To state the obvious: This is very, very late. Please forgive me. Happy holidays and new year everyone!
Disclaimer: I'm probably not going to remember to put this on all my chapters but, I DO NOT OWN WINX CLUB.
"I don't know about you guys, but I think she wasn't telling us everything." Stella had her hands on her hips and looked to her friends for support.
"I agree Stella, what's bothering me more is that I've never even heard of this realm." Sky furrowed his brow.
"I know! Daddy hasn't mentioned anything about it and if it's like what Musa said, then I have to get a curse too? Isn't this a little too important for him not to tell me?"
"Why don't you ask him? We can get more information on what Musa is doing right now."Layla suggested.
Three Months Later
Riven paced his silent bedroom angrily. He ran his hands through his hair, making the spiky red mess even messier. His Red Fountain roommates had hastily left, conscious that Riven gotten into his angry moods frequently and weren't inclined to hear him repeatedly mutter the same things he'd been saying for the past three months under his breath.
"Damn it! Where is she? I can't believe she's not back yet. There hasn't been word of her for weeks. Is she hurt? Why hasn't she called?" He continued to hiss under his breath until ringing brought him out of his grumbling.
"What?" He growled into his cell phone.
"Aw chill man. It's just me, Brandon."
"I know. I have caller ID you moron." His response was curt.
A sigh was heard on the other side, "I'm just calling for a phone call, not an argument. Anyways, it's a Magical Reality day so you better get your ass here before Codatorta fails you. Again… Talk to you later man." Click.
Riven rubbed his forehead against his palm and grabbed his jacket. He threw things around the room looking for his levabike keys and slammed the door on the way out.
"There you are!"
Riven winced as a shrill shriek registered in his ear. It was Stella of course.
"I'm soooo happy you came!" Without further ado, she latched onto his arm and dragged him through the main doors.
"Okaaay, so. We have this major test today and you guys are here to watch for Magic Class right? It's our final evaluation before winter break!"
Riven said nothing. He just stoically stared in front of him. Stella noticed his lack of response and pouted.
It was a bright and clear day outside. Pristine white clouds drifted lazily across the shockingly blue sky. It was a perfect day to be spent outdoors and the Alfea girls were eager to get this test over with.
"Now girls and boys," Ms. Faragonda surveyed them above her glasses, "We all know that the Red Fountain boys are here to view our test in the Magical Reality Chamber. Today, each of you will be paired up with another fairy to destroy the simulated monster. Only the combined efforts will be able to vanquish this creature. No one here has Winx levels that are high enough and mature enough to do this alone."
She clapped her hands, "Alright, first Professor Palladium will set up the chamber. The first pair up is Tecna and Stella."
Palladium frantically typed on the settings of the Magical Reality Chamber, forehead scrunching up in puzzlement. "Tecna? Could you come here for a second? There seems to be a glitch in the system."
"It seems that a large concentration of Winx being used nearby is causing the system to malfunction." Tecna consulted her PDA thoughtfully. "I can't imagine anything that could be that strong though."
"Well, the test will then have to be postponed until we sort this out." Ms. Faragonda said, "If we…"
The air in the chamber suddenly crackled and the lights in the room went haywire, flickering on and off. In the center of the room three figures were seen. As the students stared in shock, the middle silhouette collapsed; the shadow of wings gone.
Riven was the first to react, he ran forward, pushing people roughly out his way. "Musa!"
"So how is he?"
"He's been at her side all night. I'm trying to convince him to get some sleep but he refuses. It's almost noon, he should eat."
Damien scrutinized the worried group in front of him. "She really means that much to him." It was statement but also a question.
"Yes." Said Tecna simply.
Damien was silent.
Through the glass and into the room, Musa stirred. Her eyes fluttered open and looked into Riven's.
"Musa?" he whispered. She gave a weak smile and tears tracked down her face. Riven started to wipe them away with his thumb and leaned into the bed, holding her in his arms.
"I missed you so much."Her voice was hoarse and barely above a murmur.
"Shh. Don't talk. I missed you too." Riven's voice was gruff with suppressed emotion.
Light spilled into the dark room as people filed in and someone made the move to open the window curtains. Musa closed her eyes briefly with the change in light.
Flora placed an undulating, smiling, plant next to her bed and the boys dragged Riven away to get something to eat. "How are you feeling sweetie?"
"Like a truck has run me over and then backed up. I think in an hour or two I'll be ready to go."
"Go where? You're not moving at all in an hour. No one can heal that fast, especially with the exhaustion you faced." Tecna shook her head at Musa and said in a matter of fact tone.
"You'd be surprised Tecna." Musa replied in a weary and emotionless tone. She looked down at the white sheets that covered her.
Bloom smoothed down the sheets and sat on the corner of the bed. "What happened to you Musa?"
"A lot of things have changed Bloom. I just don't see how I'll even be where I was before."
"Wha-"
Timmy ran in, "Girls, Ms. Faragonda says that tests are starting! It's going to be in groups instead of pairs to save time."
Layla stood up from her chair in the corner. "We better get going then. Stay here Musa. Catch up on some sleep. We should be back in an hour or so."
Musa said nothing, and only looked out the window.
The girls filed out, looking back worriedly at Musa as they left the room.
For a moment, Musa sat on her bed, motionless, and then in one fluid movement, she swept away her covers and stood up on the floor, putting on her shoes and jacket. She quietly left the room and headed to the Magical Reality Chamber.
"Work together girls! Stop trying to defeat it on your own."
Bloom dodged a massive swinging arm as Flora started to bind it in vines. The monster growled and opened its mouth wide, exposing sharp teeth. Purple sparks hovered around it and turned into a purple sphere. Layla pushed the sphere through its teeth and it started to whine and choke. Just when they thought it was dead, it spit out a violet mass that knocked Tecna, Layla and Bloom over.
The beast stretched out and grew even bigger, swatting Stella and Flora from the air and into a boulder. Just as it was about to deliver its final attack, it disappeared. Ms. Faragonda stepped into the chamber and frowned at the panting girls. "You should have been able to defeat that monster. I'm very disappointed girls."
"But Ms. F!" Stella protested, "We were trying to work with each other!"
"It wasn't enough I'm afraid." Suddenly, Griselda noticed a figure in the back of the room. "Miss Musa! What do you think you're doing? You should be resting."
Musa leaned against the wall, fingering a pocket watch that was on a chain around her neck. She looked down at it briefly and put her hands in her pockets. She gave an odd smile. "I've been away from school for so long. I think it's about time I caught up, right? Please, Ms. F, I'm ready."
Riven strode in furious, fast, steps and picked Musa up from underneath her legs and started to walk toward the school infirmary. Musa was quite calm. "Riven, put me down, I'm fine now."
He growled, "I don't think so. I didn't wait three months for you to come back and get sick all over again."
Musa wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned further towards him, "I know we have to talk but now is not the time." She pressed her lips to his neck, feeling the skin grew warmer. "Please? Riven?"
"Fine. But later, you have to give me a real smile."
She gave an almost inaudible sigh and gave him a short hug and ran back into the Magical Reality Chamber. "The truth I want to do the strength test to show you all something. Ms. F, can you please let me do it alone?"
Ms. Faragonda looked Musa up and down. Musa had gained more muscle, her posture was alert and her eyes constantly darted around. She had changed. "Alright, you may do so but the moment you are losing, I will stop the simulation."
In the middle of the chamber Musa bound the creature to the wall with a flick of her wrist. "Oh my, she hasn't even transformed yet and her winx is so powerful?"
Turning her head to one side, Musa extended an arm and cupped her hand in an elaborate arrangement while gazing at it. For a moment, her eyes and body glowed red as a ball of light formed in her hand. There was a flash and a rumble and Musa appeared in the air, wings fluttering. Everyone in the room gasped. Musa was no longer in her Enchantix outfit. Her dress was a crimson red with silver charms and ribbon hanging from the edges. Her wings glowed a pale yellow and her dark hair had streaks of sparkling silver with an ornate band around her forehead. The pocket watch she had been looking at earlier was still around her neck.
She turned to the still struggling beast and hit it with a straight on beam. After around twenty seconds, the monster dissipated in a haze of smoke. Musa turned to her audience with a bitter smile.
So? Like it? Hate it? I can't figure out what to call the new form Musa has? Help anyone? More Riven x Musa action next chapter