1 First Day In The Otherworld

Tugging at the collar of my shirt, I winced at the tightness of the clothing. I guess you don't live seventeen years in a tribe where modern clothing isn't the norm and then get to go back to wearing t-shirts, huh?

I looked around at the surrounding building and people and took a deep breath of the surrounding air. A bunch of fairies and the unique stench of human Specialists. Magic has a smell and, depending on the element, it can have a nice smell. But when it's all mixed together like this? It smells horrific, and so I cut off my sense of smell through the usage of my warrior training.

A while back, I thought I'd been sent to some sort of new world after I died. I mean, I woke up as a baby with my past life's memories, after all. But it wasn't just some random world.

It took me a few years but I figured out where I was.

The universe of 'Fate: The Winx Saga', a Netflix TV series. A show about magic, fairies and specialists aka warriors who guard a place called the Otherworld. Basically Netflix Harry Potter. At the time, I only watched a single episode, so I didn't have a well of knowledge on the show...so I decided to just stay out of it. Wanted to live a normal life.

...That obviously didn't work out.

Well, I doomed from the start regardless. You see, I'm not a human in this life. Neither am I a fairy. I come from a family of elite warriors who once called the Otherworld their home, specifically Eraklyon, but after a magical ritual the family was changed forever on a genetic level. Basically, we got turned into Werewolves. After that my family, ironically called Wolfsbane, were used as elite soldiers throughout Otherworld's extensive history of wars before finally being banished to Earth after some sort of crime that was wiped from all the records.

All of this meant I was involved in this world from the second I was reborn. Purely because I was a being born of magic. So, I did what you do when you're born to a Warrior family:

I trained to become a warrior. And I was pretty damn good at it. Born Ezra Wolfsbane, son of Victor and Elia Wolfsbane, Heir Of The Chief and Alpha...I had some pretty damn good genetics. Both my parents are complete beasts in combat and I inherited their best parts. From my dad? His absurd physical ability. Werewolves are physical juggernauts who are well beyond the human limit and even by their standards dad was absurdly strong. From mom, however? I gained her magic. Like all Werewolves who had access to magic before me and all after me, I had access to the Sound Element.

In the end, I took lessons from all the warriors in the Tribe and all the Werewolves in the Tribe who knew magic. Including my parents.

My life was going pretty well, honestly. And then the Otherworld decided that the Werewolves had served their banishment long enough and should be able to come back to the Otherworld. First order of business? Allowing the Prince of The Werewolves a free ticket to Alfea College.

Leading to me being dragged away from my comfy life of travelling throughout the world with my family and Tribe while training and goofing around all day.

After all, mom and dad couldn't deny the fairies in charge of the Otherworld by denying their 'benevolence' or whatever they had planned. So I was sent off to Alfea College to test the waters for the rest of the Werewolves who showed martial and magical talent. Such were the duties of being the Prince of an entire species.

My eye got caught on someone I actually remembered. Bloom, the protagonist of the series...I think, anyway. Redhead, hazel eyes and a cute freckled face. Put together with her summer dress and cardigan attire and she really gave off the 'girl next door' vibes.

Fishing my phone out of my pocket, I looked through my messages and right on time, one appeared from the Headmistress.

[Meet Stella At The Gates.]

...Succinct as usual.

Man, I wish I watched more of that show. I've got no fucking clue who Stella is. Welp, gonna have to hang around the protagonist until something happens, huh? Not that I mind. I don't really wanna be at this college but if I have to be here, why not be in the thick of it? Sounds fun, anyway. Besides, when I concentrate I can smell the magic coming off of the redhead and it is...very different. Spicy, is how I'd describe it.

I walked up next to the wide-eyed redhead who was turning and looking at just about anyone she could see, and got her attention with a wave, "Hey," I started, keeping a healthy distance between us so as to not look like one of those overly friendly creeps, "From the way you're looking around, I'm guessing you're from Earth like me, right?"

The relief that flooded the poor girl's eyes was something to behold and her tensed shoulders slumped slightly as they relaxed, "Thank God I'm not the only one," she mumbled to herself too low for others to hear but easily discernible to my supernatural ears but she quickly composed herself and gave an easy smile that very poorly hid her anxiety at the whole situation, "Yeah, hi, I'm from Earth--didn't even know the Otherworld existed until three months ago," she gave an uneasy chuckle. One I mirrored with much more confidence.

"My first time here as well. Though admittedly I did know the Otherworld existed before I came here," I admitted before holding out a hand, "Ezra. Ezra Wolfsbane. Odd name, I know, but can't exactly tell your parents they have terrible naming sense when you're a kid," I joked but secretly, I was really blaming my parents for calling me Ezra. I mean, unique name, I guess, but goddamn. What would be wrong with John? Or Thomas? A normal bloody name. God knows I tried to get them to change their minds but not much you can do as a baby...even when you're a teenager in a baby's body.

Her smile widened at that and she took the offered gesture, shaking my hand with her much smaller one, "Oh, I'm with you there. My parents named me Bloom. Was a real funny joke throughout most of my school life," she laughed but I could sense some actual truth behind that, so I decided not to push on it.

Too much.

"Both of us are from Earth, both of us have weird names--Small world, huh? Or, well, worlds," I said before pulling my hand back. Pausing for a moment, I lifted a finger and wagged it at her, "Let me guess...you're a fairy, right?"

She raised an eyebrow at that but nodded, "Yep. I'm a fairy," she chuckled at herself even saying that, the disbelief of the words she was saying as clear as day, "Didn't think I'd ever be saying that out loud without getting put in the psych ward. Though, isn't this a College for fairies? What else could I be?" she curiously asked.

Oh, right, everyone left her completely in the dark. Not even a little pamphlet explaining the Otherworld or anything of the like.

"It's kind of a college for fairies but only half of it is," I answered before pointing at a building off to the right, "That's the Specialist Hall," before pointing to the left of us, "And that's the Fairy Hall. A fairy is what you are--so a being who can naturally control or create a specific element. Specialists are basically warriors and, gonna have to be brutally honest here, you really don't look like a warrior."

She listened to what I was saying with rapt attention until I got to the end where she looked up at me, competitively, a fire of indignation or defiance burning brightly and clearly in her hazel eyes. Oh, she's a fire fairy alright.

Bloom quirked an eyebrow up at me, "And what makes me not look like a warrior? Is it because I'm not built like Rambo?" she gestured to me and I couldn't help but smirk at her spunky behaviour.

You've gotta keep in mind, magical powers or not, Bloom's around 5'6"/5'7" and must only weigh about 130lbs/140lbs while I'm 6'4" and weigh a whopping 307lbs due to my muscular bulk and the inhuman density of my Werewolf muscles and bones. I basically eclipse her in height, width and weight...and yet she's still got all that gusto.

"Not really," I laughed before gesturing to her attire, "Specialists would never wear a cardigan or a summer dress. That's what gave it away," I winked at her and Bloom got a little flustered, losing all of her bravado like air coming out of a balloon.

By this point, a lot of the students had flocked into their respective Halls and I had a pretty easy guess on who Stella was by the fact she was waiting over by the Fairy Hall. Turning to Bloom, I spoke up to rescue her from her own flustered thoughts, "Were you told to meet someone called Stella?" I asked and she nodded, "Well, I think she's waiting for us over by the Fairy Hall. You wanna head over or just stand around here, lamenting your choice in clothing?" I teased and she went a little more red before turning and walking over to the hall in a hurry.

I chuckled at her cute response to teasing and walked after her at a much slower pace. My longer strides kept up with hers, however, and halfway over to Stella she seemed to have regained some of her composure.

"So...you're a fairy? From how you described the Specialists, I'd have thought you'd fit right in," she asked, curiosity practically pouring off of her.

"What I am is complicated, Bloom," I gave her an uneasy smile, knowing that if she knew what I was, there'd be an immediate wall between us. Fairies put up those walls pretty quickly because of the crime that got Werewolves and my ancestors banished, people like Bloom who came from Earth put up walls quickly because of the media surrounding Werewolves painting us like bloodthirsty beasts. "But sure, you can call me a fairy," I acquiesced and left it at that, Bloom just humming at my answer.

Then we arrived in front of Stella and boy was she beautiful. Her fashion sense was a bit gaudy but it was completely offset by just how pretty she was. Golden blonde hair, baby blue eyes and immaculate features--she looked every bit like one of those princesses you'd read about in a storybook.

What I wouldn't do to--Okay, down boy, down. First day and you're already acting like a bloody dog. Calm down.

...Doesn't help that the full moon is nearing. Instincts always go haywire around then.

"Bloom," Stella regarded Bloom with an aloofness as she scanned her up and down with calculating blue eyes before she turned to me, her eyes widening a little in surprise before eagerly scanning up and down my admittedly tight t-shirt and jeans. Not much left to the imagination with my body, honestly. Why they gave me clothes that felt a size too small I'll never know. "Ezra," she greeted with a slight smile of her plump lips

"You must be Stella," I said, my tone even but cordial nonetheless, and held out a hand in greeting, "You already know my name but I'm Ezra Wolfsbane. It's nice to meet you."

"The pleasures all mine," she took the hand and shook it in a dainty manner that reeked of etiquette training. Is she a noble or something? Must be. "Shall we?" she said, looking at me while gesturing to the inside of the hall. Not once did she look to Bloom outside of that first glance she spared her. Either I'm more attractive than I thought or she knows something about my royal status...and as much as it pains my ego, it's probably the latter.

I gave her a nod and the three of us entered the hall.

Just as we entered and the doors closed behind us, Stella spoke up, "Miss Dowling tells me this is your first time in the Otherworld since your family...left," she paused, seemingly thinking it was a sore spot for me to speak about my family's banishment. Obviously doesn't know much about me then.

"There's no need to dance around the word, Stella," I offered her a smile as I walked next to her, "But yes, it's my first time in the Otherworld since my family's banishment all those centuries ago. The trip was a bit bumpy but I came through all in one piece."

I caught Bloom looking at me with barely concealed shock and curiosity but ignored it for now.

Stella cast another glance down at my abs and smiled before looking ahead, "And aren't we all grateful for that," she mumbled to herself. Either she knew I could hear and was flirting or she just genuinely didn't know how good Werewolf hearing is. I really can't tell. "She likes doing things by the book. The Headmistress, that is. If it were up to me, I'd have sent someone to personally chauffeur you to the Otherworld. It'd be much more befitting of someone like yourself, Ezra. Or I'd just give you one of these," she lifted a finger and wiggled the ring on her ring finger.

"That's a whole lotta ring," Bloom got out, eyes widening at the diamond encrusted ring. Can't blame her, really, because that thing would sell for a lot of money back on Earth. Magical abilities or not.

Casting a somewhat annoyed glance Bloom's way, Stella dropped her hand and spoke up, "Family heirloom. A Gateway Ring," she said before turning back to me, "The only thing that keeps you sane in this place is the ability to leave it," she huffed before turning the corner and into some sort of common room where students were congregating and walking to each other, "The First World may not always be thrilling but it beats this one. There are seven realms in the Otherworld, each one a different kind of boring."

"Can't be that bad," I refuted before looking around at the mixture of ancient and modern architecture that made up the place, "Magic has got to count for something, anyway. All we've got back home is global warming and pandemics."

The joke got me a laugh from Bloom and a slight smile from Stella who replied just loud enough to be heard over the buzzing of the crowd around us, "Oh it does. Especially when the magic is used to leave."

It didn't take long for Stella to get us to the Headmistress' office after that exchange and Bloom entered before me, tugging her luggage behind her. Stella stood besides me and spoke up before I followed after the redhead.

"It's good to finally have someone like me here," she said with a somewhat aloof smile, though I could hear the slight shake to her voice when she spoke and the slight longing tone to her words - I wonder what that's about? - but she took my lack of answer for confusion and clarified what she meant, "Royalty, I mean. Prince of The Werewolves, Rightful Rulers of Eraklyon and banished for a crime none of us remember. If I may introduce myself properly, I'm Stella Solaria*, Crown Princess of Solaria and Sole Child of Queen Luna."

(*A/n - There's no second name for her on the wiki, so I just named her after the Realm she's royalty of. Creative, I know.)

The curtsy she gave after her words was...unexpected. I was expecting her to be like most the Fairies I'd met - downright disrespectful to Werewolves. Colour me surprised, I guess. From what I remember from the first episode, Stella had the image of a stereotypical popular girl. Maybe there's more to her than meets the eye? I'll have to keep a mostly unbiased view for her and all the others I meet. Who knows how they'll surprise me.

I gave her a slight bow of my own, the etiquette training I hated taking coming in clutch, and smiled in reply, "I'd been thinking you looked like a real-life princess but who knew you actually were one? I hope to see you around, Stella," I gave her a wink and pivoted away from her and into the office where Bloom was messing about with a magical globe.

The door closed behind me and I caught the Headmistress' eyes changing colour for a split second but I ignored it and made way over to Bloom who seemed utterly enthralled with the way the globe's seas actually moved and had ships bobbing across them.

"My family is from there," I spoke up gently, pointing at the Realm of Eraklyon, and nearly sent Bloom jumping out of her own skin. Admittedly, I do walk quite silently so her not noticing my approach is to be expected. Still, to see her jump like a scared cat was pretty cute.

"Um, y-yeah," Bloom replied, embarrassed at her overreaction to me appearing, but she soon focused herself and looked to me, "Earlier, with Stella, you said your family had been banished...I mean, it's none of my business but could I ask why your family was banished?" she squeaked out, getting progressively more quiet as she continued. Probably realising how personal that question was.

But it really didn't bother me much. If I didn't want her to know, I wouldn't have corrected Stella earlier.

"It isn't any of your business, true," I said, cheekily, and she deflated in resignation a little before I continued and she lit up like a Christmas tree. She was ever so curious about everything. "I wish I had an answer for you, Bloom, but no one knows why we were banished. Just that it had something to do with what we are and some sort of crime we committed. Everything else has been wiped from the history books."

Her brow scrunched up and she tilted her head to the side, "Wait, what do you mean 'what we are'--"

That was as far as she got as the Headmistress finally seemed finished with some paper work and called out to me.

"Prince Ezra Wolfsbane," she called, a smile on her face, "Welcome to the Otherworld and more specifically to Alfea College. May the Moonlight Shine Brightly Upon You," she said and nearly cringed, having completely forgotten this part of the etiquette between non-Werewolves and Werewolves. What a chuuni fucking line, man.

"Headmistress Dowling," I nodded and continued, albeit reluctantly, "And May The Sunlight Shine Brightly After."

Bloom gave us an odd look but I gave her a shrug and a promise to explain later. I at least wanted her to know I wasn't some bloodthirsty beast before she found out I was Prince of the Werewolves, you know? First impressions and all that jazz.

"Bloom," Dowling looked to the redhead with an easy, almost gentle smile as she spoke, "I'm sure it must be overwhelming being in an entirely new world."

Snapped out of her odd looks at me, Bloom answered with an uneasy chuckle, "And yet I saw no less than three people updating their Insta stories. It doesn't feel so different from back home, honestly." She paused before joking through her anxiety at being in front of the Headmistress, "I was half-expecting a school full of Tinkerbells zipping around."

Dowling understood that Bloom was anxious with her new surroundings and humoured her with a low laugh of her own, "Disappointed?"

Seeing the joke going over well and the down-to-earth attitude of Dowling, Bloom relaxed somewhat, "Just kinda bummed I didn't see a single pair of wings."

And just like every teacher, Dowling segued from a joke to an informational tangent without a change in expression, "Hm. Well, we had wings in the past. But as we've evolved, transformation magic had been lost. Somewhat like the vestigial tail in Humans," she said before looking at me and I already knew what she was about to say before she even said it, "The same goes for Werewolves, no? The days of your kind turning into majestic beasts is long gone, just the same as fairies and their wings."

...Fucking teachers, man. Always blabbing about shit when there's no need.

Oh well, if this changes how Bloom treats me then there's no need to really befriend her. I've already shown I'm not some kind of animal just by the last half an hour we've been speaking.

"Yes," I answered curtly, "We lost it around the time we were banished from the Otherworld," I finished with no other words and moved to sit in front of Dowling's desk. Bloom gave a worried look my way, subtly flinching at my sudden movement but I ignored it for the most part - I can get where she's coming from. I mean, if you discovered there was a Werewolf right next to you, you'd probably freak out. It just depends on how she deals with this news after she's calmed down and how she treats me after that.

Dowling caught Bloom's reaction and cast me a sincerely apologetic look. One I didn't even dignify with a response. Doing something out of ignorance doesn't automatically make it alright, you know? Nor does it mean the opposing party needs to forgive your transgressions.

Either way and my thoughts aside, Bloom quickly followed after me and sat down in the seat to my right, focusing intently on the Headmistress.

She seemed to be pushing the fact I was a Werewolf to the back of her mind and focusing on other things. Which was a somewhat positive development.

"So, when do w-we start? You know, the whole magic school thing," she got out in a splutter, her earlier somewhat relaxed posture retreating back to tense.

"Classes begin tomorrow," Dowling answered casually, "You'll start with the basics. Both of you. Learn to use your magic slowly but safely," she flicked open a book with her magic, her eyes turning to a grey colour signifying her status as a Mind Fairy, before beginning to write a few things down in it.

"When you say...slowly, you mean--" Bloom was cut off by Dowling pretty quickly.

"I mean it," she answered in a no-nonsense tone, "Magic can be dangerous," her tone softened as she looked at Bloom, "As you well know, Bloom." There was an awkward pause in the conversation before the Headmistress continued, "Our curriculum is designed with that in mind. Safety. Trust the process that's worked with countless Fairies before you."

That seemed to tick Bloom off a little and I was noticing she had a real impatient streak in her.

"The slow process," she emphasised the word slow, a slight exasperation to her tone.

At that point I decided to pitch in instead of just sitting here and looking good, "If you were born on Earth and only discovered the existence of the Otherworld three months ago, Bloom, you should take it slow. Especially considering the fact that you're a Fire Fairy. Control with magic comes slowly. It's not gonna just magically come to you overnight - pardon the pun," I added with a smile that seemed to both placate and relax Bloom. At least she's still open to listening to me.

"Ezra is correct, Bloom," Dowling nodded to me before regarding Bloom with a serious gaze, "Alfea's graduates have ruled Realms and led armies. They've forged powerful relics and rediscovered long-lost magic. They shape the Otherworld," she gestured to the reality around us and at the same time the college that produced these people, "If you succeed here, you will too."

"Which implies you'll eventually learn to control your magic here," I added, seeing that Dowling was going in the wrong direction with Bloom. The redhead didn't seem to care about power and influence - she wanted to gain some control over her life after it had been upended by the fact she's a Fairy.

That, at least, seemed to placate Bloom as she sat there. But she didn't look very happy about the tried and true slow process to say the least.

Anyway, the rest of the conversation was pretty boring. Timetables, got given a map of the place, told where I'm going be sleeping and how I'm gonna be in a dorm room with five girls--yeah, I paused at that part too. What the hell is Dowling up to? 17-year-old Werewolf in a room with five other girls or similar age and this near a full moon? Jesus Christ woman, are you trying to ruin relations between Fairies and Werewolves? The ones that literally just started getting repaired? Great. First day here and I'm already sure there's a conspiracy of some kind going on.