- Edited -
"Those stupid fairies!" Icy screamed, slamming her fist down onto the desk. Rhythma staggered back, afraid of being hit again. The last thing her body needed was a beating. Especially after yesterday's. Her arm was still red.
This had been going on since the witches woke the next morning. In fact, Rhythma's awakening had involved a painful kick to the stomach. All three were really angry at the thought of having fairies break into their dormroom.
Taking a deep breath, Icy turned to face the young fairy, who winced in fear at her penetrating blue stare. "Come here." The command was firm, and left no room for disobedience. Looks like she was going to be beaten again. Reluctantly, Rhythma crept forward and kneeled down before the ice witch, who watched her with a cruel smile on her lips. "I love when you obey me without hesitation."
What is she going to do? Rhythma wondered, feeling fear bubble up inside her chest. Burn me? Taze me? Freeze me? She paused.
Icy walked around the fairy until she stood behind her, shielding herself from Rhythma's view. "Sisters. I need your help."
Footsteps approached from behind Rhythma, but she didn't dare turn around. That would lead to even more pain.
She heard whispering, and then felt one of them move behind her again. Darcy stepped in front of her with crossed arms, and the last one placed a hand on the back of her neck.
"This is how it's going to work." Icy said from behind her as the air grew frosty. "You are to remain awake the whole time."
Rhythma gave out a small whimper.
"Darcy. You start."
The purple witch laughed and held up her hand. "With pleasure."
Pain shot through Rhythma's skull like a knife, forcing a scream from her mouth. She rolled onto her side and ripped herself out of Stormy's grip, clutching her head and trying to ease the pounding, but it didn't work. Darcy laughed even louder and the pain intensified.
Stormy walked up to her next and grabbed her by the neck once again, jerking her into a standing position, anger coming off of her in waves. "How many times must I tell you," the magenta witch snapped. "to stay still?"
More pain flashed through Rhythma's entire body as Stormy pulsed with everything she had. She shrieked again and again, but the witch didn't ease up. In fact, screaming seemed to make her even more determined to cause her pain. And with Darcy still scrambling her brain, she was too disoriented to fight back.
Rhythma swayed, dizzy and weak, before falling to the ground. Icy stepped forward. "Poor little wretch." She sighed. "I didn't think you'd be awake this long. What should we do with her now?" She brought her foot back, and Rhythma gasped, closing her eyes.
Not even a second later, Icy's foot came into contact with Rhythma's stomach, driving all the air from her already-exhausted body.
Darcy smirked. "I can give her some nightmares to keep her busy for a while."
The fairy let out a wail and clutched her head, terrified of that idea. Stormy chuckled. "What's the matter, little wretch? They're just dreams."
Horrible, terrifying, living nightmares, Rhythma thought with a whimper. Icy laughed and walked toward her with Darcy in tow. The ice witch crouched down right in front of the fairy's face and put a cold finger on the spot right between her eyes, with the nail digging in and drawing blood.
Rhythma began to shake as she looked into Icy's eyes.
"Your eyes are all wet," Icy told her, tracing her finger lightly across Rhythma's face, passing dangerously close to her eyes. "Are you scared, little fairy?"
She gave only a whimper in response.
"Darcy," Icy stood abruptly, smirking down at Rhythma cruelly. "She's all yours. Once you're done, we have to leave."
The dark witch took Icy's place and grinned down at Rhythma. Her eyes behind to glow a dark purple color which Rhythma couldn't look away from. After a moment, her headache became much worse and the young fairy fell into a deep, painful slumber.
One which only Darcy could awaken her from.
Rhythma woke up with a pounding headache and trembling hands. She didn't know where she was.
And then it all came back to her.
The witches, Darcy's spell, her kidnapping . . .
The fairy let out a groan and slumped to the ground again, freezing when she heard the footsteps of the three who had captured her.
"Well, well, well," an icy-cold voice Rhythma recognized as Icy's echoed around the dark room. "Look who decided to join the land of the living."
Rhythma looked up to see the Trix standing over her with triumphant smirks on their faces.
Icy stepped forward and grabbed her by the collar of her shirt, forcing the fairy to her feet. "Listen here, you little wretch," she hissed. "There are going to be some rules if you're going to stay here. Not that you have any other choice." She threw Rhythma to the other side of the room, where she hit the wall pretty hard and fell to the ground.
"Rule one," Darcy said, blasting her with a ray of black energy. "Never try to escape." Rhythma slammed into the wall again, held by Darcy's spell.
"Rule two," Stormy grinned and shot a strike of lightning at Rhythma. "No transforming, and no speaking - but I think Darcy's spell will make sure of that."
Icy chuckled as she fell to the ground with a groan. "Rule three, we can do whatever we want to you." She shot a dozen icicles at the fairy, who screamed as they struck her and pinned her to the wall.
The Trix watched her as the icicles gave out under her weight and she dropped to the ground.
"If you agree with these rules, come over to us and kneel." Icy growled.
Never! Rhythma thought, struggling to her feet before charging at the witches. Stormy and Icy leaped out of the way, but Darcy wasn't fast enough and Rhythma's fist made contact with her face.
Darcy let out a scream and fell back, unconscious for the moment.
Rhythma lifted her head. It's not so easy to tame a fairy, her mind hissed.
And suddenly, there was a yell of pure anger from Icy. Rhythma whirled to defend herself, but it was too late. The ice witch's hand wrapped around her throat and pinned her to the wall. Icy was nose-to-nose with Rhythma.
"That, little wretch, was a big mistake." Icy hissed, gripping her throat tighter and forcing a pained squeal from Rhythma's mouth.
As Icy choked the life out of her slowly, Rhythma noticed that Stormy had helped Darcy to her feet and they were now watching the scene in front of them with amusement.
"What's wrong, fairy?" Icy taunted. "Is it getting hard to breathe?" Her nails dug into her neck and Rhythma was suddenly out of air.
"Is that a tear?" Stormy smirked as a single tear escaped Rhythma's eyes and rolled down her cheek. The fairy gave a choked cry, trying to plead for mercy.
Icy looked right into Rhythma's weakened gaze and grinned. "I could keep you like this all night, wretch," she said, squeezing tighter. "It doesn't tire me out at all,"
Rhythma's lungs screamed for air, but Icy didn't release her.
"I told you to do something," Icy snarled, bringing up her knee and slamming it into Rhythma's stomach. The fairy tried to scream, but the lack of air in her lungs prevented any sound from coming out.
And suddenly, Icy let her go. With a gasp, Rhythma fell to the ground and clutched her throat with one hand. The air burned as it was sucked into her aching lungs.
"Let's try that again," Icy said, walking back toward her sisters. "If you agree with our rules, come kneel at our feet."
Rhythma shook her head and backed away from the witches, a cautious glare playing on her features. She couldn't give in to the Trix. She just couldn't.
Darcy frowned. "Still not wanting to obey?" She teleported behind Rhythma. "I think I know how to break you." Without another word, she placed her hands on either side of Rhythma's head, preventing the fairy from pulling away, and then blasted her energy waves.
Rhythma screamed as it felt like Darcy was drilling a hole in her head. Her brain seemed to be fighting against the dark spell, but struggling seemed to make it worse. Rhythma brought her hands to her head and wailed, watching as Icy and Stormy cracked up laughing at her pain.
"Ready to yield yet, little wretch?" Icy taunted.
The fairy gritted her teeth and shook her head.
Stormy frowned. "Maybe this will work then." She walked up behind Rhythma and placed her hand over the fairy's mouth, sitting down and dragging the little fairy down with her. A moment later, her head was in Stormy's lap, and she was staring into those aqua eyes of malice.
Rhythma struggled in Stormy's grip, but it was useless. There was no escape from this.
"Unless you want a mouthful of lightning," Stormy said calmly. "I suggest you yield and do as Icy commands."
A mouthful of lightning? Rhythma's eyes widened. Would Stormy really do that? Force her lightning down Rhythma's throat? Looking into the storm witch's eyes, she could see that she meant every word. Darcy laughed. "You're so tiny," she cooed. "Makes you easier to hold."
"Well, little fairy?" Icy chuckled. "What will it be?"
Rhythma's wide eyes suddenly closed as she tried to wrench herself free. It still didn't work, as Stormy tightened her grip and sighed. "I guess that explains her answer." She grinned. "Mouthful of lightning it is."
No! Rhythma screamed in her mind, struggling. I yield! I yield! Let me go and I'll do it! She felt tears run down her face. I . . . I surrender.
"Last chance," Stormy growled and stood up. Rhythma was promptly released. "Pathetic little fairy, do as Icy says, or I'll scramble your brain to the point where you won't be able to think straight for a while."
The Trix all stood a few feet away from where Rhythma crouched on her hands and knees, trying to catch her breath.
"We can do so much more to you than that." Icy grinned. "So come over to us and kneel."
This time, Rhythma staggered to her feet and walked over to the three witches. I can't believe I'm doing this. Her mind told her as she stopped in front of Icy with her head down. I can't believe I've surrendered to the enemy.
But she knew she had to believe it when - against everything she had ever been taught - she kneeled before the Trix and hung her head in defeat. Their laughter haunted her head as Icy delivered a swift kick to her gut and they left.
Rhythma was left lying in the floor, alone and defeated.
Rhythma woke with a gasp. Sweat dripped down her face and her eyes were wide with terror.
That was a nightmare she hadn't had in a while.
The fairy looked around, noticing that the room was quite empty.
The Trix were nowhere to be seen.
She flopped back down on her bed and stared at the ceiling with a numb gaze. If Darcy wasn't there, then how was she able to awaken from her nightmare prison? Only the illusion witch had the power to bring Rhythma out of her dreams.
Was our connection broken somehow? It seemed unlikely unless the Trix were fighting. And even if that were the case, it was only for a split second, as she could feel the connection between them both even now.
Rhythma sighed. They'll be back soon. She thought. And I have a feeling that something very bad is going to happen.
A/N: Well, I hope you all enjoy! And from now on, I'll be posting questions at the end of every chapter!
Question: Who is your favorite Winx Club Member?
Mine is Musa!
Please vote, comment and enjoy!