Musa is really upset when she sees her Riven together with Darcy. In addition, she finds herself alone to face the evil Trix. But together, the Winx and the Specialists are able to save her.
Strong magical powers are growing in Blaze and surprising memories are emerging from his past.

-

"This is it: The Simulation Room."

"Hm." Y/n touched one of the screens with her finger, which seemed to wrap like Jello. A mechanical hand came out with a sprayer and sprayed away the fingerprints with another hand and a rag cleaning it up. "Cool."

"Indeed, Miss Shay. It's the product of the most powerful magic and the most sophisticated technology." That caught Tecna's attention, who marveled at the screens. "The light produced by these amber panels allows our powerful computer to create all kinds of virtual realities and environments. The replications are absolutely flawless."

"Can it be used to simulate virtual dates with boys?" Stella asked.

"You'd be sure to get one then!"

The class began to laugh except for Y/n, who looked angry at the girl who had spoken up. "She brought in a prince. What've you got? Serious acne problems and gangly spider limbs?"

The class laughed even harder, the embarrassment now on the girl, who hung her head in shame.

"Miss Shay!" Palladium scolded, silencing the room. "I'd rather not give you a detention during your first midterm, so let's try to be kind to others, hm?"

Sweetly, she asked, "Does that go for Miss Spider, too? And all her Sunny Patch Friends?"

More laughter.

"You're very lucky I don't know what that is, but yes. Now, then. In the anticipation of the upcoming midterm, I've set up for you a simulation of some of the things that will definitely be on the test. Now let's all go and have a look at the control room." He took them into the control room, where lights went off and and a chair was placed in front of the screen. "From here we oversee everything that goes on in the simulation room."

Seeing Tecna looking around in fascination, Stella elbowed her, forcing her out of lala-land. "This is toyland for you, right?"

"Yeah," she admitted, gazing longingly at all the electronic doodads. "It's so wonderful..."

Palladium sat and began to simulate an example of their midterms. "Your midterm will be a survival test. The chamber will randomly select a dead planet for you. It will then place you on a virtual version of this planet's surface where you will have to survive extremely desolate conditions."

"First Step: Grow some flowers," Flora giggled.

"Note to self: bring family gardener on the journey," Stella joked.

"Jeez, Stel, tell me that's a joke."

"Right. Survive without a staff? You must be joking!"

"We'll all meet here tomorrow for your midterm," Professor Palladium concluded. "Please do come well-prepared and ready to go. Believe me, this will be an experience you'll remember for a very long time."

On their way out, Y/n tapped Tecna on the shoulder. "So, Tec. How about a study session tonight?"

"Of course. Don't I always help you?"

-

"Y/n!"

"Hmm?" She looked up from the well, the girls coming fine.

"What are you doing here?" Stella asked. "It's almost dinnertime."

"Yeah, I know." She gazed back into the well, leaning against it.

"Hmm..." Stella and the others looked at each other, then stood next to her, looking in, as well, the others leaving to go to the cafeteria. "You know, whenever I look into a well, I think of Sky. What do you think of?"

"...water."

She leaned over a little more, her hair dangling over the edge of the well. "Water...like red water or like watery blue eyes?"

"That's not funny, Stella." She tried to leave, but Stella followed, pulling her wrist back.

"You seem depressed. What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I'm fine..." She got up from the fountain and went inside for dinner, Stella hesitantly following her.

-

Riven ran off before he could be spotted, least by Ms. Griselda of all people, who frightened even him. Getting off campus, he channeled his inner dark energy, reaching out for a certain witch.

'Darcy. Can you hear me?'

'Riven...'

'I have some news for you. About Blaze. But first...how about breaking a little girl's heart?'

'Heheh...you're so bad, babe ~'

-

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen. In a few minutes we'll begin. You'll go one at a time."

The Winx gathered around each other, all staring at the simulation test.

"I'm just so nervous."

"Well, yeah. I hope I don't go first."

"I think it might be better to go first," Stella said. "That way, you get it over with and then it's off your mind."

After getting everything set up, Palladium turned back to his class. "Alright, let's get the ball rolling. Which one of you wants to go first?"

"Oh, my!"

"Oh, no!"

"Stella, I thought you said you wanted to get this over with," Musa whispered.

"I changed my mind."

"Just as I thought," the professor went on when he saw no one voulenteer. "I'll pick the volunteer." Everyone waited with bated breath as he looked around for a good person to start off with. "Blaze."

"Huh?!" He put his fingers together, trying to find a way out of being first. "Hey, how about drawing straws? Or rock, paper, scissors, maybe?"

Flora jabbed her elbow at him to get his attention. "Blaze, you're ready."

"Blaze, what potion ingredients are you going to bring along?"

He took a few nervous steps to the control panel. "Um, I have the starter kit we got in lab class. So do I choose the planet?"

"No, the chamber picks it for you." He clicked a few buttons on the simulation machine and brought up a randomly generated planet.

"Uh, let me just grab my stuff, and stuff. And well, um..." He picked up his backpack, gripping it nervously.

He opened the door for him to go into the simulation. "There you go. The test will thirty 30 minutes. I'll be in the computer room controlling everything. Now do your best."

"I will."

"Good luck!"

"Be careful!"

"Take care, alright?"

"Figure it out!"

"Nice encouragement, Tec."

"It's the most logical kind!"

"Thanks, girls. I'll see ya." He went into the chamber and onto a platform, where the lights began to turn on. The platform backed up, leaving him to stand on what seemed to be thin air, the lights white and blinding around him. The planet appeared around him then, desolate and frozen over. He held his arms, despite having worn a jean jacket over his t-shirt. "Jeez, is freezing here. Now, what can I do to improve this place?"

He went into his bag for some of the potions he had brought along when Kiko suddenly jumped out by his feet, hopping around. "Oh, Kiko! What are you doing here?" He chuckled seeing the rabbit running around, sniffing at the dirt. "Now, you be a good bunny. I've got very important things to do."

He bent down and took out a seed stash from his bag. "I'll start with a few plants. And I'll use magic." Opening the bag, he began to sprinkle some on the dirt and buried it. With his hands over it, he concentrated into giving it a life source, a small sprout beginning to bud. "Cool, it's working!"

Kiko rubbed his hands together while he watched, excited for the final product.

Behind Blaze, the Trix appeared in their witch form, Icy at the front of them. "Hi, there, my little Winx."

He got up from the plant and, seeing them, immediately groaned. "No, not you. What are you doing here?"

"Hey, I've got a question for you," Darcy said instead. "An extra credit question: Can you survive this?" She pointed to the sky, creating an illusion. "Come on, little boy. Your grade is depending on it."

When she pointed it at him, he jumped out of the way, dodging her illusion. "I beat you witches in reality. I'll beat you here. You can count on it."

-

Blaze spun in a circle with his hands up, twirling.
He clapped and crossed his hands, arm bands appearing and sleeves coming from his undershirt. With his hands held out, another shirt came in, this one only covering his top and with a yellow pendant on his chest. His pants and boots appeared along with it.
He turned his head and his wings appeared. Straightening, a small crown was placed on his head that matched the pendant. He flew up and landed on his feet, one hand on his hips as his eyes narrowed.

-

He instantly took to the air, trying to get the higher ground. "If I'd known you'd be here, I would have reviewed chapter eight: Fungus Removal Spells." He threw a fireball, hitting Darcy and knocking her on her back. "GET OUT OF MY TEST!"

But his tune changed quickly when he saw Kiko jumping around, imitating his moves. "Kiko! Kiko!"

Icy bent over Darcy, soon followed by Stormy, trying to help her up. Rain began to downpour once she got up, immediately sending another illusion towards Blaze.

"So, what do you think you're gonna do now?!" Stormy demanded and sent a bolt of electricity towards him, Blaze flying away just in time. "You're gonna flunk this test and get kicked out!"

He sent a barrage of fireballs towards her, every one of them missing as she flew higher. "You'll end up sorting teeth at the Tooth Fairy warehouse!"

"Or Cloud Tower could hire you. You could clean up after the witches." Behind him, Icy froze his legs in place, sending him falling down towards the ground. "Hey Darcy, Stormy! I call this one the six-thousand carat prison!"

Cracks began to form in the ground from Stormy's storm, lava underneath all the dirt and rock. Blaze used his fire energy to get out just in time, flying away from the molten lava, steam everywhere.

"I'd have to rate that one a C minus! One more bulnder and you'll be failing," Icy snickered, watching him on one of the jagged, broken rocks.

"You witches, I've had it!"

"Please, Blaze. You're so weak, you can't even protect your silly little bunny." She pointed at Kiko who was, huddled on a rock, scared to death.

"Kiko!" He lunged forward, panic evident in his voice. "Don't move! I'll get you, Kiko!"

"You're not focusing, Blaze. You fail." With a bit of ice, the rock was easy to blast, knocking Kiko off of it and towards the lava.

"KIKO!" He flew towards him, hands outreached, only to be stopped by a rock in his way. He was forced to watch his childhood pet burn alive just out of his reach, sobbing hysterically.

"Bunny burgers, anyone?" Icy asked nonchalantly.

"Stop!"

"It's all your fault."

"You let it happen."

"That's right."

A yellow spark ignited from his chest, enveloping his being in it as he began to rise from the rock, flying up. Fire danced around him, closed up in a bubble of wrath. He screamed, blinding them and causing them to seemingly melt away, all while I y maniacally laughed. "Yes! Yes! Yes! It's him!"

With the Trix gone, Blaze collapsed onto the ground, back in his normal form, still shuddering as the flashback replayed over and over again. "Kiko..."

Hearing his name, Kiko appeared behind him, squeaking out. He looked behind him and saw, confused. "Kiko? But..." When he reached out to him, his hand went through, making him then realize that Kiko had been multipled, stuck in some copying part of the simulation.

A sleeping rabbit suddenly woke up and rubbed his eyes. Seeing Blaze, he hopped into his arms, his ear twitching slightly. "Kiko! I thought you were...oh, Kiko!"

Around him, the simulation glitched and sent him back to the platform. He looked around: everything was exactly as it had been before the midterm.

The door immediately bust open, Y/n running through. "Blaze! What the hell happened?!"

He stood up, still petting Kiko. "I'm not too sure myself. The Trix were here and -"

Flora and Stella followed behind Y/n. "We know," the former said. "We saw the whole thing."

"Do you realize you crashed the computer?" Stella asked.

"I did?"

Palladium walked in with the rest of the class behind him, confirming, "You did. The simulator is totally gone. But you're okay, right?"

"I'm a bit shaken, but other than that I'm fine."

"I'm postponing the exams," he decided immediately. "First, we've got to fix things up, then we can reschedule the exams. And Mr. Peters, I'm giving you an A+."

Winx
If your hand is warm in mine,
It will give us greater power

The class cheered, Stella leading them in, "Everyone! Three cheers for Blaze!"

With a feeling, we'll be sure
Fire-winners!

They rushed to him, picking him up and tossing him into the air. "Hip hip hooray! Hip hip hooray! Hip hip hooray!"

Winx
With a smile, you can enchant
And you're lighting up our world

"Blaze!" Y/n called over the noise. "Think you can get every midterm postponed like this?"

With a feeling we can take
Flight, watch us!

"Well...I can try!" he laughed, still getting tossed.

If you desire, you can become
One of our bunch

"Hip hip hooray! Hip hip hooray! Yay!"

...stars
A powerful light-ray under

"Yay! Yay, Blaze!"

The sign of the Winx ~

-

In the next chapter, during the exams, Flora will be absolutely impossible. The Winx will help her on an expedition to Black Mud Swamp. But a mysterious creature threatens the swamp, yet another mystery to solve. And what did Riven mean about breaking Y/n's heart?

-

We're
The magical Winx Club
We're best friends and our hearts will beat as one
Yes that's us
We're the kids of marvelous Winx Club

Winx!
Winx Club!
Energy!
The Winx is warm!
Under the sign of the Winx!
Winx Club!
Winx Club!

We're
The magical Winx Club
We're all tied to the same fate together
We're the kids
The wonder kids,
That's us
The magical Winx Club
So happy to be flying from heaven to earth
This magic feeling
This is our Winx Club!

-

Sorry if this seemed short, I tried to keep some mystery going. Believe it or not, this is a few of my readers' first experience with Winx Club, so I'm pretending that nobody knows what's going to happen.