Two days after Azura's visit, Elina found herself back at the Crystal Palace with a strong wave of nostalgia crashing over her. It looked as though nothing had changed in the time they had been away, right down to the dorm rooms being positioned exactly as before. Bright, different coloured flowers, the interior of each one decorated to its owner's liking - which had been massively comforting for the flower fairy to discover after getting off to such a shaky start with most of the others.

Despite how insecure she had felt for most of it, Elina smiled in remembrance of that first night here. At least she wouldn't have any trouble figuring out which room belonged to her, not to mention she would not be faced with people she had never met before, so she was feeling much more confident this time around.

Elina gave a contented sigh. "It's good to be back, huh, Bibble?"

Bibble, who was flitting around in rapid excitement, nodded, and asked if she saw Dizzle anywhere. He'd been looking forward to seeing her ever since Azura had delivered the Enchantress's message, and he hadn't stopped talking about her for most of their journey.

"I don't see her out here just yet," Elina informed the puffball, "She might be in Glee's room, though. Want to go see?"

Bibble nodded once more, then immediately zoomed off in that direction. Elina followed, glancing around to see if anybody else had shown up. If Linden wasn't here by now, she imagined he probably would be soon. "Glee?" she called as she reached the door to Glee's room, "Are you here?"

No answer. So, she hadn't arrived yet. Then –

"Bibby-poof!"

A blur of pink shot past Elina, and she turned just in time to see Dizzle nearly knock Bibble out of the air in her haste to give him an enthusiastic hug. Apparently, she had been just as excited to see him as he'd been to see her. Elina scanned the area once again, figuring that if Dizzle was here then Glee must be, too. Sure enough, she spotted her friend just as she was reuniting with Linden. "Hi, guys!" she called out to them with a cheerful wave, and the moment they saw Elina they flew over.

"It's so good to see you, Elina!" Glee exclaimed, pulling her into a hug. "How have you guys been?"

"We've been great!" replied Elina happily, "You?"

"Well, I can't speak for Linden, but I've been doing pretty well, too. As of a month ago I have a little sister," Glee told her, eyes lit up in happiness, "Her name's Joy!"

"Aww, cute!" Elina grinned, "Congratulations. What about you, Linden? Anything new?"

"Not really anything new, no, but I've been doing alright. Oh, hey – Dahlia told me to tell you hi," replied Linden.

"Dahlia?" That surprised her a bit. "You know her?"

"Yeah, she's been my best friend since we were little," Linden explained.

"Really? That's good to know." At these words, Elina was hit with the realization of just how little the apprentices knew about each other despite their time together, and she made an immediate mental note to try and change that if she could. "Would you tell her hi back for me when you see her next?"

"Of course," he said. "So, has anyone else gotten here yet?"

"Just us, it looks like," answered Glee.

Since they still had at least two days to get settled in, the group soon found themselves relaxing together by the water. The spot they had chosen was one they knew all too well, for it was the place where they had first learned to separate light from water. Where Elina had begun to learn for herself how much inner strength and magical power she truly possessed, something she had never believed herself to have much of in the first place, if any at all – even after receiving her wings.

Elina could still hear Tourmaline's words clearly in her mind: "You have control issues and that's a problem, but your technique...I have to tell you, it's pretty impressive."

The flower fairy did her best to remember those words, especially the latter half, whenever insecurity gnawed at her. They truly had meant a great deal to her - especially coming from someone as powerful as a Guardian.

Bibble and Dizzle, meanwhile, were flying together by the water taking turns picking up little stones and attempting to skip them as they babbled back and forth in cheerful conversation.

"Hey, have either of you guys ever tried going swimming around this area before?" asked Glee, "It's pretty refreshing."

"I haven't," admitted Elina, "Unless you count diving in once to rescue Sunburst."

"Neither have I," added Linden, "How cold is it?"

"Not too bad," Glee told him, moving forward a bit and removing her shoes so she could dip her toes in, "Well, in the mornings it can be, but aside from that it's usually mild."

"She's not the only one who's enjoyed a good swim here before," a new voice sounded, and we all turned to see Faban flying toward us, leaf-adorned mirror in his hand as usual. "I trust you're all elated to see me?"

"Hi, Faban," Elina could see Linden trying not to roll his eyes. They may not have hated each other, per se, but she could tell Faban's admittedly large ego got on the Oread's nerves sometimes. "Care to join us?" He offered despite this.

"Yes, I would. Hello, Elina."

"Um, hi," Elina responded uncertainly as he landed and moved to sit next to her. She had nothing against Faban, really, but this was one of the first times he'd ever tried to approach her in anything close to a friendly conversation. Thankfully she was saved from having to think of something else to say to him by the sound of yet more familiar voices in the distance. "Looks like everyone else is here."

"Yes, Shimmer, Ruby and I arrived together about five minutes ago, and I think Sunburst just got here now," confirmed Faban, "Lumina isn't here yet, but she should be by tomorrow at the latest. According to Ruby, at least."

"Oh, what's this? Faban paying attention to something other than his own reflection for once?" Elina heard Sunburst's teasing remark just as she landed gracefully beside Glee. She looked just the same as she had the last time they met, aside from wearing the sun-shaped necklace the Enchantress had given her. That, and her emerald eyes held an expression that was a lot less hostile, even as she turned her gaze to Elina. The flower fairy was almost tempted to joke that Laverna was back in disguise but was unsure of the reaction that might cause so she instead chose to hold her tongue.

"I will have you know my reflection is always a magnificent sight to behold!" Faban dramatically defended himself, "It mirrors my own natural beauty, after all!"

Both Sunburst and Elina couldn't resist chuckling at his antics. "Hey there, Hero," the former greeted the latter, sending a playful smirk her way. Then she turned her attention to Glee. "Um, exactly how are you not cold?"

Glee, who was up to her knees in the water by this point, just laughed. "It's warm! Why not give it a try, Sunburst?"

"And lose my powers? No, thanks."

"You know what? I think I'll join you," Elina told Glee, kicking off her shoes and getting in the water, careful not to splash Sunburst in the process. Nearby, Bibble and Dizzle were trying to convince Faban to skip rocks with them and he seemed to be giving in, much to their delight. "Wow, you're right – this is nice."

"I told you!"

"So, Elina," Sunburst interjected, taking a seat on the water's edge, "Enjoying the new powers?"

"Huh?" Elina was rather confused by the question and, judging from Linden's expression, she was not the only one. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, very funny. I know I can't be the only one whose powers have been growing," Sunburst pressed, "Let's hear it."

"You're not the only one, Sunburst," Glee chimed in, "Mine are stronger, too. I can control vines and plants more easily now."

Elina, truthfully, had forgotten about Glee's plant manipulation abilities altogether, though she chalked this up to the fact that Glee had never used them in front of her, nor did she discuss them often. With both being flower fairies, one would expect Elina herself to have that power as well but, like her wings, she simply hadn't been born with it. "That's terrific, you guys."

"So, you're sure you haven't noticed anything new, Elina?" Glee asked me. Elina could only shake her head. "That's alright. I'm sure it'll happen soon. Maybe once training starts. What about you, Linden?"

"Nope, my powers haven't really changed either. Unless you count learning about some effective new healing methods."

"It must be these new necklaces," surmised Sunburst, "I only realized I could conjure flames once I started wearing mine."

"Whoa, you can make fire now? Remind me never to make you angry," Elina joked.

Sunburst grinned. "What's the matter, Elina? Afraid you'll be burned to a crisp?"

"Maybe just a bit," she answered with a grin of her own.

The day continued in the same smooth manner, with Ruby eventually stopping to say hello to the apprentices before heading off in search of the other Guardians. Shimmer joined the group some time in the evening, which led to quite the competitive game of Fairy Ball between the six fairies, Bibble and Dizzle watching from the sidelines with enthusiasm. Perhaps 'competitive' was something of an understatement, however, as the game was still well underway by the time the chimes signaling bedtime sounded. Their entire flight up to the dorms was spent trying to determine who should be considered the winner, and it wasn't until they arrived that they finally agreed to give the credit to a triumphant Sunburst.

Lumina arrived early the next morning just as Faban said she might, with Sapphire at her side. Most of the other apprentices were still asleep then, but Elina managed to wake just in time to see she and Linden sitting peacefully in the early-morning light, catching up as they watched the sunrise together. The sight of the two made the fairy smile and she chose to leave them be rather than disturb them. The last thing she wanted was to ruin their moment, after all.

Overall, the day didn't go the way any of them were expecting. Their original plan had been to hold a Fairy Ball rematch and otherwise enjoy the free time they had left, but that plan was cast aside the moment Tourmaline arrived outside the dorms with an announcement.

"What's this about?" a sleepy Faban demanded, "I thought we didn't start anything until tomorrow."

"Technically, you don't," Tourmaline nodded, "But I am here for a similar purpose. You see, normally I would have you all go over what you learned the last time you were here. You know – luminescence and the like. This review is often thought of as the precursor to the rest of your training, and it's what the Enchantress expects to happen today. However, I personally don't see the point in repeating the things you have already proven yourselves proficient in. That would be rather redundant, don't you think?"

"Thank the Rainbow he has some sense," Shimmer muttered to Lumina. Elina could not help but silently agree, though she would never say so aloud. They had performed the Flight of Spring almost completely on their own, after all, and that was only a few months ago.

"So then, what are we doing?" Glee asked curiously. Unlike Faban she was a morning person, so she was wide awake and polite as ever.

"Yeah, it's not like you to defy an order, Tourmaline," remarked Sunburst, "Not that I'm complaining."

"Ah, but I'm not. You see, in a way we will still be focusing on the lessons of last time, only instead of a simple review, we will be expanding upon them," explained Tourmaline. "For example, the magic lessons I taught you before centered around separating light from water, as you well remember. This time, I'm going to take it one step further. Instead of simply using your inner strength to manipulate the light, I'm going to teach you how to solidify it in whatever form it has caused the water to take."

"As in, turn it to ice?"

"In a manner of speaking, Elina, yes - the water will be frozen, but we won't be using cold temperatures to do it," Tourmaline clarified. "Now, this type of lesson may seem rather random, but I assure you that it has its place in your training. I will explain why shortly, but first I would like everyone to follow me down to the water."

As they all took flight, Elina turned to Sunburst. "What do you think the new part of luminescence will be?"

"Well, last time it was all about inner light, so I'm thinking inner darkness," she joked.

Elina chuckled. "There's something that would fit right in with the rest of the curriculum."

She was out of time for a witty comeback, however, because at that moment they made it to the water's edge. Tourmaline remained in the air before the apprentices, waiting for them to sit before speaking again. "To begin, I will give a demonstration of what I was talking about. Please watch carefully."

Expertly and with great precision, he allowed his magic to form what looked like a downward-pointing blade from the light-controlled water. It resembled the blade of a sword, but Elina couldn't say for sure what kind since she had never seen one before and had very limited knowledge of weaponry overall. As everyone kept watching, a hilt formed at the top.

Then, without Tourmaline doing anything noticeably different, the weapon began to solidify, the flow of the water halting and the light freezing in place along with it. With one hand, he reached out and took the newly shaped sword, holding it up for the group to see. The light inside shone brilliantly, enhanced further still by the light from the sun. "There you have it," said the Guardian, "Now, this sword may appear delicate, as it was made from water, but do not underestimate the power of a magically crafted weapon. The more inner strength you apply to this skill, the sturdier your work will be."

"So how does this apply to the rest of our training?" inquired Shimmer.

"Simple: It doesn't just apply to water. This type of magic can also be used to solidify other materials as well, and even to fortify the strength of things that are solid to begin with. I don't believe I'm permitted to reveal much more than that now, I think the other Guardians wanted to surprise you."

"But you said you'd explain," Sunburst reminded him, though she was not trying to sound rude. She had a lot of respect for Tourmaline, a feeling Elina could tell was mutual.

"I told you I'd explain why this is relevant, not how. You will need to figure that part out for yourselves, unfortunately." Before anyone could ask any more questions, he instructed the apprentices to give this new skill a try themselves. "The goal for each of you today is to create a successful sword of your own," he added, "Visualization is the key to this exercise, though I can't tell you exactly what to picture this time. That's another thing that falls to you to determine. You may begin."

At once, all seven fairies made their way to the water. They made sure to position themselves far enough apart that no one would become collateral damage because, with this exercise being so new, mistakes were guaranteed to be made. Bibble and Dizzle stayed right beside Elina, but she knew there was no convincing them to do otherwise. She would just have to be careful.

Concentrate, Elina, you can do this, she encouraged herself, taking a few deep breaths and willing herself to focus. She channeled her magical energy into forming the water into a sword shape just as Tourmaline had done, but when it came to solidifying the weapon, she could feel her hands begin to tremble and her control slipping away until finally it lost its shape and collapsed back into ordinary water. She made three more attempts after that, only to meet the same result no matter what she visualized. How had Tourmaline done it?

Bibble suddenly got Elina's attention and pointed somewhere to the left, where Shimmer was working. To her surprise, the pixie had just managed to form a perfect, sturdy-looking sword and now sported a triumphant grin. Bibble went on to say something else and Elina nodded in response. "I think you might be right, Bibble. It doesn't seem like anyone else has the hang of it yet either. I wonder how many tries it took her?"

He just shrugged.

Elina had expected Sunburst to be the one who succeeded first, but even she was struggling with this to the point where she somehow managed to set her fourth attempt on fire. That minor fiasco caused it to splash into the water with a loud sizzle.

"Okay, I think you all deserve a break," Tourmaline called about two hours into the exercise, "Amethyst offered to bring lunch down to us shortly, too, so keep an eye out for him."

"This is so much more difficult than I was expecting," Faban complained.

"How did you do it, Shimmer?" Elina was itching to know. There was a large part of her that wanted to figure it out for herself, but she also knew it couldn't hurt to ask for advice.

Shimmer shrugged. "I just pictured the water sort of...tightening on itself, if that makes sense. Like the water drops are pulling each other closer and sticking together really rapidly. Then I imagined this shimmering effect pass over it, thinking of it as this magical barrier that gives it strength and stops it from breaking."

"Wow, that's...pretty amazing," Linden was awestruck, "I might have to try that." Many of the others nodded or hummed in agreement, including Elina.

"Here's the thing: I don't expect your results to be a hundred percent perfect by the end of today's session," said Tourmaline, "The way I see it, as long as you can each create a sword sturdy enough that it won't shatter with one blow, then you're on the right track. But I do have to agree with them, Shimmer, that technique sounds very effective. Good work."

Shimmer beamed. "It's something you should all try, if you ask me. It's the only one I found that made any difference."

Before long, Amethyst arrived with our food. "Hey, everyone," he greeted us cheerfully, "How's the review going?"

"He doesn't know you changed the plan, does he?" Elina asked Tourmaline in an undertone, who nodded.

"For now, let's keep it that way. I imagine the Enchantress will have my head when she finds out – figuratively, of course - even if I didn't outright defy her," he replied. "The review is going well, Amethyst, thank you for asking!" he added, much louder, to his fellow Guardian.

"Good to hear. Mind if I join you?"

"Not at all."

After lunch they resumed the exercise immediately – or would have, if Faban and Amethyst hadn't started a splash war, managing to pull several people into it including Linden, Lumina, Bibble, Dizzle and Elina. Even Tourmaline himself joined in, though he was also the one to put a stop to it eventually despite his own amusement.

When they returned to the lesson for real, Elina found herself having an easier time with getting the sword to solidify now that Shimmer had shared her technique. It took at least five more tries, but eventually she managed to make a sword that looked like it could be just as strong as Shimmer's, and this success was met with loud cheering from both Bibble and Dizzle.

"Wonderful job, Elina!" Tourmaline was thrilled when he saw the gleaming, see-through weapon now in her outstretched hand.

Elina smiled, feeling immensely proud of herself. "Thanks. Although really, I should be thanking you, Shimmer!" she called to the pixie, who was relaxing on the ground as she watched everyone else continue to practice. Despite her success, Elina kept practicing, too, since she was having far too much fun with it to stop. It was just so exhilarating!

"Wow, Elina, you learn fast!" an impressed Linden commented as she started experimenting with different formations. "That's amazing!"

"Thanks, Linden."

By the time everyone managed to get the hang of it – taking lots of breaks in between tries to avoid exhausting their energy - it was late enough that Tourmaline decided it would be pointless to go over luminescence. "To be completely honest, there wasn't much time for it after today's events," he revealed to Sunburst and Elina as everyone else sleepily filed into their dorms. "And besides, the water-sword lesson was my main plan for today. In any case, sleep well, you two."

Then he flew off, leaving the two fairies alone to bid a quick goodnight to one another before they, too, headed to bed. Immensely tired from today's events, Elina started to drift off seconds after her head touched the pillow. "Goodnight, Bibble," she murmured to the already sleeping puffball just before her eyes fluttered shut.

Early the next morning, the apprentices were woken by a chiming bell that announced it was finally time for them to meet with Azura. The very first question that entered Elina's mind when she landed before the Guardian was why the other six weren't with her, but she quickly realized they were probably busy finalizing today's lesson plans. She, Sunburst, and Glee were the first ones to arrive, the others quick to follow.

"Welcome back, everyone," Azura warmly greeted them, "It's wonderful to see you all again. As you know, today marks the first day of your new training, though before we get into that there's someone I'd like to introduce. Step forward, Lilith, if you please."

To the apprentices' surprise, a fairy who looked remarkably like the Enchantress made her presence known. Her hair was the same golden blonde as that of their beloved ruler, though she wore it in a loose braid over her shoulder with her bangs framing her face, and her stunning green eyes were also the same, magical in the sense that they almost looked blue at times. However, there were some key differences. The way she carried herself, for one thing – she had what could only be described as the look of a rebel despite her regal attire, and she came across as someone who yearned for adventure. Elina got the distinct impression that, like Sunburst, she and Nori would get along nicely if they ever met. And her wings, instead of blue, were a shimmering fern green.

When she spoke to the group, her voice was full of warmth and confidence. "Hey, folks. It's great to finally meet you all."

"This is Lilith, the daughter of the Enchantress and, therefore, our princess. She will be undergoing training of her own while you're all here, and some of your lessons may even overlap," Azura continued. "I expect you all to treat her with the same level of respect as you would the rest of us. Is that understood?"

Everyone nodded.

"Good. Now, each of you possesses a unique skillset that will, in one way or another, prove essential in keeping FairyTopia safe and healthy. However, there are several skills you all have yet to learn, which will be covered over the next while and may very well surprise you." A wave of her hand caused a glowing scroll to materialize in front of each apprentice. "The scrolls in front of you contain your new schedules, which I suggest you review carefully before getting started today. I wish you all the best of luck, and I'll be seeing you again very soon."

With that, she flew off, leaving Lilith and the apprentices to open the scrolls. "Wow, she wasn't kidding when she said these would be surprising," remarked Shimmer, "Sunburst, check this out – we have to learn how to swordfight."

"Wait, really?" Elina's eyes widened and she hastily checked her own schedule. Sure enough, swordplay was to take place once a week and would be led by Ruby. "So that's why Tourmaline was so fixated on swords yesterday. I, uh...don't suppose anyone's used one before?"

"I have," Faban piped up, "Though it has been some time. I'm ashamed to admit I could use the practice."

"Nervous over there, Elina?" teased Sunburst, and despite knowing that it wasn't out of spite the way it used to be, Elina ignored her comment in favour of examining the rest of the scroll. It included a variety of subjects ranging from healing and transformation spells to the history and geography of our realm. There would even be a class taught by Sapphire on formal rituals and ceremonies, probably because at least half of the Guardians were responsible for leading some percentage of them.

Finally, the apprentices would each have a one-on-one session with their respective Guardian three evenings per week, and Elina found herself pondering that more than anything else written. Why give Azura one-on-one sessions with me if my powers haven't evolved?

Unless...Azura knew something she didn't?

"Hey there," Lilith approached Elina for the first time, clearly noting the questioning expression on her face. "Are you doing alright?"

"I'm fine," Elina responded instinctively, then with a start she remembered she was speaking to a princess and ought to be more polite. "Thank you, your Highness."

But to Elina's surprise, she simply waved a dismissive hand. "Please, there's no need for that, formalities don't matter much to me. You can just call me Lilith. Elina, right?"

"Yeah, that's me," the flower fairy confirmed. "And these are Bibble and Dizzle," she added, gesturing to the two puffballs, who each gave a cheerful wave.

"Wonderful to meet you all," Lilith smiled.

Elina hesitated for a moment before speaking again because while her next question was one she had been asking herself ever since Azura introduced the princess, she didn't want to offend her. She decided to proceed anyway, albeit with caution. "Forgive me for asking this, but...why haven't I heard of you before? I mean, since you're royalty and all, it just seems..."

"Strange? Yeah, well, take that up with my mother. Or don't, if you'd rather be spared the long story you'd be sitting through in return." Lilith rolled her eyes but somehow, Elina could tell her irritation wasn't directed toward her. "And that's assuming she's even willing to get into it."

Elina also felt, however, as though she had stepped into a personal matter that she shouldn't have, and she rushed to backpedal at once. "I'm really sorry. I wasn't trying to stir up any sensitive topics or anything. I hope I didn't cross a line."

"Oh, don't even worry about it," Lilith gave a reassuring smile as her eyes softened, "So – swordplay, huh? Lucky you. I've always wanted to learn how to fight, but Mom and the Guardians don't think it's necessary for me. Instead, I get magical theory."

"Magical theory? That one doesn't seem to be on any of our schedules," Sunburst inserted herself into the conversation as she double-checked her scroll.

"I find it concerning that they don't think you need to learn how to defend yourself," Faban spoke up, "especially considering how many times your mother has been targeted by Laverna."

"For all you know, they could be planning to teach her defensive magic," Sunburst told him. "It's still a shame you can't swordfight with us, though," she added to Lilith.

"Yeah, you guys get all the awesome, hands-on, practical stuff," said Lilith, "At least we'll all be learning the history and geography stuff together, though. I think Azura's teaching that."

"Yep, says her name right here. And it's our first class. By the way, Lilith, it's nice to meet a royal who doesn't think they're better than anyone else. I think you and I are going to get along just fine," Sunburst grinned.

"Right?! I've never understood that attitude. I mean, Mom obviously doesn't think that way, either, but it still seems like she demands a higher level of respect. I'm just glad we were never stuck with Laverna as a ruler. Now there's someone who would act all high and mighty."

"Don't forget cruel," Linden added.

"And vengeful," Elina put forth. She knew Laverna would still have it out for everyone who was at the Crystal Palace right now, assuming she was still alive.

"Have you ever met her?" asked Shimmer, who was well aware of most fairies' former belief in Laverna being nothing more than a myth.

"You'd think I would have, with her being my aunt and all, but nope. Not once. I honestly don't even know if she's aware I exist, but I hope not. She'd probably want me dead if she did."

"Hate to say it, but I'm willing to bet you're not wrong," Shimmer agreed. "Hey, Lumina, do you have any idea what kind of rituals we'll be learning from Sapphire?"

"If you're asking for specifics, not really, but I'm hoping my people's Full Moon Ritual will pop up somewhere in the curriculum," Lumina answered, "I think she can probably explain it better than I can."

"I've always wanted to go to one of those," mused Lilith, "Amethyst went once, and he told me about it. It sounded terrific."

Lumina beamed, her eyes twinkling like stars. "Well, I've foreseen us being here for the next Full Moon, so I have a strong feeling you'll get your wish."

Lilith beamed right along with her, then glanced down at her scroll again. "Hey, guess what, folks? I'm in at least two other classes with you all, and one of them is Sapphire's!"

As if on cue, a familiar set of chimes rang out in what everyone knew to be a summons to their first lesson. You can do this, Elina, she reminded myself firmly, joining the others in taking flight and bidding Lilith a friendly farewell.