Plotting

[Tune]

Tune fluffed the pillow on the floor near Stella's bed and glanced up at the other fairies and pixies. "So, as much as I hate disobeying rules, are we going down to Shadowhaunt to rescue Sky, Flora and the seer?" she asked, taking a sip of her tea as she watched the others.

"And if we are going, when are we leaving?"

[Belle]

"We're coming with you," Belle said, popping up from behind Layla. "Eros and I are coming. No questions asked. Our partners need us." She gave a dainty sneeze and snuggled close to Layla. "Just how do we snap our friends out of Darkar's control?"

[Musa]

''We must go and rescue everyone quickly...'' Musa thought of her friends and the pixies. And Riven. Where was Riven anyways? She couldn't think of anything that could snap Flora and Sky out of Darkar's control, but she wasn't going to give up.

[Belle]

"So, should we leave now? But we need a plan," Belle said, biting her lower lip. She snuggled closer to Layla - nearly becoming part of Layla's leg. She sneezed again, and hastily wiped away a faint line of blood from the corner of her mouth. Her partner needed her - no questions asked.

[Musa]

''Hum... I think that we need a plan first... Getting in there is probably very dangerous... Musa said, looking at the pixie. ''So I would say as soon as we have a plan... And we have to come with one...'' Musa was still trying to think of something. ''So, first, how could we get in there...'' She thought aloud.

[Layla]

Layla sat on a chair, her legs folded beneath her, as she idly twiddled her thumbs. From a distance she appeared the picture of serenity, but up close it was clear that a worried frown had cast a gloomy shadow over her face. Sighing, Layla shook her head as she replied quietly, "It's not going to be easy getting into Darkar's castle. I mean, Shadowhaunt . . . it's full of dark magic. From the moment we step foot in it, our magic will continually grow more weak until we can barely function. In other words, we need a plan. Going in there without one is a death warrant for us fairies."

[Stella]

Stella flicked her hair over her shoulder in clear irritation. "Well, of course we need a plan, Layla; I've been saying that for a long time now. So let's move past that, okay? We all get it. So instead of repeating that over and over again, can we actually start to think up one? I mean, that is the only way we'll actually be able to help Flora."

[Belle]

Belle nodded. "Plans are good. Just how do we reach Flora and Sky?" she asked. "When we get there and all." She bit her lower lip. "But... Darkar has a seer... Won't he know that we're coming?"

[Stella]

Stella grimaced at the mention of the seer as she remarked in pure frustration, "You know, whoever this seer is, she is really ruining our chances of getting Flora out of Darkar's clutches." Grumbling to herself, she muttered, "I bet if Tecna was here she'd rattle off some calculation to show that I'm right."

Speaking again to the group that was congregating in her room, Stella continued, "I swear, if she reveals our plan to that creep if we ever get around to actually making one, I'll throttle her."

[Belle]

Belle gave a slow blink blink, before saying anything. "You'd strangle my partner?" she asked, blinking her brown eyes. "But maybe she won't. Hopefully he won't make her reveal anything."

[Layla]

Layla glared at Stella before turning to Belle to give her a warm smile. Softly, she replied, "Of course Stella wouldn't do that; she's just worried about Flora and isn't thinking about what's coming out of her mouth. Isn't that right, Stella?" At this, Layla gave her friend a pointed look that clearly said for her to watch what she was saying around the sensitive pixies.

[Musa]

Musa looked at Stella and sighed. She looked also at Layla, then at Belle and said: ''We are all worried... About our friends, what could happen.... ''

And she added, not very loudly as if she was talking to herself: ''The plan... The plan... First we need to get in there... It would be better if we didn't... Loose lot's of energy right away... We also could use some help...''

[Eros]

Eros tilted his head. "Maybe we could ask the Specialists if they'd help. I'm sure they'd want to get Sky back." He coughed a bit and sneezed before curling up next to Layla. "Do you think we can get our partners back unharmed?"

[Stella]

Feeling more than a bit cross, Stella pushed herself off her bed and went to stand in the middle of the room. "Hel-lo, people, in order to get Sky and Flora back safely you know one of these days we're actually going to have to go to Shadowhaunt. And before we can go there we need a plan. So let's get cracking, okay? Since no one else is making suggestions, I'll start. It's already a given that we'll need the boys' help so scratch that off our list of things to discuss. What we need is a way to get into Darkar's castle without, you know, dying. I propose we go in one of Red Fountain's ships. They're pretty big and sturdy, right? So they'll offer at least some protection . . ."

[Layla]

Layla gritted her teeth as she gave Stella a tight smile. As much as she loved the rest of her friends, sometimes she just couldn't love Stella. It wasn't that she hated her per se . . . it was just that sometimes Stella just didn't help matters with her agitated screeching. Rubbing her temples, Layla sighed. "Okay, so say we get into Shadowhaunt . . . what then? Yeah, it's going to be hard to find a way in without getting hurt, but it's going to be even more difficult to actually find a way to get through to Sky and Flora. I think that's what we need to concentrate on - you know, how we're going to convince our friends that Darkar is controlling them."