"Everything is connected, why can't I figure this out?" Zan said, looking at the board she had created, it was full of drawings and words, all connected by lines.
Over the last four days, the girl learned a lot, she knew how to be polite and had trouble with a few tests about compassion. Today was her last day in Floralia, but she didn't want to leave before finding out what was the spider's weakness, after all, she cared a lot about fighting.
Between the classes, she secretly trained Bandana Waddle Dee and investigated the enormous castle little by little. Zan had now copies of pictures and useful information given by the floralian fairies, although, something seemed off about this mystery.
"Let me see what I know, the former queen was named Sectonia and she is a wasp. Taranza served her and was very close to her, okay... But how does that other spider enter this thing? That's the part I don't get! Urgh! How am I finding his weakness if everything I get is just a little story!" She hit her head on the table thrice.
The blonde mage sighed and sat on her bed. "Maybe it's better if I just challenge him. Who am I kidding? His style of fighting is made to tire his opponents, I only have a chance if I get an energy boost." She groaned and punched the board.
"That stupid, but charming, bowl cut!" She said between punches, the girl was happier than she was a week ago, but the only thing on her mind was this task. Zan took a deep breath and fixed her hair.
"I think I'll investigate more, and if I don't find anything, I will fight him directly before leaving..."
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Taranza, as always, was in deep sorrow in his not so secret room, his guest made things way harder than they should be. I mean, could you imagine losing someone close to you only to be reminded of that person by looking at someone else? I thought so.
After sunlight covered the entire place, he knew it was time to get up and keep up with his schedule. So he did, closing the door with a key, as the last time he entered he thought someone invaded it.
As the spider did his chores, all he could think was the blonde girl. There was something about her that he found fascinating, maybe it was her unique personality, he thought. He looked at the clock in the hallway and saw that today was the seventh day, wow, time flies when we're happy.
"Happy..." That word echoed in his mind, for the first time in years, he was actually happy! Sure, he had a few sad moments here and there, but, every moment teaching that girl was a delightful experience for him, even if she was extremely stubborn.
The boy laughed and kept floating through his now cleaned castle. "Maybe I should visit Dreamland more times, I need to see my friends, and maybe... spend some time with her... if she wants, of course." He thought with a big smile on his face.
Speaking of her, Taranza, after he returned to check some things, saw Zan trying to open the door to his private room. "Excuse me miss, but what are you doing?" He politely asked, though, a small frown could be seen on his face.
Hearing the spider's words, Zan quickly turned around and tried to lean on the door, but she did it wrong, causing her to fall on the carpet. Taranza went to help her, extending one of his hands. She took it and got up. "I... was lost?" Zan nervously laughed.
That answer didn't remove the face of curiosity that he had, now mixed with a bit of anger. "I will ask you one last time. What are you doing?" Zan sighed in defeat.
"Okay, I ain't lost, I've read your enormous manual. I just came here because... I..." She looked anywhere but his face. "I... wanted to see you and heard the other guards saying that you could be here. I apologize for my actions." She bowed to him, a symbol of respect.
Taranza chuckled and touched her shoulder. "You wanted to see me so much that it got to the point of almost breaking into my room?" He teased her, making the girl huff in response.
"What?! No... I didn't get to this point!" She turned around, full of shame that he, once again, had read her thoughts. The spider grabbed a cleaning cloth and rubbed it on the door handle. "Miss Partizanne, you must be lucky, I was about to call you, now, if you may, come with me." He made a gesture for her to follow him.
As Zan followed his lead, she thought about her plan, but realized she left her weapon in her room. The girl wanted to make an excuse and return to grab it, but didn't want to disappoint him, he traded a whole week of his busy life just for her...
The arachnid suddenly stopped in front of a large door, it was filled with vines as decoration, a weird choice that somehow worked. With a snap of fingers, the vegetation got off the door, which now automatically opened, revealing a beautiful garden.
"It's... gorgeous." She said.
"Indeed it is." He agreed and grabbed a pot with a dying flower. "This is where I spend most of my time, it is relaxing." He plucked the flower off the ground. "Every flower in here has a unique story, this one took too much sun and died..."
Zan Partizanne frowned and scratched the back of her head. "They are just flowers, they don't need cool battle stories, nor even sympathy. I think all this flower talk has made you coo coo crazy, explains a lot." She laughed and the spider made an unamused face, he then grabbed another pot and continued.
"I'm afraid you are wrong, it is through the flowers that I've learnt different styles of life and how they ended. This blue flower is a parasite, she uses her roots to absorb other's nutrients." He moved to another pot. "This red one is the opposite, it shares its nutrients with others, doing so, it creates a symbiosis that helps everyone to live longer." Taranza made his way to the garden's edge.
"The sunflower always faces the sun, it sticks to the ground and lights up my mood, metaphorically, of course." The girl looked and explored the garden, not understanding much. She stopped when she saw the most attractive flower, it had beautiful shades of pink and a little of yellow on its petals. "What's the story of that one?" She pointed to it.
Taking a deep breath, Taranza smiled and touched it, careful not to cause any damage. "This one is my favorite, it's a seedling of the Dreamstalk, it will grow until it reaches one meter high. When this flower was very young, it was,honestly, ugly; but, the dark petals fall and make way for the pink ones, representing that, regardless of the past, everyone can bloom in happiness."
Zan was marveled by it, she actually could connect with flowers! "Wow, that's deep. I didn't know plants could make you feel..." In response to her commentary, Taranza took the flowers with primary colors to the center and raised one finger.
"Now I have a question for you, what do these three flowers have in common?" The blonde one shrugged. "They have colors?" The arachnid shook his head from side to side. "Despite being technically correct, that's not it." Zan threw her hands in the air, a confused look could be seen on her face. "I don't know, what?"
Taranza watered the three flowers and gave them a bit of his homemade fertilizer. "They use their roots for their advantage, it is the most important part to any plant, without it, they cannot survive." He returned to the dead flower and ripped its roots off. "The roots absorb water and nutrients and transport them to the rest of the plant, lesson number five: have a healthy lifestyle." The spider stopped for a moment.
"They allow the plant to grow and can be used in many ways; as we have seen with the red one, company is the key. Lesson number three: teamwork." He then grabbed the blue flower. "This one knows the time to strike. Lesson number two and four: give the best that you have and be patient."
At last, Taranza held the tiny Dreamstalk. "And the most important lesson, the first one: don't judge at first sight, or?"
"You may find a chest made out of gold... Wow, you're good." She whispered the first part.
The spider clapped. "Exactly, and now for your sixth and final main lesson, I have a question for you to think about later: do you have the roots to start your happy life?" Zan widened her eyes. "I... I don't know..." She shook her head.
Taranza returned the flowers to their original places and floated in front of her; he smiled a lot, a small tear of happiness forming. "I know you will." He then hugged her for the first time, but the girl didn't know if she should hug him back or just stand there, so she did the second option.
"Congratulations, miss Partizanne, you have finished the course." He said, putting an end to the hug. "I want you to have this little gift from me." Taranza handed her the miniature Dreamstalk, making the girl speechless.
"But, it's your favorite flower..." He smiled and whispered. "Do not worry... I have a bigger one." That made her laugh and she thanked him for it. "I promise I'll come back." She said.
"I know that, you still want to defeat me in combat, am I right?" He raised his eyebrows in a teasing way. Zan put the flower down and held her punch with her hand. "That's right." She winked in his direction.
"Then go pack your things, we'll leave in the morning."
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In Another Dimension, a mysterious man passed by the remains of Parallel Popstar. He grabbed the last survivor by his shirt and raised him. "I'll ask one last time. Where is the mirror!" The victim tried to break free from his grasp, but it was to no avail.
"I told you! I don't know!" He begged for mercy, but the man pushed him against the wall. "Wrong answer, I didn't blow up this planet just to end with empty hands." He charged a powerful shot, which made the victim give up.
"Okay! I'll tell you where it is." He raised his hands, and the evil being dropped him. "Where?"
"Popstar, it's on planet Popstar, will you please let me leave?" Getting on his knees, the scared boy said. The mysterious man helped the poor guy to get up. "Of course, do you think I'm some kind of monster?" He snapped his fingers and smirked. "I'm worse than that..."
Widening his eyes, the victim tried running away, but the man was faster and gave him a fatal blow, which made him fall apart like a broken mirror. The evil being laughed. "You were so brave, yet so naive. I'm dead inside and that's all their fault!"
The secret man looked at the destruction around him and the deep, empty space above him. He made a fist with his hand and grinned.
"I'm coming, Popstar, you can't avoid me forever..."