Princess Ball

[Riven]

Riven’s eyes narrowed as he inwardly seethed. Now, after not giving a damn about any of them for months, now Sky wanted to be the respected leader? Ha! He didn’t even really believe what Riven was telling him! “If” he broke out of Omega? He was just like Faragonda and the others.

“I’m not as incompetent as you seem to think, Sky,” Riven growled as he stood up tall. “I’m not planning on facing him alone. I have back-up waiting for me right now, and if I don’t hurry up, she’s the one that’ll be going it alone.”

He had no doubts that Tecna would be more useful than Sky. She didn’t let anything cloud her judgement.

“As for Brandon, that’s precisely why he’s the worst choice for the job. He’s too close. He’ll be jumpy, ready to throw down anyone that so much as looks at Stella wrong just in case they’re the wizard. He’ll blow our cover,”

[Sky]

"Well then it seems that we're two of a kind," Sky snapped. "You want to say that I underestimate you? Fine. But don't go pretending that you're not a hypocrite - you pass judgment more than anyone I know. Despite whatever you might think, Brandon's one of the best Specialists to have walked through Red Fountain's doors. He's got a level head and he's never once jeopardized the team; he might be close to Stella, but he knows better than to lose his head at the drop of a hat."

Sky shook his head; sometimes he just couldn't take Riven. The guy had never really been a team-player and Sky was sure that if there was something that was going to end up blowing their cover it was Riven's hothead. He was so full of himself that he was blind to the fact that what he was doing was incredibly stupid. What was Riven going to do if he had to go face to face with the wizard? Had he even thought that far ahead or had he just been so raring to go stop the wizard that he hadn't even come up with a solid plan? Sky didn't want to show his concern, but from everything he had learned about the wizard thus far, he seemed like quite the adversary. Breaking out of Omega. Gaining access to various realms' power sources...if he could do that much, then one measly Specialist and some random 'she' was not going to be enough to stop him.

But what could he do? Forbid Riven from going? Fat chance.

"You know what, Riven, fine. Go do your thing; I'll stick around here with Brandon and keep an eye on things." Turning to leave, Sky paused. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't leave things like that - not after making his vow to change. Even if Riven could be a first-class jerk sometimes, he was still his teammate and a good leader always had each member's back. It was something he had forgotten - something that had doubtlessly played a role in Riven's earlier departure from the team - and it was a mistake Sky didn't intend to repeat. "Look, I know we don't agree on a lot of things - most things - but that doesn't mean that I don't respect you. You're a good Specialist and if this is what you think you've got to do, then do it. Just be careful, all right?"

[Riven]

What Sky said about Brandon was true; every word of it, but what he seemed to forget was that Brandon wasn’t exactly all there lately. Sure, the canine features had faded, and he appeared to be his old self again, memories and all, but Riven wasn’t convinced that everything was back to normal. Brandon couldn’t be expected to go right back to the level headed Specialist he once was at the drop of a hat either.

This was taking too long, though, so Riven bit his tongue. He couldn’t have Tecna getting impatient and going alone. He had to end this quick, which seemed like it was going to be easy to do when Sky pulled the usual “have the last word and stalk off before anyone can reply” trip. Riven hated when he did that. Such a spoiled, rich brat thing to do.

Surprisingly, though, Sky didn’t end it there. He actually turned back with not only a compliment, but words of concern. It was these that actually left Riven momentarily speechless.

“Always am,” he eventually replied with a roguish grin. He might be quite the jerk at times, but even he knew that a token offered deserved something in return. “I gotta go. Tell the guards if you want, get everything straight here, and if you still think I need the back up, you’ll know where to find me.”

That was as good as it got from good ol’ Captain Moody.

[Tecna]

Craning her head, Tecna peered down the hall again. No one was in sight. No sound of approaching footsteps. Nothing. Where was he?

Her impatience growing by the second, Tecna tapped her foot. They were losing precious time; the longer she waited, the more vulnerable Solaria's power source would become. Half tempted to just go to the steeple alone, Tecna quenched that impulse. She was no fool. Even if time was ticking by, she knew that leaving Riven behind would be a mistake. If she went to the steeple and the wizard showed up, she would have no back-up - she'd be on her own, she'd have to save her skin. Though Tecna was confident in her abilities to defend herself, this wizard was no ordinary foe. She would need help.

So she would wait. Hopefully, Riven wouldn't take too much longer.

[Bloom]

Her make-up was totally ruined, but her eyes were finally dry. As much as she wanted to, she couldn’t hide out here all night. This was Stella’s night, and she was going to help her celebrate. She was going to stand up straight, put on a happy face, and cheer on her best friend.

After a quick trip to the washroom to freshen up first. Stella would know in an instant that something was wrong. The make-up had taken no little time to apply. Hopefully, Bloom thought, she would remember one of those quick fix make-up spells that Stella had mentioned.

Stepping back inside, Bloom kept her head down and slipped as quickly as she could through the mass of people laughing and dancing in the ballroom. She had spent hours, no, days preparing for this ball, and she hadn’t even gotten a single dance. It really sucked.

Reaching the hallway without running into the one person she should have been wanting to see instead of trying to avoid, Bloom stopped to get her bearings. The bathroom should be right that way... wait, was that Tecna? Peering through still bleary eyes down to the other end of the hall, she took a few steps closer to get a better look.

[Riven]

Feeling there was nothing left to be said, Riven turned away from Sky and pushed quickly through the crowds toward the door Tecna had been heading for when he’d lost sight of her. Already he could feel the anticipation starting to surge within him. It had been so long since he’d done anything remotely heroic, and though he had thought he could leave Red Fountain and all his training behind, these were the moments he lived for.

Any of these people around him could be the wizard, so once his path was clear, he slowed his pace and walked leisurely the rest of the way. Finally slipping out into the hallway, he felt a hint of relief to find Tecna still waiting for him.

“Sky doesn’t like to take orders from others. You know how he is,” Riven said by way of explanation. Raising his eyebrows, he suddenly grinned. “Ready?”

[Bloom]

When another figure emerged into the hall, Bloom stopped in her tracks and pressed herself against the wall as if it would hide her. Luckily, it wasn’t Sky, but relief was quickly replaced with surprise.

Tecna had appeared to be waiting for someone, and suddenly, there was Riven. And he was smiling.

This was too weird.

[Tecna]

"You made me wait long enough," Tecna replied crossly, not at all won over by Riven's smile - a smile that probably would have made any other girl swoon. She didn't like to waste valuable time and that was exactly what he had made them do - she didn't appreciate it one bit. Still, Tecna was level-headed enough to see that giving him a lecture or the cold shoulder wouldn't accomplish anything either. And so, giving him one last reprimanding look, Tecna then said with a roll of her eyes, "I'll forgive you this one time, but I'd advise you not to make a habit of it. Now then, let's get down to business. This way." Tilting her head in the direction they needed to go, Tecna walked forward, her steps quick despite her dress.

[Riven]

Riven didn’t reply to Tecna’s cross retort, instead just continuing to grin at her like a fool until she gave in. He knew she would. This was far too important and they were in much too much of a hurry for her to get all huffy at him.

“I wouldn’t dream of it!” he finally said to her warning. “If there was a class on how to properly treat a lady at Red Fountain, I must have missed it, but keeping them waiting all alone in the dark hardly sounds appropriate.”

Her irritation was amusing, and he couldn’t help but push it, no matter how serious the situation they faces. Or perhaps it was because of it. Either way, even as he teased he quickened his pace to keep up with her. They couldn’t afford any more delays.

[Bloom]

This was like a double dose of what the hell. Without even thinking, Bloom strained to hear what was being said between her two friends, and what she heard made her wish that she hadn’t.

Tecna seemed quite upset that Riven had kept her waiting for their rendezvous, and now they were rushing off into the castle somewhere to “get down to business”? The images those words created were ones that Bloom so didn’t want in her head right now. Or ever.

[Tecna]

Reaching the base of the stairs, Tecna lifted the hem of her dress before pausing. What was she thinking? She was actually going to climb the steps? In these shoes - shoes she could barely stand in? In this dress that made her legs feel like lead? Preposterous.

Glancing up and the down hall, Tecna shook her head. There was a reason she had wings. With no one else in sight but Riven, it certainly couldn't hurt to spare a few moments by transforming, could it? And it certainly couldn't draw any suspicion as to why a random fairy was flying around the palace if there was no one to see, right?

Not hesitating a moment more, Tecna quickly transformed into her fitted bodysuit and immediately felt a sense of relief. No more silly dresses to contend with. Now she was ready.

Flitting up the long flight of stairs, Tecna glanced back down at Riven, glad to see that he was keeping up remarkably well with her increased speed. If they did end up facing the wizard, it wouldn't do for them to be tired and out of breath.

[Riven]

(exit Tecna and Riven to continue here )

[Bloom]

Bad images. Bad words. She didn’t want to hear anymore.

Making a mad dash to the washroom, Bloom was too disturbed to even be proud that she had made it without even breaking her ankle. Screw the make-up, the shoes had to go.

[Bloom]

The make-up spell had gone completely awry and left with the choice of looking red and puffy from crying and looking like a way too happy clown on acid, well, the choice had been obvious.

Clowns were scary in any form.

Magic could be so frustrating sometimes! Here she was, Princess of Sparx, able to wield the sought after Dragonfire, yet she couldn’t pull off a simple make-up spell? She really needed to get her head back into studying. That was her new resolution. After the party was over and they returned to Alfea, she was going to study her butt off.

Removing the make-up, Bloom let out a deep sigh as she gazed at her reflection before turning away and walking back out into the hallway. Her barefooted steps were silent and her shoes dangled from her fingers. She’d just give them a little rest and make sure to have them back in place before Stella’s debut.

Glancing down the hallway, her eyes fell on the spot where she had caught Tecna and Riven earlier. She still couldn’t get over that! When had that happened? Had the signs been there all along? Thinking about it for a second, her mouth dropped as she realized that the answer to the question was ‘yes’.

When she had returned, Bloom had found that a lot had changed and that one of these things was that Tecna had become much more reclusive. She didn’t hang out with the girls as much, and she went off into town alone more often. Then there was Riven. He had left Red Fountain, but now suddenly he was back, almost as if someone had convinced him to return. And then there was earlier at the party! Tecna had been all reluctant to go speak with Riven with Bloom around, but she had hung back with him after she had left. That must have been when they set up their little tryst. It all made sense! Of course Riven wouldn’t mind keeping it quiet, probably by Tecna’s request, because what about Timmy? He and Tecna had never officially dated or anything, but it was obvious that they liked each other. Another thing that had ended in her missing memories. But more importantly, there was Musa, and Bloom felt this was the sole reason for the secrecy. She and Riven had never officially dated either, but there had been something there for sure and friends don’t date the guys their friends like. Tecna probably felt guilty and didn’t want to hurt Musa, and that’s why she hid it.

It all made perfect sense! Except for the fact that she was talking about Tecna here. It was all so very un-Tecna like. People change, though.

“It’s none of my business... at least not tonight,” Bloom said to herself. She knew there was no way she could keep from talking to Tecna about it, but not tonight. Tonight was Stella’s night. Slipping back inside, she positioned herself against the wall to wait. Keeping the shoes concealed behind her back, she kept her head lowered hoping to just be ignored. Without Sky, and with her current mood, she preferred her dance card just stay empty.

[Sky]

Watching for a moment as Riven disappeared into the crowd, Sky then began to fight his way through it as well - going in the opposite direction, of course. First things first: track down Brandon. He hated to interrupt whatever tryst his friend doubtlessly had going with Stella, but Sky figured that this situation was more pressing. And what was more, if they managed to thwart an attack by the wizard on Stella or her father, Sky had a feeling that Brandon would be grateful to have been pulled out of his girlfriend's arms.

Now, then, the only question left to be asked: where the heck were Stella's chambers?