Redefining Moments
Act 2 Part 2
"How the hell did she get up there?" Aisha swear and Musa's not sure she can look away when she hears crunching footsteps racing towards them, a moment more and Stella and Terra burst into the clearing with The blond berating them for leaving the duo behind
"Where the hell did you guys go? Leaving us like that and- Oh my god! Oh my god!" all words die as they spot their missing friend.
"Bloom!" Terra shouts in panic but whether the fire fairy doesn't hear or register no one is sure.
"We've got do something" Stella demands, but none of them are sure what exactly,
"She must have transformed and flew up there. There's no other way" Aisha offers as she studies the rocks. The fire fairy dangles one foot over the edge again
"Bloom no!" Musa screams just as Bloom begins tipping over;
There's a burst of blue light and Musa looks up to see Aisha, transformed with incandescent cobalt wings, leap into the air and catch their falling friend mid-air.
Their descent is just barely short of a straight plummet as Aisha struggles under the dead weight of their unconscious friend and also with her own wings.
They crash land onto the mossy bank and the other girls crowd them instantly. Aisha thankfully is conscious, looking bruised but mostly alright. As her wings fade away, she groans as she sits up.
Bloom however doesn't move a muscle.
"Bloom, Bloom can you hear us?" Terra gently shakes the redhead but when she doesn't come to the nature fairy digs into her small gold necklace pouch she seems to carry everywhere these days and pulls out a pinch of yellow petal and crushes it between her fingers before holding it under their unconscious friend's nose.
Blooms comes to with a start, gasping for air, eyes frantic and frightened; it takes all of them to keep her from bolting up and lashing out.
"Hey, hey you're alright, your ok" Stella soothes, the red-headed girl pants and clutches at her friend's hand, her grip tight and desperate, she's shaking hard and her eyes bounce around never focusing anywhere long before finally locking on to Terra's, who keeps reassuring her, and that seems to calm her down just a touch.
"What happened?" she's clearly groggy, voice hoarse like she's been screaming for hours, as she looks at the faces around her before her eyes land on her roommate who's looking worse for wear
"Aisha saved you" Musa supplies, there's too much to say, too much to ask and as the shock and adrenaline of the incident begins to wane just a tad Musa senses a presence around them just out of sight.
They're not alone
The fog is still thick around them and right now, with two members down they're vulnerable.
Really vulnerable.
"We should get back, we can talk later" Musa tries to remain calm and unrevealing as she makes the command. Her statement seems to make some of the other girls aware of how exposed they all are as they try to move at once.
Bloom though is not responsive and despite the poor girl's best efforts Musa can tell she has no energy left. Her awareness of her situation comes and goes, a fact that's really troubling, and every second they delay, causes Musa to feel more uneasy as she can feel the presence hovering not too far off...
"We've got to move" She pushes again trying to stay outwardly calm but not be triggering because whoever is there, they don't seem to be gearing up for an attack just yet and Musa doesn't want to provoke them into action by making it clear that she's aware that they're there.
Stella looks at her like she wants to snap at the empath but a shared look between them is enough to alert the sun and nature fairy of trouble.
The princess and green fairy all but spring up, but Aisha has difficulty getting to her feet. It becomes evident that she's twisted her ankle when she takes a step and winces hard swallowing a cry mid-breath.
"I can make it" Aisha tries to hold strong but the pain she feels not only radiates off of her but shows clearly all over her face every time she tries to put weight on the injured appendage. She tries to take a step and almost goes down face first if it isn't for Stella reaching out and steading her.
"Can you make it with help" Stella ask as she places her friend's arm over her shoulder trying to take some of her weight off of her bad foot
"I can hobble" Aisha mutters trying and failing to sound reassuring.
Terra and Musa try to mirror them in helping Bloom, but it takes much more cajoling to get the fire fairy awake enough so they can have her help a little in getting her upright.
When they finally do manage to get her up their speed does not improve by much. Despite there being two fairies, the task is much arduous because of how much the fire fairy goes in and out. What were periods of disorientation, now becomes unconscious spells with the redhead periodically turning into deadweight or lashing out in her delirium.
Their slower progress forces Aisha and Stella to constantly stop to let them catch up, a fact that pains the water fairy.
As they make it closer and closer to school, Musa feels the presence that had been watching them slip away. Being alone in the woods with injured friends is alarming, but solitude is far better than unwanted company she thinks.
"We're alone now" Musa murmurs softly still and she can sense the relief that her conscious friends feel at her statement.
"Stella, Aisha you guys go ahead. Musa and I, we'll follow. But you guys can move faster" Terra mutters and both sun and water fairy look like they loathe the idea.
"You can't be serious-" Stella begins
"No one knows where we are. If something happens we all go down without anyone knowing where to look for us" Mussa hisses, not that the duo relent easily and Terra sends her grateful smile though it's strained due to the task at hand. It takes much much harsh whispering and intense debate before finally the water and sun fairy agree on going ahead.
"When I drop her off, I'm coming out here for you guys after-"
"Don't. That's riskier! Just go and if we're not there in a bit- well- Tell Dowling" Terra commands.
Stella swears but none the less they turn and move and it's not long before the duo are out of sight.
Every step is anguish for the fire fairy and Musa can feel it prominently. Her heart breaks for her friend but Musa has to be more conscious on containing Bloom's emotions, dampening her connection with the girl, so she can have a sense and awareness of their surroundings.
A task that becomes more and more difficult with each passing minute. As they reach the vicinity of the school, it's becoming harder to separate Bloom's pain from her own emotions, there's other stuff there too, but it's like the fire fairy is battling with every emotion within herself.
The skin-to-skin contact doubles the intensity of it all. The empath tries to shift gears, tries to take some of the pain away, but it's so sporadic that what little she can do, does little to be really helpful. The physical exertion Musa's under also makes it really hard to fully concentrate on her friend.
Musa desperately wishes they could move faster, but it's not like either one of them are strong enough to carry Bloom solo so with her arms dropped on each of her friends' shoulders, the trio makes the long trek back to school at a snail's pace.
When they break through the line of trees and have the school in sight Musa thinks she can actually cry.
"Oh thank god" Terra mutters and Musa can't help but silently agree. They're so tired and drained, that all Musa wants is to get back to the sanctity of their room, the fog has grown so thick and so big that they have a nice blanket covering them but it's been hell of a night. They hobble toward the nearest entrance; 'Now if they can only make it up the stairs' Musa thinks-
"I wouldn't go that way unless you want to get caught."
The voice is a familiar drawl but it startles them so bad that they all nearly go toppling down. And Musa wonders who looks more comical right now, the three of them barely standing or Riven whose face actually looks shocked at the state of them
"Fucking hell, what happened to you lot?"
"Oh my god! Riven! you fucking gave us a heart attack" The fact that Terra curses as she furiously whispers is a testimony to what sort of night it's been but Riven's face grows hard as he takes in Bloom's state as the two other fairies try to affirm their grip on their friend.
"Sky's going out of his fucking mind trying to find her. He's been running around and she's been drinking-"
"She wasn't drinking! and if she was you have no room to judge-" Terra begins but they're losing time and Musa's not sure how much longer she can hold her friend upright
"She's fucking hurt! We need to get her back and you're in our way." Musa snaps because Bloom's unconscious spells have started to become longer and more frequent meaning the girl is completely out of it now for longer stretches and Riven's just standing there blocking their path.
"There are no guards here," she retorts and for some reason, Riven looks at her disbelievingly "I would have sensed them, why would we get caught?"
He stares at her a beat more like she's lost her mind and maybe in another time she'd be willing to go toe to toe to see what his issue is. But just as Musa has a biting retort ready to fly, Bloom comes to; just enough to lurch forward, causing Terra to lose her grip entirely with a yelp and the fire fairy to face dive with Musa in tow when Riven jumps forward and grabs them both.
"Bloody hell"
He grips both fairies' arms but his touch causes a tsunami of emotions to jolt through the empath. How the hell had she not sensed him before Musa's not sure and she realizes her eyes must be flashing because Riven suddenly sneers.
"Don't get too excited now" his scent of tobacco and leather tickles her nose as Musa tries to ground herself despite the overdrive that is Riven, tries to take a deep calming breath to maybe gather herself but it only makes her realize that she's flushed against him.
"You have no room to talk; That better be your sword I'm feeling" she mutters as she finally feels steady enough. Riven smiles down at her, his eyes dancing with such mischief she just knows a clever retort is no doubt going to be shot her way as he opens his mouth when Bloom staggers away from them again rattling them all.
With a swear and an oath Riven drapes Blooms arm over his shoulder taking Terra's place. His height lets him take the bulk of the red head's weight and Musa's shoulders scream in relief and pain as blood rushes into them.
"Sky's in our room, Brandon's trying to keep him from tearing the place apart. Get him. Before he does something moronic like going to Silva and for the love of god don't fucking use the main staircase, there's a silent alarm on them" Riven grunts as he shifts the fire fairy, trying to get a better grip on her.
Terra seems happy to flee and rushes off as Musa also reaffirms her hold on her friend. They hear a door in the distance and it's enough for Riven and Musa both to start moving fast toward the girls' suite.
He doesn't say anything. Doesn't ask what happened or where they'd been and Musa's glad because she doesn't have any answers.
They rush silently through the hallway to their room but when they come to their door Musa struggles with balancing Bloom and digging for her keys at the same time, so the specialist shifts taking on all of the unconscious girl's weight with a hushed "I got her" freeing Musa to dig for the key
Muttering a quick "Thanks" Musa fumbles with the lock, trying to move silently as she can. Just as she thinks she feels the key shift, Bloom seizes. Head tossed back like her bodies being drawn like a bow and her eyes glow bright but before Musa can even blink, Riven literally sweeps the fire fairy off her feet and pushes through the door the mind fairy has managed to open.
"This way,"
In their haste to Bloom's room, the door swings shut loudly making both the specialist and fairy jerk, but there's no time to really pause as Musa rushes to pull back the comforter and makes room for Riven to place her friend on the bed.
She might as well try to get her injured friend comfortable, Musa thinks, but Blooms looking no better, if anything she's looking worse.
Within the safety of the confines of their room, the mind fairy becomes clear-headed enough to discern that whatever is wrong with Bloom it's not over as she watches her fiery friend thrash around. Moving close Musa tries to get a response from her friend, combing the girl's fiery locks out of her face while calling to her softly.
"Bloom, Bloom can you open your eyes for me?" It takes a beat longer than Musa likes but eventually the fire fairy comes to, her forehead scrunched, skin clammy and her eyes barely open
"Hmm... Musa?"
"It's ok love, your back in the room, you're safe."
"Safe?" Bloom's voice sounds so small and unsure, afraid even and it breaks Musa's heart to hear her like this.
"Yeah love, you're safe" Musa grabs the redhead's hand, finally opening the channels between them entirely, she tries to impart as much reassurance and love as she can.
But the moment the connection is made instead of love following through unbearable pain attacks the empath, the anguish so crippling it brings Musa to her knees. Overwhelming her so much that the scream it triggers dies on her lips.
A shadow has yawned open in Bloom, sucking the very life from her like a black hole; Feasting on her friend and now it's trying to pull Musa into it. The empath pushes with all her might trying to disconnect, trying to fight back but the hooks of the dark entity are now buried deep into her too.
The unadulterated hatred that swamps Musa makes her breath catch and she can feel it trying to tap into her own emotion, her own demons, as Musa desperately tries to regroup and push back.
Dimly she hears Riven's gruff voice, he sounds far, muffled, like he's upset at her for being in trouble
"Hey…. enough"
"I can't!" Musa pants and she's trying, trying hard to fight back the darkness that has locked its grip and there is no out, she realizes with a panic. She either conquers it or it conquers them and she's not going to let this win as she harnesses what she has and starts fighting it hard.
"I said that's enough-" Rivens voice is mad, demanding as he grabs her shoulder but his touch brings with it the strong jolt of emotions that's uniquely his and so familiar to Musa now and she finds herself grasping to it, tethering herself to him and harnessing his emotion to push at the shadow. Riding the boost the specialist offers like a wave all the way through toward its source in her friend.
There's a burst of energy and they go flying back toppling into each other before hitting the wall with a hard thud and falling in a pile of limbs amidst furniture and debris.
Pain vibrates through every part of Musa's being as she tries to make sense of her world.
"Holy shit" Musa coughs, willing her head to stop spinning but spots are still dancing around her vision as she peels them open. There are books and trinkets that have toppled around and on top of them and remnants of what was once a nightstand.
She's landed on something relatively soft, but isn't really conscious of what that is until she tries to move and her movement causes the thing underneath her to groan; she's on top of Riven. Having been blasted into him, he had become her landing cushion taking in the burnt of the hit.
For a second after the groan, he doesn't move, doesn't try to get up, nothing at all. The statuesque state of the specialist is so unlike him that Musa becomes alarmed. Worried that by knocking into him she caused him to slam into the wall harder and somehow hurt him.
She tries to push away the posters that have fallen on top of them bracing her hands on the wall by the side of his head she tries to see if she can get a better look at the boy, he seems to be breathing, she sees no blood and he looks so- unassuming, when his face is relaxed, he has ridiculously long lashes too-
Musa doesn't realize how closely or how intently she's examining Riven until his eyes pop open and she can clearly see the hazel rim of his green eyes and feels his breath ghost over cheeks.
She rears back instinctually but her movement causes her to slip further lower on his lap and he groans again, face scrunching in pain and she can clearly feel his hip pinned beneath her leg. But before she can even ask if the specialist is ok his arms are anchoring on her hips and shifting her weight so he can sit up a tad, a move that shrinks the already small distance between them and causes Musas to yelp in surprise.
"I know you want me bad, but there's no reason to throw yourself at me so hard"
She can't help the breathy relieved laugh that escapes her at the fact that he's not unconscious. Nor the urge to smack him when he looks down at her all smug but everything hurts too much to move so the hit she delivers is nothing more than a feeble swat.
Not that Riven seems in any hurry to move as he reaches beneath him with a grimace and pulls out a book that's clearly been poking him before tossing carelessly to the side.
"I always knew you wanted to hit on me but that's not how it works. Didn't little Harvey teach you?"
He's so proud of his damn line Musa thinks and she can't help but roll her eyes and grumble under her breath, not really wanting him to hear her protest lest she riles him on more, as she tries to get up from the mess.
The way they're piled isn't helpful because when she shifts she has no grip, nor a hold to grasp onto to heave herself up, she half turns and tries to push off of a toppled laundry basket but as she puts pressure on the item, it buckles under her weight. Her hand slips and she end stumbling backward her hand pressing down on Riven's lower abdomen dangerously close to-
"That's not how to show a guy a good time-"
"Riven, if I was showing you a good time, you wouldn't be able to run your mouth so goddamn much"
Shock, intrigue, and desire suddenly assault her as surprise clearly flutters across the specialist feature and Musa realizes that she's still connected to him mentally and since moving is currently difficult more so with Riven happily staying put, she tries to focus on mentally disconnecting herself from him first.
Abruptly a low black and purple light begins pooling on Bloom's chest, capturing Musa and Riven's attention and they watch in horror as out of that light rises a scorpion looking creature the size of a rat. The creature begins to crawl off the redhead's body, its thousands of legs making little clicking noise as it goes, causing goosebumps to spring up on Musa
"What is -" Musa whispers in alarm but Rivens hands clamp down abruptly on her arms in a firm warning as the creature stops dead in its tracks and turns to face them. Its thousand legs twitch in intervals, it has no eyes, small pincers, but a huge razor sharp tail.
"Don't. Move."
But it's a warning given too late as the scorpion launches itself at them with such speed letting out horrendous screech causing the duo to recoil, Riven pulls her back while half turning just as her palms spring up in reflex but this time Musa has a split second awareness as she feels the power rush to her fingers before a purple burst blasts the creature across the room.
It stuns the vile thing but only for a moment as it turns ready to attack again-
when a dagger skewers it.
The creature twitches and a low whistle like shriek escapes it before going stiff as black liquid oozes out of its wound.
Riven's arm is still outstretched in the throwing motion, Musa hadn't even seen him move let alone pull the dagger to throw. They're both panting hard, the empath can feel the quick rise and fall of Riven's chest at her back and the short exhales of hot air on her neck. She can also taste the adrenaline and shock and a good dose of fear pumping through them.
Their breathing is just evening out when suddenly there's hard banging against the wall at their back and a muffled but distinct voice yells from the suite next door:
"Go the hell to sleep! I told you last time, no one wants to hear this shit! We get it! You have a hot boyfriend! Learn to fuck at normal hours for god sake."
There's a stunned silence as Musa and Riven turn from the wall to look at each other before bursting out laughing,
"Well, fuck me never thought Sky had it in him"
Riven's comment isn't that funny but it causes Musa to actually lose it.
It's part humor, part stress, and part disbelief at the insanity of the night she's just endured.
She desperately tries to stay quiet but she's laughing so hard she actually snorts and it causes Riven to lose it even more. It's bizarre and maybe she should be embarrassed had she the wherewithal but she just can't control it.
It takes far longer than it should for the two of them to settle down. He rubs his head, having clearly banged it against the wall as their laughter ebbs away and Musa tries to breathe and just digest it all. She's coming down from a high in a strange way, finally feeling safe after whatever full moon jinx tonight was.
Her mind is strangely spaced so it takes her a second to register the gentle weight and occasional tugs at the strands of her hair. She glances down and has to do a double-take for it to register that she's seeing someone's weathered fingers ever so gently wrapping and coiling one of her locks around their finger. Following the hands, she looks up and finds Riven ever so relaxed looking at her with a teasing smirk and wink
"Don't mind getting up on my account love"
With a start Musa registers that she's still very much sprawled on top of him, sitting on his lap, leaning against his chest. It's far too intimate of a position but when she tries to scramble off of him she faces the same problem as before, there's still no good way to get up.
"Can you help?" Her voice is disbelieving, a whisper as she tries to be mindful of the people next door but every time she moves something else topples over making her feel like a bull in a china shop
"Nah, I'm good right here"
He's so damn smug and doesn't lift a finger to help her as she tries to get up but she slips again this time on a rogue sketchpad ending up back on her ass and well on him. Riven sniggers but what she feels makes her freeze and looks at Riven who's looking ever unapologetic with that stupid smirk still plastered on her face.
"Really? That better be another dagger"
"Hmm want to check?"
She scoffs glaring at him not that it deters him in the slightest as he leans in just a tad, his eyes ever-growing heavier with unspoken suggestions
"First my sword now my dagger, it's glad to know my reputation precedes me"
"Ugh gross" He shrugs indifferently and Musa wonders if anything gets to the specialist in front of her,
"What can I say I'm always up for a good time"
Clearly not, the empath thinks and his smirk is so damn infuriating that Musa can't help smacking his shoulder hard, taking the specialist by surprise and finally eliciting a reaction other than smugness.
"Hey! And here I thought I would get a fucking thank you."
"Are you always this horny or am I just lucky"
She expects a quick retort or a witty comeback. That's how they work, how they've always interacted but Riven's signature smirk slips off of his face and he looks half-serious as he studies her.
Head half cocked, his eyes rake over her and what's more she can almost feel the path they trail as his gaze burns her skin and lits a path in its trail. The air around them charges, something shifts and it's not just the proximity of their bodies that Musas aware of now but a low thrumming desire that's brewing.
His eyes spring back to hers and that smug smirk is back goading her, letting her know he's completely aware of what his actions are doing to her.
Musa's not sure if she feels more turned on or embarrassed but instinctually her hand shoots down to punch him again but Riven snatches it midair grabbing her wrist and using it to pull her even closer as he leans in; the little smirk he wears downright feral as he mutters.
"You can't keep rubbing your tight little ass all over me and then wonder why I'm reacting to it"
It takes everything in Musa to quell the shiver and to will her eyes to remain open and glued to his rather than letting his voice coax them into slipping shut.
The room has somehow become thick with lust and its warm and oh so tempting, and if she was honest she would admit that for one moment she considers letting herself just lean into it all.
But Musa's never been one to be pushed around and hell be damned she's not going to start now. No matter how much her body is vibrating with the want to come alive under Riven's touch and as turned on as she is; she's not going to let a comment like that just stand.
Purposely looking down at his lap she let her eyes rake up over every inch of him, climbing over the familiar path of his arms, his chest, his broad shoulders before they lock onto his lips.
Musa doesn't need to look to know that his eyes are glued to her. She can feel his breath already syncing with hers. And when she wets her lips and gently bites down, like a mirror image he repeats the movement unconsciously. Musa can almost taste victory as she lets an equally salacious smile grace her lips. Leaning in until they're a hair breadth away, lips hovering over lips she whispers
"Either I'm just really doing it for you or in your poor excuse of a sex life this sadly does count as good foreplay"
Her eyes snap to his but his gaze remains locked on her lips and as her words register they don't rise to meet hers. A fact that Musa considers a clear concession, though that damned cat-like smile never wavers from his lips.
Her body begs her to say more, do more, to taunt him into reacting, and she holds her breath for one moment waiting, hoping for him to continue this game, but that moment is enough to break the spell that had fallen over them both and prompts Musa to keep her mouth shut.
Because this, them, they; can roll into an all-out argument...or a great deal of other things, and while she's still murky at best about whether she wants it or not; she's definitely sure it can't happen. Not now. Not yet. Maybe not ever.
So taking a deep breath she yanks her hand out of his grasp and anchors her palms against his shoulders and does not, absolutely does not let them linger or think about the night in the rain, as pushes herself up, finally managing to stand.
As she rights herself, she does not, does not miss the warmth she berates herself, certainly not. And the quiver low in her belly is nothing more than nerves she reassures herself. All she needs is only a moment and some space. but she only manages three steps before a sharp pain causes her to clutch her head.
They're still connected to each other, still tethered and in the days that follow she'll blame this bridge between them for how they acted or rather flirted with each other.
"You're like a damn live wire" Riven curses, his voice clearly pained as he tries to get his breath back grabbing at his own head, no doubt enduring the same agony.
"More like a superconductor" Musa wheezes as she tries to get her bearing, because the strength of the bond is not just because of her and it's definitely not something she's ever experienced before.
As she sets about undoing the mental tethers one by one, Riven must sense her too because she can suddenly feel his presence even more vividly as if he's stringing the tethers experimentally, like chords on a guitar.
In the heat of the attack, she'd dug herself deep, haphazardly anchored herself to him as strongly as she had been able to, the pain though brings them back down to the very real problem at hand as the undoing of each bond proves to be far more laborious.
"Is that you?" there is a hint of wonder and awe in Riven's pained voice as she can see him test their connection again as he stands and Musa know how much he hates mind fairies-
"I know, I know I'm trying to get out of your head-" She tries to sever the ties faster. Closing her eyes, she reels her mind back as best she can, pulling all the string in at once, but it's so painful, it causes her stomach to revolt as her head begins to swim with intense vertigo.
"Hey, Hey breath, I don't need you passing out. I already have one unconscious fairy on my hands I don't need fucking two" Despite his commanding tone she picks up something in the stormy sea of his emotions.
"You're worried" she realizes with the start and he looks annoyed as hell standing too close now, particularly hovering
"Just fucking breath for a second" he mutters but when she does he's aura pulls at hers nearly reconnecting all their ties
"Your so loud" she complains as another severed connection cause a sharp pain to seer through her and he mumbles:
"Funny you didn't hear me earlier."
"Hmm?" She's not listening as she gently cuts the last of their ties and slowly opens her eyes.
She is still very aware of him and how close they are and most of how comfortable she is despite the lack of distance. The thought is disconcerting, and the company who they're huddled easily with jarring enough that they both let their feet lead them in opposite directions.
There's an awkward beat as Riven approaches the creature, pulling the knife out of the wall it's embedded in with the scorpion still skewered on it, Musa moves towards Bloom.
The empath's apprehensive, a tad scared really but needs to know if the darkness she felt earlier is still there. So she grabs the fire fairies arms and releases a sigh, blessedly, Musa just finds relief and peace emanating from Bloom.
When the mind fairy opens her eyes she's surprised by Riven who is hovering closely again, studying her as if waiting for another reaction.
He has absolutely no sense of boundaries she thinks. But as her body naturally gravitates towards him Musa can't help but suspect it might be the link they shared; It's still too fresh, too raw like magnets once connected before, they're seeking each other out.
"She's fine now" Musa offers without looking the specialist in the eye, feeling too exposed "At least I can't sense anything else. She should come to shortly"
While she senses nothing but peace from Bloom she can sense Riven pausing uncertainly before he moves to the bookshelf by the window. He glances at the fire fairy once but his look is measured. He says nothing though, grabbing a basket from one of the shelves dumping the content unceremoniously on the ground before tossing the scorpion and the dagger in it.
When he looks up at the two fairies again Musa's sure he has something to say, and catches his eye willing him to speak
"What?"
"Did she hit her head? Before you brought her in" and it takes a second for Musa to remember the waterfall and Bloom's fall which she' momentarily forgotten thanks to the creature.
"If she hit her head she could have a concussion, she won't wake up if she goes to sleep"
Riven's tone is casual but his just as grave as the news is alarming and Musa now desperately tries to think back to how the fire fairy landed, racking her brain for answers as she looks at her sleeping friend.
"I don't- I don't think she did" but Musa sounds unsure even to her own ears.
There's a knock on the door and they both freeze.
Because he's definitely not supposed to be here, it could mean a lot of trouble, and all the girls have keys, meaning the knock is mostly their RA checking in.
"It's probably the guys" Riven mutters as he begins to move toward the door but Musa's harsh whisper stops him in his track:
"All the girls have keys"
In lightning speed, Musa grabs Bloom's fluffy robe, and kicks off her shoes before reaching up and yanking out both her pigtail buns and running her hand through her hair.
As she passes Riven his arm shoots out and stops her, the contact causing her powers to seek a link with him even though she desperately tries to stop it
"Jesus control yourself"
"If you keep your hands to yourself this wouldn't be a problem" She hisses back and his hand drops away like she's burnt him.
"Your make up" he murmurs but just as Musa's able to focus on what Riven's saying rather than the warmth of his hand, there's another loud frantic knock.
"I'll figure something out, go to my room. If it's the RA because of the noise complaint they'll check Bloom's room"
As Musa hurries to the door Riven jogs to the room she indicated, slipping in silently. Leaning flush against the wall, he disappears into the shadows of the room.
She wraps the robe close and opens the door a crack trying to look sleepy,
But it's thankfully just Terra and the boys
"I've left my key with Stella" Terra mutters sheepishly as Sky pushes in first, making a b-line for Blooms room
"Where the hell are they?" Musa wonders with a start as she closes the door quietly this time because the two fairies had left earlier than them, "They should be here!"
"Which way did they go?" it's Brandon back in his uniform looking at the two fairies expectantly
"Toward the main satire case" Musa offers before she curses under her breath remembering Riven's warning.
"You'll get caught" Terra warns but the specialist just shakes his head as he slips open the door.
"I'm supposed to be going on watch in a bit, no one will bat an eye if they see I'm out. I'll go look for them" he's out the door before either of the fairies can say anything. As Musa discard the robe she remembers the conversation she was having before the knock
"Riven says if she hit her head she might have a concussion. I can't remember if she did or not"
"I thought she fell on her side-" Terra supplies as they walk back into the room. Riven's there leaning against the doorframe but the sight of Sky's clutching Bloom's hand looking wrecked stops both fairies short.
"There'll be other signs. Usually. Disorientation lack of memory vomiting" Sky offers not looking at the girls having clearly heard their discussion, his voice is glassy and thick with emotions.
"She was disoriented" Musa mutters after a beat though she can't help sharing a knowing look with Riven.
"Yeah but that was because-" Terra leaves the sentence hanging as she becomes aware of the rather emotional state of the blond specialist. Realizing a beat too late that perhaps he doesn't have the wherewithal of hearing everything right this moment. But her broken sentence is enough to triggers the fraught boyfriend
"Because what?" Sky snaps getting up to his feet
"What happened exactly out there? Where was she?" and he's actually advancing on the two fairies who are shocked at the desperate anger the usually calm specialist is displaying.
"Sky. hey. Sky! Hey!"
Putting himself in between the blond and the two fairies Riven intercepts Sky who plows into him, looking like he's on a warpath.
"She's fine mate, she's fine. She's right here." Riven's voice is light but his intervention causes Sky to lash out. Riven absorbs the impact, letting the blond vent his anger, as he remains uncharacteristically calm and rooted. He grasps his best friend by the shoulder and repeats the words till he finally breaks through the haze of red that clouds Sky's mind.
"You need to breathe mate, she's fine, she'd right here"
The Blond specialist still looks dazed, emotionally teetering on a knife's edge. Clasping the blond by the back of his neck Riven pulls his friend close and turns them until he can point at the sleeping girl, his voice light and dare Musa say it, calm.
"She's ok now. Alright? You're going to wake her up" Riven repeats until Sky drops his head and nods, his eyes glassy and Musa thinks she hears a sniffle.
Sky's certainly calming down with each assurance that his best friend utters and Musa's beyond exhausted but she tries to emit serenity as much as she can with what little energy she has left.
The blond is so out of it that her trick must work as he takes a deep steadying breath. Though the way Terra and Riven look at her over Sky's shoulder makes it clear that they certainly can tell the shift in the room is because of her. With her energy spent she has to lean against Bloom's remaining nightstand to keep upright.
"She's been having nightmares, sleepwalking, we're not sure what happened. If she was sleeping walking or something else" Terra supplies vaguely and her answer seems to be enough for now as Sky nods again.
At Terra's words Riven looks at the empath, the question clear in his eyes but Musa shakes her head no. Sky is still too catatonic and she's not sure how the blond specialist will take the news about the darkness and the scorpion creature but before they can say anything else Bloom stirs on the bed.
"Sky?"
"I'm here" Sky assures as he rushes to the bed once more.
"Mm-I'm Sorry"
"Hey, hey, no it's alright I was just worried"
The specialist's voice is soft and so unlike the brash soldier who was frantic only moments ago.
It's a tender moment, one not meant for them as the blond specialist kisses his girlfriend's hand, and Bloom curls herself toward him.
"Let's give them a second" Terra supplies and they all silently shuffle out.
As the door closes behind them softly, Musa can't help but turn to Riven and ask
"Where's the-"
But she doesn't need to say more as Riven nods his head toward the coffee table in the middle of the room. The gesture causes Terra to spot the parasite too and she sends a questioning look at Musa
"Umm, what is this exactly and where did you find it?" but the empath really needs a minute
"Let's wait for everyone" She half pleads as she slumps down onto the couch.
Riven hovers for a moment moves to the kitchen peninsula and perches on one of the bar stools with his back against the wall.
The truth is Musa's not sure where to begin and for the first time is happy someone else saw the thing rise out of Bloom beside her because it all sounds so mental.
"I'll make some tea," the nature fairy says after studying the creature some more and heads toward the kitchen with a yawn.
It's been a bizarre night, to say the least, and one that seems never ending. No sooner have they sat down that the door to their suite opens once more.
"We were perfectly fine-" Stella furiously whispers as she shuffles in supporting Aisha under one arm
"Thank you. Brandon." Aisha offers firmly, correcting Stella and sending a look to the princess with a clear warning in her eyes that silences the blond fairy with hmmp. At the curious and concerned look of the other occupants of the room, the water fairy explains with a sigh.
"We tripped the alarm, but managed to hide before we were caught, we had to stay put till the coast was it was hard to say when it would be clear because so many people kept coming and going" She's clearly tired and on her last leg. So much so that she needs assistance to take a seat.
"No worries'' Brandon replies with an easy smile and a wink as he helps Aisha settle down on the sofa and prop her feet. While Stella grabs an ice pack from the freezer and practically tosses it at the water fairy. Before slumping down into the sofa next to her.
"You guys want to fill us in on what's going on?" Brandon asks more seriously looking around the room.
"None of your damn business"
"Stella!" the girls chorus disapprovingly. They all look a mess, exhausted, overrun, and frankly just in shock.
"Honestly, we're not sure" Terra offers as she turns on the water kettle and comes to take a look at Aisha's injury. Riven snorts clearly in disbelief from his perch.
"We're not" Terra insists and Musa waits for him to call her out on it but he just shakes his head and leans back against the wall, arms crossed, clearly not buying their story.
"I just saw a creature rise up out of your friend's body and the best fucking answer you have is that you're not sure" His voice is harsh but not raised and his statement causes everyone's attention to turn onto the creature in the basket not fully comprehending what they're hearing.
"Do you have any theories then?" Musa snaps back "Because I was there with you and that- thing is not like anything I've seen before,e" He says nothing then as the other congregate around the basket, poking and prodding, picking up the dagger to get a better look. Some look horrified, others curious but all look lost.
"Does Sky know?" Brandon asks and Riven shakes his head no not offering much else.
"He's not exactly in clear-headed space" Terra supplies and that's the nicest way of putting it Musa thinks.
Stella though has no such qualms about proprietary and digs for more answers.
"Since when has Bloom been sleepwalking?" she levels with Aisha and the blue fairy surprisingly gives her a clear answer.
"Since the battle but, it's never been like this. I mean, did you see her eyes?"
"They were glowing" Musa affirms with a nod "they glowed again when we got here."
"What happened exactly?" Terra asks and Musa tries to think of the best way to answer but Riven jumps in without missing a beat
"All I know is that your resident mind fairy was checking on the ginger when we got back and next thing both their eyes are bloody glowing. and when I tried to see what was going on, there was a fucking blast that knocked us on our asses, and then that thing showed up and well you have the end result"
It's a crude but a pretty accurate rendition of the events and Musa can't help but nod as the others look at her for confirmation.
"It was like, there was this black hole inside her, trying to pull her and then me in it. And when it couldn't, it tried to invade my mind, my darkness" Musa adds running a frustrated hand through her hair.
"So how did you beat it?" Aisha asks and Musa wracks her brain for a way to explain
"When Riven tried to help us, I was able to use him, Tether his emotions and essentially beat it" there's a beat as they all run over the boat load of information they've been given.
"Riven has emotions?" Stella deadpans and it manages to get a half-smile from almost all of the occupants of the room.
"Fuck you too princess" Riven shoots back with an eye roll but Musa thinks maybe she felt something from him, though it passes before she can really read it.
There's another silence, this one stretches as each person is clearly lost in their own thoughts.
They're all so tired, so beat; the evening that had started with so much promise and such highs had turned so fast. Thinking back Musa feels that the party and the laughter belong to another night entirely, they're all lucky they didn't have any casualties.
It's so late, it's early.
As night has begun to lose its tight grip on the sky there are hints of grey that are beginning to emerge. The fog now thinner, less uniform, it's going to be twilight soon Musa thinks as she can clearly see the distant tree line from their window.
"Do you think she was possessed?"
The question comes surprisingly from Riven and he's fidgeting with his curved dagger now, one that is identical to the weapon that's sticking out of the scorpion Musa realizes, but it's his words that steal their attention as it's a concept none of them have really considered.
The girls share a look "I've never really seen someone possessed, wouldn't even know what it looks like" Stella offers with a shrug. But it's an alarming idea.
"Where was she?" Brandon presses and the girls share an uneasy look before Aisha hesitantly answers.
"On the waterfall"
"You mean by it" Riven clarifies with a frown as he fully turns to look at the water fairy but Aisha shakes her head and bights her lip a habit Musa seen her do often when she's struggling with a problem,
"Sort of, I mean halfway up, right on it, or I guess by it but like up high"
"How did she get up there?" Brandon questions while at the same time Riven asks "The hell was she doing up there?"
"We don't know" Stella mutters somberly, she looks to the fire fairies room and Musa can sense worry radiating off of the Solarian. It's a prominent emotion that hangs in the room alongside confusion and notes of fear. Like a strong perfume,e it seems to consume the whole room and what's worse it makes the empath's head pound worse.
They are all lost in their own thoughts trying to digest and piece together the puzzle pieces of the evening but none seem to have any answers. Terra goes to Aisha and the two start discussing her injuries and trying to figure out the best ointment to apply to the sprain when the kettle begins to whistle.
The nature fairy looks conflicted toward the kitchen and then back to the injury and despite everything in Musa wanting to remain seated she wills herself upright with a groan.
"I'll get it" For which Terra throws her a grateful look.
Once in the kitchen,n Musa opens the lower cabinet with her foot and steps onto the bottom shelf in order to reach the bigger mugs on the back end of the second tier in the upper cabinets.
Balancing the five mugs, she hopes not everyone wants a cup, and uses her elbow and her foot to close the two cabinet doors absentmindedly before placing them next to the kettle.
She hops on the kitchen counter and grabs the tea bags and instant coffee from the top of the fridge before bouncing down again. She'll put out both and whoever wants some can have it she thinks. As she turns to let the crowd know the teas done, she catches Riven studying her with practically dancing eyes,
"So did you become a dancer to learn how to reach high places or…."
"Shut up"
She grumbles and he says nothing more and just shakes his head with a small half smirk, half-smile before looking at the rest of the group; who are trying to look up what possessions look like and how exactly to break the news to Dowling, or even if they need to.
"Come and get it" Musa calls when everything is put in place.
As some make tea and others coffee Musa finds herself staying in the kitchen away from the crowd where the noise of emotions seems dimmer. She hates to admit it, even to herself, but it's because Riven's ever buzzing mind is acting like a white noise machine.
He looks eerily calm, strangely relaxed in their suite, with one leg perched on the stool in front of him, he rests the arm that's constantly twirling his dagger on his knee. He is completely out of his domain yet somehow in his element.
Despite his mind being such a cacophony of noise; it's more like a well conducted symphony of emotions rather than the dozens of rogue instruments everyone is broadcasting in their own tune and rhythm in the main living area.
Brandon comes over to the counter where Musa is filling up a cup of just hot water. She's thinking of adding some lemons to it, and Rivens volleying between staring off into space and tuning into different conversations and begins making coffee. When a ding causes both Musa and Riven to look up only to find the brown-eyed specialist studying his school-issued phone with a frown,
"Shit."
Musa's about to ask if everything ok when Riven speaks up
"You have watch now." It's a statement, not a question and Brandon nods as he lets out a long sigh and looks to Blooms room
"Sky's your partner" Riven goes on and Brandon nods again, before adding two more spoonfuls of coffee to his mug. Musa's not sure how they are going to get the blond to leave his post by his girlfriend's bed
"I'll take his shift" Riven tosses the statement out casually as he sheathes his dagger in his boot and stands
"You're just coming off the witching hour shift-" Brandon begins protesting his face showcasing the surprise Musa's feeling at the thoughtful offer.
"Mate it's not like he's going to be able to focus. Plus he'll owe me" Riven mutters before he disappears into the room, presumably to let Sky know, but the excuse sounds weak at best and more of an afterthought.
"What's the witching hour shift?" Musa asks catching Brandon by surprise as he's in the midst of taking a long sip from his mug.
"It's the worst shift. It's from one a.m. to three a.m. You're not really going to get any sleep before or after. Unless it's a weekend like now but with him taking Skys shift, he's going to lose the bulk of his Saturday to sleep." He explains before taking another drink, his face a deep frown. Whether because of the too-bitter coffee or Riven's strange offer Musa's not sure.
A moment later Riven's out the bedroom door and walking back to where they stand reaching down and grabbing Brandon's coffee and tossing it back like it's a shot.
"I was drinking that" Brandon deadpans but Riven face is a hard grimace
"Your welcome mate, you didn't want to be drinking it"
She should say something Musa realizes, probably thank them. But all she can think is that Riven's in his uniform too, has been since they ran into him, but she saw him at the party-
"You were on shift, when we ran into you, you were the guard" and Riven gives her a rueful smirk
"Interesting to know you couldn't read me then," He teases and Musa feels her cheeks growing warm and she feels a bit defensive.
"I wasn't exactly thinking about guards, I was just happy to be back at school" She answers honestly
"Why? Is the forest too scary for you pixies?" and he is just giving her a hard time but the joke triggers a thought in the empath.
"There was something out there" Musa remembers and she wracks her brain for what it could have been?'
"What, like someone or a burned one?" Brandon asks skeptically and Musa shrugs with a sigh
"Not sure, I couldn't read it clearly"
"Was it one of those things?" Riven asks nodding his head to the creature in the middle of their room and Musa shakes her head no and circles back to her original thought.
"You were both at the party tonight, knowing you had shifts." She's not sure if she's impressed or concerned. As the specialists share a smile and a look between themselves only one of them looks sheepish.
"Hard sacrifices are required in the life of a specialist" Riven mutters in a psuedo serious voice and the words sound suspiciously like something Silva would say Musa thinks, though she highly doubts the context applies.
"You ready?" Brandon asks as he gets up and Riven nods. But he's tired, Musa thinks, His posture isn't as stiff as it usually is and his movements, usually so brash and abrupt, are at an almost normal pace.
"You're dead tired you sure you're going to last on your feet '' she's not why she asks but the words are out before she can really think about them.
"Is that concern I hear" he taunts as he leans in that damn smirk back in full effect eyes lighting up with amusement and Musa rolls her eyes with a sigh because she really shouldn't be enjoying bantering with him so much, but she can't resist looking him dead in the eye and taunting right back:
"Go face plant at your post, see if I care."
"Bet you wished you hadn't volunteered for the scouting mission today" Brandon jokes unaware of the intensity he's disrupting and receives a smack for his comment. But his words intrigue Musa as she hadn't heard of any ongoing missions
"Scouting mission? Like Outside the barrier" and Riven now glares at Brandon who just looks lost at his roommate's reaction
"Don't worry about it. Let's go big mouth before you start yabbering more"
"Wait how did you ditch your partner?" Brandon asks as they begin moving toward the door.
"There was no partner" Musa remembers with a start because she would have definitely felt two people and there should have been. It was one of the cardinal rules of the watch. Riven though is glowering at her for butting in but like all else, it's not as severe right now.
"What did you mean there was no partner?" Brandon comes up short but Riven's already done with the conversation Musa thinks as she watches his defenses rise at lightning speed.
"Don't worry about it"
"Riven-"
"Look, are we going or not?" Riven snaps and Brandon with a sigh and a look skyward follows his roommate. As the duo make their way to the door Riven hesitates for another beat, before turning to Stella
"Kick him out at six, he's supposed to meet Silva for morning training, I told the idiot to not sign up for it"
"Bold of you to assume I'll be awake then" Stella mutters, but ever helpful Terra steps in
"I'll make sure he's up" receiving a nod in thanks from Riven.
"Thanks for the coffee," Brandon says more to the room, his eyes lingering just a hair longer on their blond resident fairy, who to Musa's surprise has almost a smile on her face when she looks back at the specialist. Musa can't help but smile at the development and offer their own gratitudes:
"Thanks for the help" and because it's clear Riven's not listening to the empath adds "both of you. We know you didn't have to" and while Brandon offers her a small smile in return Riven looks genuinely bewildered causing Musa's smile to grow.
His surprise turns into a scowl though when his eyes meet hers, though there's still a small smile on his face, and despite his scoff, the empath doesn't quite buy the indifferent facade he's projecting.
With a nod and a wave, the two specialists take their leave.
They don't sleep that night, not really.
Piled in the common area of their suite they doze in and out, finally succumb to sleep in the early hours of the morning.
Musa wakes again as she hears soft footsteps approaching the door as two hushed voices do a poor job at whispering.
"I...sorry….mean anything"
"Thanks…sorry….snapped... for saving….appreciate"
The empath wants to tell them to shut up but that requires more work and she's becoming too awake as is, a fact that her head protests deeply about as it begins to throbs. The voices become coherent and Musa's urge to curse them rises more.
"I owe you and not just for Bloom, Silva will skin me if I miss training"
"It was Riven-" The nature fairies voice is soft and sleepy
"Riven?" and the shock is evident in the blond specialist's voice but Musa's too tired and too drained to stay awake so as sleep beacons her she surrenders to it without a fight.
It's around noon when they all wake up. Their bodies still tired and groggy, half hungover from the night and half still reeling from the ordeals that followed the party. It takes them another hour after waking up to actually get up and even longer before they have some semblance of what to do.
Stella and Musa offer to go grab lunch for everyone while Terra checks out Aisha and Bloom having the most medical knowledge out of the bunch.
But even when they come back they pile all together into Bloom and Aisha's room to eat. With the injured girls both propped on the redheads bed they finally find a moment to try to go over what exactly happened.
"I was with Sky and then, I went to the bathroom-I think" Bloom struggles as she tries to remember exactly what happened, visibly growing distressed when she can't recall.
"Hey, it alright just breathe" Musa soothes placing her hand on her friend's arm and she doesn't currently have much serenity to project but she can decrease the anxiety by a notch or two.
It's a beautifully sunny day and they've opened the windows allowing for fresh spring air to turn the air about their suite. It's a deep contrast to the cloud of confusion that is looming over the group. Aisha's leg is much better, the salve that Terra had given her the night before really doing its job, but the girls are having her stay put just in case.
The water fairy is propped up against her roommate's footboard mirroring Bloom who's propped against her headboard. But whereas Aisha looks like she can be up and about moving soon, Bloom looks pale and lethargic. As though her ordeal not only bruised her physically but emotionally too.
"I thought, I thought I was playing with someone. Like I was a kid and we were playing- I think it was with Daphne"
"Who's Daphne?" Terra asks what they're all thinking but Bloom just shrugs
"I don't know, but she keeps calling me in my dreams, telling me to find her" She pauses and pulls her knees to her chest, resting her chin on them
"I don't think it was her last night" she mutters and there are just too many questions.
"Bloom, have you told Dowling any of this" Terra pushes but Bloom doesn't seem interested in answering as she just shakes her head no before turning to Aisha
"You got your wings" and for the first time all day there's an actual smile gracing her face
"I got my wings" Aisha affirms with a nod and a tight closed-lip smile, one that doesn't quite reach her eyes.
"Clearly you're excited" Stella's sarcasm isn't unkind and Aisha doesn't really feed into it or deny it. There's a moment as the water fairy shifts in her seat and Musa can read turmoil clearly from her.
"When the burned ones attacked, I got my wings then" Aisha confesses and now they're all looking at her aghast as she deflates back onto her pillows.
"I'm sorry, what?" Terra asks, despite a lot of things changing over the last year, keeping secrets is still a big issue for the nature fairy. And clearly, she's not the only person who feels some sort of way as Stella mutters
"Now you decide to tell us?"
"Aisha that's great" Bloom calls and Musa nods along trying to be supportive but the water fairy looks lost as stares at the ceiling before asking softly:
"Is it?"
The question throws the whole group because Aisha is strong and sure and certain. Always thriving, always pushing the boundaries, and conquering. She's never once faltered but now, now she looks torrent as she goes on still staring off into the air:
"What if, the wings are what Rosalind wants you for Bloom? what if they're the reason you have a target on your back. What if this becomes the reason I'll have a target on my back, or worse what if she goes after my family the same way she went after yours?" she finally locks eyes with the fire fairy, her own eyes glassy and brimming with tears a whirlpool of emotions. Worst of all, no one has any answers for her, she didn't expect them to either.
"You're now this is a special thing, but what's everyone going to expect now? And why me? Are other people going to get them soon? If yes why now?"
"You've been thinking about this for a while" Musa realizes as she clearly reads trepidation suffocating the water fairy. For the first time since Musa's known Aisha, she sees tears rolling down her cheeks and the empath moves to sit next to the suffering girl offering her a hug is hard because she's so raw and tender from last night but her friend needs this and Musa's cant see her friend suffering without doing something.
"Hey, it's going to be ok, we'll figure it out" the mind fairy promises and she's surprised when Aisha leans into her
"Yeah, you're not doing this by yourself" Terra soothes as she too perches on the bed and grasps the blue fairies hand offering a reassuring pat and smile before, gasping one of Bloom's hand as well,
"Neither of you are." Bloom returns the gesture by interlocking her fingers with the nature fairies and offering a big watery smile in return.
"If I can handle the attention, for you it'll be a breeze" Stella comforts in her own brash manner as she too plops onto the bed squeezing next to Bloom rattling them all and causing smiles and giggle to bloom on her friend's faces.
"And I don't know if other people will get their wings, or why now, or why us. but, hey at least I'm in the same boat, you're not alone." Bloom assures softly
"So why do I feel like last night changes everything" Aisha whispers after a moment and her question settles like a stone in the pit of Musa's stomach.
"Because this means we have to tell someone" Bloom admits with a sigh after a beat and the uncertainty of what will happen when they do, is the thing that hunts them all, hanging over their heads like an executioner's sword.
Like Pandora's box, they've opened the unknown Musa thinks. There are forces now at work and there's something still brewing. Last night is a starck reminder that the business with Rosalind is not done.
And while her friends' wings are promises of great power, magic always comes with a price. And surely such great magic will have an equally heavy cost. What will be the price of it all? They can only speculate.
"Look, I'm not sure about a lot of things," Musa finally says breaking the silence "Like if we will regret all this, or if we are going to come out of this or hell, how things are going to go. But whatever happens, I love you guys and I'm with you to the end of this thing. Wherever that might be" She smiles at the girls who surround her before her eyes land on her roommate, the girl who had started out as a stranger but now was a sister in so many ways.
"Like Terra said, We'll figure this out; together." The sentiment is simple yet sincere and her roommate smiles back with teary eyes clearly touched.
"Together" Bloom echoes and Musa can't help but bask in the love that pours out of everyone around her as they nod, eyes all misty, each girl echoing sentiments of love and support.
"I hate you all. I didn't cry this much last year" Stella mutters tears streaming down her face as she wipes them away
"Liar. We always knew you were a big softy" Aisha chuckles through her tears as they pull together in a tight group hug.
They needed their time alone, to heal, to regroup but in that moment, on that bed, one thing was extremely clear, their friendship was stronger than it had ever been. Despite everything, they'd gone through and somehow their bond had transcended the term friendship and metamorphed into something much stronger.
Something that unbeknownst to them, would be key in fighting what was to come.
They decide to show Dowling the creature and to tell her what's happened, with some omission.
"There's no reason to bring in Stella and Terra. No need to get them into trouble needlessly." Aisha suggests when they're forming their plan and while the nature fairy wants to protest out of loyalty, Stella actually is sheepishly grateful
"I'm not sure my disciplinary record can handle another note, besides my moms looking for a reason to pull me out"
"We should leave the boys out too" Bloom insists and while most of the girls agree it does land them in a logistical kink as Aisha points out.
"How exactly are we going to explain that?" The blue fairy asks, pointing to the dagger and by extension the scorpion that is beginning to stink making it clear they definitely need to take it to Dowling soon.
"We tell them I had it. I killed it" Musa offers without missing a beat
"How? They'll know Rivens dagger" Terra points out and she's right Riven is often seen twirling the damn weapon as he walks about campus but remembering the twin blade he was messing with the night before Musa doesn't think it'll be too big of an issue
"He has another one" and at the girl's strange looks she shrugs "What? he was twirling the thing while he was here"
"And we're going to say you got your hands on it, how exactly?" Stella asks bemusedly but the empath waves off the question
"I'm not going to say it was his. Lots of people could have them." Though she doesn't need her friends' skeptical looks to know that it's a weak excuse at best "Let them draw whatever conclusion they want. I doubt after everything we tell them the knife is going to matter much" Musa counters with a shrug and the girls look at her with surprise and strangely suspicion and Musa quells the need to get defensive and rather tries to go for nonchalant as she tries to point out the bigger issue
"Look I have to still be there since I'm one of the few people who actually saw this creature thing in action. and besides if Stella can't take another disciplinary hit right now, then Riven definitely can't." It's not the most eloquent defense but she doesn't elaborate, doesn't need to, it's a fair and strong point.
While Riven's standing with the group had been nothing but negative since the start of the Rosalind situation, since the war they'd rarely seen him, till last night.
"He did leave his post to bring Bloom here" Terra offers after a moment "And he is Sky's best friend" Bloom points out.
Aisha still looks unconvinced, so Musa tries to appeal to her logical side.
"Silva won't question it much. He doesn't like getting involved in the personal lives of his students and Riven's not the over-sharing type. I doubt Dowling will even bat an eye at it" The water and sun fairy ponder over the plan before slowly nodding.
"Still, we should get word to them" Aisha adds and Terra is more than happy to be of use
"Stella and I can go" the nature fairy happily volunteers, Stella though is not as enthused
"Why should I?"
"Because you visiting your ex is less suspicious than me randomly popping over for a chat" Terra points out and with each group clear on their task they each set out in opposite direction.
Dowling takes it as well as expected.
She has thousands of different questions. There is disapproval and a promise that they will most definitely face consequences for sneaking out, though again the girls remain vague about where they went.
It isn't until she looks at the creature that she becomes more alarmed. Silva's called in as well as Harvey and they proceed to ask question after question, going over the night with a fine-tooth comb, though what they are looking for exactly, the girls aren't sure. By the time the faculty are satisfied, hours have gone by and Musa thinks she's going to pass out.
Dowling asks Bloom to accompany her to the medical wing, wanting some of the healers to check her over but the suggestion causes the fairies to hesitate. Looking at each other none of them want to send a friend alone even if it is with the headmistress. Though the worry may be unfounded and puzzling, Dowling's voice is soft and understanding as she reassures them.
"She's not going anywhere, ladies. She'll be back by dinner time, you have my word"
Bloom sends her two friends a reassuring look "I'll see you guys in a bit" she promises and Musa and Aisha try to be reassuring
"We'll save you some extra dessert" Aisha promises and the red head departs with their headmistress.
But before Musa can leave Silva blocks her path, balancing the blade in his hand and twisting it in a way the empath has seen Riven do numerous times. Musa doesn't need to be an empath to know that Silva recognizes the dagger.
His eyes are calculating and searching and for the first time since proposing the plan to take the blame Musa begins to question exactly how successful she'll be in convincing the specialist master that it was her who took down the creature.
"You killed it" He recites from her story earlier, staring down at her as if he's assessing her very soul and Musa doesn't bat an eye
"Yes"
"How?"
Musa knows he's speaking clinically, trying to oust them by having her fumble. So she remains as calm and as vaguely factual as she can in her response.
"I knocked it off of Bloom and when it started to move again, I threw the knife"
"You threw it."
"Yes. Holding the blade. Just like you taught me"
"This knife?" he flips the blade again, the tip now pointing at Musa.
"Yes" and she holds his stare waiting to see if he will say anything else but he doesn't.
He just keeps staring first at the dagger and then at her and the curiosity he radiates is far too severe. Like he's trying to figure out something more than who killed the creature.
Finally, he nods though he doesn't give the knife back.
"You're dismissed"
It isn't until they are in the hallway that she lets out the breath she's been holding and is surprised to hear Aisha's sigh of relief as well.
"I thought he was going to make you throw it in front of him" Aisha whispers as they're walking back and Musa realizes with horror that had Silva requested that, their story most definitely would have been blown to smithereens.
"I didn't think he would take it so hard" because the empath has never really been on his radar at least Musa never thought she was.
"He probably thinks you stole it and is trying to figure out how come Riven hasn't killed you for it yet"
Aisha's actually laughing and the empath is just happy to see her friend in such a good mood and so relieved to be done with the report that she doesn't ponder the matter anymore.
That night though after eeveryone's gone to bed, Musa can feel the restlessness that radiates from Bloom and Aisha's room and the emotion is so distinct and severe that she finds herself compelled to intervene.
She dresses quickly, donning her running shoes, and gently opens the door to the water and fire fairies room.
"Hey, I know your up" Musa calls in softly
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to keep you up" Aisha mutters as she sits up looking haggard. Dowling's requested her to join Bloom going forth in their wing lessons and Musa knows the request had triggered the water fairies anxiety.
"I'm never sleep during this time" In the spirit of honesty and sisterhood Musa decides to level with the blue fairy "Get your swim stuff" and despite looking skeptical Aisha follows suit and before long they're exiting the suite quietly.
"So this is where you go every night" Aisha mutters as they make it down to the forrests edge and Musa looks at her with such surprise it causes the water fairy to laugh
"What? You didn't think we noticed? We just thought you were sneaking off to see a boy and didn't want to hurt Terra's feeling"
"We?" She's flabbergasted but Aisha look non pulsed as she answers
"Bloom and I."
"And what guy?" Musa squeaks outraged
"Brandon" Aisha answers after a beat clearly enjoying making her friend squirm
"Brando- why?" the abrupt change in Musa's tone is enough to cause the water fairy to laugh even louder and Musa's happy to see that at least for the moment the anxiety the blue fairy had been dealing with was no were in sight.
"Yeah, well that was before last night before I saw how he was around her" Aisha amends and Musa shares a conspiratorial grin with her friend because she's happy someone else has noticed the long glances and the extra charm the brown-eyed specialist puts on when the sun princess is around. Plus she also can feel their emotions, especially Stella's but that's a whole other thing.
"Sorry to disappoint, I just run"
"You hate running" Aisha deadpans and Musa nods with a laugh
"Yep, still do. But now I can't live without it and strangely it's still not the weirdest development of this past year, wouldn't you say."
Musa runs and Aisha swims in the river and it's nice to have someone with her the mind fairy thinks. More secure, more relaxing.
The exercise was much needed and as they're on the way back Musa can't help but smile as she can sense the lighter spirit of her friend despite Aisha's clear exhaustion. They use the side entrance and are just about to approach one of the inner courtyards that will lead to the fairy dorms when Musa's power kicks in, alerting her of people coming their way fast.
She barely has time to push Aisha into a supply closet before the distinct sound of heels and boots grow louder and louder. Before they abruptly stop far too close to their hiding spot for either girls liking.
Musa can feel Aisha's nerves as they wait with bated breath to see if they'll be discovered. But the silence gives way to distinct muffled voices going back and forth, the voices close enough to be recognized yet far enough that the content of the conversation is lost in the air.
"Is that Beatrix?" Aisha whispers after a beat and Musa listens a moment but can't be sure. The empath can feel two masculine energies one eerily familiar as well as a feminine one. They really shouldn't but neither can resist opening the door just a sliver and peeking through.
It's Beatrix with Dane and... Riven?
Musa feels her heart stop as she hears the water fairy's light grasp as she too spots the specialist. Because no one had seen Riven with Dane and Beatrix since the battle and at the very least Musa had assumed he was done with that crew. A thousand questions run through the mind fairy's head and she can feel Aisha's suspicion without even looking at the girl.
But their worries and distrust turn to confusion when Riven's thunderous and furious face becomes more visible as Dane moves nervously to flank Beatrix's side.
The duo in the closet can't tell what's being said but the tone of the scene is clear, Riven's furious while Dane is on edge, and Beatrix, well she looks exceedingly calm.
The storm fairy sidles up and runs a perfectly manicured finger along Riven's jaw but he grabs her wrist and yanks her off, dropping her hand like the very contact was too much for him. His eyes are sharp and angry and despite the visible discomfort, Beatrix's touch brings him he doesn't back down muttering furiously.
His resistance doesn't deter the storm fairy as she presses herself harder against him, and rakes her hand down his chest before suddenly dropping below the specialist's belt and grabbing him.
"The fuck is wrong with you" Riven roars as he shoves her back causing Beatrix to slide on her heels his voice bouncing around the empty hallway echoing loudly.
Startling the fairies in the closet who are still reeling from what they've just witnessed and panicking Dane so much so that he pulls a dagger and has it at Riven's neck in a flash. Not that Riven seems to care as he keeps staring down at his ex-girlfriend who looks more interested than ever.
Amusement and potent desire broadcast heavily from Beatrix and it's blatantly evident from the way the girl all but bounces closer and drapes herself against him once again. It's the most animated Musa's ever seen the auburn-haired girl ever.
Beatrix pushes closer again, unfazed by the murderous look she's receiving, and lifts a hand toward her ex-boyfriend's face again when Riven snatches that hand mid air and takes a step closer to the unhinged fairy. Causing the knife to dig into his neck, and Dane to silently panic as even the fairies can clearly see a line of blood running down Riven's throat where the dagger is breaking skin.
There's a beat as the trio remain frozen and the only noise Musa hears is the pounding of her heart in her ears and the shallow breath of her friend next to her.
Finally, with a pout and a roll of her eyes, Beatrix waves her hand and in a wisp of grey, a medallion appears in her palm. Riven yanks the medallion out of her hand and there are more harsh words exchanged this time spoken by the usually composed storm fairy before Beatrix saunters off, a ludacris smile on her face.
Dane looks at Riven and then at the retreating form of Beatrix. Strangely torn before mumbling something to the latter and following the storm fairy out of sight.
Musa and Aisha remain rooted to their spot, both in utter disbelief at the exchange they just witnessed.
Even from where they stand, the ferocity of hate and rage that ooze from Riven causes Musa to feel lightheaded. But there's something else, something equally as potent and entirely unexpected and it's all centered around Beatrix. The emotion is so shocking, so unlike Riven that Musa thinks it can't possibly be emanating from him
"What the hell was that?" Aisha whispers, unaware of the mind fairies plight as Musa desperately tries to tune into Riven. To be sure she's reading the specialist correctly as a new picture is beginning to form in her head regarding the dynamic brooding specialist and Beatrix that is just baffling.
"I thought he was with them" Aisha goes on her voice thick with distrust but Musa shakes head no, the problem is Riven's still a bundle of emotions, too loud and too many but what he's broadcasting right now is distinct if only the empath can be sure-
"I don't think they're friends anymore" Musa utters back trying to closely follow the progression of Riven's emotions as he stands outside still staring at where his two, ex-friends? Friends? disappeared to.
"You think?" Aisha deadpans before asking "Do you think he's working for her?"
And then it happens just as Musa muttering "No, definitely not"
For one instant there's only one clear strong emotion that flashes over the anger and hate that ebbs and flows in Riven; Leading Musa to have one startling realization that she doesn't share out loud:
Riven's terrified of Beatrix.
AN: This chapter was supposed to be part of the last chapter but it all went to hell. Every time I thought we were done it was like no, these characters wanted to do more or flirt more or say more.
I considered splitting this chapter into two as well but you know what, I'm just going to post it. If you do see any mistakes feel free to let me know. I tried to edit as best I could but I'm honestly not sure if I got everything, because it's so long and I just want to post it. I'm terrified I'll add more when I try to edit, so sorry for the mistakes.
Shout out to soresuu and ashotoflife your reviews were everything and I can't thank you enough. I tried to take into account soresuu's suggestion and add in more breaks, let me know if it worked. Viicky darling please do not apologize, like at all, because honestly your review was really sweet and I'm glad to have clarified the typo honestly you should see the mistakes I make and I really really appreciated your review on chapter 1, I'm so happy to hear from you!
Quick character rant: I didn't want Musa to be mousy. One of the writing tropes that I absolutely hate is the Madonna vs Whore. I don't like it when writers use the fact that a woman is sexualy confident as an indicator that she's bad or evil and the ones who are good are sexually repressed or inexperienced. so I wanted to write Musa as equally comfortable with herself as Beatrix is.
All the flirting that happened between Musa and Riven was not really planned, these characters wrote themselves. Please drop me a review tell me what you liked, what you didn't like. I love hearing from you all. It is honestly the best part of posting. Cheers- GQ 2000