Authors Notes: As promised, here is my behind the scenes look at how I mapped out the story. You can see where I either added a scene or changed something all together. Hope everyone enjoys this behind the scenes look!
Title: Heart of Darkness
Series: Winx Club
Pairing: Bloom/Darkar
Setting: In between Season 2 and 3. Bloom as already been Dark Bloom. Darkar has already been defeated from when the Winx Club and the Specialists rescued Bloom. However, Darkar has survived and has been rebuilding his forces. Despite earlier issues, the Trix sisters have rejoined Darkar under a new contract of sorts.
Chapter 1
Bloom has been having reoccurring dreams of Dark Bloom taking over again. She does not tell her friends about the dreams, mainly because she admits to herself that she actually likes it when her other side takes over. This also spurs Bloom to start trying to find darker books to read, in an act of rebellion. This chapter will also touch on the failing relationship between Bloom and Sky. This ends with a confrontation between Bloom and Sky when she discovers Sky has been cheating on her with Layla. This is also the first hint that Bloom has feelings for Darkar.
Word Count Goal: 2000
Chapter 2
Taking place immediately after the confrontation with Sky, Bloom leaves the school grounds to be alone. Lockette tries to follow but Bloom makes it very clear that she wants to be alone right now. Lockette flies off to go get the others to try and encourage Bloom to calm down. The Trix Sisters confront Bloom at the rocks where Bloom and the false Professor Avalon were practicing. The sisters taunt Bloom as they leave by telling her she should just be honest with her friends. Bloom of course comes back with a sarcastic come back that she should just tell them she is in love with Lord Darkar as well. The three witches laugh and leave behind a dark arts book for her. Shortly after this, and before Bloom has the chance to see what is in the book, Lockette and the rest of the girls (minus Layla) arrive. Bloom makes it clear that she is disappointed in Lockette for not respecting her wishes and leaves.
Word Count Goal: 2000
Chapter 3
(Time skip a few weeks.)
Bloom has been isolating herself from the others and she gets absorbed in the Dark Arts book that the Trix left her. The book itself is just a basic spells and rituals book, but is new knowledge for Bloom. During this chapter she gets a second in-direct visit from Lord Darkar from Karborg who drops of a pendant for Bloom before disappearing. There isn't anything special about the necklace. But Bloom accepts the offer none the less and begins to wear it. Mostly to flaunt that she has another suitor in front of Sky. Though she already has a strong feeling about who actually gave her the necklace. During this time, she is still having the dreams of her becoming Dark Bloom again. By this time she has admitted to herself that she looks forward to these dreams each night. It is during this that she finally confesses it partially to her bounded Pixie about her dreams, but is vague on the details. As she expects, Lockette tells the others who try and comfort Bloom.
Word Count Goal: 2000
Chapter 4
The Trix sisters make their second visit to Bloom. It is at this time that they three take her to Lord Darkar himself finally. Darkar is surprised that she comes willingly. It is at this time she admits aloud that she wants to be Dark Bloom again. Darkar reveals to her that she can become Dark Bloom anytime she wants as it is part of the darkness that already existed in her heart and that the only reason she was reverted back to normal the last time is because part of her heart still clung to the light side. At this time Darkar allows Bloom to return to the school where Bloom begins to focus on tapping into her darkness with quick success in mastering her transformation.
Word Count Goal: 2000
Chapter 5
Another time skip of a few weeks.
Faragonda, who has begun to notice Bloom distancing herself from the others decides to talk to her about any problems she may be having. Bloom reassures her that it is nothing and that she just needed some time alone. She does reveal what happened between Sky, Layla, and herself. Faragonda doesn't push the issue any further but does encourage her to talk to her other friends more; which Bloom promises to do. Keeping her promise Bloom does begin to hang out more with the other girls, though still clearly upset at Layla. It is during this time the girls notice the necklace Bloom has been wearing. Bloom only explains that a male friend of hers gave it to her as a gift, directing this comment at Layla. Layla of course relays this information to Sky, just as Bloom intended her to do.
This of course leads to Sky confronting Bloom about the mysterious guy friend of hers shortly afterwards. She only replies with a smirk and leaves him. A few days later, the Trix visits Bloom again with a plan to steal what is left of the Codex. A complex plan was set up to steal all 4 of the codex's at the same time.
Word Count Goal: 2000
Chapter 6
Taking place immediately after the events from the previous chapter. Bloom heads back to the school to talk Faragonda into letting her and Tecna to study what was left of the Codex. After much hounding Faragonda finally concedes into letting the two study the shard, not sensing any immediate threat in letting them study it.
Codex in hand, Bloom meets up with Tecna. After a little pushing she talks Tecna into studying the shard outside of the school so as not to gain attention of the other students. Things don't go exactly as planned for Bloom as the others spot them and join the two. Settling into a small clearing Tecna begins to set up her device to study the magical energy of the shard.
At this time, Karborg swoops in and snags the shard flying off and dropping it into the hands of The Trix Sisters. As the Winx Club is about to attack them, Bloom fakes Dark Bloom taking over her, creating a diversion for the sisters to get away. Bloom is "saved" from her dark transformation when Lockette kisses her cheek.
Later that night, Bloom takes off on her own to Shadow Haunt. Leaving a letter behind saying that she feels at fault for the shard getting stolen and that she was going to get it back. This is of course a ploy for her to leave the school and rejoin with the witch sisters and Darkar.
Word Count Goal: 2000
Chapter 7
Early the next morning Stella finds the letter left behind by Bloom. Immediately she gets the rest of the girls and tells Faragonda about the letter. The Head Mistress notifies Red Fountain to send the boys to help the Winx Club go in and rescue Bloom and get the shards back. Which has now been discovered that all 4 are missing again.
The Winx and the Specialists arrive at the entrance of Shadow Haunt. Strangely the shadow beasts let them gain entrance to the castle with little resistance. Making their way through the corridor they meet up with Bloom who was exiting a library. Knowing that they are still unaware of her true intentions, she leads them into the throne room. Which is currently empty.
Word Count Goal: 2000
Author: You can see here is where I really began to change things around and it caused a domino effect on all the remaining chapters, though I think it worked out great in the end.
Chapter 8
Leaving off with the previous chapter. As the group enters the Throne room, Bloom stops in front of them. As this happens the three sisters come up behind him. Bloom turns to face the group just as Darkar comes up behind her. Stella tries to warn Bloom of who is was behind here, Bloom just starts to laugh and transform into her Dark Bloom form.
Lockette announces that she is under his spell again as many shadow beasts comes in to subdue the others. Once again Bloom and Darkar open the portal into Realix. Bloom, Darkar, and the Trix enter the portal leaving the group of kids behind. Acting quickly they jump into the portal before it closes.
When they enter the Realix, a sense of deja-vu washes over them as they see Bloom above the alter again summoning The Ultimate Power again.
Word Count Goal: 2000
Chapter 9
Sky is the first to try and snap Bloom out of the spell. But she lets him know that she knows that he is lying and that his empty words wont work on her. The others are confused that Darkar and the witch sisters havn't tried to stop them yet. Lockette flies up and gives Bloom a kiss on the cheek. Bloom does revert back to her normal Winx form. However just laughs and informs Lockette that she needs to be under a dark spell for the kiss to work as she finishes summoning The Ultimate Power and presenting it to Darkar.
It is then that they realize that Bloom was here by choice and suspect that all of her past actions lead up to this.
Word Count Goal: 2000
Chapter 10
Darkar and Bloom both take control of the magical realms. Surprisingly they spare the Winx and the boys and let them return back to their schools to tell everyone what had transpired. Everyone is in shock of Blooms betrayal and downfall to the darkness. Sky and the girls confront Bloom again on why she did it, and she replies that Sky was the last part of the light her heart clung to. So when his affair with Layla came to light, it allowed her to fully embrace the darkness within her. Tecna voices her speculation that Bloom could transform into Dark Bloom at will, in which Bloom confirms her speculation.
End Chapter
Word Count Goal: 2000