A/N: Well, the good news is that I am officially done with my sophomore year in college, and now have a glorious summer ahead of me. Incidentally, this didn't take as long to update as the last theme did (which, again, I profusely apologize for), and I hope you guys like it. Enjoy!
"…": characters talking to each other
'…': characters talking to themselves
(…): extra facts about something in the story
(Takes place after "Soul Specter")
Theme 7: Fight
Rootcore, November 23, 2006, 5:00 PM – Briarwood, CA, USA
"Where are you going, Xander?" Vida asked, her eyes moving from her magical text to look at Xander, who had put away his magical books and was preparing to leave Rootcore.
Xander smiled at Vida and said, "Why, I have to go and get ready for my date, of course." He winked at her and began to move closer to the steps, obviously thinking that what he had just said was a sufficient answer.
Vida rolled her eyes and, getting to her feet walked after Xander and pulled on his cloak, causing him to scream out as he lost his balance and almost fell down the stairs. Xander managed to grab the railing to stop himself from falling and turned around to glare at Vida, who was standing at the bottom of the stairs, arms crossed and glaring back at him.
"What was that for Vida? I almost fell and ruined my perfect complexion!" Xander exclaimed, choosing to jump down the stairs so that he was directly in front of Vida. This exclamation drew the attention of the other three rangers, all of whom had been studying incantations and languages at the small circular table that held their mystical representations engraved on its surface.
"Problem is, Xander, that you promised Udonna you'd stay and study your incantations with us for the rest of the night and yet here you are ditching us to go on some date with a ditzy, blonde girl; did I get the physical description right?" Vida snapped at Xander, pleased to see that a small blush had made its way onto his face, signaling that she had indeed gotten the girl's description right.
Xander decided to not take this crap and said so. "I don't have to stay and take this! I have a date in an hour with a hot chick and unlike you guys I actually keep my original plans and don't move everything around so that I can fit in time studying incantations that none of us will ever master, not including the knight-in-training over there!" Xander glared at Vida again while motioning at Chip, who was frantically signaling that he wanted to be kept out of any and all arguments between the two rangers. After a minute of the two rangers glaring at each other, Xander moved to leave Rootcore but Vida stopped him again; this time it was her words that did it.
"Sure… Xander the Great thinks he's all knowing and therefore doesn't have to study the building blocks to our powers. Do you really want to be so unprepared that when you're needed you fail and have to watch as the world comes to an end and the only person to blame will be you?" By this time, Vida had moved so that she was in front of Xander, who had turned to glare at her again. Vida pushed her finger into Xander's chest and added, "You're an arrogant, egotistical pig and it's a wonder that anyone who agrees to go out with you actually goes through the whole ritual. Personally, I think that your bimbos should just leave you in the middle of the damn dates; at least then you'd maybe learn something about not being an ass and learning to be a gentleman!"
Xander snorted and shot back, "Yeah? Don't we sound all high and mighty, Miss I-have-the-Perfect-Life-because-I've-hardened-my-heart-to-everything-and-everyone? Come on Vida; don't you think that what you're telling me should really apply to you? Hell, when you put your mind to it you're a bigger flirt than I am and you sure as hell aren't a lady!"
Vida glared at Xander and opened her mouth to retort but Xander cut her off by adding, "Besides, it's not my fault that you hide behind a punk-princess façade to protect yourself from feeling anything besides love for Maddie!"
"Do not bring Madison into this!" Vida screeched, moving closer so that it appeared to the other rangers and Clare, who had run out when the yelling began that their noses were touching; even though Xander was taller than Vida by a few inches. "Madison has nothing to do with this!"
Xander glared at Vida and replied, "Sure she doesn't; thought I'd just make the point that Madison's the only one whom you even let in anymore. By the way, tell me, how was that hayride with Brenan Jones a year ago on Halloween, huh? Did it end nicely or did it end with him leaving you in the middle and yelling over his shoulder that you were a bitch?"
Madison gasped and quickly covered her mouth while Chip turned white at Xander's comment; Nick and Clare looked shocked at this, but none were more shocked than Vida. She closed her mouth and, breathing deeply replied, "You know, you're right, Xander. It's none of my damn business what goes on in your life, but that doesn't give you the right to reveal something like that without my permission. You know what; do what you want. I'm out." Vida shook her head and, using her wand closed up the books and brought her backpack over to her and, pushing past Xander left Rootcore, leaving a stunned silence behind her.
Xander blew out the air he had been holding and, realizing what he had just said cursed and hit his head. Wheeling around Xander yelled out Vida's name and ran out of Rootcore to apologize for his words, but by the time he exited the dragon's mouth she was gone.
