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Post by Demeter on Mar 1, 2006 21:09:51 GMT -5
"Why would I want to fight you?" Flora asked. "Currently I have no quarrel with you. The good professor, yes," she said. "You, no. Unless you want there to be a quarrel. Oh, and as for your hero," she said, before gesturing to the beast by the lake. "We had a little hero once but he's all fuzzy now."
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Post by Stella on Mar 1, 2006 21:20:01 GMT -5
Stella gave a short bark of laughter when she heard Flora say that she had a quarrel to settle with the professor, not hearing the part about Brandon. "With him? You've got to be kidding me, Flora! I mean . . . why? Because he isn't returning your puppy-dog looks? Because he isn't declaring his love for you? Hel-lo - you're a student, he's your teacher. Even I realize that in some cases attraction has its limits." Momentarily forgetting that the Flora standing before her wasn't the real Flora - at least not entirely - Stella laughed as she added, "Go find Helia - he's head over heels in love with you; I'm sure he'd love to have you return his affections. Besides, he's much better looking than," Stella paused as she cast a covert glance at the professor, and then whispered, "you know who."
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Post by Demeter on Mar 2, 2006 8:11:21 GMT -5
"Poor deluded Stella," Flora sneered. "This isn't because he didn't return my love," she said with an offended sniff. "It's because he's too much trouble for my master's plans. He is quite the spellcaster and Darkar wouldn't be happy if that elf interfered."
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Post by Stella on Mar 4, 2006 19:47:11 GMT -5
"Oh, come off of it, Flora! You're telling me that you honestly think that that overgrown arthropod is your master?! The real you would never say that - so I can only do one thing - something our dear professor won't even do because he's too worried about his own butt," Stella said in irritation. "I'm going to show you the light!" Throwing back her head, Stella let out a loud call as she lifted her ring of Solaria toward the sky, "Sun Powerrrrrrr!"
Thus transformed, her staff in her hand, Stella said determinedly, "When I'm through with you, Flora, you're going to be so full of light that all of Darkar's magic won't be enough to make you evil!"
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Post by Palladium on Mar 4, 2006 20:00:38 GMT -5
Feeling mildly offended by Stella's comment, Palladium pushed it aside, knowing that foremost, his duty was to protect his students - and right now, he knew he had to act fast because Stella was treading on thin ice. He had to admire her for caring so much about her friend to risk her own safety, but Palladium knew that she was being too ambitious and naive - there was no way that Stella could know what kind of magic she was dealing with.
Calmly, Palladium spoke to Stella. "Call off your attack. You're not strong enough to take them down."
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Post by Stella on Mar 4, 2006 20:06:58 GMT -5
"What?" Stella spat incredulously. "Are you crazy? Do you actually expect me to just stand here and do nothing? Because I'm not!" Passionately, she continued, "Flora is my friend; I'm not sure what that means to you but this is what it means to me: when she needs me, I'm there. Guess what? Right now she needs me. And guess what? I'm going to fight for her. You can't stop me, Professor. Not at a time like this. So unless you're going to help me or unless you're going to actually do something yourself, I'm going to fight. Call me naive, call me stupid, I don't care; I'm going to give it everything I've got. And I'm going to win."
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Post by Palladium on Mar 4, 2006 20:24:17 GMT -5
Grimly, Palladium shook his head. "No, Stella. No you won't."
Turning to Flora, his shield still glowing strongly around him, Palladium spoke steadily, "You said that you do not have a quarrel with Stella; if that is so, let her go unharmed. And remove the curse you laid upon Brandon and let him go free as well. Then, we will settle this - just you, me, and," tilting his head toward Darkar, Palladium finished, "him."
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Post by Stella on Mar 4, 2006 20:39:32 GMT -5
At the mention of Brandon's name, Stella whipped her attention toward Palladium, "Cursed? Say what?" Quickly scanning the area, Stella gasped when her eyes fell on a beast who she suddenly realized was none other than Brandon. "Cupcake!" she cried out in horror. "I-I . . ."
Whirling around to face Flora, Stella's eyes narrowed in fury, "Why you little . . . how dare you do this to my Brandon!" Pointing her staff at Flora, she spoke evenly, "That's it - you're going down. No one messes with my cupcake and gets away with it."
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Post by Demeter on Mar 4, 2006 20:47:47 GMT -5
Flora tilted her head cutely as she thought, purposely drawing it out, mainly to irritated the good professor. "I wasn't planning on fighting the goody-goody princess," she drawled, lazily. "And his spell's easy to break. True love's kiss and all that stomach turning cuteness."
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Post by Stella on Mar 4, 2006 20:58:22 GMT -5
Stella eyed Flora suspiciously as she slowly lowered her staff and inched over to where Brandon was lying. "A kiss, you say?" Stella asked, her brow furrowed as she tried to weigh the probability of it being a trap - unfortunately, she was no Tecna. She'd just have to take the witch's word as detestable as that may be. Crouching down next to Brandon, Stella gave him a warm smile, barely noticing his current state as a beast. Leaning in she gave him a loving kiss, and then sat back on the balls of her feet, waiting.
After a few moments of tense anticipation, Stella's face relaxed and was replaced with pure happiness as she saw Brandon slowly transform back into his human form. Throwing her arms around him, Stella buried her face against his neck as she whispered inaudibly, "I never doubted that we were soul-mates, but now that I have proof, I'm never going to let you go. Never - got that? Never."
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Post by Demeter on Mar 4, 2006 22:09:24 GMT -5
Flora bit back the urge to gag at the scene. Well, the dark Flora that is. The Flora that was Stella's friend rejoiced at the scene - but that Flora was locked away, lost behind a tightly blocked wall.
"So, professor, shall we finish this?" she asked blandly.
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Post by Palladium on Mar 4, 2006 22:41:04 GMT -5
Palladium nodded curtly in response. "And how do you wish to settle this? I am not particularly picky - although I do have one condition. It is this: if we fight, I wish it to be only you and me. No one else. Not any other students," at this Palladium looked pointedly at Stella, "and not Darkar. The only magic we can use is that which we have within ourselves. Agreed?"
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Post by Demeter on Mar 4, 2006 22:45:03 GMT -5
"Sounds fine to me, Professor," she drawled, watching him closely. "Who's to make the first move?" She smiled to herself, having felt Darkar's presence in her mind, telling her of a lovely source of magic that was untouched by Alfea and relatively unprotected by Red Fountain - who didn't know that a seer was in their midst.
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Post by Palladium on Mar 4, 2006 22:53:57 GMT -5
Always honorable, Palladium held his hand up for a moment to silence Flora. "Before we begin, I too must be free from all other magic that does not originate from within me." Closing his eyes, Palladium nodded slightly, knowing what he had to do. As he opened his eyes, and trained his gaze on Flora, the orange glow around himself from the protection spell Cora had placed on him slowly faded away until it was completely gone.
Quietly, Palladium spoke, "Now, we can begin." After a moment's more pause, he continued, "Ladies first."
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Post by Demeter on Mar 4, 2006 22:59:21 GMT -5
Flora's golden eyes closed and she whispered something so faint that he couldn't hear it. And if he could, he wouldn't be able to make heads or tails of it. Vines exploded from the ground, thorns covering every inch of the vines. Her golden eyes opened and she watched the vines rush to tear the good professor to shreds.
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