“I…suppose I should make this more interesting then...” Mumbled a very disgruntled Tarot master from in the trees. He pulled off the hat and muttered a few words. Meanwhile from down below in the swamp, Rowenna had gotten to know a little bit more about her opponent, Lady Katabatic, “Well I suppose—“She paused mid sentence. The earth around them had begun to shake. Rowenna looked around. What is that….where is it coming from?

A piercing shriek came from behind Rowenna. Said shriek had come from Sapphira. Quickly, she spun around. Slowly, as her eyes widened, she discovered where the source of the rumble had come from. Behind the competitors was a frightening being composed of the elements in the swamp. This isn’t good… It had Sapphira in one hand, and Nu and Sophie in the other…wait…where’d that bird man go? That was the least of her concerns. Before she could even move an inch the being had consumed the three.

Both Rowenna and Katabatic held faces of astonishment and disbelief. “Lady Katabatic…” She began “Please call me Kat.” Kat corrected. “Kat…I believe we should run now…” Katabatic smiled and merely shrugged. She walked up to the creature. “Excuse me I believe you have eaten our friends, would it be so kind of you to spit them back out?” She asked. Perhaps the monster was just misunderstood, and just needed a little talking to, and who knows it could be nice…Not in this tournament. The beast glared downwardly at her and swiped furiously.

Kat jumped out of the way and back tracked to Rowenna. “Run, now!” She said going past her. Rowenna looked at the monster and followed behind. “We need a plan!!” Kat yelled looking behind her. “We need more than a plan we need to stall it somehow!” Kat stopped and turned around and looked hat her surroundings. “Leave that to me!”

Whir. Chik. Clic.

Kat rings began to glow and in a blink of an eye. She was holding a staff. Rowenna blinked the staff was odd…not used to what she usually saw. Kat stared at the oncoming monster and closed her eyes. She began to chant in a language unfamiliar to Rowenna but she stood by and watched. Plants surrounding the marsh area snaked their way around the monster and gripped it tightly. Rowenna sighed in relief and looked up. “How long will that hold?” Kat shrugged in reply “Long enough hopefully.”

High up in the trees the Tarot Master continued to watch. He couldn’t believe it. First all they did was TALK for 10 minutes and now they work together. Apparently Rowenna didn’t get the whole ‘If you don’t show more fighting enthusiasm I’ll destroy your world here and now’ threat. He would have to make sure to do it more severely next time. Sighing he stood on the branch he had been sitting on. “If she won’t do it then I’ll do it for her.”

Meanwhile down below the girls had figured out a solution for there problem “That sound magnificent! I sure we cou—“Rowenna stopped herself in mid sentence. Kat looked at Rowenna “Miss Rowenna?” she asked inching towards her. Without warning a sheet of paper flew across Kat’s cheek cutting it. She stood, silent and confused. Now to attack a girl was one thing…but to do it while completely off guard was a rather underhanded thing to do…as is this.

While Kat was still trying to get over the offhanded attack, Rowenna made a swift movement and hit Katabatic in the stomach. Katabatic winced and slowly turned her head to Rowenna. Rowenna only held half a smirk on her face. She leaned into Kat’s ear and whispered a string of words which when it came out was the equivalent of snake’s hiss and nails on a chalkboard. “You know, I thoroughly do not enjoy when people work together when they’re suppose to be fighting, especially when yours, hers and others worlds are at stake. I should’ve expected this from 2 of the most…..boring? No…the weak willed competitors in the entire competition.” And with that Rowenna kicked Kat into a nearby tree. “You would’ve thought that a little bog monster would’ve gotten some action out of the two of you.”

Kat gasped silently. She sputtered and fell to the ground. Rowenna smirked and closed her eyes. When she opened them again all she saw was Lady Katabatic on the ground “O-oh gosh….WHAT HAPPENED!?” She screamed looking around desperately.

A low chuckle came from behind Rowenna. “You didn’t learn, therefore I did your task for you.” Rowenna glared at the Tarot Master a glare that was full of malice, something Rowenna didn’t carry with her. “That is just cheating on my behalf. Not to mention very low!” The Tarot Master only laughed in reply to that. He grabbed Rowenna’s hair and yanked her closer to him. “I. Do not. Care.” He replied simply. “I already told you that if you didn’t show any fighting enthusiasm that I would destroy your pathetic little world.” He pulled her hair again. “Apparently that didn’t go through your head and now look at what you have done.”

Rowenna looked over to Kat and pointed right in the Tarot Master’s face. “WELL IT WAS YOU THAT DID THAT!!” She retorted. Again in reply the Tarot Master laughed. He cupped Rowenna’s chin in his hand “You just don’t get it. You led me into doing that, you could’ve won this round by yourself, but you never seized the opportunity. I bet you didn't even know your cards were active~ And since you’re so amusing I’m going to keep you around got it?” He lifted his arm up and slung it over her shoulder. “Now listen…and make sure you get all of it through that thick little skull of yours… DO, fight next time and PLEASE don’t force me to do something you’ll regret in the end. Understood~?” Rowenna nodded. “Good.” The Tarot Master said. He raised his hand and whacked the back of her neck, causing her to black out “Now, till we meet again Mistress of Origami~”

---

A haze. Everywhere around her it was like one giant sheet of…white. She stepped forward but it seemed she was getting nowhere. Off in the distance it sounded like a child crying. Curiously she wandered in the direction. Though the got she got the further away it sounded. She sensed movement behind her. Quickly turning around she only saw more white. “I’m not….dead am I?” She asked aloud mainly to herself. Unexpectedly she received a reply. “No, dear child, you are not.”

Behind her a woman, dressed in black, drawing attention away from the white all around them stepped forward. “Who…..are you?” Rowenna asked. The woman only smiled. “All will be revealed in good time. Dear, Rowenna. I am only here to tell you please watch over your…friend… young Sapphira. You two have an important bond that you must keep a hold on. Whatever you do you mustn’t lose her” The woman had said friend as if she didn’t really mean is. Like….as if it weren’t true. Rowena did nothing but stare and nod. The woman rested her hand on Rowenna’s shoulder. “You look exactly like your mother.” She said quietly. Rowenna had opened her mouth to say something she was briskly inter—

“ROWENNA!?”
“LADY ROWENNA, WAKE UP!
“COME ON GET UP ALREADY!”

Rowenna’s eyes shot open and she immediately shot up. The moment she did a jolt of pain shot through her head “Ah, Damnit!” she cursed. “Don’t sit up too fast you took quite the fall.” The voice of Katabatic came from beside her. Rowenna curled up and placed her head in her hands. “I’m sorry…..” She said “I wasn’t myself.” Katabatic smiled and stood up “I know, don’t worry, but….it’s things like this that is making me want to stop the Tarot Master even more. We need to work together.” Rowenna smiled and stood up as well “I couldn’t agree anymore!” She extended her hand out to Katabatic, and Kat did the same. They shook hands…though the new partnership aura was broken up by an all too familiar shriek.

“ROWEEEEEENAAAAAAAAAA MY DRESS IS NOW COMPLETELY RUINED!!!!!”

Rowenna sighed and watched as Sapphira, Nu, and Sophie came into view. Sapphira was red with anger and Nu went over to Kat the moment he saw her “So, Kitty did you win?”
Rowenna and Katabatic exchanged glances “I fell first, so I lo--.”“LAME! YOU SHOULD’VE LET ME HANDLE THIS!”

Rowenna smiled weakly and looked up. I suppose things are looking up for this group of mix matched misfits.

Or….

“Now listen carefully Sapphira…I want you to do everything in your power to make Rowenna lose the next match.”

…Maybe Not…..

TEOD Round 2 ~End~