Nunc Scio Quit Sit Amor.Now I Know What Love Is
{"Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think it does. Love is a battle, love is a war; love is a growing up." - James Baldwin}
Orphen's eyes slowly opened to greet the morning. He yawned quietly, and rolled over, to come face to face with two closed eyes. "Huh?" As his mind awoke, it registered that it was Cleao snoring beside him. Orphen fell out of bed.
"Damn that girl," he sneered to himself, "She's gotta stop sleepwalking!" A thought suddenly popped into his head. "Oh no."
Cleao chirpily rose to the morning. She soon noticed Orphen trying to climb out the window. With a frown, she screamed out, "LEKI!"
Leki merrily trotted into the room. Orphen tried to scamper out of the inn's window as fast as he could, but it wasn't fast enough to escape the explosion of power from the Deep Dragon infant. Before he knew it, half of the inn was in ruin.
Cleao yawned and gave a pat to Leki's head, as Orphen moaned under rubble.
~@~
"You dumb brat!" Growled Orphen, ripping into his toast as a maid poured him warm tea, "Must you do that every time you make the same idiotic mistake of ending in my bed?!"
Majic's eyebrow rose.
"It's not my fault!" She countered, stuffing some eggs into her mouth, "I get confused at night!"
Majic smiled, sipping his cereal. "Oh I see, Cleao has been sleepwalking again. This has become a little too frequent lately - " A plate whacked him in the head.
Cleao held up another plate menacingly, "Don't you dare give that slime ball any notions, Majic!"
At the thought of Cleao using the sleepwalking story as a rouse to be with him of a night made him haughtily laugh. "Yeah, I am sure hot property, every woman wants a piece of the greatest, sexiest sorcerer in the land - no - world! Hahahahaha!"
A plate whacked his face. Cleao folded her arms, while narrowing her eyes. A snide grin crept over her mouth, "Funny, all I see is a barbaric, violent, evil sorcerer."
"Flat-chested, ugly brat," countered Orphen, ignoring the trickle of blood down the side of his tanned face.
Unfolding her arms, the blonde clenched her fists, turned away and stormed into the street - which didn't take long thanks to half of the inn collapsing.
{"Sympathy constitutes friendship; but in love there is a sort of antipathy, or opposing passion. Each strives to be the other, and both together make up one whole." - Samuel Taylor Coleridge}
"Master?" asked Majic, watching Orphen continue eating his breakfast as if nothing had happened. "Master, aren't you going to go after Cleao?"
Orphen finished his second helping of bacon and shrugged, "Why should I?"
Majic forced a smile, "Uh, because she looked pretty upset. She didn't say anything, but you could tell she was really torn up. This worries me."
"Then you go after her, I'm busy."
Majic put down his spoon. "But Master, you're the one who made her upset. Please, go and sort this out because it gets out of hand."
Orphen closed his eyes, "And why should I?"
"Because it'll be good for harmony.and.and I'll give you three gold pieces if you go.heh." Majic began to sweat, still forcing a smile. Orphen held out his hand while biting into a bun. With a sigh, Majic handed over the gold. Orphen casually got out of his seat, and went to exit the inn, when Majic had a final word, "Behave - please." Orphen gave him a thumb up and walked out.
~@~
Cleao sighed, looking through some old toys in the market. Sure they were amusing, but they didn't cheer her up this day. She continued on to a stall selling amulets and enchantment books.
"I may be able to help you, my dear," croakily came the old woman behind the cart.
Cleao looked up from her gazing, to see the old woman, who was polishing a dark emerald ball. Cleao laughed, "Oh, that's kind of you, but I don't think you can help me today."
"Oh, but I can - Cleao Everlasting," she countered, her voice becoming slick and sly.
Cleao blinked, "How do you know my name?"
"I know many things," she replied, "Thanks to this crystal ball made by the Heavenly Beings. In fact most of these rare artefacts come from those with the greatest gifts of power, power we cannot comprehend."
"But what does that have to do with me?" Cleao demanded, becoming irritated.
The old tradeswoman peered into the ball, a gleam in her old grey eye, "But you see, this ball has told me you wish you better a man of great power - and arrogance. You want to know his power and use it against him."
Cleao laughed, waving her hand, "Oh no, no, I wouldn't go that far! I just want to teach that demented buffoon a good lesson!"
The woman held out to Cleao a small stone statue of a one-winged butterfly weeping, the statue was tied to a thin emerald chain. "I can help you, do you accept this.Miss Everlasting?"
{"Woe to the man whose heart has not learned while young to hope, to love - and to put its trust in life." - Joseph Conrad}
Orphen dusted off his hands, and peered back at the men who lay limp on the ground, groaning their agony. He kicked one in the ribs, "That's what you get for calling me an Evil Sorcerer, fools!"
He was yet to meet up with Cleao. He'd checked a few places around town, like the church in case she was praying for his death; the mortuary if she'd killed herself over angering him; the boathouse if Cleao had decided to run out to sea; the bakery if she was buying him an apology cake; but there was no trace of her. Orphen decided the marketplace may be his next best bet, she may be buying him an apology gift - or - wait a second! Orphen rummaged through his pockets and realized his wallet was missing.
"That blasted wench!" He roared.
~@~
Majic hummed a depressed tune as he went through Orphen's smelly laundry. As he picked up one his shirts, something small fell to the floor. Majic peered down to see it was Orphen's wallet. "Silly Master, forgot his wallet."
~@~
Cleao rubbed her chin, examining the necklace. She didn't believe what the hag was saying, just a bunch of nonsense to buy her wares. It wasn't even a very pretty looking statue, so gloomy - definitely not her. "I'm not so sure."
"It's 99% off, but only for you!" Chimed the old man.
Cleao's eyes lit up. "Oh, really?"
~@~
A few stalls away, Orphen spotted Cleao handing over a silver piece to an old woman. As Cleao went to take the necklace, he pushed her hand away and stood in front of her, baring his teeth. "And what do you think YOU'RE doing?"
Cleao glowered. "Well speak of the devil sorcerer. I happen to be buying a bargain, if you don't mind. Now move out of the way!"
"You're buying your little bargain WITH MY MONEY!"
"This isn't your money!" She protested, "It's Majic's, I stole.er.borrowed it two days ago! Lady, hand over the necklace." Cleao held out her palm to the woman.
Orphen pushed her hand away. "No, she doesn't want it, hag. Give the bimbo back the money!"
Both Cleao and the old woman shot Orphen a poisonous look. With a flick of her wrist, the woman threw the necklace past Orphen. Cleao leaped into the air, and allowed the necklace to fall over her shoulders.
"Transaction fulfilled," stated the woman, returning to her polishing.
Dumbfounded, Orphen tried to wrestle the necklace off of Cleao. "Give that here, Cleao!"
Cleao closed her eyes, and snarled, "Get lost!" A static bolt of energy zapped through Orphen. He was thrown into an apple stall. When he came too, Cleao was gone.
{"The art of love ... is largely the art of persistence." - Albert Ellis}
Concerned, but mostly enraged, Orphen searched the small town. He checked everywhere this time, regardless of if he thought it a Cleao sanctuary. After feeling defeat, he returned to their room. He found Majic folding his clothes into neat piles of shirts; socks; and what he thought were mould dunes.
"No Master," Majic told him, "that's your underwear."
"Oh. Hey, has Cleao returned yet?"
"Actually."
"Actually, she is back," came Cleao's voice. Cleao sauntered into the room, wearing a revealing green, short dress; holding Leki in her arms as she slowly stroked his fur. "Now where have you been, Mr. Finrandi?"
Orphen growled. "Oh great, while I've been out looking for the brat she's been here all along!"
Cleao quietly smiled, sending chills down his spine, "My dear Orphen, you shouldn't trouble yourself over me. How about you sit yourself down and I'll make you a pot of tea.
"Er." Orphen wasn't sure how to respond. Was it some sort of trick?
Cleao beamed cutely, letting Leki jump from her arms. "I will take that as a yes and make you some tea, maybe even get you some of that chocolate cake I just whipped up."
"Er."
She continued to beam. Cleao disappeared from the living room, into the small kitchen. Majic sat down on the lounge, and stretched his legs. "Wow Master. I don't know what you did, but it's like we have a whole new Cleao! I tried her cake, and it was actually edible too. Perhaps her cooking's only bad when she's in a temper tantrum. We'd better live it up while it lasts!"
"Er.New Cleao.you say?"
~@~
Orphen bit into the cake. His tastebuds instantly danced with glee, it was delicious. It was hard to believe Cleao had baked it. Then again, it was even harder to believe this was same girl he'd argued with earlier. What the hell had happened in the time they had been distanced?
"Do you like it, Orphen?" Enquired Cleao, folding her legs. He nearly coughed when he saw her black silken underwear under it as he bit into his cake again. "Is anything the matter?"
He frowned, "No, nothing at all. I see you went shopping again."
"Pardon?"
"The dress, never seen it before," he said, "Not really you, it's better suited for a woman with a rack."
He expected her to splat the whole cake in his face, but she just smiled wearily. "I guess you are right, I'll dress more suited to my body type in the future. Thank-you for your kind advice."
Majic and Orphen fell to the ground, their heads ready to explode. Leki tilted his head, mewing. Cleao looked at all, "Oh my, was it something I said?"
"It's a trick, it's gotta be a trick!" Wailed Orphen, bashing the carpet.
{"In love the paradox occurs that two beings become one and yet remain two." - Erich Fromm}
Cleao braided her hair, gazing at the magnificent radiance of the full moon. She hummed to herself, and took a moment to look at the one-winged butterfly weeping. Oh how it was lovely. "Humans are so like you," she thought to herself, "once torn they can never fly again, so they sit and cry, cry, cry.what a waste." Cleao rose to her feet, closing the window. "Well, this woman will not shed tears anymore. Oh no. For now this woman is much more equipped to dealing with her.wing rippers." Her eyes sparkled a pang of emerald as she lay her head down for slumber.
~@~
"Ok Majic, here's what I think happened," whispered Orphen, revealing a notepad with a scribble drawing of what looked like a dinosaur spraying blood, "After running from me, Cleao hit her head, broke her brain is now acting like this weirdo - as good as her cooking is."
Majic scratched his head, "Hmm.That is possible, but I didn't see any bumps on her head."
"I see," Orphen pondered, his eyes wandering to the full moon, "Perhaps she's suffering lunacy."
Majic lay back on his bed, half asleep, "She usually storms off when there's a full moon, Master. I don't think it's that. Maybe she's just decided to change her ways so you two won't fight any more."
Orphen's eyes widened," Change? But why would I want her to do a stupid thing like that? Majic? Hey, Majic."
Majic was already asleep. With a sigh, Orphen decided to head off to bed, perhaps everything would be back to normal in the morning.
{"Love can sometimes be magic. But magic can sometimes...just be an illusion." - Javan}
Orphen awoke at the sweet smell of fresh pancakes.no.bacon.or was it cinnamon toast.? He sat up wearily, rubbing his head. His eye caught the glint of silver by his bedside. He rubbed his eyes. Opening them, he beheld an array of food on a silver platter, all fresh and waiting to be devoured by him. "What the.?"
"Good morning Orphen!" Chirpily came Cleao, who stepped into the room with a jug of orange juice in one hand, and milk in the other. Orphen stared at his companion in utter confusion.
"You.made this?" It smelt so good; it was hard to believe Cleao could have done it.
Cleao set the jugs down, and giggled, giving his head a light pat. "Of course I did, it's all for you my dear Orphen. I know how much you love to eat first thing in the morning, so I asked the kitchen staff if I could borrow the kitchen. I hope you enjoy the meal, tell me if you'd like more." Before he could utter a word, she had skipped out of the room.'
"It's lunacy.gotta be."
~@~
Cleao sat on a bench in the town's gardens. She quietly read to herself, enjoying the sun's rays. Her reading was interrupted by a shadow looming over her. She tilted her head up. "Oh, Orphen, how are you?"
He stepped back, and presented his open palm, his features were intense. "You are not Cleao. Where is she and who are you? You'd better answer soon or you'll be made to regret it."
Cleao blinked, and returned to her book. "You and your silly jokes, ha-ha."
The book was ripped from her hands, and thrown clear. Cleao gasped. "Orphen, are you doing?"
"The question is, what are YOU doing?!" His volume rose, as he quickly became impatient. "Cleao can't cook to save herself, Cleao doesn't act ladylike, Cleao isn't that considerate, she's loud, boisterous, violent and.and.!"
Cleao's lowered her head darkly, "This Cleao isn't good enough either, huh?"
Orphen glared.
"You men are all the same, you're never satisfied. A woman's heart doesn't matter, as long as you get what you want. We're nothing but butterflies, aren't we?"
"What are you talking about?"
"You catch us off-guard, you rip off our wings, and.leave us to die. Isn't that right, male?" Cleao tilted her head up him; her eyes were a dangerous mix of anger and elegance. Her blue eyes beamed a haunting green. "Well, Krylancelo Finrandi - I won't let this butterfly die, she's going to be set free. Good day." With that she vanished.
Orphen gasped, looking around. "Cleao! Cleao! CLEEEEAAAOOO!"
{"There is no disguise which can hide love for long where it exists, or simulate it where it does not." - La Rochefoucauld}
Orphen ran into the market, he'd hoped to track down the old woman who sold Cleao that weird necklace. "We're nothing but butterflies, aren't we?" The butterfly necklace must've been controlling her.
He searched the vendors, but couldn't find the old woman. Returning to the spot he saw her last, he was surprised to see a small garden patch instead. It was a patch in the road, very unusual. He knelt down to take a closer look. "These look like.oh, what were they?" Orphen thought back to his studies at the Tower of Fang. "These are.are.Fluoro Blossoms, very rare and brought here from the - "
"Tenjin," interrupted Majic, who was standing in front of his master, looking at a book. "This town was once a base for the Tenjin actually. So it some ruin sites, and plant species brought down with them."
Orphen got him in a headlock. "You idiot! Why didn't you say something soon?!"
"Master, I just found out this morning!" He pleaded. "I hadn't had time to study the town till today!"
Orphen let go of him. Majic slumped to the ground, coughing as he caught his breath. "Where's Cleao?"
"She's disappeared, and so has the old bat who sold her the butterfly necklace. Which I'd like to add is the suspected reason Cleao's been acting like a freak - just so you're up the details."
Majic frowned, nodding. He rose, and opened his book. "Cleao's on Hannon Hill."
Orphen folded his arms. "What are you, psychic now?"
His apprentice smiled, showing him a picture of the hill in his book. "Something like that, Master. According to this guidebook, this hill is the base for all butterflies."
"So what?"
"And.it's where a Tenjin girl committed suicide, part of an old legend, but I haven't gotten all the details yet. Sound interesting?"
Orphen's eyes widened as he remembered the green glow in Cleao's eyes. "Oh my god." Without thinking, he bolted off.
Majic blinked. "Master, I haven't told you were it is yet!"
~@~
Cleao sat among the sea of flowers. They were so wonderful; she could have drowned in the aromas. "Ah, so lovely. I look forward to giving you fresh mulch with my corpse." Cleao laughed to herself, falling back into the flowers. "We will be one, and I can be appreciated for all eternity. Won't it be lovely?"
Two butterflies came to rest on her cheeks. She smiled; delighted at the tickles they gave. As they took off, they left wing dust on her cheeks. "Gifts from the butterflies, I am honoured. Fly free little ones. Free."
{"The cure for all ills and wrongs, the cares, the sorrows and the crimes of humanity, all lie in the one word 'love.' It is the divine vitality that everywhere produces and restores life." - Lydia Maria Child}
"OK Tenjin, where're you hiding?!" Roared Orphen, on guard as he walked through Hannon Hill. Majic followed him, surveying the area with caution.
Orphen's heart raced with fury and passion, his worry for Cleao's life soared with each second. "Get out here now!"
He readied himself to scream out again, when he heart faint laughter. Orphen followed the sound, dashing through the alien blossoms. The laughter grew louder. He stopped in the middle of a patch of green and blue flowers. Cleao there, surrounded by thousands of butterflies; she noticed her visitor and gave him a grin of recognition.
"Look my friends, it is the evil sorcerer. Have you come to save me?"
Orphen narrowed his eyes, "I've come to save Cleao - and send you back to Hell where you belong."
"Aww, but I've done nothing wrong." She pouted, sniffling.
"You plan to kill Cleao, that's more than enough!"
Cleao rose to her feet. The butterflies formed a barrier around her. "She's already dead, Krylancelo. I plan to save her, save her from you."
Orphen growled at her words, "Listen lady, I don't know what stupid things happened in your life, or what your little boyfriend did to upset up you, frankly - I don't care! This has nothing to do with me, or Cleao! Now release her!
"Make me."
Orphen clenched his fists. "Forgive me.Cleao.I call thee, Sisters of Explosion!" Great shockwaves hit the butterflies, instantly turning them to dust. The wave didn't even touch Cleao. "Impossible!"
Cleao fell to her knees, "No.you killed them.you.killed.them.!" Her whole body glowed bright green. She flew into the air, and soared toward Orphen. As she approached him, a green sword of light sprang from her palm.
Orphen readied himself, "I create thee, Sword of Magic!" A crystal sword formed, he shielded her blade. Her strength was incredible, Orphen found it hard to keep her at bay. He resorted to kicking her stomach. Cleao fell back to the ground, coughing, her sword gone. "Ow.I won't be beaten!"
A sharp pain filled his right shoulder. Orphen looked over to see a dagger in his shoulder. He gaped in pain, as he slowly pulled it out. "This.ah."
Cleao grimaced, watching him collapse. "That dagger is Tenjin poison. Enjoy. At least you can make up for all those lives you took by using your worthless body to feed these flowers, heh."
"Cleao." he whispered. "Don't.kill her.with me gone.you won't have to.kill her." Orphen coughed, his head felt light; everything was spinning.
She stood in front of Orphen, looking down at him pitifully. Just then, she dug her heel into his shoulder. He wailed in agony. "Another will come along and mistreat this girl, better to end it all now to save her the pain."
"How dare you." he quietly coughed. "How dare you treat Cleao like a weak person? She isn't. She isn't like you lady; my Cleao can take of herself. I know she doesn't want this."
Cleao growled, digging her heel in again. "What would a man like you know?! This is for her own good!"
Cleao took the dagger from the grass, and held it up the sunlight.
"No.!"
{"To fall in love is easy, even to remain in it is not difficult; our human loneliness is cause enough. But it is a hard quest worth making to find a comrade through whose steady presence one becomes steadily the person one desires to be." - Anna Louise Strong}
Cleao fell to the grass, the dagger stabbed just above her heart. She fell before Orphen, a serene smile on her pale face. Orphen tried to extend his hand to rip out the knife, but couldn't find the strength. "Cleao.don't leave me.no."
Cleao moaned, her eyes registering Orphen's pale face, she was now free of the Tenjin's hold. "Or.phen.sorry.for.everything.I should have.tried to be.more.more.less.er."
Orphen closed his eyes, smiling kindly, "Don't my Cleao, life wouldn't be as fun.without my partner."
Cleao's eyes watered. She weakly held out her hand, and took Orphen's. "My partner."
~@~
Majic raced around the hill. "Master! Master! Cleao!"
He couldn't see them anywhere. Something was horribly wrong.
~@~
A shadow was cast over Orphen and Cleao's dying bodies. The old woman who'd sold Cleao her necklace sighed. She transformed into a tall, handsome man with long, dark green waved locks. "Mira, why did you do it again?" He bent down to Cleao, and held the butterfly stone, closing his eyes. A tear rolled down his cheek, as he ripped it from Cleao's neck.
"My love, you never give me time to make amends," he wept, holding it against his cheek. "And now you have taken the lives of two innocent lovers."
A hand grabbed his leg. He peered down, to see Cleao, drained of energy, fighting to hold onto him. "We're.not.dead.yet."
~@~
Orphen and Cleao weakly sat among the flowers with the Tenjin man as he finished healing their wounds. Once he was done, he sat back silently, staring at the statue.
"OK, you better tell us what just happened," demanded Orphen, feeling his shoulder.
The man nodded, still staring down. "Mira.centuries ago my wife and I had an argument, just a silly tiff. In anger I broke off a wing on her favourite pendant, which I had crafted for her as my wedding gift. After snatching it back, she ran from the house, onto this hill. She wasn't looking where she was going, and tripped, falling onto an axe, which had been left there by a woodsman. When I found her, it was too late; she had died a slow and painful death. I encased her spirit into the stone pendant, and hoped to use someone else's body for her to use, so I could make amends. Each time it goes horribly wrong, and each time she becomes more vengeful.I don't know what to do."
Cleao got up; she knelt in front of him, and stared. She then lifted her hand and slapped him across he cheek as hard as she could. "Moron! How about setting her free, huh!"
"I can't!"
"The hell you can!" she yelled at him. "Women are more understanding when we're treated on fair ground, and not told what to do. You keep her locked away, and she's bound to go crazy, duh!"
Orphen folded his arms. "Yeah, what she said. Just let her spirit go and talk to her in the afterlife. Make a date of it and stuff."
"Excuse me?"
"Just trust us. If it doesn't work, haunt us - I don't care. Just don't watch me bathe or if I'm in the bathroom and we'll be set."
The Tenjin clenched his hands around the stone pendant. With a gasp of air, he clenched in hard enough for it to break. A green light escaped from his hands. It was in the form of a green butterfly. It fluttered around the man, and rose to the blue sky, disappearing from sight.
He sighed, rising to his feet. "What if she does not return to me?"
"Then it was never meant to be," Cleao poetically said.
"Dramatic Cleao, really," scoffed Orphen.
Cleao tugged his ear, "Oh, pipe down! I have two days worth of nagging to catch up on, so you'd better behave, Orphen!"
The Tenjin smiled kindly, "Ah, she's just like Mira." With that, he vanished into thin air.
{"Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get, it's what you are expected to give -- which is everything." - Anon}
"Gosh Cleao, you sure had us worried," said Majic, brushing his teeth, "Glad to see you back to normal."
Cleao hugged Leki, giggling, "Sorry to worry you Majic, but everything's ok now, your favourite blonde is back to her charming self!"
Orphen rolled his eyes, hearing her, "Charming isn't a Cleao descriptive word that springs to mind. More like narcissistic, arrogant, and pushy, yeah, that's unfortunately our Cleao"
Rather than get violent, Cleao, huffed and trotted back to her room.
Majic spat into the basin. "I see everything is back to normal."
Orphen stared in the direction Cleao went. "Maybe."
~@~
Orphen lay awake in bed, he couldn't sleep, and that damn full moon didn't help either. He rolled to one side, and sighed to himself.
Light footsteps across his floor caught his ear. Orphen prepared himself; he sprang to a sit position, as the intruder appeared right before his bed.
"Orphen," she whispered.
Orphen could barely make her out in the dark. "Cleao? So do you talk while you sleepwalk now? You're sure getting." His mouth was stopped by a sudden kiss. A smooth tongue parted his lips and found its way to his.
Cleao entered his bed, and snuggled beside him. "You always set me free, and I always return to you, my Orphen. With you I fly higher, and shine more brightly. I will be your partner for all time, and offer my all."
Orphen relaxed back into the bed, and stroked her cheek, "Getting dramatic again, I see, oh Cleao. But.ditto." He bent down and gave her a long passionate kiss.
~@~
Majic held a pillow over his head, trying to drown out disturbing noises coming from Orphen's room. "I'm going to have nightmares for years!"
~@~
Hartia sorted through his mail, humming a happy tune. He noticed a letter from his old friend, Krylancelo. "Ah, this is exciting, he doesn't write often! Oh wait.he doesn't write at all now that I think of it. No matter!"
Hartia opened the letter with excitement. As he read through it, his eager face lowered into one of disbelief. "He's.oh."
A knock came at his door. "It's open!"
Lai entered Hartia's office, with notes. "Good afternoon friend, reading your mail I see, anything interesting?"
"Well.I did get correspondence from Krylancelo."
Lai smiled, taking a seat by Hartia's desk. "That is interesting news. What does our friend have to say?"
Hartia gulped down hard. "You remember Miss Cleao, right?"
"The loud blonde girl travelling with Krylancelo, yes. Why do you ask."
"Well.Krylancelo has invited us to his.uh.their.w.w.wedding."
Lai blinked. "They're getting married? I must say, I couldn't have predicted this."
Hartia nodded. "I'm happy for Krylancelo, I am, but.married!"
"Yes, I know," he kindly offered. "Oh well, let's go get a glass of red wine to celebrate his good fortune."
"Yes, wine would be good at a time like this." Before Hartia left, he noticed a scribble of words at the end of the letter. "What's this?"
It read, "Nunc scio quit amor."
Hartia smiled. "I'm happy for you, my friend."
THE END
~@~
This is a new way of doing a fic, not sure if it's original or not. I call it a "quote fic", where you take quotes and insert throughout, relating to what you're about to write. It's fun; you should try it some time.
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{"Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think it does. Love is a battle, love is a war; love is a growing up." - James Baldwin}
Orphen's eyes slowly opened to greet the morning. He yawned quietly, and rolled over, to come face to face with two closed eyes. "Huh?" As his mind awoke, it registered that it was Cleao snoring beside him. Orphen fell out of bed.
"Damn that girl," he sneered to himself, "She's gotta stop sleepwalking!" A thought suddenly popped into his head. "Oh no."
Cleao chirpily rose to the morning. She soon noticed Orphen trying to climb out the window. With a frown, she screamed out, "LEKI!"
Leki merrily trotted into the room. Orphen tried to scamper out of the inn's window as fast as he could, but it wasn't fast enough to escape the explosion of power from the Deep Dragon infant. Before he knew it, half of the inn was in ruin.
Cleao yawned and gave a pat to Leki's head, as Orphen moaned under rubble.
~@~
"You dumb brat!" Growled Orphen, ripping into his toast as a maid poured him warm tea, "Must you do that every time you make the same idiotic mistake of ending in my bed?!"
Majic's eyebrow rose.
"It's not my fault!" She countered, stuffing some eggs into her mouth, "I get confused at night!"
Majic smiled, sipping his cereal. "Oh I see, Cleao has been sleepwalking again. This has become a little too frequent lately - " A plate whacked him in the head.
Cleao held up another plate menacingly, "Don't you dare give that slime ball any notions, Majic!"
At the thought of Cleao using the sleepwalking story as a rouse to be with him of a night made him haughtily laugh. "Yeah, I am sure hot property, every woman wants a piece of the greatest, sexiest sorcerer in the land - no - world! Hahahahaha!"
A plate whacked his face. Cleao folded her arms, while narrowing her eyes. A snide grin crept over her mouth, "Funny, all I see is a barbaric, violent, evil sorcerer."
"Flat-chested, ugly brat," countered Orphen, ignoring the trickle of blood down the side of his tanned face.
Unfolding her arms, the blonde clenched her fists, turned away and stormed into the street - which didn't take long thanks to half of the inn collapsing.
{"Sympathy constitutes friendship; but in love there is a sort of antipathy, or opposing passion. Each strives to be the other, and both together make up one whole." - Samuel Taylor Coleridge}
"Master?" asked Majic, watching Orphen continue eating his breakfast as if nothing had happened. "Master, aren't you going to go after Cleao?"
Orphen finished his second helping of bacon and shrugged, "Why should I?"
Majic forced a smile, "Uh, because she looked pretty upset. She didn't say anything, but you could tell she was really torn up. This worries me."
"Then you go after her, I'm busy."
Majic put down his spoon. "But Master, you're the one who made her upset. Please, go and sort this out because it gets out of hand."
Orphen closed his eyes, "And why should I?"
"Because it'll be good for harmony.and.and I'll give you three gold pieces if you go.heh." Majic began to sweat, still forcing a smile. Orphen held out his hand while biting into a bun. With a sigh, Majic handed over the gold. Orphen casually got out of his seat, and went to exit the inn, when Majic had a final word, "Behave - please." Orphen gave him a thumb up and walked out.
~@~
Cleao sighed, looking through some old toys in the market. Sure they were amusing, but they didn't cheer her up this day. She continued on to a stall selling amulets and enchantment books.
"I may be able to help you, my dear," croakily came the old woman behind the cart.
Cleao looked up from her gazing, to see the old woman, who was polishing a dark emerald ball. Cleao laughed, "Oh, that's kind of you, but I don't think you can help me today."
"Oh, but I can - Cleao Everlasting," she countered, her voice becoming slick and sly.
Cleao blinked, "How do you know my name?"
"I know many things," she replied, "Thanks to this crystal ball made by the Heavenly Beings. In fact most of these rare artefacts come from those with the greatest gifts of power, power we cannot comprehend."
"But what does that have to do with me?" Cleao demanded, becoming irritated.
The old tradeswoman peered into the ball, a gleam in her old grey eye, "But you see, this ball has told me you wish you better a man of great power - and arrogance. You want to know his power and use it against him."
Cleao laughed, waving her hand, "Oh no, no, I wouldn't go that far! I just want to teach that demented buffoon a good lesson!"
The woman held out to Cleao a small stone statue of a one-winged butterfly weeping, the statue was tied to a thin emerald chain. "I can help you, do you accept this.Miss Everlasting?"
{"Woe to the man whose heart has not learned while young to hope, to love - and to put its trust in life." - Joseph Conrad}
Orphen dusted off his hands, and peered back at the men who lay limp on the ground, groaning their agony. He kicked one in the ribs, "That's what you get for calling me an Evil Sorcerer, fools!"
He was yet to meet up with Cleao. He'd checked a few places around town, like the church in case she was praying for his death; the mortuary if she'd killed herself over angering him; the boathouse if Cleao had decided to run out to sea; the bakery if she was buying him an apology cake; but there was no trace of her. Orphen decided the marketplace may be his next best bet, she may be buying him an apology gift - or - wait a second! Orphen rummaged through his pockets and realized his wallet was missing.
"That blasted wench!" He roared.
~@~
Majic hummed a depressed tune as he went through Orphen's smelly laundry. As he picked up one his shirts, something small fell to the floor. Majic peered down to see it was Orphen's wallet. "Silly Master, forgot his wallet."
~@~
Cleao rubbed her chin, examining the necklace. She didn't believe what the hag was saying, just a bunch of nonsense to buy her wares. It wasn't even a very pretty looking statue, so gloomy - definitely not her. "I'm not so sure."
"It's 99% off, but only for you!" Chimed the old man.
Cleao's eyes lit up. "Oh, really?"
~@~
A few stalls away, Orphen spotted Cleao handing over a silver piece to an old woman. As Cleao went to take the necklace, he pushed her hand away and stood in front of her, baring his teeth. "And what do you think YOU'RE doing?"
Cleao glowered. "Well speak of the devil sorcerer. I happen to be buying a bargain, if you don't mind. Now move out of the way!"
"You're buying your little bargain WITH MY MONEY!"
"This isn't your money!" She protested, "It's Majic's, I stole.er.borrowed it two days ago! Lady, hand over the necklace." Cleao held out her palm to the woman.
Orphen pushed her hand away. "No, she doesn't want it, hag. Give the bimbo back the money!"
Both Cleao and the old woman shot Orphen a poisonous look. With a flick of her wrist, the woman threw the necklace past Orphen. Cleao leaped into the air, and allowed the necklace to fall over her shoulders.
"Transaction fulfilled," stated the woman, returning to her polishing.
Dumbfounded, Orphen tried to wrestle the necklace off of Cleao. "Give that here, Cleao!"
Cleao closed her eyes, and snarled, "Get lost!" A static bolt of energy zapped through Orphen. He was thrown into an apple stall. When he came too, Cleao was gone.
{"The art of love ... is largely the art of persistence." - Albert Ellis}
Concerned, but mostly enraged, Orphen searched the small town. He checked everywhere this time, regardless of if he thought it a Cleao sanctuary. After feeling defeat, he returned to their room. He found Majic folding his clothes into neat piles of shirts; socks; and what he thought were mould dunes.
"No Master," Majic told him, "that's your underwear."
"Oh. Hey, has Cleao returned yet?"
"Actually."
"Actually, she is back," came Cleao's voice. Cleao sauntered into the room, wearing a revealing green, short dress; holding Leki in her arms as she slowly stroked his fur. "Now where have you been, Mr. Finrandi?"
Orphen growled. "Oh great, while I've been out looking for the brat she's been here all along!"
Cleao quietly smiled, sending chills down his spine, "My dear Orphen, you shouldn't trouble yourself over me. How about you sit yourself down and I'll make you a pot of tea.
"Er." Orphen wasn't sure how to respond. Was it some sort of trick?
Cleao beamed cutely, letting Leki jump from her arms. "I will take that as a yes and make you some tea, maybe even get you some of that chocolate cake I just whipped up."
"Er."
She continued to beam. Cleao disappeared from the living room, into the small kitchen. Majic sat down on the lounge, and stretched his legs. "Wow Master. I don't know what you did, but it's like we have a whole new Cleao! I tried her cake, and it was actually edible too. Perhaps her cooking's only bad when she's in a temper tantrum. We'd better live it up while it lasts!"
"Er.New Cleao.you say?"
~@~
Orphen bit into the cake. His tastebuds instantly danced with glee, it was delicious. It was hard to believe Cleao had baked it. Then again, it was even harder to believe this was same girl he'd argued with earlier. What the hell had happened in the time they had been distanced?
"Do you like it, Orphen?" Enquired Cleao, folding her legs. He nearly coughed when he saw her black silken underwear under it as he bit into his cake again. "Is anything the matter?"
He frowned, "No, nothing at all. I see you went shopping again."
"Pardon?"
"The dress, never seen it before," he said, "Not really you, it's better suited for a woman with a rack."
He expected her to splat the whole cake in his face, but she just smiled wearily. "I guess you are right, I'll dress more suited to my body type in the future. Thank-you for your kind advice."
Majic and Orphen fell to the ground, their heads ready to explode. Leki tilted his head, mewing. Cleao looked at all, "Oh my, was it something I said?"
"It's a trick, it's gotta be a trick!" Wailed Orphen, bashing the carpet.
{"In love the paradox occurs that two beings become one and yet remain two." - Erich Fromm}
Cleao braided her hair, gazing at the magnificent radiance of the full moon. She hummed to herself, and took a moment to look at the one-winged butterfly weeping. Oh how it was lovely. "Humans are so like you," she thought to herself, "once torn they can never fly again, so they sit and cry, cry, cry.what a waste." Cleao rose to her feet, closing the window. "Well, this woman will not shed tears anymore. Oh no. For now this woman is much more equipped to dealing with her.wing rippers." Her eyes sparkled a pang of emerald as she lay her head down for slumber.
~@~
"Ok Majic, here's what I think happened," whispered Orphen, revealing a notepad with a scribble drawing of what looked like a dinosaur spraying blood, "After running from me, Cleao hit her head, broke her brain is now acting like this weirdo - as good as her cooking is."
Majic scratched his head, "Hmm.That is possible, but I didn't see any bumps on her head."
"I see," Orphen pondered, his eyes wandering to the full moon, "Perhaps she's suffering lunacy."
Majic lay back on his bed, half asleep, "She usually storms off when there's a full moon, Master. I don't think it's that. Maybe she's just decided to change her ways so you two won't fight any more."
Orphen's eyes widened," Change? But why would I want her to do a stupid thing like that? Majic? Hey, Majic."
Majic was already asleep. With a sigh, Orphen decided to head off to bed, perhaps everything would be back to normal in the morning.
{"Love can sometimes be magic. But magic can sometimes...just be an illusion." - Javan}
Orphen awoke at the sweet smell of fresh pancakes.no.bacon.or was it cinnamon toast.? He sat up wearily, rubbing his head. His eye caught the glint of silver by his bedside. He rubbed his eyes. Opening them, he beheld an array of food on a silver platter, all fresh and waiting to be devoured by him. "What the.?"
"Good morning Orphen!" Chirpily came Cleao, who stepped into the room with a jug of orange juice in one hand, and milk in the other. Orphen stared at his companion in utter confusion.
"You.made this?" It smelt so good; it was hard to believe Cleao could have done it.
Cleao set the jugs down, and giggled, giving his head a light pat. "Of course I did, it's all for you my dear Orphen. I know how much you love to eat first thing in the morning, so I asked the kitchen staff if I could borrow the kitchen. I hope you enjoy the meal, tell me if you'd like more." Before he could utter a word, she had skipped out of the room.'
"It's lunacy.gotta be."
~@~
Cleao sat on a bench in the town's gardens. She quietly read to herself, enjoying the sun's rays. Her reading was interrupted by a shadow looming over her. She tilted her head up. "Oh, Orphen, how are you?"
He stepped back, and presented his open palm, his features were intense. "You are not Cleao. Where is she and who are you? You'd better answer soon or you'll be made to regret it."
Cleao blinked, and returned to her book. "You and your silly jokes, ha-ha."
The book was ripped from her hands, and thrown clear. Cleao gasped. "Orphen, are you doing?"
"The question is, what are YOU doing?!" His volume rose, as he quickly became impatient. "Cleao can't cook to save herself, Cleao doesn't act ladylike, Cleao isn't that considerate, she's loud, boisterous, violent and.and.!"
Cleao's lowered her head darkly, "This Cleao isn't good enough either, huh?"
Orphen glared.
"You men are all the same, you're never satisfied. A woman's heart doesn't matter, as long as you get what you want. We're nothing but butterflies, aren't we?"
"What are you talking about?"
"You catch us off-guard, you rip off our wings, and.leave us to die. Isn't that right, male?" Cleao tilted her head up him; her eyes were a dangerous mix of anger and elegance. Her blue eyes beamed a haunting green. "Well, Krylancelo Finrandi - I won't let this butterfly die, she's going to be set free. Good day." With that she vanished.
Orphen gasped, looking around. "Cleao! Cleao! CLEEEEAAAOOO!"
{"There is no disguise which can hide love for long where it exists, or simulate it where it does not." - La Rochefoucauld}
Orphen ran into the market, he'd hoped to track down the old woman who sold Cleao that weird necklace. "We're nothing but butterflies, aren't we?" The butterfly necklace must've been controlling her.
He searched the vendors, but couldn't find the old woman. Returning to the spot he saw her last, he was surprised to see a small garden patch instead. It was a patch in the road, very unusual. He knelt down to take a closer look. "These look like.oh, what were they?" Orphen thought back to his studies at the Tower of Fang. "These are.are.Fluoro Blossoms, very rare and brought here from the - "
"Tenjin," interrupted Majic, who was standing in front of his master, looking at a book. "This town was once a base for the Tenjin actually. So it some ruin sites, and plant species brought down with them."
Orphen got him in a headlock. "You idiot! Why didn't you say something soon?!"
"Master, I just found out this morning!" He pleaded. "I hadn't had time to study the town till today!"
Orphen let go of him. Majic slumped to the ground, coughing as he caught his breath. "Where's Cleao?"
"She's disappeared, and so has the old bat who sold her the butterfly necklace. Which I'd like to add is the suspected reason Cleao's been acting like a freak - just so you're up the details."
Majic frowned, nodding. He rose, and opened his book. "Cleao's on Hannon Hill."
Orphen folded his arms. "What are you, psychic now?"
His apprentice smiled, showing him a picture of the hill in his book. "Something like that, Master. According to this guidebook, this hill is the base for all butterflies."
"So what?"
"And.it's where a Tenjin girl committed suicide, part of an old legend, but I haven't gotten all the details yet. Sound interesting?"
Orphen's eyes widened as he remembered the green glow in Cleao's eyes. "Oh my god." Without thinking, he bolted off.
Majic blinked. "Master, I haven't told you were it is yet!"
~@~
Cleao sat among the sea of flowers. They were so wonderful; she could have drowned in the aromas. "Ah, so lovely. I look forward to giving you fresh mulch with my corpse." Cleao laughed to herself, falling back into the flowers. "We will be one, and I can be appreciated for all eternity. Won't it be lovely?"
Two butterflies came to rest on her cheeks. She smiled; delighted at the tickles they gave. As they took off, they left wing dust on her cheeks. "Gifts from the butterflies, I am honoured. Fly free little ones. Free."
{"The cure for all ills and wrongs, the cares, the sorrows and the crimes of humanity, all lie in the one word 'love.' It is the divine vitality that everywhere produces and restores life." - Lydia Maria Child}
"OK Tenjin, where're you hiding?!" Roared Orphen, on guard as he walked through Hannon Hill. Majic followed him, surveying the area with caution.
Orphen's heart raced with fury and passion, his worry for Cleao's life soared with each second. "Get out here now!"
He readied himself to scream out again, when he heart faint laughter. Orphen followed the sound, dashing through the alien blossoms. The laughter grew louder. He stopped in the middle of a patch of green and blue flowers. Cleao there, surrounded by thousands of butterflies; she noticed her visitor and gave him a grin of recognition.
"Look my friends, it is the evil sorcerer. Have you come to save me?"
Orphen narrowed his eyes, "I've come to save Cleao - and send you back to Hell where you belong."
"Aww, but I've done nothing wrong." She pouted, sniffling.
"You plan to kill Cleao, that's more than enough!"
Cleao rose to her feet. The butterflies formed a barrier around her. "She's already dead, Krylancelo. I plan to save her, save her from you."
Orphen growled at her words, "Listen lady, I don't know what stupid things happened in your life, or what your little boyfriend did to upset up you, frankly - I don't care! This has nothing to do with me, or Cleao! Now release her!
"Make me."
Orphen clenched his fists. "Forgive me.Cleao.I call thee, Sisters of Explosion!" Great shockwaves hit the butterflies, instantly turning them to dust. The wave didn't even touch Cleao. "Impossible!"
Cleao fell to her knees, "No.you killed them.you.killed.them.!" Her whole body glowed bright green. She flew into the air, and soared toward Orphen. As she approached him, a green sword of light sprang from her palm.
Orphen readied himself, "I create thee, Sword of Magic!" A crystal sword formed, he shielded her blade. Her strength was incredible, Orphen found it hard to keep her at bay. He resorted to kicking her stomach. Cleao fell back to the ground, coughing, her sword gone. "Ow.I won't be beaten!"
A sharp pain filled his right shoulder. Orphen looked over to see a dagger in his shoulder. He gaped in pain, as he slowly pulled it out. "This.ah."
Cleao grimaced, watching him collapse. "That dagger is Tenjin poison. Enjoy. At least you can make up for all those lives you took by using your worthless body to feed these flowers, heh."
"Cleao." he whispered. "Don't.kill her.with me gone.you won't have to.kill her." Orphen coughed, his head felt light; everything was spinning.
She stood in front of Orphen, looking down at him pitifully. Just then, she dug her heel into his shoulder. He wailed in agony. "Another will come along and mistreat this girl, better to end it all now to save her the pain."
"How dare you." he quietly coughed. "How dare you treat Cleao like a weak person? She isn't. She isn't like you lady; my Cleao can take of herself. I know she doesn't want this."
Cleao growled, digging her heel in again. "What would a man like you know?! This is for her own good!"
Cleao took the dagger from the grass, and held it up the sunlight.
"No.!"
{"To fall in love is easy, even to remain in it is not difficult; our human loneliness is cause enough. But it is a hard quest worth making to find a comrade through whose steady presence one becomes steadily the person one desires to be." - Anna Louise Strong}
Cleao fell to the grass, the dagger stabbed just above her heart. She fell before Orphen, a serene smile on her pale face. Orphen tried to extend his hand to rip out the knife, but couldn't find the strength. "Cleao.don't leave me.no."
Cleao moaned, her eyes registering Orphen's pale face, she was now free of the Tenjin's hold. "Or.phen.sorry.for.everything.I should have.tried to be.more.more.less.er."
Orphen closed his eyes, smiling kindly, "Don't my Cleao, life wouldn't be as fun.without my partner."
Cleao's eyes watered. She weakly held out her hand, and took Orphen's. "My partner."
~@~
Majic raced around the hill. "Master! Master! Cleao!"
He couldn't see them anywhere. Something was horribly wrong.
~@~
A shadow was cast over Orphen and Cleao's dying bodies. The old woman who'd sold Cleao her necklace sighed. She transformed into a tall, handsome man with long, dark green waved locks. "Mira, why did you do it again?" He bent down to Cleao, and held the butterfly stone, closing his eyes. A tear rolled down his cheek, as he ripped it from Cleao's neck.
"My love, you never give me time to make amends," he wept, holding it against his cheek. "And now you have taken the lives of two innocent lovers."
A hand grabbed his leg. He peered down, to see Cleao, drained of energy, fighting to hold onto him. "We're.not.dead.yet."
~@~
Orphen and Cleao weakly sat among the flowers with the Tenjin man as he finished healing their wounds. Once he was done, he sat back silently, staring at the statue.
"OK, you better tell us what just happened," demanded Orphen, feeling his shoulder.
The man nodded, still staring down. "Mira.centuries ago my wife and I had an argument, just a silly tiff. In anger I broke off a wing on her favourite pendant, which I had crafted for her as my wedding gift. After snatching it back, she ran from the house, onto this hill. She wasn't looking where she was going, and tripped, falling onto an axe, which had been left there by a woodsman. When I found her, it was too late; she had died a slow and painful death. I encased her spirit into the stone pendant, and hoped to use someone else's body for her to use, so I could make amends. Each time it goes horribly wrong, and each time she becomes more vengeful.I don't know what to do."
Cleao got up; she knelt in front of him, and stared. She then lifted her hand and slapped him across he cheek as hard as she could. "Moron! How about setting her free, huh!"
"I can't!"
"The hell you can!" she yelled at him. "Women are more understanding when we're treated on fair ground, and not told what to do. You keep her locked away, and she's bound to go crazy, duh!"
Orphen folded his arms. "Yeah, what she said. Just let her spirit go and talk to her in the afterlife. Make a date of it and stuff."
"Excuse me?"
"Just trust us. If it doesn't work, haunt us - I don't care. Just don't watch me bathe or if I'm in the bathroom and we'll be set."
The Tenjin clenched his hands around the stone pendant. With a gasp of air, he clenched in hard enough for it to break. A green light escaped from his hands. It was in the form of a green butterfly. It fluttered around the man, and rose to the blue sky, disappearing from sight.
He sighed, rising to his feet. "What if she does not return to me?"
"Then it was never meant to be," Cleao poetically said.
"Dramatic Cleao, really," scoffed Orphen.
Cleao tugged his ear, "Oh, pipe down! I have two days worth of nagging to catch up on, so you'd better behave, Orphen!"
The Tenjin smiled kindly, "Ah, she's just like Mira." With that, he vanished into thin air.
{"Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get, it's what you are expected to give -- which is everything." - Anon}
"Gosh Cleao, you sure had us worried," said Majic, brushing his teeth, "Glad to see you back to normal."
Cleao hugged Leki, giggling, "Sorry to worry you Majic, but everything's ok now, your favourite blonde is back to her charming self!"
Orphen rolled his eyes, hearing her, "Charming isn't a Cleao descriptive word that springs to mind. More like narcissistic, arrogant, and pushy, yeah, that's unfortunately our Cleao"
Rather than get violent, Cleao, huffed and trotted back to her room.
Majic spat into the basin. "I see everything is back to normal."
Orphen stared in the direction Cleao went. "Maybe."
~@~
Orphen lay awake in bed, he couldn't sleep, and that damn full moon didn't help either. He rolled to one side, and sighed to himself.
Light footsteps across his floor caught his ear. Orphen prepared himself; he sprang to a sit position, as the intruder appeared right before his bed.
"Orphen," she whispered.
Orphen could barely make her out in the dark. "Cleao? So do you talk while you sleepwalk now? You're sure getting." His mouth was stopped by a sudden kiss. A smooth tongue parted his lips and found its way to his.
Cleao entered his bed, and snuggled beside him. "You always set me free, and I always return to you, my Orphen. With you I fly higher, and shine more brightly. I will be your partner for all time, and offer my all."
Orphen relaxed back into the bed, and stroked her cheek, "Getting dramatic again, I see, oh Cleao. But.ditto." He bent down and gave her a long passionate kiss.
~@~
Majic held a pillow over his head, trying to drown out disturbing noises coming from Orphen's room. "I'm going to have nightmares for years!"
~@~
Hartia sorted through his mail, humming a happy tune. He noticed a letter from his old friend, Krylancelo. "Ah, this is exciting, he doesn't write often! Oh wait.he doesn't write at all now that I think of it. No matter!"
Hartia opened the letter with excitement. As he read through it, his eager face lowered into one of disbelief. "He's.oh."
A knock came at his door. "It's open!"
Lai entered Hartia's office, with notes. "Good afternoon friend, reading your mail I see, anything interesting?"
"Well.I did get correspondence from Krylancelo."
Lai smiled, taking a seat by Hartia's desk. "That is interesting news. What does our friend have to say?"
Hartia gulped down hard. "You remember Miss Cleao, right?"
"The loud blonde girl travelling with Krylancelo, yes. Why do you ask."
"Well.Krylancelo has invited us to his.uh.their.w.w.wedding."
Lai blinked. "They're getting married? I must say, I couldn't have predicted this."
Hartia nodded. "I'm happy for Krylancelo, I am, but.married!"
"Yes, I know," he kindly offered. "Oh well, let's go get a glass of red wine to celebrate his good fortune."
"Yes, wine would be good at a time like this." Before Hartia left, he noticed a scribble of words at the end of the letter. "What's this?"
It read, "Nunc scio quit amor."
Hartia smiled. "I'm happy for you, my friend."
THE END
~@~
This is a new way of doing a fic, not sure if it's original or not. I call it a "quote fic", where you take quotes and insert throughout, relating to what you're about to write. It's fun; you should try it some time.
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