"Now, this is what I call a vacation," Stella said, smiling as she stretched out on her towel and basked in the sun.
After the Requestrians had found them the night before, they'd been treated to dinner and then escorted to their campsite for the week which had already been set up on a private beach. The natural magic of Requies meant that while it snowed in one part of the planet, it was perfectly mild and enjoyable in another, meaning they could enjoy their beach getaway.
Which meant the subsequent morning they'd slipped straight into their swim-wear and laid out their towels to enjoy the good weather.
"What was the next question, B?" Musa said, nudging her friend lightly with her foot.
"Oh," Bloom said sleepily, and picked up her magazine which she'd resorted to using as a sun shade across her face. She squinted up at the page. "Question three: you discover that your cute, new boyfriend has a lousy taste in music. Do you: a, use your magic to change his taste to match yours? B, move onto the next boy? Or c, accept him for who he truly is?"
"Gotta go with B on that one and eighty-six the guy."
"Musa!" Amore said, horrified by her answer. "It has to be C, of course. True love can overcome anything."
But Musa shook her head, pigtails bobbing. "Not a bad music taste, it can't," she said darkly.
Stella smiled without opening her eyes, still enjoying the sun beating down on her. "Would you feel the same if it was Riven?"
Musa scowled and made a rude gesture at her, not that she could see it, and flopped down on her towel. "No comment," she grumbled.
Taking pity on her friend, Flora put in, "I say if there's other stuff you like about him, just let him be himself."
Layla rested her chin in her hand and gazed out across the water. "Using magic sure would be tempting," she said thoughtfully. "Then you'd get the person you like, with the musical taste you like."
"It's not right to change people like that," Lockette said, shaking her head.
"Alright," Stella said, ceasing any further discussion as she stood and stretched. "Time for an outfit change," she declared and disappeared into their tent.
"You didn't even swim in that one," Musa protested, speaking of the sunshine yellow bikini Stella had been wearing all morning.
"Details," Stella said, reappearing in a cherry red one-piece. "Plus Brandon has already seen me in the bikini, I need to wow him with something different to get him to drop the whole bodyguard act."
While the guys might have temporarily dropped their professionalism the night before when they were all huddling for warmth in the snow, it was back in place the next morning. They'd guys rented jet skis to, in their words, patrol the lake, although the girls suspected that was just their story to cover wanting to take the jet skis for a spin. Only Helia remained on the beach with them, sitting in the sand a respectful distance away as he scanned their surroundings.
"Now, what do we think of this one?"
Bloom lowered her magazine. "You look like a lifeguard."
Stella squinted at her. "But a cute one, right?" she asked, making the others laugh as she made her way back over to her towel and flopped down. She frowned at the water. "On the topic of guarding lives, is anyone else ready for the guys to drop this whole on duty thing and hang out with us."
"I thought we'd broken them last night," Musa admitted.
"You and Riven were standing awfully close," Stella agreed, ignoring Musa's responding glare.
"It was cold," she grumbled.
"Guys, this is an important assignment for them," Layla said.
Stella scoffed. "What assignment? Looks like they're just goofing around out there to me. And if that's the case they could be hanging out with us."
Bloom yawned, feeling sleepy and relaxed for the first time in a long time. "They claim to be 'patrolling the waters' or whatever."
"Whatever," Stella echoed, rolling her eyes and leaning back on her hands.
"I just wish they'd let me have a go on one of those things," Layla said, watching the guys enviously.
"Come on, guys," Flora said cheerfully. "Let's keep going with the quiz and stop worrying about the guys so much."
"Hey, Tecna's the one who won't even get into a swimsuit," Stella protested.
Tecna had indeed refused to change out of the lightweight long sleeve top and pants she'd thrown on that morning and had very carefully selected her position on the sand so she was still in the shade of the trees.
"That's because I burn way too easily, I can't wear a swimsuit," Tecna said simply, but two spots of colour appeared on her cheeks as she watched Timmy ride his jet ski up onto the sand.
"So do Bloom and I," Musa said with a shrug.
"Yeah, there's this amazing thing called sunblock," Stella added sarcastically, but Tecna didn't seem to be listening as she watched Timmy shake out his wet hair.
"What's going on?" he wanted to know as he pulled off his glasses and dried them on the hem of his shirt.
Stella grinned devilishly. "We're trying to convince Tecna to get changed into a bikini."
Timmy choked on seemingly nothing and polished his glasses even faster. "Oh! Ah, I mean- that would be-"
He was so distracted that he was completely oblivious to Layla's mischievous smile as she leapt up and dashed across the sand to Timmy's jetski.
"My turn," she crowed and within seconds had climbed on board and driven it back out onto the water to the sound of cheering and laughter from her friends.
"Her?" Icy hissed. "We need her?"
Darkar was composed in the face of Icy's anger, those unearthly eyes not even blinking as she loomed over where he sat in his throne.
Darcy inhaled deeply, eyes dark with a similar anger, while Stormy looked on the verge of unleashing an electrical storm upon Shadowhaunt.
"For what reason," Darcy began, her voice tightly controlled. "Could we possibly need her?"
Darkar flicked his talon, the first sign of irritation creeping into his movements. "The keepers of the Ultimate Power," he said, voice dripping with disdain. "They are the spirits of the paladins who once resided in Realix; they venerate balance above all else. They will sense the darkness within us and refuse to give us the Ultimate Power, we need someone with a truly good heart."
"But why her?!" Stormy screeched. "We'll find the nearest innocent and drag them along and it will finally be done!"
"No," Darkar bit out. "It must be her. It has been planned for too long."
"But why-" Icy began furiously.
"Because I said so!" Darkar roared, surging to his feet and striding forward.
Hating themselves for it, the witches instinctively stepped back, flinching away from his fury. He raised a hand and his magic slammed them against the opposite wall, cracks skittering through the stonework in the wake of the collision.
"It will be Bloom." He looked from Stormy, to Darcy, to Icy, eyes flaring with black light. "Do you understand me?"
Her necklace felt like a collar around her throat as Icy forced herself to nod.
They weren't able to convince Tecna to change into a bikini but eventually Layla and the guys returned to the beach and the girls roused themselves enough to do something else. Bloom suggested a game of volleyball, a game the others weren't familiar with, so she instructed the guys on stringing up a net while she explained the rules. Sports in the Magical Dimension, she'd found, tended to be on the overly complicated side with lots of rules and moving parts so it was nice to play something simpler.
Bloom teamed up with Sky, Timmy, Flora, and Layla on one side, while the others formed the other team. Helia politely declined the invitation to play, so to keep things even Stella also put up her hand to sit out and happily returned to her towel to stretch out and watch.
"I thought you guys were supposed to be on guard duty," Musa couldn't help but tease the guys as they watched Bloom set up to serve.
"This is what Codatorta calls 'plain clothes security detail'," Brandon told her.
"Makes the enemy think our guard is down," Riven added.
"Well, your guard is down," Bloom said as the ball went sailing past and smacked into the sand.
Her team cheered while Brandon and Riven instantly pointed fingers at one another for losing the point.
"Are you sure you're okay not playing, Stella?" Flora asked the blonde, who was propped up one elbow.
"More than fine, I assure you."
"You could go get some firewood if you're looking for something to do," Layla said, before sending the ball sailing back over the net.
Stella's forehead crinkled in confusion. "Firewood? What do we need that for? It's so warm out."
Riven laughed. "Yeah, but it won't be so warm tonight."
Stella blinked. "Tonight? We're not staying in a hotel tonight?"
The game stopped and everyone turned to look at her, not sure who was going to break the truth to her.
"What?" she asked, sitting up and shrugging. "Camping was fun for a night, but I'm ready to check in, take a shower, and hit some boutiques."
Sky coughed awkwardly and looked at Brandon like this was his responsibility.
"Uh, sorry, Princess," he said gently. "But we're camping on the beach for the rest of the week."
"You're kidding," Stella said flatly, before huffing and throwing herself back down when it became clear that he wasn't, in fact, kidding.
"It'll be fun, Stella!" Flora said, trying to cheer her up. When she didn't get a response, she tried, "Why don't you go have a swim? I always feel better after cooling off."
Stella's head lolled to the side so she could stare at her friend. "Do you know how much I paid for this swimsuit?"
"Wait," Bloom said slowly. "Does that mean you can't get it wet?"
Stella just stared at her like the answer was obvious.
"Unbelievable," Musa muttered and went to retrieve the ball and resume their game.
Stella shoved herself to her feet and snatched up her towel. "No, you know what's actually unbelievable? That you're all judging me because my idea of a vacation isn't staying outside where there's no shower and you have to sleep in the dirt!" And with that she stomped back over to the tent and went inside, roughly zipping it closed behind her.
An awkward silence descended on the group at Stella's outburst, but they knew better to follow her when she was still so worked up, so after a moment they went back to their game.
Stella stayed in the tent for the rest of the day. When Flora ducked her head in to see if she wanted anything for lunch, it was to find Stella asleep, or at least doing a good job of faking it. It wasn't until the sun started to set and Brandon jumped on the grill to start cooking for dinner that Stella was finally lured out, her empty stomach no doubt rumbling at the scent of food.
"How are you feeling?" Flora asked when the blonde sat beside her, smoothing out her tangled hair and generally making a fuss over her that Stella of course lapped up.
"Better," Stella admitted. "I didn't sleep very well last night on that thin little mattress."
"It's definitely an adjustment," Flora said sympathetically.
"What's on the agenda for tomorrow?" Sky asked the girls as the guys served up burgers for their dinner.
"Who cares?" Stella muttered, picking at her food, while Flora patted her shoulder.
Bloom felt a flicker of irritation at her negativity, and clearly feeling the same, Musa rolled her eyes.
"Well, I'd like to go exploring deeper into the forest," Flora said, trying to keep her voice light. "I've heard there's all sorts of unique plants and creatures in this realm."
"I can go with you," Helia offered and the pair smiled at each other across the fire.
Watching them Chatta and Amore nudged each other gleefully.
"Well, I was thinking I might make a postcard to send to my dad," Musa said.
"Vacationing young ladies should always send correspondence to their families," Tune said approvingly.
"That sounds fun, I'm in." Seeing the stormy expression still on Stella's face, Bloom sighed quietly before adding, "We might be able to do some shopping when we head into town and post them, Stel." Stella visibly brightened and took a bite of her burger.
"We could use an arts and crafts spell," Tecna said. "And we have Layla's camera to take pictures."
Layla smiled and nudged Tecna. "Well, we have the camera but no magic remember?"
Tecna exhaled a long breath and raised her eyes heavenward while the rest of the group cracked up.
"Well, I for one think it's high time you girls get a taste of what life's like when you don't have magic powers," Riven said, smirking and folding his arms across his chest. "And all you have to count on are your wits and your muscles."
Bloom raised her eyebrows. "Riven, you realise I grew up with no magic whatsoever, not even other people's, right?"
Riven's smirk faded. "Oh," he said after a moment. "Right." And the group cracked up laughing once again.
"Why do you need us to go and get Bloom?" Icy asked, trying to keep the whine out of her voice. "If she's the last piece of the puzzle, and she's at Alfea-"
"She is no longer at Alfea," Darkar said, his voice tight as it had been since his outburst. "And I do not need you to go and get her. Despite your insolence, I am going to allow you three the pleasure of bringing her to me."
The witches bristled at the idea that Darkar allowed them to do anything but the feeling of his power slamming into them was still too fresh that they held their tongues.
"Where is she then?" Icy asked, her voice tightly controlled.
"Have you heard of a realm called Requies?" Darkar asked, and smiled at the gleam that came into the witch's eyes. He flicked his wrist and the doors to the throne room blew open. "Happy hunting, ladies."
Maybe it had been the exhaustion of their first day on Requies with the skiing and then having to escape the stuck cable car but Bloom found it much harder to get to sleep their second night camping on the beach. Or maybe it was the sense she had that the second she closed her eyes she was going to fall into a dream about her identical phantom.
Whatever the reason, Bloom continued to toss and turn on the thin sleeping roll she was sharing with the other girls, long after her friends' breathing had evened out and they'd fallen asleep. Frustrated and irritable at the sleep evading her, Bloom sat up and crawled out of the tent to get some fresh air.
She stopped short, however, when she saw Sky on guard duty, sitting at the base of a tree, relaxed but alert as his eyes tracked around their campsite, before coming to rest on her. She stood and walked over, stopping at his feet with her hands on her hips.
"Are we back to pretending you're my bodyguard and nothing else?" she asked flatly.
Sky gazed up at her before wordlessly holding out an arm. She curled up on the ground beside him and tucked herself into his side, sighing as his arm settled around her.
"Can't sleep?" Sky was clearly making an effort to keep his tone light but Bloom could still hear the undercurrent of tension beneath it.
We did that. He's scared of us.
Bloom squeezed her eyes shut. "Nope," she whispered. "Feels weird not to have my magic," she said, even though that wasn't the reason.
"Is it uncomfortable?"
"Just weird."
Her heart ached to tell him the truth, the real truth, about what was bothering her. She sucked in a deep breath before saying, "And I'm worried-"
No!
"Worried?" Sky asked, when she didn't continue. Couldn't continue. "You don't have to be worried about your safety. We're taking shifts all night to keep you girls safe."
Keeping the girls safe from us, the voice hissed viciously, before giving a rasping bark of laughter.
Bloom forced her mouth to work. "How long will you be up for?"
"I've still got another hour or so of my watch. You going to stay up with me?"
Bloom pressed her face more firmly against his side, feeling the tension running through him, knowing she was the cause of that tension.
"Hmmm," she hummed, the worry and the stress and the irritability causing a wave of exhaustion to rush over her all of a sudden. She knew she should get up and go back to her tent, leave Sky in peace away from her, but she couldn't bring herself to move.
"Hmmm," Sky hummed in response and stroked a tendril of hair back from her face. "Stay here with me for a bit," he said gently and Bloom felt herself nod.
The voice was still hissing away at her, taunting and teasing, but the funny thing was, with Sky's arm around her and sleep calling to her, it only got quieter instead of louder. And when she finally gave in to sleep's call it faded away entirely and she didn't dream at all.
"We're all thinking the same thing, right?" Darcy said as soon as she and her coven-sisters landed in the dark forests of Requies.
Icy, touching the necklace at her throat, met her eyes and nodded fractionally but didn't otherwise respond.
Stormy, however, clearly didn't get the hint as she snarled. "Of course we are. That-"
"Enough, Stormy," Icy said firmly, but her eyes were saying something else entirely. Not here, they said. "Let's just come up with a plan to get Bloom."
Stormy huffed and flicked her nails. "Aren't we just going to snatch her? Odds are they don't have access to their magic, simple job."
But Icy and Darcy were sharing a smile.
"But where's the fun in that, Stormy?"
Stormy narrowed her eyes at them. "So, if we're not just going to snatch her, what are we going to do?"
Despite the late hour, the forest was alive with noise around them as the nocturnal creatures moved about. Icy listened to the sound of them, a plan forming in her mind as a cruel smirk twisted her features.
"Darkar told us to hunt, so we're going to hunt."
Bloom didn't remember Sky waking her up to take her back to her tent through the night, but that's where she was when she woke up the next morning, alone on the bedroll. From the sun beating down on the tent and the voices she could hear outside, she could guess that she'd slept in until mid morning, although she couldn't bring herself to mind after experiencing the best night's sleep she'd had in a while.
"Finally," Musa cackled when she crawled out of the tent to join them outside.
Bloom made a rude gesture at her before wandering across the campsite. It looked like Flora and Helia were preparing to depart, the rest of the girls had made a start on their postcards, while the guys cleaned up after breakfast.
"Here," Sky said, handing her a plate. "I saved you some."
"Thanks," Bloom murmured, inhaling the heavenly scent of the egg and bacon roll that was still warm, but she didn't leave to go eat straight away. "I, uh, think I fell asleep on you last night."
"Just a little bit," Sky said, grinning at her.
"But I ended up back in my tent?"
"Yeah, I just carried you," Sky said, shrugging like it was no big deal.
"Oh," Bloom said, cheeks warm, but she wasn't sure if she was pleased or embarrassed by the visual that was conjured in her mind.
"I hope that was okay?"
"Uh huh."
Sky's eyes were warm as he said teasingly, "Uh huh?"
Bloom grinned and backed away, food in hand. "It was okay."
Still smiling, Bloom wandered over to her friends and sat with them, ignoring their knowing glances.
Well, until Stella snapped, "And what's got you so smiley?"
Bloom bristled, smile fading away. Clearly someone had woken up on the wrong side of the bed that morning.
"Nothing, what's up your ass?"
Stella ignored her and Bloom shrugged, taking a bite of her sandwich.
Trying to break the tension, Layla snapped a photo of Bloom mid bite.
"That'll make a good postcard, B," she said with a laugh, handing it to Bloom after it had printed.
Bloom snorted at the shot and swallowed her mouthful. "Oh yeah my parents will love it."
"It's been so long since I wrote so much with an actual pen," Tecna said, shaking out her hand with a rueful smile.
"Did you want me to snap a picture of you, Layla?" Musa asked, watching as she took shots of everyone else and then their surrounding scenery.
"Nah, that's alright," Layla said easily. "I think I'll send my parents a shot of the lake, they'll get a kick out of that."
Flora wandered over, backpack for her hike with Helia already slung over her shoulders. "Oh, it would be great if you came along with Helia and I and got some shots of the local flora and fauna. Did you want to come?"
There was something knowing in Layla's face as she casually said, "I think I'm fine here, but you're welcome to take my camera." She offered it to Flora, before catching sight of Stella, staring broodingly into the distance. "Oh, but did you want me to take your picture first, Stella? To make a postcard for your parents."
"It would have to be two pictures, Layla," Stella snapped. "My parents are divorced."
"Oh, of course," Layla said, her face crumpling as she realised what she'd said. "I'm sorry, I didn't think-"
"Yeah, obviously." Stella pushed herself to her feet and stalked away, disappearing down a path leading into the forest.
Bloom met Brandon's eye across the campsite, wondering which of them would be going after her, but Brandon was already on his feet, indicating that he had this one. Meanwhile Layla was being comforted by the others.
"I know it was a careless thing to say but she didn't have to snap at me like that," Layla was saying.
Musa bit her lip. Usually she would have Layla's back but she more than most people understood how parents could be a touchy subject.
"She took the divorce really hard," Bloom said. "Please don't take it personally."
"Yeah, okay," Layla said vaguely but she also stood up and backed away. "I think I'm just going to go for a walk and clear my head." Instead of following Stella to the forest, she headed down to the shore and wandered along it.
"Well that went…" Tecna said.
"Yup," Bloom sighed.
"Flora, are you ready to go?" Helia asked, appearing by her shoulder.
Flora looked torn, gazing after Layla's retreating back, clearly wondering if she should put off her walk with Helia to go after her.
"It's fine, Flo, just go," Musa said. "I think they both just need a bit of space, we'll check in with them later."
"Okay. Did, uh, anyone want to come with us?"
Helia coughed and looked away before pasting a pleasant smile on his face.
Digit looked interested and on the verge of accepting but Chatta clapped a hand over her mouth while Amore nudged her sharply in the ribs.
"Nope," she chirped.
"You kids have fun," Chatta added.
"Oh, ok."
Helia gestured for the path. "Shall we, Flora?"
The group watched closely as Flora and Helia made their way to the edge of the path, walking side by side. The second they were out of sight they immediately ducked their heads together to discuss the turn of events. The guys, still on guard duty, watched on in bemusement.
Stella had no particular interest in exploring the forest so once her temper took her far enough into the trees to find a small clearing with a convenient log to perch on, she sat down and wrapped her arms around her middle. She was gazing moodily into the distance when she heard the crunch of approaching footsteps.
"I know I acted like a bitch to Layla, I don't need you to tell me that," she said without looking around. She paused, chewing on her next words. "I'll apologise to her later."
"I wouldn't call you a 'bitch' exactly," Brandon said, and she looked around, raising her eyebrows. "Kind of harsh maybe," he amended.
Stella laughed without humour and looked away as he came to say beside her. "I don't know why I do that. I wasn't mad at Layla, not really, but I still…" For once Stella seemed at a loss for words and shook her head again.
"You do it because you put up walls," Brandon said. The way he said it was so matter-of-fact, and yet his voice wasn't unkind, softened even further as he gently took her hand.
Her head whipped around and she tried to tug her hand free, but Brandon held fast.
"I put up walls?" she asked. "What does that even mean?"
Brandon looked at her, his expression tender. "You think I don't see it when you're hurting but you cover it by pushing people away?"
Stella shook her head. "I don't- I don't do that."
"You do," he insisted gently. "Most of the time you keep people at arm's length with jokes, but when that doesn't work you snap at them." He squeezed her hand. "But I see you behind all that, I always see you."
Part of Stella was melting at his words, but she pushed it down as her jaw clenched. "Well, I'm not the only one who pushes people away then."
Brandon's tender expression faded a little. "What do you mean?"
Stella shrugged helplessly. "I mean, not inviting me to Eraklyon?" She looked at him. "I mean that Sky and Bloom have been dating for way less time than us but have already met each other's parents. What is it? Do you not want me to meet them? Are you embarrassed-"
"No!" Brandon said, so forcefully that she started and looked at him. "I," he continued, voice softer. "I'm not embarrassed. Not of my family, and certainly not of you. It's just, I- I'm not a prince, Stella."
"Brandon," she said softly. "I know you're not a prince, we went through this last year. It doesn't matter to me, who you are matters, not whatever title you do or don't have."
"I'm not a prince," Brandon said. "I'm not royal, and the only reason I've even been in a palace before is because that's where my parents work. Where I work. I have five siblings and most of us share a bedroom with each other because we can't afford a bigger house. Knowing all that is different from seeing it, and I'm not embarrassed, I'm proud of my family and how hard my parents work to provide for us… but it's still hard to let people in to see it.
"But," he continued, as Stella gazed at him. "I've realised that the people who truly care about you will stick around until you're ready to let them in."
Stella smiled. "You know I will."
"And you know I will."
Her smile faded. "But I should still talk to Layla, hey?"
"Probably. Just try letting her in a little bit."
Stella sighed, and stood from her log, pulling Brandon with her, but when she moved to head back to the beach, Brandon brought her gently to a stop and spun her back to him.
"Hey," he murmured. "This summer, dinner at my parents place?"
Stella's face softened. "I don't want you to feel forced to-"
"I don't feel forced," he said, interrupting her gently. "Seeing them meet Bloom, how happy they were to meet her, I know they're going to be even more so meeting the girl I love."
Stella's heart and breath stuttered in equal measure. "That you- we've never said that before."
Brandon's hand came up to cup her face, thumb stroking tenderly along her cheek. "I know, and you don't have to say it back. I just wanted you to know that no matter how many walls you put up, I'll always see the girl underneath, I'll always see her and love her."
For the second time Stella was lost for words, the feelings were there but she couldn't give voice to them, not in that moment, so she did what she could; throw her arms around Brandon's neck and crush her lips to his and just hope that he could feel everything she was throwing into the kiss.
They pulled back and Stella threaded their fingers back together as they walked back to the beach.
"I have to say, you don't seem to be enjoying the sights very much," Helia commented after they'd walked into the forest for some minutes in total silence.
Flora's gaze had been faraway for the entire journey and she hadn't seemed to have even noticed any of the many interesting plants around, let alone point them out and talk about them as Helia would have expected.
Startled by his voice, Flora glanced around at him, touching her wrist mindlessly. "Oh," she said, smile sheepish. "Sorry, I guess I'm a bit distracted."
"Thinking about Stella and Layla?"
Flora worried at the skin of her wrist. "Yeah. Just when I think they're starting to get along, something like this happens to set them back. I wish I could fix it."
"Why don't you? You're a very calm and emotionally intelligent person, Flora. I'm sure you would be a good mediator for them."
Flora smiled at him. "It's not my place. If they ask, of course I would do it for them, but they need to try and sort it out for themselves."
Helia's expression was thoughtful as their pace slowed and turned meandering, both understanding without having to say that neither was interested in the local flora anymore. His gaze drifted to her bare wrist.
"Can I ask what happened to the bracelet you used to wear? Did you lose it?"
"Oh," Flora said, looking down as if she were surprised to find herself fiddling with her wrist. "No, it broke actually."
"I'm sorry. Was it sentimental?"
"No," Flora said with a chuckle. "I can't even remember where I got it, a market on Linphea maybe, but I just thought it was pretty. I guess…" Her laugh this time was self-deprecating. "I guess it turned into a habit to touch it when I was upset or worried about something."
"Hmmm," Helia hummed thoughtfully, and distracted once more, Flora glanced over her shoulder, back the way they'd come, thinking about her friends once more. "You want to go back," Helia guessed, before touching her elbow gently to turn them both around, but Flora stopped so she could gaze up at him.
"Thank you," she said, not even sure what part she was thanking him for, knowing her well enough to cut their hike short, or letting her vent her feelings, or maybe all of it.
Helia smiled at her. "Anytime, Flora."
"I have to say," Stella and Brandon could hear Timmy saying as they arrived back at the beach. "This sure beats sitting at a computer all day."
"Can someone record that for posterity," Sky replied with a chuckle.
"Timmster's feeling the call of the wild," Riven threw in. "Never thought I'd see the day."
Stella and Brandon emerged from the tree line to find the three guys sat in beach chairs, not looking very bodyguard-like as they idly watched over the girls and the pixies who were still sitting in the sand. They glanced up as Stella walked over.
"Stella, hey, we were thinking about heading into town to see if there's a swimsuit we can get Tecna to agree on."
Bloom knew better than to address the altercation from earlier, but to her surprise, Stella asked, "Where's Layla?"
Bloom bit her lip before nodding in the direction that Layla had walked. "She went off in that direction. We figured we'd give her some space before going to find her."
"I'll do it," Stella said, and she'd walked off before the others could say anything. They watched her go before turning and exchanging glances with one another.
The private beach that housed their campsite was a nice stretch of sand that was plenty big enough for the group of them before yielding to large rocks that acted as a natural border. Stella sighed as she reached the rocks and started to climb over them, her sandals not favouring the rough journey. But she could see Layla in the distance, sitting, staring out at the water; and Brandon had been right, you stuck the tough times out for the people you cared about.
Stella was making so much noise, slipping, and puffing, and panting as she made her way over to the rocks, she was surprised Layla didn't hear her approach. Instead she actually jumped when Stella called her name and all but collapsed on the rock beside her.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," she said, forcing out a laugh once she'd caught her breath. "Although I didn't know I could scare a girl like you."
Layla smiled weakly. "Everyone gets scared sometimes, Stella."
Stella's smile faded. "Look, I shouldn't have snapped at you before, I'm sorry. I- if I'm being honest, I'm in pretty big denial about my parents divorce. It just brings up a lot of questions for me that I don't want to think about."
"What sort of questions?" Layla asked curiously.
Stella shifted uncomfortably, but Brandon's words flashed through her mind. Just try letting her in.
She dragged in a shaky breath and played nervously with her hair. "Just like if I'm going to end up like them, if they ever even loved each other, why wasn't I enough to keep them together, if because I'm a princess I'm going to have to choose a marriage for alliance over a marriage for love. You know, typical child of divorce things, I guess."
Layla's eyes traced over her face, mouth twisting in sympathy. "I wish I had the answers for you, Stella. But truthfully, my parents are still together but I have a lot of the same questions that you do." She hesitated. "Have you tried talking to your parents about this?"
Stella laughed, but it was a hard sound. "I can't. They're both just pretending like everything's fine and normal, and I'm the princess so of course I have to act like everything's fine as well. So I just hide what I'm feeling behind jokes, and I did that for years while I watched my parents relationship fall apart, and when that doesn't work anymore I lash out. And that's not fair on you guys and I guess I just have to get better about being honest about how I'm really feeling."
It felt good to say it all, not only like she'd unburdened herself, but like there was an actual light in her chest after she'd finished speaking.
"Stella, I-" Layla started before breaking off with a gasp. "Stella!"
"What?!" Stella cried out, alarmed, before glancing down at her chest where there was indeed a golden light glowing through her shirt. She felt something settle onto her head and reaching up automatically she felt the contours of a tiara nestled into her hair.
"Stella," Layla whispered. "I think you just got your Charmix."
As soon as she said it, Stella knew she was right. Her fingers traced over the tiara's pendant, finding the gem at the centre, and somehow the gem was glowing warm, like standing in the sun on a summer's day, the same sensation she experienced whenever she was in her fairy form.
"That's amazing!" Layla cried. "Stella, you're amazing! Congratulations!"
"Thanks," Stella said, feeling the tiara disappear from under her fingers as the light in her chest faded.
"We should probably head back," Layla suggested, standing and carefully balancing on the rock before offering a hand to help Stella up.
"Yeah," Stella said, taking the hand. "Hey," she continued, once she was on her feet. "Are we good?"
Layla smiled. "Yeah, we're good. I'm just still trying to figure out this whole friendship thing."
"Don't worry, we all are. I could definitely be better. As long as we're having this deep chat, I'll admit I haven't been the best friend to you, Layla. I'm sorry."
"So, I didn't make that all up in my mind?" Layla asked wryly.
Stella's cheeks flushed. "I might have been a bit intimidated when you showed up. I've never been friends with another princess before."
"We have that in common-" Layla started as they slowly started to make their way back along the rocks. But she stopped short as a low growl cut through the air. "What was that?"
"Probably just an animal. Weren't we supposed to go on some wildlife experience?"
Layla looked up towards where the rocks gave way to the tree line. "I'm gonna go see."
Stella sighed but followed and the pair clambered up over the rocks and towards the trees.
"They must be friendly if we're allowed to camp so close to them," Layla said as they reached the top and started to wind through the trees looking for the source of the growl.
"Uh, I'm not so sure about that," Stella said warily as her eyes landed on something a few feet away.
Layla followed her gaze and landed on a large, four-legged beast that was eyeing them hungrily. It was easily as tall as they were, covered in white and grey fur, and had a huge maw that was pulled back threateningly to show its sharp teeth.
"Some kind of lupine. Definitely not friendly," Layla said quietly. "Alright let's just back away slowly…" She trailed off as more of the lupines emerged from the trees to surround them.
"I could definitely go for a bodyguard right about now," Stella muttered, eyes scanning the lupines, checking out their bared teeth and sharp claws. "I don't much like our chances of fighting them off without magic."
"Think that Charmix might work here?"
"I suppose it's worth a try, maybe the magical suppression won't pick up on it."
It was strange trying to transform when her magic felt so far away, but Stella closed her eyes and reached out to it, finding only a sliver accessible to her. She clutched at it and felt the Charmix pendant appear on her head once again, golden light flaring even through her closed lids.
"You did it!" Layla cried and Stella's eyes flashed open.
"Alright, get behind me!"
Stella had a feeling she was only going to get one shot at this. Layla hurried back and Stella lifted her hands, sending out a blast of pure sunlight all around her so each of the lupines was hit by it. They were thrown through the trees and out of sight. As soon as the magic left her the light abruptly died and her pendant vanished.
"Miss Faragonda wasn't kidding when she said this was just a sub-transformation. I don't think I can do that again any time soon. Let's get out of here."
Layla certainly wasn't going to argue and together they took off in the direction of their campsite.
At the campsite, conversation had returned to Stella and Layla's argument.
"I feel like Layla is very careful with how she expresses herself sometimes," Tecna was saying, head propped up on her hand. "It can be hard to tell how she's really feeling."
"And you think that Stella isn't exactly the same?" Flora asked, having arrived back from her walk with Helia not long after they'd set out; much to the chagrin of Chatta and Amore.
"Maybe it's a royal thing," Bloom mused, digging her hand through the sand.
"Definitely a royal thing," Musa said from where she was lying on her back, basking in the sun, arm over her eyes.
"What do you mean?" Amore asked, looking worried. "Layla and Stella lie to you guys?"
"Not at all," Helia said. He was the only one of the guys to take part of the conversation, the others electing to sit back, listen, and watch the perimeter. The girls had been surprised but welcoming and he'd been unusually insightful with his comments. "There are a lot of reasons why people hide what they're truly feeling, but it's rarely because they want to willingly deceive you. Mostly it's an act of self-preservation.
"I've actually been trying to get these guys to talk about their feelings more," he said, gesturing to his roommates. "It's slow going," he added with a rueful grin.
"I love talking about my feelings," Chatta began. "In fact-"
"How are you guys still talking about this?" Riven suddenly broke in, jaw tight. Musa drew her arm away from her face and sat up. "They'll probably have patched things up by the time they come back, and you'll have wasted all this time talking about your little emotions."
"Oh fuck off, Riven," Bloom snapped making the others start. Only Riven seemed unconcerned by her uncharacteristic aggression as he made a rude gesture at her in return that had Sky stiffening in his chair.
Through it all, Helia was calm. "Maybe," he said. "If you talked more about your feelings, Riven, you'd be more in touch with how you really feel."
"Fuck this," Riven muttered and stood abruptly. "I'm going to go do a perimeter check or something."
"Hey," Sky called after him. "Don't be like that."
"It's fine," he grumbled as he retreated. "It's what we're supposed to be doing anyway."
The group lapsed into a slightly uncomfortable silence, with Helia looking slightly regretful for what he'd said, until Musa let out a sharp noise of frustration and jumped to her feet.
"I'll be back," she muttered and jogged after Riven.
"You know, he wasn't wrong," she said once she caught up with him.
Riven glanced over his shoulder before quickening his pace when he saw who it was. "Leave it, Musa." Musa kept pace with him and a noise of irritation escaped from him. "What's so great about sitting around and talking about your feelings anyway?"
"At least then I'd know how you felt," Musa shot back.
Riven stopped abruptly and spun towards her. "What, like you're such an open book?"
Musa let out a growl of frustration. "You are so unbelievably frustrating, you know that?"
"Right back at you."
The pair let out identical huffs of irritation and spun away from each other, stomping off in opposite directions.
Still running through the forest aiming for their campsite, Stella and Layla could hear the heavy footfalls as the lupines crashed through the trees behind them.
"Faster," Stella gasped, chest heaving from the exertion. "We need… to go… faster…"
Layla nodded in agreement before her stomach twisted as a horrible thought occurred to her.
"Wait," she said, skidding to a stop until Stella made an agonised sound and gestured frantically for her to keep running. Layla broke back into a jog, her mind running even faster than her legs. "We're going to lead them right back to the campsite."
Where there would be four more fairies without their magic.
"So?" Stella gasped. "The guys will take care of it."
"Maybe," Layla said quietly, thinking about how big the lupines were, how sharp their teeth were. The guys were strong and more than capable, but Layla was worried how they would fare against an enemy so large and strong in number.
"What option do we have?!"
Layla thought fast. "The lupines will be tracking our scent. If we loop back around and cross over the way we just came it might confuse them long enough that we could get back to camp and get everyone out of there."
Stella slowed, either because she was thinking about the plan or because she was struggling with the pace, Layla wasn't sure. She looked at her friend, red in the face, sweat beading on her forehead, and clutching at a stitch in her side.
"You go on," she said quickly. "I can do it. Warn the others and try to get back to town. I'll meet you there."
Stella gulped down lungfuls of air but shook her head. "No way. If we're doing this, we're doing it together. Now come on." She grabbed Layla's hand and together they veered off course, breathing a sigh of relief when they heard the lupines follow.
Riven didn't find anything on his perimeter check and yet something still nagged at him as he made his way back to the beach. The ground of the forest was soft and stamped with a multitude of creature tracks. But there was something off about them, they were so ordered as if many different creatures had walked side by side together. He slowed to a stop and bent down, touching one of the marks carefully.
"Strange," he murmured to himself.
"What's strange?" a voice asked and Riven's head snapped up, hand jumping to the sword hilt at his hip.
But it was just Helia, hands spread slightly to show he was unarmed. Riven slowly straightened, his expression blank and lips pressed into a flat line.
"I don't really feel like talking," he said pointedly and Helia sighed.
"Fair enough. I just wanted to apologise for what I said back at the beach. It was out of line."
Unwittingly, Musa popped into Riven's head. "Yeah, well, maybe you weren't exactly wrong," he said gruffly.
"Still," Helia said. "I was reminded recently that I don't always need to insert myself where I don't belong. I- I have a bit of a fixing things problem," he admitted, chuckling ruefully. "Sometimes it works but sometimes it doesn't, and it's not the first time it's gotten me into trouble."
"There are worse problems to have," Riven offered, an olive branch. "Being open about my feelings, making myself vulnerable to them, even just to myself." He paused and swallowed roughly. "Well, it isn't easy and I'm trying to work on it. But if you hadn't noticed I have a hot temper and it's easier to hide behind that."
Helia nodded understandingly. "You might find it hard to believe but I was the same when I was younger. Until I got into meditation anyway. I can show you some techniques if you like."
Riven forced himself to smile; even though he couldn't think of anything worse, he appreciated Helia's offer. "Maybe another time. I want to follow these tracks and see where they lead. Could you tell the others for me?"
Helia took the gentle dismissal gracefully and nodded with a smile. "Sure," he said, and headed back towards the beach while Riven turned his attention back to the tracks.
In another part of the forest, Bloom had dragged herself off the sand to go in search of Musa, finding her pacing angrily between the trees, muttering angrily to herself.
"And then he was like 'what, like you're such an open book'! Like what the fuck does that even mean?!" Musa finished regaling Bloom with the story of what had gone down with Riven and looked at her friend expectantly.
Bloom crossed her arms and leaned against a tree. "Girl," she muttered. "You really need to sort out your communication issues."
The voice at the back of her head giggled and she rolled her eyes. Maybe she didn't have a leg to stand on with that one, but she wasn't wrong about Musa and Riven either.
"What?" she asked, throwing up her hands when Musa just glared at her. "Riven wasn't wrong. I assume you still haven't told him that you like him."
Musa avoided her gaze. "You would be correct," she mumbled.
"You're both so allergic to talking about your feelings for each other," Bloom couldn't help but add, twisting the knife a little. "It's a recipe for disaster."
"Alright, B, I get it," Musa snapped, before huffing and planting her hands on her hips. "I'm just going to go do it."
Bloom felt her eyebrows rise in surprise. "You're finally going to tell him you like him?"
"Yup," Musa said, looking faintly sick at the very idea. "We can't keep going on like this, it's driving us both crazy."
"Good luck," Bloom offered and Musa made a face back at her before traipsing off into the forest, looking like she was heading to her own execution rather than to confess her feelings to the boy she liked.
Deep within the forest, hidden away where they wouldn't be found, Icy and Stormy were putting their plan into action.
"What if Darcy's plan doesn't work?" Stormy wanted to know.
Icy bristled. "It was my plan."
"No," Stormy snarked back. "It was your idea, but Darcy's the one who came up with the actual plan." Icy glared at her until she shrugged in defeat. "Whatever. What if the plan doesn't work?"
Icy's eyes were like stone, thinking about Darkar and those pesky fairies. "It will. We end this. Today."
"Except for Bloom, right?"
Icy didn't answer and Stormy dropped her hands, magic fading away. She stared at her coven-sister.
"Icy, we have to take Bloom back to Darkar."
Icy touched the necklace around her throat. "Except for Bloom," she finally agreed. Her voice was hard. "We're going to drag that brat back to Shadowhaunt, dump her at Darkar's feet, and then we'll finally get the Ultimate Power.
Satisfied for now, Stormy returned to her conjuring.
Heading back in the direction she'd last seen Riven, anxiety gnawing at her stomach all the way, the tension unexpectedly drained away when Riven came into view, crouched down inspecting some creature tracks.
"Hey," she called, smile spreading across her face
Despite how they'd left things, Riven offered her a small smile in return as he straightened and stood back up.
"Hey," he said gruffly. "Is everything alright?"
"Yeah, I just wanted to talk to you," Musa said, her stomach rolling. "What are you doing?" She asked, mostly to procrastinate.
"These tracks look off." But Riven wouldn't be distracted for long. "What did you want to talk about?"
Musa came to a stop in front of him and he gazed down at her, expression serious.
"I- I wanted to be honest with you about how I've been feeling," Musa said, tongue darting out to wet her suddenly dry lips.
"How you've been feeling…" Riven repeated. "Musa, if this is about earlier-"
"It's not! Not really. Just listen alright." Musa sucked in a deep breath. "I've been really frustrated and confused because we spend so much time together, and you're there for me a lot, and I hope I'm there for you, but I don't really know what we are, or how you feel about me.
"And I've just been waiting for you to read my mind, I guess, and tell me what you're feeling, but I realised today I need to stop being so scared and just say it myself."
Riven's voice was maybe the gentlest Musa had ever heard as he asked, "What are you so scared of, Musa?"
To her horror, Musa's voice wobbled as she replied, "I've seen what relationships can do to people. How caring about someone so much can tear you up inside. And I'm scared that's going to happen to us. But most of all I'm scared you're not going to like me as much as I like you. Because I really like you, Riven."
Riven's eyes were dark and roiling with emotion as he gazed down at her, but before he could reply, a light flared from Musa's chest and both their eyes were drawn towards it. As they watched a gold armband appeared, encircling Musa's bare upper arm, a delicate pendant shaped like a treble clef fixed to it. When Musa brushed her fingers over it, especially over its red stone, the pendant seemed to hum as if there were a song contained within longing to break free.
"Musa…" Riven breathed, eyes rising to trace over her face. "You…"
The tromping of approaching steps cut off whatever Riven had been about to say and moving quicker than lightning, Riven grabbed her and spun them both around a nearby tree, crushing Musa's body between the trunk and his chest. Unsure who the intruder was and hardly daring to breathe lest it be an enemy, Musa squeezed her eyes shut and tried not to be distracted by Riven's close proximity.
"Who is it?" she breathed, opening her eyes and gazing up at Riven's clenched jaw. He squeezed her waist warningly.
"Darcy," he murmured in response, watching whatever she was doing around the tree.
She must have glanced in their direction because Riven pressed them even further against the tree, every inch of his body pressed against hers. Musa swallowed roughly and Riven tracked the movement through lowered lids.
"What's she doing?" she forced herself to ask.
"I don't know, I think it has something to do with those tracks." Riven was quiet for a moment, then, "She's gone."
But he didn't pull away and she didn't want him to.
"I should follow her, try and work out what they're up to and how it all fits together. You go back and give the others a heads up."
"Okay," she said, but neither of them moved.
"Musa," he said, hand coming up to cup the side of her face, thumb tracing her jaw.
And then his lips were brushing against hers.
Musa wasn't sure what she'd thought her first kiss with Riven would be like. Maybe she'd thought his kisses would be like everything else about him: hard, demanding, frustrating.
But the way he kissed in that moment wasn't any of those things. His lips were gentle on hers, almost more a brush than anything else, and the way he held her, like she was a precious thing he didn't want to slip out of his grasp, it made her want to smile and cry at the same time.
The kiss might have been soft but it didn't make her heart race any less and she was breathless when he finally pulled back, eyes still dark with emotion.
"Go," he said, voice firm but tender and she nodded, stumbling away.
She allowed herself a single glance back and her heart stumbled when she found Riven already watching her retreating back. He nodded once and they both turned away to head in opposite directions.
Elsewhere in the forest, Layla and Stella's plan to lead the lupines away from their friends was working, but had led them deeper into trouble. Because it wasn't just the lupines who had forgotten their friendly nature, it seemed every creature had turned hostile overnight.
With lupines still pursuing them from behind, they skidded to a halt when gargantuan diplosauruses emerged from the trees opposite with their large bodies and long necks effectively blocking their path back to the beach. The creatures were eerily silent, waiting to see what the two fairies would do. Adding to the unease of the scene, swarms of the same winged beasts that had made their flight in so troublesome landed in the trees around them, looking down their long beaks at them.
With a jolt, Stella noticed something. "Their eyes," she said to Layla. "Look at their eyes."
For swirling in the depths of their pupils was familiar purple magic.
"They must have been spelled," Layla said, licking her lips nervously. The information would be useful later, but for now it wouldn't help them escape. "What do we do?"
Shifting slightly so she and Layla were back to back, Stella eyed the creatures, recognising both that they'd been effectively caged in and that there was no way her Charmix would have enough magic to take them all out.
"Now we call for backup," Stella grunted before reaching for that sliver of Charmix magic once again. Her pendant reappeared on her head and the creatures seemed to tense, waiting for an attack. But rather than directing it at them, Stella shot a firework of sunlight into the sky, and they all watched as it exploded into a bright light, a perfect beacon for help.
Sure enough, back at the beach, already nervous about how long Stella and Layla had been gone, the others immediately saw the beacon for what it was.
"Stella," Flora gasped, as she and the rest of the girls jumped up from their towels. Likewise the guys were quick to scramble out of their chairs.
"How did she-" Tecna started to ask, but was interrupted as Musa came crashing out of trees, red faced and panting, as if she'd been running.
"The Trix, they're here."
They all spun back in the direction of Stella's beacon, faces very pale.
"Stella!" Brandon yelled, and he was off, sprinting in its direction with the others close behind.
Only Sky hesitated, brain working fast. "Helia!" he yelled, and his fellow hero skidded to a halt, glancing back at him. "Enact Plan White Hawk!"
Helia's expression showed immediate understanding and he glanced only once at Flora's retreating back before he nodded to Sky and took off into the forest in the opposite direction, heading for the town that lay in the far distance.
Sky waited only long enough to watch Helia disappear amongst the trees before he ran after his friends.
They thundered through the trees, calling out Stella and Layla's names, looking desperately for their friends. Brandon, in particular, seemed almost possessed, hurtling through the trees in the direction the flare of sunlight had come from.
Finally the sound of snarling and growling grew louder and they knew they were getting close.
Brandon dashed through the trees, took in the scene within seconds, the creatures encircling his girlfriend and Layla, and pushed off a tree trunk to go somersaulting through the air. He landed in front of Stella, broadsword already out and swinging through the air to force the approaching creatures back.
Within seconds the others had arrived, disrupting the creature's circle and forcing many of them to scatter, especially as the guys swung their blades threateningly.
"Try not to harm them!" Layla urged. "We think they've been spelled."
"How do you know?" Timmy asked, putting out a hand across Tecna's body instinctively to keep her back. Tecna was so distracted by what was going down that she didn't even think to pull away.
"Look at their eyes."
"Besides, these types of creatures are usually friendly," Flora added.
"We'll do our best," Sky grunted, eyes never leaving the creatures who were coming back to circle them once more. "But we'll do what we have to to keep you girls safe."
Proving the point that the creatures weren't backing down, one of the lupines suddenly leapt at Brandon. Stella let out a scream as the open maw of the beast came at them but Brandon didn't hesitate, rolling forward onto one knee, bringing up his sword in the same movement. The lupine's jaw closed around Brandon's wrist and he grimaced but didn't let up, cutting into the side of the lupine's mouth and jaw, forcing it to release him and retreat.
The winged beasts swooped and the diplosauruses used their long necks to their advantage to snap at them, but the guys didn't back down either. Bearing in mind that the creatures were likely under a spell, they slashed at the creatures with their swords, trying to keep the strikes as light as possible, keeping the beasts back without fatally wounding them.
Stella clutched at Brandon's arm, trying to get him to stop long enough so that she could inspect his injured wrist where blood was dripping down his hand. He shook her off gently, and gripped his sword with both hands, acting for all intents and purposes like he hadn't just been bitten by the lupine's sharp teeth.
Or maybe it was just that he realised they had bigger problems to worry about, for far from being driven back, instead even more creatures were emerging from the trees, looking none too pleased to find the group in their forest.
"There's no way we can fight all these creatures," Sky yelled over their angry roaring.
"I don't think they're going to give us much other choice," Brandon yelled back.
Sky eyed the creatures surrounding them before identifying a way out through the diplosauruses legs. "There!" he bellowed, pointing. "Run!"
Not stopping to think, or give the creatures time to realise what they were about to do, the group broke into an instant sprint weaving through the diplosauruses trunk like legs. The four legged creatures were so tall and large that they could all run underneath them without even stooping.
As they ran the diplosauruses rose their feet and stomped down, trying to squish them but they moved too slowly for the quick-footed fairies and heroes. Only Chatta was almost caught, letting out a screech of fear before Flora snatched her out of the air and cradled her to her chest as she ran.
Thundering crashes coming from behind them, told the group that the creatures weren't letting them get away that easily, so they just kept running.
"None of this makes sense," Flora gasped, sweat trickling down her forehead. "How would the Trix even know we're here?"
"Come on, Flora," Musa snapped, between heavy, panting breaths. 'There's clearly a mole at Alfea." And she knew she wasn't the only one thinking about a certain professor.
"We can work that out later," Layla said firmly. "Let's just focus on getting out of this."
"You guys keep running," Sky instructed, and without needing to talk about it, he and Brandon both skidded to a stop and turned to face the oncoming hoard.
Knowing better to argue, the others kept moving, except for two pixies who stopped to line up on either side of the guys.
"Chatta!"
"Amore!"
But the pixies weren't moved by the calls from their bonded fairies, eyes narrowed in determination.
"Let us try something," Amore said to the guys firmly, before meeting Chatta's eyes, both nodding in understanding of what the other was thinking.
Feeling nervous as the pixies allowed the creatures to draw closer and closer, Sky and Brandon watched as the pair raised their hands, palms glowing with magic.
"Stop!" they cried in unison and the guys shuddered as they felt the influence of the pixie's charmspeak wash over them. "Stop this now! Turn back! You do not want to attack us!"
The effect was instantaneous, slowing the hoard down, with some of the more susceptible creatures actually stopping and turning back the way they'd come. The pixies' charmspeak was powerful, but it was not enough to counteract whatever the Trix had done to the creatures. Still, as Brandon, Sky, Chatta, and Amore turned to run after their friends, it was enough to give them time to put a bit of distance between them and the creatures.
"It won't hold them forever…" Sky warned as they caught up with the others.
"It'll be enough-" Bloom assured him, but broke up at the expression of horror that overtook Sky's face.
"Look out, Bloom!"
One of the winged beasts had appeared out of nowhere and swooped at Bloom, claws extended as if it intended to snatch her up.
Acting on instinct, Musa called on her Charmix, the smallest sliver of magic reacting to her call, and her pendant appeared on her arm with a flash of light. Thrusting an arm out towards the winged creature who was almost upon Bloom, she blasted it aside with a super strength sonic attack.
"Thanks," Bloom gasped, once her heart had stopped racing. "You got your Charmix," she said unnecessarily. "Cool."
"Stella got hers too," Layla added, as they all hurried on. "It doesn't seem to last long, but at least we have some magic to call on."
"But what do the witches want?" Flora asked worriedly. "The last piece of the codex?"
"No, that's in pixie village," Lockette said.
"Maybe they don't want anything," Musa said angrily. "When have they ever needed a reason to mess with us?"
"Yeah," Stella agreed. "They're probably just trying to get us while we have no magic."
Relaxed slightly by the distance they'd managed to put between themselves and the creatures, and so wrapped up in their conversation as they were, none of them realised what they were about to walk into until a voice rang out through the trees.
"Stop!"
"Riven?!" Musa cried, relief evident in her voice as she moved instinctively towards him.
He dashed out from behind a tree, hand held up in warning. "Don't take another step! The creatures are trying to herd you into a trap up ahead."
"Are you sure?" Sky asked quietly, looking like he was hardly breathing lest he set off a trap. His eyes scanned the area ahead, picking over faint, shimmery strands of magic in the grass.
"Positive. I found the witches as they were finishing setting them."
"Alright," Sky said, thinking fast. "We have to back up and try to circle around somehow…" He trailed off as they all heard the horrible noise of the creatures catching up. "Scratch that, we have to get through the traps somehow."
"I should be able to lead us through it, I saw enough to work out the pattern they were using."
Sky nodded and gestured for him to take the lead. "You got this, bro."
"Just step where I step," Riven instructed, and began to lead them through the trees.
It was slower going than before given the intricate path Riven was forced to lead them on, and it was a struggle not to speed up as they heard the creatures getting closer and closer.
"Hopefully the creatures set off the traps by accident and that slows them down," Stella said, brow furrowed with concentration.
"And hope it doesn't set off a chain reaction," Musa shot back.
"Not too much further," Riven promised. He wove carefully through the trees, occasionally pausing and thinking hard about where to step next.
Eventually they reached the end of the traps, the group breaking into a run to put some distance between them.
"The creatures," Flora said in dismay, looking back the way they'd come. "They're circling around so they don't get caught in the traps. They're going to trap us in again."
"Keep moving," Sky instructed.
They ran forward, hearts beating rapidly in their chests as the trees stopped abruptly as they came to the edge of the forest. Green and brown stretched out in front of them, confirming they hadn't made it back to their beach campsite, but their relief was short-lived as their predicament became immediately clear. They hadn't reached the lake, but a large valley, the edge of which they stood at, atop a cliff with a sheer drop.
Bloom ran to the edge of the cliff, stopping short of toppling over the edge. "There's almost no footholds," she called back to the others, face tight with worry. "I don't think we can climb down."
"We might not have much of a choice," Layla said, panic colouring her voice even as she tried to remain calm as the sounds of the approaching monsters got louder. "The creatures are coming from all sides, we can either go back through the traps-"
Everyone looked to Riven who was already shaking his head. "It was half luck that got us through that time, I'm not sure I could do it again."
"-or we go down the cliff," Layla finished.
"And possibly fall to our deaths," Musa said grimly.
"Whatever we decide," Tecna said, voice high with worry, eyes on the edge of the forest. "We better choose quick." For right at that moment the creatures were bursting out of the trees, roaring and showing their sharp teeth.
Concealed in the trees nearby, the witches were watching their predicament with glee.
"Oh, this is fun," Stormy cackled, swinging her legs.
"How long do we wait?" Darcy wanted to know, dark eyes alight with malice.
"We'll let the creatures have a bit of fun with them first," Icy said coolly, fist closed around her necklace. She could feel a thrum of impatience emanating from it, but she ignored it and continued to enjoy the show. "And then, just when they're at their breaking point, then we'll go down and finish them off."
Hello friends!
Exactly two months to the day and I present you with a new chapter. We are getting ever closer to the end of volume two, we're really in the home stretch now and I can't wait to write the rest of this story.
I don't have too much to say about this chapter bc I feel like I didn't change too too much? Stella and Musa got their Charmix - yay! Musa and Riven had their first kiss - yay! Brandon told Stella he loved her - yay! All the milestones!
Honestly, I feel like the biggest thing, which you might not know if you don't follow me on tumblr, is I got art commissioned for all the girls base and Charmix forms! Drops is a good friend and writes his own amazing Winx stuff, and did this amazing art for me. It was so much fun working with him on these and was such a good experience given I had never commissioned anything before, so would deff recommend if you're looking to commission some winx art :D **PLEASE NOTE I WASN'T ABLE TO INSERT THE IMAGES AS THIS SITE DOESN'T SUPPORT THAT FEATURE SO TO VIEW THE ART PLEASE GO OVER TO AO3 (FIC NAME IS THE SAME) OR GO TO MY TUMBLR (GINS-POTTER) WHERE I'LL BE POSTING THE ART SHORTLY**
I'm sure I've forgotten stuff, but I hope you guys are still reading even if it takes me a while to write each chapter. I really appreciate you guys always coming back to this fic. Feel free to drop me a comment with what you thought of the chapter, how much you love the art (*wink wink*) and tell me how you've been lately!