Darcy Dream

Celeste tossed over and her pink blanket fell from her body.

"Darcy's attacking!" the royal guard yelled bursting into the grand ballroom.

"Brandon, take your sister," King Radius ordered his grandchild. "Musa, please protect them."

Princess Musa nodded dutifully as she followed the Solarian siblings further into the palace. She knew that Darcy, over Krannert, Icy, or Stormy, was a guarantee for danger. Rarely did a Darcy attack end without casualties.

Celeste shivered as a breeze caressed her exposed skin from the open window.

"Duck!" Musa yelled pushing the two children to the ground as she sensed Darcy behind them. They were barely down before a blast of darkness flew over their heads.

Musa jumped to her feet and called upon her Enchantix powers.

"Out of my way, Pixie," Darcy growled as she sauntered closer.

Brandon pulled his sister behind a statue for protection. It was too late for them to slip away now that Darcy had found them.

"I'm not letting you near them," Musa yelled at Darcy and blasted the witch with hip hop.

The fairy princess of Solaria whimpered as a few tears dropped from her eyes.

"That's the last mistake you'll ever make, you stupid fairy," Darcy yelled as she escaped the music attack. She blasted darkness at Musa. Musa protected herself with a musical shield. However, as she did so, Darcy split herself into two, a distraction left for Musa as the real one approached the siblings.

"Give me the Scepter," Darcy ordered of the ten-year-old princess.

"No!" Celeste yelled and swung her scepter below Darcy's out-stretched arm hard enough to knock the witch off her feet.

"Get away from them," Musa yelled, a guitar of energy forming in front of her.

Celeste's four dormmates watched in curiosity as the girl tossed and turned, yelling out. Violet turned to Trend and smirked grabbing a paper bag and emptying Celeste's latest make-up purchase onto her counter. She then blew up the bag and held it closed as she approached the poorly sleeping fairy.

"I swear, she's not related to me," Daisy whispered to Angel.

Musa struck a chord of the guitar and an arrow of strong energy flew at Darcy. At the same time, the young princess held up the Scepter of Solaria and the sun rays shone onto it. A powerful blast of sunlight was emitted from the scepter and hit Darcy at the same time as Musa's attack. The two attacks strengthened the other and Darcy screamed as she flew across the hall.

"I'll get it eventually," Darcy yelled just before her head slammed into the hard brick wall. Her eyes slipped closed.

Celeste's body relaxed as Violet readied herself to pop the bag.

Suddenly, Darcy's dark eyes flashed in Celeste's mind. "Your scepter is mine!"

"Ah!" Celeste screamed as she jumped into the sitting position. Violet, shocked by Celeste waking a moment too soon, jumped backwards, landed on one of Celeste's shoes, and fell backwards.

"Serves you right for even thinking of scaring her," Daisy pronounced before turning around and walking back to her own room.

"What's up?" Celeste asked looking at the three remaining girls in her room.

"You were yelling in your sleep," Angel said approaching and sitting on the bed next to the hazel-eyed brunette.

"What were you dreaming about?" Trend asked taking Celeste's computer chair. Her white-blonde hair was braided and rolled into a bun, a process that only took the Popularis princess three minutes to complete.

"My tenth birthday," Celeste said with a sad sigh.

"Oh, no, not presents and royal parades and festivals," Violet said in sarcastic fear.

Angel stared at the dark nature fairy. "And Darcy trying to steal the Scepter of Solaria."

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that. But she's been beat, so what's the worry?"

"She's only in a catatonic state, Violet," Trend reminded her. "If her powers activate, it could trigger a recovery."

"Couldn't the teachers have zapped her powers before destroying the Crystal of Opposing Forces?" Celeste asked pulling her blanket back onto her bed and wrapping herself tightly in it. "You know what the last thing she said to me was?"

Angel shook her head slowly. "You never told us. Brand couldn't remember when I asked him."

"She said she'd get it eventually," Celeste said pulling the ring off her finger and looking at it closely.

"You don't do well worried," Violet said straightening her body. "I think we ought to do something about it." She grabbed Celeste's holo-phone off the nightstand. "Dialing Mech and the boys."

"Vi," Angel yelled snatching the phone from Violet's hand. "They need their rest. They have a big test tomorrow that can determine their futures."

Violet stared at Angel. "So? Hello, their futures are already set in stone. Prince Brandon. Prince Marvel. Duke Trine. And Mech's gonna ace the test. He always does." The other three girls stared at her and crossed their arms in unison. "Fine. But, let's get ourselves back to bed, then. After all, we need our own beauty sleep."

"Good idea," Celeste nodded and settled back in her bed.

"So much has changed in the past fourteen years," Bloom sighed as Musa tried to help sort out matters that were plaguing Sparks. While all the other royals had parents and nobility to help them catch up on the planet's current state, Sparks only had Musa help guide Bloom.

"Yeah, well, things tend to happen when an evil overlord gains control of most of the universe," Musa replied to Bloom.

"What is IPRA?" Bloom asked looking at a form. "And why is this addressed to you?"

"Because I've been living here," Musa said. "And IPRA stands for Inter-Planetary Rescue Agency. It was set up to sort out the problems that weren't caused by Krannert. They wanted me to join, but I declined. Krannert was my fight."

"And IPC?"

"Inter-Planetary Council," Musa said. "Which reminds me, you'll need to choose a representative for Sparks for the meeting next month, and I suggest you attend as well."

"Who should I choose?"

Musa looked at Bloom. She was extremely pale from the time spent in Shadowhaunt. Though she had fourteen years of her life returned physically, nothing would ever heal Bloom mentally. The girls that Musa had thought were so much stronger than she was all were broken by years of darkness. "Well, Angel has been attending the last year," Musa said. "After all, aside from you, she's the only true child of Sparks."

Bloom nodded and began making notes in a memo pad that she had been carrying around with her. Musa reached out and took Bloom's trembling hand. "Don't worry anymore, Bloom. Everything is over. Krannert and the Trix are powerless."

Bloom nodded. "It was just so dark for so long."

Musa sighed. "Go to bed, your majesty. We can continue this tomorrow."

"Where's Riven?" Bloom asked. After fourteen years of sharing a small containment with Sky, Bloom was ready for a little space from her husband. Musa, on the other hand, hadn't been with Riven in twelve years.

"He's in one of the many guest rooms," Musa said. She had purposely chosen a different room from her usual one after what had occurred in her room once Krannert had taken over Sparks. "I'm going to go check on Caleb and then join him."

Bloom smiled as Musa headed down one of the halls. How Musa, Mech, Brandon, Jr., Angel, and Daisy could still treat Caleb as an untainted child, she couldn't quite understand. And while one of his parents was now in jail and the other was in a mental ward at a rather large hospital, Musa had decided to accept Caleb into her and Riven's family, overruling Riven on the call.

Musa silently opened the door to Caleb's room. It had been decorated for a young Brandon, Jr. to stay in during times that he and Celeste would spend on Sparks, usually when Solaria was under attack. Now, it served as a perfect room for Caleb's age and maturity. It disappointed Musa that Krannert had not spent enough time raising his son and due to Caleb's lack of strong human contact, his maturity level was a few years below his actual age.

"Sleep well, Caleb," Musa whispered in a melodic voice.

"What, no bedtime lullaby for me?" Riven asked from behind. She turned to him and was pulled into his strong arms.

To Musa, being held so tightly by Riven was the closest to Heaven she would ever come. She closed her eyes and rested her head on Riven's chest, listening to his steady heartbeat. After a moment, she got on her toes and kissed his strong chin. "No, but I have something else planned for you."

Riven's loving smile turned to a smirk, granted a very sexy smirk. "That's okay with me." He quietly closed the door to Caleb's room and carried his wife to the bedroom they were using.

The next morning went over smoothly. The boys of Red Fountain all woke bright and early before eating a large breakfast and reporting to their exam rooms. Unlike their usual exams, these would be open for the viewing of the agencies that the boys would apply to for jobs. More than any other test, these exams would determine their future.

Mech could feel his stomach churning as he tested, despite the fact that he had studied long and hard and that every question he knew the answer to immediately without second thought. He checked his answers over three extra times before handing in his exam to the proctor of his room. No other student was finished as he was released to the arena for his field examination. He'd be getting his instructions from Codatorta, as usual, but the heads of the great rescue agencies he had applied to earlier in the year would review it. Most he had applied to with caution, knowing that it would take him far from his friends and parents, who he had only just reunited with. Others, he had applied to as a safety net, such as the Solarian Guard.

"Mech is one of our best students," Mech heard Saladin say to the reviewers as he readied himself for the first task Codatorta had for him. "Actually, he's number one in all subjects except piloting, which he is only behind two others."

Mech knew that both Brandon, Jr. and Marvel were better pilots than he was. Brandon could fly any machine he found he would need to fly, even if it wasn't made for flying. Marvel, while not as talented as Brandon, made an excellent co-pilot, and when the two princes were working together, no ship could catch them.

The glasses-wearing boy performed all the tasks asked of him flawlessly though he swore that he could do better. He had just finished when Marvel and Trine entered the arena with a few other seniors finished with the written examinations. He stuck around and watched his two teammates, noticing that Trine's dueling skills had been improved since he had begun to duel Brandon, Jr. instead of their ex-teammate Chase. The two were about halfway through their tasks when Brandon, Jr. arrived at the arena.

It was a good two hours after Mech had finished that his three friends were finally finished and joined him as they returned to their shared dorm.

"I didn't see you out there," Trine said to Mech.

"I finished just before you and Marvel arrived," Mech said.

"I hate you," Trine snarled jumping onto his bed.

"I noticed the head of IPRA was there," Marvel said. "He hasn't bothered to even send a representative the last three years. Someone must have had a very impressive resume if he came himself."

"I give you one guess as to whom," Trine said pointing a finger at Mech, who was now reading up on advanced dueling with magical assistance and how to defend against magic without using magic.

"I didn't apply to IPRA because it's a minimum five-year commitment with only five total weeks of vacation time and I'm not ready for that," Mech said as he continued to scan the pages of his book.

"Mech, put the book down," Brandon said as he changed from his uniform to his street clothes. "I promised Angel we'd meet the girls for lunch."

"Thanks for the choice, your Majesty," Trine said bitterly.

"Put a cork in it, Trine," Marvel said as he finished pulling on a sleeveless, hooded shirt. "Angel would have ordered you there if you hadn't wanted to come anyway."

Trine smirked. "Why? It obviously wouldn't be for her enjoyment," his eyes flashed to where Brandon pulling on a boot. Brandon had paused momentarily to glare at Trine. "And it wouldn't be for Daisy or Celeste's enjoyment because those two can't stand me, and I can't stand them. So, would it be for Trend or Violet's entertainment that I would be there?"

Marvel tried not to grind his teeth as he stepped harshly into his sandals. He knew that people often grouped Trine and Trend, his sister, as a couple. And, when not with Trend, he was coupled with Violet, whom Marvel was trying to ask out.

"You know how Angel thinks that friends shouldn't exclude anyone," Mech said as he finally put his book down and opened his closet, pulling out an outfit. "Where are we meeting them?"

"The bistro with the foods from every known world," Brandon said.

"Bistro Univerali," Marvel filled in the name.

"Right," Brandon nodded. He stood up, ready to leave. He wore a dark green shirt tucked into his ivory colored pants. His dark blonde hair was flying in every way imaginable. The bottoms of his pants were tucked into his brown boots. He slipped his wallet into his pocket, grabbed his aviator sunglasses and stood by the door.

Marvel was ready next. He had pulled on a pair of red jeans. He left his long, white-blonde hair down, shining brightly against his black shirt. After checking that his wallet had his money and ID, he slipped it into his back pocket and began swinging the keys to his leva-bike around his fingers.

Trine wore a dark blue, button-up shirt with the top three buttons undone that matched his dark blue eyes along with black pants and worn, black leather shoes. He stood in front of his mirror with gel, spiking his dark blonde hair for a few minutes as he waited for Mech to finish getting ready.

Mech put on a pair of jean shorts and a blue tee-shirt and gym shoes. He ran a quick comb through his hair, pulled his glasses back on, and stood ready. He then checked his wallet and cringed. He was close to broke.

"Don't worry, Mech, lunch is on me," Brandon said, recognizing the agony on Mech's face from when Mech had been unable to buy Celeste anything nice for her birthday the year before.

"You sure?" Mech asked. "I mean, I hate having to make you pay for everything."

"Mech, I'm a prince," Brandon said. "So is Marvel. And Trine is a Duke. We've got unlimited amounts of money. None of us are going to regret having to buy lunch for friends once as a teenager."

"Well, if you're sure…"

"We're sure," Marvel and Trine said in unison.

The girls had arrived early so they could get some shopping done. Angel frowned when she saw that Celeste wasn't taking the same pleasure that she usually did. Celeste had not found one outfit she even wanted to try on as they flipped through displays. As usual, Celeste was wearing the pink, sleeveless Spella McCartney dress that had been her mother's years earlier. Her hair was loosely curled. She wore large pink diamond earrings and a matching necklace that she had received as a birthday present from a prominent designer, along with strappy pink heels. Her lipgloss was brand new and made her lips shine brightly. But, she didn't wear her usual smile.

"You okay, Cel?" Angel asked. Angel was in a short pale green skirt and a light blue tube top that showed her toned stomach and matched her eye color almost perfectly. On her arms, she had sleeves that matched the skirt. Her blonde hair was in a ponytail and she had tied in a blue ribbon. She wore small, diamond studs and a delicate silver necklace with a silver dragon. Her shoes were just a pair of white flip flops that she had jumped into when she couldn't decide what she wanted on her feet.

"Fine," the Solarian princess replied absent-mindedly while twirling her ring around and around on her finger.

"You're not still buggin' about that dream, are you?" Trend asked. Trend wore black boy shorts and a dark pink ribbed tank top, no jewelry, only a touch of eyeliner that made her green eyes stand out, and had only straightened her long blonde hair. Like Angel, she wore flip flops, only hers were black.

"Darcy is gone, Babe," Violet said. She had her dark hair twisted into a loose bun, which fell around her shoulders every few minutes. She wore a black tunic with a red, cropped, short-sleeved sweater button over it and a silver belt around her hips. Her jeans fell all the way to the floor and she stepped on the hems as she walked in her dirty gym shoes. She wore large rings on most of her fingers, and had black earrings in her ears, including a few in her cartilage. A small ruby stud glistened for a moment on her nose, the latest addition to her body jewelry. Angel was one of three people that knew of her tattoo on her shoulder blade, which explained why she wore more clothes on her shoulders recently. Violet's eyes were also traced in black with a little misting of red on top of her eyes. Despite looking very good, Violet's look screamed witch.

"We're here to keep you safe, Sweetie," Daisy said placing a delicate hand on Celeste's shoulder. She wore a yellow sundress and white heels. She had no make up on her face, only a pair of studs in her ears, and had left her hair wavy and down. She smiled, crinkling the corners of her dark brown eyes. "And especially Mech. You don't want to have tears when he gets here, Celeste."

"No, I don't," Celeste shook her head.

"So, let's find you a nice pretty little dress now so that when Mech asks you on your next date, you won't be in a rush to get one," Trend said. "And then we can spend extra time making you look even prettier than you already look, no matter how hard that will be."

Celeste finally smiled at that. "I think there's a few new items at Charmberry."

"The plaid place?" Violet asked.

"The expensive plaid place," Trend said. "You can get a dashing cashmere scarf to match any dress you might get somewhere else."

"And Enchantress Couture has a new line over at Mags Fifth Avenue," Angel said in an excited tone. "You and Trend can get us in, seeing as how it is super exclusive."

Not too far from the mall, at Magix Universal Hospital, deep in the most secure area of the mental ward, there was a room that no light shone. A woman laid in the bed, never sleeping, but never moving either. She had only enough sense to eat when the nurses came with her three daily meals, and even those had to be mush and spooned into her mouth. Her brown hair was in disarray and had been cut short a year earlier so that it wouldn't be a danger hazard.

The door opened and an eerie glow entered the room as a nurse, clad in her white dress walked in with a pushcart that held the woman's dinner. The nurse pressed a button and the back of the bed moved up, shifting the woman into the sitting position.

"Good afternoon, Darcy," the nurse said. "Today, for lunch, we've got a special treat. There was a leftover piece of pumpkin pie from Dr. Moon's retirement party last night and it has been decided that you can have it for dessert. Isn't that wonderful?"

Darcy made no movement aside from opening her mouth for her spoon-feeding. The nurse sighed and spooned some mush into Darcy's mouth. "Are you ever going to talk, Darcy?" the nurse asked quietly.

Darcy swallowed her food, then, talked for the first time in years. "Caleb."