The Steel Fairy ‖ Fate : The Winx Saga

05 ‖ Into the darkness

When I exit my bedroom, a cardboard box filled to the brim in my arms, I collapse head first into June. The stuff I won't need ever again, and I probably never needed in the first place, spread onto the ground around us.

"No! Not your peacock!" June says, reaching for the stuffed animal.

"Of course he's going!" I say grabbing him back and throwing him into the box. "He should have gone a long time ago."

Mister Peacock was a gift from Farah when I arrived at Alfea. A clumsy one for such. Even though, she doesn't have kids, she is the Headmistress of a high school so she should know teenagers get embarrassed by cuddly toys, especially if they recall the fact that their mother abandoned them to sail away. "A peacock for the pirate girl, get it?" Farah said. Yeah, I did, sadly.

June stretches a hand to help me stand up. She is just a year younger than me, but looks like five more, not in a bad way. She is a head taller than me, her beautiful hair is curly to the perfection, and her skin is glowing of a natural dark tan every single day of the year. Beside her, I don't look pale, I look sick.

June is my first year, the student I had to guide during the first weeks of school, unlucky her. She didn't know my history when arriving, but even when she did learn it, she continued hanging out with me. It's stupid to say it when knowing she is a Light fairy, but she really can enlighten the place where she is, just by her presence, and even more precious to me, she can enlighten my mood, which I can't say no to. June is the sunshine of the night, teased Riven once, and he wasn't wrong.

I remember when Dowling gave me her details to get in contact with her, I thought it was a joke. I even asked : "Where's July?" June and August... Turns out, June had the same humor so we clicked quickly.

"I'm leaving soon." I say bluntly.

"I know, it sucks. How are you?"

I shrug. "Don't have a say. I must follow orders." We walk down the corridor then the stairs.

"Did you really need to purge your stuff?" She asks, peaking into the box as we walked.

"My bag is ready. Not sure, I will ever come back—"

"Don't be dramatic, Gus. You're invincible!"

"Tell that to my Dad." I reply, dropping the box next to the garbage container outside the main building.

"Sorry... I don't want you to go. You're supposed to show me around here."

"You don't need me anymore."

"She never did." A voice says behind us.

We turn to find Riven not in his usually Specialist gear, but in a real military uniform. Kaki pants, dark green pullover, military jacket with the armoiries of the Solarian Army on the chest : seven swords spread like sunbeams at 180°.

A cold shiver runs down my back. Did I sleep too much? I took a nap after a shower when we came back from the cliff. I passed out within seconds, even with all the worries overloading my mind. I was too exhausted.

"Are we leaving now?" I ask.

Riven shakes his head. "Nope, but you gonna be late. We're on patrol tonight."

I look down at my sweatpants and hoodie.

"There is one for you too." Riven says, straitening up his jacket. "Come."

He gestures me to follow him and I look at June a little bit clueless, and she presses me to move my feet and come with us.

In the barracks, boxes of new clothes are opened on the floor and the new soldiers are looking for their sizes. I search for mine.