Is Love Really Forever?
By: LadyNightSky
A/N: Eh! I am SO sorry guys; I haven't updated in like…four months? Yeah, just about. Anyways, I love you all; review count now at 95 xD. Shall we even it out to 110 this chapter? Please? ;)
This is a pretty big chapter, because some things will become clear. Others will remain hidden, however xD
This chapter will show the multiple points of view of different characters. I PROMISE next chapter will be more action filled and not as boring. This one is a filler chapter that I need to put in. Also, thanks to everyone who helped with the Sky's little whatever (a.k.a the SLUG xD ) thing.
ON WITH THE SHOW!!!
P.S: EHH!!! This story is still stuck in 2006, unfortunately ): I dunno what I can do about that; stupid me for actually including years here.
Disclaimer: Shama lama bang bang :)
Chapter Eight: The Nightmare Begins
(A/N: I don't own the lyrics to Show Me The Money by Petey Pablo, Musa's ringtone)
February 2, 2006; Concordia Castle, The Musical Nebula
Show off that body you got
You got that dance floor so hot
You workin that, you twerkin that
You checkin that, like a clock…
"ARGH!!!" Musa groaned into her pillow. The loud, slightly-reggae beat of her ringtone pounded into her already sore head. She blindly whipped her hand around in the vague direction of her night table, and groped for her cellphone. A few items crashed down onto the floor, and she winced. Finally, she felt the cool metal of her phone.
" 'Lo?" she mumbled, eyes still closed, head still buried in the pillow. She wished Riven had stayed over last night, so she wouldn't have had to answer her phone. He was always up at least a half-hour before she was, but he'd decided to return to his condo in Magix instead of crashing in her palace. Her lavish room always made him slightly uncomfortable.
"Muse?" chirped a familiar voice much, MUCH too loudly. Stella.
"Hey Stell," she whispered, squeezing her eyes shut tightly. "Couldya please keep it down a bit? I was out clubbin' last night, and-,"
"Okay, okay I get it. It's a miracle you could drag that boyfriend of yours into anywhere where he could be in the slightest danger of having fun, so I won't say anything about your obviously irresponsible action; drinking the morning of a big reunion, tsk, tsk."
"Reunion?!? What reunion?" asked Musa grouchily, wishing the steady bass beat in her head would die down.
"Well, hello?!? Only the Alfea-slash-Cloud Tower-slash-Red Fountain reunion celebrating our first defeat of the Trix!!! How could you forget?" Stella asked rather indignantly. "Y'know they one where we'd get to see Ms. F and Griselda and that Saladin again? The one Tec and Flo and you and moi will be attending together? And the boys, of course-,"
" 'Kay, Stell. Getin' the picture here." Musa muttered, sitting up painfully in her bed and blinking a few times. She hastily shut her eyes as the room swirled dizzyingly around her. "Doya by any chance 'member the incantation for getting rid of hangover?" moaned Musa into the phone.
Stella laughed. "That bad, huh? It's Abicio."
"Abicio," Musa muttered to herself, ignoring Stella's giggles. The pain was instantly muted, and when she hesitantly opened her eyes again, everything stayed where it should. She gave a sigh of relief, then pulled herself out of bed and flung open her closet, holding the phone expertly between her left ear and her shoulder as she searched for an acceptable reunion outfit. Stella would be on her case all day if she showed up in her usual jeans, and she wasn't in the mood for eight hours of "WHAT were you thinking this morning?" or "Did you dress in the dark?" or tsk-tsking. She finally decided on a plain satin sheath dress in a shocking shade of red, and prepared to teleport to Alfea.
Bloom half grimaced half grinned up at the pale pink turrets of Alfea. The memories the familiar golden halls brought back were both too funny and too painful to bring up all at once. Swallowing hard and hoping to the gods that she wouldn't start bawling, Bloom melted into the mass of fairies, witches, and specialists that were cramming into Alfea's Main Hall. She kept quiet and to the shadows, letting the anonymity of the crowd sweep over her and lend her peace. If Fate was kind, she wouldn't bump into the people she'd avoided for seven years today.
Flora's gaze swept over the crowd from her perch on the huge stage set up at the north end of the Main Hall. She was searching for the blonde heads of Stella and Sky, the only two of her friends that had not yet arrived. She guessed that Stella was still fussing over an outfit and Sky…well, she didn't know enough to predict him anymore. Musa smiled up at her from the front row, Riven sulking next to her, puffy bags underneath his eyes. Tecna and Timmy were discussing yet another computer program, and Helia sat between them and Riven. He flashed her a slow smile, then bent down again over his sketchpad, his fingers flying the charcoal over the smooth paper.
Ms. F had chosen her to give a short speech to the assembled students, and now Flora watched as the headmistress herself, just as young as ever, ascended to the podium centered on the stage.
Bloom only half-listened to the speech Ms. Faragonda was making, because she'd caught sight of Flora sitting in a chair just underneath the main part of the stage. Bloom hadn't seen Flora in forever, and she looked a bit different then Bloom's memory of her. Her hair was cut to her shoulders now, curling softly around her neck, and she wore dangling earrings instead of her ever-present hoops in the past. Her features, however, were as kind and soft as ever. Which wasn't that kind or soft, Bloom though bitterly. Flora had accused her just as harshly as the others had.
Suddenly, the hall burst into applause, and Bloom, startled, looked up in time to see Ms. F descend from the podium. Looked like her speech was over. Flora got up, smoothing her skirt with one hand, and entered Ms. F's recently vacated spot behind the podium. Flora began her speech, a rather generic one recounting the defeat of the Trix. Bloom noted bemusedly that her name was avoided whenever possible by Flora, and when it was pronounced, a look of distress came over the flower fairy's face.
A fluttering dove landed with a soft thud on her shoulder. Bloom was surprised, and swept her hand at it hesitatingly. It glared at her attempt to shoo it, and dropped a tightly wound scroll in her lap before taking off and fluttering through the musky golden light streaming into the hall from the large windows on the east and west sides. Bloom slowly unwound the paper, and read with some astonishment that Ms. Faragonda wanted to see her in her office right away.
Tecna grinned across the table at Stella, who was mocking Riven, who was infuriated. It was amusing to see them bicker like children when they were well past twenty already. Gods, it felt so good to be back at Alfea. The magic she had always sensed here had clustered around her like a well-worn sweater, and she felt wonderful.
The night sky twinkled with stars above them as they sat in Alfea's courtyard eating and celebrating. It strongly reminded her of the party they'd had freshman year to celebrate the first defeat of the Trix. There were the strings of lights and lanterns, the same laughing faces (minus two, she thought with a pang), and the same vague friends stopping by to chat. They were even sitting in the same arrangements at a table exactly positioned where a phantom one had sat those many years ago.
She spotted Griselda hurrying over to them, and sat up straighter in her chair. She'd been out of school for five years, and yet the sight of Griselda still made her behave for fear of a detention being handed out. She had to consciously relax her body as Griselda got closer, a grim expression on her face.
"Tecna, Flora, Musa, Stella, Sky, Riven, Brandon, Timmy, Helia!" she called rather imperiously, but still with a worried edge. "Come with me, quickly, quickly!"
Ms. Faragonda peered at her old students warily over her spectacles, her folded hands set on her desk. The Winx Club and the specialists (sans Bloom) were standing before her, expressions varying between worry and speculation. She felt a headache coming on, and wished with all her heart that tonight would simply erase itself from existence.
The next hours would provide too much change, too much heartbreak, too much pain. And there was nothing she could do to prevent these innocents from facing something that should've never happened. That had only happened because of her.
It was time to tell them about the prophecy.
Ohhh!!! A prophecy!!! Heehee. Review and I'll update sooner xD. Thanks to zodiac dragonHatori because she unknowingly inspired some of the plot that will come. You always manage to do that, my friend :) Also, thanks to one.foot.out.the.door. Because I said so. Buhbye, lovelies.