The portal shimmered behind them as it vanished, leaving Bloom and Iris standing at the gates of a towering pink and lavender castle. Alfea. The school for fairies.
"Whoa," Iris whispered. "It's like... Cinderella's dream house met a magical theme park."
Stella beamed. "Welcome to Alfea, girls! The most prestigious school for fairies in the entire Magic Dimension."
The grounds bustled with students, some flying, others walking in stylishly magical outfits. Bright flowers danced in the breeze, and even the trees seemed to hum with enchantment.
A short woman with gray hair and a gentle but firm expression greeted them near the main staircase. "Ah, you must be Bloom and Iris. I'm Professor Griselda, assistant headmistress. Follow me."
As they walked, Bloom and Iris glanced around in wonder. Fairies floated by chatting, pixies zipped through hedges, and floating lights hung above the pathways like lazy fireflies.
Griselda led them to their dorm room. "You'll be sharing a suite with Stella, Flora, Tecna, and Musa. Classes begin tomorrow. I expect punctuality, discipline, and proper use of magic at all times. Understood?"
"Yes, ma'am," the twins said in unison.
Inside, the room was already alive with personality. Clothes floated through the air, music drifted from a small speaker orb, and flower pots on the windowsills bloomed in time with the beat.
Stella plopped onto her bed. "This is going to be so much fun. Girls, meet our new roommates!"
A girl with long brown hair and a kind smile waved. "I'm Flora. I love plants, potions, and... peace."
A techno-savvy girl with short purple hair looked up from a gadget. "Tecna. Technology fairy. I like logic and precision."
From a bunk above, a girl in red with headphones grinned. "And I'm Musa. Music fairy. Good to meet ya."
"I'm Iris," said Bloom's twin, giving a shy wave. "And this is my sister, Bloom."
"Sisters?" Flora asked, curious. "That's rare for magic to show up in twins!"
"It surprised us too," Bloom said. "We just found out yesterday."
"Typical first-year chaos," Musa said, laughing. "You'll get used to it!"
Suddenly, there was a loud crash outside. The girls rushed to the window.
A clumsy Specialist on a hover scooter had flown straight into a fountain. Another boy helped him up, smirking. The first was tall and blond. The second had darker hair and a confident grin.
"Those are the Specialists," Stella said. "From Red Fountain—school for heroic boys with swords and big egos. The blond one's Sky. The other is Brandon."
Bloom's eyes lingered on Sky.
Iris nudged her. "You're staring."
"I am not," Bloom said quickly, cheeks pink.
Down in the courtyard, the boys waved up.
"Looks like you made an impression," Musa teased.
The next morning, the girls headed to their first magic class, taught by the ever-dramatic Professor Palladium.
"Magic is more than sparkle and flair," he began. "It's about focus, energy, and control. Today, you will try to manifest your elemental essence."
He floated backward dramatically. "Begin!"
Flora grew a small tree. Tecna summoned a hologram. Musa pulsed waves of sound through the air. Stella cast a blinding beam of light like a spotlight.
Then it was Bloom's turn.
She closed her eyes—and her fire flared too fast.
BOOM!
A burst of flame shot through the room, singing the curtains and nearly knocking Palladium's wig off.
"Oh no!" Bloom gasped. "I didn't mean—"
"It's fine," he said, blinking through the smoke. "We'll... work on control."
Then it was Iris's turn.
She took a deep breath and held out her hands. A swirl of cool blue fire appeared, quiet but powerful. It pulsed with a chill energy, wrapping around her like an aura of calm strength.
Palladium clapped, amazed. "Fascinating. Synchronized elemental balance. Fire and frost. You two are going to be... interesting."
That afternoon, Bloom wandered into the library, her arms full of books on magic. She wasn't alone for long.
A trio of girls walked in, dressed in dark colors and wearing smug grins.
"Icy, Darcy, and Stormy," Iris whispered, appearing behind her. "I think those are the witches from Cloud Tower."
Icy spotted them. "Well, well. Look what the Spark dragged in."
"New fairies," Stormy said, rolling her eyes. "With matching outfits and matching hair. Adorable."
Darcy tilted her head. "I hear they both awakened magic yesterday. Must be sooo special."
"We don't want trouble," Bloom said, holding her ground.
"But trouble wants you," Icy smirked. "Let's see what happens when your little flames go out."
She raised her hand, but before she could cast a spell, Ms. Faragonda appeared in the doorway.
"Is there a problem here?"
The Trix scowled and slunk away.
"You'll want to stay clear of those three," Faragonda warned gently. "They play dirty."
"Who are they?" Iris asked.
"Witches from Cloud Tower," Faragonda replied. "And enemies of Alfea."
That night, Bloom and Iris sat on the roof of their dorm under a sky full of stars. Kiko curled beside them.
"We made it through day one," Iris said.
"Barely," Bloom chuckled.
"I almost froze a classmate's notebook. You scorched a plant. We're basically fairy disasters."
Bloom laughed. "Yeah... but we're learning disasters."
Iris leaned back and smiled at the stars. "This place is crazy. But I think we belong here."
"Me too," Bloom whispered.
And high above Alfea, the stars shimmered with magic, as if the universe itself were watching the two sisters—twin flames destined to shine.