a) Conspire aka breathing (spire/spiro) together (con)...it's ones consent which breathes life into the suggestions of another.

b) Behind vs before; stupid vs smart; real vs fake; less vs more; obvious vs oblivious...these represent two sides coming together to breathe life into conflict.

c) Being "excellent" from one another (as Bill said) implies being set apart from one another, not together within a conflict. Hence Ted saying "PARTy on dudes"...