CHAPTER THIRTEEN
PUZZLES, PUZZLES EVERYWHERE, PART ONE
"It works like a sort of SAVE point," Bloom explained to the group. "All I do is tap the sparkle, then it turns into some sort of text box and shows me a screen where I can actually save."
Tecna looked at the glowing object, interest evident in her hand position. Her right hand held her chin while the other supported the right elbow. "How curious," she said. "What if I touch it?"
She did as she said she would, but alas, there was no reaction from her actions. Her hand merely passed by the glowing light, showing her that she would not be able to react to it anytime soon. The pinkette sighed, but took note of what happened. It seems only Bloom could interact with it, she concluded. She's the only one who can save our progress.
Musa looked at the sparkle with a confused gaze. "Nothing happened," she stated, "so does that mean anything?"
"Maybe I'm the only one who can SAVE...?" Bloom answered questioningly. "I suppose it's that way since it didn't show the screen to Tecna."
Musa stepped in as she tried to get the sparkle to react to her. "Let me try," she said as her hand only passed, feeling the warmth emitted by the object. She was baffled, and when Bloom touched it again, it turned into the black-and-white screen that she had mentioned. The bluenette blinked, then shook her head. "You're definitely the only one who can do that," she concluded.
"Well, we trust you with our lives anyway," Stella stated. "Besides, you're a good leader. Nobody can handle us as you do."
The redhead was flattered. "Wow--thanks, Stella."
"It's true anyways," Flora added. "And you're one of the best friends we've got."
Time was passing and Bloom knew that they couldn't let their headmistress down. "Thanks guys, but we need to get going," she reminded them. "We have a mission to accomplish."
Her reminder seemed to get to them as they nodded and continued on their way. Roxy, however, had stayed behind to see what was in the room opposite to the path. She entered through the doorway and saw a lone stand surrounded by red leaves. It had a bowl on top which contained candy. The fairy's curiosity overtook her as she took one.
Unbeknownst to her was a spirit child who was watching over her actions. She took one, they thought. Hopefully she isn't going to take any more.
"Roxy!" The leader's voice echoed. "What are you doing here?"
Her voice had startled the other, but she recovered and answered. "Ah, Bloom! I was just taking some candy from this bowl. It might help later in the mission."
The redhead approached the younger fairy and looked at the bowl. From there, she could see the variety of sweets wrapped up in different colors. She slowly rose a suspecting brow as she observed the candies. "Are you sure it's safe to take one?" She questioned the younger.
She nodded. "Yeah. The sign even said it: Take one."
True enough, there was a card placed in front, and written on it were the two words Roxy had mentioned. Bloom glared at it once more before taking one from the bowl carefully. From somewhere near her, she could hear a child's voice say, "You took a piece of candy."
Another fairy had entered the room, suspecting the missing presence of both fairies. "What are the both of you doing here?" Tecna asked, baffled. "The rest of the group has been waiting for you."
"Ah, just taking some candy," Bloom answered. "Would you like one?"
The girl was skeptical about the mentioned sweet as she approached the bowl. "I'm uncertain if this is safe, but I guess I'll take one."
Great, another one, complained the child spirit. Are they trying to be the scum of the Earth?
Stella's head suddenly popped in from the doorway. "Come on, girls!" She whined. "We've been standing in the corridor for who-knows-how long!"
"We're coming, Stel," the redhead answered as she proceeded to leave. "Let's go."
The four of them left the room, but the blonde fairy had returned to take one piece of candy for herself. "I wonder what it would taste like," she said to herself as she grabbed for a piece. She came in too quick however, and as a result the whole bowl fell over, her hand holding only one candy.
Congratulations, sarcastically greeted the spirit child. You knocked it over. Hope you're happy now.
Slightly panicked, the sun fairy uttered a small apology before putting the dish back up and placing the dropped candy inside. Then, when she finished, she left the room, slightly guilty of what she did. The spirit child sighed and followed suit.
Outside the candy room was a Froggit sitting patiently by the doorway. He was unnoticed, however, but he simply sat there as he watched the girls. The creature was surprised by the fact that such good people even came. He even heard their conversation. Curious, Froggit listened intently.
"I'm still confused about Toriel and that Froggit," Flora stated, beginning a conversation. "The poor thing seemed terrified."
Roxy was intrigued herself. "I just wonder what Tori did to make that monster so scared."
"Well, whatever reason that is, I'm pretty sure that Toriel was just being careful," Tecna guessed, her face thoughtful. "You never know what kind of creatures live here."
The nature fairy shook her head at the statement. "But Froggit seemed harmless."
"We don't know what lies behind a person's façade, Flora," the pinkette retorted. "That's why we have to be careful around people we don't truly know yet."
The caramelette frowned, but she was right. She recalled the last time they trusted someone they didn't know too well, and the unbelievable happened--Flora was poisoned. Bloom thought it was her fault then, and left the group to think about it. But that was then, and the traitor had repent. She was forgiven, but it was still an act of betrayal.
Let's just leave it to the past, Flora told herself.
Froggit was rather flattered. He watched the thoughtful faces of the girls--thinking over why Toriel scared him and how they wanted to protect a creauture such as him. He didn't expect such kindness, especially after all these years. Humans had come to pass but he hasn't felt this much since Aleck's father.
"Fret not, small Froggit!" He once said. "I'll bring you all out of this prison!"
...he wasn't sure if his death was part of that.
It took another moment for someone to finally notice his existence. Bloom's eyebrows raised in both interest and surprise, wondering what could the Froggit be doing there. Alarmed, the Froggir prepared to leap away, but the fire fairy was determined to talk to him. She fearlessly yet kindly approached him, as if she were to make a friend.
"Hey there, little guy!" She called out to him. "I... remember we didn't get to finish our encounter earlier when Toriel interfered."
The monster meekly nodded his head. "Ribbit, ribbit." He replied in his own language.
Hello, it greeted. Translated a certain child spirit. It's speaking to you.
Bloom paused for a moment and blinked, bewildered by the sudden voice translating the Froggit's words. She shook her head, and once she had cleared her head out of it she resumed talking. "Are you okay? You seemed terrified once you saw Tori."
"I'm perfectly fine," the spirit child echoed as it listened to the monster. "But I am concerned about you. How have you been?"
"I'm okay," the redhead answered. "Thank you for asking."
The exchange of words came off as absurd to the rest of the Winx as they observed the two in their conversation. "How curious," stated Tecna. "All he says is 'ribbit,' and yet she understands him. I wonder why."
"Maybe it's part of her sixth sense?" Guessed Stella, who was squinting her eyes at the two. "I mean, you recall the fact that she can see people's conscience, right?"
Musa shook her head. "Yes, she can see their conscience, but not hear whatever it means to say," the bluenette countered. "If anything, the closest ability she can get to understanding him is reading his expressions."
Roxy, who was a fairy of animals, knew and understood what they were talking about. "It's pretty weird now that I think about it. I know what Froggit's been saying."
Tecna massaged the bridge of her nose. "Of course--you're the fairy of animals for goodness' sake. Care to tell us what they've been talking about?"
"Well," the animal fairy hummed as she tapped into her abilities. "He's telling Bloom about those buttons."
Indeed he was. He told her about the mechanics of sparing opponents by using the [✖MERCY] button and how to spare enemies.
"Certain acts can help in letting you spare a monster," Froggit told the fairy. "You have shown mercy thus far, and I commend you for it--therefore, you must keep it up."
Bloom chuckled lightly. "Of course, Froggit. We don't necessarily fight until we have a good cause."
The creature sighed in relief. "That's good. Souls like yours are rare nowadays..."
Then he realized he had delayed their time for too long. "Ah, do you not have something to do?"
That's when Bloom stood up from her squatted position. "Right! The mission! We cannot delay any further!"
"I apologize for having taken up much of your time," Froggit said meekly. "Now go with your friends. I will be here."
The redhead nodded at him as she waved goodbye. "Thank you again for the advice!"
She went back to the group with a smile on her face and a determined gleam in her eyes. The group was still in a small state of uncertainty, but they managed to set that aside and mirrored her expression genuinely. To see their leader so determined to keep going was truly motivational. It helped them keep going.
"He's fine," she announced. "He also told me about acting to spare monsters. It was something we could have figured out, but still useful."
"That's great!" Flora beamed. "I hope we encounter more creatures like him soon."
Aisha shrugged. "Who knows, maybe we'll find more as we pass. Now come on, we don't want to keep Toriel waiting!"
Ah, yes. A little determination to fuel the group.
There are still puzzles everywhere that need to be solved, though.