Wings of a Wizard (Harry Potter x Winx Club x Fate Winx Saga Fanfiction)

The Black Mud Swamp Pt.1

A.N.: I'm glad that the last 'episode' (cough, last 4 parts, cough) was well-received. 

In this episode, I start to divulge from the main Winx series (Nick, RAi, 4Kids) because I'm starting to add in the comics lore. The 'tension' I mention that occurs with Timmy and Tecna comes from the 3rd comic book from the Winx Club. 'The Boys From Red Fountain'. 

Also, I've added in more 'OC' characters based on other OG characters. They'll help the story move forward later on. 

As always, I welcome honest criticism and suggestions (just be nice plz). 

Now, please enjoy. 

X - normal text

X - text where Bloom is not present

'X' - thoughts

'#$X#$' - Parseltongue

Chapter : The Black Mud Swamp Pt.1: 

I yawned as I awoke the next morning with no pounding head and no jumbled memories...what a relief. Seems my metabolism works fast. That, or my magic broke it down quickly. If it didn't, I likely would've suffered. I don't think that there are hangover potions in this life...maybe. 

I looked at Flora, who was softly snoring, her vines and plants swaying closer to her when she breathed in, and then shifting back a little when she breathed out. It was so adorable, and I'd love to sketch her asleep but felt like that was too big an invasion of privacy. 

It was Saturday, and I felt my cheeks heat up as I remembered the guy I'd picked last night. The wizard, Adrien. I'd given him my number too...oh Merlin! 

Checking my phone only confirmed that I'd given him my number, as there was a message from him. 

(034-0583-0304): 

06:23 am:  Hello, Goddess. It is Adrien, your loyal priest. 

I buried my face in my hands as it lit up in a furious blush. What was I going to do? I wasn't looking for a relationship right now! 

I was so not blushing because of this guy! 

The fact that I had to try and convince myself that I wasn't starting to crush on this blonde heartache said plenty, especially since I had to take an extra long shower after my panties became drenched--- 

I forcibly shut down my thoughts, and I tried to keep away from that avenue by getting dressed in a modest white flaring skirt that would fly up when I twirled and came down to my knees. I chose to go without stockings today but pulled on a pair of Gryffindor red panties with a single gold snitch over the place where my vulva would touch. 

I pulled on its matching strapless bra, and over that, I tugged on a strapless white crop top. I pulled my hair free. I brushed my hair after my daily shower, so I was content to let it run wild and do its own thing. 

I heard pained groaning from out of our dorm. 

"No--loud--head--hurts." I heard Stella whine. 

I grinned. I hummed cheerfully as I walked out. Musa had fallen asleep in her dress. Stella was holding an ice bag to her forehead, very clearly suffering from a hangover. 

And Tecna was mashing her keys loudly on her computer, looking unaffected (she probably said something along the lines of 'it's irrational to drink liquor' or something like that). 

"Morning all," I said cheerfully. 

Musa and Stella turned to me in surprise (the former still looking half asleep). "How are you so happy this morning?" Stella demanded, looking two seconds from getting a migraine and passing out. 

"What do you mean?" I feigned, playing coy. 

Now Tecna was looking at me. "Aren't you experiencing a combination of heightened sensitivity to light and sound, short periods to long bursts of nausea, throbbing behind your temple, and random small bursts of magic?" 

"Nope." I hummed, moving to pick up one of my textbooks. 

"You don't have a hangover?" Musa yawned, peering at me from behind heavy-lidded eyes. 

"What's a hangover?" I asked, my grin betraying my amusement. 

Stella's jaw dropped. "H-H-ow! You--you drank twice as much as me!" She winced at the pitch of her own voice. "

"Guess I'm just built differently," I said with a cackle as I 'accidentally' dropped the book, which made a loud thump that sent the sun and music fairies spiraling. 

"You witch!" Stella shrieked before falling down onto the couch. Musa was groaning as she covered her ears, flopping back onto the couch. 

And Tecna's lip twitched in amusement. Score! 

Flora walked out of the room in her leaves (still makes me draw parallels between her and poison ivy), yawning behind her hand. "Good morning. What's with all the noise?" she opened her eyes, peering at us from half-lidded eyelids. 

That look, combined with her night attire made her look rather sexy. Poison Ivy sexy. 

"Morning Flora." I greeted with my normal chipperness. 

"No hangover?" She looked at me in surprise (considering how Stella was moaning and patting the couch deliriously, and that I'd drunk more than her, it was surprising that I didn't have a hangover). 

I shook my head, grinning from ear to ear. "Don't know the meaning of the word." 

Flora shook her head in bemusement, then looked at Stella and Musa. "How much did they have to drink?" 

"Seven cups of the spiked punch," Tecna replied as she typed. "Some boys from Malacoy snuck in alcohol." 

"The Westley twins did as well," I added as I stole the other loveseat. 

"I am soooo not a morning person," Stella whined when she tried to sit up, only to fall back from the headache. "I feel tired and not tired at the same time. How is that possible?" 

I smirked, feeling rather refreshed. "That's why I went to bed early. Luckily, we don't have classes, so you can catch up on your beauty rest." 

"It's the weekend!" Musa cheered, then she and Stella both winced at the shrillness of her voice. Seems alcohol messed with her perfect singing voice. 

Stella waved her hand, summoning a flask of some kind from her room. It flew out, glowing with falling sparkles of her power. She grabbed it and undid the clasp before taking a long swig. After a moment, the color returned to her pale cheeks, and she looked less strained, though, still tired. "Ah, that's better." 

"Hangover potion?" I asked in amusement. 

She nodded, then handed the flask to Musa, who muttered a faint 'thanks' before guzzling the other half of the potion. 

Flora excused herself, retreating to our bedroom to change. Stella took one look at her disheveled and messy hair in a pocket mirror before she shrieked loud enough to wake the fairies in the dorm room across from us and rushed back into her bedroom, muttering about how big a travesty it was. 

We giggled (by we I mean Musa and I, though Tecna did smirk) as Stella rushed around in her room trying to brush and fix her hair back to its wavy, flowing, and sleek appearance. 

I went back and changed into some cyan-colored panties, soft blue pants, and my yellow-blue custom t-shirt. I didn't care much for the lack of a bra, and after that constricting dress, my 'girls' needed to breathe a little. 

"Soooo," Musa said when we all reconvened. "How did everyone's nights go?" 

I snorted, leaning back. "Apart from the bribery, and the witches, it was fine." 

"Fine?" Stella perked up, now looking much better after the hangover potion. "Just fine? Girl, you had two hot blonde studs eating out of your hand!" 

"Yeah." Flora's eyes sparkled, as did Musa's. "Did anything happen between you and the other blonde? You looked rather hooked on the dance floor. And Brandon was pouting until it was his turn to dance with you." 

I groaned internally, this was what I feared as a male, and wasn't the biggest fan of as a female. Getting teased about romance. 

I felt my cheeks heat up. "So? Nothing happened." 

"So????? Two boys are competing for your hand, and you say so?????" Stella shook her head, clucking her tongue as though she had no idea what to do with me. "Besides, as soon as you finished drinking you left before anything fun could happen." 

I snorted, resisting the urge to thwack her over the head with my sketchbook. "Half of the reason why I drank as much was because I wanted an excuse to leave the dance early." 

Flora looked disapproving of that method, but Musa looked thoughtful, as did Tecna. 

"Really?" Stella looked shocked at the idea of leaving a party early. Then again, she was tired of repressing her wild side, so it would stand to reason that behind the walls of the posh princess the rest of Magix saw was a wild party animal. "I can't imagine getting intoxicated at a gala for the sake of leaving a gala. I'd be completely mortified, especially at leaving such a good-looking male specimen behind." 

I gave her the 'evil eye'. "You'd really find that a travesty?" 

"Of course!" She bounced in her seat. "If I do get intoxicated while with my partner or on a date, it's because I'm hoping for something frisky to happen." 

"Aw, did you get your midnight kiss?" Musa teases. 

Stella rolled her eyes. "No, dearie," she said in a sickly-sweet tone. She then straightened up. "The prince and I are just good friends that long to hang out." 

"And make out," I added. 

"Who can't keep his hands off you," Musa added. 

Flora blushed at the idea. 

She winked with a secretive smile. "Exactly." Stella rocked in her seat. "I've never had so much fun, Sky is an amazing dancer." 

"And kisser." I teased, managing to get her to blush. 

She pouted at me, then grinned. "Those decorations were great as well, Bloom. As was your exit, you sure made a lasting impression." 

The other girls agreed, and once more praised me for my proposal. I took it with my modest, blushing reply, I couldn't have done it without them, yadda yadda yadda. 

Musa sighed dreamily. "There were some hot boys there." 

"Like Riven?" Stella teased. 

The ravenette nodded, still with a dreamy smile. "He's so broody, and apart from flirting, he's completely mysterious. I was lucky enough to trick him into standing under one of the Mistletoe." 

I chuckled, remembering the first time Fred and George tricked Hermione to stand under one. Harry had a memorable time after he freed her. "I don't know what you see in him, but he's all yours, Musa." 

Musa's eyes twinked. "Don't mind if I do." 

Stella looked at Flora. "So, how did your night go?" 

Flora smiled softly. "It was nice, and Brandon was sweet, but there were no sparks." She shrugged, seeming to be content with how things turned out. "I'm just glad that my date wasn't a complete jerk." 

We all nodded, understanding that. Stella then turned to Tecna, her teasing tone back. "So, I couldn't help but notice that there was tension between you and a certain ginger when you joined us for dinner." 

Tecna scowled, her cheeks turning pink with embarrassment. "Just a simple misunderstanding." 

Stella scoffed, leaning forward. "Girl, Timmy looked like he thought you were going to bite his head off at any second. Also, you were rather cross with him until the alcohol started rolling." 

Musa and I leaned forward. "Tecna, did something happen between you two?" Musa asked. 

Tecna crossed her arms. "It was a misunderstanding." Oh yes, her blush was definitely brighter now. 

"We need details." Even Flora was joining in, her curiosity no doubt peaked by what had happened. It wasn't normal behavior for Tecna, and considering that this was the most emotion she'd shown since we met her, we were all curious. 

Tecna stood. "Fine." She glared at us. "You want to know what happened?" 

We all nodded. 

"Fine. But no laughing." She sighed, her posture becoming less tense, her cheeks still pink. She rubbed her face, took a deep breath, and then spoke. 

Flashback: 

Tecna looked over her date for the evening. He wasn't as strongly built as some of the others and was a bright ginger. His glasses and freckles made him look somewhat cute when she compared them to Zenithian attractive surveys. 

Despite that, what had made her accept his egg was his mind--their previous gaming relationship not included. Timmy was very intelligent, and he could keep up with her technobabble, which none of her dorm mates could do. 

Just after they returned from another dance, Timmy gasped, his hand shifting to his side, which was bare, save for the attached clip. "Shoot. Hey, uh, Tecna?" 

She turned to him, and looked curiously at her date. "Is there a problem?" 

He sheepishly rubbed his head. "I might've dropped my VID--3400 Rec-Reel while we were dancing. I need to go find it, as they're rather expensive to replace." 

Tecna nodded, understanding his predicament. That was a newer video cam model, and it wasn't attached to his hip. 

She spotted some of her more intellectual classmates from History of Magix debating nearby. "We'll rendezvous over there when you've found them, is that acceptable?" 

Timmy nodded. "Thanks, Tecna," he said gratefully before he slipped into the crowd. 

Tecna made her way over to the girls, who were engaged in a heavy debate. 

"--Cassandra, I'm telling you that it's illogical for a fire dragon to have created the Magix Dimension!" 

"Look, Francine, what else could've bound the Infinite Oceans to every planet? That takes a serious amount of spellwork and power, which no fairy, witch, wizard, or sorcerer should possess. Not unless they had cosmic energy described as being held by this dragon fire." 

"It would be more logical to look at the places where the oceans meet to determine if there is an irregularity," Amiele said thoughtfully, shoving her saffron hair out of her face. 

"I agree with Amiele," Tecna said as she joined them. "Despite the common fallacy that all legends have a basis on facts, we would likely learn more from an expedition than we will an old children's legend." 

"I question the purpose of even teaching it to students in school," Francine said. "If we agree that the story of the Great Dragon is a childhood myth, then why is it being taught in a history class?" 

"The library was lacking in material regarding this topic as well," Amiele added. "Almost as though it really is a childhood story." 

"Alfea does hold some of the longest records. Only the Council of Light would have longer annals of history." Tecna agreed. "If there is no trace in either, then we must concur that the Great Dragon is simply a childhood myth passed through generations." 

Cassandra sighed. "You're not going to be convinced, are you?" 

"You have to admit, there is no evidence other than common knowledge of the tale to prove that this dragon ever existed," Amiele said gently to her. "It is alright to believe in the mythological, but without proper facts and basis, all they are are legends." 

Tecna was going to add in her own suggestion when she felt something press against her butt. The touch didn't remain, but it was far too long to be innocent, not when she felt that much mass press against both her lower cheeks. 

She spun, intending to give the person behind her a piece of her mind (it is illogical to assault any female according to Zenithian standards), and saw a kneeling Timmy behind her, head bowed, hand outstretched towards the ground as if to grab something. 

She saw red. 

"How dare you!" She grabbed him by the collar and slammed him against the table. "I cannot believe your complete idiocy!"

"T-Tecna! W-wait!" he stammered as his glasses were knocked sideways. "I-It's not what it looks like! I-I--" 

"Not what it looks like?" she scowled at him. "You pervert! Grabbing my butt! I might even assume a hypothetical scenario where you made up the story about losing your camera just so you could sneak behind me for a cheap grope!" 

He flushes red as eyes are drawn to their scuffle. The girls Tecna had been talking with are now giving him the evil eye. 

"--A huge misunderstanding...please, just let me clarify--" 

"Clarify?" Tecna's stone-cold expression is enough to terrify the watching Specialists, who slowly edge away, glad that they aren't the subject of the technological fairy's ire. "What else needs to be clarified? I felt a squeezing pressing on my butt for 2.3 seconds, and you were kneeling right behind me!" 

He flinches. "T-Tecna! I swear I didn't--" 

"Cut your lies." she glares at him to the point where he's shrinking into the chair. "Give me one logical reason why I shouldn't break your nose right now in front of witnesses." 

He squeaked and held up his hand, which had a glowing yellow battery in it. "I-I found the c-camera, but the batters were knocked out. I-I spotted one behind you, and went down to grab it at the precise moment when y-you stepped back, and um, my face pressed against your...erm...lovely backside..." 

He trailed off in fear, Tecna flushing in embarrassment as she realized that she'd been wrong about something, at the confirmation of her date's claims, and his compliment. 

"I-I promise to not bump your butt again...just, please don't cause a bigger scene..." Timmy's voice failed him again. 

Tecna's blood boiled as she heard her classmates and the bystanders snicker. She rounded on them, losing all control over her emotions at that moment. "What are you looking at? Mind your own fucking business!" 

They immediately sprang away or turned their backs, her classmates still quietly giggling as her face burned. 

End Flashback. 

She finished her story, and we all stare blankly at her as she avoids eye contact with us, our brains overloaded with information. 

Musa is the first to laugh, her neutral expression falling apart like a breached damn. At first, it is a quiet snicker, which turns into two. Then a giggle. Then it descends into full-on laughter. 

Tecna sends her a betrayed look. "You promised not to laugh!" 

The music fairy's melodious laughter is infectious and soon, we're all roaring with laughter while Tecna stammers and repeats that it isn't funny. 

"It--is--funny--" choked out Stella as she gasped for air, clutching her sides. "Timmy--flirted--you--felt--emotions--"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Flore giggled unapologetically, yet apologetically. 

"Can't believe--complimented--your ass--" I choked out in between my own tears of laughter. Tecna blushed at the mention of the compliment. 

Flora was the first to stop, then I did as we sobered up. Stella and Musa kept going until we knocked them on the head a little. 

"Ow!" 

"Hey!" 

"Be nice." Was all I said before I plopped back down in my seat. 

Tecna cleared her throat awkwardly, looking anywhere but at us. "Anyways, the rest of the evening was more pleasant. Well, apart from the witches and the cursed eggs. Timmy's extremely intelligent and knows a lot about hydroelectric spanners, GENO-code, and CYBER-FI mechanics." 

"At least the rest of the night was better," I commented. "Did you get to dance, at least?" 

Tecna made a face. "I cannot stand dancing." 

"So, Bloom, how did things go with Adrien? You sure left an impression on the crowd the way you gave him your number." Flora teased me at just the right moment, causing me to blush furiously and hide my face in my hands. 

"Yeah!" Stella's eyes were shining with the prospect of juicy gossip. "Has he called you yet?" 

Nope. I'm not dealing with this. It's too early in the morning to talk about feelings and crushes. "Uh, be right back. I need to shower." 

Tecna of all people blocks my way. "Nope. I had to tell you all about the butt accident. You're not getting away that easily." 

I sighed and flopped back into my seat, pouting. I then glared at everyone, while using as many of my 'Earthen' terms as possible. "If you must know, he was rough but sweet. Don't know how he is in the hay shack, nor did we snog." 

"Hay shack? Snog?" Stella looked confused. "What's that?" 

"Bloom, tell us what happened between you and Adrien!" Musa snapped her fingers. "And spare no details, girl." 

I groaned--if I started talking, I'd probably end up outing my submissive tendencies. 

"Bloom, it would be easier to tell us, then we'll leave you alone," Even Flora was pushing now, her eye sparkling with mischief. Normally, I'd be excited that Flora is branching out of her bubble, but not at my expense, dammit. 

"Come on, you can trust us. We'll keep it a secret." Stella winked conspiringly at me. 

"Fine, you arses," I mutter affectionately. 

The girls cheer and then settle in to listen, my insult flying right over their heads. 

"So, how is he?" Musa presses. 

I'm blushing a little as I replayed the memory of our dances in my head. "He's so strong but gentle. He makes me feel so giddy and dirty, like when you disobey rules and know that there is a high risk that you'll get caught, but you do it for the thrills. I feel butterflies in my stomach when he's touching me, and he's so graceful." 

Musa blushes,  understanding the feeling I'm describing. "He's handsome, and his eyes make me melt, just like his embrace." I sigh, in self-annoyance. "If only I didn't step on his toes like a klutz so damn much." 

"No kisses? No flying sparks No real action?" Stella's tone is practically begging for juicy gossip. Sorry to disappoint, Stella. 

"None." I shook my head. "There really wasn't much time between dances, apart from some light conversation where I shocked him when I told him that there really is no magic on Earth, and then I was busy trying to get a bloody fake ring away from the Trix." 

I leveled an annoyed glare at her, feeling the sensation of being watched vanish suddenly. How odd, was it something I said? "Which I would've liked to know before I risked my life trying to steal a dupe shell back from the Trix." 

She turns sheepish and apologetic. "Sorry, I should've mentioned something," Stella admitted. "But, at least the Trix bought our deception, especially with how genuine your reaction was. And you unlocked your wings!" 

"True." I agree with a half-smile, which became more genuine as I recalled the rest of last night. "Then during dinner, we were talking about our realms. He was astounded to learn that I'm a survivor from the you-know-what." I nodded to Stella, who paled. 

"You told him?" she asked in surprise. 

I shrugged. "He already knew some things, which makes me believe that his parents talk. He mainly just wanted confirmation, since officially I'm registered in the Magix Dimension as an Earth fairy." 

The other girls frowned. "Officially?" Tecna asked. 

"You know I'm adopted," I said simply, feeling safer about divulging this information now that our eavesdropper has gone. "My adoptive parents found me in a fire, with a half-collapsed building around us. No one knows what happened to my family, but there was residual dark magic." 

Mum had told me when I was older that there was dark magic in the collapsed building. She had investigated the following night after James found me. 

I've made an educated guess that some of the Ancestress's magic had followed me through the vortex, and because of how powerful their magic was, they had lingered. 

"They think that my parents were taken by the fairy hunters." I sigh sadly, not even having to hide how I feel whenever my birth family is brought up. Even if I can't say what actually happened--that they were murdered in the destruction of my realm. 

My friends gasped. "Oh no." Flora covered her mouth. 

The Dragon Flame rumbled within me, increasing my heat, and reminding me that all was not lost. We still had each other, in spite of what had happened. I was his Keeper, but I'd like to think that we are friends. 

I rub my chest, and the action draws Flora's eye, she's probably seen me do that a lot. "Is everything ok, Bloom?" 

I glanced at her. "Yeah, why?" 

"You're just, erm, rubbing your...chest a lot," she says while blushing. 

I shrugged. It's not like I'm fondling my tits, just the space between them. But I guess I can see how it might be awkward for others. "Just a habit." I wave her concerns off. 

Talk soon shifts back to the gala, and the girls tell me and Flora everything else that we missed, much to our amusement. 

After that, we make our way to breakfast, with my face still heated after the girls realized that I'd texted Adrien. 

Bloody girls and their gossip. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two weeks later saw me getting off the phone with my parents for the fourth time this month. 

Violet was back in school and was spending less time around people her own age. Apparently Mum was taking more time off from the flower shop to teach her more about the White Circlet Kingdom's history, as she'd technically be representing all of the Earth fairies when Violet attended. Mum was also teaching her small bits of magic after Violet finished her nonmagical education for the day. Violet was also preparing clothes and other things that she wanted to bring to Alfea. 

I chuckled, she was certainly eager to get to Alfea. Not that I couldn't blame her. I was thriving here. 

Then again, there was also that undercurrent of worry. Mum was still in the process of convincing Dad to leave Earth, at least for a little while. Dad wanted to stay, and honestly, I couldn't blame him. 

But as long as my family remained on Earth, we would be targets of the fairy hunters. That was another reason why I had to get stronger. To protect my loved ones. 

Also, Roxy was asking about me. I felt guilty, I'd nearly forgotten about her with all the excitement of discovering the dimension I was born in, meeting new faces, battling witches, and unlocking my wings. 

They weren't good enough excuses, and I really had none, especially since Instagram worked in the Magix Dimension. I'll have to find a space that looks more normal, probably my room, and I'll give her a video call. 

I owe it to her as one of my few remaining friends to stay in contact. She helped me when she could (even snuck me some alcohol) at the bar following my breakup with Andy. She was there for me, the least I can do is be a good friend, apologize for the sudden radio silence, and check up on her periodically. 

I can't reveal to her that I'm from a magical universe though, not unless she ends up having something more than just a magical aura (which apparently can happen, it's like the equivalent of a squib). 

Wouldn't that be ironic, if it turns out that she's been magical--Merlin forbid a fairy--all this time. 

Following what was probably the most eventful dance I've ever been a part of (and updating my Instagram feed with group selfies of the Winx in our dresses), I found that my magical system had been completely repaired. I'm guessing that it had to do with my fairy transformation, which would speed up the healing process for any injuries I had. After fifteen minutes of being frozen still with shock, Ofelia pronounced me in good health and warned me to not get injured again. 

Returning to lessons revealed another fact: I struggled less. Because I'd achieved my fairy form, I could tap into my powers quicker than I used to, regardless of which form I was in, fairy or civilian. 

Sometimes too easy, I reflected. There had been several times in class when I'd accidentally transformed while trying a spell such as turning my head into a pumpkin or changing the color of a brick. What could I say, the Dragon Flame was just eager to come out and play. 

Classes had become more bearable in other ways, especially since the rumor and gossip about me had died down in favor of talking about the events of the dance. The decor, the boys, the hot professors. 

No one knew that I'd battled the Trix apart from the other heads of the different schools, Alfea's staff, the boys we chose as our dates, and my friends. 

Add in my rather extensive knowledge of Charms, Potions, Transfiguration, and Spell-Crafting, and I was quickly rising to become one of the top students in my year. Funny, as I never thought that I would obtain that position. 

Tecna and I had taken to devise a schedule for Winx's study sessions. We couldn't afford to fall behind, even if we had maturity (Tecna), previous knowledge (me), and previous attendance (Stella) on our side. 

Magiphysics with the headmistress had turned to more theoretical, now that we were learning how to tap into our powers. Those of us that could transform were asked to give demonstrations, as well as explain how we could transform. She put a strong emphasis on the fact that our fears hold us back from the transformation part, but that could only come after we'd mastered the first two steps. Starting next month, the class as a whole was to begin feeling for their magic cores, something which I've already started on my own (Augomency). 

My favorite class so far had been Professor Wizgiz's, Metamorphosis. He was just as energetic as Flitwick, with humor to match the half-human, half-goblin dueling champion. Stella also seemed to like his class the best, probably because he didn't hold her past actions against her like Professor Harvey and Ms. Griselda did. 

Flora and I led the group in Potionology, as between her extensive knowledge of flora (pun intended) and my knowledge of potions from Snape and Slughorn's classes meant that we had a pretty good grasp of the theory and practical. 

Stella, Musa, and I were doing rather well in Defense, especially the practical portion. Tecna, and especially Flora struggled with this class, and I could understand why. Flora was a sweetheart, she had an innocence about her that should never be brought to a battlefield. And Tecna was far better at the theoretical than the practical. 

Good Manners was a bit of a struggle for me, though, between Stella, Musa, and Flora, I managed to not fall behind, especially with more practical parts like the graceful walking Stella managed to use everywhere she went. Tecna was more ungraceful than me--not that I was comparing, or making it a competition--but unless I had my shields up to full, I just couldn't manage to have a conversation without taking offense to a barb or chewing someone out for stupidity (I'm allergic to stupidity if you couldn't tell), and getting marked down for it by Professor DuFour. 

I couldn't help it. I'm used to tackling problems head-on, and not dancing around them. Probably why Stella and I found ourselves in stand-offs with Amaryl. That girl just wouldn't shut her trap and loved to pick on me whenever my ignorance of the Magix Dimension showed. 'That ignorant Earthling' was quickly becoming one of my least like phrases. 

And because Stella was my friend, she would defend me, and then they would be arguing and bullying each other about fashion until I pulled Stella away, or a professor arrived in time to separate the pair before spells could start flying. 

Magical Invocation was...interesting to say the least. We'd moved on from the magical geography of Magix to the flora and fauna of Magix. Next weekend was our first, 'field trip' test of sorts. Tecna did better in that class than I did. Stella was easily the least interested in the class out of all of us, so the rest of us Winx had to brainstorm ways to keep her focused. 

History of Magix was the one class that I was most attentive to. The librarian, Barbatea, managed to find ways to keep the subjects she talked about interesting, and for someone who knew nothing about Magix's history, but needed to learn it ASAP, I was very much awake (unlike in Binn's class). 

We would also have our first exam on 'legends' at the end of the month. I'd taken as many notes as I could on the Dragon Flame, this 'Shadow Phoenix', and the 'Water Stars', which could supposedly keep these two powers in check. 

The way Barbatea taught the class was that if they were nothing more than gods and god-made mystical weapons that religion worshipped, but held no such proof that they existed. My Flame has never yearned more to burst from my breast and unleash a roar that would rattle all the realms to their core, reminding them that a greater power still existed here. 

I planned in my off-time to learn more about both of these powers, assuming that the knowledge wasn't purposefully hidden. 

First of all, if the Water Stars were a weapon meant to target the Keepers of the Dragon Flame, I needed to find them, secure them, and lock them away forever--before someone could find them and use them on me. 

Second, the pessimistic side of me said that I would be meeting this 'Shadow Phoenix', the dark-sided flame to the Dragon Flame sometime during my stay at Alfea--sometime within the next three to five years. All legends have a shroud of truth, then as they're retold over and over, details get added, others get lost, but the core remains the same. 

One flame gave life, the other summoned the remaining energy that was death. It then fed it into the life-giving flame, allowing that flame to give more life. The cycle continued until one day the dark flame vanished. Without the influx of power, the life-giving flame, the 'Great Dragon', settled down to rest on a planet, one that a kingdom would one day be built over. 

And since I was the holder of one of those 'mysterious cosmic powers', I knew that the other two had to exist as well, and would likely meet sometime soon. If I hadn't been Fate's bitch for a whole lifetime, I likely wouldn't have presumed such. 

My 'dream visitor' as I'd taken to calling her had started to appear more often. Before she'd appear every month. Now that I'd achieved my transformation, she was appearing in my dreams at least once every week. I'd be more annoyed that she wouldn't let my mind rest (self-aware dream) if I wasn't intrigued. 

Who was this..nymph, and why did she keep trying to contact me? What did she want? Who did she work for? What was her connection to me? To Domino? To the Dragon Flame? Did she need help? Was she trying to lure me somewhere, to some relic, or into a trap? 

These were questions that I couldn't answer without making contact, but before I did that I needed to take precautions, especially if this was similar to a ploy Voldemort had used. 

Clearing these thoughts from my head, I thought about what I wanted to do. It was early on Saturday morning, I wouldn't have my next exam with Ofelia (who was astonished and impressed with my rapid recovery, the ambient and active magics barely hurt me anymore) until Monday. 

I diligently worked on every assignment I received when I got it. Stella was procrastinating, and Musa did occasionally. Flora was an absolute sweetie, and she'd started to feel more comfortable around me. 

She'd admitted to having a secret love for poetry, but she had no one to do it with. My heart went out to her, and I would write them with her. I was horrible, but she was amazing. Little by little, my rhymes were getting better, and my lyrics matched more. Flora loved poems that related to nature, romanticism, and her homeworld (I should get some literature from Earth for her, we do have quite a lot of romanticism works). 

I was also getting better at being cryptic as a side bonus. Now I knew why Dumbledore was so cryptic at times, the bastard was just having a good laugh.  

Musa had been going to Magix a lot, though she was secretive about why she snuck out (I had yet to tell her that I felt her in my head. I just haven't found the time for that discussion). Flora occasionally went to Magix City too. Apparently, they had a park that was full of plants from Linphea, so she would spend at least an hour there every week. 

Speaking of which, I had yet to get a job. I couldn't make time this month, but sometime in the next month, I wanted to head over to that cafe and see if they had any job openings. I suppose it's a bonus that I know how to cook, clean, mop, take out trash, dust, and sterilize for sanitation purposes. 

I also needed to work on developing my mindscape. Due to the time that has passed, I'd need to sort through and catalog my new memories from summer's end until now. That's likely going to take over twenty-four hours, so I'll probably wait until the start of the next month for that as well. I can't do that during a school day, lest I fall behind, and I rather not do it while we're on our field trip. 

Guess that means I can do some research, seeing as my homework's all done. I glanced at Flora, who was watering the plants, then at Kiko, who was back on the windowsill, munching through his carrots. 

Smiling softly, I left the room. Musa was wearing her headset, her head bobbing to some music that I couldn't hear. She waved a hand at me, and I waved back. Stella's doors were open, a sign that she was out. Musa & Tecna's doors were open too. I could see the technology fairy with a VR headset on, ducking and weaving as she fought imaginary figures, the computer on the desk shifting, lasers and swords flashing across the screen. 

I'd love to try that at some point, but I've got work to do. I left our dorm, heading down the hall towards the library. It's time to get some answers. 

I walked through the halls, and down to the right tower, at the edge of the 'U' shape of Alfea. There was the entrance to the library. I pushed open the massive doors and entered. 

"You'd think that with magic, the place would be well-lit," I muttered to myself in bemusement. 

I thought about summoning a ball of fire to my palm but decided against it. No magic in the halls, dorms, Great Atrium, or library. 

Well, there was another reason why I decided against it; simply because I didn't want to give Barbatea a heart attack if she saw floating fire near her books. I did, however, bring more magic to my eyes, altering Mage Sight to be more like night vision, allowing me to see the library the same as if it had been brightly lit. 

Walking between the rows, I pondered where to start. Maybe there was a directory or something? 

Barbatea had shown us the library, including a lectern in the middle, shaped like a set of wings, but I didn't recall what it did. Then again, I did have more important things on my mind, such as the processing of the information about the existence of the Water Stars that day. 

I found myself in a section where desks were. It was the weekend, so the library was practically empty. I could see one fairy at a desk, and in the far back was another, both with their homework spread out. 

I passed them and walked to the place where the lectern was. This part of the room was circular, with books filling every shelf. 

I stepped up to the lectern, pondering what I should do. "Uh, Scepter of Solaria." I said aloud, feeling dumb when nothing happened. 

Frowning, I touched the lectern. There was nothing, no reaction, no 3d interface popping up. Maybe it needed magic to activate? 

I pressed my hand down, funneling a bit of my power into it. "Scepter of Solaria." I repeated. This time, something did happen. 

The lectern glowed golden orange-gold-white. Magic began to swirl in the air. Six books started to vibrate on their shelves before sparkles surrounded them. They all flew out, before flipping open to the specific page and landing on the lectern, one after the other. 

"Well, that was certainly fast, if not faster than the internet," I commented in amusement. I pulled the top book to me and began to read. 

'The Scepter of Solaria--also known as the Ring of Solaria, Sword of Solaris, Sword of Stars, or Solaria Scepter--is a Domino-forged artifact. The scepter was created in close proximity to the first and second suns of Solaria, crafted from Blue Moon Netherite and Starlight (the latter of which is the second most pure magical substance in the universe, second to the Dragon Flame). The orange orbs of the scepter were Orange Sun Crystals, carved and reshaped for the Scepter. The Dragon Flame was used to bind all the elements of the Scepter together. For convenient transport, a spare Solarian heir ring was tied into the creation of the Scepter, giving it two forms. The Scepter's full power can only be channeled in its extended form, though it can still make gateways in its ring form. It can pass as simple jewelry in its ring form. Throughout the ages of time, the Scepter of Solaria has been proven to be a useful weapon in times of great need.' 

I was amazed. The Dragon Flame was used in the creation of the Scepter of Solaria. I wondered if that's why I was able to use it so easily. And why the Trix wanted it so badly, assuming that I was right about their connection to the Ancestresses. 

They lost their shot at grabbing the Keeper of the Dragon Flame--to the world I was dead, died off with Domino--and so now they were scrambling to find any trace of the Flame that they could, in whatever relic they could get their hands on. 

I switched to the next book and resumed my reading. 

'The Scepter of Solaria was a gift from Prince Hydron Hades Frye of Domino to Princess Surya Artemis Soleil of Solaria in 994 A.G.D. (After the Great Dragon). The Scepter was a wedding gift for Princess Surya at Surya Artemis Soleil of Solaria and Konshu Rapier Celeste of Luna.' 

A nice little bit of history. I was learning more here than in History of Magix, that was for sure. I switched to another book and read some more. 

'The Scepter of Solaria works best in the hands of a member of the Solarian or Lunarian royal bloodline, though a fairy of the royal Domino Bloodline with a strong connection to the Dragon Flame can wield it. The Scepter's magical affinity is light-based, and can only be used to channel Solaria's magic. Light, Sunlight, Moonlight, heat, energy, and fire--the latter is suspected to be a by-product of the great power that was used in the Scepter's creation--are the elements that the Scepter can channel with relative ease.'  

I flipped through the other books, learning more about Solaria, and the Scepter's importance. It had been used in the war between Solaria and Melody--and seriously, what right did a bunch of light-users have to dictate to music lovers what music they could listen to (yes, I sympathized with Melody, but there were fault, violence, and war crimes committed by both sides, so my sympathy ended there)--used to swear in newly minted knights of the kingdom, and had apparently been used to tap into the full power of the Suns of Solaria. 

I frowned as I felt my phone vibrate in my jacket's pocket. I pulled it out to see half a dozen texts from Stella. 

(Stella)

11:10 am: Bloom, we're heading out to Magix in a bit, lunch & shop. 

                       Lmk if you want to join.

11:15 am: Want us to pick anything up? 

                       We're leaving in 5 if you're coming. 

11:21 am: Hello? 

11:26 am: Bloom? 

I typed back a quick response. 

(Me)

11:32 am: Sorry, I was in the library. 

                       Nah, I'll join y'all at a different time. 

                       If you can, bring me back some of that Gru-Gru Tart. Plz. 

That was a close equivalent to treacle tart. It wasn't the thing I'd been craving, but I had been making do with it as a substitute. Seriously, I needed my treacle tart. 

Stella messaged me instantly. 

(Stella)

11:32 am: Nerd! :P

                      Will do! 

She replied with a winking emoji, a modification Tecna had added to our phones after I showed her my old one. 

I put my phone away, but my research mood was blown. I pursed my lips, glancing at the books before I remembered that I brought a notebook and pencils. 

I picked up the books and carried them to a table before I sat down and started to take notes on Stella's scepter, which was an old artifact. The Dragon Flame must be more powerful than I thought if the Solarian artifact was still around. Was its power eternal? Why did the Dragon Flame need a Keeper? 

And seriously, the term was misused. A dragon keeper is someone who ensures that the dragons at the dragon preserves are tended to, in good health, and can only fly under supervision. And have good behavior. 

The Dragon Flame didn't need my permission for anything. The cheeky bugger was sentient, like a friend in my head, a hand gently cupping my heart (out of love, worship, and the need to protect). 

Like right now. The Dragon Flame was rumbling in amusement as I thought over what I just read. 

'What other artifacts have you had a hand in creating?' I pondered internally. 

The gist of what I got back from him was: you'll have to find out on your own. 

I huffed. Bloody stupid dragon. "Fine," I muttered aloud. 

Might as well return these books, and then leave. I have the answers I came for this time. Researching the Trix, this dream nymph, and my other spells could wait until I checked up on Kiko and made sure that he wasn't fighting with Flora's plant again. 

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Isobel glared at the shell in her hand. The fucking thing was snapped tightly shut, denying her it's precious Solarian pearl. It was taunting her, annoying them all. 

"If you glare any harder, it might freeze over," Beatrix commented from where she was, leaning against the wall, one foot pressed against it, arms crossed. 

The ice witch sat up in her bed. "We've tried everything to get this damn shell open. And it won't budge!" 

"It's only been a week since the gala." Beatrix shrugged. 

She'd already gotten out her anger at their bittersweet victory already, two dozen training dummies were now in smoking ruins with the occasional sliver of electricity arching around a torn piece of enchanted wood and metal. "Has D'arcy come back yet from her crystal ball gazing?" 

"No," Isobel muttered, tossing and catching the shell in her hand. While she had limited scrying skills, her sister was a prodigy, with an aptitude for 'Sight' related spells. She supposed that it came with the territory of being an illusions witch. 

The spell she used to scry wasn't illegal, but it was frowned upon. It was an invasion of privacy, especially since most had no way of guarding against it. The spell could be used to see anyone and provide a live feed of whatever they were going. 

They could be watching MagixNewsBroadcast, practicing spells, doing homework, writing notes out of a textbook, changing, masturbating, talking to someone, or texting someone. The possibilities were endless. 

Here at Cloud Tower, the spell was used, typically in the hands of powerful witches and illusion-based witches. To be fair, the use of it is also frowned upon, though that is while they are in class. 

The Trix still have to maintain the metaphorical illusion that they are the Headmistress's favorite trio (after explaining that Faragonda found them through new wards that detected negative energy, Griffin had let them off the hook, with the woman knowing no other details about that disastrous night). 

They still have classes and lectures to attend, tests and quizzes to study for, plus they need to eat and sleep like every other witch. 

And yet, D'arcy has done nothing but use the spell to spy on the Earthling fairy...Bloom, whom she has taken a great deal of interest in. 

Just the girl's name put a sour taste in Isobel's mouth. She'd achieved her wings and destroyed two of Isobel's advanced spells with one of her own. Two spells that she'd created herself! Her pride had taken a serious blow when she saw the red-haired pixie unleash a wave of fire that comprised of magical creatures destroying every chunk of ice in sight. 

And that girl was a natural in the air. She'd instinctively known how to fly to dodge spells. If Isobel didn't know better, she'd claim that the fairy had been holding back on them the first time that they met--that she had previous experience...but that was impossible. 

Everything about Bloom seemed to be impossible. 

She is the eldest of two daughters born to an Earth fairy (a species of fairy that everyone believed to be extinct), and all three had done very little magic out of fear of being found by the fairy hunters. 

She'd used the Scepter of Solaria, twice by her count. 

According to Knut's testimony, she destroyed Ghouls with a single blast of fire, whereas it took Princess Soleil two blasts with the scepter to do any damage. 

Her aura was incredible--and if the rumors that had been wafting about since the gala, passing through the Magix grapevine were true, she could manipulate it, a rare skill--and jaw-dropping. It was brighter than Stella Soleil's aura, and her aura was the brightest the Trix had encountered in a freshman fairy before Bloom. 

Both times they'd battled the girl, she'd managed to rough them up before Isobel could trap her in below-zero temperatures, which the fairy's friends then managed to save her from. 

None of them knew anything about hand-to-hand combat, which was something that the redhead knew, and knew how to fight well without a blade or axe. 

Bloom had a natural inclination to fight nonmagically when in close quarters, and the physical attacks both times had managed to be the Trix's near undoing. 

Beatrix had been angry and flustered both times the redhead had broken her nose. If she didn't have magic to fix nonmagical injuries, she'd likely have a crooked nose, which really offset beauty. 

While none of them were vain about their looks, the Trix all had their own sort of attractiveness about them. 

Isobel was the unapproachable one, the exotic beauty with a heart of ice. Beatrix was a wild girl, with untameable burgundy hair, youthful features, and a slim, almost slender body with fewer curves than her sisters, yet enough to still be attractive. And D'arcy was the seductress, cool, collected, deceptively friendly, but with a metaphorical dagger behind her back, with more curves and angles than her two sisters put together. 

None of them were as attractive or fragile looking as a princess or fairy, but the Trix were fine with that. They didn't want to be damsels in distress. They wanted to follow in the original Coven's footsteps and finish what they started. 

None of them really remembered their youth, whoever they were before. Nor did any of them really want to. Their childhoods had been filled with pain, want, hunger, and regret. They didn't know why they were hated or feared, only that they were. It shaped them into who they were today, and honestly, neither Isobel nor her sisters would change a thing. They had come together, finding their way back together, just like the Ancestral Witches, their idols did. 

D'arcy arrived with an annoyed expression on her face, looking constipated. 

"Soooo," Beatrix drawled. "How did your little voyeurism go?" 

D'arcy flopped into a chair, ignoring the lewd part of her sister's question. "Unless she's in battle, Bloom is seriously the most boring girl in the Magix Dimension, up there with every other cheery pixie." 

Isobel and Beatrix exchanged amused looks. What did their sister expect when spying on a fairy? Evil plots and secret torture sessions? 

"Literally, all she does is read, do homework, feed that abomination she calls a...I think 'Bunny', and blush like an eleven-year-old every time her friends brings up the blonde duo that is 'interested' in her." she ranted. "I've never wanted to vomit more from watching her daily life." 

"We might be able to use the girl's pet and her relationship with the boys against her if the need arises and she becomes a bigger thorn in our side." Isobel schemed aloud. 

"Did you find anything else on your side research?" Beatrix asked curiously. "Regarding that tiara, or possible origins?" 

D'arcy shook her head. "Nothing recent, though with the numerous cover-ups that the Council of Light in all their wisdom ordered, it's a fucking miracle that we even have any information about what happened within the last couple of decades." 

She paused, then said, "I might need to take my research back even further. If our side of information dries up, I might have to sneak into Alfea to get a look at their records." 

"Rather ingenious," Isobel said, a gleam in her eye at the thought of sneaking into Alfea again. Planning that would be such fun!  

She tossed the shell up and down again. "So, did you find anything that we could use to crack the shell?" 

"I'll give you one better." D'arcy scowled. "We've been duped." 

Isobel (who had just laid back down) jumped into a seating position. "What! How?" she demanded angrily. 

"The shell was a fake. The Princess had the real shell with the ring in her purse the whole dance." D'arcy said, sounding impressed by the 'dumb blonde's' ingenuity, but also irritated. 

"So that night was just a waste of our magic?" Beatrix snarled, her eyes flashing in time with the lightning. Outside, the thunderclouds rumbled a little louder than normal. 

"Then... what...in...the...Dark...Dimension...is...in...this...stupid...thing?" Isobel tried to pry the shell apart before hurling it into the wall in anger. 

This time, the shell burst open. Isobel's face lit up in triumph. "So, what did the princess trick the Trix with?" 

She leaned down to pick it up, and an egg rolled out of it. Not just any egg, but an Alfean egg. One that they used at the dance, similar to Red Fountain's eggs that the Trix cursed. It was pink with blue splashes on the top and bottom. 

"An egg." Beatrix deadpanned, breaking the trio out of their shock. 

"A fucking egg." Isobel snarled in anger. "We were duped into stealing a FUCKING EGG!" 

The other two girls winced as Isobel unleashed a whirlwind of ice and snow just as Knut was walking into the room with a mop and bucket, and was promptly frozen over. 

"Oops," D'arcy said, glad that she hadn't just been turned into a popsicle. 

Knut's frozen form teetered before falling over, the ice breaking apart. He rose, looking confused. "Hey, what's going on your scariness?" 

"Just. Get. Back. To. Cleaning. Knut." Isobel's patience was really wearing thin. What really grinds her gears is failure, and that's all that they've been doing as of late. 

The ogre shrugged before turning to the right side of the room, furthest away from the Trix, and started cleaning to hide his mutinous thoughts of what he'd like to do to the Trix if he wasn't still getting paid. 

Isobel struggled to get her breathing back under control before she declared, "We should look for another opportunity to ambush the princess." 

"Right," Beatrix said before a quiet sound breached the air. 

'Mammy!' 

Beatrix froze. "Did you hear that?" 

'Mammy!' 

Isobel picked up the egg. "It's--coming from inside the egg!" 

Alarmed expressions appeared on the trio's faces. "What did the princess put inside?" D'arcy asked cautiously. 

"Only one way to find out," Beatrix said. Ignoring the warning and surprised cries of her sisters, Beatrix unleashed a bolt of lightning, striking the egg in Isobel's open palm. 

An explosion of light filled the room, so bright that their window flickered in the tower, along with the smoke. Coughing, the Trix vanished the smoke. 

They completely ignored the dirt on their skin, their jaws dropped at the creature sitting in Isobel's palm. 

'Mammy!' 

"What--what is that thing!" D'arcy's voice was rising in pitch. 

"I don't know!" Beatrix replied in disgust, backing away from Isobel''s bed. "But I'm going to puke." 

"Ma-mommy!" Isobel jumped back in panic, her back touching the wall. "Get that thing away from me!" 

The 'thing' in question was an adorable baby duckling (not that the Trix would learn that Stella got this from snooping through Bloom's sketchbooks) with an orange bill, small webbed feet, and light plum feathers, with a little more on the top of its head. It also had adorable, big light-grey eyes, which looked up lovingly and devotedly at Isobel like she was it's whole world. 

'Mammy!' it squeaked, before launching itself at Isobel's face. 

Knut flinched as the tower shook, lights flickering and the temperatures dropping as the ice witch screamed in rage. 

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Stella froze. Musa and Tecna glanced behind them when they realized that she wasn't right behind them. 

"Stella?" Musa tilted her head. "You good girl?" 

Stella shook her head. "Huh? What?" 

Musa rolled her eyes. "Guess you're ok." 

"Oh, I'm perfectly fine." she beamed, showing off her beautiful, straight white teeth. 

"Right." The girls resumed their walk to the bakery, though Tecna's curiosity was roused. 

Stella had a mischievous smirk on her face, as though she knew something had just happened, and took vindictive pleasure in it. 

With a shrug, she decided she'd worry about it later. She had a game to get back to. 

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'Brandon' finished up in the shower. He wrapped the towel around his waist before walking out, nearly running into another Specialist, a gorgeous female named Natasha. She had dark red locks of hair, flawless fair skin, passionate-filled green eyes, large breasts, a taut, smooth stomach, a narrow waist, wide hips, a large ass, long-toned legs, and small feet. Her frame was slender, but packed with hints of muscle and more curves than should be legal. 

She was definitely the fantasy of many of the new recruits, as well as a few of the older years. 'Brandon' wasn't drawn to her though (he had his eyes set on a different redhead), which was likely why she would occasionally hang around him. 

Despite her looks, Natasha Romativa was not a naive, innocent girl. Beneath that beauty, pretty face, and tempting curves was a dangerous young woman. 

She had magic but preferred to hone her own combat skills, unlike her sister, who was attending Alfea. Despite her age (she was a freshman), she'd been making waves in the month that she'd been here.

And that wasn't just because of the ways she rejected people either. 

She was a 'specialist class' Specialist, just like Riven. She preferred to use electronic-pulse knuckles, along with a short baton that could change length, growing shorter to the length of a small dagger, or to its full extension, as big and wide as a staff. She also knew how to use chains and whips. 

"Brandon." she nodded, a white towel also wrapped around her curvaceous frame. 

"Nat." he nodded back. 

She walked down the aisle between the showers with him, heading for the hall that led to the gender-divided lockers. "So, uh, how was training?" he asked. Her hair color kept on bringing his mind back to a different redhead. 

"Intense. Grueling, but enjoyable. Saul Silva isn't Cotatorta from what I've heard, but he's a taskmaster nonetheless." Natasha said pleasantly, feeling her muscles ache. 

"That he is." 'Brandon' mused. "Cotatorta's training is ten times more intense. If you think Silva's training is painful, wait until you're working under my trainer." 

She nodded, biting her lip as she let part of her towel 'slip', revealing the upper curve of her breast. 'Brandon' immediately averted his eyes. 

Natasha's lip twitched upward in silent defeat, tilting her head in acknowledgment that he had won this round (a little game she'd started to tease him, see how far she could go before he'd snap). "I'll keep that in mind. See you around." 

"Later." 'Brandon' turned away from her retreating, swaying hips with a blush. He made his way down the opposite hall to the men's lockers. 

He pulled out his casual clothes and changed quickly, before grabbing his backpack and heading out. 

He hadn't made it very far before Timmy caught up to him, panting. "Brandon! We're being given a mission!" 

'Brandon' turned in surprise, moving his blonde bangs out of his face. "Really?" he couldn't keep the surprise out of his tone. 

Timmy nodded enthusiastically. "Yep! We're getting our briefing in ten minutes. Riven went to get Sky. So I went to find you." 

'Brandon's excitement rose. A mission. Their first official mission. 

Riven was the loose cannon of the group, though he worked his ass off to get where he was. He was reliable, most of the time. Timmy was a great guy. A little shy, very modest, but also extremely intelligent. And there was no one else that the real prince of Eraklyon would trust to have at his back than the real Brandon, his best friend, brother in arms, and squire. 

They were supposed to have a fifth member, a wizard, though because they hadn't gone on any official missions, they hadn't gotten another addition. 

Not that he thought they needed it. 

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They walked into Silva's office. Codatorta was already in there, his beefy arms crossed and mustache twitching. Riven and 'Sky' were also there, standing at attention. 

"Take a seat, boys." 

The four of them took their seats. Saul Silva leaned forward, studying their expressions. "As you boys know, you lot performed an unsanctioned rescue op nearly four months ago. Despite the lack of protocol, lack of communication with your superiors, and waste of fuel across an interstellar distance, you completed your mission successfully, with zero casualties, and returned with a rogue hunter troll and heiress of one of the most important realms in good health." 

They shifted nervously. Codatorta cleared his throat. "Headmaster Saladin did a few tests on the troll and determined that it had been tampered with. Malacoy's creature preserve confirmed last night that they were missing a troll, and had been for some time. Since you boys were the ones to take down the troll, we're sending you lot to transport it back to Malacoy's facility, along with orders from the head to run more tests." 

Excitement and relief passed through the group. Silva's neutral expression broke into a smile. "We feel that you've earned this right. Not because of titles, or birth statuses. But because we feel that you are ready with how you performed out in the field." 

"You boys kept your heads on, worked as a team, and managed to take down a class XX creature, an impressive feat for a bunch of rookies." Cordatorta praised. 

The smiles (and smirks, in Riven's case) only grew wider. They thinned as Cordatorta spoke the next few words. "Now, seeing as this is your first officially sanctioned mission, you'll need a fifth addition to the group." 

'Brandon' raised his brows. Who was going to be added to their team for this? 

"Seeing as you have met him before in a civil environment, we're adding a wizard to your squad." 'Brandon' prayed that it wasn't the green-eyed, blonde wizard that was stealing his crush out from under him. 

"We trust that you'll work well with him, and put differences aside as we are trained to do, working for the Greater Good," Codatorta added. 

 "Come in." Silva gestured towards the doorway, where a young man in robes entered. Blue robes with armored shoulder pads, chest plate, and arm gauntlets. The crest of Red Fountain was on the left shoulder pad. A mask was placed over the wizard's face, with a red visor in a 'V' shape giving them visibility. 

"Boys, meet your teammate--." 

The wizard pulled back his hood and removed his mask to reveal the same face they'd seen at the Alfean gala. 'Sky's brows raised into the fringe of his hair. Timmy looked interested. 'Brandon's jaw dropped in disbelief, and Riven's mouth twitched upward into a smirk. 

"--Adrien Agreste." 

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I awoke on Saturday morning bright and early. We ate breakfast before rushing to change into the uniforms Professor Palladium warned us to wear. 

They were similar to Girl Scout uniforms, but also different. The boots were golden brown with beige-yellow laces. There were long socks in the same beige yellow that came up to my knees. 

The shorts had pockets on each cheek and in the front corners, like jeans, including the loops for a light brown belt with gold buckle. 

The top shirt was definitely a short sleeve cargo shirt. It had two pockets over my breasts, and it was button-up with an open collar. 

I rolled up my sleeves, admiring myself in the mirror. You could see my bra through it, and the shorts were so tight that they dug my panties in between my buttcheeks (which as we all know, is very uncomfortable). 

After some experimenting with heat, and a few adjustments, I felt better. Flora looked like she was having the same problem that I was with her shorts. "Need some help?" I asked as I walked over, having just done my hair in a Lara Croft-styled braid. If 'mud' is in the name of the swamp, then it's bound to be muddy. 

Ok, sorry, but that joke was crying to be made. 

"N--yes, please," she said with a blush. 

I rolled my eyes before helping to loosen the shorts. It didn't help in Flora's case, she had a big ass, wide hips, and luscious thighs (that the male part of me, or is it gay now? wanted to have my head trapped between). It was a great double dome of sexiness and femininity, but it meant that she struggled with fitting into certain sizes. 

A little heat manipulated the elastic, plus a little magic to expand the belt, and Flora looked more comfortable. "Thanks," she said shyly. 

"Don't mention it," I replied with a smile, before double-checking that Kiko would have enough carrots to last him the weekend. I couldn't bring him along, and Professor Palladium said that we'd be gone the whole weekend for this trip. 

Once we were both ready, we exited our bedroom, going into the common room to see Stella grumbling to Musa and Tecna. The former was standing, and the latter two were sitting on the sofa. "This thing is constricting my waist. It feels like I'm being starved of air. Also, it looks hideous next to my ring." 

Stella had taken to wearing her ring at almost every moment, bar sleeping--we had to spend over two hours talking her out of that, though she worried and rambled in fear about the safety of her heirloom--even though she continued to whine and complain about how her ring clashed with her attire. 

"It fits me just fine," Musa replied, gesturing to her slim, petite frame. 

"They fit fine, though the shorts are a little tight." Tecna's discomfort was obvious, even if she didn't know how to express herself. 

"Want some help?" I asked as we walked out (I sauntered), looking relaxed and comfortable. 

The other girls turned to see us dressed in the same outfits, but looking comfortable. "Yes please!" Stella begged. "It's like I've been forced into one of those ugly corsets." 

We rolled our eyes at Stella's dramatics, only she would suffocate from the ugliness of her outfit. My eyes glowed orange, along with my hand. The elastic of their shorts lengthened, along with their belts. 

Stella instantly sighed in relief, and Tecna's forehead smoothed. "Ah, that does feel less restrictive." 

"So, where were we supposed to meet the professor again?" I asked as we left our dorm behind. 

"His classroom. It is where lessons are held, so it is logical that we would meet him there as he did not specify otherwise." Tecna replied. 

Musa, Stella, and I all exchanged a look. Seems she was falling back into old habits again. We'd been working on getting her to recognize her emotions. It was a work in progress. 

"I just hope we're going somewhere with fewer rocks, creatures, and dirt," Stella muttered in disgust as we headed down the stairs. "Seriously. Last year, Palladium had us hike over a mountain in the minor realm of Hoggar, climbing up one side and going down the other, all the while telling us to 'listen to the voice of nature'." she mocked. "We had two days to do that. I got bruised, dirtied, and bitten by a Mountain Rattlesnail, and was pushed into a ravine by two other girls." 

I winced. When she put it like that, it was no wonder that Stella would be unhappy about this 'field trip'. "Maybe he'll send us somewhere with less dirt. Somewhere that's cleaner." 

"Doubt it," Stella muttered. "All of our trips have been knee-deep in nature." 

"What's wrong with nature?" Flora asked, sounding offended. 

"It's just not for me. Fashion doesn't mix well with dirt, swollen bites, or plants." Stella said simply. 

Flora looked like she wanted to say something else, but I placed my hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. "It's just going to go over her head," I whispered quietly. "She doesn't mean anything bad by it." 

"I know," Flora whispered back. "It's just annoying. We should be more respectful of nature, considering how much it nurtures every one of us. Without flora and fauna, we'd have never evolved into the beings we are today, dragon fire myths or not." 

The Dragon Flame rumbled in disagreement at her comment. 'It's ok, buddy. Before long, everyone will be a believer', I thought, soothing the powerful magic's sentient imprinted ego. 

Barbatea's lessons had caused a lot of arguments over the existence of the Dragon Flame. Most people who grew up with the tale had rolled their eyes. Others that hadn't heard of it before, or only heard part of the story debated it's validity, considering that it was being taught in a history class and not a mythological class. 

Obviously, I'm a believer--since the power and soul of the being we learned about was chortling in my chest during every lesson--while the rest of the Winx didn't. Most people didn't, and I could see that the influence of the Council of Light was at work. 

It only made me more determined to get the answers that I sought. 

"We can't all have green thumbs, unfortunately," I whispered with a glance at Stella's back. 

Flora tilted her head towards me. "True." she agreed. 

We arrived outside the door of Magic Invocation, which was open. 

We glanced at each other, before entering the half-full class. All the other girls were dressed the same way we were. The professor was absent, but we were certain that we made the right choice as another group of four fairies entered, including Amaryl. 

Then Professor Palladium appeared in a flash of light. "Ah, good day class." 

"Good morning, professor." The class replied, some curious, some annoyed, some eager. 

"I see you are all dressed and ready to depart? Good." He looked over us all seriously. "Now, this test requires you to use no magic, technology, or anything else that you might've brought with you." 

He sent a look at Tecna's pocket computer, Amayl's hairbrush, as well as Terra's handbag. Those that had brought stuff quietly grumbled but placed their items down on their desks, which then glowed, before popping in bursts of light, probably heading back to their respective owner's dorms. 

"Where are we going professor?" Luna asked. 

He waved his glowing hand, and a portal appeared right in front of his desk. "Just step through and I'll explain once we get to our destination." 

Girls glanced at each other, hesitant to step forward. I rolled my eyes. "Who wants to go first?" Musa whispered. 

I walked in between the groups of girls (which I'm pretty sure were all grouped by dorm) to come to a stop in front of the spinning portal. I spun. "See you!" I called before jumping back into the portal. 

And landed on a sandbank, gagging as the most disgusting smell (it was a different kind of worse than the ogre and the troll) filled my nose. It was like burnt mud, tar pits, and the most spicy scent of herbs. 

My eyes watered as I glanced around to see a massive mud swamp all around the small piece of land that I was crouching on. 

"Where did he take us this time!" Stella screeched behind me, making me jump back into her. 

"Ow!" 

"Oof!" 

"Ack!" 

"Your elbow is digging into my spine!" 

"Sorry, ouch, your knee is wedged into my gut!" 

"Oops." 

We toppled over just as Musa and Tecna emerged from the portal. "Looks like you two are comfy." Musa giggled at our tangled mess of limbs. 

"She surprised me," I muttered before standing up and crossing my arms. 

"Sorry," Stella said, not really sounding sorry. "But--the mud--the trees--the smell--ew! This will take me months to get out of my hair!" she whined, running her fingers through her golden locks in a vain attempt to get rid of all the sand and dirt that had gotten into it. Unlike mine, which was barely dirty, still in its long braid. 

"Worried about getting a little mud in your hair?" Musa teased. 

"It's just a different aspect of nature," Flora said wisely as she emerged from the portal. "Not all landscapes are beautiful. Each biome is exotic and unique in their own way. Kind of how each of us fairies are special, but different." 

"Ever consider becoming a wise woman when you retire?" I teased. 

Flora frowned. "I wouldn't presume to be wise." 

"Your statement was rational and logical, a close example of wisdom being used," Tecna agreed with me. 

More and more of my classmates appeared, until all sixty of them, all in their dorm groups of four to six crowded on the small sand bank. It wouldn't take much to shove a couple of people off. Lucky, us Winx were in the nearish-middle, so we were fine. I think. 

Finally, Professor Palladium walked through the portal, which spiraled apart and winked out of existence behind him. "Welcome class, to Black Mud Swamp." 

He led us down the sandbank, to where the mud was thinner. "As you can--" he sneezed, "--see, I am allergic to the sap from the Iggle-Flord Vine." He sneezed again. 

"Now, this is to be your home for the next two days." His statement was punctuated with shrieks and cries of disbelief and horror from nearly all of the class, with Amaryl and Stella being the loudest. 

"I assure you, this test is not done out of spite." He addressed the more vocal protestors. "To connect with nature, you must immerse yourself in nature. And to do that, we have to make trips to places like this, instead of reading about them in a textbook." 

"Professor," A girl named Dalia purred seductively, making eyes at him. "Surely you're not going to leave us out here in this predicament? It would be torture! And I'd rather the torture be administered in...other ways." 

"Not quite, Ms. Graviti," Palladium affirmed, ignoring her flirting. She wasn't the worst that had tried to seduce him (I could see the appeal behind a handsome, pretty High-Elf, but I needed something kinkier in my life than special extra credit sessions and detentions), but she was definitely one of the most obvious. 

"There are cabins set up across the swamp. Everyone is already grouped by dorm, so no need to worry about new roommates for the next two days." He raised a finger, then pointed at another girl with a shock of pink hair and massive round glasses with a petite figure. 

"Professor, is our next trip also going to be to the swamp?" 

"No, Ms. Olveen." He huffed, a flicker of annoyance passing over his face before he sneezed again. Poor guy must really be allergic. "All my trips are randomly selected, if you've spoken with the older Generations you would know this." 

I glanced at Stella, who was muttering angrily under her breath. Likely, she'd never been put into these situations apart from this class, and she wasn't looking forward to getting muddy. To be honest, neither was I, but I will say that this environment beats the Chamber of Secrets any day of the week. Or the trap beneath fluffy...I shivered. 

"I could've just set you girls to the task of surviving in the wild for a week." He said darkly, though a flicker of surprise flashed across his expression as the girls around us became more enthusiastic. 

Probably because they'd have their magic. 

"Professor! A Kinksquito just bit me!" Dalia moaned. 

"We are in a swamp, Ms. Graviti." He reminded, putting a hand on his hip. 

"But look where it got me!" she'd pulled up her cargo shorts, revealing a sexy, milky inner thigh. I saw the professor's eyes follow the girl's finger to the spot of exquisite, tempting flesh very close to her crotch. Very risky play there, Dalia. 

"K-kinksquito!" His eyes widened and he stuttered, a red flush appearing on his face. "W-well, the quicker we kink on with--I mean get on with--". So...Professor Palladium can be flustered huh? 

No, my inner Marauder was definitely not scheming up ways to plant images of Dalia's legs in Palladium's office, wardrobe, and apartment. No not at all. 

All around us girls were giggling at our handsome professor as he struggled. "Poor professor," Flora commented. "They shouldn't tease him." 

"If he were more confident, he'd get more respect." Stella giggled. 

"He's hot though. What confidence does he need?" Musa pointed out. 

"This is dangerous territory to ponder, girls," Tecna warned. "Relationships between students and professors are forbidden, especially considering the age gap." 

"Dalia needs to stop lusting after professors. Getting her laid would be a good start, maybe with a Paladin," My casual musing caused heated blushes to appear on my friend's cheeks. 

"B-Bloom!" Musa gasped, her face scarlet. Flora was blushing an adorable red. Tecna's cheeks were a little pink, and she averted her eyes. 

"What? If she's in heat, let's give her to a male that can temper it." My quiet comment only made the colors on my friend's faces (now including Stella's) more visible, like someone turning up the contrast and spectrum in a photo editor. 

While I was sending my friends through the nine stages of embarrassment, our professor recovered. "As I said earlier, this is to be your home for the next two days. As I also said, your groups are by dorm. I will drop each group off at a cabin that is randomly placed within this swamp. There will be a list of tasks you are expected to complete--without magic, and without transforming." 

More grumbles filled the air, my own joining theirs. Our fairy form gave us enhanced senses that would be able to pick up resonance from the swamp easier. That would've helped greatly. 

"Once you have done all of these tasks, you will need to find the Crystal Clearing, which is at the center of Black Mud Swamp. All of the cabins are proportioned at an equal distance from each other and the clearing, so no one will have any advantage over the others." 

His gaze roamed over us all, less relaxed, but more stern, the emotions I felt from his aura (I was testing my empath skills, not Legilimecy I promise). "Let me give you a fair warning to anyone who is considering skipping and retaking my class next year." 

Here he glared at Dalia, Stella, and Amaryl, the three that had been the most vocal protestors so far. "If you think that living in a cabin for two days in a swamp without magic is beneath you, you will have already failed my class. A fairy's work is hard, yes, but by choosing to avoid less glamorous work, you act more like a witch." 

Gasps followed this statement. Several fairies in the various groups also flinched (likely in guilt for thinking that, and anger for being compared to the witches of Cloud Tower). I winced, that was a rather harsh statement, blunt too. Especially since this was a school for 'delicate' girls. Delicate, my arse. 

"A fairy must put others before herself, she must be humble, and she may be put in situations where she will lose her magic or be unable to access it, but will still have her physical skills, stamina, and brains." 

I nodded, Tecna and a few girls doing also. It made sense. Not that I needed it, I knew just how valuable magic was, but magic couldn't solve everything. Not even the Dragon Flame, which was why I didn't powerhouse my way through stuff, though I totally could if I so desired. 

"Exercises like these, where we deny you your magic, are to humble you, and give you experience for when you become Guardian Fairies, Fairy Godmothers, and such." He explained. "Despite all that magic has accomplished, magic is not the answer to everything, and you all are expected to learn this lesson by the time that you graduate, preferably sooner." 

"There are no maps for you, each of you will have only each other. Should your life come to be in danger, worry not. At each cabin will be four red flares, and once you've completed your tasks, the list will turn into a green flare. Set off the green when you've finished your tasks, and the red if you're in danger. I will come to investigate." 

The latter statement got some crafty looks from the girls that fancied our professor. I shook my head. Such silliness. 

"To receive full points, you all are expected to complete all your tasks and tap into the call of Gaia, mother nature. A good fairy with properly attuned senses can let Gaia's voice guide her. Remember, it's not enough to just listen to her voice, you must follow her advice as well." he tapped his temple before vanishing in a burst of light, leaving us all. 

One by one, groups of girls vanished in flashes of light. I saw Luna's dorm group vanish. Then Terra's, then Amaryl's. Three groups in, I felt a wave of magic surround me. It felt like a Portkey, but with the feeling of being portalled, all with the magical signature of our professor around us. 

I landed on my feet, though the rest of the girls weren't so lucky. I looked around as they untangled and got up. 

The cabin was a simple 25x25 square feet room, with three bunk beds lining each side. A sink with a dirty counter stood next to one of the beds, and on the opposite side was a dresser that looked to have seen better days. 

Buckets hung on racks, as well as various tools on the back wall. There was a single desk and a single window. The roof likely was leaky (which means if there is rain we're going to get soaked--oh joy), and the door looked old and rickety at best. Definitely not the sort of thing that would keep an intruder out. 

"What a dump," Stella said as she looked around her surroundings, her nose scrunching up. 

"Kinda agree." Musa sided with Stella. 

"Might as well find these tasks," I said. "The quicker we finish, the better." 

Stella and Musa muttered their agreement as they looked around. Flora walked up to the closed door and pulled it open with a loud, ear-raping creak that made us all wince. On the desk, Tecna had pulled out a sheet of paper, the bottom of which looked like it had been dipped in mud. 

Musa and I joined her, reading over the list. 

Tasks (are finished as a group, not individually, though everyone is expected to complete a task): 

Fix the water tank. 

Fix the crack in the roof. 

Replace the door hinges. 

Replace the faucet. 

Find a swamp lily. 

Spot a Saph Frog. 

Unclog the sink pipe. 

Clean the cabin. 

Get the boat stuck on a reef, and then get it unstuck. 

Avoid a Trench Gator. 

Extra Credit (help creatures who get stuck in the Black Mud Swamp)

"This is illogical." Tecna objected as she read off the list. "Where is the logic in grounding a boat, and then ungrounding it?" 

I rolled my eyes and glanced around. "Flora, any idea where a water tank would be?" 

"Well, it's gotta be nearby." She said, tapping her chin thoughtfully. 

She scanned the area, able to notice the little details faster than I did. She stepped outside, and called back in, "Yes. There is a dock of sorts, and we have a little boat here." 

"We can use it to row her Highness." Musa teased. Stella ignored the slight and actually looked more than eager to take her up on that suggestion. 

"Let's check outside," I suggested. 

We walked out to see that there was a small dock. Poles held the dock above the mud. Our cabin was built into a tree, and the full force of the swamp foul air invaded my nostrils again. 

"Th-this is horrible!" 

Beside me, Stella looked close to bursting into tears, her eyes wide, almost glazed. She was having a flashback. 

I ignored the other girls, wrapping an arm around Stella's shoulder, and using my other hand to guide her head to my shoulder. 

Her arms latched onto me like a lifeline, and before I realized it, she was crying again. Softly, quietly, but I felt her body quivering and heard quiet sobs, the water from her tears getting my shoulder a little wet. 

I said nothing, just held her as she let it all out. She might hide behind a loud, bubbly, annoying, fashion fiesta facade, but I knew that it wasn't the real her. Deep down, she had issues, and experiences like this had only hurt in the past. It seriously makes me want to march up to the Solarian palace and give King Radius--and maybe his wife--a piece of my mind. 

By this point, the other girls had stopped what they were doing, also noticing Stella's breakdown. 

To my surprise, Flora also came up and wrapped her arms around us both. Then Musa wrapped her arms around me and Stella, on the opposite side of Flora. And finally, Tecna, who hugged me and Flora. 

Stella started to come back, lifting her head up. Surprise, shock, gratitude, and embarrassment flashed across her face before she assumed a neutral expression, her eyes still watery and red. 

"It's ok, Stella. We're all here for you. No one is pushing you down a mountain, or off a dock." I said, rubbing soothing circles on her back. 

Stella glanced to see the group hug we were in, and that she was at the center. "Th-thank you." she finally said, her voice weak. 

"No problem," Musa said, with Flora and Tecna nodding. 

She glanced at my wet shoulder. "Sorry about the shirt." 

I shrugged carelessly. "It's just a shirt. Clothes can be replaced. You can't." 

My words triggered something in Stella. Her lip quivered and her breath trembled. I could see the hesitancy, the fear of rejection, the worry that this was all a trick, a lie. And I could see...hope. 

"Thank you," she repeated, her voice stronger. 

We all pulled back and gave her a moment to compose herself. She pulled out a handkerchief and dapped away at her eyes before putting that away too. 

Flora and I exchanged a look before she nodded, moving over to wrap an arm around Stella. Tecna and Musa looked around awkwardly, unsure of where to start. 

I sighed reluctantly, but took charge, "Alright. I have some camping experience, so let's make the best of a bad situation." 

I paused, thinking about who would be best suited for what in our current circumstances. Flora would be an advantage in exploration, and while the professor said no magic, he never said we couldn't talk to nature. 

Musa might dress a bit like a tomboy, but she was always dusting her and Tecna's room, including the common room as she listen to music or sang (not that I'm stereotyping tasks to one gender or anything). 

Tecna would likely be best suited to technological stuff. Plus, she'd likely know how to fix some of this stuff better than I would (being magical technology and all). 

Stella needed someone sympathetic, who'd be able to support her without being antagonistic, so it would probably be a good thing for her to get away from Musa for a bit. And the best part was that she'd likely adjust to the stench of the Black Mud Swamp by rowing in the thick of it. 

"Flora, you're the nature fairy, so see if you can hear this 'voice of nature'. Take Stella with you, and see if you two can use the boat. Tecna, you can help me with repairing the damages. We'll need something to store clean water at any rate. Musa, cleaning duty." 

Stella glanced around before some of her earlier light filled her expression. "Roger--Roger." she joked, snapping off a salute before walking outside with Flora. 

I smirked at the Star Wars reference. Musa grabbed one of the knives and began to hack away at her shirt, cutting the bottom half apart. Rather clever, since there were no rags. 

I followed Tecna outside, and we found the water tank. Mud was built up on the sides, and I could see a large crack where water was leaking out. But I also noticed that the tank was refilling itself--probably because of magic. The pipe at the bottom looked like it had been twisted out of place--an easy fix. 

I glanced at the departing boat with our friends. Hopefully, we'll all finish our tasks and only have to spend one day here, instead of two. 

Because seriously. The smell here is worse than dragon dung. I'd know. I had to walk through a bloody minefield of it.