Broken Wing

Summary: Calista arrives back at the castle one afternoon horribly distraught, and she tells her mother and Angel about a girl who's being bullied by the notorious Cybil Marie and her friends. Angel volunteers to go with her to confront the bully, but when they find her, they're in for quite a surprise.

Disclaimer: I own Angel, Casper, Adelina, Cybil Marie, and Ixte. There is also a new Elemental in here whom I own called Blitz (from the Oblivo Realm, which I also own), and a pair of twins by the names of Zaida and Maida. Phew. Haha. Nana and Tanya belong to MarionetteJ2X. Anyone else belongs to Craig Gerber.

A/N: Brace yourselves. This story is going to be…something else. It will lead us into more events that the Oblivo Realm projects, so you'll get a little insight about that. That said, it is going to be a long one-shot. Anyway, hope you enjoy!

Name pronunciations... Zaida (Zā-duh), Maida (Mā-duh), Ixte (Eesh-tā). I think the others are fairly obvious. lol

Para shadowamy18: Hola, y gracias por leer mis cuentas. 😊 Me siento orgullosa tener una persona tan dulce que sigue mis cuentas. Lamento mucho la muerte de tu padre, pero me alegro de que "Sofia the First" te haya dado un poco de consuelo. Te prometo que hay muchas más cuentas en el futuro, y claro, más sobre la relación entre Cedric y Sofia, y otros personajes también. Por favor, cuídate. Y otra vez, gracias por leer, y ¡encantada de conocerte!

*Story*

It was early April, and the flowers were starting to bloom again. The school year was dwindling down for those at Hexley Hall (and Royal Prep, of course, but no one from the Enchancian castle currently attended that school). Most people were looking forward to the end of the school year, but there was one who wished the end would come even faster.

A girl who appeared to be about sixteen years old stood outside Hexley Hall, staring quietly at the entrance and debating either entering or turning around and running. Her name was Ixte. She was originally from a region near Avalor called Hásak, though she'd recently moved with her family to a larger village called Lonsilla, which was actually closer to the school. She belonged to a rather poor family, and she wore hand-me-down clothes beneath her robes daily. Her skin was a bit darker than Elena's, and a pair of despairing brown eyes peered through her large black-rimmed glasses. She didn't own a brush or comb (or her own wand, for that matter), so her long black hair was usually up in a heavily tangled black ponytail. Given that she wasn't able to secure new clothing, she usually wore her grandmother's old dresses. The one she wore today was a long-sleeved floor length black dress with a teal underlayer. The sleeves were a bit too long and usually covered her hands, and the top of the dress was a bit loose where the collar lay open. The fabric itself had old stains in different places, and some stitching had come undone in various places. Around her neck, she wore a tribal necklace, passed down to her by the same grandmother who had given her the dresses.

Given that her grandmother had just died the previous year, she didn't mind the hand-me-downs so much. She felt connected to her in a way she hadn't thought possible. However, not everyone was so kind or considerate to think the same way she did… Even with that reality check in mind, she finally sighed, fastened her robes closed over her dress, and entered the school at last.

Calista, dressed in her usual Hexley Hall robes and with her hair pulled back into a half-ponytail, hummed as she and her two best friends, Casper and Adelina, walked along the hallway together.

"You sure are in a poppy mood," Adelina joked, nudging her.

Casper rolled his eyes at the girl's mix-up and laughed. "That's 'peppy,' Addie." He and Adelina had started dating recently (which Calista had been anticipating for a while), and the young sorceress's overly excitable nature should have been annoying to him, considering how often he had to endure it. But no… It was one of the many things he adored about her.

"Whatever." She giggled before turning back to the other young sorceress. "Let me guess… Angel proposed?"

That comment definitely stopped the humming, and Calista blushed as both of her friends snickered. "Now you sound like my mum. I think it is a bit too early for that, don't you?"

"Not in some cultures, Calista," Casper corrected, his eyes shining in mirth as his friend offered him a pointed stare. "You never know. He could propose before you even graduate. Grandmum constantly reminds me that Grandfather did the same with her."

Calista laughed softly. "I love Angel, but I'm not ready for that step yet… I have plans." She grinned as she clasped her hands in front of her. "Plans that could be good for both of us, I think."

"Good to know, niñita." Adelina linked her arm with her best friend's. "Oh, did you hear about that new girl who transferred from Hásak a few days ago? Ixte, I think?"

"I sort of already met her," Calista murmured as the trio walked on. "Well, we have the same potions class anyway, with…" She groaned. "Cybil Marie."

"Ugh," Casper scoffed, now a bit more outspoken about his distaste for his classmate. "She's still as horrible as she always was. Tripping people in the hallway, stealing their class assignments and passing them off as her own… And what bothers me is that none of the professors ever see it. She's that sneaky."

"Even though they don't like her either," Calista added. "Hmm. Well, I believe in karma, and I know she's going to get what's coming to her one of these days." She paused at the parting of the halls, smiling toward her friends as Adelina shifted from her best friend to her boyfriend instead. "I'll see you both at lunch. Try not to be too mushy in class today."

Casper sighed as Adelina smirked at him. "Talk to Addie about that. I try to pay attention. She is the one distracting me."

"What a sweet sentiment, Casper," Adelina teased, kissing his cheek as he blushed. "I do love distracting you…"

Calista snickered as she left, turning down the hallway to go to her potions class.

"Well, look who it is, girls," Cybil Marie mocked saccharinely as she and her friends walked into the classroom, a smirk on her painted lips as she eyed Ixte sitting in her front-row desk. "Yeesh-te."

"More like 'Yuck-te,'" a red-haired girl with her scoffed, rolling her blue eyes. "I can't believe her mother let her out of the house looking like that."

"You're insinuating that she has a mother, Brianca," a smaller blonde giggled, her hair done up in pigtails, a clear contrast to the sneer on her face. "Because if she did, I guarantee she wouldn't let her come to school looking like a slob…and smelling like a barnyard animal."

Brianca smirked at her friend. "Lotti, that's not nice…" She shrugged. "True, but not nice."

Ixte murmured something softly, and apparently so quietly that the girls didn't hear her.

"What was that?" Cybil Marie asked, leaning down and leering at her, her long blonde hair brushing against the dark-haired girl's desk. "Got something to say, do you?"

The quiet girl looked up at her, frowning a bit. "M-My name is Ixte."

"Your name could be 'Princess,' for all I care," Cybil Marie bit back, grinning as Ixte shrunk back in her seat. "I'll call you whatever I want, Stink-te." She chuckled and began walking past the other girl, making sure to roughly brush against her as she did.

Brianca and Lotti followed their friend, snickering as they did.

Ixte whimpered a bit, lowering her glasses to her robes to remove a few tears that had leaked onto the lenses after Cybil Marie's harsh words. She sniffled and replaced her glasses just as Calista entered the room, sitting in her desk next to her. She glanced toward the other girl curiously, noting how happy she seemed. 'Wonder what that's like,' she thought to herself, sighing inwardly.

Potions class carried on like usual, with the professor demonstrating proper mixtures of liquids and other ingredients to make any variety of potions. Of course, Calista was well versed in this, between her mother and her uncle, plus her own general curiosity. And as the class continued and she took notes, she couldn't help her eyes darting over to the other dark-haired girl every now and then. 'She looks so sad,' she thought to herself more than once, and she could tell the poor girl was miserable. 'Maybe she just needs a friend.' With that thought in mind, she resolved to talk to her whenever she next got the chance.

Class soon ended, and before Calista could approach Ixte, she had gathered her few academic books and sheets of parchment into her arms, and she was gone. The young sorceress sighed in defeat. "I guess there's always later."

"Talking to yourself, Skunk-Head?"

Calista turned, glaring at her classmate as she stood with her two friends. "You know my name, Cybil Marie. Why don't you try using it once in a while?"

"That would indicate some form of respect," the blonde quipped. "Which…I don't have for you, so… Kind of a waste of breath, honestly. At the very least, 'Skunk-Head' is a whole syllable shorter. Plus…" She reached out, roughly tugging on one of the light pieces of hair that hung around her face, causing Calista to react with a wince. "It suits you. And when are you going to change this 'edgy' hairstyle anyway? It was one thing to mimic your uncle as a child, but you're a teenager now. Time to grow up."

The dark-haired girl slapped the blonde's hand from her hair, huffing when she gasped in shock. "I will when you will." She then scoffed, turning and leaving, but not before saying, "Who am I kidding? You'll never change."

Cybil Marie laughed softly as she played with a black necklace around her neck, dangling from a leather choker. "We'll see about that."

At lunch, Calista met her friends outside and sat beneath a tree with them, reclining against the trunk as she ate her sandwich. She'd been rather quiet, which was unlike her, and the other two had noticed.

"Calista?" Casper asked gently, smiling uncertainly as she turned to him. "Are you all right?"

"Hmm… Not really…" She blinked as the other young sorceress gasped.

"Who do I need to throttle?" Adelina asked, reaching over and gathering her best friend into her arms, dramatically stroking her hair as the other girl laughed. "No one makes our Calista sad! No one!"

The other students nearby just laughed off the girl's strange commentary. Honestly, they were rather used to Adelina's eccentric ways by now, so this wasn't exactly anything new.

"I'm fine, Addie," Calista sighed with a warm smile as she released her. "I just…" She shrugged. "It's a little bit Cybil Marie, and a little bit…" She slowly frowned as she saw Ixte across the courtyard, carrying a small bag. She watched as she sat down underneath another tree, opening the bag and withdrawing a small piece of bread and a tangerine. "And, um… A little bit…Ixte." She nodded at the other girl in the distance.

Casper frowned in confusion. "She was giving you trouble? She's so quiet."

"No, Casper… More like, my trouble with her comes from me wanting her to be happy. She always looks so sad, and I wish I knew how to change that."

"You would first need to know why she is sad," Adelina reasoned. "You do not know her, Calista. You must talk to her first!"

"I will," Calista insisted, sighing softly as she watched Ixte beginning to eat her bread in peace. "I just…need to figure out what I will say to her."

Ixte quietly chewed her bread as she reclined against the tall tree. She was used to being alone at this point, and she didn't really necessarily mind it most of the time. But there were a few times when she wished she had someone to talk to. However, when she heard a familiar gaggle of girls giggling, she retracted her silent wish and opted instead for the silence.

"Oh, look, girls," Cybil Marie drawled sardonically as she, Brianca, and Lotti approached, each of them smirking at the girl on the ground. "It's Yeesh-te."

Deciding to take the high road and ignore them, Ixte stood, gathered her few items, and began to walk away from them.

"Oh, now she's running?" Lotti scoffed, following her two friends as the immediately trailed after the new girl. "Someone's scared."

Ixte paused, turning back to face the trio. "I am not scared. I just do not wish to be around you, since you are so…negative."

"Oh, she speaks more than three words," Brianca laughed. "It's a miracle!"

"You know, what I find to be a miracle is that they haven't said a word about your appearance…or hygiene…at this school yet." Cybil Marie withdrew her wand and circled the other girl, a smirk on her features. "We can settle that right now." Without any warning, she muttered a quick spell and used her wand to slice through the other girl's tangled ponytail, the heavy mass of hair falling to the ground as Ixte stood there, stunned, the things she'd been carrying now scattered on the ground as well.

Calista, having noticed this from her place several feet away, gasped as she saw the crestfallen look on Ixte's face. She turned to Casper and Adelina. "I'm going to give that wretch a piece of my mind."

"Wait, Calista," Adelina told her, pointing off to the side. "You may not have to…"

"Cybil Marie," Lotti began in shock, her mouth hanging open. "I know we joke a lot but… Don't you think that's a bit too far?"

"Yeah, that was too much," Brianca agreed.

"What? She looks way better now!" She grinned at the transfer student, who was desperately raking her fingers through her now-short hair, trying to make sense of what had just happened. "At least now, we won't have to see that horrible, ratty sight every day."

"Not true, because you're still here," a warm alto voice spoke, causing all the girls to turn and see who was behind them.

Standing there was a set of twins named Zaida and Maida, their arms folded, and their gazes focused intently on Cybil Marie.

Zaida was ever so slightly taller than her twin, though she had the same olive complexion as her sister. Her long dark hair was swooped into a high ponytail, the ends of her hair dyed a dark red. She had a set of cutting hazel eyes that probably could have sliced through an enemy if she really tried. She wore dark makeup, her lips and eyeliner black as coal. Around her neck was an intricate black diamond necklace that looked to be a family heirloom. She had on a sleeveless black leather dress that stopped at her knees, and a red lace-up front spanning from her chest to her abdomen. She also had detached sleeves that held the same black and red scheme, the sleeves near her hands fanning out in a wavy pattern, brushing against her fingers (upon which she had long black nails). Her legs were covered in sheer black tights, and she wore a pair of black lace-up and buckle-up boots that stopped below her knees.

Maida, though having the same complexion, makeup, and nails as her sister, did have some distinct differences. Her jet-black hair was tied into two half-up side ponytails, the rest of her hair falling down to her waist. She also had a dark necklace, but it was smaller than her sister's. Her eyes were a mysterious lilac color that seemed more intriguing than dangerous. She wore a shorter off-the-shoulder black dress that was laced up at the top, her skirt flowing around her thighs. There appeared to be a black undergarment beneath the dress, the straps spreading over the top of her shoulders. Her black boots only spanned just above her ankle, and she wore no tights, unlike her sister.

They were the Paniza twins, and rumor had it that they came from a long line of witches and warlocks, some good and some not so good. Another rumor was that they were probably the most powerful students to ever come through Hexley Hall. They didn't even use wands—just their hands.

"I see you're still bullying people who haven't given you reason to," Zaida remarked to Cybil Marie as Maida walked over to Ixte, whispering something to her and smiling as the girl nodded and walked off a bit with her.

"No one asked you to step in, Zaida," Cybil Marie growled, aiming her wand at her as the taller girl approached her, fearless. "I did her a favor."

"That she didn't agree to or ask for. Seems like that goes against all the rules of magic, if you ask me." Zaida raised her hand, clutching her fist and flinging her arm behind her. As she did this, Cybil Marie's wand flew out of her hand. She smirked, her hazel eyes blazing as the blonde gasped. "Now what are you going to do?"

Calista, Adelina, and Casper were watching from their positions, intrigued by how the twins would settle this issue. They'd always known the girls to be fierce and motivated in their magical endeavors, and they weren't ones to sit idly by if something was wrong. It's probably why they were now friends with the Paniza twins.

While she appeared a bit stunned at first, Cybil Marie just chuckled and lifted one hand to the necklace she'd been playing with earlier, her turquoise eyes opening and narrowing toward her classmates. She smirked as the wand instantly lifted off the ground and flew back into her other hand, taking the others off guard. "Nothing… For now…" With no other words, she vanished in a cloud of darkness, which was something unusual, according to her friends…

"She's never done that before," Lotti gasped, exchanging glances with Brianca.

"Why don't you two beat it?" Maida suggested with a smirk as the shorter girls looked at her. "Maybe go find a new mistress to grovel over, perhaps?"

Brianca scoffed, grabbing her friend's hand and beginning to stalk away. "Let's go, Lotti."

Calista, Adelina, and Casper hurried over to the twins, who were both standing protectively near Ixte. She'd allowed a few tears to fall down her cheeks, but she didn't really say anything.

"We saw what she did to you," Calista told Ixte, who looked up at her. "She'll get what's coming to her. I promise."

"It's not worth making enemies," the other girl responded softly. She reached up again, sighing as she ran her hands down her short hair. "Maybe I…can get used to it."

"You shouldn't have to," Casper retorted. "There must be some sort of spell."

Calista nodded. "I'll ask my uncle. I'm quite sure he still has one of those spells." She then smiled, reaching out a hand to Ixte. "We never got to officially meet, by the way. I'm Calista."

She paused, lowering one hand to gently shake the other girl's hand. "I'm Ixte."

The other young sorceress beamed. "I know. And these are my best friends, Casper and Adelina. And these two…" She gestured toward the twins. "They're Maida and Zaida."

"And good people to have on your side," Adelina added.

Zaida grinned. "You can stop kissing up, Adelina. We're already your friends."

The brunette giggled. "Just trying to stay on your good side… I saw what you did to some of those boys the other day. Wow…"

"They mocked my shoes." She winked as Maida laughed. "They had it coming."

While the group of friends (and newly-made friends) headed off together, Cybil Marie stood at a far distance, nearly outside the boundaries of the school, her turquoise eyes glaring heatedly at the others.

Toward the end of the school day, Calista was growing angrier and angrier. It wasn't enough that Cybil Marie had just sliced off Ixte's hair without warning, but throughout the day in the hallway or on the way to other classes, she'd taunted her, poked her, nearly run her over, and just about anything else she could think of. But she did it in such a sneaky way that the professors still hadn't noticed.

In the last gathering of the day, study hall, when all three best friends, the twins, Ixte, and Cybil Marie were together, Calista slammed her book down on the table in the hall when she saw Cybil Marie discreetly tug at Ixte's uneven hair.

"Stop that, you horrible little lummox!" she snapped, glaring daggers at the blonde girl.

Cybil Marie grinned, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "Ah, Calista… The same old insults. You've called me that so often, and it's getting boring…"

"You'd think you'd get the picture then." She frowned as the other sorceress smirked. "And what was all that earlier today? Disappearing in a cloud of dark smoke? Teleportation is against the magical law now, and I know that wasn't any sort of light magic you were doing." She smiled dangerously as her classmate glared at her. "Maybe we should tell Headmaster Zeldon? I'm sure he'd be interested in hearing your excuse."

"Do it, and I'll do far worse to all of you than I've already done to Yeesh-te." A peculiar strain of dark magic began pooling between her hands, causing the other students to stare at her in surprise. "And that's not a threat. It's a promise." With no other words, she disappeared again, more darkness following her as she did.

"There's something not right about that girl," Maida told the others. "And I mean more off-putting than usual. I'm talking…dangerous."

"Has she always been that way?" Ixte asked softly, trying not to draw too much attention to herself, like always. She liked this group of people, but she still wasn't overly confident or comfortable saying too much with them yet. Given what had happened to her earlier, she knew it would take some time for her to be able to either open up or feel all right with them.

"Not necessarily dangerous," Casper responded as Adelina leaned on his shoulder. "But she's always been a pretty horrid nuisance."

"People like Cybil Marie thrive on others' discomfort and misfortune," Zaida told Ixte as she brushed some of the girl's hair down, smiling as the other girl nodded appreciatively. She frowned as she sighed, lowering her hand. "And really, she is dangerous, if you think about it. She always goes around telling everyone that her mother gives her anything she wants. And that's true… You know why?"

The others shook their heads.

Maida folded her arms. "Because she hits her mother. Threatens to get her locked up by manipulating the authorities if she doesn't get what she wants. I honestly feel bad for her mom. She didn't do anything to deserve such a hateful, evil daughter."

"It sounds like she is a very terrible person," Ixte said, sighing as the others looked toward her. "I may not have much, but I'm appreciative of what my family gives me. We don't have a lot of food or clothing to call our own, but we have each other."

Calista smiled at the sentiment. "That's really sweet, Ixte. I'm sure your family loves you and strives to do what's best for you." Still, she couldn't help feeling bad for the girl and her family. Hexley Hall was predominantly filled with well-to-do and financially fit families. And transfers at this time of the year were rare… She wasn't sure what the girl's full backstory was, but she was definitely curious; perhaps she'd find out someday.

After school ended, Calista bid her friends farewell until Monday (since it was Friday), and she promised Ixte that she would ask Cedric for his help with her hair. Ixte, though a bit sad she'd have to wait a whole weekend, completely understood and thanked her.

Cedric, Sofia, Cordelia, and Angel all looked up from their experiments or activities they'd been working on when the door to the workshop slammed open, an exhausted-looking Calista stepping inside and tossing her bag against the wall.

Cedric blinked at his niece's actions, but he smiled as she slinked over to him and just hugged him. He chuckled, patting her back. "Long day?"

"Long, and horrible," she responded as she looked up at him. "It's Cybil Marie."

"Ugh, I really need to talk to that girl's mother," Cordelia scoffed as Calista hugged Sofia and Angel next, sitting down next to her boyfriend soon after. "Where does she get off acting like such a nuisance to others, and nothing is ever done about it? You've been complaining about her for years, yet you never let me say anything to anyone."

"This time…it might be necessary…"

Sofia frowned. "Calista, what aren't you telling us?"

The younger girl sighed as she felt Angel gently rubbing her back, encouraging her to say something. She finally told them, "I think…she is practicing dark magic."

"Now, Calista," Cedric began in a mild warning tone, placing his hands on his table as he leaned toward her, "I know she isn't your favorite person, but accusing someone of using dark magic is a serious issue. So, you'd better make sure you can back that claim up with some proof."

"Because if she is, then we need to report it," Cordelia added, on the same page with her brother for a change. "Dark magic is an offense and danger to all magic wielders, not just to those who attend your school."

"I know, Mum… I just don't know if confronting her at school is the best choice. If she is dabbling in dark magic, and given her selfish and reckless nature, who's to say that she won't hurt any of the students or professors?"

"She has a point," Sofia told them, folding her arms and sighing.

"What if you confront her in her own homeland?" Angel suggested, shrugging as his girlfriend sat up straighter and glanced at him. "It would be in a more secluded area with fewer people, so…"

"That's not a bad idea, Angel, but…" She frowned. "I'd rather not go to her homeland by myself. She already hates me, and if she is planning to use magic against me, I'd rather not be blasted on the spot and left to die."

Cedric rolled his eyes. "A bit dramatic, eh, Calista?"

"Not in this case, Ceddy," Cordelia countered. "Despite this being a student we're discussing, dark magic doesn't have an age limit. She very well could be under the influence."

"If it makes you feel better, I will go with you." Angel smiled at Calista as she frowned in concern. "We can at least discover if she is, in fact, taken in by the dark magic, or if it is something else. And if it is dark magic, as Ms. Cordelia says, we should take the time to report her to the correct authorities."

Calista nodded. "All right. We'll go tomorrow."

Sofia sighed, twirling some of her hair around her fingers. "I really don't like this, you guys. It's enough we've dealt with the start of these Elemental people. Then Zeke not too long ago… And now possibly a classmate of Calista's. Honestly, it's like, what's next?"

Cedric promptly placed a finger to her lips and shook his head as she smirked at him. "Don't you dare start running off with the 'what-ifs,' my dear. I'd rather not find out."

The princess laughed and took his hand, lowering it to gently squeeze it. "I'm ready for a break from all these bad guys coming out of nowhere…" She grinned at her partner. "A certain island is looking really good right now…"

He cleared his throat and blushed at her words. "N-Now is not the time to think of such things, Sofia… Besides, as you said, we're far too busy dealing with evil forces to even consider such a thing."

Cordelia laughed. "Poor brother… He's so distracted by the villains around him that he fails to recognize joking anymore."

Sofia smiled playfully before gently nudging Cedric. "Who said I was joking?"

He shook his head, trying to stay focused. "Sofia, please… We'll worry about that later." He turned toward Calista. "If you and Angel really are going to this girl's homeland tomorrow, you need to prepare yourselves for any potential attack. In fact…" He gestured between himself and Sofia. "Would you like us to go with you?"

"No," Calista responded, shaking her head. "I don't want you two dragged into this. However, there is something you can do for me while we're gone."

The sorcerer nodded. "Name it."

"Do you still have that hair restoration spell?"

The next day…

Cybil Marie was in her garden outside her lavish home in the kingdom of Vadonza. She and her affluent family lived in their own castle, though she often believed that they could and should have a much larger and more grandiose domicile. She wanted the inside and outside to always reflect how she felt about herself: the best of everyone and everything.

In her garden, which was covered in several varieties of flowers and had a small running stream of water with swans and geese swimming along, and many other animals skittering about, she was not exactly relaxing. Rather, she was practicing honing this new power she'd recently discovered she'd had. In truth, the existence of it had come to her in a dream…

"You want to be the best," a man's voice chided, the smirk evident on his face, even in the darkness, as Cybil Marie strained to see him. "I don't believe that yet. You have to shed any form of propriety. Forget what others think… Which, in all honesty, should not be that hard for you." He tossed her a glowing red ball, the outside of it crackling with black and white electricity. "You must practice. Let it consume you, and you will soon control it."

"And if I do?" she asked, her turquoise eyes glittering in the darkness, illuminated by the light from the electricity. "What will happen?"

He chuckled, stepping up to her and grasping the necklace she wore, his hand glowing as the gem reacted. "Then you'll be the most powerful of them all…"

Oh, if there was one thing she'd always craved, it was power. Cybil Marie had always wanted to be the best—not only in her abilities learned at Hexley Hall, but in all the realms. She didn't care much about people. She didn't have any use for them, unless they were going to get her closer to her domination goal. But even her so-called friends were going soft recently… The way they'd reprimanded her for messing with Ixte spoke volumes.

"Stupid," she muttered, the electricity sparking between her fingers growing stronger, a distinct darkness beginning to shroud her as she continued. "They're so useless. So sanctimonious. Who needs them?" She smirked. "Time for a new me."

She snapped her fingers, smiling wickedly as her pink and green outfit disappeared and was replaced with something far edgier. A pair of sheer black stockings appeared on her legs, followed by a pair of knee-high black boots. Next, a long-sleeved short dress appeared, the neck swooping lower than normal. The dress was mostly black but had purple trimming and piping in some places, including part of the sleeves. Near the top of the dress was a strange tri-ovular symbol outlined in gold and the interior of it purple like the dress's lining. Her usual black necklace remained, especially since it was now the source of her strange new powers.

She then leaned her head forward, her long blonde hair dangling in front of her vision as she did. She reached out and took her hair in her hands, allowing the electricity to crackle and begin searing the golden locks off, watching as they fell to the grass near her feet. When she flipped her hair behind her next, it was just barely brushing her collar, the ends a coal black instead of blonde.

"There," she said, grinning as she fluffed out her hair. "I don't know what Yeesh-te was so upset about. She's such a wimp." That said, she went back to practicing her powers.

In the near distance, a figure stood near a tree in the garden, a smirk on his face as he watched his new…charge.

"I can't believe Uncle Ceddy let us take his AutoCoach without an entire lecture on using it," Calista laughed as she and Angel were well on their way to Vadonza.

"I cannot believe that you actually knew where your tormentor lived," he countered, smiling as she shrugged.

"When we were little, Cybil Marie's mother had a birthday party for her at their castle and invited all of the primary school children. Not knowing any better, my friends and I went…and discovered how awful that girl was. And for some reason, I never did forget the name of her kingdom. Must be a bit of residual trauma."

"That is one way of looking at it."

They soon made it to Vadonza, which was lovely. It was more of a region with numerous hills and valleys, colorful and vibrant to any who viewed. There were actually many castles in this area, demonstrating just how well-off people were. Nary a small hut could be found.

"If I remember correctly," Calista murmured as they passed over a set of castles, "I believe her place was near a tall black tower."

"Do you mean that tall black tower?" Angel pointed out the window toward an ominous tower, coated in ivy and thorns.

"Yeah…" She sighed. "That's the one. So the castle should be just beyond it." She sat back in her seat, looking at her boyfriend expectantly. "How do we even go about doing this?"

"Just be Calista," he suggested, smiling. "I would not say that you are always a confrontational person, but you stand up for what you believe in. I have seen this many times in your spirit, Chante. And it is possible that you may even get through to her."

She shook her head, humming. "I'm not sure, Angel… I'm really not."

When the young couple landed the AutoCoach in the courtyard of Cybil Marie's family's castle, they exited and walked up to the gate, only to be greeted by a guard.

"Name, please," the man requested.

"I'm Calista, and this is Angel. We're…classmates of Cybil Marie." She smiled sweetly, even though she could practically feel Angel's dismay at having been roped into the 'classmate' scenario. She'd apologize later.

"Ah, wonderful. It isn't often that Miss Cybil Marie gets visitors. Right this way." He opened the gate and led them along the pathway toward the castle entrance. "Now, last I heard, she was outside in the garden. If you will just walk straight through the foyer, through the main hall, and out the side door, you should find the garden fairly easily."

"Thank you, sir." Calista took Angel's hand and quickly steered him through the vast space. "Wow. I think this castle is bigger than the one Mum and I used to live in… Actually, I know it is."

Angel chuckled as they reached the door that would take them to the garden. "The magnitude of the castle is not what is important. It is who lives there."

She smiled. "Agreed…" She inhaled slowly before placing her free hand on the doorknob. "Ready?"

"As a wolf in the moonlight." He grinned at her confused expression. "Yes."

She shook her head in amusement. "Let's go then."

The duo stepped outside into the beautiful garden. They could see the animals, the flowers, the butterflies flitting about, and—wait.

"Is that Cybil Marie?" Calista asked in shock, her mouth hanging open as she and Angel got closer to see.

The former long-haired bully was fiercely tossing her new dark magic everywhere, killing flowers with each zap. She'd nearly hit a bunny, but luckily, the magic had ricocheted off a small boulder and bounced into the sky instead.

Angel placed a hand on his girlfriend's shoulder as she had stepped forward, as if to approach her classmate. "No, Calista. Do not go near her." Seeing her turn to him, he frowned. "She is consumed by darkness."

"A Dark Magic Mistress, then," the young sorceress murmured in disbelief before yelping as a blast of magic soared past them both, Angel having sensed it and pulled her toward him and out of the way. She turned, seeing Cybil Marie glaring at them, the powerful magic pulsating in her hands. "What was that for?!"

"What are you doing here?" Cybil Marie seethed, anger pouring from her. "Even at my own home, I can't escape you, Skunk-Head." Her angry look morphed into a taunting smirk. "But since you're here, maybe I'll just go ahead and do what I've been wanting to do forever…"

Angel continued holding the young sorceress in his arms, anxiety filling his entire being as his heart thumped in his chest, fear of what the blonde girl was going to do to his love.

"Stop."

All three teens turned to the source of the voice, and Cybil Marie even lowered her hands a bit, though her magic didn't stop flowing.

Standing at the edge of the garden was a man with an unusual shade of skin: light purple. He was somewhat muscular, highlighted by the fact that he wore a black unbuttoned vest, which seemed to be fused to black cargo pants that had lightning strike patterns down their length. Around his waist, he wore some heavy-looking chains and a black and silver belt. His messy, layered hair fell a few inches past his shoulders. While his hair was predominantly a striking red, he did have several black streaks throughout. His eyes were narrowed under his furrowed eyebrows, and what would normally be the whites of his eyes were actually black, and his irises were a strange sapphire shade. His lips were painted dark gray, matching the undeterminable tattoo band around his upper right arm. Like Cybil Marie, his hands were also filled with lightning-inspired dark magic: a green blast in his left hand, and a purple blast in his right.

"Who are you?" Calista demanded, holding onto Angel while frequently casting a glance at Cybil Marie, who didn't appear to be moving much now.

"They call me Blitz," the purple-skinned man responded smoothly, his voice the same one from the blonde sorceress's dreams in the past. It was low and taunting, and it had a distinct crackle to it every now and then, like lightning. "I control the plasmatic elements of the realm. I quite like lightning, because while it doesn't always kill…" He smirked. "It can torture…"

"Do not hurt her," Angel commanded, turning ever so slightly to continue protecting his girlfriend.

"Oh, I have no interest in hurting her…" Blitz turned his attention to Cybil Marie. "The only one I have any interest in is this girl. I'm responsible for corrupting her, and for swaying her to my side… It's amazing what you can do within someone's dreams…" He chuckled. "Now, if you three want to fight it out, so be it. I won't interfere. There's a time and place for me, and this isn't it."

"With pleasure," Cybil Marie finally spoke, catching both Calista and Angel off guard as she hurled a regular blast of magic at her classmate, causing her to collapse to the ground. "Get up and fight me!"

"Calista," Angel gasped, dropping down beside her and gathering her into his arms. He could tell she was a bit stunned, and perhaps a bit injured, but she was going to be fine. "Answer me, Chante."

"A-Angel…" She glared over at Cybil Marie, who was smirking at them. "Cybil Marie, get ahold of yourself! We may not be friends or anything, but what you're doing is dangerous!"

"I know," the blonde retorted, grinning. "I like the danger too…" She glanced at Blitz, who folded his arms and leered toward her. "It gives me a sense of…power."

"If it's power you want, then to the Oblivo Realm we go." Blitz said nothing more as he grabbed Cybil Marie's wrist, using his own electrical magic to make them vanish.

"Oblivo Realm," Angel repeated. "That is…"

Calista frowned. "Not good."

Monday came along far too fast. The entire weekend had been spent trying to figure out more about the Blitz character from the Oblivo Realm, how Cybil Marie tied into everything, and many other things. No one was sure how to go about telling Cybil Marie's family of her disappearance either, so they figured an anonymous letter would be best (Cordelia sent it). So much had been discussed and reviewed that there was very little time for rest.

But Calista had managed to secure one very important thing. She clutched her hand around a piece of paper as she hurried up to the school, smiling as she saw Ixte sitting on the ground near Maida and Zaida, a small smile on her face. It was nice to see her smiling, despite the circumstances. "Ixte."

Ixte looked up, her smile widening as Calista held out her hand. She accepted and pulled herself to her feet. "Calista."

Calista released her new friend's hand and withdrew her wand. "I spoke with my uncle this weekend, and he found the spell that will fix your hair. And he also found something else that you will probably find useful."

"Oh, wonderful!" The transfer student sighed. "It was difficult to tell my mother what had happened at school… She means well, but she is in poor health and couldn't fathom why someone would do something like that."

"Cybil Marie is a brat," Zaida reminded her. "It's not you. It's her."

The red-clad sorceress nodded. "I agree. And… We need to talk about her a little later. And in any case, my uncle's spell isn't quite the same one he used in the past, but he said it does work. Stand still." She pointed her wand toward Ixte as she recited the lines: "Ill-spoken words and wicked pursuit, grow this hair of Ixte's anew." A stream of magic flowed from her wand and around Ixte's head, causing her dark hair to grow to its normal length again, though it was tangle free this time. Calista smiled. "There."

Ixte laughed, a few tears escaping her eyes. "Th-Thank you so much, Calista… Thank you all for everything you have done for me…without even really knowing me."

"That'll change," Maida promised her with a smile. "And it will change quickly."

"And this," Calista continued, withdrawing a spare wand from her robes and passing it over to Ixte, "is yours. Uncle Ceddy keeps many wands on standby. He said this works well in a school or everyday setting, and he wants you to have it."

"Please tell your uncle thank you…" She laughed. "This is the best day of my life…"

As the girls continued chatting, Blitz stood at a distance, his red hair blowing in the wind as he watched the scene with a disappointed glare. "That will soon change…for you all." With nothing more to say, he disappeared with the wind, a strike of lightning hitting the ground where he once stood.

The end