Fairy Turned Specialist

Chapter 5

Black Mud Swamp

Ember was going to lose her mind if Riven acted like a complete idiot one more time. They had been bringing the troll back to Magix when something had hit their spacecraft and they had crash-landed in Black Mud Swamp. And to make matters worse, the troll had disappeared, leaving his handcuffs behind. Bloom, Stella, Tecna, Flora, and Musa had been the first ones to arrive on the scene and ask if they were ok. Ember had noticed some slight chemistry between Musa and Riven and smiled slightly. Seconds later, Ember was glaring at him though, wondering how he could act like such a jerk! It was infuriating! When Riven said that the girls should leave it to the Specialists and started being rude to Stella and Sky, Ember was very tempted to hit him. The guy just had no respect for other people, it drove her crazy! The guys started to go look for the troll and she waved bye to the girls to help track the troll down before it hurt someone. She made sure to stay away from Amaryl, who had bullied her last year.

Ember wasn't the only one who cursed when they got tied up by plants, Riven could curse almost as foully as she could. "Timmy, please stop yelling. No one can think when you're doing that." She reprimanded him, and he stopped just as the girls came into view, whispering amongst themselves. Riven demanded to know why they were whispering and Musa told him off, and Ember grinned as he shut up. Interesting. Flora freed them from the plants and Ember thanked her, rolling her eyes when Riven was less than thankful. She did however, hit him when he said that he refused to team up with fairies. "Remember that I used to be a fairy, you idiot." She said and glared at him and he rolled his eyes.

"Whatever, you quit just because your boyfriend hurt your feelings." He sneered, and the girls gasped, the other guys glaring at him. She couldn't think of anything to say and kept walking, only pausing to take several calming breaths when they couldn't see her. So, he had been listening to the rumors circling. She just had to work harder and do her best to ignore them. She didn't exactly have another choice.

Ember almost screamed in rage when Riven started verbally attacking the other members of the team but was still trying to figure out what to say to him about earlier. The mission was getting more complicated and she hoped the team wouldn't self-destruct. She wondered for the millionth time why he couldn't say thank you after he was saved from getting dragged into the whirlpool.

They had finally found the troll and Ember was helping the girls distract the troll so they boys could capture it again when the handcuffs were accidentally put on Timmy and the troll escaped again. She glared at Amaryl as the unkind fairy laughed in Ember's teammate's faces and the group separated for a little while to think. "Ember, what did Riven mean when he said you quit just because your boyfriend hurt your feelings?" Flora asked, and Ember sighed. She had had a feeling this would come up.

"I found my boyfriend cheating on me with another fairy. I let my emotions take over me and my own magic overpowered me and turned on me. I spent months in the hospital wing and even after I came out, I was still injured. A bunch of fairies, including Amaryl, mocked me and bullied me. I couldn't be a fairy with my powers gone so I decided to become a better Specialist than my ex and so far, its been working. You're the first person I've actually told the truth to, other than the teachers at Alfea." Ember finished, feeling uncomfortable and Flora enveloped her in a hug, not saying anything and that was enough.

Ember smiled and felt relieved when Sky and Riven called a truce. It was easy to forget that Riven was an ok guy sometimes but then he would remind her, and she would wonder how she had forgotten.

"I can sense the negative energy too, it's recent." Ember said, adding to Bloom and Tecna's observations and the guys stared at her. "What? Just because I don't have magic anymore doesn't mean I can't sense magic anymore." She said defensively and looked at the girls curiously as they found feathers from Icy's duck.

Ember and the guys waved bye to the girls as they left in the fixed aircraft and headed back to Red Fountain, Ember leaning by the door and thinking. When the guys went to give their report, Riven asked her to wait so he could talk to her. She sighed but did as he asked. For once, he didn't look arrogant and that surprised her. "I shouldn't have said those mean things to you back at the swamp. I'm sorry." She blinked in surprise then nodded.

"Everything you said was true. Have you ever had a broken heart, Riven? Believe me, it hurts. I'm determined to best him and I will." She said and went to go train, leaving Riven staring after her

Kay glared at Riven as he stared after Ember, who was walking away, oblivious as always. "Stay away from her, you pest. She's mine and not you or anyone else, is going to take her from me."