Chapter Ten: What's On The Inside (Part Two)
It was a good thing she knew how to conjure food. She hadn't left her room except to shop. Paparazzi hounded her, wondering how she felt about unconfirmed rumors of Elliott and Regina going steady. She said nothing; but, that was mainly because they made her nervous. What was she supposed to say? Was she heartbroken? Did she care? Honestly, she didn't feel anything for Prince Elliott. She could appreciate his good looks and background though. She couldn't believe she could have guys like that on a dime.
She was in the middle of brushing her bluish-black hair when Stella called. She'd ignored the Solarian princess for days. A voicemail saying "If you don't answer, I'll come and get you, young lady!" made her answer the next call. "My poor, baby. How are you feeling, sweetie pie?"
"Um... How should I feel?"
Stella put her hands on her hips. "Well you should feel something. You've been dating Elliott practically since you were born!" She looked at herself in the mirror. How could anyone not fall in love with those silver eyes? How could anybody not be bewitched by those long legs, perfect body, shiny hair and smile? She was a gem even among fairies. "Hello?!"
"Oh pipe down, Stella!" There was an awkward silence. Before Stella could respond, she hung up the phone and brushed her perfect hair.
Meanwhile...
Nabu walked into Euphoria's room to find her laying across her bed. She looked up, said a quick spell to create a shield. An exoskeleton covered her body. Euphoria screamed and tried to rip it off of her. She was terrified of bugs. Unfortunately, the witch she was trapped in had command over insects. Her fear kept her from being able to control these new powers. Nabu recited a counter-curse and the exoskeleton shed. He made the remnants disappear. Euphoria looked at him confused. She didn't know who he was, but knew his presence wasn't her benefit. "Who are you?" She asked.
"I'm Nabu."
"...Why am I still alive?"
Nabu sat on the bed and rubbed his eyes. "I don't know." She looked at him skeptically. "It's not as simple as I thought. I know what I have to do, but it's against my nature especially with you looking like my friend, Lucy."
"I wouldn't make sense to kill us."
"You guys are the bond holding my friends together. Once you all are gone. Things will go back to the way things were." Nabu's face showed all the pain he felt. "Please try to understand."
"This is senseless. We aren't the bond, but the result of it. My parents are infatuated with each other; from what Topaz has told me, it's the same for her parents. I went to Regina's princess ball and honestly, their love is probably the strongest."
Aisha and Riven again! "What would you know of love?"
"You tell me. We're about the same age." Euphoria touched his hand. "I also know what it's like to lose love. I could beg, plead, and even kill Regina, but that wouldn't make Elliott come back to me. I know this. Deep down, I think you know it too."
"You know nothing." Nabu said pulling away from her. "I love Aisha and my friends. So much that I would kill. Will kill." Nabu said glaring at her.
Sneaking out of school was not something Xavier planned. He learned to teleport himself via shadows; if he concentrated, he could do a lot of his mother's abilities. His fringe kept the D on his forehead hidden from his classmates; instead of hanging out with his friends he would practice and try to control them. Shadow teleportation was the only thing he managed to do without blowing anything up. He was headed to Alfea; he didn't understand why, he just felt a pull. He eventually found himself on campus.
Semiramis nudged Regina. "It's a kid."
Regina scoffed and grabbed Xavier's arm with an annoyed look on her face. "What are you doing here?"
"I don't know." Xavier answered honestly. "It sent me here."
"It?" He lifted his fringe and showed her the "D" on his forehead. "I have no idea what it is."
"We have to get you home. I know Uncle Tim is going to flip out once he finds out you skipped school. Especially at a time like this. What the hell were you thinking?"
"Stop it, Regina. People are staring." Xavier said embarrassed. He managed to get away and ran from her. Although it seemed like she was the reason he was drawn to Alfea, he didn't want to leave soon. This was his first time out in a while. He had to keep his distance or she'd catch him. He looked back to see her gaining on him. "She must be some kind of juggernaut!" He not paying attention, he ran into a fairy. "Sorry!"
The silver-eyed girl glared at the boy. "You ruined my dress!"
"I'm sorry!"
"Sorry's not doing to fix this dress."
Regina picked Xavier up and put him behind her. She didn't let him go. "He said he was sorry."
"Well if it isn't Princess Regina." She scanned her. "What is a witch doing at a fairy school anyway?"
Regina glared at her. "Would you like to ask my fist?"
"Regina, don't touch her!" Xavier screamed. His eyes glowed a light shade of green. Once she asked what Regina was doing there he knew something was up; there was no way a daughter of the Winx wouldn't know why Regina was there. "Who are you?"
"What are you talking about?" Regina asked Xavier.
The sham fairy ran away before Xavier could reveal her. Xavier ran after her. Regina ran after him. Xavier wanted to use his mother's dark sonic waves, but he didn't want to risk it. The campus seemed to just watch without interfering. Topaz noticed Regina running after who she thought was Euphoria. Even though her roommate was rude lately, she didn't want Anything bad to happen to her. Everyone knew Regina wasn't keen on mercy. She transformed and flew out of her bedroom window.
"Tornado twins!" Topaz created two giant cyclone. It sucked the fairy, witch, and young wizard. Topaz created a gust of wind to ease them on the ground safely. The faux princess wasted no time running again. Topaz shook her head and turned to Regina and Xavier. "I know she's been weird lately, but please don't hurt her."
"That's not Princess Euphoria!" Xavier yelled.
"Huh?"
"Look, I can see these things. She's been acting weird because that's not her. Her signature is off and she doesn't have a Winx!"
Regina glared at the newly dreaded fairy. "And you let her get away."
Topaz let this new knowledge absorb. It made sense. That Euphoria wasn't herself. She was rude and spaced out. She would spend hours deciding on clothes and doing her hair and makeup. That wasn't the Euphoria she knew. Her roommate was kind and didn't care about material things. The fact that she missed it made her ashamed. Topaz balled her fist and took to the air. She let her wind powers speed her flight until she caught up with the fraud. "Where is Euphoria?"
"As if I'd be afraid of a fairy weakling."
Topaz's eyes lowered. "Winter winds..." The air around them steadily decreased. The fake Euphoria rubbed her arms. "Where is Euphoria?!"
"You really want to know? I switched our bodies. That wizard Nabu has my original body with your friend trapped inside. She's probably long dead."
"NOOOO!" Topaz screamed. The air, grass, and the villain froze. Topaz faded into her civilian outfit and cried. After a few minutes, Xavier, Regina and Semiramis arrived.
"Nice..." Regina complimented. She didn't know innocent, little Topaz had that kind of power.
"You were so fast!" Semiramis continued.
"It doesn't matter" She wailed. "Euphoria's dead! It's all my fault!"
"Topaz" The wind fairy cried harder. Regina hated tears; she grabbed Topaz's shoulders and shook her. "Stop that right now! Are you seriously going to listen to what this liar says?! Nabu may have money, but one-on-one we're pretty much at the same power level. If you believed she was an impostor so quick means he hired failures." Topaz sniffled and calmed down. Regina sighed and made her look her in the eyes. It was something she did when her little sister was upset. "We'll make her talk. Then we'll get the Specialists and get her back."
"How are we going to do that?" Semiramis asked, skeptically.
Regina grinned deviously. "I have my ways."
Xavier shook his head. "No, I think this is a job for Ismene." Regina growled at the name. "She's the witch of nightmares right? Well she's used to prying into people's minds."
"Her name is Lucy." Ismene concluded. It didn't take much to convince Ismene to help. It wasn't out of loyalty; it was funds. She knew helping a princess meant a large compensation. She was already planning on major vacations. "She's in a mansion in Isis."
"Can you get anymore detail?" Semiramis asked.
"It's guarded and only one story."
"And how is that helpful?!" Elliott blurted in frustration. He was on edge since the moment he heard she was in danger.
"It is. Isis is a wealthy realm. Most people don't have anything under three stories." Everyone looked at Semiramis questionably. "Semiramis of Isis." She introduced herself.
"Cool. Let's go." Regina said determined.
"Wait, you and Elliott should sit this one out. It's not wise to have the Princess and Prince of their enemy realms just waltz in." Xavier rationalized.
"They'll be fine as long as they stay with me." She reintroduced herself. "Crown Princess Semiramis of Isis."
Regina folded her arms. "What else have you not told me?"
"I'm into girls, does that count?" Semiramis joked. Regina wasn't amused. "I'm sorry. I'm a different type of princess. When people find out that I'm the daughter of Queen Diaspro, they hate me. I didn't want to lose your friendship."
"You two can talk about this later. We have to save Euphoria!" Elliott growled. He led the group briskly to the ship. He buckled and sat back in his chair. Regina looked at him, but said nothing. The rest of the group got in except for Xavier. Regina didn't feel comfortable bringing him along for a dangerous mission; plus, they needed someone to alert Miss Faragonda to their whereabouts.
It didn't take long for them to find Nabu's hideout. Semiramis got the address with a phone call. Nabu didn't even bother to change his name when he bought the home. It didn't matter. Isis only cared about appearances and money. Once they approached Nabu's estate, their ship was fired on. Everyone transformed; the girls flew out of the craft leaving the Specialists to land. An army of giant insects guarded the mansion. Topaz cut through some of them using a technique she called "Cutting Wind". Ismene tried to make the bugs sleep, but it wasn't working. Regina was having the same problem trying to control the monster bugs with their blood. She realized insect blood was too different for her so she cut herself. It became a spear. She went after a giant spider and used her spear to give her more force when she kicked. Once it was on its back, she stabbed it in the head. Regina transformed the blood and replicated Topaz's cutting wind. Soon the Specialists arrived and joined the battle. Elliott's usual grace in battle was lost. He became a frantic, doing all he could to make a path to the house; but it seemed like the more he killed, the more arrived.
Ismene perked up. "She's alive; she passed out!"
Once Elliott heard this, the pressure around him changed. A red dragon made of surrounded him. He blasted through the army of insects and into the mansion. Ismene ran after him and led him to the direction of his unconscious ex. Elliott kicked in the door to find a giant spider wrapping something up in its web. Elliott sent his dragon after it and ignored it screams of pain. He sliced the web and cut Euphoria out of the cocoon. He flinched seeing her appearance. She was pale, with stringy green hair. She was almost emaciated and hunched over. He carried her out and joined the others. The mansion began to burn as he rejoined his group.
"How is she?" Topaz asked begging to see her.
"Alive, just unconscious." He said laying her down. "She's afraid of bugs. How could he just leave her to die like that?!" Elliott punched a tree in frustration.
"Chill out" Leon advised.
"Don't tell me to chill out! This shit is serious! She's always going off by herself. I knew this would happen. No more games."
Ismene rolled her eyes. "I'm with blue-eyed Inuyasha. You're overreacting."
"No, I haven't reacted enough. Ismene, you're transferring to Alfea."
"The hell I am!"
"As the Crown Prince of Eraklyon, I ORDER you to attend Alfea. It's not refusable."
"You'll pay for this." Ismene threatened.
They boarded the ship and headed back to Alfea. Regina rubbed her arms and focused on the otside window. She was silent. She wasn't bragging about the battle, talking to Semiramis, or arguing with Ismene. Elliott looked at her. His gaze made her turn to him. He smiled at her. She didn't smile back. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
Elliott unbuckled and walked over to Regina. She looked up at him and didn't respond. "Please, don't shut me out."
Regina folded her arms and returned to gazing out the window. "There's no point in letting you in. Not when you're still in love with your ex."
"...Regina, me and Euphoria are over."
"..."
"I like you, Regina."
"But you love her. I know what love is Elliott. I grew up seeing it everyday."
Elliott frowned. "I didn't. You know what kind of man my father is. Noble, brave, but faithful? I hate him for what he does to my mom. I hate her for letting it happen. So when it come to my relationship, I only want two things. A strong woman and fidelity." He looked towards Euphoria. "I can't love a cheater."
Regina closed her eyes and turned away from him. "Let me know when your heart agrees."
Meanwhile...
Nabu and Stormy looked at the frozen wizards in wonder. Nabu had a sick grin on his face. Aisha must have really loved him; he loved her too. It felt good to know Aisha and his friends actually got revenge for him. There were only two of them now. The other must have shattered over time. He'd soon undo the spell on the remaining two Wizards of the Black Circle. He rubbed the ice; it was perfect. They hadn't changed either. He wondered how they felt about hunting witches.
(A/N) I crammed a lot in this chapter. Oh well. And I don't own Inuyasha. Euphoria cheated on Elliott once with a coworker, but it's a mistake she regrets. She was the one to tell him and he dumped her.
Next Chapter: Ismene and Regina become roommates.