S1E8 "A Friendship Sundered"

Another week passed, and before Bloom knew it, she'd spent a month living in the Magic Dimension. The days had become routine for her; a class or two in the morning or afternoon, followed by a weekend hanging out with her friends. She could feel the warmth of the sunrise on her face, but she couldn't muster the strength to open her eyes.

She continued tossing and turning in her bed, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts and indecipherable images. They'd often disappear and reappear while the same beckoning voice called out her name.

Bloom...

In her dreams, she'd be surrounded by the void. The voice would call from every direction, sending her in circles to locate it.

"Who's calling me?" Bloom would shout out into the darkness. "Who's there?"

It's me, Bloom... The voice would answer. Do you remember me?

Bloom turned on her feet as the voice came from behind.

Do you know who I am?

"It's you!" Bloom said, not sure where to look. "The voice that led me to safety!"

Yes Bloom... The voice answered. Come to me...

"But-" She walked forward. "I can't see you!"

Come...

You must come, Bloom...

Bloom stopped walking. "Where are you?"

She turned around once more. Behind her stood the same gold spectral woman adorned in billowing linens and a wing-shaped mask, towering above with outstretched hands. The one she'd dreamt of countless nights before, who beckoned her forward like an old friend.

I am here...

Come to me...and remember...

"Remember?" Bloom said as the fabric enveloped her. "What should I remember?"

Remember, Bloom... The woman said, tapering off into the distance.

Remember...

Bloom was jolted awake by the delicate touch of Flora's hand.

Flora, startled, took a couple steps back as Bloom rose to a sitting position.

"Good morning, Bloom?" Her sentence curled into a worried question. "Everything alright?"

Bloom rubbed her face, feeling disoriented and a bit sweaty.

"Yeah." Bloom mumbled. "God...these dreams lately..."

"I have to remember...remember something."

Flora wheeled out a suitcase from her closet. "They've been going on for a while now, haven't they?"

Bloom nodded slowly, pulling her duvet up to her shoulders and lowering back down into bed. Flora was packing a handful of clothing items and toiletries.

"Wait," Bloom said, dangling one foot off the mattress. "Are you leaving?"

Flora's suitcase closed with a snap. "Yeah. I'm going home for the day."

"You don't have classes?" Bloom asked. "It's...a weekday, right? I can't remember..."

"There's no classes today, Bloom?" Flora said, sounding a bit confused. "It's the Day of the Rose!"

The Magic Dimension's equivalent of Mother's Day, the Day of the Rose was ultimately a day of love. Flora had mentioned it with such joy, describing her large, quirky extended family located in the realm of Linphea. Bloom eventually got out of bed and roamed the apartment, peering in on a sleeping Musa and backpack-clad Tecna next door.

"You, too?" Bloom said, watching Tecna stuff an impossible amount of gadgets into a separate bag. She swore she saw a multi-tooled pocket knife among the assortment.

Tecna nodded. "My mom hasn't seen me in a while. It makes her nervous."

"Ah, I see." Bloom replied, leaning against the room's threshold.

Musa suddenly shot up from her bed and frantically grasped for her phone. Seemingly disappointed at what she saw, she slumped back down and sunk beneath her covers.

"Musa?" Bloom half-laughed. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing." Musa curtly replied, voice muffled by her pillow. "Just sleeping. With my eyes open."

"Oh, wow." Bloom mumbled. "I should try that..."

"Are you leaving, too?" Tecna asked. She started heading for the door.

Bloom shook her head, eyes lingering on the ground. "No. I'm not the only one, am I?"

"Nope." Musa said, turning to face her. "You'll have me."

"And me!" Stella's voice rang out. She was in silk pajamas and sipping from a cup of citrus tea.

"Really, Stella?"

"Family troubles, lately." Stella said, shoulders slumping. "They're not pretty. Moping around Alfea Castle just seemed like a better idea."

"Well then," Bloom sighed out. Tecna exited the apartment, and Stella pulled her into the living room.

"At least we'll have each other's company?"

An hour past sunrise, Riven closed his bedroom door shut and slumped into a chair. Classes had been canceled for the Day of the Rose, a holiday for mothers. It was all anyone talked about today, repeating the same cutesy phrases ad nauseum and shoving roses wherever they'd fit. The only good thing that came of the holiday were the wind-rider races held in the center of Magix City. If things played out well, the entire squad would participate, and he'd have a chance at winning himself.

He called Musa. One of many times, since the party. The call picked up quickly.

"Mr. Riven?"

There she goes again, with the polite honorifics. It always caught him by surprise. He grinned, propping the phone between his ear and shoulder as he unlaced his boots.

"Morning, Moose."

"Still hate everyone?" She answered.

"Yeah." Riven said, grin widening into a wry smile. "How'd you know that?"

"I dunno..." Musa let out a quiet laugh. "Fairy magic, or something."

"I'm trying not to, I promise." He walked to the large, ceiling length window and stared at the arena below. Sky, Brandon, and Timmy were climbing the dormitory steps.

"They're just making it difficult lately."

"Today's the Day of the Rose. All of our classes got canceled." Musa said. "Are you going home, too? Tecna and Flora left a while ago..."

Riven scoffed. "Hell no."

"Really?"

"There's no point, Moose. Me and my dad..." Riven said, sitting down on his bed. "Not on speaking terms anymore."

"And my mom? Ha..." He continued. "Haven't seen her in years."

"Wait, what?"

"To make a long story short," Riven said, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Drow are terrible parents, and even more terrible mothers. She's been gone since my tenth birthday."

"Riven..." Musa said, sounding sympathetic.

"No listen, I don't really care. Knowing her, she wouldn't bother to show up anyway." He said, growing upset.

Riven gripped the phone, and when he looked up he could see his seething reflection in a nearby mirror.

"It's a shitty, pointless holiday, Musa. Praise that most of them don't even deserve, my mom included!"

"Like, what would I even say to her? 'Hey, thanks for creating me!'" He said sarcastically, sneering at his appearance. "Some hell-spawn from a high-functioning whore!"

"Whoa, Riven!"

He sighed.

Musa paused for a moment.

"You're doing it again..."

"I know." He replied, "I caught myself."

"Is the mirror still there?"

The mirror had been the topic of a few conversations. Even with her commentary, he still wasn't sure if it was the mirror or his own reflection that he was irritated by.

"Maybe." Riven continued staring. "I'll get around to it."

"Move it to the bathroom, or something."

"The bathrooms already have mirrors." He replied. "I'll just put it in the living room."

"Okay."

Riven calmed himself down, staring blankly at the floor.

"Are you going?" He finally said. "Or do they suck, too?"

"No. Also no." Musa replied. "I'm still in bed, actually. And my parents...hmm..."

Riven quieted his voice, lowering to his back and looking towards the ceiling. "Hmm?"

"Well, there's my dad. Grouchy, overprotective, and usually drunk." She replied. "I could visit, just to keep him company every once in a while. But that depends on what mood he's in when I get there. Last time I went, it wasn't good."

"Damn." He said quietly. Soon enough, the dorm's entrance clicked open and announced the rowdy arrival of his squad mates. He shared a space with Timmy, but Timmy rarely entered the room outside of sleeping and changing clothes. The three would likely hang around in the living room for the next few hours, before heading out to Magix City.

Riven tugged at his wispy bangs. "What about your mom?"

Musa seemed to hesitate, and he could hear the rustling of her blankets in the background.

"Don't know. I've always wondered what she's up to, lately. Probably singing somewhere."

"Musa, what?" Riven changed the phone to the other side. "She left you?"

Musa sighed, followed by a faint, shuddering breath. "In a way, yeah."

"Moose..." Riven raked his hair back, getting up to pace around the room. "Musa, that's fucking terrible. I can't believe she did that to you."

"No, Riven, she's-" Musa replied. "It's different."

"Huh?"

Another shuddering breath. There was a wavering tone in her voice that she was struggling to hide.

"She's dead."

Riven paused. He hoped that somewhere, in this shitty universe, he'd find a way to take back what he'd said. He could feel the heavy pain of remorse in his chest. Uncomfortable, he cleared his throat.

"I'm...so sorry."

"Riven." Musa said between sniffles. "It's okay. You didn't know. Your mother abandoned you, and you have every right to hate her for leaving. Your feelings are valid."

"Yeah, but-" Riven stumbled over his words. "Forget what I said, okay? Like-"

"-It's okay." Musa said. "I told you, you didn't know. It's fine..."

Riven bit his tongue, unsure what to say.

"Riven, I have to go." Musa gave a final sigh. "Bye, okay?"

When the call ended he chucked his phone onto the bed and aggressively berated himself out loud.

"Fuck-Why would you-Fuck." He smeared back his brow and forehead. "Why would you say that..."

Panicked, he quickly exited his room, but as he pushed open the door the other boys scrambled to different parts of the living room behind it. Timmy pretended to inspect one of his Magitech tools, while Brandon and Sky feigned casual conversation on the red loveseat.

Riven closed his door back shut and collapsed onto his pillow instead.

"She was so beautiful, guys. Beautiful, with so much passion for life, singing and music. And she loved me and my dad so much..."

Musa, Stella, and Bloom sat at an empty dining hall table. Much of campus had become devoid of people, though every once in a while a fairy would make an appearance nearby. Musa hadn't bothered to change out of her pajamas, which neither of the other girls minded.

"I haven't celebrated this holiday in a really long time," Musa mumbled out, clutching her tea. "For me, this day...it's just a little sadder than the others..."

"Oh, honey..." Stella said, touching Musa's shoulder. "I'm sorry for asking."

"Don't apologize, you didn't know." Musa replied, giving a sad grin. "Nobody does. I try not to talk about her too much."

She sniffled. "See, now it's all depressing here. Let's talk about something else."

"Well, Bloom?" Stella redirected the conversation. "You never told us why you're staying. Mike and Vanessa would love to see you, I bet."

"I'm staying just to stay, I guess." Bloom replied. "If I go home now, I'll have a hard time leaving. Just thinking about them makes me homesick."

"Sure does, lass!"

The girls peered down to see Professor Wizgiz trotting across the dining room floor. He carried a large bag in his hand.

"Professor Wizgiz?" Bloom said. "You're going, too?"

"Why of course!" Wizgiz chirped. "Leprechauns have mothers, too!"

He skipped out of the dining hall.

"Griselda's the only one here, then." Stella said, looking depressed. "All of the other faculty left this morning."

"I don't know about you guys," Bloom said. "But I'd rather not be cooped up in school all day."

"We could go to Magix City," Stella replied, taking out her ringing phone. "There's a bunch of stuff happening down there."

"Hey, honey!...Yeah?...Wait, you're going, too?!"

Stella pushed the phone away for a bit. "We'll just go with the specialists today. They're heading to Magix City for the wind-rider race."

Bloom nodded, feeling a bit giddy at the prospect.

"You fools! You idiotic, mindless girls!" Griffin had shouted.

Earlier in the week, Icy, Darcy and Stormy had already known what to expect when called to the Headmistress's office. They'd hoped for a different reaction, a one of reassuring praise for avenging the school, but Griffin had felt quite the opposite.

"A letter of protest." Griffin slammed it onto her desk. "From Headmistress Faragonda!"

Icy stared blankly at it, face zapped of emotion.

"She did not appreciate you ransacking her school." Griffin continued, nearly shaking. "She has asked me to take disciplinary action against you all!"

"And for that, I am furious! Can't you tell, girls?" She set the letter ablaze with cool, green flames. "How do you even go about explaining yourselves?!"

"We only returned the favor, Headmistress."

Icy raised her eyes, still remaining emotionless. Darcy and Stormy shared a furtive glance.

Griffin had all but screamed. "What?!"

Darcy adjusted her shades. "Centuries of records were lost to the flames, many of which can't be replaced. Alfea's campus is being restored as we speak. Cloud Tower needed to be properly avenged."

"No! Absolutely not!" Griffin spat. "None of that was asked of you!"

"We know it wasn't!" Icy stomped her foot. "It was done of our own free will! They trashed our school, so we got them back for it!"

Stormy crossed her arms defensively. "We just don't understand why you're so angry..."

"Girls..." Griffin took steady breaths. "I am not angry over what you've done."

Her hands glowed. "But what you have not done!"

Icy attempted to speak. "But-"

"It does not matter what way, or what method," Griffin said, lowering her voice. "It does not matter what your intentions were..."

Her nose scrunched into a snarl. "It only matters that you were foolish enough to get caught! To fail!"

Icy's face paled to impossible levels.

"What's worse, you've put a name to the cause! You've put Cloud Tower at fault!" Griffin heaved. "Another dip in our abysmal reputation, girls!"

"Then there's nothing left to lose..." Darcy said under her breath.

"I should expel you three." Griffin began to pace. "Not that I want to. But to rid this school of such raw, dark power would be such a waste. So I'll refrain from doing so."

Stormy gave a hopeful grin to the others.

"You three are capable of becoming truly spectacular witches," Griffin said. "But you'll have to prove yourselves to me, somehow."

"Anything." Icy said quietly.

Griffin paused until an idea was struck in her head.

"There is a growing collaboration between the fairies of Alfea and the specialists of Red Fountain." Griffin elaborated. "A bond; a comradery that I've grown to despise. This union could drastically change the balance of power against our favor."

"That is unless..." Griffin placed a finger to her chin. "...something is done to counteract this."

Dark grins appeared on the Trix's faces.

"We'll do it, whatever it is."

"This insufferable holiday...the Day of the Rose." Griffin growled. "It will lead to a celebration in Magix City this week, one of which fairies and specialists plan to attend..."

The impressively detailed crystal ball on Griffin's desk glowed, revealing a scene of people lining the rose-dusted streets of Magix City.

"It does not matter the means, girls." Griffin said darkly. "Only see to it that you bring about this bond's destruction, and better yet, do so in complete anonymity."

"Light work, Headmistress." Stormy smirked. "We'll make sure of it."

Griffin gave a soft, scheming laugh.

"May the kinship between Alfea and Red Fountain falter in your wake."

To be honest, Musa had no desire to attend the Day of the Rose festival. She wasn't feeling too well mentally or emotionally, and frankly, running into Riven after their morning conversation would only serve to make things worse. Musa declined her friends' offer to join them and remained on campus, now perched at the top of the East Wing's lookout tower.

A nice breeze was blowing, carrying the rose-scented air of the city across her face. In the distance she saw balloons, and heard the cheers and shouting of the party-goers.

In her pocket was a delicate trinket of sorts, shaped like a lotus and baby pink in color. She held it carefully in her hands before placing it onto the ledge next to her. It opened with a wave of her hand, unfurling its inner mechanisms and projecting a hologram of an ornately dressed woman. Her late mother, Matlin.

"You know what, mom?" Musa said, speaking to her as if she were alive. "Missing one party isn't the end of the world..."

Her mother only smiled in return.

"Me and my friends hang out every weekend. The girls and I see each other every day," Musa rambled. "And...Riven..."

A perpetual smile, yet in her mind, a look of intrigue.

"You don't know about Riven, do you?" Musa grinned. "Mom, he's just so..."

She gripped her knees. "Just something else, I swear. Rough around the edges. No filter, either. He's so grouchy, it's almost cute."

"And even though he's a little scary sometimes..." Musa sighed, unable to hide her smile. "There's some moments where he's almost...sweet? In his own way. Every once in a while..."

She inspected her mother's face for doubt. She couldn't find any.

"He's different, underneath it all." Musa's smile softened. "He's not as terrible as everyone thinks. As he seems."

She felt her cheeks, remembering where his hands had been placed. Remembering his eyes, his gaze. With a blink, she snapped out of it.

"Anyway..."

She stared at the horizon. In her mind, a tinge of regret. Perhaps the celebration would've helped to lift her low spirits.

The breeze picked up again. It comforted her once more.

"It's a really beautiful day, Mom." Musa said to her mother, bangs catching the breeze. "I want to enjoy it. I want to enjoy myself."

"But I guess..." Musa waved the trinket shut, watching as her mother's hologram disappeared.

"I guess it's too late now."

With Timmy having left for Zenith, and every decent (Flora), amusing (Tecna), and likable (Musa) girl currently unable to attend, Riven's mood that day had hit an all time low. He was stuck with his two least favorite squad mates and their annoying girlfriends, not to mention the overwhelming holiday crowd. The wind-rider races would be starting soon.

"Damn, that's a lot of people!" Sky said, dancing a little to the perky festival music. Stella joined along.

Brandon smiled, looking at all the surrounding happy faces. "I know!"

Moving towards the center of town, they soon had to squeeze past the tightly-packed streets. Brandon held Bloom's hand to keep her close by, allowing Sky to carve a way through with ease. Riven brushed past sweaty bodies, a feeling on his skin that made him cringe with discomfort.

"Come on, move!" Riven said to some of the oblivious bystanders. "It's too hot for this shit."

"There's a pretty strong breeze, actually." Bloom said at Brandon's side. "Can't you feel it?"

There was one. Riven sniffed the air. It had the strong scent of roses.

To add insult to injury, an incoming city blimp released thousands of roses onto the partygoers below. Hands reached up to grab them, smelling and giving the flowers to their loved ones. Sky caught one and gently placed it into Stella's hand, sharing an affectionate kiss and bout of giddy laughter. Bloom and Brandon caught roses simultaneously. Riven swatted away every rose that he came across.

He just wanted to race, nothing more. Why has it become so difficult to do so?

"Yay, flowers." Riven grumbled out. "Can we go now?"

Sky and Brandon gave him the side-eye. Stella seemed visibly annoyed, while Bloom was only caught off guard by his urgency.

When they finally approached the raceway, it appeared as though a previous race had concluded and the following race had already begun. Riven seethed knowing they would have certainly made it on time, had it not been for the romantic detour.

"Aww man." Sky said with mild disappointment. "Guess we'll wait for the next one."

Riders zipped past, stirring up dust and rose petals. The surrounding crowd cheered them on, while a large projector screen showcased a live-feed of the event. Near a podium stood the announcer, who had a sashed elven woman at his side.

"And they're off, folks!" The announcer said, a Magitech device boosting his voice. "Rider Three seems to already be taking the lead!"

Bloom looked dumbfounded. "They're going so fast I can barely see them!"

"I know, it's crazy." Brandon told her. "But that's what the projector is for, I guess."

Riders One and Three were neck and neck, riding parallel and attempting to run each other off course. This plan backfired, and the two were sent into tailspins as another rider secured the lead. The crowd expressed their shock, while the riders crawled away from their overturned vehicles.

Stella grasped Sky's forearm as she watched.

"I don't know..." She said anxiously. "Are you sure, guys? It looks dangerous."

"It's totally safe, Stella." Sky patted her hand. "See the flickering? That's the barrier."

Stella seemed relieved until another tail-spinning rider occurred, one who was hurled against the barrier mere inches from where the group was standing. His now helmetless face was smeared by a transparent field of energy, and he groaned as he squeaked his way towards the ground. She shot Sky a wide-eyed stare.

"Okay..." Sky half-laughed. "A little risky, perhaps. But I mean, he didn't go anywhere..."

Stella crossed her arms. Bloom gave Brandon a wary glance, and he made no effort to hide his growing apprehension.

"Look at him, he's fine." Riven watched as the rider limped from the scene. "Let's sign up now. I'm tired of waiting."

"Excuse me?" Stella asked Sky. "When did Riven become the itinerary man?"

"Dunno," Sky replied, shaking his head. "Though, when I think about it..."

Riven could feel it. Prince Sky with his "witty", condescending remarks, coming to piss him off for the umpteenth time. He kept walking to remain calm.

"He shouldn't be signing up for the race, anyway." Sky mouth curled into a grin. "'Cause, you see, our poor little boy-"

Riven's pace slowed. "-Don't."

Sky rested his hand on Brandon's shoulder. "He's probably feeling a bit-"

"-Stop."

Brandon joined in, barely containing his laughter. "It'll be too much for him to handle. Considering he's, well...you know..."

"Yeah." Sky cupped one side of his mouth, trembling. "Con-"

"-I'm not! Stop saying that!" Riven turned around, shoulders tensed. "Fuck!"

Brandon and Sky struggled to compose themselves.

"They're joking with you, doofus." Stella said, smirking. "And I can't blame them! You've been acting like a real asshat since we got here."

"The joke's not even funny anymore!" Riven retorted. "None of their fucking jokes are funny!"

"I kinda think they are?" Bloom chirped.

Riven rolled his eyes and approached the line of race applicants. Sky wrapped an arm around Stella, who wrapped hers around his waist.

"Guys, I think I understand the issue here." He said in a hushed tone.

"Hmm?" Stella replied, looking up at him.

"If I enter the race, I already know who's rooting for me." Sky squeezed her a bit. "And if Brandon enters the race, it's the same thing."

Brandon playfully nudged Bloom's shoulder, causing her to blush.

"But Riven over here." Sky pointed discreetly. "Nobody's rooting for him."

"Why would anybody-"

"Stell, come on." Sky said, feeling a bit guilty. "Dude's lacking lady friends. He's lonely, and it's bringing him down."

Riven sighed.

"No, he has one!" Stella said a bit too loud. "Musa locks herself in her room just to talk to him. Wonder what else she's doing in there..."

Bloom almost gasped. "Stella."

The sound of Musa's name made Riven's heart drop. He gave Stella a warning glare.

"Yup." Stella nodded. "I knew it."

Brandon gave Riven a quick glance. "They talk a lot, don't they?"

Bloom, Sky, and Stella nodded in unison. Riven could feel their eyes burning into the back of his skull.

"She said no when we asked, but-" Stella pulled out her phone. She dialed a number that rang a few times before picking up.

"Yeah?"

Riven felt his muscles tense. He even left his spot in line to approach Stella and stop her.

"Hey Musa-Hi." Stella dodged his grasps. "We're in-Magix City, right now-Riven was wondering if you-"

Riven finally snatched the phone away and ended the call before Musa had a chance to respond.

Stella's mouth gaped. "You hung up on her-"

"-Leave her out of this?!" Riven said, letting her snatch her phone back. "What's wrong with you?!"

"If Musa comes, maybe you'll relax and actually have fun out here."

"That's not the point!" He replied. "Don't ever do that again!"

"But you-"

"-I'm a tall half-elf with pretty purple eyes!" Riven gloated. "I have no problems getting girls, trust me. It just sucks that all the cool ones are gone, because now I'm stuck dealing with you all day!"

Stella scoffed. "Then why'd you come with us in the first place?"

"For the race!" Riven's brows furrowed. "That only groups can sign up for!"

Brandon snickered for no particular reason.

"What?" Riven sneered. "What are you laughing at?"

"You." Stella blurted out, shaking her head. "We can't help it anymore."

Riven, done with it all, attempted to walk past the group back towards the city entrance. Sky held him firmly by the shoulder before he could.

"Hey, come on, son." Sky said, hiding his laughter. "What's gotten into you today? Lighten up a bit."

"Let me go-"

"Riven." He stood in front of him. "Calm down."

"Dude, get off!"

"Can you chill out for once-"

"I could, if you'd all stop annoying the fuck out of me!" Riven snapped, now angered. "And I'd really have a grand old time if your girlfriend stopped being such a cunt!"

The laughter stopped. Four sets of eyes landed on him. Musa would've seen that coming.

Sky glared, immediately letting Riven go. "A what?"

Stella slowly approached, hands fisted. "What'd you just call me?"

Riven pursed his lips, but before he knew it he was uttering a laugh himself. He was almost exhausted, after holding it in all day. The relief he felt was exhilarating.

"You know what?" He said, between breaths. "Let me keep going!"

"Yeah, Stella's a cunt. She is! Been one since I met her, and damn, I wish I hadn't! She's perfect for you, actually! Just the girl to stroke that overstuffed fuckin' ego of yours! And stop talking to me like I'm a child! We're the same fuckin' age!"

"And you!"

He pointed to Brandon while he took a few steps forward.

"I absolutely fuckin' despise you! You lazy fuck!"

Brandon blanched. Riven got in his face for emphasis.

"What does the new girl-" He frantically gestured towards Bloom. "-see in you?!"

He squinted his eyes. "How'd she end up smitten with a prissy little bitch like y-"

A hand smacked across his face. Hard. Impressively hard. It knocked him out of his train of thought. Stunned, he felt the inside of his cheek with his tongue. It had to be Stella; felt like one of hers.

"Damn!" Sky chirped out.

Riven looked down.

Bloom glared up at him. Tiny, doll-faced Bloom.

"Don't you ever call him that, ever again."

"No..." Riven said under his breath, grasping his jaw. "No way..."

"You want to know why I like him? Because there's plenty of reasons!" Bloom snapped, standing in front of Brandon. "Here, let me list some off for you!"

Riven was struggling to come to his senses.

"One, he's really sweet, and apologizes when he isn't!" She started. "Two, he makes me laugh all the time, even when I'm sad! Three, his swordsmanship is amazing, and leagues better than yours!"

Riven blinked. "Why did you-"

"You're asking him, but really?" Bloom continued. "We should be asking what Musa, what literally any girl, sees in you!"

He blinked some more.

"You know what I think?!" Bloom was practically screaming at this point. "Even though everyone's trying to like you, nobody can because you're so unbearable to be around! You make yourself unlikeable! All you do is complain about everything, refuse to follow simple directions, and be a pain in the ass for no damn reason!"

Riven, unable to get a word in, stood in wide-eyed silence.

"Musa adores you! She thinks the world of you! Little does she know you're secretly an insufferable piece of shit!"

Sky, hearing word-for-word, nearly collapsed in shock. Stella's mouth refused to close, and Brandon had a hand clenched around his jaw, still processing what Bloom had initially said. Bloom seemed to immediately regret what had come out. In the silence, Riven heard the race start behind him. He blinked one last time.

"...I'm leaving."

He silently brushed past the four.

Heading back towards the center of the city, he was once again overwhelmed by the loud music, tightly-packed crowds, and perpetually falling roses. He could hear all of the individual comments and conversations simultaneously, added with a dizzying array of shouts and laughter. He felt like he was going insane. Perhaps Bloom had knocked his brain out of place.

A pig-tailed girl crossed his vision, causing him to panic. In one way, he actually hoped that it was her; she'd distract him from what happened earlier, he could formally apologize for everything, and they'd spend the day together in peace. But a change in direction revealed the girl as a stranger and nothing more.

In the mirrored glass paned windows of surrounding buildings, he saw his dreaded reflection. Behind him, he saw the bashful faces of staring girls, who scurried off before he could turn around. In fact, quite a few girls were staring at him at that moment, including one girl with a remarkably haunting face.

She approached him.

"Riven, right?"

A bit transfixed, he nodded without blinking. "Yeah."

Her bright yellow eyes squinted with her smile. She outstretched a hand, which he grasped with as much care as he could muster.

"I'm Darcy."

"From Cloud Tower..."

"Wait, you remember me?" She said, looking surprised yet flattered.

Riven shook off his stupor and gave her a slow nod. "Definitely."

Darcy was devastatingly gorgeous, with a quiet, lilting laugh and a voice as smooth as silk. How could anyone forget someone like her?

"Are you leaving, or is the party just getting started?"

"Hah...um..." He said. "Depends. Really only came for the races, but that hasn't worked out too well."

"Oh wow, what a coincidence." She tucked her dark blonde bangs behind her ears. They were small and pointed, like he remembered. "I was planning to go watch a few myself."

"Really?" Riven grinned, placing his hands in his pockets.

"Just now, actually."

Her glossed lips curled into another smile. She sauntered past him, wafting out dark florals in her wake. Riven turned around, following her as she headed deeper into the city.

"I could try one more time, yeah? Just need another group to join, I guess."

"Your friends bailed on you?" Darcy asked.

"No." A flash of annoyance crossed his face. "I just...don't want them on my team anymore."

Her eyes lingered on his face, as if inspecting him.

"Ah..."

His eyes met hers. "Yeah."

"Well, I know a couple Cloud Tower guys who'd be psyched to join you." She offered, stopping as if she were about to part ways. "I'll tell them you're on your way up there."

"Wow," Riven said, genuinely touched. "Thank you."

She stared at him again. "Anytime."

As she blinked, he noticed the strange flickering glow that her eyes produced. It was brief, and easily missed if you weren't paying attention. But he noticed it, and judging from her curious expression, his eyes must have done the same.

"See you later, alright?" She playfully touched his waist. "I'll be rooting for you."

She walked off into the crowd, while Riven continued forward in an infinitely better mood.

Darcy turned a corner and greeted her sisters with open arms.

"Finally." She said, out of breath. "I made it past the damn crowd."

"What a fine performance." Icy smirked. "So he's tall, dark, and handsome? Lucky girl."

"You've been following him everywhere, haven't you?" Stormy teased. "Did you get to touch his pretty hair this time?"

"No! I'm so mad!" Darcy jabbed her in the side. "One of these days, I will."

"Oh?" Icy said, sounding pleasantly amused. "Lover boy's already on board?"

Darcy retrieved her yellow shades. "Well, I can't tell for sure. The fact that he's walking alone is promising. Him and his friends seem to be going through a rough patch."

"Excellent." Icy crooned. "Perhaps today will be light work after all."

"Wick and Vega should be joining him for a race soon." Darcy grinned. "Didn't seem like he turned down the offer."

"We're all set, then, aren't we?" Stormy said, twirling a strand of her bangs.

"Riven's independent, and he seems like a go-getter; he does whatever he desires, and when he wants something he goes after it, no matter the cost." Icy said, tapping her chin. "If that's really the case, I definitely have a fool-proof plan in mind."

Darcy grinned. "Let's get started."

Icy pulled out her phone and called Knut.

"Your Highness?"

"Get over here, boy." Icy said with a smirk. "We have a task for you."

"Yes, of course!" Knut said eagerly. "One moment!"

Knut manifested before them in swirling purple smoke. Even before saying his greeting, his form was distorted by Darcy's powers, shrinking and changing in both clothing and color.

"What are we going with, this time?"

"The most unobtrusive person I could think of." Darcy replied, adding the finishing touches. "Sheepish, friendly, and away on holiday."

Knut was significantly shorter, with pale skin and slicked-back ginger hair. He adjusted his red-framed glasses, flaring his nostrils and flexing his Magidust-stained hands. He tugged lightly at his pierced left earlobe.

"One of their dweeby friends?" Stormy mocked.

"Yes." Darcy nodded. "I think his name's..."

"...Timothy?"

Given that another race was already in progress, Bloom and the others went off in search of something to do in the meantime. Along the streets were large, huddled crowds of people, each surrounding a specific spectacle's performance. One crowd encased an iron-clad man capable of eating fire, while another cheered at a duo of pink-skinned jugglers that were steadily growing their arch of pins. Bloom moved from spectacle to spectacle, amused at whatever she came across.

One bejeweled dancer with seafoam-colored eyes caught her attention. Musical instruments were enchanted to play above her as she danced provocatively for the crowd. When she turned around, however, she wore a distinctive gold mask that immediately reminded Bloom of her dreams. The dancer changed, now identical to the spectral woman, beckoning her forward once more.

Bloom!

Come here, Bloom!

She was hallucinating, and she knew the woman was clearly of her imagination, but even then she felt compelled to approach her.

"Bloom!" Someone called out in reality.

She turned to see Timmy, who had awkwardly grasped her shoulder beside her.

"Timmy? Hey!"

"Why are you all by yourself?" He asked. "Everyone's looking for you, you know."

"They are?" Bloom replied, a bit disoriented. "Um, how did the Zenith trip go?"

"Zenith? Zenith..." Timmy squinted his eyes. "Oh! My birthplace! Where my family lives, that I visited for the Day of the Rose. Yes..."

"Yeah?" Bloom giggled. "How was it?"

"It was-" He caught himself. "Actually, it wasn't! Because I didn't get to go! My ship...it crashed. So I came back to surprise everyone today! Yeah..."

"Oh! Okay!" Bloom beamed. "I'll tell-"

"-NO!" Timmy yelled. "I mean...let's keep me being here a secret for now, okay? I, uh...want to tell them all myself! Skylar, Brandon, and Ricky"

"Ricky?"

"RIVEN! I meant Riven." Timmy broke out in a nervous sweat. "Pretty please?"

Bloom shrugged a bit. "Okay, then..."

"Come on, follow me to the square!" Timmy gripped her by the arm. "They're probably getting ready for the upcoming race."

Bloom followed him back towards the city's center, seeing that the raceway's crowd had nearly doubled in size. Brandon and Sky had just finished registering, and picked out two wind-riders towards the right hand side. Riven had surprisingly returned to register as well, though he was now flanked by two scary looking boys.

"Bloom, they told me about what happened..." Timmy said.

Bloom sulked. She remembered what happened, too. It was already starting to eat away at her conscience.

"He's never going to speak to me again." Bloom mumbled.

"Well, if it helps-" Timmy offered. "I have something that'll make it up to him!"

Bloom looked at Timmy with curious eyes. From his pocket, he revealed a strange black pod-shaped device.

"What is that?"

"A little gift that I designed for him! Think of it as a peace offering!" Timmy smiled a bit too hard. "It's a helmet, for your head! An ommy? Nomino-drom-"

"OMNIDRIVE Helmet! Heh. It allows the driver to maneuver their vehicle telepathically!"

"Oh, wow!" Bloom said, looking at it in awe. "That's genius!"

"Yes, I'm a total genius!" He said. "But I think it's best that you give it to him, okay? Maybe he'll forgive you, then?"

He placed the helmet in Bloom's hand.

"Uh, so, I think I'm gonna go to the bathroom." Timmy said, breaking away from her. "Don't tell anyone you saw me okay? And don't tell anyone that it's from me! I'm serious! Bye!"

Bloom blinked. "Bye?"

She steadily made her way over to Riven and the other racers, but stopped just as Riven's friends plopped down into wind-riders beside him. One was hefty in size, with a green buzzcut and thoroughly pierced ears, while the other had small silver eyes and a mullet-like hairstyle.

They were leering at Stella, who stood close to the fence with her arms crossed. Riven leaned over towards the heavier one, muttering something in his ear that amused the boy so much that he erupted with loud, rasping laughter.

"You hear that, Wick?! HAH!" The boy choked out. "I never fuckin' knew!"

After hearing the news the other boy snickered, revealing his sharp incisors. He began whistling to get Stella's attention. When she finally looked up, he cupped his chest and luridly flicked his tongue. Stella's disgusted expression elicited another burst of laughter, with Riven giving her the smuggest of grins. Sky gave her a look, before muttering some pretty strong words to Brandon and finally giving Riven a death glare from the opposite side.

Intimidated, Bloom gathered her courage and hurried over to Riven, helmet clutched firmly at her side. He immediately glared at her as she approached. The two boys scanned her from top to bottom, and she tried to hide her growing discomfort in their presence.

"What." Riven said in a flat tone.

"Here," Bloom said, forcibly placing the helmet in Riven's hand. "Take this, please. As an apology."

"What is this?" He said derisively. "No seriously, what is this?"

"It's a gift. An Omnidrive helmet. It lets you telepathically control your vehicle."

He inspected it for a moment, pressing buttons until it unfurled into a wearable device. He placed it on his head, allowing it to fasten itself and properly adjust. A hint of delight crossed his face as he drew back the tinted visor. Wick and the other boy seemed impressed.

"Okay..." Riven muttered.

"Damn, fairy." Wick said, licking his front teeth. "Where's my present at?"

"I only bought one, sorry!" Bloom said as she hastily returned to the crowd.

Darcy and her sisters had perched themselves atop a multi-storied building. Peering below, they saw the massive noon crowd cheering behind raceway lines.

"We'll watch the whole thing from up here!" Stormy said enthusiastically.

"Another race is about to start," Icy said in a silvery tone. "And I don't want to miss one second of it."

"Riven's helmet is going to steal the show, I bet!"

"Poor Riven's going to have a little accident," Icy explained. "A 'technical malfunction' that Bloom will be entirely at fault for."

Darcy pinpointed Riven's location, the second to last wind-rider on the left-hand side. She didn't have the right to feel sorry for him, considering she helped orchestrate this plan in the first place. She secretly wished for him to remain unharmed, while simultaneously desiring everything to carry out to completion. Her mind was very much at odds with her growing heart.

"It'll be a little accident, right?" Darcy mumbled, nervously swaying on her feet. "Like, a tailspin, or something..."

"Aww," Stormy teased. "Don't worry Juliet, Romeo's gonna make it this time. Unless he doesn't. But then again, you could always do the romantic thing and join him!"

Icy gave Darcy a nod.

Darcy swallowed her anxiety and nodded back.

"Ladies and gentlemen, and all other creatures!" The announcer said with glee. "Welcome to another consecutive Race of the Rose!"

The crowd cheered as the projector focused itself on the wind-rider lineup.

"Another ten courageous participants will face off today! Let's hear it for our champions!"

The crowd then roared as ten hands waved, revving their vehicles and putting on their helmets. Stella mouthed the words 'kick his ass' to Sky, who saluted her before lowering his visor. Bloom made her way over to the opposite crowd, standing next to Stella while nervously rubbing her hands. Brandon perked up upon seeing her.

"Good luck, Brandon!" Bloom shouted. Brandon touched his chest in thanks.

"Finally! We were getting worried about you..." Stella said, attempting to ignore Riven's friends. "Why'd you give Riven something?"

"It's an apology present, for slapping him." Bloom said. "Timmy made it."

Stella frowned. "Timmy?"

"Yeah, Timmy." Bloom explained. "He canceled his Zenith trip, so he came here to surprise the boys instead."

"Bloom, Timmy is in Zenith." Stella turned to face her, growing concerned. "He called me like half an hour ago? He was eating lunch with his family and everything."

Bloom was confused at first, but then slowly started to panic as the realization of her error set in. She had grown too lax since the party, feeling secure under the guise that the Trix had officially been dealt with. But how foolish she was, to think they'd actually cooperate and behave. Her eyes darted around the crowd, until she looked up to see three girls standing on a building's rooftop. They were Icy, Darcy and Stormy, observing the spectacle below them with devious smiles.

"No." Bloom said under her breath. "Oh no."

"Bloom?" Stella asked. "What's wrong?"

"Eyes on the light signals, gentlemen!" The announcer said. A beam with three lights flashed red, yellow, and eventually green, signaling the beginning of the race.

Bloom started rushing through the city blocks, with Stella quickly following behind her.

"Bloom, stop!" Stella shouted. "The race has already started!"

"The Trix, Stella!" Bloom shouted back. "It's the Trix!"

"What?!"

"I wasn't talking to Timmy! It was one of the Trix!" Bloom found another section of the race. "Riven's in danger!"

The only way to match their lightning speed would be to transform. Manifesting her wings, Bloom phased past the barrier and onto the raceway, catching up to the wind-riders and attempting to locate Riven. Sky closely flanked Wick before overtaking his position. He could see her in his side mirror, but didn't dare turn in fear of losing his momentum. Riven saw her as well, after securing the lead.

An eleventh racer seemed to have also joined, and was quickly advancing with a wake of tail-spinning participants behind them.

"What a race, everyone!" The announcer shouted. "We even have an unusual competitor that has just flown onto the track!"

Brandon, in fourth, turned his head. "Bloom?!"

"Riven!" Bloom shouted out, weaving through the riders. "Riven, stop!"

"What are you doing, Bloom?!" Riven spat.

The tail-spinning curse was slowly approaching the front riders, and soon Riven's hefty friend swirled out of the competition, cursing loudly.

"Vega!" Wick called out, still flanking Sky.

Brandon was next, suddenly veering off to the left and slowing down outside of his control. Bloom looked back at him, who threw his helmet to the ground.

"Stop, Riven!" Bloom shouted again. "Take the helmet off!"

The unnamed rider knocked one boy out after the next. Wick's wind-rider suddenly spiraled, knocking into Sky's and sending them both backwards. Soon it was only Riven and the eleventh rider, with Bloom flying in between.

"In the name of Magix!" The announcer said, furrowing his brow. "What's going on out there?!"

"Bloom, I'm not gonna ask you again!" Riven yelled, seeing her approach in his mirror. "What the fuck are you doing?!"

"Riven, please!" Bloom cried, outstretching her hand. "Take it off! Take off the helm-"

Riven's helmet suddenly sparked with electricity, causing him to grip its sides as his body tensed from the shocks. He shouted in pain, and his wind-rider was beginning to sway.

"Riven!"

Riven instinctively hit the brakes, sending him flying out of his chair. Bloom dashed forward to catch him, but the eleventh rider swooped in and stole him away, bypassing the barrier and disappearing into the spectating crowd. A helmetless Brandon powered through, coming in first place and winning The Race of the Rose. Most of the crowd cheered despite the complete decimation of the other participants. Brandon wasn't too excited either, immediately running back to find Sky. Stella ran as well, shouting Sky's name.

"Bloom, what did you do?!" Brandon shouted in passing. "This is crazy!"

"I didn't touch him!" Bloom shouted back, hovering in the air. "He lost control of his wind-rider! It's the helmet!"

Brandon and Stella found Sky, who they helped get to his feet. Sky sucker punched Wick without warning, and before he could retaliate the group ran into the city in search of Riven. They found him nearby, unresponsive and straddled by a long haired girl in an identical racing uniform. As Riven came to, a fond smile appeared on his face, grasping the hand that she had tenderly placed to his cheek.

"Riven!" The group shouted.

His expression immediately changed upon seeing them, and the girl atop him turned to face the four.

Bloom became outraged. "Darcy?!"

She rose to a standing position. "Bloom-"

Bloom tackled her, shouting insults and grappling her to the ground. She suddenly felt as her body was yanked away and tossed to the side. Riven now stood between the two, grasping Darcy's arm and placing her behind him. Darcy gave Bloom a quick smirk, a dainty hand now on Riven's waist. She looked so different in civilian attire-almost innocent.

"I don't know how they did it!" Brandon was holding Bloom back. "But she and her friends caused the accident!"

"Are you fucking insane?" Riven yelled, glaring down at her. "She saved my life! Your stupid helmet almost killed me! It cost me the race!"

"They gave it to me! She did!" Bloom shouted, accusing Darcy. "They used a disguise, and tricked me! Timmy-"

"-Timmy isn't even here right now!" Riven cut her off. "Stop lying! You fucked up the race so your boyfriend could win, didn't you? Of course you did!"

"No!" Bloom nearly cried. "Riven-Guys, please believe me!"

Riven tossed his helmet, and Darcy seemed strangely satisfied while helping him fix his hair.

"We believe you Bloom, we do!" Brandon tried to comfort her. "But it's just a lot to take in, right now!"

"What?!" Riven shouted, voice raising an octave. "Dude, did you not just see what happened?! Did any of you?! Are you seriously believing her right now?!"

Sky reached out a cautionary hand. "Riven-"

"So that's how it is now?!" Riven looked visibly hurt. "I can't...I can't fucking believe you guys..."

Darcy wrapped her hands around his arm, hiding her grin.

"I'm sorry for hitting you!" Bloom pleaded. "I'm sorry for everything I said! Please know that I'm telling the truth! I wasn't trying to hurt you!"

"No, I get it." Riven scrunched up his nose. "I get it now…"

"Riv-"

"If you hate me that much," Riven lowered his tone, still seething. "If you want me off the squad so badly..."

He stared directly at Bloom. "If I'm such an insufferable piece of shit to you…"

"Then congratulations?" He scoffed. "I'm asking Saladin to switch me out tomorrow morning."

"You finally did it guys! You're free of me! Aren't you fucking happy?!"

Brandon huffed out a sigh. "Riven, can we just-"

"-And you are a prissy little bitch." Riven growled. "I said what I said."

"Dude, fuck you!"

"Fuck you!" Riven retorted.

"Riven," Darcy said quietly, stroking his back. "Let's go. They're not worth it."

Riven was breathing heavily, a glint in his eyes that could easily be mistaken for tears. He left with Darcy, allowing her to curl an arm around his waist. They disappeared into the spectating crowd, leaving Bloom and the others dumbfounded at the current procession of events.

"It was the Trix." Bloom said, feeling a lump in her throat. "I promise you."

"We figured." Sky replied. "But there's no way to prove it to him now. He's gone. There's nothing left we can say..."

Stella placed a hand on her shoulder. Bloom only sighed.

Riven stomped through the crowd, crudely shoving people out of his way.

"I'm sorry." He said, still fuming. "Let me-I need to calm down."

"No. Let it all out." Darcy replied. "I can't believe it, though. Is that what she called you?"

"Yeah. I probably deserve it, though."

"Doesn't matter!" She stopped him from walking. "Don't let them disrespect you like that? Especially Bloom!"

A hand was placed on his chest.

"They're not good for you, you know." She said quietly, gazing at his lips. "Stay with them, and they'll only bring you down."

"I know. I'm switching tomorrow. Saladin better let me, too, because I'm not giving him a choice."

They continued walking towards the city's entrance.

"If you don't want to go home just yet, you're more than welcome to come over and hang out."

"Yeah?" Riven said, feeling her grasp his hand.

"Of course." Darcy smiled, eyes flickering once more. "Besides..."

"...my sisters are dying to meet you."

Riven's phone buzzed. As a force of habit, he pulled it out and read the notification screen. Musa. He couldn't face her now, not after his dramatic exit from the friend group. Tempted, his thumb moved towards the answer button.

"You don't have to."

He looked at Darcy. She gave him a curious look, one that melted his heart a little bit more each time she did it. What a miracle it was to have met her.

He declined the call and stuffed the phone into his pocket.