A meadow with nothing but flowers as far as the eye can see. The night sky that lit up with twinkling stars and a beautiful full moon. That was the sight she woke up to.
How long had she been here?
Were Zero and the others alright?
When was she going to wake up?
"Chiara..."
That voice...
Chiara immediately jolted up from the bed of flowers she laid on. Looking up she saw two giant beasts flying in synch across the night sky. The white one with golden markings and violet eyes...was Argant. The dragon of light.
Argant was calmly flying side by side with another dragon. This one was mostly black with blue markings and amber eyes. They were casting spells at each other but in a playful manner. It was a fun and peaceful sight to see.
However, the scene around her soon changed. In place of the flowery meadow was a wasteland. The smoke from the red and black flames polluted the once refreshing air and strained her vision.
In the redden sky Argant was flying at lightning speed while dodging orbs of darkness casted by the black dragon. Its blue markings were now blood red as its even scaly skin grew spikes.Gone were their playful banter as Argant desperately tried to avoid all of the black dragon's deadly blows while casting her own counter attack spells.
Chiara who was witnessing all of it suddenly had her vision blinded by the thick black smoke. The next thing she knew, she found herself right infront of....her home. Or what's left of it...
"I was hoping that this day would never come..." A voice solemnly echoed around her. Chiara recognised that voice...it was Argant's! But she couldn't spot the dragon anywhere.
"Now that he has returned, I fear the multiverse will be in grave peril...Fairy of my light, return to your dimension as soon as you can. For the answers to vanquish the evil lie within where your enchantix was achieved..." said Argant.
"The magic...dimension? Bu-but how?"
"...Sacrificing yourself for your friends allowed you to evolve out of your ultra shell and unlock a new power that was not yet completed..."
Chiara's bracelet started glowing brightly as streaks of light encircled it. With it, she felt a immense power flow through her veins.
"....But through your strong will and refusal to back down for the man dear to your heart has now fulfilled that incompleteness..."
The dragon's light silhouette then manifested under her feet. Its wings were spread wide as bubbles of light arose surrounded the fairy.
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"This is the power of...Ultrix..."
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The days since Armadus's attack passed by in a blur. Thankfully they were able to get Chiara back to the Land of Light in time to treatment for the darkness that nearly consumed her heart.
Afterwards,she experienced extreme fatigue and had to rest in the hospital. Chiara was so tired that she struggled to stay awake anytime someone visited. The best she could do was 10 minutes before passing out again. Even so, she still tried to wake up anytime she sensed someone enter. And that was because there was a certain ultra that she hoped to see.
She hadn't seen Zero since expelling Armadus from him. According to everyone that dropped by while she was conscious, Zero visited her first chance he got. But it was always when she was asleep. Also with the Armadus problem on their hands, the chances weren't much.
That is until one day. Chiara had gotten better so she was cleared to return to her own place, with the exception that she takes it easy for the next few days. While she was hospitalised, the urge to go star gazing arose in her. So what's the first thing she does when steps out of Silver Cross? Especially since it's nightfall?
Sitting at the edge of a tall building, Chiara witnessed day slowly become night accompanied by the twinkling stars that lit up the night sky. They were indeed beautiful.
As she was admiring the stars,her attention then shifted to her bracelet. After the dream she experienced while she was hospitalized, Chiara found that her bracelet underwent a complete change.
From purple in became gold and silver with five purple gems encrusted into it in a horizontal line. When she first woke up, only one gem was glowing. And now four out of the five were lit up. She didn't know what it meant. Chiara tried getting it checked with Hikari and the results were all scrambled. That is to be expected since it's magic after all. Science and magic didn't really mix well.
Although faint, the power that she felt from it was the same as she felt in her dream. Winx, Enchantix, Sirenix, apparently fairy forms always end with an 'ix'. So did Ultrix come with a new form? What was Ultrix exactly?
Argant said she needed to return to yhe magic dimension. But Chiara had been trying to find a way since getting her memories back and to no vail. Could Ultrix help her somehow? What would happen if the last gem on her bracelet glowed?
Just then, she sensed a presence coming from behind her followed by a thud. Without looking back, she knew who it was. Turning around, a smile big plastered her face when she laid eyes on the ultra.
"Zero!"
"Hey. Heard you were feelin better." Zero said as he walked over to her.
"Yeah! I've been stuck in bed for so long it feels so good to fly and stretch my magic."Chiara beamed. She then leaped into the air while her hands trickled with magic.
Watching Chiara joyfully swim in the air, then slowing down to gaze at the stars, made him feel warm and at ease.
It was hard to admit but the truth is he had fallen for her. It took Chiara almost dying again for him to realize it.
But then he wondered, just when...when did he start liking her? Their first meeting instantly came to mind.
In her amnesiac state, he noticed that she looked confused, scared and...lonely.
Because of the years he spent under Master Leo's harsh training, and before that being parentless while having a hard time getting along with his peers, he understood the feeling well. On the other hand, Chiara suffered through hostility and rejection in a place that hated her for what she was. And the aftermath of it continued to haunt her. Even when she had no memories, the fear, sadness and loneliness, although subtle, were there.
He guessed that's what made him pay attention to her in the first place. It was their common association with loneliness.
But that was only just the beginning. The more time he spent with her the more he... fell for her. Everyone knew except him. Seriously, he was the last one to know about his own feelings. Who does that?(*cough*a lot of people do*cough*)
Though he could understand why a lot of people liked her. Be it memories or no memories, Chiara always brighten up someone's day. She had the strength, courage, kindness and every good qualities a warrior should have. As long as there was hope, Chiara would grasp it and never let go. Just like she did with him...
"Are you doing alright, Zero?" Chiara suddenly asked as she placed a hand on his.
"Pssh,of course I am. Why wouldn't I be? I should be asking you that." He answered then pulled away his hand, immediately missing the comfort and warmth he felt felt from hers. Chiara however just smiled softly.
"I know. You're Zero after all. Strong, brave, hard headed, basically every villains worst nightmare." Her tone sounded teasing yet genuine.
"Well, you're right on that one. I am their worst nightmare." Zero jokingly boasted which made them both share a laugh.
"That ultra is dead..."
Chiara shuddered remembering what Armadus had said to her. Back then, all she wanted to do was bring him back the moment she knew his light was still there. Even if it meant her own life.
Due to her past relationship with Nightwing, she feared falling in love again. But she was more afraid of the regret that came when she thought Zero was no more. Now that they're both here and alive, Chiara refused to waste the chance she had now.
"Zero...what Nightwing and those people put me through did a lot of damage to me. But later I realised that I shouldn't let it hold me back from moving forward." Chiara said sincerely. This is it. She could do it. She knows she can.
Back then, there were so many uncertainties with the vigilante. Nightwing was the one who made the first move. In a place that hated her for her, she paid dearly for trusting his false feelings.
Now however was different. Unlike that universe, this was a place where everybody accepted her for who she is. They believed in her and helped her remember how to love herself again. And she had plenty of time to think about her feelings.
Taking a deep breath,she started,
"You-you make me happy Zero. Nightwing never made me feel the way you make me feel. And what I feel for you is something I never felt for him. Wha-what I want to say is..."
While she was trying to get the words out, Chiara failed to notice that the last gem on her bracelet lit up.
Just as she was about to admit her feelings, the bracelet began to shine. Suddenly, Chiara couldn't feel the ground beneath her feet. To both their alarm, she was disappearing into sparkles. Her legs had already vanished and the rest of her continued fading.
"Chiara!" Yelled the ultra infront of her. Zero grasped her hands in an attempt to hold on to her.
"I-I'll think of something. Just hold on a little longer!" He stammered. But what could be done when she's literally fading away with each passing second?
Then a thought suddenly crossed her mind. Could this be...
Even if it was only a hunch,the fact still remains that she's vanishing to who knows where. Chiara wasted no time and instantly held Zero's Ultimate Bracelet.
"Whatever happens to me, wherever I may end up, I hope you can find me. And I'll try to find my way back to you guys too."
He wanted to say something but was silenced by the distress and tears in her eyes. At the same time he could feel Chiara channeling in her power into his Ultimate Bracelet before her hands disappeared into sparkles as well.
"Zero...I..."
Keep moving forward and don't be a prisoner of the past she reminded herself.
"...I like you!"
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When she came to, Chiara heard many familiar voices around.
"She's..she's alive!"
"Where's she been all this time?"
"Take it easy girls. We don't know what she's been through."
"Shhh! She's waking up!"
Slowly opening her eyes, she could hardly believe what she was seeing.
"...Winx?"