I need to do something to get my mind off Ch. 6 but It's. Not. Fuckin'. WORKING!!!

Part 4: When the Flag has been raised...

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Epel felt his nostrils overflow with the pungent fragrances. "I-It's getting stronger the more we get closer to it...." on cue, his stomach let out a growl of hunger. "Agh....its making me drool already...."

"Do not give in, Epel. We may be coming up on an ambush." Vil snaps him out of it.

"He's right. Now that the monster team is aware Charlotte and Cater are heading towards greenhouse, they'll be trailing after us." Riddle reminds him.

"It's best if we take a long way." Vil suggests. Floyd suddenly froze and holds out a hand to stop the other three as he whispered,

"Quiet! Something's goin' on!" they followed suit and stayed quiet as they hid in the shadows only to see-

Two blurred figures of green and black chasing one another at lightning speed.

"What's the matter~? Can't hit a moving target that well~?" Lilia stuck his tongue out. "You can't take me down if you can't keep your eye on me~!" he dodged two more beans with grace.

"You've been avoiding my own attacks. You really believe you can catch me from that distance?" Malleus teased back as he reloaded the bean shooter. Once he had some locked and loaded, he fired round after round, "Or are you just scared of me?"

"Touche~. Then, let's see how this will play out, huh?"

"You know I'm not a child, Lilia. Don't go easy one me." At once, the two ran at once another, threw several fists in the process, then flew away from each other, evading one another's attacks whilst trying to eliminate their opponent.

"It's Malleus and Lilia!" Epel gasped on realizing who the voices belonged to. He watched as Lilia zig-zagged the beans that flew right towards him with little effort. Then he shot forward and tried to hit malleus in the sternum, only for the prince to counter by grabbing onto his arm, pushing it away and jump over Lilia's head and land on the other side, landing in an action pose as he turns back and throwing his arm out with the bean gun, fires three beans back. The two flew at each other again, only to cross one another, kicking up a big-ass plume of dirt and dust from the whirl of wind.

"I'd never think that we'd come across the two leaders of Diasomia going head to head!" Vil gaped in pure shock as the two faes clashed punches once more, only for Lilia to push against Malleus and push him back, creating a wide space between the two when he felt that more beans were thrown his way.

"They're moving so fast, I can barely keep up with whos winning!" Riddle shook his head in amazement as the two resorted to up-close combat and tried to land punch after punch on the other. But like one could read the other's movements, he dodged at the last second, the opponent's fist barely grazing their skin.

"Lilia doesn't even know were here! Let's take the chance and help Malleus!" Epel asked.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Little guppy...." Floyd denied.

"Floyd! We've a one-time chance! Why do you go against it?!"

"Sea Slug and Flapjack Octopus are too frenzied in their fight, they're not paying attention to the surroundings! And should they catch us, Flapjack Octopus has an advantage and can take us all down in a millisecond. Epel tensed at that, making Floyd raise an eyebrow, "What, you're that surprised? When its one vs a group, the one will take down the weakest link if you get in the way of the boss battle."

" 'Weakli'.... You mean ME?! US?!?!" Epel huffs. "We've got more on our side and equipment!"

"Lilia may be your height, but he's more stronger than one could anticipate. He ranks highest in the sports classes above all the other third years." Vil gave evidence. "Since he's one of the strongest, he actually survives as the last person standing every year for this event."

"And Silver and Sebek have told me Lilia is a master of martial arts, much like Charlotte." Riddle joined. "At first, I only thought they were telling me this because they were to respect him..." he looks over to see Lilia swing his leg out in a roundhouse, only for malleus to block it with his arm and hurl an elbow at him, forcing Lilia to flip over him and intercept the elbow strike with his own, blowing one another away.

"What the matter, Malleus~? You're not worthy to be the next in line if you can't be a step ahead~!" Lilia taunts, barely catching a sweat.

"Well, YOU aren't a child, so stop acting like it." Malleus kept his cool as he fires more beans. "You're already starting to wane. Why don't you take a rest~?" Malleus lunges at him, ready to strike him down, only for Lilia to run past him, turn back and zoom at Malleus and they clash blows, making the ground shake.

"....This actually proves Silver and Sebek aren't lying. They told the truth..." Riddle finished.

"Totally. He's much faster than Sea slug-senpai...."

"It'd be an unwise choice to intercept the battle since we don't know the true extent to Lilia's power. He'll wipe the floor with us all if we show our faces."

"Since he's distracted, let's keep going." This made Riddle raise an eyebrow and look at Floyd.

"Well, that's new. It's not like you to say that. I thought you'd be one to go all in!"

"So now do you feel like taking this thing by storm?" Vil asked.

"Eh, not exactly....I just think it'd be unfair to interrupt their fun..." Floyd shook his head as he watched the two fight one another still. But inside, he was a little bit differed. It's also something Charlie had silently noted about him one day while they were working tables together. He knew he was reckless when it came to fighting, but he wasn't THAT insane to take on anybody: third years, Diasomnia, Charlie herself.... He knew his boundaries.

When he heard her say that to him, he blew it off like it was one of her mind-reading tricks, but inside, he applauded her. She read people with silence and intuition, which was both scary and amazing in its own way. That, coupled with her magic, made him start to look up to her more and more. Who knew that he, his brother and Azul came a long way with her from becoming enemies to coworkers and students, saving one another's backs?

"Well, they DO look like they're having fun...." Epel mumbled.

"Let's make our escape." Vil ushers them away silently as the four turn away and kept moving towards their destination.

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Inside the greenhouse, several students were wandering around, on the prowl for enemies until one of them stopped and smelt the air.

"H-Hey....you guys smell that?" he asked his cohorts, who followed his example.

"Yea...it's shawarma!"

"But why would it be in the greenhouse?" but the guy's body had a mind of its own and started moving towards the smell by impulse, the others following suit.

"Okay, then...." Kalim muttered looking over the instructions given to him, " 'Flip meat onto second uncooked side, cook for the same alloted time. Then cut met with scissors..... put pickled vegetables and meat in pita bread, don't stuff too much in bread'....okay, carrots, tomato, lettuce then meat...and it's done! Itadakimasu!" He rips a huge chunk out of the wrap. "Whoa, that's awesome!"

"It's coming from over there!" the three wandered into Kalim's domain and looked over, where one of them gasped upon seeing who it was. "Ryo-chou! What are you doing with a grill in the middle of the greenhouse?!"

"Well, it's noon so I figured I just eat some food while I'm at it!" Kalim answered.

"Well, it's quite the setup you've got. As from the perks of the wealthy.

"Why don't you try some? There's plenty to go around!" He offered. The three didn't hesitate and grabbed their own shawarma wraps.

"And if you get thirsty, we've got iced tea in the thermos!"

"Want any help managing the food?"

"You're more than welcome to help!"

Very soon, more and more students began wandering to the place, entranced by the aromas.

"What's cooking over here?"

"It smells so succulent...."

"OOH! We've got more customers! C'mon in! Don't be shy!" Kalim waves them in. "I guess this is what Jamil meant by sharing with the others! Thanks Jamil, I owe you one!"

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Outside, Cater, Charlotte, Jade and Grim made it to the entrance, looking through the clear glass panes.

"Well, we're here at the greenhouse, but...Don't you smell something strange?" Cater asked.

"It's oriental, and spicy more than strange, it's a smell that kicks your appetite....yes?" Jade followed. Charlie silently sniffs the air, feeling her hunger simmering a tad.

"I don't know, but it's a smell that makes me salivate!" Grim smiles. "The smell is coming from that way! Let's go and see!" He hopped out of Charlie's arms and started to run.

"Grim, be more in alert! It's maybe the monsters team's trap!" Cater frets.

"Get back, you stupido gatto!" Charlie runs right behind him, aiming to catch him, Jade and Cater following behind.

Hidden in the bushes outside the greehouse, Jamil watched them silently. "So we've got Cater and Jade...and Charlotte and Grim as well..." he smirks. "Well, this is going to be more fun than I thought...." Oh, Jamil...if only you knew what was about to happen....

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After infiltrating the Greenhouse and seeing what Kalim was up to,

"Here's the meat! Feel free to put whatever veggies in the pita bread you like!" Kalim hands over the meat towards one student as he flips over another kebab. As Grim ate like a ravenous animal, Kalim smiles at Cater and Charlie, "I'll make Cater and Charlie's too! I'll roast the meat so wait just a bit."

Charlie began to shake, "That actually does a pretty good...."

"Ah〜, no, I'll pass." Cater declines nicely, whilst trying to snap Charlie out of it.

"Don't hold back! There's still a lot of meat anyway."

"Uhmm.....please come back quickly, Jade..." Cater mutters, shaking Charlie vigorously.

"What is it? You don't have to hurry that much."

"It's not like that....it's because the smell of the roasted meat is drifting around the building that's-" But the sound of rustling leaves with heard too soon.

"Found you, it's a bunch of on the farmers team!" Jamil calls out and a swarm of monster players follow.

"They're all in here!"

"Get them—!!"

"Eh, Jamil!?" Kalim dropped what he was doing.

"Funa!? Many guys from the monster team suddenly appeared!" Grim drops his half eaten meal in surprise.

"You See?! I thought it would go this way! I tried to tell you: If you spread a way such strong smell, it's like saying "I'm here" to them〜." Cater said, finally getting Charlie out of a hunger trance.

"Shawarma.... Kebab has a strong spicy smell of ingredients, once you roast it, the smell can be felt from afar." Jamil cautiously approached the group. "I intended to make Kalim a menu that makes fills the stomach, but.... I didn't think it'll go like this."

Charlie gaped. He planned it from the start?!

"It's cheating to make food as a trap!" Grim scowled.

"Anyway, let's get out of here!" Cater pulls them away.

"Like I'll let you! After them!" Jamil orders. A few of the players give chase, but Charlie was prepared. While Kalim, Grim and Cater were distracted earlier, she investigated the area for any monster players, and happen to find an untouched paintball gun lying by the wall against tool shed. And a canister of paintballs stood right next to it. Needless to say, her curiosity was piqued. She check to make sure that no one was around, then check the equipment to make sure it was properly functioning, and shot a few paintballs to make sure. She might have broken window along the way. But unless she kept it hidden in her jacket, The safety switch on, and the nozzle for shooting pointed down, until the right moment. Which was now.

"I'll make you PAAAAAAAAAYYYY!!!" Whirling back around, she flipped the safety switch off and started to fire. Grunts of pain were heard as the monster team fell one by one, splatters of (coincidentally) orange paint blossomed on their arms, legs or stomachs from where they were hit.

"Whoa! Charlie?!" Cater looked at her in amazement. But Charlie paid him no mind. Right now she was focused on her targets. And just like she said, true to her name, One paintball per person. She never missed a target. And they fell at her feet. Once the last person was down, One of them suddenly jumped up and ran, screaming for his life.

"SHES A MONSTER! RUN AWAY!!!" The other students followed suit crying and begging for mercy.

Charlie turned back to Cater with a cute smile. He merely looked at her with his jaw hanging loose. "See? Told you I'm the best~! Now, close your mouth, boi. You'll catch flies that way~." She closes his mouth for him, winking as she scurried towards the exit. Cater, in a daze, follow after, dragging Grim with him.

"Whoa...." Ortho peeks out from a few potted plants as he looks over the footage he had recorded when Charlie became a beast with the paintball gun in her hand. "....that was amazing! The mechanisms on the gun worked perfectly, nothing broke and Charlie handled the gun like she was used to it! I have to tell Nii-san!" he ducks and flies away back to Ignihyde to save the video footage as proof.

Jamil swung his weapon as he snatched Kalim. "Got ya!"

"AGH! Damn...I didn't even get two feet from you!" he murmured.

"Well I train a lot more than you think I would. But I lost Jade, Cater and Charlotte in the process. I'll go after them! What about you guys?" he looks over to the group he rounded up.

"We got some as well!"

"Guess the kebab trap worked!"

Kalim's eyes widened when he realized what Cater had been trying to tell him. "Ah! You used the food as a way to try and ambush us! I was a fool...."

"But you played right into it, too." Jamil laughs. "Better get to the gym or Vargas might push you more than usual."

"Well, it IS rules. But just one thing?"

"If you're asking me to let you go, don't count on it."

"No, not that....I wanna eat my shawarma before leaving! No way am I wasting food! Lemme make some for you and your buddies, too!"

"Wait, CAN we do that?" someone looked over.

"Well, I did skip out on breakfast..."

"Well as long as it's from Jamil, then I'd be up for it!"

"G-Guys, are you nuts?! If we stay here any longer they may send backup to take us all out!" Jamil says. He looks over to see a few of the group members crawling towards them, orange paint smearing their clothes. His eyes widened. "What happened?!"

"C-Charlotte...."

"She...she wiped the floor with us...."

"....she was so fast...I couldn't even see it before I knew it....I was out!"

"Hey, don't sweat it!" Kalim, who hadn't been looking over, was too focused on the shawarma to care. "I can finish this all if I get some extra hands!"

Jamil let out a frustrated growl, early tugging at his hair. 'Well, he's out so he's not the enemy anymore...Charlotte on the other hand...if this was what she did to the team, what will she do if she gets her hands on ME???' he felt his heart thud wildly in his ribcage at the mere thought of suffering under her thumb, his fear level slowly trying to creep up on him, but he pushed it back with frustration. "GRRR, I can't believe my own plan backfired on me like this!!!!' "Alright, you know what?! Screw this! I'll take five minutes to get it all done!"

"Thanks, Jamil~!"

"Ooh la la~! To think we'd see the Scarabian Duo here of all times~!" Rook chirps, making his debut with Trey.

"Oh, hey guys! Want some shawarma? It's gonna be a while since Jamil's handling everything." Kalim nods over hos shoulder as Jamil sped around doing ten things at once.

"...Yea, uh....what in the world's going on??" Trey looks around the area, confusion swept his eyes.

"Kalim insists on finishing the food he brought before going to the gym. And since I know what I'm doing, I find myself in THIS predicament. And I want to get this over with and get back in the game in very little time!"

"Oh? And you caught most of the farmer's in this exact area?" Rook referred to both teams eating together with zero problems.

"Well, we nearly got all of them, but Jade, Cater and Charlotte snuck away. And Charlotte struck most of the team with a counterattack of her own!" Jamil nods towards the people with orange paint on their clothes. Rook and Trey looked at one another in surprise, seeing as how one girl could cause so much damage by herself. "I knew she was a fighter, but this....ugh, they may be coming back with other reinforcements, I can't be here slacking off!"

"Yet you're still at it, huh?" Trey looks down at the grill.

"I'm bringing disgrace to the Asim Family if I slack off on any work."

"But that's you, Jamil! you give your all on everything! That kind of hardwork is beaute!" Rook saluted. "I'd normally stray from anything spicy, but this time I'll give you my respect."

"So, Trey! Rook! Any tea of preferance?" Kalim asks.

"Kalim, not now!" Jamil hissed.

"My, my....I was lured here by the smell of food, yet now I see a group od students quite unlike the everyday ruckus....may i request one as well?"

"Lilia! The more, the merrier!" Kalim nods vigorously. Lilia lands next to the other two and starts up a conversation.

"Judging by the situation, you're already eliminated, right?"

"Yea....but Charlie and Cater made it out alive....oh wait! Y-You're with them! forget everything I told you!!!" Kalim waved his hand back and forth frantically as Jamil facepaled behind him.

Lilia laughs, "Don't worry. I already overheard everything before coming inside." he thought to himself, 'And I suppose these three aren't here for the food either?'

"Well, it's more of an exchange/peace truce for now. Speaking of, where were YOU al this time?" Jamil asked.

"Oh! I was fighting with Malleus. And I beat him." Lilia smiled, unfazed.

"WHAAAA?!"

"Unbelievable! One of the strongest contenders on the farmers team fell at your hands?! You really are the Master of Mystery!" Rook swoons. "But alas, such a loss. I had prayed we'd at least witness this feat just once!"

"Well, he's become much stronger than before." Lilia praised. "If he hadn't used up all his beans in that fight, I would've been out instead. It worried me for a minute, honestly....On the other hand, Silver and Sebek are still in the game, yet I haven't seen or heard from either of them since...woe is me...anyways, I guess fate is on my side since I got to cross paths with all of you! Need some extra help?"

"You took down one of the farmer's strongest players! Of course we'd want you to join!" Jamil accepted.