A/N: Holy, this epilogue is waaaaaaaay overdue. Sorry kids. I could say I got caught up in end-of-year uni stuff and natural disasters (like, literally. My home town caught on fire back in November and even though I was safe I knew a bunch of families that lost everything) but the truth is I just went to lazy town for a couple of months and have only just pulled out of it. That and I hate writing speeches. Anyways, let's get one with it, aye?

Epilogue

A strange and sombre mood hung the Realm of Magix as the students of Alfea, Red Fountain and Cloud Tower returned for the beginning of the new school year. For many, it was their first time returning to the centre of the Magical Universe since the day they were all evacuated out, so the journey back was filled with high stress and raw emotions that resulted in more than a few teenagers breaking down into tears. Then again, no one had been under the illusion that the scars made during the Great Witch Rebellion would fade that easily.

From a purely environmental perspective, the Realm was healing well. The land ravaged by rots monsters and fire was once again a lush green and animals had returned to the area. The tree trunks were still charred black but fresh shoots of grass and leaves had sprung up everywhere. Botanists believed the fast regeneration was due to the traces of Dragon Fire that had been in thin layer of snow that had fallen after Icy's defeat. It was predicted that the forest would be fully recovered in a quarter of the time it would have from a regular forest fire. And structurally, the buildings that housed the businesses and homes of City of Magix had been fully repaired by volunteers over the summer, allowing life to go on as it had before.

However, from a psychological standpoint, the residents of Magix were far from healed. In fact it could even be said that those caught up in the Great Witch Invasion would carry the emotional scars for the rest of their lives.

Once militarily forces had gotten through Stormy's impenetrable cloudbank, the crisis medical teams that had accompanied them had insisted that every student, both captives and rebels, were to be sent to a hospital for observation. The administration personnel was very efficient and by the time the medics had completed their initial first aid, there were ships organised to transport each student back to a hospital in their own realms. Preliminary instructions were for everyone to be admitted for a minimum of twenty-four hours but most ended up staying much longer than that. After days of exhaustion and cold, damp weather, virtually everyone developed some kind of respiratory infection, which more often then not progressed into pneumonia.

However it was the mental, not the physical, state of the students that had the medical practitioners most concerned. As a result, everyone was required to go through several weeks of mandatory counselling.

And right now Bloom was pulling up every technique her therapist her given her to try and get her anxiety back under control.

'Breathe in through your nose; one, two, three,' Bloom counted to herself. 'Hold; one, two, three. Out through your mouth; one, two, three. Breathe in; one, two, three.'

It took a took a few repetitions, but the Last Princess of Sparx eventually managed to suppress the urge to hyperventilate and she could no longer hear the sound her own blood rushing in her ears. Her vision cleared to reveal that she was on her hands and knees somewhere in the enchanted forest that surrounded the School for Fairies. Though she could only see untamed wilderness, the low rumble that was the sounds of the crowd gathered for the start of year mixer Alfea was hosting indicated to Bloom that she had not run too far when the panic attack seized her. It was only then that she registered the presence of a strong, warm hand pressed in between her shoulder blades and she looked up to meet the concerned eyes of the person crouched down beside her.

"Bloom? Are you okay?"

"Sky," Bloom breathed softly, momentarily feeling lightheaded from the relief and affection that washed through her. She hadn't realised anyone had seen her freeze at the gates of Aflea but she should have realised that Sky would be keeping an eye out for her. Even though they hadn't really been able to see each other over summer break (the Prince had been required to return to Eraklyon while Bloom had been recovering in Solaria with Stella before returning to Earth) Sky had made a point to call her everyday in an effort to be there for the fairy during the last couple of weeks. Sometimes they'd talk about the Rebellion or how they planned to move forward from this tragedy, and then other times they'd tell stories from their childhood or discuss trivial things like their favourite pizza toppings. No matter how deep or shallow the conversation, Sky's voice had always succeed in soothing Bloom's raw battle scars, so to see him in the flesh again filled the redhead with a flood of emotions too overwhelming to name. Without any hesitation, Bloom threw her arms around the Prince's neck and pulled him into a tight embrace. "It's so good to see you!"

"It's good to see you too," Sky told her, hugging her back just as tightly. However his concern had not been abated so he repeated his earlier question. "Are you okay?"

Bloom took a moment to breathe in Sky's clean, masculine scent before answering. "Yeah. Really, I am. I just . . . I just got a little bit overwhelmed for a second there. You know, when I walked up to the gates and saw all those people."

"It was more than just a little bit," Sky said, recalling the way he had seen Bloom pale and freeze into a trance-like state before bolting into the surrounding forest. "Bloom, you don't have to be here today."

"What are you talking about? Yes I do," Bloom disagreed, pulling back a bit so she could look at the Prince. "This is the start of year mixer Alfea puts on to welcome back students and give them a chance to catch up before lessons start. Not to mention that they're unveiling the restored buildings and the new monument they made for the Rebellion. I'm not going to miss that."

"I know you want to be there but I don't want you to push yourself into things if you're not ready."

"I not. I'm ready, Sky. I can face this."

Sky did not look convinced. "Miss Seleena's family is going to be there. Not to mention all the seniors that graduated last year. Are you really ready to face all that?"

Bloom bit her lip for a second before nodding. She was ready to see Annabelle, Chucky, Calypso and all the other members of the Rebellion again, but the truth was that the thought of having to face Seleena's mother, father and younger sister left Bloom so nervous that at times she felt she was going to be physically sick. However, she wasn't going to let her cowardice tarnish the respect Seleena's memory and her family deserved. "I need to do this."

Although she could clearly see that Sky would like nothing better than to hide her away and protect her, the young hero let out a heavy sigh and nodded. "Okay, but I'll be right there with you. If it gets too much and you need a break – even if it's only for a minute – just let me know. Please?"

"I will," Bloom promised, accepting Sky's hand as he helped her to her feet. Sky rewarded her with a soft smile before leaning forward and placing a tender kiss near the corner of her mouth. Without releasing eachothers hands, the couple slowly made their way back to the gates of Alfea.

"Here we are," Sky noted once they reached their destination, looking down at Bloom with a concerned expression. "Are you sure you're ready for this?"

"Yes," Bloom told him confidently, but she still gripped his hand tightly as the re-entered the grounds of Alfea. The quad was crowded with students from Alfea, Red Fountain and Cloud Tower as well as all their teachers and a few elite guests who were there for a memorial service. Bloom immediately felt several eyes on her as she and Sky made their way through the crowd and it wasn't long before one of their friends spotted them.

"Bloom! You're here!" Flora squealed happily, running forward to embrace Bloom tightly. "Oh, I missed you!"

"I missed you too," Bloom said, hugging Flora back tightly. The Last Princess of Sparx may had been a little apprehensive about returning to Alfea, but to see just how much Flora had improved over the summer was a testament to the tenacity of the human spirit. "You're looking better."

"Oh I am. My therapist, Dr. Keyworth, is amazing (1)," Flora told her, not at all ashamed to discuss the professional health she had received. "He's the one that suggested I begin exploring how my botany skills could be used with aromatherapy. I still get a little anxious whenever it rains but I've worked out the perfect combination of plant fragrances to help reduce that."

"That sounds amazing," Bloom smiled, glad to know that her dorm room would be filled with calming and positive aromas for the year. Still smiling, Bloom looked up at the tall young hero that had been shadowing Flora. "Hi Helia."

"Bloom," Helia nodded, his smooth voice like a healing balm across traumatised skin. Even though Bloom hadn't actually spent a lot of time with Helia during the Rebellion, she still felt as if she knew him after watching all the interviews he had taken part in over the summer. Naturally there had been a huge public interest in the Great Witch Rebellion and Helia's elegant vocabulary resulted him becoming an unofficial spokesperson for the Rebellion. His eloquent recount when coupled with the fact that he literally done what everyone else in the Magical Universe had wanted to do made him very poplar with the media, so Helia had spent his summer going on an inter-realm press tour. For anyone else it might have come off as being self-indulgent, but Helia was able to present himself with a sense of modesty that indicated he was willing suffer through the inevitable media circus so that the other, more damaged students could be given a chance to heal. And that, as far as Bloom was concerned, made him worthy of her friendship.

"So you decided to accept the offer to transfer to Red Fountain?"

"Yes, much to my grandfather's delight. I guess that I realised there's a lot more to this hero gig than I originally thought," Helia admitted, but given that he had subtly wrapped one of his arms around Flora's waist, it was clear that his decision to change schools had to do with more than just a change of ideals.

"It's a hard act to give up once you get a taste for it," Timmy grinned widely at the former art student as he and the others joined them. Since the broadcast that Timmy had sent out during their flight to Sparx had been repeated over every media outlet, the shy hero had been a widely sort after individual once the fighting had stopped. Apparently the public had wanted to put a face to the voice they had heard so much of and Timmy had been thrust into the limelight. Timmy wasn't quite the wordsmith Helia was but the two teens complemented each other well during interviews so it wasn't long before they were paired up for every media gig. As a result, the two become close friends over summer, allowing Helia to slip into Timmy's squad with little disturbance.

Calypso had also been teamed up with the boys for a few interviews but it quickly become clear that her inputs were a little too heavy for what most of the chat shows wanted and they eventually stopped asking for her.

"Saving the universe does have a bit of rush to it," Tecna agreed with an air of self-confidence and accomplishment that hadn't been there last year. The fairy had spent most of her summer in Magix working as a volunteer in the City. She had started off as just working on IT support, but by the time autumn rolled around she was doing all the work of a fully certified electrician. Tecna had also been involved in the redesign of several buildings and many architectural firms had offered her employment opportunities in three years time after she had graduated.

"Well personally I'm hoping for a quieter end to this school year," Stella informed them all. The Princess was to have spent her summer interning at her favourite fashion magazine but she had ended up quitting halfway through at her therapist's suggestion. The poor girl just wasn't coping with the stress of all the new fashion rules she was accumulating, so instead had spent her time volunteering at a local animal shelter, which she had thoroughly enjoyed.

"Babe, I'm gonna go ahead and promise you right now that we'll finish this year with a prom night to remember," Brandon said, hugging her closely from behind.

"You can't promise something like that," Sky tried to reason with his impulsive friend. "There are things in life you can't control."

"Well I can promise I'll be there with her and that alone will make it a memorable night."

"You are unforgettable," Sky agreed with a mocking tone, "and incorrigible."

"Thanks," Brandon beamed widely.

"Do you even know what incorrigible means?" Musa asked, slipping through the crowd at the right moment to catch the end of the conservation. Riven followed silently behind her, still a little on edge from being in such a big crowd.

"As long as there are no follow questions, then yes. Yes I do," Brandon shot back at the musical fairy.

"How are you guys finding your living arrangement?" Bloom asked. She hadn't had a chance to speak to any of the heroes yet but she had heard that their school was still in shambles.

"Our room's liveable, or at least until the new campus unveiling in a week," Timmy told her.

"I can't wait for that," Tecna admitted. "The construction's been super top secret. Even I couldn't see what they were doing."

"Did your grandfather slip any secrets to you?" Flora asked Helia.

"No," the newest hero shook his head. "The old man's been very tight lipped about the whole thing."

Due to the large crowd, no one noticed the witch sidling up alongside their group until she reached up at clapped loudly right next to Riven's head. It didn't bother any of the others, however from the way Riven ducked and weaved it was as if a gun had gone off.

"God, don't do that," Riven hissed, rubbing his ears as he glared daggers at the witch.

The grin she shot back had that cold edge he had come to expect from her. "Hearing still a bit sensitive?"

"Screw you, Discymphia."

There was no denying that Riven had been the most damaged after the Rebellion. He had been found unconscious alongside Darcy and then spent the next three days in a coma before waking up to discover that he had physical scars to deal with as well as emotional ones. The attack Musa, Discymphia and Seleena had channel through him had damaged his eardrums and vocal cords so severely that it had left Riven both deaf and mute. Depression quickly followed and his disabilities isolated him from properly receiving any help, causing everyone from his doctors to his friends to become extremely concerned.

Oddly enough, the solution had ended up coming from Discymphia of all places. It turned out her father was one of the best otolaryngologists (2) in the Harmonic Nebular – which was a huge deal in a realm like that – and was willing to operate pro bono, saying that it was the least he could do given that it was his daughter that had done the damage to begin with. Under the surgeon's expert skill, Riven's vocal cords were repaired so he could speak again, as well as have an exception singing voice should he try it (he hadn't). Riven's hearing had also been repaired to the Harmonic standard, which meant that Riven had spent his summer trying to acclimatise to the wider audio range he was now exposed to. Musa had been a very patient and compassionate teacher to him, to the point where, after only a few weeks, Riven had almost perfected the art of subvocal communication (3). However sudden loud noises and large crowds were still a little overwhelming for him.

"Aww, now that's not very polite, especially to someone who can do this," Discymphia grinned. No one else could tell what it was she actually did but both Musa and Riven flinched before quickly covering their ears.

"Quit it!" Musa snarled, to which Discymphia just laughed. Even after all two Harmonic girls had done together since Seleena paired them up, they still did not cooperate well with one another. "Is there a reason why you're here?

"Um, I was invited," was Discymphia's smart assed reply. In the wake of everything that had happened at the end of the last school year, the heads of Alfea, Cloud Tower and Red Fountain were making a serious effort to continue the unity that had developed during the Rebellion. Therefore, for the first time, the students of Cloud Tower had been invited to Alfea's mixer and then to the celebration of the new Red Fountain campus. However, the heroes and fairies had given the witches their space two days ago when Cloud Tower had held a private memorial service for Seleena. "You see this?"

"What is it?" Sky asked, accepting the object the witch was holding up. Discymphia only response was a jerky tilt of her head and a sharp arch of one of her eyebrows but she was still able to convey her contempt just fine.

The object of her resentment was a brochure similar to the ones Alfea and Red Fountain gave out each year to advertise the school to potential students, only this one was for Cloud Tower. It held all the usual information, such as photos of the dormitories and a brief outline of all the subjects the School for Witches offered, and at first glance the other teenagers couldn't see what had offended the witch so much. On closer inspection, however, it became very clear; on the front cover there was a candid photo of a group of young witches working over a cauldron and amongst them were two very familiar faces. The photo must have been four years old because the two witches looked more like uncertain freshmen's than the strong, capable seniors the group had met during the Rebellion. Calypso's hair was shorter and the smirk she wore lacked the c'mon-and-try-me-I-dare-ya vibe she had perfected as a young adult. The photo of Seleena was a frontal, but her intense, dark eyes were cast sideways at one of her classmates. The was a minuet upwards curve to her unpainted lips that, when coupled with the dark grey woollen jumper she wore, made her look soft and gentle.

No wonder Discymphia was angry.

"It is a nice photo of her," Stella said as the brochure was passed around.

Discymphia's eyes flashed. "Nice? You think she looks nice? They're romanticising her! Miss Seleena led the Rebellion with a tenacity that most army generals can only dream of but that's the imagery they settled on? History would rather picture her as delicate, virginal schoolgirl than the aggressive, intimidating witch that she was. Misogynistic sons of bitches."

"I'm surprised Miss Griffin agreed to this," Helia noted, recalling how protective the Master Witch had been of Seleena's body the day the Trix had been defeated. Despites the medias best efforts, none of them had managed to obtain footage of the Telepath's body being collected and being transferred back to her home-realm.

"She didn't. The school board went over her head about it," Discymphia admitted. "Least she was able to keep the Rebellion out of the curriculum for a few years. You lot hear what they're doing with the old Camp? They're turning it into a theme park."

"What?!" several people exclaimed at once.

"Yeah, Dom went out there and checked it out."

"No, I don't believe that," Brandon refused to accept. The words had just left his lips when the squire heard something rush up behind him and before he could look over his shoulder or even brace himself, something small and sturdy collided into him from behind. Brandon was thrown forwards and would have gone crashing face first into the ground if Sky and his quick reflexes hadn't managed to catch him in time.

"You better believe it, sweet-cheeks," Dominique told him, completely unfazed by the glares Brandon and his friends were directing her way. "I went out there the other day and saw it with my own eyes."

"You went back to the Camp?" Timmy blinked in surprise. Like the rest of his friends, he had experienced his fair share of nightmares involving not only rot monsters, but the cold hopelessness he associated with the week he spent hiding out in the forest. Therefore, if there were one place he'd be happy to never see again it was the Rebellion Camp.

"Yeah. A bunch of us over at Cloud Tower were curious and I am one of the few Rebels who actually knows its exact location," Dominique reminded them.

"So they really are turning it into theme park?" Stella asked sceptically.

"More like an educational site," the speed witch clarified. "The Magix Historical Association swept in on it as soon as they got the co-ordinates and started 'preserving' things. Miss Seleena's tent, lean-tos, that translocation array you and I made; you name it. It's been preserved so that future generations can take a photo of themselves next to our latrines."

"Damn tourists," Discymphia muttered.

"And in like four years, after your grade graduates," Dominique gestured to all the sophomores, "they'll start teaching the Great Witch Rebellion as part of Alfea and Red Fountain's history curriculum."

"They're gonna make the Camp an excursion destination."

"Why just Alfea and Red Fountain?" Helia question, picking up on what Dominique as said. The Witches of Cloud Tower had conducted themselves exceeding well throughout that whole incident so it seemed strange that they wouldn't acknowledge the Rebellion. "What about Cloud Tower?"

"It'll be at least eight years before CT students study the Rebellion. Miss Griffin won't make Alyssa sit through it and she's not enrolled until next year," Dominique explained. "She's having a hard enough time just dealing with all these memorial services."

"Miss Seleena's sister? She's here?" Stella asked, scanning the crowd for the allusive little sister to the Great Leader of the Rebellion. Stella knew it was inappropriate, but she and the others were morbidly curious about the young witch that had been so viciously protected from the media. Seleena's parents had spoken at a press conference a month after their eldest daughter's death, but Alyssa had been noticeably absent.

"Her whole family are," Discymphia nodded in the direction where Miss Griffin, Headmaster Saladin and Ms. Faragonda were standing along with the Mayor of the City of Magix and several other important figures. And for the first time, the Winx Club and their Specialist friends noticed three individuals standing rigidly amongst them as if they were overcompensating against the exhausting weight of grief that was crushing down upon them.

The teenagers recognised Seleena's parents from their press conference. Seleena had inherited her dark features and her height from her father, who was currently trying to project the persona of the professional businessman instead of a grief rattled parent he was. Clutching his hand was a pale, diminutive blonde who was observing the happenings around her with a vacant look on her face. And by her side, standing at an angle so the teenagers couldn't see her face was a young girl wearing a black dress with a golden sash tied around her middle. With long, jet black hair and snow-white skin, there was no denying that that young girl was Seleena's little sister.

"What's she like?" Flora asked hesitantly. She was curious about the young witch – they all were – but she also felt like she had no right to be. Seleena had died fighting Icy so that none of them would have to face her and, as a sister herself, Flora could imagine Seleena's sister holding some resentment against them.

"Exactly what you'd expect out of Miss Seleena's little sister," Discymphia assured them. "Smart."

"Talented," Dominique added.

"Ruthless."

"Bitter."

"Angry."

"And every bit as terrifying as her sister was," Dominique concluded.

"Oh surely not," Stella waved off. "I'll buy that she's probably got talent, but come on, she's in middle school. She can't be that scary."

At that second, as if she had heard them, Alyssa looked back over her shoulder directly at the group and they were all struck senseless by the sheer intensity of her gaze. If Seleena's colours were black and silver-white (4), than Alyssa's colours were black and burning gold. Her fringe fell across her face from a side part, but it nothing to hide the blazing golden orbs that were her eyes. While Seleena's eyes had been unnervingly emotionless, Alyssa's held too much. They sparked with anger, grief, hatred, sorrow, conviction and many other emotions too conflicting to name. The look alone was bad enough, but Alyssa was a telepath just like her sister had been so she was able to hit them with a second assault that robbed them of their breath. They had all experienced the force of Seleena's abilities being directed at them; the pressure of phantom fingers sliding across their minds in search of a weak point to exploit. As disturbing as that had been, however, they had also noticed the skill and delicacy Seleena had exhibited as she forced her powers onto them.

Alyssa, on the other hand, wasted no time on subtly.

Her presence slammed into each of their minds like a closed fist, bringing with it all the hostility and contempt she had for them. The young telepath's life had changed forever now. Her beloved older sister was gone. Killed for fighting a battle that was never hers to begin with, and the teenagers could feel the blame being directed their way. There was also anger at the media for twisting Seleena's image into something more compassionate and approachable in a way she had never been. Making her weak. The press put her success down to talented foresight as oppose to the skilled manipulation of others because it was easier to overlook someone's ruthless abilities when they were victorious.

And finally, underneath everything else, the Winx Club sense a small element of anger Alyssa had for Seleena because now the young witch would forever have to live in the shadow of a ghost. And that, more than anything, left the group rattled when the telepath looked away and her presence left their minds.

It was traditional for the start of year mixer to begin with a casual speech from Ms. Faragonda before she allowed the students to mingle, but since there was a memorial element this year, things were a little more formal. There was a podium set up on the steps of the quad and rows of seats set for distinguished guest and students in their respective schools. Sky was reluctant to leave Bloom's side, but a sharp look from Codatorta and reassurance from Stella that she's take special care of the redhead until he could get back to her saw the young Prince lining up with the rest of the Red Fountain Heroes.

And scattered throughout the crowd was the unavoidable evil that was the media. Many in the audience didn't hide the looks of distain at the journalist and camera crews jockeying for that 'perfect shot' but the Great Witch Rebellion was an intergalactic story and the media would find a way to follow it, with or without permission. Ms. Faragonda had agreed to the press on the condition that they all left immediately after the service was over without harassing any of the students. She also ensured that this was only event they were allowed to, which meant Cloud Tower's memorial was completely private.

The speeches that followed were a predictable combination of condolences and accolades. Ms. Faragonda spoke of a hope that shone more brightly in the wake of devastation and would continue to radiate into the future. The Mayor of Magix promised a legacy that would never be forgotten. And the water nymphs of the Black Mud Swamp gave thanks on behalf of all the beings in Magix, both seen and unseen. Meanwhile, Miss Griffin and Headmaster Saladin sat silently in the seats with grave expressions on their faces. Saladin would save his speech for the unveiling of Red Fountain's new campus in a week's time and Miss Griffin had said all she needed to say during Cloud Tower's private memorial.

And then came the speech from the two people the students, the media and the rest of the Magical Universe had been anticipating; Annabelle and Chucky.

No one was surprised when the two surviving Triumvir members had been instantly launched into celebrity status. In addition to the parts they had played during the Rebellion as leaders of their Alfea and Red Fountain classmates, their stunning looks and natural charisma had made them very appealing to the media and the greater public. Over summer, the pair had made appearances on numerous talk shows throughout the Magical Universe and had been invited as special guests to countless more award ceremonies and charity functions. All the while, the two young adults managed to portray themselves in a manner that was both dignified and humble, which only added to their appeal. There were also rumours of their future career prospects that enhanced their altruistic images. Chucky had apparently been offered a position within a universally renowned mercenary organisation that specialised in peacekeeping operations and uphold social justice. And supposedly Annabelle had found a job at a large charity organisation that would provide her with training to become a motivational speaker. And the final element of their success was the fanatical interest the rest of the Magical Universe had with discussing whether or not they were dating. Gossip tabloids ran riot with rumours as every photo and video clip of the pair were overanalysed fervently. The realm wide web almost crashed when footage came out of them sitting shoulder to shoulder backstage at an award ceremony, their heads bowed in private conversation as they held hands in an affectionate and inmate manner.

Their story was a modern fairytale plot and in a few decades there would inevitably be a movie based on the couple. However, Bloom knew that their romance wasn't the dream-come-true tale the greater public all assumed it was. Even though it was very clear that Chucky had a vast amount of affection for the blonde fairy, both of them knew that it had not been Annabelle that the young hero had become infatuated with during the Rebellion. Therefore, even in death, Seleena would always have presence within their relationship. There were occasional moments were Annabelle's happiness was noticeable strained and there was a grim, haunted look to Chucky's blue eyes that had never been there before (5).

Nonetheless, the two young adults were tragically beautiful as they approached the podium. Chucky, with his silver hair catching the sunlight, had donned on his old Red Fountain uniform while Annabelle wore a stylish white and black dress in tribute of Seleena, as well as her own rainbow coloured high heels.

"I've heard it said," Annabelle began, her voice projecting magically across the crowd, "that people come into our lives for a reason, bringing something we must learn. And we are led to those who help us most to grow if we let them and we help them in return. Well, I don't know if I believe that's true but I know I'm who I am today because I had the privilege of knowing somebody as brave, noble and as wonderful as Seleena, even if it was for far too brief a time."

"Seleena was like nothing neither of us had ever encountered before," Chucky continued. "Like far too many of us, I only knew her through reputation prior to the Invasion, but the moment she approached me to discuss a contingency plan before the last stand at Alfea, I was instantly pulled into her gravity like a comet pulled from orbit as it passes a sun. People have already spoken of Seleena's intelligence, talent and bravery, but even all that cannot begin to explain the impact she had made on my life, as if now I am seeing through different eyes. It was so easy to fall under her spell and yet somehow be feeling it's 'up' that I fell. And who can say if I've been changed for the better but, because I knew her, I have been changed for good."

"It well may be that none of this was never destined to happen. After all, even the most gifted mystics admit that no future in absolute," Annabelle reminded them all. "Within every moment, there are countless triggers that can alter the outcome of our lives in ways that we cannot even imagine. Therefore, our futures are unlimited and it is our duty and privilege to accept the lessons brought to us whilst dancing through life in the same way Miss Seleena did. Miss Seleena didn't hide from life's challenges, she rose above them and now, whatever way my story ends, I know she has re-written mine by being my friend."

"There is no way that any of us will ever forget Miss Seleena, regardless of whether we knew her for years or days or not at all," Chucky said solemnly, his tone and body language telegraphing that the young man was compartmentalising and suppressing his emotions in an effort to get through this speech. "Speaking for myself, I know that so much of me is made from what I learnt from her. Just by knowing her for that far too short a time has completely changed who I am as a person and who I want to be. So I know that Miss Seleena will always be with me like a handprint on my heart in the same way that she'll be with all of us."

"And who can say if we've been," Annabelle started.

"Changed for the better," Chucky finished.

And then the pair said in perfect unison, "I do believe we have been changed for then better."

"But because we knew Seleena," Annabelle said.

"We have been changed," Chucky echoed again.

"For good," the couple ended, their soft voices filled with loss and love (6).

It wasn't customary for people to clap at a memorial service but as the couple came to an obvious finish, the crowd responded with a soft and tasteful round of applause. The two young adults bowed their heads respectfully and stepped aside so that Ms. Faragonda could once again take the podium.

"After last years Witch Invasion, the school had to under go major remodeling," Ms. Faragonda informed the crowd. While Alfea hadn't been razed the way Red Fountain had been, the school had still required a large amount of work before allowing its students back at the end of summer. Windows needed to be replaced, waterlogged carpets were ripped up and Stormy's cells were once again reverted back to classrooms. Everything had been repainted and the gardens were restored before being left in the care of Knut the Ogre, who now had a job as the grounds keeper of Alfea. And in addition to all that, an entire wing had to be rebuilt after it had been damaged beyond repair by the rot monsters. "In a moment we will unveil the new wing, which we've named in honour of a very brave witch. We would not be here without her. We will also be unveiling a monument, which will pay tribute to not only Miss Seleena but also everyone affected by the Witch Invasion. Annabelle, Charles, are you ready?"

"We are," Annabelle answered, slipping her hand into Chucky's as the hero nodded.

"And so, in the honour and glory of the Great Witch Rebellion, let's unveil our new Silvermist Wing! Release the magic doves!"

Upon Ms. Faragonda's command there was a mad flurry as hundreds of magical doves all took to the skies, revealing the tower they had previously been covering. Simultaneously, Annabelle and Chucky pulled on a velvet cord that caused the curtain surrounding the quads newest installment to be unveiled under Annabelle's skillfully painted rainbow sky.

And there, carved of pure white marble was a statute of a life-sized female deer. A silvermist deer, to be exact.

Bloom couldn't recall which media source had originally dubbed Seleena as the Silvermist Witch, but it was quickly replicated through every realm in the Magical Universe and it wasn't long before the silvermist deer had become the symbol of the Great Witch Rebellion. There were many justifications for it; finding a silvermist deer had been one of Seleena's first priorities when she began the Rebellion and there was no denying that the readings Calypso had made from that doe had been a pivotal moment within the rebel's campaign. The argument could also be made that name was relevant because silver-white had been Seleena's signature magical hue, or that the deer was a rare, eerily beautiful creature just like the witch herself. And then there were some critics that said the only reason the media had settled on the image of a deer to represent the Rebellion was because it would have been uncouth to keep plastering the photo of a dead girl who wasn't even out of her teenage years across every medium (7).

There was also a rumour that Seleena had specially instructed Calypso to never let anyone create a likeness of her that would be left to the mercy of pigeons.

The statute was one of four that had been created in tribute to Seleena and the Great Witch Rebellion. One had already been unveiled in the City's River Park, which depicted a doe standing upon a sloped rock, its head held high and one front hoof lifted in a strong, heroic pose as it looked out over the City. A second had been unveiled at Cloud Tower's private memorial service and was situated at the schools front gates, its head also aloft but all four hooves on the ground. It apparently had a haughty air about it that demanded every witch that passed by it to extend her expectations of herself. It also served as a warning to any potential enemies not to underestimate the witches of Cloud Tower. Another statue would be placed within the new Red Fountain campus (8), which would be reviled in a week's time, but today it was Alfea's turn.

This statue depicted a doe slightly curved so it was looking back over its shoulder. The tip of one of its daintily little hind hooves was only just touching the ground and its head was cast downwards in a subtle manner, giving it a feeling of innocence as well as melancholy. Rather fitting given that the witch it was erected after had been killed not far from the schools gates.

Whatever motive behind the symbolism assigned to the Rebellion's, Bloom personally believed that the silvermist deer was the perfect representation for Seleena. Even though she wasn't there, the Last Princess of Sparx had listened to Timmy's recount enough times and had watched enough dramatizations to have a fairly clear understanding of what happened the night that deer had been brought before Calypso. That doe had been a young, beautiful creature that had to be sacrificed so that others might live. A tragic soul that should never died in the first place. In an alternate lifetime where Bloom had stopped Icy when she was supposed to and there no need for a Rebellion, both the slivermist deer and Seleena would have existed, without universal prominence, but alive nonetheless.

If only . . .

Ms. Faragonda was speaking again – thanking distinguished guest for attending and offering Seleena's family condolences once more – but Bloom didn't hear any of it. A roar of white noise filled her ears as she stared at the marble statue. Chucky and Annabelle, their hands still grasped together, remained on stage, Annabelle dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief and Chucky standing stiffly with a thousand yard stare. They had been right; Seleena had done more than just save them all; she had changed them for good. Her memory would impact all of them for the rest of their lives, forever altering their life's course. Bloom barely noticed that her pulse had shot up and that she had started to breathe in quick, shallow breaths. She could see Seleena's family sitting in the front row. Her mother's head was bowed and she was tightly tucked under the arm of her husband who was staring stoically ahead. Alyssa sat beside them, her head raised and her face an expressionless mask. Bloom couldn't help but wonder; if the destruction of Sparx had happened differently, if Bloom had been older when it took place, would she have ended up like Alyssa?

All at once, a presence slammed into Bloom's mind with such brutal force that it caused the fairy to gasp audibly.

~You are nothing like me~ a furious hissed through the vaults of her mind. ~You're a coward! And this is all your fault!~

"No!" Bloom objected out loud.

Bloom understood that Alyssa was angry and she had every right to be. She had lost someone dear to her and needed someone to blame. However after going through her own counseling sessions over the summer, Bloom had come to realise that even though she could accept Alyssa blaming her, she couldn't blame herself. As Seleena had once told her, there's too much in this world that was out of her control so it's best not to waste time on them. Instead, focus on what you can change and never forget the lessons learnt along the way. Seleena didn't think less of Bloom for not going up against Icy, she had said so herself. So now Bloom had to continue on and become a better person by remember everything Seleena taught her. She needed to make her own choices and stand by them.

Just like Seleena had done.

"Bloom?" Stella's tentative voice broke through the redhead's thoughts. "Are you okay?"

Blinking, Bloom realised that she had unintentionally gained the attention of the entire assembly. Her friends were all staring at her with concerned faces and Ms. Faragonda had stopped speaking. Even Seleena's family had twisted in their seats and Alyssa was currently watching her with an expression of feigned innocence, as if she was just as confused as everyone else by Bloom's outburst.

"Wait!" Bloom shouted, shooting to her feet. "I have something I want to say."

"Bloom, dear," Ms. Faragonda floundered. "A-A-Are . . . Are you sure?"

"Yes," Bloom nodded, making her way to the podium before she could over think it. A week ago, Ms. Faragonda had arrived at Bloom's house in Gardenia to see how her young student was fairing and to ask if she would be willing to say anything at the memorial service Alfea would be hosting. Bloom had panicked, stammered out a no before fleeing to her room where she hid for at least two hours. After that Ms. Faragonda had made it very clear to the media that none of them was allowed to approach Bloom for a comment unless they wanted to endure a conversation with the Headmistress before they and their employer would be banished from Alfea grounds for eternity. Headmaster Saladin had stated that anyone that earned Ms. Faragonda's wroth would also be denied access to Red Fountain's campus opening and then the Mayor of Magix had even threatened a realm-wide banishment. Miss Griffin hadn't said anything beyond how she'd like to share in the fun if it came to that, and no one wanted to find out what the Master Witch's idea of fun was.

And now, spurred into action by feelings she still didn't completely understand, Bloom stood before the crowd to give a speech she hadn't prepared for.

"Um, I just want to . . . I'm here to say . . . I just . . . I . . ." Bloom stammered pathetically. She could feel the eyes of the crowd on her and she could taste their confusion and sympathy in the air. "I wanted to . . ."

Suddenly, Annabelle was by her side and Chucky was a step behind her.

"Bloom, you don't have to do this," Annabelle reminded her gently.

"Yes I do," Bloom told her, resisting the rainbow fairy's attempts to lead her away but drawing strength from the tiny blonde and the silver haired hero shadowing her. They knew what it was like. Seleena's ghost would haunt them forever, just like her.

With a deep breath, Bloom started over again.

"I didn't know Miss Seleena before all this happened. I didn't even know her by reputation. Actually, to be completely honest, I only knew about five Cloud Tower students by name. But then again, this time last year I didn't even know that there were such things as real life witches. Or fairies. Or heroes and dragons. They all only existed in the storybooks I used to read as a kid. I mean . . . I didn't even know magic really existed, let alone think that I possessed any of it. But then I ran into Stella in the park that day when she was being attack by Knut, who ironically was only there because Icy order him to see if Stella's ring had the Dragon Fire and . . . My point is, I arrived at Alfea very eager but also very, um, ignorant, I guess you could say. I didn't think I was but I, um, was. What I mean to say is, I thought I understood what life was all about, y'know? I knew right from wrong. Good from evil. People who deserved my loyalty and those who didn't. To me, everything was black and white. Almost no shades of grey. Just me and my friends verse them, whoever they are.

"But then the Dragon Fire was stolen from me and used to raise the Army of Decay. And when I tried to stop the people responsible, I failed. I was the good guy and I thought that would be enough. I didn't even consider the possibility that things wouldn't work out the way I wanted them to.

"Miss Seleena did something I couldn't do. She didn't see a black and white world in front of her. She saw more shades of grey than I could have ever thought possible and she chose her own path through a time so . . . bleak I don't think anyone really knew what to do. Except her. She knew what to do and she knew it wasn't always going to be easy. She knew that she was going to have to make the unpopular choices. She knew what she was risking. She knew . . . She just knew. And she did it all anyway.

"I didn't always understand Seleena – I don't think I ever really will – but Annabelle and Chucky are right; she did change me. She taught me to open my eyes and see that the world isn't black and white, not matter how much it might seem that way (9). People will always be made up of shades of grey and I can't just go through life typecasting people, not if I truly want to make a difference. She taught me that I shouldn't aim to please anyones expectations but my own. That my only real power is in the choices I make and whether or not I stick by them. And most importantly she taught me that even though witches might not always be kind, that doesn't necessarily make them the enemy. I can't just condemn an entire culture based on the actions of just three individuals. People aren't black and white so I need to learn to look for the shades of grey. And I will. I promise.

"Um, thank-you," Bloom finished awkwardly, rushing off stage before anyone really had a chance to react. However, she didn't immediately return to her seat and the protective folds of the Winx Club. Instead, she made her way down the steps to stand in front of where Seleena's family was seated. "I'm, um . . . I'm so sorry for your loss," she whispered meekly, ducking her head and looking up through her fringe like a dog waiting to hit. However, Seleena's mother graced her with a sad but sincere smile and reached out to take one of Bloom's hands into hers.

"Thank-you, my dear," Seleena's mother whispered back and Bloom's lower lip began to tremble when Seleena's father placed his hand on her shoulder and gave her a reassuring squeeze. Beside them, Alyssa stared at the Last Princess of Sparx with a blank expression on her face and eyes hard like topaz.

Bloom knew that the young witch would hate her forever, but she knew better than to ever try and change that. Right now the young teenager needed that rage. It would drive her into a difficult but unlimited future in much the same way Bloom used her anger and grief brought about by the Ancestral Witches and the Trix to drive herself forward against unspeakable odds. The Great Witch Rebellion had taught her that just being good wasn't enough to defeat the forces of evil. Life was full of twists and turns so it was important to know how to be adaptable without compromising ones core beliefs and objectives. A situation may have only one conclusion, but there could be various different means to obtain it. They may not always be easy, but if it meant defending innocents against the forces of evils Bloom swore to herself that she would attempt to have the courage to fight in the name of goodness, regardless of the sacrifice.

That was her choice.

And little did she know that, right at that second, a fairy with long wavy hair and a sleeping baby pixie was stumbling towards Alfea, seeking help against the wickedness that brewed in Shadow Haunt.

THE END.

(1) Dr Stanley Keyworth is the psychiatrist from The West Wing that Josh spoke to when he got shot. After being tortured Flora would definitely need some help (for example, she said she still has issues whenever it rains which is apparently a common trigger for water-board victims) but I trust that Dr Stanley could set her straight again

(2) Otolaryngologists: an ear, nose and throat doctor. And let's face it, a doctor that specialises in that particular field in a musical realm would have to be pretty friggin' spectacular. So I guess it goes without saying that Discymphia's family would be loaded

(3) There's no denying that I put Riven through the wringer during this story, so I decided to make it up to him by creating a new way for him to bond with Musa. After all, the guy's not exactly good at vocalising his thoughts so now he has the option to express himself another way that can't be overheard by people not from the Harmonic Nebular. Plus one could even stretch it so say that's how he was able to sing in that episode in season four at the Frutti Music bar. Like yeah, I know Nabu spelled the instruments but I reckon spelling a voice into tune wouldn't be easy

(4) Fun Fact: Seleena's magical colour was originally going to be psychic purple and then I switched it to blue for a bit before I realised I could turn the whole black-white-and-shades-of-grey into a much stronger theme. And of course if she's silver, than her surviving sister's gotta be gold. I also wish I could have used Alyssa more. She was just supposed to be a comparison figure for Bloom to relate to but she has the potential of being a powerful and bitter character. She's kind of like an AU Bloom

(5) It's a little bit cruel but I didn't want Annabelle and Chucky to necessarily come out of this undamaged. Yes, they weren't killed and I envision them being in love, eventually getting married and whatever, but it's not the total happy ending one might picture it being. I kinda wanted their relationship to be like Glinda and Fiyero's relationship at the start of Act II in Wicked when Glinda signs about how she couldn't be happier though things aren't exactly like she anticipated

(6) As I would have mentioned when I first started posting this story, the musical Wicked was a huge inspiration for all this, especially in relation to the whole Annabelle-Chucky-Seleena relationship (see the note above if you don't believe me). As a result, there's a lot of lyrical references in their speech. The most obvious one is "For Good" but there are others if you look hard enough

(7) Fun Fact: the deer thread just kinda evolved on its own without any conscious planning on my part. Like, I did write in a silvermist deer for the whole entrails reading scene but it wasn't until I changed Seleena's magical colour that I realised there was some potential for symbolism there. As you can see, it can also work on a few other levels as well

(8) In case you were wondering, I pictured the Red Fountain memorial would be a statue of a doe running/bounding since that's a bit more of an 'action' pose

(9) I think that line basically wraps up what Seleena's supposed to represent. Even though she seems very black and white (like, literally) there's actually a lot going on under the surface that can be very contradicting. Like, she's a witch (which is bad) but she's put together this army to oppose the Trix (which is good) but she's being absolutely ruthless abut how she goes running it (which makes her look bad) but she's doing it in a way that causes others to strive fight even harder (which is good, although they're are only doing it because they're being manipulated which is bad) so . . . (?). Let's just say she's a complex character. She was originally just supposed to be black and white, Annabelle was colour and Chucky was supposed to be the shades of grey in-between which is why he had silver hair (that and it's sexy as hell). Then couldn't it be argued that Chucky should have ended up with Seleena since they're both shades of grey? Hmmm.

I think I've overanalysed this story too much.

Well then thank goodness it's finished, but before I go I wanna give a massive thanks to Darev for helping catch all those pesky typos I let through despite all the time I spend editing. You're priceless, mate. Also thanks to everyone who reviewed and, you know what, even if you didn't I hope you had fun.

Cheers, tears-in-rain