She has that dream every night. She doesn't even know where it comes from.
A boy is sinking into a dark and deep sea, it is dark all around. She is unable to breathe underwater, but she's anxious to grab him at all costs.
She has to save him. She has to.
She feels her chest heavier, the thought of him dying takes the air away from her lungs.
He craves air too.
Darcy doesn't talk to her sisters about it. For some time now, all of them have been having strange dreams. It may be the effects of amnesia. The evil wind made them forget the past.
Now it's like they were born yesterday.
Everyone knows that dreams are the reflection of the mind. And they dream of what their mind has repressed for long. What they don't want to forget. What they fear the most. What they crave most.
Darcy can't get that boy out of her head. Yet she doesn't know who he is. She doesn't know his face or his name. She's never met him.
Or at least she thinks so.
There is something strange in all this, something wrong.
Maybe she'll sort it out tomorrow.
Tomorrow, they'll return to Magix.
# # # #
Alfea
There are thousands and thousands of voices at the festival.
It's easy to distinguish witches from fairies, and professors, who are all gathered talking, and talking, and talking to each other.
Who knows what they're talking about.
All the guests cast suspicious glances at the three witches who entered the courtyard, as if they wanted to keep an eye on them. Everyone seems nervous.
Icy said to ignore them, but it's not easy. Who knows what kind of problem these people have.
The sisters sit at a random table, rather far from the others, with the only purpose of having a drink and enjoy the party. A bunch of minutes pass and nobody approaches them. People seems to want to keep away from them willingly.
A small rock concert is about to begin in the center of the courtyard. There are guys holding their guitars.
Darcy sips her drink and looks at the stage.
A boy is fixing the drums. He is quite handsome.
Darcy smiles. Maybe this party comes at the right time. She'll be distracted, she'll try to meet someone new.
Maybe she'll stop thinking about the strange dreams she keeps having.
# # # #
A fairy sitting at the table nearby, chuckles. Icy decides that she can't stand her anymore and gets up, telling her sisters that she wants to go and meet the boys.
The guests are dancing and having fun. The music is quite loud and makes everyone want to move.
Darcy still looks at the center of the stage. The purple-haired boy plays amazingly.
He is honestly much more than handsome.
After the concert, Darcy is sure she wants to talk to him.
She smiles. Yet it's strange. She feels she's seen him somewhere before.
# # # #
Riven steps off the stage. It went well, people cheer happily. They ask for an encore, but he and the boys are too tired. He just wants to have an iced lemonade and some chill time.
Icy steps forward and says Hello to the boys as if they were longtime friends. The blonde guitarist looks at her in shock, probably asking what the heck this girl he knows too well, wants. Then he recalls: she doesn't know who he is. She doesn't know anything. So he tries to be kind, but his nervous gaze does not fade.
Darcy focuses on the purple-haired boy and smiles.
He sees her.
But he doesn't smile.
His jaw contracts, and his whole body turns tense.
His frown makes her think he has never been able to smile in his entire life. But she likes him just for that.
His gaze is strange, anyway. Hostile. He's clearly uncomfortable.
Darcy is about to go to him when the little group is interrupted by some fairy voices.
-These are our boyfriends! - -Go pick someone else! - they say.
The plan has failed. Evidently those boys were all already taken. Too bad.
Icy is now the angriest she can be, and orders the other two to go back to the table.
Her sisters follow her. The group of fairies and specialists is moving away to go to their table as well.
Darcy instinctively turns to give one last look at the purple-haired boy.
He turns too.
# # # #
Magix – The day after
The White Horse is as crowded as every Saturday. The Winx and the specialists gather there for all their hangouts.
The girls are increasingly jealous after what happened at the party, especially Bloom.
Sky says that Icy simply made a mistake, but Bloom isn't convinced.
Despite all the reassurances the principals have made, she and her friends are no longer so sure that it was good to bring them back.
They sit at the table and start to order their ice creams. Riven gets up and goes to the counter to get the beers.
# # # #
-Hi!-
A small pair of glasses covering two large golden eyes appear in front him. An elegant and purple mouth smiles at him.
-Hi.- he answers, coldly. He looks away.
-It's nice to see you again here. We met at the party, remember? -
-Sure.-
He avoids eye contact with her.
-What's your name? - she asks.
-Sorry, I shouldn't talk to you.-
-Nice name. A bit long, maybe.-
-I'm serious. You shouldn't talk to me either. It's full of guys here, you should go to someone else.-
-Why?-
He doesn't know what to do. And there isn't much he can actually do.
It is like they're meeting for the first time. He has just lived that part of life already. And it's like she didn't. He isn't sure if he should tell why he doesn't want to talk to her.
She doesn't remember anything, he recalls. She doesn't even know who I am.
But he does. And that's the problem.
Riven breathes. He looks at her.
He just has to be kind. The principals said so.
His friends said not to worry, that there's no more danger. They told him to treat them all as friends. They can no longer do anything wrong, he said.
It's just that he remembers too well what happened between ... them.
-Won't you even tell me your name?- she asks. -Are you afraid of what your friends could think of you talking to a witch?-
Her eyes have a new, almost innocent light.
She's still smiling.
She's so beautiful.
As she was ... before.
Maybe his friends were right when they told him there's nothing to worry about.
Riven reveals his name and she turns thoughtful. There's something familiar in that name. She tries to remember.
She can't. But she keeps smiling.
-My name's Darcy.-
Riven forces a smile and takes his beers.
I know.
He would want to say it, but he can't. He has to do what the principals told. He has to pretend that nothing happened. He must continue to pretend that the girl he is talking to, is a simple stranger.
She forgot it all. And he must forget it too. It's the only way he can be kind to her.
He just still doesn't know if he'll be able to pretend.
-I have to go.- he says. -Pleasure to meet you.-
Darcy watches him walk away. She still thinks she's seen him somewhere before.
Darcy never trusted her mind less. She knows dejavus too well. As well as he knows his memories.
They both know they're just illusions.
Or maybe not.
# # # #
His friends have noticed everything. Musa did more than anyone else.
He sits down and she starts questioning why he was talking to that witch.
He tries to ignore her, while she ignores the words that her friends have just said. Clearly they can't stop Riven from talking to whoever he wants, and he was probably just trying to be nice. It is an effort that all of them have to make, even if it is hard.
Riven sips his beer. He is still distracted.
Musa talks to him, but his mind is elsewhere.
And also his eyes. Darcy walks through the room to reach her sisters' table.
He glances at her. Sips the beer.
Pays attention to Brandon's joke. Glances at her again.
Then he finishes his beer. He needs to get that sensation off of him.
He gets up and suggests to go for a walk.
# # # #
At the door, while Riven is preparing to follow his friends out, he is held by a sharp and small hand.
Making sure she is not seen, the girl puts a note in his hand.
She smiles, removes the grip from his arm and goes away.
Riven doesn't say a word. He doesn't have the time to. He leaves the room. Musa saw nothing. She's chatting with the other girls.
The boys keep chuckling instead. The two clearly get along, they probably think. The witch is harmless and the boys don't seem to care too much, but they didn't forget that there's someone else who is very interested in Riven, out there... and who wouldn't be happy to know what just happened.
Brandon pats Riven's shoulder and points with his head to his righ side.
There is a trash can next to him.
The boys follow their girlfriends on the street.
Riven doesn't know what to do. He looks at the crumpled note in his hand.
It's a phone number.
He keeps it.
# # # #
Red Fountain - Midnight
Riven is on the balcony of his room. He turns the note over in his hands and re-reads Darcy's handwriting. A black and fine ink, which appears darker, in the moonlight.
He thinks about the sensation that meeting Darcy again made him feel. It brought a lot of memories back. He didn't want that to happen. But it happened.
He's not sure if what he's thinking is good. He doesn't know if it's good to give her another chance.
He wonders if he's doing the right thing.
Sky comes out and notices his thoughtful expression. He asks if there's something wrong.
He hasn't talked much in the last two days.
-I'm fine.- Riven says. -Just tired.-
Sky smiles at him with relief and goes back to the room.
Riven reads the note for the tenth time.
Tomorrow night at the White Horse. I'd like to know you better.
# # # #
Cloud Tower - Midnight
Darcy's phone beeps. There's a new message.
Riven remembered of her. He clearly read the note.
Darcy smiles when she reads the text.
# # # #
The day after
Musa is really angry.
She called Riven to ask him out on that evening, but when he said he was busy, she started asking questions again.
He stayed silent for a while, then he answered the first thing that came to his mind.
I have to study.
Musa sighs. To reassure her, Riven tells her they will meet the next day.
Musa seems relieved. She says Bye and hangs up.
Riven thinks. He absolutely can't tell her the truth about Darcy.
He didn't talk about it to his friends as well. Maybe they would try to make him change his mind.
He doesn't even know what to expect yet.
He just needs to understand.
# # # #
That night
When Riven arrives at the place, she is waiting for him in the parking lot.
He goes to her.
-Hey!-
She looks happy to see him.
-Hey.-
-I'm glad you accepted my invitation. Are you taking something?-
-No, thanks, I'm fine .-
-You sure?-
-Yes. Actually, I just want to... talk. That's why I came here.-
Darcy smiles. He suddenly finds it difficult to put words in order.
-Didn't you tell me that you shouldn't talk to me?- she says.
-Forget that.-
-Great, then. Shall we go for a walk?-
# # # #
-So you want to talk, now. Tell me about yourself. I saw you at the party, but I know so little about you. Are you a musician? -
-N-no, I'm just a student. But I like to play some rock with my friends sometimes.-
-You study at Red Fountain, right? -
-Yeah.-
-You played very well at the concert. And you were pretty cute by the way.-
Riven doesn't thank her. She's trying to flirt with him, like she did ... before.
He doesn't want to give up yet.
-It's a fairly common thing to say, but I think I've seen you somewhere before.-
-You think so?-
-Yes. There's something familiar in you.-
Riven looks around.
Step by step, the two found themselves in the main square of Magix.
The temple with the nine golden nymphs reflects the light of the moon as it was in daylight. Lampposts line the wide road. The futuristic buildings and shops are still in place, as they were some time ago. It's been a while since Riven has been there.
-What are you looking at?-
-This place. Can you remember it?-
-Should I?-
Riven takes a breath.
-This is where we first met. -
-Really?-
Now she looks at him with wide open eyes.
Suddenly it's strange to be there with her. It is strange to remember that moment.
This date itself feels strange.
Riven still carries a burden that makes him uneasy. He would like to talk about what happened between them right here and right now. He would like to tell her everything. Tell her of when she saved him from that accident. Of the time they acually spent together. Let her know of the pain he felt when it all was over, before she lost her memory.
He wants to make her remember.
Maybe he shouldn't. They were sent back just because their memory was blurred. Maybe he shouldn't let their past out of their unconscious.
There are also the horrible things they have done, there.
-I can't really remember. So you know me. How did it happen?-
He wants to make her remember, so he can get rid of that burden.
But suddenly he feels that night is too short.
But he tries.
-Well ... it was quite an adventure, and ...-
A horn bursts onto the road and two lights dazzle the boy, while a motorcycle brakes right in front of him.
-Curfew. Hurry, get on.- Icy commands to Darcy.
Stormy looks at him innocently, chewing her gum.
Darcy has forgot about the curfew completely. She has no choice. She forgot that Griffin still likes to keep an eye and an half on them.
They must respect her orders if they want to stay free.
Darcy has to leave Riven. She wouldn't want to.
-I'll call you. Is that ok?-
Riven doesn't know if he feels relief or disappointment. Maybe Icy arrived just in time. Or she just ruined everything. He doesn't know.
-Y-yes.-
Darcy goes with Icy.
The ice witch looks at Riven with indifference and drives off.
Stormy chuckles.
# # # #
Alfea
The whole school seems to know what happened.
It seems to be just a rumor, but someone is not so sure.
At Cloud Tower the news spread as fast as lightnings.
As fast as they reach the other schools as well.
It seems that the three "harmless" witches like to steal fairy boyfriends.
The purple-haired boy was seen with one of them.
During the break, a fairy takes Musa aside and drops the bomb.
When she starts crying, the other girls immediately understand what happened.
Musa wants to be alone now.
# # # #
Red Fountain
-Is it true? - Musa asks.
As he promised, he met her at Red Fountain after class to talk about what most people are saying.
Riven tells the truth. Musa's eyes fill with tears.
-How could you?- she yells. -How could you lie to me? -
-I knew you would get mad. I had no choice.-
-I am speechless. I knew I couldn't trust that witch, but ... I never thought I couldn't trust you! -
She turns around.
-It's not like it seems. I just wanted to... understand.-
-What did you want to understand? -
-If she's really changed.-
-What happened last year wasn't enough? Why do you want to suffer again? We could sort it out together. There was no need to lie to me.-
-I...-
-I'm tired of your lies, Riven. I am clearly not enough for you.- her eyes fill with tears again.
He didn't want to hurt her. He feels horribly.
-I need to feel loved. I am not happy if the person I love avoids me and betrays my trust. It's over!-
She leaves without even giving him time to explain.
There's nothing more he can do, now.
# # # #
Red Fountain
-Have you checked the engine, Riven? -
No answer.
-Riven? -
Only then he pays attention to Sky's voice.
-I did.-
Sky stares at him. That look makes Riven nervous.
-What?-
Sky knows everything. He is not angry because of what he's done. He is angry because Bloom told him that Musa is emotionally destroyed. He knows his companion well and the fact that every now and then he doesn't know which side to stay on, still surprises him. Especially after what happened last year.
-Nothing. Now just try to focus, mate. You can reflect on this situation after tomorrow night's mission.-
Sky pats his shoulder and leaves.
Riven turns his face back to the spaceship.
# # # #
Cloud Tower - The following night
Darcy wakes up all of a sudden, waking up her sisters too.
She still had that dream. But it was more than a dream. She had a vision.
The boy was sinking. But this time she could see his face.
It was the purple-haired boy.
It was Riven.
He was in danger.
He is in danger.
She woke up shouting his name.
-What the ...? - Stormy mumbles. She hates when someone wakes her up in the middle of the night.
-We have to go.-
-Where? - Icy asks. -What's wrong with you ? -
-Something happened in Magix.-
# # # #
Light Heaven lake
Lightnings crackle in the sky of Magix breaking it in two, as the rain hits the ground violently.
A Red Fountain spaceship crashed into the lake.
The school sent reinforcements on the place to check what happened. A new spaceship arrived, and the Winx also went there to help. They called for reinforcements. They say they will arrive soon.
Almost all the specialists who were on board are doing well, but some of them are trapped. They say the spaceship was struck by a lightning during the flight. The storm surprised them at high altitude and they didn't have time to do a safe landing.
This is what the Trix have managed to hear at a distance.
- Should we intervene? - Stormy asks.
Icy said it could be an opportunity to make people change their minds about them.
To show everyone that they can do well and gain trust.
# # # #
They offer their help, ignoring the suspicious looks from the Winx.
The spaceship must be pulled out of the lake. It must be done quickly, because it has already begun to take water on board. The other team of specialists will hook it to the new spaceship and try to tow, but nobody knows if it'll be enough. The rescue squad hasn't arrived yet. Helicopters will fly slower with this weather.
Fairies and witches will help with magic. The rain is decreasing, maybe they will make it.
# # # #
They made it together. The spaceship came out of the lake and now leans for a half on the shore. It is covered with some algae and it's all dented and full of lightning burns.
Some specialists are injured. Almost all of them were pulled out, but someone is missing.
-Where's Riven? - Musa asks. She looked around all the time without seeing him.
Darcy winces.
Sky and his friends get into the battered spacecraft to find him. They reach the second half, the one that's still immersed in water.
It is very dark in there, and the torches don't help much.
-He was left behind.- Sky says suddenly. - He was left behind to fix the spaceship's backup engine. It is the corner where we embarked more water.-
Musa is already crying.
Sky and Brandon prepare themselves to go and find him underwater. They bring torches with them. They must hurry.
Darcy feels she has to do something. She moves a step forward, but Icy stops her.
-Don't. He's not worth it.-
Darcy looks at her sister with anger.
-How dare you to say that?- she hisses.
She releases her arm and dives into the water.
# # # #
The water is too dark for the torches.
But Darcy sees pretty well in the dark.
She thinks she can see something.
The two specialists swim towards the figure, hoping it's Riven.
It's him. He fell into the water, and fainted.
They swim, but she is faster. She teleports over there.
It's dark all around.
She is unable to breathe underwater, but she's anxious to grab him at all costs.
She has to save him. She has to.
She feels her chest heavier, the thought of him dying takes the air away from her lungs.
He craves air too.
She grabs him first.
She teleports both to the shore.
# # # #
He's safe.
The rescue squad comes just as Darcy lays the boy down on the wet sand.
He coughs more than once. Luckily, he can still breathe.
He opens his eyes. She is still there, close to him.
Like that day.
She shivers from the cold. She looks at him. He looks at her.
It seems to her that she has already been there.
It seems to her that she has already lived that moment.
The rescue squad's job prevents curious people from staying there any longer and forces everyone, fairies and witches, to leave.
Riven is still too weak to get up.
But he cannot avoid looking, with his eyes, for the one who saved him.
# # # #
Icy grabs Darcy and wraps a towel around her, to avoid her to catch a cold.
-Why did you do that? - she hisses.
Darcy doesn't answer. She can't tell her the truth.
She can't tell her about the dream she had every night, and she can't tell her that everything she remembers from the past - if she remembered something, it would be very useful to them all - is a familiar image of her, saving Riven.
The Winx stare at them from a distance. Musa stares at Darcy.
Then she approaches her. She notices that she's still shivering from the cold.
She's clearly confused and tense. She expects the fairy to want to argue.
Musa thanks her.
# # # #
Red Fountain - The following night
Riven looks at the first crescent moon in the clear sky of that evening.
It looks bigger than he remembers. He wonders what it will be like when it's full. It still has a long way to go before that.
He takes his phone. He's been turning it over and over in his hands for a while. He reflects for a few more minutes and then opens it. He writes a text.
Sky comes out of the room and approaches him, putting a hand on his shoulder.
-I'm glad you recovered, mate. Are you... still thinking about it?-
Riven smiles at his friend sincerely, like he hasn't done for a long time. Sky notices his phone, which is still open. That gives him an answer itself.
-Will you see her again?- Sky asks.
He saw what happened last night. Everyone noticed. Riven didn't want to talk about it. He probably still cares about his friends' judgement. He thinks for a moment before answering.
-Yes.-
Sky understands Riven. He feels the doubt and the sincerity of that answer at the same time.
Riven no longer has a reason to be afraid. He knows what to do now.
There's no more judgment in Sky's eyes now. He just wants his friend to be happy.
He trusts him.
Riven puts his phone in his pocket.
-There's only one last thing I have to do, now.-
# # # #
Magix - The next morning
Musa is waiting for him at the usual place.
Riven goes to her calmly. It was him who asked her out. He wants to put things right once and for all.
He has a peaceful expression, of someone who fears nothing anymore.
Musa notices it. She's happy that he feels better. She smiles at him when she sees him.
-You're late.- she says. But there's no anger in her voice. He doesn't feel it.
-I thought about what I'd be telling you.- he says.
They start walking.
-I have something to tell you too.-
# # # #
Riven tells her about what happened. It tells her the truth. He made his choice.
He feels good now.
And he feels better when Musa doesn't get mad.
She apologizes for being rude last time. She didn't want to command his feelings.
She was wrong. She can't do but be happy for him.
That's what a friend does.
Riven says she was right. Maybe it can't work between them.
It is the first time they agree on something. They both know what's the right thing to do.
They smile at each other one last time.
Then they separate.
# # # #
Light Heaven lake - That night
There's a small strip of beach where the moon casts its cold yet sweet light. The starlight sends its sparks on the lake's surface.
It's here that Riven asked to meet her. Here, where she saved his life again.
He goes from the street down the stairs and puts his shoes on the soft sand.
She is already there, walking, holding her shoes in her hand. She's wearing a dress, the best she has.
He can clearly see her long hair swaying in the night breeze, and the moonlight tracing silver reflections in it.
Riven takes a few steps forward and goes to her. The memory of that place at night is still vivid. He remembers the rain and the voices of people rumbling around him, and his muffled hearing.
But now, he only feels a sense of peace.
The moonlight makes his shadow stretch on the sand.
Riven reaches her.
Darcy turns around, sensing his presence. She still can do that.
There's really no way to surprise her. But he tries.
-I brought you something.-
The breeze blows towards them, making Darcy's hair veiling her smile.
Before she can guess what it is, Riven shows the gift he is hiding behind his back.
It's a rose.
And it's for her.
To make her remember. He wants her to remember.
She looks at him in shock. She takes the gift. She smells its perfume.
The familiar feeling is now stronger than it could be.
She remembers.
-A rose...- she whispers. -Just like the first time.-
Riven feels relief, as if he has just came out of a battle.
But now, he doesn't want to fight anymore.
He no longer wants to remind her of the evil things she did or how bad she made him feel.
It would add pain to other painful memories.
He just wants to get the good that was between them. And live it again. On this starry night.
As if nothing happened.
But it can happen again. And this time, it could be better.
-I knew you couldn't forget.- he says.
They smile at each other. He takes her hands.
Their foreheads touch.
Something is still there. It's never gone.
Maybe, she's still the right one.
Maybe, it's just the right time to start over.