Revised Winx Club Eternix Part 1 Chapter 8: Insomnia

Stella poked at her smoked salmon dinner. It smelled so good but she managed a few bites. Her seat mate Tecna only drank water. Musa's head was down while Flora looked at the exit, debating on if she should stay and wait or go and see her closest friend.

Bloom nibble her bread roll between her words. She mumbled most of her words, trying to convince the Queen about her faith in what was discussed at Alfea as Stella kicked her. Queen Niobe rubbed her knuckles. Her eyebrows furrowed as she stared at the redhead.

"I even revived Sky-though I have no idea how I done it. I think we can try, right girls?" The four ate their meals, clanking their forks and knives loud against the china.

A maidservant came to the dining hall as Bloom continued. She told the Queen something that made her glare sharper. Bloom stopped when the woman pushed her seat out. "I hope you all enjoy your meal."

~O~

The ground was sturdy...though as she took another step the force of her weight sent circular vibrations through the surface. It was Morphix, an abundance of it in this place. The distance behind her the Morphix moved like tides, replicating the ocean's force during an Androsian night. The distance in front of her was flat and firm surface resembling a gelatin mold.

She walked forward, each barefooted step cushioned by the Morphix path. Trees and lamp posts were shaped along with bushes, benches and hills molded with the Morphix resembling a park like the ones in Magix and Gardenia. The Morphix walk ended and water flowed from then to the distance. Water was an element in disguise: it could become either a solid, liquid or gas with the change of temperature, can douse out flames, rust and break down the strongest of metals and could push a man of his feet. The only way to get across was to dive in. A tap with her left foot proved that she couldn't walk on it.

She stepped back and ran before she popped off the edge of Morphix walkway and plunge into the water. Her arms stretched above her head and a smile lit her face as her fingertips touched the cool surface...

~O~

Aisha woke up. Her eyes scanned around the walls of her sea-foam green ceiling that was darkened by the night. She slowly lifted her body, her damp pajamas were sticking to her skin. Her sheets were a bit damp and her pillow had a ring of sweat. She didn't have a nightmare so why was she sweating? The dream felt intense, euphoric as she touched the surface of the water. She grabbed on her lone braid, also damp from her sweat. She stared at the ceiling, thinking about the dream, then what had happened between this afternoon.

She slept, longest in recent memory but second since her escape from Darkar's castle. Before, she hated for sleeping so long but after Nabu's comatose she slept in, sometimes she'd take off for shifts just to sleep or slept earlier when the group had the night out, usually starting out with meeting up at the Fruiti Music Bar with the guys. She had no one, so why bother going. Now, this dream... the Wave fairy huffed and turned to get comfortable, to fall asleep and wake up when she felt like it, but her eyes couldn't close and her body couldn't rest. Finally, she sat up, rubbed the sleep from her eyes before she got up from and left her room.

The lights were low-lit as she walked down steps and hallways of the castle. The tides hitting the rocks that surround the estate echoed the castle in a constant rumble. Aisha eyes dimmed as she walked the events of the dream still. She swayed her steps like the stones that paved the floors were the Morphix, just like the dream. She giggled, slowly turning then that became soft laughter. She swirled, rising to the balls of her feet and leaped. Aisha hadn't felt this energy in a while...this happy in a while. Why did something so simple as a dream made her feel this way?

"Aisha?"

The energy broke, her body felt heavy and her euphoria vanished. She looked up at Tecna, her short asymmetrical bob messy and Musa, her long hair kept into two buns as loose hair fell out of them. It was interesting how many different hairstyles Musa made, this one being the most complex and replicating spaghetti and meatballs...or dumplings? They looked at their friend, eyes widen from her antics. "Aisha, are you alright?" Tecna asked.

"...yes..."

"The dancing you done...it was really graceful. I haven't seen you dance for some time."

Aisha gently smiled. "I know..."

"At least someone's happy." Tecna sighed. "I can't sleep."

"Every ten minutes she gets up to use the bathroom." Tecna looked at Musa with a raised eyebrow.

"What? I can't sleep with hearing you get up and down and up and down."

"We aren't sharing a room. Nevermind...I'm not use to hearing the ocean so up close."

"Aren't there any beaches in Zenith?" Aisha walked over to Musa and Tecna.

"Zenith has beaches, but all of the ancient tech submerged below the ocean rust off and polluted the waters. We have artificial beaches: in land and designed to look like beaches across the Magix dimension." Tecna turned to the opened window behind her. "It's not like I don't like the ocean, but I'm not familiar with it. At least the sea breeze feels nice."

"It reminds me of Melody's beaches. The sound of the water hitting the rock becomes a lullaby..."

The sea's wind gently blew pass each girl. It was special to these three in different ways. "Hey, Aisha how come you don't use water based magic often?" Tecna asked with absentminded curiosity.

True, the last time Aisha used water magic was when she dragged the Wizard to sea and not long before Roxy earned her Enchantix. Other than that, she used Morphix the shapeshifting fluid. She could bend and create shields, weapons and energy blast with it, but she could do more with water. "Water isn't an easy element to control. It's not easy to manipulate and using it in battle wouldn't come out the way I plan. Morphix is more flexible; I can make anything from it."

"The last time you used it, it was really powerful."

"My mom tried to teach me what she knew. If anyone new water magic, it was a mermaid-well former." The thought about her mom brought her back to earlier today was implanted in her mind. "Water is an ever-flowing substance. It moves on its own accord and its own freedom. It never aims to destroy, but it can be a tool of destruction."

"That sounds like a typical Professor Palladium seminar," Musa chimed. "First philosophical banter before the actual lesson. At first it's interesting until you dozed off for twenty minutes with your pencil stuck to your face. Well, expect Flora whom took notes for every class...even notes of notes."

Tecna giggled. "Well, I should be heading back to bed."

"Before that... did what happened today changed your mind...?"

Aisha glared at Tecna. The fury of her ocean eyes shimmered when she saw the intent in her emerald eyes.

Aisha's eyes watered. She took the responsibility for his life, for everything she caused his family. None of these were questions would lead to good answers. The memory of sobbing on the floor next to his glass casket was an open wound, she never wanted to do that again...never wanted to feel so weak and abandoned when she tried feeling strong. She tried and tried visiting his resting spot to stop feeling the tears flow from her eyes and to stop feeling the weight of her guilt and emotions pull her to the cold floor. This was every time. Tecna gaze moved from Aisha's.

"Remember the time we had to get the water stars," Musa started. "It was myself, Tecna and Stella that have to give up something to save the world. The time I saw my mother... alive and well... and so close to touching her. I thought about what if I choose her instead and what would we talk about. She would probably ask me how dad is, you girls. We would probably talk about Riven for a while; she'll defiantly say that she liked him."

I... I don't like talking about this, but I should. I'm not sure how close you and Stella were at the time to choose the other option, but I was so close to doing that."

"Musa, why are you talking about this?" Tecna asked.

"Because it's similar to what Aisha's going through now. Circumstances differ but it is a difficult choice and comes with some sort of sacrifice. My sacrifice was for the cost of seeing her, I would never see you guys again and my choice will not only affect you, but the dimension. Aisha, answer these questions: what are you sacrificing trying this hunch and what are sacrificing without trying? What do you want for him and what you want for yourself?"

~O~

Stella stuck her tongue when she stole the last orange. "You have to me faster next time, Bloom." The blonde was glad for another breakfast, this time at a castle. Just like home, she said pilling up fishes of many kinds and preparations. The rest of the table marveled at her appetite.

The King was still on his duties and Niobe sat on the end of the table, her chin resting on her locked hands. "Send for Aisha." One of the maidservants bowed and left.

"Stella you could share once in a while. You already ate an orange!"

"Bloom, you have enough orange. You don't want your face to match your hair now."

Tecna rolled her eyes and Flora watched the banter between the redhead and the blonde. Sitting the closest to the Queen, her eyes wandered from her plate and the Queen. Niobe sat back, her breakfast untouched. "Aisha woke up last night."

"How was she feeling?"

"For the first time in a long time, I saw her dancing." Niobe dropped her hands to the table. "It was short lived, but she smiled while doing so."

The maidservant returned, telling her Queen the princess refused to join them. Niobe excused herself and left the dining hall. Maidservants followed her to Aisha's room, whom shooed them away when she arrived. She thought her daughter would've been sleeping, crying or both but she paced about, her head down and dressed. "Mother?"

"I'm glad you're not in bed. You don't want any breakfast?" Aisha shook her head. "Are feeling better."

"Yes... and no."

"When you were sleeping last night, during dinner the girls talked about what Faragonda said to them. I don't understand how a woman with that much esteem can pull some sort of stunt like this? What of none of this works and all this search is for nothing? I bet she'll just smile and say that happens." Niobe shook her head. "But you'll try, won't you..."

While she spent most of her time at Nabu's resting place crying, she thought. She thought how unfair it was for her to try to live her life while he was still resting trying to protect hers. She thought about his mother and how much she agreed with her; in her own way she did forgive the Wizards of the Black Circle only for her to move on and not for them. To keep her sane, but not to give them justification for their actions. She wanted to murder them, to give them the slow painful death they deserved but what would that make her? As bitter as Nebula?

The reddish brown-haired girl nodded to her mother. "I don't know what this is yet...and since the healers tried their best to revive him, chances are this won't work but it's better to try... and I'm ready to at least try."

Niobe sat on Aisha's bed. "...was this due to yesterday?"

"What happened yesterday was a part of my decision."

"Aisha, I do wish you would..." She wanted to say return to Andros, to be the proper princess she truly is and to leave this gun-ho quest in the past. "I don't what to see this come out not in your favor. I guess the best you can do is try."

"Thank you for excepting that." Aisha sat by her mother, whom wrapped her arm around her shoulder. "How should I tell the girls?"

"It doesn't matter what why to tell the rest of your friends, just as long as you're not dragged into another battle between good and evil I'll breathe normally this time." The two laughed, Aisha's laugh so similar to her laugh from her dream.

Next Chapter: Sometimes it requires you to put on your fairest face to overcome obstacles both big and small

Later Chapter: Not everyone's reaction to new places will be as positive as others.