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Chapter 46: The Bonds of Family

Flash Heart charged at Flora as she sent a wave of vines towards him. Flash's sword of light sliced through the conjured vines as he drove towards Flora, ready to hurl the weighted chain in his left hand at her. Flora threw up a barrage of wooden stakes from the ground, only for Flash Heart to vanish before he could be impaled.

Flora no almost no time to react as Flash Heart appeared behind her and wrapped his chain around her. "Just hold still. I don't want to hurt you, Flora."

"Then why did you betray us!" Flora tried to wiggle free.

"I..." Flash stopped for a moment to re-order his thoughts, "Because I'm trying to save you from what Soul Heart did to you."

"She made us stronger!" Flora spat, "You saw to that by beating us over and over so she forced the power on us!"

Flash glared at the green orb on Flora's shoulder and released the light sword still in his hand, "Then I'll get rid of the thing I forced you to endure." He grabbed at the green orb then grit his teeth as he felt the energy emanating from it start to burn his fur but he powered through the pain and tried to pull it off.

Flora screamed in pain as it felt like her skin was being torn off. Flash Heart winced and let go, his grip on his weapon slacking as he heard her scream.

"Get off me!" Flora forced her arms apart and pulled a massive collection of vines that wrapped around Flash and pulled him off her. "And die!" She threw her arm behind her as she spun around and sent a barrage of splinters at him. Flash Heart weathered the blast and dropped his kusarigama, which dissolved as he let go, then conjured two light swords to slice apart the vines holding him. Flora conjured wooden armor across her body as Flash regained his footing and created another kusarigama.

"I'll save you from this," he hurled the ball at Flora, but it bounced off her armor.

"I don't need saving!" Flora created a large fist of wood on her right arm and swung hard at Flash Heart, who just barely dodged backwards into a tree. Flora shot her left arm forwards and vine tendrils shot at Flash, who dodged aside and charged at her. He swung the sickle end of his weapon at Flora and struck deep into the wooden armor. Flora winced but kicked Flash Heart, who just barely avoided being hit between the legs. As he jumped back, five illusory duplicates appeared around Flash as more vine attacks flew at him.

"I never seen you this ruthless!" Flash Heart shouted as he fired a barrage of yellow lasers from his left fingertips towards Flora, which blasted apart the vines she used to block them.

"I enjoy it!" Flora grinned maliciously as she advanced, larger and larger vines sprouting up to attack. "Lady Soul Heart has freed me of my restraint and I'm going to enjoy unleashing my restraint all over this place!" The ground began to shake as Flora's wave of vines threw up and assaulted Flash Heart, destroying his illusions in an instant. Flash Heart jumped up to a tree just as it started to animate under Flora's power and vanished again. Flora turned around expecting him to appear there, as Flash Heart appeared above her head.

He was about to bring the weighted end of his weapon on Flora's head, when a wooden helmet closed over her head which made the end just *thunk* off the armor.

Flora looked up and a dozen vines shot up and throttled Flash Heart, holding him suspended in mid-air. "Is that all? You beat me so easily before but now? How could you be so weak?"

"Because I don't want to hurt you," Flash felt his arms and legs being pulled spread-eagle and starting to pull on him. "Don't make me go all out."

"Why should I? You had no problem before!" Flora grit her teeth and started to pull on his limbs.

Flash was in incredible pain as he did his best to focus. "You're right. I'm sorry I put you thought that. We're family, I should have let up but I didn't want to succumb like you have."

Flora seemed to slacken off for a moment, "Flash..." her voice sounded almost remorseful. Then a green light flashed from under her armor and she bared her teeth again, "I don't give a shit! Die!"

"No!" Flash's eyes lit up and he shot a laser from his finger that severed the vine holding the opposite hand free. He created a light sword and sliced himself free then conjured a second as he fell. Flora tried to snare him again but Flash Heart disappeared in a flash of light and reappeared right in front of Flora. He crossed his arms over his chest and swing outwards at Flora, striking an X into Flora's armor.

"You! You!" Flora struck at Flash Heart but only hit empty air as Flash Heart appeared to her right. Flash Heart warped around and around Flora Bear, striking every second at part of Flora's wooden armor, leaving deep gashes all over her until he finally warped a meter away, his back to her, sweat all over his brow, as he stood up from a crouch.

"Light blade circle."

Flora's armor shattered into splinters as Flash turned to face her, his swords disappearing as he conjured his kusarigama. "I hope you'll thank me for this later." He spun the ball around and hurled the ball which struck Flora in the forehead.

Flora's head was knocked back for a moment then she snapped forwards and grabbed the ball before Flash could pull it back. "I took a blast of four combined elements before I got this strong! That was nothing!" She pulled the chain which pulled Flash off his feet and right into her fist as she smashed him down.

Flora formed a stake of wood in her hand and stabbed it down only for Flash to roll out of the way at the last moment. Flora conjured another stake as a feminine voice rang out from nearby.

"CARE BEAR STARE!" Guidance Heart shot a bright white beam from her chest symbol right at Flora. Flora was pushed back under the stare but turned to Guidance and began forcing her way through to the blue raccoon even as the orbs began to evaporate into green mist, until she was grabbed from behind.

Flash Heart held Flora around the waist, "Hold still and let us help you!"

"LET ME GO!" Flora backhand punched Flash in the nose but he held on despite the nosebleed it had caused him. Flora's struggles and kicks weakened until finally the orbs and the connections between them completely evaporated and Flora slumped in Flash's arms.

Guidance swiped her forehead to remove the nervous sweat that had gathered there. "Sorry I didn't jump in sooner. I didn't know if I could penetrate her armor."

Flash nodded, "Thanks. I couldn't have done that. What about Snowy?"

"Defiant's fighting him," Guidance looked back over her shoulder, "I hope he's alright."

"Snowy'll be fine," Flora mumbled.

"Flora?" Flash turned her around in his arms and saw her face. "You're awake."

"It's gonna take a lot more than that to knock me out." Flora managed a weak smile.

Though he was still supporting her weight, Flash Heart gave Flora a hug, "You're back." He started to cry.

"I guess I am, but now what?" Flora asked.

"Hold on," Guidance dug her cell phone out of her chest symbol and dialed around.

A few minutes later she confirmed that all of the Shadow Magi were down, the green orbs removed from their bodies. She heaved a sigh as she hung up the last call, "At least that's good. Take Care said we should being them to her hospital ASAP."

"Alright," Flash looked down at Flora, "Are you gonna stay with us?"

Flora looked up at him. "Don't have much of a choice."

Guidance Heart conjured a cloud car and got in the driver's seat while Flash Heart strapped Flora into the back seat and got in next to her. As they flew into the sky, Flora turned to face Flash.

"Flash."

"Yeah?" Flash turned to look at her.

Flora gave a weak smile, "Thanks for saving me."

Flash leaned up against her, "Any time."