Floran put Christine on the ground. I saw her shadow slowly crawling away from the entrance, and disappearing to the left. Floran stood proud, with his legs firmly settled on the ground and his arms in a ready position.
"Floran, huh? Are you admitting it was you?"
"Me? What did I do?"
Autumn and Simon were closely examining both of them from under the table. I was scared, nearly crying, but they didn't flinch. I wondered how they pulled that off. How they kept calm in such a situation.
"Ignorant. So ignorant. It must have been you! You're the only one in this school strong enough! So why-"
"Calm down there, Guster, calm down. I didn't do it. Whatever you might be talking about, I didn't do anything malicious to upset someone else. I only use my powers to deter invaders of this school. My school."
"That's exactly the point."
It was as if Guster thought everyone knew about his hardship, but no one spoke up. Floran was clueless as well, leaving Guster all alone.
"Does the name Nathan Clover ring a bell?"
"Nope, not a thing! The only Clover I know is one of our teachers."
I thought the same. Miss Clover was still taking cover behind her desk. Autumn moved in a little closer to me and whispered in my ear.
"Good thing he kept her identity secret."
I plainly nodded, but I didn't understand what he meant by it. My angst had taken my voice from me.
"So, a 'Miss' Clover, huh?"
"Nathan doesn't seem like a woman to me!"
"You're right, this isn't about my mother."
"Your mother? How is she doing?"
"Huh? What would you know about her? Why do you care?"
"Nothing, I know nothing. I was just wondering if she's well and all."
"Oh, you're trying to talk me out of it. I see. I understand."
Floran kept his cool, much the same as he kept up his bothersome, pretentious voice. They were both still in the same place, neither of them making a move. Floran was definitely trying to talk to him instead of fight, but it didn't seem to be working. Guster was here to avenge someone.
"Maybe you just forgot, Floran."
"I'm not that old to have dementia."
Guster let out a sigh. I noticed Simon frantically typing some notes on his phone, and Autumn making signals to him. They must have been collecting every single piece of data on Guster they could.
"My father was killed, by one of your kind."
His statement frightened me. The naming of someone's death. My body locked up and my heart rate increased. My fingers were quivering. I noticed Floran intensifying his stance.
"I could take it, a little too well actually, but my mother couldn't. Seeing her break down in despair on the couch that night made something within me click. She kept repeating the same sentence over and over, while I did nothing but watch."
"'He should have never messed with that plant guy' is what she said."
"Guster-"
"No, I don't want to hear it. I don't need to hear it. It was a Growthorist, someone who could use plants with just his willpower. When I realised you were at this place, where my father went every day, I broke down completely. I woke up the next day with these powers, and I immediately went here. To find you."
The quiet rustles and gossiping from before went silent. Even Simon stopped typing on his phone to watch. The revenge Guster sought for his father, was justifiable. Everyone realised that, at that moment. But, he was wrong about the person who killed his father.
Blast.
A strong gust of wind rushed past our heads, headed straight for the doorway.
"Cress Shield!"
Floran blocked the gust with a green, mushy shield covering most of his face and chest. It grew in the blink of an eye. I never saw it being formed.
"Guster!"
"Shut up!"
Another blast. Guster hit Floran's shield again.
"I couldn't kill with cress! My specialities are capture and defence! Think about it for a-"
"Liar!"
Guster kept denying Floran's statements while firing incredibly strong gusts of wind in between.
"It wasn't me!"
"That's what everyone would-"
In that short moment where Guster spent his time talking instead of attacking, Floran disintegrated his shield.
"Cress-"
"Wha-"
"-Spring!"
He lunged forward using springs made from cress beneath his feet, and grabbed Guster's head with his right hand, before pushing him to the ground.
"I won't… go down!"
Guster pushed his left arm against Floran's stomach and fired.
"This is what you get, for killing-"
Floran rammed his foot on Guster's leg.
"Did you think… a mere breeze would kill me?"
Thick bundles off cress rapidly grew from the small pots hanging from Floran's waist, which used to be hidden under his clothes. The bundles grew from ground to ceiling and wrapped around Guster's arms and legs, pinning them to the ground.
"Ngh! No, you can't-"
"I can, Guster."
"Did you do this... to him too?"
The room went silent. Everyone was a spectator of a conflict, in which one man failed to avenge another. It was a saddening loss, even if he is considered an enemy.
"Guster."
Guster cried subtly, with a few tears rolling down his cheeks.
"What..."
"I don't kill people. If I did, I wouldn't have this."
Floran took out a badge from his pocket. It was a Peacebringer Crest, one that every registered Peacebringer has with them.
"It doesn't mean anything."
"I almost agree."
"Huh?"
"It means nothing, except one thing. That I don't kill people."
Guster stopped resisting. The battle was over, and I let out a deep sigh. Others around me did the same, and the murmuring returned.
"I'm taking you to the station if you don't mind."
"Rank 97, Floran."
"Hm? Did you research me?"
"Of course I did, but I'm disappointed in myself. Even with all the info I found, I could hardly put up a fight."
People were emerging from their hiding spots. Andrew, Simon and I also stood up, but I could feel how weak my legs still were. I could hardly stand. This experience was something frightening, and I didn't want to have it ever again.
Floran grinned and turned his attention to the students.
"You know the rules, so leave the classroom at once."
Everyone picked up their bags and left the classroom. I left last because I wanted to hear their conversation for a little while longer.
"Cress Spring is one of my new moves, and this was the first time I used it. You couldn't have found any information on that, even if you tried your hardest."
"Thought so. Well, what's gonna happen to me now? The police?"
"Indeed, but, if you want, I could help you find the murderer afterwards."
I was already in the hallway and around the corner, but I came to a standstill. Autumn and Simon had just gone down the stairs, but I stayed. I turned around and peeked into the classroom.
Guster's eyes were wide open.
"Do you mean-"
"Yes, after your punishment, come join my team. We have looked for a great Stormacist for ages."
The bundles of cress broke down and Floran helped Guster up. A portion of the cress was still left, as makeshift handcuffs around Guster's wrists. They turned my way, so I quickly pulled my head back and ran towards the staircase.
"But only after you finish off your punishment, will I accept you."
That was the last I heard of them. I headed down the stairs and outside, towards the Van Leeuwen Field. I knew I could find them there, beneath that tree.