"Hmm... I see your predicament here, child. Have you tried asking for assistance from others, though? I don't think you should be coming here if you're a beginner..."

"Please, miss Illusen? I've gone everywhere! B-but..." Stellruna trailed off for a moment. "I tried helping Kauvara in her magic shop a few months ago. She gave me lots of money to help buy my paint brush, but I kept messing up all of her spells and potions, no matter what I did. So I left that job! Then I went to... Jhudora..." she whispered, grimacing at the name, "but she told me that she wouldn't help me unless I helped her. And I don't wanna help someone scary like her," she gulped and went on. "So she said that if I wouldn't help her, then no one would help me. She said I'd never be just like a faerie..." The Bori began to sniffle and sob.

"Oh, dear. I suppose I could tutor you just a bit. Would you like that? You can show that wicked old Jhudora that she was wrong," Illusen said. While she genuinely meant to help Stellruna, she would really do anything to spite her nemesis.

Instantly, Stellruna perked up. "R-really? That would be great! Oh, thank you sososososo much, miss Illusen! I promise I won't let you down!" she squealed, jumping for joy. "When do we get started?"

-x-

"Okay, Stellruna. Here, I have positioned three targets," Illusen said, motioning to the targets that she was... borrowing from Ultimate Bullseye. "Your first lesson is beginner tier earth magic. Just concentrate and swish your hand..." Illusen said, charging a small blast, then sending it flying towards a target – a perfect shot. Looks like the Turtum wasn't getting that target back.

Stellruna nodded, and tried to imitate the earth faerie to the best of her ability. Concentrate, swish, and... the blast died out before she could even send it. She looked up at Illusen in confusion.

"Well... perhaps we should try something else," the faerie said, trying to rush Stellruna onto a new topic.

"I just don't get it! Why can't I do magic? I keep trying and trying and-" Stellruna stopped short. Behind Illusen, a fairly large, menacing-looking Drackonack was charging. What if it hurt Illusen? Stellruna was not going to let this happen. "Take cover, miss Illusen!" she yelled, focusing on her paw once more. "Come on, come on, work this time..." Stellruna couldn't take it anymore, and fired a fairly large blast at the oncoming Drackonack.

POOF! Both faerie and pet were blown back by the impact. A cloud of dust had flown up, and neither Illusen nor Stellruna could see. As the dust cleared, the Drackonack was no more, but in its place was a harmless Cooty.

"Did I... did I do that?" Stellruna looked on in disbelief. Had she successfully performed a spell without meaning to?

"Congratulations, Stellruna! I hadn't even taught you that. You just performed an intermediate level spell. How did you do that?" Illusen asked, astonished at the Bori's feat.

"You know, miss Illusen? I'm not sure how that happened. I guess the possibility of danger awakened my power. Or you're just a really good teacher!" Stellruna replied.