Chapter 9
"Ready for today's entertainment?" Riven teased with an amused smirk.
"Entertainment? Do they lose that often?" Cari asked with an arched brow, waiting as Timmy set up the training room for Aiden's team.
"Actually they haven't lost yet. But they don't win in the way they should, they get by just using brute force or pure luck instead of teamwork." Riven replied "But the entertainment is all in how they respond to each other. They try to completely avoid each other and when they do fight in the same vicinity they only look out for themselves but get this… when they are blindsided they blame the others for not protecting them. It's similar to how my twins blame each other when they break things." The professor snickered.
Cari giggled at the image, but her curiosity grew… 'How well, will Aiden and his new team fair in Timmy's virtual simulator?' She picked a tricky one for them, where they would have to rely on the trust and abilities of each other in order to succeed within the time limit; this mission will need both stealth and strength, but mainly team work. Sure, it can be completed as a free for all but it will result in failing the time limit requirement.
"I'm surprised that you didn't come to see Aiden practice sooner, Cari. Is there a reason why you've watched other freshman teams first in the last couple weeks?" Timmy asked as he completed the set up and began the timer. They all watched from the control room as the three specialists began the training session.
"I would only see his if it wouldn't cause suspicions. Holding back is harder than I thought…" Cari frowned.
"How so?" Timmy asked
"Well since, publicly, we just met… I can't show I know him more than I do. So there are things I can't do even when I really want to. Like when Aiden told me he got assigned his new team members I wanted to meet them that same day but why would a random fairy want to meet a specific group of freshies all of a sudden. I didn't want my selfishness to blow his cover so I thought I would have to wait and hope I eventually meet them or even see them work together."
"That must be hard. Come to think of it, didn't they already move in together? The headmaster must be sure about this match-up then… Wait, weren't you leaving him stuff every morning? how are you dealing with that?" Timmy asked.
"Honestly, I was relieved when they moved into his apartment… he wasn't alone anymore… though I wish he had told me earlier." Cari said slightly annoyed at the memory.
Riven started laughing "Hey it's not funny!" she snapped at the magenta-haired professor.
"No, no you're right… it isn't funny…" Riven agreed, pausing in his laughter. "It's hilarious!" he finished as his laughter picked up again.
"What are you guys talking about?" Timmy asked as Cari threateningly narrowed her eyes at her teacher.
Sigh. "Aiden didn't tell me his new team moved in with him when they did. So I assumed they hadn't moved in yet, especially since Aiden hadn't found the right team yet. I mean he was moved to his own apartment because he was bouncing from team to team; there was no point in him staying with a team he wasn't going to be a part of after all. Anyway, like every normal day, I went to drop off his little morning gift." Cari turned her eyes to focus on the monitors, not wanting to see the teasing smirks on her uncle's faces. "The only problem that day was… Mallori caught me…" a slight blush crept on her face as she heard Riven's howling laughter.
"That's it? What's so bad about that?" Timmy asked once he could be heard over his friend.
"Yes Cari, explain to Timmy why that's so badddd…" Riven teasingly said.
Cari shot him a glare before answering "He thought the gift was my way of… confessing my NON-existent feelings for him…" she mumbled looking to the monitors again.
It was Timmy's turn to laugh, not as much as Riven, but enough to embarrass the fairy more. "Well, it could've been worse… he could've found out what you two really are to each other." Timmy said with pursed lips, obviously forcing his laughter down.
"I guess… but when I told him it wasn't for him he figured out it was for Aiden and now he thinks I'm dating my brother."
"Well, that might work out for him, now that I think about it." Cari arched a brow at Riven, who just shrugged. "He is pretty popular with the girls. I hear they have been bothering him a lot since the party at Alfea. If he's already 'taken' then they might back off and finally give him some peace."
"Hmm… Maybe that is a good idea. I don't mind being a target, especially if Aiden can get some peace and quiet. But if he is as popular as you say… then his annoying fan-girls might cause me some problems..." Cari voiced out loud.
"You mean girls still take out their 'competition'? I thought this generation has evolved from that." Riven wondered
"Nope, we are still stupid brats just like your old generation." The fairy replied as she stuck her tongue out at him. "Since no one has bothered me I guess no one has assumed that… yet."
"Well, do go easy on them if they corner you behind the gym, or whatever." Riven said with a snicker.
"Psh, like they would even try. Most Alfea fairies are soft and only rely on their magic. They wouldn't dare come after me without it… well at least not on school grounds... Sigh. But I will still need to ask Aiden what he wants to do if people do start thinking that way. He might not like the idea of having his fan club targeting me." Cari said
"Why not? Is he worried your might get carried away?" Timmy asked
"It's not that. Since I got my Enchantix he's been a bit more… I guess attentive and supportive around me lately. I think this time just really shook him up. Can't really blame him, I was a bit… careless that day. And with Masina out there, he knows I will do everything in my power to find her. So, knowing him he wouldn't want to add to my already heavy 'load'." She finished with air quotes.
"But until you find a clue to her location I'm glad you decided to help me in training these first years." Riven said with a wink.
"You know I'm still not too excited about it, but it was the only way I knew I could watch and help Aiden practice without people asking questions." Cari grumbled. "So thanks for letting me use you, old man." She teased, before he could reply Timmy said:
"O so that's why it took you so long to see Aiden's team in action."
"Yup, I figured I couldn't just suddenly single out his team. Someone would ask why sooner or later. That's when I thought of Riven- he is always helping you with these training sessions, and he's been bugging me to help too. So, I figured: if I was 'helping him' with training these freshies, then I will be able to help Aiden while still keeping his secret. Though now I'm wondering if I should've found another way: I didn't think it would be this much work… I need to actually pay attention to everything these freshies do." She turned to Riven before continuing. "And I don't know how you, of all people, have so much patience for this." Cari said shaking her head.
"That's a good point." Timmy started with a smirk. "He was never patient or willing to help others during our school years. Always the grumpy Specialist."
Riven reached over and slapped the back of his head- just hard enough to sting- before turning to the giggling fairy. "You'll get used to it. And the feeling you get when they become great helps too." Riven said with a wink. "Besides I know you secretly love it."
"I don't know about 'loving' it, but it could be worse. But right now it's worth to see Aiden's team work… speaking of which: you guys see what I see right?" Cari said as she pointed to the monitors with a smile.
"Well, some stuff makes sense now… but they still suck in their teamwork and so far nothing I have told them has stuck. They might not be as compatible as we thought…" Riven said as he pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration.
"With their personalities I wouldn't listen to an old man like you either." Cari said with a teasing smile.
"Well, I'm sure they would listen to an old man more than a pretty little fairy." He teased back.
"Probably, but I know ways of getting my point across." Cari smirked "But first tell me all you know on Mallori and Calleo, they seem to have curious stories."
Riven shrugged before turning to the computer and pulling up the team's file for Cari see. She quickly read through the basic summary on the first page of each Specialist, not caring so much about the medical or school details.
Aiden
First year
Age: 16
Realm: Earth
Position: Mid/close range Attacker, Defender
Weapons: Double-edge Phantoblade, shield
History/Notes: Blade has invisibility capabilities. Extremely fast, with exceptional reflexes. Good analytical skills and has promise for a leadership position.
She smirked when she saw that Aiden used their Grandma Vanessa's Earth address. 'Clever.'
Prince Calleo
Second year
Age: 18
Realm: Cosmosia - Second Prince
Position: Mid/long range Attacker, tactician
Weapons: Curved Phantoblade, Bow and plasma-arrows
History/Notes: Transfer student. Was a third year in previous school, but circumstances resulted in enrollment as a second-year student. Top scores across the board, specializes in archery and is a highly skilled tactician.
Mallori
Second year
Age: 18
Realm: Dolona
Position: Front Attacker, infiltrator
Weapons: Twin phantoblades, poison needles
History/Notes: Previously had private tutors. Recommended as second year, instead of third, because of private schooling. Highly skilled in stealth and infiltration. Vast knowledge in poisons.
After she finished reading she turned back to Riven. "How were they in their previous teams?"
"Well, Calleo has amazing memory and can recall almost every minute detail of any mission specs. He is patient and a very likable person, guess that comes with being raised as a prince and all. But there were complaints of him being aloof and some insubordination. Seems he had some trouble following the team leader's orders. At times he would divert from set mission plans without warning, disappearing in the middle of battle just to suddenly reappear again. When he would reappear, the reasons always differed: appearing to give the finishing blow, to say he had already completed the mission, or when his teammates finished the mission without him. The headmaster never really punished him. When I asked him why he would always say 'no one was physically harmed, he just needs time to find his way…' Never understood that, but he was right in the fact that no one was ever hurt. Even with the lack of a vital member everything would flow flawlessly for some reason or another, guess luck is always on his side. Unfortunately, since no one could trust him to always cover his position, became the main reason he was unable to settle in a team. He was seen as unreliable and a safety risk. And it goes without saying: a team that doesn't trust you is no team at all." Riven said with a shrug.
"Now, Mallori is a… different case. He flat out ignores almost every order or plan designed by the team leader. He just does his own thing. It's clear that he does not trust anyone in battle. He only protects himself and does not even try to protect his fellow teammates. He is known to charge head first with no plan or backup. It's obvious he has incredible skill, but so long as his rage and impatience continue to take over… he will never reach the heights he is capable of. The reason why he hasn't found a team yet is simply because no one trusts or likes him, not to mention everyone fears him to some extent for obvious reasons. He was rotated through twice as many teams as Calleo or Aiden." Riven looked at the team on the monitor with concern.
"And you know Aiden's case. He is a born leader. Sure he sometimes comes up with some crazy plans that just borders insanity. Hmm… I wonder who he gets that from?" Riven said with a pointed glance to the fairy, who just smiled innocently at him "Uh-huh… Well, in dangerous situations he is quick to react with killer instincts, but not many are able to keep up with him. Because of this he tends to take on tasks that usually require multiple people, all on his own. His main issue is that he seems reluctant to trust anyone. And sometimes it's difficult for him to properly communicate his 'crazy' plans- especially under pressure and last minute- resulting with doubts in execution.
"Right now, we have Calleo as the leader, mainly in hopes that it will cease his disappearances and maybe calm Mallori's rage with his calming personality. But it's obvious that Aiden will be a better fit. And I don't think Mallori will ever be able to work well with others." Riven said as they all watched the monitors intensely. "As you can see… they have a perfect success rate, but with many flaws and overall failing grade." He said as they watched the completed training session.
Cari frowned at the timer. 'It took them over double the amount of time it should have taken them to complete this course.' "Hmm… they have a lot to work on."
"Good luck in getting them to work as a team! I'm pretty sure Saladin was very mistaken in throwing these three together. I have already requested they rotate teams, but he is adamant in keeping them together." Riven said slightly dejected.
"I do believe you have your work cut out for you Cari. This could be one of the worst teams that have used my simulator to date." Timmy said with concern.
"O how sad. The elderly are already giving up on the youth. Already claiming their future an impossibility." Cari said dramatically, placing the back of her hand on her forehead. She lowered her hand after a dramatic pause, eyes blazing with excitement as a sly grin grew on her face. "It's a good thing I like making the impossible, possible."
"Haha yea right kid! It ain't gonna happen. There is no way you can convince those three to work together in perfect sync, they are too different from each other." Riven said with a roll of his eyes.
"Weren't you different from everyone as a student? Yet you turned out fine with Papa and my uncles." Cari shrugged
"She has a point Riven. You were the embodiment of the black sheep in Red Fountain, you were lucky we put up with you in the beginning." Timmy confirmed
"That's different. One oddball is much easier to find compatibility in a team than an entire team of oddballs trying to force compatibility with each other. I know we all want Aiden to find his perfect team, but there is just no common ground with these three, none that I can see. That makes it impossible for them to work together in any sense." Riven crossed his arms in both frustration and disappointment.
"But doesn't that make it more of a possibility?" Cari asked.
"And how do you figure that?" Riven arched a brow in confusion.
"If a group made up of purely 'normal' Specialists can come together fine. Then the same can be said for a group made up purely of oddballs. They can be themselves and automatically be expected to be as such from the beginning instead of being forced to follow the 'norm'. You can't say you didn't have that challenge at their age…" When Riven didn't deny her claim she continued "And you're wrong about them not having a common ground… each one of them wants to become stronger, to become the best. That makes it possible for them to be the perfect team." Cari said, confidence and excitement dancing in her eyes.
"You always had an odd way of looking at things, kid. Though you might have point, but the question still remains… how are you going to convince, this team of oddballs, to work together?"
"I'm not gonna convince them… I'm gonna trick them…" Riven looked at her like she had lost her mind. "I see your doubt, Professor. How about a wager then? If I can get them to work together then you will treat me to my favorite ice cream shop, all. I. can. Eat."
Riven had to really think carefully about this bet. He would have a lot to lose if she won… and he wasn't talking about his pride, no nothing like that. When it came to Cari's favorite ice cream shop she was known to eat an ungodly amount of it. He was more worried about the pain and suffering his wallet will go through if he lost.
Looking at the exhausted team on the monitors, he noticed their silent glares at each other. 'There is no way they will get along…' "Fine if they become one of the best teams Red Fountain has seen this year then I will treat you to all you can eat ice cream at the shop of your choice. But if I win: you will have to help me train and mentor my students for the next 2 years! Agreed?" Riven said, confident he was going to win and get the extra free help he wanted.
Cari first groaned at the idea of mentoring freshies for two years, but soon shrugged before holding out her hand. "Deal." Riven shook her hand and they both smiled, confident in their win.
"You two are crazy. I don't even want to see who wins this bet." Timmy said as he posted the results for the team still in the simulator.
Ignoring Timmy's statement Cari bounced over to the computer and pulled out her phone that saved the recorded session. "Can you open the doors, please? I want to start winning my bet." She said with a wink before Timmy nodded.
Cari turned and skipped out of the room sticking her tongue out at Riven before heading into the simulator.
'I am inclined to agree with Riven, Cari. They seem much too different to become a proper team or at least one that your beloved brother can trust with his life and yours…' Akira commented
'Rosie, Lea, and I are completely different but we get along just fine.'
'Masina and I are literally the embodiment of opposites yet here we are…' Cari felt the sorrow behind the dragon's words, but before she could say anything Akira continued 'besides friendship is extremely different than being trained to completely trust each other in real battle soon after meeting. You three had time to get to know each other without a time limit, they do not have that luxury.'
'Good point, but that could also be the reason why they will. If pushed to their absolute limits I'm sure they will figure out they need each other more than just to pass a class.'
'Sigh. Very well… and I suppose it will be good training as crown princess… let us see how you approach this challenge… How will you approach this anyway? Your usual method, blunt and brutal advice?'
'Nope, not this time. I think I need to… customize my advice to each one.'
'O? How so?' Akira was genuinely curious at this point
'Well, Aiden is easy: he will take anything I tell him to heart and listen carefully, but that's no fun. I will give him something to figure out on his own. Calleo seems to be one to enjoy riddles and hidden messages so I will give him one. Mallori reminds me of those proud muscular men with inflated egos we saw on Earth's gyms. If we poke fun at his physical limits he most likely will do his best to prove me wrong which will only drive him to get closer to his teammates…'
'I'm impressed how thought out your plan is… I am proud that you are treating this as training to be future queen.' Akira praised
'O yea… there's that too. Honestly I just really want all you can eat ice cream at Riven's expense…' Cari giggled as Akira was frozen into silence.
Entering the simulator, she saw the three Specialists already arguing with each other over their horrible results. She stopped right before them before letting out a loud whistle. When they calmed down she smiled as though she didn't just hurt their eardrums.
"Well, good job guys! I can see that you won't be bored at all this year! With all the training you will need to just even come close to getting a passing score." She giggled at their obvious frustration at her comment.
"Don't talk as though you could do better, fairy." Mallori sneered, slightly winded.
"Psh. I'm not on a team silly. I would need at least two more members to complete that course, but even then…" her blue eyes changed from carefree to complete confidence. "I'm sure I can beat that pathetic score." She claimed, pointing to their posted results.
Before Mallori could say anything in rage, Aiden stepped forward. "I am glad that a fellow student as skilled as you is assisting Professor Riven. Do you perhaps have any advice for us?"
"I do. But the question is… will you even listen to a pretty little fairy?" Cari fluttered her lashes sweetly.
"We are open to criticism." Calleo said casually with a sweet smile.
'That doesn't mean you will take it…' "hmm… well alright… if it falls on deaf ears then whatever. Good thing I like talking." She carefully looked at each one of them. "So~ who wants to go first?"
"You will not criticize us as a team?" Calleo asked slightly surprised. To which Cari shook her head.
"Why should I? You have yet to act as one." When they didn't respond she smiled and focused her attention on Calleo. "You are an extremely skilled Specialist, Prince, I see you have the potential to reach far. There is nothing that can get by you, right? But you have a funny way of doing things. You know… you kinda remind me of a bird… Outside of battle, you give the slight impression of a caged bird. Yet in the middle of battle, you fly free but silently. Now don't get me wrong it's not necessarily a bad thing, believe me, it's not. But even wild birds tell each other their plans and routes, especially the ones that fly the highest. And imagine how much freedom and satisfaction you could get if you would only be loud and sing out your thoughts…after all only Death is truly silent." She kept her eyes lock on him a moment longer after she finished before turning to Aiden.
"You have the skills to become a successful leader, Aiden. Your reflexes are out of this world and are able to improvise in a moment's notice. I can see that you prefer solo missions in the way you are more confident in doing tasks yourself and I am sure that any given solo mission will be accomplished with no problem… but because of that, it makes me wonder: why you are on a team? What's the point of having teammates if you are just gonna save the day by yourself? Is this just for passing your grade? Trying to prove a first year has enough skill to match these second years? Who will have your back if you don't show the same courtesy? What kind of leader do you want to become? Will you be able to show me the answer?" Cari finished with a smile before focusing on the grimacing dark haired specialist.
"I don't need your criticism, fairy!" He coldly whispered as his eyes shot daggers at her. To anyone else she was sure they would quickly back away, but it took a lot to chill the fire within her. She stared back unwavering, un-phased by his attitude.
"I was shocked by your abilities Mallori." Cari started as though he didn't just threateningly narrow his eyes at her. "You don't take me as someone who can fight so fiercely and stealthily. Who would've thought that your twin blades were more than just decorations." He practically growled at her. "I like your fighting style, I can see that you almost have it perfected… if only you had the stamina for it."
"My physic is perfect." He snarled.
"Are you sure~? You're breathing kinda heavy~. If you had the proper stamina for your current fighting style then this should be nothing for you. But since you have low stamina… you might want to start thinking of fixing your style, like finding a way to make your limited stamina last longer. Not every battle will be this short… some can take much, much longer. Your enemy won't care if you're tired or not… they will just care about your downfall. But I wonder…" He arched an eyebrow. 'I see you're listening closely now huh?' "Imagine the energy you would save if you would just properly dodge attacks instead of blocking them… unless you somehow get others to take out a few enemies for you instead of wasting energy taking care of all of them on your own. But thinking about it… I don't think you will ever perfect that fighting style, pity." When he scoffed, she shrugged and casually looked away folding her arms behind her head. "But whatever I don't care. Keep fighting the way you do, at least we will know you can last one battle. We can rotate you out after a few hours, easy."
"I can continue to fight for days. I can fight you right now and win." Mallori challengingly stepped closer to her.
Cari turned to face him once again and looked him, up and down, eyes obviously judging him. "Hmm… I highly doubt that. You won't even last long against my dolls, let alone fight me. I would definitely win without even trying too hard. Do you really~ want that embarrassment?" She lowered her arms and stood firm and tall, open to his challenge if he offered it.
His lips drew back into a half grin, half snarl. "I'll take your pretty little dolls on. Here and now."
"I dunno~… it wouldn't be much fun to beat someone so drained as you. But I might consider it if it's all three of you at once."
"I don't need their help to fight you."
"Then I refuse. I need at least a bit of a work out for pulling out my pretty dolls. But even against the three of you my dolls are sure to win, and that's no fun." Cari smirked as she started to walk away again. She knew she was going to get her way when she heard sharp whispers behind her.
"Ms. Cari!" She looked back at the sound of Aiden's voice. "We would like to challenge you to battle. The three of us against you and your… dolls." He finished with a smile, but she knew it hid his nervousness. 'Of course he would be… he knows about my dolls…'
"Are you sure? You three seem pretty exhausted and I don't want a boring fight. Besides, I wouldn't want to be forced to carry you guys to the infirmary." Her smile grew as she watched the team refer to each other before nodding their agreement, determination burning in their eyes.
"We assure you, Ms. Cari…" Calleo started. "You won't be bored."
Cari stared them down a moment. 'I like that look in their eyes. Wanting to fight me together is a start…' "I'll make sure you keep your word. Challenge accepted! I hope this team does its best to survive long enough to entertain me."
.
After a short break, enough time for the three Specialists to get a quick drink of water, they all stood and waited for Timmy to start the simulator again.
"I guess I will summon 15 dolls? You might be able to handle that much in your state" Cari wondered out loud. The three specialists still looked tired, but she didn't want to waste the first time they agreed on something as a team. So she will push them just enough to get her point across.
"What is the mission?" Aiden asked after Timmy set up the simulator's forest arena. It was a lush forest with tall trees reaching for the sky and seemed to stretch for a few acres. They were standing on a tall hill with a great view of the forest. Cari loved how realistic the simulator looked and felt.
"It's simple. All you need to do is defeat my dolls then hit the button located on top of that pyramid." Cari said, motioning to the pyramid barely reaching above the trees in the distance. "If the three of you manage to get there, you win. Easy, right?"
"That's it? We agreed to challenge you, not just your stupid little dolls!" Mallori exclaimed in frustration
"Well, in a sense you will be fighting me… it will just be through my dolls, instead of directly. I don't think you will have enough strength to fight me after that…" Cari mused
"Is it wise to underestimate us, Ms. Cari?" Calleo asked with a respectable yet slightly challenging tone. Cari slightly looked away as though thinking, to hide her smile.
Sigh. "Very well then. If your team - meaning all three of you- defeat all my dolls, reach the pyramid, and hit the buttons simultaneously… then I will fight you directly. Agreed?"
"Why all of us? I don't need the others to defeat you." Mallori remarked
"You're still exhausted, and I don't want an automatic win. I want some kind of work out if I'm gonna accept a challenge outside of ASC. Those are my rules… take it or leave it, doesn't matter to me either way." Cari finished with a shrug.
They regarded each other quickly before facing her and nodding as one, determination burning in their eyes.
Cari smirked 'they look equally determined … now the question is: will they be able to work as a team to even complete this mission?'
"Good. Let's begin!" summoning her magic as she waved her hand around, 15 adult sized mechanical white mannequin-like dolls appeared around her. They were standing, but slightly slouching forward as though low on power.
Scoff "We already defeated mindless robots." Mallori said unimpressed
"They may look similar, but these aren't the same mindless robots you faced earlier." Cari held out a little remote and an ear piece. "These allow me to link my mind to each one of my dolls. It allows me to control them wirelessly and from a distance. Unlike Red Fountain's training bots, these aren't fully programmed; they mainly rely on me to do anything. That's why I said you will be fighting me in a sense."
She put the ear piece on, and then wove her magic into it and the remote in her hand, successfully activating the dolls. They quickly stood straight and changed color, from white to a dark green.
"Before we start any questions?" Cari asked as she slightly pushed herself off the ground, to float in the air.
"I have a couple." Calleo raised his hand. "I've never heard of machines such as those. Where did you get them?"
"O I've been testing them out for Tecna. She created them to help those who work in dangerous places, such as mines or underwater exertions. She asked me test them out in large scale circumstances as much as I can, to help perfect the program. Cool right?" Cari beamed
"Interesting…" Calleo looked genuinely interested in the dolls as he regarded them carefully, after a short moment he started again. "Now my next question… how will you know if one of use doesn't arrive at the pyramid first if you will be watching close by?" he asked.
"O I will be at the pyramid the whole time. Gotta make sure no one cheats." Cari teased with a wink, before answering the question she knew he was going to ask. "I can see everything through each doll. Whatever they see and feel will be reflected to me in real time, from that I will make the decision on how they will react. It's similar to splitting myself into 16 bodies, all under one mind."
"o ok" Calleo said with some reservation.
"Alright. Since there are no more questions… Good luck guys! I hope to see the three of you at the pyramid. O and there is no time limit! And remember my rules! Ready? Begin!"
With that Cari flew into the sky towards the pyramid as the dolls disappeared into the trees below them, leaving the three specialists alone on the tall hill.
"Someone is obviously having fun." Akira commented as she appeared as a bird beside the smiling fairy.
"I am. It's been a while since I played with my dolls like this… and I'm excited to win this bet!"
"A bet that will take time to determine the winner. Riven stated you would win if they became the best in Red Fountain. That takes a while to accomplish." The purple bird said as they landed on the pyramid.
Cari shrugged "I can be patient. Until then, I'm gonna have some fun with them."
"Then why have the dolls run away from them? Shouldn't they -as you say- be beating them up now? That would've been the wisest course of action, instead of hunting them down after they had a chance to plan." Akira asked, as Cari shook her head.
"For two reasons… One: I want them to have a chance to talk to each other and kinda plan something. Even if its 'meet up at the base of the pyramid'... Second: to throw them off. I'm known for being random and spontaneous after all, can't be predictable now can I?" Cari said with a devious smile as she moved her dolls around and prepared to attack.
"I suppose you have a point." Akira mused as she saw the dolls begin their attack on the Specialists. "But are you not being too hard on them? The dolls are set to a fairly high level for their currently exhausted state."
"Maybe, but I want to test them. Riven said they can't or don't want to trust each other, that they are too different to come together as a real team… I think he's wrong. I think their completely different personalities are what will make them great. Misfits always work better together after all. And the only way to get them to realize that is to give them a common goal and then push them to their absolute limits… I wonder how far they get at this rate." Her blue eyes were alight with mirth as she watched them slowly get into defensive as she relentlessly attacked them.
.
So far they defeated 9 of her dolls, and in a good amount of time. They managed to destroy two dolls with a two person tag team, a bit sloppy but together nonetheless. She was glad they started taking her advice to heart, albeit only slightly but that's all she wanted… for now…a small step in the right direction.
Though Mallori was proving to be more stubborn than she thought, it didn't stop her from having her fun.
It wasn't long before they were down to the final two dolls. To find the remaining dolls, they slightly separated from each other. They weren't too far from each other, but they broke formation enough to leave themselves exposed. 'Bad move boys…'
Cari forced one doll to give away her position, to draw Calleo to attack with his bow and arrows. At the sounds of his sudden attacks, Aiden looked back towards him, while Mallori stayed focused on the trees before him…he would soon find that he was looking in the wrong direction.
Taking the chance, she attacked Aiden's blindside with an attack strong enough stun him for a moment. Cari raised the doll's hand and began to summon up another energy blast, just enough to knock him without any damage. Before firing, she spoke through the doll:
"Looks like I won this game…"
Akira gasped in disbelief. "I can't believe this… it cannot be!"
Cari jumped up and down excitedly.
One would think she would be upset that all her dolls were now destroyed and she pretty much lost the game. But she couldn't contain her excitement at the sight of Mallori rushing to protect Aiden, blocking the blast just in time. Her excitement grew as Aiden quickly recovered and ran towards the doll to give it a finishing blow, while Calleo drew the doll's attention long enough with his plasma arrows for Aiden to land his attack.
It was the first time all three really teamed up to take down a target. They were a bit out of sync, but the fact that they worked together brought Cari absolute pride and excitement.
"I told you Akira, they just needed a strong push! Now that they have tasted what it feels like to rely on each other they will begin to unconsciously crave it until it becomes second nature." Cari said trying to reign in her overwhelming joy in her defeat.
"You should probably stop looking so happy at your lose or they will suspect something." Akira commented to the excited fairy.
"I'm trying…" Cari said as she patiently waited for them to climb up the pyramid. She tried her best to look disappointed, but it was proving to be very difficult. 'I just hope they don't think too much of it…'
When they managed to press the scattered buttons simultaneously, Cari let off some congratulatory fireworks.
"Congratulations! You have defeated my precious dolls and successfully completed the mission! I will now award you your prize." She smirked devilishly, her eyes blazing with power and excitement, as her hair glowed and waved with her flaming power. She could tell they were beyond exhausted. They shakily stood prepared for their battle against her. 'Maybe I pushed them a bit too far…' she internally shrugged as she continued "I will accept your team's challenge…" they stiffly switched to defensive stances. "... on another day." She finished as her fire snuffed out and she casually rested her hands on her hips.
"Wait. what?!" the three exclaimed in unison.
"We will spar on another day." Cari said with a smile
"Why not now? We went through all that just so we fight you now!" Mallori exclaimed between labored breaths.
"Well, you guys took longer than I thought you would. And I have a class I need to get back for. It's mid-day, and I already gave up my lunch and free period for you guys, and I can't miss this class. The teacher has a strict no tardy or skip policy." She replied with a shrug. She turned away to hide her small grin at the raven haired student's frustrated snarl.
"Tomorrow then." He huffed.
"Sorry, no can do. The earliest I can do is two days from now. I have an exam in two days I must prepare for, but once that's over I'll race here. Now thank you for the workout! It was a fun!" Cari said as the forest disappeared and she turned to skip out the door.
She didn't need to look back to know the three Specialists had collapsed to the floor. Pretending to not have heard them fall to their knees, she continued without looking back, not wanting to hurt their ridiculous male pride. This was the first step in becoming a real team and she didn't want to ruin their mood.
'Show me how far your team can go Aiden…I can't wait to see it…'
"So today's the day. Huh?" Lea asked
"Yupp." Cari responded with a pop.
"Aren't you excited? You've been wanting to see Aiden's team possible improvement since you last fought them a couple of days ago." Rosie said, noting Cari's slight lethargy
"I am excited. I'm gonna really put them to the test today!"
"Then what's wrong? I would think you'd be jumping off the walls. I'm even surprised you gave them two days to plot against you." Lea said
"Well, they were beyond exhausted… and I want to fight them at full power; I don't want a guaranteed win. That's boring… I'm just… I-I can't decide whether to go at them at full power or not. Maybe I should let them win today if they work together in the slightest bit… you know like reward the desired results… or should I just crush them regardless." Cari confessed, before resting her head on the table in between her folded arms.
Her friends looked at her in confusion. "Umm… you have never cared about your opponent's feelings before. Why now?" Lea asked
Cari mumbled something unintelligible against her arms.
"Umm… what?"
"She said: This is why she doesn't like teaching others. She is put in a position of conflict where normally she would just act on her own desires, not worrying about what needs to be done so others can grow." Rosie replied with a smile.
"How in the world did you get all that from those noises?" Lea asked
"I have learned 'Cari-speak'. You need to adapt to stay ahead of her sometimes." Rosie shrugged.
"I guess I'll need to learn it soon then. Anyway, wouldn't it be better to just to go all out on them? If you just lose on purpose and they find out it might have the opposite effect, right?" Lea started. "I mean I know that's how I would feel…"
"How do you mean?" Rosie asked
"Well, I kinda get why they aren't getting along so well right now. I mean, if I was suddenly forced into a team of the school's 'rejects' or 'misfits', and was expected to immediately trust them… on top of being treated as children - getting 'candy' when you act the way the adults want you to- would make me very suspicious and want to reject those team members regardless of how perfect we are together… They might also be in on the adult's plan for all I know. No one liked to be played with or manipulated; I would rather do things my way… So I can see why they would be reluctant to trust each other right off the bat. They each seem to have a past they are trying to bury… If they don't figure out that it's okay to trust someone else, this time, on their own… then they never will. If you go easy on them because you want them to get along, then they will definitely think there is some ulterior motive going on. So, I say: go all out. If they fail miserably they will want to at least come up with a plan to get the better of you next time. But if you let them win they are going to figure out you threw the match. I think if you really want them to team up then become the goal they want to fight and claw for, give them a seemingly unattainable goal to strive for. They will figure out they can't do it on their own sooner or later… just give them time and a reason to bring you down."
"Lea is right Cari. If they lose horribly or even barely, they will ask for a rematch until they succeed in defeating you. They each seem to be pretty prideful and losing to a fairy will not sit well with them." Rosie said
Cari looked up with a smile, no longer looking conflicted. "I'm so lucky to have you guys. I know what to do now, and I hope they are ready to taste utter defeat!" She jumped up in her deceleration.
"Now that's the competitive fairy we know and love!" Lea exclaimed getting excited right alongside her.
"Do make sure you don't hurt them too much." Rosie said, even though her caramel eyes were glowing with excitement and encouragement.
"Say, you guys want to come with me? If they push themselves too hard maybe you can help me in healing?" Cari asked shyly.
"We would love to go with you, Cari." Rosie answered confidently, as Lea nodded.
"When do you need to head over?" Lea asked.
"Right after class."
"Girl that was 15 minutes ago…" Lea asked looking at the time on her phone
Cari rubbed the back of her head sheepishly "I know… I kinda told them I had an exam today… and since I was still debating on how to fight I thought it was ok if I was bit… late…"
"Well, at least you will be able to fight without any hesitations now." Rosie said with an understanding smile.
"Yea! So let's get going so you aren't any later!" Lea exclaimed as they turned to head out the Alfea gates.
.
"You guys ready?!" Cari exclaimed as she stood before Aiden, Calleo, and Mallori in the simulator once again.
She tried to ignore the frustration radiating off Mallori. Sure she was a bit late, but she could've been later if they had waited for the bus instead of flying here. Once they arrived, Lea and Rosie were soon introduced to the team and were watching with Riven and Timmy in the control room.
"Whenever you are, Ms. Cari." Aiden responded for the team.
"Awesome. Would you guys like to choose the playing field or shall I?"
They regarded each other for a moment before Aiden spoke out again "We choose The Rocky Forest Terrain."
Cari smirked before she nodded up at the control room. It only took a moment before they were in the desired terrain.
The fairy looked around and evaluated the area. 'Lots of large rocks and tall trees… good cover and hiding places. But I'm surprised they wouldn't choose the valley… this uneven ground will make it hard to keep their footing… it's no problem for me, flying will be my advantage… hopefully, no one twists an ankle or something…'
'Well, assuming they thought this through we should be careful, Aiden is a part of this team and no one knows you better than he.' Akira commented, to which Cari internally nodded her agreement.
"Interesting choice of location. I hope you guys are not underestimating me…" she said with a smirk.
"Not at all Ms. Cari" Calleo replied with confidence "To underestimate you would be disrespectful, and I am sure you can show the same curtsey." Cari smiled at the witty Prince.
"You read my mind, Calleo. Now since it is three against one shall we even the playing field and make it three on three?" Cari asked the specialists.
"Is that why those fairies came with you?" Mallori asked, looking as bored as always.
The red head giggled "No. As much fun as it would be to have a fight of fairies versus Specialists. I do not believe we are ready for that just yet. And besides, you only challenged me did you not? I was thinking of using two dolls to fight on my team… to make things a bit more fun. You can say no, I don't mind it being 3 versus 1. What do you say?"
The Specialists looked at each other for a moment, before Mallori scoffed and answered. "We will have the advantage, either way, I'll allow it."
Cari smirked 'If only they talked amongst each other first, Aiden might've convinced them otherwise… Mallori just guaranteed their defeat. This is going to be funny.'
'Do go slightly easy on them Cari. They are still learning after all…' Akira warned
'Nonsense, they are the kind who will only learn through experience… and I'm here to give it to them… albeit a painful one… but an experience nonetheless… no holding back…' Cari ignored the concern radiating off her inner dragon
"Thank you, Mallori! Now…" Cari summoned her two dolls and powered them on. She chose not to change their coloring and left them white this time. "Timmy start the countdown, please!" She exclaimed. In that moment a large projection of the word 'READY' appeared between them. The Specialists jumped back a few feet while Cari walked forward a few feet to stand in front of her dolls.
'SET'
'GO!'
Mallori was the first to attack. He ran straight towards Cari, obviously prepared for hand to hand combat. She blocked his first punches as he did her's.
Through the link of her dolls, she saw that the other two were circling around to attack them while she was preoccupied. 'I don't think so…' She ordered them to get on the offensive and attacked them accordingly.
Calleo attacked with his curved phantoblade, but the doll was easily able to block his swings and soon had him on the defensive forcing him back and away from his teammates.
Aiden was able to keep up with the doll he faced. Neither was backing down, but the rocky terrain made it slightly harder to keep it up.
Cari kept Mallori's attention solely on her. But the more she thought about it the more she realized that he didn't care how his fellow teammates were fairing. 'It will be harder to change his thought process…'
After a few minutes, she saw that there was no change in anyone's fighting… it was getting boring… 'time to shake things up…'
"I see you haven't been working on your stamina, Mallori. I can already see you breathing heavily… or is that because you are holding back? I could've sworn that you were fiercer when we first met…" Cari teased as she danced away from his punches. She was glad that she was able to hide how much strain it was for her to look completely unaffected by their intense fight or uneven footing.
"If you want to be hurt so much then I will happily oblige!" He pulled out his twin phantoblades and charged at her once again. Smiling she covered her arms with her flaming armor, sharpening it around her hands to blades while making sure the heat was dull enough to be ignored.
Surprisingly enough, they each matched blade to blade, neither receiving any cuts. "Impressive… but I wonder how much longer you will last…" Cari teased as she pushed him farther.
Meanwhile, the doll that fought against Calleo was moments away from striking the Specialist down. Sure, he was skilled with the blade but not enough to last a long time in battle against a skilled doll who didn't feel any pain in the blows it received. Unfortunately for him, the terrain was his downfall in that moment. A loose rock slid from underneath his foot and as he stumbled backwards the doll quickly disarmed him. Seeing that Calleo was completely defenseless, Cari ordered the doll to knock him out.
'One down, two to-' Before the doll made contact Cari sensed it was destroyed. Looking through the remaining doll's eyes, she saw that Aiden had thrown his phantoblade at Calleo's doll, and was now only using his shield against the remaining doll. 'Nice thinking… but you left yourself open for attack…'
Seeing he was distracted enough, the doll aimed threw a powerful kick to Aiden's exposed left side knocking him on his back, then quickly aimed an attack as he lay defenseless on the ground. But before it made contact the doll looked up when it sensed danger and saw a barrage of plasma arrows coming towards it.
Looking back Cari saw Calleo destroyed her last doll while protecting Aiden. Her excitement grew at the sight. Unfortunately, it distracted her enough for Mallori to cut her side. Jumping back she looked at the cut and saw it wasn't very deep to cause concern.
'If you are pleased with minor results then you might as well throw in the towel now. Especially, if you won't pay attention to the annoyance in front of you.' Akira scolded.
'Sorry. But at least Aiden and Calleo are starting to work together… now let's see if we can push them some more…' Cari responded as she charged at Mallori with new vigor.
As she charged the raven haired specialists pushed off a rock to gain speed to counter her attack. Soon he was using the larger rocks to gain momentum. 'Now I see why they choose this terrain… pushing off the surrounding rocks allows him to reach even higher speeds… clever… I wonder who thought of that one… if anyone else this would be very effective… too bad I'm just as fast as he is…'
Using his same method Cari pushed off the closest rock and soon they were matching blades at alarming speeds.
It took some real effort and wit but Cari was soon able to overwhelm him. She forced the blades out of his hands and they resumed hand to hand combat.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that Calleo and Aiden were standing back looking confused on what to do. 'Hmm… well looks like they are afraid to hurt their teammate's feelings if they get involved. Well, who am I to leave them out of the party…' At that, she threw multiple fire blasts at them in between the kicks and punches to Mallori.
"Shouldn't you only be focused on me?" he hissed at her.
"Aww. Are you concerned for your teammates? Well, you shouldn't be. As I recall the three of you challenged me together… I can't win if you are the only one to be defeated… might as well knock out the other two while I'm at it." Cari said in between punches.
"What makes you think you will be victorious?" He replied between blocking.
"Because…" The fairy jumped high above the Specialist and continued her attacks in the air, directing him to the more uneven part of the rocky terrain. "I am more aware of my surroundings." She smirked when he stumbled. She threw an attack, aiming to knock him out.
Before she could confirm her blast made contact, she was forced to fly higher when multiple arrows came at her from behind. Automatically she threw a blast towards the area the arrows came.
Looking back down, she was shocked to see Aiden had blocked her attack with his shield. He was standing in front of an equally shocked Mallori.
Not wanting them to regroup she charged down at them while continuously throwing energy blasts down at them. Hoping one would at least weaken the defenseless Mallori.
She was slightly annoyed yet pleased to see that Calleo was giving them support from a safe distance while Aiden shielded them from the rest.
Soon enough they manipulated her attacks enough to recover Mallori's twin blades. Once back in his hands the two Specialists jumped away from each other.
Realizing they surrounded her, she was curious to see their next step.
She flew down closer to the ground when Calleo shot a large barrage of arrows towards her and blocking her from gaining altitude. But when she was close enough to the ground Aiden and Mallori took the chance to simultaneously attack her from either side. Smiling she jumped back at the last possible moment and held in a giggle when they bumped and tangled with each other.
Now that they were both in front of her she threw a few fire blasts to distract them enough for her to get closer. Once at the desired distance she attacked their blades and shield and hit them away and far behind them.
Not taking a glance back, they both took her on in hand-to-hand combat.
Since they were so close to her and were constantly moving Cari knew Calleo wouldn't be able to get a clear shot of her. 'They forgot about their archer's support… oo well better for me…'
Noticing their attacks were mismatched it was easier to block and counter than she expected. She was even able to have them block each other in her stead at times.
Getting bored she noticed Calleo climbing off the rocks he previously hid in… trying to reach him teammate's weapons. 'Good plan… but no point in getting their weapons if they're knocked out…'
Making sure her back was to Calleo, she waited a moment longer… giving them a chance to realize what their teammate was trying to do… when neither noticed Cari grabbed both their wrists before jumping over them to throw them hard against a couple of nearby trees, knocking the air out of their lungs. Before they recovered from their daze, she knocked them both out with an energy blast.
As she moved to turn and face the remaining specialist, Cari was shocked to see a plasma arrow fly right by her face. She was honestly impressed and shocked that he managed to slightly singe her hair.
Her shock quickly disappeared as she turned around and threw an extremely large fire blast at him.
He was clever enough to send a large number of plasma arrows down the middle of the blast in hopes to lessen or disrupt the blow. But he soon realized he needed more arrows and power to make a significant difference.
Even though the strength was diminished, the blast still had enough power behind it to throw him sharply back against a rock and knocked him out.
"Game over."
.
"Did you have to put Calleo in flames to win?" Riven asked as he entered the simulator.
Gasp. "How cruel. My own teacher thinks I'm so heartless." Cari feigned hurt before moving the three Specialists to lay side by side as the rocky terrain disappeared.
Rosie was quickly by their side healing any injuries they had.
"Call 'em how I see 'em." He replied kneeling down to check on his students as well. Shocked to see they barely had any injuries.
"Psh as if I would actually harm them. I only knocked them out. The only thing really hurt is probably their pride and my dolls." Cari sighed as she glanced at the remains of her precious dolls.
"Well it's not like they could've knocked out your dolls." Lea said with a smirk.
"Technically, if you knock out Cari then the dolls go down with her." Rosie commented without looking up.
Lea raised a questioning eyebrow at Cari, who shrugged. "Maybe. No one has knocked me out while I was linked with the dolls before, but when is Rosie ever really wrong."
"True. But still why such a large attack on poor Calleo?" Lea wondered.
"It only looked big, mainly to scared him. The force behind it was the same as one of my hard hitting punches, which he toned down when he sent those arrows through the middle, which was a pretty smart move if it were anything else besides a fireball. The flames just filled in the hole he created; if he was fast enough or not scared of the flames then his plan could've worked. And the heat was very mild, enough to confirm it wasn't an illusion."
"Are you sure the force was that low? He did knock out when it made contact…" Lea asked slightly concerned
"I'm sure. Technically the blast alone wasn't enough to knock him out, I'm pretty sure it was hitting the rock the way he did that knocked him out or he just fainted." Cari replied with a shrug.
"Wow. I'm surprised you actually thought things through." Riven commented
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" Cari snapped, making her friends giggle in response.
"So what are you going to do with them now?" Lea asked changing the subject.
"I guess wait for them to wake up? How are they looking Rosie?" Cari asked, wondering if she may have hit them too hard.
"No major injuries. Just a few cuts and bruises, they should wake up soon enough." The brunette responded with a smile. "They might be a bit sore with slight headaches but I can help with that. Would you two like to help me?" Rosie asked as her hands glowed, with her healing magic, over Aiden.
"You know I'm not very good at healing…" Cari said crossing her arms.
"More reason to practice. Heal Mallori he requires the least amount of care, and you could always have Akira help you." Rosie said, giving Cari no reason to protest.
Sigh. "If he gets worse, it's not my fault…" the redhead mumbled as she knelt down beside Mallori and began healing.
"You'll be fine, girl. At least you don't have the pressure of healing a prince." Lea smirked with a wink before her own hands began glowing.
'Akira a little help, please?' She asked as she closed her eyes and focused on her control.
'Certainly.' Her inner dragon wove her own magical healing powers through Cari, giving the fairy the control she needed.
A short moment later, the Specialists began to stir.
Through her magic, Cari felt Mallori starting to awaken. She lowered her hands as she opened her eyes and slightly leaned over to look down expectantly. "Hey, you awake now?"
His eyes slowly opened, they locked eyes for a moment before he suddenly sat up, sharply hitting their heads together in the process. "OW! What was that for?!" Cari exclaimed holding her head in pain.
"What were YOU doing to ME?" He exclaimed back as he pressed his hand against the bump of his forehead.
"Argh! I was just healing you! Since you were stupid enough to get knocked out!" Cari yelled but soon froze. 'What's this feeling…?'
"Why?" he whispered, only loud enough for Cari to hear.
"Huh?" his voice shook her from her daze, forgetting about the sore spot on her forehead. She saw that he looked just as dazed as she felt, but she chalked it up to his headache getting worse because of their collision. 'Did I not heal him enough?' "You ok?"
She gently placed a hand on his shoulder to which Mallori quickly jumped to his feet and stared down at her "I'm fine."
Cari just nodded. They continued to stare at each other before Riven loudly cleared his throat, making both students jump.
"So now that everyone is awake, it would be a good time to give us your thoughts on today's spar. Wouldn't you agree?" Riven told Cari in a teasing manner.
"Oo yea, I forgot about that. It must've slipped my mind…" She said glancing towards Calleo and Aiden who were starting to stand up.
"How do you forget about something like that?" Mallori mumbled. Cari shook her head before turning to glare at him as she jumped to her feet.
"Hmm… What did I learn by knocking them out? … Ah! I remember now…" Cari said casually, ignoring Mallori's glares.
"Cari…" Rosie gently chided beside Aiden.
Humph. "Fineee..." Cari took a deep breath before continuing in a calm tone. "Compared to the last fight… there was actual hope in you three getting close to beating me… maybe… either way hopefully next time there will be more fun…" the fairy smirked as she turned and casually walked out the simulator.
Hello Everyone,
I'm so glad I finally got to post this chapter... it took me longer to proofread than I thought... _
But I do hope you guys are enjoying the story so far! I know I am! ;-)
O and a little news: I will be going on Vacation next week soon so I don't know when I will be able to post next... I will try to post before I leave but no promises... But I promise to write when I can so I can at least post the next chapter as soon as I get back!
Well, hope you all are enjoying your summer so far! Stay safe and have fun!
Special thanks to Skylar, Mia, and everyone who takes the time to comment! You guys give me the motivation to post faster! XD
Love
