respectively. They were all wearing biker helmets and waving at the camera, though rain was falling behind them. Flora stared at the screen in stunned horror. They defeated Cassandra? And... without telling me?

Then she realized. Yesterday was the wedding! Today was Decemensis 7, and the other Winx had left campus the evening before, claiming they'd be back by night. Flora, worn out from Enchantix training and her Head Girl duties, had crashed at nineteen o'clock, without any clue as to where they'd gone.

            “Did you know about this?” Griselda demanded.

            “No,” Flora stammered. “I didn’t!”

            “But you are so close with your friends.” Faragonda frowned. “You must’ve known.”

            “I didn’t know when they went to Andros without telling me,” Flora pointed out. They ditched me back then, too… of course… The Winx had never truly seen her as one of them? Was that what she was finding out now?

            “Are you covering this up?” Griselda’s eyes were narrowed. “You’re in a lot of trouble, Miss Flora. Especially as Head Girl, you can’t keep information secret that’ll compromise any student’s safety” –

            “I didn’t know about it, okay?” Flora cried. First the others, now Faragonda and Griselda? “Why won’t anyone listen to me? I told you I didn’t know!” She forced the tears out of her eyes.

            She could see Faragonda and Griselda staring at her. Faragonda motioned for Flora to sit in front of her, and she did so. “What is going on?”

            “What?” Flora asked wearily.

            “Why are you so upset?” Faragonda pressed on. “Is there something going on?”

            Flora thought about what her friends had said. She didn’t want to tell Faragonda anything about their fight; it still stung, days later. She thought of Tecna, who was the only one who wasn’t judging her. Tecna, who was in so much pain right now…

            “I’m worried about Tecna,” she said. “Really worried. She’s in bed practically all day now.”

            “For how long?” Faragonda looked even more concerned.

            “A few days,” Flora answered. “She’s not doing well at all. She’s really sick!”

            “We need to speak with her,” Faragonda declared. “Let’s go.” She stood up, heading out the door; Flora and Griselda followed behind. Reaching her apartment, Flora unlocked the door for all of them. Just as she pushed the door open, a scream came from inside Tecna and Musa’s room.

            “Tecna!” Flora ran forward, shoving open Tecna’s door.

            Tecna was hunched over on her bed, sobbing. She banged her left fist several times against the wall. Blue and black bruises were on it, and tears were streaming down her face. But it was her eyes that terrified Flora the most. Terrified and anguished they were, completely out of control. Flora rushed up to her, placing her hand on Tecna’s shoulder.

            But Tecna shoved it off. Flora stumbled backwards, stunned, as Tecna slammed the wall again. Griselda ran forward.

            “That’s enough!” she yelled, wrestling Tecna away from the wall. Faragonda lifted her hands, and a partially-immobilizing spell hit Tecna. She fell facedown, still crying piteously; her sobs tortured Flora’s ears. Flora stepped forward, rubbing her hand in circles on Tecna’s back.

            “Everything’s going to be okay,” she soothed. Tecna was still crying, and, glancing back at Faragonda and Griselda, Flora saw they had saddened expressions on their faces. Griselda reached for her cell phone and dialed.

            “Ofelia!” she called, sharply. “We have a crisis, suite 3F! A student is having an anxiety attack. Come up here now!” She put down the phone.

            Flora continued to stroke Tecna’s back, tears now flowing down her face. “Tecna,” she whispered. She had absolutely no idea what to say; all she could do was be there for Tecna as best as she could. But she didn’t know how.

            A few minutes later, Ofelia burst into the room. “I have an Emergency Calming Potion,” she said, motioning to the potion bottle. “Hold her so I can administer.”

            Flora watched as Faragonda and Griselda both pulled Tecna into a seated position. Ofelia unscrewed the cap and poured it slowly into Tecna’s mouth. She sputtered at first, but then the potion went down. Her eyes rolled in her head, and then she collapsed, asleep. Ofelia turned to Faragonda and Griselda.

“She needs a lot of help,” she declared. “Classes be damned. I don’t know how we missed this.”

            Nor do I, Flora thought, feeling even worse. How could she have let this go? She’d been so wrapped up in hers and Mirta’s problems that she’d forgotten all about Tecna. She was Head Girl; her job was to look out for all the girls of Alfea. And she’d failed.

She watched as Griselda and Ofelia together levitated Tecna into the air. They walked out the door with Tecna; Flora made to follow them, but stopped as Faragonda laid a hand on her shoulder.

            “Sit with me,” she commanded; Flora sat next to her on the bed. The elderly woman’s expression was sad yet kind as she gazed at Flora. “I know this was a difficult thing for you to do. But you did the right thing in telling us. She’s in safe hands now – please believe me. Everything’s going to be okay.”

            No, Flora thought silently. I don’t think so. She sat on the bed with her head down, her long hair flowing over her face as tears streamed out of her eyes.

Chapter Text

Previously on AUP…

Musa let out a frustrated sigh. “I can’t go back home for break.”

“Musa, I’m so sorry,” gasped Layla. “How bad is the situation?”

“It’s taken interrealm media attention,” Musa answered. “The portal’s become like a tornado. The news-crews and UR Defense forces have been banned from entry, now that two hooligan criminals snuck onto a ship and are jammin’ up Summa. It’s gotten so bad, a radical sect has gained traction, claiming we should relocate to another planet.”

 ***

"What are you doing here?" Tecna gasped. How had Vasiliev followed her all the way to Magix?

"I wouldn't be worried about me," the man smiled. "I just saw you walking with that boy. Quite the rebel, aren't you?"

Tecna's mouth fell open. Oh no oh no oh no oh no…

"I know you haven't been spending enough time on my lab work, Tecna,” he added. “You have barely finished two hundred sets. I came here to give you some coaxing so you remember what comes first."

"I'm sorry," Tecna gasped, her eyes wide. "I" –

"You will finish six hundred sets tonight," Vasiliev responded. "If you are not done by morning, I will inform your parents about your boyfriend, and they will withdraw you from Alfea."

CHAPTER 18: ULTIMATUM

Tecna opened her eyes. She was lying in a white bed, staring at the white walls around her. Where am I? Sitting up, she stared around at the room.

“Lie back down,” a sharp voice called. Ofelia was standing over her, a severe expression on her face. “I just took your vitals. They’re all fine, but you clearly haven’t been sleeping – at all.” She stared at her thin figure. “You’ve lost a dangerous amount of weight for your height, too.”

Tecna analyzed her weight in her computerized brain. She was 45 kilos, which was shocking, to say the least. Fairies at her height, 180 cm, needed to weigh approximately between 55 kg to 63 kg. Fairies and witches were generally very slender – to the point where Bloom had been shocked upon her admission to Alfea. Humans had thicker bodies and smaller hips; fairies’ and witches’ bodies were more bell-shaped – razor-skinny at the center of the torso, then wide hips and large breasts. In her human-disguised body, Bloom’s weight had been about 55 kg, very different from her weight now, 41 kg. Tecna was almost at Bloom’s weight, but she was 15 cm taller. She stared up at Ofelia, whose eyes were narrowed.

“You’re even worse off than the last time I saw you,” she snapped. “You just won’t take care of yourself, will you? No matter how many times I tell you!”

“How did I get here?” Tecna managed.

“You had an anxiety attack,” Ofelia answered. “Ms. Faragonda, Ms. Griselda, and Miss Flora found you. Tell me: what have you been eating?”

“Energy tonics,” Tecna answered weakly. “And some Linphean pollen candy, here and there.”

“So zero nutrition.” Ofelia glared at her. “No exercise either, I assume. What about water? Have you been hydrating at all?”

“I’m tired,” Tecna whispered. She was so, so exhausted; all she wanted to do was go to sleep. But I have Vasiliev’s work… Suddenly, she shot upwards, her heart pounding in fear.

            “What?” Ofelia demanded. “What is it?”

            “My laptop,” Tecna answered. “I need my laptop!”

            “No laptop for you!” Ofelia pushed her back down. “You need rest. If you keep going on like this, you’ll end up in the hospital!”

            Tecna closed her eyes, willing herself not to cry. She hadn’t cried in ages, nor was she about to start. “Please,” she whispered desperately. Ofelia frowned.

            “What is it?” Her voice was now gentle. “What’s been upsetting you, Tecna?”

            Tecna turned her head to the side, not saying anything. Ofelia sighed.

            “Very well then.” She stood up. “One of the Alfea primary care physicians will come to see you. They’re not in now, because it’s the night, but they’ll come in the morning. I’ll have someone draw up a script for bloodwork.”

            I don’t need any bloodwork, Tecna thought dully. Her own sensors could tell her anything she needed to know about her body, from muscle mass to bone density to thyroid levels. “If it makes you feel better,” she said instead. Ofelia shook her head.

            “Lie down,” she said. “Go to sleep. Please.” She passed her a Sleeping Potion, and she reluctantly gulped it down.

            Immediately, sleepiness overtook her, and she collapsed onto the bed, crying out. She didn’t feel Ofelia pull the covers over her, nor did she hear the older woman’s sigh.

            As Ofelia had said, the doctor did come to see her. She was a tall Lunarian woman, with short black hair and dark blue eyes. “Good morning, Tecna,” she said softly. Tecna glared at her.

            “I’m not taking off any clothes,” she snapped, knowing full well she couldn’t let anyone see she was a cyborg.

            “You don’t need to,” the doctor said softly. “My name is Alicia Lorenzo. I’ll be taking care of you now.” She sat down next to the bed. “Verify your full name and date of birth, please?”

            “Anastasia Marie Ivanova, 1/8/82,” Tecna answered. The woman checked her hand-held screen. “Good.” She levitated her stylus, touching it lightly against the pad. “Any current medications?”

            “None,” Tecna answered.

            “Any medical problems or surgical history?”

            Yeah, I permanently lost my right limbs and got turned into a cyborg. “None,” she said instead.

            “What are your symptoms?”

            Oh, great. “Can’t you just ask Nurse Ofelia?”

            Dr. Lorenzo shook her head. “I already heard from her. I want to hear from you.” She looked at her checklist. “Any sore throat?”

            “No.”

            “Cough?”

            “No.”

            “Constipation?”

            On and on she went, her stylus checking each box. Tecna tried to keep up with the doctor, but she was too tired and dazed to properly answer the questions. She said yes to headaches and tiredness, but nothing about anything else. Then the doctor reached the psychiatric screening questions, and she blinked in surprise.

            “On a scale of one to ten, one being the worst, what is your mood right now?”

            No doctor on Zenith had ever asked Tecna any such question. She blinked again, then said, “Um… a zero?”

            The doctor wrote it down. “Are you experiencing any anxiety?”

            “A lot,” Tecna answered, truthfully.

            “Depression?”

            Tecna frowned. “What do you mean by that?”

            The doctor looked at her in surprise, then a look of recognition came on her face. “I forgot you’re from Zenith.”

            “What’s that supposed to mean?” Tecna felt her temper rising.

            “I know there’s a shortage of behavioral health education and professionals on Zenith,” Dr. Lorenzo answered calmly. “Basically, I’m asking if you feel chronically sad, or hopeless, or worthless, to say a few.”

            “How about all of the above?” Tecna leaned back on the bed.

            “Noted.” The doctor wrote it down. “Little interest or pleasure in doing things?”

            “Yes.”

            “Trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or sleeping too much?”

            “Sleeping too much.” She was spending far too little time on Vasiliev’s program. I can’t sleep this much. I have to get to work!

            “Tiredness or little energy?”

            “Yes.” She knows this already!

            “Feeling like you’re a failure?”

            Tecna frowned. “Yes,” she said, slowly.

            “Trouble concentrating?”

            “Yes.”

            “Speaking and processing very slowly, or being fidgety?”

            “Yes – very slowly.”

            “Thoughts wishing you’d be better off dead, or wanting to hurt yourself?”

            Tecna’s eyes widened. If I say yes, she’ll send me to the crazy house. “No,” she lied.

            Unfortunately, the doctor wasn’t fooled. “It says in your chart that you were banging your fists against the wall, to the point where you were bruised. That’s self-harm.” She paused. “Have you ever seen a counselor?”

            “No, and I don’t plan to,” Tecna answered curtly.

            “Why not?”

            “I don’t need any help.” This whole thing was ridiculous. Dr. Lorenzo frowned at her.

            “The more you ignore the problem, the worse it’s going to get,” she said. “Your bloodwork has come back with poor results. Your fasting glucose level is very low, you are extremely anemic, and quite honestly, all those problems make me even more convinced you may have a psychiatric condition. You need a lot of help. In fact, I’ll be making a referral to a counselor right now. We have plenty of excellent ones in the Alfea medical office. He or she will help you start feeling better in no time.”

            “I don’t want to.”

            “I’m going to have to insist.” Dr. Lorenzo stood up. “I’m writing in an order, whether you like it or not. If you refuse to consent to outpatient services, we may have to have you screened at a local hospital. Please don’t make us do that.”

            “Fine,” Tecna acquiesced. “Just… one thing. Can I have my laptop and phone?”

            “Why do you need them?” Dr. Lorenzo asked.

            “They’ll help me feel better.” Tecna hoped she was convincing enough. “I’ll be bored otherwise. Please, let me have them.”

            Dr. Lorenzo sighed. “All right. But we’d better not catch you doing anything stressful.”

            Too late for that. Tecna leaned back against the wall, and Dr. Lorenzo turned around.

            “Thank you for your time,” she said, heading out the door.

            “Tec! How’re you feeling?”

            Tecna looked up from her sets on her laptop. Musa, Layla, Bloom, and Stella were in front of her, with what seemed like forced smiles on their faces. “Fine,” she said, continuing to type.

            “Oh, for Solare’s sake.” Stella grabbed the laptop; much to her protests, she put it on the table. “You spend way too much time on that thing. You need to relax.”

            Tecna knew better than to even respond. Layla frowned.

            “We’re really worried about you,” she said. “We all want you to be okay.”

            It’s not gonna work. Tecna shook her head, staring at them. It was then she noticed who was missing. “Where’s Flora?”

            “Well”… the four girls looked at each other. “She had Head Girl stuff to do,” Bloom finally said.

            Right. Tecna knew Flora would’ve dropped everything to come and see her; there was definitely something going on. “Okay,” she said instead. “Well, what’s going on?”

            “Lots of schoolwork,” Bloom grimaced. “There’s a lot to do. We don’t have time for anything else.”

            “That reminds me.” Musa pulled out her phone. “I need to text Riven to cancel our date tonight. There’s just too much Battle homework to” – Her mouth fell open as she stared at the phone.

            “What is it?” Layla leaned over her shoulder. Her mouth dropped open, too.

            “No,” she breathed.

            What’re they looking at? Tecna leaned upwards as Musa turned the phone towards her, Bloom, and Stella. They all let out a collective gasp.

BREAKING NEWS: KING OF MELODY DECLARES A STATE OF EMERGENCY, ORDERS CITIZENS TO EVACUTE TO MELODIAN OUTPOSTS.

"What?" Tecna gasped out loud.

“I don’t believe it,” Bloom breathed.

“They’re abandoning the planet?” Stella cried. “That’s crazy!”

The broadcast came on. A Melodian-looking reporter was on the screen, his expression grave. “We have some terrible news to report! Melody’s portal has gone completely haywire, to the point where it is believed it may consume the entire planet. As a result, King Jun of Melody has ordered all citizens to evacuate Melody to the asteroid outposts! This is very scary news indeed, for the entire UR!”

Musa put a hand to her mouth. Layla placed her hand on Musa’s shoulder.

“What’re we gonna do?” Bloom whispered.

Nothing. What was it they could possibly do? Tecna couldn’t solve any other problems now – she just couldn’t. Musa began to cry.

“My dad,” she whispered. “I have to call my dad!” She ran out of the infirmary, Layla following behind.

“I can’t believe it,” Stella whispered. “I just can’t.”

Then Tecna’s phone rang. Picking up, she stared as she saw Timmy’s face appear as a hologram. “Tec!” He sounded frantic. “I heard you were sick. How are you feeling? What happened?”

“A lot,” Tecna whispered flatly. Bloom and Stella stood up.

“We’ll leave you alone,” Bloom said, and they headed out.

“I’m coming over today,” Timmy declared. “Classes just let out. I’m coming to see you!”

“I don’t want you to come!” Tecna cried. “It’s just too much!”

Timmy frowned at her. “Tec, what’s going on?”

Tecna leaned back against the wall, closing her eyes. “The doctor thinks I’m depressed.”

“And is she getting you treatment for it?”

“Unfortunately.” Tecna frowned. “I have to see a counselor now.”

“Unfortunately?” Timmy looked shocked. “Tecna, this is good news! Now you can start working through your problems!”

“But I don’t need their help.” Tecna said through gritted teeth. “I just need to work harder on Vasiliev’s program, and everything will be fine.

"Listen to me!" Timmy said desperately. "You need to stop doing so much work. It's taking over your life!"

"No," Tecna said, warily. "I forbid you to tell anyone."

"Tec," Timmy whispered, "You’re already depressed – nothing good can come out of this. Please listen to me! You're going to" –

"No!" Tecna shouted. "I can't have anyone know! That would be the end of me, and you know it! Vasiliev's too dangerous!"

There was a silence. Then on the other line, Timmy whispered, "Tecna, is there something you're not telling me?"

Tecna didn't answer. He can't know… She drew in a shallow, gasping breath at the memory.

"I have to go," she said, and then she hung up.

She didn’t know what she was going to do. No one had said anything about schoolwork yet, but she’d have to return to it eventually. On top of everything else… She closed her eyes, leaning against the wall.

When was the last time we were like this? she thought in dismay. When was the last time things were ever this horrible?

She could only remember one time as debilitating as this, and that was when they were in Faragonda’s office after attacking Avalon. She remembered how angry everyone had been, how furious she was that no one was listening to her side…

“I know you’re upset, Headmistress,” she said, “but I stand by my actions!” Much of the staff had convened in front of them; she saw Griselda’s disgusted look, Palladium’s worried face, Faragonda’s angry eyes, the fake Avalon’s vehement disapproval, and Wizkiz’s uncomfortable expression. “The book described everything exactly right. Professor Avalon taught in the Realm of Frost right before it was destroyed! His wings were exactly the same shape and color, and he promises everyone he can make her dreams come true! Coincidence? I think not!”

“All right,” said Faragonda, holding her hands in the air. “Now let’s see what Professor Avalon has to say.”

“There are ten-thousand elves with the same wings I have,” Avalon said. “I use them when I need to – when I’m being chased, for instance.” The girls gasped in horror. “And when the Realm of Frost was destroyed, it’s well-documented I was a visiting professor at the University of Domino – my alma mater, in fact.”

The other girls had backed down, but Tecna wasn’t about to give up. “Well then, how do you explain that you appeared at multiple places at the same time?”

“Er – that was all my doing, Tecna,” Wizkiz said awkwardly. “Remember my new invention? The Magical Multiplier?” He took out a jug-shaped item, cranking the handle. “I was doing an experiment to see what would happen if I created realistic-looking holograms of the professors on campus! Like this!” A dozen Faragondas appeared right behind them, all with disapproving expressions on their faces. The girls stared around at each other, completely shocked.

“More than one headmistress?” Stella blurted out. “What a nightmare!”

Flora cast her a glare. “Stella!”

“Something’s wrong with it!” Wizkiz gasped. “It’s out of control!” The machine began to spit and hiss, sending smoke everywhere. The holograms disappeared. Eventually the machine lay broken and decrepit on the desk, and Wizkiz sighed. “Another invention up in smoke.”

Musa stepped forward. “I guess we were wrong.”

“We really messed up this time,” Flora agreed.

“I don’t understand,” Tecna protested. “The flowers – the wings – the alignment of the planets – everything was in-order! Logic tells me that” –

“Tecna,” Faragonda interrupted, “as hard as it may be for you to accept, you were wrong! Your logic was flawed, and you and your friends have a lot of damages on the second-floor corridor to pay for! Now, I believe you all owe Professor Avalon an apology.”

Tecna sighed, lowering her head. She had never felt so miserable as this, never so defeated and sullen. She took a deep breath.

“We’re sorry, Professor Avalon,” the five girls said in unison.

I was wrong that day, Tecna thought. Well, I was right about Avalon, but I was wrong about everything else. I can’t believe it. She let out a sigh. And now, I’ve still got things just as wrong as ever. She lowered her gaze.

It's just a dream, she told herself desperately. Please, tell me everything had just been a dream. That I'll wake up in the morning tomorrow, and none of this will have ever happened. I'll never have met the Winx, and I'll be back at home, being the good, proper girl I've always been.

Except it wasn't a dream – Tecna knew that better than anyone. Nothing would ever make this go away. She lay down, somehow too depleted to return back to her coding work now.

The night was dark as Tecna stole to the tunnels, laptop levitating behind her. Glancing back over her shoulder to make sure no one was coming, she quietly walked forward.

She had to meet with Vasiliev that night. She was taking a big risk now - after all, she wasn't allowed under any circumstances to leave Alfea. But she knew she had no choice.

Fortunately, she knew the entire complex of the tunnels. During their sophomore year, Tecna and Timmy had mapped out the whole tunnel network, and she had a copy of the map installed on her hard drive. No one knew the tunnels as well as her – likely not even Faragonda. She headed up to the tunnel’s mouth, which led up to Roccaluce Forest.

She gasped as she heard something behind her. Turning around, she saw Digit flying towards her, her eyes wary and narrowed. She followed me this whole time? She took a nervous step back.

“Digit?” she gasped. “What are you doing here?”

"Don't lie to me, Tecna," Digit snapped. "The other girls told me to keep watch outside the infirmary, and I followed you all through the tunnels. I know where you're going now. In fact, I've seen you with that creep before. What are you doing with him?"

"Nothing," Tecna said feebly, but Digit growled.

"You come back right now, Tecna, or I swear I'll tell Ms. Faragonda."

"You don't even know what's going on," Tecna said, waves of anger coming over her. "Stay out of this, Digit. It's for me to deal with."

“Don’t go!” Digit begged. “You’re too important to be caught up in all this. You don’t deserve to be hurt like this! You’ve been through too much!”

“I told you to stay out of this,” Tecna snarled.

“If you don’t think about yourself, then at least think of us,” Digit responded. “How do you think I’d feel if something happened to you? The other Winx? What about Timmy?” Her eyes grew dangerous. “I thought you cared for him!”

Tecna’s blood boiled. Without thinking, she shot a wave of energy forward.

Digit screamed as an energy blast shot out of Tecna’s hands, slamming her into the tunnel. Tecna stared into the hole in the ground.

"I'm sorry!" she cried, and ran off. She had to hurry, for Digit would no doubt go and tell. She continued running, her heart racing and teeth chattering.

She slowed her gait as she reached the grove. It's so cold… when did it get this cold? Vasiliev, wearing a purple overcoat, walked towards her, his eyes glinting, "Good to see you," he said sardonically, holding out his hand. "Let me see what you've done."

Tecna showed him her laptop, and he scanned over her work.

"This could hardly be called a set," he said smoothly. "You made multiple errors here. Look." He pointed to the screen.

Tecna stared in horror. Oh no... Her arithmetic had been all off, which had caused the algorithm to fail, and therefore all subsequent algorithms after that. Vasiliev flipped through the rest of the week's work.

"This is all filled with mistakes," he announced. "This is not engineering. This is childish nonsense."

"I'm sorry," Tecna whispered.

"You are a disgrace," Vasiliev said disgustedly. "You useless piece of trash. I should never have saved you and made you a cyborg. I should've just left you in the hover crash, so you could meet the fate you deserved."

Tecna's heart nearly stopped at that statement. He's right, he's right... She fought against crying as she remembered the hover crash, how terrified she'd been back then. How the hover, due to a programming error, had hit rock and stone. She could hear the screams of the passengers beside her, and then silence.

Everything had happened so fast then, she hadn't been able to process it. But she'd always wondered why she had been chosen, out of all of them, to survive. Not a single of the others survived, but she alone had lived. And she didn't deserve a single bit of it. I am a failure...

"For that, there must be consequences."

Tecna's eyes snapped up as Vasiliev stood over her. He was close, too close... Her heart beat as he spoke.

"You will no longer see your precious boyfriend," he said.

The lump that had formed in Tecna's throat now exploded. "What do you mean?"

"He has been taking away from your work," Vasiliev said icily. "You are no longer to see that useless boy."

A million thoughts swarmed through her head, not the least defeat. If Vasiliev said she couldn't see Timmy, she could no longer see him. Vasiliev would see if she was going with him; he knew everything about her. He had her controls, after all.

"And if you disobey, he will die."

Tecna's eyes snapped up, and she stared at him in alarm. "No."

"Yes," he answered coldly. "If you see him, I shall kill him. Immediately."

"No!" Tecna cried out. "You can't!"

Vasiliev laughed. "Oh, I most certainly can," he said. "You have no way of stopping me."

No... Rage built up in Tecna. Without quite meaning to, she slammed her magic into Vasiliev, throwing him to the ground.

He was not prepared for this, and fell. In horror, Tecna realized what she had just done, and bowed down. "No"... she whispered.

Above her, she heard Vasiliev hiss in her head, "Don't you dare ever try that again. I have the controls with me right now: I can kill you right now." He sent a jolt through her body.

It was the worst sensation she'd ever felt, worse than any of the other times he'd ever done this to her. She screamed out and collapsed to the ground, and he smirked sardonically.

"Cute," he smirked. "Interesting how you can love, when it has been scientifically proven to be impossible."

He turned off the controls, and she drew back in fear. Vasiliev smiled, his unnaturally straight teeth glinting.

"Do you know why I do this, Tecna?" he asked.

She stared up at him in surprise; she couldn’t remember seeing him like this before. "N-no," she choked out.

"Control is everything," Vasiliev said, and for a moment, his eyes positively gleamed. "Control is what brought our ancestors to where they are now. Control makes us stronger. And… absolutely glorious."

This is what you call glorious? Tecna wanted to shout. Look at me! I have no life! As if hearing her words, Vasiliev laughed.

"It is control that has made me who I am today," he said. "Because of control, I have power over many, many people. And when my program comes to fruition, I will have so much control. All this time, you've been my test subject, my little experiment to see what happens when I have control."

Tecna stared weakly up at him, but Vasiliev didn't elaborate more on the subject. He smiled.

"As an ancestor of ours once said," he whispered, "'Control is the essence of chaos.'"

Tecna had no idea what he was talking about. That's completely illogical! Control prevents chaos! How did this make any sense?

For the first time, she began to wonder what she was mixed up in, what she was creating by writing all that code. It doesn't matter… because once it's finished, this'll all be over. Vasiliev smiled, his teeth glinting.

"Goodbye," he said. With a formal bow, he disappeared, leaving Tecna to stare after the man who so controlled her life.

I'm an idiot, she thought. I'm such a useless, horrible loser. No wonder everything's been going so wrong.

She wasn't going to survive out of this, and she knew it. She closed her eyes.

Please, please let this end. Her feed was unusually quiet, allowing her an odd semblance peace as she stared at the ground.

Let me suffer no more…

Chapter Text

Previously on AUP…

              "In 14141 A.4.,” said Abuela, “Zenith staged the Linphean Invasion, killing a sixth of Linphea's population. The priestly families were attacked the most, as they were the largest group of intellectuals. And we could do nothing about it, for without our trees, we were completely powerless to fight back."

 ***

            "I've been thinking about what Abuela said about Zenith," Flora said to Mirta. "Even after all it's faced, Linphea has been going on a steady trajectory upwards. But Zenith… it's never recovered from its problems."

            “That's because of its current system of government," Mirta answered. "In Zenith – there’s complete censorship, complete lack of freedom. Nothing matter except how many robots they produce."

            "That's so true," Flora agreed – she'd never thought of it that way. "And the people there are so robotic too. Sometimes I worry so much about Tecna, because she's just so closed off from the rest of us. Even after all these years, she still can't fully express herself."

 ***

“I’m really thankful you helped me, Tec,” Flora said. “First you reassured me about Linphea and Zenith, then you helped me stand up for Mirta. I wouldn’t have found the courage if it weren’t for you.”

“It was nothing.” Tecna felt a blush come to her cheeks. “I didn’t do anything special.”

“But you did,” Flora insisted. “Whatever you’re struggling with now, I know you’ll get through this.”

She has way too much faith in me. Tecna was still stressed about Vasiliev, and all the work she had to do. But she didn’t want to disagree right now. Flora put her arm around her, saying, “I’m so happy you’re my friend, Tecna.”

And, like last time, Tecna found herself smiling back. I'm glad she's my friend, too… In that moment, an incredible wave of relief came over her, relief that Flora didn't hold her realm's actions against her, and that she was of some use to her and Mirta. Only one question remained: would their friendship hold through the test of time?

CHAPTER 19: EVE OF A WAR

A few days passed. Bloom, Stella, Musa, and Layla continued to avoid Flora, no longer inviting her to hang out. She no longer ate in the dining-hall with them; instead, she, Mirta, and Chatta sat together at their own table. The other girls, jobless as they were, were quick to notice, particularly the freshmen and sophomores.

"Of course they ditched you," Eris had jeered to Mirta, at dinner, while they were sitting alone. "No one would want to hang out with a witch. I'm telling you, it was only a matter of time."

"Leave them alone!" Chatta snapped, glaring at the Eraklyonese fairy. "We're tired of you always getting in our face, flapping your mouth" –

"Let it go, Chatta." Mirta didn't even look up from her plate.

"What?" Chatta fired up. "If you think I'm gonna just let them push you around" –

"Let it go," Mirta repeated. Chatta sighed and flopped down next to Flora, picking up her own miniscule plate.

And with that, everything just became harder. There was no Musa to play them music, no Layla to spice up their lives with dance, no Stella to fall back on for her humor, no Bloom to inspire them all. They were there, but at the same time, just weren't there at all.

Now that the girls weren't talking to her, Flora focused all her energy on Tecna. She spent every moment she could in the infirmary with her, just to give her company. Most of the time they sat in silence. While Flora would work on her homework or Head Girl weekly reports, Tecna would lie in bed. Or she’d work on that dastardly laptop, typing until her eyes rolled, and she collapsed.

It's killing her, Flora realized. Everything was hurting her – Alfea's coursework, the Winx's efforts to help, and whatever it was that was so important. She was just doing too much.

She glanced at her watch. She had an important meeting with Faragonda, Saladin, and the other Head Students. They were going to discuss their plans for liberating Cloud Tower. She headed to the office, where the headteachers, Jared, and Lucy were seated around a long, rectangular meeting table. She sat down next to Lucy, her heart racing.

            “Thank you all for coming.” Saladin leaned forward. “You all know why we’re here. It is to plan our rescue mission of Cloud Tower.” He paused. “I presume you all know the news about Melody.”

            Flora closed her eyes. She had heard so much about Melody that she was now starting to feel sick. Jared and Lucy slowly nodded.

            “So you understand our mission to reclaim Cloud Tower is more important than ever.” Faragonda leaned back. “We cannot let Valtor get away with any more crimes. At the same time, we must act with prudence and vigilance. It will take a lot of people to fight this. Therefore, I’m asking as many sophomores and seniors as possible to enlist in this.”

            Flora hoped enough upperclassmen would join. Since they always had the right to refuse, she was worried there wouldn’t be enough warriors. Faragonda turned to Flora, Jared, and Lucy. “I presume you will be joining us?”

            “Yes!” Jared declared.

            “Of course,” Flora answered.

            “I won’t rest until my classmates are free once more,” Lucy vowed.

            “Very well.” Saladin nodded. “So this is what I propose. The senior witches and strongest fairies will march first, side-by-side. We’ll need Enchantix fairies – Flora, you and Layla, Stella, and Musa are the only Enchantix fairies in Alfea, so we’ll be dependent on you. You four will be needed to face off against the Trix, and the witches will be needed to remove the stasis on any of their classmates who are in that state. There are some hexes only warlocks can remove for other warlocks.”

            Flora remembered warlock-on-warlock hexes were considered to be very powerful. It was part of the reason why it’d taken so long for them to remove Mirta’s pumpkin hex; even the senior Enchantix students couldn’t remove it. It was only through her strong emotional bond with Mirta that Flora had been able to change her back to warlock form.

            “Then the Winx and Charmix fairies, along with the boys and sophomore witches, will follow.” Faragonda nodded. “We’ll have the Alfea, Red Fountain, and Cloud Tower sophomores in the airships. While the senior fairies, senior elves, and senior witches fight on the ground, the sophomores will strike from above. They will use as minimal force as possible – only enough to reel the students in so they can break their hexes.”

            “Um – how are we going to get into Cloud Tower?” Flora asked.

            “That’s easy,” Jared answered. “We’ll go through the tunnels!”

            Flora nodded; Faragonda, the Winx, and the other headteachers knew the way through the tunnels, as well as a few of the other students. “But the sophomores are going on airships!”

            “Once we’re within the walls, we will destroy the barrier surrounding Cloud Tower campus,” Faragonda answered. “Saladin and I will break it from the inside, and the sophomores will break it from the outside. You and your friends will be needed as well.”

            Flora winced at the second mention of her friends. How will I work with them, if they won’t even speak to me?

            “But what about Headmistress Griffin?” Lucy demanded. “What’re we gonna do for her?”

            “We will send an elite team of senior witches to free her,” Saladin nodded. “I propose that you and four others go to the dungeons and remove the charm that imprisons her. We’ll decide who goes today.”

            “Aren’t you forgetting about Valtor and the Trix?” Jared pointed out. “They’re not going to just disappear, especially not when we show up. Who’s going to defeat them?”

            “First of all, nobody’s defeating Valtor yet.” Saladin gazed evenly at Jared. “This is a rescue mission, not a battle. Secondly, Faragonda and I will take care of them. We will face off against Valtor, while you focus on rescuing the other students.”

            “Are you sure this is a good idea?” Flora hadn’t forgotten how Faragonda had been turned into a tree by Valtor.

            “We’re not letting any of you face off against Valtor,” Faragonda said firmly. “That I am sure of. Saladin and I will stall them long enough for you all to escape.”

            “So once we free everyone, we’ll escape in the airships back to Alfea!” Flora realized.

            Saladin stared at her. “I didn’t even think of that. Very smart, Miss Flora. Yes, we will have all the students evacuate along with the witches.” He smiled. “Thank you.”

            Flora ducked her head. It was all right to hear praise from Saladin, but she would rather have her friends say it than hear a thousand good words from him. Faragonda nodded.

            “Now I will call the professors in,” she said. She opened the door, and the department head professors of Alfea and Red Fountain came in. “Just on time. Thank you.” She pulled out her screens. “Let’s put together the cohorts.”

            For the next two hours, they worked on assigning the students to teams. They had to match the fairies, elves, and witches into groups, so they could all work together. The professors made their recommendations based on matching skill levels, and Flora, Jared, and Lucy put in input about who was friends with whom and who would get along the best. After all, connection between individuals was crucial for convergence. Flora worked as hard as she could, until her brain ached.

            “I think we have everything,” Faragonda finally said, putting her stylus down. “Thank you, everyone. We’re planning tentatively for Undecemensis 3. That’s in a few weeks, so everyone needs to be prepared. We will have extra stealth training classes for the students that choose to go on this mission. I will work with the faculty to make sure everything is set up.” She nodded. “You are dismissed.”

            Flora stood up shakily, her legs aching from sitting for so long. She and Lucy headed out together, Jared staying back with Saladin to discuss something about schoolwork. “How’s Mirta?” Lucy asked.

            “She wanted to see you, actually.” It had been a while since Lucy and Mirta had seen each other. “Come on. I’ll show you to her room.”

            As they walked down the hall, Lucy sighed. “You know, I’m really worried for my friends who are stuck in Cloud Tower.”

            “I’m so sorry.” Flora gazed at Lucy. “That must be so tough on you. I can’t even imagine what that’s like.”

            “You’re lucky.” Lucy gazed down at her feet. “You’ve got great friends, and you don’t need to worry about anything happening to them. You all really help each other out.”

            Something snapped in Flora. Before she knew it, she was crying. Lucy stopped, looking shocked. “What did I say?”

            “It’s nothing,” Flora croaked, rubbing the tears from behind her eyes. “Don’t worry about me, really.”

            “Do you want to come with me to see Mirta?” Lucy looked concerned.

            “You go,” Flora answered. “First door down the left. I just want to be left alone.”

            “I thought being around people helps you when you’re sad,” Lucy pointed out.

            Lucy was right. Flora usually turned to her friends whenever she had a problem, never keeping it in the dark. But for now, she just wanted to withdraw. “It’s okay. I’ll be okay.” Without waiting for an answer, she headed down the hall.

That night was one of the hardest of Flora’s life. Between helping plan the rescue, her ever-mounting homework, and comforting students who were stressed about Melody, her entire body was on the verge of collapse. She headed to her dorm room, ready to crash in bed and fall asleep.

But she wouldn’t get an ounce of rest that night. Even Flora was not aware of how dire the situation had become, until just then, her phone rang.

Papá? Why was he calling so late at night? She immediately picked up, saying, “Hello?”

"Flora!" her father shouted. "Have you seen the news?"

"No," Flora said, instantly on alert. Her father sounded frantic, which was very unusual – he was always playful and good-humored. "What's wrong, Papá?"

"Check it!" her father cried.

Heart pounding, Flora turned on the Magix Modern Matrix. What could it possibly be? I mean, nothing's happened. Nothing –

And then she stopped straight as soon as she saw the screen, her eyes wide with horror.

BREAKING NEWS: LINPHEA DECLARES WAR ON ZENITH.

"No!" Flora cried out. "I can't believe this – no!" The newscaster began to speak, his voice rapid.

"A few hours ago, Zenith launched a deadly attack on a Linphean army base, on the remote asteroid of Apo. Zenith believes Linphea was hiding information on the base, but Linphea declares the attack was unprovoked."

No, Flora thought, her head spinning. Not Apo… how could they do that? Apo was the most fortified, most important military base they had. Tears fell down her cheeks as she stared at the screen.

"Under the Treaty of Militaristic Prevention, Linphea and Zenith have both alerted all other UR realms of their status, and the other realms have declared neutrality. The UR War Intervention Council will perform a thorough investigation, to determine whether any crimes were committed."

They won't find anything, Flora thought frantically. Or rather, they probably would find evidence against Zenith, but wouldn't release it. After all, Zenith practically ran the UR.

"It's been a terrible shock," her father continued. "The entire village is in shambles. We all gathered together last night for a vigil, and your Abuela and Mamá led a prayer-session this morning. I wanted to make sure you're okay, Flora."

Flora wasn't paying any attention. Queen Isabela of Linphea had appeared on screen in front of her, and she put the phone down.

The matriarch’s face was somber, with none of the festive warmth she’d had at Alfea’s homecoming. She wore a simple gray dress, her expression sorrowful as she gazed down at the crowd below her.

"My fellow citizens," she said, "today is a day that shall forever live in infamy. On Decemensis 19, 999, the Queendom of Linphea was suddenly yet deliberately attacked by Zenith, in a move that was clearly unprovoked. It is with great sorrow that I announce, as Queen of this country, that Linphea will go to war."

So it's official, then, Flora thought. This war may not end for years… decades, even… She closed her eyes. My sister will have to grow up in a country torn with war… I'm so sorry, Miele…

"Flora?" her father asked. "Are you there? Flora!"

But Flora had already tossed the phone aside. She ran down the hall, all the way to the first floor; pushing the door to the infirmary open, she ran up to Tecna’s bed.

"Tecna!" she shouted. I have to talk to her… she has to know… She stared down at her.

The girl was lying in bed, tired but not sleeping. She looked worse than Flora had ever seen her before.

Black circles were above her eyebrows. Her skin was deathly pale, and when Flora touched her, she felt… cold. Even though the heat was on.

"Tecna"… Flora whispered.

"Go away," Tecna croaked. Her voice was barely a whisper, and she turned her head. "Your people hate me. And I don't blame you if you do, too."

"How could you say that?" Flora cried. "Do you think I'm going to turn my back on you because of this? I would never – Tecna!"

The girl wasn't paying attention. She stared down at her bed, her voice listless and weak.

"I should never have come to Alfea."

"No"… Flora stared at her. "You can't mean that."

"The war is coming," Tecna said plainly. "I can't stop it. No one can stop it."

"I can't believe that," Flora declared. "You have to keep hope, Tecna. We can solve this."

Tecna remained silent. In distress, Flora sat down next to her friend, listening to her shallow breathing and tired sigh.

I can't believe things are like this, she thought. How could everything have escalated so far out of control?

Things were never like this before. In fact, the two of them had been close friends last year, even confidantes. In fact, they'd even worked together not too long ago…

"Tecna?" she asked quietly. "Do you remember our Convergence Project?"

"Yes," Tecna said blandly, her voice not betraying any interest. "I do."

"Do you remember how we took down that monster together, even when it seemed unbeatable?" Flora asked. She closed her eyes, remembering how she'd felt that day, when they'd worked together to master this skill so pivotal…

It was in their Convergence class. Tecna and Flora had teamed up to work on the convergence project, which they were unsuccessful at.

"What are you doing?" asked Faragonda.

"I got a vine," Flora explained, "which Tecna's going to control using her laptop. We're going to use that to open the box." She pointed to the blue treasure-chest in front of them.

"Nature and technology usually have a hard time working together," Faragonda said, "but go ahead."

Flora and Tecna linked hands. A swirl of green and orange energy formed around them, and they concentrated on the box in front of them. Flora focused her energy with Tecna, trying to connect it with the essence of her friend's power…

"AAH!" they screamed.

The box hadn't opened. The laptop had sent electricity through the vine, but rather than accepting the transfer of energy, the vine rebelled. It lay on the desk, limp and destroyed.

"I told you," Tecna said, glaring at Flora. "Nature and technology are too incompatible to work together."

Flora felt defeated. But I thought we'd worked something pretty good out… Was Tecna saying that she didn't believe in their friendship?

The rest of the convergence boxes were unsuccessful as well. Faragonda frowned and addressed the class.

"We'll be having a test tomorrow," she said, "in the Magical Simulator Room."

"What?" Stella gasped. "Already?"

"Sometimes convergence can only occur under extreme circumstances," Faragonda said. "You will be in groups with your closest friends. Now, practice as hard as you can tonight."

Flora sighed. I'm not too sure about this… She felt defeated. If their magic wasn't working together in a stable environment, why would it work in an unstable one?

She glanced over at Tecna, who was stubbornly avoiding her. Looks like she's under a lot of stress right now… She sighed and lowered her eyes to the ground.

The next day, the girls got up bright and early to get to the Simulator Room. Palladium and Faragonda were there, giving crisp, clear instructions.

"You will find yourself in a village, on a bright summer day," Palladium said. "You will have to use magical convergence to get out. But, regular spells won’t work." He gazed at them. "Are you ready?"

"Ready!" the girls said, though not in unison. Flora saw Layla sigh and gaze at the floor.

The simulator blacked out. For a moment, the girls were staring at nothing but black, empty space. Then, the world brightened around them.

But it wasn't light. Rather, they were in a gloomy forest, mist all around them. Musa stared around.

"Where the hell are we?" she asked.

"Um, 'village? Bright summer day?' Please," Stella snorted.

Flora shivered, staring around. "Why would she send us here in these outfits?" she whispered.

"Look!" Layla was pointing to the sky. Trees dotted the landscape.

"Why does the sky look like there's a forest on it?" Stella added.

"Uhh… I think that's because it is a forest," Bloom said. "But… then where's the sky?"

It was then that Flora looked down and realized where they were. The ground beneath her feet was not actually ground, but air. And… they were suspended right above a forest.

"Look out!" Musa yelled.

Trees shot up from below them. The girls gasped as they shot right through the air, flying up straight past the trees.

And then they fell.

Flora gasped as she hit the ground, grimacing. That hurts… What's going on?

"This must be a system bug," Tecna declared. "There must be something wrong with the chamber's operating system!"

"Girls!" Palladium's alarmed voice sounded from the air. "I'm going to insert an exit code into the software, but I don't know what form it'll take. If you can get ahold of it, you can use it to exit the software, okay?"

"Fine!" Stella said, rolling her eyes. "Ready when you are!"

"Ahh!" Musa gasped, backing. Flora turned and saw, to her horror, that a monster was headed their way. "Ya might want to hurry with that exit code!"

The monster puffed up, its eyes gleaming. Its dark fur magnified.

And then it shot straight towards Stella.

"Stella!" Layla shouted. Without warning, she tackled Stella to the ground.

The monster hit a tree. Grimacing as she pulled herself up, Stella put her arm around Layla and smiled. "First convergence!"

A sphere of light shot past Flora. She gasped, staring at it. "Look!"

"That's the exit-code!" Tecna declared.

"So let's get out of – ahh!" Bloom stopped.

A hologram of a witch appeared in front of them. Flora stared as she saw Darcy's figure appear in front of them.

"Not that witch!" Layla cried.

Darcy laughed. "No exit code for you."

The hologram of Darcy turned into the monster. Without warning, it opened its jaws and swallowed the light whole.

And then it began to grow.

The girls screamed as the monster became taller and taller. They jumped back, and Bloom clenched her fists.

"Let's get it!" she declared.

The girls immediately transformed. Bloom glared at the monster, growling. "Let's get our exit-code back!"

"Sonic blast!" Musa yelled lifting the sphere in her hands and hurling it at the monster. It had absolutely no effect; if anything, it incensed the monster even more.

"Magic won't work on the monster!" Palladium shouted. "You'll have to try something else!"

"What?" gasped Stella.

"First of all, let's hide," Flora said, looking grimly around. "There's a tunnel right there!"

The girls flew into the tunnel. The monster let out a roar as it realized it couldn't follow the girls into the hole. It began to angrily pound over their heads, and the girls winced.

"If it keeps doing that, the tunnel will collapse!" Musa declared.

"Then we'd better hurry!" Bloom shouted. "I say we use convergence!"

The others stared at her. "Bloom, are you out of your mind?" Tecna demanded.

"He said magic won't work!" Musa added.

"I know," Bloom said, "not direct magic. But if we enchant a physical object, then we can take it down."

"Using convergence?" Layla gasped.

"Yes," Flora said, "I think Bloom has a point."

The others turned around to stare at her. Heart pounding, Flora turned towards Tecna.

"I know we said technology and nature usually don't work together," she said, "but that doesn't matter right now. After all convergence doesn't rely on the compatibility of our powers; it only relies on the compatibility of us as people. And I think the way we paired up in Faragonda's class proved our compatibility."

"But we weren't able to do the project!" Tecna pointed out.

"That doesn't matter," Flora said, finally understanding the genius of Faragonda's exercise. "We figured the weakness of our mistakes back in class, so that we could learn from them for a simulation like this. And we weren't under duress during class – but we are now."

"So what are you saying?" Bloom asked. "We keep our original pairs to fight this thing?"

"Yes," Flora said. "We need to create something that'll keep the monster at bay, so that we can escape and get out of here."

"You mean like… a replica of us?" asked Layla.

"A replica of the Winx Six," Stella grinned. "I like it. Totally couture – AHH!"

The monster had broken through the tunnel. The girls screamed as rocks fell down on their heads.

"Layla and Musa, you first!" Bloom yelled.

The two girls zoomed ahead of everyone else. Flora, Tecna, Bloom, and Stella followed close behind. Layla and Musa linked hands, shouting.

"Morphix formation!"

"Rhythm steps!"

Purple-and-pink magic shot out of their hands. Flora watched in fascination as a purple-and-pink female mannequin formed out of Morphix, with rhythm in her step. She walked rather unsteadily, looking as if she was about to collapse.

"She needs a skeletal support!" she gasped to Tecna.

"And neural networks," Tecna declared. "Let's go try it out!"

The two joined hands. For a moment, they smiled briefly at each other, and Flora saw the doubt erase itself from Tecna's eyes. I know we can do this… She focused her energy.

"Skeletal ivy!"

"Digital networks!"

Green-and-orange magic shot out of their hands. A green vine uprooted itself from the ground, snaking around the mannequin, and orange technological wires shot through the inner part of her body. She now walked steadily, using Layla's structure and Musa's rhythm.

And in that moment, Flora felt more in-tune with Tecna than she'd ever felt before. She could feel her magical essence; likewise, she knew Tecna could feel hers, too. I've never felt like this before! It was a powerful feeling, one that transcended far beyond friendship and anything else they'd known.

"Now us!" Bloom and Stella linked hands.

"Solar sight!"

"Dragon's strength!"

Now red-and-yellow energy shot out of their hands. The girls watched in fascination at the mannequin, which used Stella’s solar powers to see in front. Using Bloom's dragon essence, it zoomed towards the monster, lifting its hands. It reached into the monster's mouth. Flora gasped as she saw the sphere in the mannequin’s hand.

"All right!" Musa cheered.

"Now incant a spell on the exit code!" Palladium shouted. "Do it, so you can get out!"

The six of them held hands together, in a circle. Flora smiled at Tecna, who smiled sheepishly back. It's Winx Convergence time… They focused their power on the sphere.

"With the six of us here, together as one,

"Open the door so this test is done!"

Red fire shot out of Bloom's chest, as did orange energy from Tecna. Then came Stella's yellow sunlight, and Flora's green ivy. Last, Layla set out purple Morphix, while Musa shot out pink sound-waves. The six chains of light formed together, a beautiful arc.

A Winx Rainbow, Flora realized. It's so… beautiful. The six of them gasped at awe, amazed at the power of their convergence as it hit the ball of light.

The sphere glowed beautifully, enveloping them in brilliant colors. A white flash shot across the plains, so intense that Flora had to close her eyes. It was intense and awesome and heart-melting, the way their powers joined together.

Then the Magical Simulator Room appeared. Flora sank to the ground, weeping with relief. We're safe… I'm so happy. Palladium and Faragonda rushed out from the control panel.

"Are you okay, girls?" Palladium asked.

"Yes," Tecna's voice rang out, and Flora gazed up at her friend. The Fairy of Technology extended a hand to Flora, and the Fairy of Nature took it. "We faced many struggles, but we're through now. And we learned so much as a result."

"Yes, we did," Flora agreed, feeling much lighter. I know what we were missing now. Although nature and technology came from different realms, they both were ultimately used to support people. They'd combined ivy and digital networks to support that mannequin, the same way plants supported so many life-forms, that computers supported so many people. We know how to do that now… She smiled at Tecna.

And we're going to bring Darkar down.

Flora wished she could keep that optimism in the present situation, so they could work together and defeat Valtor. It won't work. The Winx were in too much disharmony to have any hope of another Convergence Rainbow – thanks to her, of course. Feeling defeated, she stared at Tecna.

"Look," she said, "I know you don't want to talk now, but I want to remind you how I felt. That day, I felt a strong connection between the two of us. It filled me with so much hope, that no matter what happens between nature and technology, we will always – are you listening?"

"I'm not," Tecna whispered flatly. "This isn't possible."

"You have to believe!" Flora protested. "You have to believe this is going to work out. We'll find a solution! I promise you, Tecna, I won't give up on you." She reached for her friend's hand.

For a moment, she thought she saw Tecna's electric-blue eyes glimmer with something. Is that… hope? But she must've imagined it, for the Zenithian fairy released her hand, murmuring, "Goodnight."

The next week saw no improvement with the Winx group; if anything, it all became worse. What with the recent developments on Melody, Musa was in a state of anxiety all throughout the week, and not even Layla could comfort her. Flora wished she could help her friend, but knew the other Winx would be furious with her for interceding.

Whenever she visited Tecna in the infirmary, the Zenithian fairy was very withdrawn, speaking only in monosyllables to Flora. The others avoided Flora as much as they could, not even bothering to talk to her about the war. Truth to be told, it probably wasn’t even in their minds; since Melody’s predicament was so unprecedented and terrifying, the Triple M was talking only about that, and ignoring the Linphean-Zenithian war. Now, there was dead silence in the apartment the few times Flora was around.

No… she thought, staring down at her bed. This can't be happening now… My friends, my sanity… my realm…

She didn't know when she'd be able to return back to Linphea; no commercial flight would take anyone to a war zone. Her family hadn't managed to get out, and she knew they wouldn't want to leave Linphea, either. It was their homeland as much as hers, and they would stick it out, regardless of what happened.

Zenith hasn't laid siege to our village yet… but it's only a matter of time. And when they did, their realm would never again bloom, just like the flowers Mirta had given her.

She gazed at the pot which she'd planted them in. They were drooping from lack of care and kindness, something which she'd never done to any of her plants before. I'm so sorry... But she knew she couldn't do anything about it.

Just like how she couldn't do anything about the final, absolute loss of all she held dear to her heart.

Chapter Text

Previously on AUP…

"I just saw you walking with that boy, out of a theater,” said Vasiliev. “Quite the rebel, aren’t you?”

"I'm sorry," Tecna gasped, her eyes wide. "I" –

"You will finish six hundred sets tonight," Vasiliev responded. "If you are not done with the sets by morning, I will contact your parents and inform them, and they will withdraw you from Alfea."

"No!" Tecna's legs buckled. "Please, don't have them pull me from Alfea" –

"Well, you have a choice," the man smirked. "Finish them tonight or face the consequences. That's our deal."

 ***

"Tecna, you're not okay," Timmy said. "The other girls told me your work still hasn't let up, and it's taking up so much of your time. Can't you get Vasiliev to let you off?"

"I'm lucky in comparison to so many of my colleagues,” Tecna responded. “My workload is actually a lot less."

"I don't believe that," Timmy answered. "Your colleagues probably aren't juggling school and a full-time job together." He looked at her in concern. "Is this something I can help you" –

"No," said Tecna forcefully; she couldn't tell him how Vasiliev had ambushed her the other night. "I'm forbidden from showing anyone the code. I could be imprisoned without a trial" –

"Don't worry," Timmy said, trying to look brave. "We'll sort this out together, Tecna. In the meantime, is there anything I can do?" Timmy asked.

The pink-haired fairy paused. I wish I could tell him everything… But to do that would be a death sentence. She swallowed, not meeting his gaze.

"No," she said. "I have it under control."

 ***

"You made multiple errors here," Vasiliev said disgustedly. "This is not engineering. This is childish nonsense. For that, there will be consequences."

Tecna's eyes snapped up as Vasiliev stood over her. He was close, too close... Her heart beat as he spoke.

"You will no longer see your precious boyfriend," he said.

The lump that had formed in Tecna's throat now exploded. "What do you mean?"

"He has been taking away from your work," Vasiliev said icily. "You are no longer to see that useless boy."

A million thoughts swarmed through her head, not the least defeat. If Vasiliev said she couldn't see Timmy, she could no longer see him. Vasiliev would see if she was going with him; he knew everything about her. He had her controls, after all.

"And if you see him, then we'll have to see if he can live or not."

Tecna's eyes snapped up, and she stared at him in alarm. "No."

"Yes," he answered coldly. "As soon as you see him, his heart will stop."

"No!" Tecna cried out. "You can't!"

Vasiliev laughed. "Oh, I most certainly can," he said. "You can’t stop me.”

 ***

“Do you think something’s going on with that portal?” Flora asked urgently. “Something so sinister, they can’t tell anyone?”

“I was kinda hopin’ ya wouldn’t say that,” Musa answered. “But I’m sure it’s not that bad.”

“Yeah,” Stella agreed. “It’s not like that portal’s gonna blow up the whole realm, right?”

CHAPTER 20: HINDRANCE AND HEARTBREAK

The weeks went by. Digit was no longer speaking to Tecna at all; in fact, she barely saw the pixie anymore. No one's speaking to me… She closed her eyes, burying her head in the pillow.

She was just so tired. Not just from the work she had to do, but just… everything. She couldn't take it anymore. This has to end somehow…

“Tecna,” a voice called. Ofelia was standing in front of her. “We’ve decided you’re being discharged to your dorm today.”

“Great,” Tecna said tiredly. Ofelia frowned.

“But not without seeing the counselor,” she warned. “In fact, you’re going right now. I’ll walk you to the office.” Helping Tecna out of bed, she gestured to the nightstand, where a purple long-sleeved shirt and black sweatpants were placed. “Change.”

Too tired to use magic to change, Tecna pulled off her gown and pulled herself into the new clothes. The waistband of the sweatpants was extremely loose, and she needed to tie it tightly so it wouldn’t slip off. The shirt was very long and baggy. Ofelia opened the door to the corridor, gesturing for Tecna to follow.

As they walked, Tecna caught sight of many other girls in the hallway, staring and whispering. “Tecna’s up?” one girl whispered.

“She doesn’t look any better,” another girl added.

            Shut up. The last thing Tecna needed was anyone’s pity right now. They reached the counseling suite, where a tall Lunarian woman with long, slivery-blond hair and light blue eyes stood. She smiled at Tecna.

            “It’s good to meet you,” she said. “Come inside, please.”

            Tecna sighed, following the woman into the office. Since she had never been to Alfea’s counseling office before, and had rarely ever been in the infirmary, she didn’t know who this woman was. She gestured for Tecna to sit in the sofa across the room, while she sat in the office chair next to the door. Tecna sat down, her metallic joints aching because she hadn’t used her machine oil in a while.

            “My name is Lucia Giovanni,” she said. “Tell me a bit about why you’re here.”

            “Because the doctor is making me come?” Tecna answered dully.

            “Because you want to get better.” Lucia gazed steadily at her. “Let me explain a few things.”

            Whatever. Tecna leaned back, uninterested. But what Lucia said next took her by surprise.

            “Whatever you say in here is confidential,” she explained. “I don’t tell anyone about what you say to me.”

            Tecna blinked. “Not even Ms. Faragonda?”

            “Not even her.” Lucia leaned forward. “Don’t be afraid to speak your mind. This is a safe space for you to talk about your concerns. However, confidentiality does have a limit. If you want to harm yourself or anyone else, we will have to get you additional help.”

            Whatever. Tecna couldn’t be bothered. Lucia nodded. “Do you have anything you want to say?”

            “Not really.” Tecna crossed her arms. “I don’t want to talk about anything.”

            “Why not?”

            “This is a waste of my time!” Tecna didn’t mean to shout, but her voice raised about ten decibels. “I don’t want to talk about anything! My friends keep nagging me, the professors keep pushing me, Faragonda’s up my butt about everything – and now you want me to talk about what’s going on! I don’t need any help!”

            “Tecna,” Lucia said calmly, not at all affected by the outburst, “you have to accept help at some point. This is not healthy for you. You will start feeling better, but only if you commit to coming here.”

            “Well, I don’t want to!” Tecna kicked her nonmetal foot against the chair.

            There was a silence, then Lucia’s voice turned grave. “Tecna, are you having any impulsive or self-destructive thoughts? Are you going to do something rash that might put your life in danger?”

            “No,” Tecna answered defiantly.

            “Then I need you to stick with me,” Lucia encouraged. “I know you can do this” –

            “I’m done here.” Tecna stood up, storming out of the room. Lucia didn’t even try to stop her. Ignoring the startled look on the secretary’s face, she headed out into the hall, slamming the door to the suite shut.

            The apartment was empty as Tecna stormed inside, flopping onto the sofa. She glared at her phone, and a desire to throw it across the room filled her. Though she viewed all technology as sacred, she somehow couldn’t handle it anymore. She leaned back against the sofa, feeling tired.

            She opened her phone and saw an unread email from Griselda. It had been sent at 10:03 that morning. You have a scheduled meeting with Headmistress Faragonda today at 12:00.

            Oh, great. Ofelia had set up a meeting with Faragonda today, so she could check on her progress and go over academic schedules. Not that she had any desire to do anything like that. She checked her internal clock.

            11:55. She had to get going. Picking herself up, she headed out the door and down the hall.

As she approached the office, she thought she could hear a voice. It was Faragonda's voice, and she was talking quietly to a group of girls. Though there was usually a soundproofing spell on the door, she’d forgotten to close it completely, and so Tecna could hear everything that was going on.

"Sit down, Musa," she said. "I'm afraid this isn't going to be easy to hear at all."

She called the Winx – without me? thought Tecna; a bad feeling was settling in her gut. What's going on? She pressed her ear against the door.

"Melody is no longer able to hide its drastic situation," Faragonda answered. "In an hour's time, they are going to release this information to the world. Here, Musa." From behind the wall, Tecna heard the rustling of papers.

For a minute, there was silence. Then Musa's shrill cry filled the air, sending everyone into shock. "What's going on?" Bloom demanded.

"I don't believe it!" Musa screamed. "I – how did Melody hide this?"

Hide what? Tecna thought, a sense of urgency coming over her. What's going on?

"This letter is from King Jun," Musa gasped. "He sent this same letter to all the realms, as well as to Ms. Faragonda. Melody is gonna be destroyed by the portal!"

"What?" Stella cried. "What does that even mean?"

"When Valtor used his Dragon Fire to tear it open, it created a massive imbalance of energy," Faragonda explained, sounding grave. "The icy energy of Omega and sonic energy of Melody are at a collide, and right now, Omega's power is much stronger. When the sages constructed the portal, thousands of years ago, they knew this was a possibility; however, the chance of this ever happening was so slim, they created it anyways. Sorcerers from all over the realms have tried to close the portal for months, but none of them realized the circumstances were so dire. No one even thought this was a possibility until two weeks ago."

"You mean when Galatea's parents ordered our citizens to evacuate!" Musa gasped. "Why didn't they tell everyone then?"

"They didn't want to create a mass panic," Faragonda answered. "It seemed safer to order the mandatory evacuation, without people knowing why. They've been desperately trying to control the portal, but to no avail. In twenty-four hours, the portal will explode, taking the planet with it."

"I don't understand," Flora frowned. "Why do you think we're going to be able to fix this? If the best sages in the world couldn't, how can we?"

It became silent; Tecna didn't have to be in the room to know everyone else was glaring at Flora. Faragonda let out a sigh.

"I have a hunch, but I don't know if it'll work," she said. "Bloom, you are the only person other than Valtor who has the Dragon Flame. If Valtor's powers broke open the portal" –

"Then mine should be able to close it!" gasped Bloom. "I have to try!"

"You are to leave immediately," Faragonda said. "But you must be careful, for before the realm hits the Point of No Return, you are to abandon the mission immediately and head back home. I want you to be brave, but I don’t want you to be reckless."

What? Tecna stared at the door. She's sending the other girls, but not me? She slammed the door open. The Winx and Faragonda turned around and saw her figure in the doorway, her eyes blazing.

"I want to go!" she shouted. "If Musa's realm is in trouble, then I'm going, too!"

"Tecna," Flora began, but Faragonda cut her off.

"Tecna, you only just got discharged from the infirmary. You haven’t been keeping up with any of your schoolwork, either; I doubt you can perform the same spells as your friends here. I am sending Musa, Layla, Flora, and Stella because they are the only Enchantix-level fairies on campus, and Bloom, because she has the Dragon Flame. But you cannot help anyone, Tecna, until you help yourself."

"What nonsense," Tecna snarled. "I am perfectly fine!"

"No, you are not," Faragonda answered. "And you will stay here until they come back, and focus on your health. It’s for your own good, Tecna."

Rage filled up in Tecna, but she could do nothing more than glare at the headmistress. I can't believe she's doing this to me... She turned around and fled, into the quad.

She didn't know why she was acting like this. All she knew was the time for logic and reasoning was over. I have to help Musa save her realm. She knew, if she didn't do something, the realm would dissolve right before everyone's eyes.

"Tecna!"

Tecna jumped to see Timmy pulling up into the quad, on his hoverbike. He stared at her in astonishment. "You didn’t tell me you were discharged!" He looked concerned. “Are you okay?”

"I'm fine," Tecna panted.

"No, you're not, Tec! You look horrible!"

"I'm fine," Tecna said again through gritted teeth. Though she knew Timmy was right. She backed away from him slowly, closing her eyes as she remembered Vasiliev's words last night.

"Tecna? Please, can you tell me what's going on?" Timmy said painfully. He jumped off his bike and moved towards her, but she backed away. "Tecna, what is it?"

Tecna opened her eyes. Timmy was right in front of her, a beseeching look on his face. She let it out, forcing herself to keep her tears at bay.

"Vasiliev has banned me from seeing you," she burst out. "He told me if I see you, he'll kill you."

Timmy stared at her in alarm. "Tecna... what are you saying?"

"I can't be with you," she whispered. "I'm sorry, Timmy. I don't want anything to happen to you."

There was a pause. Then Timmy spoke, and his voice was angry. "So you don't think I can face a goon like Vasiliev? Is that really what you think of me, Tecna?"

"That's not what I meant, Timmy!" Tecna cried. "Timmy, I really care about you, which is why I'm telling you to leave. You don't know what he's capable of."

"You think I'm weak, just like all of the other Red Fountain boys," Timmy said accusingly. "You won't even tell me what's going on, just because I can't handle a sword as well as them. You think I'm weak!"

Tecna couldn't respond. That's not true… But, as always, she knew he was right. She could still remember that day last year in Red Fountain, when everything had gone wrong…

She could only remember one time that'd been as debilitating as this, and that was their defeat at Red Fountain last year. The day when the Trix had flown off with the Codex had been one of the worst of her life. She could still remember her failure, clear as day, and how angry she'd been with Timmy for not saving them from the Trix…

"We've got to get up there," Sky had said, running up the steps.

Tecna and Bloom followed him, running up towards the top of the tower. Flora was recuperating on the floor before, and would catch up with them later. Here we are… She drew to a stop as Sky opened the door. Staring inside, she let out a gasp of horror.

The witches were standing in the Crypt. ONLY ONE BEARS THE WEIGHT OF RED FOUNTAIN was inscribed into the table. There were several objects on the table, and behind it, there was a scale.

With a shout, Sky threw his discus at Icy.

"Hello," Icy said lazily, turning around. "Back for more humiliation?" She shot an attack spell at Sky.

"Let's go!" Tecna shouted, flying at Darcy and shooting her with a jinx.

But the witch easily absorbed it. "Oh, come on," she jeered. And then she shot dark energy at Tecna.

Tecna gasped in shock as the dark energy shoved her to the ground. Stormy's powers were stronger than anything she'd ever seen before. No… this can't be happening…

Suddenly, the sound of a blaster shot filled the air. Tecna jumped up and stared over her shoulder.

In front of them was Timmy, holding his mini-blaster and looking absolutely petrified.

"Timmy!" Tecna squealed.

Stormy growled. "That's enough!" she snarled. And then she created a twister.

The two fairies and two Specialists yelled as they were thrown in the air. The Trix let out a maniacal laugh.

"The power of Gloomix almost makes this boring," Darcy declared.

Tecna looked around. Bloom and Timmy had collapsed on the floor, unconscious. She herself could barely get up; even her cyborg limbs were exhausted.

But Sky was still standing.

"No!" he yelled. With a roar of anger, he ran towards Icy.

But the witch simply hit him with an icy attack. In horror, Tecna watched as he fell to the ground.

"One-hundred years sleep, minimum," Darcy sniggered.

No… thought Tecna wildly, staring around; now she and Timmy were the only one conscious. I have to do something… But she couldn't get up without attracting attention, and in any case, her powers were very weak.

"Now," Icy said, "for the matter of the scale." She surveyed the objects and frowned. From her position on the ground, Tecna could make out a crystal, robed figurine, feather, coin, baton, sword, diploma, and communicator.

"Hmm, the weight of Red Fountain," the white-haired witch sighed, observing the objects. "Magical weight, moral weight, weightlessness, economic weight, social weight, military weight, the weight of knowledge, and communication. Hmm"…

It must be the sword, thought Tecna. Please… don't choose the sword… She held an attack spell in her hand, ready to smash the sword if Icy picked it up.

"Saladin is an elf who chooses to use magic, so it could be the crystal – wait." She looked at the figurine with the robe. "The Red Fountain warriors always wear these pompous robes at events, which they think represent morality. So in order to get the Codex, I have to follow the path of morality"… She let out a snort. "Well, I guess the ends justify the means."

She's wrong, thought Tecna, feeling slightly relieved. I won't have to do anything, then… the scale will blow her up… Pulling herself to a sitting position, she watched as Icy placed the figurine on the scale.

The scale began to creak, moving up and down. Tecna watched with bated breath as the side with the figurine seemed to teeter to the top, not fully supporting its weight. We have it… then…

Then without warning, the scale completely balanced. A platform moved, revealing a spiral-staircase that led to a basement below.

"No!" Tecna cried out. Lifting her hands, she shot Icy with a digital slap.

The witch easily absorbed the blow. Turning around, she glared at Tecna.

"Stupid pixie," she jeered. "How about we render you and your friend powerless for some time, so you won't try to fight?" She lifted her hands in the air.

No… Tecna stared as Icy's spell hit her. In shock, she fell to the ground.

She tried to summon her powers, but it was futile. She couldn't stop the Trix from getting the Codex any more than she could stop them from choosing the right object. I was a fool… How could I have made such a miserable mistake? Of course it hadn't been the sword; that was way too obvious. It's my fault…

Next to her, Bloom stirred. "What's going on?" the red-haired girl said shakily, opening her eyes. "We're – no, Sky!" She clapped a hand to her mouth.

"What's going on?" Flora had just arrived, and was running towards Sky. "Oh no! He has no pulse!"

Forget him! thought Tecna. We'll find a cure later. Right now we need to stop the Trix! She looked at Timmy, who had just awakened.

"Timmy," she whispered. "The rest of us are all weak. The Trix put a power-draining hex on me and Bloom, and on Flora when we were downstairs. You're the only one who can stop this! Please, Timmy." She stared at him desperately. "Please stop the Trix!"

Something stirred behind them. Tecna spun around to see the Trix climbing up the steps, the Codex in their hands. Timmy held his blaster in front of them, glaring.

"Oh, what have we here?" Icy sneered. "Another boy who wants to play hero?"

"Come on, Timmy," Tecna whispered through gritted teeth. Show them who you are… don't let them get away!

But then she saw Timmy's right hand shaking. He lowered his gaze, appearing to be in thought.

"How many times do I have to beat you?" Icy laughed. "Pathetic."

And with that, Timmy dropped the blaster to the ground. "Go," he murmured. "You can pass."

Tecna stared at him in shock. I can't believe this… Why, Timmy? How could you let them go?

"You're a coward!" she cried, running out of the room.

She could hear Timmy calling after her, and Bloom's cries about her immobilized boyfriend, but she didn't care. I can't believe it… She lowered her head to the ground.

We screwed up, she thought bitterly. We screwed up… and now the Codex is theirs. He could've beaten them, but he didn't. She clenched her fists.

I can't believe I ever liked him.

And now Tecna closed her eyes. Last year, she'd dwelled heavily on Timmy's refusal to fight, furious with how he'd let the Trix get away. But now, she realized it had all just been a cover-up, an excuse to project her anger on someone else. In reality, she'd been angry with herself, and had taken it out on Timmy. The whole thing was really my fault…

I didn't care for him, she realized. I treated him horribly… and now it's showing in our relationship. She opened her eyes. Timmy was speaking, sounding angrier and angrier.

"I can't believe this," he said. "I... I thought you were different from the others, Tecna! I thought you loved me!"

"I... do," Tecna whispered.

"Then say it," Timmy said harshly. "Say it, so I know where I stand."

Tecna closed her eyes. She remembered her parents' warnings, how angry they'd been upon seeing her crop-top, and how furious they would be if they knew she was dating. She remembered Digit's voice: I've never heard you tell him that. And then Vasiliev: Interesting how you can love, when it has been scientifically proven to be impossible.

She bowed her head.

There was a silence, and then Timmy spoke. "I was a fool, then. I'm sorry I ever wasted your time." He walked towards his hoverbike, and hopped on.

She watched him go, her heart breaking. She closed her eyes and scolded herself. It was your choice, so stop whining. But still, it felt as if her heart was shattering into a thousand pieces, never to be revived again.

She'd been wrong all along; Timmy had never been the coward. It had always been her, and in the recesses of her mind, she'd always known it. She'd done nothing to stop Vasiliev from taking over her life, and nothing to honor her creed as a fairy of Alfea. What have I done to help my friends? She'd been in a horrible state of mind all this time, destroying everyone else with her pain. And now, when Timmy's life was at stake, there was nothing she could do.

But I won't let him die. She glared at the ground.

The ship will be arriving here soon, she thought. I have to go. Walking into the woods, she closed her eyes, knowing she had to get to Melody.

One way or the other, I'll fulfill my duty to my friends, Timmy, and Vasiliev. This will end now. She clenched her fists.

So I can save Musa's realm from destruction for once and for all.

Chapter Text

Previously on AUP…

            Musa turned towards Chen. "What exactly is happening in Melody?"

            "The portal to Omega has been broken open," Chen said urgently. "Melodian authorities are trying their hardest to contain it, as well as minimize civilian damage, but we do not know what the situation is as of now. And no one knows why or how it happened."

            "Oh, no," gasped Musa. "That… that's horrible. What are we going to do?"

“Just stay put,” Chen said. "We're doing our absolute best to have the situation under control."

 ***

 “The whole Omega thing’s taken interrealm media attention,” Musa answered, “The news-crews are tryin’ ta enter, but the Melodian government has banned them. Even UR Defense forces have been banned from entry. The king’s got real ’tude, that’s for sure. I spoke ta Galatea, and even she doesn’t know why things are like this.”

 ***

"This letter is from King Jun," Musa gasped. "Melody is gonna be destroyed by the portal!"

"When Valtor used his Dragon Fire to tear it open, it created a massive imbalance in energy," Faragonda explained, sounding grave. "The icy energy of Omega and sonic energy of Melody are at a collide. In twenty-four hours, the portal will explode. You must do everything in your power to save the realm. I truly believe you are the only people who can do anything about it, if at all."

"I don't understand," Flora frowned. "Why do you think we're going to be able to fix this? If the best sages in the world couldn't, how can we?"

CHAPTER 21: DEFENDING MELODY

The flight to Melody was miserable. Flora sat back, wishing Tecna was there. But she knew Faragonda had been right to make her stay back. She just wasn't well enough to come.

"I can detect the sonic energy of this realm beginning to self-destruct," said Musa, sounding near tears. "This entire realm is going to implode on itself unless we can do something."

"Look over there," said Stella, pointing. "All the traffic in this realm is going out!"

So it was. In fact, they were the only people attempting to enter the realm. Musa looked anxiously around and asked, "Where's the UR forces?"

"They've given up," said Layla flatly, turning the ship away from a cloud. "They're only here to aid people out. We're the UR forces now."

Flora didn't like the sound of that. Oh, Linphèana... Staring down, she voiced her fears. "What if we're too late?"

"Oh there you go, being a pessimist!" Stella shot at her. "It wasn't enough that you had to lie to us, was it? Do you have to ruin our chances of saving the realm before we even start?"

"Yeah," added Bloom. "Do you want this realm to be destroyed?"

"No," said Flora, feeling near tears. How could they even say that? Musa glared at her.

"Well then, keep your stupid opinions to yourself!"

After that, Flora didn't even bother to open her mouth. It wasn't hard; no one was even speaking to her, anyways. Though no one else wanted to say it, least of all Musa, she could tell they were just as scared as she was. She didn't want to start another squabble, not when things were so tense. We have to save the realm. I can feel sorry for myself later.

"Get ready!" Layla shouted from the helm. "It's going to be a rough ride down!"

The girls screamed as wind battered the ship, virulently opposing its entrance into the realm. Staring out the window, Flora saw a funnel of energy over a Melodian island, bursting out-of-control. Oh my… She put a hand to her mouth.

The funnel was like that of a tornado. It seemed to split the very sky apart, fueling dark clouds and violent thunderstorms. Lightning swarmed out and slammed into the sky. No wonder there's so much wind around here! From the looks on the others' faces, they were just as horrified as she was. She lowered her head, unable to bear looking a second longer.

They flew towards the Melodian palace. What had once been a thriving cultural center was now a dead, arid desert. The city of Symphonia was completely deserted.

"Oh no," whispered Musa, a hand to her mouth. "There's nothing here." Her eyes began to water.

"Musa," began Layla, placing a hand on her shoulder, but Musa shook it off.

"There used to be flags of all colors and people all over the streets, vendors in the bazaar and the smell of spices everywhere – and now there's nothing. And there's no music, either. And the sight of that portal" – She buried her face in her hands. "This – this is stuff from a horror movie. This has always been my worst nightmare."

"Well, we're not going to let that happen," said Layla, squeezing her hand comfortingly. "Melody will thrive again."

The ship landed. Layla pressed a control and opened the latch of the main compartment. "Let's go."

Flora was about to follow them when she saw a girl flying out of their ship. A girl wearing a glittering purple suit and neon green wings – she gasped in horror, and shouted out. "Tecna!"

"What?" Bloom was by her side. "Where?"

The girl was standing on the side of the street, staring at them defiantly. Musa ran out of the ship, with the other girls following her. "What's going on?" she demanded.

"I snuck out," Tecna said. Her old spirit was back, but it was replaced with something much more dangerous, Flora noted with horror – dangerous in the sense it was illogical. Oh, Tecna... "I hid in the cargo and flew with you the entire time. Maybe you should've thought of that before you left me behind." She crossed her arms.

"Well, you can't be here," Musa declared. "It's too dangerous."

"It is not," Tecna snarled, and Flora stared at her fierce eyes. She looks like a caged animal! I've never seen her like this before! She – she’s going to hurt herself!

"It's my realm!" Musa shouted. "I would've been the princess had my dad not given up his crown! So I say who can come and who can't, and I say you can't!"

"Don't be such an idiot, Musa," Tecna retorted. "You're not leaving me behind" –

"Are we going to waste our time arguing or get on with it?" Bloom suddenly asked. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm not letting this realm suffer the same fate as Domino! We have to move on!"

"Agreed!" Stella said. "Let's get to the palace and" –

The wind threw them off their feet, and the girls fell to the pavement. Flora gasped as she hit the concrete, tasting blood in her mouth. Shakily, she pulled herself to her feet, whirling around. Someone's behind us… She gasped as soon as she saw who it was.

King Jun and Queen Li of Melody stood in front of them, their arms crossed. They were glaring at the girls.

"Musa Xi," said the queen coldly. "What is the meaning of this?"

Musa frowned nervously. "Um… hi, Your Majesty. We were sent by Ms. Faragonda to help defend the realm."

"You girls are to leave immediately," King Jun answered. "Do not even hope to think you can do anything. The entire army is gone, and only the palace guards remain. We waited here until we were sure all of our citizens complied with the evacuation orders; we are only just heading out now. As of now, the realm of Melody no longer exists."

"Don't say that!" Musa snarled. "We are not giving up! I'm not leaving our realm!"

"So be it." King Jun turned towards his guards, who were behind him. "Guards, arrest these girls and make sure they get out of here!"

The guards ran towards them, spears pointed. Bloom yelped in alarm, and jumped out of the way.

"Let's book it!" Musa yelled, transforming. The girls flew away, the guards running behind.

"I think we're gonna have to use my Scepter to escape from these guys!" Stella grabbed her Ring.

"Wait!" Layla stopped her. "Don't you remember that transporting spell we learned in Enchantix class?"

Flora remembered. All Enchantix fairs had the power to teleport themselves, provided they were transporting short distances within the same planet and going between areas that weren't non-transportable. Only extremely learned magical-beings, such as Valtor, had the power to transport between entire realms.

"We're gonna head to that rock-formation over there." She pointed to the sea. "You ready?"

"Ready," Musa said. Flora grabbed Tecna's hand and Stella grabbed Bloom's.

"Transportus!" they yelled. A spear slammed into the spot where they'd been just as they disappeared, morphing into a white light.

They appeared behind the rock, panting. The sea was ahead of them, its waves rising higher than Flora had ever seen. Musa dusted herself and turned towards the other girls.

"Okay," she said, her voice shaking. "So let's go towards the portal."

"But how are we going to close the portal?" Bloom asked. "Don't we need a plan?"

Musa growled, and Flora could tell how frustrated she was. "Well" – Suddenly her eyes lit up.

"I know!" she said. "Teboc the Wise lives in one of these caves. He's one of the men who created the portal, the only one still alive. Galatea said he’s on the evacuation-order list, which means he's still here. He's the only one who can help us!"

"Perfect," said Bloom. "Let's go find him and" –

The ground below them began to shake. The girls screamed as the sea churned below them, a wave nearly hitting Stella and pulling her into the water. Five mermaids flew out of the sea, their eyes glinting.

Flora stared at them in horror. Oh no... Valtor must have done the same thing to the mermaids here as he did on Andros! The mermaids advanced on them, their eyes glittering.

"On second thought, you two go!" Musa yelled, pointing to Tecna and Bloom. "The Enchantix Squad can handle this. Come on!" She grabbed Layla and Stella's hands.

Flora followed them, grabbing her pouch from her neck. Let's free them... But no matter how close she tried to get to them, the mermaids darted away. A spell slammed out of one of the mermaid's tridents, and hit her to the ground.

No! thought Flora desperately. I don't want to hurt them, but we can't let them stop us! She flew towards the mermaid, who roared again, flying to strike Musa –

And was hit by a stroke of a sword. The mermaid collapsed, falling into the ground.

Musa turned around, and gasped. "Your Majesty!"

The queen was standing with a sword. Behind her was a group of guards, who ran to immobilize the mermaids. The mermaids snarled as they were hit, trying to escape but failing.

"Thanks, Your Majesty," said Musa, at a loss for words. "You saved me."

"No, it was you who saved me," the queen answered, smiling. "Because of you, I now know not to give up hope, that we can do this together. While my husband oversees the evacuation orders, I will remain here, fighting for Melody with my last breath." She nodded to the mermaids. "Can we dust them and turn them back?"

"We're on it!" Stella flew into the air, grabbing her fairy-dust. Flora and the others followed her, each girl taking a mermaid. Flora sprinkled her green dust over one's head, and Queen Li sprinkled lilac dust over another.

She could see Stella's yellow dust, Musa's pink dust, and Layla's purple dust shining, creating a beautiful rainbow together. They converged their magic together... A flash of self-pity came over her as the mermaid stared at her like she was a goddess.

"Thank you," she breathed. "You saved me."

"Get into a ship and leave," Queen Li ordered. "A precautionary measure only," she said at the look on Musa's face. "Now we must focus all our energy on stabilizing the portal."

"Right," Layla said, her eyes flashing. "Let's go find the others, and put an end to this mess."

I don't know how… She stared at the portal, which was, if possible, even more out-of-control than when they'd first landed. How are we going to contain that portal? She swallowed, wondering if even Bloom's Dragon Fire could stop this.

Please, Linphèana, we need a miracle about now…

Chapter Text

Previously on AUP…

  "Tecna, listen to me!" Timmy said desperately. "You need to stop doing so much work. It's taking over your life!"

"No!" Tecna shouted. "That would be the end of me, and you know it! Vasiliev's too dangerous!"

There was a silence. Then Timmy whispered, "Tecna, is there something you're not telling me?"

Tecna didn't answer. I can’t tell him… She drew in a shallow, gasping breath at the memory.

"I have to go," she said, and then she hung up.

 ***

A girl flew out of their ship. Flora recognized the glittering purple suit and neon green wings instantly, and gasped in horror. "Tecna!"

"What's going on?" Musa demanded.

"I snuck out," Tecna said. Her old spirit was back, but it was replaced with something much more dangerous, Flora noted with horror – and illogical. "I hid in the cargo and flew with you the entire time. Maybe you should've thought of that before you left me behind." She crossed her arms.

"Well, you can't be here," Musa declared. "It's too dangerous."

"It is not," Tecna snarled, and Flora stared at her fierce eyes. She looks like a caged animal! I've never seen her like this before! She’s going to hurt herself!

***

"You don't have to explain anything," Flora answered. "Just promise me one thing, okay, Tec?"

"What is it?" Tecna asked.

"Promise me you won't hurt yourself," Flora whispered. "I don't want anything to happen to you, Tecna. Please, promise me that."

CHAPTER 22: THE VISION IN THE WINDS

"Sage Teboc!" Bloom shouted, banging the door open. "We need your help!"

Tecna stared forward. A man was kneeling over the floor, his hands in a prayer position. He jumped suddenly, staring up at Bloom.

"W-why are you here?" he stammered. "I thought I was the only person left in this forsaken realm!"

So much for Teboc the Wise, Tecna thought. This old man looked decrepit, and, quite frankly, pathetic. But he's the only one who can help us out…

"Please!" Bloom shouted desperately. "We have to close the portal!"

"You silly girl!" Teboc shot back. "The best sages of the world have tried to close this portal. I have tried for so many months, to no avail. And how, our worst fears, fears we never thought were possible, are here to fruition."

"But we've fought the Army of Decay before!" Bloom cried. "We fought the Shadow Phoenix, and we've battled Valtor, too! Please, you can't give up!"

"Such bravado," he answered. "But no. This is a force unlike one you've ever met before."

"We're not leaving until this portal is shut!" Tecna snarled back. The man jumped up, startled at her tone. "You are going to get out there and do your job! I don't care how sorry you feel for yourself, but just get up and close it!"

Silence, except for the howling wind outside, permeated through the building. Bloom stared at Tecna, clearly stunned by her tenacity. Why is everyone looking at me like that? Irritation built up in her as she stared defiantly at Teboc.

"We do have hope," Bloom said at last. "I am the last survivor of Domino's destruction. The princess of Domino. As I hold the power of the Dragon's Flame, I have to try and reverse the destruction Valtor wrought."

Teboc stared at her. "A fairy of the Dragon Fire?" he gasped. "I don't believe it"… He sighed. "I suppose it is worth one last shot. I will bring the ancient scrolls with me, so we can do one final incantation. But do not get your hopes up. I see you both are determined to die here, too, and nothing I say will change your minds. This is your last chance to leave – the Point of No Return is in an hour.”

"We won’t rest until the portal is gone," Bloom declared.

"Let's go," Tecna said. The two girls and Teboc flew out towards the portal, the deadly funnel that enveloped all the sky.

Flora, Musa, Stella, and Layla flew towards the portal. The winds were getting stronger and stronger, and even with the might of their Enchantix wings, they weren't going to be able to reach it. How are we going to do this?

"Hey, guys!" a voice shouted behind them. "We got Teboc!"

Flora turned around. Tecna and Bloom were flying towards them, with an old wizard trailing behind. The wizard's eyes were grim as he stared forward.

"This is worse than I saw before," he said hoarsely. "We will never be able to save this realm."

"Shut up and tell us how to get there," Tecna responded irritably.

"What my friend means" – Bloom said, shooting Tecna a glare, "is: how do we get to the top of the steps?"

"Those of you with your Enchantix must create a shield," Teboc answered. "I will help you." He closed his eyes, and a sphere appeared in his hands.

Flora focused on her own energy, calling what was left of the nature around her. "Floral shield," she whispered. Her energy was weaker than it would've been, but was still strong. Out of all of theirs, Layla's was the strongest, due to the heightened waves; Musa's was the weakest, due to the destructive sonar energy around. Stella looked around, staring in distress. "I can't put my powers to use! Those dark clouds have blocked all celestial bodies!"

"It's okay, Stel," Layla assured her. "The three of us have got this." She linked hands with both Flora and Musa. "Convergence!"

Flora focused, forcing herself to push aside her differences with Layla and Musa. We have to make this convergence work as well as possible… Floral, molecular, and sonar magic shot out past them; a green, purple, and pink shield surrounded the group. Teboc's eyes went wide.

"Fascinating," he whispered. "Even though your powers are far weaker, due to the circumstances, the amount of raw energy you possess is incredible. You girls truly are powerful."

"That's why we need to help close the portal," Bloom answered. "That's the only way."

"Very well," Teboc nodded. He turned towards Musa and Bloom. "You two are needed to close the portal. In case they fail, I need one of you for backup. Which one of you will" –

"I will," Tecna said, standing up straight.

"Tecna, you're not even supposed to be here!" Musa shouted. "You can't" –

"Let her come," Teboc interrupted. "We need someone of a strong spirit to come with us. The rest of you, use your powers to stabilize the portal."

"Then we haven't a second to lose," Bloom declared.

Flora stared at Tecna. Please be okay… She looked at her friend anxiously, who was seemingly avoiding everyone's gaze. Then Tecna turned away, following Musa, Bloom, and Teboc.

I hope she makes it out okay…

Tecna, Bloom, and Musa landed on the steps of the portal, scrambling hurriedly up as they raced to meet the chute. Tecna ran up, her heart thumping as she stared at what was in front.

The funnel was far more terrifying than what she’d seen in the media. Electricity swarmed in its depths, and darkness abounded deep inside. Hail was hissing out of the funnel, shooting up into the air and to the night. She stared into its depths, wondering how they were ever going to close it.

Teboc sighed, a sigh heavier than any mountains. "I knew it was a big mistake to create this portal."

"Then why?" asked Musa. "Why did you do it?"

"It was two hundred years ago," Teboc said. "The Omega Prison was created by the UR in order to keep the most dangerous criminals imprisoned for life. Melody was chosen as a gateway, because it is, relatively speaking, the closest to Omega.

"I was one of four wizards chosen to erect this portal. I was young then, a mere sixty-year-old man, as I helped men decades older than I to build this. It was meant to be a quick shortcut to Omega, located on the far edges of the Galaxy, and to provide us security in ridding ourselves of the worst criminals of the world. And now, the very thing that was supposed to save us will destroy us after all." He let out a sigh as he stared at the funnel.

"I'm not standing by and letting this realm get destroyed," Bloom declared. "What do you need me to do?"

"Give me the strongest Dragon you have," Teboc answered. "Fairy of music, converge your powers with hers. You" – he pointed to Tecna – "give me as much energy as you have."

I'll give you energy, all right, Tecna thought, staring defiantly at the portal. You are going to close, even if I have to give up everything. She created a ball of orange metallic energy, staring forward.

Bloom had transformed into her Charmix, calling forth the Dragon's Flame. A red fire-dragon swarmed out of her heart, surrounding them all with its benevolent energy. Musa spread her fairy-dust in a circle, calling forth her sonic energy.

"Hrah!" she shouted. Pink sound-waves flew out of her chest, surrounding Bloom's dragon. Holding the scrolls, Teboc stared up into the face of the portal.

The dragon swarmed around the portal, coiling it in a grasp. Despite the winds' harsh brace, it did not falter. Bloom narrowed her eyes, focusing her Dragon Fire.

"I will read from the ancient scrolls," Teboc said. "Now is the time. Focus your fire on the portal. Focus it!"

Bloom closed her eyes, sending all the energy she had within into the portal. Tecna and Musa focused their energy on Teboc. The wizard lifted the scrolls, incanting in ancient Harmonian:

Magna portal, quod est adaperire!

Proqinquus tu magni infundibuliformis vacant

Quapropter suscipe benedictionem hanc societatem civium solus in –

A harsh wind blew from the funnel, knocking them out of balance. Tecna, Bloom, and Musa fell to the ground as the scrolls slipped out of Teboc's hands, flying into the funnel. He gasped out loud.

"No!" he shouted in horror, falling to his knees. "Not the ancient scrolls!"

Tecna stared at him in terror. No... Without the scrolls, they had no chance of closing the portal and stopping it from immolating the realm. They truly were at the Point of No Return.

A deafening crash sounded above them as the funnel tore into the sky. The very sky was splitting apart, and the realm was crumbling before their very eyes. Teboc lowered his eyes.

"What are we going to do?" gasped Musa in shock.

"Now that the scrolls have been lost, it is impossible to close the portal," Teboc answered. "Your Dragon Fire is irrelevant. There is one way, but it is would require a tremendous amount of sacrifice and courage – courage I no longer possess, I am afraid."

"What is it?" Bloom demanded.

"In order for the portal to be closed, it must be closed from the inside," Teboc answered. "The person who goes to close it, first of all, must be able to withstand the winds, which are going at an impossibly high speed. And even if she were able to get inside, she would be trapped there… forever."

Flora focused her floral energy, calling on the aquatic plants to lend her their strength. They flew upwards, holding the portal in their strength. Next to her, Layla was harnessing the energy of waves, and Stella was using her limited light-energy to add to their power. She focused hard on the portal, slowing its funnel.

"Hold on," Layla shouted. "Contain the portal!"

Come on… She gritted her teeth, trying to hold on to the portal as much as possible. We need to contain that funnel as much as possible… It looked as if their efforts were working, that their powers were containing it.

Then the funnel roared, and Tecna, Bloom, and Musa were blasted back.

"Oh no!" Layla cried, staring up at the portal. The funnel was now as furious as ever, demonically spreading into the sky.

"We have to leave!" Stella shouted. "The Point of No Return is in five minutes! We need to round everyone up and get out of here, before it's too late to" –

A wave drenched Flora. She let out a shout as she was pulled underwater, away from the portal. "Argh!" she cried, trying to swim up to the surface.

But she was no match for the sea, especially one that was spurred by the portal. Please, no! Her arms flailed desperately as she coughed up mouthfuls of seawater, fighting her way back up.

***

"I'm going into the portal," Bloom said. "I'm not letting this realm get destroyed."

"Bloom, stop," Musa protested; surprised, Bloom halted. "This is my realm; it's my responsibility. You can't take the burden of this great sacrifice."

"Then we'll do it together," Bloom declared.

The two girls linked hands and walked forward, followed by Tecna and Teboc. Tecna stared at the funnel, the growing power as the earth shook. The water was up to their feet now. Shaking, Tecna followed the girls towards the funnel as they walked down.

She could feel the electrical energy of the portal, zipping through her body. WARNING: HIGH VOLTAGE ALERT, her scanner read.

This is not unlike my wiring system, Tecna realized. The portal ran on the same energy: electricity and a lot of magic. But if the source is cut off, then maybe, just maybe, it'll all stop…

She gasped as the funnel ejected them, and they were thrown out of the portal. Musa fell on her butt, Bloom slammed into her, and Teboc fell on his back.

Only Tecna stood unfazed, her Charmix gleaming on her breast as she faced the portal.

"I can do this," she declared, marching forward.

The others gasped as she walked forward, calling out to her, but Tecna shut them all out. If this is all I ever do in my life, then so be it. Heart filled with determination, she strode towards the funnel.

Waves crashed over Flora's head as she was dragged underwater, riptide after riptide subduing her. Her lungs were on fire, and she clawed her way upwards desperately to the surface.

I need to get out! She needed to help her friends get out of here, so they could leave this realm. This is wasting our time! This reminded her of how she'd dove underwater to save Miele after the Trix had thrown her into the stream.

But this was far, far worse. The waves were much stronger, and there was no mercy in store for her. I'm going to die here… I'm going to die in this water… Her lungs felt as if they were filled with ice.

"Flora!" she dimly heard Layla's shout. "We're coming!"

Stop wasting your time on me! Flora wanted to shout. Get the others out of here! But she was too weak to do anything of the sort. Another wave pulled her under, dragging her deep to the bottom of the sea.

Her lungs were now utterly numb. Black spots were beginning to cloud her vision, and her head was fuzzy. This is it, this is the end… She closed her eyes.

Suddenly, the sea stopped churning. She lay at the bottom of the sea, no longer moving, no longer shaking. An air-bubble suddenly formed around her head, and she gasped in the cool, clean air, coughing out all the water that'd entered her lungs. A hand grabbed her and dragged her out of the water, up to the surface.

What's going on? She emerged out of the water, staring at Layla, who had just saved her from drowning. She was about to thank her friend, but froze as soon as she saw what was ahead of her.

The funnel was still spiraling. Electricity shot into the air, and Flora could feel incredible, unbearable energy overloading her. The water was still churning, and the clouds were pure black.

"What's going on?" Flora demanded. With a trembling finger, Stella pointed in front of her.

Something was in the funnel – or rather, someone. If she squinted her eyes, Flora thought she could see Tecna walking into the portal.

Tecna! she thought, horrified. What are you doing?

Suddenly, the storms halted. Waves paused in mid-strike, and the girls stared at the portal. All eyes were on Tecna as she stood in the middle of the funnel, defiant and tall.

"Don't do it, Tecna!" Flora cried out. But her words were drowned out by the deafening roar of the funnel, and all she could do was look hopelessly on.

Tecna walked forward, pushing through the funnel. Come on, come on... But the funnel was strong, and rejected everything near it. Still Tecna pushed through, forcing herself past the inner walls.

She gasped as she was pulled into the funnel, into the eye of the storm. Here, the electrical winds swirled around her, a circle around the tiny center. She knew, without a doubt, it would be impossible for her to ever get out.

Everything came to a halt. Time stopped completely, and Tecna stared down. The girls, the churning sea, the impending doom – everything could wait. As she stood in the eye of the funnel, she thought she saw a vision in its fierce winds.

Anastasia was back home, only a few weeks after her surgery. She was so happy to be home, so happy to be out of the hospital. Her parents had never exactly been doting, but back then, they'd always truly showed her love. They'd taken her to a laboratory, owned by one of Papa's friends – Mr. Vasiliev.

Anastasia didn't like Mr. Vasiliev. His teeth were scary white and he had a weird look on his face. But Papa liked him, so she knew he was a good guy. Papa would never be friends with someone bad.

"Anastasia," the man – Mr. Vasiliev – said to her. "I would actually like to spend some time with you. I will return you to your parents in the morning."

Anastasia's eyes raised as she stared up at him. The man smiled, pointing her towards the door. "Come with me?"

She looked back at her parents. Mama looked uncertain, but Papa smiled, pushing her forward. "Go on, Nassy," he said affectionately. It was the last time he ever called her that.

Yawning, Anastasia followed Mr. Vasiliev through the door. They walked through the corridor until they reached another door, which Mr. Vasiliev stood in front of. "Watch this." He held his hands together.

The door began to slide open, leading to a circular room. Mr. Vasiliev walked in, motioning for her to follow. Anastasia stepped inside, and immediately gasped.

The entire room was made of glass and metal. A little bit of moonlight penetrated from a circle of glass at the top, which illuminated the room with an eerie glow. Around her were test-tubes, which were filled with weird, glowing purple liquid.

Anastasia stared at it in frightened awe, shocked and terrified by what she saw around her. "What's here?" she whispered.

"This is the heart of my laboratory," Mr. Vasiliev whispered. "Your father, Anastasia, has agreed to let me hire you as an employee. You will be working here."

Anastasia began to feel scared. "I don't like this." She moved to leave, but then Vasiliev grabbed the back of her shirt.

"Now, there." He smiled. "What's the rush? You haven't seen the best part yet."

He steered Anastasia towards a chair in the center of the room. Cautiously, Anastasia sat in it, staring up at the shaft of light above her head. The moon glowed luminously above her head, bright and full. Behind her, she felt Mr. Vasiliev lift the back of her shirt and gasped. "What are you doing?"

"Hush, girl," Mr. Vasiliev commanded, his eyes on fire. He opened her control panel and placed a chord in, connecting it through the socket.

Anastasia looked upwards. The purple test-tubes on the side began to turn, and she saw they now had laser beams on them. What's he doing? The beam pointed to her, illuminating her fully.

And then she screamed as white-hot fire shot through her body.

It was the worst pain she'd ever experienced. Worse than even the hover crash, or the first few days after the surgery. She let out a cry, sobbing as she was struck with unbearable pain. "Mama! Papa!" Above her, she could hear Vasiliev's laugh.

The torture seemed to last forever. Dimly, she thought she could hear the scratching of a pen and murmurs of interest. When it was finally over, Anastasia collapsed out of the chair, crying and screaming.

She lay there for several hours, drifting in and out of consciousness. Pain overtook her, a feverish kind of pain – head pain, stomach pain, joint pain, nerve pain, heart pain – and an overwhelming sense of weakness. She thought she sensed computer screens and cameras over her, a needle pricking her arm (very much like bloodwork), and machines analyzing some kind of data. Finally, when the pain had reached an unbearable amount, Vasiliev picked her up in his arms.

"My little cyborg," he whispered. "I created you myself – without me, you would be dead. Don't you ever forget that." He uncorked her a golden vial, and forced the contents down her throat.

The pain subsided, but she still couldn't stop crying. She felt completely weak and drained inside, as if nothing would ever be right again. Vasiliev took a long sip of a similar golden vial, taking his time. He pushed her into the chair. It was then she noticed what was in his hand.

It was a steel remote.

"You see," Vasiliev continued, "I have now connected this remote to your control panel, which means I no longer need the wire. I can control you from anywhere in the world. Look at this." He pressed the “ELECTROCUTE” button. Anastasia screamed again as electricity zapped through her wiring.

“Hmm,” Vasiliev mused. Anastasia looked up in fright at the remote, seeing there were only two buttons. The first one was “ELECTROCUTE”, a green color. The second was bright red, and the most dangerous. Could that be… Her eyes went wide as she realized what it was.

“This is the button that would end it all.” Vasiliev lightly placed his finger over the “TERMINATE” button. “How easy it would be for me to end your life, right this moment? Do you think anyone would miss you? A cyborg?”

Anastasia sobbed piteously. “Please, don’t!” she begged. Fear was pumping in her heart, her stomach was wide open, and she was shaking all over. Death was right before her, and she had no way of stopping him. “Please!”

Vasiliev pressed the “ELECTROCUTE” button again. The torture lasted for longer than before – several minutes, at the least. Anastasia couldn’t stop screaming; all thoughts of hope and joy were wiped out, never to return. Her childhood was gone – she had seen the horrors of the world. She lay limply on the floor, very still after the torture stopped.

"That's what happens when you misbehave," Vasiliev said, his eyes dancing. "You've been a very bad girl today, Anastasia – I will have to inform your father. I hope you've learned a lesson about crying – it's never tolerated here."

Anastasia forced the tears from her eyes. Vasiliev stood up, and forced her off the chair. Then she gasped as he grabbed her by the throat.

"Say one word to your parents about this," he whispered, "and I will kill you. I have the controls. Do you understand?"

Anastasia nodded woodenly.

"You will work for me," Vasiliev continued. "You already know coding, and I will put you to work in my laboratory. And if you even think about stepping out of line – well, just remember today. You are mine forever."

Tecna blinked. The images in the winds disappeared, and they continued swirling around, just as fiercely as ever. What just –

"Don't do it, Tecna!"

She looked up, staring forward. Flora was flying towards the portal, a distressed look in her eyes. Green eyes met electric-blue as they stared at each other, worlds apart. In more ways than one.

I'm sorry, Flora. I know I promised you I'd be safe, that I wouldn't hurt myself. But I have to do this. I hope you understand. She focused her energy, trying to detect the fuse.

There it was, right in the center. She pushed it, forcing her way inside; the floor parted and created a tunnel.

She pushed through, focusing all of the energy she'd ever possessed to close the tunnel. Cease your energy, come to me, come to me... Destroy no more...

Eventually, the tunnels parted. The electrical fuse hit her, with the force of a thousand volts. But no pain came – unlike Vasiliev's torture, it was completely powerless. The electric whirring stopped, and she stared around, letting out an exhale of relief.

It's gone, she thought. Forever.

Then the tunnel began to shake. The inertia of her energy ceased to exist, and she plummeted down the bottomless chute. Darkness, the same as the darkness of that horrible night, enveloped her.

Then rocks closed in on her, crushing her utterly and completely, squeezing out her life-source. I can't breathe… But no matter how hard she fought, resistance was futile. Eventually, she gave in to the total, sucking silence of the closed portal.

And then, nothing remained.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER 23: STORMING CLOUD TOWER

"I can't believe she's gone," Bloom sobbed.

The girls were in their apartment. It had been a long day, but none of them had the heart to sleep. They stayed awake, wide-eyed and trembling.

"She was so brave," Stella whispered. "I don't think I could've done that for my kingdom."

"And it wasn't even her kingdom to sacrifice for," Galatea added. The Melodian princess had joined them in their apartment, and was crying along with the rest of them. "But that didn't matter. She... she just gave her life for it."

Flora stared at them, bleary-eyed. The tears that had fallen after she'd witnessed Tecna fall into the portal would not come now. She felt drained and exhausted, her grief as bottomless as the chute Tecna had fallen into – there was no end in sight.

"She was so brave," Musa whispered. "Brave, when the rest of us couldn't be. She gave her life not just for my kingdom, but for all of us, so we could live."

Odd, Flora thought, that Musa didn't mention how they'd banned Tecna from coming in the first place. Odd, that she didn't mention how Tecna had deteriorated so far in the last months. Odd, that she didn't realize this had been coming for a long time. Those thoughts hung unspoken in the air.

"Is it true?" a voice whispered. Flora looked up and saw Chatta flying in through the window, followed by the other pixies. "Is Tecna really… gone?"

"Yes," Musa whispered. "I'm afraid so."

Chatta let out a wail. Flora rushed forward and cradled her pixie in her arms. "I'm sorry, Chatta," she whispered. She looked over at the other pixies, who were all hugging and crying along with their bonded fairies.

But it was Digit who was grieving the most. She had collapsed by herself, and no amount of persuasion would lift her up the table. Flora reached over to Digit and carried her next to Chatta; the two pixies held one another, sniffling.

"What are we going to do now?" Stella wailed.

The door opened, and Faragonda came in. "Girls, I wanted to check on you," she said, gently shutting the door behind her. "How are you doing?"

"Horrible," Layla whispered.

"We'll feel a lot better once we pay Valtor a visit!"

Everyone looked suddenly at Musa, whose eyes were flashing. Her mouth was in a thin line as she glared at Faragonda. "We've let him destroy all of us – first he took our realms' treasures, then our friendships, and now, our girl Tecna! And we're not letting him get away with this! So I say we all storm Cloud Tower now and finish him off!"

"Yes!" Bloom, Stella, and Layla said together.

Flora stared at them uncertainly. This can't be a good idea... She knew there was absolutely no way they'd be able to finish off Valtor. For one thing, he would be expecting them, and for another, their bond together was completely severed at this point. The Winx no longer existed in any form but in name.

And even if they did kill Valtor, it wouldn't bring Tecna back. Nothing would. She was gone, just as gone as the portal to Omega.

"You girls are not going anywhere," Faragonda said. "No one is leaving campus for any reason. The magical barrier will remain up until further notice."

"Do you expect us to just sit here after what he did to Tecna?" snarled Bloom.

"There’s nothing we can do," Faragonda said somberly. "Tecna knew she wouldn’t make it home, but she still chose to go. In that moment, her fate was sealed. All we can do now is honor her sacrifice."

"You know, I kind of liked you better when you were a tree, Ms. F," Stella said suddenly, glaring at her.

"You girls have already left campus without permission twice!" Faragonda shouted. "You're not leaving for a third time. I understand you are grieving, but I cannot lose the rest of you, too, not when you are our only hope against Valtor. You can hate me all you want, but you are not leaving the school. I will not allow it." She turned the lights out.

"Ms. Faragonda, I don't want to stay here tonight," Flora suddenly said. She had no desire to stay in the apartment, not when so many ill memories lingered here. "Galatea, can I come to your apartment?"

Faragonda looked to Galatea, who nodded. "Sure. I guess you could share a bed with Mirta."

"As you wish, Flora," Faragonda answered. "Now, off to bed. You must sleep."

Flora followed Galatea down to her apartment. Mirta and Nova were waiting there, red-eyed and confused. Mirta held Flora tightly and whispered, "What happened?"

"Tecna's gone," whispered Flora. "She gone and she's never coming back."

Then she broke down, completely and utterly. Cold grief poured down her cheeks, and her knees capsized. She was only barely aware of Mirta's warm hand leading her to the bed, and collapsing next to her girlfriend amid sheets and pillows.

The next day dawned cold and grey. Though Flora was exhausted, she posted on Winxstagram that she’d be opening office hours at 6:00 in the morning, inviting all students who needed to grieve for Tecna. A group of students had already gathered around her office by the time she reached the suite, and she unlocked the door, letting them in. As there were too many of them to fit in on the sofas, they all sat on the floral rug on the floor, which Flora’s mother had made specially for her on Linphea. They all sat in a circle, and Flora gazed around.

There were the three other Zenithian seniors, Anastacia Porava, Ortensia Yahontova, and Wirena Reznikova. Several Zenithian underclassmen were there as well. Mirta, Nova, Galatea, and their suitemates were also there, and they were all sniffling. Flora held the tears back as she gazed at everyone.

            “Thank you for coming,” she said softly. “As you all know, yesterday on Melody, Tecna Ivanova sacrificed herself to close the portal. Her sacrifice was incredibly brave, and we will always remember this terrible tragedy. Right now, I want this to be a safe space for all of us to freely speak.” She extended both of her hands out to the girls next to her. “Come on, let’s all join hands.”

            The girls all linked together. Flora could feel the magical energy of everyone in the room, each heartbeat. She gazed down at everyone, and then spoke. “Who would like to speak first?”

            “I would,” Anastacia said immediately. “Tecna was such an inspiration for me when I first came to Alfea. I remember when I first came, I was so nervous – I was scared to make friends and show any emotion at all. Tecna was one of the first people who spoke to me on campus. Since she was nervous, too, I felt like I wasn’t alone.”

            Flora remembered how shy the three Zenithian seniors had been when they’d first come to campus. Due to their shared cultural backgrounds, Anastacia, Ortensia, and Wirena had become firm friends. Tecna had spent quite a bit of time hanging out with them, too. Several of the other Zenithian girls nodded in agreement.

            “I’ve been feeling horrible about the Linphean-Zenithian war, too,” a Zenithian sophomore, Katerina Vavilova, added softly. “I know that must’ve caused a major toll on her, just like it did on the rest of us. The media has barely been talking about it, but the atrocities on Linphea have just been so horrible. It makes me feel sick we belong to such a nation.”

            “Please don’t feel that way.” As much as Flora hated Zenith’s policies against Linphea, she couldn’t hold it against any other Zenithian person. “It’s not your fault, not one bit. You can be proud of your Zenithian heritage while still condemning the actions of the government.”

            “I think that must’ve been horrible for Tecna, too,” Nikola Abramova, a Zenithian freshman, added. “It can’t have helped her towards the end. It must’ve made her feel desperate about everything – she was so desperate to make a change, she made the ultimate sacrifice.”

            “I didn’t even think about that,” Flora whispered. “That makes so much sense.”

            “I still can’t believe it,” Jade Judas, Mirta’s suitemate, bawled.

            “I really miss Tecna, too.” Now Alice Lavigne, Mirta’s other suitemate, spoke. “I’ve always looked up to her, along with the rest of you Winx” –

            “Speaking of the Winx, where are they?” Clarice asked suddenly. “Why aren’t they here?”

            “Well”… Flora exchanged an uncomfortable glance with Mirta, Nova, and Galatea. “They couldn’t make it,” she finally said.

            “Yeah, right,” Clarice snorted. “I don’t care why they’re mad at you. They still need to support you!”

            Flora swallowed. It was no secret to the rest of the school that the Winx had abandoned both Flora and Tecna for quite some weeks now. She didn’t know what the other Winx felt now that Tecna was gone, but she figured it was nothing good. She shook her head.

            “Let’s continue sharing,” she said. “Remember to keep the focus on Tecna and your feelings.” She nodded. “Who would like to go next?”

            They stayed in the office until 8:00 that morning. Usually Flora ate breakfast at around 7:00, but she was too invested in the meeting to move. Finally, she could no longer ignore the rumbling in her stomach. “It’s time to wrap up now.” She and Mirta rose, and they all headed out of the office.

            As she turned to lock the door, her phone buzzed. Opening her phone, she saw, for the first time in the past several weeks, that Bloom had posted in the Winx group chat.

            Bloom: every1 meet @ gr8 hall now. We need 2 talk.

            What? A bad feeling was settling in Flora’s gut. Mirta read the text, her eyes narrowed.

            “You sure you want to go?” she asked. “They haven’t exactly been the nicest to us.”

            “I think we should.” Flora locked the door. “Come on, let’s go.”

They reached the Great Hall. Bloom, Stella, Musa, and Layla were already there, as were the pixies. Chatta flew up to Flora’s shoulder, while the other girls sat at their usual places.

"So here's the plan," Digit said, fluttering in front of them. Her eyes were still red, and Tune gently held her hand as she spoke. "Faragonda has sealed off everything, made the barrier stronger – but the tunnels are still open. I’ll come with you so I can use my palmtop – Tecna and Timmy’s tunnel map – so we can get in."

            “We’re heading to Cloud Tower,” Bloom added. “We’re gonna go and face Valtor down, and kill him for everything he’s done!”

            Kill him? Flora’s eyes went wide. Layla nodded grimly.

            “Come on,” she said, taking charge. “We need to mobilize if we’re gonna reach there tonight” –

"Wait," Flora protested. "I never said I was going."

"What?" asked Musa indignantly.

"You have to," Layla declared. "Don't you care about avenging Tecna?"

"This won't help anything," Flora protested. "She wouldn’t want us to do this. Besides, I have to stay here and help the rest of the students. It’s my duty, as” –

“As Head Girl?” Stella sneered. “So you care more about keeping your position than you do about Tecna, don’t you? You don’t want to help!”

Flora stared at Stella, feeling broken. Mirta spoke up, her eyes flashing. “That wasn’t fair, Stella.”

“Of course I care for Tecna,” Flora whispered, tears coming to her eyes. “She is – was – my best friend. How – how could you even say that?”

"Look, Flora," said Bloom, "are you coming with us or not?"

Flora didn't want to. She didn't want to go on a pointless raid which would do absolutely nothing to bring Tecna back. But she knew if she didn't go, the girls would forever label her as a coward. She took in a breath.

"All right," she said. "I'm in."

"Time to go," Digit said.

The girls were in the basement of Cloud Tower. Flora stood behind the others, following her friends as they flew up the stairs to the first floor.

"Go!" Bloom screamed, and they slammed the windows with their powers – pollen, Dragon Fire, sunlight, sound, and Morphix hitting the panes. Glass splintered to the ground as they landed in the Great Hall, glaring at the witches.

"Tell us where Valtor is," Bloom ordered.

"All hail Valtor," they chanted. "All hail Valtor!"

"Okay, that's just creepy," Stella said, looking disgusted. "I don't think we're getting anything out of them."

"Digit, can you scan and try to find where the power is concentrated the most?" Flora asked, feeling a wave of grief come over her. That would usually be Tecna's job... Digit nodded and turned on her digisensor.

"There're two places," she said. "One, near the dungeons. The other, in the headmistress' office."

"How about this?" Musa asked. "Layla, Stella, and I will go to the dungeons. Bloom and Flora, go to Griffin's office."

"I'll head back," Digit said, turning around and heading back towards the tunnels.

"Sounds good," Bloom answered. "If we find him, we'll send you a signal!"

"So will we!" Stella said, following Layla and Musa. "Come on!"

Flora followed Bloom, a bad feeling settling in the pit of her stomach. Something is terribly wrong... But it was far too late to back out now.

She swallowed, gazing around the castle of Cloud Tower. The place where Mirta had gotten her Winx. The place where, also, after completing her transformation, Mirta had fallen very ill. She swallowed, remembering how scared she'd been for her that night…

They had just fallen from the tower after failing to stop the Trix from taking the Codex. Dusting themselves off, they flew back into the castle, ready to tell Griffin the terrible news.

"Where is she?" Stella wondered as they searched the castle. "She's not in her office, she's not in the Great Hall. Where has she gone" –

A scream suddenly filled the air. Flora jumped in horror, staring around. Musa's eyes went wide.

"That's Lucy's voice!" she shouted.

The girls ran down the hall towards the sound of the scream. Flora cried out as soon as she saw what was going on.

Mirta was lying on the floor, wearing an orange-and-pink Winx outfit. She got her fairy transformation at last… But her body was writhing and convulsing. Lucy cried out again in horror.

"We have to get her medical help!" she shouted.

"We need you to carry her out of the tower," Griffin ordered the Winx. "I already called the hospital, but no ambulance is coming within a hundred meters of Cloud Tower campus. Get her out of here!"

Layla created a Morphix stretcher, and Flora gently pushed Mirta onto it. "Here," she whispered, staring down into the girl's face.

She had never seen an expression so horrified or distraught. She couldn't believe that, after what had clearly been a moment of triumph, she was in such pain afterwards. I need her to be okay… Layla levitated the stretcher as they flew down.

As they flew, Flora could hear Mirta's wails, stronger than ever. She couldn't bear hearing her in such distress, or in such pain. As they flew out of Cloud Tower, her wails became even worse. Against her better judgment, she looked backwards and gasped.

Mirta was convulsing more than she'd been before. Her body was now twisting, and her fairy-wings seemed to be tying themselves into knots. But it was her eyes that terrified Flora the most. The whites of her eyes were as wide as the moon, completely agonized.

I can't take this anymore. She walked towards Mirta, placing her hands on her chest. "What are you doing?" Bloom yelled.

"I need to do something to help her!" Flora cried. "I can't let her be in such pain!"

"There's nothing you can do!" Layla shouted. "Do you want to make the situation worse? You could hurt her even worse than she is now!"

Flora stepped back, defeated. Behind her, she could hear the sound of sirens, the wails piercingly loud; even then, they weren't as loud as Mirta's. The ambulance parked, and an EMT came out.

"We'll take it from here." He hoisted Mirta onto another gurney, and carried her into the ambulance. Before Flora could even ask to go with them, the door was already shut, and they were off. The ambulance spurred dirt in Flora's eyes, and she cried out.

We failed. They had failed to get the Codex, and now, there was no chance Mirta would even recover. She lowered her head.

We failed our duty to everyone.

And now, they were flying towards the top of the tower. Flora saw Bloom's mouth set in a thin line, determined, and thought part of her determination came from how they'd failed in Cloud Tower before. She doesn't want the same thing to happen again…

They slowed down as they reached the headmistress's office. Valtor was there, his back turned to them.

"It's over, Valtor!" Bloom screamed, and she shot her powers at him, Flora along with her. Flora concentrated all the energy she had, shooting Valtor with an attack spell.

But Valtor turned around and contained their magic, simply sending it back to them. Flora screamed as she hit the wall.

"You're strong, Bloom," Valtor smirked. "Just like your father, Oritel."

"Don't you even dare," Bloom snarled. "I know all about it. You went after him because you were jealous you would never be king."

"Yes," smirked Valtor, "but I'm also the only person who knows about him and his wife. And I know how much you desire knowledge. If you were prudent, you'd listen to me."

Flora stood up and hexed Valtor, her mind raging. He's not hurting Bloom! But Valtor effortlessly dodged and turned around, smirking at her.

"I recently visited Whisperia," he said, "and I found a spell I think you'll find alluring. They love darkness." He shot a web of power at her, which she tried to dodge, but screamed as a dark haze enveloped her. Total darkness covered her vision, and she fell to the ground.

"Yes," Valtor's voice rang, but then he stopped. Flora could feel the heat of Bloom's Dragon Fire hitting him, and he gasped.

"Do you want to hear about your birth parents, or do you want to fight?"

No! Flora willed. Don't listen to him! But it seemed to have worked, for Bloom growled. "I'm listening."

"I faced both of your parents on Domino, sixteen years ago," Valtor said silkily. "I first trapped Marion with a spell I'd learned on Eraklyon, concealing her in a rock prison. Of course my foolish brother came to her rescue, just as I knew he would. Oritel was very powerful; I could never have defeated him unless he'd lowered his guard to save his wife. And while he used his magic and attempted to save Marion, I used mine to destroy them for once and for all."

Flora could feel Bloom's magical energy bursting with anger, flames rising above her. Oh no... She listened with fear, knowing this couldn't end well.

"And that's how it ended for both of them," Valtor said, and Flora could hear his smile. "Oritel and Marion, the great king and queen of Domino. I'm so glad we could share this talk."

Bloom exploded. An immense dragon soared out, flying forward to hit Valtor, a power surely meant to kill. The room seared with the heat of a thousand wildfires, and Flora drew back in horror.

But just like that, the room became ice-cold. Valtor simply deflected her fire and froze her with an ice spell, one that could've only come from the realm of Omega. He let out a charred, bitter laugh.

Suddenly, Valtor was slammed into the wall. As the spell faded around her, Flora stared in disbelief as Faragonda, Saladin, and Griffin entered the room, followed by Stella, Musa, and Layla, then Lucy and four other witches.

“Lucy?” Flora asked in disbelief as the three headteachers converged their magic against Valtor, who was fighting back. “What are you doing here?”

“Um, what are you doing here?” Lucy shot back. “Don’t you remember what we planned? You five could’ve seriously jeopardized the mission!”

Of course! Today was Undecemensis 3, the day of the planned rescue mission! Flora looked around, gasping. “So the others are here now?”

“We’re all here,” Lucy declared. “Jared, Sky, Brandon, and Riven are fighting the Trix now. I met up with Stella, Musa, and Layla as we were heading to free Ms. Griffin, and we all freed her together. We came here to free you guys.”

Valtor glared at the women and girls. "Stop!" he shouted, slamming the two headmistresses. The two hit the wall, and Valtor let out a laugh.

But then they flew up, cornering Valtor and attacking him with all the energy they had. He yelled as he hit the wall.

"Okay girls, it's your turn!" Faragonda yelled.

Flora, Stella, Layla, and Musa focused their fairy-dust, showering it over the iceberg. The ice melted and Bloom collapsed on the ground, gasping in pain at the cold.

"Come on girls, let's get out of here!" Faragonda yelled.

"No!" Bloom cried. "We're going to kill him right here and now, for Tecna and Marion and Oritel!"

Faragonda growled. "I'm sorry, Bloom, but not today! We're getting out of here right now!" Griffin grabbed Bloom’s hand, hauling her down the hall; Flora and the others followed.

She could hear Valtor growling in frustration, but obviously realizing there was no point in following behind. They broke open a window, flying out. Flora stared at the turrets and corridors of Cloud Tower, which twisted and turned all around the castle.

There were so many students fighting in battle! The seniors fought together on the ground; while the fairies and elves distracted the hexed Cloud Tower students, the witches broke the hexes. Some had brought reversal potions, and others used reversal charms. The sophomores were in the airships; the boys piloted the ships, while the fairies and witches attacked from above, holding hands in convergence. Brilliant jets of light flashed in the darkness, almost like fireworks! The colors made Flora’s heart sing, colors of harmony and shared determination.

She saw Jared, Sky, Brandon, and Riven together, along with Amaryl di Castellini, Celise Esposito, Heidi Donovan, and Lolina Ghorbani, four Charmix seniors. They were fighting the Trix; although the students in-general seemed to have the upper hand, they were very badly losing. Icy smiled.

“Ready to be frozen into oblivion?” she sneered, lifting her hands. “Any last words you’d like me to pass on to your precious girlfriends?”

“You mean like how much they love us and know we’ll always be there to rescue them?” Stella flew straight towards Icy.

“And how much we love them in return?” Bloom stuck her chin up.

“And because of that, our convergence spells are incredible?” Musa shot forward.

Not right now, Flora thought, a pang in her heart, as she watched Bloom, Stella, Layla, and Musa link hands. If only I could join them… They shot a white ball of energy at the Trix. “CONVERGENCE!”

The Trix screamed as they were blasted out of the sky. Sky turned towards Bloom and the other girls, gasping, “That was incredible!”

“Yeah, wasn’t it?” Stella grinned. “If only Tecna was here to” –

And just like that, the mood was ruined again. Stella shut her mouth, and Flora felt tears well up in her eyes again. Faragonda flew forward.

“Come on,” she said softly. Everyone flew into the airship, and, closing the latch, Riven slammed the accelerator hard.

The entire quad was dark as candles floated above the girls’ heads. Though the Cloud Tower witches had finally been freed, no one was in a celebratory mood. Flora levitated her candle in the air as she stared downwards from the podium, tears in her eyes.

She had refused to give a speech at the candlelight vigil for Tecna; she didn’t want to speak in front of anyone. Instead, she raised her head, shouting, “Let’s all have a moment of silence for Tecna.”

As the quad fell silent, Flora closed her eyes. She remembered how everything had fallen apart in just the course of a few weeks – Melody’s near-collapse, the Linphean-Zenithian War, and then, Tecna’s sacrifice. Her head was too exhausted to even think about it anymore. Unable to stand it any longer, she turned around and fled into the castle.

She soon entered her apartment, staring around. The girls were all in the living room; Stella was blandly flipping through the channels, Musa was half-heartedly tapping her flute, and Layla was cradling the sleeping Piff in her arms. None of them were talking. They all stared up as Flora entered, refusing to gaze at her.

That’s fine. She was about to head into her room, when Bloom exited the bathroom, wrapped in a white towel. “Guys, we need to talk.”

Stella turned off the TV. The other girls all crammed together on the sofa; Flora sat in an armchair a ways behind. Bloom took in a deep breath. “This is it.”

A week had passed since their failed revenge on Valtor, under which time the five of them had been under tight surveillance. Their professors were keeping a tight eye on the girls, as was Griselda. Though they’d nearly jeopardized the rescue mission, no punishment had been meted out, because their suffering was beyond anything they’d ever thought possible.

Once upon a time, there had been five girls. Five girls with a promise, to work together and become the strongest fairies they could, all the while fending off evil. And above all, they'd all been great friends, the best friends anyone could ever ask for. And when Layla had joined the group, that promise hadn't changed; if anything, it had become even stronger than before.

But that time was gone. From the moment Tecna had refused to come to the Princess Ball, their friendships had soured. Or maybe they had just fallen out of love. After all, there was no such thing as divine friendship, just the same as there was no such thing as divine love. Maybe they were never meant to be at all.

"I'm going to Pyros, the Realm of Dragons," Bloom continued. "I have to go there now; it's the only way I'll get my Enchantix and tune in with my powers to defeat Valtor. But before I go"... She turned to the other girls.

"We have to disband," she said quietly. "It's over. Nothing's gone right this year - don't you see? We can't be the Winx anymore. We weren't good enough to save Tecna, and we can't save ourselves now."

"I agree," said Stella.

"Me too," said Musa.

"Me three," added Layla.

All eyes turned to Flora. She swallowed, knowing this had been coming for a long time, but at the same time, unwilling to break it off. But then she nodded. "It's over."

"Goodbye," said Bloom sorrowfully, standing up. "I'm leaving to Pyros tomorrow. I'm either coming back with my Enchantix or not at all. It's a long journey, and Ms. Faragonda told me I may die along the way. So if I don't ever come back – well, don't forget me. That's all I ask."

And with that, the founder of the former Winx Club headed out the door, leaving no one to keep the group from falling apart. Having no one to talk to anymore, Flora retreated to her dorm room, feeling completely alone.

"This is it," she whispered. "It's all over."

And it seemed, as the twilight closed over her, that it had never existed to begin with.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER 24: THE BOY IN THE ICE

Something was pulsing. Something foreign and magic and... electrical. It felt strange and unknown to her, something she'd never felt pulsing through her veins before.

Tecna opened her eyes. She was in an orange bubble, one that shined with flecks of neon green and purple. Staring around, she looked down at her naked body, at her neck, at her legs and arms –

Wait! She had legs and arms? Real flesh-and-bone limbs? Since when had that happened?

Tecna gingerly touched her right arm, and gasped. It was completely solid, completely human. No wiring ran through them, and no circuits threatened to collapse her anymore. There wasn't even a control panel on her back anymore.

MECHANISMS UPGRADED, the feed above her screen read. COMPLETELY AUTONOMOUS, NOW RUNS ON BEARER'S ENERGY.

So I'm no longer dependent on the remote control, Tecna realized. That means Vasiliev can't control me anymore! Feeling much lighter, she danced around, shouting with joy.

She still did have a control panel on her head, for her brain's wiring. But other than that, there was no electricity running through her body. Her right arm and leg felt a million times lighter now, for once on-par with the rest of her body.

I'm free! Tecna thought. I can't even calculate how free I am! And for once, it felt absolutely, absolutely wonderful.

Orange sparkles covered her body, and she gasped in surprise. Something was buzzing over her torso, something digital and powerful. The sparkles faded to reveal purple, yellow, and lime green short-shorts and a tiny top, clothes her parents would faint at the sight of. Orange light snaked up her legs and faded to reveal purple barefoot sandals. A digital barrette appeared on her head, and a purple-and-orange pouch of fairy-dust appeared on a lime green choker.

My Enchantix! It all became clear to her now. She'd gotten her Enchantix not just by saving Melody, but by saving the whole Galaxy, which included Zenith. For she now realized that, had she not contained that electrical energy, the whole Galaxy would've fallen to Valtor's chaos.

Something zapped her back, and a digital web spiraled out to reveal purple wings. Simple and efficient, they radiated with power, power that would enable her to fly much faster than before. She gasped in awe, and let out a cry.

I'm so much stronger than I was before, she thought. No one can beat me now.

The bubble disappeared. Tecna landed on the ice floor, shivering at the cold. She stared around the world, her heart sinking.

This definitely wasn't Melody. Melody wouldn't be this cold, not after it had just survived a disaster. No, this was someplace entirely different, a place that radiated with negative energy. She focused on her cyborg brain, willing to make a connection with a server somewhere around.

REALM OF OMEGA, her server read. TEMPERATURE 32.4 DEGREES BELOW ZERO. WIND CHILL STRONG.

Tecna stared at her feed in dismay. Once I get out of this cave, I'm going to freeze to death! I can't leave!

But what else was there to do – stay here and starve to death? She stared around hopelessly, trying to figure something out. An idea came to her head.

I'll cast a temperature-maintenance spell, she thought. One we learned in Palladium's class. Yes, that should work. She closed her eyes.

It was a difficult task for her. Her power wasn't heat-based, like Bloom's or Stella's, and she certainly wasn't up to speed on anything in Alfea. But she could still protect herself from the chill outside. She had to. She focused her power.

An orange forcefield shined around her. She gasped as an orange haze shined over her eyes, tinting her vision and warming her to the core. Her body head maintained itself as she walked out into the ice.

Her stomach rumbled; she hadn't realized how hungry she was. I need to find food. Scanning with her sensor, she stared around, trying to make sense of where she was.

She had never seen such a terrifying realm. Ice-statues were all around her, frozen in the face of the scariest convicts of the Galaxy. I wish I'd paid more attention in Realmwide History… this place isn’t safe!

And how was she supposed to find food, anyhow? Was there even food in this realm? How in the world am I going to survive? She stared hopelessly at the ground.

Maybe I can do a scan, she thought. Yes, that should do the trick. She closed her eyes.

She could feel her sensors moving, in motion around the entire icy ground. For a moment, there was silence. Then, something beeped, and black words flashed across her vision: EDIBLE QUANTITIES DETECTED, ENCASED IN ICE. 1.53 KILOMETERS NORTH, 50.39 DEGREES EAST.

That shouldn't be a problem! thought Tecna. A kilometer's trek was a small price to pay for "edible quantities", as her scanner had put it. Edible quantities… the other girls would get a kick out of that… A wave of grief came over her as she flew forward.

She wondered if she'd ever be able to find her friends. Now that the portal was gone, the only way to get to Omega was by spaceship. It was not for nothing that the Realm of Omega was a good ways from the Galaxy of Magix; after all, no one wanted convicts to escape and head to their respective realms to terrorize. Likewise, there was no one willing to come to Omega.

They probably think I'm dead, Tecna thought sorrowfully. It's just as well. She sighed.

Something was ahead of her. She squinted as she looked forward, and saw… something frozen in the wall. To be precise, frozen, raw fish.

"Finally!" Tecna gasped. Using a beam of energy, she blasted open the ice, catching the fish in her hands.

Now how do I cook it? Could she start a fire? Maybe I can use those two stones over there. She held the slimy fish in one hand, and, placing a chill-blocking shield around the stones, she levitated them to rub against each other. Come on… I've got to make a spark…

Something was coming. She thought she could hear a crack behind her, some kind of rumble. What's going on? She turned around.

And froze as soon as she saw what was ahead of her.

An ice dragon was flying towards her, its face monstrous. It roared at the terrified girl, nothing but anger in its depths. It let out a frosty breath, sending out spears of ice.

"Ahh!" Tecna dodged out of the way as quickly as she could. I've got to get out of here! The fish forgotten, she fled down the icy corridor, the dragon tailing behind her.

How do I lose this thing? What was the purpose of the ice dragon, anyhow? Why was it here?

As if to answer her thoughts, the dragon opened its mouth and let out a chilly breath, pointing it towards the fish she'd dropped. It froze again.

Tecna stared at it in horror. That dragon can freeze me completely… I'll be trapped, like the rest of those convicts! She sped forward.

I've got to find a way to hide… there's got to be something here…

And then she saw it: a fissure in the side of the wall. Big enough to hide her, but not big enough for the dragon to follow. That's got to be it… I've got to get in there! She flew into the crack, and, with great energy, shoved herself through.

The dragon roared in rage. Eyes half-closed with fear, Tecna watched as it glared at her from within her hiding-spot. Without warning, it shot an icy-blast through the crack.

"No!" Tecna yelled, and she shot an energy-beam at the blast. I won’t die! She watched as her attack spell, colliding with the blast, formed into an icicle.

The icicle began to grow and grow, fueled by the dragon's incense. It grew until it hit the top of the roof, piercing into something. To be specific – an ice-shaped dome at the top of the wall.

Then the ice began to crack. Tecna screamed as icy flakes fell on her head, and she fought to shield herself.

No… What have I done? Terror coursed through her. This structure is going to fall on me, and I'm going to die! Frantically, she created a shield around herself.

The icy shards hit the shield and vaporized, letting out a hissing sound. Eventually, they all had melted. Exhausted, Tecna fell to the ground, her knees to the ice. Thank heavens for my Enchantix… I could not have contained all that ice without it… She closed her eyes.

But then she heard more cracks. To her shock, Tecna saw that all the ice wasn't gone. In fact, more of the ice above her was cracking, and that a figure inside of it was breaking free. To be precise, a person.

Tecna stared up in horror. Did I just release a convict? She could scarcely believe it. How is he still alive? He must've been trapped in that ice years ago! She stared as the ice cracked completely, and the figure fell out.

No! Tecna focused her energy. I can't let him fall! Even if he was a criminal, the humanity inside of her wouldn't let him fall to his death. She focused her energy, and let out a yell.

"Laser web!" An orange net appeared in front of her, and he hit the net, gasping in relief. Gently, he fell to the ground.

Tecna ran up to him, kneeling down. I've got to find out who he is… She pulled over his hood and let out a gasp.

It wasn't a man who'd fallen out of the ice. In fact, it was a boy. He had purple hair, Zenithian facial features, and extraordinarily pale skin. But it was his face that gave him away – it was very youthful, almost babyish. Oh my stars… what happened to him? She stared down at him.

She had no idea how she'd freed this boy from the ice. She had no idea, in fact, how he'd even ended up in Omega. What crimes would a child commit? She began to shake him, and he opened his eyes.

"Huh?" he asked blearily. "Where am I?" His voice was just as youthful as his face; it was high-pitched, not yet broken with voice-cracks. His eyes were ice-blue, colder than she’d ever imagined possible. And yet, they were so vibrant at the same time.

"You're in Omega," Tecna said. "I don't know how" –

"I know that, silly," the boy laughed, jumping up. Tecna stared at him as the shockingly agile boy leapt out of her arms, and up to his feet. "But… where was I? What happened?"

"I don't know," Tecna answered. "You were trapped in the ice."

"So the ice-dragon froze me," the boy sighed. "Master Ying is gonna kill me."

Tecna had no idea who Master Ying was. All she knew was that this boy wasn't a convict. There's no way he could hurt anyone… he's too innocent and carefree. But then why was he here?

"Okay, then," she said. "So let's" –

She stopped as soon as she saw the boy lying on the cold ice. He was fast asleep, as if he'd never woken up at all. Sighing, Tecna lay down as well.

I'd better get to sleep, too. She closed her eyes, leaning against the ice-walls. Despite the cold, she was worn out, and in a few minutes, she slept more peacefully than she had in a lifetime.

Chapter Text

"I've made up my mind," Flora declared.

There was a silence, and Mirta stared up at her in alarm. "Flora, you can't"...

"I'm going," Flora answered. "I have to know what's going on."

It was Undecemensis 11, two days after Bloom had left for Pyros. Faragonda had lifted the all-day curfew, going back to the nightly closing of the Alfea barrier. Bloom was going to be on Pyros for several days, and although Flora was worried about her, she knew she had much better things to do than stay around moping.

The situation with Valtor was getting worse. He’d conquered Rêve’s relics, almost entirely unopposed – the resistance had basically given up. Without the relics, now the brilliant yellow sky and the vibrant purple vegetation had all become completely gray. Since Rêvian people had psychomagical powers, they were now losing touch with their emotions and actions. Flora couldn’t bear the thought Tecna had died in vain, that they’d lose to Valtor. She didn’t want to lose hope, and give up before the end of the war.

And she had to know. She had to go to Zenith, and find out what had happened with Tecna. She had to figure out what her family situation was. There was no other way to get to the bottom of this.

"But Flora, what about Ms. Faragonda?" squeaked Chatta. "How are you getting past her?"

"She already gave me permission," Flora answered. "And she called a Red Fountain ship. So it's official."

She remembered the conversation she'd had with Faragonda, explaining about Tecna’s constant work on the laptop, and therefore why she should go to Zenith to find out more. The headmistress had listened gravely, and then had nodded uneasily at the end.

"Thank you, Flora," she said. “Now I know that Tecna's problems most certainly had something to do with pressures from Zenith. There is nothing I regret more than not having caught it earlier. As headmistress, it is my duty to keep my students safe, and I failed.”

            “I failed, too,” Flora whispered. “I – I should’ve helped her more. I should’ve reported her decline right when” –

            “No,” Faragonda interrupted. “Do not blame yourself, Flora. It was Tecna's decision to sacrifice herself for Melody, and no one else's. She knew what she was doing before she did it. It was an incredibly brave sacrifice, and we will always remember her.”

"That's why I'm going to Zenith," Flora whispered. "She's my friend. I need to know what happened to lead her down that path."

"Then you will go," Faragonda answered. "But beware, Flora, for Zenith is a place filled with secrets. You may have noticed Tecna has been very aloof; well, there is a reason for that. Zenith is filled with people who value efficiency and status over love. It is one of the reasons why Zenith is as wealthy as it is. You must be careful."

            “I know,” Flora whispered. “I just wish the others would still” –

            She stopped, realizing she had said too much. Faragonda’s eyes narrowed, and she asked, “What caused the rift between you and your friends?”

            “You know?” Flora was shocked.

            “I’ve known for quite some time,” Faragonda answered. “One day in Decemensis, you stopped sitting together at dinner. I take my dinner around the same time as you and your friends normally do – approximately at eighteen o’clock. I saw you, Chatta, and Mirta sitting by yourselves every day.”

            “Oh.” Flora remembered that often, the Winx (as most friend groups did), sat together only at dinner. The Great Hall was open from 07:00 to 20:00, and the girls could eat at whichever time was convenient for them, however many times they wished, during the day. Before the rift, Flora and Stella would usually eat breakfast together at 07:00 once the Great Hall opened, and the others would eat breakfast at around 08:30. Everyone was on her own for lunch, mainly because they all had classes at different times throughout the day. Dinner, at 18:00, was finally a time where they could relax together and hang out.

            “And then, when I saw Bloom, Stella, Musa, and Layla use convergence without you at Cloud Tower, my suspicions were confirmed,” Faragonda finished. She looked at Flora with concern. “What happened?”

            Flora didn’t know what to say. “Well,” she said, “Bloom was mad at me for not telling her Valtor had the Dragon Flame.”

            “How did you know that?” Faragonda’s eyes were sharp.

            “Professor Avalon told me,” Flora admitted. “It was one day in Sextmensis. I kept it from her and the rest of the Winx. And – they were mad at me for not telling them when I knew all along.”

            “Professor Avalon had no business telling you,” Faragonda said sternly. “I’ll have a word with him. As for your friends, I can understand their point of view. They’re obviously stressed because of Valtor’s crimes, as well as the fate of the Galaxy. However, you still did the right thing. It sounds like they took their stress out on you.”

            “Do you think they’ll ever speak to me again?” Flora whispered.

            “I can’t imagine your close bond can be severed so easily,” Faragonda responded. “I don’t think things are as bleak as you think they are. But I will say this, Flora. You cannot live your life for your friends. Your choice to search for clues about Tecna is your choice alone. You do not need their approval. You’ve made so many strides this year, especially with the Alliance Club and your work as Head Girl. Keep on focusing on those positive things, and turning your pain into hope. And don’t let others walk over you or Mirta anymore.”

            Flora felt tears come to her eyes. “I” –

And suddenly she was bawling, hunched over Faragonda's desk. Faragonda took Flora's hand.

"It's okay," she said gently. "I know how difficult this is now, but you are going to rise above this. I just know you will."

"Thank you," Flora whispered.

"So this is what you'll do," Faragonda said as Flora checked to confirm she had her UR Defense card. "I will book a commercial spacecraft for you to fly there. James Thompson of Red Fountain is in Kremniy on an internship, and will meet with you at the spaceport. His internship ends on Wednesday, but if you need more time, he will wait for you. He will fly you back to Alfea when both of you are done.

"In the meantime, I'll call Tecna's parents and inform them you request an audience with them. Be warned, though, that they may be hesitant to answer your questions. It is always hard for Zenithians to trust anyone, especially complete strangers."

"I know," Flora nodded. "But it's the best chance I've got."

"And so it is." Faragonda nodded. "Good luck, Flora."

And now she was with Mirta and Chatta, explaining all of this to them as they sat together quietly. Mirta absorbed the information in silence, and then stared at her.

"But what makes you think you can do anything about it, Flora? You can't change their culture - that's the way it has been for over a thousand years. You can't change who they are" –

"I know!" Flora ground her teeth in frustration. "But I'm not trying to change anything, Mirta; I'm simply trying to find out what happened to Tecna. Please, Mirta, please let me go."

Mirta stared up at her painfully, then nodded. "Go ahead, Flora. I'll be waiting for you."

Bloom gasped as she stared out the spaceship, taking in the view from above.

The Realm of Dragons was a tiny planet, about the diameter of 2000 kilometers. Not planet – in actuality, it was a moon. It revolved around Domino, and was one of the few moons which could sustain life. Solaria’s three moons – Lunaria, Romula, and Rema – also supported life, though they were subservient to the dominant power of Solaria.

As they dove into its atmosphere, she saw volcanoes, green swamps, and lush rainforests ahead. Far in the distance, she thought she could make out another planet, one that was entirely white. That's Domino! She swallowed hard, forcing thoughts of her birth-planet out of her mind.

She had to remind herself that, although not altogether unconnected, Pyros was not the same as Domino. In the Age of Discovery, Domino had conquered its moon, which, as far as she knew, had only been inhabited by dragons. Colonists had tried settling the land, but most had fled out of fear of the beasts. The few that were able to tame the dragons stayed on Pyros, eventually declaring their independence from Domino. In the Age of Industrialization, Pyros had been a flourishing nation, one of the forerunners of the Galaxy. However, natural-disasters, diseases, and decreasing population forced the nation to diminish considerably in prestige. Today, only about two-hundred million people actually lived on Pyros.

Bloom would be heading to the Sekhmet Tribe's village, where she would meet with a friend of Faragonda's, a wise elder who’d assisted the Company of Light during the Dominian Wars. She was her only hope for achieving Enchantix, her only hope for success. She swallowed, hoping she would succeed.

"Here is Planet Pyros," Griselda said. She had decided to fly Bloom to the planet herself, which Faragonda had allowed her to do. As it was Sunday, there were no classes; this left her free to take Bloom. "Do you have everything?"

Bloom nodded, picking up the food, water, and supplies Faragonda had given to her. Griselda handed her a special interrealm phone, one that would work on Pyros.

"There is very limited connectivity here," she said. "However, there is one Realm Wide Web tower, located at the base of Fire Mountain. The people will show you how to use it. Now, do you remember your orders?"

"'Don't be stupid'," Bloom said, repeating Griselda's words from the journey. "‘Listen to the Elder's commands.’"

"Exactly," Griselda nodded, slowing the ship so it hovered about ten meters above the land. She pressed a button, and the ship's lower compartment opened.

"I have to drop you off here," she said. "It’s a bit difficult to land in this environment. The village is due north." To Bloom's amazement, she gave her a rough hug.

"Take care of yourself," she said gruffly.

"I will," Bloom answered, transforming into her Winx. "Thanks for everything." She flew to the surface of the terrain, staring around.

This place is… not what I expected. The vegetation was lush and tropical, but it didn't look like anything she'd ever seen before. Truth to be told, she'd expected something more like the photos she'd seen of Domino. Domino was much more temperate, with prairies and meadows and long grasses, showcasing every bit of landscape. Here, she couldn't see anything above the tall trees and jungle vines.

She barely got a second to look before she heard a loud roar. The ground below her seemed to shake, and she screamed, falling to the ground. Fire seared her back. She turned around, gasping as soon as she saw what was ahead.

A dragon stomped towards her, the color of lava. Its skin was rough and scaly, and its eyes were demonic. Oh no… It spewed out a torrent of fire at her, furious and dark.

I have to be ready. She struggled to her feet, glaring upwards at the dragon. "Don't even think about it!" she snarled, creating a burst of fire in her hands. She shot it straight towards the beast.

But that only incensed it further. It flew towards her, fury and anger in its eyes.

I have to remember my Wrangling training. She remembered what Codatorta had taught them in class, the basic rules of Dragon Wrangling. Assume a threatening stance. Stare the dragon straight in the eye. Never show fear – only dominance. Have a rope ready. She levitated the end of a vine, coiling it into a rope.

As the dragon zoomed at her, she looped the vine around its neck, holding it steady against the ground. It roared out in anger, but she was ready for its wrath. Using her Dragon Fire, she clasped a fiery ring around the dragon's mouth, preventing it from blowing out.

"Awesome!" she grinned, pleased with herself. "Can't wait to tell Codatorta this!"

Her elation was a second too soon. Using sheer force, the dragon broke the hot brand around its muzzle and stood up, breaking the vines. It opened its mouth wide, burning everything in its path.

Bloom's eyes widened in horror as flames engulfed her. No… She tried to repel the fire, but it was too strong.

I'm going to die… this thing is going to kill me! She closed her eyes. I'm sorry, everyone…

"Calmus!"

Bloom opened her eyes and stared in disbelief. A woman stood in front of her, raising her hands and gazing at the dragon. The dragon relaxed and fell back, releasing its fire into the air. Staring in shock, Bloom turned towards the woman.

The woman had dark skin and cream-colored robes. Her hair was white, falling down her back, and she held a curved staff in her hands. She gazed at Bloom, smiling as she motioned for her to come forward.

"Come," she said. "I have been waiting for you."

Flora walked out of the spaceport, staring at Kremniy. The ancient city, once the capital of a great, historic empire, was now the most modern city she'd ever seen.

Androids moved through the gutters, sweeping up trash and darting quickly out of peoples' way. Modern buildings lined the street, each building as colorless as the last. Snow was falling thickly, people muttering to themselves as they walked. Hover rides were in ziplines through the air.

So this is the famous city, thought Flora, staring. For all its modern technology, it was nowhere near as grand as Magix, and had nearly no life. These were people, but at the same time, they just weren't people.

Plus, there was no color. The sky was gray, the steel buildings were black, the snow was white. She had dyed her hair black, so as to comply with the law, but she hadn’t done anything about her darker skin tone – everyone else’s skin was a lifeless white. It was not good to stand out here, especially considering her warm brown skin was the most colorful thing there. She closed her eyes briefly.

"This is the Upper District of Kremniy," James said. Since he was already in Zenith, he had offered to meet her at the spaceport. "The wealthy district. Here is your map." He handed Flora a navigational tablet.

"Thanks," Flora said. She wished James would be coming with her, but he had other business to take care of. As part of his study-abroad program, he was working with a Zenithian governmental worker in the Department of Homeland Defense, learning about advanced technology and its role in defending Zenith. His internship would end in two days, about the same time Flora was due to return back to Alfea.

Biding a farewell to James, she walked onto the street, staring down at her navigational tablet. She would be heading first to the hotel where she'd been booked for. Not looking where she was going, she accidentally bumped into a couple.

"Oh... sorry," she said, smiling nervously at them. They didn't smile back. Instead, they stared at her blankly, confused and almost... petrified. Other people stopped in their tracks to stare at her, the same blank stare without any expression at all.

Why are they staring at me? thought Flora. And why can't they smile? She could hardly comprehend. In Linphea, everyone smiled at everyone, and people went out of their way to help mere strangers.

She awkwardly bumped through, trying to find a hover ride. The man operating it looked at her and said, "Where you want go?" in broken Common Tongue.

"11 Kirov Avenue," she answered.

"90 rubles," he said shortly. She found Zenithian rubles in her pocket and handed them to him, and he pointed her off.

Flora got into the hover, the glass dome closing over her, and gasped as it flew down. It was the fastest thing she'd ever ridden in, even faster than flying. This feels so unstable! She stared as the city zoomed by like lightning.

The hover dipped and turned. It was like a roller-coaster ride, only far, far scarier. She restrained a scream as the hover sailed down, through the zipline.

And suddenly, it tore from the zipline and launched through the air, towards the ground.

Flora screamed. Slamming the glass dome open with a burst of floral attacks, she instinctively transformed, flying unsteadily just as the hover crashed to the ground.

People scattered as glass exploded everywhere. One shard of glass hit Flora, and she fell to the ground, unharmed except for the dull pain in her arm. Pulling it out, she pressed a towel to her arm, staring at the bright red stain that appeared against the white.

"That was a horrible crash," a voice near her said. She looked up to see a young man speaking in Unified Zenithian, nearly about Tecna's age. "It happened before."

Flora stared at the man. "Um... who are you?" she asked in the same language.

The boy looked shocked. “You speak our language? You look like a foreigner!” He stared at her. “Where are you from?”

“A-Andros.” Flora had intentionally dyed her hair black and her eyes gray – one, to comply with Zenithian law, but also, to disguise her Linphean heritage. The young man looked impressed.

“You speak almost like a native,” he commended her. “That’s good.”

And here I thought all Zenithians were unfriendly. This just went to show nothing was as it seemed. Out of all the Zenithians she’d just interacted with, this young man had the least monotone voice.

"I am Dmitri Porov," the young man said. "I was standing right here when it happened, ten years ago." His voice became hushed.

"I was nine years old. A hover just like that one was sailing down the zipline, and then suddenly fell off the rails. A group of people were inside, and were trapped as they fell. The medics came and shooed us out."

"Then what happened?" asked Flora.

"All of them died," the boy answered solemnly. "All, except - there was one girl there. She was in my class at school, but after the incident, she was removed. She became a cyborg." He said the word as if it was something disgusting stuck down his throat.

Chills went down Flora's back. She'd heard of cyborgs existing in other realms, but they were the most prevalent in Zenith. "Why was she removed from your school?"

"Cyborgs can't go to the same school," the boy answered, looking disgusted. "They're not the same as us. Their brains are different. That girl is probably working in the gutters along with the androids right now. Some cyborgs, they try to pass as people in order to get jobs. There's a covering they buy on the black market, to cover their robotic parts. But they are always easily caught. It takes a robot to be that stupid." He let out a derisive laugh. “It would’ve been better for her to have died on the spot.”

Flora stared at him. That's so awful! So not only were the people in this realm expressionless, but they also treated cyborgs as second-class citizens. Just because they have computerized brains and 4D-printed body parts doesn’t mean they’re not people!

"This is what happens!" a voice behind Flora shouted. "This is what happens under tyranny! This girl here could’ve died!"

Flora turned around. A group of people were encircling the plaza, holding weapons and spells in their hands, glaring at the broken hover. Aren't blasters and dangerous spells outlawed in Zenith? But it didn't look like they cared too much about that. A man walked forward, shouting out loud.

"Death to the Premier's rule!" he shouted. "Bring down dictatorship! Bring down this reign!"

Immediately, the robots closed in on the group of rebels. Flora watched in fascinated horror as magical jets shot out of the robots' blasters, striking a man in the face. The rest of the people in the square scattered as quickly as possible. But the rebels stayed strong, holding their blasters high.

"No more!" they shouted. "The Great Premier must fall! No more dictatorship!"

“Run!” Dmitri shouted, shooting out-of-sight.

Flora darted out of the path of a robot, just as they closed in on the rebels. Swallowing, she ran down the street, hoping to find her hotel.

The village was filled with small huts. People came out of their places, staring as Bloom walked down the path. She felt self-conscious as they stared at her, taking in her form.

"Don't worry," the woman in front of her said. "They’re just curious. It's been a very long time since we had visitors."

"Priestess Maia!" a voice in front of her called. Two children, a boy and a girl, ran up to the old woman. They had lava-red hair and deep brown skin. They squealed, speaking to Maia in a language that Bloom did not understand.

Of course they don't speak the Common Tongue around here. In fact, the people of Pyros didn't even use the Internet, although they did have phone connections. The two children stared up at Bloom, clearly confused. Maia nodded to Bloom, presumably saying something about her reason for being there. Satisfied, the two children sped off, leaving Maia to chuckle.

"What's funny?" Bloom asked.

"Set and Anat are quite eager to learn the ways of their people," Maia answered. "They were slightly jealous I’m teaching you before them, even though you have a far stronger command of magic than they do. They may be impatient, but they are quick-witted. I have confidence they will be good Dragon Protectors."

Dragon Protectors? thought Bloom, surprised. But dragons are a threat to their existence! Why would they want to protect them?

She stopped as soon as they reached the center of the village. A group of people were levitating buckets in and out of a clear stream, collecting water for the day. Then they heard Bloom speak, and instantly turned around, staring in surprise.

Bloom felt self-conscious as the people stared at her. They seemed to be wearing barely any clothing – the men wore a cloth around their waists, and the women wore a long cloth tied around their shoulders and torsos. She took in their features, their aged faces that seemed to speak of wisdom and valor, but also of incredibly hard lives. They don't have any industrialization here… these people just live off the land… even more primitive than Linphea!

"Are you the foreigner who was granted rights to come here?" a woman asked. So they do speak the Common Tongue… Bloom raised her head, nodding ever-so-slightly.

"Who are you?" a woman asked, in broken Common Tongue. Bloom raised her head, nodding ever-so-slightly.

"I am Bloom, the princess of Domino," she answered. There were quite a few exclamations of shock. "When I was an infant, I was sent to a different planet, surviving the destruction of Domino. Now, there is trouble in the Galaxy, and Priestess Maia is here to help me learn the ways of your people."

"If there's trouble in your world, why do you need to come here?" a man asked. "Why should we have any part in it?"

"I" – Bloom stared at him, stunned that anyone would have any objection to her arrival. "I'm not here for trouble. I'm just here to learn something that I can't learn anywhere else."

"We don't need you here," he responded. His voice sounded fierce, like that of a warrior's. "When foreigners come in, so does trouble. We just want to live our peaceful lives!"

"If I can't beat Valtor, you won't have lives, peaceful or otherwise!" Bloom answered, desperation rising in her throat. "Please, you have to help me! You have to let me do this" –

"One of our dragons has been attacked!"

Bloom whirled around. A woman was running towards the village-square, her eyes wide. "I came across a dragon with rope-burns and marks on his shoulder," she breathed. "He was attacked by someone, and is not pleased. He will not be happy with us!"

"Who would've attacked him?" The man from before asked. He turned his head, scanning the people in the square. "The children stay in the village, and so do our elders. The warriors know it is against our creed. It could've been one of the trainees, but I doubt they would" – His gaze reached Bloom, and suddenly, he froze.

"It was you!" he shouted. "You were the one who attacked our dragon!"

"It attacked me first!" Bloom cried. "I was only defending myself!"

"Then that is proof she does not belong here!" the same woman as before snarled. "She is just another conqueror from Magix, who doesn’t understand our ways! Turn her out! We don't need the princess of a realm that's tried to conquer us over and over again! Stop her, before she becomes" –

"Silence!"

The square froze as a man from behind Maia walked forward, a long white cloth draped around his waist. He had a gold chain around his neck, and a staff similar to Maia's in his hand. He halted next to her.

"Priestess Isis Maia Hatshepsut," he said, great respect in his tone. "Has our guest arrived?"

"Yes," Maia answered serenely, not at all affected by the turn-of-events. "An old friend of mine messaged me and asked me to teach this young woman our ways. What she says is true. The world is in great danger, and we are the only people who can teach her how to defend it."

There was a burst of protest at this. "Why do we need to accommodate her, then?" the woman demanded. "Jabari is right! We should make her leave before" –

"Keket, hush," the man commanded. "Priestess Maia has great judgment. And if she says the world is in grave danger, then it is. I trust that she is taking appropriate measures."

"Thank you, Chieftain Horus," Maia said serenely. "May I take her to Fire Mountain to begin our lessons?"

"Of course you may," Horus of Sekhmet answered. "But a word with you, princess of Domino." His tone grew stern. "We are not one bit like your people on Magix. We fight not with force, but with wisdom and understanding. Here, your status as a royal is irrelevant. Should you go against the ways of the Sekhmet Tribe, you’ll be deeply sorry." The look in his eyes signified he knew about the dragon. "Understood?"

She nodded meekly. "Understood." She saw both Keket, the woman who'd yelled at Horus, and Jabari, the man who was ready to kick her out, shake their heads in disapproval. I can't take one wrong step. She swallowed hard.

"Good," Maia answered, leading her away. "Now let us begin."

"Hello?" Flora asked nervously. "Mr. and Mrs. Ivanov?"

A day had passed since the riot on the street. Today was Undecemensis 12, the day Tecna's parents had agreed to meet with her. Not hearing an answer, she tapped on the door.

The door creaked open. What's going on? In surprise, she walked inside, trying not to gape as she stared in front of her.

She could not believe it. Every part of the house was immaculate and unbelievably organized. There was no hint of disorder in the gleaming white walls and sterile rectangular sofa. Yet, there was something lacking in the house, something that didn't seem quite right.

For one, there was no security-system. She'd expected guard robots, or at the very least, some kind of digitally-locked door. For such a big mansion, there was nothing stopping anyone from walking right into the house.

For another, there was no physical presence of anyone. There were no servants to greet her, or the Ivanovs themselves. There wasn't even a droid hanging around. Why is there no one?

Cautiously, she locked the door behind her, heading up the steps. Quite a lot of them there are… She soon reached the top, gazing at the corridor around her.

The walls were all made out of steel. Steel door jutted out of the wall, barely visible in the dim light. She could make out three rooms; one was small, and two were big. From the cultural lessons Flora had about Zenith, she knew married couples didn't sleep in the same bed.

But where are they? It just didn't seem right that, in this huge mansion, there was no one around. "Hello?" she asked nervously, knocking on the large door in front of her.

The door creaked open; again, there was no one in front of her. No sign of life; not a single person lived in this house. Flora stared in disbelief, trying to process what was going on.

Maybe they went out on a walk… maybe they forgot I was meeting with them today. But the reality was looming larger and larger.

In dread, she turned towards Tecna's room, the one with the small door. Pushing it open, she gazed down at the room that lay ahead of her.

On the surface, it didn't look any different from a normal room. There was a bedframe with a bulky mattress, a chest-of-drawers, and a desk, all in the same configuration. Yet, there was something different here. I have to see what's going on… She walked up to the drawers and pushed them open.

Again, she couldn't make out much of anything. There were clothes in grays and blacks, all of them extremely prudish. There must be something here… Frustrated, she rummaged through the closet.

Something fell out, in the shape of a hand. What is that? At first glance, it looked to be made of rubber, but when she touched it, it felt exactly like skin. She picked it up, staring at it in the light.

Is this some kind of glove? But what would Tecna need it for? Confused, she gazed around the room. It was then that she spotted Tecna's laptop, charging against the wall.

That's my only hope of finding any information about her… She opened the computer, wondering how she was going to get past its security-system. To her surprise, nothing was locked; on the contrary, Tecna's computer easily opened, clear for her to access.

I don't understand… How was it that both the house was unlocked, and then all of these computers? Something's not right… She opened the computer and stared at the screen. On the desktop background, there were crisp black letters against a gray background – in Unified Zenithian.

Thank Linphèana I don’t need Interrealm Translate for this! She quickly skimmed over the words.

ANASTASIA MARIE IVANOVA, the screen read. DATE OF BIRTH: 06 UNIMENSIS 995. DATE OF DEATH: DECEMENSIS 31, 999. CITIZEN ID: 61082048. PERSONAL COMPUTER ISSUED BY ZENITHIAN DEPARTMENT OF CYBERWARE.

At the bottom it said: CYBORG.

What? Flora stared at the screen, shocked. Tecna's a cyborg? She shook the laptop, unable to believe the word she'd just seen.

No, that can't be true… But the word stared back at her, unrelenting. In shock, she stared down at the glove-like object she'd found on the floor.

"There's a covering they buy on the black market, to cover their robotic parts." Remembering Dmitri's words, she picked up the covering. There must be others like it… She ran back to the closet.

There they are… At the bottom of the shelf were ten different arm- and leg-coverings, all of various sizes. She picked each of them up, marveling at how well Tecna had kept the deception up.

But something was still lacking. I still don't know what happened to Tecna this year… If she'd been a cyborg practically her whole life, then what had changed in the last few months?

The computer can tell me, she realized. It can tell me what’s going on. Suddenly feverish, she grabbed the laptop, shoving it into her bag.

She didn't hear the robot creeping up behind her. Without warning, it suddenly grabbed her, picking her up roughly from the room.

"Ahh!" Flora tried to summon her powers, but to no avail. What's going on? Why can't I fight this thing? She tried to pull herself out of the robot's grasp.

In response, it tightened its grip around her neck. Flora knew, if she tried anything, the robot would crush her windpipe. Where's it taking me? She felt the breeze on her back, and knew the robot had taken her outside.

"That's enough," a voice behind her said. "Let the girl go."

The robot dropped Flora to the ground, quite suddenly. Flora gasped as her shoulders hit the hard concrete, pain welling up.

Then she screamed as an electric volt hit her in the sides. What's happening? A voice drawled out above her, cold and terrible.

"Well, well."

Bloom closed her eyes, sitting cross-legged on the top of the mountain. Below her, rivers of lava swarmed past the peak, and fiery smoke wafted out of the volcano. She drew breath, feeling her fire heat up inside of her.

"Good," Maia said. "Now we may begin with today's training."

A few days had passed since her arrival here; it was now Undecemensis 13. Bloom was training with Maia, learning how to harness the full extent of her Dragon Fire. She took in a deep breath, feeling the flame warm her heart.

So far, her stay on Pyros hadn't been too bad. Nawa, the woman who'd announced the dragon had been attacked, had grudgingly agreed to cook for Bloom. She'd fed her vegetables stuffed with meats, or rice served with spicy sauces and kebab. The breads that went along with meals were much different from any she'd ever eaten, with many more herbs than she'd ever thought possible. I guess they have to add spices in such a hot climate… There was an abundance of fruits and vegetables at every meal, which energized her at every turn. Apparently Pyrosian vegetables had calories, and "excellent meditational value", as Maia put it.

They had spent the entire first day, Sunday, learning how to connect with her inner flame. Then on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, Maia had told Bloom to practice creating fire dragons, in ways she had never before. She learned more about the natural world of Pyros, connecting her Dragon Fire with the essence of nature. Every morning they started with a meditation session, which involved connecting with the flame within.

And none of it had brought her any closer to her goals. She was nearly at her patience's end as she sat, frustrated with the fact that she wasn't able to do anything she sought out.

"This is the first step to gaining inner-strength," Maia said. "Without understanding the source of your power, there is no way to improve it. You must be able to connect fully with it, feeling it spark inside of yourself."

"But it's not helping," Bloom said, opening her eyes. We haven't gotten any closer to gaining my Enchantix! She needed the power soon, if she would have any home of defeating Valtor.

"Patience," Maia chided. "You think too much about the destination in mind. In order to learn anything, you must appreciate the journey. Otherwise, you are just the same as when you started."

Then by the time I learn anything, Valtor will have conquered the universe. Bloom sighed, lowering her head.

"We're going to continue with an encasement enchantment," Maia said, "now that you have control over your fire-dragons. Are you ready?"

There were few enchantments taught at Alfea. Enchantments were for higher-level priests and scholars, not for warrior fairs. However, learning the theory was useful – and a small enchantment like this would apparently help her out. Transforming into her Charmix, she called forth a dragon, one filled with warmth and light. Control the flame within… She exhaled, and a fire-dragon flew out from her heart.

As it swirled around the summit of the mountain, Maia transformed into her Enchantix – a magenta set of priestly robes with white wings. "Get ready." She lifted her fairy-dust into the air, pointing it at Bloom's dragon. "Allow your dragon to hold my fairy-dust."

Bloom narrowed her eyes, willing her creation to hold still. Come on, let the fairy-dust through… But her mind was too tense to let it in. After a few seconds, the dragon suddenly exploded.

"Argh!" Bloom shouted in frustration.

"You must relax," Maia said, coming up to her. "In order to master this skill, you must have naught but benevolent intentions and the utmost confidence in yourself." She lifted her pouch. "Let's try again."

An hour later, Bloom was ready to throw herself into the volcano. She'd tried countless times to encase the fairy-dust into her dragon, but had been completely unsuccessful. Every time it didn't work, Maia had made her sit down and do more meditation exercises, which did nothing but irritate her. This is so annoying! She glared at the ground.

"Let's take a break from this," Maia finally said. "I wanted to try something new, anyhow – today you are going to practice with the dragons."

Bloom snapped her head up. "But your villagers don't want me anywhere near one!"

"They mistrust you because of your upbringing as a fairy outside of Pyros," Maia answered. "You see, your history books label us as the dragon tamers, the people who conquered the dragons. That could not be farther from the truth. In fact, it is impossible to tame a dragon."

"What are you talking about?" Bloom protested. "Red Fountain has so many dragons! Dragon taming is an art!"

"I shouldn't say impossible," Maia corrected herself. "Anything is possible, after you've bred and beaten them out of character, making them naught but the softest puppy-dog. But the truest way to ‘tame’ a dragon is through understanding. Do you the history of my people?"

"You came from Domino, my home realm," Bloom answered.

Maia shook her head. "That, again, is a common misconception. Only a small fragment of ancient Pyros comprised of Dominians. The rest were all native Pyrosians, a separate ethnic group entirely than from those in Domino.

"Throughout the Age of Discovery, only about a few thousand Dominians actually settled on Pyros. Most of the tribespeople of Pyros viewed the Dominians with distrust, and rightfully so, as they were a conquering force. However, their conquest was largely unsuccessful; they were no match for the brave dragons who protected Pyros. The Dominians were left to starve on their own.

"Our tribe, the Sekhmet Tribe, was the only one who would help them. My ancestors offered them refuge and taught them their way of working with the dragons. The Dominians came to respect the Pyrosians, behaving less like a conquering force and more like an equal partner. They intermarried into our Tribe. When Domino sent more colonists to inhabit Pyros, only those who could brave the harsh climate and mighty dragons stayed; slowly, the other tribes came to trust them and allow them into their ranks. Later, the intermingled Pyrosians and Dominians worked jointly to overthrow imperial Domino's yoke.

"Our ancestors were, in fact, mainly native Pyrosians. However, a part of our ancestry is Dominian, which is why we, mainly the Sekhmet Tribe, have powers over fire." She created a small flame in her hands. "While ancient Pyrosian magic is based off the energy of dragons, Dominian magic is based off the strength of fire. Today, the people of Pyros have both powers, powers which they wield in their harmony with, not against, the forces of nature."

"That's… cool," Bloom admitted. She had never thought of working with a beast that wanted to kill her, but if it had worked for countless generations, she supposed she could give it a shot. If you can't beat them, join them. "So what do I do?"

"A dragon's will is unbeatable," Maia answered. "You must connect with one, accepting his dominance and strength. You must fully surrender all ego. But most importantly, you must release all emotional baggage, which is why I've had you do those meditation exercises." She looked closely at Bloom. "I sense there is still emotional baggage you are carrying around."

"Me?" Bloom said in surprise. "What are you talking about?"

"You are angry," Maia answered. "There is something that is making you tick with fury, due to perceived betrayal or mistrust. You have many, many regrets, which are sending your internal flame out-of-balance. You must find peace within yourself if you ever wish to bring peace to the world."

"I don't!" Bloom cried. "I"… Her voice trailed off, and she stared at the ground.

She was still angry about everything that had happened. She was angry with Valtor for destroying her friendships, for destroying Domino, and killing Tecna. It's his fault this has all happened… She was angry with the other girls for not trying hard enough to beat Valtor, that day in Cloud Tower. And she was angry with Flora for not telling her about the threat Valtor posed.

If I'd known he possessed the Dragon Fire, I could've beaten him months ago! She clenched her fists. What, does she think I'm still that weak girl from Earth? Why couldn't she tell me? And why didn't she tell us about her relationship with Mirta? We're friends – we don't keep secrets from each other. If she and Valtor hadn't have torn us apart, Tecna would still be alive now!

"Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't start you so soon after commencing your training," Maia said, pulling her out of her thoughts. "However, circumstances are growing dire, and you already have a reasonably strong control over your powers. I believe if you are not ready for this now, you never will be."

"So, what do I do?" Bloom asked nervously.

"Normally, when trainees reach of age, they are sent into the forest to live with the dragons for two months," Maia explained. "Along the way, they live from the land and learn to communicate with the dragons. They reach a sacred temple in the forest, and there, they meditate for seven days without food. If they gain trust with the dragons, they are able to return as full-fledged warriors of the Tribe. If not, they die. That is normally what our trainees would do.

"You, however, do not have two months. You will have to face a dragon right here, asking for his respect and wisdom. And remember, unlike last time, I will not be able to intervene. It is up to you whether you survive." Her eyes pierced Bloom. "Are you ready?"