Hi everyone! I am so sorry that it was been so long since I last updated. I have been so busy with college assignments that it's taken more of my time then I would have liked.
I want to dedicate this chapter to Butterfly Crown for being an amazing support and follower of this story. She also provided the awesome Maria OC :)
I also have a poll on my profile about whether people want me to write a one-shot about Lily and her long-lost husband after the events of Treasure Keepers. Check it out if you want me to write one, or PM me, along with the rating. Thanks!
Disclaimer: I do not own winx club or its characters. I also do not own the OCs (except Prizma).
A loud pounding sound echoed into Riven's room and disturbed him from his sleep. He groaned in annoyance and turned over to his side and covered his head with a pillow. He had hoped that the person on the other side of his front door would take the hint and leave. After a minute Riven thought he was in the clear until the pounding started again.
"Riven!" A voice called through the door. "Open up, it's Sky."
Riven groaned in annoyance again and threw the pillow off his head. He rolled back onto his back and debated whether he should continue to ignore the prince or not.
"I know that you're in there, Riven," Sky continued to yell. "You can't ignore me forever."
With a loud sigh Riven got up from his bed and left his bedroom to open the apartment door. When he reached it, Riven grabbed the door knob and threw it open, exposing Sky to the sight of him wearing only pyjama pants.
"What, Sky?" Riven groaned. "It is after midnight."
"I know that there have been some important updates in the girls' mission and they weren't able to get in touch with you."
Before Riven for utter a reply the guest bedroom door opened and a tall tanned girl with long blonde hair, pulled into a loose low ponytail, walked out in a silk nightie with a robe over the top.
"What's going on, Riven?" the girl asked tiredly.
Sky's eyes widened at the sight of the girl and immediately tensed up.
"Nothing Galatea, go back to bed," Riven replied with a small smile.
Galatea looked between the two men for a few moments, taking in Riven's embarrassed appearance and Sky's tense and angry stance.
"Okay," Galatea said. "Goodnight Riven, nice to see you again Sky," she added before closing the door.
Sky continued to stare dumbfounded at the guest bedroom door as Riven left the front door opened walked over to the couch in the sitting room.
"You are not seriously just going to continue on like that didn't happen?" Sky yelled angrily.
Riven sat down on the couch and looked at Sky with confusion.
"What are you talking about?" Riven asked.
"You have Galatea, a girl that Musa saved in highschool, and she is in the apartment that you share with the girl that you love. You don't see anything wrong about this?"
Riven rolled his eyes and leant over to the coffee table to pour himself a glass of scotch, clearly already bored with the current conversation.
"Just what are you implying, Sky?" Riven asked with a bored expression.
"Are you sleeping with her? Since Musa went away on this mission, have you been shacked up with the girl that stole Musa's right to the throne as Princess of Melody?"
Riven stopped drinking the scotch and turned to face Sky with a raised eyebrow. Sky's face started to turn red as he got angrier by the minute. Was Riven actually playing dumb right now?
"Again, Sky, I have no idea what you are talking about. And how dare you accuse me of cheating on Musa. I would never do such a thing."
"Just like you said you wouldn't get spelled again, right?"
Bam!
Sky stumbled back at the punch Riven landed on him. After a few seconds Sky looked back to find Riven now standing in front of him, wearing a look of disgust.
"You have no RIGHT to judge me, Princey," Riven said low and angrily. "I am not the only person in this room that has been under a dark spell before."
"Yes but I don't hide women in my house when my girlfriend is away."
"No, you just pretend to be someone else so that you can have two girls at once," Riven hissed.
Sky tensed up and threw his arm back ready to punch Riven, when the magenta haired specialist caught it and twisted Sky's arm around his back then forced him to the ground, pinning him down.
"Calm down, Sky!" Riven ordered.
"Don't you dare bring Bloom into this."
"Then don't bring Musa into this either," Riven retorted.
"I only brought her up because you are secretly keeping another girl here! What else am I supposed to think?"
"You are supposed to trust me!" Riven hissed before he released Sky and backed away from him.
Sky rubbed his arm as he stood up and stared at Riven.
"Come on, Sky," Riven sighed sadly. "Despite our issues in the past we are still friends. How could you doubt my love for Musa? Look, I don't have to explain myself to you, especially when you show up here unannounced in the middle of the night and judge me before getting all of the facts. You have to observe with your eyes. Galatea is asleep in the GUEST bedroom while I am in mine. She has her clothes on and so do I."
Sky still sent death glares at Riven, to which the latter ignored.
"Fine, if you don't believe me or my eyes then that is your issue. I just thought you knew me better than that. So we don't start another fight and I can get back to sleep, ALONE I might add, why are you here?"
"Mission update," Sky mumbled angrily, crossing his arms over his chest. "Apparently the girls have found one of the princesses."
"That's good," Riven replied quietly and returned to his scotch. "Maybe the girls will come back sooner."
"Why, so you can let Galatea's presence clue Musa in on your affair so you don't have to tell her directly?"
Riven simply smirked at Sky's response.
"If I were having an affair Sky, wouldn't you think that I would want Musa's mission to extend longer?"
"You are such a dick," Sky said before he stormed out of the apartment and slammed the door behind him.
The apartment was soon met with silence as Riven drowned the rest of his scotch.
"You can come out now," Riven called out, staring at the empty glass in his hand. "I know that you heard every word."
A few moments passed and the guest bedroom opened again and Galatea awkwardly walked out of the room with a guilty look on her face.
"I'm sorry that we kept you up," Riven said. "And for the comment Sky made about you too."
Galatea shrugged her shoulders in response. "It's okay. I know some of the kingdom feel that way and sometimes I feel it too. I have grown immune to it."
"Good," Riven replied, putting the glass into the kitchen.
"Why didn't you just tell him the truth?" Galatea asked. "It would have solved everything and you wouldn't have fought with Sky."
"Sky can be quick to judge and put his nose into things that don't concern him. I didn't tell him because this business is between myself, you, and Musa. I wouldn't want anyone else knowing what is going on and have things that behind closed doors suddenly reveal to the whole group."
"But he thought that we were having an affair," Galatea continued. "Although I am flattered by the notion because you are good looking and Musa is lucky to have you, but I have a boyfriend back home and Sky almost punched you. If Musa found out without talking to us….well…I wouldn't want to cause any trouble between you two."
"As nice as that is, Princess, but I am the one that called you, not the other way around."
"Again, that statement doesn't help your case," Galatea joked.
"We have a business relationship and until we get things sorted we cannot confront Musa. If things are successful only then will we announce what transpired."
"So what happens when someone else accuses us of an affair?"
"We deny it but don't reveal our plan," Riven answered.
"Are you sure this is what you want?"
"Trust me, it is. I want Musa to be happy, Galatea, but she also needs to face her demons."
"Alright, I trust you Riven," Galatea replied before she turned and headed back to the guest bedroom.
"Galatea," Riven called out, causing the girl to turn around. "You're not bad to look at, yourself."
Galatea blushed and laughed in response. "Down boy," she joked. "We are both spoken for, remember."
"And we are two lucky people for that."
Galatea smiled and nodded her head before she continued to the bedroom and closed the door.
In another realm, a dark hooded figure ran down a long and empty hallway and threw open the doors to a dark and gloomy throne room. The room was basked in red light that made the walls look like blood. The throne itself stood on top of a small staircase and was black, the last remnants of Lord Darkar's castle. A shadowed figure wrapped in leather with a quiver of arrows sat on top of the throne and eyed the hooded man carefully.
"Master," the figure said, kneeling before the throne. "I have some news about the Cristallium Sector."
"What is it, insect?" the shadowed man growled. "You are aware that my patience is wearing thin and you are expendable. Unfortunately, Andreas, rumours have begun that our spies have been seen and heard gathering intel for us in the magical realm. They have become more secretive."
Andreas slammed his fist onto the arm rest of the throne and snarled in anger.
"This is unacceptable!"
"Sir, if I may, I do have some information that could be valuable."
"Then speak before I rip out your throat."
"W-we intercepted a call to Earth a-and it appears that the guardians were sent there to find the princesses."
"The princesses are on Earth? That is brilliant. No wonder they have eluded me after all these years. But I don't see how that helps me, minion! Not only do we not know where the princesses are, the Winx are infamous. We cannot allow them to get the princesses first."
"There is more, sir," the hooded figure continued. "From the phone conversation, it is rumoured that the Winx were defeated in the past before. According to rumours the Winx were in fact dead."
"Dead? But then why do they walk among us?"
"We do not know, sir, but I did intercept a possible explanation. Apparently one of the fairies is a genius and she may have single handedly reunited the group together."
Andreas leant back in his throne. "Interesting….so this fairy could be the reason for the Winx's success?"
"From what I heard, in my opinion yes, she could be the glue."
"Good work, insect. You shall live another day. Your next task is to pinpoint the location of the princesses but also find me that fairy."
"Yes Master."
"Are you serious?"
It had been several hours since the Winx's encounter with Dante, Prizma's brother now revealed knight, and the girls were now finally able to talk to Prizma now that she had awoken. It was around 8am and all of the girls had gone off to school while Flora stayed behind to talk to Prizma and explain the situation. Flora was the best choice to stay behind as she was the one who 'got sick' the previous day so her sickness excuse would be plausible. Dante offered to cover for his 'sister' at school and claim that she was still under the weather as well.
"I-I'm….I'm a fairy?" Prizma stuttered in surprise.
"Yes," Flora answered as the two sat in the lounge with cups of tea.
"But what about my brother?"
Flora internally hissed at the question. Dante had forbidden any of the girls from revealing is true identity to Prizma before he left the previous night.
'You are the knight sworn to protect the princesses?" Layla asked stunned.
"Yes, isn't that what I just said?" Dante replied sarcastically.
"What the hell!" Stella shrieked. "We all have been worried sick because the royals back home haven't heard from you but you have been here the whole time? We all thought that you were dead or something."
"See, yeah, that's what I wanted you to think."
"You must be joking," Musa said annoyed.
"Nope," Dante answered with a smirk. "You see I am actually a duplicator and a master in martial arts along with being a royal knight. I have been keeping a close eye on my surroundings for years. Recently I started noticing miss-happenings and strange readings back home and thought that evil had returned. So I went into hiding and ceased communication with the royals in case evil infiltrated them. I couldn't risk the lives of the girls I am sworn to protect."
"But how could you watch over the girls when you technically only live with Prizma?" Bloom asked.
"I pretend to be Prizma's brother and watch over her at home and the others at school as a student."
"So how old are you really?" Stella asked intrigued.
Dante smirked again. "How old are you sunshine?"
"Watch it!" Stella threatened, sounding a bit like Miss Piggy from Muppets.
"I was only a small child when I was sent here. My father was actually the real knight that King Rayon sent on this mission. I was only six. My father was captain of the royal guards. However I was sent with him as an insurance policy. My father and I became Prizma's foster family while in secret he kept tabs on the other two and trained me with all the necessary skills of a true captain."
"So the story about Prizma losing her parents and staying with an aunt is true?" Flora asked.
"Partly," Dante answered. "When I was 12 my father passed away in a stake out. He was watching over one of the other princesses when he spotted a rebel of the dark force. My father killed him before word about his presence was sent back to the leader but the rebel got a lethal shot at my dad before he died. Prizma was only eight at the time so only remembers being raised by an aunt. The aunt however is just a lonely woman who I had spelled to live with us up until I was 16 were I was legally able to take care of Prizma, by Earth standards, and the aunt went back to her old life like nothing happened."
"But….you were 12."
"But I was trained by the best since I was four. My whole purpose here was to take charge in my father's absence. So to answer your question, Sunshine, I pretend to be18 but I am actually 21."
"Prizma is the princess of Exarius, surely now we can tell her the truth about you and everything," Tecna said.
"No!" Dante said firmly. "Prizma cannot know about me, it would ruin her trust in me and then I can't protect her. When you find the other two princesses, only then can you tell her. For now though I am just her foster brother," Dante explained before he started heading for the front door.
"Wait, till we find them?" Musa repeated. "Why can't you just tell us the identities of the other two?"
Dante opened the door and looked back at the fairies. "Those girls need your trust more than anything when they discover who they truly are. If I just gave you their names then no trust as been established just yet, their powers could still be undeveloped, and then you will just be met with resistance from them. Besides, where is the fun in that?" Dante closed the door behind him before he could hear the girls' response.
"Oh, I really don't like that guy," Stella hissed in annoyance.
"We don't know about your brother," Flora lied. "We just know about you. That strange surge you felt yesterday was almost a decades worth of magic building up inside you and it burst right out when it reached its breaking point."
"But….I could have hurt someone."
"But you didn't," Flora reassured. "All new fairies have outbursts like that when they are just growing in their powers. I mean when I was growing into mine, I woke up to find all of the plants in my bedroom had grown from sprouts to large jungle vines overnight. My parents 'loved' cleaning that mess up."
Prizma laughed at the story. "Are you sure you got the right girl?"
"Well….you did tell us that you never truly felt like you belonged and Layla and I did find you in an anti-gravity field."
"I'm sorry I just find it hard to accept."
"Well Bloom always thought that she was an Earth fairy until she was 16 too."
"I'm 17 but I hear you. Did she really?"
"Yes, for years for thought she was a human but she felt like she didn't belong. That was until she ran into Stella and discovered her powers, almost exactly like your story."
"So you and the others aren't really my teachers?"
"Correct, we were sent here to find you and two other princesses."
"I'm a princess?"
"Yes, of a planet called Exarius. You are the fairy of space, Prizma. And this," Flora began before she pulled out an envelope and handed it to Prizma. "These are your parents."
Prizma slowly opened the envelope and pulled out a photograph. In it was a photo of a man with short blonde hair dressed in a attire of black pants with a royal blue long sleeved tunic, military looking, with medals and the royal crest on the front. He had pure white gloves on, black shoes, and a gold and royal blue crown on his head. He stood with a woman, fair skinned with long brown hair while she wore a long baby blue floor length gown with s white gold tiara adorned her head. In the woman's arms was a small baby with brown hair, perhaps a few months old, wrapped in a royal blue blanket cradled in her arms.
"Their names are King Rayon and Queen Sayira. Evil came to your planet and your parents sent you to Earth for protection. You were a year and a half old when you were sent away."
"M-My parents? C-can I speak to them? See them?"
"Unfortunately, sweetie, you can't. You can't see them until we find the other princesses and take you home for basic training. Look, evil has resurfaced and your kingdom is in danger. You and the other two princesses are key to defeating this enemy."
"How can I? I'm a novice."
"You realm is extremely powerful and known for its magic. Just like how the Cosmic treasures merge together to create the cosmic void, your power, combined with the the other two, create the Crysalice. A state of ultimate power to which you three can command at your own win. But you can only channel it when with your two counterparts and only in the Cristallium Sector."
"This is insane. I can't be a fairy and I can't stop an ultimate evil. You're wrong!"
"I know that this is a lot to bare but you have to believe me when I tell you that we are accurate. We need you, Prizma, so does your kingdom and your parents."
"But I have never been to this kingdom and don't remember my parents. Why should I help?"
"It is your duty as a princess."
"I'm not the princess of anything!" Prizma shouted, now standing from her seat. "I am not Princess Prizma, not a fairy, not an ultimate power. I just want to be me!"
"Prizma, please…"
"Don't!" Prizma said, backing away from Flora. "Just leave me alone. I want my brother…I want Dante!"
With that said, Prizma turned and ran out of the apartment and slammed the door behind her. Flora stood frozen for a few seconds before she grabbed her jacket and keys and started running after Prizma. Without being at school, Prizma was only under the protection of Flora and she wasn't about to let her go, not when they had just found her.
Prizma bolted out of the apartment and immediately started running. She didn't know where she was heading but she just needed some air. She needed to think, she needed something that kept her grounded. After running for 15 minutes she found herself back at school. If she weren't so focused on the information she had been ambushed with, Prizma would have marvelled at how close the winx lived to the school, and the fact that she ran there without taking a break.
Prizma heard the school bell ring for lunch time and she felt instantly sick. After her embarrassing confrontation in the hall and her convenient 'sick day' she didn't feel up to meeting the stares of the other students. Tomorrow she would be brave she decided, but today, she hid from the windows and managed to sneak inside the school and run straight to the library. No one ever went to the library during lunchtime, not even the nerds, so it was a perfect place to hang out and collect her thoughts without anyone running into her.
Prizma kept her head down so the librarian wouldn't notice her and headed for the secret reading nook at the back corner of the library. It was in the old history book section where hardly anyone ever goes to. Prizma came across it about a year ago when she was studying, unbeknownst to her 'popular' friends, for a history exam. For some reason there were comfy bean bags hidden there and was kept surprisingly tidy for a secret corner. Prizma didn't know anyone else that knew about the spot so she was taken by complete surprise when she turned the corner and found a young dark blue haired sophomore sitting in a bean bag reading.
Before Prizma could quickly turn around and find another hiding place the young girl lifted her gaze from her book and stared.
"Oh!" the girl said stunned.
"I….I-I'm sorry…" Prizma stuttered. She would have loved to slap herself for her loss in confidence at the moment. "I didn't know that anyone was here."
"It's….it's okay," the girl said, half closing her book. "Not many people know about this place."
"I thought I was the only one, to be honest," Prizma said with a small smile.
"As did I," the girl replied.
"I didn't mean to disturb you, I honestly thought I was quiet," Prizma joked.
"You were," the girl said. "I just have…..have really good hearing, I guess."
"Must be," Prizma was about to turn to leave when the other girl stopped her.
"You can stay, if you'd like," she said. "There is enough room for two of us. I always make sure there are two bean bags here anyway."
Prizma turned back around and slowly sat down in the bean bag next to the girl. She started to take notice of how beautifully well kept the area was. All the dust was gone from the shelves and window in the corner. A decent rug was on the floor beneath their feet and the bean bags were so clean and comfy.
"You were the one who decorated this space?" Prizma asked.
The girl looked down at the ground and tried to hide the blush forming on her face.
"I found it when I was a freshman, I come here all the time to read the books. History is my favourite thing to read."
"You're Maria, right? I ran into you the other day?"
"Yes, that's right, Prizma."
"It still creeps me out that you know my name when I hardly know yours."
Maria blushed again. "Oh….well as I said, everyone knows you. You are the most well liked girl in school."
"Perhaps too liked," Prizma whispered to herself.
"Why do you think that?"
Prizma stared in shock at Maria. She swore she had said that quietly.
"How do you do that?"
"Do what?"
"You know…..hearing the smallest of things?"
"It's…..it's just a talent that I was born with. I's something that I can't change but….it makes me different."
"I know what you mean," Prizma sighed. "I just found out something completely shocking about myself and I don't know how to handle it."
"What happened?" Maria asked sweetly, now putting the book down in her lap and gave Prizma her undivided attention.
"I just….you might think this is silly but for some reason, I have felt like there is a part of me that is….I don't know…"
"Missing?" Maria suggested.
Prizma again was surprised. This girl was something else.
"Yes, missing. A part of me was missing and something about myself just didn't make sense. Then all of a sudden yesterday and this morning everything fell into place. I don't know how to make of it."
"It must be nice to finally figure out who you are. But how can you feel out of place? You are the most popular girl in school."
"I may be popular but it is lonely. My brother, his friend, and Serena are probably my closest friends because they don't pretend to be my friend. They are genuine. The other girls are so fake. They act all nice just so they can be popular too. But the key to being popular is nice, that is all I am."
"Even being nice doesn't help some people."
"You don't have friends?"
Maria scoffed and gestured to the corner they both sat in. "Look around, Prizma. I am sitting at the back of the library where no one ever goes during lunch. Even the nerds don't come to the library during lunch. I have my books. They are the only friends I need."
"But you are so sweet, and you dress so cute. I always see you around school with a different broach or accessory in your hair."
Maria blushed and gave Prizma a small smile. "Thanks, I have been collecting them since I was little. This lady bug broach I'm wearing has been with me since I was a kid. My parents gave it to me."
"I think they are wicked cool."
"Well, people just see me as strange and lonely so they don't notice my cool style."
"Why not?"
"You saw what I read the other day. I read stuff on clairvoyants, always get straight A's, and have amazing…hearing."
"That doesn't make you strange, Maria, that makes you unique. You shouldn't be ashamed of yourself. You have a wicked cool style, lovely personality, and your hair is sweet."
"Then why haven't we spoken longer than two minutes? This is the first time you and I have spoken for longer than that."
Prizma stopped dead and realised that Maria was right.
"Well, silly," Prizma said with a kind smile. "I would have loved to talk but you ran away from me last time."
"True….but you also ran away yesterday. I'm sorry that that exchange student couldn't take a hint. He isn't worthy of you anyway. And if I'm not allowed to be ashamed of myself then you shouldn't be ashamed of your brother. He is a great guy, a hot head, but a really nice guy and caring. He loves you to death."
Prizma noticed the subtle change in Maria as she talked about Dante. She gave a small smirk in return.
"Oh so you've been paying attention, have you?"
"Oh…" Maria immediately blushed and looked away. "I don't….I mean….um….I'm sorry….I didn't mean to call Dante a hot head."
Prizma immediately started laughing causing Maria to look at the girl with a worried look. When the brunette finally calmed down she gave another big smile to the young sophomore.
"Don't worry Maria, I was just teasing. Besides I am the first one to admit that my brother is a hot head and an idiot. He can be a royal pain actually."
"His girlfriend probably doesn't think so."
"What? He doesn't have girlfriend. He is always so serious that he probably wouldn't even notice that a girl was hitting or crushing on him. I'm starting to think he's asexual…you know, would never like have feelings for someone or care."
Maria started to get a bit quiet at Prizma's sentence. But then gave a small giggle in return.
"You are right though, I shouldn't be ashamed either. It's just a lot to take in, finally discovering that you were right all along and there was another side of yourself that you never knew existed. I'm different but….after talking with you, I feel a little better about it."
"Good, because if you are different like me then I guess it isn't so bad. It is actually a lot of fun."
"Especially when you have a friend so share it with," Prizma added.
"We're friends?"
"Absolutely," Prizma said. "I wouldn't have it any other way."
"Then as your friend I say you go back and face whatever it is you're confronted with, just how I am. I may not have many friends but I am sure that you are surrounded by people who will support you."
"That's true…I am. I just am scared about what it means."
"It's like highschool, Prizma. You don't know what your future will hold until she leave. I am probably a hypocrite for saying this but it's time to get out of your comfort zone."
"Alright, you're right. I'm Prizma St Delphine and I will not run away."
"That's the spirit!"
"Now it's your turn, Maria."
"What?"
Prizma got up from the bean bag and hauled Maria up after her. She gently held her new friend's hands in her own.
"Now you shout it out. Say, I am Maria Smith and I will not run away."
"I am Maria Smith," Maria whispered.
"I can't hear you," Prizma joked.
"I am Maria Smith."
"One more time!" Prizma yelled.
"I am Maria Smith, and I will not run away!"
"That's my girl!" Prizma cheered and hugged Maria. "I have to get back to do something but tomorrow, how about you sit with me and my friends?"
"R-really? But I'm a sophomore."
"What did we just say?" Prizma teased.
"I am Maria Smith and I will not run away!" Maria faked cheered as the two giggled.
Prizma smiled at her new friend. It is hard to believe that for a girl she barely knew she got along with so well and quickly. If only this girl was one of the other princesses, then she wouldn't feel so alone.
So what did you all think? I hope it was worth the wait again.
Hope you R/R :)
Till next time!
~AngelAlexandra~
