Crystallized Dreams

Chapter 23: New Friends....?

"Need a ride back to Red Fountain?" Jemica offered and transformed back into her fairy form.

Josh stood up from his seat. "Yeah." He looked at Michael. "You coming, too?"

Michael hesitated for a moment. "Nah. you guys go ahead. I'll take the...." -he glanced down at Katie for a brief second before continuing- "scenic route."

It took a moment for Katie to realize what Michael had meant. But once she did, she stood up and agreed to walk him back to Red Fountain.

"Alright then," Josh said, smiling. "See you guys on the flip side."

"Farewell, my good friends," Saladin waved as he joined Jemica and Josh.

Everyone else in the room waved goodbye at Jemica, Josh and Saladin before the three teleported back to the school for specialists. Katie then turned to Michael.

"Ready to go?" she asked.

"Yeah. Bye, headmistress! Winx! Bye, uh..."

"Nicole," Nicole said waved back at him. "Catch you guys later!"

And with that, Katie and Michael exited the office and made their way through Alfea's corridors. Within about a minute, they were outside and walking across the courtyard. After heading outside the school, Katie jogged her memory to try to remember which direction Red Fountain was in.

"I think it's that way," Michael said, pointing northwest from their current location and into the forest.

Katie nodded in response and the two began their hike in the forest.

The two took in the scenery around them. The pine trees towered high above them, their needles filtering the warm sunlight into small spots of light. An ever so slight rustle in the bushes could be heard, followed by the sound of a squirrel's call. The world around the white-haired fairy and the brown-haired human seemed so large, and full of wonders and magic.

"Nature really is beautiful, isn't it?" Michael said after what seemed like an eternity of silence.

"Yeah, it is," Katie replied, almost mesmerized by the serenity of forest around her. "This is a great place to go to just....escape."

Michael nodded, and another period of silence followed before Katie decided to speak up once more.

"Can I ask you a question?" she said and stopped walking.

"Ask away," Michael replied and stopped as well, turning around to face her.

Katie took a breath, hoping that her question wouldn't be to hard on him. Then she finally asked, "What was it like to be under that....dark curse? Or spell? Or...whatever that was?"

Michael hesitated. He stepped over to a large, almost completely flat stone that stood at around 2 feet tall and perched himself on it's surface. Then he motioned for Katie to come and sit right next to him. After doing so, she patiently waited for him to begin.

"Thinking back to that always gives me a bad headache," Michael sighed, staring at the ground. "But even so, it's all surprisingly vivid."

"If it hurts to remember then you shouldn't-"

"No, I have to tell you. It's really important," he lifted his head to look at Katie once more, before facing the ground again and closing his eyes. Katie decided not to object any longer and let him start.