Chapter Twenty

"What do you mean 'no'?!" Riven yelled.

"P-Please understand," the king's adviser twiddled his mustache ends as he noticed the scene these people were causing, "His Majesty is not feeling well enough to do-"

"He doesn't want to see us, does he?" Helia interrupted calmly, shrugging his shoulders as though resigned to the fact.

Taken aback, the advisor cleared his throat. "Well, I wouldn't go so far as to say that." He fiddled with his facial hair once more. "Nonetheless, King Shoannem isn't available for your appointment."

"So let me get this straight. We wait an entire day stuck in a shuttle thanks to a barrier no one told us about, had to get pulled through by the emergency spell-casters, had to wait until two in the morning to receive two rooms in the palace, and were told to wait here in this line for nothing?!" Riven didn't care if everyone in the hall was looking their way. Screw them. This was ridiculous!

The specialist felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Musa, his girlfriend, trying to comfort him. Though she didn't say anything, the message was clear on her face: Calm down.

Riven scoffed, but did what she wanted.

The Eraklyin heir turned to the adviser. "What he means is that we have been here since early morning. That's a long time now. Is there anything you can do?"

Astan shook his head. "I'm afraid not, my prince. I am simply a servant of the king. At this point in time, there will be no luck in changing his will. Good evening."

...

"Well that was a waste of time," Riven stated as he and the gang walked out onto the castle steps.

"I don't get it." Brandon huffed. "What did we do to upset the king?"

Musa shrugged. "No idea." She sat down on the steps. "Now what are we going to do?"

"Well," Flora said, "we could try asking around town..."

The magenta- haired specialist snorted. "Like that'll work." The man remembered what happened the last time they were here. Apparently, the subject of criminals was considered taboo by most people. All they'd gotten were looks of discomfort and when they'd tried to ask. If it wasn't for that one guy, they would have gone nowhere at all.

"What do you suggest we do then?" Sky's tone made the innocent question seemed like a challenge.

"What?" Riven held up his hands. "I'm just saying."

"There's nothing else to do." Helia pointed out.

"Helia's right." Aisha nodded. "We might as well try."

"And stretch our legs while we're at it too." Stella reached for the sky. "Sitting in that line made my butt numb."

"But we went nowhere with that last time!" Bloom interjected.

"Yeah. I don't see how it's going to work now." The squire went on. "No one was really willing to talk to us except for the king. That's why we went to him in the first place, remember?"

"But now, for whatever reason, the king won't see us." Aisha put her hands on her hips. "Come on guys. We got to try."

"Tecna, what do you think?" the flower fairy turned to the only one in the group who hadn't offered an opinion.

Tecna was working on a new contraption, and hadn't looked up since she started. Riven could only guess what it was for, but judging by phrases like "rerouting connection" and "need to break through and tell him," it was probably to contact Timmy.

The Zenithian was determined to do so ever since they entered the planet's atmosphere but it was almost impossible with the barrier on. As a measure to contain whoever inside, it blocked transportation and communication from the outside. Yet apparently, they forgot to publicize this news, and the shuttle car they were riding in crashed into their force field. The planet's emergency team had to bring them in. After receiving many apologies from the Royal Order (Riven thought that sorry didn't cut it. They could at least have the decency to let them know.)

Still, to communicate even with the barricade in the way, Riven had no real idea of how to get through. But he wouldn't put past Tecna to accomplish that. If anyone was going to accomplish it, she would.

"Tecna?" The plant fairy tried again. The other female didn't hear as she furiously pressed buttons.

"Tecna!" Riven yelled for the Linphean. He wasn't sure if Miss Flower Power could bring herself to do it.

It got her attention. "Hm?" She looked up from the screen, fingers still tapping about.

"What should we do now?" Flora repeated her question.

"Oh." the technology fairy's gaze switched constantly between her audience and the device. "We could try looking around in the western outskirts of the capital."

"Why there?" Brandon questioned.

"Supposedly, that is where the Shadow Dragon meets her clients. And lived, until the guards found her home while she wasn't there." Her eyes narrowed at the gadget.

Stella wrinkled her nose. "Isn't that the slums?" The Solarian princess brought up a fact told to them by Xander. As much as that conniving little traitor's word wasn't worth crap, they'd seen enough to know his story checked out.

Tecna replied, nonchalant. "You could say."

"Wait. Wait." Riven needed to make some things clear. "How do you know all of this?"

"I asked around the castle yesterday. Most answers were generally not useful, but one of the guards under General Sarez did provide some decent information." She said it so casually, unaware of the rising rage in her comrades.

"So you mean we didn't have to go and see the king?!" The prince spoke the single thought they all had in mind.

Tecna bit her bottom lip as she pushed and turned the knobs, "Not necessarily. General Sarez was in a hurry to train some forces, so he could only say what he could. I was hoping the king could us with more facts. So that's why I didn't tell you." She paused, finally looking up for a full moment. "Was that wrong?"

The Domino princess sighed. "No. That's reasonable."

"So," the Melodian said, "to the slums, then?"

"Ugh," Stella whined.

Riven smirked. "Don't worry. It's only worse than you think."

"Thanks, dude. Thanks."

...

"Here it is," Tecna spoke as they all stood in the dusty road, "The Sylph's Steps."

The tavern, like the rest of its neighboring buildings, was a shack one good kick from falling in on itself. Unlike the rest, it was large and brimming with people inside. Cheap lights of varying colors flash as live music played. The name of the pub was painted in large blue letters on a sign on the roof. There was also a tag hanging underneath that said, "BEST HICOM AROUND".

"Are you sure this is the place?" Sky eyed the bar.

Tecna nodded. "The guard did specify this as where they think the thief finds customers."

"Really?" Riven raised a brow. "Can't really imagine her in here. She seemed prissy."

"Either way," Brandon took a step, "let's go in."

They all walk in together inside the establishment. On the other side of the door, the mawkish smell hit Riven. It triggered memories he would rather forget. The activity died down as they entered, everyone stopping to stare at the finely dressed newcomers. Riven could feel the stares from everyone, memories bringing back tips on how to handle them: Don't submit. Stay cool. Move ahead.

"Let's go over to him." Sky whispered as he pointed to the barrel chested bartender who, unlike the rest of the occupants, was unfazed by their presence. He whistled while pouring drinks. "Let's see if he knows anything."

They took up ten empty seats at the long counter.

It was then the rest of the bar went back to business, the chatter and the band on the stage to the right of the drinking-center played once more, though not everyone stopped staring.

The dark- haired man slid the drink down upon the table to an old woman, then looked at them. "Ah, the Winx! Some Specialists!" He bore a toothy grin, hazel eyes flashing with life. "Welcome to my humble pub! Never thought I'd see you in here. Where's the scrawny one? With the glasses?" He scratched his curly top head.

"He's... somewhere else." Tecna answered.

"Alright then, Morty at your service." He bowed down. "Now how can I help you?"

"We just some information." Bloom answered.

"Okay! Coming right up!" Morty boomed to another customer before facing them again. "Information, eh? I'm gonna need a little something to give that out."

Riven rolled his eyes. Of course.

"Name your price." Sky said as Bloom, Stella, Musa, Aisha, and Flora fished through their purses.

"How about," he went to a huge rack filled with liquor,"just one night with all your wenches?" Morty let that sink in as he picked out bottles.

Oh. Hell. No. Tecna dropped her device as the rest of the girls dropped their purses. Helia leaped in front of Flora.

"No." Sky said.

"Not on the table!" Aisha declared.

"No way." Brandon shook his head.

"Forget it, you sick bastard!" Riven yelled.

Morty only laughed. "Calm down, okay?" He waved his hands about, "I'm only joking!"

"That wasn't a very humorous joke." Tecna picked up her contraption as the other fairies did so with their purses.

The bartender poured ingredients into glasses. "Your funny bone, then. Besides, I already got a wife and two kids at home. Only things I love more than this pub." He sent the beverages on their way. "I'm glad you boys treat your girls right. For that, I'll give you a nice little discount, as well as dish of hicom if you're interested.."

Brandon apparently was interested. He raised his hand. "I am."

"Good." Morty turned back to a square hole in the wall. "Urla! Make one dish of hicom!" The bartender turned back to them. "So what do you want to know for fifteen girlies?"

"Girlies?"

"Crowns, whatever you rich folk call the gold coins. The one with the dead duchess on the front."

"What can you tell us about the Shadow Dragon?" Musa asked, giving the man the requested amount.

"Huh, you too? You guys are the fifth group of people who asked about that today."

"What do you mean?" Bloom said.

"There were others before you. Bounty hunters, I think."

That explained things. Riven thought back to the renegades in annoyance. They were some of the people that made the line so long.

Morty chuckled loudly to himself. "Yeah, that one comes here all the time, or at least she used to. Normally, I'd never rat her out. But last few months, she 'forgot' about paying my fee. Lied and said she did. Now, since I don't like being skimped, that Shadow Girl can take her little deal and shove it up her-"

"We get the picture." Aisha cringed.

"Well then, I'll get to it then," the bartender slid down glasses all over the counter, "for starters, see that corner over there?" Morty pointed over to the dark spot facing the door.

"Yeah, what about it?" The Solarian heiress peered at that direction.

"That's where the Shadow Dragon always sat. When she's not taking a job, she's there. Waiting."

"For who?" Musa pressed.

"Not for anyone in particular. But she's always there. Waiting. She's still. Melts right into the shadows just half of her name." Morty chuckled. "Sometimes I even forget that she's there. At least to the point where she walks up to me and asks for some water and a little pleris juice mixed in. She wasn't one for alcohol."

"Pleris?" The sun fairy scrunched up her brows.

"Borreanian fruit." He explained while pouring some more drinks. "So anyway, she always there. Waiting."

"How can potential clients contact her?" Tecna stopped her tinkering to ask.

"Simple. They just go to her corner."

"Really?" Sky asked. "That's it?"

"Mmm Hm." Morty confirmed. "It's that easy and convenient since you know, in her spare time, she's always there. Wait-"

"Waiting." Musa interrupted, finishing the bartender's sentence. "Yeah, you mentioned that. How frequently is she here?"

"Off and on. Never bothered keeping a schedule. That or she changed pubs every now and then. But if she's taking on a big job, she would be gone for a month. Even longer."

"It takes her months to get it done?" Brandon had his jaw dropped. "Dang."

"For planning, transportation if it's on another planet, those kinds of things I think. But she always gets it done. Or at, she did. Until that rafter broke on her."

"Her clients must really get their money's worth." Stella comment.

"You could say." Morty shrugged as he took some empty bottles to put underneath the counter.

"How much does she usually get paid?" Flora wondered.

"I don't really know about that. But on quiet day, I can hear her and her client talking. It really depends on the job. The bigger it is, the more pricey it gets. Sometimes, they don't even pay her monetarily."

"Could you elaborate on that?" Sky requested.

Morty nodded. "Sure. What I mean is while they're bargaining, sometimes she asks for things like food and shelter, like last year when the guards found her hideout. Does that until she can get a new place in this city." Morty paused. "Or that's my guess. I don't know. Even on slow times, I can't really pick talk up from here. Prob'ly why she likes it so much."

"Hideouts?" Flora pondered at the word. "So she's homeless?"

"Dunno." The man shrugged as he took out a rag and started wiping the counter surface. "She doesn't talk much about anything, much less her personal life. Besides, that's what I think she says. If it was true, along with food and shelter, there's her anonymity they had to keep. If they can't, she won't take it. Still though, at the end of each bargain they pay me and the rest of the staff to keep quiet of what we saw. She was always worried about that. Keeping her identity a secret. Always asked, almost begged, me to tell no one. Course, if she really cared, she-"

"You knew who she was?" Bloom asked. "Even before it got out?"

"I wouldn't say really. Again, she didn't talk much. She always had that huge brown cloak on so I couldn't really see how she looked. But I could tell she was a girl. I mean, have you seen her size?" The bartender chuckled. "I swear, she nearly had a heart attack when I asked her about that."

"So up until the prince was murdered," Sky started, "only you and her clients knew who she really was?

"Yup. Me and her pompous rich clients. She always had wealthy powerful ones. Especially her last one." Morty murmured the last sentence.

"Wait, what about her last one?" Riven asked. This could be important! This might lead them to the thief and the Trix!

Morty realized his mistake. "I can't say. He paid me good money to do so."

"Her last client was a guy?" Musa pressed on.

"Damn," the bartender swore."That's all you get!"

Ding! A bell rang.

"Oh look!" Morty said quickly. "Your hicom's ready!"

A/Ns: SME speaks: (holds red button for all to see. SME presses it. Explosions of fireworks, confetti, and glow-in-the-dark balls occur) Congrats shall go to my partner PtV, a new moderator of a Winx Club Forum! I'm pretty sure she already told you this, but go check that out.

Anyway, I hope you guys liked this chapter. I think this was the longest I ever wrote and published. If you have thoughts of this piece, WCFC, or the possible floor tile armaggadon, don't be afraid to review!

PTV: Well, I was going to tell them, but you beat me to it.

It's true, though. I'm one of the two moderators (Firehawk242 is the other) of the new forum, Winx Club Fanfiction Challenges! The place is great, and I hope everyone here goes off to check it out. The door is open to all writers no matter what (as long as you're willing to follow the rules, which is real easy and mostly common sense). Take on new challenges! Break through writer's block! Create your own challenge for your friends to try! Or even just chat with the people there. We don't bite!

As far as the chapter goes, we were without beta on this one, so I'm worried it's not as good. The POV's a little more distant than usual because Riven's a really hard character to write, and we didn't want to do him injustice. What do you all think?

Thank you everyone for reading (and hopefully reviewing), please check out WCFC when you're done here, and I'll see you on the far side!