SORCERESS 101 228 Cactniss Evergreen

"Who says that this is not where the portal is??? Who says that there is no guardian here??? Then what do you call me then??? Are you all blind??!!"

While the group was racking their brain to find an answer as to why they were left in that kind of situation they heard a soothing voice coming inside that same room.

The voice resounded in the room like the prelude of a flute. It sounds so sweet and delicate like melting honey.

The voice sounds so feminine that it registered through their ears like as a voice that was as soft and murmurous as wings

Her voice is like the harmony of angels. It was pure and sweet as if from heaven

But taking another look around them, the group found no one.

"Could it be that the guardian is hiding within one of the walls here?"

Long Yue whispered next to his friends. But the guardian this time seemed to have a keen sense of hearing.

"You're kidding right???? Why do I need to hide myself from a bunch of warlocks like your group?? Do you think I have time to play games with you all????"

The soothing voice that comes somewhere inside the room answered back to Long Yue's question"

Despite the voice sounding a bit irritated, it still has a clear ring to it. As if the sound of jingling silver bells in a Christmas carol.

"MEOW"

[Ms. Guardian is over there, little la.s.s.]

Ja.n.u.s said as he gestured to his master using his head and pointed to the direction where Ms. Guardian is.

On the direction that Ja.n.u.s was pointing, the human-sized cactus with a flower on its head that looks like a headdress was standing.

"I'm over here!"

After the soothing voice said that, the cactus plant in the middle of the room started shaking one of its body parts as if waving at them.

"I think I saw the guardian. There she is."

Mu Lingxi said to her friends as she pointed at the waving cactus plant.

"Oh, another talking plant????"

Fan Lei and the others raised an eyebrow when they saw the cactus plant waiting at them.

So far, they have not met a normal talking plant as a guardian before. So they don't have any good impression of them.

Well, they actually have not met a normal guardian, to begin with. Each of them has its own odd quirk.

It seemed that it was part of their job description or some sort.

First is the senile talking oak tree who had a tendency in talking to himself and getting agitated for no reason.

Next is Arya the vegan merfolk. Could merfolk even be a vegetarian?

She could be the most normal among the rest if not for her loquacious and kinda tactless personality.

Then there was the lame comedian wannabe, Flora. A sunflower plant that has the face of a baby and speaks like a toddler.

Recalling her d.a.m.n lame jokes that she called riddles were enough to give Fan Lei a headache. No wonder, he was the first one to react when he saw the human-sized cactus waving at them.

Now they got another sentient and talking plant as a guardian. The cactus plant with a soothing voice and a yellow flower on its head.

Just what kind of odd quirk does this next guardian have??

The group wonders.

Walking closer to the waving cactus plant, the group bow their heads simultaneously to greet the guardian.

When they finally got a closer look at the guardian stationed at the portal leading to the exit of Rhapsody Swamp, they saw that it was carrying something on its back.

Ohh, rather than saying that the cactus plant was carrying something on its back. It was more accurate to say that the thing was slung on its body.

It was a bow with a complete set of arrows. Whether it was for decoration or props purposes, it was unknown.

"Errr... Hi Ms. Cactus."

Unsure how to greet the other party, the group decided to play safe and used formalities to address her.

"Actually I'm not a cactus yet."

"There she is..."

The group thought to themselves all at the same time.

They know that every guardian chosen to be stationed at each of the portals had their own odd quirks so they were not surprised if the guardian will say something weird afterward.

But this Ms. Cactus before them transcended beyond their expectation.

So there was even someone as in denial of their own ident.i.ty???

"MEOW"

[If you say you are not a cactus, then can I say I'm not a cat as well???]

"Ja.n.u.s, that is not entirely wrong though. You can be a panther sometimes, remember?."

"MEOW"

[Technically speaking that was still a cat. A bigger version at that.]

"Whatever, if you say so..."

The master and cat duo chatted for a while. On the other hand, the group stared at one another.

As perplexed as they may be as to why the cactus before them is in denial of its own ident.i.ty, they tried to sound her out.

"What shall we call you then???'

Long Fuzi asked like a gentleman.

"Ohh you remind me of someone I used to love. He also used to be a fine gentleman just like you. At that time, I was already prepared to stop being a cactI and was ready to become a cactUS with him. But who knew that he was such a p.r.i.c.k?!!! (freak). Anyways, just call me CACTNISS EVERGREEN"

"MEOW"

[Ohh. I thought it was Katniss Everdeen."

"Well, maybe it was her character reference. Let her be."

Apparently, what the guardian plant meant when she said the "She was not a cactUS yet" is that she was still single and not with anyone yet.

On the other hand, the grammar n.a.z.i, Fan Lei was also conflicted.

But rather than feeling conflicted because of the tragic love story that Cactniss Evergreen had shared with them, what concerned him is the misconception behind the guardian plant's words.

Aren't the plural form is cacti and cactus is the singular? Not the other way around.

Wasting no time, Long Fuzi stepped forward and went straight to the point.

"Actually. Ms. Evergreen we did come here with a humble request in mind. We believed that you are the guardian a.s.signed to stand guard on the portal leading outside of this Rhapsody Swamp. If it is not too much to ask, we would like you to bring us out of here the sooner, the better."

Long Fuzi revealed their true intention.

"Oh, that's easy. Come and hug me."

"..." Long Fuzi

"????" Others

"Err?? Is she some sort of s.a.d.i.s.t???"

When they heard the condition made by Catniss Evergreen to help them get out of Rhapsody Swamp they were all dumbfounded.

Who in the earth in their right mind would hug a cactus on their own accord?

Could it be that this Cactniss Evergreen, by any chance, took a liking to Long Fuzi?

Is she smitten to him that is why she is asking for a hug?

"Now, I'm no cactus expert, but I know a p.r.i.c.k when I see one. Tsk. She certainly comes from the cactus family tree. What a p.r.i.c.k!!!"

Mu Lingxi said her evaluation discreetly to her cat.

"MEOW"

[Aye! Looking sharp little la.s.s? But looking at this Catniss Evergreen, she looks more like a goth cuc.u.mber to me.]

"Whether she is a goth cuc.u.mber or a pretentious aloe vera or a p.r.i.c.k cactus, one thing is for sure. I don't like her"

"MEOW"

[Aye? Why do you feel so? Are you jelly????"

"Jelly your head! Do you want to hug her for yourself???"

"No, I don't"

The master and cat duo continued on their nonsense bickering while the rest of the group stared at Cactniss Evergreen as if they have seen a ghost.

"Do we really have to hug this darn cactus before leaving this place???"

"I don't know. I never heard of such a trial before. It is not mentioned in the book either."

"Haixt! Books are so unreliable. Just think of the incident back in the desert land. Don't they think it is so irresponsible of them to leave such important details??? They should have warned us that you can actually die and turned into a pile of yellow sand if you drink the bother in the oasis that is laced by the Sakura flower beside it"

Fan Lei and the others discussed among themselves.

"Enough of that. We must think of a way to pa.s.s this trial if we want to get out of here."

"Say, shall we just closed our eyes and hug her and endure it for a bit??? Let's just think that we got p.r.i.c.ked by needles."

"A thousand needles at that."

"That sucks."