《Pruned Trees Re-Sprout!! ~ Ragazza Volpe Magica ~》 Prologue Rhythm ¨C procedure marked by the regular recurrence of particular elements, phases, etc.: (music) the pattern of regular or irregular pulses caused in music by the occurrence of strong and weak melodic and harmonic beats. (Art, Literature) a patterned repetition of a motif, formal element, etc., at regular or irregular intervals in the same or a modified form. (Physiology) the regular recurrence of an action or function, such as of the beat of the heart. The standard mundane application of this innocuous word invokes a certain image in those that hear it. A catchy tune or beat; perhaps a particular work of an artist or writer; or even of science. Though one might find by taking a hop just one reality over this word became associated with a radical, world shaping concept, adding a new definition to its stack: (force) the life energy which all things possess. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. In a world where this miraculous energy could be possessed, channeled, or otherwise altered, one would find even what should have been identical to Earth would become a beast of its own making. Resonators ¨C those bearing animalistic traits like tails, ears, and wings, but are otherwise human in form. Their magic is leashed by another, powerless on their own, they have great potential yet to be unlocked. Maestros ¨C outwardly normal humans, they possess the ability to pass on their Rhythm to Resonators whom they command. For a majority of Resonators, their Maestros command is law, there is no disobedience. Naturals ¨C beastly bipeds covered in fur, scales, or feathers; their dwindling populations are the masters of their own magic and answer to no other. All that being said, the people of this alternate earth, these people of ¡°Riterra¡±, aren¡¯t so different from you and I. Even with the magic available at their fingertips, they still drive cars, use the internet, talk love and politics just as any normal denizen of Earth. Though their fundamental understanding of their world would be entirely different from what we would call common sense. Or would it? Are there those who rebel against what is common? Certainly, it¡¯s only natural to wonder ¨C to even question what it all means. To question why the status quo is set. To question what¡¯s appropriate. Maybe they¡¯re not so different after all. Chapter 1 There¡¯s this dream that haunts me. Though these days it¡¯s more of a distant memory. All I get from it is embers scattered in the wind. The once vivid thoughts and feelings have long since burned out leaving behind a cold, blackened land. A monument to my failure, a reminder of what I could have had, a memento of what I lost. In my mind bright yellow knowledge swirls together with deep red emotions, all muffling out the meager sparks of blue willpower I cling to. It¡¯s trapped all in my head, unable to escape. It''s all so pointless. And yet, why do I persist? Am I some kind of cosmic joke? Perhaps an experiment by some cruel and wicked god? Who knows? Who cares? I don¡¯t.
Green eyes slowly rose allowing the light of the morning sun to sting them. The surroundings to their owner unfamiliar. It was a hotel room, one rented out by an upper-class family for a vacation to a distant and exotic locale. A vacation one Shouri Tomoshibi had wanted no part of. The boy sat up in bed, his clothes ruffled. He blinked slowly assessing the current situation. Yesterday was so exhausting he went to bed without removing his shoes; it was a wonder he didn¡¯t just drop dead. Dying took too much effort. KNOCK KNOCK ¡°Shouri! Breakfast is here. Hurry up!¡± an older woman shouted from the other side of the door. He couldn¡¯t expend the energy it took to sigh. The boy slid his legs out of bed and sat for a moment. Might as well get this over with, it¡¯d be more taxing to argue. Putting weight onto his legs he managed to stand. Good. His body hadn¡¯t quit on him yet. He flipped up the hood on his jacket, jammed his hands into his pockets, and left the room. Greeting him was breakfast¡­ with his parents. The boy quietly strode over and took his seat in front of one of the unclaimed plates. ¡°So, Shouri,¡± his mother began. ¡°There are some lovely Resonators here in Nevepunto.¡± She slid over a manilla folder for her son. Humoring her, he flipped it open and gave the documents contained within a once over. Profiles of various animal-eared and tailed humans graced his vision. Their profiles written to showcase their selling points as if they were objects. It was nauseating. Dismissing the protesting bile rising in his gut, Shouri closed the folder ¨C none of them were who he was looking for. ¡°You need to make a choice,¡± the father now spoke up. ¡°You¡¯re eighteen next month. You haven¡¯t done anything since you got out of school,¡± grumbled the man. ¡°Your father is right Shouri. Aura is doing so well as a hunter and you were so eager about having a Resonator when you were younger,¡± his mother reminded him. ¡°It¡¯d be different if you were going to college but¡­¡± the woman trailed off. ¡°Just pick one. It¡¯s not that hard,¡± came the gruff addition from his father. ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, you can just get another.¡± Shouri stood up at this point. He wanted to snap. He wanted to yell. He wanted to scream at them. He just couldn¡¯t find the strength to do so. Arguing too much effort to exert. That didn¡¯t stop the logical part of his brain from telling him their behavior sickened him. The rage boiled right under his skin, yet despite it all he couldn¡¯t muster up the willpower to scream. It was exhausting and turned the world cold and grey. This was his every day, his personal hell no one knew. Oh, how he wanted to just ¡°pick one¡±. It wasn¡¯t that easy! Nobody understood! He needed out of here, away from these people, if they could even be called that. And for that, he walked out. ¡°Shouri, Shouri!¡± their shouts muffled as the door slammed behind him.
Shouri trudged down the streets of Nevepunto. A popular tourist destination, he found himself surrounded by all kinds of people: humans like himself, otherwise referred to as Maestros; Resonators, the animal eared and tailed humans his parents were trying to partner him with; and then Naturals, far fewer in number, but more animalistic bi-pedals ¨C the true owners of this particular town. The young Maestro slowly moved his way through the crowds, hunched over himself, hands balled up in his jacket pockets. He held no fear of being on his own, from the last few days of his stay here the citizens had been nothing but kind. At worst, his parents would just send his sister after him if he really wanted to be found. Not that he wanted that at the moment. The world just felt too noisy - he needed somewhere quiet. Away from the cacophony of civilization. For that, he walked until he found his way into a gated community. The foot traffic evaporated entirely. There were no Maestros or Resonators ¨C only the furred or scaled Naturals who looked down on the small human boy that invaded their neighborhood. Shouri noticed their judgmental gazes, but he cared not. He wasn¡¯t there to cause trouble anyway. He slowed to a stop, brushing his hood off of his head as his gaze wandered. It was peaceful here. No worries about the life he was about to leave behind. Perhaps he¡¯d just stay lost. That¡¯d be nice. The boy¡¯s eyes slowly closed as he stood in the middle of this foreign neighborhood as a foreigner himself. Then it hit him. In the core of his very being, his soul, his Rhythm stirred. A feeling long since lost in the sands of time reignited anew in the boy. He felt a rush he hadn¡¯t felt in nearly a decade. It was hopelessly intoxicating. His spiritual power guiding him to a small warmth in his heart, the muted colors of life slowly saturating with purpose. The largest building surrounded with tall iron fences stood imposingly atop a hill. Its mere presence seeming to prevent anything from touching the area in which it resides. At the base, armed with a broom in hand stood one lonely girl sweeping fallen leaves into a neat pile. The girl in question was probably around Shouri¡¯s age. Clad in black, what stood out about her the most were the fox ears adorning her head and the matching tail that swayed behind her as she worked. Shouri shook his head, thinking how strange it would be if she turned around and found him staring. ¡°E-excuse me!¡± he called out to her. After a twitch of her ears, the girl stopped what she was doing and turned. ¡°Che?¡± She tilted her head, bewildered at why anyone would approach her. The girl¡¯s sapphire blue eyes met Shouri¡¯s emerald green. After studying the boy for a moment, she spoke again. ¡°Can I help you?¡± she inquired, confused. ¡°Ah, uhh¡­¡± He ran a hand back through his messy hair as his eyes desperately avoided her form. There was something about this girl that clicked with him ¨C he was struggling to stop himself from telling his whole life story right then and there. It was as if his rhythm was being drawn towards her. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± he asked, the words flowing as if he had waited his whole life to say them. The girl was visibly perplexed as to why anyone would be willing to have a conversation with her. ¡°Taika," she finally spoke after a moment. ¡°Taika,¡± he repeated. It felt warm to say. ¡°Is there something I can help you with?¡± she asked again. Shouri already had the answer to that question: ¡°Do you have a Maestro?¡± Taika was taken aback. She wasn¡¯t sure how to reply and just blurted out her thoughts instead. ¡°Nobody¡¯s ever asked me that.¡± She frowned, still musing over that thought. ¡°I¡¯m a Lunar in case you can¡¯t tell,¡± she stated matter-of-factly, hoping that would drive this mysterious interloper away so she could return to her sweeping. ¡°In that case, do you think I could be your Maestro?¡± That question caught poor Taika completely off-guard. ¡°Excuse me?¡± she uttered. The Lunar Resonator was befuddled by the direction of this conversation and shut down. Shouri meanwhile, could no longer hold back and allowed his mouth to run wild. ¡°Well, my family has been on my ass about getting a Resonator since I didn¡¯t go to secondary school. We came here on vacation, and I had hoped that they would stop bugging me at least while we were here, but they haven¡¯t left me alone.¡± He paused to catch his breath. ¡°That¡¯s when I ended up here and¡­¡± he trailed off, lowering his gaze as he processed his thoughts. ¡°I just felt something right from you. There¡¯s something that I can¡¯t ignore about you, so I thought¡­¡± The fox-girl shook her head slowly, mouth slightly agape. ¡°I-I can¡¯t.¡± She turned back to the mansion; the foreboding, ominous manor that seemingly lorded over the rest of the buildings in the area. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t,¡± she repeated. Shouri looked disappointed but not surprised. ¡°I understand. It was a ridiculous idea; just going off with a random Maestro you¡¯ve never met before. Thank you for your time.¡± He wore a bittersweet smile taking in a breath before speaking once more. ¡°Have a good day.¡± Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Taika watched him turn around and walk away. Her brain finally caught up with the present. She bit her bottom lip. Yeah, it was kind of strange for this boy to come out of nowhere and ask her to be- ¡°My Maestro¡­¡± Once more her brain came to a screeching halt. ¡°My Maestro,¡± she repeated. ¡°Wait¡­¡± And then panic. What had she done!? In all her life she was always told she would never get a Maestro. No one wanted her. That¡¯s why she was even outside sweeping in the first place. The only place she could live was here as less than a servant and yet- ¡°Do you think I could be your Maestro?¡± In the span of mere milliseconds, she analyzed and re-analyzed how he addressed her. She normally wasn¡¯t this sharp, but his speech had a peculiarity to it. He asked if he could be HER Maestro, not the other way around. Even talking to non-lunars, most Maestros would pose the question as ¡°Do you want to be MY Resonator?¡± Yet the way Shouri had said that spoke such consideration of her that- ¡°Non... I made a mistake¡­¡± She once more cast her gaze back to the mansion. Seventeen years living there, and never had she thought about leaving, until this very moment. Throwing the broom down, she bolted, running as fast as her legs could carry her. She didn¡¯t know the boy¡¯s name, but she had to find him at all costs. In all her life, she had never considered herself lucky by any stretch of the imagination, but today would be the day everything changed. It mattered not the path he took, in her heart she could feel a thin string guiding her to him. A guide she learned to trust as she spotted him trudging along, alone. ¡°HEY!¡± She shouted. Shouri slowly turned around, only to be nearly thrown off his feet as she ran into him full force. The only thing that kept him standing was the fact that as soon as she made contact, she wrapped her arms tightly around his torso. ¡°Please! Take me with you! Don¡¯t leave me here! I¡¯m begging you!¡± she cried out, burying her face in his chest. Shouri was stunned at the sudden 180. ¡°B-but you said-¡± She looked up; her face completely soaked in tears. ¡°P-Please! Don¡¯t make me go back! I¡¯ll do anything! Please! Please. Please¡­¡± she pleaded as if her very life was on the line. The boy was just plain dumbfounded at the outpouring of emotions from the Resonator. But¡­ the dream was there, right in his grasp. His Rhythm was screaming at him, demanding he act. He slowly wrapped his arms around the girl and held onto her tightly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re not going back,¡± he spoke gently. ¡°Thank you. Thank you¡­¡± she sniveled. After regaining her composure, she released the boy and stood up straight. She wiped the tears from her face and tried to keep herself calm. ¡°Let me reintroduce myself. I¡¯m Taika, if you¡¯ll have me, I will be your Resonator.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Shouri Tomoshibi. I would be happy to be your Maestro,¡± the boy replied in kind. Taika couldn¡¯t help but smile at the boy. ¡°Sho¡­¡± she whispered, a familiarity passing her lips as she spoke. ¡°Sooo-¡± The new Maestro scratched the back of his head, looking away from his new partner. ¡°Do you have a tuner?¡± he asked. She shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to be a Resonator for a Maestro to be honest.¡± ¡°That¡¯s alright, I just kinda wished I paid more attention when my sister got her Resonator. I just know I need to get a tuner from a place called the Maestro Affairs office. But I have no idea what actually goes into that,¡± he admitted sheepishly. An awkward silence followed. ¡°So now what?¡± Taika asked. ¡°I¡¯ll go wherever you go,¡± she added. Shouri just stared, though his heart throbbed with joy. If this was a dream, he¡¯d allow it to take him for just a little bit longer. ¡°I guess there¡¯s only one real thing to do.¡± Shouri decided. ¡°I gotta introduce you to my parents.¡±
Taika¡¯s heart hammered in her chest as she followed her new Maestro down the hallway of the hotel he and his family were staying at. She had no idea what to expect from these people. Shouri was nice enough, sure, but she knew how the general public felt about her element. The Lunar element was one of shadows and the supernatural ¨C not the most heroic of magic to use. Not that she had a choice in the matter, it was simply what she had been born with. Her gaze shifted up to her Maestro¡¯s back. She didn¡¯t even know how he felt about her element. He just kind of ignored her when she told him she was a lunar earlier. Maybe he couldn¡¯t sense it? ¡°H-hey Sho,¡± Taika called out to him. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Y-you do realize I¡¯m a lunar, right?¡± she repeated her earlier, unaddressed question. ¡°I do.¡± He didn¡¯t elaborate further, frustrating the fox. She didn¡¯t get the opportunity to ask for further clarification however, as they arrived at their destination. She watched him hover his hand over a scanner affixed to the wall. With a beep, the lock was released. Shouri pulled open the door and motioned for his new partner to enter. She gulped and quietly stepped into the room. Shouri closed the door behind them and entered the room proper. The lunar Resonator followed close behind, attempting to hide behind the boy. Both were equally nervous ¨C Taika wasn¡¯t sure what to expect of her new Maestro¡¯s family; likewise, Shouri wasn¡¯t sure how to introduce his new Resonator. Upon turning the corner and facing the familial unit in question, he just acted. ¡°Mom, Dad.¡± His parents were sitting on the couch, watching television. He glanced over at his sister, at the dining room table finally eating her breakfast. ¡°Aura,¡± he muttered as an aside. ¡°I found a Resonator,¡± he announced. Immediately undivided attention was turned to the family¡¯s youngest, the television swiftly muted at the flick of a wrist. Shouri turned his head back and motioned for the girl to step out. She gulped hard once more before hesitantly coming forward. Her blue eyes slowly trained up meeting the stares of six eyes, she lowered her head immediately, ears folded back. ¡°A-ah¡­ uh¡­ C-ciao, mi chiamo Taika, ¨¨ un piacere conoscerti!¡± she blurted out. ¡°Naturalian?¡± Aura muttered to herself, taking note of that quirk. ¡°In Maelish!¡± Shouri hissed. The Resonator jumped in fright ¡°Oh! I er-! I¡¯m Taika! It¡¯s nice to meet you all!¡± she repeated. The girl kept her head down, not wanting to look at the judgmental gazes of Shouri¡¯s relatives. The parents scrutinized the Resonator their son had brought in. Aura on the other hand didn¡¯t seem bothered by the new girl in the room. ¡°Aha. Is this why nobody meshed with you?¡± Aura hopped to her feet. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Shouri folded his arms across his chest, eying his sister as she walked over to their pair. ¡°None of the Resonators Mom and Dad picked out for you were as cute as she is.¡± The elder sibling chuckled, taking a closer look at Taika. The Resonator in question curled up a bit further at the observing eyes, blushing at being called ¡°cute¡±. The two siblings both shot sidelong glances at their parents who seemed to be bothered by Shouri¡¯s choice of Resonators. ¡°Problem over there?¡± Aura raised her voice. ¡°N-no! It¡¯s wonderful that Shouri finally found a Resonator for himself!¡± their mother spoke up. ¡°Yes! Yes! Does it already have a tuner?¡± the father added upon getting an elbow to his side. At this point, one of the side doors opened. Taika¡¯s ears twitched, and she caught the gaze of a very intense pair of red eyes. The girl squeaked in fear and grabbed her Maestro¡¯s arm. ¡°No, she doesn¡¯t yet,¡± Shouri replied. ¡°Where did you even find her?¡± the father asked. ¡°On the street,¡± Shouri replied without missing a beat. ¡°What¡¯s with our kids picking up strays?¡± Shouri¡¯s mother whispered to her husband. ¡°Damian and I can take them down to the MA Office, saw it on the way,¡± Aura offered. ¡°If you would Aura, that¡¯d be great.¡± Their father smiled at the helpfulness of his daughter. ¡°Da-¡± before Aura could finish calling her own Resonator¡¯s name, Damian stepped out of the room. Taika looked the man over; the owner of the red eyes she had spotted before. He was much taller than anyone present, and a bit lanky in all honesty. He was a canine, that was for sure, but she couldn¡¯t immediately see his tail. The taller Resonator regarded his lunar counterpart, towering over her even at a distance. ¡°Hmph.¡± He turned to his Maestro. ¡°We goin¡¯?¡± he asked, his voice deep, but scratchy. Taika noted a particular scent radiating off of the man ¨C smoke. Not your nice smelling wood-burning smoke mind you, but the rich, deep scent of tobacco. It was as if he had put away an entire pack of cigarettes before deciding to join the family. ¡°Yeah, did you leave the balcony open to air out the room?¡± Aura asked, arms akimbo. He glanced back at the slightly ajar door. ¡°Probably,¡± he replied with a short shrug. ¡°Good enough, let¡¯s go.¡± Aura and Damian took the lead, leaving the hotel room first. Shouri motioned for Taika to follow. She followed along, still trying to come to terms with what was about to happen to her. Chapter 2 As they made their way out of the hotel proper, Taika¡¯s mind was ablaze with curiosity. She had distinctly overheard Shouri¡¯s mother ask why it seemed Shouri and Aura took in strays. She posited that she was technically a stray given she had no tuner or Maestro assigned to her. But what about this Damian character? He was a canine, but that lack of tail¡­ Her eyes lowered to his backside, and that¡¯s when she caught a glimpse of it ¨C where a long, thin tail should have been poking out from there was only a little stub that could barely be called a tail. Glancing up at his ears too, they just seemed unnatural to be pointed up like they were, it was so strange to her. The last thing of note was what she could feel with her sixth sense. He was a fire element, there was that distinct feeling of heat coming from him. He really took that fire element thing a bit too seriously, given how heavily he smelled of smoke. ¡°So, you picked a weird one, huh Shouri?¡± Aura asked. ¡°How so?¡± The brother glanced over at his elder sibling. ¡°Went with a Lunar,¡± she noted. Taika lowered her head in shame. Her element was something she was born with, it¡¯s not like she chose to be this way. ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter to me,¡± Shouri spoke up, much to Taika¡¯s surprise. ¡°I mean, I know that; but you know how people are gonna be,¡± Aura warned. ¡°Don¡¯t remind me,¡± Shouri scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m not changing my mind. I¡¯m going to be her Maestro,¡± he asserted. The fox girl couldn¡¯t help the big dumb grin she wore. Chasing after him was the best decision of her life, bar none. Aura didn¡¯t seem too bad herself. The parents however concerned her, but perhaps she could grow on them. ¡°Anyways, here we are!¡± Aura announced. Pulled out of her own head, Taika took in her surroundings. The facility they had been brought to was a decent-sized one, a large building on an equally large campus. A sign stood just outside of the entrance to the property. ¡°East Nevepunto Maestro Affairs Office¡± Taika had never been to one of these before. In fact, she had seen very little of the outside world except for the property that she was found at. The greater world was so overwhelming, it was dizzying. However¡­ Where things were different, an equal measure stayed the same. Immediately upon stepping foot into the campus people started staring, specifically at Taika. She wasn¡¯t stupid either. She knew what kind of stigma her element had. Her previous caretakers were quite meticulous (perhaps maliciously so) in educating her on her position in society. The poor Resonator flattened her ears, tucking her tail between her legs as she tried to appear smaller than she was. Her lunar element wasn¡¯t something she could just hide; rhythm, outside of being a source of power was also a sense in its own right. Resonators exuded their element which could be easily picked up upon by anyone with normal, functioning rhythm. And these people at the MA Office, they certainly had sniffed out Taika¡¯s element. The muttering, the pointing, the suspicious stares all cast in her direction made her feel awful. What was she even doing here? Aura looked to Damian who was on alert, waiting for some brave fool to come try something. The brave fool who did do something was not who anyone expected though. ¡°WHAT?¡± Attention was drawn to Shouri. ¡°YOU GOT SOMETHING TO SAY?!¡± he shouted. The people staring averted their judgmental gazes and remained quiet. ¡°ANY TAKERS?! COME ON! YOU ALL WERE RARING TO GO A MINUTE AGO!¡± he continued. After another moment of silence, he nodded slowly to himself. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡± he huffed, turning to Taika. She tried to make herself even smaller but relaxed when she caught him smiling at her. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go make this official.¡± His gentle tone made her almost swoon as she followed him closely. She wasn¡¯t trying to immediately fall for her Maestro, but Shouri was making it so difficult by not being human garbage and actually standing up for her. Damian and Aura meanwhile exchanged confused glances, trailing behind the pair so they could speak in relative privacy. That outburst was so unlike anything that they had seen from the boy prior. ¡°Is he already etuding with her?¡± Aura muttered. ¡°Probably,¡± Damian whispered back to his Maestro. ¡°Do you think they¡¯re a duet?¡± she asked her Resonator. ¡°We¡¯re gonna find out.¡±
Taika took in the interior of the Maestro¡¯s Affairs Office in awe. It was so clean and shiny. There was a main counter with a smiling attendant behind it. Different boards provided a variety of information the little lunar Resonator couldn¡¯t hope to decipher. Many Resonators and Maestros loitered about the lobby, just relaxing away the afternoon. Shouri was just as dumbstruck as his Resonator, having no idea where he was supposed to go. Fortunately, they were in the company of someone who did know what to do. ¡°This way.¡± Aura took the lead, guiding the lost souls to the front counter for processing. ¡°Good afternoon and welcome to the East Nevepunto Maestro Affairs Office. How can I help you today?¡± the attendant asked with all the pep and cheer they could muster. ¡°My brother would like to register his new Resonator.¡± Aura stepped out of the way for Shouri. ¡°Certainly!¡± The attendant grabbed a tablet and placed it on the counter for the new Maestro to take. ¡°Just fill this out and-¡± It was at this point in the spiel that the attendant caught sight of Taika. ¡°-we¡¯ll take you into the back,¡± the cheeriness from their voice noticeably fell off. Shouri glared back, snatching up the tablet. ¡°Sure.¡± The four sat down in some chairs nearby. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize it was this bad,¡± Aura whispered to Damian. ¡°It¡¯s not that bad on the streets. We take care of our kind. You get higher up on the food chain; they get picky,¡± the man mumbled quietly. Aura rolled her eyes, frowning at the attendant they just walked away from, who was trying their best to not stare. The form Shouri had to fill out was relatively simple. Basic info about himself and then some basic info about Taika. ¡°What¡¯s your birthday?¡± he asked her. ¡°July 16th, 2000.¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯m only a couple of months older than you.¡± Aura watched her brother and his new partner talk warmly. There wasn¡¯t anything wrong or weird about Taika. She was just another normal Resonator. It was honestly annoying to her that people seemed to have a problem with the Lunar element. ¡°I think that¡¯s everything,¡± Shouri spoke up suddenly. Aura watched her brother get up with his Resonator and walk to the counter. She watched a small exchange and then her brother and his Resonator be led into the back. She sighed audibly. ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be fine,¡± Damian told his Maestro. ¡°I¡¯m not worried about Shouri,¡± Aura retorted.
Shouri and Taika¡¯s curiosity ran amok as they were led into the far back reaches of the Maestro Affairs Office. It was a lot like a typical doctor¡¯s office from what Shouri observed. Many open rooms with examination tables and complex machinery inside. Taika, being far more sheltered, had no frame of reference, making it all alien to her. ¡°So first one huh?¡± the technician asked Shouri. ¡°You could say that,¡± Shouri replied curtly. ¡°Hell of a choice for a starter,¡± the tech noted. ¡°Sure.¡± Sensing Shouri¡¯s unwillingness to continue the conversation, the technician led them into the room in question. ¡°Up here.¡± He motioned for Taika to sit up on the examination table. She complied with the demand after a moment. The tech opened one of the drawers in the counter space the room had and pulled out a small, wand-like device. Walking over to the Resonator, he turned on the device. ¡°Head down,¡± he ordered. Shouri glared at the tech, resisting the urge to snap at him. Taika however quietly complied. Waving the wand near the back of the Resonator¡¯s neck yielded no reaction from the device. ¡°Looks like we¡¯ll need to install a chip into this one,¡± the tech noted. ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re here,¡± Shouri grumbled, rolling his eyes. ¡°Hm?¡± The tech looked to the newbie Maestro, not catching what he had said. ¡°What does that involve?¡± Shouri spoke evenly, deciding to mind his manners for now. ¡°It¡¯s a pretty simple procedure. The chip is inserted behind the head. It¡¯s very quick, maybe a minute at most,¡± the technician informed the newbie Maestro. Shouri looked at Taika, who stared back with wide eyes, gripping her well-worn pants with trembling fists. As she locked eyes with her soon-to-be Maestro she slowly nodded, her tension fading; a gesture missed by the technician. ¡°Go ahead,¡± the new Maestro conceded. ¡°We¡¯ll go ahead and get started then.¡± Turning around, the technician unlocked one of the cabinets and pulled out a container. Upon closer inspection, the container in question was packaged like something one might see at the store. Tearing open the plastic container, the tech pulled out two items of interest. The first was a clear-bodied device that showed off the electronics inside. The second (and much more frightening) object was a pre-loaded syringe. Shouri gulped, eyeing the syringe carefully as the tech tapped it a couple of times. The tech walked behind Taika and forced her head down, holding it in place. He quickly disinfected the soon-to-be injection site with a sanitized wipe. Then as practiced as one would be with cutlery at dinner, he swiftly made the injection at the base of her skull and released Taika before she could protest. Instantly the girl began to sway. ¡°Lean forward,¡± he told her. Doing as instructed, she hunched forward, remaining sitting up. Shouri rushed over and helped steady his Resonator. ¡°What did you do?¡± the new Maestro questioned hesitantly. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. The technician went about business as usual, not seeing anything amiss about his treatment of the Resonator or her sudden loss of coordination. He grabbed the clear-bodied device from the counter he left it resting on and walked it back to the new Maestro and Resonator pair. ¡°Hold this at the back of her head until you hear a beep.¡± Shouri stared at the device. He had seen plenty of tuners in the past, given their prevalence in modern society. One had to have a Resonator to have a tuner though. It would not activate unless it was paired. That was simply how this world functioned. Reaching out, Shouri took hold of the device. The strange material that composed the shell of the device immediately drew upon his very essence, his rhythm. It lit up but didn¡¯t display any information; only the backlight of the touch screen was illuminated. The activator rested in Taika. Shouri gripped the device and held it over the back of her head. Sure enough, after a moment, the device beeped. Pulling it away, he watched the shell slowly darken into a purplish-black color, losing its previous transparency. As this was occurring, the screen began to show various pieces of information as it began to start up for the first time. ¡°She¡¯ll be uncoordinated for a bit. For full functionality, there¡¯s a particular part of the brain stem the chip is injected into,¡± the technician explained to the new Maestro. ¡°That seems kinda dangerous,¡± Shouri pointed out. ¡°Nothing to worry about kid, I do about twenty of these a day on average. She¡¯ll be able to walk with some help in like twenty minutes.¡± The boy frowned at that answer. It all seemed unnecessarily rough to Shouri. Then again, he didn¡¯t just have a piece of silicon forced into his brain, so he couldn¡¯t talk. ¡°Thanks,¡± was what he decided on. ¡°Since this is your first Resonator, you¡¯ll want to read the manual on that tuner there,¡± the technician advised. ¡°Feel free to leave at your leisure though, we¡¯re pretty slow today.¡± And with that, the technician left Shouri and Taika alone. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Shouri asked. Taika lifted her head, managing to flash a weak smile to her new Maestro. ¡°Yea¡­ jush really dishy Sho,¡± she slurred her words ever so slightly. ¡°Come on, lay back for a little bit,¡± Shouri urged his new partner. She wore a smile as he helped her lay back on the examination table. It wasn¡¯t the most comfortable thing in the world, but it had a little padding on it, so at least she wasn¡¯t lying on a hard, flat surface. In the intervening time, Shouri grabbed that manual the tech was talking about. He began to skim through the pages. The first couple of pages talked about post installation care, pretty simple stuff from his own admission. It first talked about the lack of coordination directly after, then followed up with instructions about keeping the installation site clean and to avoid showering and bathing for some time after (Shouri noted that the opposite was advised for water elements, a fact he filed away for later use). Lastly, it said to bring the Resonator to an MA Office should a fever develop. Flipping through some more pages, he got to the part he really wanted to dig into: the technology. He knew a lot of the functions of the tuner from when his sister got her tuner and Resonator. He knew he could talk to Taika whenever he wanted and could listen to anything she was saying as well. It also monitored her vitals and rhythm, in addition to providing a spell list for him to be able to read off. It was very handy. He continued flipping through the features. Web access, clock, phone. The little device seemed to have it all. However, his zeal for the new electronics died as soon as he reached the last section.
Resonant Over-Ride: Technical Specifications Introduction The Resonant Over-Ride (ROR) button is a function of all standard issue Riterran Tuners under the Resonator Control Law Section 6 Subsection 5.5. This allows the user to control the physical actions of the linked Resonator. This document outlines its specifications, components, and functionalities. Components
  • Neural Interface Module (NIM): This is the core component that establishes a connection with the target''s scale and brainwaves, enabling the transmission of Rhythm and other information (Outlined in the previous sections about direct communication, see page 21 for more information).
  • Command Processor: A sophisticated processor that decodes the neural signals and converts them into actionable commands.
  • Power Converter: A compact Harmony Drive utilizes the linked Resonator¡¯s rhythm to power the control system. Rhythm drawn has a negligible impact on Resonator performance (.001% drain as demonstrated in the Hothwell study)
  • Control Interface: The red switch on the bottom right of the tuner will activate the function. All commands are given vocally and a negligible amount of rhythm is pulled from the Maestro for intent broadcasting (up to 1% drain depending on the complexity of the given command.)
Functionality
  1. Activation: Pressing the ROR button initiates the command processor, which establishes a direct link with the Resonator¡¯s neural network and scale.
  2. Haptic Feedback: Upon initialization of the ROR, the linked Resonator will cease any further movement and await command input. Linked Resonators may report a hot or burning sensation at NIM insertion site.
  3. Command Isolation: Once a target is identified, the NIM establishes a secure connection by synchronizing with the target''s scale and brainwaves.
  4. Command Transmission: The user can transmit specific commands through voice command, enabling them to perform any physical action regardless of the linked Resonator¡¯s current state.
Safety and Limitations
  • The ROR is designed with ethical constraints. A full black box of all commands is logged and recorded in case any investigation is needed for ethical concerns.
  • Other tuners are not affected, and the ROR can only affect the Resonator the tuner is linked to. This is a hardware switch and cannot be activated at the software level.
  • A built-in failsafe mechanism terminates the connection and command if there is a predicted failure of the linked Resonator¡¯s vital processes as a result of a command.
  • Over usage of the ROR module may cause side-effects in the linked Resonator including organ and muscle failure or even death. Please utilize this function responsibly.
  • Keep out of reach of children below the age of 5 years old.
  • Not for use for Maestros who are pregnant or may become pregnant.
Conclusion The ROR is a safety mechanism first and foremost, preventing an out-of-control Resonator from harming themselves or others, and should not be used recreationally. Under Resonator Control Law Section 6 Subsection 7 ¨C any Maestro causing harm to a Resonator through usage of the ROR function may be liable to prosecution under the full extent of the law. If there are any concerns regarding the ROR function, please contact our helpline at 1-988-78440-85907
In no uncertain terms, he could just press a button and she¡¯d do whatever he asked of her without any input from her at all? It was awful. Why did nobody ever talk about this? It seemed like a huge deal to just ignore and sweep under the rug. He quietly pondered if Aura had ever used that button on Damian. ¡°Are you okay Sho?¡± Taika asked, pushing herself up to a sitting position. Shouri looked up from the book, and failed to hide the mortified expression on his face. ¡°Sho?¡± She pushed herself off of the examination table, but as soon as her feet touched the ground, her legs refused to obey, and she plummeted to the ground like a rock. Shouri rushed over and caught her before she crashed into the tile below. ¡°Sh-sho¡­¡± Her face reddened as she realized she was in her Maestro¡¯s arms. ¡°Are you okay Taika?¡± Shouri asked. ¡°I-I¡¯m fine! Are you okay?¡± she turned his question back on him. ¡°You looked upset,¡± she fretted as he eased her to the ground. He shot a glance towards where he had tossed the book when Taika fell. ¡°What¡¯s wrong Sho?¡± Taika continued to worry. With a sigh, Shouri sat her up against the exam table. He held out the tuner for her his thumb pointed at the red button. ¡°This button here lets me take control of you,¡± he spoke quietly. Taika¡¯s eyes widened. She had heard of such a thing from novels she had read but didn¡¯t think it was real. The way Shouri had reacted and the tone in his voice spoke volumes. ¡°Wh-why are you telling me this?¡± she questioned. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be your Maestro under false pretenses. I didn¡¯t know about this. People don¡¯t seem to talk about it,¡± Shouri laid out his thoughts. ¡°So if you want to leave, you can take this with you,¡± he offered. Taika stared at the tuner before her. It hadn¡¯t even been half a day and she was already being given up? No, this wasn¡¯t Shouri having cold feet about their partnership - he was being considerate of her feelings. ¡°No.¡± She reached out and wrapped her hands around his. ¡°I appreciate you being honest, but I don¡¯t have a choice in the matter. I would rather be controlled by you than go back there.¡± She smiled. What she had said to him was alarming, to say the least. He found her sweeping the sidewalk on the side of the road, and that was much worse than the possibility of becoming essentially a meat puppet? His curiosity itched something fierce. Where had she come from that was so bad that she¡¯d take this risk? ¡°If you¡¯ll still have me knowing all that, I guess I don¡¯t have a choice now do I?¡± Chapter 3 Their return to the hotel room was uneventful, as was the remainder of the evening. Given tomorrow''s plans, the Tomoshibi family retired to their respective rooms fairly early in the evening. Shouri and Taika shared his room. Taika had been given several blankets and pillows as a makeshift bed; a luxury upgrade when compared to her previous living quarters. Regardless of this sleeping arrangement, she was over the moon. Sleeping on the bed next to her was her Maestro. It was just plain unbelievable to her. He truly cared about her too! She wouldn¡¯t have even minded having a Maestro that just used her as a tool. Anything was an improvement over her prior living situation. But no, by some stroke of cosmic luck, not only did she manage to get a Maestro, but he chose her specifically. He told her that his parents had tried to set him up with many other Resonators; and apparently, Resonators from very prestigious clans at that. But out of all of them, he just found her on the street and said ¡°You, I want you.¡± For the first time in her seventeen-year life, she had found genuine happiness. ¡°Such a mistake.¡± ¡°What good are you even for?¡± ¡°Why are you still around?¡± ¡°You¡¯re just a burden¡± ¡°Just a waste of money.¡± ¡°Can you hurry up and die already?¡± Such cruel words maliciously fired at her; vocal arrows filled with vitriol and hate, each one piercing her heart, reminding her of how trapped she was taunted and tore away at her psyche until- ¡°Hah?!¡± Taika gasped, sitting up with a start, taking in deep gasps of air; her heart racing as if she had just broken the surface of the water. It was still dark, though she had no trouble with sight. She was still in the hotel room she had fallen asleep in. With her Maestro no less. She peeked over the edge of the bed above her. He slept peacefully, so her sudden sharp inhale of air hadn¡¯t woken him up thankfully. That dream though. More like a nightmare really. Why is it that she was thinking about them now when she was finally free? She was afraid. They hadn¡¯t left after all, so there was the very real possibility of her previous caretakers hunting her down and dragging her away from her newfound paradise, by force. With that horrifying thought in mind, poor Taika wouldn¡¯t get any further sleep.
Shouri sat up and stretched. He glanced over at the nightstand and saw his new shiny black tuner sitting there. A big dumb grin rose on his lips. This was the best he had felt ever. There was so much he wanted to do now, the previous apathy in his life completely eradicated and it was all thanks to Taika. Rhythm was a hell of a drug, and he was an addict for sure. He did have some trepidation about the tuner¡¯s red control button but, he was upfront and honest with Taika about it, so that¡¯s all that mattered to him. He couldn¡¯t conceive a situation where he would use it on her. He gently scooped up the device and began navigating its many menus. He was still getting used to working his way through the interface of the device. Eventually, he stumbled across Taika¡¯s vitals: Status: Exhausted Rhythm: 36% Heart Rate: 107 BPM Oxygen Saturation: 91% Hydration: 45% Last Sleep Efficiency: 24% Actual Sleep: 47mins Time since Last Sleep: 6hrs 45mins ago The boy furrowed his brow at the screen. If he was reading this right, she hadn¡¯t slept? He peered over the edge of the bed and took a look at his new Resonator. ¡°Taika?¡± he asked. She slowly turned over. ¡°Ah, buongiorno Sho.¡± Poor Taika looked awful. Her hair was a mess, and there were a pair of lovely dark circles under her bloodshot eyes. ¡°Taika, what happened? Why didn¡¯t you sleep?¡± the concerned Maestro questioned. ¡°Che? How did you know I didn¡¯t sleep?¡± she asked. Shouri slid off the bed and sat next to his fox. ¡°Well, besides the fact that it¡¯s written all over your face, I get a full readout on that stuff from this.¡± He flashed the vitals screen proudly displayed on the tuner to her. She accepted the device from him, gently cradling it in her hands. Sure enough, it was telling him everything about her in real-time. ¡°That¡¯s crazy.¡± She offered the device back to him. ¡°So what happened?¡± came the next question. Taika lowered her gaze. She didn¡¯t want to worry him, so lying to him was her initial instinct. She slowly shook her head. No, he accepted her for who she was, she couldn¡¯t do that to him. ¡°I had a bad dream last night. I¡¯ve been thinking about it ever since,¡± she admitted. ¡°Do you want to talk about it?¡± he asked. She sat there, shocked at the consideration being extended to her. Honestly, it was too much to take in all at once. ¡°Not right now,¡± she decided. Her brain was screaming telling him everything was going too far. She wouldn¡¯t lie to him, but he didn¡¯t need to know about where she came from. Shouri already had a good idea of what the problem was, however. She ran to him and threw herself into his arms, begging for her freedom. What¡¯s more, she was willing to risk control of her very being if it meant she didn¡¯t have to go back to wherever she came from. The more she slowly revealed about herself, the more confident Shouri felt in his decision to take in the Resonator. ¡°I can get you some coffee or tea or something. It might help you wake up,¡± he offered. She blinked slowly, not all there. ¡°We have a long trip home today.¡± The girl perked up at that. Home? That¡¯s right when they first met, he mentioned something about being on vacation. So that meant this room wasn¡¯t their home. She was going home. To her new home. Away from here, this place. She would finally escape. It was all too exciting. At any rate, her Maestro was waiting for her input on his suggestion. She furrowed her brow. ¡°I¡¯ve never had coffee or tea before,¡± she meekly admitted. ¡°I can get you a little cup of each and you can try them,¡± he presented his new offer. ¡°Th-that sounds like it could work,¡± she replied. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be back in a sec, wait here,¡± he instructed. And with that, he was gone. Taika was left to her own devices in the small room she had occupied with her new Maestro. Just a bed, a TV, and a bathroom all to themselves. Speaking of, nature was calling. After taking a moment to make use of the facilities, she returned to her initial problem. Her Maestro was gone and she was left in the small room all alone. She could go out into the main hotel room rented by the Tomoshibi family, but she didn¡¯t know them very well and honestly didn¡¯t want to talk to any of them. Aura maybe, but her Resonator and parents just seemed like an insurmountable wall for her to overcome. There was the bed. She had seen big plush comfy beds like this in her previous living quarters, but she was never afforded one herself. Beds were for people who mattered and a lunar like her was at the bottom of the list of things that mattered, right under the rugs in the main hallway. Taika looked around before jumping onto the bed, rubbing her face into the plush pillows. ¡°Ahhhh,¡± she cooed happily. It was soft and comfy; what¡¯s more, it smelled really good for some reason. She couldn¡¯t quite place the scent, but she found herself drawn to it all the same. ¡°You uh, comfy there?¡± Her heart stopped. That was Shouri¡¯s voice. He had gotten back faster than she had expected, and she was face-deep in the pillow he had slept on. ¡°You could have told me the floor wasn¡¯t comfortable. We could have traded ya know.¡± Shouri spoke after a moment of awkward silence. The vixen sat up immediately. ¡°Non!¡± She shook her head. ¡°I was fine! Like I said-!¡± She paused for a moment to yawn. ¡°The nightmares¡­¡± she muttered. ¡°Well, as I mentioned before-¡± He set a pair of cups down on one of the nightstands that flanked the bed. ¡°-we have a long trip home. You¡¯ll probably get a chance to sleep,¡± he told her. ¡°Where is ¡®home¡¯?¡± she asked, curious about where she would be living. ¡°Riva Solare,¡± he replied. Taika blinked twice. She furrowed her brow. ¡°Umm, where is that?¡± she inquired. ¡°Lybertera,¡± the Maestro replied. ¡°Lybertera¡­¡± The girl continued to furrow her brow. ¡°That¡¯s across the ocean, right?¡± she asked with a sheepish grin. Shouri returned her smile and joined her on the bed. He pulled the tuner from his side and pulled up a world map. It began centered on their current location ¨C the city of Nevepunto on the continent of Unis-R¨¦sonne. ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± he told his Resonator. She nodded quickly; intimately familiar with her hometown. ¡°And we¡¯re going here.¡± He zoomed out the map, moving it across the ocean and the massive continent on the other side of it, to the western edge of the landmass. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Riva Solare was off the coast, but it was basically on the entire opposite side of the world from their current location. The girl¡¯s eyes sparkled. She really would be totally out of her previous caretaker¡¯s reach! So far away with her new Maestro! It was a dream come true for the fox girl, who failed to realize her tail was wagging excitedly. Shouri did notice how much his Resonator lit up at the revelation of this information, which eased some of his concerns about taking her in. While Shouri packed up his room, Taika sat on the bed with the two cups her Maestro had generously retrieved for her. She first tried the tea. Immediately she winced. It was bitter. Setting that cup down, she figured the other cup must have been a different flavor. With a small smile, she brought it up to her lips. Shouri watched his Resonator flinch from the cup of coffee. ¡°You alright?¡± he asked with a chuckle. ¡°These are both so bitter!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°Here.¡± He grabbed the cup of coffee and quickly left the room. Minutes later he returned, with the same cup as before. ¡°Try it.¡± The lunar fox observed her ¡°new¡± beverage. It was a lighter brown than it was before. She hesitantly took a sip. Her eyes opened wide; it was much sweeter than before. There was still a tinge of bitterness, but this was much better than its previous incarnation. She began eagerly drinking the new and improved coffee, tail resuming wagging joyously. ¡°All it took was a bit of cream and sugar,¡± Shouri chuckled to himself, returning to packing the room.
Taika practically clung to her Maestro as they walked through a busy airport. There were so many other Maestros, Resonators, and even Naturals wandering about the terminal. She had never been around so many people in her life, and in all honesty, it was dizzying. She was frightened of losing her Maestro in the chaos. She carried her Maestro¡¯s bags, not because he asked, but out of a sense of obligation ¨C he chose her after all; the least she could do for him in her new lifelong quest to repay his kindness was carry his bags. Soon, they reached their first security checkpoint. These were a common fixture in Natural territories. Among the equipment installed for the sake of safety was a metal arc with a screen mounted on the side of it, which was connected to all kinds of other nearby machinery. Next to the gateway was a large man in security attire, he was a Natural ¨C a man with a canine head and covered head to toe in thick, warming fur. He eyed the pair of Resonators the Tomoshibi family had with them in contempt. ¡°Tuners,¡± his voice was deep and gruff; the way he spoke was almost robotic. He motioned to the scanner next to them, a practiced gesture. Aura stepped up first. She scanned her red-bodied tuner. Damian walked through and a checkmark appeared on a little screen near the scanner. Aura herself walked through right after. The guard stared down the remaining Maestro and Resonator, seeming to scowl harder at the presence of the lunar Resonator. Shouri gulped and nodded slowly to himself. His gaze fell to his tuner now. He didn¡¯t have to do this on the way here, but now on the way back had to adjust to being a proper Maestro. Stepping up he scanned the device. ¡°G-go on Taika,¡± he muttered to his Resonator. The lunar fox was equally as nervous. She had gone through the procedure to become Shouri¡¯s Resonator, but it still didn¡¯t feel real to her. She stepped forward and through the scanner. There was a beep, and the same green checkmark as did with Damian and Aura appeared on the screen. Shouri himself quickly walked through. Taika felt a sense of relief. It made her partnership with her new Maestro feel all the more official. There were several more checkpoints they went through just to get to their plane. ¡°Boy, they sure do take security seriously in these Natural airports,¡± Shouri¡¯s father noted. ¡°It may have been faster to have had Damian stay at the house,¡± the mother added. ¡°Absolutely not,¡± Aura growled at her parents. ¡°Especially not after the shit you gave Shouri about finding a Resonator.¡± Taika listened to the conversation with intrigue. She had gathered that Shouri¡¯s parents were being pushy about their children having Resonators, but she didn¡¯t know the exact scope of the situation. Unfortunately, the conversation concluded there. She wasn¡¯t exactly sure how her Maestro¡¯s parents felt about her. She hoped that they liked her, but she wouldn¡¯t hold her breath, especially given her element. The girl stuck to her Maestro¡¯s side during the entire boarding procedure. She had never been on an airplane before, but the process of just getting on one seemed overmanaged. Granted, she didn¡¯t have a good frame of reference on how anything worked besides what she had read in the past, but even so, there was just so much waiting. Waiting in line to put their bags on the conveyor belt, waiting in line to go through security, waiting in line to wait in line to get on the plane itself. It just seemed like there should have been a more efficient way to handle all this. Regardless of the slight annoyance the fox felt, she was still over the moon. Less than twenty-four hours ago she was waking up to prepare to do her daily tasks, and now here she was a full day later and she was about to get on an airplane with her Maestro to travel to the other side of the world to begin her new life. It was completely unbelievable. She had to pinch herself occasionally to remind herself that she wasn¡¯t dreaming, and this was real. It wasn¡¯t until they arrived at their seats that Taika realized what a foreign environment she was in, and this was starting with the seat. ¡°Uhhh¡­¡± There was nowhere for her tail to fit. ¡°Oh!¡± Shouri realized the problem immediately as he watched his new Resonator compare her body to the chair she was supposed to sit in. ¡°Here.¡± He pulled out a section of the seat near the base, which gave her tail room to fit and she could have the rest of it curve around her with this opened space. Sitting down in the seat was far more comfortable than she envisioned, especially after Shouri¡¯s timely removal of the ¡°tail canyon¡± covering. ¡°Did you want the window seat?¡± the Maestro inquired. ¡°I didn¡¯t even ask if you¡¯d be comfortable with it,¡± he added. The curious Resonator had been staring out the window as he had spoken up. She turned back to him. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡± As if to answer Taika''s question, the soft background hum began to get louder. ¡°Wait, what¡¯s happening?¡± the Resonator nervously asked, her head flipping around to see what was going on outside. There was a sudden lurch and the world outside the plane began to move. ¡°We¡¯re moving Sho!¡± she exclaimed, much to the ire of the other patrons in first class. ¡°Yeah, plane¡¯s gotta move to get us home,¡± Shouri chuckled. ¡°Here, put your seatbelt on.¡± He helped her fasten the safety device around her waist. Now being secured in place, the vixen¡¯s line of sight could return to the little window she had to peep out into the world as the plane taxied around the runway. It was a slow methodical movement. In the books she had read in the past (mainly fiction) if the characters rode on a plane, they never really detailed the experience of being on the plane. It was usually just a quick hop, skip, and a jump with the characters suddenly being at their destination. It was at that moment that Taika came to a chilling realization: she had no real frame of reference for what was about to happen. The large metal beast came to a halt. ¡°We stopped,¡± the girl noted. ¡°I can¡¯t see what¡¯s going on,¡± she pouted. She wouldn¡¯t be pouting for long, however, as the machine began to move once more. However, this time it began to move much faster than before. Taika could feel the force being exerted on her as the machine raced down the runway. ¡°Sh-sh-sho!¡± she squealed. ¡°It¡¯s okay, just don¡¯t look.¡± Shouri tried to reassure her. However, she failed to heed his advice and looked, just in time to see the ground begin to retreat from her vision. Taika lost her cool and buried her face into Shouri¡¯s arm. ¡°Moriremo! Moriremo! Perch¨¦ io?!¡± The poor frightened fox clung to her Maestro for dear life. ¡°Shhh, shhh, it¡¯s okay¡­¡± he whispered, stroking the girl¡¯s head as she trembled and whimpered in fear. ¡°A-are you sure this is safe Sho?¡± She raised her head, still shaking from fear. ¡°There are hundreds of thousands of flights per day, we¡¯re perfectly fine,¡± he assured her. The Resonator could only squeak fearfully and re-buried her face in his arm. It was going to be a long flight home, but he could rest easy knowing he finally had a Resonator he was happy to be with. Chapter 4 ¡°Taika¡­¡± ¡°Taika.¡± ¡°Taika, wake up, we¡¯re here.¡± Groggily, the lunar Resonator opened her eyes. ¡°Huh?¡± She looked around in a daze. ¡°Che ¨¨ successo?¡± the girl mumbled. ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Shouri repeated. ¡°Here?¡± She turned to the window and saw they were at another airport. ¡°I must have passed out.¡± She rubbed the sleep from her eyes. ¡°Coffee can only take you so far. Did you at least sleep well?¡± he asked. Her back protested her position of clinging to Shouri¡¯s arm for the entire flight. ¡°Back hurts.¡± She pivoted her torso back and forth in an attempt to loosen up her tight muscles. ¡°How long was I out?¡± she asked her Maestro. ¡°Uhhh, I think we were in the air for like eleven or so hours, not too sure. It¡¯s like one in the afternoon here,¡± he told her. ¡°But wasn¡¯t it mid-morning when we left?¡± The fox girl looked at her hands and started counting off the digits of her fingers. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t it be night?¡± she questioned. ¡°No? We traveled across the world. It¡¯s night right now in Nevepunto, but it¡¯s still afternoon here in Riva Solare,¡± Shouri stated. Taika lowered her head. It was hitting her now. She had been taken literally to the other side of the world. This was it. She¡¯d never have to go back. She was truly free. Her previous, awful life was two continents and an ocean away. She was finally safe. ¡°Have fun?¡± At this point, Aura and Damian had found them. ¡°Hm?¡± Shouri turned to his sister. ¡°We could hear her crying at the back of first class,¡± Damian clarified. Taika blushed and attempted to lower her head further, ashamed she had reacted that way. ¡°Damian, I watched you nearly snap the armrest off on the way here,¡± Shouri pointed out. The fire Resonator was taken aback by Shouri actually calling him out. ¡°Sh-shut up,¡± he grumbled before storming off the plane. Aura couldn¡¯t help but giggle. ¡°Mom and Dad are getting our bags, but don¡¯t lollygag,¡± Aura told her brother before walking off to find her Resonator. Shouri rose to his feet, stretching out. Confirming his new tuner was at his side, he extended a hand out for the Resonator bound to the device. ¡°Shall we?¡± He grinned. The Resonator smiled back, taking her Maestro¡¯s hand.
Blue eyes sparkled as their owner pressed their face against the car window they were currently riding in. Everything was so new and different, and young Taika would be able to partake in this environment instead of being shoved into a broom closet like the tool she was previously deemed. Shouri couldn¡¯t help but chuckle to himself, watching his Resonator eagerly take in the sights, her tail wagging excitedly as every new building elicited a quick turn of her head as she tried to quickly study every detail of each structure they passed. Finally, the vehicle slowed to a stop before a large iron gate. It slowly slid to the side allowing for their passage. Taika¡¯s eyes widened as they approached a large manor atop a hill. Surrounding the hills were expansive forests which made the property appear nearly endless. ¡°I-is this it?¡± Taika hesitantly asked her Maestro. ¡°Yep, welcome home.¡± Shouri patted his Resonator¡¯s back looking out the window himself. ¡°Home¡­¡± She pressed her face harder against the window of the car, trying to burn the image into her mind. The car came to a stop, and they were allowed to exit the vehicle. Taika fiddled with the handle for the door, not being too familiar with its operation. Like an excited puppy as soon as the door was released, she bounded out of the automobile to get a good look at her new humble abode. ¡°What a ball of sunshine she is,¡± Damian commented. ¡°Good contrast to you; you gloomy little storm cloud,¡± Shouri snarked back before taking exit of the vehicle himself. ¡°-The fuck man?¡± Damian blinked, having been gotten not once, but twice by Shouri of all people. ¡°They definitely gotta be a duet.¡± Aura chuckled, enjoying the new back-and-forth between the two boys.
Taika¡¯s head whipped to and fro as she took in her new surroundings. Everything was so well kept. She was used to this, however, what made this manor particularly exciting was she couldn¡¯t see all the flaws as she could in her past house of employ. Everything here just seemed brighter. It was more to her taste in terms of home d¨¦cor. Shouri noted his new Resonator¡¯s curiosity. ¡°I¡¯m sure you want to explore everything right now,¡± he spoke with a titter. ¡°Ch-che?!¡± She blushed, having easily been read. ¡°N-non! I just...¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay Taika, this is your home now ¨C it¡¯s only natural to be curious.¡± His smile was so nice, that Taika found herself lost in it. ¡°N-non...¡± she repeated. To change the subject, she decided to brave the question she had been nervous about asking. ¡°Where will I be staying?¡± she inquired. They came to a stop in the middle of one of the many hallways. ¡°Hm.¡± Shouri cast his gaze to the ceiling as if it held all the answers. ¡°Good question,¡± he decided on. Taika wilted at that. ¡°Okay, I got an idea,¡± he spoke up after a moment, causing the fox-girl to perk up again. Once more they trekked through the manor, eventually arriving at a door. ¡°So this is my room.¡± Shouri opened the door. Red immediately rushed across the girl¡¯s face; he wanted to share his room with her?! How forward of him! He turned to her. Her hands clasped over her mouth trying to hide the obvious blush. ¡°Naturally, then, you should occupy that room.¡± He pointed across the hall to the room directly his opposite. Stepping over, he opened the door for her. She took a look while trying to calm her racing heart. The room was big, it had a huge plush bed, a nice wooden dresser, a television, a desk, and a private bathroom. It was basically a hotel room in its luxury. ¡°We can go shopping tomorrow and get you clothes and pick you up some nick-knacks for your room. Does that sound good?¡± he asked. When he turned to her, he found her fighting off the gathering tears welling up at the corners of her eyes. ¡°Taika?¡± he asked. ¡°Did I say something wrong?¡± His brows turned up in concern. She shook her head slowly, trembling with emotion. The next thing Shouri knew, Taika had grabbed his shirt and buried her face in his chest. ¡°Thank you, Sho...¡± she whimpered, looking up at him. There was a part of Shouri that wanted to wrap his arms around her, but he didn¡¯t know what protocol was here and just allowed Taika to cry. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. After a few minutes, she stepped back, averting her gaze in embarrassment. ¡°Wh-what now Sho?¡± she inquired quietly, rubbing her face dry more to avoid his scrutinizing gaze than anything. ¡°I kinda want to relax in my room. We were on vacation for a few weeks,¡± Shouri admitted, glancing over to his own room. ¡°Oh.¡± She lowered her head. ¡°You wanna hang out in my room?¡± he asked. She perked up. ¡°Si!¡±
Shouri¡¯s room was similar to the room Taika herself would be staying in. It was much cleaner than she expected in all respects. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± he asked his new Resonator. ¡°Ah.¡± She lowered her head. The only hobby she was allowed was reading and her choices were quite curated. ¡°I like reading,¡± she said quietly. Shouri stroked his chin in thought before nodding. ¡°You can sit on the bed; I¡¯ll be back in a moment.¡± He opened his closet door and vanished into it for a moment. Re-appearing a moment later, he now held a small flat object. ¡°Here we go.¡± He handed it to the Resonator. She accepted the object, looking it over, her tail swishing back and forth in curiosity. She could see her reflection in the dark, shiny glass. ¡°Oh, here.¡± He pressed and held a button on the side of the device, which caused the screen to suddenly light up. ¡°It¡¯s a tablet computer,¡± he told her, sitting down next to her. After a few loading screens, she was presented with some icons, none of which meant anything to her. This was the kind of thing her previous caretakers would have told her not to touch. ¡°It¡¯s a touch screen.¡± He demonstrated this for her by pressing his finger on the screen. A program came up showing a list of titles. ¡°This is a book app, so you can read any book you want,¡± he told her. The Maestro watched the girl¡¯s eyes widen as she began to scroll through the practically limitless library available before her. ¡°You like it?¡± he asked. ¡°Mi hai rubato il cuore...¡± she muttered without really thinking about what she was saying. ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a yes.¡± Shouri chuckled, not understanding what she said, but satisfied she seemed to be entranced by the device. The remainder of the afternoon passed peacefully with Taika reading away on her new tablet, and Shouri playing some games on his computer. There was a knock on the door. ¡°Master Shouri, dinner will be ready soon,¡± a voice spoke from the other side of the door. ¡°Ah.¡± Shouri glanced down at the clock in the lower right of his monitor. ¡°It is about that time, isn¡¯t it?¡± He yawned and stretched. The jet lag was catching up with him for sure. He¡¯d probably consider hitting the hay after dinner. When he rose from his desk chair, he noticed a pair of blue eyes staring back at him from his bed. That¡¯s right, he had a Resonator now. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you back some food,¡± he told her. She tilted her head. ¡°I can¡¯t come with?¡± she questioned. There was a slightly hurt tone in her voice. ¡°Ah, well Damian doesn¡¯t eat with us. Our parents prefer not to eat with Resonators at the table.¡± He admitted averting his gaze with a frustrated frown on his face. Taika herself sensed her Maestro¡¯s apprehension. ¡°I¡¯m at a good part right now.¡± She returned to her novel. ¡°R-right, I¡¯ll be back in a little while.¡± He quickly left the room. Standing out in the hall alone, he pulled the tuner off the waistband of his pants. She was only a button click away, but even so, it just felt wrong to leave her out. Walking down to the dining room, he just stared at the vitals screen, noting how it updated all of her vitals in real-time. Honestly, the level of detail he could read from the device was a tad intrusive to him. Before reaching the dining room, he spotted his sister. ¡°Aura!¡± he called out to her. The blonde Maestro stopped and turned back to her brother. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Stopping in front of her, he kept his gaze down on his tuner in hand. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t Damian join us for dinner?¡± he asked. Aura exhaled sharply through her nostrils, glancing down the hall that led to the dining room. ¡°Mom and Dad are a bit old-fashioned,¡± she huffed. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± The elder sibling frowned, before sighing. ¡°Resonators are lesser to them,¡± she lowered her voice. A chord was struck in Shouri¡¯s heart. At that moment a bunch of small things his parents said and did swam through his mind. He wasn''t crazy. His frustration with the way his parents spoke and treated Resonators was justified in that moment. ¡°So why don¡¯t you think that way?¡± he questioned. The young woman hummed in thought. ¡°Well, maybe I¡¯m just rebellious.¡± A thin smile rose on her face. ¡°But that¡¯s a secret. Maybe you¡¯ll understand if you hang around Taika more.¡± She ruffled her brother¡¯s hair before rushing away. ¡°Hang around Taika more?¡± He didn¡¯t understand what his sister was implying. What he did know is there was something about just being with Taika that felt good. Even only being with her for just over a day and a half he wanted her to be happy. ¡°I can¡¯t come with?¡± With her hurt expression, he felt her pain as well.
Dinner was silent as usual. Shouri kept his head down, but his eyes wandered. His mother and father didn¡¯t have Resonators of their own, rather they simply relied on the hired security and their Resonators to keep them safe. So what was their angle in insisting he and Aura have personal Resonators? To say something was awakening in Shouri was an understatement. There was a certain part of him that already rebelled against the whims of his parents; such things are only natural for adolescents. After all, childhood is simply testing the bounds of what was correct from a societal standpoint. In this world though there was something different. A bridge between childhood and adulthood. Well, bridge is a bit of a misnomer, call it an alternate path. It was a path Shouri never had considered until now. ¡°Excuse me.¡± He rose from the table, his plate of food cleared. ¡°I need to bring Taika dinner.¡± With that, he departed to the kitchen to make that request of the culinary staff.
¡°Hey Taika.¡± ¡°Y-yeah Sho?¡± ¡°Here¡¯s dinner.¡± The girl studied the plate presented to her. It looked marvelous; food she only dreamt of being able to eat. ¡°For me?¡± Shouri smiled warmly. ¡°Yeah silly.¡± With a squeal of delight, Taika attacked the plate of food provided to her, tail wagging enthusiastically the whole time. Shouri¡¯s smile faded as he watched his Resonator joyously consume the food. Resonators were people. Why treat them like anything less? Chapter 5 It started with the clattering of food into a metal bowl. ¡°Mangia, C''¨¨ neve da pulire,¡± an older female voice spoke before leaving the Resonator in her tiny room. In all reality, it wasn¡¯t even a room, but a crawlspace under one of the stairwells. There was only enough space for her bed and food and the few books she could store in a small cut-out portion of the wall. Panic immediately ensued. She was back there. It was a dream! She didn¡¯t get whisked away by a caring Maestro. She didn¡¯t escape from this hell. Taika was trapped. Forever a slave to these awful people. And then she woke up. Tears streamed down her face as she was covered in the coldest sweat she had ever felt. It was quiet, dark. She could see perfectly thanks to her element. ¡°It was just a dream...¡± she told herself. ¡°A terrible, terrible dream.¡± She curled up with the lovely plush blanket she had been provided. Every time she closed her eyes, however, she kept returning to that crawlspace, the terrible thought of none of her new life being real haunting her for the entire night.
Shouri slowly opened his eyes as the sun poked in through the large window that flanked his bedroom. The boy sat up and stretched, yawning as he did so. He crawled over to his nightstand and retrieved the black tuner from its resting place. Status: Panic Rhythm: 16% Heart Rate: 137 BPM Oxygen Saturation: 91% Hydration: 35% Last Sleep Efficiency: 44% Actual Sleep: 56mins Time since Last Sleep: 5hrs 4mins ago ¡°Taika?!¡± He bolted from his bed, darted across the hall, and threw open the door to his Resonator¡¯s room. ¡°Taika?!¡± he called out. Slowly the blankets moved and the fox-girl emerged from the sheets. ¡°Sho?¡± She smiled groggily at him. ¡°Buongiorno Sho.¡± Her tail wagged slowly. He glanced down at the tuner in hand. Status: Exhausted Looking back up, she certainly earned that status. Her hair was a mess, thick dark bags around her eyes, ears drooping, slightly swaying; she appeared as if she would collapse any moment. ¡°Nightmares again?¡± he guessed. She perked up in surprise. ¡°N-non! Why do you ask that?¡± she stammered out quickly. The Maestro frowned. ¡°Taika, be honest with me; I¡¯m worried,¡± he spoke sternly. The girl¡¯s ears wilted again. She shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t want to say,¡± she muttered. He lowered his head. Of course, she must have some kind of emotional baggage. She didn¡¯t trust him enough yet to tell him. What did he expect really? ¡°Okay. We¡¯ll get you some coffee,¡± he decided. ¡°Okay, Sho.¡± The girl yawned again. ¡°Maybe take a shower while I get ready. Helps wake me up,¡± he told her before leaving her to her own devices. It bothered him for the entire duration of his preparation for the day. She had slept fine during their flight back home. In fact, she missed the two or three times they hit turbulence. To say she slept like a baby was an understatement ¨C she slept like a coma patient with how unmovable she was on the plane. But then again, at the hotel she also had nightmares. Why? They were clearly spooking her bad enough that she seemed almost afraid of sleeping. He shot a look at the tuner that lay on the side of his bathroom sink. Status: Exhausted Before it was telling him she was panicking. What was making her panic?
Taika slowly sipped from a cup of hot coffee while they walked the halls of the massive manor. ¡°We can go into town and get you set up with some fresh clothes and find stuff for your room,¡± Shouri told her as they turned the corner towards the front door. ¡°Oh, Shouri.¡± It seemed his parents were also leaving for the day. ¡°Where are you out to?¡± his father asked. ¡°Taking Taika out to see the town,¡± he stated. A look was shared between his parents. ¡°You sure that¡¯s a good idea?¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it be?¡± The boy folded his arms across his chest. ¡°Well, you know...¡± his mother trailed off as if it should be obvious. Taika¡¯s ears wilted as she lowered her head. ¡°What? That she¡¯s a Lunar?¡± Shouri snapped at his parents. The two elders were taken aback by their son¡¯s bravado. ¡°N-no we-¡± ¡°I picked her. Must I remind you both that you wanted me to have a Resonator? Now I have one. You don¡¯t get to turn your noses up at her just because you don¡¯t like my choice.¡± He felt a fire burning brightly deep within himself. How dare they look down on her over something as superficial as her element of all things! ¡°N-no Shouri you misunderstand-¡± His mother tried to salvage the situation. ¡°No, I understand it very clearly. You¡¯re just like the rest of them-¡± Finally, his father cut back in. ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± he raised his voice. This did nothing to deter the intense scowl their son directed their way. ¡°We¡¯re concerned because you just got her. She can¡¯t be all that strong yet.¡± He glanced over at the vixen who was hiding behind Shouri, tightly gripping the cup provided by her Maestro. ¡°How can we trust her to protect you when it¡¯s clear she¡¯s still so weak?¡± ¡°That¡¯s my problem, not yours,¡± Shouri countered. ¡°I¡¯m her Maestro, not you.¡± And with that, he grabbed her hand and brushed past his parents. Taika¡¯s mind meanwhile was in overdrive. She couldn¡¯t believe someone would stand up for her like that. Shouri was the best! However, she couldn¡¯t celebrate her Maestro not being a piece of garbage because he had to protect her from his own parents. It was depressing. She didn¡¯t even really grasp why people hated her element so thoroughly. Shouri slowed to a stop, releasing her hand and lowering his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Taika.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t apologize Sho.¡± ¡°They¡¯re my parents, you shouldn¡¯t have to deal with that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an improvement.¡± ¡°Still.¡± After a moment of silence, Shouri spoke up once more. ¡°We¡¯re seventeen. Legally we can travel on our own,¡± he suggested. Taika averted her gaze. ¡°Your parents were right,¡± she muttered. ¡°No, they weren¡¯t!¡± Shouri snapped back ¡°They were! I¡¯m weak Sho!¡± They glared at each other, a cool spring breeze blowing over them. Taika broke first, her glare slowly fading to a forlorn gaze cast away from her Maestro ¡°I know nothing of my magic. I¡¯d lose against any other Resonator,¡± she admitted quietly. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a good thing that isn¡¯t your problem,¡± Shouri spoke evenly. He flashed their tuner to her. ¡°I¡¯m the Maestro. Your spells come from me. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°But I-¡± ¡°Seriously Taika, it¡¯s fine.¡± Shouri placed his hands on her shoulders. She didn¡¯t reject the gesture, but it sure made her face grow warm. ¡°We can do hunts to get stronger.¡± He ran his hands down her arms, taking note of the state of disrepair her clothes were in. ¡°For now, let¡¯s focus on you.¡± He grinned. ¡°I want to spoil you.¡± Her face grew redder at that brazen declaration. ¡°I think you deserve it.¡± And that remark certainly didn¡¯t help. ¡°O-okay Sh-sho...¡± she squeaked, allowing him to take the lead again. Her hand found its way over her rapidly beating heart. That certainly was smooth of him ¨C was this going to be a normal occurrence? For starters, they went to a clothing shop in town. Of course, given the home they came from, this wasn¡¯t an ordinary clothier, but a tailor of the highest prestige. Entering the shop had that rich smell to it, you know the one. The duo began to look around at all the fancy outfits on display. The price tags made Taika ill. Everything was so expensive! Given her previous caretakers spent less than ten notes on her current attire, seeing outfits at one hundred times the value made her feel underdressed even being in there. No, she felt plain naked with her filthy peasant rags. ¡°Excuse me,¡± Shouri called for one of the tailors. Taika immediately squeaked and hid behind him. Why was he calling someone!? A well-dressed woman walked over. ¡°How can I help you?¡± they asked. Shouri stepped out of the way to reveal Taika. ¡°I wanted to get some new clothes for her,¡± he told them, whilst the Resonator in question tried to look as small as possible. ¡°Hmmm...¡± The tailor stroked her chin in thought. ¡°We can get her in something more suited to her style, though not much may change other than giving her some fresh versions of the clothes she¡¯s already wearing,¡± they told him. Shouri frowned tilting his head. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Resonators have personal styles they adhere to, it¡¯s sort of ingrained into them. Forcing them to change their clothing styles to something ill-suited to them may actively hinder their battle performance,¡± the tailor imparted to the Maestro. Shouri hummed in thought. Resonators were strange creatures. He paused to study Taika. Outside of the fox ears and tail, she seemed like any other girl his age. ¡°Please. Whatever she wants.¡± And with that, Taika was taken into the fitting rooms, where another Resonator awaited. Taika''s clothes were plain in all considerations. She was a drab little thing thinking about it more in-depth. Always clad entirely in black, she always felt a bit off with that color scheme. Then again, she had never had a choice in the matter in the past ¨C what would make her feel right in her own skin the vixen wondered. ¡°Let¡¯s put something together for you,¡± the tailor spoke up. Taika lowered her head, studying her current attire. ¡°I like these kinds of clothes,¡± she voiced her thoughts for the tailor. ¡°So you think your style is fine?¡± the tailor questioned, while their Resonator jotted down some notes. ¡°Mhm.¡± Taika nodded. ¡°But maybe I could stand to get a touch of color,¡± she added. ¡°Hmmm...¡± The tailor studied the raven-clad girl again. Every article of clothing the drab vixen wore before them was black. Even right down to the poor excuses for shoes covering her feet. ¡°I have an idea.¡± The tailor rushed into the back. "Take her measurements!" the tailor shouted to their Resonator. Without a word, the tailor''s Resonator got up and pulled out a roll of measuring tape. Meticulous care was taken in gathering Taika¡¯s measurements; everything from her height, bust size, and waist size, all the way down to her shoe size. After what felt like forever, Taika was allowed to lower her arms. The Resonator handed off the measurements to the tailor as they returned. After studying the numbers and the vixen before them, they had one more question, ¡°What will you be doing for your Maestro?¡± ¡°Sho said he wanted to do hunts with me.¡± Taika paused to consider that. ¡°I want to protect him,¡± she added quietly. A short nod. ¡°I see.¡± With that, the tailor disappeared into the back once more and re-emerged with several articles of clothing. ¡°Change into these please.¡± And with that Taika was ushered into a changing booth. She was glad she took a shower this morning. She would have felt absolutely vile putting these fresh clothes on otherwise. She quickly disrobed and began to unpack the clothes forced upon her. The tailor even went as far as to include undergarments to change into. With the underwear secured, Taika immediately noticed the difference, being her actual measured sizes rather than just whatever was thrown her way was just comfy. She moved onto the pants. They looked like her old pants, all black and a bit baggy around the legs to give her flexibility of motion. There was one major difference. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. She had to modify her old pants herself by tearing a hole in them to pull her tail through. It always messed up her tail fur and was a generally unpleasant process. These, however, were tailor-made for the extra appendage in mind, allowing her to slip them on and secure a button over her tail. They fit much better than her old pants and she appreciated that greatly too. Next was the shirt. She held it up allowing it to unfold. All white, rather than the black T-shirt she wore before. Slipping it on, it was breathable and smelled nice. Looking herself over in the mirror, she liked this change. Next was a pair of socks, athletic socks. Like the rest of her new wardrobe, these fit her perfectly. Lastly her new shoes. A pair of top-of-the-line running shoes, black with white soles and highlights. She slipped them on and tied them up. Standing up straight she could feel the effects immediately ¨C her entire core felt more relaxed than in her previous shoes. Staring at herself in the mirror, she admired her new attire. She felt like even with these minute changes she was looking at a totally different person. Still, she felt there was something missing that she couldn¡¯t quite put her finger on. Stepping out, she continued looking herself over, the question on her mind lingering: What would her Maestro think? The tailor clapped at the handiwork. ¡°Marvelous!¡± They grinned with pride. ¡°There is one more thing though.¡± They held up a hanger that had a black jacket on it. There was one big difference over her previous jacket. Blue bands adorned each sleeve, adding that splash of color Taika was looking for. Her eyes sparkled as she accepted the garment from the tailor. Slipping it on felt just right. ¡°And now you are complete.¡± The tailor chuckled. ¡°Let¡¯s go show your Maestro.¡±
Shouri meanwhile was sitting around. Not idly mind you, he was deep in study. He had to back up what he told Taika earlier. He was her Maestro, and as such he needed to learn what she was capable of so he could better utilize her unique traits in battle. ¡°Foxes have good hearing which extends into their accuracy,¡± he muttered to himself. ¡°Healers typically deal less damage though, that¡¯s a bad trade-off.¡± Her spell list was pretty shallow, though he hoped to expand it. He took a mental inventory of the three spells she possessed. ¡°Luce Lunare is our attacking spell. No frills just hit them with lunar energy.¡± He checked that one off. Would probably be the spell he utilized the most. ¡°Rilevare l''intenzione lets her sense living things around her.¡± He kept reading. ¡°Max rank lets her also sense hostility.¡± He hummed and frowned. ¡°I have a feeling that¡¯s going to become more useful than I¡¯d like for it to be,¡± he decided. Moving on. ¡°And lastly La Bella Vita. She¡¯s a healer so I¡¯m glad to have this already.¡± There was much more information online about healing spells than the Lunar ones. This annoyed him, but he was at least glad to have the information. ¡°Oh, to heal others I need to say ¡°tutti¡± along with the rest of the spell.¡± He filed that one away in the back of his mind. If he was going to have them join hunts that¡¯s probably what they¡¯d be doing for the most part ¨C healing. There were a bunch of other spells, so he at least made himself familiar with the surface-level effects of each one, though since they weren¡¯t available on his tuner yet, he surmised that Taika wouldn¡¯t be able to handle casting them yet. He did read a couple of things about forcing Resonators to cast spells that aren¡¯t in the tuner yet, and all of them advised against it. Something about allowing their bodies to gradually adapt to his foreign rhythm or something; it wasn¡¯t well elucidated on, just a commonly accepted fact. Regardless, he would heed the advice, again hoping he wouldn¡¯t be in a situation where he¡¯d have to break that practice. Putting away the tuner for a moment, he sat back and let out a sigh. There was a lot to being a Maestro it seemed. Aura made it look so easy. She came back late at night a lot with Damian and wasn¡¯t shy about telling Shouri about how much money they were making hunting. There was a certain dark thought in his head but he dismissed it as he saw the door to the fitting room open. Out stepped the tailor and Taika. Shouri stood up, looking his Resonator over. Now that she was in clothes which weren''t in tatters and that properly fit her, she seemed to radiate a new brilliance that was hidden before. ¡°She is complete,¡± the tailor announced. ¡°I picked out a set specifically meant to help dampen blows from spells and with superior burn and tear resistance. All that¡¯s left is to take her out for some real battle,¡± the tailor told the young Maestro. Said Maestro barely heard the tailor as he continued to look his Resonator over. She fiddled with the edge of her new jacket as she kept refusing her Maestro¡¯s gaze. He smiled. ¡°You look great, Taika.¡± She flinched at the compliment. ¡°G-grazie mille, Sho...¡± she squeaked. Seeing how Taika seemed happy, Shouri turned his attention back to the tailor. ¡°Can I also order some spares of that outfit and also some pajamas?¡± ¡°Certainly.¡± The tailor nodded. ¡°Cool, I¡¯ll have you ship it to this address...¡±
With Taika¡¯s clothing situation taken care of the pair went back on the town. ¡°Now what Sho?¡± the Resonator asked her Maestro. ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m thinking lunch since we skipped breakfast,¡± he pondered aloud. Looking at his foxy friend, he found her wagging her tail, which told him all he needed to know. They stopped by a fancy soup and sandwich shop and sat outside. While they waited for their food, Shouri pulled out the tuner and laid it on the table between them. ¡°If we¡¯re going to be in hunts, we¡¯ll probably want to do some drills on your spells so we¡¯re not just working with the basics,¡± he told her. ¡°I already have spells?¡± she asked. She knew she had magic she could cast with a Maestro¡¯s command, but she had no real idea of what she was capable of. ¡°Sure.¡± With a knowing smirk, Shouri placed his hand on the tuner. ¡°Rilevare l''intenzione, Presto,¡± he cast. There was a moment of surprise from both parties. Shouri felt a pull on the essence of his spiritual core, his rhythm. Connected to the tuner in hand, it was as if a tendril of his very being reached out and linked with the Resonator bound to the device. A bundle of rhythm passed through this invisible string from himself to her. Taika received this connection and with it a rush of foreign rhythm. More than that, she found her body moving outside of her control. Her eyes closed and she placed two fingers on her right temple. An invisible pulse radiated from her body, and she became acutely aware of every person¡¯s position around them. ¡°How many people are around us?¡± Shouri asked as Taika¡¯s eyes slowly opened. ¡°Twelve,¡± she responded as if it should have been obvious. The girl blinked, shaking her head. ¡°That was weird Sho,¡± she admitted. ¡°Agreed. I''ve never cast a spell through a tuner before,¡± he told her. ¡°Me neither.¡± She smiled sheepishly. The Maestro nodded. ¡°I read some stuff while you were getting fitted,¡± he began. ¡°We can upgrade what spells you¡¯re able to comfortably use simply by using them repeatedly. The quickest way is simple repetition.¡± He paused. ¡°Though since you cast magic through my rhythm, we¡¯ll have to be mindful of how much rhythm we¡¯re using.¡± Taika nodded. It seemed simple enough. ¡°What else can I do then?¡± the Resonator inquired. ¡°Well, you have a basic attack spell and a heal.¡± He spun the tuner around to show her the tiny spell list she possessed. A head tilt was earned from this endeavor. ¡°I¡¯ll take your word for it,¡± she decided. It was at that moment their food was served to them. Taika¡¯s eyes lit up and her tail wagged joyously at the bowl of soup she had ordered. Shouri still wanted to try something, however, and grabbed a plastic knife. ¡°Hold up,¡± he said. She looked up from her food just in time to watch her Maestro slice into the back of his hand as hard as possible with the plastic knife. ¡°SHO?! COSA DIAVOLO STAI FACENDO?!¡± she screeched, jumping to her feet. The boy smirked and simply grabbed the tuner in the center of the table. ¡°La bella vita, Presto tutti.¡± The fox jumped as she felt his rhythm invade her once more. She pouted angrily at him as her body made the motions to heal him ¨C reaching out and wrapping her hands around his injured one. A dull glow emitted from her palms, and a soothing warmth eased the pain in Shouri¡¯s hand. ¡°See? All better.¡± He chuckled, waving his now-healed hand at Taika. ¡°You¡¯re a jerk,¡± the girl muttered under her breath, falling back into her seat. ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°Nulla!¡±
¡°Rilevare l''intenzione, Presto.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just us.¡± ¡°Rilevare l''intenzione, Presto.¡± ¡°Still just us.¡± ¡°Rilevare l''intenzione, Presto.¡± ¡°Nobody around but us.¡± The walk back home was kinda boring all things considered. Shouri wanted to grind uses of at least the detection spell to work on his and Taika¡¯s rhythm, but also he was curious about who and what she would pick up on as they walked. Turns out it was a whole lot of nothing. He glanced down at his tuner, then to Taika. She appeared as bored as he was. Perhaps he could spice things up a bit. ¡°Luce Lunare, Pianissimo.¡± ¡°W-wait! Sho!¡± She tried to fight creating the spell, but her body was compelled to execute her Maestro¡¯s command and she made a ball of lunar energy. ¡°W-what do I do with this Sho?!¡± she cried out, holding the small ball of pulsating energy. ¡°It¡¯s a bit smaller than I thought it would be,¡± Shouri observed. ¡°I suppose this is the weakest level of our basic spell,¡± he commented. ¡°Shoooo,¡± Taika whined, still trying to figure out what to do with the attack that was now in her hand. ¡°Uhhh, I thought there was a thing that let me call off attacks.¡± The boy frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is, just throw it at the ground,¡± he suggested. She gave it a small toss and the ball of lunar energy kicked up some innocent dirt. ¡°Hm, not bad,¡± Shouri noted before they continued walking once more. ¡°You really want to do these hunt things?¡± Taika braved asking. ¡°Sure, it¡¯s a way for us to make money.¡± Shouri shrugged. Though Taika noticed his expression harden as he lowered his head. ¡°And it¡¯s a fast way for us to get stronger,¡± he whispered. Taika furrowed his brows. He wanted to get stronger? That was a sudden change; as far as she understood he didn¡¯t want a Resonator before, but now he wanted power? She desperately wanted to know what her Maestro was thinking, but alas she had no such window into his mind. The only thing that gave her peace of mind was the way he kept wording his sentences. He kept using ¡°us¡± and ¡°we¡±; meaning her and him. As far as she had been raised, Maestros didn¡¯t use such words. They were always so possessive, using phrases like ¡°my Resonator¡± and the like, objectifying them in the worst kind of way. Not Shouri though, he always spoke of her in such a considerate way, as if she was another person and not a thing. He also trusted her abilities, cutting himself just to demonstrate her ability to heal and even calling an attack with no actual target. He was comfortable with her even though they hadn¡¯t known each other for more than a day or so at this point. ¡°Taika, be honest with me; I¡¯m worried.¡± And yet, she couldn¡¯t extend him the same courtesy. Chapter 6 Status: Panic Rhythm: 21% Heart Rate: 135 BPM Oxygen Saturation: 90% Hydration: 36% Last Sleep Efficiency: 47% Actual Sleep: 1hr 2mins Time since Last Sleep: 4hrs 57mins ago Shouri stomped across the hallway and threw open Taika¡¯s bedroom door. ¡°Sho?!¡± She snapped up from bed. Wordlessly, the Maestro flashed Taika her own vitals page. The statistics were slowly ticking in real-time. It was morning once again and with the rising of the sun, young Taika realized she had been spooked from sleeping yet again. ¡°Ah...¡± Her ears wilted. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for worrying you,¡± she muttered in shame. The nightmares plagued her so thoroughly, it was frustrating. She was finally living life but there had to be some kind of problem. It was so tiring. A yawn. Or maybe it was the nightmares. Either way, she wanted to tell him what was wrong; what plagued the back of her mind. But no matter what she couldn¡¯t bring herself to reveal her inner thoughts to him. All day she followed him about the manor as he went about his business. She couldn¡¯t recall specifics about what exactly he was doing given she had gotten less than two hours of sleep over the last forty-eight hours. Taika recalled their day starting with breakfast on the veranda. Then they walked around the property (It was probably a tour, but she wouldn''t be able to tell where anything was at). A lovely lunch was enjoyed by the pool. It was a delicious sandwich and soup affair just as the day prior when they went out to town, though Taika only vividly remembered this section of her day due to her elevated heart rate inspired by the artificial body of water nearby. An attempt was made to get some reading done in Shouri''s room, but focus was at a premium and Taika ended up throwing in the towel around the time Shouri returned from dinner with her meal. Finally, it was time for that dreaded period of the day. The one where she attempted to lie down and sleep. Truth be told she was quite frustrated with this sudden shift ¨C she liked sleeping. She was safe in her dreams; at least she used to be. Despite the fear in her heart towards going to sleep, she was just plain exhausted. She wanted a full night¡¯s sleep so desperately that she was willing to try again. And try she did, falling asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. ¡°You? With a Maestro? HA!¡± ¡°Get this, Taika thinks she can get a Maestro!¡± ¡°No one will ever love you.¡± ¡°No one ever wants you, even as a slave.¡± ¡°This is the best you¡¯re ever gonna get.¡± It was happening again. Those awful voices. Memories she thought she had suppressed. Memories that cut so deeply. ¡°In that case, do you think I could be your Maestro?¡± Suddenly, Shouri¡¯s voice cut through the nightmare. ¡°You look great Taika.¡± ¡°I want to spoil you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay Taika, this is your home now¡± ¡°I¡¯m not changing my mind about her though. I¡¯m going to be her Maestro.¡± She suddenly gasped. ¡°Sho!¡± she squeaked as she returned to the waking world, tears in her eyes. ¡°Taika!¡± Shouri was kneeling next to her bed, holding her hand; his face wrought with worry. ¡°Another nightmare?¡± he asked. She nodded slowly, a bit bewildered. ¡°Wh-why are you here?¡± Taika questioned. ¡°I decided to stay up and watch your vitals. I know it¡¯s a bit creepy, but I¡¯m worried about you,¡± Shouri admitted. ¡°Thank you.¡± She lowered her head. He was so caring it was overwhelming, but she didn¡¯t hate it. Quite the opposite - she loved every moment of it. Having someone who genuinely cared about her was nice. ¡°Come on.¡± He tugged on her hand. ¡°Che?¡± She blinked. ¡°Come sleep with me tonight.¡± ¡°E-ehh....?¡± Her heart raced, face completely red and unbearably warm. ¡°W-with y-y-y-you?¡± she stammered out. Everything before now didn¡¯t compare to this ¨C this was BEYOND FORWARD! Was he flirting with her?! No, this wasn¡¯t flirting, was he coming on to her? Did he want to do that!? ¡°Come on," he urged her again. ¡°Okay,¡± she squeaked her mind in absolute shambles. They crossed the hall into Shouri¡¯s room. It wasn¡¯t the fact that she was going to lie in his bed, she did that during the day whenever they were relaxing in his room. It was the fact that he was going to be in it with her. She stood before the bed staring at it as if it would rear up and attack her. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Shouri had already settled into bed himself. ¡°Wh-why?¡± she asked. ¡°Hm?¡± He tilted his head slightly. Fidgeting with the bottom button of her pajama shirt, Taika muttered something inaudibly. ¡°What?¡± Shouri predictably asked. ¡°Why do you want me to sleep with you?¡± She finally found her voice. The Maestro frowned for a moment. ¡°Ah.¡± He nodded. ¡°I did some research today on stuff I could do to help you with nightmares. Apparently, weird dreams are normal for Resonators when they first get a Maestro,¡± he told her. She nodded, what he claimed did line up with her own experiences ¨C the nightmares only started after they partnered up. ¡°So why-¡± She trailed off, finding difficulty in asking the question again. After a second of fighting herself, she finally completed her thought: ¡°-do you want to sleep together?¡± ¡°Right, so the best way for us to fix it is for us to etude more,¡± he began. Seeing the confusion on his Resonator¡¯s face only intensifying, he continued. ¡°Since your rhythmic stave is strong willpower and weak knowledge and I¡¯m the opposite, we complement each other. So it¡¯s extremely beneficial for both of us if we exchange rhythm more often.¡± He continued. Taika at least knew what a stave was thankfully. All rhythm users, whether Maestros, Resonators, or even Naturals had three parts of their personality influenced by their rhythm. It was traditionally laid out in three pillars called ¡°staves¡±. She recalled from her reading the three categories: Willpower ¨C the user¡¯s motivation Knowledge ¨C the user¡¯s logic and curiosity Emotion ¨C the user¡¯s social sense and emotional strength Every person has one strength, one weakness, and one neutral pillar. However, this was more of a sliding scale rather than a hard and fast rule. As Shouri had sussed out (or maybe the tuner told him) Taika¡¯s stave was strong willpower, and weak knowledge, while he was her opposite. Though it was news to her that this etude thing had any effect on her. Then again¡­ just being near him cleared the brain fog surrounding her thoughts, so perhaps there was a method to his madness. Shouri continued with his explanation: ¡°We could etude traditionally by holding hands and meditating or something.¡± Taika blushed at the idea of holding hands with Shouri. ¡°Or we could just sleep closely and we¡¯ll naturally etude overnight,¡± he concluded. This earned a short nod from the vixen. ¡°That does make sense I guess.¡± She was still hung up on sharing a bed with her Maestro. Her Maestro who she was sure she had a crush on at this point. Steeling her heart, she shuffled into bed, with Shouri providing her some of his blanket. ¡°Good night Taika, sleep well.¡± ¡°Buona Notte Sho,¡± she whimpered. There was no fighting it at this point, this was better than lying in bed fearfully waiting for morning to come. Slowly her eyelids began to droop. ¡°Oh yeah!¡± Shouri¡¯s voice snapped her back awake. ¡°Please wake me up if you have another nightmare,¡± he told her. She hesitated before replying. ¡°I will.¡± ¡°Promise me Taika.¡± ¡°I promise I will!¡± she cried out, hiding her face under the blanket. Shouri was satisfied by that. ¡°Good. We can try etuding more directly if you¡¯re still having trouble.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Once more Taika slowly drifted off to sleep. Her Maestro was so smart. Already she felt more at ease here than she did in her room. Was his bed comfier? It felt comfier. The voices began as soon as she was asleep again, but this time the nature of the voices was different than her nightmares. The voices were warm and inviting, although she couldn¡¯t hear actual words that she could understand. If only she could hear them better... Closer and closer she tried to get to the voices. She wanted to hear them. She didn¡¯t want to be left out. ¡°Taika...¡± ¡°Sho...¡± She found herself in his arms, his warm smile radiating through her as she buried her face into his chest. And then she opened her eyes. Something was warm and smelled good. She was enveloped in warmth. Comfortable, secure warmth. It took her another minute to realize what happened. She completely locked up, her heart stopping in place. It was morning now, and Taika was in her Maestro¡¯s arms. Taking inventory, her arms were folded in front of her, grasping his t-shirt, their legs tangled in some sort of strange dance of limbs, and her tail was wrapped around him almost possessively. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. He was still asleep; she could hear that from his heartbeat and breathing. But how could she get herself out of this mess? As soon as she would try to detach herself from him, he would certainly wake up, right? She slowly raised her head to look at his sleeping face, except her eyes met his. Green and blue stared at each other for what felt like an eternity. ¡°Taika?!¡± ¡°Sho?!¡± They both pushed away from each other, faces equally red. ¡°What the heck were we doing?¡± Shouri whispered to himself. ¡°Ahhh vorrei morire!¡± Taika covered her face with her hands. ¡°Please go back to your room,¡± Shouri suddenly demanded of her. He didn¡¯t need to tell her twice, she scampered out of his bed and rushed across the hall to her designated room. Once her heart calmed down, she had a chance to analyze the situation. ¡°Ah, I must have made him mad.¡± Taika¡¯s ears wilted. ¡°Sorry for suddenly kicking you out. I don¡¯t want anyone getting any weird ideas.¡± She heard his voice in her head, which at first startled her, but then she recalled him mentioning that the tuner could do that at some point. She also recalled he could hear her too by simply speaking aloud. ¡°It¡¯s okay Sho. I understand,¡± she replied. ¡°How did you sleep?¡± he asked. ¡°I slept great. I feel amazing right now.¡± She blushed a bit as she said this but wore a warm smile nonetheless. ¡°Good. I¡¯m really glad. I was concerned.¡± ¡°Thank you, that means a lot to me.¡± The red on her face grew as she realized what she had said. ¡°W-well, go ahead and take a shower. I have a lot planned for us today.¡±
After breakfast was quickly consumed, the dynamic duo of Shouri and Taika left the safety of the manor to less green pastures. Mainly they headed into town once more. The curious little fox found herself looking around, actually having gotten good sleep the night prior. ¡°Where are we going Sho?¡± she asked. ¡°I wanted to get our Hunter clearance done,¡± he told her. ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to ask: what exactly are these hunt things?¡± She inquired. ¡°You know Scherzando right?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of them. They prey on rhythm?¡± She spoke uneasily. ¡°Right, they¡¯re shadowy beasts made up of rhythm. There¡¯s a bunch of fancy poetry about them, but in short, they¡¯re creatures that kill people and eat their rhythm. They get particularly bad at night, which is where hunts come in and the primary function of the Maestro Affairs offices is to house and dispatch Maestros and their Resonators out to deal with them before they become a nuisance to cities and settlements all around the world," he explained as they walked. ¡°Oh, yeah. I remember reading that only magic can deal with them,¡± Taika recalled. ¡°Yep, which is why they pay good coin for each one killed.¡± The Maestro smirked back. Turning around the corner and onto the street of their destination. ¡°Our MA Office is pretty big, so they have a full training facility. I figured we could check it out and do some practice while we¡¯re here,¡± the Maestro told his Resonator. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it cause a lot of damage?¡± she inquired, leery of her Maestro''s claim ¡°Nah, from what Aura was telling me they coat all the surfaces with this stuff called ''Vatonium'' which absorbs rhythm super well.¡± ¡°As long as it¡¯s safe.¡± ¡°Plenty.¡± She giggled as he ruffled her hair. Getting stronger was a new goal of hers, so she wouldn¡¯t argue with a little practice session. They came up on the campus. Taika perked up noticing the familiarity of the entrance. ¡°It looks like the other one,¡± she observed. ¡°Yeah, these Maestro¡¯s Affairs Offices are all standard. You think they¡¯d jazz them up to make them fit in more, but I¡¯m not an architect.¡± Shouri shrugged as they turned the corner to enter the property. There weren¡¯t many people on-site this morning, so there were less annoyances to deal with in general. Most of the people wandering about were workers; a few Resonators employed by the MA Office to keep the grounds and buildings clean. A pristine image of cleanliness had to be maintained, both inside and out. ¡°Welcome to our Maestro Affairs Office, how may I help you?¡± the attendant asked of the Maestro as they approached the front desk. ¡°How would I register to be a hunter?¡± Shouri began. ¡°Of course! First, do you have your full Resonator handling license?¡± The woman asked while pulling a tablet from under the counter and powering it on. "I do." Shouri nodded in the affirmative. "Excellent, fill this out and bring it back. Once you do, we¡¯ll review it and you should receive a notification on your tuner within twenty-four hours with your license information.¡± Shouri nodded looking down at the form. It was pretty basic all things considered. ¡°Ok, we¡¯ll go take care of this,¡± he told the attendant. ¡°If you have any questions, please don¡¯t hesitate to ask!¡± Sitting down on the chairs, they began to look over the form. It had the usual things one expected from a government form: name, birthdate, home address, etc. "What''s a ''license'' Sho? Why do you need one to have a Resonator?" Taika asked. "Basically they want to make sure people who have Resonators are aware of the laws and such regarding Resonator care and such in modern society," he replied, focusing on the mundane parts of the hunter registration form. "There''s a bunch of stuff, but the big ones are things like not starting fights with other Maestros in public, not using Resonators to commit crimes, and other things such as not physically harming or abusing Resonators under your care," he explained. "It''s a pretty easy test if you have a lick of common sense," he commented. The Maestro glanced up for a moment and pointed to a child and their parent. They were followed by a boy with blue wings about the child''s age, the child was very excited pointing out different things and the bird boy seemed to be listening with great interest. "Before you turn fifteen you can get what''s called a student''s permit, which lets you have one Resonator and limits your spell-casting to low level spells," he told her. "Full licenses come with no restrictions on how many Resonators you can have as well as full access to any spell the Resonator is able to cast," he paused while he read over some of the information about hunters being presented to him. Taika nodded slowly. That made some sense, wouldn''t want to give a small child all the powers of a Resonator. Plus, the Resonator might not be able to handle it either if they were the same age as their Maestro. "You already have this license thing?" she asked. Shouri stopped his completion of the form. His expression darkened. "Yeah, I uh... took the test a couple years ago," he mumbled. Taika wasn''t the most perceptive individual, she would be the first to admit that, but even she could see there was something about that question that bothered him - she decided to change the topic. ¡°Hey what¡¯s that mean?¡± Taika pointed to a checkbox under the address. ¡°Traveling Hunter?¡± Shouri read aloud. The two stared at it for a moment, before Shouri checked it. The home address boxes vanished and were replaced by boxes asking for information about relatives. Shouri began to fill out the information. ¡°Huh?¡± Taika was confused. ¡°Why?¡± she asked. ¡°It might save us some time later, if we just take care of this now,¡± he muttered, keeping his focus on the form. ¡°I see,¡± Taika replied. She didn¡¯t understand what he was implying by that but left it up to him ¨C he knew what he was doing, right? ¡°Okay, I think that¡¯s everything.¡± Shouri¡¯s voice snapped Taika out of her thoughts. ¡°Come on.¡± He got up and the two returned to the front desk to turn in their work. ¡°Here.¡± Shouri slid the device back to the worker. Looking over the tablet, the woman went over the work, scrolling through the form. Hitting a certain point, she looked up and studied the pair in front of her. ¡°Mhm.¡± She resumed her review. After another moment of scrutinizing, it was complete. ¡°Thank you. Everything appears to be in order, you¡¯ll receive your license within the next twenty-four hours,¡± the attendant announced with her usual pep. ¡°Thanks.¡± The Maestro nodded, thankful for the lack of complications. ¡°Where¡¯s the gym?¡± he asked. ¡°If you''re looking for the casting range; exit out the front and go around the back of this building you¡¯ll see a big building just south of here, can¡¯t miss it.¡± ¡°Cool, thanks again.¡± ¡°Of course, thank you for choosing the North Riva Solare MA Office, have a nice day!¡± Chapter 7 Shouri and Taika followed the directions provided by the front desk attendant and found themselves facing a large gymnasium structure sitting on the back of the campus far from the other buildings. Entering the gym in question, the two could immediately feel the pressure on their sixth sense, their rhythm ¨C there were a lot of spells being flung around, and as a result, the air was thick with evaporated rhythm. Given the coastal nature of the town where they lived, a large quantity of spells were in the water element. The pair were content to look around for the moment and began to wander. There was a small stadium area where a couple of Maestros and their Resonators were participating in a battle. There was also a second battlefield, though this one was a deep, long pool. The water battlefield was also occupied at the moment with a couple of Resonators duking it out underwater. Finally, Shouri spotted what they had come here for: the casting range. There were targets set up at a distance and Resonators could practice their spell-craft with little worry of causing collateral damage. ¡°This way.¡± Shouri led his partner over to the range and they settled themselves into the booth. Taika looked over the glass-like lanes and noted the spells being thrown at the targets. She held up her hand and stared at her own palm, recalling how small her attack spell was. It definitely elicited some gun shyness from her. ¡°Ready?¡± Shouri asked. ¡°A-are you sure this is a good idea Sho?¡± she questioned back. She held herself, her ears were folded back, her tail wrapped around her leg ¨C the anxiety was palpable. He frowned, not sure what the big deal was. He studied her expression for a moment and noted her eyes kept darting over whenever another spell hit its mark. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he offered a smile. ¡°It¡¯s okay. We¡¯re here to practice just like them, no big deal.¡± Swoon. ¡°O-okay Sho...¡± She tried to hide the big dumb grin on her face. Turning her attention to the target, she steeled herself. ¡°Luce Lunare, Pianissimo Staccato,¡± he commanded. The girl jumped, that was a different modifier. She felt like a thread of rhythm between her and Shouri. In addition, she wasn¡¯t immediately forced to create the spell as she had experienced the other day. ¡°What was that?¡± She glanced back at her Maestro. ¡°Oh, I read the Staccato modifier lets you use the spell as many times as you want at that rank. I figured if you were going to practice it¡¯d save me some breath if I just used that,¡± Shouri told her. ¡°Hrm.¡± She frowned. Nothing was immediately happening. ¡°So how do I do the spell?¡± Taika asked. ¡°Uhhh...¡± A moment of web surfing uncovered the answer. ¡°Ah, it says here to just focus on me and envision the spell in your head and it should work,¡± he instructed. ¡°Bene!¡± The Lunar Resonator nodded. She did as she was instructed, focusing on Shouri, and then imagining herself performing the motions in her head. Sure enough, it triggered the spell within her and when Taika opened her eyes, she was holding the small ball of lunar energy. ¡°Throw it,¡± he told her. With a confident nod, she threw the ball- -and completely missed the target. Her ears folded back. She knew this wouldn¡¯t be as simple as creating the spell, but she had hoped to at least be able to hit the target. ¡°It¡¯s okay, just try again,¡± Shouri suggested. And try she did, missing a half dozen throws completely. The girl breathed out hard, starting to get frustrated. ¡°Let¡¯s take a quick break,¡± Shouri finally said. ¡°Sotto,¡± he added. Taika jumped again, the rhythm ¡°thread¡± between them having been severed. That must have been the cancellation command Shouri mentioned the other day. Sitting on the bench next to their booth, Shouri pulled up a couple of videos on proper form when throwing spells. ¡°Oh. I see.¡± Shouri nodded. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize the spells form differently based on your attribute,¡± he noted aloud. ¡°Since you¡¯re healing attribute, it looks like your basic elemental spells are sphere-shaped, and you can throw them?¡± Shouri hummed in thought ¡°I didn¡¯t know that...¡± Taika breathed out as she watched the form of the Resonator in the video. She tapped the screen and re-wound the video several times, committing the stances to memory. ¡°I want to try again.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡± Shouri nodded. Standing back at the range Taika positioned her body as the instructor in the video had. Grinding her shoes underneath her, she glared at the target. ¡°Luce Lunare, Pianissimo Staccato,¡± came her Maestro¡¯s command. Forming the ball was easy. Drawing her arm back she waited a moment before whipping her arm forward, releasing the ball of energy at the furthest point from her body. The ball of energy flew much faster than her previous attempts and smashed into the target. Although she missed the bullseye, she managed to hit one of the outer circles. ¡°I did it!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°Yeah! That¡¯s the way!¡± Shouri grinned toothily, happy for the progress. Taika however wasn¡¯t done, as she formed another ball and replicated her previous throw. The second throw of the set also hit the target. A bit closer to the middle, but at least on the target. ¡°More,¡± she breathed out. Shouri nodded and motioned for her to continue.
¡°Sotto. I think we should stop before we hurt ourselves.¡± Shouri wiped some sweat from his brow. Despite not doing anything except being a fancy battery for Taika¡¯s spells, he was worn out. They had been at it for at least an hour or so, but he couldn''t be sure as he didn''t check the time when they started. ¡°Si...¡± Taika panted in agreement, trying to shake off some of her sweat. Her arm was going to be sore later, that was certain. It was well worth it though; while she didn¡¯t end up hitting a bulls-eye, she got pretty close. In fact, her consistency had improved drastically throughout the small training session. There was a new-found confidence welling up in the newbie Resonator. ¡°Let¡¯s go get some water and take a break before we head home,¡± Shouri told his Resonator. ¡°Si!¡± She beamed. However, that smile faded when Shouri was suddenly shoved to the ground upon exiting the booth. Immediately Taika jumped to her Maestro''s defense, putting herself between him and his assailant and glaring them down. ¡°The fuck man?¡± Shouri groaned, getting to his feet. He looked up and saw two larger men returning Taika¡¯s glare. One a Maestro, and the other a Resonator. Some dog breed based on the tail and ears. Both Shouri and Taika¡¯s sixth sense pegged down his element immediately: Earth. ¡°Couldn¡¯t help but notice you brought a ninte here,¡± the Maestro of the pair spoke. Taika¡¯s scowl only intensified. ¡°Hurling slurs around makes you feel pretty big huh?¡± Shouri snarked back. ¡°I¡¯m bein¡¯ nice. Get lost. We don¡¯t need your kind around here,¡± he growled. There was that feeling again ¨C that desire to rebel; this time for a good reason. ¡°We have our license; we have as much right to be here as you.¡± Shouri placed his hand on Taika¡¯s back. The large earth Resonator cracked his knuckles, grinning toothily at the prospect of an altercation. Taika ground her teeth as hard as she could. Her breathing became shallower as a thick sweat coated her. She wasn¡¯t ready for this, there wasn¡¯t any way. She knew Shouri had used a ton of his rhythm in practice. They were both worn out and presumably, this guy had just wandered in and decided to start trouble. This wasn¡¯t fair! Why was she so weak!? ¡°Now, that just isn¡¯t right,¡± a voice spoke up. The four turned their attention to the fifth and sixth entering the fray. Shouri opened his mouth to call the person¡¯s name but saw the Maestro place their index finger over their lips to silence him. ¡°Oh? Another ninte lover? Why don¡¯t you run away like the rest?¡± The earth Maestro smirked. Taika¡¯s ears flattened as she stepped back. Damian now stood in between her and the earth Maestro. ¡°I¡¯ve been watching these two and they wore themselves ragged practicing their spells. They¡¯re obviously new.¡± Aura folded her arms across her chest. ¡°You just wanted to beat on someone clearly weaker than you.¡± The woman chuckled. ¡°Pretty small dick energy if you ask me.¡± That enraged the Maestro. ¡°Oh yeah?! Wanna take this down to the court?!¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯d love to.¡± Aura cracked her knuckles. ¡°If I win, I don¡¯t ever wanna see your face in this town again,¡± she proposed. ¡°And if I win?¡± ¡°Hmmm, we¡¯ll go on a date then. I¡¯ll even put out if you win quick enough.¡± Sizing up Damian, the earth Maestro figured his own Resonator could take the Doberman. ¡°Fine by me, you better keep your word.¡± ¡°You too, big boy,¡± the woman tittered.
Shouri and Taika stood behind Aura on her side of the battlefield they had rented for this little scuffle. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Aura,¡± Taika spoke up, her fists balled up tightly. ¡°Relax hon, I enjoy emasculating muscle heads like him.¡± Aura ruffled the Resonator¡¯s hair. Shouri was similarly frustrated at the situation. Of course, they immediately got harassed by Lunar haters. He couldn¡¯t wait for him and Taika to be able to defend themselves. Logically he understood it though: they were specifically targeted because they were weak. These kinds of people didn¡¯t want to see a strong Lunar element. ¡°Ready?!¡± Aura shouted to her Resonator as she drew her red tuner from her side. ¡°Hmph, should I make it quick?¡± the Resonator asked his Maestro. ¡°Yeah. I think we need to get these two home.¡± A smirk rose on the stoic dog-man¡¯s lips as he finally got into position. ¡°With pleasure.¡± The battle appeared to be one-sided at first glance. A large, muscular dog-man against another dog, albeit a much thinner, lankier breed. ¡°Colpito da una Roccia, Piano!¡± the earth Maestro began with his command. The earth dog formed a decent-sized boulder and threw it in Damian¡¯s direction. The fire Resonator stepped out of the way. ¡°Care to try again?¡± Damian smirked, keeping his eyes locked on his opponent. ¡°Fuggin¡¯ mutt.¡± The earth Resonator growled. He charged the thinner man and threw a haymaker, attempting to beat the Resonator without the use of his magic. Damian easily dodged the wild attacks, knocking away punches that got a little too close. This further frustrated the bulkier dog even further. ¡°Use your ad-Lib!¡± the opposing Maestro shouted. ¡°Right!¡± The bigger dog jumped up and dove into the earthy battlefield below them as if it were water. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Aura chuckled. ¡°Parte le Terra, that¡¯s precious.¡± She turned to Shouri and Taika. ¡°When fighting earth elements like this, keep in mind Taika¡¯s species bonus.¡± She motioned to Damian who stood still with his eyes closed, his ears twitching every so often as he seemed to be tracking his opponent¡¯s movements underground. ¡°Canid Sense lets you keep track of opponents even when you can¡¯t see them,¡± she told Taika. ¡°But just in case, let¡¯s make sure he doesn¡¯t try to pull a sneaky without us knowing." She took in a breath and belted out a command: ¡°Mine Terrestri, Lento!¡± Damian knelt and slammed a fist into the ground, flames licking the surface of the dirt quickly before fading away. ¡°Shit! Get away from the mutt!¡± the earth Maestro shouted into his tuner. A second later, the opposing Resonator burst out of the ground in front of his Maestro. ¡°Yo, he didn¡¯t fall for it.¡± Damian craned his head back back to Aura. ¡°Ah well, he has some brains at least.¡± Aura shrugged. ¡°What happened?¡± Taika questioned. ¡°Mine Terrestri sets fire-element landmines, the higher the rank the more mines and further they spread,¡± Shouri explained. ¡°It¡¯s my anti-Parte la Terra weapon.¡± Aura kept her gaze on the battlefield. ¡°They usually fall for it though,¡± she tittered. ¡°At least he¡¯s keeping it a touch bit interesting.¡± After weighing his options, the opposing Maestro shouted his next command: ¡°Sciame di gioielli, Piano!¡± Aura had the counter already in mind though: ¡°Magifiamma, Legato!¡± The earth-dog formed several gemstones in the air around him and fired them at Damian. Taika was transfixed by Aura¡¯s command and Damian''s execution of it. She watched Damian form seven balls of purple fire that orbited around the fire elemental. As the gemstones drew closer, two of the fireballs left Damian¡¯s orbit, intercepting the attacks and popping them like bubbles. The final five orbs whipped out from their original orbit and assaulted the opposing Resonator, the first two taking him off his feet and the remaining three slamming him into the dirt. After the dust settled, the earth Resonator lay on the battlefield unmoving. ¡°I think that¡¯s my win.¡± Aura clapped. ¡°Fucking useless! Get up!¡± the opposing Maestro barked. The opposing dog Resonator rose to his feet, his movements stiff as if a foreign entity had possessed him and was piloting him like a meat puppet. Despite standing now, it didn¡¯t seem like anyone was home. Aura¡¯s carefree smirk faded. ¡°Damian.¡± She held up her tuner. ¡°On it.¡± He rushed the opposing Resonator. ¡°Crush him!¡± the opposing Maestro shouted desperately. Still moving robotically, the Resonator brought his fists down like hammers toward Damian. The Doberman caught both fists and in doing so caused the sleeves of the earth Resonator¡¯s shirt to catch fire. ¡°Keep it up!¡± Aura shouted. Shouri and Taika watched in awe as Damian easily held off the larger Resonator, but more than that it appeared as if waves of something were rising around him. It was almost a little difficult to see a clear picture of the resumed battle. That¡¯s when it hit them: a sudden wave of heat coming from Damian. Even at this distance, it was almost unbearable. ¡°Don¡¯t... lose.¡± The earth Maestro wavered before dropping his tuner. Then a moment later he collapsed. With the brown tuner now on the ground the earth-dog became dead weight, with Damian easily pushing the man over with a resounding slam against the ground. ¡°What fucking slime.¡± Aura shook her head. ¡°What happened?¡± Taika was confused. ¡°Remember that button? The red one?¡± Shouri asked, his eyes still locked on the unmoving earth Resonator. ¡°Yea...?¡± She immediately felt uncomfortable with what Shouri was implying. ¡°Sore loser.¡± Aura spat off to the side. ¡°You can theoretically command a Resonator like a meat-puppet when they¡¯re unconscious but you can¡¯t channel spells through them while they¡¯re knocked out like that,¡± she told them. ¡°Thankfully Damian has Corpo Fuoco as his ad Libertum, so he can just put out so much heat it can knock the offending Maestro unconscious.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to say this is the first time I¡¯ve had to pull that stunt, but you know how people are.¡± The elder Maestro shrugged. Damian returned to his Maestro, still radiating quite a bit of ambient heat, but not unbearably so like before. ¡°So, uh, you think we should report that?¡± He motioned to the pair of bodies on the other side of the battlefield. Aura hummed, frowning in disapproval. ¡°Yeah. Principle of the matter I guess.¡± The dog man nodded. ¡°You got it?¡± he asked. ¡°Unfortunately.¡± ¡°Cool. I need a smoke.¡± And with that, Damian left to go inhale some lovely tobacco.
Walking home was relatively uneventful. ¡°Oh, did you pick up the Fire Ossia?¡± Aura suddenly asked. ¡°The what?¡± Shouri questioned his sister. ¡°Check your spell list,¡± she instructed him. With a shrug, he pulled his tuner from his side and did as his sister suggested. Luce Lunare Pianissimo Rilevare l''intenzione Presto La Bella Vita Presto Magifiamma Legato The first three spells he had familiarized himself with. The fourth, however- ¡°That¡¯s new,¡± he noted. Taika popped up over his shoulder. ¡°A new spell?¡± she questioned. ¡°Yeah, Ossias are dual-element spells. You can only get them from watching other Resonators perform them or fighting a big Scherzando that uses them,¡± Aura told the newbies. ¡°Be very careful with that one,¡± Aura warned. ¡°It¡¯s gonna be your strongest spell for a little bit, but it also costs a fuck-ton of rhythm to pull off.¡± Shouri stared at the spell. It was kind of scary to suddenly have such a unique spell in their arsenal, but based on Damian¡¯s demonstration of it earlier, it certainly was potent. Either way, he had used up enough of his rhythm today, he wouldn¡¯t get to try their new toy until he had a chance to recover. The blonde-haired Maestro stepped in front of Shouri and Taika, stopping and putting her hands on her hips. ¡°At any rate, you two need to make sure you¡¯re ready to defend yourselves out there,¡± Aura advised. She bitterly averted her gaze. ¡°People aren¡¯t nice, and Damian and I won¡¯t always be there to bail you out.¡± Shouri lowered his head, gritting his teeth in frustration. He hadn¡¯t expected people to act on their distorted worldviews. Glancing over at Taika, he just wanted her to be happy, but there seemed to be those who disagreed with that wish.
GASP! Taika sat up, her eyes wide, her body covered in a deep sweat. It was night now and she had been visited by yet another nightmare. A moment later, her door opened. ¡°Taika?¡± ¡°Sho?¡± ¡°Another nightmare?¡± ¡°S-si...¡± ¡°Come on.¡± The girl¡¯s face reddened again, recalling how they awoke this morning. ¡°A-again?¡± she squeaked. ¡°It helped last night, right?¡± ¡°S-si...¡± Giving in, she allowed herself to once again be led across the hall to his bedroom where she nestled into the thick comforters ¡°Sleep well Taika.¡± And with that, the two drifted off to sleep. History repeated itself though as Taika found herself in his arms once more, in the same position as the morning prior. ¡°Taika?!¡± ¡°Sho?!¡± They pushed away from each other again just like the morning prior as well. ¡°I-I¡¯ll go back to my room,¡± the flustered fox told her Maestro. He could only reply with a short nod. Darting across the hall and back to her room, she pressed her back against the door, attempting to calm her racing heart. ¡°He¡¯s my Maestro.¡± She reminded herself. ¡°It¡¯s not like the books.¡± She added quietly. These words were spoken forlornly, however. She wished her fantasies could be her reality. It just wasn¡¯t that easy.
¡°Luce Lunare, Pianissimo!¡± A ball of lunar energy whipped through the air, slamming into a target set up about ten paces away in the yard. Taika stood opposite the target board, coated in the sweat of a mid-morning workout. ¡°A-again,¡± she breathed. ¡°One sec.¡± Shouri took a drink of water, passing the bottle to his Resonator. She glared down the target board, failing to notice her Maestro¡¯s offer. He poked her arm with the bottle, which elicited her response. Polishing off the bottle, she threw it behind her and repeated her demand: ¡°Again.¡± ¡°Luce Lunare, Pianissimo!¡± Once more a ball of Lunar energy sailed through the air, hitting the target. She was edging ever closer to hitting the bulls-eye but still was off the mark by a small margin. Her consistency had jumped significantly though. ¡°Again.¡± And so this repeated on and on. They spent hours practicing their solitary attack spell. When they weren¡¯t doing that, they practiced the two support spells in their arsenal. ¡°What¡¯s up, Dames?¡± Aura asked her Resonator. He was by one of the open windows, smoking away as usual. ¡°Watching them.¡± He motioned his head in the direction of the yard where Shouri and Taika continued their exercise. ¡°It spooked them pretty bad.¡± The woman frowned, sitting up on the window sill. ¡°It¡¯s better it happened now, to be honest,¡± the fire Resonator noted. ¡°Yeah. Still worried.¡± ¡°You think your parents are gonna pull some shit?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been on the back of my mind.¡± Damian nodded, bringing his cigarette up to his lips and taking a deep breath. He blew out his smoke before speaking again. ¡°They threw a fit when you brought me home.¡± He focused on Taika specifically. ¡°Surprised they didn¡¯t have a meltdown when he brought her in.¡± ¡°Totes. They¡¯ve been oddly amicable about the whole situation.¡± Her frown deepened. ¡°Think they¡¯re trying to teach him a lesson?¡± he offered. ¡°That¡¯s gotta be it.¡± Her gaze fell on her brother. ¡°When he told me he would be her Maestro though, I felt it.¡± She paused, considering her words. ¡°He¡¯s so committed to her.¡± This earned a chuckle from Damian, who crushed the remaining butt of his cigarette. ¡°Reminds me of someone I know.¡± A coy smirk rose on the Maestro¡¯s lips. ¡°Oh yeah? Who¡¯s that?¡± The smirk was returned in kind by the Doberman. ¡°You probably don¡¯t know her. She¡¯s pretty loud and obnoxious though.¡± Hopping down from the window, she elbowed her Resonator. ¡°Tch, you.¡± She chuckled. ¡°Always the brat.¡± The blonde smiled warmly. ¡°You knew what you were getting yourself into when you picked me.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Maybe I didn¡¯t. I¡¯m just a stuck-up rich girl, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, fucking bitch.¡± ¡°Fuck you.¡± Despite what they were saying, the pair wore goofy grins all the way down the hallway. Chapter 8 "That night started unlike any other and by the end of it, our lives had changed forever." Evening began to set on Riva Solare, but it didn¡¯t mean the town went to sleep. No, it simply meant the corporate foot traffic waned into those of Maestros and their Resonators. ¡°Aura! Move your butt!¡± Damian barked from the bottom of the steps. ¡°I¡¯m comin¡¯ hold yer horses!¡± the woman snapped back, descending the central staircase ¡°We got the kids with us today, gotta get there early.¡± He motioned to Shouri and Taika who both frowned and shot him a sidelong glance. It had been a month to the day since Taika began her journey as Shouri¡¯s Resonator, and it all had been building up to this day. Aura stood before the impatiently waiting trio. She turned to Shouri and Taika with an almost prideful grin. ¡°You two good?¡± ¡°As we¡¯ll ever be,¡± Shouri sighed. He was nervous, but they had prepped as much as they could. Taika nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± The Resonator shared her Maestro¡¯s sentiments but also wanted to tear the bandage off already and get into some real combat. ¡°Let¡¯s get this gravy train rollin¡¯ then.¡± The eldest smirked. And with that declaration, they were off. For Aura and Damian, this was their nine-to-five. It was so routine it bordered on monotony. For Shouri and Taika however, this was to be their trial by fire. They would get to learn what being a ¡°hunter¡± really meant. The trip to the local hunter base camp wasn¡¯t too terrible. A short jaunt to the location in question to get the blood flowing. They knew they were reaching their destination when they noticed the foot traffic thicken. There were many other Resonators and Maestros about. Lots of water elementals with their striking blues, but there was also a healthy number of earths just in case. The site of the hunts in question was more along the lines of a dispatch station. There were many booths and tents scattered around, almost like a fair in size and organization. ¡°This area¡¯s been thick with it lately,¡± Aura told the newbies, who were taking in all the sights, sounds, and smells of the practical festival before them. The sister smiled warmly in her brother¡¯s direction. A month of just straight training got their current spells to a usable level. She felt comfortable enough with their progress to take them out into real battle. ¡°Come on you two.¡± Waving them towards one of the lines, they waited to see what they would be assigned. After what felt like ages it was finally their turn. ¡°Tuner,¡± the man occupying the booth said. Shouri considered that request for a moment before handing the device over. With the practice of a tenured employee, he quickly waved it over a scanner on his laptop computer. ¡°Ah, a Lunar healer. Now that¡¯s a rare combo,¡± he noted. ¡°Wait.¡± The name of the Maestro seemed familiar. Glancing up, his eyes met Aura. ¡°Heyyyyy Jake!¡± The woman waved. ¡°I knew I recognized that name! Aura you bitch why didn¡¯t you tell me you were bringing your brother?¡± the man said with a laugh. ¡°Eh, you know me, spur of the moment,¡± the woman laughed back. ¡°Well, let me get them supporting y''all. I¡¯m sure Dames will appreciate a healer for once, ya fuckin¡¯ slave driver.¡± Damian nudged his Maestro, smirking as if to say ¡°I told you so.¡± Aura just rolled her eyes in response. ¡°Alright, I got y¡¯all taking vanguard tonight. When you¡¯re in support roles like healing, you get paid per support spell, but also if you pick off some Scherzando in the process it pays better than the damage dealers. Just don¡¯t spread yourself too thin,¡± he told Shouri. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± The newbie Maestro nodded. It was a lot to take in, but as long as Aura and the others were there it¡¯d be fine and they could make money. Finally freed from the bureaucratic part of the process, Aura took the lead once more: ¡°We¡¯re starting in like an hour, let¡¯s grab a bite to eat, my treat!¡± While they were at the whims of Aura, there was a part of Shouri that appreciated this atmosphere. It was chaotically organized. It was a weird mix, but it was nice. Everyone was here to do a job, but there was a lot of casual conversation amongst the various Maestros and their Resonators. Taika even seemed to be enjoying the ambiance, her tail wagging as she took in all the visual stimuli. And in a refreshing change of pace, nobody was giving her the stink eye. Everyone was just too wrapped up in their own little worlds to notice the small fox-girl. Aura naturally picked the food stall where they¡¯d get their pre-work snack from. ¡°The chick that¡¯s running this is like a famous chef, her stuff¡¯s crazy good.¡± Aura pointed at the woman running the stand with her trio of Resonators. ¡°Who is she?¡± Shouri asked. ¡°Solana Leduc, I think her name was?¡± Aura put a finger to her lips in thought. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m pretty sure that¡¯s it.¡± Shouri had heard that name before. ¡°Oh, yeah, the Leduc family is supposed to be like super chefs. I believe she is their heiress.¡± He watched the woman in question work. Her long ginger hair swayed almost hypnotically as she moved about. Despite how hard she and her three Resonators worked, they were all wearing big grins, laughing and joking. There was a certain radiance the trio exuded that Shouri couldn¡¯t help but be jealous of. ¡°One Maestro can have multiple Resonators,¡± Shouri noted on a breath. ¡°Well, sure. There¡¯s no rule saying you can¡¯t.¡± Aura shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s just about how much rhythm you can give them.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t spread yourself too thin,¡± Shouri repeated the advice from earlier. ¡°Right, most people agree three is the most that one Maestro can handle.¡± Taika didn¡¯t know how she felt about that. She wanted to be Shouri¡¯s exclusive Resonator, but in the same respect, if something happened to her there would be no one to protect him. It troubled her ever so slightly. Before they realized it, their turn to order came up. ¡°Oh.¡± Solana seemed to take a keen interest in Shouri however. ¡°You¡¯re a new face.¡± She leaned on the counter. Her eyes drifted to Taika, who the chef took more interest in. ¡°Oh, baby you have beautiful eyes,¡± she remarked. Taika blushed and hid more behind her Maestro. ¡°What do you two want? It¡¯s on me,¡± the chef offered with a toothy grin, motioning to the chalkboard next to her detailing their rather diverse menu. Shouri looked to Taika who was overloaded by a combination of the menu and still reeling from the compliment. ¡°O-order for me,¡± she squeaked. ¡°We¡¯ll just do a couple of those Savory hand pies,¡± Shouri decided with a chuckle. ¡°Good choice!¡± The woman turned back to her crew. ¡°Vivi, two hand pies!¡± ¡°On it Lana!¡± a fire Resonator in the back shouted. ¡°See? If Mom and Dad picked your Resonator you wouldn¡¯t have gotten free food,¡± Aura teased. ¡°Oh, hush.¡± Shouri rolled his eyes but smirked all the same. With food out of the way, the quartet made their way toward their assignment for the evening. Shouri and Taika remained quiet, allowing Aura to lead the way. ¡°Fuoco Fatuo, Tenuto.¡± With Aura¡¯s command, Damian created a small ball of fire at a snap of his fingers. The little fireball followed them, providing light to the deep dark depths of the forest (though Shouri and Taika needed no such light). ¡°So here¡¯s the deal,¡± Aura began as they made their way through the winding woods. ¡°There¡¯s a few people already taking care of the stragglers, but what we¡¯re here to do is take out the Scherzando that start appearing at about 10 PM,¡± the woman imparted on the newbies. ¡°They get real feisty around midnight 1 AM or so. We¡¯re usually done by two for the clean-up dudes to handle.¡± ¡°Why do they specifically appear at night? I never got that,¡± Taika commented. ¡°The current theory is they¡¯re attracted to negative emotions, which tend to flare up at night in melopomorphs,¡± Shouri told his Resonator. Taika nodded slowly, recalling her own nightmares. ¡°With modern cities getting as big as they are it¡¯s all but mandatory that there¡¯s a fighting force available to deal with them, otherwise we¡¯d be overrun,¡± he added. ¡°Thankfully between Maestros already living in town and those that travel the world, there¡¯s plenty of people willing to lend a hand ¨C of course for the right price,¡± Aura chimed in. By this point in the conversation, they had made their way to a source of light pollution amid the wilds ¨C the scene of tonight¡¯s festivities. As promised, there were already a small number of Maestros and their Resonators gathered, idly chatting by firelight. ¡°Oi Aura and Damian are here!¡± one of the gathered Maestros shouted. Shouri shot a sidelong glance at his sister. ¡°Bit of a local legend?¡± he questioned. ¡°You could say that.¡± The woman patted her brother¡¯s back before leading them to the front. ¡°Who¡¯s your friend?¡± One of the regulars asked, eyeing up the newcomer. ¡°My brother. So if you don¡¯t want an ass-kicking, you¡¯ll leave him be and let him do his job.¡± Aura threatened jokingly. ¡°Maybe I¡¯m into that,¡± the other Maestro snarked back. ¡°I¡¯d have Dames do the honors hun.¡± ¡°Eugh, never mind.¡± And with that, they were allowed to take the front. ¡°Is it always like this?¡± Shouri asked. ¡°Pretty much. We try to let travelers get their fair share, but there¡¯s usually a core group of us that handle this area,¡± the tenured Maestro informed her greenhorn brother. Aura snapped her fingers with a sudden realization. ¡°We can make this easy tonight. What level is your detection spell at?¡± ¡°Lento, it¡¯s the easiest to use,¡± Shouri replied. ¡°Oh sweet, doesn¡¯t it get a bonus at max rank?¡± ¡°Yeah, she can detect hostility, so it should work on Scherzando.¡± ¡°Gotcha.¡± Aura turned to the rest. ¡°Alright fuckers!¡± she shouted. ¡°We got ourselves a rare treat tonight: that detection spell at Lento!¡± she informed the group. There was some muttering amongst the masses. ¡°Get in close, we¡¯ll be able to clean house pretty quick!¡± The other Maestros gathered around and all had their tuners out. Shouri looked around seeing the device in many other colors besides the black and red variations he was used to. They all had a map of the surrounding area. ¡°Sync with my brother¡¯s map,¡± she instructed, motioning to Shouri who quickly pulled out his tuner and scrambled to find the application they were using. There was some muttering about the tuner color he was holding, but paid it no mind. ¡°Alright Shouri, have her do it.¡± ¡°Right, Taika, Rilevare l''intenzione, Lento.¡± The sole Lunar Resonator on-site closed her eyes. She first detected all the gathered Maestros and Resonators, then started feeling hostility outside of their group. Little bunches of it all around them. There was so much it was almost baffling. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. But it validated them coming out here. There were so many little groups, but together it was almost an army¡¯s worth of beasts. The tuner beeped, marking Shouri¡¯s map with where all of their quarry was hiding. Since the Maestros taking point here were all synchronizing their maps with his, they all gained this invaluable info. ¡°Oh, this is sweet.¡± ¡°This is way easier than what we usually do.¡± ¡°Need to get Lunars out here more often.¡± ¡°Well, we got Aura¡¯s brother for that now.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get moving!¡± The group seemed pretty excited about the success of the spell, which put Shouri and Taika at ease. There were good people in the world it seemed. ¡°I¡¯m keeping them by my side, but text me if you want the map updated,¡± Aura told the group. And with that, they broke off. ¡°What do you all normally do without having a lunar?¡± Shouri inquired as he and Taika followed Aura and Damian. ¡°Usually make a big commotion and attract them to us,¡± the fire Resonator spoke up. ¡°That works?¡± Taika asked. ¡°For the most part. It gets kinda rough for a bit if a bunch swarm us, but we can usually handle it,¡± the Doberman told his fox counterpart. They came up to their first battle of the night, a trio of quadrupedal canine-shaped shadows with moss and leaves seemingly growing off of them. Taika gulped. She had never seen a Scherzando in person before, and frankly, they were kind of terrifying. Her rhythm raced with a deep, primordial fear as soon as she laid eyes upon their forms. They looked innocuous enough, even in their shadowy guises she could sense their element like any other Resonator. These three quadrupeds radiated a foresty kind of feel. That aside, the most horrifying thing about them was how they were absolutely silent. No matter how much they pranced about or even made motions that one would expect to make some kind of sound, she heard nothing. Not even the dead leaves and branches they pranced on generated noise. They were dead quiet; they didn''t even breathe. She had always read in stories how scary Scherzando could be - their ruthlessness, their bloodlust, and it was plain to see why. They could easily get the jump on her even with her excellent hearing. That being said, her heart raced with a strange excitement. Damian stepped forward, the Doberman sizing up their adversaries. After a moment he snorted in amusement. ¡°Natures? It feels like we¡¯re bullying them.¡± ¡°It¡¯s us or them dear, just focus,¡± Aura reminded her Resonator. ¡°Yeah yeah. Rather use Shouri as a GPS battery and not for heals.¡± The fire element focused on the targets before them. The Scherzando noticed the Resonator before them and took combative poses. Despite barred fangs from their shadowy, featureless forms they continued to remain completely tacet - where one expected snarling there was only the sound of the wind through the trees. Aura was as calm as Shouri expected of a veteran like herself, raising her tuner and holding it level with her chest. ¡°Anello di Fuoco, Tenuto!¡± With that command, Damian thrust out his hand igniting a ring of fire around the Scherzando, encircling them within a blaze of their elemental weakness. They were as good as toast from one simple action. Aura smirked, shooting a glance to her brother. ¡°Wanna take one out?¡± she offered. The male Maestro looked to his Resonator, who nodded. Taika stepped forward. ¡°Luce Lunare, Piano!¡± Shouri commanded. The lunar Resonator created the ball of lunar energy and whipped it at the trapped Scherzando with an impressive force, not only wiping out all three but dispelling the fires that trapped them. Damian whistled, impressed. Aura ruffled her brother¡¯s hair. ¡°I said one, not all three,¡± she teased him. He just laughed, keeping his eyes on Taika, who was staring at her own hands in awe at what she was able to accomplish. ¡°Let¡¯s keep going, the night is young!¡±
¡°I can¡¯t wait to hit the hay,¡± Shouri sighed as they walked home. The night had been lucrative on many fronts, but mainly from the perspective of his pocketbook. He smiled at the money that now graced his wallet app. Money that was earned by his and Taika¡¯s efforts; money that wasn¡¯t touchable by his parents. It was nice. ¡°You two ended up doing way more than I originally intended, but it was a good experience.¡± Aura patted her brother¡¯s back. There was a tinge of pride in her heart, but she had to give him and Taika all the credit. They had worked hard to raise themselves to this level. ¡°You got a new spell, didn¡¯t you?¡± she asked. ¡°Yeah. I think it¡¯s the smokescreen one,¡± he noted, flashing the spell list to his sister. Luce Lunare Pianissimo - Piano Rilevare l''intenzione Presto - Allegro - Moderato - Adagio ¨C Lento Nuvola Oscura (New!) Presto (New!) La Bella Vita Presto ¨C Allegro ¨C Moderato (New!) Magifiamma Legato ¡°The upgrade to our heal is nice too,¡± the Maestro added. Spells just seemed to get stronger from actual usage instead of repeated useless castings. Though all of the practice Taika put into throwing her spells came in handy ¨C she didn¡¯t miss a single attack all night. Finally arriving home, the two pairs parted ways. Shouri and Taika made their way towards their bedrooms. ¡°Did you have fun tonight Taika?¡± the Maestro asked. ¡°Si!¡± the vixen beamed. ¡°It was nice.¡± She smiled warmly. They came to a stop in front of Shouri¡¯s room. Taika grabbed Shouri¡¯s hands and held them tightly. He gulped. ¡°Thank you so much for being my Maestro.¡± ¡°I-it¡¯s no problem...¡± he replied sheepishly, averting his gaze. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get to sleep.¡± As had become a habit over the last month, he pulled her into his room. ¡°Ah, don¡¯t feel like changing.¡± Shouri yawned while he removed his jacket. Depositing their tuner on his nightstand, he crawled into bed. ¡°Fair.¡± Taika caught her Maestro¡¯s yawn, flicking her jacket off. She made her way into bed with him. They huddled under the blanket together, with Taika drawing close. It had been such a wonderful night, neither minded just skipping the pretense. The lunar Resonator could almost cry from how happy she was at this moment; nestled in her Maestro¡¯s embrace after an honest night¡¯s work. She was just about to fall fast asleep when suddenly- SLAM The bedroom door was violently forced open. The pair sat up in fright and was then subsequently blinded by the lights being flicked on. ¡°Shouri Tomoshibi!¡± his father¡¯s voice boomed. Their blood ran cold hearing that voice. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡± Shouri winced, still rubbing his eyes from the unexpected light. His vision finally cleared, though what he saw made him pull Taika close to him. ¡°Wh-what¡¯s going on?¡± Taika whispered. ¡°I have a bad feeling about this,¡± he whispered back, reaching back for their tuner. At the door was not only his father but his mother and a couple of the Resonators they kept staffed for security. None of them appeared pleased at what they saw. ¡°You¡¯re sleeping with her?!¡± his mother exclaimed, the surprise in her voice on full display. Shouri immediately took exception, throwing the blanket off of himself and Taika. ¡°You have a problem with that?¡± he asked, getting out of bed with Taika. He was careful to keep the bed between them and the aggressors at the door. ¡°It was one thing to let it into this house, but no son of mine will be a filthy animal fucker,¡± the father growled. It was Shouri¡¯s turn to be disgusted at what he was hearing. ¡°What the hell is your problem?!¡± Shouri barked, kicking his jacket up into his hand. Taika followed suit with her own jacket, nearly ill and trembling from what was happening. The only thing that kept her from totally breaking down was that Shouri had grabbed her hand, interlinking his fingers with hers and gripping tightly. ¡°Shouri, what is your problem?! What ideas has she put in your head?¡± his mother nearly shrieked. Shouri¡¯s expression calmed. ¡°So that¡¯s it?¡± He chuckled hollowly. Despite how even his demeanor had become, there was a wildfire in his heart, a bright blue wildfire. ¡°I thought you¡¯d give me more time to be honest.¡± Taika turned her gaze to her Maestro, confused as to what he was saying right now. Releasing her hand, he brought their tuner up. The two security Resonators stepped in front of their employers, ready to fight. ¡°Nuvola Oscura, Presto!¡± he suddenly shouted, while pivoting on the ball of his foot. Taika just moved, letting out a thick black smoke from her free hand, which instantly filled the room. While their vision was obscured, he threw the window open. ¡°Come on Taika!¡± He grabbed his Resonator¡¯s hand and pulled her up onto the windowsill. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare! I will disown you!¡± his father bellowed, though such a threat fell on deaf ears. ¡°W-wait, Sho we¡¯re on the second-¡± ¡°Trust me!¡± Out the window they went. While plummeting towards the bushes below, a command pierced the night air: ¡°La Bella Vita, Rubato!¡± They hit the bushes hard, and both of their bodies were immediately racked with pain. Through the protests of her damaged body, Taika healed herself and then Shouri, relieving them from suffering the effects of their fall. ¡°Come on let¡¯s go let¡¯s go!¡± Scrambling out of the bushes, they ran as fast as their legs would carry them, ignoring the pain rapidly building from their lack of foot coverings. ¡°YOU THINK YOU¡¯RE GOING TO GET AWAY WITH THIS?! YOU¡¯RE DEAD TO ME!¡± Neither escapee looked back, nor spoke a word, they just ran and ran and ran. Through the front gates they fled unimpeded and onto the streets, though staying in the city wasn¡¯t an option. For this they trekked north, eventually leaving the city behind for the woods that surrounded their town. It wasn''t long before all traces of civilization dried up as the run further intensified in pain and difficulty. Regardless, they sped along. They weren¡¯t sure how long or far they ran ignoring the pain, ignoring their emotions, ignoring any thoughts of possible pursuers. It came to a violent end when Shouri¡¯s legs finally gave out in the middle of the woods they had run into. The boy fell like a rock, hitting the ground hard, and rolling to a stop. Taika tried to pivot back around to help her Maestro, but the last vestiges of her strength betrayed her and she ended up on the ground. They both just lay there, finally breaking into a loud cry from the excruciating pain and frustration they were in. Chapter 9 The sun rose on a new day, shining on the remains of the night prior. Shouri slowly returned to consciousness; his entire body ached from how hard he pushed it hours earlier. His head pounded and his stomach was in knots. The part of him that hurt the most was his bare feet which now protested all the lacerations that he had accrued during their marathon split. It all came back in an instant, and he remembered why he was even lying in the dirt in such a miserable state in the first place. ¡°Taika!¡± He crawled over to his Resonator who laid a little ways away. The adrenaline that fueled this feat however was running on fumes and he re-collapsed next to his precious Resonator. ¡°Taika... please wake up.¡± Reaching out, he managed to get a hand on her shoulder and shook her. ¡°Sho...¡± She slowly opened her eyes. ¡°Guuuah...¡± She curled up as pain returned to her as well. With her awakening, Shouri could ease their suffering. ¡°La Bella Vita, Rubato.¡± Taika trembled for a moment longer before her expression eased. She then held out her hands and projected the healing waves onto her Maestro, who similarly felt the relief. The pair laid there in the dirt for some time. After a sufficient amount of time, Taika broke the silence. ¡°Sho, your hair is turning white,¡± she spoke, her voice hoarse. ¡°Yeah. Rubato does that.¡± ¡°I was meaning to ask what that was.¡± ¡°It¡¯s like the Staccato modifier, but instead it gives you complete free reign to my rhythm to cast whatever you want.¡± He slowly explained. Guilt rushed in. ¡°Oh. I¡¯m so sorry Sho.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I needed you to just overload us with healing.¡± ¡°Non. I mean for everything. If it wasn¡¯t for me...¡± Shouri moved himself closer to Taika and wrapped himself around her. ¡°Don¡¯t apologize. I picked you over them.¡± He smiled, and she blushed. ¡°Sho...¡± Still lying in the middle of the woods they rested their worn-out bodies for another hour or so. Coming to in Shouri¡¯s arms, Taika felt a bit refreshed, but she noticed his hair was still partly white and that concerned her. ¡°Sho, we gotta get up,¡± She urged, trying to shake her Maestro awake. ¡°I know.¡± He squeezed her tighter. Finally, they rose for the first time in hours. ¡°Let¡¯s try to find a town,¡± he suggested, pulling out their tuner. Taika closed her eyes, choosing to rely on her ears. ¡°That way.¡± They both pointed in the same direction. A large mountain in the distance. With a goal in mind, the two struggled to get to their feet. ¡°Even with all that healing, it¡¯s still sore,¡± Shouri grunted, barely keeping himself upright. ¡°Lean on me Sho,¡± Taika insisted, having an easier time than her Maestro. A feeble smile rose on the boy¡¯s lips. ¡°Why are you so strong?¡± he asked. ¡°I was worked pretty hard before you found me.¡± She wrapped his arm around her neck and supported his weight. ¡°If nothing else I have good stamina.¡± There was a little pride to that statement. The duo hobbled along through the forest, relying on Taika¡¯s hearing to track their way to their destination. It was slow going however, and before they knew it hours had passed; the only thing sparing them from the afternoon heat was the canopy of the woods keeping them in the shade. They were rewarded for their struggles when the small town came into view. The first building that graced their vision was the familiar sight of the local Maestro Affairs Office. ¡°Thank god.¡± Shouri allowed himself a weak smile. ¡°Let¡¯s get into the MA office.¡± He pointed his Resonator towards the building in question. They could explore the town they had ended up in after they had a chance to rest and recuperate. Unlike the Riva Solare MA office, this one was much smaller, only consisting of a singular building. The automatic door slid aside, allowing the pair to drag themselves into the air-conditioned building. Finally inside, they found the building deserted; no one in the lobby, even behind the main desk. Shouri frowned, but had a solution: ¡°Rilevare l''intenzione, Presto,¡± he spoke with a hand over their tuner at his waist. Taika closed her eyes. She felt two signs of life, albeit they were out of sight. ¡°There¡¯s two people here, in the back,¡± she informed him. ¡°Cool.¡± With that in mind, they made their way up to the front counter. Shouri rang the bell. ¡°Coming!¡± a shrill voice shouted from the back. ¡°Thank you for choosing the Mount Wynding Maestro Affairs Office how may we-¡± At that point the attendant reached her desk, saw the state of the guests, and paled. ¡°Oh my gosh! Are you okay?! What happened?!¡± The attendant''s Resonator poked her head out from the back and noticed the state of their guests and rushed to join her Maestro up front if for nothing else but to be nosy. ¡°We took some back roads and ran into some trouble,¡± Shouri told her, setting his tuner on the counter and sliding it over. ¡°Just need a room, and maybe directions to a clothing store if there¡¯s one here.¡± The woman took the tuner and scanned it in. ¡°Of course.¡± It took a couple of minutes, but she returned his tuner a few minutes later. ¡°You will be in room One, it is the first door on the left when you enter the Maestro¡¯s quarters. Do you need anything else?¡± she asked brows turned up in concern. ¡°Food.¡± he requested bluntly. The desk attendant nodded. ¡°We don¡¯t have a proper cafeteria, but we do have some vending machines in the common room stocked with sandwiches and snacks.¡± Shouri acknowledged their only choice of food with a hum. It was better than nothing. ¡°Sounds good to me, thank you.¡± ¡°Of course. If you need any further assistance, we¡¯ll be here.¡± The attendant and her Resonator both bowed. Still drained of nearly all of his rhythm, Shouri just wanted to rest, and for that, he guided Taika to Room One where they would be staying for the next couple of days. A scan of their tuner allowed them entry to the room, which by all accounts was as nice as a small hotel chain¡¯s room. There was a small greeting area with a couch, a couple of recliners, and a coffee table. A desk was provided with a lamp and a notepad with a pen. A dresser stood opposite the desk with a large flat-screen television. A small kitchen was also provided complete with a stove, microwave, sink, and refrigerator. On the far end of the room was the large, probably king-sized bed flanked by two nightstands, and last but not least was the bathroom with shower set-up. ¡°Ah, traveling Maestros live the life,¡± Shouri noted with a weary smile. He was rapidly becoming dead weight in Taika¡¯s arms. ¡°Ah, Sho?!¡± she squeaked, not expecting the sudden strain. ¡°Bed please,¡± he managed to get out, struggling to remain standing. She got him into bed, albeit just barely. Taika herself was just as exhausted, though she was thankful this one time for being born as she was. Being blessed as a healer kept her on her feet longer in addition to healing their injuries - there¡¯s no way they would have made it to this point if she lacked those traits. ¡°Taika.¡± She looked up and saw her Maestro beckoning for her. ¡°Sho?¡± ¡°We should sleep.¡± Her face reddened slightly. When they were at home there was always the fear of being walked in on, so she never worried about him suddenly getting intimate with her. But now they were truly alone. Nobody would barge in on them. If nothing else the lock on the door would ensure that. His parents already seemed to think they had done the deed as it were, but how did Shouri feel about that? He seemed to imply by his own admission that he didn¡¯t have a problem getting intimate with Resonators. ¡°Taika?¡± he asked expectantly. ¡°B-bathroom!¡± she squeaked before rushing to the office of the porcelain god. Sitting atop her personal throne, she slowly picked the leaves and twigs out of her tail fur. She didn¡¯t smell amazing at the moment given her last shower was over thirty-six hours ago and she had done a significant amount of physical activity since then. But even a shower just sounded exhausting right now. Opting to clean the debris she could see out of her hair, she left the safety of the bathroom. Shouri was fast asleep by this point. While she didn¡¯t want to wake him, she did want to be in his arms, so she got into bed and nestled herself next to him, falling asleep almost instantly.
Blue eyes fluttered open. It was dark, but she could feel Shouri next to her and that¡¯s all that mattered. ¡°Are you awake?¡± She heard him ask. ¡°Yeah,¡± she replied on a breath. ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± ¡°Wanna check out those vending machines?¡± ¡°That sounds wonderful.¡± And with that, they got out of bed. ¡°Oh god, it¡¯s eleven already,¡± Shouri noted as he checked the time on their tuner. They wandered over to the door and opened it up to get blinded by the hall lights. ¡°Fuck,¡± Shouri grumbled. ¡°I really need to get used to the night vision,¡± he complained. ¡°Huh?¡± Taika was a bit confused by that comment. ¡°As long as we¡¯re linked, I can see well in the dark just like you can,¡± he told her. ¡°Wait, that¡¯s not normal?¡± she asked. ¡°No, non-lunars can¡¯t see shit in the dark.¡± They began walking around looking for the common room they were told about when they arrived. ¡°Oh, I never realized that since I¡¯ve just always been able to see in the dark just fine,¡± Taika laid out her thoughts for him. ¡°I can even read books in the dark too.¡± ¡°Kind of handy to have if I¡¯m being honest with you, especially since hunts happen at night for the most part.¡± He patted her back. ¡°So thanks for the free night vision.¡± The boy chuckled. She giggled back. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s not free, you gotta pay for me to eat,¡± the girl pointed out. ¡°Too true.¡± Speaking of which, the pair found themselves in front of the vending machine of destiny. Their destiny being dinner for the night. ¡°Ooh, Sho, can I please have that?¡± Taika pleaded pointing at the chocolate bar proudly displayed behind the glass. Her pouting face was nearly irresistible. ¡°After we eat some real food.¡± He had to put on his adult pants. They were all alone now and had to fend for themselves. Which meant at least one of them had to make rational decisions. ¡°We¡¯ll have these.¡± He vended out a simple dinner for them: 2 Sandwiches 2 bags of chips 2 bottles of water and of course, the chocolate bar Taika had been pawing the glass for. ¡°Awww!¡± Taika immediately returned to pouting when Shouri took possession of the chocolate bar. ¡°After you eat your sandwich,¡± he spoke sternly. ¡°Hrmph.¡± She folded her arms across her chest and turned away with a huff. Heading back to their room, arms filled with their simple dinner, Taika looked about the hallways. Simple, but kept clean, it seemed they¡¯d be living in buildings like this from now on. Her ears twitched. It was quiet. At least at this Maestro Affairs Office, there wasn¡¯t much in terms of clientele. Dinner was had and Taika was allowed to finally snack on her chocolate while Shouri braved the shower. It was warm, soothingly so. In all honesty, this was probably the best shower he had ever taken in his short life. He wanted to soak in it forever, but he didn¡¯t want to take too long since Taika was waiting. Grabbing the tiny bar of soap, he washed the dirt and grime from his body and washed out all of the collected debris from his hair. Finally clean after his marathon through the woods the night prior and subsequent crash, the exhaustion crept back up. He wiped away the fog on the mirror and stared at himself. The tips of his brunet locks were still white. He hadn¡¯t even gotten halfway done recovering his total rhythm yet. But with food in his system and a comfy bed waiting outside the bathroom door, he¡¯d be fine by morning. ¡°Shower¡¯s great Taika,¡± he told her, walking out of the bathroom. ¡°Sounds good.¡± She paused, regarding the current state of her clothes. Her face contorted to a grimace. ¡°I wish I didn¡¯t have to put these back on after though.¡± Shouri took inventory of his own attire, which was adorned with dirt, dried sweat, and grime. He agreed with her. ¡°We don¡¯t have much of a choice right now. We can get some pajamas and new shoes tomorrow so we can wash this stuff,¡± he laid out their itinerary for the next day. ¡°That sounds nice.¡± She yawned, stretching out her tail as she did so. ¡°Still so tired after sleeping so much,¡± the vixen complained. ¡°Me too. I¡¯ll wait till you¡¯re done before going to bed.¡± Like Shouri, Taika too enjoyed the soothing heat provided by the shower. Unlike Shouri though, she took longer to wash up as she had an extra appendage that was covered in thick hair. It always took so long to wash, but took even longer since the shampoo provided wasn¡¯t specifically made for her tail. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Exiting the shower, there also wasn¡¯t a nice tail brush waiting for her either. It was just another amenity that had gotten quickly taken away from her. Even her original caretakers had tail brushes readily available for her. She shook her head. Even missing some of the basic things she had become accustomed to was fine! She was with her dear beloved Maestro, that was the only thing that really mattered. Even if they found themselves camping in the wilderness, she would strive to remember that. Leaving the bathroom after her extended stay, she found her Maestro watching television. Joining him in bed, she cast her gaze towards the idiot box. ¡°What are we watching?¡± ¡°News.¡± He kept his eyes glued to the screen. ¡°Seeing if we¡¯re in the headlines.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Thinking about it logically, Shouri was the heir to a fortune himself, an altercation and vanishing in the night like they did should be a news story. But they watched the entirety of the hour-long broadcast and it was never brought up. Shouri yawned. ¡°They probably aren¡¯t going to report it to the police or anything,¡± he decided. ¡°They don¡¯t want it to get out that I¡¯m an embarrassment to them; they¡¯re gonna keep it a private affair.¡± Turning off the TV he rolled onto his side. ¡°And honestly, I¡¯m fine keeping it that way too.¡± He got comfortable. ¡°Doesn¡¯t your tuner say your name?¡± Taika pondered aloud as she got comfortable herself. ¡°It already doesn¡¯t show my last name. Tuners have always shown how you identify yourself. I bet my last name dropped off as soon as that man shouted that he was disowning me.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Taika huddled close to Shouri. He draped an arm over her. ¡°I just need you. They don¡¯t matter to me,¡± he whispered, causing the girl¡¯s cheeks to warm significantly. Night passed to morning, and with it, the worn-out Shouri and Taika were allowed a restful night¡¯s sleep. Shouri awoke first that morning. He spent some time laying there, just watching his Resonator sleep. She wore a serene smile, her face free from any worry. Reaching up, he stroked her hair, ending up scratching her ears. ¡°Sho... continua cos¨¬... lo fai bene...¡± she let out in a pleasured voice. Shouri pulled his hand away, face unbearably warm. He didn¡¯t need to understand what she said to get the implication. He slipped out of bed and went to take his second shower in the past twelve hours. Taika sat up, hearing the shower going in the bathroom. ¡°Che? Another shower?¡± she spoke groggily to herself. At any rate, she got up and stretched her stiff limbs. To say she slept hard was an understatement. With nothing better to do, she decided to allow her curiosity to run amok and explore their room in more depth. She didn¡¯t discover anything too wild, but was impressed by the appliances ¨C they were quite new upon observation. So either they were replaced frequently or not many people used these rooms, she couldn¡¯t tell which one it was. Her exploration was interrupted by the sound of the bathroom door opening. ¡°Sho!¡± The fox-girl rushed over to her Maestro, her tail wagging joyously. ¡°Good morning Taika.¡± He averted his gaze, face a touch bit red. After a moment of Taika just staring at him, he decided to hide his face by drying his hair. ¡°We should go into town and get some shoes, and also stuff to lounge in while we¡¯re in these rooms,¡± he laid out for his foxy companion. ¡°That sounds good to me.¡± She smiled.
The town they ended up in was small. That much they knew. Most of the people who worked in the few shops that were in town commuted in from various homes in the forests and mountains. At least that was the assumption based on the lack of housing surrounding the settlement. The first stop was the town¡¯s general store, where they picked up some changes of clothes, but most importantly they were able to get themselves some socks and shoes and finally were able to walk around normally without concern of stepping in something awful. Shouri also picked up a backpack to stash their spare change of clothing while traveling. As a bonus, the bag came with an attached water bottle, something that would get some good use if they were to be traveling around the world. Finally, they took a break at a little caf¨¦ that was near the opposite edge of town and had a small brunch before ultimately deciding to return to the MA Office they were staying at. ¡°Now what?¡± Taika asked, their primary chores done for the day. ¡°We¡¯ll probably join the Scherzando hunt tonight. We spent quite a bit of money today,¡± he told her. She nodded. They were both a bit nervous in all honesty. Aura and Damian weren¡¯t there to bail them out if anything went awry. They were truly on their own now. At the very least the pair attempted to unwind. They ended up taking a nap together until it was time to head out to the hunt location. It was already dark by the time they had arrived at the hunt location, the surrounding mountains shielding them from the actual sunset. The difference was immediate: this town wasn¡¯t like the Riva Solare hunt spot at all. There weren¡¯t any food stalls or even any stalls outside of the single registration booth. There wasn¡¯t a line either, just a bored-looking older gentleman. ¡°Uhhh, we¡¯re here to help with the hunt,¡± Shouri spoke up sheepishly. ¡°Eh? Sure.¡± The man wrote something down. ¡°Do you need my tuner?¡± Shouri questioned, holding the black-bodied device out for the man. ¡°Oh right right.¡± The man accepted it, scanned it, and handed it back to Shouri without much fanfare. Nothing further was said, which concerned Taika and Shouri, but they decided to just get to work. They saw a couple of other Maestros and Resonators wandering off on their own, with no real organization to them, most carrying varying sources of light. Notably, a few were utilizing Fuoco Fatuo, the tiny fireball utility spell, for light while others had more traditional flashlights and even lanterns. ¡°I guess they do things differently here,¡± Shouri whispered to Taika. The vixen nodded; brows turned up in concern. Even with only ever experiencing one hunt, they already preferred that one experience over this one. ¡°We¡¯ll just do enough to cover our expenses for today and head back to our room,¡± Shouri decided. ¡°Sounds good to me,¡± the Resonator agreed. ¡°Rilevare l''intenzione, Lento.¡± Taika closed her eyes, detecting everyone around them. Shouri¡¯s map was updated with where the Scherzando were. ¡°There¡¯s... not much here,¡± he noted. Taika peered over his shoulder also seeing a lack of Scherzando. ¡°There¡¯s not many people in this town,¡± she offered as an explanation. ¡°You¡¯re probably right, yeah. Let¡¯s go over here.¡± They tracked a Scherzando that was relatively close to their location. It took a bit of looking, but they found the beast ¨C an elk-shaped shadow with icy horns and spikes coming from its body. ¡°Luce Lunare, Piano!¡± Shouri commanded. Taika stepped forward, lobbing a ball of shadowy energy at the beast. The attack hit head-on, but this one was stronger than the previous Scherzando they had fought and didn¡¯t immediately fall to their solitary attack spell. Now fully alert, the beast retaliated with a spray of icy needles. ¡°Sho!¡± Taika side-stepped and held out her arms, shielding Shouri from the attack. ¡°Taika!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me! Next spell!¡± ¡°Luce Lunare-!¡± Before he could finish the modifier, he was tackled by Taika, who had saved him from the charging beast. ¡°Luce Lunare, Piano!¡± With Shouri''s command and rhythm, Taika threw the next ball at the beast, which dealt damage to it, but still didn¡¯t fell it. More needles. Taika jumped back onto Shouri, taking several dozen in her back. ¡°Ow...¡± the fox whimpered. ¡°Are you okay?!¡± Shouri asked, looking up at the girl shielding him. ¡°Fine, I¡¯m fine, the jacket is stopping the needles from sticking in me. Spell!¡± she got out quickly while scrambling back to her feet. Shouri decided to break out the big guns. ¡°Magifiamma, Legato!¡± Immediately, he felt his heart stop as a massive amount of rhythm was violently torn from his body. It was a good thing he was already on the ground as he would have dropped like a rock from the sudden sensation if he hadn''t been. Taika similarly felt an odd sensation course through her alongside her Maestro¡¯s rhythm that flooded into her. It felt like there was a fire in her heart, but she had to focus and keep it under strict control otherwise it would go wild and burn her from the inside. Seven balls of purple fire appeared around her and she urged them into a flurry of icy needles cast by the elk Scherzando. The first ball of fire easily absorbed the ice attack, with the remaining six successively hitting their marks one after another. After the final ball of fire burst, they witnessed the elk Scherzando fall and fade into rhythm once more. ¡°Whew.¡± Taika fell to her knees. That took way too much effort for a single enemy. Just how strong were these Scherzando out here to warrant that intense of a battle from a single one? The Scherzando would be the least of their worries as without warning a flashlight was turned on them. ¡°HEY!¡± an angered roar pierced the silent mountain woods. The startled pair turned to see a couple of Maestros standing in a nearby clearing with their Resonators. ¡°What the fuck do you think yer doing?!¡± ¡°Fighting Scherzando? We signed up to hunt,¡± Shouri replied curtly, confused at the vitriolic tone they were receiving from these total strangers. ¡°Fuckin¡¯ city kids,¡± the older Maestro spat; his face contorted into a violent grimace. ¡°Don¡¯t you know this is my territory? Git! Git out!¡± Once again Shouri wanted to rebel. He wanted to put these people in their places. He couldn¡¯t hide the anger on his face. But- Taika clung to him; her ears folded back trying to hide behind her Maestro. She was afraid and hurt from the battle they just had with the Scherzando. Even if it was wrong, even if he wanted to, he simply couldn¡¯t pick a fight with these people. ¡°You¡¯re right, my bad. I didn¡¯t know,¡± he acquiesced. ¡°Sorry for the trouble.¡± With that, they quickly left the local Maestros to their ¡®claims¡¯, trying to ignore the glares on their backs as they did so. ¡°That was awful Sho.¡± Taika trembled as they trudged back towards town. ¡°I know Taika. We¡¯ll move on tomorrow morning.¡± He grabbed her hand and held it tightly. If he had to be honest with himself, he had been scared too. People were just so cruel. It was fortunate that they didn¡¯t seem to notice what element Taika was; otherwise, he feared they might have just outright attacked them. The only silver lining of this whole experience was that the one Scherzando they did manage to fell was worth a decent sum of money. Not enough to cover all of their expenses like he had hoped, but they were still comfortable for the moment. That¡¯s all that really mattered.
Arriving back at the room, Taika immediately collapsed on the bed. ¡°You took a beating; I should heal you,¡± Shouri said, reaching for his tuner. ¡°No!¡± She sat up. ¡°Sho I¡¯m fine!¡± She insisted, her eyes fixated on the white that was invading Shouri¡¯s hair. ¡°I¡¯m just tired.¡± The pair glared at each other for a moment. Shouri broke the deadlock to glance down at his tuner. Status: Ready Rhythm: 51% She had lost a significant amount of her own rhythm during that fight. Truth be told, he could see a touch bit of white in the very tips of his bangs. That last spell he used did a number on him as well. He relented to his Resonator¡¯s claims. ¡°Fine. If you need it though-¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine really!¡± She remained firm. ¡°Maybe a bit hungry,¡± came the admission. Shouri simpered, putting his hands on his hips. ¡°Okay okay, wait here, I¡¯ll get you some treats for doing so well today.¡± Taika squealed in joy, tail wagging excitedly at the prospect of delicious snack foods. Leaving the room, Shouri wandered over to the vending machine and got a small handful of snacks for their consumption. Returning to the room, he dumped the pile of food onto the bed and the pair enjoyed their small feast of sweets, watching television. Before he knew it, Shouri was alone, with Taika contentedly asleep next to him. He reached over and gently stroked her hair. He decided to retire for the night himself, but first, he wanted a nice tall glass of ice water. For that, he would need to go to the common room and get some ice out of the ice maker. Slipping his shoes back on, he walked to the door, pausing while his hand hovered over the knob. Glancing back, his tuner laid on the nightstand. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine,¡± he decided. Making his way to the ice maker, he plucked a bucket from the stack next to the machine and filled it to the brim with ice chips. Happy with the amount he had, he closed up the machine, lest he get yelled at for leaving it open. THWACK His eyes opened wide as his body seized up and he lost control of it, plummeting to the ground. Right before his vision faded to black, he heard a voice. ¡°Fuckin¡¯ city kids.¡± Chapter 10 It hurt. It hurt so much. Pounding head, muscle aches all over, stomach in knots. Awful sensations all around. ¡°Wa.. ...¡± ¡°..ke up ...se.¡± ¡°Plea..! ... ..ve to wake up!¡± Gradually, the lids of his eyes were allowed to open. Shouri was being shaken by... something; it wasn¡¯t quite a hand, though still bore enough strength to physically shake his form. And above him was a pair of concerned, sapphire blue eyes. His arms were tied behind his back with his legs bound together similarly. ¡°Taika...?¡± he asked, vision hazy. ¡°You¡¯re awake!¡± There was relief in the unfamiliar voice. ¡°Taika?¡± Shouri repeated. He blinked once, twice and his vision cleared. ¡°What? No, my name is Pacifica.¡± Sure enough, the girl hovering over him was not his own Resonator, but a different one. She had long, but wavy sandy blonde hair, tied up in a side ponytail. Her small brown ears poked out of her hair, larger than human ears, but much smaller than Taika¡¯s black vulpine ones. She wore a pale-yellow tube top with an orange sleeveless vest over it. It was a bit of a struggle, but Shouri managed to sit up properly, continuing to study the girl next to him. Wherever he had ended up was dimly lit. His connection with Taika was severed, returning his vision to the human standard, forcing him to exert some effort to take in the features of his current conversation partner. His heart sank a bit as he discovered she was bound up the same way he was: arms behind her back and tied up at the feet. Examining her further, he saw she wore what seemed to be blue swim-shorts and a long, thick tail with short brown fur covering the length of it. Studying the shape of her tail led Shouri to the conclusion that she had been using that to try and shake him awake previously. ¡°Are you okay?¡± she inquired. ¡°Head hurts like a motherfucker, but I¡¯ll deal,¡± he grunted. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± she asked with a smile. ¡°Shouri,¡± he replied, taking a look at his new surroundings. His heart was racing, he already had an idea of what was happening but hoped otherwise. Closer inspection revealed the makings of a mineshaft, albeit an older most likely depleted one. A damp, earthy scent hung in the air, mixed with the distinct odor of mildewing wood. There was a single wooden door that was undoubtedly locked. There wasn¡¯t much in the way of other objects in the room, just the dim lighting too far out of their reach. His eyes returned to the awaiting Pacifica. He braved asking her the pertinent question: ¡°Where are we?¡± Pacifica stared at him for a moment, before averting her gaze. She knew that question was coming, but still dreaded having to answer. ¡°Try not to freak out-¡± she paused to take in a deep breath. ¡°-but we¡¯ve been kidnapped,¡± she told him. Of course, he instantly panicked. ¡°From what I¡¯ve overheard, they plan to ransom us back to our families.¡± The more she spoke, the worse it got. Shouri gulped. ¡°Fuck.¡± It truly was the worst possible scenario. ¡°I can¡¯t let that happen.¡± He began violently struggling to free himself from his bindings. ¡°Wait stop!¡± Pacifica shouted, tapping him with her tail. ¡°You¡¯re gonna hurt yourself!¡± she exclaimed. That didn¡¯t seem to bother him, if anything it only served to intensify his struggling. ¡°If I have to break my hands to get out of here, so be it. I can¡¯t let them sell me back to my parents.¡± he grunted. Pacifica¡¯s jaw caught a bit of slack. This boy had his own story, and admittedly she was curious. Regardless, the more pressing matter at the moment was stopping him from injuring himself. ¡°Stop it!¡± she demanded. ¡°No.¡± He continued his losing battle against the ropes. The girl¡¯s brows descended into a glare. It was obvious he wasn¡¯t gonna listen to her. Out of real options, she did the only thing she could physically do given her current lack of usable arms and legs: she scooted as close as she could and threw herself on top of him. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± he barked at the girl who now laid atop him. Lifting her head from his chest she maintained a glare of her own. ¡°Listen to me, PLEASE!¡± she shouted back. He fell silent, allowing Pacifica to speak. Taking in a breath, she finally had the opportunity to have a meaningful dialogue with the boy. ¡°You¡¯re a Maestro, right?¡± she inquired. ¡°I am,¡± he replied. ¡°But like an idiot, I left my tuner in my room at the MA office with Taika.¡± He averted his gaze. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m a Resonator too!¡± Pacifica exclaimed. ¡°I see that.¡± He exerted the effort to lift his head slightly to see her tail. ¡°You¡¯re an... Otter?¡± he guessed. ¡°Yup! You got it! I¡¯m a Water-Piercing Otter.¡± she seemed to boast; glad he was able to recognize her species. ¡°So, what are you getting at?¡± he questioned. Her smile turned to a more determined smirk. ¡°I wanna get out of here, and you wanna get out of here. We have the same goal,¡± she told him. ¡°Right, but we¡¯re tied up,¡± he pointed out. ¡°Yes, but you¡¯re a Maestro!¡± ¡°That I am.¡± ¡°Give me a spell.¡± And now he drew pause. He didn¡¯t know of any of the water spells off-hand, plus he didn¡¯t have this girl¡¯s tuner. She sensed his apprehension. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t have your tuner.¡± He frowned. ¡°Ah.¡± She appeared shocked by that revelation. ¡°Th-that¡¯s right,¡± her voice quavered; hope dashed upon the rocks. She buried her face into his chest. ¡°Damn it. I¡¯m so stupid.¡± She lightly tapped his chest with her forehead, admonishing herself for her rash assumptions. She raised her head, tears gathering in the corner of her eyes. ¡°I just... they¡¯ve kept me here for god knows how long... and they haven¡¯t been feeding me,¡± she told him. ¡°So I just... I saw you were a Maestro and I...¡± Her head dropped once more. ¡°I¡¯m so hungry,¡± she whimpered. Shouri gritted his teeth. This was so frustrating. Despite this girl being a total stranger to him, he wanted to help her. She was suffering and saw him as her last hope, and he was useless to her. There had to be some way they could be useful to each other. Some way they could reach their shared goal. It then suddenly clicked. ¡°Wait,¡± he spoke in a whisper. ¡°I don¡¯t need your tuner.¡± Pacifica looked up once more. ¡°You don''t?¡± ¡°Um, I-¡± There was a strange hesitation from the boy. ¡°-I read something once like, if your tuner gets knocked out of your hand in battle you can transmit rhythm and spells with a touch,¡± he trailed off, thinking that over. ¡°Though I think it¡¯s easier to do with a Resonator you¡¯re properly a Maestro for.¡± ¡°I want to try it! I¡¯ll do anything!¡± Pacifica declared. ¡°I want to be useful.¡± Resonators were strange creatures, but now wasn¡¯t the time to dwell on that. ¡°I guess our first problem is we¡¯re both totally tied up.¡± Shouri closed his eyes, thinking about the situation. Despite being bound though, he still had some motion in his own hands. Sadly, not enough to untie his own ropes. But- ¡°Oh!¡± His gaze returned to Pacifica, who was still lying on top of him. ¡°Maybe we can untie each other¡¯s ropes!¡± Hope returned to the otter girl¡¯s eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s try it!¡± Finally sitting up, the pair positioned themselves back-to-back and began taking turns tugging at the ropes. They weren¡¯t sure how long had exactly passed but after some time of painful maneuvering- ¡°I got it!¡± Pacifica exclaimed, freed from her bindings. She quickly undid the ropes around her feet, then voraciously freed Shouri. As soon as his ropes were removed, Pacifica tackled him again, hugging him and crying. ¡°We¡¯re free! Thank you so much!¡± He smiled but tempered his expectations. ¡°Let¡¯s not get ahead of ourselves. We don¡¯t even know where we are, much less how to get to safety.¡± Their captors certainly wouldn¡¯t appreciate their new-found freedom - they could return at any time. The would-be escapees had to act fast and decisively. Shouri rose to his feet. ¡°Come on.¡± Pacifica tried to do the same and ended up stumbling. ¡°I-I can¡¯t...¡± she whimpered, looking at her legs. ¡°They won¡¯t stop shaking.¡± Her whole body was trembling, Shouri could hear the fear in her voice. She wasn¡¯t sure how long she had been trapped here, and it was apparent she was starving. He had strength to spare and a heck of an adrenaline rush going. ¡°I¡¯m not going to leave you here,¡± he decided. Kneeling next to the girl, he wrapped an arm around her and helped her to her feet. ¡°Lean on me,¡± he instructed. ¡°O-okay,¡± she squeaked, thankful for the low light hiding the blush on her face. The two shuffled to the door. With his free arm, Shouri gave it a tug and a push. Locked, as he had suspected, but surprisingly solid. Upon closer inspection, everything was fairly rusted. They could probably break through it. He glanced over to Pacifica who was starting to deteriorate. She had been putting on a brave face; she was in much worse condition than he thought. ¡°D-don¡¯t hold back.¡± She turned to him with a pained smirk. ¡°Use me,¡± she demanded. ¡°I don¡¯t know any water spells,¡± he admitted. ¡°I know two of mine. Ghiacciolo is ice, Idrante is water,¡± she told him. ¡°Okay, aim at the lock.¡± Pacifica nodded. Her vision swam, but she needed to focus. ¡°Ghiacciolo, Pianissimo!¡± Try as she might though, she couldn¡¯t feel anything. ¡°Nothing¡¯s happening,¡± the otter-girl noted. ¡°I know this is possible! Why isn¡¯t it working?¡± Shouri fretted, growing more anxious by the minute. Maybe he got the pronunciation wrong? ¡°Ghiacciolo, Pianissimo!¡± He tried again. Silence. ¡°Ghiacciolo, Pianissimo!¡± he cried out desperately. Pacifica by this point had turned her attention back to him, brows turned up in worry. It wasn¡¯t working. He couldn¡¯t feel any kind of link with Pacifica like he did when he cast spells with Taika. His mind began to race with possibilities. What would happen if their kidnappers returned at this exact moment? What if it wasn¡¯t working because Pacifica was too exhausted? How long did she have? Was he going to watch her die? ¡°Shouri.¡± Pacifica snapped him out of his panic attack. ¡°Maybe you have to be touching me in a certain way,¡± she suggested. He studied her for a moment. She hadn¡¯t given up yet, and neither should he. ¡°Let me think for a second.¡± He propped her up against the wall for a moment, examining the door and then stepping back from it. Spells could be sent through direct touch, that was a fact. What else did he know about rhythm? It travels throughout the body as long as one lives and continues to regenerate while the user is in good health. It travels through the body... Through the body... ¡°I got it!¡± He stepped towards Pacifica. He sheepishly averted his gaze, the implications of his idea drawing pause in the young man. ¡°I believe I have an idea of how to get you to use your spells.¡± The otter girl brightened up. ¡°Really? How?¡± she questioned. Back and forth, his eyes swayed as he avoided looking the girl in the face. He took a moment to find his words before speaking: ¡°Well, I think if I¡¯m right, I have to put my hand over your heart.¡± ¡°My-¡± She looked down at her own chest. ¡°-heart, huh?¡± She gulped. She found her determination very quickly though. ¡°Go ahead.¡± She closed her eyes. Her embarrassment only served to spotlight what he was suggesting, making his face flush with fluster. They had to deal with it though. An uncomfortable moment was leagues better than the alternatives. Slowly Shouri reached out, but right before he made contact with her, he yanked his hand away. ¡°I have a less... intimate idea,¡± he said suddenly. He once again stood next to her, but rather than holding her up as he did before, he ran his hand up the back of her vest and then her top, placing his hand on her bare back roughly where her heart should have been. She jumped slightly at the sudden clammy touch. ¡°Sorry.¡± He turned his head away. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°It''s okay, just your hand was cold,¡± she admitted. Her heart was pounding in her chest, but besides that, there was a new feeling slowly invading her. ¡°Let¡¯s try it again,¡± she urged him. He took a deep breath, his own heart calming ever so slightly just from holding her up as he was. ¡°Ghiacciolo, Pianissimo.¡± There it was! He felt the sensation that he experienced when he had Taika cast spells. And sure enough, Pacifica found herself creating ice needles with her free hand. With a flick of her wrist, she sent them lock-ward. The ice did a small amount of damage to the lock, but it remained firm. Pacifica released a held breath; eyes wide. What a rush! This was way better than using crystals to cast spells, it wasn¡¯t even close! Maestros were awesome! ¡°Again! Again!¡± she demanded, unable to suppress the excitement in her voice. ¡°Ghiacciolo, Pianissimo Staccato!¡± Shouri commanded. ¡°Break it down!¡± The rhythm flowing through her from Shouri¡¯s fingertips was addicting, and now the feeling was persisting. He said some extra stuff, maybe that¡¯s what was doing it? Either way, she had the power to keep casting her ice spell now and threw a flurry of needles at the lock. It began to crumble under the pressure of the attacks until finally- Click! Shouri stepped forward with Pacifica and they were able to pull the door open. ¡°Ah, Shouri!¡± Pacifica pivoted around and hugged the boy tightly. ¡°We¡¯re free!¡± She couldn¡¯t help the flow of tears. Shouri hugged her back but knew better than to celebrate a preemptive victory. He broke off their hug and held her at arm¡¯s length. ¡°We¡¯re not out of the woods yet,¡± he reminded her. ¡°R-right.¡± She nodded. Through the now open door, they were in a mine-shaft. Like the room they had been trapped in, the lighting of this cave left a lot to be desired. The passageway was narrow, with a set of minecart tracks leading the way. ¡°If we follow these tracks, we should be able to find the exit,¡± Shouri reasoned out. ¡°That makes sense to me,¡± Pacifica agreed. With Shouri continuing to support Pacifica, the two trudged through the depths of the mine they had been stashed in. It was hard work, both young adults were covered in a thick sweat, breathing hard. ¡°How far... did they take us?¡± Shouri wheezed. He probably could have made it the whole length of the cave with minimal complaints, but he was carrying Pacifica. She was doing her best to contribute but was nearly dead weight all the same. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Shouri...¡± she breathed out. ¡°Don¡¯t apologize. Those fuckers did this to you,¡± the boy growled. He had a small suspicion of the culprit, however, at present he was simply too exhausted to pursue it. Pacifica flashed a confident smirk to the Maestro. ¡°We¡¯re gonna get through this,¡± she stated. He returned her confidence in kind, nodding shortly. Her smile faded though as a certain sound hit her ears. ¡°Hide! Hide!¡± she squeaked. Hastily, Shouri ushered Pacifica into a dark crevice in the wall. He pulled her in and held her tightly while trying to flatten themselves against the wall as much as he could. Tap tap tap tap tap tap Pacifica clung to Shouri, her eyes tightly closed, head buried in his chest, all while shivering fearfully. Shouri had a vice grip around the trembling Resonator. He had all but stopped breathing, eyes wide open despite how badly he wanted to close them. Two large men walked by, one a Resonator, and the other a Maestro. Shouri recognized them as the men that had run him off of their ¡°territory¡±, confirming his earlier suspicion of who had attacked them. The territorial men passed by without taking notice of the smaller pair huddled in the shadows. As soon as they were gone, Shouri and Pacifica went in the opposite direction, moving at just barely a run despite Shouri still supporting Pacifica¡¯s weight. Neither spoke a word, tears streamed down Pacifica¡¯s face as they both fled in absolute terror. But the fear gave way to the light of hope as the entrance to the mine came in to view. They picked up the pace even further, though now from excitement rather than fear. Finally, they saw the light of the rising sun. ¡°Ah... what a beautiful sunrise,¡± Pacifica gasped as she got her first breath of fresh air in a long time. ¡°We gotta keep moving.¡± Shouri continued to push them forward. In her state he had to get her somewhere safe, he had to get her into town. ¡°Fuck I don¡¯t know where we are,¡± he grumbled as he studied their new surroundings. They were higher up, but the forest around them was obscuring their direct view of any landmarks that would have aided their navigation. ¡°Let¡¯s go that way.¡± Pacifica pointed down-hill from their current location. ¡°I have a good feeling,¡± she clarified. Shouri gave her a tired smile. ¡°Sure, if you say so.¡± It had been a long night for the both of them and certainly, it was easier going down than up. Even if it wasn¡¯t the correct choice, it¡¯s the one they wanted to make. The cool morning wind blowing across the mountain was refreshing. The walk would have been picturesque if the two travelers in question weren¡¯t in such dire straits. Eventually, Pacifica perked up. ¡°I hear people nearby ¨C I think we¡¯re near town,¡± she told the Maestro holding her up. Sure enough, above the treetops they could spot small plumes of smoke, signs of civilization. ¡°We did it Shouri!¡± Pacifica exclaimed. ¡°Rullante di radice, Piano.¡± Suddenly thick roots shot out of the ground, ensnaring Shouri and Pacifica. ¡°GAHH!¡± the pair screamed out in pain as the roots contained thorns that dug into their bodies while crushing them all at the same time. From behind the trees, one of the kidnappers stepped out. The second kidnapper, the Resonator of the pair, jumped down from the trees to join him. The younger duo could only muster up hateful glares at the perpetrators of their previous imprisonment. ¡°Thought you could make a break for it, huh city kids?¡± The elder man sneered. ¡°Ghiacciolo, Pianissimo!¡± Shouri responded. Despite being bound, Pacifica had just enough freedom of arms to launch several ice needles at the pair. Though she couldn''t commit all of the rhythm received to forming the needles, due to how they were bound the water-element had to spend some rhythm on propulsion. ¡°Corteccia Armatura¡± The Maestro spoke calmly. His Resonator seemed to grow bark from his body, encasing him in a set of wooden armor. Unfortunately for Shouri and Pacifica, the defensive measures were more than enough to deflect the weak water-element spell, shattering against the bark-laden surface. ¡°Cute,¡± the kidnapper remarked with a chuckle. ¡°Ghiacciolo, Pianissimo!¡± Shouri cried out again. Pacifica launched more ice needles at the armored Resonator, despite the futility of the situation. The kidnapper shook his head. ¡°Yer wasting your breath, and rhythm.¡± He almost pitied the ensnared. Almost. ¡°Ghiacciolo, Pianissimo!¡± came another desperate shout. Pacifica let out a small cry of her own as she once again tried to send more needles at their attackers. These needles didn¡¯t even stick in the bark armor, they simply bounced off the wood and quickly melted in the morning sunlight. Having enough of his captive¡¯s struggle, he decided to just end their resistance. ¡°Foglie a Lame, Pianissimo.¡± The nature Resonator cast a flurry of bladed leaves toward the bound teens. ¡°AAAUGH!¡± they cried out. Despite the roots that bound them, Shouri managed to pivot their bodies around to take the brunt of the spell. ¡°Sh-shouri... stop,¡± Pacifica wheezed. ¡°I¡¯m the Resonator, I can take it...¡± she breathed out. ¡°You¡¯re in no shape to,¡± he countered. ¡°We¡¯re gonna get through this right?¡± He gave her a weak smirk. ¡°Yeah.¡± She returned his smile with one of her own. ¡°Foglie a Lame, Pianissimo,¡± the kidnapper repeated. Once again, Shouri and Pacifica were assaulted by a flurry of sharpened leaves. It hurt, it all hurt so much. Even with Shouri taking the majority of the damage, Pacifica was growing weaker by the second. ¡°D-damn it... I can¡¯t keep my eyes open,¡± she whimpered. ¡°Stay with me, Pacifica! Please!¡± Shouri cried out, doing his best to shield the girl from any further harm. There was a sadistic sort of pleasure the man was getting from watching these two deteriorate. However, he needed to hurry this along before any curious looky-loos decided to investigate the noise. ¡°Foglie a Lame, Piano.¡± A stronger flurry of leaves assaulted the pair. ¡°Shou...ri...¡± The otter girl went completely limp. ¡°Pacifica?¡± Shouri¡¯s heart stopped. He struggled against the thorny vines, trying to shake her awake, but there was no response. ¡°Pa-cifica?¡± his voice cracked, trembling fearfully as tears poured down his face. She no longer struggled with him; silent, no longer protesting their situation. Had he actually witnessed this girl¡¯s final breath? ¡°PACIFICAAAAA!!¡± It was all too much to bear and the only thing he could do was scream her name. As if summoned by the anguished cry, a black blur flew through the underbrush with a fist making impact with the much larger nature Resonator. A fist that easily shattered the bark armor that had protected the Resonator from Pacifica¡¯s icy needles. A fist that sent the larger man flying away from his Maestro. The Maestro in question stepped back. Before him was a small fox-girl, barely above five feet tall. She was hunched over and baring her fangs at him like a beast, the pupils of her eyes contracted so far, you could barely see them. Such bloodlust in her heart; it was bleeding out into reality as a tangible force. ¡°Se gli fai del male... io ti uccido,¡± she practically snarled. The Maestro glared at the small girl before him. She was a Maestroless Resonator right now, what could she possibly do? He raised his green tuner to issue a command. A costly mistake. Within fractions of a second, his wrist had been thoroughly broken from a savage kick delivered by the black-clad vixen. The tuner he once held having been punted into the woods, completely lost. ¡°AAAAAUGH!¡± Now it was the hunter¡¯s turn to hurt as he stumbled back from a violent blow to his hand. ¡°LASCIARE!¡± she roared at the man. Getting the hint, the former kidnapper swallowed his pride and fled into the woods, his Resonator getting up and joining his Maestro in the retreat. ¡°Taika!¡± Shouri yelled. ¡°Sho!¡± She turned to joyously reunite with her Maestro, but her jovial expression faded when she saw the state he was in. ¡°H-help, Taika... Please.¡± The roots previously wrapped around him had faded away and in his arms, he held a girl Taika didn¡¯t recognize. The girl in question wasn¡¯t moving though. Taika rushed over and slid down to her knees in front of him. ¡°Who is she?¡± The lunar Resonator immediately asked, looking the unmoving girl over. ¡°Pacifica - she helped me escape and was also kidnapped by those guys,¡± he told his Resonator. ¡°But she was already basically on death¡¯s door when they found us.¡± That proclamation chilled Taika¡¯s heart. ¡°Maybe I can heal her.¡± Before he could ask, she fished their tuner out of her jacket pocket and handed it to her Maestro. Shouri eagerly accepted the device back, ecstatic to have it back in his grasp again. ¡°La Bella Vita, Rubato. Just focus on her,¡± he instructed. Taika nodded and began projecting the healing spell on Pacifica. The physical injuries were fading, but the otter did not stir. On closer observation, she was growing pale, her breath shallow. ¡°How far is the town from here?¡± Shouri asked, the fear in his voice apparent. Taika looked up from her spell-craft. ¡°Not too far. Less than five minutes?¡± Shouri grunted as he hoisted the unconscious Pacifica up into his arms. ¡°Come on!¡± he managed to get out. Chapter 11 Deeper and deeper she sank into the abyss. This was really it huh? To say there were regrets was an understatement. It was so unfair, so early. She barely had the chance to live! To see the world! To find love! Why? Why did it have to end this way?! What¡¯s more, why was she seeing him in her last moments? They had known each other for what, like six hours tops? Yet... in that time she finally had found what she had been looking for. Her Resonator friends always made it seem like Maestros were slave drivers and constantly disrespected them. But there was something different about him. The way he spoke, the way he acted. He saw her as a person, not a thing. ¡°I want to be with him.¡± Her descent into the darkness slowed. ¡°I think... he needs me.¡± She began to swim up, back towards the light. ¡°I¡¯m not giving up!¡±
Gradually the weight on Pacifica¡¯s eyelids began to ease as she returned to the waking world. She found herself suspended in some kind of liquid; various diodes and their accompanying wires stuck to her body. Whatever was in this solution was charged with rhythm ¨C she was able to breathe the same way she could in water. The glass tube she awoke in let her see the world outside, it was some kind of doctor¡¯s office, that much she was certain of. But how did she get here? Last she remembered she was being attacked with Shouri. They were bound by those horrible roots. Had someone saved them? Was he okay? She had to know. She was still so tired. So very tired. Maybe it wouldn¡¯t hurt to sleep just a little bit longer... When her eyes opened again some time had passed. She wasn¡¯t sure how long, but with a new presence in the room, she knew she had at least gotten some sleep. Floating to the wall of the tube, she knocked on it, drawing the attention of the other presence in the room. ¡°Oh!¡± The Resonator jumped at the sudden noise, turning her attention to the occupant in the tube. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± the Resonator asked. She was in some kind of uniform, with a little stylized ¡®MA¡¯ pin adorning the collar of her shirt. The otter-girl attempted to say ¡°I feel fine¡±, but it just came out as unintelligible bubbles. Seeing the blank smile of the other woman, Pacifica instead opted to give a thumbs up and a toothy grin to convey her condition. ¡°Good! Let me get you down from there.¡± She heard the other Resonator say. A couple of taps of the keyboard on the attached computer engaged the draining process. Gravity was something Pacifica had to get used to again ¨C how long was she out for? Once fully drained, the tube sunk into the base of the device she had been in. Pacifica studied the platform of the device she was standing on in awe. The other Resonator girl stepped up and began removing the wires and diodes affixed to the otter. ¡°First time?¡± she asked. Pacifica nodded uneasily. ¡°Y-yeah.¡± ¡°Lotsa other Resonators have told me it¡¯s pretty jarring. But you can¡¯t argue with the results. These Viva Units do a real good job of healing you up from the brink¡¯a death,¡± she told Pacifica, handing her a towel. The water element accepted that explanation along with the towel. As she dried herself, she noticed the cuts from the Foglie a Lame cast on her had been completely healed. Even the bruising from where her wrists and legs had been bound was healed up. She didn¡¯t even feel hungry anymore, just content. Well, maybe content wasn¡¯t the right word. There was a new concern the otter-girl had. ¡°Where are we?¡± Pacifica inquired of the attendant. ¡°This is the Mount Wynding Maestro Affairs Office,¡± the woman spoke with the usual pep she had when greeting guests at the front desk. ¡°You were brought in by the Maestro in Room One,¡± she clarified. ¡°It was certainly a frightening set of affairs. I¡¯m so sorry that you had to go through all of that. To think that we have a kidnapper in this sleepy little town.¡± The other Resonator trembled. ¡°It just gives me the shivers!¡± Pacifica nodded slowly, taking this all as she finished drying off. ¡°Did you catch him?¡± Was her primary concern. ¡°Not yet, but there is a warrant out for their arrest,¡± the attending Resonator informed the otter. That didn¡¯t help ease the worry in Pacifica¡¯s heart. ¡°I see,¡± she spoke quietly. ¡°But you should be fighting fit once again. Just try to eat slowly for the next day while your system gets back used to solid foods again,¡± the attendant Resonator advised. ¡°I will, thank you,¡± Pacifica said absent-mindedly. Her mind was focused on finding Shouri as soon as possible. ¡°The Maestro that brought me here-¡± she spoke up. ¡°Yes?¡± The attendant turned back to the otter Resonator. ¡°Is he still here? Has he left?¡± she asked. ¡°He has not left; he is still in room one.¡± Pacifica¡¯s face lit up. ¡°Thank you miss!¡± And with that, she rushed out of the room. Though she immediately found herself lost, after all, she had never been in a Maestro Affairs Office before. ¡°Room one, Room one,¡± Pacifica said to herself as she wandered through the halls. ¡°This place wasn¡¯t that big,¡± she fretted as she tried to find her way. It didn¡¯t help that the halls were pretty samey, with no real differentiating markings outside of the number plates adorning the walls next to each door. The prowling otter was about to give up and find her way back to the front desk when she noticed something. ¡°Wait.¡± The room numbers were starting to decrease. ¡°Ah!¡± She wore a big dumb grin as her pace increased to a run. Nine, Seven, Five, Three, and finally One The otter slid to a stop. She adjusted her hair and clothes making sure she was presentable. Taking in a deep breath she held it for a moment before releasing it. With preparations complete, she raised her hand and gently knocked on the door. She practiced what she wanted to say when he opened the door. Going through it over and over again didn¡¯t prepare her for the door opening. Shouri stood there, taken aback by her sudden appearance. ¡°Pacifica,¡± was all he could manage to utter. Her heart hammered in her chest seeing him once again. ¡°Sh-Shouri.¡± She stepped forward and hugged him tightly. That certainly wasn¡¯t what she had practiced in her head, but it was definitely what she wanted. ¡°Thank you.¡± She couldn¡¯t help the tears that flowed so easily. Releasing him, she held his shoulders. ¡°You saved my life.¡± The outpouring of emotions continued, as she had completely lost control of her tear ducts at this point. ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± he replied warmly. ¡°Though, I really should thank you as well. We got through that together,¡± he spoke so honestly that Pacifica couldn¡¯t handle it. She wiped away the tears, still wearing a big smile. There was so much she wanted to say to him, but found her lips moving before she could properly hash out what she wanted to express to him. ¡°I want to be your Resonator!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°Wha-?¡± Shouri blinked. ¡°WHAT?!¡± Taika shrieked from deeper in the room The otter girl¡¯s face rapidly reddened as she realized her inner thoughts had just slipped out. ¡°I just really felt like I clicked with you, ya know?¡± She fretted sheepishly, trying to regain her cool. By this point Taika had now perched herself on Shouri¡¯s shoulder, glaring at this interloper. ¡°Come in.¡± He decided this wasn¡¯t a conversation to be having in the hallway and stepped back to allow the other Resonator in. The room was like any hotel room, Pacifica noticed pretty quickly. Maestros got to stay in nice rooms like this for free? Her gaze drifted towards the Resonator Shouri already had, Taika. No, it wasn¡¯t just Maestros; Resonators shared rooms with their Maestros in these places. It was the only way they were allowed to stay. After all, this was the Maestro Affairs Office. The three took a seat around the coffee table. Shouri and Taika were on the small couch, with Pacifica opposite them on one of the loveseats. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to suddenly push this on you,¡± Pacifica spoke first. Shouri scratched the back of his head. This certainly was a situation. He glanced over at Taika who was fixated on Pacifica. ¡°I¡¯m not that strong of a Maestro you know, you could do better,¡± he told her. This was met by a slow shake of her head with a smile. ¡°No, that¡¯s not right,¡± she retorted. ¡°None of those other Maestros saved my life ¨C you did,¡± the water element paused, considering her own thoughts and feelings. ¡°That puts you leagues ahead of them in my eyes; I could never do better.¡± Taika hummed irritably. She stood up suddenly. ¡°Taika?¡± Shouri looked to his current Resonator. Stepping around the table, she stood in front of Pacifica. The Maestro wasn¡¯t sure what was about to happen, Taika had been irritated by Pacifica¡¯s presence the entire time. Right now though, the two blue-eyed girls locked gazes. ¡°Stand up,¡± Taika demanded gruffly. ¡°Taika?¡± Shouri repeated uneasily, sitting up and ready to bolt at a moment¡¯s notice. Pacifica was apprehensive, but conceded to the other girl¡¯s request, and rose to her feet. She stood as tall as Shouri did, looking slightly down at the shorter Taika. The next motion was one nobody expected: the lunar Resonator hugged her water counterpart tightly. ¡°Thank you so much for saving him. I know I wouldn¡¯t have been able to go on if I lost him,¡± Taika admitted through her quavering voice, squeezing Pacifica tightly. The little fox turned her head back to her Maestro, tightening her grip around the other Resonator. ¡°If it¡¯s her Sho, I think it¡¯s okay.¡± Shouri let out a held breath, leaning back on the couch with his eyes closed. After a moment of rumination, he slowly opened his eyes, head still leaned back. Taika having released Pacifica, the two Resonators stood side by side, both wearing determined gazes. With a sharp exhale, he sat up. ¡°Are you both absolutely sure? We¡¯re going to have to train twice as hard so I can properly utilize both of your skills,¡± he warned them. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Si!¡± ¡°We¡¯re also going to have to work harder in hunts now too since we¡¯ll have another mouth to feed,¡± he added, knowing very well what the two girls would say. ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay with that.¡± Another sigh, but his lips had turned up to a smile. ¡°Well, if you really are okay with traveling with a third-rate, poor Maestro like me and a lunar Resonator, then I suppose I¡¯ll be your Maestro Pacifica.¡± ¡°Thank you Shouri! I¡¯ll do my best!¡± ¡°I guess the next step is to make this thing official then.¡± Shouri got to his feet.
It didn¡¯t take long to get Pacifica chipped and bound to a tuner. It was the same process Taika had gone through just over a month ago. While Shouri disapproved of the clinical nature of it all, he was happy to have the blue tuner in his possession now, properly binding Pacifica to him. ¡°Urgh, that was awful...¡± Pacifica groaned, being supported by Taika as the now trio walked back to the fated room one. ¡°At least she was gentler with you than Taika,¡± Shouri told the water Resonator, regarding the new tuner with a small smile. ¡°I heard the stories, but I didn¡¯t think it was this bad,¡± Pacifica slurred her speech ever so slightly. She turned her head to Taika. ¡°They were rough when you got chipped?¡± she asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t notice; I was too excited about Sho taking me in,¡± Taika told her new friend. Pacifica smiled back feebly. ¡°I suppose I can respect that feeling.¡± Shouri was glad they seemed to hit it off. Truth be told, having Pacifica around was reassuring. Despite what she may or may not think of herself, she was pretty strong. She survived that horrible ordeal and was still able to put up a brave front when he got thrown into the mix. Idrante Pianissimo ¨C Piano (New!) Ghiacciolo Pianissimo ¨C Piano (New!) Mani Nell''acqua Presto ¨C Allegro (New!) - Moderato (New!) Manga de Agua (New!) The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.Pianissimo (New!) L''onda di tempesta (New!) Meravigliare Bolla (New!) Presto (New!) So many new spells Pacifica couldn¡¯t cast before, it spoke volumes of how much that situation affected her. Dismissing the spell screen, he stared at the summary screen Shouri Resonator: Pacifica Species: Demi-Human (Otter) Element: Water Attribute: Piercing Rhythm: 75% But now she was his. He¡¯d have to study hard to learn the effects of Water spells now alongside his studies of Lunar ones. They certainly had more options in battle now and they would be able to take down enemies much faster than he and Taika alone. With twice the firepower, they¡¯d need twice the ammunition though. ¡°Sho are you okay?¡± Taika asked. ¡°You seem distracted,¡± Pacifica added. Even with all his new worries, it was nice having people who cared. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Shouri reassured them. ¡°We¡¯re gonna need to decide on battle tactics and such.¡± ¡°Oh yeah. What¡¯s your element attribute thingy?¡± Pacifica asked Taika. ¡°I¡¯m a Lunar-Healer, what about you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s so cool! I¡¯m Water-Piercing.¡± Reaching their room, Shouri held the door open while Taika and Pacifica limped on in. ¡°Where do you want to sit?¡± Taika asked the taller girl. ¡°Bathtub. Just dump me in there and turn on the water. I¡¯ll be fine in like twenty minutes.¡± The pair remained silent for a moment. ¡°Dici sul serio?¡± Taika uttered after a moment. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m serious. Waters heal fast while being exposed to water,¡± she told the uninformed Maestro and Resonator. Shouri committed that to memory. He vaguely recalled there was a rain spell, it¡¯d probably come in handy if it ever came down to a battle of attrition. And so, Taika helped Pacifica into the bathroom. They stood before the bathtub and shower combo. ¡°Help me in,¡± Pacifica requested. ¡°Uhhh, you¡¯re gonna get your clothes wet,¡± Taika noted. The water element giggled. ¡°I¡¯m always in swimwear. I want to be ready to take a dip whenever.¡± So with that in mind, they just let her be while she soaked in the shower. ¡°How do you really feel Taika?¡± Shouri questioned his original Resonator while they had a moment alone. The girl¡¯s face immediately contorted to one of unease. ¡°I did just want it to be us,¡± she admitted to him. ¡°But there¡¯s a part of me that knows I can¡¯t protect you from everything, and it scares me.¡± The lunar fox paused, mulling over her thoughts. ¡°I¡¯m still not very strong and we¡¯re all on our own. People still hate me for who I am.¡± Fiddling with her jacket zipper, she continued. ¡°At the very least, I can trust Pacifica to be with you when I can¡¯t be.¡± Shouri reached out and hugged the girl, a gesture that instantly warmed the girl to her core. ¡°Sh-sho?!¡± she squeaked. ¡°I¡¯m not replacing you,¡± he reassured her, stroking the back of her head. ¡°You¡¯re both important to me, I don¡¯t want you to forget that.¡± Pacifica, having decided to eavesdrop a bit, stood against the bathroom door, a splash of red on her face. She truly struck gold with Shouri.
The trio sat in a circle on the bed. Shouri and Taika recounted their story and their current situation for Pacifica¡¯s edification. ¡°Ah, that is a tricky situation.¡± The otter nodded. ¡°Your parents are a piece of work,¡± the Resonator scoffed. She looked at Taika. ¡°She¡¯s such a sweet thing, they¡¯re just picky assholes.¡± Taika couldn¡¯t help grinning sheepishly, averting her gaze from the rest of the group. It was nice being around people who genuinely seemed to like her. ¡°Yeah. They haven¡¯t tried to pull anything yet, but it¡¯s only been a few days. My dad doesn¡¯t take losing very well.¡± Shouri frowned, humming in thought. ¡°He¡¯s a bit of a man-child in all honesty.¡± ¡°Well if it wasn¡¯t suicide at this point, I¡¯d say we march right up to him so I could put him in his place myself.¡± Pacifica nodded, arms folded across her chest. The Maestro chuckled a bit at the idea of the otter girl chewing out his father. ¡°I appreciate the sentiment, but I think the further we get from them, the better.¡± ¡°What about you Pacifica, what happened to you?¡± Taika chimed in curious about their new friend¡¯s origins. ¡°Oh! I was adventuring on my own. My mom and dad were a little apprehensive to the idea, but they let me go on my own regardless,¡± she told them. ¡°For the most part, the people in the towns I visited were super nice to me, but I ran out of rubato crystals faster than I imagined.¡± Pacifica frowned. ¡°Rubato¡­ crystals?¡± Taika furrowed a brow. She had some idea of what Pacifica was referring to, Shouri having explained the Rubato modifier to her before, but she just barely missed understanding the connection. ¡°Solid rhythm basically, mined from deep within Riterra. Resonators can use their spells by holding one, though like their namesake being the Rubato modifier, the entire crystal is drained in the process,¡± Shouri clarified for the fox. ¡°And they¡¯re super expensive!¡± Pacifica chimed in. ¡°Though, I guess I had some lower quality ones which broke after one use,¡± the otter added as an aside. Taika nodded, she did recall seeing some glowing crystals change hands in the past but didn¡¯t know what they were for. It certainly added some context to certain events now that she thought about it. ¡°Anyways!¡± Pacifica continued with her story: ¡°I ran into some trouble and those men kidnapped me. I tried to get them to let me go if I gave them my money, but that just made them greedier and they were trying to get more money out of my parents.¡± She paused for a moment. ¡°At least that was their plan. I never told them who my parents were and they were trying to starve it out of me.¡± She grinned proudly. ¡°I wasn¡¯t gonna let them have it, they¡¯d get it out of my dead body.¡± Shouri was not impressed. ¡°They almost did,¡± he said grimly. Pacifica¡¯s smile faded. ¡°I-I guess... it was stupid.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do that again. Your life is more important than some stupid money,¡± he scolded her. She averted her gaze shamefully; reconsidering the situation, it was kind of stupid of her to be so bull-headed. A hand was placed on her shoulder. The girl perked up, tracing the hand to Shouri. ¡°Don¡¯t dwell on it ¨C some good came of it.¡± He smiled at her. ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°We got to meet after all because of it, right?¡± Blush. ¡°Y-yeah!¡± She laughed loudly, this time turning away to try and hide the ever-growing red on her cheeks. ¡°So how long did they keep you for?¡± Taika asked, re-focusing the conversation ¡°Uhhhh... good question...¡± Pacifica trailed off thinking about that. ¡°Ohmygosh!¡± She jumped from the bed in a panic, though had no actual destination in mind. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Shouri asked, brows raising with concern. ¡°I was so wrapped up in the whole kidnapping and becoming your Resonator thing I totally forgot to check in with my folks!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°Ah, what do I do?!¡± she fretted, trying to figure out how to reach them. ¡°I guess we could just call them now,¡± he suggested. ¡°I saw some video phones in the common room we could probably use.¡± ¡°Oh really? Good idea!¡±
Pacifica took in a deep breath and exhaled sharply before reaching out to dial her parent¡¯s number. ¡°Here I go.¡± Dialing the appropriate digits, it began to ring. A woman appeared on the screen. Shouri, who was standing just out of view of the camera, raised a brow ¨C for some reason, this woman looked familiar, but he just couldn¡¯t place where he would have seen her. Mistaken identity probably; there¡¯s no way he had met Pacifica¡¯s mother. ¡°Hello, Pacifica! How are you doing!?¡± a bubbly voice asked from the other end. ¡°I¡¯m doing well!¡± Pacifica smiled at seeing her mother once again. ¡°Is dad around?¡± she asked. ¡°Sure is.¡± Her mother moved the camera to show an Otter-eared man waving. ¡°Hi my little pup, where are you calling us from?¡± The otter''s father wore a big silly smile. Pacifica stroked her chin, looking to the ceiling as if it held all the answers. ¡°Ah right, the lady said it was the Mount Wynding Maestro Affairs Office!¡± Her mother took back the camera. ¡°Wait, Pacifica honey, how are you in a Maestro affairs office?¡± she asked the pressing question. ¡°I got a Maestro,¡± Pacifica said pulling Shouri into view of the camera and holding his arm. ¡°My little pup is growing up!¡± Her father could be heard crying off-camera. ¡°Jack, behave.¡± Pacifica¡¯s mother turned her attention off-screen for a moment to pacify her husband. ¡°That¡¯s wonderful dear. And who might I have the pleasure of speaking to?¡± The Maestro shirked away from the judgmental camera. He wasn¡¯t good at this sort of thing. ¡°Shouri,¡± he said simply. ¡°Well Shouri, we¡¯ll need to talk at some point. Though I¡¯ll let you off the hook for now, it¡¯s quite late,¡± the woman said. ¡°My name is Priscilla,¡± she introduced herself. ¡°As one Maestro to another, I think you have great eyes. I¡¯m sure my little otter is in good hands.¡± There was a red, rhythmic glow to the woman¡¯s eyes as she said this. ¡°Don¡¯t disappoint me.¡± There was a certain weight to those words; however, given everything he had already been through with Pacifica in the short time he had known her Shouri was confident that there wasn¡¯t any feasible way to disappoint the older woman. ¡°I¡¯ll let you go for now for real ¨C though, if you two end up with a little miracle of your own, let us know and we¡¯ll be there in a heartbeat!¡± Priscilla simpered knowingly. Pacifica caught exactly what her mother was implying and turned completely red. ¡°G-GOOD NIGHT MOTHER!¡± And with that, the connection was cut. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry about them.¡± The otter-girl held both of her hands over her heart trying to calm it. ¡°They seem fun.¡± Shouri laughed sheepishly, having also caught the implication. ¡°What did they mean by ¡®a little miracle¡¯?¡± Taika asked innocently. ¡°Nothing they¡¯re just dumb!¡± Pacifica shouted. ¡°Parents, can¡¯t live with ¡®em, can¡¯t live without ¡®em.¡± Shouri shrugged.
¡°So uhhh, how are we doing this?¡± Pacifica asked as the newly formed trio stood in front of the bed. In all honesty, the bed was hilariously big, they could all fit on it with relative ease. It was just the nerves between the three that were stopping them from just diving in. ¡°I can sleep on the couch if that¡¯s fine.¡± Pacifica regarded the ¡®guest area¡¯ with intentions of utilizing its services. She didn¡¯t want to, but in the same respect, she also didn¡¯t want to cause a stink and disrupt the status quo. ¡°Oh no you don¡¯t,¡± Shouri decided, grabbing Pacifica¡¯s shoulder as she tried to walk away from the bed. ¡°Wuh?¡± Pacifica was spun back around to face her Maestro, bewildered. ¡°Taika had horrible nightmares for the first few nights we were together.¡± ¡°So what fixed it?¡± ¡°Etude, specifically overnight.¡± ¡°Etude?¡± Pacifica wasn¡¯t familiar with the term. Despite her parents being a Maestro and Resonator pair, she didn¡¯t know that much about it. Her mom was a bit of a tease in all honesty and just told the young otter: ¡°You¡¯ll find out when you¡¯re older¡± Well, she was older now and felt like an idiot having to ask her new Maestro what he was talking about. ¡°When a Maestro and Resonator share rhythm, by touch. Balances you out,¡± Shouri stated. ¡°Touch huh?¡± Pacifica gulped trying to maintain her cool. ¡°Given everything you just went through; I know you¡¯re going to probably have nightmares.¡± The otter nodded slowly. ¡°R-right. I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be okay.¡± She certainly didn¡¯t want to lose sleep over her previous near-death experience, but she could handle a little nightmare, right? ¡°Indeed.¡± Shouri frowned. ¡°Well regardless, you¡¯re not sleeping on that couch.¡± There was no arguing with her Maestro on this and she submitted to his demands. With that out of the way, the trio crawled into bed. Shouri was in the center with Pacifica and Taika on either side of him. It was so silent, yet they could each hear their own hearts hammering away as they remained frozen. ¡°G-good night,¡± Pacifica braved saying. ¡°Buona notte,¡± Taika added. ¡°Sleep well you two.¡± Shouri closed his eyes, hoping to not think about the situation he was in. Gradually their nerves calmed and the three tired young adults drifted off to sleep. Chapter 12 So hungry... So thirsty... Wait. Why can¡¯t I move my arms?! Why can¡¯t I move my legs?! No... Not again! Please! Please don¡¯t put me back there! PLEASE! I don¡¯t want to die! PLEASE!! SOMEONE SAVE ME!!! Pacifica¡¯s eyes snapped open as she took in a deep, lung full of air. It was dark in the room; tears completely soaked her face as she tried to catch her breath. It felt so real. She was terrified, but... she was safe now. It didn¡¯t help her not think about that dream though. She would just go right back in if she tried to sleep right? Shouri mentioned this would happen, but she couldn¡¯t bother him. Her heart continued to race with uncertainty. Finally, she decided to get out of bed but was stopped by a hand pulling her back by her vest. ¡°What did I tell you?¡± Shouri whispered, trying not to wake Taika. ¡°Wh-what do I do?¡± Pacifica whispered back. ¡°Come here.¡± He opened his arms for her. Thank goodness it was so dark in the room cause Pacifica felt like her face was red enough to practically be glowing. ¡°A-are you serious?¡± she quietly hissed. ¡°I¡¯d rather be uncomfortable for the twenty minutes it takes to fall asleep over having to drag your comatose ass through the mountains tomorrow,¡± he told her, ¡°I promise it works.¡± Swallowing her pride, she once again found herself submitting to her new Maestro¡¯s whims. Laying back down, she scooted into his arms and allowed him to hold her. ¡°It¡¯ll be okay Pacifica. If you have another nightmare wake me up, okay?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a bother.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not a bother, it¡¯s my job to take care of you,¡± he paused, ¡°and I¡¯d like to think we¡¯re at least friends after surviving a kidnapping together.¡± Pacifica smiled, though at this point her face was buried in his chest. ¡°Friends, right.¡± There was a bit of a titter to her voice as she said that. Despite Pacifica¡¯s fears that it¡¯d be difficult to sleep like this, she found herself easily drifting back to sleep. Why was this so comfortable? With that out of the way, Shouri himself fell back asleep, though this only lasted for maybe an hour or so. ¡°Sh-sho...¡± He found himself awoken by Taika. ¡°Just like hug me from behind, she¡¯s having a rough go of it.¡± He groggily pointed to the otter girl already in his arms. Taika nodded and huddled close to Shouri, wrapping her arms around him. Morning soon arrived and with it, Shouri Tomoshibi¡¯s return to consciousness. The only thing he could think of was how he was going to need a nice, cold shower. Pacifica slept contentedly in his arms, and on his other side, Taika held him, pressing herself against him as much as she could. Her fluffy tail was wrapped around his waist and legs for good measure. Shouri pined for the bathroom, and possibly the shower. Yes, a shower. Shower a lot. As cold as it could get. ¡°Girls wake up please.¡± He started to pivot his body to try and escape the Resonator-based cocoon he found himself in. Both Pacifica and Taika slowly awoke and realized the position they found themselves in. In unison, the two animal-eared girls sat up and saw their counterpart flanking the opposite side of their Maestro. Taking the initiative, Shouri slid out from between them and rushed to the bathroom. ¡°I-I had a nightmare,¡± Pacifica admitted with a tinge of shame in her voice. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Taika asked, scooting closer to the otter girl. ¡°Yeah, Shouri caught me trying to leave bed.¡± She chuckled. ¡°Sho pays attention to that kind of thing.¡± The vixen smiled. It was at that point that Pacifica sought to satisfy a curiosity. ¡°Hey, why do you call him Sho? Does he prefer that?¡± The lunar Resonator pondered that thought. ¡°I dunno really,¡± she admitted after a moment, ¡°I just always called him that.¡± ¡°Sho...¡± Pacifica whispered, her lips slowly rising to a smile. ¡°Sho,¡± she repeated warmly. ¡°I like that.¡± Taika caught her new friend¡¯s infectious mood, smiling whilst her tail swished gently behind her. Pacifica noticed this, her eyes following along with her counterpart''s wagging appendage. ¡°Hey, can I touch your tail?¡± Pacifica blurted out. ¡°Che?¡± Taika blinked at the sudden request. ¡°My tail?¡± ¡°It looks really soft and fluffy.¡± Pacifica brought her own tail in front of her. ¡°I¡¯ll let you touch mine,¡± she offered. Taika stared at the much stronger-looking tail. She certainly was curious and had very little interaction with other Resonators; especially otters. ¡°S-sure.¡± Taika brought her own tail in front of her and the pair traded off. ¡°Ahhh, what soft fur! It¡¯s so nice and silky, I love it!¡± Pacifica exclaimed as she ran her fingers through Taika¡¯s long tail fur. ¡°Your tail is soft too!¡± Taika noted, holding the much heavier tail in one hand and stroking it with her other. It was soft and velvety, not nearly as much hair as Taika herself had, and it even seemed much easier to keep. ¡°Do we have a brush? I can help you brush your tail if you want?¡± the otter girl offered suddenly. Taika, not being used to this positive attention grew flustered. ¡°Ah, sure. That would be nice.¡± She then recalled her problem from a few nights ago. ¡°But we¡¯d have to ask Sho for one since we don''t have much.¡± The water element wilted a bit. ¡°You guys did say you had to run away with nothing but the clothes on your back,¡± she recalled from their story last night. ¡°I guess that meant you didn¡¯t happen to have a brush tucked away in your pockets?¡± ¡°No not at all. Didn¡¯t even have shoes,¡± Taika revealed. ¡°How awful.¡± ¡°I was so scared; I had never been in a situation like that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. If anyone tries to pull any funny business I¡¯ll be right there to give ¡®em a piece of my mind.¡± Pacifica smirked, adjusting her blue fingerless gloves. ¡°Thank you.¡± Taika smiled once more.
¡°Okay team, here¡¯s my plan,¡± Shouri began as they consumed their vending machine-based breakfast. ¡°I think for all of our sanity, we should move on today.¡± He pulled up the map on the tuner and had the two girls lean in. ¡°We¡¯re here, at the base of Mount Wynding.¡± They hadn¡¯t traveled far from Shouri¡¯s hometown of Riva Solare. They couldn¡¯t go back there for obvious reasons and staying put was out of the question. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go to my parent¡¯s place to chill in safety for a while?¡± Pacifica suggested. ¡°I¡¯m sure they want to meet you too,¡± she added. ¡°Where¡¯s that?¡± Shouri asked. ¡°Here, let me see the map.¡± Pacifica took possession of the tuner Shouri was holding and messed around with it for a little bit. ¡°Ah, here we go.¡± She handed it back, zoomed in on a completely different part of the map. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s close to the northern Lakes region of Lybertera.¡± He zoomed in a bit more. ¡°Hey, this is just south of Canolapra,¡± he noted. ¡°What¡¯s it like Pacifica?¡± Taika asked in curiosity. ¡°It¡¯s a big city, super nice. We went there a lot before I began wandering. We can probably ask my parents to get us some plane tickets,¡± the otter girl suggested. ¡°Thanks for the offer, but I¡¯d rather we get there under our own power,¡± Shouri cut in. ¡°At the very least I want to show my parents we can make it on our own.¡± Pacifica lit up. ¡°I totally agree!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°I¡¯m ready to work!¡± She seemed overly excited about the prospects of whatever ¡°work¡± she would be tasked with. Shouri smiled. Once again, he counted his blessings that he ended up in the company of such loyal Resonators. ¡°So let¡¯s get up here to Riva Sranvi. My hope is that bigger cities have bigger hunting scenes so we can team up with the hunter groups there to earn some money.¡± He laid out his overall game plan. ¡°Ultimately, I¡¯d like for us to earn enough to buy our bus tickets all the way to Canolapra and we can decide what to do from the safety of Pacifica¡¯s place.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Pacifica shouted, pumping her fist in the air.
And so, the trio set out on the road. Since they were in the middle of nowhere all they had were the foot roads to travel on. It wasn¡¯t unusual for their type of foot traffic though. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d be doing this,¡± Shouri spoke up. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Taika asked. ¡°Traveling as a Maestro with Resonators.¡± ¡°Yeah, I had a bunch of Resonator friends back home that got Maestros and left home pretty quick,¡± Pacifica recalled. ¡°At fifteen, you¡¯re considered a young adult and are allowed to travel freely from home as long as you have at least one Resonator with you,¡± he informed Taika. ¡°I was wondering why nobody questioned us being out and about,¡± Taika pondered aloud. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t know,¡± Pacifica commented offhandedly, which caused the lunar fox to jump. ¡°She came from a Natural town in Unis-R¨¦sonne, Nevepunto. I can¡¯t imagine there¡¯s too many Maestros there,¡± Shouri told Pacifica. The otter nodded. ¡°That makes sense yeah. There are tons of Maestros and Resonators in my neighborhood, it¡¯s all they talked about really. It made me so itchy that I had to go out on my own and see the world like they did.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you get a Maestro before Pacifica?¡± Taika questioned. The older girl shrugged. ¡°Eh, nobody felt right.¡± Shouri''s lips turned up to a knowing smile. ¡°I understand that sentiment.¡±
It was around noontime or so when the group decided to take a break on the side of the road. Just down the way, they could see a bridge over a large ravine. ¡°Whew, it''s getting a bit hot.¡± Pacifica wiped some sweat from her brow, whilst looking down the road at what was ahead. Taika pulled out their shared water bottle and took a small sip of it before taking note of how much they had left. ¡°The water bottle is getting empty.¡± The vixen frowned, gently tilting the bottle back and forth. ¡°Are we going to make it?¡± fretted the fox. ¡°Hm?¡± Shouri and Pacifica looked at the lunar fox. ¡°Of course we will. I still have plenty of rhythm, water is a complete non-issue,¡± Shouri reassured her. Head-tilt. ¡°Che?¡± Taika was confused. ¡°Let¡¯s just show her,¡± Pacifica suggested. ¡°Right right. I¡¯m kinda thirsty too.¡± Shouri nodded, pulling the blue tuner off his side. ¡°Take the lid off and set the bottle on the ground Taika,¡± Pacifica requested. Taika nodded and placed the uncapped water bottle on the ground. ¡°Mani Nell''acqua, Allegro,¡± Shouri commanded. Pacifica knelt and cupped her hands above the water bottle¡¯s top. Water began to flow from her hands into the bottle, filling it up. ¡°Ghiacciolo, Pianissimo,¡± Shouri added. The water elemental produced a couple of ice needles and slipped them into the top of the bottle. Capping it off she shook the bottle and handed it back to Taika. ¡°There you go, fresh cold water.¡± Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Taika stared at the bottle, impressed at the feat. In the same respect though, she couldn¡¯t do anything nearly as impressive as that. Her ears wilted as Shouri praised Pacifica for the quick work. After everyone was fully hydrated, they moved on. ¡°Should get there by dusk,¡± Shouri told the two girls. ¡°Sounds great!¡± Pacifica exclaimed. Taika just nodded, still lost in her thoughts. Neither of the other two noticed and continued chatting with each other as they walked. Pacifica was great, plain and simple. She was really pretty and strong and useful. What was Taika? Sure, she was Shouri¡¯s first Resonator, but there was no rule stating a Maestro could only have one Resonator. They were an example right here. How was Taika even useful to Shouri? The only thing she had done for him so far was get him kicked out of his home and disowned by his parents. If anything, she was a net negative to him. She hadn¡¯t added anything positive to his life. So what was stopping him from getting rid of her? Especially because he had Pacifica now. What a gloomy little thing she was. All she could think about were the negatives. Why was she like this? Just before they reached the bridge a certain sound hit Taika¡¯s ears, causing them to twitch. ¡°Sho!¡± she shouted. ¡°What is it?¡± The group came to a stop. ¡°Rilevare l''intenzione in Lento, now. I have a bad feeling,¡± Taika quickly told her Maestro. Without a second thought, he drew both tuners from his side. ¡°Rilevare l''intenzione, Lento,¡± he whispered. Pacifica stuck close to their Maestro¡¯s back studying their surroundings, and ready to move at a moment¡¯s notice. Taika closed her eyes. She felt a pulse leave her body, identifying every living thing around her. Shouri Pacifica ... ... Two aggressive presences were a small distance away. ¡°There!¡± Taika pointed southwest of them, towards the trees and underbrush that flanked the road. ¡°Pacifica, Ghiacciolo, Piano!¡± Shouri commanded. The otter girl just moved, throwing slightly larger ice needles in the direction her fellow Resonator had identified. THWICK THWICK THWICK The sound of clapping met their ears as a Resonator clad in bark-based armor stepped out from the underbrush, accompanied by his Maestro, the source of the clapping. ¡°YOU!¡± Immediately Pacifica and Shouri were on edge ¨C it was the man who had kidnapped them. ¡°Fucking leave us alone!¡± Shouri roared. ¡°No can do, kids. You drove me from my home. You ruined my life, now I¡¯m going to ruin yours.¡± The older Maestro glared daggers at the trio who stood defiantly before him. ¡°What the fuck dude?! You kidnapped US! Anything bad that happens to you is well deserved!¡± Pacifica barked, holding an arm out in front of her Maestro. Shouri gulped. Sure, he had two Resonators versus this guy¡¯s one, but this one Resonator had to be sucker-punched before being taken out. They wouldn¡¯t fall so easily this time. What was worse was he was just one Maestro. Even with two Resonators, if this battle came down to attrition, the other Maestro would surely have the upper hand. ¡°Sho,¡± Pacifica whispered. ¡°I think we need to run and I have a plan,¡± she told him, ¡°we just need to distract them, leave the rest to me.¡± A slow nod. ¡°Okay Pacifica, I trust you.¡± Taika¡¯s ears twitched, her eyes still locked on the opposing Maestro and Resonator. The tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife. What would be the first move? The kidnapper raised his green tuner. ¡°Rullante di Radice, Piano!¡± ¡°Nuvola Oscura, Rubato!¡± Roots burst up from the ground, grabbing Taika just as she threw up a smokescreen. Rather than running away as they had planned, Shouri ran into the smoke. ¡°Sho!¡± Pacifica ran in after her Maestro. Taika was bound tightly by the thorned roots but refused to utter a cry. Shouri soon appeared and began tearing at the roots. ¡°Sho! Why didn¡¯t you run?!¡± Taika hissed. ¡°Are you fucking crazy!? There¡¯s no way I¡¯m leaving you here!¡± Pacifica joined them and began helping in the effort of ripping away the thorny vines. Neither of the two complained even as their hands were pierced and cut up by the roots. As soon as Taika¡¯s hands were free, she began helping, while still producing more smoke to hide what they were up to. Seeing the smokescreen as some kind of trick, the kidnapper and his Resonator remained outside of the growing cloud, watching carefully for any kind of movement. After a moment of silence, he decided to spice things up a bit with a command: ¡°Foglie a Lame, Piano!¡± A flurry of bladed leaves penetrated the cloud of smoke, slicing the trio up as they sailed through. ¡°Nnngh, fucker,¡± Shouri grumbled, still working on freeing his Resonator. Enough of the entrapments were torn away to allow the bound fox to slip out. ¡°I¡¯m free! Via! Via! Via!¡± Taika yelped. With that, they fled from the scene of the battle, Taika continuing to spread a smokescreen behind them to mask their exact movements. The trio could hear all kinds of colorful obscenities from the kidnapper as he finally gave chase through the thick smoke. ¡°There!¡± Pacifica pointed ahead to the railing of the bridge. ¡°Jump!¡± she shouted, ¡°just trust me!¡± Neither Taika nor Shouri had time to argue, given that there were still nature-element spells being thrown in their direction ¨C mainly the bladed leaf spell, Foglie a Lame. Pacifica cleared the rail first, with Shouri and Taika close behind. It was a lot longer of a fall than any of them anticipated and they all screamed as they plummeted towards the large rapids below. Thankfully, their gamble paid off, as their pursuers didn¡¯t want to jump into a raging river after them. Unfortunately, there was a new issue: they were in rapids. The river roared like a beast, churning and foaming as it rushed over the jagged rocks. The stream of water was relentless, unending; crashing and splashing with no mercy for anything in its path. The noise was deafening, loud enough to drown out even one¡¯s thoughts. Shouri, Taika, and Pacifica were at nature¡¯s mercy. Shouri burst above the surface of the water first, but was more or less helpless; only able to keep himself above the water while he desperately searched for his two Resonators. He hit a rock but clung to it to continue scanning the foamy chaotic rapids for his lost companions. Pacifica popped up nearby not seconds later, attaching herself to the same rock as her Maestro. ¡°PACIFICA!¡± Shouri yelled over the noise of the water. ¡°SHO! WHERE¡¯S TAIKA?!¡± she shouted. ¡°I DUNNO! SHE WAS BEHIND ME!¡± Pacifica¡¯s blood ran cold as she came to a grim realization. ¡°Can she swim...?¡± The otter ducked under the water and looked around. Thankfully her eye-sight underwater was sharper than a human or a fox, and she quickly spotted Taika struggling against the rapids a bit upstream. ¡°HANG ON TAIKA!¡± Pacifica swam against the intense currents and lifted Taika above the water on her back. ¡°DON¡¯T LET GO OF ME!¡± she shouted to the coughing and gagging fox. Though she gave no vocal reply, Taika clung to Pacifica for dear life. She swam back to Shouri and picked him up from the rock by his hand. ¡°WHATEVER YOU DO HANG ON!¡± the otter shouted. Pacifica guided her two companions through the rapids, expertly dodging every obstacle in their way until she felt it was safe enough to get them to shore. The trio lay on the tiny beach, all gasping for air. Taika still had a bit of a cough from her near drowning and they were all still cut up from the assault they took before diving into the river. ¡°Ow...¡± Shouri whimpered shaking out his still bleeding hands. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry Taika. I didn¡¯t know you couldn¡¯t swim,¡± Pacifica managed to get out. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I trusted you,¡± Taika wheezed, before coughing up a bit more water. Despite catching their breath, the three travelers remained motionless under the cover of the river-side trees for some time, still processing the experience they just had. Shouri broke the silence with a request: ¡°Taika, would you be able to heal these cuts?¡± ¡°Yeah, Sho...¡± she spoke hoarsely. After sitting up, she prepared herself. ¡°Ready.¡± Similarly, Shouri also sat up drawing Taika¡¯s tuner from his side. ¡°La Bella Vita, Moderato,¡± he spoke first. Taika jumped as she found her healing was forced inwards, soothing her pain over her companions. ¡°Why me?¡± she asked. Shouri managed to smirk through his pain. ¡°What sense does it make having our healer suffer while we use your powers to heal ourselves?¡± he told her. Pacifica nodded in agreement, also having risen. Taika teared up a bit, though it was hard to tell from how soaked she still was. ¡°Please... let me heal you now.¡± ¡°La Bella Vita, Allegro Tutti,¡± Shouri cast aloud. Taika found herself directing the healing at Pacifica despite her intention to heal him. ¡°But...¡± Pacifica looked at her now-healed hands. ¡°And you got us out of that situation,¡± Shouri told Pacifica. ¡°Let me heal you damn it!¡± Taika protested grumpily. Pacifica nodded, with a pout on her face. With a soft chuckle, he acquiesced to his Resonator¡¯s demand. ¡°One last one, La Bella Vita, Allegro Tutti.¡± He was released from his pain thanks to the healing spell being applied to him. Settling that matter, he could finally allow his soaked, exhausted form the rest it was so desperately craving. ¡°Fuck.¡± He hit the ground with a resounding splat. Closing his eyes, he wanted to sleep so bad from how much rhythm he had burned away just in the last thirtyish minutes. ¡°Sho!¡± He heard a pair of voices shout, and then a pair of equally soaked bodies grabbing him from either side. He relaxed. They were okay. No grievous injuries, just some intense cardio and a little stress as a treat. Though they could rest easy for the time being, there was some lasting resentment in the boy¡¯s head. ¡°Fuck,¡± Shouri cursed. ¡°I¡¯m so frustrated,¡± he grumbled, pulling his two Resonators close. ¡°About what?¡± Taika asked. ¡°Just... we can¡¯t beat that guy. I wanted to kick his ass from what he did to Pacifica and I... but I just don¡¯t think we can take them right now,¡± he admitted. Pacifica gripped Shouri¡¯s shirt tightly, her fist trembling. ¡°Me too,¡± she admitted, ¡°I wanted to make them eat dirt so badly, but when they finally attacked all my mind screamed at me to do was run.¡± ¡°Thank you, Taika.¡± Shouri stroked the back of her head. ¡°For what?¡± ¡°You heard him first. If you hadn¡¯t been there, he would have gotten the jump on Pacifica and me.¡± ¡°Not to mention healing us. It would have sucked to try to keep going while cut up like that,¡± Pacifica chimed in. The tears flowed again as she reached over and hugged both Pacifica and Shouri tightly. She didn¡¯t need to say anything - the gesture spoke volumes. Chapter 13 By the time they had dried off and recuperated for the most part, it had rolled into mid-afternoon. Sitting up, the trio studied the map on one of the tuners. ¡°Man, that really threw us off course, but we did get a little closer to Riva Sranvi,¡± Pacifica noted. ¡°Are we going to have to camp out in the woods?¡± Taika questioned. ¡°Not a good idea. We¡¯d have to fight Scherzando all night. We¡¯re in the middle of nowhere, but still,¡± Shouri advised. ¡°So we¡¯re just gonna have to travel through the night. We can probably make it by like midnight or so,¡± Pacifica reasoned out, continuing to review the map. The group fell silent. They were just going to make it to their destination before the sun had set before. However, thanks to the persistence of their kidnapper their journey had become far more perilous. That awful man may get the last laugh after all. ¡°We should just keep moving.¡± Taika stood up. ¡°There¡¯s no sense in worrying about it, right?¡± she spoke with a new-found determination. Her sudden positive disposition was infectious, as a smile slowly rose on Shouri¡¯s lips. ¡°You¡¯re right Taika.¡± He held out his hand, Taika pulling him up to his feet. Then both of them extended their hands out for Pacifica who grabbed hold of them. The trio held hands in a circle. ¡°We¡¯re gonna make it through this,¡± Shouri declared. ¡°Or make a hell of a fuss trying.¡± Pacifica grinned toothily. ¡°That¡¯s the spirit!¡± Taika cheered. Unlike before when they had a solid road to follow, the group was now out of their element. None of them knew the first thing about navigating the great outdoors. What they did know was how to follow a map ¨C and thankfully tuners very rarely lost connection. Turns out that thanks to Pacifica, they had managed to zoom down most of the river. As such it wasn¡¯t too long before they had found the river¡¯s conclusion. ¡°THE OCEAN!¡± Pacifica cried out joyously. She ran towards the beach with Shouri and Taika struggling to keep up. ¡°Aaaaaah! Hello old friend!¡± Pacifica held out her arms allowing the sea breeze to wash over her. She turned to the pair following her, smiling with the setting sun illuminating her from behind. ¡°Sorry, I love the beaches here.¡± The girl giggled. She was practically glowing despite how the day had gone. ¡°Let¡¯s keep moving.¡± Shouri pointed down the beach, due north. Onward once again the trio traveled, the sun slowly falling below the horizon. Taika nervously eyed the approaching and receding waters crashing on the shore. She had been walking on Shouri¡¯s left side, between him and the ocean, but she edged around her Maestro, joining Pacifica on his right. A gesture not missed by the otter-girl. ¡°You really don¡¯t know how to swim, do you?¡± she asked her lunar companion. Taika lowered her head shamefully, trying to appear smaller than she was. ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± she whispered. Pacifica felt bad for asking but felt it needed to be said. ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t know how to swim.¡± She rubbed the vixen¡¯s back. ¡°Lots of people don¡¯t know how to swim,¡± she added. It didn¡¯t seem to make the downtrodden lunar element feel any better about her situation. ¡°I brought it up because if you want, I could teach you how to swim,¡± Pacifica offered. Taika looked at her water-companion; mouth slightly agape. She quickly shook her head. ¡°Non! You don¡¯t have to do that.¡± Once more her head drooped. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to waste your time,¡± she mumbled. And suddenly hugs! Pacifica wrapped her arms around Taika holding her tightly as they continued to walk. ¡°Nonsense!¡± the otter exclaimed. ¡°I love swimming and I would love to swim with you too!¡± Taika couldn¡¯t figure out what to say, too flustered by the positive attention. ¡°S-sure... if you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°It¡¯s settled! We¡¯ll get you a cute bathing suit and then I can teach you to swim!¡± Shouri shook his head but smiled all the same. The sun had finally set, but that didn¡¯t mean much for our intrepid heroes who trudged along the sandy beach. Despite the sun¡¯s departure, it was still hot and humid out which didn¡¯t make the trek any easier, further complicating things was the fact that it was the night of a new moon, further limiting the already low light ¨C though this was only a problem for Pacifica. ¡°How far away are we Sho?¡± Taika asked. ¡°It¡¯s probably another hour''s walk.¡± Shouri wiped some sweat from his brow. ¡°Hungry... should have ate a bigger breakfast,¡± Pacifica groaned. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Pacifica.¡± Shouri felt a tinge of guilt subjecting her to hunger so quickly after she almost starved to death. ¡°No no no! I¡¯m fine!¡± she insisted. ¡°Really! Knowing there¡¯s a hot fresh meal waiting for us at the end of this gives me the strength of an army!¡± the otter declared boldly. ¡°Yeah, we can hit up one of those twenty-four-hour diners. Riva Sranvi is a big enough city to have them,¡± Shouri noted, trying to look up any that were open to not put his foot in his mouth. ¡°Here we go.¡± He set that as their destination and returned the tuner to his side. Continuing their walk down the beach they could spot the faintest glow of light pollution in the distance. ¡°We¡¯re almost there!¡± Pacifica excitedly pointed ahead. ¡°Finally, civilization,¡± Shouri groaned. ¡°Can¡¯t wait for bed tonight,¡± Taika additionally complained. ¡°We¡¯re almost there! Just a little bit more!¡± Pacifica tried to keep the mood up, but it was ultimately dashed upon the rocks as a shadowy figure rose over the nearby dunes. ¡°uuuuuuuu ARGH!¡± Shouri ruffled his hair in frustration at the large fiery snake Scherzando stood in their path. ¡°Of fucking COURSE there was a Scherzando wandering around!¡± Shouri pulled both of his tuners from his side, the screens flipping to the spell/battle screen. Taika and Pacifica took point. The red glow from the flames coating the Scherzando¡¯s body would hopefully make it an easier target to hit given how dark it was. ¡°Here¡¯s the plan girls: it¡¯s fire, so Pacifica you¡¯ll be dealing damage. Taika I¡¯m gonna give you heals on Rubato, follow behind Pacifica and keep both of you healthy.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± ¡°Capito!¡± ¡°Go! La Bella Vita, Rubato! Idrante, Piano!¡± With those commands, the two girls rushed at the snake. Pacifica threw a small volley of water needles at the snake, who responded in kind by unleashing a blade of fire toward the two Resonators. The needles of water met the blade of fire and the two spells vanished into nothingness. Pacifica and Taika both froze, surprised at the result. The snake was however beyond such petty emotions like shock and awe, opening its maw to unleash a ball of hell fire. ¡°Taika! Pacifica!¡± Shouri shouted in distress at the situation. Thankfully the two girls rolled out of the practical explosion of fire with Taika applying heals to both of them thanks to the Rubato modifier. Now it was the snake¡¯s turn to charge, chasing the two Resonators around and unleashing fire on them. All they could do was run away. ¡°Sho! What do we do?!¡± Pacifica cried out as they fled. Shouri was looking between the two tuners trying to figure out how to string the available spells together to win. He still didn¡¯t know what the other water spells did and with Pacifica¡¯s basic water attacks being more or less useless, they needed another plan. ¡°Nuvola Oscura, Allegro! Come on back!¡± was the next command. Taika let out a thick smokescreen at the Scherzando, obscuring its vision whilst the two Resonators returned to their Maestro. ¡°What¡¯s... the plan Sho?¡± Pacifica asked between gasps of breath. ¡°Sotto.¡± Taika jumped as she felt her link with Shouri break ¨C he canceled the healing spell? ¡°So my thought is, this thing is a slashing attribute, so it beats your piercing attribute spells,¡± he told her. Pacifica gasped. ¡°Oh yeah, that is a thing, isn¡¯t it?¡± She shook her head. ¡°So what do we do?¡± she asked. ¡°I dunno what these other water spells do since I never had any real chance to sit down and look them up, so I¡¯m just gonna call them out and we¡¯ll figure them out on the fly,¡± he proposed. ¡°Oh boy.¡± Pacifica gulped, steeling herself to return to battle. ¡°Okay, Sho.¡± ¡°What about me?¡± Taika asked. ¡°Thankfully I know what your spells do, so whatever she does if you get an opportunity to lay down damage, Luce Lunare, Rubato,¡± he instructed her. The trio glared down the fading smoke screen as the snake made the motions of a roar, but with no sound coming out. ¡°Manga de Agua, Pianissimo!¡± Shouri called out. Pacifica didn¡¯t fight it and just allowed her body to move with her Maestro¡¯s command. In front of her, she created a small tornado, though this was made of water. With a wave of her hand, the water spout was off, slowly approaching the snake. Unfortunately, the snake was able to slither away from it and the spell faded. ¡°Damn, that looked strong.¡± Pacifica snapped her fingers. ¡°Hmmm.¡± Taika studied the movement of the snake and the water spout. ¡°I got an idea!¡± Pacifica was taken aback by that. Both Taika and Shouri had exclaimed that in unison. ¡°What¡¯s your thought?¡± Shouri asked. ¡°The snake focuses on running away from the tornado, so-¡± Taika started ¡°-you¡¯d be able to hit it with spells while it¡¯s busy running,¡± Shouri finished her sentence for her. ¡°Esatto!¡± Taika clapped her hands together; pleased she was on the same wavelength as her Maestro. Pacifica smirked and readied herself, she knew what she had to do for this plan. ¡°Manga de Agua, Pianissimo Staccato!¡± Once more Pacifica created the water spout spell and sent it off towards the snake. She created two more successive spouts and sent them off as well. Taika meanwhile watched how the snake was moving and began lobbing orbs of lunar energy at the fleeing snake, landing several hits in a row. The snake then attempted dodging those in addition to the three spouts of water, but only ended up getting mixed up and got sucked into one of the vortexes. ¡°Ghiacciolo, Rubato!¡± Pacifica took her chance and started sending a flurry of ice needles into the vortex the fire snake was trapped in, ultimately defeating it. With the dissolution of the Scherzando, Shouri let his shoulders drop. ¡°Holy shit,¡± he exhaled sharply. Pacifica and Taika held him up. ¡°You both did great.¡± He smirked, rubbing the backs of their heads. The two Resonators shared a grin, pleased with themselves for a job well done.
¡°I guess I¡¯m glad that thing showed up,¡± Shouri spoke after having recovered from the earlier battle. They had made significant headway toward their goal. In fact, they began seeing people wandering around the beaches, even nearing midnight. ¡°Oh yeah? Why¡¯s that?¡± Pacifica inquired. ¡°Reminded me I really need to learn what all the water spells do,¡± he told her, ¡°I at least have an idea of what all the lunar spells do.¡± ¡°Yeah, that water tornado thingy was cool but kinda slow,¡± Pacifica recalled its movements during the battle. ¡°Maybe it gets bigger and faster at higher levels,¡± Taika suggested. ¡°Probably!¡± Pacifica chuckled. ¡°Either way, I¡¯m proud of us,¡± Shouri said, looking ahead to the city in the distance. ¡°We could probably take another one down if it came to it.¡± He tempted fate. ¡°Don¡¯t excite the wish sage,¡± Pacifica warned. ¡°I know I know.¡± The curl on his lips fell. ¡°We¡¯ll do even better with full stomachs and a good eight hours of sleep behind us.¡± ¡°Heck yeah!¡± Pacifica pumped her fist into the sky. ¡°Food and bed sounds really good right now,¡± Taika spoke dreamily, imagining reclining in bed with a juicy burger. ¡°I know I¡¯m a broken record when I say this but: just a little bit longer,¡± Shouri reminded his two companions. ¡°So stoked for food,¡± Pacifica reminded herself ¡°And bed,¡± Taika chimed in. Shouri chuckled; they were at least consistent if nothing else. Though as they walked the beach became more populated, even this late at night. Maestros and Resonators walking, talking, and chatting. Given the trio¡¯s disheveled state from being attacked twice, taking a trip down the rapids, and their miles upon miles of walking they earned looks, muttering and pointing. Pacifica felt it the hardest. Even what was being unsaid, how people were just judging them, judging Shouri and Taika specifically made her blood boil. She stopped and turned to a particular pair to give them a piece of her mind. Her Maestro grabbed her shoulder. ¡°Not worth it,¡± he whispered. ¡°But-!¡± she protested, wanting to defend her friend¡¯s honor. ¡°I don¡¯t want to start another fight in our state.¡± The otter gritted her teeth hard, her fists balled up tightly. He was right, and it was obvious her exhaustion was getting to her now. She wasn¡¯t thinking rationally. ¡°Level me out please,¡± she requested. Shouri grabbed Pacifica¡¯s hand. He turned to Taika who averted her gaze. ¡°Come on.¡± He took hold of the fox¡¯s hand as well, earning a hidden smile from her. The Maestro focused his rhythm to his hands, wanting to calm his stressed-out companions. The storms raging in the two Resonator¡¯s minds slowly subsided whilst Shouri himself was provided the motivation and fortitude to carry on. And after all of that trial and tribulation, they finally made it to the food they had all been craving for so long. Staving off hunger with water for hours on end could only get them so far. They desired substance to their intake, and this diner would quell that primal urge. The diner itself was a small place, they were greeted and immediately seated in a booth, Shouri on one side with Taika and Pacifica his opposite. There were a couple of other patrons minding their own business, and a digital jukebox in the corner played away a popular song, albeit at a low volume as background noise. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. The hungry trio looked over the menu which was their first mistake. Everything sounded so good. It was hard not to consider telling the waitress they wanted to order the whole menu. What made matters worse was the kitchen. It was an open design, so they could see the Maestro and his crew of three to four Resonator chefs working away on the various patrons meals. The smell was unbearable, unbearably delicious. ¡°What can I do ya kids for?¡± their waitress, an older Resonator, inquired ¨C she regretted that question immediately; these guests were HUNGRY. ¡°Golden fish and grits, oh also I want that Jumbo shrimp combo!¡± Pacifica shouted, slamming her menu down on the table, causing the silverware and condiments on the table to clatter from the force of the impact. ¡°Can I have this club sandwich, with double, no triple chips?!¡± Taika yelled, pointing to the menu item in question. Both girls were definitely starving in both mannerisms and appearance, which freaked out the Resonator waitress who struggled to maintain her professionalism. She turned to the Maestro of the pair who cleared his throat. ¡°Right, I¡¯ll do the bacon cheeseburger,¡± he spoke calmly. The waitress sighed, thinking at least the Maestro was going to have a normal order. ¡°Oh, also make that a triple patty, double bacon, and a double order of cheese fries.¡± The poor waitress scribbled down the order and rushed off to have the kitchen prepare the feast for the hungry travelers. With the waitress gone, Shouri decided to address his famished familiars. ¡°I know you two are going to want to devour everything-¡± Which they were demonstrating by their transfixed gazes on the kitchen. ¡°-but we need to eat slowly. I don¡¯t want any of us getting sick. The food is coming and nobody¡¯s going to take it away from us,¡± he advised. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± Pacifica gulped, unsure if she¡¯d be able to keep her word. ¡°Same,¡± Taika chimed in, eying the ketchup bottle that made its home on the table as a possible appetizer. He could tell both of their mouths were watering something fierce and they both were trembling from excitement at their well-earned dinner. ¡°We¡¯re gonna lose money on this meal, but thankfully our snake friend from earlier at least paid for a little bit of this,¡± Shouri sighed, glancing back towards the kitchen himself. It didn''t take too long for their food to arrive. The waitress hadn¡¯t even set down Shouri¡¯s plate by the time Pacifica and Taika were scarfing their meals down like it was the last they would ever have. ¡°HEY!¡± Shouri barked, surprising the two girls into stopping their rapid consumption of food. ¡°I really don¡¯t feel like spending the rest of the night dealing with your stomach problems. PLEASE pace yourselves,¡± he spoke sternly. ¡°S-sorry Sho,¡± they both uttered. The boy exhaled sharply. ¡°Like I said, just pace yourselves.¡± He put a fry into his mouth and trembled slightly. ¡°Even if it is tempting to just eat everything,¡± he muttered, trying his darndest to not be an immediate hypocrite. With a much healthier pace, the trio only got through roughly half of their respective meals and they requested some containers for their remaining portions. ¡°Breakfast for tomorrow.¡± Pacifica smiled contentedly at what remained of her dinner. ¡°I¡¯m excited for that,¡± Taika chimed in, closing her box. ¡°At least it¡¯s economical in that sense.¡± Shouri eyed the slip of paper at the end of their table, the damage of their indulgence. He dreaded that receipt, but had to face his fears; slowly lifting it to find out the total. ¡°Oh god.¡± He let it fall. ¡°How bad is it?¡± Pacifica inquired. ¡°Eighty-five notes,¡± Shouri replied, pushing his hair back and sighing. He couldn¡¯t say he was surprised all things considered. At least all three of them were content and had breakfast for tomorrow. The otter regarded their three filled take-out boxes with a tinge of satisfaction. ¡°We did get a lot of food,¡± she noted. ¡°Yeah, yeah. I just don¡¯t want us to end up in a bad spot from over-spending,¡± he laid out his primary concern. ¡°At worst I can beg my parents for money,¡± Pacifica offered. ¡°I¡¯ve already said why I don¡¯t want to do that,¡± Shouri reminded her. ¡°My life is more important than some stupid money.¡± She threw his own words back at him with a smirk. He relaxed, smiling back. ¡°If it really came down to it, then fine,¡± the Maestro conceded the point. ¡°But I¡¯m not going to let us get to that point because of reckless spending,¡± he told them. Taika and Pacifica nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll be careful,¡± the two Resonators acquiesced. ¡°Let¡¯s get this paid for and get out of here.¡±
Paying for the food was the easy part. Walking had become the hard part though. ¡°Aaaah... my legs are so stiff...¡± Pacifica complained as they walked through the city of Riva Sranvi. Like the nearby beaches, there were a few people out and about. Mostly Maestros and their Resonators coming and going from hunts it seemed. ¡°Unfortunately, muscle soreness isn¡¯t fixable by healing magic,¡± Shouri groaned, having the worst time of it out of the trio. ¡°Why not Sho?¡± Taika asked, curious about her own power¡¯s limits. They stopped to rest on a nearby bench. ¡°From what I read, healing magic can only return order to disrupted systems. The direct result of ''chaos'' as it were. So like if I cut myself with a knife that would be me exerting a form of chaos on my own system,¡± he told the two Resonators. They both nodded slowly. ¡°Things like diseases, muscle soreness, and even death are considered ''orderly'' since those are all natural parts of life and so there would be no ''order'' to return it to,¡± he imparted the fruit of his research to the two Resonators. ¡°Magic in that sense like Lunar or Water magic is incredibly ''chaotic'' by that definition. As such it¡¯s super easy for healing magic to counter other forms of magic,¡± he added. ¡°That¡¯s so crazy.¡± Pacifica glanced at Taika who was staring at her hands. ¡°You¡¯re telling me,¡± The healer in question whispered. ¡°Thankfully healing magic can fix blisters cause god I can already feel them forming,¡± the boy groaned, ¡°Really wish we didn¡¯t have to walk around with wet socks and shoes for hours.¡± He grimaced. ¡°How far away is the MA Office?¡± Pacifica inquired. ¡°Just a little bit down the road.¡± Shouri pointed down the street where the familiar stone signage could be seen. The boy reluctantly stood up. ¡°The sooner we get going, the sooner we sleep.¡± He winced slightly as he stepped down, his body protesting the resumed locomotion. Thankfully, unlike the entire rest of today¡¯s journey, the exhausted trio completed the final leg of their pilgrimage without anything ridiculous happening. Ding ding ding ¡°Welcome to the South Riva Sranvi Maestro Affairs Office-¡± It was at that point the night shift attendant reached the counter and saw the state of the guests. ¡°-how... can we assist you?¡± she trailed off. ¡°Room, please.¡± Shouri practically begged, sliding his two tuners across the counter. While the attendant signed them in, she couldn¡¯t help but ask: ¡°What happened to you?¡± ¡°You know Mt. Wynding?¡± The Maestro returned her question with one of her own. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°We took the long way down the rapids and up the coast.¡± ¡°Oh my.¡± ¡°Yeah. Could use a bed badly.¡± ¡°Certainly, you will be in room fifty-nine, down the hall.¡± The attendant pointed to the oh-so-familiar Maestro¡¯s quarters. ¡°Cool, thanks.¡± Shouri turned back to his similarly exhausted Resonators. ¡°Come on girls, let''s bounce.¡±
PLOP ¡°AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!¡± Shouri screamed into the bed that he was currently lying face down in. Taika was sitting on a chair, sadly looking over the soaked evening wear. She had been wearing their backpack the whole day and forgot they had taken a plunge into the river, bag and all earlier in the day. Pacifica had taken to the bathroom to soak in the shower before bed. ¡°La Bella Vita, Allegro.¡± Taika heard Shouri¡¯s muffled voice from his face-down position in the comforters. She perked up as some of the pain in her feet faded away. ¡°La Bella Vita, Allegro Tutti.¡± And then she directed some of that healing her Maestro¡¯s way. He turned his head to the side to speak to Taika properly. ¡°We¡¯re gonna be sore as fuck tomorrow, but at least our feet won¡¯t be cut up from blisters.¡± Taika nodded slowly, before reclining back in the loveseat she was occupying. ¡°What are we gonna do tomorrow Sho?¡± ¡°Sleep. Sleep a lot,¡± the Maestro murmured. In all honesty, it was taking a lot of his strength to not just pass out sprawled out in the center of the bed. Reluctantly pushing himself up, he removed his jacket. The clothes on his person had dried already. ¡°How¡¯s the bag?¡± he asked Taika. ¡°Still wet,¡± she informed him. ¡°Urgh, let¡¯s go use the dryer real quick,¡± he quickly decided. Though the Maestro drew pause, considering Pacifica. Grabbing the blue tuner off the bed, he pressed the talk button. ¡°Pacifica.¡± Taika could hear Pacifica splashing out in surprise in the bathroom. ¡°Y-yes Sho?¡± her voice came from the tuner she was linked to. ¡°Taika and I want to dry our bedclothes,¡± he said, pausing to decide if he wanted to say anything else. Instead, he released the talk button. ¡°I¡¯m getting out now,¡± she spoke after a moment. With that, he flipped off the listen function to allow her to dry off in privacy. ¡°Why?¡± Taika whispered. ¡°I feel nervous leaving her alone,¡± he admitted shakily. Looking closely at his hands, his knuckles were white from how hard he was gripping the blue tuner. Standing in silence, the two snapped to as the bathroom door opened. Pacifica left her hair down, adjusting her vest as she approached her Maestro and fellow Resonator. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Right.¡±
The trio all sat around in the small laundry room, eyes fixated on the dryer as Shouri and Taika¡¯s loungewear tumbled away. It was nearing three in the morning at this point and they were all at the point of falling asleep. ¡°... right?! Can you believe she said that shit!? Absolutely crazy!¡± Drawing their attention was an unfamiliar pair entering the room. First was a boy clad in a brown flight jacket and pants, a pair of aviator¡¯s goggles nestled in the brown messy nest of hair adorning the top of his head. But what piqued their interest was the Resonator floating next to him, as well as the black tuner clipped to his belt. The Resonator was a pale girl with purplish black wings and hair and a white shoulderless shirt with green shorts. The new pair noticed they had walked in on another group. ¡°Told you Ryn.¡± The Maestro elbowed his Resonator. ¡°Sorry Maki, I didn¡¯t think anyone else¡¯d be here,¡± the winged girl chuckled sheepishly. The two Maestros took note of their counterpart¡¯s choice of Resonators. ¡°A lunar,¡± they both noted. The other Maestro grinned and approached Shouri. ¡°Hey, bud, name¡¯s Makani.¡± He extended out a partially gloved hand, his beige skin rough around the fingertips despite how young he appeared otherwise. An offer that was easily accepted. ¡°Shouri.¡± ¡°Not often I see someone else who keeps a Lunar in their company, figured I could use all the friends I could get.¡± Makani laughed. His eyes seemed to glow knowingly with blue rhythm. ¡°And I can tell you treat your partners right,¡± he noted. ¡°Can you now?¡± Shouri gulped. He wasn¡¯t that strong of a rhythm user; he was well aware of that. Was it truly that easy to see how one treats their Resonators? ¡°Sure, they both huddled up to you so familiarly when we walked in.¡± Glancing back at the Resonators in question, Pacifica and Taika both turned away to hide their red faces from Shouri (though they remained close to him.) Makani couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°See what I mean?¡± ¡°Got our stuff, Maki.¡± Ryn floated up behind her Maestro with their freshly laundered clothes. ¡°We¡¯re gonna be here for another week, maybe we¡¯ll see each other around.¡± With a wave, Shouri and his Resonators were left alone once again. ¡°What a busybody,¡± Taika decided with a huff. ¡°He seemed nice,¡± Pacifica chuckled, patting her counterpart¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll take anyone that doesn¡¯t immediately hate us at this point,¡± Shouri threw in his two cents. ¡°Yeah...¡± Taika and Pacifica both sighed wearily.
In freshly laundered clothes, a trio of bodies hit the bed. ¡°E mi ¨¨ mancato il modo in cui facevi parte della mia vita,¡± Taika cooed, stroking the bed. ¡°Same...¡± Pacifica sighed. ¡°Good night,¡± Shouri spoke aloud. ¡°Good night Sho,¡± the two girls said together. Getting under the blankets proper, Taika huddled up next to Shouri¡¯s back. Pacifica herself was conflicted about her sleeping situation. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Shouri questioned. ¡°Just... don¡¯t want to bother you,¡± she admitted quietly. ¡°It¡¯s gonna be more of a bother when you try to scoot out of bed in an hour because of nightmares,¡± he reminded her. ¡°Mmmrrhhh...¡± The girl fidgeted uncomfortably. ¡°You were fine etuding with me earlier,¡± he pointed out. Pacifica was once again thankful they were in a dark room as her face was flush with fluster, recalling holding his hand earlier. It was really nice. ¡°Can you please hurry up? I want to sleep,¡± came Taika¡¯s slightly irritated voice from the other side of Shouri. ¡°F-fine...¡± She submitted once more to the whims of her Maestro and now fellow Resonator, huddling up close to Shouri and allowing him to drape his arms over her. The uncertainty in her heart quickly melted away as the warmth of his rhythm eased the storm in her mind. It was clear to her ¨C this was correct, just plain right and she easily drifted off to sleep. With Pacifica comfy and Taika wrapped around him, Shouri also fell asleep, his Resonator¡¯s rhythm soothing him just as he did for them. Chapter 14 The next afternoon the crew rose from their marathon slumber. ¡°Stiff...¡± Pacifica was the first to voice a complaint. ¡°Y-yeah, fuck,¡± Shouri agreed. ¡°Gambe...¡± Taika groaned. ¡°Warm water will probably help,¡± Pacifica suggested as they all continued to lay there. ¡°You think this MA Office has a hot tub or pools for that matter?¡± Shouri pondered aloud. ¡°Ooooh! You think so?! This city is big enough! I bet they have a nice pool!¡± The otter girl sat up excitedly at the prospect of swimming. ¡°I don¡¯t remember if the Riva Solare office did. I know they had a sizable gym with water arenas,¡± he informed his watery companion. ¡°I bet they do,¡± Pacifica stated wearing a determined smirk. ¡°Let¡¯s approach this logically, hand me a tuner,¡± Shouri requested of the currently upright Pacifica. She grabbed the blue tuner she was bound to and handed it over to her Maestro. He turned and laid on his back, with Taika allowing him only a second¡¯s reprieve before she clung to him once more, looking up at the screen held above her. Pacifica joined them from her side. Shouri started by looking up how to ease leg pain. 1. Stretching. 2. Muscle massage. 3. Rest. 4. Ice to help reduce inflammation. 5. Heat to help increase blood flow to your muscles. 6. Over-the-counter (OTC) pain medicine ¡°Hmmm...¡± The trio reviewed the list, deciding how they could accomplish these tasks. Some more web searches yielded a couple of videos with leg stretches. Shouri cast the video to the room¡¯s television and they followed the instructions as they played out, albeit with many small cries of pain from them as their muscles weren¡¯t nearly as flexible thanks to yesterday¡¯s activities. ¡°Okay, next.¡± Shouri returned to their list. He played a video detailing what to do and not do when giving massages. ¡°Taika and I could give you a massage first, then me and you to Taika and Taika and you to me,¡± Pacifica suggested. ¡°Uhhh, sure.¡± Shouri nodded. He was a bit unsure, but Taika grabbed his hands. ¡°It¡¯ll be okay Sho,¡± she reassured him, ¡°I mean, all three of us sleep cuddled up right?¡± she offered. ¡°Yeah,¡± the boy chuckled sheepishly. What had his life become? Just focusing on performing the massages on each other was simple enough, though they all got flustered at the pleasured sighs each massagee was making, leaving the group feeling better physically but a bit hot from the atmosphere that had been created. ¡°I think we should try the pool,¡± Pacifica once more suggested with a big confident grin on her face. ¡°Well my legs do feel a bit better now. Just a bit heavy, but they don¡¯t hurt.¡± Shouri stroked his chin in thought. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to swim. Also don¡¯t we need bathing suits?¡± Taika asked. Pacifica deflated as the holes were poked in her logic. She didn¡¯t want to leave Taika out. ¡°I can teach you,¡± she weakly offered. ¡°I know, but I don¡¯t have a bathing suit,¡± Taika continued her protest ¡°That is a solvable problem, we¡¯re in a beach town,¡± Pacifica countered. At that point, the two Resonators turned to their Maestro. He looked between Taika¡¯s apprehension and Pacifica¡¯s hopeful gaze. ¡°Mmmrhhh...¡± He shuffled in place uncomfortably. ¡°On one hand we really shouldn¡¯t be spending any excess money until we can get some hunts under our belts.¡± Pacifica wilted instantly. ¡°But denying Pacifica chances to swim when she¡¯s a water otter seems unnecessarily cruel.¡± Said otter perked back up. ¡°I don¡¯t have to swim,¡± Taika pointed out. ¡°But I want to swim with you!¡± Pacifica hugged Taika from the side. ¡°Please! I promise I¡¯ll keep you safe!¡± The fox couldn¡¯t help but feel bad ¨C Pacifica really wanted to swim with her. She was finally worn down. ¡°F-fine...¡± she muttered. The water Resonator perked up. ¡°Yay! I promise you won¡¯t regret it!¡± Shouri chuckled, shaking his head. ¡°I guess we¡¯re going shopping then.¡± He referred to his tuner to find the nearest clothing store.
¡°Come on Taika you gotta show a little skin!¡± ¡°But why? I... don¡¯t want to, it¡¯s so embarrassing.¡± ¡°Do it for Sho!¡± ¡°For Sho?¡± ¡°Well yeah, not only to give him something alluring to look at but to make everyone jealous of him.¡± ¡°But why would other people be jealous?¡± The two Resonators were in the swimwear section of one of the many clothing stores around town. Shouri had meandered off to find a swimsuit of his own whilst the girls worked on Taika¡¯s swimsuit and Pacifica¡¯s night clothes. Pacifica wrapped an arm around Taika and extended her other arm as if beckoning to an invisible audience. ¡°Think about it ¨C they see him with us and think to themselves: ''Man, look at that dude and his two beautiful Resonators, I wish I was him.'' That¡¯s definitely what they¡¯re gonna be thinking when they see us.¡± Taika wilted. ¡°I¡¯m not beautiful.¡± ¡°Hush! Yes, you are!¡± Pacifica snapped back. ¡°You have a great body and we¡¯re gonna make it known!¡± the otter declared. ¡°Abbiate piet¨¤ di me, vi prego...¡± Pacifica picked out a few swimsuits and shoved poor Taika into one of the changing rooms. The vixen stood alone with a handful of what appeared to her as underwear, herself, and the judgmental mirror. Resigned to her fate, she decided to indulge her friend¡¯s whims and try some of them on. The first one was a pretty simple bikini, black in color. Stripping down, the fox-girl slipped into the two-piece swimsuit. ¡°She picked out the right size for me,¡± Taika noted the comfort of the fit. After just about eighteen years of having mis-fitting clothing, it had become easy for her to tell when clothes were the right size for her. But even with the correct fit Taika still felt uncomfortable. Not physically mind you, but mentally. She was basically naked! People did this?! They just walked on out into public covering only the bare essentials?! What was modern society?! ¡°Taikaaaaa I know you have one on! Come on out!¡± Pacifica sang from the other side of the door. ¡°Sei pazzo?!¡± ¡°But I want to see!¡± ¡°Allora puoi venga qui!¡± the fox hissed. ¡°Fine fine, open up and let me in.¡± Covering herself with her jacket, she let Pacifica into the dressing room. It was a bit cramped, but they made it work. Taika still shielded herself with her jacket even with the door re-locked. ¡°Lemme see,¡± Pacifica demanded. Despite her incredibly warm and red face, the vixen acquiesced to her pushy friend¡¯s demand and lowered her last line of defense. Pacifica stared. Taika was definitely as in shape as she was. Thinking about it, the lunar Resonator never talked about her past. It simply had never been brought up. However, Pacifica was smart enough to not ask. Lunars weren¡¯t treated well for the most part, and she had a sneaking suspicion that Taika wasn¡¯t so fit because she was a health nut. Upon closer inspection, she seemed a tad bit underweight. Just a bit. Shouri had mentioned that he and Taika had been together for about a month before now, and given they had been living in the lap of luxury until they began traveling, Pacifica could imagine Taika eating more than what was needed to sustain herself. The otter-girl grinned. ¡°I think you look great!¡± ¡°I¡¯m NAKED,¡± Taika countered, resisting covering herself up as hard as she could. ¡°Nuh-uh. You¡¯re wearing a bikini,¡± Pacifica pointed out. ¡°It¡¯s no different than my underwear!¡± ¡°You gotta show some skin! I mean come on, look at what I wear daily.¡± Taika looked Pacifica up and down. It was honestly quite deceiving in how her outfit was implemented. On first inspection it seemed as if she was wearing regular clothes, but on a second pass it was clear she really was just clad in swimwear, wasn¡¯t she? How was she so confident in herself that she could parade around like that... even fight? Pacifica sat on the wooden seat in the corner of the dressing room. ¡°I really do think you look great. I¡¯m not just paying you lip service.¡± Speaking so honestly from the heart hit Taika hard. Tears welled up in her eyes. These people were too much. Shouri and Pacifica ¨C they both genuinely liked her for who she was and she simply couldn¡¯t understand why. What had she done for these people to appear in her life like this? Of course, the ever-sharp Pacifica noticed her friend breaking down. ¡°Hey hey, it¡¯s okay!¡± She stood up and hugged her lunar counterpart tightly. ¡°It¡¯s in the past. We¡¯re here for you now.¡± It was so strange how Pacifica knew exactly what to say and when to say it ¨C even after only knowing Taika for less than a week. The teary vixen returned the hug, squeezing tightly and trembling. ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay. I promise it¡¯s okay,¡± Pacifica breathed out, stroking Taika¡¯s hair while keeping hold of her with her other arm. After a good cry, the two sat on the small seat in the dressing room. Taika rested her head on Pacifica¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Thank you, Pacifica...¡± Taika sniffled. ¡°It¡¯s no problem.¡± ¡°No, I mean for becoming Sho¡¯s Resonator.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I could do it alone. I wanted to be alone with him. But I couldn¡¯t protect him even two days after we were on our own,¡± she admitted quietly, pushing herself against her companion more. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°I think you¡¯re stronger than you let on.¡± Pacifica stroked the other girl¡¯s hair, a warm smile on her lips. ¡°But I can¡¯t take any of the credit. That Maestro of ours is just so strange I couldn¡¯t help myself.¡± ¡°Why do you say that?¡± Taika questioned. ¡°Well you know, he doesn¡¯t see us like tools or things; he sees a couple of girls who want to be with him. He sees us as friends.¡± She let out a contented sigh. ¡°We really struck gold.¡± ¡°You really think so?¡± ¡°I know so. I traveled a bunch, remember? I¡¯ve seen all kinds of Maestros - guys, gals, non-binary pals, the whole gambit really. There are very few like Shouri. That Makani dude from last night didn¡¯t seem bad himself, but maybe that just comes with the territory.¡± ¡°Territory?¡± Pacifica nodded. ¡°It takes a special kind of Maestro to willingly take in a lunar. It takes someone seeing you as a person and not a thing.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t met many Maestros,¡± Taika admitted. ¡°But it¡¯s been a mixed bag,¡± she added. They both sat in each other¡¯s company for a little bit. That was until they heard their beloved Maestro¡¯s voice in their heads. ¡°Hey, are you two alright?¡± ¡°Y-yeah Sho! Just still trying on swimsuits! Turn off that listener!¡± Pacifica shouted. ¡°Fine fine, was just worried.¡± ¡°We¡¯re fine I promise!¡± Pacifica exhaled. ¡°Well, this took a turn for the unexpected. But if you ever need to talk, I¡¯m here for you Taika. Please don¡¯t bottle it up.¡± The fox stared at the otter girl with bewilderment. ¡°Why are you like this?¡± she muttered. ¡°I don¡¯t like seeing my friends upset or troubled.¡± Pacifica wore a big grin as she said this. ¡°I just want what¡¯s best for my friends.¡± Taika cracked a smile. ¡°We¡¯re friends?¡± ¡°Of course silly!¡± She turned to the door, back towards her companion. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be friends with someone who saved my life?¡± And with that, Pacifica left Taika alone in the dressing room. ¡°Amiche...¡±
Shouri meanwhile was all alone. He didn¡¯t want to hang out in the women¡¯s clothes section, so he stuck to the men¡¯s. It didn¡¯t take long for him to find a swimsuit ¨C they had his preferred color and style it turned out. That left him time to meander around and browse the internet. Mainly he was studying up on water spells. ¡°Idrante, Ghiacciolo; those are the basic water and ice spells. Pacifica is piercing, so I need to watch incoming spells to make sure she doesn¡¯t take a slashing attack,¡± he noted the two spells even Pacifica herself knew. He looked up from his studies for a moment, digesting that thought while watching some of the worker Resonators fold some clothes. Returning to his tuner, Shouri continued to read on. ¡°Mani Nell''acqua is just a utility spell, no in-battle merit, but it is our ''fill water bottles'' spell, so I¡¯m sure this will level quickly,¡± another side note. ¡°Okay, Manga de Agua.¡± Now was the spell he randomly blurted out when fighting that snake Scherzando. ¡°So it does move faster and get bigger with higher ranks.¡± Moving on, the next spell on the list was: ¡°L''onda di tempesta,¡± he read aloud. That was one of the spells that they didn¡¯t end up using against the snake. ¡°Ah, this should combo nicely with Manga de Agua. This creates a river of water. Trap a target, hit it with the tornado,¡± he reasoned out. ¡°Oh, you need special modifiers for this one. Accelerando pushes the water away from the user. Rallentando pulls the water towards the user.¡± He paused. ¡°Now why doesn¡¯t the tuner list those?¡± The final spell Pacifica had in her possession was: ¡°Meravigliare Bolla.¡± This one was the most unusual of the bunch. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s meant as a combo spell. I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± he decided. Thinking about unique traits, he realized he didn¡¯t know a lot about Pacifica¡¯s unique traits as a water-otter. He already knew she could heal herself if she came in contact with water, but what else did she have? ¡°So she¡¯s faster in the water and can breathe underwater at the cost of some rhythm.¡± He did recall she was able to swim against the rapids with little problem - it certainly saved Taika''s bacon. ¡°Oh. I also get healed by water now.¡± He hadn¡¯t realized she was passing that trait to him like Taika¡¯s night vision. Certainly useful to have. Probably could have saved some rhythm in the whole kidnapper attacking them ordeal yesterday if he had realized. Pacifica was a fast attacker, especially if water got involved. Taika could support her and keep both of them healthy in battle. It was kind of nice how well the two of them could work together. It was his job as the Maestro to guide them ¨C to string together their combined pool of spells to win in combat. Yet he just couldn¡¯t yesterday against that man. Losing could have cost them everything. ¡°You ruined my life, now I¡¯m going to ruin yours.¡± The boy shuddered. Running was one hundred percent the correct choice. Pacifica was right - they weren¡¯t ready to fight him head-on yet. Taika only was able to save them before because she had the element of surprise. Even the kidnapper knew that and made sure to immediately bind up the lunar fox on the second encounter. He let out a tired sigh. They were in town now, even if that man was still chasing them, he wouldn¡¯t dare try to pull something with all these people around¡­ right? ¡°Shoooo!¡± Pacifica¡¯s voice snapped him out of his intrusive thoughts. ¡°I¡¯m over here!¡± he shouted back. Appearing from the racks of clothes was Pacifica, in her usual attire, but also an unwilling Taika, clad in swimwear of her own. ¡°I tried to get her to show more skin, but alas.¡± Pacifica held the back of her hand to her forehead dramatically. The vixen herself refused to comment as Shouri scrutinized her choice of swimwear. She was wearing a black, sleeveless crop top with a matching skirt, though the skirt had crescent moon patterns decorating it. Much more modest than he was expecting given Pacifica¡¯s fashion sense. Though on closer inspection the whole outfit seemed to be made of that meshy swimsuit material. The final thing he noticed was the longer he stared at Taika, the more she began to fidget in place. ¡°Is that even swimwear?¡± Shouri questioned, shooting a skeptical glance at Pacifica ¡°Absolutely!¡± the water-elemental insisted. To demonstrate this point, she lifted both the crop top and skirt, showing that the fabric was covering a more traditional-looking bikini set. More specifically the extra fabric was sewn to the actual ¡°swimsuit¡± part of the clothing. ¡°Ti prego non fare cos¨¬, Pacifica!!¡± Taika screeched, yanking her clothes back down and trying not to die from embarrassment ¡°You can at least let our Maestro appreciate you,¡± Pacifica grumbled as an aside. Shouri cleared his throat loudly, attempting to disregard the otter¡¯s comment. ¡°Anyways, is that what you want Taika?¡± A moment of hesitation. ¡°Si...¡± A short nod from the Maestro. ¡°And what about you ¨C got good night clothes?¡± He turned to Pacifica. ¡°Yes sir!¡± She held up a pair of baby blue pajamas adorned with seashells. ¡°Cool. I got my swim trunks too.¡± He held up a pair of green and white swim shorts. Taika and Pacifica stared at the shorts, both of their minds running amok with impure thoughts. To say they were both excited to go swimming now was an understatement. Much to Pacifica¡¯s disappointment; Taika refused to leave the store wearing the swimsuit. So after a short trip back to the dressing rooms, they made their way up to the front to pay for their purchases. The employee scanned the selections, only pausing when they reached Taika¡¯s swimsuit. ¡°Hmph, interesting,¡± they commented to themselves, whilst seeming to minimize their contact with the garments in question. Pacifica caught the inflection and went to give a heated comment of her own, but Shouri stopped her just in time. She settled on glaring down the worker, instead. ¡°Why are people so frustrating!?¡± Pacifica finally let loose once they were out of the store. ¡°It¡¯s not that big of a deal. I¡¯m used to it,¡± Taika muttered. Though she said this, her ears were folded back and her tail wrapped around her leg. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have to be used to it!¡± Pacifica grabbed Taika¡¯s shoulders. Her eyes glowed with a slight red tint to them. After a moment of contemplation, she just hugged Taika, refusing to let her go. ¡°It¡¯s not fair.¡± Taika hugged Pacifica back. ¡°It¡¯s enough knowing some people care,¡± she whispered. Pacifica squeezed tighter. Shouri himself was just as frustrated as Pacifica. It just wasn¡¯t consistent. Some people were perfectly fine with Taika and others turned their noses up at her as if she was any less of a person than any other Resonator. It was exhausting. He joined the group hug, much to the delight of his two Resonators. It didn¡¯t matter what other people thought. He was happy with his friends and that¡¯s what truly mattered.
Given how late it was by the time they got back to the MA office and how they had exacerbated the stiffness of their legs, they decided to take it easy for the night and try again in the morning. Pacifica didn¡¯t argue with the continuation of the sleeping arrangements that night. However, as she fell asleep that night, she finally understood a part of her parent¡¯s relationship. Being close to your Maestro was nice... heavenly even. Chapter 15 The following morning, Pacifica was up bright and early and made sure the rest of the room knew she was READY. Begrudgingly, Shouri and Taika rose from the depths of their slumber. Much to the otter''s chagrin, her traveling companions wanted to satiate their hunger rather than their thirst for swimming. Ultimately they grabbed a quick breakfast from the vending machine before returning to their room to prepare for their swim day in earnest. ¡°Non ho intenzione di uscire!¡± Taika cried out from the bathroom. ¡°Come on! You were fine in the store yesterday!¡± Pacifica protested. Shouri sat on one of the chairs in their room at the MA Office, checking on the news with one of his tuners whilst the girls argued. Notably, he had already changed into his swim trunks. ¡°¨¨ facile da dire, per te!¡± the fox continued to protest. Pacifica frowned hard, glaring at the door. Suddenly a wicked thought came to mind. ¡°Okay fine, Sho and I will head down to the pool ourselves,¡± the otter simpered. Shouri raised an eyebrow but didn¡¯t move or even offer any input. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t-!¡± ¡°Look, all I know girl is I¡¯m gonna have a wonderful time with our Maestro. Have fun staring at the same four walls for the next three hours!¡± The door suddenly opened. Despite all her protesting, Taika did change back into her swimsuit. ¡°But we¡¯re changing back when we get done.¡± Taika held up her clothes. ¡°Wonderful. Let¡¯s get going.¡± Shouri rose from his chair, grabbing his towel. Leaving the room, Pacifica took the lead, with Shouri behind her, and Taika bringing up the rear. Trailing behind, the lunar fox narrowed her eyes. Shouri was shirtless and Pacifica was always dressed in swimwear. How was it so easy for them? Did they have no shame?! She bitterly thought to herself. ¡°It¡¯s fine Taika,¡± Pacifica spoke aloud, causing the trailing vixen to jump. ¡°¨¨ solo che ho le mie regole, ok?¡± Taika grumbled. ¡°Girl, there¡¯s having standards and then there¡¯s being a prude,¡± the otter chuckled, earning an annoyed groan from her lunar counterpart. ¡°Girls behave,¡± Shouri chided them. The pool was in the illustrious ¡°Building C¡±, which required they cross the entire property to get to. A couple of nature element Resonators working for the MA office were wandering about, despite the heat, making sure the lawn was nice and healthy. ¡°Yeah, this sucks,¡± Shouri complained, trudging under the noon-time sun to reach their goal. ¡°Why did they put it on the other side of the damn world?¡± Pacifica whimpered. ¡°Io brucio, tu bruci, egli brucia, noi bruciamo...¡± Taika panted out. She was lugging her and Shouri¡¯s clothes in their backpack, and it wasn¡¯t helping the heat situation. Finally reaching their destination, the trio lit up (most of all Pacifica) at what they had found. There were no less than four full swimming pools, several hot tubs, and couple smaller wading pools. It was almost like a water park in scale. The majority of people here were water Resonators and their Maestros, with some other elements mixed in. The lifeguards on duty consisted of a Maestro and a squad of three water elements scattered about the facility. They were identifiable by the bright yellow and red swim clothing adorned with the word "GUARD". Other than that, there was a distinct lack of fire and lightning elements, but that was expected given their particular affinities to water as a whole. Pacifica was nearly vibrating with excitement, but also she wanted to be with her friends, so she instead grabbed both Shouri and Taika¡¯s hands and pulled them towards the pools, muttering ¡°Oh boy¡± repeatedly. ¡°Let¡¯s put our stuff up first at least!¡± Shouri yelped, noting how rapidly they were approaching water. ¡°I¡¯m too young to die!¡± Taika cried out. The first stop was the hot tubs. Given how warm it was outside already, these were vacant. Pacifica sat on the edge and removed her sandals. Spinning around she dipped her feet in the water. ¡°Oh yeah... that¡¯s the ticket...¡± She was already melting with only being a tiny way in the water. ¡°It¡¯s great!¡± She turned back to her companions who were putting away their ¡°beach bag¡± and shoes. Shouri walked up next to Pacifica and sat next to her. ¡°Surprised you didn¡¯t jump in,¡± he chuckled. She took that as a challenge. ¡°Bet?¡± SPLASH ¡°Achichichi!¡± She surfaced and rushed to the side of the hot tub. ¡°Hot?¡± Shouri asked failing to suppress his laughter. ¡°A LITTLE,¡± Pacifica shouted. The Maestro slid in, sitting next to his Resonator. ¡°Oh yeah, needed this bad.¡± He let out a pleasured sigh, finally being allowed to truly relax for the first time in days. Taika fidgeted with the edge of her skirt, looking to and fro and making small whimpers of uncertainty. ¡°Come on in Taika, it¡¯s shallow enough to stand, you¡¯ll be fine,¡± Pacifica urged her friend to join them in the soothing waters of the public hot tub. The fox-girl continued to shuffle outside the tiny pool nervously. Pacifica grinned, knowing exactly how to get her in. ¡°Okay, suit yourself.¡± Pacifica reached around and wrapped her arm around Shouri¡¯s shoulder, pulling him closer to her. ¡°Isn¡¯t this comfy Sho?¡± she asked loudly. ¡°The water in this hot tub has been warmed to a comfortable level, yes,¡± he stated in the most dead-pan voice he could muster. ¡°She¡¯s never gonna fall for it if you say it like that!¡± Pacifica hissed. ¡°She can do what she wants. If she doesn¡¯t want to swim, deal with it,¡± Shouri hissed back. ¡°W-well! I¡¯m still gonna have fun with you then!¡± It was at that point that Taika had sat next to Shouri, opposite Pacifica, and leaned on him. ¡°This is nice,¡± she squeaked. ¡°Aaaah Taika!¡± Pacifica squealed, delighted that her friend was joining them. And so, the two girls leaned up against their Maestro, resting their heads on the shoulder closest to them. Seeing how he was going to be here awhile, he fished one of the tuners off his side and resumed reading. A few people passed by and noted between themselves the position Shouri was in. The Maestro himself didn¡¯t hear the comments, but the two girls bearing the animal ears certainly did ¨C eliciting a smug, victorious smirk from Pacifica and flustering Taika. (Neither gave up their respective positions.) After getting their fill of the hot tub, the party moved on to the main event: swimming. Shouri just dove in and began swimming across the pool. ¡°Ooh, good form,¡± Pacifica noted. ¡°Wait here Taika.¡± And then Pacifica dove into the pool, shooting towards their Maestro like a rocket. Poor Taika was just left alone with her thoughts and the pool itself. It was just so easy for them to swim. Looking up, she saw Shouri atop Pacifica¡¯s back, being paraded around. This was just something the young lunar had to accept. Water would be part of her life as long as Pacifica was with them, and Pacifica has implied she has no reason to leave Shouri¡¯s care. Taika had to just get used to it and learn to swim. Now if only her instructor was present to teach. An annoyed glance was cast towards the end of the pool where Pacifica was surely violating some kind of public display of affection rule. Glancing down laid the chlorinated water of the pool, and thankfully they started the water-wary vixen at the stairs. The only way she would get a piece of the shirtless Maestro pie was to go over there. And the obvious thing was to walk in; it seemed shallow enough at a glance. She could probably walk most of the way over to where Pacifica and Shouri were playing. Grabbing the handrail she took her first steps in. Cold, it was cold. But she did just get out of a hot tub, so it was just her body adjusting to the new temperature dynamic. Step step step Down the pool stairs, she descended with the water rising up her legs, and finally her hips. She trembled as the water invaded her tail-fur. Trying to ignore that sensation, she continued walking towards the deep end of the pool. It was a difficult endeavor wading through the pool water, but it was still manageable. Glancing back up again, Pacifica was still having a great time carrying an annoyed Shouri around. While Taika didn¡¯t think she could accomplish the same task as her well-trained counterpart, she would have appreciated some attention, especially since Pacifica was the one who offered to teach her how to swim. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Finally, Pacifica caught sight of Taika, right as the fox sunk under the water. Turns out there was a sudden drop-off between the shallow and deep ends of the pool that the non-swimmer hadn¡¯t expected. Within seconds Taika was above water again on Pacifica¡¯s back, coughing up a storm. ¡°Sorry sorry sorry!¡± Pacifica fretted while bringing Taika back to safer waters. She set her lunar friend down on the steps and sat next to her. ¡°Why did you try walking in the deep end?¡± Pacifica questioned. ¡°You left me so I wanted to come after you,¡± Taika replied, before coughing some more. The otter wilted. ¡°Sorry,¡± she mumbled. Shouri floated on his back, reading another article on his tuner. He glanced over at the pair. Flipping on the talk button on Pacifica¡¯s tuner specifically, he whispered into her mind. ¡°Told ya.¡± Shouri had been asking Pacifica to go teach Taika to swim as she promised but kept getting blown off. Pacifica felt even worse hearing that from her Maestro, but she couldn¡¯t be mad at him ¨C she deserved the reprimand. ¡°Okay, I promise I won¡¯t let our shirtless Maestro distract me again. I¡¯m going to make you water-safe by the end of the day,¡± Pacifica declared. And so the swimming lessons began! Pacifica was quite thorough with her teaching, beginning with showing Taika how to move her arms above the water. Then she moved on to having the learner kick her legs while holding on to the side of the pool. Next was getting used to not having the ground under her. Pacifica had Taika lower herself in the water in such a way that her feet were off the pool floor and she was floating. This took a couple of tries to accomplish since Taika panicked with nothing underneath her, but with some gentle reassurance, she managed this feat. Finally, it was time to piece it all together. They started on one end of the pool and the two girls swam across the width of the pool. At the end of it, they stood up straight. ¡°You did it Taika!¡± Pacifica cheered, hugging her friend tightly. ¡°I did.¡± Taika couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°That¡¯s the basics, we can practice in the shallow end until you feel comfortable enough to swim in the deeper parts of the pool, but when you can you can do this!¡± And then it was time for Pacifica to show off again ¨C she dove into the water and flew through the water at an incredible speed. She circled the perimeter of the pool, then grabbed Shouri from underneath where he was floating and pulled him to Taika. ¡°Ta-da!¡± She shouted, holding Shouri from behind. ¡°I doubt I could do all of that.¡± Taika chuckled nervously. ¡°Indeed,¡± Shouri grumbled, returning the tuner he was reading to his side. Deciding they had enough swimming for the day, the trio returned to the lockers where Shouri and Taika had put their things earlier on in the day. The entire time Pacifica and Taika were attached to the respective arms they had claimed from their Maestro. They stood in front of the lockers. ¡°Girls,¡± he raised his voice. ¡°One more minute.¡± Pacifica rubbed her cheek against his arm. ¡°This etude stuff is nice,¡± she clarified. ¡°Maybe two more minutes Sho,¡± Taika cooed. The Maestro grew irritable, he just wanted to go relax in their room. He tugged on his arms, but that only caused the two Resonators to cling tighter. He relaxed for a second to give himself more wiggle room and yanked both of his arms away. ¡°Aw come on!¡± Pacifica pouted. ¡°I wasn¡¯t done yet,¡± Taika whined. Despite the protesting, Shouri grabbed his clothes and departed for the men¡¯s changing rooms. Taika went on the right. Pacifica waited outside between the two rooms for her friends to change back to their streetwear. Shouri returned first. Pacifica, still charged from earlier decided she wanted more and immediately tried to latch onto her Maestro¡¯s arm. However, a rather sinister smirk rose upon Shouri¡¯s lips. Turning on his heel, he gently batted away Pacifica¡¯s arm and pinned her to the lockers. There was a moment of shock, but then she saw the expression he wore. ¡°Sh-sho...uri...?¡± the otter-girl stammered out, her face reddening. The look he was giving her, was so... indecent. ¡°Oh Pacifica, you¡¯ve had all kinds of fun today,¡± Shouri spoke breathily. Pacifica whimpered quietly, failing to control her breathing. She jumped as he used his free hand to trace up her neck and behind her head, holding her in place as he drew close. His head hovered next to hers, she could feel his breath on her neck. What was happening?! What was he going to do to her? ¡°I¡¯m sure you wouldn¡¯t mind giving these people a show,¡± he chuckled, ¡°You¡¯d put on quite the performance.¡± Pacifica shivered, unable to form words, her entire face was completely beet-red. ¡°N-no Shou...ri...¡± she managed to get out. He stepped away from her per her request. ¡°Okay,¡± he tittered, satisfied with that. Pacifica¡¯s legs finally gave out and she slumped to the ground, covering her immeasurably warm face. Taika however, had returned at this point and bore witness to the entire thing. Her expression was shifting between anger, embarrassment, and jealousy. With a resigned sigh, he decided to head this problem off at the pass. He stepped towards Taika who backed up. She too hit the lockers, and then she too found herself restrained against the lockers by their Maestro. He gently pushed her chin up with his free hand. Drawing close, their lips nearly touched, causing Taika to close her eyes with fearful anticipation. However, Shouri diverted course before impact, hovering just over her ear. She squeaked at the sudden feeling of his breath, keeping her eyes shut tightly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong my little vixen? Did you think I forgot about you?¡± he sensually whispered. She felt him wrap his arms around the small of her back and pull her closer to him. ¡°Perhaps, we could show these fools the passionate love of a Lunar?¡± he continued to speak with his breath. ¡°N-non...¡± she whimpered. ¡°Alright.¡± He released the girl, who barely managed to keep her balance before she joined Pacifica on the ground in a puddle of fluster. ¡°Come now girls, our room awaits,¡± Shouri chuckled, starting to walk away. ¡°F-fuck you Sho...¡± Pacifica uttered, sniffling a bit. ¡°Gli piace solo stuzzicare...¡± Taika trembled.
Shouri laid on the bed alone, flipping through the channels to find something to watch on the television. Taika and Pacifica were there, lying on the floor in defeat. They were both utterly humiliated and upon further reflection, they deserved it. Well, at least Pacifica deserved it. Taika was punished for crimes yet to be committed. Either way, they both felt the same. Deep in both of their hearts, they were aligned on one thing: they liked seeing that seductive side of Shouri. The way he looked and toyed with them both to turn them into a puddle of mush on the ground. Just thinking about it elicited such a rush in the pair. Exhausted from today¡¯s activities, the group opted out of work tonight but agreed they had to get work done tomorrow for sure. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m gonna hit the hay,¡± Shouri announced, flicking the television and bedside lamps off. Having only just gotten over their prior embarrassment, Pacifica and Taika reluctantly crawled into bed with their Maestro. ¡°Oh? Deciding to join me after all?¡± He couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. The girls curled in on themselves slightly, their faces slightly reddening. Taika moved first, hugging Shouri from the side. Pacifica didn¡¯t want to be left out and took her position opposite of her Lunar counterpart. Shouri smiled contentedly; he decided to give them a bit of a treat and gently scratched the base of their ears. ¡°Sho...¡± Pacifica cooed. ¡°That¡¯s good...¡± Taika let out a pleasured sigh. Another day ended with the trio falling fast asleep together. Chapter 16 Morning arose, and with it, Shouri and his two Resonators. This particular spring morning, the Maestro and his otter were out on the prowl. ¡°So apparently this one has a cafeteria in building B,¡± Shouri told Pacifica as they made their way over to the building in question. ¡°Would have been nice to know after we spent a couple of days living off of vending machines and shitty fast food,¡± the boy grumbled. The otter-girl had more pressing concerns, glancing back towards building A where they had come from. ¡°Are you sure it was okay to leave Taika alone?¡± Shouri exhaled sharply. ¡°No, not really. But she insisted.¡± Pacifica noted his pace was a lot faster than normal ¨C it was clear he wanted to get back to their room quickly. Pacifica wilted slightly. ¡°She knows better than us how people look at her,¡± the otter muttered. ¡°I guess she didn¡¯t want to deal with it this morning,¡± she surmised. ¡°That or she didn¡¯t want us to have to deal with it,¡± Shouri grumbled irritably. ¡°Either way, we¡¯re gonna get in and get out. Breakfast food doesn¡¯t keep well.¡± He picked up the pace further. "You could have just sent me to pick it up," Pacifica pointed out, matching his pace. "No, I''m not making either of you be my errand girls, I can do my fair share of the work," the Maestro insisted as they entered the building. Pacifica sensed there was more to it than that, but she didn''t have the courage to be nosy right now and quietly complied. Building B had the standard gym area, but on the east side of the building, there was also a cafeteria as promised. Plenty of tables to sit and eat at, and as one would expect of an MA office of this size, nearly all the tables were full of people. Shouri grabbed a tray, while Pacifica grabbed two. Given the number of people expected to go through this canteen each day, the food was served in a buffet style with grab-n-go options aplenty. There appeared to be a head cafeteria lady, a Maestro, who oversaw a squad of Resonators who worked under her, serving the actual food. Shouri grew annoyed as they waited in line. Not because of the line itself but because of a behavioral change he noticed from the Maestros around him ¨C he wasn¡¯t getting any dirty looks or the like. All because the Resonator that was standing next to him was a water-element instead of lunar. He had Taika¡¯s tuner in his pocket, so it was out of immediate sight, while Pacifica¡¯s water blue tuner was proudly displayed on his waist. It was beyond frustrating. Escaping the clutches of the food service department, Shouri immediately began to complain. ¡°God people are so infuriating!¡± he let loose. ¡°Yeah... I noticed it too.¡± Pacifica acknowledged the difference in their treatment. ¡°I never realized it was this bad,¡± she admitted. ¡°Taika and I were jumped a couple of days after we got together,¡± he told Pacifica. ¡°Oh my god really?!¡± The otter girl gasped in astonishment. ¡°Yeah. Thankfully my sister stepped in and kicked the dude¡¯s ass, but we have garnered our fair share of negative attention.¡± ¡°Awful. Why are people like that?¡± ¡°You got me.¡± Returning to their room, the trio ate breakfast in peace. Ultimately, they decided to just spend the day in their room relaxing, something they hadn¡¯t been able to do in several days. Shouri opened his eyes at one point. The television was playing some kind of mid-day infomercial, Pacifica and Taika were both fast asleep, on either side of him, draped over him. Their hands were interlinked and resting on his stomach. Both girls were content it seemed. What a lovely dream, he thought before drifting back to sleep himself. Pacifica awoke next. She had fallen asleep? The orange hue in the sky told her the truth of the matter: they had slept the entire day away. Either way, she found she was with her two favorite people in the world. How quickly she had become attached to them. It had been just about a week now and she couldn''t dream of traveling alone again. She squeezed Taika¡¯s hand tightly, which caused the Lunar fox to adjust herself on the opposite side of their Maestro (though said fox-girl remained asleep). She jumped slightly as she felt Shouri stroke her hair. ¡°You up?¡± he whispered. ¡°Yeah,¡± she whispered back ¡°Feeling up to work tonight?¡± She nuzzled the arm underneath her head. ¡°Definitely. I feel good right now,¡± she cooed. ¡°I¡¯m glad.¡± The Maestro smiled warmly. He started stroking Taika¡¯s ears to get her up. Immediately it seemed to put her in a good mood as she awoke from her slumber. A groggy smile arose on her lips. ¡°Buongiorno...¡± the lunar fox breathed out, her eyes half open. ¡°We¡¯re gonna work tonight,¡± Shouri told her. ¡°Good.¡± She hugged Shouri tightly. And with that, the trio got ready to tackle the night. Shouri was at the desk with both tuners on the spell screens once again refreshing himself on what exactly they had available. Taika sat on the bed, brushing her freshly washed tail. Pacifica emerged from her shower, dripping water all over the carpet as she let out a pleasured sigh. ¡°I hope you dried off some first,¡± Shouri spoke up, though keeping his attention on the two devices in front of them. ¡°Erk!¡± Pacifica stepped back into the bathroom to properly dry off. Taika couldn¡¯t help but giggle.
With everyone ready to go, they stepped out of their room. ¡°I just hope this is like Riva Solare,¡± Taika voiced her concern. ¡°Yeah?¡± Pacifica looked to her lunar counterpart as they made their way out of the MA Office ¡°Everyone there was so friendly. It was nice.¡± Pacifica rubbed Taika¡¯s back. ¡°It¡¯s okay. If nothing else you have me and Sho.¡± Taika smiled warmly. ¡°Yeah...¡± Leaving the MA campus, the trio made their way down the streets. They hadn¡¯t gotten too much exploring done of Riva Sranvi, but they found it was your typical beach-side city. The ocean was in plain view to the west and there were plenty of shops ready to take advantage of all the tourism. The hunter-base camp turned out to be in the opposite direction, much to the water-loving Pacifica¡¯s dismay. They once again found themselves in a large field flanked by a forested area. Even with the sun just dipping below the horizon, there was activity aplenty. Like the Riva Solare hunting site, water seemed to be the name of the game ¨C plenty of water and earth Resonators about. Fire and Lunar seemed to be absent here, while there was a small mix of the remaining elements. Elemental census aside, Taika¡¯s tail began to wag excitedly as she could smell food in the distance. There were all kinds of booths and stalls peddling various Resonator-wares, and of course food stalls for the hungry Maestros and Resonators alike. The first order of business was unfortunately just that ¨C business. The trio waited in the sign-up line. Shouri kept his gaze on one of the two tuners he possessed, while the two girls behind him excitedly took in all the visual stimuli. These gatherings tended to be rife with activity, bordering on sensory overload. Eventually, it was their turn. The person manning the station noticed the two girls behind the Maestro. ¡°Tuners please.¡± Shouri handed over the pair of devices and they were scanned in. ¡°Healer huh?¡± The worker noted. ¡°Are healers rare?¡± Shouri questioned. ¡°Less rare and more of high in demand.¡± They shrugged. ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°At any rate, we¡¯ll put you in the main group ¨C we only have a reserve healer right now, so I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll appreciate having you there.¡± ¡°Sure sure.¡± Shouri nodded. And with that, they had their assignment. ¡°Now what?¡± Pacifica asked as they left the booth. It was her first time being a part of one of these after all. ¡°We wander around for like an hour or so until the main event,¡± Shouri told the Resonator. ¡°Oh! Can we get food!?¡± The otter bounced in excitement. Shouri chuckled. He didn¡¯t have to even ask Taika her thoughts, her tail was wagging as hard as she could will it to. ¡°Yes yes.¡± Perusing the food stands offered many options for the hungry trio. Many local specialties were of course on full display, but some traveling merchants displayed their own region¡¯s specialties with pride. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Taika asked fluttering towards a particular stall. The trio watched the chef behind the counter pour some batter into a skillet filled with oil. Then he flipped the cooking batter after about two minutes, and two more minutes had him plating the strange dish. It was golden brown and had a lovely scent to it. The final touch was a healthy coating of powdered sugar. ¡°What is it?¡± Pacifica and Taika asked, voices filled with wonder. ¡°Funnel cake,¡± Shouri answered. ¡°Want one?¡± he asked ¨C though he didn¡¯t need to as the two girl¡¯s eyes were locked on the sweet treat. ¡°We¡¯ll take one,¡± Shouri spoke up for the group. Food secured; they found a bench to sit down while they consumed their purchase. Shouri¡¯s lap was the designated table while Taika and Pacifica flanked his sides. ¡°Ahhhh, it¡¯s so warm and sweet...¡± Taika spoke with her mouth full of the cake. ¡°I love this,¡± Pacifica similarly forgot her manners and spoke while still eating. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve had some,¡± Shouri remembered his manners unlike his two Resonators, and spoke with an empty mouth. Pacifica looked to her Maestro ¨C that was an intriguing comment. ¡°From what you¡¯ve told me, you came from a pretty hoity-toity household,¡± she noted, ¡°But you seem super down to earth. A lot of rich people I met don¡¯t seem to grasp common things as well.¡± Shouri pondered that thought ¨C one he hadn¡¯t considered. ¡°Yeah, I guess I¡¯m just built different.¡± He shrugged. ¡°But in all honesty, it¡¯s probably because I went to public school rather than private school.¡± ¡°Oh really? I didn¡¯t have a Maestro so my parents had to hire a tutor for me,¡± Pacifica told her new friends. ¡°Me too,¡± Taika chimed in, though there was a certain darkness to those two words. Pacifica picked up on it but decided now wasn¡¯t the time for it. ¡°What was public school like?¡± The otter changed the subject to distract from Taika¡¯s response. The Maestro hummed in thought before answering. ¡°I guess if I had to say I¡¯m glad I went,¡± he decided after a moment of thought. ¡°My parents¡¯ wealth is first generation ¨C it wasn¡¯t handed down to them. So I guess they just sent us to Public schooling since that¡¯s what they knew.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Though Aura ended up hanging around with sketchy crowds and I got a bit of a ¡°commoner¡¯s taste¡± as it were ¨C I think they regretted that decision.¡± He paused. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d be thankful for the education I got.¡± He smiled. ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Taika blurted out. Shouri smiled at her. ¡°I dunno, it¡¯s just a feeling.¡± He ruffled her hair, eliciting a giggle from the vixen. Pacifica knew better though ¨C it was a formative experience; one that shaped him into the caring person he was today. The kind of person who would take in a Lunar despite knowing how society viewed them. He was a lot like her in a sense. Money and luxuries didn¡¯t matter at the end of the day. Just being around friends was what made getting up in the morning worth it, or at least that¡¯s how she felt about it.
¡°It was this way right?¡± Pacifica asked, being led along by Taika. ¡°I hope so, this is where all the other Maestros were going.¡± Shouri looked around the path they were currently walking. The forest path they were on was dark. There were small lights from other Maestros guiding the way, but it wasn¡¯t nearly enough to get Pacifica through the forest without tripping on things. The solution was for Taika to hold onto Pacifica¡¯s hand and guide her along since the water elemental wasn¡¯t blessed by the night vision shared between Taika and Shouri. Finally making it to the clearing, they found the other Maestros gathered around, idly chatting amongst themselves. Shouri didn¡¯t know exactly what they were supposed to be doing and kind of hung around the edge of the group. After the last treatment they got from the Maestros at Mt. Wynding, he felt a bit shy walking up. At the very least he could get a good idea of how much work was available for this evening. Pulling Taika¡¯s tuner from his waist, he whispered a command: ¡°Rilevare l''intenzione, Lento.¡± Taika jumped at the rhythm suddenly connecting with her. Pacifica watched her fellow Resonator raise two fingers and place them against her temple. ¡°There¡¯s a lot here Sho.¡± She suddenly trembled. ¡°SHO!¡± she cried out. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Such a loud cry earned the attention of the rest of the Maestros present. Shouri disregarded the stares of the masses, however, having grabbed his Resonator¡¯s shoulders. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a really big one. A huge one out there.¡± A thick sweat coated the girl as she trembled slightly and struggled to control her breathing. ¡°I¡¯ve never felt anything like this,¡± she whispered. ¡°Excuse me.¡± The trio turned to see one of the other Maestros had approached. ¡°Is she a Lunar?¡± they asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± Shouri held an arm in front of her, grabbing Pacifica¡¯s tuner with his free hand. ¡°Woah, it¡¯s okay bud! I didn¡¯t mean anything ill by that. Did you have her use the detection spell?¡± the other Maestro inquired. ¡°I did.¡± He remained skeptical. ¡°Could we see the map data please?¡± Shouri¡¯s frown sharpened. It seemed like an honest request. ¡°It¡¯s okay Sho. I think we can trust him,¡± Pacifica whispered to her Maestro. Letting out a sigh, he acquiesced. ¡°Come on, join us. I swear we don¡¯t bite.¡± The Maestro led them over to the main group. ¡°Cera, who¡¯s he?¡± a particularly large Resonator asked, pointing at Shouri and his two Resonators. The Resonator in question was massive, easily clearing both the heights and weights of all present. Atop his head sat two fluffy circular ears, with a tiny fluffy tail poking out from behind him. ¡°Good question ¨C who are y''all? My name¡¯s Cera, this big cuddly bear is Saul.¡± He patted his much bulkier Resonator¡¯s back. The difference in frames between Maestro and Resonator was hysterical in all honesty. Cera was a lithe man on the shorter side, with Saul being monstrously massive, though the way the bear-man stood made one think there may not be much going on in that head of his. ¡°Shouri.¡± He motioned to the two girls behind him. ¡°Taika.¡± ¡°Pacifica, nice to meetcha!¡± Cera nodded. ¡°Nice crew you have.¡± He cradled his own green tuner, regarding it for a moment before addressing the point. ¡°We don¡¯t get many Lunars out here, but we treat them right when we do. Makes life easier,¡± the man told the newcomers. ¡°Especially with our current situation.¡± He glanced back towards a mountain that loomed in the distance. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Shouri inquired. ¡°Well, Taika there already picked it up: there¡¯s a Big Scherzando that¡¯s taken up residence in the mountain. Makin¡¯ it real dangerous.¡± The man shuffled a bit uneasily. ¡°Unfortunately, it has a body count.¡± Shouri hummed in thought, that certainly was odd. ¡°If it has killed people why hasn¡¯t anyone else gotten involved?¡± He raised the obvious question ¡°Like who?¡± Cera queried back. ¡°Military, Grand Masters, Guilds, anyone really?¡± Shouri shot in the dark. ¡°Yeah, question of the hour. We have regional champs and such, but none of them have lifted a finger.¡± He glanced over at the rest of the group. They all seemed uneasy about the idea of hunting a Big Scherzando. ¡°If we can get a few more Maestros, we could probably bring it down.¡± Cera patted his Resonator¡¯s back. ¡°This big guy isn¡¯t for show, he¡¯s a hell of a fighter,¡± he added. Shouri looked back to Pacifica and Taika. They both glared at him determinedly and nodded. ¡°We¡¯re not that strong, but we can at least give you support. Taika is a healer and if nothing else I can have Pacifica try to tag it from a safe distance,¡± Shouri suggested. Cera stroked his chin in thought. ¡°We can talk later; I think the rest of the guys and gals here want to get to the actual hunting.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t feel like we¡¯re really doing much Sho,¡± Pacifica whispered to her Maestro. As it turned out, this Cera character and his bear Resonator, Saul were vastly more powerful than Shouri and either of his Resonators. ¡°Colpo di vite, Fortissimo!¡± Cera called out. Saul formed a thick vine out of his Maestro¡¯s rhythm and easily crushed several Scherzando that had decided to attack. ¡°Fantastic!¡± Cera pat his bear¡¯s back. ¡°Where¡¯s the next group?¡± he asked Shouri. ¡°Right.¡± Shouri nodded slowly. He looked to Taika, who perked up from her slump of boredom. ¡°Rilevare l''intenzione, Lento,¡± he requested of her. She nodded slowly and with her spell, the maps were updated across all the tuners nearby. Cera pored over the current data, grinning and nodding. ¡°Thanks, buddy! Let¡¯s keep moving!¡± He pointed the group forward. ¡°We¡¯re not gonna make any money like this Sho,¡± Pacifica complained to her Maestro. ¡°I mean we get a bit with each Rilevare l''intenzione, but yeah, I¡¯d like to be something more than a glorified tracking device,¡± he grumbled. ¡°Colpo di vite, Fortissimo!¡± With a heavy thud, Saul easily dispatched with the next group of Scherzando. ¡°Great! Great!¡± Cera congratulated his Resonator on a job well done. ¡°So the next-¡± Pacifica finally had enough: ¡°Hey!¡± she barked. Cera was surprised by the sudden shout. ¡°Pacifica, right?¡± the other Maestro asked. ¡°Yeah! Let us get some of the action!¡± she insisted. The nature Maestro and his large Resonator exchanged a glance. ¡°Oh, we were doing it again weren¡¯t we buddy?¡± he asked his Resonator. ¡°Ah, yup I think we were,¡± Saul replied after a long moment of thought. Cera let out a carefree laugh. ¡°Okay okay, we¡¯ll back you up on the next few groups. Don¡¯t want to be a poor host.¡± Taking the lead finally, Shouri glanced over to his otter. ¡°Thanks, Pacifica,¡± he muttered. ¡°It¡¯s okay Sho.¡± She wrapped her arm around his neck. ¡°I¡¯ll be your voice,¡± she tittered. Taika turned her head away from the blatant display of affection right next to her. Pacifica felt the dark cloud emanating from her friend and pivoted around Shouri to pull Taika in. ¡°And Taika can rescue us when we inevitably get in over our heads,¡± Pacifica added. The lunar fox broke into a small smile, grateful to be included. They came upon a group of Scherzando. Before Shouri could even draw his tuners, Cera spoke first: ¡°Funghi Magici, Legato!¡± Taika was immediately transfixed by the spell, as glowing mushrooms sprouted up amongst the Scherzando¡¯s ranks and spread their spores, causing them to slump over. Shouri noted the new spell added to Taika¡¯s available spell list. ¡°Consider it an apology for taking up so many Scherzando before.¡± Cera winked at the other Maestro. It would certainly be useful, though resisted by Nature and Lunar elements being the dual element spell of those elements. He shook his head and focused ¨C Cera was hanging back to let them get some money and experience. ¡°Taika, grab Pacifica¡¯s hand,¡± he instructed. The two Resonators looked at each other, perplexed at the order, but obeyed their Maestro¡¯s command. ¡°Luce Lunare, Pianissimo Staccato! Meravigliare Bolla, Presto Staccato!¡± Rather than the usual orbs of Lunar energy that Taika was expecting, she found when creating the spell nothing was happening ¨C at least at first appearance. It turned out Pacifica¡¯s spell revealed the fate of the orbs of Lunar energy: they were being stored in little bubbles ¡°Oh!¡± Cera gasped. ¡°So that¡¯s what that meant,¡± Shouri muttered, seeing a dozen or so bubbles all loaded with Luce Lunare. ¡°Sotto!¡± he called out. ¡°Pacifica, Ghiacciolo Pianissimo Staccato!¡± Pacifica got the gist of what Shouri was going for and formed a cluster of icy needles between her fingers. With a flick of her wrist, she launched her ice needles towards the slumbering Scherzando. The needles not only hit their mark but on the way shredded through the bubbles containing Taika¡¯s Luce Lunare spells, finishing off the weakened Scherzando in one devastating attack. ¡°Ooooh.¡± Both Taika and Pacifica clapped at their success. Cera also shared in the applause. ¡°That¡¯s the ticket! Way to go!¡± he cheered. ¡°Let¡¯s keep going!¡± And so the night wore on with the group taking on several more groups of Scherzando before deciding to call it. ¡°Well, I guess thanks for the carry,¡± Shouri mumbled to Cera awkwardly. ¡°No problemo! If you¡¯re serious about helping take out that big Scherzando in the mountains, I¡¯d be glad to have your help.¡± Cera offered his counterpart. Shouri glanced back to Taika and Pacifica; who were more exhausted from their battles tonight than anything. ¡°We¡¯ll consider it,¡± he decided for now. ¡°Either way. I live here so I¡¯d rather not have a bloodthirsty Scherzando snacking on my friends and family,¡± he stated his stake in the matter. ¡°Come on Saul, let¡¯s go get some burgers.¡± And with that, Shouri and his Resonators were freed from the social contract that was Cera¡¯s personality (for now). A loud sigh emanated from the trio. ¡°He¡¯s exhausting,¡± they all spoke together.
Finally getting back to their room at around two in the morning, the trio split off. Shouri sat at the desk, confirming their earnings from the night¡¯s work while also checking on any updates to the spell lists. Pacifica took to the shower to soak a bit before bed. Taika ate a sandwich Shouri bought her as they were coming into the building. Eventually, the trio convened in bed. ¡°Tired.¡± Pacifica yawned. ¡°Yeah.¡± Shouri caught her yawn. ¡°Comfy.¡± Taika nuzzled the Maestro¡¯s arm. ¡°Between the Scherzando and support spells, we finally made back the money we spent on supplies and such,¡± Shouri told the two girls. ¡°So any money we make now will be profit,¡± he added. ¡°Ahh, we did good.¡± Pacifica wore a fatigued, yet satisfied smile. ¡°You two also got new spells,¡± he revealed. ¡°We did?¡± They both perked up. He held up Pacifica¡¯s tuner first. ¡°You got the next level of the bubble spell.¡± Sure enough, there was a ¡°(New!)¡± next to the next level of the bubble spell. Handing it over to Pacifica, she set it on the nightstand nearest to her. Next was Taika¡¯s tuner. ¡°And you got that sleep mushroom spell thanks to Cera and Saul. Along with this one.¡± Fissare la Ombra (New!) Presto (New!) The two Resonators stared at the new spell. ¡°What¡¯s it do?¡± Taika asked. ¡°If I recall correctly, this one is supposed to be able to pin targets in place by their shadows. We¡¯ll have to play around with it to see what it can do." ¡°Maybe higher ranks hold them easier?¡± Pacifica guessed. ¡°Probably?¡± Shouri shrugged, handing the device to Taika to put away. ¡°Lunar spells have shitty documentation,¡± the Maestro grumbled, settling properly between his two Resonators. ¡°Hey, it could be like that vine spell,¡± Taika spoke up. The other two remained quiet. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Pacifica inquired after a moment of silence. ¡°Oh! Well, like... when that kidnapper guy cast it on us before it had thorns, but when that uh, loud guy said it today, it didn¡¯t have thorns,¡± Taika pointed out. Shouri pondered that thought ¨C Taika did bring up a good point. Rullante di radice if it wasn¡¯t cast with a modifier just made roots that ensnared the target; Cera demonstrated that tonight. But whenever their kidnapper cast it, he called it with an attack modifier and the vines gained painful thorns. ¡°You might be onto something Taika,¡± Shouri commented. ¡°Hmm...¡± Closing his eyes, there was a big difference between the two spells though. ¡°Your spell has a support modifier though.¡± Pacifica decided she wanted some more knowledge about spell-casting. ¡°What do you mean by support modifier?¡± The Maestro yawned before explaining. ¡°Spells have two major parts: the spell itself, and its modifiers,¡± he began, ¡°The spell part is obvious, but there¡¯s a bunch of different modifiers.¡± Another yawn. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you about the other ones I learned later, but the most common ones are the Attack or Support modifiers, basically attack spells have four: Pianissimo, Piano, Forte, Fortissimo. While support spells have five: Presto, Allegro, Moderato, Adagio, Lento. Each level costs a different amount of rhythm and provides an equivalent efficacy. So, Pianissimo and Presto spells are the weakest but cost the least, while Fortissimo and Lento spells cost the most.¡± He took a breath. ¡°I read there are a few spells that get different effects if you change the modifier. We might try it tomorrow just to see,¡± he concluded his explanation. Pacifica nodded slowly. ¡°That makes a lot of sense,¡± she said with a giggle. ¡°I just let you handle the thinking on that stuff.¡± And with that, she hugged him from the side, and once again locked hands with Taika on his opposite side. ¡°Thanks for explaining though...¡± she spoke softly. ¡°Things just make more sense when you¡¯re explaining it,¡± she whispered. ¡°G-goodnight Pacifica,¡± he stammered out. ¡°Buona notte, Sho,¡± Taika also whispered. ¡°And good night to you too Taika.¡± Chapter 17 Taika sat alone in Room 59 of the MA Office they were staying in on Thursday morning. Shouri and Pacifica had gone off to get breakfast. Well aware of the trouble she¡¯d cause by going with, Taika would handle the little bit of loneliness that came with staying behind. The vixen was perched on one of the loveseats, watching television whilst brushing her tail. The news was what Shouri had settled on before his departure. It was mostly gibberish to the fox, not due to any kind of language barrier, but simply because she just wasn¡¯t knowledgeable about worldly affairs (or even domestic ones for that matter.) So this just led to her analysis of the news program being: people sure are speaking words today. However, a particular segment caught her attention. ¡°Grand Master Melanie delivers another brutal victory in last night¡¯s exhibition match, KRSV News got exclusive footage from the match.¡± The scene transitioned to a stadium where a raven-haired Maestro commanded her canine Resonator to victory. Taika took interest in the footage she was watching, noting how differently the Maestro on the TV commanded her Resonator versus how Shouri did. There was a particular savageness to how she was ordering her Resonator. The Resonator in question seemed almost... familiar though. He was a tall lanky thing, kind of like- ¡°Damian?¡± The resemblance was uncanny, though upon closer inspection the fire-element on screen couldn¡¯t be the same Doberman she was familiar with. This man¡¯s ears weren¡¯t always perked up like Damian¡¯s, but more crucially, this particular Resonator had a full tail, unlike Damian, who was missing nearly all of his. ¡°Grand Master Melanie has been on a tear recently through the exhibition circuit.¡± ¡°She was a resident of Luna before she came down here to Riterra, right?¡± ¡°She may be from Luna, but she definitely won¡¯t run from any challenge, that¡¯s for sure!¡± And with that, the news became boring again. This Melanie character came from the moon though? Taika knew a smidge about the natural satellite that orbited their planet. Supposedly people lived all the way up there, and could come down to Riterra proper? It was by this point that Shouri and Pacifica returned with food, and Taika dismissed the entire thing to the back of her mind.
Afternoon came and the trio decided to head down to the gym as planned the night before. ¡°We¡¯ll run some drills, Pacifica,¡± Shouri told her as they crossed the lawn to the second building on campus. ¡°At this point, I¡¯ve had more time to work with Taika,¡± he added. The vixen seemed a bit down by that comment. ¡°But we¡¯ll try your new spell a couple of times.¡± The Maestro patted the fox girl¡¯s head, causing her to brighten up. As they made their way into the building and the casting range proper, Pacifica immediately felt a dark cloud from her Maestro and fellow Resonator. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m here with you now. I¡¯ll kick anyone¡¯s ass that wants to hassle you,¡± she declared. Shouri cracked a smile. ¡°Thanks, Pacifica.¡± Taika remained silent, trying to appear as small as possible. Of course, the ever-vigilant Pacifica didn¡¯t allow that to slide. ¡°Come on! We¡¯re gonna have fun!¡± Grabbing Taika¡¯s hand, Pacifica dragged the poor girl off to a free booth. Shaking his head, Shouri followed his two companions. Within the privacy of the booth, Shouri had Pacifica use her basic water and ice spells taking note of where in the bullseye her spells landed. Overall, she had pretty okay accuracy, though not nearly as spot-on as Taika. ¡°Hmmm...¡± Shouri stroked his chin in thought. ¡°Is it that bad?¡± The otter questioned. She had done fine in the heat of battle, but she didn¡¯t like the way her Maestro hummed. ¡°Throw again,¡± he requested. This time, as she drew her arm back and threw her water needles, he studied her form and how she was releasing them. As with Taika, he began looking for videos of Resonators of Pacifica¡¯s element and attribute to get their form down. Finding an acceptable one, he handed Pacifica her own tuner. ¡°Study this while Taika and I try her new spell.¡± The fox-girl¡¯s ears shot up as she came to attention. Switching spots, Pacifica sat on the bench looking over the video, while Taika took the center stage. ¡°I have no idea what to expect Sho.¡± The fox girl admitted. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. I want to try a round using the support modifier and then we can do one with the attack modifier.¡± He told her. She nodded and faced the target. ¡°Fissare la Ombra, Presto!¡± he commanded. Rather than using her knowledge of the spell, she relaxed and allowed Shouri¡¯s rhythm to guide her. Passing a hand in front of her, a small bolt of lunar energy appeared in front of her. With the target in mind, it launched off down the course. Rather than going towards the bulls-eye, the energy bolt tracked down, hitting the shadow of the target instead. It stuck in the ground, keeping the shadow of the bulls-eye locked in place, dark purple sparks arcing off of the stuck bolt of energy. ¡°I guess it dissipates faster if the target struggles against it?¡± Shouri hypothesized. Taika nodded slowly. ¡°That¡¯s kinda cool.¡± Pacifica gasped, having watched the performance. Shouri glanced down at Taika¡¯s spell list. If their hypothesis was right and it worked like that nature spell, Rullante di Radice, he could just call it with an attack modifier and this spell would have a modified effect. Would that even work? And if it did, how would the spell change? The Maestro took in a deep breath. Inaction wouldn¡¯t scratch the itch. ¡°Let¡¯s try the other one.¡± He decided, releasing his held breath. Re-adjusting her stance, Taika prepared to cast once more. ¡°Fissare la Ombra, Pianissimo!¡± Shouri called out. Again, the lunar Resonator followed the same process she had followed prior. The spell appeared no different than the first casting: as she ejected the energy bolt from her own space, it flew in the same arc ¨C locked on the shadow of the target. It was the actual impact that was different though. Rather than sticking in the ground and remaining there, as soon as it hit the shadow it burst. That wasn¡¯t the impressive part ¨C it was what happened to the actual target that earned three gasps of astonishment. Where the bolt had struck on the shadow of the target, manifested an explosion-like tear on the actual target. ¡°YO, THAT¡¯S SO COOL WHAT THE FUCK?!¡± Pacifica shouted excitedly, pointing at the now-damaged target. ¡°Fissare la Ombra, Presto Staccato!¡± Shouri called out. Taika jumped at the sudden rhythm from her Maestro. She fought creating the spell for a moment ¨C unlike normal staccato spells, there was intention behind this one that pressed down on her. He wanted her to launch a volley of them. Her body was wracked with tremors as the invasive rhythm attempted to exert its control over her. Finally, she succumbed to her Maestro¡¯s will and made about a dozen bolts of the spell, sending them all off in rapid succession. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. The arrows of shadowy energy all struck different spots within the target¡¯s shadow. The sparks that the dozen or so bolts produced were much more intense, seeming to link off each other. Shouri glared at the stuck target, seeing not a harmless bullseye, but the kidnapper¡¯s Resonator. His glare intensified, playing back a hypothetical scenario in his mind on repeat. ¡°Sho!¡± By this point, Pacifica grabbed her Maestro¡¯s shoulders and shook him. Shouri inhaled deeply, shaken out of his stupor. ¡°P-pacifica!¡± He grabbed her shoulders back, trembling, eyes wide. ¡°A-are you okay Sho?¡± Taika hesitantly asked. ¡°I just...¡± he trailed off, gripping Pacifica¡¯s shoulders tightly. She stared back, becoming awash with powerful emotion. What he felt, what he saw, what fears lurked in the back of his mind; she started to drown in it with him ¨C her strength of emotion, was also a weakness in this way. Building a strong bond with someone like her Maestro meant it was easy for her to get pulled into his feelings; especially if it was a traumatic event that she had experienced with him. ¡°H-hey!¡± And poor Taika was left out, unaware of the pain the two felt. Finally, she had enough and reached out, wrapping her arms around both of them, holding them tightly. They both snapped out of their shared panic attack. ¡°Taika...¡± The smaller vixen looked up at her taller friends. ¡°Are you okay now? You both kinda freaked out.¡± Pacifica and Shouri shared an uneasy glance. ¡°N-no, but it¡¯s getting better,¡± Shouri replied. ¡°Thanks to you,¡± Pacifica added, managing to crack a small smile.
¡°Heyyyyy!¡± Shouri, Pacifica, and Taika all flinched at the voice that hit their ears. The afternoon had passed to night, and wanting to capitalize on their current financial situation, they wandered back to the hunter base camp again to earn some more coin. Unfortunately, a certain social butterfly found them instantly. ¡°Hey, Cera.¡± Shouri begrudgingly turned to face the other Maestro. Of course, the young man was accompanied by his Resonator, who towered over the group as a whole. ¡°Find anyone to help us with the Big Scherzando?¡± Cera immediately inquired. Shouri averted his gaze. ¡°Nobody yet,¡± came the admission. Truthfully, he hadn¡¯t even tried. Talking to other people took more effort than he was willing to exert. But Cera didn¡¯t need to know that. Cera nodded pensively. ¡°Yeah, not many people outside of duelists really want to go fight Big Scherzando,¡± he admitted. That was an interesting statement. ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Taika asked. ¡°That spell I gave y''all last night takes a ton of rhythm. Duelists ¨C the guys running the tournament circuit have a ton of rhythm because they usually fight in some seriously rhythm-intense battles on game day. So if they want to make it to the next day they have to be able to run the gauntlet as it were,¡± he imparted on the uninitiated Resonator. ¡°That being said, they¡¯re in a safe environment, so if need be they can bust out the big guns and let loose without fear of suddenly getting jumped.¡± The trio of greenhorns took all this in. None of them were too interested in competitive battling, but the information was nice to have. Cera was more than happy to continue talking. ¡°We hunters specialize more in resource conservation and Resonator defense. You never know how many Scherzando are gonna appear and jump ya. Our Resonators are usually more healing and shielding attribs with some big guys like Saul to hold the line. Those tourney guys focus on quick take-downs, speed is the name of the game. The faster your opponent falls the less rhythm you need to put out up front.¡± Shouri hummed in thought. It made sense to him, but he decided to ask the obvious question for the sake of his Resonators. ¡°So naturally they want those dual element spells so all of their Resonators can have as good of a match-up as possible ¨C is that what you¡¯re getting at?¡± ¡°Yep, you got it. And L¡¯ultera Nationals starts in a few weeks, so they¡¯re all down there preparing for it or trying to get their last-minute invites. Only a few guys are still up here and those are the ones who got their world¡¯s invites,¡± Cera explained. Folding her arms across her chest, Pacifica nodded. ¡°I assume none of those guys want to help?¡± she asked the obvious question. Cera¡¯s usual carefree, jovial expression quickly switched to a rather annoyed one. ¡°Most of the guys in our area already have established rosters. Not worth the risk of getting one of their prized Resonators hurt,¡± the man complained with a huff. ¡°Unless for whatever reason they need to replace one of their main Resonators in rotation, they¡¯ll just focus on maintaining their Resonators and rhythm until the next tournament,¡± he grumbled. The nature Maestro stewed in his emotions for a bit longer before perking back up. ¡°It¡¯s okay though! There are plenty of people who travel here! I¡¯m sure one of them will be willing to help!¡± Cera declared. The out-of-town trio looked at each other and chuckled nervously.
Another night¡¯s work was completed without a major incident. With a successful night under their belt, they made their way down the beach walk towards the Maestro Affairs Office where they were staying. ¡°It¡¯s getting easier by the day,¡± Shouri noted. ¡°Mhm!¡± Pacifica beamed with pride. ¡°I¡¯m not nearly as tired as when we first started doing this and it¡¯s been less than two weeks,¡± Shouri commented. ¡°I can feel it from the rhythm you give us,¡± Taika added. The Maestro came to a stop under a street lamp, the two girls stopping a couple of paces after that and turned to their leader. ¡°What¡¯s up Sho?¡± Pacifica tilted her head slightly. His gaze was trained down, obviously he was in thought. ¡°Do you two still want to go after that big Scherzando with Cera?¡± he asked them. The otter and fox looked to each other, then to their Maestro. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He nodded. ¡°I see.¡± Pacifica opened her mouth to add more, but Taika beat her to the punch. ¡°That Big Scherzando is hurting and killing people. I can¡¯t just leave things like that.¡± Even saying this, the lunar Resonator shuddered, recalling the feeling of sensing it for the first time. ¡°If no one else does anything, it¡¯s going to hurt more people.¡± Shouri was taken aback by Taika¡¯s determination, though as she spoke, her blue eyes were lit up with rhythm. ¡°Ah, stubborn willpower,¡± he whispered to himself. Taking in a deep breath he stepped forward, wrapping his arms around the lunar Resonator. Her eyes opened wide, face reddening instantly. ¡°If that¡¯s your answer, we¡¯ll do it,¡± he told her, squeezing her tighter as he did so. Releasing the now flustered fox, he saw Pacifica pouting at him. With an eye roll and a smile, he hugged her too. ¡°If you think we¡¯re in over our heads I¡¯m counting on you to tell us when to bail,¡± the Maestro told the otter. ¡°O-of course, you can count on me!¡± she stammered out, appreciating getting her share of the hugs. Chapter 18 Blue eyes fluttered open as Taika returned to the waking world on this Friday morning. Their usual arrangement had persisted - both herself and Pacifica hugging their Maestro from either side, whilst holding hands to keep him in place. Being so close to not one but two people was nice, she couldn¡¯t help tearing up from just how happy she was. It didn¡¯t take too long for Shouri and Pacifica to rise from their slumber as well. There was a bit of a tussle as the two Resonators wanted to remain in bed for a bit longer and enjoy their Maestro¡¯s warmth; however, the Maestro in question protested, as nature was calling. With that out of the way, it was time for breakfast. As had become the norm, Shouri and Pacifica went to fetch breakfast while Taika had control of the room. ¡°What are we going to do about getting more people for this hunt?¡± Pacifica wondered aloud as they trod across the dew-sodden grass to building B. ¡°Good fucking question,¡± the Maestro grumbled. ¡°Let me give it a shot,¡± requested the otter. ¡°Go nuts,¡± he replied, shoving his hands in his jacket pockets. He knew inaction wasn¡¯t really an option if they did want to take it down, but in the same respect talking to people (especially without Taika¡¯s rhythm pushing him forward) was a monumental task. Pacifica was no slouch herself, though, and immediately attacked the first person they saw as soon as they walked in. ¡°Hey!¡± she shouted. ¡°Oh hi, can I help you?¡± the poor random Maestro Pacifica flagged down asked. ¡°There¡¯s a Big Scherzando in the mountains north of here, wanna hunt it with us?¡± the otter just laid it out. ¡°Uhh, no thanks, sorry.¡± And with that, they rushed away lest they be forced to continue the conversation. ¡°That could have gone better,¡± Shouri noted. ¡°It¡¯s okay, they were just probably busy, we¡¯ll get the next one.¡± Pacifica waved off the negativity, searching for their next hapless victim. And then Pacifica made a name for herself, bothering nearly every Maestro they came across with the same request. Not one even entertained her request. It was all quick denials followed by them shuffling off before she could protest. ¡°COWARDS! THEY¡¯RE ALL COWARDS!¡± Pacifica shouted at the early morning sun as they returned to their room with breakfast being their consolation prize. ¡°I DON¡¯T EVEN HAVE A FORTE SPELL YET AND THEY¡¯RE ALL THROWING IN THE TOWEL!¡± she roared in Shouri¡¯s general direction. Shouri was discouraged by their lack of progress in recruiting people for their cause. Nobody wanted to help? He understood Cera¡¯s irritability last night with the whole situation. Adding it up, it made sense. A social butterfly like him being unable to get any other people on his side for this Scherzando subjugation certainly spoke volumes of the task they had to accomplish. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll update Taika on our progress,¡± Shouri mumbled. ¡°HA. HAHA. UPDATE, SURE.¡± The water Resonator was still on her angry tirade; even the patient saint that was Pacifica had a breaking point.
Black fox ears wilted immediately. ¡°N-not a single person?¡± Taika asked for clarification on their report. ¡°Not a fucking single one! Cowards, the lot of them!¡± the otter continued her earlier verbal onslaught of the Maestros she had spoken with this morning. She glanced at Shouri, who had finished breakfast while she had made her report. She jumped onto him, sitting on his lap while supporting herself by wrapping her arm around his neck. ¡°Not like our Maestro, the bravest of them all,¡± she commended Shouri¡¯s commitment to the cause. ¡°Hardly - If we can¡¯t get more people, we¡¯re not going. I dunno how hard Cera can carry us against a big Scherzando,¡± Shouri said, shooting a bit of an annoyed glance at the clingy otter. ¡°H-how strong are they really? They can¡¯t be that bad.¡± Pacifica chuckled, though there was more nervousness than bravado in her words. ¡°They¡¯re horribly strong. When they say big, they¡¯re not kidding. I¡¯ve read they can be upwards of fifty feet tall.¡± Shouri kept his gaze firmly trained down as he spoke. ¡°It usually takes a team of four powerful Maestros to beat them. We¡¯re like half a Maestro in that count.¡± He gritted his teeth in frustration. Both Resonators wilted, Pacifica to the point where she slid off their Maestro¡¯s lap and onto the floor. ¡°I don¡¯t want more people getting hurt,¡± Pacifica muttered. ¡°It¡¯s not fair,¡± Taika whispered, fists balled up tight and trembling from emotion. Shouri¡¯s eyes fell onto the article he was reading on Pacifica¡¯s tuner. ¡°20 dead from Big Scherzando ¨C No help in sight¡± ¡°I know girls; I don¡¯t want anyone else to have to die over inaction.¡± He was just as exasperated as his two Resonators. ¡°Maybe Cera will find someone?¡± he offered, with the slightest bit of hope in his voice. Pacifica sighed. ¡°I really hope so Sho.¡± She stood up. ¡°I dunno what to even do.¡± Falling back onto the loveseat she had previously occupied she slumped forward. ¡°I don¡¯t like feeling useless.¡± She had spoken their collective thoughts aloud and as such silenced the room. They were still rookies, just starting, and yet they aimed much higher than their weight class. None of them wanted to just give up. ¡°I wish other people actually gave a shit,¡± Shouri grumbled, slouching further in his seat. Taika and Pacifica slowly nodded in agreement. The remainder of the day was spent trying to relax. They couldn¡¯t do anything about the Scherzando situation at the moment. Stressing out about it wouldn¡¯t help. Unfortunately, it hung over them like a bad odor. Shouri tried to turn his brain off by watching television in bed most of the day. Taika moved about the room, sitting in various chairs and on the bed, using her bound tuner to catch up on some reading. Pacifica took no less than twelve baths, sitting with Shouri for small periods before ultimately locking herself back up in the bathroom for another bath. By the time night arrived, they were all mentally exhausted. ¡°We should at least let Cera know about this morning,¡± Shouri spoke up for the first time in hours. Taika yawned, blinking several times and trying to shake off the impending headache. ¡°Do we have to go out?¡± She rubbed her eyes, trying to stay awake. ¡°This sucks,¡± Pacifica groused, folding her arms across her chest. None of them wanted to do much of anything, especially leave the room. They all had spent the day stewing in their emotions and came out worse for wear. Even the usually upbeat Pacifica was just tired and angry now. But they trudged out anyway, they felt they at least owed that much to Cera. ¡°We can stop for ice cream or something on the way back,¡± Shouri suggested as they walked down the beach walk that led to the hunt site. The two girls perked up. ¡°Really Sho?!¡± ¡°Davvero Sho?!¡± Their excited cries from behind him brought a small smile back to his face. ¡°Yeah. Could use a pick-me-up right now,¡± he told them. The two girls'' excited giggling behind him was worth its weight in gold, and it was probably less than ten notes anyway; a wise investment. Though the corners of his lips descended as they reached their destination. The momentary distraction from their troubles came to an abrupt end. They¡¯d have to find Cera before they could leave. The trio walked around for a bit, taking in the sights as usual. Life went on as other Maestros and their Resonators kept up their usual routine, either ignorant of the crisis at hand or actively choosing to disregard it as a problem. Shouri and co didn¡¯t forget their mission though: they were on the lookout for Cera. ¡°How are we even going to find him?¡± Pacifica questioned. ¡°Good question.¡± Shouri pondered that thought. ¡°We should look for Saul,¡± Taika suggested. ¡°Oh, good idea! That dude is massive!¡± The otter nodded. And so they kept their sights trained up, looking for the massive nature element that towered over any crowd. Unfortunately, this only led to them wandering around aimlessly, hoping they would get lucky and just happen upon the landmark of a bear. ¡°Wait, I got another idea,¡± Shouri suddenly uttered, changing directions much to the confusion of his Resonators who had stuck close to their Maestro. Making their way back to the entrance, Shouri led them to the line with the other Maestros waiting to register for the night¡¯s festivities. ¡°What are we doing Sho?¡± Taika questioned, puzzled by her Maestro¡¯s actions. ¡°I thought we weren¡¯t hunting tonight,¡± Pacifica chimed in, just as confused as her lunar counterpart. ¡°It¡¯s simple-¡± Before he could elaborate, it was their turn. ¡°Tuners,¡± the attendant requested as usual. The Maestro didn¡¯t turn over the devices, however. ¡°Actually, I came to make an inquiry,¡± he began, ¡°Is Cera here tonight? His Resonator is a Nature-element Bear named Saul.¡± Much to Shouri¡¯s surprise, the clerk manning the booth processed his request. ¡°No sir, Cera isn¡¯t registered tonight.¡± There was a hum and a frown. ¡°That is pretty unusual. Wonder if he¡¯s under the weather,¡± they pondered aloud. Shouri too, found himself concerned by that news. ¡°Thanks.¡± He turned to Pacifica and Taika who both wore their worry openly. They quietly shuffled out of line to allow the next person to register. Before the trio had a chance to figure out what to do next, they were met with a sudden voice directed at them. ¡°Hoh? What¡¯s this?¡± There was a small group of Maestros who had been loitering near the registration booth and had eavesdropped on Shouri¡¯s conversation with the registrar. ¡°Did Cera sucker you into caring about his little hunt in the mountains?¡± one of them asked with a smug smirk. That struck a chord. Pacifica and Shouri immediately glared daggers at these Maestros. ¡°People are dying!¡± Pacifica growled. ¡°Well, of course, that¡¯s natural.¡± One of the other Maestros shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s their own fault they weren¡¯t strong enough,¡± another chuckled. ¡°Shoulda pulled their weight, they¡¯d have strong Resonators if they did,¡± yet another offered their input, shaking their head pitying the fallen. With that the other group walked away, laughing about the whole affair. Shouri opened his mouth to give them a piece of his mind; Pacifica was right behind him, ready to throw hands. ¡°Ok, credo che abbiamo finito qui.¡± Suddenly Shouri and Pacifica were both pulled back by the scruff of their jacket and vest respectively. ¡°But!¡± The two immediately went to voice their protests. Taika raised a single finger to silence them. ¡°You¡¯re in over your heads,¡± Taika told them. Pacifica in particular seemed more affected by those words. She let out a sigh, cracking a smile. ¡°What the heck am I doing? This isn¡¯t like me.¡± She grabbed Shouri¡¯s hand, and then Taika¡¯s. ¡°Etude for our rhythm, ice cream for our stomachs, let¡¯s go,¡± she decided. Shouri himself exhaled sharply through his nostrils, also relaxing. Taika and Pacifica were right. There wasn¡¯t any need to pick fights with the naysayers. They knew in their hearts what they were doing was right. They didn¡¯t need validation from some randos that happened to be passing by. Taking their leave, they made their way back into town and located a small ice cream shop just off the beach. Walking in, the trio looked around in awe. A Maestro stood behind the counter, ready to take their order, while a pair of water Resonators were utilizing ice magic to chill a new batch of product. What''s more, the list of flavors was beyond extensive with so many varieties the trio had never heard of. Thankfully given it was peak hunting hours, there were very few other patrons so they had all the time in the world to make their decisions. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°You two know what you want?¡± Shouri asked after some time. ¡°Yeah!¡± Pacifica said eagerly. ¡°I think so.¡± Taika nodded. Finally, they approached the counter proper to place their order. ¡°Blue moon,¡± Taika requested. ¡°Mango!¡± Pacifica declared. ¡°Hmmm... matcha,¡± Shouri decided. One payment later, the trio took a seat and waited for their orders. As their cold treats were prepared, a certain voice got their attention. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you three.¡± Recognizing the owner of said voice, they found themselves in the company of Makani and his nightingale Resonator, Ryn whom they had met a couple of days prior. ¡°Makani, right?¡± Shouri asked. ¡°I¡¯m honored that you remember me.¡± The man chuckled. The lunar bird that followed him about wore a frown directed at the group seated before them. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± she asked suddenly, earning four pairs of eyes on her. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Shouri asked. The bird-girl hummed in thought for a moment. ¡°It feels like y''all are here for a pick-me-up. Did something happen?¡± The trio of Shouri, Pacifica, and Taika exchanged glances. ¡°Yeah, you could say that,¡± Pacifica spoke up, frowning bitterly. ¡°People are mean,¡± Taika added in. ¡°Ah, people are going to be that way, as sad as it is to say. Rynda and I deal with that all the time.¡± Makani shrugged, adding in a weary sigh. Though his analysis of the situation was a bit off, which his Resonator sought to correct: ¡°It¡¯s not about her being a Lunar, is it?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Maestro looked to the Resonator, raising a brow. The bird turned to her keeper. ¡°Something else is bugging them, Maki.¡± ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Before recounting the events of the last couple of days, Shouri and his Resonators got their order. They explained the situation with the Big Scherzando to Makani and Rynda. The other lunar pair remained quiet, taking in the whole of the story they were being told. After Shouri and Co expressed the dire nature of the matter, Makani leaned back in his seat. ¡°That is a bit of a bummer yeah,¡± he finally spoke up. The pilot-clad Maestro shot a sidelong glance at his partner in crime. He noticed she had hung onto every word of their story. ¡°You wanna help them don¡¯t you Ryn?¡± ¡°Well of course I do! People are getting hurt!¡± the bird chirped loudly. ¡°And there you have it,¡± Makani said with a snicker. ¡°Eh?¡± The trio sitting across from the lunar pair gawked at the pair in confusion. ¡°We¡¯ll help you all out,¡± Makani clarified. ¡°Damn straight!¡± Rynda barked, slamming the table. Before Shouri and his Resonators could even react to the offer, the pilot spoke further: ¡°How¡¯s tomorrow night sound?¡± Looks were exchanged between Shouri, Taika, and Pacifica. ¡°Not that we¡¯re not grateful for your help, but I feel like we need more people than this?¡± Pacifica frowned. The lunar Maestro stroked his chin, thinking that over. ¡°Hmmm, I think I¡¯ve seen that Cera guy around. I think we¡¯re good with just you guys, us, and him,¡± he spoke his mind. Shouri tried to cut in: ¡°But-!¡± However, Makani motioned for silence. ¡°Trust me, we got this. Four Resonators and three Maestros should be enough to tackle this one. If I pegged that guy¡¯s strength down right you all could¡¯ve handled it on your own. It might have been rough, but I don¡¯t doubt you would have come out on top.¡± ¡°But so many other people have been hurt and killed by it!¡± Taika protested. ¡°We¡¯re not that strong.¡± Her ears folded back. Shaking his head, Makani rose from his seat. Rynda, catching what her Maestro was doing, similarly stood up. ¡°See, the difference between you three and other Maestros and Resonators is that you care.¡± His voice lowered. ¡°That¡¯s not normal.¡± The tone in his voice as he spoke those three words was grim, almost as if he was revealing a dark secret to the world. ¡°Anyways, I¡¯ll see you all tomorrow night!¡± ¡°See you later!¡± And with that, the two left the trio to their thoughts. Pacifica braved speaking first. ¡°Are we weird Sho?¡± she muttered. Taika frowned, lowering her head. ¡°If we are, I don¡¯t want to be normal," declared the Maestro.
The following morning, Pacifica slowly opened her eyes. She was lying on Shouri¡¯s arm, with her own arm around the back of his head. Her other hand was linked with Taika¡¯s who slept peacefully on the other side of their Maestro. Was this weird? Was this... wrong? Her parents came to mind ¨C Pacifica herself was the result of a Maestro and their Resonator deciding to have a child; was that wrong too? Was... she wrong? Was her entire existence a blemish on reality? It was terrible to consider. The possibility that there were people out there who considered her entire life a mistake. Shouri¡¯s words from less than eight hours prior rang in her head: ¡°If we are, I don¡¯t want to be normal.¡± No wonder no other Maestros meshed with her. She was looking for something rare. It was one thing for a Maestro to say they cared about their Resonators. At face value, sure they cared. They cared as much as one did for their home, car, or other worldly possessions. Like an object. Resonators were things to most Maestros. But... what made Shouri, Makani, and her mother different? She could sense from the way Makani spoke yesterday, he saw Rynda not as a thing, but as another person. There was another part of it though. He seemed to be implying that because of this mindset, they¡¯d be able to take on a Big Scherzando with ease? How did that make any sense? She squeezed Taika¡¯s hand tightly and curled her hand around Shouri¡¯s head. She liked this. Why do other Resonators settle for less? ¡°Pacifica?¡± Taika whispering her name snapped the otter out of her thoughts. ¡°Good morning Taika.¡± She smiled at her foxy counterpart. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± she asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± A groggy smile warmed the otter¡¯s heart.
¡°Okay, girls.¡± Shouri yawned as they sat around the breakfast table in their room. ¡°I think we should take it easy today,¡± he announced to the two Resonators. They both nodded slowly. ¡°Usual afternoon nap before we head out to find Cera.¡± ¡°Sounds good!¡± The two girls beamed. Taika went back to eating breakfast, but Pacifica took pause. The corners of her lips fell as she cast her gaze towards her half-eaten breakfast. ¡°Actually... Sho?¡± Pacifica spoke up. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°I wanna call my mom. Can we go to the phones?¡± ¡°Sure, Taika you wanna come with?¡± Shouri looked to the Lunar Resonator. She frowned, looking between Shouri and Pacifica. Looking her water counterpart in the eyes told her everything she needed to know. Shaking her head, she smiled. ¡°No, I¡¯ll stay here. Call me if you need me.¡± The fox reclined back in her seat, taking possession of the television remote. Shouri didn¡¯t get it, but if both of them were fine with it, he¡¯d see Pacifica to their destination. Leaving the room, he walked in silence with his otter until they reached the common room where the video phones were. It was early enough that nobody else was hanging around. ¡°Can I have you wait here Sho?¡± Pacifica suddenly requested. ¡°I want to talk to my folks in private.¡± He considered her ask, giving it thought before speaking up. ¡°Sure, I¡¯m right here if you need me, just shout.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Stepping into the common room proper, Pacifica made her way over to one of the computers. She easily pulled up the phone application and quickly typed in her mom¡¯s phone number. Though her finger hung over the call button. In her head, she mulled over what exactly she wanted to say. Taking in a deep breath, she exhaled and finally pressed call. And after ringing for several seconds, it connected. ¡°Hello, my little otter!¡± her mother answered the phone with the same pep as usual, earning a smile. At least she could count on her mother¡¯s consistency if nothing else. ¡°Hey Mom, do you have a sec?¡± ¡°Yeah honey, what¡¯s up?¡± The water Resonator considered her words. ¡°Is it wrong to have feelings for my Maestro?¡± she hesitantly inquired of her mother. A look of surprise washed over the older woman¡¯s face. This didn¡¯t last long, and Priscilla cracked a smile. ¡°Ah, your father was the same way.¡± She shrugged. ¡°Huh?¡± Pacifica tilted her head. ¡°Jack, your father, was head over heels for me right from the jump.¡± ¡°And what about you?¡± ¡°I was fond of him of course, but I also had two other Resonators to take care of at the time.¡± Pacifica gulped. ¡°So, why dad then?¡± ¡°He made it clear to me from the get-go that he wanted something more. The other two didn¡¯t.¡± There was a fondness to her voice. ¡°Also he has a hell of a-¡± ¡°OKAY, I DON¡¯T NEED TO KNOW THAT MUCH,¡± Pacifica loudly cut her mother off, for the sake of her mental image of her parents. The woman couldn¡¯t help but titter at her daughter¡¯s embarrassment. ¡°Why do you ask though?¡± Again, Pacifica took a moment to pick her words. ¡°Are we weird?¡± She looked the image of her mother on the screen square in the eyes. ¡°Is it weird to love your Maestro as a person?¡± She fought the tears that wanted to spill. ¡°Who cares?¡± Priscilla shrugged once more. ¡°You already knew that though.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°I know that¡¯s not the real reason you¡¯re calling me.¡± ¡°Wh-what are you talking about?¡± Pacifica averted her gaze. Priscilla smirked, her eyes glowing a vibrant red. ¡°You may be an otter because of your father, but you got my rhythm, and I can read you like a book.¡± After a moment of awkward shuffling, Pacifica finally spoke her mind: ¡°Maybe I love her too. I don¡¯t want her to go away if I chase him,¡± she admitted. ¡°I don¡¯t want to break what we¡¯ve only just started.¡± The otter trembled. Elderly nodding met the drama unfolding in the common room. ¡°People come, people go; it¡¯s the way life works honey.¡± Pacifica remained quiet, head lowered ¨C that wasn¡¯t what she wanted to hear. It had only been just over a week, but she wanted this wonderful dream to last forever. This was where she belonged, she could feel it. ¡°But where¡¯s the rule that says you can¡¯t be as greedy as you want?¡± The otter jolted up at that comment. ¡°You have one life to live baby, don¡¯t sweat the details. If you all are happy and aren¡¯t hurting anyone, what right does anyone have to judge?¡± Wiping her tears away, Pacifica¡¯s confident smile returned to her lips. ¡°Thanks, Mom.¡±
¡°You good?¡± Shouri asked as Pacifica returned to him. ¡°Yeah.¡± She nodded. There was a noticeable change in her disposition. Her cheeriness had returned it seemed. It was a bit infectious, as Shouri found himself smiling back at her. ¡°Wait.¡± She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him tightly. ¡°I decided I¡¯m gonna stick with you until you¡¯re sick of me ¨C and even then, they¡¯re gonna have to drag me away kicking and screaming. No matter what happens you won¡¯t be rid of me that easily,¡± she whispered. Shouri stood there; awe-struck by the voice in his ear. He relaxed and returned her hug. ¡°Really? What did I do to deserve such loyal Resonators? I¡¯m not that special.¡± Chapter 19 ¡°So what do you think, Maki?¡± Rynda asked. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Makani returned the question back to sender. The nightingale girl fluttered around her Maestro as they waited at the hunters'' base camp. The sun had just dropped below the horizon, casting night over the town of Riva Sranvi once more. ¡°You think they¡¯ll get cold feet?¡± She leaned on his shoulders. The pilot chuckled. ¡°Hell naw. They¡¯re serious. Nobody gets that broken up about something they never intended to follow through on.¡± Down the path, he spotted the familiar trio approaching. ¡°See?¡± Shouri, with Taika and Pacifica in tow, approached the pilot and his lunar bird. ¡°Shouri buddy, you made it!¡± He looked over the two Resonators that stuck close to their Maestro. Specifically, Pacifica caught his eye. ¡°You seem brighter today,¡± he addressed the otter. She smirked back at him. ¡°We¡¯re gonna kick ass tonight,¡± the water element replied. Taika glanced over at her water counterpart. Pacifica did seem to have regained her pep since she made that call earlier in the day. Even Shouri seemed ever so slightly phased by whatever was said, which made the curious little vixen all the more interested in what had been discussed. Makani clapped twice to draw the attention of the now five-strong group. ¡°Well, if we¡¯re all here, let¡¯s get started.¡± ¡°Wait, what about Cera?¡± Shouri asked. ¡°Oh, he¡¯ll show; just you wait and see.¡± Makani motioned for them to follow. They got in line as usual and waited for their turn. Makani was ahead of Shouri in line, however. ¡°Me and the gentleman behind me want to take on the Big Scherzando in the mountains. We got a couple of Lunars between us; tracking should be easy,¡± Makani explained to the attendant as he handed his black tuner over. The attendant looked to Shouri expectingly who scrambled to submit both of his tuners as well. The newer Maestro was surprised by the lack of fanfare behind such an event. As the booth attendant seemed to simply check a box and nod. ¡°Would you like to wait for any others to join?¡± ¡°Yeah, that sounds like a good idea,¡± Makani told the attendant. And so, the small group loitered around the registration booth with nothing better to do. ¡°Did you find Cera? Do you even know who he is?¡± Shouri questioned after they stood in relative silence for a few minutes. ¡°Nope; just a vague idea,¡± Makani snapped back quickly. ¡°Well if nobody told him we were planning this, how are you sure he¡¯s gonna show?¡± Shouri narrowed his eyes at the other Maestro. ¡°Ryn had a good feeling.¡± He motioned to the bird girl next to him who nodded with a smirk on her face. Shouri looked to his own Resonators who could only offer him a shrug back. More time passed with the group in relative silence as other Maestros and Resonators passed them by. Occasionally someone stopped and asked what they were waiting around for, but upon hearing they were going to hunt a big Scherzando, the looky-loos moved along. ¡°If you plan on trying to take on that big Scherzando tonight it¡¯s probably best y''all get moving. Fighting them in their dens is suicide,¡± the hunt registrar advised the group. It was getting to prime hunting hours, not many people were around at this point ¨C mostly the vendors just relaxing between ¡°shifts¡± as it were, and a few late-coming Maestros. Shouri grunted in frustration. ¡°I guess it¡¯s a bust tonight then?¡± He looked to Makani who appeared to be in thought. ¡°What do you think Ryn?¡± the pilot asked his bird. ¡°Hmmm...¡± She stroked her chin, considering her Maestro¡¯s inquiry. ¡°No, not a bust,¡± she decided after a moment. ¡°How so?¡± Shouri raised a brow. ¡°Cause he¡¯s right there.¡± She pointed downfield, towards the city. In the distance, there was the man they had been waiting on, Cera, and his wall of a Resonator right behind him. Approaching the group, the nature Maestro openly wore his surprise. ¡°Shouri! You brought a friend?¡± Seeing how he was the one connecting these two pairs, Shouri begrudgingly made the introductions between them. ¡°Makani, Cera; Cera, Makani.¡± The two men sized each other up for a moment before Makani offered his hand. ¡°Nice to meetcha bud, I¡¯ve heard a bit about you.¡± Accepting the handshake Cera smirked. ¡°Sorry pal, can¡¯t say the same about you ¨C but I appreciate the help regardless.¡± Breaking off, Cera looked to the organizer of this rag-tag group. ¡°Are we waiting on anyone else?¡± Cera questioned. Shouri averted the other Maestro''s gaze sheepishly. ¡°I um, didn¡¯t have anyone else in mind,¡± he mumbled. Makani took over at this point: ¡°I think we¡¯re good between the seven of us.¡± Cera glanced over at Rynda. He hummed in thought, his gaze shifting towards Taika and Pacifica, then finally resting on Saul, his Resonator. ¡°Hmmm...¡± He hummed again. ¡°I think we could probably make it work if we bust out the big guns,¡± he decided after mulling it over. ¡°Cool, register with us and we¡¯ll get moving.¡± Makani motioned to the booth they had decided to hang out at.
The septet of Maestros and Resonators moved through the brush, uphill towards where Rynda and Taika could sense the big Scherzando from. The path to the mountain was dark given it was away from civilization as a whole, but everyone else in the group outside of Pacifica had no issues navigating through the dark forest they found themselves in. ¡°How big is big again?¡± Pacifica asked Shouri, tightly gripping his hand to not get lost. ¡°Like fifty-ish feet or something, never seen one in person though,¡± Shouri replied. ¡°They can go from as big as a trailer to upwards of a nice two-story house in size,¡± Cera spoke aloud to answer the question with some actual scale for reference. He himself was hitching a ride on his Resonator¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I hear they can get bigger than that. Supposedly the Polvere Islands off the west coast of Selvica have sky-scraper-sized Scherzando, though that¡¯s all just hearsay and rumors,¡± Makani chimed in. Taika frowned; her lack of a formal education was getting to her. ¡°Selvica is..?¡± ¡°The continent directly south of us,¡± Pacifica told her. ¡°It¡¯d be south-west of Unis-R¨¦sonne,¡± Shouri added. ¡°Oh...¡± The fox gasped in astonishment. The world was big it seemed. ¡°We¡¯re getting close Maki,¡± Rynda warned her Maestro. Taika nodded in agreement. ¡°Y-yeah... even I can feel it.¡± Pacifica gulped. It was a bit overwhelming. There was always a sort of rhythm-adrenaline rush whenever a Scherzando was nearby, but this sensation was like nothing either Taika or Pacifica had ever experienced before. It felt as if their whole essence was being pulled towards their destination. ¡°Let¡¯s stop here a sec. Come on in.¡± Cera hopped down from his Resonator¡¯s shoulders. The three Maestros huddled with their collective Resonators circled around them. ¡°So! Shouri is gonna be our support ¨C you cool with that Makani?¡± Cera asked his fellow Maestro. ¡°I was gonna suggest the same thing.¡± Makani looked to Shouri. ¡°Not trying to be a dick, but you three are the weakest, I don¡¯t want anything bad to happen,¡± he told them. While it stung hearing that, Shouri, Taika, and Pacifica knew it to be the truth. They had a good idea of what Cera was capable of having worked with him on normal hunts. They didn¡¯t know all that much about Makani and Rynda, but based on the way they carried themselves, they were probably at Cera and Saul¡¯s level. ¡°Also, if I may ask something selfish?¡± Cera began. Makani looked to Saul, then the bear¡¯s Maestro. ¡°Say no more, I think I got a good idea of what we¡¯re after.¡± ¡°Try to focus your healing on our feathered friend and I think we got this unless we¡¯re dealing with a fire. If it¡¯s fire, we need Pacifica there to keep Saul safe,¡± Cera advised Shouri and his Resonators. The trio looked at each other. None of them really knew why Cera was making the requests he was, but Makani seemed okay with it, so they rolled with it. Cera got back up on his Resonator¡¯s shoulder. With their attack plan solidified they resumed their march towards the battlefield. As they approached the site of the battle, the trees nearby seemed to be growing thicker and taller than usual, almost as if the mountain they were approaching would be consumed by a tidal wave of motionless trees. Despite their lack of jostling and movement, their presence impeded the group''s movement, making traversal through the thick woods even more perilous. They pressed on though, and within the torrent of trees, they found the calm amid the storm. A calm where the land laid bare of the chaotic lumber they had to climb over and dodge earlier. ¡°There it is.¡± Rynda wiped the sweat from her brow, pointing into the practical colosseum made by the plant life. At its center was a massive four-legged creature, a shadow of a beast. Feet adorned in wood, shoulders carrying bladed leaves. It seemed to be at the ready, almost as if it had been aware of the group of seven warriors who crossed the great sea of trees to reach this island. ¡°It''s Nature,¡± Cera noted. ¡°That means our strategy will work well here.¡± A grin rose on the man¡¯s lips. Shouri glanced over. He still didn¡¯t have any real frames of reference for what the nature spell pool looked like. He knew that they had vine spells and mushrooms that put things to sleep. What else could they do? ¡°Let¡¯s get this started.¡± Rynda stepped in first. ¡°Easy does it Ryn, don¡¯t want to start this off before we¡¯re all in position.¡± Makani crept in behind his Resonator. ¡°Time to take care of business buddy.¡± Cera patted his Resonator¡¯s shoulder and urged him forward. ¡°Ah, okay Cera.¡± The bear walked into the clearing. This left Shouri and his two Resonators outside of the clearing. Pacifica gulped; her eyes locked on the huge beast they were about to attempt to hunt. A bead of sweat ran down the side of her head. ¡°Here we go Sho.¡± Try as she might to calm herself, there was still a quaver to her voice as she spoke. ¡°If it gets too hairy, I don¡¯t think either of them would blame us for running,¡± Shouri spoke with trepidation as well. It was one thing to say they were going to try and kill this thing, but it was entirely too big. Taika spoke no words; she walked in, strangely relaxed for the situation they found themselves in. The vixen stopped and turned to her unmoving teammates. ¡°State arrivando voi due?¡± she inquired, her eyes glowing a blazing blue. ¡°Y-yeah... we¡¯re coming.¡± Pacifica grabbed Shouri¡¯s hand. ¡°W-We¡¯ll be okay.¡± Though she wasn¡¯t sure if she was saying that to herself or her Maestro at this point. With all seven finally gathered in the wooden cage, they could get a better look at their opponent for the evening. As the affixed wood and shrubbery implied, the beast had a Nature element. Its general body shape appeared to be that of a feline, possibly a comically oversized lynx? At any rate, it was surely tracking the group¡¯s movements. Finally, it grew tired of the preamble and began the skirmish, lifting its head into the sky as if to beckon to the clouds. Immediately Pacifica was transfixed by this spell ¨C it was like nothing she had ever experienced before in her life. A feeling of familiarity washed over her as she came to the sudden realization that she could perform the same spell the lynx was using. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. However appreciation for this art did not come to most of the rest of the party, as it began to rain, but not just normal everyday rain. These tiny missiles of water came with a payload, which was delivered upon impact. ¡°Ow! This is acid rain!¡± Rynda yelped as they began to be pelted by the pellets of highly acidic water. ¡°Fuck! Fuck!¡± Shouri shouted, throwing up the hood of his jacket to try and protect his head from the sudden assault. Pacifica looked around; the rain wasn¡¯t hurting her? Why? Looking over, she saw Saul, the Nature Bear was similarly unaffected by the stinging rain, he just kind of stood there, eyes affixed to their shared adversary. ¡°Okay pal, you¡¯ve had your fun with that!¡± Makani shouted. ¡°Chiaro cielo di mezzanotte!¡± Rynda formed a ball of purplish light and sent it skyward, dispersing the clouds and halting the rain. ¡°Ah, that spell clears the weather,¡± Shouri breathed out, shaking off the previous acidic assault. ¡°Heads up, lunar spells will be stronger while the moon¡¯s shining on us,¡± Makani added. The Lynx rushed the group at this point, seeing how they had not been dissuaded from leaving by the acid rain. Makani was still paying attention and belted out another spell: ¡°Onda Mentale, Adagio!¡± Throwing a hand forward, Rynda produced an invisible force that met their target head-on, throwing it backward ¨C as if it had smashed into a telekinetic wall. ¡°Fissare la Ombra, Lento!¡± Makani shouted next ¡°Fissare la Ombra, Presto Staccato!¡± Shouri chimed in. Both Taika and Rynda unleashed a wave of arrows, pinning the beast by its shadow. ¡°Thanks bud!¡± Makani flashed a thumbs up to Shouri, who acknowledged him with a nod. ¡°Sotto!¡± Shouri commanded, cutting off Taika¡¯s access to that spell. ¡°La Bella Vita, Rubato!¡± he issued his next command. ¡°Top yourself and Rynda off.¡± The vixen heeded her Maestro¡¯s orders, casting a small heal on herself and the nightingale by her side. While pinned in place, the Lynx gathered together a storm of leaves and launched them towards the group ¨C yet another spell Shouri and co recognized from past run-ins with Natures. However, this particular casting was on a scale that dwarfed their previous experiences with it in comparison. All they could do was brace themselves for the onslaught, Pacifica grabbed Shouri to try and shield him from the attack, with Taika turning back to do the same. ¡°Onda Mentale, Rubato!¡± The pain never arrived to Shouri or his two Resonators. When they looked back towards the battle, they found Rynda standing at the vanguard, having reflected the attack with another telekinetic push. ¡°You gonna stop messing around now?¡± Makani directed to Cera. ¡°Yeah yeah, I suppose we should get the real battle started.¡± Cera finally descending from his Resonator¡¯s shoulders. He cracked his knuckles and drew his tuner from his side. ¡°It¡¯s time for the hunter to become the hunted.¡± He grinned toothily. The lynx Scherzando finally broke free of the shadow bindings set by Taika and Rynda and went to rush down the group again. ¡°Artemis Arktoi, Ultrissimo ¨C Lady luck give me all ya got!¡± Cera declared boldly. ¡°Knew it.¡± Makani chuckled. The inexperienced trio turned their attention to Saul, who seemed oddly focused for how empty-headed he usually was. Hands together, trees started sprouting around him, seven to be precise. ¡°Don¡¯t let Saul get hit!¡± Makani shouted to Shouri and his Resonators. Rynda threw out another wave of telekinetic energy with the Rubato-cast Onda Mentale she still had access to. ¡°R-right!¡± Shouri looked to his tuners. ¡°Pacifica, L''onda di tempesta, Accelerando! Taika, Luce Lunare, Piano!¡± were the commands he decided on. Pacifica joined Taika and Rynda at the front, stomping down and forming a river of water which aided in the effort to keep the Scherzando at bay. Unfortunately, given the size of the beast, it wasn¡¯t too effective in this task. Taika formed a ball of lunar energy and chucked it at the beast, but again, due to the size and strength of the enemy in front of them, this did little except make it angrier. Shouri glanced back over at Saul, the seven trees were rapidly growing, changing shape and all of a sudden there were seven bears made of wood circled around the nature-Resonator. ¡°What is that spell?¡± Shouri asked. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a nasty one. Check it out.¡± Makani grinned toothily. Cera seemed to be in celebration mode already. ¡°Hooo baby we hit the jackpot today! Thank you Lady Luck, your check is in the mail!¡± He turned to the fellow Nature elemental across the field from them. ¡°Sic ¡®em Saul!¡± With that command, the wooden bears came to life, charging at the beast. Despite being massively outclassed in size and strength, the seven wooden bears were fighting ferociously. The Lynx was swatting the relatively tiny bears like one did a swarm of angry bees. These bears however fought harder and harder the more they got hit. Even clawing and biting well outside their weight class, the bears were rapidly wearing the Lynx down. ¡°What the hell?¡± Pacifica gasped, dropping her combative posture. ¡°Artemis Arktoi, the Nature Ultimate attack. Summons a squad of wooden bears to fight at the user¡¯s behest,¡± Makani rhapsodized. ¡°The more you hit them, the stronger they get,¡± Cera added. ¡°Ultimate... spell?¡± Taika blinked, in similar shock as her fellow Resonator. Shouri shook his head, watching the bloodbath in front of him (not that Scherzando bled mind you). It didn¡¯t make any sense. Cera and Saul just had a ¡°summon army¡± spell in their arsenal? Why did they even need help? ¡°Cera!¡± THWACK Saul took a tree the lynx had fired at the nature Maestro. As soon as he was hit by the attack, Saul¡¯s summoned bears evaporated into thin air. The bear-man¡¯s body was thrown onto his Maestro and the two rolled a small distance coming to a stop. ¡°Wait what the fuck!?¡± Shouri shook himself out of his stupor. Saul and Cera were unmoving. That simple attack was massive. ¡°T-Taika!¡± he cried out. Similarly snapping to, the healer of the group knew what was expected of her. ¡°I got it!¡± She turned to rush over to heal the fallen bear Resonator and possibly his Maestro. The Lynx rose to its feet and charged once more. Rynda attempted to push the big cat away with her Onda Mentale spell as she had done previously, but the beast managed to avoid the wall of force, putting it in the path of- ¡°MAKI!¡± She flew backward and scooped up her Maestro before he was subject to the big Scherzando¡¯s rage. Rynda was just one girl, however, and there were still two others in the path of the beast. ¡°Sh-sho...¡± Pacifica whimpered, locking up as the gigantic predator approached. Shouri grabbed Pacifica just at the right moment to avoid the beast¡¯s claw, however, it brought its massive paw back and slapped the pair away. Taika gulped hard; time slowed down as she felt her link with Shouri shatter in that instant. She could do nothing but look on in horror as the back of the beast¡¯s paw made contact with her only two friends in the world. ¡°SHO! PACIFICA!¡± Taika screamed as she helplessly watched them get launched away from the beast. They smashed into the ground with a hard thud, sliding a bit before coming to a complete halt. ¡°Albero Robusto, Rubato!¡± a newly awakened Cera shouted from his position on the ground. Saul similarly was able to rise thanks to Taika¡¯s healing. The bear created several trees in an instant, punching them toward the wood-clad lynx. The large wooden missiles smashed into their intended target, causing it to back away from the Maestros and their Resonators. Once it was at a safe distance from them, Cera made another call: ¡°Sotto! Rullante di radice, Fortissimo!¡± he commanded. Massive thorned roots tore themselves out of the ground and wrapped the Lynx up tightly, holding it in place. While the rest of the party dealt with the Scherzando, Pacifica had come to. The otter trembled as she feared the worst ¨C her Maestro had once again put himself in danger to protect her, and now he lay under her in an unknown state. This was no time to freeze up! She pushed herself off of Shouri. He wasn¡¯t bleeding but she couldn¡¯t tell if anything was broken or not. Worst of all, he didn¡¯t appear to be conscious. Her heart sank. She grabbed his shoulders and shook him ¡°Sho! Sho! Speak to me!¡± she cried out, tears pouring down her face. Taika had also run over and slid to her knees next to her friends, desperately looking her Maestro over. The boy groaned and shook his head. ¡°Fuck...¡± The two tear-soaked girls managed to break a smile as their beloved Maestro awoke. ¡°Sho!¡± Pacifica and Taika tackled him, crying and hugging him tightly. Makani sighed in relief seeing Shouri and his two Resonators were okay. ¡°One more good hit should do,¡± Rynda advised her Maestro, setting him back on the ground. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s finish this.¡± Makani glanced down at his tuner. ¡°Loro Formato Lunare Lago, Legato!¡± Upon calling that spell, both Taika and Pacifica perked up, eyes locked on Rynda who with a beat of her wings took back to the sky, sparkles of red rhythm scattering and descending to the ground with each flap of her wings. It was beautiful, enrapturing even. ¡°This should wrap things up!¡± the nightingale declared. Holding a hand up, a ball of ice formed above her. It grew and grew, becoming many times greater in size. When she was satisfied with the size of the spell, she allowed gravity to take the wheel. A comet descended from up high towards the battered, injured Scherzando. The entire time the two other girls on the ground were entirely enthralled by this spell and the only thing on their minds at that moment were: ¡°I can do that.¡± With the beast injured and bound to the point it had been driven to, it was powerless as the ice rock hit its body. In a healthier, unbound state, it could have dodged or even deflected this attack. But in this condition, all it could do was get crushed like a bug by the icy space rock. Fragments of frozen water pelted the Maestros and Resonators remaining on the ground as the comet exploded on impact. Ground zero of the attack was initially obscured from view by a cloud of dirt and debris kicked up by the force of the strike. Rynda slowly descended to the ground; eyes fixed on the last observed location of the Scherzando. The group relaxed upon the full dissipation of the cloud of debris, revealing the complete dissolution of the Scherzando. ¡°Holy shit.¡± Cera fell back into the grass, letting out a sigh of relief. Shouri too laid back, with Pacifica and Taika refusing to release him. ¡°I feel a little bad coming out of that unscathed,¡± Rynda muttered to Makani. The pilot shrugged. ¡°It is what it is.¡± He smirked, glancing over to Shouri and his two partners. ¡°I¡¯m glad you were right about them,¡± he added an aside. ¡°Right? Those two have caught it bad.¡± Rynda giggled. Chapter 20 Makani and Rynda took vanguard for the return trip, seeing how they were in the best shape after the battle. It was still night after all, which meant while they bested the big Scherzando, there was the very real potential that regular Scherzando could still get the jump on them. And no one present felt like dying after their hard-fought victory. Despite the massive blow he took during that battle, Saul carried his own Maestro; just as he had done on the way there. Trailing behind all of them were Shouri, Taika, and Pacifica. ¡°Sorry, Taika,¡± Pacifica muttered, leaning on the fox. Taika was quite literally supporting her friends at this point, having both of them leaning on her. ¡°Don¡¯t apologize,¡± Taika grunted as they trudged along. ¡°I should have been there,¡± she said remorsefully. ¡°I was the one who told you to go heal Cera and Saul,¡± Shouri reminded her. ¡°Yeah, but still-!¡± ¡°No, you were doing what was asked of you,¡± the Maestro sternly maintained. Pacifica wilted as well. She felt so lame recalling how she had locked up when the Scherzando attacked. Shouri shouldn¡¯t have had to bail her out like he did. Looking across Taika at him, she noticed he had much more of a limp and strained expression. Even after Taika had healed them, he was still in pain. How was he so cool? He just jumped into action and grabbed her. He was always like that, just jumping into danger to protect her and Taika. While she loved that he cared to that extent, it was also frustrating for her pride as a Resonator. She didn¡¯t want to say anything, in all reality, she wanted to cry in exasperation.
And so the group arrived back heroes! Or well they would have if this hadn¡¯t been such a common occurrence. It sucked the accomplishment out of the feat when there was little to no fanfare about the herculean task they had completed. ¡°You successfully killed it?¡± the desk attendant asked. ¡°Yes sir! No casualties either,¡± Cera boasted proudly. ¡°Good on you all ¨C I¡¯ll put in the paperwork tomorrow morning and your bonuses will be paid out within the week.¡± ¡°Sweet! Can¡¯t wait!¡± And that was it. Just another day for the pencil pusher who drew the short straw. Even if this was an unusual day for the hunters who risked it all, the people back home saw none of their trials. ¡°That was it?¡± This didn¡¯t help Pacifica¡¯s mood at all. ¡°We could have died,¡± Taika chimed in. ¡°The money better be good,¡± Shouri grumbled. Cera suddenly extended his hand out to Shouri. The green-horn Maestro stared at the offered hand. ¡°You¡¯re a real one Shouri.¡± The man smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡± Shouri exhaled and smiled. This man was exhausting, but at least he was genuine. Grabbing hold, he gave a firm shake of the other Maestro¡¯s hand. Pacifica and Taika both caught their Maestro''s change in attitude, lips curling up and beaming with pride. There was a reason for all of this - Even if nobody else saw it, they accomplished something tonight and did good for the world. Parting ways with Cera and Saul, the five-strong group made their way back to the Maestro Affairs office. ¡°So, Shouri,¡± Makani spoke up. ¡°Hm?¡± Shouri glanced over at his fellow Maestro. ¡°What are your plans from here?¡± ¡°Good question.¡± Shouri paused and yawned. ¡°Definitely sleeping like all fucking day tomorrow,¡± he decided. Taika and Pacifica exchanged a glance and nodded to each other. The quintet walked into the office and formed a small circle in the lobby. ¡°Anyways, good job out there tonight. Was a bit sketchy there for a moment, but you all handled yourselves like real champs out there,¡± Makani told the newer trio. ¡°I mean you and Rynda carried us ¨C let¡¯s be honest with ourselves for a moment,¡± Shouri pointed out. ¡°Nonsense, an army is only as good as those who support them. That goes for Resonators and Maestros alike.¡± With a pat of Shouri¡¯s back, Makani left the circle with Rynda and tow. ¡°Sleep well ¨C you all earned it!¡± Shouri looked to Pacifica and Taika who only gave him a knowing smile. He yawned. ¡°I suppose a shower and bed does sound good right now, come on you two.¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
¡°Holy shit.¡± Shouri gasped. He was sitting on the edge of the bed with both tuners in hand. A towel hung around his neck, his hair slightly damp from the shower. ¡°What is it Sho?¡± Pacifica sat next to her Maestro, peering over his shoulder at the tuners. Her eyes widened. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of ¡®new¡¯,¡± she noted. Almost every spell had (New!) next to it; only the spells without modifiers or already maxed out were exempt. ¡°I mean it was a hell of a fight but I didn¡¯t think it was worth that much,¡± the Maestro noted. Though if this was normal gains for fighting big Scherzando, it was no wonder that duelists went after them ¨C it was a fast way to get their Resonators strong with relatively little effort. It took him and Taika a month of grinding to get their detection spell, Rilevare l''intenzione, to its maximum rank. ¡°So what cool stuff did we get?¡± Pacifica nudged her Maestro. ¡°You both got three new spells,¡± Shouri began, tilting Taika¡¯s tuner to the curious otter-girl. Chiaro cielo di mezzanotte (New!) Cancella il Ritmo (New!) ¡°The first one clears any active weather and boosts Lunar spells for a short period. The second one cancels sustained effects,¡± he told the Resonator currently by his side. ¡°More support stuff, neat.¡± The water element nodded. ¡°What about me?¡± The girl bounced excitedly. Shouri chuckled and flashed the blue tuner to the energetic otter. Scambiare Neve (New!) Presto (New!) Pioggia Acida (New!) Legato (New!) Her eyes sparkled. ¡°I have no idea what those do.¡± Despite this, she still waited for the explanation with wonder. The Maestro chuckled. ¡°Well, Pioggia Acida is that acid rain spell the big Scherzando used.¡± Pacifica nodded. ¡°And about the other one?¡± she queried. ¡°Scambiare Neve lets you make a dummy out of snow. From what I read it looks more like you the higher the rank.¡± The Maestro returned his attention to the spell on screen which only had its initial rank. Pacifica jumped from the bed. ¡°What?! That¡¯s so cool! Let me try it!¡± she demanded. Shouri hesitated though her good mood was infectious ¨C what could be the harm? It was just a Presto spell after all. Long gone were the days of those level of spells even fazing him. ¡°Scambiare Neve, Presto,¡± he called out. The otter squeaked, not expecting him to give in to her whims. She let his rhythm take hold and control her to cast the spell. Closing her eyes, she held up two fingers, whilst a wind whipped around her. She stepped backward and, in her place, she left a small mound of roughly Pacifica-shaped snow. ¡°Woah!¡± Pacifica gasped. It was snow, and it certainly bore a superficial resemblance to her general silhouette. ¡°Now what?¡± she asked the pertinent question. ¡°Maybe we call room service to help clean this up?¡± Taika was suddenly behind Pacifica. ¡°Wah!¡± Pacifica yelped, startled by the sudden appearance of her lunar counterpart. ¡°Nah, no need to bother them. Taika, Cancella il Ritmo,¡± Shouri suddenly commanded. The vixen jolted at suddenly being provided with her Maestro¡¯s rhythm. She found herself reaching out towards the snow-ifica, per her Maestro¡¯s will. Upon making contact with the rhythm made snow-otter it evaporated back to the rhythm that formed it. ¡°And that¡¯s what that spell does,¡± Shouri said with a smirk. ¡°Ahahaha...¡± Pacifica chuckled back, glad that the solution was so simple. The two Resonators sat on either side of their Maestro. ¡°You said we both got three spells, right?¡± Pacifica questioned. ¡°I did ¨C you both can use this one.¡± Shouri hovered over the spell in question on both tuners. Loro Formato Lunare Lago (New!) Legato (New!) The two Resonators stared at the spell, then looked across Shouri at one another. ¡°We both can use it?¡± Taika asked. ¡°Sure, it is the Lunar¨CWater Ossia spell, it¡¯s only natural you both got it when Rynda used it,¡± the Maestro clarified. Pacifica recalled the specific instance of the lunar bird using the spell. It was that huge comet spell. It was so strong. The otter stared at her hands ¨C she could do something like that? And what¡¯s more, Taika could do it too? That was a warm thought ¨C they had something they shared despite being so different. Chapter 21 May 13th, 2018AR Shouri Tomoshibi awoke on this Sunday like it was any other. Except, it was unusually cold this morning. The cause of the sudden chill became immediately apparent: the two girls whom he normally shared the bed with were missing. Instantly, the young adult was concerned; doubly so when he sat up and found one of the two tuners missing, specifically the blue one. The midnight black one was still where he had left it the night prior. However, the girl bound to that particular tuner was also missing. He snatched it up and pressed the talk button. ¡°Taika?¡± ¡°Sh-sho!¡± Her startled voice came not from the tuner, but the tiny kitchen he shared with the two girls. Speaking of which ¨C ¡°Where¡¯s Pacifica?¡± Taika walked around the corner, revealing she had possession of the missing tuner. ¡°She wanted me to keep an ear out for her while she talked to her parents. She said it was important.¡± Something felt... off. He wasn¡¯t sure what was really going on, but both Taika and Pacifica were their own people, just because they were his Resonators didn¡¯t mean he had to know every little detail about their lives. ¡°Is she okay?¡± he asked the only question that mattered to him at the present. ¡°Si! Si! Perfectly fine!¡± Taika was a bad liar, or at least she was bad at hiding the fact that they were up to something. At any rate, as long as his precious Resonators were fine, he¡¯d let sleeping otters and foxes lie. Nature was calling anyway and he didn¡¯t have to pry them off of him this morning, so it was a win on that front. He did, however, keep possession of Taika¡¯s tuner in case she got ideas about making early morning phone calls of her own.
Pacifica kept her eyes firmly on Shouri as the pair made their way down to the cafeteria for breakfast. She was getting a bit irritated ¨C why wasn¡¯t he asking about this morning? She had an awesome story spun up and everything! She could sense he was curious about it, but also... ... he was respecting her space? Damn him and being perfect! ¡°Hey,¡± Shouri spoke up suddenly, jolting the otter out of her thoughts. ¡°If you need to do that again, just wake me up. I promise you I won¡¯t be mad.¡± He told her. ¡°Y-yes!¡± She swooned and just followed along in her smitten state.
Back to the room with breakfast in hand, probably one of the last they¡¯d have here at that. Though, upon further consideration, they hadn¡¯t solidified their next steps yet, with the big Scherzando taken care of there wasn¡¯t anything left to tie them to Riva Sranvi. ¡°Sho.¡± Shouri was pulled out of his thoughts and back into reality. The boy looked up from his breakfast - Taika and Pacifica had both called for him. ¡°We want to go swimming,¡± they said together. With his previous thoughts in mind, that request made sense. If they were to go to a more inland town, the chances of them running into facilities with water elementals in mind would diminish. His eyes shifted towards Pacifica. He was concerned about taking her to a less hospitable place for her element, but she had made it out here on her own; it¡¯d probably be fine. ¡°Oh? Are we going to have a repeat of last time?¡± he asked with a smirk. Both girls blushed, recalling their past embarrassments. ¡°Non!¡± Taika shook her head rapidly. ¡°Please? Er, I mean no!¡± Though Pacifica let slip her true feelings on the matter. With a roll of his eyes, he acquiesced to their request. ¡°Fine fine, just behave; both of you.¡± ¡°We will!¡± And thus, the group made preparations to head down to the pool. Swimming gear in hand, they made their way across campus to building C. It was still hot out even this early in the morning and as such they skipped the hot tubs today. Shouri relaxed, floating around the deeper parts of the pool, every so often glancing over to see Pacifica continuing Taika¡¯s swimming education. The previously brick of a fox-girl was now able to at least keep herself above water and do some rudimentary strokes. What she needed now was confidence. Shouri went back to reading the news on one of his two tuners. Other people swam around him, but the lifeguard nor her Resonators were calling him out so floating he remained. The news today was boring, slow even. Which was a touch bit irritating. Surely someone reported on the big Scherzando they took down last night? But no, not a peep of news about it. ¡°Hrmph.¡± He glared at the screen. It wasn¡¯t worth the energy to get worked up about, but it still made him mad all the same. He let out a sigh and decided to move on from it. Next was the usual checks: his last name to see if his parents had done anything stupid. It was always a mixed bag ¨C he never found anything, which was equal parts relieving and scary. They could be planning something and not just brazenly declaring war on him. Maybe it was because of the direction they fled. He¡¯d have to do something about that. They couldn¡¯t just broadcast they were going to Canolapra; the last thing he wanted to do was turn this into more of a thing than it already was, and he didn¡¯t want to drag Pacifica¡¯s family into the mix. Based on the limited knowledge he had of them, they¡¯d surely try to step in, with their daughter being involved now and all. Speaking of... His final check of the morning was to see if their kidnapper was ever caught. After a few tense moments, he found that no, law enforcement had failed them again and that horrible man was still at large. That man could have killed Pacifica, why was he just allowed to roam around freely? ¡°Sh-sho!¡± Taika¡¯s shrill cry distracted him for a moment, just enough to look over and see the fox-girl doggy paddling over to him. ¡°T-Taika?!¡± He ceased his calm floating and re-oriented himself to be floating vertically, just in time to catch the girl. ¡°What are you doing?¡± he asked, noting she was having a rough time trying to stay afloat. ¡°I wanted to swim to you,¡± she panted, clinging to her Maestro like he was a piece of debris from a sinking ship. He looked past the girl he was now keeping afloat and saw Pacifica waving from the shallow end of the pool ¨C most likely the perpetrator of the situation as a whole. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get you back.¡± Taika blushed as she held him. She stopped focusing on the water and was more flustered about being in direct contact with her Maestro¡¯s barely clothed body. His skin felt nice, she decided. ¡°I thought I told you to behave,¡± Shouri immediately reprimanded Pacifica upon their return to the shallows. ¡°What?! She wanted to and I thought it¡¯d be a good test to see if she¡¯s ready!¡± Pacifica shouted back in defense of her honor. Shouri raised a brow, folding his arms across his chest. ¡°And, what¡¯s the verdict?¡± ¡°She¡¯s certainly not sea-worthy, but we can trust her in the kiddy pool,¡± the otter declared boldly, which earned an eye roll from the Maestro.
The trio began to head back to the room, when Pacifica ran ahead of them, spinning around to halt their progress. ¡°Let¡¯s go out for lunch!¡± she suggested. Shouri frowned. They were supposed to get a bonus within the week. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t.¡± He shook his head; it just seemed so wasteful when they were getting fed by the MA Office for free (the food was pretty good too). Taika grabbed her Maestro¡¯s arm. ¡°Please Sho!¡± came the begging cry. And Shouri made the mistake of gazing upon her teary puppy dog eyes. ¡°Nngh.¡± He gulped. Too cute. Averting his line of sight was a mistake, Pacifica had also turned on the pleading gaze. ¡°Grk.¡± Closing his eyes was the only strategy. These two were way too much. ¡°Pleeeeaaaaase Sho.¡± The harmony of both of their voices hit just the right pitch to wear away his objections. ¡°Fine,¡± he sighed, ¡°Where do you two want to go?¡± Pacifica frowned. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not from the west coast,¡± she hummed in thought. ¡°Anywhere is fine with me,¡± Taika added. ¡°Hmm...¡± Shouri pulled out his tuner and began looking over their choices in eats. ¡°Hmmm, maybe a diner.¡± He stroked his chin in thought. ¡°G-gimmie that!¡± Pacifica stepped forward and snatched her tuner away from Shouri. ¡°Wha-?!¡± The Maestro didn¡¯t have time to react to the device being stolen from him. He could only look on as the water-otter feverishly tapped the touch screen to find them lunch. ¡°Yeah, okay I got an idea let¡¯s go!¡± She turned and began walking off campus. Shouri looked to Taika for guidance, but the vixen was quick to follow her otter counterpart. ¡°What am I going to do with them?¡± he sighed. At least they were both in good spirits. He¡¯d settle on that and follow along. He found Pacifica and Taika waiting at a bus stop. ¡°What are you two doing?¡± he braved the question. ¡°The place I wanna go is across town ¨C I figured we could take the bus there,¡± Pacifica explained. ¡°I already got the route.¡± She waved the tuner she had yet to return. ¡°I¡¯ve never been on a bus before,¡± Taika added with an almost child-like wonder in her voice. Shouri shrugged and rolled with it; someone else making the decisions for once was a welcome change of pace. The bus arrived only a few minutes later and the trio boarded. A beep came from the tuner still at his side as they got on. As he sat down next to Taika and Pacifica, he checked what the noise was about. ¡°Ah. They charge you automatically,¡± he noted. Resonators were half the price of adult Maestros, as long as they had a Maestro. That was handy. Not that it was all that much in the first place. Their total fare for the trip was less than ten notes. Taika had been given the window seat and had her face pressed against the window the entire time, in awe of all the businesses and landmarks that passed them by. ¡°This is a nice city,¡± Pacifica noted, gripping her tuner tightly. ¡°You alright?¡± Shouri asked. ¡°Yeah, just thinking about last night,¡± the otter replied quietly. ¡°It went well.¡± ¡°You scared me.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Pacifica trembled slightly. ¡°I thought I lost you for a moment,¡± she quietly admitted . Shouri lowered his head. He knew the feeling well enough already. Screaming her name when she went limp in his arms before; the horror of believing you might have watched someone take their last breath before your eyes. It was a sobering thought ¨C a terrifying one at that; both Shouri and Pacifica made each other unintentionally experience that ¡°Sho.¡± Pacifica snapped him out of his thoughts. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to bring you down.¡± A melancholy smile rose on her lips. ¡°Not today,¡± she whispered. Shouri raised a brow for a moment, perplexed ¨C but ultimately decided to dismiss it. Pacifica still seemed bothered though. After a moment of thought, he just spoke his mind: ¡°We¡¯re both fine. All three of us are fine. Let¡¯s just celebrate.¡± The gloomy otter brightened upon hearing that. ¡°You¡¯re right Sho.¡± She spoke with a giggle. Taika kept her gaze firmly away from her friends, her expression clouded.
¡°Here! We¡¯re getting off here!¡± Pacifica shouted to her friends. The trio disembarked from the bus and once again was led to their final destination by Pacifica. ¡°Oh! There it is!¡± She sprinted ahead to the end of the block they were on. Shouri raised a brow as it seemed like she was knocking? She was taking them somewhere that was open, right? ¡°Come on slowpokes!¡± The otter waved as the door swung open. ¡°We¡¯re coming, we¡¯re coming!¡± Shouri shouted back, picking up the pace with Taika in tow. Once the trio had been assembled at the entrance, they were allowed in. The trio was guided to a table and seated. The Maestro of the group looked around. They were all alone. Not a single other person was seated. The d¨¦cor was high-class, something he had been used to going out to eat with his parents. The type of place which made one dress for the occasion. They were certainly under-dressed for this establishment. However, there was a lack of other patrons to give them the stink eye. In fact, the only other person they had seen thus far was the front desk manager who had seated them. Shouri gulped upon picking up the menu. Specifically, he had locked onto the prices ¡°3 Courses $120 4 Courses $147 5 Courses $167¡± Glancing up at the top of the menu, he found out why: ¡°Restaurant Lawrence Danylo¡± He shot an annoyed glance at Pacifica who was behind her own menu. This was one of those hoity-toity restaurants that didn¡¯t charge per item, but for whole dinner experiences; all run by a world-famous chef. He was starting to get a grasp of her tastes as an individual. Some quick dirty math gave him a total of 360 notes for the three of them to eat. He took a peek at his tuner for finances. 982 notes This was about to eat up over a third of their savings on just lunch. He was about to stand up and demand they leave, but he remembered he and Pacifica¡¯s conversation on the bus. She was truly scared of losing him ¨C the feeling was mutual. It was something he thought he buried a long time ago, but now he was responsible for these two girls¡¯ well-being, alongside his own. He didn¡¯t want to let them down. ¡°Sho.¡± Taika snapped him out of his thoughts. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± he asked. ¡°I have no idea what any of this means,¡± she whimpered flashing her menu at her Maestro. Shouri chuckled as he began to explain the menu items. The waiter (a dragon Resonator of all things) arrived and requested the appetizers from the group ¨C course one of three. ¡°Seafood Bisque with Celery Root, Carrot, Fennel, and Fine Herbs.¡± Pacifica smirked proudly. ¡°Beef Tartare, Pine Nuts, Shallots, Bearnaise Dressing, and Osetra Caviar Pillows.¡± Taika pointed at the menu as she read it off. ¡°Risotto with Lobster, Rock Shrimp, Shimeji Mushrooms, and Spring Vegetables,¡± Shouri spoke last as always but carried a certain dignity that Taika and Pacifica appreciated. As the waiter left to begin the first course, Pacifica decided to bring up the pressing matter. ¡°So Sho, what are we doing after this?¡± ¡°Probably sleeping, to be honest.¡± He shrugged. ¡°No silly, I mean our travel plans,¡± Pacifica giggled. ¡°Oh, that.¡± Shouri pulled the black tuner off his waist and looked over the map. Lybertera was a massive continent, of which they were on the temperate west coast. ¡°Well, there¡¯s the Loggia Mountains to the east, so we have to figure out how we¡¯re navigating that,¡± he hummed, ¡°There are lots of small towns, but it still looks like a pain in the ass to cross on foot.¡± He zoomed in on the map. ¡°Is there anything we can do about that?¡± Taika asked. ¡°Maybe we could fly?¡± Pacifica suggested. The Maestro narrowed his eyes once more in the otter¡¯s direction ¨C of course, she suggests the most expensive mode of travel. ¡°I think we should aim for Fercy. It¡¯s the closest large city on the other side of the range,¡± he laid out his thoughts. ¡°We might be able to find some buses to take us part of the way. Failing that, we can see about hitchhiking some of the distance, especially between mountain villages,¡± he paused. ¡°Definitely don¡¯t want to end up stuck between towns at night in the mountains.¡± Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. The two girls nodded. This was a tricky situation they found themselves in. Their food arrived and they thought about it while they ate. ¡°May I take your main course now?¡± the dragon waiter inquired of the guests. ¡°Seared Sea Scallops with Patty Pans, Fava Beans, Peas, Green Garlic Puree, Pickled Ramps, and Fines Herbs.¡± Pacifica was already ready with her selection. ¡°Oh! Uhhh I wanted the Filet of Beef with Soy Mustard Glaze, Eggplant-Shiitake Marmalade, Potato Gratin, Haricot Vert, and Pearl Onions,¡± Taika managed to squeak out, taking a breath after saying all that. ¡°Branzini with Fennel Pur¨¦e, Artichokes, Ni?oise Olives, Pepper Chermoula, and Saffron-Orange Emulsion.¡± There was a certain flair to the way Shouri spoke out his request that wrapped Pacifica and Taika around his finger. ¡°So after we get to Fercy then what?¡± Pacifica picked up their previous conversation. ¡°I mean this is all in service to get us to Canolapra, looking at the map-¡± He pulled the tuner back out. ¡°-we could hit Dalliva from Fercy and then figure out our way to Canolapra from there.¡± Pacifica frowned. ¡°Or maybe we could go down the Corhia River out to the Fohllentic then cut back in and take the Southern Maza all the way up.¡± Shouri smirked. ¡°You¡¯re just determined to spend all our money, aren¡¯t you?¡± Pacifica pouted, taking exception to that. ¡°We¡¯re supposed to be getting a bonus, right?!¡± Taika just looked back and forth between her friends as they spoke. She had very little frame of reference for the towns, cities, and landmarks of the Lyberteran content, but she was enjoying the conversation. This was nice, she decided. Their main course arrived in spectacular fashion and the trio were too focused on eating to continue their discussion for the moment. ¡°I don¡¯t want to spend all our money.¡± Pacifica restarted the discussion, having finished her second course. Shouri too, had finished his second helping of food. He wiped his lips clean with the provided cloth and sat it back on his lap. ¡°It was in jest, but also kind of serious. We need to be careful with our spending,¡± Shouri warned her. ¡°We have a backup plan!¡± Pacifica retorted. ¡°Relying on your parents?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± A pause as green and blue eyes locked on one another. ¡°That¡¯s-¡± Shouri briefly considered his word choice. ¡°-dubious.¡± The Maestro lowered his gaze. ¡°In a situation where it became me versus them, what would you do?¡± he proposed. The otter-girl was taken aback by that question, but didn¡¯t hesitate in her response: ¡°Rhythm is the soul ¨C I¡¯d pick my Maestro any day of the week.¡± She gritted her teeth. This was a common feeling amongst most Resonators, especially ones who were as close to their Maestros as Taika and Pacifica. ¡°I would feel bad, but I knew what I was getting into when I knocked on that door.¡± Shouri sighed; he wanted to avoid putting her in that position and realistically he wouldn¡¯t. He shot a sidelong glance toward Taika, who was still eating. Unfortunately, people weren¡¯t that easy to predict. Directing his attention back to Pacifica, he took in a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for bringing that up. I just-¡± Shouri began. Pacifica cut him off, ¡°-want to succeed on our own power, I know.¡± She hung her head. ¡°I know,¡± she repeated, quieter. She raised her head, ready to speak her mind, when she was suddenly kicked from under the table by Taika. It took everything in her power to not say what she was thinking at that exact moment. ¡°You can pick your family over me,¡± Shouri spoke up after a moment. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t take it personally,¡± he told her. ¡°Yeah, no. I¡¯d rather be disowned than be a stray living with my parents for the rest of my life.¡± Pacifica smirked, sitting back in her chair. Shouri shook his head. ¡°I dunno what you see in me.¡± He too reclined in his seat. ¡°Think about the conversation we just had and you have your answer,¡± the otter chuckled. At that moment, the dragon waiting on them returned. ¡°What will you be having for dessert?¡± they asked. ¡°Ah, right.¡± Pacifica grabbed her menu; Shouri and Taika followed suit. ¡°Seasonal Fruit Sorbet Sampler with Cookies,¡± Pacifica decided. ¡°Baked Chocolate Souffl¨¦ with Two Sauces.¡± Taika once again held up her menu, pointing at her selection ¡°Cr¨¨me Fraiche Cheesecake with Poached Oranges, Caramel Passion Fruit Sauce, and Pine-nut Brittle,¡± Shouri read out, not missing a syllable of pronunciation. Left to their own devices, Pacifica decided to change the topic. ¡°So, what are we doing tonight Sho?¡± she asked. ¡°I told you already, sleeping,¡± he replied. ¡°There¡¯s really nothing else you want to do?¡± She seemed a bit hurt by that. ¡°Pacifica, my weak stave is willpower ¨C we got up early, went swimming, and are currently out on the town. I only have so much energy.¡± ¡°Just like, vigorously head pat Taika, she has enough willpower for both of us.¡± The otter offered up her vixen counterpart. (Who blushed at the idea of a ¡°vigorous¡± head patting.) ¡°Etude only gets us so far,¡± he reminded her. ¡°Besides, we shouldn¡¯t exhaust ourselves today when we¡¯re traveling tomorrow,¡± came the second reminder. Again, the otter was disappoint. ¡°I suppose,¡± she pouted. This only lasted for a moment as ¡°Taika and I will give you lots of cuddles! Maybe we can watch a scary movie,¡± she beamed. His water-element was growing bolder by the day, but a movie night sounded nice regardless. The Lunar in his possession however was in her thoughts, visibly flustered out of her mind ¨C he worried for her continued mental health as Pacifica seemed to be dragging her along in a variety of schemes. Their final course arrived, complete with the bill. Taika and Pacifica practically sparkled from the excitement of seeing their respective sweets. Shouri however, went to survey the damage of their indulgence. However, before he could lift it, Pacifica slammed her hand down on the check. ¡°I-I got it Sho!¡± the otter squeaked. The Maestro raised a brow. ¡°With what money?¡± he questioned, refusing to remove his hand from the bill. Keeping her hand firmly atop the slip of paper, she reached into her pockets and pulled out a quartet of fresh hundred-note bills. ¡°See? I got it covered.¡± She chuckled nervously, setting the money on the table. It was 400 notes, which did cover their roughly 360-note tab. There was a more concerning question: ¡°Where did you get all that money? I thought you said you had all your cash taken by the kidnapper.¡± ¡°I did! But this was my allowance from my parents for this month,¡± she replied quickly. That was certainly a prepared answer. Shouri refused to release the check. Taika looked between her two friends, brows raised in concern as she ate her dessert. ¡°Let me spend my money on you,¡± Pacifica sternly requested. ¡°Pacificaaaaa.¡± Shouri glared at her, returning her stern tone. ¡°Wh-what?! It¡¯s my money let me have this!¡± she countered. He continued to glare her down, shifting his frown ever so slightly in disapproval. ¡°We literally just discussed this exact situation.¡± ¡°I know! It was killing me!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°Look, look; it¡¯s not me relying on them, it¡¯s me taking advantage of their kindness,¡± the girl made up on the spot. ¡°God, I¡¯m an awful daughter,¡± she muttered under her breath. Finally, the Maestro relented to another of his Resonator¡¯s wishes. ¡°Fine. Do what you want,¡± he sighed, releasing the check for her to pay. ¡°Hee hee, thank you Sho,¡± Pacifica giggled, pleased with herself. The Maestro shook his head. ¡°Weird girl,¡± he decided. With lunch behind them, the trio made their way back to the MA Office. Beeeeep Their door unlocked with a wave of one of Shouri¡¯s tuners, just like normal. Taika let out a weary breath, throwing the bag she had been carrying the whole time on the couch. Shouri yawned, shedding his jacket. Taika followed suit with her own jacket, and Pacifica with her vest. Public transport was tiring in and of itself. ¡°Nap,¡± Taika demanded. ¡°Bed,¡± Pacifica chimed in. ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me twice.¡± The tired Maestro yawned again. It was about three in the afternoon or so. They¡¯d probably sleep for a good three to four hours. The trio crawled into bed, with Pacifica and Taika clinging to their precious Maestro. What a nice day this had been, Shouri thought before drifting off to sleep.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK Shouri opened his eyes slowly. Someone was at the door. ¡°Oh! I got it!¡± Pacifica bounded from the bed, and surprisingly, Taika rushed out of bed too. ¡°What the hell?¡± Shouri sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. ¡°Thank you!¡± Pacifica could be heard saying to whoever was at the door. The door shut, with the two Resonators doing something in the mini-kitchen their room had. Begrudgingly, Shouri decided to get out of bed to see what the two girls were plotting now. They had been unusually secretive today, and while he wanted to leave them to their own devices, he was starting to get irritated with the situation. He turned the corner to see the pair huddled over something ¨C backs towards him. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s-?¡± They turned to him, both holding onto a small gift-wrapped box. ¡°SURPRISE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHO!¡± The boy stood there like a deer in headlights, mouth slightly agape. What was today again? May 13th, 2018AR That¡¯s right, he had been so wrapped up in being disowned, taking care of Taika and Pacifica, the big Scherzando, everything really ¨C he had forgotten his own birthday. In hindsight, everything Pacifica and Taika did today now made sense. But that begged the question: ¡°How did you two know?¡± he asked. Pacifica looked down at her smaller counterpart. ¡°Taika told me,¡± the otter said. ¡°I was paying attention to the stuff you were filling out when you adopted me, and when you got our hunter''s clearance done,¡± she admitted. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to ever forget your birthday Sho.¡± The vixen smiled sheepishly. Shouri¡¯s gaze lowered, looking down at the gift they were still presenting to him. What did they even get him? Either way, he didn¡¯t want to disappoint them ¨C they must have gone through quite a few hoops to get whatever this was. He grabbed hold of the box but didn¡¯t pull it away from them. ¡°Thank you both.¡± The girls smiled brightly, releasing their gift. Gently unwrapping the present, he slipped a small book out of the paper covering. Shouri looked it over whilst his two Resonators watched expectingly. The edges were gold, though flipping it open the pages were blank. There was a pen taped to the spine. ¡°Taika noticed you were taking a lot of notes on the little notepad that came with the room,¡± Pacifica pointed out. ¡°We thought you¡¯d be able to appreciate somewhere to jot down your thoughts or ideas,¡± Taika added with a small nod. The boy stared at the book for a moment before stepping forward and hugging the two girls. They were both taken aback for a moment. ¡°Thank you, this means a lot.¡± ¡°O-of course Sho.¡± Pacifica couldn¡¯t hide her big dumb grin. ¡°You mean the world to us,¡± Taika said, also with a smile and red face.
Shouri stood at the vending machine ¨C he recalled he had seen bags of popcorn amongst the selections before and wanted to get some for their movie night. He located the bags on the bottom row of the machine and quickly vended it. ¡°Oh, Shouri.¡± He turned around to see Makani and his own Resonator. ¡°Grabbing some snacks?¡± he asked. ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re gonna watch some movies tonight,¡± Shouri replied. ¡°Nice, sounds like fun!¡± Makani chuckled. ¡°Maybe we should do the same.¡± Rynda elbowed her Maestro in the side. ¡°Maybe maybe.¡± Shouri looked down at his two bags of popcorn and frowned slightly. He wanted to get back to the room. People were draining, especially without Taika there to prop up his weak will. ¡°Well, it was good seeing you both again.¡± He decided to make a swift retreat. ¡°Wait.¡± The escaping Maestro stopped mid-step. He silently considered just booking it before he got roped into some other arduous task. Against his better judgment, he slowly turned back to face the other Maestro and his bird-girl ¡°Where are you all heading? I assume you¡¯re leaving soon,¡± Makani inquired harmlessly enough. ¡°Well, we were gonna head out probably tomorrow for Fercy,¡± Shouri admitted sheepishly. ¡°On foot?¡± ¡°Yeah, trying to save money.¡± Makani and Rynda exchanged a glance and nodded. ¡°Ride with us,¡± Rynda offered. Shouri raised a brow. ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°We¡¯re booked to head to Fercy the day after tomorrow. Nobody¡¯s gonna complain about three extra bodies,¡± Makani explained. That was sudden ¨C Shouri was taken aback by the offer though. ¡°Are you sure?¡± he asked. The pilot smirked. ¡°Of course, we own the plane; the clients can deal with it if they want to keep us on as couriers,¡± he told the younger Maestro. Shouri nodded slowly. ¡°I guess if you don¡¯t have a problem with it; I wouldn¡¯t mind avoiding those mountains,¡± he spoke his thoughts. ¡°For sure! Just think of it as a finder¡¯s fee for that big Scherzando,¡± Makani chuckled. ¡°Hope you didn¡¯t forget that we get that nice bonus too,¡± Rynda added. ¡°Yeah, thank you.¡± Shouri tried to leave, but once again he found himself halted by the pushy pilot and his nightingale. ¡°Wait! Last thing I swear.¡± Once more Shouri stopped but tried to remain cordial given that these people were offering to fly him for free. ¡°Wh-what¡¯s up?¡± Shouri turned back again. ¡°What room are you in? We¡¯ll drop off the itinerary tomorrow morning so you have it for Tuesday.¡±
Shouri returned to the room with the popcorn bags in hand. He let out a sharp breath, socially drained after interacting with Makani and Rynda. ¡°Sho!¡± His two Resonators joyously cried out upon his return. They rushed over and clung to him. At least his twin day stars could restore his stamina. ¡°I was gone for like ten minutes,¡± he chuckled. ¡°We missed you, birthday boy!¡± Pacifica pouted. The otter-girl furrowed her brows, noting the social fatigue Shouri had accrued in the ten minutes he was gone. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± she braved asking. ¡°Nothing gets by you.¡± Shouri laughed nervously. ¡°Makani offered to fly us to Fercy.¡± ¡°For free?¡± Taika made the relevant inquiry. ¡°Yeah, for free; apparently they were already heading there.¡± Pacifica nodded, unlike her lunar counterpart, she wouldn¡¯t pass up this opportunity. ¡°Well, that solves that problem then.¡± ¡°When do we leave?¡± Taika continued her string of inquiries. ¡°Tuesday apparently,¡± Shouri informed them. The water element of the group lit up. ¡°Ooh! Ooh! Can we go to the beach tomorrow? Please Please Please?!¡± She bounced as she spoke. Of course, she wanted to go down to the beach ¨C outside of their arrival they hadn¡¯t gotten a chance to even visit it their entire stay. There was just one point of concern on Shouri¡¯s mind: ¡°How do you feel about this?¡± he addressed Taika, the weakest swimmer of the trio. Put on the spot, Taika wavered. ¡°Ah... eh...¡± she fretted, playing with the edge of her shirt while avoiding Shouri and Pacifica¡¯s stares. ¡°Se ¨¨ quello che entrambi volete...¡± she muttered. Shouri frowned, not understanding what she said. Pacifica¡¯s ears twitched. ¡°It¡¯s not about what we want ¨C he¡¯s asking you,¡± Pacifica replied. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a bother,¡± she admitted her feelings more clearly. ¡°Hmmm...¡± Shouri frowned. It was clear to him she was nervous about going to the beach. ¡°Okay, how about this?¡± Chapter 22 The next morning, Shouri returned to the waking world, blinking a few times as he stared at the ceiling and gathered his bearings. Taika and Pacifica draped themselves over him as usual. The TV was left on the movie channel they had been watching the night prior. Two husks that once contained overflowing kernels of popped corn were crushed nearby, devoid of their delicious contents. A trio of cups holding various levels of water remained proudly standing on the nearby nightstand. Movie night had been such a success they all passed out in the middle of it. Either way, today was going to be busy. He essentially roped himself into a pair of dates. He wouldn¡¯t audibly admit to that, but that¡¯s essentially what was happening. He eyed the bathroom from his position in bed. Taking a shower would be pointless since he¡¯d be not only going to the beach but also out on the town later. Pacifica awoke next, her eyes meeting Shouri¡¯s. She gave him a groggy smile before her brain started working and she realized it was time. ¡°Beach!¡± She sat up with such ferocity that it awoke the final sleeping occupant of the bed. ¡°Giorno...¡± Taika groaned, slowly rising against her will. Shouri and Pacifica got ready to leave, while Taika lounged about. Shouri donned his white t-shirt paired with his swim shorts. Pacifica wore her typical everyday attire. They had emptied the bag to use to store their towels while at the beach. ¡°If you need me, use your tuner to contact me. I¡¯ll have Pacifica¡¯s on me,¡± Shouri instructed the fox. ¡°Si...¡± Taika yawned, planting her face into the mattress beneath her. ¡°Let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s go!¡± Pacifica bounced excitedly. She grabbed her Maestro¡¯s hand and immediately bolted for the door. ¡°Guh! Careful with my arm!¡± Shouri tried and failed to calm the excited otter as he was being pulled out of the room. ¡°Oh boy oh boy oh boy,¡± Pacifica repeated the entire way down to the beach. She was passionate if nothing else, Shouri thought to himself. Seeing her happy was nice and provided a little dopamine for him. They had gotten up early to beat the crowds ¨C a wise decision. Shouri rented them a locker and they made some deposits: the towel bag, Shouri¡¯s clothes, as well as Pacifica¡¯s vest and sandals. ¡°Come on!¡± Shouri barely had a chance to close the locker before he found his other arm getting stretched by Pacifica dragging him down the boardwalk to the beach proper. She released him just before hitting the water, like a spacecraft shedding its boosters. The otter hit the water and dove right in. Throwing her head back while rising from the water, Pacifica seemed to sparkle in the morning sun; it was enrapturing to her Maestro who remained on the beach. ¡°Ah, the ocean, I missed it so much!¡± the girl exclaimed, enjoying the waves at her back. Shouri shook off the charm of his otter-girl. He came to the beach to swim, and swim he would. Approaching the water, he noted the slight chill of the ocean ¨C which was normal for this coast, but he knew he¡¯d adjust to it. ¡°Jump in! Jump in!¡± Pacifica demanded. ¡°Fine fine.¡± Shouri chuckled. He dove right into an oncoming wave, surfacing a moment later. He threw his head back like Pacifica had. Rubbing the water from his face, he caught sight of Pacifica who was just staring in awe. She too enjoyed the performance ¨C her topless Maestro shimmering in the morning sun surrounded by the ocean. And he was all hers right now. ¡°Sho.¡± She grabbed his arm. ¡°Eh?¡± The Maestro looked to his otter-girl. ¡°Let¡¯s go on an adventure.¡±
Shouri held on to Pacifica¡¯s back as she carried him further from shore. This mode of travel was possible thanks to a combination of factors. He glanced back at her thick tail which aided in propelling them forward and took a little stress off her upper body. He also had read that water elements were capable of breathing in water by using their own personal rhythm. Rhythm that was restored as long as she was in physical contact with him ¨C meaning she had the capability of carrying him wherever without having to bring her head above the surface. Looking around, besides the endless coast that was the Lyberteran mainland, many many islands dotted the coast. An entire archipelago and Pacifica wanted to go to some of the uninhabited ones. ¡°Tap my left shoulder twice if you want me to stop. Right shoulder twice if we¡¯re in trouble,¡± he recalled her guidelines before they had departed from the coast. A good idea on her part, just being around him gave her all kinds of them and she enjoyed it greatly. And likewise, she had a calming effect on him ¨C this wasn¡¯t something Shouri normally did, just riding on the back of a Resonator out into open seas. Thinking about it though, he trusted this girl with his life. He thought it funny how close they had grown in such a short time. He resumed keeping a lookout for anything crazy. Fortunately for their trip, they reached the first island without trouble. Pacifica slowed as they approached the island and re-surfaced. ¡°Everything good up here?¡± She asked. ¡°Yep, smooth sailing.¡± Shouri chuckled. ¡°Great! Let¡¯s see what awaits us on this mysterious island!¡± Pacifica declared loudly, taking them to shore. The pair set foot on the small island. Clean, untouched beaches and a small collection of trees that could barely be called a forest. ¡°Wow...¡± Pacifica began walking towards the vegetation. ¡°Hey, wait up!¡± Shouri shouted, following his Resonator. Treading carefully, the duo looked around in wonder. Very few people came out to these islands. They couldn¡¯t sustain a permanent settlement being so small. Eventually, they would probably be washed away. A transient existence that could only be enjoyed at this moment. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful here.¡± Pacifica came to a stop among the trees. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. There weren¡¯t any other people around besides her Maestro. It was just them all alone here in these woods. ¡°Romantic, isn¡¯t it?¡± she asked. ¡°It does have a certain charm.¡± Shouri took in the ambiance with his Resonator. He found a spot under the shade of one of the trees and sat down. Pacifica rushed over and plopped down next to him, leaning on his shoulder. In a surprise twist, he extended his arm out and wrapped it around her. ¡°Sho...¡± she cooed. Eyes closed, neither cared about the passage of time, just allowing it to march on without them. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind being stranded on an island like this with you,¡± Pacifica whispered. Shouri raised a brow and smirked. ¡°Couldn¡¯t we just swim somewhere? You¡¯re not that weak of a swimmer.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ruin the moment with your facts and logic.¡± She cuddled up to him more, wrapping her arms around his torso. ¡°Just the idea of being alone, no worries about the world we left behind,¡± she sighed wistfully. ¡°It¡¯s just nice to think about.¡± ¡°Eep!¡± the girl squeaked suddenly as Shouri¡¯s hand reached her head. He gently stroked her hair, earning another pleasured exhale. ¡°Sho...¡± After some time had passed the pair returned to the beach to check out another island. ¡°Onward!¡± Pacifica pointed towards the island nearby. ¡°Yes yes.¡± Shouri shook his head with a smile. Getting on her back, Shouri was ferried over to the second destination in their island-hopping adventure. Like the first island, the second was nearly untouched by human encroachment. There simply wasn¡¯t any reason to settle on an island so small. The sea would swallow it up given enough time. ¡°It¡¯s kinda sad to think about,¡± Shouri noted. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Pacifica asked, spinning around to face her Maestro. The Maestro gazed upon the footprints the pair left in the sand. ¡°Just these islands will fade back into the ocean eventually,¡± he muttered, watching their imprints get washed away by the waves. Pacifica hugged him from behind. ¡°That¡¯s not the right way of thinking of it,¡± she whispered to him. ¡°We¡¯re lucky to be experiencing these little specks of land while they exist. Very few would be able to say that.¡± Such an optimistic way of looking at things earned a smile from Shouri. ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right.¡± ¡°I know I¡¯m right, now come on!¡± Grabbing his hand, she dragged him along the beach to continue their exploration. They were on their way to the third island in their little expedition when the waters began to get a little rough. Growing concerned, Shouri tapped Pacifica¡¯s right shoulder twice, as instructed. The girl immediately came to a halt and surfaced. They split off for a moment, both remaining above the waves. ¡°What¡¯s going on Sho?¡± She asked, looking around. ¡°It¡¯s getting a bit rough, maybe we should head back,¡± Shouri advised. ¡°We¡¯ll be fine, we¡¯ll be fine.¡± Pacifica didn¡¯t see the problem. Until it was too late. As if fate accepted the otter¡¯s challenge, a huge wave suddenly was over them and collapsed right over the pair. Immediately the duo was sucked underwater and separated. Pacifica of course was fine, a little dazed by the water crashing on top of her, but her water-breathing kicked back in upon being forced underwater. She shook her head, looking around. Her immediate fear was for her Maestro: they had been separated and she had no idea where he was. Worse yet he was not a water-element ¨C he couldn¡¯t breathe in water like she could! She had to stay calm, but that was a herculean task given that if he died, it¡¯d be on her hands... ¡°SHO!¡± she cried out uselessly ¨C the sound didn''t carry underwater. ¡°SHOOOO!¡± she screamed, head whipping to and fro as she wasted her rhythm on this fruitless endeavor. Then she spotted him, rapidly sinking into the abyss. ¡°SHO!¡± She shot down into the depths after him, never once thinking if she could make it or not. She managed to reach him ¨C but they were so far under the surface now, that she doubted her ability to get him top side before he ran out of air. She shook her head - it wasn¡¯t time to think that way! She wrapped herself around him and shot back towards the surface. It was so far away though... In her head, she felt as if she heard Shouri speaking directly into her mind. ¡°L''onda di tempesta, Accelerando!¡± And even more strangely, his rhythm connected with her ¨C she could cast the spell! She didn¡¯t have time to think, she just let it happen. On land the spell created a river of water, but what would it do while she was in the water? As she cast the spell it felt as if the water was now pulling her to the surface! She urged herself to go faster and faster, riding this new current up to the barrier between air and sea. SPLASH! She burst out of the water with such force that she and Shouri were propelled several feet into the air. Time slowed to a crawl. They had made it. Somehow despite all odds, they were back above the cruel waves that had tried to snuff them out. Landing back on the surface of the water, she heard Shouri coughing and gagging, but within all of that, he gave out a command: ¡°L''onda di tempesta, Accelerando!¡± Pacifica just let the spell happen, allowing the water to pull them rapidly toward the mainland. She hadn¡¯t had time to re-adjust, so she laid on her back still holding Shouri, making most of the propulsion work fall on her tail. Back at shore, the pair crawled onto the beach and collapsed; Shouri still having quite a nasty cough and Pacifica struggling to catch her breath. ¡°I... told you so,¡± he managed to get out. ¡°And I told you we¡¯d be fine...¡± Pacifica snarked back. The pair smiled at each other, just grateful that little accident didn¡¯t turn into a tragedy. Taika meanwhile had fallen asleep during Pacifica and Shouri¡¯s Great Adventure and was only awoken by their return. ¡°Che..?¡± She groggily sat up on the bed, the sound of the door opening having been the disturbance that stirred her from her sleep. The television was playing some kind of mid-day infomercial. Shouri and Pacifica walked around the corner, looking much worse for wear. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Shower...¡± Pacifica groaned, locking herself in the bathroom. ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯m wearing this.¡± Shouri frowned, his voice sounded much hoarser than when they left and Taika picked up on that immediately. ¡°What happened?¡± the curious fox inquired. ¡°Big wave made us eat shit.¡± Shouri coughed. Taika was confused. ¡°Che?¡± After a coughing fit, Shouri elaborated. ¡°We got hit by a big wave and got sucked underwater. Pacifica managed to save me, but I had to cast a couple of spells to get to the surface in time.¡± Taika put together the pieces very quickly. ¡°You almost drowned!?¡± she gasped. ¡°Sh sh sh...¡± Shouri looked to the door. ¡°She already feels bad enough about it,¡± he told Taika. ¡°Let¡¯s just go and pretend it didn¡¯t happen,¡± he whispered. Taika was still upset about this turn of events and would interrogate her water counterpart at their next opportunity alone. ¡°We¡¯re leaving, Pacifica!¡± Shouri called out for his other Resonator. ¡°Have fun!¡± she shouted back. Swapping tuners, he left the blue Pacifica-linked tuner on the nightstand for the black Taika-linked one. They left roughly afternoon, giving them about four hours out on the town to match the four-ish hours he and Pacifica spent. ¡°So what do you want to even do?¡± Shouri asked the vixen. She frowned. Where Pacifica went to the beach with Shouri, Taika didn¡¯t have anything specific she wanted to do with him. ¡°Let¡¯s go get lunch,¡± she decided. And so the pair went to a little caf¨¦. They opted to sit outside and enjoy the nice late-spring weather. ¡°This is nice,¡± Taika exhaled contentedly, enjoying the light breeze that washed over them. People were meandering about the streets, just going about their Monday afternoon. Shopping, chatting, enjoying the pleasant weather. Everyone was in their own little world. Shouri was bewitched by the raven-haired vixen before him as she people-watched. These rare moments of peace in their lives were always appreciated. Their food soon arrived and the duo enjoyed their lunch in silence. Full of soup and sandwiches, the pair hit the streets once more. Taking in the sights before they ended up halfway across the continent was on top of their list. However, a particular attraction caught Taika¡¯s sight. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± She pointed ahead to some large machinery in the distance. ¡°Oh, looks like a small beach-side amusement park,¡± Shouri noted. ¡°Wanna check it out?¡± He didn¡¯t need to ask as his current partner¡¯s tail was wagging excitedly while her eyes almost sparkled in excitement. Heading down to the park in question, it wasn¡¯t as busy as Shouri expected. Looking at the massive beasts of metal ahead of them, they seemed well-aged, like a fine wine. This must have been a long-standing establishment from what he had guessed. The person at the ticket counter caught sight of Taika, as well as her associated tuner on Shouri¡¯s waist. ¡°Thirty notes,¡± they spoke gruffly. Shouri raised a brow, noting the prices. Adult Maestros (Ages 15+) $15 Minor Maestros (14 and below) $10 Resonators (All Ages) $8 They should have been paying seven notes less for their admission, but rather than raising a stink about it, Shouri decided to pay the ¡°inconvenience fee¡± the employee had decided to tack on. With that out of the way, they were admitted into the park without much fanfare. There were of course many food and souvenir stands dotted around the main entrance. Given they just had lunch, however, the pair simply walked by taking in the sights, smells, and sounds. Some stalls seemed familiar ¨C Shouri figured some of these people pulled double time and also worked at the hunter base camps at night. They weren¡¯t here for the cuisine, they were here for the rides. The first attraction that caught Taika¡¯s eyes was a large rotating machine, which Shouri explained was a carousel. They got on and rode around on the various animal-shaped seats that pivoted around the center base. A slow, simple ride to start their day at the park. Next was the vortex. Taika didn¡¯t understand what it was until it began. They were whipped around at high speed as the machine spun faster and faster. Eventually, she found they were stuck to the walls as the speed of the ride forced them against the walls, even going as far as to drop the bottom of the machine out to show it was holding them in place. She stumbled out of the ride and immediately collapsed. Deciding to take it easy for the next attraction, Shouri took her to the haunted house. However, this was an incredibly lackluster experience as the two learned that they couldn¡¯t turn off their night vision. As a result, they quite easily saw all the jump scares coming as if they had spotlights on them. Moving on from that disappointment, they boarded what seemed to be a hollowed-out log on a river. They were taken down a track into several dark tunnels where Shouri decided to have some fun by explaining what couples normally did in these dark ¡°tunnels of love¡±. Taika exited the ride too flustered to even take advantage of the situation. Taika got to experience her first foray into driving at the bumper cars. After being quickly coached on the operation of the vehicles they were off. Thankfully the only malicious driver seemed to be Shouri as he targeted his Resonator. She got pretty good at dodging, that was until he began cheating by calling her detection spell, Rilevare l''intenzione, which broke her concentration as she was forced to cast the spell instead of focusing on her driving. She pouted until he got her some chocolate oranges and all was forgiven. Ending their day, they boarded the Ferris wheel, which slowly took the pair skyward. Shouri yawned. ¡°Did you have fun today?¡± he asked the vixen sitting across from him. ¡°Si!¡± she beamed, illuminated by the setting sun. ¡°I can¡¯t even begin to describe how wonderful today was.¡± The girl teared up a bit from sheer happiness. She leaned forward and grabbed his hands. ¡°Thank you for being my Maestro Sho, thank you so much.¡± Shouri returned her big smile in kind. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have it any other way,¡± he whispered.
The duo exited the Ferris wheel and started heading towards the entrance; however, nothing was ever that easy, especially with the stigma around lunar elementals. ¡°Hey ninte-fucker!¡± Shouri and Taika both stopped in their tracks. That angry voice was one they recognized. One that filled them with dread. Turning around they found the man and his earth bulldog from when they had attempted to train at the Riva Solare MA Office. Shouri grabbed Taika¡¯s hand immediately and focused himself on her. She had got the hint and returned his gesture in kind, squeezing back. ¡°What do you want?¡± Shouri tried to keep his voice even. ¡°You fucking punk, after that stunt you pulled, they nearly took my license!¡± the man barked. ¡°The stunt I pulled? You know you were the one who tried to beat us up for fucking training.¡± Shouri retorted, really struggling to stay calm. ¡°Well, if you didn¡¯t bring your filthy ninte in we wouldn¡¯t have a problem, would we? Now you¡¯re here ruining everyone¡¯s day.¡± Shouri took in a deep breath and exhaled. ¡°Dude, what do you want? We¡¯re already leaving.¡± The larger man smirked. ¡°What do you think?¡± He pulled his tuner from his side. ¡°Did you even take the Resonator License exam? Street fights are very specifically against the law. Is your license really worth it?¡± Shouri pointed out. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing there¡¯s an open-air arena here.¡± The earth Maestro pointed towards a large clearing not too far from where they were standing. The lunar Maestro raised a brow. ¡°No, I¡¯m not fighting you dude, fuck off,¡± he spat. ¡°Typical ninte, always ready to run-¡± ¡°Actually Sho-¡± Taika cut in, ¡°-let me at him.¡± The vixen smirked. Shouri was taken aback by her sudden confidence. ¡°Hmmmmm, okay,¡± Shouri decided. ¡°If she¡¯s cool with it, let¡¯s rumble.¡±
A small crowd had followed the battlers down to the arena. Surprisingly there was a healthy mix of spectators that were rooting for Taika, with an equal number hoping the earth canine would smash his lunar counterpart into the ground. ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll make a similar proposition as my sister: I never want to see your ugly fucking mug again if we win. And if you win, I¡¯ll give you... 500 notes ¨C fair?¡± Shouri declared. ¡°Easiest money I ever made. Make that ninte eat dirt!¡± the earth Maestro told his dog, who replied with a smug grin and cracking his knuckles. ¡°Should I wrap it up fast?¡± Taika asked her Maestro. ¡°Totes, Pacifica is waiting for us.¡± A smirk rose on the vixen¡¯s lips as she got into a fighting position. ¡°With pleasure.¡± The battle appeared to be one-sided at first glance. A large, muscle-bound dog-man against a petite fox-girl. It didn¡¯t even seem fair. ¡°Colpito da una Roccia, Piano!¡± the earth Maestro began with his command. The earth dog formed a decent-sized boulder and threw it in Taika¡¯s direction. The lunar Resonator stepped out of the way. ¡°How often does that work?¡± Taika questioned, keeping her eyes locked on her opponent. ¡°Typical ninte,¡± The earth Resonator growled. He charged the smaller Resonator and threw a haymaker, attempting to beat her down without the use of his magic. Taika was simply nimbler, easily pivoting around the attacks, none ever even getting close to her. This only served to further frustrate the bulkier Resonator. ¡°Use your ad-Lib!¡± the Maestro shouted. ¡°You got it!¡± The bigger canine jumped up and dove into the earthy battlefield as if it were water. Shouri chuckled. ¡°You really have one strategy and that¡¯s it.¡± Taika stood up straight, closing her eyes; ears pointed up and twitching with every sound. Even with the crowd around them, tracking the earth Resonator was a simple feat. A couple of outside observers noted how still both Shouri and Taika became. One even noticed their breathing fell into sync. The opposing Resonator burst out of the ground, attempting to grab Taika¡¯s leg, but what he grasped was a whole lot of air. ¡°Fissare la Ombra, Allegro Staccato!¡± Shouri¡¯s command was delivered and executed in such a small window it left no room for any counterplay. Taika unleashed a barrage of arrows, which struck around the earth Resonator and held firm in the ground. ¡°Nice aim! You missed!¡± the earth Maestro gloated. ¡°Did we now?¡± Shouri snarked back, knowingly. ¡°I-I can¡¯t move!¡± the enemy Resonator groaned as they appeared frozen in place. Taika raised a single hand into the sky. Shouri chuckled, knowing exactly what she wanted from him. ¡°Loro Formato Lunare Lago, Legato.¡± The earth Maestro paled as a massive ball of ice began to form in the air. The audience watched in awe as it grew larger and larger, eclipsing the last remnants of sunlight cast upon the stadium. ¡°HEY!¡± Shouri shouted across the field. ¡°Do you surrender?!¡± he taunted. The larger man¡¯s face contorted in sheer anger. ¡°To a ninte!? NEVER!¡± Shouri chuckled and shrugged. ¡°Suit yourself. Come on Taika.¡± ¡°Right, Sho!¡± She flicked her raised hand forward ever so slightly before turning to follow her Maestro out of the arena. ¡°Where are you going?! THIS ISN¡¯T OVER!¡± the opposing Maestro roared. Shouri and Taika both looked back. ¡°Yes, it is,¡± they said in unison, right as the giant space rock crushed the opposing bulldog, sending shards of dust and ice all over the arena.
The door to Room 59 at the South Riva Sranvi MA Office swung open. Pacifica perked up from her spot on the bed. Shouri and Taika trudged in and immediately collapsed onto the couch. ¡°That much fun huh?¡± Pacifica tittered. ¡°Amusement parks suck,¡± Shouri complained leaning back. ¡°Shower... but tired,¡± Taika similarly groaned. Pacifica giggled. ¡°I guess we¡¯re gonna sleep good tonight.¡± Chapter 23 BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP ¡°uuuugh TURN IT OFF!¡± Pacifica groaned loudly as the alarm from both tuners rang on both sides of them. Dealing with the alarms, the trio sulked out of bed, flicking on the lights, and starting to pack up. It was much earlier than any of them had been used to waking up, but the itinerary said they needed to be ready by 5 AM, so here they all were at 4 AM shuffling around like zombies trying to pack up their room. KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK Shouri shambled over to the door and struggled to undo the lock. After a moment of futzing around with the door, he managed to open it. Makani and Rynda stood in the hallway; their own bags packed. ¡°Ready to go?¡± Makani asked. ¡°No,¡± Shouri groggily muttered, before returning to packing. The pilot for the day let himself and his co-pilot in and they sat on the guest couch, discussing the flight while the actual tenants of the room continued packing. 5 AM rolled around and the trio was finally ready. ¡°Right on time! The shuttle to the airport is here.¡± Makani flashed his tuner showing a text from the ride in question. This marked the beginning of their flight preparations. The ¡°shuttle¡± in question was a van with plenty of seating for the five of them. None of them had to drive, and as Makani explained, he got the service as a courtesy since he was a pilot. It was about a thirty-minute drive from the MA Office to the airport in question. They passed through a different gate, to the pilot¡¯s lounge. ¡°Shouri, can you keep an eye on Ryn for me?¡± Makani suddenly requested. ¡°Eh?¡± The Maestro blinked. ¡°Let¡¯s just say even I have trouble with judgmental pricks.¡± The pilot gave a strained smile. ¡°Get breakfast!¡± he shouted as he departed. Shouri looked to the nightingale who blinked twice. ¡°Okay, so breakfast, Pacifica with me ¨C Taika stick with Rynda!¡± he gave his commands to his Resonators. ¡°Yeah!¡± Pacifica nodded, grabbing Shouri¡¯s arm and pulling him to the complimentary breakfast. This left the bird girl and fox girl alone. They both kind of shuffled about awkwardly. Taika glanced over at her fellow Lunar Resonator. Their kind was so rare to find out in public like this, so the fox was curious. She didn¡¯t want to ask anything though because the other girl looked just so uncomfortable at the moment. Her wings were folded up, while she hugged herself, eyes locked on where her own Maestro had departed to. ¡°You¡¯re really attached to him,¡± Taika blurted out in a moment of realization. ¡°WHAT?!¡± Rynda turned to the lunar fox, her face beet red. ¡°H-he¡¯s my Maestro! I¡¯m supposed to worry about him! It¡¯s my job!¡± the bird shouted in a vain attempt to defend her honor. Taika just stared, slack-jawed, but wearing that smile one does when watching someone else embarrass themselves. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me that way! He¡¯s always been good to me! We¡¯re lunars! We don¡¯t get that right?!¡± Her head whipped back and forth. ¡°So what if I¡¯m attracted to him? He gives good head pats! No one else knows where I like my wings scratched like he does! Leave me alone!¡± She huffed and turned her back towards the vixen, who remained speechless. But Rynda peeked back to see Taika¡¯s still stupefied, but amused face. ¡°I just get worried when he goes off alone! He¡¯s an idiot who gets us in trouble all the time! If I¡¯m not there he does something dumb like get us signed up to deliver supplies to the South Pole or something!¡± In a matter of a minute, Taika¡¯s perception of her fellow lunar Resonator was flipped on its head so hard the fox got whiplash. Rynda was wearing herself out, her wings drooping, shoulders slacked as she tried to catch her breath. ¡°I guess I do have it for him. I admit it. Just let me like who I like in peace.¡± And with that, the bird girl slumped into a nearby chair. Shouri and Pacifica returned a couple of minutes later bearing food for everyone. They both immediately noticed how tired Rynda looked. ¡°What¡¯s with her?¡± Shouri questioned his Resonator immediately. Taika merely shrugged and shook her head, offering no real explanation as to what happened to the lunar bird. They partook in breakfast in relative silence. The airport wasn¡¯t too busy at nearly six in the morning, with a few pilots wandering around the lounge either getting ready for their next flight or coming off of one. Speaking of pilots, their own returned, which was signaled by the chirp of the nightingale. ¡°Maki!¡± She flew over to him joyously celebrating their reunion. Taika covered her mouth with a hand before letting out an amused chuckle. Pacifica was confused but sensed her fellow Resonator wanted to keep this one to herself and didn¡¯t bother asking about it.
The trio of Shouri, Taika, and Pacifica followed the pilot through some more back rooms and hallways and ended up out on the tarmac itself. ¡°This way!¡± Makani motioned towards one of the hangars, well ahead of the group. The sun was just rising over the horizon, casting light upon them and warming them under its glow. Making it into the hangar, they found a small propeller plane as the occupant Makani was tending to. It was a small bird compared to the bigger consumer-class planes that flanked it, but practically shimmered with care. ¡°Get in, Ryn and I will get us prepped to go,¡± he instructed the passengers. The cabin looked quite small, which upon first inspection made the passengers wonder if they would even fit. With a shrug, Shouri grabbed one of the handles and opened the door. It felt like getting into a car in a sense. There was a row of seats in the back where they would be sitting. Shouri climbed in first followed by Pacifica, then Taika. Shouri pulled out the cushions at the rear of the seats, giving Taika and Pacifica a place to put their tails. Just like a car, they also had seat belts to fasten and keep them in place during the flight. Shouri and Pacifica took the window seats, whilst Taika (being the smallest) took the center seat. ¡°Pretty comfy,¡± Pacifica noted. ¡°Yeah, we just replaced the seats!¡± Rynda chirped, having gotten into the front passenger¡¯s seat. ¡°In fact, nearly everything in here has been replaced,¡± she boasted. Looking around the interior of the plane, it looked brand new. All the metal surfaces had a near mirror-like polish to them, while the upholstery was soft and clean. The cabin had that new car smell almost. Sensing the confusion from their passengers, Rynda elaborated: ¡°We bought this child from a junk dealer and saved up a bunch of money hunting to get her airworthy again,¡± she began while stroking the back of her chair. ¡°But there was still a bunch of problems with it besides the engine, so we¡¯ve been slowly working on the interiors, getting a new paint job, replacing the rusted paneling, the works.¡± ¡°So, what¡¯s left?¡± Pacifica asked, once again examining the cabin they sat in. ¡°Passenger amenities. Small things like maybe a flip-down TV screen, maybe a small cooler, reclining seats. We¡¯d like to get into private flights, that¡¯s where the real money is. Right now, we do a lot of courier work, picking up packages and delivering them to remote destinations,¡± the lunar bird explained. At that moment Makani jumped into the front seat. ¡°Did you go over emergency procedures with them?¡± Makani asked his Resonator. ¡°Er, I was just doing that!¡± Rynda laughed sheepishly. One quick briefing later, the two pilots began their take-off preparations. Shouri and his Resonators watched all the adjustments being done to the panel on the front. A bunch of switches and knobs flipped, turned, and clicked. It was so practiced that the uninformed trio in the back couldn¡¯t even hope to follow, but at the same time were impressed by the feat. Makani opened the door and shouted ¡°CLEAR!¡± before turning the engine on. With a slam of the door, the plane began to move out onto the runway proper. Shouri noted to himself how quiet the cabin was; he had expected it to be super loud given the propeller on the front of the machine. Makani and Rynda both pulled down their headsets and put them on. ¡°How¡¯s oil?¡± the Maestro asked his co-pilot Resonator. ¡°Temp and pressure look good ¨C just waiting on the controller now.¡± They idled on the runway for a little bit. Shouri, Taika, and Pacifica looked around, unsure of what was happening ¨C none of them had ever been this close to the action before. ¡°Controller says we¡¯re clear for take-off! Hit it, Maki!¡± Rynda excitedly pointed forward. There was no need to tell this pilot twice, putting the plane into gear they began to race down the runway, eventually taking to the sky and leaving Riva Sranvi, and the west coast of Lybertera behind. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
Six hours of flight time passed in the blink of an eye. The small propeller plane simply wasn¡¯t as fast as its commercial counterparts, but it beat walking by a country mile. ¡°Hey, heads up! You can see Fercy coming up!¡± Rynda shouted back to their passengers. The trio took to the windows and bore witness to the city nestled in the foothills of the Loggia Mountains. To the west, they saw the aforementioned mountains, while to the east were the ¡°Grand Plains¡± region of Lybertera. The plane descended and touched down at the North Fercy Airport at roughly noon local time. ¡°Uhrgh, why am I so freaking tired?¡± Pacifica yawned as they crossed the tarmac to the terminal. ¡°Riding in a vehicle like that jars your body in many directions and requires constant, tiny, unnoticeable adjustments of your muscles just to stay in place and hold your normal posture. It¡¯s pretty easy not to notice all the extra work you''re doing just to maintain your body¡¯s position in the seat,¡± Shouri rattled off. Taika and Pacifica just stared at their Maestro. ¡°Y-you¡¯ve thought about this huh?¡± Pacifica decided to inquire. ¡°Saw someone post about it on the internet. It tracks.¡± The boy shrugged. A look was exchanged between the two Resonators before they shrugged and accepted it. Their Maestro read a lot, but that was one of the endearing traits they had come to adore. The group assembled in the terminal. ¡°Well, here we are gang. Welcome to Fercy. The weather¡¯s lovely this time of year,¡± Makani told the group. ¡°You gonna stay here for a bit?¡± Pacifica inquired about their pilots. Rynda gave them a bittersweet smile. ¡°Sadly no, this is where we part ways,¡± the bird told the trio. ¡°Maki and I have a job to do so we¡¯ll be flying out tomorrow for Torravio, then Drahgo the day after,¡± she informed them. Shouri stroked his chin in thought, before shaking his head. ¡°Yeah, you two are going the opposite way we¡¯re going.¡± He looked to his Resonators. ¡°Plus, I¡¯d like to check out the hunting scene here and make some money,¡± the Maestro added with a shrug. Makani smiled and nodded. ¡°Good luck out there Shouri.¡± ¡°You too, Makani.¡± The Maestros shook hands. And with that, the two groups finally went their separate ways. Upon leaving the airport they found themselves in the city of Fercy. ¡°So this is Fercy huh?¡± Shouri looked around as they made their way to the bus terminal. Taika and Pacifica too were taking in the sights. While there wasn¡¯t much to see at the airport itself, they could see the city ahead of them and with it a new adventure for the three of them. Pacifica let out a tired sigh as they waited for their bus. ¡°What¡¯s up, Pacifica?¡± Shouri glanced over at the otter. ¡°Sad we¡¯re away from water,¡± she admitted. Shouri smirked. ¡°They have some nice rivers and lakes here.¡± He flashed his tuner, showing her that he was already looking into the ¡®lack of water¡¯ problem. ¡°Sho!¡± Pacifica squealed in delight, hugging him tightly. For now, though, they boarded the bus once it arrived and headed toward the Maestro Affairs Office; the stop for all traveling Maestros like them. For Maestros and their Resonators, the MA Office was home ¨C a consistent, familiar place they could find in any town or major city. Fercy was no exception. The trio disembarked the bus at the North Fercy MA Office. ¡°It¡¯s just like the Riva Sranvi office,¡± Pacifica noted immediately. The architecture was pretty much the same. From the large stone sign marking the location, down to the concrete style used for the campus sidewalks, and even the construction of the buildings themselves. Of course, this extended into the building itself. The same familiar lobby. Except today there was a line. Seems they weren¡¯t the only group of new arrivals, or maybe they simply got there at the wrong time. The line was bad enough that the attendant''s Resonator was assisting in the check-in efforts. Either way, they weren¡¯t dissuaded from their choice of MA Offices. With a shrug and a sigh, Shouri walked up to the line and began waiting. Pacifica and Taika kept their curiosity in check and stayed close to their Maestro. However, that didn¡¯t stop them from taking note of the people in line. Specifically, the group in front of them. ¡°Hey look, a dragon,¡± Pacifica whispered to Taika, pointing at the winged demi-human ahead of them. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen one in real life before ¨C are they rare?¡± Taika whispered back. ¡°Yeah yeah! Super rare, and strong!¡± A trio of redheads were waiting in line before them. The Maestro of the group was a man and was currently talking to a dragon-winged woman (the subject of Taika and Pacifica¡¯s gossip). Finally, left out of the conversation was a fox-girl, like Taika. Just like her two companions, she also had red hair, although her face was framed by bright yellow bangs. Both Pacifica and Taika could feel the heat coming off of the two Resonators ahead of them ¨C they were definitely fire elementals. The emotion-strong otter though sensed something amiss about their dynamic. She wasn¡¯t too sure, but despite how familiarly that Maestro was speaking to his dragon, the same respect wasn¡¯t extended to the fox of their group. The poor thing looked simply defeated, downtrodden even. She was slightly hunched over and held herself, right down to her fluffy tail which wrapped around the inside of her leg. Her gaze was trained down, as she avoided looking anyone else in the face. She was well cared for in the hygienic sense but was more akin to a doll in treatment. At least that was the feeling Pacifica got from looking this girl over. Eventually, she couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and closed her eyes, turning her head away from the sad sight. This wasn¡¯t the first time she had encountered a Resonator in such a pitiful mental state, but it never stopped hurting. The fire trio departed, vanishing into the living quarters. The water-elemental silently hoped they wouldn¡¯t cross paths again. ¡°Welcome to the North Fercy Maestro Affairs Office ¨C how may we help you today?¡± The cheeriness of the front desk attendant snapped Pacifica out of her thoughts. Shouri handed over the two tuners in his possession. ¡°Need a room.¡± It had gotten sort of practiced at this point. Probably by the next MA Office they visited, it could be considered routine. At any rate, their new room number was number thirty. ¡°Come on girls ¨C our room awaits.¡± Shouri pointed them to the living quarters. They went a bit down the hallway and found room thirty. Finally, after eight or so hours of travel, they could relax.
Day passed to night, and nothing of note got accomplished that evening. Shouri and his two Resonators were simply exhausted from traveling (and the double date yesterday). So, they opted out of work tonight and were lounging about their room. Shouri went to the vending machines down the hall to get snacks as another movie night had been decided on. They had later discovered that they started a trilogy and only managed to make it through two of the movies before everyone passed out last night. However, as he turned the corner to the common room, he found a lone presence at the vending machines. A red-haired Resonator, list in hand, making her selections. Shouri watched the girl for a moment as she seemed to be getting multiple items. She was a fox, just like Taika, though distinctly of the fire element; that was obvious to him. That red tail with yellow tip being the coloration a lot of fire elements bore. However, there was the distinct feeling of spiritual heat that all fire elements exuded. Finally, she bent over and collected the vended snacks from the pickup box. Being so concentrated on the task at hand, she failed to notice the boy standing behind her. So naturally when she went to turn around and leave, she ran right into him, spilling the items in hand. ¡°Aah!¡± she yelped, quickly dropping to her knees to retrieve them. Shouri felt bad for the startled girl and helped her recover the spilled goods. They worked in silence until all of the snacks were off the ground. Shouri handed his share of the work over to its owner. She stared at him for a moment, her head tilted slightly. She shuffled the recovered snacks into one arm, before stepping forward and placing a hand on the boy¡¯s chest. He stepped back, shocked at the forwardness of the act. ¡°W-warm...¡± She studied her hand as if it were strange for a living person to radiate heat. When she realized Shouri was staring at her, she muttered a small apology and rushed away with the snacks. ¡°Weird girl.¡± Shouri decided to brush that off and approached the vending machine himself to get his own Resonators snacks. Chapter 24 ¡°Shouri!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a dream come true! ¡°I can¡¯t wait to live with you!¡± ¡°We¡¯re gonna have so much fun!¡± ¡°I promise I¡¯ll do my best!¡± ¡°We can¡¯t find her...¡± ¡°Shouri we gotta get out of here!¡± ¡°Shouri! She¡¯s gone! Let it go!¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing you could have done!¡± ¡°Sho... Sho... Sho..!¡± Eyes shot open, immediately at their maximum width. A cold sweat coated his form, his breath labored as if he just run a marathon. For a moment he lay there, wondering what was real and where he was. ¡°Sho?¡± Pacifica whispered. ¡°P-Pacifica...¡± His voice cracked. ¡°Are you okay?¡± the concerned otter questioned. Tears began to flow freely as Shouri began to tremble with emotion. If she wasn¡¯t awake by now, Pacifica was certainly now wide awake. He pulled her close and held her tightly. Taika groggily opened her eyes from the sudden commotion. ¡°Cosa sta succedendo?¡± The lunar Resonator yawned, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Suddenly she was pulled into Shouri¡¯s arms alongside Pacifica. The two Resonators exchanged confused looks as their Maestro held them in his grasp. While they didn¡¯t know exactly what was going on, they knew what they had to do. Both girls held their precious Maestro tightly, allowing him to cry. Some time passed, though it was still dark outside. The lights in Room 30 had been flicked on. Shouri was soaking in the shower, leaving Taika and Pacifica alone. The two girls sat on the edge of the bed, trying to digest what happened. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him break down like that,¡± Pacifica muttered. ¡°We both cried like that the night we left Riva Solare,¡± Taika admitted. ¡°We were so tired and in so much pain,¡± the fox quavered, recalling that harrowing experience. Pacifica leaned over, wrapping an arm around her fellow Resonator. ¡°It¡¯s okay. We¡¯re safe,¡± Pacifica whispered gently. Taika smiled, rubbing away the tears that had begun to gather. The girls remained quiet for a moment. ¡°Why was he so upset?¡± Taika questioned. ¡°Bad dream I guess.¡± Pacifica frowned. ¡°Must have been a hell of a nightmare.¡± Silence once more as the pair wracked their brains for some kind of answer to their Maestro¡¯s night terrors. But none came to mind; they simply didn¡¯t know enough about him to arrive at any solid conclusion. ¡°I¡¯m worried.¡± The vixen trembled, eyes fixated on the bathroom door. ¡°Me too Taika,¡± agreed the otter.
Pacifica and Shouri made their way to the cafeteria as usual. Though the Maestro was on edge, Pacifica could sense that much. It was like the times the kidnapper was after them. Was that what he had dreamt about? Her gut instinct said this was something deeper than that ¨C a much older wound. Reaching out, she grabbed hold of his hand and wrapped her fingers around his, squeezing tight. The gesture brought them to a stop in the middle of the courtyard. Shouri stared at their interlinked digits. ¡°We¡¯re here for you Sho,¡± she whispered to him. ¡°If you need to talk about it-¡± He shook his head but offered no verbal reply. This was incredibly painful for him, that much was abundantly clear. ¡°Fine, but I¡¯m not letting go.¡± She smiled bittersweetly. ¡°I told you before, didn¡¯t I? I¡¯m sticking with you no matter what, and I know that goes doubly so for Taika.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± he finally spoke, though his voice cracked with emotion. ¡°You¡¯re both so very precious to me. I need you to know that,¡± he whispered. Pacifica stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him. ¡°Of course.¡± She tightened her embrace. ¡°And you¡¯re irreplaceable.¡± With that small intermission out of the way, they pressed on to get breakfast, though Pacifica kept hold of her Maestro¡¯s hand the entire time, in an attempt to balance out his wild emotions this morning. It was a strain on her for sure, but she¡¯d gladly do it until her last drop of rhythm. As soon as they returned to their room, Taika greeted them at the door. She hugged Shouri, holding him tightly. ¡°Taika...¡± ¡°You¡¯re worrying me, Sho.¡± She tightened her embrace. ¡°Sorry.¡± He paused, considering his word choice. ¡°I¡¯ll be okay, especially because I¡¯m with you two.¡± He managed to crack a thin, albeit tired smile. ¡°I¡¯m glad.¡± Taika buried her face into his chest, refusing to release him.
Their Wednesday was spent in relaxation. The day prior had worn them out and the trio agreed to rest up for the evening¡¯s festivities. A new town, which meant a new hunting scene. After conferring with the front desk attendant, they decided to just go with the hunter base camp closest to them ¨C no need to go out of their way for work. Regardless it was still a healthy thirty-minute walk down to the site in question. It was comfortable out, the kind of late spring warmth that felt nice, but warned of the impending summer heat. The sun was just dipping below the horizon as the trio arrived on-site. There was a noticeable difference in elements around these parts. Lots and lots of earth-element Resonators. With the Loggia mountains towering over them, it made sense. They could see some groups heading in that direction already. Shouri guided his two Resonators to the registration line. It seems they had arrived right on time to meet the crowds. ¡°Welp.¡± Shouri poked his head around the line and saw the length of it. ¡°We¡¯re gonna be here for a bit,¡± he sighed. ¡°At least it¡¯s not too terrible out,¡± Pacifica offered. ¡°Glad we brought the water bottle,¡± Taika added before taking a sip of their shared container herself. ¡°Man, summer is gonna suck,¡± Shouri groaned. ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Pacifica asked. ¡°Have you seen how Taika and I dress?¡± The otter hummed whilst giving her companions a once over. Both wore white T-shirts and black pants and despite having different styles, they also had nice warming jackets on. ¡°Ah.¡± In comparison, Pacifica herself had lots of exposed skin whereas her companions did not. ¡°We¡¯ll call it even in winter,¡± she decided. ¡°Yeah no, I¡¯m not gonna deal with you trying to hibernate on me,¡± Shouri retorted quickly, wagging a disapproving finger at her. ¡°Winter clothes suuuuck,¡± the otter complained loudly. It was at that point that the water element caught sight of that fire fox from the MA Office. She looked just as downtrodden as before. Shouri too caught sight of the vixen. He quickly averted his gaze and started talking loudly to Taika about stuff they were going to do in Fercy ¨C a gesture not missed by the ever-aware Pacifica. However, upon the fire trio¡¯s exit from the line, Pacifica and Shouri both fell quiet, their silent gazes locked onto the other group. Taika frowned, noting the abrupt silence of her friends. It wasn¡¯t too much longer before their turn came up. Shouri handed over his two tuners as usual. ¡°Hmmm,¡± the registrar hummed in thought. Their eyes studied the laptop they had set up, every so often flicking back to the black and blue tuners that lay next to the computer. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Shouri inquired, the slightest hint of apprehension in his voice. ¡°We have a lot on the vanguard this evening,¡± they noted, regarding the Maestro before them. ¡°Would you mind taking one of the flanks instead?¡± came the hopeful request. Shouri stole a glance at his two Resonators for their thoughts ¨C he got a couple of shrugs in return. Thinking it over, they had always been part of the big, main groups and didn¡¯t have any experience with other roles hunters like them needed to fill. ¡°What does that mean?¡± the Maestro decided to at least hear the attendant out. ¡°It¡¯s a pretty easy gig, basically you just make sure no stragglers end up heading towards the city,¡± they said simply. ¡°Hmmm...¡± Shouri hummed, stroking his chin in thought. They weren¡¯t that hard up for money, and it seemed like they were having a difficult time filling this position. It wouldn¡¯t hurt them to do this tonight, plus he was still a bit tired from the last week or so of excitement. ¡°I guess we could try it just for tonight,¡± he spoke up after consideration. ¡°Excellent. I¡¯ll update your map with your coverage area.¡± The attendant hurriedly input the information before any second thoughts were had about the agreement. With his tuners returned, he stepped out of line with his traveling party. ¡°Easy night supposedly?¡± Pacifica offered. ¡°Supposedly.¡± Shouri kept an air of skepticism. As far as he understood this was all relying on other people doing their jobs ¨C a dubious prospect. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine Sho. We¡¯ve handled worse at this point.¡± Taika patted her Maestro¡¯s shoulder reassuringly. ¡°You¡¯re right, and it¡¯s concerning how right you are,¡± Shouri decided after a moment of thought.
Following the markings left on the tuner¡¯s map by the registration attendant, they found themselves in a nearby field. It was a wide-open area, with no real defensible land or structures to speak of. If a Scherzando decided to make a break towards the city, it¡¯d be a pain to chase them down. A fact not missed by the tactically-minded Shouri. ¡°Urgh,¡± he groaned. ¡°We¡¯re not doing this role again,¡± the boy immediately decided. ¡°What¡¯s wrong Sho?¡± Taika inquired, not seeing the problem. ¡°We¡¯re being asked to defend a fucking field.¡± He motioned to the whole lot of nothing around them. ¡°Yeah? What about it?¡± Similarly, Pacifica didn¡¯t see the issue. ¡°Think about it this way ¨C if three Scherzando rushed at us from there, there, and there, what would we do?¡± Shouri had pointed to their extreme left, their center, and their extreme right. The two girls pondered the question for a moment. ¡°Oh.¡± They both finally understood. ¡°Even if Pacifica and I split up one would still get by,¡± Taika vocalized their realization. ¡°Exactly. This entire thing hinges on the vanguard group being able to minimize wandering or stragglers,¡± Shouri huffed. A new voice distracted from the complaining. ¡°Oh, there¡¯s someone else out here?¡± Shouri and Pacifica immediately were on edge upon seeing who had approached them. It was that fire trio, the Maestro, his dragon, and most distressingly the fox. It was the dragon girl who had addressed them. ¡°We didn¡¯t think anyone else would be crazy enough to come out here,¡± she spoke. ¡°My name is Liza.¡± She waved. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Lyle,¡± the Maestro spoke up. Notably, neither of them even acknowledged the fox that was following them, and she didn¡¯t introduce herself either; her head remained down. After a moment of silence waiting for the fox¡¯s introduction and receiving none, Shouri started their introductions. ¡°Shouri.¡± ¡°Pacifica.¡± ¡°Taika.¡± Lyle nodded. ¡°I¡¯m assuming you¡¯ll be taking point then?¡± he asked of Shouri. A raised brow from the brunet Maestro. ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± The red-haired Maestro pointed to Taika. ¡°Detection spell,¡± he stated a matter-of-factly. Shouri¡¯s expression fouled a little at the way Lyle had said that. ¡°I suppose so.¡± His voice dropped a bit as he attempted to remain civil. ¡°I¡¯ll handle the logistics then,¡± Shouri spoke up after a moment. ¡°That works out then. Just point and we¡¯ll take care of it.¡± Lyle smirked. ¡°We have four Resonators between us, this should be easy,¡± he added. There was something about this guy that rubbed Shouri and Pacifica the wrong way. Taika could sense the friction between their two groups (or at least from her companions) but didn¡¯t understand why. ¡°Rilevare l''intenzione, Rubato. Please update us Taika,¡± Shouri spoke gently to the Lunar Resonator. ¡°Of course!¡± She gave a thumbs up. ¡°Pacifica, Ghiacciolo, Rubato ¨C If you spot any Scherzando-¡± ¡°-take ¡®em out! Easy peasy!¡± Pacifica finished for her Maestro. Lyle raised a brow, huffing and unimpressed. Liza herself raised a brow, but rather than looking down on the other trio like her Maestro, she was confused about their tactics. And the fire fox lifted her gaze, seeing the comradery between the other trio. After a moment she shook her head and lowered it, awaiting the commands from her Maestro. They all waited around for a bit, keeping to their respective groups. Finally, after the sun had completely set, Taika perked up. ¡°A few are heading this way,¡± she warned Shouri. ¡°Ah, let¡¯s see the damage.¡± The Maestro flipped to the map and took a look. ¡°Hey, guy,¡± Shouri called out to Lyle. ¡°It¡¯s Lyle,¡± the other Maestro huffed, clearly offended. ¡°Yeah, whatever, there¡¯s three coming from our far north and two at the south.¡± ¡°So you want us to get the ones at the south?¡± ¡°No, get the northern ones, you have the flier, you can get there faster.¡± Lyle thought about it for a moment. ¡°He¡¯s right Lyle, let¡¯s go get the north ones,¡± Liza advised her Maestro. ¡°I guess that¡¯s true.¡± The dragon-maiden, Liza took to the sky, grabbed hold of her Maestro, and took off towards the northern plains. Pacifica and Shouri scowled as the fire fox was forced to run after them on foot. ¡°I was kinda implying Liza would fly ahead and he could command her remotely...¡± Shouri grumbled as he pointed his group south. ¡°He... doesn¡¯t seem like the sharpest tool in the shed,¡± Pacifica pointed out. ¡°Yeah, I think for my sanity it¡¯ll be best just to talk to Liza,¡± Shouri added. Heading off to their quarry towards the south, they came across a small cluster of earth element Scherzando, shaped like a pack of coyotes. ¡°Hmmm...¡± Shouri watched them meander around for a moment. The shadowy beasts ¡°sniffed¡± the air, but didn¡¯t seem to take notice of the Maestro or his Resonators. ¡°What do we do Sho?¡± Taika asked. ¡°I¡¯m glad you asked my vixen.¡± He chuckled. Pulling his two tuners from his side, he had already decided on his commands. ¡°Funghi Magici, Legato; Manga de Agua, Piano!¡± The two girls jumped at the rhythm suddenly being provided to them. Sharing a glance, they nodded to each other and rushed in. Taika took the lead and spread a field of glowing mushrooms near the Scherzando. The beasts noticed the two girls rushing at them and ran towards them, hitting the mushrooms and spreading the spores into the air. Being earth elements, the part-nature spell was quite effective on them, putting the entire lot to sleep. While their bodies lay motionless on the ground Pacifica launched a water spout at the group, scattering the beasts into the wind (and water) ¡°Yeah!¡± Pacifica and Taika shared a high-five in celebration. ¡°Good job!¡± Shouri joined in the festivities, which immediately earned him a pair of hugs from his affectionate Resonators. ¡°Are you okay Sho? You used that Legato spell,¡± Taika fretted, giving her precious Maestro a once over. ¡°Perfectly fine. Barely felt it.¡± Shouri chuckled. ¡°Let¡¯s head back.¡± He motioned to where they had initially met Lyle. Upon their return, they found Lyle waiting with his Resonators. ¡°There you are. I was wondering if we¡¯d have to go looking for you,¡± the fire Maestro grumbled impatiently. Liza looked ready to go still, stretching out her arms and wings. The fox on the other hand was still trying to catch her breath, covered in a thick layer of sweat. Shouri cleared his throat, attempting to avert his gaze from the exhausted fox girl. ¡°I-if you would Taika,¡± he addressed his vixen. ¡°Si.¡± She nodded slowly, once more casting the detection spell.
The night continued in a pretty routine fashion: Taika sensed something, and they split up and dealt with the threats. Though as the night wore on, Shouri and Pacifica continued to notice the less-than-stellar treatment of the fire fox in Lyle¡¯s ownership. The poor thing was being run ragged. Shouri wondered how she was being utilized in battle. Finally, they were relieved by the overnight crew, and with it, Shouri and Lyle¡¯s groups went their separate ways. ¡°Hrmph.¡± Shouri snorted as they made the trip back to the MA Office. ¡°What¡¯s wrong Sho?¡± Taika inquired. They came to a stop and took a break on a bench. ¡°That Lyle guy doesn¡¯t seem to care about that fox Resonator,¡± he voiced his concern. ¡°You noticed too?¡± Pacifica asked. A frown creased Taika¡¯s forehead as she dropped her gaze, deep in thought. She hadn¡¯t considered it, but she realized they didn¡¯t even know that girl¡¯s name. It was like she was barely a thought in Lyle¡¯s mind. ¡°It¡¯s what I was telling you before Taika. There are a lot of Maestros that treat their Resonators like tools.¡± Pacifica turned her head. ¡°That¡¯s what it looks like,¡± the otter uttered. The lunar fox trembled. ¡°Awful.¡± At that moment, she grabbed Shouri¡¯s arm that was close to her; clinging to him as she counted her blessings. Pacifica followed suit. ¡°I don¡¯t understand people like him,¡± Shouri uttered, interlinking his fingers with both Taika and Pacifica, squeezing tight. ¡°Sho...¡± The two girls smiled. Eventually, they found their way back to the MA Office. Lyle had left a bad taste in their mouths, sure, but they got some decent money tonight and not a single Scherzando even got close. After the big Scherzando hunt, normal Scherzando weren¡¯t even a threat to them. It was a bit boring, if they were being entirely honest with themselves. In the same respect though, tempting fate was something they didn¡¯t want to do given how poorly the Big Scherzando hunt could have gone. Putting that at the back of their minds, they decided to make a stop at the vending machines to get some snacks for a job well done. However, like the night before, there was already an occupant in the little corner of the MA Office. The same orange-clad fox who was run ragged tonight was gathering food for her Maestro, said Maestro being nowhere to be seen. When she was done, she turned to see the trio standing before her. She uttered a small apology and tried to walk around them. ¡°Wait,¡± Shouri called to her. She stopped just before she was out of their sight. ¡°What is your name? We never got it earlier.¡± The fire fox looked befuddled as to what the point of this conversation was. Seeking to end it quickly, she humored them. ¡°Rebecca. My name is Rebecca.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your clan?¡± Pacifica suddenly spoke, earning a raised brow from her Maestro. ¡°I¡¯m a Renard.¡± The fire-element glanced at the menagerie of snacks in her arms and shuffled them uncomfortably. ¡°Sorry for keeping you ¨C have a good night.¡± Pacifica waved to the fox, who quickly turned and left. ¡°Why did you ask her that?¡± Taika questioned her fellow Resonator. ¡°I had my suspicions, and I was right.¡± Pacifica glared at the space Rebecca had previously occupied. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s what I thought,¡± Shouri spoke in realization. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Taika whimpered, not understanding what the significance Shouri and Pacifica exchanged a glance, locking eyes for a moment before sharing a short nod. ¡°Let¡¯s take this to our room.¡± Shouri patted the vixen¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t want to be caught gossiping,¡± Pacifica added. With an uneasy nod, Taika accepted the proposed plan.
Back in their room, snacks in hand, they gathered around the guest table. ¡°So the Renards are a clan of fire-fox Resonators,¡± Pacifica began. ¡°A lot of their members are top competitors as well as world-class hunters. When it comes to combat you can¡¯t do much better than having a Renard,¡± Shouri continued. Taika stroked her chin in thought, taking this all in. ¡°They¡¯re famous then?¡± Shouri nodded in the affirmative. ¡°Very much so. They also command quite a high price tag,¡± he added. ¡°Right... people can just buy us.¡± The fox-girl wilted. It wasn¡¯t something any of them were too comfortable with, but it was a brutal truth of their world. Some people didn¡¯t have the same viewpoints regarding Resonators that Shouri did. While they had met a lot of like-minded people on their journey, they knew they¡¯d meet an equal number of Lyle¡¯s in the world. ¡°That poor girl must have changed hands a bunch.¡± Pacifica balled up her fists tightly. ¡°What makes you say that?¡± Taika hesitantly inquired. Pacifica took a deep breath and exhaled sharply. ¡°Well, she has an incredibly weak connection with her Maestro. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if it came down to her survival versus his, she¡¯d hesitate whether or not it''d be worth it.¡± ¡°The feeling is probably mutual,¡± Shouri spoke up. ¡°If she was in real danger, I can¡¯t see that man stepping up to protect her.¡± He scowled at the table they were all seated around. The two Resonators felt that; Shouri regularly threw himself into danger for their well-being. He was the anomaly though, not many other Maestros would do the same for their Resonators. Simply put ¨C Resonators were seen as disposable. It was a cold, dark fact of this world. As much as they wanted to ignore it. Chapter 25 Morning arrived, and with it Shouri¡¯s return to consciousness. Pacifica and Taika were draped over him as always, earning a content smile from the Maestro. He just couldn¡¯t understand why other Maestros denied themselves this kind of connection - this level of trust from their Resonators. ¡°Buongiorno Sho,¡± Taika whispered. Shouri turned his head to her, finding the vixen nuzzling his arm. He responded by scratching her ears, earning a pleasured sigh from the lunar fox. They remained that way for some time, only stopping when Pacifica woke up. With the room fully awake, Pacifica and Shouri departed for breakfast as usual. However, this morning they passed by Rebecca who was taking food back toward building A, by herself. ¡°He really is just using her as a tool,¡± Pacifica grumbled; her mood immediately soured. ¡°Try not to think about it.¡± Shouri picked up the pace. The otter-girl jogged to match pace with her Maestro and grabbed his hand. ¡°This is bothering you more than you¡¯re saying,¡± she muttered. ¡°You¡¯re not things.¡± He scowled at the building they approached. ¡°I know.¡± She squeezed his hand tightly. ¡°I¡¯m glad I picked you as my Maestro,¡± she whispered. Walking into the cafeteria, the pair silently waited in line. Pacifica, for her Maestro¡¯s mental well-being, kept a vice-grip on his hand, continuing to focus herself on him. She had a nasty feeling if she wasn¡¯t there as a reassuring presence, he¡¯d spiral emotionally. There was something about this situation with Rebecca that was getting to him more than anything else they had gone through. She wished he would just come out and tell them what happened. Taika noticed Pacifica¡¯s desperate etude as soon as they returned. First from their linked hands, but second from the subtle wear in Pacifica¡¯s demeanor. Releasing Shouri so he could eat breakfast, Taika sat next to Pacifica whilst they ate. ¡°Tag out,¡± the fox muttered to her otter companion. ¡°Alright,¡± Pacifica conceded after a moment of consideration. And so the two girls spent the entire day caring for their Maestro. Eventually, it came time for them to head out for their evening hunting work. Both girls were already a bit tired from waiting on Shouri hand and foot all day. He didn¡¯t request a single thing from them ¨C they had cared for him all on their own. Regardless, both of them knew they¡¯d be sleeping well tonight. ¡°Something happened to him in his past,¡± Pacifica whispered to Taika as they made their way down to the hunt site. They kept a small distance from him, so they could speak in relative privacy (thankfully his hearing wasn¡¯t as good as theirs) ¡°Why do you say that?¡± Taika asked. ¡°He¡¯s been reflecting a lot. The wound is deep, like a scar,¡± Pacifica spoke quietly. ¡°I wonder what he¡¯s thinking about.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± Registration went as it usually did ¨C waiting in line and they got a spot in the main group. Shouri seemed to liven up a bit as they made their way toward the highlands where the Scherzando had been nesting recently. ¡°You both alright?¡± he inquired. ¡°We¡¯re fine!¡± Pacifica brightened up at being addressed. ¡°Si! Cento per cento!¡± Taika exclaimed, tail wagging with her Maestro¡¯s attention. Coming up to the gathering hunting group was always stressful, but thankfully they were more welcoming like the Riva Solare and Riva Sranvi groups. Tonight¡¯s hunt would be good. Taika primed herself, ready to cast Rilevare l''intenzione at her Maestro¡¯s command. ¡°Hey wait! Hang on!¡± A familiar voice reached the group. Shouri¡¯s grip on his tuners tightened as Liza flew up and landed, Lyle and Rebecca right behind her. ¡°Sorry we¡¯re late ¨C we got a bit lost,¡± Liza addressed the hunting party. There was muttering and pointing. Chiefly, the other Maestros and Resonators were impressed with Lyle for having a dragon Resonator. Shouri edged away from the group, his Resonators following his lead. Unfortunately, the rest of the group suggested Lyle go with Shouri to keep their healer/map-updater safe. Lyle being the social wrecking ball that he was, saw no issue with pairing up with Shouri again ¨C he knew how useful the lunar Maestro had been from the night prior. ¡°What do we do Sho?!¡± Pacifica hissed as they allowed the fire trio to take point. ¡°Good fucking question,¡± Shouri mumbled back. ¡°It¡¯ll be okay,¡± Taika whispered uneasily. The first group of Scherzando came into view. A small herd of deer-shaped shadows adorned with wood, moss, and bits of leaves - Nature elements. ¡°Go, Rebecca!¡± Lyle commanded. Pacifica and Taika watched on in confusion as Rebecca rushed towards the group, her Maestro not calling any spells. Suddenly the backs of her feet caught fire and with it, her speed increased. The two non-fire Resonators in the group watched the fire fox tear through the Scherzando with only the fire at her heels in an impressive display of dexterity. ¡°What the heck?¡± Pacifica gasped. ¡°What spell is that?¡± Taika asked her Maestro. ¡°Icarus¡¯ ala; it¡¯s not a spell, but the fire ad-Lib.¡± Shouri folded his arms across his chest. "Ohhh..." Pacifica understood. ¡°ad-Lib?¡± Taika however, did not. ¡°Ad Libertum, or ad-Lib for short is an element-specific skill we can use with our rhythm rather than Shouri¡¯s,¡± Pacifica told her. ¡°I already have mine, which lets me breathe in water.¡± The lunar Resonator frowned. ¡°Wait, don¡¯t we use our rhythm to protect ourselves?¡± Taika questioned. ¡°Yes. Yes, you do.¡± Shouri held up Pacifica¡¯s tuner. The water-element nodded and rushed in, knowing what her Maestro was about to ask her. ¡°Ghiacciolo, Rubato,¡± the Maestro spoke into the device. Lyle raised a brow as he watched the otter run by. She produced a cluster of icy needles between her fingers and flicked them towards the remaining Scherzando, scattering them before Rebecca could get to them. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. The fire Maestro glared at Shouri, who was more than happy to return the expression in kind. The two Resonators locked eyes. ¡°You okay?¡± Pacifica asked. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Nothing out of the ordinary.¡± Rebecca broke eye contact returning to her Maestro. Pacifica balled up her hands, clenching them tightly. The night wore on in a typical fashion. Liza remained on the sidelines, while Lyle provided no rhythm to Rebecca. Pacifica began outpacing Rebecca in both movement and damage dealt to the Scherzando; the exhaustion on the fox-girl growing more apparent with each engagement. Shouri watched this happen, his rage growing with each passing moment as he was forced to watch the girl deteriorate. It was obvious she was worn out and in pain. Finally, he reached his breaking point. Lyle went to give his order: ¡°Rebecca-¡± ¡°HEY!¡± Shouri barked over the other Maestro, trembling with rage. ¡°GIVE HER AN ACTUAL FUCKING COMMAND!¡± It was taking everything in his power to not just walk over and deck Lyle. Similarly, Lyle scowled at the Maestro his opposite. ¡°What? Do you have a problem with how I¡¯m using my Resonator?¡± ¡°Yeah, I DO! You fucking third-rate Maestro!¡± Shouri snarled. Liza dropped her arms to her sides before taking up a combative stance. Taika caught this and prepared herself. Lyle gritted his teeth, similarly struggling to hold himself back from turning their disagreement into a physical altercation. ¡°What did you say?¡± he growled. Liza held up an arm in front of her Maestro. ¡°You heard me fucker! They¡¯re not things! Fucking do your goddamn job, you waste of rhythm!¡± Shouri roared. Pacifica now had to physically hold him back. On the opposite side, Liza had grabbed Lyle and kept him from approaching the other Maestro. ¡°Don¡¯t do it, he¡¯s not worth it!¡± both Pacifica and Liza told their respective Maestros. ¡°Taika!¡± Shouri suddenly shouted. ¡°Si!¡± The vixen jumped upon being called. ¡°La Bella Vita, Adagio Tutti ¨C heal Rebecca¡¯s feet.¡± There was a moment of hesitation, but Taika approached the other group and knelt in front of Rebecca. Holding out her hands, a warm glow emanated from her palms. Rebecca¡¯s neutral expression wavered, as she regarded Shouri with perplexion. Shouri wrenched himself out of Pacifica¡¯s grasp. He thrust his hands into his jacket pockets, feeling the cool touch of Pacifica¡¯s tuner against his fingers. There was a thought of starting a fight right here and now, but the more logical side of the Maestro won out. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here,¡± he spat, turning on his heel and leaving the scene with quick, angry steps. He didn¡¯t give Lyle the satisfaction of a second look. Taika rose to her feet, locking eyes with Rebecca for a moment, before turning to follow her Maestro. Similarly, Pacifica remained still for a moment, analyzing the opposing group before she too made her exit. Shouri blazed ahead of his two Resonators, blood still simmering from the altercation. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest and his breath coming out in short puffs. He wanted to get as far away from that man as possible. The two girls in question followed along quietly, trying to recover mentally from what just happened. If Pacifica hadn¡¯t stepped in and grabbed Shouri, he truly would have attacked Lyle. They had never seen him act like that before. He wasn¡¯t necessarily wrong in getting so upset about the situation. Both Resonators agreed that Lyle was way out of line in his treatment of Rebecca. Unfortunately, at the end of the day, Lyle was her Maestro and they didn¡¯t have any legal right to stop him. No matter how much they disagreed with his methods. They arrived back at the MA Office, but rather than heading towards their room, Shouri went elsewhere. Pacifica and Taika exchanged an uneasy glance as they continued to follow their Maestro. A couple of turns down some hallways and they ended up at a small fitness center. Rather than a casting range for spells, it was a standard gym with a wide assortment of exercise equipment. The Resonators looked around, curious as to why Shouri had brought them here. THWACK They both perked up and looked over to the source of the noise. Shouri had taken up the punching bag. THWACK THWACK Every hit gave him a bit of satisfaction as he allowed his imagination to run amok with what he would have done had he not held back. And he spent the next half an hour expelling his frustrations on the poor defenseless sandbag until his arms couldn¡¯t take it anymore.
Returning to the room, Shouri refused to heal his self-inflicted injuries and opted to soak in the shower alone. This left Taika and Pacifica out and concerned. ¡°Sho...¡± Taika sat on the edge of the bed near the bathroom. ¡°Come here, girl.¡± Before she could respond, Taika felt Pacifica wrap around her. ¡°Pacifica...¡± Taika allowed herself to be held by the other girl. ¡°I dunno what to do,¡± she breathed out. ¡°Me too,¡± Pacifica whispered back. It was so late out and it had been a long night, so it was only natural the two Resonators fell fast asleep waiting for their Maestro. Shouri emerged from the confines of the bathroom over an hour later. He found his two precious Resonators sleeping in each other¡¯s embrace. He knew they were worried about him, and he didn¡¯t want to scare them. In the same respect, he just wasn¡¯t ready to talk about it. Walking around the room, he turned out the lights. It had been such a long night and he also didn¡¯t want to be awake anymore. While he didn¡¯t want to burden them with his thoughts and feelings on the situation, he also didn¡¯t want to push away the two girls supporting him right now. So he gently crawled into bed and wrapped his arms around them, falling asleep almost instantly. Chapter 26 A soft light filtered through the curtains, gently drawing Taika from her slumber. Slowly the lids of her eyes rose, a warmth surrounding her from both sides. Shouri and Pacifica encased her in a cocoon of friendship, their arms wrapped around her, their breaths tickling her neck and ears. The vixen smiled, feeling a lump in her throat. She wanted to cry, not from sadness but from joy. She had never felt so safe and happy in her life, as she did in that moment, with the people who meant the world to her. ¡°Adoro questo...¡± she cooed contentedly before slipping back to sleep for another couple of hours. Next up, a pair of green eyes slowly opened. He was met by a pair of blue eyes returning his groggy gaze. ¡°Morning,¡± Pacifica whispered with a warm smile. Though her eyes widened as Shouri tightened his grip around her (and by proxy Taika) ¡°I¡¯m sorry for worrying you both,¡± he breathed out. ¡°Thank you for joining us though.¡± Pacifica maintained her grateful grin. ¡°Colazione per favore,¡± Taika suddenly spoke up from between the pair. Pacifica couldn¡¯t help herself and giggled. ¡°Sure Taika, we¡¯ll go get breakfast.¡± She looked to Shouri. The Maestro shook his head. They were both consistent, he could count on that. To appease the hungry fox, Pacifica and Shouri slipped out of bed and got ready to go. Before they left the room, Pacifica took Shouri¡¯s hand and gripped it tightly. Shouri looked at her. ¡°I¡¯m here. So is Taika,¡± she quietly reminded him. Inhaling deeply, the Maestro held it for a moment before releasing it. ¡°Right, let¡¯s go get breakfast.¡± They took to the courtyard, swiftly crossing the dew-sodden grass, being careful to stay out of the way of the Resonator groundskeeper who were trimming the grass. However, upon entering Building B their morning took a turn for the worse. And it all started with a shout. ¡°USELESS!¡± Furthermore, it was unfortunate for the source of the voice that the Maestro and his otter recognized it. Poor Pacifica just didn¡¯t have enough strength to keep hold of her Maestro as he slipped out of her grasp. He stormed down the casting range just shy of a run, drawn by the commotion. Shouri tore back the privacy curtain to find Rebecca on the ground and Lyle looming over her, hand cocked back, red tuner gripped like a weapon. ¡°JUST DO AS YOU¡¯RE TOLD AND CAST THE SPELL!¡± Before Lyle could consider striking the cowering fox girl, Shouri seized the other man by the collar and spun him around. ¡°What the fuck do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Shouri hissed, keeping his voice low but venomous. Pacifica caught up and grabbed Shouri¡¯s shoulders in case he tried to do something rash ¨C but she wasn¡¯t confident she¡¯d be able to stop him. Lyle was ready to throw hands; however, the nearly murderous air about the other Maestro caused him to back down as a sudden surge of fear hit him. ¡°You think I¡¯m such a third-rate Maestro, but I¡¯m doing what needs to be done,¡± he said through a forced smile, edging away from Shouri. Loathingly studying Lyle for a moment, his gaze shifted to Rebecca. ¡°Has he hit you?¡± he asked, his tone softening for her. She quickly shook her head. Shouri exhaled sharply through his nostrils. Brushing Pacifica¡¯s hands off of his shoulders, he turned his back to Lyle. ¡°I know what bugs me about you,¡± he spoke up. ¡°You¡¯re the kind of guy who thinks he can buy his way to the top.¡± ¡°Hah? What do you know? Some no-name Maestro who thinks he¡¯s better than everyone.¡± Lyle had regained his composure it seemed. Much to Pacifica¡¯s surprise, Shouri didn¡¯t take the provocation. He merely shook his head. ¡°No, I¡¯d say I¡¯m not that strong of a Maestro.¡± Turning his head back, Shouri smirked at Lyle. ¡°But I know for sure I¡¯m better than you.¡± And with that, he dropped the proverbial mic and walked away. Lyle shouted a few choice insults, but by that point, Shouri had stopped caring and continued to walk on, Pacifica in tow.
¡°Are you sure you¡¯re alright?¡± Pacifica asked as they waited in line for their food. ¡°Yeah.¡± The Maestro nodded. ¡°That boy makes my blood boil, but I¡¯m only one person. There are countless numbers of dickheads like him out there. I can¡¯t change the world by myself.¡± There was a pause as Shouri considered his words. ¡°Getting arrested for assault definitely won¡¯t change any minds either,¡± he chuckled. ¡°True, true.¡± Pacifica nodded. ¡°Besides, I doubt you¡¯d want to go find another Maestro because I went and got my license revoked or something stupid like that,¡± Shouri added. She elbowed him. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯d give poor Taika a heart attack.¡± ¡°Right, so no fist-fighting Maestros, I promise.¡± Shouri held a hand over his heart and raised the other. ¡°I¡¯ll hold you to that,¡± Pacifica tittered. Returning to the room, Taika noticed Shouri seemed to be in better spirits, much to her relief. They ate breakfast and chatted as normal, which only further elevated Taika¡¯s mood. ¡°Oh!¡± Shouri suddenly exclaimed. ¡°What¡¯s up Sho?¡± Pacifica asked before shoving her last piece of toast in her mouth. Shouri could barely contain his excitement as he swiveled the black tuner he was holding towards his friends. ¡°We got paid!¡± Balance 4535? The two Resonators'' eyes lit up upon seeing the number, gasping in disbelief at the staggering number on the screen. ¡°That¡¯s so much money!¡± Taika squealed. ¡°We earned that Taika!¡± Pacifica shook her fellow Resonator, gesturing at the tuner. ¡°What do you two think about taking a small cruise?¡± Shouri suggested. The pair of Resonators lit up once more, (Pacifica doubly so) at the prospect of a boat ride. ¡°We have the money and I think after the last few days, we could stand to take a little vacation,¡± he proposed. ¡°Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah!¡± Pacifica was practically shaking with excitement. ¡°It sounds nice.¡± Taika was excited but not nearly as much as her watery counterpart. With their approvals on the table, Shouri turned his attention to the web browser on his tuner. ¡°Alright then girls, let¡¯s get planning.¡±
The rest of the day was spent getting their itinerary together for their pleasure cruise. They would leave tomorrow afternoon and would be on the water for several days, taking a trip down the river that led to a port on the ocean. Altogether it cost them 400 notes: 200 for Shouri and then 100 each for Pacifica and Taika. After making their reservation, they took their time browsing the site and pointing out all the little events they could participate in while on their trip. ¡°Ah, I can¡¯t wait.¡± Pacifica stretched out. It was now evening, and the group was pleased with their selection for their mini-vacation. ¡°You two wanna work tonight?¡± Shouri asked. The two Resonators exchanged a glance. Their trip was in the afternoon. They¡¯d have plenty of time to sleep before they had to be at the docks. It was a smaller port off of the Corhia River. It was a bit of a walk through a small forest just outside the city limits to get there, but they were all in fantastic shape and none of them minded the distance. With all of that in mind, they did want to see the big number go up a bit more before they spent a chunk of it on their trip. ¡°Hmmm, I don¡¯t mind,¡± Taika spoke her mind first. ¡°Maybe after this morning¡¯s ¡®talk¡¯, he won¡¯t show up,¡± Pacifica chimed in. ¡°Hopefully.¡± Shouri rolled his eyes. He wasn¡¯t going to get worked up about it again. He was just one guy, and he certainly didn¡¯t have enough sway to deal with the Lyles of the world. Their destiny was decided, and the trio got ready to go. A quick stop by the cafeteria for dinner and then they made their way to the hunter base camp. It was shaping up to be a pretty average night all in all. They waited in line as usual, got their assignment, and headed up to the foothills to convene with the main group. Taika cast Rilevare l''intenzione to update everyone¡¯s maps with the initial Scherzando positions and they were off. The night continued to be fairly mundane and boring. They teamed up with another Maestro and their Resonator and let them handle most of the actual fighting while providing support. While they did want money, they didn¡¯t want to be completely exhausted before their trip tomorrow. A boring night. Exactly what they wanted. Too bad the relative peace wouldn¡¯t last. ¡°Hmmm...¡± Shouri furrowed his brow, studying the tuner. He had the map up and was scrutinizing the latest update. The Scherzando¡¯s movements were beginning to converge around a point. A point marked by an ally group. ¡°Hey, Taika.¡± Shouri motioned to his fox girl, keeping his eyes glued to the map. ¡°Y-yes Sho?¡± She perked up, having been called upon. ¡°Rilevare l''intenzione, Rubato. Update the map two or three times,¡± he requested. ¡°Right.¡± She slowly nodded. Pacifica looked between Shouri and Taika, brows raised with concern. Shouri watched the updates roll in as Taika cast the solicited spell, paling as he only watched the situation deteriorate on the ¡°radar¡±. The Maestro looked up from the tuner towards the direction where the ¡°storm¡± was developing. ¡°Fuck!¡± he cursed. ¡°Let¡¯s go! One of the other groups is being encircled!¡± This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
With a desperate burst of speed, Shouri and his Resonators raced towards the crumbling line of defense, where the air was filled with the agonized cries of the ensnared. They skidded to a halt at the edge of the carnage, their eyes widening in terror at the sight of the horde of abominations that had overrun the hunters. There were Scherzando of all shapes and sizes, some winged beasts to cover the air, others with more candid shapes, all with a savage hunger for rhythm. They kept their prey completely encircled and trapped like some kind of living fog. The silhouettes of the Maestros and their Resonators could just barely be made out within the chaos of the situation. Shouri felt a wave of rage and despair wash over him, knowing that they had no choice but to plunge into this hellish fray ¨C he wasn¡¯t going to let anyone die on his watch. ¡°Let¡¯s break in!¡± Shouri told his Resonators. Taika and Pacifica readied themselves ¨C so much for a peaceful night. ¡°Luce Lunare, Rubato! Ghiacciolo, Rubato!¡± Ice and Lunar spells began chipping away at the beasts who were attempting to feast on the hunters-turned-prey at the center of the mob. It was a desperate assault from both Taika and Pacifica, but even with their spells culling the numbers of beasts, they weren¡¯t even an afterthought; the Scherzando continued their assault. Shouri ground his teeth in frustration, even feeling his rhythm rapidly deplete, he didn¡¯t want to just throw in the towel. ¡°Taika! Pacifica! Focus your spells on one point! Let¡¯s open up a hole for them to escape!¡± he commanded. ¡°Yes, Sho!¡± the two girls shouted. Focusing their spells on the spot closest to them, the Ice and Lunar attacks eventually culled enough of the shadowy creatures to provide an avenue of escape. As soon as that hole opened up in the swarm, a pair of bodies flew out. Liza and Lyle. As soon as the opening had formed, Liza capitalized on it and got herself and her Maestro out of there. Shouri regarded the two with some contempt; of course, Lyle put himself over everyone else. It was at that moment a realization hit Shouri. ¡°Wait...¡± He noticed someone missing. ¡°Where¡¯s Rebecca?!¡± he shouted at Lyle, who was tending to an open wound on his arm. ¡°Doing her job!¡± Lyle screamed back, his voice cracking with fear. ¡°God what a nightmare, fuck this! This is not worth it!¡± And with that brave proclamation, Lyle straight up left the scene. Liza remained for a moment longer before following her own Maestro. Shouri gulped a pang of guilt and dread in his chest. That girl had been left alone in there. He clenched his jaw and peered into the swarm of beasts. The tide had turned in their favor somewhat, but there were still too many Scherzando to fight off. He could see the Maestros and their Resonators still trapped inside putting up a brave defense, but Rebecca remained nowhere to be seen. Without another word, he bolted into the storm. Taika and Pacifica saw their Maestro run in and ran after him without a second thought. ¡°SHO!¡± they cried out, throwing as many spells as they could create to protect their precious Maestro. Rushing in he found the remaining Maestros pinned down, their own Resonators trying to keep the rabid beasts at bay. There were several members of the original group Lyle was in who had been injured, while the remaining able-bodied fighters attempted to protect them. Rebecca was on the ground some distance away, separated from the group; her feet significantly charred. She was cowering, trembling, crying ¨C awaiting her demise. A hawk-shaped Scherzando swooped down to snatch up the easy prey. Rebecca locked up and could only close her eyes, awaiting her demise. It was so cold, so dark. Was she already dead? What a pitiful end. Why did she have to live this life? The life of an object. Had she ever truly known love? Not at all. How miserably pathetic. ... But suddenly it was warm, so very warm. ¡°Lanciafiamme, Forte!¡± She didn¡¯t think ¨C she just acted. Thrusting her hands out, a stream of flames erupted from her palms like a literal fire hose, engulfing several feisty Scherzando. Finally coming out of her panic-induced black-out she felt a hand on her back and a soothing warmth practically on top of her. It was that Maestro with the green jacket! ¡°Bolide, Piano!¡± he suddenly commanded her. She didn¡¯t fight it and just took his rhythm in. She shot a large fireball, protecting one of the other Maestros from a Scherzando that was about to go in for the kill. ¡°Anello di Fuoco, Tenuto! Concentrate on making a line between our group and the Scherzando!¡± All Rebecca had to do was focus on his words and his rhythm guided her. It was so much easier this way. Sure enough, a ring of fire sprouted up between the Scherzando and the trapped Maestros and Resonators. ¡°Hold on!¡± Before she could question his actions, Rebecca found herself in his arms. ¡°Cortina Fumogena, Allegro! Spread the smoke on the outer edges so we can all get out of here.¡± She nodded and did what was asked of her. Thick, ashy smoke billowed from her hands, which she was able to spread along the fire line she had created. Looking up, she noticed the Maestro¡¯s hair rapidly greying. His water and lunar Resonators were still actively casting spells - this Maestro was strong. Most of all she got the sense that he... cared? What was this? Her heart was racing, butterflies in her stomach, perhaps even weak knees (though she was currently still being carried, so the verdict was out on that one). She curled up and rested her head against his chest. He was so warm, so very warm; she found herself helplessly intoxicated by it. ¡°Ah...¡± She smiled, tears streaming down her face. This is what happiness felt like, huh?
It wasn¡¯t long before help arrived, relieving Shouri and his worn-out Resonators from duty. There was still the matter of Rebecca however. She had passed out from exhaustion and her legs looked much more burnt upon closer inspection. The diagnosis from the emergency medical techs who had arrived on site also didn¡¯t promote confidence. Thankfully there was already a transport chartered to take the injured away, so Shouri left her in their care. There was one more thing he needed to do though. Despite having used so much rhythm that his hair was now almost entirely white, he pressed onward, walking without a waver in his step. Pacifica and Taika hesitantly followed, wondering what was about to happen. ¡°HEY!¡± Unfortunately for Lyle, Shouri easily located him still at the hunter base camp, getting treated for his injuries. Shouri¡¯s two Resonators wanted to stop their Maestro from doing anything rash, but in the same respect, they had watched Rebecca¡¯s Maestro just straight-up abandon her to save his own skin. And as a result, their Maestro put himself (as well as themselves) in danger. Lyle had very little sympathy from anyone involved. ¡°What the fuck do you want?!¡± Lyle barked back, tearing himself away from the medical tent to confront the other Maestro. ¡°What the fuck yourself? You fucking abandoned her! If I didn¡¯t run in there, she would be dead right now!¡± Shouri roared his counterpart, earning many stares from the other Maestros and their Resonators around. His dragon-girl looked away shrinking a bit to avoid the eyes on her. ¡°It¡¯s her fault for not living up to her name! Some Renard she was!¡± It was taking everything in Shouri¡¯s power to not brutalize this man, but he held back ¨C he had a goal with this confrontation. ¡°How much did you pay for her?¡± Shouri asked evenly. ¡°3000 notes, and what a waste-¡± ¡°3500, cash right now,¡± Shouri cut him off. Taika and Pacifica gasped. Lyle closed his mouth, disarmed by the sudden offer. ¡°What?¡± He blinked, unsure if he understood what Shouri was getting at. ¡°I want to buy Rebecca off of you. 3500 right now,¡± Shouri clarified. The fire Maestro studied Shouri¡¯s expression for a moment. ¡°You serious?¡± Taika and Pacifica looked at their Maestro, wondering the same thing. ¡°3500,¡± Shouri repeated ¨C apparently, he was serious. The current owner of Rebecca furrowed his brows, thinking it through. Liza offered him no input, she just stared blankly, still attempting to avoid the gazes of the group. After mulling it over for a moment or two, Lyle conceded the point: ¡°Fine fine. Waste of my time anyways, at least this way I can make a profit.¡± Pacifica and Taika watched in horror as their Maestro took on a third Resonator, and all of the hard work they had done in fighting the big Scherzando vanished in a poof of smoke. The trio remained quiet as they walked back to the MA Office. Taika and Pacifica processing what had transpired, while Shouri silently kept the lead, Rebecca¡¯s fiery red tuner now safely in his possession. They arrived back at the MA Office roughly around midnight or so. Shouri walked up to the front desk and rang the bell. The graveyard shift attendant came up to the desk. ¡°How can I help you?¡± they asked. ¡°Can you take me to see my Resonator? She should have been brought here.¡± He slid Rebecca¡¯s tuner across the counter. ¡°Certainly, right this way.¡± Chapter 27 Was it over? Was this it? Why? She had finally found it ¨C what she had wanted. She didn¡¯t even know that there was a thing she truly desired. In all honesty, she had prepared herself to go her entire life being an object. A trophy to possess, something that was fawned over by collectors. But then he appeared. His warmth was genuine. The way he spoke, the way he looked at his Resonators. She was jealous. She wanted what they had. She wanted to be them. Fwoom It had lit again ¨C the fire in her heart. Though small, its warmth spread through her, corrupting her, and ruining what so many had ground into her. For so long, she had lived the life of a collector¡¯s item; doing as she was told, never expressing any want or desire of her own. In those precious few moments, she had been tainted, stained by the rhythm of someone who cared, someone who saw her as a person. She yearned for that kind of connection. No, she lusted after it and for that sole purpose, Rebecca Renard was alive! Slowly, red eyes opened up, taking in their surroundings. Water. Awful water. However, she calmed upon finding it was warmed to her liking. She wasn¡¯t immediately drowning, which drew her attention to the mask thing around her nose and mouth, enabling her to breathe with great ease. What had even happened? It was all such a blur. Glancing down, Rebecca found her feet had been restored to perfect health. She had been certain she¡¯d never walk again with how hard she had pushed herself trying to protect Lyle and then herself. Previously discarded emotions rose in the young vixen. How dare he toss her aside like that! As soon as there was an opening, he just bolted with that bitch Liza. She trembled with a fury she had never felt before. Was there a way she could rid herself of him? That required further rumination, but at that moment, a man walked into the room. Upon the lapel of his uniform, there was a pin that looked like a stylized MA. He immediately took notice of the vixen floating in the Viva Unit ¨C she was conscious. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re awake. Let¡¯s get you down.¡± He rushed over and with a couple of taps on the attached keyboard, the water began to drain, finally setting her on her feet. The glass lowered into the pedestal she had been floating above. Rebecca removed the mask of her own accord. ¡°Where am I?¡± she inquired. ¡°The North Fercy Maestro Affairs Office,¡± he spoke with the same cadence he used when greeting guests at the front desk. Rebecca nodded slowly, still processing how she even got back to the MA Office in the first place. ¡°There¡¯s some socks and shoes here for you, yours were destroyed.¡± He motioned to a small table and chair where the aforementioned socks and shoes lay. Rebecca sat down, starting to slip on the new footwear. ¡°They aren¡¯t fire-resistant, so be mindful of your ad-Lib,¡± the attendant advised. The vixen tied up her new shoes. A plain white pair in contrast with the rest of her orange and yellow clothing. They were logoless and brandless; generic government-provided shoes. ¡°Ah yes, I have a message for you from Maestro Shouri,¡± the attendant suddenly spoke up. ¡°Shouri?¡± She tilted her head. That wasn¡¯t a name she was familiar with. ¡°The gentleman with the green jacket,¡± the front desk attendant tried to clarify for her. Thankfully, that was a detail that had been burned into her mind. Sensing she was on the same page as him, the attendant relayed his message. ¡°He told me to tell you that he purchased you from your original Maestro, and asked for me to provide you this.¡± Presented to Rebecca was her tuner. It had been left on the ownership screen, which was currently blank. There was a lot to process, but Rebecca was doing it. She had been liberated from Lyle without any fuss, but now she was Maestro-less ¨C a stray. Where other Resonators would see despair, a flicker of hope came to her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m free?¡± she asked, staring at the fiery red tuner being offered to her. No motion was made to formally accept the device. Resonators were rarely ever allowed to touch their tuners; it was a social taboo in her experience. ¡°Yes ma¡¯am. From what I understand he spent quite a bit to obtain this, but he insisted on having your ownership rights transferred to you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m free?¡± Rebecca repeated. In her mind all she could see was his face; she could feel the warmth, she could hear his voice, feel his rhythm coursing through her veins. The comradery between Shouri and his two Resonators. She wanted that. She wanted that so desperately. She wanted to be useful, she wanted to be needed, she wanted to be loved. But before her new life with him could even start, it had ended. He released her from the shackles of being owned by a Maestro. He bought her for the sole purpose of unlocking her chains. And she didn¡¯t want that. She wanted to be his. Long had she waited for the warmth of another. However, as soon as she found it, she returned to the cold again as she watched it helplessly leave her life. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. No. There was a voice in the back of her head. A voice screaming at her to chase the warmth. A voice telling her not to give up. A voice begging her to be selfish. Rising to her feet, she snatched up the device. Rushing to the door, she looked back. ¡°What room is he in?!¡± ¡°Oh! He left just before I came to check on you. I believe I overheard him talking about going down the Corhia River.¡± That mattered not ¨C she had two working legs, she¡¯d chase him to the ends of Riterra if need be. ¡°Thanks!¡± And with that, Rebecca ran out of the room.
Rebecca burst out the front door of the MA Office. Tuner in hand, she asked around and was pointed towards the Corhia River. Even losing those precious few minutes was worth it: she trusted the directions from a random stranger and just started running in that direction. What would she say? What would she do? All she knew was she had to find him. She wanted to give him a chance. After all, he had given her a second chance at life. Some might think her crazy for getting her freedom and then immediately throwing it away, but those people just didn¡¯t understand. They couldn¡¯t understand. And frankly, she didn¡¯t want to be understood. Through Fercy she ran, passing by many Maestro and Resonator alike. They saw the look of desperation on the vixen¡¯s face as she pushed her body to its top speed all for the task of making it to him in time. Even if her body protested, her heart refused to give in ¨C she had to make it. Eventually, she found her way out of the city limits and into the fields that surrounded Northern Fercy. She glanced down at the tuner in hand, reminding her of her goal. Ahead of her was a forest that flanked the Corhia. Thankfully there was a footpath that went into the winding woods. Though she had no map to follow, it mattered not - the real force that acted as her guide was her heart. An invisible string pulled her along as her feet beat against the dirt path. On and on she kept running, it honestly felt like it went on forever. Her desperation physically manifested itself. Fighting it off was futile as it swelled in her chest, she released the frenzied cry of her heart: ¡°SHOURI!¡± As if the universe itself had heard her anguished shout, he appeared in her line of sight. ¡°Ah!¡± Rebecca skidded to a halt in front of the Maestro and his two Resonators. She had run so far and so fast that her body was basically in shambles. Barely able to hold herself up, she remained hunched over for a moment, haggardly attempting to catch her breath as sweat poured off of her. It was taking everything left in her to even remain standing. Finally, she gathered enough strength to stand up straight. Composing herself, she faced the boy. ¡°Shouri,¡± she spoke his name once more. ¡°Rebecca? You found us,¡± he noted. The other two Resonators remained quiet, studying the sudden interloper with suspicion. ¡°Y-you left me there,¡± she blurted out. ¡°I wanted you to be free,¡± he replied. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?!¡± Rebecca was speaking from her heart at this point. Shouri smirked, shaking his head. ¡°Lots of things.¡± He chuckled. Rebecca glared at him for a moment. ¡°I wanted to thank you personally,¡± she began. ¡°You saved my life, in more ways than one¡­¡± Taking in a deep breath, the Resonator presented her very independence to Shouri ¨C her tuner. ¡°I want to be your Resonator. Please take me with you.¡± Her arm was trembling as it remained outstretched. ¡°I swear I¡¯ll do my best ¨C anything you want I¡¯ll do it.¡± Averting her gaze, she expected the worst. He already had two Resonators; he didn¡¯t need a third. Especially not someone as weak as her. A sigh escaped Shouri¡¯s lips. ¡°Taika, Pacifica?¡± he asked the two behind him. ¡°Well, we did spend 3500 notes on her,¡± Pacifica spoke up. ¡°3500 notes we almost all died for,¡± Taika chimed in. Guilt coursed through Rebecca¡¯s very form. She wasn¡¯t present for the transaction, and as such wasn¡¯t aware of the financial damage she had inadvertently wrought upon Shouri. ¡°I know I¡¯m asking a lot.¡± Rebecca¡¯s arm continued to shake as she continued to hold the device out. ¡°That¡¯s for sure.¡± Shouri shook his head. He too, scrutinized the fire fox standing before him, her extended arm, and the tuner she offered to him. Placing a hand over the tuner, he took hold of the device, though he didn¡¯t lift it from her hand. ¡°Are you sure? You can do better than me,¡± he said. She shook her head, managing to break a smile. ¡°You¡¯re wrong, I could never do better.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s really how you feel, then I guess I don¡¯t have a choice ¨C welcome to the team, Rebecca.¡± Interlude 1 ¡°This storm is pretty bad Maki¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, just keep your eyes out for any lightning, Ryn. We¡¯re close to Drahgo.¡± ¡°Like I¡¯d be able to tell you in time!¡± ¡°You know what I mean!¡± ¡°Mhm¡­¡± CRACK BOOM! ¡°The wing!¡± ¡°Shit!¡± ¡°Maki! Let¡¯s jump! Forget the plane!¡± ¡°No! I can save it, just trust me!¡± ¡°MAKANIIIII!¡±
Eh¡­? Is this¡­ the end? No... this was the beginning of it all, at least for me. Black feathers fluttered down from heaven, surrounded by a canopy of trees. A small hand desperately reached upwards, trying to grasp the sky that rejected her. ¡°Ma..ma..¡± It all went black. The feeling of falling. For a bird it was a sensation she was wholly familiar with. After all, what was flying but falling and constantly avoiding the ground? Gravity was the eternal enemy of all those who defied it and flew. Yet even as a little fledgling, this cruel master showed no mercy. Even baby birds knew to fly if they didn¡¯t want to meet the ground personally. Despite it all, mother birds shoved their innocent children out to face this formless beast in the hope that they would defy the odds and soar. Some birds weren¡¯t meant to fly. Even so, the meddling of humanity defies the natural order of things. ¡°Hey! Hey!¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Wake up!¡± Yellow eyes shot open. ¡°Where?!¡± Sitting up, the bird girl looked around. It was someone¡¯s bedroom at night, though the lack of light didn¡¯t seem to bother her. Not that her night vision helped identify where she had ended up, nor who the owner of this room was. In fact¡­ she had zero memories to go off of. Her head pounded whenever she tried to recall anything she had been doing previously. There were mere fragments of what used to be her memories. A few loose words that meant something to her. Resonator, Lunar, Slashing¡­ Rynda¡­ She was sure that was her name, but everything else failed to make any sense. She flexed the digits of her hands, all her fingers seemed to be there. Same with her feet. That just left one more pair of limbs. ¡°Ow!¡± the girl yelped loudly. Stretching her wings only gave her searing pain. ¡°Ow ow ow ow!¡± Tears streamed down her face in an instant. It hurt so much. Now that she was aware of the state of her wings the pain wouldn¡¯t stop. The door to the room suddenly burst open, the light from the hallway flooding in. ¡°You¡¯re awake!¡± a male voice exclaimed. With a flick of the light switch, the entire room was illuminated, allowing the girl to see the owner of the room for the first time. A boy probably no older than fifteen stood with concern on his face. ¡°Are you hurt? I found you in the forest,¡± he told her, stepping over to the injured bird. ¡°Wh-who are you?¡± the girl pushed herself back further on the bed, trembling as the pain-laden tears continued to streak down her face. ¡°I¡¯m Makani, what¡¯s your name?¡± The bird girl lowered her head, hugging herself tightly. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know,¡± she admitted quietly. Makani frowned, unsure of what to say. She was clothed in essentially rags, a dirty blanket, or something with crude holes torn in it to allow her wings to poke out. He wasn¡¯t even sure if she was decent under there. Thankfully he didn¡¯t find out when he carried her back to his home. All this plus the way he discovered her only made him wonder who she was and what happened to her. The girl spoke up, snapping him back into reality. ¡°Rynda¡­ I think my name is Rynda,¡± she spoke quietly. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Makani asked. She shook her head slowly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± came the next question. Despite her reluctance, the girl¡¯s eyes darted to her left wing, telling him all he needed to know. He crossed the room and flicked on his computer. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about how to fix a hurt wing, but thankfully we have the internet for that,¡± he chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. And it worked! Rynda remained wary but allowed herself to relax ever so slightly. She studied the boy at the computer closely. His skin was darker than hers, looking at her hands she noticed how pale she was. Her gaze shifted to the window ¨C it was dark outside. So, it was night currently which brought her some peace. Makani turned back and forth between the girl on his bed and the computer screen. The way she held her wings, her left wing was hanging slightly lower than her right. She didn¡¯t seem to be in pain from what he could tell¡­ but the only reason he rushed back upstairs was because he heard her crying. ¡°Hmmm,¡± Makani hummed again. He stood and slowly approached the bed, the girl shrinking back as he drew closer. ¡°Is it okay if I touch your wing?¡± he requested, his eyes studying the drooping appendage. Rynda didn¡¯t respond one way or another, she just stared back with trepidation. Inaction wouldn¡¯t ease her pain, so Makani drew close. She didn¡¯t reject his advance but closed her eyes fearfully. Comparing her left and right wings, there didn¡¯t appear to be an obvious break. Still, though, he had to be sure. ¡°I¡¯m gonna touch your wing now,¡± he warned. Rynda remained tense but didn¡¯t reject him. Her feathers were soft, he ran his hands down the top of her wing where the largest bones lay. ¡°Ow!¡± she yelped. ¡°Here?¡± He questioned, gently rubbing the spot that elicited the response. ¡°Ow! Yes!¡± came another yelp. With that confirmation, he ceased touching her and gave the girl some space, though he committed the exact spot of pain to memory, right in the middle of the larger bones ¡°Hm¡­¡± Makani hummed. Outside of the pain she was experiencing, there wasn¡¯t any visible damage. Most likely it was a thin crack. Thankfully it was something that could be fixed. ¡°We need to get you to an MA Office,¡± he told her. ¡°A what?¡± asked the confused bird. ¡°They¡¯re a place that helps Resonators. They can help fix your wing,¡± Makani said, getting his boots on. ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Rynda said quietly, hugging herself tightly and casting a concerned gaze at her damaged wing. The pair left Makani¡¯s home, the warm, humid air hitting poor Rynda like a sack of bricks. The air had an unfamiliar scent to it, but one which made her sniff in curiosity. ¡°You smelling the sea breeze?¡± Makani asked, noticing her raised nose. She flinched, her cheeks reddening. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± she asked. He raised a brow. ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± The two came to a stop, illuminated by a streetlamp. Rynda held herself her head lowered. After really thinking it over, she shook her head ¨C it just wasn¡¯t familiar to her; none of it was. It all blurred around her until finally, Makani¡¯s voice roused her from her thoughts. ¡°Rynda? Are you okay?¡± he asked. She shot him a glare, her eyes briefly darting to her ailing wing. ¡°Right, poor choice of words,¡± the boy chuckled. ¡°We¡¯re here though!¡± he expertly deflected, motioning to the building behind him. It was a facility wholly unfamiliar to the winged maiden. A large stone sign sitting just outside the campus told her the name of this building. Maestro Affairs Office - Kapro Branch - Poor Rynda couldn¡¯t begin to fathom what the purpose of this facility was. Supposedly they would help her with her hurt wing, but the real question was how would they be able to achieve such a feat? She¡¯d have to find out. Upon entering the building, the girl shuddered, holding herself tightly as the cool air-conditioned environment hit her like a blizzard. ¡°C-cold,¡± she chattered quietly. Makani failed to notice the shivering bird behind her and kept walking to the front desk. ¡°W-wait!¡± Rynda squeaked quietly, chasing after him. Makani was saying something to the pair of attendants who were stationed at the front desk. A human-like Makani, and a dog-eared girl next to the human. Rynda allowed her gaze to wander. There were a couple of other humans milling about with Resonators like Rynda herself. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. There were a couple of Resonators in some kind of uniform, dusting, mopping, and just generally cleaning the place. Their work was impeccable, as in their wake the floors were polished to a sheen and the furniture was free of any dirt or debris. ¡°Rynda,¡± once more Makani¡¯s voice snapped the bird from her thoughts. ¡°They¡¯re going to see us in the back,¡± he told her. The black-feathered girl obediently followed along, hoping that whatever she was about to be subjected to would free her from the soreness that continuously throbbed in her wing. A certain scent stung her nose as they walked along. She couldn¡¯t quite place what it exactly was ¨C it didn¡¯t hurt but was quite noticeable. Finally, she found herself in a small room with some kind of bed and a couple of chairs. There were cabinets, a counter, and a sink flanking one of the walls. Besides Makani, another man walked in with them. This human was much older than either of them, probably in his thirties or forties? He radiated a certain aura that put Rynda at ease ¨C she felt she could trust whatever he had to say. ¡°Hm?¡± the doctor hummed, raising a brow as he reviewed something on a clipboard. His gaze rose, studying Rynda, then Makani. ¡°Can you tell me what happened?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure myself, doc. Found her all alone in the woods a bit north,¡± Makani replied. ¡°You¡¯re not the Maestro?¡± questioned the doctor, his eyes locking on to certain section of the form he had in his hands. ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Maestro. What a strange word, thought Rynda. But it felt warm. Just thinking about it made her lips curl up, and her heart thump just a smidge bit faster. However, a sharp change in the atmosphere jolted Rynda from her thoughts, her attention shifting to the elder in the room. ¡°We can¡¯t treat strays here,¡± he stated sternly. ¡°Why not?¡± Makani challenged. ¡°The Registration Modernization Act of 1946 requires any Resonator being treated in a Maestro Affairs Office to be digitally registered with an active Maestro for any treatments. Some private doctors will see strays like her without registration just fine,¡± explained the doctor. ¡°A benefit of the act however is that any care rendered at an MA Office is delivered at no charge to the Maestro,¡± he added, seeing how Makani had tensed up at this information. Rynda didn¡¯t know what any of that meant for her, though she ruffled her feathers as Makani was radiating frustration. His hands were balled up, his shoulders tensed and his brows pinched together. He tested what he wanted to say a couple of times, opening his mouth to speak but stopping just short of vocalization. Finally, he found his words. ¡°I don¡¯t have the money for that,¡± he replied. ¡°The process is free ¨C everything from the chipping to the tuner,¡± the doctor allowed his line of sight to fall on Rynda. She shuddered instantly. The feeling of trust she had for the man was gone. The way he stared at her¡­ You¡¯re lesser. Rynda held herself, refusing the doctor¡¯s cold gaze. Suddenly her wing didn¡¯t hurt as bad. Suddenly the world was just that much colder. Suddenly, she felt alone. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do it,¡± Makani¡¯s voice was a beacon in a frigid, uncaring ocean. Where the world had lost its luster, only he shone through. Why? The doctor snorted. ¡°Fine,¡± he mumbled. The man walked to a cabinet and threw it open He drew out some packaging and tore it open, laying out the contents on the counter. He handed a couple of things off to Makani, a device of some kind and a booklet. He then made his way to Rynda, who tensed upon his approach. She found her head suddenly pushed down. Her hair was thrown to the side, and before she could protest a sharp pain pierced the back of her head. Her vision blurred, and she ruffled her wing feathers as she gripped the sides of the examination table she was on. ¡°Hold the tuner at the base of the neck where I made the injection,¡± the doctor instructed Makani. ¡°I¡¯ll go get one of our healers,¡± said the doctor tersely. The doctor left the room as if escaping a bad smell, leaving Makani and Rynda alone. ¡°Right,¡± Makani replied quietly. Rynda was much more alert and wary now that the world refused to stop spinning. She saw a hand approaching her from the corner of her eyes. SMACK The clear-bodied device Makani had been holding was launched across the room, clattering to the ground unceremoniously. Makani wanted to snap at her, but he closed his mouth when he laid eyes on her. Tears streamed down her scowling face; her feathers twitched and ruffled as she trembled and swayed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked. ¡°What¡¯s WRONG?!¡± she shrieked. ¡°What do you THINK is WRONG?!¡± The boy flinched. His lips twitched as he carefully considered his word choice. ¡°Do you not have a Maestro?¡± he questioned. ¡°I don¡¯t even know what that is!¡± she shouted, her voice cracking as she did so. ¡°Hrm¡­¡± Makani hummed thoughtfully, stroking his chin as he did so. This was hard, people were hard. ¡°Well a Maestro can send their rhythm to a Resonator so they can cast spells,¡± he said awkwardly. He paused, Rynda maintaining her tearful glare. He wracked his brain trying to think of a better way to explain it, but the longer he thought the more Rynda began to twitch and the angrier she grew. The boy exhaled sharply. ¡°Look, I¡¯m not good at this sort of thing,¡± he admitted quietly. ¡°And I don¡¯t know much about being a Maestro,¡± he added. Rynda remained tense but did slowly relax her glare. ¡°The only thing I do know is I want to fly ¨C is that something you want to do?¡± Rynda lowered her head, thinking that through. The doctor radiated such a nasty aura ¨C it was as if he hated her for the heinous act of being born. Makani on the other hand, was genuine. He wanted to help her, and¡­ He wanted to fly. She shot a glance at her injured wing. ¡°I wanna fly too¡­¡± whispered the nightingale. ¡°Then-¡± he extended the clear-bodied device towards her once again, ¡°-how about we fly together?
¡°Uhhhg, my head¡­¡± Rynda shook herself awake. That was quite a trip down memory lane. Did her mind see fit to flash her life before her eyes? Either way, the seatbelt did its job, keeping her firmly in place. Her head shot back, to her left wing. A phantom pain throbbed, causing her heart to steadily beat faster. When she moved it without a sting, she relaxed. To her left, Makani was conked out. Though she didn¡¯t worry ¨C she could feel his rhythm still steadily coursing into her. She never got to brag about the safety systems they had taken to installing. All around them was desert, that much was obvious based on where they were pointed before the incident. ¡°What a mess,¡± mumbled the bird. She unclipped her seatbelt and tested standing. ¡°Maki, get up,¡± she demanded of her Maestro. He stirred and shook off his grogginess. ¡°Morning Ryn,¡± he grinned at her. ¡°Told ya I could save it.¡± She frowned at him, only for a moment as she couldn¡¯t help the smile that rose on her lips. ¡°I suppose you did,¡± she tittered. Even with the moment of levity, however, they were certainly in a situation. ¡°Now what?¡± she asked. ¡°Good question,¡± he replied, undoing his safety belt. Freed from its grasp, he drew their tuner from his flight jacket. ¡°We¡¯re like an hour''s walk from Drahgo,¡± he noted. He snorted in indignation, ¡°Man, Cielto coulda cut us some slack, we were right there!¡± Makani exclaimed. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t have tried to fight the sky sage.¡± Rynda shook her head and shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re probably right.¡± Makani got to his feet, testing his shaken body before nodding shortly. Rynda held herself for a moment before she acted. Makani smiled warmly as the Resonator suddenly wrapped her arms and wings around him, trembling as she did so. ¡°We¡¯re alright partner,¡± he whispered. ¡°Don¡¯t fucking scare me like that again,¡± she squeaked, burying her face in his chest. He reciprocated her embrace, stroking her hair. ¡°Of course.¡± Chapter 28 Deeper and deeper she sank into the abyss. This was it, huh? To say she had regrets was an understatement. It was so unfair, so early. She barely had the chance to live. She had only just found what it meant to dream. A mere candle snuffed out by a cruel wind as the darkness began to take over. Why? Why did it have to end this way?! She wished she could have done things differently. Oh if only, if only she hadn¡¯t been born with her cursed name perhaps she could have lived the selfish life she had desired. And then Rebecca opened her eyes. A dream. She was alive. That¡¯s right, she was safe now - with a Maestro who cared about her. At this moment she was warm, she was content. Even if the world was sloshing and swaying around her, she had found her happiness ¨C it was less believable than a dream in all honesty. There was a moment where she just lay there, in Shouri¡¯s arms, absolute bliss. ... Wait... In his arms?! Why was he holding her?! How did this even happen?!
The night prior, Rebecca had officially joined Shouri; seeing her red tuner with the blue and black ones he already carried brought her the smallest bit of pride. They had talked about the ground rules, of which the one that most stuck out was that they were a team. All of their opinions mattered, and she should talk to him if she had any issues. They were equals; it was such a warm thought. It was little wonder that they were all so happy together before. Though¡­ Pacifica and Taika, his other two Resonators, seemed to be a bit stand-offish for the moment. In fact, there was an air of animosity that Rebecca hadn¡¯t sensed before. She knew she was the cause of this slight attitude shift. That¡¯s how it always was. Other Maestros she had in the past immediately fawned over her and neglected their other Resonators, earning their ire. Even with a Maestro as great as Shouri, there was no way to stop the jealousy caused by a new Resonator entering the dynamic. Or maybe because of her presence, they had to downgrade to a lesser room and they were mad about that? That had to be it. It made sense really; they were now relegated to a tiny cabin with a bunk bed. There wouldn¡¯t even be room for all of them in the beds ¨C there was going to be some sleeping on the floor. Anyone would be upset about that. ¡°Taika, Pacifica, can you take the top bunk while Rebecca and I share the bottom?¡± he requested, much to Rebecca¡¯s shock. Sharing beds? The bunks weren¡¯t that big, they couldn¡¯t accommodate two people and give them enough space to have separation between them. Either way, the other two Resonators didn¡¯t seem pleased by the arrangement but didn¡¯t protest. ¡°Fine,¡± Taika relented. ¡°You owe us,¡± Pacifica added. Rebecca was unsure of what was going on, but she watched Pacifica, and then Taika climb up to the top bunk to lay down. Shouri slid their tuners to them ¨C another oddity. ¡°Why?¡± Rebecca tilted her head. ¡°Well, Taika likes reading, and Pacifica¡¯s gotten into some mobile gaming recently.¡± Shouri shrugged, sitting down on the bottom bunk. He patted the empty spot on the bed next to him. Rebecca hesitated, ears folding back as she fidgeted with the last button of her shirt. His eyes bore into her, though he waited patiently for her decision it felt rude to leave him hanging like that. She finally just did what he asked and crawled into bed next to him, resting her back against the wall as he was. ¡°N-now what?¡± she asked. ¡°You tired?¡± he fired back a question of his own. ¡°Not really.¡± ¡°I understand ¨C boats make me kinda uneasy too.¡± She looked at him. He smiled warmly rolling his thumbs on his lap ¡°Pacifica¡¯s a really strong swimmer ¨C she taught Taika how to swim,¡± he told her. ¡°I know water is unpleasant for you, but we can teach you to swim if you want. I¡¯ve heard of fire Resonators learning to swim as a just-in-case emergency thing.¡± Rebecca bit her lip as she listened to his proposal. As a fire element, she feared the thought of willingly subjecting herself to cold water. But her Maestro had offered! She didn¡¯t want to cause trouble already; even in the short time they had known each other he had been nothing but good to her. With that in mind, there was only one answer: ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°No no.¡± Shouri shook his head. ¡°Tell me how you really feel,¡± he demanded. She balled up her fists, trembling with emotion - this Maestro was simply too much. ¡°I¡¯m scared of the water,¡± she admitted quietly. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with that ¨C it¡¯s only natural,¡± he spoke so gently that it made her swoon. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, that¡¯s fine. I just wanted to put the offer out there.¡± What could she even say? He was just so damn considerate of her feelings. Being thought of as a person and not a thing would certainly take some getting used to for the Renard. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that.¡± He pulled her tuner from his side. ¡°Since we¡¯re both wired, let¡¯s watch some videos.¡± The fire Resonator sat there uneasily while her Maestro played some videos for them to watch together. There wasn¡¯t any real rhyme or reason to the videos, they were just random funny clips of people being silly or doing stupid stuff. She just quietly watched ¨C sure they were amusing, but she didn¡¯t understand. Slowly her eyelids began to droop. It had been such a long day. He radiated such a soothing warmth she couldn¡¯t help but smile contentedly. This was nice.
Right... she must have fallen asleep while they were watching videos. But that didn¡¯t answer the pressing concern of her presence in his arms. thumpthumpthumpthump And why her heart was beating so fast? Also, what was that scent? It smelled so good. It was Shouri? It was Shouri. Now why did he smell good? So many questions and the poor little fox just couldn¡¯t answer any of them. Instead, she opted to just lay there. She figured he must have been cold and if he wanted to capitalize on her radiant heat while they slept, what right did she have to refuse? Hopefully, her pounding heart didn¡¯t bother him. She wasn¡¯t sure how long she lay there, drifting in and out of consciousness. Finally, Shouri stirred. ¡°Good morning Rebecca,¡± he whispered. ¡°M-morning.¡± she squeaked. ¡°How did you sleep?¡± Rebecca gulped; was it just her or did this situation seem fairly... intimate? ¡°F-fine.¡± Shouri released his captive and they sat up facing one another. Rebecca averted her gaze, still contemplating the nature of their sleeping arrangements from the night prior. ¡°Is something the matter?¡± he asked. ¡°N-no! Not at all!¡± she muttered sheepishly. ¡°Wrong answer, try again.¡± He wore a disapproving frown. How was he so good at reading her? She fidgeted nervously, still refusing Shouri¡¯s gaze. ¡°W-well... I don¡¯t understand... why we slept together.¡± Shouri furrowed his brows as if it should have been obvious. After a moment it clicked; it probably was weird to her ¨C he had gotten so used to Pacifica and Taika constantly sharing a bed with him that it was just the status quo. ¡°Changing Maestros is always disruptive to your rhythm, which can degrade the quality of your sleep for a little bit,¡± he explained. ¡°So...?¡± Her lips pursed, brows pinched together, not understanding. Reaching out, he placed an index finger on her forehead. ¡°Etude. Making physical contact swaps our rhythm.¡± The poor fire fox remained confused ¨C it was written all over her face. ¡°Here, we¡¯ll do it right now.¡± He grabbed her hands. ¡°Close your eyes and focus on me.¡± If nothing else, Rebecca was obedient, so she followed his lead. She closed her eyes and just thought about him, she didn¡¯t know how else to ¡°focus¡± on him. It was all so confusing... Or... was it? She never had a Maestro etude with her before. In fact, it was a miracle she had made it this far all things considered. She had such a poor rhythm experience with all of her previous Maestros. Why was that? Why did they behave that way? Her eyes suddenly shot open upon noticing it: a subtle change in her thought process. There was a sudden clarity to her thoughts. Etude just made sense now, even though she was hopelessly confused prior. He released her. ¡°Strong Knowledge.¡± Shouri smirked, tapping his temple. ¡°Pacifica is strong emotion, Taika is strong willpower, just so you know,¡± he added. She nodded. From a rhythm perspective, they were all taken care of. Well, if Taika and Pacifica ever wanted to interact with her that is. Speaking of ¨C the two senior Resonators descended from their perch upon high. ¡°Morning,¡± Shouri greeted them. ¡°How¡¯d you two sleep?¡± he asked. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Passable,¡± Pacifica yawned. ¡°Cos¨¬ cos¨¬,¡± Taika grumbled. Shouri rose from the bed. ¡°Let¡¯s go get breakfast, Pacifica. Taika, Rebecca, be good,¡± he addressed his trio of Resonators in turn. Pacifica handed her tuner back to Shouri and they were off. Which left Taika and Rebecca alone. The two vixens regarded one another for a brief moment. Taika yawned and climbed back up to the bed, vanishing over the edge. Hot off a fresh etude with Shouri, Rebecca couldn¡¯t help but be curious. She hadn¡¯t interacted with Lunar Resonators before, but now she was in a party with one. ¡°Um... Taika?¡± The lunar maiden poked her head off the top bunk. ¡°Ma che vuoi?¡± she asked, the annoyance dripping from her inflection. Rebecca flattened her ears; this wasn¡¯t going well. ¡°Sh-shouri said you liked reading... so I was wondering what you were reading,¡± the younger fox inquired. Taika stared at her condescendingly for a moment. ¡°A book.¡± And with that, she retreated towards the wall, once again out of Rebecca¡¯s sight. Essentially left alone, Rebecca hugged herself, brows furrowed up with concern. She had wanted this, but once again she had managed to earn the ire of the Resonators her Maestro had already possessed. Where things changed, more stayed the same.
Shouri and Pacifica returned with breakfast. Rebecca immediately sensed the emotional distance between the pair. Did something happen? ¡°Here you go.¡± Shouri handed Rebecca a take-out container. She sat down on the bed and popped open her container. Eggs, sausage, a biscuit ¨C a relatively light breakfast. The fire fox kept her head down and just focused on eating her food. Shouri sat down next to her ¨C where were the other two? Ah, they were sitting on the ground, just furthering the animosity. It was always like this. Pacifica held up their empty travel bottle and shook it. ¡°Ah right.¡± Shouri dropped his hand down to his waist, grasping Pacifica¡¯s tuner. ¡°Mani Nell''acqua, Moderato,¡± the Maestro called out. Setting down the container, water poured from Pacifica¡¯s hands, filling it up. ¡°Ghiacciolo, Piano.¡± And then the second spell. Producing needles of ice, the otter-girl slotted them into the bottle, capped it off, and gave it a hearty shake. Taika and Pacifica shared the bottle before handing it off to Shouri. ¡°Want some?¡± He offered it to Rebecca without taking a sip himself. ¡°I-I¡¯m fine,¡± she lied. ¡°Try again.¡± He frowned at her. ¡°O-okay...¡± It was becoming rapidly apparent that she needed to learn to be open with her feelings ¨C he was simply too good at figuring her out. ¡°Th-thirsty,¡± she finally acquiesced, telling him what he wanted her to say. Wordlessly, he handed her the bottle and she took a small sip. He narrowed his eyes at her and she yipped quietly before drinking much more. With a slow nod, he polished off the remainder of the bottle and had Pacifica re-fill the bottle again. With breakfast out of the way it was time to explore the ship. ¡°Taika and I are gonna go off on our own,¡± Pacifica told her Maestro. ¡°Ah, wait take your tuners.¡± Shouri handed them off. ¡°You can reach me by Rebecca¡¯s.¡± There was a brief pause before Pacifica slowly nodded while regarding her tuner. ¡°Ok,¡± she muttered. And with that Rebecca and Shouri were alone. ¡°W-was that a good idea?¡± Rebecca questioned. ¡°Why not?¡± he countered. ¡°They¡¯re their own people. I gave them their tuners; they can call me if they need me,¡± he added with a shrug. Rebecca could sense there was more to that. Much more. Everything she had experienced this morning. The shoe was on the other foot ¨C while he wasn¡¯t lying, he certainly was deflecting. ¡°Try again.¡± The vixen covered her mouth when she realized what she had just blurted out. Shouri chuckled, though upon closing his mouth his lips fell. ¡°I guess we¡¯re both not being honest.¡± Sitting on the bed, they remained quiet for some time. Shouri let out a tired sigh. ¡°They¡¯re mad at me. Like really mad,¡± he finally broke the silence. ¡°Wh-why?¡± ¡°Well, we almost bit it fighting one of those big Scherzando,¡± Shouri told her. Rebecca gasped. There were many rumors and stories about the massive beasts, but she had never seen one herself before. What she had heard was they were horrifyingly strong. And they had fought such a creature AND survived?! ¡°The bonus we got for killing it, I spent nearly all of it on freeing you,¡± he revealed. And then Rebecca felt horrible. ¡°3500 notes we almost all died for¡± ¨C Pacifica had said that when Rebecca had asked to join their group. Guilt. That¡¯s all the vixen felt. Tears poured from her eyes. She really was no good. Chasing her dreams just caused people pain. What a miserable little wretch she was. ¡°Hey hey.¡± Shouri pushed her chin up. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I wouldn¡¯t have been able to live with myself if I let you stay with him.¡± This only made Rebecca cry harder as she threw herself into his chest, holding him tightly and trembling with emotion. ¡°I¡¯m sorry... I¡¯m sorry Shouri...¡± Rebecca sniveled, still clinging to him. He stroked her hair gently, lightly holding her. ¡°It¡¯s okay Rebecca, I know you¡¯ve been through a lot.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never had a Maestro genuinely care about me... it¡¯s always my name... they always just want my name...¡± ¡°Fucking assholes.¡± Silence returned to the small room, the ever so slight rocking and swaying of the boat disregarded by the inhabitants. ¡°Let¡¯s go get some fresh air.¡± He ruffled her hair affectionately. She nodded quickly, failing to hide her fluster.
The pair made their way to the top deck and found a quiet spot to be alone. They leaned on the rails, watching the forests pass them by as the boat drifted along the river. Rebecca¡¯s eyes were laser-focused on the water, thinking about how she would have to escape if the boat suddenly sank, though land being so close put her mind slightly at ease. Slightly. ¡°I got Taika about a month and a half ago. My parents were pushing me super hard to get a Resonator,¡± Shouri suddenly began. Rebecca was distracted from the river below as she turned her focus on him. His gaze was fixated on the scenery they were drifting by. ¡°Something just clicked with her, and I wanted to give her a better life,¡± he continued. ¡°It was obvious whoever was taking care of her before saw her as a thing.¡± Her eyes drifted down to the railing he held; his grip tightening to a knuckle-whitening point. The vixen lowered her head. Though people thought of them as objects, Rebecca figured Taika was treated far worse given her element. ¡°My parents unfortunately took exception with her and dropped the pleasantries when they caught Taika and me in bed together,¡± he went on. Rebecca blushed; the phrasing he used promoted certain imagery in the young woman¡¯s head. ¡°We ran away from home after my father disowned me. What was worse is the small town we ran to had an unwelcoming hunting scene.¡± The Maestro paused, reflecting on that for a moment. ¡°I guess I pissed off one of the locals ''cause they cold-cocked me and locked me in a cave.¡± ¡°Oh my god...¡± Rebecca gasped. ¡°That¡¯s where I met Pacifica,¡± he added. ¡°Oh my god.¡± ¡°She was basically on death¡¯s door, but she still lent me what little strength she had left and we managed to get out of there. We got caught and Taika saved us in the nick of time, but Pacifica almost didn¡¯t make it.¡± Rebecca could sense the authenticity of the story. Even to this day, he was still scared of losing Pacifica ¨C that much was abundantly clear to her. ¡°After she recovered, she came to our room at the MA Office and asked to join Taika and me. And while we¡¯ve grown considerably since then, at that time we were much weaker.¡± He paused. ¡°Much much weaker.¡± ¡°That guy that kidnapped Pacifica and I came after us again, and we escaped by the skin of our teeth,¡± Shouri added. ¡°A bunch of other stuff happened, but that¡¯s the jist of how we all met.¡± He looked to Rebecca who returned his gaze. ¡°And now you¡¯re one of us.¡± He smiled. Poor Rebecca was caught off-guard by his expression, her eyes widening and her heart racing. She whipped her head away to hide the warmth that splashed onto her face. Shouri exhaled sharply. ¡°Anyways, let¡¯s try to have some fun.¡± Rebecca braved facing him again, but she was met by his genuine, heart-felt smile, and immediately turned back away. He was simply too much. They spent the remainder of the day together just her and him. Rebecca wondered the entire time ¨C did she deserve something like this? Happiness? Chapter 29 It was the second day of the cruise down the Corhia River. Two pairs of blue eyes opened, their owners remaining silent as they barely processed that the other was awake. The two girls lay in each other¡¯s embrace as they slowly came to. ¡°Morning,¡± Pacifica whispered first. ¡°Buongiorno mia amica del cuore.¡± Taika squeezed her fellow Resonator tightly. Unlike her Maestro who didn¡¯t understand the language, Pacifica as a Resonator knew full well what Taika had said ¨C earning an early morning splash of red on the otter¡¯s cheeks. ¡°B-best friend huh..?¡± ¡°Si, ti voglio bene.¡± ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you affectionate this morning?¡± Pacifica noted with a giggle. The pair remained together for some time until they felt the shuffling of the bunk below them. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s that time of the morning,¡± Pacifica muttered. Taika frowned; she was just sad. Pacifica squeezed the fox-girl tightly, recalling the fight between them and their precious Maestro only a couple of days prior.
The trio had gotten back to their room at the Fercy MA Office after seeing Rebecca and leaving her tuner behind with the front desk attendant. ¡°I CAN¡¯T BELIEVE YOU!¡± Pacifica began the festivities. Shouri sat in one of the recliners. Pacifica and Taika towered over him, fury in their eyes. He glared back at the otter. ¡°What can¡¯t you believe?¡± he asked. ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to let her stay in those conditions, especially after that fuck-head almost got her killed,¡± the Maestro added, not appreciating the tone being slung his way. ¡°Why did you let her go? I don¡¯t understand,¡± Taika piped up, her voice remaining more even than Pacifica¡¯s. Shouri frowned, averting his gaze. ¡°I¡¯m sure you felt it, but she¡¯s never been free. She¡¯s always been shackled to some Maestro. I just thought she¡¯d appreciate a little freedom. Maybe she can choose a Maestro she likes rather than one she was bought by,¡± he quietly explained his reasoning. Pacifica and Taika looked at one another. They understood how he felt, but ¨C ¡°We¡¯re still mad,¡± the otter decided. ¡°You didn¡¯t even ask us if it was okay! You¡¯re our Maestro, not hers,¡± she pointed out. ¡°It was in the heat of the moment!¡± Shouri countered. ¡°We had the entire walk back to talk about it,¡± Pacifica retorted. ¡°What would you have said if I did ask about it?¡± ¡°I dunno, you never asked!¡± Shouri remained quiet, glare persisting. Pacifica continued: ¡°I¡¯m not mad about what hypothetical Shouri did, I¡¯m mad about what my Shouri did,¡± she said with a huff. ¡°We can¡¯t do this every time we find a Rebecca!¡± The otter gritted her teeth, sick to her stomach that she was saying this. ¡°You¡¯re one person.¡± There was another moment of silence as Maestro and Resonator stared each other down. ¡°It was a lot of money.¡± The arguing pair turned to Taika; her head lowered. ¡°I was happy we had earned so much together,¡± she mumbled sadly. Shouri let out a sigh, pushing his hair back. ¡°I¡¯ll make it up to you both,¡± he decided. ¡°Oh?¡± Pacifica raised a brow. ¡°I¡¯ll figure it out.¡±
Back in the present, Pacifica slowly opened her eyes, still squeezing Taika tightly. ¡°Paci,¡± the smaller Resonator squeaked out. ¡°You¡¯re killing me,¡± she whimpered. ¡°Ah! Sorry!¡± Pacifica released her captive, holding the girl out by her shoulders. ¡°Are you ok?¡± ¡°Bene. Just not used to being hugged that tightly,¡± the fox chuckled. Descending from the top bunk, they were once again face-to-face with Rebecca, and to a lesser extent, Shouri. Affection was replaced by irritation - both senior Resonators were mad at their newer counterpart. They didn¡¯t have any specific reason; they were simply upset. ¡°Come on Sho, let¡¯s grab breakfast.¡± Pacifica took hold of her Maestro¡¯s hand, keeping her eyes locked on Rebecca specifically before pulling him out of the room. After the door was closed behind them, Pacifica released Shouri and began stomping off toward the dining hall where breakfast was being served. ¡°Pacifica.¡± The girl stopped and turned on her heel to face her Maestro. There was a tense stare-down before Shouri spoke. ¡°How long are you going to be mad for?¡± he questioned. ¡°As long as I want. Let me have this,¡± she huffed. A slow nod by the Maestro. ¡°Fine, take your time.¡± She was disarmed by that, remaining rooted in place as he walked past her. The girl lowered her head shamefully. She was better than this, she knew she was, but there was that devil on her shoulder who always stoked the flames of rage every time her eyes met Rebecca. Breakfast was obtained in silence, Shouri carrying his own and Rebecca¡¯s meal while Pacifica had hold of her and Taika¡¯s meals. And the consumption of said breakfast was quiet. Again, Taika and Pacifica were relegated to eating on the floor whilst Rebecca and Shouri shared the bed. It was the little things that set them both off. ¡°We¡¯re heading out ¨C see you tonight.¡± Pacifica waved, her tuner secured to her swim shorts. Taika didn¡¯t speak, but she was able to at least wave with Pacifica as they took their leave. The pair strolled the halls of the ship, avoiding the morning Resonator-led cleaning crews, until they found themselves on the front deck. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s that?¡± Taika pointed to a group gathering near some mats. ¡°Dunno.¡± Pacifica watched for a moment before deciding to get involved. Taika hesitantly followed. ¡°Hey! Whatcha doing?¡± The otter waved to the group. The teacher of the group greeted the two Resonators. ¡°Yun-Lu Quan, it¡¯s a rhythm exercise. It helps strengthen your rhythm core,¡± they explained. Pacifica and Taika looked at each other. ¡°It helps clear your mind in a similar way to etude,¡± the teacher added. The otter and fox mulled it over. ¡°We could probably use it,¡± Pacifica decided. Taika hesitantly nodded and they joined the rest of the group. Finding a spot together, Pacifica and Taika followed along with the routine. The movements reminded them a lot of when they were casting spells. Some of the movements Pacifica recognized from her own techniques. It felt so smooth and natural to the two girls. It was so strange how just the simple flow of movements of their arms and legs could free their minds. But... ¡°It¡¯s not the same,¡± Pacifica whispered. ¡°I miss Sho,¡± Taika added. They finished the exercise and quietly bowed out. Taking up a couple of chairs in the shade, the two girls relaxed, at least physically. ¡°What are we going to do, Taika?¡± Pacifica asked. ¡°About what?¡± ¡°Sho and Rebecca.¡± ¡°Hrnnn...¡± The lunar fox wasn¡¯t comfortable with that topic, curling up on herself. ¡°I¡¯m just scared.¡± Taika¡¯s ears folded back; brows wrought with worry. ¡°I don¡¯t want Sho to replace me.¡± ¡°He wouldn¡¯t do that.¡± Pacifica frowned. ¡°I know... but there¡¯s a nagging voice that keeps saying ¡®but he could¡¯ And that is enough to scare me,¡± she admitted shakily. Pacifica shuffled in her chair, watching a Resonator waiter serve drinks to a couple of other passengers. She focused back on Taika, reaching out and grabbing her hands. ¡°Just in case, if it comes down to it, we can run away together.¡± ¡°Che?¡± Taika focused her gaze on her fellow Resonator¡¯s hands linked with her own. ¡°I¡¯m sure my parents would take us in if we were in that situation.¡± Pacifica grinned toothily. ¡°I-I see...¡± The vixen wasn¡¯t used to having friends, much less genuine ones like Pacifica. The rest of the day was pretty boring. Taika and Pacifica lounged around before heading back to their room after dinner. Some vacation this was turning out to be, and after all the things they had planned to do together with Shouri ¨C they just couldn¡¯t bring themselves to go it alone, lest they risk running into the other pair. Thankfully there were three dining halls, so they could avoid Shouri and Rebecca and slip back into the room before they returned. Thus the two girls ended the day on their respective tuners killing time before they ultimately fell asleep. So much for their stress-free, relaxing cruise ¨C hopefully tomorrow would be better.
Rebecca opened her eyes. It was her fourth day as Shouri¡¯s Resonator and she was still a bit lost. Four days and all she had done was follow him around, eating food, getting head pats, general affection, and just relaxing as a whole. He talked to her like a person and that was alien to her, but there was a growing fondness for the Maestro. She wanted to learn more about him, but something was holding her back. A fear that restrained her. That was something to worry about later. For now, she could just rest easy and enjoy the warmth her Maestro provided her. With time, Shouri also awoke. ¡°Morning Rebecca.¡± ¡°G-good morning Shouri.¡± ¡°How did you sleep?¡± ¡°Good.¡± ¡°Good.¡± They rose from bed and not a minute later, Pacifica and Taika joined them. As had been routine the days prior, the otter and their Maestro left for breakfast. Shouri left Rebecca¡¯s tuner for her, having shown her how to use the web the day prior. Though the fiery vixen didn¡¯t use it, she merely stared at the device she held in her hands. It was so odd to her how loose of a grip he held over them. If she wanted to, she really could just walk out that door and never come back. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn¡¯t realize how long Pacifica and Shouri had been gone. KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK The two vixens looked to the door. Neither Shouri nor Pacifica would have knocked. Who was there? ¡°H-hello? The presence of the lunar Resonator is being requested in the dining hall.¡± Taika and Rebecca exchanged a glance. The lunar fox grabbed her linked tuner from her side. Trying to call Pacifica¡¯s tuner yielded no answer. Text message? Unread. Her blood ran ice cold as she stared at the uncaring read notification. Stolen novel; please report. ¡°Please!¡± the voice on the other side shouted with greater urgency. ¡°It¡¯s vital that you go to the dining room immediately!¡± Rebecca furrowed her brows. ¡°They''re really scared of something,¡± she told Taika. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong.¡± Taika gritted her teeth, still not getting an answer from Shouri or Pacifica. ¡°What do we do?¡± Rebecca fretted. There wasn¡¯t a question in the matter. Taika grabbed the door knob. ¡°W-wait!¡± Rebecca yelped. ¡°There¡¯s no time to wait ¨C Sho and Pacifica are in danger.¡± Taika threw the door open to find one of the Resonators employed by the cruise line. As Rebecca has surmised, they looked scared witless. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± the determined vixen demanded of the staff member. ¡°He¡¯s got a gun and hostages.¡± Both girls¡¯ hearts raced, fearing the worst. ¡°Nobody has been hurt yet, but the gunman wanted specifically ¡®the lunar fox¡¯ to come to the dining room and you¡¯re the only lunar on this ship,¡± the employee hastily explained. ¡°Okay.¡± Taika nodded. She stepped out of the room, fully intending to leave Rebecca behind. However, ¡°W-wait!¡± The fire fox quickly followed. The pair walked down the corridor towards the dining room. The distinct smell of roasted meat and fresh bread wafted from the kitchen, but they had no appetite. Taika strode with a rush in her step; Rebecca struggled to keep pace, clutching her tie. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± the fire fox asked of her lunar counterpart, unable to hide the anxiety in her voice. ¡°Dunno will figure it out,¡± the raven-haired fox replied curtly. ¡°But-!¡± The pair stopped in the middle of the hall. ¡°Sho and Pacifica are in danger. I don¡¯t have time to think.¡± Taika glared at Rebecca, her eyes glowing with a bright, vivid blue rhythm. ¡°Go back to the room,¡± she demanded, pointing back from where they came. ¡°N-no.¡± Rebecca gulped. Her heart pounded in her chest, all she wanted to do was curl up and cry. Why was this happening? Moreover, how did Taika find it so easy to act? The lunar Resonator turned on her heel and marched on without hesitation - Rebecca followed along, despite her trepidation. They soon arrived at the dining room they had been summoned to. There was a group of guests and staff outside the door chattering amongst themselves; Taika and Rebecca had made it to the correct place. The assailant was in there with several guests of the boat from what the two Resonators overheard. ¡°Let me in,¡± the lunar fox demanded of the group. There was a pause in the side conversations as attention was turned to the newcomers. Seeing who Taika was, the group parted, allowing the vixen access to the door. Without any hesitation, the fox-girl threw the door open and walked in. Rebecca once more found herself stuck, trembling fearfully. Ultimately though, she followed Taika in. Almost immediately the two girls had a firearm pointed at them. Taika recognized the holder of the weapon ¨C it was Shouri and Pacifica¡¯s previous kidnapper. ¡°There you are, fuckin¡¯ ninte,¡± the old man snarled. This was a tense situation from the jump. A glance revealed there were quite a few other patrons around them, all face-down on the ground, hands over their heads. Rebecca could feel the fear saturating the air from the various civilians mixed up in this personal affair. The gunman of course not only had his pistol, but his nature Resonator. While Rebecca couldn¡¯t get a read on the gunman¡¯s Resonator, the kidnapper himself made his intentions known loud and clear: ¡°You.¡± Rebecca jumped at the gravelly voice directed at her. ¡°Dunno who the fuck you think you are, but git on the ground. My business is with them.¡± He motioned to the only other people standing in the room ¨C Shouri and Pacifica; bound tightly by thorned vines. They couldn¡¯t utter a cry as their mouths were firmly covered by vines; though both fox girls could see the tears streaming down the captives'' faces. For their sake, as well as the innocent bystanders now mixed up in this mess, Rebecca heeded the demands of the gunman and lowered herself to the ground. With Rebecca relatively safe for the moment, Taika slowly nodded. ¡°Over here ninte.¡± He put the pistol to Shouri¡¯s head. ¡°And no funny business or else.¡± Taika gritted her teeth, but acquiesced to the man¡¯s demand and approached. She scowled up at him, which wasn¡¯t appreciated. THWACK A pistol whipped across her face, throwing her off her feet. ¡°Fucking bitch,¡± the assailant spat. ¡°Tie her up, Rullante di radice, Piano,¡± he commanded of his Resonator. Rebecca watched in horror as Taika too was bound by the same painful, thorny vines that ensnared Pacifica and Shouri and yanked her up to her feet. ¡°I got what I came here for,¡± the man determined, looking over his captives. ¡°Sorry for disruptin¡¯ yer cruise. We¡¯ll be taking our leave now.¡± THUMP THUMP THUMP Rebecca¡¯s heart pounded in her chest as time slowed to a crawl. No! Not like this! There had to be something she could do, anything! Her Maestro was about to be taken and probably killed and here she was, just on the ground, letting this horrible man get away with it. ¡°Go!¡± The man kicked Shouri¡¯s back, knocking him into Pacifica and sending the two to the ground, earning whimpers of pain from the two as the thorns dug into them further. Rebecca¡¯s eyes widened. The only thing on her mind was how nice Shouri had been to her. Even going back to when those Scherzando attacked, he protected her. And what was she doing? Lying there uselessly. Some help she turned out to be ¨C when it truly mattered, all she could do was lock up and hesitate. Not like Taika who walked in entirely unarmed and got smacked around for the trouble. ¡°And now you¡¯re one of us.¡± It was at that moment that the fire inside her welled up and exploded, blazing wildly. The permafrost that had encased her heart sublimated in an instant. There was something she could do. Something only she could do. The fire Resonator got to her feet despite the hushed protests of those around her. Of course, the lone figure rising amongst the civilians drew the attention of the kidnapper. ¡°What? You got a death wish you dumb bitch?!¡± he sneered, pointing the pistol at her. The fire fox didn¡¯t flinch at the provocation. The air around her became hot, unbearably so. Her eyes illuminated with a passionate red, practically ablaze. ¡°My name is Rebecca Renard,¡± she declared, her arm rising to meet the pistol with only an extension of her index finger. ¡°And that¡¯s MY Maestro you¡¯ve got there,¡± she staked her claim. A smirk rose on the old man¡¯s face. Even with such a proclamation, she was a lone Resonator. He spotted her red tuner clipped to her skirt¡¯s waistband ¨C this little girl was entirely defenseless! ¡°Oh? What are you-¡± BLAM Before he could even ask what she would do about it ¨C he had been ended. It was as if Rebecca had vanished and re-appeared in a burst of fire; easily clearing the distance between them and dropping a blazing heel into the back of the man¡¯s head to introduce his face to the lovely laminate floor. Seeing his Maestro had been taken out, the Nature Resonator moved to try and grab the fire Resonator. Unfortunately for him, Rebecca was simply nimbler than he was, easily pivoting around his attempt at a grapple. She spun on her heels, lowering herself to the ground, she shot a leg skyward like a bullet, meeting her adversary''s jaw. Even with the weight difference between the two combatants, the nature Resonator was thrown into the air. Rebecca spun around using her momentum to bring herself back up to a standing position. Before he could hit the ground, she whipped her leg back out, this time straight in front of her, another burst of fire giving her attack the force of a runaway locomotive, which met the larger enemy¡¯s sternum and sent him flying into the buffet bar near the window. CRASH Just like that, it was over. The kidnapper who had caused Shouri and Pacifica so much pain, and his Resonator were completely out of commission. And Rebecca, who sneered over her fallen adversaries, her ankles blazing with fiery wings relished in her handiwork. ¡°I hope this ass-kicking is the peak of your pathetic life.¡± With the defeat of the nature Resonator, the vines shriveled up, freeing Taika, Shouri, and Pacifica from their painful grasp. The crew of the ship took the liberty of disarming the now unconscious kidnapper and restraining him and his Resonator to prevent them from getting any other sinister ideas. With their adversaries suitably addressed, Rebecca turned to her allies. ¡°Are you all okay?¡± she asked. Her voice and demeanor were completely different from the timid fox before. She stood up straight, actually taking in her surroundings. There was a new light in her eyes where it was dull before. Her tail was even raised and swaying with a rightward bias. She exuded confidence, simply put. ¡°We will be,¡± Shouri groaned through the residual pain. Taika got the hint and handed her tuner off to her Maestro. ¡°La Bella Vita, Rubato,¡± he called out. Taika went to work healing Shouri, followed by Pacifica, and finally herself. Pacifica rose to her feet and stared down Rebecca, who was more than happy to return the gaze. Stepping forward, Pacifica wrapped her arms around the fire fox and held her tightly ¨C taking the wind out of the fire element¡¯s sails. ¡°Thank you, Rebecca, thank you.¡± The otter¡¯s voice cracked as she tried and failed to hold back her tears. ¡°O-of course ahaha...¡± Rebecca blushed, not accustomed to praise. Shouri joined the hug as well. ¡°You were amazing,¡± he added. ¡°Th-thank you...¡± the fire fox squeaked, definitely not used to approval from her Maestro. Taika released a tired sigh but smiled. Kneeling next to Rebecca, she healed the other fox¡¯s burnt heels ¨C a gesture not missed by the recipient. Chapter 30 Given the disturbance, the boat stopped at the next port to drop off the criminals they had gained ¨C a town just north of their original destination, known as Fiuglio. Shouri and his Resonators remained in the dining hall, as they had been instructed by the cruise staff. A sense of relief fell upon the group as they watched the Fiuglio law enforcement enter the room and slap some handcuffs on the kidnapper as well as a strange device around his neck. For Shouri and Pacifica, it was the closure they were looking for after the torment that man had wrought on them. However, their poor hearts weren¡¯t allowed a moment of reprieve as the police then directed their attention to Shouri and company. ¡°We will need you to come down to the precinct,¡± the law enforcement officer began. ¡°Why is that?¡± Shouri hesitantly asked, taking a step back. His trio of Resonators shuffled closer to their precious Maestro defensively, which the officer picked up. The officer motioned for their own Resonator to stand down, as they tensed up with the aggressive posturing of Shouri''s Resonators. ¡°We need your testimony on the suspect. According to the crew he seemed to be after you specifically,¡± the cop clarified. Despite this, Shouri¡¯s Resonators didn¡¯t budge, all glaring at the officers. Shouri sighed ¨C what a pain this was going to be. Though in the name of justice, he knew this was a necessary burden. With that in mind, he took in a breath and voiced his decision: ¡°We¡¯ll come with you.¡± ¡°Your cooperation is appreciated.¡±
The police station wasn¡¯t too terribly far from the port, roughly a five-minute walk. The weather was nice, partly cloudy; not too hot, not too cold, not too humid. It would have been an enjoyable little jaunt had they not been heading towards the local precinct. The quartet¡¯s minds would not be at ease though; upon arriving at their destination, their worst fears came to light. Four investigators approached them almost immediately. ¡°Please hand over all of your tuners,¡± one demanded as their introduction. ¡°What? Why?!¡± Shouri questioned, failing to hide the hint of fear in his voice as he stepped away from the older men. Once more his trio of Resonators surrounded him, glaring down the police officers. Even with three Resonators'' defensive posturing, the man did not flinch, his eyes still locked on the Maestro of the group. ¡°Standard protocol,¡± the head investigator replied without an ounce of consideration for what the quartet had just gone through. After a moment of hesitation, Shouri once more acquiesced to the demands of law enforcement and handed over the two tuners on his person. Attention turned to Rebecca as they spotted the tuner at her waist. Her eyes met her Maestro¡¯s, who motioned with his head to hand it over. Reluctantly she unclipped the device at her side and relinquished her own tuner as well. Next, they were separated. If not for Shouri¡¯s quick shout for the trio of girls to behave there may have been a scuffle. Overall, the treatment by law enforcement, while not rough, didn¡¯t mollify any of the quartet¡¯s anxiety ¨C they were the victims here, right?! After establishing who each of them was, the basic question they were all asked was: ¡°What happened?¡±
Shouri¡¯s testimony ¡°The dude was nuts, he yelled at Taika and me for ¡°taking¡± his ¡°claim¡± of Scherzando on Mt. Wynding. He cold cocks me in the MA office and tries to hold me and Pacifica for ransom. Spends the next two weeks stalking us apparently.¡± --- Taika¡¯s testimony ¡°That man kidnapped Sho and Paci, I found them just in time and scared him off, but he tried again the next day. We escaped by jumping into a river. I really thought we had lost him.¡± --- Pacifica¡¯s testimony ¡°They said they would let me stay the night at their place, but drugged the food they gave me. When I came to, I was in a mineshaft. They took my money, but they wanted more. If it wasn¡¯t for Sho, I would have... starved to death.¡± --- Rebecca¡¯s testimony ¡°I dunno much about that dude, I only just became Shouri¡¯s Resonator like four days ago, but that dude meant business. Waving a gun around and attacking them. I smashed his face into the ground. Really hope I broke something, fucker deserved it.¡±
Rebecca was freed from the interrogation rooms last. Shouri, Taika, and Pacifica were already waiting and rushed over upon catching sight of her. ¡°You okay?¡± Shouri asked, taking hold of her shoulders and looking her over. The fire Resonator stole a glance at the room she had the fortune of becoming familiar with. ¡°Yeah. Just a waste of time,¡± she huffed. Not wanting to deal with the fun of the judicial system, the group made their exit. The sun had certainly changed positions in the sky ¨C just how long had they been in there? ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we get back to the boat?¡± Taika questioned. ¡°Yeah! You got our tuners, right?¡± Pacifica asked their Maestro, starting to jog in place. ¡°All three.¡± Shouri brushed his jacket back, showing the three devices at his hip. ¡°Let¡¯s go then!¡± Rebecca was already ahead of the group pointing in the direction of the docks. They made their escape and ran full sprint towards the boat, but despite probably breaking some sort of land speed record- ¡°I-it¡¯s leaving?! We¡¯re not on yet!¡± Taika cried out, having caught sight of their departing ride first. ¡°Damn it! What the fuck?!¡± Shouri roared, seeing their boat had taken up the gangplank and was slowly moving away from them. They hit the dock and chased the boat as it was departing, but despite their frenzied shouts, it wasn¡¯t slowing down. Several cruise-goers gathered on the deck of the ship to watch the abandoned group chase the rapidly escaping boat. Rebecca came to a sudden realization: the boat hadn¡¯t gotten too far away yet and was still moving relatively slowly ¨C she had a plan. Though everyone had to play their part, they just didn¡¯t have the luxury of time. ¡°Pacifica! Get Shouri, I got Taika!¡± She decided to just go for it. ¡°Wha-?!¡± Shouri and Taika had no idea what was happening, but thankfully Pacifica had an inkling of what their resident fire-fox was after. ¡°Sho! L''onda di tempesta, NOW!¡± There was no time to think ¨C his Resonators had a plan and he executed: ¡°L''onda di tempesta, Accelerando!¡± he shouted, grasping the water tuner at his waist. ¡°Keep running Taika!¡± Rebecca barked, still the furthest ahead. Taika heeded that direction and kept up with her fellow fox. Reaching the edge of the dock, Rebecca ignited her heels, flipping over and behind Taika. Before anyone had the chance to question what the plan was, Rebecca hit her maximum output, shooting off like a jet. She scooped Taika into her arms and cleared the gap between the dock and the boat, crashing onto the deck and rolling a small distance. Shouri and Pacifica also reached the end of the line, but they dove straight into the river, the water Resonator shooting to the riverbed. The otter released the spell she had her Maestro cast, creating a stream of water she followed and darted toward the surface. As she ascended, she scooped Shouri up and pushed the water spell much further than the top of the river. The pair rode the current up and out of the water and crashed onto the deck with Rebecca and Taika. ¡°Mai pi¨´.¡± Taika shuddered, remaining where she had crashed. ¡°H-holy shit...¡± Pacifica groaned, curling up in pain. ¡°Next time let me come up with the plan,¡± Shouri wheezed before coughing up some water. ¡°It worked, didn¡¯t it?¡± Rebecca managed to let out a chuckle, nursing her slightly burnt heels.
¡°What a day.¡± Shouri sighed, falling onto the bed. It was early evening, and the boat was making double time towards their final destination in a desperate struggle to meet the itinerary thrown off by recent events. ¡°Yeah.¡± Rebecca sat next to her Maestro. Taika and Pacifica also joined the pair on the bottom bunk. The fire Resonator watched her two counterparts drape themselves over Shouri. Her eyes darted away from the affectionate posturing - she knew the three of them were close, but never considered how close that actually was. It kinda did make sense upon reconsideration. Rebecca herself had slept in his arms for the past few nights. He claimed it was for easy etude, but was that it really? He was nice and warm though. In a world that was always just a smidge bit chilly to her, Rebecca found comfort in his arms. It brought a splash of red to her cheeks thinking about it that way. ¡°Rebecca, come here.¡± Before the fire fox could even address the voice, she was pulled into Pacifica¡¯s lap. ¡°Eh!?¡± the fire Resonator yelped. ¡°Watch videos with us,¡± Pacifica clarified, holding onto the fire-elemental. ¡°But I-¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you want to unwind with us.¡± Pacifica¡¯s persistence wore on the vixen and she gave into the pushy otter¡¯s demand. The quartet enjoyed their time watching videos. At some point, Rebecca had relaxed in Pacifica¡¯s embrace. The feeling was seemingly mutual as Pacifica started gently stroking the fox¡¯s hair. This was nice... nice and warm... ... Rebecca groggily opened her eyes. It was dark but warm. So comfortably warm. But... when did Shouri get so... soft? ¡°Oh,¡± the fire fox squeaked. It wasn¡¯t Shouri who was holding her, but in fact, Pacifica. She was warm too. Now how did that happen? She was a water element. She shouldn¡¯t be this warm... ... ¡°Rebecca...¡± ¡°Rebecca.¡± ¡°Rebby wake up.¡± Slowly the vixen¡¯s eyes opened once more. Warm... but what was in her face? It was... curvy. ¡°EH!?¡± Rebecca threw herself back into a sitting position on the edge of the bed, her face as red as her hair as she held her hands over her heart in a vain attempt to slow its racing beat. Pacifica giggled, sitting up herself. ¡°You were sleeping so peacefully; I almost didn¡¯t want to wake you.¡± ¡°But I... and you...!¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine Rebby.¡± The two Resonators stared at one another for a moment. Pacifica wearing a welcoming smile in contrast to Rebecca¡¯s perplexed gaze. Hesitantly Rebecca reached out and took grasp of Pacifica¡¯s shoulders. ¡°R-rebby?¡± Pacifica blinked. ¡°Warm,¡± Rebecca muttered. ¡°Eh?¡± Pacifica gulped as Rebecca drew closer. ¡°Reb...¡± Her eyes widened as Rebecca¡¯s face was now dangerously close to hers. Slowly they fell back, Rebecca pinning Pacifica to the bed. Their foreheads met. ¡°You really are warm,¡± Rebecca whispered. The otter could feel the fox¡¯s breath wash over her lips. ¡°Y-you too...?¡± Pacifica offered, unsure of what to do. Rebecca opened her eyes, though it was as if she wasn¡¯t there, trapped in a trance. ¡°Why are you warm to me?¡± she breathed on to the water element. Pacifica found herself oddly relaxed. ¡°I dunno Rebby...¡± Rebecca was warm, but not unbearably so. It was nice. She could get used to this. Shouri loudly cleared his throat, snapping the two girls out of their moment. ¡°Wha-?¡± Rebecca realized where her face was. ¡°AH!¡± CLANG! And her head was introduced to the top bunk, painfully. ¡°AUGH!¡± Rebecca fell off of the trapped otter, rolling around the bottom bunk, clutching her head in pain where it had struck. Pacifica used the opportunity to roll out of bed, snapping up to her feet in one solid motion. Maintaining her momentum, she took hold of Shouri¡¯s hand and bolted him out of the room. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°AH! Taika La Bella Vita, Presto Tutti ¨C make sure Rebecca¡¯s alright!¡± he managed to get out before he was fully out of earshot. SLAM! And then there were two. ¡°Cheeeeeeh?¡± Taika tilted her head, repressing the spell for a moment. ¡°You okay?¡± She turned to the suffering Rebecca. ¡°Fuck! God damn!¡± Rebecca cursed; trembling, and curled up around herself while gripping her ailing head. ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a no.¡± Taika held out a hand to the suffering fox, allowing Shouri¡¯s requested spell to take hold and provide waves of relief to the other vixen.
¡°Where are we Sho?¡± Taika asked, tail swishing back and forth in curiosity. ¡°This is Corhiasela.¡± The quartet stood at the front of the ship as it docked at a large port. The river itself was joining with another fork that came from the northeast and in the center of the two joining rivers was a sprawling metropolis. The skyline was broken up by a countless number of massively tall buildings, which even at a distance towered over the numerous busy bodies running around the streets below. Closer to them, other boats had joined in the approach to the central pier, waiting in line for their turn to dock and unload cargo and/or passengers. ¡°Way bigger than Riva Sranvi or Fercy, that¡¯s for sure,¡± Pacifica added. ¡°So many tall buildings,¡± Taika gasped as they drew closer to the massive city. Rebecca didn¡¯t say anything intelligible, just grumbling to herself while gripping the sleeves of her blazer. ¡°We¡¯ll have to cut through the city to get closer to the hunting sites here,¡± Shouri noted, looking over the map he had pulled up. ¡°So, we can at least get to see how tall these skyscrapers are,¡± he informed his gaggle of girls. ¡°How big is Corhiasela?¡± Pacifica asked her Maestro. ¡°Hmmm. Good question.¡± Shouri did some thirty-second research on the matter. ¡°Ah, here we go. To put it in perspective, Corhiasela is three times the size of Canolapra,¡± he informed her, using a scale she was familiar with. Which impressed the otter. ¡°Wow! I thought it was big, but not THAT big.¡± She looked back to the approaching cityscape with a newfound respect for the urban sprawl. Rebecca continued her disinterest (or perhaps irritation) with the concrete jungle before her, while Taika joined Pacifica in awe of the huge settlement before them. They stayed where they were, waiting for the boat to finish the docking procedures. After the gangplank was lowered by the Resonators manning the deck, the announcement was made that they could disembark. Shouri and his trio were some of the first people off the boat. They blended right in with the sea of other tourists, gazing at the massive buildings that surrounded them in wide-eyed wonder as they plunged into the steel and glass jungle. Taika clung to Shouri as they walked. So many people around, a dizzying amount swarming the streets that made everything just a bit hazy. Likewise, Pacifica stuck close to their Maestro, and eventually, the two girls each claimed a hand of Shouri¡¯s. Rebecca was annoyed by this, not seeing what the big deal was. Her tail swished back and forth quickly as she kept her gaze locked on the crowd-parting trio before her. Eventually, Shouri parked them at a bus stop, not wanting to walk through the entire city like this. They didn¡¯t get a place to sit though as many others were waiting at the bus stop too. ¡°So what do you all want to do while we¡¯re here?¡± Shouri inquired as they waited. ¡°What¡¯s even here?¡± Taika asked the obvious question. ¡°Well, we already got to see the piers ahaha.¡± Pacifica chuckled. ¡°There¡¯s nothing worth seeing,¡± Rebecca suddenly spoke with a low growl, earning perplexed stares from her traveling companions. ¡°It¡¯s a shitty city,¡± she continued to hold herself, gripping her arms tightly. The wave of strong emotions was broadcast to Pacifica like a billboard, turning her brows up with concern for her fellow Resonator. ¡°Do you want to talk about it?¡± she offered, placing a hand on the fire fox¡¯s shoulder. ¡°NO,¡± Rebecca said firmly, smacking the otter¡¯s hand off of her. ¡°Fuck this shithole city,¡± she grumbled quietly. The otter girl wilted, lowering her head whilst holding the hand that had been batted away. The lunar of the group however took exception to this. ¡°Chi cazzo credi di essere?¡± Taika growled. Rebecca¡¯s ears twitched. ¡°You got a problem?¡± Her eyes twitched as she faced her lunar counterpart. ¡°I do! Don¡¯t snap at Paci because you think you¡¯re a bad bitch!¡± Taika growled. Sparks began to flicker at Rebecca¡¯s feet while Taika pulled up her sleeves, ready to throw hands. Shouri took in a breath, but Pacifica beat him to the punch. ¡°Enough. Both of you.¡± She stood between the two catty foxes. ¡°I don¡¯t appreciate your tone. I¡¯m worried about you. But I respect that you don¡¯t want to talk about it,¡± the otter told the fire fox, before turning to Taika. ¡°Don¡¯t start fights with Rebecca. She wants to be with Shouri as much as we do. It¡¯ll be easier for all three of us if we¡¯re friends.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± The two vixens turned away from each other. They opted to stand on opposite sides, with Pacifica and Shouri being between them. ¡°Thanks, Pacifica,¡± Shouri muttered quietly. ¡°I¡¯m worried.¡± She grabbed his hand and held it tightly. ¡°Me too.¡± She could sense a tinge of guilt from him. ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± she whispered. ¡°Taika and Rebby just need more time together.¡± ¡°I hope so.¡± The bus eventually arrived and they filed on with the rest of the people awaiting transport. The quartet occupied a row to themselves. Shouri and Rebecca took the seat to the left of the aisle, while Pacifica and Taika took the right. Shouri and Pacifica were careful and took the aisle seats, putting more room between the two feuding foxes. Both girls looked out their respective windows whilst Shouri and Pacifica leaned into the aisle to talk. ¡°Rebby seems cool with me. But Taika does not like her,¡± the otter whispered as quietly as she could to Shouri. Thankfully both fox-girls had their ears folded back, trying to tune out the world. ¡°Did I make the right choice Pacifica?¡± ¡°I dunno if there was a correct choice.¡± Shouri hummed, lowering his head. ¡°Sho.¡± He glanced up at Pacifica. ¡°She needs you, both of them do. They¡¯ve both been hurt badly.¡± Pacifica grabbed his hands and squeezed them tightly. ¡°I¡¯ll help you as much as I can.¡± She smiled bittersweetly. ¡°It¡¯s the least I can do for being selfish.¡± He didn¡¯t understand what she meant by that but failed to find the courage to ask.
¡°Welcome to the North Corhiasela Maestro Affairs office, how can we help you today?¡± ¡°Room.¡± Shouri slid his trio of tuners over to the attendant. As he watched each tuner get scanned in, it hit him the situation he was in. Behind him stood three girls who relied on him, and he didn¡¯t want to let them down. ¡°Sir?¡± He snapped to; his trio of tuners being returned to him. ¡°You¡¯ll be in room six. Is there anything else I can assist you with today?¡± The young Maestro hesitated before scooping up his devices. ¡°N-no,¡± he paused, ¡°That¡¯ll be all.¡± ¡°Thank you for choosing our MA Office, have a wonderful day!¡± ¡°Come on girls.¡± He waved them out of line, replacing the three tuners on his waist. The mood was infectious it seemed, as the three girls in question remained silent. They took the short walk into the Maestro¡¯s quarters and room six. Back in the familiarly furnished room, they kicked off their shoes and finally relaxed. ¡°I call shower,¡± Pacifica broke the silence to state her intentions and immediately locked herself in the bathroom. Shouri took to the bed, just wanting to unwind after all that had happened. The two fox-girls in his care however- ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Rebecca asked, seated next to Shouri. ¡°Sitting next to Sho,¡± Taika asserted, on the opposite side of their shared Maestro. Before they could break out into another disagreement, ¡°Girls,¡± he raised his voice. ¡°Please. Can you not?¡± His tone simply dripping with irritation. ¡°Either get along or neither of you get to be on the bed.¡± He decided to draw a line in the sand. ¡°Ok.¡± Rebecca lowered her head. ¡°Si Sho,¡± Taika mumbled. Letting out a tired sigh, Shouri flipped on the television to catch up on the news. Rather than relaxing, however, there would be a new reason for his stress wrinkles. ¡°A follow up to yesterday¡¯s top story: the attack on the Corhisian Dream,¡± the reporter began. ¡°No no no...¡± Shouri grabbed his hair and began to pull it. Taika and Rebecca looked to their Maestro, then the news report, similarly fearful of what was to come. ¡°... A resident of Mt. Wynding, testimony from the Maestro that was attacked revealed that this was a pre-meditated attack.¡± And then it happened ¨C his worst fears. ¡°One Shouri Tomoshibi successfully disarmed the man according to reports from other victims on the scene.¡± It cut to several of the passengers talking excitedly about Rebecca¡¯s rescue and beat down of the kidnapper. This was accompanied by a video of the fire Resonator¡¯s impressive feat. And the worst part of it all is somehow the news station had gotten clear pictures of Shouri which were being proudly displayed on the newscast. ¡°M-maybe it¡¯s a local news station?¡± Rebecca offered. ¡°No... no, this is a Lyberteran news channel.¡± Shouri turned the television off. ¡°FUCK!¡± he cursed. A second later the door to the bathroom slammed open, and Pacifica barely covered herself with a towel. ¡°What?! What¡¯s going on?!¡± she asked quickly. ¡°They¡¯ve been running a news report about what happened on the boat,¡± Taika told the otter. Pacifica furrowed her brows for a moment, trying to figure out the significance. It clicked after a moment of hard thought. ¡°Oh. Sho¡¯s parents-¡± Pacifica started. ¡°-know exactly where we are now.¡± Shouri joined her and finished the sentence with her in perfect unison. ¡°Fuck fuck fuck fuck,¡± he continued to curse. Pacifica darted back into the bathroom to get dressed. ¡°What do we do?¡± Taika asked. ¡°Should we leave? Where do we go?¡± Rebecca chimed in. ¡°I dunno. I dunno.¡± Shouri curled up, continuing to hold his head. It was all too much. Pacifica returned to the room, properly clothed and tying up her hair. She hopped into bed, took hold of Rebecca and Taika¡¯s hands, then motioned to their Maestro with her head. ¡°Grab his hands,¡± she told them. Both foxes nodded and did as they were told. ¡°Shhh... shhh....¡± Pacifica brought her tail forward and used it to push Shouri¡¯s chin up, anguished tears streamed down his face. ¡°It¡¯s okay Sho,¡± she whispered. ¡°Focus on us. All three of us.¡± ¡°We¡¯re here for you.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll get through this.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been through worse.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°Lose yourself in our rhythm.¡± ¡°We¡¯re together, all of us.¡± Rebecca just stared at Pacifica in awe. The otter girl smiled so serenely; her eyes closed as she spoke. They shared the same stave, their strength and weakness of rhythm. Pacifica possessed strong emotion, but weak knowledge ¨C just like Rebecca. But the water element was so much stronger. How? She knew exactly what to say and do ¨C as Shouri began to calm. The tears still flowed, but they weren¡¯t of anguish. He looked relieved. ¡°Come here,¡± he whispered. Before the three girls could figure out what he meant, he pulled them into a hug. ¡°Thank you for being here. I really don¡¯t deserve you three.¡± ¡°Sho...¡± Taika smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± Pacifica wrapped her arms back around the others. ¡°O-of course...¡± Rebecca mumbled; a bit flustered by the group hug. Chapter 31 Sometime later Shouri found himself lying in bed with his Resonators draped over him. Taika and Rebecca were on either side of him, with Pacifica taking the bold claim of lying atop him. ¡°How¡¯re you feeling?¡± the water of the group whispered. ¡°Still worried, but we¡¯ll figure it out,¡± he spoke on a breath, keeping his eyes closed. ¡°Yeah. You¡¯ll think of something. You always do,¡± the otter tittered. ¡°Sho I¡¯m hungry,¡± Taika chimed in. ¡°What are we doing for dinner?¡± Rebecca added. ¡°Well right now, nothing because you all have me pinned down pretty solid,¡± the boy chuckled. ¡°Ah!¡± Pacifica hopped off the Maestro, sitting up nearby. Similarly, the pair of foxes rose, and finally Shouri with them. Seeing the orange glow of the setting sun through the curtains was all Shouri needed to see to confirm their next activity. ¡°Dinner service is probably on in the cafeteria.¡± He shot a glance to Pacifica who returned her Maestro¡¯s gaze with a knowing nod. ¡°That sounds good,¡± Taika spoke up, already salivating at the prospect of dinner. They had unintentionally skipped lunch thanks to the noon-time news, so a big meal was sorely needed. As Shouri and Pacifica got ready, Rebecca went to get her shoes on. ¡°Ah, can I have you stay here with Taika?¡± Shouri asked of the fire Resonator. ¡°Wh-why?¡± she questioned hesitantly. ¡°Pacifica and I usually do the food runs. Plus, I want you here to protect Taika. Just in case.¡± Rebecca could sense the nervousness behind those words ¨C she gathered he was always worried about leaving Taika alone. No, that wasn¡¯t right, he didn¡¯t want to leave any of them alone. This was just how this group functioned. However, there was a tinge of pride in the Renard that she was specifically asked to protect her fellow Resonator. ¡°You got it. I¡¯ll burn myself to ashes if need be,¡± the fire Resonator declared wearing a confident smirk. The Maestro chuckled and patted the girl¡¯s head. ¡°You don¡¯t need to go that far. Just look after each other and call me if something happens.¡± He pointed to their two tuners lying on the nightstand. ¡°Be good!¡± With that, Shouri and Pacifica made their departure, once more leaving Taika and Rebecca alone. There was a tense standoff as the two fox-girls stared one another down. ¡°Hmph.¡± The lunar fox turned and locked herself in the bathroom. Rebecca waited a moment, before huffing herself. ¡°Bitch,¡± she grumbled under her breath. Though perhaps Taika secluding herself to the restroom was a blessing in disguise as Rebecca had the distinct luxury of having the rest of the room all to herself. Wearing a smug smirk, the vixen hopped into bed, reclining in the spot Shouri had previously occupied. She closed her eyes for a moment, satisfied. This quickly bored the fox. Slowly her eyes opened. Glancing around, she spotted the remote on one of the bedside tables next to the tuners. Rolling onto her side, Rebecca was able to just reach it. Returning to her back, she powered the TV on and began flipping through the channels. How were there so many different options of programming to tune into, yet nothing to watch? It was incredible really. KNOCK KNOCK ¡°Hm?¡± Rebecca sat up. They wouldn¡¯t have knocked. Well, maybe their hands were full? The fire fox sprang from the bed and rushed to the door. She threw it open without a second thought. ¡°Eh?¡± The vixen could barely manage a gulp as she began to sweat. ¡°Wh-who are you?¡± she asked with a squeak. Even if she was asking the question, she already had an idea. At the door stood a pair, a Maestro and Resonator. While they wore nice clothing (button-up shirts and dress slacks for both of them), there were several things the vixen caught onto instantly. The woman, and Maestro of the pair, had her tuner hidden. The Resonator, the larger man of the duo, also seemed to be hiding his species, but not only that, he was suppressing his element. She couldn¡¯t get an immediate read on him. The big thing possibly hinting at their identities was their hair colors, the man had a deep blue head of hair, indicating a possible water element, while the woman had blonde hair tied up in a bun, a more human-looking color. At any rate, the way they carried themselves, these two were trained fighters. Not simply trained like normal Resonators like herself, Taika, and Pacifica were. These people were professionally trained. They were trying to blend in, which would fool most ¨C but not her. ¡°Is your Maestro around little lady?¡± the male asked, trying to put on as friendly of a smile as he could muster. ¡°They are not,¡± came a voice from behind Rebecca. The fire Resonator looked back to see a damp Taika glaring the pair down. The lunar grabbed her fire counterpart¡¯s shoulder and pulled her back into the room, taking possession of the door. ¡°What do you want with my Maestro?¡± Rebecca just stared from inside the room. The pressure Taika was exerting was unreal. Did she have any idea what these people were? Did she intend to fight them alone? Could she take them? The unknown Maestro was certainly sizing up the smaller woman before her. ¡°My apologies. We have the wrong room,¡± she spoke after a moment. ¡°Come.¡± And with that, she left with her own Resonator. Taika gently closed and locked the door, turning to Rebecca. The senior Resonator of the group took in a deep breath. ¡°Idiota! Perch¨¦ hai aperto la porta?!¡± she barked at the other Resonator, whilst motioning at the door. Rebecca stepped back. ¡°I-I thought it was Shouri and-!¡± ¡°Idiota!¡± Taika repeated. ¡°Our tuners are RIGHT THERE! If they overpowered us, we could have been taken or worse!¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry I-!¡± ¡°Sorry doesn¡¯t cut it! Think! I know all three of us are weak knowledge, but fucking THINK!¡± Taika trembled with anger, a week''s worth of bottled-up frustration being directed solely toward the fire Resonator who cowered beneath her. Finally, Rebecca couldn¡¯t take the intense beration any longer; the metaphorical dam burst as she began sobbing loudly. Taika shook her head - she couldn¡¯t bear to be in the presence of this pitiful fox another second and returned to the bathroom to continue her shower which had been so rudely interrupted.
Shouri and Pacifica returned to quite a situation. Taika wasn¡¯t immediately visible and Rebecca was curled up on the floor crying. Both Pacifica and Shouri sighed, setting their food boxes in the kitchen to address their companions. ¡°I got Taika?¡± Pacifica asked. ¡°Actually no, let me talk to her. You get Rebecca,¡± he replied. ¡°Oh, okay.¡± Shouri collected the tuners off the nightstand ¨C well at least nobody was hurt; in the physical sense. With that concern out of the way, he turned his attention to the bathroom door. KNOCK KNOCK Click! Was that the sound of the door being locked or unlocked? Only one real way to check. Surprisingly, it had been the latter, as he was able to open the bathroom up with little difficulty. Immediately he noticed it was muggy in the bathroom, though he was more bothered by the humidity, not the temperature. There was also the distinct scent of the cheap shampoo the MA offices used in the air. So that was what Taika was up to while they were gone. The fox girl herself was seated on the toilet, her clothes strewn about the floor, and covering herself with the towel wrapped around her chest and lower body. Her gaze was averted, tail wrapped around her torso, brush in hand. ¡°What happened?¡± Shouri asked, closing the door behind them for some relative privacy. ¡°Rebecca ¨¨ un cretina che non capisce niente,¡± Taika rattled out barely allowing herself space between words. ¡°Woah woah, stop.¡± The Maestro blinked, not understanding a word she said outside of ¡®Rebecca¡¯ Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°She opened the door when someone knocked.¡± ¡°Who is someone?¡± ¡°Dunno. I... could feel it though.¡± ¡°Feel it?¡± Taika gulped, curling in a bit on herself. ¡°They smelled of blood.¡± ¡°Smelled?¡± ¡°Not like actual smell... they were killers.¡± Needless to say, such a sudden revelation was quite concerning, and shocked Shouri to silence. He took a moment to gather his bearings before speaking again. ¡°What... did they want?¡± he braved asking. Taika trembled fearfully, hugging herself. She found the courage to answer after a moment: ¡°You.¡± The tiny bathroom fell to silence. ¡°Sho...¡± She looked up, tears in her eyes. ¡°C-can I tell you something... about me?¡±
Meanwhile, outside the bathroom, Pacifica was addressing the other half of the domestic disturbance. ¡°What happened Rebby?¡± she began the questioning. ¡°Nothing,¡± Rebecca sniffled, curling up more around herself. ¡°Bzzzt, wrong answer, try again.¡± ¡°...you and Shouri.¡± She looked up at the water otter who had sat on the ground in front of her. ¡°We care about you.¡± Pacifica offered a smiling face to the crying fox. She glanced up at the closed bathroom door. ¡°We all do.¡± ¡°Well, she has a shitty way of showing it,¡± Rebecca huffed, sniffling again while wiping the tears from her face. The water elemental considered that thought for a moment. ¡°We¡¯ve had a pretty rough week or so, cut us some slack please?¡± Pacifica held her hands together, still trying to maintain that welcoming smile. ¡°Mrpgh.¡± Rebecca averted her gaze once more. ¡°Ready to tell me what happened?¡± Pacifica asked once more. Seeing how she wasn¡¯t getting out of this one, Rebecca took in a breath before speaking: ¡°Someone knocked on the door,¡± she paused, considering her choice of words,¡°I thought you and Shouri just got back quick or something, so I opened the door.¡± ¡°And someone was there, right?¡± Pacifica asked. ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°Kinda obvious. I doubt Taika would have flipped her lid otherwise.¡± ¡°I-I guess that makes sense,¡± Rebecca said after a moment¡¯s reflection. ¡°So, who was there?¡± Pacifica wanted to continue the story. Of course, Rebecca wasn¡¯t ready to forget. ¡°A woman and a man. Maestro and Resonator. They were dressed sorta casually, nice button-up shirts. They asked for Shouri; not by name. They just asked for ¡®my Maestro¡¯.¡± Pacifica frowned, folding her arms across her chest. ¡°Hrmm... That¡¯s kinda suspicious,¡± she muttered. ¡°Especially after that news story about us had been running.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think about that,¡± Rebecca admitted. ¡°But you¡¯re still on edge,¡± Pacifica pointed out. ¡°We have the same type of rhythm, I can read you like a book,¡± the otter tittered, trying to lighten the mood a bit. Rebecca wasn¡¯t amused, she was still concerned. ¡°They were strong, whoever they were. Professionals.¡± ¡°What do you mean? How would you know that?¡± Pacifica tilted her head. ¡°I¡¯ve had a lot of Maestros, and I¡¯ve gotten combat training here and there,¡± Rebecca explained. ¡°I can size myself up and figure out who and what I¡¯m fighting.¡± She paused. ¡°I couldn¡¯t sense a thing from them. They were like ghosts.¡±
Back in the bathroom, Taika had gathered her courage and began her explanation. ¡°You probably already know I didn¡¯t have the best situation growing up.¡± Shouri nodded slowly. The way she ran after him, just the way she generally carried herself. Even her nightmares were far more intense than either Pacifica''s or Rebecca¡¯s. It spoke volumes ¨C she had many issues he knew they¡¯d have to work through. So much trauma, it was a miracle she was as well-adjusted with him as she was. ¡°My... caretakers, they¡¯re not honest people,¡± she spoke slowly, considering each word. Even now it felt as if she was still trying to hide bits and pieces that she deemed sensitive or non-critical for Shouri¡¯s understanding. He didn¡¯t push her. She would continue to open up to him with time, he had gathered that much. The last thing he wanted to do was lose her trust. ¡°They¡¯ve killed many, many people. I¡¯ve seen my fair share of blood,¡± she admitted. ¡°I grew up around the stench of blood and betrayal.¡± ¡°As long as I was a useful tool, I could keep my pitiful life.¡± ¡°Though I wasn¡¯t spared completely.¡± ¡°I realized after you took me away from there-¡± A pause. She looked to her beloved Maestro. ¡°-this world is too clean. It¡¯s too sanitized; I can smell people like my caretakers ¨C those who deal in blood... and death.¡± The weight of those words hit Shouri like a ton of bricks. This wasn¡¯t her waxing poetic. This was the personal flavor of hell that stuck in her mouth. The filter she viewed the world through. ¡°Taika,¡± he spoke her name. He couldn¡¯t think of anything to say to her, so he trusted his gut and acted. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. She let out a small squeak of surprise, ¡°Sho.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t ever let you go, that¡¯s a promise,¡± he whispered, having found the words he needed to say. ¡°I¡¯ll follow you straight into hell if that¡¯s what you want,¡± she breathed out, finally grabbing hold of him and pulling him down. He fell onto her, but they refused to release each other.
Roughly about an hour had passed since Shouri and Pacifica returned. Taika and Shouri exited the bathroom, hands linked. The other pair had moved to the couch, Rebecca resting her head on Pacifica¡¯s lap. The otter gently stroked the fire fox¡¯s hair. ¡°Dinner¡¯s cold now,¡± Pacifica giggled, though it was apparent she was tired. ¡°We got a microwave,¡± Shouri pointed out. ¡°That¡¯s fair.¡± The otter nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll get it.¡± Shouri took Taika into the kitchen where they reheated everyone¡¯s food. Sitting around the coffee table, they ate and compared notes. ¡°Hmm, professionals that smell of blood huh?¡± Shouri frowned. ¡°And they were casually dressed at that?¡± He got Pacifica¡¯s report since Rebecca still wasn¡¯t in the mood to talk ¨C though the fire Resonator nodded in the affirmative of Shouri¡¯s analysis. ¡°I couldn¡¯t read them at all,¡± Rebecca broke her silence. ¡°Hmmm...¡± Shouri frowned. ¡°You know-¡± He stroked his chin in thought. ¡°-they might be military.¡± ¡°The military?¡± Pacifica questioned. ¡°What would the army want with us?¡± she asked. ¡°Dunno. My parents are filthy rich, but they¡¯re not nobility - they wouldn¡¯t have that kind of sway to get those kinds of favors.¡± ¡°What is the ¡°military¡± anyway?¡± Taika inquired. ¡°You¡¯re familiar with like cops and such, right?¡± Shouri asked back. ¡°Mhm.¡± She nodded. ¡°Right, think of them as even more heavily armed versions of that ¨C a highly trained and weaponized peace-keeping force. They¡¯re typically dispatched out to deal with problems that the police can¡¯t handle. Riots, powerful criminals, the works.¡± Taika frowned, eyeing her food as if it held the answers. ¡°What do strong people like that want with you?¡± Shouri sighed, leaning back in his recliner. ¡°Question of the fucking hour.¡± He looked to Taika who seemed troubled. ¡°Since they saw both you and Rebecca, it has nothing to do with either of you. I would imagine if it did, they would have tried to start something as soon as they found their target Maestroless,¡± the Maestro in question reasoned. He glanced over at Pacifica. ¡°You got anything you want to tell me?¡± he queried the otter of the group. ¡°Wha- me?!¡± Pacifica jumped at the sudden eye of suspicion. ¡°We''ve possibly got military after us. Gotta cover our bases,¡± he laid out. The surprise quickly wore off and Pacifica recomposed herself. ¡°Not at all. I¡¯m a sheltered city girl and my folks are certainly as clean as they come. Promise!¡± she asserted. Shouri closed his eyes. ¡°Yeah, that sounds about right.¡± He breathed out. ¡°What the fuck are they after then?¡± Chapter 32 Thankfully for the stressed-out quartet, the remainder of the night was peaceful and they got a good night¡¯s sleep for once. Shouri was the first to rise, as usual. Though rise was strictly in the metaphorical sense, as he had now three lovely ladies huddled around him. Today the girl he held was Taika ¨C he figured she needed the attention right now given the heavy nature of the prior day¡¯s conversation. Rebecca had claimed his back as her domain, nestled up next to him as close as she could muster. The vixens had spent most of the night utilizing their long fluffy tails to fight for possession of Shouri¡¯s legs. He would have protested the additional warmth if it wasn¡¯t for the heat resistance Rebecca provided. Lastly, and certainly not least, Pacifica had claimed Taika¡¯s back, hugging her from behind. Somehow, they had managed to make it work despite the state of the group''s varying relationships. ¡°I¡¯ll follow you straight into hell if that¡¯s what you want.¡± ¡°I decided I¡¯m gonna stick with you until you¡¯re sick of me.¡± Taika and Pacifica were so loyal to him, they both had made that abundantly clear. He had a sneaking suspicion Rebecca might have similar feelings in the future, especially given her history. But what did he do to earn this? He just treated them like people, like friends... perhaps something more. Was that all it took? He didn¡¯t have a good track record with this sort of thing. He wouldn¡¯t have much longer to dwell on that as the girls in question began to stir. Pacifica seemed to be in most in sync with his sleep schedule as she was usually the first of the trio of Resonators to rise. She sat up and muffled a yawn to not wake the others. Rebecca was most likely a light sleeper, as any commotion or real movement caused her to wake up ¨C just like this morning, where she gripped the back of his shirt and resumed wrapping her tail around his legs. Finally, there was Taika. She wasn¡¯t a heavy sleeper, but she was a late riser. Perhaps though, she was merely pretending? She wore a serene smile on her face; pleased to be the one in Shouri¡¯s arms this morning. At any rate, the room was awake so they shuffled around before Pacifica and Shouri left to grab breakfast for them all. ¡°You okay Sho?¡± Pacifica asked as they crossed the courtyard to Building B. The usual entourage of nature element Resonators were on the prowl, maintaining the lawn. Shouri briefly wondered how much the various MA Offices around the world paid in labor costs. He refocused himself to address Pacifica''s inquiry ¡°Just a little on edge,¡± he admitted. ¡°Yeah. We could use a real vacay, huh?¡± The otter let out a tired sigh. Arriving at the second building on the property they ignored the usual casting range and made their way into the attached cafeteria to grab breakfast for the hungry foxes that awaited their return. Though their morning would be interrupted in an unusual way. ¡°Woah!¡± Now normally Shouri and Pacifica would ignore a random exclamation out of nowhere like that. However, they were barred from leaving by another Maestro. He was a plain thing, average in all respects. Average build for one in their mid-teens, plain-looking clothes, just generally someone who didn¡¯t stand out from the crowd. ¡°You¡¯re Shouri Tomoshibi, right?!¡± Immediately the accused in question was on the defensive: ¡°And what if I am?¡± Shouri asked, his hand reflexively dropping to Pacifica¡¯s tuner on his side. ¡°I saw the news story about the boat and your cool Resonators, I¡¯m just shocked you¡¯re here!¡± the younger boy exclaimed. He was a bit shorter than Shouri and Pacifica, with scruffy hair, clothes ever so slightly worn, and of course a tuner at his waist. Though he was bright-eyed and na?ve, Pacifica figured he probably just started out as a Maestro. Sure enough, there was a Resonator standing behind him, and a rare one at that. A bright lion-man, a little bit on the younger side, but probably a little bit older than Pacifica or Shouri. ¡°I¡¯m Vince, and this is my Resonator, Cecil, he¡¯s an Albright,¡± the boy said, unable to hide his boastful tone. The Resonator in question remained quiet. There was something about this lion-man that felt off to Pacifica, but she couldn¡¯t quite pin down what it was. Either way, she didn¡¯t understand the significance of the Albright name Vince was seemingly so proud of. Shouri did but cared not. ¡°Interesting,¡± he commented. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry I just thought you and your Resonators were cool.¡± Vince laughed sheepishly. ¡°I kinda wanted to see them in action if you wouldn¡¯t mind,¡± came the request Shouri looked to the girl by his side, who could only offer a shrug. ¡°Well, I kinda wanted to eat breakfast.¡± He looked at the two takeout containers he held, which were rapidly cooling. Vince noticeably wilted. ¡°Ah, right. I guess I shouldn¡¯t have just grabbed you out of the blue like that.¡± And Shouri fell for the bait. ¡°Er, well if you wanted, we were going to run some drills today.¡± Pacifica shot a sidelong glance at her Maestro. ¡°Really?!¡± Vince lit up like a light bulb. ¡°That would be so cool!¡± ¡°S-sure, we¡¯ll be here at like uh...¡± Shouri checked Pacifica¡¯s tuner. ¡°Like noon maybe?¡± ¡°Yeah! Yeah! I¡¯ll be here! Thank you!¡± Vince bounced with excitement. ¡°R-right, see you then.¡± Shouri turned and tried to rush away. ¡°See you then!¡± Vince shouted even louder. When they were out of earshot, Pacifica decided to ask: ¡°Why did you humor him?¡± ¡°I dunno, the kid seemed pretty genuine to me,¡± Shouri muttered. ¡°I didn¡¯t have it in me to crush his dreams.¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right about that.¡± Pacifica glanced back at building B before they turned the corner around the main MA office building.
¡°An Albright huh?¡± Rebecca asked after hearing the story from Shouri and Pacifica. ¡°You know of them?¡± Pacifica inquired of her fellow Resonator. The fire Resonator nodded. ¡°Sure. They¡¯re the Solar noble clan, just like the Renards are the Fire noble clan.¡± ¡°Noble clans?¡± Taika raised a brow before shoving some toast in her mouth. ¡°There¡¯s a bunch of clans of each element that are considered more prestigious for one reason or another. Usually battle merit,¡± Shouri told the lunar Resonator. ¡°My clan just has had a bunch of really good showings in tournaments, hunts, the whole gambit of battling really,¡± Rebecca explained. Shouri nodded in the affirmative. ¡°The Albright clan¡¯s claim to fame is supposedly they¡¯re the descendants of Armando of the Noble Swords.¡± ¡°Oh! He¡¯s the guy that made the slashing attribute, right?!¡± Pacifica exclaimed, actually knowing that little bit of trivia. ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s a famous war general who fought to free Resonators from the tyranny of the Naturals in the late seventh century,¡± Shouri told the group. Taika exhaled sharply out of her nostrils, her lips descending sharply. She lowered her head and slowed her eating. Something else seemed to be bothering Shouri as well, which the ever-perceptive Pacifica picked up on. ¡°What¡¯s up Sho?¡± She laid a hand on his shoulder. ¡°He wasn¡¯t dressed that well off. In fact... he seemed a bit on the poorer side.¡± He recalled Vince¡¯s general demeanor. ¡°I wonder how he got Cecil.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Pacifica asked. ¡°Albrights are expensive, just like Renards.¡± Rebecca chimed in. ¡°Not uncommon for them to go for three to five grand.¡± This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°You¡¯re pretty familiar with that.¡± Pacifica chuckled nervously; uncomfortable with the idea. Rebecca folded her ears back. ¡°Yeah, I was traded for an Albright once, got to listen to our Maestros compare values for like two hours.¡± She hugged herself tightly, looking away bitterly. Between Taika and Rebecca¡¯s rapidly fouling moods, poor Pacifica had the challenge of trying to keep the group upbeat. ¡°Ah! Well, he seemed like a really nice kid, he thought we were cool from what he saw on television,¡± Pacifica added. Rebecca tried to smile, but it seemed more pained than anything. ¡°He¡¯s probably trying to be a collector.¡± She couldn¡¯t help the nihilism ¨C she had seen it all before. Shouri sighed. It was certainly not his intention to bring his vixens down. ¡°None of that matters; we¡¯re together now and nobody is getting sold, traded, or otherwise,¡± he declared firmly. ¡°If anything, we¡¯re a family.¡± Both Rebecca and Taika looked to their Maestro. His genuine words pulled them out of their funk in an instant. The two foxes lit up. ¡°Sho!¡± ¡°Shouri!¡±
Noontime rolled around and with it, the quartet made their way down to building B. Just like the lawn crews seemingly employed by every decent sized MA Office, this one had a casting range that needed constant care. Maintenence was no joke - as a few of the lanes were down for repairs, despite how packed the range was today. A Maestro repairman directed the Resonators under him in removing some faulty paneling. As much as Shouri wanted to observe the repair crew work, he focused himself on his eager trio. ¡°Ok, let¡¯s get started,¡± he said, thankful he was able to get booth. ¡°Who¡¯s going first?¡± Pacifica asked, cracking her knuckles ¨C she was raring to go. ¡°I haven¡¯t gotten any real time with Rebecca ¨C so the focus will be her today,¡± he informed the squad. Taika and Pacifica both pouted. ¡°Relax, we¡¯re all gonna practice today. I just need to calibrate with Rebecca. It¡¯s important to do since she has so much experience,¡± he told them. Begrudgingly, the two senior Resonators sat down on the bench, forced to watch Shouri work with the third wheel of the group. The fire Resonator herself stiffened, uncertain of what protocol was here. She hadn¡¯t ever done this ¡°calibration¡± thing with her previous Maestros. They either refused to let her fight or assumed her power level and treated her accordingly. ¡°Icarus¡¯ ala first please, try not to force it,¡± Shouri instructed. Rebecca raised a brow. ¡°Let it burn naturally,¡± he added. Simple enough, Rebecca decided with a nod. Closing her eyes, she focused on her inner fire and ad-Lib. From her heels, a small fire erupted, blazing in the shape of wings. Shouri knelt and observed the fires burning. ¡°Hmmm.¡± He studied the vixen¡¯s ankles, her socks, and shoes. They were the ones provided by the Riva Sranvi MA Office less than a week ago, but they already looked as if they only had another couple of days left in them. His analysis complete, he shook his head. ¡°We could do better,¡± he commented. ¡°Excuse me?¡± Rebecca furrowed her brows, taking exception to his phrasing. Shouri stood up straight. ¡°Your socks and shoes I mean. They¡¯re worn and not fireproofing you as well, if at all,¡± he clarified. ¡°I-It does hurt if I push myself,¡± the vixen admitted, snuffing her flames to avoid the aforementioned pain. ¡°Right. It¡¯s one part your control, one part your footwear since your fire comes from there,¡± he informed her. ¡°Mhm.¡± ¡°Lanciafiamme, Forte¡± ¡°W-wait!¡± Poor Rebecca was caught off guard by the sudden command. Especially because he didn¡¯t even pull her tuner from his side. ¡°What...?¡± Pacifica gasped. ¡°What?¡± Taika looked between Shouri and Pacifica, confused. ¡°He¡¯s... really familiar with her spells,¡± the otter whispered to Taika. ¡°Well, Sho¡¯s like that, he probably studied a bunch.¡± ¡°No no, I mean I can feel it from him ¨C he¡¯s really comfortable with casting fire element spells. It¡¯s like second nature to him.¡± Taika furrowed her brows. Why would he be familiar with fire spells? Maybe because of Damian? That had to be it. Aura probably taught him about fire spells. Heck, she was super knowledgeable about Resonators in general, and that made the most sense. Rebecca¡¯s willpower finally eroded and she was forced to make the motions to cast the basic fire spell. For her version of her element¡¯s entry-level spell, she thrust her palms outward. A stream of fire erupted forth, spraying out toward the target at the end of the range like a firehouse. ¡°Hm, Null-attribute, eh?¡± Shouri noted quietly to himself as he watched the display. No sooner than her spell finished, another spell hit Rebecca¡¯s ears: ¡°Bolide, Piano.¡± She squeaked in surprise, her body just moving. Once more she was forced to thrust her palms out, however rather than a stream, a ball of fire shot out and smashed into the already smoldering target. ¡°Anello di Fuoco, Tenuto.¡± ¡°Let me breathe!¡± Rebecca cried out in protest as she cast yet another spell. This one merely forced her to wave her arm out in front of her. Around the target, a ring of fire sprung up from the ground. ¡°Have mercy Shouri,¡± the vixen whimpered. ¡°You did good, you can relax now.¡± He patted her head, which earned quiet forgiveness from the fire Resonator. CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP The four turned to find the Maestro Shouri and Pacifica had encountered earlier ¨C Vince. ¡°So cool!¡± the young Maestro exclaimed in awe at the spectacle he just witnessed. ¡°And that¡¯s Vince,¡± Shouri made the quick introduction for Taika and Rebecca¡¯s edification. ¡°Oh! She has to be a Renard right?!¡± Vince let himself into the already cramped booth and began to fawn over the fire Resonator. Rebecca locked up, her heart starting to race as a cold sweat coated her body. Those eyes on her, the ones who saw a name, a lineage. Shouri intervened, putting himself between his Resonator and Vince. ¡°She¡¯s Rebecca,¡± he stated firmly. Rebecca grasped her Maestro¡¯s jacket, trembling. Vince nodded quickly, failing to see the emotional turmoil he had inadvertently caused. ¡°What about your other Resonators?¡± He pointed to the other girls in the booth. ¡°Pacifica, we er, met this morning,¡± the otter said with a small wave. ¡°Taika,¡± the Lunar Resonator said simply. Vince looked over the other vixen in Shouri¡¯s care. ¡°You¡¯re a lunar right?¡± he stated the obvious. ¡°I am,¡± Taika replied quietly, not liking where this was going. ¡°So cool!¡± He jumped back and forth, looking over the lunar fox. She blinked, disarmed. ¡°Che?¡± she uttered Vince finally turned his attention to his fellow Maestro. ¡°You have amazing Resonators Shouri! They¡¯re all so super cool!¡± ¡°Y-yeah... I think so too,¡± Shouri chuckled sheepishly. This kid was way too much. He was harmless enough though. Something was bothering Shouri however: where was Vince¡¯s Resonator? The bright white tuner was proudly attached to Vince¡¯s waist. With a quick look around, he saw Cecil standing up against the wall opposite their booth, with a bitter expression on his face. ¡°Hey Vince, don¡¯t you think you should go practice spells with your Resonator?¡± Shouri suggested. ¡°Oh yeah, you¡¯re right! Good idea!¡± And with that, Vince bolted out of the booth without as much as a farewell. However, they were well aware of the other Maestro¡¯s presence from the enthusiastic shouts of various Solar spells a couple of lanes down. A sigh of relief was shared by Shouri and his trio of girls. ¡°That boy is too much,¡± Shouri decided. ¡°He could power a city with how much energy he has,¡± Pacifica added. ¡°As long as he¡¯s not here.¡± Rebecca was still slightly shaking. ¡°¨¨ un rompiscatole.¡± Taika nodded. Chapter 33 Day passed to night, and with it, work needed to be done. For that, the quartet made their way down to the camp just north of the city. It was far enough away that it necessitated a trip by bus, even despite picking the closest MA Office. ¡°City is too damn big,¡± Rebecca grumbled as they got off the bus with the various other Maestros and Resonators. ¡°Relax Rebby, at least the bus was air-conditioned. Will be nice on the way back.¡± Pacifica patted her fellow Resonator¡¯s back. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t have bothered me either way.¡± Rebecca sensed Pacifica wilt a bit. ¡°But, I suppose it¡¯s nice to save our strength for the actual fighting.¡± To say she wasn¡¯t accustomed to having people truly care about her was an understatement. ¡°Rebby!¡± Pacifica hugged the fox. It was certainly something she could get used to though. Shouri shook his head but smiled, glad that they were all gradually getting used to one another. They found their way to the registration line. This part of the night always sucked; Shouri discussed tactics with his group to kill some time. As usual, Taika was on support duty ¨C she didn¡¯t mind, it kept her close to Shouri. Pacifica and Rebecca were in vanguard positions for their group. Rebecca specifically was given explicit instructions to not use her ad-Lib unless it was absolutely needed. ¡°But why?¡± Rebecca questioned. ¡°Two reasons. One: We never got you new socks and shoes. I did some reading online and it¡¯s looking like something we may have to custom order. There aren¡¯t any good stores that I saw around here. All the good fire Resonator equipment comes from Nabhon.¡± ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Pacifica asked. ¡°Nabhon has a large fire Resonator population and traditionally where they came from in the ancient past. Meanwhile here on Lybertera, water Resonators reign supreme,¡± he told the otter. The water elemental nodded. ¡°Makes sense.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see though, I didn¡¯t get too far into my research on local clothiers,¡± the Maestro added. Rebecca cut back in. ¡°So why else can¡¯t I use my ad-Lib?¡± ¡°Ah, well the second reason is ad-Libs use your latent rhythm, the same rhythm that protects you from spells and their damaging effects. The more you utilize your ad-Lib, the more susceptible you are to being injured.¡± The fire vixen frowned, humming in thought. She wasn¡¯t ready to give up yet. ¡°But we have a healer.¡± She pointed to Taika, who scowled back. ¡°So about that-¡± Shouri took a breath to start another explanation. But before he could, it was their turn to register.
Checked in, they began their trek to the hunt site proper. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not done,¡± Rebecca began the conversation anew. ¡°I wanna know why we can¡¯t just have her heal me.¡± Once more another finger was thrown in Taika¡¯s (unappreciative) direction. ¡°Use Taika¡¯s name, pointing is rude,¡± Shouri scolded her. Rebecca didn¡¯t apologize, but she did listen and put her arm down. Taika stuck out a tongue at Rebecca but was ignored in favor of their Maestro¡¯s continued lecturing. ¡°Healers can inflict a status condition called ¡°Rhythm Burn¡± which causes your body to reject outside sources of rhythm for some time. It usually comes from overuse of La Bella Vita, the basic healing spell.¡± ¡°And that means?¡± ¡°If we fuck up and you get rhythm burned, healing and support spells will stop affecting you. We have to be smart with how much and how often you¡¯re healed to make sure you can be healed when it matters.¡± Rebecca lowered her head. She had been with Maestros before who just threw her into battle and expected their healers to pick up the slack. There were a couple of instances she remembered where it felt like the Resonators healing her weren¡¯t as effective as they should have been. She counted her blessings that Shouri thought about these kinds of things. ¡°R-right. I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± she decided. This earned her a head pat. ¡°Good good. I don¡¯t want any of us ending up in the hospital when it could have been easily avoided,¡± he said with a smile. THUMP THUMP Now why was her heart so fluttery all of a sudden? She didn¡¯t have time to explore that thought, however, as they came to a clearing with a group of Maestros and Resonators. All in all, it was a pretty typical group. Well except for him- ¡°Shouri! Funny seeing you here!¡± Vince loudly declared, much to the ire of the rest present. Needless to say, since Shouri ¡°knew¡± Vince, that put him in the unique position of ¡°babysitter¡± and the rest of the group saw fit to pair them off so they didn¡¯t have to deal with the overzealous greenhorn. Not wanting to cause a fuss, Shouri begrudgingly accepted his assignment and they made their way deeper into the woods. Several balls of fire (provided by Rebecca) floated amongst the group to illuminate their path through the forest. ¡°Uuugh, this sucks,¡± Rebecca muttered, leading the way with Pacifica right behind her. ¡°Relax Rebby, I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be fiiiine.¡± Though the water Resonator was saying this more for herself than her fellow Resonator. ¡°What are we gonna do with him Sho?¡± Taika whispered to Shouri. They were trailing a bit behind Pacifica and Rebecca, but ahead of Vince and Cecil who were taking up the rear for the moment. ¡°Make sure he doesn¡¯t die,¡± he replied. At any rate, they came across the first group of Scherzando mulling about. The group knelt near some underbrush. They hadn¡¯t been noticed quite yet, so Shouri got to strategizing. ¡°Ooooh, what¡¯s the plan?¡± Vince bounced excitedly in place, attempting to whisper (and failing). Shouri kept his gaze fixated on their quarry. There weren¡¯t a lot of them, maybe five or six. A pack of quadrupedal Scherzando, he spotted they were mostly of the earth element with rocky protrusions jutting out of their shadowy forms. With that information in mind, he addressed the other Maestro. ¡°You can help with damage. I¡¯ll have Pacifica and Taika trap them and then-¡± ¡°Oh! I got that! Come on Cecil!¡± Vince rushed out from the foliage, his Resonator following. ¡°Vince wait- god damn it!¡± Shouri had failed to restrain the younger Maestro before he was already out of reach. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Rebecca knew her Maestro didn¡¯t want to see this boy get killed and took off after the overzealous greenhorn. Vince naturally attracted the attention of the Scherzando who turned to face him. Before they could move to attack him, however, he belted out the first spell of the night: ¡°Raffica Discendente, Allegro!¡± Cecil continued moving towards the Scherzando, swiping a hand down. An intense wind blew down from the sky, crushing the Scherzando underneath it. ¡°Protuberanza solare, Piano!¡± And then the lion Resonator launched a ball of pure white light at the stunned beasts, scattering them into the wind. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Rebecca stopped short, having reached Vince first. Her jaw hung in shock. ¡°Hey Shouri! I did it!¡± Vince almost seemed more impressed with himself than proud. ¡°Th-that you did,¡± Shouri muttered. ¡°I thought he was...¡± Pacifica struggled to come up with a word ¡°Un stolto?¡± Taika offered. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go with that,¡± the otter chuckled sheepishly. Shouri dismissed his Resonator¡¯s gossiping and decided to address Vince. ¡°Hey Vince-¡° ¡°Yes, Shouri?!¡± The smaller boy beamed. ¡°Let¡¯s try to be a bit more careful.¡± ¡°What did I do wrong?¡± The senior Maestro frowned, closing his eyes and folding his arms across his chest. Rebecca joined Taika and Pacifica behind their Maestro. ¡°Well, your spell usage was fine, but did you really need to run at the Scherzando?¡± he questioned. Vince processed that for a moment. ¡°I guess not.¡± He frowned. ¡°Also, your spells could have been cast perfectly fine from a distance ¨C it wasn¡¯t necessary to expose Cecil to danger like that,¡± Shouri continued to deliver his feedback. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± That wasn¡¯t a familiar voice. Looking at the source ¨C it was Cecil. ¡°He can talk?!¡± Pacifica hissed to Rebecca and Taika who were similarly shocked at the lion breaking his silence. Once more disregarding his Resonator¡¯s gossip, Shouri turned his attention to Cecil. ¡°If you¡¯re okay with how Vince is commanding you, I¡¯m not going to complain. I just don¡¯t want to see anyone get hurt,¡± the veteran Maestro told him. Cecil nodded. ¡°Quite noble of you,¡± the lion commented. Vince looked back and forth between his Resonator and Shouri. ¡°I¡¯ll try to remember that,¡± the younger Maestro stated. ¡°Let¡¯s keep going.¡± Shouri grabbed Taika¡¯s tuner. ¡°Rilevare l''intenzione, Lento.¡±
¡°Ok, what¡¯s the plan Shouri?¡± They had come up on the second group of Scherzando, again just kind of wandering around aimlessly. Like the last group, a bunch of quadrupeds awaited them. Slender and graceful, they looked adapted for speed and agility, their bodies streamlined and powerful-looking legs. Their wedge-shaped heads were up and alert, their ears flicking as they scanned the environment for prey. Bark and vines adorned their bodies informing the tactician of their element. ¡°Too spread out for that wind spell,¡± Shouri noted quietly. As he scrutinized their enemy¡¯s positioning, he came to a realization. ¡°Or are they?¡± He whispered. ¡°Let¡¯s re-position.¡± Shouri motioned towards some shrubs a little off to their left. ¡°And try to keep quiet.¡± He directed specifically at Vince. The six-strong group crept silently through the underbrush to the spot Shouri had pointed to. ¡°Now what?¡± Vince asked, almost struggling to keep his voice at a whisper. ¡°I¡¯m gonna trap the Scherzando, when I do, you finish them off,¡± the senior Maestro laid out his plan. ¡°Right!¡± The Scherzando perked up while Shouri and Pacifica slammed their hands over Vince¡¯s mouth. Cecil shook his head but cracked an amused smirk. Taika and Rebecca kept their eyes on the beasts, which stood at attention for a moment however they went back to milling about harmlessly. Shouri and Pacifica relaxed, releasing Vince, with Shouri aggressively applying his index finger to his mouth signaling to the other Maestro to shut up. Vince enthusiastically nodded, fighting to keep himself from causing any more commotion. With that matter settled, Shouri drew Pacifica¡¯s tuner from his side. The otter crept deeper into the foliage and laid her hands on the ground just outside their hiding spot. ¡°L''onda di tempesta, Rallentando.¡± A river of water sprang up from the ground, from Pacifica¡¯s hands, and underneath the Scherzando, who thanks to Shouri¡¯s repositioning, were in a nice neat line to get captured by the water spell. ¡°Now Vince! Now!¡± ¡°Flusso del Vento, Piano!¡± As the Scherzando struggled to remain standing in the river of water, they were pulled into a stream of wind that sliced them up like the expert swing of a swordsman. With such a careful, surgical strike, it was no surprise when the entire mob was defeated in one blow. ¡°Ooooh! We did it Shouri!¡± Vince exclaimed, excitedly pointing to where the Scherzando once stood. ¡°That we did,¡± Shouri stated simply, helping Pacifica up. ¡°You did good.¡± Vince watched Shouri praise his Resonator and pat her head. The younger Maestro, wanting to emulate his hero followed suit. ¡°You did good.¡± He tried to reach up to pat Cecil¡¯s head, but the lion man was much taller than his Maestro. Cecil rolled his eyes but decided to humor his Maestro. The taller Resonator lowered himself enough to allow his Maestro to pat his head. Rebecca watched this little display. He wasn¡¯t just putting on airs, he was genuine. Super na?ve, yes; but genuine all the same. A small smile rose on the fire Resonator¡¯s lips. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s keep it up.¡± Shouri pointed towards their next destination.
The rest of the night went pretty smoothly. Turns out Vince was a quick learner and picked up on the small things Shouri did and took direction well. ¡°Whew, what a night.¡± Shouri let his shoulders catch slack as they made their way back towards the main staging area. ¡°Thank you for teaming up with me today.¡± Vince grinned. It seemed his usual sugar rush had worn away, leaving just a normal Maestro underneath his typical hyperactivity. ¡°Yes, thank you for showing this one how a proper Maestro carries themselves,¡± Cecil chimed in. Pacifica shot a tired glance over at the solar Resonator. That odd sensation she felt from him before had faded away. It did slightly bother her, but maybe that¡¯s just how he was with people he didn¡¯t know? Or perhaps she was imagining it? Either way, she felt both Vince and Cecil were trustworthy after the night¡¯s events. ¡°Sho I want a burger,¡± Taika whined. ¡°You ate two dinners,¡± Rebecca groaned, just wanting to sleep. ¡°That was literally five hours ago.¡± Shouri shook his head but smiled all the same. ¡°Well, I¡¯m gonna get these three back to the MA office.¡± ¡°¡®kaaaay. Cecil and I might do some more hunting on our own.¡± Vince looked back towards the forest they had just left. ¡°Don¡¯t push yourself,¡± Shouri advised. ¡°We¡¯ll be fine.¡± The elder Maestro frowned hard, making a disapproving hum. ¡°Just a couple more, then we¡¯ll head back,¡± Vince chuckled, still not fully deterred from his planned course of action. ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye on him,¡± Cecil added. Letting out a held breath, Shouri shrugged. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not your mother, so do as you will - just be careful.¡± ¡°Totally! Thanks again Shouri, I super super appreciate you hanging out with me.¡± And with that, the two Maestros parted ways. ¡°He¡¯s a nice kid,¡± Pacifica spoke up as they made their way down to the bus stop. ¡°Just a bit overzealous,¡± Shouri added in. ¡°Just want to sleep,¡± Rebecca whined. ¡°Ho fame!¡± Taika cried out, holding her stomach. Chapter 34 The next morning, Pacifica got the much-coveted spot of ¡°Shouri¡¯s arms¡± on this fine Friday. Rebecca maintained her claim on Shouri¡¯s back with Taika taking Pacifica¡¯s. It seemed the two foxes wouldn¡¯t share a side of the bed. At any rate, Shouri awoke and began the gradual process of waking up the rest of the room. It was a new day, and while it was a bit on the warmer side at the moment, the clouds spared Shouri and Pacifica the wrath of the sun as they made their daily trek to the combination cafeteria-casting range. ¡°Summer is definitely on the way,¡± Pacifica commented. ¡°It fucking sucks,¡± Shouri complained. ¡°Relax relax,¡± the otter sang. Despite the complaints, the pair was in a good mood this morning. They ran into Vince as soon as they entered Building B. ¡°Oh hey, Vince.¡± Shouri waved. ¡°Shouri! Good morning!¡± And the noise was back. ¡°It¡¯s too early ¨C inside voice please,¡± Shouri pleaded. Pacifica smiled, though the edges of her lips slowly descended when she caught sight of Cecil. There it was ¨C that feeling again. Something felt off about him, just as she had sensed when they first met. What¡¯s more, he looked worse for wear. Even... darker? That didn¡¯t make sense. A trick of the eyes perhaps? ¡°Hey, you okay Cecil?¡± Pacifica whispered to the lion man. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he responded rather gruffly, which put off the otter. ¡°Catch you later, come on Cecil.¡± Shouri and Pacifica were left alone once more. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± The Maestro immediately picked up on his Resonator¡¯s shift in mood. She gulped, fidgeting in place while wracking her brain to find the right words. ¡°I think... there¡¯s something wrong with Cecil.¡± ¡°Hm? How so?¡± Shouri frowned. ¡°I keep feeling this-¡± she paused, considering her word choice, ¡°-weirdness from him. I can¡¯t really describe it. Just something in the back of my head whispering that something is wrong,¡± she admitted. The Maestro processed what his Resonator was telling him, remaining quiet. ¡°I thought I was just being silly. He was so normal last night, but this morning he feels off again.¡± She trembled. ¡°I¡¯m worried.¡± She looked into her Maestro¡¯s eyes. He nodded slowly. ¡°I trust you.¡± Grabbing her hands, he committed to their next course of action: ¡°We¡¯ll find him tonight and keep a close watch on him.¡± ¡°Thank you. They¡¯re both good people, I know it.¡± Her hands trembled in Shouri¡¯s grasp. ¡°I have a really really bad feeling about this,¡± she whispered. That was real, from the heart. She was truly scared of whatever she was feeling. ¡°For now, let¡¯s keep this between us ¨C okay?¡± ¡°Yeah. I dunno if Rebby felt it. She hasn¡¯t said anything if she did notice it.¡± ¡°Hrm. Maybe we can talk to Vince about it. He might know something.¡± Pacifica took a deep breath in before letting it out. She squeezed his hands tightly. ¡°Thanks, Sho, you¡¯re the best.¡± She managed to crack a smile for him. ¡°No, you,¡± he chuckled back.
Rebecca looked up from her food. There was something she noticed when Shouri and Pacifica got back that she hadn¡¯t thought about before: Pacifica and Shouri were closer than they let on; same with Taika and Shouri. Her mind began to wander; their Maestro didn¡¯t treat them differently from any other person. Well, that wasn¡¯t true. He treated them better than he treated others. Her gaze slowly shifted to him. He had already polished off his breakfast and was reclined back, using her tuner to browse the web. Has he gotten... intimate with Pacifica and Taika? They traveled without any other Maestros, unlike some others she had been under. There was plenty of time where they were just alone, the three of them. The way they all slept didn¡¯t help dissuade that thought. Rebecca blushed, lowering her head. Would he want to do that with her? ¡°Rebecca, are you okay?¡± Pacifica placed a hand on the fox¡¯s shoulder. ¡°EEP!¡± Rebecca yelped, jumping from the sudden touch. The room went quiet, all eyes on the fire Resonator. ¡°I-I¡¯m fine!¡± she shouted. They all continued to stare. ¡°S-stop looking at me! Keep eating!¡± she barked. Shouri raised a brow but went back to his tuner. ¡°Anyways girls,¡± he spoke up. ¡°I think today we¡¯re going into the city.¡± The red rapidly faded from the humiliated fox¡¯s face as she leaned back, folding her arms across her chest. Embarrassment was replaced by indignation. ¡°Why would we go there?¡± she spoke low, her eyes narrowing to a grimace. Taika opened her mouth to snap at Rebecca, but Shouri raised his hand to silence her. ¡°Rebecca, come with me.¡± He rose from his seat and made his way for the door. Continuing to hold herself, Rebecca quickly studied the other Resonators'' expressions. Taika had crossed her arms, eyes narrowed but locked on Rebecca. Pacifica however furrowed her brows, wrought with worry. Seeing how she probably wasn¡¯t going to get out of this conversation with their Maestro, Rebecca snorted indignantly and decided to just get it over with. She took the walk of shame to the door and departed with their Maestro. Now they stood alone in the hallway. He didn¡¯t immediately face her, however, and began to walk. ¡°Let¡¯s take a walk, Rebecca.¡± Hesitantly she complied and they took a lap around the building, neither speaking a word, lost in their thoughts. The aura around them was so intense the Resonators vacuuming the hallway stopped and stepped to the side to allow the pair to pass. Eventually the duo came to a stop in front of the fitness center where a couple of the janitorial Resonators were cleaning the gym equipment. ¡°Do you want to talk about it?¡± Shouri broke the silence. ¡°Talk about what?¡± She averted her gaze instantly. ¡°Your problem with this city,¡± he stated directly. Once more the vixen clammed up, holding herself. ¡°I promise I won¡¯t judge. I just want to know how to help.¡± A few seconds of awkward silence and shuffling passed before Rebecca found her courage. ¡°This was the city where my mother sold me.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Shouri slowly nodded, the full significance of the event clicking into place for him. ¡°Yeah. ¡°Ah¡± is right. Fuck this city.¡± Rebecca tightened her grip around herself. ¡°I¡¯m a failure of a Renard. I¡¯m not exceptional, just plain and boring.¡± The vixen ground her teeth hard, becoming more frustrated the longer she spoke. ¡°I dunno why you wasted your money on me,¡± she squeaked, the tears breaking free from their dams and flowing down her cheeks. There was a sudden warmth on her face, as Shouri blocked one of the rivers of tears with a finger. ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± he whispered. ¡°You were worth every sharp. Even if you weren¡¯t a Renard, I would have thrown myself into those Scherzando to save you.¡± The Maestro stood up straight, shaking the collected tears from his finger. ¡°So, I don¡¯t want you to degrade yourself over something as silly as a clan name again ¨C ¡®kay?¡± The Renard in question didn¡¯t know what to say. For her entire life, it was practically beaten into her that she was only as valuable as the six letters that came together to make her clan name. This boy though refused that aspect of her, wanting her as a person and not a commodity. Shakily, the vixen nodded in agreement. Perhaps... even she could be healed. ¡°Just know that if we ever meet your mom Pacifica will probably try to throw hands with her,¡± Shouri snorted, covering his mouth. ¡°Eh?¡± Rebecca blinked, thrown off guard by that comment. Shouri couldn¡¯t stifle the laughter. ¡°Pacifica has taken it upon herself to fight all of our parents since we all seem to have some form of parental issues except her,¡± he explained. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. The fire fox cracked a tear-laden smile. ¡°I see.¡±
With the matter of the city settled, the group of four made their way downtown. The trip was pretty peaceful, with Pacifica and Taika taking in the sights while Shouri chatted with Rebecca to keep her distracted. Their stop was one of the transfer centers and they needed to walk a couple of city blocks to reach their destination. ¡°Here we are, ladies.¡± Shouri motioned to a rather fancy-looking storefront - Renoir¡¯s Apparel, it was titled with a bright, practically sparkling sign that hung over the revolving door. ¡°This-¡± Pacifica began. ¡°-looks kinda-¡± Rebecca continued. ¡°-expensive,¡± Taika trailed off. ¡°A bit. But you know what they say ¨C you gotta spend money to make money. Or more accurately I don¡¯t want us getting hurt while trying to fatten our pocketbook,¡± Shouri told his party of Resonators. ¡°Come come.¡± He ushered them inside, despite their trepidation. The trio of girls looked around while Shouri took care of the bureaucracy. It was an odd sort of store ¨C at least for a clothing shop. All manner of clothing stood proudly displayed, though it felt shallow in depth. The building was clearly much larger on the inside than the small storefront they had stepped into. ¡°Welcome to Renoir¡¯s, is this your first time here?¡± a dog boy greeted the trio of girls. ¡°Ah yes!¡± Pacifica took charge. ¡°We¡¯re with our Maestro.¡± Rebecca pointed to Shouri near the front desk. The boy looked back to the Maestro who was chatting with an older woman. ¡°Ah yes. That¡¯s my Maestro Sonia, the owner. I¡¯m Vinci, I¡¯ll be assisting you today as well.¡± The boy curtsied for the girls. Vinci was a small thing, a head shorter than the already petite Taika, but he carried an air of elegance that blended with their high-brow surroundings. ¡°With me please!¡± He motioned for them to follow. The trio looked to their Maestro, who was still discussing the transaction with the store owner it seemed. He gave them a gesture to follow Vinci, so they heeded his command. They were led into the back rooms, specifically to an area with several sectioned-off rooms ¨C here¡¯s where all the space had gone. A helpful sign designated this part of the building as the ¡°changing rooms.¡± ¡°You go here-¡± Vinci pointed Pacifica to the first dressing room ¡°-and you here-¡± Taika to the second. ¡°-and you in here.¡± Rebecca to the third. They entered their assigned rooms and found some plain clothing waiting for them. Just a plain T-shirt and shorts as well as some slippers. It was obvious what was intended. However as they changed out of their everyday wear, the girls noticed something. ¡°This fits well...¡± Pacifica looked herself over in the mirror, tracing her sides with her hands. ¡°How¡¯d he know my size?¡± Rebecca muttered, noting how well her tail fit through the tail slit on the back of her shorts. ¡°Just leave your old clothes in there!¡± They heard Vinci shout over the walls of the dressing rooms. With that matter settled the three Resonators exited the confines of their dressing rooms and looked each other over. This was the first time they were in matching clothes. Pacifica instantly lit up and hugged the two foxes without a word of warning. ¡°H-hey!¡± Rebecca shouted. ¡°Davvero?!¡± Taika yelped. Vinci broke up the festivities with a throat clear. ¡°This way please.¡± He once more gestured for them to follow his lead. Through several hallways they walked, taking in the various paintings and d¨¦cor that hung proudly on the walls. Their final destination was a small suite, where Shouri was waiting for them, dressed similarly ¨C a plain t-shirt, shorts, and slippers. ¡°We all match!¡± Pacifica¡¯s tail wagged joyously at their new ¡°uniforms,¡± Shouri raised a brow, looking to his vixens for advice ¨C they both shook their heads, not understanding Pacifica¡¯s zeal for the temporary outfits. ¡°Anyways, this place specializes in clothing meant for battle. Not only do they make clothes, but from what I read they¡¯re also experts in repairing and reinforcing damaged clothing,¡± he explained to the trio as they sat down with him. Pacifica tilted her head. ¡°Is that cheaper?¡± she guessed. The Maestro nodded. ¡°Very much so. Especially since Taika and I¡¯s outfits were already high-grade battle attire, ours will be done super cheap while yours and Rebecca¡¯s are mid-grade, they can be made as resistant as ours for a small premium.¡± The otter looked down at the borrowed clothing she was wearing. ¡°Yeah, I guess I didn¡¯t ever think about that,¡± she muttered. ¡°Then again, I never really thought I¡¯d end up with a Maestro.¡± Taika slowly nodded, agreeing with that sentiment, while Rebecca lowered herself a bit, her gaze shifting to Shouri. ¡°Either way, let¡¯s just relax for a bit. We should take it where we can,¡± the Maestro in question advised of his traveling companions. ¡°Hey, are these massage chairs?¡± Pacifica questioned, realizing there were controls embedded into the armrest. ¡°Yy-y-y-y-yy-ea-aa-a-ah¡­¡± Rebecca managed to get out as she melted into the vibrating chair. ¡°Oh, press the blue button,¡± Shouri pointed out. Pacifica did as she was instructed and a compartment popped out from the bottom of the seat near her feet. ¡°A foot bath!? No way!¡± She kicked off the slippers and dunked her feet into the warm inviting waters. ¡°Oh, this is awesome¡­¡± ¡°I needed this¡­¡± Taika joined the rest of the group in having her stress and tension be massaged away. It wasn¡¯t too long before Vinci and Sonia returned. ¡°I hope you all have enjoyed our facilities.¡± Sonia smiled. ¡°It¡¯s pretty gooooood¡­¡± Pacifica cooed. ¡°I can¡¯t feel my life, it¡¯s niiiice,¡± Rebecca added. ¡°I didn¡¯t know massages felt this good,¡± Taika chimed in. The store owner giggled ¨C she stepped around the table and presented Shouri with his freshly mended clothing. ¡°I¡¯ve adjusted some of the sizing on these to account for growth, let me know if they¡¯re too loose,¡± Vinci told the Resonators, handing each girl their respective clothing set. ¡°Well, there¡¯s only one way to find out.¡± Shouri looked at his group. ¡°A couple more minutes please,¡± Pacifica demanded. ¡°Five,¡± Rebecca corrected the otter. ¡°Twenty.¡± Taika increased the time. ¡°Giirrrlls¡­¡± Shouri said in that nagging ¡°mom¡± voice. After prying the three Resonators from the lap of luxury they begrudgingly made their way back to the dressing rooms, each disrobing and putting on their refreshed outfits. Rebecca especially noted the snug fit of her clothes. To note though she had been provided an additional box that Taika and Pacifica didn¡¯t receive. Popping the top off it was a new pair of socks and shoes. ¡°Ah...¡± Drawing the shoes out she gave them a thorough inspection. They seemed like her size at first glance. More than that they matched her existing outfit, bearing the same orange and white patterning that her blazer and skirt had. Slipping them on, she noted how comfy they felt while tying them up. Rising to her feet, the vixen scrutinized her reflection in the mirror. Somehow, she felt the refurbished clothes were brighter. Surely, they weren¡¯t that dirty or worn down, right? She found that she was the last one to leave the confines of the dressing rooms. Of course, that put all eyes on her. ¡°Wh-what?¡± She frowned sharply, tail swishing hard. Shouri spoke first. ¡°You look great Rebecca,¡± he spoke gently, with a vigorous, approving nod from Pacifica as well. Taika looked over the other fox and also gave a short nod. ¡°E-eh? It¡¯s not that different!¡± There was part of her that kinda hated how genuine these people were ¨C it was so overwhelming. Chapter 35 It was another muggy night in Corhiasela. Rain or shine work had to be done and for that, Shouri was out once more with his merry band of Resonators. Or mostly merry. ¡°Uuuuuugh why is it so HUMID?!¡± Rebecca was chief bellyacher this evening. ¡°It¡¯s not that bad,¡± Taika commented, shooting a slightly annoyed glance at the complainer in question. ¡°I¡¯m fire, I¡¯m allowed to complain,¡± Rebecca huffed at her lunar counterpart. ¡°I don¡¯t complain when the sun is out,¡± the lunar snipped back. ¡°Well, I-¡± Pacifica stepped between the two foxes. ¡°Enough enough.¡± She ruffled the hair of the other girls. Shouri let out a short sigh, returning attention to the line they were waiting in. He was recalling his conversation with Pacifica earlier in the day. ¡°I keep feeling this... weirdness from him. I can¡¯t really describe it. Just something in the back of my head whispering that something is wrong.¡± Certainly, Cecil was... standoffish this morning. Pacifica had quite a powerful social sense ¨C her strength of rhythm was emotion after all, it was her thing. If she felt there was something wrong with Cecil, there had to be something to that. What could be wrong though? ¡°Next.¡± Shouri jolted out of his thoughts. It was his turn to register for the night¡¯s festivities. His musings would have to wait. Registration complete, they made their way toward their assignment for the evening. Shouri had Rebecca cast Fuoco Fatuo a couple of times to give them some firelight as they walked. It was a nice, peaceful walk - his Resonators chatted idly amongst themselves, a moment¡¯s reprieve from the usual bickering and chaos they wrought. Though they didn¡¯t need to be the source of chaos. ¡°HEY SHOURI!¡± Not as long as one Vince Rayburn was more than willing to disturb the peace. ¡°Hey, Vince,¡± Shouri said, unable to hide the grimace. He was a nice kid, yes, but in the older Maestro¡¯s opinion, could use a mute button. With their appearance, Rebecca noted Pacifica growing slightly uneasy. Shouri too picked up on the otter¡¯s increasing discomfort and the source of the concern ¨C Cecil, who remained ever-present in his Maestro¡¯s shadow. ¡°Actually, Vince, can Pacifica and I talk to you?¡± The veteran Maestro¡¯s gaze shifted slightly, catching Cecil in his periphery. ¡°Alone?¡± The lion man snorted, glaring down his nose at the other Maestro. ¡°Sure!¡± Vince, thankfully was far too trusting. Turning on the ball of his feet, he faced the solar Resonator. ¡°Cecil be good!¡± Ever-innocent Vince didn¡¯t see anything wrong with the request and ran off without the protection of his Resonator. ¡°Rebecca a Fuoco Fatuo please,¡± Shouri requested. The fire Resonator mulled that command over for a moment before directing a ball of fire to follow her Maestro. ¡°Taika, keep an eye on things here,¡± came the second request. The lunar fox nodded, accepting that responsibility. Finally, he looked to Pacifica who nodded and followed him wordlessly. Taika and Rebecca exchanged confused expressions but decided protesting now wasn¡¯t a good idea. Clearly, their Maestro was up to something, and they didn¡¯t want to be obstacles. Out of earshot, Shouri and Pacifica faced Vince, a small orb of fire illuminating the trio. They stood in silence for a moment ¨C the two elders deciding on the best approach to what they perceived to be a sensitive topic. Finally, Shouri went with his gut: ¡°Where did you get Cecil from?¡± The direct approach. Vince tilted his head. What a weird question. ¡°I got him from a collector guy. He had a lot of really cool Resonators, but I didn¡¯t have that much money.¡± Pacifica looked to Shouri. His theory had been spot on - Vince did not, in fact, come from wealth. ¡°The dude was super nice though ¨C he said he liked me and sold me Cecil at a really good price! Cecil is super strong too, was worth every sharp!¡± the younger Maestro went on to exclaim. Beating around the bush would get them nowhere. Pacifica too, got direct: ¡°Does anything seem... off about Cecil to you?¡± she hesitantly inquired. At that moment, for just a fraction of a second, Vince hardened. Most people would have missed such a subtle expression shift, but not Pacifica. ¡°Of course not!¡± Vince laughed in his usual innocent way. Though the otter knew better. Unlike before, where he was innocent, now he was merely playing dumb. It was honestly a bit shocking that he even had the capacity to lie. And Shouri wasn¡¯t one to play games. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you can tell, but I care a lot about Resonators. If there¡¯s something wrong, you can tell me. I just want to help,¡± he urged. The smile faded from Vince¡¯s lips. ¡°N-no man, everything¡¯s fine, honest,¡± he continued the charade. Shouri looked to Pacifica who had bitten her bottom lip. Sure, they hadn¡¯t been together too long, but due in part to what they had been through, he knew how to read her. ¡°If we keep going, he¡¯s going to stop trusting us.¡± That¡¯s what her body language was telling him. He didn¡¯t like it, but Shouri knew when to fold. ¡°Okay, if you insist.¡± The elder Maestro nodded. ¡°I must just be tired, sorry Vince.¡± Pacifica faked a smile. Thankfully, Vince wasn¡¯t the most discerning individual and accepted their backing off at face value. ¡°It¡¯s okay! I know it¡¯s kinda crazy for someone like me to get an Albright, but I swear Cecil is really good, I like him a lot!¡± The boy beamed proudly. ¡°Oh yeah, totes!¡± Pacifica nodded. Shouri shot a glance at his otter. She was really good at that fake smile, not that it was going to fool him. Thankfully, it did work on Vince.
¡°L''onda di tempesta, Rallentando.¡± ¡°Flusso del Vento, Piano!¡± The night was going well, Shouri and his Resonators providing support for Vince as Cecil finished off any trapped Scherzando. It was quite the slick operation. The support spells didn¡¯t cost that much rhythm, and practically speaking they were carrying Vince and Cecil, basically turbo training their powerful attack spells. ¡°Good job!¡± Shouri praised the younger Maestro. When he actually listened, Vince wasn¡¯t half bad. Though, it seemed that the two Maestros had bit off more than they could chew. ¡°Sho!¡± Taika grabbed her Maestro¡¯s arm. Looking at the vixen, he noted her panic. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°The map! The map!¡± She urged. He quickly heeded her demand and refreshed their tracking app. ¡°Oh... shit.¡± Shouri spun around. Though there wasn¡¯t an immediate visible threat, the map didn¡¯t lie. They were surrounded. ¡°Shouri what¡¯s wrong?¡± Vince asked, not liking the way the elder Maestro was whipping about. ¡°Let¡¯s not panic, but we may have fucked up,¡± Shouri advised. ¡°H-how?¡± Vince gulped. Turns out he was shakable, holding his bright white tuner to his chest, eyes darting around in a panic. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°We¡¯re surrounded,¡± he revealed. Pacifica and Rebecca joined Taika, huddling close to their Maestro and watching their surroundings carefully. Rebecca had a couple of fire lights surrounding them, she spread them a bit further out so the non-lunars could see. Despite this, the Scherzando remained hidden. ¡°Are you absolutely sure?¡± Rebecca looked at Taika. ¡°I wish I wasn¡¯t.¡± Taika gritted her teeth. ¡°We¡¯re totally surrounded?¡± Pacifica asked for clarification. ¡°They¡¯re closing in pretty tight.¡± The lunar vixen balled up her fists tight, the sweat dripping down her face as she kept refreshing the detection spell, Rilevare l''intenzione, to keep tabs on the many Scherzando bearing down on their location. ¡°What should we do Mr. Tomoshibi?¡± Cecil asked the tenured Maestro. Shouri looked between the four Resonators he had access to. He didn¡¯t know the arsenal of solar spells all that well. Only the ones Vince had Cecil use. For now, he''d keep Cecil as the damage dealer. Licking his lips, Shouri knew this was going to get technical. The top priority was to break through and run. Unfortunately, the thinnest part of the line was the northern group of Scherzando. Base camp was directly south. ¡°Fuckers need to stop being so smart,¡± Shouri grumbled irritatedly as he continued to study the map. Taking in a deep breath, he needed to start doling out commands. ¡°Rebecca, you¡¯ll be covering our north ¨C we need to escape south.¡± Rebecca nodded, with her ad-Lib, she was the fastest and able to use her own rhythm to fight in a pinch. Shouri didn¡¯t need to say anything further. ¡°Cecil and Vince, you¡¯ll take point and bust through the southern group.¡± The solar pair nodded, that¡¯s already what they had been doing, so no changes there. ¡°Taika, La Bella Vita, Rubato; if things get hairy-¡± ¡°Keep everyone alive, capito!¡± ¡°Pacifica-¡± ¡°I won¡¯t leave your side.¡± The otter was just as nervous as he was, but she wasn¡¯t leaving him come hell or high water, and that¡¯s exactly where he wanted her: the last line of defense. Shouri slowly nodded. Checking the map, the Scherzando would only give them another minute or so. It was now or never. ¡°When I have Rebecca shore up our back, we¡¯ll make a break for it ¨C ready?¡± ¡°Ready!¡± came the five shouts. ¡°Anello di Fuoco, Tenuto!¡± Shouri commanded. Rebecca stomped the ground, creating a wall of fire northward. That¡¯d stop them from being immediately encircled. ¡°Flusso del Vento, Piano Staccato! Go Cecil! Go!¡± Vince dished out his command. The solar lion unleashed a flurry of hard wind blades southward. The younger Maestro gritted his teeth; it was a lot of rhythm all at once, but it had to be done. ¡°Pacifica, Ghiacciolo, Rubato.¡± Shouri whispered to the Resonator by his side. She nodded, flexing the digits of her hands, ready at a moment¡¯s notice to strike. ¡°Let¡¯s move!¡± Shouri barked out as the southern flank of beasts began to thin. Slowly they began their trek back to the base camp and with it, the safety of the other Maestros and their Resonators. The Scherzando as always hungered and continued their attacks ¨C seeing their prey moving they began to jump from their hiding spots, attempting to take advantage of the group¡¯s movement. Shouri¡¯s Resonators wouldn¡¯t let that happen, Rebecca was quick in apprehending any Scherzando in her range, with Taika close behind keeping a persistent heal on the fire fox. Meanwhile, Pacifica was watching the east and west, sniping any brave Scherzando deciding dinner time was now. ¡°Fuck,¡± Shouri breathed out, pushing back his greying bangs. ¡°Shouri are you okay?¡± Vince asked, brows raised in concern. ¡°Yeah, just... maintaining three Resonators is tough in a situation like this,¡± he admitted. Pacifica gritted her teeth. They had made some progress, but it was slow. Taika remained entirely focused on her healing of Rebecca. That wasn¡¯t to say the fire Resonator had gotten careless ¨C she was doing a fantastic job keeping the rear of their escape free from Scherzando. However, in doing so, her ad-Lib was still damaging her. It was the trade-off for being able to fight on her own. What¡¯s more, Pacifica was also a drain on Shouri, the east and west flanks sending a steady stream of Scherzando. It was a battle of attrition, and the Scherzando seemed to know that. ¡°We¡¯re close, keep going!¡± Shouri barked. And so they trudged on; Cecil leading the way with his wind magic. That was until- THWACK! -their line was broken. Cecil flew back into Vince, and the two went to the ground. ¡°Sh-shit! Pacifica!¡± Shouri shouted as the Scherzando descended upon the fallen pair. ¡°On it!¡± The otter darted away from her Maestro and formed a huge cluster of ice needles, throwing them at a lunar-element Scherzando that led the charge against Cecil and Vince. ¡°SHO!¡± Taika cried out as she saw Scherzando from the now uncovered east and west sides jump on the chance to get at the vulnerable Maestro. ¡°SHOURI!¡± Rebecca immediately abandoned her post and blazed past Taika to jump onto Shouri and try to protect him with her own body. Taika herself was rushing over to do the same but wasn¡¯t going to make it in time. Time slowed to a crawl. Was this it? Was it over? ¡°GRAVE TORCITORE, FEROCE!¡± Pacifica stopped in place, her eyes widening. Her heart practically stopped. What was this sinister feeling? This feeling of absolute dread? And why was it coming from... Cecil? From his position on the ground, Cecil held out his hand and pointed just above Shouri and Rebecca, where the Scherzando were pouncing onto. A violent stream of wind blasted through the area, blades of lightless wind ripped and shredded through the Scherzando like they were nothing. The nearby trees were not spared from the frenzied assault, leaving many deep gashes within them along with rending away many leaves and branches. All of this unfolded in a matter of seconds. Even so, the vast majority of Scherzando that had circled them were eliminated with that one spell. Rebecca lifted herself off Shouri, though they were both okay, they had been rendered speechless. Taika too couldn¡¯t find her voice ¨C she had reached her Maestro and fellow Resonator and simply fell to her knees next to them. With the threat all but eliminated, Pacifica slowly approached Cecil and Vince, who had sat up. Vince gripped his chest tightly, coming down from the adrenaline rush. Cecil stared at his hands, though his expression showed apathy towards what he had done, his hands shook rather violently and seemed like they were emitting a kind of strange, unnatural smoke. Finding her courage, Pacifica took in a breath and addressed the Maestro who had saved her own. ¡°Vince... what was that spell?¡± the otter asked. ¡°Ah... promise you won¡¯t tell anyone about it.¡± Chapter 36 ¡°It¡¯s a special spell that only shows up whenever I¡¯m in trouble. I can¡¯t find anything about it online.¡± ¡°The guy who sold Cecil to me said not to show it to anyone or tell anyone about it.¡± ¡°Well yeah, I thought it was kinda weird, but it¡¯s super-duper strong and it has saved my butt a ton.¡± Vince¡¯s half-explanation didn¡¯t ease the concern of Shouri and his Resonators. They managed to get back safely, thanks to the timely casting of the strange spell, Grave Torcitore. The user in question didn¡¯t know too much about it. Just that it was a sort of ¡°pinch¡± spell that showed up when he found himself in a sticky situation, and during no other time. ¡°It¡¯s evil,¡± Pacifica finally broke the silence. The group of Shouri and his Resonators had made their way back to their room in silence. They had all almost died out there, but that wasn¡¯t even what was bothering them. They all sat around the coffee table, Shouri and Pacifica on the couch, while the two foxes of the group each took up one of the recliners. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Rebecca asked. ¡°That spell is evil. I... could feel Cecil being consumed by it. It¡¯s evil.¡± She hugged herself tightly, pushing tears down her face as she closed her eyes. Shouri moved over and pulled Pacifica into his arms. She buried her face in his chest, trembling. Taika grimaced, averting her gaze. ¡°My spells have been called evil,¡± she mumbled. ¡°No!¡± Pacifica suddenly shouted, locking eyes with the raven-haired fox. ¡°Lunar spells aren¡¯t evil. They¡¯re dark, sure, but darkness is natural!¡± The otter continued to cry as she spoke. Taika was taken aback, her face flushed. ¡°This felt like actual evil, unnatural, wrong,¡± the water element clarified. Shouri sighed, stroking the otter¡¯s hair as she continued to tremble. ¡°It was hella strong whatever it was.¡± Rebecca paused, mulling over that thought. ¡°Though...¡± She covered her mouth for a moment, really thinking over her choice of words. ¡°Maybe it was the heat of the moment.¡± Another pause. ¡°It didn¡¯t feel like Vince had to use that much rhythm to cast that.¡± Now that Rebecca mentioned it, she was onto something. ¡°Yeah...¡± Shouri pulled up Pacifica¡¯s tuner, examining his reflection in the glass screen. Half of his normally thick brunet hair was an ashy white at the present ¨C a testament to the sheer volume of rhythm he had used up in their escape attempt. And he would have used more if it wasn¡¯t for Rebecca (who was currently nursing some burns she had gotten from overtaxing herself). Even using a spell as powerful as Grave Torcitore (one which wiped out nearly all the Scherzando and dished out significant damage to the trees around them) Vince¡¯s hair didn¡¯t have any greying. He could cast that devastating spell multiple times. ¡°Either way, Vince wasn¡¯t bullshitting ¨C there is absolutely nothing online about this spell. It basically doesn¡¯t exist.¡± Shouri returned the blue tuner to his side to focus on consoling the still distraught Pacifica. The room fell to silence. ¡°Let¡¯s try to get some sleep,¡± Shouri decided. There was no protest from the other occupants of the room. Despite all that was on their minds, they were exhausted and they knew too little about the strange spell to ruminate on it any further. Pacifica refused to release Shouri ¨C she was simply upset and needed consolation. Rebecca and Taika didn¡¯t argue and took their spots on the outside edges ¨C Rebecca claiming Shouri¡¯s back, and Taika Pacifica¡¯s. Slowly, the poor stressed-out otter calmed down and even managed to break a small smile as she nuzzled her face into her beloved Maestro¡¯s chest to drift off to sleep.
¡°Wh-where are we Pacifica?¡± Shouri spoke as he came to. ¡°I... dunno.¡± Pacifica turned her head to and fro. Surrounding them was a dense, unclearable fog. The kind of haze that swallowed even the brightest of light after only a couple paces away from it. There were no discernible landmarks, just a seemingly endless void, and the cold, uncaring mist. The otter shivered, hugging herself and rubbing her arms in a vain attempt to warm herself. She could see her breath as she exhaled, a testament to how cool it was. She looked to her Maestro, face reddening slightly. She sidled up next to him. ¡°Cold?¡± ¡°Very.¡± He wrapped his arms around her, keeping a tight grip on her while he tried to figure out their situation. What even happened to them? How did they get here? All three of his tuners were missing and both of them were in their bed clothes. Taika and Rebecca were nowhere to be seen ¨C they were all alone. It was so very strange. ¡°Let¡¯s try to find somewhere to get out of the cold,¡± Pacifica suggested. ¡°Yeah.¡± Shouri nodded. Hand in hand, the pair walked, though there remained nothing recognizable outside of one another. ¡°This is seriously creeping me out Sho.¡± The otter squeezed her Maestro¡¯s hand. Their voices were muffled by the unending blanket of fog. Shouri noted the warmth of Pacifica¡¯s hand. It was such a vivid feeling; he couldn¡¯t help but squeeze her hand back in affirmation that he was still there. No matter how long they walked though, it felt like they weren¡¯t making any progress. ¡°Sho, it¡¯s so cold.¡± Pacifica trembled, teeth chattering. He wasn¡¯t sure what to do. If he had his jacket, he would have handed it over in a heartbeat. He gripped his head with his free hand. He couldn¡¯t recall anything specific about how they had gotten into this situation. What happened to Taika and Rebecca? Was anyone even looking for them? ¡°Let¡¯s try to sit and think,¡± he decided. They found a wall they could lean against, and Shouri slumped to the ground. Pacifica dismissed her shyness and sat on his lap wrapping herself around his form as much as she could. ¡°C-cold,¡± she whimpered, a few tears escaping her tightly closed eyes. He returned her embrace in kind. She was shivering so much. ¡°I¡¯m here Paci...¡± he whispered. ¡°Sho...¡± Her tremors began to slow, and her pained expression eased. ¡°Sho...¡± she breathed out, now more of a coo. ¡°Feel better?¡± The Maestro smiled. ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re so warm.¡± Without realizing it she began to nuzzle his face, making him much warmer than he was her. ¡°I-I¡¯m glad Paci,¡± he managed to utter. They remained this way for a bit. With no clock or sky to inform the passage of time, it could have been minutes or even years. Either way, they became cognizant of their surroundings once again when a low, guttural growl hit their ears. ¡°What was that?!¡± Shouri perked up. ¡°Was that your stomach?¡± Pacifica asked hopefully. ¡°N-not at all.¡± A frigid gale blew over them, though despite the movement of the air the fog hung in place like a permanent fixture. The pair shivered, chilled by the sudden unexpected winds. Grrrrrrrrr The bestial growl grew louder. Whatever lurked in the mist was coming closer. Shouri scrambled to his feet with Pacifica. A shadow began to take shape within the fog. A large, beast-like shape, a Scherzando. Shouri¡¯s hand brushed his side, his fingers gliding over the waistband of his shorts. His stomach sank instantly; that¡¯s right, he had no tuners. But they weren¡¯t defenseless. His hand whipped up to Pacifica¡¯s back, his rhythm connecting with hers instantly. ¡°L''onda di tempesta, Accelerando!¡± he declared. The Maestro didn¡¯t think they could overpower the beast, but certainly, they could push it in the opposite direction with the river spell. ¡°Wh-why?!¡± Pacifica held her hands out, but the usual stream of water wasn¡¯t forming. The otter¡¯s desperation was evident as she turned to him, eyes at their maximum width. ¡°I feel your rhythm in me but-!¡± SLAM The features of the Scherzando became clearer as it drew near. It was a lion adorned in white. A solar Scherzando. With a great roar, it unleashed a maelstrom of bladed air. The attack itself missed the duo. However, the mere wake of the spell that was left behind as it passed by was enough to throw Pacifica and Shouri off their feet and a small distance away. ¡°Pacifica!¡± ¡°My spells don¡¯t work!¡± Now totally out of options, they scrambled to their feet and began to run. They had no destination in mind, they just fled in terror. The predator merely watched its quarry¡¯s pitiful attempt at escape, almost relishing in the futility of the endeavor. Lowering its body to the ground, it suddenly sprung into the air, landing directly in Shouri and Pacifica¡¯s path. A combination of the earth-shaking landing and the sudden appearance of the beast sent the pair to the ground, where they lay in a heap. Before Shouri could get off of Pacifica, a massive paw pinned them down. A gentle, but firm force pushing the air out of their lungs. The next act in their torment was the beast slowly extending its claws. ¡°AHH!¡± Shouri cried out as his shoulders were pierced by the swords affixed to the beast¡¯s feet. Going through her Maestro, the otter felt their sting next. ¡°AAAAAUGH!¡± she screamed as now her arms were penetrated by the natural weapons. Neither of the two had any air left to utter a cry as their life force drained and pooled underneath them in a sticky, sickly soup, all whilst they tried and failed to gasp for any amount of life-giving breath. All while the white lion smiled sadistically over their inability to mount any form of meaningful resistance. Everything began to dim, growing colder. Despite it all, Pacifica pushed her being, the fading vestiges of her rhythm towards her Maestro. After all, she said she would be with him to the very end, and what was this but... their end? ¡°Pa-ci...¡± ¡°Sh...o...¡± ¡­ ¡°Wa.. ...¡± ¡°..ke up ...se!¡± ¡°Plea..! ... ..ve to wake up!¡± Warm. It was suddenly so very warm. She was holding a comforting warmth. Her Maestro¡¯s rhythm, she could feel it so clearly. ¡°Pacifica! Shouri!¡± That was Taika crying out for them? ¡°This isn¡¯t fucking funny! Wake up!¡± And Rebecca too? Was her mind tricking her? Or maybe her life was flashing before her eyes? She tightened her vice grip around her Maestro; she¡¯d never let go of Shouri. God himself would have to come down from heaven on high to tear them apart. ¡°I-I think we¡¯re safe Paci...¡± Shouri¡¯s voice whispered into her ears. She could feel his breath tickle her. It had to be real. She so desperately wanted this to be real. Finally, she allowed her eyes to open and loosened her hold over her beloved Maestro. It took a moment of the two staring at one another for their brains to finally piece together that they were back in reality. Back in the Maestro Affairs Office they had fallen asleep in. Free from the cold. Free from the pain. ¡°A dream?¡± they both whispered. ¡°We dreamt together?¡± They each had the same thought. ¡°What the fuck happened?¡± Finally recognizing Rebecca¡¯s voice, the dreamers realized that there were others in the room besides the two of them. Rebecca quickly rubbed away her tears, exchanging her concern for indignation. ¡°You two started screaming,¡± the fire Resonator clarified, sniffling while maintaining a glare. Taika was still crying but managed to speak calmly despite the rivers of water pouring down her face. ¡°We couldn¡¯t wake you up no matter what we tried.¡± Shouri looked at the otter still clinging to them. He himself could feel the sweat drenching him, and the tears that soaked his face. Pacifica seemed to be in the same condition and kept a grip on his shirt. BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP! The four looked to the nightstand, where Pacifica¡¯s tuner specifically was lit up, beeping, and vibrating all at once. Nobody moved to silence the device. ¡°R-Rebecca, could you-?¡± Shouri pointed to the blue tuner. ¡°Sure.¡± She crawled over and retrieved the device for her Maestro, presenting it to him. As soon as it was in its owner¡¯s hand, it ceased the racket. The device was showing the spell screen for Pacifica. Idrante Pianissimo ¨C Piano ¨C Forte ¨C Fortissimo (New!) Ghiacciolo Pianissimo ¨C Piano ¨C Forte ¨C Fortissimo (New!) Shouri and Pacifica stared at the two (New!)¡¯s, flabbergasted. ¡°She has Fortissimo spells,¡± he revealed to the two confused foxes. ¡°Fortissimo?¡± Taika furrowed her brow. ¡°It¡¯s the strongest your attack spells can get, they¡¯re stupidly hard to unlock,¡± Rebecca clarified for her fellow fox. ¡°You said spells, as in plural.¡± She turned to Shouri. He nodded. ¡°Both her basic attacks are maxed.¡± ¡°I sure don¡¯t feel strong right now,¡± Pacifica sniveled, her fists trembling from how tightly she was gripping his shirt. Rebecca frowned hard. Theoretically, from what she understood about this group, Rebecca was supposed to be the senior Resonator, but here was this otter who had the audacity to unlock Fortissimo-level spells. Her tail flicked behind her in irritation. ¡°So, what happened?¡± the ombr¨¦ fox inquired. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. The fiery Resonator¡¯s annoyance subsided as Shouri and Pacifica recalled the contents of their dream. It sounded hellish in all honesty. As the story went on though, the two telling the story slowly grew quieter, looking at each other with intensifying perplexation. ¡°Wait, I¡¯m confused,¡± Taika finally chimed in. ¡°It sounded like you¡¯re saying you had the same dream,¡± the lunar fox pointed out. ¡°I think we did,¡± they spoke in unison. Their jaws snapped shut, once more looking at one another.
Despite it being four in the morning, neither Shouri nor Pacifica wanted to go back to sleep. They were both physically and mentally exhausted, but even in such a miserable state, they were both wired. Rebecca and Taika were similarly tuckered out, having survived the same Scherzando attack mere hours before, and while they were worried about their Maestro and fellow Resonator, they couldn¡¯t stay awake. Locking up the room, Shouri kept all three tuners on him. Still dressed in their nightwear, he looked to Pacifica. She was a wreck, just like he was. Dark bags under her eyes, and that dream had damaged her rhythm to such an extent that her hair was greying just like his was. ¡°What are we gonna do?¡± she asked. ¡°I dunno.¡± He reached out and grabbed her hand, interlocking fingers with hers. ¡°Let¡¯s just walk for now.¡± ¡°I hope it¡¯s actually peaceful this time.¡± The pair wandered around the Maestro¡¯s quarters for a little while, dead to the world. There wasn¡¯t anyone about this hour, most of the traveling Maestros had finished work a couple of hours ago and were sleeping peacefully. There were a couple of Resonators employed by the MA Office wandering around with cups of coffee in hand - probably just starting their maintenance shifts for the morning. ¡°Sho,¡± Pacifica spoke up. ¡°Does this MA Office have a pool?¡± Her voice was but a breath, the usual zeal for life sapped entirely from it. ¡°I think so.¡± ¡°Can we go?¡± To address that desire, they left the confines of building A in search of a pool. Corhiasela in late May was definitely in the summer attitude, it was already warm outside even at four in the morning. What¡¯s more, thanks to the coastal nature of the city, it was quite humid. Shouri¡¯s complement of Resonators granted him immunities and resistance to all of the things the warm summer night could throw at him, so he was unbothered by it. Pacifica was just numb. She refused to release the only thing she could feel: her Maestro. A bit of wandering around campus eventually led them to the third building on-site, which housed the aquatics wing of the facility. ¡°Ah...¡± Pacifica managed to crack a weak smile seeing the freshly cleaned pools. ¡°Sho. Soak with me please,¡± she pleaded. ¡°But...¡± he trailed off, looking his otter over ¨C in a rare twist, she wasn¡¯t prepared to swim; she was clad in her baby blue shell-patterned pajama shirt and shorts. He then took inventory of his own attire - A pair of gym shorts and a white t-shirt, acceptable in some circles as ¡°appropriate swimming attire¡± but not all. Plus, they didn¡¯t even have towels, so they¡¯d be walking back through the main office soaking wet. ¡°Please Sho. I didn¡¯t want to ask in the room. I just want to soak with you.¡± She gripped the bottom of her shirt. ¡°I need water right now.¡± Lowering her head, she spoke out one more request. ¡°I need you,¡± she squeaked. Shouri averted his gaze, shuffling in place awkwardly. She did raise a compelling argument (being irresistibly adorable and all). ¡°I suppose it¡¯s for our health.¡± He cleared his throat. ¡°Yes yes, we both recover faster in water, since I¡¯m your Maestro and all.¡± He glanced at the hot tubs nearby and their inviting bubbly jets. ¡°I mean it wouldn¡¯t hurt, just for a little bit,¡± he muttered. With her Maestro¡¯s hesitant approval, she shed her sandals and jumped in. ¡°Ahhh my friend I missed you so dearly.¡± Pacifica made herself comfortable, sitting back against the wall of the mini-pool with her arms resting on the side. She cast her weary gaze over her shoulder. ¡°Come on in, the water¡¯s fine.¡± Shouri averted his eyes, face reddening. ¡°Hm?¡± Pacifica raised a brow. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± He pointed to his chest and then pointed at her. ¡°Hm?¡± She looked down. ¡°Ah.¡± Her face reddened, and not because of the hot tub. As it turned out, her pajama top was not designed for aquatic use and left little to the imagination as her undergarments bled through, clearly visible. ¡°It¡¯s okay Sho,¡± Pacifica squeaked. ¡°A bra and a bikini are basically the same thing, right?¡± she chuckled sheepishly, trying more so to convince herself over her Maestro. With a resigned sigh, he kicked his shoes off and slipped into the water himself. Pacifica wrapped herself around his arm, leaning on him. ¡°Isn¡¯t this nice?¡± she cooed. ¡°Yeah,¡± he exhaled, leaning back and relaxing himself. ¡°Thank you, Sho.¡± ¡°Of course, we both heal in water, right?¡± ¡°No, I mean for being my Maestro.¡± The Maestro in question gulped hard. He felt her tail wrap around him from the side. ¡°You¡¯re my best friend Sho; you and Taika,¡± she whispered, slightly tightening her grasp around him. His heart was definitely racing. ¡°You too. You, Taika, and Rebecca,¡± he decided. Under the water, he found Pacifica¡¯s hand and took grasp of it. ¡°Basically, like family.¡± He rested his head on Pacifica¡¯s; she didn¡¯t reject the gesture.
¡°HEY!¡± And suddenly Pacifica and Shouri were violently thrust back into the waking world by a dull pain. One of the pool staff had found them and was poking them with the handle of a pool net. ¡°WAKE UP!¡± Along with the yelling of a very irritated employee. ¡°We¡¯re up, we¡¯re up,¡± Pacifica groaned, attempting to swat the pole away from them. Still exhausted, the pair managed to gather enough strength to get out of the hot tub. Still soaked and barely managing to hold each other up, the employee laid into them ¡°YOU ACTUALLY WERE SLEEPING?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m a water Resonator, we¡¯re fine.¡± Pacifica tried to defend their actions. ¡°YOU COULD HAVE RUN OUT OF RHYTHM.¡± ¡°I was touching my Maestro, it¡¯s okay.¡± She pointed out ¡°NO IT¡¯S NOT! THIS WAS RECKLESS AND DANGEROUS!¡± Shouri stared at the man yelling at them blankly. The only thing running through his sleep-deprived mind was busting down a sick dance move. Yeah, that would really show this old man. ¡°AND YOU!¡± Suddenly said old man directed his ire at Shouri. ¡°YOU¡¯RE HER MAESTRO WHY ARE YOU-¡± ¡°I have a fire and water Resonator ¨C I resist heat and heal in water.¡± He yawned, flashing the red and blue tuners he possessed. ¡°Didn¡¯t think it¡¯d be a problem.¡± He looked to where their shoes were. ¡°Can we go now? We won¡¯t fall asleep in the hot tub again.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll just use the main pool next time,¡± Pacifica muttered spitefully under her breath ¡°Just GO.¡± The man pointed to the door. Too tired to deal with being yelled at by a grouchy pool cleaner, Pacifica and Shouri quickly made their escape. Night had passed into morning, or at least enough for the sun to have risen. Though given the time of year it was, the sun cleared the horizon quite early. A check of a tuner revealed it was only around 6:20 in the morning or so. ¡°Let¡¯s get Rebby and Taika breakfast at least,¡± Pacifica suggested with a yawn. At least for the moment, her upbeat mood seemed to be back. Shouri smiled. ¡°Sure.¡± However, the cafeteria staff weren¡¯t giving them kindly stares as the sodden pair trekked pool water into the previously clean dining hall. Shouri wanted to give them a piece of his mind ¨C Pacifica was a water Resonator after all, why would any of them be surprised that they¡¯d come to get food after (presumably) an early morning swim? If Taika were here he¡¯d probably have verbalized that instead of just thinking about it. Either way, they were just shooting him nasty looks ¨C which weren¡¯t illegal (as far as he knew). So he decided to not shave another couple of years off of Pacifica¡¯s life and let them have their petty glares. Or maybe he should have started something, as when the pair made their exit, they ran into the people they didn¡¯t want to see at the moment. Vince and Cecil. Well, they didn¡¯t know they didn¡¯t want to see this particular duo until they locked eyes with Cecil. Instantly Pacifica ducked behind Shouri, whimpering quietly as she gripped his shirt for dear life. ¡°Good... morning Shouri?¡± Vince raised a brow. He wasn¡¯t the most perceptive young man (in fact it could be said he was as oblivious as a runaway train), but even he could see how on edge Shouri and Pacifica appeared. The elder Maestro gulped hard. ¡°V-Vince,¡± he mumbled quietly, eyes locked on Cecil. And it seemed the lion man was in a sour mood himself, carrying quite the scowl. He even let out a low growl which earned a loud squeak and whimper from Pacifica as she tried to hide further from the lion man. ¡°I-is everything okay?¡± Vince asked uneasily. Shouri didn¡¯t want to lie to the kid, but in the same respect, he didn¡¯t need to know about their personal affairs. ¡°We had some bad sleep.¡± He held up their breakfast. ¡°Got some food, gonna get some z¡¯s,¡± he said simply. Vince nodded slowly. ¡°Yeah, I guess not everyone sleeps as well as I do,¡± he blurted out. Continuing that line of thought, ¡°Cecil says I sleep like a log buried in peat,¡± the Maestro boasted. ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Shouri could do nothing with that comment but smile and nod. ¡°A-anyways, gonna get going before breakfast gets cold.¡± ¡°Yeah, see ya.¡± Shouri and Pacifica kept a vigilant watch on the other pair as they departed. When the lion and his tamer were out of sight, Pacifica turned Shouri around and cried into his chest. He was also unnerved by the encounter and held his poor stressed-out Resonator tightly. ¡°Excuse me.¡± They were still in public after all, and a boy consoling a sobbing girl would raise some eyebrows, or at the very least attract some attention. Regardless, Shouri was still indignant about suddenly being approached. ¡°Can I help you?¡± he asked curtly. ¡°I was wondering if everything is alright. Was that boy bothering you?¡± A second pair had approached them: a Maestro and Resonator. Though unlike the young Vince and dour Cecil, these were most certainly seasoned adventurers, probably in their mid-twenties to possibly early thirties. Either way, they were both kind of plainly dressed, with dress shirts and slacks for the both of them. That being said, these two were in shape. Both man and woman were well toned carrying impressive musculature. At initial glance, it was difficult to tell which one of the pair was the Maestro and which was the Resonator. After a moment, Shouri pinned the Resonator down to the man, he had an ever so slight pull on his rhythm, like most Resonators did. Though at a distance he¡¯d be unable to tell this man apart from any other Maestro as there wasn¡¯t any obvious indicator of a species being shown off (such as ears or a tail) Complicating things further, the woman, the actual Maestro of the pair had their tuner hidden. ¡°M-maybe not the boy, but his Resonator,¡± Pacifica admitted quietly, clinging to her Maestro for dear life. ¡°Yes, those lions are rare and powerful indeed.¡± The mysterious Maestro nodded in agreement. ¡°Quite. There are a few with some rare spells exchanging hands,¡± the Resonator noted to his Maestro. ¡°Right, what was it? Grave... Grave... Grave something?¡± Shouri and Pacifica¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Grave... Torcitore?¡± Shouri uttered without thinking. ¡°Yes! That was it!¡± The woman looked quite pleased, though she kept her attention on her conversational partner rather than the other pair. ¡°I heard it¡¯s a sickeningly dangerous spell.¡± She told her Resonator. ¡°One that devours the Resonator from the inside with each cast.¡± ¡°Wait what?!¡± Pacifica cried out. ¡°What do you know about that spell?¡± Shouri also chimed in. At that point, the man and woman looked down on Pacifica and Shouri. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, this is a private conversation,¡± the woman said suddenly. ¡°Good day.¡± And as quickly as the conversation started, it was over as the mysterious pair simply walked away, leaving a flabbergasted Shouri and Pacifica alone with their thoughts. ¡°What... the fuck?¡± Shouri finally managed some words. ¡°Sh-sho...¡± Pacifica grabbed his arm and shook him, gaze still transfixed on where the enigmatic interlopers had departed to. ¡°Sho; Vince and Cecil are in danger, what do we do?¡± she asked. Shouri ground his teeth. ¡°Come on, we gotta find them.¡± Grabbing her hand, they went back into the building they had just left, in search of Vince and Cecil. Chapter 37 Taika slowly opened her eyes. It was early, probably about seven or eight in the morning from her guess based on how bright the room was. Rebecca was sleeping peacefully nearby. More pressingly though, their Maestro and fellow Resonator were still missing. She recalled Shouri had said he and Pacifica were going to go on a short walk and come back, at least that¡¯s what the lunar Resonator remembered. Or maybe she dreamt that? Either way here they were not. Slipping out of bed, Taika couldn¡¯t find their shoes, and their daily wear was still sitting on the dresser where they had left them the night before. She considered going to look for them. However, nature was calling, as it did in the morning, and for that the vixen pardoned herself to the restroom. Business handled and hands freshly washed, Taika returned to priority one: finding her Maestro and friend. She slipped on her shoes, ready to go hunt them down (or at the very least put out a missing persons notice). She only got as far as the door however when she was halted by a loud beep. Stepping away from the door, it slowly swung open to reveal the missing persons in question, though much much worse for wear. Clad in their night clothes, Shouri and Pacifica were stained with a combination of pool water and sweat. The breakfast bags they carried were in a state of disrepair, having been swung around during their outing. And the pair themselves looked dead on their feet. Slumped over slightly, hair matted and disheveled, and of course deep, dark bags around their eyes. They looked like they could collapse any second now. ¡°Sho, Paci, are you okay?!¡± Taika rushed forward to catch them as their legs finally gave out. She was able to ease them to the ground, but only barely as they were dead weight. ¡°What happened?!¡± the distressed fox asked her friends ¡°Evil...¡± Pacifica muttered, grasping Taika¡¯s shirt with a trembling fist. ¡°Vince is in trouble...¡± Shouri placed a hand on Taika¡¯s shoulder. Taika looked between her two dear friends as they deteriorated in her arms. What was happening? What could she even do? What should she do? This was all so much, so she turned her head back towards the room behind her, took in a deep breath, and swallowed her pride. ¡°REBECCA HELP!¡±
¡°What the fuck happened to them?¡± Rebecca asked Taika. Shouri and Pacifica had been laid in bed and clung to one another as soon as they were. Despite this, they were both knocked out. Taika sat on the edge of the bed, dutifully watching over her friend¡¯s sleep with concern practically dripping from her face. After a moment of this, she decided to address her fire counterpart¡¯s inquiry. ¡°I dunno. They smell kinda like pool water,¡± the lunar Resonator noted. ¡°Well, she is a water, not too surprising I guess,¡± Rebecca hummed. Looking back to the coffee table, their breakfast lay untouched since they had set it there while attention to Shouri and Pacifica. The fire fox meandered over and popped open one of the take-out containers. The contents of which had been shaken up and stirred like a mixed drink. ¡°Put these things through hell,¡± she commented. Bending over she stuck a finger in the scrambled eggs. ¡°Blech, cold too. How long were they carrying these around?¡± She looked back to Taika, who hadn¡¯t taken her eyes off the sleeping pair. ¡°Not sure. But what they said worries me,¡± Taika muttered. ¡°What did they say?¡± Rebecca raised a brow. ¡°Paci said ¡®Evil¡¯ and Sho said ¡®Vince is in trouble¡¯.¡± Rebecca digested those words. Her eyes widened. ¡°Wait a tic. Didn¡¯t Pacifica say something last night about that spell? That weird one that lion dude used?¡± she asked. Taika nodded slowly in the affirmative. ¡°Yeah. Paci said it felt... evil.¡± ¡°What does it all mean?¡± ¡°I wish I knew.¡±
¡°No no no no no... not again...¡± Pacifica whimpered as she clung to Shouri. Once more they were back in the featureless fog. Just the two of them with a vague backlighting that enabled their sight. The sort of early morning mist that had yet to be burned away by the sun. All Shouri could do was hold the distressed otter. ¡°It¡¯s okay Paci, it¡¯s okay.¡± He stroked her hair, both for her peace of mind and his. ¡°It¡¯s all just a dream,¡± he whispered. And then he suddenly realized what he was saying: ¡°Paci we¡¯re dreaming.¡± He held her out by her shoulders. ¡°Dreaming?¡± she sniveled, looking around. ¡°It¡¯s not real.¡± She sniffled again. ¡°We¡¯re dreaming?¡± she asked, now more cognizant of their situation. While he refused to release Pacifica, he did take stock of their surroundings. ¡°Yeah. I can¡¯t remember when and where we fell asleep, but I know for a fact this is a dream.¡± Pacifica asked the pressing question: ¡°But why are you in my dream though?¡± Shouri opened his mouth to reply but didn¡¯t have an answer for her and closed his mouth, grunting in frustration. ¡°I dunno,¡± he finally decided on. ¡°Probably a rhythm thing?¡± He brushed a hand across his side. ¡°Tuners are still gone.¡± The Maestro frowned. ¡°I got my Fortissimo basic spells,¡± Pacifica recalled. ¡°Right, so the tuner limits what I¡¯m able to send you. If we don¡¯t have a sufficient tempo, me forcing my rhythm through you could hurt you,¡± he explained. The otter-girl nodded. ¡°Tempo is...?¡± She smiled awkwardly. ¡°To put it simply ¨C our bond. It¡¯s how much rhythm we exchange naturally. The longer we¡¯re together, the easier rhythm passes between us,¡± he specified for her continued edification. Pacifica giggled. ¡°Well, we¡¯ve been through a few hairy situations, so glad to know that meant something to you.¡± Shouri couldn¡¯t help but crack a smile. ¡°Likewise.¡± Though there was a brief reprieve in their distress at the situation, that begged the question: ¡°I didn¡¯t even know something like this could happen,¡± he admitted. ¡°Me too. Never heard of Maestros and Resonators sharing dreams.¡± The otter looked around, still not finding any landmarks. ¡°Though I wouldn¡¯t mind sharing dreams with you all the time if they were peaceful,¡± she chuckled. Shouri quickly turned his head, face reddening. Even in dreams, he could still get flustered it seemed. At any rate, he was content to spend more time with Pacifica. ¡°Come on.¡± Taking hold of her hand, they began to walk. The otter looked about with some trepidation. There was something about this situation that felt familiar and put her on edge, but her memory of events outside the current dream was too hazy to parse. They walked and walked and walked and walked, but never made any real progress. Everything looked the same no matter how long and far they tread on. Not even the ground beneath them seemed to change. It was all the same. With no movement of the sky-bound light source, they could have been walking for five minutes or five years. ¡°Can we sit for a little bit?¡± Pacifica spoke up. ¡°Yeah.¡± Shouri nodded. Finding a wall, the pair took a reprieve from their endless march. ¡°You know, this feels oddly familiar.¡± The water Resonator leaned her head against her Maestro. Furrowing his brow, Shouri slowly nodded. ¡°Yeah, but I can¡¯t remember why.¡± Unfortunately, both of them got a reminder of their previous fate when a low growl reverberated through them. ¡°Sh-sho please, PLEASE tell me that was your stomach.¡± She desperately held his arm. ¡°No. No, it was not.¡± He quickly rose to his feet, pulling Pacifica up with him. Silence. Cold, uncaring silence. Both young adults failed to calm their racing hearts, breathing hard from their mouths. ¡°Run. We should be running,¡± Pacifica urged her Maestro. Shouri gulped. ¡°Right. Running.¡± Once more they ran, hand in hand. ¡°C¡¯mon wake up! Wake up!¡± Pacifica cried out. ¡°Taika! Rebecca! Please!¡± Shouri screamed at the sky. THUD THUD THUD THUD They could hear the beast chasing them; or rather, hunting them. Each monstrous pounding of the earth shook the fleeing pair to their very cores, propelling them to continue at their absolute top speed. ¡°It¡¯s just a dream, it¡¯s just a dream, it¡¯s just a dream!¡± Pacifica repeated in a desperate attempt to convince herself that they weren¡¯t in any real danger. ¡°WOULD REALLY LIKE TO WAKE UP ABOUT NOW!¡± Shouri bellowed to the heartless sky. And then Shouri tripped. On what he couldn¡¯t be sure, but he tumbled to the ground, with Pacifica stumbling over him and landing on her Maestro. ¡°I don¡¯t want to die! Please!¡± Pacifica screamed, clinging to Shouri for dear life. ¡°Conveniently timed wake up any second now!!¡± Shouri held Pacifica, eyes closed in a vain attempt to force himself awake. Their struggle ceased as the lion pressed its massive paw down on them again. Tears flowed freely from the young adults as they awaited the horrible pain to once again penetrate their forms, the sharpened keratin of the Scherzando¡¯s claws slowly extending towards them like the blade of a guillotine. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Sh-sho, I don¡¯t want to die.¡± ¡°Me too Paci.¡±
¡°Wake up!¡± Taika got more than she bargained for as she shook Shouri and Pacifica from their nightmare: she was grabbed and squeezed between her two crying friends. ¡°Thank you, Taika! Thank you so much!¡± Pacifica sobbed. ¡°You saved us, thank you!¡± Shouri cried out. After getting their panic out of their system, Shouri and Pacifica faced Rebecca and Taika as the four sat in bed once more to compare notes. ¡°Again?¡± Rebecca asked the relevant question. The afflicted pair nodded slowly. ¡°I dunno what¡¯s happening,¡± Pacifica whimpered, clinging to Shouri. ¡°We¡¯ve had the same nightmare twice now.¡± She trembled violently, not wanting to remember it. ¡°It¡¯s so real.¡± Shouri reached over with his free arm and grabbed Pacifica¡¯s tuner from the nightstand. ¡°Like you¡¯re actually being hurt by it?¡± Rebecca raised a brow. ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± She fiddled with her shirt, unbuttoning the top few buttons and exposing her shoulders. ¡°Any claw marks?¡± she asked. ¡°None.¡± Rebecca shook her head. ¡°Damn, you got nice skin,¡± she mumbled as an aside. Taika shot a glance over at her fellow vixen, having been the only one to catch that pass. ¡°It felt real though?¡± she asked. The lunar fox was familiar with terrifying nightmares, but hers were more assaults on her psyche, not physical attacks on her body like Pacifica was claiming. Pacifica nodded. ¡°Vividly so. It went through Sho, and then through me.¡± She rubbed her shoulder, wishing to forget the pain, but failing. ¡°Well, we weren¡¯t physically hurt in the real world, but we¡¯re not unscathed.¡± Shouri flashed Pacifica her tuner. Status: Panic Rhythm: 37% Heart Rate: 133 BPM Oxygen Saturation: 87% Hydration: 54% Last Sleep Efficiency: 0% Actual Sleep: 4hr 12mins Time since Last Sleep: 6 mins ago Pacifica wrapped her hands around Shouri¡¯s, steadying the screen to read it. ¡°Zero sleep efficiency...?¡± Her eyes scanned her own status. ¡°It¡¯s basically like we didn¡¯t sleep then?¡± Shouri nodded slowly. ¡°Feels like it too,¡± he added, trying to dismiss his fatigue. ¡°But I¡¯m more concerned about your rhythm.¡± Taking the tuner back he stared at the number. ¡°You had 75% of your rhythm when we went to bed, I checked.¡± The otter¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°I... what?¡± Rebecca too was shocked by that. ¡°You lost rhythm while sleeping? That¡¯s a thing?¡± ¡°APPARENTLY.¡± Shouri shook the device angrily. He took a deep breath, clearing his mind. ¡°Taika lost rhythm because of nightmares before too,¡± he noted. ¡°I did?¡± The lunar fox in question furrowed her brow. ¡°Ah, I meant more in a technical sense. See with your rhythm loss it¡¯s because you weren¡¯t sleeping. Sleep deprivation disrupts your natural rhythm restoration process. If it goes on long enough it begins to be an active drain on it. Sleeping, even a little, is supposed to mitigate this,¡± he told Taika. She nodded slowly ¨C it made sense. Taking in a breath, the Maestro shot a glare at the tuner. ¡°The problem here is according to the tuner, Pacifica and I were asleep for four hours, but she lost almost forty percent. I have to imagine my rhythm is in a similar state.¡± ¡°If this keeps up...¡± Pacifica gulped. ¡°We¡¯ll run out of rhythm and die,¡± Shouri said what none of them wanted to hear. The room went quiet. Pacifica remained attached to Shouri, trembling, a breath away from tears flowing free once more. Rebecca gritted her teeth in frustration. Taika closed her eyes, in deep thought. Finally, Shouri broke the silence. ¡°We have to sleep again. We can¡¯t fight it,¡± he directed this at his nightmare partner. Who immediately shook her head in response. ¡°No no... not again. I can¡¯t go back,¡± she whimpered. ¡°Paci, we have to sleep. We¡¯re going to die if we don¡¯t,¡± Shouri stated sternly, grasping the girl¡¯s shoulders. She gulped. ¡°Not you. I think it¡¯s me,¡± the otter admitted. The other three looked at her, perplexed by what she was saying. ¡°I think that thing in our dreams is after me ¨C I can feel it.¡± Pacifica trembled but put on a brave face. ¡°I can¡¯t let you risk that.¡± To say she was afraid was an understatement. She openly shook whilst the tears poured down her face. Shouri took in a deep breath and tightened his grip around her shoulders. ¡°Too bad,¡± he said adamantly. ¡°I¡¯m coming with you, and you don¡¯t have much of a choice in the matter,¡± he stated his intentions. ¡°I will not send any of you into danger like that alone ¨C ever.¡± Pacifica¡¯s brows descended into a glare. She smacked his hands off her. ¡°No! I¡¯m not going to get my Maestro killed!¡± she shouted. ¡°Well, that¡¯s too fucking bad, because I¡¯m ready to die for you!¡± he barked back. ¡°I¡¯m never going to run away if I can do something.¡± The two glared daggers at one another. Pacifica broke first, however ¨C she could feel how genuine he was at that moment. Those words were not just the truth, they were his gospel, the irrational law that bound him to her. ¡°Wh-why?¡± she asked. ¡°I ask you three every day to put your lives on the line for fucking money of all things. If I¡¯m not ready to lay my life down for you when you¡¯re in danger, what kind of person am I?¡± Shouri declared without hesitation. Rebecca too, could sense his commitment to her; no, all three of them in those words. Why was he like this? She had never met another Maestro so obsessed with their Resonators that they were willing to straight up die over them. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ve seen enough.¡± Taika scooted closer to the distressed pair. ¡°I¡¯m coming with,¡± she decided. ¡°Wha-?¡± Now the rest of the room was looking at the lunar Resonator. ¡°How?¡± Pacifica asked. ¡°Yeah, we haven¡¯t exactly figured out why this is happening to Paci and me,¡± Shouri added. Now it was Taika¡¯s turn to look surprised. ¡°Really? I thought you would have some idea of how it works by now.¡± She pointed to their Maestro. ¡°It¡¯s an etude thing, I think that Sho was only in Paci¡¯s dreams because of how close you two are.¡± The lunar fox reasoned out. Shouri stroked his chin in thought. ¡°I guess that makes sense.¡± He mumbled. ¡°But wait, why are you so sure you can jump into our dreams?¡± He questioned. The girl shrugged. ¡°Non so, have a good feeling.¡± After a second of thought though, she offered up her real feelings on the matter: ¡°I figure I¡¯m close enough to both of you to give it a shot. I¡¯m not going to let some stupid nightmares take my best friends away from me.¡± She spoke with a confident smirk across her lips. At that moment her eyes glowed a brilliant blue. Shouri let out a sigh. ¡°Of course, stubborn willpower.¡± He muttered but smiled all the same. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s try this again. If whatever is causing this nonsense is rhythm-based maybe having three staves of strong rhythm will give us some kind of fighting chance, or at least let us sleep peacefully,¡± Shouri announced their plan. Rebecca stood awkwardly off to the side, not really involved. ¡°Rebecca!¡± -or so she thought; jumping at being called upon. ¡°Y-yea Shouri?¡± He held out Pacifica and Taika¡¯s tuners for the fire Resonator. She stared at the two devices, which at the present showed her fellow Resonators'' vitals. ¡°You have the most important job of all: If either of their rhythm dips below negative, wake us all up. Do whatever it takes. If we dip too far into the negatives, we¡¯re in very real danger of death,¡± Shouri instructed her. The fox continued to gawk at the two devices, blinking twice at the absurdity of the instructions she was just given. ¡°I know it¡¯s a big ask, but you have the most important job in this thing.¡± Shouri felt a tinge of guilt before he spoke the truth of the matter: ¡°Our lives are in your hands. I know I¡¯m asking a lot.¡± Rebecca placed her hands over the pair of tuners. ¡°You know-¡± The fox let out a short laugh. She looked her Maestro in the eyes. ¡°-this is the craziest fucking thing I¡¯ve ever been asked to do. What the hell man?¡± She smirked as she wiped away the tears building up. ¡°You better not die,¡± she sniffled, struggling to control her emotions as she pulled the two tuners away from their owner. ¡°That¡¯s the plan.¡± Laying down, Rebecca walked around dimming the lights and closing the curtains. Despite the tense situation they found themselves in, the trio of Shouri, Taika, and Pacifica were quite exhausted. ¡°Rebecca was right, this is crazy Sho,¡± Pacifica whispered. ¡°You two better not die on me. I don¡¯t want to wake up between my dead friends.¡± Taika had taken up position in the center of the two. ¡°Trying my best here. Didn¡¯t realize when we started this gig we¡¯d be fighting nightmares,¡± Shouri chuckled. They held hands, slowly drifting off to sleep, even given the stakes of failure. Chapter 38 ¡°Sho... what were we doing?¡± Pacifica asked. ¡°I dunno, I feel like something is wrong though,¡± Shouri replied. Once more they found themselves in the dreamscape, complete with the empty, unchanging fog. The familiarity of the mist elicited a sense of dread rather than one of ease. ¡°We¡¯re in a dream,¡± Shouri established quickly. ¡°Right! Yeah!¡± Pacifica nodded, again becoming cognizant of the situation they had fallen into. The two frowned, exchanging hums of thought. ¡°I really feel like something is missing though, but I just can¡¯t remember when we fell asleep,¡± Shouri grunted, trying to dig up any semblance of a memory. Pacifica too, strained herself, reaching deep to dredge up a memory of their objective here. ¡°Something is missing,¡± she repeated Shouri¡¯s thought. ¡°Darn it, what are we forgetting?¡± She pounded her head with her fists. It was really important, yet whenever she tried to think of what it could be all she drew was frustration. ¡°Maybe if we walk, we¡¯ll figure it out?¡± Shouri suggested. ¡°Yeah, good idea Sho.¡± Pacifica nodded with a smile. There was something about this whole set-up that felt familiar and put him on edge, but his memory of events outside the current dream was too muddled to inform his decision-making. Endlessly they walked never making any progress. No matter how long and far they shuffled along everything simply looked the same. Even the ground beneath them never seemed to change. A play on loop, practically taunting them in its repetition. ¡°Augh, still can¡¯t think of anything¡± Shouri suddenly spoke up. ¡°Maybe we should take a break?¡± Pacifica offered. ¡°Mhm, that sounds good.¡± Locating a suitable patch of wall, the pair took a small reprieve from their pilgrimage. ¡°You know, this feels weirdly familiar.¡± The water Resonator leaned her head against her Maestro as they sat on the ground. Furrowing his brow, Shouri slowly nodded. ¡°Definitely, but it¡¯s-¡± Cutting him off was a low growl. One which was etched into their very souls. ¡°I suddenly remember this dream,¡± Pacifica spoke the grim realization. ¡°Fuck fuck fuck. We need to wake up,¡± Shouri cursed, jumping to his feet and pulling his otter-girl up with him. THUD THUD THUD THUD The pair bolted for their lives. Behind them was the massive lion that wanted them dead. The same lion that had attacked them twice now. ¡°Leave us alone you fuck!¡± Pacifica screamed back at the beast. All this accomplished was earning a piercing roar from the savage beast. ¡°What did you think that would do?!¡± Shouri shouted back to Pacifica. ¡°I was hoping it¡¯d be intimidated!¡± she cried out. ¡°You¡¯re sounding more intimidated now than anything!¡± ¡°You¡¯re not?!¡± ¡°I never said that!¡± Shouri desperately whipped his head to and fro, looking for any kind of landmark they could dart around or an alleyway to hide in. Something, anything! Alas, there was none to be found. The walls and road stretched on forever like the worst maze in the world ¨C a single path to infinity, with an angry beast wanting to consume them in hot pursuit. Unfortunately, the chase had to end at some point, and this time it was Pacifica who catalyzed their demise as she suddenly tripped, being torn out of Shouri¡¯s grasp. ¡°PACI!¡± Shouri pivoted back sharply, diving to scoop her into his arms. He did make it, saving her from being crushed underfoot by the lion. But even in the dream world, it seemed Shouri wasn¡¯t the best at these kinds of athletics and the pair lay in a heap on the ground. A delicious-looking pile of meat from the perspective of the lion who pinned the pair down for a third round of consumption. All the air was gently crushed out of them as the beast applied the precise amount of pressure to keep them alive but squeeze the resistance out of them. A cruel merciless beast this one was, toying with them until the very end. Thwick! The beast perked up. Something had struck it. Whatever it had been was small, barely registering to the creature, but annoying nonetheless. Thwick Thwick Thwick Thwick Thwick Thwick Thwick Thwick Thwick Thwick The volume increased rapidly until 107 of these strikes total had hit their mark. ¡°Alright! I tried asking nicely!¡± THWACK! The beast was removed by a massive force, giving Shouri and Pacifica much-needed relief and room to breathe. The pair sat up coughing and wheezing, taking in large gasps of life-giving air. Clack clack Something landed nearby. A pair of metal geta. Tracing up the figure that had saved their lives, they found this mystery person was clad in black monk robes with matching beige pants. A singular white-tipped black fox tail swished behind them. Their long black hair was tied high, swaying in the wind that had begun to blow upon their entrance. A pair of blue eyes opened, and the savior¡¯s lips turned to a smirk as small silver beads began to fly to their neck, forming a necklace 107 strong. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m late,¡± Taika spoke from this newcomer¡¯s body. ¡°T-TAIKA?!¡± Shouri and Pacifica exclaimed in shock. ¡°Yep! Never fear I am here!¡± the vixen beamed, her tail swishing behind her excitedly. ¡°What the heck are you wearing?¡± Shouri inquired, finally taking in the odd garb his Resonator was clad in. Her ears twitched, as she glanced behind her. ¡°Hang on Sho.¡± Pivoting on her geta, she turned back to face the direction she had sent the Scherzando in. Once more emerging from the fog was the lion. It approached slowly, carefully. Whatever this strange fox was, it was not to be trifled with. ¡°W-wait! Taika! You can¡¯t fight that! We don¡¯t have spells!¡± Pacifica tried to warn her. The monk-robed vixen relaxed, turning to her Maestro and fellow Resonator. ¡°Uhhh, this is a dream? We can do whatever we want.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Shouri and Pacifica stared back, flabbergasted. ¡°Just watch.¡± She took in a deep breath, extending a palm towards the beast. The 107 beads left her neck and shot toward the sky. ¡°Loro Formato Lunare Lago, Legato!¡± she called out. Her voice echoed down the empty street they stood on. For a moment there was silence. The beast began to growl once again. That was until the fog began to clear. ¡°Right on schedule.¡± Taika chuckled. A massive space rock wrapped in ice descended from the sky, slowly smushing the beast underneath. Shouri and Pacifica looked not at the destruction of their tormentor, but to the girl who had rescued them. She stood confidently, staring down the last rites of the beast, her hair, tail, and robes whipping in the wind triumphantly. As the dust settled, Pacifica felt a sense of relief, as if a great weight had been lifted off of her. ¡°That did it.¡± She looked at her hands. ¡°That thing won¡¯t bother us again.¡± A smile rose on her lips, as the joy invaded her from where the despair had left. Shouri, ever the scholar, was more curious about his Lunar Resonator. The strange monk robes turned to light, shattering off of her and returning her to her usual everyday attire. ¡°Sho.¡± She smiled at her Maestro. ¡°What the heck just happened?¡± he asked, though returning her expression in kind. Taika stroked her chin in thought. ¡°So, there was this girl,¡± she began, ¡°she had big yellow dragon wings. Oh, she also had horns and super long blonde hair.¡± The vixen frowned for a moment. ¡°And some cute fluffy ears like me and Paci¡¯s!¡± ¡°Okay?¡± Shouri didn¡¯t see the relevance. ¡°She told me she was going to save you herself, but since I was here it¡¯d be best if I did it instead,¡± the lunar fox recalled. That felt strange to Shouri, but he chalked it up to random dream nonsense. Looking around, the walls that surrounded them were crumbling away, revealing the true nature of their shared dreamscape: a picturesque field of flowers, in the distance there was a single, solitary hill with a tree that stood proudly at the peak. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡± Pacifica took in the sights as the final puffs of fog melted away under the warm, gentle sunlight. She took hold of Shouri and Taika¡¯s hands. ¡°Come on.¡± Leading the pair up the hill they found a spot to sit. Pacifica took the center, with Shouri and Taika on either side of her. ¡°This is nice.¡± Shouri leaned on Pacifica¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Yeah.¡± Taika did the same, cozying up against her friend. ¡°This is the kind of dream I want to have.¡± Her eyes gradually closed, finally at peace.
The next time her eyes opened, Pacifica found herself in the MA office she had fallen asleep in. The only difference was the sun was now setting. She awoke not exhausted and afraid, but rested and content. Shouri and Taika too slept peacefully, faces free from pain or worry. Slowly she drifted back to sleep, feeling safe to do so. Upon her next awakening, the sun had completed its journey for the day, now fully set. ¡°Hey, hey, wake up.¡± Rebecca shook Pacifica before walking around the bed to do the same to Shouri. ¡°Rebecca?¡± Shouri groggily rose. Waking up feeling somewhat rested presented one conclusion to him: ¡°I guess we won.¡± He yawned, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. ¡°Yeah, like an hour in, you all started getting rhythm back, so I just let you sleep,¡± the fire Resonator told the bed-bound trio. ¡°We got a new problem though.¡± The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. The tone in her voice was grim, which sobered up Pacifica and Shouri in an instant. Taika was still dead asleep though. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Shouri hesitantly inquired. ¡°This just got slipped under our door a couple of minutes ago.¡± Rebecca handed a folded-up piece of paper to Shouri before going to turn on some of the room lights. ¡°What is it?¡± Pacifica asked as the lamps were flicked on by Rebecca. ¡°Dunno.¡± Shouri unfolded the sheet, finding a handwritten note. ¡°Your foolish friend is in danger. If you want to try and save him, he is heading to the northern base camp. Get to him before I do.¡± Pacifica and Shouri stared at the letter and paled. Their eyes raced, scanning the ominous letter, desperately searching for a different meaning or additional information. ¡°Bwuh...?¡± Taika arose from her slumber at this point. ¡°Whas goin¡¯ on?¡± She yawned and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. The rest of the room was in a tizzy, however, with Shouri jumping out of bed in the next instant. ¡°Get dressed, we gotta go - NOW!¡±
Corhiasela was still a massive city and no matter how much they rushed, it still took little under an hour to arrive at the hunter base camp. The four-strong group ran at full sprint from the bus stop to the registration area. Though their furious pace was ultimately in vain. As they drew ever closer to the promised location, they found Maestros and Resonators running in the opposite direction. The shouts and screams from the fleeing civilians only caused the hearts of Shouri and his Resonators to sink in dread. The gravity of the situation was unveiled as they ran in the opposite direction of the fleeing crowd. ¡°What the fuck is going on?!¡± ¡°Some dudes just started a fight in the middle of the camp!" ¡°They¡¯re flinging around all kinds of crazy high-level spells!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sticking around to be collateral damage!¡± The more they heard, the faster they ran. Rebecca broke out the big guns, activating her ad-Lib and blazing ahead of the group with fire at her heels, expertly dodging the human obstacles in her way. Arriving on the scene first, Rebecca had no idea what to do. Taika arrived next but similarly lost her direction, simply standing idle. Finally, Pacifica and Shouri got to the scene, being the most worn down out of the group. What they found was chilling, especially for the pair who had spent the last eighteen or so hours being tormented by the visage of: ¡°Cecil?!¡± Pacifica yelped. The solar lion was viciously attacking another Resonator, one the group didn¡¯t have a name for, but all recognized him. ¡°It¡¯s that Resonator!¡± Rebecca shouted, recognizing the mystery Resonator that stood opposite Cecil. ¡°He¡¯s the one that came to the room a couple of days ago!¡± She pointed to the well-built man, though rather than wearing the casual civilian clothes they saw him in before he was in much more robust, heavy, military-issued battle armor. Turns out he was quite the nimble fighter himself despite the heavy-looking outfit he wore. He was on the defensive, but not on the back foot, easily keeping pace with Cecil, dodging the lion¡¯s frenzied assault. ¡°Leave us alone!¡± Vince barked, standing a distance away from Shouri¡¯s group. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything wrong!¡± he insisted. ¡°Then stop using those spells!¡± the mystery man shouted. He swiped his arm out, forming a wave of sharp ice that rolled at Cecil, finally revealing his element as water (and Rebecca noted he was of the Shielding attribute). Rather than dodge as one expected, Cecil took the wave of ice head-on, busting through it and roaring. Pacifica winced. ¡°Nnngh...¡± She grabbed her head suddenly. ¡°Paci, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Taika steadied her fellow Resonator. ¡°Really violent emotions from Cecil... he¡¯s drowning in them.¡± She let out a sharp breath and tried to steady herself without her fellow Resonator¡¯s assistance. ¡°That¡¯s not good.¡± Rebecca gritted her teeth and ground her feet into the grass, her heels sparking. ¡°Grave Fulmine, Feroce!¡± Vince commanded. ¡°Wait, Grave Torcitore isn¡¯t the only weird spell?!¡± Shouri exclaimed. Pacifica¡¯s eyes widened as she let out a cry of pain. ¡°Stop him from using those spells! He¡¯s gonna kill Cecil!¡± the otter shouted. Shouri¡¯s jaw was locked tight as he watched Cecil darken ever so slightly before casting a bolt of black lightning toward the mystery Resonator. The armored man pivoted around the spell, avoiding its effects. The ground wasn¡¯t so lucky however as sections of the grass and dirt were licked up, leaving not so insignificant divots and trenches in the battlefield. ¡°Sho!¡± Taika grabbed her Maestro¡¯s hand, he looked at her. ¡°We have to do something! Vince and Cecil are gonna get killed!¡± Her eyes were practically blazing blue at this point. The boy winced feeling her rhythm invade him in a strange reversal of their relationship. Though with her will propping him up, he gained a determined glare. He swiped his hand across the three tuners at his waist, giving commands as he went. ¡°Taika, Fissare la Ombra Allegro Staccato!¡± ¡°Pacifica, Manga de Agua, Piano Staccato!¡± ¡°Rebecca, with me! Let¡¯s disarm Vince!¡± ¡°GO!¡± The four broke off: Taika and Pacifica creating their spells and directing them towards the raging lion. Rebecca and Shouri darted straight for Vince. A vortex of water honed in on Cecil, courtesy of Pacifica, while the lion was forced to jump and dodge to avoid getting his shadow pinned down by Taika¡¯s Fissare la Ombra. ¡°HEY! GET OUT OF HERE!¡± the mystery Resonator shouted. ¡°We¡¯re trying to save our friend!¡± Pacifica barked back, forming two more water spouts and sending them toward Cecil. ¡°Vince STOP!¡± Shouri yelled at the other Maestro. ¡°Shouri! You don¡¯t understand! They¡¯re gonna take Cecil away!¡± Vince turned tail and ran. ¡°Grave Delirio, Feroce!¡± he barked into his tuner. Just as Taika and Pacifica¡¯s spells were about to hit their mark, Cecil¡¯s body darkened further. He opened his mouth and let loose a horrifying, indecipherable cacophony. It wasn¡¯t any kind of known language, scream, or roar. It almost seemed like chaotic machine noise in nature. Either way, the strange vocalizations Cecil was emitting were more than random noise ¨C it carried a rhythmic weight, erasing Pacifica and Taika¡¯s spells like chalk being wiped off a board, and throwing the two girls off their feet. The downed pair held their ears and rolled around in pain from the sinister soundwaves. ¡°NNNgh!¡± Rebecca and Shouri both slowed their pursuit of Vince and fell to their knees, also being affected by the odd spell. ¡°VINCE!¡± Shouri roared as the Grave Delirio faded. ¡°I can¡¯t go back! Leave me alone!¡± Vince shouted back. ¡°Grave Beccuccio, Feroce!¡± he let out another command. Cecil¡¯s form once more darkened and he roared before unleashing a blast of shadowy water at the still-stunned Taika and Pacifica. Before they were hit by the devastating attack, the mystery Resonator darted in and scooped the two girls up before jumping away, saving them from the attack and putting some distance between them and their attacker. The pair looked back, seeing the massive hole that was left in the wake of the strange spell. ¡°No matter the shape Feroce spells are always strong against normal Resonators. Do NOT get hit by them,¡± the man advised, setting the pair back on their feet. ¡°Like when lightning spells hit me?¡± Pacifica asked, familiar with her elemental weakness. ¡°Exactly.¡± Taika, still having her link with Shouri, formed a practical swarm of arrows. They had to restrain him - the madness had to end. ¡°Dodge this.¡± She waved her volley of Fissare la Ombra forward. Cecil saw the cloud of lunar arrows descending upon him and knew the source of the spell. He ran towards Taika, dodging many arrows as he approached the trio that stood before him, the entire time snarling and growling like a wild animal, his complexion continued to darken, as if stained in the darkness. ¡°AAAUGH!¡± Pacifica screamed gripping her head tightly, hunching over in pain. ¡°It¡¯s too much! He can¡¯t handle it!¡± she cried out, tears streaming down her face ¡°GRAVE FIAMMATA, FEROCE!¡± Vince bellowed. ¡°VINCE! YOU¡¯RE KILLING HIM! STOP!!¡± Shouri roared, jumping to tackle the still-escaping Vince. Cecil let out the loudest, most pained roar he could muster as his body was completely overtaken by the shadows, his physical form beginning to deteriorate. What was once a bipedal human-like shape melted into a quadrupedal lion, indistinguishable from a Scherzando. Vince, Shouri, and his Resonators all stared at the incomprehensible event that had just occurred. Though they were all in shock, the lion Scherzando still had his command from when he was Cecil and began to execute it, gathering shadowy flames in his maw to unleash it on the stupefied Pacifica and Taika. ¡°He¡¯s gone! Kiki, take the shot!¡± the mystery Resonator shouted. A trail of blue punched a hole in the amorphous lion, the flames from its attack vanishing in an instant. After what felt like an eternity, the sound reached them... BANG! ...and just like any other Scherzando, the beast formerly known as Cecil Albright faded into dust. Chapter 39 Beeeeep Click! Room Six of the North Corhiasela MA Office opened up. The current occupants of the room slowly filed in. Shouri flicked on the lights Rebecca slumped onto one of the lounge chairs. Pacifica made her way to the bathroom. Taika fell onto the bed. The four remained quiet. None of them dared utter a word. They all just remained entirely silent, still processing what they had just witnessed.
Two hours ago. Shouri and his Resonators sat in shock at what just occurred. Shouri and Rebecca were some distance away, holding down Vince, while Pacifica and Taika were in front of the mystery Resonator who had given the order that ultimately ended Cecil¡¯s life. ¡°You... you killed him... you actually killed him.¡± Wide-eyed, Pacifica sat on her knees, pointing at the space Cecil once occupied. ¡°Che cazzo... che cazzo era quello?¡± Taika slumped to the ground next to Pacifica, the bright blue rhythm in her eyes extinguished as quickly as Cecil¡¯s life was. ¡°CECIL! CECIL!¡± Vince screamed, easily escaping Shouri¡¯s grasp and rushing to where his Resonator once was. Shouri was knocked on his rear by the younger Maestro¡¯s escape, though he remained on the ground, eyes firmly on the white tuner formerly attached to Cecil. The screen which once proudly displayed spell lists and status information was now showing static. Rebecca grabbed Shouri¡¯s arm. ¡°H-hey... Shouri... wh-what the fuck was that...?¡± Her voice quavered, tightening her grip around her Maestro. Letting out a tired breath, the mystery Resonator made his move. He stepped towards the grieving Vince. The Maestro didn¡¯t acknowledge the large Resonator¡¯s presence, sobbing and tearing at the grass in a vain attempt to find his missing Resonator. The man knelt next to the grieving Maestro. ¡°My name is Aster. I¡¯m Quiretteh special forces, I need you to come with me.¡± ¡°M-military.¡± Pacifica pointed at the man. ¡°Why? Why military?¡± She shook like a leaf as her arm remained outstretched. Upon further inspection, Taika realized this was the man who came to their door when they arrived at Corhiasela. The combat gear he was decked out in now was much more impressive than his plain civilian clothes. She doubted even Pacifica¡¯s new Fortissimo level spells could do significant damage to the body armor Aster was sporting. Seeing how Vince was dead to the world, Aster decided to pay the two Resonator girls who technically helped him the respect they deserved and explain what was going on. ¡°What you witnessed is called the Feroce Phenomenon. The intricacies of it aren¡¯t fully understood, but what we do know is using the Feroce spells as they appear on the tuner will slowly corrupt the afflicted Resonator until they become indistinguishable from a Scherzando,¡± Aster explained. ¡°What...?¡± Pacifica couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing. ¡°We can... turn into Scherzando?¡± She lowered her head, eyes fixated on her own trembling hands. Aster studied the frightened otter, then the fox sitting next to her. ¡°Hmmm, not you two,¡± he decided. ¡°I can sense you have an incredibly strong bond with your Maestro. Resonators afflicted by the Feroce phenomenon tend to have been abused pretty significantly,¡± he revealed. This instantly turned eyes on Vince. The two Resonator girls stared at him with a mix of fear and disgust towards the boy. ¡°N-no! I never abused him! Don¡¯t look at me like that!¡± the boy cried out. Aster shook his head. ¡°My Maestro and I have been tracking a group that has been forcibly turning Resonators into these Feroce Resonators and selling them in the wider markets,¡± the soldier stated. ¡°You¡¯re as much of a victim as that Resonator,¡± he clarified. Vince sat back on his legs, slightly slumped over ¨C his gaze vacant, small whimpers escaping his lips every so often. Seeing how Vince wasn¡¯t going anywhere, Aster went to check on Shouri and Rebecca. The fiery vixen bared her teeth, brows pinched tight as the water elemental approached them. ¡°Hey folks, any injuries?¡± Aster asked the pair. ¡°Y-you killed him!¡± Rebecca blurted, pointing the accusatory finger at the soldier. Despite being the hardened soldier he was, Aster still openly wore his remorse on his face. ¡°Unfortunately, it had to be done,¡± he spoke ruefully. ¡°With Feroce, there¡¯s a point of no return.¡± ¡°Feroce? Those spells did that?¡± Shouri spoke up. ¡°Yes.¡± Aster nodded slowly. ¡°You said there¡¯s a point of no return. Resonators can recover from that?¡± Shouri asked. Another nod from the soldier. ¡°Yes, from research being done, strong, positive etude-¡± He looked back to Pacifica and Taika, before looking to Shouri. ¡°-like you and your Resonators have can reverse the effects of the Feroce phenomenon.¡± He kept his voice low, but there was a certain gentleness to the way he spoke. ¡°But if that¡¯s the case, why?¡± Rebecca¡¯s gaze met the white tuner that lay nearby. Aster noticed this and sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll handle it from here.¡± The woman Maestro had finally arrived at the scene. On her back was a long rifle with a distinctive scope. At her side was a large case, looking far too heavy for either Rebecca or Shouri to carry. Aster acquiesced to his Maestro¡¯s request. ¡°Try not to be too harsh Kiki. You have a way with words.¡± The man chuckled. "Just take care of the kid, he won¡¯t cooperate if I talk to him,¡± the sniper told her Resonator. ¡°Yeah yeah. Just wrap up with them and meet me at the van.¡± And with that, Aster went to collect Vince. ¡°Who are you?¡± Shouri began. ¡°Kiki, sniper by trade,¡± she introduced herself. ¡°H-he was gonna explain why you had to shoot.¡± Rebecca pointed at the departing Aster. The woman slowly nodded. ¡°Feroce worsens the more you use the spells. Even using one spell advances the state of the condition towards that point of no return. With no chance to recover, abusing the spells like the boy did turned the Resonator into a Scherzando.¡± At this point in the conversation, Taika and Pacifica joined their Maestro. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of this thing before though, how long has been a thing?¡± Shouri furrowed his brows in frustration. Kiki hummed, folding her arms across her chest. ¡°Roughly about seven or eight years. It started with strays being taken off the streets. The reports of Feroce in the wild skyrocketed after that,¡± she spoke as a matter-of-factly. Rebecca jumped. There was a sudden metaphorical dark cloud around her Maestro. It came about so suddenly that she was almost physically knocked over by how rapidly it formed. ¡°S-st-strays... you say?¡± Shouri managed to choke out, his face was as pale as a ghost. Pacifica was now entirely focused on him, also sensing the raw emotion emanating from her beloved Maestro. Even Taika wasn¡¯t spared from this ¨C she could feel it too. What happened to their Maestro that he was reacting like this?
Kiki the sniper didn¡¯t give them any more useful information after that reveal, so the group ultimately decided to return to their room, which at present saw the quartet lying about (though Pacifica was hogging the shower) ¡°R-Rebecca.¡± The vixen shook herself out of her own stupor. Shouri stood in front of the chair she had claimed. ¡°Yeah, Shouri?¡± She gulped hard. It was difficult seeing him as shaken as this. ¡°Can I ask something selfish?¡± She hesitated before speaking: ¡°Of course.¡± Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.¡°Can I hold you?¡± The fire Resonator¡¯s face reddened. Taika perked up at this point ¨C she wasn¡¯t the most socially aware, not like Rebecca or Pacifica, but there was intention behind that. Shouri specifically wanted Rebecca right now; it was as if his emotions were on a billboard being broadcast for anyone rhythmically privy to them. ¡°Yeah.¡± The lunar Resonator watched as her Maestro and fire counterpart shifted over to the larger couch. Shouri wrapped himself around her and began to sob quietly. Taika folded her ears back as Rebecca tried to console him ¨C the lunar Resonator didn¡¯t want to hear this. In the same respect though, she felt bad about being jealous of Rebecca. Shouri specifically sought her out for some reason. She knew well enough that Rebecca had something she could provide that Taika herself couldn¡¯t. Pacifica of course was the most aware of the goings on outside the bathroom and emerged a minute or two later in her bedclothes. Without a word, she made her way to the bed and basically tackled Taika. ¡°Eep! Paci?¡± the surprised fox yelped. ¡°Shhh...¡± The otter held her lunar counterpart tightly. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but... he wants her right now,¡± she whispered into the fox¡¯s ear. ¡°I can see that, but why?¡± ¡°The only thing I can sense is he wants warmth, but I have no idea why.¡± Taika knew Pacifica didn¡¯t know the reason, but that didn¡¯t sate her curiosity. Why was Shouri specifically seeking out warmth right now? As far as she knew he wasn¡¯t a fan of being overly warm, despite his choice of attire. ¡°I just want to know why,¡± she breathed out. ¡°Me too.¡± Pacifica gently stroked Taika¡¯s hair, just trying to be a soothing presence. It had been such a long night, so it was no surprise when the two pairs fell asleep where they were.
Slowly, Rebecca returned to the waking world, and with it, she found herself in her Maestro¡¯s embrace. The events of the night prior hit her like a sack of bricks. He just kept apologizing to her, for what she didn¡¯t know. It was heartbreaking, especially after their talk only a couple of days prior. ¡°I promise I won¡¯t judge you, I just wanna know how to help,¡± Rebecca whispered to herself, burying her face into his chest. Some time passed, and eventually, Rebecca became cognizant of consciousness again as Shouri began to stroke her hair. ¡°Shouri...¡± She held him tightly, sensing he didn¡¯t want her to leave his side. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be here anymore,¡± he whispered to her. ¡°Heh, now you know how I feel,¡± she tried to joke. ¡°I feel awful.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡± ¡°If I didn¡¯t say anything to her.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do enough.¡± ¡°SHOURI!¡± Rebecca took hold of the scruff of his shirt. ¡°If you say that, then we¡¯re all to blame - none of us did enough by that logic.¡± She glared down her Maestro. In response, he raised a brow. ¡°You couldn¡¯t have possibly done anything to help ¨C we didn¡¯t know each other,¡± he stated, marked confusion in his voice. This threw Rebecca off guard. ¡°I don¡¯t get it,¡± she blurted out. He shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I said too much.¡± The Maestro sat up, bringing his fox-girl up with him. Despite it all, she remained attached to him ¨C sensing he still needed her. ¡°Let¡¯s go get breakfast,¡± he said suddenly. ¡°Eh?¡± Rebecca tilted her head. ¡°But doesn¡¯t Pacifica normally go?¡± ¡°I want you right now.¡± Once more the vixen¡¯s face rushed with blood. ¡°M-me?¡± He squeezed her tightly, pushing the small of her back into him. ¡°Just... let me be selfish.¡± Though he should have been addressing Rebecca, his voice was projected at the bed. Rebecca, due to her positioning didn¡¯t see Pacifica¡¯s hand rise and motion for them to go. They didn¡¯t need to get dressed as they had fallen asleep in their usual attire, so it only took a couple of minutes for the pair to slip out of the room. As they walked, Rebecca¡¯s eyes were locked on her hand, the digits of which were interlocked with her Maestro¡¯s. To say she still wasn¡¯t used to this was an understatement. Sure, they had just slept together on the couch, but that was in the relative privacy of their room. Now they were out in public holding hands ¨C she felt so indecent. That is to say, she was the only one drawing meaning from this. Her Maestro was overly comfortable with his Resonators. They usually all slept together after all. Though... she had gotten the best sleep of her life since falling under his care. She always woke up rejuvenated and well-rested. There was a method to his madness, even if he earned the ire of his contemporaries. Speaking of, one such Maestro appeared in their path. ¡°V-Vince.¡± ¡°Shouri.¡± It was tense. Rebecca could feel her own Maestro¡¯s anxiety building, and she moved to step between the two. However, he kept her firmly by his side, squeezing her hand tightly. ¡°Can we talk?¡± Vince requested quietly. After a moment, Shouri slowly nodded. Vince led the two into the casting range and ducked into a booth. Shouri followed; a sense of obligation informed his movement. The younger Maestro stood at the edge of the lane, at the casting point where the Resonator was designated to stand. He turned and faced the veteran Maestro. ¡°You know, when I saw that news story about you, I thought you were the coolest. The situation you were in was crazy, like out of a movie, but you still managed to get out of it like some kind of action hero,¡± he began. ¡°And then you just happened to be here. It was so awesome,¡± the boy recalled fondly. ¡°The more I learned about you, the cooler I thought you were.¡± The smile faded from his lips. ¡°But I realized, I don¡¯t really know you. I bought Cecil well before I even knew who you were. I like Resonators, I always have,¡± he paused, mulling that thought over. ¡°But I don¡¯t know what kind of Maestro I can be.¡± His gaze fell to Shouri and Rebecca¡¯s joint hands. ¡°Can you tell me about them? Your Resonators, I mean; how did you meet them?¡± Shouri lowered his head. ¡°Tell him,¡± Rebecca urged. Shouri looked to his Resonator still by his side. ¡°I think he needs to hear it,¡± she added. Taking in a breath, he began to speak. How he found Taika, how people treated her, the escape from his parents'' home, finding Pacifica and the trials they went through escaping the kidnapper, then Lyle and Rebecca, how he treated her, and finally buying Rebecca from him and freeing her. Vince hung onto every word, allowing Shouri to tell his tale, not once interrupting. When Shouri was finished, Vince nodded. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought,¡± he chuckled. ¡°You are super cool Shouri.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that great.¡± The elder Maestro averted his gaze. ¡°I know what kind of Maestro I want to be,¡± Vince decided. ¡°I want to be like you, I want to help Resonators in need. I don¡¯t need to buy one with a fancy name or anything. Just someone who wants to be with me will do.¡± Both Rebecca and Shouri were taken aback - that came from the heart. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to replace Cecil. I really did like him. But there¡¯s a small part of me that thinks he wouldn¡¯t have wanted me to dwell on my past mistakes.¡± Vince seemed to struggle a bit, trembling and holding back some tears behind a lowered head. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine! When I find that Resonator, would you go hunting with me again?¡± ¡°S-sure.¡± Shouri nodded. ¡°Okay! It¡¯s a deal then!¡± Vince walked past the pair. ¡°See you around Shouri!¡± And with that, Vince was gone. Rebecca slowly directed her gaze to her Maestro. ¡°...wouldn¡¯t want me to dwell on my past mistakes huh? I wonder...¡± Chapter 40 ¡°Sho! Sho! Wake up!¡± Slowly the Maestro came to. Pacifica¡¯s bright smile greeted him upon his return to consciousness. ¡°We¡¯re here!¡± It had been two days since the incident with Cecil in Corhiasela. With that tragic event, none of them wanted to be in that city any longer and decided to move on. Taking a bus north they found themselves in a much smaller city. An inland city by the name of Leono. The bus had just entered the city proper, but even so, it was a modern town, which kept its rustic roots intact despite all the change. A river cut through the town they found as the bus rushed across one of the many iron bridges that crossed the banks. Many Maestros and their Resonators walked the streets, enjoying the good weather on this late May day. Soon enough they arrived at their usual accommodations. ¡°We¡¯re now arriving at the Central Leono MA Office ¨C All planning to get off, please prepare to disembark,¡± the bus driver spoke over the intercom. Stretching out, Shouri glanced to his seatmate Taika, who was given the luxury of the window seat. She too had fallen asleep in the four-hour bus trip. They made these seats just plain comfortable it seemed. ¡°Taika, wake up, we¡¯re here.¡± He gently shook his lunar fox awake. She stretched and yawned. ¡°Mi sono addormentato?¡± Her expression brightened upon seeing Shouri was the one waking her up. ¡°Buongiorno Sho!¡± He couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, hearing her tail wagging from the hole in her seat. The bus slowed to a stop and finally, the weary group could begin their new journey in this foreign city. Disembarking was easy enough; they still only had the one bag to their name, though truth be told that¡¯s all they really needed. A couple of other groups also made their way off the bus and quickly dispersed. Shouri¡¯s team huddled at the bus terminal near the MA office. ¡°Blegh, it¡¯s hot out,¡± Taika complained immediately, pinching the collar of her t-shirt and moving it rapidly to circulate the air between her shirt and skin. ¡°Feels fine to me,¡± Rebecca noted, taking in the nearly cloudless sky. ¡°Yeah, thanks, Rebecca,¡± Shouri smirked at his fire Resonator. ¡°Oh yeah, I do give you some heat resist, don¡¯t I?¡± She smirked back. The two exchanged a quick fist bump, much to Taika¡¯s continued ire at the situation. ¡°I¡¯m with Taika, if we¡¯re not hitting the river let¡¯s go inside,¡± Pacifica complained, before taking the initiative to herd the group to the MA Office they would be staying at. Dawdling around outside meant they were the last in line and had to wait through the other Maestros getting their rooms. ¡°So! What are we going to do here Sho?¡± Pacifica asked innocently enough. Shouri lowered his head, expression darkening; much to his Resonator¡¯s surprise. ¡°I...¡± ¡°Next!¡± the attendant called upon Shouri, who quickly rushed away from the question to the front counter. This left his trio of girls confused, as they all exchanged concerned expressions. ¡°Wh-what did I say wrong?¡± Pacifica fretted. ¡°I dunno,¡± Rebecca added, frowning at their Maestro. ¡°Sho.¡± Taika held herself, ears folded back. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Shouri snapped them out of their concern, if only temporarily. They had gotten room 49 this time, so they had to walk a bit of a distance into the building to get to their room. Down the hallway they went, walking past many other Maestros and Resonators as they did so. Everyone else was in their own little world, just like Shouri. Unlocking the door to Room 49, they could finally relax. Well, maybe not. The trio of Resonators in Shouri¡¯s care surrounded him. ¡°Yes?¡± he asked. They openly wore their worry, and voiced their concerns. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Taika inquired. ¡°You kinda freaked out back there,¡± Rebecca pointed out. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to make you upset,¡± Pacifica continued to fret. Shouri let out a weary sigh. ¡°I just don¡¯t feel like working,¡± he admitted. ¡°Maybe we could see the sights here before moving on,¡± was added as an aside. That brought a small amount of relief to the three anxious Resonators. Upon further reflection, they had been going non-stop since basically leaving home. The last time they tried to have a vacation a combination of in-fighting and a second attempted kidnapping ruined that. Coupled with everything else they had been through it was no wonder their poor Maestro was stressed out. ¡°Sure!¡± Pacifica nodded. ¡°We can have a real vacation this time,¡± Taika added. ¡°What do you want to see?¡± Rebecca made sure to chime in. He exhaled sharply, though breaking a small smile. It was nice to have people so dedicated to him that they noticed his changes in attitude. ¡°Maybe we can look around. For now, I just want to relax.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°Sure!¡± ¡°Let us know if you need anything!¡± As they got settled, Shouri was glad they all seemed to be getting along. However, it pained him because they were only united due to him being upset. He did his best to put his worries to the back of his mind, but being idle didn¡¯t help his mental wandering, and every time he found a spark of goodness to latch onto it was smothered by distant thoughts and memories. As such, he wound up much quieter than usual for the remainder of the day and well into the evening hours. It was so abundantly obvious it didn¡¯t take being socially sensitive like Pacifica and Rebecca were to notice. They shared his pain in the superficial sense ¨C they were upset because he was. They lacked the understanding of what was causing him this pain, the actual root of the problem, and that only made them more upset. Shouri excused himself to shower after an awkwardly quiet dinner in their room. As soon as the sounds of the running showerhead hit their ears, the trio of girls began an emergency meeting. ¡°What do we do?¡± Pacifica led the conversation off. ¡°I dunno, this is hard.¡± Rebecca leaned back in her seat, furrowing her brow with crossed arms. ¡°He¡¯s upset about something, but like it¡¯s deep.¡± ¡°I just wish we knew what happened.¡± Taika¡¯s gaze was locked on the closed bathroom door. The water element of the trio nodded. She bit her bottom lip before speaking: ¡°I¡¯ve... considered asking him again.¡± ¡°Hold up, he¡¯s done this before?¡± Rebecca inquired, not recalling another instance of this behavior. ¡°It was when we first met you,¡± Pacifica clarified. ¡°M-me?¡± The fire element pointed to herself. The otter nodded. ¡°There was something about the way Lyle was treating you that upset him.¡± The fire fox lowered her head. ¡°Me?¡± She wracked her brain trying to think of what it could be besides the obvious. Taika shook her head after a moment of thought. ¡°I just don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± Pacifica and Rebecca sighed together.
Pacifica¡¯s eyes fluttered open as a new morning began to poke through the blinds of the Leono MA Office. Rebecca was in Shouri¡¯s arms this morning, with Taika at Shouri¡¯s back, and Pacifica herself at Rebecca¡¯s. Thankfully it seems they all slept well ¨C no crazy nightmares to worry about. A sense of normalcy earned a smile from the otter. She was with her best friends and that¡¯s all that really mattered. That was until the gloomy little storm cloud that hung over her precious Maestro returned. He was getting better by the day, but it was clear he still struggling hard. The room awoke and returned to the mood of the night prior ¨C the trio of girls were lost as what to do with their depressed Maestro. ¡°L-let¡¯s go get breakfast,¡± Pacifica suggested. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s probably a good idea.¡± He nodded slowly in agreement. She could feel it ¨C he didn¡¯t want these feelings of his, but he was trapped. ¡°Fresh air will do you good, come on.¡± Pacifica urged him out of the room, looking back with a confident smile and thumbs up to her fellow Resonators. The Leono MA Office was much smaller than its contemporaries in bigger cities. Thankfully it wasn¡¯t as lacking in facilities and staff as the Mt. Wynding MA office and actually had a cafeteria. It was something practiced between the otter and her Maestro. Waiting in line for food, getting the helpings Rebecca and Taika enjoyed, and boxing it all up. It was nice and stable, even a little comforting for Shouri that they could share this morning task. That was until a certain voice hit him from the opposite end of the cafeteria. ¡°SHOURI?! IS THAT YOU SHOURI?!¡± It was early in the morning, but there were still quite a few people in the canteen, most of whom looked in the direction of the noise. Pacifica was immediately on alert. Someone suddenly shouting her Maestro¡¯s name wasn¡¯t good ¨C especially when it was a voice she didn¡¯t recognize. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Before the guard otter could do anything about it though, she watched a blonde woman run up and wrap her arms around Shouri, holding him tightly. ¡°Oh my god! I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re okay Shouri!¡± the mystery woman cried joyously. ¡°G-get off!¡± Shouri wheezed, trying to push the woman off. She quickly released him, wiping away the tears of joy she had allowed to shed. Pacifica eyed this woman suspiciously and possessively placed her hands on her Maestro¡¯s shoulders. As a secondary measure, she also gently curled her tail around his legs as if to further stake her claim. Behind the mystery interloper was a tall lanky man bearing unnaturally perked-up ears. He absolutely reeked of tobacco and radiated a similar heat to Rebecca ¨C a fire element. The blonde Maestro smirked, catching Pacifica¡¯s slight glare and possessive posturing. ¡°Oho? This isn¡¯t Taika, who¡¯s your new friend Shouri?¡± That disarmed the otter girl ¨C who was this random woman who knew about Taika? ¡°Ah, it¡¯s a long story, but her name is Pacifica.¡± He brushed back his jacket showing the blue tuner at his hip. ¡°Paci, this is-¡± ¡°Aureolin, Aura for short. I¡¯m Shouri¡¯s older sister.¡± She held out a hand for the Resonator. ¡°Sh-sho¡¯s sister?¡± Pacifica blinked before looking down at the hand being offered to her. Hesitantly she shook it. ¡°This cloud of smoke behind me is Damian.¡± Aura motioned to her own Resonator. ¡°Charmed.¡± He looked the otter girl over, sizing her up like he usually did. ¡°Hoh?¡± ¡°What¡¯s up, Dames?¡± Aura asked her Doberman. ¡°You¡¯re pretty strong kid,¡± he noted of the otter in his usual gruff tone. Aura perked up at that. ¡°Oh yeah?¡± She looked to her brother, humming in thought as he looked over the other pair. ¡°You both seem pretty close.¡± Looking around though, she couldn¡¯t see a trace of her brother¡¯s first Resonator. ¡°But... where¡¯s Taika?¡± ¡°Back in the room. Pacifica and I come pick up breakfast each morning,¡± Shouri took a pause. ¡°It¡¯s... easier that way,¡± he decided. Aura nodded. ¡°Mhm Mhm. I see I see.¡± The elder sibling stroked her chin in thought. ¡°Welp! Let¡¯s go then!¡± She pointed to the exit of the cafeteria. ¡°Eh?¡± Shouri raised a brow. ¡°You think I¡¯m just gonna leave without at least seeing Taika? Come on!¡±
Taika and Rebecca perked up as the door opened, excited for the prospect of breakfast. However, it wasn¡¯t just their Maestro and fellow Resonator, but two additional bodies. While Rebecca was apprehensive of the unannounced newcomers, Taika lit up. ¡°AURA!¡± The lunar Resonator rushed over and hugged her Maestro¡¯s sister tightly. ¡°There we are! How are you doing Taika?¡± Aura giggled, returning the hug. ¡°Bene! It¡¯s so good to see you!¡± The lunar fox¡¯s tail wagged joyously as Aura petted her. Rebecca stood back a bit uneasily, analyzing the new pair. Taika knew this woman? What about the dog-man? He was tall, a fire element like her, and hella strong by her admission. Such powerful rhythm was kind of scary ¨C could she take him? Could all three of them take him if it came down to it? Aura noticed the fourth Resonator in the room. ¡°Is she with you too?¡± The blonde Maestro pointed to Rebecca. ¡°Yeah, her name is Rebecca. Rebecca, this is my sister Aura,¡± he bridged the connection between the two. ¡°No fucking way you have three Resonators,¡± Aura laughed. ¡°I¡¯m crazy, I know.¡± He looked to his two newer Resonators, as Pacifica joined Rebecca off to the side. ¡°They chose me though,¡± he said with a warm smile. Damian chuckled. ¡°You have a hell of an eye.¡± The Doberman smirked. ¡°They¡¯re both pretty tough cookies,¡± he noted. ¡°Or maybe you¡¯re just one hell of a Maestro.¡± His gaze fell upon Taika. There was a significant difference between the Resonator he knew a mere month ago and the lunar fox standing before him now. ¡°Sho¡¯s amazing.¡± Pacifica beamed confidently. ¡°Y-yeah!¡± Rebecca backed up her fellow Resonator. ¡°¨¨ il migliore che c''¨¨!¡± Taika added with a boast. Aura let out a sigh, though her lips turned up. ¡°I guess I really didn¡¯t need to worry about you two,¡± the woman chuckled. ¡°Though, I¡¯m not too surprised you ended up with a fire. It¡¯s like it was written in your destiny,¡± she noted. Shouri averted his gaze. That remark hit a sore spot. A sore spot that only elicited confusion from the trio of girls under his care. ¡°What do you mean Aura?¡± Taika asked, brow raised. The elder Maestro was now the perplexed one. ¡°Has he not told you yet?¡± she questioned, looking between Taika, Pacifica, and Rebecca. Bewildered gazes met the elder sibling. ¡°Told us what?¡± Taika finally braved asking. She looked to her Maestro ¨C he looked... ashamed? Ashamed and remorseful. ¡°He hasn¡¯t,¡± Pacifica spoke up. ¡°We know there¡¯s something wrong though,¡± Rebecca added. ¡°We just don¡¯t know how to help,¡± Taika chimed in. Aura glared at her brother, who refused her gaze. That told her all she needed to know and informed her next set of actions. ¡°Alright!¡± She walked over to the nightstand where Taika and Rebecca¡¯s tuners lay. Unclipping her tuner, she exchanged it with the two. She then made her way over to the sulking Maestro. ¡°Gimmie Pacifica¡¯s tuner.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m gonna take them out. They need to know about Mila.¡± ¡°I-I was going to tell them.¡± ¡°Look, I know it¡¯s hard for you Shouri. Just let me tell them ¨C they deserve to know.¡± ¡°But I-¡± ¡°I promise I¡¯m going to tell them exactly what happened, no bullshit.¡± Shouri was still plain uneasy about the situation, his gaze drifted from his sister to the concerned girls in his care. They were worried about him ¨C he was doing a bad job of hiding his feelings; he was well aware of this. He lowered his head shamefully, all he was doing was hurting the people who cared about him. ¡°Shouri, let me do this, please. I know this is super difficult for you,¡± she pleaded with her brother. He remained silent even with his sister¡¯s imploration. ¡°Let me make up for not being there when Mom and Dad chased you out.¡± Finally, he relented to his sister¡¯s demands, reaching to his side and retrieving Pacifica¡¯s tuner. Aura gently took the device from her brother¡¯s hand. ¡°You¡¯re making the right decision. They care about you a ton. I can tell,¡± she whispered to him. The boy nodded slowly, refusing to raise his head. ¡°Dames! Stay here, I¡¯m gonna take the girls out for a bit.¡± ¡°Fuck. I shoulda took a smoke on the way back here.¡± ¡°Well sucks, stay here.¡± ¡°Fuckin¡¯ bitch,¡± Damian grumbled under his breath. ¡°Fine fine.¡± He fell into one of the lounge chairs and kicked his feet up on the coffee table to relax. And with that Aura guided the trio of Resonators out of the room. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Rebecca asked her fellow Resonators as they followed their ¡°current¡± Maestro through the MA Office. ¡°Aura¡¯s going to tell us something about Sho,¡± Taika told her companions excitedly. ¡°But is Sho gonna be okay with that dog?¡± Pacifica was more concerned about the trade that just happened. Taika smirked, wagging a finger. ¡°No need to worry, Aura and Damian are super strong. We¡¯re safe with her, and Sho¡¯s safe with him,¡± the lunar fox informed her compatriots. ¡°Well, if you think so.¡± Pacifica decided to trust Taika¡¯s judgment on this. ¡°What¡¯s she gonna tell us though?¡± Rebecca wondered. Aura finally decided to pry into the trio¡¯s conversation. ¡°About his actual first Resonator.¡± Needless to say, the interest was piqued, with Rebecca and Pacifica looking to Taika ¨C the first of their group to have joined. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Taika queried hesitantly. Truth be told, they all knew that whatever story they were about to be told was heavy. Shouri wouldn¡¯t be this broken up otherwise. Aura led them out of the building to a fountain in the center of the courtyard of the campus. It was a bit warm out, though there was enough cloud cover that hid the late morning sun from bothering them too much. As usual a squad of nature element Resonators employed by the MA Office were working on some lawn care, while a water element stood in the fountain cleaning the statue in the center of it. Sitting on the stone edge of the water basin, Aura began with a little preamble. ¡°So me and Shouri¡¯s parents, they¡¯re not the best people in the world. They¡¯re not criminals or crooks or anything like that. They just have some shitty opinions about Resonators.¡± Taika nodded slowly. Certainly, she knew best of the trio ¨C still vividly remembering the night they were chased from the manor. ¡°Anywho, this all went down about seven or eight years ago; we wanted Resonators, and our parents didn¡¯t. We went to public school at the time, it all started one spring afternoon...¡± Chapter 41 Riva Solare, 2010AR The final school bell rang for the day and with it, hundreds of children (both Maestro and Resonator alike) escaped the confines of the public educational system. Among them were two particular children ¨C a blonde girl, and her brunet brother. They lived close enough to the school to be amongst the ¡°walkers¡±, those who couldn¡¯t partake in standard bussing to and from school. They had to, as the name implied, walk to and from the campus each day. It wasn¡¯t grueling labor, maybe a twenty-minute walk if they hustled. But on this Friday afternoon, the pair were taking their time. ¡°Sucks that everyone¡¯s busy this weekend.¡± A much younger Aura let out a sigh. ¡°Yeah. Boring weekend,¡± Shouri replied, adjusting the bag on his back while he walked. He glanced at his older sister. ¡°You¡¯re almost fifteen though,¡± he noted suddenly. ¡°Why do you bring that up?¡± The sister raised a brow. ¡°I was thinking about it and maybe you¡¯d be able to get Mom and Dad to let you get a Resonator.¡± The pair came to a stop on the sidewalk, cars passing by as the background tracks to their conversation. ¡°I was thinking that too. Some of my older friends say they get some serious cash being hunters,¡± the girl told her brother, her eyes following a Maestro and their Resonator chatting with one another as they walked down the street. ¡°How much?¡± the younger brother inquired, snapping his sister out of her thoughts. ¡°On a good night, a couple hundred notes,¡± she replied. ¡°Couple as in like two?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Wow, two hundred notes.¡± For a ten and fourteen-year-old, that was quite a bit of money, even coming from as wealthy of a household as theirs. The pair resumed their quiet trek home. Another boring day it seemed. Or was it? They passed by a park where the siblings played with their friends. Shouri came to a stop while his sister kept walking. Something felt strange. It was a feeling he had never experienced before. There was a pull on his very being, the essence of his soul, his rhythm. Wordlessly, the brunet-haired boy followed his sixth sense, moving into the park. Guided by an invisible string that tugged him along, ignoring the protests of his sister who had found her brother walking deep into the park. By the time Aura caught up to him, she found him standing near some bushes, gripping the straps of his bag tightly. ¡°Shouri, what are you doing?¡± Aura asked her brother, resting a hand on his shoulder. He didn¡¯t give a verbal reply but simply pointed to the bushes. The shrubbery began to rustle of its own accord and suddenly a head popped out. ¡°Ah!¡± Aura yelped, jumping back at the sudden third child. They were a Resonator, a red-haired cat-girl. As she stepped out of the bush, she dusted herself off. It was clear her clothes were well worn, a dirty blue t-shirt and shorts, but she didn¡¯t enjoy the leaves and twigs that attempted to hitch a ride. ¡°Who are you?¡± she asked, her eyes squarely on Shouri. ¡°I¡¯m Shouri, this is my sister Aura.¡± He motioned to the taller girl next to him. The cat-girl looked the two Maestros over. ¡°Okay?¡± She furrowed her brow. The young boy just stared, seemingly awestruck by the red-haired cat-girl standing before him. ¡°You¡¯re a Resonator,¡± he blurted out. The girl couldn¡¯t help but smirk. ¡°That¡¯s really what you¡¯re going with?¡± She put her hands on her hips. ¡°You gotta ask a girl her name first,¡± the cat proclaimed. Aura rolled her eyes, but Shouri took the bait. ¡°What is your name?¡± he asked as demanded. The cat girl giggled. ¡°My name is Mila,¡± she spoke the truth. ¡°Why did you come sniff me out?¡± she made the relevant inquiry. Shouri shuffled uneasily, adjusting the bag on his back. ¡°Well, I...¡± he mumbled some things under his breath. ¡°I dunno.¡± He lowered his head. ¡°Ehhhh?¡± Mila smirked. She reached out and poked the boy¡¯s chest. ¡°I know you¡¯re a kid, but come on, can you at least say something like ¡®I felt something right from you?¡¯.¡± Poor Shouri couldn¡¯t manage any words and lowered his head, curling up ever so slightly in shame. ¡°Or maybe you want to say ¡®Can I be your Maestro?¡¯,¡± she made the bold claim. ¡°Eh!? I-I never said that!¡± Shouri yelped. Mila¡¯s smirk approached dangerous levels of smugness, as she had a total read on the boy. ¡°Oh yeah? Well, first-¡± She drew close to the young Maestro. ¡°-you gotta catch me!¡± she shouted before bolting off. Not expecting any of that, poor defenseless Shouri ended up falling on his rear as Mila rushed away. Aura couldn¡¯t help but laugh at her brother getting played. But he wasn¡¯t having any of that. Shedding his backpack, he gave chase. ¡°Oh?¡± Aura raised a brow, watching as Mila easily toyed with the boy, dodging his attempts at catching her. He wasn¡¯t the type to play like this. What was with that cat? Time passed and Aura watched Shouri trudge after Mila from her front-row seat on the swing sets. ¡°Is... that all you got?¡± the chased in question huffed, walking backward away from her pursuer. ¡°Not a chance.¡± Shouri breathed hard, coated in a thick layer of sweat and dirt. ¡°Cause you¡¯re about to fall for it.¡± He suddenly smirked. Mila was nothing but on guard, and trod lightly. She felt the soil she was stepping back into was weak ¨C one of the spots Shouri had fallen onto earlier?! Pivoting around she stepped away from that tiny pitfall, only to hit a second pitfall he had dug into the dirt to the left of his first one. ¡°WHAT?!¡± she shrieked before hitting the ground hard. She didn¡¯t even have time to process what happened, as the next instant she was tackled and pinned to the ground by the Maestro she had spent the last hour or so tormenting. ¡°GUH!¡± Mila yelped, being winded by the sudden attack. Aura just slowly clapped from her position on the swings. Shouri pushed himself up, keeping Mila under him. ¡°I got you,¡± he wheezed. Mila stared up, now the awestruck one. ¡°Y-you did,¡± she whispered. ¡°Shouri! We gotta get going!¡± Aura¡¯s shout snapped the pair out of their locked gazes. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.¡°G-get off!¡± Mila pushed the boy off of her and scampered away. Shouri sat on the ground, still processing what exactly had happened. ¡°Hey!¡± Mila shouted. ¡°I want a rematch! You best come back here tomorrow!¡± she demanded. In a strange turn of events, he returned her demand with a reply: ¡°Sure!¡±
Back in the present, Shouri¡¯s current trio of Resonators digested the meeting of their Maestro and who could be considered their predecessor. ¡°Mila was a cat you said?¡± Pacifica asked. ¡°Mhm, Fire-Shielding.¡± Aura nodded. ¡°She also had pretty strong rhythm for her age,¡± the elder Maestro noted. ¡°Shouri could always feel her presence from a considerable distance away.¡± Taika lowered her head. ¡°Like me,¡± she muttered. Rebecca and Pacifica looked at the lunar fox. They didn¡¯t really know the exact specifics behind Taika and Shouri¡¯s initial meeting, but where she differed from them is he sought her out instead of the other way around, all despite his weak willpower suggesting that he¡¯d do anything but. And it sounded like his meeting with Mila went the same way as Taika¡¯s initial encounter with him. ¡°Anyhow,¡± Aura began once more. ¡°We did go back the next day.¡±
Shouri returned to the park where he had met Mila the day before. Aura was with him, mostly out of a lack of anything better to do with her own Saturday. ¡°Is she even here?¡± the sibling asked of her brother. He replied with a quick nod. Walking into the park, there were far more people here today than the day prior, it being a weekend and all. Either way, Shouri was already wordlessly walking to his destination. Notably, he was going a completely different way than the first time they had met the cat-girl. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Aura asked, noticing the discrepancy. ¡°Mila is this way,¡± he insisted; his eyes focused forward. With some trepidation, Aura followed along. Sure enough, he was right on the money and as soon as they approached a different set of bushes, Mila popped out. ¡°You came back.¡± She was surprised. ¡°Of course I did,¡± Shouri replied as if it should have been obvious. The cat seemed a bit flustered, looking around before focusing back on Shouri. ¡°G-good! Now I¡¯ll definitely win this time.¡± She nodded to herself, confident in today¡¯s victory. ¡°We''re playing hide and go seek,¡± she announced. ¡°And you¡¯re gonna play too, lady.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Aura pointed to herself, surprised at being roped into the festivities. ¡°You¡¯re it.¡± Mila poked Shouri in the forehead, pushing him back. ¡°You have to find me and her. Count to a hundred!¡± Shouri frowned. He wasn¡¯t the best at these types of games but just went with it. Turning to a nearby tree, he kept his eyes closed and began to count aloud. ¡°Ah fuck,¡± Aura cursed under her breath, trying to decide where to go. She watched Mila bolt off at an impressive speed. ¡°He¡¯s never going to find her,¡± Aura chuckled before jogging off to find a hiding place of her own. ¡°Ninety-eight, ninety-nine, One hundred.¡± The boy turned around to find himself alone. Well, alone in the social sense. There were tons of people around, but nobody he actually knew. Even so, he was drawn in a particular direction. Mila had decided to climb a tree on the other side of the park, figuring that Shouri would never find her there. However, when she poked her head through the leaves to see if she could spot him wandering around helplessly... ¡°What the heck?!¡± she hissed to herself. Shouri had finished counting and was walking directly towards the tree she was in. Surely, he couldn¡¯t have figured her out, right? No no, he just happened to be walking in her direction. There¡¯s no conceivable way he could find her so easily. However, he marched on to her hiding spot. She ducked back into the tree proper and pushed her back against the trunk, trying to keep herself small. If nothing else he wouldn¡¯t be able to find her up on the branch she was sitting on. ¡°I found you, Mila.¡± Her ears twitched as Shouri¡¯s voice reached them. She squeaked in surprise and lost her balance, falling right onto the boy who startled her. ¡°You cheated!¡± She immediately was on the defensive. ¡°Ow... how did I cheat?¡± the boy questioned, still pinned to the ground by Mila. ¡°You didn¡¯t even look! You just walked straight to me!¡± Shouri averted his gaze. ¡°Yeah, I did that,¡± he admitted nervously. ¡°Aha! So you did cheat!¡± the cat-girl exclaimed. ¡°I couldn¡¯t help it! There¡¯s like this weird feeling like I just know where you¡¯re at!¡± he shouted back. Mila was thrown off-guard by this. ¡°Is that a thing?¡± she hesitantly asked. ¡°I dunno. I haven¡¯t met too many Resonators,¡± he replied. The fire-cat was dubious of Shouri¡¯s claim. ¡°Another match!¡± she declared. ¡°Wha-?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe that you can just ¡®know where I¡¯m at¡¯! I have some killer hiding spots ¨C I bet I can stump you.¡± She smirked, still holding the higher position physically as she sat atop him like he was her throne. ¡°But I-¡± ¡°Another match!¡± she repeated. And so, the contests were had and poor Mila was found every single time, without a second guess in Shouri¡¯s step. She even tried to stay on the move a couple of times, but no matter what, he followed her like a bloodhound, seemingly able to sniff her out no matter where she went. Eventually, evening fell on the park and the cat girl collapsed onto the ground, covered in sweat and just plain exhausted. ¡°I give up! You¡¯re so weird!¡± Mila shouted, frustrated by her sound defeat. Shouri frowned, hurt by that comment. ¡°Ah, I-¡± Mila realized what she had said and sat up. ¡°W-wait, I didn¡¯t mean that!¡± she fretted, her ears folding back. ¡°I just... it¡¯s so weird to me how easily you can find me,¡± she admitted. The boy wilted ¨C there was that word again, weird. ¡°Sorry,¡± he mumbled. Turning to leave, Shouri was grabbed by the cat-girl. ¡°I said wait darn it!¡± she cried out. ¡°I just never had anyone play with me before. I¡¯m just a dirty cat.¡± He turned to her. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Have you really not figured it out yet? I¡¯m a stray.¡± Chapter 42 Once more in the present, Taika, Pacifica, and Rebecca took in the story they had just been told while Aura went to grab a bottle of water. ¡°A stray.¡± Taika dwelled on that. ¡°Any Resonator not linked to a tuner and Maestro is a stray,¡± Pacifica reminded her. ¡°Even when I lived with my parents, they never chipped or got a tuner for me, I was considered a stray in the eyes of the government.¡± ¡°If I didn¡¯t track you down and just kept my tuner to myself, I¡¯d be a stray too,¡± Rebecca added. ¡°Che stranezza...¡± Taika mumbled. ¡°That¡¯s really it, if you don¡¯t have a Maestro, you¡¯re a stray?¡± the lunar asked. She had heard the word thrown around, but never really attached it to the idea of it applying to any Resonator without a Maestro. Even in disparate situations like hers, Pacifica¡¯s, and Mila¡¯s, they were all just lumped into the single catch-all label ¡°stray¡±. Pacifica hummed, trying to think of how she wanted to phrase it. ¡°Yeah.¡± She settled on the blunt approach. ¡°Che stranezza...¡± the lunar fox repeated. Aura returned at this point with drinks for the group. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m back,¡± she announced. ¡°Hey, Aura,¡± Rebecca spoke up. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°So the last half of the story you just told us about the hide and seek ¨C where the heck were you?¡± The blonde Maestro grimaced. ¡°Oh right ¨C those fucks just left me hiding for hours. Shouri told me basically what happened later on.¡± Rebecca nodded slowly. ¡°Technically you won the hide and seek then,¡± she proposed. The annoyance faded from the woman¡¯s face. ¡°Huh. I guess you¡¯re right.¡± They all had a good laugh at that revelation. Clearing her throat, Aura decided to move on. ¡°The next day was Sunday and Shouri had some homework to do. But he took it to the park. My parents were concerned about letting him go to the park alone, so they sent me with,¡± she explained. There was something wrong with that scenario, however, which Pacifica caught onto: ¡°Wait. You said your parents don¡¯t really like Resonators. Why would they let you and him go see Mila every day like this?¡± Aura smirked. ¡°Aha, you saw right through me. It¡¯s simple really: we didn¡¯t tell them shit,¡± the woman boasted proudly. ¡°Shouri lied by omission, he just kept telling them he wanted to go play at the park, which was technically the truth. He''s always been a quiet kid, low willpower and all. Mom and Dad were overjoyed to hear he didn¡¯t want to just sit in his room alone playing video games or reading.¡± Rebecca frowned, also catching a flaw in the narrative. ¡°But wouldn¡¯t they catch on to their son¡¯s weird changes in behavior?¡± The story-teller chuckled. ¡°No, they¡¯re hilariously bad parents.¡± Pacifica huffed and folded her arms across her chest. It seemed some more fuel was added to her ¡°beat up my friends¡¯ parents¡± fire. Getting them back on track, Aura cleared her throat before resuming the narrative: ¡°Alright, enough pre-amble: we went to the park to study.¡±
For the third day in a row, the Tomoshibi siblings found their way back to the local park. Shouri silently walked in and to another set of bushes, different from the prior day¡¯s selections. And just like the two days prior, Mila popped up from the shrubbery. ¡°You came back,¡± the cat noted. ¡°Yeah. Wanna do homework?¡± Shouri asked. The fire-cat furrowed her brows. ¡°Home-work?¡± she questioned. Finding a pavilion to work at, Shouri pulled out his textbooks. Aura herself had some schoolwork she had been procrastinating on finishing and brought her own to keep her busy while she watched over the young ones. Shouri began to explain what he was doing and what the point of the assignment was. Mila however, grew more irritable as he did so. Her tail flicked back and forth quickly the longer this went on. ¡°Enough!¡± She finally broke, jumping to her feet. ¡°This isn¡¯t fun! Why did you bring this junk?¡± The boy once more was hurt by Mila¡¯s tone, but the cat-girl didn¡¯t back down on this. At least initially. ¡°You said yesterday you were a stray. I thought you didn¡¯t go to school,¡± the boy admitted quietly. He recalled his Maestro friends, how their Resonators attended school with them, they learned to read and write just like anyone else. There was a strange sense welling up in Shouri... something that said it wasn''t fair. It wasn''t fair that Mila couldn''t get the same kind of education his friend''s Resonators got. The Resonator in his midst remained suspicious however, maintaining her guard. ¡°Yeah. I don¡¯t go to school. What about it?¡± she questioned, her eyes darting between Shouri and the book. ¡°I thought I could teach you since you can¡¯t go to school,¡± he offered, motioning to the seat next to him. Mila continued to glare, processing those words. She slowly sat down but kept her narrow-eyed gaze on the young Maestro-to-be. He resumed explaining what he was doing, with Mila slowly calming back down. ¡°icantread.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Shouri looked up. Mila had muttered something, but he couldn¡¯t hear what she said. The girl fidgeted in her seat before speaking up again. ¡°I-I can¡¯t read words.¡± She scowled at the textbook with its indistinguishable scribbles. ¡°Oh.¡± Shouri¡¯s gaze drifted between Mila and the textbook that lay before them. ¡°Maybe we should get her an easier book,¡± Aura suggested. ¡°I can¡¯t read words, getting an easier book ain¡¯t gonna help.¡± Mila folded her arms across her chest and turned her head with a huff. Shouri frowned. This was hard. Why was he doing this again? His eyes slowly met with Mila¡¯s and it all made sense. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go get a book for you then.¡± ¡°I keep telling you-!¡± By a single finger, she was silenced. ¡°I¡¯ll teach you,¡± Shouri insisted, before removing his finger from her lips. She trembled with a righteous fury. ¡°F-FINE. WASTE YOUR TIME.¡± They packed up their stuff and left the park. Mila kept a lower profile than the two siblings in front of her. Shouri noticed she seemed on edge and invited her to walk next to them. The cat put herself between the two siblings as if hiding from some unseen threat. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Shouri asked. ¡°N-nothing! Nothing¡¯s wrong!¡± Her little white lies were becoming easier and easier for Shouri to pick up on. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re lying,¡± he said bluntly. ¡°D-don¡¯t call me out like that! What the heck?¡± She once more trembled with anger. ¡°Why did you lie though?¡± Shouri cared more about the answer than the nature of his inquires. The trio came to a stop. ¡°Look, I¡¯m a stray, okay?¡± she started. Shouri and Aura nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t have a home or a Maestro,¡± she mumbled, flattening her ears and lowering her head. ¡°R-right.¡± Shouri slowly nodded, somewhat following along. ¡°I gotta eat food, right?¡± ¡°Mhm?¡± Another slow nod. ¡°I got kind of a... reputation with some stores around here,¡± admitted the cat. ¡°I try to... get my food at night when nobody can see me too well,¡± she whispered. Shouri didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Ohhhh.¡± Aura did, however. ¡°She steals her meals,¡± the eldest told her younger brother. ¡°Look!¡± Mila began the defense of her honor. ¡°They¡¯re usually throwing it out! Lots of good good stuff! Some of them are nice and give it to me, but some mean adults have chased me away,¡± Mila spoke quickly. ¡°Why?¡± Shouri tilted his head. ¡°I. Am. A. Stray. Nobody wants me,¡± Mila asserted. ¡°I... don¡¯t understand.¡± Shouri lowered his head. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t anyone want you?¡± His brows perked up worriedly. Mila too drooped. ¡°I wish I knew,¡± she breathed out. Aura watched this unfold, remaining silent. The boy from wealth who couldn¡¯t grasp the concept of poverty, and the girl abandoned by society to try and survive on her own. She looked around Shouri¡¯s age, ten or eleven. For her to live all this time alone spoke to her survival skills. If only their parents weren¡¯t so unaccommodating, they could easily take her in. She was still just a child after all. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go. On the way, we can get some food,¡± Aura decided. ¡°Food?¡± Mila perked up. ¡°Sure.¡± Aura smiled. ¡°It¡¯s easier to study on a full stomach.¡± The older girl nodded. Shouri¡¯s frown began to rise. Maybe they could help Mila. The first thing they wanted to do was get her a meal. ¡°H-hey wait a minute, where are we going?!¡± Mila paled as they approached the front door of the ubiquitous fast-food chain known as M¡¯Kroc¡¯s. ¡°Through the door?¡± Shouri blinked. ¡°Yeah, why?¡± Mila hid behind the boy, eyes fixated on the glass door in front of them. ¡°To get food?¡± The poor Maestro was hopelessly confused about why the Resonator was making a big deal out of it. It''s not like Resonators were forbidden or something. In fact, looking inside, he could see a Resonator that worked there sweeping the floors. ¡°She probably has a reputation with the employees,¡± Aura reminded her brother. ¡°I can feel them glaring at me.¡± Mila gulped, trying hard to maintain a brave face, but failing. Aura nodded. ¡°Welp, none of that matters; you¡¯re with money right now, come on.¡± She pushed her brother and the cat girl into the restaurant despite their protests. ¡°Alright, what do you want?¡± Aura asked the two. Mila was still hiding behind Shouri, on her toes, and keeping her escape paths in her peripheries. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.¡°Mila, what do you want?¡± the brunet asked the cat-girl. ¡°To get out of here,¡± she hissed. ¡°Why did I let you people convince me to come here? They¡¯re all staring.¡± Aura meanwhile had enough of the indecision and decided for them. ¡°We¡¯ll get a forty-piece chicken nugget, four Jr. Ray Doubles, three medium fries, and three sodas.¡± ¡°Size on the drinks?¡± the Resonator working the front counter asked. ¡°Medium.¡± ¡°Sauces for the nuggets?¡± ¡°Surprise me.¡± ¡°That¡¯ll be 40.25¡± With a press of her thumb on the rhythm reader, Aura had paid for the meal. Mila simply stared in complete shock. That sounded like a lot of food, and a lot of money. It was all just sorted out. No yelling, no swinging of brooms, just¡­ ¡°Thank you, your food will be up shortly.¡± Shouri and Mila sat at a table with their drinks while Aura hovered near the front counter waiting for their order. ¡°It¡¯s just that easy for you rich folks huh?¡± the cat mumbled. ¡°What¡¯s easy?¡± Shouri tilted his head. ¡°Getting food.¡± Mila stared at her own thumb, knowing very well the result would not be the same if she had attempted the same stunt Aura had done. ¡°You don¡¯t have money?¡± Shouri asked. ¡°I don¡¯t even know how money works besides you can use it to get stuff.¡± Mila grimaced, lowering her head in shame. ¡°This is a note.¡± Shouri held out a rectangular piece of paper. The cat-girl stared at the bill, only having seen them changing hands, and never her own. ¡°And this is a sharp.¡± The boy pulled a coin out of his pocket. ¡°Four sharps equal one whole note,¡± he explained. ¡°If something is 40.25, it would be forty notes, one sharp.¡± There was something to his words that just made everything click. She glanced up at the menu board in the distance. Studying the numbers on the board, she once again furrowed her brow. The pictures of the menu items were clear, but all the little squiggles surrounding them were just plain foreign to the cat. ¡°The chicken nuggets, how much were they?¡± she asked. ¡°Thirteen notes, two sharps, or 13.50,¡± he replied. ¡°And these drinks?¡± ¡°One note, three sharps each.¡± Counting off the digits on her fingers, she quickly totaled them up. ¡°Five notes one sharp for all three of our drinks?¡± Mila asked. Shouri was impressed. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± In rapid succession, she managed to tally out the prices of each individual menu item despite being unable to read the board. ¡°Huh.¡± The cat girl looked over her hands. ¡°That¡¯s kind of fun,¡± she muttered to herself. Aura at this point joined the kids at the table. ¡°Food¡¯s up!¡± She read the table as it were and noticed the two young ones were bothered. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Mila¡¯s good at math,¡± Shouri pointed out. ¡°Oh?¡± Aura looked to their new cat friend with intrigue. ¡°H-he was just showing me money and it was really easy after that,¡± Mila admitted sheepishly. It clicked for the eldest of the trio. ¡°Maybe you both are etuding,¡± she realized. ¡°Hey Shouri, maybe we should look into stuff about fire Resonators.¡± Mila raised a brow, missing the implication of such a pointed research topic.
¡°Sho wanted to etude with me shortly after I became his,¡± Taika recalled. It was only their third or so night partnered up and he had suggested it. ¡°Yeah.¡± Pacifica and Rebecca both nodded in agreement, each of them being almost forced into an etude on their first nights with their shared Maestro. ¡°Fuck, that boy is so predictable. He¡¯s such a weak-willed stave it¡¯s a miracle he didn¡¯t start snorting Rubato crystals just to get a fix.¡± Aura rolled her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not a problem!¡± Taika waved her hands. ¡°Etuding is so nice, heavenly," Pacifica swooned. ¡°We¡¯re probably addicts ourselves at this point,¡± Rebecca commented. ¡°Druggies, the lot of you!¡± Aura laughed at the trio of obsessed girls. ¡°Anyhow, we had lunch and wandered down to the book store¡­¡±
¡°Books.¡± Mila frowned hard, ears folding back. There was a distinct odor to the little corner shop they had entered. It was a tad bit musty in all honesty. There were a couple of Resonators that worked there, organizing books, dusting shelves, etc. On top of it all, the huge shelves with countless indecipherable tomes just made the poor little cat dizzy. ¡°Come on Mila, this way.¡± Shouri took the girl¡¯s hand and led her into the towering maze. ¡°W-wait stop!¡± Mila protested, powerless to stop herself from being dragged into the labyrinth. Her head swam, surrounded by nothing but impossible-to-decipher lines and squiggles. Nothing made sense. Even the aroma of used books was starting to get to her, making the girl slightly sway. It was all just overwhelming. ¡°Here.¡± Shouri shoved a book into her free hand. The picture on the front depicted the silhouette of a tailed Resonator of some kind surrounded by the shadows of fire. ¡°Now to get something for you,¡± he quietly decided, keeping a firm grip on her hand. ¡°I don¡¯t need anything!¡± she barked. ¡°Shhhh!¡± he hissed back, causing her to flinch and fold her ears back. ¡°It¡¯s rude to raise your voice,¡± the wanna-be Maestro informed her in a whisper. ¡°Why?¡± Mila glared back but lowered her voice all the same. ¡°Other people are reading and loud noises bother them.¡± Glancing down at the book she held, it made sense. It must take a lot of brain power to figure out what all these little symbols even meant. Mila silently conceded to the idea and kept her voice down, for now. The two moved through the shelves and found themselves in another section of the shop. ¡°Here we go.¡± Shouri pulled a couple of books down and handed them to Mila. More unknowable scribbles. ¡°What is all this?¡± Mila whispered. ¡°One book on fire Resonators for me, and a couple of books to help teach you how to read and write,¡± he said with an innocent smile. The cat was taken aback by his expression. ¡°Stop wasting your money on me,¡± she demanded. ¡°But don¡¯t you want to read? Isn¡¯t it weird to not be able to read?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve gotten by fine without it,¡± Mila huffed. ¡°You¡¯ll have a better time being able to read than not.¡± Aura suddenly appeared behind them. Mila flinched, startled by the sudden appearance of the elder sibling, her tail fur puffed out on end. ¡°Don¡¯t do that!¡± the cat hissed, managing to keep her voice low. ¡°Don¡¯t do what?¡± Aura chuckled. Mila narrowed her eyes, turning her head away with a huff. Aura regarded the selections her brother had made and subsequently handed off to Mila. ¡°You good with these?¡± she asked. ¡°Mhm.¡± Shouri nodded. ¡°Great let¡¯s get the heck out of here!¡± Aura declared. Once more Mila witnessed Aura effortlessly pay for the selections Shouri had made for the two of them. ¡°Why does she not use the money you showed me?¡± the cat questioned; her curiosity particularly sharpened today. Shouri furrowed his brows, frowning as he mulled over her inquiry. ¡°Uh, I think that thing reads rhythm.¡± The boy pointed at the scanner affixed to the counter. Mila blinked, surprised he didn¡¯t know how that worked, but she didn¡¯t have a leg to stand on since she just learned how money worked less than an hour ago. ¡°We¡¯re good to go.¡± Aura held up the plastic bag containing their books. As they made their way back to the park, the curious cat continued her newfound line of questioning. ¡°How did you buy those, lady?¡± ¡°With money of course,¡± Aura replied uselessly. ¡°But you didn¡¯t use the paper or coin things,¡± the cat pointed out. The eldest of the group took a moment to consider her words, simplifying her explanation for the target audience. ¡°With a thing called a bank account. You give money to those people who hold it for you and when you scan your rhythm those people give your money to whoever you need them to.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense. Why wouldn¡¯t you just give them the money yourself instead of the bank people doing it for you?¡± Mila questioned. Aura chuckled. ¡°Because then I¡¯d have to carry a bunch of paper money and coins. Then I¡¯d have to count everything out whenever I wanted to buy something,¡± she told the children. ¡°Also you can steal physical notes and sharps, where my rhythm can¡¯t be stolen.¡± Mila slowly nodded, understanding the idea. Having returned to the pavilion they started the day at, Shouri was eager to read over his new book. Mila sat next to him, looking over his shoulder in curiosity. Shouri perked up suddenly, looking around. ¡°Hm?¡± Mila tilted her head. Without warning, he placed a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Fuoco Fatuo, Tenuto,¡± he spoke. Instantly, a strange sensation formed within his body. The center of his mass, the spiritual essence of his soul, his rhythm reached out through his arm and entered Mila through her shoulder. Mila jumped, her heart stopping as she suddenly bore the weight of the invasive rhythm. Her body moved outside of her own will being forced to lift a hand and cup it in front of her. Outside of her conscious thought, her unconscious mind performed the task being asked of it by the foreign rhythm. The trio at the table watched a tiny ball of fire form within the girl¡¯s hand. ¡°Magic¡­ I can do magic¡­¡± Mila breathed out, trembling as her gaze was firmly affixed on the small ball of fire hovering just above her palm. ¡°You don¡¯t even¡­ have her tuner.¡± Aura was in a similar state of awe. Shouri remained silent, staring at the hand which his rhythm had flowed through. Chapter 43 Back in the present. ¡°That¡¯s pretty much how it all started,¡± Aura told the girls. ¡°We all realized quickly that Shouri and Mila were highly compatible,¡± the blonde Maestro recalled fondly. ¡°From there we visited Mila every day for months. Shouri taught her how to read and write ¨C she was a quick learner and he was a good teacher. They¡¯d also practice casting spells using the book and Shouri touch casting.¡± The woman paused, a melancholic smile on her lips. This smile slowly faded. ¡°Eventually we tried asking Mom and Dad if we could take her in.¡± Pacifica balled up her fists tightly on her lap. Pattern recognition was a hell of a drug. ¡°Naturally they said no. They were quite alarmed at what we were doing in fact.¡± Aura shrugged. ¡°They tried to stop us, but frankly, they were too busy with their own business at the time, so they failed dramatically and we kept visiting Mila,¡± Aura explained. ¡°Shouri had a very tight bond with her. It got to the point where even from our house, he had a good idea of her general direction.¡± The trio of Resonators looked between each other. Their Maestro was far more impressive than they had realized. ¡°We had managed to wear down our parents to the point where they agreed to meet Mila to possibly take her in. Shouri and I had spent a few days prepping her on what to say and do to win them over.¡± Aura paused. Pacifica trembled slightly. She could feel it ¨C whatever Aura was about to say was heavy. ¡°Obviously, Mila isn¡¯t sitting with you three today.¡± Aura¡¯s tone had lowered, bearing the grim weight of what she was about to impart to them. ¡°That summer night started with a thunderstorm...¡±
Green eyes fluttered open as Aura arose from her evening nap. CRACK BOOM And was jolted out of her grogginess by a massive bolt of lightning striking nearby. ¡°The heck...?¡± She held a hand over her pounding heart, having been startled by the noise in tandem with the house shaking. Looking out her massive arched windows, she couldn¡¯t see a thing out of them besides the occasional illumination from far-off lightning. The pounding of the rain was intense, almost muffling her thoughts from how hard the water was striking the home. At any rate, it was around eight or so at night. Dinner would be ready soon, so Aura slipped out of bed and made her way out of her cozy bedroom. Only to almost be bowled over by Shouri running down the hallway in full sprint. Thankfully they managed to just barely avoid each other. ¡°Shouri! What the hell!?¡± Aura snapped at her brother. He stopped and turned back, panic practically dripping from his face. ¡°A-aura! I can¡¯t feel her ¨C Something¡¯s wrong!¡± Aura gulped hard ¨C she took pause, trying to figure out what to do. She knew exactly what he was referring to. A stray fire Resonator out in this storm. It hadn¡¯t occurred to her until this very moment. What did Mila do when it stormed like this? Where did she go? She hoped that the little Resonator didn¡¯t hunker down amongst the trees and foliage as normal. There was no way it would provide adequate shelter for her. They had learned a lot about how Mila survived out in the elements but didn¡¯t ever question her severe weather preparedness. Either way, if Shouri couldn¡¯t feel her anymore, that was bad. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s grab the raincoats!¡± Aura made her call. The pair rushed out of the house, not even sparing the time to tell their parents where they were going. Armed only with a single flashlight, they thought not of what they ran into, but of the one they were trying to save. In all honesty, it was terrifying for a couple of kids like them ¨C cold, pounding rain; violent winds; claps of thunder that shook them to their cores; sudden flashes of lightning above. It wasn¡¯t any place for them to be, and yet they ran down the abandoned streets, every so often being illuminated by a driver braving the elements. They reached the park in record time and began their frenzied hunt. Though without Shouri being able to sense Mila''s rhythm, this was much more difficult of an endeavor than they had realized. It was still pitch black out, so they relied on another sense. ¡°MILA!¡± ¡°MILA!¡± ¡°MILA WHERE ARE YOU?!¡± ¡°MILA PLEASE!!¡± Their desperate shouts were only answered by the skies, which drowned out some of their cries with claps of indifferent thunder. They checked every spot they knew she stayed. Aura began to lose hope ¨C Mila was nowhere to be found. Their throats were raw from their desperate screams. They were cold and entirely soaked; the raincoats only marginally helped keep them from getting wet. ¡°We can¡¯t find her...¡± Aura grabbed her brother¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m not giving up! She HAS to be here!¡± It was clear he was crying from the cracks in his voice. They came up on the last spot they knew she occupied. Their hearts sank instantly. What they had found... The shrubbery was torn up, branches destroyed, and laid strewn about. A flash of lightning revealed one of the books they had gotten for Mila completely destroyed, the pages scattered about. There were other objects, toys, little things they had gotten for her haphazardly discarded. These were things she absolutely cherished. ¡°MILA!¡± Shouri screamed, falling to his knees and looking around for any trace of her. All he found though was a scrap of cloth ¨C part of her shirt. ¡°S-she¡¯s gone...¡± Aura stared wide-eyed at the cloth her brother held, mixed in the mud were splashes of red ¨C blood. CRACK BOOOOOOM The playground just behind them was suddenly converted into a lightning rod as a massive bolt from the heavens sniped the metal object. The two siblings were physically shaken by such a powerful release of energy nearby. Aura gritted her teeth hard. Mila wasn¡¯t here: Shouri couldn¡¯t sense her, and there was obviously a struggle. One she didn¡¯t win. As the older sibling, she made her judgment call: ¡°Shouri we gotta get out of here!¡± She reached down and grabbed his shoulder, but he smacked her away. ¡°I AM NOT LEAVING! MILA IS HERE! I KNOW IT!¡± Shouri screamed. The elder sibling glared hard. ¡°Shouri! She¡¯s gone! Let it go!¡± Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°I WILL NOT! I CAN STILL DO SOMETHING! I CAN HELP HER!¡± ¡°THERE¡¯S NOTHING YOU COULD HAVE DONE!¡±
¡°We never saw her again. We went back every day, but well you all can figure out the rest,¡± Aura concluded, back in the present. Pacifica was full-on bawling at this point, holding Taika who was trying to comfort her. Rebecca wiped away some of her own tears before speaking up. ¡°What happened to Shouri?¡± she asked. Aura frowned. ¡°He went back to the way he was before meeting her: withdrawn, keeping to himself. He had a bunch of friends, but he was very clearly etuding with Mila super hard, so once her influence left him, it was like rhythmic whiplash.¡± Rebecca¡¯s gaze fell upon Taika, who was still tending to the actively crying Pacifica. Her willpower kept him going ¨C she had quite the void to fill apparently. That just spoke to Taika¡¯s potential in Rebecca¡¯s mind. ¡°Our folks finally got the severity of the situation and tried to get him to get another Resonator, but for a long time he was convinced he could find her.¡± Aura paused again. ¡°Again, I don¡¯t need to tell you how that went.¡± The three girls remained silent. ¡°Anyways, I¡¯m sure he¡¯s been super weird about you three.¡± Aura shrugged. ¡°Yeah...¡± Rebecca was the one speaking for their group at this point. ¡°He constantly throws himself into danger to protect us.¡± She recalled when he rushed into the Scherzando swarm to save her life. The elder Maestro hummed in slight disapproval. ¡°That tracks.¡± She looked between the three Resonators before her. ¡°After the incident, I¡¯d catch him constantly muttering shit like ¡®I should have been there.¡¯ Or ¡®I should have protected her.¡¯ Not surprised that¡¯s the kind of Maestro he became when finally given the chance,¡± she explained. ¡°I don¡¯t hate that part of him,¡± Pacifica finally managed to get some real words out. ¡°I just wish he didn¡¯t have to suffer so thoroughly to become that way.¡± Her tears began to shed anew. Rebecca and Taika slowly nodded. Aura smiled. ¡°Mila taught us both some valuable lessons.¡± The woman lowered her head. ¡°Anyways, I¡¯ve kept you away from him long enough. Let¡¯s head back.¡±
¡°How fucking long are they gonna take?¡± Damian complained. While the girls were getting the details on Shouri¡¯s past, the aforementioned Maestro and his sister¡¯s Resonator were just watching movies in his room at the MA office. Poor Damian was struggling at the moment, being deprived of his precious, precious tobacco. ¡°Just go smoke.¡± Shouri shot a sidelong glance at the fire elemental. ¡°You¡¯d just snitch on me as soon as Aura gets back,¡± the Doberman countered. ¡°Would not.¡± ¡°No, the second I step out of the room, she¡¯d come back and flip shit that I left you alone.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a grown-ass man, go have your precious smoke sticks.¡± Damian glared at his ¡°current¡± Maestro. ¡°Fuck you, I don¡¯t need them,¡± he decided. ¡°Suit yourself.¡± And so the two men returned to watching their movie in silence. Thankfully for Damian¡¯s nicotine addiction, the girls returned. And return they did, Shouri¡¯s three Resonators all dog-piling on him and crying on him in an indecipherable mess of sobbing. Aura chuckled, walking up to the couch where the quartet lay in a heap. ¡°They¡¯re well informed now,¡± the elder sibling said simply. ¡°Thanks,¡± Shouri replied flatly, still in the process of being crushed by his three weepy Resonators. ¡°Hey they were fine until they saw you, then the waterworks started.¡± Aura shrugged, making her way around the sob pile. Taking the free recliner, she crossed her legs and leaned back, relaxing. ¡°So, what are you planning on doing?¡± she asked her brother. Shouri pried himself out of the pile of girls he had found himself in. ¡°We were going to Canolapra,¡± he told her. Patting Pacifica¡¯s head, he continued, ¡°This one¡¯s parents live there and we figure it¡¯d be a safe place to crash for a little bit.¡± ¡°Hrm...¡± Aura folded her arms across her chest, closing her eyes. ¡°Well, there¡¯s not much between here and there. Probably gonna be in super small MA offices if you can even find any,¡± she advised. The younger Maestro nodded slowly, acknowledging that fact. ¡°It¡¯s probably going to be rough, but I think we can make it.¡± Aura¡¯s lips rose to a smile. ¡°Definitely.¡± ¡°What about you? What are you even doing out here?¡± Shouri raised a brow. ¡°Well after you left, Dames and I rented a car and started looking for you. I didn¡¯t want to call in case Dad hired someone to tail me, but we really haven¡¯t run into anyone suspicious, so I think we¡¯re safe.¡± There was more Aura wanted to say but left it at that. ¡°Ah.¡± Shouri didn¡¯t sense it, but he saw the guilt on his sister¡¯s face Aura¡¯s expression brightened. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mom and Dad don¡¯t know what I¡¯m doing, I¡¯m certain of that.¡± Silence fell upon the group, the movie Shouri and Damian had been watching still proceeding on in the background, unchallenged. ¡°Now what?¡± Shouri asked. ¡°You found me.¡± ¡°Good fucking question.¡± Aura thought about it for a moment. ¡°No idea. But I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll think of something.¡± Damian rolled his eyes. ¡°Probably we¡¯ll wander aimlessly,¡± he spoke up. ¡°Probably!¡± Aura laughed loudly. ¡°Stay in touch though.¡± She looked at her brother wearing a proud smile. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know if I find out Dad¡¯s up to something.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Shouri nodded. It was something he had been concerned about, but it was a bit relieving that he wasn¡¯t up to something, for now at least. Aura hopped to her feet. ¡°A¡¯ight Dames! Let¡¯s get moving! The great Lyberteran frontier awaits us!¡± ¡°Oh boy, more cornfields, I¡¯m so fuckin¡¯ excited,¡± the fire dog mumbled sarcastically, also rising. After swapping back their tuners, Aura and Damian made their departure, leaving Shouri with his trio of Resonators once more. The room remained quiet for some time. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t tell you myself,¡± Shouri finally broke the silence. ¡°It¡¯s okay Sho,¡± Taika said. ¡°We understand,¡± Pacifica added. ¡°It was a lot,¡± Rebecca chimed in. The Maestro took in a deep breath before exhaling sharply. There was certainly a weight off of his chest. The past was in the past and he needed to focus on the three in front of him right now. ¡°Alright, who wants dinner?¡± ¡°Me!¡± ¡°Me!¡± ¡°Me!¡± Chapter 44 May 31st, 2018AR Another Thursday morning and another morning where Shouri Tomoshibi found himself wrapped up in a cocoon of tailed girls. Taika was the recipient of his embrace this morning, with the typical arrangement of Rebecca and Pacifica flanking their backs. Rebecca and Taika could at least deal with one another¡¯s presence now, which was an improvement, though asking them to hold each other would probably cause some animosity. Baby steps with those two. Either way, today had been booked pretty heavily with each of the three girls wanting to do something different. Unlike back in Riva Sranvi where Pacifica and Taika wanted separate ¡°dates¡±, today the three wanted to do things together. It was relieving that they were growing close to one another. ... Was this really okay? Was it okay that he was happy with these three? What if she was in pain somewhere and he was wasting his time here? ¡°Sho.¡± Pacifica¡¯s voice roused him from his thoughts. ¡°Don¡¯t think like that.¡± ¡°What, you a mind reader now?¡± he whispered back. ¡°No, but I know what that face means. Especially now.¡± She smirked. Another day had begun and Shouri would focus on the day ahead of him.
Rebecca took the lead as they walked around the historic streets of Leono. ¡°The buildings around here are so different!¡± Taika exclaimed, taking in the rustic brick buildings they passed by. ¡°Leono has been around for a couple hundred years, it¡¯s a really old city that prides itself on its storied past,¡± Shouri explained. ¡°It¡¯s a lot cleaner than I expected.¡± Pacifica too was studying the local architecture as they passed by various locally run shops. The group¡¯s current leader came to a stop in front of a certain building. ¡°Here we are.¡± Rebecca flashed the tuner to the group and pointed to the business they had gathered at. ¡°The Forum Australis¡± ¡°What... is it?¡± Pacifica asked, not gleaning any useful information from the name of the shop. ¡°Well if Rebecca wanted to go here, there must be a reason,¡± Shouri decided. ¡°Come on.¡± Piling into the small shop, their questions remained unanswered. There was a variety of smells in the air: earthy odors, but also the distinct aromas of flowers and other natural scents. The quartet started to slowly look around, finding there were prices on various items in the store, along with names. They found clothing, jewelry, pottery, furniture, paintings and drawings. Looking around further they found hand-made kitchen utensils as well as soaps, bath bombs, and other artisan goods. ¡°What is this place, Rebecca?¡± Shouri quietly asked his Resonator, feeling it rude to raise his voice any further. ¡°I-I thought it was like an art museum or something and I thought you¡¯d like nerd junk like that,¡± the fire element hissed; ears folded back as she desperately tried to hide her embarrassment. ¡°Sorry for wasting our time,¡± she muttered quietly. Before Shouri could try to console Rebecca, Pacifica stepped between the pair. The otter excitedly presented a bar of soap to Shouri. ¡°Sho! Sho! Can I get this!?¡± Pacifica cared not about the atmosphere here, using her normal speaking voice. Shouri smirked, glancing over at Rebecca. ¡°Certainly. I¡¯m glad we came here,¡± he declared, also in his normal speaking voice. Rebecca kept her head lowered, but smiled.
For the second outing of the day, they found their way out of town. Thankfully Leono was on the smaller end of the large Lyberteran cities and as such it only took a small bus trip to get out into the wilderness. Pacifica led the way to their second activity, her own tuner in hand just as Rebecca had before. ¡°So where are we going now?¡± Shouri questioned as they disembarked from the bus. There were many other tourists also disembarking. Many had large backpacks for camping or were generally hiking. ¡°This is the Evergreen Bayou ¨C it¡¯s a super famous spot a lot of otters come to. I just had to visit it while we¡¯re here!¡± Pacifica beamed. ¡°It¡¯s stupid humid here,¡± Rebecca noted. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that!¡± Pacifica wrapped an arm around her fellow Resonator¡¯s neck. ¡°You¡¯ll be perfectly safe with me!¡± the otter declared, her tail wagging excitedly. ¡°I¡¯m worried,¡± Rebecca groaned, ears folding back once more. ¡°I¡¯m also worried,¡± Shouri muttered. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be okay Sho.¡± Taika patted her Maestro¡¯s back, though she spoke more to convince herself of her own words than him. Unlike Rebecca, who didn¡¯t even know what her choice of destination for the day was about, Pacifica had already made all the proper reservations needed. With a quick exchange of paperwork, they were ready to go. ¡°So what exactly are we doing here?¡± Shouri braved asking. ¡°BOAT!¡± Pacifica excitedly shouted. Rebecca paled at the idea. ¡°No thanks, you can have my share.¡± She hugged herself, tail wrapping around the inside of her leg. ¡°Come on Rebby! I¡¯ll keep you safe! Promise!¡± Pacifica pleaded with the fire elemental. ¡°I can¡¯t swim and lake water is cold, and smells,¡± Rebecca countered. ¡°The smell is the best part!¡± the otter insisted. Shouri and Taika¡¯s eyes went back and forth as Pacifica and Rebecca had their minor disagreement about lakes. Finally, the Maestro decided to cut in as the voice of reason. ¡°Pacifica, this is all fine and dandy, but you need a license to drive a boat,¡± he pointed out. The otter all of a sudden gained an aura of smugness, clicking her tongue in pity for these fools. ¡°My dear Maestro, your Resonator came prepared with her boating license.¡± Reaching into the inside of her swimming trunks, she retrieved the plastic card and presented it to her Maestro.
Lybertera Boater Card
Resonant Registrant Pacifica (W/P) [Otter] Date of Issue 2/23/2014
Maestro Registrant Priscilla Nicchi
Sex F Eyes BLU Hair BRN Hgt 5¡¯5¡± DOB 2/23/1999
Sure enough, it was a valid card alright; though it was registered to her mother rather than Shouri. ¡°Resonators can get licenses?¡± Rebecca questioned. ¡°Yeah, there just has to be a Maestro attached to the license as well for liability reasons.¡± He looked to the proud otter, who stood akimbo wearing a big, bright grin on her face. ¡°Are you sure your mom is cool with you using this?¡± he inquired wearily. ¡°Yeah yeah!¡± She nodded enthusiastically. ¡°I got that license on my fifteenth birthday specifically so I could go out boating. She wouldn¡¯t have signed off on it if she didn¡¯t want me using it,¡± Pacifica told her Maestro, her air of pride nearly taking tangible form. He sighed. Hopefully, nothing too crazy would happen ¨C he didn¡¯t want to have to explain himself to her mother. Handing the card back to its owner, he acquiesced to her desires: ¡°Fine Fine, we¡¯ll go along with it.¡± Pacifica lit up even further and practically assaulted her Maestro with a hug. ¡°YES! Thank you so much Sho!¡± She squeezed him tightly, shaking him back and forth. ¡°Guhhh we¡¯re all wearing life jackets though!¡± he managed to get out.
¡°They really just let you rent boats too huh...?¡± Rebecca mumbled to herself while she secured her life jacket. Shouri shot a glance over to the fire fox, noting she wasn¡¯t having any trouble with the vest itself, but still seemed bothered by something that wasn¡¯t the water. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s up?¡± he whispered to the ombr¨¦ fox. ¡°Ah.¡± She shot a sidelong glance at Pacifica, who was showing Taika the various parts of the speed boat they had rented. ¡°I-it¡¯s nothing,¡± she decided. As she turned her head back to Shouri, she caught his disapproving glare. ¡°Try again?¡± she hesitantly asked. He nodded. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. She blushed, averting her gaze. ¡°I... like cars...¡± she sheepishly admitted. Shouri was surprised by that. ¡°Really?¡± he asked. She nodded quickly. He hummed studying his Resonator. ¡°Do you want to drive?¡± he asked. The fire fox lit up but quickly snuffed out her excitement. ¡°N-no! It¡¯d bother you...¡± she muttered. A squeak escaped her lips as Shouri placed a hand on her head and ruffled her hair. ¡°It bothers me more that you¡¯re not being honest with me.¡± He grinned toothily. The blood already rushing through her cheeks only intensified. This boy was too much. ¡°It¡¯d bother you,¡± she repeated. ¡°Hey! Get over here! Let¡¯s get going!¡± Pacifica shouted, interrupting their moment. ¡°We¡¯re not done with this conversation,¡± Shouri warned Rebecca before turning to address Pacifica. ¡°Mmmrgh...¡± To say she still wasn¡¯t used to him was an understatement. This was a good problem to have, regardless. The four passengers got onto the boat, Taika and Shouri taking the sides, with the water-wary Rebecca between them. Pacifica was at the back manning the motor. ¡°AWWW-RIGHT! LET¡¯S GET MOVING!¡± She kicked the idling motor into gear and blasted off from the dock. Taika began screaming at the sudden acceleration. Shouri held on tight and whipped his head back, angrily yelling something at Pacifica. And Rebecca... She smiled. Her heart raced; her breath deepened. She forgot all about the sloshing underneath her, the tight vest binding her chest, the cold water splashing onto her face, the lakey odor ¨C she was numb to it. The speed, the feeling in her gut, the scenery blurring by; she loved it. She wanted to urge Pacifica to go faster, but her heart hammered with such excitement she found her voice stuck in her throat. She felt... alive.
Evening arrived and Pacifica got her fill of boating, much to the ire of the rest of her party. The quartet returned to town, moistened and exhausted from the day¡¯s events. However, it wasn¡¯t over yet. It was now Taika¡¯s turn to pick where they would go, and like her two contemporaries before her, she led the way with tuner in hand. ¡°Dovrebbe essere in questo modo...¡± the lunar fox mumbled to herself, comparing the map on her screen to the landmarks around them. ¡°Are we lost?¡± Rebecca questioned wearily. ¡°I-I¡¯m sure Taika knows where she¡¯s going ¨C she has a map.¡± Pacifica tried to head off the fight at the pass. ¡°Does she know how to read a map?¡± the fire fox added, brow raised. ¡°Rebecca, behave,¡± Shouri chided the snarky fox. Thankfully for the peace of the city streets, Taika was much more focused on navigation than she was on Rebecca¡¯s snide remarks. Suddenly her ears perked up and her tail swished excitedly. ¡°Here it is!¡± she exclaimed, rushing away. The trio gave chase and turned the corner to find Taika pointing at their destination. It was a small building, matching the surrounding aging infrastructure quite well. The front was illuminated by lights and the sign that hung off the front of the building ¡°Ronny ¨C Q¡¯s¡± was the name of the establishment. And it seemed to be quite the popular little joint, as there was a not-so-insignificant number of people loitering around the entrance. The group gathered together and Taika led the way. ¡°Scusami, are you waiting in line?¡± she asked one of the people hanging around the door. ¡°No, you gotta reserve a table with the waitress,¡± the patron told them. ¡°Ah.¡± Shouri nodded. ¡°Hopefully the wait isn¡¯t too bad,¡± Pacifica chimed in. ... ¡°Yes, currently for a table of four, we¡¯re looking at a wait of about two hours.¡± Shouri and Rebecca turned and glared at Pacifica. ¡°Okay look! I didn¡¯t think that would excite the wish sage!¡± the otter barked in her defense. ¡°It¡¯s okay, we can just go elsewhere,¡± Taika decided, ushering the group out of the packed building. ¡°Yeah! I¡¯m sure there¡¯s plenty of restaurants we can go to here.¡± Pacifica patted her fellow Resonator¡¯s back as they made their way out. ... ¡°LOOK! SAHJI IS AFTER ME I SWEAR,¡± Pacifica cried out, cowering from the ire of her friends. Once more she was forced to defend her honor as Rebecca and Shouri towered over her. Taika frowned at her tuner ¨C they had been to half a dozen different spots around town and none of them had reasonable wait times. She sighed, turning off the screen. ¡°Who is Sahji?¡± She decided to sate her curiosity over her hunger. ¡°He¡¯s one of the Seven Sages, specifically the one lording over hopes and wishes,¡± Shouri began. ¡°His thing is tricking people into stabbing themselves with his muse, the End of Desire,¡± Pacifica chimed in. ¡°Real nasty thing that is,¡± Rebecca commented. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Taika raised a brow. It was kind of inconvenient growing up in a Natural town ¨C this kind of human-based mythos was totally lost on her. ¡°It¡¯s a sword belonging to Sahji. Supposedly it has the ability to grant any wish ¨C should you survive running it through your heart,¡± Shouri explained. ¡°And Sahji will appear before people he¡¯s taken an interest in and offer it to them, usually leading to their death!¡± Pacifica added. ¡°Basically, he¡¯s a bad omen,¡± Shouri concluded. ¡°Ohhhh, I get it. If he¡¯s interested in you, it¡¯s super bad.¡± Taika nodded. ¡°Right. Over time it became pretty commonplace to curse your bad luck as Sahji trying to make your life more ''interesting'' for his own sick amusement,¡± Shouri told her. Rebecca rolled her eyes, folding her arms across her chest. ¡°Well, he certainly made our dinner choice ''interesting'',¡± she huffed. They were all famished at this point, skipping lunch in favor of Pacifica¡¯s boating adventure. ¡°We could get those.¡± Taika pointed to a little sub shop just up the street that looked pretty empty at first glance. ¡°I¡¯m willing to eat anything at this point.¡± Shouri started walking that way. ¡°I hope they toast ¡®em. Want something warm right now.¡± Rebecca rubbed her rebelling stomach, hoping to calm it for a few more minutes. ¡°I¡¯m just gonna shut up in case Sahji is still watching,¡± Pacifica mumbled with a nervous chuckle. Indeed Sahji had stopped watching them it seemed as not only was the sub-shop empty outside of its Resonator employees, but it had everything the starving group wanted. They had opted to eat there, and no leftovers remained despite each of them getting full-length sandwiches. Finally satiated, the four made their way back to the MA Office, this time Shouri in the lead with all three of their tuners by his side. ¡°Wait, Sho.¡± Pacifica stopped him. Turning back, all three of his Resonators faced him. ¡°It¡¯s funny we talked about the sages earlier,¡± Pacifica started. ¡°Cause today is Sage Luca¡¯s day.¡± She smiled. He gulped, hard. ¡°R-right. Sage Luca is the sage of Life. Today is May 31st.¡± The boy¡¯s mind raced. He spaced on this ¨C today was the day when people profess their love for each other. And his three Resonators were giving him a particular look. Pacifica reached out and grabbed Shouri¡¯s hands. ¡°You saved my life.¡± The otter smiled brightly. Taika grabbed his and Pacifica¡¯s hands next. ¡°You¡¯ve given me a life I thought I could only dream of.¡± Finally Rebecca too joined in the gathering of hands. ¡°You freed me from being a thing, an object.¡± He stared at the trio of girls who spoke from the heart. He opened his mouth to say something, but couldn¡¯t find the words. ¡°We know what happened in your past.¡± ¡°We¡¯re here for you now.¡± ¡°Come hell or high water we¡¯ll always rush to your side.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not gonna scare us away.¡± ¡°You¡¯d probably have a difficult time chasing us off.¡± ¡°In fact, I¡¯d say you¡¯re stuck with us.¡± The boy remained awe-struck as they each spoke in turn, the entire time their rhythm rushing through him, wrapping around his form and holding him tightly, validating the truth of their words. They smiled serenely, taking in a breath. ¡°Thank you so much for being our Maestro, Shouri!¡±
The first June morning began with a request from Pacifica: ¡°I wanna call my parents if that¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°Sure, I don¡¯t have a problem with that,¡± Shouri replied. They left Taika and Rebecca to sleep in for a little bit longer while they snuck out of the room. Like nearly every other MA Office, the Leono branch had a small common room with vending machines and computer terminals (mainly for Resonators to use). ¡°Holler if you need me.¡± Shouri loitered in the hallway, to give his Resonator some privacy with her parents. Pacifica smiled as she typed in her mother¡¯s number and initiated the call. It didn¡¯t take long for the older woman to answer. Her mother, Priscilla appeared on the screen. ¡°Good morning my little otter! Where are you at today?¡± ¡°Morning Mom! We¡¯re at the Leono MA Office,¡± Pacifica replied. ¡°Oh, we haven¡¯t been there yet, your father will be jealous for sure. Did you go to the Evergreen Bayou?¡± ¡°Sure did! I rented a boat and took it for a ride!¡± ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re having a wonderful time with your Maestro.¡± ¡°Definitely, Sho is the best! Though it hasn¡¯t been all easy.¡± Priscilla raised a brow. ¡°Oh? Do tell.¡± ¡°I-It¡¯s nothing we couldn¡¯t handle!¡± ¡°Pacificaaaa...¡± The otter crumbled under the pressure. ¡°Uhhh, so remember the first night I called you after I got my Maestro...?¡±
Pacifica poked her head out from the common room, call completed. Shouri stood against one of the walls, checking the latest headlines or whatever as usual on one of his tuners. She stepped out, biting her bottom lip as she racked her brain trying to figure out how to break the news to her Maestro. ¡°Heyyyyyy Shooooooo...¡± she called out to him There was something about her tone that immediately put the Maestro on edge. ¡°I already don''t like where this is going.¡± ¡°Ahahahaha nothing gets by you...¡± She averted her gaze, continuing to chuckle nervously. ¡°What did you do?¡± He narrowed his eyes. ¡°Right, so my conversation with my parents didn''t go according to plan. Aaaaand they just MIGHT be on their way to pick us up right now.¡± Interlude 2 - Part 1 The day I met you really should have been my end. You''ve experienced things I could never comprehend. Though through it all you still regarded me like any other. But your stubbornness to protect me I couldn''t begin to fathom. Why me? Would you have jumped to my aid if I was another? I''ll never figure it out. Perhaps, that is for the best.
¡°A bit closer.¡± "Not far now." "Follow the wind to the maw of the beast." "Just be careful of the fangs closing around you." "I await your arrival." Slowly, emerald green eyes opened to the real world. ¡°Uurggh¡­¡± Immediately there was a sharp pain that rode the spine, informing its owner of one thing. "We really gotta stop sleeping in this car,¡± a woman of twentyish or so years groaned. She tried and failed to ease the stiffness in her back, though her current surroundings didn¡¯t help. As it turned out, a small sports car a hotel did not make. Even reclining the seat back as far as it would go didn¡¯t suddenly turn the vehicle into makeshift lodgings. ¡°Maybe we should invest in an RV or something,¡± she grumbled to herself. Flipping the sun visor down, she looked over herself in the mirror. Her blonde hair was a mess, and she was covered in sweat. She had a nice tan starting to form from the route they had taken. A glance out the window revealed the source. The entire landscape was just sand, maybe a cactus or a rock here or there, but most of the surroundings were subject to the whims of the sun, which mercilessly beat on the car from above with not a cloud around to challenge its authority. The temperature the vehicle was being subjected to was sweltering, enough to kill a normal person. However- "Dames, wake up." The woman reached over and shook awake her partner in crime. A tall lanky man, who was forced to curl up ever so slightly to fit his larger frame in the seat clearly not made for him. He too groaned and sat up, muttering a small curse under his breath. He ran a hand through his black hair, pushing back his canine ears for a moment before they unnaturally sprang back up into their standing position. "We lived to see another morning," Damian grunted. "Ever the optimist," the woman chuckled, pressing the power button under the steering wheel. "Are we actually gonna get there today, Aura?¡± he questioned, adjusting his seat to a sitting position. The woman reached into her pants pocket, drawing out a red device with three grey buttons and a red button surrounding a long rectangular screen. Shaking the device awake, it displayed the map showing their current location. Utilizing the touch screen, Aura dotted around the map for a moment. ¡°¡¯nother few hours,¡± she replied, pocketing it. "Fucking finally. Who knew Drahgo would be so far away from Corhiasela?¡± the man complained, reclining in his seat and making an attempt to loosen his stiff muscles. "I mean, we knew this would be a killer drive." Putting the car in gear Aura pulled off the side of the road they had stopped on and began their trek anew. "Why did we have to drive anyway? Coulda taken a bus or something. We¡¯re not that hard off.¡± the canine man mumbled. Aura tittered, "Where''s the fun in that?" The desert landscape provided little in the form of entertainment and the pair had been driving for so long they had exhausted their fair share of conversation topics. The only sounds were the hum of the engine. Damian reached to the back and pulled a disposable bag up front. After ruffling through the bag for a moment, he produced a sweet bun. ¡°Good enough.¡± He unwrapped it and handed it over to the driver, who readily accepted it. "Ah, sun toasted sweet bun. Naturally warmed is the best," Aura cooed, despite the food currently occupying her mouth. "The same sun that would fucking kill you," Damian grumbled, drawing some jerky from the same bag of snacks. "Thank you, Dames," she sang, taking her remaining hand off the wheel to pat the man''s head. ¡°Woah! Keep your hands on the wheel damnit!¡± the dog-man immediately barked at his companion. "I have knees, don''t worry." Aura laughed loudly.
"Ethereals are those select few who have transitioned from a mortal body to an immortal one. We all know that. There are a countable number of people in history who have even had ethereals as their Resonators.¡± An audio cast played through the car speakers, with the pair only half listening as it droned on. "In fact, the inventor of the tuner is one such ethereal. Though she was a human, not a Resonator, before becoming an ethereal." ¡°What would you even do if you managed to find an ethereal out in the wild and managed to convince them to be your Resonator?¡± "Well, I don¡¯t know. I guess if I had a spare tuner on hand you could do that?" "Who knows?" Aura took her eyes off the empty road for a second to regard her own tuner ¨C the red device she had used to check the map earlier on. "It''s interesting to think about," Damian spoke up as the hosts started their sponsored segment to break up the actual content. "Just a little bit. There are a lot of ethereals out there in the grand scheme of things, but how many would just join a Maestro like that?¡± Aura pondered aloud, returning her eyes back to the lonely road ahead. "Dunno, seems like a good way to get a target painted on your back. Stealing the tuner is akin to stealing a Resonator." It was now the dog man''s turn to stare at the device sitting in the console. "You fuckers are too squishy without us." Damian prodded the woman next to him. She swatted away his hand playfully. "Do your job better then and you won¡¯t have to worry about that,¡± the woman joked. "Bitch," he chuckled.
"Fucking finally," Damian sighed dramatically as their destination began to poke up over the horizon. A sign they whipped by named the town of Drahgo. As they pulled into the city, the speed limit dropped dramatically, making everything feel like it was just so much slower than they were actually moving. As soon as they were properly within the city limits, they both made an observation: "Home of the dragons indeed, holy shit," Damian muttered. There were many normal humans about, but there were an equal number of those bearing reptilian wings and/or tails. Such sightings were rare in other parts of the world, but here it seemed the dragon-featured Resonators were as common as cats or dogs in other cities. It was a sight to behold for the two travelers. "Famous dragon-wielding Maestros come from here," Aura noted. "Kinda easy to see why," she commented. "You thinking about picking up a dragon, my benevolent Maestro?¡± Damian asked theatrically. "Scared of being replaced?" Aura grinned toothily. "I am not going back to the streets." "Fair enough. Though I doubt any of these big scary dragons got anything on you my little hellhound." Damian huffed, caught off guard by that comment. ¡°Hrmph.¡± He mulled over a comeback. ¡°Reminder that I¡¯ve got at least three inches on you,¡± the dog-man mumbled. ¡°My little Maestro,¡± he tried to snark, however, the damage to his self-image had been done and Aura was no longer taking him seriously, laughing boisterously while slapping the steering wheel. Aura turned the car into a parking lot next to a large campus. ¡°Finally. Can¡¯t wait to sleep in a real bed,¡± the Maestro sighed wistfully, throwing the car into park. "At least these MA Offices are all the same.¡± Damian kicked his door open. ¡°Can finally fuckin¡¯ smoke.¡± He was more ready for the freedom of the outside world than his Maestro. "I''ll get us a room then. You can bring our stuff in when you¡¯ve gotten your fill of nicotine,¡± Aura told her Resonator. "Oh baby how I missed you.¡± Damian either didn¡¯t hear her or chose to ignore her in favor of talking to his cigarettes. With a giggle, Aura trekked across the parking lot onto the campus proper. Greeting her was the familiar stone sign that sat outside all MA Offices. Maestro Affairs Office -Central Drahgo Branch- It was just like any other MA Office, though the oppressive heat outside made a manicured lawn out of the question. Instead, there was mostly rock and sandscape with regional plants that were resilient to the desert conditions. Fewer people were wandering around than she had seen at other offices, though more reptilian-featured Resonators hung out, not minding the heat despite their mostly human frames. The automatic door slid aside for Aura as she walked into the air-conditioned office. There were plenty of Maestros and Resonators hanging around inside. For the most part, the Resonators around were draconic, as she expected. There were a couple of other Maestros with non-dragon Resonators, but they had wary eyes cast upon them from the dragon tamers and their Resonators. "The night crowd around here must be crazy," Aura muttered to herself. Approaching the receptionist at the front desk, she slid her red tuner across the counter without even thinking, the muscle memory taking over. Speaking of muscle memory, the attendant fired back with their greeting, "Welcome to the Central Drahgo Maestro Affairs Office, how can we help you today?¡± "Need a room," the Maestro replied simply. "Mhm! Looks like we have availability. You¡¯ll be in room twenty-four.¡± The attendant smiled, scanning the tuner in before sliding it back to its owner. "Thank you much." "Of course! Thank you for choosing our MA Office and have a wonderful day!" Stepping off to the side to free up the desk for other patrons, Aura pressed down one of the grey buttons on her tuner. ¡°Dames, we¡¯re in room twenty-four. Gonna lay down, leaving the door cracked for ya.¡± Pivoting her thumb down, she listened for his response. "Sure. I¡¯ll try to be quiet when I get in,¡± Damian¡¯s reply came from the speaker of the device. Satisfied with that, the Maestro made her way down the hall, encountering a couple other Maestros and exchanging waves and smiles with them as she passed by. Finally, she hit her own room, with a wave of her tuner the lock beeped and disengaged, allowing her into the room proper. "Ah, they do care," she sang, feeling the cool wind emanating from the room. The AC unit in the window hummed away, working hard in the harsh desert environment. ¡°Bet they go through these like they¡¯re going out of style,¡± the Maestro noted, turning the temp up from its default. Even bumping it up five degrees didn¡¯t dissuade the machine from continuing to dispense cool air. ¡°Just that hot outside I guess.¡± Kicking off her shoes, Aura collapsed onto the bed. A pleasured sigh escaped her lips as her eyelids began to droop. ¡°Damn beds are great,¡± the woman murmured to herself before allowing herself to drift off to sleep.
¡°The dragon¡¯s maw I await.¡± "Sleeping amongst the discarded." "Freed from my shackles and the shadow''s weight. "My service to you is well regarded.¡± Aura sat up with a gasp. ¡°The hell..?!¡± she breathed out, hand over her racing heart. The room was dark, the sun must have set. She really underestimated how bad they had been sleeping in the car. Letting out a heavy breath, the young woman flopped back down onto the mattress, spreading her arms out and staring blankly at the ceiling. "The dragon''s maw," she whispered to herself. Palming the nightstand, she found her tuner, wincing when the backlit screen flash-banged her. Searching the map, there was a mountain nearby with a sacred site known as the Fangs of the Dragon. ¡°Young dragons scale the peak and retrieve rubato crystals within the depths of the cave. Succeeding in the task is proof that one is an adult,¡± the Maestro read quietly. On the encyclopedia page she was reading, Aura¡¯s eyes fell upon the picture of the rock formation in question. It really did look like the snout of a dragon, extending their fangs out to take a bite out of the sky. ¡°The dragon¡¯s maw¡­¡± passed her lips once more without thinking about it. "We mountain climbing now?¡± "EEEIYAH!" Aura threw her tuner in surprise, losing it amongst the sheets of the bed. In the darkness, all she could hear was Damian''s gruff chuckling. "Y-yeah! What about it?!" she snapped back, thankful neither of them could see in the dark due to the embarrassment that had splashed onto her face. The bed compressed as the edge where the Doberman had taken a seat. "Heard some young whelps talking about it when I was smoking earlier." "What''d ya hear?" Aura sat up, now feeling around the bed for her lost tuner. "It''s a real fucking challenge apparently. You can go at any time, but you trade the heat for constant battles," the dog-man replied. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings."Eh?" Aura paused, thinking that over. "Ohhhhh." She got it after a moment of thought. "During the day there''s no Scherzando but it''s fucking hot as hell outside, but at night it''s thick with Scherzando, right?" Damian snapped his fingers. "Bingo." Another gruff chuckle. "We can handle either one to be honest. I''m passing you that top-level heat resistance. Or we can deal with the Scherzando.¡± "Probably still better to go at night," Aura mused aloud. ¡°More profitable that way,¡± she pointed out. "Fair point. You wanna go now? It¡¯s actually pretty close to town.¡± He glanced at the window where the moon was peeking in. "Not tonight, probably tomorrow." Aura stretched, allowing a soft pleasured breath out. ¡°Tonight, we should probs check the local hunt scene. Maybe we¡¯ll hear more about the Fangs of the Dragon while we¡¯re out.¡± And so the pair got ready to tackle the night. Aura freshened up in the bathroom, showering for the first time in days and donning a fresh change of clothes. Meanwhile, Damian was content with just changing clothes and relaxing on the couch with some classic Lyberteran Western movies while he waited. Exiting the steamy bathroom, Aura allowed herself a pleasured sigh as a treat. "Much better," she declared to the rest of the room. "We good to go?" the Resonator inquired. "Yeah. Should get there right when it starts," Aura replied, sliding her tuner onto her hip and slipping her shoes on. ¡°¡¯bout time, been needing some good exercise.¡± Damian rose to his feet, letting the TV continue to play on. "Let''s get down to business then, shall we?" Aura smirked.
The trip down to the hunter¡¯s base was pretty boring. It was still warm out, but to the fire Resonator and his linked Maestro, it was a bit chilly. Like she had seen earlier in the MA Office Lobby, she had plenty of eyes on her from the dragon-wielding Maestros that littered the streets ¨C all simply from the fact that the Resonator she kept in her company had fur instead of scales, ears instead of horns. It was no skin off her teeth ¨C she was confident in her own Resonator''s abilities, as common of a breed he was, that didn¡¯t matter to her. As such, she decided to ignore the prying eyes and focus on the actual city around her. "It''s nice out," Aura commented as they walked the old brick streets of the city. "Fucking cold if you ask me," Damian complained. "Oh stop your whining you big baby. It¡¯s fine out.¡± Aura chuckled, shoving her partner in crime. He just mumbled something unintelligible under his breath and left it alone. They followed a map on Aura¡¯s tuner to the site in question. Sure enough, they found themselves at the base of a particular mountain. "The Fangs of the Dragon huh?" Aura mumbled. The midpoint of the mountain had an opening to a cave network, sure enough, the stalactites and stalagmites dotting the entrance to the cave resembled the fangs of a vicious beast, making it appear as if one was being eaten up by the mountain itself as they entered. The only reason they could make out its shape so clearly at night was thanks to the strange glow being emitted from the cavern¡¯s interior. It stood out like a beacon, beckoning the young travelers to enter its depths like moths to a candle. "Woah that''s crazy," Aura gasped. "Can''t see it during the day, but damn, there must be the motherlode of all rubato crystals in there.¡± Damian was just as impressed as his Maestro. "I really didn''t think it was THIS close to town," the Maestro added. "Convenient if nothing else.¡± The dog-man shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re not thinking you¡¯re gonna climb the Dragon¡¯s Peak are you?¡± a new voice cut into the private conversation. Aura turned to face the interloper without hesitation. "And what if I am?" she questioned. A local Maestro, a man around Aura¡¯s height with a dragon-winged Resonator backing him up smirked at the out-of-towner. The dragon girl studied her opposite, snorting at Damian condescendingly. "Just don¡¯t. It¡¯s called Dragon¡¯s Peak, not Puppy Dog Playhouse. You¡¯re out of your element here,¡± the opposing Maestro jeered. "You wanna take this to the court hot-shot? My Hell Hound would run laps around your glorified lizard.¡± Aura smirked confidently. Damian mirrored his Maestro¡¯s expression, an intense heat suddenly radiating from his form. A gesture not missed by the Maestro and his own Resonator. He backed off. ¡°I¡¯m just saying this for your own good! Don¡¯t think lightly of that mountain. It¡¯s not a tourist attraction, it¡¯s sacred.¡± And with his warning imparted, he left without another word, his own dragon following close behind. "Hrmph, all bark, and no bite. Some dragon tamer he was," Aura scoffed. "Was hoping the famous home of the dragons would have more muscle and less hot air.¡± Damian shoulders slumped, robbed of the chance to scrap. He settled for his mainstay: a lovely dose of nicotine, quickly lighting a cigarette and drawing in a nice lung full of smoke. ¡°What a joke,¡± he complained, smoke billowing from his mouth. "Well, we at least learned how the locals feel about it," the Maestro mused to herself. They continued to make their way down to the site. They reached their destination after not too much more time. There were a couple of food stalls offering local cuisine and of course the registration booth for the night''s hunting activities. The registrar in question looked bored out of their mind but did perk up upon seeing the traveler. "Good evening! You here to take part in tonight¡¯s hunt?¡± they asked, hopeful to kill some time. "You got it! I just have my trusty hellhound here. But I''m down to work with anyone." Aura handed over her tuner as was protocol. It was quickly scanned into the notebook computer the attendant had propped open next to them. ¡°Ok, I¡¯ll mark your map on where you need to go,¡± the attendant told the Maestro. "Sounds good."
¡°Fuoco Fatuo, Tenuto Rubato,¡± Aura read a spell out from her tuner. The tuner drew in the rhythm from the Maestro, before passing it to Damian. The Resonator was compelled to complete the request of him through the rhythm provided to help. Extending a hand out, small orbs of fire began to form and depart from his palm, following both himself and Aura. When about ten of these lights were orbiting them, he closed his hand and stopped their production. "Good?" he asked. "Yeah, good, let''s keep going.¡± She pointed down the dirt road towards the mountain. As they walked, the pair noticed just how dark it was out there. "Damn, it''s like when we were driving to Fercy.¡± "Oh, through the Loggia mountains?¡± Aura craned her neck skyward, eyes widening. ¡°Yeah, I guess it is.¡± Her lips curled up as she beheld the true majesty of the sky. Hundreds of thousands of stars were laid out before them, more than any city dweller could ever dream of. "We¡¯re really out in the middle of nowhere, aren¡¯t we?¡± Damian mused. "Never thought about just how bad light pollution was in the city." Spinning on her heel, Aura faced the town they departed from. It was dimly lit in comparison to the darkness surrounding it. ¡°I guess it¡¯s not too bad.¡± The pair continued on their trek towards the mountain, beginning to see other Maestros and their Resonators also on the hike up the trail leading towards the cave. Various small lights, fire spells, and the like illuminated the way toward their destination: a large cluster of small lights at the direct base of the mountain. Aura and her Resonator shuffled into the group and listened as assignments were doled out. They were new to this scene and didn''t want to cause trouble so the pair waited patiently. "Oh, didn''t see you there." After all the assignments were given out, Aura was finally addressed by the leader of the hunting party. ¡°Uhhh, you can go with him,¡± they decided, motioning towards another forgotten pair. "Evening folks!" A man and woman walked over. The man was clad in a brown fighter''s jacket with matching pants to go with it. A wing pin adorned his left breast pocket and a snazzy pair of goggles adorned the bird¡¯s nest of a hair-do he sported. His companion, a winged girl wore much lighter clothes, a tank top that slid around her wings with a shoulderless top over that. Black shorts poked out under her top along with her tail midnight purple tail feathers which matched her wings and hair. A shiny golden crescent hairpin adorned her long straight hair, which was tamed into a ponytail. "Makani," the pilot man introduced himself, offering his hand to the other Maestro. "Aura," the fire Maestro replied in kind, accepting the handshake. "I''m Rynda, you can call me Ryn!" the bird-girl chirped from behind her Maestro. "Damian, charmed," the gruff Doberman grunted. "What''s your story?" Makani questioned the other Maestro as the quartet set off toward their assignment for the evening. "Eh, you know, just wandering around, found myself here.¡± Aura shrugged. ¡°What about you? A lunar bird seems pretty out of place for the infamous den of dragons.¡± The Maestro grinned toothily at her counterpart. "Earning some cash to fix our plane,¡± Makani chuckled. "WE ALMOST DIED!" Rynda shouted dramatically. "It wasn''t that bad Ryn." "Maki! We. Almost. DIED. Stop trying to downplay it!¡± Aura chuckled. At least they seemed close. It was always nice to see from other Maestros. The four-strong group found their assignment. Several creatures of shadow shaped like large mountain cats. Adorning their shadowy forms were clumps of dirt and rock. There was a spiritual sense of earth radiating from the beasts. "Ah, no advantage to press," Makani whispered as they crouched behind some nearby rocks and observed their quarry. "Guess we have to do it the ol'' fashioned way," Aura spoke, rising tall. "What''s that?" the male Maestro asked. "Kick their asses obviously.¡± Aura grinned toothily, drawing out her red tuner. "Ah, the classics." Makani chuckled, pushing himself up to stand next to his fellow Maestro. Ryn and Damian exchanged a glance, one that told the other everything they needed to know about what kind of trouble they got into with their respective Maestros. ¡°Bolide, Rubato!¡± the fire Maestro called out. ¡°Luce Lunare, Piano Staccato!¡± the pilot Maestro followed in turn. Damian ran out from behind their covering, forming a ball of fire in each hand. Rynda flew right behind him with a beat of her wings, red sparkles of rhythm scattering in her wake. The Doberman threw his spells out, easily taking out two of the big cats in a pair of fiery explosions. Rynda whipped out a pair of spells of her own, blades of shadowy energy easily cleaving through four of the beasts. There remained only one of the Scherzando who was slowly backing away from the two Resonators who had easily dispatched the other six. A shadow blade and ball of fire flew at the rhythm creature before it could escape ¨C an explosion signaling the end of that group of Scherzando. "Whew, easy enough." Aura wiped the sweat from her brow, relishing in their handiwork. Damian and Rynda returned to their Maestros, ready for the next job of the night. ¡°Rilevare l¡¯intenzione, Lento,¡± Makani cast. The nightingale closed her eyes, placing two fingers on her right temple. An invisible pulse radiated from her body, through her currently gathered allies, and out across the mountains. "Hmmm¡­" the bird hummed in thought. Thanks to the efforts of the spell Rynda cast, Makani''s tuner was updated with the positions of not only the other Maestro groups working tonight but Scherzando that dotted the landscape. "Oh, there''s an unattended group this way." The pilot pointed due west, closer to the mountain that towered over them. "Sounds good, let''s get to it!" Aura pumped a fist into the air.
The evening went on in a routine fashion, even in an unfamiliar land. "Well, that was easy enough," Aura said, dusting off her hands in satisfaction. Damian grunted, taking a drag off a celebratory cigarette. ¡°Even splitting the Scherzando between us still made quite a few notes,¡± Makani noted. ¡°Trying not to step on people''s toes while we''re out here." Ryn chirped. "But tonight was good." She added. Makani glanced over at the girl he had partnered with for the evening. ¡°You remind me of someone I met recently,¡± he commented. "Oh?" Aura raised a brow. "Yeah, similar vibes.¡± The man shrugged. ¡°Just glad to know there are more kindred spirits out there.¡± Aura chuckled in return. "Glad to know not everyone treats their Resonators like fashion accessories.¡± "Likewise." There was a small bit of silence while the two Maestros appreciated the moment. ¡°So, what¡¯s next for you?¡± Makani asked. She gave no verbal reply ¨C instead, her arm raised, index finger outstretched towards the glowing maw of the mountain that towered over them. "It''s speaking to me," she whispered. "Someone is waiting for me up there," the blonde spoke in almost a trance. Interlude 2 - Part 2 Morning arrived in the town of Drahgo, and with it, one Auerolin Tomoshibi began to stir. Her emerald eyes fluttered open as her vision came into focus. ¡°Morning¡­¡± she whispered to herself. ¡°You¡¯re hearing voices?!¡± Damian¡¯s surprise from the night prior was at the top of her mind. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think it was important!¡± ¡°My Maestro hearing ghosts is pretty fucking important!¡± ¡°Why are you getting so mad about this?¡± ¡°I dunno, ''cause we came all the way out here on our own ¨C what if this is a trap?¡± ¡°I doubt that.¡± ¡°God damn it woman, have some self-preservation!¡± Her expression soured. Her mind drifted to her brother and his three Resonators. She figured he must have gotten verbal lashings from them all the time for the reckless stunts he pulled. It wasn''t even worth asking; it was obvious what kind of tomfoolery he got himself into. ¡°He constantly throws himself into danger to protect us.¡± It must run in the family, Aura chuckled hollowly to herself. Slipping out of bed, she ran her tongue around her dry mouth. ¡°Blech,¡± she breathed out. Water. Maybe coffee. Damian¡¯s fire element was great for the desert traversal, but it ruined her love of cold water. Either way, the common room had a pretty good coffee maker with complementary coffee beans. Aura tip-toed out of the room attempting not to wake her Resonator with his sensitive hearing. Thankfully he was out like a light and Aura succeeded in escaping the room with Damian remaining fast asleep. It was still quite early in the morning, probably around six or so. As such the usual culture of the MA offices and the late nights the Maestros who dwelt within worked meant there was no one prowling the hallways at this early hour. Which wasn¡¯t a problem, she had left the room in her pajamas, a thin pale red top with matching shorts ¨C she preferred lighter clothing with a nice thick comforter while she slept. It was oddly quiet this morning though, MA Offices like this usually employed stray Resonators to take care of housekeeping. Normally they''d be working at the moment to stay out of the way of the Maestros who would be asleep at this time. Aura dismissed their absence as a simple cultural difference. Probably just do things differently here in Drahgo, she mused to herself. Reaching the common room, Aura took it in for a moment. There were a couple of recliners out for anyone to use, some vending machines in the corner, a row of computers with privacy dividers, and of course an ice machine and coffee machine side by side against one of the walls. The coffee machine was simple to use; the nearby vending machines had cups that were pre-portioned mix that slotted into the machine in question. Paper cups were provided as a courtesy, so with an application of her rhythm, Aura got herself a cup of mix. Popping it into the machine, she reached over to grab a paper cup, but her eyes widened as someone forced a cloth around her mouth and nose. It took everything in her power not to inhale in surprise, instead, she jabbed her elbow back with an upward motion, hitting the mystery assailant''s rib cage. The assailant in question was caught completely off guard, releasing his captive. Spinning around on the ball of her heels, Aura faced her attacker. They were entirely disguised: with a hat, mouth covering, sunglasses, and heavy obscuring clothing. Even their rhythm was being muffled, probably by the clothes. That was the only way this mystery person could have snuck up on her. Her hand passed her waist ¨C tunerless. She had left her tuner in her room! And there were no employees, Maestro, or Resonators around! Was she set up?! There wasn''t any time to consider the possibilities. There was one gambit Aura could try. ¡°DA-¡± Before she could get the rest of her Resonator¡¯s name out, her mouth and nose were covered again. She held her breath and threw a punch aimed squarely at the center of her assailant¡¯s face. She wasn¡¯t a traditionally trained fighter, but Damian taught her how to street-fight. Whoever this person was, they were brave enough to come after her with sleeping drugs in a busy MA Office. They were confident they could get away with this crime, and that more than anything scared Aura. She was no easy prey though and she made that known: Her fist connected with its target, knocking the masked attacker off their feet. With the brief reprieve, she took in a breath to call her Resonator, ¡°DAM-!¡± A second cloth cut off her airways. There was another attacker! She went to free herself the same way as before but her elbow was caught, and her arm restrained. The Maestro tried to break free from her entrapment, all while holding her breath. In the next moment, she was put in a compromised position, as her feet were swept out from under her and she smashed into the ground, the full weight of her second assailant winding her. Her body demanded she take in fresh air, her head pounding, her lungs fighting her to pull in more air. She couldn¡¯t scream, she couldn¡¯t fight. Her supply of oxygen quickly ran out as she did everything in her power to shake off her attacker. But it was all in vain, her body won out and she took in a deep breath and blacked out.
¡°Abolish the fear in your heart¡± ¡°Take me in your grasp.¡± ¡°Our connection cannot be severed by such impure hands.¡± ¡°Now arise, my beloved.¡± Warmth, gentle warmth. That¡¯s what Aura felt coursing through her as she returned to consciousness. A pair of gloved hands glowed over her as her first sight after returning to the waking world. ¡°DAMIAN!¡± she immediately cried out. ¡°You¡¯re wasting your breath,¡± a gruff voice advised. The situation Aura found herself in was dire ¨C her arms were bound behind her back. Currently, she was against the hard, rocky ground, all still in her thin pajamas, which wasn¡¯t the most comfortable place to awaken. Her hand radiated a dull pain from where she had punched her first assailant. Surrounding them were many rubato crystals, glowing in a rainbow of different colors. Her heart raced, cursing her stupidity. Had she taken her tuner with her when leaving the room calling Damian would have been easy. Now all she could hope for was someone to have witnessed her abduction. Though, that¡¯s not something she could rely on ¨C they had a second attacker ready. Whoever these people were wanted her and came prepared. A Maestro and Resonator, well-trained ones at that. The Resonator that was one that ultimately subdued her was a lunar-healer. She knew this combo well from Taika. ¡°Alright, what do you want from me?¡± Aura asked. ¡°Simple. You¡¯re going to find something for us,¡± the Maestro of two spoke. She recognized him as the one who first attacked her. The one she had slugged. And he most certainly held that against her, she could practically smell the killing intent radiating from him. ¡°You really think a valley girl like me knows what you¡¯re looking for?¡± she snarked. It was a bad idea in her admission to antagonize her attackers further when they held all the cards, but she was panicking and it was the little she could do to stay sane. ¡°You definitely do. It¡¯s been whispering into your ears for a few days now,¡± they replied, maintaining some stoicism. ¡°That¡¯s quite a claim. Have you considered you have the wrong person? I haven¡¯t heard any voices, except my own insanity,¡± Aura continued to snark. The Maestro drew their black tuner from their coat. Aura tensed, awaiting the call of a spell. ¡°You¡¯re hearing voices?!¡± Damian¡¯s voice came from the man¡¯s tuner. Aura failed to hide the shock on her face as the rest of their conversation from the night prior played. ¡°You bugged my room?¡± Aura ground her teeth in frustration as the recording ceased. ¡°We had all of the rooms in the MA Office bugged. Fortunately, you chose to have that conversation right next to it.¡± The Maestro returned their tuner into their coat. ¡°So, what do you want?¡± Aura questioned again. ¡°I told you already ¨C you¡¯re going to lead us to the source of the voice.¡± ¡°And if I refuse?¡± The man stepped closer, then placed his foot on her head, slowly crushing it into the ground. ¡°You¡¯ll disappear.¡± After a moment of holding his foot there, the Maestro released the pressure. ¡°Understood?¡± ¡°Y-yeah,¡± Aura spoke quietly. The next moment Aura found herself being yanked up to her feet by her bindings. They left her mobility in her legs, presumably to lead them to whatever they had kidnapped her for. Fortunately for them, she was no kickboxing expert or any other form of martial art utilizing her legs. ¡°Lead away. And don¡¯t think about pulling any funny business,¡± the lunar Maestro demanded of his captive. Hesitantly, Aura turned and began to walk into the depths of the cave. As she quickly learned, it wasn¡¯t the climb into the Fangs of the Dragon that was the hard part ¨C no it turned out there was an extensive cave system going well into the depths of the mountain that provided the challenge for young dragons wishing to be recognized as adults. And for good reason ¨C the cave was illuminated by rubato crystals, and as such Scherzando naturally made their nests within the depths. ¡°Luce Lunare, Forte,¡± the lunar Maestro called out. His Resonator chucked a ball of lunar energy at a serpent-shaped Scherzando and easily dispatched it. Aura could hear it, and despite not wanting to, she heard a small heartbeat-like sound that informed her movement. She continued to lead her captors through the labyrinthian structure. The air grew thinner, more stagnant as they went, wearing on the young woman. Her link with Damian had been severed for too long, and as such the heat and cold protection he normally provided her was waning. She trembled, letting out a haggard breath. ¡°D-damn it¡­ so cold.¡± ¡°Walk!¡± The lunar Maestro kicked her in the back, causing her to lose her footing and slam into the ground. ¡°Asshole!¡± she barked, resisting the tears that wanted to spill from pain and frustration. Once more she was yanked up to her feet and pushed forward. ¡°Walk!¡± the Maestro demanded again. If she ever got the chance, this man would eat dirt. The walk continued in miserable silence; the entire time Aura could feel the beating grow in strength. It ceased being a mere sound and more something she could feel. A bright, blinding chamber awaited them ahead, and upon crossing its precipice into the room proper, they were greeted with the motherlode of all rubato crystals. Enough crystals were lying about in the pocket to make them extraordinarily wealthy. A normal person would see the money signs in their eyes from the amount of concentrated power just lying about on the ground. One might even be able to swim in the loose, spiritually charged rocks. Yet, the lunar Maestro cared not for these frivolities. He dragged the woman into the chamber, where they all immediately sank into the loose crystals. ¡°Where is it?¡± he questioned his captive. ¡°I dunno,¡± Aura winced. Her head was pounding, a beating drum that continued to alert her to its presence. ¡°I-it¡¯s definitely in here, it won¡¯t stop pounding,¡± the woman managed to get out. The Maestro looked to his Resonator. ¡°She tells the truth,¡± the Resonator replied. ¡°Hmph. Fan out, we¡¯ll find it,¡± the Maestro decided. ¡°Stay out of my way,¡± he warned the captive. And with that, Aura moved through the practical lake bed of crystals to one of the side walls. The blonde Maestro watched her captors trudge through the waist-deep crystals searching for the treasure they came here for. She allowed herself to slide to the ground and sit, giving her exhausted form a chance to rest. She knew running at this point was futile, the Resonator would probably snipe her and end that attempt quickly. ¡°Ow!¡± she yelped. A sharp crystal embedded in the wall poked into her. ¡°Oh?¡± she breathed. The point was quite pronounced on this particular stone. Perhaps¡­ The crystals were about at her chest; her captors couldn¡¯t see her arms at all. Slowly and methodically, she raked her bindings over the jagged crystal, wearing away the ropes until they popped free. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°Yes!¡± She excitedly released her arms, rotating her shoulders in an attempt to soothe the soreness. Furthermore, her captors were deep in the chamber now, preoccupied with their search. She kept her movements subdued though, knowing that things could go south very quickly if they realized she was free. Slowly, she turned to crawl away when the pounding in her head grew stronger. It felt as if her eyes wanted to pop from her head while her eardrums were ready to burst. ¡°Nnngh¡­¡± She gripped her head, curling upon herself. ¡°Leave me alone¡­¡± she pleaded with the invisible force assailing her. All this journey, this voice or whatever it was, had gotten her roughed up and nearly killed. She just wanted to be freed from this insanity, to go back to her room in the MA Office. Damian had to be beside himself with worry right now. At that moment, her eyes came across something that stood out. Amongst the glowing, rainbow-colored crystals, a small pipe poked out, right next to her. The pounding in her head stopped, instead it was her own heart that hammered now. There was a sudden rush of excitement building in the young woman, her breath shallowed as her hand extended out and took grasp of the pipe. ¡°NO!¡± the Maestro shouted. The Resonator grabbed a handful of crystals nearby and drained them of their contents to form a Luce Lunare. The blob of shadowy energy was slung squarely at Aura, who hadn¡¯t realized she had been caught. Right before she would have been struck by the lunar spell, a down draft came out of nowhere and blew the spell off-course, slamming into the wall right next to Aura. The girl was thrown back from the force of the attack, and the full pipe was drawn from its crystalline prison. What Auerolin Tomoshibi held tightly in her hands was a flute, a yellowish golden instrument, with an ornate mouthpiece and end piece, at the end hung a little sun-themed ornament affixed via a tassel. However, she wouldn¡¯t have too much time to take in its beauty as the Maestro and Resonator were preparing another attack. Aura scrambled to her feet and tried to make a break for the chamber¡¯s entrance. ¡°Fissare la Ombra, Adagio! Don¡¯t let her escape!¡± the Maestro belted out. The Resonator unleashed a wave of shadowy arrows that missed Aura entirely, sticking into the ground. However, the young woman discovered their intention immediately: the arrows pinned her shadow, and as such, she couldn¡¯t move her body from that spot. ¡°No!¡± Aura cried out. She held the flute tightly against her chest, refusing to give it up. The Maestro and Resonator steadied their approach, not having to rush now that Aura was secured in place. Though perhaps they should have picked up the pace, as the flute began to glow. The instrument wretched itself from Aura¡¯s grasp, floating in the air before changing shape. What formed from the instrument was a silhouette of a child ¨C one bearing magnificent draconic wings. Long blonde hair flowed from their head, which two horns and two fluffy ears poked out of. Their top was blue accented in reds and golds, while their leg-length skirt was brown, accented in greens and golds. A long reptilian tail with a fluffy tip swayed behind them. Golden eyes opened, meeting the emeralds that stared back in shock. ¡°I ask of you: what is it that you desire; why have you taken hold of this Shine Flute?¡± the child spoke. Aura stared in awe at the figure that had formed from the flute she once held. It was hard to tell at this point if this was the reality she was living or an incredibly intricate dream. Either way, the fear in her heart was real, as such her mouth moved before her brain: ¡°H-help me,¡± she squeaked out, pointing back at her captors. The Maestro and Resonator glared daggers at Aura. ¡°Now why did you go and do that?¡± the Maestro snarled. ¡°Now you have to die. There¡¯s no two ways about it.¡± His voice was low, dripping with malintent. The dragon-winged child touched down atop the lake of crystals as if standing on water. They were nonplussed by the threatening air about the two men. ¡°I understand,¡± the dragon spoke. ¡°No matter the era, people never change.¡± A pitying shake of the head, before the dragon glared upon the male Maestro. ¡°I highly suggest you take your leave. I will forgive your rudeness if you do so.¡± ¡°Luce Lunare, Fortissimo!¡± the assailing Maestro responded. A massive ball of lunar energy quickly formed and was pelted at the golden dragon. Even as the powerful lunar spell hurtled towards them, the winged child pivoted their feet on the surface of the crystal lake, regarding the glowing stones underneath. ¡°Look out!¡± Aura shouted. Just when the ball of concentrated shadow energy would have struck the dragon, they smacked it back like one would swat a bug, returning the spell to its sender. BOOM! The lunar Resonator barely managed to dodge his own attack, only being able to fall out of the way of the reflected spell. ¡°What the fuck¡­?¡± the Maestro breathed out. That¡¯s when he spotted it: the crystals around the Shine Flute¡¯s feet had lost their luster. In an instant, the dragon had drained them and used defensive magic to reflect the Luce Lunare back at its caster. The dragon wore a wry smirk. ¡°Care to try your luck again?¡± Try they did: ¡°Fissare la Ombra, Lento! Bury it!¡± the attacker demanded. A practical tidal wave of the shadow arrows that pinned Aura in place flew at the dragon. ¡°Ah, it certainly would be a shame if I didn¡¯t have a shadow to pin, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± the dragon taunted. Before their adversary could question the meaning of those words, a ball as luminous as the sun itself formed over the dragon, and moved in such a way to eliminate the shadows that the arrows attempted to stick into. With no target, the magical arrows evaporated until none remained. At this point, it was made clear to the Maestro that they could not beat this opponent ¨C Aura had called no spells. This Resonator was beating them without any Maestro intervention. ¡°Damn it. Damn it all! I was supposed to possess the Shine Flute!¡± the Maestro cursed. ¡°You were never meant to possess me, little man,¡± the dragon taunted. ¡°Your role was to guide my true Maestro to this location.¡± Their wings extended out. ¡°And your role is finished.¡± They lifted off the bed of crystals. A wind began to gather in the chamber, their wrath being carried upon the drafts that circulated through the caves. The assailing Maestro and Resonator did not stick around to face the dragon directly. They fled, scrambling out of the crystal lake and back into the cavern. The dragon moved to give chase. ¡°Let them go,¡± Aura cut in. ¡°Oh? After all they put you through?¡± the blonde dragon questioned, though heeding the command. ¡°Losing you was probably the biggest failure in his life. I want them to live with the knowledge that I got you and they didn¡¯t.¡± An approving smirk rose upon the dragon¡¯s lips. ¡°Of course.¡± They landed atop the surface of the crystal lake once more. ¡°Now that those brutes are gone, allow me to formally introduce myself.¡± They curtsied, lifting their dress ever so slightly. ¡°I am the Shine Flute, a member of the Orchestra of Heaven. Through your claim of me I am your Resonator until your final breath.¡± Aura just stared at the small dragon child before her. ¡°You¡¯re really it¡­ an honest-to-God ethereal. And you¡¯re mine?¡± ¡°Yes, until the end of your final day, I am your Resonator, no force can ever change that. I am your sword and I will protect your life to the best of my abilities.¡± The poor mortal Maestro was left to quietly ponder the ramifications of all of this. That man knew killing Aura would force the Shine Flute back into that instrument form. Others must be aware of this fact as well. ¡°I know of your name, but I feel it rude to use it without you providing it to me,¡± the small dragon spoke. ¡°Aura, I¡¯m Auerolin Tomoshibi,¡± the Maestro spoke quietly. ¡°Take my hands, Aura.¡± A pair of small hands was offered to her. The Maestro did as she was instructed. ¡°The healing spell, you know of it," spoke the dragon. Aura understood the implication. ¡°La Bella Vita, Presto Tutti,¡± she recited. Her eyes widened as her rhythm passed to the legendary Resonator before her and then came back twice as strong in the form of a healing warmth that flooded her body. ¡°What the-?¡± Aura gasped. The Shine Flute smiled warmly. ¡°There are many things I have to teach you, my Maestro. This is not the place for that though, shall we head back down to the town? I¡¯m sure your other Resonator is worried sick.¡± ¡°G-good idea.¡± Aura was normally a cool and collected customer, but everything happening right now didn¡¯t feel real. She was cold and numb - it was easy to dismiss reality in such a state. The newly formed pair began their trek back up through the cave system, the Shine Flute leading the way. ¡°The first thing we should probably establish is my name,¡± The solar ethereal began, breaking up the silence. ¡°Your name?¡± Aura asked. ¡°It certainly attracts far too much attention to call me Shine Flute all the time. All of my owners have given me a common name to call me so my true identity isn¡¯t easily leaked to our enemies,¡± they spoke knowingly. The weight of those words was not lost on Aura. This dragon had lived many lives she would never have known. Any advice offered to Aura would accept as fact. ¡°Chiara,¡± the name passed Aura¡¯s lips so easily, that it was strange to her. For the first time since they met, the Shine Flute was caught off guard, her mouth hanging open just slightly in surprise. The immortal dragon quickly corrected this and smirked. ¡°You have wonderful taste. From today until the end of our contract, I will be Chiara, your faithful dragon,¡± she spoke. ¡°So what else do I need to know?¡± Aura questioned. ¡°You¡¯re ridiculously strong, right? I¡¯ve heard ethereals being the most powerful Resonators one could have.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Chiara spoke. ¡°Us Orchestra members have several traits to keep in mind.¡± ¡°Our spells are all automatically available for your usage, don¡¯t concern yourself with harming us. Though, I would recommend against casting the Solar Ultimate spell, that will end your life,¡± Chiara began. Aura vaguely recalled something about the infamous Solar Ultimate spell, but no specifics. ¡°Next, any solar or healing spell you call will be upgraded by one level at no additional rhythm cost to you,¡± Chiara continued. ¡°What the fuck?¡± Aura interrupted. ¡°That¡¯s broken!¡± She shook her head in disbelief. ¡°That¡¯s why that La Bella Vita felt so much stronger than I thought I had cast.¡± Chiara nodded in the affirmative. ¡°We also have both the normal and rare ad-Libs available to us for usage, again for no cost ¨C so do not worry about me running out of rhythm from overusing my ad-Libs.¡± ¡°Broken broken,¡± Aura continued to mumble in disbelief. ¡°My unique species ability I believe was coined as Dragon of Legend. Like other sky dragons, I can fly and carry you, however, those dragons are but a mere imitation of my visage. Your and I¡¯s passage through Sage Cielto¡¯s domain is cost-free,¡± the dragon boasted. ¡°Wait wait wait. Sage Cielto, the sky sage? That means you can carry me while you fly for no rhythm cost?¡± Aura restated in her own words. ¡°But of course. Dragons were made in my likeness as I said. It¡¯s only natural that my abilities are far superior to theirs.¡± There was an air of pride that this tiny dragon girl carried. ¡°My god you¡¯re so busted.¡± Aura shook her head, continuing the train of disbelief. ¡°Is there anything else I should know?¡± the Maestro asked. ¡°Ah, I do have access to the full suite of Healing and Shielding spells. Though I don¡¯t get any additional benefits to my shielding spells, they are my weaker side,¡± she admitted, a little quieter. At this point in the conversation, the pair reached the opening of the cavern. ¡°You should do everything in your power to treat me as a regular Resonator,¡± Chiara advised. ¡°I will do my absolute best to protect you, but I am only one Resonator. Attracting attention to your ownership of me is ill-advised,¡± the dragon spoke solemnly. ¡°I understand.¡± Aura wore a tired smile. She reached out and placed a hand on her new Resonator¡¯s head. ¡°Damian¡¯s gonna freak out when we get back.¡± Chiara smiled. ¡°Indeed,¡± she chuckled. Interlude 2 - Part 3 In a normal town, Aura would have made waves having a dragon Resonator following behind her. In the dragon capital of the world, however, it proved to make her fit in. Nobody looked her way any longer and carried about their business. ¡°I¡¯m glad this town is the same as it¡¯s always been,¡± Chiara spoke up. ¡°Why is that?¡± Aura glanced over at her new Resonator. ¡°We blend in nicely here. It gives you an opportunity to gather your bearings before we set off for other ventures,¡± Chiara advised. ¡°I specifically picked this town to sleep near for this purpose,¡± the dragon added. ¡°Pretty forward-thinking of you,¡± Aura said, impressed. ¡°Of course, of course! I always try to make sure we¡¯re well prepared for any trouble,¡± the small girl boasted. ¡°I already have our cover story spun up.¡± Reaching into the folds of her top, she drew out a large Rubato crystal. ¡°Why?¡± Aura¡¯s eyes widened upon seeing the massive glowing rock. ¡°Today is the day I become an adult per Drahgo tradition! Ah, a poor orphaned runt of a dragon such as myself would have never made it if it wasn¡¯t for a kind stranger like you helping me pass my trial, oh thank you Miss Auerolin! I am forever indebted to you!¡± the Ethereal spoke theatrically. The Maestro chuckled sheepishly. ¡°Aha¡­ okay.¡± She accepted that was their story and committed it to memory. ¡°It¡¯s what we will need to tell the attendant at the Maestro Affairs Office. You will need a tuner for me after all,¡± Chiara pointed out. ¡°Right, it would be less suspicious that way.¡± Aura slumped over. ¡°God I¡¯m fucking tired.¡± She let out a big loud dramatic sigh. ¡°Chin up, you just have to deal with the matter of my registration and then Damian. Per your own admission, he will undoubtedly have a meltdown upon our return.¡± Chiara patted her new Maestro¡¯s back. ¡°Please don''t remind me,¡± Aura mumbled.
¡°Welcome to the Central Drahgo Maestro Affairs Office, how can we help you today?¡± as practiced as always, the attendant maintaining the front desk inquired of Aura. ¡°Yes, I got a new Resonator I need to register.¡± Aura motioned to the small dragon next to her. Chiara had already lost the script, looking around in awe at the modern facility they had entered. Upon awakening, Chiara was made aware of the concepts of the modern age she found herself in, though it never prepared her for actually seeing new technology and innovations. Innovations such as the Maestro Affairs Office, a recent invention when compared to her extended history. The ground underfoot was so shiny, polished to a near mirror-like sheen. The air was clean and chilled to a comfortable level. There were confounding devices affixed to the walls projecting strange illuminated pictures upon their surfaces. ¡°Oh? She looks quite young.¡± The attendant noted the small dragon¡¯s curiosity running amok. ¡°R-right. Chiara?¡± Aura shook the Ethereal¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Ah! Yes! I am an adult!¡± Chiara yelped, completely forgetting the story she had crafted. She realized her blunder instantly when a suspicious gaze was cast upon her Maestro. ¡°What I meant madam was I passed my test!¡± Reaching into her robes, she drew out the massive crystal ¨C showing proof of her success. She set it up on the counter. ¡°I am but a runt of a dragon, but this brave Maestro helped me out of the kindness of her heart!¡± Chiara explained, laying it on thick with the dramatics. The attendant hummed in thought, looking over Aura¡¯s attire. Sweaty, dirt-covered casual wear hardly seemed like ideal mountain climbing attire. Actually, upon further inspection, this woman wasn¡¯t even wearing shoes. ¡°Please, we really did get this crystal from the Fangs of the Dragon, we worked hard for it,¡± Chiara pleaded, turning up the puppy dog eyes as much as she could muster. ¡°I must repay Aura for her kindness in helping me,¡± she admitted, quieter. ¡°Please,¡± Aura added in. ¡°I want to give her a home.¡± The appeals to the attendant¡¯s humanity worked. ¡°Alright, fill this out please,¡± they gave in, handing over a tablet with the requisite registration forms already on screen.
Chiara¡¯s curiosity continued to get the better of her as they walked through the medical wing. There were so many other rooms they were just passing by. Why couldn¡¯t they stop and look? So many questions brewed in the dragon¡¯s mind, though she frustratedly couldn¡¯t voice any of them in the company of strangers ¨C in this new era, she was unsure what she should and shouldn¡¯t know. Aura meanwhile was just fighting her exhaustion. It had been such a long day and she just wanted to sleep. Even so, she knew she was in for a tongue-lashing from Damian when she got back to the room; especially when she told him she got kidnapped and nearly killed. Oh, what a joyful life she led! ¡°Here we are.¡± The attendant motioned to one of the open rooms, woman and dragon followed the unspoken demand. ¡°Sit up on here,¡± Aura directed Chiara. The Ethereal complied, using a bit of her flight magic to hop up on the examination table to sit. The Maestro meanwhile took her seat in a nearby chair. A new person arrived in the room, holding the clipboard with the paperwork Aura had completed earlier. ¡°Good afternoon, what can I do ya for?¡± they asked. ¡°Need to register her.¡± Aura pointed to the dragon-winged maiden sitting on the examination table. ¡°No problem!¡± The man drew some equipment out from the cabinets affixed to the wall. First was a wand-like tool with a screen on it. The second, and more interesting item was what seemed to be some packaging, which he tore into. ¡°Says here this is your second, right?¡± the technician asked of the Maestro. ¡°Yessir. Didn¡¯t come here expecting to get a dragon, but she just kind of clicked with me,¡± Aura replied. THWUMP Into the trash a booklet from the packaging went. ¡°That¡¯s how it usually goes. Just make sure to take good care of her. Dragons have different needs from dogs or cats. Some people say they¡¯re needier, but I think that¡¯s just ignorance. Those strong wings and tails need exercise.¡± He held up a syringe that came from the plastic packaging, tapping it a couple of times to get the air bubbles out. Chiara raised a brow, wondering what was next. The tech stepped over to the table. ¡°Head down please,¡± he requested. She complied, and he parted her hair. First came the wand device. The technician passed it over Chiara¡¯s neck and head. ¡°No chip,¡± he muttered to himself, pocketing the first tool. A cold wipe graced the back of her neck, making the skin rapidly cool, the gentle smell of a disinfectant wafting down from where the site had been cleaned. Finally, the technician drew the needle out. ¡°This¡¯ll sting for just a second.¡± With precision and accuracy, he delivered the injection right into the base of her skull. Aura winced, averting her gaze. No matter how many times she saw the procedure done, it just didn¡¯t sit right with her. And while she wished she could avoid having to put Chiara through this, it was a necessary evil. They had to blend in, no matter what. Properly registering her was the first step to accomplishing that goal. Even Ethereals could get dizzy, Aura learned, as Chiara began to sway once the technician stepped away. Aura rushed over to steady the small dragon girl. ¡°What in Cievo¡¯s name is happening?¡± Chiara breathed out, taking hold of her head in a vain attempt to steady the swaying world around her. ¡°He chipped you; it¡¯s a normal process to link you to a tuner,¡± Aura whispered back. ¡°Ah, you mortals still doing dangerous things to bind Resonators. I thought that would have improved,¡± Chiara snarked. ¡°Well, the death rate on this procedure is near zero from what I¡¯ve heard. At least as long as the tech is licensed.¡± That certainly mollified the dragon, she had no further rebuttal and just leaned into Aura¡¯s chest. A small smile cracked the stoic dragon¡¯s lips. ¡°Warm.¡± She mouthed while keeping her head down. ¡°Here you are.¡± The tech had returned with a clear-bodied tuner, the electronics of the device being visible through the currently transparent shell. Aura already knew what to do with the non-functional device; she waved it behind Chiara¡¯s neck, at the site where the chip had been injected into. After a moment there was a beep from the device and Aura pulled it away. Chiara watched with curiosity as the clear shell began to opacify, slowly darkening from clear to a solid white, representing her Solar element. Aura quickly navigated the menus, ending up on a status screen. Auerolin Tomoshibi Resonator: Chiara (Shine Flute) Species: Ethereal (Sky Dragon) Element: Solar Attribute: Almighty Rhythm: 75% This was no dream. This was real. This Ethereal was hers.
¡°Are you sure you¡¯re fine?¡± Aura asked Chiara as they walked through the Maestro¡¯s quarters of the MA Office. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m made of tougher stuff than that, Aura.¡± Chiara waved off her Maestro¡¯s concerns. ¡°Alright, if you say so.¡± Hopefully, no one was paying attention to how fast Chiara recovered from being chipped. However, Aura¡¯s concerns were unfounded as they reached room twenty-four without incident. The newly formed pair stood for a moment as Aura realized her red tuner was missing. She was about to knock when she remembered that she had a shiny new tuner registered to her that also functioned for opening the door. With a wave of the white-bodied device, it beeped and disengaged the lock. ¡°I hope he¡¯s here and not out looking for me,¡± Aura commented as she pushed open the door. ¡°WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU?!¡± The two immediately took their verbal lashing by the fire-hound upon entering the room. ¡°DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW- Wait, who is this?¡± Damian cut himself off, finally noticing the presence of the solar dragon by his Maestro¡¯s side. ¡°Surprise! She¡¯s your new baby sister!¡± Aura declared, flashing the shiny new white tuner to the dog-man. ¡°What. The. FUCK AURA?!¡± ¡°Hold on, before we continue-¡± Chiara stepped forward. Damian raised a brow. The dragon-girl closed her eyes, focusing. ¡°Aha.¡± She made her way over to the television and turned it around. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± She studied the back of the device for a moment before locating a plastic cover that she could pop off. A small electronic device fell out as soon as she did so. It was thin, fragile, and most importantly easy to snap. ¡°There we go. We can speak freely now.¡± The dragon smirked, further crushing the remains of the device. ¡°What the fuck is happening here?¡± Damian asked. ¡°Sit down first.¡± Aura eased her first Resonator down to the couch. ¡°I was kidnapped this morning.¡± Instantly the dog was back on his feet. ¡°WHAT THE FUCK?!¡± The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Sit down!¡± Aura shoved him back down. ¡°A couple of guys got the better of me ¨C they took me up to the mountain to look for her.¡± She motioned to Chiara, who waved with a smile. ¡°Luckily I found her first and she drove them off and flew me back down here.¡± ¡°Wait wait wait. That little girl not only beat whoever the fuck kidnapped you, but she was able to carry you down the mountain?¡± The dog-man raised a brow. ¡°Well, of course - she IS the Shine Flute after all.¡± Aura shrugged. Blink blink Damian looked between his Maestro and new teammate. ¡°Excuse me?¡± he uttered. ¡°Oh right. I never introduced you two ¨C Chiara, this is Damian; Damian, this is Miss Chiara Shine Flute.¡± Aura motioned between the two Resonators. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Damian.¡± The dragon girl curtsied for him. ¡°No no no, you don¡¯t just get to gloss over that.¡± Damian rose to his feet once more. ¡°That girl is THE Shine Flute, as in the Ethereal, the solar dragon, the Orchestra of Heaven Shine Flute?¡± ¡°The very same.¡± Aura maintained a big smile. Damian reached into his pocket, pulling out his pack of cigarettes. ¡°What the fuck are they putting in these things?¡± he asked himself. ¡°It¡¯s no hallucination, dear Damian.¡± Chiara chuckled. ¡°I am the genuine article, the original dragon made by Lord Cievo fourteen billion years ago,¡± the dragon rhapsodized. ¡°Until the day she dies, I am Aura¡¯s guardian, a station I take very seriously.¡± Damian eyed his Maestro suspiciously. ¡°So out with it, when are you abandoning me?¡± he asked. ¡°Wha-?¡± Aura whipped her head back around. ¡°What are YOU talking about?¡± she almost shrieked at him. ¡°You come waltzing back here with a fucking ETHEREAL of all things, why would I not be concerned about her being my replacement?¡± he hissed. ¡°Do you really think that I¡¯m-?!¡± Aura was cut off by Chiara jumping between the two. She floated in the air, white sparkles descending from her wings as she held herself at eye level with the dog-man. The dragon¡¯s smirk was wry, wrought with ill intent. ¡°Don¡¯t think you¡¯re escaping that easily,¡± she spoke with a titter. ¡°My power is so extraordinary it would be an active danger for me to be her primary Resonator.¡± ¡°How so?¡± Damian questioned suspiciously. ¡°Use your brain for thirty seconds, dog breath.¡± She poked his head, pushing him back ever so slightly. ¡°A Maestro coming in possession of an unusually powerful Resonator matching the element and species of a legendary Ethereal ¨C it¡¯s bound to attract attention.¡± The girl let herself float back to the ground. ¡°I¡¯m only one girl. I may be a timeless immortal but I¡¯m not omnipotent,¡± she admitted, the millennia of experience dripping from her voice. ¡°Hrmph.¡± Damian still wasn¡¯t convinced. ¡°It only takes one fatal wound to sever our contract. I become a flute should her life force be snuffed,¡± Chiara told him. ¡°That¡¯s why she, no that¡¯s why I need you to remain her Resonator. Someone I can trust to help protect her discretely. Do you understand?¡± Fiery red eyes studied the legendary dragon, slowly drifting to their shared Maestro. ¡°Yeah, I guess my quality of life will take a hit if she bites it,¡± he acquiesced. Aura smiled. ¡°Good, now that we have that settled¡­¡± She slumped over. ¡°I need a bath and a nap,¡± she sighed wearily. ¡°Uhg also need to do some laundry.¡± The woman glanced at her pile of discarded clothes in the corner of the room. ¡°One of us can take care of the laundry while you rest,¡± Chiara offered. ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Damian grunted. ¡°Oh?¡± The dragon raised a brow. ¡°If you¡¯re an Ethereal like you claim to be, protecting coma victim one there should be a piece of cake for you.¡± He motioned to Aura. ¡°You do raise a valid point¡­¡± Chiara conceded. However, what she wouldn¡¯t admit was she had no idea how to use the ¡°washing machine¡±. She knew such machines existed in this era, though that was as far as her knowledge went. Aura took to the bathroom, leaving Chiara to hand off the dirty laundry to Damian who departed on his own to take care of the laundry. This left Chiara alone in the room. The immortal girl let out a tired breath. ¡°Finally,¡± she whispered. ¡°I might never age, but I can still get overwhelmed,¡± the solar Resonator mumbled to herself. ¡°At least I awoke in another era of prosperity.¡± Looking around the room told her that plain and simple. Everything from the bed to the dressers and even the tiny kitchen reeked of wealth ¨C but such lodgings were provided to Maestros and their Resonators for free. ¡°Much different from back then¡­¡± The pain in her voice was thick as tears escaped the dragon¡¯s eyes. ¡°Damn it Shine, you¡¯ve had two hundred years to get over it. Damn it all¡­¡±
Aura exited her bath, only covered by a couple of towels. Damian had yet to return ¨C pretty normal for him doing their laundry; he felt leaving a woman¡¯s clothing unattended invited trouble and played the role of guard dog. Speaking of guard Resonators, Aura¡¯s new addition was curled up on the bed; tail and wings wrapped around her form. Sleeping like that, she looked so small and vulnerable, but within that tiny body of hers laid a world-altering power. It defied logic that the demure dragon could quite easily take on even the mightiest of Resonators with ease. Even so, Aura found herself slowly and silently approaching the golden dragon. She sat on the bed at a glacial pace, to not disturb the sleeping dragon. Finally, the Maestro reached out and stroked the Resonator¡¯s hair. It was unnaturally soft, staying perfectly tangle-free despite how much Aura ran her fingers through Chiara¡¯s hair. The tips of Aura¡¯s fingers found their way to Chiara¡¯s ears, soft fluffy things not unlike a canine¡¯s ears, though the backs had a small patch of golden scales on them, which were a different kind of soft. Chiara had long since awoken but kept still, enjoying the gesture. She only stirred upon sensing Damian¡¯s return. ¡°Laundry¡¯s here.¡± The sole male in the room set the clothes on the bed, keeping his gaze respectfully away from his Maestro. ¡°Gonna go grab a smoke.¡± And he quickly departed the room. Aura slipped her pajamas back on, pleased with how warm they were. Her gaze fell back onto the sleeping Shine Flute. The Maestro considered whether what she was about to do was appropriate or not ¨C they had only known each other for what a few hours? Then again, it was Chiara speaking into her mind, she was the one who drew Aura to Drahgo. They were destined to be together as Maestro and Resonator! Clearly! With that in mind, Aura slid into bed and pulled the small dragon close to her. It was as if Chiara was waiting for that gesture, as she draped a wing over her Maestro and snaked her long tail around one of her Maestro¡¯s legs. A serene smile graced the dragon¡¯s lips, telling Aura that this was the correct choice. The possessive posturing of the Ethereal quelled any unrest in the young woman¡¯s heart, allowing Aura to quickly fall asleep.
Day passed to night, and finally, Aura arose from her well-earned rest. ¡°Good evening my Maestro,¡± Chiara tittered as the Maestro woke up. ¡°Chiara? How long have you been awake?¡± Aura questioned. ¡°A couple of hours. I couldn¡¯t leave you alone.¡± The dragon tightened her wing¡¯s grasp over the Maestro. ¡°A couple? I¡¯m sorry, you didn¡¯t have to stay here.¡± ¡°Fret not Aura, I¡¯ve lived billions of years. A couple of hours is a grain of sand in the vast universe,¡± the solar Ethereal whispered. ¡°Ah¡­¡± They lay there for some time, enjoying the moment. ¡°Ahem.¡± A gruff throat clear startled the pair. ¡°This is sweet and all, but maybe you should eat something,¡± Damian spoke in the darkness. Chiara held out a hand and a tiny ball of light appeared, completely illuminating the room. ¡°You can use spells without me?¡± Aura raised a brow. ¡°No, this is one of the Solar ad-Libs, I demonstrated it to you before,¡± Chiara stated. ¡°Oh, when they used that arrow spell.¡± The Maestro nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve had plenty of time practicing my control of this one, I can change night to day, or be a flashlight, whatever you need,¡± the Shine Flute said with a boast. Damian failed to be impressed. ¡°Lovely, food now?¡± The newly formed trio made their way down to the cafeteria, the previous glares and general negative attention Aura and Damian received were now completely gone ¨C all because Chiara was now with them. Aura¡¯s mind briefly wandered to her brother and his Lunar Resonator, Taika. Was this how he felt having those other two of his by his side instead of Taika? The change in public perception just from the element (or in this case species) of Resonator by one¡¯s side was enough to tickle a thread of annoyance in the young woman. At any rate, it was dinner time, and once again Chiara remained quiet, staring in wonder at the modern amenities on display even in a small, out-of-the-way town like Drahgo. As with any MA Office the cafeteria stocked local specialties, but there were also food options from far reaches of the world, just as fresh as if they were picked from the plant or vine in their homelands. So much abundant food was a far cry from the struggles of eras long past. Even employment seemed to be readily available, noting the Resonators behind the counter who were maintaining this literal buffet of food. It was impressive to the ageless dragon. Grabbing trays, the trio picked out their food. Aura glanced over and noted Chiara didn¡¯t have any particular preference. In fact, she was grabbing a little bit of everything. ¡°Hungry?¡± Aura chuckled. ¡°For knowledge. Enriching experiences recover your rhythm faster. What is more enriching than a diverse palate of food?¡± the dragon questioned back. ¡°I see I see,¡± Aura noted yellow sparkles of rhythm drifting down from the dragon¡¯s wings ¨C the poor thing was so short she couldn¡¯t reach the food without flying to do so. Though Aura counted her blessings that Chiara was so conscious of her status as an Ethereal, somehow making her rhythm burn yellow as if she had strong knowledge ¨C the Maestro had noted white sparkles of rhythm descending from the dragon¡¯s wings before. The Shine Flute truly was the master of ¡°looking normal¡±. Sitting down, Aura and Damian watched the little dragon-girl quickly, but elegantly sample her buffet of food. She even utilized different forks and spoons depending on what she was eating. Aura immediately recognized what this meant. ¡°One of your former Maestros was a rich fellow huh?¡± Aura commented. Chiara paused her eating, slowly setting her fork down and wiping her lips clean before speaking. ¡°Yes. My-¡± The girl paused, a flash of pain crossing her face for a brief moment. ¡°-last Maestro,¡± she spoke quietly. ¡°He was a nobleman. I learned proper table manners while I lived with him.¡± Aura didn¡¯t have another comment to add. Even Ethereals could feel pain such as loss? It seemed hellish in Aura¡¯s eyes. How many times had this poor girl watched everyone she knew fade away around her? What a curse. Interlude 2 - Part 4 Guided by Damian¡¯s firelight cast by the Fuoco Fatuo spell, the trio made their way down to the hunting site. ¡°Aura, may I make a selfish request this evening?¡± Chiara asked as they walked along. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Aura shot a glance at her new Resonator. ¡°I want to hunt Scherzando tonight,¡± Chiara requested. Before Aura could comment, the dragon continued. ¡°I know I said I shouldn¡¯t be your main Resonator in battle, but I want to stretch my wings a little, I have been asleep for about 200 years now.¡± The tuner-tech¡¯s words from earlier came to mind, specifically about dragons having certain needs. Aura smiled. ¡°Sure. Dames, you can stay by me,¡± the Maestro told her Doberman. ¡°Sure sure, will be nice to be off the chopping block for once,¡± came the gruff chuckle. The trio went through the usual process. Registering at the hunting grounds, then being sent off to join the main group. However, this time, rather than being ignored until the very end, Aura would be selected to join another group of Maestros. ¡°Uhhh, actually ¨C would it be cool if I went with him instead?¡± Aura asked, pointing to the ignored Makani and Rynda, who had been quietly standing off to the side. ¡°I guess.¡± The leader of the hunting party frowned, wondering why a fellow dragon tamer would want to go with a lunar bird of all Resonators. ¡°Oh Aura, you got a new friend!¡± Makani greeted the trio as they joined up. ¡°An ally of yours?¡± Chiara asked her Maestro. ¡°We met up here before and they¡¯re cool,¡± Aura told her new dragon. ¡°Ah.¡± With that matter settled, the dragon curtsied before Makani and Rynda. ¡°I am Chiara, Aura helped me pass my rites of adulthood, so I am accompanying her in return for her kindness,¡± the dragon informed the newcomers to their little group, sticking to their earlier story. ¡°Nice to meetcha, I¡¯m Makani.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m Ryn!¡± Introductions out of the way, Rynda was tasked to scan the area and find some good Scherzando spots, which was a simple affair with the Fangs of the Dragon looming overhead. As they walked to their first hunt of the night, Chiara motioned for Aura to lean down. ¡°Keep our spells at the bare minimum, I¡¯ll try to ease up on the damage I¡¯m dealing so we don¡¯t look too suspicious,¡± Chiara quietly advised her own Maestro. Aura flashed a quick thumbs up and stood back up straight to review the spells available to her. ¡°Damn,¡± Damian breathed out, trying to avoid vocalizing his surprise too loudly. A huge list of spells were available, all at the maximum possible rank. Even Ossia spells in every elemental combination with solar were present. And then¡­ La fine di una stella Ultrissimo ¡°Scary.¡± Aura gulped. ¡°That one just straight-up kills you,¡± Damian recalled. ¡°In exchange for enough power to annihilate a small city,¡± she whispered back. ¡°Well, at least we have the scorched land option in case we really don¡¯t want someone getting their hands on her,¡± the dog offered. ¡°Yeah, no fucking kidding.¡± Aura shook her head. It was a terrifying amount of power to possess, even if casting the spell would cost Aura her life in the process. Glancing back, she saw the lights of Drahgo flickering away alone in the desert. If she was sick in the mind, it¡¯d only take six words to completely wipe that city off the face of Riterra. The woman shook her head. What a dark, terrible thought. It just confirmed Chiara was the genuine article ¨C the legendary Shine Flute of myth. It still didn¡¯t even feel real. ¡°Hey look alive back there!¡± Rynda shouted to Aura and her Resonators. The trio perked up, seeing some big cat-shaped Scherzando in the distance. The shadow beasts crouched down, ready to strike. They slowly closed the gap between themselves and Makani, waiting for an opportunity to pounce. The tenured Maestros, however, kept a close eye on the beasts. "Okay, what¡¯s the plan?¡± the pilot Maestro questioned his counterpart. ¡°Chiara wants a go at Scherzando hunting. She hasn¡¯t done it before,¡± Aura replied, muttering a small ¡°in this era¡± to turn her claim into truth. ¡°Sounds good to me. Ryn?¡± ¡°Easy peasy.¡± The bird extended her wings out. Chiara was tempted to throw back some bravado of her own, but instead simply stretched out her own pair of wings. Makani whistled, impressed by the visual strength of the dragon girl¡¯s extra appendages. Rynda puffed her cheeks out, shooting a small glare at the dragon. ¡°Try to keep up,¡± she decided, taking flight. In the sky, the nightingale girl was quite fast; however, Chiara was able to match her fellow winged Resonator, easily reaching the same height with no trouble. ¡°Heh, you¡¯re pretty good huh?¡± Rynda chuckled. Once more, Chiara bit her tongue ¨C she wanted to snark about this being a mere shadow of her abilities, but knew better. Quietly she blamed Aura¡¯s rhythm for corrupting her into such urges of bravado. ¡°Luce del Sol, Pianissimo Staccato!¡± Aura commanded. ¡°Luce Lunare, Forte Staccatisimo ¨C focus on backing up Chiara!¡± came Makani¡¯s order. The two maidens in the sky dive-bombed the group of cats, easily scattering them in a hellfire of solar and lunar magic. The poor Scherzando stood no chance. Hovering over where the Scherzando once stood, the girls waited for further orders. ¡°Solar-Healing huh? She¡¯s got a hell of an arm and excellent aim,¡± Rynda noted, another healing Resonator coming to mind. ¡°She¡¯s not half bad. Would probably give me a run for my money even if I wasn¡¯t holding back,¡± Chiara mumbled to herself. Landing with their Maestros, Chiara played the part. ¡°How was I Aura?¡± ¡°You did great.¡± Aura placed a hand on her Resonator¡¯s head, gently stroking the dragon¡¯s silky blonde hair. The night continued in a routine fashion, with Chiara and Rynda dealing with any Scherzando that came their way while Damian played the much easier role of light manager. By the end of it, Rynda was draped over her Maestro, having worn herself out trying to showboat. ¡°Wehhh¡­ Freaking prodigy Resonator,¡± the nightingale whined. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re gonna tap out for the night,¡± Makani chuckled, supporting his exhausted companion. ¡°Thanks for working with me again.¡± He extended his free hand out for Aura, who smiled and accepted the handshake. ¡°See you around.¡± ¡°See ya!¡± And with that, the trio was left alone. ¡°That was fun,¡± Chiara decided, stretching out. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll say,¡± Damian laughed in his usual gruff manner, lighting up a cigarette with one of his fireballs in celebration. ¡°Either way, a good night. Let¡¯s get back to the office.¡± Aura motioned for them to head back. However- ¡°What the hell!?¡± Aura cried out as one of her tuners flew off her waist and into the darkness seemingly of its own accord. ¡°That was almost too easy,¡± a sickeningly familiar voice spoke. Damian quickly directed a couple of his fire lights towards the direction of the voice. It was the man and his lunar Resonator that had kidnapped Aura before. Horrifyingly, he held the white tuner bound to Chiara in his grasp. ¡°You caused me a lot of grief with the stunt you pulled, but in the end, you ended up in my hands,¡± the man taunted. He shifted his thumb to the red control button. ¡°Now come.¡± If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Chiara perked up before her head hung low and she began to walk over to the other Maestro. Aura grabbed her other tuner ¨C she wasn¡¯t defenseless this time. ¡°Damian!¡± ¡°I¡¯m on it!¡± He rushed the other Maestro. ¡°Fissare la Ombra, Lento!¡± came the counter command. Before Aura could get a spell of her own out, Damian¡¯s shadow was pinned, stopping him dead in his tracks. ¡°Fuck!¡± the dog-man cursed, unable to move his legs. ¡°Bolide, Forte! Use the light to get rid of your shadow!¡± Aura thought quickly. ¡°Mente Offuscatta, Fortissimo!¡± another counter command by the lunar Maestro. As Damian received Aura¡¯s rhythm to cast the advanced fireball spell, he suddenly cried out in pain. ¡°AUGH!!¡± His hands whipped to his head as a massive force inside his skull crushed any concentration he had and as with it, Aura¡¯s rhythm ended up wasted. The Doberman fell to his knees, the force of the mental assault also having snuffed out his Fuoco Fatuo in the process. Cast into darkness, only the moon from above provided enough light to watch the horror unfold before Aura and Damian¡¯s eyes as Chiara stood directly in front of their assailant. ¡°Ah, it feels so nice to win,¡± he taunted. ¡°Now, Shine Flute, if you would, kill that Maestro!¡± the command was pointed directly at Aura. Chiara turned back around, facing Aura and Damian. The pair¡¯s blood ran cold. This was it. There was no way they could muster even an ounce of resistance against an Ethereal like the Shine Flute. Her wings extended out. ¡°Luce del Sole, Fortissimo! Sever your link with her by your own hands!!¡± Chiara formed a ball of blindingly bright solar energy; it was practically popping from the raw power contained within it. Damian struggled against the bindings at his feet. Seeing the futility of escaping himself, his head whipped back to the only one that mattered: ¡°AURA RUN!¡± he screamed as loud as he could muster. His Maestro remained rooted in place, her gaze wide, legs refusing to move frozen in place. Though, when Aura¡¯s eyes met Chiara¡¯s¡­ BOOM!! ¡°What the HELL!?¡± the lunar Maestro cried out - as it was not Aura who received the brunt of the boosted Fortissimo-level solar spell, but his own Resonator. With no time to brace for the impact of the enhanced attack, the lunar-elemental was blown clear; well away from the battlefield. If they even survived the attack, they would not be getting back up any time soon. With their defeat, Damian was freed from the shadow bindings. The Doberman instantly rushed the other Maestro. ¡°HOW?! THE BUTTON IS ABSOLUTE!¡± The lunar Maestro turned tail and fled. ¡°You insolent WORM!! Do you really think that a mere tuner can tame the wrath of an Ethereal!?¡± Chiara boomed with such a crushing fury it almost took tangible form, making the man run faster out of fear of her rage. However, it was not by her hand that he ultimately fell. Not a spell, but a fist ¨C specifically Damian¡¯s. THWACK!! Right in the back of the head, the lunar Maestro ate dirt having been slugged with enough force to dislocate several of Damian¡¯s fingers from the intensity of the blow. (Though it was probably the most satisfying punch of the Doberman¡¯s life.) ¡°Motherfucker!¡± The fire Resonator raised his foot to give the now unmoving enemy a second taste of the desert floor. ¡°Stay your hand, Damian!¡± Chiara landed next to her fellow Resonator. ¡°I¡¯m using my foot!¡± the dog barked back. ¡°Either way! Don¡¯t do it!¡± she snapped at him. Begrudgingly, the fire-dog complied, stomping his foot down into the sand with a huff. The dragon knelt, plucking her tuner from the unconscious body. ¡°Aura, please come over here!¡± Chiara waved the tuner to its rightful owner. Hesitantly, Aura made her way over to where her two Resonators stood. ¡°So what do we do with him?¡± Damian questioned since a good old-fashioned curb stomp was seemingly out of the question. ¡°Simple. He¡¯s nature¡¯s problem now,¡± Chiara said. It was at this point that Aura arrived. She couldn¡¯t feel sorry for the unconscious man ¨C he had kidnapped her and attempted to kill her several times now. What¡¯s worse if they let him go, he wouldn¡¯t stop. Hopefully, in his hubris, he was the only one who knew about the Shine Flute. ¡°Aura, if you would do the honors.¡± Chiara held out the tuner for her Maestro. ¡°Wait, what do you expect me to do?¡± Aura refused to accept the device, shocked gaze now turned on the Ethereal. ¡°L''orizzonte Scudo in Rallentando ¨C it will attract a horde of Scherzando to this spot after I cast it. We will have enough time to leave and the beasts will do what comes naturally to them,¡± the dragon stated coldly. ¡°You¡­ want to kill him?¡± Aura felt ill at the thought, despite everything he had put her through. Chiara did not waver, however. ¡°Must I remind you of his crimes?¡± she questioned. Aura looked at Damian. ¡°I was ready to crush him like a melon. This way¡¯s cleaner,¡± he offered his own thoughts. ¡°The fact that he was willing to kill to get a hold of her ¨C this guy is rotten to the core,¡± Damian added. With a resigned sigh, Aura placed her hand on the offered tuner. There had to be another way. But no matter how the Maestro thought about it in her head, this man was a criminal. What¡¯s more, if the legal system failed them and he got free¡­ ¡°L''orizzonte Scudo, Rallentando,¡± she spoke. Rhythm passed from Maestro to Resonator and Aura accepted her solar tuner back. ¡°Please take your leave. I will cast the spell once you¡¯re a safe distance away and rejoin you once it¡¯s done.¡± ¡°C¡¯mon Aura, let¡¯s get. Ethereal or not I can¡¯t imagine holding that spell is pleasant for her,¡± Damian urged his Maestro. Stealing one last glance at the man she tried to spare, Aura turned away and left with Damian.
¡°Tonight sucked,¡± Aura decided, sitting on a bench in town. ¡°Agreed,¡± Damian grumbled, still nursing his aching hand. He had managed to pop his digits back in place, but he¡¯d be the first to admit that it hurt like hell. A few Maestros ran by with great urgency. From what Damian had heard as they passed by, an emergency situation had come up in the western desert ¨C a huge pack of Scherzando. Neither woman nor Resonator moved from their seat. After all this ¡°emergency¡± was directly caused by them. Wouldn¡¯t be too smart to return to the scene of the crime. Speaking of, Chiara made her return, floating down from the sky and landing in front of her Maestro. ¡°It is done, only a couple of minutes for the Scherzando to have their way with him.¡± she stated. Aura sighed. ¡°I think we need to lay low for a while,¡± she decided. ¡°For the best.¡± Chiara nodded in agreement. Silence. ¡°Are you¡­ upset with me?¡± the dragon asked. ¡°Not at all. I¡¯m mad at the situation,¡± Aura clarified. Before the dragon could question the meaning of that, Aura leaned forward and pulled the solar-dragon into a hug. ¡°You¡¯re not an Ethereal; you¡¯re just Chiara, okay?¡± Chiara blinked twice, unsure of what to say, though the meaning of Aura¡¯s words wasn¡¯t lost on her. ¡°Of course, my beloved Maestro." Chapter 45 Corn, wheat, beans. Common food stocks grown in this region of the world whipped by the car windows. The fields looked just plain endless. While interesting at first, the crops had overstayed their welcome in young Taika¡¯s eyes. Even the road grew boring after the first hour, just being essentially a straight line to nowhere. She exhaled sharply through her nose, folding her fox ears back and leaning against the car window. They had been driving for hours and she didn¡¯t want to be the one to keep asking if they were there yet. The lids of her eyes started to droop, she started drifting in and out of consciousness, recalling the events that led to her being in this vehicle in the first place.
It was only a couple days ago that Shouri and Pacifica burst into their room at the Leono MA Office. ¡°So Pacifica recapped all the shit we went through and her parents understandably freaked out,¡± Shouri revealed to Taika and Rebecca. Rebecca yawned, still trying to get her bearings in the waking world. ¡°Is that a bad thing?¡± the fire fox questioned before stretching. ¡°She would have seen right through me! I couldn¡¯t lie to her!¡± Pacifica cried out, defending her honor. Taika herself was in the same state as her fellow fox ¨C trying to shake off her grogginess. ¡°What''s going on?¡± the lunar Resonator asked. ¡°Pacifica¡¯s parents are on the way to come get us,¡± Shouri revealed. The two foxes stared at Shouri for a moment, before turning their gaze on the already flustered Pacifica. ¡°Paci, avevi un solo compito,¡± Taika muttered, narrowing her eyes at the otter. ¡°We could always run, I think you said at one point they were in Canolapra right? That¡¯s like a million miles away,¡± Rebecca suggested. Shouri pulled out Rebecca¡¯s tuner. After a moment of tapping away on the screen, he came to his consensus: ¡°It¡¯s a thirteen-hour drive, give or take stopping to recharge the car,¡± he stated, returning the device to his side. ¡°Thirteen hours is plenty of time for us to be not here.¡± Rebecca nodded with a confident smirk. Pacifica grabbed the fire fox by her pajama shirt and shook her. ¡°You don¡¯t understand! They¡¯ll hunt us down!¡± ¡°They can¡¯t be that mad!¡± Rebecca shouted over being shaken. ¡°No, you really don¡¯t get it! My mom is a BLOODHOUND! She WILL find us! Running just makes things worse!!¡± Pacifica implored of her fellow Resonator, refusing to release her. ¡°Enough!¡± Rebecca pushed the otter¡¯s hands off of her, tired of being rocked back and forth. ¡°I get it, running is probably a bad idea.¡± Her attention shifted to the leader of their group: Shouri. ¡°What do you think bossman?¡± The Maestro hummed and frowned. ¡°There¡¯s part of me that agrees with Rebecca, that we could make a hell of a fuss running away from them.¡± Stressed out otter-girl, Pacifica turned up the sad puppy dog eyes. ¡°Shooooo that¡¯s a terrible idea,¡± she whined. Shouri sighed, stepping over and placing a hand on the otter¡¯s head. ¡°We did need a bit of a rest after everything that¡¯s happened. I can concede to them coming to pick us up.¡± Which earned a sigh of relief from her.
Slowly Taika opened her eyes again. They were passing through a town it seemed. More interesting than the endless fields of staple crops that had plagued the last few hours of their trip. ¡°Anyone alive back there? We¡¯re gonna stop for some food and a bathroom break,¡± Pacifica¡¯s mother, Priscilla, called to the back. There was a small bout of groaning as the quartet relegated to the back of the vehicle stretched and groaned after being roused from their sleep. Thankfully Pacifica¡¯s parents had opted to rent a mini-van for this road trip and as such the seats for the four young adults were spacious and comfy enough to fall asleep in. Taika and Shouri had the middle two seats, while Rebecca and Pacifica got the long back seat to themselves. Speaking of, the pair of girls in the back stretched out, coming out of their own naps. ¡°Are we there?¡± Rebecca groggily asked. ¡°Not quite, still got another few hours,¡± the current driver told the group as she pulled off the road into a refueling station to charge their vehicle. As Priscilla began fiddling with the charger to pay for the refueling, Pacifica''s father Jack hopped out of the front passenger seat and opened the side door to let the still groggy passengers out. ¡°Urgh...¡± Shouri shielded his eyes from the sunlight, hobbling around the station. They were in a small town, and as such there wasn¡¯t anyone else around. Which was fine by him. The less people, the less there was a chance for someone to say or do something to set him off. ¡°Sho I¡¯m hungry,¡± Taika whined. ¡°You¡¯re always hungry,¡± Rebecca commented, shooting a tired, sidelong glance at her fellow fox. ¡°Rebby please behave,¡± Pacifica chided the fire elemental, inserting herself between the canine girls. ¡°We can get some snacks,¡± Shouri decided, motioning to the convenience store attached to the recharging station. They made their way into the little shop without much delay. Rebecca and Pacifica wandered off on their own, while Shouri kept Taika at his side. None of them wanted to deal with any dissenting opinions about Shouri¡¯s choice of Resonators. Thankfully, one of the two employees in the shop, a Resonator ignored them, taking a bucket and mop into the bathroom that sat at the back of the store. The other employee was a Maestro, they stood behind the counter and kept a careful watch on Shouri and Taika. Sensing the stink-eye cast solely at them, Shouri maintained his guard. Taika was blissfully filling a small basket with snacks. ¡°Do you really need this much?¡± the Maestro commented, brow raised. ¡°Si!¡± Taika responded almost immediately. Shouri rolled his eyes but smiled all the same. She was consistent. He picked out some stuff for himself and threw it in Taika¡¯s basket. The quartet re-convened at the counter. Rebecca and Pacifica both noted their lunar counterpart¡¯s selections, and the fact that she had probably twice the number of snacks they both picked combined. ¡°What? We can get that much?¡± Rebecca voiced her opinion on the matter. ¡°I never said you couldn¡¯t,¡± Shouri countered. Rebecca opened her mouth to snap back but had no rebuttal. She shoved her snacks into Pacifica¡¯s arms before turning and rushing back into the aisles. ¡°I¡¯ll be back!¡± Setting all their selections on the counter the shopkeeper shot a glare at Taika, but kept their thoughts to themselves, doing their job and scanning the group¡¯s selections. Pacifica could sense the hostility and kept her guard up. Rebecca returned and similarly picked up on the tense air. She slowly slid her extra items up to be scanned and bagged. ¡°That¡¯ll be 89.25,¡± the shopkeeper finally said. They spoke quietly, obviously miffed at the presence of the lunar. Shouri himself grunted and in a show of pettiness, he specifically pulled out Taika¡¯s tuner to complete the transaction. With a scan of the device, it was all paid for. Pacifica and Rebecca grabbed the bags. Shouri and Taika exchanged a smirk and a quick nod. ¡°Thank you so very much! I hope you have a wonderful rest of the day!¡± Taika said in the cheeriest tone she could muster. This clearly bothered the employee, but they bit their tongue and refused to take the bait and cause a scene. It was especially frustrating that such a Maestro could pay for such a large quantity of snacks. ¡°Way to go!¡± Rebecca laughed heartily once they were out of earshot of the store. ¡°Hrm, I dunno,¡± Pacifica hummed, nervously glancing back at the shop. ¡°I didn¡¯t feel like putting up with his shit,¡± Shouri huffed as they piled back into the van. ¡°I get it, I really do, but I don¡¯t think giving him an excuse to be a dick was the right move,¡± Pacifica laid out her thoughts. Taika popped the window next to her to let some air in before opening her bag of snacks. ¡°We didn¡¯t do anything wrong,¡± she stated simply, drawing a chocolate bar from the hoard of sweets she selected. ¡°I just wished him a good day.¡± She shrugged before taking a big bite out of the bar. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s his problem if he wants to get pissed about a lunar talking to him.¡± Shouri shrugged. ¡°And it was awesome! Dude¡¯s face was so red!¡± Rebecca was still riding the high of their pettiness it seemed. Pacifica sighed. She was in the minority it seemed. ¡°Just don¡¯t get us arrested,¡± she warned. ¡°Relax Pacifica. Everything¡¯s fine!¡± Rebecca patted her fellow Resonator¡¯s back. Thankfully, for Pacifica¡¯s blood pressure, nothing else of note happened. They just kind of enjoyed their snacks and drinks in the middle of nowhere, Lybertera. Eventually, the adults returned and their ride having completed its charging cycle, they were ready to roll out again. Rebecca took quite an interest in what happened upon the return of Jack and Priscilla. Rather than Priscilla getting back in the driver¡¯s seat, her Resonator, Jack took the wheel. Leaning forward, the fire fox tugged on her Maestro¡¯s jacket. ¡°Hm?¡± He turned around in his seat. Rebecca pointed at Jack. ¡°I told you if you want to, we can look into it,¡± he reminded her. Even though she was the one pointing out another Resonator driving a vehicle, she still felt bad ¨C Shouri would also have to get a driver¡¯s license if she wanted one. ¡°I really don¡¯t mind. If it¡¯s something you want to do, we can do it,¡± Shouri said simply. Rebecca folded her ears back ¨C this boy was too much. ¡°M-maybe,¡± she mumbled, sitting back in her seat. She didn¡¯t know why she was being so wishy-washy with this whole situation. She truly wanted to learn how to drive, but she didn¡¯t want to inconvenience Shouri no matter how much he insisted it wasn¡¯t. Sitting back, she leaned against the nearby window. Shooting a tired glance around, she took inventory of the other occupants of the vehicle. Pacifica was on her tuner doing some web surfing probably. Taika was still snacking away. With how much she ate, Rebecca wondered how the lunar fox maintained such a lithe form. Shouri was also on a tuner, probably reading some boring nerd junk. Then there were them, Pacifica¡¯s parents. They were an odd couple, a Resonator and a Maestro. Apparently, they got married? They were so weird...
Earlier that day Shouri and his Resonators rose from their slumber. Today was the day of their big trip to Canolapra. Supposedly that had been the goal of all this traveling, but Rebecca hadn¡¯t been apprised of the situation until the whole deal with Pacifica¡¯s parents came up. It did kind of make sense though, at least as far as she had been told. Pacifica¡¯s mother was a Maestro and her father was her mother¡¯s Resonator. So of course, they would be accepting of a Maestro who was as personally close to his Resonators as Shouri was. Shouri himself was an oddity, but he was normal compared to these people. KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK The quartet looked to the door, freezing for a moment. Shouri drew a tuner from his side. ¡°Pacifica-¡± ¡°I got it.¡± The otter walked to the door and hesitantly opened it. Thankfully it was who they were expecting. ¡°Hello my little pup!¡± A male voice greeted the ears of the room¡¯s occupants. ¡°Daddy! How are you!?¡± Pacifica exclaimed, embracing her (crying) father. ¡°Good good! Very good!¡± The otter man looked around and spotted the Maestro in the room. Immediately the man rushed over and embraced Shouri, much to his surprise. ¡°Thank you! Thank you so much for saving my little pup!¡± he bawled. ¡°Jack, please behave.¡± Now a woman joined the crowded room. She stood confident but relaxed all at the same time. Rebecca immediately felt it ¨C this woman was strong; overwhelmingly so. She knew her Maestro wasn¡¯t a slouch, but in the same respect, they were all growing as a group. Pacifica¡¯s mother was frighteningly powerful. Jack stepped away from Shouri, wiping the tears away from his face. The woman walked over and studied her daughter¡¯s Maestro. After a moment, she smirked. ¡°Mhm, like I thought. You have great eyes,¡± the elder Maestro noted. ¡°Priscilla.¡± She held out a hand for Shouri. ¡°Shouri.¡± He accepted the handshake. Before releasing Shouri¡¯s hand she clasped her other hand around his. ¡°Thank you for taking care of my daughter. I know she¡¯s in good hands.¡± The woman gave such a genuine smile, it disarmed the younger Maestro. He quickly gathered his thoughts. ¡°Honestly I think she¡¯s taken care of us more than I have her,¡± he replied. Releasing hands, Priscilla looked around the room. She spotted the other two Resonators Shouri kept in his company. Approaching Taika, Priscilla looked the fox over. ¡°You must be Taika.¡± The woman smiled at the fox. Taika was a bit flustered, not used to strangers immediately taking a shine to her. ¡°S-si...¡± she muttered. ¡°Pacifica has told me all about you.¡± Priscilla stepped forward and wrapped her arms around the fox. ¡°Thank you for saving my daughter,¡± she whispered. Taika pushed back against Pricilla¡¯s embrace. ¡°Ch-che? Sho ha fatto tutto il lavoro!¡± Priscilla just smiled and tilted her head. ¡°Sorry dear, my Naturalian isn¡¯t that good; Jack honey?¡± ¡°She¡¯s being modest,¡± he replied. ¡°What a cute thing you are!¡± Priscilla ruffled Taika¡¯s hair, once again flustering the fox. Rebecca stood off to the side, she hadn¡¯t been part of the squad when Pacifica joined, so she just opted to keep quiet while the accolades were passed around. She knew the story from Shouri¡¯s point of view; he had told her all about how he and Pacifica met shortly after Rebecca joined him officially. ¡°That leaves you, Rebecca.¡± And suddenly Rebecca found herself being hugged too? ¡°You also saved my daughter; I can¡¯t thank you enough.¡± The woman smiled. ¡°When?!¡± Like Taika before, Rebecca squirmed out of the older woman¡¯s grasp. ¡°A couple of modest foxes, that¡¯s cute,¡± Priscilla giggled. ¡°Unless I¡¯m mistaken, you were the one who took out that horrible man who kidnapped my little otter.¡± Rebecca furrowed her brow. Priscilla was right ¨C Rebecca was the one who landed the final blow on the kidnapper and his Resonator. Well, she only needed the one hit to deal with him, but that was neither here nor there. With most of the introductions out of the way, Shouri spoke up, ¡°So, what does our itinerary look like?¡± ¡°We¡¯re heading out right away, it¡¯s about thirteen hours to Canolapra.¡± Priscilla looked around. There was only one bag the group seemed to have: the one on Taika¡¯s back. ¡°Traveling light?¡± she asked the other Maestro. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s easier that way especially when we have to walk,¡± Shouri replied, hoping there wasn¡¯t a problem with that. ¡°Ah, yes, those certainly were the days,¡± the elder reminisced. ¡°Come come, everyone to the car. Made sure to get a big one so we¡¯re all comfy cozy.¡±
Rebecca slowly awoke. She had fallen asleep? Why was she so tired? Probably because they had gotten up so early. Throwing off their sleep schedule and all that jazz. The vehicle began to veer off one of the exits and came to a stop in a small parking lot with a building. ¡°Rest stop! Take care of your business!¡± Priscilla announced before exiting the car herself with her Resonator following suit. ¡°She¡¯s a mind reader I swear,¡± Shouri huffed, undoing his seat belt. ¡°S-si...¡± Taika seemed a bit flustered. ¡°Yeah, mom is like that. You get used to it,¡± Pacifica told the other two as they all made their way out of the vehicle. Rebecca raised a brow. Ah, they had to use the restroom. That¡¯s what they meant. And Priscilla had picked up on that. Either way, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to freshen up and stretch her legs, and for that, Rebecca herself left the van as well to brave the mid-afternoon heat. It was a quaint little rest stop, with large hills and trees that overlooked the highways on either side of them. To their left was the northbound traffic, and to the right was the southbound traffic. Little pavilions covered some tables and benches, making lovely picnic areas. It looked like there were Resonators employed here as well, a couple wandering around picking up trash and generally tidying the place up. Finally, there was the main rest stop building. Walking in, Rebecca immediately felt the sting of the air conditioning. It wasn¡¯t overly cold, but the difference between inside and out was noticeable for sure. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Taika seemed to have finished up her own business and was pawing at one of the vending machines while looking around every so often for Shouri. Probably was going to beg for more snacks despite nearly spending a hundred notes during their last stop. Still a bit groggy, and needing to attend to her own needs, Rebecca jammed her hands into her blazer¡¯s pockets and made her way to the restrooms. ¡°Ah!¡± Pacifica was just exiting the bathroom herself. ¡°Hey Rebby, take your time. Looks like everyone wants to wander a bit before we hit the road again,¡± the otter told her companion. ¡°Sure.¡± Rebecca nodded. As they swapped, the fire Resonator noted the... disarray the bathroom was in. Public bathrooms were the worst. She supposed it was better than the alternative though. Once her business was completed, Rebecca was forced to complete the worst bathroom task: washing her hands. ¡°One button,¡± she said with a grimace. Taking in a deep breath, she exhaled sharply and just got it over with. She took meticulous care in actually scrubbing her hands with the soap before finally hitting the push handle with her soapy hands. Fresh water flowed from the faucet, but she bit her bottom lip, forcing her hands into the stream. ¡°Ggguhhh,¡± she groaned. It was cold. So very cold. It was awful. This sucked. This always sucked. Would it kill them to heat the water even a little bit? It was due to this flagrant disregard for fire-element amenities that she had gotten quite good at minimizing the amount of time she needed to rinse the soap off of her hands, but it didn¡¯t stop it from being so unpleasant. Hands finally clean, she took some extra time at the air driers. These were extra warm which was nice, but so not worth the effort of washing her hands to be able to utilize. Nice and dry once more, Rebecca exited the bathroom to find her companions huddled around the vending machine. Mrs. and Mr. Nicchi were nowhere to be found for the moment. At any rate, Rebecca went to see what the commotion was all about. ¡°Taika you still have snacks in the car,¡± Shouri reminded the little lunar Resonator. ¡°Si si! But they have the gummies with the fruit juice in them!¡± She pointed to the item in question. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen those around in years, are they even still good?¡± Pacifica questioned. ¡°The best by date on them says next week,¡± Taika retorted. Rebecca rolled her eyes. This girl was insatiable. Not wanting to deal with listening to this drivel, the fire Resonator made her way out of the building. She stretched in the warmth of the sun, enjoying the heat. ¡°Ah,¡± she let out a pleasured breath, relaxing. ¡°Having fun?¡± The vixen perked up and whipped around to see Priscilla and Jack sitting on the nearby brick sign. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re supposed to be on that,¡± Rebecca pointed out. ¡°Relax, live a little.¡± Priscilla waved the young woman off. Rebecca exhaled sharply through her nose and returned to basking in the sun. ¡°Build bridges, not walls.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The fire-elemental snapped her head back once again, but Priscilla and Jack were walking away by this point. ¡°The heck?¡± She raised a brow, confused at the seemingly random phrase.
Eventually, the group found their way back to the van and they were off again. Pacifica found herself wide awake now. She usually slept during trips like these, but after everything she had been through over the past few months, she was actually excited to be going home. Though... was it right for her to feel like this? She had a Maestro now. For Resonators, once you got a Maestro, their home was your home. This was less of her returning home and more of another place she would be staying with her Maestro. It was something she never thought about. Her brows turned up as the excitement was quickly dashed by her own analysis of the situation. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s up?¡± The girl jumped ¨C that was Shouri, whispering right next to her?! Sure enough, he was sitting by her side in the back and Rebecca was in his seat. ¡°When did you-?!¡± ¡°Rebecca told me you looked kinda stressed so I wanted to see if you wanted to talk about it,¡± he said. She lowered her head in shame. Rebecca had the same stave as her, so of course she picked up on any mood changes. ¡°You can lean on me and whisper.¡± He offered his shoulder to her. ¡°Ah...¡± That was an enticing proposition. One which she partook in, leaning on her Maestro. ¡°I just, feel weird being with my parents again.¡± ¡°Well, if we¡¯re speaking in strictly technical terms ¨C you¡¯re still mine, we¡¯re just kind of visiting these tangentially related people.¡± She wrapped her arms around the one of Shouri¡¯s she was up against. ¡°I know. It just feels all messed up and weird.¡± Shouri exhaled and smiled warmly. ¡°If at any time you want to break this off, I¡¯ll let you go. Shoot, I¡¯ll even make sure you get back home safely.¡± Pacifica tightened her grip around his arm. ¡°Rhythm is the soul. I¡¯m your Resonator and I¡¯m going to be with you until the day I die.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that.¡± ¡°We almost died together in a nightmare.¡± ¡°I mean-¡± ¡°Sho, you told me you¡¯d literally die for me. You don¡¯t get to just gloss over that.¡± ¡°I suppose, the offer is on the table though.¡± ¡°The road goes both ways ¨C I¡¯ll gladly lay down my life for you.¡± They shared a moment of silence. ¡°Well let¡¯s both do our best to not meet a grisly end.¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± The otter smiled. Despite what they had just finished saying, that did bring the otter some relief. Or maybe that was the etude. Either way, she was confident and content with her position as Shouri¡¯s Resonator. As she leaned on his shoulder, her eyelids began to droop before she was taken by the inviting comfort of darkness.
¡°Paci...¡± ¡°Paci...¡± ¡°We¡¯re here...¡± Slowly Pacifica¡¯s eyes opened with the gentle persuasion of Shouri¡¯s voice. Though the first sight she saw was her own mother, staring back from the front of the vehicle, and plastered on her face was the most mischievous, shit-eating grin she could muster. ¡°WAH!¡± Pacifica practically ejected herself from Shouri¡¯s side Priscilla mouthed: ¡®It¡¯s okay, I got pictures.¡¯ Which Pacifica read loud and clear and was absolutely mortified. Her companions didn¡¯t know what was going on but decided to stay out of it. With that little intermission out of the way, the vehicle was pulling into an upper-class neighborhood. One could immediately tell due to the large gates they had to pass through which partitioned the community off from the general public. The roads and sidewalks were well maintained, with no sign of litter to be found. The grass in every yard was meticulously cared for, trimmed to an optimal height, properly watered and fertilized, the whole gambit. The houses themselves were varied, but all prestigious in their own right. Many different styles of homes occupied the neighborhood, but none were in disrepair. In fact, some were in the process of upgrades and maintenance. Finally, they arrived at their destination. A corner lot with a large one-story home comfortably sat in the center. Like all of its neighbors, this home was well kept, with grass trimmed to perfection, and the stone walls that made up the outside of the home free from any dirt or grime. ¡°This is it?¡± Shouri asked. ¡°Yeah, sorry it¡¯s not a manor.¡± Pacifica wilted a bit. ¡°Don¡¯t be. This looks cozy.¡± He patted the otter girl¡¯s back. ¡°Well don¡¯t just stand there, come on in!¡± Priscilla waved the worn-out group into her home. With that invitation, the traveling quartet finally had a place to rest for the time being. Pacifica led the way with Shouri and the pair of fox-girls behind him. The group huddled in the entrance-way near the front door. Priscilla and Jack were deeper in the home, leaving the tour up to their daughter. ¡°You can leave your shoes here,¡± she began the tour. Taking that as law, the trio of guests removed their shoes while Pacifica did the same. Without another word, she motioned for them to follow. They walked through a small hallway before arriving in the first room of the tour. Pacifica stopped fast and threw open a door to their left. It was a half bath, just having the toilet and sink. ¡°Bathroom,¡± she said simply before continuing. A small dining room table sat before them. ¡°Kitchen¡ª¡± Pacifica pointed to their left. ¡°¡ªdining room¡ª¡± She motioned to the table. ¡°¡ªliving room.¡± To her right was an entranceway to a large couch and TV set-up. ¡°We also have two lounges which you can get to from the foyer,¡± she informed them. ¡°They also connect to the kitchen as well as the living room there,¡± the otter explained. She walked around the table and threw open the curtains. ¡°We also have a pool outside,¡± the tour guide said as the trio huddled around the window. Sure enough, there was a huge pool complete with diving board within easy access of the back glass door. ¡°I suppose when you have two otters in the house a pool is mandatory.¡± Shouri chuckled. ¡°We heat it during the winter so Dad and I can still swim. Hella expensive though.¡± Pacifica smiled at the group. Rebecca couldn¡¯t help but notice the otter girl¡¯s tail hadn¡¯t stopped swishing excitedly since she started giving this tour. ¡°This way this way!¡± She led them around and through the kitchen down another long hallway. ¡°Laundry room. I can wash our clothes after we shower and change into our pajamas,¡± Pacifica offered. Given how tired they all were, none of the three guests argued. A little bit down the hallway was a second bathroom. ¡°This one has a shower,¡± she noted. The hall took a sharp ninety-degree turn, and at that turn was an open door and bedroom. Priscilla was lying face down on their bed. Pacifica trotted up to the door frame and leaned on it. ¡°Tired?¡± she asked her mother. The elder Maestro lifted her face from the pillow it was buried in. ¡°We¡¯ve been going since like 3 AM. Gotta make sure your dad doesn¡¯t drown.¡± There seemed to be a third bathroom hidden in the depths of the master bedroom ¨C either way none of the guests wanted to invade the privacy of their current benefactors, so they stayed outside the room. Thwump! And back down she went. Pacifica couldn¡¯t stifle her giggle. ¡°Let¡¯s leave her be.¡± The otter waved for her friends to continue to follow. ¡°We have a couple of guest bedrooms; in case you want to nap with some privacy during the day.¡± She pointed to the room directly at the end of the hallway, then the room on the right. ¡°But we¡¯ll probably be in my room.¡± Throwing open the door, she allowed her friends in. It was certainly Pacifica¡¯s bedroom alright. It was clean, but there were all kinds of little nick-nacks everywhere. She had a computer with two monitors attached to it, a huge television on a cart, and a king-sized bed of course with a sea-shell patterned comforter covering it. There was a closet in the corner of the room, closed off currently from any nosy looky-loos. ¡°My home is your home, get comfy,¡± Pacifica boasted proudly. The trio of guests stood a bit awkwardly for a moment. Rebecca was the brave one and threw herself onto the bed. ¡°Ah... why am I so freaking tired, we just rode in a car all day?¡± The fire fox sighed. Pacifica dropped into her computer chair, swiveling it around to face the rest of the room. ¡°Riding in a car like that moves your body a bunch and requires small unconscious adjustments of your muscles to stay in place. You can wear yourself out pretty quickly from all that moving around,¡± she imparted on the exhausted fox. Rebecca sat up, raising a brow. ¡°Where the heck did you learn that?¡± The water-elemental motioned to their Maestro. ¡°Sho.¡± It was kind of obvious in hindsight. ¡°Ah.¡± And with that, Rebecca flopped back down. Shouri meanwhile was looking around his Resonator¡¯s room, Taika right behind him like a shadow. Pacifica seemed to have quite the collection of stuff. Sea shells, rocks, and even a few model ships in a bottle. The biggest thing was the anchor hanging on the wall to the left of the bed. ¡°Is this real?¡± Shouri questioned. ¡°Sure is. Dad and I pulled it up from a shipwreck in the Seirra Islands,¡± Pacifica bragged. ¡°Mom kept telling us not to go after it, but she couldn¡¯t stop us when we got underwater.¡± The Resonator chuckled, recalling the fond memory. Shouri noticed Taika was furrowing her brows at the anchor. ¡°The Seirra Islands are a chain of islands to the south of Lybertera,¡± he told her. ¡°Here here!¡± Pacifica sprang from her seat and pointed out a sea chart hanging up on another wall. The excited otter pulled her fellow Resonator over. ¡°See we¡¯re here right now.¡± She pointed to Canolapra on the map. ¡°And we found the wreck here.¡± Tracing her finger down, she stopped in the middle of a chain of islands to the south of the Lyberteran mainland. ¡°Oh, that says Corhiasela.¡± Taika noticed the city they had stayed in just north of the islands. ¡°Yeah, we weren¡¯t too far off.¡± Pacifica nodded. The Maestro of the group smiled. Pacifica seemed happy right now. It was nice. ¡°I¡¯m going to use the bathroom,¡± he announced, figuring it was polite to do so. ¡°You remember where it¡¯s at?¡± Pacifica asked. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll be fine,¡± he replied. With that, Pacifica returned to educating Taika on the various island chains surrounding Lybertera. Shouri made his way out of the room and down the hallway. As he walked by, he noticed there were quite a few picture frames on the walls. He stopped, studying the contents of the frames. Family photos. But as he checked the other pictures that had been selected, he noticed one trend: each one had Pacifica somewhere in them. ¡°They love their daughter huh...¡± he breathed, a hint of guilt passing his lips. How was this right? His hand brushed against Pacifica¡¯s blue tuner. It wasn¡¯t as easy with her as it was with Taika or Rebecca. She still very much loved her parents, as they did her. What right did he have breaking up this family he had unintentionally reunited? ¡°Shouri.¡± The boy flinched. He slowly turned to face Priscilla, Pacifica¡¯s mother. ¡°You have a moment?¡± she asked.
The pair of Maestros stood outside, on the pool deck, watching the water ripple with the wind. ¡°I was curious what kind of Maestro she¡¯d look for,¡± Priscilla began. ¡°That girl left home on her own, knowing full well how dangerous it was for a stray like her.¡± Shouri slowly nodded. She was preaching to the choir ¨C he knew that fact as well. ¡°I didn¡¯t do a terribly good job raising her. Jack and I are awful examples of what to expect from a Maestro and their Resonators.¡± A hollow chuckle followed. The boy snuck a peek at the elder at his side. She was tired, both physically, and mentally (though the thirteen-plus hour road trip was mostly to blame). Priscilla met his gaze. ¡°That girl loves you dearly. You¡¯re what she was looking for.¡± The woman paused. ¡°Don¡¯t feel bad about taking her from here,¡± she told him. He raised a brow. ¡°Being a Maestro, but also a parent of your Resonator¡¯s child is tough, and there definitely aren¡¯t any guides out there on how to do it right-¡± She paused, gathering her thoughts. ¡°-but I know I can trust her with you. The way she talks about you is from the heart, and that¡¯s not something that can be forced.¡± The younger Maestro finally broke his silence: ¡°I¡¯m not sure I follow.¡± Priscilla smirked; she didn¡¯t call his lie to spare his feelings. She knew he understood the implication better than he claimed. Instead, she spoke in no uncertain terms: ¡°What I¡¯m trying to say is: you have my blessing ¨C take her with you. Show her the world, make her dreams come true.¡± Eventually, Shouri was left alone with the pool and his thoughts. Pacifica had been thorough in communicating her thoughts about their ongoing relationship as Maestro and Resonator to him. She was just as devoted to him as Taika and Rebecca. Though the two vixens were stuck with him, not having a place to return to, Pacifica was the odd one out; this home would always welcome her back with open arms. That¡¯s what caused the turmoil in his heart. But- ¡°Sho?¡± He turned to find Pacifica standing at the glass door, brows turned up with worry. She wanted to be with him, not out of obligation, but because she genuinely liked him as a person. He smiled at the otter-girl. The doubt in his mind would always be there, but maybe it¡¯d be easier to silence that nagging voice. Chapter 46 ¡°Hey, Taika.¡± The lunar Resonator slowly opened her eyes. ¡°Che?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go swimming.¡± ¡°Che ore sono..?¡± ¡°Like 6 AM, come on!¡± And so Taika¡¯s first morning in Canolapra started stupidly early. The pair managed to get out of bed without waking either Shouri or Rebecca. Pacifica had grabbed their travel bag which housed Taika¡¯s swimsuit so she could change. By the time the vixen had made it out of the bathroom, Pacifica herself was already changed into her swimsuit. ¡°I thought we could practice more swimming since we have a pool right here,¡± the otter told her vixen counterpart as they walked out onto the pool deck. ¡°Si...¡± Taika was still groggy enough to be slipping between languages. The vixen stood in the cool morning fog watching her fellow Resonator scamper up the diving board. The otter bounced a couple of times before launching herself into the air and plummeting toward the water below. Pacifica did several flips in mid-air before making a splash into the pool water. Taika slowly blinked and yawned before Pacifica surfaced. ¡°Ta-da!¡± Pacifica broke the cool morning silence. This earned a slow, tired clap from the lunar fox. ¡°Come on in Taika the water¡¯s fine!¡± ¡°Ne dubito.¡± ¡°C¡¯mon! Trust me.¡± ¡°Fine fine.¡± Seeing how there was no way the exhausted fox was getting out of this, she made her way over to the steps and slipped a foot into the water. ¡°Freddo!¡± the vixen yelped, withdrawing her foot. ¡°It¡¯s not that cold!¡± Pacifica protested, making her way up the stairs. ¡°Yes, it is!¡± Taika counterprotested. She turned to leave, but before she could get too far away, the lunar fox was dragged into the pool. ¡°Lemee go!¡± Taika yelped flailing around in the water, whilst Pacifica held on tightly. ¡°You gotta let your body adjust to the water temperature!¡± ¡°It¡¯s still cold!¡± ¡°Only if you let it be!¡±
Shouri slowly returned to the waking world, a bit colder than he had expected it to be. Though it wasn¡¯t cold by any sense of the imagination, especially with his bed-partner Rebecca cuddled up in front of him. Now Rebecca sharing the bed with him wasn¡¯t weird ¨C it was the fact that she was the only other person in bed with him which was out of place. He was sure he had fallen asleep with Pacifica in his arms and Taika behind him, but those two seemed to be missing. The bed was also too big for its own good, and he was in the center of it. He didn¡¯t want to disturb the still-sleeping Rebecca. She wasn¡¯t in his arms though, so if he moved slowly enough, she wouldn¡¯t notice (hopefully). Moving at a glacial pace, Shouri rolled his way over to the nightstand where all the tuners lay. Finally getting a hold of the devices, he found the missing girls to be in good health. In fact, they appeared to be exercising? Ah. It all made sense in an instant. Pacifica took Taika swimming. Poor poor Taika. At any rate, he and Rebecca could enjoy the bed for a bit longer. Leaving the tuners on the nightstand, he slowly rolled back to Rebecca, pulling her close. She furrowed her brow in her sleep but also seemed to unconsciously recognize she was being held by Shouri and smiled contentedly. Rebecca and her radiant heat secured, Shouri easily drifted back to sleep for a couple more hours.
Now how did this happen? Rebecca¡¯s face was totally red as she found herself in Shouri¡¯s arms. Not only that, they were alone. Her head rested on one of his arms, whilst his other hand had slipped around the small of her back. Moreover, he had one leg propped over both of hers. This all was so possessive of him! The poor vixen¡¯s heart hammered in her chest as she tried to figure out what was protocol here. Maybe Pacifica was still around? Closing her eyes and focusing on her exceptional hearing... NOPE, THEY WERE CERTAINLY DEFINITELY ALL ALONE. Now what? What if Pacifica¡¯s parents walked in and saw them like this? Would they think Rebecca a homewrecker? Shouri seemingly had no preference over any of the three of them ¨C he treated all of them equally. While she was panicking internally, her tail was betraying the state of her mind as it wagged happily. Finally, she calmed. He did this, he was the Maestro, and she was the Resonator. With that in mind, there was nothing wrong if she just so happened to enjoy the compromised position she was in. They slept together like this regularly for etude. Right! Right! This was just advanced etude! Clearly! Anyone with a brain could see that! Creeeeak The door opened. Or at least that¡¯s what Rebecca thought she had heard. Shouri was wrapped around her in such a way she couldn¡¯t see anything. Plus, Pacifica¡¯s bedroom had black-out curtains installed, so even trying to see anything was out of the question. Someone was walking around, that much Rebecca could hear. Who was it though? They stopped near the bed, but she couldn¡¯t tell who it was. ¡°Oh,¡± a whisper. A woman¡¯s voice. But given it was such a low whisper, Rebecca couldn¡¯t tell whose voice it was. The interloper tip-toed out of the room and gently closed the door, plunging the fire Resonator back into the darkness. Who was it?! This bothered Rebecca for all of thirty seconds, as she suddenly felt Shouri stir and then begin to stroke her hair. The vixen squeaked, startled by the sudden affectionate gesture. ¡°Morning Rebecca,¡± she heard him whisper. ¡°M-morning Shouri,¡± came the return whisper. ¡°You¡¯re warm,¡± he muttered. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°Never said it was a bad thing.¡± He moved his hand up to her ears and began to gently stroke them. ¡°Just what I needed this morning.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± The fire Resonator sure was glad it was so dark in this room, as she was sure she was making a stupid pleasured expression right now.
It was about eleven in the morning when Shouri and Rebecca decided to join the rest of the family out in the living room. Pacifica was watching some kind of movie on the television. Taika rested her head on the otter¡¯s lap, hair gently stroked by Pacifica, fast asleep. ¡°Breakfast is in the microwave,¡± Pacifica told her Maestro and her fellow Resonator. Shouri nodded and took Rebecca back to the kitchen. ¡°They went swimming this morning,¡± he whispered to the fire Resonator. ¡°I see.¡± Rebecca glanced out the kitchen window, seeing the pool that was laid out there. Not her idea of a good time, but if that¡¯s what Pacifica enjoyed, she¡¯d leave her to it. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Rebecca and Shouri shared a reheated breakfast in peace. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re in a good mood this morning Rebecca.¡± Shouri chuckled. ¡°Wha-?¡± She raised a brow. ¡°Your tail hasn¡¯t stopped wagging since we got up.¡± He pointed out. ¡°D-don¡¯t look at my tail!¡± she yelped, dropping her food to reach behind her to stop her traitorous appendage. After food was consumed, the pair joined the other half of their traveling group in the living room and just lounged around watching television for most of the afternoon. Priscilla and Jack returned to their humble abode to find their daughter and her friends occupying the living room. ¡°Oho?¡± Priscilla¡¯s lips rose to a mischievous smirk as she located her daughter clinging to Shouri, with Taika lying across both of their laps and Rebecca on Shouri¡¯s opposite shoulder. ¡°Mother.¡± Pacifica narrowed her eyes, not liking the glint in her mother¡¯s eyes. Jack meanwhile also smirked. ¡°Hey kids, wanna hit the court and toss some spells?¡± he asked. ¡°OHO?!¡± Priscilla seemed the most excited by that prospect. ¡°Sure!¡± Rebecca perked up. ¡°I suppose it wouldn¡¯t hurt. It¡¯s been like what a week since we last did anything?¡± Shouri checked one of his tuners to confirm. ¡°Okay, like ten days, damn.¡± ¡°Sounds like a yes to me.¡± Priscilla chuckled. The six-strong group got ready, but much to Shouri¡¯s surprise, they didn¡¯t get into the car and walked down the sidewalks of the gated community, making their way down to a fenced-off area. There were a few small courts similar to the indoor ones found in the Maestro Affairs offices they had visited. Jack ran out onto the court and took his place clapping his hands together. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go let¡¯s go!¡± he shouted at his wife. Priscilla chuckled and shook her head. She looked to Shouri. ¡°He¡¯s been excited to see Pacifica¡¯s Maestro in action. I¡¯m sure I don¡¯t need to say this: but don¡¯t hold back dear.¡± The woman stepped across the court and stood behind her Resonator. ¡°Oh. We¡¯re fighting him?¡± Rebecca asked. ¡°This is weird,¡± Taika added. Pacifica however smirked, trembling. ¡°Sho.¡± She faced her father down, her eyes burning with bright red rhythm. Shouri sighed and shrugged. ¡°I guess we should actually greet him, huh Paci?¡± The boy drew her blue tuner from his side. ¡°Ghiacciolo, Fortissimo!¡± he commanded. Taika and Rebecca gasped ¨C it was the first time they had a chance to see Pacifica¡¯s maxed-out basic attack spell since she got it. The otter held her hand in the air, a massive spear of ice forming. Throwing it forward, the giant icicle chilled the air behind it, leaving a trail of visible water vapor in its wake. Though, much to the younger group¡¯s surprise, Jack didn¡¯t dodge the powerful attack flung in his direction; he braced himself. As soon as the spell was in his vicinity, he pivoted his body and practically snatched the spell out of the air. ¡°Aaaaahhhh! My daughter can cast Fortissimo spells! I¡¯m so happy!¡± the man cried, rubbing his face against the slab of ice. Everyone stared at him ¨C even Priscilla. ¡°Idrante, Fortissimo,¡± Shouri muttered. Pacifica held out a hand and a torrent of water swept her father away. ¡°Thank you, Shouri.¡± Priscilla shook her head. Crossing the court, Priscilla faced her daughter and her Maestro. ¡°You have quite the rhythm capacity.¡± She glanced over at Taika and Rebecca. ¡°I suppose it comes with the territory.¡± ¡°Yeah, kinda just happened really,¡± Shouri mumbled. ¡°No, you¡¯re doing everything right. Your etude is exceptionally healthy, and you¡¯ll only grow stronger,¡± Priscilla said. ¡°Maestros like us are told we¡¯re crazy in the same breath that they praise our skill with Resonators. Too many people not doing the math.¡± She chuckled. Shouri raised a brow. She did marry her Resonator, so what she said tracked. He wasn¡¯t exactly sure how strong Priscilla and Jack were. He also didn¡¯t know much about her past. However... watching Jack catch a fortissimo-level spell like it was nothing at all was slightly telling of the power behind that carefree attitude. ¡°Jack!¡± Priscilla called. ¡°Yes!¡± The otter man was back on his feet at the beckoning of his wife. ¡°Scottare, Legato please!¡± Rebecca and Pacifica both jumped at that command and watched as Jack thrust a hand out toward the empty sections of the court. A burst of super-heated steam erupted from his hand, whipping down the court and harmlessly dissipating in the air. Though he was aiming the attack away from any of the younger ones watching, the sheer wake of the attack raised the humidity and temperature in the court by a small, but noticeable margin. Rebecca and Pacifica¡¯s tuners both beeped. ¡°Consider it a gift. Scottare is pretty useful and you have two lovely ladies ready to use it.¡± Priscilla patted Shouri¡¯s back. ¡°Oh. Also, can you be a dear and have Rebecca cast a couple of spells on Jack?¡± she suddenly requested. ¡°M-me?!¡± Rebecca pointed to herself. She didn¡¯t quite like the idea of attacking a water Resonator. ¡°Yes, you¡¯ll be fine,¡± Priscilla assured her. ¡°Sh-shouri.¡± The vixen looked to her Maestro. Shouri looked to Rebecca, though his gaze shifted to Taika, who gave a short nod. ¡°Okay.¡± The Maestro returned Pacifica¡¯s tuner to his side and drew out Rebecca¡¯s. ¡°Lanciafiamme, Forte!¡± he commanded. Rebecca, still a bit nervous about the whole affair, ground her feet down and threw out a stream of fire towards the otter man. ¡°Scambiare Neve, Lento!¡± Priscilla suddenly called. The stream of fire hit its mark dead on, but when Rebecca used up the rhythm she was provided, a slightly melted ice statue in the shape of Jack remained. Pacifica and Taika recognized the spell Jack used as the one that made the little Pacifica-shaped snow mound back in the Riva Sranvi MA Office. Seeing it at its maximum level was the difference between a hill and a mountain. Not only was it almost a perfect replica of its caster, Jack, but the fact that it was only slightly drippy after being hit by a forte-level fire spell was also a testament to how useful it could be. ¡°Alright, Shouri and Rebecca ¨C give it hell. No dinner for any of you until you melt it down.¡± The way the woman was smiling at them broadcast her intent: she was deadly serious about that threat. Rebecca felt almost insulted. ¡°You think I can¡¯t melt a little snowman?¡± ¡°By all means, show me.¡± ¡°Tch!¡± Rebecca clicked her tongue. ¡°Shouri!¡± she shouted. ¡°My god, what is my life?¡± The boy shook his head. His lips turned up to a smirk, however. ¡°Lanciafiamme, Rubato. Let¡¯s show her what real fire looks like.¡± Rebecca too, smirked confidently. ¡°With pleasure.¡± Chapter 47 The sun had finally set by the time they were able to fully liquefy the ice statue. Rebecca held herself up with her knees, breathing hard. ¡°What the fuck?¡± She was still in shock at just how sturdy the ice statue turned out to be. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not training with you again,¡± Shouri decided, slightly glaring at Priscilla. ¡°You can¡¯t argue with the results,¡± the woman chuckled. ¡°Results?¡± At that exact moment, Rebecca¡¯s tuner began to beep. ¡°Hm?¡± Shouri brought the device back up to check on the notification. Famiglio Incendio (New!) Presto (New!) He shot a narrow glance at the elder Maestro. ¡°I see,¡± he muttered. ¡°What is it, Shouri?¡± Rebecca inquired, curious about why her tuner had beeped. ¡°Famiglio Incendio, Presto,¡± he replied. ¡°Eh?! What?!¡± she yelped, suddenly receiving her Maestro¡¯s rhythm. With no frame of reference of what the spell he was forcing on her, she fought casting it while she turned away to prevent any collateral damage. When Rebecca felt comfortable with releasing the spell, she found herself being compelled to kneel. She placed her hands on the ground, and a small ring of fire ignited just in front of her. From the ring, a ball of red formed and began to morph into a new shape. Four legs in a quadrupedal layout, a head with a distinctive snout and two triangular ears atop, and finally a long puffy tail. With the features solidified, the circle of fire faded leaving the final product: a tiny fox made of what appeared to be solid flames. ¡°Wh-what the heck is this?¡± Rebecca stared at the creature she had been forced to create. ¡°It¡¯s a living spell ¨C it can cast one Lanciafiamme for every rank it''s cast with,¡± Priscilla imparted on the fire element. Shouri nodded in the affirmative. Rebecca furrowed her brow, looking at the tiny fox. It didn¡¯t have a face, but walked around and even sniffed the air as if it was a living creature. Reaching out, she was also able to touch it. ¡°Huh?¡± It was solid. She took it up in her hands and lifted it off the ground as if it were the small animal its silhouette was based on. ¡°I can touch it?¡± She questioned. It looked like a ball of fire and even glowed, but it could be picked up and held. ¡°It¡¯s solid rhythm,¡± Shouri replied. ¡°It¡¯s kind of like a Scherzando in that sense. It can take damage and cast its one spell, and as soon as it uses up its rhythm it vanishes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a very potent and powerful spell, while also being incredibly easy to raise,¡± Priscilla revealed. ¡°How do you know so much about this spell?¡± Taika queried the elder Maestro, having noted her sole Resonator was of the water element. ¡°Simple: one of my Resonators is a fire element,¡± the woman chuckled. ¡°Oh! Uncle Aiden, right?¡± Pacifica chimed in. ¡°Yes dear, Aiden is off on his own, pursuing other ventures, but I raised that boy from a pup and I very much remember when we got this spell,¡± the elder woman recalled fondly. Rebecca held the small rhythm fox in her arms. ¡°Kinda soft.¡± She noted. ¡°What do I have to do to raise it?¡± the fire Resonator asked. ¡°Just keep it out like you have it. The spell will slowly accumulate ranks the longer it¡¯s out,¡± Priscilla told her. Noting how dark it had gotten, the adults of the group waved them back toward the way they had come from. ¡°Let¡¯s head back, probably should get you kids fed and in bed,¡± the woman tittered. With that in mind, the group began to head back. Rebecca kept her gaze on the rhythm beast in her arms. It certainly was warm and put out a lot of light. Way more than her fire-light utility spell. As they walked, Shouri and Priscilla chattered about Maestro things, while Pacifica and Jack trailed behind talking about the bayou that their group had visited. The whole time the tiny rhythm fox was ¡°looking¡± around, ears twitching with the acoustic stimuli surrounding it. Rebecca¡¯s expression warmed, and she started to giggle quietly to herself.
Taika stared at her plate of food, then shot a side-long glance at Rebecca, who still had possession of the fire-fox-familiar she had summoned earlier. Not wanting to address the fire Resonator directly, the lunar fox instead tapped the sources of knowledge of the subject. ¡°Pacifica¡¯s mom, how long does that spell last?¡± she inquired. ¡°You can just call me Priscilla, dear,¡± the woman giggled. ¡°It can last indefinitely as long as Rebecca is healthy. It will just be a slight drain on her rhythm.¡± Rebecca¡¯s ears twitched and her tail wagged as she giggled and petted the smaller fox more. ¡°Hrmph,¡± Taika huffed and returned to eating. Shouri raised a brow. He jumped as Pacifica, sitting to his left, snatched her tuner off of his waist. She quickly thumbed up a message and flashed the screen to her Maestro. ¡°Talk to Taika.¡± He nodded slowly in agreement ¨C something was bothering his lunar-fox and for the sake of their peaceful ¡®vacation¡¯, he¡¯d head off this turmoil at the pass. As dinner concluded, Jack took the emptied plates away and cleared the table. Shouri himself rose to his feet. ¡°Taika, wanna go on a walk?¡± he asked. Being singled out to be alone with her Maestro, Taika perked up in an instant. ¡°Si!¡± she exclaimed, tail wagging excitedly. Rebecca too rose, looking around for her shoes. ¡°Stay here with Pacifica. Play with your fox a bit more before we dismiss it for the night,¡± Shouri told his fire Resonator. She wilted, ears folding back. ¡°But it¡¯s dark,¡± she pointed out, holding out the little flame-fox which glowed a bright, warm light. ¡°Lunars can see in the dark just fine.¡± Shouri countered with a knowing smile. Thankfully Rebecca¡¯s protests ended there; she hung her head in defeat. ¡°Relax, Taika and I will be fine.¡± He patted the girl¡¯s head. ¡°We¡¯ll be back in a little while,¡± he announced to the rest of the home. ¡°Call if you need us.¡± Pacifica waved her tuner, having never returned it to her Maestro. She was entirely too comfortable with handling her own tuner, a trait very few Resonators possessed. Either way, he didn¡¯t mind the arrangement, though he¡¯d have to talk about Pacifica¡¯s mobile gaming habits. That was a discussion for another time ¨C he had a raven-haired vixen still excitedly waiting for him. They stepped out of the home and into the elements. Thankfully for their late evening walk, it was quite nice out, not hot at all, but also not too cold where it was uncomfortable. A nice crisp chill for a moonlit stroll. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Shouri led Taika across one of the streets to a sidewalk and the pair walked quietly for some time, taking in the ambience of the sleepy community. The Maestro was the one that broke the silence. ¡°What¡¯s going on between you and Rebecca?¡± Taika¡¯s expression hardened before she whipped her head away from Shouri¡¯s scrutinizing gaze. She silently cursed the fact that she enhanced his vision through their continued link. ¡°Mrmph...¡± the vixen grumbled to herself, fidgeting with her jacket. The pair came to a stop atop a hill that led down to a small grassy field. It was a water overflow pond for the community, though right now it was empty and dry, so grass had taken over the small artificial basin. ¡°Taika,¡± the Maestro spoke sternly, hands at his hips. ¡°I don¡¯t like the way she acts,¡± Taika muttered. ¡°How so?¡± ¡°She always plays up how bad it is but she doesn¡¯t know what it¡¯s like.¡± Shouri remained silent, letting Taika talk. ¡°Her attitude just plain annoys me, I can¡¯t stand her. Her victim complex just-¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± Taika stopped mid-thought, slamming into the brick wall Shouri had just thrown into her thoughts. ¡°Rebecca hasn¡¯t been acting like that. After she saved us from the kidnapper she¡¯s been changing. Sure, there are times when I have to coax her into asking for things, but that comes with the territory,¡± Shouri voiced his observations. ¡°What do you mean I¡¯m lying to you?!¡± Taika glossed over what he said regarding Rebecca. Shouri raised a brow. He knew this was a can of worms he was opening, but it appeared this can may be industrial strength. Either way. ¡°Lie, noun ¨C an intentionally false statement,¡± he snarked back, though his voice was as flat as possible. This only served to frustrate the fox further. ¡°Lo so che vuol dire! Perch¨¦ pensi che stia mentendo?!¡± she barked. The Maestro was non-plussed by the situation, though he could feel his own will eroding due to the state of flux his bond with Taika was now in. Instead, he focused on his own strength to force his way through the situation. ¡°I¡¯m not graced by Cunei, but I think you want to know why you¡¯re lying.¡± His voice had lost quite a bit of its emotion as he processed what he needed to say logically. ¡°You¡¯re not looking at Rebecca as a victim of her circumstances, you¡¯re looking at her as a rival,¡± he stated calmly. Taika¡¯s glare broke for just a moment, as she stepped back, shaking her head in denial. ¡°A r-rival? A rival for what?¡± she tried to play it off. And failed. ¡°Me. You¡¯re afraid she¡¯s going to take me away from you,¡± his eyes glowed with bright yellow rhythm as he spoke. ¡°Ha! She could never!¡± Silence. Shouri¡¯s gaze lowered. ¡°Your legs are trembling,¡± he pointed out. ¡°It¡¯s the thing you¡¯re afraid of most.¡± Taika gritted her teeth in frustration. She didn¡¯t like this. It was all true, all of it. And she hated it. ¡°N-no it isn¡¯t!¡± She lied anyway. The way he stared at her right now, the emotionless robot that her Maestro had become ¨C that¡¯s what she really hated. What was even going on? Of course, it was her fault! That damn bitch put these stupid little ideas in his head and now- She was snapped out of her rage-filled thoughts as Shouri grabbed her hands. ¡°Okay, I really can¡¯t do this without you, so just bear with it for a moment,¡± he suddenly spoke. She could feel his rhythm ¨C he was trying to etude with her? While they were in the middle of an argument?! The lunar fox snatched her hands away and backed off. ¡°What are you playing at?!¡± She didn¡¯t even know what she was playing at right now ¨C all she knew was she was panicking and nothing made sense. Shouri took a breath and drew Taika¡¯s tuner from his side. She froze, certain words coming back to her: ¡°This button here lets me take control of you.¡± The red button! He was going to force her to like Rebecca! She leaped towards him, but as she did so, he tossed the tuner into the grass and allowed her to slam into him full force. The two tumbled to the ground and then rolled down the grassy knoll until they reached the bottom of the recess in the earth. Taika laid atop of Shouri. She groaned, pushing herself up whilst keeping him pinned to the ground. ¡°Wh-why did you throw my tuner away?¡± she questioned him, more concerned with the implications of the gesture than the actual act. ¡°I wanted to keep talking on even ground,¡± he replied. Shouri maneuvered himself around and grabbed her wrists, keeping himself pinned down by her. Once more she could feel his rhythm. ¡°Stop! I don¡¯t want to understand! Let me be mad!¡± she cried out, though submitted to the etude regardless. ¡°Nngh,¡± he grunted. This was hard, especially now being bound to the earth by his Resonator. Regardless, he pressed on. ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m trying to cheat your understanding, but I can¡¯t explain it to you without you,¡± he finally let out. Unfortunately for Taika, she did understand what he meant by that ¨C which meant the etude was working. He needed her willpower otherwise he couldn¡¯t muster up enough courage on his own to talk to her like this... Wait... ¡°You... need me?¡± A cool breeze blew over them as they remained in place. ¡°Sorry,¡± Shouri whispered. ¡°You need me,¡± Taika repeated. ¡°Your stubborn willpower gets me up in the morning and keeps me going through the day.¡± Taika remained rooted firmly atop her Maestro, unsure of what to do. Shouri acted for her, moving her arms away and lowering her down to lay on him. He wrapped his arms around her. ¡°You never knew me before - I¡¯m not the same person that I was. I¡¯ve become hopelessly addicted to you,¡± he whispered into her ear, with an accidental sensual tone. Her face was the warmest it had ever been in her life. ¡°I need you,¡± he finally spoke her realization. ¡°So please, give Rebecca a chance, she¡¯s not your replacement. I promise.¡± ¡°Sh-sho,¡± the girl squeaked. ¡°What you have over Pacifica and Rebecca is you prop up my weak stave ¨C they don¡¯t. And I don¡¯t plan on getting another Resonator, strong-willed or otherwise,¡± he slowly explained. ¡°I can¡¯t let you leave my side Taika. I¡¯m sorry for being so selfish.¡± Tears rolled down Taika¡¯s cheeks. What a fool she was. Chapter 48 Cold. That¡¯s what young Taika felt as once more, her pushy otter friend had dragged her into the water this fine Tuesday morning. Truth be told, she did get used to the water like Pacifica insisted, but she kept that to herself ¨C it sucked at the moment and that¡¯s what mattered. That being said, day by day it was getting easier to swim. The young fox grew more confident, though the deep end of the pool still looked daunting. ¡°Okay but watch!¡± Even with Pacifica scrambling up the diving board and hurling herself into the air to do cool tricks before she splashed easily into the deep end of the pool. It didn¡¯t help that Taika knew Pacifica could breathe underwater. Hard to be afraid of the murky depths when you could breathe unimpeded, supposed Taika. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Pacifica was suddenly in front of her ¡°Ah!¡± the vixen yelped, startled by her friend¡¯s appearance. A moment of silence. ¡°Well?¡± Pacifica asked expectingly. ¡°N-Nulla! Non ¨¨ nulla!¡± Taika insisted ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem like nothing.¡± The otter, of course, could read all of her friends like books on a shelf, and Taika was no exception. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± the lunar element repeated, now growing annoyed with her friend¡¯s pushiness. ¡°Ah.¡± Pacifica wilted slightly, sensing Taika¡¯s irritation. ¡°Sorry,¡± she muttered, quickly floating away. Bitterly, Taika turned her back to the retreating water-element. ¡°Great,¡± she mumbled. She sure was doing a fantastic job alienating all her friends. Rebecca came back to mind. Of course, it was her fault. Everything got weird when she came into the picture. ¡°So please, give Rebecca a chance¡± Ruffling her hair in frustration, Taika sighed. Shouri specifically asked her to drop the hostilities. He even said he needed her! There wasn¡¯t a point in being so catty with her. All it was doing was putting her in a sour mood and driving her only friends in the entire world away. It wasn¡¯t going to be easy. But Taika needed to figure out how to... become friends with Rebecca.
Twitch twitch Taika¡¯s ears flicked at the clacking sounds above her. She was lying on something warm. Ah, it was Pacifica again. Glancing up, she saw her fellow Resonator was holding some sort of black plastic thing which was the source of the clacking. Pacifica¡¯s focus was directed towards the television. Oh, Pacifica was playing a video game. Taika had seen them before in passing, but never got a chance to try one for herself. For some time, the lunar fox lay there, trying to take in what exactly was going on. The gameplay appeared fast and confusing. All Taika could make out was that Pacifica was playing as some white-haired armored robot boy? Followed by a red and white orb. There was a lot of dashing around the screen and running into walls and enemies, but it didn¡¯t seem like Pacifica was sloppy. No, each impact looked intentional and only served to make the numbers on the screen grow. At least as far as the uneducated fox was concerned, her otter friend was pretty good at this. Whatever it was. Time passed, with Taika only really becoming cognizant of where she was when she heard Shouri¡¯s voice in the distance. Unconsciously she began to wag her tail which of course alerted Pacifica. ¡°Sleep well?¡± the otter asked. ¡°Si...¡± Taika yawned, curling up a bit. ¡°Good,¡± Pacifica giggled, stroking her friend¡¯s hair. Soon Shouri and Rebecca joined the other pair in the living room. ¡°Morning Sho,¡± both Taika and Pacifica greeted their Maestro. ¡°Time of day,¡± Shouri said through a yawn. ¡°Morning Rebby,¡± Pacifica additionally greeted the fourth member of their group. ¡°Morning Pacifica,¡± Rebecca mumbled groggily. Taika shifted around uncomfortably, still with her head resting on Pacifica¡¯s lap. ¡°R-Rebecca,¡± she muttered. ¡°...Taika,¡± the fire fox greeted back ¨C though they both spoke at a level that only they could hear each other. Either way ¨C this was going to be more difficult than the young lunar Resonator had envisioned.
Around lunch time the group convened at the table to decide what to do. Pacifica¡¯s parents were out dealing with some non-specific business so that left the younger group to fend for themselves. A frightening prospect indeed. ¡°So what do we want to do for lunch?¡± Shouri queried the group. ¡°Fish fish fish!¡± Pacifica pounded the table ¡°Blech no.¡± Rebecca grimaced at the prospect of seafood. Taika shot a glare at the fire Resonator. She didn¡¯t care for seafood either, but most seafood places from her own experience did have non-fish items. The vixen decided to give her fellow fox a piece of her mind. As she opened her mouth, however- ¡°Please, give Rebecca a chance¡± -Shouri of the past cut her off at the pass. She snapped her jaw shut. It was really just that easy to hate Rebecca, huh? She hadn¡¯t realized how often her thoughts soured whenever the other fox so much as opened her mouth. Her expression soured further. When did she become this nasty? This wasn¡¯t like her. Her heart began to race. What if Shouri decided she wasn¡¯t worth the hassle? ¡°Taika?¡± ¡°CHE?!¡± The lunar jumped. Three pairs of eyes stared at her. Shouri and Pacifica were wrought with worry, while Rebecca seemed indifferent. Taika felt her brows descend into a glare directed at Rebecca, who was all too ready to return the scowl. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°Hey, cut it out you two,¡± Pacifica intervened. While Rebecca huffed and turned away, Taika lowered her head, ashamed. ¡°Non ho fame¡­¡± the lunar fox muttered, before excusing herself from the table in a rush. Pacifica got up to chase after her friend but was stopped by a hand on her shoulder. However, it was not Shouri who had halted her. ¡°Let me go talk to her.¡± ¡°R-rebby?!¡± The otter looked from her fellow Resonator to their Maestro. His eyes were locked on the fire elemental. He didn¡¯t need to say anything. ¡°I won¡¯t cause trouble,¡± Rebecca acquiesced to the unspoken demand. ¡°Good. Go.¡± He motioned his head towards the hallway Taika had retreated down. ¡°Pacifica and I will figure out lunch when you two are done.¡± Taking in a deep breath, Rebecca slowly left the dining room. She crept down the hallway, giving herself ample time to consider what she was going to say to the other canine girl. Standing at the bend in the hall, Rebecca¡¯s ears twitched. The faint sound of breathing was coming from the right room ¨C one of the guest bedrooms. Stepping into the doorframe, Rebecca looked around the room. It was full of nick-nacks like Pacifica¡¯s room. Trophies and ribbons from various competitions, though she wasn¡¯t nosy enough to actually see what kind of events or even who they were awarded to. No, she was there for the black-clad lump that had her back towards the door. ¡°Hey,¡± Rebecca spoke up. ¡°Vada via,¡± Taika grumbled, curling in on herself. ¡°Tch.¡± The fire Resonator clicked her tongue ¨C once more she tried to extend an olive branch only for it to get smacked out of her hands. She had opened her mouth to voice her opinion but stopped short. What was this feeling? While emotion was her strong stave, she was nowhere near the almost mind-reading high level that Pacifica possessed. Even so, there was quite a strong reaction from Taika. One which Rebecca picked up on. Her expression softened, ears folding back. ¡°What happened to you?¡± Taika sat up suddenly, directing her confused gaze towards the other fox. ¡°Che?¡± she breathed out. Rebecca shook her head. ¡°N-nothing. It¡¯s nothing,¡± she decided. The two foxes lowered their heads, averting their gazes from one another. Both awash in emotion and thought they remained rooted in their respective places: Rebecca at the door; Taika sitting up on the bed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± They both looked at the other, having spoken in unison. ¡°For what?¡± Taika queried suspiciously. ¡°Snapping at you all the time. Shouri is our Maestro, but I just got so used to my Maestro¡¯s other Resonators hating me.¡± She paused briefly, considering her thoughts. ¡°It just became so easy to build walls instead of bridges," the fire element admitted with borrowed words. Silence. Taika slowly opened her mouth, allowing it to hang open for just a moment before finally speaking her mind: ¡°I¡¯ve never had a Maestro, and I¡¯m so scared of losing him. Nobody can replace him.¡± Rebecca¡¯s jaw hung open slightly, shocked that Taika had allowed herself to be vulnerable like that. In the same respect, she was hit by Taika¡¯s true feelings: she was afraid of being replaced. With as many times as Rebecca herself had changed hands; she had grown numb to such a feeling. Seeing someone else go through it like that was eye-opening. ¡°I¡¯ll try to be better to you,¡± Taika spoke up. ¡°Me too.¡± Rebecca forced a smile. ¡°Come on, they¡¯re worried about you.¡± The two foxes wouldn¡¯t instantly become best friends, but certainly, this conversation was the first step in steering their ship in the right direction.
The work week faded into the weekend, all of which passed peacefully, the group of four young adults just lounging around the childhood home of Pacifica. Though they were content to just hang out and relax for a change, the actual owners of the home began to disagree with the freeloader¡¯s perceived laziness. On the evening of Sunday, June 10th, said homeowner made her thoughts known: ¡°Shouri hold up.¡± Priscilla grabbed the boy as he passed by the master bedroom. The boy jumped, startled by the other Maestro emerging from the darkness. ¡°Mrs. Nicchi,¡± he addressed her respectfully as he had taken to during the past week. ¡°Follow me.¡± Seeing how she was currently housing him and his three Resonators for free, he didn¡¯t argue and did as she requested. Once more they stood at the edge of the pool, this time under the light of the waxing moon. ¡°You all have been here just about a week now,¡± Priscilla started. Shouri shuffled awkwardly, figuring she was about to tell them to leave. Of course, this was Pacifica¡¯s mother he was talking to ¨C she was practically a mind-reader herself like her daughter. ¡°I¡¯m not asking you all to leave. But I would like if you did something with your days here. You¡¯re only a young adult once, make the most of it.¡± He didn¡¯t get what she was necessarily implying, so he went with the direct approach. ¡°What are you asking?¡± he queried. ¡°Canolapra is a beautiful city. Take your girls out on the town, go see some parks, take Pacifica swimming, anything besides waking up and collapsing on my couch until dinner,¡± the woman said with a chuckle. ¡°We also have a very active hunting scene. You should check it out.¡± It was at this point in the conversation that Priscilla went to take her leave, walking back to the sliding glass door. ¡°With your skills, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if you became a local legend,¡± she spoke knowingly before re-entering her home and leaving the young Maestro alone with his thoughts. ¡°I guess it has been almost a week,¡± Shouri mused to himself. Chapter 49 Monday morning started the same way every morning began in Canolapra: Taika being dragged out of bed stupidly early for the sole purpose of swimming with Pacifica. ¡°We don¡¯t have to do this at the crack of dawn,¡± Taika groaned as they stood at the edge of the pool. As with any summer morning in the northern reaches of Lybertera, it was cool out. Not bitterly cold, but certainly not warm. While Taika complained the entire time, Pacifica kept her own reservations to herself ¨C they were both warm water girls it seemed. That being said, the otter-girl had an ingenious counter to her foxy companion¡¯s protests. ¡°Today we do,¡± Pacifica expertly deflected. ¡°Oh?¡± Taika tilted her head. ¡°We¡¯re going to the natural history museum, remember?¡± ¡°Oh yeah!¡± The night prior, Shouri had suddenly burst into the bedroom and informed them of today¡¯s activities. A prospect the trio of girls were excited about. Pacifica had been to the museum in question several times, though lacking a Maestro that could prop up her weak stave, she didn¡¯t necessarily understand a lot of the exhibits on display. With such a strong tempo, her normally weak capacity to learn would be boosted allowing her (and her two knowledge-weak cohorts) to readily take in the information overload they would be subject to. Especially with Shouri¡¯s willingness to explain what they didn¡¯t understand. It went without saying: Pacifica was excited to see her hometown¡¯s learning facilities in a new light. ¡°Let¡¯s swim!¡± the otter declared; her zeal for the water was only re-invigorated by the prospect of their adventures later today. ¡°Vi prego abbiate piet¨¤!¡± Taika cried as she was dragged into the cool, murky depths of the pool.
Shouri slowly opened his eyes. Once more he found himself alone with Rebecca. He had begun gravitating towards her in his sleep after Taika and Pacifica¡¯s morning departures. Needless to say, waking up with a different person in his arms was a bit jarring. At least Rebecca herself seemed (unconsciously) pleased with the arrangement as she wore a content smile whilst cuddling up close to her beloved Maestro. ¡°Hey,¡± he whispered. Her ears twitched, and then her eyes slowly opened. ¡°Shouri.¡± Even as she awoke, her smile remained. She giggled and nestled herself closer to him. ¡°How¡¯d you sleep?¡± ¡°Good.¡± ¡°Good.¡± After a few moments of enjoying each other¡¯s presence, they rose from bed. ¡°What time is it?¡± the vixen inquired. ¡°7:15,¡± Shouri replied checking one of the tuners. Rebecca¡¯s ears drooped as she yawned, the grogginess encroaching on her as the realization of the current hour hit her. ¡°Early,¡± she grumbled. Her yawn was infectious, as Shouri too found himself yawning. ¡°Yeah,¡± he agreed. ¡°We have been getting up at the crack of noon for the last week or so,¡± he reminded her. ¡°Best sleep I¡¯ve gotten in my whole life.¡± Rebecca smiled tiredly. She flopped back down onto the bed in protest. ¡°Come on Rebecca, we gotta get up.¡± ¡°I dun wannaaaaa¡­¡± After a few moments of chiding, Shouri eventually succeeded in getting his groggy Resonator out of bed. The pair shuffled down the hallway, stopping before the first bathroom. Rebecca slowly drew her day clothes out of the bag, leaving it with Shouri so he could make his way to the other bathroom. Convening in the living room, Rebecca and Shouri found the other half of their traveling group in their usual configuration: Pacifica playing some video game, with Taika¡¯s head resting on her lap. ¡°Morning Sho!¡± The otter greeted her Maestro brightly. ¡°Buongiorno Sho.¡± Taika yawned, sitting up. ¡°Good morning you two,¡± the Maestro greeted his Resonators warmly. Rebecca frowned, feeling left out (despite having him all to herself before getting out of bed) turned him towards her. ¡°What about me?¡± she pouted. ¡°Good morning to you too Rebecca.¡± Shouri chuckled. Both Pacifica and Taika glared daggers at the fire Resonator.
After eating a hearty breakfast, the quartet got ready to head out for the day. ¡°Got everything?¡± Shouri asked after patting himself down. ¡°Si!¡± Taika raised a fist into the air. She was carrying their bag, filled with some snacks and their water bottle. ¡°Yep!¡± Pacifica dusted her vest off and nodded with her usual smile. ¡°Don¡¯t really carry anything usually, but yeah,¡± Rebecca gave the final approval. With that out of the way, they departed from the home and headed out for the day. Even though the sun had risen by this point in the morning, it was still just as cool out as when Pacifica and Taika had gone swimming hours earlier. Which made their twenty-minute walk down to the bus stop a pleasant one. While they waited for the next bus to arrive, Taika sought to sate a bit of curiosity about their itinerary today. ¡°What is a ''natural history museum'' Sho?¡± she inquired. ¡°A natural history museum is a place with collections of stuff or records of mundane animals, Scherzando, and other natural forces or parts of the planet,¡± Shouri imparted on the trio. ¡°Mundane animals?¡± Rebecca raised a brow, not familiar with the term. He ruffled the fire elemental¡¯s hair. ¡°You¡¯ll find out, don¡¯t want to spoil the surprise,¡± the boy teased, earning a huffy pout from the fox-girl. ¡°So it¡¯s just like all about living stuff?¡± Pacifica questioned for clarification. ¡°Not at all, these kinds of places also have exhibits about stuff like paleontology and climatology.¡± He immediately noted Pacifica¡¯s nervous, toothy grin. ¡°Climatology is the study of the climate, stuff like weather, and how it changes over time. Paleontology is the study of fossilized plants and animals.¡± ¡°Oh! Fossils are like those rocks with the patterns of dead stuff in them, right?¡± Rebecca exclaimed. ¡°Sorta kinda. There¡¯s some interesting stuff about them I think you all will find about them.¡± He gave them a wink, which the trio of girls found cute. The bus arrived at that moment and the group boarded, taking their seats near the back. The ride was roughly about an hour or so due to the constant stops for other passengers. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s like Corhiasela!¡± Taika gasped in astonishment as they approached downtown Canolapra. ¡°Yeah yeah! Canolapra is a big city! There is tons to do and tons of good food!¡± Pacifica bounced excitedly in her seat. ¡°You okay?¡± Shouri asked Rebecca, who had been silently staring out the window for the entire bus ride. ¡°Yeah. I just had a problem with Corhiasela,¡± the fire Resonator replied. She smiled after a moment. ¡°I¡¯m excited, don¡¯t worry about me,¡± she insisted. Once more he ruffled her hair. ¡°It¡¯s my job to worry about you,¡± he retorted, once more missing the pouty glares from Pacifica and Taika across the row from them. Finally, the bus arrived at one of the downtown hubs and the group disembarked. Pulling a tuner from his side, Shouri checked the map to see where they had to go. ¡°This way.¡± He pointed down the street and began to walk. His trio of Resonators followed close behind, all looking around with curiosity. The big thing Taika noticed wasn¡¯t the tall buildings, but the high volume of foot traffic. So many people, so much from all directions it made her a bit dizzy. She wound up folding her ears back to help filter out some of the white noise. Even so, the sensory overload continued as they walked by some restaurants, and the poor lunar fox was hit by a bunch of food smells. ¡°Ho fame,¡± Taika muttered, rubbing her gut sadly. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Shouri snapped the pining girl out of her thoughts. ¡°It smells good,¡± she whimpered, looking at yet another eatery they were passing. ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll check out one of these places on the way back.¡± He patted her head, earning a giggle from the lunar vixen (and a huff from a certain fire Resonator). ¡°Hurry up slowpokes!¡± Pacifica shouted to the group, a gap having formed between her and the rest of the posse. Rounding the corner with Pacifica they found their destination looming at the end of the street. "Canolapra Natural History Museum" was displayed proudly on the massive building allowing them to read the name even two city blocks away. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of stairs,¡± Taika noted one of the other visible features of the building. ¡°What? Not gonna make it up?¡± Rebecca snickered. ¡°Basta basta,¡± the lunar grumbled, rolling her eyes. ¡°It is a lot of stairs.¡± Shouri looked to-and-fro for any sort of accessibility options. He spotted a ramp off to the left of the main staircase. Though due to the height needed to get to the front door the ramp in question wound around itself, gradually rising to meet the stairs at the door. ¡°Man, that ramp must be three times the distance of the stairs,¡± he muttered to himself. Rebecca took the chance to wrap an arm around her Maestro¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Don¡¯t worry Sho, I can carry you.¡± She shot a smug smirk at Taika ¡°Ti stai sforzando troppo.¡± The other vixen returned the smirk in kind, though her eye twitched as she did so. Shouri calmly removed Rebecca¡¯s arm from his person. ¡°Don¡¯t burn your heels over it,¡± he lightly reprimanded her. The fire Resonator wilted, looking away and blushing slightly (Taika¡¯s smug grin didn¡¯t help her embarrassment). ¡°C¡¯mon! C¡¯mon!¡± Once more Shouri and the two foxes lagged behind allowing Pacifica to get ahead. Their approach to the building truly put into perspective how massive this museum was. It was the type of place where even exploring it for a full day wouldn¡¯t allow one to see everything it had to offer. That much was apparent even standing across the street from the gargantuan building. Crossing the street was the easy part. The hard part was yet to come: the massive stack of stairs that lay before them. Despite walking a couple of city blocks before they arrived at the museum, Shouri took a couple of minutes to do some stretches. His Resonators followed along, simply so he wasn¡¯t the only one just doing random stretches in the middle of the sidewalk. They earned a few looks and comments, but nothing worth their attention to address. ¡°Okay.¡± Shouri nodded, glaring at the steps before them. With their preparations out of the way, the ascent began. A grueling challenge with many twists and turns. However, they bested this beast with minimal casualties. ¡°You think with all the running around we do during Scherzando hunts, you¡¯d be in peak shape,¡± Rebecca noted whilst Pacifica patted the hunched-over Shouri¡¯s back. ¡°You use different muscles when climbing stairs and we don¡¯t climb stairs ever,¡± he wheezed. ¡°Fair I guess,¡± Rebecca said after a moment of thought. ¡°Probably doesn¡¯t help that Shouri does less moving than we do when we¡¯re out on hunts,¡± Pacifica chimed in. ¡°Makes sense,¡± Taika added in. After the Maestro recovered, the quartet made it into the building. Immediately Pacifica shivered, holding herself. ¡°What the heck?! Why is it so cold?!¡± she hissed. ¡°It is technically summer, it¡¯s only natural for them to crank the AC up,¡± Shouri said, not noticing anything amiss about the temperature. ¡°Here.¡± He pulled off his jacket and handed it to the shivering otter. ¡°Thanks, Sho.¡± Pacifica quickly donned the green and white hoodie, zipping it up. It was still warm from its previous wearer and had a pleasant scent wafting from it. Needless to say, Pacifica now earned a pair of annoyed glances from the two foxes of the group (she chose to ignore them.) Getting their tickets, it originally totaled up to 95 notes for the four of them. However, Pacifica spoke up and mentioned she was from Canolapra, which dropped the price of her ticket by 11 notes. Admission complete, they had most of the museum available to them for exploration. ¡°There¡¯s so much here!¡± Taika gasped, noting a second and even third floor with signs pointing them all around to different exhibits. ¡°Yeah, this place rotates the stuff they have on display all the time, so it¡¯s a different experience every time you come,¡± Pacifica told the out-of-town guests. They located a little stand with maps of the facility. Shouri opened it up and his trio of girls crowded around, looking over the wide array of educational exhibits they had access to. ¡°What do you all want to see first?¡± Shouri asked. ¡°Incantatori?¡± Taika asked, furrowing her brows. ¡°Dinosaurs!¡± Rebecca eagerly demanded. ¡°Luna!!¡± Pacifica bounced in place. Shouri chuckled, glad they all seemed to have some sort of excited curiosity towards the exhibits. ¡°Well, we can visit all three for sure,¡± he decided. Reviewing the map once more, the dinosaur exhibit was the closest one to them, being on the first floor. ¡°This way.¡± He pointed them toward their first stop. Walking in, there was much to examine and read. Almost immediately Taika and Rebecca were overwhelmed by the walls of text plastered everywhere and started just looking at the pictures and more impressively the massive re-constructed bones that loomed over them. Pacifica tried her best to read the blurbs about the various elements of the exhibits but was just not as fast of a reader as her Maestro. As such, she stopped reading when she noted he was moving on, only compounding her confusion. After they got about halfway through the collection, the girls made their protests known: ¡°Shoooo!¡± they all whined together. ¡°What''s up?¡± He asked, surprised by the sudden noise. ¡°We don¡¯t get it,¡± they declared. ¡°Explain it to us,¡± Rebecca demanded. ¡°Yeah yeah!¡± Pacifica nodded quickly. ¡°You¡¯re really good at explaining stuff,¡± Taika pouted; ears folded back. ¡°Ah.¡± It dawned on him that all three of his Resonators were weak knowledge. As such, it fell on him to be the brains of the operation. Rhythmically, he would be getting quite the workout today. ¡°Okay okay, gather around.¡± He explained the basics of dinosaurs that he had read about during the first half of the exhibit. How they ruled the planet before Naturals, Maestros, or Resonators walked the land. How there was a wide variety of different species. How their sudden extinction is puzzling to scientists even to this day. The girls hung on every word as he broke it all down for them. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°They weren¡¯t people like us?¡± Taika asked. ¡°Not at all,¡± Shouri replied. ¡°They weren¡¯t even melopomorphs. They had all kinds of body plans as you can see here.¡± ¡°Melopomorphs?¡± Taika questioned, having heard the word before but unsure of what it meant. ¡°It refers to any bipedal rhythm-using individual, so Maestros, Resonators, and even Naturals fall under that umbrella,¡± Shouri explained. ¡°So then¡­ what is Melopology?¡± Pacifica furrowed a brow, seeing the term come up on the map before. ¡°The study of Melopomorphs, their behavior, biology, cultures, society and even things like language,¡± he informed the otter. ¡°Ah.¡± The three Resonators nodded, turning back to the actual subject matter of the exhibit in question, studying the remnants of the strange creature. ¡°They look big,¡± Rebecca noted. ¡°They were massive creatures, about the size of that big Scherzando we fought,¡± Shouri added (though Rebecca didn¡¯t have a frame of reference for this) Pacifica and Taika gasped, looking at the old bones again. There was a part of them that wondered if they could take these creatures in a fight. The second half of the exhibit was a more modern take on the creatures. Like the hall before, this one contained many helpful walls of text (both literally and non-literally). Glass display cases showed off all sorts of specimens with helpful panels describing the contents within. In the center of the floor was a scale replica, roughly human-sized and shaped creature. ¡°Wh-what?¡± Pacifica gasped in astonishment. ¡°But... I thought-?¡± Taika tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Wait you mean-?¡± Rebecca furrowed her brow. The big defining difference was the thick, feather-covered tail and the wing-like feathered protrusions coming from the creature¡¯s arms. It was unlike anything any of them had ever seen before. But more than anything what it seemed to be was a Resonator of some form. ¡°Yeah. That is a dinosaur Resonator.¡± Shouri revealed. ¡°At least a mannequin of one.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Wait Sho, didn¡¯t you say the dinosaurs were extinct though?¡± Taika whimpered as she struggled to comprehend this second part of the exhibit. Shouri folded his arms across his chest. ¡°They are.¡± He nodded in a sage-like fashion Taika puffed out her cheeks, pouting at her teasing Maestro. ¡°Spiegare,¡± she demanded. ¡°There is a small group of Resonators out there who were genetically modified with the genes of these dinosaurs instead of the species like you all have,¡± he told the trio. ¡°So like, instead of being a fox, I could be one of these dinosaurs?¡± Rebecca asked, looking back at the mannequin of the dinosaur boy. ¡°No, you can¡¯t change now. This is done before the egg is fertilized. To put it simply, using some crazy science stuff, they can go in and change whatever the species the sperm and egg are to be a dinosaur instead of say fox or otter, so when the baby is born it comes out as a dinosaur Resonator,¡± Shouri continued his edification of his Resonators. Rebecca hummed in thought. ¡°But why haven¡¯t I ever seen one before?¡± The vixen lowered her head, trembling at the mere idea of what she was about to utter. ¡°These seem like the kind of Resonators collectors would be after,¡± she admitted shakily. The Maestro grunted, also disapproving of the thought. ¡°Well, they¡¯re ridiculously expensive. Probably tens of millions of notes,¡± he spoke after a moment. ¡°M-millions?!¡± Taika gasped, trying to count that off on her fingers. ¡°Why?!¡± Rebecca barked. ¡°Well, there¡¯s the cost of the technology itself. It takes highly skilled people who have spent their whole life studying this process to do it,¡± he addressed their confusion. Pacifica frowned; eyes still fixated on the Resonator mannequin. ¡°That¡¯s not everything, is it?¡± she spoke up. ¡°Astute observation my dear otter.¡± Shouri smirked (whilst reddening Pacifica¡¯s cheeks.) ¡°The process that makes these Resonators destroy the source fossil to make them. The more fossil used the better the result,¡± he revealed. The trio of Resonators digested the information they had been provided by their Maestro. ¡°Oh!¡± Taika suddenly exclaimed. ¡°There aren¡¯t a lot of these fossils are there?¡± she guessed. ¡°Correct! Fossils like the ones we saw in the previous room are extraordinarily rare but also make the best dinosaur Resonators. Or so I¡¯ve heard.¡± Once more the mannequin had three pairs of eyes on it, as Taika, Pacifica, and Rebecca all gazed upon it in awe. ¡°Was he strong?¡± Rebecca asked quietly. ¡°Very. From what I¡¯ve read they¡¯re a bit tricky to use, but skilled Maestros can bring out their full potential,¡± Shouri replied, also appreciating the reproduction. However, before they could appreciate the rest of the chamber, Shouri honed in on a certain voice. A booming female voice. One that caused him to pale and begin to frantically look about the chamber. As the source of the voice drew closer, Shouri curled in on himself to appear smaller than he was. Pacifica naturally caught on to her Maestro¡¯s sudden and rapid shift in demeanor. ¡°Sho?¡± She asked, placing a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here,¡± he decided hastily. Taika and Rebecca exchanged a glance, and both nodded between each other, rushing out behind Shouri and Pacifica. Leaving the dinosaur exhibit, they made their way back into the main hall. Pacifica matched pace with Shouri, whilst the two foxes tailed behind them. ¡°Sho do you-?¡± Pacifica wanted to know what was going on but was cut off by Shouri. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to see them.¡± He still spoke quicker than normal, constantly looking over his shoulder to see if they had been followed. The ever-patient Pacifica offered an option: ¡°Let¡¯s hit the Luna exhibit then, I doubt there will be a lot of people in there.¡± Forcing a smile, Shouri agreed. ¡°Good idea.¡±
The Luna exhibition was all the way on the third floor in a dark, distant corner of the building. ¡°Motherfuckers put this damn thing on the other side of creation,¡± Shouri wheezed as they finally reached the exhibit. ¡°Sorry, Sho.¡± Pacifica looked on worriedly ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay.¡± He stood up straight. ¡°We have really shitty information online about Lunars, so this is a good place to hopefully learn more about Taika.¡± He smiled at the lunar in question. ¡°Yeah! Yeah!¡± Pacifica nodded enthusiastically. ¡°I am curious too.¡± Rebecca averted her gaze, shuffling her feet. The lunar Resonator in question jumped slightly, finally piecing together they had come up here for her. She teared up a bit, lowering her head and trembling slightly. ¡°Gr-grazie. Non mi merito questo...¡± she squeaked. ¡°Of course you deserve it!¡± Pacifica cried out, hugging her friend tightly. In a startling move, Shouri too joined Pacifica and Taika¡¯s embrace. ¡°I want to learn everything I can about you,¡± Shouri muttered. ¡°Ch-che?!¡± Taika whimpered, her face becoming unreasonably warm. Even Rebecca gave in and joined the hug pile. ¡°Lunar magic is pretty cool; it¡¯d be nice to know more about it,¡± she quietly added in. After that public display of affection, the quartet made their way into the exhibit. It was dark, but illuminated by black lights, giving the entire hall an eerie glow to it. ¡°Oooh, this is so cool!¡± Pacifica looked around excitedly, taking in the ambiance of the space-themed hall. At the front of the hall was a map of the surface of Luna, with dots pointing out the major subterranean cities. ¡°Oh wow! I didn¡¯t know there were so many cities on Luna!¡± Pacifica gasped in awe. Taika nodded quickly in agreement. ¡°But it¡¯s like space, right? How do people even live up there without any air and stuff?¡± Rebecca tilted her head back and forth, trying to figure it out. ¡°There¡¯s all kinds of crazy life support systems that keep their subterranean cities going. But that¡¯s not the coolest part.¡± Shouri motioned for the trio to follow him. ¡°Right this way.¡± Walking further in there were many displays which not only showed off aspects of Lunar life but also went into Lunar Resonators ¨C specifically Rabbits. ¡°Raa-bits?¡± Taika tilted her head. Like the dinosaur exhibit before, there was a life-size model of a Resonator. Unlike the extinct specimen in the prior hall, this one depicted a naturally occurring creature. A bipedal melopomorph just like the four of them, except this creature bore silky black hair (like Taika¡¯s) and extraordinarily long ears with a cute fluff-ball of a tail poking out from behind them. ¡°Says here Rabbits are a Resonator-only species,¡± Shouri noted. ¡°What do you mean by that Sho?¡± Pacifica inquired. The boy gathered his thoughts for a moment. ¡°Well, there are Natural Foxes and Otters and nearly every other sub-species of Resonator has a Natural counterpart, but Rabbits are the exception ¨C they¡¯re entirely Resonators.¡± He paused, stroking his chin in thought. ¡°Actually. Lunar magic isn¡¯t native to Riterra. Naturals cannot be Lunar element,¡± he told them. ¡°What?¡± Rebecca¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°It... isn¡¯t?¡± Pacifica¡¯s jaw caught a bit of slack. Taika remained quiet, lowering her head. ¡°The period before our modern calendar was made is the BM era or the Before Maestro era. In the late second century BM, what is now recognized as a Rabbit Resonator descended from the moon and foretold of a great disaster. It was only after this point that Lunar magic was recorded on Riterra,¡± Shouri imparted, recalling that particular lesson from his own schooling. The lunar fox kept her head down, conflicted about what she was learning. Pacifica grabbed her shoulders. ¡°Hey, chin up.¡± She pushed the fox-girl¡¯s head up. ¡°Alien doesn¡¯t mean unnatural. It doesn¡¯t mean wrong.¡± The otter smiled warmly. ¡°I still think you¡¯re cool,¡± Rebecca muttered. Taika¡¯s ears twitched, catching that. ¡°Che?¡± She was taken aback, face reddening. These people were too much. Shouri slowly gave an approving nod. He was grateful for Pacifica¡¯s overbearingly strong social sense. Either way, he continued his lecture to his ever-curious Resonators. ¡°Anywho, like Taika and Rebecca have the ¡®Canid Sense¡¯, and Pacifica has ¡®Fisher of the Sea¡¯; Rabbits uniquely have the trait ¡®Tail of the Lunar Sea¡¯.¡± Rebecca looked to Pacifica. ¡°Fisher of the Sea?¡± she asked. ¡°Otters like me get super fast in water, also our ad-Lib is super cheap to use.¡± The water element smiled. The fire fox nodded. She hadn¡¯t had too much experience against otters, so her knowledge of them was limited to basically anything Pacifica had previously done in front of her. ¡°What about this ¡®Tail of the Lunar Sea¡¯ thing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit of a doozy. First off, they can control their personal gravity, so moving around in space isn¡¯t an issue for them,¡± he began. Rebecca opened her mouth to ask another question, but Shouri cut her off: ¡°And yes, they can breathe in places where you normally couldn¡¯t, such as in the vacuum of space or even the depths of the ocean.¡± ¡°What the fuck? That¡¯s so crazy.¡± Rebecca turned her attention back to the rabbit statue with a newfound appreciation of these strange, long-eared creatures. ¡°Wait this thing says they can¡¯t be trapped too?¡± Pacifica looked up from the display she was reading. ¡°Like Taika¡¯s arrow spell or that nature spell?¡± The otter turned to her Maestro for clarification. Shouri himself took a quick read of the display the otter-girl was browsing. ¡°Looks like it.¡± He smirked and chuckled at the last line. ¡°Rabbits are quite slippery and difficult to catch,¡± he read aloud. ¡°Wild,¡± Rebecca decided. Before they could look more into the rest of the exhibit, their peace was interrupted by a boisterously loud laugh growing ever closer. Shouri paled; the loud booming female voice echoing though the hall - it was unmistakably the same one as before, evidenced by the Maestro''s panic. ¡°Again?!¡± Taika yelped, grabbing her Maestro¡¯s hand. ¡°It¡¯s the same voices as in the dino place ¨C are they following us?¡± Rebecca helped with ushering the two away, while Pacifica lagged behind trying to catch a glimpse of the mystery voice''s owner to no avail. Ultimately the group escaped once more, failing to learn the identity of the voice that inspired such a quick retreat. ¡°Sho,¡± Taika pouted. ¡°We¡¯re worried,¡± Rebecca added. Pacifica stepped between the two foxes and their collective Maestro. ¡°If he doesn¡¯t want to talk about it, it''s not our place to butt in,¡± she spoke sternly, standing tall over her shorter counterparts. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± She looked back, giving him a warm smile. Shouri averted his gaze. He was being unfair to them again. ¡°I really just don¡¯t want to see them. They¡¯re overwhelming,¡± he told his concerned Resonators. Rebecca and Taika exchanged concerned glances, while Pacifica gave a knowing nod. ¡°We can loop back around for the Luna exhibit. Let¡¯s go somewhere else,¡± the otter suggested. Taika tugged on Shouri¡¯s shirt sleeve. ¡°Sho, ho fame.¡± He turned, only to be met by her pleading gaze and hand over her gut. The Maestro sighed but smiled warmly. He had at least picked up that bit of Naturalian. ¡°Ok, let¡¯s go see what they have at the food court,¡± he decided. Opting to take the elevator, the quartet ended up making one of the other patrons uncomfortable by all piling into the elevator with them. A small awkward silence followed while the cabin descended to the ground floor of the museum. Pacifica positioned herself as the divider between their group and the rando. The elevator stopped, clicking into place with a small shake. The longest five seconds ever passed before the door slowly opened. As soon as it slid to the side, the other museum goer rushed out as if the elevator had caught fire. A sharp exhale and a tail flick from Pacifica informed Shouri of that random¡¯s opinion of them. ¡°Let¡¯s go girls.¡± He took the lead with Rebecca right behind him. Pacifica grabbed Taika¡¯s hand. ¡°Come on.¡± She put on the biggest smile she could for her fellow Resonator. ¡°Si¡­¡± Taika lowered her head, smiling at their joined hands. Chapter 50 Food time! The cafeteria was madness. So many Maestros and Resonators everywhere. All vying for tables for their own groups. Given it was roughly the noontime lunch hour, this was definitely peak capacity for the lunchroom. The two foxes with sensitive hearing instantly folded their ears back to filter out some of the white noise of the conversations. ¡°Wait¡­¡± Rebecca furrowed her brows, head whipping back and forth. ¡°Where the heck¡¯s the food?¡± ¡°Uhhh¡­ good question.¡± Shouri frowned. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s that sign say?¡± Taika pointed to a paper taped to a stone column. ¡®Pardon our mess! Food available in True Meat exhibit¡¯ ¡°Where¡¯s that at?¡± Pacifica raised a brow. Stepping off to the side to avoid the busy walkways, Shouri pulled out the map and the group scoured it for the ¡®new¡¯ food spot. ¡°Oh! There it is!¡± Rebecca pointed to the True Meat exhibit the sign was directing them to. ¡°Where are we though?¡± Shouri continued to scan the map. ¡°Oh.¡± It turned out there were three other exhibits they had to pass through to find the current food dispensary. ¡°Oh fuck that,¡± Shouri grumbled. He was about to voice his decision to skip lunch, but made the mistake of looking at the pouting Taika. ¡°Damn it.¡± He averted his gaze. She was too cute. ¡°Let¡¯s get moving.¡± The other exhibits were kind of boring and the quartet just passed through them. However, when they hit the True Meat exhibit, an interest was piqued. ¡°What¡­ is this?¡± Rebecca gasped. ¡°But we eat meat?¡± Taika tilted her head, confused. Shouri himself looked around. ¡°So back in the day, it was commonplace to consume ¡®mundane animals¡¯ for sustenance.¡± He continued to take in this odd exhibit. ¡°Mundane?¡± Pacifica raised a brow. ¡°Like, a mundane fox was a little creature with Taika or Rebecca¡¯s ears and tail.¡± Shouri paused, thinking about it further. ¡°They¡¯re kinda shaped like Scherzando,¡± he added. There was a quiet understanding of what Shouri was implying. They continued walking through the exhibit. ¡°Extinct?¡± Pacifica had stopped at a display case filled with various small fake taxidermized animals. ¡°That¡¯s what they looked like?¡± Taika asked, seeing a small fox as one of the subjects. ¡°Like three to four hundred years ago. The increase in Scherzando drove the mundane animals to total extinction,¡± Shouri spoke somberly. ¡°They¡¯re all gone?¡± Pacifica looked back to her Maestro. He paused, considering his word choice. ¡°Yeah,¡± he finally decided. ¡°Gone,¡± Taika whispered, placing her hands on the glass and staring at the motionless silver fox encased within. ¡°What do we eat then? I¡¯ve always been told that we need to eat meat to live,¡± Rebecca brought up. ¡°From what I saw, there¡¯s a lot of companies that produce artificial meat, but also there are some plants that are used which have the protein content we need to survive,¡± Shouri explained. ¡°I never really looked too hard into it. Don¡¯t really care to know exactly how my food is made.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Gone,¡± Taika repeated quietly. The group found the food stand tucked in the very far corner of the main exhibit. There were already many other customers there grabbing their own food; the line moving slowly due to the single Resonator employed to this lonely little corner of the museum. While there were choices for food, the menu left a bit to be desired. Salads, fried chicken, sandwiches, and a small variety of snacks were what was available for their consumption. ¡°I think I¡¯m gonna eat a salad after that,¡± Pacifica decided, grabbing one of the plastic containers. ¡°Sandwich.¡± Taika grabbed two of the also pre-packaged meals. ¡°Oh fries!¡± She also snatched up one of the freshly made cups of fried potatoes as they were set down by another employee who had appeared from one of the back doors. ¡°Ooh, I hope they have some hot sauce for this chicken.¡± Rebecca excitedly looked around for the sauce for her own selection. Shouri couldn¡¯t help but chuckle quietly, grabbing himself some tomato basil soup as his own meal. ¡°Oh I hate this,¡± Shouri complained almost immediately after they checked out. The walk to the food spot was already long enough, but there were signs practically everywhere directing them all the way back to the proper cafeteria, a full five-minute walk away. ¡°It could be worse,¡± Pacifica chuckled nervously. ¡°I¡¯m hungry now.¡± Taika frowned at her tray as they walked. ¡°I wanna know what bone-headed idiot decided this was a good idea,¡± Rebecca grumbled. Much to Shouri¡¯s dismay, they once again heard the boisterous female voice booming down the hallway and only growing louder by the second. To further elevate the boy¡¯s blood pressure, they were stuck in a hallway of all places, where there was nowhere to hide. ¡°Fuck,¡± he cursed with a squeak. ¡°Taika! Rebecca!¡± Pacifica suddenly shouted. The trio of girls surrounded their Maestro near the wall. ¡°There¡¯s no way this works!¡± Shouri hissed. ¡°You¡¯re right! Taika, Rebby ¨C tails up!¡± the otter girl ordered of her two vulpine counterparts. And suddenly Shouri was very warm as the two vixens hid him with their tails. The interloper in question started to pass by, but obviously three Resonators huddled up with food trays in the middle of a hallway raised some eyebrows. However, upon closer observation, the source of the voice Shouri had been desperately avoiding decided to stop and study the odd group. It wasn¡¯t their strange positioning, but the attire of one particular otter that drew pause. ¡°Hey, that jacket you¡¯re wearing...¡± the red-haired woman spoke up. Pacifica jumped ¨C she had totally forgotten she was still wearing Shouri¡¯s jacket! Damage control time: ¡°It¡¯s nice right!? I¡¯m glad I got it on sale!¡± Pacifica shouted without any real thought. ¡°Amika, stop bothering random people,¡± a male Maestro told the woman. ¡°It¡¯s just, Shouri wore a jacket exactly like that one.¡± The woman looked the other group over once more. They were kind of fishy; a Lunar was a rare sight, on top of a fire fox, and a water otter. There was a fourth person there, but she couldn¡¯t quite see who exactly it was. A Maestro perhaps? There wasn¡¯t an elemental feeling coming from the fourth person ¨C could be a Null element Resonator. ¡°Amikaaaa. I wanna see the True Meat exhibit!¡± a Resonator boy complained. ¡°Come on Amika, stop bugging them.¡± The black-haired male Maestro pulled his friend away. ¡°W-wait Leo! Let me see that girl¡¯s jacket!¡± Amika cried out as she was dragged off, much to the relief of Shouri and company. ¡°Damn it, it actually is them,¡± Shouri groaned as he was released from tail prison. ¡°Who are they Sho?¡± Taika asked. ¡°Enemies?¡± Rebecca glanced down the hallway where the interlopers had departed. ¡°I doubt that Rebby,¡± Pacifica chuckled, patting the fiery vixen¡¯s head. ¡°Just some pushy people. I don¡¯t want to talk to them. They¡¯re annoying,¡± Shouri muttered. ¡°Come on, we¡¯re on a timer for lunch now.¡± He motioned in the opposite direction.
A fast lunch was had (despite how busy the cafeteria was) and the group quickly made their way into the final exhibit they wanted to visit. ¡°Incantatori?¡± Taika asked once more. She was curious, but only because it was a term she had zero familiarity with. ¡°Yeah, what the heck is this even?¡± Rebecca too, lacked any knowledge of the subject. ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re here sillies!¡± Pacifica pushed the two foxes into the exhibit; Shouri following behind, shaking his head and smiling. Unlike the space themed Luna exhibit, and the earth-themed Dinosaur exhibit, the one on Incantatori was notably sea themed. There was a sea blue tint to the overhead lighting complete with shadowing that mimicked the rippling of water being above them. To complete the effect, the distinctive sound of jostling water played at a low volume over the speakers dotted throughout the exhibit. ¡°Woah¡­¡± the three girls gasped together. The central piece of this exhibit was a massive stone tablet. There were all kinds of pictures and inscriptions decorating its surface. It seemed almost alien in presentation, though was strangely clean ¨C no staining or wear present across its surface. One of the group in particular seemed to be oddly transfixed by this: ¡°What..?¡± Rebecca exhaled sharply, trembling. ¡°Rebecca?¡± Shouri looked to the fire Resonator. ¡°Rhythm, that stone is full of rhythm.¡± She pointed at the centerpiece. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°It is?¡± Pacifica looked to Taika who shrugged. ¡°Says here it''s written in rhythm script,¡± Shouri noted, reading over the helpful plaque displayed nearby. ¡°So what¡¯s that?¡± the fire Resonator asked, eyes locked on the rock. Shouri took a breath in before speaking. ¡°It¡¯s an old way of writing where your intention is burned into the writing medium. Rhythm sensitive people can then read the ¡®engraved¡¯ rhythm and understand its meaning even if they didn¡¯t speak the same languages as the author,¡± he explained. ¡°The benefit to this style of writing is the intention is always passed through, so misinterpretation was rare, if not impossible.¡± Narrowing her eyes, Rebecca focused on the rock. It was as if the words flowed clearly into her very mind. ¡°When our partners appeared, we took them in with open paws and wings. They were a curious sort and for that we walked the path, hand and paw. Our beloved partners, we melted the ice of their rhythm and unlocked their true potential rebuffed by the giants. For now, until the end of time we will appear before our beloved partners.¡± Pacifica, Taika, and Shouri stared at Rebecca. ¡°Huh?¡± The fire Resonator shook her head. ¡°What?!¡± She took notice of the stares she had garnered. ¡°You just kind of zoned out and said all that,¡± Pacifica pointed out. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize how rhythm sensitive you were,¡± Shouri added. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Rebecca glared. Shouri stepped over and pointed down at another one of the informational signs. Notably it said exactly what Rebecca had just said. ¡°Wha-?¡± She blinked. ¡°You read the rhythm script,¡± he told her. ¡°It just kinda appeared in my head,¡± she spoke quietly, cheeks a bit red. ¡°I thought it was kind of cool.¡± Shouri smiled, patting her back. ¡°But what does it even mean?¡± Taika piped up. Shouri re-read the translation that was posted before them. ¡°Hmmm.¡± He began to walk away without an actual word. His Resonators looked between each other, shrugged, and followed along. They watched him study the different sections of the exhibit before finally stopping at one particular stone tablet, or at least a fragment of one. It depicted a human in robes surrounded by three small animal-like figures. ¡°There¡¯s no rhythm in this one,¡± Rebecca spoke up. ¡°Huh.¡± Shouri nodded. ¡°The theory they¡¯ve come to a consensus on is the Incantatori were essentially proto-Resonators.¡± He stroked his chin in thought. ¡°That¡¯s kinda interesting.¡± He leaned forward, looking over the tablet they had stopped in front of. ¡°Proto-Resonators?¡± Taika frowned, not understanding what that meant. ¡°Like our predecessors, right?¡± Pacifica asked Shouri. The Maestro nodded slowly. ¡°If all these tablets are legitimate, Maestros existed on Riterra well before the Sages'' descent in year zero,¡± Shouri mused to himself. ¡°It¡¯s weird I haven¡¯t read much on this. You think they¡¯d teach this in school.¡± He stood up straight. With a sharp exhale, he smiled. ¡°Well, that was interesting.¡± Glancing back at his three Resonators, he proposed a question: ¡°What did you all think?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know I could read rhythm script.¡± Rebecca was still reflecting on that aspect. ¡°It was cool!¡± Pacifica pumped a fist into the air. Taika remained quiet, her lips curled down and she lowered her head pensively. ¡°Taika?¡± Shouri raised his brows in concern. ¡°It¡¯s kind of sad,¡± she said in a hushed tone. ¡°They said they would always be there, but¡­ they¡¯re gone now, right?¡± Silence. Shouri hummed in thought. ¡°Maybe, maybe not,¡± he spoke up after a moment of mulling it over. The three Resonators looked to their Maestro, confused. ¡°They¡¯re not physically here, but humans only re-appeared on Riterra when Resonators appeared. Maybe in a way that was the Incantatori ¡®passing the torch¡¯ to Resonators in a way,¡± he waxed poetically. Taika lit up at that thought, her lips curling to a smile. ¡°Sho!¡± She jumped forward, wrapping her arms around him. Pacifica joined in. ¡°We¡¯ll always appear before you,¡± the otter-girl declared with a giggle. Finally, Rebecca huddled close to the group, and she too wrapped her arms around Shouri with her counterparts. ¡°I think you¡¯re right Shouri,¡± Rebecca muttered, trying to hide the blush on her face.
There was much more to the museum of course, but even going through the four exhibits they went through on top of lunch spent most of their time. Plus, they had to account for the bus ride home. ¡°SHOURI TOMOSHIBI!¡± The quartet stopped within sight of the door. Their trip home just got thirty times more complicated. They had been spotted from the second floor by the red-jacket wearing Maestro they had been trying to avoid all day. ¡°We can run,¡± Shouri muttered to his Resonators. ¡°Cast Nuvola Oscura, lets run Sho,¡± Taika whispered to her Maestro. ¡°Add in Cortina Fumogena, for good measure,¡± Rebecca added. ¡°Stop it you two! We¡¯ll get in trouble!¡± Pacifica hissed. ¡°YOU STAY RIGHT THERE!¡± the woman shouted pointing the accusatory finger directly at them. Shouri slowly craned his neck back and up, locking eyes with Amika. Even after all these years she still kept the same long unkempt red hair and still glared him down with those same annoying yellow eyes. He mouthed ¡®no¡¯ to her, which only seemed to further her infuriation. ¡°Book it!¡± Shouri told his Resonators before rushing towards the door. ¡°Motherfucker! Andi, handle my landing!¡± Shouri looked back in horror as Amika was hopping over the railing much to everyone¡¯s (except Shouri) shock. ¡°Oh god she¡¯s fucking doing it again.¡± Thankfully for the uninitiated onlookers, Amika¡¯s Resonator jumped after her, catching his Maestro mid-air and large fiery wings erupting from his back to soften their landing. ¡°We gotta do that Shouri!¡± Rebecca shouted, pointing back at the stunt Amika had just pulled. ¡°Less being impressed more running Rebecca!¡± Shouri barked at his own Resonator. They cleared the door, and it was only then Shouri saw the stairs. ¡°Fuck, okay you can do it Rebecca! Pacifica-!¡± ¡°I got it! Taika, the rails!¡± ¡°Oh! Yeah!¡± And so like out of an action movie the four split up. Taika and Pacifica slid down the handrails while Rebecca lit her heels and scooped up Shouri into her arms. The fire-fox jumped and sprung off each landing, being careful to avoid any innocent bystanders. The three Resonators reconvened at the base of the steps, with Rebecca letting Shouri onto his feet whilst rolling to kill her own momentum. ¡°That was so fucking cool!¡± Rebecca¡¯s heels continuing to blaze wildly from how hard her adrenaline was pumping from the situation. ¡°YOU THINK YOU¡¯RE FUCKING CLEVER!?¡± Amika roared from the top of the stairs. ¡°Keep going!¡± Shouri shouted at his Resonators, bolting down the street ¡°What did you do to her Sho!?¡± Pacifica cried out, chasing her own Maestro. ¡°I don¡¯t know! Be born I guess!?¡± ¡°GET BACK HERE ASSHOLE!!¡±
¡°I think we¡¯re safe.¡± Pacifica held her hands over her pounding heart. They had escaped into an underground parking garage downtown. ¡°Sho, stai bene?¡± Taika asked, rubbing their Maestro¡¯s back. Shouri was on all fours wheezing with sweat pouring off him. ¡°Ooh, that stings.¡± Rebecca nursed her singed feet while simultaneously out of breath and having a giggle fit. ¡°Okay seriously Sho, and pardon my Naturalian, what the actual fuck?¡± Pacifica shot an exhausted glare at their hunched over Maestro. ¡°She¡¯s one of my childhood friends,¡± he managed to get out. ¡°Specifically, she occupies the trope of the annoying one.¡± The Maestro sat back on his legs, resting his head against the wall behind him. ¡°She¡¯s a crude, strong woman,¡± he quipped. The three Resonators exchanged a confused glance. ¡°Forget it. I just don¡¯t want to talk to her.¡± He closed his eyes, getting off his knees and sitting down properly against the wall. Pacifica was a bit grumpy for a moment before she snorted and started laughing, joining her Maestro. ¡°Hm?¡± The Maestro in question looked to his Resonator. ¡°I just think this whole thing is funny.¡± She wiped the tears from her eyes. Rebecca graduated from giggle fit to full on laughter. ¡°That was so cool,¡± she repeated her prior sentiment. ¡°I felt like we were in an action movie.¡± She exhaled sharply, leaning back against the wall next to Shouri. Taika joined the family, laying across Pacifica and Shouri¡¯s laps. ¡°Fu una grande giornata,¡± she cooed. ¡°What a weird day.¡± Shouri remained sitting there in the dimly lit underground parking garage with his trio of Resonators all draped over him. Chapter 51 ¡°Shouriiiii.¡± Shouri stood in the hallway of the Nicchi family home, only a mere step away from the bathroom. An annoyed Priscilla stood at her bedroom door. It had been a few days since the incident and once more the group of young adults fell into the same routine they had previously: get up, loll around the house, eat food, go to bed. ¡°Follow me.¡± She walked past him towards the pool deck. Shouri looked to the bathroom, hung his head, and sighed. Nature would have to take a voicemail it seemed. It was a balmy summer night, the moon was but a thin, waxing crescent, and once more Shouri found himself staring at the calm waters of the pool with Mrs. Nicchi standing by him. ¡°Soooo, what happened to taking your girls out to see the sights?¡± she began with the pointed question. ¡°There were complications.¡± He knew there was no point in trying to dance around the topic, but he was going to try regardless. ¡°Oho? You all came back so exhausted after the museum and then didn¡¯t go out again. I know your weak stave is willpower, but come on, that little fox of yours can run an army on her will,¡± Priscilla chuckled. ¡°What¡¯s really going on mister?¡± she asked. ¡°Don¡¯t ask questions you already know the answer to,¡± he grumbled under his breath. ¡°What was that?¡± the mother said in that voice. ¡°Nothing!¡± Shouri huffed. He looked around as if the perfectly manicured landscaping had the answers spelled out for him. His fingertips traced the edges of Taika¡¯s tuner at his waist. ¡°Found out some people I don¡¯t like are here,¡± he admitted quietly. ¡°Makes it hard to get up in the morning.¡± Priscilla expected more, but he was being honest. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°Well suck it up buttercup.¡± She smacked his back roughly. ¡°There are plenty of people in this world you¡¯re gonna have to rub elbows with and not like it,¡± she spoke sternly. ¡°You have one life to live and if you spend it trying to avoid unpleasant people or situations, is that really living life?¡± ¡°Easy for you to say,¡± he mumbled. ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°Nothing nothing!¡± A cool wind blew over them, rippling the water in its wake. ¡°I¡¯m serious Shouri. You and I are people who are written off as weird or crazy. We earn the ire of our peers simply from how we choose to interact with our Resonators.¡± Shouri lowered his head. A few people came to mind on both ends of the spectrum ¨C the Lyles and Makanis of the world, those who treated Resonators as things, and those who saw a partner, an equal. ¡°Those girls will happily follow you to the ends of the world. The least you can do is show them a good time.¡± With her piece said, Priscilla once more left Shouri alone with his thoughts. ¡°You¡¯ll follow me straight into hell if that¡¯s what I want,¡± the boy whispered, caressing the black tuner at his side.
The next morning, sapphire blue eyes fluttered open, welcoming their owner to the realm of consciousness once more. This particular morning, Pacifica found herself between Shouri and Taika. While it was easier to go out for their morning exercise, she still silently pined for the warm embrace of her Maestro. ¡°Taika, Taika.¡± The lunar vixen groggily rose from her slumber, disturbed from pleasant dreams by her pushy otter friend who insisted that six in the morning was prime swimming hours. ¡°Possiamo saltare la sessione di oggi?¡± Taika asked groggily. ¡°Why would you want to skip swimming? You love swimming,¡± Pacifica pouted ¡°Siete amanti del nuoto. Adoro mangiare e dormire.¡± And with that Taika flopped back into the pillow. ¡°Taiiiiikaaaaa,¡± the otter whined quietly. If for nothing else, but Shouri¡¯s continued sleep, Taika once again acquiesced to Pacifica¡¯s demands and went swimming at six in the morning. Splash! Pacifica surfaced from the depths of the pool, refreshed from a perfect dive straight to the bottom. ¡°Ahhh, it¡¯s this great Taika?¡± she asked. ¡°Great. Sure.¡± Taika trembled, still trying to adjust to the cold water. For all her amazing ability to read the room, Pacifica was seemingly malicious in her ability to just straight up ignore her friend¡¯s sarcasm: ¡°I¡¯m glad you agree!¡± Usually, their swim sessions lasted roughly an hour, at which point the sun poked above the horizon, signaling the end of the forced exercise. Pacifica used the poolside shower to wash the chlorine from her clothes, hair, and tail, while Taika toweled off just enough to get her to the bathroom where she took a nice, hot shower. After her shower, Taika got dressed in her everyday wear and wandered into the living room where Pacifica reclined on the couch. Typically she was either playing some video game or watching a movie. Today Taika found her otter friend watching some superhero animated movie. ¡°Movie?¡± Taika yawned. ¡°Yeah yeah! This is a good one, come!¡± Pacifica patted the couch cushion next to her. With another yawn, Taika trudged over and fell onto the couch. ¡°Gimmie your tail,¡± the otter demanded. ¡°Si si¡­¡± The otter girl hummed to herself, watching the movie while brushing her friend¡¯s tail. Once that task was complete, Pacifica allowed the sleepy fox to rest her head on her lap, stroking the vixen¡¯s head gently. Taika, despite her frustration with the rude awakenings every morning, always drifted back to sleep with a serene smile on her face. Only an hour or so passed before Shouri managed to drag Rebecca out of bed and into the living room. By this point, the credits were rolling on the film, so Pacifica could turn her undivided attention to her Maestro and fellow Resonators. ¡°Morning Sho.¡± ¡°Morning Pacifica.¡± Taika perked up at this point. ¡°Buongiorno Sho,¡± she greeted him with barely open eyes and a sleepy smile across her lips. ¡°And good morning, Taika.¡± Rebecca always pouted at this point, despite getting extra cuddle time with her beloved Maestro, but she was satiated with a couple of head pats. ¡°So what¡¯s the plan today party people?!¡± Priscilla loudly made her presence known to the younger adults. Shouri (and his Resonators) winced at the sudden noise. "Hunting,¡± he said sternly. ¡°Taking what I said to heart?¡± the elder woman simpered. ¡°No,¡± he replied bluntly. ¡°But money talks.¡± ¡°Whatever helps you sleep at night bud.¡± Priscilla grinned toothily. ¡°What are you doing today Mom?¡± Pacifica asked. ¡°Same thing we do every day dear.¡± ¡°Try to take over the world?¡± ¡°Close! Very close!¡± ¡°Cici, come on, we¡¯re running late!¡± the woman¡¯s husband called from the other room. ¡°Coming Jack!¡± Priscilla shouted. She looked back to her daughter and friends. ¡°Be good. And good luck with the hunt tonight. Don¡¯t have too much fun!¡± ¡°We won¡¯t!¡± Pacifica beamed. And with that, the children had control of the house once more. ¡°Damn, she¡¯s draining,¡± Shouri sighed, plopping down onto the couch with his Resonators. Rebecca sat on the armrest next to him. ¡°We are actually going to hunt tonight?¡± Pacifica asked. ¡°Yeah, couldn¡¯t lie to that woman if I wanted to,¡± the Maestro huffed. ¡°Fuckin¡¯ mind readers, the lot of you,¡± he mumbled as an aside. ¡°What are we gonna do until then?¡± Rebecca queried. ¡°The usual: eat, relax, probably sleep for some etude, and head down there.¡± He frowned at that last bullet point though. ¡°Where the fuck are the hunter camps around here?¡± Drawing a tuner from his side, he went investigating. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± He studied a map on the official Maestro Affairs website for the city. His eyes slowly widened as he came upon a realization. ¡°Oh no.¡± ¡°What¡¯s up Sho?¡± Pacifica tilted her head. Shouri pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°This¡­ is gonna get technical.¡±
Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.Leaving the house earlier than usual, the group took the bus trip out of the suburbs into the ¡°wilderness¡± that the Scherzando roamed about. There was a familiar base camp set up near where the bus stop was. ¡°Oh, you were serious about the cornfields.¡± Rebecca held herself as they stepped off the bus. There was a small patch of dense woods, but other than that they were amidst farmland as far as the eye could see. ¡°I hope we get the trees,¡± Pacifica muttered, taking inventory of their surroundings. ¡°You think the farmers will give us some corn to take home?¡± Taika asked hopefully. ¡°Probably not, but we can get some cheap corn probably if you really want it,¡± Shouri said as he patted Taika¡¯s head. Things only deteriorated as they discovered the line for the evening¡¯s festivities. ¡°Oh hell no.¡± Rebecca shook her head. ¡°Let¡¯s get back on the bus.¡± She turned around but was stopped short by Pacifica grabbing her shoulder. ¡°Come on Rebby. Mom will kill us if we come back now. Might as well deal with it,¡± the otter told her fire counterpart. ¡°But field duty suuuuuucks,¡± Rebecca groaned. ¡°I¡¯m not Lyle, it¡¯ll be fine,¡± Shouri assured her with a smile. The vixen blushed, feeling the honesty of those simple words. ¡°H-headpat,¡± she quietly demanded, taking up the opposite side from Taika. Pacifica giggled quietly to herself, watching her Maestro dual-head-pat the two foxes of their group. The wait for their turn was much longer than anticipated, even as early as it was in the evening. Finally, when it was their time to get their assignment for the evening, they were presented with a tablet. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Shouri asked. ¡°Ah, outta towner.¡± The attendant nodded. ¡°As you can see, we got fields that need to be weeded from Scherzando. They make their nests, and they can damage farm equipment and hurt the workers on the farm if they¡¯re left to nest.¡± They looked over Shouri¡¯s selection of Resonators. ¡°Kid like you will have no problem with this job.¡± ¡°Nothing more traditional?¡± Shouri raised a brow. ¡°Son, did you see that line? Early bird gets the worm.¡± With a sigh, he acquiesced to the implication. ¡°Fine fine.¡± He turned his attention down to the tablet he had been handed. There were several fields they could choose from. Each one had bonuses paid for by the farmers in addition to the usual stipends they normally received from Scherzando kills. ¡°I guess this does make us a bit more money than usual,¡± the Maestro considered. All the closer ones were naturally taken, so Shouri ended up deciding on the closest available farm with the best bonus. It was still quite the trek to and from the farm, but that¡¯s just how things worked out here apparently. ¡°Here.¡± He handed the tablet back. ¡°Good choice, I¡¯ll call up the owner of that plot and let them know you¡¯re on the way.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± And with that, they had their job for the evening. ¡°Should have brought the bottle,¡± Taika immediately complained as they set out on the road to their job site for the evening. ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ll have to make do with drinking directly from Pacifica¡¯s hands ¨C I hope that¡¯s okay.¡± Shouri looked back at the water provider of the group. ¡°Of course!¡± Naturally, the otter had no qualms with this. The walk was relatively quiet, the sounds of other groups making their way to their assignments and the occasional vehicle passing by being the only sources of background noise. ¡°Man, I didn¡¯t know there was this much corn in the world,¡± Rebecca groaned, looking to and fro for any other landmark besides the endless stalks that clouded their vision. ¡°It¡¯s a staple crop. There are plenty of parts of the world like this, but instead of corn, they would grow things like wheat or rice,¡± Shouri explained. ¡°Ah.¡± Rebecca nodded. She sort of understood what he meant by that, but decided she wasn¡¯t interested enough in the topic for any further edification. By the time they reached the farm, the sun was dipping below the horizon. Rebecca tugged on Shouri¡¯s jacket ¡°Could probably use some light,¡± the fire Resonator advised the Maestro. ¡°Right, thanks.¡± He nodded; the night vision he and Taika shared was convenient, but unfortunately wasn¡¯t extended to the rest of the party. ¡°Famiglio Incendio, Presto.¡± Rebecca knelt and pressed her hands to the ground, summoning her small fire-fox familiar. The rhythm beast seemed overjoyed to be summoned again, hopping around Rebecca and Shouri. ¡°It missed you,¡± Shouri chuckled. ¡°Yeah.¡± The fire Resonator stopped the familiar so she could pet it. ¡°Let¡¯s keep going, we¡¯re just about there.¡± Shouri pointed to the glow of the farmhouse just ahead. Approaching the home, the door opened before they were just about to knock. A large canine-eared man was just stepping out. ¡°Who are you?¡± he gruffly inquired, his imposing stature and demeanor causing the group to draw pause. Before they could muster up their courage to respond, he answered his own question, ¡°Right, the help for tonight.¡± The dog looked over the much smaller Maestro and trio of girls. ¡°Hmph.¡± The dog-man turned back to the house. ¡°Seb! Help¡¯s here!¡± he bellowed. ¡°Good luck, don¡¯t fuck up.¡± And with that, the man departed for one of the nearby barns. Shouri looked back to his group of Resonators who all shrugged at the welcome they got. A minute later another man answered the door, dressed in overalls and having that ¡°farmer¡± look to him. ¡°Howdy kids, hope the trip down here wasn¡¯t too bad.¡± The man held out his hand immediately, which Shouri shook. ¡°We¡¯ve had worse,¡± Shouri muttered, still trying to gather his nerves. ¡°Come in come in!¡± the farmer invited the guests into his home. The quartet slowly filed in, with Rebecca trailing behind. She had her summon hop onto her shoulder, unsure of etiquette in this situation. Looking around, it was a quaint home, though felt as welcoming as its owner. ¡°Have a seat, please. I took out for two Maestros tonight. We had a rough day today.¡± The farmer motioned to their well-worn but cared-for couch/coffee table combo. The younger group awkwardly took their seats as offered. The farmer left the quartet alone in his living room. The four sat quietly, trying to avoid touching anything else outside of the couch they had all piled onto. ¡°This is weird Shouri,¡± Rebecca muttered, allowing her rhythm beast to sit on her lap. ¡°Yeah, too friendly,¡± Shouri whispered back. ¡°He¡¯s genuine. Deals with our types all the time I feel,¡± Pacifica chimed in quietly. ¡°At least they seem like they don¡¯t have a problem with lunars,¡± Taika added hopefully. Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! ¡°What do you like to drink?¡± a woman now asked. The four guests stared at the steaming bowls of stew set in front of them. It certainly looked appetizing, perfectly seared meat, carrots, potatoes, and celery all in a thick broth. A gentle steam rose from the bowls and the scent hit the group like a sack of bricks, immediately making them salivate. Even so, Shouri felt bad they were being fed, given they hadn¡¯t done anything yet. ¡°You uh, don¡¯t have to-¡± ¡°Nonsense! Y¡¯all are skin and bone! You need to eat a good meal before working the fields! Eat! Eat!¡± she demanded. ¡°She¡¯s not gonna take no for an answer Sho,¡± Pacifica advised. ¡°It looks good.¡± Rebecca frowned. ¡°Tastes good too.¡± Taika was already halfway done with her bowl. ¡°Why am I not surprised?¡± Rebecca shook her head but similarly took up her own bowl. ¡°We¡¯ll do water,¡± Shouri addressed the previous question about their drinks. While they began to eat, there was a knock at the door. ¡°Coming!¡± Rushing from the other room, the farmer opened the door. ¡°You must be the other Maestro, thanks for coming.¡± The farmer stepped out of the way to allow the other guests in. Shouri dropped his bowl onto the table with a clatter, spilling some of his stew in the process. His eyes were wide, jaw slack. ¡°L-Lina?¡± ¡°Shouri?¡± Chapter 52 Three pairs of eyes locked onto this newcomer, this stranger. Long flowing brunette hair, clad in a brown jacket and pants with a yellow top under that and a red sash wrapped around her waist with a white tuner clipped to it. Brown eyes scanned the couch, spotting the three girls surrounding the boy. ¡°You have Resonators?¡± she questioned. Shouri remained quiet, still in shock. Taika reached over and grabbed her Maestro¡¯s hand, focusing herself on him. With that shot of willpower, he was thawed from his frozen state. ¡°Yeah. I do,¡± he still spoke in a hushed tone. The farmer who had hired these two Maestros slid away quietly; he must have recognized the tension in the air, or maybe not. Lina lit up. ¡°That¡¯s great Shouri! I¡¯m super happy for you!¡± The girl beamed. ¡°You remember Effy right?¡± She stepped aside to let her own Resonator in. The trio of Resonator girls stared at their counterpart. He was a canine-type Resonator similar to Taika and Rebecca, however, his canid features were sharper and larger than his counterparts. He had silverish grey hair and stood well above anyone in the room, even taller than that dog Resonator they had initially encountered when first arriving here. Though where Effy and that dog differed was in build ¨C Effy was on the thinner side, but only because he had more muscle tone to him, not an ounce of fat to be found. Otherwise, he was dressed kind of plainly, dark greys and tans made up most of his attire, consisting of a simple jacket and pants combo. ¡°Shouri.¡± The Resonator nodded. ¡°Efigenios.¡± The Maestro nodded back. Silence once more. The farmer returned with two chairs for the additional guests and the lady of the house presented the two new guests with their own bowls of food. ¡°Eat up!¡± she demanded, similarly to Shouri and company. ¡°It looks wonderful! Thanks so much!¡± Lina clapped her hands together, plopping down directly across from Shouri. Taika quickly polished off her food so her hands could be free for Shouri. Ever since his eyes met Lina, she could feel a significant pull on her rhythm ¨C he did not want to be here, his very soul was screaming to run away. This was going to be a long night. ¡°It¡¯s really good Effy! Try it!¡± Lina urged her Resonator. He slowly took a small sip of it. ¡°So it is.¡± He allowed himself a thin smile. With her Resonator sipping away, the woman studied the three Resonator girls across from her. ¡°Oh, how rude of me! I¡¯m Jorgelina, but my friends call me Lina!¡± she addressed them directly. She waited for Efigenios to introduce himself, but he just glared at her with a mouthful of food. ¡°This is Efigenios, but nobody calls him that, call him Effy.¡± Lina laughed loudly, patting her Resonator¡¯s back (and causing him to choke on his food). ¡°I¡¯m Taika.¡± ¡°Pacifica, nice to meetcha!¡± ¡°Rebecca.¡± Lina smiled warmly at all their introductions, as short as they were. Her attention shifted back to the Maestro of the trio. ¡°You really have three Resonators though? Color me surprised,¡± she noted. ¡°Shit happens.¡± Shouri kept his gaze firmly away from Lina. Taika squeezed his hand tighter, and he squeezed back, which earned a small smile from the fox. ¡°Lunar, Fire, Water. You have wonderful Resonators.¡± Pacifica could feel how genuine this girl was with her words. Just a ball of sunshine. Made sense though, considering the Resonator she kept in her company was a solar element. The otter bit the bullet and decided to sate a curiosity. Given the situation with Shouri and Mila (and to a lesser extent Amika), she knew he wouldn¡¯t be forthcoming with information about his past. ¡°So Lina-¡± Pacifica began, ¡°-how do you know our Maestro?¡± she asked. Lina seemed almost caught off guard by that question. Her gaze shifted to the other Maestro in the room. ¡°Ah. Shouri you shy boy,¡± she teased him with a coy smirk, causing him to curl up a bit (and straining poor Taika¡¯s rhythm further). The brunette sat up straight before addressing Pacifica¡¯s question: ¡°I¡¯m his childhood friend!¡± she declared proudly. ¡°You seem to have a lot of those,¡± Taika muttered in Shouri¡¯s direction. ¡°Why are they all women?¡± Rebecca mumbled quietly, also shooting a glance at their Maestro. ¡°We go way back,¡± Lina added. ¡°Though-¡± She paused. Her tone had notably deflated, as she cast her now melancholic gaze towards Shouri. ¡°-we did kinda lose touch after we got out of school.¡± Effy set his bowl down. ¡°Been about three years now,¡± he chimed in. Pacifica could feel it from down the couch ¨C more of his past haunting him; though in this case it was now in his face and there wasn¡¯t anything he could do about it. ¡°Shouri¡¯s always been like that though! I¡¯m used to it.¡± Lina laughed heartily, right back to 100% sunshine. ¡°Nobody else saw the real him. He¡¯s quite the charmer when he wants to be,¡± she continued before taking up a spoonful of stew. ¡°Still is apparently,¡± Effy mumbled under his breath, leaning back in his chair. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Shouri asked. Lina frowned, mimicking her own Resonator in posture. ¡°We¡¯ve been out here for a couple of years. ¡®mika begged me to come with her to Canolapra while she works on her degree.¡± She shrugged. ¡°Didn¡¯t have anything better to do, and these farms are wicked good money when we need some.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± Shouri briefly considered how much he was willing to divulge. ¡°Got disowned,¡± he started, earning a small gasp from Lina. ¡°Picked up these two along the way.¡± He motioned to Pacifica and Rebecca. ¡°Now we¡¯re here.¡± And left it at that. ¡°Sounds like you¡¯ve had a heck of a time,¡± Lina commented. ¡°They don¡¯t tell you how easy it is to almost die out here,¡± Shouri spoke quietly. ¡°Oh stop it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious Lina.¡± Silence. Shouri glared at Lina, who returned it with a concerned frown. ¡°I get it,¡± she spoke quieter. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. You had nothing to do with any of it.¡± Another round of silence. Before things could get any more awkward, the employer of these two Maestros returned. ¡°Now that y''all are here and fed I suppose I should properly introduce myself and tell y''all what yer doing here tonight.¡± ¡°Yes, that would be wonderful,¡± Lina spoke up, thankful for the reprieve from the heavy atmosphere. ¡°Name¡¯s Sebastian and I¡¯ve run this farm here for thirty years now. Old dog out in the barn is Liam, he¡¯s basically your daytime counterpart, but he¡¯ll also pop up in the fields while you¡¯re working. Don¡¯t mind him, he¡¯s just married to the job.¡± ¡°So what exactly are we dealing with Mr. Sebastian?¡± Pacifica inquired. ¡°We get a lot of burrowing-type Scherzando here. They like digging holes and eating the crops. Think they¡¯re bein¡¯ cute. Problem is, when you go to stop them, they start bitin¡¯ somethin¡¯ fierce.¡± ¡°Any tips on dealing with them?¡± Rebecca asked. ¡°Well, that girl there is water.¡± He motioned to Pacifica. ¡°You can flush out their burrows real good with that.¡± The farmer noticed the little rhythm fox on Rebecca¡¯s lap. ¡°Seen a couple of people use that spell there to help flush ''em out too, though be careful about lighting my crops on fire, it¡¯ll come out of your bonus.¡± ¡°Noted,¡± Rebecca said quietly. ¡°Hmm, Effy¡¯s wind spells should work well too.¡± Lina nodded. ¡°What do you think Shouri?¡± She looked to him for confirmation. His line of sight was firmly away from the other Maestro, but he still addressed her verbally. ¡°It should work. If they¡¯re not damaged, they¡¯ll be shot out of the ground. Taika has the best spell accuracy out of our group, and she has Rilevare l''intenzione at Lento, so finding them should be quick and easy,¡± he stated as evenly as possible. Lina regarded the lunar fox with awe. ¡°Lento rank? Good job girl!¡± the brunette beamed. Taika flinched at the praise. ¡°Gr-grazie¡­¡± she squeaked. ¡°Well, it sounds like y''all have a plan on how to deal with them. I¡¯ll leave you to it. If you have any trouble, find Liam. That old dog will see you off once you¡¯re done,¡± Sebastian advised the group. With that, the group was left to fend for themselves. The group trudged out of the home, towards the endless lines of corn. Taika looked back to the little farmhouse as they walked towards the fields. The lights were slowly flicked off, only the porch light remaining lit. ¡°Early,¡± she noted. ¡°Hm?¡± Shouri turned his head to the lunar-fox. ¡°They¡¯re going to bed,¡± she pointed out. ¡°As far as I know farmers get up pretty early,¡± he offered. ¡°Makes sense.¡± The six-strong group gathered just before the ocean of corn started, huddled around Rebecca¡¯s rhythm fox who sat in the center, scratching its ear with its back paw. ¡°Dang, it¡¯s so dark out here,¡± Pacifica noted. ¡°Less light pollution when we¡¯re away from the city,¡± Lina added. ¡°So how are we doing this?¡± Effy asked. ¡°We can start with this.¡± Shouri drew Taika¡¯s black tuner from his side. ¡°Rilevare l''intenzione, Lento.¡± Taika closed her eyes, gently placing her outstretched index and middle fingers on her right temple. She felt a pulse radiate from her form, identifying her allies and then washing through the landscape. Once her scan was done, her eyes slowly opened. ¡°There¡¯s a lot out there.¡± Shouri was already reviewing the data on his tuner. ¡°Damn, but it looks like they¡¯re gathered together in little groups, so hopefully it shouldn¡¯t take us that long,¡± the Maestro noted, flicking around the map. ¡°Check your map app, it should be updated with the results of Taika¡¯s spell,¡± he told his counterpart. Lina scrambled to pull her tuner from her side to verify. ¡°Thanks,¡± she added. Sure enough, as Shouri had said, her map now had little red dots signaling where the Scherzando lay. ¡°I think our plan of attack should go something like this.¡± Shouri drew on his map, which also updated his counterpart¡¯s. ¡°So from the corner out.¡± Lina tilted her head studying the lines drawn. ¡°Like a zig-zag?¡± she questioned. ¡°Seems slow,¡± Efigenios noted. ¡°We¡¯ve had a couple of hunts now end poorly from getting surrounded. Not going to let that happen again,¡± he replied gruffly. Effy didn¡¯t appreciate the tone but kept his mouth shut, though only at Lina¡¯s non-verbal behest. ¡°Well Shouri, let¡¯s get started then,¡± the Maestro said with a grin. The group migrated to the corner of the fields and carefully began to trudge through the many stalks of corn to find their first target. It was easy enough as they could see some stalks starting to vanish into the ground. ¡°Where¡¯s the hole?¡± Rebecca questioned, mentally guiding her rhythm fox around to scan for the Scherzando burrow. ¡°EEEP!¡± Pacifica suddenly shrieked. Instinctively, Rebecca had the rhythm fox run to Pacifica to find out what happened. ¡°F-found it,¡± the otter spoke sheepishly, pulling her foot out of a deep hole she had inadvertently stepped in. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Kinda small,¡± Shouri noted. ¡°Yeah, these guys are usually small fries, but there¡¯s a lot of them,¡± Lina advised. ¡°Right right.¡± He considered his choice of Resonator for this first skirmish. ¡°Taika,¡± he decided, opting for the tuner he already had in hand. The lunar vixen nodded, wearing a determined glare ¨C nothing further needed to be said. However, there was the matter of how to get the beasts out of their burrow. An awkward glance was cast in Lina¡¯s direction. ¡°Could you¡­?¡± ¡°Of course! Let¡¯s do it Effy!¡± The brunette pulled her white tuner from her side, ready to go. ¡°Luce Lunare, Rubato,¡± Shouri called out. Taika braced herself, already forming a ball of lunar energy in each hand. ¡°Rubato? You trust them that much huh?¡± Lina whispered to herself with a knowing smile, before focusing on her tuner. Effy knelt near the hole, as practiced as a professional. ¡°Raffica Discendente, Moderato!¡± the solar Maestro called out. A strong downdraft was directed into the hole with expert precision. Rebecca noticed that the spell was so accurately cast, that the stalks of corn surrounding them didn¡¯t move, despite how powerful the solar spell was. These two had done this before; many times before ¨C that much was abundantly clear to the battle-trained fox. And as planned, only a couple of seconds later, a cluster of small bodies flew out of another spot in the cornfield; which Taika sniped from the air using her own Luce Lunare spells. Lina whistled. ¡°Damn girl, you have a hell of an arm,¡± the Maestro praised. Once more, Taika was caught off guard by a non-Shouri entity praising her. ¡°Gr-grazie¡­¡± ¡°Sotto. Rilevare l''intenzione, Presto,¡± Shouri cast. Repeating the detection spell once more, she felt only six presences in their immediate area. ¡°We got ¡®em all Sho.¡± Shouri nodded. ¡°Good. Let¡¯s move on to the next one, over here.¡± He pointed in a seemingly random direction, though that was only because they were surrounded by corn stalks with no actual landmarks to differentiate where they were going. ¡°Can I try Shouri?¡± Rebecca asked as they located the second hole. ¡°Oh?¡± He turned his attention to the current keeper of the light source for the group. ¡°Okay, so I could make a bunch of foxes and send them into the hole,¡± she spoke with a certain eagerness that was endearing. So much so, that Shouri managed to crack a smile. ¡°Sure, that sounds like a plan.¡± He swapped to holding Rebecca¡¯s tuner. Lina and Effy watched on with great interest. Despite knowing Amika, who had a fire Resonator, they hadn¡¯t seen the summon spell in action before. ¡°Famiglio Incendio, Presto Staccato ¨C let¡¯s start with five,¡± Shouri instructed. ¡°Righto!¡± Rebecca knelt and placed her hands on the ground. Five circles of red light surrounded her, and after a moment, her pack of rhythm beasts were six strong. The first one she summoned stayed by her side while the other five lined up in front of their master. ¡°Alright troops! Your mission, should you accept it, is to invade the enemy camp and annihilate their forces.¡± The fire Resonator was way too excited about having her own personal army. Pacifica tittered at how cute the whole performance was. Taika watched the small spectacle with indifference. And Shouri smiled warmly, happy Rebecca was having a good time. ¡°March!¡± the commanding fox-girl ordered. One by one, the little fire foxes jumped into the hole, until only the original summon remained on the surface. ¡°Give ¡®em hell!¡± A minute or two passed, with the hole lighting up from the fire spells doing their work. Rebecca remained on her knees, excitedly overlooking the hole with her one little rhythm beast that stayed by her side. The light in the hole would die down, and with it, the fox-girl¡¯s ears drooped. ¡°Uhhh Sho, can I send reinforcements?¡± the fire Resonator quietly requested. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Shouri chuckled. Another five rhythm beasts were formed and sent down into the trenches of underground warfare. ¡°Maybe two more for good measure.¡± Without waiting for her Maestro¡¯s approval, she created two more fire foxes and sent them down with their comrades. After a tense couple of minutes, four foxes returned to the surface from the supplementary seven that were sent down, giving Rebecca a small pack of five rhythm beasts. ¡°Has the enemy been destroyed?¡± One of the little foxes gave a nod. Rebecca jumped to her feet in triumph. ¡°Victory!¡± she declared joyously. The red tuner in Shouri¡¯s hand also beeped, indicating that the key spell responsible had unlocked a new level. ¡°Well, that was fun. Let¡¯s keep moving.¡± The third hole of the night, and this time Pacifica spoke up, ¡°Sho.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°I wanna take a shot at flushing them out.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± His eyes wandered towards Lina. Pacifica picked up on what Shouri was thinking, but hesitant to vocalize. The enabler that she was, she¡¯d be his voice. ¡°Hey, Lina!¡± Pacifica called to the other Maestro. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Can you have Effy pull sniper duty on them?¡± Lina looked at her Resonator. ¡°Effy?¡± The wolf-boy shrugged. ¡°Yeah yeah,¡± he acquiesced. Taking their positions, Shouri pulled Pacifica¡¯s blue tuner from his side. Before giving Pacifica his rhythm, however, he had an idea: ¡°Rebecca, can you spread your foxes out so they have some good light,¡± Shouri suggested. ¡°Oh, good idea.¡± Rebecca motioned to her gaggle of rhythm beasts that crowded around her. Four of them took off into the fields, illuminating them for the non-lunars to be able to see. ¡°Thanks, Sho.¡± Pacifica smiled warmly. Her mental preparations completed, she knelt by the hole. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡± The otter nodded. ¡°L''onda di tempesta, Accelerando,¡± Shouri ordered. ¡°Luce del Sole, Piano Staccato,¡± Lina commanded of her Resonator. Effy¡¯s hands began to glow with a white light, as he held a spell in each hand, ready to launch at a moment¡¯s notice. Rebecca noticed the stance the wolf was in. ¡°Slashing,¡± she muttered. ¡°Hm?¡± Taika glanced over at her fellow fox. ¡°That stance he¡¯s in, it¡¯s one Slashing attribute Resonators use for spell casting. Kinda like the one you use when throwing your Luce Lunare,¡± Rebecca explained. ¡°Ohhh.¡± Taika was impressed by that bit of knowledge from the fire Resonator. Pacifica meanwhile focused herself. She had a much narrower space to cast the spell in, and she didn¡¯t want to damage the earth around them any more than the Scherzando had already done. Holding the spell in though was beginning to take its toll and she placed her hands on the inside edges of the burrow, focusing on exerting as much force as possible, while not just drilling through the earth. A river of water burst from underneath her hands, violently blasting through the tunnel system the burrowing Scherzando had created. Sure enough, not a minute later, a fountain of water erupted from another part of the field, scattering the small Scherzando that had previously been underground. Effy grunted as he swiped his arms back and forth, letting loose blades of light from his hands that easily sliced through the falling Scherzando like a knife through warm butter. Rebecca and Taika clapped at the display. Efigenios ignored them (he didn¡¯t notice his tail wagging). The rest of the night went on in typical fashion with the group trading off who was evacuating Scherzando burrows and who was playing the role of sniper. The farm was massive, however, and it took them into the early hours of the morning to finish. ¡°What the fuck?¡± Shouri collapsed to the ground. He glared eastward, where the veil of night was starting to slowly give way to the might of the rising sun. Pacifica sat down next to her Maestro, wiping some sweat from her brow. ¡°Is it always like this?¡± She looked to the two who lived in the area. ¡°Usually.¡± Lina nodded. ¡°Yeah,¡± Effy added with a sharp exhale. ¡°You¡¯re still here?¡± a gruff voice asked. The exhausted group turned their attention to the owner of the seventh voice ¨C it was the guard dog, Liam. As he was when they met him earlier, he was still just as intimidating in both size and demeanor. Though, Lina and Effy didn¡¯t seem to regard his intense aura in any meaningful way. ¡°We were having such a good time that we lost track of it!¡± Lina giggled, as bright as the sun that was just about to rise. ¡°There was a lot tonight,¡± Efigenios observed. Liam grunted, shifting his gaze towards the swaying crops nearby. ¡°Can¡¯t be everywhere at once,¡± he grumbled quietly. He sniffed the air, adjusting his jaw as he continued to observe the corn dancing in the breeze. ¡°You did good tonight,¡± he added, his voice remaining low. ¡°You can go.¡± Pacifica and Rebecca shot a look at each other, sensing there was something more, but failed to find the courage to pry. Weak-willed Shouri however didn¡¯t need to be told twice; he got up and helped Pacifica to her feet. Dusting himself off, he turned and started walking away with his Resonators in tow. Lina tilted her head, looking back at the stoic Liam, before running to follow Shouri. ¡°Have a good one,¡± Effy said giving a short, parting nod to the large dog-man before following his Maestro.
¡°Shouriiiiii! Wait up!¡± Lina called out to the other Maestro. Said Maestro flinched, stopping in place, but only to decide whether they could get away with another wacky chase. Unfortunately for him, he spent too long considering it, allowing his pursuer to catch up. ¡°Whew! You¡¯ve gotten faster since we were kids!¡± she wheezed, though still keeping her smile. Straightening out her back, she addressed her fellow Maestro. ¡°That was a blast! It was so good hanging out with you again.¡± She was so pure and genuine with her words; it made Shouri almost a little ill. ¡°We should hang out again!¡± And there it was, what he had been dreading she would suggest. ¡°Amika and Leo want to see you too,¡± the solar Maestro added. ¡°I¡¯m well aware of that,¡± he grumbled, crossing his arms and shrinking a bit. Pacifica and Taika both ended up placing a hand on their Maestro¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We¡¯d love to,¡± Pacifica spoke up. ¡°Can you give us some time though?¡± Taika asked. ¡°He¡¯s been through a lot lately,¡± Rebecca chimed in. Lina was taken aback by the three girls suddenly speaking up on behalf of their Maestro. The corners of her lips slowly rose. ¡°Sure!¡± She exclaimed. ¡°At your own pace.¡± With that, Lina and Effy departed down the dusty road back to the hunter base camp. ¡°You okay Sho?¡± Pacifica surveyed her Maestro. He still held himself but slowly nodded. ¡°What¡¯s your deal with her anyways?¡± Rebecca decided to just tear the bandage off this time. He drew in a breath, hesitant to even say what was eating him up. Lying wasn¡¯t an option ¨C they were too good to him and didn¡¯t deserve that. But he knew they were not going like what he was about to say. ¡°Lina¡­ she¡¯s technically still my girlfriend.¡± Chapter 53 clack clack clack clack clack The incessant tapping of fingernails gliding over plastic-capped keyboard keys was what drew Taika from her slumber on this Saturday afternoon. The room was dark, save for the glow from Pacifica¡¯s computer monitors. The owner in question being the source of the clacking. Taika¡¯s ears twitched; Pacifica had her headphones on and was listening to some music, loudly. Rebecca and Shouri weren¡¯t present, presumably still sleeping in the other two guest rooms. Not etuding overnight with their Maestro certainly affected her energy level. Taika was finding it quite difficult to find the strength to get out of bed today. However, that might also be due in part to the bombshell he had dropped on them at the end of their last job. Closing her eyes, the events of the morning played on a slow loop in Taika¡¯s head.
¡°G-girlfriend?¡± Taika¡¯s heart sank instantly upon Shouri¡¯s revelation of his relationship with Lina. ¡°W-w-wait! That doesn¡¯t make any fucking sense!¡± Rebecca shouted. ¡°She said you haven¡¯t been in contact since you got out of school!¡± the fire Resonator barked. ¡°That was-¡± Pacifica paused to do some mental math. ¡°-three years ago?¡± Shouri hung his head shamefully but nodded in the affirmative to Pacifica¡¯s inquiry. ¡°We dated while we were in school, but never actually broke up.¡± ¡°You ghosted her?!¡± Pacifica gasped. She could sense the extreme shame and guilt practically dripping from her Maestro, but still found herself shocked nonetheless. ¡°Girlfriend?¡± Taika asked again with a sad whimper. The Maestro remained quiet, refusing to face his three clearly jealous Resonators. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it,¡± he mumbled. Taika stepped forward and extended her hand out to her precious Maestro ¨C she was his willpower, perhaps she could- SMACK Her eyes widened. He had taken a firm hold of her wrist. ¡°No,¡± he whispered. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to interfere.¡± Taika trembled slightly, failing to understand. ¡°I¡¯m slime,¡± he spoke with a breath. ¡°And I need to feel this way.¡± Pacifica shook her head. She too approached her Maestro, reaching out to start an etude. ¡°No, Sho, that¡¯s not right you-¡± Releasing Taika¡¯s wrist, he stepped backward, dodging the otter girl¡¯s advance. ¡°No!¡± he spoke more firmly this time, halting her. ¡°Let me feel this. Don¡¯t-¡± A pause, and a withdrawal. ¡°-just don¡¯t.¡± He refused to look at them. Turning, he began to walk. The three concerned Resonators could do nothing but offer each other baffled looks before quietly heeding their Maestro¡¯s orders and following at a small distance. Even on the bus ride back, Shouri kept a seat to himself, while Taika, Pacifica, and Rebecca all shared a seat in absolute silence. They had no idea what to do. Even the situation regarding his past with Mila didn¡¯t prepare them for this. It was confusing, weird, and just plain uncomfortable. But what concerned the three Resonators the most was: how did he feel about Lina? The silence persisted all the way to their stop. Once the bus came to a halt they disembarked without a single word to one another, walking into the gated community and down to Pacifica¡¯s parents¡¯ house. It was roughly around seven or eight in the morning. Priscilla spotted the group entering the house but kept her mouth firmly shut as Shouri whipped by her. She kept her head down, focusing on making her morning coffee as the three Resonator girls passed by. It wasn¡¯t a metaphorical cloud hanging over them, but a whole damn hurricane with how turbulent the group¡¯s emotional state was. It threw the senior Maestro for a loop. What happened out there? By the time the three Resonators reached the bend in the hallway, the right-side guest bedroom was already shut and occupied. Rebecca moved before her two counterparts, taking the second guest bedroom for herself, with a firm shutting of the door. ¡°Come on Taika, you can use my room,¡± Pacifica mumbled. Even her optimism had breaking points, which only served to further dishearten the lunar fox.
Gradually, Taika returned to the waking world once more. However, this time she found herself alone in Pacifica¡¯s room. She couldn¡¯t even really tell what time it was thanks to the amazingly effective blackout curtains. She sat up, her body aching from her extended time in bed. No effort was made to stretch her sore muscles and joints ¨C she just felt terrible all around. Sliding out of bed, she left the confines of the bedroom and found the other two guest rooms were still locked tight. The television was on in Shouri¡¯s room, and she could hear the faint sound of his breath. He was probably asleep, utilizing the TV as white noise. From Rebecca¡¯s room, Taika could hear movement. Steps and small grunts, air being moved and displaced. It took a good minute or two of listening for the lunar elemental to figure out what her fire counterpart was doing. Exercise, specifically physical combat drills. Punches, kicks, and the like. Taika had a certain familiarity with that kind of training. All it did was bring back some phantom pains for her, so she departed the hallway to find her otter friend. Instead, she ran into the elder otter of the house. ¡°Ah, Mister Jack.¡± Taika gasped, almost running square into the man as he left his bedroom. ¡°Permesso,¡± she apologized with a short bow before scuttling around him. ¡°Wait, Taika was it?¡± he spoke up, stopping the fox in her place. ¡°Yeah,¡± she hesitantly replied, turning back. ¡°Is¡­ everything alright?¡± Taika considered just dropping the usual ¡°yeah, everything¡¯s fine¡± line and darting away, but she knew the man was only worried about his daughter. ¡°Not really.¡± Jack nodded, already suspecting that. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought,¡± he spoke quietly. ¡°She tries to hide it, but my little pup is hurting badly. What happened?¡± Taika¡¯s expression hardened, eyes darting to the side of their sockets as she avoided his pleading gaze. ¡°We learned something we don¡¯t like,¡± she finally found the words. ¡°I don¡¯t want to say anything else,¡± the lunar followed at a mutter. The elder otter sighed. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought,¡± he repeated, lower. ¡°Go, my little pup needs her friends right now. It doesn¡¯t seem like it, but she¡¯s very sensitive,¡± the man urged Taika along. The lunar fox remained rooted in place for a moment, mulling over the elder Resonator¡¯s words. Hesitantly, she turned and resumed her trek to the living room. Pacifica lay on the couch, the television remote resting in front of her. A hand rested atop the device, occasionally applying pressure to the channel up key. Taika approached the couch at a slow pace. ¡°Paci,¡± she finally spoke. The otter-girl rose with a start, shedding some tears as she did so. ¡°T-taika.¡± Quickly, she rubbed her face with her forearm. ¡°Wanna watch TV with me?¡± she asked quietly, trying to hide the grief in her voice. With a nod, Taika sat next to her friend. They remained in silence, the uncaring television playing a local news story. ¡°What do we do?¡± Taika braved asking. ¡°I dunno,¡± Pacifica replied. More silence. ¡°I wanna talk to him,¡± Pacifica spoke up again. ¡°I want to understand what he¡¯s feeling and why,¡± she trailed off, lowering her head. ¡°But he won¡¯t talk to us.¡± Another pause. Pacifica ground her fists against her temples. ¡°Why am I so stupid?!¡± she suddenly hissed. ¡°Che?¡± Taika was confused. ¡°I should have realized he had something more going on sooner. Stupid! Stupid!¡± the otter girl berated herself. Taika didn¡¯t know what to say and just let her friend continue to admonish herself. ¡°I feel like an idiot accepting Lina¡¯s offer like that!¡± Finally, the fox had enough. She reached over and turned the other girl towards her. ¡°Ma dai, non sei stupido,¡± she spoke with a glare on her face. Pacifica blinked, pushing the tears down her face. ¡°None of us were his Resonator at the time, we¡¯ve only known him for like two months.¡± Taika maintained her glower. ¡°Stuff about his past is gonna come up. We¡¯re just gonna have to deal with it.¡± Her grip around her friend¡¯s shoulders tightened. ¡°Even if we don¡¯t like it,¡± she spoke through her teeth Pacifica digested those words. The unease in her heart didn¡¯t fade, but her self-doubt about her actions slowly disappeared. ¡°Taika¡­¡± Pacifica pulled the fox girl into a hug, earning a squeak from her as the otter laid down with her friend still in her grasp. ¡°P-paci?¡± Taika gasped out in surprise. ¡°Just let me hold you¡­ for etude.¡± Pacifica briefly pondered how believable that was but ended up just rolling with it. ¡°Yeah,¡± she breathed out, holding Taika¡¯s head just under her own chin and stroking the other girl¡¯s hair. ¡°P-paci¡­¡± Taika gulped, submitting to her friend¡¯s whims. Slowly her eyelids began to droop. She had just woken up, why was she so tired then? No, she wasn¡¯t tired, just¡­ relaxed.
¡°Paci¡­¡± ¡°Taika¡­¡± Everything was so hazy. Atop a flower-covered hill crowned by a single large tree, a pair of animal-eared girls found themselves. Under the tree an otter girl and her fox-girl companion lay in each other¡¯s embrace. ¡°I¡¯m so glad I met you.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± The rays of the bright yellow sun rained down upon them, covering them in a gentle warmth that made the idea of moving an alien concept. Pacifica wrapped herself around the smaller Taika, who giggled in sheer bliss, running her hands around the otter girl¡¯s vest to touch the bare of her back. Neither cared how long they lay there. They both felt heavenly, pure unadulterated joy; perhaps even pleasure. Pacifica slowly opened her eyes, her lips slowly descending. The bright yellow orb of light that warmed them to their cores began to shrink. It was gradual, but it was apparent that the phenomenon was not a trick of the eyes. ¡°Taika?¡± Pacifica sat up. ¡°Mmrgh¡­ Paci?¡± The fox girl sat up. Her attention turned to the orb in the sky which Pacifica was pointing to. ¡°What¡¯s happening?!¡± Taika clung to her dear friend. At that distressed shout, dark clouds began to move, bringing a harsh, bone-chilling wind. The two girls uttered a cry in surprise, holding one another tighter. The gusts began to grow in strength and intensity to coincide with the rapidly darkening of the sky above until finally the pair was lifted off the ground. ¡°TAIKA!¡± ¡°PACI DON¡¯T LET GO!¡±
THUD! ¡°Owie¡­¡± Pacifica whined, rubbing the back of her head which had been introduced to the hardwood floor by gravity. Her attention though was diverted to the fox-girl whose face was planted firmly on her chest. ¡°T-taika wake up,¡± Pacifica urged; face flushed. ¡°Should I uh, come back after your¡­ etude?¡± a tired voice asked. ¡°Rebby! No! We just- EEP!¡± Pacifica squealed as Taika tightened her grip and nuzzled her face into the soft warmth below her. ¡°Get off!¡± The otter pushed the clingy fox off her to address the other snide fox in the room. ¡°Buongiorno Paci, cuore mio¡­¡± the lunar fox said with a groggy smile on her face, tail slowly swishing behind her. Pacifica¡¯s reddened face only intensified in shade as the vixen¡¯s affections, but in a strange twist, she could feel¡­ jealousy, from Rebecca? Speaking of, Rebecca shook her head, focusing herself by averting her gaze from the flirty fox and otter. ¡°Shouri¡¯s gone.¡± If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°WHAT!?!¡± Rebecca flinched, ears folding back. ¡°As in he¡¯s not here,¡± she retorted sarcastically. ¡°Where did he go?!¡± Taika scrambled to her feet. ¡°You think I know? I just woke up from a nap and couldn¡¯t hear him anymore!¡± ¡°You were closest to him, why didn¡¯t you keep a better watch?!¡± ¡°How is this my fault?!¡± ¡°GIRLS!¡± Pacifica shouted over the pair of angry vixens, causing them to jump from the sudden booming volume of the otter¡¯s voice. ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± she barked, thoroughly silencing the two. ¡°Our Maestro is missing; this is no time to be at each other¡¯s throats.¡± The otter girl rose to her feet, standing over her counterparts. ¡°We were all asleep, so either we¡¯re all to blame or none of us,¡± she kept her voice firm, trying to establish some sort of authoritative presence over the two catty foxes. When the two shirked back and averted their gazes, Pacifica sighed in relief. They would listen to her, at least for now. Taking in a deep breath, Pacifica tried to think through it logically. It wasn¡¯t her strong suit by any means, but she was Shouri¡¯s Resonator ¨C this was a matter of pride. ¡°Let¡¯s check the guest room,¡± she calmly decided after some thought. ¡°Why?¡± Rebecca tilted her head. ¡°There might be a clue or something that will tell us what happened,¡± Pacifica reasoned out. ¡°That makes sense to me.¡± Taika nodded in agreement. The trio quickly made their way to the guest bedroom Shouri had been sleeping in. Without an ounce of hesitation, Pacifica stepped in first; Taika and Rebecca stood outside by the door. The blankets and one of the pillows lay on the ground, the television continued playing mid-day dramas at a low volume. The curtains had been drawn shut, and while they weren¡¯t black-out curtains like in Pacifica¡¯s room, they still blocked a significant amount of the outside light that normally shone through the tall windows. Next to the bed, a nightstand proudly sat, with a little lamp and an alarm clock, along with a pair of tuners: one red, one blue. ¡°Huh.¡± Pacifica picked up her tuner from the nightstand, then Rebecca¡¯s. ¡°What is it?¡± Rebecca decided to brave stepping into the room. Once more her eyes were drawn to the various awards and trophies proudly displayed in their cases, but there wasn¡¯t any time to be distracted by that. ¡°Only our tuners are here. Not Taika¡¯s.¡± Pacifica and Rebecca looked at the lunar element. The lunar Resonator in question lowered her head, brows knitted. ¡°Now that you mention it-¡± she hummed, gently biting her bottom lip, ¡°-I¡¯ve been feeling a tug on my rhythm since we woke up.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Pacifica questioned. ¡°Well, it¡¯s like-¡± she paused; mouth open. It snapped shut after a moment of thought. ¡°Hrmmm¡­¡± the vixen hummed, folding her arms across her chest. ¡°He¡¯s pulling on my willpower,¡± she spoke, unsure of how exactly to convey the odd sensation. ¡°Oh!¡± Rebecca suddenly exclaimed. ¡°He¡¯s using the tuner to etude.¡± She understood the idea. ¡°So he can have the strength of will to do whatever it is he¡¯s up to.¡± Pacifica lit up. ¡°Rebby you¡¯re a genius!¡± ¡°Stop, my weak stave is knowledge,¡± the fire Resonator chuckled. ¡°He didn¡¯t abandon us,¡± Taika sighed in relief. ¡°Not in the traditional sense,¡± Rebecca huffed. ¡°Oh, stop it,¡± Pacifica chided the fire-fox, whilst wagging a disapproving finger at her. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t abandon us,¡± Taika asserted in Rebecca¡¯s direction. ¡°Unless he had a good reason,¡± Rebecca grumbled. ¡°Rebby!¡± Pacifica barked. The fire fox hugged herself tightly. ¡°Sorry,¡± she mumbled, ears folded back, tail wrapped around her legs. Taika huffed and refused to acknowledge the other fox. Pacifica quietly sighed. ¡°We need to work together. Our Maestro is who knows where and is defenseless,¡± the otter attempted to rally the other girls. ¡°Despite being the plan guy, this sure was a stupid decision on his part,¡± she commented offhandedly. Rebecca exhaled sharply through her nostrils, glancing around uneasily. ¡°What the heck do we even do?¡± she asked quietly. ¡°That¡¯s where I¡¯m stuck. Sho¡¯s the plan guy.¡± Pacifica¡¯s brows drew together, her line of sight cast towards the ground as if the answer was written there. ¡°Why?¡± Pacifica and Rebecca looked at the Lunar fox. ¡°Why what?¡± Rebecca questioned. ¡°Why did he leave?¡± There was a moment of silence as the gears turned. Suddenly, Pacifica began to chuckle. ¡°Why am I the stupid one? Taika, you¡¯re a genius!¡± the otter triumphantly cried out. ¡°Che?¡± Taika tilted her head. ¡°If we can figure out why he¡¯s gone, then it¡¯ll be easier to find out where he¡¯s going,¡± the otter reasoned out. ¡°Oh! That¡¯s a good point!¡± Rebecca exclaimed Taika frowned, bringing a balled-up fist to her lips. ¡°But why did he leave?¡± she repeated her question. Rebecca shrugged. ¡°Well, that¡¯s easy ¨C it has to do with that Lina chick, right?¡± ¡°You think so?¡± Taika questioned. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? The only reason we were all in separate rooms was because of that bombshell he dropped on us this morning,¡± the fire fox replied. Pacifica slowly took in the information being passed between the pair of foxes, her eyes on the tuner in hand. As she focused on the tuner, the conversation her friends were having began to become muffled, white noise even. With the device in sleep mode, she could see the screen was polished to a shine, which usually ended up getting marred by her fingerprints whenever she took possession of it. She never noticed until now, but Shouri must clean them frequently. With a small shake, the device was pulled from its power-saving mode, displaying a default menu screen. Blankly staring at the screen, Pacifica¡¯s eyes rested on a particular option. ¡°Apps on linked Tuners¡± She must have read those four words about twenty or so times before the flicker of an idea came to mind. Tapping that button brought up two options Taika Rebecca ¡°Huh?¡± Pacifica tapped the Taika option and a couple more applications invaded the screen. Specifically, a text messaging app and a map app. Without really thinking, she tapped the text messages, and it immediately brought up a conversation between Shouri and¡­ ¡°Lina,¡± Pacifica breathed out. By this point, Taika and Rebecca had ceased their conversation and looked to the tuner-wielding otter. Me: ¡°Lina?¡± 1:45 PM Lina: ¡°Shouri! I¡¯m surprised you remembered my number! What¡¯s up?¡± 1:45 PM Me: ¡°Where are you staying currently?¡± 1:47 PM Lina: ¡°Downtown Canolapra, we¡¯re at the Harcourt Tower Apartments.¡± 1:47 PM Me: ¡°I¡¯m coming up there.¡± 1:57 PM Lina: ¡°Not that I don¡¯t want to see you again, but why so suddenly?¡± 1:59 PM Me: ¡°We need to talk, and I want to do it in person.¡± 2:10 PM Lina: ¡°I understand.¡± 2:10 PM Lina: ¡°Let me know when you¡¯re here, I¡¯ll come down.¡± 2:11 PM Pacifica shook her head, swiping the app away. She felt like absolute slime for reading her Maestro¡¯s private texts without his consent. ¡°He went to go see Lina.¡± What¡¯s done was done, but it didn¡¯t ease the unrest in her heart. ¡°We-¡± Rebecca paused, licking her lips nervously. ¡°-were right then?¡± The fire fox gulped hard, balling up her fists tightly. ¡°Y-yeah.¡± Pacifica slowly nodded, her free hand finding its way to her gut. She backed up and sat on the bed behind her. Silence. Both Rebecca and Pacifica had no reason to feel the way they did - they were just his Resonators, right? There wasn¡¯t anything special they could do for him, right? They couldn¡¯t be more to him¡­ Right? ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Taika spoke up, the others raising their heads. ¡°What?¡± Pacifica finally got out. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go to him. He¡¯s going to need us,¡± the lunar urged. ¡°But-¡± Rebecca gritted her teeth. It was so strange, Taika felt no despair, no defeat, no hopelessness. The way her eyes glowed fiery blue ¨C she was determined. Nothing was going to keep her away from her Maestro, that much was made abundantly clear to Rebecca and Pacifica.
The bus ride to the apartments their Maestro had gone to was quiet. The three girls shared a seat, with Pacifica separating Rebecca and Taika as usual. Though perhaps this was an unneeded gesture on the otter¡¯s part as all three of them were hopelessly lost in thought. Why did their Maestro go out of the way to do this? Alone at that. It hadn¡¯t even dawned on them that they were even allowed on the bus without a Maestro. No one batted an eye since the funds were just taken out of the tuners that were in Rebecca and Pacifica¡¯s possession. Sometime during the trip, a thunderstorm had moved into the area, assaulting the bus with a torrential downpour of rain. Taika let out a fearful squeak as a clap of thunder shook the bus slightly. All the more reason to keep her head down and lose herself in her thoughts. ¡°Now stopping at Harcourt Tower.¡± Pacifica snapped to at that moment; the name of the building in Shouri¡¯s private text messages seared into her mind out of a sense of culpability. ¡°Wait!¡± she shouted as she bolted up from her seat. ¡°This is my stop!¡± she barked at the driver. The otter roused her companions out of their ruminations. The trio shuffled out of the seat and began walking towards the open door at the front of the bus. The rain pounded the vehicle hard being carried by a strong wind that made even the large bus sway slightly. With this severe weather, naturally, there weren¡¯t any pedestrians out and about. That was¡­ ¡­except him. As soon as the trio of girls spotted that familiar green jacket through the bus windows, they rushed off without any thought about what they would be subjecting themselves to. Instantly all three Resonators were totally soaked; however, that didn¡¯t matter - because Shouri stood there alone in the rain, just as drenched as they were. ¡°Sho!¡± Only the trio of worried voices snapped him out of his daze. For a moment, he stood in silent shock that they were there. ¡°How did you find me?¡± he asked, voice cracking. Pacifica instantly was stabbed by a stake of guilt. ¡°I read your texts, I¡¯m so sorry.¡± The otter threw herself onto the sword of admission. ¡°Paci.¡± Shouri lowered his head ¨C she could feel the guilt radiating from him. It was a dangerous feedback loop where they dragged one another further into despair simply by co-existing. ¡°Sho I-¡± Pacifica tried to say something but- ¡°I broke up with her,¡± he cut her off at the pass. For just a moment, they stood in silence, the uncaring rain continuing to mercilessly pound them. ¡°Wha-?¡± ¡°I came here to talk to her; put these demons to bed. I made a mess of my life up until now by running away from things. I wanted to at least do this under my own power.¡± It was a bit of a white lie, as his fingers continuously caressed the black tuner at his waist. ¡°She figured we had broken up after I ghosted her but appreciated the gesture.¡± Pacifica was taken aback for a moment before she warmed to a smile. ¡°You did good Sho.¡± He pushed his soaked bangs back, looking the otter girl in the eyes for the first time since the conversation started. ¡°Thanks.¡± Though their happy reunion was thrown upon the rocks of hardship: ¡°Sho! Something¡¯s wrong with Rebecca!¡± Taika suddenly cried out, as she held her fellow fox up. Rebecca had gone limp, her face devoid of color, and labored breathing. Shouri realized what was happening in an instant and it caused his blood to run cold and his heart ache with fear. ¡°Come on, pull her into the lobby ¨C Pacifica, call your mom!¡± Taika and Pacifica didn¡¯t think, they just acted on their Maestro¡¯s orders. Chapter 54 Cold¡­ So cold¡­ Can¡¯t breathe¡­ Am I¡­ going to die? Sho¡­ I don¡¯t want to die¡­ Please¡­ ¡­help me¡­ Red eyes slowly opened to a cold world. It was dark. Dark and cold. Was she dead? Was this hell? Twitch twitch Her ears instinctively flicked as warm air gently passed over them. In fact, it felt as if there were two streams of intermittent wind just above her head. Sniff sniff Wait, this scent was familiar. There was a person in front of her. Shouri. This was Shouri¡¯s scent. He was holding her. His arms were wrapped around her head as he pushed her head into his chest. That accounted for the first set of arms; now that she was becoming more aware of her situation, she felt a second set of arms, wrapped around her stomach. Incidentally, whoever owned these arms had moved her shirt out of the way, so their hands were resting on her bare stomach. Moving her feet around she finally felt something soft, long, covered in fine, short hair¡­ an otter¡¯s tail! It was Pacifica! That bit of discovery out of the way, Rebecca let out a sharp exhale. She was cocooned by Shouri and Pacifica, a thick comforter laid over the top of them. She was in her soft silky pajamas (now when did that happen?) All in all, it was quite comfy for the fire Resonator. She smiled blissfully, unaware (or caring) that her tail had begun to wag. Both Pacifica and Shouri were so nice and warm, comfy and cozy. She stopped fretting about how she got into this situation and drifted back to sleep. It was so cold¡­ So terribly cold¡­ But There were two pairs of hands, each pair wrapped around one of her own, pulling her from the depths. These hands were warm, gentle, and caring. All the way to the surface they pulled her. Once more Rebecca was awake, taking in a life-giving breath. ¡°Rebby?¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± Pacifica and Shouri. It was still dark, wherever they were. But at least it was warm. The two warm bodies eased their grip over her, to give her some room. ¡°Where are we?¡± Rebecca asked. She felt stiff, very stiff. Her back ached with a dull pain, and it felt like her legs had atrophied to the point of uselessness. ¡°My room,¡± Pacifica replied. She sat up and groaned a bit, the bed moved in such a way that it was obvious the otter was also stiff and trying to alleviate that discomfort with some stretching. ¡°How did we get here?¡± Rebecca attempted to push herself up but found she just didn¡¯t have the strength to do so. ¡°Come here, Rebecca.¡± The fox squeaked as she was pulled up and leaned against Shouri, resting against the headboard of the bed. ¡°You got Re-kindling illness,¡± he told her gently. ¡°What?¡± Rather than surprise, dread, or fear, the fire Resonator was simply confused. ¡°Ah, your previous Maestros never let you near water,¡± Shouri noted. ¡°Not really.¡± Rebecca¡¯s ears folded back. She curled up a bit, resting her head on his chest. ¡°I got tons of combat training, but until Lyle, my previous owners were very careful with me.¡± There was a weight of pain in those words. ¡°Sorry.¡± The guilt from Shouri¡¯s lips was palpable. Rebecca balled up a bit of Shouri¡¯s shirt with her fists, trembling. ¡°Don¡¯t be. I hated it.¡± Shouri gently stroked her hair. ¡°Re-kindling illness is a rhythm disease only fire Resonators can catch. It¡¯s when your internal fire gets snuffed out from over-exposure to water,¡± he explained. ¡°Oh yeah¡­ we were in the rain.¡± It was all coming back to her now. ¡°We went to those apartments, and I remember you said you broke up with that Lina chick.¡± She paused, continuing to play back what had happened. ¡°When you said that I relaxed and then suddenly it all went black.¡± The vixen¡¯s eyes slowly began to close again. She really liked him stroking her hair like this. ¡°Sho¡­¡± she cooed. ¡°Don¡¯t fall back asleep yet. You need to eat something.¡± Shouri¡¯s voice snapped her out of her attempt to sleep on him. ¡°I¡¯ll go grab the soup Taika¡¯s been working on,¡± Pacifica offered, scooting off the bed. The dark room was finally illuminated by the hallway light filtering in through the open door as Pacifica made her exit. Drip drip Rebecca felt drops hit her head. ¡°Huh?¡± She looked up to find Shouri crying. ¡°Sh-sho?¡± Her usual rhythmic sense was dulled, probably due in part to her current affliction. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry Rebecca,¡± he whimpered. ¡°I-it¡¯s okay, we chased after you we should have-¡± He curled up around her, holding her tightly and trembling. ¡°N-no¡­¡± His voice cracked. ¡°When you collapsed, I kept thinking about Mila.¡± Rebecca didn¡¯t know exactly how to feel about that, but he continued: ¡°That¡¯s not right. It¡¯s not healthy. You¡¯re not her, you¡¯re you and you¡¯re special,¡± the Maestro managed to get out. And suddenly Rebecca¡¯s face was very red. Such a strong emotion hit her like a sack of bricks, even in her compromised state. His words were so genuine it made her heart ache, feeling his pain as her own. ¡°Sho, it¡¯s okay,¡± Rebecca whispered. Mustering up what little strength she had, she wrapped her arms around his chest and held him tightly. ¡°I know you care about me, us. You¡¯re not like other Maestros, you¡¯re special.¡± At that point, Shouri finally fully broke down, sobbing loudly and holding Rebecca tightly. She smiled and consoled him, refusing to release him as well. This wasn¡¯t anything she ever had expected to experience but having someone care about you as a person so much they could be driven to the point of tears. It was nice.
Click! The lights were flicked on, causing Rebecca to wince slightly as her eyes had been long adjusted to the darkness. Shouri¡¯s other two Resonators stood at the door, Taika holding a steaming bowl between her gloved hands. ¡°Soups up!¡± Pacifica cheerfully announced. Rebecca stared through narrowed eyes at the otter. There¡¯s no way she didn¡¯t feel that emotional rollercoaster that just happened. Though thinking it through, Pacifica probably waited until Shouri had calmed down for the most part before bursting into the room. Reaching behind her bed, Pacifica produced a little table, which was seated over Rebecca¡¯s lap. Taika silently set the bowl down and walked out of the room. Rebecca stared at the soup for a moment, before she noticed Shouri attempting to scoot out of bed. She reached out and grabbed his shirt. ¡°Sho,¡± she whimpered. ¡°I¡¯m just going to the bathroom, I¡¯ll be right back, I promise.¡± That was enough to make the vixen smile. She released him, allowing him to go off to take care of business. In the interim, Pacifica pushed her cart-mounted TV to the foot of the bed. The otter plopped onto the bed next to the sick fox, flicking on the television with its bound remote. ¡°Whatcha wanna watch?¡± Rebecca¡¯s ears folded back as she lowered her head. Nobody ever cared for her like this. It was overwhelming. ¡°I dunno. Pick something.¡± She mumbled. It was at this point the aroma of the soup hit her. What was it? Looking down she saw a bowl of red something. It wasn¡¯t thick like a tomato-based soup, nor was it a stew. It just seemed like a broth. A spoon had been provided, which she scooped up and cradled between her fingers. Dipping the utensil into the liquid she gave it a quick stir. Slivers of finely cooked onion surfaced, along with a cloud of something suspended within the liquid. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. For her, scalding hot soup was the optimal temperature. She had heard from her non-fire contemporaries that consuming boiling liquids hurt their tongues and mouths, leaving them sore for days. But when you were fire, such trifling afflictions like burns were reserved for only the most extreme temperatures. She took a spoonful of the broth and gently brought it to her lips, sipping it. Her eyes widened. This was delicious! Swallowing the small bit of liquid felt like taking in a drip of fire down her throat, and into her stomach. The afterburn too was incredible. It was everything she wanted right now, and she hadn¡¯t realized it until she had taken that first sip. The poor spoon would only have its singular use, as Rebecca picked up the bowl and excitedly downed the entire thing without taking a breath. ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad you have an appetite.¡± Shouri chuckled, having returned to the room at some point. Rebecca slowly lowered the bowl from her now entirely beet-red face, trying to minimize her chewing of the remaining onions. Shouri sat on the edge of the bed next to the two Resonators. ¡°She was the most worried about you,¡± Pacifica revealed. Rebecca couldn¡¯t believe that. Taika, worried about her? ¡°I just put her to bed in the other room. She hasn¡¯t slept since we got back,¡± Shouri added. ¡°What?¡± Rebecca raised a brow. ¡°You¡¯ve been out since Saturday night,¡± he told her. ¡°Wait¡­ Sho, what¡¯s today?¡± ¡°Monday.¡± ¡°Monday night,¡± Pacifica added in. ¡°She¡¯s been up for two days?¡± Rebecca questioned, still trying to piece all of this together. Shouri chuckled. ¡°Yeah, and honestly the only way I would have been able to make her sleep is with the red button, and even then, I think her stubborn will would have kept her going for a little bit.¡± It just seemed so odd, why did Taika go so far for her? ¡°What was she even doing?¡± Shouri and Pacifica both pointed to the empty bowl where the spicy residue left over remained. ¡°When we got back and dried you off, she wanted to heal you with her spells, but there is no spell that does that,¡± Shouri revealed. ¡°It almost seemed like to me that she took it personally,¡± Pacifica noted. ¡°Mom had some books on caring for fire Resonators, so she took to it.¡± ¡°For me?¡± Rebecca¡¯s gaze drifted down to the empty bowl. ¡°She¡¯s been experimenting with different mixes that are supposed to re-ignite your inner fire and this is what she came up with,¡± Shouri told her. ¡°For me,¡± Rebecca repeated. ¡°Did it work?¡± Pacifica asked hopefully. Slowly, a hand raised to her chest. It wasn¡¯t cold anymore, but she couldn¡¯t feel her usual fiery presence within herself. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± she admitted quietly. ¡°There is no such thing as an instant cure, even healing magic takes time to work. Traditional medicine like this is even slower,¡± Shouri advised. Rebecca nodded. ¡°It¡¯s working I think.¡± The gears were certainly turning in her head and distracting her. ¡°For me¡­¡± she whispered once more.
¡°Mmmrgh¡­¡± Red eyes slowly opened once more. It was dark, but that was to be expected when sleeping in Pacifica¡¯s cave of slumber. For a time, the still ill fire fox lay there, loosely contained by her Maestro and fellow Resonator. However, nature protested this arrangement. ¡°Hrmm¡­¡± She squeezed her legs together as the uncomfortable pressure made itself more and more apparent. Finally, she had enough and gently wiggled out from between her companions. Free from the friendship cocoon, she felt her way around the darkness until she managed to locate the door. Quietly slipping out of the room, she made her way down the hall to the bathroom where she took care of business. Freshened up, she exited the confines of the restroom, looking to and fro. To her left was the master bedroom, which Pacifica¡¯s parents left open, the two elders of the house sleeping away without a care in the world. The rest of the house, due right was dark ¨C it was still pretty late at night, or early morning; didn¡¯t matter. There was a bit of weakness still in the fox. While she was now able to move around under her own strength, there was a problem with her body that still concerned her. Her legs, or more accurately, the lack of her inner fire. She couldn¡¯t create her Icarus¡¯ ala, her ad-Lib that allowed her flames to burn at her feet, her pride and joy. She had been trained by so many masters of her element on how to fight with her inner fire, that without it she felt naked, scared, defenseless. Sure, she still had the physical acts of the martial arts she was taught (she had a hell of a kick even without her ad-Lib boosting it). It still didn¡¯t help ease her concerns. Her previous instructors even warned her not to grow complacent with her fire, but here she was now a sad little fireless puppy. With a heavy sigh, she trudged back to Pacifica¡¯s room. Though she drew pause just before returning to Shouri and Pacifica. To her back was the open room Taika was sleeping in. She turned to take a peek. The little bit of moonlight from the waxing crescent filtered in through the window, illuminating the lunar Resonator. Rebecca rubbed her eyes, though she swore that the other vixen was sparkling ever so slightly. ¡°For me¡­¡± Rebecca breathed out. Hesitantly she stepped away from the closed door and towards the open room directly across from it. She approached the bed Taika slept peacefully in. Hugging herself, Rebecca deliberated on her next action before finally crawling into bed and curling up next to Taika. The lunar fox must have unconsciously sensed the warmth that just plopped down next to her, as she reached out and wrapped herself around the fire fox. Rebecca allowed it, hoping to repay the favor bestowed upon her. Slowly the lids of her eyes began to grow heavy. ¡­when did Taika get so warm?
Cold, very cold. Pacifica trembled from head to toe as she stirred from her slumber. ¡°Mrrgh¡­¡± She huddled towards the nearest heat source and tried to drift back to sleep. Just before she passed the barrier from consciousness to unconsciousness, her eyes snapped back open as a realization hit her. ¡°Where¡¯s Rebby?¡± she gasped quietly while sitting up quickly. Shouri stirred, being awoken by the sudden movements. ¡°Paci?¡± he groggily asked. ¡°Rebby is gone,¡± she alerted him. ¡°She probably went to the bathroom; she did drink like five bowls of soup.¡± He waved off her concern. ¡°But-!¡± Shouri rolled over, palming the nightstand several times before he took grasp of a tuner. ¡°Fuck.¡± He cursed as the light from the screen hit him like a flash bang. ¡°Mmrph.¡± He grunted, returning the tuner he grabbed to sleep mode and setting it back where he grabbed it from. ¡°Well?¡± Pacifica asked expectingly. ¡°She¡¯s sleeping,¡± he replied, trying to get comfortable again. ¡°Where?¡± The Maestro lay there for a moment, still trying to fall back asleep. However, Pacifica asked a pretty good question. With an annoyed sigh, he finally sat up. ¡°I hate when you¡¯re right,¡± he grumbled. She just giggled in response. Thankfully it didn¡¯t take them long to find the missing fox. As soon as they opened the door to Pacifica¡¯s bedroom, they spotted Rebecca, fast asleep with Taika. ¡°Oh.¡± Pacifica and Shouri looked to one another. It was still early; the sun hadn¡¯t risen yet. Wordlessly they turned and stepped back into the bedroom, gently closing the door behind them. Best to let sleeping foxes lie, they decided. Chapter 55 Warm Comfy There was some sort of soft heat source within Taika¡¯s grasp. ¡°Oh,¡± she let slip from her breath. Fiery red hair with face framing yellow bangs, velvety fox ears folded back, and a content smile. Slowly her red eyes opened, and Rebecca¡¯s sleepy gaze met Taika¡¯s. THUD CRASH! ¡°OW! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?!¡± ¡°P-PERCH¨¦ ERI DORME CON MI?!¡± Taika had ejected them both from the bed and sent them to the ground, putting the bed between them. The Lunar fox trembled with a bewildered glare and a splash of red on her face. Rebecca refused to reciprocate the confused glower. ¡°Y-you looked lonely; I-I thought you could use some warmth,¡± she mumbled under her breath, seemingly forgetting she was talking to a fellow canine who could hear that as if she was shouting it. THUMP THUMP ¡°Ch-che?¡± Taika squeaked, hand over her pounding heart. Pacifica¡¯s door slowly opened. ¡°Whaa the heck is goin on ouhere?¡± the water element said through a yawn, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. ¡°Are they dead?¡± they heard Shouri inquire from the depths of the otter¡¯s bedroom. ¡°Are you dead?¡± Pacifica relayed the question groggily ¡°W-We¡¯re fine¡­ I think,¡± Rebecca decided slowly. Taika remained quiet but nodded in the affirmative. ¡°Good.¡± And with that, Pacifica turned and retreated into the bedroom.
Pacifica snuck a peek at Rebecca who was bundled up in a blanket on the loveseat separate from the main couch. The quartet was watching a movie together in the living room. Shouri and Taika shared the couch with Pacifica. The social-savvy otter could sense tension between the two fox-girls; however, it wasn¡¯t the usual animosity that they typically shared. ¡°Hey,¡± Rebecca spoke up, drawing the group out of their movie experience. ¡°You should go hunt tonight,¡± she told them. ¡°You¡¯re probably stir-crazy from taking care of me for the past couple of days.¡± ¡°We¡¯re fine.¡± Shouri shrugged. ¡°Besides you¡¯re still not feeling well,¡± Shouri pointed out. Checking her tuner, Shouri found her status was still marked as ¡°Illness¡±. It was convenient the tuner tracked her physical condition to such an extent, but it did concern him that she wasn¡¯t in fighting condition. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m getting at: go without me,¡± Rebecca urged. ¡°You, Pacifica, and Taika got along fine before I came along. I¡¯ll be safe here,¡± the fire Resonator pointed out. Though she was pushing them, the fire fox was frustrated with her current ailment. ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave you alone,¡± Shouri insisted. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Pacifica¡¯s parents will be here by the time you leave,¡± Rebecca added. ¡°Let¡¯s go Sho,¡± Taika chimed in. The other three present looked at the lunar fox. ¡°We should trust her,¡± she added, quieter. Rebecca didn¡¯t say anything further but raised the blanket she was wrapped up in above her nose.
Shouri¡¯s eyes were locked onto his waist, only two tuners at his side. Pacifica and Taika flanked either side of him as they waited in line at one of the western hunt sites set up outside the city limits. Pacifica, sensing her Maestro¡¯s heavy heart, placed a hand on his shoulder. ¡°She¡¯ll be okay.¡± The Maestro in question balled up his hands tightly. ¡°I hope so.¡± Taika mimicked her fellow Resonator¡¯s gesture, gently resting a hand on the opposite shoulder. ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡± All he could muster was a slow, short nod. ¡°Next!¡± Snapping to, Shouri approached the makeshift stand set up for check-in. ¡°Tuners,¡± the attendant demanded. The Maestro handed the black and blue devices over, where they were quickly scanned in. ¡°You¡¯ll be in the main group tonight.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Shouri and his Resonators stared blankly. ¡°It¡¯s not full?¡± Pacifica asked. The attendant motioned to Taika. ¡°You¡¯re the first group today with a healer.¡± Shouri furrowed his brows. That was certainly odd. Healing attribute Resonators weren¡¯t rare by any means. Pacifica picked up on her Maestro¡¯s curiosity and spoke for him, ¡°Where are all the healers?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a big Scherzando hunt at the north site, a lot of the healers in the area went up there to help. Heard it¡¯s a nasty one that came down from Mobina from what I¡¯ve heard,¡± the attendant informed them. Looking around it did seem like there were much fewer people here than the southern hunter base camp they had visited a few days back. ¡°Well, thanks.¡± Shouri nodded, moving out of line with his Resonators. ¡°Where¡¯s Mobina?¡± Taika asked as they walked down to the hunt. She took hold of Pacifica¡¯s hand, noting how dark it was starting to get. ¡°Oh right, Rebby isn¡¯t here,¡± Pacifica whispered with a tinge of sadness. She shook her head, to clear the intrusive thoughts. ¡°Mobina is a city to the north of Lake Lagrand,¡± she told her fellow Resonator. ¡°It must be pretty bad,¡± Shouri suddenly spoke. ¡°What is?¡± Taika questioned ¡°The big Scherzando. If they¡¯ve sent a bunch of healers to help deal with it,¡± he mused aloud. In his hand he was on Taika¡¯s tuner, checking the latest local news reports about it. ¡°That guy at the desk didn¡¯t seem concerned about us being here and not there, so they probably got enough volunteers,¡± Pacifica posited. Unlike the situation in Riva Sranvi, all the news reports were as recent as today. It seemed the people who lived in and around Canolapra cared more about letting a big Scherzando run amok than down there. ¡°Let¡¯s just focus on tonight¡¯s hunt,¡± Pacifica suggested. ¡°Right.¡± Shouri returned the tuner to his side and turned his attention to navigating the brush. It wasn¡¯t long until they located the main hunting group, illuminated by firelight. It was a smaller group than they were used to, though unfortunately they were acquainted with two of the participants this evening. ¡°SHOURI TOMOSHIBI!¡± ¡°Aw fuck.¡± The red-haired woman wearing the matching letterman jacket and blue jeans that had chased them out of the Canolapra Natural History Museum marched up to Shouri and his Resonators. Both Pacifica and Taika stood in front of their Maestro and raised an arm defensively, glaring down the other Maestro. ¡°What?¡± Shouri asked from the safety of his two Resonators. ¡°You have a lot of fucking nerve running like that!¡± The woman cared not for the two Resonators that stood in her path toward the Maestro. Both girls tensed up, wondering if they were about to fight a Maestro directly. Thankfully, Amika was halted by a smaller boy grabbing hold of her jacket. ¡°Amika enough!¡± The boy in question was a small thing with red hair. He had small, but fluffy rodent ears atop his head and a fluffy red tail behind him. ¡°Andi let me go!¡± The other Maestro boy who was with Amika at the museum before ran over and also helped pull the angered Maestro back. ¡°Enough!¡± ¡°Leo fuck off!¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± Andi, Leo, and Amika stopped their bickering and struggling, turning their attention to the one who gave the apology. ¡°Sorry for just¡­ ditching you all before,¡± he clarified. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Sh-sho¡¯s been through a lot,¡± Pacifica spoke up for her Maestro, hesitantly lowering her arm. ¡°Please forgive him,¡± Taika added, following her fellow Resonator¡¯s gesture. Amika batted the two boys off of her but didn¡¯t immediately rush down her original quarry. She continued to glare down Shouri, who remained in place, returning her glower with a stoic expression. Next Pacifica and Taika were subject to the wrathful woman¡¯s scrutinizing gaze. Finally, she turned away and with a huff spoke her mind. ¡°Fine,¡± she huffed. ¡°Name¡¯s Amika,¡± she addressed the two Resonators that didn¡¯t know her. ¡°I¡¯m a geophysics major at Canolapra University.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Leofwine, Leo for short. I¡¯m their friend, and I¡¯m studying ecology, same school,¡± He added. ¡°Anthony, or Andi; Amika¡¯s Resonator. Fire-Crushing Chinchilla,¡± the red-haired Resonator added. At this point another Resonator had joined the group, they had aqua-colored hair with small triangular ears atop their head and a fluffy tail with a black tip to match. ¡°Chena¡¯s the name, I¡¯m Leo¡¯s. Water-Slashing Stoat.¡± She curtsied for the group. ¡°I¡¯m Pacifica, Water-Piercing Otter; nice to meetcha!¡± ¡°T-taika, Lunar-Healing Fox.¡± With the introductions out of the way, they joined the overall larger group and began to hash out the night¡¯s strategy. Much to Shouri¡¯s chagrin, he was shoved into Amika and Leo¡¯s group, and they were tasked with taking the group of Scherzando in the center of the woods to put them equidistant away from the other groups (in case something went awry). ¡°Of course, they paired us up,¡± Shouri grumbled as they trudged deeper into the woods. Amika, Leo, and their Resonators were tailing behind, just out of earshot. Given Rebecca¡¯s absence, it fell on Amika and her fire Resonator to provide the light for their activities (Not that Shouri or Taika needed it). ¡°This always happens, Sho,¡± Taika pointed out. ¡°Dunno why you¡¯re so surprised.¡± Pacifica playfully pushed her Maestro¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s just focus on not dying or letting someone else die,¡± he huffed. ¡°Ever the optimist.¡± Pacifica rolled her eyes. ¡°It¡¯ll be fiiiine,¡± Taika chimed in. Meanwhile, Amika and Leo chatted amongst themselves while they trailed behind Shouri and his Resonators. ¡°A lunar and a water,¡± Amika noted. ¡°He had a fire Resonator at the museum,¡± Leo observed. ¡°Hella strong too, was hoping to see her here. Wonder what happened,¡± Andi added. ¡°I dunno, that otter girl is no slouch herself.¡± Chena pointed to the Resonator in question ahead of them. ¡°Didn¡¯t Lina say she hunted with him the other night?¡± Leo recalled. ¡°Yeah, said he kept pace with her no problem, even using three Resonators the entire time,¡± Amika hummed. ¡°I wonder how accurate that claim is.¡± ¡°She was always soft for him,¡± Leo said with a shrug. The side conversations died down as they came across the first group of Scherzando milling about in a large clearing. The three Maestros gathered together and crouched down under some foliage for cover. The trio¡¯s four total Resonators knelt, staying on their toes to spring to action if needed. Andi had lowered their lights down only to one or two dim fireballs to minimize their visibility. Taika maintained the highest alertness, given her superior hearing and night vision. ¡°Wait, are you crazy?¡± Amika hissed, noting the size of the group they were facing. ¡°Seriously dude?¡± Leo added. Shouri blinked. ¡°Hold up, what are your spell levels?¡± he asked. They both flashed their spell lists, mainly hovering around Piano rank, with one or two Forte spells. Not too terribly strong. Notably, neither Maestro had an ossia spell to their name, while he had at least two to three on his Resonators. ¡°Ah. We have finally become the damage dealers.¡± It dawned on him. Pacifica and Taika exchanged smug smirks. ¡°How are your spells so low? You¡¯ve had Andi and Chena for years,¡± Shouri pointed out. ¡°Sorry for not being a hardcore battle nut like you.¡± Amika gritted her teeth, resisting the urge to feed him a knuckle sandwich. ¡°We do this super super casually. This is the first time we¡¯ve been out in a few months, school finally let up for the summer,¡± Leo added, more calmly than his counterpart. ¡°Figured we could earn some spending money this way.¡± Shouri sighed. ¡°Okay, here¡¯s the plan.¡± ¡­ Amika, Leo, and their Resonators took their positions as instructed. ¡°So how much do we trust Shouri?¡± Andi questioned, noting the general feel of the Scherzando they had crept closer to. It was almost overwhelming how strong these beasts felt to him. If their cover was blown, he doubted his ability to protect Amika effectively. ¡°If he lets us die, I¡¯m gonna haunt the SHIT out of him,¡± Amika growled, trying to keep her voice down. ¡°His plan seems sound to me. It comes across as practiced,¡± Chena mused quietly. ¡°At least our part is low impact,¡± Leo added. They waited until the appointed time, having agreed to use the clocks on their tuners to synchronize their assault. 10:34:56 PM 10:34:57 PM 10:34:58 PM 10:34:59 PM 10:35:00 PM ¡°L''onda di tempesta, Accelerando!¡± Leo cast. ¡°Anello di Fuoco, Tenuto!¡± Amika commanded. Chena slammed her hands on the ground, a river of water springing up from underneath and extending out to capture the Scherzando. The beasts were pushed into the center of the clearing, illuminated by the moon overhead. Andi bolted from cover, getting into range and casting a ring of fire around the dazed beasts, capturing them within the blazing circle. Right on time, Shouri, Pacifica, and Taika ran into place, sliding to a stop. None showed a sign of hesitation or fear. Shouri drew the two tuners of his Resonators from his side and without looking at either screen barked out his commands: ¡°Taika, Magifiamma, Legato! Keep them from escaping!¡± ¡°Pacifica, Loro Formato Lunare Lago, Legato! Wipe ¡®em out!¡± Both Chena and Andi perked up from those spells being called. Andi¡¯s eyes were locked on Taika, Chena on Pacifica. Seven orbs of purple fire blazed to life around Taika, beginning to hover around her. The eerie flames only completed one orbit around their caster before flying towards the ring of fire to attack and dissuade any further movement from the trapped Scherzando. Pacifica grinned toothily as she thrust an open palm skyward. The clearing began to darken as a mass of ice began to form in the sky, eclipsing the moon. The two other Maestros had to practically pick their jaws up off the ground as the artificial space rock ballooned well above the size necessary to deal with this group of Scherzando. With a playful wink and a giggle, Pacifica waved the comet spell out of her control, casting it toward their target. Gravity took over and the giant ball of ice made contact with the earth, snuffing out the fire ring and with it the group of Scherzando in a huge explosion of ice, dirt, and debris. Amika and Leo sat on their rears having been knocked off their toes from the force of the impact. When the dust cleared, they saw Shouri and his Resonators standing unfazed by the chaos they had just wrought. This was routine for them. This was their normal. Chapter 56 Amika and Leo had been stunned to silence by Shouri¡¯s performance for the remainder of the night. Not only was he casually flinging around spells that they had only seen in movies and on television, but he did so without a second thought. He knew what his Resonators were capable of and capitalized on it. Furthermore, by the end of the night, he wasn¡¯t even rhythmically exhausted ¨C he could still keep going at that pace, which gave the reunited friends a new appreciation and maybe even fear of the unassuming Maestro. Amika stared at her tuner¡¯s banking application as they made their way back to the base camp. She couldn¡¯t argue with the results for the night; she was a couple hundred notes richer from just supporting Shouri. How much was he bankrolling if she got this much from just playing a supportive role? ¡°Be careful with those ossia spells,¡± Shouri suddenly spoke up. ¡°Right, the ones Chena and Andi got.¡± Leo frowned at the new spell that had been "gifted" to them. The comet spell Pacifica had used had a hell of a charge-up time and was quite slow from his observations, but the effects were devastating. Turns out dropping a giant ball of ice from the sky on your adversaries wasn¡¯t too good for their health. It was at this point in their conversation that they exited the woods and came back out to the main hunter base. A small crowd was gathered, excitedly chatting among themselves. A member of the gossiping crowd noticed Shouri¡¯s group and pointed them out. ¡°Maybe it was them!¡± came an excited shout. ¡°Wha-?!¡± And then instantly they were surrounded by a dozen or so Maestros. Taika and Pacifica clung to their Maestro for no other reason than to put themselves between him and the small mob that had formed. ¡°Were you the ones that cast that big meteor?¡± ¡°He has a lunar and a water, it could have been either of them!¡± ¡°Not even a strand of ashy hair, it¡¯s gotta be him!¡± ¡°Where did you come from?!¡± ¡°Can I get an autograph?¡± Even with Taika wrapped around him, Shouri found himself frozen by the sudden attention. What was with people idolizing him? He didn¡¯t do anything special; he did his job like anyone else. He didn¡¯t deserve this attention. ¡°Cortina Fumogena, Allegro!¡± Suddenly the mob was enveloped by a thick smokescreen. Before Shouri or his Resonators could react to the sudden loss in visibility, they were yanked away and forced to run. Amika grabbed Shouri¡¯s hand while Andi had Taika, and Chena got Pacifica. Needless to say, the rabble wasn¡¯t prepared to deal with the smokescreen spell, allowing Shouri and company to get away safely. ¡°What the fuck was that about?¡± Shouri wheezed, shooting a glare at Amika. They had hidden themselves amongst the trees, which thankfully none of the adoring public seemed to have caught on to. As such they were allowed a reprieve from Shouri¡¯s newfound ¡°fame¡±. ¡°Why are you asking me?!¡± Amika grunted back between gasps of air. ¡°I have a hunch that you¡¯re the exception, not the rule.¡± Leo had regained his breath much quicker than his two counterparts. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Shouri questioned. Leo¡¯s line of sight shifted towards the two Resonators by Shouri¡¯s side, who were focused on their Maestro with concern. ¡°How long have you had those two?¡± he answered with a question of his own. That question was met by an ounce of trepidation from Shouri. He honestly debated just turning and leaving but hesitantly decided to humor the other Maestro. ¡°Taika and I met in April, Pacifica in early May.¡± ¡°And the third Resonator?¡± ¡°Rebecca was late May.¡± Leo nodded slowly. ¡°So, you¡¯ve had a team of three Resonators for about a month now and you¡¯re this strong?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not that-¡± ¡°Shouri stop,¡± Leo cut his counterpart off, earning him a glare (one that he was more than happy to return). The water Maestro shook his head. ¡°Shouri, you¡¯re terrifyingly strong at this point. I don¡¯t know what happened to you, or if you¡¯re even telling us the truth, but you¡¯re a different person now.¡± ¡°Yeah, three years tends to do that,¡± Shouri scoffed, rolling his eyes and leaning back against the tree behind him. ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. You¡¯ve been a full-fledged Maestro for threeish months and you can spend an entire evening throwing around crazy high-level spells like they¡¯re nothing.¡± Shouri opened his mouth to snap back, but nothing came out. Leo was right. When he first started it was hard. That first night he and Taika participated in a hunt was exhausting. Sure, he had his sister and her Resonator backing them up, and a month of solid training against targets down, but nothing compared to actual combat. After nearly two months of regular training and hunting, in addition to adding Pacifica and Rebecca to their ranks, he had grown accustomed to providing rhythm to three separate Resonators. It wasn¡¯t always as easy as it was tonight, but the fact that his hair hadn¡¯t even gotten close to turning ashy was visible proof he had plenty more rhythm in the tank. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Amika questioned, giving him a once over. ¡°Just hunting,¡± Shouri quickly replied. ¡°Bullshit, there¡¯s something else. I know a few people that were there tonight and they¡¯re just getting to your level after a year or so of constant hunting.¡± Down went Shouri¡¯s head as he refused Amika¡¯s scrutinizing gaze. Pacifica gritted her teeth, she opened her mouth to say something but stopped when Shouri motioned to her. Leo caught that. The otter was about to speak up on her Maestro¡¯s behalf. Again. He hadn¡¯t come across other Resonators before that did that. Chena and Andi were prime examples of this ¨C they were standing quietly behind their respective Maestros just watching, though neither dared to utter a word. This wasn¡¯t their conversation to join. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. But that otter and fox, both glared daggers in Leo and Amika¡¯s direction, they had so much they wanted to say right now and were only being held back by their Maestro¡¯s implicit wishes. ¡°I dunno what you want from me,¡± Shouri finally found the words. ¡°I¡¯m not that strong. Any strength you see from me is them.¡± He motioned to the pair by his side. ¡°They¡¯re strong, not me.¡± Neither Leo nor Amika believed that for a second. However, at least Leo recognized that Shouri wasn¡¯t ready to give up the secret sauce of his success that easily; if he even was aware of it at all. ¡°Alright then,¡± Leo decided, not wanting to be overly antagonistic about the whole affair. ¡°Just know, at some point, you passed just being a normal person doing this stuff. Those people wanted to know the same thing we do: how did you get that strong?¡± Leo informed the other Maestro. Shouri shook his head in disbelief. ¡°That can¡¯t be right. We¡¯ve seen plenty of Maestros at our level.¡± ¡°A whole bunch of them!¡± Pacifica added, with Taika nodding quickly. Leo frowned, humming in thought. ¡°Yeah, there are strong Maestros everywhere, I¡¯ll concede that point,¡± he mulled over his words for a moment before continuing. ¡°But two things about that: one, I doubt many of them have had the unbelievable growth you¡¯ve seemingly experienced; and two, they¡¯re usually pillars of their community,¡± he explained. ¡°Or they blow into town like you and make a big fuss before moving on to the next,¡± Amika added with a scoff. Shouri once more rejected the gazes that were locked onto him. ¡°I can¡¯t think of anything special we¡¯re doing,¡± Pacifica spoke where her Maestro refused. ¡°Sho is just super smart!¡± Taika added in with a vigorous nod. Another thoughtful hum and narrowed eyes were cast by Leo in the direction of the odd trio. Once more the two Resonators had spoken up where their Maestro had not. Either way, they were not his Resonators, so he allowed it to slide. ¡°At any rate, it¡¯s getting pretty late. We should be heading home,¡± Leo decided to end the conversation there. ¡°R-right.¡± Shouri was still visibly uncomfortable with the entire encounter. ¡°Have a good night Shouri.¡± Leo waved, taking his leave. ¡°And don¡¯t make us chase you through the city again!¡± Amika barked as a threat. Once alone, Shouri allowed himself to collapse onto the ground. He let out a loud, dramatic sigh, burying his face in his knees. ¡°God this is why I didn¡¯t want to deal with them.¡± Pacifica and Taika joined their Maestro up against the tree. ¡°Is it really strange for us to grow quickly?¡± Pacifica questioned. ¡°I dunno,¡± Shouri mumbled into his knees. ¡°Why don¡¯t we ask Rebecca what she thinks?¡± Taika suggested suddenly. Shouri and Pacifica looked at the lunar fox. ¡°D-did I say something wrong?¡± the lunar fox asked uneasily. ¡°No, it¡¯s just that¡¯s a really good idea,¡± Shouri replied.
Twitch twitch Velvety red fox ears flicked in response to the front door opening. Their owner roused from her accidental slumber. Rebecca had made an honest attempt to stay up to greet her Maestro and fellow Resonators but based on that the television was now off told her she didn¡¯t last long in that endeavor. The trio of Shouri, Taika, and Pacifica made their way through the kitchen, with only the Maestro of the trio catching that Rebecca was on the couch. He found his way into the dark living room, whilst Pacifica and Taika continued into the back part of the house to change into their pajamas. ¡°How¡¯d it go?¡± Rebecca addressed her Maestro as he approached. The lights in the kitchen had been dimmed (probably by Priscilla when she noticed Rebecca fast asleep), so she only knew it was Shouri based on his silhouette. Though Shouri himself faced no such trouble thanks to Taika sharing her night vision with him. ¡°Piece of cake.¡± Despite saying this, it was clear something was bothering him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Rebecca questioned as he sat on the couch with her. For a moment the two sat in silence, Shouri slightly hunched over while fiddling with his hands. ¡°You¡¯ve had a lot of Maestros Rebecca,¡± he began. She tensed slightly, gripping the edge of her red pajama top. ¡°How do I compare to them? Am I weird?¡± Rebecca raised a brow, confused at the sudden request. ¡°I mean, none of them have ever asked me that,¡± she replied off the dome. That wasn¡¯t what he was asking, and she was well aware of that. With a grunt and a hum, she pondered her month-long tenure under his care. ¡°You¡¯re the best Maestro I¡¯ve ever had,¡± ended up being the words she decided on. ¡°How so?¡± he shot back. She was prepared this time and immediately had her reply ready: ¡°You¡¯re strong and kind. You don¡¯t treat us as your weapons or trophies.¡± Lowering her head, she tried to parse through her swirling mind as this conversation had inspired a maelstrom of thoughts and emotions. ¡°It feels¡­ more like we¡¯re a family,¡± she said. ¡°Is that really it?¡± Shouri breathed out. ¡°Just¡­ treat Resonators like people?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve only been a Maestro proper for three months, but other people are starting to consider us strong. I don¡¯t do anything special with you all. You¡¯re just strong on your own.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± It suddenly clicked for Rebecca. Something must have happened at the hunt tonight that put Shouri on a pedestal in comparison to his contemporaries. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that Sho.¡± Rebecca scooted closer to him. She rested her head on the shoulder available to her. ¡°It¡¯s not worth your time.¡± A sharp exhale followed as Shouri leaned back, being sure to allow Rebecca to continue leaning on him. ¡°If you say so,¡± he whispered. Rebecca smiled contentedly. ¡°I wasn¡¯t a bunch of hot air when I said you¡¯re the best I¡¯ve ever had.¡± Chapter 57 It was another beautiful Thursday morning, which meant Pacifica was up at the crack of dawn, dragging poor defenseless Taika into the family pool. The lunar fox had enjoyed a couple of days of sleeping in, but those blissful times were over as Pacifica was back on her regularly scheduled programming. ¡°Mmmrgh¡­¡± Taika trudged through the house in her swimsuit, attempting to not get too much water on the tile while she desperately made her way towards the bathroom and the blanket of warmth provided by the shower contained within. Unfortunately, this morning came with its own trials and tribulations. ¡°Good morning sunshine!¡± Priscilla blocked the way to the bathroom. Truly there was no justice in this world. Taika made a sad whimper reaching out for the fabled warmth of the shower. ¡°So you made a right mess of my kitchen a couple nights back,¡± Priscilla began, ignoring the sad noises emanating from the lunar fox. ¡°Wanna learn how to cook?¡± Taika perked up but quickly grew suspicious of the sudden offer. ¡°Why?¡± she questioned. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a useful skill to have, especially since healing magic isn¡¯t a be-all-end-all solution to fixing up your teammates,¡± Priscilla elaborated. The vixen¡¯s ears folded back, as she hugged herself ¨C a perceived failure on her part. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be that way. All healers learn this lesson," Priscilla stated. "Just be glad you learned it this way and not in the field,¡± the elder Maestro said with a lower voice. Taika understood the implication, but that didn¡¯t help raise her spirits. ¡°Being able to nurse someone back to health with good nutritious food is part of the healing process," the elder Maestro told the young healer. "I can teach you the basics,¡± Priscilla offered once more. ¡°You know how to cook?¡± Taika asked, slowly losing her skepticism. ¡°Sure, the quickest way to a man¡¯s heart is through his stomach,¡± Priscilla boasted knowingly. That statement encouraged deep thought in the young fox girl. She now had an ulterior motive for obtaining these skills. ¡°Okay, can you teach me?¡± she acquiesced to the elder Maestro¡¯s pointed offer. ¡°Sure sure, come on!¡± ¡°Aspetta! Let me shower first!¡±
¡°Sho¡­ Rebby¡­ wake up.¡± Thursday morning began not with either of the remaining occupants in bed waking up of their own accord, but with the owner of the bed in question gently rocking the pair. ¡°Nnnnghh.¡± Rebecca weakly swatted at the hand trying to shake her awake. Shouri also protested by pulling the blanket over their heads. ¡°Come on you two, breakfast is ready,¡± Pacifica sang, continuing to shake the protesting pair. ¡°Don¡¯t make me go borrow one of Dad¡¯s rubato crystals,¡± she gently threatened with her singsong voice. ¡°Mmmmmrgh.¡± Rebecca and Shouri rose. ¡°Fine, we¡¯re up,¡± they spoke together. Begrudgingly, man and fox girl slid out of bed and followed their cheery otter companion into the kitchen. Though they both woke up properly upon seeing the kitchen. There were pans all over the place, with various food residues coating their now-empty basins. Priscilla was at the sink, humming away while washing the dishes. Taika was standing at the table, pouring the last glass of orange juice while Pacifica already was seated, her tail wagging excitedly. The lunar fox wore a serene smile on her face and a white apron around her neck. Her ears twitched and she looked up, locking eyes with her Maestro. With widened eyes she jumped, not having realized they were there. ¡°B-buongiorno Sho!¡± she squeaked, spilling a small bit of orange juice from the carton. The lunar vixen quickly averted her gaze, squeezing the orange juice container. ¡°Prego, si accomodi!¡± she spoke quickly and loudly. ¡°Spero che sia buono¡­¡± she mumbled as a quick aside. Shouri, not speaking Naturalian, glanced at the fox by his side for translation duty. ¡°She wants us to sit.¡± Rebecca raised a brow. ¡°I hope it¡¯s good?¡± the fire fox whispered to herself, not understanding the implication of those words. Regardless, neither wanted to disappoint their traveling companion and quickly took their seats. Before them was a relatively simple breakfast: fluffy yellow eggs topped with fresh green chives, bacon strips cooked to lovely crispy browns, green-skinned pear chunks had their own section, and a steaming golden-brown biscuit rounded out the meal. Taika took a seat, having shed the apron. ¡°I hope it¡¯s good,¡± she repeated, motioning for the group to start eating, all while bearing a slight but persistent shiver. Without an ounce of hesitation, Pacifica began eating. ¡°Oh! This is great!¡± she spoke through her mouth full of food. Shouri and Rebecca exchanged a glance, before focusing on their own plates. Taking a small fork-full of egg, the first bites were consumed. ¡°Hm?¡± Two surprised hums followed by a second bite of egg and a third. Taika let out a sigh of relief as her friends quickly cleaned their plates. ¡°You made this?¡± Shouri asked suddenly. Taika lowered her head. ¡°S-si¡­ I know it¡¯s kind of simple but-¡± ¡°It¡¯s good, I didn¡¯t know you knew how to cook,¡± he spoke excitedly. ¡°I didn¡¯t really¡­¡± Her gaze rose, meeting Priscilla¡¯s. The elder woman, still standing in the kitchen shrugged. ¡°She¡¯s got some latent talent. I just got her started and she knew when stuff was finished.¡± That appraisal of Taika¡¯s supposed cooking skills earned her three pairs of eyes looking at her, impressed. ¡°Ch-che?¡± The vixen shrunk a bit upon receiving the scrutinizing gazes. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you wanted to cook,¡± Shouri said. ¡°I didn¡¯t know either, to be honest.¡± She fidgeted with her jacket¡¯s zipper, avoiding her Maestro¡¯s eyes. ¡°I mean, the soup you made for me was great. Could have fooled me,¡± Rebecca chimed in. ¡°I like bacon,¡± Pacifica added helpfully, whilst chewing on some leftover slices. After breakfast was done, the group fell back into their usual routine ¨C gathered around the television and watching something to pass the time. The only change in their arrangement was Taika had her nose in a thick book on cooking. The success of breakfast lit a fire under the young lunar fox and she gained a newfound curiosity for the art of food craft. That being said, her weak stave of rhythm was knowledge, so despite her overbearing willpower that pushed her into her studies, she maintained physical contact with her knowledge-strong Maestro to clear the fog that usually clouded her mind. For both of their sanity, all that was needed to accomplish this connection was Shouri leaning back on her tail, just being mindful to not crush it too badly. In exchange, he got a nice fluffy pillow-like appendage to relax on. The trio paying attention to the movie enjoyed it at length. They had decided on a comedy movie about a Maestro and a hotel they ran with a wide assortment of Resonators. It detailed the wacky hi-jinks of their day-to-day lives and ended on a happy note. ¡°That was a good one,¡± Rebecca chuckled, her gut a bit sore from how hard she had been laughing. This earned a warm smile from Shouri. Days like this made it all worth it. Seeing Taika, Pacifica, and Rebecca all as happy as could be easily cast out any doubt about the decisions he had made in the last three or so months. Rebecca herself seemed quite bright and cheery today, which prompted Shouri¡¯s next inquiry, ¡°How are you feeling today?¡± The fire fox perked up, realizing she was being called upon. ¡°I feel good,¡± she spoke after a moment. ¡°Good.¡± Shouri nodded. ¡°Wanna head to the court?¡± There was an ounce of hesitation, which even Shouri picked up on. Rebecca gritted her teeth hard, balled up fists on her lap trembling. Finally, she opened her mouth to speak: ¡°I-¡± SNAP The group¡¯s attention was turned to Taika, who had slammed her book shut. Without a word, she stood up from the couch and approached Rebecca. Shouri and Pacifica moved to stop her but froze in place when they watched Taika gently grab the other vixen¡¯s hands. ¡°It¡¯s okay to be afraid. You¡¯re still recovering. You need to work your fire back to where it was before.¡± With how gently she spoke, it threw Pacifica and Shouri for a loop, not expecting that from the normally catty vixen. ¡°It won¡¯t take you long, I know you can do it.¡± ¡°Y-yeah.¡± Rebecca¡¯s eyes were wide, focused on her own hands in Taika¡¯s. She felt the other vixen squeeze her hands tighter. ¡°Let¡¯s go Sho,¡± Rebecca spoke with a sudden, newfound confidence. Satisfied with that, Taika released her fellow Resonator¡¯s hands and simply returned to the couch where she buried herself in her studies once more.
Rebecca stared blankly at the large mirror that proudly hung in the main bathroom. It was the first time in a couple of days that she had donned her everyday wear. While it did give her a small confidence boost, there was still that nagging presence in the back of her mind that made her doubt her ability to conjure up her flames. Taika¡¯s words raced back to the forefront of her mind. Why had she said all that? Rebecca¡¯s heart raced with an unusual warmth radiating from her face (even for a fire element such as herself). Was she still sick? That had to be it. Taking in a deep breath, she tried to clear her mind. Slowly she released her held breath, attempting to calm. She wasn¡¯t sure if it worked but decided to roll with it. Dusting off her skirt and blazer, she stole one more look in the mirror. She was never one to critique her own appearance, she wore what felt comfortable, what made her feel good in her own skin. The fiery ombr¨¦ fox-girl that stared back at her was presentable, she decided. Exiting the bathroom, her heart leaped into her throat as she hadn¡¯t expected who was standing out there. ¡°T-Taika!¡± was all Rebecca managed to squeak out. The lunar fox looked her fire counterpart over and regarded her with a short nod. ¡°You were taking too long,¡± she noted. Though her word choice was curt, Taika spoke with a gentle tone, once more causing blood to rush through Rebecca in a mild panic. ¡°S-sorry,¡± the fire fox mumbled. ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± she added Taika led her fellow fox back into the living room where their Maestro waited. Pacifica was relaxed on the couch, starting another movie. Dropping off Rebecca with Shouri, Taika plopped down next to the reclined otter and resumed reading her book. ¡°They¡¯re not coming with?¡± Rebecca questioned, with a finger cast in their direction. ¡°Nah, they wanted to give us some alone time,¡± Shouri said. He had to be phrasing it that way on purpose, thought Rebecca whilst attempting to will the blood away from her cheeks. ¡°Be good!¡± Shouri told his two Resonators who were staying behind. ¡°You too!¡± Pacifica held up a hand and waved, still focused on her movie.
Rebecca kept her head lowered as they walked to the battle court that this subdivision had. She focused on her heels; they sparked uselessly as she attempted to ignite them with her ad-Lib. ¡°Hey, Rebecca.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± She snapped up from her futile kindling. ¡°How used to sparring are you?¡± ¡°I did it a lot with other Maestros.¡± There was a pause. ¡°And when I got my ad-Lib,¡± she added quietly. ¡°Ah good. I¡¯ve never had Taika or Pacifica fight other Resonators before. Maybe I can have you teach them.¡± ¡°Am I really the best for that?¡± she mumbled, eyes back to her sparking feet. They reached the court without too much trouble, but Rebecca¡¯s eyes widened as they were not alone. ¡°There you are! ¡®bout fuckin¡¯ time!¡± Amika barked. ¡°Sorry for the wait!¡± Shouri replied with a wave, as Rebecca slightly hid behind him. Of course, it was her. It had to be the fire Maestro that was here. The vixen¡¯s gaze met the chinchilla boy. He looked over, but as soon as their gazes met, Rebecca flinched and lowered herself behind Shouri¡¯s back. Once more she mentally pleaded with her heels to function. Rebecca¡¯s theatrics were plain to see, even Amika noticed the wavering Resonator¡¯s non-verbal cues. ¡°Your third one, right?¡± Amika questioned, pointing to the flighty fox. ¡°Yeah, Rebecca.¡± Shouri pivoted around the hiding Resonator, to put the spotlight on her. He placed a hand on her head, ruffling her hair. However, his expression quickly soured as he noticed the desperate sparks at her heels. He grimaced, gritting his teeth and balling up his free fist. ¡°I fucked up and she got re-kindling.¡± Both Amika and Andi¡¯s expressions pitied the fox. ¡°That¡¯s why she wasn¡¯t out last night,¡± the chinchilla muttered to himself. ¡°Damn,¡± he added. A flick of a fox¡¯s ears meant Rebecca had heard all of that, even as quiet as Andi was trying to be. It just made her feel worse as she too ground her teeth in frustration. It wasn¡¯t even Shouri¡¯s fault she had ended up like this. They were the ones that had decided to chase after him. He would have come back just fine if they had given him enough time to do so. ¡°She¡¯s not just fire though,¡± Shouri suddenly spoke up, earning the vixen¡¯s undivided attention. ¡°I know she¡¯s a tough cookie even without her ad-Lib.¡± He looked to Rebecca, who just stared back in disbelief. ¡°You sure?¡± Amika raised a brow. ¡°Andi does have his ad-Lib, it¡¯d be kind of unfair,¡± she pointed out. ¡°Totally, I have faith in her.¡± ¡°Sh-sho.¡± Rebecca was solely focused on her Maestro who sang her praises despite it all. Taika¡¯s words once more came to mind. These people were simply too much. ¡°F-fine. Let¡¯s do it,¡± the fox acquiesced to the implicit demands of the rest of the group. ¡°A¡¯ight. Andi, let¡¯s do it.¡± ¡°Feel kinda bad about it, but okay.¡± Amika and Andi walked across the court, while Rebecca and Shouri remained in the Maestro¡¯s box, drawn around them. ¡°Sho, I-¡± ¡°I only asked them to come out because of this.¡± He flashed Rebecca¡¯s tuner to her. Status: Ready Rhythm: 100% Heart Rate: 119 BPM Oxygen Saturation: 82% If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. She reached out and grabbed his hand with both of hers, steadying the screen so she could read it. Status: Ready It didn¡¯t display illness, panic, or the like. She didn¡¯t know what the other items on the screen meant, but according to the tuner, she should be able to fight. She tried to ignite her heels, but they just continued flicking off small embers, no actual flames. Her heart rate ticked up several beats per minute. If she was supposedly ¡°ready¡± why did her ad-Lib refuse to work!? ¡°Stop thinking about it.¡± Shouri pulled his hand away. ¡°Your opponent is a fire Resonator, his spells won¡¯t do much damage, but the difference between you and him is you¡¯re trained in fighting and he¡¯s not. You should be able to take him easy,¡± he advised. Shakily, she nodded. Turning her head, she saw the rodent man doing some stretches with Amika supervising. ¡°Th-they got rookie eyes,¡± she decided. ¡°Exactly.¡± Shouri nodded. ¡°Also, if it makes you feel any better: Famiglio Incendio, Presto.¡± Rebecca jumped. She fought for control of her body against the rhythm that was bringing her to her knees. Her eyes snapped shut as she didn¡¯t want to watch herself fail again - she hadn¡¯t cast a spell in nearly a week, and she had been sick since then how could she-?! ¡°See? You still got it.¡± Slowly, her eyes opened again. Standing before her was the familiar spell she had gotten attached to. The little fire fox tilted its head, curious about what was going on with its caster. ¡°Ah.¡± She stared at the spell, then looked to her Maestro. ¡°Sotto,¡± Shouri whispered, causing the little fire fox to disperse back into the rhythm and fire that formed it. ¡°I¡¯m right behind you Rebecca, even if you can¡¯t use your ad-Lib I think you¡¯re plenty strong.¡± Her racing heart began to slow. She wasn¡¯t useless to him. Furthermore, he believed in her. ¡°Okay.¡± She stood up straight and stepped in front of her Maestro. ¡°Let¡¯s give it a shot.¡± ¡°That¡¯s my girl,¡± the Maestro whispered. She jumped with that comment, frowning at her heart which sped right back up again. ¡°You finally ready?!¡± Amika barked. ¡°Yeah! We¡¯ll spar to fifty?¡± he asked. ¡°What do you take us for? Twenty-five!¡± the red-headed Maestro barked back. ¡°Fine fine!¡± Shouri looked at his tuner, which automatically locked in the battle conditions and displayed a ¡°health bar¡± for both Rebecca and Andi for his reference. With everyone ready, Shouri gave one more condition for their battle: ¡°We¡¯ll start at fifty-five!¡± 2:54:56PM 2:54:57PM 2:54:58PM 2:54:59PM 2:55:00PM ¡°Andi, Lanciafiamme, Piano!¡± ¡°Rebecca, Bolide, Piano!¡± Andi wound up and shot a beam of solid fire. However, even with the longer casting time, Rebecca¡¯s massive fireball in the form of the Bolide spell smashed right through that, causing the chinchilla man to cut off his spell early and jump away. He managed to dodge it but found Rebecca was hot on his tail having sprinted towards where he had landed. ¡°What the-?!¡± He put up his arms in front of him just in time to intercept a devastating kick from Rebecca. A small cloud of ashy dust was let loose from his form as she made impact, but the vixen quickly squeezed her eyes shut, denying the ash of its blinding effects. Even with her eyes closed, she still was able to continue applying pressure, being impossibly nimble on her feet even without her sight or ad-Lib being usable. She could jump, spin and land kicks all without ever losing her balance and with pinpoint accuracy. The chinchilla-man was simply on the back foot, bearing the brunt of the savage assault. ¡°Get out of there!¡± Amika barked in a panic, realizing that Andi¡¯s species trait (which produced an obscuring ash upon physical contact) wasn¡¯t of any use against this opponent. From his back, a pair of fiery wings erupted, allowing him to take to the skies. He had to fly much higher than he initially anticipated, as Rebecca had quite the jump height, again without her ad-Lib. ¡°Holy shit, this chick is crazy!¡± Andi cursed, rubbing his now sore arms. Rebecca remained laser-focused on him, dusting off the ash that he had dropped on her as she assaulted him. ¡°Focus! Bolide Piano!¡± Amika barked. Now it was the chinchilla¡¯s turn to use the advanced fire spell, launching it at the grounded fire fox. Rebecca easily dodged the spell, keeping her eyes locked on her target while awaiting orders. ¡°Bolide, Piano!¡± Shouri shouted. ¡°Arcobaleno Fuoco, Piano!¡± Amika commanded. Both Resonators shot balls of fire at each other. Where the two spells differed however was Andi¡¯s was faster and had a secondary effect: as soon as the two fireballs collided, Andi¡¯s spell exploded into brilliantly colored light show, temporarily blinding Rebecca and throwing her off her feet from the force of the explosion. The lids of her eyes snapped shut as her vision became useless. ¡°Rebecca dodge!¡± She heard Shouri yell. She rolled to her right, the distinct sound of an impact to the left of her reaching her ears. Still unable to see, she reached out and made a grab. ¡°The fuck?!¡± came Andi¡¯s surprised shout. She had managed to hit his leg with her arm but failed the grapple. She pivoted her body and spun back up to her feet. He hadn¡¯t landed yet. ¡°Holy shit, she¡¯s a monster!¡± Andi shouted. However, he cut the idle chatter when he noticed that Rebecca was ¡°looking¡± in his direction with her closed eyes. ¡°Damn it, was hoping to stop her crazy hearing,¡± Amika muttered, having noted Rebecca¡¯s ears still twitching with her own words. She took the blindness as a consolation prize. Shouri remained calm, despite how bad the situation seemed. His thumb pivoted to the talk button to issue a command directly to Rebecca¡¯s head: ¡°Famiglio Incendio, Presto Staccato. Cast as many as you need,¡± he told her. With a short nod, Rebecca stomped the ground and with it, five tiny fire foxes sprung to life around her. ¡°The fuck?¡± Amika muttered, not familiar with the spell. She had seen Shouri cast it before their match started but wasn¡¯t sure what it did. Andi remained floating in the sky, keeping his breathing shallow so Rebecca couldn¡¯t track him. ¡°Arcobaleno Fuoco, Piano!¡± Amika decided she wanted to roll the wheel of debuffs and go for a second shot at deafening Rebecca. However, she folded her ears back and dodged it normally, her mini fire foxes similarly scattering to dodge the incoming explosive. The spell hit ground zero where Rebecca had been and exploded into a second flurry of rainbow-colored lights. ¡°Arcobaleno Fuoco, Pianissimo Staccato! Keep up the pressure!¡± Amika barked. The chinchilla in the sky began firing multiple shots of the advanced fire spell, lighting up the battlefield in a flurry of rainbow-colored explosions. ¡°Cortina Fumogena, Allegro Staccato!¡± Shouri commanded. As Rebecca was dodging the explosions, she began to release thick black smoke from her hands, quickly shrouding the battlefield. ¡°Oh fuck¡­¡± Andi breathed out. She could be as reckless as she wanted with the smokescreen spell since she couldn¡¯t see anyway. Furthermore, he very quickly lost sight of her. The only thing he could see was the little familiar spells that were running about, and even then, he couldn¡¯t see them all that well, only being able to track the glow of their fiery bodies from within the cloud. ¡°Fuck fuck fuck,¡± Amika cursed, covering her nose and mouth with her jacket to avoid the billowing smoke that rapidly filled the court. ¡°I think that¡¯s just about game Amika!¡± Shouri¡¯s voice boomed from the inky blackness of the smokescreen. ¡°Bullshit! I have you blinded and running around scared!¡± Amika shouted. ¡°You sure?!¡± came the confident rebuttal. ¡°Gack!¡± At that moment Andi cried out in pain, his hand reaching behind him. The skin around where his fiery wings connected to his body was blackened at this point. His rhythm rapidly approached the limit they had set. ¡°Andi! Down now!¡± Without thinking about it, the Resonator heeded his Maestro¡¯s instructions, allowing himself to fall back down to the battlefield, and with it, into the smoke. He still had a bit of ¡°health¡± left to spare, but now he stood with no visibility. ¡°There we go, we¡¯re even ¨C neither of us can see,¡± Rebecca¡¯s voice echoed sinisterly from the depths of the black fog. Andi spun around, trying to figure out where his opponent was. ¡°Anello di Fuoco, Tenuto!¡± Amika commanded. Kneeling, Andi created a ring of fire around himself, blowing away a small bit of the smoke and giving himself some visibility. He breathed hard, keeping his form low to the ground. Suddenly a small figure jumped over the firewall he had made for himself. ¡°What the-?!¡± Before he could dodge the little fox unleashed a wave of fire from where its mouth would be, forcing Andi to drop his spell to dodge it. Unfortunately, he ran into a second, a third, and a fourth of Rebecca¡¯s spells, barely managing to dodge the spells being thrown in his direction. They were very simple spells, looking like the base-level fire spell, Lanciafiamme. With how much rhythm he had given up during this battle though, even one of them nicking him would put him below the hard limit they had set. ¡°Gotcha!¡± THWACK! Out of nowhere, he suddenly felt his face being compressed as a foot met his left cheek. The chinchilla was taken off his feet and slammed into the ground hard, sliding a small distance away. BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP Both tuners began to loudly protest with electronic beeping. ¡°Fuck!¡± came Amika¡¯s frustrated shout. ¡°Sotto,¡± Shouri called out, causing the thick blanket of smoke to rapidly dissipate and reveal the outcome of the battle. Rebecca stood over a fallen Andi, breathing hard. Her eyes were still shut, with one last Famiglio Incendio sitting on her shoulder. Andi sat up, groaning as his body began to protest the damage it took now that the adrenaline had worn off. Shouri walked over to Rebecca, placing a hand on her free shoulder. ¡°Good game,¡± he directed at Amika. ¡°Man, that¡¯s bullshit! She¡¯s way too fucking strong,¡± Amika grumbled. ¡°I mean you¡¯re not wrong, but you did well. You quickly realized Rebecca doesn¡¯t need her sight and tried to take her ears out of the equation,¡± Shouri pointed out. ¡°Got unlucky.¡± Amika rolled her eyes. ¡°Sho was already ready for that.¡± Rebecca patted the tiny fox on her shoulder. ¡°Aw man, we never stood a chance,¡± Andi realized, limping over. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Amika looked over to her Resonator. ¡°Can you see through those?¡± the chinchilla asked the fox. ¡°No, but I can sense where they¡¯re at. They have their own like will or something so I can give them vague mental commands like ''attack'' or ''scatter'' and they¡¯ll just do it,¡± Rebecca revealed. ¡°I kept this one on my shoulder to confuse you, since you weren¡¯t attacking them.¡± Andi slumped at the analysis of the situation. ¡°Damn it, you did have the read on me the whole time.¡± Amika too sighed and dropped her shoulders, realizing how thoroughly they were beaten. ¡°Honestly what cost you was over-using your ad-Lib,¡± Shouri commented. ¡°It drained your rhythm so quickly that the familiars could easily land the finishing blow.¡± ¡°You gotta use it to boost your speed and power, not be it,¡± Rebecca added. ¡°Damn damn, I¡¯m kinda glad you didn¡¯t have your ad-Lib, you would have fucked me up if you did,¡± Andi cursed. ¡°You¡¯re one hell of a Maestro Shouri,¡± Amika grumbled, not happy about it. Shouri chuckled nervously. ¡°It¡¯s not me, they¡¯re just all talented.¡± Amika responded by punching the boy¡¯s arm. ¡°Stop the modest act. You were one step ahead of us the entire battle.¡± She glared at him. The brunet Maestro rubbed his arm where Amika had punched it. He didn¡¯t open his mouth again in case she wanted to take another swing at him.
¡°Did you have to beat him this badly?¡± Taika muttered to Rebecca while healing Andi. ¡°It was either him or me,¡± Rebecca replied simply, thankful to have her vision back. ¡°Yeah yeah, I suck thanks.¡± Andi rolled his eyes, though appreciating the courtesy heal. ¡°Mannnn I should have gone,¡± Pacifica pouted, leaning over the back of the couch over the trio of Resonators huddled just behind it. ¡°And have you suddenly tag in? No thanks, she was enough of a monster as is.¡± Andi pointed at Rebecca as if she was some kind of demon. ¡°Man, this is a nice house,¡± Amika spoke with her mouth full of pear. ¡°It¡¯s not mine, it¡¯s Pacifica¡¯s parents¡¯,¡± Shouri commented. The two Maestros were sitting at the little dining room table, killing time while Taika took care of healing duties. Amika originally just wanted to take Andi to an MA office and have him healed up there, however, Shouri insisted he could just have Taika do most of the healing to save them a trip. ¡°Pacifica¡¯s parents?¡± Amika furrowed her brow. ¡°A Maestro and her Resonator,¡± Shouri replied. ¡°Oh.¡± Amika looked over to Pacifica, looking over the otter who chatted with the other three Resonators who were sitting on the floor. ¡°Isn¡¯t that kind of weird?¡± she asked with a hushed voice. ¡°What¡¯s weird Amika?¡± He looked down on her. ¡°Just that you, kind of well, have their daughter now?¡± she whispered. Shouri¡¯s judgmental gaze faded. ¡°I thought so too,¡± he admitted. ¡°But her mom gave her blessing, so I try not to think about it too much.¡± Amika nodded, leaning back in the chair. ¡°I guess if I was in her shoes, I¡¯d want my kid to go to a good home,¡± the redhead decided. ¡°Doing my best,¡± Shouri sighed. He stole a glance at Rebecca¡¯s tuner. ¡°Thanks for the level on Bolide, by the way,¡± the boy added, flashing the tuner which proudly displayed the spell¡¯s new Forte rank. ¡°And the rich get richer,¡± complained Amika, who hung her head in defeat. With Andi healed up, they went to take their leave. ¡°Hey, Shouri,¡± Amika spoke up while they were all at the door. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Thanks for today, I had fun. We all should go out sometime.¡± Shouri was taken aback by the offer. Pacifica went to accept in her Maestro¡¯s stead, but he beat her to the punch: ¡°Sure.¡± Chapter 58 Friday the 22nd started the same way it usually did in the Nicchi household: Pacifica dragging Taika out of her bedroom and into the pool. Now normally Rebecca would scooch over and nuzzle up next to her Maestro. This early summer morning, however, the pair were wide awake. ¡°Sounds like they¡¯re swimming again,¡± Shouri noted. ¡°Are you surprised?¡± Rebecca questioned. ¡°Not really, no.¡± ¡°Hey, can we do some exercise?¡± the fox proposed. ¡°What did you have in mind?¡± her Maestro asked in response. Dressed for the day, and with their shoes fully laced up, Shouri and Rebecca patted themselves down making sure the essentials were in place before quietly exiting through the front door of the home. They carefully chose a route that avoided being detected by Pacifica or Taika who were still swimming in the backyard pool. The neighborhood as a whole lacked any fences; privacy, or otherwise, so being spotted was a very real and easy situation to fall into. The pair jogged for a small while until it was clear to Rebecca that Shouri wasn¡¯t up to the task. ¡°Man, you¡¯re really out of shape,¡± Rebecca commented as their pace returned to a normal walk. ¡°Being out of shape implies I was ever in shape,¡± he snarked back. ¡°Coulda fooled me, you look good.¡± It was at that point Rebecca¡¯s brain caught what Rebecca¡¯s mouth had said and she quickly turned her head away, hoping he didn¡¯t catch that pass at him. His silence was quite telling. They came to a stop near the edge of the subdivision, right where the large iron wrought gate was open and cars whizzed by on the main road. There were a couple of Resonators out, part of some lawn care company, who were trimming the grass that grew in the empty retention pond near the front of the neighborhood. ¡°How was I yesterday?¡± Shouri suddenly asked, breaking the silence. ¡°Huh?¡± Rebecca looked at him. ¡°Commanding you in that battle. I don¡¯t have too much experience in Maestro battles.¡± He didn¡¯t meet her gaze, instead keeping his head down, holding himself. Rebecca studied his form, looking at his body language for an answer to the nature of his question. It quickly hit her. The vixen¡¯s lips turned up to a smile. ¡°I already told you: you¡¯re the best I¡¯ve ever had. Don¡¯t compare yourself to those other Maestros.¡± She took possession of his arm closest to her. Leaning against him, she closed her eyes, wearing a content smile. ¡°Your orders were perfect,¡± she whispered. Shouri slowly nodded but was clearly still bothered, which earned a frown from his foxy companion. ¡°Hey.¡± She released his arm and turned him toward her, keeping grasp of his shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m serious. The Maestros I had before made wild assumptions about my abilities. But not you. You know what I can do.¡± Her grip tightened as her expression brightened further. ¡°And you trust me, I think.¡± He slowly nodded. ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Stop worrying about it then!¡± She pulled him into a hug. ¡°You¡¯re the best, just accept it,¡± she said with a giggle, her tail swishing behind her. Her mood was infectious, as Shouri himself couldn¡¯t help but crack a smile and return the hug. The pair walked back, hand-in-hand, however when they reached the house, Rebecca tugged Shouri to keep walking. ¡°Huh?¡± The Maestro looked back to the home, confused. ¡°I wanna practice some stuff,¡± Rebecca decided. ¡°If that¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± So they trekked on, reaching the courts in little time. Rebecca sat Shouri down on a bench and stood in front of him. ¡°What are you doing?¡± he asked. ¡°I wanted to show you my routine,¡± the fire Resonator spoke with a sheepish smile on her face. Without another word, she began. It started simple, with all manner of stretches, mostly focusing on her legs. She was far more flexible than he had realized, noting that he wasn¡¯t capable of moving in the same manner that she could. Stretches complete, she moved to practice what appeared to be martial arts moves, her footwork; primarily kicks, jumps, and the like. She was more professionally trained than Pacifica and Taika. Rebecca really could fight entirely independently from her magic if it came down to it. She demonstrated this well enough yesterday, her initial assault on Andi being entirely based on her footwork. He didn¡¯t see the final blow that she landed on the other fire Resonator, but based on how hard Taika had to focus her healing on that area, it must have been a devastatingly harsh blow. There was something in the back of his mind telling him that she was holding back too. That was supposed to be a sparring session. Andi was absolutely spot on with his analysis of Rebecca: she was a monster, ludicrously powerful even though she lacked the higher-level spells of her contemporaries. ¡°What do you think?¡± she breathed hard; a bit winded after completing her set. ¡°I¡¯m super lucky to have you.¡± He smiled. That genuine smile of his disarmed her immediately. ¡°L-likewise!¡± she stammered out. His smile faded as his gaze fell to her feet. ¡°You feel anything?¡± he hesitantly inquired. ¡°N-not yet.¡± Her mood notably deflated as the frustration crept onto her face. ¡°You don¡¯t need it, it¡¯ll come back with time.¡± ¡°I feel naked without it.¡± ¡°I understand that.¡± A gentle breeze blew over them as they remained in their respective positions. ¡°You¡¯ve really worked hard, haven¡¯t you?¡± Shouri spoke up. ¡°I want to think so.¡± ¡°That¡¯s my thought.¡±
Returning to the Nicchi family home, Shouri and Rebecca were attacked by the other two Resonators of their traveling party. ¡°Where did you two go?!¡± Pacifica cried out ¡°We were worried sick!¡± Taika added ¡°We went on a jog, chill,¡± Rebecca replied. ¡°Just some morning exercise,¡± Shouri told them. The two girls continued to pout regardless but didn¡¯t have anything else to say. Kicking off their shoes, Shouri and Rebecca joined Pacifica back on the couch, where she was playing some games. Taika meanwhile was once again preparing breakfast under the tutelage of one Priscilla Nicchi. It was another peaceful day for the group all things considered. Day passed to night, and with it, the group began to wind down for bed. Pacifica stared at herself in the mirror whilst brushing her teeth. She was in her favorite comfy baby blue pajamas, and just existing in peak comfort. Her tail swished back and forth while she rinsed her mouth out of the toothpaste. Flashing a toothy grin, she was satisfied with the state of her teeth and went to leave the bathroom. She stopped short of exiting the bathroom proper as she heard her mother on the phone. Feeling particularly nosy, she cupped her ear against the door, using her slightly better-than-human hearing to eavesdrop on the conversation. ¡°Yes, Syrus should be meeting you at O¡¯Naer tomorrow.¡± ¡°Right right. Pacifica¡¯s here, I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be happy to see you.¡± ¡°She got a Maestro, he¡¯s a charming young man.¡± ¡°They remind me of us when we were around that age¡± Her voice began to fade as she was pacing the house and got too far for Pacifica to hear. There was only one person that her mom spoke to like that. ¡°Uncle Aiden?¡± Pacifica whispered to herself. O¡¯Naer was their city¡¯s airport, meaning they were flying in? ¡°Uncle Syrus is coming here too?¡± The otter frowned. Her mother¡¯s other Resonators didn¡¯t come to visit very frequently, they usually did their own thing separately from their Maestro. ¡°Why?¡± She slightly cursed the etude of her Maestro giving her that itch of curiosity. She didn¡¯t catch any more of her mother¡¯s conversation, so she returned to her room, slightly confused and perhaps a little miffed at the situation. Plopping back down at her computer desk, she glared at her keyboard, wearing her annoyance on her sleeve. ¡°Everything alright?¡± Shouri¡¯s voice stirred her from her thoughts. Spinning her chair around, she found all three of her friends staring back at her with concern. The otter quickly averted her gaze, fidgeting with the bottom buttons of her pajama shirt. She hummed and grunted as she gathered her thoughts, avoiding the unspoken pleas of her friends. ¡°I overheard my mom on the phone,¡± she began with a hushed voice. ¡°And?¡± Rebecca raised a brow. ¡°My uncles are coming into town.¡± The otter kept her voice low. ¡°Is that a problem?¡± Shouri questioned. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ Uncle Aiden and Uncle Syrus only visited for some holidays. I can¡¯t remember a time where they randomly showed up.¡± ¡°Is it that big of a deal?¡± Taika asked. Pacifica leaned over, putting her head in her hands. ¡°I dunno. Just something about all this worries me.¡± The trio looked between each other, perplexed at the situation. Finally, a silent consensus was reached. Shouri stepped forward and grabbed one of Pacifica¡¯s hands. ¡°Wha-?¡± Before she could protest, she was forced up from her seat and found Shouri¡¯s opposite hand around the small of her back as he pulled her close. ¡°Sh-sho?¡± she squeaked, her heart racing. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°Come on!¡± Taika grabbed the otter from behind and pushed the whole trio of them to the bed. Rebecca meanwhile pushed the TV cart in front of the bed and began to fiddle with the channels. Shouri and Taika draped themselves over the concerned water element, Shouri to her left, Taika lying over both their laps. Finally, Rebecca joined the pile on her right, remote in hand. ¡°Impromptu movie night,¡± the fire Resonator announced. Pacifica smiled warmly as she soaked in her friend¡¯s positivity.
Morning once more. However, unlike most mornings, Pacifica found herself the center of attention. Shouri held both her and Taika loosely from the left, while Rebecca claimed the right side of the otter. ¡°I guess I¡¯m not swimming this morning,¡± she muttered. ¡°Ah well¡­¡± Her lips rested at a smile as she fell back into a comfortable rest. KNOCK KNOCK The group was stirred from their sleep by a sudden pounding of the door. ¡°Muuhhh?¡± Pacifica¡¯s eyes fluttered open. ¡°Wake up kids, it¡¯s like eleven!¡± Jack¡¯s voice boomed from the other side of the door. ¡°Too early,¡± Rebecca grumbled, attempting to pull their shared blanket over her head. ¡°Sono d¡¯accordo¡­¡± Taika squeezed Pacifica tighter, nuzzling her face into the otter¡¯s side. ¡°Eee! Taika that tickles!¡± the water element shrieked. ¡°mmmmmgh,¡± Shouri grunted, annoyed by the noise. After much struggle, the group got out of bed. Pacifica excused herself to her closet to change into her everyday wear, while Rebecca and Shouri gathered their clothes to head to the other bathrooms. However, upon opening the door, they ran into a pair of strangers. ¡°Oh, who do we have here?¡± ¡°Little Pacifica¡¯s Maestro?¡± Before them stood two men. A red-haired man radiating some intense heat, clad in blacks and reds with a black and red striped tail and small fluffy triangular ears. The other man dressed in whites and yellows, a bright sort of fellow bearing great draconic wings and an impressively strong-looking tail to match. ¡°Uncle Aiden! Uncle Syrus!¡± Pacifica almost jumped over poor Shouri and Rebecca with how quickly she appeared behind her friends. ¡°Oh, your uncles,¡± Shouri noted. ¡°Yeah yeah yeah!¡± Pacifica pointed to the man with the fluffy tail. ¡°That¡¯s Uncle Aiden, he¡¯s an Ailuridae or a red panda if you will.¡± ¡°Charmed. Fire-Slashing by the way.¡± The man gave a small bow, holding a hand at his chest with the other behind him. Pacifica motioned to the dragon man next to Aiden. ¡°And he¡¯s Uncle Syrus, a sky dragon.¡± ¡°Pleasure to meet you. Solar-Crushing.¡± The dragon nodded to the small group at the door. Rebecca nodded slowly to herself, having picked up on both of their element-attributes at a glance. Though the group huddled at the door were studied right back in return. ¡°It seems we¡¯ve caught you at a bad time,¡± Syrus spoke up suddenly. ¡°We just flew in, so we¡¯ll get settled while you prepare for your day.¡± Aiden grinned toothily, before slipping into the room across the hall. ¡°Wait! Damn it!¡± Syrus made a motion but failed to stop his fellow Resonator as the door was slammed shut before he knew what the red panda was up to. The dragon glanced at the younger adults, who didn¡¯t know what to make of the situation. ¡°Ai-aiden is right, we¡¯ll need a bit to rest up. Go on, get freshened up,¡± the solar-element chuckled sheepishly before making his exit into the other spare guest room. Blink blink. ¡°Riiiiight.¡± Shouri wasn¡¯t going to linger on that thought and finally exited his own Resonator¡¯s room to get dressed properly. After freshening up as suggested, Shouri found his way into the living room where they normally gathered before going off to their activities for the day. This morning, he arrived to find Pacifica and Taika chatting on the couch. ¡°So they¡¯re your ¡°uncles¡±?¡± Taika asked. ¡°Not blood related, but from what I understand, couples like mom and dad treat other Resonators like blood family,¡± Pacifica replied. ¡°Oh, I get it.¡± The lunar fox nodded. Shouri sat down on the couch with his two Resonators. ¡°Your mom had quite the eye for Resonators.¡± ¡°Why do you say that?¡± Pacifica wondered. ¡°She has a stupidly well-balanced trio under her.¡± He leaned back, looking at the ceiling. ¡°Slashing, Piercing, and Crushing. Fire, Water, Solar. Land, Sea, Sky,¡± the young Maestro noted. ¡°Really?¡± Taika blinked, thinking about Priscilla¡¯s Resonators. ¡°Yeah. Sky Dragons are ferocious beasts of the air, otters are expert swimmers who rule the seas, and red pandas are speed demons on land and even climbing,¡± Shouri explained. Taika was a bit suspicious of the third claim, however. ¡°That fluffy-tailed man is fast on land? He seems like Rebecca and me though.¡± At this point in the conversation, Rebecca joined the group. ¡°Don¡¯t get it twisted Taika.¡± The fire fox plopped down next to Shouri, causing the boy to sit up properly. ¡°Ailuridae are top-tier threats, they¡¯re one of the best kinds of Resonators you can have on a competitive team,¡± Rebecca told the rest of the group. ¡°They¡¯re that strong?¡± Taika questioned. ¡°Their trait, Trailblazer of the forest is absurdly busted,¡± Rebecca grumbled, seeming a bit irritated at the situation. ¡°What¡¯s that one do?¡± the lunar fox asked. ¡°As long as they stay grounded, or are climbing, they can use their ad-Lib for free,¡± Shouri told her. One could see the gears turning in the fox¡¯s head as she pieced together what it all meant. Finally, it clicked into place. ¡°Oh!¡± Rebecca grunted but nodded. ¡°They fight way differently than other Icarus¡¯ Ala users, they use it to bolster their speed and maneuverability instead of the way I use it,¡± the fire fox explained, her eyes locked onto her heels. ¡°They¡¯re ridiculously strong, aren¡¯t they?¡± Shouri whispered to his battle-trained Resonator. ¡°All four of them are,¡± she whispered back. ¡°It¡¯s almost overwhelming.¡± The fox-girl trembled. She calmed as Shouri rubbed the shoulder next to him. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Pacifica¡¯s lips were in a hard line. She didn¡¯t see what the big deal was, they were just her goofy uncles. Were they really all that? She had never really thought about how strong her mother and her Resonators were. Never needed to. It all went back to that simple question: are we weird? ¡°Hey, party people!¡± Priscilla interrupted the conversation. ¡°How are we doing this morning?¡± she loudly asked. ¡°It¡¯s 12:01,¡± Shouri noted. ¡°Oh sorry.¡± Walking backward, Priscilla went just out of sight and then re-entered the room. ¡°Hey party people, how are we doing this afternoon?¡± Shouri blinked twice and yawned. ¡°Fantastic!¡± The woman held a thumbs up. Notably now at her side were three tuners, joining the blue tuner of her husband were a red and white tuner to make a trifecta. ¡°Hope you didn¡¯t mind the surprise of my other Resonators joining us, though it makes the house a bit cramped.¡± The elder Maestro dropped onto the loveseat nearby. ¡°Why are they here though?¡± Pacifica inquired. ¡°We¡¯ve got a big meeting coming up, and the big wigs running it wanted all four of us there.¡± The woman smirked and shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡± the otter asked. ¡°In like a week.¡± Priscilla laughed loudly. ¡°Couldn¡¯t they have met you there?¡± Shouri questioned. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re so sharp Shouri!¡± The woman once more laughed. ¡°It¡¯s specifically a conference surrounding etude, so we need to get back in shape before then.¡± Shouri hummed in thought. That did make sense all things considered. She married one of her Resonators, after all; their etude was top-notch just on that fact alone. If she was anything like him, she must have a strong bond with her other two Resonators as well. He slowly shook those musings, focusing back on the conversation. ¡°So, I¡¯m assuming you want us to leave?¡± he asked the relevant question of the homeowner. ¡°Heavens no! Stay as long as you¡¯d like!¡± She exclaimed. The younger Maestro pondered that offer, he looked to Pacifica specifically. She stared back at him and slowly nodded. ¡°Honestly, we should probably move on,¡± Shouri decided. ¡°It¡¯s been almost a month since we got here,¡± he added. ¡°Where are we gonna go Sho?¡± Rebecca asked. ¡°Good fucking question. Hopping continents might not be a bad idea,¡± he pondered aloud. ¡°Maybe Kalanichi or Nabhon,¡± the Maestro continued his musings. ¡°Kalanichi nationals are next month, maybe you kids could go watch,¡± Priscilla suggested. ¡°Maybe. I¡¯ll have to sit down and plan how we¡¯d get there.¡± Shouri sighed, leaning back and reclining once more. Pacifica too, sat back and relaxed. It was just work stuff. There was no reason for her to have been as high-strung as she was last night about it. Truth be told, she was starting to get the itch to travel again. The prospect of actually going to see the world excited her greatly. Chapter 59 ¡°Where are we going Sho?¡± Taika asked as they walked to the bus stop once more. ¡°Well, if we¡¯re leaving in like a week, should probably see Amika and all them,¡± Shouri replied. ¡°Lina too?¡± Rebecca made the relevant inquiry, causing the Maestro to jump. ¡°¡­yes, even Lina,¡± he muttered. ¡°She doesn¡¯t have a problem with us, so we shouldn¡¯t have a problem with her,¡± the boy clarified. ¡°Right,¡± Rebecca said, failing to hide the skepticism in her voice. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine Rebby!¡± Pacifica exclaimed. ¡°Nothing is going on between them,¡± she whispered to where only the two foxes could hear. Given Pacifica¡¯s insane ability to read people, the pair of vixens took her word as gospel and relaxed ever so slightly. The bus soon arrived at the stop, opening its doors to beckon the would-be travelers to enter. The small group boarded and found an unoccupied row, taking their seats without much fanfare. As usual, it would take some time for them to get into the city proper, giving them nothing but time to waste. ¡°Ho fame¡­¡± Taika rubbed her gut sadly. ¡°We didn¡¯t eat breakfast Sho,¡± the lunar whined to her Maestro. ¡°Amika was saying something about going out to eat, so didn¡¯t feel the need to,¡± Shouri told his hungry fox girl; who lit up upon the revelation of their destination. ¡°What kind of place are we eating at?¡± Rebecca inquired from across the row. ¡°Uhh, some Cheonean-barbeque place.¡± Shouri pulled out one of his tuners to find the text from Amika. ¡°Cheonean barbeque?¡± Taika tilted her head. ¡°The way they cook and eat in Cheon, it¡¯s a region on the Nabhon continent,¡± Pacifica helpfully chimed in, leaning on Rebecca to speak. Though sensing her companion¡¯s confusion, she elaborated on what "Nabhon" was: ¡°It¡¯s the continent to the east of Unis-R¨¦sonne and Kalanichi. Huuuuuge land, way different from the rest of the world.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been there?¡± Taika queried the otter. ¡°No, haven¡¯t ever left Lybertera myself, but I¡¯ve heard some things from Mom and Dad,¡± the water element boasted. ¡°What about you Rebecca?¡± Taika turned the question to her fellow vixen The fire element shook her head. ¡°Same as Pacifica, never left Lybertera.¡± Rebecca paused to ponder that thought. ¡°Honestly going to Kalanichi to watch the nationals there sounds like a lot of fun.¡± she admitted quietly. ¡°It¡¯s the Fire Age Collective Steakhouse,¡± Shouri suddenly broke into the conversation. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a fun one!¡± Pacifica exclaimed, leaning further on Rebecca (much to the fire Resonator¡¯s ire) ¡°Fun?¡± Taika noted that particular word usage. ¡°You¡¯ll see, I think you¡¯ll love it.¡± The otter winked.
The bus arrived at their destination and with it, Shouri and the girls disembarked. It was only a city block away, so a short jaunt to their destination. Upon arriving, they found the group of six (Lina, Amika, Leo, and their respective Resonators) already waiting outside. ¡°Took you long enough!¡± Amika immediately complained. ¡°Don¡¯t blame me, blame grandma who insisted on paying in sharps.¡± Shouri rolled his eyes, recalling the elderly woman who stopped the bus to pay entirely in coins. ¡°Sounds about right.¡± Leo chuckled. ¡°Shall we?¡± Lina motioned for the group to enter. Leading the way, Lina made first contact with the wait staff. ¡°How many?¡± Lina spun around and counted off. ¡°Ten,¡± she replied. ¡°One moment please.¡± The host walked off, presumably to find a table to accommodate the large group. ¡°Causing problems already.¡± Amika elbowed Lina in the side. ¡°Well I wasn¡¯t gonna say to leave our Resonators at home, this place is great! Effy and I come here all the time!¡± Lina giggled, playfully shoving back. ¡°They¡¯d probably have to go find a big enough table even if it was just the six of us anyways,¡± Leo pointed out. ¡°Fair fair!¡± Lina laughed. ¡°She¡¯s really the life of the party huh?¡± Rebecca noted quietly to her fellow Resonators. ¡°Easy to get caught up in her mood.¡± Pacifica added. Taika simply nodded. The host returned after not too long and beckoned for them to follow. As they walked through the restaurant, the distinct smell of cooking oil filled the air with the sounds of simmering meats from every conceivable direction. Taika looked around but didn¡¯t quite understand what was happening. All she knew was that she was hungry and the food on the tables they passed looked amazing. They were brought to a long rectangular table with matching booth-style seats flanking each side of it. There was plenty of room for the group to slide in. Lina, Leo, and Amika sat across from their Resonators. Shouri and Taika capped off the Maestro row with Shouri seated next to Amika, while Pacifica and Rebecca had the honor of being on the Resonator row, Pacifica next to Andi. Due to the size of their group, they had the privilege of two waiters to attend to their needs. Menus were passed out, and drinks were ordered by the other six at the table. Lina, Leo, and Effy all got water, Andi ordered a hot alcoholic drink, while Amika and Chena got dark sodas. ¡°Root Beer, no ice please,¡± Rebecca requested. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.¡°Water, also no ice. Thank you!¡± Pacifica smiled ¡°Water as well, oh but I do want ice,¡± Shouri said, keeping his eyes on the menu. ¡°I want the cherry limeade soda please.¡± Taika pointed at the soda section of the menu. With drinks out of the way, the group began discussing the choices of meat. ¡°So we get three per grill. What do we want team?¡± Lina asked her part of the party. Notably, there were two grills built into the tables, Amika and Andi having the best spots, being equidistant away from both grills. ¡°What?¡± Taika was once again confused. She hadn¡¯t paid the strange metal circles built into the table any mind, but upon further reflection noted the emphasis put on the odd disks in the tables they had passed by. ¡°This is an all-you-can-eat place,¡± Rebecca said, pointing to the very top part of the menu stating as such. ¡°You cook the food yourself adding any kind of sauces and veggies you want as you go,¡± Pacifica explained more helpfully. ¡°I can eat as much as I want?¡± The hungry vixen looked to Shouri hopefully. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what that means.¡± The boy couldn¡¯t help but smile, giving his eager lunar fox some head pats. The waiters returned, one tending to Lina¡¯s half of the table, while the other to Shouri¡¯s. ¡°Fuck what do we want?¡± Shouri grumbled, once more studying the menu. ¡°Shrimp! Shrimp! Shrimp!¡± Pacifica demanded, pounding the table with each declaration. ¡°If I don¡¯t leave here without some kind of steak, we¡¯re gonna have problems,¡± Rebecca directed at Shouri. ¡°What is Bulgogi?¡± Taika asked. ¡°Thinly cut meat marinated in our specialty house sauce,¡± the waiter told the young vixen. ¡°That sounds good.¡± It didn¡¯t take much to make her mouth water. The waiter looked to Shouri, the Maestro of the three hungry Resonator girls. Not wanting to disappoint any of them, he sighed. ¡°Fuck it, go with what they said.¡± ¡°Right away sir.¡± It didn¡¯t take much time at all for a huge amount of food to be delivered to their table. The meats the three girls requested were deposited first, followed by a ton of assorted veggies and sauces for their consumption. Of course, their drinks also joined the table along with some utensils for use with the grills. Speaking of, a hot flame was lit and the grill covers were replaced. The waiter oiled the covers and deposited the bottle of oil on the table to allow them to reapply it as needed. ¡°What did y''all get?¡± Andi asked, eyeing the food he also had access to. ¡°Bolagna!¡± Taika completely mispronounced. ¡°Bulgogi,¡± Shouri corrected her. ¡°Steak!¡± Rebecca already had possession of their grill¡¯s tongs and was depositing a large slab of beef near her. Andi smirked. ¡°Girl, you best be-¡± Rebecca cut him off: ¡°Charred black!¡± ¡°Hell yeah! Let¡¯s go!¡± The two fire elements exchanged a fist bump, with Pacifica between them. ¡°Just don¡¯t let my shrimp burn,¡± the otter huffed, taking possession of the tongs to deposit her cluster of crustaceans on the grill. Taika¡¯s turn was next and she excitedly threw her little shreds of meat onto her section of the grill. Finally, Shouri grabbed some of Rebecca¡¯s steak to toss near him. Andi joined in on their grill, throwing some chicken he stole from the other side of the table. ¡°Ah Taika, that cooks fast!¡± Pacifica grabbed the tongs and quickly flipped the rapidly burning meat. ¡°Oh, because it¡¯s really thin, right?¡± the vixen realized. ¡°Right.¡± ¡°Sho, give me Lanciafiamme, I want this sucker to burn faster!¡± Rebecca demanded. ¡°Absolutely not,¡± Shouri immediately shot her down. ¡°I have fantastic control! Nobody would even notice!¡± the fire fox protested. ¡°Amika, can I-?¡± Andi tried to propose the same thing, however- ¡°No, I¡¯m not getting fined because you decided to set the table on fire again,¡± Amika similarly shot her fire element down. ¡°You never let me have my way!¡± the chinchilla pouted. Two hours passed within the blink of an eye. Everyone ate their fill, and while the bill was pretty steep, it was well worth it for the experience. ¡°I don¡¯t want to think about food,¡± Rebecca groaned, limping out of the restaurant. Pacifica helped her fellow Resonator along the sidewalk. ¡°Sho, can we stop somewhere for dessert?¡± Taika inquired hopefully. ¡°WHERE DO YOU PUT IT ALL!?¡± Rebecca shouted, holding her ailing stomach. Shouri shook his head, amused by his Resonator¡¯s antics. Lina walked up next to him. ¡°Hey Shouri, you wanna do another hunt together?¡± she asked. The boy locked up but quickly found the courage to reply. ¡°Sure. We¡¯re leaving here next Saturday or so,¡± he replied, managing to keep his voice even. Lina nodded. There was a sense she wanted to say more but held back. ¡°Tomorrow night good?¡± she decided on. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s fine. Text me which field we¡¯re going to.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± After committing to that future social interaction, Shouri bid Lina and their friends farewell, leaving him with his trio of Resonators. ¡°Dessert?¡± Taika asked again. ¡°Kill me,¡± Rebecca groaned. ¡°Oh behave Rebby,¡± Pacifica chided the girl she was still holding up. ¡°I suppose you three are consistent if nothing else,¡± Shouri decided, shaking his head, but smiling. Chapter 60 The next evening Shouri and his trio made their way up to the northern hunting site, as promised. They disembarked from the bus around nine or so at night ¨C peak hours for the Maestro traffic coming into work for the evening. ¡°Where did they say to meet them?¡± Pacifica asked Shouri as they shuffled along with the rest of the crowd toward the site. ¡°They¡¯d be by registration according to Amika,¡± he replied. ¡°The usual then,¡± the otter tittered. With that in mind, the group joined the registration line with the rest of the awaiting Maestros. As usual, there were quite a few people here, but unlike the first Canolapra hunter camp they had visited, this one seemed to be a more traditional hunting experience. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like there¡¯s much farmland here,¡± Shouri observed. ¡°Yeah. More woods,¡± Rebecca added in. ¡°Less people here,¡± Taika noted. ¡°Probably just the south site, I dunno,¡± Pacifica said with a shrug. Whatever it was, they wouldn¡¯t argue with a more traditional hunting experience. As the line drew closer to the actual registration stalls, Pacifica spotted the rest of their hunting party hanging out near the front of the line, talking amongst themselves. Lina¡¯s group likewise noticed Shouri and made their way over. ¡°There you are!¡± Amika immediately shouted. ¡°Grandma again.¡± Shouri chuckled. Thankfully the line moved fast and mentioning that he was with Lina¡¯s group got them assigned together. The attendant had a very specific assignment for their relatively large group and provided a marker for them to follow. Nobody argued with this as it came with a tidy little bonus for all of them. With the bureaucracy out of the way, the ten-strong group moved into the dark woods. Immediately eight of the ten couldn¡¯t see a thing, leading to complaints. ¡°Fuck it¡¯s dark out here,¡± Amika grumbled. ¡°Just a smidge,¡± Lina laughed as she spoke. ¡°We have two fire Resonators here,¡± Leo pointed out. ¡°Right right. Keep forgetting other people don¡¯t have night vision.¡± Shouri rolled his eyes and grabbed Rebecca¡¯s tuner. ¡°Famiglio Incendio, Presto Staccato. Do four, one for yourself and Pacifica, then one each for Lina, Amika, and Leo,¡± Shouri instructed. ¡°Righto!¡± Rebecca knelt and got to work, summoning her four little familiars to light up the dark woods. One scampered up the Resonator¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I guess you¡¯re with me.¡± The fire element laughed. ¡°You three stick with them, make sure they can see,¡± Rebecca told the other three. With eager nods they rushed over to their assignments, ready to follow. ¡°When are you gonna get this one?¡± Chena elbowed Andi in the side. ¡°Whenever I feel like it!¡± Andi huffed, still a bit bitter about being bested by this spell in question. Visibility solved, the group continued walking, idly chatting just like before. Shouri and his Resonators didn¡¯t contribute much to the conversation, just listening to the three friends talk about local events and people they knew. Shouri brought up Taika¡¯s tuner, to check on the map she had so graciously marked with Rilevare l''intenzione. He furrowed his brow; the group they were tackling was pretty large now that he could see it on the map. The big blob of Scherzando matched up with the marker the registrar had given them. That just raised questions, the chief of them being: Why were so many at this one spot? Either way, they had a big enough group to tackle it. Taika didn¡¯t mention any big Scherzando, so this was probably safe to handle, as long as they had a good plan. ¡°We¡¯re just about there,¡± he warned the group in front of him. The three Maestros and their Resonators slowed to gather with Shouri and his trio. After a moment, they split into two groups: one made up of the Maestros who were planning their attack, and the Resonators who listened. ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan, plan guy?¡± Amika asked, unable to hide the excitement in her voice. ¡°Not make a scene like last time.¡± He shot an irritated glance at the other Maestro. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re no fun!¡± Amika whined. ¡°Was it actually that bad?¡± Efigenios asked Andi. ¡°We had to smokescreen to get out. You¡¯d think they were freaking rock stars!¡± the chinchilla complained. ¡°We did drop several meteors around the forest,¡± Pacifica informed the wolf man with a chuckle. ¡°Several?¡± Effy was dubious of the claim, but after eyeing up Shouri for a moment recalled he was able to command three Resonators for an eight-hour shift with no visible wear on his rhythm. With a side conversation fully underway, the Maestros continued to hash out their plan of attack, which settled on a pretty simple set of tactics: ¡°I¡¯ll focus on supporting you three dealing damage,¡± Shouri had decided. ¡°No arguments here,¡± Amika smirked. ¡°But why though?¡± Leo questioned. ¡°We get more money that way,¡± Lina pointed out. ¡°We¡¯ve been living rent-free at Pacifica¡¯s childhood home, and outside of that we¡¯re hopping from MA office to MA office, most of our expenses are just travel costs and maintaining clothes and the like,¡± Shouri explained. ¡°Fair I suppose,¡± Leo yielded the point. Amika turned back to the conversing Resonators. ¡°¡¯kay! We¡¯re ready now.¡± ¡°Finally!¡± Andi cracked his knuckles, returning to his Maestro¡¯s side. ¡°Supporting tonight?¡± Rebecca asked for clarification. ¡°Yeah, figured it wouldn¡¯t hurt to take it easy for once,¡± Shouri said. ¡°Aw, you do care,¡± Pacifica joked, taking hold of one of her Maestro¡¯s arms. ¡°Maybe if we finish fast enough, we can go get dessert?¡± Taika wondered hopefully. ¡°Seriously girl, where do you put it?¡± Rebecca shot a sideward glance at her fellow fox. ¡°They¡¯re a laugh and a half,¡± Lina tittered, noting Shouri¡¯s dynamic with his Resonators. ¡°Poor guy, wonder how he keeps up with them,¡± Effy muttered. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°We sure this is going to work?¡± Leo mumbled to himself. ¡°I mean, if nothing else, Shouri can just drop meteors on them again.¡± Chena shrugged. ¡°Man, should have had moneybags pay for our lunch yesterday,¡± Amika grumbled. ¡°We¡¯d probably have had to chase him down the street again if you tried,¡± Andi pointed out. The group separated, slowly surrounding the massive group of Scherzando milling about amongst the trees. Shouri kept careful watch of the map, having Taika refresh it every so often to ensure he had the latest information available. ¡°Rebecca, Anello di Fuoco, Tenuto Staccato.¡± ¡°Taika, La Bella Vita, Rubato.¡± ¡°Pacifica, Ghiacciolo, Pianissimo Staccato.¡± ¡°Rebecca will trap them. Taika stay behind Rebecca and heal her or anyone else as needed. Pacifica, we¡¯ll handle the stragglers,¡± he quickly doled out the orders for how they were to use their linked spells. The three Resonators nodded, with Rebecca and Taika darting out of their cover to begin setting up. Thanks to Taika¡¯s previously applied Rilevare l''intenzione, she also could help direct Rebecca around trapping the Scherzando using the firewall spell, Anello di Fuoco. The forest was quickly illuminated by the magical flames the two fox-girls were setting up. As the encirclement became apparent to the Scherzando they began to panic and rush down the pair. ¡°Shit!¡± Rebecca jumped away but sorely missed her previous speed and agility afforded to her leading to her being hit by a flurry of bladed leaves. The fire element resisted the nature element spell thankfully, but it still physically hurt her from the sharpened pieces of foliage. This didn¡¯t dissuade the canine-shaped Scherzando and it kept moving forward, aiming to use its physical features to dispatch the Resonator. Thwick thwick thwick! Three ice needles quickly pierced the attacking nature-element Scherzando, dispersing it. Rebecca muttered a small thanks of appreciation to Pacifica, who wasn¡¯t visible, but keeping an eye on them. Taika also did her part and topped off Rebecca with a mild heal. ¡°Appreciate it.¡± The fire fox glared at her uncooperative feet for a moment before they moved on. The two foxes heard the other Maestros in their group beginning their attack; various water, fire, and solar spells drove the beasts toward the firewall which took care of the rest. ¡°They¡¯re doing pretty good,¡± Taika updated Rebecca. ¡°Good.¡± The fire element continued her focus on laying down and re-applying the Anello di Fuoco, ensuring the weakened Scherzando smashed themselves to bits on the fiery barrier. All was going well. Rebecca and Taika relaxed their upkeep of the firewalls as the number of Scherzando dwindled. However, in an instant, the tide of battle shifted. A column of wind descended from upon high, crushing the two fox-girls into the dirt, and snuffing out the familiar on Rebecca¡¯s person. Most of the firewall was damaged and now the Scherzando had easy access to the two floored girls. Reflexively, Taika shot a heal to Rebecca, despite the position they were in. The perpetrator of the attack however made their presence known. A large bird Scherzando glowing in the white of the solar element. It wasn¡¯t the size of a large Scherzando, but an in-between from the common Scherzando they so effortlessly dispatched. The beast hungered, and it didn¡¯t want to share with its weaker brethren. For this, it created a tornado that blew away the remainder of the firewalls Rebecca had created and scooped the two foxes into the air. Higher and higher they flew, well above the tops of even the tallest trees that graced the forest. Rebecca¡¯s heart practically stopped as she was whipped around. Time slowed to an absolute crawl as her brain went into overdrive, reviewing the full situation she was thrust into. Through the nearly full moon, she had full visibility of the horrible situation she found herself in. They had been thrown high into the sky. Taika was sharing the ascent but was unconscious. Wind magic fell under the solar family, which was doubly effective against a lunar like her. The Scherzando was unaccounted for, maybe it was dealt with by those on the ground? Either way, the tornado reached its apex and threw the two girls out. The remaining inertia from the tornado wore away and gravity dragged the pair rapidly towards the ground. This was it; they were really about to die. There¡¯s no way they¡¯d survive the fall from such a great height. How?! How was this going to be what did them in? Where did that bird even come from? It was all so anticlimactic; in just a short moment they would splatter on the ground and that would be the end of it. What would Shouri say or do? He¡¯d be devastated, inconsolable even for Pacifica¡¯s strong stave. And Taika; she didn¡¯t deserve this. Rebecca didn¡¯t know the specifics of her life before Shouri, but surely this was heaven compared to whatever hell she had come from. It couldn¡¯t end like this! It just couldn¡¯t!! Maybe¡­ she could save Taika, using her own body as a cushion to break the other girl¡¯s fall? Rebecca found herself reaching towards the still unconscious Taika, but it was useless, they were both just falling. USELESS! The fire Resonator closed her eyes in frustration but suddenly found¡­ Taika was in her arms? Sure enough, opening her eyes, she now had hold of the other fox but¡­ How? It all made sense in an instant. ¡°NOW YOU COME BACK!¡± Pivoting her body around, feet straight down, Rebecca¡¯s ad-lib, Icarus¡¯ Ala burst to life under her. Pushing out the maximum output she could muster, possibly even much higher than that as she began to desperately slow their descent. Thanks to the jets at her feet, she managed to drop their speed just in the nick of time to slam through the canopy of trees, where it all went black. Chapter 61 ¡°Please!¡± ¡°Please wake up!¡± ¡°Dai, ti prego! Svegliati!!¡± Suddenly, it all came back. Taking in a gasp of life-giving air, Rebecca¡¯s eyes snapped open. Teary blue eyes hovered over her. ¡°R-Rebecca?¡± Taika asked shakily. ¡°Taika¡­? We¡¯re alive?¡± ¡°REBECCA!¡± The fire fox was winded again, but this time by her lunar counterpart basically falling on and hugging her tightly, sobbing loudly as she took a second go at trying to remove Rebecca¡¯s lease on life. ¡°Taika¡­ you¡¯re crushing me¡­¡± Rebecca wheezed with her last breath. She was released from the death grip, Taika sat back on her legs and sniffled while wiping away the tears with her jacket sleeve. ¡°Uhg fuck¡­¡± Rebecca glanced down at her legs. The stunt that saved their lives had annihilated her fire-resistant socks and shoes, as well as leaving her feet and most of her shins severely burned. What¡¯s more, they also had hit the ground rather hard, as her entire body ached at various points. She must have rolled at the last second to disperse most of the remaining momentum from their fall. ¡°I don¡¯t have my spells anymore,¡± Taika whimpered sadly; her gaze fixated on Rebecca¡¯s legs. ¡°We were knocked out; we lost our rhythm link with Shouri,¡± Rebecca noted. ¡°H-how was it so easy?¡± the lunar fox fretted. Rebecca was surprised by that. ¡°Have you never been hit by your weakness before?¡± the fire Resonator gasped. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The lunar wilted. ¡°Solar spells.¡± There was a significant darkness that clouded her emotions, Rebecca noticed instantly. ¡°Do you¡­ want to talk about it?¡± Rebecca asked. ¡°No,¡± Taika retorted sharply and firmly. The Rebecca of a couple of weeks ago would have started a fight, but now she was just curious. Who exactly was this girl she had just saved? That could wait though, they were currently separated from their Maestro and by extension their fighting capabilities. They had been thrown somewhere random in the forest, and while Rebecca did have her ad-Lib back, she had very limited usage of it due to the state her body was in. Taika got to her feet. She offered her back to Rebecca and crouched low. ¡°Come on.¡± Taika motioned with her head. ¡°What?¡± Rebecca didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Get on my back.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°We need to find Sho, and you¡¯re hurt.¡± ¡°I can walk fine!¡± ¡°You have no shoes, shut up and get on my back.¡± Rebecca gritted her teeth; she could sense how adamant Taika was about this. ¡°F-fine.¡± Crawling over, the fire fox swallowed her pride and allowed herself to be carried by her fellow fox. Taika rose to her feet and began to walk. ¡°How are you so strong?¡± Rebecca questioned, noting the ease at which she was being carried. ¡°Che?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not struggling to carry me.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Taika took a moment to formulate her answer. ¡°I have a lot of practice,¡± she decided on. There was a certain¡­ pain to those words, not an ounce of pride to be had. However she got this strength, she earned it, and it wasn¡¯t pretty. ¡°Wish I had Rilevare,¡± Taika grumbled, not only having to carry Rebecca but perform triple time listening and watching for stray Scherzando. Both girls remained quiet, focusing on remaining at maximum alertness. The forest was sinisterly dark, far from civilization. In the distance they could hear the suggestion that there were Maestros and their Resonators about, though the two girls kept their expectations in check; their strong hearing betrayed the distance other humans were from them. ¡°TAIKA?! REBECCA?!¡± very loudly and painfully rang in both vixens¡¯ heads. ¡°Gah!¡± They winced from the sudden piercing cry of their Maestro, with Taika being so startled she stumbled. ¡°Sho!¡± Taika called out after shaking off her surprise. ¡°Please give us some spells!¡± she requested. ¡°What do you need?¡± Shouri asked. ¡°La bella Vita, Rilevare, e Luce Lunare, per favore!¡± Taika listed off. ¡°Famiglio Incendio,¡± Rebecca added in. ¡°La Bella Vita, Rubato. Rilevare l¡¯intenzione, Lento. Luce Lunare, Rubato. Famiglio Incendio, Presto Staccato,¡± came the four requested spells. The two girls felt a sense of relief as they were linked back to their Maestro once again. Rebecca jumped as she felt waves of warm, healing energy course through her from her legs, radiating outward through her body from where Taika¡¯s hands held her. With most of the pain from her fall having faded the fire Resonator made use of the spell she had requested. Taking in a deep breath, Rebecca closed her eyes, focusing on the ground around them, she envisioned five tiny fire foxes popping up around them. It was a bit harder to cast the spell like this, but she felt Shouri¡¯s rhythm invade her after a moment. With the rhythm gathered, Rebecca shaped it and projected it outward, surrounding her and Taika. Sure enough, after some intense concentration, she opened her eyes to find she could see their surroundings once more thanks to the light of the five fox-fire familiars she had successfully summoned. ¡°You can put me down,¡± Rebecca told Taika. Rather than a verbal reply, Taika shifted her hands down to Rebecca¡¯s calf. ¡°Ow!¡± The fire Resonator flinched with a yelp of pain. ¡°I¡¯m trying not to rhythm burn you.¡± Taika jumped to adjust Rebecca on her back (earning a yip of surprise from the fire Resonator). ¡°You¡¯re going to be okay; I¡¯ll make sure of it,¡± the determined fox muttered. ¡°T-taika¡­¡± Rebecca breathed out, feeling a rush through her body caused by her heart deciding that she was running a marathon of emotions. As they trudged along, they were still all alone the only sounds being the distant whispers of Maestros and their Resonators and Taika¡¯s heavy footsteps. ¡°Do you need to rest?¡± Rebecca asked. ¡°No,¡± came the stubborn reply. ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± ¡°I have to keep moving.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Taika grunted and refused to elaborate. ¡°Taika!¡± Rebecca protested. No reply as the lunar fox trudged on. ¡°Come on Taika, talk to me, what¡¯s going on?¡± The fire Resonator began to struggle, further frustrating the girl who was carrying her. ¡°Stop it!¡± ¡°Stop leaving me in the dark! We¡¯re in this together you¡­!¡± Rebecca wanted to say "bitch" but was trying to be civil and bit her tongue. Taika allowed Rebecca to fall from her back. The fire fox landed on her feet, earning a small cry of pain as her still raw skin protested the rough forest floor. Regardless, Rebecca stood up straight, tearing up slightly from the pain. The flame foxes slowly moved behind their summoner, focused on the lunar Resonator glaring them down. ¡°Talk to me,¡± Rebecca demanded, trying to ignore the sharp pain in her legs. Whipping her head away, Taika grumbled some unintelligible complaints. ¡°Tai-ka!¡± Rebecca barked. ¡°Fucking talk to me damn it!¡± The fire fox stepped forward and grabbed her counterpart by her shirt. Taika continued to refuse her fellow fox¡¯s gaze. ¡°We¡¯re wasting time,¡± she muttered. ¡°TALK TO ME!¡± Rebecca demanded, shaking the other fox. ¡°We¡¯re far from Sho, okay?!¡± Taika barked back. ¡°Okay, and?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you understand how far away we are!¡± ¡°Then tell me! Help me understand!¡± The arguing foxes stood in silence for a moment. ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Taika mumbled, lowering her glare towards the dirt. ¡°I¡¯m too stupid to explain it to you.¡± She ground her teeth. Suddenly, she found herself looking Rebecca in the eyes. ¡°That¡¯s all I wanted to know.¡± Rebecca kept her expression neutral while holding the other girl¡¯s chin up. ¡°We¡¯re in a shitty situation, no need to keep me out of it.¡± The lunar Resonator shook her head out of her fire counterpart¡¯s grasp to avert her gaze, this time in shame. ¡°Scusa¡­¡± She continued to grind her teeth. Rebecca inspected her raw feet, stepping in place repeatedly in a vain attempt to relieve the nagging soreness that permeated through her lower legs. Taika turned and lowered herself again. ¡°Come on.¡± The proud Renard sheepishly approached the lunar and allowed herself to be carried once more. The flame foxes resumed their defensive perimeter around the two girls, and they began their pilgrimage anew. ¡°We¡¯re on the way,¡± Shouri¡¯s voice rang in their heads. ¡°Keep updating the map Taika.¡± ¡°Yes, Sho,¡± Taika replied. ¡°Are you both okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m burnt as fuck, but alive,¡± Rebecca spoke up. ¡°Taika¡¯s carrying me.¡± ¡°Thank you, Taika.¡± It was clear based on the cadence in his voice that Shouri was running, or at the bare minimum, jogging. Their minds went silent as their Maestro undoubtedly was focusing on making his way to them. Taika was definitely in her feelings, that much was clear to Rebecca. Steadying her breathing, the fire fox focused her rhythm on her arms wrapped around her counterpart¡¯s shoulders and chest. In a rare twist, she found her etude target to be accepting of the foreign rhythm. With a smile, Rebecca rested her head against Taika¡¯s. ¡°Thank you.¡± Their relatively peaceful walk came to a stop after some time. ¡°They¡¯re coming.¡± Taika lowered her passenger to the ground. Freed from her heavy cargo, she took a defensive stance whilst forming a ball of lunar energy in each hand. Rebecca summoned an additional two flame foxes bolstering her group to seven and strengthening their defensive perimeter. Where she had lost her maneuverability, she could extend her reach with her summons. From the trees, several bird Scherzando descended on them. Taika easily cut through them with her Luce Lunares that were thrown in their direction. She knew better thanks to her detection spells though and kept forming balls of lunar magic to cut through a flock of Scherzando that had found them. Despite her accuracy, Taika was quickly overwhelmed and left open to a Scherzando. ¡°Taika!¡± Three flame foxes jumped to protect the lunar Resonator from a large rock thrown by the Scherzando. The rock spell and the three foxes burst, all dissipating from their interaction. Rebecca rapidly replenished her ranks, silently hoping she wasn¡¯t draining Shouri too much. ¡°Rebecca!¡± Before she realized it, Taika had sniped a water Scherzando that was trying to sneak up on them. The two girls exchanged a glance and nodded to one another.
¡°Haa haa haaa¡­ holy shit¡­¡± Rebecca managed to get out through her haggard breath. She sat back, propped up by her arms, two flame summons left to her name. ¡°Sho and Paci are getting closer,¡± Taika spoke quickly before returning to panting. ¡°They¡¯re still far away though.¡± She kept their collective expectations in check. ¡°Fuck,¡± Rebecca exhaled sharply. ¡°I really hope we didn¡¯t hurt him with all the magic we used.¡± ¡°They haven¡¯t slowed down,¡± Taika noted. ¡°You know Sho will push himself for us,¡± Rebecca countered. ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± the lunar admitted. Their Maestro certainly was one of the odd ones (not that they hated it) Taika crouched on her toes, presenting her back to Rebecca once more. ¡°We should keep moving,¡± she advised. Rebecca¡¯s ears wilted. Even without her rhythmic sense, it was obvious how simply exhausted Taika was. That being said, thanks to the aforementioned sense, she could tell how determined the lunar fox was. Despite it, Rebecca protested. ¡°N-no,¡± the fire Resonator weakly refused. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.¡°Rebecca, quit fucking around, come on,¡± the lunar growled back. Acquiescing to her companion¡¯s pointed demand, Rebecca got onto Taika¡¯s back again to resume their trek to their Maestro. Rebecca closed her eyes. What a long night it had been. Taika had to be more tired than she was, but everything they had been through¡­ Yeah fuck hunting for the next like¡­ week; Pacifica¡¯s mom be damned. They could just go crash at an MA office if she kicked them out for perceived laziness. Slowly her eyelids rose once more. ¡°Taika, did I fall asleep?¡± Rebecca questioned. ¡°Probably.¡± ¡°Take a break.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Igniting her heels, Rebecca jetted from her holder and landed on the ground. ¡°Take a break,¡± the fire Resonator demanded despite the pain in her feet. ¡°Santo cielo Rebecca, come fai ad essere cos¨¬ stupida?¡± the lunar fox growled. ¡°I¡¯m wondering the same thing about you? That stupid willpower of yours is gonna get you killed.¡± Rebecca kept her tone even but glared down the other fox. ¡°Your hair is even starting to grey from how hard you¡¯re pushing yourself.¡± Taika bared her teeth at the fire vixen, though she glanced up to see the tips of her bangs starting to turn that ashy grey color that signaled she had run out of extra rhythm. ¡°You keep going like this and you¡¯re going to die. I don¡¯t want to have to explain to Sho that you killed yourself because you were too stubborn to stop for a few minutes,¡± Rebecca pointed out. ¡°They know where we are. Just chill, please,¡± the fire element implored of her lunar counterpart. The raven-clad vixen gritted her teeth in frustration. She felt absolutely useless at this point and didn¡¯t want to back down. She could keep going, she could relax when they were safely back with the group. She couldn¡¯t afford to let her guard down. ¡°Taika!¡± Rebecca had closed the gap between them and grabbed her shoulders. ¡°Please just rest. I didn¡¯t burn my legs up to watch you die like this!¡± Still, the stubborn fox wore her frustration like a fashion statement. ¡°We¡¯re wasting time,¡± she protested. ¡°We are not. Just fucking listen to me!¡± ¡°Non!¡± ¡°Fine I didn¡¯t want to resort to this-¡± Rebecca pulled a hand away from Taika¡¯s shoulder. The Lunar pushed the fire element away, ready to scrap; however, all Rebecca did with that hand was snap her fingers. From up above the trees a burst of fire lit up the night sky. The light quickly faded along with one of Rebecca¡¯s summoned flame foxes. A second later: ¡°Hey! Was that you?!¡± Shouri¡¯s voice rang in Rebecca¡¯s head. ¡°Yeah, tell stupid to rest, she¡¯s at zero.¡± Taika, having not heard Shouri speaking to Rebecca, felt her heart sink. What a dirty move! ¡°Taika!¡± And now she was in trouble with her Maestro. ¡°Stay put with Rebecca, we¡¯re like ten minutes away.¡± ¡°Per¨°''-!¡± ¡°But nothing! I hate to pull this card, but that¡¯s an order ¨C don¡¯t move!¡± The lunar glared daggers at her fire counterpart who was more than happy to return the favor. Shouri continued to speak: ¡°Rebecca¡¯s a bit off, you¡¯re at negative ten rhythm right now. Please just rest!¡± he implored. ¡°F-fine¡­¡± Taika finally acquiesced to the multiple demands being made of her and slumped to the ground. Rebecca finally allowed her shoulders to catch slack, letting out a tired breath. ¡°Thanks, Sho,¡± she muttered. ¡°Please make sure she doesn¡¯t try to bolt,¡± he requested. ¡°She won¡¯t leave without me.¡± Rebecca glanced over at the defeated fox. ¡°It¡¯s a matter of pride for her¡­ I think.¡± ¡°Okay. We¡¯ll be like ten minutes.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be here.¡± Returning to silence, Rebecca studied her fellow fox. After a moment of thought, she approached the stubborn girl and plopped down on the ground with her. ¡°Ma che vuoi? Lasciami stare¡­¡± Taika grumbled, snapping her head away from the other Resonator. Rebecca ignored this and instead took Taika¡¯s hands within her own. ¡°Che?¡± Taika''s gaze snapped to their joined hands. ¡°Let¡¯s etude.¡± Rebecca smiled warmly. ¡°Us?¡± Taika questioned. ¡°Sure. I¡¯m not as strong as Pacifica but I can still feel how stressed out you are.¡± ¡°Us¡­¡± Submitting to the process, a warmth began to radiate from Rebecca¡¯s fingertips, slowly invading Taika¡¯s form. Her heart began to slow, the worry fading from her mind. It was okay. They were okay. It had almost ended here, but Rebecca saved them. She had to pay that kindness back. She had to make sure Rebecca got back to Sho safely. She HAD TO! ¡°Stop stop,¡± Rebecca¡¯s voice snapped the lunar fox out of her thoughts. ¡°Stubborn idiot,¡± Rebecca chuckled. ¡°We¡¯re fine. You haven¡¯t even noticed yet.¡± ¡°Noticed what?¡± Taika raised a brow. At that moment a flame fox popped into existence next to them and scampered up a nearby tree. ¡°I¡¯ve been sending foxes out to get rid of Scherzando,¡± Rebecca revealed. ¡°They¡¯ve been easy enough to deal with, keeps ¡®em from getting too nosy.¡± Taika wilted. ¡°So I¡¯m not needed.¡± This earned a painful tightening of Rebecca¡¯s hands around hers. ¡°Cut that pity shit out. Sho needs you the most.¡± ¡°Che?¡± ¡°You¡¯re his duet partner. He¡¯s only rushing this hard because of you.¡± This didn¡¯t elevate her mood. Shouri had told her this himself before. It was so easy to let those intrusive thoughts in¡­ ¡°Focus on me.¡± ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Etuding with me.¡± ¡°I already told you; you¡¯re stressed. When your rhythm is low your brain goes out of whack. Just let me in, you big dummy.¡± With a sharp exhale, she submitted to the whims of her fiery counterpart; after all, she had the most actual rhythm training out of their group. Taika allowed herself to relax, beginning to warm to her core. ¡°Ah¡­ you¡¯re so warm Taika¡­¡± Rebecca let out a pleased sigh. ¡°S-so are you,¡± Taika admitted sheepishly. ¡°I¡¯m so glad to be surrounded by such warm people¡­¡± Taika¡¯s jaw slowly drooped, catching slack. Tears were pouring down Rebecca¡¯s face. The other Resonator¡¯s eyes were closed, but she was speaking from the heart, it was disarming. ¡°Taika! Rebecca!¡± Before either fox could properly react, they were tackled by their Maestro, and then their fellow Resonator. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry! Are you two okay?¡± Shouri cried out, the worry and desperation in his voice almost a tangible force. ¡°We should be asking you the same thing, holy shit Sho!¡± Rebecca pushed their Maestro up. He was soaked in sweat, and not only that his hair was half white from how much rhythm had been pulled out of him throughout the night. ¡°He would not stop,¡± Pacifica told the two. ¡°That bird that attacked you apparently was like some kind of in-between from a regular Scherzando and one of those huge ones, so it took all of us to take it out,¡± the water element caught the pair of foxes up on the situation. ¡°There¡¯s a small town near here. I think we should probably hit up the local MA office to rest for the night,¡± Shouri informed the pair. ¡°Good call, but let¡¯s take it easy,¡± Pacifica chided their Maestro. ¡°I will,¡± Shouri relented, though he pulled Rebecca and Taika into a tight hug. ¡°I¡¯m so glad you both are alright.¡± The two foxes exchanged glances before settling on smiling at one another.
¡°Good evening and welcome to the Acero Park Maestro Affairs- oh my god are you okay?!¡± The front desk attendant''s Resonator rushed around the corner hearing their Maestro''s shriek. Shouri and his Resonators were barely standing by the time they made it to the MA Office. Rebecca still lacked any kind of footwear her legs very clearly not in good shape, while Pacifica barely managed to hold Shouri up. Taika herself stubbornly remained unaided but was trembling, clearly about to collapse. The Maestro slid his three tuners across the counter. ¡°Please, just get us a room.¡± ¡°Right away ¨C we have a vacancy in room three.¡± The attendant rapidly scanned the three devices before turning them back over to their owner. ¡°Thanks.¡± He scooped up the trio of tuners, just jamming them in his jacket pockets before they limped over to the Maestro¡¯s quarters. The attendant stared at the screen, their Resonator joining them. On display were the spell levels of the three Resonators they had just admitted into the building. That quartet was quite strong, what happened out there to leave them in such a condition?
Rebecca and Taika collapsed onto the loveseats, finally allowing the comforts of modern society after their extended stay in the woods. ¡°Ugh, sucks we don¡¯t have our PJs,¡± complained Rebecca. ¡°At least we made it here,¡± Taika sighed. Pacifica and Shouri had taken up the bathroom to try and use the water to expedite their healing process. The faster Shouri could recover the faster they could all recover. The two foxes didn¡¯t have the energy to care about the implications or even to read further into the other half of their group sharing the bathroom. They both just reclined in their respective loveseats, eyes closed and allowing their battered, worn-out bodies to finally rest. ¡°Grazie,¡± Taika suddenly spoke. ¡°For?¡± Rebecca opened an eye. ¡°Not giving up on me,¡± the lunar spoke at but a breath, too exhausted to put any force into her voice. ¡°Likewise,¡± Rebecca replied, in a similar state of fatigue. The next time Taika became cognizant of her surroundings, it was via a command from their Maestro. ¡°La Bella Vita, Rubato; see if you can finish healing Rebecca¡¯s legs, please, and thank you!¡± Taika stirred from her half-conscious state. She looked around in a daze, rubbing her eyes. Pacifica and Shouri were still locked up in the bathroom. Did she dream what Shouri had said? No, she could feel her rhythm linked with his. Focusing on her hands, they began to glow softly. Okay, she didn¡¯t imagine that. Peeling herself from her cushy throne, Taika shambled over to Rebecca. ¡°Senti...¡± When the other fox didn¡¯t stir, the healer exerted the effort to place a foot on the bottom of the loveseat and shook it. ¡°Rebby, ¨¨ ora di svegliarsi,¡± the groggy fox mumbled. Rebecca¡¯s eyes opened. ¡°Wha'' did you call me?¡± the sleepy fire element asked. ¡°Rebecca,¡± Taika stated firmly, her voice notably far sharper than before. The fire Resonator shook her head, attempting to actually wake up. ¡°But you-¡± She was not allowed to finish that thought, however: ¡°Sho asked me to try healing you again.¡± The group¡¯s healer dropped to her knees, keeping her head down, attention firmly on casting her spell on the ailing fox. And so the two sat in silence, Rebecca glaring quizzically at Taika who remained iron-focused on her spellcraft. ¡°Tell me if it feels like it¡¯s not working.¡± ¡°Right.¡± It was strange, for all her bad attitude and aggressiveness, Rebecca could feel it through Taika¡¯s rhythm - she did care. Reaching out, she placed a hand on the healer¡¯s head. This was¡­ nice. ¡°Che?¡± Taika¡¯s face warmed significantly, her heart skipping a beat as she felt Rebecca¡¯s hand slowly stroke her hair. What an affectionate gesture! She focused her attention on what her Maestro tasked her with doing. Though she wouldn¡¯t admit it¡­ she didn¡¯t mind. Chapter 62 THUD CRACK Running through the forest, a sickening splat stood out amongst all the other sounds surrounding them. It was difficult to regulate his breathing, and he didn¡¯t want to look at the tuners at his side. He knew what awaited them. Boy and otter-girl burst through the foliage to a small patch of trees, where the canopy of the forest had been violently torn open. Leaves and twigs continued to slowly fall as the moonlight filtered in from above revealing¡­ ¡°T-taika¡­ Re-rebecca¡­¡± A pair of bloody, mangled bodies lay before them. Clad in black and orange, the heat slowly dissipating from the once proud forms. Sticky red life drained into the forest floor, returning to the earth that once sustained their lives. The incomprehensibility of the sight they were witnessing sapped the strength from their legs as they fell to their knees. Tears refused to flow as they couldn¡¯t accept the situation presented to them. ¡°They¡¯re¡­¡± ¡°Sh-sh-Sho wh-what do we do¡­?¡± ¡°Paci, I¡­¡± The world grew dimmer and colder, the broken links slowly fading away, taking the sharpened vision and warmth with them. ¡°P-Paci¡­¡± ¡°Sho¡­¡± It all went black. Shouri and Pacifica¡¯s eyes shot open. For a moment the pair remained motionless, hearts racing unbearably fast. Shooting up, they quickly checked and found Taika and Rebecca stirring next to them from the sudden movements. ¡°Acero Park MA office¡­¡± Pacifica whispered, grabbing hold of Shouri¡¯s shirt. ¡°They¡¯re safe they¡¯re safe,¡± he repeated, tears pouring down his face. ¡°Whas goin¡¯ on?¡± Rebecca groggily asked. ¡°Morning?¡± Taika questioned, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. The poor pair of fox girls were tackled to the bed and squished together by a bawling Shouri and Pacifica.
After the weepy pair got it out of their system, the four sat up in bed. ¡°We had a nightmare,¡± Pacifica told the vixens. They both tensed up in response to that information, recalling the last instance of shared nightmares. ¡°We didn¡¯t make it to save you two,¡± Shouri spoke with a breath. ¡°It was horrible.¡± Pacifica trembled. A sigh of relief passed their lips; it was just a normal nightmare. Though, it was clear that it was intense enough to shake them. With that in mind, Taika and Rebecca pushed the pair down and lay atop them, holding their frightened companions tightly. ¡°We¡¯re okay,¡± Taika whispered. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, everything turned out alright,¡± Rebecca added. Assured that they were back in reality, and nothing bad had happened to Taika or Rebecca, sleep returned to the exhausted quartet once again. Morning soon arrived, and with it a knock on the door. Shouri opened his eyes, Taika laying on him, resting her head on his chest. Pacifica bore the weight of Rebecca. KNOCK KNOCK A second set of taps against the door woke the group as a whole up. They were all still exhausted, and now sported muscle soreness to boot! ¡°Fuck¡­¡± Shouri cursed. ¡°Hang on!¡± he shouted, causing the three animal-eared girls to wince at the sudden loud noise. ¡°Must be Uncle Aiden,¡± Pacifica mumbled, still trying to force herself awake. ¡°Why¡¯s that guy here?¡± Rebecca asked, refusing to get off of her perch atop the otter girl. ¡°Sho called Mom last night to let her know what happened. She said she¡¯d send Uncle Aiden to pick us up.¡± Prying Taika off of him, Shouri managed to sit up. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing too. I feel like shit right now,¡± the Maestro groaned. Braving standing, the boy stumbled and had to catch himself on the wall. ¡°Fuck fuck fuck,¡± he slowly cursed, his legs trembling from the sheer pain he was in. He shambled along the wall and found his way to the door, throwing open the lock. ¡°You can come in,¡± he told the presence on the other side. Sure enough, the door opened revealing it was indeed Priscilla¡¯s fire Resonator, Aiden. ¡°Morning Maestro Shouri.¡± The red panda man let himself into the room while Shouri hobbled back to the bed. ¡°Y''all look like crap,¡± Aiden said with a grin. ¡°Thanks,¡± Shouri grumbled. ¡°It¡¯s a bit nostalgic. I remember the times we tore ourselves up like this on hunts,¡± Aiden chuckled, flopping down onto the couch. ¡°Let¡¯s get you kids home so you can relax properly.¡± There was collective groaning from the bed. ¡°Oh also, Jack is warming the pool just for you little Pacifica,¡± Aiden added ¡°WARM POOL?!¡± Poor Rebecca was almost catapulted off the bed from how fast Pacifica sat up. ¡°Damn girl what the fuck¡­?¡± Rebecca cursed.
¡°This-¡± ¡°-is kinda-¡± ¡°-small.¡± The younger Maestro and his Resonators stared at the sports car Aiden had rented for this little venture. ¡°Nonsense! You three will fit in the back fine, Little Pacifica can be in the front!¡± Aiden countered in a vain attempt to defend his honor. ¡°If you say so.¡± Shouri lightly kicked the tire next to him. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure you all will fit somehow, get in!¡± Aiden demanded. After some struggle and fighting; a consensus was finally reached: Aiden in the driver¡¯s seat with Pacifica in the passenger seat (due to her larger tail). In the back was Rebecca, Shouri, and then Taika behind Pacifica. Needless to say, Pacifica was a little grumpy she didn¡¯t get to sit next to her Maestro, while Rebecca and Taika got to claim a shoulder of Shouri¡¯s to rest on. Seating taken care of they were off. The land between Acero Park and Canolapra wasn¡¯t too terribly interesting, mostly cornfields. ¡°So Cici didn¡¯t tell us much of what happened to you kids; how the hell did you end up out here?¡± Aiden inquired. Rebecca and Taika both jumped, feeling Shouri take their hands and squeeze them tightly. They squeezed back and huddled closer, assuring him they were both fine. Pacifica, sensing the emotional storm cloud in the back, answered for her Maestro, ¡°Rebby and Taika got thrown into the sky by a big bird Scherzando.¡± The red panda-man tilted the rear-view mirror back, angling it to catch Rebecca in it. ¡°I¡¯m assuming your wings saved the day?¡± he questioned. ¡°Yeah. At the last second,¡± she nodded. ¡°Burnt the hell out of yourself though, didn¡¯tcha?¡± ¡°J-just a bit.¡± Aiden nodded, keeping his focus on the road. ¡°Where do they burn from?¡± This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.¡°Heels,¡± Rebecca replied, unsure of where this was going. ¡°Want me to teach you pankour?¡± he offered. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Shouri raised a brow, unfamiliar with the term. ¡°It¡¯s a style of athletics red pandas practice with their ad-Lib to efficiently move through their surroundings,¡± Rebecca explained. ¡°More than that, it¡¯s the practice of minimizing the stress and damage one takes while using Icarus¡¯ Ala. The only requirement is that your flames come from your feet,¡± Aiden added on. Rebecca furrowed her brows, sitting up straight as if to help her thinking ¡°I thought only red pandas could practice it since you all have to keep contact with the ground in some way to use our ad-Lib for free.¡± ¡°Not at all, it¡¯s about using your flames to help you climb and navigate terrain, especially urban settings,¡± Aiden informed the rest of the car. Shouri nudged Rebecca. ¡°He¡¯s offering, might as well,¡± he whispered to her. ¡°Uh, sure,¡± the fire Resonator spoke up. ¡°Sweet! I¡¯ll give you a crash course tomorrow.¡± With that decided, Rebecca leaned up against Shouri once more. ¡°You excited?¡± he whispered. After a moment of thought, her lips rose. ¡°Yeah.¡±
¡°Warm pool ow warm pool ow warm pool ow!¡± Pacifica excitedly limped towards the house well ahead of her companions. Priscilla stood by the door to greet the group. ¡°You all look like crap,¡± the elder Maestro observed as soon as Shouri and his other two Resonators made it to the front of the house. ¡°Thanks,¡± the younger boy grumbled, struggling to walk by the homeowner. As the weary trio removed their shoes, Priscilla and Aiden spoke about the morning¡¯s trip: ¡°How was the ride?¡± Priscilla asked. ¡°Quiet, though tight on the way back,¡± Aiden replied. ¡°Toldya to get a bigger car.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be like that Cici, you know I can only see Little Pacifica as a tiny pup.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a grown woman now.¡± ¡°I know I know. Oh!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Gonna teach fire fox there some pankour.¡± Priscilla perked up at that, looking at Rebecca, who was just waiting around for her Maestro (thanks to the timely annihilation of her socks and shoes). A knowing smirk rose on her lips. ¡°You¡¯ll have fun with it,¡± the Maestro told the fox. ¡°Th-thanks?¡± Rebecca replied sheepishly. ¡°What¡¯s her shoe size? I¡¯ll have Aiden get her a new pair,¡± Priscilla asked of Shouri. ¡°Ah, I¡¯ll send you the measurements and style. I had the last tailor give me the info on all their outfits just in case.¡± Shouri drew his tuner from his side. ¡°And back out I go.¡± Aiden rolled his eyes. ¡°You asked for this mister,¡± Priscilla huffed, turning away from her Resonator. ¡°I asked for a joyride, not running your errands.¡± ¡°Potayto potahto.¡± With that spat out of the way, Shouri and his two vixens limped their way into the living room. Through the sliding glass door, they could see Pacifica was already relaxing in the pool. As soon as she caught sight of them she eagerly waved for them to join her. Both Taika and Shouri remained rooted in place for a moment, slowly turning to Rebecca. ¡°What?¡± she asked. ¡°Go swim with her.¡± The fire fox waved their Maestro off. ¡°I don¡¯t want to just leave you alone,¡± Shouri argued. ¡°Sho, go swim,¡± Taika suddenly cut in. ¡°I swim with Paci every morning. I¡¯m sure she really wants to swim with you.¡± She smiled. ¡°Also, you heal faster in water, we don¡¯t.¡± Shouri opened his mouth to protest, but Taika was absolutely right on both counts. In fact, he hadn¡¯t used the Nicchi family pool once since they had arrived. ¡°Fine fine. But be good you two.¡± ¡°We will.¡± Taika nodded. ¡°Y-yeah, sure,¡± Rebecca mumbled. While Shouri wandered off to change into his swim trunks, the two fox girls had command of the living room. ¡°What do you want to watch?¡± Rebecca asked, plopping down on the couch and grabbing the remote. ¡°Non so; was gonna read some more.¡± Taika shrugged, taking a seat opposite the fire fox. She took up the book she had left on the arm of the couch to resume reading. ¡°Okay, what do you want to listen to then?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°What do you like to watch?¡± ¡°Whatever¡¯s on is fine. ¡°TAIKA.¡± The lunar fox looked up from her book. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You have to like something besides reading cookbooks,¡± Rebecca insisted. Shouri walked through the living room, now sporting his green and white swim trunks. ¡°Be good you two,¡± he reminded them before exiting the house through the back. With a sigh, Taika lifted her nose from the book. She glanced around quickly. ¡°I like romance,¡± she admitted. ¡°Eh?¡± Rebecca raised a brow. ¡°Really cheesy, smutty romance, okay?¡± Taika muttered quietly. ¡°Especially if it¡¯s a Resonator girl and her Maestro.¡± Once more she buried herself in her book. Silence. There was no lie there, Rebecca sensed that much. But why had Taika been so forthcoming with that information? There were easier ways to shut her up than just blurting out the truth. Honestly, though, Rebecca herself was curious now. ¡°So¡­ you got any recommendations?¡± ¡°Che?¡± Once more Taika tore herself away from the cookbook she was in. ¡°F-for romance novels I mean. I was thinking about reading some stuff.¡± Rebecca quickly turned her head away, trying to hide the embarrassment on her face. SNAP Taika closed the cookbook and turned to Rebecca. Her eyes glowed violently blue with determination. ¡°Okay, so my all-time favorite one is ¡®An Inconvenient Etude¡¯, but I¡¯ve been reading ¡®Fluffy Tail and Frisky¡¯ though that might be a bit too intense for you, so maybe you could try reading ¡®Lunar Eclipse of the Heart¡¯ to test the waters,¡± the lunar vixen began to ramble, making Rebecca question her decision to start this conversation. While Rebecca was being initiated into Taika¡¯s one-woman book club, Shouri and Pacifica were enjoying the summer day in a heated pool. ¡°Maybe this wasn¡¯t a great idea,¡± Shouri noted. ¡°What are you talking about? This is so greaaat¡­¡± Pacifica cooed, floating about. ¡°It¡¯s hot outside and we¡¯re in a heated pool.¡± ¡°Heat stroke is a myth and why are you worried? You¡¯re linked to Rebby.¡± ¡°I¡¯m worried about you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine Sho, you worry too much.¡± Twenty minutes later¡­ ¡°I TOLD YOU!¡± Shouri barked as he ran the cold water from the outside shower over Pacifica. ¡°It was worth it!¡± the otter protested, lying on the ground while soaking in the cool water from above. Chapter 63 ¡°The key is to know your limits.¡± Shouri yawned as he watched Rebecca train under Aiden. It was early, about five or so on this cool but muggy Tuesday morning. The trio had driven down to a small abandoned urban area just outside of Canolapra. He slowly sipped some iced coffee from a plastic cup while he supervised the training. His gaze slowly fell to his side, where two red tuners were clipped. ¡°Crazy,¡± he mumbled, recalling the conversation just before they left the house.
¡°It¡¯s too early¡­¡± Shouri of the past complained, failing to stifle a yawn. ¡°Agreed.¡± Rebecca leaned against him, barely managing to keep herself awake. The pair stood in the foyer, waiting for their driver and teacher for the morning activities. It was easy to doze off though, even when standing. Aiden strolled in, sitting on the metal folding chair in the corner to put on his shoes. ¡°Chin up kids, we¡¯ll stop at M¡¯Kroc¡¯s on the way and grab some breakfast,¡± the elder fire element offered. ¡°Gotta love some greasy fast food in the morning,¡± Shouri grumbled. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll get a coffee,¡± he mused to himself. ¡°Oh yeah, before I forget.¡± Reaching into his pocket, Aiden produced a red tuner and offered it to Shouri. No motion was made to take the device. ¡°Why?¡± the Maestro questioned the gesture. ¡°Cici wanted you to have it while we¡¯re out, just in case.¡± Aiden grinned. ¡°I¡¯m in your hands kid, be gentle!¡± he joked. Shouri grunted, uncomfortable with the idea of just taking another Maestro¡¯s tuner like this. She was offering though, and the Resonator in question didn¡¯t seem to see a problem with being handed over like this. He acquiesced to the request and accepted the device. ¡°C¡¯mon kids, gotta get out there early before any looky-loos show up!¡±
It was a strange way of doing things. Aiden was so strong; he could probably handle himself in a fight without any Maestro intervention should something happen. Either way, Shouri was at least interested in this movement style, so he also paid attention. ¡°First thing is pankour is about efficient movement, that goes doubly so for practitioners who don¡¯t have Trailblazer of the Forest,¡± Aiden explained. Rebecca nodded. ¡°You have to see the obstacles ahead and plan how you¡¯re going to overcome them in the fastest and most effective way possible,¡± he continued. Rebecca frowned, humming in thought. ¡°Sho¡¯s the plan guy, I don¡¯t do well with creative exercise,¡± she interjected. ¡°Nonsense! Some of the best pankour practitioners are weak knowledge ¨C if you have a strong etude with your Maestro, none of that matters. Besides, the skills I teach you could save his life one day,¡± Aiden retorted. Ah, that¡¯s why they wanted him there, Shouri realized. Besides just being a Maestro looking over two Resonators in public, the discipline assumed one needed to move their Maestro around as well. ¡°Let¡¯s get started, first show me your balance.¡± Aiden pointed to the nearby street curb. ¡°Walk along that,¡± he instructed. With a shrug, Rebecca did as told. Shouri noticed something immediately ¨C her tail was out, swaying with her body, helping to balance her as she easily walked along the edge of the sidewalk. It was second nature to her, the long fluffy appendage making sharp movements to correct any sway her body began to make. ¡°Ah, so you already do have some training. We can skip some of the basics then.¡± Aiden grinned. ¡°This way.¡± Shouri and Rebecca were led over to some buildings, which were clearly abandoned. ¡°Since your sense of balance is pretty top-notch, we can jump straight to this: scaling. Observe.¡± Aiden stood still for a moment before darting straight at the wall. He didn¡¯t stop however and used his toes to scale the wall, almost as if he was climbing a ladder. Each step a small jet of fire ignited pushing him up further and further. The man ascended the building, making it to the top of the second story with minimal effort. ¡°Woah¡­¡± Rebecca blinked, rubbing her eyes. She had heard the stories but seeing it in practice was another thing entirely. Aiden had used no rhythm at all to do that. His ad-Lib was active, but his movement was clean and ensured his species trait remained active during the entire climb. ¡°You try it! Focus on minimizing your usage of Icarus¡¯ Ala!¡± he shouted from upon high. Rebecca gulped. She could easily get up there with her skills in flying with Icarus¡¯ Ala, but that wasn¡¯t the goal. ¡°R-right.¡± Suddenly she felt a hand on her. ¡°You got this Rebecca.¡± Shouri rubbed her back. ¡°Right!¡± Her brows descended; trepidation was replaced with confidence. She ran at the wall, her heels sparking as she readied herself to hit the wall. She met the target, making the first step. The first two steps she was able to scale with just her built-up momentum, however that quickly wore off ¨C she needed more momentum. For this, she applied her ad-Lib, but suddenly found herself shooting way higher than she intended and ended up accidentally kicking off of the wall instead of up it. She landed with a roll, breathing hard as she stared at the wall in shock. Glaring at the wall, she took off again. However, the result was the same, she made it up two steps with her momentum, but when she went to use her ad-Lib it ejected her from the wall. Three more times she attempted this seemingly simple trick but failed every time in the same manner. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. This was proving to be much more involved than she realized. She had trained her ad-Lib to give such massive bursts of power that the precision control required of pankour was surprisingly difficult to achieve. She fell to her hands and knees, balling up her fists and trembling with frustration. It was a bit embarrassing for the fox, especially after she had run her mouth to Andi less than a week ago on how to properly use their ad-Lib. Turns out she was just a big dumb idiot that didn¡¯t know a damn thing! ¡°Hey, calm down.¡± Rebecca snapped out of her self-admonishment. Shouri offered a hand to her. ¡°Let¡¯s see what Aiden has to say.¡± She just stared at her Maestro. This wasn¡¯t right, she shouldn¡¯t be so mad about a small setback like this. Taking hold of his hand, he pulled her up to her feet. She kept a grip on his hand, focusing on his rhythm. Etude, she needed etude right now. Aiden jumped from the building, sliding down the wall and kicking off before he reached the bottom, rolling on the ground to disperse the built-up momentum. ¡°Do me a favor,¡± the red panda said as he walked over to the pair. ¡°Kick me.¡± The fire fox blinked and shook her head trying to decide if she heard him right. ¡°What? No,¡± she decided. ¡°Shouri? What do you think?¡± Aiden looked to the Maestro. The boy hummed, regarding the elder fire Resonator, then his younger counterpart. ¡°Just do it, Rebecca. Worst thing that happens is you break some of his ribs and he gets to spend some time at an MA office for his hubris,¡± Shouri advised. Rebecca let out a big loud dramatic sigh. ¡°Fine. But-¡± She squared up, sliding her foot back. ¡°-you asked for it!¡± In a fit of annoyance, she put everything she could into her kick, aiming for his side. Her flaming heels increased the speed at which her foot spun into him. In an instant, the man took a defensive stance and managed to catch the cannonball of a foot that had been launched at him. While he was able to protect himself somewhat, it did throw him backward from the sheer force of the blow. ¡°Hrmph.¡± Rebecca stood for a moment with her knee held up before stomping down. ¡°Happy?¡± ¡°Whew, you really didn¡¯t hold back. You definitely chunked my rhythm, that¡¯s for sure.¡± Aiden laughed as if he wasn¡¯t just assaulted. Thanks to Shouri¡¯s possession of Aiden¡¯s tuner, he could verify that claim. A mere ten percent was missing from the Ailuridae¡¯s rhythm. The young Maestro wasn¡¯t entirely sure exactly how strong Priscilla¡¯s Resonators were, but he did recall Jack catching a fortissimo-level spell and hugging it like it was a plush toy. The assumption on his part was that Aiden was as powerful if not more powerful than his water counterpart. Even chipping ten percent off of such a strong Resonator¡¯s rhythm gave him more perspective on Rebecca¡¯s raw strength. ¡°I think that¡¯s the problem,¡± Aiden stroked his chin while mulling over the situation. ¡°You have world-class power built up, but are lacking in the control department.¡± The man glanced over at Shouri. Rebecca stepped in front of her Maestro. ¡°Sho¡¯s not the one who trained me like this.¡± Aiden frowned hard; brows pinched. ¡°Oh¡­¡± His expression eased. ¡°A Renard.¡± The fox ground her teeth hard, glaring back at the elder fire Resonator. ¡°My condolences.¡± Once more Aiden¡¯s eyes regarded Shouri with judgment. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare.¡± Rebecca bared her fangs, tail puffing out. ¡°I won¡¯t let you think that of him even in your head,¡± the vixen growled. Aiden chuckled, holding up his hands. ¡°What a protective little pup you have,¡± he directed at Shouri. The Maestro in question placed a hand on Rebecca¡¯s head. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he spoke gently, completely extinguishing her hostility. ¡°Come on you two, we¡¯ll head back for today. You need to work on that control before you can even start practicing pankour.¡± Aiden motioned for the younger pair to follow. ¡°When you get that fire control in place, you just need to know what you¡¯re capable of, then you can build the muscles you need,¡± he continued to explain. "What¡¯s that mean?¡± Rebecca raised a brow incredulously. ¡°A lot of pankour is climbing, vaulting, and knowing how to fall. Normal Icarus¡¯ Ala trainers only really teach you the falling part,¡± he pointed out. Rebecca hummed in thought as they reached the car. There was a heavy emphasis in her flight training on how to hit the ground without hurting herself. Rolling to disperse one¡¯s momentum. She had saved her own and Taika¡¯s life with such a technique. It was so ingrained into her, that she didn¡¯t even remember doing it ¨C it was just a reflex ground into her bones. So at least she had that going for her. Control on the other hand¡­ ¡°Rebecca had all her training focused on her legs and her footwork, but pankour uses the whole body, is that what you¡¯re getting at?¡± Shouri asked for clarification. ¡°Righto Mr. Maestro!¡± Aiden leaned on the car, regarding the Maestro and Resonator that stood his opposite. ¡°I¡¯m not saying you need to start bulking or pumping iron or anything. Just practicing pankour gets your body where it needs to be,¡± he informed them. The fire fox still seemed bothered by all of this. ¡°We¡¯ll get through this,¡± Shouri told her. ¡°Mrrgh.¡± Rebecca wilted. ¡°Hey.¡± He took hold of her hands. ¡°I¡¯m serious. I¡¯ll help you with whatever you need. You can practice and I can share my rhythm with you. Maybe we can watch some videos.¡± She gripped his hands tightly. The gratitude was stuck in her throat, so she nodded slowly, hands trembling. Chapter 64 Pacifica laid on the couch, lethargically flipping through channels. It was another Wednesday morning, but she found herself alone. Well, not in the strictest sense of the term. She just felt lonely was all. Her mother and Taika were in the kitchen practicing cooking while Shouri and Rebecca occupied the backyard, practicing something about the fire ad-Lib. They had gotten up super early this morning and went into town with Uncle Aiden to do some other training too. The otter was bored, but moreover, she found herself feeling left out. Her foxy companions were both bettering themselves, learning and refining their skills, and here she was just wallowing in the living room, alone. The longer she remained on the couch, the more her frustration grew, until finally she just got up and left. She carefully avoided Shouri and Rebecca¡¯s view, just walking around the neighborhood. She buried her face in her tuner, keeping her mind occupied with some mobile games. Of which her current obsession was the popular game: Grace the Great Operation or GGO for short. ¡°Ah, new event.¡± Pacifica smiled warmly, deriving a bit of joy from the colorful banner advertising the latest happenings in the game. Shouri had found out she had been slowly spending their money on micro-transactions. Nothing too egregious mind you, a ten roll here and there to scratch the itch. This revelation was met with harsh disapproval, and she agreed to stop. Spending that is, she never agreed to stop playing GGO. She had to be careful with how she spent the free currency the game provided. Making do with a finite amount of resources certainly made spending the currency a stressful affair. Weeks and possibly months of saving could go right down the drain if she was unlucky enough. With her mood as sour as it was today though, logic and reasoning went out the window and she pressed that inviting ¡°Summon x10¡± button, looking for that rush of dopamine. The spectacle and light show the game provided for this process was all just fancy set dressing. Pacifica tapped the screen repeatedly to skip the animations and just get to the results. ¡°Figures,¡± the otter sighed, noting nothing of value was gained from the wasted resources. Silently cursing Sahji, she pocketed the tuner, mood ever so slightly worsened for the trouble. Onward she trekked, having no real destination in mind. Just wandering alone with her thoughts. Being in a gated community, she didn¡¯t need to keep her guard up - she was just safe to brood alone. And she did so until the sun began to dip below the horizon, turning the sky from vibrant blue to dimming orange. Without really thinking about it, she had found her way home. Just as she reached out to open the door, the knob pulled away from her and suddenly Shouri was in her face. ¡°Paci! You took your tuner and weren¡¯t answering,¡± the worry in his voice was palpable. He took her by the shoulders and gave her a once-over. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked with raised brows. She considered what she even wanted to say for the moment. ¡°Wanna talk about it in the pool?¡± he asked. Her Maestro knew her too well it seemed.
¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Shouri finally asked once they were settled in the cool chlorinated waters of the Nicchi family pool. Pacifica averted her gaze and just sank below the water to avoid his question. Wasn¡¯t the most mature thing in the world, but she was in her feelings. ¡°You gave me back your tuner, remember?¡± and then his voice rang in her head. She ignored it. Seconds later, he joined her at the bottom of the pool, folding his arms across his chest and regarding her with slight annoyance. Knowing the stunt her Maestro was trying to pull, she acquiesced and surfaced with him. ¡°I¡¯ve been in a bad mood all day,¡± she quietly admitted when they were above water again. ¡°About what?¡± Shouri asked. It was weird seeing Pacifica lost in her thoughts like this, she was usually the emotional rock of their group. ¡°Just dunno what to do.¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°Well, Taika is cooking with Mom, and Rebby is training with Uncle Aiden. I just feel like I should be doing something.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Pacifica lowered her head, refusing her Maestro¡¯s concerned gaze. ¡°I just-¡° ¡°You¡¯re not useless.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Blue met green as they locked gazes with one another. ¡°We¡¯re leaving here in a few days. I¡¯m taking you away from here again. And I have no idea when we¡¯re coming back,¡± Shouri told her. ¡°It¡¯s okay for you to relax. This is your home-¡± She cleared the distance between them in an instant, pushing him backward in the water. They floated back towards the steps, Shouri in Pacifica¡¯s embrace. ¡°My home is with you Sho and I¡¯m not carrying my weight.¡± ¡°Paci, what the fuck are you talking about?¡± ¡°Well, they-¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t asked you to do anything.¡± ¡°But I-¡± ¡°If anything this is a failure on my part. I could have you doing something, but I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°Sho!¡± They hit the stairs, remaining there for a moment in silence. ¡°It¡¯s not your failure.¡± She squeezed him tightly, resting her head on his chest. ¡°Right, so stop beating yourself up.¡± He patted her head. ¡°Knowing our luck some stupid shit is gonna happen, so I need you rested up,¡± the Maestro whispered, stroking her hair. Pacifica nuzzled his chest, enjoying the affection. ¡°I just, I dunno what you see in me sometimes.¡± ¡°An earnest girl who loves her friends, maybe a bit too much for her own good,¡± he chuckled. ¡°Sho¡­¡± ¡­ Later that night. Pacifica exited the bathroom, teeth brushed, and in her favorite baby blue pajamas. Out of the darkness, her mother appeared. ¡°Good evening my little otter,¡± the elder Maestro spoke with an ominous air about her. ¡°M-mom!¡± Pacifica jumped, hands quickly moving to calm her racing heart. ¡°You scared me.¡± ¡°Sorry, I was just appreciating my new wallpaper.¡± Priscilla flashed one of her three tuners to her daughter. Pacifica stared for a moment, eyes widening as she realized it was a picture of herself and Shouri. Taken earlier when she was lying on him in the pool whilst he scratched her ears. ¡°You have excellent taste, my dear daughter," the elder tittered knowingly. ¡°What¡¯s THAT supposed to mean?!¡± the otter-girl hissed back. ¡°Hee hee hee hee¡­¡± Priscilla refused to elaborate and slinked back into her room.
Blue eyes fluttered open on Thursday the 28th of June. Taika was wide awake this morning, alone in her state of consciousness as the three other warm bodies that occupied Pacifica¡¯s massive bed remained slumbering. Speaking of the bed¡¯s owner, she was nestled into Shouri¡¯s arms this morning. The otter had vanished the day prior and came back that evening an emotional wreck. Shouri advised them to leave her be but give her affection at the same time ¨C a confusing request. At any rate, Taika excused herself from bed. There was more she could be doing. Her mind was abuzz, probably thanks to etuding with Shouri overnight. Either way, she couldn¡¯t calm the storm of her mind and decided to take to the kitchen. Priscilla had taught the young fox a lot in the past week of cooking. She had a grasp on the basics but wanted to experiment on her own. Especially with the sweets. Making her own sugary treats sounded like a dream come true for the dessert connoisseur. With that in mind, she had scoped out a recipe in one of the cookbooks she had been reading and as fortune had it, Priscilla Nicchi had her shelves constantly stocked with a wide variety of ingredients. Big fluffy chocolate chip muffins. The vixen¡¯s mouth watered at the prospect of the light fluffy chocolate-infused treat. Starting with the oven, she set it to preheat. While that began to warm, she began to gather together her tools and ingredients. With all of the stuff gathered, she mixed the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and chocolate chips in the quantities described in the book. Melting the butter in the microwave, she grabbed a bowl and mixed it with sugar, milk, and vanilla. She noted the presence of eggs and rushed over to the fridge to grab the two as requested by the recipe. Mixing all of those ingredients left her with two mixed bowls: one wet, one dry. She dumped the dry stuff into the wet bowl and vigorously mixed them for some time. Next up was the baking sheet. Thankfully the Nicchi family did indeed have a muffin pan. The oven beeped at that point, signaling the preheat was done. Taika, feeling pressured by the sudden noise filled each of the twelve cups, though she noticed she didn¡¯t have enough batter to fill all of the cups. How odd ¨C she had followed the recipe to the dot. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.That was something to be investigated later. She slid the filled pan into the oven, setting a timer for twenty minutes. With that out of the way, she focused her efforts on cleaning the kitchen. Her tail wagging as she couldn¡¯t wait to sample the fruits of her labor. ¡°Chin up Taika, everyone makes mistakes.¡± The tenish muffins that sat on the stove were not only hard as a rock, being slightly burnt, but also were impossible to remove from their cups without destroying them. ¡°I followed the recipe!¡± Taika insisted, motioning to the failed project while Priscilla examined the mess. The teacher hummed. ¡°I can probably guess the mistakes you made,¡± she mused. ¡°The most obvious one: did you grease the pan? Cause you sure didn¡¯t use any cups.¡± Taika paled. ¡°I forgot¡­¡± the vixen admitted quietly. ¡°How long did you mix the batter for?¡± ¡°I dunno, does it matter?¡± ¡°If you want airy, soft muffins, yes. You beat all the little air bubbles out of it.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Looking over the muffin sheet again, she noticed what should have been round tops were flat escaping masses. ¡°You also filled the cups to the top.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that what they¡¯re for?¡± Taika questioned. ¡°Not all the way to the top ¨C the muffins rise as they bake. The top becomes solid enough to hold together as it rises out of the cup. If it starts at the top, it¡¯ll spill out before it''s solid.¡± ¡°Aw¡­¡± Taika¡¯s ears wilted as she frowned at her sad, muffin-flavored rocks. ¡°Also, you shouldn¡¯t let them cool in the pan, it¡¯ll overcook them. You cool them for just a little bit and then take them out to let them cool properly on a cooling rack.¡± ¡°I tried to do that! But they wouldn¡¯t come out of the pan,¡± the fox-girl pouted. Priscilla patted Taika on the shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Syrus can go grocery shopping later ¨C that boy needs to get out of the house anyway. I¡¯ve been running Aiden ragged all week.¡± That didn¡¯t seem to cheer up the deflated vixen. ¡°Relax Taika, no one expects you to master a brand-new skill overnight. You¡¯re going to make mistakes ¨C the key is learning from them." The older woman regarded the ruined muffins with a smile. ¡°Come on, we¡¯ll try again using what you¡¯ve learned.¡± ¡°S-si¡­¡± Taika slowly nodded. ... Shouri entered the kitchen a little bit later in the morning, Rebecca and Pacifica in tow. ¡°Buongiorno Sho!¡± Taika enthusiastically greeted her Maestro, tail wagging joyously. Awaiting them at the table was the usual accompaniments of the day¡¯s first meal, with a plate of large chocolate chip muffins towering over it all.
¡°One more time Rebecca.¡± Despite the sun coming up, it was growing cooler outside on this Friday morning. Shouri and Rebecca greeted the rising sun by attempting to at least perform the one trick Aiden had been able to show them. Rebecca ran at the tree before them. According to Aiden, trees were perfectly safe to use in pankour and were what the art was intended to be used on. Even in a dry season, it wouldn¡¯t cause any damage. But that simply spoke volumes to how powerful their control was. Rebecca was a runaway train by comparison. She hit the tree and made it up one, two, three- And then blasted off the tree, leaving a small scorch mark in its wake. ¡°Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!¡± Rebecca cursed, punching the ground where she had landed. They had been at this for three days now and she hadn¡¯t shown any signs of improvement. ¡°Hey hey hey¡­¡± Shouri rushed over and slid down on his knees in front of his frustrated fox. He took up her hands in his own and held them tightly. ¡°Shhh shhh shhh, just think about it for a moment.¡± The fire Resonator bitterly closed her eyes. His rhythm was so nice; her brain fog that clouded her ability to understand and retain even rudimentary topics faded away, giving her clarity to her thoughts. ¡°Sho¡­¡± Without realizing it, she pulled him into a hug and gripped him tightly, soaking herself in his rhythm. ¡°Focus, I need to focus,¡± she repeated as she had said over the past couple of days of their training. ¡°You¡¯ll get it. I know you will.¡± He returned her hug, taking in and dispelling her negativity, replacing the harsh emotions with positive thoughts and logic. ¡°Muscle memory, I¡¯m undoing years of muscle memory,¡± she whispered back. After a moment she released him, wiping away the frustration that had flowed down her cheeks. Once more she rushed to the tree One Two Three She kicked too hard off of it, scarring the bark once more. Teeth were ground as the frustration welled back up again. Even if her strength of rhythm was emotion, it didn¡¯t only bolster her social sense but provided her with much more vivid and intense emotions than her contemporaries. However, every failure just pushed her one step closer to that control Aiden demonstrated. The positivity that flowed through her Maestro¡¯s hand and into her heart calmed her mental wildfire. Again and again and again, she ran full sprint at the tree, only making it up two steps before the third ejected her from the surface. Each time her frustration mounted until Shouri stepped in and reminded her this was training. Because it¡¯s okay to fail ¨C that¡¯s why they continued to train. Because eventually Step step step¡­ step Step step step step step! ¡°I¡¯m doing it Sho!¡± Rebecca exclaimed, though the realization caused her to get a bit too excited at the sudden burst of progress, and ended up losing her footing. Thinking quickly, she jetted off the trunk and grabbed hold of a large branch that she had managed to climb up to. Hanging there for a moment, she let out another burst of fire, swinging up to where she could stand properly on the branch. ¡°There we go.¡± Shouri turned to find Aiden standing next to him. ¡°She already has the acrobatic skills to be a pankour master, she just needs the mindset and control,¡± the red panda man observed. ¡°Keep training her, she¡¯s got the drive.¡± The Maestro nodded. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll always stand by them.¡± He smiled warmly at his Resonator, who remained high in the tree, celebrating her win.
That evening Dinner was had and the house had moved to retire for the night. Tomorrow was the big day; Priscilla and her three Resonators were to leave for their conference. ¡°What are we gonna do Sho?¡± Pacifica asked the pertinent question as they began to get ready to head to bed themselves. ¡°Oh.¡± Shouri perked up from the board game they were playing on Pacifica¡¯s bed. ¡°Right, I never did let you all in on the itinerary,¡± he realized. ¡°I was thinking we could go to New Draxgow next. They have a crazy big intercontinental airport there, which I figure we can hop from there to wherever we feel like,¡± he explained. ¡°So we¡¯re going to just leave tomorrow morning?¡± Taika questioned. ¡°The full plan is we would go to Canolapra O¡¯Naer Airport with Pacifica¡¯s mom tomorrow and see them off. There¡¯s a bus service from there to New Draxgow,¡± he explained. Rebecca laid back, thinking about their future travel plans. ¡°New Draxgow¡­ wow, that¡¯s the biggest city in Lybertera,¡± she breathed out. ¡°The biggest?¡± Taika asked, wonder passing her lips. ¡°I¡¯ve never been there myself, but Mom and Dad have. They told me it¡¯s nothing like here,¡± Pacifica told the others. Rebecca sat up suddenly. ¡°I heard it¡¯s so big that they have to have hunts that take place underground.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Shouri chimed in. ¡°At night it gets so bad that Scherzando start appearing in the underground subway systems and they have to send Maestros down to clear them out,¡± he revealed, enrapturing the three girls with the prospects of their possible future travel prospects. ¡°Wow,¡± Taika gasped in amazement. ¡°That¡¯s crazy,¡± Pacifica muttered, wide-eyed. ¡°The world really is a big place, huh?¡± Rebecca mused in awe. ¡°Heard the underground hunts pay pretty well, so if we do a few of those we can probably get set up with some nice seats to the Kalanichi Nationals,¡± Shouri told them. ¡°Already planning our next vacation, eh sly boy?¡± Pacifica grinned coyly, elbowing her Maestro. ¡°A little bit,¡± he chuckled. His brows descended, lips curling down. ¡°I read they¡¯re taking place in Naiza this year.¡± Pacifica furrowed her brows. ¡°Naiza? Why does that sound familiar?¡± she wondered aloud. ¡°It¡¯s where Lutera is-¡± before he could elaborate, the Maestro yawned loudly. ¡°I¡¯ll explain it later, tired now.¡± He rubbed his eyes, looking around for which set of pillows they¡¯d be resting on tonight. Rebecca too caught the ever-contagious yawn. ¡°Sleep sounds good,¡± she agreed, starting to pack up the board game. Taika had laid down already. ¡°Long day today.¡± She also got a case of the yawns. Finally, after putting away the game, Pacifica succumbed to the yawn pandemic spreading around the room. She turned out the lights and joined the cuddle pile that formed on the bed. ¡°Sleep time.¡± Chapter 65 Saturday, the 30th of June 2018AR 4:45 AM Central Lyberteran Time BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP ¡°UUUHG KILL IT!¡± Pacifica shouted, holding her ears while the alarms blared from the trio of tuners that sat on the nightstand. Thankfully turning off one alarm stopped all three. ¡°Mmmrgh.¡± The annoyed otter attempted to bury herself under the pile of pillows she kept on her bed. ¡°C¡¯mon Paci, we need to get up,¡± Shouri groaned as he shook the protesting water element. ¡°Uuuhg, it¡¯s too fucking early,¡± Rebecca also voiced complaints. ¡°Altri cinque anni¡­¡± Taika stole most of the blanket to cocoon herself in. Shouri grew annoyed with the protests of the girls and finally started physically shoving them out of bed. ¡°Get up!¡± He demanded sharply. If he had to be awake, they had to be awake, and that was final. ¡°Wehhhh sleep killer¡­¡± Pacifica whined as she slid over to her closet to change. ¡°Sho¡¯s so mean to us,¡± Taika too joined in the bellyaching. ¡°Mrhhhgh.¡± Rebecca lacked the sufficient level of consciousness to come up with an intelligible complaint. Shouri exited the bedroom, trusting his trio of girls wouldn¡¯t immediately try to go back to sleep. ¡°Get UP!¡± From across the hall, the young Maestro watched his senior counterpart shove Aiden out of bed and onto the floor. ¡°If I have to be up, you have to be up!¡± she barked at him. ¡°Cici¡¯s so mean!¡± the man whined from the opposite side of the bed. It seemed waking sleeping Resonators was difficult for all Maestros.
¡°Do we have everything?¡± Shouri asked his Resonators after returning to Pacifica''s room one final time. ¡°Probably.¡± Pacifica failed to stifle a yawn. ¡°Taika¡¯s the one with the bag,¡± Rebecca pointed out. ¡°Non so.¡± Taika caught the contagious yawn and let one out herself. Rolling his eyes, Shouri stepped around and opened the bag on Taika¡¯s back. The few meager possessions they had to their name: mainly sleepwear and swimsuits were accounted for. In the other pockets, Shouri¡¯s small notebook and their travel water bottle were also checked off. ¡°Good enough,¡± he decided. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The sun had yet to rise, but the horizon had begun to brighten as dawn threatened them. Gathering in the foyer, they put on their shoes in silence. Syrus surprised them by suddenly coming through the front door. ¡°The shuttle to the airport is here,¡± he told the younger group. ¡°You all can go ahead and get seated. I¡¯ll get Cici and the others.¡± While the sky dragon vanished deeper into the house, Shouri and his squad made their way out to the awaiting vehicle. Quietly they all filed into the transport, waiting for the actual air travelers to arrive. ¡°You okay Paci?¡± Shouri whispered to the otter sitting by his side. She hesitated for a moment.¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Taking his hand in her own, she gripped it tightly. ¡°I have you,¡± was spoken on but a breath. They sat in the idling vehicle for what felt like an eternity until finally, the noise arrived. ¡°Hey-yo party people! Are you all ready to go?!¡± Priscilla boomed as soon as she boarded the vehicle. ¡°Cici, can you not? I haven¡¯t my morning cup of personality yetm¡± Aiden grumbled, grabbing himself a window seat. ¡°Relax Aiden, we¡¯ll get you some coffee at the airport,¡± Syrus chuckled. ¡°That¡¯ll be nice. It¡¯s a touch chilly out this morning.¡± Jack shivered, rubbing his hands together for warmth. ¡°We¡¯re good back here,¡± Shouri spoke up for his group. Priscilla took in a lungful of air. ¡°Let¡¯s hit the road!¡±
It was about a thirty or so minute drive from the outskirts of Canolapra where O¡¯Naer Airport was. The busiest airport in Lybertera, and the top five in the world, it proved this distinction by having quite a bit of traffic, even at this early hour. ¡°Wow, there¡¯s so many people here¡­¡± Taika gasped in wonder, face pressed against the window. Every couple of minutes a massive plane roared overhead, either landing on or taking off from one of the many runways. ¡°Crazy,¡± Rebecca commented, personally enraptured by the massive metal beasts coming and going as if they owned the place. ¡°Never seen a plane before?¡± Pacifica asked. ¡°Not this close,¡± Rebecca muttered back. ¡°They¡¯re really big.¡± Shouri smiled, thankful he was able to relax. At least this bit of their trip was the exciting part. Checking his itinerary, they were to be on the long-haul bus from Canolapra to New Draxgow for just over twenty hours. He silently hoped the bus seats would be more comfortable than these. Finally finding a place to get out, the eight-strong group disembarked from the shuttle. As part of the service offered to Priscilla, a small squad of Resonators employed by the airport took their luggage inside to be checked in. ¡°Is this where we part ways?¡± Priscilla asked. Checking one of his tuners for the time, Shouri noted they still had about an hour to kill before they had to be at the bus terminal, which was at another part of the airport. ¡°Nah, we can go to the gate with you.¡± He clipped the tuner back to his side and motioned for them to head inside. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Aiden motioned to Syrus and Jack, who both spread out. ¡°Aiden?¡± Priscilla asked, her hand darting to her side. ¡°I was hoping I was wrong, but it seems we¡¯ve been followed,¡± he whispered to his Maestro. ¡°Who? And how long?¡± ¡°Since we left the house.¡± ¡°They¡¯re pretty strong. Seem like muscle,¡± Syrus added. ¡°My my, I wonder what they want?¡± Jack chuckled, the most relaxed of the trio. Shouri¡¯s Resonators stuck close to him, unsure of what was going on but sensing something was amiss. Two Maestros approached the group, clad in black suits with their eyes obscured by shades. Behind them were four Resonators in total. Solar, Lightning, Water, and Null elements Rebecca picked up on. What was more concerning was the sheer strength she could feel from them. These people were strong, frighteningly so. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Syrus and Jack put themselves between their group and these two mystery Maestros. ¡°Stand aside,¡± one of the suited individuals demanded immediately. ¡°Sorry pal, no can do.¡± Jack smiled at the two Maestros before him. The other man spoke up, ¡°Our business is not with you.¡± He pointed squarely at Shouri. ¡°It¡¯s with him.¡± Shouri¡¯s blood ran ice cold, rushing through his body at an unbearable pace. ¡°Me?¡± he squeaked. There was only one reason why anyone would be after him at this point. Especially with such a curated set of Resonators behind them. Taika¡¯s eyes glowed a brilliant blue as she slowly shifted into a combative stance, tail puffing out. Pacifica gritted her teeth, holding an arm out in front of her Maestro ¨C these men meant business, whoever they were. Rebecca gulped hard, her heels sparking as she too was at the ready, but unlike her two counterparts, she could feel it; these new enemies came with the intention of using force. ¡°Why?¡± Priscilla spoke up, remaining as collected as her husband. ¡°This has nothing to do with you, Miss. This is a family affair,¡± and they left it at that, drawing tuners from their coats. Reaching into her pocket, Priscilla regarded the envelope she had taken out. Without turning to him, she offered it to Shouri. ¡°Go,¡± she said simply. ¡°What? I don¡¯t-¡± ¡°Now¡¯s not the time Shouri. Go in my place.¡± Finally, she looked at him, offering a grateful smile. ¡°You have wonderful eyes and a great heart. Take my daughter to see the world. Please.¡± Shouri shook his head, mouth agape. ¡°But that conference-¡± ¡°I¡¯ll inform them of you as my replacement. Now go!¡± A battle kicked up at that moment, with Aiden rushing at the opposing Resonators, heels ablaze with fire. Chaos ensued as a battle kicking up at a busy airport was something nobody wanted to be involved in. ¡°Let¡¯s go Sho!¡± Rebecca urged. ¡°Tch!¡± Snatching the envelope, Shouri and his three Resonators ran into the terminal. The men tried to run after, but- THWACK THWACK Their Resonators were scattered by Priscilla¡¯s three. ¡°It¡¯s been a good long while since I¡¯ve been able to let loose.¡± The woman chuckled, cracking her knuckles and tossing off her coat. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯d like to stay and entertain a former Grand Master?¡±
The quartet ran through the airport terminal, with Shouri tearing into the envelope as he did so. ¡°What do we do Sho?!¡± Pacifica shouted in a panic. ¡°Where are we supposed to go?!¡± Rebecca added in. He scanned the ticket for their gate number. Which thankfully was the biggest thing on it. ¡°Gate A2 ¨C this way!¡± Waving them towards Terminal A, they quickly found their gate. Rushing up as they did startled the poor attendant taking tickets. ¡°This is the 7:45 flight out of gate A2, right?¡± Shouri asked through haggard breath, holding up the envelope of tickets. The attendant accepted the envelope, and removed the tickets contained inside, checking them over. ¡°Yes sir, one Maestro, three Resonators for Lyreann, Unis-R¨¦sonne.¡± ¡°No,¡± Taika suddenly spoke. ¡°What?¡± All eyes were on the lunar Resonator. Her head was lowered, fangs barred, ears folded back. Her eyes glowed violently with blue rhythm, her pupils almost invisible from the bright glow. ¡°You can¡¯t make me go back!¡± the lunar barked. ¡°W-wait Taika-¡± Shouri went to grab her, but she smacked his hands away. ¡°I¡¯m not going back there! You can¡¯t make me!¡± she shouted, her voice growing louder with each cry. Shouri looked around quickly, noting they had attracted the attention of the security guards stationed around the terminal. ¡°Taika be reasonable, those goons were strong! Way stronger than us!¡± Rebecca countered. ¡°No no NO! Not Unis-R¨¦sonne!! I¡¯m not going back!¡± Taika turned and tried to run, but Rebecca shot herself at the fleeing Resonator and tackled her to the ground. Pacifica ran over and helped in the restraint efforts. Shouri stood frozen, watching in silent horror as this all transpired. He couldn¡¯t feel Taika¡¯s rhythm anymore. ¡°YOU CAN¡¯T MAKE ME GO BACK THERE! I¡¯M NOT GIVING UP THIS LIFE!¡± At this point, she was screaming as loud as she could. ¡°NNgh! Stop struggling! No one¡¯s making you go back anywhere!¡± Rebecca grunted, really struggling to keep Taika still. ¡°She¡¯s not going to listen to reason, she¡¯s totally freaking out!¡± Pacifica cried out. ¡°NON VOGLIO TORNARE ALLA MIA VITA PRECEDENTE!!¡± came another heartfelt scream. At this point, everyone was staring at them with several security personnel approaching Shouri. ¡°Sir. Please calm your Resonators down, or we¡¯re going to have to ask you to leave.¡± ¡°I WON¡¯T!! NEVER EVER!! MAI E POI!!!¡± Taika at this point was starting to wrench herself free from Rebecca and Pacifica¡¯s grasp. ¡°I can¡¯t calm her down Sho!¡± Pacifica shouted. ¡°Sho! The button! Make her sleep!¡± Rebecca barked. ¡°Sir!¡± The security Maestros were now pulling tuners from their sides, their own Resonators lowering themselves into combative positioning. Shouri''s heart was pounding so hard it felt as if it would burst from his chest at any second from the force. Outside of this airport were hired guns ¨C ones meant to bring him home, by any means necessary based on how they were willing to start a fight in public like they had. On the other hand, that horrible, awful red button¡­ He couldn¡¯t do that to her! They could- ¡°SHOURI!¡± Rebecca screamed as Taika slipped free from her entrapments. She made two steps towards freedom when suddenly she heard a voice in her head: ¡°Taika.¡± Her entire body froze, the back of her neck suddenly growing unbearably warm. Her head suddenly pounded as the bright blue rhythm in her eyes continued to blaze wildly. Why couldn¡¯t she move?! He only said her name! She had to get away! Failure wasn¡¯t an option! She HAD TO!! She would never go back! Never ever again! She¡¯d fight to her last- ¡°Go to sleep.¡± Interlude 3 ¡°It was eleven years ago...¡± THUD CLINK ¡°Wuh...guhhh¡­¡± A pair of blue eyes slowly opened. The owner of them, a girl with shoulder-length red hair, picked her head up off the cold steel ground below her. Her head swayed back and forth, her eyes staring sightlessly into the relative darkness around her (probably a side effect of the drugs she was still under). Processing a thought was near impossible as her body struggled to maintain itself. She dropped her head against the ground once more with a thud, returning to the darkness from whence she came. ¡°Hey¡­ hey¡­ wake up.¡± Once again, heavy lids raised as light returned to the world of the redhead. ¡°Can you hear me?¡± a voice asked. ¡°¡­nnuh¡­¡± a dry heave escaped her lips as she struggled to address the voice. Pushing herself up was a monumental task, but after some effort, she managed to get herself up to a sitting position. Woozily, she took in her new surroundings. Bars all around her, a cage. There was one other occupant ¨C a pale boy, around her age, and his hair was a lilac color. His brows were turned up with concern as he watched the girl struggle to get up. ¡°Where am I?¡± the girl questioned. Her strength was returning to her, at least enough for her to have a coherent conversation with her new cage mate. ¡°Dunno,¡± the boy replied, he too looked around their shared cage, noting a lack of distinguishable landmarks. ¡°What happened to me?¡± She held her head with a hand as she shook her head ¨C it was all hazy to her. The boy frowned. ¡°Well, if they caught you like they did me, then drugs were probably involved.¡± ¡°Drugs?¡± she asked. ¡°Yeah, bad things like poisons and stuff. You can use them like medicine to feel better, but the right stuff can make you feel bad,¡± he explained. ¡°Oh¡­¡± The girl hung her head. This was frightening, but as usual for her, she buried her fear with righteous indignation. ¡°My name is Lee. What¡¯s your name?¡± the boy asked suddenly. ¡°Vivi,¡± the girl replied. ¡°You¡¯re a linsang, right?¡± Vivi stared at him, eyes wide. If she wasn¡¯t awake before, she was now. ¡°Y-yeah¡­ how did you know?¡± she asked, mouth agape. Lee tilted his head. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± He pointed to the ears on her head. ¡°Your ears for one are smaller than felines or canines and have a distinct shape. Also, your tail rings kind of give it away too,¡± he noted. There were some complicated emotions in the young girl¡¯s heart at that moment. ¡°Nobody ever gets that right,¡± she mumbled in disbelief. ¡°Hm?¡± Lee tilted his head, not hearing what she said. ¡°N-nothing!¡± She looked him over. Lee had some weird feathery protrusions from the side of his head, and a thick but smooth tail that ended in a thin flat segment. ¡°What are you supposed to be?¡± Vivi questioned. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m an Axolotl.¡± He smiled. ¡°We¡¯re from the Torravio area in southern Lybertera.¡± ¡°Axolotl?¡± She raised a brow. ¡°We¡¯re healers,¡± he added, hoping that would aid her understanding. ¡°Ah.¡± She nodded as if she understood. Lee knew she had no idea what he was and decided to spare her feelings. ¡°What can you remember?¡± Lee inquired of his linsang cage mate. Furrowing her brow, she folded her arms across her chest. ¡°Uhhh¡­¡± Thinking back, there wasn¡¯t anything there. It was too hazy to remember anything concrete. ¡°There was a cloth over my mouth.¡± It began to come back. ¡°It smelled kinda sweet,¡± Vivi recounted. The two remained quiet for a moment. ¡°It all went black,¡± she whispered, shuddering slightly. Silence once again. Lee crawled over to the bars; he took one in his hands. ¡°Weird¡­¡± he whispered. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Vivi asked crawling up next to him. ¡°These bars aren¡¯t made of Vatonium,¡± he noted, running his hands up the length of the bar, before placing his palms on the iron ceiling above them. ¡°What the heck is Vatonium?¡± Vivi raised a brow. ¡°It¡¯s a type of metal that absorbs rhythm,¡± he told her. ¡°It¡¯s weird they¡¯re not using it.¡± ¡°How can you tell?¡± Vivi questioned. ¡°Well. If it was Vatonium, just touching it like this would start pulling rhythm out of me,¡± he told her. ¡°But I don¡¯t feel anything.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Vivi stared at the boy. ¡°How do you know so much?¡± she asked after a moment of contemplation. ¡°Lots of reading.¡± The boy smiled, though it faded quickly. ¡°And a bit of practical experience.¡± He spoke in a more hushed tone. Before either of them could dwell further on that comment, Vivi¡¯s ears twitched suddenly. ¡°Someone¡¯s coming!¡± She looked at Lee. ¡°Quick! Pretend to be asleep!¡± he hissed. After the large metal doors rolled up to the ceiling, they heard the sounds of squeaky wheels which signaled the beginning of the next twenty minutes of chaos. Metal scraping against metal and finally a thunderous thud. This repeated several more times. More and more loud thuds all around them as it seemed like the world was falling apart around them. The linsang and axolotl remained quiet, unmoving, resisting the urges to flinch with every monstrous slamming of heavy metal against concrete. Finally, the chaos ceased. The large metal door rolled back to the ground and slammed shut with one final crash against the solid ground. ¡°What¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°¡­ going on?¡± The two children looked around in shock ¨C there were dozens of small cages housing a variety of children like them. They were the only two conscious among the captives. Vivi balled up her fists, eyes wide. She didn¡¯t want to be scared, but seeing all this was starting to be too much. ¡°It¡¯s okay Vivi, we have to stay calm.¡± ¡°Stay calm?!¡± she hissed. ¡°How can you stay calm-¡± She turned to the boy, her tone beginning to lighten as she met eyes with him. ¡°-seeing all this¡­¡± Her expression softened. He looked as horrified as she did. They were just a couple of seven-year-olds, these people that kidnapped them¡­ they were professionals. There¡¯s no way they could stand up to adults like that. ¡°This sucks,¡± Vivi grumbled. ¡°I¡­ never even got a Maestro.¡± She hugged herself. It was obvious she was holding back how she felt, and how she wanted to express herself. Lee lowered his head, the entire emotional weight of his fellow cage mate washing over him. Even being so young, they both recognized the seriousness of the situation they were in. Hours passed in silence. Slowly the other captives began to awaken as their doses of whatever sleeping drug that put them under had worn off. Vivi and Lee just listened as the various other kids started to piece together their situation. ¡°What do you think¡¯s gonna happen to us Lee?¡± Vivi whispered. ¡°Based on what I can see¡­ we¡¯re all pretty rare,¡± Lee noted. ¡°We¡¯re probably going to be sold off to various collectors.¡± The sounds of crying and shouting coated that statement with a certain weight that was hard to ignore. ¡°How do you even know that?¡± Vivi questioned. Lee looked to the linsang. ¡°I¡¯ve watched it happen before. Simple.¡± He gave a rather bitter smile. ¡°D-don¡¯t smile like that. It¡¯s creepy.¡± Vivi gulped. ¡°It takes a certain eye to recognize what you are, so I would think that there are not many people who could appreciate your rarity,¡± Lee added. Vivi didn¡¯t understand what Lee was saying, but it made her blush a bit. ¡°S-stop that,¡± she grumbled. The room went silent when the sounds of the large door being thrown open. It was daytime based on the light that shone in from the open door. ¡°We got all kinds here. Freshly caught,¡± a gruff male voice said. ¡°I see. My master has a very particular taste,¡± another male voice spoke, though, unlike the gruff voice from prior, this second voice carried a distinct elegance that was hard to ignore. ¡°Well, we got some rare ones here. No point snatching up the cats and dogs, eh?¡± The kids all listened to the sounds of a few sets of footsteps as the captors led this prospective buyer around. Lee and Vivi listened intently as the sellers tried to peddle their wares to their client. Lee stroked his chin in thought as he heard some of the species'' names. As he had suspected from his initial observation, there were some highly prized Resonators amongst the captives here. Soon it was Lee and Vivi¡¯s turn. ¡°In dis one we got an Axolotl and a Linsang.¡± The man bent down and looked over the two children through thick glasses. The Axolotl studied the man intently. He was dressed nicely, wearing a suit. He was older, hair greying naturally. A complete contrast to the rough-looking poachers who were holding them captive. The linsang however glared, baring her fangs at the man, avoiding saying anything as Lee grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly ¨C a gesture that spoke volumes to her for some reason. The well-dressed man smirked, almost as if to suppress a chuckle. ¡°Quite,¡± he spoke simply, standing back up straight. They moved on. ¡°Tch¡­¡± Vivi gritted her teeth. Being looked at like a product was demeaning. It sucked, in her own words. It wasn¡¯t too much longer before the tour came to an end. ¡°Thank you gentlemen for your time,¡± the elder man spoke upon the tour¡¯s conclusion. ¡°I will speak with my master and our decision within the day. It is my hope that nothing changes in our agreement overnight.¡± Lee perked up at that last pair of words spoken. The elder man had put such emotional weight behind ¡°night¡±. Why was that? ¡°Good doing business with you.¡± SLAM With that, the captives were plunged into darkness. However, when this happened, it was apparent that something was different from before. There was a glow, that was to say, there were many small points of light all over the warehouse floor. Red, blue, and yellow. In front of every cage was a small crystal, left just within the reach of each cage¡¯s inhabitants. Eagerly all of the crystals were snatched up. Vivi had grabbed the crystal in front of their cage. ¡°What is it? It¡¯s so pretty,¡± Vivi asked, looking over the glowing blue gemstone. ¡°That¡¯s a rubato crystal. We can cast a spell using that!¡± Lee said, his voice shaking from excitement. The rest of the captives were similarly excited at the prospect of being able to use their spells with the crystals that had been left for them and chatter began amongst the kidnapped. In that moment of chaos though, Lee heard the word ¡°night¡± ring in his head. ¡°Wait! Everyone!¡± Lee shouted amongst the cacophony of voices. ¡°We need to wait until night!¡± he shouted. There was immediate dissent amongst the various captives. Lee shirked back as they began to yell back at him. ¡°Shaddap!¡± Vivi barked. ¡°Ya¡¯ll want them to come back!? Listen to Lee!¡± she continued to shout. The room came to silence. Lee just stared at the girl. ¡°You do got a plan, right?¡± she asked. Lee nodded, failing to suppress a smile towards Vivi. ¡°So here¡¯s what we do.¡±
Day passed to night on the lot of the warehouse the poachers were using. On the outskirts of a major city, they had to be selective about who they allowed on their property. So naturally, there were cameras mounted everywhere as well as the poachers themselves living on-site to make sure their product didn¡¯t escape the shelves unpaid. The recent hunt had gone well. As it turned out there were some high-quality Resonators out there just wandering the streets alone. Even if they had Maestros before it wasn¡¯t too difficult to burn out the chips that connected them to their tuners. At any rate, it looked to be another peaceful evening. ¡°Hey, what¡¯d y¡¯all do to the brats?¡± one poacher asked, returning to the office they had renovated into living quarters. ¡°Hm? What are ya talkin¡¯ about?¡± One of the group looked up from their game of cards. ¡°They¡¯re pretty quiet. Usually, they¡¯re makin¡¯ all kinds a racket,¡± the returning poacher told his counterpart, sitting at the table with the rest of his associates. ¡°Dunno, we didn¡¯t do nuthin¡¯ to dem. Maybe we just got lucky with dis catch. Dey got some sense.¡± ¡°I dunno, sometin felt off.¡± ¡°Go watch the cams then if yer so worried about it,¡± the boss of the group spoke up. With a short nod, the concerned poacher got up from the table and went to the upstairs camera room. The rest of the group resumed their card game; however, they wouldn¡¯t be able to finish their hand as a panicked shout came from upstairs. ¡°BOSS WE GOT A PROBLEM!!¡± The group rushed up to where their fellow poacher was and stared at the screen in horror. Not only was the camera watching over their stock of captured Resonators offline, but it seemed the building had caught fire. Inspecting the other screens, they witnessed the Resonators they had taken such care in capturing were all now running free. ¡°GO GET THEM! QUICK!¡± the boss of the group shouted. As his henchmen ran off to do his dirty work, he rewound the tapes, specifically the camera that went out first ¨C the warehouse containing the goods. Who did this? Who was responsible? Sure enough, he watched the bars of one particular cage be melted off, followed by the first captures of the day: the axolotl and the linsang helping their fellow captives escape. Finally, he watched the axolotl direct one of the other Resonators to destroy the camera with a smirk on his face. Now, it was personal.
Lee and Vivi, after having made sure everyone else got out of the warehouse moved to escape themselves. However, there came a complication. ¡°There¡¯s two of them!¡± one of the poachers shouted. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Lee gritted his teeth. ¡°Vivi, ru-¡± Before he could finish his thought, the linsang had grabbed his hand and pulled him away. ¡°Get away without me damn it! I¡¯ll just slow you down!¡± Lee shouted, barely able to keep up with the fire Resonator¡¯s speed. ¡°No way!!¡± Vivi barked back. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving you!¡± she cried out. ¡°L''onda di tempesta, Rallentando!¡± Underneath the two escapees, a river of water formed. ¡°Ack!¡± Vivi cried out, her feet instantly getting stuck. She fell over in the water, causing Lee to trip, land on, and wind her in the process. The river began to flow, pulling the fallen pair towards the boss of the poachers and his Resonator: a large water-element wolf Resonator. ¡°I¡¯m stuck, Lee!¡± Vivi yelped. Lee, being a water element himself, wrapped his arms around his water-weak counterpart and rolled out of the stream. ¡°Manga de Agua, Fortissimo!¡± A tornado of water swirled up from below the two, sucking them into the vortex. Lee held onto Vivi as they rotated around the water spout. A wicked smirk rose on the head poacher¡¯s lips. ¡°Ghiacciolo, Piano Staccato.¡± Unfortunately for Vivi and Lee, his Resonator knew what his Maestro was commanding by giving him access to that spell. The wolf-man began throwing volley after volley of ice needles into the raging torrent of water, which pierced and stung the helpless Resonators inside. Finally, the spell reached its end, throwing the barely conscious Lee and Vivi to the ground with a splat. Both of them were bleeding heavily, clothes torn to shreds, and totally soaked from the combination of spells used on them. The boss chuckled. ¡°Still breathing after all that? Yeah, you¡¯d fetch a nice price, too bad.¡± He looked around. The authorities would definitely be here soon. After all, there was a massive fire raging through the complex. Given the abandoned nature of it, nobody usually came around here, but it also meant that the fire suppression measures were non-existent. ¡°But I think I¡¯ll have much more fun making you suffer.¡± Lee gulped hard. They were gonna die here. ¡°L-lee¡­¡± Vivi choked out. ¡°Run¡­¡± she wheezed. It was hard to see since she was soaked, but there was a considerable amount of tears streaming down her blood-soaked face. ¡°You think I can move after all that?¡± Lee laughed back hollowly. ¡°D-damn it¡­¡± Vivi cursed. ¡°I¡­ was hoping to save you.¡± She took in a sharp breath, it hurt a lot but she had to get her thoughts out while she was still able. ¡°You¡¯re so cool, Lee¡­ I wanted you to get out¡­¡± She coughed hard after this, trembling. Lee smiled weakly. It was hard to maintain his consciousness, but he had to. Maybe there was a way to get out of this? No, that man was intent on killing them right here. The axolotl could feel the bloodlust. ¡°Prigione di ghiaccio, Fortissimo!¡± Two halves of what appeared to be a coffin made of ice formed on either side of the two Resonators. They rushed together to encase the pair in an icy prison. Lee held Vivi tightly as their demise rushed towards them. However, instead of ice snapping shut around them, the huge slabs of frozen water were held in place, by a bubble of iron fragments. And then out of nowhere, the ice melted away as if it was never there. Along with it the bubble of iron fillings faded away. ¡°What the FUCK?!¡± the poacher shouted as his Resonator¡¯s spell was blocked and fizzled seemingly out of nowhere. Stepping into their view was someone wearing yellow and white shoes. ¡°Pickin¡¯ on a couple of kids?¡± the owner of the shoes in question spoke. Lee and Vivi both looked up at the boy standing in front of them. Clad in orange and white, with messy yellow hair, a long thin tail swished slowly behind him, and atop his head were two large circular ears. His hands in his pockets, his breathing calm, relaxed even, despite the two significantly larger men in front of him. ¡°Who the fuck are you?! Did you do that?!¡± the poacher shouted. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you like to know?¡± The boy chuckled. Who was this boy? Why did he show no fear of them? He couldn¡¯t have been older than ten or so. Questions like these swirled in both Lee and Vivi¡¯s heads as the poacher grew more and more furious the longer this interloper stood before them. ¡°Manga de Agua, Fortissimo!¡± the poacher angrily demanded. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a shame,¡± the boy tittered. With a snap of a finger a huge bolt of lightning descended from the sky, striking the wolf-man dead on. Instantly the large water Resonator went from preparing a spell to lying on the ground, smoldering from the intense electrical attack. ¡°H-how?!¡± the poacher gasped out in shock at the sudden attack with no spell called out. ¡°Mice have a fun ability,¡± a new voice spoke up. It was a girl¡¯s voice. Walking up next to the yellow-haired Resonator was a teen girl. Her long auburn hair tied up in a ponytail, clipped to the side of her black pants was a yellow device with three grey buttons and a red button. ¡°They can channel spells into little mice-shaped balls of rhythm for later use,¡± she explained. ¡°It¡¯s pretty useful for catching stupid morons off guard,¡± the mouse Resonator in question grinned toothily. ¡°Lana, take care of them. I¡¯ll deal with tubby here,¡± he told his Maestro. ¡°You got it, Blair. Give ¡®em hell!¡± the Maestro smirked back. Both Lee and Vivi were perplexed as they watched these two teens exchange a quick hi-five and go their separate ways, the Maestro girl stepping over to and kneeling next to them, while the Resonator boy approached the poachers alone. The two younger Resonators'' eyes were locked on him even as the friendly Maestro began to look over their wounds. ¡°So, you wanna turn yourself in now?¡± Blair asked. ¡°You fucking little shit!¡± The poacher tried to throw a haymaker at the smaller male. Blair easily sidestepped, never removing his hands from his pockets. ¡°Hold still!¡± Once again, another wild haymaker. The little boy was just faster and nimbler than the musclebound adult. ¡°Having a good time porky?¡± the mouse boy tittered. Click! Lee and Vivi both gasped as the man drove a knife straight into Blair. ¡°Hey, dumbshit,¡± Blair chuckled, raising his head to show his toothy grin. The man looked surprised. ¡°Didn¡¯t yer mom tell ya not to stick metal into an electrical socket?¡± Instead of Blair himself, the knife was stuck into his front vest pocket, specifically a ball of electricity with a tail on the end. A second later the poacher was lit up like a light bulb before being ejected from Blair''s personal bubble. Like his Resonator before him, the formerly proud poacher lay on the ground, smoldering from the intense electro-shock therapy that had just been administered. With a sharp exhale, the mouse looked over his handy work with an ounce of pride. ¡°Blair, can you come help me with them please?¡± his Maestro called for him. ¡°Coming Lana!¡± For Vivi, who had been through so much already, staying conscious was becoming a monumental task. Her vision swam as it started to become hazy and cold. Just when she thought it was going to be the end, she heard those words: ¡°Rianima il Bullone, Lento Tutti.¡± Her body started to tingle, but it wasn¡¯t a bad tingle, it felt soothing. Her body began to warm, and not a few moments later, she was well enough to move properly again. ¡°I-I¡¯m okay?¡± Vivi asked, sitting up. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± The Maestro smiled bittersweetly. ¡°Lee?!¡± Vivi looked over, however the axolotl boy wasn¡¯t moving. ¡°W-wait. Why didn¡¯t you heal him?¡± she questioned. ¡°Heal him!¡± she quickly demanded. ¡°He¡¯s water, girlie.¡± Blair shrugged. ¡°So?!¡± Vivi barked. ¡°I mean if you insist, but it¡¯ll kill him faster.¡± The linsang paled. ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°Water is weak to lightning. Any lightning support spell has the opposite effect,¡± the Maestro explained. Vivi began to panic. ¡°No¡­ wait... That can¡¯t be right. Not now¡­¡± The small girl trembled, trying to hold back her tears. ¡°There has to be something you can do! You¡¯re so strong! You beat those grown-ups!¡± she begged. Blair frowned. He glanced over at the shallowly breathing axolotl. ¡°Hey Lana, we just got an Ossia that could probably do the trick,¡± the lightning Resonator spoke as he looked up to the sky. The Maestro frowned, she pulled the yellow tuner off her waist and looked at her spell list. ¡°You¡¯ll have to make sure we don¡¯t get struck by the side effects,¡± Lana warned. ¡°Me being a lightning rod? You¡¯re a real slave driver ya know that?¡± ¡°Oh please.¡± She chuckled. ¡°You¡¯ll want to get under cover for this,¡± the Maestro advised the linsang. Who shook her head. ¡°Uh-uh. I¡¯m staying right here until he¡¯s better,¡± she spoke adamantly. ¡°Just do it, we¡¯re losing time,¡± Blair urged. ¡°Fine fine,¡± the Maestro relented. ¡°Forti Temporali, Legato!¡± Vivi looked to Blair who formed a little mouse ball in his hand before lightly tossing it skyward. Thick, dark clouds rapidly gathered. The sky began to rumble, and finally rain. A torrent of rain poured from the heavens. For the fire element Vivi, this was nearly unbearable. Cold water assaulting her body was unbearable to her. ¡°Wh-why rain?!¡± Vivi shouted over the downpour. ¡°Water elements recover health and rhythm from sources of water, and axolotls heal even faster than other species of Resonators!¡± Lana shouted back. CRACK BOOM! Lightning had struck nearby, however Blair had intercepted it simply by holding up his hand. Once more Vivi was entranced by these people. They were so strong. How could she get strong like them? ¡°How¡¯s he lookin¡¯ boss?!¡± the mouse yelled over the rain as sparks arced down his body. ¡°Better! Should be a touch bit longer!¡± Another bolt of lightning descended from the heavens, which was easily caught by Blair. ¡°Good!¡± he shouted back. Vivi sat there in shock, part from the rain battering her fiery form, part from just the sheer audacity of these people. They were so young, yet they were so powerful ¨C it was practically unfair. Next thing Vivi knew there was a coat over her head. ¡°I¡¯m sure the rain is bugging you; this should keep some of it off.¡± The Maestro smiled ¨C it was her coat that she had draped over the fire Resonator. Lowering her gaze, Vivi stared at Lee, he was starting to look better though. The fire Resonator pulled the coat tighter over herself. Rain continued to beat down as Vivi kept her gaze locked on the unmoving water element. ¡°Please be okay¡­¡± she whimpered quietly. That small prayer was answered by the stirring of the axolotl. ¡°Rain?¡± Lee questioned the strange weather. ¡°LEE!¡±
It was all wrapped up so nicely. Naturally, the combination of a sudden fire followed by a rainstorm attracted the attention of the authorities. The poachers were quickly rounded up and the scattered Resonators were returned to their Maestros or families. That is except¡­ ¡°What a night,¡± Lana sighed, still drying off from the torrential downpour. ¡°We knew this was gonna happen, Lana, you had Reed scope the place before we came out,¡± Blair commented. ¡°Yeah yeah, I¡¯m glad we spotted the poachers earlier.¡± The Maestro rolled her eyes. She smiled. ¡°I¡¯m glad everything turned out alright.¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s still one thing left.¡± Blair¡¯s eyes moved to the side, which his Maestro caught. ¡°Really?¡± She questioned. He simply smirked and chuckled. ¡°Fine fine.¡± With her hand dropping to her waist, she laid it on the yellow device at her hip. ¡°Corrente Elettrica, Pianissimo.¡± Blair threw his hand in the air, and with a snap of his finger- ¡°EIYAAAH!¡± A pair of Resonators fell out from the alleyway they were hiding in. ¡°Following us huh?¡± Blair questioned the two younger Resonators. It was the fire and water element Resonators they had rescued earlier in the night. ¡°I thought you two went home,¡± Lana said, offering a hand to them. Helping both of them to their feet, the two kids stood there awkwardly, unsure of what to say. Finally, Lee spoke: ¡°We¡¯re both orphans. We don¡¯t have anywhere to go,¡± he revealed. ¡°I thought maybe Lee had a Maestro already ''cause he was so smart but¡­ he¡¯s just like me,¡± Vivi piped up, following along with Lee. Lana looked them over. A cat and an axolotl. ¡°Ah, she¡¯s a linsang,¡± Lee seemed to pick up on what the Maestro was thinking and corrected her before she even spoke. This earned a smile from the older girl. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Oh damn it, Lana. I know that look.¡± Blair narrowed his eyes, folding his arms across his chest. ¡°What!?¡± Lana looked almost offended. ¡°We have our ultimate already! I think I can handle two more!¡± the Maestro protested. It seemed she had taken the bait as Blair¡¯s lips slowly rose to a smirk. ¡°Can you? Can you really?¡± ¡°YES!¡± ¡°You sure?¡± ¡°Absolutely!¡± ¡°Pops is gonna flip shit when he finds out you now have three of us.¡± ¡°He can fuckin¡¯ deal!¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Vivi tilted her head confused about the odd exchange. Lana spun to face the two orphaned Resonators. ¡°You two wanna come home with us?¡± the Maestro offered. ¡°Us?¡± Lee and Vivi each pointed to themselves. ¡°I gotta warn you, she¡¯s a real slave driver. She might make you eat yer veggies and do yer homework,¡± Blair teased, again chuckling. ¡°Blair stop being a brat!¡± Lana shook her Resonator. Vivi looked over to Lee who seemed to be giving it serious thought. It was kind of what he was intending to accomplish by approaching their saviors, but he didn¡¯t think it¡¯d actually work. ¡°S-sure,¡± Lee decided. ¡°Me too!¡± Vivi hastily spoke up. ¡°Then it¡¯s settled. Welcome to the family!¡± Lana smiled brightly as she tossed the shaken (not stirred) Blair away. ¡°Allow me to introduce myself properly.¡± Lana breathed in deeply before exhaling. ¡°My name is Solana Leduc, I¡¯ll be your Maestro starting today.¡± Chapter 66 The day began bright and early for the young Resonator known as Taika. Hard, dry pellets clattering into a metal bowl was the alarm clock that colored her mornings. ¡°Mangia, C''¨¨ neve da pulire,¡± an older female voice spoke before leaving the Resonator in her tiny room. In all reality, it wasn¡¯t even a room, but a crawlspace under one of the stairwells. There was only enough room for her bed, food bowls, and the few books she could store in a small cut-out portion of the wall. With a sigh, the girl sat up. There must not have been any leftovers from breakfast, as it was back to the kibble again as usual. Either way, she didn¡¯t want to have to shovel snow while hungry. She grabbed the bowl and sat up. Clicking on the light bulb that hung over her head she picked out one of her books and resumed reading while slowly eating her breakfast. As she turned a page, she grabbed a second metal bowl filled with water and brought it up to drink like one would a regular cup. After some time had passed, she was retrieved by the older woman from before. A bi-pedal fox creature with dark-red fur and two tails behind her. Taika herself bore a tail and fox ears like the woman she was following; however, the younger girl lacked the fur, snout, or other animalistic anatomy of the woman she followed. No, without the fox tail or ears, Taika would just be a normal human girl. She was left by the front door with explicit instructions to have it cleared in the next thirty minutes. Taika put on her shoes and gloves and quickly rushed outside, grabbing her trusty shovel along the way. The driveway to clear in question was quite long, and asking a normal person to clear this in thirty minutes would be impossible, especially alone. However, this young fox-eared girl was an expert. She got to work clearing the pathway only at a pace a bit slower than a snowplow could do it. One would think having someone work at such a breakneck pace and achieving the task set forth for them would earn them a break, but not in this household. No, that¡¯s just the chore for the morning. Taika rushed back inside to address the remaining chores that needed to be attended to. Most people wouldn¡¯t be able to achieve such feats all by themselves without falling to exhaustion, but once again, she was a professional. Not by choice mind you, but by raw experience. First, she had to make all the beds and pick up all the bedrooms. Of which there were six bedrooms currently in use in the manor. The remaining unused bedrooms needed a good dusting to make sure they looked spick and span. Then she had to attend to the floors. Thanks to her daily efforts the floors just needed a light polishing daily. Thankfully her guardians (if you could call them that), provided her with a floor buffer to achieve the task at hand. The hallways and bedrooms took roughly an hour, as she found that rushing left the floors in a sorry state and ended up earning the ire of the home¡¯s masters. Then was the kitchen. She sighed heavily. As usual, it was an absolute disaster. The chefs employed by the home¡¯s masters didn¡¯t seem to care what they did since they knew they didn¡¯t have to clean it. No, poor Taika was saddled with the task of washing all of the dishes and cleaning the surfaces before lunchtime. She still had at least an hour before the kitchen staff showed back up to begin lunch preparations, so there was no rest for the weary it seemed. She began washing the dishes, of which there were a ludicrous amount (despite the lack of leftovers this morning). The girl was a touch bit irritated since she had been given kibble this morning. She had been hoping since there wasn¡¯t anything left after the initial meal of the day that the chefs had gone light on breakfast, but that just wasn¡¯t the case. With the dishes properly attended to, she took out several cleaning agents and began work on the countertops and appliances, which despite her cleaning three times a day always ended up with a new layer of grime after the kitchen workers got through with them. Then there was the floor. No care was taken by any of the cooks in the kitchen to avoid spilling food on the floor, so it was always a full process to clean: sweeping up the dust and crumbs, then mopping. This morning was especially irritating because there was syrup caked on the floor. Another hearty sigh from the young fox-girl as she busted out some of the heavy-duty cleaners and got on her hands and knees to start scrubbing the stained floor. Meanwhile, a fox boy with yellow fur and twin tails walked down the hallway of the mansion he called home. He was on his way to the kitchen where their housemaid/pet was working away. It seemed she was diligently scrubbing the floors on her hands and knees. He walked up to her and stood over her as she worked, she paid him no mind and continued working on the stubborn stain. ¡°Taika, basta cos¨¬. Vorrei dei biscotti,¡± the boy spoke up. She looked up at him, obviously exhausted from the work she was doing. ¡°Non pensi che tuo padre si arrabbier¨¤, Kenya?¡± she replied. The fox-boy chuckled. ¡°Se le cose si mettono male dar¨° la colpa a te.¡± The boy extended his foot out and kicked Taika over. He then spat on the floor for good measure. ¡°Fa davvero schifo. Posso avere biscotti adesso?¡± the boy demanded. This wasn¡¯t anything outside the usual for Taika. This was just another day in her life. Her horrible, miserable life. This was slightly better treatment than usual. Normally Kenya wouldn¡¯t have exerted the effort to lift his foot. No, it seemed Kenya must have been feeling charitable today. At least he didn¡¯t use his lightning on her. That was his usual go-to. Taika stood up, notably being taller than the yellow fox before her. Even with her element, she would be treated better than this outside of these walls, if only marginally so. Their clan took a depraved joy in tormenting her. They took the time to teach her to read and write, for the express purpose of letting her know exactly what kind of situation she was in. To know that there was a better world out there and that she would never enjoy the luxuries of life. To never know the joy of love. The girl exhaled sharply, staring down at the boy with tired blue eyes. ¡°Va bene,¡± she acquiesced. Perhaps in another life that would have been her breaking point, but not this one. ¡°Questo ¨¨ lo spirito giusto!¡± The boy grinned back, pleased with the outcome. Taika led Kenya over to the pantry where the sugary treats in question were kept. She was always the one forced to organize the kitchen after every shopping trip, so naturally, this was an easy task. Opening the doors to the sacred realm revealed tons of different choices of food, all high-class, fancy brands. It was almost as if the person responsible for stocking the shelves specifically picked the most expensive variations available. ¡°Voglio uno con le gocce di cioccolato,¡± the boy demanded impatiently, bouncing in place. ¡°Queste?¡± Taika reached up and grabbed a box labeled chocolate chip cookies. ¡°Si, aprilo!¡± The boy jumped a bit in excitement. Taika did as instructed and opened it up, extracting an individually wrapped cookie. It seemed each cookie was individually wrapped and even the packaging seemed to shimmer in the light. No expense was spared - This was the most expensive brand money could buy. A specialty import. Opening the package, the servant extracted the cookie for her young master. ¡°Ecco qua.¡± She handed it over with no further fanfare. The excited fox-boy quickly snapped up the sugary treat within his maw. ¡°TAIKA! COSA CREDE DI FARE?!¡± a booming voice startled the two teens who loitered in the kitchen. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Taika¡¯s eyes immediately snapped shut, not wanting to face the owner of that voice.
¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­ka¡± ¡°Tai¡­¡± ¡°Taika!¡± Eyelids slowly rose but rapidly fell as the sudden light from above stung the sensitive retinas. Thankfully, shadows were cast over them, allowing her to take in her surroundings. Starting with the cause of the shadows, two of Taika¡¯s traveling companions: Pacifica and Rebecca. ¡°Che..?¡± The lunar fox slowly shook her head. It pounded with a dull pain as if she had slept for far too long. ¡°Thank goodness you¡¯re awake!¡± Pacifica tackled the girl, winding her in the process. ¡°Paci! You¡¯re killing me¡­¡± Taika managed to get out. The otter loosened her grip over her fellow Resonator, allowing her to breathe. ¡°Are you okay? You went kinda crazy at the airport,¡± Rebecca asked, standing off to the side. It all came back in an instant and her face darkened. ¡°Where¡­ are we?¡± the lunar vixen asked, her voice low. ¡°Lyreann MA Office,¡± Rebecca replied curtly. ¡°U-u-unis-R¨¦sonne?¡± Taika tensed up, earning the same from both Pacifica and Rebecca. Moving her hands up to Taika¡¯s shoulders, Pacifica tried to impart some serenity into the other Resonator via etude. ¡°Yes, we¡¯re in Unis-R¨¦sonne. Mom managed to beat those guys after us. They don¡¯t know where we are. We¡¯re safe,¡± the otter informed the fox, keeping her tone slow and steady as she spoke. Taika¡¯s heart began to race again ¨C they had taken her back! But how? The flight from Nevepunto to Riva Solare before was a twelve-hour long flight, there was no way she had forgotten a second flight across the ocean. ¡°Taika.¡± She whipped her head towards the foot of the bed. Shouri stood there, head down. ¡°Can we talk? Alone?¡± he requested. The weight of his words hit her like a sack of bricks. Even though every fiber of her being wanted to run to the nearest coast to swim to any other continent, she found herself at least wanting to hear him out. ¡°Si.¡±
Despite the protests of Pacifica and Rebecca, Shouri took Taika from the room, just the two of them. Obediently she followed, her mind racing. Lyreann sounded so desperately familiar. It must be close to Nevepunto. It¡¯s the only reason she was familiar with the name. They left the main building of the MA Office and out into the cool July night. It was probably around midnight or so based on the moon¡¯s position in the sky. The pair continued to walk finding a secluded spot away from any prying eyes. When they came to a stop Shouri unclipped her tuner from his side and presented it to her. ¡°Why?¡± she asked, gaze now locked on the device. ¡°I don¡¯t want to interfere with anything I¡¯m about to say,¡± his voice was low, barely a whisper, but thanks to her superior hearing, it was loud and clear. ¡°I want us on even ground when we talk.¡± Hesitantly the Resonator accepted her tuner, keeping it in hand. This didn¡¯t feel good. Shouri took in a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± he began, his voice cracking. Taking a moment to compose himself, he elaborated: ¡°I violated your free will, which I promised myself I''d never do. I spent the whole flight thinking of how I could make it up to you, and I decided there''s only one way to do it: an eye for an eye." Taika stood there, confused. Her eyes drifted down to the midnight black tuner in her hand. He had used the red button on her. He had made her go to sleep. That¡¯s how desperate he was in that situation. ¡°Tell me any one thing to do. I''ll hurt myself, or you can hit me, or even let you go. Anything I can physically do, I will do it, right here, right now." And suddenly, she was staring at him, mouth agape. To say he felt terrible was an understatement. He was actively being tortured about this whole thing that transpired. It wasn¡¯t anything he had wanted, and she had forced his hand. She was wracked with guilt about putting him in that sort of predicament. A scenario where the only option was that awful override switch installed into all Maestro-bound Resonators. Her mouth opened to decline the offer, however¡­ She was back in Unis-R¨¦sonne, against her will. Was he about to give her up? Was this all part of his plan? No, not again, she could not go back there again. Not back to those people¡­ those creatures. She needed something to prove that Shouri was loyal to her. An action or gesture she could give in one command. This offer was purely symbolic after all. He wasn¡¯t bound or compelled to obey her like she was to him. ¡°Kiss me,¡± passed her lips. Shouri blinked, unsure if he had heard her right. ¡°Excuse me?¡± he uttered. ¡°I want you to kiss me,¡± she repeated her demand. The deep blue rhythm glowing within the iris of her eyes told him how serious she was. ¡°Taika, I¡­ are you-?¡± ¡°Is that it then?¡± Taika cut him off. ¡°You weren¡¯t serious?¡± she contended his earlier apology and offer. ¡°No, that¡¯s not it, I just-¡± ¡°It¡¯s what I want. There shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± She paused. ¡°Unless you weren¡¯t serious,¡± she repeated her taunt, goading him into action. ¡°Fine. If that¡¯s what you want, I¡¯ll kiss you.¡± He barely managed to find his conviction. The only thing pushing him forward was making amends for his cruelty to her. Checking their surroundings, there was not a soul around; even so, they were in such a dark corner of the campus that nobody would see them anyway. Stepping forward, he wrapped an arm around the small of her back, and pulled her close. They stared at one another for some time, hearts racing. ¡°Okay, here I go.¡± Shouri swallowed hard before lowering himself towards her awaiting lips. They bumped foreheads on accident, both unfamiliar with the nuance. Finally, after another pass, their lips met. Taika¡¯s eyes widened; this was really happening! And it felt amazing! A smack of their lips completed the act. However, she hadn¡¯t had her fill, wrapping her hands around the back of his head and pulling him back down for a second round, holding him tighter. A soft moan escaped as she locked lips with him. Another smack of the lips, and yet a third meeting. Her tail wrapped around him possessively ¨C in this moment he was entirely hers, body and mind. ¡°Mmrr¡­¡± Shouri was released, and immediately stepped back, wiping away the wetness from his lips, leaving his arm over his mouth, whilst trying to catch his breath. Taika licked her lips, though her confidence had completely burned away, leaving the girl staring at her Maestro in shock at what they had just done. ¡°Y-you¡¯re forgiven,¡± Taika muttered trying to regain her cool. Silence as the two remained rooted in place. Shouri broke the silence: ¡°W-we should head back; Pacifica and Rebecca are probably worried,¡± he spoke through his arm, line of sight darting away from Taika. She nodded her mind in overdrive. As they walked back Taika couldn¡¯t help but replay what they had just done on repeat. It felt, tasted, and smelled so good, a feast for the senses. She was giddy but was desperately trying to reign in the storm raging in her head. It was just like that scene out of ¡®Fluffy Tail and Frisky¡¯ though they stopped with the kiss rather than more physical affairs. Just as they had cleared the door to the MA office, Taika¡¯s tuner began to beep. ¡°Hm?¡± Taika pulled the device from her pocket, having slipped it away and promptly forgetting to return it to him after their face time. They stopped in the middle of the lobby, with Taika returning her tuner to its proper owner. ¡°Oh?¡± Shouri raised a brow as he silenced the alert. ¡°What is it?¡± Taika questioned. ¡°You got a new spell.¡± Chapter 67 ¡°What did you two do to get her a new spell?¡± Rebecca questioned the shady pair upon their return and the revelation of Taika¡¯s addition to her spell list. And they instantaneously made themselves even more suspicious with a cry of: ¡°NOTHING!¡± Pacifica and Rebecca exchanged glances, clearly not buying it. ¡°So, what is this new spell?¡± The otter decided that prying was not exactly the best thing at the moment. ¡°This is one I¡¯ve been interested in and I¡¯m glad Taika has it now,¡± Shouri told the group. He mouthed the spell a couple of times before just calling it out: ¡°Passo Silenzioso, Presto.¡± Taika jumped, feeling the rhythm connect, but not much else. The connection ended shortly after with nothing else happening. ¡°Hrm?¡± Shouri frowned, looking at his tuner. He felt the rhythm drain from using the spell, but nothing seemed to happen. ¡°Uhhh, what was that it?¡± Rebecca raised a brow. ¡°I think?¡± Taika looked herself over. Nothing seemed different about her. That was a support spell, right? ¡°What did it do?¡± Pacifica asked. Shouri furrowed his brow. Once more, the amazing documentation on lunar spell craft was biting them in the ass. ¡°It¡¯s supposed to let her turn into a shadow, whatever the fuck that means,¡± he grumbled. Rebecca hummed in thought. ¡°Yeah, I got nothing.¡± Reaching out, Pacifica tapped Taika¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Seems pretty solid to me.¡± ¡°Oh! Maybe it¡¯s like the shield spell!¡± Rebecca suddenly exclaimed. ¡°Which one?¡± Shouri looked to his trained combatant. ¡°Well, there¡¯s a pretty popular shield spell, but it has two modes: one will keep it up for the Resonator to block attacks with but is an active drain. The other mode is the more skilled one and is more of an instant shield that will appear for only a couple of seconds before fading away,¡± Rebecca explained. ¡°One of my former Maestros was good at using it and basically made the shielding Resonator untouchable while barely using his rhythm.¡± Shouri stroked his chin in thought. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± he hummed. ¡°Pacifica, try to touch Taika again when I call the spell.¡± He raised his tuner back up. ¡°Passo Silenzioso, Presto.¡± The otter girl reached out at this moment and was still able to touch the fox girl with no issue. ¡°Hrm¡­¡± Shouri grunted in annoyance. ¡°Rhythm is being taken, and the spell is working, but how does it work?¡± He sat down to do some research, leaving his trio of Resonators to exchange glances and shrugs.
Later that night, Shouri sat in the common room of the MA Office. Nobody else was around, so he felt comfortable enough to do what he had come to do. Hovering over Aura¡¯s number, he called her. The ringer played for thirty seconds before asking for him to leave a voicemail. Rather than leave a message, he hung up. ¡°¡­why didn¡¯t she pick up?¡± he mumbled, his expression clouding. Shouri intended to update Aura on what happened in Canolapra. The men that came after him. But she didn¡¯t pick up ¨C if Aura was still in Lybertera it still should be early enough in the evening where she wouldn¡¯t be asleep. ¡°Sho?¡± Pacifica came up behind the chair he was sitting in. ¡°Oh, Pacifica,¡± he mumbled, studying his tuner. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You¡¯ve been gone for a bit. Got worried.¡± The otter walked around and sat on the arm of the chair. The Maestro grunted, his lips dropping a bit further. ¡°I called Aura to tell her about those guys that came after us. But she didn¡¯t answer¡­¡± He hummed again in thought. Pacifica reached out, wrapping an arm around him. ¡°Maybe she already knows and is concerned about being watched too,¡± she offered. ¡°Maybe. I¡¯ll sleep on it,¡± he decided. ¡°Good idea. Let¡¯s go get some sleep.¡± Pacifica smiled, rubbing her Maestro¡¯s shoulder.
Pacifica slowly opened her eyes. It was now the first day of July, and she found herself in her Maestro¡¯s arms. Bedtime last night was¡­ strange. Despite what the obvious should have been with Taika taking her spot in Shouri¡¯s arms after the whole traumatizing experience with the revelation of them being in Unis-R¨¦sonne, both man and fox refused. They were both weirdly flustered about sleeping together, despite being in that arrangement many times before. No, in an even crazier twist, Taika slept behind Rebecca of all people. Something happened when they went out alone last night. They didn¡¯t hate each other, in fact upon their return Pacifica could sense that Shouri and Taika were as close as ever. The previous guilt and animosity from the usage of the tuner¡¯s override function were now water under the bridge. What could have happened to not only put the past behind them but to calm Taika¡¯s apprehension of being in Unis-R¨¦sonne? It wasn¡¯t too terribly long before the rest of the room awoke. ¡°Kinda miss your bed, Paci.¡± Shouri chuckled as the second one to wake up. ¡°Yeah, definitely miss my black-out curtains,¡± the otter giggled. Breaking free of Rebecca¡¯s grip on him from behind, he and Pacifica got dressed and the two headed on out to grab breakfast for the sleeping foxes they left behind. ¡°Everything cool with Taika?¡± Pacifica inquired as they crossed the lawn to the building where the cafeteria was housed. ¡°Yeah, she forgave me.¡± he replied simply. ¡°That easy?¡± she questioned. ¡°Easy? Debatable.¡± Pacifica wanted to pry more but knew better. Whatever had happened between them was deeply personal. It was while she was ruminating over his words that she caught it: his lip twitched, and he covered his mouth. Her heart began to race. He kissed Taika?! That was her assumption at least. That¡¯s why they were being so weird! She didn¡¯t know the specifics of what exactly transpired, but she at least had a working theory now. The only thing now was to see how much Taika was willing to divulge.
After breakfast, the group went out to one of the fields on the campus to get some exercise and training in, but also to try and continue their quest to figure out what exactly Taika¡¯s new spell did. It was mid-morning, and most Maestros were wandering around, waking up from their late-night hunting shifts. The field was located on the edge of the campus, far from any buildings to prevent any collateral damage. Pacifica pulled Taika back as they walked, slowing their pace. ¡°Hey, you alright?¡± the concerned otter asked. ¡°Si, I¡¯m fine.¡± Taika fiddled with her jacket¡¯s zipper a bit. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for freaking out,¡± she spoke shamefully. ¡°No apology needed! We were just worried about you.¡± Pacifica beamed brightly, patting her fellow Resonator on the back. Taika caught her friend¡¯s infectious smile. ¡°What about Sho?¡± Pacifica inquired. ¡°What about him?¡± Taika tilted her head. ¡°Is¡­ everything okay between you two?¡± ¡°Si!¡± ¡°Good. You know, he was so torn up about it. He wouldn¡¯t take his eyes off you or your tuner the entire flight.¡± Pacifica paused for a moment. ¡°He was scared you wouldn¡¯t wake up,¡± she revealed quietly. The vixen nodded solemnly. Thinking back to last night¡­ it was partly her fault. They were in an incredibly stressful situation, and she just lost her mind. In retrospect, Shouri would never take her back there. Especially with last night¡¯s events ¨C he proved his commitment to her in her eyes. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Unbeknownst to Taika, Pacifica caught the similar unconscious movements that Shouri had made this morning ¨C Taika licked and pursed her lips, before covering her mouth with her hand and giggling a little bit. Definitely a kiss. Now that begged the question: if he was willing to kiss Taika, how could Pacifica herself get a slice of that pie? ¡°Alright girls, today we¡¯re going to actually do some practice since it¡¯s been a hot minute since we¡¯ve actually done anything,¡± Shouri told his trio. The Resonators were excited to sling some spells about, and Shouri was more than happy to provide the rhythm to do so. ¡°I think I want to work on my control a bit more,¡± Rebecca decided, regarding her heels with some thought. ¡°I see some target boards across the field, I¡¯d like to practice my throws,¡± Pacifica chimed in. ¡°I don¡¯t really have a choice, we¡¯re going to figure out my spell, right?¡± Taika shrugged. Shouri nodded, agreeing with his three Resonators'' plans. ¡°Idrante, Pianissimo Staccato,¡± he gave to Pacifica, who immediately ran off with a quick thanks to sharpen her accuracy, Rebecca, needing no spell, went to find something to climb. ¡°Come back if you need topped off!¡± the Maestro shouted to the fire fox, who acknowledged him with a wave. This left Shouri and Taika alone. Their eyes met and quickly darted away from one another. ¡°R-right, Passo Silenzioso, maybe it makes you hide in a shadow or something?¡± he suggested, trying to break up the sudden tense mood. ¡°M-maybe,¡± Taika mumbled. And so, the curious pair scoured the field looking for a structure that had a shadow they could borrow. They eventually settled on some unoccupied trees surrounding the field. Rebecca was nearby, doing her own thing, but still a small distance away. Taika stood within one of the tree¡¯s shadows, making sure she was entirely covered within. ¡°Ready.¡± She ground her feet into the dirt, bracing herself for her Maestro¡¯s rhythm. With a nod, Shouri raised the black tuner to chest level. Studying the highlighted spell for a moment, he regarded Taika with a similar determination. ¡°Passo Silenzioso, Presto.¡± Rhythm linked and passed from Maestro to Resonator; the transaction known as spellcasting was completed. They both just stood there, waiting for something to happen. ¡°Okay, this is pissing me off now,¡± Shouri grumbled. Taika allowed her shoulders to catch slack, audibly sighing. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Shouri and Taika spun around to find a pair of girls standing there ¨C a Maestro and her Resonator. The Maestro, who had spoken up scanned the other pair, her inquisitive blue eyes taking in the odd couple. Her long red hair parted behind in a twin-tail style. Clad in a black button-up with a red top over it and a matching skirt, she was certainly dressed for the weather ¨C even with her black leggings and shoes. Her Resonator on the other hand seemed to contrast her Maestro¡¯s fashion sense. Orange shorts, edged in dark browns, with a matching open vest and a white t-shirt under that. Her brown hair curled ever so slightly at the ends, causing them to poke out just a bit. What stuck out the most was the canine ears and tail which she wore at the alert. ¡°We¡¯re fine,¡± Shouri replied. Taika hid herself ever so slightly behind her Maestro but kept a close eye on the sudden interlopers. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry, I just have never seen a lunar Resonator in real life before and I was curious,¡± the red-haired Maestro said. ¡°I¡¯m Colette.¡± She curtsied. ¡°And this is my Resonator, Kaira.¡± The Maestro motioned to the canine-eared girl behind her. ¡°Shouri.¡± ¡°Taika.¡± Colette smiled, looking between the other Maestro and his Resonator. Based on how comfortable he was with his Resonator and how defensively she positioned herself around him, it was obvious they were close, making the red-clad Maestro even more curious. ¡°Could I perhaps check your tempo?¡± She suddenly requested. ¡°Excuse me?¡± Shouri raised a brow. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m a Rhythm studies major at Lyreann University. I¡¯m researching Tempo and Etude specifically and I wanted to see what kind of tempo a Maestro with a lunar Resonator has,¡± she explained quickly. Shouri and Taika exchanged a glance. The request seemed harmless enough. ¡°How would you measure it?¡± he inquired hesitantly. The student perked up. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s very simple!¡± Without giving it another thought, she rushed up and grabbed one of Shouri¡¯s hands, and then grabbed one of Taika¡¯s. ¡°See I¡¯ve been trained to sense rhythm and-¡± Colette stopped mid-thought, her eyes widening. ¡°-I¡­¡± She stared at the hands she had in her grasp in shock. ¡°I, do this thing and¡­¡± she rambled out, not making much sense. She slowly shook her head, and in doing so, she caught sight of the other two tuners at Shouri¡¯s waist. ¡°Colette.¡± Kaira stepped forward, pulling her Maestro away from the other two. Colette muttered a couple of things under her breath, ending with: ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Sho!¡± Pacifica and Rebecca joined the group, having noticed the sudden interlopers. ¡°Are you okay?¡± the otter asked. ¡°Who are they?¡± questioned the fire fox. Colette¡¯s eyes darted back to the trio of tuners at Shouri¡¯s waist. Black, Blue, Red. Lunar, Water, Fire. The two additional girls that rushed up matched the two extra tuners. ¡°Are they yours as well?¡± she questioned. Shouri, still a bit unnerved at Colette¡¯s reaction, hesitantly nodded. Once more, in a total lack of personal space or boundaries, Colette stepped forward, taking hold of Shouri¡¯s hand. In turn, she grabbed one of Pacifica¡¯s hands, and then Rebecca¡¯s in turn. ¡°What the¡­?¡± Colette resumed shaking her head. ¡°How many years have you had these three?¡± ¡°About two to three months now," he replied truthfully. ¡°MONTHS?!¡± came the shriek. Once more, Shouri and his Resonators exchanged nervous glances ¨C what ill will had they wrought simply by existing now? ¡°Is there a problem with that?¡± Pacifica asked. ¡°I need to study you. Perhaps under a microscope.¡± Colette grabbed Shouri¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Your tempo with three Resonators is insane. I thought maybe you grew up with them, but if you¡¯re telling the truth¡­¡± She released the boy and began to pace. ¡°I need to study you,¡± she repeated. ¡°I think we need to go,¡± Shouri decided. ¡°We left the oven on,¡± Rebecca added. ¡°In Lybertera,¡± Pacifica chimed in. ¡°Non chiamarci, ti chiameremo noi,¡± Taika finished. And with that, the quartet booked it away from the pushy academic as fast as they could. ¡°W-wait! This is for science!!¡± Colette cried out as she was thoroughly ditched.
¡°Why do we always attract the weirdos?¡± Shouri complained as they hid in their room in the MA Office. ¡°She was at least honest.¡± Pacifica shrugged, having been the fastest to claim the spot of sitting on Shouri¡¯s lap. ¡°Her Resonator though¡­¡± Rebecca trailed off. ¡°What about her? Seemed like some kind of canine like us,¡± Taika recalled. ¡°Def a canine, but I couldn¡¯t place the actual breed. Not a fox, or a wolf like Efigenious,¡± the fiery vixen pondered aloud. ¡°She was an earth, right?¡± Pacifica asked. ¡°Yeah. Something else I noticed, there was a little satchel at her waist, looked kind of heavy whatever it was,¡± Shouri pointed out. Four hums of thought, harmonized in their curiosity. The Maestro of the group shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think finding out more about that Resonator is worth putting the face time in with her Maestro though,¡± he decided. ¡°Agreed,¡± the trio of girls spoke up in unison. Chapter 68 That evening Shouri and his merry band of tailed maidens made their way to the local hunting ground. Like some of the larger ones in Lybertera, this one had food stalls, Resonator-wares, and all kinds of other vendors peddling the results of their craft. It all began in the place every other hunt began, registration. Pacifica and Rebecca picked up on something as they stood in line; there were eyes on them, more specifically directed at Taika. The two emotionally savvy Resonators huddled around their Lunar counterpart in an attempt to obscure her from sight. Unlike Lybertera though, nobody said a word to them. None approached. Not even a dirty look. They just stared. Taika almost wished they¡¯d just speak up. Was she wanted here or not? ¡°Next.¡± Now it was their turn. Shouri presented the three tuners in his possession to the registrar. Without any fanfare, they were scanned in. ¡°Main group, map¡¯s updated,¡± they said with no fuss or commotion, waving Shouri and his Resonators away. With that out of the way, they did as directed and stepped out of line. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go,¡± Shouri quietly urged his Resonators away from the center of attention. Thankfully for their collective sanity, the looks they got as they walked along were of a passing curiosity. The type of "oh that¡¯s interesting" before one went back to what they had been previously doing. Taika and Shouri didn¡¯t appreciate the attention, joining hands to level one another out. Pacifica and Rebecca stuck close to the outer edges of their group, just to be the dividing line between their group and the general public. ¡°Hey! Heeeeey!¡± Taika perked up, recognizing that voice. Sure enough, leaning on the counter of one of the stands and waving them down was someone only Shouri and Taika recognized. Making their way over to the stall, they found a certain blue-eyed chef, her crystal earrings glowing with vibrant blue willpower. ¡°Why hello there, I knew I recognized you!¡± The older woman grinned toothily, her waist-length ginger hair swaying behind her. ¡°Who is she Sho?¡± Pacifica whispered to her Maestro. ¡°She¡¯s Solana Leduc, she gave Taika and me a free meal on our first-ever hunt,¡± he whispered back. ¡°Wait, THE Solana Leduc?!¡± The otter¡¯s eyes widened, snapping her head to the famous chef casually standing before them. ¡°Lee! Can you man the counter for a bit?¡± the chef shouted back. ¡°Yes Lady Solana, right away!¡± With her business in capable hands, she stepped out of the booth, allowing a tall bespectacled man clad in lilac with frills adorning the sides of his head to take over counter duty. ¡°Come on.¡± Solana motioned for the other Maestro to follow. Shouri¡¯s group was led over to some picnic tables, and they took their seats. Solana on one side with Shouri and Taika seated on the other side. Pacifica and Rebecca stood behind them ¡°Your eyes are still beautiful.¡± Solana wore a melancholic smile. ¡°Your sister came by the day after we met looking for you; what happened out there?¡± the chef asked. Shouri and Taika exchanged a bitter glance. ¡°Ran away from home,¡± the Maestro spoke up. ¡°Our father didn¡¯t like my methods of etuding with Taika.¡± Solana nodded solemnly. ¡°Sad to say, I¡¯m quite familiar with that kind of rejection.¡± Her eyes fell to her side where her own red and blue tuners were clipped. Shaking her head, she took note of the two additional Resonators in Shouri¡¯s employ. ¡°You¡¯ve expanded your group.¡± She leaned forward, propping her head up on her elbows. ¡°Beautiful,¡± the woman tittered. ¡°You have quite the eye for precious Resonators.¡± ¡°Likewise.¡± Shouri¡¯s gaze drifted to the stand where Solana¡¯s Resonators were currently holding down the fort. ¡°We¡¯re a lot alike it seems.¡± Solana sat up. ¡°They¡¯re not just names or things, they¡¯re family, right?¡± Shouri nodded, just pleased to find a kindred spirit. ¡°M-Ms. Leduc,¡± Pacifica spoke up. ¡°Please dear, just Solana,¡± the chef corrected the otter. Pacifica could feel the almost shame Solana¡¯s surname brought her. ¡°Right.¡± What¡¯s more, there was something else the emotionally savvy otter couldn¡¯t help but notice. ¡°Did you¡­?¡± the water element trailed off, averting her gaze. ¡°Ah, yes. That wonderfully gorgeous rhythm of yours read me like a book.¡± Solana let out a sigh but maintained a smile, despite how pained and forced it was. ¡°I did lose a Resonator recently. My first one.¡± Pacifica gasped. ¡°Oh my god! I¡¯m so sorry I-!¡± Solana shook her head. ¡°No dear, it was my mistake.¡± She paused and mulled that over. ¡°Though if Lee and Vivi caught me saying such things, they¡¯d most certainly take their own share of the blame.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Shouri spoke up suddenly. ¡°I¡¯ve lost a Resonator too. A very long time ago,¡± he admitted. Under the table, Taika took grasp of her Maestro¡¯s hand, gripping it tightly. Solana nodded solemnly. ¡°Does it get easier?¡± she quietly queried. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, to be honest, but don¡¯t make my mistake and shut out the people who care,¡± he replied. Taking in a deep breath, Solana once more forced a smile. ¡°Would you mind if we accompany you tonight?¡± Shouri was taken aback by the sudden request. ¡°Uh, sure, I don¡¯t mind.¡± He looked at his group. ¡°Rest of team?¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine by me.¡± Rebecca nodded. ¡°Mhm.¡± Pacifica wiped some gathered tears away. ¡°We still owe you for that food,¡± Taika pointed out. ¡°Thank you.¡± Solana bowed slightly. ¡°We¡¯re leaving for Selvica tomorrow. I want to get to know you all a bit better before then.¡±
¡°Famiglio Incendio, Presto Staccato.¡± ¡°Fuoco Fatuo, Tenuto.¡± Shouri and Solana gave their commands to their respective fire Resonators. Rebecca summoned a trio of flame foxes who spread out around their group, while Solana¡¯s fire Resonator, Vivi summoned a ball of fire to hover around them. ¡°Hm, cool spell,¡± Vivi noted, kneeling to examine one of the summons in question ¡°You think so?¡± Rebecca asked the other fire Resonator. ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re kinda cute,¡± Vivi mumbled the latter part. ¡°Right right?¡± Rebecca sang. The seven-strong group began to move to where the main group had gathered. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen an axolotl before,¡± Shouri noted, looking over Solana¡¯s water elemental. ¡°Good evening to you Lord Shouri, my name is Lee. A pleasure to make your acquaintance.¡± The water Resonator bowed slightly to the other Maestro, holding his medical bag back from swinging in front of him. ¡°Nice to meet you as well.¡± Shouri chuckled sheepishly, not accustomed to the extremely formal speech patterns of the water element. ¡°You¡¯re a healer too, right?¡± Taika asked. ¡°I am, how did you know?¡± Lee smiled. ¡°I read axolotls can only be healers,¡± she boasted proudly. ¡°You¡¯re well-read Lady Taika.¡± ¡°Grazie mille!¡± Reaching the main site of the hunt, Shouri and Solana were mostly ignored as the locals dictated orders and strategized. Shouri¡¯s tuner beeped and checking it revealed the map data had been updated without Taika¡¯s intervention. ¡°Che?¡± Taika was confused by this. ¡°I thought you needed a Lunar to update the map?¡± she whispered. ¡°No, it¡¯s a basic spell. Null-Elements can use any basic spell of any element,¡± Shouri quietly explained to his confused fox. Her ears folded back, expression clouding with a quiet ¡°oh¡± following. Up until this point they had been the primary map updaters, but now¡­ Shouri placed a hand on her back and rubbed her shoulders. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Means we can save some rhythm. Besides we can still update our map if needed.¡± Taika instantly brightened back up, unable to resist the giggle that accompanied her Maestro¡¯s affection, which also earned a warm smile from Solana. ¡°Hey, you two!¡± came a shout. Solana and Shouri perked up realizing they were being called upon. ¡°Any objections to handling the north group? You have some numbers over there,¡± the lead Maestro requested. ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Shouri replied, not wanting to argue with these random people. Especially with the previous looks they were getting, he was content with just getting an assignment at all. And with their destination solidified, they were off. ¡°I think our plan of attack is Vivi and Rebecca in the front, with Taika and Lee supporting them from behind and Pacifica sticking by us just in case,¡± Shouri laid out his thoughts for Solana as they made their way through the woods. ¡°Sure, that sounds fine with me,¡± Solana agreed. They soon arrived at the site of their work for this evening. ¡°There are quite a bit here,¡± Lee whispered, noting the number of Scherzando milling about the clearing. ¡°They always look smaller on the map,¡± Shouri mumbled to himself. Rebecca and Vivi stepped up to bat, with Taika and Lee standing by. ¡°What¡¯s your thoughts Shouri?¡± Solana asked. ¡°I think our formation is fine. What does Vivi have in her spell list?¡± Shouri inquired. Stolen story; please report. Solana flashed Vivi¡¯s tuner and the accompanying spell list. She allowed Shouri to scroll up and down the list. ¡°Oh, interesting hmmm¡­¡± he mused to himself. ¡°I do see some waters in there,¡± he chuckled, noting the presence of a particular spell. The chef smirked back. ¡°Oh, you are a sneaky boy, aren¡¯t you?¡± she chuckled. ¡°It has a bit of wind-up so if you trap them, I¡¯ll treat you with that dish.¡± ¡°Say less.¡± Shouri grinned, ready to get to work. Flipping on the talk button for Rebecca¡¯s tuner, he spoke the plan to her. ¡°We¡¯re going to corral the Scherzando together with Anello di Fuoco, Tenuto Rubato.¡± With his rhythm linked to her, Rebecca dug her feet into the dirt, heels sparking and ready to go at a moment¡¯s notice. Vivi took note of her fellow Fire element¡¯s position of Icarus¡¯ ala. ¡°Good taste in wings,¡± the linsang commented. ¡°Thanks.¡± Rebecca smirked back. ¡°Lady Taika, is it safe to assume your group¡¯s fire element-¡± Lee began ¡°-gets herself into trouble with that? Yeah.¡± Taika nodded. ¡°Fire element things I suppose,¡± the axolotl chuckled. ¡°Go, Rebecca!¡± Shouri declared. The fire fox ignited her heels, darting away in a blaze of glory. She quickly began to throw up a wall of flames, rapidly surrounding and trapping the Scherzando within. ¡°Vivi, Saldatura ad Arco, Legato!¡± Solana called out. ¡°Oh, I get it! Coming right up!¡± Vivi shouted, pulling back a hand. Electricity began to gather at her palm, slowly charging. Rebecca, having completed her entrapment of the Scherzando, caught sight of the other fire element¡¯s spell and became enraptured with its form. Thrusting her palm forward a violent bolt of lightning arced from Vivi, licking the ground and glassing the ground as the arc slowly made its way towards the trapped beasts. Finally making contact, the bolt melted through the Scherzando¡¯s ranks, taking out a good chunk of them before the spell wore off. The devastation from the attack dispersed Rebecca¡¯s firewall and allowed the surviving Scherzando their freedom. ¡°Taika, get over to Rebecca, Luce Lunare, Rubato!¡± ¡°Lee, Ghiacciolo, Forte Staccatisimo!¡± The healers rushed in to back up their respective fire companions, throwing balls of Lunar and Water. The pair of fire maidens however weren¡¯t helpless damsels in distress, each utilizing their footwork in combination with the fire at their heels to deal with any frisky Scherzando that came their way. ¡°Pacifica, Ghiacciolo Rubato, stay with us,¡± Shouri told his otter. ¡°You know I¡¯ll never leave your side Sho,¡± she tittered. Once more, Shouri had earned a pleased smile from Solana.
¡°Whew. Way too fucking many of them.¡± Shouri wiped the sweat from his brow as he leaned back against a nearby tree. The battle had gone well and they had managed to annihilate all of the Scherzando in the area they had been assigned to with minimal difficulties. ¡°It was fun though, thank you for taking us out here tonight.¡± Solana maintained her smile. Pacifica frowned, feeling the heartache behind that fake smile. Meanwhile, the healers were dealing with the fires. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to push yourself this hard,¡± Taika complained, her hands glowing with warm healing light while addressing the burns on Rebecca¡¯s feet. ¡°It became a race at some point, dunno how.¡± Rebecca shot a dirty look at Vivi and Lee. Taika too observed the other pair and noticed something odd. Rather than using his healing magic, Lee had his medical bag out and had a couple of jars out. ¡°Here we go Vivi, this should help.¡± He uncapped a jar and scooped out a small bit of cream from within it. ¡°Uhg is that the mint stuff again?¡± Vivi grimaced at the lotion Lee rubbed between his hands. ¡°Yes, just don¡¯t kick me again, please,¡± Lee spoke with his usual gentle voice, though one could sense a certain sternness to his request. Taika crawled over and sat next to the other pair. ¡°What¡¯s that stuff?¡± the lunar healer asked as she watched Lee work the strange substance into Vivi¡¯s burnt legs (the linsang trembled the entire time). ¡°Ah, have you not looked into traditional medicine?¡± the elder Resonator asked, having quickly finished his task and wiped his hands clean. ¡°I sort of did. When Rebecca got Rekindling illness I made a soup to help her recover,¡± the lunar replied. ¡°Plants are extraordinarily powerful in healing, which is why you can find Scherzando feasting on them in the wild. Unfortunately, melopomorphs have so much more rhythm we¡¯re just far more appetizing,¡± Lee explained. The healing fox hummed in thought. ¡°They¡¯re kind of slow though,¡± she noted. ¡°Depends on the brew. Here, I¡¯ll let you try a sip of this.¡± Lee reached into his bag and uncapped an opaque jar, handing it over to Taika. It had a strange aroma to it, a certain distinct sweetness hitting her. Hesitantly she brought the jar to her lips and took a small sip. A sweet flavor invaded her mouth and it took everything in her power to not take a larger gulp of the drink. What¡¯s more, from her mouth down her throat into her core she felt a certain rush. It was the same kind of rush she felt when receiving Shouri¡¯s rhythm. ¡°What¡­ is this?¡± Taika managed to get out looking over the amberish, almost golden liquid. ¡°Give Rebecca a taste,¡± Lee urged. With a slow nod, Taika handed the jar to Rebecca, who like her fellow fox took a small sip. ¡°Woah, what the heck?¡± Rebecca¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°It¡¯s from an extraordinarily rare fruit called an apple. Apples are the only known fruit that can significantly restore rhythm,¡± the axolotl explained. Rebecca gently handed the jar back to Lee, catching the hint that it was an expensive concoction they were just allowed to sample. ¡°Other fruits and herbs can heal effects such as singing, frostbite, and the like. Apples restore rhythm with frightening efficiency. The problem is they¡¯re very expensive because Scherzando hunt apples with as much ferocity as they do melopomorphs,¡± he explained. ¡°That little jar of apple juice put us out a grand,¡± Vivi told the other two. ¡°Grand?¡± Taika raised a brow, not familiar with the term. ¡°That¡¯s a thousand notes,¡± Rebecca informed her fellow vixen. ¡°A THOUSAND?!¡± Lee and Vivi shared an amused grin. ¡°Apples are grown in top secret underground greenhouses built of Vatonium to keep both Scherzando and thieves alike away,¡± the water-healer explained to his lunar counterpart. ¡°Apparently they only send out a shipment or two a year to make various healing products.¡± Vivi chimed in. Now it was Taika and Rebecca to share a look, though this one was of continued shock. ¡°Why then?¡± Rebecca asked. ¡°Such a precious drink.¡± Taika shook her head slowly. ¡°It¡¯s okay Lady Taika. I just wanted to show you the power of traditional medicine.¡± Lee smiled warmly. Rebecca stared at the axolotl man. Behind that smile was a deep darkness; the words carried a weight that slammed into the fire fox like a ton of bricks. It was mentioned earlier they had lost a comrade. Did this man consider their teammate¡¯s death blood on his own hands? ¡°If we fuck up and you get rhythm burned, healing and support spells with stop affecting you. We have to be smart with how much and how often you¡¯re healed to make sure you can be healed when it matters.¡± Shouri¡¯s words from earlier in their time together resurfaced at that thought. Healing magic was not absolute. Despite being called magic, it had real tangible limits in what it could accomplish and this man had to experience those limits in a real situation. ¡°It¡¯s okay Lady Rebecca,¡± he whispered. The fox flinched. Taika raised a brow, not sure of the unspoken conversation between the water and fire Resonators. ¡°Lady Taika, I have a couple of books to suggest you look into if you want to read more into traditional medicine,¡± Lee addressed his fellow healer. ¡°Si! Definitely!¡± The lunar Resonator eagerly nodded.
Returning to the hunt site, they stopped by Solana¡¯s little stall she had set up. ¡°Once again, thank you so much for tonight, Shouri - we needed this,¡± said the chef. Pacifica was still uneasy with the emotional mask Solana was wearing, but she couldn¡¯t find the courage to speak her mind. It felt so inappropriate to try and console someone who was hurt so deeply. ¡°If you ever need anything, even just to vent, hit me up.¡± Shouri waved his blue tuner as he said this. ¡°Of course,¡± she chuckled, similarly waving her blue tuner back. And with that, the two Maestros parted ways with their respective Resonators. ¡°She was really nice,¡± Pacifica finally spoke, trying to dig herself out of her feelings. ¡°Sho, there¡¯s some books I want to get,¡± Taika chimed in. ¡°I hope we see them again. That Vivi chick is fun to hunt with,¡± Rebecca said, glancing back at the other group from over her shoulder. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m glad we could take their minds off their troubles even for a few hours,¡± Shouri agreed with his trio. Chapter 69 Early next morning. BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP ¡°WHY?!¡± Pacifica immediately screeched into the darkness at the incessant whining of the tuner¡¯s alarm. ¡°I¡¯m getting it.¡± Shouri pushed himself over Taika to get to the nightstand where the annoying beeping originated. As soon as the alarm was dealt with, Taika wrapped herself around Shouri as if he were a large plush toy and attempted to fall back asleep with him in her grasp. ¡°Stop, we gotta get up!¡± the Maestro complained trying to pry himself free of his clingy fox. After herding the girls out of bed and flipping on the lights, Shouri took to the bathroom to get dressed. Taika shambled over to the refrigerator and threw it open. Emptiness was all that awaited her, ears instantly wilting at the lack of foodstuffs contained within. ¡°Hrmph. I miss Paci¡¯s house,¡± she grumbled. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Rebecca questioned her fellow fox while putting her blazer on. ¡°Breakfast.¡± Taika continued to glare into the empty fridge as if trying to will food into it with her mind. ¡°Figured we¡¯d be getting breakfast in the cafeteria as usual.¡± The fire fox shrugged, quickly tying up her tie and slipping it over her head. ¡°I wanted to make breakfast.¡± The door to the ice box was finally shut, as the lunar sighed in defeat. ¡°Saves you some effort.¡± Rebecca shrugged before walking away. ¡°But I like making food,¡± the deflated lunar fox mumbled sadly. Meanwhile, Pacifica slipped her gloves on, sitting at the foot of the bed. She paused to yawn before looking around for her sandals. ¡°Too early,¡± the otter muttered, whilst wiping the sleep from her eyes. Shouri sat next to her, dropping her sandals at her feet and beginning to lace up his own shoes. ¡°Need some coffee?¡± he asked. ¡°Probably.¡± She yawned, taking the opportunity to lean on her Maestro. ¡°Maybe an etude.¡± ¡°EEP!¡± Rebecca and Taika rushed over to find Pacifica covering her face. Shouri had a hand up the back of her shirt, his free hand holding the blue tuner linked to the Resonator in question. ¡°She wanted etude,¡± the Maestro said simply, not looking up from the screen. He ignored the taps of protest he was receiving from Pacifica¡¯s tail. ¡°So where exactly are we going again Sho?¡± Rebecca asked, flopping down onto one of the loveseats. Shouri frowned, glaring at the tuner screen where their destination for the day was already displayed. He took in a breath, recalling the events that informed their itinerary for the day.
RIIIIIIIIIIING! They had just gotten back to their room at the Lyreann MA office after a long night with one Solana Leduc and her merry band of Resonators. Shouri begrudgingly answered the call from his trio of ringing tuners with a sharp: ¡°Do you have any idea what time it is?¡± ¡°Not at all!¡± Priscilla beamed from the other side of the line. ¡°Did you all get settled in fine?¡± The younger Maestro shot an uneasy glance to the lunar of his group. ¡°You could say that,¡± he mumbled. ¡°Good good! So tomorrow is the first day of the conference and I need to get you into the secret meeting place, you are my replacement after all,¡± the elder Maestro informed him. ¡°But it¡¯s gonna suck,¡± Shouri whined. ¡°Tough shit. It¡¯s how you can pay me back for those plane tickets and dealing with your father¡¯s goons.¡± ¡°Mmmrghph,¡± the protests continued. ¡°I hear it¡¯s catered.¡± ¡°Free food?¡± Taika perked up, catching the bit of the conversation that mattered. Shouri rolled his eyes. ¡°I never said I wouldn¡¯t go. I¡¯m just gonna bitch and moan the entire time,¡± he warned. ¡°Just give Taika a full body massage for etude, you¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°Stop giving her ideas,¡± he hissed into the tuner. All he received for his trouble was a chuckle from the other end of the line. ¡°I¡¯m sending you the address.¡± ¡°Thanks, I guess,¡± Shouri replied flatly. ¡°You¡¯re not who they¡¯re expecting, but I think you¡¯ll get some attention.¡± He could practically feel Priscilla beaming with pride through the tuner. ¡°How many times do I have to tell you? Weak-willed, I don¡¯t want attention. I want people to leave me alone,¡± he grumbled irritatedly. There was a small moment of silence. ¡°You may be weak-willed, but you¡¯re strong knowledge, and I know you have a certain curiosity. One that¡¯s been nagging at the back of your mind.¡± Shouri was stunned to silence. His gaze rose to his Resonators, who all exchanged confused looks with each other. They had gotten used to Priscilla speaking in riddles, she wasn¡¯t as forthcoming with what she read off of people as her daughter was. ¡°Now why would they want an etude master at this conference? That¡¯s the real question," came yet another riddle. ¡°I¡¯m not a master,¡± Shouri retorted. ¡°You will be one day in the near future,¡± Priscilla countered. ¡°You have proven this time and again. I don¡¯t have to be apprised of your adventures to know that.¡± Shaking his head, Shouri just wanted off the phone. ¡°What do I need to do?¡± ¡°Go to the address I¡¯m sending you and find the secret entrance. Only someone with a particular set of skills will be able to find it,¡± Priscilla tittered. ¡°No. No! Don¡¯t you make me do some puzzle bullshit!¡± But it was too late, he had already been hung up on.
Back in the present, Shouri addressed the question asked of him. ¡°According to this, we¡¯re supposed to go to Lyreann Castle,¡± he finally replied. ¡°A castle?¡± Rebecca tilted her head, mulling that over. ¡°Oh! I¡¯ve never been to a castle before!¡± Pacifica lit up at that revelation. ¡°Me too! Do they have a princess?¡± Taika wondered hopefully. Shouri chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that kind of castle, but it does have a rich and storied history from what the search results show. This town was named in honor of one of the original owners of that very castle.¡± He returned the tuner to his side and hopped off the bed. ¡°We¡¯ll probably have to go through the tour, so we should get going.¡±
The trip to the train station was uneventful. As early as it was in the morning, the platform was relatively empty outside of the early risers and the Resonators employed by the train company, allowing the small group the luxury of boarding without much fuss on this fine Tuesday morning. ¡°What is this?¡± Taika looked around the cabin they were walking through with wonder. ¡°It¡¯s a train,¡± Pacifica informed her fellow Resonator. ¡°Only been on one of these once,¡± Rebecca commented. The quartet arrived at their seats and sat down. ¡°Trains aren¡¯t as common in Lybertera, but they¡¯re far more plentiful here on Unis-R¨¦sonne,¡± the Maestro explained to his trio of Resonators. ¡°Why is that?¡± Pacifica questioned. ¡°Not sure really. Guess the Lyberteran senators don¡¯t care much for rail? Couldn¡¯t tell you,¡± Shouri shrugged. ¡°Is it like the planes?¡± Taika wondered. ¡°Not at all. Trains you take for the view!¡± Pacifica exclaimed. ¡°The view?¡± There was a much larger window to their side than on the plane. Far larger than any of the other vehicles she had experienced thus far. Taika could take in everything that was going on outside; though all she could see right now was the loading platform they had just gotten off of. A few of the employed Resonators were cleaning up the trash and debris littering the platform, but outside of that, the current vista was anything but impressive. ¡°The view.¡± Taika furrowed her brow, wondering just what they¡¯d see. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. The fox¡¯s thoughts were interrupted by the announcement above them. ¡°This is the final call for the 6:00 AM service to Castle Lyreann on platform 2L.¡± It wasn¡¯t long before the massive metal beast lurched forward, truly beginning the day¡¯s outing. A small squeal of the wheels grinding against the tracks informed of the work being done to move the train forward. It was slow going, slower than the cars Taika had ridden in, but given the size of the transport, that wasn¡¯t too surprising. Leaving the train station, the lumbering precession of machinery made its way through town at a slow pace, the whistle atop blowing every so often to alert any who may be unfortunate enough to cross its wake. The bells from the crossings rang as they passed by. Shouri, Rebecca, and Pacifica were chattering amongst themselves, but Taika paid them no mind, enraptured by the sights passing them by. Maestros, Resonators, and even other vehicles went about their business, seemingly untroubled by the long metal worm snaking its way through their quiet town. It was amazing how easily the train seemed to fit through the town, passing within mere feet of buildings and other infrastructure. However, this didn¡¯t last long as they picked up speed as the train cleared the quiet town of Lyreann and sped out into the countryside. Tall green grass swayed in the wind with the occasional farmland breaking up the scenery. Occasionally they dipped into a small forest, with the trees growing around the tracks acting as a tunnel for the locomotive. It was magical, storybook, and picturesque; Taika¡¯s eyes sparkled with wonder as she watched it all pass by with bated breath. Soon the train rushed back out to an endless green field, in the distance sat a towering grey building which stood well over the countryside. Despite its apparent age, the structure was kept in immaculate condition as they soon observed, drawing ever closer to the behemoth of a building. Before they could take in any of the scenery the train suddenly jerked downward, venturing into the underground. ¡°Che cavolo?!¡± Taika suddenly squeaked. ¡°Castle Lyreann has its own train station, though it''s underground,¡± Shouri told the startled lunar fox. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s neat,¡± Rebecca hummed. ¡°How modern of them,¡± Pacifica giggled. With the train slowing to a crawl, the loudspeaker came to life once more: ¡°The train is now approaching Castle Lyreann station, please wait until the train has come to a complete stop before disembarking.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get to the door,¡± Shouri decided, getting up from his seat. ¡°How was the view, Taika?¡± Pacifica asked the fox. ¡°Bellissima¡­¡± she cooed blissfully in response. ¡°You really like that storybook kind of landscape don¡¯tcha?¡± Rebecca chuckled. Taika shot a pouty glare at the other Resonator. ¡°You know what I like to read,¡± she whispered so only her fellow fox could hear. The station itself appeared like any underground train station, illuminated and temperature-controlled in all the modern ways one expected of a building constructed within the last couple of decades. It didn¡¯t scream ¡°ancient fortress¡± to anyone visiting. Mundane and typical in all forms. ¡°This isn¡¯t what I had in mind when I heard we were visiting a castle,¡± Pacifica commented. ¡°As far as I can tell the theme of Castle Lyreann is ¡°rebirth¡± so it¡¯s a strangely modern castle despite the core of the thing being around since the early sixth century,¡± Shouri recounted from an article he was reading off one of his tuners. Crossing the threshold between the train station and the castle proper was jarring. The modern infrastructure immediately gave way to a storied tunnel. One carved out of the surrounding land¡¯s rock. Electric lighting had been forsaken all in the name of authenticity. The original candle holders which had been installed hundreds of years ago still remained affixed to their positions in the walls, using the same crude lighting methods as days gone by. Shouri and Taika could even see scars of prior conflict all around them. Their night vision enhanced the ambiance of the tunnel as they rose into the castle. Pacifica glanced over at Shouri, who remained speechless. Though through his unspoken emotion told her of stories she could not see that played plainly to her Maestro. After a long ascent, they reached the entrance to the castle. The room they had arrived in was the lord¡¯s chamber, decorated to be fit for a king. Even from the age the castle was dated back to, a modern person would consider themselves in the lap of luxury. ¡°Aha, this was a secret tunnel then.¡± Shouri stepped back to take in the passageway they had just traversed. Sure enough, a bookcase which acted as a cover to the secret stairwell was propped open like a normal door. The room itself was set up more like a museum, with red velvet ropes attempting to keep the public away from the pieces that were on display. Tables had old documents and books sealed away under glass covering to prevent the encroachment of time from further damaging the ancient relics. There were even a few museum-like labels describing the various pieces throughout the room. Taika¡¯s tail swished excitedly. ¡°A secret passageway?!¡± she squeaked in realization. ¡°Then this is the king and queen¡¯s room?¡± The girl hopped in place excitedly. ¡°I¡¯m not sure the previous lords of Castle Lyreann were necessarily kings or queens.¡± Shouri frowned. Rebecca raised a brow, spinning around in place to take in the room¡¯s features. ¡°Coulda fooled me,¡± she commented. ¡°The reverence probably comes from her.¡± Shouri pointed to a large painted portrait. Depicted for their viewing pleasure was a small winged girl. Her hair, wings, and long feathery tail were all painted in a bright, fiery red. Her attire consisted of reds, whites, and blues, all adorned with flame motifs. The painter managed to capture the very essence of this girl in their work ¨C a small presence whose loyalty to her Maestro was unmatched. ¡°Who is she?¡± Taika whispered. ¡°That is the legendary Blaze Lyre, one of the Orchestra of Heaven,¡± Pacifica revealed. Sure enough, on the label under the painting was a confirmation of the identity of this girl. ¡°Wait¡­ the Orchestra of Heaven? Those seven ethereals?¡± Rebecca looked between her Maestro and the painting. Taika furrowed her brow. ¡°Who?¡± she asked. ¡°The Orchestra of Heaven are seven ethereals, immortals, who take the form of seven instruments. The instruments were said to be used by the god Cievo to shape all that is known before he scattered them on Riterra,¡± Pacifica told her fellow Resonator. ¡°They can serve Maestros like us Resonators but are wicked strong. Though they haven¡¯t been seen publicly in like 200 years or something,¡± Rebecca added in. ¡°Probably because whenever they show up in the historical records, it ends up being a time of great chaos and societal upheaval.¡± Shouri continued to regard the painting of the Blaze Lyre with thought. ¡°Though supposedly there are plenty of times where they¡¯re awakened and nothing happens, presumably because their Maestros are level-headed enough to know what they have their hands on. Who really knows?¡± Taika too took in the picture of the fire ethereal, appreciating the piece that hung proudly in the king¡¯s bed chambers. ¡°She¡¯s still alive?¡± the lunar asked. ¡°Ethereals are immortal beings, so yeah. She might be sleeping in her Lyre form waiting for her next Maestro, or she could be walking around with a Maestro today. Certainly haven¡¯t been in the news.¡± Shouri shrugged. The lunar fox hummed in thought. ¡°I wonder¡­ if she¡¯s lived so long, how she feels about Maestros.¡± Shouri elbowed the contemplating fox in the side. ¡°Maybe one day you¡¯ll get to ask her,¡± he chuckled. ¡°Sho!¡± she giggled back, shoving him playfully. Chapter 70 Given how early in the morning it was, official tours of Castle Lyreann hadn¡¯t started yet. However, that being said, Shouri and co were still allowed to wander the halls of the castle (or at least none of the Resonators employed by the castle cared to stop them). ¡°Damn, even the hallways are super nice.¡± Rebecca whistled, impressed at the architecture on display. Everything was pristine but elegant. Paintings of distant times in the past hung proudly on the walls. Long rugs from foreign lands were stretched down the walkways for them to tread upon. Even the little decorations and ornaments that adorned the walls were all of the most precious relics, treasures of conquests from far-off lands, or even relics originating from locations closer to home. Just as with the lord¡¯s bed chambers, there were little labels describing each piece. Some were roped off, some contained within glass. Through it all, though, the air that hung within the walls of the castle was fresh. It didn¡¯t feel like they were walking through a musty antique shop, but a clean modern home that just happened to be the size of a small town. ¡°What we really need though is to figure out where this secret meeting thing is,¡± Shouri grumbled, not having a clue where to start. The quartet came to a stop and formed a small circle. ¡°What do we even know about this meeting?¡± Rebecca questioned. ¡°Well, mom, dad, and my uncles were invited because of their strong etude,¡± Pacifica recalled. ¡°Also, there¡¯s some sort of secret puzzle or test to get in,¡± Shouri groaned, still not liking that fact. Taika looked between her three friends as they spoke in turn. Suddenly she sniffed their air. Something smelled good, causing her stomach to growl in protest. ¡°Ho fame¡­¡± she mumbled sadly, rubbing her gut. ¡°Oh.¡± Rebecca looked at Taika. ¡°That is a good idea.¡± Pacifica nodded. ¡°I¡¯m down to cheese the ¡®puzzle¡¯, whatever it is.¡± Shouri grinned toothily. ¡°Ch-che?¡± The lunar in the spotlight backed up nervously as her friends approached her menacingly.
Sniff sniff ¡°This way.¡± Taika pointed them down one of the stairwells tracking the scent of whatever banquet was being prepared for the meeting in question. ¡°A thought occurs to me,¡± Pacifica spoke up as they descended the stone steps. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Shouri queried. ¡°Couldn¡¯t we have had her just Rilevare l¡¯intenzione and just detect where a bunch of people are at?¡± the otter suggested. ¡°We could, but this is way funnier,¡± Shouri pointed out. ¡°Ah.¡± Sure enough, the rest of the group learned to trust Taika¡¯s nose that day as they ran into a procession of chefs wheeling trays of food down the hallway. ¡°Think that¡¯s our group?¡± Rebecca questioned in a whisper. ¡°Looks hoity toity enough,¡± Pacifica commented quietly. ¡°Smells good.¡± Taika¡¯s mouth watered, now able to see the delicious food she had been tasked to track. ¡°I doubt they¡¯d just let us stroll in with them, but fuck it, let¡¯s act natural.¡± Shouri waved his girls forward, following the train of the wait staff as if they belonged there. But apparently, it was that easy, as they just slipped into the meeting room without anyone calling them out. It was still early, and a few people who were not staff loitered about the massive room. It appeared that this was some kind of reception area. Former reception area, as this was a space not open to the public. Nothing was roped off or barred behind glass. There were some modern amenities such as a conference table, complete with a full telecom set up meant for business or other social gatherings. They had the whole gambit of electronics: high-resolution cameras, a full high-definition display the size of a movie theater screen, professional microphone set-up, the works. Even so, more was being added to the room. Under the main screen, a small stage was being constructed by a small squad of Resonators who handled the grunt labor, with the tech crews making sure that the audio set-up was hooked up to the room¡¯s sound system. It was an entire production here. ¡°Woah¡­¡± the four gasped in awe. They were certainly out of their element here. This was the world of adults and business, and while they were young adults, they were well out of their wheelhouse here. Regardless, thanks to Shouri¡¯s strong stave of knowledge it made the group itch with curiosity. ¡°Now how did you lot end up here?¡± a voice spoke up from behind the group. Panic ensued as the four young travelers feared they had been caught. But when they faced their captors, they discovered an unfortunately familiar presence. ¡°You¡¯re that guy!¡± Pacifica cried out uselessly. ¡°Oh come on, we fought together that one time, surely you remember my name?¡± the larger Resonator man chuckled. ¡°I think it¡¯s a repressed memory,¡± Shouri commented, looking between the man, and his much shorter Maestro. ¡°Aster, Quiretteh special forces.¡± ¡°Kiki, also Quiretteh special forces, sniper.¡± Both were dressed in their combat attire, looking particularly menacing this early in the morning. Notably, Kiki lacked her large case containing her signature weapon. Instead, she wore two visible pistols, one on each side. One of the two firearms had her blue tuner clipped into it. ¡°My eyes are up here sprout,¡± the sniper grumbled irritably at the younger Maestro. Shouri didn¡¯t verbally acknowledge the soldier but did raise his gaze to meet hers. ¡°Don¡¯t mind her.¡± Aster chuckled. ¡°Not often civilians get to see guns out in the wild. The best you can see them is pictures online,¡± the water element added. ¡°What even is a gun?¡± Taika questioned. She had seen pictures of them, and knew they were some kind of weapon, but didn¡¯t know what they actually did. ¡°It¡¯s a weapon that shoots rhythm,¡± Pacifica told her fellow Resonator. ¡°They¡¯re highly regulated, you have to be military like they are to even touch one,¡± Shouri added. Kiki slowly nodded in the affirmative. ¡°These bad boys compress and concentrate rhythm to shoot them out in bullet form,¡± Aster chimed in. ¡°They¡¯re ridiculously powerful, easily able to pierce through even the sturdiest of rhythm defenses and deal significant physical damage to anything unfortunate enough to be in its way.¡± ¡°So why are they illegal then?¡± Taika asked harmlessly enough. ¡°They seem useful for fighting Scherzando since they shoot rhythm,¡± the lunar fox pondered aloud. ¡°Civvies can¡¯t be trusted with them, simple as,¡± Kiki huffed, clearly not wanting to be involved with the conversation. Aster smiled and shook his head. ¡°To put it another way, it¡¯s much easier to take out a crazed Maestro using a Resonator to try and do harm to others than it is to take out a gunman who has lost their marbles,¡± the soldier-Resonator explained to the uninitiated. ¡°You can reason with a Resonator you can¡¯t reason with a weapon,¡± Rebecca said, her lips settling into a frown; not liking the implications. ¡°Part of it. Guns are just too efficient at what they do. Don¡¯t care for the things myself.¡± Aster eyed his own Maestro¡¯s firearms with some disdain. Shouri nodded slowly. ¡°I¡¯ve heard even just having a gun doesn¡¯t do anything, you need a special tuner to interface with it. Even stealing the tuner won¡¯t make it fire as it only works with the owner¡¯s unique rhythm signatures. On top of that, the production of them is highly secretive¡± He explained. Though he said this, there was something that had bugged him ever since he had researched them: How did the man who kidnapped Pacifica and himself get ahold of such a locked-down weapon? ¡°Well look at the head on you kid!¡± Aster laughed loudly, taking Shouri out of his thoughts. ¡°You¡¯re a smart one, aren¡¯t you?¡± the larger Resonator laid on the praise. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°I do a bit of reading,¡± Shouri replied sheepishly. ¡°Knowledge is power after all,¡± Kiki mumbled to herself. ¡°Too true.¡± Aster raised a hand to offer a pat on the back but held back from completing the act. ¡°Glad to see you all are doing well though. When I saw you all I thought we¡¯d come over and check in.¡± He paused, contemplating what he was about to say. ¡°My apologies for showing you the-¡± Another pause. ¡°-unsavory functions of our job,¡± he decided on. Another slow, short nod from Shouri. ¡°I-¡± The younger Maestro too considered his choice of words. ¡°-understand,¡± he spoke quietly. ¡°Someone had to do it,¡± his voice fell to a breath. Taika and Pacifica¡¯s hands found their way to Shouri¡¯s left and right shoulders respectively, rhythm coursing between the three. Aster analyzed the younger group, lips setting to a smile. ¡°Have a good morning folks.¡± He waved before moving on with an apathetic Kiki right behind him. Once they were out of earshot, Pacifica spoke up. ¡°They¡¯re good people,¡± she mumbled. ¡°I know they are. I just-¡± Shouri¡¯s voice cracked. ¡°Shh shhh¡­¡± Pacifica took the initiative and pulled her Maestro into a hug, focusing herself on him. Rebecca decided to help out, placing a hand on her Maestro¡¯s back while keeping a watch for any nosy looky-loos. ¡°I think I¡¯m fine.¡± Shouri recomposed himself, pushing away from Pacifica. ¡°If you need me-¡± ¡°I know, thank you, Paci.¡± With their Maestro calmed, the trio of girls allowed their curiosity to run amok, that is to say, their eyes were fixated on the food being set up for their future consumption. ¡°Ho fame¡­¡± Taika whimpered, being held in place by her shoulders. ¡°They¡¯re not done yet Taika.¡± Pacifica kept a tight grip on her friend. ¡°Let¡¯s not get immediately kicked out,¡± Rebecca added, also helping to hold back the hungry fox. They moved off to the side as more worker Resonators entered the room with a set of tables and chairs. Not wanting to do any physical labor, Shouri shuffled his little gaggle of girls off to a corner so they could not be perceived by anyone else who belonged there. As soon as a table was placed and set up near them, the four quietly slid into the four chairs provided to them, continuing their desperate attempt to remain as small and unnoticed as possible. ¡°This is cute,¡± Pacifica commented, looking over the table decorations. It was a simple white vase with assorted blue, red, and yellow flowers. A small bottle of artisan water was placed next to a wine glass which was set upside down on the navy-blue tablecloth. ¡°Seems pretty elaborate,¡± Shouri mumbled, pulling on the hood of his jacket. ¡°But when is food?¡± Taika sat the tallest of the group, eyes fixated on the continuing prep work on the other side of the room. However as she watched the wait staff work, her curiosity turned. ¡°How does that work Sho?¡± she uttered. ¡°Hm? How does what work?¡± The Maestro raised a brow. The curious vixen merely pointed at the labor being completed in the distance. Shouri regarded the chefs and other wait staff with some thought. ¡°You gotta be more specific,¡± Rebecca commented. ¡°No no, I get what she¡¯s asking,¡± the Maestro cut in. ¡°It¡¯s just not something I¡¯ve thought about.¡± And as usual, a free hand was being dedicated to looking up an answer for his wondering lunar fox. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± Pacifica wondered. ¡°It¡¯s a lot of food,¡± Taika replied simply. Her tail swished behind her as her thoughts slowly bubbled out. ¡°And there¡¯s a lot of people helping.¡± Setting the tuner face-down on the table, Shouri smiled at his knowledge-hungry fox. ¡°Perhaps we can take a look in a professional kitchen one day,¡± he suggested. ¡°Can we? That sounds fun!¡± The vixen lit up, her tail twitching with excitement. It wasn¡¯t too much longer before the room started to fill up with actual guests. Almost instantly Shouri and his three Resonators felt underdressed, nay naked seeing what some of the people were wearing. Business suits, dresses, top-of-the-line fashion. No expense was spared for these people¡¯s wardrobes. Undoubtedly, these people were important, but neither the boy nor the three girls at the small table in the corner of the room could name any of them. That was until they walked in. ¡°N¡­ no fucking way¡­¡± Rebecca uttered, growing pale. ¡°What? What?¡± Pacifica looked around. ¡°Them.¡± The fire Resonator pointed to an older gentleman clad in a dark blue jacket and black suit. He moved to his table pretty quickly despite the cane he used to aid in his movement. Behind the old man, a practical giant towered over every other person in the room. The creature was wrapped up in a thick blue parka and pants. Way too warm for the climate they were in. One could tell no features of the beast, given even their face was obscured by a mask made of ice. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s Jacque Halifax and Wren,¡± Pacifica realized. ¡°Who?¡± Taika raised a brow. ¡°Jacque is one of the current Grand Masters,¡± Shouri told his fox. Taika now furrowed her brows, lips in a hard line. ¡°Who?¡± she repeated. Rebecca sighed, loudly. ¡°The Grand Masters are the four most powerful Maestros in the world. To join their ranks, you have to best one of them in battle and be accepted as one of them, and you can only get the right to challenge them after winning the World Championships in December.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a big deal?¡± Taika asked hesitantly. She didn¡¯t want to ask, but the curiosity was just so itchy. ¡°Yes!¡± Rebecca barked. Pacifica patted the fire fox¡¯s back, silently urging her to calm herself. ¡°Being a Grand Master basically gives you immunity from the law, but you also get a pretty sizable paycheck from the government just for holding the seat,¡± Shouri explained. ¡°Grand Masters do usually help deal with crimes and natural disasters and such,¡± Pacifica said. ¡°They¡¯re more like natural disasters themselves.¡± Rebecca rolled her eyes. Taika slowly nodded. Her gaze drifted over to the old man and the mysterious giant who was seated next to him. ¡°So those two are really strong?¡± she questioned. ¡°Grand Master Jacque is the oldest of the current four and has held the title for the longest,¡± Pacifica started. ¡°He¡¯s an ice master who sticks closer to that side of the water element,¡± the otter added. ¡°Wren, that big guy next to him is a total mystery. Nobody even knows what species of Resonator he is. The only thing we know is that he¡¯s a guy, water element, and piercing attribute,¡± Rebecca chimed in. ¡°Oh, and he''s an absolute demon if you have the unfortunate honor of facing him down in battle.¡± Shouri¡¯s eyes were fixated on the black tuner of his laying on the table in front of him. ¡°Really that strong huh?¡± the boy mumbled. ¡°They¡¯re both true rhythm masters. Like, if I didn¡¯t spot them walking in, I¡¯d have no idea they were even in the room.¡± Rebecca shuddered. ¡°They¡¯re like that sniper chick and her Resonator ¨C except I could still sense them if I really focused. Grand Master Jacque and Wren? It¡¯s like they don¡¯t even exist rhythm-wise.¡± Shouri reached across the table and grabbed Rebecca¡¯s hands. ¡°Shh shhh¡­¡± ¡°Sho¡­¡± Rebecca gulped, trembling as she gripped his hands back. ¡°All of the grand masters are like that,¡± Pacifica told Taika. ¡°They¡¯re insanely strong and can hide it well,¡± she added. Taika hummed in thought, digesting the information she had been provided. After mulling it over, she spoke: ¡°So we can get much much stronger then? Like they are?¡± All eyes turned to the lunar element. It was such an optimistic view it disarmed the rest of the group. Rebecca¡¯s fear began to subside. She felt her hands squeezed again. Whipping her head to meet her Maestro¡¯s gaze, he nodded to her and smiled. Her lips slowly rose. ¡°M-maybe.¡± Chapter 71 The meeting room took time to fill to capacity but once it was, the food was served to the distinguished guests. Each plate was well balanced with meats, breads, cheeses, and fruits. Taika¡¯s eyes sparkled as her plate was set in front of her. The fruit was at peak freshness, not a sign of bruising, and free from any visible defects. The bread was a perfect golden brown, slightly steaming and overwhelming in the warm aroma that wafted from it. She had never seen the cheeses that decorated the plate, but she could at least identify the meats, which had been cooked to perfection, continuing the theme of the expertise on display here. The entire plate was simply divine levels of craft, even as simple as it was. Then something insane happened. The waiters came by and poured a glass of familiar golden liquid into each of the four glasses. Taika and Rebecca exchanged a glance. ¡°Do you think-?¡± Taika asked her fellow fox. ¡°It can¡¯t be.¡± Rebecca shook her head. Pacifica and Shouri too regarded one another, though with a different sort of confusion. Taika took up the glass and allowed herself a small sip. Her eyes shot wide open upon the liquid meeting her lips. ¡°It is!¡± she gasped. ¡°No way.¡± Rebecca sat up higher craning her neck to see just how many people were in the room. By her count, it looked like anywhere from fifty to a hundred people. All of whom were being served the same drink. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Pacifica finally asked. ¡°They¡¯re serving us apple juice!¡± Rebecca hissed, lowering herself. ¡°Yeah?¡± Pacifica picked up her glass and took a swig. ¡°That¡¯s apple juice alright,¡± the otter chuckled, appreciating the glass. ¡°You¡¯ve had it before?¡± Rebecca questioned, glaring the otter down. ¡°Sure. It¡¯s pretty common in events like this. Kinda figured that¡¯s what they¡¯d be serving when you pointed out Grand Master Jacque. Dealing with any of them usually has people pulling out their best to try and lick boots,¡± Pacifica explained. ¡°Who the fuck are you?¡± Rebecca mumbled to herself. Shouri eyed his otter suspiciously, sharing in Rebecca¡¯s sentiments. Though his thoughts were interrupted by the speakers mounted to the ceiling coming to life. ¡°Thank you all for joining us today.¡± Attention was cast towards the stage where some guy stood. They were obviously a master of ceremonies type person only there to introduce the big names and of course dressed to impress. Either way the droning very quickly wore on Shouri who began to ignore the stage performance in favor of reading today¡¯s news on one of his tuners. This attitude quickly spread to the rest of the table, who began to have hushed side conversations amongst themselves. That was until a certain keyword hit their ears. ¡°And to speak on the Feroce Phenomenon, we have rhythm researcher, Dr. Ilea Vim.¡± Rather than a singular presence, four people walked on stage. Two black haired men, and two women. The first man was clad in a white lab coat, covering slacks and a t-shirt, fairly plainly dressed in all honesty. He took up the mic on the stage, wincing a bit at the bright lights cast on him. His skin was so pale it seemed like he would get sunburnt simply by standing there. The second man stood behind the one in the lab coat and was in a black three piece suit, black sunglasses. He looked like a government-hired bodyguard one would see in movies. Unlike his ghostly companion, his skin was naturally tanned; even so the way this second man carried himself informed of a much more physically active individual. Then there were the two women. And they were a spectacle. They both accounted for the majority of the color on stage. Their outfits and accessories were loud. One woman was clad in yellows and browns, while the other had a garish mixture of blues, greens, yellows, and oranges. Like their suited counterpart, their skin was a shade of darkened tan, forms lithe, yet toned. Definitely used to physical work, unlike the gentleman at the mic. Their strange choice of attire wasn¡¯t the only oddity though. No, they had some kind of mechanical ornamentation adorning their heads, much like the ears Taika, Pacifica, and Rebecca carried. Behind the two women swished a thin tail with a small flat protrusion at the end. The woman in the yellow-brown outfit seemed to have a heart shape at the end of her tail, whilst her louder counterpart¡¯s tail tip was shaped like an arrowhead. Rebecca¡¯s attention was solely focused on the two odd creatures masquerading as women. Her ears folded back, faced scrunched up, head tilting slightly as she took in every detail of the silent figures. ¡°Good morning,¡± Dr. Ilea Vim spoke up. The side conversations began to fall into small whispers. ¡°I am Ilea Vim, I am a doctorate in Rhythm Studies,¡± he introduced himself, pausing for a moment to gather his thoughts. ¡°I have been studying the Feroce Phenomenon for some time,¡± the doctor continued. Shouri leaned forward; his brows pointed to a glare. Pacifica reached out and grabbed one of Shouri¡¯s hands, focusing entirely on him and not the speech being given. ¡°Feroce, as it is called, is a rhythmic disease that infects Resonators. Through many trial studies, we''ve determined it is impossible for Maestros and Naturals to succumb to this illness. The unique rhythm sensitivity Resonators enjoy is the primary factor that allows this condition to form. At present, two methods of creation have been identified for the condition: Extreme Aleatoria of an unafflicted Resonator, or as a viral vector from an already infected individual.¡± A pause to allow the guests to speak between themselves. Pacifica¡¯s grip tightened around Shouri¡¯s hand. ¡°Cecil,¡± she muttered, trembling with emotion. The doctor continued his lecture. ¡°There is a process to reverse the condition. A Feroce Resonator¡¯s condition improves with the presence of strong etude between a Maestro and their Resonators.¡± More muttering amongst the masses. ¡°However not just any etude will do. There is a particular quality that increases the efficacy of the reversal process. That is a topic I am still presently researching.¡± ¡°This is the ultimate goal of this gathering. The reverse quality isn¡¯t something that we¡¯ve been able to measure or quantify in a lab setting. However, it is something my assistants have been able to sense with a ninety-seven percent success rate. This is why you were asked to bring your Resonators, active usage or not.¡± He motioned to the two strange people behind him. They both stepped forward. ¡°Vail and Whistler will now appraise each table individually to see if the quality is present.¡± Shouri and his Resonators watched as the two assistants stepped down from the stage and split off to visit each table. Where they found the ¡°quality¡± Ilea spoke of, a slip of paper was left; where it was absent, they shook their head and moved on. This took some time as they had to stop and really analyze each Maestro. It was an awkward affair, since the two mysterious assistants didn¡¯t speak a word. They simply stared at those who sat at each table before passing judgement. Notably, the table where Grand Master Jacque and his Resonator Wren sat obtained one of the papers in question. Finally, one of the two women approached Shouri¡¯s table. It was the woman with the blues, greens, yellows, and oranges. She stood before them silently observing them through her red-framed glasses, but allowing for the seated quartet to take in her features in more detail. Her long, thick blue hair was tied up in a ponytail with a green ribbon, which matched the mechanical protrusions sticking from her head. The material the ¡°horns¡± were made of was transparent, allowing one to see the electronics inside. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Her sleeveless dress was the most glaring and garish part of her outfit, being green in one segment, orange in another, and dark blue underneath those splotches of fabric. Her yellowish orange boots rode all the way up to her mid-thigh, and she had arm warmers going up to her mid-bicep. The strangest thing was on closer inspection of the woman¡¯s tail it seemed to be wire-like, more akin to an accessory than a part of her physiology. Even so, it moved like a real, natural tail. Rebecca¡¯s eyes were entirely fixated on this mysterious being. The Resonator¡¯s entire aura was that of confusion or even disbelief at what she was looking at. At that point, the second assistant joined her counterpart at Shouri¡¯s table. She had yellow horns, made of the same material as her counterpart, her hair matching in color, long but unbound unlike the first assistant. A brown hair band separated her bangs from the rest of her long locks. Her top was green on the left, and blue on the right, with yellow joining the two halves to provide a covering for her chest. Her tail poked out from the back of her waist-high skirt, and like her counterpart, her yellow boots ended just over her knees. ¡°Whistler,¡± the yellow-haired assistant spoke. ¡°Vail,¡± the bespectacled assistant regarded her counterpart for a moment. It was at that moment something very strange happened. The yellow-horned individual spoke in an indecipherable tongue, sounding more like strange computer noises. Which was answered in kind by the green-horned woman. Neither Shouri, nor Pacifica caught this, but Taika and Rebecca picked it up, and only barely. ¡°Here you go,¡± the woman identified as Vail spoke Maelish once again, handing Shouri one of the sheets that had been passed to the other selected tables. Pacifica and Taika scooted their chairs closer to Shouri to peek at the paper he had been given. ¡°Report to: Lyreann University ¨C Rhythm Sciences Lab Room 448 Lyreann, Unis-R¨¦sonne 1-258514 Assigned to: Name: Colette Severine ID No: 61354-35129 Date of first assignment: Wednesday, 4th of July, 2018 Please bring all Resonators registered with you to the site for study.¡± Three grimaces locked onto the name they were ¡°assigned¡± to. ¡°I suddenly feel ill,¡± Pacifica mumbled. ¡°Voglio una vacanza,¡± Taika added. ¡°God damn it.¡± Shouri slammed his head on the table, allowing the paper to fall onto the table. ¡°Huh? What is it?¡± Rebecca was finally snapped out of her fixation on the two strange assistants to find her friends in a state of disgust. ¡°What happened to you?¡± she asked. Shouri, keeping his head firmly planted on the table, brushed the paper they had been handed over to her. Rebecca scooped it up and read over it. ¡°Oh. Colette is that one weird chick, right?¡± ¡°Uuurrrghhh¡­¡± Shouri groaned, trying not to raise his voice and/or cause a scene. ¡°I think we should go,¡± Rebecca said. The other three looked to her. The combat expert glanced uneasily back to the stage where the green and yellow horns had returned. ¡°Maybe we can find out more about them.¡± The vixen fell to a whisper, ¡°Something ain¡¯t right.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s work together to build a brighter future,¡± Ilea concluded his speech at that moment.
¡°What?!¡± Shouri hissed. The small group of four huddled in a corner on the train back to the MA Office they were staying at. Rebecca had just quietly revealed the fact that:¡°Those two were Resonators.¡± Pacifica¡¯s face contorted as she desperately tried to understand the situation. ¡°Maybe? Their rhythm was certainly weird. I couldn¡¯t get a real read on them,¡± the otter admitted. ¡°Look, I tried to read their elements and it was like all over the place. They felt like they shouldn¡¯t exist. My rhythm was screaming at me that something was wrong.¡± Rebecca shook her head, trying to figure out how to explain what she had sensed to her friends. ¡°Did¡­ they feel like Cecil?¡± Shouri asked quietly. The three Resonators looked to their Maestro, understanding the implication of that question. ¡°No. Not at all,¡± Rebecca replied calmly. ¡°I don¡¯t think they were Feroce Resonators. It was like they were trying to hide their element with a ton of noise. Nothing like Cecil.¡± Pacifica nodded in agreement. ¡°Right. Cecil felt like there was this strange foreboding darkness over him. Like his soul was being smothered under it. Those two, Vail and Whistler I believe, they felt like a regular Resonator, just weird.¡± The otter pursed her lips, furrowing her brow whilst trying to think of another way to describe what she had felt. Shouri looked to his third Resonator. ¡°What about you?¡± he asked. ¡°Non so lo,¡± Taika said with a shrug. The Maestro nodded - Taika didn¡¯t have a particularly strong rhythm sense; unlike Rebecca who could gauge combat potential, and Pacifica had emotional sensitivity covered. He perused his memories of the two assistants of Dr. Ilea Vim. To say they were strange was an understatement. ¡°Maybe¡­¡± He recalled their horns and tails. They looked so otherworldly, alien almost. ¡°Maybe they¡¯re some new kind of Resonator,¡± he hypothesized. ¡°Like a robot or cyborg powered by rhythm.¡± It seemed so familiar to Shouri, but he couldn''t quite place where he had heard such a thing before. Both foxes of the group perked up at that theory, exchanging a glance before nodding at one another. ¡°Sho,¡± they both spoke up. ¡°Hm?¡± The Maestro turned to the pair of vixens. ¡°They did something weird while at our table,¡± Rebecca revealed. ¡°It was like they were speaking TV static,¡± Taika added. ¡°Wha-?¡± Shouri raised a brow in confusion. ¡°They were like talking in weird computer beeps, we could just barely hear it,¡± Rebecca tried to clarify. ¡°But I couldn¡¯t understand the words.¡± Taika glanced over to her fellow fox, who nodded in confirmation. Shouri¡¯s confusion only deepened. ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be possible¡­¡± he breathed out. ¡°Why not?¡± Taika questioned. ¡°Taika, Resonators can innately understand any language. That¡¯s why when you slip into Naturalian, Rebecca and I can understand you and why Maestros have to turn to their Resonators to translate,¡± Pacifica explained. ¡°Scientists think it is because Resonators are more sensitive to rhythm, so they can feel out the intention behind messages and jump language barriers without issue,¡± Shouri added in. ¡°There¡¯s also an old story about a Resonator who was said to learn every language and passed her abilities down to all of Resonator-kind,¡± Rebecca chimed in. Shouri nodded. ¡°Right, Cunei. When Maestros say ''I¡¯m not graced by Cunei'' it means they don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying in reference to that story,¡± he clarified for Taika. The lunar fox nodded, adding yet more knowledge to her repertoire. ¡°I¡¯ve wondered where that came from,¡± she commented. Though she hummed and frown, considering the whole situation. ¡°But¡­ if Resonators can understand any language, why couldn¡¯t Rebecca and I understand those two?¡± Taika questioned. Shouri stroked his chin in thought. ¡°Good fucking question.¡± Chapter 72 July 4th, 2018 Wednesday began not with a bang but a whimper. ¡°I dun wanna go, l wanna stay in bed,¡± Pacifica whined, clinging to Taika. ¡°Mweeeh, mi stai schiacciando¡­¡± the lunar Resonator weakly protested as she was slowly being smothered by the larger otter girl. ¡°Sho lemee just sleep.¡± Rebecca claimed Shouri, lying atop and clinging to him. Shouri lay there, groggily glaring at the ceiling. He didn¡¯t want to go either, but also¡­ ¡°CECIL! CECIL!¡± Vince¡¯s anguished cries after Cecil¡¯s untimely demise rang in his head. Feroce, the strange phenomenon that corrupts innocent Resonators, he had to see what he could do to help stop it. ¡°There¡¯s nothing you could have done!¡± Or at the very least he would do what he could to help, to ease the suffering of others; no matter the cost to himself. Taking in a breath, he held it for a moment before speaking. ¡°Girls we gotta get up,¡± he spoke firmly. With that declaration, the unwilling Resonators began to slime off the bed and shamble to get ready for the day. Pacifica got ready the fastest and sat at the foot of the bed next to Shouri. She slumped onto his shoulder while he read the news. He extended the claimed arm up and stroked the back of her head. ¡°Sleep well?¡± he inquired, keeping his eyes on the tuner in his opposite hand. ¡°Mmmrgh, not enough,¡± she cooed, nuzzling up against him further. The otter could sense the pairs of angry eyes locked on her from other parts of the room, but she cared not. ¡°We¡¯re ready,¡± Rebecca said, standing in front of her Maestro and fellow Resonator. Taika joined the group in front of the bed. Shouri rose to his feet, with Pacifica slumping behind him. ¡°Well, let¡¯s get this over with,¡± he said begrudgingly.
The trip down to the college was peaceful (for once). Just a short walk down to the train station and they were ferried off to the campus by the time it opened for classes. However, the peace of this quiet morning didn¡¯t last long. Taika tugged on Shouri¡¯s sleeve as they made their way into the building. ¡°Sho, ho fame.¡± She chirped. ¡°You¡¯re always hungry,¡± Rebecca commented. ¡°We didn¡¯t eat breakfast,¡± Taika pointed out. ¡°Just deal with it,¡± the fire fox grumbled. ¡°Non! Sto morendo di fame!¡± the hungry fox complained louder. ¡°You¡¯re not that hungry, stop being a drama queen,¡± came the dismissal and eye roll from Rebecca. ¡°Girls please, break it up.¡± Pacifica inserted herself between the two catty foxes, pushing them apart. ¡°It¡¯s rude,¡± she whispered, motioning around them. Outside of their little spat, the hallways were quiet, professors and students alike shambling along to their classrooms, waiting for that first hit of caffeine to take effect. Shouri meanwhile was glaring between his tuner and the piece of paper he had been provided the day prior. Glancing up at one of the nearby room numbers revealed they were near room 118. ¡°Hrmmm¡­¡± he hummed in irritation. ¡°Let¡¯s go find an elevator,¡± the Maestro decided. Without waiting for a response from the rest of his traveling party, he picked up the pace and located an elevator by a small group who was huddled nearby. Their quartet joined the waiting group and waited for the descent of the cabin in question. The door opened a minute or so later allowing the group to shuffle in. It was cramped and warm, and there were some disapproving grunts most certainly directed towards Shouri¡¯s group. It was too early to deal with that, and as such the foreign quartet ignored the annoyance of these total strangers. The elevator stopped on the second and third floors, allowing the cramped space to thin out. Finally, they reached the fourth floor and- ¡°God damn it!¡± Shouri complained loudly as they stood in front of room 180. ¡°What room do we need to go to?¡± Pacifica asked, rubbing Shouri¡¯s shoulders in an attempt to calm him. ¡°448! Instead of the fourth floor, we need to find the fourth fucking building! Uuuuuuggh!¡± He cared not for the peace he was disturbing with his whining. ¡°Ho fame,¡± Taika whimpered. ¡°Not the time,¡± Rebecca muttered back. Ruffling his hair in frustration he let loose another growl of anger before finally slumping his shoulders, allowing his arms to fall to his sides. Just as fast as the fire of fury had begun in the young man, it burnt out, leaving him just plain tired. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he sighed in defeat, dragging his feet towards the nearby stairwell. The descent back to the first floor was quiet, though Pacifica could sense how emotionally exhausted her Maestro was, even at eight in the morning. As soon as they hit the ground floor, she took hold of his hand, forcing her rhythm into him. He let out a sharp exhale through his nostrils and gripped her back tightly. Back out in the courtyard, there was no signage or any directions one could follow to differentiate one building from another. ¡°I hate this place. I hate this place.¡± Shouri spoke repeatedly under his breath. Pacifica felt her digits pop from how tight her hand was being crushed. For the sake of her finger bones, she had to get them on the right track fast. Thankfully there were plenty of hapless passersby¡¯s who hopefully knew the lay of the land. ¡°Hey!¡± Pacifica called out to a random student. ¡°Huh?¡± They stopped for the Resonator ¡°Can you point us to building four please?¡± the otter asked, with a slightly strained smile. A brow was raised at the odd group. Three Resonators and a Maestro, of whom the otter was speaking on behalf of the Maestro? Probably a service Resonator, the student figured. ¡°Uh yeah, it¡¯s over there.¡± They pointed the otter and her Maestro to the furthest building from their current location. Before the student knew it, the otter girl was pulling her Maestro away with the other two Resonators following. ¡°Thanks!!¡± Pacifica at least remembered her manners at the last moment. Building four architecturally was constructed similarly to the first building they had entered this morning. Same tile, same paint on the walls, same doors. Quite boring in all honesty. Pacifica kept a healthy grip on Shouri¡¯s hand, though now she was using his rhythm to help reason out where they needed to go. ¡°We¡¯re in the right building now. Look.¡± With her free hand, she pointed out the room numbers. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. 405 407 409 ¡°Now all we gotta do is find wherever this 448 is,¡± Rebecca said. ¡°Let¡¯s try the elevator again,¡± Pacifica suggested. [DOWN FOR MAINTENANCE PLEASE USE STAIRS] The four young adults stared at the sign taped between the two segments of the elevator door. Shouri reached out with his non-ottered hand and pressed the button anyways. Nothing happened. Press Press Press ¡°Sho it¡¯s down,¡± Pacifica quietly spoke up, brows turned up with worry. The young Maestro hung his head in defeat. ¡°I need a drink.¡± Slowly they made their way up the nearby stairwell, ascending four flights of stairs in hopes of finally reaching their destination. ¡°Here we go.¡± Finally, after many trials and tribulations, they had arrived at room 448. It looked as plain as every other room. Before Pacifica could even knock, the door swung open. ¡°Hello!¡± the red-haired Maestro they had been dreading answered the door. ¡°Oh! It¡¯s you all,¡± Colette gasped, not expecting Shouri and his Resonators. ¡°Are you here for the um¡­ invite?¡± she inquired. Shouri reached into his jacket pocket and drew out the paper he had been given the day prior. Colette accepted it and gave it a once over. ¡°Yeah, this is me alright. Come on.¡± She waved them in. The room itself was a pretty typical classroom set-up. Not a big auditorium or anything like that. Not what any of them expected from a college room. Even stranger was how Colette and her Resonator were the only ones in the room. Speaking of, Colette¡¯s Resonator, Kaira, was in the back of the room, a book propped up in front of her whilst she was folding some paper. Every so often she took her paper craft in one hand and used her now freed hand to turn the page of her book. ¡°Since you had this invite you must know why you¡¯re here,¡± Colette started. ¡°Feroce Phenomenon. We have some quality that can help fix it?¡± Shouri questioned. Colette hummed in thought for a moment. ¡°Probably. If Dr.Vim¡¯s assistants appraised you as such you can probably reverse the Feroce process,¡± the woman mused aloud. Rebecca now sought to sate a curiosity. ¡°Who are those ''assistants'' of his anyways?¡± the Resonator inquired. A shrug was the response Rebecca received. ¡°Dunno. They have highly unusual rhythm is all I know.¡± Colette frowned hard. ¡°Noise.¡± The room turned to the back corner. Kaira had said that, but her nose was still in her book and origami. Colette nodded slowly. ¡°Right. Kaira described their rhythm to be akin to something like gibberish or computer noise. Noise is was what we decided on given how hard it is to differentiate from the background rhythm.¡± ¡°Has she heard them talk to each other?¡± Taika questioned, looking to Rebecca, who nodded in agreement with that question. Colette opened her mouth to speak, but Kaira spoke up again: ¡°Yes. It¡¯s the reason we decided to call it Noise.¡± And back to silence the woman went. Her Maestro smiled. ¡°I trust Kaira¡¯s sense and judgment on that. She¡¯s a Jackal from Kalanichi and has a strong rhythm sense,¡± Colette spoke with pride on that. There was a moment of realization on Rebecca¡¯s part, her eyes resting on the small satchel Kaira kept at her waist. ¡°Aha¡­¡± the fire Resonator breathed out. ¡°Was just curious about them,¡± she spoke up and gave up the talking stick for the moment. ¡°So why are we here? And what¡¯s this quality thing?¡± Shouri inquired, steering the conversation back on track. Colette took in a deep breath. ¡°Okay, so do you know what a Feroce Resonator is?¡± she began. ¡°Unfortunately, yes.¡± Shouri shrank a bit, averting his gaze bitterly. ¡°Oh,¡± Kaira breathed out quietly, glancing up from her book. The boy¡¯s three Resonators also appeared to sulk a bit at that question, the jackal noted to herself. They must have had a deeply personal experience with one, she reasoned out. ¡°Oh! Good! That expedites things!¡± The freight train known as Colette barreled through without regard for the other¡¯s feelings (earning a small glare from Shouri in particular). ¡°Our goal here is to cure afflicted Resonators of their condition. A cured Resonator gains immunity to the phenomenon after the fact, so we don¡¯t have to worry about them relapsing and falling under the effects of the condition again,¡± the scholar explained. The uninitiated looked between one another. There was something to be hopeful about after all. ¡°How do we heal them?¡± Pacifica asked the question on all her friends¡¯ minds ¡°They simply need to work with Resonators and Maestros with a particular etude type, the stronger the better,¡± Colette told them. ¡°If you could, form a circle and hold hands,¡± she instructed, offering both of her hands out. No one made a move to accept the offer. Pacifica decided to just get this over with and grabbed Shouri¡¯s hand as well as Colette¡¯s. Taika took Shouri¡¯s other free hand, and Rebecca was left with Colette and Taika. Circle formed, the Rhythm major gave the next set of instructions: ¡°Focus on your hands and the person next to you. Envision us as a cable and send your rhythm down it in a circle, clockwise.¡± Her voice was gentle, much more soothing than her usual fast-talking excitement they knew her for. Her eyes were closed for a moment, then they opened wide. ¡°Oh!¡± She suddenly released Pacifica and Rebecca¡¯s hands, breaking the circle. ¡°That¡­ was a lot,¡± she muttered. ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± Shouri raised a brow. Colette opened her mouth for a second before closing it again, frowning as she sought the right words. Taking in a breath, she spoke her mind. ¡°Rhythm flows so naturally through you all. It hit me on both sides much faster than I was expecting.¡± Shouri and his Resonators exchanged glances. ¡°So we pass?¡± he asked. ¡°Yeah, you can help.¡± Colette pulled her brown tuner from the band of her skirt. ¡°If you still want to help with curing Resonators of Feroce, we can start as early as tonight,¡± the woman said, rapidly tapping through something on her tuner. ¡°As part of this program, you will get a bonus on top of your normal hunter stipends,¡± she explained. Turning the screen over to show Shouri, his eyes widened. If he wasn¡¯t already convinced to help the cause, the money sealed the deal. Chapter 73 ¡°What are we even supposed to be doing?¡± Rebecca questioned her Maestro as they stood at the hunter base camp. They had already signed up for the evening¡¯s festivities, now they just had to wait for Colette. ¡°Good fucking question. My brain turned off after seeing how much we¡¯d make for helping out,¡± Shouri replied. ¡°How much was it?¡± Pacifica asked. ¡°We¡¯d basically double our nightly earnings,¡± he replied. ¡°It¡¯s like doing two nights of work for one night!¡± The otter¡¯s eyes began to sparkle. ¡°Imagine the cruise we could go on,¡± she plotted. ¡°Or the cakes we could buy.¡± Taika also was preemptively spending their future wages, mouth-watering. Shouri shook his head, smiling. They were consistent if nothing else. Pacifica suddenly squeaked and trembled, holding herself. Her eyes were locked on the dirt path leading up to the hunter camp. Amongst the groups walking up, the awaiting quartet spotted Colette with two Resonators in tow. Kaira was her typical, strong but silent presence behind her Maestro. The other Resonator was a new addition. He was a small boy, probably three or four years younger than the rest of the group. Atop his head were long ears with thin, fine, sand-colored fur. He held his thin tail out in front of him, looking around uneasily. To note his tail was quite long, almost as long as he was tall, covered in the same fine fur as his ears. Though the tip of his tail had a cluster of longer fur that jutted out. Colette waved as she walked up. ¡°Hey Shouri, here¡¯s our patient today!¡± she called out to the other Maestro. The male Maestro studied the much younger rodent boy before looking at his otter. Taking in a breath, Pacifica dismissed the uncomfortable feeling she had come to associate with the Feroce phenomenon. She regarded her Maestro with a short nod, a smirk, and a thumbs up. Turning on the charm, she smiled at the afflicted Resonator. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± the otter greeted the rodent boy. He shirked a bit, trembling upon being called upon. ¡°Fischer¡­¡± he squeaked. His eyes darted around, looking at all the older, stronger Resonators that now surrounded him. Pacifica leaned forward, bending her knees a bit to appear smaller. ¡°I¡¯m Pacifica, this is Taika, and she¡¯s Rebecca. He¡¯s our Maestro, Shouri.¡± She sweetened her voice a bit, speaking slowly so as not to stress the boy out any further than he already was. And it worked, Fischer calmed down ever so slightly but still held onto his tail as if it would protect him from a sudden attack. Colette meanwhile, spoke with Shouri about what his role was in all of this. ¡°Feroce Resonators heal from the condition by being in environments with healthy Resonators. As a reminder, powerful etude like yours will quickly show results,¡± she explained. From her side, she produced a green tuner and offered it to the other Maestro. ¡°Here¡¯s his tuner.¡± Shouri stared at the device being extended to him. ¡°Why?¡± he asked, making no effort to accept it. ¡°Being around healthy Resonators is one thing, channeling the rhythm of Maestros with strong etude very rapidly cures the condition. Fischer here is just about cured, just needs that last push,¡± the redhead revealed. ¡°Where¡¯s his Maestro?¡± Shouri questioned more pointedly. Colette raised a brow, lowering her arm. ¡°He doesn¡¯t have one?¡± she said as if it should have been obvious. Kaira tapped her Maestro¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Ah.¡± Colette jumped at the touch. ¡°None of the Resonators in the program do. Once they¡¯ve been cured of their affliction, they will go into foster care at which point a permanent Maestro may be found,¡± she detailed out for the newly initiated Maestro. ¡°Hmmm¡­ What kind of success rate are we looking at?¡± Shouri inquired. ¡°One hundred percent!¡± Colette beamed. ¡°Feroce only gets worse if the spells are used. As long as you stay within the program¡¯s parameters, Fischer will be cured and be able to move to the foster phase and a forever home after that.¡± The scholar explained with pride. ¡°Hrm.¡± Shouri¡¯s eyes drifted to the green tuner Colette was still holding. ¡°Fine. Hand it over,¡± he acquiesced. Colette grinned toothily and once more held out the device for him. This time he took it. Four Resonators would be tough but looking at the spell list, it was all the most basic Nature element spells. That would be nothing compared to what he usually cast with his Resonators. Shouri Resonator: Fischer Species: Demi-Human (Jerboa) Element: Nature Attribute: Piercing (Feroce) Rhythm: 100% ¡°Hrm,¡± Shouri hummed again, regarding the status screen with some trepidation. He didn¡¯t see any of those Feroce spells in Fischer¡¯s list. ¡°It¡¯s a special spell that only shows up whenever I¡¯m in trouble.¡± He recalled Vince¡¯s experience with the Feroce spells. They only seemed to show up in a pinch or something. As long as they kept control of the situation, the spells wouldn¡¯t show up. Even if they did though, the consequences for using them were too great to ever consider them a viable option in battle. BANG The sound of a sniper round echoed in Shouri''s mind, causing him to shudder. He shook his head, trying to dismiss the unpleasant memory. His eyes fell on Fischer, who was now laughing at something Pacifica had said. Resonators were people; to subject them to such a fate was beyond cruel. That¡¯s why he was even entertaining this task in the first place. ¡°There¡¯s nothing you could have done!¡± Not true. There¡¯s something he can do here and now. ¡°Alright.¡± Shouri finally left his head to address the situation at hand. ¡°Let¡¯s get moving,¡± he spoke to the now four Resonators under his command. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s!¡± Colette helpfully chimed in. The side eye was cast in the young woman¡¯s direction. ¡°You didn¡¯t even register.¡± He pointed towards the rapidly ballooning line. ¡°No need. Since I¡¯m Fischer¡¯s handler, I¡¯m already pre-registered,¡± the student boasted proudly. ¡°Goody,¡± Shouri grumbled. To be honest, she hadn¡¯t gotten weird about his rhythm since their meeting this morning, so hopefully she¡¯d continue the streak of good behavior and be a normal person for the time being.
¡°I don¡¯t think this is a good idea,¡± Colette whispered to Shouri. They were crouched behind some bushes in the woods. In a nearby clearing, there was a small herd of Scherzando milling about harmlessly. The two Maestros were the closest to the action, though their little detachment of Resonators stood close to the pair, ready to spring into action at a moment¡¯s notice. ¡°Why not?¡± Shouri asked, studying the movements of the beasts. ¡°These ones look pretty weak.¡± He frowned, ignorant of the issue at hand. ¡°Look at how many there are!¡± she hissed, thrusting her index finger towards the cluster of Scherzando. ¡°Pacifica, Loro Formato Lunare Lago, Legato,¡± Shouri offhandedly cast. ¡°Wha-?!¡± the water otter yelped, suddenly brimming with her Maestro¡¯s rhythm. She was wholly unprepared as her arm jerked skyward out of her control. Colette watched in horror as a massive ball of ice rapidly formed just overhead, blotting out the light of the moon. Kaira grabbed her Maestro¡¯s shoulders from behind, pressing down hard on the earth ready to escape at a moment¡¯s notice. Poor Pacifica threw her arm forward, directing the massive ice ball towards the herd of Scherzando. ¡°Oh right, Fischer should be doing something.¡± Shouri drew the green tuner from his side. ¡°Uhhh, Rullante di Radice, Rubato ¨C stop them from fleeing,¡± he directed the jerboa. ¡°Me?!¡± the boy yelped suddenly finding himself having access to Shouri¡¯s rhythm. He did as instructed and held out both of his hands, focusing on trying to ensnare some of the fleeing Scherzando. He wasn¡¯t as quick on the draw as the other Resonators present and missed a lot of his shots, with roots erupting from the ground and grabbing a whole lot of air. However, he did manage to catch some of them and held on long enough for the next phase of the operation: Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. BOOOM!!! The huge ice-rock made impact, exploding into a storm of dirt and ice, wiping out the Scherzando who couldn¡¯t clear ground zero, and sending Shouri¡¯s group a distance away. After the chaos had settled, a ball of sand stood firm near the site of the devastating attack. The particles fell away, returning to the satchel at Kaira¡¯s side. The jackal-girl breathed hard wiping some sweat from her brow. Colette sat on her rear, flabbergasted at the gall of the other Maestro. The trees that did weather the storm had been stripped bare of their leaves and there was a lovely indent in the earth where the artificial meteor had made its impact. Shaking her head, she hopped to her feet, quickly locating Shouri and his Resonators who were all sprawled out a distance away, not having braced for the storm they wrought. The red-haired Maestro ground her teeth, brows descending into a harsh glare. She stomped over and grabbed Shouri by the scruff of his shirt. ¡°WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!¡± the woman shrieked whilst shaking the dirt-covered Maestro in a justified rage. ¡°There are many things wrong with me, Colette, being shaken like a mix-drink being one of them,¡± the accused managed to get out. Releasing Shouri and letting gravity deal with him, the other Maestro ground her foot into the dirt. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you,¡± came the grumble. ¡°Dropping a spell like that on us.¡± She turned her head away in a huff. Rebecca rolled Fischer off of her, having grabbed the younger Resonator at the point of impact to shield him from the blast. ¡°I¡¯m sure Sho had good a good reason,¡± Rebecca groaned as she sat up and dusted herself off. ¡°There was.¡± Pacifica chimed in. ¡°I dunno what it was, but there was intent,¡± the otter added. ¡°Are you okay Sho?¡± Taika asked, helping her Maestro up and brushing the twigs and leaves out of his hair. ¡°There was a point,¡± Shouri groaned, shaking his head. He could feel the dirt clinging to his face. There would be a fight for the shower when they got back to their room for sure. ¡°Come on Fischer.¡± The Maestro motioned to the rodent boy currently in his care. ¡°M-me sir?¡± The nature-element looked around. ¡°You¡¯re the only one named Fischer here,¡± Shouri chuckled. Hopping to his feet, Fischer hesitantly made his way over to the Maestro who currently held his tuner. ¡°Pollice Verde, Rubato,¡± Shouri read out. Fischer found himself linked with this new Maestro once again. The rhythm flowed so easily into him, calming his frazzled nerves and providing direction. Stepping towards the ruined clearing, the jerboa boy fell to his knees and placed his hands on the upturned soil. A green glow began to emanate from his palms, and within a couple of seconds, new grass and flowers began to sprout from the destroyed earth. ¡°If you want to help; Colette,¡± Shouri spoke up, causing the other Maestro to jump to attention. ¡°Have Kaira patch up the hole we left and I can have Fischer fix that too.¡± It clicked at that moment for the scholar. It wasn¡¯t just a spur-of-the-moment bout of wanton destruction. He purposefully crafted a scenario where he could spam a low-cost spell to get his rhythm flowing through Fischer. ¡°You mad man¡­¡± she muttered, impressed. ¡°Come on Kaira - La forma della terra, Moderato; let¡¯s go fill the hole he left.¡± Colette waved for her Resonator to follow. Shouri nodded as he watched the other Maestro walk away. His gaze slowly shifted to the jerboa who was humming to himself as he began to put a bit more rhythm into his work. His long tail swished above him, staying out of the dirt, but carrying a bit of joy to it. ¡°Having fun?¡± Shouri asked. The boy squeaked, ceasing his spell. ¡°Sorry, didn¡¯t mean to startle you,¡± the Maestro mumbled. A moment of silence passed before the boy focused his spell on growing a small patch of flowers. ¡°I am,¡± Fischer spoke quietly, but loud enough for Shouri to hear. The Maestro¡¯s lips rose. ¡°Good.¡± Looking around, there was a lot of devastation he had wrought that needed to be fixed. Either way, he¡¯d get plenty of rhythm through the afflicted Resonator tonight. ¡°Wanna try fixing one of these trees?¡± Shouri offered. The jerboa spun around, up on his feet in an instant. ¡°Can we?!¡± ¡°Go ahead, give it a shot,¡± Shouri chuckled, motioning to the bald tree. Fischer stepped forward and placed both hands on the trunk, hands glowing green. It took a good minute or two, but leaves began to rapidly sprout from the branches once more and within a couple of minutes it was like the violent meteor strike had never occurred. ¡°I¡¯ve never been able to grow a tree out like that before.¡± The younger boy¡¯s eyes sparkled as he gazed upon his own handiwork. ¡°Do another if you want.¡± Shouri pointed to another of the stripped bare trees. ¡°Thank you Shouri!¡± The nature element rushed over to another tree and began the healing process for that one. ¡°He really likes plants,¡± Shouri mumbled to himself. ¡°Nature Resonators are just like that,¡± Pacifica commented, standing next to her Maestro. ¡°Like you and water?¡± He smirked at her. ¡°Or Rebby with fire.¡± She grinned toothily back at him. They watched Fischer for a moment in silence, once more getting the pleasure of watching a tree speedrun re-growing its entire stock of foliage. ¡°We¡¯re doing a good thing,¡± Pacifica whispered. ¡°Yeah,¡± Shouri agreed, a warmth to his voice.
¡°I understand now,¡± Colette groaned, allowing herself a moment of respite on the newly grown grass. The previous devastation had been entirely repaired thanks to the combined efforts of Fischer and Kaira. Shouri took a seat next to Colette. Shouri¡¯s trio of Resonators, Fischer, and even the normally stoic Kaira were playing a game of tag in the newly repaired clearing. ¡°Understand what?¡± he questioned with a side-eye. ¡°Your unbelievable growth,¡± Colette replied, leaning back. ¡°Your rhythm is incredibly open towards Resonators.¡± She paused. ¡°I don''t think it''s a special skill or trait you have, but a mentality.¡± Another pause. The scholar rose to her feet with some difficulty. Dusting off her skirt, her gaze locked on to Fischer as he was laughing and genuinely enjoying himself. ¡°Can I have his tuner back?¡± she requested. With a shrug, Shouri stood up, reached to his side, and relinquished the device back to the other Maestro. Colette accepted the device and looked it over for a moment. A warm smile graced her lips. ¡°Ah, I was right, you really are unbelievable,¡± the woman whispered. ¡°Thank you for tonight, Shouri. I¡¯ll be sure Fischer finds a good home.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Shouri raised a brow. ¡°Do you want to do this again tomorrow?¡± Colette spoke up louder. ¡°Uhh, maybe. Probably. I don¡¯t think we have anything better to do here,¡± he mumbled. ¡°If you¡¯re looking for touristy stuff to do, consider visiting the Allo River. It¡¯s on the south side of town and if you want to swim, you can head north and the waters are pretty clear,¡± Colette suggested. Pacifica appeared out of nowhere between the two Maestros. ¡°RIVER?!¡± Her tail wagged so hard it seemed like it would snap from the force. Shouri sighed with a smile. ¡°Yes yes, we can go to the river.¡± ¡°Yippie!¡± The otter jumped in delight, while Rebecca grimaced in the background. Colette giggled to herself. ¡°Come on Fischer, let¡¯s head back.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± the boy shouted. Once they were left alone, Shouri allowed himself to slump back to the ground. ¡°Need to take a little breather though.¡± He exhaled sharply. It was at that moment Pacifica noticed the smallest bit of white creeping up into her Maestro¡¯s hair. With a smile, she joined him on the ground. ¡°You did good,¡± she whispered, pulling him close so he could rest his head on her shoulder. Taika sat on Pacifica¡¯s opposite, leaning on him. Lastly, Rebecca positioned herself behind him, offering her own back for the weary Maestro to rest on. ¡°I really don¡¯t deserve you all,¡± Shouri let out, closing his eyes to rest. Chapter 74 The next morning after having returned to their room in the Lyreann Maestro Affairs Office. Pacifica¡¯s eyes shot open. ¡°RIVER!¡± Much to the annoyance of her now-conscious bedmates. And so began the early morning shuffle to tackle their day. While Shouri, Taika, and Rebecca were functionally zombies who shambled about the room, the enthusiastic otter finished her own preparations in record time. ¡°Oh boy oh boy oh boy,¡± Pacifica repeated excitedly to herself as her friends slowly got dressed. The water element sat on the couch bouncing in place, as the television droned on about local news and weather. ¡°It¡¯s gonna be a scorcher today folks! A high of ninety with no rain in sight!¡± ¡°Make sure you wear plenty of sunscreen and keep any Water elements well hydrated today.¡± ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t want them catching Evaporation illness!¡± ¡°Oh boy oh boy oh boy.¡± Pacifica was barely processing what was being said by the newscasters, only catching that it wouldn¡¯t be rainy or thundery, so nobody had anything to complain about. Shouri dragged his feet over to the couch, blue tuner in hand. ¡°Hey, we¡¯re not going straight there,¡± he told the otter through a yawn. ¡°WHAT.¡± Pacifica turned on her beloved Maestro. Said Maestro winced at the noise. ¡°Inside voice please.¡± ¡°Why?¡± she demanded, heeding her Maestro¡¯s command. ¡°Colette wants to make sure you all are clean of Feroce,¡± Shouri grumbled, glancing at the message currently left up on the tuner¡¯s screen. ¡°I know we¡¯re clean. I know what Feroce feels like.¡± Pacifica frowned, leaning back and folding her arms. ¡°Just a waste of time,¡± she huffed. ¡°Hell hath no fury like an otter¡¯s scorn.¡± Shouri rolled his eyes, noting how snippy Pacifica got when being denied an hour or so of playtime in the water. ¡°We¡¯ll try to do whatever she needs fast,¡± he assured her. Pacifica¡¯s eyes darted away. ¡°It¡¯s for our peace of mind,¡± she told herself. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± she said more to convince herself over her Maestro. ¡°It will be.¡± Shouri nodded slowly.
Once more the quartet found themselves in front of building four at Lyreann University. ¡°Please god, I hope the elevator is working today,¡± Shouri sighed, recalling yesterday¡¯s visit. ¡°Me too.¡± Pacifica was in a worse mood today. Rebecca placed a hand on both of her friend¡¯s backs. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. Exercise is good for you, right Taika?¡± Taika held her hands over her gut, looking down sadly. ¡°Ho fame,¡± she whimpered. ¡°Thanks for the backup.¡± Rebecca narrowed her eyes at the hungry fox. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The fire fox pushed the group forward. [DOWN FOR MAINTENANCE PLEASE USE STAIRS] The four young adults glared at the same sign from yesterday. Upon further inspection, the sign had quite a bit of age to it. Attempting to defy fate, Shouri pressed the call button. Nothing happened. Press Press Press ¡°Sho, you tried this yesterday,¡± Pacifica reminded him. ¡°God I need a fucking drink.¡± Shouri hung his head in defeat. ¡°The stairs work just fine, let¡¯s go.¡± Rebecca re-directed the group to the stairwell once more. In a repeat of the day prior the four-strong group trudged up the three flights of stairs to make their way up to the destination floor and to Room 448, where Colette awaited them. Shouri went to knock on the door, but it suddenly swung open and the group found themselves face-to-face with a certain public figure. ¡°Hm?¡± Dr. Ilea Vim stood before the Maestro and his trio of Resonators. His scrutinizing gaze pierced the young Maestro, boring through him like a drill. A chill permeated through Shouri¡¯s very being, forcing a step backward. After what felt like an eternity, Ilea took in a breath and spoke: ¡°Oh, you¡¯re Mrs. Nicchi¡¯s replacement, yes.¡± His attention remained locked solely on the younger male before him, ignoring the three Resonators behind him as if they didn¡¯t exist. ¡°And you¡¯re¡­ Dr. Vim,¡± Shouri spoke quietly, keeping his breath shallow. Taika grabbed her Maestro¡¯s hand, glaring at the doctor while the fur on her tail stood on end. Pacifica furrowed her brows, eyes rapidly scanning the scientist. Like with his assistants, Ilea Vim earned a baffled expression from Rebecca. ¡°You did some stellar work with the Jerboa last night. I look forward to your future exploits,¡± Ilea said, though lacking any emotion in his voice. ¡°Good day.¡± And with that the enigmatic man simply walked away, leaving Shouri and his Resonators exchanging perplexed glances. They were snapped back into reality by Colette. ¡°Hey, what are you all doing sitting out here?¡± Shouri¡¯s eyes drifted down the hall that Dr. Vim had left through. ¡°What¡­ was he doing here?¡± the brunet Maestro questioned quietly, holding himself. ¡°Dr. Vim? He comes to personally check on any successful recoveries in person,¡± Colette told the other Maestro. ¡°Come on in.¡± She motioned to the classroom. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Colette closed the door behind them as the boy and his gaggle of girls shuffled into the room. ¡°What¡¯s his deal?¡± Rebecca finally spoke up. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Colette asked. ¡°His rhythm doesn¡¯t match,¡± Rebecca frowned, unsure of what she was saying. ¡°No, you¡¯re right Rebecca,¡± Pacifica spoke up. ¡°His emotions felt crafted. Like he was putting on a show.¡± The otter told her fellow Resonator. ¡°You felt it too?¡± And suddenly all eyes were on Kaira, who gazed back at Rebecca and Pacifica in disbelief. The jackal girl left her corner of the room and made her way to the two emotionally-strong rhythm users. ¡°That man isn¡¯t right.¡± The way she spoke told the two everything they needed to know. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Shouri asked. ¡°That Ilea Vim guy is super weird,¡± Rebecca told her Maestro. ¡°His rhythm isn¡¯t ¡°glitchy¡± like his assistants, but it feels more like he¡¯s trying to hide or suppress it,¡± Pacifica added her own take in. Taika simply squeezed her Maestro¡¯s hand, focusing entirely on him; which worked, spurring the Maestro to wonder about the apparent figurehead of this whole program they were now a part of. Shouri¡¯s gaze drifted to Colette. ¡°What do you know about him?¡± he asked. ¡°Dr. Vim?¡± The red-haired Maestro pursed her lips, pondering the inquiry. ¡°Not much that isn¡¯t publicly known.¡± ¡°He¡¯s one of the foremost researchers in Rhythm Studies, earning a doctorate in the subject at only fifteen years of age. His control and rhythmic potential exceed that of any known Maestro measured, yet he keeps no Resonator in his company,¡± Colette laid out some of the basic facts. Rebecca grunted uneasily. ¡°That dude is supposed to be strong?¡± she hummed in thought. ¡°It¡¯s not that he¡¯s strong, he just has potential. Other Rhythm masters have claimed if he properly trained his rhythm, he could have a near infinite pool of rhythm,¡± Colette replied. She looked to Shouri. ¡°Like if he had your skill with Resonators and put the time into them, it would be no exaggeration that he¡¯d be unstoppable.¡± ¡°Spooky.¡± Shouri rolled his eyes, unimpressed by the theatrics. ¡°Anyways, let me just check up on your girls real fast and I¡¯ll let you go. I gotta get to class here soon.¡± The scholar grabbed Taika¡¯s hands without waiting. Colette focused on the lunar fox, eyes closed to block out any other stimuli. ¡°Hm?¡± The rhythm major¡¯s brows pinched together as she hummed in confusion. ¡°That¡­ doesn¡¯t make sense,¡± the Maestro breathed out. Her gaze rose and met Shouri¡¯s; brow raised. Without alerting anyone else to her inner thoughts, she linked her hands with Pacifica¡¯s. The otter twitched at the sudden linkage of their digits but avoided jerking her hands away. ¡°Oh¡­¡± And for yet a third time, Shouri¡¯s Resonators were subject to the whims of the Rhythm Studies student, this time Rebecca had her hands taken up. Like her water counterpart, the fire fox just barely avoided her knee-jerk reaction of yanking her hands away. ¡°You too?¡± Shouri frowned hard, finally deciding to speak up. ¡°Out with it,¡± he grunted. ¡°Well, they¡¯re-¡± ¡°Colette.¡± The two Maestros jumped, surprised at the sudden appearance of Kaira. ¡°We¡¯re late,¡± the jackal-girl noted. ¡°Oh shit! I¡¯ll text you later Shouri!¡± Colette scrambled to grab her bag. ¡°No! Stop!¡± Shouri barked. He made a grab for the other Maestro but missed entirely allowing for her escape. ¡°See you at the hunt tonight!¡± she shouted as the door slammed shut behind her. ¡°Damn it!¡± Shouri kicked a nearby chair. Pacifica rushed over and grabbed him by the shoulders to try to calm him down, lest he cause property damage they¡¯d have to pay for. ¡°What do you think she was gonna say?¡± Taika asked Rebecca. ¡°Dunno, she was confused by what she felt from us, that¡¯s for sure,¡± the fire fox mulled over the situation. ¡°Well, she didn¡¯t tell us we¡¯re infected, I¡¯m sure we¡¯re fine. She was just plain confused like Rebecca said,¡± Pacifica spoke up, rubbing their Maestro¡¯s shoulders. Shouri snorted in irritation. ¡°Don¡¯t make a big fucking deal of something and run off without explaining yourself,¡± he grumbled at the absent Colette. Pacifica continued her shoulder massage. ¡°Relax relax, she¡¯ll text you and if she doesn¡¯t, we can wring the answers out of her at the hunt.¡± The Maestro mumbled something to himself irritably. ¡°Whatever,¡± was the only real audible thing that came out of his mouth. ¡°River?¡± Pacifica asked. ¡°Breakfast?¡± Taika also chimed in. Shouri looked to Rebecca, who remained silent until she realized she was now the center of attention. ¡°Do what they want!¡± She yelped, pointing back at the other pleading girls. With a roll of his eyes, Shouri acquiesced to his Resonator¡¯s demands. ¡°I saw a M¡¯Kroc¡¯s in the station, let¡¯s just grab something there and wait for our train.¡± ¡°Yay!¡± Taika and Pacifica cheered. ¡°Yippie¡­¡± Rebecca said as deadpan as she could muster. Chapter 75 Bright blue eyes sparkled as their owner pulled a wrapped sandwich out of the bag. Yes, it was breakfast time, and Taika was beyond excited, her tail wagging within the seat she sat in. The train rolled through town, but it was not nearly as interesting as the breakfast roll with sausage and egg that the vixen was unwrapping. CHOMP A hearty bite into the sandwich earned a squeal of delight from the young woman. ¡°Ish sho waam am tayshy,¡± she spoke with her mouth full. ¡°That¡¯s rude,¡± Rebecca pointed out, but was ignored by her lunar counterpart who was practically in love with her cheap, mass-produced meal. ¡°Let her have her fun Rebby,¡± Pacifica chuckled before taking a bite out of her own sandwich. With a roll of her eyes, the fire fox decided to ignore Taika, with her gaze drifting to their shared Maestro. Shouri sipped his iced coffee while doing something on one of the three tuners he possessed. ¡°What¡¯s up bossman?¡± Rebecca inquired, noting his intense rumination over the device. ¡°Trying to see if there¡¯s any special rhythm thing that could have been what Colette wanted to tell us,¡± he mumbled, knowing full well Rebecca could hear him despite the lack of volume in his voice. ¡°Is it really that big of a deal? She said she¡¯d tell us later,¡± Rebecca pointed out. ¡°It¡¯s bugging me now. She¡¯s strong-staved knowledge too, she should know this would bug me.¡± Shouri¡¯s eyes narrowed, glaring at the lack of results on his tuner. ¡°If I had her pinned down right, she¡¯s weak emotion, so she¡¯d totally miss that,¡± Pacifica chimed in Shouri snorted in irritation. ¡°Annoying,¡± he decided. ¡°You don¡¯t actually think that.¡± Pacifica reached across and patted his knee. The Maestro mumbled something unintelligible under his breath and slid the tuner back onto his waist. ¡°Stupid itchy rhythm,¡± came another complaint. ¡°You should eat your food. Can¡¯t subsist solely on coffee,¡± Pacifica advised; her gaze affixed to the still-closed bag sitting on her Maestro¡¯s lap. ¡°Mmmrph. I can damn well try.¡± Despite his protests, he conceded and opened his own bag of food. Roughly an hour passed in relative peace, with the train stopping in several small towns that dotted the central Unis-R¨¦sonne plains. The ultimate destination the quartet found themselves was a tiny village north of Lyreann. It was so small they were the only ones who got off at the stop, and nobody boarded the train. Checking the board, Shouri took note of the trains returning to Lyreann. ¡°Gotta be back here by three, so we have plenty of time to catch the 4 PM train back to Lyreann,¡± he told his Resonators. Pacifica studied the analog clock that hung proudly on the terminal. ¡°It¡¯s ten now, so we got five hours to play in the river. Come on!¡± She eagerly waved her friends towards the exit. As soon as they left the train station, they could see the river in question. The buildings around were small, what one might call old-fashioned or even rustic. They stood on an old cobblestone road, but despite the apparent age of the infrastructure it was well maintained, looking as solid as when the bricks were laid all those hundreds of years ago. Even the trees that dotted the town providing shade were well kept, not a dead limb in sight, and vibrantly green. A couple of Resonators milled about, but outside of that it seemed like a ghost town. ¡°Quiet place,¡± Rebecca noted, taking in the scenery. Otter ears and tail perked up as the river was in sight, causing Pacifica to take off like a rocket down the road, not letting anyone or anything get in her way. ¡°She loves the water,¡± Shouri chuckled. ¡°E noi adoriamo lei,¡± Taika said with a giggle. ¡°She can have my share.¡± Rebecca rolled her eyes. Following their overzealous companion, Shouri, Taika, and Rebecca found themselves at the river in question. There wasn¡¯t a soul around except for Pacifica, who was already zooming up and down the stream. Taika turned to and fro, noting the distinct lack of facilities on the river. ¡°Wh-where do I change?¡± she asked, pulling their backpack in front of her. ¡°Dunno,¡± Shouri said, pulling his shirt off. ¡°SH-Sho??!¡± Taika yelped. ¡°Hm?¡± He unbuttoned his pants. ¡°Public?!¡± The fox pointed as if accusing him of a crime Rebecca¡¯s sinful eyes were locked squarely on the now shirtless Maestro of theirs, waiting for the curtains to fall for the climax of the performance. And fall they did, revealing Shouri had simply worn his green swim trunks underneath his pants. ¡°You didn¡¯t wear your swimsuit under your clothes?¡± he questioned, kicking his pants up to his hand. ¡°Right, that makes sense I guess.¡± Taika frowned, feeling particularly silly at the moment. ¡°Just go change in the trees over there,¡± the Maestro advised, motioning to the nearby foliage. The lunar fox eyed the small cluster of trees. After a moment of weighing her options, she sighed and resigned to her fate, made her way into the trees to change. Shouri next turned his attention to the fire element of their merry band. She quickly averted her immoral gaze, trying and failing to whistle innocently. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± the Maestro questioned. ¡°Sorry for bringing you out here,¡± he quickly added. ¡°I didn¡¯t think about it until we were already on the train.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine Sho, don¡¯t worry about it.¡± The vixen smirked. She shed her blazer and her yellow dress shirt under that, revealing she had a white t-shirt on. Shouri raised a brow. ¡°I don¡¯t recall getting you that shirt.¡± The fox returned his confusion with a toothy grin. ¡°You didn¡¯t, it¡¯s your spare.¡± Upon further inspection, it was a bit loose on her. ¡°Still didn¡¯t answer my question.¡± He noted. ¡°Right!¡± And then Rebecca whipped her skirt off, revealing the black bike shorts she wore underneath. ¡°Gonna soak up some rays, work on a bit of a tan,¡± she nodded. ¡°Gotcha.¡± He was grateful Rebecca had already thought of a solution to her impending boredom. ¡°Here.¡± He handed her tuner off to her. ¡°You can listen to some videos while you sunbathe,¡± he offered. Rebecca eyed her own tuner for a moment before accepting it. A smile rose on her lips. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s a good idea, thanks Sho.¡± With that taken care of, Shouri could now address the water, which his otter was patrolling like a shark. Taika joined him a moment later. ¡°Come on! Come on!¡± Pacifica excitedly waved for her friends to join her. ¡°Shall we?¡± Shouri asked the lunar fox. ¡°Si!¡±
Red eyes slowly fluttered open. The sun had moved positions significantly from when their owner last had them open, though the sky remained bereft of even a hint of cloud cover. The splashing of the water informed her that her companions hadn¡¯t abandoned her Rebecca yawned and sat up. ¡°Musta fell asleep.¡± Though dangerous for most, her fire element meant the extra heat only served to bolster her condition rather than harm her, leaving the vixen feeling particularly supercharged at the moment. Her bright red tuner lay in the grass next to her, still playing some videos she had been listening to before her nap. ¡°What time is it?¡± Grabbing the tuner, she dismissed the noise and found the clock. 2:48 PM If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.Blink blink The groggy fox glared at the numbers for a moment or so before realizing their significance. ¡°Heeeeeeey!¡± Rebecca called out. ¡°It¡¯s almost three!¡± ¡°Awwwwww!¡± came the immediate complaint from the otter. Rebecca rolled her eyes, getting up from her spot. She put her usual clothes back on while Shouri and Taika swam to shore. ¡°Whew, that was fun.¡± Shouri drew one of the towels they brought out of the bag and quickly dried off, before passing the towel to Taika. The lunar fox didn¡¯t immediately accept it. ¡°Hm?¡± He turned just in time to witness her start to collapse. ¡°Taika!¡± Thankfully Rebecca was paying attention, clearing the distance in an instant to catch her fellow fox. The fire element slowly eased her lunar counterpart to the ground. The lunar fox struggled to catch her breath, dark bags around her eyes. ¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡± Pacifica rushed up to shore, having seen Taika fall. Shouri was checking her over for any visible injuries when a thought came to mind. Pulling Taika¡¯s black tuner from his side, he flipped to the status screen; his fears being confirmed by what he found: Status: Illness
¡°Here it is - she has Cloudless Day Illness.¡± ¡°I¡¯m such a fucking idiot.¡± Shouri sat in a chair in a small MA Office that happened to be nearby. He was slumped over, holding his head in his hands. Taika laid on the examination table, coated in sweat, eyes closed. Rebecca and Pacifica stood behind their Maestro, each with a hand laid on the shoulder closest to him, focusing on keeping him from having a total meltdown. The attendant who had seen to Taika¡¯s condition reviewed it once more on the computer screen they had input the tuner data into. ¡°She¡¯ll need at least a week to recover,¡± they noted. ¡°Stupid stupid stupid!¡± Shouri loudly berated himself. ¡°Don¡¯t beat yourself up over it.¡± The attendant stood up, glancing to the counter where a well-worn book lay open. Scrawled across the browning pages was a hand-written account describing Cloudless Day Illness. ¡°If I have to be honest, they don¡¯t teach us enough about Lunar care in Med school. I can¡¯t blame you for not knowing.¡± The receptionist paused for a moment. ¡°If you told me you came from Luna that¡¯d be a different story.¡± Though the attendant¡¯s words rang true it didn¡¯t ease the turmoil in the young Maestro¡¯s heart. ¡°Sh-sho¡­¡± Taika struggled to push herself up. In a flash, Shouri was at her side, easing her back down. ¡°Just rest,¡± he told her. She grasped his jacket, fist trembling. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. I felt weird while we were swimming but I ignored it,¡± Taika managed to get out. Shouri grunted, averting his gaze. Taika mustered up a frown and a pout, grabbing her Maestro¡¯s face and forcing him to look at her. ¡°Don¡¯t blame yourself.¡± The normally determined blue rhythm that shone in her eyes was but a wisp of its former glory. Shouri wilted further, his eyes desperately trying to escape the sorry state of his precious lunar fox. ¡°She should regain her physical strength by morning, but her rhythm will take some time. Avoiding any further exposure to the sun should be prioritized. Needless to say, you shouldn¡¯t use her in battle either,¡± the attendant read from their book, flipping a couple of pages, they scanned the notes before speaking again. ¡°Having her sleep during the day and walking her outside at night should also help speed up the recovery time,¡± they concluded. Taika¡¯s ears folded back, lowering her head. Her hand continued to shake as she desperately clung to her Maestro. Pacifica let out a sigh, sensing how both of her friends were taking the news. ¡°Thank you,¡± she spoke up for them. ¡°Can we get a room here? So she can recover?¡± the otter asked. The attendant raised a brow, not accustomed to a Resonator asking them such a question. Their gaze shifted to the Maestro, who simply regarded them with a nod. ¡°Right. Room one should be open, you¡¯re free to use it. I¡¯ll sign you in.¡±
¡°Cloudless Day Illness? Can¡¯t say I¡¯ve heard of it,¡± Colette¡¯s voice came from one of Shouri¡¯s tuners. ¡°Not surprising.¡± Shouri rolled his eyes. He re-adjusted himself in the big recliner that sat in the common room at the MA office they had decided to stay at. ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± After a moment of silence, Colette spoke once more. ¡°You won¡¯t be out tonight?¡± ¡°No.¡± He snapped back quickly, glaring at his tuner. ¡°We¡¯re like an hour away by train.¡± He clarified, failing to hide the annoyance in his voice. The Maestro glanced around the empty common room before continuing. ¡°I still want to help with the Feroce thing. Just not tonight.¡± He muttered. ¡°That should be fine,¡± Colette replied. ¡°We got another one like Fischer, so no rush,¡± she added. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Shouri raised a brow. ¡°Feroce comes in stages. The first stage of infection is the easiest to bring back to normal, but the more the Resonator uses Feroce spells the deeper they¡¯re dragged into it. Should they use too many their physical body will melt away and they¡¯ll become no different from a Scherzando,¡± she explained. Shouri remained quiet, images of Cecil¡¯s demise playing on loop in his mind. ¡°Shouri? Are you there?¡± the pushy scholar¡¯s voice snapped him out of his thoughts. ¡°Right,¡± he mumbled. ¡°Any who, the Resonator we have assigned next is on the final cusp before they¡¯re cured of Feroce, we just need to give them that last push,¡± Colette told him. ¡°Did you find Fischer a Maestro?¡± ¡°Not yet, it takes time since we want to make sure we get a good match both rhythm and personality-wise. In the interim, he¡¯ll be with a foster Maestro who will take care of all of his basic needs,¡± Colette explained. ¡°I see,¡± Shouri grunted. It wasn¡¯t ideal, but at least Fischer would end up in a good home. Hopefully. ¡°I got some paperwork to do, I¡¯ll talk to you tomorrow about the job,¡± Colette said. ¡°Yeah yeah,¡± came another grunt. ¡°Bye Shouri.¡± ¡°Bye.¡± And with that, Shouri was left alone with only his thoughts to keep him company. ¡°Fuck. Forgot to ask her about what this morning was about.¡± He let out a long, dramatic sigh. ¡°Whatever.¡± The boy slumped further in his chair, glaring at the empty common room walls. ¡°Hey, Bossman,¡± Rebecca¡¯s voice perked him out of his thoughts. ¡°Rebecca?¡± Rebecca, having opted to use her yellow dress shirt and shorts as make-shift eveningwear, sat on the arm of the recliner Shouri had claimed as his brooding spot. ¡°How are you holding up?¡± she asked, rubbing his shoulder closest to her. ¡°Been better,¡± he admitted. ¡°I see,¡± the fox replied, hand retreating. The pair sat in silence, allowing time to slip by without their consent. Eventually, Rebecca slid down onto Shouri¡¯s lap. ¡°Rebecca-¡± His voice caught in his throat as the fox-girl curled up, rested her head on his shoulder, and blanketed them with her tail. ¡°I know you like how warm I am,¡± she breathed into his ear, nuzzling his shoulder as she got comfortable. Hesitantly, he accepted the implied offer and wrapped his arms around her, holding the vixen tightly. ¡°I do,¡± the Maestro admitted quietly. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I like how warm you are too,¡± she whispered back. What a long day it had been. And here Rebecca was having the sheer audacity to be so soft and warm. It was almost enough to make one fall right¡­ Chapter 76 Warm, so warm. She could feel the fire in his heart ¨C not just his commitment to her, but a deeper, spiritual essence at his very core. They were really meant for each other huh? Of course, she had to phrase it that way in her head; a deep, uncomfortable warmth radiating from her. ¡°Rebecca? You okay?¡± ¡°GUH?!¡± The vixen flung herself from her Maestro¡¯s lap, spectacularly crashing onto the ground. ¡°Are you-?¡± ¡°I¡¯m FINE!¡± the fox insisted, though her beet-red cheeks betrayed the validity of her claim. Sparing his flustered fox¡¯s feelings, Shouri drew a tuner from his side, taking inventory of the time. His eyes widened in disbelief at the current hour. ¡°Fuck, it¡¯s almost three in the morning. Pacifica and Taika are probably freaking out.¡± He brushed his hair back, sitting up. ¡°I¡¯m surprised they didn¡¯t come looking for me though. I left to check on you like five hours ago,¡± Rebecca noted, hopping to her feet. Shouri agreed with her assessment. ¡°I guess we should be the ones checking on them then.¡± Getting to his feet, Shouri led Rebecca out of the common room. They made their way down the halls of the MA office. Rebecca¡¯s ears twitched. ¡°Hey, we¡¯re all alone here.¡± Her eyes wandered from door to door as they crept through their Maestro¡¯s quarters. ¡°Not surprised. This is such a small village I doubt they get many traveling Maestros here,¡± Shouri noted. ¡°It¡¯s like the first MA Office Taika and I ended up at after leaving home,¡± he recalled. Rebecca nodded slowly. She had been told about that a little bit after she first became his. ¡°Hopefully we haven¡¯t pissed anyone off,¡± the fire fox joked. ¡°Just watch my back and make sure someone doesn¡¯t cold cock me,¡± he snarked back. ¡°No one¡¯s kidnapping you again without taking some third-degree burns.¡± Her toothy grin and confidence brought a smile to Shouri¡¯s face. They reached Room One, which they had been assigned, and with a wave of a tuner, the door unlocked and they slipped back in. Taika was immediately visible wrapped up in a thin sheet, which further eased his heart. The vixen had spun the TV around to face the couch, and she was watching some movie at low volume. The window was open, the half-illuminated moon shining through. ¡°Pacifica¡¯s probably asleep,¡± Rebecca whispered to her Maestro, catching the fact that Taika had the volume so low that she could still hear it with her sensitive hearing. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s good,¡± Shouri whispered back. They crept over to the couch and sat with the lunar fox. ¡°How are you feeling Taika?¡± the Maestro asked. ¡°Sick,¡± she replied simply. Shouri frowned, the bags around her eyes persisted and she seemed a bit clammy. Checking her tuner confirmed this fact, still listing illness and her rhythm not recovering as it should. It was the same with Rebecca when she had gotten Rekindling Illness back in Canolapra. He knew Taika wouldn¡¯t be back in peak form for about a week. Taika turned his head towards her, leaning on him slightly. ¡°I¡¯ll be okay Sho. Please don¡¯t worry about me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my job to worry about you,¡± he retorted. She didn¡¯t have a comeback. ¡°So when¡¯s Pacifica¡¯s turn to get sick?¡± Rebecca asked. ¡°Don¡¯t even joke about that. We¡¯re keeping her hydrated if it¡¯s the last thing I do,¡± Shouri said. His gaze turned to the lone otter girl sleeping peacefully on the huge bed. ¡°Avoiding deserts then?¡± the fire element continued to snark. ¡°Definitely. Not trying to kill two-thirds of my Resonators.¡± After that little conversation, the three returned to watching TV. Rebecca and Taika each claimed a shoulder of Shouri¡¯s. At some point, the two fox-girls draped their tails over him and before not too much longer they had fallen asleep.
¡°Nnn¡­¡± Shouri covered his eyes. It had gotten measurably brighter outside, which shone in through the open window. They were on the western side of the MA office, so they weren¡¯t getting the direct brunt of the sun hammering on them, but it was rising. As usual, he found himself waking up with his clingy Resonators all over him, sans Pacifica who remained in the distance claiming the bed for herself. Though he knew she¡¯d complain later about being all alone. Rhythm addicts, the lot of them. Sleeping on a recliner and now a couch didn¡¯t make for the most restful of slumber, Shouri learned. Eight hours between the common room and their proper sleeping quarters didn¡¯t give him the restful sleep he had needed after the exhausting day that was yesterday. In fact, his back was quite stiff. ¡°Girls wake up.¡± He shook the two foxes beside him awake. ¡°Mmmrgh¡­¡± Rebecca stirred, her eyes slowly breaking free from the grasp of sleep. ¡°Morning?¡± she questioned groggily. Taika too grunted, curling up and trembling slightly, her ears folded back. She still didn¡¯t appear to be well, which wasn¡¯t surprising. ¡°Rebecca, can you get the window?¡± Shouri requested. ¡°Yeah.¡± While the open window was being attended to, Shouri wrapped an arm around the ailing lunar fox, pulling her closer to him. He placed his hand on the side of her head and gently stroked her hair while also focusing his rhythm on her. For his effort, he earned a smile from Taika and a soft coo of his name. Rebecca flopped back down onto the couch. ¡°So what¡¯s the plan?¡± she inquired. ¡°I think I want to get us back to Lyreann probably within the next hour. We can get Taika to sleep, maybe nap ourselves,¡± Shouri mused aloud. He pulled one of the tuners from his side and began looking up train schedules to make sure they would get there in time. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Should I wake Pacifica?¡± Rebecca asked. ¡°You should wake Pacifica.¡± Shouri nodded solemnly.
¡°Sho¡­ ho fame¡­¡± Taika whimpered as the group power-walked to the train station. She had on Shouri¡¯s jacket, which was baggy on her thanks to the difference in their frames. The hood was draped over her head, but again due to the size difference, it was obscuring her vision. Shouri had hold of the lunar¡¯s hand, leading her along to the station. ¡°We¡¯ll get some M¡¯kroc¡¯s when we get there,¡± he told her. ¡°Hungry now,¡± the fox whimpered sadly, but offered no physical protest to the plan, continuing to be guided along to their destination. Sure enough, as they walked into the train station and got their tickets, their train pulled into the platform. There was a small crowd of people gathered, probably working in the larger settlements and commuting to and from their day jobs. Either way, none of them paid Shouri or his gaggle of girls any mind, most just waiting for the doors to open. ¡°Just made it,¡± Rebecca noted as they waited for the train doors to open. ¡°Sleepy.¡± Pacifica stood with her eyes closed, swaying ever so slightly. The doors parted ways, allowing the waiting travelers to board. Shouri and his group entered last to find their seats. It thankfully didn¡¯t take long, and the weary young adults allowed themselves to enjoy the brief moment of peace they had been granted. What should have been a pleasant day trip had turned into an exhausting stressful trip to a distant MA Office that saw one of their ranks taken out of commission for the time being. It was an unspoken agreement between the four that they just wanted back in their room in Lyreann with their pajamas so they could sleep properly. Just about an hour later they found themselves back in Lyreann. They picked up breakfast from M¡¯kroc¡¯s and hastily returned to the MA Office they were using. BEEP! The lock released on the door of Room 36, and with it, they had returned to their temporary home. Pacifica and Rebecca shuffled in first, then Taika, and finally Shouri, closing the door behind him. They all changed into their pajamas and ate breakfast. Rebecca stepped around the room and shut all the curtains to darken the room. She returned to their laundry pile and regarded it with a frown. ¡°Probably should do something about this,¡± she mumbled. Shouri and Taika had already gotten cozy in bed. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll deal with it later,¡± the fire Resonator said with a shrug. With that, she joined the two in bed. Last but not least was Pacifica, who had to have her morning shower. She slipped under the covers and wrapped herself around Taika before quickly drifting off to sleep. Morning to day, day to evening; their slumber was only broken by Shouri¡¯s tuner ringing. ¡°Who¡¯s joining the shit list?¡± Shouri rose with all the bitterness of one who had been wronged for the last time. Rebecca rolled over and grabbed her tuner from the nightstand, rolling back to present it to her Maestro. ¡°What,¡± Shouri answered. ¡°You coming out tonight?¡± Colette asked innocently enough from the other side of the phone. ¡°No,¡± and he hung up. Fwump! And back down he went, his Resonators instantly attaching themselves to him like magnets. He snorted in annoyance, trying to return to sleep after it had been so rudely disrupted. After a moment or two, he grunted in frustration and quickly thumbed up a text to Colette. ¡°Give me 20 minutes.¡± ¡°What are we going to do? Taika is still sick,¡± Pacifica pointed out. ¡°You three can just go. I¡¯ll be fine here,¡± Taika urged. ¡°Absolutely not. I am not leaving you alone for that long. Me and Pacifica going to get breakfast every morning was already pushing it.¡± Shouri retorted quickly. Though with two Resonators with strong emotional staves, he knew he couldn¡¯t hide the turmoil in his heart. He did want to go. ¡°But Sho! This is important! You have to go!¡± Taika pleaded. She ground her teeth, brows turning up with concern. ¡°You have to¡­¡± her voice cracked as she trembled with emotion. The room fell to silence. Shouri laid there, closing his eyes in thought. Taika clenched her jaw tight, hiding her face from view. Rebecca furrowed her brows internalizing the frustration of the situation. After basking in her friend¡¯s feelings, Pacifica took in a breath; holding it for a couple of seconds before she spoke: ¡°I¡¯ll stay with her.¡± All eyes turned to the water-element. ¡°Wha-?¡± Shouri raised a brow. ¡°You can leave Taika¡¯s tuner with us, and you take mine. If we need you we¡¯ll call you,¡± Pacifica suggested. ¡°You and Rebecca can go. I trust her to keep you safe.¡± The otter¡¯s gaze was solely on their party¡¯s fire-element. ¡°Me?¡± Rebecca muttered, feeling put on the spot. ¡°I suppose I can stick close to Sho and the Feroce Resonator can do the heavy lifting,¡± the fire fox mused aloud. ¡°Maybe that Kaira chick can pitch in too.¡± Shouri hummed, his gaze passing around the three Resonators that clung to him. They were all varying levels of uneasy regarding the situation, but in the same respect he could sense they shared in his sentiment: anything they could do to avoid another Cecil they wanted to do. He lifted the tuner he was texting on and thumbed up a response. ¡°Rebecca and I will come down there.¡± Chapter 77 After getting Pacifica and Taika dinner and making sure they were settled Shouri and Rebecca took their leave. The pair made their way out of the MA Office and towards the main street. ¡°I hope they¡¯ll be okay.¡± Shouri glanced over his shoulder at the building they left behind. ¡°You should trust them, they¡¯ll be fine.¡± Rebecca patted her Maestro¡¯s shoulder as they walked. ¡°Just focus on us tonight,¡± she added with a slight pout. ¡°You¡¯re right, I¡¯m sorry Rebecca.¡± ¡°You can make it up to me with some chocolate on the way back to the office.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t know you had a sweet tooth.¡± ¡°I saw a chili chocolate bar, sounds good.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± They hit the street, leaving the MA Campus proper, and began their trek to the hunter base camp, though they only got as far as the property adjacent to the MA Office when Rebecca took note of what it was. ¡°There¡¯s a whole ass hospital here?¡± she questioned, noticing the building for the first time. Shouri didn¡¯t pay it any mind, but addressed his Resonator¡¯s curiosity regardless: ¡°Yeah, most of the MA Offices we¡¯ve been to have been pretty close to other emergency services.¡± ¡°Weird,¡± Rebecca hummed, running to catch up. ¡°I guess I never noticed.¡± She shrugged. ¡°MA Offices are considered an emergency service,¡± he told her. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah, if there¡¯s a sudden Scherzando attack we¡¯re the first conscripted to help. It¡¯s the trade-off for getting to stay there for free.¡± Rebecca lowered her head in thought. ¡°I never considered it that way.¡± ¡°Your previous Maestros probably never told you,¡± Shouri countered. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right,¡± the vixen paused. ¡°We¡¯re an emergency service huh?¡± ¡°Well if no one culled the Scherzando they¡¯d wander into town and start hunting people.¡± That comment elicited a shudder from the fire fox, recalling when she was almost dinner for a swarm of hungry Scherzando. ¡°Definitely worth our time,¡± she decided. The remainder of the walk down to the hunter campsite was quiet. At some point, Rebecca grabbed Shouri¡¯s hand and held it ¨C a gesture he didn¡¯t reject.
¡°She¡¯s late,¡± Shouri grumbled. ¡°Maybe we¡¯re early?¡± Rebecca offered. The green-jacketed Maestro stood with his fire fox near the registration stall at the hunter camp where they had met Colette a couple of days ago. They had arrived about twenty minutes ago and Shouri had already lost his patience. Groups of hunters came and went, some eying Rebecca and wondering the same thing they usually did. The pair did their best to ignore the unwanted eyes on them. This went on for another five minutes or so, with no Colette in sight. ¡°Where the hell are you?¡± Shouri fired off from his text messaging app. Radio silence. ¡°I wonder if something happened,¡± Rebecca pondered aloud, peering over her Maestro¡¯s shoulder and noting the lack of reply from the other Maestro. ¡°She better be fucking dead or in the process of dying,¡± the Maestro said with a huff, folding his arms across his chest. ¡°Maybe lunch didn¡¯t agree with her?¡± Rebecca offered in a more optimistic light, seeing how Pacifica wasn¡¯t there to rein in their Maestro¡¯s more pessimistic tendencies. ¡°Let¡¯s head back. I want to make sure Taika¡¯s alright,¡± Shouri decided, returning the tuner to his side. ¡°Can¡¯t you just text her and ask?¡± Rebecca pointed out. ¡°I just want an excuse to leave. If Colette¡¯s not gonna show, I¡¯m not sticking around.¡± Rebecca frowned. ¡°Alright.¡± She couldn¡¯t think of a way to keep him there. The words didn¡¯t flow as easily to her as Pacifica seemed to be able to accomplish. They were the same stave: strong emotion, weak knowledge - but the otter¡¯s rhythmic sense was just insane compared to her own. The pair made their way back towards town, but just as they were hitting the concrete proper, Colette was walking onto the site. ¡°Oh! Shouri!¡± Stopped in place, Shouri¡¯s shoulders dropped, and his head hung. ¡°Hello, Colette,¡± he sighed dramatically. ¡°Where are you going? The hunt site is that way,¡± she pointed out. ¡°Oh you know, lost as the wind.¡± Another dramatic sigh from the green-jacketed Maestro. ¡°Well, don¡¯t you worry! I¡¯ll show you to the registration desk!¡± ¡°I¡¯m already registered, Colette.¡± ¡°How did you get lost then?¡± Shouri glared at Colette¡¯s oblivious smile. ¡°Forget it,¡± he decided. His gaze turned to the Resonators behind the unobservant Maestro. As usual, Kaira stood firm, in her usual stoic, silent bodyguard role. Next to her was a new face. The most striking thing about the newcomer was their bright yellow hair, spiked up messily. Poking out of their nest of a hair-do were two long yellow ears with short, soft fur coating them. This yellow-haired individual bore a petite frame ¨C short and lithe, smaller than any of the others present. Unlike the four bound to walk atop Riterra¡¯s surface, the newcomer sported a large pair of wings that they wore around themselves like a cloak. This person¡¯s wings seemed much more flexible than the wings mounted upon a bird Resonator like Rynda. ¡°Lightning,¡± Rebecca whispered to herself. She watched the other Resonator¡¯s ears and noted they didn¡¯t twitch like her own but earned the stranger¡¯s gaze all the same. ¡°You¡¯re a bat,¡± the fire fox whispered, confirmed by the bat in question giving a short, curt nod. ¡°Here¡¯s her tuner. Her name is Lucia, she¡¯s a Lightning-Null Fruit Bat.¡± Colette held out the yellow tuner for Shouri. Accepting the device, he confirmed Colette¡¯s introduction and looked at the bat girl. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m Shouri.¡± He motioned to Rebecca which caused the bat to slightly tilt her head. ¡°I¡¯m Rebecca, nice to meet you.¡± A brow raised, the smaller girl spoke. ¡°Lucia,¡± she spoke quietly. ¡°I want to get better,¡± she added. Before they could say anything further her face contorted into a glare. ¡°I want to make those fuckers pay for what they did to me,¡± she snarled. Shouri and Rebecca were taken aback, especially how rapidly her rhythm had changed in response to her sudden shift in demeanor. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Rebecca asked on behalf of her Maestro, sensing he was intensely curious. ¡°The people that snatched me off the street, and tortured me for years until I became like this. Treated me worse than dirt all for some stupid spells,¡± Lucia growled, baring her fangs at the Maestro that stood before her. Rebecca moved herself in front of her Maestro, rising onto her toes, heels readily sparking. ¡°Shhh shhh¡­¡± Kaira placed a hand on Lucia¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Shouri is a very good Maestro. I can attest to that fact,¡± the jackal told the bat girl. ¡°Trust me,¡± Shouri spoke up. ¡°I share your opinion.¡± His knuckles were white from how hard he grasped Lucia¡¯s tuner. ¡°You¡¯ll be rid of Feroce, I¡¯ll make sure of it.¡± Lucia¡¯s mouth hung open. The sincerity of this stranger¡¯s words hit her like a typhoon.
Shouri and Colette walked through the nearby woods. A couple of rhythm fire foxes led the way and provided light for the group. ¡°What¡¯s his deal?¡± Lucia queried of Rebecca, her curiosity piqued. ¡°He was going to take in a stray Resonator when he was a kid, but she got taken off the streets without a trace. We also watched another Resonator turn into a Scherzando and taken out by Feroce.¡± Lucia nodded slowly, understanding the connection. ¡°A lot of us came from the streets. Those who did have Maestros had their chips burned, but there weren¡¯t many of them. Must not have been worth the trouble,¡± the bat spoke quietly, visibly shaking as she recalled her time as a captive. ¡°Do you know who they were?¡± Rebecca asked. ¡°No, they all wore full-body suits. None of us knew a thing. They¡¯d gas us whenever they had to move us which was pretty often. Don¡¯t even know any of the places where I was kept.¡± Lucia kept her voice low, struggling with her own emotions. ¡°Finally, was sold to some chick who kept making me use those fucking spells until I was abandoned.¡± She held herself tightly, head lowered as they walked. Rebecca placed a hand on the younger girl¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I was just wondering. Sorry to dredge up bad memories.¡± The fox focused her rhythm to her fingertips, attempting a quick etude to calm the lightning element. In doing so, the fire fox felt something strange about Lucia. She quietly committed this sensation to memory and went to change the subject. ¡°I heard once you¡¯re cured, they¡¯re gonna get you with a Maestro,¡± the vixen decided on. A smile rose upon the winged girl¡¯s lips. ¡°Only plus side about all this shit,¡± she paused. ¡°Maestro rhythm is nice. Addicting even.¡± ¡°You got that right sister,¡± Rebecca giggled, her eyes meeting her own Maestro¡¯s back.
¡°What¡¯s the plan boss?¡± Rebecca asked as they came upon the Scherzando. ¡°Hmmm.¡± Shouri stroked his chin in thought, studying Lucia¡¯s tuner. ¡°Lucia, how do you feel about taking point?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± The bat flinched, not being used to being asked for her thoughts. ¡°Uhh, well I guess I don¡¯t care.¡± Rebecca nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll stay with you then?¡± she asked her Maestro. ¡°Actually, I¡¯ll have you back up Lucia. Kaira can stay with Colette and me. She¡¯s a shielder, so it¡¯s a better use of her skill set.¡± Shouri glanced over at the earth-element, who simply nodded in agreement to their plan. The fox-girl snorted, casting a resentful glance at her jackal counterpart. ¡°Fine,¡± she muttered under her breath. She begrudgingly moved towards the position requested of her by her Maestro. Lucia followed Rebecca into the clearing with the Scherzando, a flame fox following the two of them for visibility. ¡°What¡¯s with you?¡± the bat asked her irritated teammate. ¡°I just want to stay close to him,¡± the fire Resonator admitted with an exasperated sigh. The lightning element raised a brow. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± she asked, not seeing what the big deal was. ¡°Forget it, you wouldn¡¯t get it,¡± Rebecca mumbled. The bat¡¯s eye twitched ¨C this fox was too dramatic for her taste. ¡°You right.¡± Lucia unfurled her wings. ¡°I don¡¯t get it,¡± she returned the fire element¡¯s irritation in kind. ¡°Getting yourself all bothered over rhythm.¡± She folded her wings back, ready to fly at a moment¡¯s notice. ¡°Not that good.¡± The Scherzando milling about noticed the two girls out in the open and began to slowly approach. ¡°Rebecca, I¡¯ll have you trap them, Lucia you can snipe them from above, sound good?¡± Shouri spoke into both of their heads through their tuners. ¡°Sounds good.¡± Rebecca nodded, her heels sparking at the ready. ¡°Yeah.¡± Lucia extended her wings, a cloud of blue sparkles of rhythm shedding from them. ¡°Anello di Fuoco, Tenuto!¡± came the fire spell to Rebecca. ¡°Corrente Elettrica, Piano Staccato!¡± followed by the lightning spell for Lucia. Rebecca took off like a rocket, fire at her heels. She quickly circled the gathered Scherzando leaving a wall of fire in her wake. In the interim, Lucia beat her wings leaving a trail of blue sparkles in her wake. Her eyes widened as she finally pulled in Shouri¡¯s rhythm, completing their link for the first time. She hesitated as complicated emotions flooded her. This was a man she knew nothing about, but even so, the rhythm he provided her was open; he gave himself to her despite them being total strangers. He was genuine, that much was certain to her ¨C he wanted to see her healthy. ¡°Staccato huh?¡± Electricity crackled between her fingertips. Thrusting her palm downward, she pushed the rhythm out of her body, lightning striking the Scherzando from above. She didn¡¯t have a bucket of rhythm to work with though, this was a whole damn lake! More and more she found herself pushing the amount of rhythm she could pull, drenching the trapped beasts in her electrical assault. When the last beast dissipated, the young woman¡¯s eyes were wide as she took in deep breaths of air. ¡°Ok, fuck. I get it now,¡± the bat whispered to herself as she fluttered back to the ground. She stumbled as she touched back on the earth and fell to her hands and knees. ¡°Hey, are you alright?¡± Shouri¡¯s voice snapped Lucia from her thoughts, his hand was offered to her with concern. ¡°Er, uh yeah. I¡¯m fine.¡± Her gaze reflexively darted away from him as she got to her feet under her own power. ¡°Here, let me top you off.¡± Before she knew it, he had taken hold of her hands anyway. ¡°Eh?!¡± she squeaked. Once more his rhythm invaded her, but not in the form of a pointed Maestro¡¯s command, but offered up in etude for her to claim. It was a sensation she was wholly unfamiliar with. Without realizing it her lips had curled up, the lids of her eyes drooping as the tension melted away. ¡°Haaa¡­¡± she let out a breath. ¡°Better?¡± Shouri asked, releasing the lightning element¡¯s hands. ¡°Y-yeah¡­ uh thanks.¡± Her gaze whipped away from him, hiding her embarrassment. The small group remained where they were stationed for a bit, waiting for the map updates to come in. ¡°This sucks without Taika,¡± Shouri grumbled, tapping the un-updated map on Rebecca¡¯s tuner. ¡°Hm?¡± Lucia was once again curious. In fact, this wasn¡¯t like her. The more the night wore on the itchier she felt. Every little thing piqued her interest and she wasn¡¯t entirely sure if she hated it or not. ¡°Taika is our group¡¯s Lunar element,¡± Rebecca filled in the newcomer. ¡°We normally run around and take out groups of Scherzando and update our map thanks to her.¡± ¡°Why isn¡¯t she here tonight?¡± Lucia questioned. ¡°Called out sick.¡± The fire Resonator replied. ¡°Ehhh?¡± Lucia didn¡¯t get the joke but also didn¡¯t feel like getting clarification. As such she turned her attention back to the two Maestros. Colette had spoken up at that moment. ¡°I have an idea Shouri.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°We can attract the Scherzando to us, though it¡¯s a little tough.¡± The redhead looked to her Resonator, who gave a small nod of approval. ¡°What¡¯s the plan then?¡± Shouri decided to humor her. Which earned a smile from the scholar. ¡°Well L''orizzonte Scudo attracts spells towards the user for a small period, it specifically works by drawing in rhythm imbued into the spell,¡± she began. ¡°Using it while hunting is dangerous because it pulls in Scherzando too since they¡¯re made of rhythm too. But I believe we¡¯ve cleared the bulk of them from this area, so we can start pulling in stragglers this way.¡± She paused to allow Shouri to voice his thoughts. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. It seemed sound to him, but he wasn¡¯t doing the fighting. ¡°Lucia, Rebecca ¨C what do you two think?¡± he questioned the actual fighters. ¡°Should be okay as long as we¡¯re sure we won¡¯t be overwhelmed.¡± Rebecca shrugged. Lucia remained quiet, not sure what to say. Being asked her opinion was so strange, that she hadn¡¯t even formulated a thought of her own on the subject. ¡°I uhh, that sounds fine,¡± she muttered quickly to get the eyes off of her. Though she had to admit, being considered was nice. Shouri nodded. ¡°Okay. Rebecca, stick close to me in case we need to vacate.¡± The fire Resonator grinned toothily, unable to hide her excitement for the role. ¡°Lucia, keep perched in the trees and fight from there, focus on keeping yourself safe first and foremost ¨C Rebecca and I will be fine.¡± The bat girl raised a brow, baffled by the orders she was being given, but hesitantly agreed. The Resonators under his command addressed, Shouri looked to Colette and Kaira. ¡°Kaira, you¡¯ll be casting the spell obviously, when you do so be ready to use your ad-Lib to protect yourself and Colette. I can¡¯t guarantee the three of us will be able to take on all the Scherzando if they come at us too fast.¡± Kaira regarded the other Maestro for a moment before actually speaking. ¡°That was my intention from the beginning,¡± the jackal replied simply. ¡°Great! Let¡¯s get started then!¡± Colette beamed, satisfied there was an agreed-upon plan in place. ¡°Rebecca, Lanciafiamma, Rubato,¡± the first link was given to Rebecca. ¡°Lucia, Corrente Elettrica, Rubato,¡± and the second link was established with Lucia. In an evening of confusion for the poor lightning-element bat, she was puzzled by the new connection with her temporary Maestro. If Staccato gave her a lake to work with, Rubato was the whole damn ocean. He just willingly opened himself up like that? It was unbelievably stupid in the Resonator¡¯s eyes. She didn¡¯t even know a Maestro could have this much rhythm! ¡°You okay Lucia?¡± Shouri¡¯s voice snapped her out of her thoughts. ¡°Ah, uh. I think so,¡± she muttered, again averting her gaze from his. ¡°It¡¯s a little challenging to get used to at first from what Rebecca and the others told me, but once you get the hang of it, you should be able to cast spells pretty well in Rubato,¡± he told her. ¡°Won¡¯t that hurt you?¡± Lucia decided to ask the obvious question. ¡°Not unless we really fuck this up. I normally work with three Resonators, and Rebecca wears her ad-lib like it¡¯s a fashion statement, so I usually don¡¯t use too much rhythm with her.¡± His eyes narrowed and locked onto the fox in question. ¡°Even though I tell her not to,¡± he grumbled at her. ¡°Hey! I worked hard on my ad-Lib! I¡¯m gonna use it!¡± Rebecca retorted. ¡°How many pairs of socks and shoes have you gone through?¡± Shouri countered. ¡°That¡¯s beside the point!¡± ¡°How am I supposed to afford a car if you¡¯re draining our budget on replacement footwear? Your shoes aren¡¯t cheap.¡± ¡°Wait you¡¯re buying a car?¡± ¡°Forget it, just don¡¯t destroy your shoes tonight.¡± ¡°No go back, what about a car?¡± Lucia just plain gawked at the Maestro and Resonator. These people were so strange. Maestros don¡¯t interact with Resonators like this. What was wrong with Shouri? The group of five got into their respective positions. ¡°We ready to go?¡± Colette asked Shouri. ¡°Looks like it,¡± he replied, still sensing his rhythm connections with both Lucia and Rebecca were ready to go. Colette took in a deep breath. Her tuner shook from how hard she was gripping it. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s do this,¡± her voice quavered a bit as she licked her lips. ¡°Right, casting the spell now. Rallentando to attract them and then let it taper off while we get out of the way for Shouri to work,¡± she reasoned out to herself. Another deep breath. ¡°L''orizzonte Scudo, Rallentando!¡± Colette cried out. Kaira stepped forward, one hand on the sand satchel at her waist. With her other hand, she raised it into the sky. Nothing appeared to happen, but Rebecca perked up suddenly. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Shouri asked his fox. ¡°Never been around this spell before. Feels like I¡¯m being pulled in,¡± she noted. ¡°Now that you mention it, yeah, I can feel that,¡± Shouri agreed. The effect quickly tapered off and Kaira rushed back to her Maestro¡¯s side, opening her satchel and dumping the sand out. Rather than just hitting the ground, the prepared minerals moved through the grass, following its owner back to Colette. Kaira spun around, standing tall in front of her Maestro, while her sand circled the pair, undulating like waves on the sea. Silence A soft breeze blew through the trees. And then it began. Several wolf-shaped Scherzando burst through the underbrush. ¡°Lucia!¡± Shouri called out. From the tree the bat was perched in, a bolt of lightning struck the group of beasts, completely dissolving them. Shouri didn''t have time to think as Rebecca''s cry hit his ears, ¡°Behind us!¡± The fire fox spun around and extended a palm out, spraying fire upon a second group of wolf Scherzando that had attempted to sneak up on them. ¡°Shouri!¡± Colette yelled. Kaira had pushed back yet a third group of Scherzando using her sand manipulation. ¡°Rebecca!¡± Shouri turned his attention towards the new group. ¡°I¡¯m on it!¡± Rebecca pivoted to her left and easily dispatched this new group. A tug of his rhythm and a bolt of lightning informed Shouri that Lucia was also still spotting Scherzando from above and sniping them before they got too close. Yet a fourth, fifth, and sixth groups of Scherzando appeared and descended on their positions. Way too many for even their trio to handle. Not that they weren''t doing a good job. Desperate blasts of fire, sand, and lightning flew around, taking out Scherzando as they revealed themselves. But for every shadow that fell, another two took their place. ¡°Okay, we¡¯re not doing this again!¡± He decided, tearing his eyes from the battlefield to shoot Colette a dirty look (who was cowering behind the sand shield that Kaira had erected.) ¡°At least not without Taika to tell us what we¡¯re getting ourselves into,¡± he added as an aside. ¡°Agreed!¡± Rebecca grunted, taking out another group of Scherzando that got too close for comfort. The clearing continued to fill with Scherzando all gunning for the delicious morsels that struggled valiantly against the descending hordes. Kaira was keeping their rear clear with her sand. Even if Pacifica and Taika were here, it would have been too much, that much Shouri knew. He took a deep breath, ¡°Alright! Executive decision! Let¡¯s get the fuck out of here!¡± Shouri yelled out to make sure everyone could hear him. ¡°Back to camp!¡± he barked, waving the group away and falling back himself. He didn¡¯t have to tell Colette twice - she urged her Resonator away from the scene faster than he had ever seen her move before. Regardless, Shouri and Rebecca also vacated the scene and made some headway back toward the base camp, blasting away even more Scherzando as they made their desperate retreat. They were finally allowed a respite as they got away from the horde of Scherzando. Shouri was hunched over, struggling to catch his breath, sweat pouring off of him. Rebecca remained vigilant, though was trying to calm her own racing heart. Colette and Kaira were in the distance, having been more expeditious in their flight than Shouri¡¯s group. Either way, they were safe to stop here and re-group to catch their breath. ¡°You can come on down Lucia!¡± Shouri called out to the second Resonator currently under his care. Silence. The Maestro¡¯s heart stopped when there was no reply. She wasn¡¯t in immediate sight either. Where was she? She hadn¡¯t followed them? ¡°Lucia!?¡± His voice cracked as he scanned the tree line for the missing bat. He swore she was following them. What happened? He glanced down at the yellow tuner in hand and found her rhythm slowly ticking down. 78% 75% 71% And then¡­ Grave Torcitore (New!) Feroce (New!) Grave Fulmine (New!) Feroce (New!) Grave Esplosione (New!) Feroce (New!) ¡°Sho?!¡± Before Rebecca could figure out what was going on, she found her Maestro running back in the direction of the Scherzando as fast as he could. ¡°God damn it!¡± the vixen cursed, instantly turning her ad-Lib to its maximum output and clearing the distance between herself and her Maestro. She made it just in time to blast a Scherzando away that attempted to pounce on the defenseless boy. ¡°Where was she?¡± Rebecca asked of her Maestro. ¡°Back this way! I thought she was following us ¡®cause I kept feeling her using my rhythm but-¡± ¡°She must have got caught - follow me!¡± The fire Resonator bolted in the direction they had left the lightning bat under their care. Shouri ran full-sprint after his Resonator, not wanting her to be left alone to the (literal) wolves. A wise decision as the pair was suddenly ambushed by seven Scherzando jumping from the trees. There was no waver in his step as Shouri reflexively called out a command to his Resonator: ¡°Famiglio Incendio, Allegro Staccato! Five NOW!!¡± Rebecca whipped both arms out and within the time of taking a single step, five flame foxes burst into existence, springing into action to match one of the wolf Scherzando. Rebecca herself tapped back into her basic fire spell, Lanciafiamme, which she still carried the link to, to engulf the forward pair of wolves in a stream of fire. All of this happened at such a rapid clip that neither man nor fox had to slow down in the slightest, almost running through Rebecca¡¯s flames and the vaporized Scherzando to get back to the tree where they last saw the missing Resonator. Sure enough, there was a huge cluster of different Scherzando surrounding the tree. Bolts of lightning spread from the tree tops as Scherzando climbed after their caster at the top. The Scherzando were responding in kind with their own spells, sending them up the tree. ¡°Summon ten! Scatter them!¡± Shouri commanded. Rebecca responded on reflex, easily creating ten flame foxes that all darted at the tree along with their caster herself. The rhythm beasts began their battle against their shadowy counterparts, while Rebecca ran up the tree, taking out Scherzando with a combination of her Lanciafiamme and her footwork. As quickly as all the chaos started, it was over. Rebecca stood on a branch, locking eyes with Lucia who had managed to scurry to the very top of the tree. ¡°You¡­ came back,¡± the bat breathed out. ¡°Of course¡­ we did,¡± Rebecca replied similarly gasping for air. The pair returned to the ground where Shouri awaited with only three of the fifteen flame foxes summoned remaining. When they touched down, Shouri rushed over and hugged Lucia tightly. The girl¡¯s eyes widened, not expecting such a gesture. ¡°S-sorry!¡± He pulled away and looked her over, holding her by her shoulders. ¡°Are you okay? I¡¯m so sorry we didn¡¯t check before leaving,¡± the Maestro fretted; his eyes brimmed with regret as he barely managed to hold back the tears. ¡°Ah¡­ uh, it¡¯s fine¡­¡± Lucia muttered, her gaze remaining locked onto one of the hands grasping her shoulders. Through his digits, she felt his rhythm: his concern, his fear for her. It was strange and baffling ¨C what kind of Maestro would feel so strongly for a Resonator they would only know for one night? There was a complicated emotion welling up in the bat girl, and she didn¡¯t know how to express it. ¡°It¡¯s ok, everything turned out alright, right?¡± she just let her voice do what it wanted. ¡°It did. It¡¯s okay. You¡¯re okay,¡± Shouri agreed, trying to not let his voice crack any further. ¡°Everything¡¯s ok.¡± He took in a deep breath and released it. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here.¡±
Shouri and the two Resonators under his care made it back to base with no further complications. Immediately they were laid into by their handler. ¡°There you are!¡± Colette shouted. ¡°One minute you¡¯re right behind me, the next you¡¯re gone!¡± She held her hips, arms akimbo, an angry pout painted plainly on her face. Kaira offered no input, as stoic as ever behind her Maestro. The redhead¡¯s attitude was not appreciated at all, immediately putting Shouri on the defensive. ¡°You!¡± The brunet pointed back accusatorily. He lost his will to argue the point and dropped the hostilities instantly, not coming up with a good comeback. ¡°We had to go back for Lucia,¡± he offered back. Colette raised a brow. ¡°She wasn¡¯t following us?¡± ¡°No, she got trapped by the Scherzando and I failed to notice,¡± he replied. ¡°Wait!¡± the lightning-bat chimed in, almost out of her own control. ¡°It was my fault! I didn¡¯t-¡± she stopped when all eyes were on her. Wrapping her wings around herself and holding them like a security blanket, she lowered herself, trying to appear smaller than she was. ¡°Don¡¯t blame him. I didn¡¯t listen,¡± she mumbled. ¡°Don¡¯t be mean to him,¡± she added, even quieter. At that moment, Rebecca perked up. Instinctively, she reached out and placed a hand on the other girl¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Hm?¡± Lucia regarded the sudden touch with mild curiosity ¨C what was that look in Rebecca¡¯s eyes? ¡°You¡¯re cured,¡± the vixen spoke, not even aware of the weight of what those words meant. Silence. Shouri hurriedly drew the yellow tuner from his side. Shouri Resonator: Lucia Species: Demi-Human (Fruit Bat) Element: Lightning Attribute: Null Rhythm: 59% He tore his gaze away from the screen, where the Feroce status had finally vanished. He looked into her eyes and saw a storm of emotions swirling in them. ¡°Thank you!¡± she exclaimed, sprinting towards him and wrapping her arms around his chest. She buried her face in his shoulder and sobbed, freed from the curse that had been inflicted on her against her will. Her gratitude was palpable, an almost physical force that warmed the hearts of the other three present to witness it. The sudden embrace startled him, but only for a moment. His heart eased as he laid a hand on her shoulder. All the trials and tribulations of the night, everything they had gone through was worth it to see this girl¡¯s genuine heartfelt relief. Chapter 78 BEEEEEEEEEP Click! Slowly the door creaked open to room thirty-six of the Lyreann MA office. Shouri and Rebecca slid into the room. Shouri crept into the main part of the room, Rebecca behind him carrying a couple of plastic bags. Pacifica and Taika were snuggled up in bed; Pacifica¡¯s arm resting her arm on Taika, gently stroking her hair, while the vixen lay on the otter¡¯s lap - fast asleep. The television was turned towards the bed, playing a movie at a low volume. The otter perked up upon seeing her friends but made no sudden moves to not disturb the sleeping fox. ¡°Welcome back,¡± Pacifica whispered, smiling warmly. Shouri walked around the side of the bed and sat next to Pacifica¡¯s unoccupied right, while Rebecca set down the plastic bags and excused herself to the bathroom. ¡°How¡¯d it go?¡± the water element asked. ¡°It was a bit touch and go, but we cured her,¡± Shouri quietly informed the otter. She chuckled. ¡°Yeah, that sounds like you alright.¡± With her free hand, she reached out and pulled her Maestro towards her, allowing him to lean on her shoulder. ¡°You did good Sho.¡± He didn¡¯t say anything, but he also didn¡¯t reject the gesture. What a long night it had been.
The next morning, bright blue eyes fluttered open on the morning of July the seventh. Pacifica held onto a content Taika from behind, while Shouri had the front. Rebecca was Pacifica¡¯s opposite, draping herself over Shouri¡¯s back. All in all, it was a comfy cozy morning. Even asleep, her friends radiated such warm affection towards one another it was almost intoxicating for the emotionally sensitive otter. Eventually, a majority of the group rose, though Taika remained curled up under the blankets. ¡°Paci, can you stay here with Taika?¡± Shouri asked of his otter as she slipped on her sandals. ¡°Eh?¡± Her head whipped up in surprise. Shouri pointed to Rebecca. Pacifica traced where he was pointing, down to the ground and the vixen¡¯s feet. ¡°Ah,¡± the water element let out. Once again, Rebecca¡¯s shoes were destroyed, charred to a lovely brown like a well-done steak from the once proud whites and oranges that once made them up. ¡°I ordered her replacements last night, so gonna go pick them up. They said they¡¯d have them ready this morning,¡± he said. ¡°Okay.¡± Pacifica frowned, removing her sandals. ¡°You can go tonight,¡± Rebecca chimed in. ¡°Huh?¡± Shouri and Pacifica looked to the fire element. ¡°She can go with you tonight instead of me. I¡¯ll look after Taika.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine!¡± Taika suddenly protested. Attention was turned to the fox-girl who had sat up in bed. ¡°Just go. Both of you,¡± she insisted. ¡°But-!¡± Shouri jumped to argue. ¡°It was fine last night. Paci and I were fine here,¡± Taika retorted. ¡°Hrrrrmmm¡­¡± Shouri hummed in disapproval. ¡°No Taika," he finally put his foot down. ¡°If Rebecca and Pacifica are willing to trade then Rebecca can stay here tonight and I¡¯ll take Pacifica.¡± His gaze shifted to the two healthy members of his party. ¡°Fine by me.¡± Rebecca nodded, being the one who proposed the swap in the first place. ¡°I er¡­¡± Pacifica fidgeted, averting her gaze from her Maestro. ¡°I-isn¡¯t Rebby stronger than me? She should be the one with you Sho,¡± the otter chuckled sheepishly. ¡°Nah, you¡¯d be a better fit out there,¡± Rebecca spoke up. ¡°I had some difficulty dealing with the Feroce Resonator. You¡¯re better than me on a rhythmic front,¡± the fire Resonator argued. Pacifica opened her mouth to retort but didn¡¯t have a rebuttal ¨C given that the otter sensed how genuine Rebecca¡¯s words were thereby proving the vixen¡¯s point. ¡°Fine,¡± she sighed, slumping over in defeat. Shouri drew in a deep breath, holding it for a moment before exhaling sharply through his nose. ¡°Now that we figured that out, Rebecca?¡± He glanced at his fire Resonator. ¡°We¡¯ll be back,¡± the fire fox announced to the rest of the room.
The walk down to the local cordwainer was a quiet one. Fox followed man as the obedient artificial voice dished out directions from Rebecca¡¯s tuner every so often. It was late in the morning, so the hustle and bustle of the small city was in full swing. Resonators cleaning and attending to various storefronts with their Maestros managing them as they did so. They passed by one of the larger cafes in town, which had an outdoor patio to serve the guests who chose to sit outside. A couple of Resonator waitresses served the Maestros taking their mid-morning breaks. Lyreann was such a peaceful place that Shouri and Rebecca couldn''t help but get lost in the relaxed ambiance. ¡°You¡¯ve arrived,¡± Shouri''s tuner chirped, snapping the pair to attention. They had been brought to their destination, a small shoe store - it was amongst several other small shops along the road. Compared to its contemporaries, it was older, more storied than the other storefronts. The wares on display in the front window were utilitarian, nothing overtly fancy. After a moment of hyping himself up, Shouri took the initiative and stepped into the shop, Rebecca right behind him. Rebecca stuck close to her Maestro, curiosity running amok as she took in her new surroundings. There were many styles of shoes with all manner of Resonators in mind. Fire-resistant shoes for fire elements, swim shoes for waters, grounding shoes for lightning, etc. The colors they came in were reflective of the styles and whims of the elements in question. A pair of shoes intended for earth elements had stone cores positioned at the heel and balls of the feet to keep the Resonator ¡°in touch¡± with the ground below them. There was a certain strange scent in the air, like some kind of chemical. Possibly a glue? Perhaps polish? Either way, Rebecca couldn¡¯t place it one hundred percent. Her ears twitched as she could hear the sounds of banging and machinery humming away in the far back of the store. They reached the front counter, where no one awaited them. Closing her eyes for a moment, Rebecca could only hear the presence of one person in the back. It was kind of strange that there wasn''t a Resonator at the front tending to the counter. All that was there to greet them was a well-worn bell, one which Shouri was more than happy to give a swift couple of taps. Ting ting! ¡°I¡¯m comin¡¯ keep yer shirt on!¡± a voice called from the back. A couple minutes later an older man came out from the back. ¡°What can I do ya for?¡± they asked, removing their gloves and quickly examining them for any oil or grease. ¡°Here to pick up an order for Shouri,¡± the Maestro in question requested. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.¡°Ah yes.¡± The elder man¡¯s gaze shifted to the fire Resonator behind the Maestro. ¡°She¡¯s the lass?¡± ¡°Uh, yeah,¡± Shouri replied. ¡°C¡¯mere girl.¡± The shoemaker motioned to a bench near the counter. Rebecca followed the order, sitting on the storied furniture. It was well worn, definitely crafted by hand, with small imperfections showing both a craftsman¡¯s hand and the age of the seat. The cordwainer pointed at Rebecca¡¯s current, barely functional shoes. ¡°Get rid of those.¡± He tossed a box down onto the bench next to where the vixen was seated. Once more, she did as she was told, removing the crumbling shoes from her feet. ¡°Put them on,¡± another order, which Rebecca followed. She went to tie them up but realized they were missing their laces. It had holes for laces, but none were provided. ¡°Uhhh,¡± the Resonator broke her silence, bewildered as to why she was given laceless shoes. ¡°Stand,¡± the shoemaker demanded. ¡°Alright.¡± Rebecca stood, noting how loose the shoes were on her without their binding string. The craftsman knelt next to the fox, running a hand over each shoe, feeling how she stood and wore the shoe. His eyes stole a glance at the charred husks of footwear that lay discarded nearby. ¡°This should work.¡± From his pockets, he drew out a pair of laces and within less than a minute had both shoes laced up. Shouri raised a brow. The shoes hadn¡¯t been laced in the usual crisscross as was the standard. Instead, the laces went through the first three ringlets before emerging and crossing back and forth to the top. The elder stood up. ¡°Give them a try,¡± he offered. Rebecca bounced on the balls of her feet before taking a few steps around. ¡°Oh?¡± Her eyes widened. ¡°This feels good,¡± she noted. ¡°¡¯s what I thought. Gotta lace ¡®em right. Everyone just takes their shoes outta the box and wears them like that.¡± His gaze drifted to the young Maestro. ¡°Should experiment with different patterns, get more mileage out of yer shoes that way,¡± he advised. ¡°I¡¯ll look into it.¡± Shouri¡¯s eyes were focused on Rebecca, who seemed quite impressed by the replacement shoes.
¡°Fuck that was a lot,¡± Shouri sighed as they made their return trip to the MA Office. ¡°Sorry, Sho.¡± Rebecca wilted. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s the only thing we spend money on is maintaining our clothes.¡± His eyes fell once more on the new shoes. They were built in Rebecca¡¯s preferred style, but they seemed much sturdier than any of the previous pairs they had gotten her in the past. Even the fact that the man took the time to custom lace the shoes taking into account Rebecca¡¯s specific foot structure told him that man was a craftsman worth his salt. Or in this case, the massive chunk of notes ripped from Shouri¡¯s bank account. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Shouri spoke up. Rebecca grumbled something unintelligible. ¡°I said don¡¯t worry about it.¡± He spoke more sternly. ¡°But-!¡± The vixen turned to him. ¡°That thing you said about the car last night!" ¡°Oh, that?¡± He raised a brow as they came to a stop. ¡°I considered it, but I need to look into a bunch of stuff first. Like registration, of course, we both need our licenses and if it¡¯s even feasible to take it with us around the world,¡± he explained. ¡°It¡¯s a very distant dream at this point.¡± Rebecca wilted, averting her gaze. ¡°Oh.¡± With a roll of his eyes and a smirk, he drew closer to the fox-girl. With but a single finger, he pushed her chin up. ¡°Eh?!¡± she squeaked, her face reddening as their eyes met. ¡°We can always rent cars. We don¡¯t have to own one,¡± he whispered. The look in his eyes wasn¡¯t one she had ever expected to receive. A look that told her that the longer she stayed with him, the more likely she¡¯d end up spoiled beyond her wildest dreams. She didn¡¯t hate it. ¡°Y-yes¡­¡± she reluctantly agreed as her tail wagged behind her. He moved his hand to the top of her head and ruffled her hair. ¡°Either way it''s not something to worry about at this second. We have plenty of time to think about it.¡± Rebecca couldn¡¯t help but smile warmly. ¡°Okay, Sho.¡±
The remainder of the daylight hours were as routine as ever. Shouri and Rebecca returned with breakfast and the group relaxed in their room, taking a small nap in the afternoon. Finally, after dinner, Shouri and Pacifica got ready to head out for the night. Before they were to take their leave, however, a text message came in from Colette, stopping the Maestro in his tracks. Pacifica peered over his shoulder, to see the source of the hold-up. Colette: ¡°Are you coming out tonight? We have a VIP client tonight.¡± 8:45 PM As usual, she said something important but didn¡¯t elaborate, frustrating the Maestro. ¡°What the hell does that mean Colette?¡± Shouri cursed under his breath. He did not get a chance to ruminate on that further, however. ¡°Sho, please take Rebecca,¡± Taika once again implored of her Maestro. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, I swear,¡± she continued her plea. The Maestro returned the tuner to his side to address the ill fox. ¡°No.¡± Shouri remained adamant in his decision. ¡°Pacifica and I are going,¡± he looked at Rebecca. ¡°Stay here.¡± Rebecca smirked back at the stern order. ¡°Relax bossman, you¡¯re my Maestro, not her,¡± the fire Resonator said. Shouri gave a short nod back. ¡°Good.¡± ¡°Rebecca!¡± Taika barked at the Resonator as if betrayed. ¡°Taika, Shouri is our Maestro, if he says I¡¯m staying here, I¡¯m staying here.¡± Rebecca glared down her counterpart. ¡°But-!¡± ¡°But nothing. Just lay down and stop worrying about it ¨C you¡¯re not changing his mind.¡± Taika ground her teeth, arguing with Rebecca wouldn¡¯t get her anywhere. ¡°Sho! Please! Just take her!¡± she pleaded, her voice cracking. ¡°Please.¡± The vixen trembled, fighting the tears of frustration that welled up. She cursed her previous stupidity that led to the Cloudless Day that plagued her. Shouri opened his mouth, but Pacifica was quicker. ¡°Taika.¡± The otter stepped towards the bed and sat next to her friend. ¡°You know Sho as well as I do ¨C if both Rebecca and I went with him, he wouldn¡¯t be able to focus on the job at hand; he¡¯d spend every moment fretting about you.¡± She grabbed Taika¡¯s hands and gripped them tightly. ¡°Please, just trust me, okay?¡± ¡°P-paci¡­¡± Taika whipped her head back and forth as if looking for an answer, a way to refute her companion¡¯s claims. But none were to be found. ¡°F-fine,¡± she finally acquiesced. ¡°Go.¡± She couldn¡¯t look her Maestro in the eyes, hanging her head in defeat. ¡°We¡¯ll pick you up some snacks on the way back,¡± Shouri offered to placate the upset fox. Taika¡¯s tail betrayed her pout - her arms folded across her chest and turned head were at direct odds with her excitedly wagging tail. With that matter settled, Shouri and Pacifica finally took their leave for the evening. Chapter 79 The walk down to the hunter¡¯s base camp was uneventful. With Pacifica by his side, nobody paid him the slightest bit of attention. Taika always earned looks from nearly everyone, and Rebecca drew curious gazes from those who considered the possibility of her being a Renard. Pacifica however, was just a regular otter girl, nothing about her stood out ¨C and that¡¯s the way Shouri liked it. Man and Otter, completely unremarkable in every way. No hateful glares, no adoration, just a guy and his loyal Resonator going in, doing their job, and going home with a slightly heavier pocketbook for the trouble. ¡°Hm?¡± Pacifica perked up suddenly. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Shouri asked. The otter hummed in thought as they approached the hunter base camp. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of noise.¡± She considered her word choice. ¡°Rhythmic noise. A lot of people are really excited about something.¡± Sure enough, as soon as they left the pavement for the dirt path, the pair spotted a small crowd excitedly chattering about something. Neither Shouri nor Pacifica could see what the hubbub was about. They just watched the small bit of chaos from their spot in the registration line. People walked away after a little bit, but it seemed like for every person who left the mob, another one ran over to replace them. ¡°Maybe a celebrity is here?¡± Shouri pondered quietly. He pulled out Pacifica¡¯s tuner to see if there was any news on the gossip sites about celebrities arriving in Lyreann. ¡°Maybe? Kinda feels like it.¡± Pacifica nodded. ¡°Next!¡± Shouri and Pacifica¡¯s gossip was interrupted by the registration process. Shouri handed over his solitary blue tuner to the registrar. ¡°Hey, do you know what¡¯s going on over there?¡± Pacifica inquired of the booth attendant. They grumbled something, regarding the noisy crowd with a scowl. ¡°Yeah, some hot shot brought a Dinosaurian here,¡± they mumbled, more annoyed about all the commotion the rare Resonator was causing. ¡°Huh, never thought I¡¯d see one in the flesh.¡± Shouri shrugged. ¡°Yeah, neither did all of them.¡± The attendant rolled their eyes, finishing up the registration. ¡°Main group. Assuming any of them show up.¡± And with that, Shouri had back possession of his tuner. Stepping out of line, the pair continued to eye the crowd to see if they could catch a glimpse of the fabled dinosaur Resonator. When it was clear to them that the crowd wouldn¡¯t allow that, they returned to why they were there. Shouri thumbed up a text back to Colette. Me: ¡°Hey, we¡¯re here. Where are you?¡± 10:02 PM Colette: ¡°uhhh hang on, you¡¯re by registration rite?¡± 10:02 PM Maestro and Resonator exchanged a perplexed glance. Me: ¡°Yeah.¡± 10:03 PM Upon sending the message, Pacifica shook Shouri¡¯s shoulder. The Maestro looked at her, but she just pointed to the crowd which began to part. And Shouri felt a sense of dread overwhelm him when he saw who was the cause of the part in the sea of people: It was Kaira, forcing her way through using the earth itself as a people mover. Behind her was of course Colette, and a third figure which instantly had Shouri and Pacifica¡¯s eyes at the widest they could open them. A true, living, breathing Dinosaurian followed Colette. He was a short one, probably around Taika¡¯s height or so, his skin was dark, earth-like in color, with messy brown hair atop his head. A tail thicker than Pacifica¡¯s dragged behind him with soft brown feathers matching his hair. Shouri noted the thick musculature on the boy¡¯s arms, despite his stature he was a fighter through and through. ¡°There you are Shouri!¡± Colette wiped the sweat from her brow. ¡°You¡¯d think these people were looking at an ethereal,¡± she chuckled. Shouri took grasp of the scholar¡¯s shoulders. He stared into her eyes with a pleading gaze. ¡°C-Colette. Please tell me that they¡¯re not the VIP client,¡± Shouri practically begged. ¡°Why would I tell you that? They are the VIP client.¡± She frowned, not understanding what the dramatics were about. ¡°Why me?¡± he redirected his line of questioning. ¡°If you mean why you were picked to take this case, well Dr. Vim was so impressed with our previous couple of successes he thought we could be trusted with this client. He¡¯s pretty close to stage two, so he''ll be a bit rougher to handle than Fischer or Lucia, but I think we can do it,¡± Colette explained. Shouri sighed, releasing the college student from his grasp. He hated to admit it, but he was pretty excited to see a real Dinosaurian, much less get to battle with one. Even with his parent¡¯s wealth, this was something so far removed from what he would have been able to get his hands on ¨C his younger self would have been beyond himself with jealousy. But also- He took a deep breath and exhaled. He was Rebecca¡¯s Maestro. Even if he wanted to geek out and fawn over the boy, he knew that kind of attention was typically unwanted by the recipient. First and foremost, this boy was a living thing, not an object. With that in mind, he eased himself. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m Shouri,¡± he introduced himself to the afflicted Resonator of the evening. ¡°I¡¯m Pacifica, nice to meetcha!¡± the otter chimed in with all her usual pep and cheeriness. ¡°Hrmph.¡± The dinosaurian raised a brow, he ignored Pacifica¡¯s introduction and looked to the Maestro he would be under the care of tonight. ¡°You¡¯ll do.¡± His speaking voice was a growl, but it almost sounded forced. ¡°They call me Zino,¡± he added as an afterthought. Shouri nodded slowly. Colette went ahead and handed off Zino¡¯s tuner to Shouri, who went ahead and checked what he was working with. The spell levels were low, as expected of a new Resonator, but the more distressing thing was there were very few spells. Only the basic earth ones and upon further observation they were at their lowest levels. This was going to be difficult to work with. ¡°Don¡¯t bother with that trash. I don¡¯t need it,¡± the dinosaur spoke up. ¡°How so?¡± Shouri questioned. He had a hunch he knew the answer already but wanted specifics. Zino grunted and took a knee. He drew his arm back and punched a hole straight into the ground. Extracting his hand, they were now covered in compacted dirt in the shape of some savage-looking claws. He flexed his new digits, the dirt moving as naturally as one moved their fingers. ¡°Just need you to top me off.¡± He held up his new claws, allowing all to appreciate just how sharp the artificial talons appeared to be. The crowd surrounding them certainly appreciated the demonstration, the whooping and general noise raised by a couple dozen decibels. ¡°They¡¯re held together by rhythm so you can fight Scherzando that way.¡± Shouri reasoned out while doing his best to ignore the crowd. ¡°Hey, look at the brains on this guy - yeah you get it,¡± Zino chuckled gruffly, the smallest bit impressed. ¡°That¡¯s fine by me. I have a Resonator that fights on her own too, I know how best to support you,¡± Shouri told the dinosaur. Once more, Zino couldn¡¯t help but be a bit impressed by this random Maestro, but quickly shook it off. ¡°Yeah, well let¡¯s lose the leeches. I want to tear into something.¡±
Losing the leeches, as Zino had put it was a much harder task than Shouri had initially envisioned. They tried just asking the mob to go away, but they either ignored him or didn¡¯t hear him. Next was Colette¡¯s turn, she didn¡¯t fare any better and was also ignored. Kaira stepped up to the plate to try her hand at dispersing the crowd. However, before the jackal girl had the chance, Zino had enough. ¡°HEY!¡± he roared over the noise of the crowd. ¡°Get lost! Or I¡¯ll have to sink these claws into you!?¡± the dinosaur snarled at the crowd. Out of stubbornness, fear, or stupidity, the onlookers refused to budge. It was at this moment Zino decided he had enough. He slashed right through a tree next to them, cutting it in such a way that it fell toward the nosy tagalongs. ¡°Pacifica - Ghiacciolo, Fortissimo!¡± Shouri commanded. Before the falling tree could crush any of the unfortunate looky-loos, Pacifica launched a large ice spear at the tree, knocking it away from the bystanders and preventing any casualties. Despite the extreme method he employed though, it got results ¨C the small horde of people who were harassing them ran away in terror, fearing a follow-up attack from Zino. ¡°Now why¡¯d you go and do that?¡± Zino huffed. ¡°They were being annoying, that¡¯s not punishable by death,¡± Shouri retorted. Zino rolled his eyes. ¡°Didn¡¯t see you doing anything to get rid of them.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t just attack people. We could have convinced them to go away peacefully!¡± Pacifica chimed in. Zino glared at the otter. She shivered, a sense of bloodlust hitting her like a wrecking ball. ¡°Was I talking to you ¨C mammal?¡± he hissed, extending his dirt claws out. Shouri put himself between the two Resonators. ¡°That¡¯s enough. We got rid of them. Let¡¯s go hunt some Scherzando,¡± he spoke sternly. But more than that, Zino sensed how serious Shouri was with that. For the first time in his life, he felt a genuine conflict in his heart on how to judge this mysterious Maestro, though he arrested his expectations.
With the three Resonators between them, Shouri and Colette led the way through the thick forest that boarded Lyreann. ¡°I hate not being able to update these maps,¡± Shouri grumbled. ¡°Why not bring your lunar out?¡± Colette asked. ¡°She¡¯s sick Colette. I¡¯m not bringing a sick Resonator to a battlefield.¡± Shouri shot a glare at the scholar. ¡°I don¡¯t see the big deal; all she has to do is use Rilevare l¡¯intenzione.¡± She frowned. ¡°She¡¯s sick.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just one spell.¡± ¡°Okay, the next time you¡¯re sick I¡¯ll make sure you just cast one spell every twenty minutes, maybe you¡¯ll get some perspective.¡± And Shouri stomped ahead of the other Maestro, Pacifica quickly following along so he wasn¡¯t defenseless. Colette stopped in place with the other two Resonators. ¡°I don¡¯t get it.¡± Colette frowned. ¡°He cares very deeply for his Resonators,¡± Kaira informed her socially oblivious Maestro. ¡°You should choose your words more carefully,¡± the Resonator advised. ¡°I guess,¡± the Maestro said with a contemplative hum. Zino shook his head, giving an indignant snort before rushing past Colette himself to follow Shouri. ¡°He cares? Hah. What a load of shit,¡± the Dinosaurian grumbled under his breath.
¡°Quite a few of them,¡± Shouri noted in a hushed voice. As they had done many times before, Shouri and company knelt behind some underbrush, observing some Scherzando in the distance. ¡°The plan-¡± Before the Maestro could even start his thought, Zino stood up. ¡°What are you-?¡± and then the dinosaur boy stepped out with his trusty dirt claws out and ready to go. In a rush, Shouri drew the brown tuner Zino was linked to. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± he hissed into the device. Shouri frustratedly found himself ignored despite speaking directly into Zino¡¯s head via the tuner. ¡°God damn it,¡± Shouri cursed. Switching tuners, he shot a glance over to Pacifica. ¡°Ghiacciolo, Rubato ¨C make sure he doesn¡¯t get himself killed please.¡± This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it ¡°Right!¡± Pacifica rushed out of their hiding spot to keep an eye on Zino. With the battle being tended to by the two Resonators under his stead, Shouri sought to sate a curiosity. ¡°What¡¯s his deal anyways?¡± he asked Colette. ¡°So a Dinosaur-¡± the scholar was cut off. ¡°Not what he is Colette, who he is,¡± Shouri grumbled. In a surprise twist, Kaira spoke up for her Maestro: ¡°That boy was made for a wealthy businessman¡¯s son. It¡¯s my understanding that the son has a weak rhythmic constitution,¡± the jackal told the curious Maestro. ¡°Ok, so how did he get Feroce¡¯d then?¡± Shouri questioned ¨C the math simply didn¡¯t add up; at least from his understanding of the Feroce phenomenon. ¡°Feroce can form naturally; it doesn¡¯t have to be forced onto a Resonator,¡± Colette began. ¡°From the notes we were given, the low-cost, high-power nature of Feroce spells appealed to the weak Maestro and he had Zino use a few of them before realizing what he had done. The businessman spent quite a pretty sharp on Zino, so contacted Dr. Vim to rid him of the affliction,¡± she explained. ¡°Formed naturally? From like negative emotions?¡± Shouri mused aloud. ¡°He must not be happy with his Maestro.¡± Colette shrugged. ¡°I guess?¡± It was at this point in the conversation that Zino and Pacifica returned. ¡°Where¡¯s the next one?¡± Zino smirked. ¡°Sure, let¡¯s see what we got.¡± While he waited for updates on the map, Shouri wracked his brain trying to think of what to do about Zino. He knew that the boy wasn¡¯t happy in his current situation, but in the same respect, there wasn¡¯t anything he could do about it. Even if he hadn¡¯t promised his current Resonators to not take on another one, he had nowhere near enough money to even consider the thought of buying Zino from his current Maestro. How could he help this clearly tormented boy?
Topping off Zino¡¯s rhythm wasn¡¯t taxing on Shouri in the slightest. It was a drop in the bucket compared to what he was used to. It spoke volumes to him just how different his Resonators were from this one. From within the dinosaur, he could only feel a cup''s worth of rhythm in comparison to the buckets his Resonators took to cap off. It cemented the fact that Zino was bored with his Maestro, so much so it was torturing him mentally. Maybe Shouri could speak to the Maestro, or perhaps his father? Leaving Zino like this didn¡¯t feel right. ¡°Get off,¡± Zino¡¯s growl stirred Shouri from his thoughts. ¡°Sorry.¡± The boy removed his hand from the dinosaur¡¯s back. Pacifica shot a disapproving frown at the earth-Resonator but kept her comments to herself. Though she perked up when he stepped away. She watched him make a little distance from Shouri and then hold himself, withdrawing a bit. He was radiating turmoil. Not unusual for one afflicted with Feroce, Pacifica had observed. This conflict was different though. It wasn¡¯t the affliction talking, but Zino¡¯s own heart. Zino recomposed himself, shaking off the unpleasant throb in his chest. ¡°Hurry up,¡± he grumbled. All he needed right now was to rend and tear Scherzando. That¡¯s all he was good for after all. Once more they crept up on some Scherzando milling about. ¡°Zino, take the lead, but be careful,¡± Shouri advised. ¡°Hmph, as if you need to tell me.¡± The Dinosaurian dismissed his dirt claws, punching into the ground to create a fresh pair. ¡°Paci, keep an eye on him please,¡± Shouri told his otter. ¡°Of course.¡± Zino and Pacifica rose and stepped out into the open to meet the Scherzando head-on. Another mixture of different forms and elements made up the enemy numbers. It mattered not if the Scherzando crawled, walked, leapt, or flew ¨C all were prey to him. The great clawed Resonator rushed at the beasts like the hunter he was. He pounced on the closest Scherzando to him, stabbing straight through it into the ground. Pacifica flicked her wrists around, forming six ice needles between her closed digits, another flick, another row ¨C twelve total; another flick ¨C eighteen total. She drew her right hand back. A bird-shaped Scherzando with grass decorating its wings sought to capitalize on Zino¡¯s position Thwick! Not on Pacifica¡¯s watch, a rain of icy needles tore through it. Three, six, nine ¨C she reloaded her weapons with ease. Zino rampaged through the ranks of the beasts. If only they bled, he could relish in the carnage. Sadly they did not, so he had to make do with their dissolution instead. He was free to do what he wished, and Pacifica enabled his recklessness; sniping any Scherzando he missed and silently refilling her stock of needles. When the beasts were culled, Pacifica dismissed the remaining ice needles. However, Zino stormed over. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± he growled at the otter. Pacifica¡¯s eye twitched ever so slightly, but she calmed herself. ¡°I¡¯m doing what my Maestro asked,¡± she replied curtly. ¡°I think we worked well together,¡± the water-elemental added. ¡°Worked well? You were stealing my kills.¡± Zino glared the taller girl down. ¡°We uh don¡¯t get paid for this, the money is going to Shouri,¡± Pacifica pointed out. Zino shoved her by her shoulders. She maintained her balance easily, but balled up her fists, grinding her feet into the grass below. ¡°I don¡¯t need help from you, mammal,¡± he snarled. Despite currently lacking his dirt claws, he still felt much bigger than he actually was. Admittedly, Pacifica found herself intimidated but held her ground. ¡°Alright.¡± Once more Shouri stepped between the two Resonators. ¡°Let¡¯s move on to the next one.¡± He shot a glare at Zino, who crumbled under the Maestro¡¯s gaze. ¡°Hrmph.¡± He turned and stepped away from the confrontation he started. Pacifica quietly released her held breath. She created a single ice needle at Pianissimo rank, just to tickle the link between herself and Shouri ¨C still had Ghiacciolo in Rubato, everything was fine.
The group finally made it to the last bunch for the night. They had taken a bit of a circular path and wound up almost back where they started near the base camp. It meant the return trip would be very easy. However, the map told a different story as the Scherzando that had gathered here had been pushed by all the other groups into one massive conglomeration of beasts. ¡°What do we do Shouri? There¡¯s a ton of them!¡± Colette hissed. ¡°They¡¯re close to the main camp too,¡± Shouri noted. He hummed, scanning the map, glancing up every so often to study the Scherzando¡¯s movements. ¡°Colette, take Kaira and go here.¡± He marked a spot on the map putting her between the Scherzando and the base camp. ¡°Okaaay¡­¡± The other Maestro nodded slowly. ¡°I¡¯ll stay here while Pacifica and Zino take care of them,¡± Shouri laid out. ¡°I don¡¯t need the mammal; I can handle them on my own,¡± Zino huffed. ¡°Yeah, no. Not happening. Pacifica¡¯s going to help whether you like it or not. That¡¯s an order.¡± Shouri glared the dinosaur down. Zino backed off. This was the pressure of a real Maestro, not the crippled excuse for a human being he had to deal with normally. ¡°F-fine.¡± He shot a sidelong glare at the otter. ¡°Don¡¯t get in my way.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get in mine,¡± Pacifica snarked back. ¡°Watch your tongue, mammal,¡± he growled. Shouri picked up on Pacifica¡¯s fouling mood. Then again Zino has been openly antagonistic all night. Even the most patient saints had their limits, Shouri decided. Either way, it was the last group of the night they¡¯d tackle. Shouri Resonator: Zino Species: Demi-Human (Therizinosaurus) Element: Earth Attribute: Fossil (Feroce) Rhythm: 92% Thankfully none of the Feroce spells were among Zino¡¯s spell list, so despite his attitude, he hadn¡¯t been stressed to the point of trying to draw on that power. Maybe by the end of the night, he¡¯d be free from the affliction. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Shouri said. Pacifica and Zino split off. She didn¡¯t want to be near him longer than she needed to be. There was just something about him that made her uneasy and it wasn¡¯t the Feroce. No, this was something primal, something instinctual that told her he was dangerous. The otter part of her blood screamed at her to keep away from him. Even so, she had a job to do. Eighteen icy needles popped into existence between the digits of her closed hands. Some dumb lizard from a million years ago wouldn¡¯t get in the way of that. Zino stepped around the gathering of Scherzando, kneeling to refresh his dirt claws. He could see the water Resonator he was supposed to be ¡°working with¡± his opposite. The ice needles she employed at the ready. It pissed him off in all honesty ¨C where was the fun in attacking from a safe distance? He couldn¡¯t respect someone like that. A real battle was one where you could feel your opponent¡¯s life leaving their body. ¡°I¡¯m doing what my Maestro asked.¡± Her voice rang in his head. ¡°Fucking whipped bitch,¡± he cursed under his breath. Though he said that why did his heart hurt? This pang of¡­ jealousy. No. He couldn¡¯t be jealous of some mammal. Some average Resonator. There was nothing special about that girl. Nothing at all. And with that in mind, Zino began the engagement, rushing towards the pack of Scherzando. With the dinosaur attacking the rhythm beasts, Pacifica began her attack against the group, letting loose flurries of icy needles. Zino noticed this and made a concerted effort to finish off any Pacifica began attacking, causing her to back off a bit to prevent him from being hit in the crossfire. Even given the Scherzando¡¯s numbers, they just couldn¡¯t fend off the combined assault of a dinosaur and otter and were soon annihilated. As the last one fell to Zino¡¯s claws, the dinosaur trudged towards Pacifica, face contorted to a wrathful glare. ¡°Why did you keep stealing my kills?!¡± he barked. ¡°Why were you trying to die!? I swear you were purposefully jumping into my needles!¡± she barked back. He raised his claws to take a swipe at her, but she put a Fortissimo-level ice spear between herself and him, leading to him slicing through a log of solid water. ¡°Zino!¡± Shouri shouted, stomping over. ¡°Cut it out!¡± he roared, still a considerable distance away from the pair. It didn¡¯t help matters that the Dinosaurian wasn¡¯t listening and continued his march towards Pacifica who matched his advance by carefully stepping backwards. Taking her eyes off of him was not an option. She continued to use her spell-craft defensively creating obstacles between him and her. However, as a result of this focus, she couldn¡¯t keep track of the terrain and ended up slipping off a protruding root, falling to the ground. ¡°Zino!¡± Shouri yelled, picking up the pace. Zino stood over the otter, a predator savoring the terror of the prey item beneath him. Pacifica began to form an ice spear in her hand, it was her or him. It was her or him. It was her or him! The predator closed his claws in such a way to form one solid blade, and then he thrust towards his target. ¡°NOOOOOO!¡± Chapter 80 It was dark. A dim light from the hallway shone under the door, but in the interest of saving money on electricity this too was extinguished. It was cold, musty smelling, cramped. Yes, the crawlspace under the stairs a home did not make, though for Taika this was the only place she could be. A tool stashed away under the stairs, drawn out by the home¡¯s inhabitants when needed. At least she could count her blessings that a light was provided for her to read, though today¡¯s chores had been particularly taxing ¨C she just wanted to sleep. Old pillows and comforters, discarded by the manor¡¯s occupants were what she used to construct her makeshift bed. The masters of the manor even joked about being environmentally conscious by donating these luxury items to her ¨C that is to say they certainly made her earn them. That went doubly so for the books she loved and cherished. Truth be told they were malicious tomes, but even if their intent was to crush her by showing her lives she couldn¡¯t live, she found hope within their pages. In this hell she called life, all she could cling onto were the fantastical stories of those penned by another. This hell¡­ ¡­wait a minute¡­
Taika awoke with a start, her eyes wide, a thick sweat coating her from head to toe. The distinct lack of a connection, a void normally filled by her beloved Maestro, the threads of rhythm that connected her to Shouri ¨C they were gone. Something was wrong. What time was it? There was the faintest hint of light coming from the window, the makings of dawn. It was summer, and given where they were at in the world, Taika knew it was pretty early, but still. Grabbing her own tuner from the nightstand where she left it, she shook it awake and found the current time. 2018 July 8th 5:01AM Slowly her head rose. Rebecca was passed out on the couch, having been waiting for their friends'' return. But¡­ ¡°Wh-where are they?¡± Taika squeaked. Her heart hammered in her chest, refusing to slow as her mind processed a million possibilities, none of them good. ¡°REBECCA!¡± the lunar maiden cried. ¡°WHAT?! WHO!?¡± The fire fox jumped up from the couch. ¡°Taika wha-?¡± ¡°Sho and Paci are missing!¡± Taika shouted. Rebecca processed that thought, panic washing across her face as the realization dawned upon her. ¡°Oh god¡­ Oh god what time is it?¡± Her breath labored as her eyes met the ever-growing light of the rising sun the same way her fellow vixen had. ¡°What do we do Rebecca?¡± Taika whimpered, only a hairpin trigger away from totally breaking down. ¡°Ok, let¡¯s calm down, let¡¯s calm down.¡± Rebecca struggled to regulate her own breathing, pacing back and forth. She stopped. ¡°They had a VIP client thingy last night for the Feroce thing. Maybe they went out to a late dinner to celebrate?¡± She was just throwing proverbial darts at the board, trying to think of some reason for the absence of Shouri and Pacifica. ¡°Sho would have called us, I know he would have,¡± Taika pointed out. ¡°I know you¡¯re right, but god I hope you¡¯re wrong.¡± Rebecca shook her head. ¡°So¡­ what do we do?¡± Taika repeated her earlier question. ¡°Right, thinking thinking.¡± Rebecca resumed pacing. This was hard, what she wouldn¡¯t have given for a hit of knowledge-strong rhythm right now. ¡°Wait.¡± Rebecca returned to the couch she had fallen asleep on. From between the cushions, she drew out her own tuner. ¡°Uhhh, phone phone, where was that?¡± She tapped around the interface for a moment before locating the app in question. It took another moment to figure out how to actually use the phone, but thankfully it was pretty intuitive and she held the device around her mouth. Taika watched on, uncertain of what she should be doing. Rebecca was calling someone. ¡°Colette?¡± Rebecca asked into the phone, revealing the identity of the person she had decided to call. Oh, that¡¯s a good idea, Taika thought to herself. If anyone knew where their missing Maestro was it was Colette. THUD Black fox ears twitched at the sudden noise, their owner¡¯s gaze meeting the other vixen. Rebecca stood there, trembling, face devoid of color. The red tuner laid on the ground where the fire Resonator had dropped it. Colette called out for Rebecca from where the device laid. Slowly, Rebecca¡¯s head shakily jerked towards Taika¡¯s direction. ¡°H-he¡¯s in the hospital¡­¡± the fire Resonator revealed. Taika¡¯s blood ran ice cold, her heart now truly pounding as their worst fears were confirmed. Finally she spoke. ¡°Wh-WHAT?!¡± Taika threw herself out of bed. However as soon as she did so, the still ill Resonator discovered her limbs had betrayed her. As soon as she put weight on them, Taika found herself plummeting towards the floor as her knees buckled under the load of her body. Even with the mental state Rebecca was in, she still found the strength to rush to her fellow Resonators aid. She grasped Taika¡¯s shoulders as the two foxes tried to make sense of the situation. ¡°Sh-sho¡­ What happened?¡± Taika asked. ¡°She-she said that he uh, he got stabbed and they had to rush him to the hospital,¡± Rebecca informed the other Resonator the best she could. This wasn¡¯t happening. They had to go; they were needed ¨C that¡¯s what Taika determined at that moment. ¡°We have to go to him.¡± The lunar element tried to get to her feet but stumbled. Once more she fell to her knees. ¡°LAVORA DANNAZIONE!!¡± She pounded her non-functional legs with her fists; tears pouring from frustration. ¡°Just work¡­¡± the lunar sniveled, trembling with a mix of fear and anger. KNOCK KNOCK The foxes both looked in the direction of the door. Who could that be at nearly six in the morning? A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ¡°This is a well-being check from the front desk!¡± they heard from outside the door. Rebecca¡¯s gaze turned to her tuner which was still by the couch. Colette must have called it in ¨C she worked fast. Shaking her head, the fire Resonator turned back to her lunar counterpart. ¡°Stay here, I¡¯m going to go answer the door.¡± Taika just shook, neither confirming nor denying she¡¯d obey. Even with Rebecca¡¯s rhythm in disarray, she could sense her fellow fox¡¯s massive panic attack she was going through. Rebecca rose and stepped over to the door, undoing the lock and opening it. Sure enough, the night shift attendant stood at the door. The attendant looked at the note they had written. ¡°You must be Rebecca ¨C correct?¡± they asked. ¡°I am.¡± The fire element nodded in the affirmative. ¡°Is Taika there as well?¡± the attendant also inquired. ¡°She is.¡± ¡°Are you both okay?¡± The vixen ground her teeth, refusing the attendant¡¯s gaze. ¡°We just found out our Maestro is in the hospital,¡± she admitted. ¡°Right, Mr. Tomoshibi is checked into the hospital next door. Room 409,¡± the attendant revealed. ¡°Do you know if he¡¯s okay?¡± Rebecca asked hopefully. Unfortunately, she got back a head shake. ¡°I do not. I was only relayed the information by the person who requested the wellness check. She said she would be here shortly.¡± The fire fox slumped, hanging her head as she contemplated her next move. ¡°W-we¡¯ll wait for her then. Thank you,¡± she decided after a moment of thought. ¡°Of course.¡± And with that Rebecca closed the door. She slowly shuffled back to the couch and plopped back down on it, slumping back. ¡°This sucks,¡± she muttered. It took Colette around twenty minutes to find her way to room thirty-six. KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK Rebecca glanced over to the door, glaring at it in a vain attempt to will it open with her mind. When that didn¡¯t work, she begrudgingly rose from the couch and trudged over to the door to let the other Maestro in. ¡°Good morning!¡± Colette held up a plastic bag. ¡°We brought breakfast!¡± the auburn Maestro declared. Rebecca simply stared, before moving out of the way to allow Colette and her Resonator into the room. ¡°Shouri wanted us to come check on you anyways, so it was fortunate you called when you did,¡± Colette told Rebecca (and by extension Taika). Both vixens perked up hearing that. ¡°Shouri¡¯s okay?¡± Rebecca asked, the hope in her voice palpable. ¡°Did something happen to Pacifica?¡± Taika shouted from the bed. Colette¡¯s expression hardened as she gently set the food on the kitchen counter. ¡°Shouri is in the hospital,¡± she spoke quietly. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen so much blood before.¡± The Maestro trembled. ¡°Is he okay? What happened?!¡± Rebecca demanded, grabbing the Maestro by her shoulders. Colette refused the vixen¡¯s gaze, her face and rhythm wracked with guilt. Kaira stepped in, pushing Rebecca off of her Maestro and inserting herself between the two women. ¡°The Resonator we were tasked with attacked Pacifica. Shouri stepped in the way and took the blow for her.¡± Kaira (unlike her Maestro) kept her emotions even, stating the facts as they were. Rebecca batted the hands off of her shoulders. ¡°What do you mean attacked?¡± the vixen growled at the jackal. Her heels sparked as fear melted into anger. ¡°How did this happen?¡± the fire Resonator demanded. Kaira kept her cool, though her left hand slowly drifted back towards the satchel at her waist, loosening its drawstring. ¡°The dinosaurian did not appreciate Pacifica¡¯s assistance and attacked her.¡± The facts were stated to Rebecca with such stoicism it set the vixen off. A kick blasted towards Kaira¡¯s side. However, the missile that was Rebecca¡¯s foot did not reach its intended destination. Sand held the vixen¡¯s foot in place and suffocated the flames the Renard prided herself on. ¡°Let me go!¡± Rebecca shouted. ¡°No.¡± Kaira looked down on the hot-headed fox. Rebecca found her foot being forced back to the ground. She couldn¡¯t resist the pulling power that was dragging her limb back to its resting position. ¡°Rebecca,¡± Taika called out. ¡°What?!¡± Rebecca shot a glare towards the bedridden fox. ¡°Smettila di fare lo stronzo.¡± Rebecca bared her fangs at her fellow Resonator, ready to snap back, but she paused. Taika continued to scowl at her. Colette held her hands over her racing heart ¨C fearful of the sudden confrontation. And Kaira remained as stalwart and stoic as always, though her sand circled her like a serpent ready to strike, telling more about the jackal¡¯s state of mind than any facial features. The vixen lowered her head shamefully. Her bottom lip quivered as she bit it. ¡°I just want him to be okay,¡± Rebecca admitted quietly. Kaira quietly let out a held breath, her deployed sand slinking back up into her waist pouch. ¡°Go see him,¡± the earth Resonator told her fire counterpart. ¡°But Taika¡­¡± Rebecca glanced back at the lunar fox. ¡°Colette and I will stay here with her. I know Maestro Shouri is hesitant about leaving her alone,¡± Kaira offered. ¡°By herself?!¡± Colette questioned her Resonator. ¡°She can fend for herself,¡± Kaira replied. While Rebecca agreed more with Colette¡¯s line of thinking, her desire to see her Maestro outweighed her trepidation. ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± The ombr¨¦ fox turned to her fellow fox. They locked gazes for a moment and shared a nod. ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡± Taika sighed, laying back down and pulling the covers back over herself. Convinced the sick fox wouldn¡¯t do anything stupid, Rebecca turned her attention back to Colette and Kaira. ¡°He was in room 409, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right,¡± Colette confirmed. Rebecca steeled herself, quickly finding her conviction. ¡°I¡¯m off then.¡± Chapter 81 Shouri laid in a hospital bed. Bandages were wrapped around his mid-section which ached with a dull pain. Healing magic wasn¡¯t absolute as he had informed his Resonators time and again, though it did keep him alive long enough to get to the hospital to patch him up. He glanced over at the IV affixed to his arm, painkillers and fluids flowing freely into his body; he was thankful for that ¨C getting stabbed straight through the abdomen hurt like hell on his own admission. At his side was Pacifica, who was manifesting her guilt in a near physical form. She sat in a chair next to the bed, her head lowered, fists balled up, and resting on her lap. ¡°You need to stop putting yourself in harm''s way for us - we''re the expendable ones,¡± the otter spoke up. Shouri whipped his head in Pacifica¡¯s direction. ¡°WHAT the fuck? Who the fuck put that idea in your head?¡± ¡°Nobody. You''re just too precious to let get hurt or worse.¡± She raised her head, their eyes meeting. ¡°That¡¯s not right, If I can do something to help, I''m not going to just stand by and let you get maimed,¡± he argued back, the beeping of his heart monitor ticking up. ¡°Shouri, there''s only one of you! There are countless Resonators that NEED a Maestro like you! Taika and Rebecca need you! I need you!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t stop, I will do everything in my power to protect you!¡± ¡°Idiot!!¡± she shrieked, rising to her feet. She glared daggers at the stubborn boy, her vision growing misty with each passing second. Shouri braced himself, expecting to be struck, or even for her to storm off. Instead, Pacifica pinned him by his shoulders, and leaned in, pressing her lips against his. She pulled back only slightly, twin rivers sliding down her reddened cheeks. ¡°Idiot,¡± she whimpered, her voice cracking with emotion. ¡°Do you think I want to see you like this?¡± she sniveled. He opened his mouth to retort, but that only ended with her silencing him with her lips once more. Again she pulled away, the shoulders of his gown balled up in her trembling fists. ¡°You stole my heart, you big dumb idiot. Take responsibility and stop trying to throw your life away.¡± ¡°I''m sorry Pacifica,¡± he whispered ruefully. ¡°You''re everything to me... I just... Doing nothing and losing you, any of you. I can''t go through that again; I''d rather die.¡± Pacifica continued to tremble. She opened her mouth to continue arguing, but no words came out - only a soft, despairing squeak and then she collapsed on him, sobbing loudly into his chest. And through this entire performance, there was an audience of one: Rebecca. It took everything in her power to suppress her Rhythm, as she knew Pacifica would sense her in a heartbeat if she allowed her emotions to run wild. For that, Rebecca rushed away, her mind taunting her with the images of Pacifica''s lips pressed against Shouri''s. Why did that make her heart race? Why did she feel anger towards Pacifica? Why did she want to be in her place? She kept her head down, struggling to hold back the frustrated tears that wanted to spill. Finding the elevator, she continued to focus on the floor while smacking the call button. A beep and a hiss and the elevator door opened. Before she could rush in and hide in the privacy of the cab, there were already occupants. Rebecca happened to glance up, locking eyes with an intense pair of brown. This duo was oddly matched, she observed as she stepped away from the elevator. The Maestro of the pair felt almost like a flickering candle ¨C a stiff breeze could knock him over; whereas the Resonator, while not particularly strong rhythmically exuded a primal, bloodthirsty aura. Studying his features, the only thing that stuck out was his tail, which wasn¡¯t anything she had ever seen before ¨C strong but covered in feathers? The radiant rhythm that wafted from his form was rocky, dirt-like. If that didn¡¯t give it away, the brown tuner affixed to the Maestro certainly would. Rebecca stepped back, allowing the pair to exit. ¡°What are you looking at, mammal?¡± the earth Resonator snarled. Before Rebecca could offer up her own retort, the Maestro raised his hand. ¡°Zino, that¡¯s quite enough.¡± The boy¡¯s voice was gentle, demure ¨C matching with his frail rhythm. Everything about the boy was soft: his height was about around Taika¡¯s (if not shorter), he had little musculature to him, and even his straight blond hair appeared as soft as a cloud. This was one who couldn¡¯t harm even a blade of grass. The blond boy chuckled nervously, placing his hands on his chest, resisting the urge to grasp his neck. ¡°My, you must have a wonderful Maestro to radiate such potent rhythm,¡± he chuckled sheepishly. He suddenly lowered himself, bowing deeply his right hand sweeping across his chest in a graceful arc ¨C this position was held for a moment before he rose. ¡°My name is Elijah Klein.¡± His eyes met with Rebecca¡¯s. ¡°This is Zino.¡± A gruff grunt followed the introduction, with a quick head-turn shortly after. Rebecca nodded uneasily ¨C she¡¯d have to keep an eye on the strange Resonator. ¡°Don¡¯t mind him, he¡¯s just like that,¡± Elijah chuckled. His eyes scanned the fox before him. ¡°Your Maestro-¡± The boy studied Rebecca once more. ¡°-is mister Tomoshibi, no?¡± Rebecca¡¯s eyes widened, and her heart began to race as one possibility came to mind: was this boy one of the people who were at the airport ¨C the hitmen who came after them? Her heels sparked as she slowly drew a foot back. ¡°Wh-who wants to know?¡± she quietly inquired. ¡°My, I thought I already introduced myself,¡± Elijah smirked. ¡°Who sent you?¡± Rebecca re-phrased her demand, maintaining her guard. A raise of the brow. ¡°I suppose technically that would be Zino. I tried to tell him to be nice, but he¡¯s such a wild child.¡± Elijah patted his Resonator¡¯s back, which only served to foul the mood of the earth elemental further. ¡°What the hell are you going on about?¡± Rebecca¡¯s heels were only one good spark away from igniting. ¡°I¡¯m the one who put your Maestro here,¡± Zino admitted without hesitation. BWHAM! In the space of an instant, Rebecca whipped a blazing foot at Zino¡¯s side. The Dinosaurian managed to catch the attack but slid from the sheer force of the blow. ¡°Oh my.¡± Despite his Resonator being attacked, Elijah simply noted the power behind Rebecca¡¯s kick. ¡°Tch!¡± Zino was less impressed and more annoyed at the sudden attack ¨C not that he didn¡¯t deserve it, but it still hurt. ¡°Now now now.¡± Elijah separated the two Resonators, putting himself between them. ¡°If you should strike anyone, it should be me. I am his Maestro and it was my negligence that led to Zino catching that dreadful ailment in the first place.¡± Rebecca glared at the shorter man. ¡°Mrrph.¡± She lowered her foot but remained fixated on the other Maestro. Her rhythmic sense told her his words were genuine ¨C he did accept blame for Zino¡¯s attitude and even his affliction of Feroce. The flames at her feet died down, snuffing away and leaving light charring on the backs of her shoes (nothing that couldn¡¯t be wiped away with a damp paper towel, mind you.) ¡°Why are you here?¡± Rebecca asked gruffly. Certainly, the vixen was still boiling over the fact that these people were directly responsible for almost killing her Maestro, but was just under the point where she¡¯d at least hear them out. Elijah responded in kind with a small nod and a smile. ¡°Despite my dearest Zino¡¯s failed attempt at diplomacy-¡± (The dinosaur-man turned his head away in a huff) ¡°-Mister Tomoshibi¡¯s methods are not to be dismissed.¡± The blond Maestro caressed the brown tuner affixed to his lapel. ¡°Zino was quite thoroughly cured of his affliction. That is to say, working with Maestro Shouri for a mere evening cured Zino fully. Quite impressive.¡± The fire fox¡¯s eyes wandered away as Elijah sang her Maestro¡¯s praises. ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Rebecca said flatly, not bothering to feign interest. Of course, her Maestro was amazing - he was a one-of-a-kind idiot who threw himself into danger for their sake! His recklessness frustrated her to no end, but she¡¯d be lying if she said his bravery and commitment to them didn¡¯t make her heart flutter. ¡°Still didn¡¯t answer why you¡¯re here,¡± the fire-fox pointed out. ¡°Ah yes, certainly I have no doubt you or he wishes to see his attacker,¡± Elijah chuckled sheepishly. ¡°I wish to meet the man who cured my dear Zino, and understand his particular brand of madness.¡± Rebecca¡¯s irritated gaze drifted back to the earth Maestro. ¡°His madness?¡± she questioned, voice rising ever so slightly. This man¡¯s roundabout and pretentious manner of speech had overstayed its welcome and only served to further grate on the fox¡¯s nerves. And yet he continued: ¡°That is to say, I want to learn his method of caring for Resonators. You¡¯re a shining example of that. Even without his presence, you¡¯re willing to defend his honor and health.¡± The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Finally, he came out with it, thought Rebecca. However, that presented a new dilemma: should she humor this guy? Mulling it over, if this airhead was genuine in his want to learn how Shouri took care of them maybe there would be fewer Lyles in the world; those who only saw Resonators as objects or weapons. ¡°Fine,¡± she acquiesced. ¡°His room is this way.¡± Turning on a heel, Rebecca began walking back towards room 409. Though in doing so she was reminded why she was even leaving in the first place. Images of Pacifica¡¯s lips planted firmly upon Shouri¡¯s jumped back to the forefront of her mind. She shook her head, attempting to dismiss the intrusive thoughts. She¡¯d have no time to think of an exit strategy as she stood in front of the door to the room. ¡°Rebecca.¡± Shouri was taken aback by the sudden visitor. The fox remained quiet, scanning her beloved Maestro ¨C laid up in a hospital bed, dressed up in the thin loose gown, hooked up to multiple machines and an IV drip. His complexion was pale, with dark bags around his eyes. And then there was her; the one who failed to protect their Maestro. At that moment, a blaze of fury erupted in the fox as she stared hatefully at the weak otter. How did she let Zino overpower her? How was she put into a compromising position to allow Shouri to get hurt like this? Why did she force herself on him while he was bedridden like this?! She couldn¡¯t take it anymore ¨C she had nothing to say. Rebecca pushed Elijah and Zino aside and stomped away. ¡°Rebecca wait-!¡± Shouri tried to move, but as soon as he moved his torso a wave of pain shot through him. ¡°Sho don¡¯t!¡± Pacifica pulled the boy back to a neutral sitting position. ¡°B-but Rebecca-!¡± he groaned through the hot ache of his stomach muscles. ¡°She¡­¡± Pacifica trailed off. It was certain what the otter felt radiating from her fellow fox: ENVY LOATHING HATE Pacifica was the last person Rebecca wanted to see right now. Taika was nowhere to be seen either; she must not have come with. None of this helped the otter¡¯s mood ¨C she was already wracked with guilt about everything that happened. To make matters worse, he was back. Zino raised a brow, apathetic to the dramatics unfolding around him. Some other guy was standing next to the dinosaurian, but it mattered not ¨C her tear-laden eyes were focused entirely on the reptile-tailed man standing at the door. In her compromised state, Pacifica spoke from the pit of despair that was her heart. ¡°What?! Back to finish the job?!¡± She shrieked. ¡°I won¡¯t let you!¡± The hysterical Resonator threw herself over her Maestro in a last-ditch attempt to protect him from their attacker. Elijah stroked his chin in thought. ¡°Zino, sit,¡± the blond Maestro ordered. The earth Resonator looked around the room and found a suitable chair in the corner. He walked over and threw himself back into it, making the legs squeal from the force he exerted on it. Finally, he propped one leg up on the other and leaned back. Still tightly grasping her Maestro, Pacifica turned her head back to address the newcomer. ¡°Who are you?¡± Her voice cracked as the tears flowed freely down her cheeks. The young man curtsied for the pair laid up in the hospital bed. ¡°Elijah Klein. Otherwise known as your VIP client.¡±
SLAM The door to Shouri¡¯s room at the Lyreann Maestro Affairs office suddenly bolted open, hitting the adjoining wall and taking a chunk of the drywall out in the process. Colette jumped, unable to suppress a squeal from the sudden noise. ¡°O-hoh¡­ it¡¯s Rebecca.¡± The ginger-haired Maestro held a hand over her heart, gripping her blouse tightly in a vain attempt to calm the blood now racing through her. Kaira rose to her feet, inserting herself between Colette and Rebecca. ¡°I doubt your Maestro will be pleased with paying for damages.¡± The jackal advised the fox, a hand slowly reaching back and tugging the string of the sand pouch at her waist. ¡°Shut the fuck up,¡± Rebecca snarled. For just a moment, Kaira was put on edge. What happened to Rebecca while she had been out? The earth-jackal quickly regained her composure. Rebecca was wearing her emotions like a neon sign: she didn¡¯t want to see anyone at the moment, at least not outsiders. ¡°Colette, we should take our leave,¡± the Resonator advised her Maestro. ¡°But why? Won¡¯t they need help?¡± Colette did raise a good point ¨C Taika and Rebecca were alone, without Shouri to deal with the bureaucracy of Resonator ownership. However, they did have their tuners on them, so getting food from the cafeteria would be easy if they just acted like they were picking up food on behalf of their Maestro. Did they know that though? Once more the aura Rebecca was putting out silenced Kaira. ¡°They¡¯ll be fine,¡± the jackal managed to get out. ¡°If you say so.¡± Colette didn¡¯t seem convinced but acquiesced to her Resonator¡¯s advice. She stood up from her chair. ¡°If you need me, I got a room here ¨C I¡¯m in fifty, down the hall and around the corner.¡± The guilt in her voice was palpable, though at the time, Rebecca cared not; she just wanted these unrelated people to leave. A desire that Kaira picked up on. ¡°Good day.¡± She nodded to Rebecca while ushering Colette from the room. Click And then only two were left. Taika was where she had been left: bedridden and annoyed she couldn¡¯t go with. Rebecca stood at the foot of the bed, trying to sort through her complicated emotions. ¡°What happened?¡± Taika questioned uneasily. Even if it wasn¡¯t her strong stave, Taika could sense that Rebecca¡¯s mental state was being broadcast on all frequencies ¨C the maelstrom raging in her mind was plain for all to see, even those with a weak rhythmic sense. The fire Resonator¡¯s jaw locked, her head spun while her lungs felt tight - not able to give her as much oxygen as her body was demanding. Too much had happened in such a short span of time, where could she possibly even begin? ¡°She kissed him!¡± the emotional vixen shrieked. ¡°That bitch has the audacity to kiss him after she put him there!¡± Rebecca continued, the dams bursting to allow her tears of frustration to flow like rapids down her cheeks. ¡°Rebecca, calmati, per favore,¡± Taika finally spoke. The lunar fox swung her feet out of bed. She tested her strength before putting weight onto her legs. Thankfully they didn¡¯t immediately collapse like before, but she still rested an arm on the bed to support herself while she made her way over to her fellow fox. ¡°Calm down,¡± the lunar repeated, placing a hand on her companion¡¯s back. Then Taika had Rebecca¡¯s fury turned on her. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you mad about this?! I know you have eyes for him!!¡± the fire element shouted. Taika maintained her cool. ¡°It¡¯s not that big of a deal. It¡¯s just one kiss,¡± she replied, keeping her voice low, but even. Rebecca studied the other fox until it clicked. ¡°Wait¡­¡± she paused, her ire turning on her comrade. ¡°Y-you¡¯ve kissed him too, haven¡¯t you?!¡± And Taika was caught, a hand whipping up to cover her lips, and a head turn to refuse the accusing gaze of her contemporary ¨C it was all but impossible for her to deny it. What came next from Rebecca was a laugh, not a genuine chuckle or giggle fit, but a hollow empty laugh. Who did she think she was? What a fool this pitiable fox was. Of course, she couldn¡¯t entertain the notion of being something more to Shouri. All she was good for was her abilities as a Renard, nothing more. ¡°Rebby.¡± The fire fox looked up, just in time for her shirt to be grabbed. The other hand slid under Rebecca¡¯s chin, holding her in place. And then Renard¡¯s eyes widened as there was a sudden warmth against her lips. A small smack signaled a brief retreat from the assailant, Taika. Her mind went blank. ¡°T-Taika?¡± was all she managed to utter. ¡°Zitta.¡± Once more Taika gently pressed her lips against Rebecca¡¯s. The poor distraught fox could do nothing to stop her fellow Resonator and just submitted to her whims. Throughout this whole performance, Rebecca found her heart fluttering, a certain tingle surging through her body as Taika worked. An involuntary hum of satisfaction escaped despite Rebecca¡¯s trepidation. Taika pulled away. ¡°Ora va meglio?¡± The vixen smirked, licking her lips and failing to suppress a giggle. Rebecca simply stared, her expression vacant. She blinked once, though nobody was home. Upon completing a second blink, she fell like a ton of bricks. Poor Taika had to catch the rapidly descending Rebecca. ¡°Oh, come on! I¡¯m not that bad!¡± the lunar cried out, easing her fellow fox onto the carpet. She let out a sharp breath, shaking her head while she sat back on her legs. ¡°What a mess,¡± she complained. Though at least Rebecca was calm now, fainted, but calm. Chapter 82 ¡°PACIFICA!¡± Deep crimson warmth splattered across his face - he hadn¡¯t made it in time. Blood dripped from the killer¡¯s massive claws as they set their cold murderous gaze on him. ¡°Hah?!¡± And suddenly Shouri was awake. The bright fluorescent lights of the hallway filtered in from underneath the door giving him some visibility of his surroundings. It was still dark outside. The slowing beats of his heart monitor filled his ears. Despite being here for a day now the smell of bleach and antiseptic filled his nose; he silently hoped not to carry that scent after he was discharged. Speaking of, he was still healing - the dull pain in his gut was a harsh reminder of that. Once more he was thankful for the painkillers that had been regularly administered to him since the completion of his surgery. They had to rhythm burn him to save his life and give the surgeons the time they needed to patch him up. The downside was now he had to wait for his body to naturally heal or for the rhythm burn to wear off, whatever happened first. They didn¡¯t let him eat solid foods in fear of upsetting his torn-up digestive system. No, it was very bland drinks that had no chance of upsetting his injuries but enough to satiate his hunger and fulfill his nutritional needs. Going through so much fluid presented a problem: a certain pressure which was only exacerbating the pain he was in. He looked at the small guest couch that sat next to the bed. Pacifica laid curled up on it as the only place she could sleep. The doctors were very stern with her when she suggested the possibility of sharing the bed with him for an etude. The little obedient otter she was quickly acquiesced to their demands, despite how badly she wanted to provide her warmth to him. Gently drawing in a breath, Shouri spoke her name, ¡°Pacifica.¡± It was evident that she was not sleeping soundly, as she instantly sprung up at attention. ¡°Sho?!¡± she called back. ¡°Bathroom,¡± he replied, pointing at the door across the room. ¡°Right.¡± The otter sat up and stretched, though Shouri could see as clear as day the exhaustion on her face. Her eyes were red and puffy, with dark bags surrounding them. Her shoulders were tense and hunched over, her gait was shaky and unstable as she stepped over to assist him. It looked as if ten years had been shaved off her life in just the past twenty-four hours. He hated seeing her like this ¨C she wasn¡¯t taking care of herself; he could see her dry cracked lips from the lack of water she¡¯d been drinking. It wasn¡¯t noble to him. If anything, her sacrificing her well-being for a decision he made only served to further deflate his mood. Pacifica helped him up and supported his weight as she moved the IV over to the bathroom door. Before Shouri hobbled inside though, he turned to her; studying her deteriorating condition. He had to get her to take care of herself; but how? His eyes met her chapped lips. With a smirk, he moistened his own and stepped forward. ¡°Yes-mmph?!¡± Pacifica was silenced as he pulled her close and kissed her. ¡°Sho?!¡± she yelped covering her mouth, face reddening. ¡°If you eat breakfast and drink some water, you¡¯ll get another one.¡± He smirked before dismissing himself to the bathroom. ¡°Ah¡­ how¡­?¡± The otter fell to her knees. Her heart raced, face flushed. Shouri wasn¡¯t allowed to be that smooth.
As it turned out, Shouri now had a new tool to get at least Pacifica to do things. The otter had a full plate of breakfast foods and not one but two bottles of water. He wagered he could pull the same stunt with Taika if need be. Certainly, a trick to keep in his back pocket. Though Shouri needed to talk to Rebecca about all of this ¨C it was unfair to her to leave her out, but in the same respect, he didn¡¯t want to cross any boundaries with her that she wouldn¡¯t be comfortable with. Pacifica and Taika had made their intentions clear with him, and now he could use that to his advantage. Not that he hated the act - chuckling to himself whilst stealing a glance at the flustered otter who was poorly hiding her blush with her plate of food. ¡°H-how are you feeling today Sho?¡± Pacifica squeaked. ¡°Still a dull pain, better than yesterday,¡± he said. Her eyes fell upon his hands where they lay over the bandages. A pang of guilt struck her again ¨C why was she so useless? To say Pacifica was wearing her heart on her sleeve was an understatement. Shouri easily picked up on her melancholy demeanor and changed the subject: ¡°What do you think about his offer?¡± the Maestro asked. She lifted her head. ¡°Mr. Klein¡¯s?¡± The otter hummed. ¡°We did cure Zino.¡± Her eyes drifted back to Shouri¡¯s injury. ¡°One way or another,¡± she mumbled. ¡°I¡¯m all for better treatment of Resonators ¨C you know that.¡± Shouri paused, mulling over his choice of words. ¡°I don¡¯t hold this against either of them. Neither of them knew any better ¨C Elijah didn¡¯t consider Zino¡¯s feelings, and Zino didn¡¯t know how to express himself without lashing out,¡± he reasoned out. Pacifica slowly nodded in agreement. ¡°And you didn¡¯t do anything wrong,¡± he added sharply. The otter trembled, resisting the urge to disagree with him. If only I was stronger, was the thought coursing through her head. After all, if she was more powerful than Zino, she could have easily dissuaded him from attacking her and then Shouri wouldn¡¯t have had to step in. If it was Rebecca or Taika this wouldn¡¯t have happened ¨C Rebecca is a professionally trained fighter and would have easily earned Zino¡¯s respect or made him respect her. Meanwhile, Taika hides her raw strength under her bubbly, almost na?ve demeanor, she¡¯d have put him in his place if it called for it. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Pacifica was just some city girl who has never experienced turmoil, or strife - a sheltered life. Both Rebecca and Taika, for lack of a better term, have been through some shit and they persevered through it becoming stronger individuals as a result. The more she thought about it, the more Pacifica just felt plain inadequate when compared to her two foxy companions. ¡°Hey, stop that.¡± Shouri snapped her out of her self-admonishment; he didn¡¯t know exactly what she was thinking but he had an inkling based on the face she was making. ¡°But-!¡± ¡°Stop it.¡± Pacifica shook, grinding her teeth as she exchanged a tearful glare with her Maestro. ¡°I¡¯m just not strong I-¡± ¡°Can you not?¡± Shouri cut her off. The otter lowered her head shamefully. ¡°I didn¡¯t understand before,¡± she whispered. ¡°All my friends complained about their Maestros, but they still went along with them. I¡¯m from a wealthy neighborhood ¨C you saw it.¡± She paused for a moment, considering what she was trying to convey. ¡°My Resonator friends willingly went with their Maestros for the most part. I couldn¡¯t understand why they did it.¡± She shook her head before raising it. Her eyes shimmered with gathering tears. ¡°Then you saved me and I knew you were the one for me, but not being able to protect my precious irreplaceable Maestro, my best friend in the entire world.¡± ¡°I¡¯m scared Sho, you almost died because I was WEAK!¡± she cried out. ¡°Paci-!¡± The poor girl trembled, holding herself and hunching over. ¡°Weak weak weak¡­¡± she repeated. Before she knew it, Shouri was directly in front of her. There was a loud crash as they fell backward to the ground and the chair Pacifica was in toppled over with her in it. ¡°Owiee¡­. What the hell Sho?¡± Pacifica shook her head, though a weight on top of her. Shouri pushed himself up. He took hold of her hands, interlinking their digits as he pinned her there. Her eyes were drawn to his right arm, which dribbled blood from where his IV had been torn out. ¡°Sho oh my god!¡± Pacifica shrieked, though he cared not, gripping her hands tighter. It hit her all at once; his rhythm invaded her with such ferocity that it made her head spin. Her mind cleared, though in a way that caused her to blank out, her head giving up on being propped up and smacking back down on the ground with a soft thud.
Taika sighed as she laced up her shoes. It was the first time that she had felt fine since she got sick, though the lunar fox knew well enough that she was nowhere near back to perfect health. It sucked being apart from Shouri for so long, especially given her current ailment. But it was okay! She was going to fix that problem right now! As soon as Colette arrived to watch over Rebecca. Last night had been pretty rough after the fire fox had come to. Taika suggested they share the bed for etude, but the other girl was standoffish about it. A wicked little smirk rose on the lunar¡¯s lips, reading all those romance novels gave her a playbook on matters of the lips and otherwise. Though she couldn¡¯t ever muster up the courage to try some of her bolder moves on her Maestro. From Rebecca¡¯s testimony though, Shouri seemed to be in a charitable mood; or at least that¡¯s how Taika was interpreting it. KNOCK KNOCK Either way, Taika wouldn¡¯t be satisfied without at least some hand-holding (for etude) at the bare minimum. That was the plan anyway. The lunar maiden addressed the door, checking the peephole first to confirm it was indeed Colette waiting outside. Removing the chain and unbolting the door, Taika greeted the pair, and upon actually opening the door, she discovered Kaira had breakfast also. ¡°Good morning Taika,¡± Colette greeted the Resonator, failing to stifle a yawn. ¡°Buongiorno. Take care of Rebby please.¡± The fox tried to rush out the door, but her shoulder was caught by Kaira. ¡°Not a good idea,¡± Kaira advised sternly. Taika batted the hand off her shoulder, spinning on her feet to face the jackal. ¡°I can take care of myself,¡± she spoke, the stubborn blue rhythm visible from her eyes. ¡°Not a good idea,¡± Kaira repeated, her brows descending and a hand gently tugging the sand satchel at her waist open. The earth element¡¯s eyes darted around, noting several shifts in the lunar¡¯s body ¨C Taika¡¯s breathing shallowed, pupils dilated, fists clenched tight, weight shifted to her toes, tail fur bristled. She was ready to fight, even without the physical signs, Taika¡¯s rhythm was bursting at the seams. ¡°I will be accompanying you,¡± the jackal clarified. ¡°Colette will stay here with Rebecca.¡± The lunar fox remained rooted in place, still tensed up, her gaze studying the opposing Resonator. Her sand satchel had been covertly opened at some point in the conversation. Clever, Taika decided. ¡°Fine, you can come with,¡± she gave in ¨C having some extra muscle wouldn¡¯t hurt in case someone decided to hassle her over her element. People in Lyreann were less vocal about it, but she rationalized that it only took someone having one bad day before they decided to act on their distorted worldviews. ¡°I¡¯ll be back Colette,¡± Kaira replied, handing off the bagged breakfast to her Maestro. ¡°Oh ok,¡± said the Maestro, having not been informed of this course of action until the present moment. She¡¯d accept the bags of food, regardless. ¡°Come.¡± Kaira led the way. Taika stole one last glance at the bewildered Colette before following suit. Chapter 83 The walk down to the hospital was quiet, with Kaira showing Taika to the facility in question. In all honesty, the lunar vixen was grateful, as when they left the MA Office, she realized that she had no idea where Shouri was even being kept. Less than a five-minute trip got them into the building. The glass doors slid open automatically to let the two canine girls pass through. Kaira led Taika through the lobby to the elevator and they were taken to the fourth floor. Taika had never been in one of these places before. She read about them in her more modern novels she enjoyed, but it was always a different experience in person. The first and most noticeable thing was the smell. It smacked her like a slap to the face, causing her to wince when it hit her. It was a bitter scent, artificial. Lots of soaps and cleaner scents that she was vividly familiar with, but not in this particular mixture. Well, that wasn¡¯t true, she had experienced a similar odor before ¨C when her previous caretakers needed to ¡°clean up¡± after a particularly messy ¡°disagreement¡±. That in combination with the chilly air caused the lunar fox to hug herself and shiver. Trying not to lose herself in memories of the past, she focused on the sights they passed by. It was bright ¨C the overhead lights making sure the bright white hallways popped that much more. Her ears flicked as she took in the ambient noise - it was quiet but loud all at the same time. The cacophony of machinery humming away with the beeps emitted from the variety of devices would certainly be an adjustment she¡¯d have to get used to. The people were quiet, speaking low, though not low enough to escape Taika¡¯s hearing. ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do. The healing was administered too late and the damage was too extensive, I¡¯m sorry.¡± The fox stopped in place, her eyes locked forward as Kaira continued without her. The voice was that of a doctor talking to a patient¡¯s family in the room to the left of Taika. The door was slightly closed, but again, her hearing was just too sensitive ¨C it was as if they were screaming at her. Despairing sobs soon followed. A man clad in white stepped out of the room. ¡°Oh pardon me.¡± The doctor stepped around Taika. ¡°Wait!¡± The fox called out to the man. He stopped, turning to the Resonator. ¡°Can I help you?¡± He asked. ¡°There wasn¡¯t anything you could do¡­?¡± She questioned. The man mulled those words over, his eyes reaching Taika¡¯s big, fluffy ears. ¡°I keep telling them they need to soundproof these rooms better.¡± The doctor shook his head. ¡°While I am not at liberty to discuss the patient¡¯s specifics, healing magic is not absolute, especially when not administered immediately.¡± He explained. ¡°My Maestro always tells us that.¡± Taika nodded slowly. ¡°You have a very intelligent Maestro ¨C not many realize that until it''s too late.¡± The doctor nodded. ¡°As soon as an injury occurs, order begins to take over and overwrite the chaos of the injury, even if that leads to death.¡± The doctor paused, lowering his voice. ¡°Death is just as orderly as life.¡± Another pause. ¡°No one likes to hear that.¡± Taika remained silent for a moment. ¡°I want to learn medicine.¡± She muttered. A smile rose on the man¡¯s lips. ¡°A very noble goal ¨C I wish you the best of luck.¡± His words were genuine, a surprise for sure. ¡°Have a good day.¡± And with that, he departed to tend to the next patient. Taika remained where she stood, a storm of thoughts raging in her mind. ¡°Taika?¡± Kaira¡¯s voice pulled her out of the mental tornado she found herself trapped in. The lunar shook her head, addressing the jackal. ¡°Mi dispiace,¡± she muttered. ¡°Where is Sho¡¯s room?¡± Kaira was silent for a moment before turning. ¡°This way.¡± She continued leading the way. They reached Room 409, finding Shouri and Pacifica. ¡°Sho.¡± Taika raised her voice, drawing attention to her presence. ¡°Taika.¡± The other two spoke in unison. The lunar and water Resonators'' eyes met. There was a complicated series of emotions passed between the two. Taika couldn¡¯t help the anger she felt. How did Pacifica let Shouri get like this? They trusted her to keep him safe. She knew how their Maestro behaved; she should have been more alert. Taika wouldn¡¯t have let this happen. And to a socially savvy Resonator like Pacifica, Taika might as well have screamed her feelings. The otter lowered her head shamefully. They both thought she was weak ¨C both Rebecca and Taika confirmed Pacifica¡¯s fears. ¡°Leave.¡± Taika trembled with anger. Pacifica¡¯s head snapped up. ¡°But-!¡± ¡°Leave.¡± Taika raised her voice. ¡°I¡¯m staying with Sho until he gets better,¡± she demanded. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Shouri said nothing. He folded his arms across his chest but stayed out of the two Resonators'' argument. Likewise, Kaira remained quiet. ¡°N-no!¡± Pacifica stood, shaking not with anger like Taika, but fear. ¡°Let me look after him.¡± ¡°Absolutely not. You-¡± Taika stopped herself just short. She wanted to throw the blame directly in the otter¡¯s face. But they were still friends. It was too cruel. Taking in a breath, Taika pivoted her reasoning. ¡°I still need to recover ¨C I¡¯m not healing as fast as Rebby did when she was sick. I need Sho¡¯s rhythm.¡± She paused to take another breath. ¡°And I¡¯m his duet partner, he¡¯ll recover faster if we etude.¡± Her blue rhythm flickered behind her eyes. Pacifica refused her fellow Resonator¡¯s gaze. Just seeing that sad weakened rhythm from her friend easily convinced Pacifica. Shouri finally voiced his opinion. ¡°I agree with Taika. You need to sleep anyway.¡± Another dose of salt for the wound, making Pacifica wilt further. ¡°Stop that. Take care of yourself please.¡± Shouri replied. ¡°They might be mad at you-¡± Taika jumped at the accusation. ¡°-but I¡¯m not. I was the one who jumped in the way, not you.¡± The Maestro turned his gaze up at the bodyguard in the corner. ¡°Kaira, please tell Rebecca that I said not to give Pacifica any shit. If I hear anything about that, she¡¯s going to have to answer to me,¡± Shouri dictated to the jackal. ¡°I will let her know,¡± Kaira agreed to the request. With that out of the way, Shouri turned his attention to the water Resonator. ¡°Let me know if she gives you any crap.¡± Pacifica grunted, averting his gaze. ¡°Paci, I mean it. This is a direct order to you both. You don¡¯t deserve any more crap than you¡¯ve already taken. I don¡¯t want you hurting yourself over this,¡± Shouri said. All this earned was another unintelligible noise from the otter as she continued to keep her eyes firmly away from her Maestro. ¡°I¡¯m going to check in on you, so you better be honest with me.¡± ¡°Like I could lie to you,¡± she grumbled. ¡°Good, now go get some rest.¡± He offered her tuner to her. Keeping her head down, Pacifica took her tuner and sulked to the door. Kaira nodded to herself; that went smoother than she had expected. It was almost a bit jarring to see Shouri being so strict with his team, he usually was so open and let them do what they wanted. To be fair, all of this was for their good. The stoic Resonator cracked a smile ¨C Shouri knew when to be stern and when to be gentle. A masterful display indeed. ¡°Let Colette know what¡¯s up for me,¡± he requested of the jackal. Kaira nodded. ¡°Of course, Maestro Shouri.¡± With their departure, Taika and Shouri were left alone, Taika closing the door behind them. She turned to her Maestro, stepping over and taking the seat Pacifica previously occupied. The two occupants of the room remained silent for some time. ¡°Oh, here.¡± Taika broke up the silence to relinquish her tuner to its owner. ¡°Thank you.¡± He accepted the device and checked on her status. Status: Illness ¡°Hrm.¡± The Maestro set the tuner next to him and palmed around the side of the bed for a moment. Taika squeaked in surprise as the bed suddenly began to lower with a loud mechanical whirr. Reaching back, Shouri messed with the guard railing until he was able to release it and push it down. Lastly, he scooched over, resting on the extreme right edge of the bed. ¡°Come here.¡± He motioned to the spot he had just opened up for the vixen. Hesitantly she accepted his offer and crawled into bed. ¡°Wow, this isn¡¯t very comfy,¡± she noted. The Maestro reached around pulling his precious Resonator close. ¡°Not at all.¡± He chuckled. ¡°But you¡¯ll make it bearable,¡± the boy whispered. Taika gulped, her heart racing. When did he get this smooth? Did he start reading romance novels?? He wrapped his left arm around the back of her head and linked his right hand with her left (being mindful not to rest their joined hands on his wound). ¡°Ahhh¡­ that¡¯s so much better,¡± Shouri sighed in relief. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Taika breathed out, unable to suppress her pleasured smile. The duet laid there for some time, enjoying each other¡¯s presence both physically and rhythmically. ¡°Sho, I think I know what I want to do,¡± Taika spoke up, her voice at a whisper. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± he asked. ¡°I want to be a doctor.¡± She squeezed his hand, smiling warmly. ¡°So when this happens again I can patch you up myself.¡± The vixen giggled. ¡°I¡¯m your partner, I should be the one to heal you.¡± She nuzzled his shoulder. The Maestro couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°You¡¯re such an enabler.¡± He closed his eyes relishing in the moment. ¡°But I wouldn¡¯t have it any other way.¡± Chapter 84 Red eyes slowly fluttered open on the morning of the 10th of July. However, that only became apparent as Rebecca checked her tuner, holding it overhead. The days were bleeding together at this point and it was hard for her to conceptualize the passage of time. She sighed, allowing her arm to drop, remaining sprawled out in the comically oversized bed, alone. Over the past month and a half of being Shouri¡¯s Resonator, she had slowly gotten used to living this strange, albeit free life. Anything she wanted was just an ask away. He was so good to her and she didn¡¯t know what she did to deserve it. But in the same respect she still very much relied on her Maestro for direction. With him temporarily out of the picture, there was nothing for her to do except lie listlessly on the bed. How dull. Raising her head was the other occupant of the room, banished to the couch, Pacifica. She was curled up on the couch breathing softly Thwump! Back down Rebecca¡¯s head went, idly staring at the shiny white ceiling. Yesterday certainly was one of the days of all time.
The day prior¡­ There was a knock at the door to room thirty-six. Rebecca laid on the couch, letting the TV play whatever it wanted. She didn¡¯t make any moves to answer the tapping. No, that was up to Colette, who had been at the desk working on schoolwork or something (Rebecca didn¡¯t care to ask). ¡°Coming!¡± Colette cried out, dropping her pen and rushing to the door. Sure enough, it was Kaira as had been expected. However, the second Resonator accompanying her wasn¡¯t Taika, but Pacifica. Rebecca sat up, the red stream of emotions flowing through her anew. As Pacifica slowly stepped into the room, her exhaustion was apparent. Even without the physical signs, her rhythm was as weak as Taika¡¯s ¨C that is to say, if she wasn¡¯t physically ill, she certainly was pressing her luck with her rhythm. The two Resonator¡¯s eyes met. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Pacifica mumbled, quickly refusing her counterpart¡¯s pointed gaze. Rebecca¡¯s brows descended. There was so much she wanted to say, but she bit her tongue. Instead, the vixen got up from the couch. ¡°Here.¡± She motioned to it. The otter hesitated for a moment before she trudged over to it and collapsed onto it in a heap. In an instant, she had fallen asleep. ¡°She hasn¡¯t been sleeping well,¡± Kaira told the other Resonator. ¡°Taika¡¯s with Sho now, I can rest easy knowing that too,¡± Rebecca grumbled. ¡°You think Pacifica is at fault?¡± the jackal asked. ¡°She knows better than that. She shouldn¡¯t have let her guard down,¡± the fire Resonator growled. ¡°That¡¯s not fair. You don¡¯t even know what happened,¡± Kaira retorted. Rebecca spun to face the jackal, baring her fangs as she did so. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have let that happen.¡± ¡°Correct. But you wouldn¡¯t have gotten the same results,¡± Kaira countered Such a quick rebuttal disarmed the fox. ¡°Are you saying it¡¯s good he got stabbed?¡± It was taking all of Rebecca¡¯s willpower not to scream at the earth Resonator. Those nasty feelings welled up again, her previous aggression towards Pacifica being directed at the earth jackal who stood before her. Kaira ignored the intense scowl being thrown her way and continued her explanation. ¡°She refused to strike him and even struggled with it when she was cornered ¨C she was concerned more for his health than her own.¡± ¡°But she knows how Sho is! Sho would never let her get hurt like that!¡± Rebecca hissed, stomping in frustration at the other Resonator¡¯s perceived lack of understanding. All the anger earned her was a pitiable head shake from the earth-Resonator. ¡°Why should she take the blame for other people¡¯s decisions? Our rhythm makes us more resilient than our Maestros, and yet Maestro Shouri still threw himself in front of that attack knowing all this,¡± Kaira explained calmly. ¡°He even knocked Zino to the ground after he himself was struck.¡± Rebecca¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Sho¡­ hit him?¡± she gasped in disbelief. It was one thing for Shouri to resort to physical violence, but it was another for him to have struck so hard that he managed to knock the dinosaurian straight off his feet. ¡°The adrenaline probably saved his life if I¡¯m being honest,¡± Kaira quipped. ¡°Hrm¡­¡± And now Rebecca was conflicted. She didn¡¯t want to admit it, but Kaira was probably right. She stole a glance at the sleeping Pacifica. Even so¡­ she should have known ¨C she should have done anything to stop that from happening! ¡°Stop looking for someone to blame,¡± Kaira said. She turned and sat in the nearby recliner. ¡°You¡¯re just wasting your time.¡± The jackal pulled a book she had stowed in the cushion and opened it up, picking back up reading where she had left off. ¡°Hrmph.¡± The ombr¨¦ vixen folded her arms across her chest, turning her head away in a huff. ¡°Can¡¯t tell me how to feel.¡± Though Rebecca said that, what was this doubt welling up in her?
Back to the present, Rebecca let out a sigh. Why couldn¡¯t things be simple? It should just be black and white, what was with this¡­ greyness? So annoying¡­ The next time Rebecca opened her eyes was when there was a knock on the door. ¡°Urgh¡­¡± She sat up, meeting eyes with Pacifica who had also sat up. ¡°I got it.¡± The otter rose from the couch and shuffled to the door. Rebecca swung her feet off the bed. She sighed once again, hunching over and staring blankly at the ground. ¡°Here.¡± Kaira presented a take-out container to Rebecca, breakfast. The fire fox regarded the box with confusion as if she couldn¡¯t identify what she was looking at for a moment. After the gears in her brain finally clicked, she accepted it but left it unopened for the moment still in her feelings. Kaira remained still for a moment, regarding the fox that remained alone on the bed. After getting her fill of that the jackal returned to the couch to sit with Colette and Pacifica who were quietly eating their food. Alone on her side of the room, Rebecca just stewed in her emotions. She eventually caved to hunger and picked at her breakfast. Even with the distraction of sustenance, she continued to spiral until she finally had enough. The fox rose from the bed. ¡°I¡¯m going to see Sho,¡± she declared. Colette opened her mouth to say something, but Kaira motioned for her silence. Rebecca felt the three pairs of eyes on her as she got ready to leave. She ignored them by doing most of her prep in the bathroom, swapping out her velvety pajamas for her everyday wear. Given how rough the past few days had gone, she took some extra time to brush her hair and tail before deciding she looked presentable enough to see her Maestro. Finally, she departed the bathroom and made her way to the door, continuing to disregard the gazes on her back. She brushed a hand down her side, confirming her tuner was at her waist. ¡°I¡¯ll be back,¡± she announced before taking her leave. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. There wasn¡¯t a waver in her step as she navigated the hallways of the Maestro¡¯s quarters. However, she came to a stop when she hit the lobby, finding a certain pair that elicited complicated feelings in the young fox. ¡°Ah, those beds aren¡¯t quite up to snuff, are they?¡± one Elijah Klein addressed his Resonator. ¡°Mrrpgh, don¡¯t really care,¡± Zino grumbled. Rebecca¡¯s initial intention was to just blitz past them and make her way down to the hospital to see Shouri. But instead, she stepped over to the pair, stopping just short of them. ¡°Hey,¡± she spoke up, determination in her voice. ¡°Oh, Miiiiss¡­ Rebecca? Right?¡± Elijah raised a brow, recalling he had heard her name but was never introduced to her properly. Her posture certainly wasn¡¯t one of wanting a casual conversation, she had approached them with intent. Her eyes weren¡¯t directed at him, but at the Resonator by his side, Zino. Zino nodded, leaving the Maestro out of the silent conversation. Said Maestro followed the two Resonators to the front counter. ¡°We¡¯re using the dirt court for a spar,¡± Rebecca told the attendant. Without missing a beat, the front-desk worker checked something on their computer. ¡°It is available at the moment. How long will you need it for?¡± they asked. ¡°Fifteen minutes, tops,¡± the vixen said with a smirk. Elijah hummed and stroked his chin in thought. The attendant turned their attention to the Maestro behind them. ¡°Is that okay with you sir?¡± the MA Office worker asked. ¡°Why are you asking me? They¡¯re the ones who wish to battle,¡± Elijah chuckled with a shrug. ¡°If you¡¯re looking for someone to foot the bill for collateral damage, just send the bill to the Klein Foundation, tell them Elijah authorized it.¡± The employee jumped at that name. ¡°Yes sir!¡± Rebecca shot a glance back at the mysterious Maestro but quickly dismissed it. She trembled, not from fear, but excitement.
¡°You better not disappoint me, mammal!¡± Zino shouted. ¡°I was about to say the same thing, lizard!¡± Rebecca grinned toothily. The dinosaur and fox stood opposite of one another on the dirt battlefield that was hosted in the back of the campus. Most Maestro Affair¡¯s Offices had one of these in addition to their indoor facilities. The indoor facilities had all kinds of amenities and customization allowing the combatants to change the battlefield conditions, but there was nothing like just good old-fashioned dirt under one¡¯s feet. It was mid-morning, so the foot traffic around the campus had picked up. As such there were a few interested Maestros and their Resonators that had gathered around the impromptu match that had been organized. ¡°Do try not to kill each other. I¡¯d rather not have the front desk become cross with me!¡± Elijah called out to the pair of Resonators, though neither acknowledged him. A breeze blew over the battlefield as the two combatants refused to tear their gazes from each other. Zino flexed the digits of his hands, licking his lips in anticipation. Rebecca slowly rose to her toes, her heels sparking at the ready. Elijah sighed and shrugged, shaking his head. ¡°Oh well.¡± He grinned. ¡°Nothing I say will dissuade them.¡± Taking in a deep breath he held it for a moment before raising a hand straight up into the air. ¡°Zino versus Rebecca!¡± he declared like a thunderclap which boldly contrasted his normally soft, but elegant voice. ¡°This is a one-on-one battle with no substitutions! Goal is twenty-five percent rhythm remaining! Let the battle begin!¡± It started in an instant. Rebecca vanished in a burst of flames, reappearing in front of Zino. The dinosaur¡¯s eyes went wide as a cold sweat permeated his form. Time slowed to a crawl within that fraction of time allowing him to re-consider his current situation. He was only able to find where his adversary was when it was too late. Rebecca had cleared the distance and slid into a position where she was low to the ground. As she positioned herself, she brought one of her legs back and shot it skyward like a spring, the ball of her foot shooting up like a rocket. Zino clearly was not used to dealing with such a blazingly fast opponent as Rebecca¡¯s attack hit true, not only making contact with the Dinosaurian¡¯s sternum but propelling him high into the sky. The Renard spun around, moving her legs back under her and jumping into the sky at top speed. While he hung helplessly in the air, Zino took another round of attacks, as Rebecca chased him skyward to continue her assault. She juggled him with three kicks before she lost out to gravity and her quarry fell back to the ground with a thud. Zino wasn¡¯t done - as when he hit the ground, he was finally able to arm himself, pulling his signature dirt claws out of the battlefield beneath him. But he couldn¡¯t go on the offensive, only able to bring them up to block the dive kick from the still airborne fox. She kicked off of him finally landing and skidding back. ¡°Fuck fuck!¡± Zino cursed, punching back into the dirt to make new claws. ¡°What¡¯s wrong lizard!? You were talking some of that good shit a minute ago!¡± Rebecca roared, her eyes blazing wildly with red rhythm. ¡°This mammal is fucking crazy,¡± Zino grumbled, rising to his feet. As this beat-down was occurring, Elijah¡¯s eyes were on his tuner. Elijah Klein Resonator: Zino Species: Demi-Human (Therizinosaurus) Element: Earth Attribute: Fossil Rhythm: 21% (!!!) Status: Singed (Hands) ¡°Even with his claws to protect him, she was still able to inflict singeing on him. What world-class power,¡± the Maestro observed quietly to himself. His eyes rested on the twenty-one percent rhythm. Normally the tuner would stop both combatants from receiving rhythm at this point to prevent the battle from continuing. However, the current battlers were using their own rhythm for this scuffle, and what¡¯s more, Zino had no intention of backing down. Even though this was his loss. The dinosaur charged the fire fox, claws out and at the ready. Rebecca relaxed her posture as he approached. He brought a claw down to slice the Renard to ribbons, but she was just out of his reach. Another swipe, another miss. No matter how many times he tried to land a blow, he always came out just short of his target. Zino pulled back one of his claws, forming it into a single lethal point. He thrust it forward with all of his might. As his deadly drill approached the fire fox he heard two words from his adversary: ¡°I¡¯m bored.¡± THWACK! ¡­and then it all went black. Chapter 85 ¡°Willpower is defensive, the Resonator¡¯s rhythm is more resilient against damage. Knowledge allows the Resonator to move tactically around the battlefield.¡± ¡°But emotion, that¡¯s the risky man¡¯s card ¨C The Resonator needs to be invested in the battle. If so, they can generate insane power. Power that can break the sturdiest defenses.¡± Taika¡¯s eyes fluttered open. Who was talking? It was a voice she didn¡¯t recognize. She sat up from the couch she was sleeping on. Shouri was right where she had left him, but who was the blond guy sitting by the bedside? And when did Rebecca get here? ¡°Buongiorno Sho.¡± The lunar fox rubbed the sleep from her eyes, in an attempt to better study the newcomer. ¡°Chi ¨¨ questo tizio?¡± she directed at Rebecca, hoping to get some idea of who this random stranger was before deciding how to address him. It was not Rebecca however, who responded, but the stranger in question. And he responded in a way Taika hadn¡¯t anticipated. ¡°Ciao, mi chiamo Elijah Klein. Piacere di conoscerla, signorina.¡± He bowed while remaining seated. ¡°Che?¡± Taika blinked. She hadn¡¯t ever had a Maestro speak Naturalian at her. Shoot, outside of her birthplace she hadn¡¯t heard anyone else speak Naturalian. Sure, other Resonators understood her just fine, but they only ever spoke back to her in Maelish. It was disarming to hear another speak her native tongue. ¡°My father says if you speak a language one understands, it goes to their head, however, if you speak their language it goes to their heart. And the heart is the key in business,¡± Elijah chuckled knowingly. ¡°In our modern world we only have two choices of tongue, I imagine such a feat would be far more difficult in the world of the past where many different languages flourished.¡± The enigmatic Maestro shrugged. Shouri himself finally decided to enter the conversation. ¡°You¡¯re the heir to the Klein Foundation, right?¡± he asked for clarification. ¡°The one and only,¡± Elijah replied, once more making grandiose motions with his arms as if he were reintroducing himself. ¡°Though if my father has any concubines in his employ, neither I nor the public are aware of them,¡± he added with a titter. Taika¡¯s confusion was practically broadcast from a rhythmic perspective, Shouri feeling a strong tug on his rhythm. ¡°The Klein Foundation produces pretty much everything related to competitive Resonator combat. The stadiums, products, and even the duelists themselves they have a hand in sponsoring. Since Resonator battling stands on par with Scherzando hunting in terms of revenue, they are an exceedingly wealthy family with a ton of power behind just their name,¡± Shouri explained. Elijah remained quiet, content to hold a smile as his family¡¯s business was laid out for the curious fox. Rebecca nodded in the affirmative as well, having witnessed the weight of the Klein name being used just this morning. ¡°Anyways, mister Tomoshibi, as I was saying before. Miss Rebecca has terrifyingly high potential. That is to say, it depends on her. Emotion-staved Resonators like her must be invested in every battle, otherwise their potential is squandered. They¡¯re tricky to utilize but some of our best have mastered them,¡± Elijah went on. Shouri slowly nodded. ¡°Rebecca?¡± He glanced over at the fire Resonator in question. ¡°Yeah, I like to fight, but I¡¯m not interested in any of that competitive nonsense. Too stuffy,¡± she replied curtly. ¡°There you have it, mister Klein,¡± Shouri smirked, knowing full well the answer as soon as Elijah had made his initial proposition. The Klein family''s heir hummed and frowned. ¡°That¡¯s a shame. Miss Rebecca made quick work of Zino. I only say this in his absence, but it was so one-sided it was like watching a newborn try to fight an avalanche. There was never any hope he would so much as harm a hair on Miss Rebecca¡¯s head.¡± Elijah shrugged and shook his head, pitying his own Resonator. ¡°You probably should have stopped him if you knew,¡± Shouri pointed out. ¡°I can¡¯t stop him when he gets like that,¡± Elijah countered nonchalantly. ¡°It¡¯s kind of your job,¡± Shouri retorted back. ¡°You have a very interesting way of going about things Shouri.¡± The boy laughed heartily. ¡°I¡¯ve met countless Maestros in my time, but you are by far the most intriguing individual.¡± He allowed himself a moment to gather his thoughts. ¡°That¡¯s why I wish to inquire once more: teach me your methods. Your Resonators are unflinchingly loyal, they will defend your name even in your absence, they are extraordinarily powerful, and you exude a rhythm that crushes one like myself.¡± Another pause by the Klein heir. ¡°But I think you¡¯re the cure to my problem. I think over drugs, rubato crystals, and all other treatments; I think your impossible etude, if I could emulate only a fraction of it, I could stand as a Maestro worthy of Zino.¡± Shouri hummed in thought. ¡°Well for starters, you not blaming Zino for your own problems is a step in the right direction,¡± he mused aloud. ¡°Zino has to pull his weight,¡± Rebecca chimed in. ¡°Etude is a two-way street,¡± she commented, earning a nod of agreement from her own Maestro. ¡°Too true.¡± Shouri mulled over what he wanted to say. ¡°I think our¡­ situation is quite unique, but at least our way of doing things might get you and Zino in the right direction,¡± he decided after a moment of thought. ¡°Excellent! Excellent!¡± Elijah was certainly pleased with this turn of events. ¡°I will consider you under my employ for the time, so anything you need, the Klein Foundation will be happy to provide,¡± he added. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Naturally, such a generous offer surprised Shouri. The Klein Foundation was THE company of all time, they controlled probably the most wealth in the entire world. So to say any of their resources were now at his fingertips, it was as if the world itself was offered to Shouri on a silver platter. But of course, this was being provided by the child of the head of the family. The brunet Maestro was a bit suspicious of that offer. ¡°Have you consulted your father at all about this?¡± he questioned. ¡°Why of course! He was also quite impressed with your handling of Zino. It¡¯s not a stretch of the imagination to say he is aware of Zino¡¯s tendencies. Any Maestro who has gained Zino¡¯s respect is one worth keeping an eye on, not even going into the fact that you cured him of his ailment with such efficiency and discretion is worth a spot in our company¡¯s payroll,¡± Elijah explained. ¡°Right.¡± There was much brewing in Shouri¡¯s mind right now, but having the most powerful family at his back right now, he wanted to capitalize on it. ¡°Elijah. I want the Klein Foundation to look into something for me.¡± His voice was unusually low, which both Rebecca and Taika picked up on ¨C what was he about to ask for? ¡°Certainly! Anything in the world! What do you need?¡± ¡°I want to find a certain Resonator ¨C a Fire-Shielding cat named Mila.¡±
¡°Do you think they¡¯ll find her?¡± Taika asked after Elijah had taken his leave. ¡°If they really can¡¯t find her¡­¡± Shouri paused for a moment. ¡°I¡¯ll have them put up a grave for her back home,¡± he spoke quietly. Taika and Rebecca both went quiet, refusing to look at their Maestro ¨C the implication was obvious and strong. ¡°So when are they letting you out of here bossman?¡± Rebecca said, attempting to distract from the heavy subject. Shouri was more than happy to change topics ¡°My rhythm burn has worn off, so they¡¯re going to have Taika heal me tonight and double-check that I¡¯m good to go with some scans,¡± Shouri explained. ¡°Why Taika and not one of their own healers?¡± Rebecca queried. ¡°Since we have a strong etude, her healing will always be more effective on me than anyone else,¡± the Maestro replied. He threw himself back into his pillow. ¡°Thank god too, I¡¯m so sick of these health shakes they keep feeding me,¡± the Maestro grumbled, side-eying one that remained half-filled as his ¡°breakfast¡± for the day. ¡°I¡¯m excited,¡± Taika chimed in. ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Rebecca raised a brow. ¡°I¡¯ve¡­ decided I want to be a doctor,¡± she admitted to her fellow fox. ¡°So being able to help real doctors with healing someone is just want I want right now.¡± The lunar fox twiddled her thumbs. ¡°We can go look into getting you a medical bag and supplies tomorrow, kind of like the one Lee had.¡± Shouri patted the vixen¡¯s head, earning a giggle. She then pulled her tuner out of her pocket. ¡°Oh, can I get these books?¡± she asked, turning the screen to the Maestro. He accepted the device and looked her selections over. ¡°These are the ones Lee recommended to you?¡± Shouri asked. Taika nodded eagerly in response. Rebecca watched as Taika enthusiastically talked about all the stuff she wanted to do. It drew some contemplation from the fire fox. Shouri was the kind of Maestro who encouraged them to be more than just a Resonator. Elijah¡¯s words came to mind, how it was a shame Rebecca wasn¡¯t interested in the professional battling circuit. It was a shame, only because her training wouldn¡¯t be put to use. Sure, they made a pretty sharp hunting Scherzando and all, but outside the really big ones, they weren¡¯t a challenge. What could she do with her life? She was basically free. Staying with Shouri was a top priority of hers, she¡¯d never get this kind of treatment from any other Maestro. ¡°Hrmph.¡± The vixen was frustrated. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Shouri¡¯s voice drew Rebecca from her thoughts. ¡°Nothing!¡± she snapped back instinctively. His disapproving frown told her how he felt about that blatant lie. Her eyes darted between Taika and the bed. ¡°It¡¯s personal.¡± Once more a quick shot of her eyes bounced between her fellow Resonator and anywhere else in the room. ¡°I see.¡± Shouri hummed. ¡°Taika.¡± He looked at the lunar fox. ¡°Yes, Sho?¡± She perked up when called on. ¡°Can you go to the nurses¡¯ station and ask them to get breakfast for you and Rebecca?¡± he requested. ¡°Like last night with dinner?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Alright, be right back.¡± And with that, Rebecca and Shouri had a moment alone. He wasn¡¯t slick, and Rebecca knew what he was doing as soon as he called Taika¡¯s name. Regardless, she still spoke her mind. ¡°I dunno what to do. You have a talent for robbing a girl of her purpose,¡± Rebecca admitted. ¡°Your purpose was never to be a thing. I¡¯ll help you find what you want to do,¡± Shouri adamantly declared. Rebecca swooned, lowering her head. ¡°I¡¯m not clear on the details at the moment, but I think we can collectively decide what we¡¯re going to do with our lives.¡± Shouri reached over and pushed Rebecca¡¯s chin up. ¡°I mean, we¡¯ve got a long long time to work it out, right?¡± He grinned toothily. Poor Rebecca could do nothing but nod, her voice stuck in her throat as her heart attempted to beat its way out of her chest. The way he was so open and honest with her ¨C there was part of her that hated it, though that part was a loud minority, deep down she was absolutely loving every second of it. Chapter 86 Taika took in a deep breath and held it. She was a healer. That wasn¡¯t just an extension of her magical capabilities ¨C it was who she was. As much as she could fight, her real calling was to ease people¡¯s suffering, to bring her order to the chaos of the universe. Her magic was an extension of her very soul. And Shouri was counting on her. Her partner, the Maestro who chose her out of every other Resonator in the world, the one who approached her and said ¡°You, I want you.¡± Releasing her held breath, she opened her eyes. It was just her and Shouri, Rebecca having been sent back to the MA Office for the moment. ¡°Relax Taika, it¡¯s fine.¡± Shouri smiled at her. ¡°I trust you.¡± That was the worst thing he could say, especially being as heartfelt as he was, it just made her swoon and lose focus. Though she¡¯d snap back to reality when the doctor returned. Behind him was a nurse pushing a cart full of medical equipment, hopefully, they wouldn¡¯t require it when she was through. ¡°Alright Shouri, are you ready?¡± the doctor asked. ¡°Don¡¯t ask me, ask her.¡± He motioned to Taika. The doctor scrutinized the lunar fox for a moment. She wore a determined gaze, nervous, but determined all the same. ¡°Your etude is certainly strong. Only someone who thoroughly cares would be as nervous as she is.¡± He nodded, approving of the Resonator. The doctor lowered Shouri¡¯s bed, flattening it out so the Maestro was laid out as flat as possible. ¡°Excuse me.¡± The doctor moved the boy¡¯s gown up exposing his bandaged mid-section. ¡°This might sting a little bit, but I¡¯m going to remove your bandages. An etude expert like yourself must know rhythm passes most efficiently through direct touch,¡± they spoke slowly and gently. Shouri simply held a thumbs up and the nurse accompanying the doctor got to work delicately removing the dressing over the patient¡¯s wound. Taika¡¯s resolve flickered upon seeing the true nature of what lurked underneath the bandages keeping her Maestro together, her heart raced with fear. How did he survive this!? It was such a big wound, making a line from the bottom of his rib cage down to his gut. ¡°First time?¡± The doctor remained calm in the face of the wound. ¡°I probably looked worse before they cleaned me up,¡± Shouri chuckled, trying not to put any more strain on the wound than needed. ¡°Most of the hard work has been done,¡± the doctor told Taika. ¡°If we lived in a world without magic, he certainly could have died from this wound, it would have been impossible to stabilize him long enough to get him into surgery,¡± they advised her. ¡°Even with the limits of your magic, do know you can still make miracles happen with the tools at your disposal.¡± Taika nodded. The nurse stepped around the bed and cleaned Taika and Shouri¡¯s hands with disinfectant. ¡°Take her hand,¡± the nurse instructed Shouri, who did as he was told. Next was the instructions for Taika. ¡°Now rest your hand on the center of the wound, be careful not to apply any pressure, and let it sit naturally.¡± With no hesitation, Taika gently laid her hand over her Maestro¡¯s wound. ¡°Excellent.¡± The doctor nodded. ¡°Go ahead and cast La Bella Vita at Presto rank please, use the Staccato modifier,¡± they advised the Maestro. ¡°Got it.¡± Shouri paused, focusing on his rhythm and connection with Taika. ¡°La Bella Vita, Rubato,¡± he cast in defiance of the instructions given. ¡°What?! Don¡¯t!¡± the doctor shouted. ¡°Relax,¡± Shouri said as Taika¡¯s hand began to glow with a warm light. ¡°I trust her.¡± Despite giving his healer full access to his rhythm, Shouri noted she was controlling it perfectly fine ¨C his trust was not misplaced (not that he ever doubted his loyal fox for a moment). Taika meanwhile focused on the task at hand, there was a reason they wanted to limit her output. Magic could heal too fast, at least in deep wounds like this is what she reasoned out. Her Maestros flow of knowledge-rich rhythm coursed through her network of rhythm making her thoughts crystal clear and focused. A will she wanted to exert upon her healing: start deep, heal out from the furthest point of damage, ease the chaos away, and chase it from her Maestro¡¯s core. That¡¯s how she directed her magic to function, ease it out, gently, slowly, free him from his pain. Those are the thoughts that floated around in her head as she committed herself to the task. Healing surface wounds didn¡¯t require this much concentration. Shoot, she didn¡¯t even need this much focus when Rebecca decided it would be funny to compress Andi¡¯s face with her foot when they ¡°sparred¡± three weeks ago. This injury was the real deal. Shouri really¡­ could have easily¡­ died. She felt her rhythm shift as the intrusive line of thinking shook her. No! She dismissed that dreadful thought away with a quick burst of her rhythm. Even if she was still getting over an ailment of her own, he needed her to be strong. He NEEDED her. She was NEEDED. The vixen¡¯s eyes opened, blue rhythm wildly raging behind her eyes, glowing with such firm conviction and ferocity that the doctor and nurse were robbed of speech. A stubborn healer is a good healer. BEEEEEEEP! La Bella Vita Presto ¨C Allegro ¨C Moderato ¨C Adagio ¨C Lento (New!)
Healing is the slowest magic. Perhaps that is why the practice of medicine is so slow. No matter what part of the process they found themselves in, a patient is always subjected to waiting. Waiting waiting waiting And it¡¯s not without its own stress, as Taika and Shouri knew full well. It was about eleven at night by this point, they sat in a little lobby just outside the Radiology Department of Lyreann General Hospital. ¡°What was that machine Sho?¡± Taika asked her Maestro finally able to sate a particular curiosity. It was a strange set of affairs after she had completed her spell. They were taken to this other wing of the building and Shouri was laid on a flat surface in front of a machine that looked like a giant doughnut with a hole in the middle. The ¡°doughnut¡± moved back and forth over Shouri. Taika recalled the noise, it was quite loud, with knocking and buzzing ¨C she couldn¡¯t imagine what it was like actually being in the room since she was with the technicians in a separate room observing the procedure. Occasionally they stopped the machine to look at some very confusing computer screens, dictate some instructions to Shouri, and begin the process anew. It was all hopelessly confusing for the poor fox and she didn¡¯t know what to make of it all. She just trusted these professionals knew what they were doing and would elucidate herself after the fact when she could speak with Shouri. And speak he did: ¡°That was a giant body scanner, an MRI I think it¡¯s called. Uses some fancy technology to scan the inside of your body without having to tear you open.¡± His tone was far more upbeat than previously. In fact, it was the best he had felt in days. He held Taika¡¯s hand that sat next to his, just giddy to be finally rid of the pain that had plagued him. ¡°Why did they need to do that? You said you feel fine right?¡± she questioned. ¡°I feel fantastic right now. But they want to make sure it was fully effective, especially since I¡¯m rhythm burnt again,¡± the Maestro advised his curious Resonator. ¡°They don¡¯t want to send me off with a clean bill of health only to find out later we missed a spot and it cause complications.¡± Taika nodded slowly. It made sense, they were just being super extra careful. She squeezed his hand, smiling warmly. That was something she could appreciate. ¡°As soon as we get out of here, I¡¯m getting a triple burger. I¡¯m going to eat my weight in food,¡± Shouri decided, mouth already watering at the prospect of real food. ¡°That drink stuff was really bad, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Taika chuckled sheepishly (though she was totally down for a triple patty burger of her own). ¡°You have no idea.¡± The young Maestro shuddered recalling his new nemesis, the ¡°health¡± smoothie. It was about this time when the door to the lobby opened and one of the technicians walked out with Shouri¡¯s attending physician. ¡°You¡¯re all set! Since you¡¯re rhythm burned again I highly recommend you take it easy for the next few days. No dangerous work, just rest, preferably somewhere safe,¡± the doctor told the Maestro. ¡°We¡¯ll be in the MA Office next door.¡± Shouri rose to his feet, Taika behind him like a shadow. ¡°And after everything we¡¯ve been through, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be going out into the field for a while,¡± Shouri chuckled, his hand unconsciously rubbing where his previous injury had been. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡°We can leave?¡± Taika asked hopefully. ¡°Yeah, just gotta dart back upstairs to grab my clothes and we can head back to our room at the MA Office,¡± he replied, patting the vixen on the head. ¡°One more thing,¡± the doctor spoke up. He looked specifically to Taika. ¡°You did excellent work in there ¨C I¡¯ve worked with my fair share of healers, and you have the right eyes for it.¡± The healer in question was taken aback. It was rare for people not related to her in some way to praise her, much less an expert in the field of study she had just decided to take on. ¡°Th-thank you.¡± She mulled over her words for a moment. ¡°I know magic can¡¯t fix everything though, so I want to learn medicine too,¡± she told the doctor. Which earned her an appreciative smile. ¡°That¡¯s wonderful to hear. I wish you the best of luck.¡± One didn¡¯t need to have a strong rhythmic sense or be a mind reader to feel the sincerity of those words.
¡°Damn, he really did a number on this huh?¡± Shouri had put his pants back on, but the shirt was another story. Holding it up, Taika got to see the extent of the damage. There was a huge hole in the front of it. Thankfully Zino didn¡¯t go all the way through the young Maestro, meaning the back was perfectly fine. ¡°This was reinforced to withstand pretty significant damage from rhythm-based attacks too,¡± he commented. ¡°What even happened?¡± Taika finally braved asking. It was late, they were still hanging out in Shouri¡¯s hospital room. Given the time, they were allowed to leave at their own pace ¨C this hospital wasn¡¯t hurting for space thankfully. ¡°He uses these dirt rhythm claws in battle. He charged at Pacifica with no intention of stopping, so I threw myself in between them,¡± Shouri replied. He paused for a moment. ¡°I¡­ was so mad that he tried to hurt her, I lashed back out at him,¡± he admitted shamefully. Taika raised a brow. ¡°How so?¡± she questioned. ¡°I hit him,¡± he mumbled. ¡°You did?¡± There was a measurable surprise in Taika¡¯s voice. ¡°I just¡­ threatening Pacifica like that, trying to hurt her so thoroughly, I just saw red and when he was in my range, I just swung at him,¡± Shouri quietly explained. ¡°Paci told me I got him pretty hard too, she says I knocked him flat on his back. Don¡¯t remember much of that, started bleeding out at that point,¡± he continued. ¡°Kaira is a fucking miracle worker with her sand, she managed to keep me compressed up so I didn¡¯t instantly bleed out until the emergency healers got there,¡± he added. After a moment of ruminating on that, the boy shook his head. Taika had wilted, quiet, thinking. ¡°Hey.¡± He pushed her chin up with a finger. ¡°Don¡¯t dwell on that, I¡¯m fine now, in part thanks to you.¡± He smiled. Her face rushed with blood thanks to her racing heart. ¡°You¡¯re the best Taika.¡± She could only offer a flustered squeak and nodded. That was one way to get her out of that funk. ¡°Anyways.¡± Shouri returned to his clothing situation. ¡°We¡¯ll need to do some shopping tomorrow.¡± He glanced over at his jacket, which vibrantly glowed thanks to the stellar job the nurses did cleaning it. Turned out the people who regularly worked with blood knew a thing or two about getting it out of clothing. Ultimately, he decided to just deal with the hole and wear his clothes like normal. He could zip up his jacket so no prying eyes could be concerned with the state of his outfit. Simple as. ¡°Let¡¯s get outta here.¡± He smiled at his faithful Resonator. ¡°Si!¡± she beamed back brightly.
BEEP! Click! Pacifica was stirred from her slumber by a sudden noise from the door. Did someone unlock it? She sat up just in time to be blinded by the hall lights. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± she asked groggily. ¡°Oh sorry, did we wake you?¡± a familiar voice asked. If she wasn¡¯t awake by now, Pacifica was surely snapped back into reality. ¡°Sho?!¡± The lights in the kitchen were flicked on revealing the return of her beloved Maestro as well as Taika. ¡°Sorry if we woke you,¡± Shouri apologized, setting some bags on the counter. ¡°Sho!¡± Pacifica bounded from the couch rushing into the kitchen, and almost tackling the poor boy to the ground, barely managing to keep them both standing. ¡°I missed you!¡± she exclaimed, holding him out by his shoulders. ¡°I missed you too Paci,¡± the boy said with a smile. Pacifica stepped away when she felt two pairs of eyes boring through her. ¡°We brought food since I haven¡¯t been allowed to eat real food!¡± Shouri dumped out a bag of cheap burgers onto the counter. ¡°Taika¡¯s got the fries,¡± he pointed out. The otter took a single burger for herself and quietly dismissed herself from the rest of the group. ¡°How are you back so soon?¡± Rebecca asked as she brushed past Pacifica, taking a wide circle around the counter to intentionally hit the other Resonator¡¯s shoulder with her own. Shouri¡¯s eyes narrowed for a moment, he exhaled sharply from his nostrils before addressing Rebecca. ¡°Taika did a good job healing me. I¡¯m rhythm burned again so we¡¯re gonna be taking it easy for the next few days, but I¡¯m back to perfect health,¡± he said, patting the fire fox on the head. ¡°Way to go Taika!¡± Rebecca exclaimed, smacking the other fox¡¯s back. ¡°Heh heh, I just did what I had to,¡± Taika giggled. While the two foxes chattered excitedly amongst themselves, Shouri¡¯s line of sight was fixed on the couch where Pacifica slowly unwrapped her single burger and took a small bite of it. His gaze drifted back to Taika and Rebecca, who were now dolling out the burgers and fries. Shouri grabbed a cup before they could devour it and walked it over to the couch. ¡°Here.¡± He held out the fries for Pacifica. The room went quiet. Pacifica stared up at her Maestro as if he had offered her a bar of gold. Shouri watched her gaze fall for a second before snapping back up. She opened her mouth, but Shouri spun around on his heel and faced the other two Resonators. They hadn¡¯t expected that motion so he caught their petty glares aimed at Pacifica. Busted. Now all three girls sat on the couch ¨C Pacifica trying to make herself small on one side, and the two foxes bunched up together on the other, avoiding their fellow Resonator as if she had a disease. ¡°You know.¡± Shouri stood over them, scowling at the trio. ¡°I don¡¯t like having to do this,¡± he told them. ¡°I¡¯d rather let you all do whatever you want.¡± He paused for a moment. ¡°But I¡¯m not about to deal with you three fighting.¡± His eyes focused on the two catty foxes. ¡°Especially when this whole situation was a decision I MADE,¡± he raised his voice, just shy of shouting. The trio flinched, not used to him taking such an authoritative tone with them. ¡°Do you two really think she wanted to see me hurt like this?¡± Shouri asked. ¡°But she-!¡± Rebecca was cut off, however. ¡°Answer the question,¡± said Shouri, his tone even. The two foxes hung their heads. ¡°N-no¡­¡± ¡°Non¡­¡± Shouri sighed, relaxing slightly. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it just to protect her,¡± he told the trio. Pacifica raised her head. ¡°She was trying so hard not to hurt him,¡± he revealed to the two not present at the incident. ¡°But, before I stepped in the way, I felt her take enough rhythm for a fortissimo. She was ready to defend herself.¡± Taika and Rebecca stared at their Maestro, waiting for his continuation. ¡°He wasn¡¯t going to stop, violence was the only language he was going to understand,¡± they could see the pure disgust on Shouri¡¯s face as he said this. ¡°The failure is mine. I shouldn¡¯t have hit him. Pacifica shouldn¡¯t have been driven to a point where she was considering her versus him.¡± ¡°Sho!¡± Taika and Rebecca cried out in protest. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault!¡± Taika shouted. ¡°Yeah yeah! That guy is a fucking rock head!¡± Rebecca nodded. ¡°Okay, if it¡¯s not my fault, then you agree that it¡¯s not Pacifica¡¯s, right?¡± he turned their logic back on them. ¡°Erk!¡± The two foxes realized the trap they walked into. ¡°You get it now,¡± Shouri said simply. ¡°So don¡¯t be giving her the stink eye.¡± He turned and stepped away from the couch, leaving the three Resonators to themselves. That was easy enough to say¡­ but as the three Resonators exchanged awkward glances, it was clear things weren¡¯t going to go back to normal just like that. Chapter 87 It was a warm Wednesday morning and Shouri alongside his lovely band of Resonators were sleeping in today. Shouri had Pacifica in his grasp, while Taika and Rebecca secured their Maestro¡¯s back. Shouri himself awoke first. He stroked Pacifica¡¯s hair, causing her to stir. ¡°Sho¡­¡± she whispered. ¡°Feeling better?¡± the Maestro asked. ¡°Nnmm¡­¡± Her eyes darted away. ¡°Talk to me.¡± ¡°Weak.¡± Shouri snorted through his nostrils. ¡°Stop it,¡± he grumbled, ruffling her hair roughly. ¡°You¡¯re not weak because of something I did,¡± the Maestro scolded her. Her expression remained cloudy ¨C it was clear that words alone weren¡¯t going to resolve this. The room fully awoke, with one thing being clear: they were hungry. Though they had missed breakfast, undoubtedly the lunch menu was most likely in full swing at this point. With that in mind, Shouri got ready to go. However, his usual breakfast buddy laid on the couch in her pajamas, dead to the world. Shouri sighed; arms akimbo as he stood over Pacifica. ¡°Don¡¯t want to come with?¡± he asked. ¡°Weak,¡± she replied, not exerting the energy to even meet his gaze. This earned a big dramatic sigh from the Maestro. ¡°Oh! I¡¯m ready to go!¡± Rebecca hopped up, seeing her chance. ¡°Alright-¡± Rebecca turned to grab her shoes. ¡°-Taika come with me,¡± Shouri requested, causing Rebecca to trip over herself (notably on purpose for the theatrics). ¡°Che? Mi?¡± the lunar fox perked up from where she laid on the bed. ¡°Her?! Why?!¡± Rebecca shouted from her new spot on the ground. ¡°You can fight by yourself. And seeing how well you did against a certain dinosaur I¡¯m even more confident leaving you here with Pacifica.¡± His gaze fell back on the depressed otter. ¡°She needs babysitting right now,¡± he decided. ¡°Uuuuuuhg!¡± Rebecca groaned, smashing her face into the ground dramatically. ¡°Sh-sho I don¡¯t think me going with you is a good idea,¡± Taika fretted, though she had quickly gotten ready regardless. ¡°It¡¯s fine Taika. It was just us starting out anyway. I need to learn to deal with people¡¯s shit better anyways.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Come on.¡± The boy held out his hand for her tuner. The vixen still didn¡¯t agree with this course of action but handed over her tuner all the same. ¡°Be good Rebecca,¡± Shouri addressed the other, presently face-down fox. ¡°Mrrrrgh¡­.¡± Rebecca continued to pout. Click And then the two stood in the hallway. ¡°Sho?¡± Taika questioned after a moment of silence. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he spoke quietly, which only unnerved the fox ¨C what she would have given to be able to read people like Pacifica could at this moment in time. The two walked in silence through the building out of one of the back exits that led to the campus exterior. It was a distance away from the large building B housed near the eastern side of the property. Given the schedules of most Maestros who lodged here, the noisy casting range and battlefields were kept away from the peaceful Maestro¡¯s quarters where people were trying to relax and sleep. Their walk was one of silence. ¡°Sho wait.¡± Taika grabbed her Maestro¡¯s sleeve, halting them in between the two buildings. There were a few other Maestros with their Resonators around, just taking in the sun and scenery ¨C chiefly the large fountain that denoted the center of the campus as a whole. He turned to her, his face clouded. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Taika asked. ¡°Hrm¡­¡± He was bothered, by what the lunar fox couldn¡¯t be sure. She did have a guess though. ¡°Is it Pacifica?¡± she shot out her thought. ¡°It¡¯s a lot of things...¡± Shouri muttered. There was something Taika had read once. Something in the many tomes of malicious knowledge she was forced to consume by her caretakers all those years ago. Maestros and Resonators have their own cultures, while most Resonators are kept by Maestros as things, trophies, weapons; Resonators had their own feelings about the whole arrangement. There was an honor code to them. But one of the many things that she recalled so fiercely at the moment was her position. The First. It was commonly agreed upon by Resonators that the first Resonator in any party, the eldest in service time, was the most important - the strongest, the ace. This group was no exception. Taika was his duet partner. She was the one who pushed up his weak willpower and enabled his leadership, and in turn, the rhythm he provided her would always be far more efficient than what he could give to Rebecca or Pacifica. And having plenty of time to think about this over the past few days, Taika realized where she was lacking. She had been content to just let Pacifica and Rebecca deal with matters of mental health with Shouri, to be his emotional crutch ¨C their strong staves were suited for that, right? Wrong. Dead wrong. And Taika was now witnessing the rotten fruit she had grown through her negligence. She was a healer herself; how could she be so na?ve, nay stupid? No more, she was his first, and her bright blue willpower refused to let her hear the end of it ¨C it was time for action. ¡°Do you want to talk about it?¡± she offered. ¡°¡­yeah.¡±
¡°There¡¯s just so much going on,¡± Shouri began. They sat in the shade of the trees near the edge of the property. Had she not been trying to amend her perceived shortcomings; she would have been awash with fluster given this is where she had her first kiss and all. But now wasn¡¯t the time for that: they were having a heart-to-heart! ¡°Like what?¡± the vixen inquired. ¡°Well between you three bickering, Colette¡¯s deal with the feroce Resonators, and Elijah¡¯s offer.¡± He paused. ¡°Not to mention Mila,¡± the boy let out under his breath. ¡°It¡¯s just too much. I can¡¯t handle it.¡± He hung his head. Taika too lowered her head shamefully ¨C she wasn¡¯t helping her Maestro¡¯s stress; she was adding to it. Though the realization hit her so sharply, it wasn¡¯t an action, so it didn¡¯t scratch the itch of her rhythm. For that, Taika gave in to it, allowing her body to just move. She pushed herself up, only to pivot her body around and throw her weight onto Shouri¡¯s. Pinned to the ground by Taika, Shouri remained motionless. She interlinked her hands with his, forcing her rhythm into him. He freed his hands from hers, not to escape, but to dive deeper, wrapping his arms around her, and enveloping himself in her both physically and rhythmically. Neither participant knew how long they laid amongst the sun-soaked trees, though when they came to, both were at peace. The clear skies after a storm, the state of their tortured minds calmed. RIIIIIING RIIIIIIIING! And suddenly they were jerked back into reality by the annoying ringtone of an incoming call. Shouri sat up, Taika clinging to him. ¡°Oh,¡± he noted the caller was in fact, Rebecca¡¯s tuner. Hesitantly, he answered the call. ¡°H-hey Rebecca.¡± ¡°Where the HELL are you?!¡± Rebecca immediately barked from the other side. Double-checking the tuner, it had been an hour since they left the room to get lunch. ¡°Sorry, I-¡± Taika snatched the tuner away from Shouri. ¡°I took him,¡± she spoke into the tuner. ¡°We went to etude, he wasn¡¯t looking well.¡± A pause. ¡°Lost track of time,¡± was what she settled on. ¡°¡­I see.¡± Even through the phone, Taika felt the distrust ¨C Rebecca didn¡¯t believe her. Shouri reclaimed possession of the tuner. ¡°We¡¯ll get lunch and come back as soon as possible,¡± he told his other Resonator. ¡°Okay,¡± she replied quietly. The call ended right after that. ¡°She¡¯s not happy,¡± Shouri hummed. ¡°It¡¯s been a stressful week or so.¡± Taika hopped to her feet and extended a hand for her Maestro. Accepting the offered hand, the Maestro sighed dramatically. ¡°You got that right.¡±
¡°So where are we going?¡± Rebecca inquired of Shouri. Shouri and his merry band of Resonators were out on the town, having finished lunch and still having some daylight left. Yes, it was mid-afternoon and the quartet would take part in some good old-fashioned capitalism. ¡°I want to get some supplies,¡± Taika answered for their Maestro. ¡°Supplies?¡± Rebecca cocked a brow, confused. ¡°She wants to study medicine, to be a doctor,¡± Shouri chimed in. ¡°I read there¡¯s a thing called a combat medic who specialize in stabilizing injured people in hunts or for battling stuff. That¡¯s what I want to do,¡± Taika elaborated further. ¡°Turns out it''s also pretty easy to get a license for that, and MA offices pay pretty fucking well for having us on retainer for that. Though that¡¯s probably because they don¡¯t provide much in the way of supplies.¡± Shouri shrugged. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s why that Lee guy had his own bag of stuff,¡± Rebecca recalled their night with the axolotl man. ¡°Exactly.¡± Taika nodded. The two foxes continued to discuss Taika¡¯s new interest, Shouri slowed his pace to match Pacifica¡¯s, who remained downtrodden from the night before. ¡°Hey,¡± he whispered, placing a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Mmmgh¡­¡± She recoiled from his touch, turning her head away from him. ¡°Paci...¡± He withdrew his hand, openly wearing his concern. Rebecca and Taika glanced at one another, their conversation slowing to a lull. ¡°Just leave me alone,¡± Pacifica mumbled. Shouri was taken aback. Rebecca ground her teeth and opened her mouth to snap at the otter, but Taika stopped her just in time. ¡°Non,¡± the lunar whispered low enough so only her fellow fox could hear her. ¡°I¡¯m not going to do anything stupid like run away. Just¡­ leave me be,¡± Pacifica requested. The Maestro didn¡¯t like this. She was still in her feelings about the whole situation. His gaze flicked to his two foxes who watched the whole quiet spectacle. Rebecca was ready to let loose a tidal wave of emotion, while Taika remained calm, stoic. It wasn¡¯t that Taika didn¡¯t care. No, she was simply respecting Pacifica¡¯s wishes for space. ¡°Do you want to go back to the MA Office?¡± he asked. ¡°I dunno what I want,¡± the otter-girl admitted. ¡°Try to keep up then,¡± Shouri decided to honor her request ¨C for now. The group began to move again, though they stayed tighter knit, at a much more subdued gait ¨C Shouri stuck close to Pacifica, with Rebecca and Taika leading but not wanting to stray too far from their Maestro. Pacifica was unknowingly setting their pace, her mind elsewhere, head hung. Eventually, they arrived at their destination ¨C a big box outlet store that stocked basically everything. Ray¡¯s Hyper-Mart, commonly just called Ray¡¯s, was a chain that one could find spread around Unis-R¨¦sonne. And true to its title of being a ¡°Hyper-Mart¡± it certainly delivered. They arrived at the edge of the property which boasted a massive parking lot. Even so, there was a ton of foot traffic around the building as scores of people filed in and out of the gigantic structure which stretched down the length of the huge property. ¡°Let¡¯s get in and out of here before we end up witnessing something stupid,¡± Shouri advised his gaggle of girls. ¡°Right.¡± Rebecca nodded in agreement, eying the crowds with a small bit of trepidation. ¡°Si.¡± Taika shared her fellow fox¡¯s sentiments. Pacifica remained silent. Shouri grabbed her hand and kept a grasp of it. She didn¡¯t reject his gesture; it was more that she seemed numb to it. Taika spoke up, to break the tension. ¡°I read a bunch of stuff, and since I already have healing magic to help us with conditions on the battlefield, I want to focus on stuff that¡¯s more critical, like stabilizing injured people to avoid rhythm burn,¡± she explained. ¡°What do you even need for that?¡± Rebecca questioned. ¡°I think it¡¯s called uhhh personal protective something?¡± The lunar mulled it over for a second. ¡°Equipment! Personal Protective Equipment, that¡¯s it?¡± ¡°Wait, you¡¯re getting body armor?!¡± The fire fox¡¯s imagination ran wild instantly. ¡°No no, just stuff like gloves, masks, and eye protection,¡± Taika chuckled. ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be too expensive,¡± Shouri commented. ¡°Right, some other stuff I wanted to get are things like a stethoscope and a blood pressure thingy? I have it written down on my tuner,¡± the healer told her Maestro. Shouri, using his free hand, drew the black tuner from his side and easily found the document in question. ¡°We¡¯ll see what they have here.¡± He saw some common things like a thermometer, and then some items he questioned a big retailer like Ray¡¯s having, such as a micro pulse oximeter. ¡°Definitely can get bandages and wraps here.¡± Shouri continued to study Taika¡¯s shopping list. ¡°Oh, a bunch of this is just medicine. Pain-killers, anti-allergy, sunscreen,¡± he noted. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. At this point in their conversation, they crossed the threshold between the outside world and the capitalist utopia known as Ray¡¯s Hyper-Mart. Instantly Rebecca huffed in annoyance. ¡°Cold ass store,¡± she grumbled, getting a face full of refrigerated air blasted directly at them. ¡°Oh, this is¡­ big.¡± Taika was at a loss for words, seeing the sheer scale of the building they entered. ¡°Yeah, we saw it from the outside, what did you think it was gonna be?¡± Rebecca gently pushed the unmoving fox forward out of the entranceway. ¡°Where are the medical supplies?¡± Taika asked her traveling companions as she took up a basket from the stack of them by the door. ¡°I dunno.¡± Rebecca shrugged. ¡°Good fucking question,¡± Shouri grumbled. ¡°They change the layouts of these stores every so often for efficiency or some kind of other fake business buzzword,¡± he told the uninitiated fox. ¡°Ohhhh¡­¡± gasped Taika, nodding (and not getting it) ¡°There are signs hanging up everywhere, so we¡¯ll just wander until we find them,¡± Shouri suggested. Entirely out of their element, the three girls quietly agreed and they were off to try and find the supplies of legend. ¡°Wow, there¡¯s a lot of clothes here,¡± Rebecca noted immediately as they ventured into the store. ¡°I mean it is kind of illegal to be naked so kinda tracks.¡± Shouri shrugged. ¡°No tail holes though,¡± the fire fox noted, studying the clothes as they passed by. ¡°Yeah, Resonator clothes are usually from specialty stores, I guess it¡¯s not as profitable to just have ready-made Resonator clothing?¡± Shouri guessed. ¡°There are generic brands, but they don¡¯t fit well usually,¡± Pacifica spoke up, quieter than usual. Shouri nodded. ¡°Yeah, that makes sense.¡± ¡°At least if I want a new top or something I can find something here,¡± Rebecca added. ¡°Unless you have wings like Ryn,¡± Taika pointed out. ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± The fire Resonator raised a brow. ¡°Oh right, you never met her,¡± Taika realized. ¡°She¡¯s a bird Resonator that helped us beat that big Scherzando I told you about before,¡± Shouri added for Rebecca¡¯s edification. ¡°She taught us that cool meteor spell!¡± Taika chimed in. ¡°The lunar-water ossia, right?¡± Rebecca questioned. ¡°That¡¯s the one!¡± the lunar fox beamed. To her admission, that particular spell, Loro Formato Lunare Lago was a hell of a spell. It had a ridiculously slow wind-up, but the attack power of it was devastating, nearing Ultimate-level spell territory. From her observations of the spell, it appeared the user could keep pulling rhythm indefinitely and make a comet nearing an apocalyptic scale ¨C an absurdity for what is supposed to be a normal spell. Then again Ossia spells did bend the rules of Resonator spellcasting. ¡°Rebecca?¡± The group had come to a stop and had their attention turned on the fire Resonator, who had zoned out in her thoughts. ¡°What?¡± she asked. ¡°You okay? You kinda spaced out,¡± Shouri pointed out. ¡°Fine, just thinking.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Moving on from the clothes section, they found their way into the home goods section. Seeing how they were nomadic for the time being, none of the four even really acknowledged it. Finally, they found the reason they were putting themselves through this consumerist hell: the health department. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± The vixen wandered around the aisles, grabbing some of the more common things from her list: rubbing alcohol, medications, a whole plethora of bandages, gloves, face masks, and eye shields. She also managed to find some dressings to help stop bleeding which she stocked up on as well. Rebecca sensed almost a bit of fear from Taika as she made her selections, very specifically her head tilted down and towards Shouri ¨C specifically his midsection. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Rebecca understood. Continuing on, they found a section filled with different jars of ointments and gels, though these were of a different variety. ¡°Oh,¡± Taika breathed out. ¡°These are pricy.¡± Her ears wilted. ¡°You¡¯re gonna need these,¡± Rebecca advised. ¡°¡®specially because you said you want to be a combat medic,¡± the fire fox added. Singe Relief Frostbite Relief Numb Relief Poison Relief Blindness Relief ¡°What are these?¡± Taika raised a brow. ¡°Some spells cause temporary physical problems, like Bolide, one of my spells, can cause the Singe condition, which can slow down the target from the pain of movement,¡± the fire Resonator explained. ¡°We can easily heal these conditions with a spell, but having a jar of each on hand just in case wouldn¡¯t hurt.¡± Shouri went ahead and got a set of the five. He winced a bit at the hundred notes he was just casually tossing into Taika¡¯s basket, but she wanted this and he didn¡¯t want to be a damper on her dreams. ¡°What else do we need?¡± Shouri inquired of his healer. ¡°Uhhh, lemee see the list,¡± Taika requested. Reviewing the list together, it looked like they had most, if not all of the disposables squared away. Now it was time for the tech. Starting with a thermometer, Taika reviewed her options before deciding on a forehead one. If they were shopping just for their group of four, she wouldn¡¯t have minded sharing one that worked in the mouth, but she considered the idea of accidentally infecting people she was trying to save with some nasty pathogen. Next was a blood pressure monitor, she¡¯d probably need that if someone was especially wounded to determine if she had to rhythm burn them or not ¨C a necessary evil in her field of choice, but one not to be taken lightly. Seeing extreme rhythm burn firsthand, it was a condition that lasted days; she needed to be extremely careful about when and where she should inflict it. Either way, she found a nice small monitor and tossed it into the basket. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Taika frowned as she found a couple of options for stethoscopes. Picking up a pair, she compared them to her head shape, but no matter which brand or style she picked none of them matched the higher position of her ears. Shouri, noticing his fox¡¯s distress, scanned the shelves in search of a set that worked for her. It clicked after a moment of reviewing the offerings in question. ¡°These are made for human ears, not Resonators,¡± he realized. ¡°Oh, let¡¯s find the Resonator ones then.¡± Taika smiled, feeling a bit silly about her mistake. It wasn¡¯t that easy, however. ¡°Do they not have different ones?¡± Shouri grumbled, looking all around for any kind of alternate options. After pacing around the various aisles of the healthcare section of the store, the group gathered back where they had started this mini-quest: the human-fitted stethoscopes. ¡°Is this the only option?¡± Taika once more held up the contraption to her head, noting it simply didn¡¯t match her physiology. ¡°I didn¡¯t see any other ones,¡± Rebecca said, looking over the packaging of one of the stethoscopes herself. Her eyes rested on the small text on the back of the product which read: ¡°Not intended for use by Resonators.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we ask her?¡± Pacifica spoke up, pointing to the pharmacy where a woman in a white lab coat was eyeing the group. It appeared that the pharmacist in question was trying not to make it entirely obvious she was observing them (but she was no match for Pacifica¡¯s social sense). ¡°She desperately wants us to ask,¡± the otter muttered before returning to her silence. Shouri placed a hand on Pacifica¡¯s shoulder as if to thank her for speaking up. ¡°Good idea.¡± He led the group over to the little pharmacy built into the massive store. ¡°Hey folks, what are you looking for?¡± the pharmacist asked as soon as the lost-looking group approached. ¡°I¡¯m trying to get a stethoscope for her, she¡¯s studying to be a combat medic.¡± Shouri motioned to Taika who nodded eagerly. A brow was raised. ¡°Not you?¡± the pharmacist questioned. ¡°No, she wants to do it, and I¡¯m nothing but an enabler,¡± Shouri chuckled. ¡°Hmmm.¡± Taika felt the eyes on her as the pharmacist looked her up and down. After a short study, the older woman nodded. ¡°Well, Resonators aren¡¯t very common as doctors in the medical field, you won¡¯t find anything that fits her here,¡± she explained to the group. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Taika wilted, her ears folding back and tail drooping. Her eyes met the basket full of medical supplies as the seed of doubt began to fester in her mind. Of course, they didn¡¯t make such tools for the odd Resonator anatomy. Resonators didn¡¯t become doctors ¨C they were at most tools for doctors. That¡¯s how this messed up little world worked. ¡°So you¡¯ll need to custom order them.¡± The deflated vixen¡¯s head snapped out of her dark thoughts. ¡°There are a bunch of websites out there that make specialty tools like that meant for Resonator use,¡± the pharmacist revealed. ¡°Kind of like with headphones and such ¨C Medical equipment is just far too niche for us to stock them.¡± ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll check that out, thanks.¡± Shouri nodded, appreciating the information. ¡°She¡¯s a fox, right?¡± the pharmacist asked. ¡°Yeah, why do you ask?¡± The Maestro raised a brow of his own. ¡°Well unless she¡¯s working in a particularly loud environment, Canid Sense is enough for her to pick up and listen for a heartbeat. For canine medics it''s less of a necessary tool and more of something to help them focus,¡± the pharmacist explained. Shouri stroked his chin in thought, considering the elder woman¡¯s words. ¡°Makes sense. Thanks again.¡± With most everything gathered together they just needed a bag to put it all in, though none of the bags that Ray¡¯s sold necessarily fit the purpose Taika intended on using it for. Tracking back through the rest of the store, they took a quick detour through the clothes section. Shouri snatched a plain white t-shirt off one of the displays and tossed it into the basket, to replace the one destroyed by Zino. 350.75? Shouri stared at the total displayed on the self-check-out display. He eyed their current sum of money. 4621.25? They sure knew how to spend money despite their hunting, odd jobs, and the like. Shouri could easily ring up Elijah and just have the Klein Foundation foot the bill, but also taking other people¡¯s money was always a dubious prospect. He would rather have the Klein Foundation owe him favors rather than the other way around. At any rate, Shouri wagered they¡¯d spend another hundred or so notes on ordering stuff online that they couldn¡¯t get here. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of money,¡± Taika fretted; her ears folded back as she stared at the total displayed on the screen. Suddenly her hair was ruffled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯d rather be spending money on you three than myself.¡± Shouri smiled at her, allowing his hand to rest on her head. ¡°N-non¡­¡± The lunar fox refused his smile, her face warmed with fluster. Pacifica watched quietly, lowering her head ruefully.
KNOCK KNOCK ¡°Who could that be?¡± Shouri stared at the door from his spot on the couch. They had returned to their room at the MA office some hours ago. Taika had spent the last few hours utilizing the counter space of the kitchen to look over all of her new medical supplies - trying some of the non-disposable things out and comparing their usage to some of the digital medical books she had purchased (with Shouri¡¯s permission of course). Rebecca had taken up the couch with Shouri, watching an old martial arts movie with him. They were her favorite and it got her tail wagging. Though admittedly, Shouri¡¯s mind kept drifting to the fact that she could pull off way more impressive moves than the actors on screen. Finally, Pacifica was in bed, hiding under the covers. Every so often Shouri stared at the otter-girl-shaped lump moping in bed with concern, but there wasn¡¯t anything he could do for her at the moment. At any rate, Shouri got up to find out who was knocking so late. Upon opening the door he found a familiar pair. ¡°Good evening mister Tomoshibi,¡± Elijah Klein greeted the Maestro in his usual elegance. Zino stood behind the Klein heir with his usual gruff stoicism, though he carried a box in his arms. ¡°Do you have a moment?¡± Shouri considered the request for a moment. ¡°I guess I don¡¯t have anything better to do.¡± He stepped aside to allow the pair in. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Elijah gulped, grasping the collar of his shirt. ¡°Having all four of you gathered in the same place is quite¡­ crushing.¡± He wiped the sweat from his brow with a handkerchief. Regardless, he composed himself to speak with the other Maestro. ¡°Let me get to the short of why I am here: I will be departing for Naiza in less than two days,¡± he revealed to the group. ¡°Okay?¡± Shouri raised a brow, leaning back against the door behind him. ¡°You couldn¡¯t have like, texted this to us?¡± the Maestro asked. ¡°Not at all. For you see, I have a proposition that I think you may wish to take part in,¡± Elijah began. Chapter 88 July 12th, 2018AR Shouri laid in bed on this Thursday morning, Pacifica safely in his grasp. Last night had been a whirlwind of events. Elijah Klein had made quite the proposal, but not one to take lightly. What made things worse was the fact that he was only giving them a day to decide. The Maestro had his own share of concerns regarding what was being asked of them, but in the same respect, his selfish motivations spurred him toward the side of accepting the offer. Closing his eyes, Shouri reviewed last night¡¯s happenings once more
¡°Come with me to Naiza as Tournament Staff for Kalanichi Nationals,¡± Elijah Klein stated. The room went silent for a moment while the offer was being processed. Pacifica and Rebecca stared in particular at the heir ¨C he was fully serious about this; it was no joke. The two emotionally strong Resonators exchanged a glance with one another, confirming what they felt from that statement. ¡°Am I even qualified to be Tournament Staff?¡± Shouri questioned the strange proposal, a brow cocked with suspicion. ¡°Mister Tomoshibi, do you forget who I am?¡± Elijah chuckled. ¡°If I say you¡¯re qualified, you¡¯re qualified.¡± The man smirked. ¡°I dunno it seems like a rampant abuse of your power to put someone unfit in a position,¡± the brunet pointed out to his blond counterpart. Another laugh from the Klein heir. ¡°Relax Mister Tomoshibi, I will ensure you all are put where you¡¯re needed. For starters, Zino, please give them their delivery.¡± Elijah motioned to Taika. The Dinosaur-man set the box down on the counter, shoving some of Taika¡¯s supplies off to the side (earning a glare and a huff from the lunar-fox in the process) ¡°What is it?¡± Shouri asked. Taika, sensing her Maestro¡¯s approval, went ahead and popped the tape from the box and opened the package up. ¡°H-hey¡­ this is all the stuff we ordered earlier¡­¡± Taika gasped, pulling out the medical bag she had been fawning over online only hours prior. Shouri¡¯s face suck into a grimace as he turned a glare on the other Maestro. ¡°Why the hell do you have that?¡± he inquired incredulously. The face the young heir made was certainly one Shouri didn¡¯t like. ¡°You really should check the storefronts you are purchasing from on Atmoni,¡± came the knowing chuckle. With an annoyed grumble, Shouri fished a tuner from his side and double-checked the ubiquitous e-commerce site nearly everyone on Riterra used for fast online deliveries. Sure enough, checking the order page from his purchase earlier on in the day revealed the supplier of the products in question. ¡°Klein Medical¡± ¡°God damn it,¡± Shouri cursed with an annoyed sigh. ¡°Don¡¯t fret, you have no tab with me, I merely picked this up and am hand delivering it to you as it aligns with my goals,¡± Elijah boasted. ¡°After all, Miss Taika and Pacifica will be working with the medical staff ¨C we¡¯re in short supply and need all the hands we can get.¡± The two girls in question perked up. ¡°Me?¡± they both said, pointing to themselves. ¡°Yes, Miss Taika is a healer herself and wishes to study medicine, and Miss Pacifica has quite the potent rhythm and would be invaluable in calming the injured,¡± Elijah laid out his reasoning. While Taika was excited to be working in the field and getting practical experience, Pacifica lowered her head, trembling slightly. ¡°Moving on, Mister Tomoshibi, you and Rebecca will be working directly under me,¡± Elijah told the remaining pair. Shouri opened his mouth to get more detail, but the Klein heir was already prepared to elucidate this matter. ¡°You see a lot of things go wrong or need to be addressed during a large tournament such as this. From criminal activity to oiling the wheels of wealthy backers, even down to menial clean-up tasks, there is much that needs the delicate touch of an expert,¡± he told them. ¡°I need a very strong Maestro and Resonator pair to be at my beck and call to put out any fires as it were.¡± He paused for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m only one man and a weak one at that. Knowing I have someone so reliable in my back pocket will certainly take some stress off of me during this event,¡± Elijah added.
Shouri opened his eyes once more, back to reality. It would be a lot of work, but they would be generously compensated for their time. And even their travel and accommodations would be entirely paid for by the Klein Foundation. Since they would be working as contractors, it wouldn¡¯t be as if Elijah was doing them a favor, they¡¯d be doing honest work during the event ¨C it was fair compensation. Even beyond the monetary rewards they were promised, Elijah offered to fast-track Taika¡¯s medical licensing, using this event as the required experience she needed to apply for it in the first place. It was a stupidly good deal that he would be an idiot to turn down. But even so, there was one nagging concern ¨C the otter currently in his arms. Pacifica was still in her feelings. Doubly so now that Elijah had appraised her as a reassuring presence from a mental health perspective. He wasn¡¯t going to do that to her. If she didn¡¯t want to go, they wouldn¡¯t go. Every time Shouri laid his eyes upon her distraught expression, it felt like a knife stabbing him in the heart. A pain far more unbearable than anything Zino or anyone else could inflict on him. She mattered to him, all three of them did. If Taika, Rebecca, or Pacifica were in that level of danger again ¨C he would not hesitate for a moment. Shouri Tomoshibi would gladly lay down his life for his precious Resonators, for his precious family.
¡°Pacifica?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The otter perked up when called upon. The room was now up and about ¨C Rebecca watching TV, and Taika was figuring out how to pack her medical bag. Pacifica was the exception. She remained rooted at the foot of the bed, hunched over, her eyes barely meeting her Maestro¡¯s. ¡°Up,¡± he demanded. She rose to her feet as requested. ¡°Come.¡± The Maestro turned and walked to the door, his otter obediently following. Taika and Rebecca remained silent, tracking the pair as they made their way out of the room. Door securely locked behind them, Shouri began walking once more, Pacifica right behind him. Given it was mid-morning, the foot traffic around the MA Office was picking up. Regardless, Shouri continued to lead the otter girl to a far corner of the campus, one with plenty of shade thanks to the many trees that lined the perimeter. ¡°Sit,¡± he finally spoke. Pacifica did as requested of her. The Maestro joined his Resonator. He took up her hands in his, at which point she yanked them away. ¡°Paci!¡± he snapped, earning a flinch from her. ¡°Please don¡¯t be difficult about this. I just want to clear your mind so we can work this out together,¡± he spoke gently. Hesitantly, the water element accepted her Maestro¡¯s etude, allowing him to take hold of her hands. Eyes closed, they began their conversation. ¡°Talk to me,¡± said Shouri. ¡°I¡¯m useless,¡± Pacifica whimpered. Taking in a deep breath, Shouri exhaled through his nostrils. He could tell she was still torn up by the situation ¨C her rhythm was entirely in disarray. For a moment he considered Zino¡¯s situation, catching Feroce simply from consistent negative emotions. He couldn¡¯t allow that to happen, she meant too much to him to sit idle and watch her degrade. ¡°You¡¯re not,¡± he insisted. ¡°I am, when it really mattered you had to save me,¡± she returned his insistence with some of her own. Arguably that was a flaw of his, but Shouri knew that part would never change about him. It was simply who he was. Despite his weak will, he could always muster up the strength to move if Pacifica or any of his Resonators were in danger. ¡°You know as well as I do-¡± he was cut off. ¡°I know!¡± Pacifica cried out. ¡°I know¡­¡± Her hands trembled in his. ¡°You big dumb idiot¡­¡± They remained silent for some time before Shouri once more broke it ¡°That¡¯s not all that¡¯s bugging you.¡± ¡°Taika and Rebby, they¡¯re just¡­ amazing, and I¡¯m so plain¡­¡± Pacifica admitted. ¡°I don¡¯t even know what I should do with my life.¡± A pause. ¡°Besides being your Resonator,¡± her voice quavered. ¡°I always want to be by your side.¡± Shouri digested that. There was no waver in her rhythm as she said that ¨C she truly and honestly wanted to be with him for the rest of her life. It only reaffirmed his commitment to her. He had to pull her out of this funk she was in, he owed at least that much to her for how fiercely loyal she was. All three of them were that way. ¡­wait a minute. ¡°I have an idea.¡± Shouri opened his eyes, releasing her hands. ¡°Huh?¡± Pacifica likewise opened her own eyes, meeting his gaze. ¡°But first, I think there¡¯s somewhere we need to go.¡± The Maestro rose to his feet, extending a hand to his loyal otter. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
¡°I don¡¯t think I can do this Sho¡­¡± Pacifica whimpered; her tail wrapped around her legs. Standing across the dirt battlefield was another Maestro and a nature-element Resonator, a green-haired individual with feathery bird wings adorning their back and a matching tail. ¡°Relax, I have total faith in you.¡± Shouri chuckled. ¡°But what if I don¡¯t have faith in myself?!¡± the otter hissed, glaring back at her Maestro. Shouri ignored his Resonator¡¯s complaints, instead addressing his opponent. ¡°Spar to 75%?!¡± he called out to the opposing Maestro. ¡°Sure!¡± they replied. And with that, the tuners locked in the ¡°health¡± of the two combatants. ¡°Sho are you even listening to me?!¡± Pacifica continued to panic. ¡°I¡¯ve never fought another Resonator like this before!¡± ¡°I said relax. Me and Rebecca have, I¡¯m confident you can too.¡± Shouri offered a smile to his otter. ¡°Mrrrgh¡­¡± She turned back to face her opponent. ¡°Just think of them like they¡¯re a weird melomorphic Scherzando,¡± he spoke into her head via the tuner. Pacifica took in a deep breath and exhaled. ¡°I can do this,¡± she tried to convince herself. The tuners counted down 5 4 3 2 1 START! ¡°Manga de Agua, Piano!¡± Shouri¡¯s command came out first. ¡°Spore di Veleno, Moderato Staccato!¡± the opponent called slightly after. Rhythm connected, and the battle began in earnest. Pacifica whipped up a water spout and set it loose towards her opponent. The opposing bird Resonator beat their wings and left the ground, pivoting around the attack and spreading spores over the battlefield. ¡°Don¡¯t let those touch you!¡± Shouri called out. ¡°Keep it up!¡± the opponent commanded. The bird Resonator was simply faster in the skies than Pacifica was on foot and as such managed to cut off her escape pretty easily. As the spores made contact Pacifica noticed a distinct feeling of sickness, a bit of lethargy to her thoughts. ¡°And fuck this just got worse,¡± Shouri cursed. Status: Poison This was an ailment Shouri hadn¡¯t dealt with before, but its effect was plain and simple: it was slowly sapping Pacifica¡¯s rhythm, which in a spar like this was a very solid strategy towards a quick win. ¡°Alright, no more Mr. Nice Guy ¨C Pacifica, Ghiacciolo Rubato! Clip their wings!¡± Shouri commanded ¡°Foglie a Lame, Forte! Don¡¯t get hit!¡± the opposing Maestro shouted. Back and forth Pacifica threw her hands out throwing dozens of icy needles into the air. It was such a frenzied assault, that the opposing nature-element couldn¡¯t get into range to cast their spell. This had suddenly turned into a battle of attrition for the four combatants. What would happen first? Would the bird run out of the allotted rhythm from using their flight capabilities? Would the poison sap enough of Pacifica¡¯s rhythm to knock her out of the agreed range? Or would one of the Maestros run out of their rhythm first? The opposing Maestro grew antsy and barked a new command: ¡°Divebomb her!¡± Shouri smirked. The bird Resonator pivoted around the flurry of needles and dove down, preparing to finally cast the bladed leaf spell previously requested of them. ¡°Sotto!¡± Shouri called out. ¡°Scottare, Legato!¡± The bird Resonator unleashed their spell, a flurry of sharpened leaves shooting down like bullets toward the grounded otter-girl. However, where she had stopped throwing ice needles at her adversary, Pacifica extended her palms out to meet the nature spell. A blast of super-heated steam engulfed the leaves, burning them away in an instant like a fire spell. And due to the positioning, the bird Resonator was at- ¡°NO! GET AWAY!¡± the opposing Maestro could only cry out in horror as his own Resonator ate a face full of steam. At the last moment, Pacifica jumped out of the way as the nature bird crashed into the ground. BEEEEEEEEEEEEEP! Both Maestro¡¯s tuners halted any further spellcasting as the match had been decided. Shouri glanced at his tuner. He disregarded the VICTORY displayed at the top of the screen - his eyes focused on Pacifica¡¯s vitals. Status: Poisoned Rhythm: 76% Shouri wiped the sweat from his brow. ¡°Too fucking close,¡± he let out on his held breath but smiled nonetheless.
After getting Pacifica cured of the poisoning from the sparring session, the pair went to sit by the fountain in the center of the campus. ¡°That was more difficult than I thought.¡± Pacifica rubbed her sore arm, having thrown it out a bit from how hard she had been slinging it around to launch her icy needles. ¡°Duelists have it tough huh?¡± she sighed. Sitting on the edge of the fountain, she allowed her tail to stealthily slip into the pool of water behind her to heal herself faster. ¡°Rebecca is the combat expert of our group for sure.¡± Shouri sat next to his Resonator, rubbing her back. ¡°You did well though. I won¡¯t push you to fight other Resonators unless you want to.¡± ¡°At least you got something out of it,¡± he added flashing the tuner to her and showing the Forte rank Manga de Agua had risen to as a result of the battle. Pacifica hummed in thought. She did feel a bit better now ¨C the rush of battle, the rhythm that flowed through her, the sweet taste of victory, her arsenal of spells expanding. The otter understood why Resonators battled each other ¨C it was just plain fun. It clicked at that moment. She turned and took up her Maestro¡¯s hands. ¡°I know what I want to do.¡± Shouri smiled ¨C there it was, the bright cheery otter he had grown accustomed to traveling with.
There was one more thing to address before Shouri felt comfortable with accepting Elijah¡¯s offer. And Pacifica was already well ahead of him, bursting into the room they were staying at in the MA Office. ¡°Taika! Rebby!¡± the otter called out, startling the two foxes with her sudden appearance. ¡°What?¡± Rebecca asked from the couch, shaking off the surprise inflicted on her. ¡°Che?¡± Taika similarly was also calming her sudden racing heart, but sat on the bed with her tuner, having been peacefully reading. Pacifica practically jumped onto the couch, landing next to Rebecca. The poor fire Resonator didn¡¯t have any time to react as her hands were taken up by Pacifica¡¯s. ¡°Teach me how to fight Resonators better, no, just fighting in general!¡± ¡°Eh? What?!¡± Rebecca yelped in surprise ¨C this was all happening way too fast for her to properly process. ¡°I want to be able to protect Sho like you can, so you¡¯re not bearing that burden on your own,¡± the water element explained to her fire counterpart. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m suited to teach.¡± The vixen shook her head, still reeling from the sudden attack of Pacifica. ¡°You¡¯ll do fine! Trust me!¡± Pacifica¡¯s eyes sparkled in a way that they hadn¡¯t in several days. ¡°Uhh, I guess?¡± Rebecca caved to the other Resonator. She could feel how serious her fellow traveling companion was about this, Pacifica wouldn¡¯t back down. With that done, Pacifica bolted over to the bed, sliding next to Taika. ¡°Che?!¡± ¡°Hey there, I want to learn some basic medicine from you,¡± Pacifica said suddenly. ¡°You want to be a doctor too?¡± Taika raised a brow. ¡°No, I just want to be able to help you with really basic stuff, so that if you get really busy you have an extra set of hands.¡± Pacifica hopped from the bed, standing in the middle of the room. ¡°I want to support both of you and in that way, I¡¯ll be supporting Sho since that¡¯s what he does for the two of you. That¡¯s what I want to do with my life: no matter what we do I want to be the one that my friends can rely on,¡± the otter declared. ¡°La forza dell''amicizia ¨¨ magnifica,¡± Taika muttered to herself. ¡°She¡¯s so corny...¡± Rebecca grimaced, though her expression quickly shifted to a smile. ¡°But she¡¯s genuine I guess.¡± Rebecca hopped to her feet and joined Pacifica in the center of the room. ¡°Alright, I can teach you what I know about battling,¡± she finally committed to training Pacifica. ¡°And Taika can heal us after we beat the shit out of each other I guess,¡± the fire Resonator added as an aside. Taika joined the pair, taking up both of their hands. ¡°We¡¯ll all get better,¡± she beamed. Pacifica grabbed Rebecca¡¯s hand, forming a circle between the three. She squeezed her two counterpart¡¯s hands tightly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about what happened,¡± her voice notably fell off. ¡°I want to get better; I don¡¯t want to do anything half-heartedly anymore.¡± Taika and Rebecca exchanged a glance and nodded to one another. ¡°We¡¯re sorry too,¡± they both said. ¡°Sho was right, we shouldn¡¯t have been as mad as we were,¡± Taika began. ¡°We should be working together,¡± Rebecca added. The otter teared up, lips quivering. Finally, she brought the other two girls into a big hug. ¡°Thank you! I won¡¯t let you down!¡± she bawled. ¡°Let go!¡± Rebecca shouted. ¡°You¡¯re crushing me!¡± Taika yelped. The three girls broke up their embrace when their Maestro¡¯s voice hit their ears. ¡°Hey, Elijah? It¡¯s Shouri ¨C we¡¯ll take your offer.¡± Interlude 4 - Part 1 This is a story from about¡­ a year ago now. I thought my problems were so grand, so important. I lacked perspective. One day changed the entire trajectory of my life. I gained a new outlook on life, though it almost cost me mine in the process.
¡°Bored¡­¡± a young woman sighed, sprawled out on her bed. It was many sizes too big for her, she could stretch her arms and legs out to their maximum, and even her blonde hair was splayed out in all directions, long enough to reach her wrists. Slowly her eyes opened, striking yellows listlessly scanned the ceiling for any source of amusement. None were to be found. ¡°Bored¡­¡± the woman repeated. She had exhausted her fair share of avenues of entertainment. The huge television that took up one of her walls remained off, the collection of game consoles underneath it gathering a farm of dust. The computer with six monitors hummed quietly on standby, but otherwise untouched for today. The bookshelves and their loads of books, comics, and reference materials were all well used, but tapped of their usefulness. Wasn¡¯t there anything exciting happening? KNOCK KNOCK She sat up upon hearing the rapping against her bedroom door. ¡°Lady Emelia? It¡¯s time to get ready,¡± the visitor on the other side spoke loud enough to carry their voice through the door but still held reverence for the master of the room. ¡°Yes, yes, come in.¡± She tried to brush her long tresses back but they rebelled, not appreciating the haphazard mess they were left in. Another woman opened the door, dressed in a blue qi-pao. For a moment the elder woman clutched her fists tightly, an eye twitching at the disheveled appearance of the young master before her. Emelia knew the routine and dragged herself out of bed, plopping down into a chair. She flipped her hair around the back of the chair. The elder got to work brushing the young lady¡¯s hair and beginning the meticulous process of braiding it. ¡°Have you considered any of them?¡± the servant questioned, eying a thick stack of paperwork sitting on Emelia¡¯s desk. ¡°Milquetoast,¡± was the word Emelia decided on. ¡°I¡¯m the daughter of the King and Queen, surely this isn¡¯t the best on offer?¡± she scoffed. The servant bit her tongue, continuing her work. ¡°There are many exceptional partners for you available there, surely you¡¯ve reviewed their files?¡± ¡°I did,¡± Emelia replied simply. ¡°None of them caught my eye,¡± she added after a moment. ¡°Will you simply stay with your parents for the rest of their lives?¡± the servant continued their line of questioning. Emelia suddenly jerked her head back, grinning toothily as she looked up at her servant. ¡°Will you stay with me if I do, Miss Ayame?¡± Ayame stared back, before pushing the girl¡¯s head forward. ¡°Don¡¯t move your head suddenly. It makes doing your hair difficult.¡± The reprimand only earned a giggle from Emelia. Emelia was a Princess in name only ¨C she had nothing to do with the politics of her kingdom. As such, she was bored ¨C trapped within the castle walls, trapped within a life she didn¡¯t ask for.
¡°Awwwwwwww-right! It¡¯s time!¡± Emelia pushed her ornately tied-up hair into a cap and covered her eyes with a pair of shades. She wore a simple tan button-up shirt and chestnut shorts over black leggings and short boots. Nothing overly excessive or wealthy. After all, she was on a mission. Mid-day had arrived and it was time for the Princess¡¯ favorite activity: her daily escape. Most attempts failed and she was dragged back to her room kicking and screaming. Today was different though. Some pope guy from one of the churches or something was coming. This meant all the servants and even the members of the royal court would be busy dealing with the members of the clergy or whatever. This was the best chance to stretch her legs! Sneaking out was the easy part. She usually at least got out of the castle itself. Emelia knew the layout like the back of her hand. Nineteen years trapped in the fortified walls gave her that near-exclusive knowledge. Her daily shenanigans also provided her with a rich understanding of the servants¡¯ movements. On a normal day, the staff knew to watch for the Princess¡¯ escape attempts. Fortunately for Emelia, today was no normal day. There were some service hallways not being utilized at the moment. As such the young girl darted down one such walkway, keeping her body low to the floor. A wise choice as a solitary servant found their way down the very same corridor. The Princess did a jump, rolled, and hid behind some boxes, crouched low. As luck would have it, her theatrics went entirely unnoticed. The passing attendant didn¡¯t even notice the cap lying in the middle of the walkway that Emelia had lost when initiating her awesome jump-and-roll combo. When out of sight, the Princess retrieved her cap and continued in her stealth mission. Making it out to the garden, more dramatics unfolded as she dodged the patrols of the guards, which were thinned out in favor of positioning them closer to the guests. The Royal Hedge Maze got her much closer to an exit. There was just one more thing she needed. Traffic both in and out of the castle was quite heavy right now, meaning if she used a vehicle of some kind¡­
¡°Hey baby girl, I know you want to tear up some asphalt.¡± Emelia grinned toothily. In the private garage reserved for the royal court and their families sat many vehicles used by the royalty, including a jet-black motorcycle. ¡°Let¡¯s go, partner.¡± The princess mounted her mechanical steed, flipped up the kickstand, and took hold of the hand grips. Clutching them tightly, she mentally prepared herself for what she was about to do. ¡°I got plenty of crystals on me,¡± she reminded herself. Her heart hammered in her chest as she edged her fingers around the hand clutch, the skin of her digits rubbing down the cool metal. Finally, she willed the flames of her soul, her Rhythm into the metal beast, bringing it to life as she tightened her grip. ¡°Ah, listen to that harmony drive purr,¡± Emelia cooed. The engine rattling under her calmed her racing heart. ¡°Let¡¯s go baby.¡± She put her feet up and urged the vehicle forward. Emelia kept her head down as she slowly drove through the castle¡¯s roadways, keeping her head down to hopefully avoid the few guards still watching the entrances. She made it to the front gate undetected, just blending in with the other traffic. That was until the big box truck in front of her was stopped for a random inspection. The guards opened the back and began looking inside, frustrating the girl. However, her luck turned for the worse as one of the guards caught sight of her. ¡°Hey wait a minute, that¡¯s the princess¡¯ bike!¡± one of them shouted. ¡°Shit!¡± Emelia yelped. She had a split second to decide. One of her hands darted into her pocket and gripped one of the crystals contained within. Quickly draining its contents, she got the boost of recklessness she needed and came to her decision. Both hands on the grips, she kicked the bike into gear, forcing it to squeal in protest as she urged it from a standstill to top speed in an instant. She whipped around the guards and the truck, earning many confused screams from the guards. She blasted down the highway between the castle and the entrance to a tunnel. It didn¡¯t take long for her to reach the tunnel opening with the speed she was going and she delved right in without a second thought. ¡°WOOO YEAH! NOW THIS IS WHAT I¡¯M TALKING ABOUT!¡± Emelia screamed as the wind whipped around her. She felt alive, it was incredible! The motorcycle blazed out of the tunnel now at the base of the mountain, dropping her onto the highway that cut through the city. All around her, the city was illuminated by the light from above the concrete jungle illuminated in the glow of daytime. The feeling of speed coursing through her body, leaning back and forth to weave through traffic. It was addicting, and she rode this high throughout the city, not once caring if she ever made it back home. This was freedom, this was living.
¡°Ah, much better,¡± Emelia allowed herself a pleasured sigh as another crystal was freed of the blue rhythm contained within. Emelia took a break on a bench, her bike propped up nearby, being charged. Having a partner would eliminate her need to take in the Rhythm trapped in the Rubato crystals, but nobody ever caught her attention. They wanted her, but she didn¡¯t want them. Reclining on the bench, Emelia watched a pair exit the convenience store she was loitering in front of. A human woman like herself, and a man with long fluffy rabbit ears adorning his head and a puffball of a tail behind him. The two laughed and joked. They shared a kiss before getting in their car and driving off. Emelia pouted. How she longed for that kind of connection with someone. Jamming her hand into her pocket she studied the three glowing blue crystals she had left. ¡°I¡¯m not discordant but¡­¡± She still needed these dumb rocks for motivation. ¡°Uhg.¡± She thrust them back into her pocket. It was just better to have a partner. Everyone agreed on that. Besides the emotional connection, there was the magical one. The one that mattered. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. In this world, being alone was crippling. It was as if the entire biological system was crafted in such a way that actively punished loners. Though¡­ it wasn¡¯t like Emelia wanted to be alone. She was just¡­ ¡°¡­too damn sensitive,¡± she mumbled to herself. If people weren¡¯t so easy to read! Maybe they should just stop wearing their emotions on their sleeves! It¡¯s their fault! Emelia sighed. ¡°Why does this have to be hard?¡± she asked herself. BOOM! A sudden commotion in the distance startled the ruminating princess. ¡°What the terra?!¡± she yelped, head instinctively whipping in the direction of the noise. There was smoke further down the road. Now two crystals remained glowing as Emelia drained one for a spike of motivation. The princess ran to her bike, yanked the charging cord out, and barely closed up the port before she took off towards the source of the chaos. The rising column of smoke was a nice beacon to follow, though it did nothing to calm the Princess¡¯ heart rate. This was actual, real danger she was heading towards. This wasn¡¯t pretend or make-believe. There was the very real prospect that people would be injured¡­ or worse. Instead of turning away or slowing her roll, the young woman turned the clutch, urging the motorcycle to move faster than it already was. As she approached the scene, the first thing she noticed was the many people running away from the source of the commotion. Emelia brought her bike to a screeching halt, throwing down the kickstand and dismounting from the ride. The smoke rising was further into the building. ¡°The church?¡± she noted. Sure enough, the source of the chaos was on the church grounds, one of the buildings in the rear of the property seems to have caught fire based on the column of smoke that towered from the structure. Soon enough a disorganized crowd of people ran her way, fleeing the property and dispersing in all directions the only commonality between them being that none looked back at the church they were escaping. The rhythm the fleeing people radiated made the young woman pause. ¡°Resonators,¡± Emelia observed. Heat, humidity, dirt, static ¨C the Princess¡¯ eyes were at their maximum width. These foreign feelings that invaded her. Rhythm could feel like this? She had heard of other elements of Resonator that existed but never had seen one before. She whipped her head around. Reds, blues, browns, and yellows, all sorts of different colored Resonators were rapidly escaping her grasp. No¡­ they weren¡¯t the one. None of these random escapees clicked with her. Then again¡­ what exactly was she looking for in a partner? Her parents always said she¡¯d know when she found the one¡­ ¡­and they were right. ¡°Let go ya fucking pricks!¡± Through all the noise, she could only hear one voice. Emelia stepped forward, her rhythm pulling her towards the owner of that gruff, angry voice. ¡°Fight someone with rhythm why don¡¯t you?!¡± Her pace increased, a walk fading into a run as she was hopelessly drawn towards the oppressed one amongst the chaos. She needed no direction, an invisible string connected her with her target. ¡°Get your boot off my head you dick!¡± THWACK! Pain. Emelia was brought back into reality from the intense burning sensation in her fist. Her yellow eyes rapidly scanned the present situation she found herself in. Two men had pinned a third to the ground. The two assailants were in some kind of white ceremonial garb ¨C the same kind that the Pope¡¯s clergy wore¡­ As for the pinned man, he was a resonator, a black-clad man bearing four swept-back horns alongside a pair of great draconic wings with a thick scaley tail to match. ¡°Get OFF!¡± he roared, finally able to get enough leverage to knock the remaining assailant off of him. ¡°A-are you okay?¡± Emelia asked, holding her wrist as her other hand throbbed painfully. ¡°Do I fucking look fine to you?!¡± the dragon man snarled. Emelia flinched, though she shook off her trepidation. ¡°I¡¯m Emelia and I-¡± Before she could finish that thought the dragon grabbed her by the shoulder and threw her to the ground. The princess now had a sore shoulder to join her aching hand. However, when she looked up, she watched the dragon get lit up by some kind of polearm with an electrical end. Despite the very visible electricity coursing through his body, the dragon retaliated, punching out the clergyman who had attacked him. ¡°Get up! You want to get killed?!¡± roared the winged man. ¡°R-right!¡± Emelia scrambled to her feet despite the protests of her body. ¡°This way!¡± She grabbed the dragon¡¯s hand and the two joined the other Resonators in escaping the facility.
¡°Alright, who the fuck are you?¡± inquired the dragon. Emelia and the mystery boy had escaped the pursuing clergymen by running into the city. Unfortunately, this was in the opposite direction of Emelia¡¯s motorcycle, meaning a quick getaway was impossible. The pair had managed to find an abandoned building to hide out in while they determined what to do next. ¡°I¡¯m Emelia Seijo, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you,¡± the princess curtsied for the dragon. He was not impressed by the theatrics. ¡°What, you think you¡¯re royalty using Seijo as yer family name?¡± He pointed suspiciously at the girl. ¡°Well, I am technically a princess,¡± she said. ¡°Though I¡¯m not part of the court,¡± she mumbled, quieter. ¡°Ahahaha! I got saved by some make-believe princess!¡± the dragon roared, unable to stifle his laughter. Emelia pouted, glaring at the bemused Resonator. Suppressing her embarrassment, she asked the question her itchy rhythm demanded of her. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Albarich,¡± he replied gruffly. ¡°Okay, Al! What was going on there? Why was the church attacking you?¡± Emelia asked her next question. The dragon raised a brow. ¡°My name is, oh whatever,¡± he decided correcting her wasn¡¯t worth it. The more pressing matter made itself apparent to him. ¡°I think I might believe you¡¯re a royal,¡± he suddenly said. ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Emelia tilted her head. ¡°Only a royal could be such a blind idiot,¡± Albarich glared at her. ¡°What?!¡± the princess shrieked, returning the dragon boy¡¯s glare. ¡°Were you born yesterday? The church that the royals so openly support is trying to kill us.¡± Emelia stared wide-eyed at the dragon. Yeah¡­ it was kind of weird all things considered. She had never seen another element of Resonator in her nearly two decades of life. Every Resonator she had come in contact with had been a lunar element. Even this dragon boy radiated the gentle darkness of the lunar element that she had become so comfortable with. The other elements were so intense though. The deep heat, the suffocating moisture, the stinging static; all of these sensations were so vivid they almost paralyzed the princess from how harshly they hit her. But above it all¡­ Those people were frightened, horrified. They were doing everything they could to escape. Even Albarich felt this way ¨C that much was obvious. It didn¡¯t take a strong social sense to see that. ¡°Let¡¯s etude,¡± Emelia offered without thinking. ¡°Eh? Me with you? In your dreams!¡± the proud dragon scoffed, wrapping his wings around himself and stepping away from her. ¡°Why not?¡± Emelia pouted. ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m yer pet?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Emelia frowned. She couldn¡¯t fathom what the problem was. Everyone in the castle would etude whenever things got rough. It didn¡¯t make any sense to her. ¡°I don¡¯t get it,¡± she uttered. ¡°I just want to help.¡± Albarich averted his gaze. Her stupid pouting face was¡­ disarming. ¡°You wanna help? Then let¡¯s take the fight back to them,¡± he huffed. ¡°Okay,¡± her reply came in an instant. ¡°Eh?¡± Albarich whipped his head back in the direction of the princess. ¡°The church is doing something bad, right? We should stop them then.¡± There was a moment of silence between the two. ¡°Are you stupid?!¡± Albarich finally roared. ¡°No?¡± Emelia tilted her head. ¡°Why are you helping me? What¡¯s your angle?!¡± snarled the dragon, unfurling his wings. His red eyes pierced right through Emelia¡¯s intentions, attempting to parse her motives. Unlike her previous convictions, Emelia drew pause. Her face reddened as now it was her turn to shy away from looking her conversational partner in the face. ¡°I¡­ uhh¡­¡± she had to find the right words. She was so desperate to not screw this up. ¡°I er¡­¡± her gaze flipped from one side of the room to the other in rapid succession as she avoided the dragon. ¡°Well?¡± He stepped towards her. She stepped back. ¡°Speak,¡± he demanded. ¡°I want to be your Maestro.¡± Silence. Awkward, empty silence. ¡°You¡­ what?¡± Albarich blinked, not certain he heard her right. ¡°I¡­¡± She lifted her head, looking him right in the eyes. ¡°I want to be your Maestro. I want to etude with you. I want to give you my rhythm, my magic.¡± The words flowed so easily; it was a shock even to Emelia herself. Albarich stared back, dumbfounded. ¡°You really are stupid. No.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Ah¡­ I see.¡± Emelia lowered her head. ¡°I just thought-¡± ¡°What? You could say some words and everything would be stars and rainbows? That¡¯s not how the world works princess,¡± the dragon growled. ¡°I see,¡± Emelia repeated. She made her way to the door, stopping for a moment. ¡°Goodbye then,¡± she decided before walking out. Interlude 4 - Part 2 It hurt. It all hurt so much. Emelia¡¯s eyes finally opened, and her heart sank. It was dark, with no light at all. It was cold and she was bound tightly by chains. Beneath her the floor was hard, probably concrete or other stone, it was smooth but cold against her cheek. Her strength had deserted her, as she found herself unable to push herself up to a sitting position. ¡°What the terra even happened to me?¡± she whispered. At least she could hear her voice, that was good. Her head was still pounding¡­ from being struck. That¡¯s right. As soon as she got onto the main street it all went black. The clergymen must have been lying in wait for Al and her to leave their hiding spot. ¡°Damn it, he was right¡­ I¡¯m such an idiot.¡± Tears of frustration streamed down her cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m so scared,¡± she admitted to the darkness. She had no conversational partner, but hearing her own voice was the only thing keeping her sane ¨C otherwise all she would be able to feel was the pain she was in. ¡°Damn it damn it damn it,¡± she repeatedly cursed, the tears continuing to spill. Even so, the princess managed to crack a smile. ¡°At least Al¡¯s okay.¡± Seeing how her sight was useless, Emelia closed her eyes and allowed the darkness to take her. ¡°Miss Ayame, why does mommy have different ears from me?¡± ¡°She is a Resonator, and your father is a Maestro.¡± ¡°What am I?¡± ¡°A Maestro, dear.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°Sometime in the future, you will find a partner to share your soul with ¨C together your two halves will be whole.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell you everything Emelia dear.¡± ¡°Hey¡­ hey, wake up stupid.¡± Emelia opened her eyes as she was shaken back into consciousness. Unlike before when she could not see a thing, the princess found her vision was functional. The room was still pitch black, but despite it all, she could make out her surroundings. Someone was crouched in front of her, their hand on her shoulder. ¡°They fucked you up pretty bad princess.¡± Emelia recognized the owner of that voice. ¡°Al?!¡± Sure enough, the dragon boy smirked at her. ¡°You look like shit,¡± he snarked. ¡°A-Al¡­ you came back for me!¡± Emelia cried out. ¡°Shhh!¡± He clasped a hand around her mouth. ¡°They¡¯re prowling all around, we need to get the fuck outta here!¡± the dragon hissed. ¡°How?¡± Emelia struggled against her bindings, but they held firm. ¡°Simple ¨C gimmie some of that rhythm and I¡¯ll bust you out with a spell,¡± Albarich said. ¡°Okay!¡± Emelia couldn¡¯t help the smile on her face. The pair sat for a moment. ¡°Well?¡± Albarich asked. ¡°Uhhh¡­ what do I do Al?¡± ¡°Oh brother¡­¡± sighed the dragon. ¡°You mean they didn¡¯t teach you how to be a Maestro in that big fancy castle of yers?¡± ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t have a partner to practice!¡± She couldn¡¯t suppress the red that rushed onto her cheeks. ¡°Aight, hang on, we¡¯ll do this the old-fashioned way.¡± Keeping his hand on her shoulder, he shuffled around the girl, pivoting behind her. ¡°Found the lock,¡± he told her. ¡°Real piece of shit this one is. I can break it with some leverage.¡± Upon Albarich¡¯s hand leaving her, Emelia was plunged back into darkness. ¡°Al?!¡± she yelped. ¡°I¡¯m here, just shut yer trap!¡± he hissed. The poor frightened princess could do nothing but lay there and whimper fearfully. After what felt like an eternity, she felt Albarich¡¯s warm touch on her shoulder. However, it wasn¡¯t his hands, but his tail. ¡°Better?¡± he asked gently. ¡°Y-yes¡­¡± Emelia squeaked. ¡°Hold tight while I bust this,¡± he told her. She felt him messing around with the chains behind her. Even if her sight had returned to her, in the position she was lying, she had no line of sight for whatever the dragon was doing behind her. He grunted and then there was a pop, followed by the chains loosening. ¡°Easy,¡± the dragon said, voice full of pride. With the pressure gone, Emelia was able to remove the chains from her person and sit up properly. Her body was still protesting the pain that coursed through it, but the adrenaline rush from being free overrode that feeling. ¡°Al!¡± She turned and tackled the boy to the ground, holding him tightly and crying. ¡°Get off! And shut up!¡± he hissed quietly. ¡°Thank you, Al, thank you so much!¡± the girl sobbed into his chest as she clung to him. Albarich laid there for a moment, deciding what to do. ¡°We¡¯re gonna get outta here, just keep quiet,¡± he spoke in a whisper. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Emelia cooed. She didn¡¯t know why, but this was nice. She wanted to run a marathon, plant a garden, paint a picture ¨C it was like when she took in rhythm from the rubato crystals; except this was a thousand times better. No wonder Maestros partnered up with Resonators! She did wonder¡­ did Albarich feel similarly to her? Surely, he got a benefit from this touch as she did. It wouldn¡¯t be fair otherwise¡­ He ruffled her hair. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get outta here already.¡±
Poor Emelia¡¯s heart raced as she hid in the shadows with Albarich. Day had fallen to the darkness of night. It made sneaking about the church grounds that much easier. Unfortunately, people were patrolling the property, keeping a vigilant watch for any would-be escapees. ¡°What do we do Al?!¡± Emelia whispered. ¡°We wait, just be patient princess,¡± Albarich advised. The two watched the clergymen gather nearby. It was quiet enough they could overhear the conversation between them even at the distance they were at. ¡°Where¡¯s the girl?¡± ¡°Escaped.¡± ¡°That¡¯s no good. Find her, and if you do-¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°For a pure Luna!¡± ¡°For a pure Luna!¡± The group dispersed, thankfully away from Albarich and Emelia. After a few moments of hushed terror, Emelia braved speaking up ¡°Wh-what are they gonna do if they find me?¡± Emelia squeaked. Al made a motion slicing across his neck with his thumb. The girl paled, getting the implication in an instant. ¡°Wh-why?¡± ¡°You saw too much, simple as.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on here Al?!¡± She grabbed his shirt, forcing him to face her. ¡°The church has been¡­ disposing of non-lunars for a long time. They¡¯ve also been making some ¡®tributes¡¯ in the name of ¡®lunar purity¡¯ if you catch my drift.¡± Emelia shook her head mouth agape. She didn¡¯t get it, but she felt it. What was going on here was sick. These people were deranged. She stepped backward, the bile rising in protest; she covered her mouth. ¡°M-mom and Dad¡­ we have to tell them what¡¯s happening.¡± ¡°Easier said than done.¡± Albarich turned back to keep an eye on their surroundings. ¡°They want both of us dead. And if they find out you¡¯re the princess, they¡¯re going to double their efforts to make sure you can¡¯t get back to the palace.¡± ¡°What do we do Al? Their pope is at the castle today!¡± ¡°That definitely complicates things.¡± The two remained in silence for some time. ¡°Idea,¡± Albarich spoke up. ¡°Let¡¯s find somewhere to hide until the heat dies down, then we can sneak back to the castle and you can get this whole mess wrapped up.¡± ¡°That is a good idea!¡± Emelia hugged the dragon. ¡°Guh! Get off!¡± he growled. ¡°I¡¯m billing you for emotional damages when we¡¯re through with this,¡± the dragon warned. ¡°Sure, Al,¡± Emily smirked back.
If it was Emelia by herself, she would have never made it. It was all but a guarantee that the sheltered girl would have been caught within thirty seconds of trying to escape. Fortunately, she was not alone. Albarich, by Emelia¡¯s admission, was quite good at hiding and sneaking about. More and more, Emelia found herself staring at him, curious about what his story was. She didn¡¯t have much of a story, just being a troublemaking princess at the castle. All things considered, it was quite the boring life. And now she was running for that life. Freedom sucked. How did it turn out this way? She¡¯d be numb to it all if it wasn¡¯t for¡­ him. The rhythm that connected her with Albarich was so nice. Every time he grabbed her hand she got another hit of his stubborn willpower. The headstrong determination of a survivor. He would have died a long time ago without that aspect of him ¨C that¡¯s what Emelia read from his rhythm. ¡°Fuck,¡± his curse snapped the princess from her thoughts. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Emelia peered over his shoulder. At the entrance to the property, several of the clergymen stood guard. Though the men at the front gate were not defenseless: they had Resonators by their sides. ¡°Oh no,¡± Emelia muttered. ¡°If they have Resonators¡­¡± ¡°And?¡± Albarich cocked a brow. ¡°Why would that make a difference?¡± ¡°Well they can use magic and-¡± ¡°So can we, princess.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± The dragon shook his head. ¡°You already forgot? You said you wanted to be my Maestro. Well, it¡¯s time to act like one.¡± ¡°R-right!¡± Emelia balled up her fists, ready to act. Her determined expression quickly faded. ¡°Uhh, what do I do?¡± ¡°The princess of Luna everyone¡­¡± Albarich sighed. ¡°Okay look, just touch my back and call a spell, I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡± ¡°Right!¡± Determination once more faded into confusion. ¡°So, what spells do you know?¡± Albarich sighed dramatically. ¡°You¡¯re a real piece of work, you know that?¡±
All seemed calm on the church grounds. The clergyman standing guard by the front entrance didn¡¯t note anything amiss. After the earlier blunder let most of the Resonators they had captured escape, they managed to get back some of them and even an unrelated civilian. This particular clergyman had drawn the short straw and stuck by the front entrance to keep an eye out for any further escapees. The others would be back soon hopefully with further captures to rid the streets of the impure beasts that were trying to work their way into Lunar society. Yes, things were looking up after such an unfortunate series of events. That was until a certain cry met the clergyman¡¯s ears. ¡°Luce Lunare, Pianissimo!¡± A wave of lunar energy swept toward the clergyman, who turned just in time to find one of their targets flying at them like a missile. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. They could defend against the magic or the dragon¡¯s physical form, but not both. The clergyman opened his mouth to call a spell for his guard resonator to respond with. However, hesitation led to disaster ¨C the guard Resonator was swept up in the magic and the clergyman got a knuckle sandwich for his indecision. The guard resonator got to their feet, but before they could retrieve a crystal to cast their magic with, Albarich cast a wave of lunar energy again, sweeping away his adversary. Albarich threw away a now-depleted crystal ¨C one of the two he was given by Emelia before he rushed out. ¡°Come on ¨C quick!¡± he shouted. Emelia ran out of their hiding spot and rushed over to meet the dragon. She was trembling, not from fear, but excitement. ¡°Maestro, I¡¯m a Maestro,¡± she giggled excitedly. ¡°Yes, and everyone is proud of you. Let''s make ourselves scarce before-¡± unfortunately, some shouts brought rain on their parade: ¡°THERE THEY ARE!¡± ¡°DON¡¯T LET THEM GET AWAY!¡± ¡°-that happens,¡± Albarich groaned. ¡°Let¡¯s get!¡± Emelia and Albarich fled as fast as their legs could carry them. Once more they were driven further away from the castle. The pursuit was unrelenting ¨C it seemed like no matter which corner they took, the church¡¯s goons were everywhere. They were fighting a battle of attrition, with Emelia and Albarich being severely disadvantaged. ¡°Haa haa haa¡­¡± Emelia stood hunched over, sweat pouring off of her as she struggled to regain her breath. Her sides were cramping up and her legs throbbed painfully from how hard she had pushed her body in their escape. Her regular shenanigans and theatrics in the castle never prepared her for this level of physical exertion and it was very clear to her now. ¡°God damn¡­!¡± Albarich on the other hand didn¡¯t appear to be in pain, just breathing hard and sweating a bit. He seemed to be quite in shape, though there was something about him that told her that he wasn¡¯t so physically strong because he was a health nut. ¡°Did we lose them?¡± Emelia wondered. ¡°Doubt it,¡± Albarich mumbled through haggard breath. He glanced over at the girl and noticed how out of it she was. He knew she would not be able to go on much longer. They needed to change up their strategy if they were going to survive this. ¡°What do we do?¡± ¡°Good fucking question. I¡¯m pretty sure they got us surrounded.¡± The two remained quiet for a moment, looking around for an out. The voices of their pursuers drew ever closer. ¡°Wait, over there! If we hide in there-!¡± Emelia pointed to an open shipping container that was nearby. ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Albarich hissed. ¡°Probably, but you came back for me so what¡¯s that say about you then?¡± ¡°Uhg, shoulda left you be. Whatever, let¡¯s try it.¡± The pair made their way into the massive cargo container and sat amongst the goods that lay within; positioning themselves in such a way where they wouldn¡¯t be immediately spotted should someone peek inside. They held their breath as the sounds of their pursuers drew close. Emelia clung to Albarich, closing her eyes tightly and trembling. Albarich wrapped his wings around the Maestro, pushing both of them lower to avoid detection. They remained like this for what felt like an eternity, the clergymen¡¯s voices echoing into their hiding spot. But finally, after some time the sounds grew distant and finally faded away altogether. ¡°I think¡­ we¡¯re safe Al¡­¡± Emily squeaked, wiping the tears from her face. Albarich slowly released his held breath, unfurling his wings. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s-¡± CLANG! CLICK! The door slammed shut, plunging the two into darkness once more. ¡°-fuck.¡± ¡°WHAT DO WE DO AL?!¡± Emelia shook Albarich by the scruff of his shirt. ¡°You think I know?!¡± the dragon barked back. ¡°Let¡¯s bang on the walls! Maybe someone will hear us and let us out!¡± Emelia released her captive and turned to the steel wall beside them. ¡°Hold up!¡± Albarich yanked the girl back by the collar of her shirt, causing her to gag in surprise. ¡°What if those church fucks are still out there?!¡± Emelia rubbed her neck while considering that. ¡°Wh-what do we do Al?¡± she whimpered, holding herself and trembling. The proud dragon exhaled through his nose. ¡°We wait,¡± he decided quietly. Emelia sniffled, but nodded, agreeing to the Resonator¡¯s plan. THUD! ¡°Ow!¡± Emelia yelped, clasping her hands over her ears. Something had struck both sides of the container. ¡°What the terra was that?!¡± Albarich shouted, also holding his ears. Before the two could investigate, the container began to move, swaying from side to side. Immediately Emelia crashed onto the wood ground, having lost her balance. ¡°Fuck! Damn!¡± Albarich cursed, dropping low to balance out his center of gravity. ¡°Al! We need to get out of here!¡± Emelia shouted, her ears still ringing. ¡°No shit! Let¡¯s-¡± Albarich¡¯s eyes widened as the cargo in the container was not secured. It suddenly began moving all around. ¡°Emily!¡± he shouted instinctively, jumping and grabbing the girl. They managed to roll out of the way of some boxes that threatened to squish poor Emelia. ¡°You saved me¡­¡± Emelia whimpered. ¡°Focus! We need to get the terra out of here!¡± the dragon barked. Emelia opened her mouth to agree, however, the ever-shifting container threw some more cargo at them. Albarich managed to dodge, keeping a tight grip on Emelia as he did so. ¡°Okay, new idea!¡± he huddled them in a corner. Emelia blushed as she sat on his lap. The dragon curled his wings around them. ¡°I need you to cast Bastioni del Ritmo in Staccato,¡± he told the Maestro. ¡°Bastioni del Ritmo, Staccato,¡± she cast without a single second of hesitation. The container continued to toss the contents around, however, whenever the pair would have been crushed by the various objects in the container, Albarich threw out a wall of purple light which intercepted the potentially hazardous items. Feeling safe, Emelia relaxed, curling up and resting her head on Albarich¡¯s chest. ¡°You called me Emily earlier,¡± she whispered. ¡°My bad.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry, I like it,¡± the girl tittered. ¡°I think it sounds cuter.¡± Albarich coughed, glaring at the princess. ¡°Whatever,¡± he grumbled. THUD The entire container shook as it hit the ground. Where at, neither occupant could know. ¡°Should we¡­¡± Emelia trailed off. ¡°Not yet. Just in case it gets picked up again,¡± Albarich advised. And so, they sat for some time, in silence. The container itself wasn¡¯t moving but they both felt something was wrong. Neither could place the feeling, but it wasn¡¯t right. ¡°I think we need to get out of here,¡± Emelia said, pushing herself off of the dragon¡¯s lap. ¡°Yeah. Too quiet,¡± Albarich noted. Unfortunately, a new problem had presented itself. Since they wedged themselves into the corner, all of the original contents of the shipping container had shifted about. In the chaos of whatever was moving it, they now had a full container¡¯s worth of stuff between them and the door. ¡°This sucks,¡± Albarich decided, shaking his head. ¡°None of it is stacked high enough where we can¡¯t climb over it,¡± Emelia observed, grabbing the dragon¡¯s hand to borrow his night vision for a moment. After a moment of studying the layout of the container, Albarich nodded. ¡°Alright, try to keep up.¡± The two got to work navigating the maze that had been created within their metal prison, but after some effort, they found their way to the front. ¡°Now, how to open this bitch,¡± Albarich furrowed his brow, examining the mechanisms that held the door firmly in place. ¡°Maybe we could use a spell?¡± Emelia offered. ¡°Sure, and then all the goons on the other side can have a nice, defenseless princess gift-wrapped for them,¡± the dragon pointed out. ¡°Oh yeah¡­You¡¯re right,¡± Emelia said, wilting. Albarich frowned. ¡°Let¡¯s just figure out how this damn thing opens,¡± he said. Emelia nodded in agreement. They got to work studying the door for any signs of an opening mechanism. Emelia held Albarich¡¯s hand as she couldn¡¯t see without him. He tried to pull it away but eventually gave in, realizing two pairs of eyes were better than one. After a good two or three minutes looking over the door, Emelia spotted something. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s this?¡± She reached out and grabbed a strange metal protrusion sticking off the door. She released Albarich¡¯s hand, operating on feel since she was plunged back into darkness. Closing her eyes, the princess focused on figuring out the strange handle. After a moment there was a loud pop and clang to coincide with the handle moving. Rotating it cracked some light in through the edges of the door. ¡°It¡¯s open!¡± the young woman exclaimed, throwing it open. She winced as the light stung her eyes which had been acclimated to the darkness of the shipping container. As soon as her vision cleared, however, her heart sank. ¡°Oh,¡± was all Albarich could let out. They stood on a large platform with many other shipping containers. That wasn¡¯t the surprising part. The large window surrounding them revealed the outside world. The inky blackness of space greeted them from above. However below them¡­ Emelia shakily made her way to the edge of the platform. Below them were large swaths of blue with greens and browns breaking up the vast seas. Fluffy white clouds moved about unchallenged. Slowly the blue became larger as they approached the fluffy white clouds. ¡°Al!¡± Emelia turned to the dragon. ¡°That¡¯s Riterra! We¡¯re not on Luna! We¡¯re going to Riterra!¡± shrieked the girl. ¡°Looks like it princess,¡± he chewed on that for a moment. ¡°I guess you¡¯re not a princess anymore,¡± he pointed out. ¡°This is no time for jokes!¡± Emelia barked. ¡°Chill. This is a blessing in disguise,¡± Albarich said, turning back to the container. ¡°How?!¡± ¡°Simple. We escape onto Riterra and then get ahold of your folks there. Maybe they can send some people to come get us,¡± he stated while walking back into the shipping container they came from. Emelia followed the dragon back, considering his words. ¡°I guess it would be the safest,¡± she admitted. She stole one last look at space before it faded into the blue of the Riterran atmosphere. ¡°A blessing, huh?¡± Interlude 4 - Part 3 "Let''s get this shit moved people!" Chaos. That''s what Emily bore witness to through the crack in the shipping container door. Many men and machines moved the various boxes around the dock. Some were stored, others were being opened and examined by the workers. It was confusing and the sheltered princess couldn''t decipher what all of it meant. "Al-" "Shhh!" Her mouth shut, resting in a hard line. Albarich was intensely studying the happenings outside their metal prison. "Let''s move to the back of the container," he quietly advised. "Why?" questioned Emily. "We''re going to bolt when we have a chance." "But-" "Just shut up and listen." The girl frowned but decided he was the expert in this situation and obeyed orders. Sitting in the back of the container, the duo waited in silence. Emily wiped the sweat from her brow. "Blech," she grimaced. She glanced over at Albarich, who remained quiet, sitting with his eyes closed. He was focused, that much was apparent to the princess. However, she was still hopelessly confused as to what he was focusing on. Time passed, and Emily was bored. She refused to voice a complaint - it was clear there was some unknown opportunity the dragon was waiting for. She wished he would communicate with her. Sitting in the dark, hot shipping container was anxiety-inducing. His eyes opened. "Let''s go, quick," the dragon suddenly spoke, getting to his feet. The two made their way back to the front of the container and slipped out through the door. Upon opening the door, it was revealed to Emily that all the workers were gone. "Where... did they go?" she asked uneasily, sticking close to Albarich. "Lunchtime," he replied, his head whipping back and forth as they walked. "Act natural," he added. "What the heck does that mean?" she questioned. "Act like you belong here. Nobody questions you if you look like you know where you''re going," he advised. Once more Emily wondered who exactly Albarich was, but failed to find the courage to ask. Navigating the various halls and maintenance docks was a challenge. They were most definitely lost, but as the dragon had previously stated, they had to look like they knew where they were going. Avoiding eye contact with people and acting as if the end of each hallway was where they intended to be. It took them much longer than Emily had anticipated, but they soon found themselves leaving through a door and rejoining the general public. The princess'' eyes went wide. "Woah... what the terra is this?!" Hundreds of people moved around the floor. In the center was a large glass cylinder that went down into the void. From the windows on the side walls, one could make out the blue Riterran skies and the clouds that dotted them. "Not sure. From what it looks like we''re in some kind of tower," Albarich observed. "Oh! This must be the Lutera Space Elevator!" Emily realized. "That sounds kinda familiar," Albarich hummed, stroking his chin in thought. "I''ve heard Seat Teersa talk about it before," Emily beamed proudly. "Who?" Albarich raised a brow. "The third seat of the Fourteen''s court, they''re in charge of the Economy and Tourism of Luna," she informed him. "Ah, government puppet," he said with a nod. Ignoring that comment, Emily continued. "We do a lot of trade with Riterra, and I''ve heard them talk about Lutera a lot," she elaborated. "Though I didn''t think there''d be this many people here," the princess paused. "Or that it''d be so big," she added, quieter. "Well let''s get to the ground floor and see what we can find outside." Albarich waved for her to follow him, which she did dutifully.
"Everything on Riterra is so... big..." Emily gasped in wonder, walking backward away from the Lutera Space Elevator. The structure reached high into the sky, piercing the very heavens itself with its monstrous height. "They build ''em big on Terra," Albarich commented. "Probably compensating for something," he snarked with a smirk. Emily rolled her eyes, turning back to the city before them. A helpful sign nearby pointed out they were leaving the Lutera Space Elevator and entering the base city of Naiza. Compared to the grand majesty of the tower that was behind them, Naiza was a shabby town. The buildings were no more than three stories at most. There was plenty of coverings extending out from the tops of the buildings, which gave the foot traffic below plenty of shade. That being said, there were also some small stalls hiding in the shade afforded by the buildings where many people exchanged goods and coin. If they didn''t know any better, they would have thought they were in any other town on Luna. There were many lunar Resonators and their Maestros walking about. Emily and Albarich took in the sights as they delved deeper into the city. "Where are we gonna eat and sleep, Al?" Emily asked. "Hm?" The dragon looked to the Maestro. "I don''t think any of my money will work here," she noted, watching unfamiliar bills and coins change hands. "Ah, good point," Albarich grunted. He was surprised she was that sharp to have picked up on that. "At worst I can employ the good ol'' five-finger discount." He grinned toothily. "The what?" Emily raised a brow. Albarich held out his open hand. "See these five fingers?" he asked. She nodded. "These babies can get me anything I want." "How?" "Usually by picking it up." "But you have to pay." "Not if they can''t catch me." Emily processed that information. "Ah." It clicked. "That''s stealing!" she shrieked, pointing at her partner in crime. "Only if you get caught!" he shouted in defense of his honor. "Something the matter folks?" One of the stall keepers asked the lost couple. Albarich huffed and elbowed his Maestro, urging her to speak up. "We just got here and didn''t realize there''d be... currency problems," Emily decided tactfully. The stallkeeper nodded. "You should probably head to an MA Office, then. There''s one on the north side of town," they advised. "Why''s that?" Emily questioned. "You don''t know? MA Offices take care of Maestros and their Resonators."
¡°Welcome to the North Naiza Maestro Affairs Office ¨C how can we help you?¡± Thanks to the helpful advice they received, Emily and Albarich had found their way to the so called "MA Office", but didn''t actually know what they were supposed to be doing. The front desk attendant seemed cheerful enough, smiling silently while awaiting Emily''s inquiry. ¡°I uh, we¡¯re lost,¡± Emily admitted. ¡°Oh, no problem, can I see your tuner first?¡± the attendant asked. ¡°T-tuner¡­? Why?¡± she challenged weakly. Thankfully for Emily, the front desk attendant was a professional and launched into an explanation. ¡°In order to use any facilities at these MA Offices you need to present your tuner showing you¡¯re an active Maestro,¡± they explained. ¡°May I please see your tuner?¡± they asked again. ¡°I¡­¡± Emily glanced back to Albarich who cocked a brow. ¡°We don¡¯t have one,¡± she finally admitted. She didn¡¯t have a single coin to her name, especially on Riterra. How was she supposed to get a tuner without any money?! ¡°Oh, that¡¯s no problem. I¡¯m assuming the dragon behind you is your Resonator?¡± the attendant asked, pointing to Albarich. ¡°Yeah, we did agree to be partners, but we hadn¡¯t gotten our tuner made yet,¡± Emily told the attendant. Albarich nodded in agreement. ¡°Quite easy, please start with this form,¡± they handed over a tablet. Emily nodded slowly, her head spinning. This was all too much. ¡°Come on Emily, this way,¡± Albarich grabbed his soon-to-be Maestro¡¯s shoulders and guided her to a seat to tackle the form they had just been handed. ¡°Seems simple enough,¡± Emily glanced over the form. She began to fill it out using the touch screen keyboard, entering in her details as well as Albarich¡¯s. ¡°Address?¡± She raised a brow at that section. ¡°Giving the Riterran government folks the Lunar castle¡¯s address is probably a bad idea,¡± Albarich advised. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°At least from what I heard, Riterra and Luna aren¡¯t on the best terms, you should probably change your last name,¡± he pointed out. ¡°Oh.¡± Name: Emelia Ayame DOB: 9/4/1999 Sex: Female Hgt: 5¡¯7¡± Wgt: 136 lbs Resonator: Albarich Species: Sky Dragon Ele: Lunar Attrib: Shielding Sex: Male Hgt: Wgt: ¡°Do you know your height and weight, Al?¡± Emily questioned the dragon. ¡°Nah, why do they need that junk anyways?¡± he scoffed. ¡°Hopefully they don¡¯t reject it,¡± Emily frowned at the blank portions of the form. The pair made their way back to the counter and handed the tablet back. The attendant looked it over and noted the missing details. ¡°We can get his height and weight when we take you in the back,¡± the attendant noted, earning a sigh of relief from Emily. ¡°What about your address?¡± came the innocent inquiry, causing Emily to jump. ¡°We¡­ er¡­ don¡¯t have a home,¡± Emily admitted quietly. ¡°No problem! Any next of kin we should be aware of?¡± Emily glanced to Albarich who shook his head. ¡°No,¡± answered the Maestro. ¡°Alright, we can set you up with a student license, it does limit your casting level to Piano rank or lower and you can only have one Resonator registered under you, but it will be a start until you take your full licensing exam,¡± explained the attendant. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Once more Emily found her head spinning. What in the stars was she getting herself involved in? ¡°What is this about a full license?¡± Albarich asked in lieu of his Maestro. ¡°Maestros can be either Duelists or Hunters. Both have the same exam which relates to Maestro and Resonator law. Hunters are the Maestros who deal with Scherzando while Duelists take on Tournament battles with other Maestros. Duelists do get immediate stipends so long as they¡¯re regular competitors and get more based on their tournament standings at the end of the season, while hunters get paid for either casting support spells in assistance of other hunters or killing scherzando themselves,¡± the attendant explained. Albarich nodded, taking the information in. He wasn¡¯t sure about Scherzando, the work sounded kind of dirty to him. Fighting other Resonators, he knew he could do that. ¡°The Duelist thing sounds good,¡± he noted. Emily nodded in agreement. Truthfully this was beyond her, but the prospect of a regular paycheck in exchange for just doing some silly Resonator fights appealed to her. She shook her head. What was she even thinking about?! They were supposed to be calling back home so Mom and Dad could bring her back! thump thump thump ¡°Hey, anyone in there?¡± Albarich asked, tapping Emily¡¯s forehead like it was a door. ¡°Cut it out,¡± she swatted her soon-to-be Resonator away. ¡°Uh, can we get a tuner now?¡± Emily directed at the attendant. ¡°Certainly, we¡¯ll take you in the back now.¡±
¡°Fuck¡­ this is why I didn¡¯t want to get chipped,¡± Albarich was sprawled out on the bed, attempting to make his head stop spilling through sheer willpower. Emily stood at the window, staring out the window at the town they were in. Looming over them in the distance was a huge tower that reached into the heavens, the space elevator that had brought them from space down to the surface of Riterra. She let an arm hang limp, caressing the shiny new black tuner that was clipped to her shorts. ¡°I can¡¯t believe they gave us this room for free,¡± Albarich commented. ¡°Huh?¡± Emily turned around. ¡°A room this nice, man it¡¯d cost a fuck ton of money back on Luna,¡± he stared at the ceiling. ¡°Wonder what the deal is.¡± ¡°Dunno.¡± The pair remained quiet for a moment. ¡°You gonna call yer parents?¡± Albarich asked. ¡°Probably a good idea,¡± Emily pulled her new tuner from her side. Navigating it was easy enough. After finding the phone app, she smiled and hovered a finger over the dial pad. ¡°Uhhh¡­ Al?¡± The dragon looked up from the bed. Emily was pale, her eyes wide. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± he asked. ¡°I um¡­ don¡¯t know my parent¡¯s phone number¡­¡±
¡°You¡¯re a real piece of work, you know that?¡± Albarich scoffed as they stood in line to get food. Thankfully they found out that the MA Offices served breakfast, lunch, and dinner to any Maestro staying at their facilities. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Al! I never needed to call back home before! I always had a servant with me that would just do it if I needed it,¡± Emily admitted. ¡°Also, your hair looks like shit, you might want to re-do it,¡± Albarich pointed out. ¡°What!?¡± Emily shrieked. She fished her turner from her side and looked herself over in the reflection. ¡°Uhh¡­ Can you do it?¡± she asked sheepishly. ¡°Eh?¡± Albarich raised a brow, looking at his Maestro like she was crazy. ¡°I ain¡¯t no hair doctor,¡± he gruffly replied. ¡°Uhg, I should have listened to Ayame when she told me how to do my hair¡­¡± Emily hung her head in shame. ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re kinda on our own now. Get used to it.¡± The dragon patted the girl¡¯s back and urged her forward in line. ¡°I guess,¡± Emily mumbled, keeping her head down. The pair got their food and found a table to sit at alone. They ate in silence, observing those around them. ¡°Hey there folks, mind if we sit here?¡± Emily let out a small squeak of surprise at the sudden voice, having been focused elsewhere. Albarich meanwhile looked the interlopers over. A man and a bird girl, Lunar element. The man was in some kind of brown uniform or suit. Some kind of wing-shaped pin was clipped to his shirt, the significance lost on the dragon. The girl on the other hand was dressed light, her attire short in form, made to take her wings and tail feathers into account. ¡°Uhh, sure,¡± Emily motioned to the seats directly in front of them. Albarich elbowed her. ¡°What?!¡± the Maestro whispered at her dragon. ¡°Inviting randos to sit with us?!¡± he hissed back. ¡°They seem nice and could give us useful information!¡± she countered. ¡°Uhhh everything alright over there?¡± the bird girl asked. ¡°We can sit somewhere else if we¡¯re bothering you,¡± the bird¡¯s Maestro added. ¡°No, no, you¡¯re fine! My friend here is just shy.¡± Emily shot a narrow glance at her compatriot. ¡°Fuck you,¡± he grumbled quietly. Emily rolled her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m Emily and this is Al,¡± she introduced them. ¡°Albarich,¡± he corrected her. ¡°I¡¯m Makani, a pilot,¡± said the man. ¡°Rynda, his co-pilot,¡± the bird-girl chirped. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you!¡± Emily beamed. ¡°So, what brings you all the way out to Naiza?¡± Makani asked. ¡°Besides the obvious,¡± he mumbled, glancing at Albarich. Emily frowned, trying to figure out how to answer that question. ¡°Ummm¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just say we ruffled some feathers back home and ended up in a spot of trouble,¡± Albarich spoke up. ¡°Ah, I see.¡± Rynda nodded. ¡°They¡¯re from Luna,¡± she told her Maestro. Both Emily and Albarich flinched, shocked at being that easy to read. ¡°Don¡¯t mind her, she¡¯s a busybody,¡± Makani said with a laugh. ¡°Am NOT!¡± the bird chirped angrily, lightly pounding her Maestro¡¯s arms with her fists. ¡°Have you picked if you want to be a hunter or duelist?¡± Makani directed at the other Maestro. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Scherzando seem pretty scary,¡± Emily admitted, lowering her head. ¡°Yeah, they can be. If you can get a couple more Resonators to follow you, the tournament circuit can be pretty cushy,¡± Makani advised. His gaze shifted to the sole Resonator under Emily¡¯s charge at the moment. ¡°So long as you¡¯re okay with fighting other Resonators of course.¡± Albarich scoffed. ¡°I don¡¯t think any of these people can hold a candle to me, let¡¯s be real.¡± ¡°Al¡­¡± Emily grabbed his hand under the table. He cocked a brow, but allowed this transgression, for now. ¡°Well, if you give me your number, I can text you some study material for the license exam,¡± Makani offered. ¡°Oh! That would be so helpful! Thank you!¡±
¡°This is a lot¡­¡± Emily hung her head back. They had returned to their room in the MA Office. As promised, Makani sent over the study material for the licensing exam. Emily sat at the provided desk and chair the room possessed. In front of her were some hand-written notes on the pen and message pad that was provided with the room. Albarich meanwhile, was fast asleep, taking the opportunity to get some rest after everything they had been through. Emily¡¯s head pounded from the lack of sleep over the last twenty-four hours. She couldn¡¯t sleep now though, she had to cram as much of this information in her head as possible. Not only to pass the test but also so they didn¡¯t accidentally get arrested. She sighed. Why was she even doing all this? What was stopping her from just marching up to that tower and demanding to be taken back to Luna? She was the daughter of the current King and Queen after all ¨C surely it¡¯d be a snap to get her back home. Right? The lost princess rested her head on her arms. She closed her eyes, pushing some gathered tears down her face. ¡°I wanna go home¡­¡± she whimpered. ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ ¡°Hey, get up.¡± Emily slowly opened her eyes. Albarich rested a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Come to bed, this can¡¯t be good for your back,¡± he advised. ¡°And I ain¡¯t listening to you bitch about back pain,¡± the dragon added. The Maestro nodded and did as her Resonator requested. She flopped onto the bed, eyes half open. The lights flicked off, yet she refused to sleep. ¡°Al¡­¡± she whimpered. ¡°Where are you, Al?¡± He slowly walked into her vision. ¡°What are you crying about?¡± he asked. ¡°Please stay with me.¡± She reached out for him, repeatedly grasping at the air. ¡°I¡¯m gonna be on the couch,¡± he told her. Before he could get away, he was pulled back by the bottom of his jacket. ¡°Don¡¯t leave,¡± she squeaked. Albarich turned to snap at her but was disarmed by what he saw. Illuminated by the moonlight from the window, the tears rolling down Emily¡¯s face shimmered. ¡°Please don¡¯t leave me Al.¡± The proud dragon averted his gaze. ¡°Mrrphg¡­¡± He ran a hand down his horns. ¡°Fine, scooch over.¡± Emily made room and allowed the dragon to lay next to her. Once he seemed comfy, she scooted over and nestled up against his chest. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Albarich frowned. ¡°Going to sleep,¡± she replied as if it should have been obvious. ¡°I can¡¯t win with you,¡± he grumbled. Despite his complaining, he wrapped his arms and a wing around her. ¡°Don¡¯t read anything into this. As soon as you¡¯re asleep I¡¯m going back to the couch,¡± he warned her. ¡°Sure Al, whatever you say,¡± she tittered, getting comfortable. Interlude 4 - Part 4 ¡°Hey! Hey! Wake up!¡± ¡°Oh, this isn¡¯t good Soot.¡± ¡°Yeah, pick them up. Hopefully, we¡¯re not too late.¡± ¡­ Hot, unbearably hot. How did people even live on this planet?! It should have been so easy¡­ but it wasn¡¯t. Stars, I¡¯m such an idiot¡­
That morning began bright and early ¨C with a healthy amount of blood flowing through Emily¡¯s face. She pushed herself out of Al¡¯s arms, covering her mouth with one hand. She knew what having a partner was going to be like, but it still didn¡¯t prepare her heart. That being said¡­ she felt amazing. Etude was a hell of a drug and she would be the first to admit she was an addict. ¡°Al, wake up.¡± Emily gently shook the Resonator awake. ¡°Mrrphg¡­¡± The dragon rose from his slumber. He stared at the Maestro for a moment, blinking once, twice, and then yawning. ¡°Fuck, I was hoping that was just a dream,¡± he grumbled. ¡°What does that mean?!¡± Emily pouted, puffing out her cheeks. The dragon returned her pout with a gruff chuckle. He reached out and ruffled his Maestro¡¯s hair. ¡°Relax, I was joking, probably.¡± Emily huffed, turning away. ¡°Dibs on the bathroom.¡± Albarich moved faster than Emily had expected, and by the time she could voice a protest the bathroom door was slamming shut. Once more Emily pouted. ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard of ¡®ladies first¡¯? You jerk.¡±
¡°I will say-¡± Albarich said with a mouthful of breakfast. ¡°-these terrans sure do know how to eat.¡± Emily shot an annoyed glare at the rude dragon. ¡°Fortunately, we don¡¯t have to worry about food,¡± she said before taking a more dignified bite of her food. After swallowing his current bite, Albarich spoke again. ¡°So, what¡¯s even the plan today?¡± he questioned. The Maestro set her fork down, gently dabbing her lips with a napkin. ¡°We¡¯re going to take the licensing exam, after that, I¡¯m not entirely sure,¡± she told him. ¡°So, you¡¯re thinking of staying here?¡± Albarich asked. Emily stopped, her mouth open and a forkful of food waiting. She set it down and closed her mouth. ¡°I dunno,¡± she whispered. ¡°I¡¯m free now, right? But¡­ I also wanna go home,¡± the displaced princess mumbled. ¡°And we have to do something about the church,¡± she added as an aside. Albarich grunted but nodded slowly. ¡°Why were you even there?¡± she suddenly questioned. ¡°Just like you ¨C I saw too much,¡± the dragon boy said with a shrug. A wicked smirk flashed across his lips. ¡°I was there to cause trouble though.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Emily raised a brow. ¡°One of my mates got pinched off the street. I wasn¡¯t gonna take that sitting down, so I tailed them and started fucking with their gig,¡± Albarich said, pride in his voice. ¡°I see.¡± Emily nodded. That wasn¡¯t too terribly out of character for him¡­ well what little of his character that she knew. The pair finished their breakfast and made their way back up to the front counter of the MA Office to register for the licensing exam. ¡°Right this way please,¡± the attendant led the pair to a small office. All that was inside the tiny room was a single computer sitting atop a desk with a chair. ¡°A proctor will be by shortly to preside over the exam.¡± And with that Emily and Albarich were left alone. Emily went ahead and took her seat in the exam chair, while Albarich leaned up against the wall. ¡°You ready?¡± The dragon asked, breaking up the silence. ¡°Yeah,¡± Emily mumbled. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Riterra has some¡­ interesting laws,¡± she commented. ¡°Oh?¡± Emily hummed in thought before speaking. ¡°Resonators don¡¯t seem to mean much.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°A lot of the laws on the test talk about like¡­ property rights? It¡¯s very¡­ demeaning to Resonators,¡± the princess spoke slowly. Albarich grunted. ¡°Sounds about right,¡± he grumbled. ¡°If those church freaks had their way, they¡¯d do the same thing to Luna,¡± the dragon pointed out. Before Emily could express her surprise, the door opened. Almost instantly, the Maestro tensed up, her eyes locked on the proctor. Why was she nervous all of a sudden? Why was her rhythm screaming at her to run? ¡°Are you ready for your examination¡­ Miss Seijo?¡± Emily¡¯s blood ran cold, a sweat suddenly coating her body. She trembled, unable to even utter a cry. The man who stood before her was radiating pure bloodlust. It was unlike anything she had ever felt from another human being in her entire life. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to take your exam, princess?¡± the proctor asked, looking like he was only a moment away from bursting out in laughter. Albarich stood in front of his Maestro, extending his wings. He didn¡¯t say a word but glared daggers at the proctor. ¡°Go on, strike me,¡± the proctor goaded the dragon. ¡°Al, don¡¯t!¡± Emily managed to grab her Resonator before he could take the mystery man up on his offer. ¡°Emily!¡± ¡°He¡¯s trying to get us thrown in jail!¡± The dragon stopped, he ground his teeth, turning his scowl back on the proctor who didn¡¯t deny the accusation. ¡°A-al¡­ we need to leave,¡± Emily whispered to her Resonator. The fear was all-encompassing ¨C what even awaited them outside of this room? How could this have been a trap?! The proctor remained in place, smirking devilishly. He stepped out of the way. ¡°Go on ¨C leave,¡± he chided them. ¡°Just know, you won¡¯t be safe here in Naiza,¡± the man flashed a toothy grin at the pair. ¡°What¡¯s stopping us from going to the front desk and reporting you?¡± Albarich asked, continuing to wear his defiant glare. The proctor made a faux surprised expression. ¡°Oh yes! Please go to the front desk and tell them how you¡¯re here illegally and oh actually she¡¯s a princess. I¡¯m sure that will go over swimmingly well!¡± ¡°Tch¡­¡± Albarich only deepened his glare at the man. ¡°Al, let¡¯s just run. He¡¯s letting us¡­¡± Emily urged. ¡°It¡¯s another trap!¡± the dragon hissed back. ¡°I know, but anything¡¯s better than being trapped in a room with him.¡± Her gaze never left the man¡¯s form ¨C he wanted to attack them so badly, but there was a greater purpose that was keeping him in check. The terrifying part was Emily had no idea when the veil would drop and he¡¯d succumb to his desires. ¡°Al!¡± She urged louder. ¡°Fine!¡± Against their better judgment, the two fled from the exam room. They ran out of the MA Office, not looking back. ¡°What do we do Al?!¡± Emily screamed, not caring for the looks they were garnering. ¡°The dude was saying they got people in this place after us ¨C we gotta skip town!¡± he barked back. ¡°How?!¡± ¡°Like this!¡± Albarich extended his wings out, jumping up and taking to the sky, sparkles of blue rhythm fluttering from them. ¡°Jump!¡± he called. Emily listened without hesitation and grabbed her Resonator¡¯s hands. As soon as she did so, she felt a draw on her rhythm just like when they cast spells. Red sparkles of rhythm joined Al¡¯s blue as he took her higher into the sky. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°Where are we going?!¡± Emily shouted, squeezing the boy¡¯s hands tighter. ¡°We¡¯ll clear those mountains! That¡¯ll put some distance between us and them!¡±
Emily¡¯s eyes fluttered open. The ceiling she was greeted with was one wholly unfamiliar to her. She sat up with a start, her head whipping back and forth as she took in her new surroundings. Underneath her was a normal bed, though the sheets and frame showed their age at a glance. There were all kinds of small knick-knacks on the shelves and even the nightstand next to the bed. Chief among them was a tall, shimmering glass of water. One which Emily choked down as soon as she laid eyes upon it. It was probably the tastiest water she had ever had the luxury of consuming. Thirst quenched, the lunar princess could devote brain cells to what mattered, like figuring out where she was. The building itself - the walls, ceiling, and floor seemed to be made of some kind of old stone. She moved her legs out of bed, shaking her head slowly. ¡°What happened?¡± she whispered. ¡°I¡¯d like to know that myself,¡± a new voice spoke up. ¡°AH!¡± Emily cried out. Standing at the doorway was a girl, around Emily¡¯s age. Her brown cat tail swished curiously behind her as her matching cat ears flicked with intrigue. ¡°Found you laying out in the desert. Had I got there any later than I did you would have been toast!¡± the cat-girl laughed. The stranger approached Emily and held out a hand. ¡°The name¡¯s Ritika, what¡¯s yours?¡± Emily studied the hand offered to her before accepting the implied handshake. ¡°Emelia¡­ er Emily is fine,¡± stumbled the princess. ¡°So back to my question: what were you doing out in the desert?¡± questioned the curious cat. ¡°Tourist in over your head?¡± Ritika guessed. Emily hummed in thought. ¡°Not really no. Al and I¡­¡± she trailed off. ¡°Oh, my stars! Where¡¯s Al?!¡± she shrieked, pulling her tuner from her side. ¡°Dragon boy? He¡¯s in the other room,¡± Ritika motioned towards the doorway. ¡°He¡¯s a lunar right? They don¡¯t do well in the sun; causes Cloudless Day in them.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Emily raised a brow. ¡°It¡¯s a rhythm illness, over-exposure to sunlight causes it in lunars,¡± Ritika told the Maestro. ¡°Oh, I had no idea¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s your deal anyway?¡± Emily took a breath before explaining the events leading up to their departure from Luna and escape from Naiza. ¡°Ah, okay. When you flew over the mountains you didn¡¯t expect a desert and the heat got you, right?¡± Ritika pieced together. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Emily hung her head. It was embarrassing, even if it could be forgiven due to her lack of knowledge of the Riterran climates. Ritika nodded. The cat¡¯s gaze fell on the rat¡¯s nest of hair sitting atop the princess¡¯ head. ¡°So, is that the fashion up there, or are you just a trendsetter?¡± she snorted, pointing at the disaster that was Emily¡¯s hair. ¡°Ah no! I just never learned how to take care of my hair!¡± Emily frantically exclaimed. ¡°That¡¯s kinda sad, to be honest,¡± Ritika smirked. Emily wilted, lowering her head. ¡°I¡¯m not good at a lot of things,¡± the princess admitted. The cat-girl rolled her eyes. ¡°Soot!¡± she called out. A large man walked into the room, but there was something off about him that Emily picked up on immediately: his skin appeared to be completely dry as if it was sand. Even without that, there was something that surprised her. ¡°Heat?¡± she questioned. ¡°Oh right ¨C Soot is a golem, a really rare type of fire Resonator. To me he¡¯s just my buddy I found in some ruins,¡± Ritika patted the golem on the back. ¡°Ah¡­ nice to meet you, Soot,¡± Emily offered. The golem did not reply verbally and just waved. The Maestro frowned ¨C did he not like her? ¡°He¡¯s mute by the way. Golems can¡¯t talk at all. He¡¯s pretty good at writing though,¡± Ritika informed the Maestro. ¡°He¡¯s also really good at taking care of hair. Probably one of his old Maestros taught him, didn¡¯t want to pry,¡± she said with a shrug. To demonstrate, Soot walked over to the Maestro and quickly undid the poorly held-together braids and ties. He took extra care to save the hair ties for future use. Before she knew it, Emily was subject to having her hair brushed by the silent golem. ¡°I¡¯ll go check on dragon-boy while your hair gets done,¡± Ritika said with a wink and a giggle.
¡°Hey, you finally fixed your hair!¡± Albarich exclaimed upon catching sight of Emily, who now sported a simple ponytail and face-framing bangs. ¡°We almost die and that¡¯s the first thing you say to me?¡± Emily questioned back, though her tone betrayed her expression as she failed to suppress the big smile on her face. They had been brought into a living room area, where Soot and Ritika served the guests food and water. ¡°This is much more impressive,¡± Albarich snarked. ¡°What do we do now, Al?¡± Emily asked. ¡°We have to find some other way back to Luna besides that elevator,¡± he shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s gonna be a problem,¡± Ritika spoke up. ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Albarich glared at the cat. ¡°Cause, lizard boy, the Lutera Space Elevator is the only way to get to space,¡± the cat replied curtly. The two glared each other down. Emily looked between the two tensed-up Resonators. ¡°H-hey!¡± the Maestro exclaimed, standing up, drawing all eyes on her. The Maestro wilted under the pressure. ¡°We need to get stronger,¡± she started. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m doing. We could use a guide.¡± Emily looked at Ritika. ¡°You want me to be your Resonator?¡± the cat questioned. ¡°I-if it wouldn¡¯t be too much trouble!¡± Emily lowered her head. ¡°If you want to break up at any time, I don¡¯t mind!¡± ¡°Emily!¡± Albarich shouted. ¡°You can¡¯t just ask that!¡± ¡°But-! We need the help!¡± That proposition earned some fluster from the cat. ¡°Phrasing¡­¡± she mumbled, wondering how the Luna-native thought of Maestro-Resonator relationships. Shaking it off, she considered the offer. Her gaze slowly shifted to Soot, who gave a small, nearly unnoticeable nod. ¡°On one condition,¡± Ritika spoke up. She motioned to Soot. ¡°If you take me, you have to take him too,¡± the cat said with a toothy grin. Emily was surprised. She did recall that duelists needed a team of three to compete, and with the two of them joining her that would make three. ¡°Sure!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°I¡¯d love to have you both on our team!¡± ¡°Oh brother,¡± Albarich scoffed, rolling his eyes, but accepting that whatever he said wouldn¡¯t matter. ¡°Then it¡¯s settled. Neither of us have tuners, so we¡¯ll need to hit up an MA Office. There¡¯s one north of here in the town of Kig¡¯la,¡± the cat informed her new Maestro. ¡°Great! Let¡¯s get going then!¡±
It''s been a year since we came together. Kalanichi is a big land ¨C we¡¯ve never left its borders, but even so, we¡¯ve gained considerable power. Now we¡¯re on the way back to Naiza. We¡¯ll show them how strong we are on one of the biggest stages in the world. I can only hope things go as smoothly as I dream. Chapter 89 ¡°Woahhhh¡­¡± Two gasps of astonishment came from the first-class seats as two foxes piled around a small plane window. The massive continent to the south of Unis-R¨¦sonne, known as Kalanichi, had been pretty boring to look at from the plane. A lot of what they had been passing over was just plain desert with no interesting landmarks. However, as they drew closer to their destination and the scenery below began to change, forests and mountains began to overtake the previous savannahs and deserts, finally ending with civilization. But that wasn¡¯t why the girls verbalized their surprise. No, it was because of the massive structure in the center of the splash of civilization. A massive rod of steel seemingly pierced the very Riterran crust itself and stretched up further than the girls could manage to see from their limited vantage point. The tower seemed as if it went on forever, but they couldn¡¯t be sure. Even at night it was visible to them, lit with a countless number of lights that made it seem like a galaxy of stars had descended onto the planet. ¡°Sho, what is THAT?!¡± Taika turned to her Maestro, who was still seated, peacefully reading on his tuner, Pacifica was seated next to him, her face in her own tuner with some kind of mobile game. Shouri looked up from his studies and smiled warmly at his traveling companions who stared back eagerly awaiting his answer. He knew exactly what they were looking at, it was the only thing in this area that could elicit such awe. ¡°That is the Lutera Space Elevator.¡± ¡°Space¡­ elevator?¡± Taika tilted her head, understanding the individual words but not their meaning when put together. Rebecca shared in her companion¡¯s confusion. ¡°It¡¯s for transporting people, goods, and materials to and from space. There¡¯s a very healthy trading relationship between Luna and Riterra. We provide them goods that are much easier to be produced down here on the surface such as foodstuffs, and they provide Riterra the rich abundance of Rubato crystals that are easily mined from underneath the moon¡¯s surface,¡± the Maestro explained. ¡°Does that mean we¡¯re going to see other lunar Resonators?¡± Rebecca pondered aloud. Shouri nodded in the affirmative. ¡°Tons. Naiza has a huge population of Lunar Resonators.¡± Taika had gone quiet, she stared at her own hands. They had only met exactly one other lunar Resonator in all their travels. And now they were going to a place with ¡°tons¡± of them. Would she even fit in with other lunars? It was a stressful prospect.
The plane landed easily and they disembarked. Retrieving their things from the baggage claim, Taika took up her medical bag, and Pacifica was elected the new holder of their other bag that Taika had previously carried for them. Finally, after twelve hours of flying, they had arrived. Naiza was a massive city, the bright billboards, advertisements, and open storefronts illuminating the night. Of course, the Lutera space elevator towered over the entire city, slicing the skyline in twain as it pierced the very cosmos with its unending height. Shouri checked his tuner noting it was roughly around nine or so at night. They had gotten up at about four in the morning to prepare for their trip. Needless to say, they were exhausted. What was worse was Elijah was expecting them at the stadium at four in the morning tomorrow. ¡°That man is gonna kill us.¡± Shouri slumped over, the exhaustion overriding his excitement of being in a new city. ¡°Yeah-¡± Pacifica yawned loudly, stretching as she did so. ¡°-could use a nap right about now.¡± She rubbed her eyes. ¡°Thank god we¡¯re in a fancy-ass hotel so we can get some room service delivered.¡± Shouri motioned for his Resonators to follow as he set the map on one of his tuners to guide them to said hotel. As they walked along though, their curiosity ran amok; their neck muscles getting an excellent workout from the range of motion exerted on them. The city was bustling even late at night. It was nice and cool out, but not cold out. A nice comfortable temperature which probably helped with encouraging the foot traffic. Electronic billboards highlighting the many businesses and services in the area illuminated their travel through the concrete jungle. Many Maestros and their Resonators walked the streets just as Shouri¡¯s group was. Especially given the tournament starting tomorrow the crowds were certainly denser than usual. ¡°Hm?¡± Rebecca suddenly whipped her head about, ears twitching. ¡°You hear that Taika?¡± she asked her fellow canine. Taika nodded in the affirmative. ¡°Si. Sounds like a battle.¡± ¡°Maybe there¡¯s court nearby,¡± Shouri pondered aloud. ¡°Can we look? It¡¯s right ahead,¡± Rebecca asked, pointing to a small crowd gathered around some tall chain-link fences just down the street. Shouri yawned. ¡°Yeah, we can take a peek since it¡¯s on the way.¡± The quartet continued their trek through the city, eventually spotting the source of the commotion on the other side of the street. A small battle court surrounded by a tall chain-link fence, illuminated by a couple of floodlights. Gathered around the fence was a crowd of spectators, observing the goings-on contained within the steel cage. Shouri and company crossed the street so they could see what the hubbub was about. Thankfully, not too many people were gathered so they could get front-row seats to the action. A male Maestro was up against a blonde-haired woman. The man had two roughed-up Resonators sitting on the bench behind him. At the woman¡¯s side stood a brunet-haired cat-girl, her arms folded across her chest wearing a smug smirk. Opposite the cat was a dragon with impressive black wings and a tail complete with some scary-looking horns, his red eyes locked onto the battle currently unfolding. Finally, two combatants stood in the center of the field; one was a large Resonator, a bear, like Saul; this one was of the earth attribute. The bear was the man¡¯s final Resonator choice, while the woman¡¯s was a small humanoid creature of some kind. Though, they bore no apparent Resonator features, appearing as if they were a human or a Maestro, though it was as if their skin was made of sand. Their red hair instantly made one assume a fire element. ¡°Woah¡­ it¡¯s a team battle,¡± Rebecca immediately noted. ¡°That¡¯s surprising,¡± Shouri commented. ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Taika asked. ¡°It¡¯s the day before a major tournament, you want to save your strength and not risk any of your fighters getting injured,¡± Shouri replied. He hummed in thought, stroking his chin. ¡°Then again, with her squad maybe she doesn¡¯t need to worry about that,¡± he mused. ¡°Lanciafiamme, Fortissimo!¡± ¡°Bont¨¤ della Protezione Della Terra, Tenuto!¡± By the time the earth bear began casting his spell, the mysterious fire Resonator had already extended a palm out and up, firing a cannonball of fire at its opponent. ¡°What?¡± Rebecca went wide-eyed, along with Shouri. ¡°What? What is it?¡± Pacifica looked between her friends and the battle. ¡°Basic spells are shaped based on your attribute,¡± Shouri began. Pacifica and Taika both nodded, knowing that fact from their own basic spells. ¡°I don¡¯t recognize what attribute that dude is.¡± Rebecca studied the strange creature further. ¡°Their rhythm is kind of weird now that I¡¯m feeling it,¡± she mumbled to herself. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ kinda like those two¡­¡± Rebecca whispered further, thinking of Whistler and Vail ¨C Ilea Vim¡¯s strange assistants. Back with the battle, the bear was helpless to dodge the attack, having committed to trying to cast their spell. They tanked the blow but were interrupted from their own spellcasting, wasting their Maestro¡¯s rhythm. ¡°Tch!¡± the male Maestro clicked his tongue in frustration. ¡°I venti che battono il sahara!¡± ¡°Bolide, Fortissimo!¡± Rebecca shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s over,¡± she decided. ¡°Let¡¯s get going.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Once more Taika and Pacifica were confused. ¡°Let¡¯s walk and talk.¡± Rebecca waved her fellow Resonators to follow. Shouri stole one last glance at the battlefield where the same scene repeated as before: the earth Resonator was interrupted from their spellcasting by the fire Resonator. ¡°How do you know it was over?¡± Pacifica asked as they continued their trek to the hotel. ¡°Simple: earth spells are slow.¡± Rebecca shrugged. ¡°More like wordy.¡± Shouri rolled his eyes. ¡°Oh?¡± Pacifica pondered that thought. ¡°Oh!¡± Taika exclaimed. ¡°The bear wasn¡¯t getting the rhythm until the Maestro finished saying the spell.¡± the lunar fox voiced her realization. ¡°Right. Fire spells have nice short readings, so a well-trained fire Resonator can get their spells out first, giving them an advantage. The trade-off is typically most duelists will use earth-shielding as their pairing so they have higher defenses to better tank hits while spellcasting,¡± Rebecca explained. ¡°The first spell he tried to cast encases the Resonator in rock or dirt armor to increase their defenses further. It¡¯s a good strategy since Earth-element spells also hit hard when they land. Winning a battle of attrition is easy, especially with the second spell he tried to cast which summons a sandstorm to the battlefield,¡± the fire-fox continued. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! ¡°I¡¯d imagine in a sandstorm, fire spells are dampened too?¡± Pacifica guessed. ¡°Yeah, the sandstorm weather dampens non-earth, non-nature spells which just helps earth Resonators deal with their opponents,¡± Shouri chimed in. ¡°That woman knew all this though. She specifically used quick spells to rack on the damage.¡± ¡°I think she was aiming for general disruption,¡± Rebecca hypothesized. ¡°Whoever she is, she¡¯s got top-level battle sense. Both of her other Resonators didn¡¯t have a scratch on them.¡± Shouri hummed and nodded. ¡°That¡¯s what duelists look like,¡± he told Taika and Pacifica. The two uninitiated Resonators didn¡¯t have anything else to say on the matter. It was a night and day difference from what they were used to, even knowing Rebecca who has presumably gone through similar training to those Resonators they saw. And they were about to spend the next week watching and healing these monsters.
Arriving at the hotel, Shouri and his merry band of tailed maidens were immediately in awe. ¡°I mean¡­ I knew we¡¯d be in the lap of luxury, but I guess I didn¡¯t know what that really meant,¡± the Maestro commented as they found their way onto the property. His Resonators could do nothing but nod in agreement as they stuck close behind him. Shouri double-checked the reservation he was given, noting it matched the name of the hotel illuminated proudly on the front of the tower ahead of them. ¡°Fairingway¡± read the sign ¡°Villas Fairingway ¨C 1 Maestro 3 Resonators 12/7/2018 ¨C 23/7/2018¡± was displayed on the tuner. ¡°Is this it, Sho?¡± Taika finally found her voice. A good question, one which Shouri wondered himself. On three sides they had the building and its attached amenities. The splash of a pool in the distance caused the water element of their group to perk up and tremble with excitement. The idle chatter of patrons from above gently cascaded down to them. The shrubbery was manicured to perfection with a small fountain directly in front of them to compliment it. Hesitantly, the under-dressed quartet stepped further into the property, earning the stink eye from several guards posted by the door, their Resonators unseen but surely nearby in case of emergency. The lobby itself was marvelous, with marble floors, priceless paintings adorning the walls, and statues from famous artists standing proudly. The Resonator Bell-boys pushed large carts filled with suitcases for other guests around the lobby, causing Shouri and Co to stop several times lest they cause an accident. Several maids, both Maestro and Resonator alike, made sure any dirt or dust only stayed for minutes at most. The whole operation made the MA Offices they stayed in previously look like run-down homeless shelters by comparison. Shouri uneasily made his way to the front desk. ¡°H-hello,¡± the boy squeaked, his hand reaching back for Taika¡¯s. His duet partner reciprocated and grabbed her Maestro¡¯s hand, pushing all of her strong rhythm towards him. Even in the back he could see several other attendants taking phone calls and doing general office work. His focus was drawn to the main attendant, a Maestro with a trio of tuners affixed to their side - blue, green, and white. ¡°Can I help you?¡± The attendant was certainly looking down on the group, their gaze judgmentally locked on the lunar that was polluting their lobby. ¡°I have a reservation.¡± Shouri pushed Rebecca¡¯s tuner forward, not wanting to cause a scene by using Taika¡¯s. The clerk took up the device and examined the reservation displayed on the screen. With their other hand, they quickly entered the reservation number into their system. Their eyes went wide. The clerk returned to the red tuner in their grasp, navigating the menus to confirm the accuracy of the reservation. Shouri squeezed Taika¡¯s hand nervously, she squeezed back in reassurance. The attendant calmed themselves, taking in a deep breath before sliding the red tuner back to its owner. ¡°You are checked in Mister Tomoshibi. You will be in the Presidential suite. Scan your tuner in the elevator and it will automatically take you to your floor,¡± the attendant informed them with a courteous smile. ¡°The butler will inform you of the rest of the amenities of the suite. Please enjoy your stay.¡± Shouri shuddered. Despite the kind tone they were receiving, there was a certain look in the attendant¡¯s eyes that bore through him ¨C it wasn¡¯t just him though. Taika had shuffled behind him, keeping a vice grip on his hand as she tried to make herself appear smaller than she was. ¡°Th-thank you.¡± Snatching up Rebecca¡¯s tuner, Shouri quickly guided his squad away from the gaze of the hypercritical employee. ¡°Are you okay Sho?¡± Pacifica took the non-Taika¡¯d hand of her Maestro. ¡°Just the way they looked at me and Taika¡­ reminded me of my parents,¡± he muttered, Taika nodding in agreement. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Rebby and I are here for you,¡± Pacifica said softly while giving his hand a re-affirming squeeze. ¡°And we¡¯re going to have a blast in this suite! Come on, let¡¯s go check it out!¡± Shouri and Taika managed to crack a smile. At least they weren¡¯t alone this time.
¡°Uhhhh, are we SURE we got the right room?¡± Rebecca questioned. The suite they stepped into was the size of a large house. The patterned marble floors were polished to a shine. In fact, from what they could see everything around them was maintained to an impeccable level of cleanliness. With the entry to the room, a man stepped out, dressed in a black suit with two similarly dressed Resonators behind him, a pair of cat-maids. The aforementioned butler, Shouri assumed. ¡°Pleased to make your acquaintance. You are Master Tomoshibi, yes?¡± they asked. ¡°I am. These are my Resonators.¡± Shouri motioned behind him. ¡°Taika.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Pacifica!¡± ¡°Rebecca.¡± The butler bowed. ¡°I am Alfred Belvedere; I will be serving you for the duration of your stay.¡± The man motioned to the pair of maids behind him. ¡°They are Irene and Sophia, they are the housekeepers - please inform them of any spills or messes.¡± Rebecca studied the two cats for a moment - both water element. Probably used their water magic to help clean carpets and the like, she figured. With their introduction out it the way, the housekeepers curtsied and vanished into the suite, most likely to finish some last-minute touch-ups for their new tenants. Alfred turned his back to the guests under his charge. ¡°Allow me to take you on a tour of our facilities.¡± And what a tour it was! It was a ten-minute walk around the entire suite as Alfred showed the travelers all of the accommodations at their disposal, which included: -Two parlor rooms, flanking either side of the front door -Two bathrooms (one with a small hot tub) -An office/study -4 Bedrooms, each with a king-sized bed and a large flat-screen TV -Two dining rooms (one formal, one informal) -A large, fully stocked kitchen -Three living rooms/lounge areas, (one formal, one informal, and one with a fully stocked bar and fireplace) -Rooftop access to a patio area which housed a full hot tub ¡°Holy shit.¡± Shouri sat on one of the benches that was in an adjoining hallway. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this place is so big it winded Sho,¡± Rebecca commented, impressed. ¡°That¡¯s not a high bar,¡± the Maestro snarked back, whilst Taika sat by his side, rubbing his back. Alfred stood to the side, waiting patiently. ¡°Mr. Belvedere,¡± Shouri called out to the butler. ¡°Yes Master Tomoshibi?¡± ¡°Can we still get dinner?¡± the Maestro inquired. ¡°Of course. Shall I retrieve the menu?¡± ¡°If you would.¡± And with that, the butler took his leave. ¡°Sho, can I go soak in the hot tub?¡± Pacifica kept glancing at the nearby stairwell, struggling to stay still. ¡°Not before we order dinner.¡± Shouri shook his head. ¡°Just get me whatever fish dish they have I don¡¯t care.¡± The otter was now jogging in place, ready to bolt up the nearby stairs. ¡°Paci no, I¡¯m not-¡± ¡°Thanks, Sho! Let me know when dinner¡¯s here!¡± And Pacifica was gone, surprising no one. ¡°God damn it,¡± Shouri sighed, leaning back against the wall behind him. ¡°I should let her have it. She deserves some quality water time,¡± he decided. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go find somewhere to relax ourselves.¡± Chapter 90 BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP ¡°AAAUGH!¡± Pacifica immediately buried her head under one of the pillows as the morning alarms blared from the three tuners on the nightstands. ¡°Rebecca, turn it off please,¡± Shouri groaned. Thud thud thud It took a couple of tries, but Rebecca finally managed to find one of the tuners and silence it, despite her grogginess. It was about 4 AM or so on the 14th of July. Shouri and his Resonators were in the lap of extreme luxury, but with that painfully annoying alarm, it was time for them to earn their stay. The group of four shuffled about the room like a small horde of zombies, slowly getting dressed and ready for the long day ahead. KNOCK KNOCK ¡°Master Tomoshibi, your ride to the stadium is here whenever you¡¯re ready to go,¡± Alfred could be heard from the other side of the door. Shouri paused, his brain halting everything else he was doing to process those words. After a moment the Maestro nodded. ¡°At least we don¡¯t have to take the bus, I guess,¡± he commented before continuing his morning preparations. About an hour later the group was finally ready to go. ¡°Master Klein has instructed me to inform you that there will be breakfast served at the stadium,¡± Alfred told the group as they made their way to the door. ¡°Your staff badges were left in my care.¡± One by one the butler clipped the badges to each of the drowsy young adults, stepping back and allowing himself a thin smile at the now presentable group. ¡°Cibo¡­¡± Taika smiled groggily, her tail slowly swishing behind her. ¡°I¡¯m doing it for the hot tub,¡± Pacifica giggled sleepily. ¡°Coffeee¡­¡± Rebecca mimicked her fellow fox. ¡°Thanks, Mr. Belvedere,¡± Shouri yawned, attempting to rub the sleep from his eyes. ¡°Of course, I shall await your return this evening. Pleasant travels.¡± And with that, their first day of contract work began. Arriving at the stadium a little after 5:30 in the morning, it was already packed. There were Maestros and their Resonators everywhere. The highest concentration were the members of the general public waiting to be admitted into their seats in the main stadium. There were also several battle courts all around the gargantuan property where there were already spectators waiting as well. Many tents dotted the landscape, some merchants, others filled with tournament staff. Taika spotted a couple of brightly labeled medical tents. ¡°We¡¯ll probably be in one of those Paci,¡± the healer pointed out to her partner in crime. ¡°Yeah¡­ I wonder what they¡¯ll have us do,¡± the otter pondered. ¡°What do you think that guy is gonna make us do Sho?¡± Rebecca questioned her Maestro. ¡°Good fucking question,¡± Shouri grunted. ¡°I¡¯m expecting hell, but honestly it¡¯s probably worse than I can imagine,¡± he added, already feeling the exhaustion creep up. Shouri could feel the glares on them as they cut through the line and made their way towards the entrance. He didn¡¯t even have to say anything, the security personnel standing at the head of the line saw their badges and opened the gate to allow their passage. ¡°Damn, people are pissy,¡± Rebecca commented when they were out of earshot of the waiting spectators. ¡°Yeah, at least they¡¯re not going to be working the event.¡± Pacifica glanced back at the rowdy crowd. ¡°Never thought I¡¯d be event staff myself though.¡± The otter flipped the badge clipped to her vest up to sneak a peek at it. ¡°This way.¡± Shouri motioned for his gaggle of girls to continue following him. Even without the hordes of fans wandering around the stadium, there were still plenty of people out and about in this early hour. Naturally, it was all event staff, vendors, and even some of the competitors. ¡°Hey, some of those guys were duelists,¡± Rebecca noted as they passed by one such Maestro and their Resonators. ¡°Yeah, according to what Elijah texted me earlier they do check in for competitors super early so they can relax before round one,¡± Shouri explained. ¡°How does this even work anyway?¡± Taika questioned, the most unfamiliar with competitive battling. Shouri lowered his head, recalling the actual tournament structure. He wasn¡¯t the biggest fan of the Resonator battle scene, but he knew how it worked on a surface level. ¡°The first couple of days are played in a ¡®Swiss¡¯ style where you battle in a certain number of one-on-one Resonator battles, typically based on total entrants. At the end of this period, your record is compared to everyone else¡¯s, and the top one hundred and twenty-eight are arranged in a tournament bracket which is single elimination, but are played in three versus three single battles,¡± the Maestro lectured the group. Rebecca nodded. ¡°It¡¯s like the battle we saw last night. You can use up to three Resonators, but only one is on the battlefield at a time. Substitutions can be made whenever you want, but the Resonator currently in battle has to exit the field before their replacement is allowed to move onto the field,¡± she told the uninitiated. ¡°Sounds complicated,¡± was what Taika decided on. ¡°It kinda is, but the Resonators themselves are trained on what they need to do,¡± Shouri said with a shrug. ¡°Swiss is the toughest part of the whole event. All competitive battles are played out to zero,¡± Pacifica added. ¡°That means their hair starts turning grey?¡± Taika raised a brow. ¡°You got it. It¡¯s what makes Swiss so difficult ¨C the Maestro has to juggle their own and their team¡¯s natural rhythm recovery while knowing when to surrender to avoid taking unnecessary damage. They also have to win enough games to make top cut. Once in top cut you only play one battle a day, so the Maestro and their team have a chance to recover before their next battle.¡± Rebecca explained. ¡°Very complicated,¡± Taika mumbled. It was at this point in their conversation they reached the staff room they had been summoned to. ¡°At any rate, we¡¯re not doing that ¨C we¡¯re here to make sure this thing goes off smoothly. Nationals are some of the most important events of the competitive year ¨C there are only six of them after all,¡± Shouri advised his group. They each replied with a nod. ¡°Mister Tomoshibi! You made it!¡± There was a voice they recognized amongst all the strangers. Yes, Elijah Klein was sitting at one of the tables, Zino next to him as always. ¡°Grab yourself some food and join me!¡± The Klein heir motioned to the catered buffet laid out for them. None of them were going to argue with free food, especially with the steam rising from them, a nice warm breakfast certainly would hit the spot. As they crossed through the room though, Shouri¡¯s group could feel all eyes were on them. ¡°Who are they?¡± ¡°Mr. Klein specifically invited them?¡± ¡°Is that the Maestro Mr. Klein was talking about?¡± ¡°What a weird team composition.¡± ¡°A Lunar huh?¡± ¡°Hey, you think she¡¯s a Renard?¡± Taika and Rebecca flattened their ears, though cursed with their superior hearing the muttering of the masses may have well been shouting. ¡°Ignore them.¡± Pacifica patted her fellow Resonators on the back and urged them towards the food. She leaned in between the two foxes. ¡°We¡¯re the VIPs here, remember?¡± the otter tittered. ¡°R-right,¡± Taika whispered back. ¡°Jealous idiots,¡± Rebecca grumbled quietly. Shouri cracked a smile, at least he could be confident that Pacifica was back to normal now. The quartet got themselves breakfast and joined Elijah and Zino at their table. ¡°Good morning, I hope the accommodations are to your taste?¡± Elijah greeted the group as they took their seats. ¡°Yeah?¡± Shouri raised a brow. ¡°My assistants insisted it was the best hotel in the city. I would hope they wouldn¡¯t lead me astray with such a bold claim. Even with my family¡¯s vast fortune I still would like to get my money¡¯s worth,¡± Elijah chuckled. This earned a grunt of annoyance from Shouri. ¡°Yeah, I guess that¡¯s fair,¡± he conceded without much effort. ¡°It must be at least better than staying at the Maestro Affairs Offices, those beds were too rough even for Zino,¡± Elijah added this time eliciting a snort of indignation from his own Resonator. ¡°I see,¡± Shouri mumbled, focusing on polishing off his breakfast. ¡°So let¡¯s get to your task for today,¡± Elijah smirked.
If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.¡°Well, I guess they didn¡¯t skimp on the aesthetic.¡± Shouri looked himself over in the mirror in one of the locker rooms. He had changed into a collared shirt and shorts over what seemed to be a black jumpsuit underneath. ¡°Uhg¡­ this feels weird.¡± Rebecca came from around the corner, sporting a similar outfit, though her top was a fiery red rather than the green Shouri was clad in. ¡°I¡¯m just hoping we don¡¯t need this body armor.¡± The Maestro leveled his arm out parallel to his body, studying the strange material. ¡°I think it might even be better than the stuff that Aster guy wears, which says something,¡± he noted. CLANG ¡°Way lighter too.¡± Rebecca had demonstrated this by spinning around and kicking the nearby lockers. ¡°Good range of motion, I guess,¡± she commented, lowering her foot. ¡°Let¡¯s get down to our assignment.¡± Shouri brushed his hand across his waist, noting the presence of two of his three tuners, notably he had his vixen¡¯s tuners, Taika¡¯s midnight black and Rebecca¡¯s fiery red proudly by his side. Connections to two of his three Resonators confirmed they set off towards their job for the day. Today¡¯s assignment was a pretty mundane one all things considered: Shouri and Rebecca would be officiating preliminary matches in one of the battle courts surrounding the main stadium. There were hundreds of matches that needed to be completed before the main rounds of play started in a couple of days and these first couple of days always seemed to be short-staffed. In fact, Elijah himself was overseeing matches in the center field. ¡°At least we¡¯re not in the stadium.¡± Shouri shot a glance at the massive building that towered over the property as a whole, and where the majority of the audience was concentrated. There were plenty of smaller bleachers scattered about and fans moved between the different battlefields, trying to decide where they were going to watch. Shouri and Rebecca had been assigned to court thirty-one, on the west side of the stadium. Given how early it was still, they were in the shade provided by the main building, so the onlookers were greater in number on this side, attempting to avoid the rising heat of the morning sun. Like any Resonator battle court, their assignment was surrounded by a chain-link fence, though threaded between the links was the mystical Vatonium. As Elijah had so helpfully informed them, the material was threaded into the fence in such a way as to minimize viewer obstruction, but thick enough to protect the general public from spells that may fly loose during a heated battle. Due to their almost cheat-like nature, Ultimate level spells were very specifically banned from all competitive play. Things like the Fire Ultimate attack spell, which melts anything created by civilization, or the Earth Ultimate attack spell which drops an earth-rending stone trident from the sky could easily shred the Vatonium fencing and probably the stadium as a whole if they were thrown about willy-nilly. Shouri took up his position on the ref¡¯s box, Rebecca at his side. ¡°You got this bossman,¡± Rebecca smirked at her Maestro. ¡°I don¡¯t want to got this, but don¡¯t really have a choice,¡± Shouri sighed. They did want to watch some competitive battles, and they had the absolute best seats in the house. Nothing beats being on the court with the battlers themselves. His tuner beeped, stirring Shouri from his thoughts. Glancing to his left, he saw a Maestro and his three Resonators, and standing opposite was another male Maestro and their own selection of Resonators. Shouri pulled Taika¡¯s black tuner from his side, needing the extra nudge of her willpower. Keeping his gaze entirely on his tuner, Shouri read the script provided to him by Elijah. ¡°Maestros!¡± Shouri boomed. ¡°This is a one-on-one battle with no substitutions! Goal is zero percent rhythm remaining!¡± He paused for a moment, his eyes quickly scanning the text before he continued. ¡°Please make your selections, you have thirty seconds!¡± There was always a tense standoff at this point. The six Resonators, standing behind their respective Maestros all stood at the ready ¨C to move if their tuner was pulled. It was like old western movies, the two Maestros hovering their hands at their waists, considering their Resonator choice versus their opponents. Finally, they drew. With the tuner selections of each Maestro, the respective Resonator hopped onto the battlefield. ¡°You have fifteen minutes ¨C Let the battle begin!¡± Shouri dropped his hand down as instructed in his script. With that, the first round of battle started in earnest. ¡°Woah.¡± Rebecca grabbed Shouri¡¯s shoulder to steady herself. ¡°Are you okay?¡± He wrapped his arm around hers, resting his hand on her shoulder. ¡°Yeah.¡± The Renard quickly shook it off. ¡°That was just the most rhythm I¡¯ve ever felt at one time, so many spells cast all at once.¡± Looking at the battle they had to watch, it was intense. Fortissimo and Lento spells ¨C the highest rank of attack and support spells being casually tossed around like they were nothing. And these people were expected to maintain this level of power for two days? It was utter insanity. However- ¡°Ref! I surrender!¡± the Maestro to the left called to Shouri. With such a quick forfeit, Shouri was thrown for a loop, quickly scrolling through his script. ¡°R-right! Game set!¡± he shouted, lifting a hand in favor of the right-side Maestro. ¡°That was fast¡­¡± Rebecca gasped. ¡°Lightning versus Water from what it looked like. Guess he didn¡¯t want to take any unnecessary damage,¡± Shouri mused. ¡°That or maybe he¡¯s hoping he gets some better match-ups with an 0-1 record?¡± Rebecca pondered quietly as she watched the round one combatants leave their field. Thankfully the Klein Foundation knew how to treat their staff ¨C every judge box had a shaded section and a cooler filled with drinks, snacks, and a place for them to sit while they waited for the next round. ¡°At least he¡¯s not a total slave driver.¡± Shouri leaned back in his seat, taking the chance to check on Taika¡¯s vitals with her tuner. ¡°Yeah, this is pretty nice.¡± Rebecca let out a pleasured breath, reclining in her chair. ¡°Wonder what Taika and Pacifica are up to.¡± ¡°Dunno, haven¡¯t gotten a call from Paci for spells, so probably pretty peaceful at the moment.¡±
¡°There you go, all better.¡± Pacifica smiled, having just finished applying a bandage to a child¡¯s knee. ¡°Thank you Miss Otter!¡± the child exclaimed, before hopping off the chair they were sitting in and rushing out of the medical tent. ¡°Sono cos¨¬ annoiato,¡± Taika sighed. ¡°Cheer up Taika, we don¡¯t want people to get hurt!¡± Pacifica sat next to her fellow fox. They had been assigned to one of the medical tents on the west side of the stadium. Shouri and Rebecca were supposed to be at one of the battle courts nearby, but they couldn¡¯t be sure of exactly where. If Taika really focused, she got a general sense of the direction he was in, but nothing concrete. Either way, it didn¡¯t resolve her current boredom. ¡°Don¡¯t look so dead. The rush hasn¡¯t begun yet,¡± the Maestro doctor assigned to their particular tent warned. Dr. Jessica Miya was probably twice the age of the two Resonators she was working with, a world-weary woman who had seemingly seen it all in her unflinching, rough demeanor. Even so, she shortened her name to the less threatening sounding ¡°Jess¡±, perhaps to not scare her patients, no one knew, and the woman herself refused to comment on such trivialities. ¡°The rush?¡± Taika perked up. ¡°Day one early morning, not much happens; people still have plenty of rhythm and their team is pretty healthy. Their record is straight zeros, they still have a run,¡± Jess began. ¡°But you start getting into the later rounds, people get desperate, they start pushing themselves and their Resonators.¡± The doctor paused. ¡°They start making stupid choices,¡± her voice was low, grim. ¡°Fortissimo spells aren¡¯t to be trifled with, and yet these kids fling them around like they¡¯re using Ethereals.¡± A pause. ¡°There¡¯s no honor in getting your Resonators crippled.¡± Pacifica and Taika exchanged a concerned glance. ¡°S-surely it¡¯s not that bad,¡± Pacifica chuckled nervously. ¡°Just wait. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll see a couple of retirements today,¡± Jess warned. Another look of trepidation passed between the two Resonators ¨C what had they signed themselves up for? Chapter 91 The next few rounds of Swiss weren¡¯t anything to write home about. Like round one, a lot of people were flippant with their records, taking tactical losses to avoid using too much rhythm or getting their Resonators damaged unnecessarily. Some spells were tossed around, but most of the time it was simply to gauge the strength of their adversary and determine if a protracted battle was necessary. These battles were won and lost purely by Resonator choice. The crowds were surprisingly okay with the quick matches. Rebecca overheard one spectator talk about the mind games and strategy that went into Resonator selection in these early rounds. However, things took a turn heading into round eight when Shouri got a text from Elijah nearing the start of the round: Klein: ¡°Eliminations are starting. Stay vigilant.¡± 11:25 AM ¡°What the fuck does that mean?¡± Shouri furrowed a brow at the strange message. ¡°Some people must have played fast and loose with their records and they have to win out now. I think,¡± Rebecca posited, looking over her Maestro¡¯s shoulder. That was a bit shocking. ¡°Eliminations this soon? That¡¯s crazy.¡± Shouri shook his head in disbelief. It was just before lunch on the first day and people¡¯s entire tournament runs were coming to an end? ¡°It is.¡± Rebecca watched the two Maestros for this round step into their respective spots on the chalk-outlined battlefield, their Resonators standing firm behind them. Both sides were tense ¨C that much was apparent. The rounds prior the Maestros and their Resonators had worn smiles and were relaxed; joking, playing, and just generally enjoying the competition. However, the mood between this round¡¯s Maestros and their teams was anything but. It was grim and heavy. ¡°Uh-oh,¡± Shouri breathed out. ¡°What is it?¡± Rebecca asked quietly. ¡°We got an elimination match, both of these guys are 0-7.¡± ¡°Oh shit.¡± Rebecca turned her attention to the field. Upon closer inspection one of the left team¡¯s Resonators was worse for wear, appearing to have taken a significant beating last round. Shouri was able to confirm this ¨C as soon as a tuner was within the field of battle, he was able to see all of the Resonators¡¯ vitals in a special tournament staff program he had been given.
Maestro: Solmaz Imani [0-7-0] SWISS ROUND 8 [0-7-0] Maestro: Jo Machteld
Roster Roster
Rolo - 79% VERSUS Kyros - 81%
Simon - 81% Gad - 65%
Kalyan - 31% Farhana - 67%
The Resonator currently resting on the bench must have been Kalyan. At a glance, they appeared to be a Nature-Element Cat - an unusual pick given the fire-heavy field being played. They must have paid for that as even at a distance Shouri and Rebecca could see their clothes were a little bit charred. Thankfully Maestros could get any status abnormalities, such as singeing dealt with at one of the medical tents between rounds, but for overall rhythm regeneration, there simply wasn¡¯t an elegant solution. Maestros with sponsors may be able to stock up on apple juice, but even so, those were mostly saved for last-resort-type situations. Shouri took in a breath ¨C he had a match to announce for, his personal feelings on the matter would not stop this battle from happening. The least he was able to do was ensure it was at least a clean battle. ¡°Maestros!¡± Shouri called out. Unlike round one where he had to read from his tuner, by this point in the morning the green-horn referee had memorized the script. ¡°This is a one-on-one battle with no substitutions! Goal is zero percent rhythm remaining.¡± He took a pause, his eyes darting over to Kalyan for a moment. ¡°Please make your selections, you have thirty seconds!¡± As had been done in the last seven rounds of play, the two Maestros glared one another down, deciding which tuner to pull. Finally, their choices were made and Solmaz had made a selection that made Shouri¡¯s heart ache with worry. Kalyan had moved onto the field to face the earth element, Gad. The poor cat-boy glared down his much larger earth-element counterpart. Thirty-one percent rhythm remaining was enough to keep him stable, he was fighting fit, but with so little rhythm left to protect him, there was the very real possibility of injury. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Shouri could only hope that having the elemental advantage would see Kalyan through this battle in one piece. Drawing in a breath, Shouri declared, ¡°You have fifteen minutes ¨C Let the battle begin!¡±
In between rounds the foot traffic picked up in the medical tents. A lot of it was status cleansing. Just curing Resonators of their singeing, frostbites, numbness. Taika became acutely aware of what her medicines did and how to apply them. Jess was a big help in guiding Taika on how to use each of the medicines. For example, the numbing medication was applied to the spine, as that¡¯s what that condition targeted. Meanwhile, frostbite just needed topical applications to the affected areas. Thankfully Taika¡¯s supply of medicines they bought the other day would go untouched. As it turned out the stuff one could buy from the store was much slower acting than what the Klein Foundation provided to their tournament staff. During the rounds when they had a break, Taika took to reading one of the labels and discovered the fast-acting ointments they were using contained some amount of apple juice. The extra boost of rhythm appeared to be the secret sauce as it were to help intensify the healing effects of the other ingredients contained within. ¡°Look alive people ¨C we got a hot one!¡± Jess¡¯ voice suddenly snapped Taika out of her thoughts. ¡°What¡¯s going on Dr. Miya?¡± Pacifica got to her feet as the red-haired doctor rushed to the tent opening, wearing her medical bag. ¡°Serious injury at Court thirty-one, get your asses moving!¡± The doctor rushed out. ¡°Let¡¯s go Taika!¡± Pacifica chased after Jess. ¡°R-right!¡± The lunar fox scrambled to follow behind. Taika¡¯s heart raced as they made their way over to the site of the incident in question. This was Dr. Miya¡¯s battlefield, as the woman outpaced both Pacifica and Taika with ease. She knew the lay of the land far better too, not a waver in her stride as they rapidly approached court thirty-one. That was when Taika spotted a familiar face. ¡°Sh-sho¡­¡± She recognized her Maestro anywhere, even amongst the crowd of people surrounding the court. The spectators were outside the fence watching in hushed horror at what had transpired. Jess tore open the door of the court and rushed in. ¡°Outta the way!¡± she shouted, causing Shouri, Rebecca, Jo Machteld, and his team of Resonators to back off. Solmaz Imani and his other two Resonators remained by the third member of their team ¨C Kalyan who laid on the ground unmoving. Immediately the woman tore away what remained of the Resonator¡¯s shirt to clear the injury site. In an instant the seasoned doctor already knew what needed to be done ¨C it was a waste of time for her to have brought medical supplies. They needed to rely on magic here to stabilize the patient, the Nature-element Cat before her was clearly in shock and didn¡¯t have too much longer. ¡°Taika, Vita en Lento, Pacifica, we need water ¨C STAT!¡± the doctor shouted while placing a couple of fingers on the downed Resonator¡¯s neck. Thankfully Shouri was standing right there, less time wasted. Pacifica threw her tuner to her own Maestro. ¡°La Bella Vita, Rubato! Mani Nell''acqua, Rubato!¡± ¡°Hoh?¡± Jess smirked. ¡°Taika, focus the healing here, Pacifica keep a constant stream of water on the wound,¡± the doctor instructed. The two Resonators wavered when they finally laid eyes on what they were dealing with. Even with Jess tearing away the shirt, there wasn¡¯t much left of it; most of it already having been burned away. What made the bile rise in protest was the injury site: right over his heart was melted skin, still red hot. The smell was disgusting, the sight revolting, and even the fear in the air assaulted her rhythmic sense - it was taking everything in Pacifica¡¯s power not to vomit on the spot. But Taika moved, holding out both hands, they glowed an almost blinding white ¨C they had a job to do. Pacifica stared in reverence of the light - this was Lento rank healing. Being so physically close to Taika confirmed the strength of the magic, waves of soothing warmth hitting Pacifica in the crossfire. But even with the monstrous level of healing, the wound wasn¡¯t closing up as it should have. It was almost as if the remnant heat clung to the victim¡¯s body, refusing to allow the wound to be mended. ¡°Get your head in the game! WATER!¡± Jess barked. Pacifica squealed and began pouring water over the wound, which began to sizzle and intensified the nauseating stench of burning flesh. Despite the horrible sight, as soon as the water came in contact with the wound, it began to close. ¡°Hmmm, you¡¯ve done something similar before,¡± Jess noted Taika¡¯s precise control of her healing. ¡°Good job. Back off.¡± She pulled the lunar¡¯s hands away from the patient. ¡°We¡¯re gonna need to get him into a Viva unit ¨C he¡¯s in shock.¡± Right at that moment another medical team burst onto the scene. ¡°Pacifica, stop.¡± Jess pushed the otter¡¯s hands away. The doctor and her two assistants backed off allowing the trauma team in to move the still unmoving Nature element onto a stretcher and wheel him away ¨C his Maestro and fellow Resonators following. With their patient now in the care of the trauma team, Dr. Miya¡¯s gaze shifted to Shouri who was fixated on the departing Maestro and Resonators. ¡°What happened?¡± she asked. Shouri didn¡¯t speak, Rebecca however found her courage, despite mirroring her Maestro¡¯s shock. ¡°Nature versus Earth element.¡± She motioned to the big earth Resonator still quietly waiting on the field. ¡°Was running circles around big guy there, but he got greedy and went in for the knock-out. Earth guy cast Roccia Fusa and caught him point blank in the chest.¡± The fire Resonator gulped. ¡°I watched his rhythm break and had Shouri stop the match and call for help.¡± ¡°Ah, the Earth-Fire Ossia.¡± Dr. Miya nodded. ¡°It¡¯s slow, but taking a ball of lava straight to the chest with low rhythm would do that kind of damage.¡± She hummed thoughtfully. ¡°Yo!¡± She waved over Jo and his Resonators. Hesitantly the quartet approached. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to-!¡± Gad, the earth Resonator in question, immediately tried to defend himself, which was met with Jess¡¯ motion for silence. ¡°Ref?¡± Jess looked to Shouri. ¡°Ruling?¡± Shouri jumped. He had been told he¡¯d have to make rulings, but he didn¡¯t know exactly what that meant until now. ¡°Severe injuries, if inflicted intentionally are grounds for game loss and potentially a suspension of one¡¯s duelist license,¡± Dr. Miya clarified. ¡°It¡¯s up to the officiating judge of the match to make the final call on the intention of the attack in question.¡± All eyes moved to Shouri. Even the gathered crowd waited on bated breath for the ruling. His gaze met Rebecca¡¯s. Neither made a move, but at that moment, they reached a mutual understanding. Taking in a breath, he made the call: ¡°During the casting of Roccia Fusa, Kalyan moved to dodge the spell and was struck critically, instead. There was no intention of foul play in that casting. The winner of this match is Jo Machteld! No penalty will be given!¡± Chapter 92 ¡°Oho? You had a fun first half of the day.¡± Elijah smirked as they ate lunch in one of the staff rooms. The Klein heir even made a point to reserve one specifically for them to speak alone after hearing about what happened. He even went as far as to have Zino be taken care of by other members of the tournament staff, recognizing the gruff Dinosaurian wouldn¡¯t help such delicate matters. A wise choice as Shouri and his Resonators were just picking at their food rather than properly eating, wearing sullen expressions as they did so. On the table, Taika, Pacifica, and Rebecca¡¯s tuners all laid with new spells gracing their lists. Taika got: Purifica L''anima (New!) For Pacifica: Mani Nell''acqua Presto ¨C Allegro ¨C Moderato ¨C Adagio ¨C Lento (New!) And finally on Rebecca¡¯s tuner: Roccia Fusa (New!) Legato (New!) While normally gaining access to new spells was an exciting prospect, some complicated emotions were hovering over the group about these particular spells. Taika getting the status cleansing spell would be a big boon to them for sure, as was Mani Nell''acqua¡¯s Lento rank providing extra control over the water Pacifica could create for either filling water bottles ¡­ or cleaning wounds. The most complicated emotion was Rebecca¡¯s receipt of the Fire-Earth Ossia Spell, Roccia Fusa. This wasn¡¯t the way any of them had expected to obtain a new Ossia. ¡°Urgh.¡± Rebecca put her head down on the table. Shouri scooted his chair closer to her and wrapped an arm around the fox, pulling her close. ¡°Perhaps you should go see him,¡± Elijah spoke up. ¡°It may help ease your hearts a bit,¡± the Klein heir proposed. Pacifica studied those words. ¡°I think he¡¯s right Sho,¡± the otter advised her Maestro. ¡°It¡¯s 12:35 now, Round Nine doesn¡¯t start until 2, you have plenty of time.¡± With a short nod, Shouri agreed to the plan. ¡°Excellent, I¡¯ll ring them up and let them know you¡¯re coming.¡± Elijah chuckled, pulling his brown tuner from his coat pocket.
Kalyan and his team had been taken to one of the Intensive care units the stadium had. Both Rebecca and Pacifica were familiar with the power of Viva units, both having had serious injuries restored to pristine condition through their power. ¡°Why aren¡¯t Viva units used more often?¡± Pacifica wondered aloud. ¡°Expensive,¡± Shouri replied simply. ¡°Just running one Resonator through a single healing cycle is estimated to cost around ten thousand notes.¡± ¡°Ten¡­ thousand?¡± Taika gasped. She suddenly had a new appreciation for her healing magic. ¡°Serious injuries like that can take several cycles to run through to get the Resonator fully healed,¡± Shouri explained. ¡°That¡¯s why they¡¯re only used if a Resonator is severely injured enough,¡± he added. ¡°Wait, why didn¡¯t they use a Viva unit on you then?¡± Taika pointed out, remembering Shouri¡¯s brush with death from a week ago. ¡°Viva units only work on Resonators due to how sensitive your physiology is to rhythm. Maestros radiate rhythm instead of taking it in naturally. In fact, etude is the only way Maestros can take in foreign rhythm,¡± he explained, his nerves about the situation calming. Rebecca nodded, understanding the idea. She could sense that explaining this to them was easing his anxiety, so she spoke up herself: ¡°Who pays for running the Viva units then if they¡¯re so expensive?¡± Shouri shrugged. ¡°Government probably. I¡¯m sure whoever authorizes the usage of the Viva units has to fill out a bunch of paperwork.¡± The boy shuddered thinking about dealing with the bureaucratic red tape. And they were about to see one in action as they arrived at the room in question. Letting themselves in, the four were hit by the familiar sterile scent of a medical office. It was quiet, only the hum of the machinery in the back, breaking the veil of silence. The first people they saw were Solmaz and his other two Resonators. He was flanked on both sides by his concerned Resonators who laid a hand on his back, Solmaz himself was hunched over, his head in his hands. ¡°Maestro Solmaz,¡± Shouri spoke up. The boy snapped to, tears dropping from his face. ¡°R-ref¡­¡± his voice cracked. Shouri hadn¡¯t paid the duelist any mind before Kalyan took that hit, but Solmaz had to be around his age, eighteen, maybe nineteen? ¡°I wanted to come see Kalyan,¡± Shouri admitted, after taking a moment to choose his words. ¡°He¡¯s over there¡­¡± Solmaz pointed to an adjoining room, the source of the humming machinery. ¡°Thank you.¡± Before Shouri could excuse himself, however, the other Maestro spoke up. ¡°Ref?¡± Shouri stopped, his back to the other Maestro. His gaze lowered as he considered whether or not to turn around. After a moment, Shouri faced the former competitor. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my fault, isn¡¯t it?¡± Solmaz asked. Once more, Shouri considered his choice of words before speaking. ¡°Why did you pick him?¡± Solmaz glanced at the room his third Resonator was in. ¡°I took a gamble on Jo picking his earth Resonator,¡± he told Shouri. ¡°I trusted Kalyan,¡± the duelist mumbled. Rebecca slowly nodded as she listened to Solmaz speak. Some would have interpreted those words as Solmaz feeling betrayed by his Resonator¡¯s loss, but this was far from correct. She could sense Solmaz truly trusted Kalyan and the feeling was mutual. And considering the stakes of their match, it honestly wasn¡¯t a bad call. Kalyan was a Nature-Cat, he was fast, way faster than Gad could ever hope to be. Strictly speaking, Jo would have probably forfeited the match if it wasn¡¯t an elimination round. They both had to take risks and Kalyan was the one who paid for it. ¡°You had to have expected he would have every Ossia available, that¡¯s the bare minimum for competitive battling,¡± Shouri pointed out. ¡°I know!¡± Solmaz shouted. ¡°I know¡­ I just thought all of the earth spells have such a wind-up time to them it wouldn¡¯t be an issue.¡± He lowered his head shamefully. He didn¡¯t speak another word. Shouri turned and made his way into the adjoining room where Kalyan floated inside the Viva unit. A mask was strapped to the cat boy¡¯s face, with diodes attached to key points on his body. The burn on his chest was still deep, but not nearly as bad as before. The machine was working its magic though, as they could see the wound slowly closing up in real time. It was truly a technological marvel. Taika spotted the boy¡¯s vitals, noting they were quite stable (at least from her understanding), despite the near-fatal injury he had sustained only an hour ago. The big thing Shouri spotted was the cycle count displayed on one of the monitors affixed to the machine: 1/5 35:23 Remaining Each cycle was an hour, so he was going to be in there for some time. Either way, there was nothing more Shouri or his Resonators could do. Kalyan was in good hands and would be back on his feet in a few hours. As Shouri and co went to take their leave, Solmaz spoke up again: ¡°W-wait, Ref?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Shouri stopped again, glancing back at the other Maestro. ¡°Those two-¡± He pointed to Pacifica and Taika. ¡°-they¡¯re yours too?¡± ¡°They are.¡± Solmaz bowed, keeping his head down. ¡°Thank you so much for saving him! I don¡¯t know what I would have done if I lost him,¡± his voice cracked with emotion. Pacifica and Taika looked at one another. ¡°Of course.¡± Taika smiled.
Klein: ¡°Have you wrapped up your meeting?¡± 1:47 PM Shouri studied the text on his tuner while they walked back to the courts. Me: ¡°Yeah, going back to finish out the day.¡± 1:49 PM Was the reply he decided on. Almost instantly, Shouri got a reply back from the other Maestro but chose to ignore it. The group of four stopped in front of court thirty-one. Rebecca and Shouri both regarded the battlefield with some hesitation. Pacifica took up Shouri¡¯s hand, then Taika¡¯s, motioning for her to grab one of Rebecca¡¯s. Seeing what Pacifica was after, he completed the circle linking his hand with Rebecca¡¯s. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± The otter closed her eyes. ¡°They¡¯re not here by force, they know what they¡¯re doing. Accidents happen, we¡¯re only a call away if you need us,¡± she spoke serenely, matching the warm rhythm flowing through them all like a gentle current. ¡°They want to be here, they poured so much rhythm, sweat, and tears for this chance, and we should respect their decision.¡± Taking in a deep breath, she released her Maestro and fellow Resonator from their etude circle. ¡°Th-that was beautiful¡­¡± One of the ninth-round Maestros was tearing up along with their Resonators in awe of the motivational speech. Shouri stood frozen in shock for a moment before Taika¡¯s rhythm thawed him into action. ¡°Q-quit gawking and get on the court!¡± he barked, attempting to hide the fluster on his face by stomping onto the court himself.
The remainder of the day went smoothly ¨C some more injured Resonators went through Taika and Pacifica¡¯s first-aid tent (though nothing even remotely close to the situation with Kalyan). While Shouri and Rebecca dealt with some mouthy Maestros; though they begrudgingly accepted their rulings without too much fuss (just a lot of huffing and bitter muttering). If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. At last, it was quitting time. 5 PM rolled around and with it the standings for the first sixteen rounds of Swiss. Shouri and Rebecca waited near one of the exits to the stadium, having changed out of their uniforms. Pacifica and Taika were still working on some last-round damage before they were allowed to leave for the day, giving the two referees a chance to people-watch until the other half of their party was freed from their obligations. There was a healthy mix of spectator and competitor foot traffic departing the venue. Quite a few Maestros were obviously and visibly bummed out. With such a huge playing field it was no surprise when over five hundred Maestros failed to make the cut into day two of the preliminaries. ¡°I never realized how many people came to these things,¡± Rebecca commented, noting the sheer volume of human foot traffic. ¡°Never been to a Nationals?¡± Shouri asked. Rebecca shook her head. ¡°Had a couple of Maestros trying to make a career out of it, never stayed with them long enough to see any tournaments.¡± Kalyan flashed into the forefront of her mind. ¡°Thankfully,¡± she mumbled. Shouri placed a hand on her shoulder, gripping it tightly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°I know.¡± The fire Resonator trembled. ¡°They want to be here,¡± she reminded herself. They stood in silence for a bit. ¡°If Maestros lose day one, they don¡¯t get anything for their time?¡± Rebecca questioned, deciding to return to her original inquiry. ¡°Oh no, if they¡¯re here they¡¯re getting a government stipend to compete. Depending on their placement, they get more money on top of their tournament winnings.¡± Shouri watched a Maestro and her Resonators celebrate nearby. ¡°Like us hunters, they also get to stay in MA Offices, so lodging and food are taken care of for them. Though the stronger Maestros will get themselves hotel rooms rather than stay in the packed MA Offices.¡± ¡°My god, it¡¯s probably a shit show there, huh?¡± Rebecca realized. ¡°Yeah, glad we dodged that bullet.¡± Shouri shuddered thinking how full it must be there right now. The pair resumed people-watching. Rebecca¡¯s gaze gradually fell, sneaking to Shouri¡¯s hand. Eyes darting away, she slowly extended her hand out, and her hand grazed his ¨C though she whipped her arm away as if she touched a cold surface. Shouri smirked, knowing exactly what his sneaky fox was after. Reaching out, he took hold of her hand. Her tail started swishing, pleased with the turn of events. After some time, Taika and Pacifica joined the group. ¡°Sho!¡± the two Resonators called out to their Maestro. ¡°Hey! How was the rest of your shift?!¡± Shouri called back to his returning Resonators, waving with his unoccupied hand. ¡°Bene! Bene!¡± Taika beamed, holding the strap of her medical bag. ¡°I¡¯m first aid certified!¡± Pacifica bragged, having gotten a crash course on basic wound care in the latter half of the day. ¡°Good, I¡¯m glad.¡± Shouri smiled back; pleased they had a good time. ¡°What about you two?¡± Taika inquired. ¡°So this dude tried to argue with us about his Resonator hitting zero first due to poison, but it¡¯s like, the tuner tells us exactly when it happened, why are you arguing?¡± Rebecca told her fellow Resonators. ¡°People haha¡­¡± Pacifica chuckled, shaking her head. It was at that moment, that Shouri got a call on his tuner. Of course, it was one Elijah Klein. ¡°Keep talking, gonna see what Elijah wants,¡± Shouri told the rest of his group as he stepped away to answer. Shouri wanted to snap at his current employer but decided at the last second to be civil. ¡°Yes?¡± he asked, really having to bite his tongue to even get that out in an even tone. ¡°I¡¯m sending a car to pick you up, we¡¯re going to have dinner, my treat.¡± Poor Shouri couldn¡¯t even get a word in edgewise before Elijah hung up on him, justifying his previous inclination to snap at the other man. With a tired sigh, he looked back to his trio of girls excitedly sharing stories about their day. Returning to the circle, he announced the plans forced on them: ¡°We¡¯re going out to dinner,¡± he told them. ¡°Dinner?¡± Taika perked up, earning an eye roll and a smirk from Rebecca. ¡°Where at?¡± Pacifica asked though she wasn¡¯t familiar with any of the local eateries. ¡°Dunno, Mister Klein didn¡¯t say, he just said he was going to have someone pick us up.¡± Shouri allowed his shoulders to catch slack, letting out another annoyed sigh. ¡°Weak will, why doesn¡¯t anyone respect my condition?¡± the Maestro grumbled. Taika shuffled over and rubbed her Maestro¡¯s back. ¡°Andr¨¤ bene, Sho.¡± She smiled sweetly. ¡°You¡¯re just saying that because you want dessert,¡± Rebecca mumbled. Though Shouri couldn¡¯t hear her, Taika shot a glare at Rebecca, who stuck her tongue out. Pacifica raised a brow, the spat seemed more¡­ playful than she was used to seeing between the two. How odd. ¡°Master Tomoshibi,¡± a familiar voice broke up the antics. ¡°Mr. Belvedere, what are you doing here?¡± Shouri questioned the elder man who stood waiting for the group. ¡°Master Klein requested your presence at the Six Senses Chophouse on Galango Road ¨C he tasked me to ensure your timely arrival,¡± the butler informed the inquiring Maestro. Shouri grunted, glancing back at his gaggle of girls. They stared back with hunger in their eyes. ¡°Fine fine,¡± he relented. ¡°Let¡¯s get going.¡± Alfred nodded slowly. ¡°Excellent. This way if you would.¡±
The Six Senses Chophouse was, as expected, a wonderful dining experience. Turns out Elijah had reserved the entire restaurant to celebrate a successful first day of tournament play. The building was filled by the staff who made that all possible. By the end of it though, Shouri was sporting a lovely headache and wanted to just go back to the hotel so he could put his head under a pillow and not exist for a few hours. However, things didn¡¯t go the way Shouri envisioned upon their return to the hotel. As Alfred pulled the car under the porte-cochere in front of the Villas Fairingway, Shouri, and his Resonators exited the vehicle, but so did Elijah and Zino. Shouri thought nothing of it ¨C figuring the Klein heir must also have a room in the hotel. With that, Shouri made his way inside and to the elevator, with Elijah right behind. In the elevator, the pack of six went, but Elijah made no selection of his own when they entered, allowing Shouri to scan one of his tuners to select the floor. The door opened and the six departed the elevator, causing Shouri to stop and turn back to the two hangers-on. ¡°Ok, why are you here?¡± he finally questioned the other Maestro. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t it be obvious? I am returning to my room.¡± Elijah smiled innocently. ¡°This floor is a suite, there isn¡¯t another room here,¡± Shouri pointed out, though he already had a nasty feeling about what his employer was about to say next. ¡°Mister Tomoshibi, there is only one presidential suite and it is quite large, even for myself and Zino,¡± Elijah said. Shouri remained silent ¨C he knew this whole situation was too good to be true. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Taika asked. ¡°They¡¯re staying in the suite with us,¡± Pacifica told her fellow Resonator. ¡°Oh good.¡± Rebecca cracked her knuckles, eyes cast squarely on Zino, who was more than happy to flex his own digits and glare back. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I need a break from strong rhythm users. I¡¯ve had my fill today.¡± Elijah pushed his bangs back, the exhaustion apparent on his face. Turns out, the tournament organizer was quite good at putting on a show and hiding his discomfort. With that in mind, he stepped around Shouri¡¯s group and made his way deeper into the Presidential Suite. This left Zino alone with Shouri and his team. Pacifica and Taika studied the dinosaurian - Pacifica edging back slightly and Taika staring with indifference. ¡°Hrmph.¡± And with that, Zino too made his departure, (taking an extra-long gait to avoid Rebecca) before disappearing into the suite. ¡°Uhg. Our vacations suck.¡± Shouri slumped over himself, letting out a big dramatic sigh. ¡°There there Sho.¡± Pacifica patted her Maestro¡¯s back. ¡°Tch, I wanted him to start something,¡± Rebecca grumbled. ¡°Rebecca, componiti.¡± Taika held her fellow fox¡¯s shoulder. The evening thankfully was relaxing for the quartet, Taika and Pacifica made some snacks for the group and they gathered in one of the living rooms to watch some movies on the hilariously large flat-screen television. At one point Elijah wandered out of his room, catching sight of Shouri and his three Resonators all draped over him. Being so focused on the movie, the quartet failed to notice they were being watched. The expression on Shouri¡¯s face was of particular interest to the Klein heir. Comfort, trust, true comradery. The three girls around their Maestro shared in this emotion, this bliss. Together they carved out their little slice of heaven no matter where they were. Treating Resonators right wasn¡¯t just feeding or training them well or anything clinical like that. They¡¯re just people¡­ Chapter 93 BEEEP BEEP BEEEP BEEP BEEEP! ¡°WAS I BORN TO SUFFER?!¡± With Pacifica¡¯s anguished cry, Sunday, July 15th began in earnest. Just like the day prior, the present day¡¯s festivities began bright and early. The four young adults shambled about the suite, finally converging at the front door, where Alfred pinned their staff badges to their clothing and saw them off for the day. ¡°What do you think he¡¯s gonna make us do today bossman?¡± Rebecca questioned Shouri as they were driven to the site. ¡°Well Taika and Pacifica are gonna be on medical duty most of the week, Elijah told me yesterday,¡± Shouri began. Taika and Pacifica nodded ¨C they had heard as much from Jess as well. ¡°Yeah, that makes sense.¡± Rebecca stroked her chin in thought. ¡°What about you and I, though?¡± was the more pressing concern of the fire fox. ¡°Honestly he¡¯ll probably just throw us at a court again and have us watch matches.¡± Shouri shrugged.
¡°You want us to what?¡± Shouri questioned Elijah. At breakfast, the Klein heir revealed what he wanted Shouri and Rebecca to work on today, and it wasn¡¯t anything the group had expected. ¡°As I said, the main tournament starts tomorrow. If you think the crowds yesterday and today were impressive, you haven¡¯t seen anything yet.¡± Elijah chuckled. ¡°As such we have a large quantity of supplies coming in from all over, I need strong Maestros protecting those trucks. You won¡¯t be watching over a convoy or anything like that ¨C I¡¯m having a Maestro-Resonator pair assigned to each truck.¡± ¡°Do you really think something that bad is going to happen?¡± Shouri questioned wearily. ¡°Absolutely! It happens every event,¡± Elijah beamed. ¡°Y-you¡¯re not supposed to smile like that.¡± Shouri shook his head. ¡°This sounds¡­ kind of dangerous,¡± Pacifica noted uneasily, stealing a glance at her own Maestro. ¡°Oh, it is.¡± Elijah didn¡¯t deny that. ¡°Then why?¡± Shouri continued to argue. ¡°I trust you Mister Tomoshibi, simple as.¡± It was at this point that the Klein heir rose from his seat. ¡°Come, Zino, we have our own business to attend to.¡± ¡°Mrrgh,¡± with that grunt, Zino rose from his seat and the pair wandered off to do whatever it was Elijah had planned for himself that day. ¡°Uuhhhgh.¡± Shouri¡¯s head hit the table in front of him. ¡°Relax bossman, we got this.¡± Rebecca patted her Maestro¡¯s back. ¡°I don¡¯t want to got it,¡± he complained.
After parting ways with Taika and Pacifica, Shouri and Rebecca made their way down to where their ride to the airport was. Given the scope of the job at hand, a couple of buses were arranged to ferry the selected ¡°muscle¡± of this operation. ¡°We aren¡¯t going to the same airport we arrived at?¡± Rebecca questioned as they rode along with the other Maestros in the bus. ¡°Looks like it. They must have a much larger airport outside the city for cargo.¡± Shouri pulled the red tuner from his side. ¡°Ah, outside of Lutera, Naiza itself is locked away from the rest of the world, being surrounded by harsh mountains from all sides. Only way in is by plane,¡± he told his Resonator. ¡°But¡­ I¡¯ve seen plenty of like roads and stuff going through mountains in Lybertera,¡± Rebecca pondered aloud. Shouri frowned hard. He glanced around before whispering to his fox: ¡°The real reason is they probably want to stop Lunars and Luna natives from easily leaving this general area.¡± ¡°The real reason huh.¡± Rebecca slowly nodded her head. It never occurred to her just how badly Lunars were viewed until she was friends with one. ¡°I don¡¯t get it,¡± she mumbled. ¡°Are you familiar with the Seven Heroes?¡± Shouri asked. ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re like the first Maestros, right?¡± Rebecca replied, unsure of where her Maestro was going. ¡°Pretty much, there¡¯s a legend that says there was a great evil, and seven Maestros, with their partner Resonators defeated the great evil together. There was one hero for every element, including Lunar,¡± he recounted for his own Resonator. ¡°So then why?¡± Rebecca had a good idea of where Shouri was going with this. ¡°There are some people who believe that in the final hour, the Lunar hero abandoned the other six, making the final battle much more difficult than it should have been. The people shamed Lunars ever since,¡± he explained. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Rebecca raised a brow ¨C that seemed almost too simple of an explanation for such deep-rooted spite towards the element. ¡°Not really. Lunars not naturally occurring on Riterra, Naturals being unable to be Lunar or use Lunar magic, Lunar magic being associated with darkness and the supernatural as well as some people being more sensitive to the aura produced by Lunar Resonators has built up a stigma against the element,¡± he explained. ¡°You still took in Taika knowing all of that?¡± Rebecca whispered. ¡°Don¡¯t be so impressed with me. I had no idea about any of that until well after I decided to take her in,¡± he revealed. ¡°I just couldn¡¯t understand why people hated her. She¡¯s just like you ¨C she¡¯s just a girl, only her magic is slightly different.¡± He lowered his head, a bitter glare painted across his face. The two remained quiet for a moment ¨C the chattering of the others on the bus having long been reduced to white noise. ¡°Would you¡­¡± Rebecca paused. ¡°Would you have still been her Maestro if you knew?¡± the fire Resonator questioned. ¡°Yes,¡± there was no hesitation in his reply. ¡°I would have tried to be more persuasive so she didn¡¯t have to chase after me,¡± he added. Rebecca couldn¡¯t help but smile ¨C that sounded like him alright. ¡°I see.¡± She slipped her hand into his, linking her digits in his. ¡°You¡¯re a good person Sho.¡± ¡°Doing my best,¡± he whispered back. With that little melopology lesson out of the way, their transport soon arrived at their destination. Disembarking from the bus was a simple affair. It was humid out, and by Shouri¡¯s admission, kind of chilly. Given how early in the morning it was, that was no surprise. Though, Rebecca¡¯s heat and cold resistance she passed along to him thanks to their link, meant he merely noticed the temperature and wasn¡¯t bothered by it. ¡°This way folks!¡± The middle manager in charge of organizing this mess of Maestros and Resonators motioned for the group to follow him into the airport. There was much less tourist traffic here, leaning more towards truckers and other members of the transport industry. As usual, since he was with Rebecca, there were curious eyes on the pair, wondering that dreaded thing: Is that a Renard? He really did hate the attention, not because of his weak will pushing him to avoid the attention of the masses, but because of the unwanted attention Rebecca got. Still with her hand in his grasp, he gave her a re-affirming squeeze. Her lips curled up ever so slightly as she returned the gesture in kind. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. At last, they were all brought into a room with bagels and coffee. Coming from breakfast already, Shouri and Rebecca just settled on the hot coffee and listened to the briefing. ¡°Alright people! Here¡¯s what we have going on for the new folks. There are fifteen transport trucks, we have enough pairs here to have one in each.¡± The manager began. ¡°It¡¯s pretty likely at least one truck will be attacked.¡± They paused to allow the sudden side chatter to settle. ¡°That¡¯s kind of crazy,¡± Shouri commented. ¡°At least that dude warned us,¡± Rebecca muttered back before sipping her coffee. ¡°I just sent out an invite to a group chat for this. Please post updates here, we¡¯ll be monitoring it and can get you help if something comes up. Any questions?¡± Sure enough, Shouri pulled out one of his tuners and found himself part of a large group text with the other Maestros and management. Notably, Elijah was also one of the members, though he was probably tending to other matters and wouldn¡¯t be an active participant in the chat. Tuning back into the conversation, there were a few people asking questions about scenarios that probably wouldn¡¯t come up. All stuff that could be safely ignored. Assignments were soon doled out with Shouri and Rebecca being assigned to a thirty-something driver. ¡°Morning folks!¡± he greeted the pair familiarly. ¡°Hey¡­ guy.¡± Shouri waved back hesitantly. ¡°That¡¯s my name, don¡¯t wear it out!¡± The man chuckled. ¡°Let¡¯s get to the truck, shouldn¡¯t take us too long to get to the stadium.¡± Guy the truck driver led Shouri and Rebecca out, following along with a couple of the other groups that got the introductions done quickly. ¡°This way folks!¡± Guy continued his healthy pace ahead of the younger pair. ¡°I didn¡¯t think truckers would be this in shape,¡± Shouri mumbled. ¡°Right, I know you get more exercise than he would,¡± Rebecca complained, almost shy of a run. They arrived at the docks of the warehouse, the truck fully loaded up and ready to go. Guy went ahead and opened the passenger door, allowing Shouri and Rebecca in. Up the two steps, the uninitiated duo was shocked to silence at what was inside. Naturally, there was a driver and passenger seat with all the usual features of any automobile ¨C steering wheel, pedals, dashboard, radio, navigator, the whole kit and caboodle. No, what surprised the young adults was that the cab kept going. There was an entire seating area in the back of the cab with a table flanked by two seats (complete with safety belts), a television, microwave, mini-fridge, coffee maker, and ample head space to fully stand up. ¡°Y¡¯all can sit in the back there, it¡¯s plenty comfy while we ride,¡± Guy told the pair. ¡°Normally my partner Resonator rides with me, but he¡¯s home sick with Weathering Illness. But you folks look mighty tough so I think I¡¯m in good hands!¡± the man said with a hearty laugh. ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Rebecca nodded absentmindedly, finding her way to a seat. Shouri followed suit. It was comfortable, surprisingly so ¨C not what either of them had expected when they took on this task. There was plenty of storage room too; what looked like a mini closet was behind the driver¡¯s seat, the aforementioned miniature refrigerator, and lots of little closed-up cabinets dotted around the space. ¡°Never been in one of these before?¡± Guy asked as he took to the driver''s seat. ¡°No sir,¡± Shouri replied. ¡°Thought so, people are pretty impressed the first time they sit in one of these.¡± The trucker laughed loudly. ¡°Anyways, enjoy the ride, should be smooth sailing!¡± ¡°That kind of language excites the wish sage,¡± Shouri muttered under his breath, leaning back in his seat.
Meanwhile, Taika and Pacifica¡¯s work day began with some drama. ¡°Are you fucking serious? A fucking ninte? What has this sport been reduced to?¡± an annoyed Maestro sneered at Taika. The lunar Resonator in question stared back apathetically. She was sick of these people. She gave a sympathetic glance to the Maestro¡¯s ailing Resonator who had been poisoned in the first round of Swiss for the day. Pacifica stood behind her fellow Resonator, absolutely boiling, ready to explode. Taika ignored the vitriol and mixed up the antidote to cure the poison of the suffering Resonator. ¡°Here.¡± She held out the completed brew for the Resonator. SMACK The medicine was slapped from the healer¡¯s hands and spilled on the ground. Pacifica opened her mouth, ready to lay into the unreasonable Maestro when- SMACK A hand whipped across the man¡¯s face. ¡°What the fu-¡± SMACK And Jess¡¯ hand flew across the other side of the face evening out the red on his face. ¡°Leave or I¡¯m handing you a game loss for harassment,¡± the doctor returned the Maestro¡¯s venom with some of her own. ¡°You bitch! I¡¯ll get you fired you ninte fucker!¡± ¡°OUT!¡± The man cowered under the pressure of the seasoned doctor and made his escape. ¡°Go ahead Taika.¡± Dr. Miya motioned to the still-suffering Resonator who had remained seated. Mixing up a new batch of antidote only took a minute ¨C she had plenty of practice making this brew yesterday as poison seemed to be the favored tactic in this tournament. ¡°Here.¡± Once more, Taika handed off the remedy to the Resonator who choked it down. Almost instantly the relief poured onto their face. ¡°Sorry about him,¡± the Resonator mumbled. ¡°We lost hard to a lunar dragon yesterday and he¡¯s been upset ever since.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think Lunars were a common sight in Resonator battling,¡± Pacifica commented. ¡°They¡¯re not. None of us had any idea what to do¡­ not that it mattered. That dragon demolished my teammate without breaking a sweat,¡± the Resonator told the trio, shuddering as they recalled the beatdown. ¡°No excuse,¡± Jess spoke up, her tone still decidedly bitter. ¡°Taking your anger out on the people trying to help you is never justified. The kid can grow up, and I think that his stupid tongue ending his tournament run is a good lesson for him,¡± the seasoned doctor huffed. ¡°Go rest up.¡± She motioned for the Resonator to leave. ¡°I understand.¡± They were disappointed, but it was nothing they did wrong ¨C it was all their Maestro¡¯s decision. Once alone again, Jess spoke up. ¡°I¡¯m from Luna you know,¡± she told the two Resonators. ¡°It¡¯s not all sunshine and rainbows up there, quite the opposite.¡± The doctor regarded Taika with a smile. ¡°On Luna though you¡¯d be treated like a celebrity.¡± The elder woman chuckled. ¡°Huh? Why¡¯s that? Aren¡¯t there tons of Lunar Resonators on Luna?¡± Pacifica questioned. ¡°In Lunar culture, Healing foxes are revered, after all, the Lunar Hero¡¯s partner was a Healing attribute fox,¡± Jess revealed. Taika remained silent, staring at the Luna native blankly as her mind raced with so many new questions. Chapter 94 Shouri and Rebecca idly chatted about random stuff they found on the internet while they rode in the back of the cab. Guy, the truck driver, listened to an audio cast to pass the time. ¡°Huh, Jo got eliminated already,¡± Rebecca noted. ¡°All that fuss and he just ended up dropping,¡± she spoke with disappointment in her voice. ¡°I¡¯m sure he was shaken up. I was reading about the investigation procedures in accidental deaths during battle.¡± Shouri paused, keeping his gaze fixated on the tuner in his hand. ¡°It¡¯s not pretty, even if you¡¯re innocent,¡± he spoke quieter. ¡°I¡­ see.¡± Rebecca too kept her head down. The pair fell quiet, the hum of the truck¡¯s engine and the chattering of Guy¡¯s audio cast breaking up the silence. Their contemplative moment was broken up with both Rebecca and Shouri perking up suddenly. ¡°Sho-!¡± before Rebecca could relay her thoughts to Shouri ¨C chaos struck. First a loud popping sound, then the entire forty-ton vehicle suddenly and violently jerked to the right, straight off the road. It all went black. When Rebecca came to, she was hanging on her seatbelt by her waist. ¡°Ggahh¡­¡± she grunted. The entire cabin was on its side, both her Maestro and the truck driver were totally unconscious. Thankfully rhythm-based engines like the ones used in trucks and automobiles didn¡¯t have the capability of exploding or even catching fire for that matter, not like they were commonly depicted doing in movies. However, the violent collision they were just in couldn¡¯t have been good for their bodies. Rebecca counted her blessings that she was born a Resonator, as she was much sturdier than a Maestro. Bracing herself, she released the seatbelt digging into her abdomen, and dropped down, pivoting herself around the still-extended table between her and Shouri. Speaking of her Maestro, he seemed to be outwardly okay, with no blood or injuries. Just knocked unconscious by the shock¡­ hopefully. ¡°Sho! Sho!¡± Rebecca shook him, also allowing her rhythm to flow from her fingertips into him. For a moment Shouri remained still. Rebecca trembled, her heart racing. ¡°Not again¡­¡± she whimpered. ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to die on me!¡± she barked, intensifying her shaking of him. He began to stir. ¡°Nn Re¡­ Rebecca?¡± Shouri gradually came to. Rebecca wiped away the gathered tears, relief flooding her. ¡°Careful, we were just in an accident.¡± Reaching over, she unclipped his safety belt and helped him sit up. ¡°What even happened?¡± he asked, taking in the scene around him. Rebecca sat silent for a moment. ¡°I think-¡± She paused, gathering her thoughts. ¡°-right before we crashed, someone cast a Feroce spell.¡± ¡°What the hell? Are you sure?¡± Shouri gasped, sobering up in an instant. She nodded slowly. This wasn¡¯t just a random accident ¨C they had been attacked. Grasping Taika¡¯s tuner at his waist, he pulled on her rhythm ¨C he needed her stubborn willpower right now, even if she was an hour away. The small wisps that came through her connection with the device were enough to spur Shouri into action: ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get Guy and get out of here.¡± Shouri attempted to stand up but found his sense of balance not working with him. ¡°Ough, this is¡­¡± He swayed a bit but was thankfully caught by Rebecca. ¡°Easy there bossman, we got shook like a mixed drink.¡± She wrapped an arm around him. Through her touch, Rebecca¡¯s emotional state was being broadcast to him loud and clear: she was scared witless. Even so, she wrestled her feelings into place - they had to prioritize their safety first and then she could have a meltdown. And honestly, Shouri was in the same camp. Adrenaline was a hell of a drug. Rebecca naturally ensured her own Maestro escaped first. They made their way to the front of the overturned vehicle, finding the driver still safely in his seat, though unconscious and bearing several fresh cuts from the windshield shattering. Speaking of, the force of the collision had blown out the front glass entirely, giving them a way to get out of the truck without having to fight gravity one-on-one. ¡°Come on Sho.¡± Rebecca urged her Maestro over the seat. ¡°What about him?¡± Shouri fearfully looked at the still unmoving driver. ¡°I¡¯ll get him after you¡¯re out, go!¡± she demanded. Hesitantly, the Maestro obeyed his Resonator, climbing out of the truck, being extra careful to avoid the jagged edges of the shattered glass. Rebecca then unbuckled the driver and hoisted him up. It took her a couple of minutes to maneuver the man¡¯s body around given he was dead weight. Finally, she was able to get herself and the driver out of the overturned vehicle. Shouri rushed over and helped her with the load she was carrying. They laid him out on the grassy knoll, away from the overturned vehicle. It was around that point that the local emergency services arrived on the scene, starting with the police. An officer and their partner Resonator rushed over and immediately dropped to their knees to check on Guy. ¡°What happened here?¡± was the first question the officer asked of Shouri. ¡°We were attacked; my Resonator sensed it right before we crashed,¡± the Maestro replied. ¡°Yes, we saw it, never seen a spell like it before,¡± the officer¡¯s Resonator replied while checking the driver¡¯s pulse. ¡°Wait¡­ you saw it?¡± Shouri and Rebecca shared a glance. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s still on the road. Never seen anything like it. Though we got some healers on the way to dispel it.¡± The officer pointed back down the road while rising to their feet. Along with the thick black tire marks where the truck had skidded off the road, several other vehicles crashed with popped tires, the drivers and their passengers also leaving their vehicles in a daze. Finally, Shouri and Rebecca¡¯s eyes fell on them. Littering the road with the vehicle debris were black glowing caltrops, radiating that similar lightless energy that the Feroce spells gave off. With the paramedics being called over to tend to Guy, Shouri felt confident enough to get a closer look. Rebecca took hold of his arm, her eyes locked on the menacing spikes that littered the road. ¡°Fuck¡­¡± Suspicions confirmed, Shouri grabbed one of his tuners and dialed a number from his contacts. Rebecca raised a brow, wondering who he was calling. ¡°Colette? It¡¯s Shouri.¡± For Rebecca¡¯s nosiness, she closed her eyes and focused her hearing on the receiver. ¡°Where the HELL did you go?!¡± was the first thing she heard from the other Maestro. ¡°Oh whoops, we went to Naiza ¨C Mr. Klein invited us to be tournament staff.¡± ¡°Some WARNING would be nice!¡± ¡°Yeah my bad, anyways, we got attacked by a Feroce Resonator down here.¡± ¡°Wait what really? What happened?¡± Colette¡¯s tone noticeably shifted to curiosity instead of righteous indignation. Shouri quickly recounted the day¡¯s task along with the events leading up to the crash, and finally, the strange spikes set in the road. ¡°Ah, that sounds like Grave Rischio, it spreads caltrops out, a tool usually used for escape, but the user can alter the size of them when casting turning them from a stealth tool into just a blunt force object for striking the opponent with,¡± Colette explained. ¡°Less being impressed, more strategy ¨C why were we attacked in broad daylight?¡± Shouri demanded of his fellow Maestro. A thoughtful hum from Colette¡¯s end followed. ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure ¨C that is concerning though.¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s fucking concerning!¡± he barked back. ¡°Sho.¡± Rebecca rubbed his shoulder closest to her, imparting some serenity into him. ¡°Sorry, kinda stressed,¡± he mumbled into the tuner. ¡°Let me see what I can find out from my end. I¡¯ll call you back.¡± Before Shouri could get another word in edge-wise, Colette hung up. The Maestro let out a sigh. ¡°Fuck.¡± He rapidly began to lose strength in his legs, thankfully Rebecca was right there to keep him propped up. ¡°Hey folks, come have a seat.¡± The first officer they spoke with directed Shouri and Rebecca to one of the ambulances on the scene. ¡°Yeah, probably a good idea, come on Rebecca.¡± Shouri heeded the officer¡¯s order for nothing else but to make sure he didn¡¯t have a concussion. He stole a glance at Rebecca¡¯s vitals while they walked over Status: Rush Rhythm: 54% Heart Rate: 142 BPM Oxygen Saturation: 89% Hydration: 41% Last Sleep Efficiency: 92% Actual Sleep: 5hrs 4mins Time since Last Sleep: 4hrs 22mins ago Yeah, getting checked out by the paramedics on the scene was looking quite appealing to Shouri after checking on Rebecca. Rhythm: 54% The accident chunked her for forty-six percent of her rhythm. God only knows what it did to his body. In fact, with that in mind, it was a miracle he was even walking right now. He didn¡¯t feel bad, maybe a little achy but not like he was just in an overturned eighteen-wheeler. Either way, the paramedics would be able to find out if he was incredibly lucky or if something else was horribly wrong with him that he just wasn¡¯t feeling.
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.Meanwhile, back at the stadium, Taika and Pacifica carried on with their duties as medical staff. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong,¡± Pacifica mumbled to herself while she poured water into a basin for a singed Resonator. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Jess questioned the otter, having caught her muttering. ¡°N-nothing.¡± The water element frowned, not believing herself. Taika suddenly came over to their side of the tent. ¡°Paci, can I borrow the tuner?¡± the fox requested. ¡°Hm?¡± Dr. Miya raised a brow. ¡°Something is wrong, I can feel it,¡± Taika admitted quietly. Pacifica nodded in agreement. ¡°I¡¯m not crazy! Something really is wrong with Sho!¡± She nodded, handing off her tuner to the lunar fox. Taika furrowed her brow as she tried to call the other tuners on Shouri¡¯s person, but didn¡¯t get an answer. ¡°Where did they go again?¡± Taika asked. ¡°Uhh, I dunno, they were supposed to be guarding some trucks?¡± Pacifica hummed in thought. ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t remember anyone mentioning specifics of where they were going.¡± Taika¡¯s gaze was locked on the call screen ¨C she wanted to keep calling until Shouri picked up, but also what if he was in the middle of something dangerous and needed the concentration? ¡°If that¡¯s the case, focus on your work here for the moment, there¡¯s nothing you can do about it,¡± Jess advised the two fretting Resonators. ¡°I-I guess,¡± Pacifica acquiesced, returning to working on the singed Resonator before her. ¡°I don¡¯t like it,¡± Taika grumbled. ¡°Never said you had to. But there¡¯s people hurt here in front of you ¨C focus on them until you get more information,¡± Jess told the pair, before returning to her work. Taika and Pacifica shared a glance. ¡°He¡¯ll be fine, Rebecca is with him,¡± the lunar decided. With their trust in their fellow Resonator, they obeyed Dr.Miya¡¯s orders and tended to the injured Resonators occupying their tent.
Back at the scene of the accident, Shouri just got a clean bill of health from the paramedics after accepting minor healing from the healers they brought onto the scene. He also took the opportunity to update the group chat he had been forced into, earning lots of astonished replies that he ignored. It was fairly impressive that he survived all of that without so much as a bruise. The paramedics said so themselves, comparing Shouri and Rebecca¡¯s condition to that of Guy the truck driver. Though no one was arguing with two fewer people to care for, so they let the pair go. Though, now that he had a moment to think about it, right before the crash he could have sworn he felt another presence in the cabin with them. Rhythm had washed over him like he was being affected by a spell. Or at least that''s what he thought he had sensed. Either way, he couldn''t feel anything now (outside of the minor achiness he picked up due to the impact). ¡°Well, now what?¡± Rebecca asked, snapping the Maestro out of his thoughts. ¡°Good question. We¡¯re kind of stuck here now, aren¡¯t we?¡± Shouri turned back to the overturned eighteen-wheeler they had crawled out of. ¡°Hey folks!¡± The officer that they first encountered after the accident ran back up to them. ¡°You¡¯re Shouri Tomoshibi, correct?¡± Shouri stepped back a little, his hand grasped around Taika¡¯s tuner at his waist. ¡°I am,¡± he replied uneasily. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to take you back with me,¡± the officer informed the pair. ¡°Why?¡± Rebecca instinctively put her arm up in front of her Maestro. ¡°Orders from HQ, they want you brought to the¡­ what was it, that fancy hotel downtown?¡± ¡°The Villas Fairingway?¡± Shouri guessed. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s the one!¡± the officer exclaimed; glad he had the name down. Shouri nodded slowly as the math suddenly added up. Elijah had way too much sway, he decided silently. ¡°That works out,¡± Rebecca told her Maestro. ¡°We can just have that guy bring Taika and Pacifica back when they¡¯re done for the day,¡± she added. ¡°At least he¡¯s useful for something.¡± Shouri rolled his eyes. ¡°Besides almost getting us killed on the daily,¡± he mumbled that last part as an aside. The return trip to downtown Naiza was much easier than it had begun. No attacks, not even any trouble with the police officers they rode with. Shouri and Rebecca were dropped off at the hotel without any fuss ¨C they weren¡¯t even brought in for questioning. Given the events of the morning though, it wasn¡¯t any surprise that the two of them were exhausted. Making their way up to their suite, the pair trudged in, kicking off their shoes. ¡°Wait, Sho,¡± Rebecca spoke up. Before Shouri could ask what was up, she pinned him against the wall. ¡°R-rebecca¡­¡± he squeaked in surprise. ¡°Shhh¡­¡± She drew close, pressing herself against him before laying her lips against his. ¡°You scared the hell out of me¡­¡± Her breath washed over him as her eyes filled to the brim. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Rebecca.¡± He wrapped his arms around the small of her back, before returning her kiss with one of his own. ¡°You¡¯re forgiven.¡± She smiled through her tear-soaked face. ¡°Just¡­ hold me for a little bit¡­ ¡®kay?¡± ¡°Of course¡­¡±
¡°They were WHAT?!¡± Pacifica screeched at Elijah. It was around six in the evening. Taika and Pacifica had calmed down throughout their shift, but their collective heart rates shot right back up when the Klein heir came to pick them up from the medical tent and revealed the fate of Shouri and Rebecca¡¯s guard duties. ¡°I knew something happened!¡± Taika hissed, similarly ready to fight their employer. ¡°Why did you keep this from us?!¡± she demanded. ¡°Oh dear, I should have expected this.¡± Elijah chuckled nervously. ¡°Zino, a hand please?¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t handle a couple of mammals, I¡¯m not wasting my time.¡± The dinosaurian looked over the cuticles of his nails, sitting in one of the chairs. ¡°Oh me oh my,¡± Elijah continued his chuckling, which did not mollify the two angry women towering over him. ¡°Speak,¡± Pacifica growled. ¡°Or else,¡± Taika added. ¡°If you must know, Mister Tomoshibi did not want you to worry and take away from your duties,¡± Elijah offered. The two girls studied him for a moment. ¡°He¡¯s telling the truth,¡± Pacifica told her fellow Resonator. ¡°Hmph, fine,¡± Taika grumbled. ¡°We¡¯re watching you,¡± she decided as an afterthought. With that matter settled, they took their usual ride back to the hotel: Alfred the butler picked up the group and took them directly back to their lodgings for the week. Elijah sighed in relief as soon as they arrived back at the suite. Taika and Pacifica immediately rushed off to find their Maestro and fellow Resonator, freeing him from their crushing rhythm. He shot a glance at Zino, who wandered off on his own, uncaring of what his Maestro was doing. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Elijah pulled a small book from his coat pocket and jotted something down.
¡°What the FUCK happened Sho?!¡± Pacifica shouted upon finding Shouri in bed with Rebecca ¨C they were watching TV, nestled up under the covers. ¡°Oh, welcome back.¡± Shouri waved to the two. ¡°Shhh, we¡¯re watching a movie.¡± Rebecca pointed at the television. Pacifica and Taika exchanged an annoyed glance with one another before stepping in front of the TV. ¡°Hey!¡± Shouri and Rebecca cried out. ¡°Tell us what happened!¡± Taika demanded. ¡°Fine fine.¡± Shouri sighed, turning the volume down on the television. Rebecca and Shouri brought the rest of the party up to speed on what happened with the truck, as well as the Feroce spell they encountered. Pacifica and Taika grew quiet, digesting what had happened. Taika quietly took out her medical equipment and following some instructions on her tuner performed a quick physical check-up of Shouri and Rebecca, despite being told several times they got the same lookover by the paramedics on the scene. ¡°You¡¯re completely fine,¡± Taika hummed in thought. ¡°You lost how much rhythm Rebecca?¡± ¡°Forty-six percent according to Sho,¡± the fire-fox replied. ¡°That¡¯s a lot for a crash,¡± the healer mumbled. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Shouri raised a brow. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve seen a few Resonators now who lost that much rhythm, and usually they got pretty beat up to get to that point¡­¡± Her gaze shifted from Rebecca to Shouri. ¡°If she lost half her rhythm, why are you perfectly fine?¡± Silence ¡°I dunno.¡± Shouri shrugged after a moment. ¡°Luck?¡± he offered. ¡°I guess I just don¡¯t know enough about Maestros yet.¡± The fox wilted, ears flattening against her head. Shouri reached over and placed a hand on her head. ¡°It¡¯s okay Taika, you¡¯re still learning. I appreciate your concern.¡± The vixen smiled warmly. ¡°Sho¡­¡± Her tail swished back and forth contentedly. ¡°This whole thing is scary though,¡± Pacifica spoke up. ¡°Someone bold enough to use a Feroce spell in broad daylight to cause an accident like this.¡± The group fell silent ¨C they were all thinking about it. There was nothing they could do about it though. Nobody saw the suspect, the only thing they had to go off of was Rebecca sensing the initial casting and the Grave Rischio left at the scene of the crime. Pacifica shot a glance at their Maestro. There was something Shouri wasn¡¯t telling them, she could sense it. Chapter 95 Taika slowly opened her eyes on the morning of the sixteenth of July. Shouri had been insistent that she receive his embrace last night, despite having gone through such a traumatic event with Rebecca only hours prior. Both Rebecca and Pacifica agreed with Shouri¡¯s desire. Taika herself didn¡¯t mind. In her humble opinion, she fit best in his grasp. Not that she minded their other arrangements or sleeping configurations. Her pride as Shouri¡¯s first and ace emboldened these thoughts. She closed her eyes, waiting for the alarm to go off and for their morning to start in earnest. ¡­ Wait a moment. She opened her eyes and realized something: the room was too bright. The sun was up! The lunar fox flew up in a panic. ¡°Oddio! Sho, Paci, Rebby! Svegliati! Che ¨¨ tardi!¡± Taika desperately tried to wake her companions. ¡°Mmmgh...¡± groans of protest from the other three only frustrated the fox. ¡°Wake up!¡± she barked. ¡°We¡¯re not late Taika.¡± Rebecca weakly swatted at the annoyance disturbing her sleep. ¡°It¡¯s like eight in the morning! We¡¯re super late!¡± Taika cried out whipping her head to and fro, wondering how this could have happened. ¡°I took the day off, it¡¯s fine,¡± Shouri added, sitting up with Taika and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. ¡°What? Why?¡± Panic was replaced by confusion. Shouri replied by wrapping his arms tightly around her. ¡°Happy Birthday Taika,¡± he whispered. ¡°¡­che¡­?¡± She was completely frozen in place, stuck in her Maestro¡¯s embrace. Her brain completely shut down as tears flowed down her cheeks. Happy Birthday? What¡¯s that? Not something that applied to her. Birthdays were celebrated for other people. Not her. ¡°We took the day off today to surprise you,¡± Pacifica revealed. ¡°We are in a lunar-based city, after all. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s plenty of stuff you want to see,¡± Rebecca added. ¡°I hope you¡¯re ready to get spoiled today.¡± Shouri grinned, wiping the tears from her face. ¡°F-for me?¡± she asked, absolutely befuddled. Confusion was met by sympathetic smiles. ¡°Of course, silly.¡± Shouri chuckled.
Taika sat at one of the dining room tables in their suite. Shouri sat next to her with Rebecca and Pacifica flanking their sides. The suite¡¯s butler, Alfred, wheeled in a large covered tray. He uncovered it to reveal their breakfast. ¡°I hope you enjoy this humble breakfast ¨C Happy Birthday Miss Taika.¡± He bowed before beginning to serve out the food. The two cat maids, Irene and Sophia, also joined Alfred, clapping in celebration of Taika¡¯s birthday breakfast. The fox¡¯s eyes sparkled as a buffet of food was spread on the table before them. Several different meats, eggs, cheeses, fruit, and for Taika¡¯s consumption, a nice warm stack of fluffy pancakes topped with perfectly macerated fruit. Her tail twitched as her eyes darted back and forth trying to decide what to eat first. In the end, her sweet tooth won out and the pancakes were voraciously devoured, the smiles of her friends as warm as the breakfast she enjoyed. While Alfred cleared the table, the group decided on what the itinerary would be for the day. ¡°So what do you want to do Taika?¡± Shouri asked the obvious first question. The birthday girl frowned. That was a good question. She had picked up cooking and now medicine, but she had just gotten several hundred notes worth of medical supplies. She didn¡¯t need anything else at the moment. ¡°It¡¯s okay Sho, we can just stay here and-¡± ¡°Wow, way to go bossman.¡± Rebecca nudged Shouri. ¡°You called it perfectly,¡± Pacifica giggled. Taika frowned, tilting her head in confusion. ¡°Che?¡± Shouri couldn¡¯t help but laugh a little himself. ¡°Sorry Taika, when we were planning today, I kind of figured you wouldn¡¯t want to do anything.¡± Her face was flush with fluster as she lowered her head. ¡°Mi dispiace,¡± she mumbled. She perked up when a hand was placed on her shoulder. ¡°Taika.¡± Shouri¡¯s smile was just so dazzling, and the poor girl swooned. ¡°It¡¯s your day, you can be as greedy as you want,¡± he told her. ¡°But I don¡¯t know what I want¡­¡± she admitted sheepishly. ¡°That¡¯s okay. As Rebecca said earlier, we¡¯re in a town with lots of lunars around, I¡¯m sure there¡¯s stuff here we won¡¯t see anywhere else.¡± Slowly the girl nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± She finally gave in to the implicit ask of her.
After freshening up, the group left the hotel and hit the streets. Since arriving in Naiza, they hadn¡¯t had an opportunity to take in the sights. There was one particular sight that couldn¡¯t be avoided. ¡°I¡­ want to go there.¡± Taika pointed directly at the tower that pierced the very heavens ¨C the Lutera Space Elevator. The trio of non-lunars looked at each other. ¡°Sure,¡± Shouri spoke more uneasily than he had intended. ¡°Why though?¡± Rebecca asked what her Maestro was thinking. Taika¡¯s gaze remained fixated on the massive structure. ¡°I just feel like I have to see it.¡± Her tail slowly swished behind her, despite how locked onto the tower she was. Another quiet exchange of opinions from the rest of the party before they nodded to one another. ¡°Sure Taika, we can at least visit. We won¡¯t be able to go to Luna itself though,¡± Shouri spoke up after a moment. ¡°Is it hard to get to Luna?¡± Pacifica wondered. ¡°While things can move between Luna and Riterra just fine, people are another story.¡± Shouri ushered the group to start moving again. As they walked, he continued his explanation. ¡°You need this thing called a passport, and it has to be approved by both the Riterran and Lunar governments. Which naturally makes it a massive pain in the ass for normal people to get,¡± he told his Resonators. ¡°But why?¡± Rebecca raised a brow. ¡°Like there¡¯s so many lunars here, surely it can¡¯t be that bad,¡± she pointed out. ¡°Remember what we talked about yesterday?¡± Shouri began. The fire fox nodded. ¡°That¡¯s another reason Naiza is built to be cut off from the rest of the Kalanichi mainland: many of the lunars here are living here illegally. As long as they stay in this city, the governments of both Riterra and Luna look the other way.¡± ¡°At least, as far as I understand,¡± he added with a shrug. ¡°Since it is kind of illegal there isn¡¯t very good reading about it.¡± The trio of Resonators remained quiet, just walking along. Looking around the air was thick with lunar rhythm, the same kind Taika radiated. What was normally a very rare thing to sense out in public in Riterran cities, was so prevalent here that they almost became numb to it from over-exposure. ¡°Oh, what¡¯s that?¡± Taika pointed out a small shop brightly illuminated with music audible from across the street. ¡°Hey, an arcade,¡± Shouri noted. ¡°I wonder if they have Lunar games here.¡± Though his curiosity was piqued, it wasn¡¯t his decision to make: ¡°Do you want to go look?¡± Taika looked to her fellow Resonators, who just stared back at her expectingly. ¡°Uhhh sure,¡± she decided. With the first destination in mind, the group crossed the street and made their way into the establishment. Given it was a Monday morning, there weren¡¯t many other people inside besides the employees ¨C a Maestro and three Resonators. The interior was rather dark, intermittently lit, with the main source of lights being the arcade cabinets themselves. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Many different types of games were available for use. ¡°Oh!¡± Rebecca rushed over to a machine with a couple of plastic light guns as the controllers. Her tail swished with curiosity as she unholstered one of them, looking over the plastic controller connected via a long, thick wire. ¡°Yeah?¡± Shouri tittered, amused. ¡°Since we talked to that army chick, I¡¯ve been kinda wondering what shooting one of those guns is like,¡± Rebecca admitted. ¡°I doubt that will give you the full experience,¡± Pacifica pointed out. ¡°I¡¯m more interested in the aiming part of it,¡± Rebecca clarified. ¡°Like it¡¯s not part of your body, so it can¡¯t be as accurate as slinging a spell.¡± Shouri himself was itching with wonder. ¡°Alright, we can play a round.¡± He fished a tuner from his side and scanned it in, taking a few notes and giving enough credits for two players. He unholstered the other light-gun and the game began. It was quite a simple game - one in the ¡°rail shooter¡± genre; the players were guided through a virtual environment and digital Scherzando would pop out for them to shoot. Shouri was not a good shot at all, taking too long to line up his gun with the digital monsters. Rebecca¡¯s learning curve was much shallower, after calibrating the gun with her battle sense, she was able to cover for her Maestro¡¯s deficiencies and they managed to clear the level with their last life remaining. ¡°That¡¯s bullshit!¡± Rebecca complained as she learned first-hand the tactics used to pry the sharps from her hands ¨C a quick-moving ¡°boss¡± stage easily ended their run, prompting them to scan the tuner again to take more money. ¡°Yeah, no.¡± Shouri shook his head, refusing Rebecca¡¯s pleading gaze to right the injustice. ¡°Not falling for the grift.¡± He chuckled, holstering the gun-shaped controller. ¡°Hrmph. I coulda won,¡± the fire Resonator grumbled, allowing the gun to drop loose and hang off the machine. (Pacifica properly holstered it when Rebecca¡¯s back was turned) Wandering around the arcade there was no shortage of games available for their consumption. However, one game would catch Pacifica¡¯s eye. ¡°Oh my god!¡± the otter exclaimed rushing away from the group. Concerned, Shouri, Taika, and Rebecca gave chase. They found the water element before a set of matching arcade cabinets. There were five of them in total, all matching in design and appearance. Each one had a seat in front of them and was in various states of their ¡°attract modes¡±, displaying different elements of gameplay while they sat idle. ¡°Grace the Great Operation ¨C Arcade¡± Pacifica was in front of one of the machines, her tail wagging as she trembled with excitement. ¡°Hey, are you alright?¡± Shouri questioned, placing a hand on the otter¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s GGOA!¡± she shouted, pointing at the machines. ¡°Who did what now?¡± Rebecca raised a brow. In the blink of an eye, Pacifica had grabbed her tuner off of Shouri¡¯s waist and shoved the screen in Rebecca¡¯s face. ¡°GGO! It¡¯s only the most popular gacha game on the market! You play as a young Maestro who is recruited into a secret organization to travel through time to save the world with the help of a huge array of Ethereals!¡± Rebecca shoved the indecipherable mess away from her face. ¡°Alright?¡± ¡°The arcade game can connect to your mobile game account and you can get cards you can have your Ethereal¡¯s information stored on!¡± Pacifica exclaimed. ¡°That sounds expensive,¡± Shouri mumbled. ¡°It¡¯s not!¡± Pacifica¡¯s eyes were shimmering with hope. There was something about this whole thing Shouri knew he would regret. That being said, he was an absolute pushover when it came to things his precious Resonators wanted and fell for the grift. ¡°Fi-¡± Before he could even get the other syllable out, Pacifica jumped for joy. ¡°YIPPIE!¡± she squealed before turning to one of the machines and inserting her tuner into the purpose-built slot on the machine. ¡°Oh, we¡¯re gonna be broke in an hour,¡± Shouri mumbled, watching the charges rack up on Taika¡¯s tuner. ¡°She¡¯s having fun.¡± Taika giggled. As long as Taika was happy though, that¡¯s all that mattered to Shouri today. ¡°Let¡¯s leave her to it. What do you want to play?¡± he addressed the birthday girl directly. ¡°Che?¡± Taika looked around as if he was talking to someone else. ¡°M-me?¡± ¡°Yeah silly. Surely there¡¯s something you¡¯re interested in doing?¡± ¡°N-non.¡± The vixen averted her gaze. As her line of sight shifted, however, her eyes fell upon another machine. It was a well-illuminated device with a small ¡°stage¡± in front of a larger screen. There was currently one of the few other patrons occupying the machine. A Maestro girl, probably in her late teens, who almost seemed like she was dancing? The lunar wandered over and watched the other girl move. Arrows were moving up on the screen, as Taika listened closer, she could hear the beat of the song within the steps the girl was making on the machine. The song came to a stop and the girl wiped some sweat from her brow. She noticed the fox girl staring. ¡°You wanna try?¡± she asked. ¡°Uh¡­ Non lo so. I¡¯m not sure what this is,¡± Taika admitted sheepishly. ¡°It¡¯s a rhythm game. The arrows come up on the screen and you press the buttons with your feet.¡± The teen motioned to the ¡°stage¡±, which on further inspection did have arrows that matched the ones that had been previously shown on the display. ¡°Can I Sho?¡± Taika asked her own Maestro. He stared back incredulously. ¡°Why are you asking me?¡± He chuckled. With a hesitant gulp, Taika got on the stage. The girl who had been previously playing even went ahead and paid for this session and picked out a nice easy song. It was dull in comparison to what Taika had seen only minutes ago. The notes crawled up the screen so slowly. Tapping the right button in time was almost effortless. Rebecca noted how bored her fellow fox seemed. The song ended with a perfect score. ¡°You sure you haven¡¯t done this before?¡± the other Maestro asked. ¡°It seems simple. Is there something a bit faster?¡± the Resonator asked. ¡°Sure. Try this one.¡± The second song of the set was a bit faster. Taika had to exert some effort. But again, there was this air of frustration. Not because of the difficulty, but the lack thereof. Another perfect score. ¡°What was the one you were doing before?¡± Taika inquired. ¡°Oho?¡± The girl¡¯s eyes lit up as she went to a second set of songs colored red. ¡°You sure?¡± she challenged with a chuckle. ¡°Yeah, those other two were boring,¡± Taika stated adamantly. ¡°Okaaaay, don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you.¡± With the song selected, the music began to play. Taika was caught off guard by how fast and sudden the notes came at her. She missed the first chunk and stumbled over herself trying to catch up with the song. But it was odd, the rush she got was almost like when she was fighting ¨C and within a couple of seconds, she had regained her bearings and began to hit all the notes again. ¡°Not even using the bar, what the heck?¡± the teen gasped, noting the fox girl¡¯s movements. Shouri and Rebecca could only watch in silent awe as the lunar element focused entirely on the screen, keeping perfect pace with the notes as they assaulted her. Finally, with the song¡¯s conclusion, she turned on the ball of her foot to face her friends, breathing slightly harder. ¡°Come ¨¨ stato?¡± She smiled. They couldn¡¯t help but smile back. ¡°You were cool,¡± Rebecca replied, with a nod of approval from Shouri. Chapter 96 Much to Pacifica¡¯s distress, they couldn¡¯t stay in the arcade all day if they wanted to make it to Lutera within any reasonable timeframe. ¡°At least I have them.¡± The otter frowned at the many cards she had managed to collect in the little time they had spent at the arcade. ¡°For the love of the Seven Sages you spent a hundred notes on those,¡± Shouri grumbled, staring at the dozens of micro-transactions on his banking app. ¡°You better not lose them,¡± he warned. ¡°They¡¯re my precious friends! I would never!¡± The water element cried out, hugging her bundle of cards tightly. Taika shook her head but smiled all the same. Pacifica was passionate if nothing else and it was something Taika could appreciate about her dear friend. Moving right along, the group continued their trek toward the towering pillar in the sky. As they made their way through Naiza, Shouri took note of a couple of interesting structural decisions. The buildings, while tall, weren¡¯t skyscraper height. He guessed this was simply due to Lutera sapping the area of resources, though he couldn¡¯t account for why they didn¡¯t just import the necessary materials from Luna or other Kalanichan cities. Secondly, and more interestingly, was the shade. The buildings appeared to be constructed in such a manner to maximize the amount of light being blocked by the overhangs and canopies that extended well into the street. Not that he particularly minded, in the last few months of travel he had become more of a night owl himself. He stole a gaze to Taika, a slight pang in his heart as he was reminded of the cloudless day his Lunar had been afflicted with only a week ago. Other lunars passing by similarly kept to the shaded areas ¨C they knew better than to allow themselves over-exposure. A simple adaption for them living on the Riterran surface. ¡°Sho.¡± Taika tugged on his sleeve. ¡°Ho fame,¡± she whined. Rebecca opened her mouth to remark about the lunar fox¡¯s persistent hunger but snapped her jaw shut. It was Taika¡¯s birthday after all. ¡°Let¡¯s check out a local place,¡± Pacifica suggested as Taika¡¯s eyes locked on a M¡¯kroc¡¯s. ¡°Good idea, that¡¯ll make it more special.¡± Shouri placed a hand on his hungry fox¡¯s shoulder. They walked a bit further and found a restaurant called ¡°The General Spore¡±. A warm savory scent filled the air as they passed by the small shop. ¡°That.¡± Taika made her decision. With the lunch choice made, the quartet entered the tiny restaurant and were quickly seated. ¡°Oh, I get it,¡± Shouri spoke up as the group looked over their menus. ¡°Mushroom-themed restaurant has a mushroom-themed menu, who knew?¡± Rebecca commented. ¡°Hrm¡­¡± Pacifica furrowed her brows as she scrutinized the menu. ¡°Pizza.¡± Taika decided almost instantly. ¡°Yeah, I could go for some pizza.¡± Shouri set his menu down. ¡°Sounds good to me,¡± Rebecca agreed. ¡°Uhhh yeah, sure,¡± Pacifica chuckled nervously. The server Resonator came and took their order before leaving the quartet to wait for their meal. The group of four didn¡¯t have much to talk about until they showed up. Three small Resonators entered the establishment. They stood about half the height of Shouri and Pacifica, but where other Resonators had horns, wings, or tails, these odd creatures bore mushrooms that sprouted straight from their moss-like hair that adorned the tops of their heads. The odd trio walked through and into the back kitchen area as if they owned the place. Rebecca raised a brow, turning back to see if she could catch sight of the strange creatures again. ¡°Those were Resonators,¡± she frowned. ¡°Oh yeah. They are Sphonpais ¨C one of the mirage Resonators species,¡± Shouri told them. ¡°Never seen them in person myself,¡± he added. ¡°They¡¯re lunar,¡± Rebecca noted the same elemental feeling from them as their own lunar element. ¡°Yep.¡± Shouri nodded. ¡°I¡¯m actually surprised to see any here, they¡¯re hated even more than lunars normally are on Riterra,¡± he explained. ¡°Why?¡± Pacifica asked, similarly turned around in her chair like Rebecca. ¡°They seemed pretty happy to be here.¡± Shouri hummed, his lips curling down. ¡°Well, besides being lunar-element, they¡¯re also the only known predators of Scherzando,¡± he revealed. ¡°Wh-what?¡± The three girls turned to Shouri, eyes wide. ¡°Yeah. Sphonpais are unique in that they can eat Scherzando. The more they hunt the more mushrooms sprout from their heads. That¡¯s probably why the stuff on this menu is so cheap ¨C it¡¯s all mushroom based and they get to eat while making money from Scherzando hunts on top of being able to sell the fruits of the labor.¡± It was at that moment their pizza was delivered to their table and they began eating. As they ate the curious Resonators looked around the small restaurant. Despite the area it was in and how small the building itself was, everything was top class ¨C the seats were comfortable, the tables free from any damage or staining; large, brand-new televisions hung proudly on the walls and were playing live Resonator battles from the Kalanichi Nationals. It was all top-notch as if they opened yesterday. What¡¯s more, now that the lunch rush was on, every seat in the house had someone sitting in it. Not only was everything so meticulously kept, but they were popular to boot. ¡°Sho, what even is a Mirage Resonator? I¡¯ve never heard of that before,¡± Taika questioned in between bites of her food. Shouri polished off the slice he was eating before resuming his explanation. ¡°Hoo boy, okay, so there are four ¡®rarities¡¯ of Resonators. Common, Noble, Mirage, Ethereal. Common Resonators are like you and Pacifica, just normal Resonators with no special traits or lineages¡± Rebecca huffed, knowing what was next. ¡°Next is Noble Resonators, so common species of Resonator but with strong bloodlines or lineages.¡± Shouri averted his gaze. ¡°So like Rebecca.¡± Taika and Pacifica nodded. Rebecca hugged herself, trembling at the labeling. Shouri scooted closer to Rebecca, rubbing her shoulder. ¡°Mirage Resonators are extremely rare species of Resonators. In fact, there¡¯s one species per element. Golems, Mermaids, Zalavan, Sprites, Dinosaurians, Fairies, and Sphonpais. Fire, Water, Nature, Lightning, Earth, Solar, and Lunar respectively,¡± he continued. ¡°Wait, so that Zino guy is a mirage Resonator?¡± Pacifica asked. ¡°Yep.¡± Shouri nodded in the affirmative. ¡°Why are Ethereals classed with the other three though? I thought they were immortals,¡± Taika wondered, eying the remaining couple of pieces of the pie. ¡°They are,¡± Shouri replied, motioning for the fox to polish off the remaining ¡®zza. ¡°Ethereals are named individuals, so they¡¯re the rarest and most powerful of all Resonators. There¡¯s only one Blaze Lyre out there for example. Most Maestros who have Ethereals lay low, you get a giant target painted on your back when the public finds out you have one on your team,¡± he told his trio. ¡°Not much modern information on them as a result,¡± he said with a shrug. It was at that point in the conversation that the crowd by the bar grew rowdy, cheers rising as one of the battles on the TVs intensified. ¡°Damn they¡¯re loud,¡± Rebecca grumbled, folding her ears back to filter out the noise. ¡°Just a bit, let me see if I can get our check, keep eating.¡± While Shouri was off fighting the crowds, Pacifica was slowly picking at her pizza. A small pile of mushrooms had accumulated just under a napkin the otter had shuffled onto her plate. ¡°Are you going to eat those Paci?¡± Taika asked attention locked on the discarded fungi. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Pacifica pushed the plate over, which was quickly cleaned by the hungry fox. ¡°You could have just asked for something else,¡± Rebecca whispered to Pacifica. ¡°It¡¯s not my day, I didn¡¯t want to raise a stink,¡± The otter whispered back. Rebecca rolled her eyes. ¡°If you insist.¡± Shouri returned to the table, sliding a tuner back on his side. ¡°We good to go?¡± he asked the table. ¡°Si!¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Yep!¡±
¡°Wooahhhh¡­¡± Astonished gasps escaped the lips of the four tourists as they stood in the shadow of the Lutera Space Elevator. ¡°C-cold.¡± Pacifica trembled as a sharp gust of wind chilled the group. ¡°Let¡¯s get inside.¡± Shouri motioned to one of the many entranceways that dotted the base of the tower. As a major travel hub, there were plenty of people coming and going. Surprisingly, the mix was quite healthy: many different Maestros with a wide variety of different Resonators of all kinds made their way in and out of the structure. Despite how free-flowing the foot traffic was from the structure, security was exceptionally tight ¨C several guards stood at the ready by the entranceways, eyeing the masses as they went about their days. The most glaring thing about the security detail was the pistols they all carried on their person. Thankfully, Shouri and company weren¡¯t there to cause trouble, so they easily entered the building without attracting any attention. Finally inside, they could behold the majesty of the only way to leave Riterra. It was not as grandiose as they had imagined, bearing a resemblance to a typical airport, with departure and arrival boards showing when certain gates were coming and going. ¡°Oh ugh, my stomach.¡± Pacifica dropped her head. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Shouri asked. ¡°Looked up.¡± She shook her head, keeping her gaze firmly on the ground. Shouri did exactly that. It was like staring into a hole in the sky, as the walkways circled the inside of the tower, seeming to up forever until it became an undistinguishable black point. Various signs and billboards hung proudly advertising all kinds of goods and services, most of which could be found within the tower itself if their claims were to be believed. ¡°Hey guys! Come check this out!¡± Rebecca shouted waving for her friends. Shouri, Taika, and Pacifica convened where their group¡¯s fire element had wandered off to. ¡°Look look!¡± Rebecca excitedly pointed to a large electronic sign. The first floor was the actual spaceport itself, but the next hundred floors were a mixture of industrial, commercial, and residential areas. ¡°Wow¡­ you can just straight up live in here,¡± Pacifica gasped in awe. ¡°There¡¯s even a few MA Offices, too,¡± Shouri noted, touching the map which changed the listing to show all the Maestro Affairs Offices within the tower. ¡°They have parks here!¡± Taika noted. Once more, Shouri craned his neck skyward. There were so many people wandering around, with no end in sight ¨C just how many people called this elevator home? ¡°Sho!¡± Taika squeaked, tugging his sleeve. ¡°Hm?¡± He flinched as her arm whipped in front of his face to point to one of the electronic billboards hanging above. Currently being displayed was an ad for a new cigarette brand specially grown on Luna that gave a taste that was ¡°out of this world¡±. ¡°I uh, didn¡¯t know you had an interest in smoking?¡± Shouri offered. ¡°Che?¡± Taika watched in horror as the ad changed yet again to something entirely unrelated. ¡°Ah! Non!¡± she cried out. ¡°What was it then?¡± Pacifica asked. ¡°It was a bookstore.¡± Taika frowned. Her gaze was transfixed on the sign, hoping the ad she saw would return, to no avail. ¡°Was it one of these?¡± Shouri pointed to the large map screen they were monopolizing, having searched for bookstores. Taika scoured the list, trying desperately to recall the name. ¡°Ah! This one!¡± She tapped the screen by accident, having only intended to point at it. The map zoomed out and back in, displaying where the shop was and providing further information. Blue Moon Books Tier 40 ¨C Floor 2 Located in Tier 40, Blue Moon Books is the largest independent bookstore in Lutera. Whether you are looking for fiction, non-fiction, children¡¯s books, or Lunar texts, you will find something to suit your taste and interest at Blue Moon. You can also enjoy a cup of coffee and a pastry at the Sky Flower Cafe, or attend one of the many events and signings hosted by the bookstore. Blue Moon Books is open from 10 AM to 9 PM Monday to Saturday, and from 12 PM to 5 PM on Sunday. For more information, visit our website. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Shouri naturally finished reading the blurb first. Of note, one particular item caught his interest. ¡°I think it¡¯s worth a visit.¡± His eyes fell on the floor number once more: Floor 2. Looking around the floor just above them, there didn¡¯t appear to be any shops above them, it was all office space and administrative stuff from what he could make out and signboards. This clearly was not the second floor the map referred to. ¡°Let¡¯s try to find it,¡± he told the group, who nodded in agreement. After wandering around the first floor aimlessly, the quartet returned to the map board that initiated this romp through capitalist hell. They patiently waited their turn before interrogating the piece of technology. ¡°Alright, where the hell is this?¡± Shouri tapped through the interface before coming upon the information they sought. ¡°Oh¡­¡± As it turned out, the non-elevator parts of Lutera were normal sky-scraper-like structures, that much they had known. However, these structures were broken up into ¡°Tiers¡± with each one comprising five floors each. Blue Moon Books was on the second floor of Tier 40 ¨C one hundred and ninety-seven stories into the sky. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ really high.¡± Pacifica trembled, having paled upon the revelation of exactly where they needed to go. ¡°Would be a hell of a fall,¡± Rebecca commented flatly. ¡°Why did you say that?!¡± Pacifica hissed, glaring at her fellow Resonator. Taika wilted. ¡°We don¡¯t have to-¡± ¡°NO!¡± Came the three shouts of her friends, startling the birthday girl. ¡°You want to go, so we¡¯re going,¡± Rebecca asserted. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine, this place is supposed to be super safe right?¡± Pacifica chuckled nervously, speaking for herself rather than Taika. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t be much of a birthday if we didn¡¯t take you anywhere you wanted to go, now would it?¡± Shouri smiled. The lunar fox¡¯s bottom lip trembled while her eyes shimmered ¨C these people were simply too much.
¡°Woaaaahhhh¡­¡± For the second time today, astonished gasps escaped the group as they ascended the nearly two hundred stories to their destination. Well, that was, except Pacifica who was firmly facing away from the large window that made up a decent chunk of the elevator. ¡°How is this safe?¡± she hissed quietly, doing her darndest to not have a complete meltdown. The speed they were ascending at, this feeling in her gut, it was all so unnatural. Humans, Resonators, neither were meant to go this high into the sky. Sage Cielto would surely strike them down for their hubris. ¡°Paci.¡± The otter jumped and shrieked at the sudden hand on her shoulder. ¡°Are you okay?!¡± Shouri grabbed her shoulders, trying to steady her. She had turned to face him and noticed the clouds below them. ¡°NOO!!¡± she cried, grabbing her Maestro and clinging to him for dear life, her tears soaking his shirt. Shouri held her tightly, stroking her hair. ¡°Shh shh shh shh, it¡¯s okay Paci, it¡¯s okay.¡± Taika once more wilted, this was something she had wanted, but in doing so she had upset Pacifica. The sensitive otter peeked over Shouri¡¯s shoulder, tears streaming down her face. ¡°N-no Taika.¡± Pacifica¡¯s voice cracked as she spoke. ¡°I-it¡¯s your day, don¡¯t worry about me please¡­¡± she whimpered. This was of little consolation to Taika who remained silent, gaze lowered. Pacifica trembled, still gripping Shouri¡¯s shirt. She pushed the boy, remaining attached to him. The sudden movement told him exactly what his otter wanted. The pair shuffled back, and before Taika knew it, she had been incorporated into their embrace. ¡°Hrmph.¡± Rebecca turned away. Not even she could escape Pacifica¡¯s sense though, and Rebecca soon found herself in the middle of her trio of friends. ¡°I didn¡¯t say I wanted this!¡± she cried out, though her wagging tail betrayed her. BEEP ¡°Now arriving in Tier Forty, Floor Two,¡± the electronic voice spoke from above. Tshhhhh The elevator door opened and several people were waiting to go down. Seeing a Maestro holding his three Resonators raised some eyebrows, and caused Shouri¡¯s to descend into a glare. ¡°What?!¡± he barked, causing the onlookers to flinch from the sudden shouting. However, they continued to stare. ¡°Take a picture it lasts longer!¡± Shouri snapped at the looky-loos. Finally, they averted their gazes. ¡°Come on girls, we¡¯re holding up the line,¡± his voice flipped to that gentle tone that made the trio swoon. Ditching the elevator, the quartet began to wander the 197th floor of the Lutera Space Elevator. There were all kinds of little shops they passed by. Several Resonator apparel shops all in a row, a candle shop, a jewelry store, collectibles, a toy store, and an electronics store were some of the vendors they passed by as the group took in the sights. Well-maintained greenery lined the walkways, with a small squad of workers taking care of the maintenance; trimming off dead leaves and branches while checking the soil for water content and adjusting it accordingly. There was no way to accidentally fall off the tower from the inside as there were thick, clear walls barring the way to the central shaft. However, to help with the general airflow in the tower itself, various bits of plant life were installed into the walls adding that smidgeon of greenery to break up the steel greys that would make up the tower otherwise. Just like on the streets of Naiza proper, there were a healthy number of Lunar elements wandering about, chit-chatting with one another and just enjoying the day; many of whom didn¡¯t appear to be in the company of a Maestro. ¡°Lots of strays,¡± Taika noted. ¡°Self-owned looks like.¡± Rebecca pointed to a couple of lunars with their own tuners on their hips. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just easier to live like that on Luna,¡± Pacifica guessed. ¡°Dunno.¡± Shouri shrugged. The itchy curiosity was getting to him; however, he knew trying to look it up would be fruitless ¨C info on lunar Resonators, culture or otherwise, just wasn¡¯t readily available. Speaking of information, they arrived at their destination: Blue Moon Books. ¡°Here we are, let¡¯s take a look.¡± Shouri gestured to the entranceway. Blue Moon Books was a much larger storefront than their contemporaries. It was bright, with many shelves lined with books, separated into sections and genres. The scent of freshly brewed coffee wafted from the right of the entranceway where a small caf¨¦ was located. Despite how many people were walking around, it was as quiet as a library. Even with the people wandering, there were an equal number of those sitting around, reading. ¡°Come on.¡± Shouri motioned for his trio to follow. In the four went, on a journey of discovery! Rebecca stuck with Shouri while Pacifica and Taika let their curiosity get the better of them and wandered off for other ventures. ¡°What are you looking for bossman?¡± Rebecca asked as she followed behind her Maestro. They were in the non-fiction section; very specifically reference books. ¡°This place is a bookstore chain specifically from Luna ¨C they don¡¯t have any Riterran stores outside of the few in here,¡± he told her. Rebecca stood impressed. ¡°How did you-?¡± He flashed her tuner back at her where he had been looking at the chain¡¯s website. ¡°Ah, dumb question,¡± she conceded. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t answer my first question,¡± she pointed out. ¡°If this is a bookstore from Luna, I¡¯m betting they have-¡± Shouri cut himself off, yanking a particular book off the shelf. ¡°-this.¡± ¡°Chandra Nikini¡¯s Lunar Resonator Field Guide 2018 Edition¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Rebecca gasped. Immediately Shouri flipped it open, scanning through the spells and their effects. ¡°This is interesting,¡± he commented. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Rebecca peered over his shoulder. ¡°This is written for both Maestros and Resonators ¨C it has information for Maestros such as applicable modifiers, but also it has detailed explanations for Resonators who may be using Rubato crystals for their spell casting,¡± he explained. The Maestro hummed in thought. ¡°Luna has almost an overabundance of Rubato crystals. They must be extraordinarily cheap if this information is just readily available up there,¡± he mused. ¡°Not sure how I feel about that,¡± Rebecca commented. ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Shouri raised a brow, regarding his Resonator. ¡°Not that I¡¯ve tried crystals, but Maestro¡¯s rhythm just feels better.¡± Shouri simply stared, and after a moment Rebecca realized what she had said. ¡°Er! I mean-!¡± she stammered; her face rapidly reddening. ¡°It¡¯s okay Rebby, you¡¯re entitled to your opinions.¡± Shouri grinned, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her close. ¡°G-get off!¡± she yelped, pushing her Maestro away in a vain attempt to save face. Shouri flipped back to the information he wanted at that moment and resumed his studies. After getting over herself, Rebecca joined him, once more peering over his shoulder to do so.
She looked into his deep blue eyes and felt a surge of emotion. He was the Maestro she had been dreaming of, the one who made her heart skip a beat. He smiled and pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her waist. She felt his warm breath on her neck, sending shivers down her spine. He whispered in her ear, "You are the most beautiful fox I have ever seen. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?" She gasped and nodded, tears of joy streaming down her face. He kissed her softly, then passionately, as fireworks exploded in the sky. They were in love, and nothing could tear them apart. ¡°Heyyyy Taika!¡± Pacifica¡¯s sudden call startled Taika, who shrieked in surprise and threw the book she had been reading into the air. The poor startled fox stood there in the middle of the romance section, eyes wide, face red, tail puffed out, and struggled to catch her breath. ¡°Ma che vuoi!?¡± she hissed, trying to keep her voice low after disturbing the tranquility. Disregarding the elevated heart rate she caused, Pacifica approached her fellow Resonator, carrying a book of her own. ¡°Look at this cool book I found on shipwrecks!¡± She opened it up without waiting for a response from Taika. ¡°See I found the shipwreck Dad and I found in the Seirra Islands, the anchor that I was showing you at my parents¡¯ place. Apparently, it was from a merchant ship carrying gold doubloons to the Lyberteran west coast! Isn¡¯t that cool?!¡± Pacifica struggled to contain her excitement. ¡°The coolest,¡± Taika grumbled as flatly as she could muster. She turned around and located the book she had thrown, gently scooping it up and dusting it off. ¡°But wait, it gets better!¡± Pacifica cared not for Taika¡¯s disinterest and rambled on anyway. ¡°They had been attacked by pirates! But not just any pirates but sky-¡± ¡°Taika! Pacifica!¡± Rebecca suddenly broke up the riveting conversation, breathing hard as she stood at the end of the aisle. ¡°Rebby?¡± Pacifica raised a brow. ¡°What¡¯s the rush?¡± Taika asked. ¡°It¡¯s Sho!¡± the fire element cried out in a panic. ¡°Come quick!¡± she shouted before darting off. Pacifica and Taika shared an uneasy glance, before following in Rebecca¡¯s footsteps. They caught a glimpse of Rebecca¡¯s tail as she turned the corner into the reference books section. As soon as Pacifica laid eyes on Shouri, she stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes widening. Taika too stopped, but only because of the expression on his face. The lunar Resonator field guide lay on the ground, while Shouri stood there with a wide-eyed, blank expression on his face. Taika¡¯s tuner was in his left hand, and he was gripping it so tightly his knuckles were white. ¡°Sho! Sho! Come on, this isn¡¯t funny!¡± Rebecca shook him, but he remained dead to the world, wide-eyed and unmoving. After a moment, Taika¡¯s brows descended into a glare. ¡°Move Rebby.¡± She stepped up, her eyes glowing with blue, determined rhythm. Rebecca heeded her fellow Resonator¡¯s demand, stepping aside. Taika grabbed Shouri¡¯s hands, focusing her entire self on him. ¡°Sho, speak to me,¡± she addressed him calmly. ¡°Mila,¡± he said shakily. ¡°They found Mila.¡± Chapter 97 KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK Taika, flanked on either side by Pacifica and Rebecca, were rooted on the couch in the Presidential Suite of the Villas Faringway Hotel, watching a movie Pacifica had picked as a distraction for their troubled minds. The plastic bag containing the lunar Resonator field guide and Pacifica¡¯s cards laid on the table in front of them along with some picked at (but mostly uneaten) dinner. ¡°Pardon my intrusion,¡± Alfred interrupted the three girl¡¯s brooding. ¡°Are you familiar with a Ms. Severine?¡± he asked, raising some brows from those on the couch. ¡°That¡¯s Colette,¡± Pacifica reminded her fellow Resonators. ¡°Oh yeah.¡± Rebecca nodded. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± Taika questioned. ¡°She is at the front desk and is requesting your Maestro,¡± he informed them. One could see the gears turning in the three girls¡¯ heads as they tried to parse that information. ¡°Oh!¡±
¡°Uhg, thanks for letting me in,¡± Colette grumbled. Kaira was behind her, as usual, pulling a large wheeled suitcase. ¡°Why are you even here?¡± Pacifica made the pertinent inquiry. ¡°Shouri told me he and Rebecca got attacked by a Feroce Resonator. I got with Dr. Vim and he sent me down here to investigate and maybe provide back-up for Shouri if needed,¡± Colette explained. ¡°I¡¯m not a damn cop, I got homework to do,¡± the college student grumbled as an aside. The Auburn Maestro took a moment to take in the presidential suite. ¡°It is pretty nice in here,¡± she admitted quietly. Shaking her head, she returned focus to why she was there in the first place. ¡°Where¡¯s Shouri?¡± Kaira perked up, the metaphorical storm cloud almost bowling her over. ¡°They found Mila,¡± Taika spoke bitterly. ¡°Shouri¡¯s missing first Resonator,¡± Pacifica clarified for Colette, who didn¡¯t know the story. ¡°He had a meltdown in the middle of a bookstore when he got the news,¡± Rebecca added. ¡°So where is he now?¡± Colette asked her question not having been addressed. ¡°That Elijah dude took him to some conference room in the hotel to meet with some specialists or something,¡± Rebecca said. ¡°He didn¡¯t want us with him,¡± she spoke much lower, also bitter. ¡°Probably because we¡¯re all in our feelings about it,¡± Pacifica admitted. Colette nodded, taking it all in. ¡°Why?¡± the curious scholar threw out her favorite word. ¡°Colette, most other Maestros keep a maximum of three Resonators for a reason. It¡¯s not a hard rule enforced by any law; it¡¯s simply believed to be the ideal number of Resonators to be under one¡¯s permanent care,¡± Kaira informed her own Maestro. ¡°Well I know that, but Shouri doesn¡¯t seem like the type to care about stuff like that,¡± Colette pointed out. Kaira hummed in thought for a moment. ¡°More Resonators mean less attention given to each one. It¡¯s clear these three do not want any more of his time taken away from them.¡± The scholar nodded slowly, looking between her Resonator and the other three standing her opposite. All three refused her gaze, confirming Kaira¡¯s theory as fact. ¡°I see¡­¡±
Shouri, Elijah, and Zino returned to the room late. Most of the overhead lights were either off or dimmed, only some night lights were illuminated ¨C the others must be in bed. The elevator ride up to their suite was quiet, deathly so. The Klein heir dared not utter a word, especially after the details of the report gathered by the investigators were revealed to Shouri. Even Zino held his tongue. Turned out the snarky dinosaurian had a line that he would not cross. ¡°Good night, Mister Tomoshibi,¡± Elijah broke his silence, though he spoke in a whisper. The two men stood for a moment in silence. ¡°Should I expect your absence tomorrow?¡± Elijah inquired. ¡°I dunno,¡± Shouri mumbled. ¡°Right. Good night.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± With that Elijah made his departure. Zino remained for a moment, studying the other Maestro before following his own. ¡°Sho.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure how much time had passed but when he looked up, he found Taika standing in the hallway, her brows turned up with concern. ¡°Taika.¡± ¡°What-¡± the vixen paused. ¡°What happened?¡± she hesitantly asked. ¡°They showed me some pictures,¡± he spoke. It took him some time to gather his words. ¡°It¡¯s her. It¡¯s definitely her,¡± his voice cracked, his head lowering. Taika didn¡¯t know what to say. Her normally strong-willed rhythm failed her and she remained where she was, paralyzed with uncertainty. ¡°She¡¯s alive, but I feel like something is wrong. Something is horribly wrong with her.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Another moment of silence. ¡°Something happened to her. I can feel it in my rhythm. She doesn¡¯t look like she did,¡± Shouri trembled as he spoke. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.¡°It has been almost eight years, hasn¡¯t it?¡± Taika countered. Shouri shook his head. ¡°No, no.¡± He pursed his lips, his gaze remaining fixed on the ground. ¡°There¡¯s something different about her. Something bad.¡± Taika shifted in place, unsure of what to do what that comment. ¡°I think she¡¯s the Resonator that attacked me and Rebecca.¡±
The next morning Shouri awoke around seven in the morning. Despite being exhausted from everything that happened yesterday, he still found it difficult to sleep. His mind raced with possibility and anxiety. Even the etude of the three Resonators did nothing to soothe his frayed nerves. ¡°Sho,¡± Taika whispered. She was the one in his warm embrace this morning, part of his shirt balled up tightly in her fists as she looked up at him with concern in her eyes. He didn¡¯t give a verbal reply, he met her gaze with a pained expression. She pulled herself up, gently kissing him. After a moment, she pulled back, the tips of their noses touching. ¡°I¡¯m worried about you,¡± she spoke on a breath. The hurt only intensified. Shouri tightened his grip around her, gently squeezing the breath from her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m so sorry,¡± he squeaked. Taika nuzzled his cheek, smiling warmly. ¡°Don¡¯t be, be as greedy as you want - I¡¯ll never leave your side.¡± Her grasp on his shirt tightened. ¡°Anche se il mondo finisse domani, sar¨° tua.¡± He buried his face into her shoulder, trembling. She could feel the warmth gathering where he pressed into her as he let loose the streams of anguish that he had held back. ¡°It¡¯s okay Sho,¡± Taika whispered gently into his ear as she stroked his hair and allowed him to cry. By the time Rebecca and Pacifica had woken up, Taika and Shouri had snuck out of out of bed. ¡°We¡¯re doing a half day today,¡± Shouri announced to the group. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Pacifica questioned, brows raised with concern. ¡°I need to do something, I¡¯m going to go crazy if I don¡¯t.¡± Pacifica glanced at Taika ¨C the two of them were oddly leveled out. ¡°Aha¡­¡± the otter breathed out, smirking coyly to herself. Early morning etude is what she suspected, though she wasn¡¯t enough of a social wrecking ball to let her nosiness get the better of her. (She¡¯d ask later.) ¡°What are we doing today bossman?¡± Rebecca made the next inquiry. ¡°We¡¯ll be doing healing stuff in the main stadium, specifically on the sidelines,¡± he replied. Taika perked up. ¡°Oh?¡± She had not been apprised of the situation. ¡°Yeah.¡± Shouri nodded, pulling a tuner out of his shorts pocket. ¡°Elijah said the main rounds of play are usually so intense they need to have a trauma squad on standby. Healers with Lento-rank La Bella Vita are in short supply, so we¡¯ll be an asset. Or so he claims.¡± He rolled his eyes, re-pocketing the tuner. ¡°You also got the status cleansing spell the other day, so that¡¯s probably another reason they want us specifically,¡± Rebecca chimed in. The healer of the group nodded. ¡°I guess that makes sense.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get ready. We can have Alfred bring us breakfast and then make our way to the stadium,¡± Shouri laid out the plan for the group. ¡°Sounds good!¡±
Alfred set the table with breakfast ordered from the downstairs kitchen. Shouri and his trio slowly filed in, avoiding getting in the way of the two cat maids who were already in full-swing cleaning mode. ¡°Please enjoy your brunch Master Tomoshibi,¡± the butler bowed, before taking his leave. Irene and Sophia quickly wrapped up their cleaning tasks in the dining room and followed the butler. As the quartet dug into their breakfast, Pacifica remembered an important event from last night. ¡°Colette is here by the way,¡± she informed the Maestro. Shouri raised a brow. ¡°The hell is she doing here?¡± he asked. ¡°And when did you even see her?¡± came the second question. As far as he was aware none of his trio had left the suite last night. ¡°She said that doctor guy sent her here,¡± Rebecca recalled. ¡°Ilea?¡± Shouri wondered. ¡°Yeah, him,¡± Rebecca replied with a nod. ¡°So where did you see her?¡± Shouri re-asked his second question. ¡°Uh, here,¡± Pacifica said. Shouri chewed on his breakfast for a moment, trying to figure out what that meant. ¡°Wait, ¡®here¡¯ as in here here?¡± He motioned to the suite. ¡°Si! She brought bags and everything,¡± Taika replied. Once more Shouri went silent. He grunted in annoyance and pulled a tuner from his side, quickly thumbing up a text to Elijah. ¡°People need to fucking communicate,¡± he grumbled. The trio of Resonators exchanged concerned glances. ¡°Sorry Sho,¡± Taika spoke up for them. ¡°Not mad at you, mad that Colette didn¡¯t have the decency to tell me she was on her way down here,¡± Shouri continued to complain as he resumed breakfast. He sighed after a moment. ¡°I suppose I didn¡¯t tell her we were leaving for Naiza, so fair¡¯s fair.¡± Taika and the others smiled and went back to eating their food. Chapter 98 Shouri¡¯s group arrived at the stadium a little past one in the afternoon. As such the crowds were more troublesome to pass than they had anticipated. ¡°What the fuck?!¡± Rebecca cursed, beholding the crowds with annoyance. She had a hand covertly wrapped around the bottom trim of Shouri¡¯s jacket. ¡°It is like halfway through the lunch break so people are getting snacks and stuff.¡± Pacifica had hold of Shouri¡¯s right sleeve. ¡°So many people.¡± Taika had claimed the entirety of their Maestro¡¯s left arm. ¡°I wanna go back to the hotel and sleep,¡± Shouri grumbled, only a hairpin trigger away from just storming out of the packed facility. Slowly but steadily, the quartet proceeded through the masses of people to make their way into the stadium proper. However, they managed to burn thirty minutes in the process, giving them less than thirty minutes to figure out where they were going. None of them had even seen the main arena, much less knew where the staff entrances were. Finally, they just gave up and asked someone. ¡°Oh! Yeah, you need to head down this walkway and talk to George, he¡¯ll get you down to the field,¡± a helpful staff member directed the group. Sure enough, they found ¡°George¡± who showed them the service corridor they needed to pass through to get down to the field. ¡°Finally,¡± Shouri let out a big dramatic sigh as he plopped down on one of the benches provided for them. They had been stationed in one of several ¡°dugouts¡± that dotted the perimeter of the battlefield. All members of the staff outside of the referee were stationed in these little rooms, protected not only by the stations being slightly below the field but also by the protective Vatonium fencing that allowed them to observe the battle without having to dodge stray spells themselves. ¡°Woah¡­¡± Rebecca¡¯s shoulders caught slack as she stared blankly at the field in front of her. Currently, several earth Resonators were working the grounds, using magic to restore it to a flat, neutral state. The fire fox took in her surroundings further, her head swaying from left to right, taking it all in. The crowds were getting thick again as the spectators moved into their seats, though at this distance they looked more like specks jostling about amongst the many chairs that flanked the field. ¡°It¡¯s much more impressive being on the field huh?¡± Pacifica commented. ¡°Just a little bit,¡± Rebecca breathed out, her eyes still wide. ¡°You could have been out there,¡± the otter pointed out. Rebecca slowly shook her head. ¡°No, I¡¯m not like them,¡± she mumbled. ¡°Not anymore.¡± Pacifica¡¯s lips turned up, as she placed a hand on her fellow Resonator¡¯s back. ¡°Sho, are you okay?¡± Taika asked, sitting next to her Maestro on the bench. ¡°Probably could use some water.¡± He glanced over at the water cooler provided to their dugout. ¡°Oh! Let me get you that!¡± Taika hopped up and rushed over to get him a cup of water. The boy leaned back against the wall, closing his eyes for a moment. The idle hum of the spectators, announcements over the PA system, the movement of dirt and earth, and many other sounds ¨C it was just plain loud in here. Just what he needed right now, a cacophony of noise to drown out his intrusive thoughts. ¡°Sho.¡± Opening his eyes, Taika held out a plastic cup for him expectingly. ¡°Drink,¡± she demanded. ¡°Maybe I am a bit dehydrated.¡± He smiled at her, accepting the cup. It was at that moment that Shouri noticed the earth Resonators were now leaving the field and with it, the referee for the round took their place in the booth prepared for them. The next round was about to start. There were sixteen teams eliminated in the first half of the day. Sixteen more would follow in their footsteps. The difference between the preliminary rounds they had witnessed before and the battle that was about to start now was the format. ¡°It¡¯s a full team battle,¡± Rebecca noted. ¡°Like the one we saw when we got here, right?¡± Pacifica asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± The Renard was specifically looking at the Maestro on the right, who was walking in with her three Resonators. A raven-haired woman, clad in whites and yellows, her outfit was bright, but reserved. It was as if an angel had descended upon the battlefield. Behind her was a squad of all girls. A red mouse, a blue cat, and a lime fox. The cat-girl was keeping her mousey counterpart in line, though Shouri¡¯s Resonators couldn¡¯t hear it, the mouse-girl was getting an earful from her fellow Resonator, while the fox was in no uncertain terms telling them both to shut up. The Maestro in question was seemingly oblivious to her Resonator¡¯s quarreling behind her, looking around the stadium in wonder. Opposite of her stood a man with his trio, who stood focused, unlike the squabbling Resonators on the other side of the field. A beep from Shouri¡¯s tuners prompted him to pull one from his side. The tournament staff app had updated.
Maestro: Patrick Silverio ROUND 2 MATCH 17 Maestro: Ophira Mikami
Roster Roster
Marnix - 100% VERSUS Hayley - 100%
Lino - 100% Nika - 100%
Vinay - 100% Fureena - 100%
¡°Oh.¡± Rebecca¡¯s gaze remained fixated on Ophira¡¯s team of three girls. ¡°What¡¯s up Rebby?¡± Pacifica once more turned to ¡°I got my bets on who¡¯s gonna win,¡± the fox said. Pacifica studied the two teams. ¡°It¡¯s gotta be that guy, right?¡± The otter pointed to Patrick. Rebecca chuckled. ¡°Not a chance. Dude¡¯s toast.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Pacifica¡¯s head turned towards Ophira and her now very visibly quarreling Resonators behind her. ¡°Maestros!¡± the ref¡¯s voice boomed throughout the stadium¡¯s audio system. ¡°This is a three-on-three battle! Substitutions may occur when a Resonator returns to their Maestro or when a Resonator is no longer fit for battle! Goal is zero percent rhythm remaining!¡± The ref paused to catch their breath. ¡°Please make your initial selections, you have thirty seconds!¡± Hayley, the mouse girl, ceased bickering with her water counterpart and darted into the field. Rebecca heard the other fire element shout back something to the tune of ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll leave some for you!¡± It was only after Hayley had rushed onto the battlefield did Ophira pull the fiery red tuner from her side. Patrick himself drew out a clear-bodied tuner and one of his own ranks stepped into battle. The man known as Vinay stood about roughly Hayley¡¯s height, though where her tail was long and thin, Vinay had a big fluffy tail with pointed ears atop his head. ¡°Oh, a raccoon, that¡¯s a good choice,¡± Rebecca commented. Already sensing Pacifica¡¯s curiosity, the battle veteran continued speaking, ¡°Raccoons are some of the best null elements you can have since they can also use advanced elemental spells. For example, they not only can use Lanciafiamme and Idrante, the basic fire and water spells, but they can also use advanced spells like Bolide, and Manga de Agua.¡± ¡°Holy shit¡­¡± Pacifica¡¯s eyes widened, regarding the raccoon man with respect. ¡°That kind of versatility comes at a price,¡± Rebecca hummed. Pacifica remained quiet and focused on the impending battle ¨C she would see what Rebecca meant very shortly. With the two vanguards in place, the ref raised a hand into the air. ¡°You have thirty minutes - you may begin!¡± ¡°Precipitazioni Frontali, Accelerando!¡± Patrick cast, but before he was halfway through reading the spell, Hayley was already on the move. She easily closed the distance between them on her blazing heels and pivoted around to deliver a kick to the raccoon man. Vinay himself was a seasoned fighter and wasn¡¯t caught off-guard by the sudden assault. He blocked the attack and threw a kick of his own at Hayley¡¯s exposed side. She pivoted around the attack bringing her other foot around now aiming for the man¡¯s head. He ducked under the attack and managed to fire off his spell skyward in the short interval it took for Hayley to land and attempt another kick. The name of the game was to make distance now. A tall task for the raccoon as Hayley was superior in the speed department. While this game of mouse and raccoon was going on, the clouds above the stadium began to darken as a warm wind circulated the battlefield. ¡°That¡¯s the rain spell,¡± Pacifica noted. ¡°Wonder how she¡¯s gonna handle it.¡± Rebecca looked to Ophira, who had yet to call a single spell. The rain soon started, quickly drenching the battlefield in a light drizzle. Hayley didn¡¯t bat an eye and kept up the pressure, attempting kick after kick with no sign of letting up her assault. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Patrick gritted his teeth, opening his mouth to call spells, but quickly closing it when he realized the rhythm would be wasted. ¡°The rain is so weak¡­¡± Pacifica gasped. ¡°There¡¯s the trade-off,¡± Rebecca chuckled. Shouri and Taika remained quiet. They had joined Rebecca and Pacifica up by the fencing but were in awe of how Hayley moved. It was even more graceful than their own fire element¡¯s movement, while somehow packing the same level of power that Rebecca put into her footwork. Vinay realized he was outmatched and turned tail to tag in one of his teammates. Though quick on his feet, Hayley was much faster, not only matching his speed but flipping over him and setting up a kick that flung him into the center of the battlefield, far from the ability to tag out. Hayley didn¡¯t allow a moment of reprieve, however, and chased her quarry into the center of the stage to continue her assault. ¡°REF! I WITHDRAW VINAY!¡± Patrick shouted. ¡°PLEASE HALT COMBAT!¡± the Referee boomed. The mouse girl, in a stunning display of control, stopped all of her momenta on the spot, her foot extended out just inches away from Vinay. She dropped her foot and smiled. ¡°Good game!¡± she beamed to her opponent whom she was just beating the ever-loving daylights out of only a moment ago. ¡°Tch,¡± Vinay clicked his teeth and walked away without a word. ¡°Aw-right! Nika, you¡¯re up!¡± Hayley skipped off the field, pleased with her performance. Ophira swapped which tuner she was holding without a word of her own. ¡°Yeah yeah.¡± Nika shrugged, stepping onto the field in place of her companion. ¡°Oh, since Vinay was withdrawn from the fight as a whole, they can make any substitution they want,¡± the otter noted. Rebecca nodded. ¡°Exactly right. Dude probably had about thirtyish percent rhythm left, but it was clear that mouse was going in for the kill.¡± Shouri shot a glance at the staff app. Vinay - 31% [WITHDRAWN] Rebecca sure was a lot better at this than any of them had given her credit for in the past. The next Resonator to step up was a blond-haired man with a reptilian tail wrapped around his waist like a belt. He was tall and thin, standing well above his opponent¡¯s smaller frame, which forced him to look down on his opponent. Despite this, there was an air of caution in the blond¡¯s demeanor. After witnessing Hayley¡¯s performance, his whole team must have been on edge. ¡°You got this Marnix!¡± Vinay shouted from the sidelines. ¡°Give him hell Nika!¡± Hayley similarly cheered on her companion. ¡°A dragon?¡± Taika asked. ¡°No, a snake, close relative,¡± Shouri hummed in thought. ¡°The problem with snakes is unless you¡¯re well studied in the individual species, they can have all kinds of different traits.¡± Rebecca studied the man before grunting and shaking her head. ¡°Yeah, I can¡¯t tell which kind he is,¡± she admitted. ¡°You may resume!¡± the ref¡¯s shout drew the four¡¯s attention back to the battle. There was a tense stand-off as the two new combatants sized each other up. The light drizzle continued from the previous face-off with no sign of it letting up. The battlefield was soaked and muddy by this point. Nika frowned, shifting her weight to her toes, keeping her heels out of the mud. Ophira spoke for the first time since entering the arena, ¡°Idrante, Fortissimo.¡± With a wave of Nika¡¯s hand, a massive wave of water was kicked up and washed towards the snake. ¡°Fulmini a Catena, Fortissimo!¡± Patrick cast in retaliation. Not moving from his spot, Marnix held out an open palm and a bolt of lightning shredded the water attack into nothing. What¡¯s more, it continued heading straight for Nika. She suddenly became mobile, hopping away from the attack, however it followed her and struck home. Rebecca¡¯s ears twitched over the noise of the crackling lightning, her head whipping in the direction of Nika¡¯s Maestro. ¡°Got her!¡± Patrick smirked. ¡°Nube-Terra Fulmini, Fortissimo!¡± the Maestro commanded. Electricity gathered in the sky before striking down on Nika¡¯s position in a massive spectacle of blinding light and noise. THWACK! ¡°Shit shit! Carica Traboccante, Lento!¡± Patrick could be heard shouting. When the audience could see again, the battlefield betrayed everyone¡¯s expectations. Where the Nube-Terra Fulmini had struck, there was a scorched segment of the field with large chunks of ice scattered around, and Nika was nowhere to be seen. Nika had ended up dangerously close to Marnix, holding a knee up, glaring daggers at the snake man who was rubbing his arm and gritting his teeth. ¡°What the heck happened?¡± Pacifica gasped. ¡°A lot.¡± Rebecca stared at the field wide-eyed. ¡°That Ophira chick cast three spells under the noise of the lightning spell.¡± ¡°Which ones?¡± Taika asked. ¡°From the looks of it, that water one that makes an ice sculpture of you, a shielding one that draws rhythm-based attacks in, and then that river spell to close the distance between that cat and snake.¡± ¡°You can do that¡­?¡± Pacifica blinked in disbelief Sure enough, there was a divot in the field showing Nika¡¯s movement during that brief moment in time. ¡°And that guy electrified his Resonator as a defensive play when he realized what was going on,¡± Rebecca also pointed out, noting the visible electricity arcing with the drops of rain that fell within Marnix¡¯s space. ¡°You can cast spells that quickly?¡± Shouri let out. Pacifica and Taika were already feeling inferior to these monsters, and now Shouri himself was getting a taste of that. Rebecca slowly nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of it. Never actually had a Maestro who could cast spells rapidly like that,¡± she admitted. ¡°And honestly this is the first time I¡¯ve ever seen it done,¡± she mumbled. The battle resumed in earnest at that point with the snake rushing down the cat. However, it quickly became clear, that even without spells boosting her movement capabilities, Nika was just plain faster than Marnix, easily keeping him at a healthy distance from her. ¡°Fulmini a Catena, Fortissimo Tenuto!¡± Patrick shouted. Rebecca perked up when hearing that particular casting. As the chase continued, Marnix threw out another bolt of chained lightning as he had at the beginning of the battle. Nika left an ice sculpture of herself behind, applying the same rhythm drawing effect to it as she had before. And it worked! However, the lightning arced from the statue (destroying it in the process) and wrapped around Nika, killing all of her momentum and sending her into the mud, completely bound by the electricity. ¡°He¡¯s a constrictor!¡± Rebecca shouted. ¡°If his spells are cast with a Tenuto modifier, they gain an effect that binds the target. The chain lightning spell is notoriously difficult to dodge too, so it¡¯s a deadly combination.¡± She stared at the man in awe. ¡°He¡¯s so thin for a crushing attribute holy crap.¡± The fox shook her head. Shouri and his other two Resonators just stared at the results in awe. Duelists were no joke. ¡°Hmmm, avoided casting basic spells so I wouldn¡¯t catch on. What a cute boy,¡± Ophira chuckled to herself. Despite Nika¡¯s compromised position, the Maestro remained as stoic as ever. Hayley and Fureena also watched on with no visible concern. Nika, however, was fuming. ¡°Getting this filthy mud on me¡­¡± she growled, her teeth grinding so hard one could almost hear the enamel wearing away in real-time. ¡°You like dirt so badly, here have your fill!¡± At that moment, Ophira spoke her next command: ¡°Dolina, Legato Staccatissimo.¡± Pacifica¡¯s eyes darted to the fellow water Resonator; her gaze transfixed on the casting of this new spell. ¡°Get out of there!¡± Patrick shouted. It was too late, by the time Marnix had tried to back away from the fallen cat, his foot was caught in rapidly shifting mud underneath him. The snake was rapidly pulled down into an ever-growing sinkhole that was forming underneath the battlefield, which sucked him down up to his shoulders, leaving him helpless. ¡°Cancella il Ritmo, Crescendo,¡± Ophira commanded. After a moment of focus, the lightning that bound Nika was dismissed and the girl rose to her feet, covered in mud from head to toe. Her eyes glowed with furious yellow rhythm. ¡°Dig your way out! Carica Traboccante, Lento!¡± Patrick desperately commanded. Try as he might, however, Marnix couldn¡¯t move a muscle, and the electricity he tried to build up in his body was quickly snuffed by dirt surrounding him. ¡°Loro Formato Lunare Lago, Legato,¡± Ophira gave another command of her own. Shouri¡¯s group recognized that spell, probably one of his favorite Ossias to cast. A wrathful hand was thrust skyward as a ball of ice ballooned in the sky as Nika held it out way longer than she needed to before devastating the battlefield with the water-lunar combination spell. ¡°Come on, that¡¯s probably our cue!¡± Shouri yelled over the impact of the meteor on the battlefield. Taika turned and grabbed her bag. ¡°HALT COMBAT!¡± The ref boomed as Shouri and his team left the dugout. As the dust from the meteor cleared, they would find they weren¡¯t the only emergency crew rushing out, about a dozen people were running onto the field. Nika huffed, while she attempted to get the mud off her clothes. ¡°You the medical guys?¡± one of the other staff members asked Shouri. ¡°Yeah, hell of a fucking attack,¡± Shouri muttered. ¡°We kinda expected it. This is like the fifth or sixth time that cat has caused a rhythm break,¡± the staff told him. ¡°Damn.¡± Rebecca whistled, impressed. Nika had dropped Marnix from having nearly full rhythm to having none left to protect himself in such a short time. The other staff members that came out had earth Resonators with them. Staying off to the side, Shouri and his trio watched as they surrounded the unmoving snake Resonator. ¡°Three, two, one - La forma della terra, Lento, ease him up.¡± The staff¡¯s earth Resonators placed their hands on the ground and the snake was slowly and gently pushed up as if the ground itself was spitting him out. ¡°Alright healing team, you¡¯re up.¡± Pacifica and Taika shot each other a glance and nodded before they knelt next to the unmoving snake man. Pacifica got to work checking his vitals, while Taika closed her eyes and listened, lowering her head towards the man¡¯s chest. ¡°His heartbeat is good still, he¡¯s breathing.¡± She mumbled. ¡°Vitals look good, rhythm is negative forty-seven though,¡± Pacifica told Taika. ¡°Che cavolo?¡± the fox mumbled in shock. His hair was half grey, so that assessment was accurate. ¡°Sho, La Bella Vita, per favore!¡± she requested from her Maestro. ¡°La Bella Vita, Rubato ¨C do what you need to,¡± Shouri told his fox. Taika flashed a thumbs up, keeping her focus on her patient before getting into healing him. Chapter 99 ¡°Holy shit.¡± Shouri relaxed on one of the couches in a staff-only room. Rebecca was still watching the now resumed battle on one of the close-circuit televisions, Taika and Pacifica too reclined, leaned up against their Maestro, similarly exhausted. They had managed to get Marnix conscious again, but they couldn¡¯t get his rhythm restored past zero percent without the possibility of rhythm burning him. Thus, he was stuck in a negative percentage of available rhythm. He would recover of course, but was still completely wiped out and was carted off to recuperate in one of the proper medical wings. ¡°You two were great.¡± Shouri smiled while stroking both of the girls'' hair. ¡°Dr. Miya put us through our paces,¡± Pacifica sighed wearily, nuzzling up against Shouri¡¯s side. ¡°She¡¯s a really nice lady though.¡± Taika mirrored her fellow Resonator cuddling up to their Maestro. ¡°Damn, that Fureena chick is crazy for a healer,¡± Rebecca noted, still focused on the TV. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Shouri called out. ¡°Girl is untouchable. That cat could take some crazy damage, but this fox is just dodging everything. It''s kinda crazy cause cats are supposed to be way faster than foxes," Rebecca informed the couch-bound trio. ¡°Oh yeah.¡± Taika glanced over at Rebecca. ¡°That cat used a healing spell. I thought she was shielding,¡± the vixen pointed out. ¡°High-level Shielders start gaining healing spells and vice versa. It¡¯s called Crescendo,¡± Rebecca said, her eyes still glued on the TV as she spoke. ¡°Yeah, though the Crescendo spells will never be as strong as the real deal. You¡¯ll eventually get the ability to use all the shielding spells,¡± Shouri told Taika. ¡°Oh.¡± Taika fiddled with her jacket¡¯s zipper. It was something else for her to be excited about. The remainder of their time at the stadium for that day was hiding out in the staff room. After their earlier job, Shouri was drained. Rebecca joined the family once the battle was done (to no one¡¯s shock, Ophira won). Finally, Elijah and Zino dropped by at the end of the festivities for the day and found Shouri in his usual configuration: in the center of his three clingy Resonators. ¡°Ah, there you are Mister Tomoshibi,¡± Elijah greeted the group upon his entrance to the staff room. ¡°Mister Klein,¡± Shouri greeted back. ¡°Shall we head back to the suite? Miss Severine should be on her way back already,¡± Elijah informed the other Maestro. ¡°Yeah.¡± Shouri had honestly forgotten about her presence. They had missed each other as she left early to come down to the stadium, and he never saw her last night, only being told of her arrival by his Resonators. There was some kind of deal or something worked out between her and Elijah, though what the specifics of said deal was remained a mystery to Shouri. Not that he actually cared.
Upon returning to their suite, however, Colette immediately threw everything into chaos. ¡°Shouri!¡± she shouted. He and his Resonators flinched at the noise. ¡°Yes, good evening to you too, Colette,¡± Shouri grumbled. ¡°You had such a good seat! You got to see those battles so close!¡± Colette¡¯s eyes sparkled like a desperate fan. Taika went ahead and placed a supporting hand on her Maestro¡¯s shoulder, focusing her rhythm to her fingertips for a quick etude. ¡°One battle, we spent the rest of the day in one of the staff rooms recovering,¡± Shouri corrected. ¡°Those duelists definitely have a ton of rhythm, they¡¯re no joke.¡± Colette nodded. ¡°Colette, perhaps you should give them a chance to unwind, they were working today,¡± Kaira attempted to reel in her Maestro for the sake of the peace. ¡°Oh fine,¡± the pushy scholar acquiesced. ¡°But we do need to talk later. All of us,¡± her tone had shifted, more focused, more serious. And with that, peace returned to the suite. ¡°Thank the sages, too many of you around.¡± Elijah wiped the sweat from his brow with a handkerchief. The Klein heir began to walk away. However, in a twist, Shouri spoke up. ¡°Elijah.¡± The man stopped and turned to his counterpart. ¡°Yes, Shouri?¡± ¡°Your condition. We haven¡¯t done anything about it,¡± the brunet pointed out. The blond Maestro returned the concern with a smile. ¡°Nonsense,¡± he spoke knowingly. ¡°You¡¯ve been doing plenty.¡± Reaching into his coat pocket, he drew out a small notebook. ¡°If nothing else, I am an observant individual.¡± Shouri furrowed his brow. ¡°Still, I¡¯d at least want to give you something more tangible than you watching these three pile onto me every night.¡± ¡°If you wish. I will not push you ¨C I¡¯m aware of your condition just as well as I know my own.¡± And with that, Elijah took his leave. ¡°Busy body,¡± Shouri grumbled under his breath. ¡°I wonder what she wants to talk about,¡± Pacifica finally spoke up. ¡°Well, we did get attacked by a Feroce Resonator before, so probably that,¡± Rebecca theorized. ¡°Either way, I¡¯m getting a heck of a rhythm exercise today,¡± Taika giggled, rubbing their Maestro¡¯s shoulder while continuing their etude. ¡°You and me both,¡± Shouri sighed dramatically ¨C he had been doing that a lot recently, and for good reason: these people were exhausting.
A couple of hours passed, it was around eight at night when Elijah and Zino joined Shouri and his trio in one of the living rooms. Colette was also there in one of the recliners, while Kaira sat on the ground in front of her, nose deep into a book. ¡°Good evening, I hope I¡¯m not intruding,¡± the Klein heir spoke up. ¡°We¡¯re just watching season 43 of Survivor: L¡¯ultera.¡± Shouri pointed at the television displaying a ¡°Reality TV¡± Show as it was called. Elijah raised a brow, wholly unfamiliar with the program. From the two minutes he did catch though, it was drivel in the purest form. Several people arguing about who should be sent home with plenty of mud-flinging both verbally and literally. ¡°I like watching shows where people tear each other limb from limb and think ¡®I¡¯m better than them¡¯,¡± Colette spoke up when Elijah went to comment. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. The man chuckled. ¡°I suppose there is some entertainment to be derived from such programming,¡± he added. ¡°I kinda get her thinking,¡± Zino commented. ¡°Could use with more blood though,¡± he grumbled. ¡°I¡¯m not invested.¡± Shouri glanced at Elijah. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°I wished to ask your guidance on proper etude form if you had time to spare.¡± Though he maintained his eloquence, Pacifica felt the sheepishness the man had in requesting this. ¡°Oh, okay,¡± Shouri replied.
¡°I don¡¯t really know how to describe it, but it¡¯s a give and take.¡± ¡°Sho and I are equal. That¡¯s what I feel.¡± ¡°Right, we¡¯re not Maestro and Resonator - we¡¯re two people, two rhythm users, two friends, leveling each other out.¡± ¡°He clears my mind.¡± ¡°And she gives me reason to move.¡± Shouri and Taika calmly spoke in turn, hands linked, eyes closed, sitting cross-legged in the center of one of the living rooms of the massive Presidential Suite. Around them were the other six guests in the suite, but also Alfred and the two cat maids watched from a distance with interest. Colette was excitedly taking notes in a notebook, while Kaira recorded the whole demonstration on a small digital camera. Elijah admired the form of the two experts before him. All they were doing was holding hands, but even with that simple gesture, he could feel the intensity of the rhythm passing between the two. How easily it flowed, like water from a faucet; they shared rhythm so easily, so fluidly, and on demand. It was awe-inspiring. ¡°Hmph, big whoop.¡± Zino rolled his eyes, unimpressed by the whole spectacle. ¡°Want me to knock some teeth out, lizard?¡± Rebecca growled at the dinosaur. ¡°You¡¯re welcome to try, mammal,¡± said dinosaurian snarled back. Pacifica placed a hand on her fellow Resonator¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Relax Rebecca, he¡¯s just jealous.¡± ¡°Say that shit again,¡± Zino turned his anger on the otter now. Pacifica fired back a cold glare, one harsher than anyone had ever seen the normally cheery girl muster. Elijah gulped, loosening his shirt collar as a wave of intense rhythm crashed over him. ¡°Gladly.¡± Pacifica took a breath. ¡°You think you¡¯re all big and tough, but in reality, you¡¯re just a child. A whiny petulant baby who throws a temper tantrum when he doesn¡¯t get his way. And the worst part is you think you¡¯re the coolest guy in the room! You¡¯re not fooling anyone - you¡¯re just trying to compensate for how weak you really are. You know I was excited to meet the ferocious Dinosaurian, but you turned out to be one giant disappointment after another, you loser.¡± Everyone stared in absolute shock at Pacifica. She let out a sharp breath and smiled brightly. ¡°Damn that felt GOOD,¡± she beamed. Slowly everyone turned to Zino, waiting for him to lash out and attack the daring otter. What they found, however, betrayed their expectations of him. The boy sat there, eyes wide, mouth agape, a couple of sad squeaks that failed to express any kind of speech was all he could muster. There was blood in the water, and this otter smelled it. She took a breath and: ¡°He knows I¡¯m right. He¡¯s not weak because of Elijah; Elijah is weak because of him,¡± Pacifica resumed twisting the knife, not giving the earth Resonator any breathing room. The rest of the room sat there in stunned silence, mere witnesses of the verbal slaughter. Pacifica let out a sigh. He wasn¡¯t putting up any kind of resistance, not even a ¡°you¡¯re wrong!¡± or more predictably an insult. He looked like a kicked puppy. Finally, she rolled her eyes. ¡°Hey, look at me,¡± she demanded. He refused. ¡°Or don¡¯t, whatever.¡± Another eye roll. ¡°You¡¯re only so weak because you haven¡¯t tried. At all,¡± Pacifica told him. ¡°I want you to know ¨C what happened before, won¡¯t happen again. If you ever come at me like that again, I will bury you. That¡¯s a promise.¡± No one dared utter a word. It was insane to think that Pacifica could hold a grudge that hard. Though Taika and Rebecca were both holding back cheering on their fellow Resonator. After all, Zino did almost kill their Maestro. It was a miracle they all had been as cordial with the dinosaur as they had. Even so. ¡°You¡¯ve made your point Pacifica, cut it out,¡± Shouri reeled the otter in. ¡°Sorry Sho,¡± the girl instantly wilted. ¡°No, you did make some good points,¡± he paused, ¡°in the middle of your verbal beat-down,¡± the Maestro added, quieter. Colette found her courage and spoke up: ¡°Etude is a bilateral process. You have to give your rhythm up and take your partner¡¯s rhythm in.¡± The rhythm studies major hummed in thought, studying the pair. ¡°It might be good that Zino is so rhythmically weak, it¡¯ll be easier to etude without overwhelming Mr. Klein,¡± she observed. Shouri nodded in agreement. ¡°That was my thought, too.¡± ¡°Would you like to try it, Zino?¡± Elijah asked the Resonator. His head remained down, and he slowly shook his head. ¡°Right, at your own pace.¡± The blond Maestro still gave a smile to the dinosaur-man. ¡°I think we will reflect on your teachings over some rest. Thank you for your time.¡± Elijah departed the room with Zino, leaving Shouri, Colette, and their Resonators alone. ¡°Holy shit Pacifica!¡± Rebecca tackled the girl, hugging her. ¡°Paci that was so cool!¡± Taika joined in the dog pile of their friend. Kaira had remained silent the entire time. Truthfully as soon as Pacifica started laying into Zino, she had opened her sand pouch, ready to restrain the dinosaur, but that turned out to be unnecessary. Instead, what the jackal found was her Maestro¡¯s rhythm made her itch with curiosity. ¡°Why did you let her go so far, Maestro Shouri?¡± Kaira questioned. Shouri raised a brow. ¡°They both needed it?¡± he said as if it should have been obvious. ¡°She beat herself up for days after the incident. I wasn¡¯t going to stop her. And Zino needed someone to be brutally honest with him,¡± the Maestro elaborated. He glanced down at his right hand, flexing the digits. ¡°It¡¯s how we should have handled it back then; instead of what actually happened¡­¡± Chapter 100 ¡°YOU did this to me.¡± ¡°Why did YOU abandon me?¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t YOU try harder?¡± ¡°YOU were too late.¡± ¡°I suffered because of YOU.¡± ¡°Sho! Sho! Sho!¡± ¡°Wake up! Sho!¡± Shouri¡¯s eyes snapped open, as he took in a lung full of air. His face was wet, a cold sweat drenching his form. The room was dark, time unknowable. The only light he could see was the gentle red glow of the rhythm swirling in Pacifica¡¯s eyes. ¡°Are you okay?¡± She gently wiped the tears from her Maestro¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Nightmare,¡± he replied shakily. ¡°I could tell, it woke me up.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± His eyes widened as he felt Pacifica¡¯s lips on his own. ¡°Don¡¯t be,¡± she whispered, resting her forehead against his. ¡°I¡¯m just worried about you, we all are,¡± She nuzzled his face as she ran her hands up and down his back, and wrapped her tail around his legs. ¡°I-I promise I won¡¯t abandon you,¡± the Maestro whimpered, tightening his grip around his precious Resonator. ¡°I know you won¡¯t. Let me be your rock, I¡¯ll take away your pain,¡± Pacifica¡¯s words were sweet like honey - warm, soothing, inviting. Despite the vivid nightmare he had been roused from only moments prior, Shouri found himself easily falling back asleep. ¡°YOU!¡± As soon as he returned to the darkness of sleep, the nightmare began anew. ¡°While YOU were comfortable, I hungered!¡± ¡°YOU laughed and loved, while I cried alone!¡± ¡°YOU-!¡± ¡°SHUT UP! Leave him be!¡± Pacifica¡¯s voice sliced through the darkness. Cracks of light shone through the shadows. ¡°Sho, it¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°I¡¯m with you.¡± ¡°You are not alone.¡± He could feel her warmth, her touch, her rhythm. Pacifica took hold of him, pulling him close. ¡°I¡¯m yours Shouri, my precious Maestro. I won¡¯t let anyone take you away from me.¡± She stroked his hair, keeping him close to her. And before they knew it ¨C they were awake. ¡°Sho¡­¡± ¡°Paci¡­¡± BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP ¡°NNnnngh.¡± Pacifica covered her ears with her hands and curled up, burying her face into Shouri¡¯s chest. ¡°There there.¡± He smiled, holding her while Rebecca groggily turned off the annoying alarm. It was Wednesday morning, and Shouri would face it together with his precious Resonators.
¡°Make him give us morning shifts for the rest of the tournament,¡± Rebecca demanded of Shouri as they leisurely walked into the stadium. Unlike the day prior when they worked the afternoon, there were far fewer people in their way in the early hours of the day. That wasn¡¯t to say there were no people, plenty of fans were waiting in line to shoot the quartet nasty glares as they strolled right past security with their staff badges. The assignment today was similar to yesterday: they¡¯d be working as emergency healing staff in the main arena when the battles went awry. As weaker teams were steadily eliminated from the competition, the overall power ceiling rose, and with it, the very real chance of injury for the competing Resonators. ¡°Sho, ho fame,¡± Taika complained, rubbing her gut sadly. But first, their group¡¯s medic/healer needed breakfast. ¡°Good morning, Mister Tomoshibi!¡± Elijah practically sang as the group entered the staff room. Looking around, Shouri noticed the rest of the staff were staring at the Klein heir like he was a stranger. ¡°G-good morning, Elijah.¡± Shouri shakily waved to his employer. He shuffled over to the breakfast bar, Resonators in tow, to get himself some food. ¡°What¡¯s his deal?¡± Shouri mumbled, not intending for anyone to answer. However, one of the staffers heard him and leaned in to answer the query. ¡°Dunno, he¡¯s been in a really good mood all morning, nobody knows what¡¯s up,¡± they informed him. ¡°I see.¡± Shouri shot a glance at the Klein heir, who was boisterously laughing with one of the other members of the tournament staff. What was the strangest thing of all though was Zino, usually he wore an angry brooding expression, one that read simply as ¡°fuck off¡±. But the dinosaurian this morning appeared more neutral than anything. He simply ate his food, no scowl, no growl, no fuss. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Pacifica stroked her chin in thought. ¡°Hm?¡± Shouri shifted her gaze to his otter. ¡°Nothing,¡± she sang, refocusing her attention on filling her plate. ¡°Weird girl,¡± he decided, moving food to his plate. Breakfast obtained, they went to sit down, but as soon as Shouri¡¯s group sat at the table, Elijah and Zino stood up. ¡°Have a good day Mister Tomoshibi.¡± With a short wave, Elijah and his Resonator departed. ¡°Wow, rude,¡± Rebecca huffed. ¡°He¡¯s a busy guy, leave him be,¡± Shouri said, before taking a fork-full of food into his mouth. ¡°No Sho, he¡¯s actually avoiding us,¡± Pacifica chimed in. ¡°Oh?¡± Shouri shot a side-eye at his otter. She smirked smugly while eating her meal. ¡°Stop reading people¡¯s minds,¡± he chided her. ¡°Tell people to stop being so easy to read,¡± she snarked back. Shouri smirked and gently shoved the girl, who shoved him back with her tail. Taika and Rebecca exchanged a glance, shrugged, and decided to eat their breakfasts.
Back in the dugout, Shouri and his Resonators relaxed on the bench as the field staff worked on the arena floor. Unlike the afternoon shift, they had the pleasure of working yesterday, the morning festivities were subdued in comparison. Halfway through the week, even the most diehard fan was beginning to be worn down. Alas, the show must go on. Shouri¡¯s tuner beeped. It was time for round one.
Maestro: Emelia Ayame ROUND 3 MATCH 1 Maestro: Carmo Aloisio
Roster Roster
Albarich - 77% VERSUS Cesarina - 100%
Ritika - 89% Flavien- 100%
Soot - 91% Mirsada- 100%
¡°What¡­?¡± Shouri gasped, staring at his tuner. ¡°What is it?¡± Taika peeked over his shoulder; her eyes widened. ¡°Why do they already have less rhythm?¡± She pointed at the screen. ¡°I dunno¡­¡± The Maestro furrowed his brows. Shouri studied the field, hoping to get some more insight into Emelia¡¯s condition. To the right was her opponent, Carmo. He was pretty average all things considered. His clothes weren¡¯t flashy, tuners clipped to his side just like one expected out of any other Maestro. He was calm, cool, and collected despite being on one of the biggest competitive stages in the circuit. Even his three Resonators backing him idly chatted amongst themselves. Seasoned competitors, clearly. On the other side, there was a very strange quartet gracing the field. The Maestro was a blonde woman, pale in complexion, clad in tans and browns. The tuners adorning her chestnut-colored shorts were black, brown, and red ¨C Lunar, Earth, and Fire. One of Emelia¡¯s Resonators was helping clean off her clothes, a brunette cat-girl, the smallest of the trio of Resonators. By their side was a sky dragon, bearing great black and purple wings, he stood at the alert, but was the most scuffed up. Regardless, he was unbothered by his ruffled state and remained focused on his adversaries opposite of his group. Finally, was the strangest member of the team, what appeared to be a normal human, though on closer inspection their skin was an unnatural sandy brown, appearing grainy, even at a distance. Upon further inspection, Shouri realized this was the same group they saw in the street fight the night they arrived in Naiza. ¡°Sho,¡± Taika snapped her Maestro out of his thoughts. ¡°How much time until the fight starts?¡± she asked. ¡°Like five minutes, why?¡± Shouri replied. The healer grabbed his hand. ¡°Come on!¡± ¡°Wha-?! Taika wait!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be back!¡± Taika yelled back at their fellow companions. Before Rebecca or Pacifica could get in a word, Taika had pulled their Maestro out of the dugout and ran onto the field. ¡°Uhg, what the heck, I can¡¯t believe this keeps happening!¡± the cat girl complained while she continued to dust off her Maestro¡¯s clothes. ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do about it, Rika; I¡¯m just glad we got here in time,¡± Emelia chuckled sheepishly, pulling her long tresses in front of her and quickly running her hands through them to check for debris. ¡°Hey, who are they?¡± The dragon-man pointed to the approaching fox and Maestro. ¡°Oh, they¡¯re a lunar that¡¯s on tournament staff!¡± Ritika exclaimed, noticing Taika¡¯s element and staff badge even at a distance. Shouri and Taika reached the quartet, stopping short and getting a better look over the competitors. ¡°Hey, are you all okay?¡± Taika asked. ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re fine,¡± Emelia tried to laugh it off, though her tone betrayed her words. ¡°Just some early mornin¡¯ practice, got a little out of hand,¡± the dragon spoke. ¡°Al, we were jumped again, you can be honest with these people - they¡¯re officials,¡± Ritika chided the dragon. He rolled his eyes. ¡°We got Emily here in one piece, that¡¯s all that matters,¡± Albarich grumbled. ¡°La Bella Vita, Rubato,¡± Shouri cast. Taika stepped up and began to heal Albarich. ¡°Hey wait a tic!¡± the dragon protested. ¡°Zitto!¡± The fox snapped at the dragon, dulling his edge. ¡°You¡¯re about to go into battle, I won¡¯t rhythm burn you, just shut up and let me heal you.¡± Her eyes glowed with vibrant blue rhythm as she glared the man down. ¡°F-fine¡­ thanks,¡± he quickly acquiesced, shirking into his heavy jacket. Once she was done with Albarich, Taika moved to Ritika. ¡°Oh, my goodness, you¡¯re great at this,¡± the cat purred, relaxing under the healing waves. ¡°What happened?¡± Shouri questioned the competing Maestro while his Resonator worked on healing hers. ¡°I can¡¯t say here,¡± Emily admitted quietly, her eyes darting around nervously. There was something about this girl and her Resonators that piqued his curiosity, for better or worse. ¡°Come to the dugout after the match,¡± he decided. ¡°Eh, why?¡± Emily blinked, eyes widening. ¡°I want to know what happened,¡± he replied. ¡°Let¡¯s take him up on his offer, Emmy,¡± Ritika advised. ¡°I agree with the kid,¡± Albarich spoke up (and earning a pout from Ritika, the ¡°kid¡± in question.) ¡°Okay!¡± Emily smiled. ¡°We¡¯ll see you after the game!¡± And with that, Shouri and Taika quickly made their way off the field so the match could get underway. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Pacifica immediately questioned her companions upon their return to the dugout. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°Something is going on with her and her Resonators, so we¡¯re going to find out what after the match,¡± Shouri informed the uninitiated pair who had remained in the dugout. Shouri checked the tournament app one more time before the match started.
Maestro: Emelia Ayame
Roster
Albarich - 96%
Ritika - 97%
Soot - 100%
It wasn¡¯t perfect, but it was close enough. With a smile, Shouri rested a hand on Taika¡¯s head and gently stroked her hair, the vixen leaning into him as he did so. ¡°Maestros!¡± the referee¡¯s voice signaled the start of the festivities. ¡°This is a three-on-three battle! Substitutions may occur when a Resonator returns to their Maestro or when a Resonator is no longer fit for battle! Goal is zero percent rhythm remaining!¡± The ref was on script as usual, even pausing in the same place to catch their breath. ¡°Please make your initial selections, you have thirty seconds!¡± There wasn¡¯t even an ounce of hesitation in Emily¡¯s selection ¨C Albarich stepped forward at the same time as his tuner was drawn. Carmo on the other hand, took twenty-five of his allotted thirty seconds for selection. He opted to play his bird Resonator, Mirsada, for this engagement. ¡°Solar versus Lunar, how interesting,¡± Rebecca commented. ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Pacifica asked. ¡°Solar and Lunars are weak and strong against each other. But Lunars aren¡¯t used much, so Solars are usually a free pick since you don¡¯t have to worry much about running into weaknesses,¡± the vixen explained. ¡°Oh! So, this is a rare kind of fight!¡± Pacifica realized. ¡°At least in competitive, yeah.¡± Rebecca nodded. Both selections made, the ref raised a hand into the air. ¡°You have thirty minutes - you may begin!¡± Albarich took flight immediately, with Mirsada right behind him, though it quickly became apparent who the stronger flier was, as the dragon cleared the distance between himself and his solar counterpart in a matter of seconds, throwing a punch straight into the man¡¯s sternum. Not expecting such a quick attack, Mirsada was grounded, while Albarich hung in the air. ¡° Mente Luce Offuscata, Lunare, Fortissimo!¡± Emily shouted the follow-up attack. Shouri shook his head. ¡°What the fuck?¡± His attention was now fully on the other lunar Maestro. The way she had called those spells sounded as if two people had shouted it out at the same time, but they both had Emily''s voice. It was strange and jarring, making Shouri question what he knew about how vocal cords worked. ¡°That¡¯s what that Ophira chick did yesterday when she stacked those three spells, that¡¯s what that sounds like!¡± Rebecca pointed excitedly at Emily. ¡°How the fuck¡­?¡± Shouri muttered in wide-eyed shock. ¡°Luce del Sole, Rubato!¡± Carmo cried out to counter. Mirsada formed a ball of light energy to match the dark energy forming in Albarich¡¯s hand. Though the difference in skill was made abundantly clear as with his free hand, the dragon waved it out, a flash of purple energy bursting from his opponent¡¯s head. ¡°AUGH!¡± Mirsada cried out in pain, his spell dispersing from the broken concentration. Capitalizing on the situation, Albarich finished his Luce Lunare, now throwing his other arm out. A wave of midnight purple energy washed over the downed solar Resonator, completely enveloping him in it. ¡°BREAK!¡± the ref shouted. ¡°Mirsada, exit the field now! Carmo, please make your substitution, you have thirty seconds!¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Taika questioned. They had both been making their respective element¡¯s basic spells, but to the outside observer, Mirsada just stopped. ¡°I think that was Mente Offuscata, it¡¯s a lunar attack spell that attacks the target¡¯s mind. It breaks concentration while dealing damage,¡± Shouri explained, recalling seeing the spell described in the Lunar field guide he had bought. ¡°Man that¡¯s so busted,¡± Rebecca commented. ¡°From what I read, it¡¯s pretty easy to miss if the caster doesn¡¯t have excellent spatial awareness,¡± Shouri informed her. ¡°Well, that guy does I guess,¡± the fire fox chuckled. ¡°Damn.¡± ¡°RESUME!¡± the ref¡¯s shout drew the attention of those in the dugout. The battle resumed with Albarich still in play against a species Shouri and his team were familiar with: a red panda. Though, unlike the one they knew, this particular alluridae was a woman ¨C the one known as Cesarina. And she wasn¡¯t playing around. As soon as the battle continued, she cleared the distance between herself and Albarich THWACK! Even blocking with his wings, Albarich was thrown back by a blazing kick. Cesarina didn¡¯t allow a moment of breathing room as she continued her assault, pursuing her flying opponent. However, she missed her second kick as Albarich made his way skyward, out of reach of her follow-up attack. Cesarina wasn¡¯t dissuaded from halting her assault; she took to the skies with fire underneath her. She threw up a foot to axe-kick her opponent. ¡°Now! Esaurimento, Lento!¡± Emily commanded. Albarich smirked, catching the kick, and in that moment, locked eyes with his target. The woman faltered as they fell from the sky, both concentrating on performing their attacks over staying airborne. Cesarina barely managed to avoid smashing into the ground as her eyelids became impossibly heavy. ¡°Cesarina! Snap out of it!¡± Carmo shouted, though his cries fell on deaf ears, as a moment later, the woman hung her head. ¡°Loro Formato Lunare Lago, Legato!¡± Emily refused to let sleeping pandas lie and ordered yet another attack. Up in the air Albarich¡¯s hand went, beckoning an icy meteor down from the heavens. ¡°Cesarina!!¡± her whole team screamed as loud as they could, hoping to stir her from her magically induced slumber. The fire Resonator¡¯s eyes snapped open! ¡­right as the meteor made impact. BOOOM! The colosseum shook as dust and debris were thrown up by the massive assault. ¡°HALT COMBAT!¡± the ref¡¯s voice cut through the obscured battlefield, as the cloud settled it revealed the results of the battle. Albarich stood straight, taking deep gasps of air, his red eyes fixated on the spot where his adversary lay. Cesarina was unmoving in the middle of a small impact crater in the center of the field. Taika scooped up her bag, and rushed out, Pacifica close behind. Shouri sighed as he got off the bench. ¡°Dude really knows how to go all out,¡± the Maestro grumbled. ¡°He at least just broke her rhythm and didn¡¯t try to kill her like that blue chick from yesterday,¡± Rebecca laughed, leaning back on the bench. ¡°I¡¯ll stay here, be back soon.¡± She motioned for him to go. The Maestro nodded and made his way out of the dugout and onto the playing field. Taika and Pacifica had already checked vitals and awaited their Maestro for any further action. ¡°Negative two percent rhythm, she should just need a quick patch and she¡¯ll be good,¡± Taika informed Shouri. He dropped a hand to his waist, grasping Taika¡¯s tuner. ¡°Make it happen, La Bella Vita, Rubato.¡± One quick heal later, Cesarina returned to the waking world. ¡°Fuck, anyone get the license plate of the truck that hit me?¡± the panda groaned, sitting up and shaking free some dirt and ice chunks. ¡°No, but you¡¯re out for the rest of the battle,¡± Shouri informed her. ¡°Fuck really?¡± Cesarina set her sights on Albarich who stood arms crossed, waiting for the defeated red panda to clear the field. ¡°Man, that dude is a monster, shielders should NOT have that much power.¡± She brushed back her hair. Shouri stole a look back at the dragon man, humming to himself in thought. With Cesarina given a clean bill of health by the medical team of Taika and Pacifica, they helped her off the field and the trio returned to the dugout. ¡°She looked fine,¡± Rebecca commented as soon as they returned. ¡°Yeah, though I feel like he only did as much damage as he needed to,¡± Shouri mused. ¡°You think so, boss man?¡± The fire Resonator glanced at her Maestro. ¡°It¡¯s just a feeling.¡± ¡°You may resume!¡± once more, the side conversation came to an end as Albarich was now facing the third member of Carmo¡¯s team ¨C Flavien, a water element based on the blues decorating their hair and clothing. ¡°Al! Come on back!¡± Ritika shouted. ¡°I got this! Let me stay in!¡± Albarich yelled back. ¡°I am not dragging your ass back to MA Office again, tag me in!¡± the cat-girl barked. ¡°Tch!¡± Albarich clicked his tongue, stealing a glare back at his opponent. ¡°Don¡¯t let him! Ghiccaclio, Fortissimo Staccatissimo!¡± Carmo barked. ¡°Riflettore Musicale, Fortissimo!¡± Emily cast in response. As the lunar dragon made his retreat back to the sidelines, Flavien unleashed a hell storm of bladed ice, but Albarich held out an open palm, creating a barrier of purplish light. As soon as the ice attack made contact with it, the spell was reflected back at its caster, forcing Flavien to focus on dodging, allowing the swap to occur scot-free. When Albarich crossed the line in the dirt, Ritika ran onto the field in his place. What¡¯s more, she didn¡¯t just change places with her ally, she charged full sprint straight at Flavien. ¡°Manga de Agua, Fortissimo!¡± Carmo commanded. ¡°Too slow!¡± Ritika pulled her hands back as if holding a weapon, and in that brief moment, one formed in her hands, made of sand. ¡°Sotto! Prigione di Ghiaccio, Fortissimo!¡± came another hurried command from Carmo. THWACK! CRACK! Just in the nick of time, Flavien used his spell to flash freeze some water onto his arm to act as armor. Given how quickly it was formed, he wasn¡¯t able to don a full set of ice armor. He did manage to block the brutal swing of the improvised weapon made from the sand Ritika wielded. The force of which sent the water Resonator back. Ritika propelled herself away from her opponent just as he did with her. Flavien shook off the shattered remains of the ice armor he had attempted to make. ¡°Oh! She has the same ad-Lib as Kaira!¡± Pacifica noted. ¡°Yeah¡­ but she¡¯s doing something crazy with it. Most users of Scudo di Sabbia use it defensively, an automatic protection. This girl is using it offensively, and at a crazy high level.¡± Rebecca had stood up. She walked to the fence to take in the craftsmanship at work. ¡°The shape is kinda unique though,¡± the fire fox chuckled. Ritika smirked, holding a giant crescent wrench made entirely of sand. The cat girl spun it around before resting the tail end of it on the ground next to her with a heavy thud. Maintaining her confidant grin, she waved her opponent towards her with her free hand. Both Maestros stared each other down from the opposite ends of the field. They watched as the other took in a breath to call their next spell. ¡°I venti che battono il sahara!¡± ¡°L''onda di Tempesta, Accelerando!¡± The two opposing Resonators stomped down in front of them. From Flavien¡¯s side, a river of water sprung up trailing from his spot towards Ritika. However, where the earth Resonator had made her mark in the dirt a savage wind kicked up, then a vortex of sand that rapidly spread out, whipping around the colosseum and reducing visibility. ¡°Fuck!¡± Carmo cursed. ¡°Precipitazioni Frontali, Accelerando!¡± A streak of muffled blue light shot skyward, seeding the clouds that were amid the sandstorm. THWACK THWACK THWACK The raging dust storm only cleared in time for the referee¡¯s shout. ¡°BREAK!¡± Rain started to fall in the colosseum, revealing the fate which had been obscured by the shifting sands. Ritika stood over Flavien, who laid on the ground, breathing hard, but still conscious. The earth Resonator held herself up by her sand wrench, haggardly taking in deep breaths as she glared down her defeated opponent, arms trembling. ¡°This game¡¯s winner is Emelia Ayame!¡± Lunar or Earth, it didn¡¯t matter ¨C there had been a winner determined, and for that, the crowd went wild. With that declaration of victory, Emily ran onto the field and caught Ritika who fell right into her Maestro¡¯s arms. Shouri reviewed the results on the staff app.
Maestro: Emelia Ayame [WIN] ROUND 3 MATCH 1 Maestro: Carmo Aloisio [LOSS]
Roster Roster
Albarich - 9% VERSUS Cesarina ¨C DOWN
Ritika - 7% Flavien- DOWN
Soot - 92% Mirsada- DOWN
Chapter 101 ¡°Hell of a fight out there,¡± Rebecca commented first as Emily and her three Resonators had now joined Shouri¡¯s group in the dugout. The second match of the day was well underway, but the focus was on the first match winners. ¡°I¡¯ll say¡­ fuck¡­¡± Ritika leaned against Emily, her hands still shaking. ¡°¡¯bout average for us honestly.¡± Albarich shrugged. He leaned forward, looking around Emily to glare down his fellow Resonator. ¡°I told you I had it.¡± Ritika stuck her tongue out. ¡°I can¡¯t have you fight every battle. How am I supposed to get any better?¡± she protested. ¡°Drink some more milk beansprout. You Terrans got all this gravity to fight against.¡± The dragon smirked. ¡°Hush moon lizard,¡± she pouted. ¡°Behave.¡± Emily pushed her two squabbling Resonators back but rested a hand on their heads and gently stroked their hair. ¡°You both did great. Rest up.¡± Emily¡¯s third Resonator sat in the corner quiet, unmoving, statuesque. ¡°I-is he¡­ uhh alright?¡± Pacifica asked, pointing at the lonely-looking Resonator. ¡°Don¡¯t mind Soot. He¡¯s a golem, they¡¯re a mute species,¡± Emily informed the otter. ¡°Oh!¡± Pacifica stole another glance at the artificial man. He smiled and waved back. ¡°I did teach him Maelish sign language though, so he can at least talk to us that way,¡± the Maestro added. To demonstrate, Soot brought a hand up to his chin and waved it forward. ¡°He says ¡®Thank you,¡¯ He probably appreciates your consideration of him,¡± Emily giggled. ¡°So,¡± Shouri spoke up, leaning against the fence directly in front of the other Maestro and her two Resonators. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± His gaze drifted to Albarich. ¡°It is because of Al, but not for the reason you think.¡± Emily shook her head. ¡°We¡¯re popular people, what can I say?¡± Albarich chuckled. ¡°Oh stop beating around the bush you two!¡± Ritika barked. ¡°These morons pissed off a religious cult,¡± the cat girl informed the uninitiated. Taika in particular tensed up, balling up her fists. ¡°Quale?¡± she asked. ¡°Uhhhh, which one was it again, Emmy?¡± Ritika asked. Emily remained quiet for a moment. ¡°New Moon,¡± she spoke at a breath. Taika shook her head, relaxing slightly. Pacifica of course, caught this but decided now wasn¡¯t the time. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard of that one,¡± Shouri commented, pulling out one of his tuners. ¡°Don¡¯t bother,¡± Emily cut him off. ¡°You won¡¯t find anything about them on Terran internet.¡± ¡°Oh, goody.¡± Shouri rolled his eyes, returning the device to his side. ¡°It¡¯s a lunar religion, right?¡± he guessed. ¡°You got it.¡± Emily smiled, though this quickly faded. ¡°They preach about Lunar superiority and such, it¡¯s pretty harmless, though, with any large enough group, there¡¯s bound to be a couple of bad apples.¡± Shouri nodded. ¡°So, you pissed off the bad apples?¡± he took a guess. ¡°Pattern recognition is a hell of a drug.¡± Another sheepish chuckle from the other Maestro. She pulled Albarich close to her ¨C a gesture he didn¡¯t refuse. ¡°They were gonna kill Al, I couldn¡¯t let that happen, so I took him and escaped down here to Terra.¡± Emily paused, considering her words as she squeezed him tighter. ¡°I never dreamed they¡¯d chase us down here.¡± ¡°Those goons chased dumb and dumber into the desert.¡± Ritika motioned to her Maestro and follow Resonator. ¡°If Soot and I didn¡¯t find them, they¡¯d have been cactus food,¡± she added. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you told the cops?¡± Pacifica wondered. ¡°Paci, think about what happened to us,¡± Shouri reminded her. ¡°Oh¡­ right.¡± The otter lowered her head, the veil of cop propaganda only recently having been pulled away and their incompetence revealed to her. Emily and her Resonators¡¯ silence was telling. Just as Shouri and Pacifica¡¯s kidnapper wasn¡¯t caught until they had taken him out, the situation must have been the same for them. Raising his tuner, Shouri thumbed a message up and sent it away. ¡°Okay, here¡¯s the plan,¡± he raised his voice, returning the device to his waist with the other two. ¡°Once our sub gets here, we¡¯re going to pick up your stuff from the MA Office you¡¯re staying at,¡± Shouri began. ¡°W-wait, what?¡± Emily questioned. ¡°You¡¯re coming to stay with us,¡± he told her as if it should have been obvious. ¡°Where at?¡± ¡°I think it was called the Villas Fairingway.¡± ¡°OH!¡± Rikita shouted. ¡°That¡¯s like the most expensive hotel in like all of Kalanichi!¡± the cat exclaimed. ¡°We can¡¯t afford that!¡± Emily shook her head upon hearing that. ¡°It¡¯s fine we¡¯re in the presidential suite, there¡¯s more than enough room,¡± Shouri shrugged it off. ¡°Wh-who are you?¡± the woman questioned. ¡°Just a guy really.¡± Shouri shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not our suite,¡± Pacifica chimed in. ¡°Yeah, Mr. Klein is paying for it,¡± Taika added with a nod. Emily pinched the bridge of her nose. ¡°Wait wait wait, ¡®Mister Klein¡¯? Like the Klein Foundation Klein?¡± ¡°His son specifically - his name¡¯s Elijah and he owes me,¡± Shouri informed the uninitiated. Silence ¡°Seriously, who in the world are you?¡± Ritika cast a suspicious gaze on their new ¡°ally¡±. ¡°I told you, just a guy, I¡¯m no one special,¡± Shouri replied. ¡°Maybe hopped up on some fox-girl rhythm,¡± he mumbled under a cough, whilst shooting a glance at Taika, whose tail started wagging as soon as she caught him looking at her. ¡°Why are you doing all this?¡± Albarich questioned, his sharp gaze trained on the standing Maestro. ¡°What do you gain from it?¡± Shouri shot back a glare of his own. ¡°Well, I doubt you¡¯ll accept that I just don¡¯t want to see a fellow lunar user get harassed.¡± He paused thinking over a good justification for his actions. ¡°So perhaps making sure one of the top competitors in the tournament is at their peak to give a good performance in the battles ahead?¡± He studied the wary stares of the trio before him (Soot was indifferent in the corner). ¡°Ah, teach me that double spell thing you did. That¡¯s totally my reason.¡± Shouri pointed to Emily. ¡°Oh, Corda casting? Yeah, I can teach you that.¡± Emily seemed relieved at this ¡°catch.¡± ¡°The truth comes out.¡± Albarich nodded. Pacifica giggled, seeing right through them. Ritika rolled her eyes, shaking her head. With a short laugh, Shouri smirked. ¡°Then it¡¯s settled.¡±
¡°Normally when you cast spells, you¡¯re casting in what¡¯s called Una Corda, or with one line of rhythm,¡± Emily began. The group had arrived back at the Presidential Suite, thanks to Alfred the butler coming to pick them up at Elijah¡¯s request. The Klein heir was surprisingly amicable to the whole situation, the suite rapidly filling with many strong rhythm users. Though at this point all the bedrooms were plenty occupied. Taika, Pacifica, and Ritika had taken to the kitchen to make food for everyone. Shouri, Rebecca, Emily, and Albarich were sitting on the ground in a circle in one of the large living rooms. Soot was just in the corner, being quiet and polite as always. He had been asked what he wanted to do, but he simply raised his thumb, hooked his index finger, and made a small outward gesture with it, the sign for ¡°watch¡±. ¡°Most rhythm users only ever need one line of rhythm. You only need one line in like ninety percent of situations,¡± Emily continued her explanation. ¡°However, your body is more than capable of opening many lines of rhythm to cast on.¡± Shouri nodded, stroking his chin in thought. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s how we can leave spells in Staccato or Rubato. The lines are there and connected,¡± he mused aloud. ¡°Exactly!¡± Emily clapped her hands together, grinning brightly. ¡°Corda casting lets you throw out multiple lines at the same time instead of making them one at a time.¡± Something was bothering Rebecca however. ¡°When you were fighting today, you said some weird stuff,¡± she brought up. Emily nodded. ¡°Good ear! I was reading both spells out at the same time.¡± Thoughtful hums escaped Shouri and Rebecca as they both chewed on that thought. ¡°How? Do I have to remember every combination of spells together?¡± Shouri questioned. ¡°Oh, stars no! That would be madness!¡± Emily chuckled. Though Shouri and Rebecca¡¯s perplexed expressions told her they would not be satisfied with that. She hummed in thought, closing her eyes for just a moment while gathering her thoughts. ¡°You kinda have to split your mind and have each part cast the spell you want,¡± she spoke hesitantly. ¡°It¡¯s kind of hard to explain,¡± she admitted. This only earned blank stares from both Rebecca and Shouri. After a moment, Shouri shook his head. ¡°I think I get it,¡± he furrowed his brow, not sounding confident in that claim. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°There is also a Resonator component to it as well,¡± Emily advised. Rebecca flicked her ears at attention. ¡°Since you¡¯ll be getting two strings at once, you¡¯ll really need to be ready to receive it. It¡¯s hard to pull off in actual battle,¡± the blonde Maestro explained. Rebecca slowly nodded. None of her previous Maestros had used this technique (at least with her). It wasn¡¯t a sensation she could claim any familiarity with. ¡°Do you two still want to try it? We can start at Due Corde,¡± Emily offered. Shouri and Rebecca shared a glance, in unison they nodded. Emily¡¯s eyebrows perked up, her jaw catching a little slack. ¡°Okay, what do we do?¡± Shouri asked. Rebecca seemed to stumble, as if she had to bite her tongue, a reaction not missed by the other Maestro. ¡°Shouri, think about both spells you want to cast. Since we¡¯re not in a casting range try to pick two support spells if you have them. Build up the rhythm and then just let your body do the rest,¡± Emily instructed the other Maestro. ¡°And for you,¡± Albarich addressed Rebecca. ¡°Brace yourself, yer gonna get hit with a ton of rhythm at once.¡± Closing his eyes, Shouri focused on the two spells that came to mind. Famiglio Incendio ¨C the summon spell Fuoco Fatuo ¨C the tiny firelight spell Both were nearly harmless and would be perfect for practicing this technique. ¡°Okay, got it, let¡¯s give it a shot.¡± Shouri kept his eyes closed. His hand wrapped around Rebecca¡¯s tuner. He had to merge these two spells, but she said his body should do the rest? ¡°FamiFuglico FIncetuodio , Presto!¡± Instantly Shouri knew he messed it up. He could feel his lips moving incorrectly, the strain on his vocal cords was the most apparent as they struggled to make the unnatural sounds asked of them. The biggest tell came from the actual act of spellcasting; the rhythm pulled from him was uneven despite both spells being cast by the same modifier. Even so, he still linked with Rebecca as if nothing was amiss. ¡°ERK!¡± Rebecca grunted. She knew it wasn¡¯t right upon receiving the rhythm. She did get the rhythm, but it was as if she had gotten a corrupted text file: none of the words made sense and as a result, her body had no idea what to do with the confusing foreign rhythm. As such, her body just let it go and no spell-casting happened. At least it didn¡¯t hurt. ¡°That¡¯s good!¡± Emily cheered despite the result. ¡°Hrm, how do you figure?¡± Shouri spoke raspily. He opened his eyes, mouth in a hard line as he rubbed his throat. Rebecca took up his free hand and squeezed it tightly, his lips curved up ever so slightly. ¡°It took me at least a couple hours of practice to even get the rhythm to flow,¡± Emily informed them. ¡°I suppose,¡± Shouri mumbled. ¡°You¡¯ll know you got it right when both spells flow together seamlessly.¡± To demonstrate, Emily took in a breath and spoke. ¡°Riflettore(Nuvola) Musicale,(Oscura,) Pianissimo(Presto).¡± Shouri and Rebecca simply stared, hearing both spells being overlaid atop each other as she cast them was jarring, if they listened closely both spells were there. It was as if someone recorded Emily reading both spells individually and played both tapes back simultaneously. Albarich received his Maestro¡¯s rhythm and with a wave of his hands came two spells ¨C a cloud of smoke Shouri recognized, Nuvola Oscura. The second spell projected a shield of purplish light in front of Albarich¡¯s open palm. Rebecca recognized it as Riflettore Musicale, the shield spell the dragon had used earlier in the day to reflect Flavien¡¯s ice spells when he had attempted to flee the battle. ¡°Sotto,¡± Emily canceled the two spells, dissipating the smoke cloud and barrier that had invaded the suite. ¡°Practice makes perfect,¡± Albarich shrugged. ¡°Very true. We messed it up a ton before we got it right,¡± Emily giggled. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll keep practicing at it.¡± Shouri glanced at Rebecca, who nodded in agreement. ¡°Great! One thing to keep in mind, you can¡¯t Corda cast with re-cast modifiers like Staccato or Rubato. It¡¯s one-and-done casting only,¡± Emily advised. Shouri nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind. It was at that point in the practice session that the absent trio of girls returned. ¡°Lunch is ready!¡± Ritika announced, carrying a tray of baked goods. ¡°Hope we¡¯re not interrupting,¡± Pacifica added, also carrying a tray, but one filled with drinks. ¡°We might have made too much,¡± Taika chimed in, carrying yet a third tray with even more food on it. Shouri hopped to his feet with Rebecca. ¡°No, right on time,¡± he told them. ¡°We just got the basics more or less,¡± Rebecca added. ¡°Bene! Eat food then!¡± Taika set her tray down on one of the large tables in the room. The others followed suit and soon the group surrounded the table (minus Soot who remained watching in the corner.) ¡°He good?¡± Rebecca asked the golem¡¯s Maestro. ¡°Totes! I just need to give him rhythm, which I usually do while sleeping.¡± Emily told the curious fox. ¡°Oh, I see.¡± The vixen nodded slowly. ¡°Here.¡± Emily turned her head. ¡°You good over there?!¡± she shouted to her Resonator. The golem responded with a thumbs-up. ¡°See? Totally fine.¡± Emily giggled. ¡°Yeah.¡± Rebecca chuckled to herself and focused on the food. And so, the remainder of the day went on without much fanfare, the group relaxing and intermingling with each other (except Soot, who remained content to sit in a corner and watch.) It was peaceful, and through the rest of the day, Pacifica could sense Emily and her Resonators slowly relaxing; a long, heavy weight being eased from them. Elijah and Colette returned at around six in the evening. ¡°My goodness, this place is quickly becoming inhospitable for me.¡± Elijah chuckled, though he was unable to hide how uncomfortable the thick rhythm in the air was to him. ¡°I warned you,¡± Shouri commented. ¡°That you did,¡± Elijah replied with a nod. ¡°D-do we need to leave?¡± Emily questioned. The Klein heir shook his head. ¡°Not at all Miss ¡®Ayame¡¯. After all, someone of your status rightfully belongs here.¡± Shouri raised a brow, but before he could question the nature of Elijah¡¯s vague words, Emily¡¯s trio of Resonators were at her defense, standing protectively around her and glaring daggers at the other man. ¡°Relax yourselves.¡± Elijah¡¯s gaze shifted to Shouri. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t have brought you here if he didn¡¯t feel you were safe. And if I tried to pull anything shifty, he would be at your defense as well.¡± Uneasily, Emily looked at the green-jacketed Maestro. ¡°¡­who are you¡­?¡± she whispered. ¡°That being said, we need to talk. Alone.¡± Elijah looked to Shouri. ¡°You too.¡± He motioned to Emily as well. ¡°Your Resonators will need to stay here,¡± he added. ¡°Absolutely not,¡± Ritika spoke up. ¡°Yeah, what the heck?¡± Rebecca joined the conversation as well. ¡°While I would like to include the Resonators in this discussion, it must be done discretely. So much so I have prepared a room with Ceo¨ªche shielding,¡± Elijah stated grimly. ¡°What!?¡± Shouri gasped. ¡°Y-you¡¯re serious¡­?¡± Emily too was shocked. Colette hummed and frowned, but didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°What am I missing here?¡± Taika asked. ¡°So you know the Vatonium stuff that shields the casting ranges at MA Offices?¡± Rebecca asked. ¡°Yeah, it absorbs rhythm so spells don¡¯t go crazy or something right?¡± the lunar fox recalled. ¡°Ceo¨ªche cages are a more intense version of that. Not only do they absorb rhythm, they actively pull and distort it,¡± Pacifica chimed in. ¡°Prisons are usually full of them, leaving Resonators as helpless as Maestros,¡± Ritika commented. ¡°Resonators grow ill very quickly within Ceo¨ªche cages,¡± Kaira spoke up as well. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Taika lowered her head. Elijah nodded, acknowledging everything that had been explained as fact. ¡°It¡¯s the only way to be sure our conversation will not be overheard. You can never be too careful, especially¡­¡± he trailed off, considering his word choice for a moment. ¡°-when a certain group is involved,¡± were the words he decided on. ¡°And I need to be there?¡± Shouri questioned. ¡°Very much so, it involved certain other things you have been involved in,¡± the Klein heir smirked knowingly. ¡°Oh boy. Here we fuckin¡¯ go.¡± The brunet rolled his eyes. Chapter 102 ¡°What the terra is this?¡± Emily shot a glare at Elijah as they exited the hotel. Being separated from all of their Resonators was one thing. Who was waiting outside was an entire other can of worms. Two police cars sat in wait for them ¨C a paired Maestro and Resonator officer assigned to each one. ¡°They will be escorting us to our meeting place,¡± Elijah stated as if it should have been obvious. Emily gulped, her eyes darting back towards the hotel as she curled in on herself. ¡°Is this really necessary, Mister Klein?¡± Shouri said, also glaring at his ¡°employer¡±. ¡°I told you Mr. Tomoshibi, we cannot take any risks when speaking of this information, and room-based Ceo¨ªche cages are difficult to construct,¡± the Klein heir explained. ¡°What, did you think that the Klein Foundation could make a miracle happen?¡± the boy teased. Shouri snorted indignantly. ¡°Emily and I will take one, have fun with Colette,¡± he decided, motioning for his partner in crime to follow. ¡°We will!¡± Colette waved, not catching the slight aimed at her. Getting into the cop car was unnerving for both of the young Maestros. It didn¡¯t help that the seats were made of hard plastic, meant for detaining criminals. It felt as if they were being detained behind the caging that separated the front of the vehicle from the back. The officers took their seats with no fanfare. Shouri studied the Resonator officer who sat in the passenger¡¯s seat. Solar element based on the greys and the sense of sunshine radiating from them. Obviously, they were some sort of swine based on the ear shape. Maybe a hog perhaps? The wilder, coarser fur suggested it. Either way, they were well trained, keeping at full alert. He hadn¡¯t spotted the Maestro Officer¡¯s tuner at any point. Shouri figured they must keep them hidden and or secured on their person to avoid any mishaps while apprehending criminals. On closer inspection, both officers were dressed in the same kind of rhythm-dampening clothing that he and Rebecca had to wear while on the job at the stadium. ¡°Patrol Four to Dispatch, en route to the station with VIP,¡± the Resonator officer handled the radio while the Maestro focused on driving. ¡°Roger Patrol Four,¡± came from the radio. ¡°Never seen a police officer before,¡± Emily muttered. ¡°I have, unfortunately,¡± Shouri whispered back. ¡°Oh?¡± The princess looked to her fellow Maestro ¡°Yeah, we were riding with a truck when it got flipped by an attack spell,¡± he replied. ¡°Wait that was you?!¡± Emily gasped, having remembered hearing about it in the local news. Shouri nodded. ¡°Yeah, me and Rebecca,¡± he stated simply. ¡°That was only a few days ago, how the terra did you survive that?¡± asked the princess, looking him up and down. ¡°Dunno, luck?¡± he offered with a shrug. Her eyes scanned his form one more time. ¡°Some pretty darn good luck,¡± she chuckled. ¡°Sahji owes me that much,¡± he grumbled.
Uncomfortable. That¡¯s what Shouri felt as he sat in the tiny meeting room that had been constructed for their use. What none of them had been informed of was the true nature of the room Elijah had ¡°prepared¡±. It wasn¡¯t just any old interrogation room, but apparently, a specially designed one reserved for ¡°special interest¡± captives. It certainly didn¡¯t ease the concerns of the three civilians present. The nature of the room was only a part of the discomfort. The Ceo¨ªche cage installed in the room instantly cut him off from the links he shared with Taika, Pacifica, and Rebecca despite all three tuners remaining on his person. As such, the world was darker and colder. The boy trembled, sliding his hands into the opposite sleeves and gripping his wrists to steal warmth from himself. He had also put his hood up and sat low in his chair. ¡°Wow. This sucks,¡± Colette commented, her eyes darting around the room. ¡°I¡¯ll say.¡± Emily¡¯s gaze was hopelessly drawn to the door no matter how much she tried to avoid it. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Elijah shrugged, the only one present unaffected by the strange pressure the room exerted. ¡°It¡¯s an acquired taste,¡± the blond Maestro informed the group. This earned an eye roll and a glower from Shouri and a glare from the two girls in the room. ¡°Why is Colette here?¡± Shouri motioned with his head to the seemingly unrelated fourth party. ¡°Why indeed, Mister Tomoshibi,¡± Elijah chuckled. ¡°Get on with it,¡± Shouri growled, further sulking in his seat. ¡°Yes yes, mustn¡¯t deprive the addicts of their fix,¡± the Klein heir tittered. Taking in a deep breath, Elijah began, ¡°As it turns out, you three are connected.¡± ¡°How so?¡± Emily asked the obvious question. ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t know her, and she doesn¡¯t know me,¡± Colette pointed out. ¡°Well, isn¡¯t it obvious? You both know Shouri!¡± Elijah beamed. The room went silent. ¡°Quit fucking around Elijah,¡± Shouri scowled, with the other two Maestros in the room backing him up with frustrated nods. ¡°Fine fine, none of you have an appreciation for theatrics,¡± Elijah clicked his tongue and shook his head in pity. ¡°It all stems back to what united us in the first place Mister Tomoshibi: Feroce.¡± Silence once again. ¡°Uhhh¡­¡± Emily raised a hand. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± she sheepishly asked. ¡°Ah! The Princess doesn¡¯t know, how fascinating.¡± ¡°Princess¡­?¡± Colette and Shouri slowly turned to Emily, who had the entire emotional spectrum on her face ¨C fear, anger, shock, everything but joy was there. ¡°She wasn¡¯t going to tell you, or anyone, but this woman is the daughter of the current King and Queen of Luna,¡± Elijah informed the pair. ¡°Wh-WHAT?!¡± Colette shrieked. ¡°Inside voice please,¡± Shouri hissed. ¡°But she-!¡± ¡°Succession doesn¡¯t work the way you think it does Mister Klein,¡± Emily spoke up gruffly, cutting off Colette. ¡°The King, Queen, and the twenty-eight members of their court are chosen on a generational basis. Those of Lunar blood with the highest rhythmic potential,¡± she explained. ¡°I was not in the top fifteen of Maestros in my generation. Not even the top thousand. I may have lived in the royal palace, but royalty I am not.¡± Though her explanation was curt in word choice, it was just that, an explanation. ¡°I see,¡± Shouri mumbled. It was interesting information, but nothing that would alter his perception of the other Maestro. Instead, he wanted to focus on the topic at hand. ¡°What does Luna have to do with Feroce?¡± he asked. ¡°New Moon, specifically the Jundas faction,¡± Elijah began. ¡°They¡¯re more of a cult by all counts. Their beliefs stem down to a point where they wish to remove all non-lunars from Luna, by any means necessary,¡± he told the uninformed. The trio remained quiet. Only for a moment, however, as Colette, the social wrecking ball that she was, had to sate her curiosity. ¡°Any means? Even-¡± ¡°Yes, there are rumors they¡¯ve attempted a ¡®cleansing¡¯ of sorts, though evidence of that is scarce.¡± Elijah himself shifted uneasily. ¡°What there is evidence of is mass and illegal deportations of many Resonators. They end up on the surface of Riterra before being transported elsewhere,¡± he paused for a moment. ¡°The Lunar government has been quite adamant about denying these claims, however.¡± Emily lowered her head, marked confusion painted on her face. ¡°Okay spill it, what do I have to do with this? Colette I get, since she¡¯s working on the whole Feroce study and curing deal, and Emily stumbled into one of their operations and was almost ¡®cleansed¡¯ as a result, but what about me?¡± Shouri laid out his thoughts. Elijah paused, deciding his word choice. ¡°Well-¡± Another pause. ¡°-we only learned all of this because of you Mister Tomoshibi.¡± ¡°What did I say about the crypticism? Out. With. It,¡± Shouri growled, losing his patience. ¡°The Klein Foundation stumbled onto one of their operations while looking for a certain cat,¡± Elijah began. Shouri paled ¨C he already knew what was coming next but even so, he was still not prepared for what was said next. ¡°Yes, Mila was at one of the hand-offs with the Jundas faction.¡± Chapter 103 July 19th started the same way most mornings began ¨C Shouri surrounded by his precious Resonators. However, poor Rebecca has the distinct honor of being the one in his vice-grip this particular Thursday morning. The fire Resonator was the first to awaken on this lovely morning, though her mind drifted back to the night prior. It all started with Taika. As soon as the trio felt their connections with Shouri¡¯s tuners resume, poor Taika jumped as if she had been struck by lightning. ¡°He¡¯s pulling hard on me¡­¡± Rebecca recalled Taika saying. Though none of the eight Resonators got any updates from their Maestros outside of reassurance that they were okay and were on the way back. It was radio silence until the four Maestros returned. Taika, Albarich, Kaira, and Zino greeted their respective Maestros at the door, the others staying in their Maestro¡¯s rooms. Elijah did a clean sweep of the suite with some device Rebecca hadn¡¯t cared to ask about. He also asked Alfred and the two cat maids to leave before giving the okay for the groups to meet separately and discuss what had occurred. He was very clear that the information was not to leave this suite. Even without the clear instruction the way the man spoke of it hit on an emotional level ¨C he was deadly serious about that warning. For Shouri¡¯s explanation, he practically wrung Taika dry of her rhythm, struggling to explain everything he had been told. He spoke with such a hushed voice it was hard to hear even for Rebecca¡¯s exceptional hearing. From what he told them, he had already suspected Mila had been turned into a Feroce Resonator. That was all but confirmed by the attack he had sensed. But now to find out that not only had she been afflicted with this possibly lethal condition, but was aiding in creating more Feroce Resonators? It was simply too much for him. After struggling to get out the explanation of everything that happened, he just wanted to sleep. The one he wanted was Rebecca. The three Resonators knew why, even if he didn¡¯t say, and quietly agreed to their arrangements. Even so, his positioning was so possessive; a hand around the small of her back another behind her head, his legs wrapped around hers. She returned the favor by wrapping her tail around the two of them and being as warm as she could muster. He wanted her fire ¨C for selfish reasons, she knew, but if she could give him that then she would. Even while asleep his face was contorted in pain. Rebecca freed her left arm and slowly reached up, stroking his cheek. He wasn¡¯t sleeping too deeply, as the gesture roused him. He opened his mouth. ¡°Shhhh.¡± Rebecca placed a finger on his lips to silence him. Pulling herself up, she gently pressed her lips against his. A soft smack completed the affair. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare apologize,¡± she whispered. ¡°Just enjoy the ride.¡± And once more closed the gap between them for another taste.
¡°Afternoon shift?¡± Pacifica inquired as they ate breakfast. ¡°Yeah¡­ wasn¡¯t getting up at the ass crack of dawn after last night,¡± Shouri grumbled. ¡°What are we even doing today?¡± Rebecca questioned. ¡°Dying¡­¡± Taika¡¯s head was on the table, her food untouched. ¡°Not first aid, that¡¯s for sure.¡± Pacifica patted her fellow Resonator¡¯s back. Shouri felt a pang of guilt, averting his gaze. He pulled Rebecca¡¯s tuner from his side and glanced at the text message he had gotten from Elijah early that morning. ¡°Mister Klein wants us on odd jobs today,¡± the Maestro told his team. ¡°Odd-jobs?¡± Pacifica raised a brow. ¡°What the hell does that mean?¡± Rebecca was similarly confused. ¡°Who fucking knows with that man.¡± Shouri shook his head. ¡°Either way, Taika you can stay here if you want.¡± ¡°Non.¡± She picked her head up off the table. ¡°Just need coffee, will be fine.¡± She smacked her face twice. ¡°Maybe two coffees.¡± ¡°If you say so.¡± Shouri patted the vixen¡¯s head, her tail slowly swishing behind her in response.
¡°Yep, I¡¯m gonna end that man.¡± Shouri sat on a cooler behind a refreshment stand, Taika next to him, on her third cup of coffee. Pacifica and Rebecca managed the front, the otter acting as the people person while the fire element managed the grill under Taika¡¯s (mostly) watchful eye. ¡°Got it, so you want a Chicken sandwich, hold the cheese, add blue cheese and grilled onions, hold the ketchup, add bacon and extra lettuce with barbeque sauce on the side?¡± Pacifica rattled off to the customer for confirmation. ¡°Yes,¡± they replied with a slow nod. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°Got that Rebby?¡± the otter asked her partner in crime, who stared back blankly, eyes glazed over. ¡°I hate it here.¡± Shouri buried his head in his hands, earning a back rub from Taika as she continued to sip her drink. ¡°Hey, at least it¡¯s easy.¡± Pacifica turned her back to the counter, leaning on it while addressing her Maestro. Shouri slowly met Pacifica¡¯s gaze with a glare. ¡°Sahji,¡± was all he said, causing the otter to shirk and look around for any signs of danger. Thankfully for their continued peace, things were as mundane as ever. Some time passed, and the orders picked up to the point that Shouri and Taika had to get up and help, but eventually, it slowed back down as the next round of battle started. Yes, it was proving to be a peaceful day for the quartet. Emphasis on was, as things took a turn when Rebecca suddenly perked up from her station. ¡°Sho!¡± She whipped her head back. ¡°Sho!¡± Pacifica also cried out, holding herself and trembling. Before either Resonator could convey what was bothering them, a panicked public fled screaming in terror. The sounds of a battle kicking up not from the arena, but down the walkway they were situated on. ¡°Grab your bag Taika, I have a nasty feeling we¡¯re about to need it,¡± Shouri spoke uneasily. ¡°R-right.¡± The healer set her drink down and grabbed her medical bag underneath the counter. Abandoning their posts, Shouri¡¯s team rushed toward the fleeing fans and into a fresh battle. ¡°Sh-shouri!¡± Emily called out. In front of her, Albarich had a wall of purple light cast, several large chunks taken out of it, with Ritika maintaining a perimeter of sand around their group. A damaged Soot stood outside of the wall facing down a cloaked Maestro and a blue-haired water Resonator. ¡°What the hell is going on?!¡± Shouri shouted, convening with the fellow lunar Maestro. Soot and the water Resonator exchanged a volley of spells. Soot was a casting of Saldatura ad Arco, the Fire-Lightning Ossia; while the water Resonator responded in kind with a stream of black water-like rhythm. Emily didn¡¯t have time to explain as upon seeing the spell cast by the attacking Resonator Shouri¡¯s expression darkened. In fact, the other Maestro flinched, turning her attention entirely to him. Something in his rhythm changed, his fury was palpable. She didn¡¯t have time to try and calm him, as the following spells flew from his mouth as naturally as he breathed. ¡°Fissare la Ombra, Rubato! Saldatura ad Arco, Legato! Manga de Agua, Piano Staccato!¡± ¡°Wait! Shouri-!¡± Emily cried out, far too late; Taika, Rebecca, and Pacifica rushed out from behind the cover. The mysterious Maestro didn¡¯t expect the intervention of the three new Resonators and hastily threw out a spell: ¡°Grave Cinesi, Feroce!¡± ¡°Al! L''orizzonte Scudo, Rallentando!¡± Emily responded in kind. Albarich braced himself, folding his wings in front of himself as a makeshift shield before launching the shielding spell. The water feroce Resonator focused their attention on the lunar dragon rather than the three girls charging them. ¡°Guhh, fuck!¡± Albarich ground his teeth as he was subject to a sinister mental wave being projected from the feroce Resonator. This didn¡¯t last long as Shouri¡¯s three-pronged assault hit home, starting with Taika ¨C a couple dozen shadow arrows pinned the opposing Resonator into place. These were only stuck long enough for Pacifica to trap the target in a massive water spout; tearing them from the ground they had been affixed to. While they hung helpless in the vortex Rebecca aimed a palm at the helpless Resonator before unleashing a massive bolt of blazing lightning up the column of water and striking the trapped combatant. SPLAT The robed Maestro stared in horror as their Resonator lay on the ground in a heap. However, they wouldn¡¯t be staring for long as a fist whipped across their face, sending them to the ground. THWACK! They slid across the ground rolling to a stop, unmoving. Shouri pursued the now unconscious enemy, ignoring the pain in his hand that just ended the mysterious adversary. ¡°Holy shit!¡± Rebecca stood rooted in place at what she just witnessed. Shouri picked up the robed assailant by the scruff of their shirt. ¡°Give her back you asshole!¡± he growled, bringing his hand back to strike them again. ¡°Sho stop!¡± Pacifica stepped forward, but Taika was faster, reaching their Maestro before anyone else and pulling him off the subdued enemy. ¡°Let me go Taika! He needs to hurt more! He hurt her!¡± he roared, struggling against his Resonator. Taika remained resolute and held him in place, breathing hard through her clenched teeth. Rebecca and Pacifica made it over to them and helped restrain their Maestro. ¡°LET ME GO!¡± Chapter 104 It was strange. They should have been scared of him. His anger, his palpable rage, his wrath. Taika, Pacifica, Rebecca¡­ ¡­they agreed with him. They were ready to blindly follow whatever command he doled their way. It took everything in their collective willpower to not allow their Maestro to run loose and¡­ end that man. They just couldn¡¯t disagree with their Maestro. It was only Taika who remained firm and held Shouri back. Acting as a pillar, Pacifica and Rebecca were able to move. It gave the three Resonators a lot to consider. How easily they were swept up in his feelings, especially for Pacifica and Rebecca, whose strong stave was supposed to be emotion. ¡°Shouri,¡± Elijah Klein spoke up. The three Resonators looked to their own Maestro, who was hunched over in his seat, an empty gaze cast thoughtlessly towards the ground. The limousine the Klein heir was using for his stay in Naiza moved through the busy roadways of the mountain city. The outside was barely visible thanks to the heavy tinting on the passenger windows. ¡°What?¡± Shouri barely moved as he spoke, his voice hoarse, raw. ¡°You lost control there,¡± Elijah commented. ¡°So?¡± there wasn¡¯t an ounce of remorse in his voice. ¡°Hunters don¡¯t just hunt Scherzando. They can act as law enforcement in a limited capacity.¡± Pacifica spotted the flickers of a yellow glow from Shouri¡¯s eyes even despite the tiny bit she could see of them. ¡°Quite true. Feroce is very much an illegal condition,¡± Elijah stated calmly. ¡°Usage of its spells is a form of Resonator abuse,¡± he spoke quieter. Zino, sitting next to his Maestro, grunted and slinked down in his seat, adjusting his cloak around his shoulders. ¡°Still.¡± The heir uncrossed his knees. ¡°It is not your right as a hunter to execute a criminal.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to kill him,¡± Shouri countered quickly. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t have been able to hurt if he was dead.¡± Elijah sighed, shaking his head. His gaze turned to Shouri¡¯s three Resonators. They were unusually amicable to the situation. ¡°That¡¯s quite grim,¡± he decided. Shouri remained silent, refusing to move a muscle. It was at that point the car came to a stop. Alfred opened the door a minute later, though none of the passengers dared to move. ¡°I will say this. Your crusade for revenge is a short-sighted one. If you fail, think about who you¡¯ll be hurting,¡± Elijah advised. ¡°I¡¯m not saying it¡¯s wrong to be angry, but perhaps you should focus that energy ¨C perhaps to a fine point, a scalpel to excise the root of the problem rather than a bomb to destroy everything,¡± with his piece said, Elijah left the vehicle. Zino remained for a moment longer. He rubbed his left cheek as if attempting to quell a phantom pain before taking his leave. ¡°Sho¡­¡± Pacifica lowered her head. Taika rubbed her Maestro¡¯s back. Rebecca studied her heels.
Day passed to night, the rest of the occupants of the suite returning at various points. However, everyone kept to themselves. The butler checked in on each group, taking their orders for dinner and delivering them himself as dutifully as ever. One by one the lights were dimmed and eventually turned off completely as the occupants of the suite prepared for bed. ¡°Shouri.¡± The boy raised his head, dark bags under his eyes. The bathroom behind him, with the distinctive whooshing of the toilet slowly fading away. It was quiet and lonely, no one else strayed from their rooms. That was except for her. Emily brushed her long tresses back and smiled at him, her eyes glowed with a vibrant red rhythm. ¡°Can we talk?¡± she asked. The two Maestros stood in silence for a moment. Her gaze never left him, though he couldn¡¯t return it in kind. ¡°Yeah,¡± Shouri breathed out. The presidential suite was monstrously big. Even so, the two made their way up to the rooftop and sat on one of the plush benches. A little under half of the moon was illuminated that night, but even so, the bright lights of Naiza surrounded them in a warm glow. ¡°You know, I haven¡¯t met a real hunter,¡± Emily spoke up. ¡°You¡¯re definitely it,¡± she giggled. ¡°We were struggling with that Feroce guy today, but you took him out without an ounce of hesitation,¡± she told him. ¡°It¡­ almost seemed like your spells were like super effective against his Resonator somehow. He broke out of our trappings easily, but you lined him up and stuck him down without a moment of thought about it,¡± the Maestro mused. ¡°Dumb luck,¡± he mumbled. ¡°Nope! Not letting you get away with that mister!¡± The Luna native turned the other Maestro¡¯s head towards her. ¡°Your skill with Resonators is unreal. You were so in synch with them it was like they were an extension of your body.¡± If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. She held him in place while he desperately tried to refuse her gaze. ¡°Any of us duelists; you¡¯d destroy us in a heartbeat if we gave you a reason to,¡± the duelist herself admitted. ¡°It¡¯s freaking terrifying man.¡± ¡°I told you I¡¯m not that-¡± He was stopped from his self-admonishment by his face being crushed. ¡°I said stop that!¡± Emily shouted at him. ¡°You¡¯re a hell of a Maestro.¡± She released her captive and leaned back on the bench. ¡°Etude with me,¡± she suddenly demanded. ¡°Y-you? Why?¡± Shouri asked. ¡°You¡¯re bottling up your emotions. I can feel it.¡± Their gazes met, her eyes glowing with a vibrant red. Shouri sighed dramatically, as he was known to do, ¡°You¡¯re just like Pacifica,¡± he commented. ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s got the Emotion-stave down to a science from what I¡¯ve seen of her,¡± Emily giggled. ¡°Why do you want to etude?¡± he returned to the pertinent question. ¡°Oh, right, you terrans have to make etude weird,¡± Emily recalled. Taking in a deep breath, she spoke. ¡°On Luna, we etude with family, friends, close companions as a way of shouldering each other¡¯s pain, but also to get to know a person better,¡± she told him. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to hurt your Resonators with your pain, then let me help you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying I should hurt a person I just met?¡± ¡°Not at all. I wanna be friends with you, so let¡¯s just think of this as two friends really getting to know each other.¡± Shouri was suspicious of that claim, casting a narrow-eyed gaze at his conversational partner. Emily frowned. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not some kind of villainous mastermind! I¡¯d like to think I¡¯m a pretty good judge of character.¡± She wagged a finger at him. ¡°You love your Resonators, they¡¯re not things, they¡¯re people. They¡¯re your people, and you¡¯re their Maestro, their person. Am I right?¡± Reluctantly, Shouri agreed with a short nod. ¡°Right! Just like me!¡± Emily beamed. ¡°Let¡¯s etude and talk then.¡± She shifted on the bench, facing her counterpart. ¡°Tell me your story, and I¡¯ll tell you mine! Fair?¡± The lunar Maestro offered her hands to him. With a sharp exhale from his nose, he pivoted around and accepted her hands. ¡°When I was a kid, I met this girl named Mila¡­¡±
Shouri sat alone on the rooftop, Emily long since departed back to her room. He felt bad keeping her up so late, she probably had an early game tomorrow morning. The Naiza skyline sparkled on, uncaring of his concerns. The hustle and bustle of the city below him couldn¡¯t be stopped, especially when most of its inhabitants were nocturnally inclined. He cast a gaze skyward, toward the Lutera Space Elevator. The moon was just passing overhead and he swore he could see a faint flickering light leaving the top of the tower en route to the heavenly body above. Another sigh escaped his lips, a bad habit of his. With a grunt, he pushed himself up, much to the protest of his legs. The boy shuffled his way back downstairs, into the suite. Even in the darkness of the Presidential suite at night, he managed to catch one of the two cat girl maids cleaning something. They worked hard to keep this place spick and span without bothering the guests too much. Speaking of hard-working Resonators, he finally decided to address the problem he had caused. He shuffled towards his assigned bedroom. He took in a breath and opened the door. The trio of girls were still wide awake as he surmised, sitting in silence with only the dim night lights illuminating them. ¡°Sho!¡± three concerned voices cried out upon catching sight of their Maestro. Taika, Pacifica, and Rebecca all wore their worry plain as day. He crawled into bed with them, sitting opposite of his three traveling companions. Wordlessly, he offered his hands to them. Pacifica sensed his intentions, and took up Taika and Rebecca¡¯s hands, finally motioning with her head for them to do the same. The four were linked in a circle. They expected him to speak, however, his words came not from his mouth, but from his rhythm. I¡¯m sorry for shutting you out. I thought I should be the one to bear this pain ¨C this was a problem for me and me alone. That¡¯s not right. You care as much as I do. You¡¯re important to me, and I know I am to you. I¡¯m afraid of not being strong enough. I¡¯m scared of witnessing something horrible again. I¡¯m terrified of something happening to you. He laid his emotions bare for them in its rawest form, and in return, he received their warmth which coursed back into him. We¡¯re here for you. You¡¯re not alone. We care about you. You¡¯re important to us. Lean on us. Let us be your strength. ¡°I¡¯m an idiot, aren¡¯t I?¡± Shouri finally spoke. ¡°Si!¡± Taika replied instantly. She smiled warmly. ¡°But you¡¯re our idiot.¡± Chapter 105 Shouri made his way out of the bedroom at around four the next morning. ¡°Oh, Shouri, you¡¯re up,¡± Emily greeted him as soon as he left the room. ¡°Yeah, just a bit,¡± he yawned. ¡°At least you seem to be in better spirits today,¡± the duelist noted. There was a moment of awkward silence between the two Maestros. ¡°Thanks,¡± he muttered a hushed gratitude. ¡°No problem! I said we were friends, right?¡± the lunar Maestro beamed. ¡°I guess so,¡± Shouri offered back a reluctant smile. Emily patted his shoulder. ¡°We¡¯re up first again, so I don¡¯t expect you to catch our game, but we¡¯ll work double time ¨C don¡¯t want to lag behind you Mister Hunter,¡± she grinned toothily. Shouri shook his head but grinned back. ¡°You got it, don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°Who said I was worried?¡± Emily laughed heartily before parting ways with her fellow Maestro to finish preparing for the day. ¡°When did you two become so buddy-buddy?¡± Colette questioned. The sudden voice startled Shouri, eliciting a jump from the boy. ¡°Crap, that scared me.¡± He gripped his chest in a vain attempt to slow his now racing heart. Colette stepped into the hall proper, pouting at the boy. ¡°Didn¡¯t take you for the jealous type,¡± Shouri commented, noting her expression. ¡°I am jealous ¨C you¡¯re my research subject,¡± the scholar affirmed her intentions. ¡°Ah, the truth comes out.¡± He rolled his eyes. ¡°Fine.¡± Shouri offered his hands to the third wheel of a Maestro. ¡°Wanna etude?¡± he asked, the previous shame having been thoroughly squeezed out of him last night. ¡°Tonight!¡± Colette barked. ¡°I definitely want to etude tonight, bring your Resonators too. I¡¯m gonna study the crap out of you!¡± She pointed at him as if it were a threat. ¡°Alright. See you then.¡± Colette quickly rushed off to finish preparing for her day. However, before Shouri could get any further, yet another voice stopped him in his tracks. ¡°Popular guy you are,¡± Elijah chimed in, leaning against the wall and wearing an amused smirk. ¡°You people all spying on each other.¡± Shouri rolled his eyes, turning to the other male Maestro in the suite. ¡°I am allowing the two of them to stay in my presidential suite. Unlike you, they have not proven themselves to me,¡± he pointed out. ¡°Fair, I guess.¡± There was a quiet pause between the two men, Shouri averting his gaze and shuffling in place. ¡°You appear to be doing better today,¡± Elijah noted. ¡°Etude will do that to a motherfucker,¡± Shouri replied. ¡°Good. Today you¡¯ll be part of the interview team,¡± the Klien heir revealed. Shouri¡¯s expression soured. ¡°What,¡± was the first word to escape his lips. ¡°I¡¯m not interviewing people,¡± he protested. Elijah shook his head. ¡°By the sages, no. I don¡¯t have to be Seres to know you¡¯re a terrible fit for that job. No, these people are just coming off the battlefield, but we need them to look presentable for the camera. A quick heal, towel off the sweat, brush their hair. Easy job for your crew.¡± Silence ¡°¡­you¡¯re serious?¡± Shouri hesitantly broke the silence. ¡°What reason would I have to lie, Mister Tomoshibi?¡± Elijah smiled brightly. ¡°I hate you,¡± the brunet Maestro mumbled. ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡±
¡°We¡¯re doing what?¡± Rebecca questioned; her brows furrowed. ¡°It sounds kinda fun,¡± Pacifica commented. ¡°I didn¡¯t sign up to be a make-up artist,¡± Shouri grumbled. ¡°I¡¯ve never used make-up before,¡± Taika spoke with wonder. The conversation dropped to a lull as they walked into the stadium. Since they were in early, the group made their way to breakfast. As soon as they entered the staff room, Shouri and Elijah locked eyes. In a childish twist, Shouri huffed and refused the gaze, avoiding acknowledging his employer any further. His trio of Resonators shrugged and just followed their Maestro. Elijah was simply amused, propping his head up on the table, and wearing the smuggest shit-eating grin he could muster. ¡°We¡¯re gonna do a bad job on purpose,¡± Shouri quietly told his Resonators while filling his plate with food from the breakfast buffet. ¡°Sho, no.¡± Pacifica gently shoved her Maestro ¡°I think it would be funny,¡± Rebecca added. ¡°Thank you, Rebecca.¡± Shouri reached around Pacifica to pat Rebecca¡¯s head. ¡°You¡¯re just sucking up to him,¡± Pacifica grumbled at her fellow Resonator. ¡°It worked, didn¡¯t it?¡± Rebecca grinned back. Taika rolled her eyes but smiled, this was nice. By the time the group finished getting their breakfast, Elijah and Zino ended up finishing their meals and departing for whatever it was they did during the day. Regardless, Shouri selected a different table to sit at out of spite. With their stomachs filled with delicious breakfast, they moved out to locate the interviewers. Much to Shouri¡¯s frustration, however, there wasn¡¯t a big sign saying ¡°INTERVIEWS HERE!¡± And he certainly wasn¡¯t going to call up Elijah and ask. Thankfully one of the security staff was more than happy to help. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re part of the interview staff today? They¡¯re doing them in one of the offices right off the main battlefield. You know how to get down there?¡± ¡°Yeah, we can manage it, thanks,¡± said Shouri. And with that, they had their next destination in mind. ¡°I guess it makes sense they¡¯d do them right off the battlefield huh?¡± Pacifica wondered aloud. ¡°With how harsh some of these battles get, having a nice room to relax in before being put on camera tracks,¡± Shouri commented. ¡°Especially if they¡¯re like blinded or deafened. Would suck to try to talk to someone like that,¡± Rebecca added. Taika simply nodded in agreement with her friends. It took some wandering around and looking lost for someone to ask the group what they were doing. Upon being told they were helping with interview prep, Shouri¡¯s group was kindly led to their workroom. ¡°Woah, this is kinda big,¡± Pacifica noted. The workroom in question was adjacent to the actual interview room. Both rooms were well lit, both for the sake of making sure no aspect of clean-up was missed, but also lighting for the cameras. ¡°I have no idea what any of this stuff is for.¡± Taika smiled at the large amounts of cosmetics available to them. Shouri glared at the makeup in question, furiously researching what any of it was for. ¡°Relax, I got this,¡± Pacifica beamed. ¡°You know what this junk is for?¡± Rebecca questioned. The otter nodded. ¡°Sure! Mom taught me!¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you use this stuff then?¡± Taika questioned. ¡°¡¯cause it all runs off whenever I swim, so I just don¡¯t bother,¡± giggled the water element. ¡°Sounds like this is now your problem,¡± Shouri delegated. ¡°Great! Water please my Maestro~¡± Pacifica sang. Dropping a hand over Pacifica¡¯s tuner, Shouri went ahead and provided her the spell link. ¡°Mani Nell''acqua, Rubato.¡± Shifting his hand over to Taika¡¯s tuner, he went ahead and prepped her spells. ¡°La Bella Vita, Rubato; Purifica L''anima, Rubato.¡± ¡°Grazie, Sho.¡± Taika¡¯s tail wagged at the connection of their rhythm and she fluttered over to Pacifica to see what exactly she was doing. ¡°What about me bossman?¡± Rebecca inquired. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Shouri furrowed his brow. What could she do? Clearly, she knew nothing about make-up, so helping Pacifica was out of the question. She also didn¡¯t have any healing magic to assist Taika either. ¡°Here, I got an idea, Famiglio Incendio, Moderato Staccato,¡± he cast after taking hold of Rebecca¡¯s tuner. ¡°You can have your summons dry things since they radiate a lot of heat,¡± the Maestro suggested. ¡°Oh! Good thinking!¡± Pacifica agreed. ¡°Yeah.¡± Rebecca nodded, surprised he found something for her to do. ¡°What are you gonna do, Sho?¡± Taika wondered. ¡°Battery,¡± he stated plainly, taking a seat on one of the benches. Thankfully he wouldn¡¯t be entirely bored, as this room had a closed-circuit TV just like the staff break room they had been in a few days prior. Currently, there was a lull in the coverage because- ¡°Hello?¡± a familiar voice greeted their ears. ¡°We¡¯re supposed to come here for the interview?¡± they asked from the other side of the door. ¡°Oh! Come in!¡± Pacifica shouted. The door opened to reveal- ¡°Hey, Emily.¡± Shouri waved from his chair. ¡°Sh-shouri?! What are you all doing here?¡± the blonde Maestro yelped in surprise. ¡°Whatever the fuck Mister Klein wants,¡± he grumbled. Albarich, Ritika, and Soot followed their Maestro into the room, quickly filling it to capacity. The trio of fighters weren¡¯t grievously injured, but it was clear from the state of their dress that it wasn¡¯t the easiest fight. Taika went ahead and started healing Albarich without a word since he appeared to be the most in need at the moment. Pacifica tended to Emily, while Rebecca summoned a small cluster of rhythm foxes to dry off and warm Ritika and Soot who were both soaked (and in the case of Ritika, trembling) ¡°Tough one?¡± Shouri inquired while Emily was seated across from him. ¡°Yeah, they had this water deer that just would not let Soot off the field, then Ritika tagged in and immediately started shrieking when she got a face full of water,¡± Emily laughed. ¡°HEY! I THOUGHT I WAS FASTER!¡± the earth cat shouted in defense of her honor. ¡°You were watching the battle, you knew he was faster, squirt,¡± Albarich commented. ¡°I didn¡¯t see YOU rushing to tag out Soot!¡± she fired back. Soot just signed ¡°thank you¡± to no one in particular. Emily just laughed at her two Resonators arguing about the battle. ¡°You let them pick who goes in?¡± Shouri questioned the other Maestro. ¡°Yeah, keeps them familiar with each other¡¯s strengths and weaknesses, as well as making sure their combat sense is on point.¡± Her expression clouded. ¡°In case something happens to me,¡± she muttered. Pacifica stopped brushing the other girl¡¯s hair, digesting those words. Emily quickly brightened back up. ¡°Lots of duelists do that!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°That Ophira chick did the same thing with her group,¡± Rebecca pointed out. The side door opened up at this point. ¡°Miss Ayame?¡± a suited man asked. ¡°We¡¯re ready for you,¡± he told them. ¡°¡¯kayyyy!¡± Emily hopped up from the chair, dusting herself off. ¡°Come on.¡± She motioned for her Resonators to follow. Albarich and Soot followed along without much fanfare. Ritika quickly adjusted her hair and checked her clothes in the mirror before running to catch up with the rest of her team. The door gently closed and Shouri¡¯s group was left alone with their thoughts. It wasn¡¯t long before the next group was slated for an interview. ¡°Hello? Is anyone in here?¡± a curious voice asked from the other side of the door. ¡°Yes! Come on in!¡± Pacifica shouted. It was another group that Shouri and his Resonators had seen battling before. The yellow-clad woman and her three Resonators ¨C Ophira. ¡°Hello!¡± the Maestro greeted the room cheerily. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°I¡¯m telling you Nika, that dude would NOT have been happy to eat leather,¡± the red mouse girl told her fellow Resonator. ¡°Hayley¡­ that¡¯s not the point,¡± said the blue cat, exasperated. ¡°Can you two please not cause a scene for once?¡± the lime fox grumbled, stepping between her two teammates. Ophira¡¯s three Resonators were even louder in person. It wasn¡¯t surprising given their arguments were audible even in the dugout Shouri and his Resonators had watched them from before. Unlike Emily and her trio, Ophira¡¯s group threw the room into chaos. Shouri did nothing to help. He just sat in the corner and pretended to be in a different plane of existence. Poor Pacifica was trying her best to be respectful while stopping Ophira from running amok as the woman¡¯s curiosity was off the charts and she rummaged through the various cosmetics and care products strewn about the room. Rebecca was trying to get in a word edgewise but failed to do so as Hayley and Nika¡¯s argument escalated, which did nothing more than pull Fureena into their antics. Taika just stood in place, her head drifting between her two fellow Resonators, unable to decide which to help. The room grew louder and louder until finally the door to the main interview room opened. ¡°Miss Mikami?¡± the suited man from before asked. ¡°Yes yes! That¡¯s me!¡± Ophira carelessly tossed away the eyeliner she had been looking at and skipped to the door. In that same instant, her bickering trio snapped to attention and followed their Maestro, as if the last five minutes of chaos hadn¡¯t occurred. When the door clicked shut and they were free from the madness, Shouri and his three slumped over. ¡°I need a drink,¡± they all spoke in unison. In hindsight, they would have much preferred working with Ophira¡¯s walking disaster squad after the next group that came through. KNOCK KNOCK ¡°Come in!¡± Pacifica sang as usual. The man who walked in chilled the room. He scanned the room, raised a brow, and snorted indignantly. He made his way to the seat Pacifica stood behind. He threw himself back into the seat and snapped his finger. The otter stood there, unsure of what to do. The man snapped three more times, growing ever impatient. Pacifica jumped and went to tend to this stranger like she had the last two Maestros. However, she caught sight of her own Maestro, who was glaring at this mystery man. The water element nodded, folded her arms across her chest, and closed her eyes, refusing to move. Meanwhile, the man¡¯s three Resonators had followed their Maestro and stood as still as statues. Taika quickly took to healing them, she mentally noted their conditions. While they were worn down from the battle they were just involved in, they appeared healthy enough. At least physically. Mentally, they did not look so hot. All three of them¡­ ¡­they looked dead. Their expressions were vacant, machine-like, emotionless. Automatons, they were not. They were certainly Resonators, and they were certainly alive¡­ at least in the strictest sense of the term. Rebecca grimaced, holding herself. The longer she stared at the trio of Resonators the greener she grew. Finally, the vixen pardoned herself from the room, exiting without a word. BEEP BE- One of Shouri¡¯s tuners had started beeping but was swiftly silenced by its owner. Taika resumed work, silently taking vitals, going much further than she had with the other groups of Resonators. ¡°Shirt please,¡± she requested. The male Resonator she was examining complied, lifting his shirt. The healer looked him over and repeated the examinations with the other two. None of the trio said a word and complied with anything asked of them by Taika. The entire time the room remained quiet. The man scowled at Shouri, who was more than happy to glare. Pacifica mirrored her Maestro¡¯s expression, looking down at the duelist sitting in front of her. ¡°Mr. Hawk?¡± the suited man broke the silence. None of the occupants of the room had even noticed the interview room door open. ¡°Shawn Hawk?¡± was asked again. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s me.¡± The duelist broke his stare down with Shouri, rising from the chair, having been totally ignored by Pacifica for the duration of his stay. He shot back a glare at Pacifica. ¡°Hmph.¡± He walked into the interview room, snapping his fingers again, and his Resonators following. Click THWICK! A pair of scissors were embedded in the door after it had been shut. Pacifica¡¯s arm was outstretched, eyes wide, jaw clenched as she breathed heavily through her nose. ¡°I didn¡¯t see any signs of physical abuse Sho,¡± Taika informed her Maestro. ¡°At least there¡¯s that.¡± Shouri drew Taika¡¯s tuner from his jacket pocket. Ricerca Vitale (New!) Presto (New!) Shouri stared at the spell for a moment. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± His gaze rose to meet Taika¡¯s. They locked eyes for a moment before Taika nodded and walked over to the door. Pacifica raised a brow, watching her fellow Resonator crack the door ever so slightly to peek into the room. ¡°Ricerca Vitale, Presto,¡± Shouri cast. Taika focused on each of Shawn¡¯s Resonators in turn. ¡°Oh? Now this is an interesting spell,¡± Shouri commented as information flooded onto Taika¡¯s tuner. ¡°What is it?¡± Pacifica finally spoke. ¡°It¡¯s a scanning spell. It lets Taika see information about the Resonators she looks at. The information is relayed to me via her tuner, just like Rilevare l''intenzione,¡± he explained, flashing the display to Pacifica. The otter wandered over and took a look. Sure enough, there was a total read out of the very basics about the trio of Resonators that had just graced the room with their presence.
Shawn Hawk Resonator: Arin Species: Demi-Human (Alluridae) Element: Fire Attribute: Piercing Rhythm: 95% Shawn Hawk Resonator: Ceri Species: Demi-Human (Tiger) Element: Lightning Attribute: Crushing Rhythm: 97% Shawn Hawk Resonator: Izar Species: Demi-Human (Raccoon) Element: Null Attribute: Null Rhythm: 94%
¡°Oh wow, that¡¯s a lot,¡± Pacifica noted. ¡°It¡¯s pretty surface level, to be honest.¡± Shouri reviewed the information once more. ¡°I¡¯m interested to see the level of information we can get with this thing at Lento though,¡± He mused. ¡°Not too useful right now,¡± Taika added, having joined her fellow companions. ¡°I mean, we can tell what kind of Resonator they are at a glance for the most part.¡± The otter frowned, stroking her chin in thought. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Pacifica acquiesced. ¡°Hope you¡¯re ready to grind again Taika,¡± Shouri smirked at his Resonator. ¡°Oh boy, be gentle Sho,¡± she chuckled nervously. ¡°Eh?¡± Pacifica looked between her friends. ¡°We ground casting Rilevare l''intenzione for a month straight to have it at Lento rank for hunts,¡± Shouri informed the otter. Taika shrugged but smiled. ¡°Hopefully it¡¯ll be easier this time now that our tempo is better.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you two did that,¡± Pacifica said, impressed. ¡°I figured if nothing else, we¡¯d be able to know what kind of shit storm we¡¯d be walking into with hunting.¡± Shouri rose from his seat. ¡°I¡¯m gonna go check on Rebecca. I¡¯ll be back.¡± Pacifica shot a glare at the door. ¡°¡¯kay, we¡¯ll be here,¡± she replied. ¡°I¡¯ll keep her from swinging,¡± Taika chuckled. ¡°Thanks.¡± Content that two of his three Resonators were okay, Shouri went to locate the third member of his party. Even in such a massive venue with a suffocating amount of rhythm surrounding him, it was still easy for him to pick out Rebecca¡¯s rhythm amongst it all. He followed her string of rhythm a couple of stories up and into one of the higher seating areas. She was sitting all alone in one of the nosebleed seats as they were called. While her gaze was cast out on the battlefield, Shouri could tell even at a distance that it was an empty one. Shuffling down the row, he took a seat next to her. ¡°Hey,¡± he greeted her. ¡°¡­hey.¡± She hugged her knees close to her chest. The two sat there silently for a few minutes, as the field crew prepared the battlefield for the next round. Finally, Rebecca broke up the silence. ¡°I thought I had moved past it,¡± she spoke. ¡°But seeing them¡­¡± the vixen trailed off. ¡°That could have been me. I could have been broken like them.¡± Shouri opened his mouth. ¡°But-¡± Rebecca turned and grabbed his shirt in such a swift motion it surprised him. Tears broke free, her eyes wide with fright. ¡°If you weren¡¯t there I-¡± Her fists trembled while the anguish continued to stream down her cheeks. ¡°H-he was so close to breaking me Sho¡­¡± she squeaked. The Maestro just stared in awe. His heart panged with the same fear his poor Resonator was being subjected to. ¡°Come here.¡± He grabbed her by her shoulders and pulled her around the armrest. ¡°Sho-?!¡± Rebecca yipped as she suddenly found herself sitting on his lap. ¡°We¡¯re in public!¡± she hissed, her face rapidly reddening. ¡°We¡¯re not doing anything illegal,¡± Shouri whispered; his face dangerously close to hers. ¡°But but mrrrpgh-!¡± He silenced her protests with his lips. The poor flustered fox only voiced her objections when he was done. ¡°Sho!¡± she hissed louder, her heart refusing to calm itself. All that protesting earned was him holding her tighter. ¡°It¡¯s okay Rebby,¡± he spoke gently. She slowly calmed, the thought of being seen in such an intimate position with her Maestro fading. ¡°I don¡¯t deserve you,¡± she whimpered. Another squeak as he placed a single finger on her lips. ¡°Hush, if anything I don¡¯t deserve you,¡± the boy snarked back. After a moment of sitting there, Rebecca grinned toothily. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right,¡± she boasted. ¡°Brat,¡± Shouri chuckled back, pinching her cheeks. Needless to say, with such open affection, Shouri and Rebecca dissuaded anyone from sitting near them lest they overdose on the saccharine atmosphere radiating from the pair.
¡°We¡¯re back,¡± Rebecca announced to the rest of the room upon their return. And immediately, she found herself squished between Pacifica and Taika¡¯s embrace. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Pacifica asked, allowing her fellow Resonator some breaking room. ¡°You left so suddenly, we were worried,¡± Taika added. The Renard fought to hold back her tears ¨C it wasn¡¯t just Shouri, she didn¡¯t deserve any of them. ¡°I¡¯m fine now, I just-¡± Rebecca cleared her throat as her voice cracked. ¡°-that man reminded me of some of the other Maestros I¡¯ve had,¡± she admitted. For the third time today, poor Rebecca let out a squeal of surprise as her two fellow Resonators once more hugged her tightly. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Pacifica said. ¡°We¡¯re here with you,¡± Taika added. ¡°Y-yeah.¡± Rebecca allowed herself to smile as the tears flowed anew. Chapter 106 ¡°Fuck you,¡± were the first words Elijah Klein heard when entering the dressing room he had forced Shouri and company into for the day. Albarich and Ritika burst out laughing. Emily rolled her eyes but smirked, suppressing a chuckle of her own. ¡°My, my Mister Tomoshibi, what did I do to earn such vitriol now?¡± Elijah questioned wearing his usual thin smile. The festivities were done for the day, with the Semi-finals completed - now only the Quarter-finals and Finals remained. Two more days of competition between then and the crowning of the Kalanichi National Champion. Needless to say, Shouri did not want to be on the interview deck again. With the Klein heir secured, the large group began their way out of the stadium, idly chatting amongst themselves as they did so. Pacifica kept quiet, noting the gazes they were receiving. The group was quite flashy now that she thought about it. The son of the leading company in Resonator battling, his dinosaur Resonator; one of the Maestros in the quarter-finals with not only a dragon but a mirage Resonator of her own; and Rebecca, who was a noble Resonator. There were so many eyes on them; she even spotted several cameras snapping quick pictures. It was impressive how cool and collected Elijah was; he had to know, right? All this attention on him must be suffocating. The group¡¯s progress halted when Elijah¡¯s tuner started ringing. ¡°Hm?¡± The blond Maestro pulled the device from his coat pocket and answered it. ¡°This is Elijah.¡± All eyes were on the man as his expression clouded. ¡°I see, I see. We¡¯re returning now. Please don¡¯t refuse her, I¡¯m sure if she¡¯s looking for him there¡¯s a good reason.¡± He instructed the party on the other line. ¡°Thank you, we¡¯ll be there in twenty.¡± Lowering his tuner, Elijah cast his gaze to Shouri, who glared back uneasily. ¡°You¡¯ve already figured it out,¡± Elijah muttered. ¡°Who was it?¡± Shouri asked. ¡°A dragon apparently. Miss Mila is a cat though, no?¡± The trepidation was replaced by confusion. ¡°Dragons? I don¡¯t know any dragons. Well besides Albarich.¡± He glanced at the dragon currently in their presence who offered a shrug back. ¡°Uncle Syrus?¡± Pacifica guessed. Shouri chewed on that idea for a moment. ¡°Oh yeah, your uncle is a sky dragon,¡± he remembered. The Maestro furrowed his brow after considering that thought. ¡°But why wouldn¡¯t your mom just call me directly instead of sending him across the ocean?¡± Shouri mused aloud. Pacifica frowned, not having an answer for her Maestro. ¡°Well, why don¡¯t we stop theorizing and just go find out who it is?¡± Emily suggested. ¡°Yeah, yeah!¡± Ritika nodded in agreement. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine Sho.¡± Taika gently rubbed her Maestro¡¯s back. ¡°God I hope so.¡± Shouri slumped over. Rebecca meanwhile, remained silent; head lowered in deep thought.
The trip back to the Villas Fairingway was mundane as usual (or as mundane as one could get when riding in a limousine). Emily and her Resonators chatted with Elijah, who was his usual charming self. Zino just watched with fading interest. Shouri and his team stayed out of the conversation though, all ruminating about what was waiting for them at the hotel. Who could it possibly be? They knew very few people on the Kalanichan continent, and nearly all of them were in the vehicle they were riding in. Shouri¡¯s strong curiosity made them all itch with anticipation toward their mystery guest. Arriving back a little after six, the sun was about half an hour away from fully setting for the evening, but even so, the night was just beginning. For that, Elijah led the ten-strong group to where their special visitor was being held. ¡°As you instructed Mr. Klein, we¡¯ve kept her here, we also provided her some food and water as she did not look well,¡± one of the hotel staff informed him as they made their way into the back offices. ¡°Thank you, charge it to my room as usual,¡± Elijah said, dismissing the employee. Once they were alone, he took a breath, stepped away from the door, and faced Shouri. ¡°After you.¡± Shouri rolled his eyes but complied. He took hold of the doorknob and held it for a moment. Taika patted his back reassuringly. With that vote of confidence, he turned the knob and let himself in. Who was waiting for him caused his eyes to widen. ¡°Wait you¡¯re-¡± ¡°THAT BITCH!¡± Rebecca shouted. ¡°I FUCKING KNEW IT!¡± the vixen snarled. Sitting in an office chair holding a small paper cup was a red dragon, a fire Resonator they had met previously. Rebecca stepped forward, trying to charge the other Resonator, but Pacifica was quicker on the draw and took hold of her teammate. Before the otter could lose her grip, Taika joined in the restraint efforts, keeping the enraged fox firmly in place. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. Unlike his Resonator, however, Shouri¡¯s expression pitied the poor girl. She looked terrible. Covered in all kinds of knicks and scrapes; even her wings were slightly torn up. Her clothes were in disrepair, unlike the bright and proud dragon they had met back in Fercy. Her head hung as naturally as a wilting flower, the light having abandoned her. Shouri gave the dragon a once over, tracing her form, capturing every last detail. Even Rebecca demonstrating her colorful usage of the Maelish language couldn¡¯t hope to break his concentration. The Maestro took in a breath, held it for a moment, and exhaled slowly. ¡°Emily,¡± he addressed the other Maestro. ¡°Y-yes?!¡± the Luna native yelped upon being called. ¡°Can you take Rebecca out of here, please? These two have a history,¡± he spoke calmly, not taking his eyes off the dragon before him. ¡°Sure,¡± Emily said with an uneasy smile. ¡°I hope you know what you¡¯re doing,¡± she warned. ¡°Shouri! You better not take her in! I swear to god!¡± Rebecca roared, intensifying her struggle against her teammates. ¡°C¡¯mon you.¡± Albarich grabbed Rebecca, allowing Taika to release her hold. ¡°You¡¯re coming with us,¡± Ritika added, helping in the restraint process, freeing Pacifica. Even with the two new Resonators taking hold of her, Rebecca stayed in place. They made no progress in moving the feisty fox. Though Rebecca was no match for Soot once he got involved. ¡°SHOURI!¡± Rebecca screamed as she was pulled out of the room. ¡°Thanks, Emily.¡± He waved back. ¡°You owe me,¡± she chuckled, before taking her leave. Elijah and Zino sat on a nearby bench, meant for waiting guests. ¡°You have a history with this girl?¡± the heir asked. ¡°You could say that.¡± Shouri finally approached the dragon, who despite everything that just happened remained in place, not once flinching despite the provocation and noise. ¡°Liza.¡± He knelt in front of her. ¡°What the hell happened to you?¡± The girl herself slowly shook her head. Opening her mouth just produced a horrible dry heave. Shouri glanced at the cup in her grasp ¨C still full. She hadn¡¯t taken even a sip of it. Even more, she was covered in dirt with cuts and scrapes adorning her body. Her rhythm was weak, that much was immediately obvious ¨C he could barely sense her even kneeling right in front of her. ¡°Sho.¡± Taika crouched next to him. ¡°Let me use my new spell on her,¡± she suggested. ¡°Good idea,¡± he said, drawing Taika¡¯s tuner from his waist. ¡°Ricerca Vitale, Presto,¡± cast the Maestro. Taika¡¯s eyes glowed, coursing with her Maestro¡¯s rhythm as Liza was identified thanks to the power of the spell provided to her. She gasped as the information became available to her. Shouri found out what elicited Taika¡¯s surprise upon the readout becoming available on her tuner. The owner line is what drew Shouri¡¯s immediate attention, his jaw hanging loose as he tried to find his words. [STRAY] ¡°Lyle¡­ abandoned you?¡± Liza nodded slowly. From the tatters of her clothing, she drew her tuner, presenting it to the Maestro who knelt in front of her. Her hand trembled, unable to remain steady. Despite her banged-up appearance and the dirt that clung to her, the tuner was spared from this fate. The screen sparkled with a lovely sheen, the edges free from any gunk build-up, not even a fingerprint marred the surface of the red-bodied device. It was in mint condition as if it had just come out of the packaging for the first time. Shouri studied the device, then traced it back to the one who it was bound to. The light in her eyes was nearly gone ¨C he could see the tiniest spark of hope left in it. This was her try, her last chance for salvation; that is what this gesture meant to him. The Maestro balled up his hands, taking a deep gulp before he spoke. ¡°Pacifica, Taika.¡± Though he spoke their names, he refused to face them. The two remained quiet for a moment. This was Shouri after all, this whole situation was only going to end in one way. Pacifica and Taika exchanged a glance, telling the other everything they needed to know. Pacifica spoke what the two girls were thinking, ¡°Rebecca is gonna kill you.¡± ¡°I know. It¡¯s not permanent though. I promised you two and Rebecca I wouldn¡¯t take in another Resonator. But I¡¯m going to make sure we figure out what¡¯s going on and if need be, find her a new home,¡± he laid out his thoughts, staring at the tuner, the metaphorical rope that had been thrown to him. ¡°We¡¯re gonna hold you to that,¡± Taika said. ¡°Or Rebecca will kill us too,¡± Pacifica giggled. ¡°I know,¡± he repeated. ¡°But you know how I am.¡± With a smirk, he accepted Liza¡¯s tuner. Shouri Resonator: Liza Species: Demi-Human (Sky Dragon) Element: Fire Attribute: Piercing Rhythm: -5 Chapter 107 ¡°Yup, I¡¯m gonna kill you,¡± Rebecca decided upon seeing Shouri with four tuners at his waist. Shouri, Emily, Elijah, Colette, and all of their Resonators plus the new (temporary) addition to Shouri¡¯s roster in Liza had gathered in the Presidential suite. ¡°Come on you.¡± Shouri grabbed Rebecca¡¯s hand. She didn¡¯t refuse, but still maintained her death glare. ¡°Taika, Pacifica.¡± He motioned for the other two to follow. ¡°Liza, stay here ¨C Colette, keep an eye on her.¡± He tossed the second fire tuner to the uninformed Maestro. ¡°What?! Me?! What¡¯s even going on?!¡± Colette failed to catch the device in time, but thankfully Kaira did.
¡°No, you¡¯re not making me get along with her. I don¡¯t care how much shit she went through; she fucking deserves it, that bitch,¡± Rebecca sneered, sitting on the bed, while her three teammates stood in front of her. ¡°What¡¯s even the problem with her?¡± Taika questioned. ¡°She hated me, I could feel it. I know that bitch whispered into Lyle¡¯s ear ¡®She¡¯s a Renard, don¡¯t waste your rhythm,¡¯ she made my life even more hellish than it already was,¡± Rebecca retorted. Shouri opened his mouth, but Pacifica beat him to the punch. ¡°Even if what you said is true-¡± She paused, her expression clouding. ¡°-she¡¯s broken,¡± the otter uttered. Her gaze fell to the empty spot on Shouri¡¯s waist where Liza¡¯s tuner had previously occupied. ¡°Broken?¡± Taika furrowed a brow. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s like, her spirit is crushed. Worse than Rebby was when she first joined us.¡± Pacifica grimaced. ¡°I¡¯m not sure there¡¯s fixing her if I¡¯m being honest,¡± she admitted. ¡°Is she Feroce?¡± Shouri questioned. ¡°Not at all.¡± Pacifica shook her head. ¡°I couldn¡¯t sense it in her.¡± That was interesting to Shouri ¨C Feroce was a condition that formed from extreme emotional distress. ¡°That means-¡± ¡°-not all Resonators can succumb to Feroce,¡± Pacifica finished on her Maestro¡¯s behalf. ¡°There must be many that just break,¡± she theorized. The room went quiet. Rebecca stood up from the bed and quickly made for the door. ¡°Rebby-!¡± Pacifica stepped forward to grab the fox but was stopped by Shouri. ¡°Sho-!¡± ¡°Let her go,¡± was all he said. Immediately the other Resonators in the suite were on the guard as the previously enraged fox stormed out of the room and stomped towards Liza. ¡°Hey wait!¡± Albarich went to grab the fox, but she easily pivoted around him and shoved him away. Next, both Kaira and Ritika attempted to restrain the fox with their sand control, but a burst of fire just resulted in them losing most of their sand as it was melted into glass from the insane heat she was able to put out. The Maestros couldn¡¯t move ¨C they were powerless as Rebecca stood in front of Liza. ¡°Shouri! Get in here and do something!¡± Colette shrieked. Emily held her hands over her mouth, unsure of what to do. Albarich, Ritika, and Kaira were at the ready, glaring down the fox, who in turn was scowling at the dragon. Elijah and Zino just sat on the couch, not lifting a finger to intervene. In fact, Elijah almost appeared to be amused by the developments occurring in the suite. Liza herself offered no resistance or even acknowledgment of the vixen that stood before her. ¡°Why?¡± Shouri leaned on the doorframe with Taika and Pacifica by his side. ¡°She¡¯s gonna-!¡± However, Colette was cut off by- SMACK! -the sound of Rebecca¡¯s hand whipping across Liza¡¯s face. ¡°Wake up. He was using you,¡± the fox growled at the dragon. Liza slowly shook her head. SMACK! Now both of Liza¡¯s cheeks were red. ¡°Try again. He dumped you for a stronger Resonator, didn¡¯t he?¡± Rebecca asked. ¡°Except this time, you couldn¡¯t convince him you were needed like you did me.¡± The Renard bared her fangs at the fallen dragon. ¡°¡­ned¡­¡± ¡°What? Can¡¯t hear you.¡± Rebecca raised her hand to strike the other girl again, except- ¡°Let go!¡± Taika held Rebecca¡¯s hand. ¡°You¡¯ve made your point,¡± the lunar said simply, her eyes glowing brilliantly with blue rhythm. ¡°H-holy shit¡­¡± Albarich stepped back. ¡°What monstrous rhythm,¡± Ritika muttered, similarly backing away from the lunar fox. ¡°Tch!¡± Rebecca yanked her hand away. ¡°You¡¯re lucky,¡± the fox grumbled at the comatose dragon, before backing off. It was now Taika¡¯s turn. Kneeling in front of the dragon, she gently laid her hands on the girl¡¯s cheeks and closed her eyes, a warm glow spreading from them, the pain being eased from the fire Resonator¡¯s beaten body. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Tears poured down Liza¡¯s face before she slumped over. Colette and Emily jumped, about to rush over, when Pacifica motioned for them to stop. ¡°It¡¯s okay, she¡¯s just asleep,¡± she advised. Elijah chuckled. ¡°How interesting. Perhaps I misjudged Miss Taika.¡± His gaze was fixed on the Lunar healer, who maintained her magic despite the recipient¡¯s fall from consciousness.
¡°Pacifica is right, she¡¯s not Feroce. In fact, she has the immunity factor,¡± Colette began. Liza had been laid in one of the bedrooms to sleep on a real bed and recuperate. In the interim, the group began to compare notes. Shouri¡¯s group huddled by the front wall of the room, Emily¡¯s opposite of Shouri, Elijah, and Zino on the couch, and finally Colette and Kaira on the ground in front of the coffee table. ¡°Immunity factor?¡± Taika folded her arms across her chest and her lips curled down in thought. Colette nodded. ¡°Correct. Shouri, your entire team has this factor. I noticed it when I checked your Rhythm after the first night you were helping me with the Feroce project,¡± the scholar lowered her head, musing it over. ¡°The immunity factor has only been observed in individuals who have recovered from Feroce already.¡± That news was hard to digest. ¡°What?¡± was all Shouri managed to muster in response. ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± Pacifica furrowed her brow. ¡°None of us have had Feroce,¡± Taika pointed out. Rebecca remained quiet, stroking her chin. ¡°See, that¡¯s what I thought too, but you all have it somehow.¡± Colette frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m missing here,¡± she commented, flipping through a notebook and reviewing her research. ¡°Well-¡± Emily spoke up. ¡°-maybe it¡¯s a quality Shouri himself has?¡± she offered. ¡°Yeah, those fuckin¡¯ Feroce douchebags were wiping the floor with us, and he just waltzes in and mops them up like they were common Resonator,¡± Albarich commented. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.¡°It was crazy! It was like their spells were hitting a weakness or something!¡± Ritika chimed in. ¡°Shouri cured Zino by punching him straight in the face. I wish I could have seen it myself,¡± Elijah mused. Zino simply stared at his Maestro in disbelief but refused to comment. Colette slowly shook her head. ¡°No no, that¡¯s¡­¡± she trailed off. ¡°I have to be missing something here.¡± She mumbled. ¡°What about that weird dream shit we went through?¡± Rebecca finally spoke up. ¡°Weird dream?¡± Colette¡¯s head snapped up. Shouri, Taika, and Pacifica looked to their fellow party member. ¡°Remember? With the Cecil thing? Pacifica started having those weird dreams-¡± ¡°Like a giant loud Scherzando killin¡¯ ya repeatedly?¡± The room went silent, turning to the source of that question: Zino. ¡°Y-yeah, how did you know?¡± Pacifica replied quietly. ¡°¡¯cause I had the same dreams before those fuckin spells showed up,¡± Zino revealed to the group. ¡°Wait.¡± Shouri¡¯s eyes widened. Everything had snapped into place. ¡°Pacifica, you were infected with Feroce by Cecil at that time then!¡± he realized. ¡°What?!¡± Pacifica¡¯s head darted back and forth with her gaze finally resting on her trembling hands. ¡°I¡­ Feroce?¡± ¡°You¡¯re fine now.¡± Kaira approached the other Resonator, laying a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Colette and I are certain you possess the immunity factor.¡± Pacifica did calm down, but panic was replaced with confusion. ¡°But I don¡¯t understand,¡± she squeaked. ¡°Feroce isn¡¯t just achieved by emotional distress, it¡¯s a rhythm-based illness and you were probing Cecil¡¯s rhythm a lot trying to figure out what was wrong with him. It must have jumped to you while you were doing that,¡± Shouri reasoned. Pacifica shook her head still. She remained in shock at this whole situation, despite it being almost two months in the past. Shouri wrapped an arm around her to help steady the otter. ¡°Did anything else strange happen?¡± Colette asked, scribbling away in her notebook. The four on trial hummed in thought, pondering that question. ¡°I mean, we did beat it,¡± Taika commented after considering the scenario. Colette¡¯s pen stopped. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Oh! I said we beat it.¡± Taika didn¡¯t understand the significance of that statement, it seemed pretty self-explanatory to her. Colette stood up. ¡°We? As in all of you?¡± she inquired. Kaira let out a small sigh and stepped back over to where her Maestro was. ¡°That¡¯s what she said Colette, what¡¯s the big deal?¡± Shouri questioned, growing irritated. ¡°Wait wait. There¡¯s no way,¡± Emily also came to a realization. ¡°Shouri is an ¨¤ deux user?¡± She looked to Colette. Elijah sat up from the couch, an interested smirk on his face. ¡°Uhhh, anyone care to inform the uninformed here?¡± Ritika asked, speaking up for the lost in the room. ¡°It all makes sense!¡± Colette rushed out of the room, refusing to elaborate any further, and nearly bowling over poor Kaira in the process. ¡°I¡¯m really starting to hate her.¡± Shouri glared at the spot once occupied by the pushy academic. ¡°Shouri, ¨¤ deux users have a certain disposition towards Resonators. Their rhythm flows freely, uninhibited,¡± Emily began. ¡°It¡¯s said all of the Seven Heroes had this trait ¨C a pure bond with their partner Resonator.¡± Rebecca and Pacifica¡¯s eyes widened before their heads snapped to their Maestro. ¡°Sho¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°¡­like one of the Heroes?¡± Shouri''s face contorted as he tried to digest this information himself. A certain curiosity hit him: ¡°Was one of my ancestors a hero?¡± he questioned. ¡°Nope!¡± Colette rushed back into the room like a runaway locomotive, barely skidding to a halt in front of the coffee table where her notebook lay. SLAM The rhythm studies major dropped off the cargo she had run off to gather: a huge bundle of documents. ¡°Not in the slightest!¡± She pointed at Shouri. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be average!¡± she declared. ¡°Colette, cut the shit ¨C what are you talking about?¡± Shouri stared down the other Maestro. ¡°Dr. Vim was curious about your success with curing Feroce and had your lineage traced.¡± Colette slammed her hand on the stack of papers. ¡°From the data I read through, your dad has low compatibility and your mom has never even touched a tuner,¡± she revealed. ¡°There is absolutely nothing special about you.¡± Colette smacked the papers as she spoke for emphasis. ¡°Only you and your sister are the exceptions.¡± Emily perked up when hearing Shouri had a sister, but didn¡¯t comment on that information. Shouri hummed in thought. ¡°Yeah, you got that right,¡± he replied, unable to refute her claims. ¡°Me and my sister just clicked with Resonators for some reason my parents hate them.¡± ¡°Your sister, Aureolin Tomoshibi, right?¡± Colette asked for clarification, thumbing through some of the documents she had retrieved. ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s a hell of a fighter. Picked up Damian right off the street and started raking in the dough almost overnight,¡± Shouri recalled. ¡°Mhm.¡± Colette nodded, reading as such in one of the reports she possessed. ¡°She picked up a second Resonator recently, from the looks of it. A solar dragon. Quite interesting.¡± That was news to Shouri. ¡°Huh,¡± was all he could muster up to say. At least it sounded like she was doing well, but it bothered him since every time he tried to call her, she didn¡¯t pick up. ¡°It is said that the Seven Heroes bonded with their Resonators not as master and servant, but as true equals, and it was that bond that led them to triumph over the great evil,¡± Elijah waxed poetic, leaning back against the couch. ¡°Okay, so I have this ¨¤ deux thing, what¡¯s the big deal?¡± Shouri asked, redirecting the conversation. ¡°Well, that finally gives me a reason for your insane growth over the past few months. Your Resonators are getting this incredibly rich, open source of rhythm, and in return, they¡¯re open to you. It¡¯s like you all are constantly on rhythmic training weights,¡± Colette explained, resuming her previous note-taking. ¡°Given enough time, I doubt even the Grand Masters would be able to stand up to you in battle,¡± Elijah chuckled, shaking his head and shrugging. ¡°¨¤ deux users are some of the strongest on Luna. Most of them in royal generations end up being part of the royal court,¡± Emily added. The more they spoke about this ¡®wonderful trait¡¯ the more he didn¡¯t want to hear it. Shouri shook his head, stepping back. ¡°No,¡± he spoke quietly. ¡°This is too crazy.¡± Before anyone else could stop them, Shouri along with his three Resonators fled, retreating into their bedroom with a loud slam of the door behind them. Chapter 108 Sho¡­ We didn¡¯t do anything different from anyone else. How did this even happen? I¡¯m not special; we¡¯re not special. Taika¡¯s Willpower Pacifica and Rebecca¡¯s Emotion Shouri¡¯s Knowledge Even together they couldn¡¯t handle the revelation of the raw potential they possessed. It had become confusing and muddled to the point where they broke, hence the quick retreat. The room was dark, Taika lay atop Shouri, with Rebecca and Pacifica holding them both from either side and Shouri wrapping his arms around all three of them. The continued murmur of discussion in the living room was reduced to an indecipherable white noise. The crack of the door frame afforded them a small amount of light, just enough to strain the eyes. We just wanted to be close. We don¡¯t care about being the best or strongest. He squeezed them tighter, and they responded in kind. ¡­ Maybe it¡¯s not a bad thing. People have been hurt, and we couldn¡¯t do a thing. But truthfully, we¡¯ve always been able to do something. Why are you three like this? We trust you, of course!
Midnight rolled around, and with it, Shouri was wide awake once again. ¡°My head fucking hurts,¡± he grunted. ¡°Same,¡± Taika buried her face into his chest. ¡°Yeah,¡± Pacifica agreed. ¡°Information overload sucks,¡± Rebecca chimed in. Grrrrrrr¡­ ¡°Ho fame,¡± Taika whimpered. ¡°Yeah me too,¡± Shouri chuckled, stroking the girl¡¯s hair (and earning a gentle tail wag from the recipient). ¡°Let¡¯s go get some food,¡± Rebecca suggested. ¡°Could probably use some fresh air after everything that has happened today,¡± Pacifica sighed wearily. The quartet quietly got ready in their room, not wanting to disturb the other inhabitants of the suite since they all had early mornings tomorrow. The hungry group, freshened up and ready to hit up the town, crept out into the main hallway. However, before they could leave, Taika stopped and suddenly motioned for silence, her ears twitching. ¡°Hm? What¡¯s up Taika?¡± Shouri asked. ¡°Shh¡­¡± Taika looked around the dark hallway before heading back into the suite proper. Shouri turned to the other member of the group with the Canid Sense trait, Rebecca. ¡°What did she hear?¡± Rebecca furrowed her brow. ¡°Sounds like someone on one of the couches. I just figured it was like Colette or Elijah or somebody working late.¡± The Renard shrugged. However, she couldn¡¯t have been further off the mark, as Taika returned with the one person the fire Resonator did not want to see: Liza. The sky dragon held herself (with both arms and wings) with her head lowered, and her tail wrapped around the inside of her leg. ¡°No, we are NOT taking her with!¡± Rebecca hissed, just barely avoiding shouting. ¡°Then you can stay here, Rebecca.¡± Shouri shot a glare at his Resonator, only earning a scowl and bared fangs from her as a response. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t give me that. Do I have to have the same conversation with you that I did Taika? You¡¯re not being replaced. Cut it out.¡± Stern Shouri had come out to play again. ¡°We¡¯re only helping Liza to one: find out what the hell happened to her; and two: get her a new home if need be,¡± he made his intentions as clear as possible. And thankfully, Rebecca (begrudgingly) accepted, ceasing her outward hostilities. However, she did shoot the stink-eye at the dragon whenever Shouri¡¯s back was turned. With their now five-strong party gathered, they quietly left the hotel and took to the streets of Naiza once again. ¡°F-f-fuck it¡¯s cold¡­¡± Pacifica trembled as they walked through the city. Shouri slipped off his jacket and handed it over to the otter without a word. She accepted the garment and quickly slipped it on. Liza watched this exchange; with Pacifica zipping up the jacket and giggling as she buried her nose into the fabric. These people were stranger than the dragon remembered. Nobody ended up deciding on what they wanted to eat, so they stopped at the M¡¯Krocs Taika tried to go to on her birthday. Even if Naiza wasn¡¯t catering to their massive nocturnal population, M¡¯Kroc¡¯s were well known for being open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. One of the few places one could go to get cheap, unhealthy fast food even on holidays when most businesses were closed. Management took advantage of the high lunar population of Naiza to staff their night shift accordingly. The one Maestro employee oversaw a squad of six lunar Resonators that staffed the kitchen and cleaned the facilities overnight. There were a few patrons already eating or otherwise milling about in the lobby. Either way, they didn¡¯t even acknowledge Shouri and his group of four ¨C just the way he liked it. ¡°Get what you want,¡± Shouri instructed his posse of girls before taking a look at the menu himself. A few minutes passed, the group staring at the board, while the cashier Resonator patiently waited for them to make a decision. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Everyone know what they want?¡± Shouri asked the group. ¡°Si!¡± ¡°Yep!¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± All eyes fell on Liza who remained quiet. ¡°Liza?¡± the Maestro asked. ¡°Huh?¡± She looked around, then to Shouri. ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± he asked. ¡°Not hungry,¡± Liza mumbled. ¡°Too bad,¡± Rebecca spoke up. Before anyone could say anything else, she continued. ¡°You better pick something, this stubborn idiot won¡¯t take no for an answer.¡± The fire fox motioned at Shouri. ¡°I uh¡­¡± Liza shuffled in place, her wings closing further in on herself. ¡°Just get me whatever Rebecca is getting,¡± the fire element muttered. ¡°Oh good.¡± Rebecca grinned wickedly. ¡°Rebecca, behave.¡± Shouri rolled his eyes. Stepping forward, Shouri made his order, then allowed each of his Resonators to make their orders. Rebecca even made sure to chime in that her order should be doubled. Cups were handed out, and Shouri left it up to the Resonators to get drinks while he waited for the food. ¡°Pacifica, what the heck are you doing?¡± Taika gasped as she watched her fellow Resonator run her cup across every serve lever on the soda machine, catching a little bit of each drink in her cup. ¡°Swamp water!¡± the otter declared. ¡°Care for a taste?¡± She grinned toothily, presenting the cup to Taika. The lunar was suspicious but also curious. She accepted the cup from the water element and took a sip. ¡°It¡¯s good?¡± Taika blinked, surprised at the result. ¡°Is it?¡± Pacifica took her cup back and tried out the concoction. ¡°It¡¯s alright, I¡¯ve had better,¡± she decided. The water element shifted her attention to the two waiting fire Resonators. ¡°Would you two like to try?¡± Rebecca stuck out her tongue. ¡°Blech, that sounds terrible.¡± ¡°Oh, I get it, you¡¯re scared.¡± Pacifica shrugged, chuckling to herself. Taika shot a sidelong glance at the otter. Surely, Rebecca wasn¡¯t that easy to goad. Turns out, she was in fact that easy, as the fire fox snatched the cup and chugged it down. Only for seconds later to spit it back up and hunch over choking on it. ¡°Uhg! That shit was terrible! What the fuck Pacifica!?¡± Rebecca barked, glaring at the water element, who was roaring with laughter. ¡°Clean it up!¡± they heard Shouri bark from the front. Liza slowly shook her head as she watched the trio clean up the mess they had wrought, the entire time laughing and joking with one another. Why?
¡°You should eat.¡± Liza looked up from the fast food in front of her. Shouri had spoken to her. The four others at the table looked at the dragon expectedly. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry,¡± she mumbled. ¡°Eat,¡± the Maestro said more pointedly. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine you¡¯ve eaten particularly well in the past however long it¡¯s been.¡± Liza whimpered, glancing down at the food. She gave in to the peer pressure and took up the burger that had been provided to her. The flavor was sharp at first, hitting her like a truck, but she very quickly found her appetite, scarfing down the whole sandwich ¨C it was the best she had ever tasted. The fries quickly evaporated from her tray as well, but she was left wanting for more. Without a word, Shouri rose from the table and went to the counter. The dragon¡¯s eyes remained locked on the boy as he brought back a new bag. He sat down and handed over the bag to Liza, who joyfully tore into the bag and devoured the second meal. ¡°Hah~¡± Liza sat back, now content. Satisfied the ailing dragon was now fed, Shouri resumed eating his meal. It didn¡¯t take too long before everyone had finished eating and were ready to talk. ¡°Alright Liza,¡± Shouri began. ¡°What the hell happened to you?¡± he started with the most pointed question. Liza lowered her head, refusing the four gazes on her. ¡°From what I saw, he was pretty nice to you ¨C he chattered with you pretty excitedly and seemed to respect you,¡± Pacifica pointed out. ¡°Definitely more than he did Rebecca,¡± the otter muttered, earning a huff from the fire fox in question. The dragon¡¯s lips remained sealed, she once more curled up on herself; hugging herself tightly and wrapping her wings around her body. Shouri opened his mouth, but Rebecca beat him to the punch. ¡°He abandoned your ass; you have your tuner,¡± the vixen reminded her former teammate. ¡°You don¡¯t owe him shit.¡± ¡°But-!¡± Liza raised her voice, cracking slightly as she did so. ¡°He¡­ you don¡¯t know him like I do¡­¡± Once more she drooped. ¡°He¡¯s just too fucking prideful.¡± It was clear Liza was having a hell of a time sorting out her feelings, the turmoil wasn¡¯t just written on her face, it was like she was holding up an entire billboard of emotion. ¡°How about you sleep on it?¡± Shouri suggested. ¡°We healed you up, got some food in you now, the last thing you need is sleep.¡± Slowly, the fire element nodded in agreement. ¡°You can do better than Lyle,¡± Rebecca told the dragon, glancing at Shouri. ¡°Trust me on that.¡± Liza held herself tighter upon hearing those words. Chapter 109 It was July 20th ¨C Quarter Finals of the Kalanichi National Tournament. While the rest of the Presidential Suite was abuzz early that morning, Shouri and his Resonators slept in. They had been up later than anyone else and requested to not be disturbed that morning. Emily had texted Shouri and informed him she¡¯d be playing the afternoon game, so it further incentivized his decision to sleep in. So, around ten in the morning, Shouri awoke. He had Rebecca firmly in his grasp this morning. Both to make sure she was okay, given her spiciness with Liza, but also to make sure she didn¡¯t sneak off to stir up trouble. He didn¡¯t think she would do anything, but giving her a treat for good behavior seemed like the best option for them at the time. Either way. Speaking of, the vixen¡¯s eyes slowly fluttered open. Upon catching sight of her beloved Maestro, she smiled groggily, tightening her grip around him. ¡°Mine,¡± she mumbled sleepily. ¡°Likewise.¡± He returned the gesture in kind. Taika and Pacifica woke up after not too much longer and they shuffled around, getting dressed and ready for the day. Finally leaving the bedroom at around eleven, Shouri went to look for Liza, eventually finding her sitting in one of the living rooms all alone. The red tuner bound to her sat on the coffee table. Rebecca took the bold claim of one of Shouri¡¯s arms while Pacifica and Taika made them breakfast. Shouri knew what she was up to, but allowed the behavior, if for nothing else but to show the abandoned dragon other Maestro-Resonator relationships. ¡°Good morning, Liza, how did you sleep?¡± Shouri greeted the second fire Resonator currently in his care. She tried to avert her eyes from the obvious flirtation in front of her. ¡°F-fine,¡± she replied quietly. ¡°You wanna come with us down to the stadium today?¡± the Maestro offered. ¡°The stadium?¡± she questioned. ¡°We¡¯re working as tournament staff this week,¡± Shouri told her. ¡°Hrm¡­¡± Liza hugged her knees close to her chest; her wings once more curling around her body. ¡°It¡¯s something to get your mind off things,¡± he added. ¡°I guess so,¡± she mumbled. ¡°You can say no. Even if I was actually your Maestro, you¡¯re your own person. I can¡¯t force you to do anything.¡± Liza¡¯s gaze fell upon the tuner, the single red button almost glistening in the light. Something that Shouri caught. ¡°Poor choice of words, I won¡¯t force you to do something you don¡¯t want to do,¡± he corrected himself. The dragon balled up further, still locked on her tuner. Rebecca squeezed Shouri¡¯s hand, leaning into him further. He could sense her intention ¨C ¡°leave her be.¡± While he didn¡¯t agree with her motives, he did understand the thought. ¡°Well, come eat breakfast with us.¡±
Breakfast was a simple affair this morning ¨C just a normal spread of meats, eggs, bread, and some fresh fruit. The gathered quintet ate quietly thanks to the presence of the depressed dragon in their midst. Unlike last night, however, she did not have to be ordered to eat, Liza slowly ate her fill of food. Shouri was relieved that her appetite had returned. ¡°What are we doing today Sho?¡± Pacifica asked, breaking the silence. ¡°Well, you and Taika are with Dr. Miya again,¡± Shouri began, pulling a tuner from his side. He frowned, glaring at the screen with disdain. ¡°Rebecca and I will be on security detail for the afternoon,¡± the Maestro grumbled. ¡°Security detail?¡± Taika tilted her head. ¡°Elijah is worried about what happened the other day with the Feroce Resonator.¡± He flicked through his texts with the Klein Heir. ¡°Seeing how we outperformed one of the current quarter-finalists in taking them out, he wants Rebecca and I there to help in case there¡¯s a repeat attack.¡± ¡°Can I help?¡± All eyes turned to Liza, who pushed herself up on the table. ¡°Please Shouri. I can help you,¡± she begged. Everyone else remained quiet. Liza reached into her pocket and produced her tuner. ¡°Please,¡± she requested one more time, holding the device out for him. Shouri studied the pleading dragon. She kept her arm outstretched, her plea continuing through her facial expression instead of her words. The Maestro reached out and placed his hand over the device, but did not take hold of it. ¡°Lyle replaced you with a Feroce Resonator,¡± he suddenly spoke. Liza¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°H-how did you know?!¡± she gasped. Taking hold of her tuner, Shouri pulled it away from her hand. ¡°Well, for one, you just told me.¡± He grinned toothily. ¡°Eh!?¡± Liza¡¯s face rapidly turned as red as her wings. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I already suspected it. You were quite gung-ho about the possibility of encountering Feroce Resonators,¡± Shouri continued. ¡°Also, you already had that immunity factor thing, meaning at some point you were exposed to a Feroce Resonator,¡± he counted off another finger. ¡°Plus, Lyle is a fucking idiot and would absolutely try to shortcut his way into a powerful Resonator, case and point you and Rebecca. Dragons are traditionally considered strong Resonators, same with Renards, with no consideration of the individual,¡± Shouri grumbled. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. It was all true, Liza couldn¡¯t deny that. ¡°You¡¯re really smart,¡± she conceded, hanging her head. ¡°It¡¯s not me, it¡¯s the rhythm.¡± Sure enough, Shouri¡¯s normally emerald green eyes were brimming with yellow, knowledge-rich rhythm. ¡°Either way, that doesn¡¯t detract from me taking you with us. I don¡¯t need to be Pacifica to know how genuine you are.¡± She slowly nodded, though refused his gaze. ¡°And that¡¯s that.¡± Shouri slid her tuner onto his side with the other three he possessed. ¡°You still want to go back to him,¡± Rebecca grumbled; arms folded across her chest as she glared down her former teammate. ¡°I do,¡± Liza admitted quietly. ¡°I did my best for him, and I want to save him.¡± Rebecca opened her mouth to say something, but Shouri motioned for silence. She shot a glare at him, but he shook his head in response. ¡°I¡¯m not your Maestro; hell, I barely know you,¡± Shouri began. ¡°So, I can¡¯t make you do anything. If that¡¯s what you want, that¡¯s all your choice.¡± The Maestro rose from his seat. ¡°Either way, you know my opinion about Lyle. So, if you want to start over with a new Maestro, I can ask a few people I know and see if any of them want to take you in.¡± Liza was conflicted, that much was clear. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it,¡± she mumbled.
¡°Oh, you have two Resonators? Mr. Klein said you¡¯d have one.¡± Shouri, Rebecca, and Liza were in the security office, speaking with the head of security at the stadium. It was around lunchtime and the first match of the day had been completed. There was to be some entertainment on the main stage before the second match of the day would be played out. Regardless, there were always rowdy fans, especially so close to Championship Sunday. As the trio was informed, Saturday and Sunday were the busiest days given how high stakes the matches were and the entertainment provided to the masses. ¡°We can get her a uniform too, should have something for winged Resonators available,¡± the security head pondered aloud. ¡°Hopefully we don¡¯t need it,¡± Shouri commented. ¡°While I agree with that hopeful thinking, one should always prepare for the worst. Given how quickly you dispatched that troublemaker from the other day, I believe Mr. Klein agrees,¡± they snipped back. ¡°Very fair.¡± The younger Maestro nodded, appreciative that the commander seemed to take his job seriously. ¡°You two can get suited up and I¡¯ll send someone over with some clothes for her,¡± the security officer gave his orders.
¡°We have to wear a uniform?¡± Liza asked when they were finally out of the office. ¡°Yeah, Rebecca and I also had to wear one while we were on referee duty,¡± Shouri informed her. ¡°It was pretty comfy, hella strong too,¡± Rebecca commented. ¡°Hrm¡­¡± Liza hummed nervously, shooting an uneasy glance back to her large, scaled wings. Thankfully, Shouri and Rebecca knew where they were going, having utilized the staff locker rooms at the beginning of the week. The security team worked fast they learned, as when Shouri¡¯s group arrived at the locker rooms, there was already a member of security waiting to provide Liza the uniform she would be wearing today. Changing into the security uniforms was an easy affair for Shouri and Rebecca, they were similar to the ones they wore when they were on the courts officiating the matches on the first day of the tournament. Stepping out into the main locker room, both Shouri and Rebecca waited idly for their third wheel, Liza to finish putting her outfit on. Rebecca scanned her Maestro. He may not have thought it, but she thought he looked good. ¡°Oh,¡± Shouri jolted Rebecca out of her impure thoughts. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± she asked, shaking her head. ¡°You tied up your hair,¡± he pointed out. Sure enough, Rebecca had her hair in a ponytail, pulled through the back of the cap that came with their uniform. ¡°Didn¡¯t want it getting in the way,¡± she replied with a shrug. ¡°It¡¯s cute.¡± They both stood there in silence for a moment. ¡°Eh?¡± Before the two realized what Shouri had said. Suddenly there was a lot of blood rushing through both of their faces as looking at one another became increasingly difficult. Thankfully for their fluster, there came a distraction. ¡°I-I think I need help¡­¡± the pathetic whimper of Liza gave Rebecca the excuse she needed. ¡°Let me go check on her!¡± ¡°Sounds good!¡± Rebecca quickly left her Maestro and went around the corner to the changing rooms. ¡°What?¡± the fox asked. ¡°I-is Shouri there?¡± Liza asked quietly. ¡°No, it¡¯s just me,¡± Rebecca replied. ¡°Thank god.¡± Liza quickly opened the door. ¡°Can you button me up? I can¡¯t reach.¡± Turning her back to the other woman, she gestured to the buttons just above her wings which were undone at the moment. Rebecca stared at the sad dragon. ¡°You really can¡¯t reach that?¡± she asked, brow raised. ¡°I¡¯m not as flexible as you!¡± Liza barked. With a roll of her eyes, Rebecca stepped forward, buttoned up the two wing slots, and zipped up the central back zipper while she was at it. ¡°There.¡± Rebecca backed off. ¡°Thanks!¡± Liza smiled. The two fire Resonators stood in silence for a moment. ¡°Rebecca I-¡± Liza began, but was cut off by her former teammate. ¡°Shouri is waiting,¡± and with that, Rebecca walked off. Chapter 110 ¡°Alright kid, here¡¯s the deal,¡± one of the tenured security guards began as he walked with Shouri, their Resonators following close behind. ¡°Most of the time we¡¯re dealing with drunks. They¡¯re pretty easy to pacify, then we can take them into holding cells until they sober up,¡± the guard explained. Shouri raised a brow, skeptical of that claim. ¡°We can detain people?¡± he questioned. ¡°You got your Hunter¡¯s License right?¡± the guard fired back. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°There you go. Drunk and disorderly conduct is a misdemeanor, and Hunters can act as law enforcement in the absence of any VdV members.¡± Shouri nodded slowly, having used that as the basis of his argument for his take-down and apprehension of the Feroce-abusing Maestro from the other day. Rebecca tapped Shouri¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Hm?¡± He glanced back. ¡°VdV?¡± she whispered. ¡°Volont¨¤ di Valore, they¡¯re the law enforcement arm of the government. Basically, just a fancy way of saying cops,¡± he quickly informed her as the guard they were walking with kept talking. ¡°Anyways, we get the fun job of being on the move and keeping an ear out for trouble. Though a perk of this gig is the vendors usually give us food and drinks so we can keep on the move. It¡¯s good stuff,¡± the guard chuckled heartily. ¡°Yeah, great,¡± Shouri failed to hide his lack of enthusiasm. Almost as if to prove the security guard¡¯s point, one of the food vendors waved them down. ¡°Here boys, on the house!¡± And now Shouri was the proud owner of a large, toasty pretzel and a soda. He wasn¡¯t hungry though, so when they were out of sight (the security guard wandered off to take care of a call) Shouri shared the spoils with the rest of the party. ¡°You two want this?¡± he asked. ¡°Yeah!¡± they both declared. Instantly hostilities were up as the two fire Resonators met eyes. Liza''s brows raised with worry at the conflict, while Rebecca glared daggers at her. ¡°Oh, stop it.¡± Shouri shook his head. He tore the pretzel in half and handed each half off to the Resonators. Liza shook her head in protest at the offered treat. ¡°You don¡¯t-¡± ¡°Nope, take it,¡± Shouri demanded, forcing it into the dragon¡¯s hands. ¡°You need to keep your strength up in case we do have to fight.¡± ¡°O-okay¡­¡± Liza squeaked, acquiescing to the Maestro¡¯s request. Rebecca maintained a scowl, angrily chewing on her pretzel half. Shouri shook his head and rolled his eyes. He was an expert at defusing his fiery vixen though. Placing a hand on her head and gently stroking her hair instantly calmed the fierce fox and got her tail wagging. The third wheel averted her gaze, chewing on her snack ¨C why was she here again? Sudden cheers from the colosseum drew their attention, causing Shouri to gaze into the main arena. The battle had started from what he could tell. ¡°Oh.¡± He scowled. As they already knew, Emily was participating in this round as one of the combatants. But her opponent- ¡°That guy,¡± Rebecca sneered. Shawn Hawk stood Emily¡¯s opposite. On the field at the present was Soot who was facing down Shawn¡¯s Lightning element tiger. Small pools of lava dotted the battlefield, with Shouri musing to himself about the difficulty of cleaning that up when all was said and done. ¡°Hrm¡­¡± Rebecca studied the field from their high vantage point. ¡°Whatcha thinking?¡± Shouri asked his combat expert. ¡°She needs Ritika in there. Soot is too slow for this,¡± the fox mused. ¡°It looks like she¡¯s slowing the tiger down though,¡± the Maestro countered. ¡°That¡¯s about all she can do with Soot in play like that. Albarich might be able to deal some chip damage if he hangs out in the air and takes potshots at him.¡± Liza stared in awe at her former teammate. Was she always like this? When did she become a combat expert? Thinking back, she couldn¡¯t really recall Rebecca saying much of anything while in Lyle¡¯s ownership¡­ In fact, this Rebecca was a totally different person than the fox she had previously known. How had it taken her this long to notice? ¡°I dunno bossman¡­ this seems like a really bad match-up for Emily,¡± Rebecca admitted, though it pained her to do so. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s-¡± BEEP BEEP BEEP! Shouri¡¯s tuners rang loudly, interrupting his thoughts. Pulling one of them from his side he found he was receiving a call. There was just a second where he considered allowing it to ring, but ultimately decided to answer (since he was being paid for this after all.) ¡°Hey, this is Shouri,¡± he spoke into the receiver. ¡°Hey! Get down to Entrance F4, Ketura¡¯s fighting one of those robed guys!¡± ¡°We¡¯re on the way.¡± He didn¡¯t need to say anything to the pair in his company, they were both determined and ready to go. ¡°Where is F4?¡± Rebecca asked. ¡°Uh, fuck.¡± Shouri quickly looked up a map of a facility. ¡°We¡¯re near it, this way.¡± He motioned for the two Resonators to follow along. They knew they were heading in the right direction as there were plenty of onlookers pointing and talking about what was happening outside the stadium. Rushing down the stairs, it became doubly apparent they were definitely at the right section. The chatty gossip had given way to sounds of panicked masses and spellcasting right below them. Rebecca jumped down the stairwell, jetting out the front entrance and hitting the ground with an expertly positioned roll that dispersed her momentum safely. Liza followed along, opting to use her wings rather than the fire ad-Lib her fellow fire had utilized. Shouri made it halfway between the ground floor and the second floor. He stopped at the mid-point to catch his breath, but also to take a look at the situation to dole out preliminary spells since the two Resonators he had access to were already nearing the scene. A single Maestro and Resonator - just like before. The Maestro was hooded, obscured from immediate identification in the same manner as his predecessor. The Resonator was some kind of common dog breed, fire element based on the reds mixed into their hair. They were up against several members of security, however even with the numbers advantage they were on the back foot. They couldn¡¯t make any further advance against the perpetrator, since they were taking defensive positioning to protect the general public who had gotten mixed up in this mess. From the initial observation of the battle line, there were quite a few injured Maestros and Resonators, security and non-combatants alike. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Grabbing Liza and Rebecca¡¯s tuners, Shouri scanned the battle line one more time before doling out commands. As the dog cast black flames over the few Resonators who tried to resist, it all but confirmed their worst fears. ¡°Liza, Raggia del Sahara, then Bolide, Piano Staccato, stay airborne and support Rebecca!¡± ¡°Rebecca, Scottare, Rubato ¨C give ¡®em hell!¡± They had their orders and executed them. Rebecca jumped over the defensive line, not slowing at all, Liza right behind her in the air. As soon as they were within range, Liza flew higher and fired a red orb of light into the sky. Instantly the cloud cover parted and the sun¡¯s rays intensified over the battlefield. Rebecca meanwhile continued her rush down. Her intense focused gaze and unwavering form instantly cracked the enemy Maestro¡¯s cool. Panicked, the hooded Maestro cried out a spell to stop the charging vixen, ¡°Grave Delirio, Feroce!¡± The dog took in a deep breath, but unfortunately, Rebecca had experienced this spell in the past and would not allow its user to complete their attack. She aimed a kick at the Resonator¡¯s mid-section. Her hit landed true, winding him without allowing the spell to be released and wasting the enemy Maestro¡¯s rhythm in the process. The dog flew backwards like a cannonball into his Maestro taking the two to the ground. ¡°Get up!¡± The opposing Maestro¡¯s panic only grew, tripping over himself as he struggled to stand back up. The dog jumped to his feet, snarling like a beast. Tears poured down his face, which was contorted into an almost demonic visage of agony. His skin grew darker, slowly taking on the shade of black bore by the Scherzando. Rebecca¡¯s eyes widened. Flashes of Cecil¡¯s demise played in her head. No! Not again! She could not let another Feroce spell be cast! The Feroce Maestro took a breath. She had mere seconds. No thoughts, head cleared, only action remained. FWOOM BOOOM! ¡°WUAAAAAAUUUGH!!¡± the sickening scream originating from the Feroce abusing Maestro who now held his shattered wrist, tuner sent skyward like a bullet. Rebecca had blazed past the Resonator and aimed square at the Maestro, kicking the tuner out of his hand and launching it straight up. ¡°LIZA GET IT TO SHO!¡± Rebecca screamed now pivoting her body around and firing a blast of steam back at the opposing fire Resonator. Liza was barely able to spot the device shooting into the air. She only managed to spot it as it was making its return trip to Riterra. Catching the device before it was out of her reach, Liza twisted her form to fly parallel to the ground, zooming towards Shouri who had made it to the defensive line with the other security guards. ¡°Shouri!¡± the dragon cried, dropping the red tuner off with him and shooting back up into the air to arrest her remaining momentum. Finally, Shouri knew what had to be done. He scanned the list of spells available and found the perfect one, ¡°Famiglio Incendio, Presto Staccato!¡± The other security guards looked at Shouri in pure horror. That spell could be used offensively! A horde of fire puppies appeared all around the field, however they stood still for a moment before playing amongst themselves and otherwise milling about harmlessly. The Feroce Resonator continued casting more and more of the dogs as the rhythm was forced into his body. The pain on his face slowly began to subside until finally, he slumped to the ground with a resounding thud and all of the rhythm beasts vanished. With the Resonator safely dispatched, the gathered security guards and their Resonators charged the enemy Maestro, easily apprehending the howling man as he continued to roll around and clutched his wrist in pain. ¡°What the hell did you do there, kid?¡± The head of security they had met earlier was there, no surprise. ¡°Hang on.¡± Shouri held his head, slowly shaking it before falling backward onto his rear. ¡°Woah kid!¡± The older man dropped to his knees to steady the young Maestro. ¡°That stunt took a lot of fucking rhythm,¡± Shouri said with labored breaths. His hair slowly greyed, showing the security guard the truth of the situation. Shouri''s gaze fell upon the unmoving dog Resonator who was being bound up by the security. ¡°Hey!¡± he barked. ¡°Be gentle with him! He¡¯s a victim!¡± The guards disregarded the younger Maestro and continued their rough treatment of the dog. ¡°Hey! Are you assholes deaf!? Get that dog to a Viva Unit!¡± the guard captain shouted, causing the rest of the security to actually follow Shouri¡¯s demand. The boy sighed and leaned back, still trying to catch his breath. ¡°Rhythm carries intention. Famiglio Incendio is made using Maestros¡¯ rhythm and is maintained by the Resonator who carries out the summons,¡± Shouri began to explain to the captain. ¡°I simply forced him to summon dozens of rhythm beasts, enough to knock himself out, while getting my rhythm flowing through him.¡± His gaze remained hard-focused on the dog man being carted away for treatment. ¡°That¡¯s a crazy plan.¡± The older man shook his head in disbelief. Shouri let out a soft chuckle. ¡°Wasn¡¯t all my idea,¡± he admitted. ¡°Oh?¡± Slowly, Shouri¡¯s hand rose and he pointed at Rebecca who was limping back on her burnt legs and no shoes. ¡°She knew she needed to get the tuner to me and I¡¯d handle the rest. Couldn¡¯t let her down now, could I?¡± The head of security had no words. There was a reason the Klein family had an eye on this boy. Chapter 111 ¡°Here,¡± Elijah offered a glass bottle to Shouri. Naturally, after Shouri and his Resonators¡¯ heroics, they were allowed a well-earned rest in one of the staff rooms. Shouri had burned away enough of his rhythm where half of his hair was that lovely ashy grey that signaled he had burned away his extra rhythm. ¡°Huh?¡± Shouri glared at the bottle unsure of what to make of it. ¡°Apple juice. Will make Taika and Pacifica not kill me when you reunite with them,¡± Elijah chuckled. ¡°Hrm¡­¡± There was a story there, but Shouri cared not. Being stuck with low rhythm sucked and a solution was being offered to him for free. The cork was already pre-popped, so he simply removed it and drank his fill of the drink. ¡°Here,¡± Shouri offered the bottle to Rebecca without checking with Elijah first. Either way, the Klein heir didn¡¯t protest as Rebecca too, took her fill. ¡°Here,¡± and in turn, the bottle was offered to Liza. The dragon, unlike the two before her, felt some trepidation. ¡°I er¡­¡± Her eyes were focused on the rim of the bottle where the other two had placed their lips already. Did they have no shame?! Rebecca¡¯s brows descended into a glare. ¡°Just drink it.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t rhythm burn, tastes pretty good too,¡± Shouri added. ¡°F-fine!¡± Liza snatched the bottle from Rebecca and quickly chugged the apple juice, her prior hesitation entirely evaporating. ¡°Uhhh¡­¡± Elijah made a weak motion for the bottle. ¡°W-woah¡­ what the heck is this?¡± The dragon lowered the bottle, her head swaying. It was a good thing she was sitting as Liza slumped over. ¡°Everything spinning,¡± she squeaked, her tongue sticking slightly out. Elijah shook his head, pulling the bottle away from the fire dragon. ¡°You have to be careful with apple juice, goodness.¡± Shouri hummed and pulled out Liza¡¯s tuner. Status: OVER Rhythm: 107% ¡°I didn¡¯t even know it was possible to go over max rhythm,¡± Shouri noted. ¡°Only with apples. Excess rhythm will make it difficult to control one¡¯s body,¡± Elijah informed the Maestro. With a nod, Shouri figured out how to fix this. ¡°Liza, use your flight skill and hover for a bit, that should drain the excess rhythm,¡± he advised. ¡°Yes! I will do the thing!¡± Liza smacked herself in the face while attempting to salute. Either way, she extended her wings (giving Rebecca a face full of wing in the process) and attempted to fly as normal. SLAM THUD Elijah shook his head. Liza had jetted into the ceiling and crashed back down onto the couch in a spectacular fashion. The proud horns mounted on the dragon¡¯s head poked some nice holes in the drop ceiling tiles. ¡°Owie¡­¡± Liza rubbed her head (and bruised ego) while Rebecca pointed and laughed uncontrollably at the sad dragon. Shouri rolled his eyes, unable to suppress a small chuckle. Status: Ready Rhythm: 99% At least it fixed the problem, though. ¡°Are you feeling better now Mister Tomoshibi?¡± Elijah inquired of the Maestro. ¡°Yeah, pretty much.¡± Using the tuner in hand, Shouri examined his reflection on the screen. His hair was back to its soft brown. ¡°Good. We need to go see Miss Emelia.¡± ¡°Oh! That¡¯s right, how did her match go?¡± Shouri realized he had forgotten all about it with the whole Feroce attack. Elijah considered his word choice for a moment. ¡°She lost,¡± he stated bluntly. ¡°Convincingly so.¡± ¡°It¡­ wasn¡¯t close, was it?¡± Rebecca hesitantly inquired. ¡°Not in the slightest.¡± Elijah shook his head. Shouri grimaced. It would have been one thing if Emily lost to a Maestro like Ophira. But her opponent¡­ He snapped out of his thoughts when he felt Rebecca¡¯s hand on his shoulder. ¡°We should go see her, bossman.¡± The vixen smiled warmly. Taking a breath, Shouri exhaled sharply. ¡°You¡¯re right, Rebecca.¡± Once again, Liza sat as the third wheel in the room. Her heart panged as she averted her gaze from the pair sitting by her side. Why was she here again?
Taika sat in one of the stadium¡¯s infirmaries with Pacifica by her side. Both girls were quiet, lost in their thoughts. Emily¡¯s match was¡­ vexing, to say the least. It was nothing Emily did wrong. She made all the right calls. They were simply overpowered. That wasn¡¯t what frustrated the two Resonators, however. Shawn Hawk wasn¡¯t outwardly abusive to his Resonators. He didn¡¯t say or do anything to indicate any kind of maltreatment. What they felt from him was the part that stirred the two girl¡¯s emotions. He was so disconnected from Resonators as a whole. He didn¡¯t see people; he saw things, weapons, trophies. What was worse was after the match Shawn didn¡¯t even say anything to Emily. He simply left the field with his Resonators. His victory was of no consequence; it was just another day in the office. It was all so clinical. Meanwhile, Emily kept apologizing to her three beaten Resonators. She held them so close and desperately fought her tears, she tried to keep a brave face but ultimately lost out. And still, Shawn felt nothing. Not joy, not relief, not even contempt. Just¡­ apathy. Taika grabbed Pacifica¡¯s hand and held it tightly. The water element was still boiling. She let out quite a few choice words from the dugout. Shawn didn¡¯t hear a single one. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. What was even worse was that Shouri had been fighting while all of this was happening. Taika had attempted to call him, but was barred from doing so; the tuner informing her he was in active combat. They didn¡¯t even know the tuners possessed a lock like that. Rebecca and Liza¡¯s rhythm hadn¡¯t taken a dramatic fall, so they were probably doing okay. At least that¡¯s what Taika and Pacifica told themselves to not succumb to a panic attack on top of everything else going on. Emily returned to the waiting room, Ritika clinging to her side. The two women plopped down on one of the waiting benches. The four-strong group sat in silence for a moment. ¡°How¡­¡± Pacifica trailed off, though found her courage through Taika¡¯s rhythm. ¡°How is Al?¡± she inquired. The Maestro didn¡¯t meet the otter¡¯s gaze. ¡°He¡¯ll be fine,¡± she said quietly. Her focus was on a massive gem held in her hand. Pacifica caught onto that. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s Soot,¡± Ritika spoke up. ¡°Golem¡¯s ¡®brains¡¯ are these special Rubato Crystals. When their body is too damaged or they run out of rhythm, their body loses its form,¡± the cat explained. ¡°When Emmy and I feel better we¡¯ll build him a new body, no big deal,¡± she chuckled, though her smile faded, as her Maestro remained silent. ¡°You can do that?¡± Taika wondered. ¡°Sure. Emmy got me and Soot as a package deal. I found him in some ruins in the Subterris. As long as I have a suitable source of dirt to build with I can make him a new body,¡± the earth Resonator boasted proudly. ¡°Subterris?¡± The lunar raised a brow, unfamiliar with the location. ¡°It¡¯s the huge desert on the northern part of the continent. Tons of Naturals live there, not surprised you¡¯re unfamiliar with it.¡± Ritika shrugged. Pacifica jumped, a sudden coldness from Taika upon Naturals being mentioned. She wondered why, but also knew now wasn¡¯t the best time to ask. The door opened and- ¡°Sho!¡± Taika and Pacifica were instantly at their Maestro¡¯s side, nearly taking out Rebecca and Liza in the process. ¡°What happened?¡± Taika asked. ¡°The tuner said you were fighting,¡± Pacifica added. ¡°Another Feroce,¡± Shouri replied simply. His gaze met Emily¡¯s. ¡°What happened here?¡± he inquired, already knowing the answer. ¡°Mmrph¡­¡± Emily gripped Soot¡¯s crystal, refusing her fellow Maestro¡¯s gaze. Shouri motioned for his quartet to step back, which they silently acknowledged by giving him some room. He stepped over to the other Maestro and offered a hand. Emily stared at the extended hand. ¡°Etude with me,¡± Shouri suddenly demanded. ¡°Why?¡± Emily mumbled. ¡°You¡¯re bottling up your emotions. I can feel it,¡± he threw her words back at her from several nights ago. The Luna native cracked a smile. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right.¡± Emily and Shouri sat alone in one of the staff rooms. Taika and the rest of the Resonators stayed in the infirmary in case Albarich finished his rounds in the Viva Unit early. ¡°You know when I came down here with Al, we didn¡¯t know what to do,¡± Emily began. ¡°Right, and someone suggested you become a Duelist as a possible career path.¡± Shouri nodded, recalling her story from the other night. ¡°Yeah,¡± she mulled over her thoughts for a moment. ¡°I think that was a bad idea. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m cut out to be a duelist,¡± she admitted. Shouri furrowed his brow. ¡°So, what do you want to do?¡± he asked. She smiled. ¡°I think I want to try being a hunter like you,¡± the Luna-native replied. ¡°We can go on hunts, it¡¯ll be fun. We have six Resonators between us, we could totes barge into any scene we want and take over.¡± The blonde Maestro grinned confidently. Her mood was infectious (especially because of the active etude) and Shouri smirked back. ¡°Yeah, maybe they¡¯ll stop pairing me with randos,¡± he chuckled. ¡°Right right,¡± Emily laughed with him. Her smile faded after a moment. She squeezed his hands tightly, focusing more on the etude between them. ¡°I also want to help you with this Feroce thing,¡± she trembled as she spoke. ¡°I had no idea what they were doing to the Resonators they were taking down here.¡± Silence ¡°Turning into a Scherzando¡­ that¡¯s a fate worse than death,¡± she whispered. Shouri nodded slowly, returning her rhythm with some of his own. ¡°We¡¯ll figure it out. I¡¯ll make sure of it.¡± He meant every word; Emily was certain of that. Even with Willpower being his weak stave he was absolutely committed to that goal. It was no stretch of the imagination to say the ending of this Feroce pandemic was his guiding force, and whoever was pulling the strings, was his mortal enemy. What would he do to the person behind it if he ever found them? She had to make sure he didn¡¯t do something he¡¯d regret ¨C he was too good of a person to lose. If not for himself, then for his three Resonators. The love she felt from them was so genuine, and if they really were affected by ¨¤ deux, like had been theorized, they¡¯d be crushed if something happened to him. ¡°We¡¯ll figure it out,¡± Emily repeated back to him. She finally released him from the etude. ¡°Thanks, Shouri.¡± ¡°Of course, we¡¯re friends after all, right?¡± he once more threw her own words back at her. ¡°Totes,¡± she returned his declaration with a toothy grin. Chapter 112 ¡°Shouri.¡± Colette stood arms akimbo over Shouri and his three clingy Resonators. Kaira looked up from her book and paper folding, raising a brow for a second before going back to what she was doing. Shouri and the four Resonators returned to the suite, Emily had to wait for Albarich to finish healing and Elijah stayed behind to ensure she didn¡¯t have to travel back alone (especially because she was down one Resonator at the moment). Unfortunately, Colette and Kaira had arrived back first and thus broke up Shouri¡¯s relaxation time. ¡°You promised we would etude,¡± The scholar pointed out. ¡°Surprised you want to so openly.¡± He noted, recalling Emily¡¯s comment about how weird Riterran Maestros were about etude as a whole. ¡°It¡¯s just etude, what¡¯s the big deal?¡± She shrugged. Suddenly a lot of things about Colette made sense. No wonder she didn¡¯t seem to have friends or at least any that she talked about. ¡°Alright, do you want to etude with them also?¡± He motioned to the three clingy girls who stared back at the other Maestro. ¡°Yeah.¡± Colette nodded. ¡°Girls?¡± Shouri then asked his trio. ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Pacifica nodded. ¡°Hopefully there¡¯s nothing wrong with us,¡± Rebecca commented. ¡°Sure,¡± Taika quietly added. ¡°Oh, can I also do Liza while we¡¯re at it?¡± Colette requested. Shouri remained silent for a moment as the Rhythm Studies major stared at him expectedly. ¡°What?¡± He raised a brow. ¡°Can I also etude with Liza?¡± Colette repeated her question. ¡°Why are you asking me?¡± ¡°Well, she¡¯s technically your Resonator right now¡­¡± With a roll of his eyes, he shifted in place, showing he only had possession of three tuners right now. ¡°And besides, she¡¯s not mine, even so, you should ask her first. I only offered these three because I didn¡¯t think they¡¯d say no.¡± He elaborated. Colette¡¯s lips turned down. ¡°I see.¡± She furrowed her brow. ¡°Where is she?¡± ¡°Dunno, she¡¯s her own person,¡± and with that, Shouri went back to watching the TV. An hour or so passed. Colette finally returned. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m ready,¡± Colette mumbled. ¡°What did Liza say?¡± Shouri questioned. The college student mumbled something, shuffling awkwardly in place. ¡°She uh, didn¡¯t want to.¡± Shouri rolled his eyes, having expected that result. ¡°Sounds about right.¡± Motioning with his head, his trio released him from the cuddle cocoon. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He rose from the couch.
Shouri, Taika, Pacifica, and Rebecca sat with Colette on the roof of the hotel ¨C the part reserved specifically for the occupants of the presidential suite. Colette had come prepared, having laid out a cushioned mat for them to sit on. She sat cross-legged, taking some notes in her trusty notebook. ¡°So who¡¯s up first?¡± Shouri asked. ¡°You,¡± Colette replied, her pen continuing to race across the page. ¡°¡¯kay.¡± He took a seat in front of the other Maestro and offered his hands to her. There was a moment of silence and hesitation from the scholar. She could feel the three pairs of eyes on her. Yes, Shouri¡¯s trio of Resonators were keeping a close eye on her. They had known Colette for three weeks now; surely, they could at least trust her to not harm their Maestro? Dismissing that thought, Colette studied Shouri¡¯s hands for a moment. She had done this hundreds of times will all kinds of people. Many more than that outright refused her, which frustrated the scholar, but at least this golden goose was open to the idea. Knowing Shouri was an ¨¤ deux user, there were many things Colette wanted to look for. She dried the sweat from her hands on her skirt and took up his hands in her own. ¡°Let it flow naturally,¡± she muttered, closing her eyes and following her direction. According to what she had learned about him, he had been a Maestro for four months now. That had to be a lie, his scale ¨C the network of rhythm coursing through his body ¨C was so strong. He grew so quickly and what¡¯s more, his tempo was the most open she had ever experienced. It was no wonder that whenever she read his rhythm it always felt like she was being bowled over like a large wave crashing onto the shore. But as she got used to it, what she observed defied her expectations. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ normal¡­¡± she breathed. ¡°Hm?¡± Shouri raised a brow. Colette released her captive and took up her pen and notebook from her lap. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Again, her pen zoomed across the page as she jotted down her observations. ¡°Taika¡­ she¡¯s next,¡± Colette mumbled, continuing to write. With a shrug, Shouri swapped places with his team¡¯s first. Colette took up Taika¡¯s hands, just as she had done with the other Maestro before. ¡°Let it flow naturally just as you would with Shouri,¡± Colette told the fox. Taika nodded and closed her eyes, following the instructions of Colette. ¡°Hmm¡­ just normal¡­¡± Colette whispered, repeating the process she did with Shouri and taking notes on Taika¡¯s condition. Next, her attention was directed toward Pacifica. ¡°You now.¡± Two more etudes later and Colette had gained several pages of notes on Shouri and his team. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± She chewed on the end of her pen while poring over her notes. ¡°So what¡¯s the big deal?¡± Rebecca questioned. ¡°Given your experience levels, there¡¯s nothing abnormal about any of your scales. Your rhythm flows normally.¡± Colette kept her eyes trained on her research. She held out a hand without looking up. ¡°Tuners please,¡± she demanded. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Shouri shook his head but complied, placing the three tuners in the extended hand. Colette wasn¡¯t the most graceful and ended up dropping them all in front of her. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Yet another hum as Colette poured over the spell lists and took further notes. ¡°Interesting,¡± she mumbled. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Shouri raised a brow. ¡°By all accounts, you should have ultimate level spells at this point, simply based on your tempo,¡± Colette replied. ¡°On all three of them,¡± she clarified. That was shocking news, the quartet exchanging glances between each other. Colette stopped writing for a moment. ¡°I guess there is still a level of growth that needs to be completed to unlock them.¡± ¡°Surprised you don¡¯t have an answer for that,¡± Shouri commented. ¡°Ultimate Spells aren¡¯t well understood. We know only a few things about them.¡± She laid her pen on her lap before continuing. She held up three figures. ¡°Every Resonator can only unlock one for their entire life.¡± Down went her ring finger. ¡°Once it¡¯s unlocked, it¡¯s available no matter which Maestro has possession of them.¡± Middle finger. ¡°They can fundamentally do things that are impossible, such as the Nature Support Ultimate being able to generate an infinite supply of rhythm for its caster.¡± Finally, her index finger dropped. ¡°How and which one the Resonator gets are a mystery. There are theories that strong tempo does it, and typically how a Resonator is being used determines if their ultimate is an attack spell or a support one,¡± Colette continued her explanation. ¡°It¡¯s commonly accepted as fact, but there are too many outliers for the wider academic community to accept it.¡± Shouri and his Resonators exchanged concerned glances. The scholar theorized on though, ¡°You all are another example of the tempo-usage theory being wrong though. I have examined Maestros who have much weaker tempo with their Resonators and have their Resonator¡¯s Ultimate unlocked.¡± She flipped through her notes as she spoke. ¡°And unlike other spells that you can call out if you know them, calling a locked ultimate does nothing.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to ask ¨C what happens if someone calls a spell not in the tuner?¡± Shouri decided to sate that small curiosity from the beginning of his time with Taika. ¡°It can range from the spell working fine, to the Resonator¡¯s scale being permanently damaged. A lot of the Resonators you find with crippled scales are a result of a misfired spell. This was much more common before Rose invented the modern tuner in 1555,¡± Colette explained. ¡°Either way, it is never worth the risk.¡± Shouri nodded ¨C that¡¯s what he had suspected, but didn¡¯t want to look into it. It just seemed like something that would produce gruesome search results and he was never in the right state of mind to view such content. Colette rose to her feet. ¡°Anyways, you¡¯ve given me a lot to study, thanks.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Shouri had something on his mind as well, that much his Resonators picked up on.
¡°Maestro Shouri,¡± Kaira greeted the group upon their descent back into the presidential suite. ¡°Hey Kaira, what¡¯s up?¡± Shouri raised a brow. ¡°I cannot find Liza,¡± the earth Resonator informed him. ¡°What?¡± Rebecca stepped up next to Shouri. ¡°Where did she go?¡± the fox asked, brows descending into a concerned glare. Kaira remained calm and stoic as usual. ¡°I do not know. She was sleeping in Colette¡¯s bed, and when I went to check on her, she was no longer there. Mister Belvedere also did not see her leave.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go look for her then!¡± Pacifica went to take off but was yanked back by her vest. ¡°Work smarter, not harder,¡± Shouri told her, keeping the otter in place. With his free hand, Shouri grabbed Taika¡¯s tuner. ¡°Rilevare l''intenzione, Lento.¡± Taika nodded, closing her eyes and placing a finger on her temple. Shouri, Pacifica, Rebecca Colette, Kaira Two presences Four presences She opened her eyes, frowning. ¡°Are the others here?¡± the lunar asked the jackal girl. Kaira nodded in the affirmative. ¡°Yes, Maestro Klein and Maestro Emily returned only five minutes ago. They did not see Liza as they were making their way up,¡± she informed them. ¡°So Liza is gone gone then,¡± Shouri hummed. ¡°Oh well.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Sho?!¡± Rebecca spun to face her Maestro. ¡°She¡¯s her own person. I¡¯m not her Maestro,¡± Shouri stated adamantly. ¡°If she wants to go it on her own, then so be it,¡± even as he said this though, his expression clouded. ¡°I wish she would have said something to us first though,¡± he mumbled. Rebecca ground her teeth, lowering her head as she trembled with frustration. She knew he was right and she hated it. The group fell into silence. ¡°I¡¯m gonna uh, go review my notes,¡± Colette mumbled, taking her leave. ¡°Maestro Shouri.¡± Kaira took a small bow before following her Maestro. Shouri remained quiet, distracted by distant thoughts. Rebecca took up one of his arms. ¡°C¡¯mon bossman, let¡¯s go relax.¡± Taika grabbed his other arm. ¡°It¡¯s been a long day.¡± Pacifica hugged her three friends from behind. ¡°Let¡¯s order some food and chill.¡± He nodded slowly and submitted to the rhythm of his three precious Resonators. Chapter 113 Fire So much fire She was surrounded by a blaze that sought to steal her precious Maestro from her. Her best friend in the entire world. The one who she gave her heart. Cruel, greedy flames that selfishly tried to claim what wasn¡¯t theirs. The worst part was, she couldn¡¯t stop it ¨C she was powerless, weak, useless.
¡°HAH?!¡± Taika sat up with a gasp. She gripped her chest tightly as her heart raced underneath. It was still dark in the room. Despite her sudden movement, her three friends remained blissfully asleep. Taika hunched over, struggling to calm her pounding heart. What even was that dream? It wasn¡¯t Rebecca¡¯s fire ¨C her flames were passionate, loving, warm. The flames Taika dreamt of were cold, malicious, and jealous. What did it all mean? Taika wasn¡¯t the best at deciphering random dream nonsense, but this nightmare felt so pointed. It only made the lunar vixen nervous. Hopefully, this wasn¡¯t an omen of things to come¡­
¡°Taika? Taika?¡± SNAP SNAP SNAP! The vixen jolted out of her daze. Shouri pulled his hand away. They were sitting at one of the dining room tables. Her Maestro and two fellow Resonators stared back at her with concern. ¡°What¡¯s going on Taika?¡± Pacifica asked, scooting her seat closer to rest a hand on the lunar¡¯s shoulder. Taika lowered her head. Lying to Pacifica was entirely pointless. ¡°Ho avuto un incubo¡­¡± She admitted quietly. ¡°A nightmare, huh?¡± Pacifica frowned. ¡°Least it can¡¯t be Feroce.¡± Rebecca shrugged before taking another slice of bacon. ¡°It¡¯s okay Taika, it was just a bad dream.¡± Shouri took up the other side of his precious fox and rubbed the shoulder opposite of Pacifica. It wasn¡¯t that easy, but Taika nodded, trying to dismiss the previous night terror to the back of her mind. ¡°Come on, eat up, we¡¯re just going to be patrolling during the final match and then we¡¯re free.¡± Shouri patted her back reassuringly and returned to his seat. ¡°Right. Free,¡± the fox whispered. There was a presence somewhere in Naiza, one that was overbearingly hot. All it did was bring Taika anxiety. She only hoped Sahji would be kind today.
¡°Holy shit, he went all out.¡± Rebecca gasped upon their arrival to the stadium. The final battle of the tournament had yet to begin, but Elijah Klein, or more appropriately the Klein Foundation was not messing around. There were security guards everywhere. On top of the sheer body count, the Resonators hired to assist were top-notch, that much even Taika could tell by passing by. ¡°Elijah wants us specifically to deal with any Feroce Resonators that show up,¡± Shouri informed the group. ¡°Why us?¡± Taika asked. ¡°We¡¯re immune, remember?¡± Pacifica reminded her fellow Resonator. ¡°That guy was telling Sho that a couple of the Resonators that helped us yesterday got Feroce after the battle,¡± Rebecca chimed in. ¡°Ah.¡± She had really been spacing out this morning, poor Taika couldn¡¯t recall such a conversation but trusted her friends¡¯ words. ¡°Where¡¯s Emily?¡± Pacifica questioned. ¡°With Elijah and Colette in one of the sky boxes. They got private catering and everything,¡± Shouri huffed. ¡°Jealous?¡± Pacifica grinned, elbowing the Maestro. ¡°Yeah! We¡¯re busting our asses out here patrolling so they can sit in an air-conditioned room, eat, and watch the game!¡± he growled. ¡°Klein fucking owes me after this.¡± They continued their beat. The crowds began to thin as the loudspeaker roared overhead. ¡°Maestros!¡± The referee¡¯s voice boomed across the entire stadium. ¡°This is a three-on-three battle! Substitutions may occur when a Resonator returns to their Maestro or when a Resonator is no longer fit for battle! Goal is zero percent rhythm remaining!¡± Shouri and his trio wandered over to one of the openings overlooking the field to sneak a look at the contestants. Both Maestros they had met. On one side stood the man who knocked Emily out of the tournament ¨C Shawn Hawk. His trio of Resonators stood at the ready, stiff at attention, ready for command. Standing his opposite was the raven-haired beauty, Ophira Mikami. Her three Resonators were currently in an active brawl with each other. Hayley was having the time of her life while Nika was attempting to tear her limb from limb while Fureena was desperately trying to save her teammate. If this wasn¡¯t the end of a week of watching these teams decimate the competition there may have been some doubt about Ophira¡¯s odds. ¡°Please make your initial selections, you have thirty seconds!¡± With that declaration, Hayley launched Nika into the air and rolled into play. The cat-girl gracefully landed on her feet and shouted something to the tune of: ¡°This isn¡¯t over!¡± Shawn on the other hand took the full thirty seconds before drawing the yellow tuner from his side, the corresponding Resonator stepping forward to face their adversary. As they had seen from her before, the Fire Mouse Hayley stood with total confidence, bouncing on her toes in sheer anticipation. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Her opponent however was a much larger yellow felid: Ceri, the lightning tiger. They looked down upon the small rodent girl but still held an air of caution. This was the finals, after all, one did not get here through dumb luck. ¡°No time limit! You may begin!¡± With that declaration, the stadium erupted into a cacophony of cheering and applause. Hayley easily cleared the gap between her and her opponent, launching a kick at the tiger¡¯s side. However, the lightning elemental wasn¡¯t as slow as their large frame seemed to imply ¨C they parried the mouse¡¯s kick and attempted to grab the leg so generously offered up. Pulling back, Hayley barely managed to pivot herself out of the tiger¡¯s grasp. She quickly made some distance between herself and the lightning element. Coming to a stop, she stayed on her toes, maintaining a ready stance. Just as it was getting good, Shouri¡¯s tuners began to ring. ¡°Hm?¡± He stepped away from the noise of the crowd, covering one ear as he answered the call with his other hand. ¡°Hey! What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Shouri, come down to the box,¡± Elijah spoke from the other line. ¡°Hm? Why?¡± Shouri asked. ¡°We got some information from the Maestros you¡¯ve apprehended. It¡¯s best to go over it with you in person,¡± said the Klein heir Shouri mulled that over for a second before deciding on his reply. ¡°Okay,¡± he acquiesced without much opposition. ¡°See you in a bit,¡± and Elijah hung up shortly after. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Pacifica asked, joined by Taika and Rebecca. ¡°Sounds like Elijah got some info out of those Feroce guys.¡± Shouri stared at the tuner he had accepted the call from. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Rebecca asked, noting the perplexion on the Maestro¡¯s face. He gathered his thoughts for a moment, furrowing his brow. ¡°He could have just told me what was up over the phone¡­¡± ¡°His voice sounded¡­ grim? Is that the right word?¡± Taika spoke quieter than usual. Pacifica shot a glance at her fellow Resonator. What did the lunar know? The group stood in quiet contemplation for a moment, only roused from their silent thoughts when the roar of the crowd rose with the action on the battlefield. Shouri shook his head. ¡°Let¡¯s just go see what he wants.¡±
The walk around the stadium was quiet. At least for the four making their way up to the box where their employer and friends were watching the festivities. The stadium itself was boisterously loud as the crowd boomed and shook the very foundation of the structure as the battle raged below. The loudspeakers broadcast the announcer¡¯s play-by-play so not even the vendors would miss a moment of the action. ¡°An intense battery, but both corners are holding their ground!¡± ¡°Oh! Nika starts to attack! This battle has taken a new turn!¡± ¡°It''s a mental tug-of-war as they anticipate each other''s move.¡± Either way, they had lost investment in the battle. Shouri was too preoccupied with swirling thoughts of what Elijah could possibly tell them. Taika struggled to keep her racing thoughts in check as her unease grew. Rebecca and Pacifica were confused about what was going on with the other pair. Thankfully the walkways were devoid of foot traffic outside of staff patrolling about. Even so, that didn¡¯t stop them from walking into a stretch of the colosseum with nobody there. Well, that was except for them. A pair of cloaked figures stood square in the center of the path. ¡°Sho!¡± Pacifica grabbed her Maestro¡¯s shoulder, halting him. ¡°They¡¯re-!¡± ¡°I know.¡± He pushed his jacket back, his hands brushing his three tuners. The Maestro of the cloaked pair chuckled, laughed, and then finally full-on cackled. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for this.¡± Rebecca¡¯s eyes went wide. That voice. There was no way she¡¯d ever forget the owner of that voice. Pulling his hood back, the Maestro revealed himself ¡°Lyle.¡± Shouri narrowed his gaze. ¡°Even if Liza didn¡¯t already tell us what you were up to, it doesn¡¯t surprise me that you¡¯d try to shortcut your way into strength,¡± he spoke calmly, his eyes glowing with bright yellow rhythm. Pacifica shot a glance at her Maestro. He was shutting out his emotions, processing everything through logical, knowledge-rich rhythm. She shook her head and refocused herself towards Lyle and his new Feroce Resonator. ¡°Sho!¡± Taika shouted, pointing to just behind the shady pair opposing them. Lying on the ground behind them was Liza, totally unconscious. Shouri¡¯s rhythm wavered. Even as logical as he was trying to be, seeing that set him off. ¡°BASTARD! SHE LOVES YOU!¡± he roared, unable to hold himself back. Now the Feroce Resonator spoke. ¡°Love?¡± they scoffed. ¡°You, Shouri Tomoshibi, are NOT allowed to talk ¡®bout LOVE.¡± That voice¡­ it made Shouri¡¯s heart stop. Suddenly, it was impossible to breathe. There wasn¡¯t any way¡­ The Resonator removed her cloak, throwing it behind her. Orange cat ears flicked up, sitting atop burnt orange hair. Cold blue eyes glared down the Maestro standing her opposite. Her outfit was in tatters, burnt, just like her skin, blackened unnaturally in several places. Even with all of this; a different outfit, a matured frame, the ravages of time and Feroce alike¡­ Shouri recognized this Resonator. ¡°M-Mi¡­la?¡± Chapter 114 ¡°Mila¡­?¡± Taika gasped, staring down her senior. Shouri¡¯s first Resonator. The one who should have been accompanying him. The one who was meant to be his. The one who changed him down to a rhythmic level. There was a familiar feeling being in the presence of this cat girl. Not a good one. Taika shook her head, but her rhythm quickly quelled her desire to flee. Instead, Taika saw Mila for what she was: a threat, an obstacle for her to eliminate. She went to step forward, however, she was beaten to the punch. Rebecca stood confidently in front of Shouri. ¡°Sho. Don¡¯t zone out, ¡± she told him. Her heels sparked wildly. She wasn¡¯t prepping to ignite her flames, no, she was struggling to keep them tame. ¡°Don¡¯t hold back.¡± Rebecca maintained her glare focused on Lyle. ¡°I am your sword and I refuse to break, so swing me at him already, ¡± the vixen growled. ¡°Idiot! A mere fox doesn¡¯t stand a chance against a Feroce!¡± Lyle boasted, raising his tuner. ¡°I¡¯ll show you who the third-rate Maestro is!¡± At that moment there were sounds of battle arising in the various levels of the colosseum. Shouri figured they must be still after Emily for what she saw on Luna and this was their last-ditch effort at getting her. The practical mind in him said to do his job; to restrain Mila with all three of his Resonators and take Lyle out himself. But... there was a louder, more selfish voice in his head. Put him in his place. Destroy him as a Maestro. Show him Rebecca''s true potential. Prove how worthless he really is. Lyle was just a distraction - they were looking for Emily after all. He could afford to go all out here. Rebecca wanted this chance as well; he watched her bounce on her toes, her eyes completely focused on their adversaries. The boy smirked, his decision made. ¡°We gotta end this quick Rebecca,¡± Shouri advised his fire Resonator. ¡°Of course.¡± Rebecca grinned toothily. Mila was unamused, bringing up her fists, ready to scrap. ¡°Taika, Pacifica ¨C we¡¯ll keep Mila and Lyle distracted. Focus on getting Liza away from him,¡± Shouri quietly told his other two Resonators. ¡°But-!¡± they tried to protest, but Shouri silenced them with a gesture of his hand. ¡°Please. Trust me and Rebecca.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Taika gave in. ¡°You better not lose to him,¡± Pacifica said with an uneasy pout. Shouri nodded, his eyes never leaving Mila¡¯s form. The scars coating her body, the state of her dress. She was wearing the same tattered blue shirt from her childhood. It was much too small for her adult frame, but even her new clothing was in a similar state of disrepair. Just what had she gone through in these eight long years? ¡°First let¡¯s set the stage! Grave Rischio, Feroce!¡± Lyle declared the first spell. Rather than casting the spell towards Rebecca, Mila held out her hands and spread the sinister caltrops in either direction, filling the walkways with the Feroce-infused spikes, effectively trapping the combatants in an arena of their own. ¡°Good,¡± Shouri muttered under his breath. He didn¡¯t want other people getting involved with this. It was a blessing in disguise really. Raising Rebecca¡¯s tuner, Shouri never let his vision leave Mila¡¯s visage. His heart hurt having to do this, but in the same respect she was right in front of him. He could save her this time. He had the power! ¡°The battle has reached the final stage, but we still can¡¯t predict the outcome of this battle!¡± boomed from the loudspeaker overhead. ¡°Famiglio Incendio, Rubato!¡± Shouri declared. ¡°Scottare, Legato!¡± Lyle countered. Rebecca began to summon a pack of rhythm beasts but, was instantly countered by the Fire-Water Ossia whipping across the battlefield. Rebecca herself dodged the steam blast however, her summons did not fare so well and were wiped out in the crossfire. Landing firmly on the ground, Rebecca glared at the opposing cat, who was more than happy to return the glower. Without a word, Rebecca charged Mila, clearing the distance between them in an instant. As soon as she was in range, the fire fox unleashed a flurry of kicks. Mila responded in kind, her wrists igniting with flames of her own. Hand met foot as the two fire Resonators exchanged blows. Every kick aimed carried the weight of technique and perfection, while the blocks and punches were that of raw willpower, being forged through numerous confrontations without regard for how the technique was molded. Shouri studied how the cat was fighting. It was just as he suspected, and he didn¡¯t need to say a word to Rebecca ¨C they were on the same wave-length. She increased the intensity of her attacks, and Mila was forced to respond in kind, lest she lose ground. That¡¯s when Lyle suddenly cried out, ¡°Get away from her!¡± Mila ducked under a kick, and blasted herself away from Rebecca, who attempted to punish her position with an axe kick. Thanks to Mila¡¯s timely retreat, Rebecca only sliced through a whole lot of air. ¡°Tch,¡± Mila spat to the side, smothering her wrist flames. Several flame foxes remained on standby, having suddenly popped into existence during the exchange of blows. It was clear allowing Rebecca to get close was not only dangerous, but deadly. Though they were matched in spellcraft, Lyle had one advantage to press his contemporary did not. ¡°Grave Cinesi, Feroce!¡± he called out. With a wave of Mila''s hand, a wave of sinister energy assailed Rebecca, instantly causing her vision to blur. The fox stumbled, finding it difficult to maintain her combat-ready stance. With the loss in concentration, the flame foxes evaporated into thin air. ¡°Fuck,¡± Shouri cursed, having shot a concerned glance at his tuner. Status: Hallucination And now he unfortunately had learned what that particular Feroce spell did. ¡°Snap out of it!¡± he shouted, feeling particularly useless in that moment. His cry did cause Rebecca to regain a bit of her focus. Lyle however sought to capitalize on the momentary distraction. ¡°Grave Gelo, Feroce!¡± A spear of blackened ice was launched at the struggling fox. She barely managed to step out of the way of the frozen spear, but didn¡¯t dodge it entirely, getting nicked in the side by the spell. ¡°Gah!¡± Rebecca grunted, her hand snapping to the side that got hit. Another quick glance at the tuner Status: Frostbite The pain had snapped her out of the hallucination, but in exchange she now held her injured side while also trembling from the cold. Feroce spells were no joke, being able to inflict a chilling effect on a Resonator who should have been immune to such an effect was the pinnacle of insanity. Fitting for what Feroce was as a phenomenon. Lyle didn¡¯t let up. ¡°Grave Fulmine, Feroce!¡± Thankfully, this was one Feroce spell they were familiar with. Mila unleashed a black bolt of lightning. Rebecca rolled out of the way, giving herself speed with her ad-Lib and hopping back up to her feet with ease. ¡°Tch, ¡± Lyle ground his teeth. ¡°Grave Fulmine, Feroce!¡± Another lightning bolt, Rebecca began to move to dodge it in the same way. ¡°Grave Fossa, Feroce!¡± Right as Rebecca was rolling to stand up, the ground under her gave way and began to suck her down, similar to the Ossia spell that they had seen trap the lightning Resonator from a few days prior. ¡°Shit!¡± Rebecca cursed, completely trapped. ¡°Rebecca!¡± Shouri cried out. ¡°Finally, dealt with that fucking mobility,¡± Lyle sighed in relief. ¡°Drown her - Grave Beccuccio, Feroce.¡± Time slowed. This is it? This is all I could do? No. Not again. I won¡¯t be useless again. In spite of the oncoming attack, Rebecca and Shouri calmed. They both took in a deep breath, the chaos of the shouting and screaming around them muted. Shouri¡¯s lips moved as an impossible clip as Mila began to launch her spell, sinister black water jetting towards the pit Rebecca was ensnared in. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°Saldatura ad Arco MagifiammaScottare , Legato!¡± The sinister water-like rhythm struck where Rebecca was trapped, but the spell splashed away in an unusual manner, and through it two more spells cut through the attack: a blast of steam that struck Mila, and then following along the water an intense bolt of super-heated lightning that finished cleaving away Grave Beccuccio and Mila as a result. The cat flew backwards, slamming into the ground and rolling a small distance. ¡°What¡­ the fuck was that¡­?¡± Lyle¡¯s eyes were wide, unable to believe what just transpired. To his horror, Rebecca pulled herself out of the trappings she had previously been pinned in. Streaks of white graced her normally vibrant ombr¨¦ hair. Her breaths short, haggard, but focused. Even in such a weakened state her eyes glowed with vibrant red rhythm. And Shouri, his eyes similarly shimmered with yellow rhythm, practically bursting at the seams. His own hair was free of any ashiness. He took a breath with Rebecca. Their focus mirrored, absolute in what must be done. BEEEP! ¡°Lanciafiamme, Fortissimo!¡± Lanciafiamme Pianissimo ¨C Piano ¨C Forte ¨C Fortissimo (NEW!) ¡°Riflettore Musicale, Fortissimo!¡± Lyle shouted in desperation as the intense stream of fire whipped by him aimed squarely at the recovering Mila. The shielder threw up her reflective barrier, matching the intensity of the attack with a barrier that returned the spell right back at its caster. Another breath shared by Shouri and Rebecca. BEEEP! ¡°Bolide, Fortissimo!¡± Bolide Pianissimo ¨C Piano ¨C Forte ¨C Fortissimo (NEW!) As the Lanciafiamme was on its way back to Rebecca, a massive ball of fire tore right through her own reflected spell. There was no time to block, dodge, or brace herself: Mila took the attack head on, whether she was ready to or not. BOOM! The impact ended in a massive explosion of fire, knocking Lyle off his feet and sweeping away the Grave Rischio that surrounded them. When the dust settled, Mila was soundly defeated, her hair nearly totally white. ¡°THIS ISN¡¯T FAIR! I WAS SUPPOSED TO WIN!¡± Lyle roared, tossing his tuner to the ground in disgust. ¡°YOU FUCKING CHEATED SOMEHOW I KNOW YOU DID!¡± The Maestro pointed an accusatory finger at his opponent. Rebecca and Shouri turned their glares on the pitiful Maestro who stood before him. The pathetic man crumbled under the intense, hateful gaze cast in his direction and ran away with a loud whimper and cry. With that nuisance now someone else¡¯s problem, the victors of the match turned their attention to Mila. For a moment Shouri and Rebecca studied the downed cat, fearing the match had ended fatally. However, the slow rise and fall of Mila¡¯s chest alleviated those concerns. ¡°Holy shit, ¡± Pacifica gasped, holding up the still unconscious Liza. ¡°Nothing to it.¡± Rebecca grinned toothily. Her bravado only lasted a moment as she buckled over, holding the side she had been struck on by the Grave Gelo. ¡°Holy shit indeed.¡± Shouri slumped as well, allowing the sweat to rain as he shook it of him. His head was pounding and his body ached from the intensity at which the rhythm had been ripped from his body during that entire exercise. Speaking of, his hair had begun to fade into white, the rhythm adrenaline rush wearing off. ¡°Let¡¯s never do that again,¡± he snarked with a smirk. ¡°Yeah, fuck that,¡± Rebecca chuckled. Taika rushed over, leaving Pacifica to tend to Liza. But before she could make it to her friends, Rebecca suddenly flew to the ground, as if struck by an invisible force. ¡°What the-?!¡± and before Shouri could finish that thought, he too was struck and slumped over. His trio of tuners were thrown from his person by an invisible force, clattering to the ground and scattering away. Unlike Rebecca, he floated unnaturally in place, being held up by some unseen actor. ¡°Taika-!¡± Pacifica cried out. A bright flickering light from behind the fox caused her to spin around to see Pacifica drop Liza and fall to the ground, unconscious. The vixen¡¯s heart raced. She was suddenly alone ¨C someone had just picked off all her friends. Based on how fast Pacifica fell and the light show, the lightning element was probably utilized. She spun around and threw a punch into the air¡­ THWACK! ¡­and made contact. ¡°FUCK!¡± a voice yelped, their form suddenly coming into focus after being struck. Blues, greens, yellows, and oranges adorned the woman¡¯s form. Next to her laid her red glasses, being a victim of Taika¡¯s sudden strike. The mystery woman brushed back her blue hair, passing over the strange mechanical green horns that jutted out of her head. ¡°Lunars are always the most dangerous,¡± the woman grumbled. ¡°Then again, all four of you were dangerous to the project.¡± She hopped to her feet. Taika¡¯s glare was locked solely on the woman. ¡°You were at Lyreann Castle,¡± the Lunar Resonator noted. ¡°Whistler,¡± she managed to recall her adversary¡¯s name. ¡°Fat lot of good that will do you. You¡¯re Maestroless,¡± Whistler scoffed. WHOOSH Whistler barely managed to dodge the second punch thrown in her direction. ¡°Metti gi¨´ Sho o sar¨¤ l''ultima cosa che farai...¡± the vixen threatened. Even with such provocation, Whistler maintained a smug smirk. ¡°Why don¡¯t you make me, little girl?¡± Another punch. Whistler¡¯s eyes widened, the smirk wiped off her face as she suddenly fell to the ground. She had dodged, right!? THEN WHY WAS HALF OF HER ARM MISSING?! A sea of metal shards, circuit boards, and wires scattered across the ground leaving Whistler staring at the protruding wires arcing and sparking from the remnants of her elbow joint. Whistler didn¡¯t have time to analyze her new found amputation, as a foot was barreling towards her head like a rocket. The woman flattened herself against the ground, but had to roll away as Taika¡¯s foot instantly stamped into the ground where Whistler once was. The concrete cracked under the force of the blow. ¡°FUCK! The bitch has Volont¨¤ Estesa! She¡¯s telekinetic!¡± Whistler cursed, spinning to her feet. She managed to dodge another kick thrown in her direction. Catching it was out of the question, even Vatonium wouldn¡¯t survive against such a boosted physical force. ¡°Just go down!¡± Extending her remaining arm, she shot a bolt of lightning through the lunar Resonator. This only served to enrage the fox further. Once more Whistler was on the backfoot, dodging a flurry of punches. Had she been an organic being such a feat would have been impossible. Even so, she was rapidly draining her own rhythm reserves. Maintaining the speed required to avoid the attack and repel the telekinetic force attached to each swing was taxing even for a Resonator of her combat level. CRACK BOOM! Taika was suddenly struck by a massive bolt of lightning from the sky, halting her for a moment. That break was all Whistler needed to charge up a lightning strike of her own and unleashing it on the stunned lunar element. The fox fell to her knees panting. ¡°I won¡¯t¡­ let you take him.¡± Tears poured down her face. Despite being struck twice by lightning and the residual electricity arcing down her body, despite her hair having turned almost entire white, despite being completely cut off from her Maestro, Taika rose again. CRACK BOOM! Only for a third bolt of lightning from the sky to smother the final embers of resistance. Thud! Taika fell flat on her face, unmoving. ¡°Holy shit¡­ what a god damn monster,¡± Whistler sighed in relief. ¡°No wonder they want to study this kid.¡± Her glance fell on the point where Shouri had once been floating, now gone. ¡°Either way, mission complete,¡± and with that declaration, Whistler faded out of sight as if she had never been there. Interlude 5 ¡°I¡¯m not trying to replace Cecil. I really did like him. But there¡¯s a small part of me that thinks he wouldn¡¯t have wanted me to dwell on my past mistakes.¡± ¡°Hah¡­ Lying is what got him killed in the first place.¡± A boy of fifteen years lay sprawled out on his bed. He was home, a nice one all things considered. Probably average by all accounts, but it was his home. The curtains were drawn shut, blocking out the morning light. Not that it mattered. It had already been over two months since that day, and there were no signs of it becoming easier. His mistakes were thrown back in his face time and again. Not by any malicious actor mind you, but by his clouded mind. At least he could close his eyes now without seeing that shot. Oh, how that trail of rhythm haunted his dreams for the first month. It was a mercy, honestly. Someone cleaned up his mistake before the weight of his sins grew larger than he had already made it. KNOCK KNOCK ¡°Vince honey, are you up?¡± a concerned voice asked from the other side of his door. The teen Maestro mulled over his answer choice. ¡°You could say that,¡± he decided on. ¡°Breakfast is ready,¡± they called back, a bit more hope in her voice. With a resigned sigh, Vince sat up. Even with the black-out curtains, some light still penetrated the darkness of his bedroom. His eyes fell on a shimmering white device that lay on his desk. A trophy for his sins. Even still, it felt wrong to leave it behind. Despite the static that graced the once vibrant user interface, he still carried it with him. Today was no exception. The young boy rose and clipped the device to his waist, ready to face the day.
Breakfast was silent. It had been like that ever since he got home following the incident. His parents were exceptionally good at reading the room, perhaps to a fault. They hadn¡¯t spoken much to him outside of ensuring he was taking care of himself. Were they mad at him? He did come home via military escort. He wasn¡¯t a parent, but even his naivete had a limit ¨C it was at least alarming. What¡¯s more, that Kiki woman didn¡¯t spare a single detail. Whether he knew it or not, he had committed a crime. Feroce spells were considered Resonator abuse, and what he had done out at the hunter¡¯s base camp could have gotten him much steeper charges¡­ if he had managed to hit anyone. Through the grace of the sages, there were no injuries, and only one fatality ¨C Cecil. The only reason his Resonator license wasn¡¯t revoked on the spot was because Aster, the sniper woman¡¯s Resonator spoke up in his defense. And not only that, they gave him an ultimatum ¨C give them the information on Cecil¡¯s original owner and they would drop all charges against him. He didn¡¯t want that ¨C he wanted to be punished for his crimes. But¡­ Vince told them anyway. He didn¡¯t want anyone else to make his mistake. The person who sold Cecil to him knew. He absolutely knew what he was doing. ¡°I¡¯m going out,¡± Vince said, standing from the table, his plate empty.
Vince Rayburn was an average teen in all respects. Or at least he should have been. As he walked through his suburb, he saw the other Maestros who lived in his neighborhood. Some still in school, with their Student Permits, some full-fledged Maestros ¨C like he was. He meandered along, his eyes always drawn to the Resonators around him. A Maestro running a roofing business stood on the ground, barking orders to the trio of bird Resonators laying shingles on a roof. A boy his age was challenging a girl to a Resonator battle A small troop of Nature elements was tending to the trees and grass of one of the bigger homes. The thing all of these Resonators shared was the same: they didn¡¯t look happy. Vince hadn¡¯t been the most perceptive young man, Cecil called it out many times before. But he never stopped to ask: was this what they wanted? What did Cecil really want? Vince would never know. He never asked. He never thought to. It was so¡­ odd how everyone just accepted things the way they were. Even the Resonators did. In his mind, he saw his hero and his partners. Yes, the one person who didn¡¯t run away and tried to stop Vince from making that dreadful mistake. Shouri Tomoshibi. His partners never made the faces he saw on other Resonators. They were happy, content, and fulfilled in their lives. They weren¡¯t tools, they were people. His people and he was their person. Just as they belonged to him, he belonged to them. It was too late now, but Vince now knew what a real Maestro looked like. Before Vince knew it, a bus had stopped in front of him. The open door beckoned. In his rumination, he had found his way to a bus stop. With a shrug, Vince boarded the vehicle.
He remembered the day he brought Cecil home ¨C it was a sunny day like this one. Vince had been looking for the right Resonator for months. Sure, he could just go adopt someone from one of the many adoption services out there, but most of those were common Resonators like dogs, cats, and birds. No, Vince Rayburn was a bright star destined for greatness. He couldn¡¯t just have anyone as his first Resonator. He had to have someone with impact, someone that you¡¯d write a legend about. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. That¡¯s when he found his way into downtown Corhiasela. He lived an hour or so outside the city limits, but he was riding the high of being a newly freed fifteen-year-old. So, without telling his parents where he was going, he just left one day. Into the deep concrete jungle, the young boy ventured, taking in the sights and sounds all at his own pace. No parents or teachers to drag him around. He was free, he was an adult, and you could bet your bottom dollar he could handle himself. What a moron he was. He''d always remember that sketchy shop. It was in one of the rougher parts of the city, where the infrastructure had been neglected by the city planners, where the people who lived there did so out of necessity rather than choice. Yet despite it all, one storefront ¨C a re-purposed home ¨C drew his attention. Not because it was fancy or clean, but because of the aura it radiated. It wasn¡¯t like anything he had ever felt, it drew him in like a magnet. ¡°Welcome, how may I help you?¡± the older man¡¯s voice rang from the depths of Vince¡¯s memories. Vince had learned a valuable lesson: if it¡¯s too good to be true¡­ it probably was. ¡°What are you looking for?¡± ¡°A strong and unique Resonator!¡± ¡°Ohoh, am I looking at a future Grand Master?¡± ¡°You bet! I¡¯m going to be the best!¡± ¡°Like no one ever was, I would imagine.¡± It had been less than half a year since that exchange, but even so, Vince felt secondhand embarrassment at his past self¡¯s naivet¨¦. The Vince of the present wanted to scream and shout, stop himself from making that terrible decision. But even so, he couldn¡¯t change what happened. His memories played on, looking over the various Resonators presented to him by that strange old man. Until finally, he was paraded out. Cecil was quite the specimen; tall, fit, imposing ¨C his expression was as hard as stone, unflinching and immovable. The brightness of his solar element radiated out for all to behold. Yes, it was as if Cecil himself was the very sun his element embodied. Come to find out, not only was this creature a lion of all things, but an Albright, a supposed descendant of Armando of the Noble Swords. Unfortunately, Vince was only fresh out of primary school, he had yet to start earning a single sharp on his own. He had money saved up, allowance, and graduation gifts from his relatives. Even he knew it was nowhere near enough to match the price tag an Albright would carry. This is where all of the alarm bells should have been going off. He should have run away, or done anything else than what he did. Vince in the present caressed the cold white tuner that hung from his side. He missed the warmth of the connected device, the rhythm that used to be passed between him and Cecil. ¡°I think I can part with this one for that much. Oh, there is something I must tell you about its spells though. You see, these Resonators are very special, very powerful.¡± Why didn¡¯t he think about it more carefully? It stunk. Fishy as hell. But poor stupid Vince of the past went along with it. All the paperwork he was given looked official enough. Even the MA Office he went to didn¡¯t find a single problem with the forms Vince handed over. They happily registered Cecil under his name without batting an eye. He couldn¡¯t blame the MA Office though; they must have done similar registrations multiple times a day. Of course, they wouldn¡¯t bat an eye at him registering an Albright. They didn¡¯t know who Vince was ¨C for all they knew, he was the kid of a wealthy crystal baron or something. The only people who even questioned the sketchy circumstances were his parents. ¡°An Albright?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t get that much money from graduation.¡± ¡°What¡¯s really going on here mister?¡± Vince couldn¡¯t say, of course. He didn¡¯t want his shiny new powerful Resonator taken away from him. So he lied. A Maestro was retiring and sold off his Resonators on the cheap or something, he couldn¡¯t remember exactly which lie he cooked up at the moment. It worked¡­ at least he thought so. His parents never actually told him if they believed his fibbery or just let him get away with it. He kind of wished they had dug deeper into it. Maybe this was their way of showing him love? Trusting him to make adult decisions? Ha, that just got a lion killed for no reason. The boy sighed, his memories fading back from whence they came. He had managed to ride the bus in a complete circle ¨C hours had passed all while he sat in his head. It must have been at least five or six in the evening at this point, he could only tell by the orange hues taking over the sky. He departed from the bus, back in his comfy little neighborhood once again. By now people were getting home from work, so the foot traffic around was greater than when he left. Either way, he didn¡¯t pay it any mind. He simply walked back to his house. However, when he walked through the front door, the sound of the home phone ringing graced his ears. Not too unusual, but what was different was what happened next. ¡°Vince? Is that you?¡± his mother called out for him. ¡°Yeah!¡± he shouted back. ¡°It¡¯s for you!¡± The boy blinked. Who would be calling for him? He grabbed the receiver that hung in the main hallway. ¡°Vince speaking,¡± he answered. ¡°Hey Vince, you got a minute?¡± a familiar voice asked. For the first time in months, a smile rose on his lips. ¡°Yeah, I do.¡± Chapter 115 ¡°Your child has Discordant Willpower.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°He¡¯ll be reliant on etude if he wants to live a normal life.¡± ¡°For how long?¡± ¡°Well it¡¯s a deficiency in his rhythm, there¡¯s no curing it ¨C the only method of alleviating the symptoms is etude, preferably in a duet with a matching Resonator. He can live a perfectly normal life this way.¡± ¡°I disagree.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°My son doesn¡¯t NEED a Resonator to live. I¡¯m going to get a second opinion.¡± What would his life have been if his parents weren¡¯t so strict¡­? ¡°I want her.¡± ¡°Are you sure Shouri? She¡¯s a lunar.¡± ¡°Yes! She¡¯s really nice!¡± ¡°Can we take her home?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good thing we already have a pool, an otter like her must love swimming.¡± ¡°Swimming is so much fun!¡± ¡°She¡¯s the one I want.¡± ¡°Oh, a fire fox. What a fine choice! She looks lovely.¡± ¡°I like how warm she is¡­¡± They could have been together for so much longer than they had been. But it was all broken. Cold, alone, miserable. It was a terrible fate that had befallen all of them. It was all over. ¡°Wake up.¡± ¡°Come on. I know you¡¯re made of tougher stuff than that.¡± ¡°You were taken for a reason, now get up.¡± ¡­ Consciousness returned to Shouri Tomoshibi. Instantly he was assailed by stimuli and/or the lack thereof. For starters, he was in a seat of some kind. He had no motion of his hands or legs, as they were bound. He was also being deprived of his vision; some kind of cloth covering his eyes. There was a significant weight around his neck, some kind of device binding it. Whatever it was also had an effect that was draining his rhythm. The image in his mind was of the device that was used on the kidnapper when he was finally apprehended by law enforcement. A miniature Ceo¨ªche cage he surmised based on the sensation. His head still pounded something fierce. On top of his rhythm being suppressed, he was still drained from the battle he had against Lyle. They had won pretty convincingly, but then it was foggy after that. ¡°You¡¯re finally awake,¡± an unknown voice said. ¡°Wha-!?¡± A hand covered his mouth. ¡°Shhhhh¡­ Quietly now.¡± Heeding the stranger¡¯s advice, he spoke quietly. ¡°Who are you?¡± he whispered. ¡°A friend.¡± ¡°Not one I know,¡± Shouri snarked. ¡°That¡¯s a fair point.¡± There was a moment of silence. ¡°So, are you going to help me?¡± said Shouri ¡°I was just taking a moment to appreciate you.¡± Shouri didn¡¯t know how to take that. Thankfully the enigmatic voice spoke up and broke the awkward pause. ¡°Let me deal with this real quick.¡± There was a jostling with the device around his neck and after a moment, his rhythm was freed. The rest of the restraints and blindfold however remained in place. ¡°Are you going to undo the rest of these?¡± Shouri asked. ¡°Nope!¡± they responded cheerfully. ¡°You¡¯re fucking with me,¡± Shouri grumbled. ¡°They didn¡¯t bother putting any kind of detection on your rhythm. By all accounts, this should be an easy transport gig. In fact, Whistler and Vail aren¡¯t even here.¡± Shouri furrowed his brow. ¡°Wait, those names-¡± ¡°Yes, they work for Ilea. But that¡¯s a whole other story. First, we need to get out of here. If we make it back to Lyreann, you¡¯re not getting out alive. Especially without a Resonator.¡± And it was at that point that a familiar object was forced into his hand. A tuner. ¡°You¡¯re a Resonator then?¡± was the obvious conclusion he reached. ¡°Of course,¡± their voice had pitched up a couple of octaves ¨C they were excited. ¡°Use me, Shouri.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even know where to begin.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll start with something you¡¯re familiar with: Luce Lunare en Forte please.¡± Weighing his options there was a Lunar (or null) Resonator willing to help him, going as far as to give their tuner to him to accomplish the task. On the other hand, he knew very little about the situation. He couldn¡¯t feel Taika or the others at all. Only this mystery Resonator. They were strong-willed, he knew that. They had been offering themselves up on etude this entire time. Almost too readily. And asking for a Forte spell right off the bat. He couldn¡¯t confirm this Resonator could even handle that. He didn¡¯t have much of a choice though, not if he wanted to find out what was going on. ¡°Luce Lunare, Forte,¡± he called. The rhythm was pulled from his body and transmitted through the tuner, connecting him with the Resonator. It was all so transactional he didn¡¯t feel much else. ¡°Ohohhh¡­ that¡¯s the ticket,¡± a pleasured gasp came from the Resonator. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back and you can give me more.¡± That was unnerving. Especially because not even his Resonators reacted like that to normal spell craft. This Resonator was addicted to rhythm, that much was abundantly clear. Either way, he just had to put up with whoever this was long enough to get back to his Resonators. Wherever they were. Shouri sat bound and blinded for some time. The passage of time was unknowable to him as he lacked the stimuli to inform it. He only became cognizant of his surroundings when his stomach suddenly sank and the distinct feeling of freefall overtook him. ¡°What the hell?!¡± he shouted. ¡°Alright, don¡¯t panic!¡± the mystery voice had returned. ¡°What the hell is going on?!¡± Shouri screamed, the sensation of falling continuing. ¡°Turns out the pilots had explicit instructions to crash the plane should you get free, Anyway, we¡¯re like seconds away from the ground.¡± ¡°WHAT?!¡± ¡°Just trust me and brace yourself!¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.¡°FUCKING HOW!? I¡¯M LITERALLY STRAPPED TO THIS CHAIR!¡± And then he lost consciousness.
This was not the end of Shouri Tomoshibi. Despite the insanity of the previous situation, Shouri woke up. And this time he could see. His hands and legs were unbound, but his head still pounded in protest. In the chaos of the collision, he had been thrown from his seat and now laid on the ground. Draped across his form was a body. Clad in black with a splash of blue adorning the sleeves, velvety black fox ears, and a tail dipped in white. ¡°Hey, wake up.¡± Shouri nudged the raven-clad girl atop of him. ¡°Sh-sho?¡± they asked. ¡°Don¡¯t call me that,¡± he replied gruffly. ¡°Sho? What? It¡¯s me, Taika.¡± She sat atop him, hurt and bewildered. ¡°You can drop the act; I know you¡¯re not Taika.¡± Shouri glared this stranger down. ¡°You may look like her, but I know Taika¡¯s rhythm, and you¡¯re not her.¡± ¡°Taika¡± smirked, making a face wholly unlike the girl Shouri had grown accustomed to. ¡°You really are a rhythm master. Not many people can unmask me so effortlessly,¡± though they dropped the act, they still spoke with Taika¡¯s voice. ¡°You¡¯re the Resonator who helped me.¡± Shouri looked around the wreckage of the plane that surrounded them. ¡°Though help is a relative term I suppose,¡± he mumbled. They giggled and grinned. ¡°Yep, that¡¯s me. You can call me Vii,¡± she introduced herself (and finally decided to get off of Shouri.) ¡°Vii?¡± ¡°Yeah, like the old-world numeral for seven,¡± she added almost with a boast. At least this Vii character was friendly enough. He was free now and could assess the situation. ¡°Where¡¯s your tuner?¡± Shouri asked. His first order of business was getting in touch with any of his friends. ¡°Oh, let me find it, just sit tight.¡± Vii hopped up and began rummaging around the wreckage. Shouri didn¡¯t argue with that, he was still exhausted and Vii was full of energy. He watched as she brought back a bunch of small odds and ends but not her tuner. ¡°Do you need help?¡± Shouri questioned after a little bit of this. It was getting quite hot, wherever they ended up had the sun beating down on them. Looking out the remnants of the window revealed dry grasses and spare shade ¨C a savannah. Though it was getting late based on the orange hue the sky had taken. ¡°Nah! I found it!¡± Vii returned at that moment holding out a black tuner for him. Something seemed off about the device. As soon as he accepted it, he tested his theory, thumbing down the red control button. His eyes went wide. It was hollow. The button did nothing. ¡°It¡¯s a counterfeit.¡± His heart sank instantly. The control button being fake was one thing, he didn¡¯t care about that. In fact, that made him respect the false device even more. No, the problem was¡­ ¡°This thing has no service.¡± He hung his head. ¡°Nope, not at all.¡± Vii plopped down next to the Maestro. ¡°Fuck.¡± He buried his head into his knees. ¡°I¡¯m so screwed,¡± he cursed. ¡°Wow, ye of little faith.¡± Vii rolled her eyes. The two remained there in the wreckage of the plane silently for some time. Vii finally spoke up. ¡°We need to get going,¡± she asserted. ¡°Why?¡± Shouri mumbled. ¡°If we stay here, we¡¯ll have a chance of being found,¡± he pointed out, shifting his gaze to the Taika-like figure. Vii hopped to her feet. ¡°Yeah, and that¡¯s the issue. Remember what I said? If they brought you back to Lyreann, you were as good as dead,¡± she reminded him. ¡°This plane¡¯s black box has a transponder. They know it crashed, and they¡¯re most likely on the way right this second.¡± She began gathering the things she had picked out from around the plane. Shouri looked up to find a hand being offered to him. Vii, wearing Taika¡¯s image, made his heart ache for the genuine article. ¡°Come on,¡± she urged. He did not attempt to accept the outstretched hand. ¡°Where are we even going?¡± Shouri questioned wearily. ¡°When they find you¡¯re not here, they¡¯re going to try to track you down.¡± Her hand remained outstretched as she spoke. ¡°We need time to recuperate, neither of us are in a state to fight off Vail and Whistler,¡± Vii stated calmly. ¡°Let¡¯s clear something up here.¡± Shouri continued to refuse the outstretched hand. ¡°Vail and Whistler, they¡¯re Ilea Vim¡¯s assistants, right?¡± he asked. Vii withdrew her hand for the moment. ¡°Something like that.¡± She shrugged. ¡°And they¡¯re after me?¡± Shouri questioned. ¡°Yep. You¡¯re too good at curing Feroce,¡± she stated. ¡°So why don¡¯t they just ask? Why go through this elaborate kidnapping? In broad daylight mind you,¡± Shouri pointed out. Vii chuckled and shrugged. ¡°Obviously they want a cadaver to study.¡± That silenced Shouri. That was insane. Ilea had so many eyes on him; Grand Masters even. Then again, the attack was so precise he never actually saw who had attacked them, but someone did. At the moment, Vii was the only source of information he had regarding this whole situation. She might have been lying to him. His gaze shifted to the nearby crack in the fuselage where he could see the surrounding savanna. Right now she was all he had, and if she was tricking him, he¡¯d have to use her more intelligently than she could deceive him. ¡°So now what?¡± He pushed himself up to his feet under his own strength. ¡°Simple: if they¡¯re going to check human settlements we don¡¯t go to a human settlement.¡± Shouri¡¯s eyes widened at the implication. ¡°You mean-?¡± ¡°Subterris isn¡¯t far from here. We¡¯ll vanish underground, into a Natural settlement.¡± Chapter 116 ¡°Luce Lunare, Piano!¡± A ball of lunar energy easily cleaved through the white scorpion-shaped Scherzando attempting to impede Vii and Shouri¡¯s progress. ¡°Whew, easy enough.¡± Vii wiped the sweat from her brow. The sun had long since set, dropping the temperature significantly. Shouri had their limited supplies pilfered from the remains of the plane. Vii had emptied a parachute pack to convert into a bag to carry the recovered supplies. A couple of water bottles, some food, and other incidentals they could use to make the trip to Subterris. They continued their trek anew. The grass here was thin, they¡¯d reach the desert proper if they kept up their current pace. Their current path would hopefully prevent that, heading westward towards some mountains towering in the distance. ¡°Do you even know where we¡¯re going?¡± Shouri asked. ¡°Of course. I made sure to do my research before waking you up,¡± Vii replied, keeping a healthy pace ahead of the Maestro. ¡°Uh-huh.¡± He couldn¡¯t necessarily trust this girl. There were two running theories in his head. This girl had some kind of ability to copy Resonator¡¯s forms and she had chosen to copy Taika. Or the more complicated option of Vii being a Lunar-healing Resonator already and going through the insane effort of copying Taika¡¯s entire look and vocal range. It was easier to just blame some ability he was unfamiliar with than the more insane version of events he was cooking up in his head. ¡°Uhg.¡± Shouri held his head, closing his eyes. The headache had yet to subside. ¡°Drink some water,¡± Vii told him. ¡°We have a limited supply, gotta ration it,¡± he countered. ¡°Won¡¯t be a problem after we get some sleep, just drink,¡± she demanded. With a grunt, Shouri gave into the pushy Resonator¡¯s demand and polished off the bottle he had started on, leaving only one remaining. The usefulness of an empty bottle wasn¡¯t lost on him, however, so he capped it and returned it to the bag. ¡°Shouri,¡± Vii called to him. She had stopped in place, another Scherzando barring their way. An earth element, a small feline-shaped creature. It was crouched down, ready to pounce on the easy prey. Taking hold of the tuner, he gave his command, ¡°Luce Lunare, Piano.¡± Vii was well-trained; light on her feet, and deadly accurate. As soon as the Scherzando jumped to attack her, she pivoted and sniped the beast from behind. All accomplished in one fluid motion. ¡°Haa¡­¡± the Resonator let out a pleasured sigh. ¡°This is the best,¡± she cooed. Glancing down at the tuner, he took note of her condition. Shouri Resonator: Vii (Taika) Species: Demi-Human (Fox) Element: Lunar Attribute: Healing Rhythm: 17% What was interesting was her designation. It had both her and Taika¡¯s names there. Why was that? Even crazier was just how low her rhythm was. Seventeen percent was not all that much, but the way the mystery girl was carrying herself almost seemed like she had seventy. She looked a bit tired, but not near exhaustion like he had seen with other Resonators toeing the line between the danger line of zero percent. Was she just that powerful or was there something else at play? ¡°Itchy curiosity?¡± Vii grinned. He didn¡¯t dignify her with a response and simply returned the borrowed tuner to his side. ¡°Let¡¯s keep going,¡± Shouri decided. Onward they marched. Vii seemed to be unusually aware of Shouri¡¯s condition, stopping to demand he rest and drink more of the little water that remained and eat the small rations they had. Despite Shouri¡¯s protests, Vii herself never partook in the consumables. She remained insistent it wouldn¡¯t be a problem after they got some sleep. Their pilgrimage through the night was rewarded when they arrived near some smaller rock formations by sunrise. ¡°We¡¯ll sleep here,¡± Vii spoke up. ¡°Should be dark and cool enough inside for us to rest through the day and continue at night,¡± she told him. All he could muster was a short nod in agreement. Even with Vii making sure he got plenty of breaks, food, and water, he was beyond exhausted. It would be extremely easy for him to sleep; despite the conditions he¡¯d be doing so in. The duo entered the rocky structure and found it went deeper into the ground than either of them had expected. ¡°Yeah, this is good,¡± Vii noted. ¡°They won¡¯t be able to spot us by the air either if they have helicopters or planes scouting overhead,¡± she added. Another slow nod from Shouri. He just didn¡¯t have the energy to commit to using his vocal cords. He counted his blessings that Vii just so happened to be a Lunar element ¨C no light needed for the dark crevice they sought refuge in. Locating a suitable corner, he took off his jacket and laid it out as a makeshift bed. Then he emptied the supplies from the bag to use as a pillow. Briefly, he considered what Vii would do for sleeping arrangements, but she was just kind of standing there watching him. He shook his head and tried to ignore her, though the blue glow in her stolen eyes unnerved him. If not for his sensitive rhythm, he would have believed that she was Taika, a frightening prospect. He took off his shoes, allowing his feet to breathe for the first time in nearly a day. He winced as they protested the intense workload that had suddenly been thrust on them. Most likely he¡¯d be nursing some blisters tomorrow, not an exciting prospect. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°La Bella Vita.¡± Shouri¡¯s heart jumped, when had Vii moved closer?! She knelt next to him, examining his covered feet. ¡°We can at least stop the blisters from forming,¡± she spoke gently. ¡°La Bella Vita, Allegro,¡± Shouri called out. With a pleasured sigh, Vii held out her hands, illuminating the dark space with the glow of healing magic. Relief poured into him, chasing out some of the soreness that had crept into his legs. ¡°Better?¡± she asked. ¡°A little,¡± the Maestro mumbled. ¡°Thanks,¡± he quickly added, quieter. ¡°Good.¡± The Resonator rubbed his back, before standing up straight. ¡°Get some sleep, we still have a couple of hours to the mountains. Will be easier if you¡¯re topped up on rhythm,¡± she told him. He grunted, glancing away. She was genuine at least in that statement. Stealing Taika¡¯s face though, he couldn¡¯t fully trust her.
Sleep came easy. Poor Shouri was too exhausted to even dream. However, he would wish he had, as the evening came with a new waking nightmare. It was dark, darker than he had remembered falling asleep to. What¡¯s more, he found he was sharing his back with another, though the tail at his feet wasn¡¯t the same fluffy fox tail he had expected. It was a familiar shape that shouldn¡¯t have been there. Sitting up, Shouri¡¯s body certainly was sore, but at least he was alive and no longer totally exhausted. His eyes weren¡¯t adjusting to the dark like he had expected. He still had Vii¡¯s tuner and she was granting him the night vision perk that Lunar Resonators gave their Maestros. At least she should have been. Then again, he was dealing with a fake tuner, so perhaps the connection wasn¡¯t stable enough to constantly grant the resonant bonus. Speaking of, he decided to check on her rhythm. She had below twenty percent yesterday, so hopefully she had recovered most of it with some time to sleep. After flash-banging himself with the backlight, he navigated to Vii¡¯s vitals, but before he got there, he noticed something was different about the device itself. From the little bit of it he could make out in the limited light, the edges of the case almost appeared blue¡­ That¡¯s when he saw it. Shouri Resonator: Vii (Pacifica) Species: Demi-Human (Otter) Element: Water Attribute: Piercing Rhythm: 50% ¡°Wh-what?¡± The boy gawked at the screen, utterly flabbergasted at what was being conveyed to him by the device. He turned the illuminated screen to the sleeping body at his side. Sure enough, the form that greeted him was no longer Taika¡¯s but Pacifica''s. ¡°Is it night?¡± Pacifica¡¯s voice came from the body. She sat up and rubbed her eyes, blinking a few times. ¡°Close enough,¡± she grunted. ¡°Vii?¡± Shouri asked hesitantly. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s me,¡± she replied. Silence. Vii stretched, yawning loudly. ¡°I have so many questions,¡± were the words Shouri decided on. ¡°I kept telling you water wouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± Vii grinned toothily. ¡°Now let¡¯s get to it, I¡¯m parched.¡± She clapped her hands together, rubbing them eagerly. ¡°No no, explain yourself. Why were you Taika yesterday and Pacifica today?¡± Shouri pointed at the strange Resonator. ¡°Well, obviously I studied them thoroughly to make sure you had something familiar to cling to.¡± Vii shrugged. ¡°No! How are you doing this? This is not Allucinazione di Massa. You¡¯re changing elements, that should be impossible,¡± he said. Vii raised a borrowed brow. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. That ad-Lib is an illusion skill.¡± She grabbed his hand and placed it firmly on her chest. ¡°I assure you; this is no mirage.¡± Shouri yanked his hand away in horror. ¡°What the fuck!? Don¡¯t do that!¡± he shrieked. ¡°Especially because that¡¯s not your body!¡± the Maestro barked. ¡°Oh? I didn¡¯t think you were that considerate.¡± Vii grinned toothily. Shouri was shooting her the nastiest glare he could muster. The smirk faded from her lips. She sighed, shaking her head. ¡°It was just a joke. I¡¯m not interested in that stuff.¡± Sitting on her legs, she retrieved the water bottles. ¡°I¡¯m only into rhythm ¨C your rhythm.¡± Vii set the two uncapped bottles in front of her. ¡°Now hit me with it.¡± Shouri remained silent, considering her request. Oh, how he wanted to deny her that rhythm, especially after the stunt she had just pulled. Thirst won out over spite this day. ¡°Fine,¡± Shouri grumbled. ¡°Mani Nell''acqua, Lento, make the water cold,¡± he commanded. Vii trembled. ¡°Ahhh, yeah you got it,¡± her voice dripped with pleasure. The task didn¡¯t take long, both bottles filled in a snap. Both travelers downed their respective bottles and Vii refilled them using the rest of the rhythm she was given. ¡°All we have left for food are these granola bars,¡± Shouri noted. ¡°We¡¯ll take one each. We should get to Subterris in three hours, two if we hustle,¡± Vii advised. The Maestro mulled that over. Subterris was a Natural Reservation. While there they wouldn¡¯t be subject to Riterran laws. They¡¯d be at the mercy of Natural laws. This couldn¡¯t be his end. Maybe it was Vii¡¯s willpower pushing him forward, or perhaps he simply desired to get back to his Resonators that propped him up. Either way, today wasn¡¯t going to be the day he died. Chapter 117 ¡°Ghiacciolo, Piano.¡± With a flick of her wrist, Vii sent a pack of ice needles out to dispatch a feisty earth Scherzando who wanted to try their hand at an easy meal. If he wasn¡¯t in such a dire situation, Shouri would have found Vii utterly fascinating. The way she had complete mastery of the bodies she was somehow copying was so curious. It made his rhythm itch. As it stood though, she was trying to manipulate him emotionally and that raised all kinds of red flags in the young Maestro. ¡°Hey, Riterra to Shouri, you in there?¡± Vii waved a hand in front of the boy¡¯s face. ¡°Just thinking,¡± he muttered. The Scherzando had been dealt with in the intervening time. ¡°What are you?¡± he decided to ask directly. Vii let out a short chuckle. ¡°Can¡¯t tell you that. Not unless you want to become my Maestro for real,¡± she replied. ¡°Hrmph,¡± Shouri grunted. Of course, she had secrets. He wasn¡¯t going to rope himself into a fourth Resonator that easily. The whole situation with Liza was already toeing the line. Besides¡­ Vii was too suspicious. He couldn¡¯t trust her. In that way, they were simply using each other ¨C and that was not a good foundation to build a relationship on in Shouri¡¯s eyes.
The journey continued. Despite her previous estimates, they reached the mountain ranges after around five hours of travel. The stops to rest and rehydrate weren¡¯t helping. At least water wasn¡¯t a concern ¨C Vii was more than happy to fill them up as many times as Shouri liked. ¡°Here we are,¡± Vii announced, pulling Shouri from his thoughts. The two travelers stood before a cave entrance. It was well maintained and clearly, considerable foot traffic found its way into the inky darkness of the tunnel system. ¡°Come on.¡± Vii waved Shouri on as she strode straight into the belly of the beast. Shouri glanced back at the desert behind him. Certainly, this was a far better option than attempting to brave the Subterris Desert. After making his peace with the surface world, he too descended into the depths. The tunnel was poorly illuminated, the occasional Rubato crystal lamp glowing softly to just barely light the way. Their march was quiet, only the sounds of their footsteps echoing around them. A soft cool breeze guided their way, blowing against them. A bright light ahead encouraged their pace, until finally. ¡°Subterris¡­¡± Shouri gasped, his eyes as wide as he could will them. ¡°This is just one of five caves ¨C this is Southern Subterris,¡± Vii informed him as she joined in looking over the city that lay before them. They stood on a cliffside that stood above an entire world that presented itself to the two weary travelers. A combination of holes in the ceiling and massive glowing rubato crystals provided a majority of the light from above. Many large buildings sprouted from the ground, glowing with their own lights. Morning had arrived and the city was waking up, so the buzz of activity began to grow with each passing minute. In the distance, on the opposite end of the city was what appeared to be another cave. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s see if they have a hotel or inn for us to stay at.¡± Vii began the hike down the path leading into the underground urban sprawl. ¡°This is a Natural Reservation then?¡± Shouri guessed as his eyes bounced around their new surroundings. ¡°Yeah. From what I¡¯ve read they can be welcoming to desert travelers.¡± Vii kept her focus on the path they were traversing. ¡°Subterris is big enough that if we cross through it, we¡¯ll end up near the West Trimare Sea,¡± she told him. ¡°Right next to Unis-R¨¦sonne,¡± Shouri noted, recalling his geography classes from school. ¡°Exactly,¡± Vii said with a nod. ¡°A stone¡¯s throw away from Lyreann,¡± he pointed out. ¡°Indeed it is.¡± He waited for her to elaborate but it never came, frustrating the Maestro. At this point in the conversation, they reached the ¡°ground level¡± of the cavern. Now on the streets of Subterris, the duo could truly appreciate the feats of engineering required to make this place even function. It looked like any modern city, complete with stores, homes, and other modern amenities one would expect. However, the difference they found was in the people. There were no humans or Resonators. The alpha species who called this underground utopia home were numerous in size and shape with body plans similar to Shouri and Vii¡¯s. However, where the two foreigners had skin and hair, the native residents bore scales, feathers, or fur. Where the human body plan called for an oval-like or almost circular-shaped head, the locals had many different shapes ¨C snouts, beaks, and the like adorned their heads. And like Resonators, these people bore wings, tails, and horns - unlike a Maestro. These were Naturals, and this was their home. Furthermore, they made it abundantly clear how they felt about the two guests. Suspicious eyes carefully watched Vii and Shouri closely as they walked down the streets. Conversations suddenly ended as the residents of this cavernous town studied the strange pair. Mothers urged their children along. Shopkeepers stood at the doors of their stores. Even people in their path crossed the street to avoid having to share the sidewalk with them. ¡°Cautious bunch,¡± Vii commented. ¡°They¡¯re not used to Maestros or their Resonators,¡± Shouri guessed. ¡°Strong enough Maestros can wipe them out with ease,¡± the fake otter girl shrugged. ¡°I mean, that¡¯s true for other towns too,¡± the Maestro pointed out. Vii halted them. ¡°No, you don¡¯t get it.¡± She turned to her temporary Maestro. ¡°Maestro rhythm and the resulting spells cast by their Resonators are poison to Naturals. It deals far more damage to a Natural than a Resonator would take damage,¡± she explained. ¡°This is before element advantage and the boost the noble attributes give to damage-dealing spell-craft.¡± This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Shouri furrowed his brow, slowly glancing around. The nervous, scared looks they were getting; without making their intentions known, these people had no idea what Shouri and Vii were capable of, much less what they were even doing down here in the first place. Subterris appeared modern enough. However, upon further inspection, it was nothing like Nevepunto ¨C the first and only Natural town he had spent any appreciable time in. Nevepunto was a tourist city, complete with MA Offices, and a healthy number of Maestros and Resonators dwelling within the city limits. South Subterris was a true Natural town. Maestros and their Resonators didn¡¯t come here to see the sights. The infrastructure spoke to that, it was at least fifty to one hundred years in the past from a technological perspective. Everything was so analog. Electricity was around but mostly was reserved for lighting. ¡°Let¡¯s try to find somewhere to sleep,¡± Shouri decided. The best thing they could do for now was to get out of the public eye. They weren¡¯t here to start a fight. The last thing he wanted to do was bring turmoil to these people¡¯s lives. They were innocent. Just because they had fur, scales, and feathers didn¡¯t make them any less alive. But even if he said that Shouri was well aware that talk was cheap. Actions spoke louder than words, so the best thing he could do was make himself and Vii scarce.
¡°We not have any rooms.¡± ¡°Sorry closed.¡± ¡°I no accept Marenza Union.¡± ¡°Non so l''maelese.¡± Turns out that getting a room was tough when people barely spoke the language. Vii even attempted to better explain their situation in Naturalian, but that didn¡¯t help matters. ¡°Fuck I didn¡¯t think it would be this hard to find a place to stay,¡± Shouri cursed as they took a break on a bench. He was hunched over, glaring at the ground, gripping one of the half-filled water bottles tightly. Vii clicked her tongue, leaning back on the bench, gaze trained on the rocky ceiling hanging over them. ¡°So much for good old Subterran hospitality,¡± she scoffed. The pair sat in silence, analyzing the situation in their own ways. ¡°Uhhh, excuse me?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± The two weary travelers trained their vision to the source of the voice. Of course, it was a Natural. A smaller creature, perhaps a head shorter than Taika. They had a canine head with massive fluffy ears and a brown tail swishing behind them. ¡°You are looking for a lodging?¡± he asked. ¡°You speak Maelish?¡± the Maestro realized. ¡°I do!¡± the Natural beamed, his tail wagging. ¡°I practiced it much, but I never been able to speak to a real Maestro with it!¡± Vii smirked. ¡°If you got a place to stay, we¡¯ve already exhausted all the local hotels,¡± she informed the canine. ¡°We¡¯d be grateful for your help,¡± Shouri added, trying to remain polite. ¡°Yes yes! Please! And you can tell me about Riterran cities!¡± Their benefactor¡¯s eyes brimmed with hope and wonder. Shouri could see the slight glow of yellow rhythm in the Natural canine¡¯s eyes. He couldn¡¯t help but crack a small smile. Yes, even if they were different species, they still shared rhythm. That same yellow knowledge-rich rhythm which burned with intense curiosity, Shouri knew it all too well. ¡°Gladly.¡±
¡°La mia casa ¨¨ la tua casa! Please be comfortable!¡± Shouri and Vii looked around their new surroundings with shared curiosity. It was a nice little home in one of the suburbs of the city. No roommates to rub elbows with, no upstairs or downstairs neighbors either. They really could just relax. Plopping down onto an old couch, the two escapees shared a long sigh. ¡°Fuck,¡± Shouri breathed out. ¡°Agreed.¡± Vii allowed her eyes to close for just a moment. ¡°Here you go.¡± The tired pair looked up to find their host presenting them with food and drinks. Vii went ahead and took her share, quickly consuming the sustenance provided. Shouri however, wanted to at least establish something. ¡°Not that I¡¯m ungrateful for your help, but who exactly are you?¡± the Maestro asked of the Natural. ¡°For the record, I¡¯m Shouri.¡± ¡°Vii.¡± The fake otter added in her introduction.¡± ¡°Oh! I am Miro. I am a Rhythm uhhh, how do you say? Ricercatore?¡± ¡°Researcher,¡± Vii filled in, being able to translate. ¡°Researcher! Yes, I researcher the rhythm!¡± Miro beamed once more. Shouri nodded. He was developing a track record of attracting scholars, thinking about Colette. ¡°You¡¯ll get plenty of things to study about me,¡± the Maestro chuckled. ¡°That is good! Not many Maestro come down here! People scare them away!¡± Miro¡¯s tail was making thumping noises inside the recliner he was sitting on. ¡°You¡¯re a fox?¡± Shouri guessed. ¡°Yes, you are smart! I am a Terra-Nulla.¡± The fox boy grinned. ¡°Earth-Null,¡± Vii whispered to the non-Naturalian speaker. ¡°Right, Naturals can¡¯t be Slashing, Piercing, or Crushing,¡± Shouri recalled. ¡°So being Null attribute is more common,¡± he noted. ¡°Very smart! I am happy I find you!¡± Miro clapped. This fox was very excitable, that much was abundantly clear. ¡°Could we maybe talk after Vii and I get some sleep? We slept out in the desert yesterday.¡± Shouri demonstrated this with a yawn. Miro¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°En deserto Sotterraenis?! Per gli divini! Yes yes!¡± He jumped to his feet. ¡°I make up a room for you. Eat please!¡± And with that, their host rushed upstairs. ¡°He¡¯s nice.¡± Shouri cracked a thin smile. ¡°Usable,¡± Vii huffed, polishing off her share of snacks. ¡°Be nice to him, and I¡¯ll let you cast some spells,¡± Shouri smirked. The false otter perked up. ¡°I will be a textbook lady.¡± Thankfully he had figured out Vii¡¯s buttons ¨C she was as easy to placate as his usual trio. ¡­he missed them. Chapter 118 4:38 AM 25/7/2018 Shouri stared at the tuner. He was awake, having spent almost eighteen hours sleeping. And he needed it. A huge battle into a kidnapping, then traversing the desert, and sleeping in some rock formation did a number on him. But he felt good right now. A little sore, but nothing a nice hot shower couldn¡¯t fix. Speaking of heat, he turned the tuner to the body next to him. Orangish red hair, with that splash of yellow. A big fluffy fox tail with matching ears. Shouri Resonator: Vii (Rebecca) Species: Demi-Human (Fox) Element: Fire Attribute: Null Rhythm: 50% Unfortunately, he had zero internet access here, and as such had no way of doing any meaningful research into what exactly Vii was. She wasn¡¯t forthcoming with that information without a formal Resonator contract. He was steadfast in refusing that offer. Unlike Liza, whom he had good ideas of possible new Maestros for her, Shouri had no idea who would be able to handle a Resonator like Vii. He figured as he learned more about her perhaps someone would come to mind. ¡°Couldn¡¯t sleep?¡± Speaking of, Vii sat up, fully utilizing Rebecca¡¯s voice just as she had done with her previous guises. ¡°Not after a day of it,¡± Shouri replied. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s fair,¡± Vii grunted as she stretched out her new body. Her stolen ears flicked. ¡°Sounds like our gracious host is awake,¡± she noted. ¡°Hm,¡± Shouri hummed. The Maestro swung out of bed and made his way downstairs. Sure enough, the lights were on and he was greeted cheerfully upon reaching the ground floor. ¡°Buongiorno!¡± Miro exclaimed. Shouri paused, his mouth agape for a moment before lowering his head. ¡°Ah! What is the matter?¡± Miro rushed over to the boy. ¡°Just one of my Resonators, she greets me that way in the morning,¡± Shouri mumbled. ¡°That one, Vii - she is not your Resonator?¡± the fox queried. An uneasy glance was shot back up the stairs, Shouri considering his choice of words before answering. ¡°In the traditional sense of me having her tuner, yes. But no, Vii is not my Resonator, we¡¯re just traveling together.¡± Miro nodded, thankfully understanding. ¡°You say the one greets you in Naturana?¡± the earth-element realized. Shouri nodded. ¡°Very odd,¡± Miro noted, stroking the bottom of his maw. ¡°Resonators who speak Naturana are usually owned by Naturals,¡± he told the Maestro. ¡°They are not treated good,¡± the fox grimaced. Another nod from Shouri. ¡°Based on the way she reacts to things and what she¡¯s told me, I believe that.¡± He paused to mull over his thoughts. ¡°Then again, I have met some Maestros who don¡¯t treat them any better.¡± The fox boy shook his head in pity. ¡°People are mean,¡± he decided. ¡°Yeah, you got that right,¡± Shouri grumbled. However, finding some shared opinions with Miro did bring him some solace.
¡°Do you have any plans for today?¡± Miro questioned his guests over breakfast. ¡°No, ideally we spend today recovering before we head out again,¡± Vii spoke up, choosing her words carefully lest Shouri deny her the rhythm she desired. ¡°I hope that¡¯s not a problem,¡± Shouri added. Miro lit up. ¡°Non! No problem at all! Stay as long as you are wanting to!¡± Shouri counted his blessings that they had stumbled upon such a welcoming host. Vii and Shouri sat on the couch in the living room and relaxed. Miro had an older box television, thankfully in color. The level of technology possessed by the citizens of Subterris felt like something out of a time capsule. Unfortunately for Shouri, none of the channels were in Maelish. Every piece of programming was broadcast in Naturalian. Even with Vii translating for him, it got boring rather quickly. Sitting idle did nothing for his mental health. He was wasting time here. He had to go back! He had to find them! He knew they were probably tearing apart Naiza looking for him! ¡°You should relax,¡± Vii spoke up suddenly. ¡°Ha?¡± He shot a glance at the Resonator by his side. ¡°We¡¯ll get through Subterris and pop out at Alspo, which has plenty of MA Offices,¡± Vii told him. ¡°You can call them from there,¡± she added with a huff. The pair returned to silence, the television droning on in undecipherable Naturalian. ¡°Famiglio Incendio, Presto,¡± Shouri suddenly called out. Vii jumped, not expecting the sudden spellcasting. She held out a hand and a small rhythm fox popped up in the living room. ¡°Why?¡± She asked. ¡°Famiglio Incendio, Presto,¡± the Maestro repeated. ¡°Ah! Why!?¡± she barked as she repeated the motions to summon a second fox. Shouri however didn¡¯t acknowledge her inquiry and called on a third, ¡°Famiglio Incendio, Presto.¡± ¡°Fine! Fine! I get it!¡± the false fox shouted, bending to the Maestro¡¯s command and creating yet another rhythm fox.
Miro returned sometime later bearing the weight of four bags of groceries. When he entered his home, however, the sight he found was perplexing. Shouri stared blankly at the television which blared on in Naturalian. Vii sat next to him giggling to herself with a content expression on her face. Finally, there were a few dozen tiny foxes made of fire all around the home, playing with each other, sleeping, and doing all kinds of other leisure activities one would expect of a small animal. ¡°What is going on?¡± Miro raised a brow. ¡°She wanted rhythm.¡± Shouri motioned to Vii. ¡°It¡¯s so gooood.¡± Vii continued to giggle. The Natural fox decided it was best to leave this topic alone and stepped through his house to put away the food he had gotten. ¡°So, we¡¯re going tomorrow morning then?¡± Shouri asked his couch mate. ¡°Even if we¡¯re in a Natural Reservation it¡¯s probably for the best to keep moving. If they can¡¯t find your body, they¡¯ll look for it.¡± Vii¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°We didn¡¯t cover our tracks well either. Wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they¡¯re eventually able to trace our movements,¡± she added. A pause. She was right and he hated that. Then again, he didn¡¯t necessarily disagree with the idea of moving on. The faster they made it to Alspo the faster he could find out what happened to Taika and the others. Not knowing was killing him. His rhythm pulsed hard whenever he thought about it. It was physically hurting him. There was a sudden warmth on his forehead. Rebecca¡¯s hand, at least the one Vii was borrowing. ¡°Shh shhh¡­¡± The false fox imparted her rhythm upon him. Despite stealing Rebecca¡¯s form, this rhythm provided via etude was wholly Vii¡¯s. She was a determined one. That¡¯s what he got from her rhythm. Interestingly her emotion was the weak stave. She did have a bit of a mean streak, a lack of consideration for other¡¯s feelings like Pacifica had. That being said, Vii¡¯s rhythm was extraordinarily powerful. It felt as though her using Taika, Pacifica, and Rebecca¡¯s bodies was a detriment to her. They were holding her back, not the other way around. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. Behind that mask, who was Vii really?
Shouri Resonator: Vii (Taika) Species: Demi-Human (Fox) Element: Lunar Attribute: Healing Rhythm: 50% Well, that certainly explained why Shouri could see better when he woke up. It was always a new experience every morning after checking the tuner. Sure enough, it was Taika who lay next to him. Or at least her form. Another interesting thing he considered: whatever process was facilitating this; her clothes were transforming too. He pinched the fabric of her jacket ¨C it felt real enough, just like the genuine article. And that was the terrifying part. Every piece of this performance Vii was putting on was indistinguishable from the original. If not for his own rhythmic sense, he would have fallen for the dream, the illusion of Taika being with him. Fully trusting her was never in the cards. Which was a shame ¨C he could sense how open she was to his rhythm. It was even more than his trio was, and they were considered to be at ¨¤ deux level of openness. They were being compared to ancient heroes, the first Maestros. It was insane to consider there was something beyond that. Either way, dwelling on it in bed wasn¡¯t going to get him back to his trio. For that, he swung out of bed and prepared for the day ahead. Shouri met Miro downstairs. ¡°Good¡­ Morning?¡± The Fox furrowed his brow as he spoke. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡± Shouri couldn¡¯t help but smile warmly. Miro was already much higher than Vii on the ¡°trust ladder¡±. The young Natural was intensely curious but also kept a respectable distance. ¡°I will make breakfast,¡± Miro informed the Maestro. ¡°Thank you, I appreciate it.¡± Shouri nodded.
After breakfast, Vii and Shouri prepared to depart. They stood at the door to give their farewells, Miro seeing them off. ¡°Thank you for letting us stay here,¡± Shouri told the fox. ¡°Yeah,¡± Vii mumbled, averting her gaze. ¡°We¡¯ll be on our way,¡± and with that Shouri and Vii took their leave. However, they only got as far as the street corner when they heard a shout: ¡°Aspetta!¡± Miro ran up, satchel on his back. ¡°Voglio andare con te!¡± he shouted, in between gasps for breath. Vii went to translate, however, Shouri held up a hand to silence her. ¡°Are you sure?¡± he asked. ¡°Wait Shouri he-!¡± ¡°Wants to come with us, right?¡± The Natural Fox nodded in the affirmative. Vii raised a brow. ¡°How did you know?¡± she mumbled. ¡°Just a feeling,¡± Shouri chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s just how these things go,¡± he added with a shrug. The Maestro¡¯s gaze shifted back to the awaiting fox-boy. ¡°Are you sure? We¡¯re kind of¡­ popular people.¡± Once more, Miro nodded. ¡°What¡¯s the phrase? I am orphan? Families very big, but I have no family. Nothing to keep me here,¡± he clumsily explained. Shouri raised a brow. ¡°Naturals don¡¯t leave home upon reaching adulthood like Maestros do,¡± Vii quietly advised. ¡°A Natural with no support network is nearly unheard of,¡± she whispered. ¡°Their society isn¡¯t equipped to deal with someone like him.¡± That bit of information hit hard. No wonder Miro approached them so readily ¨C he must have seen a pair of lonely souls in an alien world and felt a sense of camaraderie, despite the racial difference. ¡°Ah¡­¡± With that realization, Miro was pushed up another rung on Shouri¡¯s ¡°trust ladder¡±. ¡°Our goal is a human city ¨C are you sure you want to come with us?¡± Shouri questioned. Miro nodded. ¡°I was telling you before I never seen Ritteran city. I am wanting to see one.¡± Both Shouri and Vii hummed together, each considering the request. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Vii spoke first. ¡°Okay.¡± Shouri however made a firmer decision, earning a glare from the Resonator of the party. One which Shouri was all too happy to return. ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. Nobody would give us the time of day. At least this way we can just have Miro handle talking to other Naturals,¡± he explained his reasoning. The fox beamed and struck his chest with his paw. ¡°Certo, lascia fare a me!¡± He grinned, tail wagging joyously. ¡°I guess I¡¯m in the minority,¡± Vii grumbled to herself. Shouri rolled his eyes. He dropped a hand to his side, cupping the tuner at his waist. ¡°Rilevare l''intenzione, Lento.¡± Vii jumped, her bitter expression melting into pleasure. ¡°Okay we can trust him¡­¡± she cooed while scanning their surroundings.
The strangest trio in years walked the streets of Subterris ¨C A Maestro, a Resonator, and a Natural. The Maestro and Natural of the group spoke excitedly in Maelish. The Resonator kept quiet, but she maintained full alert. As such they had a repelling effect on the other Naturals who called this underground paradise home. It was surprising in all honesty. The entire place despite being deep within the Riterran crust still maintained daytime light. It was aided of course by the Rubato crystals that hung proudly from the ceiling of the structure. There was so much light pouring in that grass and trees could grow even in this odd environment. They even passed a lake, which Miro informed them was filled by one of the aquifers flowing under the desert. He went on to explain how their entire underground civilization had essentially limitless water from a combination of the water elementalists and the abundant springs that decorated the underground city. ¡°Shouri,¡± Vii spoke up. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Shouri pulled the tuner from his side, coming to a stop. ¡°We¡¯re being tailed,¡± Vii informed the Maestro ¡°Figured, how many?¡± he shot back, scanning the map. ¡°Five.¡± ¡°Can you take them?¡± The false fox scoffed. ¡°Can I take them?¡± she repeated mockingly. ¡°I don¡¯t think you understand who I am.¡± Miro glanced between man and fox-girl; his brows turned up with worry. ¡°What is wrong?¡± Shouri turned the tuner to their new companion, allowing him to read the map. ¡°Red dots mean hostility towards me or Vii.¡± Sure enough, there was a little cluster of red dots flashing down the street from them. ¡°What are the battle laws like here?¡± Shouri asked. ¡°Same as on the surface. Self-defense is acceptable,¡± Vii replied. ¡°I imagine they can just attack us though since we have the advantage,¡± the Maestro mused. ¡°Correct. Natural pride is a hell of a drug ¨C should we best them even while they have a larger group they¡¯ll likely retreat in shame. After all what thug would admit they had a numbers advantage and still lost?¡± This earned a sharp chuckle from Shouri. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s always a show of power with these types.¡± Miro gulped. What had he gotten himself into with these people? The aura of rhythm they were radiating was intense. Nothing like he had ever felt before. But also¡­ His eyes glowed with yellow curiosity. This was all so interesting, his tail whipped back and forth with excitement. To see how a Maestro fought piqued wonder, despite how dangerous Maestros were said to be¡­ He wanted to bear witness to it with his own eyes. Chapter 119 ¡°What can we do you folks for?¡± Vii asked, in front of Shouri and Miro. They had moved to an alleyway between two large buildings where the foot traffic was quieter. Five Naturals of various elements, species, and statures barred the way out of the alley. One of the five gathered Naturals pointed at them. ¡°You leave,¡± the largest of the five spoke in broken Maelish. Miro stepped forward, approaching the other group of Naturals. ¡°Questi non hanno fatto nulla di male!¡± he spoke up for his new friends, pleading their innocence. ¡°Sono venuti qui,¡± one of the other opposing Naturals stated simply, shaking their head. ¡°E questo ¨¨ un reato?!¡± Miro snapped back in their defense, barring his fangs ¡°Si.¡± The lead Natural, a dragon-man towered over the much smaller fox boy. ¡°Non ¨¨ giusto!¡± the earth fox barked. ¡°Voi non capite cosa stanno escogitando.¡± The dragon ground his teeth. ¡°Non hai nemmeno provato! Sono brave persone!¡± THWACK! Shouri¡¯s eyes widened as Miro was kicked for his trouble ¨C a solid blow to the jaw, sending him flying into the brick wall. He slumped over, shaking from the shock of the strike. ¡°MIRO!¡± The dragon turned to the Maestro and Resonator who remained. Shouri¡¯s head was lowered, hand gripped tightly around the black tuner, his knuckles white, trembling. ¡°Give the word.¡± Vii wore a wicked smirk, licking her lips as she stared down the five opposing Naturals. The group of Naturals prepared spells of their respective elements and launched them at Shouri and Vii. Five spells came at them, basic spells of Fire, Earth, Nature, Lightning, and Water. Shouri¡¯s head rose to meet the magic coming their way, his eyes glowing with bursting yellow rhythm.¡°Magifiamma, Legato!¡± the Maestro fired off. Vii snapped her fingers and seven balls of purple fire formed, five of which whipped out of orbit to intercept the opposing attack spells. With the clash of the five orbs with the five spells, Vii kept two balls of fire, while the opponents¡¯ attacks were entirely nullified, leaving the Naturals speechless. Taking in a deep breath, Shouri belted out his next command: ¡°Fissare la Ombra, Moderato Staccatisimo! Bury them!¡± ¡°With pleasure!¡± Vii began her counter-attack, waving out a hand. Miro shook his head and pushed himself back to full alertness. Just in time to witness the fight starting in earnest. The throbbing pain in his mouth dulled, but his eyes widened at the sight he was beheld to. This¡­ was a Maestro. This was what real power looked like. Hundreds of pitch-black arrows hung in the air, awaiting their caster¡¯s direction. This wall of certain death formed in no time flat, completely taking the wind out of the attacker¡¯s sails. The hunters had become the hunted in an instant. ¡°Run piggies,¡± Vii whispered. The opposing Naturals did not understand the language she spoke, but they felt it. The five turned and ran, screaming for their lives. However, Vii knew not of mercy ¨C with a mental command the army¡¯s worth of shadow arrows tore loose from the alleyway and traced the shadows of their assailants, sticking in and holding them in place in the middle of the street. ¡°Loro Formato Lunare Lago, Legato,¡± Shouri cast. ¡°Hahahaha¡­ HAHAHAHA!¡± Vii cackled maniacally (unnerving poor Miro in the process). ¡°You¡¯re a REAL MAESTRO SHOURI!¡± the false fox screamed as her hand flew skyward. The five Naturals could only watch in horror as a massive ball of ice formed in the air. Even Miro wasn¡¯t immune to the intimidating gesture as the asteroid grew larger and larger. Was he about to witness the end of Subterris right here and now? Surely, he hadn¡¯t misjudged these people? He pushed himself to his feet and rushed back over to Shouri. Gravity took over and the massive space-rock began its descent. Screams of terror echoed from all around as now regular citizens were fleeing from the spectacle. Miro too let out a distressed cry and shook Shouri¡¯s side, pleading in frantic Naturalian, unable to remember any Maelish at that exact moment. Through it all though, Shouri remained calm, his expression neutral. ¡°Sotto,¡± his voice, though quiet, broke through the chaos. Before the gargantuan attack spell could even harm a single brick, it faded away, leaving sparkles of icy blue rhythm fluttering down from above. The arrows that bound the five Naturals to the ground also evaporated. They didn¡¯t move from their spots, quivering in fear of their near-annihilation. Vii stood over their fallen foes. ¡°Riprovaci, e non lo fermer¨°,¡± she sneered; her rage palpable. They didn¡¯t need to be told twice, scrambling to their feet and running down the street screaming for mercy. ¡°Whew,¡± Shouri let out a tired sigh. He knelt next to Miro and looked him over. ¡°Are you okay?¡± the concern in his voice was palpable as he looked over the part of Miro¡¯s jaw that had been struck. ¡°S-si¡­¡± The earthen fox blinked in shock, pushing a few tears away. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.Thinking it over though, these people were insane in comparison to Natural spell-craft. Fireballs that negate other spells, a cloud of shadow arrows that could blot out the sun, and a meteor that could have destroyed their entire civilization. These were incredible feats, and Shouri effortlessly cast them. Miro thanked the divines that they were on his side.
There was a noticeable shift in attitude from the citizens of Southern Subterris after the events of the morning altercation. ¡°Naturals cannot cast Ossia Spells.¡± That bit of trivia from Vii put things further in perspective for Shouri. Lunar magic already didn¡¯t exist to Naturals. On top of Magifiamma and Loro Formato Lunare Lago being some of the stronger Ossia spells ¨C they must have looked like monsters¡­ no demons casting such magic. Shouri could only assume the rumors being spread about them already. Talks of demons in human skin coming to exact their revenge on Naturalian society. Or something like that. He did lose his cool for a second after Miro got hit for standing up for them. Shouri meant to just send a message to those five but foolishly got caught up in the moment. Didn¡¯t help that he had a soft spot for the meteor spell. Squishing Scherzando with a big dumb rock was so easy. It wasn¡¯t clean, but man did it get the job done every time he used it and by his admission was satisfying as hell. That being said, it wasn¡¯t his intention to spook the unrelated citizens, but the damage was done. All they could do now was try to reach the other end of Subterris as quickly as possible. Maybe after that, their exploits would just become another urban legend. Hopefully. ¡°I got two rooms for us like you asked,¡± Miro¡¯s voice stirred Shouri from his thoughts. A paw was extended out where a key lay. ¡°Thank you.¡± Shouri accepted the key. The two stood there for a moment in awkward silence. It was clear Miro was shaken up. His ears were folded back, and his tail wrapped around the inside of his left leg, his other paw gingerly nursing the blow he took. After Shouri took the key the fox Natural held himself, averting his gaze from the Maestro. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Miro,¡± the Maestro apologized. ¡°I was never going to allow anyone to get hurt, I just wanted to make sure they wouldn¡¯t come after us in the future,¡± he explained. Miro nodded slowly but kept his gaze away from the Maestro. It hurt. ¡°I know what my rhythm, especially spells can do to Naturals. I really didn¡¯t want anyone getting hurt,¡± Shouri paused for a moment. ¡°Even them.¡± Another slow nod from the earth fox. ¡°I understand,¡± Miro spoke. ¡°You are good person,¡± he decided. ¡°Is that how you actually feel?¡± Shouri questioned. ¡°I do,¡± though he said this, Miro¡¯s expression remained conflicted. Pacifica could have easily diffused the situation¡­ But she wasn¡¯t here¡­ ¡°Right,¡± was all Shouri was left with. He missed his Resonators. ¡°Thank you for the key,¡± he added. Miro only replied with yet another slow nod. With that the two parted ways. Shouri made sure to avoid the hotel lobby. They didn¡¯t need to know a Maestro and Resonator were staying there. They would be gone in the morning anyway. He silently hoped Vii would show the same discretion when she returned. She suddenly left saying she was going to look around, but she would be back when she finished her reconnaissance. Speaking of¡­ Vii (Taika) Status: Ready Rhythm: 47% Heart Rate: 90 BPM She wasn¡¯t hurt or anything. Her heart rate was pretty low for someone walking. Maybe she was just in shape? It was hard to tell when she was borrowing others¡¯ appearances. Every detail of her guises was flawless. It just reinforced his feelings that if he didn¡¯t know the difference between her rhythm and her victim¡¯s, he would have had no clue she was disguised. It was a horrifying thought. He wasn¡¯t her Maestro for real, so he was in no position to stop her from leaving and doing whatever she wanted. CLICK CLUNK He opened the door to the room they were staying in. It wasn¡¯t shabby. Perhaps a bit old-fashioned and a slight downgrade compared to the amenities offered at the MA Offices he frequented. But a bed was a bed and he wasn¡¯t about to turn his nose up at a place to rest. Flopping down onto the freshly laundered sheets, the young Maestro stared at the ceiling blankly. He couldn¡¯t be sure how much time had passed, but he remembered he needed to tell Vii where he was. Thankfully he had a way to beam the communication straight into her head, no matter where in the world she was. Drawing the tuner from his side, he pressed down one of the three grey buttons, hesitating for a moment before he spoke. ¡°We¡¯re in Room 137,¡± were the words he decided on. He pivoted to the listen button, but all he got back was silence. ¡°Hrm,¡± he frowned at the quiet device. Eventually, he released the button and allowed gravity to take his arm and the tuner with it, sprawled out on the bed. ¡°This sucks.¡± Warmth streamed down the sides of his head as he closed his eyes. Chapter 120 Shouri sat up with a start. The room was dark, but he could still see perfectly fine. His awakening and continued vision were thanks to the intruder in the room: Vii. ¡°Where were you?¡± he immediately asked the false lunar fox. ¡°Recon. Needed to be sure of our next moves,¡± she replied as a matter of fact. ¡°I see.¡± He knew she wasn¡¯t telling the truth, but also knew probing her further was meaningless ¨C she¡¯d just keep lying. Vii stepped around the bed and scooped up her tuner. ¡°Gonna take a shower since we have the opportunity,¡± she said, waving the device as she spoke. ¡°Okay,¡± Shouri replied. As soon as Vii had taken her departure, Shouri hummed in thought. Kind of a strange turn of events. Why did she take her tuner to bathe? Focusing on his weak connection to Vii, he felt a strange shift in their bond. His eyes widened as the dark room grew dim. She must have changed forms again. So there was something on the tuner that gave away what Vii really was. That was the only reason he could come up with for her reclamation of the device. Now¡­ what was going to happen when she got out of the shower? It didn¡¯t take too long to find out, as about ten minutes later, the bathroom door swung open and Pacifica stepped out, or at least Vii using her form did. Just as he had thought, Vii specifically waited until she wasn¡¯t being watched to change her forms. Interestingly she changed forms to shower. Since he gained the traits of the transformations she went through, she must have used Pacifica¡¯s water-healing to recover her rhythm while bathing. ¡°You should probably shower too. Will be good for you.¡± Vii tossed the now blue tuner onto the bed. ¡°Sure.¡± Shouri didn¡¯t disagree with that. It had been a few days since his last shower and between running around in the desert and now Subterris, he could use one. Slipping out of bed, he changed places with the fake otter and closed himself off in the bathroom. This sucked. His heart throbbed as he disrobed and stepped into the tiny shower. Though Shouri kept his breathing under control, the tears he could not - they flowed freely. All was washed away under the cover of water. It was taking everything in his power to not lose it. He had no reason to believe Taika and the others were okay. He was knocked out before he saw what happened to Taika or Pacifica. They could have been killed for all he knew. He knew they would fight to their last breath to try and save him. What was worse was that he didn¡¯t have their tuners, so someone removed them before his awakening on the plane. He had no way of checking on them. Vii¡¯s tuner being a fake was immensely inconvenient. If she used a real one calling Colette, Elijah, or even Emily would have been a snap. Naturalian society didn¡¯t interface with Riterra either, so none of the places they were going through had any way to communicate with the outside world. It was so scary and frustrating. His rhythm pounded in his head. He had to KNOW.
Sleep came easy, but it didn¡¯t stay that way. All night Shouri was plagued by nightmares. He was so mentally exhausted from all that had happened that even if he wanted to wake up, he continued to be stuck in the nightmares. This left him tormented by whatever horrible scenarios his brain dreamed up with no reprieve. Finally, he was shaken awake. Pacifica¡¯s face greeted him, though he knew it wasn¡¯t the otter he missed so dearly. ¡°Morning,¡± Vii spoke with her stolen voice. Shouri remained quiet as he rose, thick, dark bags under his eyes. He excused himself to the bathroom without a word. It didn¡¯t take long before he completed his morning tasks and left the room with Vii in his shadow. Miro awaited them outside their room. ¡°I will return keys and get breakfast,¡± the fox spoke. The Maestro nodded and handed over their room key. Miro raised a brow but quickly rushed off. ¡°Meet outside!¡± he shouted before descending the main staircase. Once more, Shouri walked away without speaking. Vii simply followed. They met up with Miro who provided the breakfast for the morning: some traditional flatbread common in the region, eggs, and a bean soup endemic to the area. Had he been in a better mood, Shouri would have been quite interested in the local cuisine. As it stood, the food was simply fuel to keep his body moving to their next destination. Nothing more, nothing less. Miro was unnerved by this but kept to himself. At the very least he led the Maestro and Resonator up town. The industrial part of Southern Subterris surrounded the northern border wall. A massive hole in the rock wall was the only thing connecting the different parts of the cave system. Even then one could not help but imagine being sucked into a black hole as the inky darkness of the tunnel entrance bore no light and seemed to swallow anything entering its depths. Thankfully they would not need to navigate the darkness on foot. As it turned out, the segments of Subterris were separated by a train network. A vintage steam locomotive idled in place while the passengers boarded. However, the Naturals still on the platform tensed up upon Shouri and Co¡¯s arrival to the platform. The citizenry was visibly unnerved by the presence of the Maestro and Resonator, keeping to themselves and hurriedly getting on the train if they could. Given the warm reception, Miro handled getting tickets, spotting the stink eye Shouri and Vii were receiving from the ticket vendor. ¡°I got tickets for the back car, less people there,¡± Miro told his traveling companions. Shouri again nodded. The trio made their way to their designated car and boarded. As the earth-fox promised, the caboose was empty. The three took their seats and with time a goat-headed man entered the back car. He didn¡¯t bat an eye at the foreigners and did his job with the utmost professionalism. ¡°Si prega di esibire il biglietto,¡± the goat requested. The group handed over their tickets, which he punched and handed back to them. ¡°Goditi il tuo viaggio.¡± The goat bowed before departing the car. It wasn¡¯t too much longer before the whistle of the train reached the quiet trio¡¯s ears and the transport began to lurch forward into the abyss. As the train began to pick up speed, Vii rose to her feet. ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡± She made it to the door of their car before speaking again. ¡°Recon,¡± she added before leaving the two boys alone. The trio reduced to a pair; Miro found his conviction. ¡°Shouri, what is wrong?¡± the Fox Natural asked. ¡°I miss my Resonators,¡± the Maestro replied, his head lowered. ¡°Your Resonators?¡± Miro questioned. ¡°The forms Vii has been taking, that¡¯s what they look like,¡± Shouri informed the Natural. For a moment, Miro considered what to say next, and finally, he decided. ¡°Could you tell me about them?¡± Shouri perked up at that, turning his attention to the Fox. ¡°Sure, if you don¡¯t mind me rambling.¡± The Maestro averted his gaze. ¡°I have not met many Maestros, I am interested in what you are like,¡± Miro clumsily stated. With a lungful of air, the Maestro began to speak. In the short train ride, Shouri recounted everything about how they all met. Even if some of the words were beyond Miro¡¯s understanding, it was abundantly clear to him how much Shouri cherished his precious Resonators. Every word sang their praises and showed his affection for the three. There was a peculiarity to Shouri¡¯s speech that the non-native speaker was able to understand. The three Resonators that he spoke of, didn¡¯t belong to Shouri. No, they belonged to each other. They were Shouri¡¯s Resonators, and he was their Maestro. The street went both ways. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. As he had admitted before, Miro had not encountered many Maestros. But this one. This Maestro was the oddest of the bunch. And he wanted to see the real Shouri ¨C the Maestro who cherished his precious Resonators¡­ no his precious partners above all else.
¡°Il treno che si sta avvicinando al binario cinque ¨¨ il servizio delle 11:45 per il Sotterraneo Centrale,¡± played from the overhead speaker as the train grinded to a halt at the terminal. ¡°It¡¯s just the announcement that we¡¯ve arrived,¡± Vii told Shouri, having returned just a little bit before their arrival on the platform. After sitting for a moment at the terminal, the doors opened and the trio were allowed to disembark. The foreigners were not prepared for the sight they saw upon exiting the train car. Southern Subterris was mainly a residential and industrial sector, with many homes and businesses serving utilitarian functions ¨C not much to see or do outside a park here and there. Central Subterris was like an entirely different world. ¡°Oasi¡­¡± Miro gasped. Unlike the reds and browns that made up the brickwork of South Subterris, almost the entirety of the much smaller Central Subterris was made with white stonework. Crystal-clear water flowed nearly everywhere, adding to the shimmer of the bright cave. There were three other openings in the cave walls, presumably to the North, East, and West branches of the underground. ¡°Have you ever been here?¡± Shouri asked Miro. The earth element considered his word choice. ¡°Si. Not much. Very¡­ ricco,¡± he decided on. ¡°Wealthy,¡± Vii chimed in. ¡°Si!¡± Miro nodded. ¡°I see,¡± Shouri mumbled. The trio set off for Northern Subterris. The Central section was just something for them to cross after all. As they walked Shouri finally figured out what all of the white stonework was: marble. Tons of it, all on a scale he had never witnessed before. Everything was made of the stuff. The homes, the many fountains, and even the roads and sidewalks were constructed in pure marble. It was dizzying to think how much a city like this was even worth given what the material cost on the surface. The other stand-out feature was the water. It almost seemed wasteful how much water was dedicated to running rivers and fountains throughout the town. Especially given that just above their heads was one of the largest, hottest deserts on the planet. To think right below that hellish land lay such an abundance of water, it was ironic really. Walking through town was another experience entirely. The sidewalks were textured in such a way as to prevent pedestrians from slipping. The high humidity made the marble buildings shimmer in the light more than they already did. There was also an unintended effect that the already cooler environment of the underground was being made chillier by the high water content in the air. A desert traveler suddenly falling into this oasis would think they died and went to heaven. ¡°Of course, this place reeks of wealth,¡± Vii commented. ¡°Hm?¡± Shouri glanced at the false otter. ¡°This is where the Subterris council lives and functions out of ¨C their central government.¡± Shouri nodded. That made sense. Lawmakers tended to give themselves budget to make their workplaces fancy and ornate ¨C a show of state power as it were. He recalled pictures he had seen of Quiretteh, the capital city of Rittera. It was very similar to this city, built in expensive material, except Quiretteh had a more ancient-meets-modern aesthetic to it that made tourists second guess where they were at. The Naturals who dwelt in this bright city were as prim and proper as they came. Most wore fancy tailored suits, fitting the extra bits of their anatomy flawlessly. There was a certain swagger in their step that was unmistakable to Shouri. The kind of gait that said: ¡°I¡¯m more important than you.¡± It kind of made sense, most of the citizens who lived here must be the Natural equivalent of senators or otherwise worked in the political space. Riterran schools didn¡¯t teach about Natural or Lunar governmental structures, only the 140-seat senate Riterra used. That was a whole other can of worms Shouri didn¡¯t want to think about, and shook his head to dismiss that dreadful thought. Instead, he took notice of another prominent type amongst the citizenry of Central Subterris: law enforcement. Unlike the sharp blues of the VdV that Riterra used, the policing organization of Subterris appeared to be clad in browns with lightweight armor. Shouri guessed that it must have been made of Vatonium or some other rhythm-dampening material. It had to be standard issue ¨C Naturals could cast magic freely using their own rhythm, unlike Resonators who could only use their arguably limited ad-Libs, or Maestros who needed a Resonator to get anything done rhythmically. Though¡­ that armor wouldn¡¯t protect against a massive ice rock dropping from the sky. Another head shake from Shouri. His mind was going places today. Now hopefully his body would make it to Northern Subterris so he could get back to his precious Resonators. Unfortunately, the young Maestro would send a million curses to Sahji that day. ¡°Mi perdoni,¡± one of the police officers grabbed the group¡¯s attention. He was a large man bearing glistening blue scales from his head to the tip of his tail. His sharp horns pointed backward, almost as if having gelled back hair. The watery vibe radiating from him gave away his element (if the coloration didn¡¯t already) ¨C A sea dragon, a water element of course. ¡°Stiamo cercando prove in un''indagine criminale.¡± The dragon-man towered over Shouri and company, looking down on the much smaller creatures. ¡°He says they¡¯re looking into a criminal investigation,¡± Vii relayed. The only thing Shouri could think of was scaring off those Naturals who tried to jump them yesterday. It was self-defense though ¨C they kicked Miro in the face and then tried to attack them with a bunch of spells. Even Natural law should be on their side for that¡­ right? ¡°Per favore vieni con me.¡± The officer motioned down the street. ¡°He wants us to go with him,¡± Vii continued to translate though her stance slowly dropped, preparing for battle. ¡°Why?¡± Shouri asked, keeping his wits about him and avoiding reaching for the tuner at his waist. ¡°Per quale motivo?¡± the Resonator asked of the Natural cop through narrowed, suspicious eyes. ¡°I crimini sono collegati a un risuonatore, e tu sei l''unico Maestro nel sottosuolo,¡± the Natural stated simply, still maintaining his imposing positioning ¨C he would not be intimidated by such puny creatures. ¡°He pointed out that the crime was related to a Resonator and you¡¯re the only Maestro here,¡± Vii relayed. ¡°Quale delitto?!¡± Miro spoke up in defense of his friend. ¡°Assalto.¡± The Maelish and Naturalian words were so similar, that Shouri didn¡¯t need a translation. He was being accused of assault. He hadn¡¯t used the attack variation of Fissare la Ombra, so all it did was pin them in place. Magifiamme was only used to counter their assailant¡¯s attack spells. Finally, Loro Formato Lunare Lago never even touched a building, much less actually having a chance to hurt anyone. Naturals weren¡¯t THAT weak against Maestro rhythm. They wouldn¡¯t drop dead from just the rhythm being in the air. They were only susceptible to the direct effects of attack spells. Something else was going on here. He shot a suspicious gaze at Vii who maintained her aggressive posturing. Now why was that¡­? ¡°Tell him we will cooperate with his investigation,¡± Shouri directed this at Miro. The Fox thankfully picked up on the implicit ask of him and nodded in response, speaking up for the trio. ¡°Noi verremo con te.¡± ¡°La tua collaborazione ¨¨ apprezzata,¡± said the officer. Chapter 121 Shouri sat in an interrogation room for the third time since he started his journey. He had been stripped of Vii¡¯s tuner, and the make-shift bag from the plane after a very rough pat down. At present he was alone. Thankfully he had been allowed to keep his jacket as the room was a touch bit chilly by his own admission. Some time passed, the measure of which was unknowable to the boy. He came out of his thoughts when the door finally opened and a bird woman walked in. She had striking blue feathers, with matching eyes and a pointed yellow beak. She was clad in a blue suit and was carrying a clipboard in one of her wings. ¡°Shouri, right?¡± her voice was gentle, sweet like candy. ¡°Yeah.¡± He nodded. ¡°Nice to meet you Shouri, I¡¯m Lily, Subterris Investigation Department.¡± She held out a wing for him. The Maestro was surprised ¨C Lily seemed to be quite fluent in Maelish. He studied the anatomy of the bird woman and noticed odd digits from her wing, they were so flush that he didn¡¯t realize they were essentially her ¡°fingers¡± in a sense. With some awkward maneuvering, he managed to complete the ¡°wing shake¡± she had offered him. ¡°Very good.¡± Though her beak didn¡¯t give a direct smile, Shouri could sense it from her speech. Investigator Lily began to flip through the pages on her clipboard, reviewing the data she had been provided. After a moment she laid it down on the table and folded her ¡°hands¡±, resting them on top. ¡°Now Shouri, let me start with the question on everyone¡¯s minds: what is a Maestro doing here in Subterris?¡± Shouri mulled that question over, deciding how much he was willing to divulge. After careful consideration, nothing was stopping him from the simple answer: everything. Naturals didn¡¯t communicate with Riterrans. That was a fact. So even if there was some grand conspiracy involving Feroce, he was safe to at least tell Lily. So, he did. He explained Feroce in very simple terms, then went on to explain the kidnapping, the plane crash, their traversal through the savanna and to get to Subterris, capping off with the small time they had spent in Southern Subterris. The only thing he omitted was Vii¡¯s mysterious transformations. He didn¡¯t understand how or why she shifted her forms so frequently. ¡°This Feroce sounds quite concerning,¡± Lily noted. ¡°Yeah, not a fan,¡± the Maestro replied. The bird woman nodded, stroking her beak thoughtfully. ¡°What are your plans from here?¡± she questioned. ¡°My goal is to make it through Northern Subterris and exit out near Alspo. I want to get to a Maestro Affairs Office to reach my friends and find out what happened,¡± he laid it out exactly as he had plotted out in his mind ¨C he had zero reason to hide or lie about his intentions. Again, the bird woman couldn¡¯t smile in a human way, but Shouri could tell that¡¯s what Lily was doing as she spoke. ¡°Certainly, I¡¯m sure they¡¯re worried sick.¡± His gamble paid off ¨C Lily definitely had a strong emotional stave. Being able to read people¡¯s emotions while interrogating criminal suspects must be a valued skill as an investigator, more so than being logically minded or as stubborn as a rock. ¡°I think that¡¯s all I have for you sir, thanks so much for your help.¡± ¡°Wait, what happened?¡± Shouri asked. Lily seemed surprised by that question. Her eyes fell on the paperwork laid in front of her. After a moment of rumination, she plucked a set of pictures from her clipboard. ¡°Do you recognize these people?¡± In the five splayed-out photos, there were the five Naturals who attacked them yesterday. Shouri nodded slowly. ¡°Yes, those are the five I told you about.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡± Her expression clouded. ¡°They were discovered last night in their homes, nearly on the brink of death.¡± ¡°What.¡± Shouri¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I- we didn¡¯t-!¡± Lily raised a wing and shook her head. ¡°No, I believe you. I know you didn¡¯t.¡± Her gaze returned to the pictures. ¡°They said they were attacked by a Lunar element. But that Vii Resonator, she¡¯s a water element.¡± ¡°Correct,¡± Shouri replied flatly. He focused on the pure logic of that statement, masking his now incredibly complicated emotions on the matter. ¡°There might be something more sinister lurking out there ¨C perhaps that organization that is after you. Please be careful.¡± Lily paused, considering her choice of words. ¡°You¡¯re a really good kid, I know it.¡± Another birdly smile. ¡°I appreciate that,¡± Shouri mumbled.
Shouri left the confines of the interrogation rooms and found his way back to the lobby. The side-eyed glares from the various officers as he walked through the building were annoying but ultimately harmless. ¡°Shouri!¡± Miro hopped up from the bench he had been waiting on and rushed over to the Maestro. ¡°Are you doing okay?¡± the Fox-Natural asked. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine,¡± Shouri replied, looking around the lobby. ¡°Where¡¯s Vii?¡± he asked. ¡°I am not sure. When I was let out here you and her were still gone,¡± Miro informed the Maestro. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Shouri¡¯s gaze fell to his side, which currently lacked any tuner ¨C they hadn¡¯t returned any of their possessions yet. ¡°I guess we wait,¡± Shouri shrugged, before taking up the bench Miro had previously used. The fox-boy nodded and took a seat next to the Maestro. The pair sat in silence for a small bit before Shouri spoke up: ¡°Did they question you too?¡± If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Si. Just wanted to know about the guys that attacked us yesterday,¡± Miro recalled. ¡°What did they ask you?¡± he turned the question on the Maestro. Shouri grunted, thinking back to his conversation with Investigator Lily. ¡°She wanted to know why I was here.¡± Miro stroked his maw in thought. ¡°Maestros are very rare sight down here.¡± Silence once more. Time passed with Shouri eventually getting up and starting to pace from boredom. What he wouldn¡¯t have given to have some good old-fashioned internet access at that moment in time. The false otter appeared before the pair after some time, escorted by an officer. ¡°Eccoti le tue cose.¡± The officer handed off the bag and tuner to Shouri. With a short nod, they left the trio to their own devices. ¡°What happened?¡± Shouri questioned Vii immediately. ¡°They just asked me some questions, no big deal.¡± Vii shrugged nonchalantly. ¡°No. I am referring to yesterday afternoon. When you left on your own.¡± The playful look on Vii¡¯s face faded, her expression melting into a scowl as she met Shouri¡¯s glower, brimming with yellow logical rhythm. ¡°Tch. You knowledge types are always so nosy,¡± Vii spat. Her gaze darted to the side. Recognizing this wasn¡¯t the right place to have a whole interrogation, Shouri glanced at Miro. ¡°Let¡¯s get to a hotel,¡± he quietly requested of the earth fox, who nodded.
Shouri stood in front of Vii, who sat on the small couch in their hotel room. Miro stood off to the side, silently watching what was about to happen. ¡°Alright, now that we¡¯re not standing in a police station: what the fuck did you do?¡± Shouri glared at the false otter. ¡°Hoh hoh¡­ using your stern voice, I¡¯m so scared,¡± Vii chuckled. ¡°Answer the question, Vii.¡± Shouri was not fazed by her flippant attitude. ¡°Do you really want to know?¡± She grinned toothily. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be asking otherwise.¡± He stayed steadfast. She hopped to her feet and approached the Maestro. Shouri remained wary, stepping backward away from her advance. ¡°I can be anyone, anything, and I chose your Resonators,¡± Vii began. ¡°That¡¯s a whole other topic ¨C what did you do to those Naturals?¡± Shouri ground his teeth, losing his edge as he retreated from the fake Resonator. ¡°You ever wonder why? I could be literally any Resonator, but it¡¯s yours I¡¯ve chosen,¡± Vii continued. Shouri tripped on the bed behind him and quickly pushed himself back. Vii crawled onto the bed. ¡°They aren¡¯t particularly strong, I have stronger Resonators in my repertoire, but I wanted you to be comfortable while we worked together.¡± She continued her approach. The Maestro hit the headboard, whipping back in surprise at the sudden obstacle. Before he could consider his next move, he was pinned. ¡°It¡¯s you. It¡¯s all you. Ever since I saw you that day, I had to have your rhythm. I had to make you mine,¡± she whispered. His voice was stuck in his throat, but he managed to shake his head. ¡°Come on, just make me yours. I want to be yours. I promise I¡¯m on an entirely different level than them.¡± Her words were soaked in her stubborn willpower, wrapping around the boy¡¯s rhythm like a chain. ¡°Let me end this fa?ade, I want to take off this mask,¡± Her lips drew close to his. Shouri was powerless to stop her. Thankfully Miro wasn¡¯t. ¡°Basta cos¨¬!¡± Sand wrapped around Vii¡¯s waist and yanked her away from the Maestro as if she had been lassoed. Shouri grabbed his rapidly beating heart. ¡°Th-thank you Miro,¡± he mumbled his appreciation. ¡°Tch,¡± Vii glared daggers at the Earth Natural, who was more than happy to glare back. With a flick of his wrist, several gemstones began to hover around his raised paw, spinning in a quick orbit. Even if Maestro-cast spells dealt bonus damage to Naturals, Resonators didn¡¯t have any resistance to Natural spells ¨C they worked with the same efficacy as if cast by Scherzando or other Resonators. Despite getting smacked around by the other Naturals yesterday and being so demure ¨C Miro radiated an intense aura of rhythm. ¡°Fine,¡± Vii acquiesced. She turned her reluctant gaze to Shouri. ¡°They tried to hurt you. So, I made them hurt,¡± she told the Maestro without an ounce of remorse in her voice. Shouri¡¯s eyes widened; it was what he had suspected but had hoped he was wrong about. ¡°Did you-?!¡± ¡°Kill them? Do you want me to?¡± ¡°No! They were already scared of us! You didn¡¯t need to hunt them down!¡± Shouri shrieked. ¡°You¡¯re too soft,¡± Vii smirked. ¡°Animals like that need to hurt, they need to know their place ¨C that¡¯s the only way they learn. The strong have to crush the weak, otherwise they get stupid little ideas in their head.¡± Clunk! Vii¡¯s currently blue tuner lay on the ground, having been thrown in front of her by Shouri. ¡°Get out.¡± The boy pointed at the door, his gaze a mixture of fear, disgust, and anger. The smirk faded from Vii¡¯s lips. ¡°You won¡¯t survive.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be the judge of that. Get. OUT.¡± Shouri¡¯s voice was firm, his glare wrathful. It was taking every bit of remaining willpower to be this civil. The false otter shot a glance at the Fox Natural. ¡°You let him die and I¡¯m coming after you,¡± the fake water element growled at the Earth Element. Miro just held his gemstone spell in place, continuing to rotate it around his paw. Snatching her tuner off the ground, Vii did as she was instructed and left the hotel room. Chapter 122 ¡°This sucks.¡± Shouri sat alone in the hotel room. The door opened and Miro came in with food for the two of them. ¡°Here.¡± Miro handed off a tray of food to the Maestro. ¡°Thanks.¡± Shouri slowly nodded. The Fox Natural took a seat on the couch and partook of his meal. Shouri remained on the bed and slowly did the same. ¡°What we do now?¡± Miro spoke up. ¡°Tomorrow we go to the northern cave,¡± Shouri spoke quietly. ¡°Then depending on how long it takes us to get through there we can go to Alspo.¡± Miro considered that thought for a moment before he voiced his opinion. ¡°I think there is an issue with getting to town,¡± he replied. ¡°I will get us map so we know where we¡¯re going.¡± A slow nod of agreement from Shouri. ¡°Probably a good idea,¡± he mumbled. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Miro asked. ¡°¡­discordant willpower,¡± Shouri¡¯s head was lowered. ¡°Discordia is a series of conditions that are characterized by extremely weak staves.¡± His eyes glowed with yellow rhythm. Thankfully, Miro was sharp enough to figure out the rest. ¡°That Resonator was keeping your Willpower strong.¡± The Natural nodded. ¡°I will do my best to keep you motivated,¡± Miro said. Shouri managed to crack a smile. ¡°Thanks,¡± the Maestro muttered. The pair resumed eating their respective meals in silence. ¡°There is one thing I need to do tomorrow night,¡± Miro spoke up. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Shouri questioned. ¡°Tomorrow is Saturday, I must be attending temple service,¡± the Natural informed the Maestro. ¡°Temple¡­ service?¡± The Maestro questioned, raising a brow. Miro returned Shouri¡¯s confusion with some of his own. ¡°Do you not have temple service on Saturdays?¡± the fox questioned. Shouri shook his head. ¡°No, what even is it?¡± Once more, Miro was baffled by the lack of knowledge on Shouri¡¯s part about what was done during temple service. ¡°Do you not worship your human gods?¡± he inquired. The human in question hummed and frowned. ¡°¡­Not really, no. The sages are well known, but if anything, they¡¯re treated more like villains than objects of reverence,¡± Shouri informed the Natural. Natural met Maestro eyes, both glowing yellow with curious rhythm. How very¡­ fascinating.
¡°The Seven Sages represent different aspects of physicality and spirit. Each sage carries a weapon that embodies their concept known as a Muse,¡± Shouri began. It was Saturday and the pair was making their way through Central Subterris. Given it was a weekend day the foot traffic around the city was far thinner than during the weekday. There was still the odd Natural here and there wandering around, but for the most part, the crowds were limited to those passing through the central hub. ¡°Lanvi, Marovo, and Cielto represent the Land, Sea, and Sky of Riterra respectively. They¡¯re less villainized than the other four, but more feared for the planetary processes they control, such as earthquakes being attributed to Lanvi or whirlpools to Marovo,¡± Shouri continued his explanation. Miro nodded, taking this all in. The pair had agreed last night to pass the time today explaining their respective culture¡¯s mythos to each other. Forcing Shouri to draw on his knowledge-strong rhythm would be a cheeky way to keep himself motivated and distract from the crippling depression. Or so they hoped. ¡°Then there¡¯s the essences of spirit ¨C Sahji, Seres, Kitori, and Luca. Desire, Time, Victory, Life.¡± The second group was strange to the Fox Natural. ¡°Those words, seem like a strange gathering.¡± The Earth element noted. ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re the assholes,¡± Shouri rolled his eyes. He took a breath and outlined them for Miro¡¯s edification. ¡°Sahji messes with humans for his own sick amusement, granting people a wish, should they survive killing themselves.¡± ¡°Seres finishes your sentences for you and directly manipulates events to find favorable timelines for himself.¡± ¡°Kitori is an actual warmonger and instigates conflict specifically to create ¡®winners¡¯.¡± ¡°And Luca is not just the embodiment of Life, but also death itself. He¡¯s probably the least assholish of the four, but does pick favorites.¡± Miro chuckled. ¡°The human gods really are demons, aren¡¯t they?¡± Shouri scoffed. ¡°Yeah, you all got that one down pat.¡± They stopped at a small caf¨¦ to have a bite to eat. Miro took care of ordering the food as one, the waitress seemed fearful of Shouri but also two, she didn¡¯t speak a lick of Maelish. ¡°I have a question,¡± Shouri spoke up once their waitress scampered away to put in their order. ¡°Are there Natural Ethereals? I¡¯ve never heard of one before.¡± ¡°Il defunto non ¨¨ stato quello di guidare i vivi ¨C The dead should not lead the living,¡± Miro waxed poetic. ¡°It would be a sin to accept immortal life as an Ethereal,¡± he clarified. Shouri slowly nodded. It wasn¡¯t entirely well understood even in academic circles how Etherealism worked. All that was known was that people of ¡°great merit¡± were chosen posthumously to be granted immortal bodies and live on as Ethereals. It was a very strange aspect of their world now that Shouri gave it some thought. Who exactly was making these decisions? ¡°What kinds of Ethereals are there?¡± Miro queried. With that line of thought secured, Shouri pondered the Natural¡¯s inquiry. ¡°Well, you got groups like the Orchestra of Heaven, which are said to be parts of the ¡®great machine¡¯ used to construct the world,¡± Shouri began with the most well-known group. ¡°Then the Three Noble Swords.¡± He paused, realizing where he was. ¡°I would imagine you¡¯re familiar with them,¡± Shouri mumbled. ¡°Y-yes¡­¡®Portatori di Morte¡¯, they are called,¡± Miro shuddered. Shouri nodded slowly. Miro¡¯s reaction tracked. While the Noble Swords in human society were seen as Heroes of the Great War, they were generals who were directly responsible for the decline of Naturals as a species. It only made sense that Naturals would view them as harbingers of death. Even more so since they had immortal bodies and nobody knew their whereabouts. ¡°There are other groups of Ethereals running around like the Six Aspects of Nature, representing different parts of the climatological year. And then there are solo acts like Rose, who invented the modern tuner,¡± Shouri told the Natural Fox. Hearing about other Ethereals that weren¡¯t directly responsible for the mass loss of life brought some calm to Miro. ¡°There is no temple service for any of these Ethereals or Sages? No worship?¡± asked the curious fox. ¡°There might be some people who look up to certain Ethereals, but no, formal religion isn¡¯t really a thing.¡± Shouri pondered that thought for a moment. ¡°They taught it in school as an old practice that kinda just went away,¡± he offered. Miro hummed, stroking his maw in thought. ¡°Very weird,¡± he decided. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to worship someone like Sahji anyway. Fuck that guy,¡± Shouri grumbled bitterly. The Fox couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Getting perspective on how humans view their gods was enlightening in more ways than one. Now perhaps Shouri would enjoy education on the deities Naturals believed in. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
The night Shouri Tomoshibi left home, he knew his life would change forever, to travel down a road unknown. But never could he have imagined ending up here. Northern Subterris was pretty similar to its southern counterpart. Lots of homes and industrial sector buildings. Businesses mixed with personal homes, meaning the citizens never had to travel far for their goods or other services. This included the temples at which they conducted worship. Many eyes bored through the foreign element in the sacred hall. It didn¡¯t take having an incredible social sense like Pacifica did for Shouri to pick up on the fact that he was an unwanted presence. ¡°Va tutto bene.¡± Miro patted the Maestro¡¯s back reassuringly. ¡°Just follow my lead.¡± The fox motioned for Shouri to follow. Temple service began with a meal, Shouri learned. Miro quietly instructed the foreigner on proper etiquette, passing food between himself and the people next to him. Before anyone ate there was a small prayer led by the head priest. Miro summarized the contents, boiling down to thanking the Divine of the Hunt, Julius as well as his wife, the Divine of Agriculture, Juniper. When the prayer was complete, they were allowed to eat. The food was good, plentiful, filling. There were a lot of staples Shouri was used to, just in local varieties ¨C beans, vegetables, and various breads all freshly harvested and prepared just for today¡¯s feast. ¡°This is a weekly thing?¡± Shouri questioned Miro. ¡°Si!¡± The Fox nodded. It was intriguing. Today wasn¡¯t anything special ¨C it was just Saturday. Back home, this spread of food, both in quantity and quality, was reserved for holidays or similar major gatherings. As Shouri partook in the food like everyone else, the wariness of the Naturals began to wane. Eventually, some braved talking with the Maestro. ¡°Da dove viene?¡± a snake-woman asked. ¡°She is asking where you from,¡± Miro translated. Shouri sat for a moment, dumbfounded about how to answer such a simple question. He didn¡¯t expect anyone to try and converse with him. Glancing over at Miro, he was waiting and ready to act as interpreter. With nothing to lose, the Maestro took in a breath and replied: ¡°I¡¯m from the Lyberteran West Coast, Riva Solare if you know it.¡± Miro went ahead and translated back. ¡°Ho familiarit¨¤! Mia sorella vive sulle Loggia montagne, con suo figlio,¡± she replied cheerily. ¡°She says she has a sister who lives in the Loggia Mountains with her son,¡± Miro relayed to Shouri. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s interesting, I didn¡¯t realize any Naturals lived up there,¡± Shouri noted. A bull-man decided to jump into the conversation. ¡°Qual ¨¨ il tuo lavoro?¡± the gruff Natural asked of the Maestro. ¡°He wants to know what you do for a living,¡± Miro translated instantly. Another simple question. ¡°I¡¯m a hunter,¡± Shouri started with a simple response. After a second of thought though, he surmised they probably didn¡¯t know what that meant within the context of human society. ¡°Me and my Resonators deal with Scherzando extermination,¡± the Maestro elaborated. ¡°And recently a little bit of law enforcement,¡± he mumbled the last bit with some trepidation. Another quick translation by the bi-lingual fox, though this time it hushed the Naturals surrounding them. Shouri¡¯s heart stopped, fearing he had just made some kind of social faux pas. No, Miro would have stopped him or translated around it, right? The Bull-man suddenly began laughing, slamming the table. ¡°¨¨ una buona professione! Dimmi di pi¨´ dei tuoi caccia!¡± he demanded. The others sitting around nodded in agreement with the request. ¡°He thinks it¡¯s a good job, and wants to know more,¡± Miro chuckled. Shouri too managed to crack a smile. ¡°Let me know if I¡¯m speaking too fast,¡± the Maestro told his translator. Miro took up his drink to prepare his vocal cords for the workout they were about to get. ¡°Si! Go ahead.¡±
After the feast, the head priest began preaching for the evening. Miro was allowed to have a jug of water and a cup to drink from (something normally frowned upon) as he would be translating the lecture for Shouri. The sermon itself was interesting. Today was the continuation of a series on the Divine Julius, a Solar element horse Natural. In particular, a tale about a hunt that had gone wrong and how it was through Julius¡¯ wisdom that the hunters were able to return safely. Shouri sat in awe as he listened to the entire sermon. It wasn¡¯t the content itself that drew him in, but how he sat among the Naturals with no one paying him any mind. The previous anxiety his presence brought these people had entirely left. He had been welcomed into this community. Even upon the conclusion of the service they were sent on their way like any other Natural ¨C with wishes of health and safe travels. By the time Shouri and Miro left the temple, night had fallen ¨C the natural light coming in from the holes in the cave ceiling had waned and only the dim glow of the Rubato Crystals remained. ¡°What did you think?¡± Miro inquired of the Maestro as they made their way down to a hotel recommended by one of the templegoers. ¡°I¡¯m not a religious person, but I wouldn¡¯t mind listening to more stories like that in the future,¡± Shouri replied. ¡°I am glad.¡± The small fox boy smiled warmly. Arriving at their lodgings for the night, the pair went their separate ways. Miro¡¯s room was much closer to the entrance, leaving Shouri to wander down the hallways alone. ¡°You¡¯re playing a dangerous game,¡± a voice spoke out of nowhere. A voice Shouri recognized ¨C the mystery benefactor that ¡°freed¡± him from the plane with its sudden untimely meeting with the ground. ¡°Vii?¡± he questioned. ¡°Smart boy,¡± though she was unmasked, her physical form didn¡¯t appear. ¡°Your powers let you turn invisible too?¡± His eyes glowed with curious yellow rhythm, anything to stave off a panic attack. ¡°Indeed they do, how do you think I gathered so much information on you and your Resonators?¡± Shouri grunted, his gaze shifting to a glare. He held himself and shuddered. ¡°How long have you been stalking us?¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± she mused invisibly. ¡°Roughly about a month now. When you were assigned to Colette Severine.¡± ¡°You were at the conference?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes. I had to keep an eye on Whistler and Vail, and I guess Ilea,¡± Vii replied. ¡°Hrmph. Well, it¡¯s not my problem.¡± Shouri walked around where he thought she was, continuing towards his room. ¡°Yes, it is.¡± The Maestro stopped. ¡°Have you already forgotten why you¡¯re in this situation in the first place? They kidnapped you to dissect you, to find out what makes you tick. You¡¯re a person of interest to them.¡± Shouri remained rooted in place, his gaze falling. ¡°You need me to survive this. And frankly, I want you to survive,¡± Vii stated. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll be the judge of that,¡± and with that timid declaration, Shouri hastily walked away. ¡°¡­how is a discordant will so stubborn? You¡¯re so fascinating my little Maestro,¡± Vii tittered to herself. Chapter 123 Sunday the 29th began with purpose. Many of the locals already were aware of Shouri¡¯s presence and were welcoming, if not curious about the human in their midst. With yesterday¡¯s temple service, the Maestro¡¯s concerns about Naturals (like the five that had jumped them previously) were eased. Thinking about it further, it was just like surface society: there were good people and bad people. Assuming everyone was out to get him only earned unnecessary stress wrinkles. With that in mind, he tried to have more confidence despite his condition and went down to the hotel lobby to have breakfast with Miro properly. Sure enough, no one paid the odd pair any mind and they were allowed to enjoy their breakfast in peace. ¡°I think today we get a map,¡± Miro proposed as he finished his meal. Shouri nodded. ¡°Agreed, I don¡¯t know the local geography very well,¡± he said. ¡°Have you ever left Subterris?¡± came the next question. There was a pause from the earth-elemental. ¡°Non.¡± Miro lowered his head, visibly trembling. ¡°I have not.¡± Shouri mulled over the Fox¡¯s reaction. ¡°You don¡¯t have to come with if you don¡¯t want to ¨C you¡¯ve done more than I could ever ask.¡± ¡°Non!¡± Miro slammed the table and stood up as he shouted this. ¡°I want to see human city!¡± His expression fell, shoulders catching slack. ¡°Tu ce l''hai data...¡± he mumbled. Taking a deep breath, Shouri sighed. ¡°I understand,¡± he spoke. ¡°I¡¯m sure my Resonators would want to thank you too.¡± The Maestro smirked. Miro¡¯s gaze rose to meet Shouri¡¯s. ¡°So let¡¯s figure this out then.¡± Miro nodded, slowly brightening back up. As not to press their luck, the duo agreed they would leave this evening assuming they could get to Alspo within a few hours. The first order of business was figuring out where they could get to the surface from. Miro knew each of the four outlying chambers had ways to leave Subterris as a whole ¨C only the central chamber had no way to reach the surface. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t too difficult to spot: on one of the northern walls, there was a footpath carved that slowly crawled up to a small tunnel, just like the one Shouri and Vii used in the south cave when they first entered Subterris. Next was the tricky part: how far was the North Subterris entrance from Alspo? ¡°Let¡¯s look for a map here.¡± Miro had led them to a small convenience store. ¡°Good idea.¡± Shouri nodded in agreement. A bell chimed overhead as the two travelers entered the shop. Shouri wasn¡¯t sure what he expected of the unassuming store, but it was just like its surface counterparts. The only difference was the packaging was in Naturalian rather than Maelish. As he browsed the selections on offer, the Maestro noted some of the brands available were the same as products he could buy in any human settlement. ¡°There is trade...¡± Shouri mumbled to himself. Subterris wasn¡¯t as isolated as it appeared. That also explained why the entrances into Subterris were so well maintained ¨C they were in regular use. While that was an interesting tidbit, it didn¡¯t help locate a map. Looking around he found Miro by the cash register, poring over the magazine racks. Shouri joined his traveling companion, but found he had the same problem as he did with the other packaging: everything was in Naturalian. ¡°Mi scusi signore,¡± Miro called for the shopkeeper. ¡°Dove sono i tuoi mappe?¡± ¡°Mappe dei che?¡± The avian shopkeeper raised a feathered brow. ¡°La superficie,¡± said the earth fox simply. Shouri received a suspicious gaze from the bird man. ¡°Non ce li abbiamo,¡± he replied gruffly. Miro wilted but wasn¡¯t too surprised. ¡°Grazie per il vostro tempo¡­¡± he mumbled, before ushering his Maestro companion to the entrance. ¡°They don¡¯t have maps,¡± he informed the Maestro. ¡°Figured,¡± Shouri replied. The pair stood outside the convenience store, trying to figure out their next course of action. Before they could come up with a plan a couple of Naturals approached the pair. Two bi-pedal rodent men, with green colored fur emanating a woody, almost grassy aura; Nature elements. ¡°Non sei il benvenuto, qui,¡± one spoke with a gravelly squeak directed at Shouri. The Maestro simply stared blankly at the rat-man, raising a brow. He had no idea what was said to him, but based on the posturing and aggressive tone of voice, he figured it couldn¡¯t be good. A hypothesis proven correct when Miro held out an arm and spoke in his stead: ¡°Stiamo provando a lasciare, ma ci serve una mappa.¡± The earth fox tried to remain calm, but it was evident he was panicking. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Shouri brushed his hand across his side, knowing there was no tuner there and consequently no Resonator to jump to his and Miro¡¯s defense. There was a definite frustration welling up in the boy at the scenario he had been forced into. Every moment in this state made his heart ache for the comfort his precious Resonators provided him more and more. Focusing back on reality, these two Nature elements were the worst matchup for poor Miro, his earth element making his spells weaker against his adversaries and being weak to their spells. He''d almost certainly get beaten into the ground by these two. After last night¡¯s encounter, Shouri was sure Vii was watching him nearby. Should he call out for her? No! That¡¯s what she wanted! But¡­ Miro was about to get thrashed and Shouri couldn¡¯t let that happen, he took in a breath. But before the rats could cause problems, a tall shadow was cast over Shouri. The Maestro released his held breath in surprise, whipping around to face the source of the sudden shade. He found himself face-to-face with a large bull man. The radiant heat of the fire element washed over the two smaller boys. The bull stepped around the Maestro and the fox, glaring down the street rats. ¡°Hai qualche problema con mio amico?¡± The bull towered over the other Naturals who remained rooted in place from fear. ¡°Nulla signore!!¡± the two yelped before scurrying away. With a snort, the bull man turned to the pair. ¡°Cos''¨¨ successo, sta bene?¡± he asked. It was when the fire element turned to face them that Shouri recalled who this was: it was the Natural from the previous night¡¯s temple service. The bull who took great interest in Shouri¡¯s hunting exploits. The boy lowered his head and smiled warmly. His opinion from earlier was proven right: there are just as many good people as there are bad. ¡°Shouri!¡± Miro¡¯s call snapped the boy from his thoughts. ¡°He has a map of the surface we can read!¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Shouri wasn¡¯t about to look this gift bull in the mouth.
¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Miro and Shouri pored over the map laid out on a table. ¡°I¡¯m not sure exactly how far away it is,¡± Shouri commented. As it turned out, their savior took regular trips to Alspo, so he had possession of a local topography map complete with routing to the town in question. ¡°Quanto dista da qui?¡± Miro questioned. ¡°Un paio di ore, all''incirca,¡± the bull responded. ¡°He says about two hours,¡± Miro relayed to Shouri. ¡°That¡¯s on foot, right?¡± Shouri inquired. After another exchange between the two Naturals, Miro nodded in the affirmative. Shouri¡¯s brows descended into a determined glare. ¡°We¡¯ll leave tonight.¡± Miro stared for a moment ¨C that was a bold declaration for someone with supposedly weak willpower. Either way, it wasn¡¯t something the fox would concern himself with. If Shouri was ready to go, it was the best chance they had for making it. ¡°I am ready when you are.¡± Miro hesitantly nodded, agreeing to the Maestro¡¯s timetable. ¡°Let¡¯s get ready then,¡± Shouri declared. Their preparations were slow and methodical, they had the whole day to get stuff done and they would be walking through some rough territory if the map was to be believed. As such they took their time and made sure to eat their fill at dinner ¨C they¡¯d almost certainly need the energy if walking through the desert was on the docket, regardless of whether or not they¡¯d be on a proper road. Finally, the agreed-upon hour arrived. It was roughly ten at night, Shouri and Miro stood at the exit to Subterris, a wind blowing from behind them as if beckoning them into the cave that was to take them to the surface. The Maestro of the pair adjusted the re-purposed parachute bag on his back ¨C filled with water bottles and some food just in case. He looked to the small fox by his side, who carried his satchel of supplies. Taking in a breath, Shouri voiced his concern. ¡°Are you absolutely certain you want to come with? I won¡¯t hold it against you if you turn back,¡± though he said this, Shouri really didn¡¯t want to make this journey alone. Thankfully he wouldn¡¯t. ¡°Non. I want to make sure you see your Resonators again.¡± Miro¡¯s reason for tagging along changed at some point it seemed. Either way, Shouri accepted he¡¯d have company for this trek. With their goal in mind and motivation reaffirmed, Shouri took the first step out of Subterris, his Natural companion following along. Chapter 124 The ascent from the depths of the underground was slow but steady. The few times Shouri snuck a peek at the earth fox he noted the curiosity brimming from the small Natural - ears up at alert, tail swishing behind him, gaze unable to focus in one direction. For one who lived their entire life in one city, this was scary and exciting. At least that¡¯s what Shouri thought of the situation. It didn¡¯t take too long for the duo to reach the surface. ¡°Woah¡­¡± Miro gasped, eyes widening. The world of the surface was entirely alien to the fox. He had spent his whole life underground but thought he had a good grasp of what the world above him was like. Even at night, everything seemed brighter, the wind blew from the mountains above, gently ruffling his fur. The air smelled wonderful, a distinct smell¡­ fresh would be how he described it. The landscape around them seemed rough, but beautiful in its own way ¨C an arid, sandy landscape with rocky protrusions jutting out of the ground surrounding a paved road stretching into the distance. ¡°Come on, we don¡¯t want to be stuck out here when the sun gets up,¡± Shouri advised, pointing them down the road. ¡°It is that bad? I have heard stories about the surface being hot,¡± Miro questioned as they began walking. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how you would fare, but I¡¯d fucking die if we had to walk this road during the day ¨C it gets stupid hot up here.¡± Shouri shuddered thinking about having to brave the heat of the Subterris Desert. Miro took in the surroundings again. Lots of rocks and sand, no shade, and no abundant water. His head craned skyward - No fancy rubato studded ceiling to protect them from the wrath of the sun either. The surface had its fair share of perils Miro realized. However, Miro was about to learn of another problem the surface dwellers faced that he had only heard stories of. ¡°Miro.¡± Shouri glared down the road. ¡°How good are you at fighting?¡± ¡°What is it are you asking?¡± Miro barely remembered to speak in Maelish. Stopping the pair in their tracks was a Scherzando, specifically a scorpion that cackled with electricity. ¡°Spellcasting, you think you can take that Scherzando?¡± Shouri inquired his gaze entirely focused on the rhythm beast before them. ¡°That is a Scherzando?¡± Miro too remained locked on their new adversary. He had never encountered one before. There were stories, sure ¨C but any Scherzando that had the unfortunate pleasure of entering Subterris was quickly handled by the constabulary. Regular citizens never heard a peep about this work ¨C nor did they ever witness this aspect of law enforcement. ¡°Yes. It looks fairly weak, and you have the element advantage,¡± Shouri noted. ¡°Fulmine elemento¡­¡± Miro nodded slowly. ¡°I will try and hit it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll watch your back.¡± Shouri stepped backwards slowly, while Miro advanced towards the beast. The cackle of electricity grew louder as Miro drew closer. The fox flexed the digits of his paws, the rhythm coursing through him as he drew on his internal magic. His eyes darted back and forth, noting the sand around him. Thankfully they were in his element. This beast stood no chance. It began in an instant ¨C the Scherzando launched a bolt of lightning at the Natural, who responded by raising a wall of sand to intercept the attack. The Scherzando charged at Miro while his visibility was obscured by his sand, though that was a mistake on the beast¡¯s part, as when the veil of sand fell, several projectiles blasted out. Gemstones Shouri recognized as Sciame di Gioielli, an Advanced Earth element spell; one stronger than the stock rock-based attack most Earth Resonators used. Miro, however, was not a practiced fighter like Shouri¡¯s trio; his aim was not true and he missed the Scherzando, only managing to clip one of its legs. The fox¡¯s eyes widened as he didn¡¯t expect the scorpion to be so nimble. ¡°MIRO MOVE!¡± Shouri roared. The fox dove out of the way at that shout, barely dodging the shadowy beast¡¯s maw. ¡°Don¡¯t let up!¡± Shouri commanded. The Natural heeded the order and fired off several more gems, all missing their targets. The scorpion saw the threat and focused its attack efforts on the combatant, causing Miro to scramble to his feet and run. ¡°Che schifo! Che schifo! Che schifo!¡± Miro screamed as he fled in terror from the over-sized scorpion. ¡°Focus! Stop its mobility, use your sand to hold it down, and hit it with your gems!¡± Shouri shouted at the fleeing fox. ¡°You have the advantage! USE IT!¡± Miro continued to be chased by the lightning beast for a bit longer before he finally decided to get his head in the game and listen to the Maestro. The Natural stopped and spun around in one motion. He made a grab with the sand around them and missed, but he didn¡¯t let up and managed to grab the beast¡¯s tail. Killing the momentum of the creature, Miro used more sand to wrap it up and arrest its electricity. The earth Natural sighed in relief that the matter had been settled. Though even if Miro felt the battle was over, the beast disagreed. Even with its electricity stripped from it, there was one part of its anatomy unaccounted for. ¡°GET BACK!¡± Shouri barked, grabbing the fox boy and yanking him backward. Where Miro had once stood, the scorpion¡¯s massive stinger was embedded in the road. In response, Miro shot off another few rounds of Sciame di Gioielli, piercing the beast. Its form remained firm momentarily before finally giving way to the accumulated damage and vanishing into the rhythm that formed it. The earthen fox stood there for a moment, panting hard from his maw, eyes wide. ¡°Che cazzo ¨¨ sta roba¡­?¡± Miro cursed under his breath, a paw grasping his shirt as he tried to calm his racing heart. Shouri placed a hand on the fox-boy¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You did good,¡± the Maestro spoke gently. ¡°Once you got over your nerves,¡± he added with a chuckle. ¡°You do this as a job?!¡± Miro shrieked. ¡°Scary, isn¡¯t it? My three are professionals.¡± Shouri smiled warmly; his vision focused north toward their destination. This only further drove home the desire Miro held ¨C he had to meet these precious Resonators Shouri trusted so deeply.
¡°Your spells are slow by their very nature; you need to use your quicker-moving sand ad-Lib to stop them from moving,¡± Shouri advised as Miro took another stab at dealing with a feisty Scherzando. A serpent-shaped Scherzando was the new adversary, a Solar element, glowing with white light like the sun. Miro nodded slowly, keeping his attention focused on the slithering Scherzando. It jumped to strike at the fox, who responded with the sand around the solar element snapping it out of the air. Lifting a paw into the air, a giant rock formed and promptly was used to crush the Scherzando underneath it. ¡°Nothing beats a big stupid rock to crush your enemies,¡± Shouri chuckled. ¡°Falla semplice, stupido,¡± Milo laughed back. ¡°Let¡¯s keep going.¡± With that intermission out of the way, the two travelers continued down the path toward Alspo. It was a long, lonely walk with no others trekking down the path they were on. The vistas they crossed weren¡¯t of any interest either. Just sand, rock, and road for the entire stretch of their journey. ¡°What spells do you know?¡± Shouri inquired of the fox. ¡°Not many, just the rock and the gem,¡± Miro replied. ¡°I can control sand,¡± he added. Shouri frowned. That was one basic spell and one advanced spell along with his ad-Lib. Truth be told, the Maestro knew very little about how Naturals felt about their spell craft or even how they did it. ¡°Is that normal?¡± The Maestro questioned. ¡°Si. We Naturals have to make effort to learn how spells work. Classes expensive,¡± the earth Natural informed the curious Maestro. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± His field guide on Lunar Resonators came to mind, specifically the sections that described how a Lunar Resonator with the aid of Rubato crystals could cast spells. Drawing the rhythm out of the crystal and then allowing it to flow into forming the spell in question. Each one had a different image of how to cast it or an associated feeling. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. There was so much solo Resonators and Naturals needed to do to perform magic. On the flip side, a Resonator who relied on a Maestro just needed a command and their Maestro¡¯s rhythm to do whatever was in their elemental wheelhouse. ¡°In school, we are taught basic spells,¡± Miro spoke up. ¡°Advanced spells need expensive classes or books. Taught myself the gem spell because it¡¯s pretty and I like looking at it,¡± he clarified. To demonstrate his point, Miro easily summoned a Sciame di Gioielli and held it over his paw, appreciating it for a moment before turning his torso and firing the rhythmically created crystal at a nearby rock formation. As the night wore on a couple more brave Scherzando tried their hand at sampling the lovely Maestro ¨C Natural platter presenting itself to them. Unfortunately, this food was a bit too spicy for their taste and the Scherzando ended up scattered in the wind. Miro prepared himself to fight yet another Scherzando when a beam of fire ripped through the beast from behind. ¡°Woah! Sorry! Didn¡¯t think there¡¯d be anyone this far out!¡± came a voice from the distance. Shouri let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Finally, we ran into some hunters, we can relax,¡± he told the Natural. The fox nodded and also released his held breath. A group of three Maestros and their Resonators rushed over. ¡°A Natural?¡± one of them questioned. ¡°They travel this road pretty often, usually merchants lookin¡¯ to trade,¡± another informed their comrade. ¡°Wait, there¡¯s a Maestro with them,¡± the third pointed out. ¡°Hey, good evening.¡± Shouri waved. ¡°Can you guide us to Alspo?¡± he requested. ¡°Sure, but what the hell happened to you?¡± The first hunter eyed Miro suspiciously. Miro jumped as Shouri placed a hand on his shoulder. ¡°He¡¯s a friend, wouldn¡¯t have made it this far without him.¡± Shouri dispelled the suspicion from his current traveling companion. ¡°Sure sure, so seriously though-¡± The hunter looked around and saw no Resonator and no visible tuner on Shouri¡¯s person. ¡°-you gotta tell us what¡¯s going on.¡± Shouri nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s walk and talk.¡± With the protection of three Maestros and their Resonators, Shouri and Miro easily made it to Alspo. Wishing their saviors well, the pair were now left on their own right in front of the MA Office. It was about one or so in the morning, with several Maestros returning from their nightly hunts. ¡°Finally, I can fucking call someone and find out what happened.¡± Shouri was itching to make his way in. Just before he did though he stopped. The automatic door slid open, but the Maestro remained stuck in place. He turned to face Miro. ¡°We should get you a hotel room first.¡± ¡°Che?¡± Miro tilted his head. ¡°MA Offices are for Maestros and their registered Resonators, I don¡¯t think they¡¯re going to let you in,¡± Shouri explained. ¡°Right, that is understandable,¡± Miro nodded. With a weary sigh, Shouri motioned for Miro to follow. After looking around for a bit, they found a suitable hotel. Being in a human city, Shouri now had access to all of his money, so getting a room for Miro was easy. ¡°Feel free to get yourself room service, you deserve a nice meal after protecting my ass all night,¡± Shouri offered to his Natural friend. ¡°Non! I couldn¡¯t!¡± Miro shook his head. ¡°Miro.¡± Shouri placed a hand on the fox boy¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You paid for me and Vii¡¯s room and food the entire time we were in Subterris, now I can repay that kindness.¡± He smirked. Miro chuckled; he knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to convince Shouri otherwise. ¡°Okay, I will get food.¡± ¡°Get yourself something filling. I make a good amount of money, I promise,¡± Shouri chided him. ¡°I will get good meal!¡± Miro pushed Shouri away. ¡°Go, call your people, they miss you.¡± Shouri nodded. ¡°I will. Have a good night!¡± ¡°Buonanotte!¡± Miro waved. Walking out of the hotel, Shouri didn¡¯t know what he was going to say. Slowly his pace began to increase until he was sprinting down the streets of Alspo, not stopping until he hit the MA Office. Through the door, he navigated the familiar hallways until he reached the common room. He sat in front of the computers, deciding who to call. It was late, he wasn¡¯t sure who would pick up. Before he knew it, he was looking up Emily¡¯s number. Thankfully he could access all of his information stored in his tuners from these computer terminals. He took in a deep breath and pressed call. The artificial ringer played over the speakers. Thankfully the common room was empty at this late hour, so Shouri was confident he could have this conversation in relative privacy. ¡°Hello?¡± Emily¡¯s voice came through the speakers. Shouri stared at the screen for a moment, his voice lost in his throat. ¡°Hello? Who¡¯s there?¡± Emily asked. ¡°Emily?¡± Shouri asked. There was a moment of silence. ¡°Shou¡­ri?¡± her voice cracked. ¡°Yeah.¡± Shouri couldn¡¯t help the smile on his face. ¡°Thank the stars. Thank the fucking stars,¡± she whimpered. ¡°Taika and the others¡­ are they okay?¡± Shouri asked. ¡°Yeah, I have them. They¡¯re all finally asleep, none of us have been sleeping well since you were kidnapped,¡± she asked back. ¡°How the hell did you keep them from tearing apart the continent looking for me? Are you even still in Naiza?¡± he asked. ¡°Mhm, we¡¯re still in Naiza. And keeping your girls sane was not easy. You owe me, mister,¡± Emily chided him playfully. ¡°Oh god, what did they do?¡± Shouri dreaded asking, though he wore a smile as he did so. The Lunar Princess took a breath. ¡°There was a lot of screaming. Rebecca socked Rika, Soot had to pin Pacifica. They finally decided to listen to reason after Taika threw Al through a window,¡± Emily told the other Maestro. ¡°Though there were a couple of other incidents over the week.¡± Shouri nodded, though Emily couldn¡¯t see it. ¡°It sounds like there¡¯s a story there,¡± he mumbled. ¡°Just a little bit,¡± she chuckled. At least she didn¡¯t seem to hold it against him, or his Resonators for that matter. There was a brief quiet between the pair. ¡°So, where the terra are you?¡± Emily finally asked. Shouri took in a breath of his own. ¡°Hope you¡¯re ready to be up for another hour.¡± Emily laughed from the other end. ¡°Dude, you think I¡¯m gonna be able to sleep now? C¡¯mon, man.¡± He laughed back. This felt so good, the tears flowed naturally from sheer relief. Taika, Pacifica, and Rebecca were okay. After a moment he recomposed himself. ¡°Alright, so I woke up on a plane.¡± ¡­ ¡°Holy shit,¡± Emily gasped after Shouri finished recollecting his journey through Subterris. ¡°Sahji needs to leave me the hell alone,¡± Shouri grumbled. ¡°I¡¯ll say!¡± she agreed heartily. The line went quiet for a moment before Emily spoke up again. ¡°I¡¯ll have Mr. Klein fly us up there and if not, I¡¯ll pay for the tickets to get us up there asap,¡± she said. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that,¡± Shouri frowned at the computer screen, despite his conversational partner being unable to see him. ¡°Not hearing it mister! You get some goons after you and your girls miss you, I¡¯m getting us on a plane as soon as physically possible,¡± the other Maestro asserted. Shouri shook his head but smiled. ¡°Fine fine.¡± ¡°Great, see you tomorrow night at the latest,¡± Emily said. ¡°You¡¯re really gonna make me wait that long?¡± Shouri joked, noting the date had rolled over to the 30th. ¡°Tonight! Whatever! Good night!¡± He could feel Emily rolling her eyes at the bad joke. ¡°Thanks again.¡± Shouri smiled warmly. ¡°Yeah, of course.¡± And with that, the line dropped. The weary Maestro let out a big dramatic sigh. ¡°After this, I¡¯m going to Lontano Island,¡± he groaned. Chapter 125 Monday morning came and went with Shouri sleeping right through it. After all, it had been an exhausting week for him and he had no reason to go anywhere until he was reunited with his precious Resonators. KNOCK KNOCK Shouri rose from the comfort of his pillows and blankets, glaring in the direction of the door. ¡°Mmmmrgh¡­¡± He scowled in the direction of the noise, hoping whoever was disturbing his slumber would sense the angry vibes and go away. KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK ¡°I have a message for Shouri Tomoshibi!¡± a voice shouted from the other side of the door. The boy lowered his head and begrudgingly slid out of bed. He trudged to the door and threw it open. Awaiting him was one of the front desk attendants¡¯ Resonators. ¡°Good afternoon!¡± they greeted the groggy Maestro. ¡°Shouri Tomoshibi?¡± they asked. ¡°Unfortunately,¡± he grumbled. Unperturbed, the attendant Resonator delivered their message: ¡°Ms. Emelia Ayame wanted us to pass along the message that they will be arriving at the Alspo Airport by four PM.¡± ¡°What time is it now?¡± Shouri asked, not having a tuner to check himself. ¡°One forty-five,¡± they replied without missing a beat. ¡°Where¡¯s the airport?¡± he continued his line of questioning. ¡°It¡¯s a twenty-minute bus ride on the E Route.¡± Shouri grunted and nodded slowly. ¡°Thanks for the information.¡± He remembered his manners. ¡°Of course, have a wonderful day!¡± And with that, Shouri was left to his own devices once more. A twenty-minute bus ride wasn¡¯t bad. Truth be told he had heard the roar of several planes overhead this morning, but was just too tired to properly wake up and ended up drifting off. With that information in mind, however, he realized he had some time to kill. He could take a quick shower, pick up Miro, and head down to the airport with time to spare. So that¡¯s what he did. After washing off, he made his way to the cafeteria, getting himself a bite to eat before setting off for the hotel he left Miro at the night before. The hotel was easy enough to get to on foot and he made his way up to the Natural¡¯s room, having recalled the room number from last night. KNOCK KNOCK After a moment, Miro cheerily answered the door. ¡°Ciao Shouri! How was your sleep?¡± the Natural beamed, tail wagging as he let the Maestro into the room. ¡°It was good.¡± Shouri cracked a smile catching the fox¡¯s infectious mood. ¡°You¡¯ve had a good morning I guess?¡± he questioned, taking a seat in one of the recliners. ¡°Si! Went out and had breakfast. Looked around a bit ¨C many nice people here!¡± the fox replied, opting to remain standing. ¡°Good, glad people didn¡¯t give you any shit.¡± Shouri nodded, one of his fears eased. ¡°Non! Very friendly!¡± Miro exclaimed. ¡°My friend is bringing my Resonators up here; they should be here by four,¡± Shouri informed the earth Natural. ¡°Oh! That is very fast!¡± ¡°Yeah, they got a super-rich guy funding the whole thing, probably,¡± the Maestro mumbled the last part. ¡°Very good very good. I will come with you?¡± Shouri shrugged. ¡°If you want. I wanted to make sure I checked in instead of just ditching you,¡± he explained. ¡°Plus, I¡¯m sure they want to meet the guy that got me here in the first place,¡± the Maestro added. Miro nodded. ¡°Si! I want to meet them too.¡± ¡°Glad we¡¯re on the same page then.¡± Shouri glanced at the clock and noted it was only hitting around 2:30 at that point. ¡°We¡¯ll hang out here until around three or so and start heading out towards the airport then?¡± ¡°Si! That sounds good!¡± Miro agreed.
As planned, the pair left the hotel at around three in the afternoon. The trip down to the bus stop wasn¡¯t anything taxing and they easily boarded the 3:05 E Bus down to the Alspo airport. No one batted an eye at Miro¡¯s presence, though Shouri did have to stop and manually push Miro¡¯s ticket payment through. It wasn¡¯t as easy as it was for himself and his normal trio. Either way, the trip down to the airport was quiet and peaceful, all twenty minutes of it. They arrived at their destination with roughly thirty minutes to spare. However, when they arrived at the airport, things took a turn for the worse. ¡°You know-¡± Shouri¡¯s eyes widened as his heart stopped. ¡°-you¡¯re a slippery little bastard, I¡¯ll give you that.¡± Standing in the middle of the street was the mechanical woman ¨C Whistler. ¡°Shouri.¡± Miro stepped between the Maestro and the lightning element. ¡°This¡­ thing is¡­ evil,¡± the fox snarled, his fur bristling from head to tail tip. ¡°She¡¯s the one that kidnapped me,¡± Shouri whispered, his hand brushing his empty side. Whistler¡¯s smirk faded to a frown. ¡°I was hoping that lunar bitch would be here. I still need to pay her back for that arm.¡± She held up her left arm and rotated her hand at the wrist joint back and forth. The Maestro wasn¡¯t entirely sure what she was referring to, but he assumed Taika had gone down fighting and dealt significant damage to her arm. Both of her arms looked fine now though. There was something else going on here. ¡°We just gotta stall for the plane to get here, damn it,¡± Shouri grumbled. He figured it had to be 3:30 or so. Being late may have been better! Either way, he wasn¡¯t going to go down as quickly this time, even without a Resonator. Miro was still by his side and willing to fight. Shouri¡¯s hair stood on end. His eyes widened. ¡°MIRO DODGE!¡± CRACK BOOM! The battle began with a massive bolt of lightning striking down from the sky. With a fight kicking up the unrelated Maestros and Resonators fled screaming in fright. Miro¡¯s eyes were wide as he and Shouri managed to avoid the attack. Even resisting lightning element magic, the earth element still felt the sheer power of that magic. There was one thing he noticed. ¡°Not Maestro rhythm!¡± the fox yelled out. Shouri¡¯s jaw caught slack at that bit of information as he panted hard through his mouth. ¡°You have the advantage then¡­¡± The Maestro calmed his breathing and stood up straight. ¡°Overwhelm her Miro - she¡¯s on borrowed time.¡± ¡°Con piacere,¡± Miro smirked. Whistler shrugged and shook her head. ¡°I suppose it wouldn¡¯t be interesting if you rolled over and died.¡± A wicked smirk rose on the woman¡¯s lips. ¡°Crushing your hope before I take you in. That¡¯ll do.¡± ¡°Provaci, stronzo,¡± Miro cursed through his barred fangs. ¡°Look at the mouth on this runt!¡± Whistler laughed loudly. ¡°Gladly.¡± Miro ran at the lightning element whilst firing several gems at the blue-haired woman. She responded in kind with a raised hand. Flying from all around, shards and pieces of metal and iron flew to her defense, easily intercepting the gems. Miro continued his charge, using his sand control to pull down the metal barrier by force. When he spotted an opening being formed, he readied a new volley of gems. Shouri couldn¡¯t be at ease watching this, however. Something was wrong, this was too easy, surely this couldn¡¯t have been the same Resonator that easily dispatched his three. ¡°Wait! It¡¯s a trap!¡± the Maestro cried out. The realization was too late ¨C the iron barrier completely fell away from Whistler¡¯s form, just in time for her to unleash a savage bolt of super-heated lightning the Lightning-Fire Ossia spell, Saldatura ad Arco. With Miro so close to Whistler she had no problem hitting him with the powerful magic which normally was highly inaccurate due to the wind-up time needed to properly aim and cast it. The force of the spell swatted Miro away with nearly no effort on Whistler¡¯s part. The fox¡¯s body whipped past Shouri, violently hitting the ground and rolling away. ¡°MIRO!¡± Shouri screamed, spinning around. Miro was thrown so far all Shouri could see for sure was the charred black and smoky gash running down the body that lay unmoving in the distance. Shouri trembled, tears unable to form even with his eyes as wide as they were. ¡°Miro?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing you could have done!¡± And then a certain voice tickled the Maestro¡¯s ear right at that moment. ¡°I told you that you needed me.¡± The Maestro remained in shock at the unmoving Natural who protected him. He couldn¡¯t tell if Miro was still breathing. Shouri¡¯s ears rang loudly drowning out the background noise, as his heart pounded painfully hard. ¡°There¡¯s nothing you could have done!¡± He trembled with rage, fury, and frustration. Shouri Tomoshibi had Discordant Willpower ¨C he was not a man of action, he was one of slow, quiet thought. Except right now. At that exact moment, his blood boiled with a righteous fury. He slowly turned to meet Whistler¡¯s smug smirk. His rhythm demanded she eat dirt. There was nothing more he wanted to do at this moment in time but to bury this woman. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. And¡­ there was a convenient tool he could use to accomplish this task. ¡°VII!¡± Thwick Thwick Thwick Thwick Thwick Thwick Thwick Thwick Several dozen shadow arrows materialized from the air surrounding Whistler and stuck into her shadow, pinning the lightning element and wiping the grin from her face. ¡°What the fuck!?¡± The woman began struggling against the entrapments. Taika¡¯s form appeared in front of Shouri. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯ve seen things my way,¡± the False Fox giggled. ¡°Shut up,¡± Shouri snarled. ¡°YOU! THE FAKER!¡± Whistler roared, surprise replaced with fury. ¡°WHEN I GET FREE YOU¡¯RE FUCKING DEAD!¡± Vii¡¯s intrusion made the lightning Resonator struggle harder, several of the arrows popping out, giving Whistler more freedom of movement. ¡°I went ahead and got you a real tuner. I know how much of a stickler you are for the process.¡± Even borrowing Taika¡¯s voice, how she used it was entirely Vii¡¯s. ¡°Take it, make me yours.¡± She wanted to be used as a tool, to be a conduit for his rhythm - that''s all she wanted from him. But this was the real deal, as soon as he touches that tuner he¡¯ll finish the Maestro-Resonator contract¡­ POP POP POP Three more arrows burst, Whistler screaming obscenities the entire time. "Fine!" Shouri cried out, giving in to the temptress who was offering her services. At that moment, the black tuner flew from Vii and wretched itself into Shouri''s grasp. The false fox turned to Whistler. ¡°Now¡­ I won''t stand a chance against her in this body. There''s only one thing to do.¡± She took a deep breath; her borrowed form began to glow and change shape. The first thing to change in her silhouette was her borrowed fox tail breaking apart, becoming a dance of interweaving feathers, long enough for them to drape over her head from their origin point at her rear. They collapsed into a single long feathery tail that hung proudly behind her. The fox ears from her head vanished as color returned to her body. Dark red hair tied into a bun, yellow determined eyes shone confidently. Her manner of dress fell within Shouri¡¯s expectations ¨C a magenta top over a long-sleeved blue shirt, black leggings, and blue boots to complete the look. Her brown feathery tail curled at the end with the many disconnected strands forming a sort of ¡°netting¡± between the two main tail feathers. She was an odd creature, unlike any other Shouri had witnessed before. However, he knew this was no illusion, this was the true Vii. ¡°You wanted to know what I was? Well, here I am: the final Lyrebird, my name is Vienna, at your beck and call, my dear Maestro.¡± Shouri studied the now clear-bodied tuner to find out what he was working with. Clear coloration indicated a Null element, a Resonator type he had never worked with before. The spell list boggled his mind, causing his eyes to widen to their maximum. Lanciafiamme - (Pianissimo, Piano, Forte, Fortissimo) Fuoco Fatuo - (Tenuto or Mosso) Cortina Fumogena - (Presto, Allegro, Moderato, Adagio, Lento) Idrante - (Pianissimo, Piano, Forte, Fortissimo) Ghiacciolo - (Pianissimo, Piano, Forte, Fortissimo) Mani Nell''acqua - (Presto, Allegro, Moderato, Adagio, Lento) Foglie a Lame - (Pianissimo, Piano, Forte, Fortissimo) Colpo di vite - (Pianissimo, Piano, Forte, Fortissimo) Corrente Elettrica - (Pianissimo, Piano, Forte, Fortissimo) Tuono Assordante - (Pianissimo, Piano, Forte, Fortissimo) Pasticcio - (Accelerando or Rallentando) Aria Carica - (Presto, Allegro, Moderato, Adagio, Lento) Tempesta di Sabbia - (Pianissimo, Piano, Forte, Fortissimo) Colpito da una Roccia - (Pianissimo, Piano, Forte, Fortissimo) Luce del Sole - (Pianissimo, Piano, Forte, Fortissimo) Flusso del Vento - (Pianissimo, Piano, Forte, Fortissimo) Guardando il Sole - (Presto, Allegro, Moderato, Adagio, Lento) Luce Lunare - (Pianissimo, Piano, Forte, Fortissimo) Rilevare l''intenzione - (Presto, Allegro, Moderato, Adagio, Lento) Bastioni del Ritmo Riflettore Musicale - (Crescendo) L''orizzonte Scudo - (Accelerando or Rallentando) L''Ordine di Gabriele - (Crescendo) Scudo Prosciugante - (Crescendo) La Bella Vita - (Presto, Allegro, Moderato, Adagio, Lento) Purifica L''anima Cancella il Ritmo L''Ordine di Michele - (Presto, Allegro, Moderato, Adagio, Lento) Ricerca Vitale - (Presto, Allegro, Moderato, Adagio, Lento) Legame Ritmo - (Presto, Allegro, Moderato, Adagio, Lento) Basic elemental spells, all maxed out, on top of Shielding spells at crescendo and every healing spell all at their top levels as well. Then there was the final entry on the list. Il Ottavo Elemento - (Ultrissimo) The Null Ultimate spell. The only spell wholly unique to Null-Element Resonators. Vii¡­ no Vienna was a survivor through and through. Everything she had experienced was leading up to this moment. Taking a breath, Shouri gripped the tuner tighter. His rhythm spoke to him, parsing the massive list in an instant. Tre Corde - he needed three lines of rhythm. He had to make it happen, failure wasn''t an option. Vienna was strong enough to handle that, he could count on that. There was no reason to mess around - Vienna dropped her guise and Whistler would kill them right here. She might have killed Miro. He had to strike back first and as hard as possible. As such, Shouri''s lips simply moved. ¡°Il Ottavo Elemento L''ordine di MichelePasticcio , Ultrissimo LentoAccelerando !¡± There was no way to prepare for what happened next. Shouri began to fall as nearly all of his rhythm and then some was violently torn from his body. Pasticcio, a lightning element spell that directly amplifies or dampens the effects and power of any spell it is cast into. Cast with the accelerando modifier, what came next would only grow in strength. L''ordine di Michele, a healing attribute spell that boosted the caster''s spell attack power for some time. That being¡­ Il Ottavo Elemento, the Null Ultimate spell. A beam of seven-colored light erupted from Vienna''s hands, clearing the distance between her and the mechanical woman in an instant, leaving no room for her to dodge. A whirlwind of rainbow light illuminated the skyline as their adversary vanished within the maelstrom. Being the Null Ultimate spell, it embodied the purest form of the jack-of-all-trades: a spell that was always effective on both the elemental and attributal sides. There was simply no defense against the raw might of this attack spell. Like all Ultimate Spells, it defied conventional wisdom. Null elements were supposed to be weak, that was the curse they bore in exchange for raw flexibility. This spell could be argued to be one of the strongest attacking forces possible and the rainbow-colored tornado of energy certainly proved that point. Shouri sat back on his legs, his hair entirely white as shards of metal, plastic, and silicon rained down from the heavens. Where Whistler once stood a drill-shaped indent in the ground remained. ¡°Ho-ho-ho-holy shi-hi-hiiiit¡­.¡± Vienna laid on the ground euphoric over the volume of Shouri¡¯s rhythm she just had the luxury of processing. ¡°You¡¯re so fucking good at this¡­¡± She trembled, splayed out on the concrete, staring at the passing clouds. ¡°M-miro¡­ get him to a hospital¡­¡± Shouri breathed out. ¡°Hm?¡± Vienna sat up. ¡°Miro,¡± Shouri barely managed to raise a hand to point back at the fox. ¡°If he dies, I¡¯m throwing this in the garbage can,¡± the Maestro managed to wave the clear tuner despite his complete exhaustion. Even despite Shouri being on death¡¯s door, Vienna could sense how serious he was about that. ¡°I suppose you are my Maestro.¡± Hopping to her feet, she studied the hole formerly known as Whistler. ¡°She was always like that, not surprised Vail isn¡¯t here,¡± the lyrebird mumbled. She walked over to Miro and scooped him up. ¡°He¡¯s pretty fucking close to death. Damn fragile Naturals.¡± Vienna shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can!¡± she shouted to her Maestro. Shouri waved her away. And with that, he was left alone in the middle of the street amongst the remains of his kidnapper. Chapter 126 ¡°Sho!¡± ¡°Sho!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t leave me! Sho!¡± ¡°Please¡­ I¡¯m begging you¡­ you¡¯re the best thing that¡¯s ever happened to me¡­ please¡­¡± ¡°I lo¡­¡± Rebecca awoke with a start. Her eyes were immediately at their maximum width as she tried to catch her breath. ¡°¡­you,¡± she mouthed. She wiped the tears from her face, thankful for her long sleeves. That nightmare again. It had been plaguing her constantly for the last week. No amount of etude with either Pacifica or Taika could fix it. The idea that her precious Maestro could have been dead only served to reinforce those horrible thoughts. But it was okay! He was okay! And they were on a plane to reunite with him right this very second! Taika and Pacifica slept soundly to Rebecca¡¯s left. None of them had been getting decent sleep since he was taken. What Rebecca wouldn¡¯t have given to have a fair fight with their assailant. She didn¡¯t even need Shouri to take out whoever coldcocked all of them. They specifically waited until Rebecca was worn down from a hard battle to start swinging. It only reinforced how weak whoever this was. Someone confident in their power would have faced them head-on. A self-assured opponent would have attacked them from the jump, crushing them with overwhelming might. This ¡°Whistler¡± character Taika described was a coward, a weak, pathetic coward. At least that¡¯s how Rebecca analyzed the situation. Either way, Rebecca was ready to see her Maestro. She was going to cry, and she wasn¡¯t ashamed of that fact. When you know what the best is like it¡¯s hard to go back to a life without. Ding The fire vixen¡¯s ears flicked. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. I have some important information to share with you about our flight. Due to a problem at the airport, we have been instructed by the air traffic control to hold our position and circle the airport until we are cleared to land. We apologize for the inconvenience and we appreciate your patience and understanding.¡± Rebecca paled. A problem at the airport? That didn¡¯t sound good. Shouri was supposed to be meeting them there! What was going on? As if to answer the fox¡¯s silent inquiry, the captain continued speaking. ¡°The problem at the airport is not related to our aircraft or our crew, and we are in constant communication with the ground staff to monitor the situation. We have enough fuel and resources to maintain our altitude and speed for as long as necessary. Your safety and comfort are our top priority, and we will do everything we can to ensure a smooth and timely landing.¡± The vixen frowned hard, glaring up at the ¡°source¡± of the voice. It was nice that they were safe but what was going on down on the ground!? ¡°We will keep you updated on any changes or developments as soon as we receive them. In the meantime, please remain seated with your seatbelts fastened and follow the instructions of our cabin crew. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact one of our flight attendants. Thank you for flying with us and we hope to see you again soon.¡± Nothing further came from overhead, frustrating the fire elemental. Of course, they were vague as fuck. If it didn¡¯t endanger everyone else on the plane, Rebecca would have jumped out herself. She could easily land even from the height they were at. ¡°Rebby.¡± The fox snapped out of her bitter thoughts. A groggy Pacifica had placed her hand on the vixen¡¯s shoulder, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± the otter asked. ¡°Dunno, something¡¯s going on at the airport we¡¯re supposed to land at,¡± Rebecca grumbled. Pacifica blinked slowly a couple of times, yawning. ¡°Calm down, it¡¯s probably fine.¡± The otter leaned back and closed her eyes. Rebecca folded her ears back and huffed. There was nothing she could do. How frustrating. The plane finally landed at the terminal around 4:30, a full half an hour after they were originally scheduled to arrive. The deboarding procedures were easy enough. ¡°I got the bags Taika, don¡¯t worry about it.¡± The taller Pacifica pulled down their travel bags from the overhead compartment. ¡°S-si¡­¡± Taika trembled, regarding her hands with trepidation. Rebecca sighed quietly to herself. That was gonna be a fun conversation with Shouri. Though there was that nagging anxiety in the fire element¡¯s heart. ¡°Do you feel him Taika?¡± she asked of her lunar counterpart. Taika silently acknowledged the request, her rhythm flaring up. After a tense moment, she shook her head with disappointment. ¡°Non¡­ he should be here, right?¡± The lunar began to share in Rebecca¡¯s anxiety. ¡°It should be fine, right?¡± Pacifica tried to keep her optimism up, but it was slowly eroding. The trio disembarked and found their temporary Maestro, Emily. ¡°Have you heard anything from him?¡± Rebecca immediately asked. Emily shook her head. ¡°He was supposed to meet us at the gate, but I can¡¯t find him. The Maestro looked around, hoping she missed him. ¡°EMMY!¡± Ritika and Albarich ran up. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Emily rushed over to her two Resonators. ¡°That delay ¨C it looks like he was involved,¡± Albarich informed the group. ¡°WHAT?!¡± came the three shrieks from behind the Maestro. ¡°Yeah yeah! There was some crazy battle and get this ¨C the Null Ultimate was used!¡± Ritika told the group. Panic was replaced by confusion. ¡°Wait¡­ that couldn¡¯t have been Shouri then,¡± Rebecca realized. ¡°Yeah yeah! We don¡¯t even have our ultimates!¡± Pacifica pointed out. ¡°Even Colette said we should have them, but we don¡¯t because it hasn¡¯t been long enough,¡± Taika recalled. ¡°Wait, does that mean someone used the ultimate on him?¡± Rebecca voiced the only obvious answer. Ritika shook her head. ¡°No, apparently someone watched the whole thing happen outside and said some blue-haired chick attacked them-¡± Taika¡¯s eyes widened at the description; her hair slowly began to float as her breathing began to deepen. Rebecca turned around and grabbed her fellow fox by the shoulders. ¡°Pacifica!¡± This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. The otter joined the fire element hugging Taika tightly and focusing her rhythm solely on calming down the fox. ¡°Shhh shhh, it¡¯s okay Taika.¡± ¡°-they annihilated her using the ultimate spell.¡± The dramatic trio stopped. ¡°Che?¡± Taika¡¯s episode ended, as she stared at the brunette cat in shock. ¡°Yeah, what the guy told us, is ¡®the Maestro with the green jacket and his Resonator¡¯ pinned her down with that shadow arrow spell and then evaporated her with the Null Ultimate,¡± Ritika told them. ¡°You can still see the hole they left from casting it apparently,¡± she added. Emily pinched her brow. ¡°For the love of the stars¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°That boy doesn¡¯t know how to do anything in half steps,¡± the woman groaned. ¡°He was not ready to cast it though,¡± Albarich spoke up. ¡°He collapsed right after.¡± And then confusion returned to panic. ¡°Wh-where is he?¡± Rebecca managed to speak. ¡°They took him to the hospital apparently,¡± the lunar dragon calmly informed the panicking trio. ¡°Again?!¡± Rebecca barked. ¡°At least we know where he¡¯s at now.¡± Pacifica nodded. ¡°I hope I¡¯m able to heal him this time.¡± Taika once more stared at her hands with unease.
Shouri stared at the ceiling of the emergency room at the local hospital. The Maestro wondered how this kept happening to him. He closed his eyes. Whatever solution was being pumped into his veins was keeping him alive. But he learned a valuable lesson today: he could not handle casting Ultimate level spells. He guessed that if he had a rhythm read-out like Resonators, he¡¯d be at -100% or close to it. There was a moment when he thought he¡¯d accidentally killed himself. He knew he was alive the moment he woke up and was being given the third degree by the local authorities. At least there were witnesses, so they''d just be taking a fine out of his bank account to cover the damages. Maybe they thought ending up in the hospital like this was punishment enough? He wasn''t going to test that theory any time soon. ¡°Fuck,¡± he cursed quietly. With such little rhythm, everything around him was dull, muffled. Rhythm as a sense was so peculiar. At least his brain still functioned. For now. His eyes opened again. Despite how it all ended up, things could have gone far worse ¨C the police had been extremely lenient with him, he realized. Street fighting was one thing; casting an Ultimate level spell within the city limits was beyond reckless. Especially in front of an airport. What if that spell clipped an incoming plane? Blood on his hands. Speaking of¡­ Whistler wasn¡¯t alive? The result of their attack on her was a rain of machine parts. ¡°Vienna,¡± he called out. Silence. She must not be watching him right now. He did wonder what she was scheming. Only because her track record meant nothing good. Her tuner was missing from his person. ¡°I went ahead and got you a real tuner.¡± He couldn¡¯t verify the authenticity of that claim, but knowing Vienna for the short time he did she was almost certainly crazy enough to go steal a real tuner. So much happened in the last couple of hours it was exhausting. All he wanted to do was sleep, but somewhere in town, his Resonators were probably looking for him. And once again he had no way to tell them where he was at. So, he was stuck in the slow ER. Thanks to the privacy curtains surrounding each patient, he had near zero visual stimuli ¨C only able to listen to the ambient sounds of others being tended to. Some things he overheard while he lay there: -Water Resonator suffering from Evaporation Illness -Maestro getting his broken leg healed after jumping from the roof of a building -Young boy with rhythm sensitivity being rhythm burnt by accident -A ¡°code blue¡± followed by a lot of running and shouting. Notably, he didn¡¯t hear anything about Miro. He was hoping to hear anything about an Earth Natural, but on that front all he got was radio silence. A nurse came by and changed out the bag on his IV. At which point Shouri¡¯s itchy curiosity got the better of him. ¡°Excuse me,¡± he called out to the nurse. ¡°Yes?¡± they asked, without needing to stop their current task. ¡°There should have been an Earth-element Natural brought here before me. Do you know anything about him?¡± the Maestro inquired, sitting up to try and meet the nurse¡¯s eyes. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± the nurse hummed to themselves. ¡°Please, can you find out? He¡¯s my friend and he protected me,¡± Shouri pleaded. The nurse didn¡¯t seem to acknowledge Shouri. ¡°I¡¯ll sleep easier knowing he¡¯s alright.¡± Finally, the nurse addressed the pleading Maestro. ¡°Let me go check on him.¡± They stepped to the privacy curtain. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back,¡± they said before vanishing back into the ER. Shouri let out a breath of relief, allowing his head to plop back onto the thin pillow. Vienna brought him here at least, that was a bit of weight off his chest. He wasn¡¯t sure how well this hospital was equipped to deal with Naturals. As far as he understood, any Maestro-based magic was poison to a Natural ¨C including healing magic. That was a lot of options off the table for immediate treatment for Miro. ¡°He¡¯s stable,¡± the nurse¡¯s voice snapped Shouri out of his thoughts, as he sat up quickly in a daze. ¡°They were able to treat him?¡± the concerned Maestro questioned. ¡°Yes, we¡¯re used to treating Naturals here. They come in every so often. Usually during the night after being attacked by Scherzando,¡± the nurse explained. Back down Shouri went. ¡°Thank you,¡± he let out. With his primary concern addressed, he could rest easy. Whistler was taken out before Taika and the others arrived, Miro was recovering, and he could be reasonably sure Vienna was somewhere around keeping an eye on things. For the moment, the best thing he could do was focus his efforts on recovering his rhythm. To accomplish that goal, he drifted off to sleep. Chapter 127 ¡°Yes, we¡¯re here to see a Maestro who was just brought here.¡± ¡°Name?¡± ¡°Shouri Tomoshibi. He¡¯s probably in the ER.¡± ¡°One moment.¡± Thank the divines Emily was handling the talking. It was taking everything in Taika¡¯s power to keep her emotions in check. That was a lie ¨C it was taking everything in her, Pacifica, and Rebecca¡¯s power to keep her emotions in check. This last week was the worst in her life. Eighteen years of slave labor was nothing compared to the last 190 or so hours she had to endure. All she wanted was to be with Shouri again. She was so scared right now, she didn¡¯t know what was happening to her, but Shouri would. He was so smart; he¡¯d make everything okay. ¡°Taika, come on,¡± Rebecca urged her fellow fox to follow their temporary Maestro. Speaking of, Emily was plenty nice, and she could probably help coming from Luna and all, but Taika didn¡¯t want her help. She wanted her Maestro. To her confiding her problems with Emily was like giving up on Shouri. Like she was trying to move on from him. Her stubborn willpower wouldn¡¯t let her. She needed her Maestro. She needed him. She NEEDED him. ¡°Taika Taika Taika!¡± The lunar fox snapped to. Rebecca and Pacifica held onto her shoulders tightly. ¡°Calm down Taika!¡± Pacifica shouted. ¡°It¡¯s okay, he¡¯s here!¡± Rebecca exclaimed. Taika¡¯s eyes were wide, brimming with rhythm as she rapidly took in and expelled lungfuls of air. Her breathing calmed. ¡°Sho... dov''¨¨?¡± she whimpered on the verge of tears. She was so scared. What if he couldn¡¯t fix her? What if she was broken? ¡°Taika,¡± Pacifica¡¯s voice whispered through the panic attack. The lunar fox snapped out of her intrusive thoughts. They were now in the Emergency Room proper. When did they get here? ¡°Come on.¡± Rebecca pushed the two through the curtains. The trio stared at what was through the partition. They stood in silent shock for a moment, collectively tearing up. ¡°We¡¯re in an ER,¡± Emily quietly reminded the three Resonators. ¡°SHO!¡± who did not listen. And poor Shouri was awoken by being winded. ¡°GUH!¡± Three weepy girls held him tightly in an indecipherable mess of sobbing. It wasn¡¯t long before Shouri joined in the noise, holding his dear companions as tightly as possible. Several nurses came to check on the noise, but let them off with a warning to be quieter. ¡°Sho, what the hell happened?¡± Rebecca asked. ¡°How did you use up this much rhythm?¡± Pacifica also inquired, running her hands through his snow-white hair. ¡°A lot of stuff,¡± Shouri sighed wearily. ¡°Basically marathon sprinted through the desert to duck into Subterris so they couldn¡¯t find me to make it over here,¡± he quickly summed up for his three concerned Resonators. ¡°Subterris?¡± Pacifica pinched her brows together in thought. ¡°It¡¯s a Natural reservation,¡± Shouri told her. He noted Taika stiffen at that information. ¡°Thankfully not all the locals hated my guts and some of them helped me out. Ended up here in Alspo.¡± He paused, considering what to say next. ¡°One of Ilea¡¯s assistants, Whistler attacked me in front of the airport. One of the Naturals I befriended tried to protect me but he¡¯s not a fighter. Whistler was, you probably don¡¯t need me to tell you how that went,¡± Shouri explained grimly. Pacifica rested a hand on her Maestro¡¯s shoulder ¨C content she could comfort him. ¡°One of Whistler¡¯s enemies showed up and I gave her the magic needed to cast the Null ultimate spell,¡± he decided they didn¡¯t need to know the full extent of Vienna¡¯s involvement with him. This would suffice for now. Rebecca grunted in frustration. ¡°How?¡± she questioned. ¡°WE don¡¯t have our ultimates, how were you able to cast it through this mystery Resonator?¡± the battle expert challenged. Shouri shrugged. ¡°She did have a fake tuner, probably was cracked to let any spell go through,¡± he guessed. Emily decided to speak up at this point. ¡°Well, Ultimates can¡¯t just be called like that.¡± The Luna native motioned to Shouri¡¯s trio. ¡°Even if you tried to call any of their ultimate spells for their elements, it just wouldn¡¯t work. Meaning whoever that girl was you worked with had already unlocked her ultimate in the past.¡± Shouri digested that thought. ¡°Makes sense. She was well enough after casting it to run to the hospital while carrying someone.¡± The group fell quiet. ¡°So what the hell happened to you all? I remember Rebecca and I got sucker punched, but what went down after that?¡± the curious Maestro inquired. ¡°Taika tore that bitch¡¯s arm off!¡± Rebecca exclaimed. ¡°Shhh! We¡¯re in a hospital!¡± Pacifica shushed the excited fire element. The Maestro of the noisy trio nodded slowly. ¡°Right, Whistler was some kind of robot thing?¡± ¡°A Sprite.¡± Emily caressed the tuner at her waist linked to her fire Resonator. ¡°They¡¯re the lightning version of Golems like Soot,¡± she explained. ¡°Though I didn¡¯t know that there were such large cybernetic bodies for them. The Sprites I¡¯ve heard of use much smaller toy-like bodies.¡± The bedridden Maestro grunted. Emily perked up, realizing what he wanted to do. ¡°Here.¡± She removed Shouri¡¯s three tuners from her side and returned them to their rightful owner. Shouri felt so good having his connection restored with his trio. The first order of business was checking into the sprites Emily had just mentioned. ¡°So what happened with Taika fighting Whistler?¡± Shouri questioned. Taika herself didn¡¯t speak, a frustrated glare cast towards the ground. ¡°From what Taika told us, she had the advantage, but there was a second attacker there,¡± Rebecca spoke up. ¡°They just started hitting her with lightning spells until she blacked out,¡± the fox added. ¡°They got me before Taika fought her,¡± Pacifica shuddered. The trio of Resonators remained silent for a moment, clearly bothered by their inability to protect their precious Maestro. ¡°I woke up first,¡± Pacifica continued. ¡°Mister Klein told us that it wasn¡¯t Emily they were after, it was you, Shouri.¡± A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. He nodded ¨C that tracked with what Vienna told him. ¡°I got too good at curing Feroces,¡± Shouri mumbled. ¡°Oh hey! Speaking of!¡± Rebecca exclaimed suddenly, earning a glare from Pacifica. ¡°We cured Mila.¡± Emily stepped forward and presented Shouri with a fourth tuner, a red one of the fire element. ¡°Mr. Klein had her for about three or four days for questioning and she¡¯s been with us since. Soot is keeping an eye on her right now,¡± the other Maestro informed the boy. ¡°She hasn¡¯t said much,¡± said Emily, quieter. The status screen popped up of its own accord. Resonator: Mila Species: Demi-Human (Cat) Element: Fire Attribute: Shielding Rhythm: 100% The shock on Shouri¡¯s face was apparent, as his face rapidly contorted between relief, concern, and confusion. He reached out, his hand hovering over the offered tuner. ¡°¡­What are you going to do Sho?¡± Taika broke her silence, her hair and fur fluttering despite the lack of wind in the building. The now distressed Maestro spoke up. ¡°I need to talk to her,¡± he said, before taking hold of the device.
Since Shouri wasn¡¯t in immediate danger of dropping dead on the spot, he was moved up to a proper room to continue his recovery and give his Resonators spots to sit. Emily left to go tend to her Resonators and Mila. Once the nurse left the group alone, Shouri addressed a curiosity that had plagued him since reuniting with his dear companions. ¡°Taika.¡± The lunar maiden jumped, keeping her head lowered as she refused his gaze. ¡°You want to tell me what¡¯s wrong?¡± Shouri inquired. ¡°Non ho nulla che non va!¡± she yelped back in response, earning two glares from her fellow Resonators. Before Pacifica and Rebecca could speak up to spill the beans, Shouri held up a hand to silence them. ¡°Taika, nothing you could possibly tell me is going to make me upset. What¡¯s going on with you?¡± He pressed again. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening,¡± she squeaked fearfully. ¡°I think I¡¯m broken,¡± the lunar fox whimpered, trembling. Shouri hummed in thought. ¡°So you can¡¯t control your ad-Lib, Volont¨¤ Estesa, which you became aware of when fighting Whistler?¡± he rattled off. The three Resonators stared at their Maestro in shock. ¡°Am I wrong?¡± He raised a brow. ¡°Uhh¡­ no, you got every detail,¡± Rebecca managed to get out. ¡°H-how did you know?¡± Taika hesitantly asked. The Maestro grinned. ¡°Process of elimination. I remember a few times you¡¯ve done things that shouldn¡¯t have been physically possible for you. It clicked together when I read the Lunar Resonator field guide describing the different ad-Libs.¡± He held up a finger¡°You haven¡¯t suddenly become invisible as far as I know, which is a sign you¡¯re developing Allucinazione di Massa, one of the other Lunar ad-Libs.¡± And up went a second finger. ¡°You also haven''t mentioned weird visions which would indicate Dilatazione Temporale was your ad-Lib,¡± Shouri explained. ¡°Lunar Resonators developing Volont¨¤ Estesa will find themselves either boosting their physical attacks like punches without realizing it or won¡¯t tire from carrying heavy loads,¡± he continued to lecture, a big smile on his face. He missed this. ¡°I can¡¯t control it!¡± she cried out. As if to prove her point Rebecca and Pacifica were knocked out of their chairs by an unseen force, Taika¡¯s hair whipping about wildly. ¡°Taika!¡± Rebecca jumped up. ¡°Calm down!¡± Pacifica crawled over and pulled herself up, making sure to make as much contact with her dear friend as possible. Shouri studied his panicking fox. He continued to smile, even feeling her rhythm being in disarray. Just being able to feel her presence, gave him the strength of an army. Strength he tested the tempers of, by sliding out of bed. His three Resonators were so preoccupied with each other, that none of them noticed him walking over with his IV. ¡°C¡¯mere.¡± He startled the trio as he fell to his knees and took Taika up in his arms. Tears streamed down the scared fox¡¯s face as her telekinetic panic attack faded. ¡°I don¡¯t have all the answers, but we¡¯re gonna figure it out together, okay?¡± he whispered. ¡°Sh-sho¡­¡± Taika wrapped her arms around her beloved Maestro and trembled, allowing a week¡¯s worth of stress to pour out. Pacifica and Rebecca hugged the pair from either side, similarly allowing their anxiety to drain. After a second cry, the Resonators helped their Maestro back to bed and decided on their next steps. ¡°We¡¯re staying with you tonight,¡± Rebecca stated. ¡°I will actually fight the nurses if they try to kick you out,¡± Shouri agreed with her. ¡°I¡¯m not letting any of you out of my sight ever again,¡± the boy pouted. The trio of girls nodded in agreement. ¡°What next though?¡± Pacifica questioned. ¡°I guess the big thing is we need to find Taika a trainer for her ad-Lib,¡± though Shouri said this, there was an unease to his voice as he spoke. Rebecca hummed in thought. ¡°I went through a good four or five trainers for my ad-Lib,¡± she recalled. ¡°I just had a swimming trainer, we otters have our water-breathing ad-Lib from birth,¡± Pacifica chimed in. ¡°Maybe¡­ Emily knows of a trainer?¡± Shouri considered. ¡°You think?¡± Rebecca asked. ¡°I mean, she is a Lunar native,¡± he pointed out. ¡°That¡¯s fair, but would there be people here?¡± Rebecca countered. Shouri grunted. ¡°Worth asking,¡± was his rebuttal. Rebecca nodded slowly in agreement. ¡°Wh-what if we can¡¯t find someone to control my powers?¡± Taika whimpered fearfully. ¡°Then I will learn,¡± Shouri stated simply. ¡°I¡¯ll figure it out one way or another.¡± ¡°Sh-sho¡­¡± The lunar fox shook with emotion. Pacifica took in a breath before her next inquiry. ¡°And what about Mila?¡± The room went quiet, all eyes turning to the Maestro in the room. ¡°Please hear me out,¡± he spoke quietly. The three girls slowly nodded in agreement. With their approval, he told them his plan: ¡°I am going to spend tomorrow with her.¡± Chapter 128 The final day of July began bright and early. While the hospital bed wasn¡¯t big enough for any of Shouri¡¯s Resonators to share with him, just having them in the same room was a massive improvement over the past week¡¯s sleeping arrangements. He actually felt well-rested. Though he couldn¡¯t calm his heart. After all, he had to face his past today. It was around eight in the morning or so when the doctor came by and gave Shouri a clean bill of health (albeit advising he take it easy for the next day or so while the remainder of his rhythm was restored). At least his hair was back to its usual sheen, with the color having slowly faded back in overnight. With Shouri¡¯s freedom from the hospital made official, he slowly woke the groggy girls scattered around the room. Taika was first, having conked out in the chair next to the bed. She didn¡¯t speak a word when awoken and the look she gave Shouri told him all he needed to know: the poor thing was completely exhausted. The etude from her presence was nice, but there was still some turmoil in the girl¡¯s heart ¨C that much was apparent to the Maestro. A discussion for tonight when they could get some proper alone time. Rebecca and Pacifica shared the couch, the smaller fire Resonator being held by her water counterpart. ¡°Come on you two, we¡¯re being kicked out.¡± Shouri gently shook the pair awake. ¡°Uuuhg¡­¡± Rebecca groaned, coming to. ¡°Mmmrgh¡­¡± Pacifica similarly grunted, trying to shake off the grogginess. After rotating usage of the restroom, the four took their leave of their temporary accommodations and headed out of the hospital. It was a quiet jaunt, none of them wanting to disturb the other recovering patients, but also because three out of the four members of the party were still totally exhausted. Yesterday had been a long day for all of them, but only one got the luxury of a real bed. ¡°Let¡¯s go get breakfast at the MA Office and then I¡¯ll get you all a room to sleep in,¡± Shouri suggested as they made their way down the streets of Alspo. ¡°Sounds good,¡± Pacifica said through a yawn. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯ll be fine bossman?¡± Rebecca asked, quieter than usual. Shouri nodded. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll be fine,¡± he said with unusual confidence. Pacifica and Rebecca both caught that but were just too tired to call him out on it. Maybe later after some food and real sleep. Thankfully, Shouri was never checked out of his room at the MA office so they were able to slip past the front counter and head straight to the cafeteria where a few Maestros and their Resonators mulled about. It was a peaceful morning. That was except for one of Shouri¡¯s present concerns. He shot a sidelong glance toward Taika, who grabbed much less food than usual. She skipped some of her usual staples. This thing about her ad-Lib was really getting to her. He held her tuner in his free hand, his banking app on screen. Naiza Department of Maestro Affairs Office 25/7/2018 Damages -123.25? Naiza Department of Maestro Affairs Office 25/7/2018 Damages -245.75? Naiza Department of Maestro Affairs Office 26/7/2018 Damages -90.00? Naiza Department of Maestro Affairs Office 27/7/2018 Damages -41.50? Naiza Department of Maestro Affairs Office 29/7/2018 Damages -101.75? The assumption was Taika thought she could control her powers and failed. Multiple times. His itchy curiosity demanded to know what exactly she broke, but on the flip side of his logic, he knew such a pointed inquiry would only depress his poor fox more than she already was. Maybe he''d ask Emily later in private since she was caring for them at the time. At any rate, breakfast was quiet. The quartet ate their food in silence, the hushed conversations of the other patrons being the backing track for their meal. Once food was done, Shouri led his trio back to his room and saw them off to bed. While Shouri was deciding which tuners to take with and which to leave, Pacifica grabbed his wrist. ¡°Just take them all,¡± she whispered. Shouri opened his mouth to retort but was cut off. ¡°After the week we¡¯ve had, we¡¯re just gonna sleep, if we need you we¡¯ll call ¨C we¡¯re right next to the common room,¡± the otter told him. The Maestro smiled, ruffling the sleepy girl¡¯s head. ¡°Sleep well.¡± ¡°Be back soon,¡± she replied. ¡°I will.¡± He nodded. And with that, he set off. He walked through the MA Office alone once again. With a grunt, Shouri came to a stop. Taking in a breath, he spoke into the empty air surrounding him. ¡°I get you don¡¯t trust any of them, but can you leave me alone today?¡± After a moment of silence, he nodded and continued into the front lobby. Awaiting him was a face that made his heart throb uncomfortably. Alone she sat near the door, her clothes still torn up as they were when they clashed only a week ago. Though the burnt nature of her hair and skin had vanished. The scars did not though. He stared at her for some time, only breaking eye contact when she noticed him. Even if she had strong willpower, Mila couldn¡¯t move. Shouri¡¯s hand dropped to his side and gripped the black tuner at his waist. Finding his conviction, he properly approached her. ¡°Mila,¡± he said. ¡°Shouri,¡± she replied. Silence. ¡°I didn¡¯t abandon you,¡± Shouri said. ¡°I know you didn¡¯t.¡± Shockingly, she grinned. He didn¡¯t know what to say, he stared at her his mouth agape. ¡°They convinced me you did,¡± she admitted, her eyes fleeing from his form. ¡°And I believed them. It was convenient.¡± There was a shame to her voice as she spoke. Shouri nodded slowly, a hand remained wrapped around Taika¡¯s tuner, trembling. ¡°So, what did you want?¡± Mila asked. ¡°I just¡­ wanted one day.¡± He paused, refusing to meet her gaze. ¡°I wanted one day as your Maestro. Just to see what they took from us.¡± Mila stroked her chin in thought, humming as she processed the request. ¡°Okay,¡± she said simply. ¡°What then?¡± came her next question. ¡°I don¡¯t got a Maestro,¡± she pointed out. ¡°Back to being a stray?¡± she queried. ¡°No!¡± Shouri barked (and startling the morning desk attendant). ¡°You¡¯re never going back to the street.¡± Mila¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t meet his, instead, they were on the hand clutching the black tuner. ¡°I¡¯ll letcha surprise me then, my Maestro~¡± she sang through a toothy grin.
¡°So where are we going first?¡± Mila questioned her current Maestro. The pair walked through the streets of Alspo. Being on the edge of the desert, the landscape had very little in terms of greenery. It was interesting in Shouri¡¯s mind considering he could smell the ocean nearby. Probably if they walked north enough they¡¯d hit the West Trimare Sea. ¡°Shouri.¡± Mila lightly shoved the boy. ¡°Huh? What?¡± Shouri looked around before his attention returned to the Fire Cat by his side. ¡°Where are we going?¡± She repeated her question. ¡°Oh right, uh¡­¡± He looked around. ¡°Pfft¡­ hahaha!¡± Mila couldn¡¯t help but break down in a giggle-fit. ¡°What?¡± Shouri glanced at the laughing girl. ¡°You really haven¡¯t changed in all this time, huh?¡± She wiped a tear away. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Shouri sighed. ¡°I guess not,¡± he mumbled. Mila¡¯s laughter faded as she frowned at him. ¡°C¡¯mon, it was a joke.¡± ¡°I know,¡± he replied. Before she could question what he was on, her hand got grabbed. ¡°Come on,¡± he said, pulling her into a nearby shop. ¡°W-wait!¡±
¡°You really haven¡¯t fucking changed,¡± the cat hissed, hiding behind the boy as she nervously glanced around their new surroundings. Given the many outfits, racks, and stacks of clothing, it was clear Shouri had taken her to a tailor. Of course, given who she was with, this wasn¡¯t an ordinary clothier, but a tailor of the highest prestige. The shop had that rich smell to it, you know the one. The pair began to look around at all the fancy outfits on display. The price tags made Mila ill. Everything was so expensive! Given how Mila had to scrounge together scraps off the street for her entire life, seeing outfits priced at values she had only dreamed of made her feel underdressed even being in there. No, she felt plain naked with her filthy peasant rags! ¡°Neither have you ¨C relax, you¡¯re with money,¡± Shouri reassured her. ¡°If you say so,¡± she muttered, hiding behind her present Maestro. ¡°Hello! How can I help you?¡± A shopkeeper practically materialized out of thin air from how quietly they had crept up on the pair. The cat jumped but didn¡¯t give the tailor the satisfaction of a yelp. Shouri stepped out of the way to reveal Mila. ¡°I wanted to get some new clothes for her,¡± he told them, whilst the Resonator in question tried to look as small as possible. ¡°Hmmm...¡± The tailor stroked their chin in thought. ¡°We can get her in something more suited to her style.¡± They looked the shabby cat over. ¡°She could use it,¡± came the biting commentary. Shouri chuckled. Mila was definitely in for it ¨C she still had somehow managed to keep her clothes from eight years ago together. But it was obvious the already scavenged clothes were on their last legs. She could do better, maybe something like what Rebecca wore? He shook his head. ¡°Please. Whatever she wants,¡± he told the tailor. And with that, Mila was taken into the fitting rooms. Shouri took a seat to wait. While Mila got dressed, he checked his text messages. A smirk rose on his lips. ¡°Good,¡± he chuckled. ¡°You need to make a good first impression,¡± the boy whispered to himself.
Mila stared at herself in the mirror. Her blue eyes wide and shimmering as she fought to suppress the tears that wanted to spill. Facing her in the mirror was an unrecognizable figure. Ultimately, she decided to keep her palette darker, with her top and shorts being black, though an orange line highlighted the button line that made up the sleeveless top she wore as well as the collar¡¯s edge. Over her top was a hooded capelet, entirely orange to match the line on her top. The cat glanced over at the remaining clothing items she had yet to put on. She already felt perfect in these clothes. What more could be done to improve her look? A foolish question. She slipped on a pair of black leggings and slid on the accompanying black and white shoes to complete her look. ¡°Huh¡­¡± The cat that stared back at Mila was a creature she was wholly unfamiliar with. ¡°Me¡­¡± She blinked twice. Her mind was entirely overstimulated at this point ¨C she had never felt this good in her own skin ever. It made her heart race but numbed her all at the same time. Until she was standing in front of Shouri. ¡°She is complete,¡± the tailor spoke with pride. Mila was lost for words. What would he even say? ¡°Beautiful,¡± was the word he decided on. ¡°Sh-shut up! Idiot!¡± she barked. ¡°Have some lead up! You can¡¯t just say that to a girl without warning!¡± the cat roared, only earning laughter from the ¡°idiot¡± in question.
¡°So now what?¡± Mila asked. They had since departed from the tailor¡¯s and were once again walking the hot streets of Alspo. Thanks to the two fire Resonators he was currently linked to Shouri had no problems with the sweltering temps of the mid-day Alspo sun. ¡°I¡¯m your Maestro for the day. I should act like one.¡± Shouri shrugged. ¡°What¡¯s that even mean?¡± Mila raised a brow. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± The duo stopped before a huge building, a small stadium in size. Stepping inside revealed the purpose of the large structure- it was a battle court. Many Resonators and their Maestros hung out in the lobby, chattering amongst themselves. Even if the streets were empty, the courts were anything but. It probably helped that the building was boasting an impressive temperature control system ¨C it was hard to believe that the desert was just outside the doors with how cool it was inside. At any rate, Shouri and Mila weren¡¯t here to leech off the AC unit ¨C they were here for what the building was designed for: battling. The Maestro strode up to the counter, his Resonator for the day right behind him. Had he walked in with his usual trio he no doubt would have commanded some attention from the locals. Mila even in her striking new outfit was still just a cat, a common breed seen everywhere in the world. Even a couple of cats were chilling out around the lobby itself. ¡°Welcome to the Alspo Battle Court ¨C do you have a reservation?¡± the attendant asked. ¡°I do not, but we¡¯d be down to face anyone who is waiting for a battle,¡± Shouri told the attendant. ¡°Certainly. I¡¯ll put you in the queue ¨C what battle style are you looking for?¡± Shouri hummed in thought. He wasn¡¯t familiar with what was available at venues like this. A quick glance around showed there were many Maestros with squads of up to three Resonators. That must have been what the attendant meant. ¡°Just a one-on-one, I only have her today.¡± Shouri motioned back to Mila, who had stopped paying attention and was scoping out the competition. ¡°Certainly, I can get you registered please scan her tuner in here.¡± The attendant pointed to a scanner embedded into the front counter. Following the instructions, Shouri pulled Mila¡¯s red tuner from his side and checked her into the system. ¡°Thank you, Maestro Shouri. We¡¯ll call you up when we have a battle ready for you.¡± Mila and Shouri took a seat, completely disregarded by the other Maestros in the lobby. ¡°So what have you been up to all this time?¡± Mila asked, leaning back on the bench. Shouri leaned forward, considering that question. ¡°Well, I spent seven years in depression,¡± he began. The fire cat frowned, shifting her gaze back and forth as she tried to figure out how to respond to that. ¡°Met Taika in April and got chased from home a month later.¡± ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Dad caught us in bed together.¡± Mila started gagging, sitting up suddenly. ¡°The fuck?!¡± she barked. ¡°Right? He and Mom threw a fit so we ran,¡± Shouri replied. ¡°No no, you were sleeping with her? Like sleeping sleeping?¡± Mila asked. It took Shouri a moment to piece together what was going on but when he did, a wicked grin rose on his lips. ¡°Oh Mila, I didn¡¯t realize you were so chaste,¡± the boy tittered. ¡°What the fuck does that mean?!¡± the poor flustered cat shrieked. ¡°I guess I just have more experience than you now, little girl.¡± Shouri¡¯s shit-eating grin only served to further ruffle the cat¡¯s proverbial feathers until she snapped. ¡°Shut-up! Shut-up! Shut-up! Shut-up! Shut-up!¡± the cat yowled, repeatedly hammering the stupid smug Maestro with her fists. ¡°Shouri Tomoshibi!¡± The loudspeaker broke up the play fight. ¡°Please report to Court 3, your opponent is ready!¡± The Maestro looked to the Resonator glaring at him. ¡°Ready my little kitten?¡± he snickered. ¡°Shut the fuck up,¡± she growled, unable to suppress her smirk. Chapter 129 ¡°At least he¡¯s not a water,¡± Mila commented. ¡°Earth, no advantage to press,¡± Shouri noted. The pair stood in their designated box while the loudspeaker overhead went over the battle rules. It broke down to don¡¯t do anything to seriously maim your opponent, listen to the referee, etc. Pretty standard stuff especially considering Shouri himself was a referee only two weeks ago. ¡°Remember when we touch-cast as kids?¡± Shouri asked. ¡°Yeah?¡± Mila looked to her current Maestro. ¡°I¡¯ve been told my rhythm is¡­ a lot. Just don¡¯t lose focus,¡± He advised. Mila considered those words. She had been on the receiving end of his spells from that fire fox of his. She nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± And with that, she stepped onto the battlefield, her opponent, an earth-element canine of some sort matching her step. When the two Resonators met in the middle of the court they sized each other up. Mila was small and lithe ¨C she could easily be mistaken for a piercing element from her build. Her opponent stood taller than her, an average thing by all considerations, they could be either a slashing attribute or one of the non-noble attributes. Either way, not much changed about the game plan in Shouri¡¯s mind. Mila was a Shielder with strong willpower. The average Resonator would have a bad time dealing with her combination of traits. ¡°Maestros! This is a one-on-one battle with no substitutions! Goal is seventy-five percent rhythm remaining! Let the battle begin!¡± Mila opened strong, throwing a haymaker towards her opponent. They dodged the cat¡¯s initial thrown fist, but in an instant, found themselves receiving the blow anyway. Mila had ignited her fist and used her wrist flames to change the trajectory of her attack. ¡°Oh.¡± Shouri noticed it wasn¡¯t just her fist, but her footwork ¨C when she threw the punch, she deliberately took one foot off the ground, then when she missed her weight shifted to her heel. The result of this allowed her whole body to whip around and face the new direction of her attack. ¡°Glad Lyle is an idiot, damn.¡± Shouri whistled, impressed. The earth Resonator realized in an instant close quarters combat with this cat was dangerous and quickly cleared the distance between them. ¡° I venti che battono il sahara !¡± the earth Maestro commanded. ¡° L''Ordine di Gabriele, Allegro!¡± Shouri countered. Mila channeled the rhythm she received from Shouri, taking on a slight glow. The spell choice was well-informed as the earth dog kicked up a sandstorm contained within the arena¡¯s walls. Shouri raised an arm and narrowed his eyes, trying to keep the swirling sands from getting in them. He glanced down at the tuner in hand. Status: Ready Rhythm: 97% Good, it wasn¡¯t going down, thought Shouri. He figured the sandstorm must deal rhythmic damage at the Presto level, so the Allegro level boost the L''Ordine di Gabriele was giving Mila¡¯s defenses negated that chip damage. Or at least, that was the running theory. However, the sandstorm did present the new problem of lowering Mila¡¯s damage output. That only applied to spellcasting though. Perhaps¡­ ¡°Mila, I¡¯m gonna focus on trying to get you close to them, use the spells I send to close the gap ¨C they¡¯re not good at traditional fighting,¡± Shouri explained through the talk function on the tuner ¨C he didn¡¯t feel like blurting out his strategy for his opponent to counter. He didn¡¯t wait for her response, he just started calling spells. ¡°Arcobaleno Fuoco, Piano!¡± Shouri belted out. Mila fired off the rainbow-colored ball of light instantly. It flew straight, heading right for the earth dog. They took off in a sprint, Mila already running in the direction they were running. ¡°Arcobaleno Fuoco, Piano!¡± Shouri called over the first spell¡¯s explosion. Mila fired off a second round of the spell, forcing the dog to come to a complete halt and change the direction they were running all while Mila kept running at them full speed. ¡°DIG!¡± the opposing Maestro yelled. The dog jumped into the ground below as if diving into a pool, splashing through the dirt and vanishing instantly. ¡°Mine Terrestri, Rubato! Go, Mila, go!¡± Shouri commanded. The cat fell to one knee and began repeatedly striking the ground with her fists, wisps of fire licking the ground all around the battlefield. Finally, when Mila was done with her work, she bolted from her crouched position towards one particular corner of the battlefield. ¡°Wait! Don¡¯t!¡± the opposing Maestro cried out. But it was far too late ¨C the earth Resonator burst out of a seemingly safe part of the court, only to be met by Mila¡¯s blazing fist. BEEEEEEEEEEEEEP! ¡°HALT COMBAT!¡± boomed above the battling Maestros. ¡°This game¡¯s winner is Shouri Tomoshibi!¡± The sandstorm subsided and Shouri wiped the sweat from his brow. ¡°Sotto.¡± He called out to disperse the minefield they had created. Mila stood where she had stopped after delivering the winning blow. She flexed the digits of her hand, appreciating her handiwork. The two dueling Maestros met in the center of the field and exchanged a handshake. ¡°Holy shit, are you like a pro duelist or something?¡± they asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever been mopped up so cleanly like that.¡± Shouri chuckled. ¡°Nah, I¡¯m a hunter,¡± he replied. ¡°She¡¯s just that good,¡± he said, looking to Mila who tilted her head slightly.
¡°You¡¯ve been through some shit,¡± Mila said as the pair resumed walking the streets of Alspo. ¡°You could say that,¡± Shouri said with a shrug. ¡°Here I thought you were lazing about, but you¡¯re the real deal.¡± The pair came to a stop. ¡°You¡¯re a real Maestro, Shouri.¡± Mila grinned. Shouri was at a loss for words, his heart throbbed painfully. He couldn¡¯t meet her gaze, swiftly jerking his head away. The fire cat let out a soft chuckle. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she suddenly spoke. ¡°I get it.¡± ¡°Mila, I-!¡± She silenced him with a single finger. ¡°When you met her, did you remember what I taught you?¡± she asked. He trembled, clenching his fists tightly. ¡°Of course I did.¡± Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.¡°Good. I didn¡¯t waste my time with you then,¡± boasted the cat. ¡°You¡¯re so unfair,¡± Shouri grumbled. ¡°No, I¡¯m a realist,¡± Mila replied. ¡°We lost our chance years ago. I don¡¯t think either of us could reach our full potential together.¡± She shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ just too weird.¡± The boy nodded slowly, his gaze avoidant. She vocalized his suspicion; he didn''t think about her at all after he got kidnapped. The only ones on his mind were them. Even now, with Mila standing right in front of him, his thoughts were steadily drifting back towards his girls. He had promised himself to them... not... her. A loud dramatic sigh brought Shouri back to reality. The blazing cat stood akimbo, her tail flicking about as she stared at him. ¡°Besides, I know you - you already made a plan, didn¡¯t you?¡± Mila questioned. ¡°Of course I did,¡± the Maestro grumbled quietly. ¡°Like I was ever gonna let you go back to the streets.¡± They remained quiet for a moment. ¡°Should we go then?¡± Mila broke the silence. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s about time,¡± Shouri mumbled.
¡°Damn, they work fast here,¡± Shouri noted, walking past a freshly paved section of the road. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Mila asked. The Maestro pointed to the circular patch of fresh asphalt behind them. ¡°That hole was made yesterday and they already filled it up,¡± he told her. ¡°Ah.¡± Mila nodded as they entered the airport terminal. ¡°They probably don¡¯t have anything better to do out here. Lotta desert from what I see,¡± she commented. ¡°You¡¯re probably right,¡± Shouri agreed. The two fell to silence as they walked through the airport. The chatter and noise of the other patrons served as a muffled backing track to their journey. They stopped at gate 2I and took a seat. ¡°How long we gonna wait?¡± Mila questioned. ¡°Should be that one.¡± Shouri pointed out the window as a plane taxing the runway, drawing closer to the building. Questions swirled in the cat¡¯s mind, but even with her stubborn willpower, she found herself unable to give a voice to her inquiries. Was she nervous? Excited? Either way, it was hard to tell. Only time could provide her with the respite she desired. Sitting in silence, Maestro and Resonator watched the plane park and slowly the passengers de-boarded the plane. Finally, Shouri stood, Mila following suit. ¡°Hey Vince!¡± the Maestro waved. ¡°Shouri!¡± The younger Maestro ran over and hugged Shouri tightly, earning a smile and a short laugh. ¡°How have you been?¡± Shouri asked as the two broke up. ¡°Good, super good!¡± Vince had gotten his usual energy back it seemed. Shouri nodded. He looked to Mila who was scrutinizing the smaller boy. ¡°This is Vince,¡± Shouri introduced him. ¡°He uh¡­ he lost a Resonator due to Feroce.¡± Mila¡¯s eyes widened as she nodded in understanding. Vince¡¯s bright demeanor faded for a moment, his expression hardening. ¡°I only mentioned that because Mila was formerly a Feroce Resonator,¡± Shouri then revealed to the other Maestro. Now it was Vince¡¯s turn to appraise Mila. He nodded slowly, the implication clear. The man connecting these two strangers took in a breath. This was the part Shouri was dreading. ¡°Mila, can I ask you to take care of Vince? I know losing his first Resonator hurt him, he¡¯s still hurting.¡± Shouri then turned his attention to the Maestro in question. ¡°And Vince, will you take care of Mila? She was the first Resonator I ever truly interacted with, she¡¯s a dear friend to me and I can¡¯t trust her with anyone else.¡± His eyes glowed with bright yellow rhythm as he spoke, a hand gripping Taika¡¯s tuner as tight as possible. Vince started to tear up. ¡°Y-you trust me? With someone so important to you?¡± the greenhorn questioned. ¡°Of course,¡± Shouri smiled. ¡°Alright! I get it!¡± Mila suddenly exclaimed. The two boys turned to the cat. She studied her Maestro-to-be and walked him, really taking him in. ¡°He¡¯s a little beansprout, but he¡¯s got guts,¡± Mila decided after a moment. Her gaze rose to meet Shouri¡¯s. ¡°That¡¯s why you wanted to battle with me today then, huh?¡± She grinned toothily. ¡°You wanted to show me the level to bring this sprout to, right?¡± Shouri nodded, returning her smirk in kind. ¡°Yeah, something like that.¡± ¡°Consider it done.¡± Mila flashed a thumbs-up. ¡°I¡¯ll whip him up into something respectable.¡± There was one last thing that needed to be done to make it official. Shouri removed Mila¡¯s tuner from his side and returned it to her. She regarded the device for a moment before flipping it around and offering it to Vince. Vince went to accept the device but Mila yanked it away at the last second, holding it over her head. ¡°Before you take this, are you really sure you want me? I¡¯m a bad girl with a troubled past,¡± she warned. ¡°Of course!¡± Vince declared with no hesitation. ¡°I felt something¡­ right from you as soon as I saw you,¡± he admitted, quieter. Mila was disarmed, her smug expression fading. She looked to Shouri. ¡°The fuck man?¡± she muttered. ¡°You think you¡¯re some kind of matchmaker?¡± the cat questioned. Finally, Mila lowered her arm and allowed Vince to accept the tuner properly. ¡°You¡¯re heading back out?¡± Shouri asked. ¡°Yeah. Back home ¨C I don¡¯t want to worry my folks anymore,¡± Vince admitted. ¡°Good, get back there then.¡± Shouri waved the two off. ¡°But if you ever need me-¡± Vince glanced to his side, regarding his new Resonator for a moment. ¡°-us: let us know and we¡¯ll be there in a moment.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay you don¡¯t-¡± THWACK! Mila punched Shouri¡¯s arm hard. ¡°Don¡¯t be a stubborn idiot,¡± she scolded him. ¡°Learn to take help.¡± Shouri rubbed his arm but forced a smile. ¡°Fine fine.¡± He waved them off again. ¡°Go to your flight.¡± ¡°Thank you Shouri.¡± The cat¡¯s gratitude was palpable. ¡°For everything.¡± And with that, the newly formed pair left Shouri all alone on the terminal. Once they were out of sight, the lone Maestro shakily drew one of the remaining three tuners from his side. He pressed down both the talk and listen buttons. ¡°T-taika?¡± ¡°Sho?¡± ¡°Can you come get me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be right there.¡± Interlude 6 Mila¡­ was ordinary. Or at least she was supposed to be until she met him. Many years down the line she¡¯d think back on how utterly unusual her childhood friend was, and how even apart he drew her out from the mundane into the extraordinary. Though¡­ that was a thought in a long distant future. In the present, she was on her way to the next stage in her life. Hopefully her peaceful and comfortable life. No more sleeping under the stars or in a cage. Hopefully, she could just be normal for once. A normal girl with normal problems. That¡¯d be nice¡­
¡°Hey¡­ hey wake up, we¡¯re here,¡± a gentle voice stirred Mila from her slumber. ¡°Huh? Wha-? I wasn¡¯t sleeping!¡± the cat asserted, snapping up and looking around in a daze. ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± laughed her new Maestro. She pouted at him. ¡°Shaddap,¡± grumbled the cat. Waiting on the plane was boring, but Mila dealt with it. She was the mature one now. Why did she always end up with Maestros who she had to babysit? First that guy and now Vince. Her new Maestro didn¡¯t seem like a bad kid. From what she figured he fucked up and learned his lesson. She got the same vibes from Vince as she did her dear childhood friend. And she had been given the task of making Vince into a real Maestro. His rhythm was nothing compared to what she was used to. He was lucky she had a ton of her spells available. She was going to spoil him with choice. Finally, it was their turn to get up. ¡°No bags?¡± Mila questioned as they made their way straight for the front of the plane. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t think I needed anything since I was just going to pick you up,¡± Vince replied. ¡°Simple as I guess.¡± The cat shrugged, following along. ¡°Blech, humid,¡± was the first complaint to leave her lips as they stepped out of the airport. ¡°It¡¯s not that bad,¡± Vince said with a frown. ¡°Alspo was much more to my flavor,¡± said the cat fondly remembering the heat of the desert bordering town. ¡°It gets plenty hot during the heat of the day.¡± Vince wiped some non-existent sweat from his brow. ¡°But it''s morning right now, so it¡¯s not that bad.¡± ¡°Eh, it¡¯s okay I guess,¡± Mila said with a shrug. ¡°Where we going?¡± she decided to divert their conversation to something more relevant. ¡°Well, I gotta introduce you to my parents,¡± Vince replied. That took the wind right out of the fire element¡¯s sails. She opened her mouth to speak, but couldn¡¯t vocalize her thoughts. She lowered her head, her brows turned up with concern. ¡°M-maybe we should get breakfast first?¡± Mila tried to offer. ¡°No need, Mom usually makes breakfast in the mornings!¡± Vince beamed brightly. ¡°I want to go run in the park,¡± Mila suddenly asserted. ¡°But what about breakfast?¡± Vince raised a brow. She grabbed his hand. ¡°Park, run, now,¡± she demanded, towering over him. ¡°O-okay¡­?¡± Vince gulped.
¡°Why..ha¡­ did you¡­ ha¡­ want to run ha?¡± Vince wheezed as he lay in the grass at their local park. The poor kid was totally soaked in sweat. ¡°It¡¯s good to get the heat pumping. If you¡¯re gonna be the Maestro of a hot cat like me you gotta get used to feeling the burn,¡± Mila smirked. Vince sat up, his expression clouding. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he said quietly. ¡°If I do something wrong, you¡¯ll tell me, right?¡± Mila considered the request. ¡°Duh,¡± was what she decided on. ¡°If you think I¡¯m gonna be an obedient little kitten then you¡¯re sorely mistaken, squirt.¡± To emphasize her point she pushed him over with her foot. Rather than rage, like she expected, Vince smiled. It wasn¡¯t a carefree smile though, there was a weight that threatened to crush the poor boy. Mila shuffled uncomfortably, before offering a hand to him. ¡°Come on, I suppose we¡¯ll go meet your parents or whatever.¡± ¡°You bet!¡± Mila allowed her new Maestro to lead the way back towards his home¡­ their home. The entire time the cat studied the back of the boy¡¯s head as he prattled on. He was hurting, that much was clear. She knew what she was getting herself into when they were introduced. But the thread that initially connected the two of them had vouched for both of them. He certainly was a matchmaker. Whether he thought himself it or not, that boy¡­ no that man had an uncanny knack for making people swirl around him like a storm drain. ¡°Tch,¡± Mila clicked her tongue in annoyance. She¡¯d wallop him good the next time they met. That¡¯s for sure. ¡°Here we are!¡± Mila shook herself out of her spiteful thoughts and paid the home in front of her the attention her Maestro was seeking. It was a pretty average one. Looking around, the neighborhood they were in was a mundane one. Possibly a hoity-toity gated community? Probably. ¡°We goin¡¯ in or we just standin¡¯ here, squirt?¡± ¡°Yeah! Of course!¡± Vince threw open the door and motioned for Mila to enter. Immediately the cat shivered. ¡°Fuck you people have the AC set to Remita!¡± she hissed. ¡°It¡¯s not that cold,¡± Vince said with a coy smirk. Before she could bite his head off, Mila¡¯s ears twitched. Another presence walked out into the foyer. ¡°Oh, Vince-¡± the older woman stopped when her eyes met Mila. The cat froze, gulping hard. She closed her eyes. ¡°Remember Mila, first impressions are important, especially when meeting my parents. Make it clear to them that you¡¯re not just strong but you¡¯re elegant.¡± Mila took a deep breath through her nose and curtsied. ¡°Good morning ma¡¯am, my name is Mila, your son¡¯s new Resonator,¡± she spoke with such a gentle tone it threw Vince for a loop who stared at the eloquent cat like she was a space alien. ¡°Oh my! You¡¯re skin and bone! Come on, come get breakfast and you can tell me how you two met!¡± Vince¡¯s mother beamed. Mila found herself grabbed and pulled into the dining room against her will, shooting a pleading look at Vince reading: ¡°don¡¯t leave me alone with her!¡± Vince simply smiled and followed along. He found Mila sitting at the table, his father reading the newspaper as usual and his mother setting the table. ¡°Here, eat eat!¡± demanded the mother. ¡°Vincent, quit standin¡¯ around and come eat breakfast too!¡± came the second pointed demand. The two children (relatively speaking) obediently began eating their meal. Eventually, the two elders had their food and the meal truly began in silence. A silence that was quickly broken by Vince¡¯s mother, ¡°So Mila, how did you meet our little Vincent?¡± Swallowing her food, Mila gently sat her fork down. ¡°My-¡± she paused, furrowing her brow. ¡°-friend introduced us,¡± she decided. ¡°Vince had to go to Kalanichi to pick you up, you lived there?¡± the father finally spoke. ¡°No sir, I was-¡± another pause as the cat considered her response. ¡°-visiting. Watching the Nationals in Naiza.¡± ¡°I see,¡± came the gruff reply. Mila wasn¡¯t sure how she was doing in this little interrogation, but she hadn¡¯t been screamed at or hit with a broom yet, so she could only assume it was going well. ¡°Well, you¡¯re welcome to stay here or you can go out and do what you want, you¡¯re both young adults!¡± the mother said, beaming as brightly as the sun. The older woman¡¯s expression darkened, however. ¡°Though before you go, I want you to memorize our phone number - You tell us if our little Vincent is getting himself involved in the wrong sorts of folks again.¡± A grunt and nod from the father was all he had to say on the matter. Vince himself didn¡¯t speak up, keeping his head lowered, away from the implied gazes on him. Mila hummed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that ma¡¯am. Have had enough of dealing with the wrong crowds for one lifetime.¡±
Vince was middle class. However, that distinction wasn¡¯t clear to Mila who only knew of streets and cages. Therefore it was only natural she was impressed by his bedroom. ¡°Kinda swanky,¡± she commented, noting the size of his bed and the array of different entertainment outlets available to them. ¡°You think so?¡± Vince asked. ¡°I always thought it was kinda small. The MA Offices have such big rooms,¡± he added. ¡°Yeah, them MA Offices ain¡¯t half bad,¡± Mila mused, stroking her chin in thought. ¡°But those are so¡­ what¡¯s the word? Stuffy? Probably not but we¡¯ll go with that. This feels more like what I thought of as a home,¡± the cat explained her thoughts. ¡°It does have a homey feel I guess,¡± he chuckled. ¡°I wish I could give you your own room, but-¡± Vince paused a flash of pain crossing his face. Rather than look at him, Mila caught where his gaze had fallen. A bright white tuner sitting on his nightstand. The boy rushed over throwing open his drawer to stuff the device away. ¡°Wait!¡± Mila caught Vince, gripping his wrist tightly to stop him from shoving it away. ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± her eyes rested on the static on the screen. ¡°He meant a lot to you, right?¡± Vince nodded slowly. ¡°Then leave it be,¡± she hesitantly released her Maestro. ¡°I¡¯m not him but-¡° ¡°You¡¯re not! You¡¯re you and you¡¯re special!¡± Vince shouted. He smacked the tuner into the open drawer and slammed it shut behind him. Mila didn¡¯t know what to say to that, her face warming uncomfortably. Vince continued, beginning to tremble. ¡°I fucked up. It was my fault. I didn¡¯t listen to anyone and he¡­ died as a result of my stupidity.¡± The tears began to flow. ¡°They were just trying to help, but I was so scared. I thought I was in trouble so I just¡­¡± ¡°Hey hey,¡± Mila just moved, her eyes glowing with blue rhythm. She wrapped herself around him, squeezing him tightly. ¡°Don¡¯t blame yourself,¡± she whispered. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Vince stood there, allowing her warmth to envelop him, the streams continuing to pour fiercely. ¡°I hated him.¡± Vince looked up, a bitter expression greeting his curious gaze. ¡°I thought he abandoned me, left me to die,¡± a couple of tears broke free. ¡°But he was looking. And looking and looking and looking. He hurt the whole time and hurts even to this day.¡± ¡°But I still hated him, I hated him so much for lying to me,¡± Mila continued. ¡°I couldn¡¯t be his Resonator; I could feel it. I was so happy when he said he already had a plan for me. He didn¡¯t beg or plead with me or his partners, he put me where I needed to be.¡± The cat wiped away the tears and forced a smile. ¡°No more crying, okay?¡± Vince forced a smile as well. ¡°Okay.¡±
¡°You sure you know what you¡¯re doing, beansprout?¡± Mila asked as they walked to the local hunting ground. It was about nine at night by this point, the sun having freshly set. They joined a bunch of other Maestros on the way to their nightly duties. ¡°Yeah, I did do a bunch of hunts with him, so I think I picked up a thing or two,¡± Vince said with a toothy grin. ¡°Besides, I have my super strong fire cat by my side ¨C I have nothing to fear.¡± Mila couldn¡¯t help but grin. ¡°Flattery will get you everywhere, kid,¡± she said, ruffling her Maestro¡¯s hair. The two stood in line quietly, watching the other Maestros get their assignments for the evening. There wasn¡¯t much that drew their attention. Common Resonators and their Maestros chatting about local gossip, their plans for the weekend, and the like. Just a normal, mundane day. ¡°Huh,¡± Vince whispered. ¡°Hm?¡± Mila raised a brow. ¡°Kinda boring today,¡± he noted. ¡°If you¡¯re used to hanging around that guy, going back to your everyday is kinda boring by comparison,¡± Mila said with a laugh and a shrug. ¡°I mean, I knew he was interesting, that¡¯s why I tried hanging out with him,¡± Vince said. ¡°And? How was it?¡± Mila asked. ¡°He¡¯s something else, that¡¯s for sure. ¡°Yeah, that sounds about right.¡± ¡°Next!¡± Mila and Vince perked up upon being called. The two walked up and Vince handed over his red tuner. ¡°Oh, I remember you. The kid with the Albright. What happened to him?¡± asked the registrar upon seeing Vince. The Maestro looked as if he had been stabbed in the heart. ¡°It didn¡¯t work out,¡± Mila spoke up on behalf of her Maestro. The registrar looked confused at the Resonator answering for her Maestro. ¡°People come, people go, that¡¯s life,¡± she said. The attendant nodded slowly. ¡°Too true.¡± Vince¡¯s tuner was returned to him. ¡°Main group, good luck,¡± said the attendant. Vince nodded slowly and accepted his tuner back, being ushered out of line by Mila. ¡°Don¡¯t let it eat you up,¡± Mila advised. ¡°It¡¯s hard,¡± Vince admitted. ¡°I know.¡± He looked at his cat. ¡°I¡¯m here for you now, I can tell you need it,¡± she said simply. ¡°Thanks.¡±
Vince and Mila stood off to the side as people were assigned out to locations. ¡°Oh, didn''t see you there.¡± After all the assignments were given out, Vince and Mila were finally addressed by the leader of the hunting party. ¡°Uhhh, you can go with him,¡± they decided, motioning towards another forgotten pair. "Evening folks!" A man and woman walked over. The man was clad in a brown fighter''s jacket with matching pants to go with it. A wing pin adorned his left breast pocket and a snazzy pair of goggles adorned the bird¡¯s nest of a hair-do he sported. His companion, a winged girl wore much lighter clothes, a tank top that slid around her wings with a shoulderless top over that. Black shorts poked out under her top along with her tail midnight purple tail feathers which matched her wings and hair. A shiny golden crescent hairpin adorned her long straight hair, which was tamed into a ponytail. "Makani," the pilot man introduced himself, offering his hand to the other Maestro. "Vince," the newly christened fire Maestro replied in kind, accepting the handshake. "I''m Rynda, you can call me Ryn!" the bird-girl chirped from behind her Maestro. "Mila, nice to meetcha," the cat replied in kind. "So what¡¯s your story?" Makani questioned the other Maestro as the quartet set off toward their assignment for the evening. ¡°It¡¯s our first night out,¡± Vince answered. ¡°Oh? New Maestro?¡± Makani grinned. Vince grunted, thinking over his answer. ¡°Yes and no, new with her,¡± he decided. ¡°Ahhh, I see,¡± Makani jumped as he was elbowed in the side by his bird. ¡°Huh?¡± All he got back was a very quick head shake from Ryn. He¡¯d have to ask her later what was up, but understood the implication ¨C don¡¯t pry any deeper. ¡°Alright, ever work with a lunar before?¡± Makani asked. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s nice to have the detection spell,¡± Vince said. ¡°Good stuff, let¡¯s get to it Ryn, Rilevare l¡¯intenzione, Lento,¡± cast the pilot. ¡°On it, Maki!¡± chirped the bird. Before Makani could open his mouth to explain the usage of the spell, he found Vince already awaiting the data in the map app. ¡°Familiar with the spell?¡± he asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± replied Vince. ¡°A friend of mine uses it a lot.¡± ¡°Good spell.¡± Makani nodded. ¡°Yep,¡± Vince said, his eyes keeping to the map. Content that Vince did actually have some idea of what he was doing, Makani turned his focus to his own map app. ¡°Hmmm, it¡¯s thick out tonight,¡± noted the pilot. ¡°Do you have a plan?¡± asked Vince. ¡°Not really, but I figured we¡¯d just go after the stragglers,¡± Makani replied. ¡°What do you think Mila?¡± Vince asked his cat. ¡°Huh?¡± She raised a brow pointing at herself. ¡°Do what you want. Just tell me what I gotta punch,¡± said the cat. Rynda studied her feline counterpart with a coy smirk. ¡°I see,¡± the bird whispered to herself. The group made their way to the first gathering of Scherzando. ¡°Alright, what do you want me to do?¡± Mila asked Vince. ¡°Uhhh¡­¡± The young Maestro parsed the extensive list of spells available for him to cast. ¡°This sure is Naturalian¡­¡± he mumbled unable to parse what any of the words meant or did. The cat lightly tapped the boy¡¯s cheek a couple of times. ¡°Riterra to Vince, don¡¯t space out on me already.¡± Vince shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know what your spells do,¡± he admitted. Mila stared for a moment before cracking a smile. ¡°You¡¯re something else,¡± she laughed heartily. ¡°Can you two deal with them while I catch up Beansprout here?¡± requested the cat. Rynda and Makani both blinked, looked at each other, then back to their fellow party members. ¡°Uh¡­ sure,¡± said Rynda. ¡°I guess that¡¯s that,¡± Makani added with a shrug. The lunar pair departed, leaving Vince and Mila alone. ¡°I guess that guy wasn¡¯t kidding when he told me to get you shaped up huh?¡± Mila smirked. ¡°Not even knowing my spells.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Alright, get over here, it¡¯s time for boot camp.¡± She towered over her Maestro, a devilish grin on her face. ¡°Oh no¡­¡± Vince laughed feeling quite small all of a sudden. ¡°Be gentle?¡± he asked. ¡°No.¡±
¡°There¡¯s a lot here Maki,¡± Rynda noted as she hovered in the canopy of trees, slicing through Scherzando with blades of Luce Lunare. ¡°Nothing too unusual,¡± replied Makani, keeping a close watch on the situation from his tuner. ¡°There¡¯s three to your east,¡± he informed the Resonator. ¡°On it Maki!¡± The bird fluttered over in the direction her Maestro directed. While Rynda dealt with the Scherzando, Vince and Mila returned to actually help out. ¡°What¡¯d we miss?¡± asked Mila. ¡°Not much. There¡¯s some Scherzando to the west if you want to take a swing at them,¡± Makani offered the pair. Mila smacked her Maestro¡¯s back. ¡°You heard the man, let¡¯s go wild!¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Vince pumped his fist in the air. Makani¡¯s jaw caught a bit of slack as Mila ran towards the group of Scherzando, her wrists igniting with fire. Vince remained focused forward, oozing pure confidence. ¡°Foschia Calorifera, Allegro!¡± Vince called as his fire element reached the first Scherzando. The cat punched a blazing hole straight through her target, the air beginning to distort from the heat radiating from her body. The Scherzando that remained in the group grew wary and began to back off, but Mila wasn¡¯t going to let them get away. Two more fell from holes punched through them. ¡°Arcobaleno Fuoco, Piano Staccato!¡± Vince cast. Rynda landed next to the two Maestros just as the forest was suddenly illuminated in a brilliant show of rainbow-colored explosions. Every shot fired by Mila hit true, not a drop of rhythm was wasted as she wiped out the rest of the now fleeing herd. It wasn¡¯t the spectacle that was impressive, but what Rynda felt from the two. ¡°Did they lie to us¡­?¡± wondered the nightingale.
¡°Pretty impressive stuff out there,¡± said Makani as the two Maestros returned to the base camp, a successful night behind them. ¡°Right? Mila is the best,¡± boasted Vince (and earning a smug smirk from the Resonator in question). Makani hummed in thought. ¡°I keep running into extraordinary people like you two,¡± pondered the pilot out loud. ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡± Vince asked. ¡°We¡¯ve had an interesting few months is all,¡± chirped Rynda. ¡°I guess it did all start with that guy.¡± ¡°Too true. I wonder where they are now,¡± Makani wondered. ¡°Who knows, but knowing him he¡¯s probably beating up an ethereal or a sage or something by now,¡± Rynda said with a titter. ¡°Sounds like some knucklehead we know,¡± Mila scoffed. ¡°I suppose every friend group had that one person everyone seems to orbit around, huh?¡± Makani said. Vince considered that thought. ¡°Yeah,¡± he muttered. ¡°But I don¡¯t mind it being him,¡± the younger Maestro smiled. Chapter 130 Warm, so warm. That¡¯s what Rebecca felt on the first morning of August as she returned to the waking world. It was still early; the twilight of dawn only dimly illuminating the room. Rebecca was curled up and nestled against Shouri¡¯s back and she couldn¡¯t be happier. Taika had the distinct luxury of being Shouri¡¯s plush toy last night. He came back an emotional wreck. The three girls understood why as soon as he explained his plan. None of them expected Shouri to give up Mila so easily. The three Resonators were ready for Shouri to beg them to accept her into the party. But no, he kept his word to them: he instead found a new Maestro for her almost immediately. Partnering Mila up with Vince was one of the best things Shouri could have done for the two of them too. Vince needed a strong Resonator, and by Rebecca¡¯s admission, Mila was a hell of a strong cat. She could be world-class talent if her skills were properly trained. As for Vince himself well¡­ Cecil¡¯s tragic end probably turned Vince¡¯s mindset more towards Shouri¡¯s point of view, as horrible as it was. Dismissing that dark thought, the fire fox counted her blessings that Lyle was an idiot and Feroce clouded the victim¡¯s mind. A fully realized Mila seemed like a frightening prospect ¨C that one fight with her pushed Rebecca to her limit. Her upgrades across all of her spells after that battle spoke to how much the fire fox had been pushed. Speaking of frightening prospects¡­ What were they going to do about Taika? She didn¡¯t have control of her ad-Lib. It made her a huge liability. Pacifica and Rebecca tried to keep the newly awakened telekinetic in line but none of them knew what to expect, leading to so much damage in the Naiza MA Office. It started with a door knob, Taika tore one off when just trying to open the door normally. Then a faucet, again trying to use it and pulling it off instead. A coffee machine in the common room got thrown down the hall. The list went on. The staff was understanding at first but as the damage piled up, they had to start charging. With Taika being Shouri¡¯s Resonator, his account started taking hits. Eventually, Taika just slept, too depressed to stay awake. Rebecca quietly sighed. What a mess they were in. There were plenty of fire trainers around to teach Fire Elements how to control their powers. Lunars though¡­ that was going to be a tough ask. The fire fox rubbed her Maestro¡¯s back. It was so nice for her mind to be clear again. Before she realized it, she had slinked her arms around him, holding him from behind. A pleasured, yet quiet breath escaped her lips. This was bliss, this was heaven. The next time Rebecca¡¯s eyes opened, some time had passed ¨C the room was bright, the full morning sun lighting the room proper. ¡°Mmm¡­ morning,¡± Rebecca said through a yawn. ¡°Morning Rebecca,¡± Shouri whispered. ¡°Guess we should wake up Taika,¡± Pacifica chimed in. The three sat up, eyes focused on the remaining member of their party. The lunar fox slowly slunk under the covers. ¡°Come on Taika, let¡¯s go get breakfast,¡± Pacifica urged. ¡°Mmmrgh.¡± The Taika-shaped lump curled in on itself. ¡°Come on Taika, I¡¯m hungry,¡± Rebecca complained. Pacifica and Rebecca continued trying to coax the fox out from under the sheets until finally, Shouri spoke up. ¡°Can you two leave the room?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t had a chance to talk to Taika alone about all of this, do a lap around the office and we should be good.¡± Shouri requested of the others. Fire and Water exchanged a glance and came to a silent agreement. ¡°Fine fine.¡± Pacifica shrugged. ¡°One lap,¡± Rebecca warned. The two quickly put on their shoes and left the room. Shouri let out a short breath, thankful they didn¡¯t raise more of a stink. Though he had a sneaking suspicion they¡¯d be pulling him aside later on for some of their own ¡°alone time¡±. With that matter settled, he could focus on the problem at hand: Taika. Shouri had a little playbook written in his mind on how to deal with his trio¡¯s stubbornness. It was time to bust out the moves. In one solid motion, Shouri threw up the blanket, laid down, and draped it over the two of them. ¡°Sho!¡± Taika squeaked in surprise. ¡°Morning sunshine.¡± He grinned. Before she could figure out what was happening, Shouri had pulled her close, tangling his legs up in hers and slipping an arm around the small of her back. ¡°Sh-sho?!¡± she whimpered. The tips of their noses touched as his breath washed over her. ¡°Shhh¡­¡± Her eyes widened as their lips met. So this was happening. Slowly the vixen¡¯s eyes closed as she wrapped her arms around him. The stress fading in an instant. Their lips smacked and he pulled slightly away. ¡°Talk to me,¡± he spoke gently. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Sho¡­¡± The guilt came back. ¡°I can¡¯t control my powers and- mmmrph!¡± she was cut off with another kiss. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say we were going to figure this out?¡± he reminded her. ¡°Si, ma pero-!¡± And yet a third meeting of the lips cut her off. ¡°But nothing. Stop worrying about it.¡± Shouri held her tighter. ¡°You¡¯ve stood by me through all of my bullshit. There¡¯s nothing that¡¯s going to make me abandon you.¡± The poor frightened fox trembled, tears flowing freely. She buried herself into his shoulder and allowed the stress to flow freely. Shouri smiled, stroking her hair and allowing her to cry. This is where he belonged and it brought him relief.
¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Shouri hummed in thought as they ate breakfast. In front of him was the Lunar Resonator Field Guide alongside his plate of food. Taika had a more normal plate of food for her typical meals, so the alone time did the trick. ¡°What¡¯s up bossman?¡± Rebecca asked, peering over his shoulder along with her toast. ¡°We can at least relieve some of the outbursts by just letting her drain her rhythm,¡± he mused as his eyes darted up and down the page. He grunted upon reaching a certain line. ¡°Training varies from Resonator to Resonator and professional help is highly recommended,¡± the Maestro read aloud. Another grunt of frustration. ¡°Would fucking help if we were on Luna,¡± he grumbled. ¡°Speaking of Luna, were we going to meet up with Emily today?¡± Pacifica asked. ¡°Yeah, probably. Think she¡¯s still asleep though, not answering my texts.¡± Shouri double-checked his tuner in case he missed the notification. Unfortunately not, as his messages sat unread. ¡°In the meantime, I think I have an idea on how to safely discharge some of Taika¡¯s rhythm to keep her stable.¡± Shouri flipped the book closed to finish his meal. With breakfast complete the quartet made their way into the casting range. It was mid-morning but even with this being the singular MA Office in the town, there weren¡¯t many other Maestros about. At least, there weren¡¯t many braving the heat to sling spells on the range. All the better since that would mean fewer people to give them the stink eye after they unleashed some ¡°unpleasant¡± lunar magic. ¡°So my plan,¡± Shouri began once the four were huddled up in the privacy of their selected booth. ¡°Is to just let Taika go wild in here. The walls are reinforced with Vatonium, so even if its Resonator rhythm going amuck, it should absorb it and keep everything and everyone else safe,¡± he reasoned out. ¡°Oh duh, why didn¡¯t we think of that sooner?¡± Rebecca smacked her head. ¡°Well to be fair we didn¡¯t know we could ease her burden by letting some excess rhythm out,¡± Pacifica said, rubbing Taika¡¯s shoulders. The lunar in question nodded slowly. Shouri placed a hand on her head and gently stroked her hair. ¡°This is also a good time for you to try and get a grip on your new powers,¡± he advised. ¡°Since we¡¯re in a safe space, you can try some stuff.¡± Taika pursed her lips and gulped. ¡°S-si¡­¡± she spoke quietly. Stepping away from her friends, she took her place at the casting point. Another gulp as she stared down the target at the end of the lane. What should she even do? Focus on her powers. That was obviously the first step. It was only after she learned what Volont¨¤ Estesa was that she realized she had been leaning on these powers of hers all her life. Her strength that betrayed her frame, the physical feats she had pulled off, they were things that came from this ad-Lib without her even realizing it. If it came down to it¡­ she could use this power to protect Shouri. If she could properly use it, he never would have been taken. She could have easily beaten Whistler. It would have been as simple as crushing an egg. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Perhaps she could have even rid herself of her ¡°caretakers¡± years ago¡­ Perhaps¡­ ¡°TAIKA!¡± ¡°CHE?!¡± The fox snapped out of her thoughts. Down the lane, the target had been torn to shreds. Shouri was by her side, hands firmly grasped around her shoulders while he himself was worse for wear. Rebecca and Pacifica were nowhere to be seen. ¡°Wh-what happened?¡± The Lunar asked fearfully. ¡°You kinda shot us from the booth,¡± Shouri quietly admitted. ¡°A little warning would have been nice,¡± Rebecca grumbled, dusting herself off. ¡°Leave it alone Rebby, she¡¯s still trying to figure this out,¡± Pacifica chided the fire fox. ¡°I didn¡¯t know how to swim when I was born and you certainly couldn¡¯t control your fire when you got your ad-Lib. The difference is, we both had trainers for our skills, she doesn¡¯t.¡± Pacifica reminded her fellow Resonator. Rebecca clicked her tongue. ¡°Yeah, I know that!¡± The grumpy Resonator folded her arms across her chest. ¡°I¡¯m not mad at Taika,¡± she admitted quietly enough so only the other fox could hear. Taika let out a sigh, slumping her shoulders. She did feel better after¡­ whatever it was she did. Less bloated or something like that. ¡°You good?¡± Shouri queried. Taika nodded quickly. ¡°Good.¡± The Maestro smiled. ¡°Finally got a response from Emily, so let¡¯s go see what she has to say,¡± he told the group while waving a tuner.
¡°Sorry Shouri, I don¡¯t know of any Lunar-element trainers down here,¡± Emily led with the bad news. The eight-strong group all packed into Emily¡¯s room at the MA Office. It was a bit stuffy in the room with the two Maestros and six Resonators (two of whom were of the fire element). Shouri¡¯s group occupied the couch and recliners, while Emily¡¯s group sat on the bed (minus Soot who stood in the corner like a smiling piece of furniture). ¡°There¡¯s probably someone in Naiza that can train her. That place has always been the Lunar safe haven, at least in Kalanichi,¡± Ritika added in. Shouri and his Resonators remained quiet. It was what they had all feared. ¡°Wh-what about Al?¡± Pacifica spoke up. ¡°Huh? Me?¡± The Lunar dragon sat up straight upon being addressed. ¡°I dunno which ad-Lib I even got,¡± he quietly admitted. ¡°Damn,¡± Shouri cursed. ¡°I didn¡¯t think it¡¯d be easy, but I was hoping to have some kind of lead.¡± The Maestro sighed dramatically as he was known to do. He reclined back on the couch, rubbing Taika¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s gonna be messy, but I¡¯ll have to get some literature on training Volont¨¤ Estesa and just do it myself.¡± It was upon mention of the specific ad-Lib needing training that Soot stepped out of his corner and made his way over to his Maestro. Soot tapped his own head twice with the tips of his fingers in a flat shape. Emily stared at the golem for a moment, trying to make sure she understood his signing. ¡°Wait, what do you know?¡± she questioned. He began to sign again, starting with a closed fist and thumb out he tapped his lips twice before stacking several signs back-to-back. Emily studied what he was signing to her. ¡°Personal¡­ T R A I N E R? Wait you know someone who can train Taika?¡± Emily gasped. ¡°What? Really!?¡± Ritika gasped. The Golem nodded, pleased his message was conveyed. ¡°Who is it? Where?¡± Emily asked. Once more the Golem began signing, his Maestro watching the rapid hand signs carefully. She shook her head and grunted in frustration. ¡°Wait, one more time?¡± she requested. ¡°He said Sarayul,¡± Rebecca spoke up. ¡°Huh?¡± Everyone turned to the fire fox. ¡°He signed out S A R A Y U L, spells Sarayul,¡± Rebecca told the group, performing each sign as she called out the letters. Pacifica raised a brow. She couldn¡¯t understand Maelish sign language like she could Naturallian ¨C Cunei¡¯s grace didn¡¯t seem to count it as a language for their understanding. So how did Rebecca know sign language then? Shouri frowned and hummed in thought, more curious about the name of this mysterious trainer. ¡°That name sounds really familiar,¡± he mused, pulling a tuner from his side in response. ¡°Where can we find this Sarayul?¡± Emily asked her Resonator. The golem pondered that inquiry for a moment before resuming signing two fists, tapping one on the other then raising them while opening them. ¡°Mountain?¡± Emily guessed. Soot nodded and continued, once more stacking signs one after the other to spell out the proper name. ¡°S I N C H E R O,¡± Emily spoke aloud for the non-signers. ¡°Mount Sinchero? Where¡¯s that?¡± Rebecca raised a brow. ¡°Montagna Sinchero¡­ That¡¯s in Unis-R¨¦sonne.¡± Taika mumbled, shuddering at the thought of returning to that continent. Shouri sat up in realization. ¡°OH! DUH!¡± He exclaimed. ¡°Huh? What?¡± All attention turned on the loud Maestro. ¡°Sarayul is a very famous Ethereal ¨C he lived about 800 years ago now? While he was alive, he famously conquered most of Nabhon and began to attack Unis-R¨¦sonne. Details of his death aren¡¯t clear, but he was discovered to be residing on Mount Sinchero a couple hundred years ago,¡± Shouri explained. ¡°So, he¡¯s a famous war general like the Noble Swords then?¡± Rebecca questioned. ¡°Er¡­ no, well yes, but that¡¯s not what he¡¯s famous for.¡± Shouri rolled his head trying to think about how to phrase what he wanted to say next. ¡°Why is he famous then?¡± Pacifica asked. Shouri grunted and hummed for a moment longer before he came out and said it: ¡°Fucking.¡± The room was silenced. ¡°Uhhh, excuse me?¡± Emily finally broke the veil of shock cast over the room. ¡°Fucking what?¡± Rebecca asked. ¡°Women,¡± Shouri replied simply. ¡°Lots of women,¡± he continued. ¡°Thousands.¡± ¡°Uhhh¡­¡± ¡°Nearly every modern, Riterran-born Lunar Resonator and roughly one percent of all other Resonators can trace their lineage back to him. That¡¯s how many children he sired during his lifetime as a mortal,¡± Shouri revealed to the rest of the room. Taika picked up on something he said. ¡°That means he¡¯s a Lunar element himself?¡± she guessed. ¡°You got it.¡± Shouri pointed to her in the affirmative. Soot nodded with a pleased smile as well, seemingly thankful he didn¡¯t have to fully explain the connection. ¡°Mount Sinchero is the tallest mountain in the Schietto Mountain chain,¡± Emily read off from one of her tuners. ¡°Sounds like a crazy climb.¡± She glanced up from her screen at the other Maestro. ¡°Well, a nearly millennia-old Ethereal would be one hell of a trainer,¡± Shouri mused, reclining back on the couch. ¡°And it¡¯s the summer, so it¡¯s not like we¡¯re going to be fighting blizzard conditions up there,¡± he continued to ponder aloud. ¡°Will he even train Taika?¡± Rebecca questioned. Soot held up his index fingers, then lowered his hands, curling the outstretched fingers before opening his hands and flattening them out, parallel to the ground. ¡°He says there¡¯s a test,¡± Emily translated. Without being addressed any further, Soot pointed at Shouri. Shouri raised a brow, unsure if he understood the implication. ¡°Sarayul will test me? Not Taika?¡± he guessed. The golem nodded in the affirmative. ¡°Hrm¡­¡± This would be tough, possibly dangerous. He was willing to do it ¨C it would be for Taika. Not just for her peace of mind, but to help her grow. Full control of her telekinesis would be a future boon not just in battle but her everyday life. It wasn¡¯t his decision to make alone. ¡°Taika, Pacifica, Rebecca ¨C how do you feel? Should we try?¡± He asked the trio who would be embarking on this perilous adventure with him. ¡°Traveling into the mountains to meet a reclusive Lunar master? That shit rocks! It¡¯ll be like being in one of those crazy martial arts movies!¡± Rebecca exclaimed. ¡°I said I would support Taika and Rebby, so I¡¯m not gonna back down,¡± Pacifica said adamantly. ¡°Though being that high up is gonna be kinda scary,¡± she muttered as an aside. Everyone looked to Taika. The lunar in question had her head lowered and she slowly shook it. ¡°Non¡­ not for me,¡± she mumbled sadly. Rebecca audibly groaned, rolling her eyes. Shouri motioned for her silence. ¡°Taika.¡± He gently lifted her head, turning her gaze towards him. ¡°All three of us want to help you. We want to see you get control over this. But you also have to want it.¡± Shouri took a breath. ¡°So, I¡¯m going to ask you one more time and be honest this time: Do you want to go see if Sarayul will train you?¡± Taika¡¯s lip quivered as she fought the building tears. These people were way too much. ¡°S-si¡­¡± She finally allowed the truth to slip through. Shouri smiled and hugged the honest fox. ¡°Then it¡¯s settled. Next stop: Mt. Sinchero.¡± Chapter 131 ¡°Yes, I called earlier ¨C I¡¯m here to see Miro,¡± Shouri told a front-desk attendant. ¡°One moment.¡± The attendant began looking up the patient in question. Shouri, Pacifica, and Rebecca were at the Alspo General Hospital once again. It was early evening and this was the last task Shouri felt he needed to do here before they left in the morning to begin their new journey. Shouri thumbed the black tuner at his side, Taika¡¯s absence was troubling him in more ways than one. The trio were silent while they waited ¨C the last hour certainly was something. Leaving her at the MA Office was the right call¡­ but it still hurt recalling how it all went down.
Shouri and his trio had returned to their room. Emily had agreed to travel together up to the Schietto Mountains but only Shouri¡¯s group would make the actual trip up to Mount Sinchero to meet the famous Ethereal. ¡°Oh, I want to go to the hospital tonight,¡± Shouri suddenly spoke up. ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Pacifica questioned. ¡°I want to go tell my Natural friend who helped me get here where we¡¯re going. He also really wants to meet you all.¡± Pacifica trembled as she was suddenly hit with a wave of negative emotion. Her head whipped towards the direction of the unpleasant feeling: Taika. ¡°Non voglio vedere il Naturale.¡± The Lunar glared daggers at her Maestro. ¡°Non potrebbe importarmi di meno se loro vita o morte,¡± she growled, her hair and tail fur ruffled with fluctuating telekinetic power. ¡°Sho, maybe you should go alone,¡± Pacifica advised carefully. ¡°Non. You two go with him. I will stay here,¡± the tone in Taika¡¯s voice was unlike any they had heard from her before. It oozed malintent. ¡°I might do something we¡¯ll all regret if I go,¡± she warned. Shouri studied the fox. He took in a breath and spoke louder than he needed to. ¡°Stay here and watch over things.¡± Pacifica frowned. Besides Taika¡¯s strange behavior, Shouri¡¯s declaration felt¡­ off. Like he wasn¡¯t talking to any of them. But surely Rebecca would have said something if there was someone else in the room¡­ right?
Taika¡¯s reaction to Naturals has never been one of open acceptance ¨C quite the opposite, she always seemed so tense when they were brought up. ¡°You two know where I found Taika right?¡± Shouri asked quietly as they rode the elevator up to the floor Miro was on. ¡°Somewhere in Unis-R¨¦sonne, right?¡± Rebecca recalled. ¡°Nevepunto ¨C It¡¯s a Natural town in the far northern reaches of the continent,¡± Shouri told the two. Pacifica and Rebecca understood the implication, but Shouri spelled it out for them anyway. ¡°She was sweeping in front of a huge manor in a Natural neighborhood. She chased after me and threw herself into my arms, begging and pleading for me to take her.¡± He paused for a moment. ¡°She once told me her caretakers were killers.¡± DING The elevator door opened, but the trio remained rooted in place. ¡°K-killers?¡± Pacifica whispered. ¡°From what she¡¯s told me, it was a common occurrence, yes,¡± stated Shouri grimly. With no movement, the door began to close. Shouri stepped forward and waved his arm in the open space, triggering the safety mechanism to prevent its closure. ¡°We always get involved with the crazy shit, huh?¡± Rebecca shuddered. The fire fox took a second and calmed herself. ¡°We¡¯ll cross that bridge when we get there?¡± she guessed, looking to their Maestro. Shouri nodded. ¡°I want all of us to be strong; for her,¡± he told the two. ¡°If they ever come after us, I want to be able to put them down ¨C with overwhelming force.¡± Though he spoke of threats he was vaguely aware of, his sister flashed into his mind - if she was in trouble somewhere, he''d want strength to spare for her sake as well. Pacifica held her breath for a moment ¨C Shouri, her Maestro with some of the weakest willpower she had ever experienced was deadly serious about that claim. For Taika, no, all of them; he¡¯d do whatever it took to keep them safe. Taika¡¯s mysterious ¡°caretakers¡±, no matter how powerful they were, he¡¯d seek the power necessary to protect her from them. ¡°Let¡¯s go girls.¡± Shouri waved the two Resonators out of the elevator. The walk to Miro¡¯s room was quiet, neither Pacifica nor Rebecca knew what to say, only pulled out of their thoughts when they arrived at their destination. Shouri opened the door to one of the rooms. The two Resonators nodded to one another and followed their Maestro into the room, doing their best to be quiet. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Shouri!¡± Rebecca and Pacifica found themselves face-to-face with an unfamiliar creature ¨C one covered from head to toe in thick brown fur. Just like a Resonator he radiated his element, this one being of earth. Though Rebecca noted the feeling was far more intense than she had experienced than any Resonator she had ever encountered. ¡°Oh! You brought your Resonators!¡± The fox boy noticed the two girls immediately. ¡°Rebecca and Pacifica was their names right?¡± He pointed to each girl in turn. ¡°Yeah, you got it right.¡± Shouri pulled up a chair and sat next to the bed-ridden Natural with Pacifica and Rebecca standing close behind their Maestro. ¡°And your third, er Taika?¡± asked Miro Shouri furrowed his brow, taking a moment to reply. ¡°She¡¯s not feeling well,¡± he decided quietly. Pacifica placed a hand on her Maestro¡¯s shoulder, the pain in that white lie apparent to her. ¡°Anyways, Paci, Rebby ¨C this is Miro, he¡¯s the only reason I made it back safely,¡± Shouri introduced the girls to his new friend. ¡°Ciao, I have heard many things about you.¡± Miro waved to the pair. Recomposing herself, Pacifica put on her people face. ¡°Thank you so much for protecting our Maestro, you have no idea how much it means to us,¡± the otter girl told the Natural. ¡°I¡¯d offer to get revenge on that Whistler bitch, but she got a minor case of exploded,¡± Rebecca shrugged. Looking over Miro, he did seem to be doing pretty well at the moment. He was dressed in a hospital gown like any human patient. However, upon closer observation, there was a patch of thinned fur across his face going down his neck and under his gown. ¡°They had a healer?¡± Shouri guessed. ¡°Naturale guaritrice, si!¡± Miro nodded. Shouri let out a breath of relief. ¡°We¡¯re going to head out tomorrow,¡± he told the earth fox. ¡°Where will you be going to?¡± The scholarly Natural inquired. ¡°Mt. Sinchero ¨C it¡¯s in Unis-R¨¦sonne.¡± ¡°For why are you climbing a mountain?¡± ¡°Need to meet an Ethereal.¡± Miro snorted and chuckled. The fox took a breath before speaking again. ¡°I am having the feeling I have met someone¡­ straordinario.¡± ¡°Will you be able to get back by yourself?¡± Shouri asked. ¡°Si, I want to also train myself.¡± Miro held out a paw, closing the digits. ¡°Learn more magic.¡± Pacifica¡¯s expression clouded. She hadn¡¯t ever read the emotions of a Natural, but they were just as an open book as any Maestro or Resonator. And right now, Miro was feeling¡­ weak. Shouri suddenly perked up. ¡°I have an idea ¨C you want a job?¡± Miro tilted his head. ¡°A job?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll have him come here. He¡¯s kind of a pain in the ass though.¡± The Natural laughed. ¡°If you are making the offer, I will take.¡±
¡°So, what are you planning Sho?¡± Rebecca questioned her Maestro as the trio left the hospital. ¡°Elijah texted me before he was going to take some time off work to go on a training pilgrimage.¡± Shouri reviewed the message on one of his tuners as they walked down the moonlit streets of Alspo. ¡°Right, he¡­ felt¡­ pretty strongly about your kidnapping,¡± Pacifica told her Maestro. ¡°Yeah, he was beyond himself how it even happened with all the security detail he had there,¡± commented Rebecca. ¡°They got away with Liza too,¡± she informed him. Shouri lowered his head, his face scrunching up with frustration. ¡°Damn it all,¡± he breathed. ¡°What would they want with her?¡± he mumbled to himself. ¡°Not sure, Lyle managed to slip out too,¡± Rebecca shrugged. ¡°Mr. Klein wasn¡¯t too pleased with the security¡¯s performance,¡± Pacifica added in. ¡°Though¡­ I sensed he was more frustrated with himself rather than his employees,¡± clarified the otter. Shouri nodded slowly. The trio remained quiet for a moment, lost in their thoughts. Shouri broke the silence, shaking himself out of his thoughts. ¡°Anyway, I figure Miro can train with him. Elijah speaks Naturalian, and he has a rhythm condition like I do. Miro will probably know some stuff about handling that ¨C they¡¯ll be a good fit for one another,¡± he explained. ¡°Good call, bossman.¡± Rebecca patted her Maestro¡¯s back. ¡°Let¡¯s get some food for Taika. I¡¯m sure coming in with a peace offering will help chill her out,¡± the fox suggested. ¡°And look at you with the good ideas Rebby,¡± Pacifica teased the fire element. ¡°Hey I¡¯m trying NOT to get blasted with telekinesis, okay?¡± the Renard defended her honor. Out of nowhere, Shouri wrapped his arms around the two Resonator¡¯s necks, pulling them into a tight hug. ¡°I missed you all so much...¡± His voice trembled as he spoke. Rebecca and Pacifica exchanged a glance and a nod. The two girls pecked their Maestro¡¯s cheeks. ¡°We missed you too, Sho,¡± they spoke in tandem, returning the embrace. Chapter 132 The second of August arrived bright and early for the fire Resonator known as Rebecca. It was nothing special. She woke up, changed out of her pajamas like everyone else, and helped pack up the room. It wasn¡¯t until they left the room that things got a little weird. Rebecca noticed other Maestros walking about stopped and lowered their heads. Did Shouri do something to merit their reverence? No, wait a minute¡­ they were revering her. WHY?! Rebecca felt ill. Those eyes on her; the distinct sensation of idolization - it was so vivid today. She could feel the gazes on her back as they walked. Both hands rose to her gut, pressing down in a vain attempt to steady the bile that was rising in revolt. The pressure to perform, to excel, to be worthy of the Renard name ¨C it pressed down on her like a ton of bricks. Stop it! Stop looking at me! ¡°Rebby!¡± Pacifica¡¯s voice snapped the fox out of her panic. ¡°P-paci!¡± A couple of tears escaped. Rebecca didn¡¯t even realize Pacifica and Shouri had grabbed her until this moment ¨C they both wore open concern for her. They had only gotten to the lobby by this point, Rebecca realized. Unfortunately, plenty more Maestros and their Resonators were loitering about. Rebecca¡¯s distinct fiery aura drew more unwanted gazes. Shouri and Pacifica moved between the lines of sight, body blocking the poor overstimulated Resonator. ¡°We¡¯ll try to get out of here quickly, I promise,¡± Shouri told the fire element. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Taika asked. ¡°It¡¯s Fire Hero¡¯s Day. You¡¯re supposed to give your blessings to fire Resonators today,¡± Pacifica quietly informed the lunar element. ¡°Whether they want it or not,¡± Shouri grumbled bitterly, gently rubbing Rebecca¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I-I¡¯ll be okay.¡± Rebecca steadied herself, stepping back from her friends. She had to be strong, she could take some eyes on her. It¡¯s fine. It would be fine. It¡¯s not a big deal, right? Pacifica grabbed her fellow Resonator¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Stop it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re allowed to be uncomfortable,¡± Shouri told her. Rebecca trembled. ¡°I can take a couple of people¡­ it¡¯s just¡­ too much today,¡± she shamefully admitted. Shouri took in a deep breath. Taika folded her ears back and closed her eyes. ¡°ENOUGH!¡± the Maestro bellowed, silencing the room. ¡°It¡¯s Fire Hero¡¯s Day? Mind your own business! Leave her alone!¡± Shouri¡¯s glare swept around the lobby, retreating glances following in his wake. The poor fire fox felt the relief in an instant, though there was still some unease in her gut. ¡°Sh-sho¡­¡± She grabbed the back of his jacket. ¡°I¡¯ll be stronger,¡± she whimpered quietly, the guilt cracking her voice. The Maestro spun around and took hold of his emotional fox. ¡°I ask you to be strong all the time, you¡¯re allowed to have your moments.¡± He held her tighter. ¡°B-but-!¡± ¡°Rebecca, no one can go one hundred percent at all times. It¡¯s not sustainable.¡± Rebecca¡¯s gaze fell behind Shouri and settled on Taika. She couldn¡¯t be vulnerable, not while Taika was still struggling with her powers! She needed to-! Taika shook her head. ¡°Rebby, non accetter¨¤ un no come risposta,¡± the fox spoke at a volume only the two of them could hear. The fire Resonator grimaced, knowing her counterpart was right. ¡°Fine,¡± she acquiesced. Now hand in hand, Shouri led Rebecca out of the building, Pacifica and Taika close behind. Any looks from others earned scowls of contempt from the protective Maestro. Thankfully the casting range that was usually attached to the cafeteria was empty despite it being mid-morning. It wasn¡¯t all blessings, however, as the cafeteria appeared to be quite busy at a glance. Looking around, Shouri quickly came to a decision. ¡°Rebecca, Taika, wait in one of the booths for us, we¡¯ll go get food,¡± he told the two. Following their Maestro¡¯s order, the two vixens huddled themselves up in one of the nearby booths. Rebecca stood near the bench while Taika drew up the privacy curtain to deter any looky-loos. The two girls remained alone in the booth, silent. After awkwardly shuffling around for a moment, Taika stepped over to her fellow fox. Neither said a word as the pair stared one another down. There was no tension between them, such feelings of animosity had long since faded. ¡°Eh?¡± Rebecca¡¯s eyes widened as Taika wrapped her arms around her. It wasn¡¯t a simple hug, but one more enveloping. One arm around the back of her neck, and the other found its way to the small of her back. The two girls were of similar stature, so Taika¡¯s head ended up resting on Rebecca¡¯s shoulder. Finally, a warm fluffy tail wrapped around her legs. ¡°Taika?¡± Rebecca squeaked. ¡°¨¨ solo che... ci tengo a te,¡± Taika whispered. ¡°Eh¡­?¡± The fire Resonator¡¯s eyes widened. Taika pulled her head back, the two girls now looking at one another face-to-face. The tips of their noses touched. Rebecca¡¯s face reddened, though the fire Resonator failed to find the strength to break away from the other fox¡¯s embrace. ¡°Voglio essere pi¨´ forte per te¡­¡± Taika spoke breathily, gently rubbing Rebecca¡¯s cheek with her thumb. ¡°Ehhh¡­?¡± Rebecca squeaked, her brain long since abandoning its post. Her heart was still in its battle station, hammering away at top speed. Well, not quite top speed, as it grew faster as Taika¡¯s lips approached hers. Before impact, however, Taika stepped away, turning in one motion to face the curtains. Shouri and Pacifica appeared at that moment. ¡°Anyone bother you?¡± the Maestro inquired, holding a pair of to-go containers. ¡°Nobody that isn¡¯t present,¡± Taika mumbled, coyly averting her gaze. ¡°Rebby, are you feeling alright? Your face is really red,¡± Pacifica addressed the other fox in the booth, placing the back of her hand on the other girl¡¯s forehead. ¡°I¡¯m fine! Let¡¯s get out of here!¡± Rebecca snapped, trying and failing to hide her fluster.
¡°So the itinerary is we¡¯re going to take a ferry from here to Orvata and stay the night there. From there we¡¯ll take another ferry that will bring us directly to Wenja ¨C the last city before the Schietto Mountains,¡± Shouri informed the group. ¡°Any questions?¡± Rebecca¡¯s expression fouled, she opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by Pacifica¡¯s hand flying up into the air. ¡°Yeah?¡± Shouri pointed to the water element of the group. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.¡°Why a ferry? Not that I¡¯m complaining, but wouldn¡¯t a plane be faster?¡± the curious otter asked. ¡°Cheaper.¡± ¡°Ah right, we don¡¯t have Mr. Klein supporting us anymore us anymore.¡± Taika¡¯s expression clouded, which Shouri picked up on. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± he addressed the gloomy fox. ¡°Elijah did make sure to pay us for our time in Naiza.¡± He flashed one of the tuners to the girls. Their banking app was currently up, showing the damages Taika had wrought earlier in the week. ¡°Ah ah,¡± he chided the girls, pointing to the top of the screen where their current account balance was. Balance 10197? ¡°Oh!¡± came three surprised gasps. Shouri didn¡¯t want to tell them about the chunk of change he had to pay for damaging the street with the Null ultimate. He was just thankful the police let him off with a slap on the wrist all things considered. ¡°Yeah, we have a decent sum of money. However, I¡¯m ordering some replacements for our current outfits when we get on the boat. Gonna get them overnight shipped to the Wenja MA Office,¡± Shouri informed the rest of the party. ¡°We¡¯re all looking a bit rough and if we¡¯re going up a mountain, I want to make sure we¡¯re all in peak condition.¡± Examining their outfits, there was notable wear: small nicks and tears throughout. They did participate in some fairly intense battles before they had been separated and rhythm dampening only went so far before it broke down, or so they had discovered. ¡°Overnight shipping isn¡¯t cheap.¡± Pacifica nodded. ¡°Not at all,¡± Shouri agreed. It was at this point in the conversation the other half of their traveling party arrived. ¡°Heyo!¡± Emily waved to the group as she approached, her trio close behind. ¡°Hey, Emily.¡± Shouri returned the wave in kind. ¡°¡¯bout ready to go?¡± he asked. ¡°Yup! Got everything I need for the trip!¡± the Lunar Princess boasted proudly. Shouri raised a brow. ¡°She¡¯s never been on a boat before,¡± Ritika informed the confused Maestro. ¡°Hey! Disasters at sea are serious business! You can never be too prepared!¡± Emily barked in defense of her honor. Sure enough, there was an additional bag Soot was carrying on top of their usual travel luggage. ¡°Is that all disaster prep stuff?¡± Shouri questioned wearily. ¡°You can never be too prepared!¡± Emily insisted, louder. Pacifica stepped over and placed a hand on Emily¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Relax, the sea is great!¡± The otter¡¯s eyes shimmered with a starry excitement. ¡°Reminder, we have two non-swimmers,¡± Shouri attempted to reel in the otter¡¯s zeal. ¡°Four,¡± Albarich cut in. ¡°We don¡¯t got seas on Luna, neither Emily or I can swim, though I was just gonna fly if it came down to it.¡± The sky dragon extended his large wings with pride. ¡°F-five¡­¡± Ritika piped up sheepishly. ¡°I¡¯ve lived in deserts all my life, never needed to swim,¡± she admitted. Pacifica was practically brimming with excitement, to the point of physically shaking. ¡°I can teach you!¡± The otter exclaimed. ¡°Not right now!¡± Shouri barked.
¡°Ah, this is the life,¡± Pacifica cooed. ¡°It could smell better here, but the sun is nice,¡± Rebecca said. The two girls were reclined on lounge chairs, taking in the sun¡¯s rays. Soot sat next to them, also appreciating the hot day. The rest of the group was huddled around a table underneath an overhang. They were surrounded by sea, a ferry taking the group from Alspo to the island of Orvata. ¡°They¡¯re having fun.¡± Emily giggled. Shouri nodded in agreement. ¡°At least this ferry seemed to be slower than usual, probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to pull out the chairs if there were more people aboard.¡± He commented. ¡°They can have my share of the sun,¡± Albarich complained, with Taika quietly nodding as well. A couple of other passengers walked by the table where the two Maestros and their sun-averse Resonators were seated. Ritika noted the similarity in the dress of the passing group. ¡°Uniforms?¡± She questioned. Shouri leaned out to catch sight of the group. He caught sight of a particular symbol adorning their attire ¨C the silhouette of a strong-looking tree surrounded by a heart. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Unwavering Hearts, never seen them out in the wild before.¡± The rest of the table stared at the boy. ¡°Who?¡± Emily decided to ask. ¡°They¡¯re a pretty famous guild,¡± Shouri replied simply. ¡°A what?¡± The Luna native remained confused. Taking in a breath, Shouri began yet another explanation. ¡°Guilds are organizations run by Maestros usually for Maestros. A guild usually has a mission statement they abide by. Unwavering Hearts is a guild focused on providing medical aid to places hit by disasters or communities that don¡¯t have good health infrastructure.¡± ¡°Those people are doctors?¡± Taika perked up. ¡°A lot of them are combat medics like you are,¡± Shouri informed the fox. ¡°So, guilds do charity work basically?¡± Ritika questioned. ¡°Not at all ¨C you can organize a guild centered around whatever you want. There are some duelist and hunter guilds around. It¡¯s just usually easier to gather people to join your guild if you have a good mission statement,¡± Shouri continued his little lecture. ¡°From what I¡¯ve read, there¡¯s a whole like application process you have to go through to have your guild officially recognized by the government.¡± ¡°Is that even necessary?¡± Emily asked. ¡°I¡¯d say yeah ¨C officially recognized guilds get their payrolls handled by the government. In exchange, the government gets specialized organizations in a variety of fields to contract work out to if they need it,¡± Shouri informed the group. ¡°Ah, there it is.¡± Emily nodded in understanding. ¡°Always gotta have their piece of the pie.¡± Albarich too, nodded along with his Maestro. Shouri rolled his eyes but smiled. ¡°If there¡¯s a bunch of Unwavering Hearts members on this ferry they must be heading home after a mission,¡± he reasoned. ¡°Makes sense. They¡¯d probably use a faster method of transport on the way to a disaster and take the slow boat back.¡± Emily shrugged. Taika was sitting up taller, keeping vigilant alert for any of the guild members. ¡°You want to talk to them?¡± Shouri guessed. ¡°Si!¡± Taika¡¯s gaze shifted to her medical bag at her feet. ¡°I want to see if they have any good advice.¡± She admitted, earning a smile from her Maestro. He placed a hand on her head and stroked her hair. ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯d be happy to talk to you.¡± Chapter 133 ¡°We there yet?¡± Rebecca sat up, having fallen asleep while relaxing. Sure enough, she was greeted with land approaching in the distance. The fox girl looked around in a daze ¨C Soot was still sitting by her side, meditating as he had been when she fell asleep. Pacifica had long since abandoned her, the chair to Rebecca¡¯s right now vacant. Shaking her head, Rebecca hopped up to her feet. ¡°Hey big guy, where did our Maestros wander off to?¡± The vixen asked the golem. His arm directed her back towards the cabins. ¡°Uh-huh¡­¡± Rebecca nodded slowly. She stood there shuffling her feet, while Soot remained cross-legged on the deck as still as a statue. ¡°You uhh¡­ wanna come with me?¡± After a moment, the golem stirred and rose to his feet. ¡°I¡¯m uh, gonna assume that¡¯s a yes.¡± Rebecca¡¯s suspicion was confirmed when she received a thumbs-up from the mute Resonator. ¡°Right, let¡¯s go.¡± The unlikely duo wandered to the inner cabins of the ferry. ¡°Hrm¡­¡± Rebecca hugged herself. Eyes were on her again; it was still Fire Hero¡¯s Day after all. Soot was with her too, so their presence as fire elements only appeared larger due to that. She already had one freakout this morning, she had to keep her cool. Thankfully all she was getting from the other passengers was just looks. The reverence she was getting in the MA Office wasn¡¯t there. The fox was snapped out of her ruminations with a shoulder tap. Whipping her head to her side, she found Soot pointing to a stairwell. ¡°They went upstairs?¡± she guessed. A nod from the golem confirmed that fact. Following Soot¡¯s direction, the two fire Resonators found themselves on one of the upper decks. It was still inside but there were windows all around allowing for an unmarred view of the surrounding sea, and more importantly, the island of Orvata. She shot a glare at the island in the distance, her tail swishing low and fast the more she stared at the approaching land. Though she perked up upon catching sight of Shouri. She took a step forward, but quickly arrested herself ¨C they were in public still and she had to keep her cool. Her face did redden ever so slightly; her initial thought was to run and jump into Shouri¡¯s arms. Control yourself, Rebecca, the vixen thought to herself. ¡°Hey bossman!¡± she called out to him instead, waving. ¡°There you are Rebecca, did you enjoy your nap?¡± the Maestro asked as the pair of Resonators approached the group. Besides Shouri and the rest of their traveling group, there were a couple of other people in some kind of uniform, it looked like they were talking to Taika about something. She looked really invested in whatever it was they were talking about. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Rebecca asked, keeping a watchful gaze on the strangers. ¡°They¡¯re part of Unwavering Hearts, Taika wanted to ask them about medic stuff,¡± Shouri informed the fire fox. ¡°Some kind of hot shots huh?¡± Rebecca mused to herself. ¡°They¡¯re a pretty famous humanitarian aid guild. We found out they¡¯re based out of Orvata, which is why there are so many of them on this ferry,¡± Shouri brought her up to speed. Rebecca furrowed her brows, eyes stuck on the symbol embroidered into the guild member¡¯s uniforms. ¡°Hrmmm¡­¡± ¡°Thank you for talking with me!¡± Taika bidding farewell to the guild members drew Rebecca¡¯s attention. The fire fox watched the pair of strangers leave, her glare not leaving their backs until they were out of sight. ¡°You okay Rebby?¡± Pacifica asked. ¡°Mrrph¡­ I¡¯m fine,¡± Rebecca grumbled. Shouri and Pacifica exchanged a glance and a nod. Taika looked between her friends and tilted her head slightly, unsure of what was going on.
¡°Welcome to the Orvata Maestro Affairs Office ¨C how may we help you today?¡± ¡°Need a room.¡± Shouri slid his three tuners to the attendant as usual. While they were being checked in, he took a moment to look around the lobby. The clientele for this particular MA office was on the sparse side. Besides himself and Emily, there were maybe two other Maestros lounging about. Maybe everyone else was touring the island? That had to be it, as there were a ton of people on the ferry. Those thoughts were put on hold as the attendant spoke up: ¡°Thank you for your patience ¨C you will be in room Five. Is there anything else we can assist you with today?¡± Reclaiming his tuners, Shouri considered that request for a moment. ¡°Not right now,¡± he decided. ¡°Thank you for choosing our MA Office, have a wonderful day!¡± Turning around, Shouri found only his trio of Resonators waiting for him. No other Maestros waiting in line or anything. ¡°Hrm,¡± he grunted. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°What¡¯s up Sho?¡± Pacifica questioned. ¡°Seems quiet here,¡± he noted. The otter spun around. ¡°Yeah, it looks like it, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°We¡¯re on an island, right? Maybe there aren¡¯t a lot of people here?¡± Taika offered. ¡°But there were a lot of people on the ferry,¡± Pacifica challenged the theory. ¡°Oh yeah¡­¡± Taika nodded. Shouri placed a hand on the two girl¡¯s backs. ¡°Let¡¯s think about this in the room,¡± he spoke wearily. The quartet shuffled off to their room without much fanfare. Like every other MA Office they had visited the Orvata branch had the same room layout, furniture, and amenities; a real home on the road. Pacifica immediately attacked the shower while Taika sprawled herself out on the bed, taking a breather from their whirlwind of a morning. Rebecca meanwhile¡­ The vixen curled up on one of the recliners, hugging her knees while wrapping her tail around herself. ¡°Hey.¡± Shouri sat up on the armrest of the chair. He placed a hand on her head and gently stroked her hair. ¡°What¡¯s eating you up?¡± he whispered. ¡°¡­Mrrpgh.¡± ¡°Will you tell me if I guess?¡± She gave no acknowledgment, remaining quiet. ¡°One of your old Maestros was an Unwavering Heart.¡± Rebecca whipped around, looking at Shouri as if he was a ghost. ¡°Pretty easy guess.¡± The boy grinned. ¡°Wanna talk about it?¡± he offered. The fox stood up, telling the Maestro her answer. ¡°We¡¯re going on a walk, be back soon!¡± Shouri announced to the rest of the room. Taika gave a wave from the bed, remaining in her supine position and Pacifica shouted something unintelligible from the confines of the bathroom. Shouri and Rebecca left the room and wandered through the halls of the MA Office. ¡°There¡¯s really like no one here,¡± Rebecca mumbled; her ears twitching as she listened for any other guests. ¡°Not too surprised. If most of the people traveling here are part of Unwavering Hearts, they probably just stay in the guild quarters,¡± Shouri hypothesized. ¡°Yeah, makes sense.¡± The duo continued their walk, eventually stopping in front of the fitness center. A sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu washed over the vixen as they stood in silence looking through the window at the unused exercise equipment. ¡°She was my third Maestro. I hadn¡¯t gotten my ad-Lib yet. She always demanded so much out of us, not just me,¡± Rebecca began. ¡°It wasn¡¯t as if she wasn¡¯t doing her fair share. She kept drilling us so hard because she was aiming for some promotion or some shit.¡± Shouri grunted, taking in the story. ¡°Did she make it?¡± ¡°¡­no.¡± Rebecca visibly trembled. ¡°She¡­ died.¡± The Maestro¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What? How?¡± he asked on a reflex, quiet. ¡°From what I overheard; she had an undiagnosed heart condition. She pushed herself too hard and none of us noticed until it was too late.¡± Rebecca ground her teeth. Shouri studied his fox, furrowing his brow. ¡°There¡¯s something else,¡± he guessed. The fire element grunted, lowering her head further, refusing her Maestro¡¯s gaze. ¡°I just¡­ when she passed¡­ I¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to-¡± Shouri tried to stop her. ¡°No! Let me try¡­¡± Rebecca cut him off. She took in a breath and attempted to re-compose herself. ¡°¡­I was relieved when she passed.¡± She had to stop again. It was taking everything in her power not to vomit on the spot. She felt like slime even having that thought from all those years ago. ¡°Her first though, he was devastated. He blamed Unwavering Hearts for her early death. He kept saying things like they worked her too hard and they took advantage of her kindness,¡± she said, her voice low. The two returned to silence; Rebecca in her feelings, Shouri unsure of what to say. Rebecca made the first move, stepping forward and taking hold of his shirt while burying her face in his chest. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she squeaked. Shouri gently took her in his arms. ¡°For what?¡± He questioned. ¡°I¡¯m a horrible person.¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re not.¡± She pushed him back but kept a grasp on his shirt. ¡°Who is relieved when someone dies?!¡± she shrieked. ¡°Who treats a person like an object?!¡± Shouri retorted, matching her volume. The fox stared, eyes wide while tears streamed down her cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m not saying she deserved to die,¡± Shouri added, his voice returning to its normal cadence ¡°But, there¡¯s something inherently wrong with a lot of people out there,¡± he mused. ¡°And I don¡¯t know why some people end up like me and why some end up like Lyle.¡± ¡°I dunno.¡± Rebecca shook her head. She pulled herself back into his embrace. ¡°I prefer this. I don¡¯t want to go back to how I used to live.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let it happen.¡± He squeezed her tightly, earning a smile from the fire fox. Chapter 134 Beep beep beep ¡°You got a text Sho,¡± Pacifica called out. It had been a couple of hours since Shouri and Rebecca returned to room five in the Orvata MA Office. It was clear to the other two girls that whatever their companions discussed was heavy, so neither complained when they cuddled up on the couch to watch those cheesy martial arts movies Rebecca loved. Pacifica opted to lay on the bed with Taika, each girl on their tuner ¨C the otter gamed and the fox read. A nice peaceful afternoon. That was until the text message arrived. ¡°Who is it?¡± Shouri asked while fishing Rebecca¡¯s tuner from in between them. ¡°Emily,¡± Pacifica replied. ¡°Hrm.¡± Shouri let out a hum of disappointment while pulling up his texts. There was a small hope the random text had finally been Aura, but sadly that radio silence persisted. Emily: ¡°Take me out on a hunt¡± 5:44 PM ¡°The princess is awfully demanding,¡± Rebecca noted, peering over her Maestro¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s for sure,¡± the boy scoffed, re-reading the curt message. ¡°Do you all want to go hunting?¡± he asked the room. ¡°Sure,¡± said Pacifica ¡°Why not?¡± Taika added. Shouri looked to the vixen directly by his side. She slowly nodded. ¡°Are you sure?¡± he asked. Rebecca took in a breath, holding it for a moment before speaking. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t let people I don¡¯t like keep me away from my Maestro.¡± Me: ¡°See you in an hour¡± 5:47 PM
¡°Sho, we have to vacation here eventually,¡± Pacifica demanded. The group of eight was on their way to the western hunting grounds, which bordered the coast of the island. ¡°Maybe you can have a big ¡®teach everyone how to swim¡¯ retreat,¡± Emily suggested. Pacifica gasped. ¡°YOU¡¯RE RIGHT!¡± the otter shouted, practically vibrating at the prospect of running her own swimming training camp. Rebecca shot the other Maestro a glare. ¡°Don¡¯t give her ideas.¡± The fox hissed. The small crowd arrived at the hunting ground to find only a Maestro and Resonator, clearly bored out of their minds as tended to the stall while on a notebook computer. ¡°Where¡­ is everyone?¡± Emily wondered, looking around. ¡°Maybe there just aren¡¯t many Scherzando on this island?¡± Ritika guessed. ¡°Small islands, even populated ones tend to have next to no Scherzando,¡± Shouri told them. ¡°Oh, how weird.¡± Emily blinked. ¡°They tend to avoid salt water for some reason scientists haven¡¯t yet figured out,¡± Shouri added in as a bonus fun fact. ¡°Weird things they are,¡± Ritika commented. With that little Scherzando ethology lesson out of the way, the eight-strong group headed up to the stall. The attendant sat up at attention, quickly minimizing some distraction on their computer screen. ¡°Hey!¡± they greeted the group. ¡°Here for a hunt?¡± they asked. ¡°Yes!¡± Emily had a fire in her eyes. Shouri chuckled and nodded along. ¡°Tuners please,¡± came the request. Six tuners were handed over and scanned in. The stall attendant noted the two black tuners amongst the six. ¡°Two lunars huh? Finding them won¡¯t be an issue for you all,¡± they commented. ¡°Yeah, no problem,¡± Shouri spoke up before Emily could. ¡°Good to go, have fun.¡± The attendant slid the six devices over for their owners to collect. Emily scooped up her trio of tuners in an instant. ¡°Let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s go!¡± She excitedly pointed to a nearby field. ¡°Yeah yeah, let¡¯s go.¡± Shouri affixed his tuners to his side and allowed the greenhorn hunter to lead the way. The island of Orvata was beautiful, simply put. There were many traditionally built and inhabited buildings in small clusters all over the island, but for the most part, the wilderness was untamed. A natural order fell upon the flora of the island. The group gathered in the tall grass of a nearby plain. Emily held out her arms allowing the sea breeze to wash over her. ¡°Ahhhh, you smell that?¡± she asked. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s awful.¡± Rebecca pinched her nose. ¡°Weird way to spell wonderful.¡± Pacifica had joined the Maestro in appreciating the wind. Shouri shook his head but smiled all the same. ¡°It¡¯s time for adventure!¡± Emily declared. ¡°Oh, here we go.¡± Albarich rolled his eyes. ¡°Be gentle, Emmy.¡± Ritika placed a hand on her Maestro¡¯s back, hoping to arrest some of her momentum. The newbie turned to her mentor for the evening, her gaze brimming with excitement. ¡°How do we do this, Mr. Hunter?¡± she asked. ¡°First order of business ¨C what level is Albarich¡¯s Rilevare l''intenzione at?¡± ¡°Adagio, we haven¡¯t quite hit Lento yet.¡± ¡°Ah, grind that shit, you need Lento, Scherzando are always hostile so Lento rank turns it into a Scherzando map.¡± ¡°I see I see.¡± While the Maestros went over tactics and their roles in the hunting process, the Resonators were left to their own discussion of matters. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe she traded in her duelist license for a hunter one,¡± Pacifica commented. ¡°Well, neither of us really knew what we were doing when we got down here,¡± Albarich spoke up. ¡°We just kinda got railroaded into the first thing we were told,¡± he added. ¡°Yeah, not looking to get into dueling myself,¡± Rebecca chimed in. The Lunar dragon raised a brow. ¡°Why not?¡± he asked. ¡°You¡¯re pretty friggin good at it from what I¡¯ve seen of ya.¡± Rebecca mulled over that thought. ¡°I guess it¡¯s a personal thing.¡± Her gaze fell on Shouri. ¡°I can¡¯t trust other Maestros,¡± she decided. ¡°I see.¡± The dragon nodded slowly. ¡°And that¡¯s the gist of it.¡± Shouri finished his recap of the basics for Emily¡¯s edification. ¡°Seems simple enough, but easy to get messed up if you¡¯re not careful,¡± she summarized. ¡°Pretty much. Scherzando are quick to remind you why we¡¯re out here in the first place if you let them,¡± the veteran warned. ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°Rilevare l''intenzione, Lento,¡± Shouri called out. Taika closed her eyes and she placed two fingers on her right temple. An invisible pulse radiated from her body, updating Shouri''s (and in turn Emily¡¯s) tuners with the positions of the nearby Scherzando. ¡°Ooooh, this is way more convenient,¡± Emily noted, showing the map to Albarich. ¡°Much easier than barking directions.¡± The dragon nodded in agreement. ¡°Oh cool!¡± Ritika exclaimed, peering over her Maestro¡¯s shoulder. ¡°There¡¯s not many here,¡± Shouri commented as he studied the map on his tuner. ¡°At least it should be easy tonight,¡± Pacifica chimed in. Shouri glared at her. ¡°What?!¡± Pacifica shouted back. ¡°Sahji.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not real!¡± Emily smiled warmly; they were having fun. The night¡¯s festivities began with the trek to the waiting Scherzando who hid in a nearby forest. Shouri had the lead spot with Emily¡¯s group keeping an eye on their rear. As the sun dipped below the horizon, the natural light began to dwindle, and the lack of settlements very quickly plunged the travelers into darkness. Rebecca tugged on her Maestro¡¯s jacket. ¡°Sho.¡± ¡°Oh right, keep forgetting. Famiglio Incendio, Rubato.¡± With a wave of her hand, Rebecca summoned a small pack of fire foxes, illuminating the dark forest they found themselves in. ¡°Hunters really like that one huh?¡± Emily commented. ¡°Not everyone has night vision like us,¡± Shouri snarked back. ¡°Too true.¡± The group fell to uneasy silence, creeping through the woods on the alert. That was when they finally found them: a small herd of tall Scherzando, quadrupedal in form. The powerful legs of the shadowy beasts looked like they could do as much damage as their owner¡¯s magic. Speaking of which, these beasts bore rocky protrusions, presenting the earth element. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Emily stared in a hushed horror. The lack of any facial features, the lightless body, her rhythm screaming how wrong these creatures were. Despite moving through the crunchy underbrush, no sound was made ¨C it was like they weren¡¯t even there. She had always heard how terrifying Scherzando could be, how easily they could kill, their hunger, their savagery. Even with six Resonators, these monsters could overwhelm them given the chance. The Lunar Princess jumped, suppressing a squeal when Albarich¡¯s hand touched her shoulder. She looked back at him. He simply nodded, quelling the anxiety that had built up in her heart. Shouri meanwhile, motioned for the other Maestro to hang back. He crept forward with his trio behind him. Emily watched in awe as the three girls spread out without a verbal command from their Maestro. ¡°Fissare la Ombra, Rubato; Ghiacclio, Rubato; Anello di Fuoco, Tenuto!¡± Three commands told the girls everything they needed to know. Pacifica stepped towards the large equine-shaped beasts. Taika and Rebecca ran around their flanks, Rebecca leaving a wall of fire in her wake, Taika pinning the Scherzando who attempted to flee from the sudden blaze. Pacifica meanwhile, stood in place. She lifted a hand into the air, a spear of ice forming ¨C Ghiacclio at Fortissimo rank. The massive ice missile fired off and speared one of the beasts, dissolving it back into the rhythm that constructed its form. It was a slaughter, the Scherzando never stood a chance as they were contained and snuffed out. Any that attempted to fight back got Pacifica¡¯s focus. Any that attempted to flee were pinned by their shadows. Emily and her Resonators were stunned to silence. The brutal efficiency on display ¨C they were thankful Shouri didn¡¯t have any aspirations of attacking innocents. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s scarier, the Scherzando or you,¡± Emily commented. ¡°It¡¯s either them or us ¨C and personally, I enjoy living,¡± Shouri replied, his eyes never leaving the battlefield. ¡°Yeah, me too.¡± Taika, Pacifica, and Rebecca returned to Shouri¡¯s side their eyes glowed with residual rhythm from their spellcasting ¨C Taika in blue, Pacifica and Rebecca in red. Shouri turned to face his prot¨¦g¨¦s, the yellow knowledge-rich rhythm shimmering within his eyes. Her voice was stuck in her throat, all Emily could do was stare in awe at the spectacle they had just bore witness to. This was what a real hunter looked like. ¡°Think you can do that?¡± Shouri broke the silence. ¡°Terra no! By the stars you¡¯re insane!¡± Emily yelped. ¡°It¡¯s not that much different from battling,¡± Shouri pointed out. ¡°Maybe not so much,¡± Rebecca chimed in. ¡°Hm?¡± He looked to his Resonator. ¡°Resonator battles are usually one-on-one, and you always expect your opponent to play fair, otherwise a ref steps in and calls the battle in your favor.¡± Rebecca scanned the trio of Resonators her opposite. ¡°Scherzando don¡¯t play fair, Scherzando will outnumber you, Scherzando will kill you,¡± stated the vixen. Emily sighed loudly. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s it.¡± She shrugged. A smile rose on her lips. ¡°But if someone who is supposedly ¡®average¡¯ like you can become a monster like that, surely there¡¯s hope for us.¡± Shouri chuckled. ¡°Sure.¡±
Once more Shouri¡¯s group led the way, following the newly updated map. They slowly approached another nest of Scherzando. A flock of bird-shaped Scherzando fluttered about in a small clearing, illuminated by the moonlight. ¡°Tackle this any way you see fit, we¡¯ll hang back,¡± Shouri advised. ¡°Just remember, it¡¯s not a battle - you don¡¯t have to play fair,¡± Rebecca chimed in. Emily nodded, studying their targets. These were of the fire element. Besides their fiery wings, the rhythmic heat being radiated from them was quite intense. ¡°Al, Fissare la Ombra, Lento,¡± Emily instructed. Albarich nodded and stepped into the clearing. He summoned a horde of shadowy arrows with a wave of his arm. The Scherzando turned to the dragon and then he launched the cloud of arrows at the birds. Some were caught, but many managed to dodge the attack and immediately retaliated with fireballs that exploded with rainbow light. Thankfully, Albarich pulled his wings in front of his body at the last second, shielding him from most of the force of the attacks, but now the Scherzando were swarming about in a tizzy. They began to swoop down toward Emily, who locked up in shock. THWICK THWICK THWICK Several ice needles skewered the Scherzando that had braved attacking the Maestro. Emily turned back to see Pacifica holding a dozen ice needles between her fists, ready to continue her attack if needed. ¡°You have three Resonators ¨C use them,¡± Shouri instructed. ¡°S-sorry Emmy.¡± Ritika wilted. ¡°They attacked so fast I froze,¡± the cat admitted. Soot nodded in agreement with his fellow Resonator. The Luna native ground her teeth. It wasn¡¯t as easy as Shouri made it look. She took in a breath. Shouri was a hunter, a real hunter ¨C following his methods would make her a real hunter. ¡°Al! Fissare la Ombra, Forte Staccatissimo! Soot! Scottare, Rubato! Bring them into Rika¡¯s range!¡± she barked out her commands. ¡°Me?! What do I do?¡± Ritika yelped as her two party members took their positions and began executing their Maestro¡¯s orders. ¡°Stand right in front of me and get ready to fire,¡± Emily told her with a confident smirk. The earth cat nodded and followed her Maestro¡¯s instruction. Albarich and Soot focused their spells on the high-flying birds, forcing them to swoop low. Some were taken out by the flurry of shadow arrows and steam, but most of the flock swooped low aiming squarely at Ritika and Emily. ¡°Armalcol Fucile, Legato Staccatisimo!¡± Taika perked up when Emily called out that spell. The lunar fox was enraptured by the form of the earth cat, who used one arm to steady her other. Her thumb was curled into her fist, aimed squarely at the Scherzando who were bearing down on their position. At the end of Ritika¡¯s fist, a strange crystal formed, and as soon as it was solid, she flicked her thumb out, firing the rock off like a bullet. It pierced several of the Scherzando, leaving a shimmering trail in its wake and dissolving the Scherzando in the process. Ritika fired off several of these strange crystals, sniping the birds and never allowing them to get close to her precious Maestro. ¡°The Lunar¨CEarth Ossia, huh?¡± Shouri chuckled. Taika shot a glance at her Maestro. ¡°She had you all for a week, so she must have known you didn¡¯t have that one yet,¡± he muttered to his fox. ¡°She¡¯s a funny one, that¡¯s for sure,¡± he decided, Taika nodding in agreement with his analysis of the situation.
¡°So, what did you think?¡± Shouri asked as the group wandered back towards the MA Office ¨C a successful hunt behind them. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Emily tilted her head back and forth, considering the question. ¡°Well, you and Rebecca were right, it¡¯s definitely different from Resonator battling,¡± she admitted. The princess smiled. ¡°But this is much more fulfilling. I feel like we actually made the world a better place.¡± Shouri chuckled. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s about right,¡± he mused quietly. ¡°Someone like you shouldn¡¯t have been in a stadium. Too stuffy for you,¡± he spoke louder. ¡°That¡¯s for sure! What the terra was I thinking?¡± she complained with a shrug. ¡°Sheltered princess way over her head, suddenly on a different world,¡± Albarich snarked. ¡°YOU!¡± She turned and started shaking her dragon who didn¡¯t resist the sudden play fighting. The hunt ended peacefully, the chorus of laughter echoing into the night. Chapter 135 ¡°What¡¯s up Sho?¡± Pacifica¡¯s voice drew Shouri from his thoughts. It was around midnight or so, leaving the two all alone in the common room of the Orvata MA Office. Shouri had been glaring at his tuner for some time before the otter¡¯s arrival. ¡°She hasn¡¯t texted back,¡± he muttered. Pacifica sat on the arm of the recliner Shouri had sat himself in. ¡°Colette?¡± she guessed. ¡°Yeah, I texted her as soon as I got my tuners back, but it¡¯s been all radio silence,¡± he spoke quietly. ¡°She and Kaira went back to Lyreann to warn Dr. Vim about the two robot girls,¡± Pacifica informed her Maestro. ¡°Elijah informed me as much.¡± Shouri nodded slowly. He couldn¡¯t hide his concern, not from Pacifica. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked. ¡°I think Ilea Vim is in on whatever scheme is going on. I think he¡¯s the ring leader here,¡± he laid out his theory for the Resonator. ¡°Do you think-?¡± Pacifica didn¡¯t need to finish that thought. She could sense the conviction of that belief. She furrowed her brow, the puzzle pieces slowly falling into place until- ¡°Wait! That means-!¡± ¡°Something happened to Colette.¡± Pacifica jumped up from the seat. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we go help her?!¡± Shouri returned her concern with a frustrated glare. ¡°I want to¡­ so badly, but I- we¡­¡± He ground his teeth. ¡°We¡¯re not strong enough.¡± ¡°But last time they jumped us! If we go head on-!¡± ¡°Pacifica, you don¡¯t believe what you¡¯re saying.¡± The water element trembled. Even she was this easy to read. She hugged herself, curling in slightly. ¡°It was so scary. I was standing there and then suddenly it all went black. I didn¡¯t feel a thing.¡± Shouri stood up. ¡°Not even Taika or Rebby could do a thing against them. And now Colette, she¡¯s gonna-¡± Her eyes suddenly widened as she was enveloped in warmth. Shouri held her. ¡°I know. I¡¯m scared too,¡± he admitted on a breath. He squeezed her tighter. ¡°I¡¯m so fucking scared of losing you all again.¡± ¡°Sh-sho¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I want us to go see Sarayul. If Taika can control her ad-Lib that¡¯s just one more tool we have to fight back with.¡± ¡°I hope she¡¯s okay.¡± Pacifica rested her head on her Maestro¡¯s shoulder, allowing the tears to flow. ¡°Me too Paci.¡±
Night passed to morning and with it, the group¡¯s departure from Orvata. ¡°We didn¡¯t end up seeing any other of those guild peoples,¡± Taika noted as they boarded a much emptier ferry. ¡°Good,¡± Rebecca grumbled to herself. Shouri placed a hand on the grouchy fox¡¯s shoulder and rubbed it reassuringly. ¡°I¡¯m sure they were just busy,¡± the Maestro addressed his other fox. ¡°More importantly!¡± Pacifica declared suddenly. ¡°It¡¯s Water Hero¡¯s Day!¡± She stood akimbo before her traveling party. ¡°Indeed, it is.¡± Shouri raised a brow. The look in Pacifica¡¯s eyes ¨C it didn¡¯t ease his heart rate; it did the opposite. ¡°What do you want?¡± he braved asking, knowing full well that he would regret it. The formerly proud otter threw herself onto her knees. ¡°Let me swim the strait! Please please please!¡± she pleaded loudly. Shouri let out an exasperated sigh. ¡°Pacifica I-¡± ¡°PUHLEEEEASE SHO! I¡¯LL BE SAFE I PROMISE!¡± Despite the lack of crowds on the ferry, there were other passengers and they were giving the Maestro the stink eye. ¡°You did this on purpose you-¡± Before he could scold his otter for her clearly planned theatrics, the peanut gallery watching increased in numbers. Too many eyes on the Maestro made him fold. ¡°Fine. But I¡¯m leaving the listen button on,¡± the Maestro capitulated to his otter¡¯s wishes. Her eyes shimmered with excitement. ¡°Thank you, Sho!¡± In an instant, she was on her feet and hugging the life out of him. She released her dying Maestro and ran towards the side of the boat. ¡°I¡¯ll see you there!¡± She shouted before jumping over the railing and diving into the depths. ¡°She¡¯s gonna get herself in trouble, isn¡¯t she?¡± Rebecca asked. ¡°Probably,¡± Shouri wheezed. ¡°I think we can trust her,¡± Taika chimed in. ¡°I guess someone has to be optimistic,¡± Rebecca muttered with a roll of her eyes.
Nothing quite beat the open sea. Especially a sea as warm as the West Trimare. Fisher of the Sea, Pacifica¡¯s species trait, gave her a boost in her swimming speed and enabled her to breathe underwater for much less rhythm than other water Resonators required. As such she mostly stayed underneath the waves and took in the sights as she zoomed along. Much faster than any boat, she shot through the water like a bullet, allowing her to take a winding path and really take in the undersea flora. Vast swaths of the seabed were covered in fields of seagrass that swayed in the waves. Pacifica swam down to the underwater meadow and laid down in it, enjoying the motion of the waves and the grass underneath her. She closed her eyes for a moment, allowing herself to relish in the moment. A shadow being cast over her snapped the otter out of her relaxation. It wasn¡¯t a boat overhead or cloud cover, but another swimmer; one curiously staring at the traveler. Pacifica stared back, eyes widening as she realized something grand about the sudden newcomer. The lower half of their body did not bear the bipedal structure Pacifica had ¨C this girl only had a tail, one covered in blueish-purple scales ending in a large fin. The mystery girl smiled and bolted for the surface. Pacifica spun around and pushed off the sea floor with her legs, catching up to the other girl right as they surfaced. ¡°Hey there!¡± Pacifica greeted her fellow water element. ¡°I¡¯m Pacifica, nice to meet you.¡± ¡°Hi Pacifica, I¡¯m Brizo,¡± replied the girl in kind. She lifted her arm above the waves, showing a strange creature wrapped around her wrist. It was a creature bearing a bulbous head, two large blue eyes, and eight long arms covered in suction cups. ¡°She¡¯s my Maestro, her name is Della.¡± Della released one of their eight tentacles from her Resonator¡¯s wrist to wave to Pacifica. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you too!¡± Pacifica smiled. Her heart hammered from sheer excitement. She couldn¡¯t believe her luck! ¡°You¡¯re a Mermaid and Octopus pair, right?¡± the otter couldn¡¯t help but asking. ¡°We are! We were out for a swim and noticed you all on your lonesome,¡± Brizo told her. The mermaid glanced down at her invertebrate companion. ¡°Della has never seen an otter before and wanted to meet you,¡± Brizo added. ¡°Lucky! I¡¯ve never seen a mermaid or octopus before.¡± Pacifica beamed. ¡°This is my first time in the Trimare, is that common here?¡± the otter queried. ¡°I think so, we live in a little village about a twenty-minute swim away,¡± the mermaid explained. ¡°I¡¯d love to visit, but my Maestro is waiting for me.¡± Pacifica pointed north towards the coast. ¡°It¡¯s okay! Another time,¡± the mermaid said with a smile. And with that the two parted ways. Once the mermaid was out of earshot Pacifica began swimming in circles. ¡°I met a REAL mermaid!!¡± she exclaimed. The overly excited otter did several more circles, a dive, and then shot out of the water, getting some impressive air before zooming towards her destination at triple speed.
¡°SHO SHO SHO SHO!¡± Pacifica hopped back and forth on the dock, shouting to the boat where her Maestro was arriving. No one else on the dock dared stifle her excitement ¨C it was Water Hero¡¯s Day after all and the sea water-laden girl was very obviously a water element. The gangplank was dropped with a loud thud and the few patrons of the ferry began to de-board the ship. As soon as Pacifica caught sight of her Maestro, she ran to him and hugged him tightly spinning the two of them before she held him out at arm¡¯s length. ¡°Sho you¡¯ll never guess-!¡± The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.¡°You met a mermaid and her Maestro,¡± Shouri cut her off at the pass. ¡°But HOW?!¡± the otter shrieked. ¡°He left the listen on,¡± Taika informed her. ¡°He told you that before you left, remember?¡± Rebecca raised a brow. This did not deflate the otter¡¯s excitement, however. ¡°She was so pretty and cool!¡± Shouri patted her on the head. ¡°You can tell us all about it on the train, we¡¯re on a time crunch,¡± he told her gently while checking the time on one of his tuners. ¡°Oh boy.¡± Rebecca realized what the Maestro had done. ¡°What¡¯d we miss?¡± Emily and her pack of Resonators joined the group. ¡°Shouri signed us up for a dramatic re-telling of Pacifica¡¯s Bizarre Adventure,¡± the fire fox told the other Maestro. ¡°Oh how wonderful, maybe she can tell us more about that mermaid that was mentioned.¡± The Luna native clapped her hands together at the revelation. With the entertainment for their trip decided the group set off for the train station on foot. ¡°Come on people, don¡¯t lag behind!¡± Shouri barked to the eight-strong group. ¡°Why the rush?¡± Pacifica asked as she matched gait with her Maestro. ¡°We have a leeway of like maybe five minutes ¨C it¡¯s a sixteen-minute walk to the train station, and our train leaves at 12:13 PM ¨C It¡¯s 11:50 right now,¡± he told her as he power-walked towards their destination. ¡°Sho ho fame¡­¡± Taika whimpered from behind. ¡°I¡¯ll buy you lunch on the train just please don¡¯t fall behind,¡± The Maestro told the whining fox. Taika lit up at the proposition of whatever vague concept of a meal was waiting for her. The hungry fox took her place on Shouri¡¯s other side, opposite Pacifica, staying in line with the two of them. Emily giggled. ¡°They¡¯re so funny,¡± she commented while watching their antics unfold from behind. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve known peace since meeting them,¡± Albarich complained. ¡°You say that like we were living the slow life before.¡± Emily wagged a teasing finger at her dragon. ¡°We were certainly more ignorant of the bigger picture,¡± the lunar dragon conceded. ¡°We¡¯re about to lose them in the crowd,¡± Ritika pointed out. ¡°Shoot!¡± Emily picked up the pace, her trio following close behind.
¡°Alright, let¡¯s properly compare notes so we¡¯re all on the same page,¡± Shouri began the train ride. They ponied up the extra cash for a private cab which would seat the eight of them and provide relative privacy. ¡°Ho fame,¡± Taika whined. ¡°Give them a bit, they¡¯ll bring us lunch,¡± Shouri reassured the hungry fox who nodded eagerly. ¡°According to the information the Klein Foundation procured from the VdV, I wasn¡¯t the only target ¨C you were also being targeted.¡± Emily lowered her gaze, grinding her teeth. ¡°I should have warned you!¡± she shouted. ¡°It¡¯s fine Ems.¡± Shouri¡¯s eyes shifted towards the door. No one was there but the way he was staring at the empty space made it seem like he was looking at something no one else could see. ¡°Shouri?¡± Emily asked. The boy shook his head. ¡°Sorry,¡± he grunted, refocusing. ¡°According to what I got from the person who freed me, I¡¯m too good at curing Feroce.¡± He paused. ¡°So, they wanted to study me. Dead or alive.¡± Emily nodded slowly, their respective Resonators looking to their Maestros with concern. ¡°We both know too much,¡± she said. Shouri stroked his chin in thought. ¡°We have to take the fight to them.¡± Though he stated this with determination, it wasn¡¯t his; he gripped Taika¡¯s hand tightly, the girl¡¯s eyes glowing bright blue as Shouri spoke. The Luna native smiled warmly. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°So what¡¯s the game plan anyway? Y¡¯all are going up that mountain, right?¡± Albarich spoke up. ¡°Don¡¯t remind me.¡± Pacifica shivered, holding herself. ¡°We need to get you some warmer clothes.¡± Rebecca poked the otter¡¯s exposed side, eliciting a surprised squeal. ¡°Are we going with them?¡± Ritika asked her Maestro. ¡°Hrmmm¡­¡± Emily considered that question. Her gaze shifted to Albarich. ¡°No¡­¡± she trailed off. ¡°You¡¯re welcome to come with,¡± Shouri offered to the other Maestro. ¡°No, I think the best thing for us to do is to split up and stay on the move,¡± Emily decided. ¡°You sure?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± She nodded. ¡°Though we probably can¡¯t go back to Naiza and by extension Luna.¡± Ritika sighed, closing her eyes. ¡°We¡¯re kinda in a pinch, huh?¡± commented the cat. Albarich shrugged. ¡°Nothing different than usual.¡± ¡°I knew you two were suspicious from the jump.¡± Ritika glared at her draconic companion ¡°We fucking warned you!¡± said dragon barked back. The two Resonators were pacified with a head pat from their Maestro. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter now, we¡¯ll get through it,¡± Emily said. ¡°Still though, I doubt even with Sarayul¡¯s training we¡¯re going to be able to handle whatever they have in store for us. We can handle Feroce Resonators just fine, but we¡¯ve only been fighting them one-on-one. If they have any as strong as Mila we could be in trouble,¡± Shouri laid out his thoughts for the others. The cabin went quiet. ¡°We should get a team together then,¡± Emily suggested. ¡°I dunno about that.¡± Shouri leaned forward folding his hands together. ¡°What we¡¯re doing is probably highly illegal,¡± he guessed. ¡°I have no way of knowing how the aftermath is going to go down, even if we do win.¡± ¡°It¡¯s very possible we all could be arrested, even stripped of our licenses.¡± Shouri¡¯s trio tensed up at that thought ¨C being forced out of Shouri¡¯s care as a result of all of this. A nightmare they hoped would stay in the realm of possibility and never cross into reality. ¡°Well then, I guess if it came down to it, I could help there,¡± Emily spoke up. ¡°Huh?¡± Shouri raised his head. The other Maestro smirked. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember who I am?¡± she asked. Before he could answer, she continued. ¡°I¡¯m only the Princess of the current Lunar monarchs. I¡¯ll probably get deported back to Luna if we get arrested, yes, but I can just get my parents to request you and your Resonators be sent to Luna with me. Easy peasy.¡± Shouri mused over that thought for a moment. ¡°I guess making friends in powerful places does have its benefits,¡± he muttered. ¡°Also, couldn¡¯t Elijah do something about this problem?¡± Pacifica asked. ¡°To an extent.¡± Shouri¡¯s expression clouded. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if he could get me off the hook for murder.¡± Silence again. ¡°Excuse me?¡± Ritika finally spoke up. ¡°I have a nasty feeling if we take the fight to them, someone isn¡¯t walking out alive and it sure as hell ain¡¯t gonna be me,¡± Shouri said. ¡°You serious?¡± Alabrich raised a skeptical brow. ¡°Absolutely,¡± Pacifica said in place of her Maestro. Taika tightened her grip around her Maestro¡¯s hand. ¡°I know I said I¡¯d follow you straight into hell, but I didn¡¯t think that¡¯d be so soon,¡± the fox joked. ¡°Sorry,¡± Shouri replied, shifting his gaze away from her. ¡°Don¡¯t apologize Sho.¡± She squeezed his hand again. ¡°I would never lie to you,¡± she whispered. ¡°This is hard,¡± Emily commented. ¡°Why can¡¯t we just report him to the authorities?¡± Ritika pondered aloud. ¡°If this guy is making those Feroce Resonators, isn¡¯t that enough?¡± she asked. Shouri grunted and shook his head. ¡°No, he¡¯s a rhythm master. Probably a genius too. At most we could probably get his assistants arrested,¡± Shouri trailed off, his eyes flicked to the empty space in front of the door. ¡°It¡¯s gotta be him,¡± the Maestro asserted. ¡°But¡­¡± Pacifica laid a hand on her Maestro¡¯s shoulder. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Motive,¡± he replied. The cabin went quiet, the ambient sound of the train chugging along breaking up the silence. ¡°Motive,¡± Emily repeated. ¡°Why is he doing all this?¡± Shouri clarified. ¡°What does he gain from making Feroce Resonators?¡± Only the continuous clacking of the wheels rushing over the train tracks answered Shouri¡¯s question. KNOCK KNOCK Eight pairs of eyes locked onto the door where someone had tapped. ¡°Concessions,¡± a voice spoke from the other side. Shouri released a held breath. ¡°Probably a good idea to get some lunch,¡± he said, noting Taika¡¯s excited tail wagging from inside the seat. Chapter 136 ¡°Caldo,¡± Taika complained as they stepped off the train in Wenja. ¡°It¡¯s not even that warm out,¡± Rebecca snarked back. ¡°Not everyone radiates as much heat as you do,¡± the lunar fox commented. ¡°Girls behave.¡± Pacifica inserted herself between the two catty foxes to quell their bickering. Shouri smiled and shook his head. They were consistent if nothing else. He turned his attention to the map, studying their current location and comparing it to their surroundings. They had only stepped out of the train station but already found beauty in their new locale. Wenja screamed ¡°historic¡±, the brickwork that made up the walkways was well worn, along with the tall apartment buildings that stood proudly across the street from the train station. A large fountain was nestled into the center of the roundabout they found themselves at, with a couple cars hanging out, and their drivers awaiting their passengers. ¡°We¡¯re going to take a bus to the northern-most MA Office, come on,¡± Shouri told the group, motioning for them to follow. The side conversations lulled to silence as the eight-strong group took in the ambiance. The town was quiet, with a few Maestros and their Resonators milling about. Traffic wasn¡¯t bad, but it was evening on a Friday, so there were those leaving their office jobs and heading out for a night on the town. Crossing a couple of major intersections put the group on a bus terminal and they were soon shuttled off to the north end of town. The bus had a couple of other patrons, most likely people who lived on the outskirts of town or pretty close. It was becoming clear to everyone in Shouri¡¯s party: they were in a mountain village. The roads snaked up hills and, in the distance, they could make out the striking figures of the Schietto Mountains. ¡°We¡¯re really gonna climb those, huh?¡± Pacifica wondered aloud; her eyes locked on the imposing peaks that loomed over the city. ¡°Yeah. Soot pointed out on the map which mountain we need to climb. We¡¯ll have to approach from the south face for the easiest path up to where Sarayul is,¡± Shouri informed his otter. ¡°Supposedly,¡± he added as an aside. ¡°Supposedly?¡± questioned the otter. ¡°Well, from what I could gather, Soot last went up there with one of his former Maestros like 300 years ago. Ethereals tend to be quite finicky, they either stay in one spot forever or drift from place to place,¡± Shouri explained. ¡°Or so the theory goes. We have plenty of written records about various Ethereals movement patterns, but Sarayul being in such a pain in the ass spot to reach, his records are part of the sparsely recorded Ethereals.¡± Pacifica nodded slowly. ¡°I sure hope he¡¯s home then,¡± she commented. ¡°You and me both,¡± Shouri agreed, glaring at the map on his tuner. ¡°What do we do if he¡¯s not home?¡± asked Rebecca. ¡°Curse Sahji and try not to die on the way down?¡± Shouri offered back. ¡°Not going in with the idea that we¡¯re gonna come back empty-handed?¡± ¡°But-!¡± Taika cried out. Thankfully Shouri was sitting next to his worried little vixen and silenced her with a finger. ¡°I already told you: no matter what we¡¯re gonna figure this out. This is the only thing we¡¯ve tried so far ¨C it¡¯s too early to throw in the towel.¡± Taika nodded slowly, her bottom lip trembling as she fought a valiant battle against the tears that wanted to flow.
The Wenja MA Office was like any other the group had visited in the past. It wasn¡¯t nearly as busy as other offices they had been to, but the environment informed the clientele. The bulk of the spread was in water, earth, and fire; elements that would be quite useful in the Schietto Mountains towering over the city. What¡¯s more, the chosen Resonators were on the bulkier side. ¡°Crushing attributes?¡± Shouri whispered to Rebecca for confirmation. ¡°Crushing for sure,¡± she replied with a short nod. The trio of smaller girls (alongside Emily¡¯s similarly lean party) broadcast to the perspective climbers: Shouri and Emily were just some tourists. Oh, how wrong they were. Thankfully everyone else in the lobby was checked in leaving the front counter free. Shouri, being the gentleman he was, let Emily check in first. In reality, though, he only let her go first because- ¡°Ah, Shouri Tomoshibi. We received a package for you this morning. Let me go get it.¡± The attendant rushed into the back, out of sight. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Pacifica commented. ¡°Hush.¡± Shouri shot her the side eye. Taika stared at the Maestro¡¯s quarters where Emily and her Resonators vanished into. ¡°Are we gonna see them again?¡± Taika wondered, a singe of sadness peppering her voice. ¡°Yeah, she was going to see us off tomorrow,¡± Shouri told the fox, patting her head. ¡°Here you are,¡± the attendant said, sliding a box across the counter for Shouri. ¡°What the heck did you get?¡± Rebecca wondered seeing the size of the box. ¡°Already told you: replacement clothes,¡± Shouri snarked back. Rebecca huffed and pushed Shouri out of the way. She picked up the box, which obscured her vision given the size of it. ¡°What are you-?¡± Rebecca cut him off. ¡°I¡¯ve been trained to move around blind, also you gotta open the door to our room,¡± she reminded him. ¡°Fair, I guess,¡± he grumbled, accepting his three tuners back. ¡°You¡¯re in room seven ¨C thank you for choosing our MA Office, have a wonderful day!¡±
¡°Ahh, it feels so nice to be in fresh clothes,¡± Pacifica cooed, having changed into her replacement outfit first. She pinched the fabric of her vest and hummed, her lips curling down. ¡°What¡¯s wrong Paci?¡± Taika asked, sliding her jacket on. ¡°It feels a bit different,¡± the otter noted. ¡°So, it¡¯s not just me,¡± Rebecca chimed in as she adjusted her tie. Shouri emerged from the bathroom, feeling it safe to do so. He sat on the side of the bed with their clothes bag stuffing one final set of clothing into it. ¡°Gonna be a tight fit,¡± he mumbled to himself noting how packed the clothes bag was between all of their outfits. ¡°Elijah pointed me in the direction of some tailors who work on the outfits for tournament officials,¡± Shouri told the group, tuning back into the conversation. ¡°Ah.¡± Rebecca understood in an instant. ¡°These have higher rhythm resistance than even the high-grade stuff we were wearing before,¡± she said aloud for the sake of her uninformed companions. ¡°Oh really?¡± Pacifica glanced at her outfit. It did feel heavier on her body, but in the same respect, it also seemed sturdier. A pinch and pull of the fabric confirmed this fact. Shouri flopped backward on the bed. ¡°Yeah, I figure we need to be at the top of our game given who we have after us.¡± The room fell to silence. ¡°W-well you said that Whistler woman was blown to pieces, right?¡± Taika hesitantly offered. The Maestro grunted, frustration creeping onto his face. ¡°If she¡¯s a sprite like I suspect, she¡¯s functionally immortal.¡± ¡°Huh? How?¡± Pacifica blinked. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Rebecca lowered her head. ¡°Like when Soot was badly beaten, he turned into that crystal. I think sprites are the same way,¡± the fire fox guessed. ¡°Bingo.¡± Shouri pointed to Rebecca. ¡°So¡­ like when Emily and Ritika made Soot a new body, Whistler could get a new body too?¡± Taika questioned. Shouri sighed loudly. ¡°Yeah. She can,¡± he said. ¡°Maybe if I thought about it or not dying at the time I would have looked for her crystal to keep it,¡± he grumbled. His gaze shifted towards an empty spot in the room. ¡°Anyway,¡± he spoke after a moment. ¡°Ho fame,¡± Taika whined. Rebecca rolled her eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s go get dinner, we have an early day tomorrow,¡± Shouri said, getting up. ¡°¡¯kayyyy!¡± sang the three girls.
Sometime after dinner, Taika found herself alone in one of the back hallways of the MA Office. She sighed as she stared out at the lawn from one of the back windows. It was already dark out, the stars shimmering in the nighttime sky. Normally she enjoyed a bit of star gazing, but her mind was rife with possibility. Her ears were folded back as she gave her eyes a brief reprieve, slowly closing them and sighing once again. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°EEP!¡± ¡°Ow¡­¡± Shouri groaned, flat on his back. ¡°Scusa! Scusa! Scusa!¡± Taika yelped, rushing over to help her Maestro up. ¡°You¡¯re fine, just didn¡¯t expect to get thrown across the room, my bad,¡± he said with a chuckle. The pair stood there for a moment alone. Taika lowered her gaze, fidgeting with her jacket zipper. ¡°Scusi¡­¡± the fox mumbled. She wasn¡¯t sure how long she stood there wallowing in her thoughts but snapped to when she was suddenly enveloped in warmth. ¡°Sho¡­¡± cooed the fox, resting her head against his chest. ¡°I told you it¡¯s gonna be okay,¡± Shouri whispered. She couldn¡¯t help the tears that began to flow. ¡°Me lo auguro¡­¡± Chapter 137 Blue eyes fluttered open on Saturday the fourth. Taika found herself wrapped by Shouri. The way he held her was so possessive, though this earned a smile from the smitten vixen. ¡°Essere goloso come vuoi, amore mio,¡± cooed the fox. She nuzzled her face into his chest and slipped back into slumberland for another hour. The next her eyes opened Pacifica and Shouri were whispering. ¡°She was a mess without you,¡± Pacifica told him. ¡°From what Emily said, you all were,¡± he countered. ¡°F-fair, sleeping without you sucks.¡± ¡°Likewise.¡± Taika refused to move. This was where she belonged, enveloped in her Maestro and friend¡¯s warmth. Shouri began to stroke her hair. Everything was perfect, life was good. ¡°Taika, it¡¯s time to wake up,¡± spoke Shouri gently. ¡°Mmmph, comfy,¡± the fox quietly protested, tightening her grip on his shirt. ¡°Me too, but we have a long trip ahead,¡± he reminded her. Unfortunately, he was right. The inhabitants of the room packed their things and prepared for their departure in relative silence. It was grating for Taika. What if something happened on the way there? What if those people came back for them? What if she lost control during the climb? What if Sarayul wasn¡¯t there¡­ or worse ¨C what if he didn¡¯t agree to teach her? ¡°Taika!¡± She was snapped out of her thoughts. Shouri held her by her shoulders, his hair and clothes a mess as if he had just come out of a wind tunnel. Pacifica and Rebecca were laying on the couch, dazed. ¡°Ch-che?¡± the vixen squeaked. ¡°What happened?¡± Shouri asked. ¡°I should be asking you that¡­¡± Taika trailed off, though she had a nasty suspicion she already knew the answer. Rebecca sat up in a huff and opened her mouth to answer, ¡°You-mmrrrpgh!¡± Thankfully Pacifica was there to silence the fire fox. The poor lunar fox knew better though and deflated. ¡°¨¨ colpa mia,¡± her bottom lip quivered as her head drooped. Rebecca¡¯s expression softened, as guilt rushed onto her face. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault.¡± Shouri gripped the rueful fox¡¯s shoulders tighter. ¡°Hey,¡± he whispered. She refused his gaze. ¡°Stop that ¨C one way or another we¡¯re gonna get this figured out and you¡¯re gonna be a hell of a lot stronger for it.¡± Though his words were what she needed at the moment, it didn¡¯t appear to help elevate her mood at all. He leaned in closer, his lips right next to her ear. ¡°If I can¡¯t make you smile with my words, perhaps my lips would suffice?¡± Shouri whispered breathily. ¡°N-NON! FAR¨° LA BRAVA RAGAZZA, LO PROMETTO!!¡± she shrieked, closing her eyes tightly. When she opened them however, Shouri was gone. ¡°Ow¡­¡± he groaned, now joining Pacifica and Rebecca on the couch thanks to a telekinetic ejection from Taika. ¡°Scusa scusa scusa!¡± Taika rushed over to check on her friends. ¡°Ow¡­¡± Rebecca and Pacifica joined Shouri in the groaning, not having expected to be blasted with their Maestro. ¡°See? Now imagine controlling that,¡± Shouri said, getting off of his other two Resonators. ¡°Just in case, we probably should have her let off some steam in the casting range before we go,¡± Rebecca advised. ¡°Good call,¡± Shouri agreed with that plan.
One breakfast plus rhythm draining later, Shouri and company awaited the last task before they could set off: saying goodbye to Emily. It took a couple of annoyed text messages to draw the lunar Maestro and her trio from their room. Even so, they all came out in their pajamas. ¡°Good morning, Shouri,¡± Emily yawned, her eyes barely open. Soot held Albarich and Ritika, one for each arm. The golem was the only one wide awake, given the nature of his species. ¡°Late night?¡± questioned Shouri. ¡°Ye, I wanted to see the local hunt scene,¡± Emily replied with a groggy smile. ¡°And?¡± ¡°They good,¡± she giggled holding a thumb up. ¡°Alright, well we¡¯re gonna get going, keep in touch,¡± Shouri said, slowly turning and departing with his Resonators in tow. ¡°See you soon!¡± the other Maestro called from behind. ¡°God I hope so,¡± Shouri muttered under his breath.
¡°I didn¡¯t think there would be so many people here,¡± Rebecca commented. ¡°Well it is mid-summer, the Schietto Mountains peak season,¡± Pacifica read from her tuner. ¡°Tourists, great,¡± grumbled Shouri. Taika remained silent, clinging to her Maestro¡¯s arm as not to get lost in the shuffle of the crowd. The quartet stood at a bus stop that was to take them up to a small village nestled in the mountains, from which they could choose whichever mountain they¡¯d like to hike. From what the Resonators could hear, there were quite a few peaks that the other tourists were eager to conquer, with one exception. ¡°Nobody¡¯s saying anything about Mount Sinchero,¡± Taika noted. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s weird.¡± Pacifica furrowed her brows. ¡°Duh,¡± a voice cut in. One of the climbers had overheard the group¡¯s observation. ¡°Sinchero is cursed.¡± ¡°Cursed?¡± Shouri raised a brow, turning to the hiker that had addressed them. ¡°That Ethereal Sarayul will make sure you plummet to your death, best avoid it unless you¡¯re looking for a scenic spot to die,¡± they warned. It was at that moment that the bus arrived and boarding began. Shouri¡¯s group remained rooted in place, ¡°We don¡¯t have to go,¡± Taika spoke up. ¡°We¡¯re going,¡± Shouri asserted. ¡°Sho!¡± the lunar fox barked. Her determined glare crumbled upon meeting Shouri¡¯s. ¡°It¡¯s not worth it,¡± she mumbled. He tugged her hand towards the bus. ¡°We¡¯re not getting one guyed ¨C we¡¯re going to see Sarayul,¡± the Maestro told the fox. ¡°Just give up, he¡¯s really stubborn about the weirdest shit,¡± Rebecca advised her fellow fox. ¡°You know, for a guy with willpower issues, he sure can be bull-headed about some stuff,¡± Pacifica added with a giggle. Taika considered that as she was pulled along. She wasn¡¯t being honest with herself ¨C it wasn¡¯t Shouri urging them forward¡­ it was her willpower that fed his. He was only doing this because she wanted to do this. ¡°Chiedo scusa,¡± muttered the fox. He squeezed her hand. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!¡°Don¡¯t apologize, just trust us.¡± His smile when he looked back at her gave Taika the strength of an army. ¡°Si!¡±
The bus ride was long but quiet for the quartet. Each mountain they stopped at some number of climbers departed. Finally, Shouri and his trio were the only ones remaining. ¡°Where to kids?¡± they asked, tilting the mirror back to get a good look at the last remaining group. ¡°Mount Sinchero!¡± Pacifica shouted. ¡°You serious?¡± the driver asked. ¡°Deadly!¡± the otter replied. ¡°If you say so¡­¡± the driver mumbled but did as he had been instructed. Taika frowned, looking at her Maestro. ¡°Not being two-guyed,¡± he replied with a huff. ¡°I think at this point not many people have a high opinion of Sarayul and/or Mount Sinchero,¡± Rebecca noted. Shouri rolled his eyes. ¡°Remember what I told you about lunars?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Rebecca raised a brow. ¡°Sarayul is a lunar Ethereal,¡± he pointed out. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± the fire element hummed, considering the implications of that. Regardless, the bus continued on, traveling another hour or so before reaching its final destination. ¡°Enda the line kids!¡± the driver shouted, opening the bus door. Rebecca was the first on her feet, pulling down their two bags from the overhead storage. ¡°Let¡¯s get going!¡± Shouri was the next on his feet. Pacifica was looking out the bus window at the mountain they were supposed to be climbing. ¡°Uhhh, it¡¯s kinda big, isn¡¯t it?¡± she asked, her voice cracking. ¡°Biggest in the chain, supposedly,¡± Shouri replied, his attention focused on Taika. ¡°We don¡¯t have to,¡± the lunar fox asserted. ¡°We¡¯re already here, we might as well,¡± countered Shouri. ¡°Mrrrpgh¡­¡± Taika folded her ears back and begrudgingly rose to her feet. Pacifica, seeing how she wasn¡¯t getting out of this either, also stood up. The four left the confines of the bus and stood before Mount Sinchero. Besides the road, there was a path trailing up the side of the mountain. One curiosity was the large mailbox sitting on the bottom of the sign marking Sinchero Trail. A cold breeze blew down from the mountain, earning a small yelp and shiver from Pacifica. ¡°Alright,¡± Shouri took the clothes bag from Rebecca. He set it on the ground and pulled out a set of heavier clothes. ¡°Put these on,¡± he held out a jacket and pants for the shivering otter. The otter stared at the thick clothes with disdain. That¡¯s what he was doing with the clothes bag last night, she realized. Pacifica stepped in place for a moment, continuing to hug herself. ¡°F-fine,¡± she gave in. One equipping of pants plus jacket later, and Pacifica was mostly ready to tackle the elements. ¡°Shoes too,¡± the Maestro held out a pair of socks and shoes for the otter. ¡°You¡¯re so mean to me!¡± Pacifica whined, but did as she was told. She traded out her favorite sandals for a rugged pair of shoes. Satisfied that Pacifica wouldn¡¯t immediately freeze to death, the Maestro handed the bag back to Rebecca and faced the mountain. ¡°Well, let¡¯s get started.¡± The quartet began their trek up the trail. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Shouri studied the path they were following. ¡°Whatcha thinking bossman?¡± Rebecca asked. ¡°This path seems pretty well walked despite the rumors we heard,¡± he noted. ¡°I thought you said you weren¡¯t trusting what those guys were saying,¡± she pointed out. ¡°I mean yeah, they¡¯re probably full of shit one way or another, but rumors start for a reason.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± They continued to climb, the path winding around the mountain. Winds blew around them, occasionally forcing them to stop and wait it out. To keep their energy up, Shouri had made sure to stock them up on plenty of small snacks which they consumed during these breaks. The sun slowly made its way across the sky and eventually headed toward the horizon. ¡°We¡¯re pretty high up,¡± Rebecca noted, before biting into a granola bar. ¡°Yeah, but there¡¯s no sign of anything up here,¡± Shouri grunted, kicking a rock down the side and watching it tumble down the face of the mountain. The path ahead didn¡¯t seem to go any further up, it tapered off. Climbing the rest of the way up appeared to need actual mountain climbing gear ¨C of which they brought none. ¡°Is the guy actually even here?¡± questioned the fire fox, holding out the other half of the bar for her Maestro. He accepted the bar, but did not immediately eat it. ¡°He has to be, there wouldn¡¯t be as many rumors about him otherwise.¡± Shouri looked back down the road they had traversed to get to this point. ¡°And why the hell is this path here if nobody is up here?¡± he mulled over this thought while polishing off the half of the granola bar Rebecca had started. The two stood in silence for some time, watching the sun vanish into the west. ¡°What do we do?¡± Rebecca turned to Shouri. ¡°Probably summon some foxes and huddle around you and them for warmth while we sleep,¡± he suggested. ¡°Sho!¡± Rebecca and Shouri turned to find Taika and Pacifica running up to them. ¡°What is it?¡± asked Shouri. ¡°We found a cave!¡± Pacifica shouted. ¡°Oh!¡±
¡°Yep, this is a cave alright.¡± The quartet stood inside a small opening in the mountainside. It appeared to go deeper, but at this point the crew was so exhausted they silently agreed to rest up first before exploring it tomorrow. ¡°Thank god, my feet hurt so bad,¡± Pacifica sighed, reclining against the wall in front of a small pile of warming flame foxes. ¡°Thank you Rebby,¡± Taika cooed, similarly appreciating the warmth. ¡°This is nice,¡± Rebecca yawned. Shouri threw several more granola bars out to the resting Resonators and sat down with one himself. ¡°Rebby and I can keep the cave warm with the rhythm foxes, so we can use our clothes as some make-shift bedding,¡± he told the group. ¡°It is really toasty in here,¡± Pacifica pointed out. ¡°Sho and Rebecca could be in the middle,¡± Taika suggested. ¡°Oh, do I want Sho for rhythm or Rebby for warmth? Choices,¡± the otter wondered aloud. A pile of jackets (and Pacifica¡¯s winter pants) made up their bedding. The group settled together, with the flame foxes also curling up nearby to keep their summoner warm (but keeping alert in case something decided to go bump in the night.) Such a long day and trek up the mountain left the group so exhausted they easily slipped from consciousness to sleep with little fuss. Interlude 7 - T Track Where''s Shouri and the others? Well they''re fast asleep, tuckered out as it were. Today it is just you and I. Who am I you ask? Why, I am Seres, the Time Sage. I am the keeper of the flow of time, preventing those who wish to sully its flow with their greed or regret. Though it flows like a river there are many branches in this delta. Today I have a special treat - a small glimpse into one of those branches. Despite this being an alternate scenario than the one you have witnessed up to this point many things hold true - I ask you keep that in mind as we go. With that preamble out of the way, perhaps you all have misjudged a certain woman. What if circumstances had aligned to allow a destined pair to meet much sooner? What would change? This is just one possible way it could go...
¡°Your child has discordant willpower.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a serious condition, but thankfully one which can be treated.¡± ¡°What are the treatments?¡± ¡°The most natural treatment is of course a duet ¨C a Resonator with the opposite stave alignment from your son. That will resolve the issue with the least fuss.¡± ¡°No, my son-!¡± ¡°James wait. Let¡¯s try it. The worst thing that will happen is we just have to find the Resonator a new home.¡± ¡°¡­Fine.¡±
Shouri kept his head down. It was too much effort to raise it. He wasn¡¯t sure why he had been brought to this place. It was hard getting out of bed this morning. Other kids played and laughed and enjoyed themselves, but he just felt¡­ empty. So very empty¡­ He didn¡¯t even know the words to express himself. The only thing that spurred him forward was that bright yellow curiosity. He was only curious so he could tell someone anyone how he felt. He knew very well that at his young age he shouldn¡¯t feel like this, but he did and didn¡¯t understand any of it. ¡°Alright Shouri,¡± his mom spoke up. ¡°You¡¯re gonna play with these Resonators today.¡± With great effort, he lifted his head. All around him were them; the magnificent magical beings of their world: Resonators. Kids like him, but they had tails, horns, wings, and other body parts he didn¡¯t possess. ¡°Find a friend Shouri, go on! I¡¯ll come pick you up later!¡± His mom was abandoning him. He should have figured someone as broken as he was would earn his parent¡¯s ire. Who¡¯d want a creepy child like him anyway? He punched well about his weight class mentally speaking ¨C all in a vain attempt to express himself. All it did was alienate him from other kids his age. Five-year-olds shouldn¡¯t have these thoughts. His brain shouldn¡¯t be this loud, he shouldn¡¯t have depression. His stave¡­ ¡­was a curse. His head fell once more. The ground was his only friend. Not by choice, but by obligation. It was always there, and so his vision trained there. People were cruel. People were hard. People were exhausting. ¡°Oof!¡± Shouri rubbed his head, having fallen on his rear after running into someone. As expected, a Resonator greeted his vision. A girl with short black hair, with a pair of canine ears poking up from atop her head. In her arms she carried a thick book. A soft fluffy tail curled around the inside of her legs. ¡°S-sorry!¡± squeaked the girl. ¡°I-I was reading and didn¡¯t hear you!¡± Shouri blinked. Something was odd¡­ but he couldn¡¯t place what exactly. His eyes rested on the book in her arms. She was so small, the book was far too big for her. But¡­ she said she was reading? Maybe she was a kindred spirit? ¡°What are you reading?¡± asked Shouri. His hands found their way to his mouth as if he couldn¡¯t believe the words that escaped. The girl¡¯s eyes sparkled in awe. ¡°I-I¡¯m reading the uh¡­¡± she tried to mouth the words but her face rapidly flushed. After a moment of struggling, she just held out the book¡¯s cover for Shouri to read. ¡°Whispers of the Faelands: A Resonator¡¯s Melody¡± Despite the book¡¯s title, it wasn¡¯t one detailing the finer traits of Fairy Resonators. It was a book older kids read, a fiction book about an older Maestro stumbling onto a fairy Resonator and their adventures together. Shouri hadn¡¯t read it himself, but he noticed a lot of girls tended to read it. He wasn¡¯t one to care about that sort of thing. If a book could teach him new ways to express himself, he¡¯d turn the pages. Perhaps it was that which made him act. ¡°Can we read it together?¡± he asked. The little vixen couldn¡¯t figure out the words, her mouth agape. She nodded eagerly before Shouri got cold feet and left her. Much to her elation, he found a spot for her to sit with him. The young fox noticed something strange about the boy though. Whenever she got stuck on a word, he spoke up and told her what it was without her having to ask. He was reading faster than her but was infinitely patient - waiting for her to finish the page before they turned to the next one. Her mind felt so clear, the buzz that made focus difficult steadily faded away. The world became so serene as it was just her and him with their shared book. She didn¡¯t even realize her tail had snaked around and cushioned her bookmate¡¯s back. Neither of the kids paid the passage of time any mind ¨C they might as well have exited the flow of time itself. However, the world was cruel and time marched on without their express consent. ¡°Shouri Tomoshibi, your mother is here to pick you up!¡± boomed the loudspeaker over them. ¡°Ow¡­¡± the girl whimpered, flattening her ears as the rude sky box ceased its horrible noise. Shouri remained still for a moment, no longer reading with his book buddy. ¡°That¡¯s you¡­ isn¡¯t it?¡± He turned to face the fox-girl by his side. Her ears remained flattened, the hurt shimmering in her eyes. The pain of the impending departure was especially poignant as the young vixen fought her emotions in a rapidly losing battle. It hurt. It hurt so much. It was horrible. He didn¡¯t want to move, and not because of his broken stave, but out of stubborn refusal of the call. However, he knew he had to ¨C there was little choice in the matter. His eyes welled up with anguished frustration he was barely able to contain. Heartbreak. He had read that word once in his studies. That¡¯s what this was. He was heartbroken, she was heartbroken. That¡¯s what this was. ¡°Find a friend!¡± His mother¡¯s words rang out like law in his head. What was this feeling but of friendship? This girl met the requirements of the assignment given to him. ¡°Find a friend!¡± ¡°Eh?¡± the girl was suddenly yanked to her feet, her hand taken by Shouri¡¯s. She didn¡¯t say a word as she was pulled along towards the front of the building.
Imagine Lila Tomoshibi¡¯s surprise when her discordant son walked to the front with purpose in his step ¨C his head raised, his gaze focused, his gait expedient. He dragged a small girl along with him, raven-clad as she was, her hand was interlinked with his and she followed along as a willing participant. Lila opened her mouth to greet her child, but he spoke first. ¡°I want her.¡± The voice that came from his lips wasn¡¯t like anything she had heard from him before. It was so confident; it knew what it desired. The research center¡¯s employees were stunned silent. They had watched the boy when he came in, and this was not the same sullen child. Lila smiled warmly, she turned her head back to the caretaker. ¡°Well? Can he have her?¡± she asked. ¡°We¡¯ll need to run a quick tempo test to ensure compatibility, especially since this is a medical treatment, but that¡¯s quick enough to do.¡± Lila ushered the two children along, taking an appraising look at her son¡¯s selection. The first thing she noticed was the distinct sensation of darkness wafting from the girl. It was one she was familiar with ¨C that of the Lunar element. The woman smiled. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re my son alright,¡± she whispered. The facility itself was massive and outside of the housing for the Resonators to be adopted out to perspective Maestros, there were many other wings, like the medical wing they were currently visiting. It was a very impressive state-of-the-art building now that Lila was allowed to properly take in its various amenities. They were led into a room with two exam tables and a computer terminal. There were a couple of chairs for family or caretakers to sit and watch and the usual assortment of medical equipment one would expect in an exam room. Lila took a seat while the two children were helped up to their respective tables. ¡°What are you doing?¡± her inquisitive son asked. The doctors were attaching diodes to both him and the fox Resonator who they still didn¡¯t have a name for. ¡°Excuse me,¡± Lila spoke up. ¡°Yes ma¡¯am?¡± One of the attending nurses asked. She was a bovid, a cow ¨C a Resonator commonly found in medical offices and professions due to their particular affinity towards healing magic. That much Lila knew. ¡°Do you have a file on her I could look at?¡± requested the mother. ¡°Oh yes, Doctor, can she-?¡± ¡°Yes, go ahead and give it to her.¡± With no further fuss, the mother was handed the file on the girl her son had chosen. Lila perused the contents of the folder. There was much that was outwardly obvious. She was a fox, a Lunar element. The woman¡¯s eyes rose to see the little girl being stuck with several diodes that matched her son¡¯s. ¡°Gonna have to talk James into this one,¡± she muttered under her breath, returning to the documents before her.
Patient Information (Resonator)
Taika [Unknown Clan or Mixed-Clan] Birth Date: 7/16/2000 (Age: 5) Weight: 19.7kg Height: 107.9cm Blood Type: B Element: Lunar Attribute: Healing Strong Stave: Will Weak Stave: Knowledge Species: Silver Fox
Resonant Registration [Organization Registration] Stratos Lab of Rhythmology Riva Solare 14378 Harmony Place Riva Solare, Lybertera Care of: Dr. Ciar¨¢n Steffen (Caretaker/ Facility Lead) Maestro License ID: 74788-85696 General Medical History Vulpid Madness - Immune Pale Eye - Immune Flower Diptheria - Immune SIAR - Immune Surgical History None Known Allergies None Regular Medications None Current Spell Registration Luce Lunare ¨C Piano A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Rilevare l¡¯intenzione ¨C Presto ad Libertum Unknown quantity at this time. The subject hasn¡¯t exhibited any inclinations towards any of the known Lunar ad Libertum.
¡°Oh, my word.¡± ¡°Doctor is that accurate?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll run the test again just to be certain, but I have little reason to doubt the accuracy.¡± Lila perked up at the sudden commotion. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she asked. ¡°If this second test comes back with the same results, I can guarantee this Resonator will be perfect for your son¡¯s condition,¡± the doctor told her. ¡°That¡¯s good, but what makes you so certain?¡± ¡°These two have perfect tempo,¡± revealed the doctor. The elder woman furrowed her brows. ¡°Perfect?¡± Lila questioned. ¡°You are familiar with the concept of tempo, yes?¡± the doctor asked back. ¡°I am.¡± ¡°Perfect Tempo is typically found in duets where they have been allowed to etude for years. It is extremely rare to encounter even in those settings. There is a fluctuation of about ten to twenty percent,¡± began the doctor. ¡°With these two they¡¯re sitting at a stable 100% tempo ¨C there isn¡¯t any noise, their rhythm is perfectly in sync with one another.¡± Lila nodded slowly, her face still contorted in thought. ¡°I must insist as a doctor that you take this child with you, for your son¡¯s sake.¡± She looked to her son, then the girl. It didn¡¯t matter what her husband thought at this point. They were being handed the miracle cure on a golden platter.
And then ten years passed within the blink of an eye. Speaking of, Taika opened hers. The TV blared on across the room. The oranges of the waning sun poked into the room. They must have fallen asleep. She nestled back into Shouri, who lay behind her. His arms wrapped possessively around her stomach and upper chest. He was a greedy boy, but she would have no one else. She was his, and likewise, he was hers. The way she snaked her long fluffy tail around his legs staked her claim. The book they had been reading lay on the ground in front of the couch, it must have fallen when they conked out. If James walked in on them, they¡¯d get chewed out again. Thank god he hadn¡¯t caught them making out yet. At least this summer they could finally leave. The privacy of the MA Offices would give them plenty of freedom to express themselves further. Anything more right now was simply too risky. Regardless, school had been particularly tiring today, and the young vixen didn¡¯t feel like taking an earful from her Maestro¡¯s father. ¡°Sho, get up,¡± she nudged him. ¡°Mrrphh¡­¡± ¡°Eep!¡± The poor vixen squeaked as he tightened his grip around her. She didn¡¯t hate it ¨C quite the opposite, she loved being in his warm embrace. Now wasn¡¯t the time though! ¡°C¡¯mon Sho!¡± Thankfully she was stronger than her Maestro, so breaking out of his grasp wasn¡¯t a difficult feat. She wiggled out gently, not wanting to hurt him. Freedom sent her to the ground, the spine of the book hitting her side and causing her to roll into the middle of the floor. Thankfully her foresight was rewarded by the bedroom door swinging open. Shouri¡¯s father stood there. ¡°Come,¡± he spoke in his usual stern tone. It wasn¡¯t Taika that was directed at, but her Maestro. The boy rose. The exchanges father and son had were tense, bordering on mutual hatred. Taika had gotten particularly good at hiding her feelings on the situation. At least in front of James. Such slip-ups only led to Shouri returning to her worse for wear. He was using Shouri to get at her. She knew he despised her, but they were at an impasse. Taika was a powerful Resonator. Ten years of being with Shouri, even with the student permit locked tuner saw her punching well above her weight class in school battles. They were untouchable by their peers. Unfortunately, all the fighting strength in the world couldn¡¯t help her in this situation - she couldn¡¯t do anything to James lest she get Shouri in trouble for not controlling her. And without her, Shouri was defenseless. James knew that and used that. It was a war of attrition with Shouri being the victim. They had to last until Shouri¡¯s fifteenth birthday. Then they were gone. James was well aware of this fact. Hence his ¡°education¡± of his son had turned into a daily occurrence. He was an idiot. He forewent the Resonator aspects of their world, he didn¡¯t understand the bond a Maestro and Resonator shared, especially not the one shared by herself and Shouri. Even now, she could close her eyes and hear everything he heard, feel what he felt, see what he saw. It wasn¡¯t perfect, it was as if she was daydreaming ¨C but even with the hazy filter of rhythm, she knew exactly what happened. James Tomoshibi was a monster. It was a wonder that a horrible creature could sire such a wonderful human being like Shouri. Other Maestros weren¡¯t like Shouri though¡­ a lot of them didn¡¯t understand the connection like she and Shouri did. Maybe it was for that reason he became so conscious of Resonators, not just her, but all of them. Taika was snapped out of her thoughts by the connection of a spell. La Bella Vita, cast in rubato. Her heart throbbed painfully. He was going to come back messed up again¡­ she hated seeing him like this.
11:59:56PM 11:59:57PM 11:59:58PM 11:59:59PM 12:00:00AM May 13th, 2015 Two teens ran. Out the front home of the manor they called home and out onto the streets of Riva Solare. Each had a bag on their backs filled with everything they thought they needed to live a life on the road. Shouri¡¯s fifteenth birthday started this way, and while the outside observer would see their desperate escape as heartbreaking, the two teens were grinning brightly; borderline laughing with excitement. They were free! They were really free! Nothing was going to stop them! They ran right through the streets, counting their blessings they had taken track and field in their last year of school specifically to prepare for this journey. When they arrived at the closest MA Office, it only took them both a minute or so to catch their breath before they were calmed once more. Given it was half past midnight or so, the lobby was relatively empty. There were a few hunters who had finished early for the night, relaxing from an evening well fought. The typical attendants were stationed at the counter ¨C a Maestro and the usual bovine Resonator, a female of the breed. ¡°Welcome to the Riva Solare Maestro Affairs Office, how can we help you this evening?¡± Shouri wasted no time. His black tuner was slammed onto the counter and he pushed it over. ¡°I just turned fifteen. Please upgrade my tuner and license,¡± he demanded, the grin on his face wide. The cow Resonator tending to the counter couldn¡¯t help but smiling herself. ¡°Couldn¡¯t wait?¡± she asked. ¡°Not at all,¡± Shouri said trying to suppress his excited laughter. The Maestro attendant took the device to the back, while the lunar pair was left with the bovine attendant. ¡°Should I book a room for you two?¡± she asked. ¡°No thanks.¡± Shouri politely declined the offer. ¡°We¡¯re going to catch a plane in a couple hours,¡± Taika chimed in. ¡°Where to?¡± ¡°New Draxgow!¡± the two declared excitedly. ¡°Oh my! That¡¯s a big city, will you two be okay?¡± ¡°Definitely!¡± They continued to speak in tandem. ¡°We¡¯ve been waiting our whole lives to see the world.¡± The way they spoke together was disarming. Even the other Maestros in the room could sense it ¨C when that tuner came back unlocked, something incredible was going to be unleashed upon the world. And there were no complications here. ¡°Thank you so much for waiting Mr. Tomoshibi,¡± the Maestro attendant returned, and placed the midnight black tuner on the counter, she pushed it to its owner. ¡°As of today, you are officially a full-fledged hunter. We look forward to your service ahead and wish you-¡± BEEEEEP! As soon as Shouri laid his hand on the device it instantly began to go wild. The spell screens came up, tons of notifications adorned with bright ¡°NEW!¡± gracing the screen. The Resonator attending the counter caught the flash of multiple Fortissimos in the short time she had to take it in. ¡°Thank you, we¡¯ll do our best.¡±
Taika¡¯s heart pounded ¨C part anxiety, part excitement. She wished the bus would drive faster. The flashes of the light poles they passed as the vehicle marched on taunting her. Maybe it was because of her lunar element, but she always loved being out at night. The way the moon lit up the sky, and the many stars that sparkled in approval. It was all so very beautiful. As the Maestro of a lunar element, she knew Shouri felt the same. He was right there with her, gazing out at the passing shimmering cityscape as their transport marched on. The bus stopped at the airport terminal, allowing the passengers off. Shouri and Taika had practiced this before in their heads numerous times. They had their tickets already. They arrived stupidly early. They even knew the exact route they needed to take to get to their gate. In just a few short hours they¡¯d be boarding their plane to New Draxgow, the biggest city in Lybertera on the complete opposite side of the continent. The only thing they hadn¡¯t counted on was the sheer audacity of one James Tomoshibi and the lengths he would go through to spite his son. ¡°Mr. Tomoshibi,¡± a deep voice called out as soon as Shouri and Taika disembarked from the bus. Given the time of night, there weren¡¯t very many people at the terminal. However, Tomoshibi wasn¡¯t exactly a common last name. An unfamiliar man in a black suit, bald, with black shades stood barring Shouri¡¯s way. Next to him was another large man, one bearing great horns atop his head ¨C a bovine. But unlike the gentle healer they met at the MA Office, this was a bull, the nastier tempered of the two bovine variants. ¡°He¡¯s Null,¡± Taika whispered to her Maestro, who nodded in agreement. ¡°Let me go,¡± Shouri challenged. ¡°I cannot,¡± the man raised a tuner. ¡°Don¡¯t do this. You know as well as I do, fighting in a public place is illegal,¡± Shouri warned. His voice was loud enough to catch the attention of the other people at the terminal. ¡°Luce del Sole, Fortissimo!¡± ¡°Esaurimento/Scudo Prosciugante, Lento/Crescendo!¡± (RUBY TEXT THIS) It all happened in a flash of light, earning many screams of fright from the unrelated on the terminal. When it was all done however, the bull had collapsed on the ground while Taika glowed with abundant rhythm. The opposing Maestro suddenly felt much less confident. ¡°How?¡± he muttered. ¡°Bulls are weak to mental debuffs. Esaurimento put him to sleep easily. Plus, your Luce del Sole was weak, old man. Even the Crescendo version of Scudo Prosciugante was able to absorb it. Nice try though,¡± Shouri explained. ¡°Your spells they shouldn¡¯t-¡± Shouri snapped his fingers. ¡°Hey.¡± His eyes glowed brightly with swirling blue and yellow rhythm. ¡°We didn¡¯t always have tuners to cast with, consider that.¡± Before Shouri could say another word though, the security teams showed up and apprehended the baffled hitman, who remained too stunned for words. ¡°What happened here?¡± asked one of the security personnel. Shouri shrugged. ¡°My dad is a sore loser, so he thought it¡¯d be cute to try and get me arrested before I left.¡± The guard looked between the small fox and the large bull they had effortlessly incapacitated. ¡°I see,¡± was all they had to say. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t be very good hunters if we couldn¡¯t protect the public,¡± said Taika. ¡°And we¡¯re the best after all,¡± Shouri boasted. This earned an incredulous stare from the guard. ¡°How old are you?¡± they questioned. ¡°Fifteen, as of about an hour ago.¡± Interlude 7 - R Track Back again are we? Well, I cannot blame the curious of you. It is natural to wonder how things could have gone. One decision leads to an entirely different set of decisions, radiating out from the break in destiny, Are you certain you should be doing this? Spending your time chasing infinite possibilities? Wouldn''t it be better to cherish what you have? Hm? A peek you say? You''re bored? They do say mortal pain and boredom are the enemies of happiness. Very well, I will once again tell you of yet another path history could have taken Shall we begin?
It was a cool Autumn day when he decided it was time. She was out there somewhere, waiting for him. It mattered not that he had no Resonator of his own to protect him. She was his Resonator after all. He¡¯d find her and everything would be okay. If only it was that easy. ¡°Wait.¡± His sister stopped him as his hand rested on the doorknob. ¡°Here.¡± She forced some notes into his hand. ¡°Paper money can¡¯t be tracked like your bank account can,¡± she said. ¡°Come back with her, okay?¡± He nodded curtly before stepping out into the world, earlier than he should have. A fourteen (and a half) year old was probably plenty prepared to face Riterran society. After all, that¡¯s what the last ten years of education was for. The only problem was, this boy had no Resonator. He had no fighting capabilities whatsoever. Not even a knife. It would make any parent draw pause and would elicit panic in most. That¡¯s why he left in the dead of night. His sister¡¯s generosity would carry him far, hopefully. For that, he trekked on. There were plenty of full-fledged Maestros wandering about at midnight, their pride and joy Resonators following along. Conversations about battle tactics and relaxation alike trading lips so fondly. They spoke words he wished he could. He found himself at the park. The place where it all began, and where it had ended those four long years ago. The boy had combed the park so many times before, and yet he never found a trace of her after that fateful night. It was a bit cold out, but the excitement of finally setting out kept him warm. A breath filled his lungs and he held it firm, closing his eyes and allowing his spiritual sense to reach out. This was a ritual he had conducted countless times since that night, and every time it ended with a void of disappointment for his trouble. He expected nothing from this futile exercise¡­ ¡­and yet he found hope. ¡°Mila?!¡± he gasped. His rhythm pointed squarely into the park, a familiar fiery sensation warming the boy to his very core. His legs moved, feet pounding against the asphalt walkways of the park, into the grass, and finally, the bushes where he had met her on that wonderful day. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°Who are you?!¡± Green met red as two confused teens stared each other down. This wasn¡¯t Mila¡­ this girl¡¯s ears and tail were too big, canine-like instead of the felid features he had been seeking¡­ But¡­ ¡°WHO ARE YOU?!¡± the girl shouted, louder. ¡°Sh-shouri¡­¡± his voice cracked. Where the suspicious girl had been quick to snap, she found herself in pity. The boy that had burst into the bushes was hurting, that much was apparent to her. ¡°Who are you?¡± she asked again, easing the edge off her point. ¡°Why are you here?¡± came the clarifying inquiry. ¡°I¡¯m looking for a friend,¡± he admitted, his head hung. ¡°She disappeared a long time ago and I ran away from home because I want to find her.¡± The girl felt a pang in her heart at the boy¡¯s plight. She looked him up and down. No tuner, no Resonator. He was asking for trouble, even she knew that. But¡­ there was this weird feeling from him. ¡°Rebecca,¡± she spoke. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°My name is Rebecca. I¡¯ll help you find your friend.¡± Shouri stood for a moment, taken aback by the kindness of this stranger. He crossed the threshold of the bush and sat next to the fox, happy to not be alone for the time being. ¡°Why are you even out so late?¡± Rebecca questioned. ¡°My parents wouldn¡¯t have let me go out to look for her,¡± he told his new companion. ¡°Ah. She meant a lot to you then?¡± asked the curious fox. ¡°Yeah, she was my best friend. I wanted to be with her, but she disappeared while I was trying to convince my parents.¡± The way he held himself told the vixen the truth of the situation: he found blame within for her disappearance. It was strange how much consideration he paid. She was only able to piece together the girl in question was a Resonator; he never mentioned she was a Resonator. Now that she thought about it¡­ why was her head suddenly so clear? She yawned, stretching her tail out. ¡°Let¡¯s sleep until morning,¡± she proposed, lying down in the grass. Shouri nodded slowly, catching the contagious yawn. He wasn¡¯t used to staying up so late. He also wasn¡¯t sure about sleeping outdoors. Despite how uncomfortable it was, he smiled ¨C in this moment he felt just that much closer to her. He held out hope they¡¯d find her. Though his gaze fell on the little bit of Rebecca he could see. What was her story? He was curious, but couldn¡¯t work up the courage to ask. Maybe tomorrow¡­
Shouri opened his eyes as dawn¡¯s first light reached them. The ground didn¡¯t make a good bed, he discovered. The company of a fire element did make a heck of a good substitute for a blanket though. The vixen pitied him, that much was clear. She even let him hold her last night when the temperatures dipped below a comfortable level. He thought there wouldn¡¯t be any way he could sleep out in the open like this, but holding this girl made it bearable somehow. He was filled with purpose and determination. He was going to find Mila, and Rebecca was offering her time and services to ensure it would happen. Shouri would be eternally grateful to her regardless of the results of their expedition. He wondered how he could repay her generosity. ¡°Rebecca, wake up,¡± Shouri urged the fox in his arms. ¡°I¡¯m up,¡± she whispered back. The two lay there in the grass for a spell, drinking in each other¡¯s visage. That was until Rebecca realized the position she was in. ¡°What!?¡± She pushed the boy away and sat up with alarm. ¡°Huh?¡± Shouri joined her in rising, though she hid her face from his immediate view. ¡°Nothing! Just nothing!¡± she insisted. ¡°Alright,¡± the boy said with a cocked brow. Rustling trees filled the air with tumbling leaves they shed for the colder months. Shouri was the one to break the smooth ambiance of the autumn morning. ¡°Have you seen her around here?¡± he questioned. ¡°What is she?¡± Rebecca asked back. ¡°Fire-Shielding, a cat named Mila.¡± The fox hummed, mulling that over. Her lips pursed, and she shook her head. ¡°Sorry, haven¡¯t heard of her.¡± ¡°Thought so,¡± Shouri mumbled. ¡°It doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t ask around.¡± His gaze met hers and a warm radiant smile greeted his vision. The warmth exuded from this fox touched his heart. Genuine hope pooled into his soul and threatened to overflow the longer he drank in her confidence. ¡°I think you¡¯re right.¡±
¡°Haven¡¯t seen her.¡± ¡°Four years ago? Good luck kid.¡± ¡°Have you checked the local adoption sites?¡± ¡°You gonna buy something or not?¡± Shouri knew this wasn¡¯t an easy undertaking, but he didn¡¯t think that it¡¯d sting this much. Nobody but him cared! Well¡­ that¡¯s not true. He stole a peek at Rebecca as they walked through the streets of Riva Solare. She strode by his side like any other Resonator would their Maestro. However, the difference between them and their contemporaries was the lack of a tuner binding her to him. She could just walk away at any time and never come back. Despite lacking a formal bond, she stood close to him as he spoke to people, keeping her protective gaze peeled for any threat, obvious or otherwise. ¡°Let¡¯s take a break Rebecca,¡± he finally announced. ¡°Sure.¡± With the money provided by his sister, Shouri bought them a modest lunch. Just a sandwich and chips. While he was at it, he also splurged a bit and got them a sturdy bottle so they could carry some water with them. ¡°If she¡¯s not here, where are you thinking next?¡± asked Rebecca. Shouri snapped out of his thoughts to consider that question. He honestly had no idea where she could have even gone. ¡°She didn¡¯t leave willingly,¡± he told his traveling companion. ¡°She was taken, by force.¡± ¡°You think so?¡± ¡°I know so. The park was torn up, and there was blood¡­ and a piece of her shirt. Something attacked her.¡± The boy shuddered as he recalled that memory. Rebecca placed a hand on his shoulder, gripping tightly. ¡°Chill,¡± she whispered. ¡°We¡¯ll find her.¡± This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Shouri nodded. The small platitudes meant the world to him if he was being honest. In a world that didn¡¯t care, it was a breath of fresh air to find someone besides his sister who did. ¡°Maybe we¡¯re looking at this the wrong way,¡± Rebecca suddenly said. ¡°Huh?¡± Shouri studied the fox by his side. ¡°Maybe we shouldn¡¯t be asking about the cat herself, but what happened to the park,¡± she suggested. ¡°Oh! That¡¯s a good idea!¡±
¡°I remember that. The investigation never found anything did it?¡± ¡°That was like four years ago? I don¡¯t remember what I had for dinner last night, sorry kid.¡± ¡°I was coming back from a hunt that night, but didn¡¯t see anything crazy besides the cops taping the place up.¡± ¡°A buddy of mine was one of the investigators on that case. Let me ring him up.¡± Shouri and Rebecca exchanged a hopeful glance while the stranger called his friend. A quick conversation later, the two teens were to meet with one of the men on the ground the night of the incident. They had decided on a coffee shop close to the park ¨C one Shouri recalled taking Mila to in the past. ¡°You think the guy will know anything?¡± asked Rebecca. ¡°God I hope,¡± mumbled Shouri, wringing his hands on his lap. Rebecca placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it tightly. ¡°Chill, it¡¯s okay.¡± Her touch brought him a strange solace he couldn¡¯t describe. To her request, he nodded and calmed himself again. Right on time too, as the guest of the hour arrived. ¡°Shouri?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes sir.¡± Shouri and Rebecca stood to greet the fabled investigator. The Maestro accepted the hand offered to him, noting the firm grip of the older man. ¡°Detective Alfric Marius, Riva Solare PD,¡± he greeted. The three took a seat. ¡°So Pat tells me you were interested in the 2010 park case,¡± the older man led off the conversation. Just mentioning the idea of Mila¡¯s disappearance being a case was enough to launch the boy¡¯s nerves into orbit. But yet again, the warmth of Rebecca¡¯s hand was enough to hold the storm back. ¡°Yes, there was a cat at the park that went missing after that. I¡­ was going to adopt her,¡± Shouri spoke quietly. Alfric¡¯s brows pinched together as he let out a thoughtful hum. ¡°I remember that. You must be the young boy who was looking for her,¡± he paused, noting Shouri¡¯s downcast gaze. ¡°Still are I presume?¡± He earned a slow nod for that inquiry. The detective took a moment to chew on that thought. He looked between the hurt boy and the vixen by his side. He curled his lips, taking a moment to decide what he should do. ¡°What I¡¯m about to tell you, well it¡¯s not easy. Are you sure you want to hear it?¡± asked the detective. Shouri¡¯s head snapped up. He nodded quickly. ¡°I¡­ just want to know. If nothing else I want to know if I should keep hoping, or-¡± he trembled at the thought brewing in his head. Rebecca¡¯s touch helped, but she was slowly losing the battle against his building grief. ¡°-if I should move on.¡± Detective Marius nodded before continuing. ¡°I¡¯ve heard from other departments that strays have been disappearing for the last few years. Not accidents or anything like that, but snatched up off the streets. Some show up again, sick as can be, but many are never seen again.¡± It wasn¡¯t Shouri who reacted poorly to that news, but Rebecca. The tenured detective noticed the girl had tensed up, her tail bristling upon hearing that detail. ¡°We don¡¯t have the resources to care for the entire stray population out there, so we¡¯ve just been advising they try to stay grouped up and avoid wandering on their own,¡± the Detective added, directing his words more at Rebecca than Shouri. He turned his attention back to the Maestro of the young pair. ¡°What is your number? I can send you info if we get any about her.¡± ¡°It¡¯s 48899-34049,¡± Shouri told the officer. And with that, the two were left to their own devices as Detective Marius had to return to work. ¡°Now what?¡± Rebecca asked. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ not sure,¡± Shouri mumbled. ¡°I see.¡± Not much else was said as they returned to the park where they had first met. The two teens stood in front of the bush, silent as they continued to process the events of the last few hours. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for wasting your time,¡± Shouri spoke first. His head hung, eyes glazed over as the hope had abandoned its post. Rebecca didn¡¯t know what to say, her mind racing with possibilities. Something in her was screaming to say something, anything. A deep warmth welled from within, threatening to erupt if she just gave it the power to. He turned to leave. ¡°Goodbye, Rebecca.¡± That¡¯s when it finally burst. ¡°Wait!¡± She rushed around to cut him off and grabbed his hand. He just stared; mouth slightly agape at the desperation painted on the young fox¡¯s face. Her eyes darted around, landing anywhere but his shock. Finally, her eyes glowed blue as she forced herself to act. ¡°I want to be your Resonator. Please take me with you.¡± Her arm trembled as she refused to release him from her grip. ¡°I swear I¡¯ll do my best ¨C anything you want I¡¯ll do it.¡± Despite the stubborn willpower pushing her forward, her instincts were crying out in despair. She expected the worst. He was still committed to finding his first Resonator, he didn¡¯t need a third wheel in such devotion. ¡°Wh-why?¡± words Rebecca hadn¡¯t expected left the boy¡¯s lips. ¡°W-warm,¡± Rebecca admitted. ¡°I¡¯ve met so many Maestros and they¡¯re so cold, but you¡¯re warm. So very warm. I want to help you. Please.¡± She tightened her grip on his hand. ¡°Please,¡± she repeated. The conflict pooled in his eyes as he had trouble conceiving the words he could use. ¡°I dunno¡­¡± he trailed off, not wanting to see this girl break down in front of him. Her hold on his hands began to fade. ¡°I¡­ understand.¡± Just before she totally let go of him, he tightened the loosening grip. ¡°Wait!¡± now he cried out. ¡°I- just, you¡¯re the only one who¡¯s ever offered to help me, I just- it¡¯s a lot, right?¡± the boy stumbled over his words, not even sure where he was going with this. Rebecca herself didn¡¯t know what to say either, only able to stare blankly. ¡°I¡¯ll be your Maestro,¡± Shouri finally said. ¡°Maybe it¡¯ll be fun to specialize in fire Resonators? I already know all of the spells you can get,¡± he added with a smile. Rebecca opened her mouth a few times, with several false starts before she finally found the words. ¡°You mean it?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The little vixen didn¡¯t know what else to do but hug the boy that accepted her. ¡°Thank you, Shouri! I¡¯ll do my best!¡± Before they could celebrate a new voice rained on their parade. ¡°How sweet. However, you¡¯re already spoken for, Rebecca.¡± Rebecca whipped around, her eyes wide with terror as she faced the owner of the voice. A woman in her thirties or forties, bearing vibrant red hair with canine ears and a tail to match. ¡°C-cyra¡­¡± Rebecca gulped. Her ears had flattened and her tail wrapped around the inside of her legs as she held herself. ¡°Who are you?¡± Shouri asked, the fear from his soon-to-be partner permeating him. ¡°This girl¡¯s mother. And this ingrate ran away from home,¡± the elder fox sneered. Her wrathful visage faded into a smug smirk. ¡°But, as fate would have it, a certain fellow of law enforcement so graciously pointed me in this direction.¡± The knife of betrayal hit Shouri square in the chest as he locked up, unsure of what to say or do. ¡°Come now Rebecca, cease this foolishness. Or does this have to get physical?¡± Cyra cracked her knuckles, her upturned lips only further emphasizing her malintent towards the two frozen teens. They just agreed to be together and now she was being taken away? The night of Mila¡¯s disappearance played in Shouri¡¯s head an infinite number of times, burning, boiling his psyche until all that was left was action. He yanked Rebecca behind him, putting himself between the elder fire elemental and her charge. ¡°No,¡± the Maestro spoke. Rebecca¡¯s eyes widened. The way he spoke just then ¨C it wasn¡¯t the broken boy she had come to know over the last day. It was that of someone committed to their cause, a fighter who wouldn¡¯t give up even if it meant his demise. ¡°Who do you think you are?¡± the elder fox sneered. ¡°I¡¯m Shouri Tomoshibi. I¡¯m Rebecca¡¯s Maestro and you are not taking her away from me,¡± he snarled back. Bravado earned amusement. ¡°Oh? I finally have a buyer for that little kit. She¡¯s not yours.¡± ¡°What are they offering?¡± Cyra lost her edge. She mused over that question. ¡°A grand, but-¡± Shouri cut her off. ¡°Three.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Three thousand right now. My father is James Tomoshibi. Three thousand notes. If he won¡¯t pay, I¡¯ll have our hunter¡¯s wages garnished to you at a total of five thousand notes until the debt is paid.¡± ¡°Shouri no, I¡¯m not worth that much!¡± Rebecca hissed to him. All she got back in return was a re-affirming squeeze of the hand. That told her his stance on this: yes she was. The elder fire Resonator drew pause. The name Tomoshibi was familiar ¨C a wealthy CEO, the head of that famous Lyberteran electric company. This small boy was the heir to that? Even so. ¡°Will you be willing to have this signed into a contract at the MA Office?¡± she questioned. ¡°Of course. I¡¯m hers, and you¡¯re not changing that.¡± Cyra clicked her tongue but decided against snapping at him. In the end, this was better than she could have planned for: she¡¯d make far more money, either immediately or over time. If she was being honest, she was hoping the elder Tomoshibi didn¡¯t pay so she could get that extra two thousand in notes over time. ¡°Fine, little boy. You have yourself a deal. I¡¯ll sell Rebecca to you under the terms of the contract we just agreed upon. Let¡¯s go get that little whelp chipped and draw up the terms.¡± With that, Cyra turned and began to walk away. ¡°Shouri, why?¡± Rebecca cried out. ¡°When we were talking, I just felt something right from you. There¡¯s something that I can¡¯t ignore about you, so I thought¡­¡± Shouri shook his head. ¡°Either way, I wasn¡¯t going to let someone else who relied on me down again. Never again.¡± Those words¡­ he meant every one of them. Shouri Tomoshibi was a strange boy. But he was her strange boy, and she wasn¡¯t going to let him down. Not now, not ever Interlude 7 - P Track Enjoying yourself? I certainly hope so. I suppose you want yet another tale. After the last one I''m sure you''re wanting to complete the set. Ah, such is mortal life, to crave that which is untold. Oh no, I''m not judging you. I quite respect your wish to know more, to seek the possibilities that lay beyond your current perception of the world. That just leaves a certain individual. She''ll get her time in the sunshine, but how about we start with the thoughts of this play''s leading man, shall we? The clock strikes eight on that fateful day in 2018...
This world¡­ was cruel. It chewed up and swallowed anyone unfortunate enough to earn its ire, even if they were an innocent cat. It made it so hard to care, so hard to live. How did it end up like this? Maybe it would have been better to have not been tainted like them. To remain blissfully ignorant of the real issues with society. He saw them. He was disgusted. He would not participate. ¡°Shouri! Get your ass up!¡± Nope, he was staying right here. He wasn¡¯t getting out of this bed. ¡°Damian, grab him.¡± NOPE HE WAS STAYING RIGHT HERE! ¡°LET GO DAMIAN I¡¯M NOT GOING!¡± ¡°THIS IS FOR YOUR OWN GOOD¡± ¡°AURA!¡±
¡°You look like crap.¡± Aura flipped the rear-view mirror down to take in her brother who begrudgingly sat in the back seat. ¡°Keep your eyes on the road,¡± the boy scolded the driver. ¡°Fine fine,¡± Aura chuckled, flipping the mirror back up. The car was quiet for a moment before Aura went and disturbed the peace again. ¡°You turn eighteen in a couple of days. You gotta do something dude,¡± she told him. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll find a nice hole to fall in,¡± Shouri grumbled, turning his attention back out the window. ¡°No dummy, find a Resonator,¡± the elder sister said brightly. ¡°I had a Resonator already, never again.¡± His eyes narrowed as he glared at the blurring landscape. Aura¡¯s expression clouded. ¡°Seriously dude, you gotta move on. It sucks, I know, but you can¡¯t live your life like this.¡± ¡°I can damn well try,¡± he mumbled. ¡°I¡¯m serious. You don¡¯t have to be like them. Just find someone you click with. Just look at me and Damian.¡± Aura patted her Doberman on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to her kid, she¡¯s a slave driver,¡± Damian laughed gruffly. ¡°Shut the fuck up,¡± Aura chuckled, turning her patting into a light punch in the arm. ¡°I guess.¡± Shouri shrunk into his jacket, trying to become smaller than he was. It only got worse when they arrived at their destination. It was one of the smaller MA Offices in one of the outskirt towns. This one was actually in a little village at the base of a mountain. The normally sleepy town was filled with Maestros and even more Resonators. Though unlike what one would normally expect seeing so many in one place, there were very few tuners to be seen. ¡°Just kill me,¡± Shouri began sliding in his seat trying to avoid any prying eyes. ¡°Oh, cut it out you drama queen,¡± Aura rolled her eyes as she guided the car to a parking spot. No matter what he did nobody was going to listen to him. He begrudgingly exited the car along with his sister and her Resonator. ¡°I read about this online,¡± Aura began as they walked towards the MA Office. ¡°Apparently, there are like these meet-ups for Maestros and Resonators to partner up in a more natural setting, kinda like a mixer. They¡¯ve been getting more popular with people our age.¡± ¡°You brought me to a Resonator mixer?¡± Shouri hissed at his sister. ¡°Yeah! You can meet someone who you click with!¡± Aura nodded enthusiastically. ¡°I¡¯m going home.¡± He turned around but was grabbed by Damian. ¡°I ain¡¯t going home after listening to you bitch for an hour. You¡¯re staying here tonight,¡± the dog growled, pulling Shouri into the MA Office. ¡°I¡¯m staying here? Why?¡± Shouri wanted to raise his voice, but all his effort was being expended on trying to free himself from the dog¡¯s grasp (it wasn¡¯t working). ¡°It¡¯ll give you a taste of what being a Maestro on the road is like! It¡¯s so fun! The rooms here are great,¡± Aura sang as she walked backward towards the front counter. Shouri gave up and allowed himself to be pulled along with his sister¡¯s whims. At the front desk, there was a man and a bovid Resonator, a cow waiting with a smile to greet the guests. ¡°Howdy! Welcome to the Mt. Wynding MA Office!¡± the Maestro attendant noticed Aura¡¯s red tuner at her waist. ¡°We¡¯re currently closed to normal Maestro traffic, but the North Riva Solare Office is still operating at normal capacity,¡± the attendant told her. ¡°Oh no, that¡¯s okay! We¡¯re actually just dropping my brother off for the event,¡± she leaned in close. ¡°He¡¯s got a bit of an issue with his will stave, so we had to drag him here,¡± the elder sister whispered. The man nodded in understanding. ¡°Gotcha. Well, if you fill out his information, we can get him taken care of. Hopefully, he can find a good Resonator here.¡± Aura took care of the forms, knowing Shouri would not do it himself. ¡°There we go!¡± She beamed proudly at her handiwork. ¡°Everything looks good! Oh, and he already has his license too! That makes this much easier.¡± The Maestro handed the tablet off to his bovine assistant who took care of managing the rooms. ¡°Room 19,¡± she announced. ¡°Have him place his hand here so we can register his rhythm to unlock that door.¡± The male attendant pushed an electronic pad forward. Shouri trudged up to the counter and did as was asked of him. The sooner he got this over with the sooner he could return to his peace and quiet. ¡°All set! We¡¯ll take it from here ma¡¯am!¡± Aura nodded. She turned to her brother and placed her hands on his shoulders. ¡°Really, please try to find someone. I know it''s hard, but it¡¯ll get easier with a partner by your side, trust me.¡± She flashed him a melancholic smile. He averted his gaze in kind. ¡°Here, this¡¯ll help.¡± Aura pulled a glowing blue crystal from her jacket pocket and forced it into Shouri¡¯s hand. He studied the magic rock with apathy. ¡°I know you know how to use that. Just drain it tonight and talk to some people. It cost me quite a pretty sharp, so I want you to hand that back to me yellow, ¡®kay?¡± The boy snorted, making no indications he would listen. ¡°Fine.¡± He would humor her at least and pocketed the crystal. ¡°Alright! Have fun!¡± And with that, Aura and Damian were gone, leaving Shouri with the attendants. ¡°Bailey, can you show Mr. Tomoshibi to his room?¡± ¡°Yessir.¡± The cow Resonator stepped around the counter. ¡°Right this way sir.¡± She motioned for him to follow. Without much fanfare, he followed the woman into the back. It was laid out like a fancy hotel. The hallways were kept meticulously clean, and some Maestros and Resonators were chatting it up in the hallway. Shouri cared not to eavesdrop, so he didn¡¯t, focusing on how he was going to survive the night. Despite the pile of dust he called his willpower stave, his curiosity itched fiercely. He wondered what kind of Resonators came to these things. Given it was more of a decision for them than the usual circumstances that forced a Resonator into a Maestro¡¯s ownership, he wondered what percentage of Resonators truly got a choice in the matter. Rarer Resonators must have an easy time with these kinds of events. Then there were the common breeds like cats who most likely got passed over in favor of their rarer cousins. Shouri held himself at that thought. Just abandoned and forgotten¡­ He left the dark recesses of his mind prison upon their arrival at room nineteen. ¡°Here we are Mr. Tomoshibi,¡± the bovid turned to the young perspective Maestro. ¡°At around six tonight we¡¯ll be serving dinner for the Maestros in the lobby and then at seven will be the event proper. Any questions sir?¡± she asked. ¡°No, thank you for your help. I appreciate it.¡± He nodded to the cow. ¡°Aw shucks, it¡¯s no problem at all, I¡¯m happy to help!¡± The woman beamed, her tail swishing back and forth at the praise. She returned to her work with a small skip in her step. A little gratitude went a long way, Shouri observed. With her departure, however, Shouri found himself alone with the room. A wave of his hand by the door scanner gave him entry to his accommodations for the night. The room was nice, he¡¯d admit that. The bed was hilariously big. It had to be bigger than a king size by his guesstimation. The TV was pretty nice too, smaller than the one he had at home, but not everyone could afford the cutting-edge technology. A small kitchen was stocked pretty nicely with all the basic appliances (not that he had any familiarity with their utilization). There was even a little guest greeting area with a full couch and two plush accent chairs surrounding a wood coffee table. Again, the furniture was nice. Even the carpet was bereft of any staining, appearing to be freshly cleaned. He imagined the cow attendant from before tending to them with a hum and smile. His final stop on the self-guided tour was the bathroom which surprise surprise, wasn¡¯t bad. It was free of any staining in the bathtub and even the grout was kept to a shiny white polish. ¡°Huh,¡± was all he could vocalize. Maestros got to live like this on the road. He could see how so many of them committed to the life. Thwump! At least the bed was comfortable. He had only been up for a couple of hours at most, but his battery was beyond empty. If they expected him to be any semblance of functional at the event tonight they¡¯d let him sleep until then.
KNOCK KNOCK ¡°Mr. Tomoshibi! Supper will be served soon!¡± Shouri roused from his slumber. He recognized the voice as the cow lady who helped him earlier in the day. Aura must have told them to check up on him. He doubted she was going door to door and telling every Maestro dinner would be served. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. He sat up in bed, the oranges of the setting sun poking through the blinds. He removed the crystal from his jacket pocket, allowing it to roll back and forth in his palm. ¡°Ok,¡± he closed his eyes focusing on the crystal with his rhythm. As he practiced time and again, he pulled the rhythm out of its trappings and integrated it within his own. The blue slowly faded into yellow until there wasn¡¯t a trace of its original glow. He loved this feeling of purpose. It was so invigorating, but he couldn¡¯t live on these. The only reason this one worked was he hadn¡¯t had one in a while. ¡°Stupid scale getting used to it,¡± he complained. The boy hopped out of bed and made his way to the door. He stopped short and sniffed his arm. ¡°Maybe I should take a shower first.¡±
A little bit after six the boy took to the lobby, finding it filled with nothing but Maestros. There was an even distribution of guys and girls, many of them already forming little cliques and chatting it up. He wasn¡¯t here for them. He was here for a Resonator. Or at least he was going to use the push of the rubato crystal so generously provided by his sister to take a crack at it. As he got his food, he knew not just any Resonator would do. They had to be a duet, they had to match his rhythmic opposite. A weak-knowledge strong-willed Resonator. There had been only one who could properly fill that void in the past. No one paid him any mind as he took a seat at one of the tables. They just continued their conversation as if he didn¡¯t exist. ¡°Did you see?¡± ¡°No, what?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a Renard here!¡± ¡°No shit!¡± ¡°No no, I saw her.¡± ¡°How is there a Renard here of all places?¡± Shouri raised a brow. He had a passing familiarity with some of the Prestige rarity Resonators, and the Renards were part of that. A clan of fire foxes, they were known the world over for their raw potential. No surprise that a bunch of Maestros were aiming to court such a hot commodity. Not him though. He had exactly one thing he wanted from a perspective Resonator. Dinner wrapped up on schedule and the group of Maestros were taken to the community center in the center of the tiny town. Shouri grimaced upon entering the building. It was themed like a dance club. He was shocked that people who lived so far out in the middle of nowhere even knew what a club looked like. Not that he could claim familiarity with such establishments himself. But still. There was a large dance floor, music was already playing, the lights were dimmed, and there were plenty of half-circle booths with tables for people to chat it up and escape the hustle and bustle of the dance floor. Of course, there were plenty of Resonators already doing so, talking amongst themselves. It didn¡¯t take long for the two groups to intermingle. Shouri scanned the crowd but felt nothing from it. Too much rhythm in such a crowded space for him to pick out any one stave. He deflated quickly. Even with the willful rhythm of the crystal he had taken in, it just wasn¡¯t enough to handle this crowd. The only thing it managed to do was keep him from turning around and leaving. He slid into an unoccupied booth and sighed. The music was loud, pounding him from all sides, and the idle conversations didn¡¯t help. There was a crowd gathered in the center of the dance floor all excitedly chattering about something. Probably that poor Renard girl, on a pedestal like a piece of meat. He did catch the fluff of her entirely blonde tails, but it didn¡¯t rest the bile that wanted to escape ¨C she was trapped in the middle of the crowd. Now that was something that could get him to leave. But before he could, a voice hit his hearing ¨C addressed to him. ¡°Hey there, can I sit here?¡± He raised his head, but as soon as his eyes met her¡¯s they widened. She stood just about as tall as he did, but her complexion showed a stark difference in their lifestyles ¨C her skin told the story of a girl who loved being outside, and based on the swim trunks and top she wore her chapters were beach-themed. Water was this girl¡¯s life, that much was certain. The small brown round ears atop her head and the thick tail spoke to her species ¨C she was an otter. She held a glass in one hand and held her wavy sandy blonde hair back with her other. But her eyes, shimmered blue, the swirling rhythm within telling him she met one of his requirements. ¡°S-sure¡­¡± he scooted over. ¡°Man, I feel sorry for them,¡± said the girl. ¡°Why?¡± he asked. ¡°That Renard girl, she¡¯s the head of the clan. I think she just came here to crush some hearts.¡± The girl giggled. ¡°Ah,¡± Shouri nodded. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± The two looked at one another in surprise. They had shared their inquiry. The girl giggled. Shouri couldn¡¯t help his lips rising. ¡°Shouri.¡± ¡°Pacifica, nice to meetcha!¡±
It was strange. Shouri hadn¡¯t felt like this in a long long time. This was the high he had been chasing for so long. He had found it, though he loathed to admit it. Aura was going to give him so much crap about it. Every future ¡°I told you so¡± that launched from his sister¡¯s lips were going to make him cringe so hard. But the big question was¡­ where was he? ¡°Oh¡­¡± he breathed out. Somehow, he had ended up back in his bed at the MA Office. His head was pounding something fierce and his stomach was not happy with whatever decisions he had made last night. Those weren¡¯t what seized his heart. What froze him where he lay was the second occupant in his bed. It wasn¡¯t that he was sharing the bed with another. No, it was how he was holding her. Pacifica slept soundly in his arms, she looked content, and at peace. Even if Shouri¡¯s heart wanted to beat him to death, he had to admit one thing ¨C this was the best he had felt in almost a decade. He knew his fix was etude. He just couldn¡¯t bring himself to let go. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Pacifica¡¯s eyes fluttered open as warm drops hit her cheeks. ¡°Oh my god, are you okay?¡± she sat up in alarm, immediately addressing the Maestro by her side. He wiped away his tears with the sleeve of his jacket. ¡°I dunno,¡± he admitted. ¡°Wanna talk about it?¡± she asked. The two sat in silence for a moment. The otter by his side smiled warmly, while he wore open awe. ¡°Nngh¡­¡± Pacifica suddenly grasped her head. ¡°Ow¡­¡± she whimpered. ¡°Head hurt?¡± he asked. ¡°Yeah¡­ a bit¡­¡± she winced. Another moment passed in silence. ¡°Wait¡­¡± her gaze trailed up, meeting Shouri¡¯s. Her face rapidly reddened. ¡°Wh-what am I doing in bed with you?!¡± she shrieked. ¡°Now you notice?!¡± he shouted back. ¡°My neck¡­¡± she rubbed the back of her head. ¡°What the heck happened last night?¡± It was at that moment the final puzzle piece fell into place in the form of a shimmering blue device that had caught the light of the rising sun. Pacifica¡¯s eyes widened as she pointed at it. The Maestro turned back and he shared in the Resonator¡¯s realization. He silently grabbed hold of the device and woke it from its slumber. Shouri Tomoshibi Resonator: Pacifica Species: Demi-Human (Otter) Element: Water Attribute: Piercing Rhythm: 95%
Shouri sat on the edge of the bed while Pacifica took a shower. He held his head in his hands. It was one thing to find a Resonator, but this was an entirely separate problem. As far as either of the two could recall, they had started chatting it up. Their conversation was lovely as far as they could remember. The one thing that stood out was the fruit punch. That damned juice. The memory of Pacifica commenting on the interesting flavor stuck out like a sore thumb. Of course, it had an ¡°interesting flavor¡± SOMEONE SPIKED IT. ¡°Aura can never find out about this,¡± he decided. However, a new problem stuck in his heart. ¡°I wonder how she feels.¡± His eyes stole the white paint coating the closed bathroom door. He didn¡¯t want to say it, but he needed her. He felt good with her and didn¡¯t want to go back to how he was before. The discordant will was a cruel mistress, he had felt its sting before. He was more afraid of going back now than ever. Those dark days after she left him¡­ The main problem was he didn¡¯t know how he¡¯d convince Pacifica to go along with him. He just kind of ended up accidentally becoming her Maestro. WHY DIDN¡¯T ANYONE QUESTION HOW DRUNK THEY WERE? He had half a mind to go complain to the front desk about this mess. That would have to wait, as Pacifica left the confines of the bathroom, some mist escaping with her. ¡°Much better,¡± she cooed. Though upon catching Shouri in her periphery her face reddened and she couldn¡¯t look at him. He couldn¡¯t do it. Even if she was the best thing to happen to him in years, he just couldn¡¯t make that decision for her. The boy stood and held out the tuner for her. Pacifica slowly turned to meet the device. ¡°H-huh?¡± she blinked, the confusion pouring from her face. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Take it,¡± he pushed the device towards her. ¡°Wh-why?¡± she asked, her tone graced with hurt. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be your Maestro under false pretenses. We got drunk and-¡± ¡°No!¡± she pushed the device back to him, pressing his hand and the tuner against his chest. ¡°You¡¯re abandoning me?¡± she asked in a panic. ¡°I-I¡¯m not good enough?¡± Confusion was met with confusion. ¡°No no, I just- I want to respect your boundaries, and I-¡± ¡°Let me be yours!¡± she cried out. ¡°Please!¡± the floodgates broke loose as her desperation poured down her cheeks. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be alone anymore,¡± she admitted with a squeak, keeping her hands pressed against his. Shouri remained frozen. It almost sounded like¡­ she wanted to be with him? ¡°But-¡± ¡°Please¡­ I know you¡¯re the right one for me, give me a chance?¡± She tried to offer a smile, but it wavered as the anguish continued to spill. The Maestro allowed himself a sigh. ¡°I do want you,¡± he spoke calmly. ¡°I should have asked you instead of assuming, I¡¯m sorry.¡± It was in the next moment he found himself pinned to the bed, being held tightly by the otter. ¡°Thank you, Sho! I¡¯ll do my best!¡± The boy cracked a smile. This girl was too much, but he was hers, so he¡¯d deal with it no matter what. Chapter 138 Shouri awoke with a pounding headache. ¡°Uhg¡­¡± he groaned. ¡°Maybe we should have prepared better for this¡­¡± the boy complained. He could feel the soreness in his muscles. At least if this turned out to be a bust, the return trip should be easier, right? A trio of groans joined him as the three girls sat up with him. ¡°Why am I awake?¡± Pacifica shook her head. ¡°Mrrph.¡± Rebecca clung to Shouri, burying her face in his side. ¡°Stanca.¡± Taika rubbed her eyes, ears folded back and tail flicking. The quartet sat in groggy silence for a couple of minutes. ¡°Let¡¯s try exploring this cave,¡± Shouri finally spoke up. He stared down into the abyss that awaited them. ¡°I got a feeling about it,¡± he mumbled. ¡°Not a good feeling?¡± Pacifica raised a brow. ¡°It¡¯s lucky I have any feeling right now,¡± the Maestro grumbled, rubbing his pounding temples. Retrieving their make-shift bedding the group drank their fill of water and ate a hearty breakfast of dried fruits to get something in their systems. Morning preparations out of the way, they faced down the cave ahead. ¡°Go, yip yip!¡± Rebecca urged her still-summoned rhythm foxes ahead. The little fire creatures trotted ahead, illuminating the passageway before them. ¡°Looks safe enough,¡± she shot a sideways glance to her Maestro. He responded with a slow nod. ¡°Let¡¯s get moving then.¡± The group marched onward into the depths, allowing the rhythm foxes to take point. The temperature in the cave was consistent, it didn¡¯t get any hotter or colder than it already was. ¡°It¡¯s kinda nice in here,¡± Taika noted. ¡°Weird way to spell chilly,¡± Pacifica shivered. ¡°I¡¯m with Paci on this,¡± Rebecca chimed in. ¡°Give her a fox to hold then,¡± Taika suggested. ¡°Oh, good idea!¡± Pacifica brightened up at that thought, turning her attention to the fire element. Rebecca didn¡¯t have the link for the spell any more thanks to their sleep, so she turned to their Maestro. ¡°Famiglio Incendio, Presto,¡± he cast, hand on Rebecca¡¯s tuner. With a snap of her fingers, Rebecca summoned another flame fox into existence. ¡°With her,¡± she commanded of the new summon, motioning to Pacifica. The rhythm beast jumped into Pacifica¡¯s arms. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re affectionate!¡± the otter giggled. She settled on opening her jacket slightly to allow the flame fox to nestle against her skin, its little fiery head poking out from the opening afforded to it. ¡°Good?¡± Shouri asked. ¡°Very,¡± Pacifica cooed, hugging the small fox. They moved on, walking deeper into the cave. ¡°A thought occurs to me,¡± Shouri suddenly spoke. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Rebecca questioned as the group came to a stop. ¡°We probably shouldn¡¯t wander too deep into this cave.¡± The Maestro glanced back from where they had come, the light of the outside long since faded. ¡°It¡¯s probably fine,¡± Pacifica said, waving off the concern. Shouri hummed, turning in place to take in their surroundings. ¡°I¡¯ve read enough stories of people getting trapped in caves to know this is how it starts.¡± ¡°What happens in those?¡± Taika wondered. ¡°Usually they die, after getting trapped somewhere,¡± he told her. ¡°D-die¡­?¡± The lunar vixen gulped hard. Pacifica placed a hand on Taika¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t get trapped, we¡¯re being careful, right?¡± She motioned to the flame foxes who stood waiting just ahead. ¡°Let¡¯s keep-¡± Shouri paused, his eyes darted to his side; though he didn¡¯t turn his head or body. ¡°Sho?¡± Pacifica stepped forward but was stopped when he held up a hand. His gaze was oddly focused to his right as if studying something none of the girls could see. ¡°Taika,¡± he spoke. She jumped at the call. ¡°Y-yes, Sho?¡± ¡°Rilevare l¡¯intenzione, Lento.¡± The vixen squeaked as she suddenly felt her Maestro¡¯s rhythm connect with her. She didn¡¯t fight it and allowed the casting to be completed. She felt the presence of her friends and¡­ ¡°Who?!¡± She spun on her feet to face deeper into the tunnel. ¡°Who is it, Taika?¡± Rebecca dropped low into her combative stance, her heels sparking. ¡°Two Resonators, right ahead. Standing next to the foxes.¡± Stepping into the light cast by the squad of flame foxes ahead were two Resonators, as Taika had sensed. However, none of the quartet could have expected their sudden appearance. ¡°F-five¡­?¡± Taika blinked before rubbing her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of two and three¡­ but five tails?¡± Rebecca was similarly in disbelief. Standing in the flickering orange light were two child-sized resonators, a blue-haired boy, and a red-haired girl. Behind each of them, five tails each flicked about. Their manner of dress was the same, white robes, eastern in origin, looking like they came right out of a period drama. It was no stretch of the imagination to say these two looked like they had hopped straight out of a historical fantasy into the real world. The two children bowed before the travelers. ¡°Greetings,¡± said the boy. ¡°Master Sarayul will see you now,¡± spoke the girl.
It was no wonder Sarayul had not been discovered until recently. The quartet was looking around their new surroundings in stunned silence as they followed the two fox children. The cave had long since given way to what appeared to be a scene right out of a storybook. Above them, they could see the blues of the sky with gentle fluffy clouds passing overhead. The path beneath them had turned from wild craggy rock to polished paved stone. Grass grew and blew with the gentle breeze. It was like they had stepped into another world. And at the center of that world was a palace. Matching the two fox children in aesthetic, it was of the Eastern flair. Despite the difficulty one would have invading such a place, the palace began with deep redwood walls, encasing the perimeter. The gate was open, allowing them to walk in. Perfectly manicured trees stood proudly over crystal-clear ponds which sat in a sea of flowers. A small sitting area could be seen with a dirt walkway in the distance of the garden. The guests were led through another set of gates. A large wooden temple stood before them. It was perfect in form and execution. Trimmings of gold and elaborate etchings grace the wood that made up its glory. It stood atop a stone base with a staircase that filled Shouri with dread ¨C it must have been at least a hundred steps tall if not more. ¡°This way,¡± the red girl spoke, leading the group up the horrible staircase. ¡°We mustn¡¯t keep Master Sarayul waiting,¡± the blue boy advised as they climbed. ¡°Please tell me that this is the trial,¡± Shouri groaned, his legs already protesting the new effort. Their silence was telling. Making it to the top, the quartet found their expectations did not match reality ¨C the temple that sat at the top was much larger than it had appeared at a distance. It was a mansion with how large it was. There were many individual rooms, allowing for a large population to dwell within. However¡­ ¡°There¡¯s no one here,¡± Rebecca whispered, her ears twitching as they made their way around the outside perimeter of the temple. ¡°Master Sarayul¡¯s retainers have long since left this world,¡± the blue boy spoke. ¡°We remain in his service, however,¡± the red girl added. ¡°How long have you been here?¡± Pacifica questioned. The two stopped. ¡°A hundred years a tail,¡± the boy said. ¡°Surely you know math?¡± the girl grinned, her five tails fluttering behind her. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. They continued walking without another word. ¡°Five hundred?¡± Pacifica hissed. ¡°They¡¯re fucking with us,¡± Rebecca added. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard of any Ethereals like them before,¡± Shouri joined in the gossip. ¡°They¡¯re leaving us, vai vai!¡± Taika pushed her friends forward. Thankfully, they didn¡¯t lose their guides and met back up with them in front of the largest door of the palace. Without much effort, the two mysterious fox children pushed the door open and motioned for the guests to enter. The quartet hesitated before Shouri stepped forward. ¡°Come on,¡± he said, keeping his gaze forward. The central chamber was overly elaborate, with a red carpet stretching from the doorway down to a central ¡°stage¡± near the back of the space. The room was well illuminated, though the fa?ade of an ancient palace had begun to fade. Standard electric lighting was installed in place of fire-based lamps like they had expected. What¡¯s more, the hum of a robot vacuum graced their hearing¡­ and then their vision as the little device crossed their path, darting from one side of the room to the other. As they approached the center stage, the distinct sound of chatter could be heard, despite only one body occupying the space. The chatter of a conversation faded into boisterous jingles and pitches of commercial breaks. Someone lying on the pedestal was watching television. Reverence had long since faded from the four young ones who had wandered into this space, replaced with confusion and the slightest bit of annoyance. ¡°Nina, is that you? Have you returned with my Atmoni order?¡± the man asked, remaining fixated on his programming. ¡°Yes Master Sarayul,¡± the red-haired girl spoke up from behind Shouri and co. She stepped around the guests and up the stage. She drew from her robes a manilla bubble mailer, holding it out for her master. He sat up, back remaining towards the door. He eagerly snatched up the delivery and tore into it. ¡°Yes! Finally, I have the last card I need for my deck!¡± the man joyously announced, holding the enclosed card in the air as if he had pulled it from a treasure chest. ¡°Wait a minute¡­¡± He brought the card close to examine it. ¡°This is clearly water-damaged! Near mint my ass! And it was a special selection rare at that!¡± The girl, referred to as Nina cleared her throat. ¡°Master Sarayul, you also have guests,¡± she motioned to the four strangers. ¡°Eh?¡± The man allowed himself to fall backward, taking in the four outsiders from an upside-down vantage point. ¡°Who the terra are you supposed to be?¡± he asked. Shouri remained speechless for a moment, still trying to parse if they were in the right place. Nina had called him Sarayul, but was it possible this man was a fake? Pacifica elbowed her Maestro in the side, shaking him out of his stupor. ¡°I¡¯m Shouri.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m Pacifica!¡± ¡°Rebecca.¡± ¡°T-taika¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re here because Taika unlocked her ad-Lib recently and needs training,¡± Shouri cut right to the chase. ¡°And we heard you were the best guy on Riterra for the job,¡± he paused for a moment, considering if he should say anything more. Ultimately, he decided to leave it at that. Sarayul studied the group for a moment. Without a word, he waved a hand out. ¡°What?!¡± ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°What¡¯s happening?!¡± Rebecca, Pacifica, and Taika floated in the air and then were ejected from the room, the door slamming shut behind them. The red and blue foxes made their way to the door and stood in front of it as if to additionally bar the way. ¡°Hey!¡± Shouri went to chase after his carelessly tossed out resonators- ¡°You stop.¡± -but found himself unable to move, his entire body stuck in place as if he was flash-frozen in the position he had been in. This didn¡¯t last long as Shouri was forced to face the older man. From behind the man, tails began to flick in the air, One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine of them in total danced in a wave-like manner behind him. ¡°I am the Ethereal known as Sarayul. I have conquered many lands, both of Land Sage Lanvi¡¯s and of Life Sage Luca¡¯s. Why should I train your pitiful kit?¡± His voice though quiet carried a weight as if he was commanding an army. Shouri did not want to be here; every cell in his body was screaming this was a terrible idea and to just run. He certainly wanted to act on that instinct. However, there was a part of him that spurred him on ¨C Taika. Even without being able to see her, he knew she was outside. He could feel her desperately trying to claw her way in. She was behind him, even if a physical distance separated them. In that sense, he couldn¡¯t fail her. They dragged her up this mountain and for that trial, he had to use his wit. But how could he convince a 900-year-old Ethereal¡­ His eyes landed on the plastic case still in the fox Ethereal¡¯s hands. ¡°I¡¯ll get you a replacement for that damaged card!¡± Shouri blurted out. Instantly the hostility faded. ¡°Really?!¡± Sarayul beamed. ¡°This is a really expensive card you know,¡± he boasted, his tails swishing together much like Taika and Rebecca¡¯s did when they were excited. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s just say I know a guy with a ton of money,¡± Shouri informed the Ethereal. (Somewhere Elijah Klein sneezed hard.) ¡°Okay! Sounds good!¡± The fox-man continued to smile, tossing the damaged card away. ¡°Though first, we do need to talk,¡± the man rose to his feet. He stepped down from his pedestal which he perched himself on and made his way over to the Maestro. Shouri gulped as Sarayul studied him up and down. Then, his hand shot out. It wasn¡¯t Shouri who he grabbed though, but an invisible guest, who was forced into view ¨C Vienna. ¡°NNGH¡­ This is why father said not to mess with Ethereals huh?¡± the lyrebird grunted, attempting to fight against her captor as he held her off the ground by her hair. ¡°Cute trick,¡± Sarayul chuckled, his grip unmoving despite how hard the bird girl squirmed about. He noted the clear-bodied tuner hanging from her collar. ¡°Tell me about this one,¡± he demanded of Shouri. ¡°Work associates,¡± Shouri said, ignoring the plight of the captured Resonator. There was no lie there, Sarayul could sense that much. His scrutinizing gaze pierced the lyrebird, continuing to scan her struggling form. His expression eased upon completion of his examination. ¡°Aha, you¡¯re using each other,¡± the Ethereal mused. Shouri nodded. ¡°She wants rhythm, and she has information. She also can hold her own in a fight,¡± he stated the facts as they were. ¡°She¡¯s useful,¡± the Maestro stated coldly, the yellow logical rhythm flowing behind his eyes. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why does she hide?¡± questioned the fox. ¡°Cause those petty little bitches think I want in his pants! I just want the rhythm damn it!¡± the null element groaned, not enjoying the pain in her scalp. ¡°Oho?¡± Interest was piqued. Sarayul released Vienna, at least from his hand. She remained hovering in place for a moment before being tossed in the opposite direction of Shouri¡¯s Resonators ¨C crashing just behind the center stage of the chamber. ¡°Asshole!¡± they heard her shout. Sarayul took a seat as if he had beckoned an invisible chair. ¡°Now let¡¯s be honest with one another,¡± he began. ¡°What do those three out there mean to you?¡± Shouri averted his gaze. ¡°They¡¯re my friends and-¡± The Maestro''s jaw was forced shut. ¡°Stop,¡± said Sarayul. ¡°Lie to me again and you¡¯ll get to feel what I¡¯ve done to your Resonators,¡± warned the Ethereal. ¡°Try again.¡± Rubbing his now sore jaw, Shouri took a breath. His face reddened. ¡°I-¡± Chapter 139 ¡°Taika stop! Holy shit!¡± Rebecca cried out, her clothes and hair a mess. ¡°Taika please!¡± Pacifica pleaded, in a similar state of dishevel as her fellow Resonator. Taika was at the door, desperately attempting to break it down. Her fingernails bled; broken and worn away, her fists were bruised up, and her shoulders trembled. ¡°Non! Lui ¨¨ in pericolo e sono inutile!¡± she cried out. Once more the two Resonators rushed down their companion, trying to stop her from hurting herself any more than she already had. They managed to reach and tackle her, right in time for the gigantic double door to open, causing them all to land inside in a big heap. ¡°Oh Taika, what am I gonna do with you?¡± Shouri knelt in front of the trio. ¡°SHO!¡± Poor Rebecca and Pacifica were telekinetically blasted off of Taika as she tackled Shouri to the ground, rubbing her face against his. The boy was momentarily winded, but quickly recovered and wrapped his arms around her. ¡°La Bella Vita, Allegro,¡± he cast. Taika easily submitted to his rhythm, smiling warmly as her previous recklessness was eased out of her. ¡°Sho¡­¡± she cooed, refusing to release him. Her joy was to be short-lived, however, as within the next instant, Taika was yanked to her feet, and forced to face Sarayul. ¡°So, you¡¯re the kit, huh?¡± the Ethereal studied the younger lunar before him. He nodded slowly. ¡°You¡¯re one of mine alright, I can train you,¡± he stated. ¡°R-really?¡± While she didn¡¯t appreciate the rampant abuse of his telekinetic prowess, Taika certainly wanted control of her power. Given how easily he had been tossing everyone around if she could even get a fraction of that power¡­ The Ethereal¡¯s scrutinizing gaze fell upon Pacifica and Rebecca, both of whom were nursing their wounded pride from being tossed around like rag dolls. ¡°You two,¡± he spoke up, causing the two unrelated Resonators to snap to attention (in fear of being tossed around again). ¡°You will train under Nina and Talys.¡± He motioned to the red and blue five-tailed foxes who stood behind him. ¡°Training what?¡± Rebecca questioned. ¡°The proper method of using your summons,¡± Talys spoke up. ¡°The method snuffed by those foolish Terrans,¡± Nina chimed in. Needless to say, Rebecca¡¯s interest was piqued. ¡°But what am I gonna do?¡± Pacifica didn¡¯t see how she was related to this. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you will see.¡± Nina grinned. ¡°You are very much needed for this.¡± Talys similarly smirked. Pacifica and Rebecca shared an uneasy glance but accepted that was going to be their role in all this. ¡°And me?¡± Shouri glanced over to the Ethereal by his side. ¡°My boy, you will have the greatest trial of them all. It requires your will be tested and tempered, brought to its limits,¡± Sarayul waxed poetic. Shouri scratched his head before speaking up. ¡°Not to rain on your parade, but I got discordant will ¨C not much to give there.¡± Sarayul chuckled knowingly. ¡°No child, you have the greatest will of all. It is refined to such a point that people see a weakness when in reality it is your greatest weapon and strength.¡±
¡°Woah¡­¡± the group gasped in unison. ¡°These will be your living quarters while you train here,¡± Talys informed the group. The room presented to them was roughly the size of the rooms they stayed at in the various MA Offices around the world. The difference though was the luxury on display. There was a big comfy bed for starters, with what appeared to be paper privacy doors surrounding it. A small seating area with a hand-carved wooden table stood on the opposite end of the bedroom. Even the appliances were of the highest quality ¨C decorative standing lamps stood around the room, giving it plenty of light even at night and there was even a flat-screen television embedded into one of the walls opposite of the sitting area. On the side walls was a large glass wall with sliding doors that viewed the garden outside, giving the occupants a gorgeous view to greet them. ¡°This is crazy,¡± Rebecca gasped. ¡°It¡¯s nicer than the Presidential suite,¡± Pacifica looked around in awe. ¡°Bellissima¡­¡± Taika breathed. ¡°I¡¯m fucking terrified of what that man is gonna make us do,¡± Shouri grumbled. ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Taika asked. ¡°If these are where we¡¯re supposed to be sleeping and generally living when not training, I have a nasty feeling the training is gonna suck.¡± He kicked the table, noting how well it stood up. His gaze fell back to Talys, who smiled innocently. Too innocently. ¡°I¡¯m right, aren¡¯t I?¡± Shouri called out to the fox. ¡°What makes you think I would tell, Maestro Shouri?¡± the blue fox replied. ¡°Tch,¡± Shouri clicked his tongue and averted his glare. ¡°For today you shall rest ¨C your training will begin tomorrow morning. Nina will retrieve you for dinner this evening,¡± the boy informed them before taking his leave. As soon as they were certain he was out of earshot, the group collectively sighed. ¡°We¡¯re so fucked,¡± Shouri said, shaking his head. ¡°I¡¯m just hoping we don¡¯t die, no one would ever know,¡± Rebecca chimed in. ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll be fine,¡± Pacifica patted her fellow Resonator¡¯s back. ¡°It¡¯s not fair how strong he is,¡± Taika complained. Bellyaching out of the way, they got to exploring their new home (at least for the foreseeable future). Rebecca hit the couch, flicking her shoes off and getting comfortable with the television remote. The channels they received weren¡¯t just the standard ones found in Unis-Resonn¨¦, but all over the world, right down to the Naturalian ones. ¡°Crazy selection,¡± she muttered. As usual, she ended up on a historical film channel and got lost in an old martial arts movie. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Pacifica meanwhile was beyond herself. Her eyes were wide and sparkling as she remained frozen in place. ¡°Amazing¡­¡± she whispered to herself. The bathroom was huge. Unlike the utilitarian MA Offices where there was a sink, toilet, and bathtub; their new lodgings had a massive space dedicated to just the bathroom. The toilet was in a separate little room for extra privacy. The sink was as nice as the ones in the Presidential suite, complete with lighting and a mirror for anyone meticulous about their facial skin-care routines. Then there was the pi¨¨ce de resistance: the bathtub. It wasn¡¯t just a bathtub; it was a whole hot tub! Furthermore, there was a separate, stand-alone shower if one didn¡¯t want to use the large tub to clean themselves. No one was surprised to find Pacifica soaking her aching body away in the tub. ¡°Sho.¡± ¡°Yeah, Taika?¡± ¡°Can we go somewhere private?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°We¡¯re gonna go explore! We¡¯ll be back!¡± Shouri announced to the rest of the room. ¡°¡¯kayyyy!¡± came the two replies. Shouri and Taika took their leave, walking in silence around the perimeter of the temple they were staying in. ¡°Huh,¡± Shouri¡¯s voice drew Taika from her thoughts. ¡°What is it?¡± He pointed at the sky. ¡°There¡¯s no sun,¡± he noted. Taika looked up. The ¡°sky¡± was its typical daytime blue, as she expected. However, her Maestro was absolutely right. No matter where she looked, she couldn¡¯t find the shining day star at all. ¡°Where is it?¡± Her head whipped to and fro as she desperately tried to locate the missing fireball. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s artificial,¡± Shouri posited. ¡°Apparently on Luna, they experience the same phenomenon ¨C an artificial sky that gives them a semblance of day and night along with the right light to cover their agricultural and nutritional needs,¡± he guessed. He wasn¡¯t the most well-studied on how Luna worked, but it was the best he could come up with. ¡°Yeah.¡± Taika easily agreed with him. That little observation out of the way, the pair walked into the garden, finding a bench to sit down at under one of the trees. A gentle breeze shuffled the leaves in the tree above them, adding a soothing white noise to the backdrop. Taika fiddled with her jacket zipper before finally going for it. She swayed and allowed herself to fall onto Shouri¡¯s lap. Her heart hammered in her chest as she lay there. Finally, she got what she wanted as he began to stroke her hair. After the stress of the past couple of weeks, she could enjoy some alone time with her beloved Maestro. She knew she had to share with Pacifica and Rebecca, but she didn¡¯t mind. He tapped her head. She turned to look up at him. He held her head in place and locked lips with her. The two stared at one another as Shouri backed off slightly. ¡°Why?¡± she asked, covering her mouth to hide the big pleased grin on her face. ¡°I like kissing you,¡± he replied with a coy smirk. ¡°Carry on,¡± she giggled as he drew close once more.
Rebecca¡¯s movie had ended and she was on the prowl for some new programming to distract her until dinner time. Her ears flicked as the door opened ¨C it was Shouri and Taika, back from their walk. Taika fluttered to their big, shared bed and threw herself face-first into it. The distinct sound of her giggling earned a small smile from Rebecca. She snuck her gaze briefly to Shouri, who closed the paper doors around the bed. He flicked his shoes off, allowing them to join Rebecca¡¯s in a little pile. ¡°Hey bossman,¡± Rebecca greeted him. He motioned for silence, placing a finger across his lips. She cocked a brow as he stood in front of her, blocking her view of the television. Before she could voice a complaint, her eyes widened as he leaned forward, took hold of her chin, and kissed her. They separated after a moment, but when Rebecca¡¯s brain realized what just happened, she dragged him back down for another round or two. ¡°I missed the hell out of you,¡± she admitted. ¡°Me too,¡± Shouri whispered back. She tugged him closer, enveloping him in a tight hug as he fell on top of her. ¡°Don¡¯t leave me again,¡± she trembled, fighting the tears. ¡°Never again,¡± he assured her, gently scratching the back of her ear with his thumb. She held him tightly finally letting her tears spill. After she got her fill of hugging (and crying), Rebecca released her captive. Shouri rummaged around the bag and pulled out his swimwear. ¡°Pacifica is in there,¡± Rebecca warned as he approached the bathroom door. ¡°Oh, I know,¡± he said with a wink, twirling his swim trunks on a finger.
¡°This is the life,¡± Pacifica sighed, relaxing in the warm waters of the hot tub. After the last couple of weeks, she earned this. She was so relaxed in fact, that she didn¡¯t even register her Maestro slipping into the bath right next to her. Shouri sat politely for about five minutes before he spoke up. ¡°Having fun?¡± he asked. ¡°Yeahhh¡­¡± Finally, it clicked and she jumped, splashing about as she sat up in the tub. Before she realized what was happening, she found herself pinned to the tub wall. She stared into her Maestro¡¯s eyes; her face flushed as her heart hammered in anticipation. They spoke not with words, but body language, he eyed her lips, moistening his own. With a short, quick nod from the otter girl, he bridged the gap between them. As they broke apart, she wrapped herself around him. ¡°More,¡± she demanded. ¡°As you wish,¡± he chuckled. After getting her fill, Pacifica and Shouri relaxed in the warm waters of the hot tub. ¡°What inspired that session?¡± asked the otter, leaning on her beloved Maestro. ¡°He said I¡¯m not greedy enough with you all,¡± Shouri replied. ¡°You¡¯re taking advice from the guy who had thousands of wives?¡± Pacifica said with a laugh. ¡°Three is a modest number, right?¡± ¡°I guess,¡± the otter tittered. Chapter 140 Shouri and his merry band of tailed maidens made their way down to the food hall of Sarayul Temple. The blues of the day had slowly faded to the oranges of evening, despite the lack of a real sun overhead. ¡°Huh.¡± Shouri looked out to the dimming light as they walked. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Rebecca asked. ¡°Me and Taika noticed earlier that there isn¡¯t a sun in the sky we see in here, but it still turning orange like it¡¯s dusk,¡± he pointed out. ¡°Oh, that is weird,¡± Taika noted. ¡°Wait, no sun?¡± Pacifica asked, walking backward to face the group. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s like some kind of artificial skybox thing, not entirely sure,¡± Shouri told the uninformed otter. It was perplexing to the quartet how such a space was possible. Those thoughts were dismissed to the backs of their minds as they came upon the dining hall. They were greeted with a long table where their dishes were set out. There was already one person sitting at the table. One that caused Shouri to draw pause. A woman with dark red hair tied into a bun. She wore a magenta top over a long-sleeved blue shirt, black leggings, and blue boots to complete the look. Clipped to her collar was a clear-bodied tuner. The three Resonators studied this stranger as they approached the table. There were no obvious Resonator features on the girl¡¯s person ¨C no weird ears, nor a tail or wings. The lack of a distinct elemental feel from the woman led to one conclusion: ¡°A Maestro,¡± Taika noted. ¡°Clear tuner, she¡¯s got a Null-element,¡± Rebecca pointed out. ¡°But where are they?¡± Pacifica looked around wondering where this girl¡¯s Resonator could possibly be. The trio of gossipy girls filed onto one side of the table, with Taika pulling Shouri to sit between them. Deep yellow eyes studied the three resonators before closing to focus on her food. ¡°Vienna.¡± Shouri nodded to her. ¡°Shouri.¡± She paused to nod back. ¡°Hey!¡± Pacifica pulled Shouri close, cupping a hand around his ear. ¡°You know her?¡± she asked in a whisper. ¡°I do, she helped me out before,¡± he replied simply. ¡°Now focus on dinner, it¡¯s rude to gossip,¡± he gently scolded her. ¡°Hrmph.¡± Pacifica heeded her Maestro¡¯s reprimand, but his itchy curiosity flowed through her (and her fellow Resonators for that matter). Who was this mystery girl? When did she help Shouri? How did she help Shouri? All questions that would have to wait. At the very least, dinner was fantastic. Nina and Talys eventually joined them and partook in the meal, however Sarayul never made an appearance. This evening¡¯s meal was fairly simple consisting of a stir-fried meat and vegetable combo over noodles. In addition, there were some meat-filled buns that Taika took a particular shine to and devoured a good majority of. They were offered some traditional beer of ¡°the old country¡±, but the quartet being the good little scouts they were, politely declined. By the time the quartet pardoned themselves from the dining hall, the lighting had shifted to night. The illumination of the temple grounds being handled by lanterns scattered about the premises, with a faint dark blue glow from the skybox. Even the air took on a bit of a chill, putting the group in the right atmosphere to pine for sleep. Within the privacy of their bedroom, they changed into their pajamas for the night. While Shouri freshened up before bed, the trio of girls sat on the bed, resuming the gossip from dinner. ¡°I really wonder who that girl is,¡± Pacifica wondered. ¡°I don¡¯t sense another Resonator around here, but she has an active tuner on her.¡± Rebecca stroked her chin in thought. ¡°How can you tell?¡± Taika asked. ¡°Tuners from uh¡­ disconnected Resonators just display static on the screen,¡± Rebecca said. ¡°Static?¡± Taika furrowed her brow trying to imagine it. ¡°Like those old TVs when they don¡¯t have a signal, that like grey snowy stuff,¡± the fiery vixen tried to describe to her lunar counterpart. ¡°Oh yeah!¡± Taika exclaimed, familiar with the concept. Pacifica hummed in thought. ¡°So she has a null element Resonator that isn¡¯t here.¡± ¡°Seems like it,¡± Rebecca said with a shrug. ¡°But why is she here?¡± Taika asked. ¡°Good freaking question. Doesn¡¯t exactly seem like the best place for Maestros to train. Rebecca leaned back, stretching as she did so. ¡°What bugs me is how does she know Sho?¡± Another exchange of thoughtful hums circled the trio. ¡°Maybe it''s like a Mila or Lina situation?¡± guessed Pacifica. ¡°That¡¯s why I don¡¯t want to just outright ask¡­¡± she admitted remembering the baggage attached to their Maestro¡¯s childhood friends. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Yeah¡­ he did know a lot of people before he met us.¡± Taika frowned. ¡°Usually he made a mess of his friendships with those people too,¡± Rebecca added. ¡°It¡¯s not his fault, he just has bad willpower!¡± Pacifica spoke in defense of their Maestro. ¡°I know, just stating facts,¡± said Rebecca. The conversation fell to a lull as the three racked their brains trying to think of any other pertinent information about the mysterious Vienna. It was at this point that Shouri returned to the room. Before he could even greet them, he cursed the room with the first yawn. ¡°We should probably hit the hay,¡± he told the group. Taika was the next to fall prey to the savage yawns. ¡°Si¡­ Sleepy,¡± she said, rubbing her eyes. Pacifica and Rebecca also joined in the yawn storm. ¡°Probably a good idea,¡± Pacifica agreed. ¡°Yeah, who knows what they¡¯re gonna make us do tomorrow,¡± Rebecca spoke wearily. With that, the group made their way back to their room, taking turns freshening up for the night before cuddling up in bed as usual. ¡°Goodnight Sho!¡± the three girls spoke in unison, earning a smile from the Maestro. ¡°Goodnight.¡±
Despite what they had feared, they weren¡¯t woken up at the crack of dawn, or even at all. Shouri opened his eyes, which didn¡¯t fight him for once. A full night¡¯s rest was a rarity in the young man¡¯s life, and he was appreciative to have one under his belt before presumably an intense training regimen. That being said, he wanted to let the rest of his team return to the waking world of their own accord rather than force them awake before they were ready. For that, he remained where he was, just enjoying the ambient warmth and rhythm of his precious Resonators. Pacifica was the first of the trio of girls that stirred that morning. ¡°Morning Sho,¡± she said wearing a sleepy smile. ¡°Morning Paci,¡± he greeted. ¡°How¡¯d you sleep?¡± ¡°Good.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Taika slept between the two but wasn¡¯t disturbed by the quiet conversation between them. Rebecca however, was disturbed. She nuzzled her face into Shouri¡¯s back, wrapping her tail around him possessively, as she did. It didn¡¯t take too long to get the whole crew up and ready to go for the day. They made their way out of the room and out onto the main walkway by around eleven or so in the morning. The perfect light of the sky box ensured that the glow of the artificial day matched the genuine article. ¡°It¡¯s nice,¡± Shouri noted. ¡°Cold,¡± Rebecca complained. ¡°Mrrgph,¡± Pacifica shivered, trying to curl up next to their Maestro as they walked. Shouri wrapped an arm around the trembling otter. ¡°It''ll get warmer, probably,¡± he muttered the last part as an aside. Upon reaching the dining hall, the group was met with breakfast. It was a fairly typical affair of eggs, meats, breads, and cheeses. Nothing overly fancy but still quite the spread, regardless. Taking their seats, they waited for a moment before Taika just decided to start eating. ¡°Should we uh, wait for someone?¡± Rebecca asked, eyeing her fellow fox. ¡°Hrmph,¡± Shouri grunted. He looked around but didn¡¯t find a sign of anyone outside of their little group of four. ¡°Fuck it, better to ask for forgiveness than permission,¡± he said with a shrug. With that brazen declaration, Pacifica and Rebecca grabbed their own choices in food and got to work partaking in breakfast. Shouri followed suit, taking his modest selections. They got through their entire meal with not another soul showing up. ¡°That was good,¡± Taika cooed, reclining in her seat. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Pacifica agreed with a content sigh. ¡°I wonder how long this stuff has been out. Tasted pretty fresh to me,¡± Rebecca commented. ¡°Who knows?¡± Shouri scoffed. Once more, Shouri looked around but didn¡¯t find any signs of the other inhabitants of the temple. Not even Vienna seemed to be around. ¡°Let¡¯s go find out what the hell we should be doing,¡± he said, tapping the table twice and rising to his feet. None of the others argued and followed suit. They wandered around the temple, eventually finding their way to Sarayul¡¯s chamber. As they had found him yesterday, the Ethereal was lying on the central stage watching television while eating some kind of crunchy snack. ¡°There you are, was wondering when you¡¯d show up,¡± commented the nine-tailed fox as the young group approached him. ¡°Now, shall we get started?¡± Chapter 141 The group had been split into three: Taika and Shouri would be alone in their endeavors, while Pacifica and Rebecca were paired up. Taika wasn¡¯t sure what to expect with her training, all she knew at the moment was she had some kind of uncontrollable telekinetic force. It helped her in the past, easing the burden on her physical body without her knowing. But now that she knew of its existence, everything felt so much more difficult. If she was at the top of her form, she had to suppress herself otherwise she¡¯d unleash her power with just her stray thoughts alone. She had done an okay job controlling it thus far. Okay. Adequate. That was a lie, she had done a dreadful job reigning in her power. ¡°First off,¡± Sarayul¡¯s voice broke the vixen out of her thoughts. ¡°Change into this.¡± He dropped a neatly folded set of clothes in front of her. ¡°You can change in there.¡± He pointed her to a separate room. The fox girl nodded slowly and scooped up the garments. She shuffled over to the side room and closed the door behind her. Privacy secured, she quickly disrobed and unfolded her new attire. It seemed¡­ oddly familiar. Black robes with tan pants. She felt like a monk wearing these clothes. There weren¡¯t any shoes included, so she put her usual running shoes back on. Though¡­ she had become disconnected from Shouri or any outside rhythm for that matter. ¡°Huh?¡± Her mind fogged up as she lost the mind-clearing effects of etude. The clothes were light and afforded her a complete range of motion, physically speaking. From a rhythmic standpoint, it was as if she was being held underwater. She uneasily exited the room, carrying her normal attire with her. ¡°I feel funny,¡± she told the Ethereal. ¡°Good, that means it¡¯s working.¡± Sarayul grinned. Taika didn¡¯t like that. ¡°Now your task will be to pierce the center of that target.¡± He motioned to the very top of the ceiling where a paper target hung. Given the construction of the temple, that was quite a tall ask, however. Taika guesstimated it must have been at least three stories in the air. What¡¯s more, she didn¡¯t know what she was supposed to pierce it with. It was a printed piece of paper, so getting something to go through it wouldn¡¯t be difficult. ¡°What do I-?¡± Before she could finish her thought, a cold object forced itself into her hand. Upon opening it, Taika found a small ball sitting in her grasp. ¡°You will focus your power on this bead and force it through that paper,¡± Sarayul told her. ¡°Those robes absorb your rhythm, keeping you at zero,¡± he explained. ¡°Isn¡¯t that dangerous?¡± she questioned. ¡°Zero is merely the point where you begin draining your soul¡¯s rhythm reserve rather than your physical body¡¯s. Your soul and body are two sides of a mirror, by making your soul stronger, you increase your body¡¯s capacity for rhythm,¡± he further elaborated. The cloudiness of her brain wasn¡¯t helping Taika tie the disparate concepts together. ¡°How will that make me gain control of my power?¡± ¡°Volont¨¤ Estesa is an extension of your soul, practicing while the physical is suppressed will sharpen your mental blade. By the time you can strike the center of that target, you will be capable of great feats,¡± the fox ethereal said with a knowing chuckle. Taika gulped. This sounded like it was going to be difficult. Though¡­ based on how much Sarayul abused his own Volont¨¤ Estesa to perform mundane tasks, it would be worth the effort. With mastery of this skill, cooking, and medical practice would be a cakewalk ¨C it would be as if she had hundreds of hands all at once. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do it,¡± Taika said, grasping the bead tightly in her hand. She threw her head back, studying the ceiling. It felt like it was rapidly retreating away from her. She wasn¡¯t afraid of heights like Pacifica, but this task seemed¡­ daunting. ¡°Knock yourself out, but don¡¯t kill yourself,¡± Sarayul said with a casual wave as he took his exit. ¡°I still need that card from your Maestro,¡± he muttered to himself before leaving Taika to her own devices. The fox girl examined the bead in her hand, then the target above her. ¡°Uhhh¡­ how do I do this?¡± she asked.
¡°So what are we doing?¡± Rebecca asked. ¡°I¡¯m still not sure why I¡¯m even here,¡± Pacifica said with a sheepish chuckle. Standing opposite the fox and otter were the mysterious Nina and Talys. ¡°Should we show them?¡± questioned Nina. ¡°Of course. Knowing is power, that is rhythm,¡± replied Talys. Nina took a breath and willed a flame fox into existence, the same type as the ones summoned by Rebecca¡¯s Famiglio Incendio. The little rhythm beast sat at attention unlike the playful kits summoned by Rebecca. ¡°Okay?¡± Rebecca raised a brow, not seeing what the big deal was. Without a word, Nina and Talys joined hands. Then Nina followed the same procedure as before to summon another fox. Except what appeared was beyond Rebecca and Pacifica¡¯s expectations. Rather than a fox made of flames, a fox made of bubbles appeared next to its fiery counterpart. ¡°What the¡­?¡± Rebecca¡¯s eyes were at their maximum width as she was at a loss for words. ¡°B-but¡­ water cancels fire¡­ how can you?¡± Pacifica rubbed her eyes, unsure if she was seeing this right. ¡°The blazing fire makes the soul,¡± Nina said. ¡°The gentle water forms the body,¡± Talys added. ¡°Together, they create life,¡± the two foxes spoke in unison. Rebecca and Pacifica had no words, and the pair of foxes wouldn¡¯t allow them to recover as they unveiled their next trick. ¡°Borrow the fundamentals and¡­¡± Three more rhythm beasts spawned: A fox made entirely of smoke, one of ice, and another of water. ¡°There must be balance,¡± Talys spoke. ¡°Pure etude, naturally flowing,¡± Nina added. ¡°So, we can do that? This isn¡¯t some kind of weird Ethereal cheat code?¡± Rebecca pointed at the array of rhythm beasts sitting before their summoners. ¡°Indeed, this art was lost as etude was ostracized from society,¡± Nina said. ¡°A deliberate act that sought to divide and conquer,¡± Talys followed. Those words were troubling. If these two truly had lived for over 500 years, they would know better than anyone what kind of spellcraft would have been lost over time. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Learning a lost technique only reinvigorated Rebecca¡¯s zeal for this training. Having her rhythm beasts be capable of other types of magic was an exciting prospect. Rebecca turned to Pacifica. ¡°Let¡¯s go get Sho!¡± she exclaimed, tail twitching excitedly. ¡°But he¡¯s doing uh, something.¡± Pacifica wanted to try out the spellcraft as much as her fellow Resonator, but Shouri had been specifically taken to do some kind of special task. What that entailed was a mystery to the rest of the party. ¡°No need,¡± Talys interjected. ¡°The ambient rhythm of this chamber is enough to facilitate spellcraft,¡± Nina elaborated. Rebecca and Pacifica shared a skeptical glance before the fire element decided to just try it. She closed her eyes and focused on her understanding of Famiglio Incendio. She envisioned summoning one in front of her. ¡°Oh, you did it!¡± Pacifica cried out. Upon opening her eyes, Rebecca met her number one summon ¨C she knew as much due to how familiarly it greeted her, scampering up into its summoner¡¯s arms. Rebecca couldn¡¯t help but giggle at the beast¡¯s affection. Studying the various foxes their opposite, Pacifica realized there was a key piece of information in their demonstration. ¡°I understand,¡± the otter whispered her realization. Closing her eyes, Pacifica focused on casting Meravigliare Bolla, the bubble spell. She hadn¡¯t used the spell much, though that was mostly on Shouri since he directed her in battle most of the time. Either way, she had zero difficulty creating several bubbles, allowing them to float around harmlessly. With both girls confirming to themselves they could cast the spells they needed, there was only one thing left to do: piece it all together.
¡°Alright, you made me wait in here with her; what are we doing?¡± Shouri questioned upon Sarayul¡¯s entrance to the room. Shouri and Vienna stood in a smaller room in the temple. Where Taika, Pacifica, and Rebecca were assigned to lovely wood-adorned training rooms, Shouri and Vienna had been stuffed into a shed. Or at least that¡¯s what it looked like upon first inspection. At odds with the rest of the resplendent temple, this storage room had a grey uneven stone floor, with well-worn and poorly maintained walls. There was no air conditioning, and the ventilation was poor at best as it was quite stuffy in the cramped space. A single dim lamp hung above them that served the light to the tiny room. There was a massive mound of black muck piled in one of the corners. A wooden table and chair sat in the center of the space with a small bowl. Several needles and small knives were laid neatly next to the bowl ¨C the cleanest part of the entire set-up. ¡°Your task is simple ¨C you will be making Taika¡¯s medium; the object which she will channel her powers into. Not only will this act as a weapon for her to utilize in combat, but if it is crafted correctly, it will act as a proto-tuner,¡± Sarayul explained. The Maestro¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Even if my tuner gets taken away, she¡¯ll still be able to cast spells,¡± he muttered. ¡°Bingo! This process will give you a near-permanent link to her,¡± Sarayul said. The grin he wore on his face bothered Shouri, however. ¡°What¡¯s the catch?¡± Shouri asked, his eyes narrowed at the Ethereal. ¡°This process is going to be quite taxing on you,¡± the Ethereal said with a mischievous titter. He motioned to the huge pile of black sludge in the corner. ¡°You will mold 107 beads out of this clay,¡± he began. ¡°It¡¯s not normal clay,¡± Shouri said, his glare focused on the fox. ¡°Indeed, it is not. Think of it as powderized rubato crystals,¡± Sarayul told him. ¡°To get the best refinement, a particular process should be followed.¡± The fox man walked over to the mound and plucked a small amount from it. With a razor-sharp fingernail, he made a small cut on his hand and rolled the clay into a ball, his blood mixing into it as he worked. Finally, he set the completed orb on the table. In that short time, the dull lump of black clay had transformed into a shining obsidian pearl, as if it had been perfectly fired. ¡°Rhythm is life, rhythm is the soul - it flows through your body as long as you draw breath. Sound familiar?¡± Shouri hummed in thought. ¡°Just like blood,¡± he mumbled. ¡°Exactly, you get it.¡± Sarayul grinned. ¡°Why blood though?¡± Shouri questioned. The Ethereal shook his head, shrugging as he did so. ¡°You knowledge-types,¡± he said, keeping his tone even despite how outwardly annoyed he was. With a mental suggestion, the perfected bead floated from the table, slowly orbiting around its creator. ¡°Your blood gives the beads life, it becomes the beacon that links your rhythm to them, meaning your rhythm with always try to reach out to what it perceives as part of you. ¡°But the blood cells will die,¡± Shouri countered. ¡°Look kid, I can argue with you all day on this ¨C it works because I say it does, now get to rolling,¡± Sarayul growled, pointing at the mound of clay. ¡°Fine fine, whatever,¡± the Maestro relented, though was still bothered by the whole idea. Sarayul turned to leave. ¡°Remember, 107, that¡¯s the magic number.¡± And with that Vienna and Shouri had been left alone. ¡°It¡¯s blood fossilization by the way, before the blood cells actually die the clay ¡®remembers¡¯ everything about them even the little signals they send back to your rhythm network that make it part of your body,¡± the Lyrebird finally spoke up, elaborating where Sarayul had given up. ¡°Oh, he could have just fucking said that!¡± Shouri complained. The room fell quiet for a moment while the Maestro studied his tools for the day. ¡°So why are you here?¡± he questioned, breaking up the silence. ¡°Gotta make sure you don¡¯t get infected since you¡¯re gonna be slashing your hands up to make this shit,¡± she replied with a huff. It was clear to Shouri that Vienna didn¡¯t want to be here ¨C he figured Sarayul must have strong-armed her into the task. ¡°Well, I appreciate you being here so Taika can focus on her training.¡± ¡°Whatever,¡± she grumbled while rolling her eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s get to work I guess,¡± said Shouri. Chapter 142 ¡°Fuck that sucked,¡± Rebecca sighed as she trudged back to the room with Pacifica in tow. ¡°Hot tub¡­¡± Pacifica cooed, unable to exert the effort to lift her feet. ¡°Hey, let me use the bathroom first,¡± the fire fox grumbled. Evening had graced Sarayul¡¯s palace and as such training was done for the day. Thankfully they weren¡¯t on an eight-to-five grind as the training only lasted about five or so hours. At any rate even with the rhythm in the air, their bodies were physically exhausted. All their effort yielded no results, much to the two Resonator¡¯s chagrin. It should have been so easy! Nina and Talys made it look so easy! Rebecca shot a glance at her fellow Resonator as they walked along. It couldn¡¯t be something that only Ethereals could do ¨C the twins wouldn¡¯t have bothered wasting their time showing off otherwise. This WAS possible for Rebecca and Pacifica. The big question looking over them was: What were they missing? It clicked after a moment of ruminating on that thought. ¡°Duh,¡± the fire fox breathed out. ¡°Hm?¡± Pacifica looked to the smaller Resonator. ¡°Our tempo sucks,¡± Rebecca said. The pair stopped. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Pacifica stroked her chin in thought. ¡°We really don¡¯t do much together,¡± she realized. She let her gaze rise to meet Rebecca¡¯s. ¡°I mean, even when we fight you and Taika usually run off to do stuff and I hang back with Sho,¡± the otter said. ¡°You are piercing attribute, distance is kinda your thing,¡± Rebecca pointed out. ¡°Crushing wants to be in the opponent¡¯s face, and slashing is the middle man that pivots between up close and distance fighting,¡± she elaborated further. ¡°I did want to learn more from you about fighting Resonators,¡± Pacifica said with a smile, though this quickly faded. ¡°Especially if we have to fight more feroces,¡± she added, quieter. Rebecca nodded in agreement though her expression quickly clouded. ¡°How the hell am I supposed to train you?¡± she hissed to herself. Pacifica suddenly brightened, grabbing hold of her fellow Resonator¡¯s hands. ¡°Let¡¯s think about it in the hot tub!¡± An alarming proposition for the fire element. ¡°Probably not a good idea!¡± Rebecca shouted back unintentionally. ¡°Nonsense! It¡¯s plenty hot, let¡¯s go!¡± Pacifica bounded away, dragging poor Rebecca with her. ¡°I said wait damn it!¡±
Rebecca stood in the bathroom with Pacifica reclining in the hot tub. The fire Resonator had borrowed Shouri¡¯s swim shorts along with one of his spare t-shirts. Pacifica even took the time to tie Rebecca¡¯s hair up in a bun so it wouldn¡¯t get wet. Regardless, the fire element bore some trepidation getting into the oversized soup pot Pacifica was simmering in. ¡°It¡¯s so warm Rebby¡­ you¡¯d love it¡­¡± The otter was practically melting in the bubbling broth that was the hot tub. Rebecca¡¯s thoughts drifted to Re-Kindling Illness. It sucked and left her without her ad-Lib for at least a week after. ¡°Yeah, I can¡¯t do this,¡± she quickly said. She turned. Before the fire element got even two steps away, she was grabbed from behind by a soggy Pacifica. ¡°Let go! You¡¯re wet!¡± ¡°I know! It¡¯s great!¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing a real good job at fucking up our tempo!¡± ¡°Just trust me!¡± Slowly Rebecca was losing ground, despite Pacifica remaining firmly in the hot tub. ¡°Come on Rebby, stop being so stubborn!¡± Pacifica groaned. Rebecca managed to push the clingy otter off of her, spinning to face her as she made distance. ¡°Fine!¡± shouted the vixen. ¡°Just¡­ don¡¯t let¡­¡± she trailed off, turning her head away from the water element. Pacifica grinned toothily, splashing back into the hot tub. ¡°Join me! Join me!¡± she chanted. For one possessing such a strong stave of emotion, Pacifica sure could be vindictive in ignoring other people¡¯s feelings when she wanted to, Rebecca realized. Regardless, she wasn¡¯t getting out of this. At least she could try to humor her teammate ¨C they needed to deepen their tempo if they wanted to have a chance at emulating what the twin Ethereals had done today. At least that was Rebecca¡¯s running theory. Hopefully, this wouldn¡¯t be for naught. The fire fox shuffled close to the tub, furrowing her brow as she studied the bubbly water. She took in a breath and quickly released it. Cold water causes Re-Kindling. She took nice hot showers that left her refreshed. This was just a big tub of that hot water she enjoyed. She dipped a finger in the water. While it might have been hot to anyone else, for a fire element like Rebecca, it was warm. Calling it lukewarm was disingenuous, it was a comfortable warmth. ¡°Okay,¡± Rebecca gulped, her heart hammering. ¡°Here goes nothin¡¯.¡± The fox lifted a leg and dipped it into the water. She trembled initially, but¡­ it wasn¡¯t so bad. Pushing down on it, she pulled her other leg into the tub, keeping her tail high to avoid the water. Thankfully Shouri¡¯s shirt was big on her because his shorts lacked a tail hole. ¡°Sit with me!¡± Pacifica demanded, her excitement palpable. Rebecca glared at the otter, hugging her fluffy tail. ¡°It¡¯ll get wet,¡± she pointed out. ¡°I¡¯ll help you dry it! Sit with me!¡± Pacifica pointed to the spot next to her. The otter¡¯s eyes were practically shimmering with excitement. This girl was way too much. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. With a dejected sigh, Rebecca gave in once more to her pushy teammate¡¯s demands. ¡°Fine¡­¡± she acquiesced. She shuffled over and slowly lowered herself into a sitting position, shivering as she felt the water creeping up her body. It felt weird and wrong. She yipped as the water went higher than she had expected, leaving only her head and neck outside the water. Before Rebecca could start panicking, her hand was grabbed. ¡°Shhh, shhh Rebby, it¡¯s okay,¡± Pacifica whispered, her fingers interlocking with her fellow Resonator¡¯s. ¡°I know you¡¯re really strong, this won¡¯t snuff your flames, we¡¯re together.¡± Damn, Pacifica was really good at knowing exactly what to say, wasn¡¯t she? Rebecca gripped back tightly under the water, trembling as she did so. This was so crazy! Showers were one thing but this was a goddamn tub of water! She could drown! She could die! She could- ¡°Mmmrpgh!?¡± Rebecca now was no longer focused on the water, but on the pair of lips that was taking her own. Pacifica slowly backed away, licking her lips as she did so. ¡°You¡¯re nice and warm.¡± ¡°YOU AND TAIKA! WHY?!¡± Rebecca shrieked, covering her mouth. ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve kissed Taika too?¡± Pacifica tittered. ¡°Is she good? I need to get some alone time with her,¡± plotted the otter. Rebecca¡¯s face was unbearably warm as her heart rate only continued to climb. ¡°Uhg, why are you people like this?¡± the fox groaned. ¡°Do you not like it?¡± Pacifica tilted her head. Her heart rate was not meant to calm. She curled in on herself, averting her gaze from the otter. Her face reddened further, almost matching her hair in color. ¡°I¡­ really really like it,¡± Rebecca admitted. ¡°Good,¡± Pacifica sat back next to Rebecca, taking up her hand. The two sat in bubbly silence for some time. ¡°My mom said to be as greedy as I want, as long as I¡¯m not hurting anyone,¡± Pacifica spoke up. ¡°What the heck does that mean?¡± Rebecca shot her the side eye. ¡°We¡¯re all into Sho, and Sho feels the same about all of us, right?¡± Pacifica fired back a question of her own. ¡°Y-yeah,¡± Rebecca shakily admitted. ¡°Well, you and Taika are equal to Sho in my heart - I want all of us to be together forever.¡± Rebecca stared back, her eyes wide. ¡°¡­huh¡­¡± Pacifica sighed, leaning back. ¡°What do you like to do for fun?¡± she asked. ¡°Huh?¡± Rebecca wondered what that was about. ¡°Our tempo needs to be better right? Maybe we should learn a bit about each other. It might help right?¡± asked the otter. ¡°Uhh yeah, I guess.¡± Rebecca was still focused on the brazen statements the otter had delivered so effortlessly before. But she did consider her fellow Resonator¡¯s question. ¡°I like those old martial arts movies.¡± ¡°I noticed, what do you like about them?¡± asked Pacifica. ¡°Well the older ones, before all these fancy computer-generated graphics, used real trained actors who were actual martial artists. You can see their skill in their craft come out in each scene. The choreography on display is masterful. The direction of the director and the execution of the actor reminds me of a Maestro and Resonator,¡± Rebecca explained. ¡°How¡¯d you get into them?¡± Pacifica further probed. ¡°One of my old teachers made us study the forms in some old movies. I guess it¡¯s a core memory for me?¡± Rebecca shrugged. ¡°Do you have a favorite actor or director?¡± Pacifica questioned. ¡°Linda Lee is my favorite Maestro actor. She¡¯s in several big films from the 60¡¯s and kicks so much ass even though she¡¯s not a Resonator. I guess my favorite Resonator actor is Jackson Fang. He was a null-element Wolf who popularized the Null Fist style, which emphasized learning many different martial arts skills, but never actually mastering any one,¡± Rebecca continued to gush. ¡°That sounds interesting, but why never mastering any one technique?¡± wondered the otter. ¡°He said it breeds complacency to consider yourself a master of anything. Something like you stop learning if you¡¯re the master, a lot of people disagree with him, but I think I get what he was going for,¡± Rebecca mused. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Pacifica asked. ¡°You should never stop learning,¡± Rebecca smiled. ¡°Well we¡¯re with the right Maestro for that,¡± Pacifica giggled. ¡°You got that right,¡± Rebecca laughed back. The two sat for a moment, the bubbling of the jets saving them from dead silence. ¡°What about you?¡± Rebecca asked. ¡°You have to like something besides water,¡± said the fire fox. ¡°I love video games!¡± Pacifica declared boldly. ¡°I like action games, but I don¡¯t mind RPGs either. Just as long as the characters are cool or the gameplay is fun is enough for me.¡± Rebecca offered a smile back. She couldn¡¯t claim any familiarity with the subject, never having much time to get into them herself. ¡°I think you¡¯d be a fighting game demon though,¡± the otter suddenly commented. ¡°Really?¡± questioned Rebecca, furrowing her brow. ¡°Yeah! Fighting games are all about reading your opponent, lightning-fast inputs, and positioning! I¡¯m garbage at fighting games, but I think you¡¯d be crazy!¡± ¡°Huh,¡± was all Rebecca had to offer back. She had never really thought about any kind of gaming before. And it was nice to be able to talk to someone about her interests. The Renard reclined in the water. At that moment, it didn¡¯t feel half bad¡­ Chapter 143 ¡°I think we should stop for the night,¡± Vienna advised, lifting her glowing hands away from Shouri¡¯s. Shouri¡¯s hands were still shaking even after Vienna had healed them. He glared at the bowl. There were five shining obsidian pearls resting in the basin. Several dozen dull orbs lay on the ground ¨C the rejects. ¡°She better fucking appreciate this,¡± Vienna grumbled, folding her arms across her chest. ¡°You don¡¯t know Taika very well,¡± Shouri retorted. ¡°She will love these.¡± His eyes rested on the five pearls. ¡°I know she will.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± the lyrebird huffed. ¡°You¡¯re lucky I like your rhythm,¡± came the complaint. ¡°Yeah yeah.¡± Shouri rolled his eyes, rising from his seat. He stretched, groaning as he did so. He glanced back at the chair, noting the multi-hour stint he spent sat in it. ¡°Gotta remember to get up and stretch tomorrow,¡± the Maestro mused to himself. ¡°Can¡¯t have you dying by twenty,¡± Vienna said with a smug grin. ¡°You do care,¡± Shouri snarked. ¡°If you¡¯re dead, so is your rhythm,¡± the lyrebird chided him, wagging a disapproving finger. Making their way out of the workshop, the two walked in relative silence through the temple, ending back out on the outer walkway. ¡°Same time tomorrow?¡± Vienna asked. ¡°Probably, depends on when I go to bed,¡± Shouri replied. ¡°I suppose it does,¡± she replied before going her own way. Shouri sighed, slumping over. ¡°I need a drink,¡± he complained. ¡°What¡¯s wrong Sho?¡± Taika asked. The Maestro jumped, turning to face his Resonator. ¡°Man, I really do need something; didn¡¯t even realize you walked up on me,¡± he said, brushing his hair back with one hand. He looked his lunar fox up and down. The outfit looked strangely familiar, but he couldn¡¯t place where he would have seen her wearing it before. ¡°What¡¯s that madman got you in?¡± he questioned. ¡°Rhythm suppressing clothes, it¡¯s supposed to help my training he said,¡± Taika informed her Maestro. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s why I didn¡¯t sense you walking up.¡± He reached out and pinched the fabric of her robes. ¡°It¡¯s a nice material, but it must have Vatonium or some other rhythm-dampening material woven in,¡± he guessed. Taika was content to smile and listen. ¡°Let¡¯s get Rebecca and Pacifica and see what they¡¯ve cooked up for dinner,¡± Shouri said, rubbing his gut. The lunar fox nodded in agreement, her stomach growling in protest at the lack of sustenance. It had been several hours since they had breakfast. She was so focused on getting that bead through the paper that she hadn¡¯t noticed her growing hunger. ¡°How¡¯d your training go?¡± Shouri inquired as they walked. Her ears folded back and she averted her gaze. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to get it right away, but it didn¡¯t go well,¡± Taika admitted quietly. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°He wants me to put a bead through a paper target.¡± ¡°Like the ones at the MA Offices?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The pair came to a stop. Taika kept her eyes away from her Maestro as he studied her. ¡°Stay here for a sec, be right back!¡± Before she knew it, Shouri had darted away, back in the direction they had come from. He ran back not two minutes later, grabbed her hand, and placed something in it. ¡°What is it?¡± Taika asked. It was a small black pearl of some kind. It was similar to the bead she had been given to shoot at the target. ¡°What he¡¯s having me do,¡± Shouri replied. ¡°It¡¯s a bead I made by hand, apparently it should work well with your powers,¡± he further elaborated. She allowed the bead to roll around her hand. It felt nice. She rolled it up to her fingertips and studied it by touch. The surface was smooth, impossibly so, and carried a feeling similar to etude ¨C the same sort of warmth she felt when holding hands with Shouri. ¡°You made this?¡± she questioned. ¡°Yeah,¡± he said with a nod. He held out his hands, palms out. ¡°It uses a bit of my blood for each one, but supposedly it gets the best results,¡± the Maestro stated. That was a bit concerning to the fox, but his hands didn¡¯t have any cuts on them. He noticed her scrutinizing his palms. ¡°That Vienna girl healed me,¡± he spoke up. Taika nodded slowly, furrowing her brows. She had yet to meet that girl¡¯s Resonator but filed away that new factoid into the back of her mind. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s go see what Pacifica and Rebecca are up to,¡± he said, resuming their trek back to the room. ¡­ ¡°Uhhh, what happened here?¡± Shouri asked upon their return to their lodgings. ¡°Drying her tail,¡± Pacifica replied without missing a beat. Pacifica was sitting on the couch with Rebecca lying across her lap, face-down. An old martial arts movie played on the television. The otter was currently busy ruffling her fellow Resonator¡¯s tail in a towel while partaking in the aforementioned movie. ¡°Is she okay?¡± questioned the Maestro. He got a thumbs up from the face-down Rebecca. ¡°If you say so,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°I think I want to try that hot tub before we try to figure out dinner,¡± Shouri announced to the room as a whole. He pushed on the small of his back, trying to stretch out the stiffness. ¡°I¡¯m too damn young for back problems,¡± the Maestro grumbled. Before he could get away, Taika grabbed his arm. ¡°Huh?¡± He turned to find her pleading gaze. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡°Me too,¡± she mouthed, mustering up as pathetic of a pout as she possibly could. A thin smile spread across his lips. ¡°Come on,¡± he mouthed back. The pair excused themselves to the bathroom, finding their clothes bag already waiting for them. ¡°Oh,¡± Shouri realized upon finding his swim trunks and spare shirt hanging on the sink what had happened while they were gone. Taking turns, the two swapped into their respective swimming attire and slipped into the hot tub. ¡°Ahh, I needed this,¡± Shouri let out a pleasured breath as the warm jets soothed his sore back. ¡°Yeah,¡± Taika cooed, similarly relaxing next to her precious Maestro They remained that way for some time, Taika eventually resting under Shouri¡¯s arm as he stroked her hair. It was easy for the pair to lose track of time in the comfort of both the hot tub and etude. KNOCK KNOCK Shouri and Taika snapped to taking hold of each other and looking around in fright at the sudden noise. ¡°Sho! We¡¯re hungry!¡± Rebecca shouted from the other side of the door. ¡°We¡¯re going ahead!¡± Pacifica also informed them. The Maestro let out a sigh, calming his suddenly racing heart. ¡°We should probably join them,¡± he told Taika. She considered that thought for a moment before pulling herself up and kissing him. He smirked at her. ¡°Alright, we can be a couple minutes late I guess,¡± he said before wrapping his arms around her.
¡°Surprised you wanted to leave them alone like that,¡± Pacifica noted as she and Rebecca walked down to the dining hall for (hopefully) dinner. ¡°They could probably use the extra etude,¡± Rebecca replied simply. ¡°I dunno what that Ethereal is having them do, but both of them were wrung dry of rhythm,¡± she informed the otter. ¡°Really now?¡± Pacifica hummed in thought. It was at this point they entered the dining room. Just like the day before, there was already food waiting for them and her ¨C the mysterious girl, Vienna. Shouri wasn¡¯t here to stop her, so Pacifica immediately approached the strange girl. ¡°Hi Miss Vienna, was it?¡± the otter greeted the woman. She finished chewing her food and slowly set down her utensils before turning and meeting Pacifica¡¯s smile with a glare. ¡°What?¡± she asked through her teeth. The water element gulped, shifting a foot back. ¡°I er, wanted to know your history with my Maestro,¡± she managed to reply. Vienna¡¯s eye twitched. ¡°My assistance was needed because you were useless,¡± she replied. Pacifica¡¯s eyes widened as if she had been stabbed by a hidden dagger. ¡°But I, what?¡± she stammered. The tailless lyrebird continued twisting the proverbial knife as she rose to her feet. Despite being shorter than even Taika, she still managed to tower over the otter. ¡°I cleaned up the mess you created,¡± she clicked her tongue. With that said, she began to walk away. ¡°Hey!¡± Rebecca stepped in Vienna¡¯s path. ¡°What?¡± Vienna sneered. ¡°What yourself? The fuck¡¯s your problem?¡± growled the vixen. Vienna studied Rebecca for a moment before exhaling sharply through her nose. ¡°Barely passable,¡± she mumbled, brushing past the fox and leaving the room. As soon as Vienna was out of earshot, Rebecca stomped the ground, scorching the wood floor underneath her. ¡°She¡¯s so lucky she¡¯s a Maestro or I¡¯d caved her stupid skull in,¡± the Resonator snarled. ¡°Useless¡­¡± Pacifica remained rooted in place. Instead of chasing after the mystery woman, Rebecca stepped over to Pacifica and placed a hand on her back. ¡°Hey,¡± she said. ¡°Useless¡­¡± Pacifica repeated. ¡°Cut that out,¡± Rebecca whispered, rubbing her fellow Resonator¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We were caught off guard and we-¡± ¡°No,¡± Pacifica cut her off. ¡°It¡¯s not good enough.¡± Rebecca glared at the otter. Pacifica refused her teammate¡¯s gaze. ¡°Then we train,¡± stated the fox. ¡°Train?¡± Pacifica raised her head. ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can to help you get stronger, or at least have a better battle sense,¡± Rebecca told her. ¡°That sounds like a good idea,¡± Shouri¡¯s voice startled the two Resonators, who had been focused entirely on each other. ¡°What happened?¡± he asked. Rebecca explained the situation with their training and Vienna¡¯s comment. Shouri nodded, grunting in annoyance. He placed a hand on Pacifica¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Vienna ¨C she has unrealistic standards on how strong Resonators should be,¡± he said. This didn¡¯t help Pacifica¡¯s mood, so Shouri continued, ¡°That being said, if this is something you want, I¡¯ll support you one hundred percent.¡± That earned a smile from the otter, who stepped forward and hugged him tightly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a dead weight.¡± He returned the hug. ¡°You¡¯re not. Even if you told me you never wanted to fight again, I¡¯d still keep you by my side,¡± whispered the Maestro. Rebecca joined the hug. ¡°You¡¯re stronger than you give yourself credit for,¡± the fire element added. Finally, Taika completed the group hug. ¡°Don¡¯t beat yourself up over something some nobody said,¡± the lunar added. Despite the tears that spilled, nobody mistook her true feelings ¨C not with the big smile Pacifica wore. Chapter 144 Rebecca awoke on the seventh of August, particularly unrested. The day prior she had committed to helping the water element of their party in basic combat exercises. While the fire vixen was proficient in battle herself, she only knew it from the lens of her element and attribute ¨C Fire/Null. Not only was Pacifica one of the ¡°Noble Attributes¡±, being Piercing, but her element was Rebecca¡¯s opposite. Shouri had the theory down pat ¨C his command of her was masterful. Anything he didn¡¯t know he learned. Any mistake was quickly studied, scrutinized, and corrected. All without a word to anyone. Taika didn¡¯t have theory, but she didn¡¯t need it ¨C she was a natural-born fighter. Her instinct served her well and matched with her stubborn willpower¡­ well it was no stretch of the imagination to say she was a hell of a force. Pacifica though¡­ she was just some city girl ¨C by her own admission. This was going to be tough. The fire fox ruminated on this problem, sticking close to Shouri to get a more direct etude through everyone waking up and breakfast. Finally, she left her mind palace when it was time for them to split up for the day. ¡°Relax Rebecca,¡± were Shouri¡¯s parting words to her. ¡°Rebby, are you okay?¡± Pacifica asked, her brows turned up with worry. Looking around, Rebecca got a grasp on where she was and had been doing. Her gaze fell back on the concerned otter. ¡°Er, yeah I think,¡± she mumbled. She studied her counterpart, her eyes tracing the otter¡¯s silhouette. ¡°Hmmm,¡± Rebecca hummed, stroking her chin in thought. ¡°Hold still for me.¡± Without elaborating, Rebecca closed the distance between them, running her hands down the other girl¡¯s body. ¡°H-hey!¡± Pacifica squeaked, squirming from the sudden sensitive touch. ¡°I said hold still!¡± Rebecca snapped. Pacifica obeyed. ¡°Hmmm, you¡¯re definitely a Piercing attribute,¡± Rebecca mused, running a pair of fingers down the other girl¡¯s thighs. ¡°Why do you say that?¡± the otter asked, whilst biting her bottom lip in an attempt to distract herself from twitching too much. Rebecca stood up straight, stepping back (much to Pacifica¡¯s relief). ¡°The Noble Attributes ¨C Slashing, Piercing, and Crushing affect not only your spellcraft but how your body is built. Since you¡¯re a Piercing attribute your body is smaller and nimbler. You get a little bit of speed in exchange for attack power,¡± the fox informed the otter. Pacifica nodded. ¡°I remember you saying something about that when we watched that snake guy in Kalanichi,¡± she recalled. ¡°Right, it¡¯s a bit of a crafty trick, but you can sort of fake other attributes by either having a Resonator lose or gain weight and muscle mass. It¡¯s usually not worth it, but in some instances, you can fake it to the point where your Resonator appears as a different species altogether,¡± Rebecca explained. She furrowed her brows. She knew the theory but had no idea where to start in actually training a Piercing attribute for battle. It was the problem she had been ruminating all morning. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to that room,¡± Rebecca suggested. ¡°Okay,¡± Pacifica easily agreed. The pair made their way back to the training room they had used yesterday. Nina and Talys were there waiting for the duo. ¡°Shall we pick back up where we left off yesterday?¡± Nina asked. ¡°Perhaps your efforts will bear fruit today,¡± Talys chimed in. ¡°Nah, get you two.¡± Rebecca waved the two Ethereals off. They stared back like the Renard was an alien. ¡°I¡¯m serious,¡± she asserted. ¡°I need to train her myself. Thanks for your guidance, I¡¯m gonna do it myself.¡± Before the Ethereals could argue with the mortal fox, they were pushed out of the room, the door being slammed behind them. ¡°Don¡¯t call us! We¡¯ll call you!¡± they heard Rebecca shout from the other side. ¡°What say you, Nina?¡± Talys asked his counterpart. ¡°I say they gave us a vacation, Talys.¡± Nina smirked. ¡°Oh goodie! When was the last time we had a proper vacation?¡± ¡°1952 I believe.¡± ¡°Ah yes, we should certainly take advantage of this situation.¡± And with that, the pair of five-tailed foxes were off to plan their own little outing. Back in the room, the new trainer stood before her student. ¡°Alright, first thing¡¯s first, let¡¯s establish a baseline in what you can do,¡± Rebecca began. ¡°Uhhh, was that a good idea, Rebby?¡± Pacifica¡¯s focus was locked on the door where their teachers had been thrown out. She didn¡¯t get any more time to consider the fate of the two small fox Ethereals, as Rebecca grabbed her head and forced her to pay attention. ¡°Focus,¡± Rebecca said. ¡°A chain is only as strong as its weakest link,¡± she warned. Pacifica averted her gaze, unable to move her head her eyes retreated to the corners of their sockets. ¡°I knew it,¡± she mumbled. ¡°I¡¯m not going to lie to you,¡± Rebecca said bluntly. ¡°But if you¡¯re our weakest and stronger than most people, that doesn¡¯t matter,¡± she continued. The otter slowly nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t really have dreams of being better than you or Taika,¡± she admitted, gripping the trim of her vest, her fists trembling. ¡°I just want to protect Sho. I just want to keep up,¡± she spoke quieter. ¡°That¡¯s the plan.¡± Rebecca released her captive. ¡°And we¡¯ll start with some basic forms. Punches, kicks, grabs ¨C your goal when someone gets close to you is to immediately make distance. You¡¯re a piercer, so you want to keep your enemies as far away from you as possible,¡± the fire Resonator explained. Pacifica frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m cut out for that,¡± she whimpered. ¡°Nah, you got the muscles for it,¡± Rebecca assured her. ¡°Again, your game plan should be to keep people away from you. Unlike me and those other people you saw at Nationals, you should either run or if you end up in a grapple, toss them away and maintain distance,¡± she continued. The otter shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t really get it,¡± she admitted. Rebecca was growing tired of the pity party. She took in a deep breath and released it. ¡°Okay you, I¡¯m not wasting my breath. You¡¯re going to learn this shit. I know you have potential; you got the rhythm sense for it.¡± Pacifica ceased her protesting, succumbing with a nod. Satisfied with that, Rebecca began her explanation anew. ¡°Your job on the battlefield is to play keep away, as in you need to keep yourself the hell away from your opponent.¡± Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡°How do I do that?¡± Pacifica asked quietly. Rebecca tapped the otter¡¯s leg with her foot. ¡°You got two of these, use them.¡± There was a moment of silence between the pair. When it was clear that Rebecca wasn¡¯t joking the otter spoke up, ¡°You¡¯re serious.¡± ¡°Play to your strengths. I was trained to kick people¡¯s heads in because my body and skills aligned that way, you need to run away so you can whittle your opponent down with time,¡± Rebecca stated, recalling other resonators similar to Pacifica she had worked with in the past. The piercing attribute in question considered that thought. Even Shouri utilized her that way, keeping her on the sidelines to use her spells on enemy Scherzando. ¡°How do I even train that?¡± Pacifica pondered aloud. ¡°You need two things: aim and endurance,¡± Rebecca replied simply. Aim made sense, all the positioning in the world wouldn¡¯t help her if she couldn¡¯t hit anything. It was the second item that puzzled the water element. ¡°Endurance? Why endurance?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re constantly running around and repositioning yourself it does you no good if you get tired,¡± Rebecca pointed out. ¡°Oh duh.¡± Pacifica felt silly even asking that. Another shared silence. ¡°You¡¯re really smart Rebby,¡± Pacifica managed to crack a smile. ¡°Nah, I¡¯ve just been through some shit. A lot of shit actually. Too much shit.¡± Rebecca considered what she was saying for a moment. ¡°God, I need a break,¡± complained the fox, allowing her shoulders to catch slack. And that¡¯s how Rebecca and Pacifica ended up doing thirty laps around the temple.
Taika meanwhile had returned to her training for the day. Sarayul was nowhere to be seen, but she had been left to her own devices the day before. However the difference today was Taika was armed with a new weapon: the bead Shouri gave her the day before. Drawing it from her robes, she examined the little pearl her Maestro made for her. It was warm. Not from its storage in her pocket, but from the link Shouri provided the stone. She could feel the thinnest string of rhythm snaking from it to its maker. From what he said he was making many more of these too; an exciting prospect. She needed to control the bead, to guide it through the air up to the paper target which hung unchallenged on the ceiling. The problem remained from yesterday ¨C the clothing she was dressed in was suppressing her rhythm. On day two of her training, she had been successfully sapped of her body¡¯s residual rhythm. Put another way, she no longer possessed the shell of rhythm that dampened physical and magical attacks. If she got into a fight in this state she¡¯d be easily overwhelmed by even low-level spells. It was a frightening idea, if not for the fact that they were on top of one of the tallest mountains in Unis-R¨¦sonne. Taika focused the little bit of rhythm she could pull out of her body towards the stone. This was an easy-to-achieve feat now that she wasn¡¯t bursting at the seams with rhythm. The affair was far more strenuous on her body though as she was tapping into the rhythm that made up her actual life force now. That was to say, this training could easily kill her if she wasn¡¯t careful and pushed herself too hard. In the same respect, failing to master this technique would end with the same result. The only solution was to learn to properly control her powers. To master the ability to move objects with her mind. Getting the stone to float took some effort but there was gravity. It was nothing special, just the usual amount of Riterran gravity. Even so, it taxed the fox as if she was power-lifting weights. Clack clack clack The bead bounced on the ground while Taika panted hard, the sweat dripping from her brow. This was difficult. She glared at the black shining pearl, her eyes flowing with stubborn blue Willpower as she focused on pulling it back up to her hand with her skill. All she achieved for the effort was getting it to spin and shoot around the floor. The girl grunted, suppressing the tears of frustration that wanted to spill. Even so, she carried on. Failure was not an option. She was Shouri¡¯s most trusted blade and she was going to sharpen herself to the finest point or die trying.
Clack! A sixth black pearl (the seventh total) joined the rest of the beads in the bowl where Shouri was keeping them. ¡°This hurts,¡± Shouri grunted, studying his bloody hands. His gaze drifted to the clear tuner sitting on the table nearby. While he had the process down for forming the beads, getting them to a completed state took time as well as resources from his body. With resignation, Shouri took hold of the tuner. ¡°La Bella Vita, Allegro,¡± he called out. Vienna snapped up rushing over to the table to perform the healing spell on her Maestro. Shouri¡¯s self-inflicted injury healed, Vienna stepped away again to allow him to resume work. ¡°Oh.¡± He shot a nasty glare at the lyrebird. ¡°Stop insulting them,¡± he scolded her. ¡°What do you mean?¡± She raised a brow. ¡°I know you¡¯ve been saying shit to them.¡± Shouri grabbed a bit of rubato clay. ¡°Cut it out, or I¡¯m cutting you off,¡± he warned. ¡°Mad I¡¯m telling the truth?¡± she snarked back. ¡°I¡¯m serious Vienna.¡± His gaze returned to the clear-bodied tuner, his eyes resting in the shiny red override button. A gesture not lost on the null element. She snorted, smirking. ¡°I¡¯d like to see you try,¡± the wingless bird challenged. His eyes remained on the button. The smirk faded from her lips. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± ¡°One day you might wake up and have no idea who Shouri Tomoshibi is,¡± he said, resuming work on his next bead. ¡°Just some food for thought.¡± ¡°Hrmph,¡± Vienna huffed, a bitter glare escaping the Maestro¡¯s vision. If it weren¡¯t for them, he could be hers. This did nothing more than further drive a wedge between her and them. Revealing herself would do no good either ¨C she knew he¡¯d dump her in a heartbeat if she did something so foolish. She took in a breath and slowly released it. The long game, that¡¯s what she was after. ¡°Fine,¡± she mumbled bitterly. Shouri remained focused on his work, either failing to hear her or refusing to acknowledge that he did. Chapter 145 ¡°Please¡­ have mercy, Rebby,¡± Pacifica whined as she trudged after her teacher. The poor otter was pouring sweat, her meshy swimsuit soaked for the effort exerted. ¡°My god, you¡¯re as out of shape as Shouri is,¡± Rebecca commented, jogging in place. The pair had been running circles around the perimeter of the temple for the better part of a few hours. Rebecca was a cruel, but fair trainer ¨C she allowed breaks, but only when she determined Pacifica was at her breaking point. Once the otter had recovered an acceptable amount it was back on the grind. ¡°Am NOT!¡± the otter shrieked. ¡°You¡¯re just insane!¡± she protested, throwing an accusatory finger at the fox. ¡°Hey, you wanted to get good, well it doesn¡¯t just happen overnight!¡± the fox argued back, rolling her eyes while folding her arms across her chest. They remained standing in the middle of the outer fields for a few minutes, Pacifica still attempting to catch her breath while Rebecca waited. It wasn¡¯t that Pacifica was out of shape. On the contrary, she was actually in very good shape. She just lacked endurance outside of the water. Rebecca also suspected Fisher of the Sea, Pacifica¡¯s unique species trait, helped her cheat the physical act of swimming. Either way, most of their confrontations occurred on land, so they would train on land, and that was final. That being said, Rebecca noted it was getting ¡°late¡±, seeing the blue of the sky box take on a more orange tint. ¡°We should probably head back.¡± She motioned for the front gate. ¡°Bath,¡± Pacifica sighed wearily, trudging behind her fellow Resonator. ¡°Yeah yeah, let¡¯s go,¡± Rebecca led the way back into the temple grounds. The walk back was quiet, Rebecca¡¯s ears tuned to Pacifica¡¯s heavy footsteps and tail sliding on the ground behind her. She had to be hard on her ¨C they didn¡¯t have the luxury of messing around. Not just because of the possibility of fighting Whistler again, but other enemies. The goons at the O¡¯Naer airport also came to mind as well as Taika¡¯s mysterious ¡°caretakers¡±. There were plenty of strong people out there, and while Rebecca didn¡¯t fancy herself a fighter, she had a new goal in life: To defend this new family of hers to the last breath. She knew Pacifica and Taika both felt the same. ¡°I want to be able to put them down ¨C with overwhelming force.¡± There was no need to confirm her feelings with Shouri, either ¨C Rebecca knew how he felt. Their hearts all beat as one. If the world became their enemy¡­ ¡­well then that¡¯d be the end of this world, now wouldn¡¯t it?
¡°At this rate, you¡¯ll be done in a few weeks,¡± Vienna noted, eying the ten-strong cluster of beads in the bowl while she patched up Shouri¡¯s hands for the final time that day. Like the day prior there were assorted ¡°failures¡± littering the ground. About the same number as yesterday. Shouri was frustrated ¨C Vienna gathered that much from his rhythm. ¡°I¡¯ll have to see how Taika liked the one I gave her yesterday,¡± Shouri chuckled hollowly. ¡°Hopefully this isn¡¯t a waste of my goddamn time,¡± he mumbled, glaring at the bowl. Vienna rolled her eyes. ¡°Same time tomorrow?¡± she asked. ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± he replied. ¡°Don¡¯t keep me waiting.¡± ¡°Yeah yeah, the addict needs her fix.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the last one I want to hear that from, Shouri Tomoshibi.¡± With that, the two departed the storeroom and went their separate ways. The rubato clay he had been working with was a fascinating material. He hadn¡¯t gotten a chance to research it online yet. Was it used in the production of Vatonium? Or perhaps it had some other use in building materials? No, it stored rhythm ¨C it wasn¡¯t an insulator. It wouldn¡¯t make a very good building material in that case. It seemed more fitting as a weapon. Scherzando could be dispatched utilizing any material made with it and charged with the appropriate amount of rhythm. Which was why Sarayul was having him make them. The rhythm inside gave it durability, maybe even pseudo-healing properties? But the big thing it did was make it a functional weapon against Scherzando in theory. Hunts were about to become even easier once Taika mastered her ad-Lib. She would be able to rend Scherzando apart with just her rhythm and her beads. It was insane to think about ¨C two of his trio of Resonators could fight all on their own in an emergency. He could focus on command of Pacifica and not worry about Taika or Rebecca in the short term. ¡°Sho?¡± Speaking of, the lunar vixen stood in his path. ¡°Ah, Taika.¡± He couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°How was your training today?¡± he asked. She grunted and frowned. ¡°Non so,¡± the fox mumbled. ¡°It¡¯s hard,¡± she admitted. Shouri nodded, he reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Keep at it, any new skill takes time to understand, and much more to master,¡± he offered. Her tail wagged as a smile rose on her lips. She stepped forward and gently pecked her Maestro¡¯s lips. No words were needed after that, they both understood one another. With that, they made their way back to their lodgings. Rebecca was already there, in her pajamas, her hair wrapped up in a towel. The usual programming was on; an old movie channel, though today she was watching an old Lyberteran western. ¡°Is Pacifica-?¡± Shouri was cut off ¡°-in the bath? Yeah.¡± Rebecca said, motioning to the closed bathroom. ¡°Put her through hell, she¡¯s gonna sleep like a pup tonight,¡± the fire fox chuckled, her focus remaining on the movie. Shouri and Taika joined their companion on the couch. ¡°What about you?¡± Shouri questioned. ¡°What about me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re helping Pacifica, are you okay with that?¡± Rebecca chewed on that thought while continuing to watch her stories. ¡°Maybe,¡± she decided after a moment. The trio fell silent, the movie playing on without care for their discussion. ¡°Wanna talk about it?¡± Shouri offered. ¡°Still gathering my thoughts,¡± she replied off the cuff. The Maestro nodded slowly. ¡°I understand.¡± Before he could get up and leave, Rebecca grabbed his hand and kept him in place. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°It¡¯s nothing you did wrong.¡± Rebecca¡¯s gaze remained fixed on the screen in front of them. ¡°Nothing Taika or Pacifica did either,¡± she added. Neither Shouri nor Taika had a response to that. ¡°I just am thinking about a lot right now, that¡¯s all,¡± mumbled the fire fox. Shouri pulled her into a side hug. ¡°Take your time,¡± he whispered. She smiled. ¡°Thanks.¡± With Rebecca sorted out, Shouri turned to Taika. ¡°Wanna lay down for a bit?¡± he asked, motioning towards the large bed. ¡°Do you even have to ask?¡± the vixen replied with a coy smirk.
Dinner came around, but not in the way that any of the trainees had expected. KNOCK KNOCK ¡°Hm?¡± Rebecca perked up. Pacifica was lying on the couch next to her, zoned out. Meanwhile, Shouri and Taika had sat up in bed, groggily staring at the door. KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK Rebecca grunted, seeing how she was the only one who was actually functioning hopped to her feet. She trudged to the door and threw it open. Who was standing there caused Rebecca to cock a brow. ¡°Why are you here?¡± she asked. ¡°Where are Nina and Talys?¡± asked Sarayul, looking none too pleased to be there. ¡°I dunno,¡± Rebecca said with a shrug. ¡°I left them with you,¡± the Ethereal pointed out. The fire element mulled that over. Another annoyed grunt escaped the Resonator¡¯s nostrils. ¡°They said something about taking a vacation. Didn¡¯t think they¡¯d seriously do it,¡± she informed the nine-tailed fox. She watched the millennia-old fox pale. ¡°But¡­ they can¡¯t take a vacation!¡± he shouted. ¡°Why not?¡± Shouri asked, joining his Resonator at the door. ¡°Who is going to cook dinner?!¡± Shouri and Rebecca looked at one another, then back towards the bed where Taika sat. ¡°Che?¡± chirped the innocent fox.
¡°This¡­ is a lot¡­¡± Taika blinked. Shouri, Taika, and Rebecca stood in the kitchen. Pacifica had chosen to remain in their room as she was still exhausted from Rebecca¡¯s boot camp. ¡°So, what do we do first?¡± Rebecca asked the ¡°expert¡± amongst them. ¡°Uhhh¡­¡± Taika blinked. The kitchen they stood in defied their expectations. Despite the traditional wood d¨¦cor most of the rest of the temple possessed, it was no stretch of the imagination that they were standing in a modern kitchen. Not just a modern kitchen either, the facility in which they stood was comparable to a commercial kitchen in size and quality. The ranges on the stoves were restaurant quality. There were four industrial-sized refrigerators. An open door at the far end of the room was a second large storage space that seemed to be a pantry based on what they could see from their current vantage point. Plenty of counter space greeted them alongside every conceivable kitchen appliance they could think of (and many they couldn¡¯t). ¡°What do I do?¡± Taika asked Rebecca. ¡°Why are you asking me?! You¡¯re the cook!¡± the fire Resonator shouted. Shouri stepped between them. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s split up and find out what we¡¯re working with here,¡± he decided for the unfocused foxes. And so, they split up. Taika vanished into the pantries, Rebecca scoped out the appliances, and Shouri checked out the contents of the refrigerators. Taika discovered an insane amount of dry goods for any dish she could think of; potatoes, rice, and even things she wasn¡¯t familiar with such as raw beans were present and accounted for. Shouri not only found a wide array of perishable ingredients such as meats and cheeses but also enough snacks to kill a man a hundred times over (presumably for Sarayul). And Rebecca just played with fire for about five minutes until they had to reconvene. ¡°Alright gang, what¡¯s the verdict?¡± Shouri questioned his two foxes. ¡°I need to learn more about food,¡± Taika mumbled, her ears folded back and tail curled around her leg. Shouri nodded. He looked at Rebecca. ¡°And you?¡± ¡°The appliances work,¡± she added helpfully. Another nod from Shouri. ¡°Good work,¡± he decided to humor her. ¡°Okay here¡¯s the plan¡­¡±
Sarayul stared at his dinner for the evening: a cheeseburger and fries. It was not something he claimed familiarity with. Perhaps once or twice he had the Lyberteran classic, he was used to meals served on the Yazhou Steppe. He had fond memories of the vast, temperate grasslands he once conquered as a mortal Resonator. The flat, treeless expanse receiving little in the form of rain limited the types of meals one could make. In his day it led to the farming of domesticated animals. However, such a lifestyle was impossible now thanks to the extinction of nearly all life on the planet. ¡°Do you not like it?¡± Taika asked, snapping the immortal out of his thoughts. ¡°It looks wonderful, you may go,¡± he waved her away. Taika frowned, the Ethereal seemed to always be so silent unless he was instructing her on something. Thanks to Shouri¡¯s etude, her curiosity itched something fierce, so she couldn¡¯t help but try scratching it. ¡°What was it like?¡± she asked. ¡°Hm?¡± the Ethereal hummed, glancing up from his meal. ¡°We went to a museum before and they said the meat we have isn¡¯t real. I was just curious about what it was like before all the mundane animals¡­ uh¡­ died,¡± Taika elaborated. A thin, melancholic smile rose on the man¡¯s lips. ¡°Oh, my child.¡± Sarayul shook his head. ¡°How I wish you could have beheld their majesty. They were such beautiful divine creatures,¡± he waxed poetic. ¡°We took them for granted and Lord Cievo took away his gift to us.¡± Another pitying shake of his head. ¡°There were lots of them then?¡± Taika guessed. ¡°As many wonderful creatures as you can imagine, and many more you couldn¡¯t,¡± the Ethereal sighed wistfully. ¡°I digress,¡± he said suddenly. ¡°This will suffice for dinner ¨C you may go,¡± he repeated his earlier dismissal. With that wave off, Taika took her leave. For some reason, she had the feeling of loneliness from him. Ethereals were strange. Why did they live forever? ¡­did they even want to? Chapter 146 August 8th began how most days usually did for Shouri Tomoshibi, waking up surrounded by his friends. Rebecca and Pacifica were whispering amongst themselves, but Shouri was still groggy and couldn¡¯t quite make out what the two girls were chatting about. Taika was the last one to return to consciousness as always. Given that she was forced to wear those rhythm-suppressing robes even to bed, she woke the past couple of mornings coated in a lovely layer of sweat. They were thick and more suited for a colder environment such as a mountain trail and not a temperature-controlled cave world. While Pacifica took two to three showers a day, Taika wasn¡¯t used to such a rigorous cleaning routine and was growing weary of it. In the same respect though, she hated feeling dirty and used every opportunity to clean herself if she sensed it. ¡°Mmmrpgh¡­¡± Speaking of, the lunar fox herself joined her friends in the waking world, irritated by the state of her body post-sleep. ¡°Mrrrpgh,¡± she grunted again in annoyance. ¡°Shower?¡± Pacifica asked hopefully. ¡°Me first,¡± Taika grumbled. ¡°Fine,¡± Pacifica mumbled, taking compensation in the form of more cuddles with Shouri. ¡°Don¡¯t I get a say in this?¡± Shouri asked. ¡°No,¡± replied the three girls in tandem. Taika and Pacifica took their respective showers, after which the group made their way down to the kitchen. They had no way of knowing when Nina and/or Talys would return, so they were running on the assumption that it would be up to their group to make meals until the twins showed up again. As usual, their trek through the temple was a lonely one. Sarayul rarely left his chamber, the quartet had discovered. It was certainly a surprise when he had made the effort to meander over to their sleeping quarters yesterday evening to beg for dinner. ¡°I thought Ethereals didn¡¯t need to eat,¡± Shouri mused to himself. ¡°Hm?¡± Rebecca looked up from the pan she was attending to on the stove. ¡°Sarayul took the time to come to our room last night and have us make him dinner, but it¡¯s not like he can starve to death,¡± the Maestro pointed out. ¡°Oh yeah, they are immortal, aren¡¯t they?¡± the fire Resonator looked around the impressive kitchen. ¡°Why the heck do they need all of this?¡± questioned the fox. ¡°Good fucking question,¡± Shouri grumbled, glancing down at a tuner displaying the breakfast recipes this morning. Shouri reprised his role as manager of the chaos, and in doing so, there was enough breakfast to go around. ¡°Why six plates?¡± Taika wondered, raising a brow at the additional plate of food. ¡°Vienna is still here as far as I¡¯m aware,¡± Shouri replied simply. For this answer, he earned a few looks and snorts of indignation from the girls. It was no wonder, Vienna was doing a stellar job in alienating herself from his group. Not his problem. ¡°You all dig in, I¡¯ll take care of these,¡± Shouri took up the two plates not designated to his group and left the kitchen to deliver the goods. He happened to pass by Vienna in the hallway. ¡°Here,¡± he said, handing off the food to her. She accepted the meal but made no verbal reply and the two went their separate ways. Sarayul was where he usually was, sitting in front of his television. Shouri approached without a waver in his step. He stood behind the Ethereal for a moment, watching what was playing on the TV. It was a Lyberteran morning talk show. ¡°Eclipse¡¯s new single ¡®Gonna Make You Magnetic¡¯ is topping the music charts this week.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no surprise really, Mandalynn being not only a chart-topping musician but the Resonator of Grand Master Steve makes her a double threat in both the battle and musical worlds.¡± ¡°I wonder what this sassy little vixen can¡¯t do!¡± Shouri cleared his throat. ¡°You could have just left the plate there,¡± Sarayul spoke, keeping his gaze fixed on the screen. ¡°Fair enough I guess,¡± Shouri said, his eyes resting on the sensitive ears adorning the nine-tailed fox¡¯s head. The Maestro did as instructed and left the plate behind the Ethereal, though he stole a glance at the television once again. A sample of the song the talk show hosts were talking about playing in the background ¡°Ooh - storms I feel metallic Magnetic And I''m dancing because you''re kinetic¡± ¡°Metallic, metallic boy Now I can''t find the tempest without you. You don''t wanna be stuck indoors quaking. And when you''re gone I feel processive¡± ¡°Magnetic Will you hold me tight and not go shivering Not go shivering I just wanna be part of your metals¡± Shouri wasn¡¯t one to listen to music on the regular, but he could certainly appreciate the choreography on display. A lilac-haired vixen danced as she sang, her outfit loud, idolic. It spoke to how she wanted to be perceived ¨C one who craved the eyes of the audience. With that in mind, it was unsurprising that she ended up as the Resonator of a Grand Master. As people who are on the top of the battling world, they can have any Resonator they want. Getting oneself an idol pop star as your Resonator must be easy for you if your credentials are that of a Grand Master. Either way, Mandalynn looked happy enough as she sang. As strange as it was, he could sense her heart through just the sample of the song she sang. Her heart was heavy, yet¡­ ¡°Bright as a sunny day,¡± Sarayul spoke up, snapping Shouri out of his thoughts. ¡°She would have made an excellent general,¡± he mused. ¡°You think so?¡± Shouri braved asking. ¡°Of course. An army whose heart is moved crushes one whose is not,¡± the Ethereal waxed poetic. Shouri considered those words. ¡°I see,¡± he mumbled. With the breakfast delivered, he didn¡¯t feel any further need to hang around and took his leave. ¡°I don¡¯t have to explain that to you, though,¡± Sarayul chuckled once the Maestro was out of earshot.
Taika stood in the training hall once more, her gaze cast ceiling-ward as she studied the target hanging defiantly above her. She prepared her bead, ready for another day of training her ad-Lib. ¡°What in the stars do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Sarayul¡¯s voice hit Taika suddenly, eliciting a flinch and a ruffle of her tail fur. ¡°Training?¡± she offered, attempting to calm her now racing heart. ¡°Child, do you not know what today is?¡± he asked, leaning against the doorframe to the hall. ¡°Uhhh, Saturday?¡± she guessed. ¡°Well, no, it¡¯s Wednesday, but besides that,¡± he allowed her another guess. ¡°I dunno,¡± the fox-girl frowned. ¡°It¡¯s Lunar Hero¡¯s Day,¡± he replied. Taika blinked. She turned back towards the target, attempting to resume her training. Before she could, however, the bead flew from her hand and into Sarayul¡¯s. ¡°Daft child, go spend the day with your Maestro,¡± he scolded her, shaking his head. To doubly ensure she¡¯d listen, the target was torn from the ceiling and flew into his grasp. ¡°I mean it,¡± spoke the Ethereal as he walked away. ¡°You¡¯re the one that told me to train,¡± huffed the vixen. However, Shouri¡¯s itchy curiosity did get the better of her. She recalled Dr. Miya had told her before that a healing fox was the Lunar Hero¡¯s partner. Perhaps she could learn more about that while she had a day to idle around with her beloved Maestro. With a sigh, she focused on her bond with him. Given her rhythm-deprived state, her body was naturally craving rhythm. She had noticed her rhythmic sense was much sharper than usual. Perhaps for greedy reasons such as filling the void left by the constant strain on her rhythm network. She wouldn¡¯t complain about having a clearer idea of where Shouri was at all times. He wasn¡¯t too far from her; though, she also felt the lines that connected her to Pacifica and Rebecca just as strongly. Had those always been there? Either way, she was easily able to track Shouri down. She found him wandering the hallways, irritated as always. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Sho?¡± Taika spoke up, snapping the boy from his thoughts. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Sarayul locked the storage room, so I can¡¯t make any more beads today,¡± he grumbled. Taika couldn¡¯t help but smile. They both shared similar sentiments regarding their forced day off. ¡°Me too,¡± she told him. ¡°So what do you want to do today?¡± asked the Maestro. ¡°Well, I kinda wanted to know about the Lunar Hero,¡± she admitted. Shouri hummed in thought, furrowing his brow. He didn¡¯t know much about the enigmatic seventh hero himself. As with most other topics regarding Luna or the lunar element, information was sparse and or avoided altogether on Riterra. He recalled in school they glossed over the Lunar Hero¡¯s involvement summing up their involvement as ¡°they sure were there, probably¡±. ¡°I wonder¡­¡± he stroked his chin. ¡°Come on,¡± he waved Taika along to follow. The pair walked around the temple for some time, poking their heads into various rooms. What they discovered was there were quite a few bedrooms like their own. Way too many for the number of people that visited this place. Finally, they found the place Shouri was looking for. ¡°Woah¡­¡± Taika gasped as they stepped in. Huge shelves greeted their vision and stacked neatly on their many rows were books. Hundreds, if not thousands of them. It smelled of old wood (perhaps a little bit of a mildewy scent), with a hint of vanilla? What information could the library of an Ethereal possibly hold? There was only one way to find out. Both book nerds stepped in, eyes filled with wonder. Taika grabbed Shouri¡¯s hand, not wanting to be apart from him despite her raging curiosity trying to get the better of her. While Shouri was in pursuit of academic affairs, the romantic in Taika wondered if there were books of her preferred genre in these hallowed halls. Either way, they were about to learn, one way or another. The pair made their way up and down the rows, the spines advertising their information in languages long lost to the Riterran people. Unfortunately, Shouri discovered that Cunei¡¯s grace didn¡¯t extend to the written word, as Taika could not decipher the titles of the tomes contained within the library. ¡°That¡¯s weird,¡± Taika furrowed her brow while holding a book. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Shouri asked. ¡°These books feel¡­ like they have rhythm¡­¡± she trailed off, her gaze rising to meet Shouri¡¯s. ¡°Rhythm script!¡± they exclaimed in tandem.
¡°Come on! I want to see you sweat!¡± Rebecca barked, flying backward with her flaming heels propelling her along. Pacifica was running as fast as she could manage, sweat pouring from all over, and her jaw locked as tight as she could will it to. ¡°And that¡¯s five minutes, break!¡± The otter immediately collapsed on herself, rolling across the grass in a heap. Shouri and Taika watched the whole spectacle unfold from the sidelines. ¡°Uhhh, are we interrupting something?¡± the Maestro of the group raised a brow. Rebecca glanced at the unmoving otter for a moment. ¡°No,¡± decided the fox. ¡°What¡¯s up, Sho?¡± she asked. ¡°No, I want this explained first,¡± he demanded, pointing at the exhausted water element. ¡°Endurance training.¡± Rebecca looked Shouri up and down. ¡°You could probably use it too,¡± she muttered. ¡°I¡¯ll pass for now,¡± he decided that pressing Rebecca any further was a good way to end up like Pacifica. ¡°Just don¡¯t hurt her,¡± came the advisory. ¡°We¡¯re done for the day, actually. Varying the training methods is good for the mind and body. Can¡¯t just do one type of exercise all the time, not how you build flexible muscles.¡± Rebecca nodded. ¡°Is that how you trained?¡± Taika asked, taking her turn at pointing to the body formerly known as Pacifica. Rebecca shook her head. ¡°Hell no, but we did do rhythm versions of this style of training,¡± the fire element chuckled. Pacifica extended her arms out as if presenting an object to Rebecca (while remaining face-down in the dirt). The fire fox chuckled. ¡°No need to get crass, Paci.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Taika raised a brow, not getting it. ¡°Holding your hands out like this-¡± Shouri presented his hands to Taika, palms up as if holding an invisible object between them. ¡°-is a pose Sahji takes in a lot of his depictions.¡± ¡°It¡¯s like you¡¯re saying ¡®I hope Sahji finds you¡¯,¡± Rebecca said with a titter. ¡°Or put another way: ¡®fuck you¡¯,¡± Shouri couldn¡¯t help but laugh as he spoke as well. Though they were having a good laugh at the exhausted otter¡¯s expense, Shouri did kneel down and help the fallen girl up (ignoring the fact that she was soaked head to toe in sweat.) ¡°Come on you, let¡¯s get you in the bath.¡± ¡°Yaaaayyy¡­¡± Pacifica droned.
With Pacifica suitably soothed in her sauna, Shouri and his pair of vixens could discuss more academic matters. ¡°So, we found Sarayul¡¯s library,¡± Shouri began. ¡°But all the books have rhythm in them!¡± Taika added. Rebecca raised a brow, pondering the significance of that for a moment. ¡°Wait, rhythm script?¡± she asked, recalling she could read it. ¡°We think so, but we wanted you to check for us,¡± Shouri finally spoke of their request. The fire Resonator nodded eagerly. ¡°Yeah, I mean the wonder twins taught us some crazy stuff about the summon spell, so maybe there¡¯s more cool tricks like that in his books,¡± said Rebecca. Shouri hadn¡¯t been made privy to what Pacifica and Rebecca¡¯s training exactly was. All he knew was after the first day the two had suddenly shifted focus to training Pacifica¡¯s endurance. He trusted them enough not to pry ¨C they were their own people after all. They¡¯d let him know the updates to their overall strategy whenever they finished whatever it was they were up to. ¡°Let¡¯s hit the books then,¡± he finally spoke. The trio left after letting Pacifica know where they¡¯d be for the afternoon. (Not that they¡¯d be able to get her out of her well-earned bathtime.) They arrived back at the library, just the same as Shouri and Taika had left it. Upon clearing the perimeter of the chamber, Rebecca shuddered. ¡°Oh wow,¡± the fire fox breathed out. ¡°A lot?¡± Shouri guessed. ¡°A lot a lot,¡± confirmed the fox with a nod. ¡°Can you find us a book on the Lunar Hero?¡± Taika requested. ¡°Why?¡± asked Rebecca. ¡°Well, today¡¯s Lunar Hero¡¯s Day and the Lunar Hero¡¯s Resonator was like me,¡± the lunar fox said quietly. Rebecca nodded slowly. She didn¡¯t know much about the topic herself. Anything about lunar Resonators, heroes or not, just wasn¡¯t taught on Riterra, public or otherwise. ¡°Let¡¯s see what we can find then,¡± she said while motioning for her companions to follow. Into the sea of books they delved, Rebecca walking with a shorter gait than usual. ¡°It¡¯s harder to read these titles than normal Maelish,¡± she told them. The fire element squinted as she scanned the shelves. ¡°Gotta focus a lot more on reading rhythm,¡± she added. Shouri nodded slowly, keeping any commentary to himself. He figured it must require quite a bit of concentration to even skim the many titles surrounding them. In his opinion, reading rhythm script was a fascinating skill that he wished he could learn, in the same respect he couldn¡¯t be sure how useful it could be in the modern era (if it was even learnable in the first place). ¡°Let¡¯s try this one,¡± Rebecca¡¯s voice drew Shouri out of his mind palace. She pulled down a particularly old book (even by this library¡¯s standards). ¡°What¡¯s it say?¡± Taika asked, her tail swishing excitedly behind her. ¡°It¡¯s called ¡®Tales After Resonation¡¯, I remember Sho said before that lunar magic only appeared after those Rabbits showed up on Riterra,¡± she explained. ¡°Surprised you remember all that,¡± Shouri said. ¡°Of course, I remember everything you say,¡± Rebecca boasted proudly. Shouri just stared with an amused smirk on his face. Rebecca¡¯s grew redder and redder the longer his gaze was fixated on her. ¡°I said what I said! Do you want me to read this book or not!?¡± she barked. ¡°Yes yes,¡± chuckled the Maestro, patting his fiery vixen on the head. Chapter 147 Sholto Wynn Lunar year 22001 The selection of this year¡¯s royal court was interesting. It was a pair of twins. This was the first time this had happened in our history. It was decided that both children would be taken in and the King or Queen would be decided when the pair was older. Lunar year 22006 Shona of the Wynn clan was properly selected as the next Lunar Queen. Her brother Sholto was to remain in the castle with her at her request. With this, the chaotic selection of the 2079th Lunar Court was finally completed. This is not the telling of Queen Shona¡¯s reign but of her brother Sholto. Sholto Wynn was a mean child by all counts. He frequently argued with his instructors and attempted to leave the castle on an uncountable number of occasions. Each time he was retrieved it was through great effort by the royal guard. Queen Shona wrote about this in one of her memoirs, see below. "For a time, I regretted my selfish decision to keep Sholto in the castle with me. I was simply scared of being pulled into a strange world where I knew no one or nothing. Every day for a long time Sholto would tell me he didn''t want to be in the castle and he wanted to travel. He was rather cruel to the castle maidens who tried to teach him the proper etiquette of the court." This mean streak would come to an end when Sholto finally escaped the castle. Upon his capture, he was found with a Lunar Fox by the name of Aeris Lucius. He refused to leave her side, and as a result, she was taken to the castle with him. Princess Shona would allow the fox to stay in the castle with Sholto, much to the shock of many of the nobles. With Aeris by his side, he''d calm down significantly, taking the lessons and training presented to him in stride. Likewise, at his side, Aeris would dedicate herself to the training she was now going under to be the most useful to him. That being said, even though they were both compliant, it didn''t mean they were beacons of proper manners. There are several well-recorded instances of pranks and general mischief pulled off by Sholto and Aeris. Many in the castle noticed their bond immediately and wondered how long it''d be before they''d go through a proper bonding ritual. When the time came for the vassals to be selected to go to Terra Sholto and Aeris shocked the court by requesting they be selected to go. Princess Shona was hesitant at the time, but later was recorded as stating: "There was no one more qualified to handle this task, and I''m proud to bear the same blood as the great Lunar Hero." Aeris Lucius As with the Lunar Hero, not much is known about the Lunar Hero''s Resonator on Terra. However, our documentation here on Luna was much more robust at the time of the Seven Heroes. We know quite a bit about the life of the Lunar Hero''s Resonator thanks to first-hand accounts from the Lunar Queen herself at the time. ¡°Aeris Lucius was my brother''s childhood friend. Mine as well. We''d spend our days in the royal garden playing together and when she wasn''t with my brother, she was with me, though these times were few and far between. It was strange, the two of them were nearly inseparable, even though I was twin to my brother. In a way, I''m thankful for her. Aeris filled my place since I was always being taken to some kind of lesson or training.¡± ¡°Eventually the day came for us to send our vassals down to Terra to oversee the extermination of the prophesized evil that would threaten our way of life on Luna. Without wavering in their step, Aeris and Sholto approached me and requested they be sent down to Terra. Of course, at this time they had not been bonded to each other as Maestro and Resonator. There was a great risk to the Maestro and Resonator going through the bonding surgery. However, I could see the determination in both their souls and I allowed it.¡± ¡°To the future historians reading this memoir, our bonding rituals are quite dangerous, I cannot hazard a guess at how many have died by our surgeon''s blades, but it is heartbreaking to think about. The surgeons overseeing my brother and Aeris'' surgery were the best on Luna. It was a success, but afterward, I recall being approached by one of the head doctors overseeing the operation. He told me in his many days as a doctor, he had never had an easier operation. He theorized they may have true compatibility, something unseen in any other bonding before. Thinking on it now, I always had this strange feeling about them; like Aeris and Sholto pulled towards each other in a sense.¡± We also have second-hand sources from historians on Terra also mentioned how close Aeris and Sholto were: ¡°They seemed more than partners, perhaps a¡­ couple?¡± ¨C The Fire Hero ¡°Just being around them helped us grow together ourselves. I''m grateful that we met.¡± ¨C The Water Hero ¡°They were like starlight on water, reflecting each other in a way that moves those around them, like ripples in the sky." ¨C The Lightning Hero ¡°They were perfectly balanced, dancing in tandem like the sun and the moon,¡± ¨C The Earth Hero ¡°They were a heart and soul as one, each shining bright where the other fell short.¡± ¨C The Solar Hero The Nature Hero could not be reached for commentary. Outside of these quotes, many other reports touted the closeness of the Lunar Hero and Aeris Lucius. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Other sources here on Luna report more about Aeris'' life before the Seven Heroes legend. They speak of a humble, yet bright castle maiden who attended to the princess and her twin brother with a passionate, but casual touch. It is said she did her job not as an employee, but as a member of their family and spoke to them with such familiarity that would shock any noble who witnessed it. Naturally, there was quite an uproar at the time as Aeris was born a Lunar Fox. Before she was appointed a castle maiden, non-Rabbit Resonators were strictly forbidden from the castle grounds, however a decree from the then Lunar Princess quickly changed that strict rule. Hidden behind her kind demeanor was the spirit of a warrior. First-hand accounts said that the Lightning hero did not take kindly to our vassals arriving to aid them, however, Aeris put the Lightning hero in their place without ever taking a single blow. Anyone who dared to question her loyalty to her Maestro would be swiftly dealt with. The Disappearance Lunar Year 22017 The records show the prophesied calamity was dealt with, thanks in part to the efforts of the six Riterran Heroes and our very own Lunar Hero. However, it came at great cost. While the six heroes of Riterra walked away from the battle, Sholto and Aeris never returned from the conflict. We¡¯re unsure of the exact nature of what transpired during the conflict. Moving bodies to and from the planet¡¯s surface is extraordinarily difficult without mass drivers installed on the surface. The technology on Riterra is frankly put, archaic. It is at a level where their citizenry would have thought of us as gods if we showed them our level of technological superiority during that era. They can hardly be blamed for their inferiority ¨C they were only covering themselves with rags while we traversed the cosmos. Resonators are only a new breed in their world, while we have walked hand in hand for a millennium. It is easy to see a race as pitiable as theirs as lesser when they have not been allowed to develop as we have. Regardless of the hurdles, several search parties were sent to the Riterran surface. At the time it was justified as being research parties, attempting to learn more about our cosmic neighbor. This placated the nobles of the era, but we know with the power of hindsight this was the desperate search of a broken-hearted queen wishing upon the stars to find her lost brother. While the Research team did send back much data regarding the state of Riterra after the conflict, there were no signs of the Hero we sent. What did not assist matters was the conflicting reports our ground teams received. There seemed to be a split within the faction of Riterran Heroes. We¡¯ve managed to piece together the disparate reports to arrive at the true events of what occurred on that final day. It appears that the bearer of the black rhythm ¨C the great calamity was not working alone, having a powerful general at their side who would overwhelm the heroes all on their own. Sholto and Aeris were resolute and stepped forward to handle the general while the rest of the Heroes proceeded on. By the time the Heroes returned to bring aid to Sholto and Aeris, they were gone, along with the general. Our Researchers had located the sight of the battle, and while they could not find any sights of Sholto or Aeris¡¯ presence, they did return reports of a battle far greater than the site of the final battle. It is believed that Sholto and Aeris fought the true calamity on their own, while the six heroes only fought the calamity¡¯s general in disguise. There is no veracity to these claims.
Rebecca took a breath. ¡°Anything else?¡± she asked, rubbing her raw throat from all the reading she had just done. They had skipped around the book, looking for the juicy details; however, it was still a lot to read for someone who wasn¡¯t used to reading aloud. Shouri and Taika both frowned, furrowing their brows. It was a charming story, and it was easy to see why the Lunar Heroes were celebrated on Luna. A tale of a devoted Maestro and Resonator, a pair of equals who faced down a great evil together at the highest possible cost. But there was hope at the time that they could be alive somewhere. From what Rebecca had read out for them, in that era traveling to Riterra from the Lunar surface was a one-way trip. Possibly even a risky one. Yet, the two heroes never hesitated. Even at the end. ¡°Woah¡­¡± Rebecca gasped. Shouri and Taika perked up from their thoughts. ¡°What is it?¡± Shouri looked over Rebecca¡¯s shoulder, but she didn¡¯t need to say anything further. There were pictures of what Sholto and Aeris looked like in that era. A brown-haired Maestro with fair skin, clad in green and white robes with black pants. A raven-haired Resonator dressed in black with whites and blues accenting her attire. ¡°They look kinda like you two,¡± Rebecca¡¯s eyes darted between the pages and her friends, comparing them. ¡°There''s like slight differences, his face is a bit sharper than yours, and her ears are shaped differently,¡± noted the fire fox. ¡°But damn, you two are pretty similar to them.¡± The pair weren¡¯t sure how to take this, they simply stared at the paintings of their supposed counterparts. Chapter 148 Beep beep beep! Shouri¡¯s eyes cracked open upon the tuner¡¯s notification chimes gracing his hearing. He lay there for a moment, processing reality. Taika had claim of his torso, the vixen undisturbed by the annoyance of electronics out of her grasp. The oranges from the evening sky box filtered into their room providing a rough guesstimation of the present hour. Curiosity got the better of him and he sat up, slipping out of his clingy fox¡¯s embrace. Rebecca and Pacifica were conked out on the couch, lying on their sides. Pacifica¡¯s head rested on Rebecca¡¯s hip, and the fox¡¯s warm tail wrapped itself around the otter¡¯s torso. They must have decided to take a nap after coming back to the room ¨C intentionally or not. Either way, someone had bothered to message him, might as well see who it was. If he hadn¡¯t been awake before, he most assuredly was when the identity of the messenger was revealed to him. Colette Discordant Shouri had never opened a text message faster in his nearly two decades of life. Colette: ¡°I¡¯m okay, call me when you got a sec.¡± 7:48 PM Of course, she skimped on the details ¨C and that¡¯s how he knew it was her. His thumbs flew through the menus and not five seconds later the artificial ringer buzzed in his anxious ears, his heart pounding as he prepared himself for disappointment. ¡°Oh hey! Didn¡¯t expect you to call so fast!¡± that familiarly annoying voice spoke from the other end. The tension melted away as the boy brushed his hair back. His voice was stuck in his throat as the relief pooled in his heart. ¡°Shouri?¡± He exhaled sharply. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked, barely avoiding his voice cracking. ¡°Yeah? I mean Vail attacked me, but she didn¡¯t stand a chance against Kaira.¡± The Maestro couldn¡¯t help but laugh. He laughed so loudly, it woke the other three in the room who all stared at him. ¡°God, I missed you not explaining shit,¡± Shouri said, wiping the gathered relief from his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t see how that¡¯s funny,¡± Colette pouted from the other end. ¡°From the top, explain yourself,¡± he demanded, leaning back and preparing himself for a long conversation. Taika sat up while Pacifica and Rebecca joined them in bed, eavesdropping on the call. Thankfully that wasn¡¯t difficult for the trio of tailed maidens given their superior hearing. ¡°I went back to Lyreann after you got kidnapped,¡± Colette started. ¡°Thanks for not worrying about me,¡± Shouri mumbled sarcastically while rolling his eyes. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t ask how I was doing when I called you.¡± ¡°I figured if you were calling me from your tuners, you were fine. Why would I ask?¡± Another eye roll from Shouri. Pacifica placed a hand on his thigh closest to her, extinguishing her Maestro¡¯s ire. After a moment, he decided to move on as his itchy curiosity demanded answers. ¡°Why did you go back to Lyreann?¡± And answers she would provide. ¡°Right, so after Taika said she was attacked by Whistler, I wanted to make sure Dr. Vim was okay, but he wasn¡¯t answering any of my calls, so we went back,¡± she explained. An incredulous stare met the tuner as he pulled it away from his head. No amount of perplexed expressions would get him any closer to the answers he sought, for that he reapplied the device to his ear. ¡°Colette, did you maybe consider he might be the fucker behind all of this?¡± questioned Shouri. ¡°Why would I think that?¡± came the innocent question. Shouri opened his mouth to bark at her, but a squeeze of an otter¡¯s hand on his thigh extinguished the fires of exasperation in his heart. ¡°Okay, let me lay it out for you like you¡¯re five,¡± he said, earning a yelp of ¡°Hey!¡± from the other Maestro. ¡°Ilea¡¯s behind this shit, he¡¯s gotta be. The dastardly duo works for him, and probably that third guy also. They were specifically sent by him to come get me.¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± ¡°I mean, it¡¯s kind of obvious? Besides Elijah getting the intel before I was attacked, we were specifically separated and weakened. Plus, only I was taken; Taika and the others were left alone after they got me.¡± A contemplative hum came from the other end. ¡°I guess,¡± she muttered. ¡°Ilea has been really in the weeds about the Feroce stuff. He knows too much, right?¡± Shouri fired back. ¡°He¡¯s been studying it for a long time, it¡¯s only natural he¡¯d be the foremost researcher on the topic.¡± Colette countered. ¡°I disagree - he knows more about this than he¡¯s letting on.¡± ¡°You think so?¡± ¡°I know so.¡± ¡°How? Shouri allowed himself a moment of silence. He didn¡¯t have any hard proof but¡­ ¡°I can feel it,¡± was the answer that came from his gut Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°You can feel it?¡± questioned Colette ¡°It¡¯s just a feeling. The fucker¡¯s guilty,¡± Shouri asserted. ¡°I dunno. He¡¯s a respected scientist, he¡¯s like a messiah in the field of rhythm studies.¡± ¡°The perfect cover story ¨C nobody would expect it to be him of all people; he¡¯s too clean.¡± Shouri met Pacifica¡¯s gaze, who nodded back with her eyes alit with red rhythm. He could always count on her to be by his side. That wasn¡¯t fair, his eyes stole the two foxes also right there with him ¨C all three of them were as reliable as they came. They¡¯d follow him straight into hell after all ¨C the least he could do was have a game plan ready for the trip down. ¡°I¡¯ll come up with something more solid. ¡®He¡¯s got bad vibes¡¯ probably isn¡¯t gonna hold up in court,¡± he relented on that point at least. The conversation lulled into a quiet idle for a moment. Colette was the one to continue their talk. ¡°I did get with the police,¡± she brought up. The girls jumped as a sudden scowl descended onto their Maestro¡¯s face. ¡°And?¡± he struggled to keep his voice even despite only speaking one word. ¡°They said they¡¯d look into it when they had the time,¡± she replied hopefully. Rebecca reached over and placed her hand on his leg, trying to help Pacifica impart serenity into her Maestro¡¯s rhythm. Taika, sensing the intent behind her fellow Resonator¡¯s gesture, wrapped herself around him, resting her head on the shoulder closest to her. ¡°You said Vail attacked you. Was Whistler there?¡± Shouri abruptly changed the subject. Which thankfully Colette didn¡¯t question. ¡°No, just Vail. Kaira got her before she got me though.¡± ¡°Is she okay?¡± ¡°Vail? Not sure, she ran away.¡± ¡°No, Kaira.¡± ¡°Oh yeah, Kaira¡¯s fine. She¡¯s making dinner right now.¡± That was interesting to Shouri, Colette and Kaira were somewhere presumably safe if they were casually making food. ¡°Where are you?¡± came the pertinent inquiry. ¡°Colto MA Office. Kaira thinks we should keep moving, and my grandpa is in Dorleans, so we¡¯ll probably go there.¡± He didn¡¯t have much more to say to her at the moment. There were certainly other topics he could think up if he tried, but even this short conversation had worn away at his nerves. The discordant stave was probably to blame. ¡°Do that. Stay on the move and stay low,¡± said Shouri, moving to end the call. ¡°Oh okay.¡± Thankfully Colette didn¡¯t have much of an argument. ¡°And stay in contact.¡± ¡°Sure sure, g¡¯night Shouri!¡± Shouri exhaled sharply through his nostrils as he pulled the tuner away from his ear. He allowed the device to rest on his lap as he furrowed his brows. Taika pushed herself up, but left a hand on his shoulder, squeezing tight with reassurance. The quartet sat in silence for some time, all ruminating on the new information they received from Colette. ¡°What the heck was that about?¡± asked Rebecca, being the one to break the silence. ¡°Yeah, you got kinda scary when Colette mentioned going to the cops,¡± Taika pointed out. His grip tightened around the black tuner in his grasp. ¡°She wasted her fucking time,¡± Shouri growled, directing his ire towards the unoccupied portion of the bed. ¡°Are we really surprised the police suck at their jobs?¡± he continued. Pacifica studied her Maestro. He had this preconceived notion of the uselessness of law enforcement well before their own issues with them. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t look for Mila, would they?¡± guessed the otter. He gave no verbal reply, but his glare sharpened and he held himself tightly. ¡°I don¡¯t trust them,¡± was what he said when he finally did speak. ¡°They don¡¯t ever consider Resonators. They don¡¯t help Resonators. Why should I rely on an organization that¡¯s so dubious?¡± he questioned rhetorically. ¡°I know that fucker is behind all this, but I still have no idea what his motive is,¡± Shouri hummed. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just how he gets his kicks?¡± Rebecca offered. ¡°Plenty of sickos out there that already don¡¯t think of us Resonators as people.¡± Shouri shook his head slowly. ¡°While I want to just take the easiest answer, I feel like it¡¯s not that simple,¡± he mumbled. The group fell to silence. Time and again the systems that were supposedly supposed to protect them failed to do so. It was too common of an occurrence that they had to take matters into their own hands ¨C Feroce and possibly Ilea Vim included. ¡°Sounds like we¡¯re gonna be needing that overwhelming power then, huh bossman?¡± Rebecca patted their Maestro¡¯s knee. His scowl faded and his tense shoulders relaxed as he cracked a smile. ¡°Yeah, something like that.¡± His gaze rose to meet his precious Resonators. ¡°Guess we should make the most of our time here.¡± Chapter 149 After the celebration of the Seven Heroes came to a close, the sun rose on a new day. Or at least the sky box within Sarayul¡¯s humble mountain abode illuminated with daytime blues, signaling the start of the ninth of August. ¡°Breakfast¡­¡± Taika groaned as they shuffled along to the kitchen. It was nice she was getting to stretch her culinary skills again after learning the ropes from Priscilla. But the lethargy that accompanied the constant drain on her rhythm sucked, in no uncertain terms. Regardless, she was sharpening her kitchen-based talents by the day. This place truly was a boot camp, wasn¡¯t it? Today¡¯s breakfast was one Taika found on her tuner last night. As expected, the appliance needed for this was readily available in the kitchen. ¡°What are we making today, Taika?¡± Pacifica inquired through a yawn. ¡°Lyangao Waffles,¡± replied the chef. The prospect of their impending breakfast perked the otter right up. ¡°Oooh, those are really good! What do we need to do?¡± Pacifica¡¯s tail was already swishing excitedly. Taika and Pacifica wandered around the kitchen, Taika barking orders to her ottery assistant. Shouri and Rebecca stayed out of the way, watching the production unfold. In all, they had gathered flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, cinnamon, eggs, vegetable oil, milk, and vanilla. ¡°Sho!¡± Taika called out. ¡°Yeah?¡± he replied. ¡°Can you cut up some fruit for me?¡± ¡°What kind?¡± ¡°Whatever you want!¡± Well, that was certainly an order. He shuffled over to the fridge and began browsing the selections of fruit on offer. Rebecca yawned loudly and continued to watch from a stool she had planted her rear on. A mess was made, but all the ingredients came together to form some airy, delicious waffles¡­ after a couple of tries. Yes, waffle makers, as Taika learned weren¡¯t as easy to use as they initially appeared. It took her three failed attempts to get the amount of batter right and then another two in order to get her timing down on when they were done. Once she had those trial runs down, she could easily produce many waffles of excellent quality. Next was decoration! A waffle on its own was tasty, but as she learned on her birthday, pairing it with delicious fruit and syrup was a match made in heaven. When it was all said and done, Rebecca was handed a plate with a large waffle topped with fresh-cut fruits, a perimeter of whipped cream, and a small cup of syrup for the consumer to pour over it if they wished. ¡°Take that to Sarayul please,¡± Taika requested of her fellow fox. ¡°Sure,¡± Rebecca said. She stopped short of the plates and failed to suppress a yawn of her own. After a couple of blinks, she got herself into gear and scooped up the plate meant for their host. Excusing herself from the kitchen, Rebecca wandered down the hallways finally making her way into the main chamber to give the Ethereal his morning offering. ¡°Oh, Lyangao Waffles, I haven¡¯t had these in quite a long time.¡± Sarayul cracked a smile. Rebecca sat and watched the nine-tailed Ethereal study his meal. Without thinking, she spoke, ¡°What¡¯s it like?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Sarayul glanced up from his dish. She hadn¡¯t realized she spoke her thoughts. ¡°Uh, being an Ethereal I guess,¡± Rebecca said. ¡°You used to be just a normal guy, right?¡± she further questioned. A thin smile rose on the immortal¡¯s lips. ¡°The dead should not lead the living,¡± he spoke. ¡°Though we may still guide those who seek our wisdom.¡± Rebecca hummed in thought. It was a strange aspect of their world, now that she was face-to-face with an Ethereal. A person who should have died gets immortality just because of their impact on the world or history. ¡°But who decides that?¡± Once more, Rebecca¡¯s inner monologue slipped out. ¡°That¡­¡± Sarayul trailed off for a moment, considering his choice of words. ¡°Is knowledge not meant for the living,¡± were the words he decided on. Shockingly, Rebecca felt satisfied with that answer. ¡°Yeah, that tracks.¡± She smirked. ¡°Would be pretty boring if everyone knew the cheat code to immortality,¡± said the Renard with a shrug. ¡°Indeed it would, though it doesn¡¯t stop those desperate enough to try.¡±
Taika returned to the training room she had been assigned to and found not only had the target been replaced in her absence, but the bead that had been stolen from her was waiting for her in the center of the room. ¡°Back to work I suppose,¡± she said. She bent down to pick up the bead, but a thought occurred to her as her hand hovered over the obsidian pearl. ¡°Let¡¯s start there,¡± she muttered to herself. And so her training resumed once again. She focused on her rhythm, trying to push it out towards the bead. Rather than hopping up to her hand, all she managed to do was shoot little marble to the other side of the room. Instead of frustration at yet another failure, the fox sighed, slumping to the ground. ¡°What am I doing wrong?¡± she asked, resting her head in her hand. No one answered her question though. Sarayul provided the training environment, but he was not holding her hand ¨C she had to figure this out all on her own. Her base instinct told her to brute force it. Keep trying until she found a way to make it work. Somehow that felt wrong to her. Taika couldn¡¯t be sure, but there was a small voice in the very back of her mind that said this was not a power that could simply be forced to work. It required something. What that something was¡­ well that was the root of the problem. Then a spark of inspiration hit her: they literally had a book on lunar Resonators! She smacked herself on the forehead. It was so obvious, why didn¡¯t she think of it sooner?! She rushed from the training room back to the bedroom. Thankfully everyone else was out training, so she could slip in without having to explain herself. She found their main clothes bag and tore it open, retrieving Chandra Nikini¡¯s Lunar Resonator Field Guide that they had purchased in Naiza. Taika sat on the corner of the couch, flipping through the mass of information stored within the sacred texts. Finally, she found it: Volont¨¤ Estesa To master Volont¨¤ Estesa, begin by staring intently at the object you wish to move. It¡¯s crucial that you squint with the force of a thousand moons, as this will absolutely not increase your telekinetic abilities but will provide a good facial workout. Next, wiggle your fingers in the air like you¡¯re conducting an invisible orchestra; this does nothing for moving the object but is excellent for finger dexterity. Now, mentally fortify yourself with positive affirmations, ¡®I can do it! I can do it!¡¯ which, despite its profound lack of rhythmic properties, adds a touch of dramatic flair. Finally, imagine the object enveloped in a glowing aura of energy¡ªpreferably in a shade of neon blue for maximum efficacy. Remember, the key to Volont¨¤ Estesa is the unwavering belief that, despite all your efforts, the object is not part of you and has no obligation to listen to you. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Her jaw hung loose, her eyes narrowed as her brows pinched together. She scanned the page over and over again, but the meaning of the gibberish splayed before her refused to change. Was she stupid? Taika sure felt stupid right now. Her face reddened as the words remained a mystery. Perhaps she missed something? She turned the page and only then did she launch the book across the room (making a nice dent in the wall.) The frustrated fox stomped away. ¡°Usage of Volont¨¤ Estesa varies based on the individual. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to mastering the ad-Lib; after all ¨C everyone¡¯s brains are different! The only way you¡¯re going to get better is with practice! Hope you enjoyed my little joke~ -Chandra¡± God help Chandra Nikini if Taika ever met them.
As usual, Shouri and Vienna sat in silence, making beads and healing hands respectively. The lyrebird suddenly perked up, her wiry tail feathers appearing behind her. ¡°She¡¯s coming,¡± Vienna said, draping her tail ¡°net¡± over herself and vanishing in an instant. Shouri remained focused on his work but shook his head. ¡°It¡¯d make your life easier if you weren¡¯t a bitch to them,¡± he commented, his eyes never leaving the current ball of clay. ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± she whispered back. He didn¡¯t need to see her to know the bird¡¯s eyes roll with that. Not a moment later, Taika burst through the door. ¡°Sho!¡± she shouted. ¡°That¡¯s me,¡± he greeted her, stopping what he was doing to address the fox. ¡°I¡¯m stuck!¡± she cried out. The Maestro looked his vixen up and down. ¡°You made it here just fine,¡± he pointed out. ¡°Non! I mean I¡¯m not making any progress!¡± Taika leaned on the table. Shouri set down the half-completed bead he was working on. He gently held the bottom of her head and leaned forward, pecking her lips. ¡°Bu-buh buh?¡± The vixen¡¯s eyes bugged out, swirling with ecstasy at the sudden, unexpected affection. Her tail wagged behind her as her heart fluttered in her chest. ¡°Shh shh¡­¡± he whispered, giving her another taste of his lips. ¡°Focus, think it through logically, I know you can do it,¡± he continued to speak breathily. ¡°S-si¡­ I¡¯ll think hard about it hehehe¡­¡± Taika giggled, skipping off joyously. When the vixen was out of earshot, Vienna appeared once more. Shouri resumed his bead-making. ¡°We uh, just gonna ignore that?¡± asked the lyrebird. ¡°Ignore what?¡± Shouri asked. ¡°Never mind,¡± Vienna decided, shaking her head.
Taika pouted as she trudged down the walkway. ¡°Hrmph,¡± she grunted, furrowing her brow in thought. She said she¡¯d try to think this though, but nothing was coming to mind. She stopped and giggled, her tail whipping back and forth. Okay, Shouri¡¯s lips were coming to mind, though that didn¡¯t help her current problem. As she was considering what to do, her ears flicked. It sounded like¡­ complaining. ¡°Pleaaase have mercy, Rebby¡­¡± whined Pacifica. ¡°Not until you finish these squats!¡± Rebecca barked. Now there was a thought¡­ Taika followed the source of the trainer and the trainee. They were quite a distance away Taika discovered, which told her just how loud they were being. She was grateful that there were so many vacancies at the temple, as their shouting may have qualified as disturbing the peace. Thankfully, it made them easy to find. ¡°Senti!¡± Taika shouted as soon as she spotted the pair. As had become custom over the last couple of days, Rebecca had reprised her role as drill sergeant while poor Pacifica was slowly melting into a puddle of sweat. ¡°Hey Taika,¡± Rebecca greeted her fellow fox. ¡°What are you doing out here?¡± she questioned. Taika eyed the collapsed otter for a moment before deciding she¡¯d be fine. ¡°I¡¯m still trying to figure out this ad-Lib, but it''s not working,¡± she told their combat expert. Rebecca hummed thoughtfully. ¡°I¡¯m really not sure if I can help you,¡± she admitted. ¡°What did they teach you when you learned your ad-Lib?¡± Taika tried. The ombr¨¦ fox grunted, shifting her jaw as she pondered how to answer. ¡°To get my flight I needed enough energy to fight against gravity. We fire elements can¡¯t be burned,¡± she paused for dramatic effect, ¡°under normal conditions.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that mean?¡± Taika asked. ¡°We use so much power trying to defy gravity, it burns us in the process. Some people have said it''s Sage Cielto punishing us for entering his domain,¡± Rebecca said, shrugging. ¡°Who¡­ is that?¡± Taika furrowed her brow. ¡°Sage of the sky, same kinda dude as Sahji,¡± Rebecca summarized. ¡°Ohhh.¡± Taika nodded, getting the gist of the idea. With that in mind, Taika stroked her chin in thought. The entire exercise Sarayul had set up for her was defying gravity, so maybe it was an energy problem. She turned to rush back to the training room but was held back. ¡°Wait!¡± Rebecca turned her around. ¡°Your ad-Lib probably doesn¡¯t use the same principle as mine. You¡¯re not trying to move your whole body, right?¡± Taika shook her head. ¡°So, figure out what Sarayul wants you to do. Look over the different parts of his test,¡± Rebecca advised. If all this thinking kept up Taika wasn¡¯t going to have any brain power left to practice. But¡­ Rebecca did raise a good point, and it seems exactly like something Sarayul would expect of her (from what little she knew of the Ethereal). At any rate, Taika had an idea now at least. She leaned forward and pecked Rebecca on the cheek. ¡°Thanks, Rebby!¡± Taika shouted as she ran off, leaving a beet-red Rebecca. ¡°All of you people have no shame!¡± shouted the fire fox.
What was Sarayul asking of her? That was the question. On a surface level, it was pretty obvious ¨C make the bead fly. Rebecca was right though; it wasn¡¯t as simple as just the bead touching the paper. If that¡¯s all it took, she could have just thrown the darn thing and achieved the same results. No, he was asking for something completely different. Taika gripped the bead tightly. She wasn¡¯t alone. She could feel Shouri in the bead. He was working hard, he believed in her ¨C truly. She couldn¡¯t let him down. How could this bead fly? That¡¯s not the question. She opened her hand and stared at the shining black pearl. ¡°I remember a few times you¡¯ve done things that shouldn¡¯t have been physically possible for you.¡± ¡°Lunar Resonators developing Volont¨¤ Estesa will find themselves either boosting their physical attacks like punches without realizing it or won¡¯t tire from carrying heavy loads.¡± His voice rang in her head loud and clear. The yellow logic of his soul swirled with her stubborn blue will. And it clicked. ¡°It¡¯s all in my head¡­¡± she whispered. In that moment the bead shot from her hand and clean through the target. Chapter 150 BEEP BEEP BEEP Shouri ran his hands through his hair as he wrapped up bead production for the day. Despite Taika¡¯s earlier interruption, he had produced quite a few winners today. The number of failures only amounted to about five or six while the number of completed beads had reached a clean twenty. ¡°Same time tomorrow?¡± Vienna asked. ¡°Probably,¡± Shouri replied. ¡°See you then.¡± And with that, Shouri ended up alone with his thoughts. That and the tuner that beeped at him. Drawing Taika¡¯s midnight black tuner from his side, he found an alert waiting. Mente Offuscata (New!) Pianissimo (New!) Onda Mentale (New!) Presto (New!) Esaurimento (New!) Presto (New!) Shouri¡¯s brows perked up. That was a lot of updates ¨C the last time he saw this much on just one of their tuners was when they had fought the giant Scherzando back in Riva Sranvi. He shook off that bit of reminiscence and took stock of the spells Taika had gained. Mente Offuscata was one he recalled Albarich using before. Emily stacked it with an attack spell to deadly effect. Taika would need to work on her spatial awareness according to what he read in the field guide. Perhaps Taika¡¯s current training would provide that? Onda Mentale was a spell from Rynda, it was the raw form of Taika¡¯s ad-Lib, a simple telekinetic force that was cast in the direction of the user¡¯s choosing. It was simply a matter of whether they wanted to use Taika or Shouri¡¯s rhythm when deciding to use this spell. There was also the thought component ¨C Taika wouldn¡¯t need to concentrate to cast this and sometimes all that was needed was for someone or something to exit her personal bubble, possibly at high speeds. Finally, there was Esaurimento, another one demonstrated to them by Albarich. It was a spell that forced the target to fall asleep. From what Shouri recalled seeing of its usage Albarich had to wait until the target got pretty close to cast it and even then the afflicted Resonator had time to fight back before the spell kicked in. Would such a spell work on a Scherzando? Funghi Magici worked on them. Maybe something to test? At any rate, more options never hurt. Mente Offuscata was a good one to have, breaking a foe¡¯s concentration was invaluable when seconds were the difference between victory and defeat. The Maestro rose from his seat, grunting as he stretched his protesting muscles. He shot a glance at the bead bowl. It was good progress. Tomorrow was another day. He took his leave from the cramped storage room and meandered through the temple. It was always so quiet and empty here. It once more made the Maestro¡¯s rhythm itch with curiosity. What had this place been like in its heyday? There must have been so many under Sarayul¡¯s charge. How long has it been just him and his last two followers? It felt kind of¡­ lonely. The boy came to a stop, lowering his head. If he had ever been offered to become an Ethereal would he take it? Perhaps if Taika and the others were extended the same offer. He couldn¡¯t imagine the thought of just existing forever without someone to share it with. The boy trembled. It was a daunting thing to consider. Speaking of, the peace and tranquility rippled, disturbed by some sort of commotion around the distant corner. Given the lack of clientele in this remote mountain temple, the list of suspects was scarce. Either way, he resumed his trek, now focused on the source of the noise. It didn¡¯t take long for him to find his precious Resonators ¨C they were causing a fuss as usual. His lips curled up into a smile, he wouldn¡¯t have it any other way. ¡°Dai! Dai!¡± Taika shouted. ¡°I can follow just fine! Stop trying to tear off my arm!¡± Rebecca cried out as she was dragged along by the enthusiastic fox. Shouri rounded the corner to see Pacifica following the two loud vixens into one of the larger rooms of the temple. With a chuckle and a shrug, the Maestro followed suit. ¡°Okay okay okay!¡± Taika held out her bead for her captive audience. ¡°Watch this!¡± Just as Shouri entered the large room, a small dot whipped across the room, embedding itself into one of the wood beams. ¡°Ta-da!¡± Taika held her hands up as if beckoning for applause. Her audience of three entertained the performance, clapping respectfully. ¡°That explains your new tricks,¡± Shouri spoke up, walking up to the trio. ¡°New tricks?¡± Taika perked up, her tail swishing upon spotting their Maestro. ¡°You got three new spells today,¡± he replied. ¡°New spells?¡± Shouri flashed the tuner to the curious trio. ¡°What do they do?¡± Pacifica asked. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°Mind attack, Push spell, Sleep spell,¡± he said, pointing at each one in turn with his thumb. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of stuff,¡± Taika said, her tail still swishing behind her with interest. ¡°Sho, can you have her use that one real quick?¡± Rebecca pointed at Onda Mentale. ¡°Oh, sure. Onda Mentale, Presto,¡± Shouri called off the hip. Taika didn¡¯t have anything on hand to move with the spell, and what¡¯s more, she didn¡¯t have any frame of reference for how strong the weakest form was. She only had what Rynda had done with it before (which was reflecting a possibly Fortissimo level Nature spell like she was parting a flood). There was a brief moment of panic as Shouri¡¯s rhythm coursed through her, demanding she cast the spell. ¡°Point it at me, I can take it,¡± Rebecca called out. The lunar fox didn¡¯t think about it and extended her palm out at the willing volunteer. ¡°W-wait!¡± Pacifica dramatically fell out of the way, not wanting to be caught in the crossfire. Despite the theatrics, all that happened was Rebecca¡¯s skirt and hair ruffled intensely in the telekinetic breeze. She wasn¡¯t moved or thrown to her feet. Just slightly tousled for Taika¡¯s effort. ¡°Not very strong,¡± Shouri mused. ¡°Makes sense for a Presto spell though,¡± he said with a shrug. ¡°I know your problem,¡± Rebecca spoke. ¡°My problem?¡± Taika tilted her head slightly. ¡°You¡¯re like me; you¡¯re forcing your rhythm out to maximize your output. You need to control your rhythm,¡± explained the fire fox. ¡°Exactly correct.¡± The group turned to find Sarayul standing in the doorway, arms folded within his robes. ¡°You can swing your sword, but that¡¯s all you can do,¡± he said as he pushed off the frame and approached the group. Rebecca nodded in agreement, the metaphor was appropriate in her opinion. Taika opened her mouth to speak, but the Ethereal cut her off. ¡°When you¡¯ve mastered your gift, nothing will be out of your grasp,¡± Sarayul stated. From his robes, a deck of cards flew out, one at a time in a rapid precession. They orbited around his form in a perfect circle like little blades. ¡°It will be as second nature to you as moving your arms and legs.¡± ¡°Well that¡¯s cryptic as hell,¡± Rebecca grumbled. ¡°To be fair, the lunar field guide didn¡¯t give me much on this, it just kind of boils down to ¡®it works differently for everyone¡¯,¡± Shouri said with a shrug. ¡°Indeed,¡± Sarayul agreed. ¡°We had an old saying: ¡®You can lead a horse to water but you cannot force it to drink¡¯,¡± said the immortal. ¡°What does that mean?¡± Pacifica raised a brow. ¡°Something like you can show someone something, but it¡¯s up to them whether they do it or not?¡± Shouri guessed. ¡°Precisely,¡± Sarayul said with a smile. ¡°Though once she realizes her misconception, these feats will be child¡¯s play.¡± The fox man spun a finger in the air, his orbiting cards taking off. The cards flew around, breaking off and circling the four mortals who could only stand and stare in awe at the telekinetic dexterity. The sixty-some-odd cards broke apart from their respective orbits all moving independently of one another. Taika hummed in thought, the excited chattering of her friends muffling away as she turned her focus inward. Sarayul¡¯s movements with his deck of cards were so clean, so precise, it was almost as if he was a perfect machine. But how was it so easy for him? The thousand years of practice notwithstanding, how did he master his powers? Was he just that much stronger than her, or something else she was failing to grasp? Failing to grasp¡­ Taika¡¯s eyes widened at the realization. Everything Sarayul said had meaning, even her average social sense told her as much. The fox man was practically broadcasting his intentions on a huge rhythm billboard ¨C she just had to read it. And what it said told her everything she was doing wrong. This power wasn¡¯t just a simple force to be tamed and subjugated; it was a part of her. A part of her body, just like her arms, legs, or tail. That was the truth of the matter. When looking at it that way, what she had to do was obvious. So much so that she felt like an idiot for wasting these last few weeks in fear of her power. From the wood beam it had been embedded in, Taika¡¯s solitary bead flew out and began orbiting her. Not in as clean of a path as Sarayul had done. It was more of a messy oval as she focused on constantly correcting its trajectory, but it circled her nonetheless. ¡°She¡¯s doing it,¡± Pacifica said on a hushed breath. Shouri smirked. ¡°Didn¡¯t doubt her for a second,¡± he whispered. ¡°She¡¯s gonna be a monster,¡± Rebecca chuckled. Sarayul wore a thin smile. ¡°Ah, finally¡­ now the true training can begin.¡± Chapter 151 Pacifica found it difficult to open her eyes that morning. She was exhausted. Sleep didn¡¯t feel like enough these days. Not with Rebecca running her ragged every day. If not for her water element bolstering her natural healing capabilities, she knew she would have been in a world of hurt. That thought out of the way, she couldn¡¯t even tell if all this intensive training was doing anything for her. The otter certainly didn¡¯t feel like it was making an appreciable difference. She felt sluggish and frail compared to her vulpine counterparts. Was she the dead weight of the team? Taika was making visible leaps and bounds with her ad-Lib, and Rebecca was Rebecca ¨C they were both incredible Resonators who earned their place by Shouri¡¯s side. And then there was her - what was Pacifica even doing here? ¡°Pacifica,¡± Rebecca¡¯s voice snapped the otter out of her self-admonishment. ¡°Huh?¡± Before Pacifica realized it, she was being yanked out of bed. ¡°Where are we going?¡± asked the otter as Rebecca dragged her down the walkway, both girls still sporting their pajamas. ¡°Training,¡± Rebecca said gruffly, back towards her captive. A sense of dread overtook the poor otter girl. Not again. However, they didn¡¯t end up out in the fields like Pacifica had braced herself for. Instead, they went back to the training room they had been taken to under Talys and Nina¡¯s tutelage. ¡°Why are we here?¡± Pacifica asked as her hand was released. ¡°Told you, training,¡± Rebecca replied, making her way to the center of the room. She stopped, her back towards her fellow Resonator. ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s enough room to run here¡­¡± Pacifica noted, humming and frowning. ¡°Also, I don¡¯t want to get my pajamas all sweaty,¡± she added, hugging herself. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a good thing we¡¯re not running around then.¡± Rebecca turned around; her expression neutral. ¡°C¡¯mere,¡± she held out her hands for her fellow Resonator. Pacifica slowly trudged over, keeping her vision trained down. She didn¡¯t want to look Rebecca in the eyes. As soon as she was in range, Rebecca took hold of Pacifica¡¯s hands. ¡°Breathe, focus on my rhythm,¡± whispered the fire fox. The warmth was unbearable ¨C not Rebecca¡¯s but her own. The sweat pooling in her palms felt awful and she silently hoped the other girl wouldn¡¯t mention it. Her heart raced as she feared the impending disappointment. Regardless, the otter submitted to the fox¡¯s whims, her eyes closing without her realizing it. ¡°Take the rhythm of the room in and cast that bubble spell,¡± said Rebecca. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t question me, just do it.¡± The water element did as instructed, focusing on making the bubble spell Rebecca requested of her. If nothing else the craft of spellcasting could distract her mind from the crushing reality of failure. After all, the sooner she got this over with the sooner they could get back to the status quo. ¡°There we go, that¡¯s progress,¡± she heard Rebecca say. When Pacifica opened her eyes, they kept going until they had reached their maximum width. Between the two girls stood a little bubble fox, its head pointed up as if to look up at the otter who had a hand in its summon. ¡°We¡­ did it?¡± Pacifica shook her head, blinking as if to dismiss the illusion sitting before her. The beast remained, awaiting its commands. ¡°We weren¡¯t far off to be fair,¡± Rebecca said, finally releasing her captive¡¯s hands. She knelt to take in the features of their new joint summon. The bubble fox seemed so fragile; then again so did the flame foxes. Just like their fire element counterparts, Rebecca was able to scoop the beast into her arms all the same. Despite its body being made of large, transparent bubbles, it felt quite solid. ¡°Wanna hold him?¡± Rebecca offered, holding out the rhythm beast. ¡°Uh sure,¡± Pacifica accepted the bubble-based life form. Oddly the first thing she noticed was it was warm. It was wet to the touch, not sudsy like when she played with soap bubbles as a kid. The otter girl studied the canine shape of the beast in closer detail, holding it up in the air to see how its little joints connected together. ¡°If I was a fire element and summoned one of these, it¡¯d be shaped differently right?¡± asked Pacifica. Rebecca nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± Now it was Rebecca¡¯s turn to study, her eyes tracing Pacifica¡¯s body. ¡°Uhhh, I dunno what it¡¯d look like though,¡± she admitted. ¡°Me neither,¡± said Pacifica. The two stood there awkwardly for a moment, shuffling their feet as their gazes wandered. ¡°So, uh, now what?¡± Pacifica asked. ¡°Wanna go show Sho?¡± Rebecca suggested, furrowing a brow at the weirdness of the sentence she had just spoken. ¡°Oh! Good idea!¡±
Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Hey, Sho! Look what we did!¡± Shouri opened his eyes on this Friday morning. He blinked a couple of times, trying to clear the fogginess from his vision. Taika grumbled and slunk under the covers, keeping a vice grip on her Maestro. Pacifica and Rebecca were holding a something, but he wasn¡¯t quite sure what exactly the something was. ¡°What am I looking at?¡± he asked, blinking several more times. ¡°It¡¯s a bubble fox!¡± the two girls exclaimed. Rebecca set it on the bed and allowed it to wander around. ¡°It¡¯s too early to break the rules,¡± Shouri mumbled, taking hold of Taika and joining her under the covers. Pacifica and Rebecca shared a glance followed by a mischievous smirk. Before Shouri knew it, he was surrounded on all sides by his clingy Resonators. ¡°Mrrrrgh,¡± he weakly protested.
The quartet sat on the bed, the bubble fox in the middle. ¡°Okay, we¡¯re up,¡± Shouri said with a slow blink. ¡°What exactly am I looking at?¡± he asked. ¡°We told you already,¡± Rebecca started. ¡°It¡¯s a bubble fox!¡± Pacifica exclaimed. ¡°Well I can see that, but how and what?¡± questioned the Maestro, still trying to process being conscious. ¡°The twins showed us when we first got here that you can combine the summon spell with the bubble one to make these guys,¡± Rebecca informed him. ¡°They also made them out of ice, water, and smoke too,¡± Pacifica chimed in. Shouri hummed in thought, observing the new rhythm beast carefully. He hadn¡¯t ever heard of this phenomenon and he had done his fair share of research to make sure it was safe to use the base-level version of this spell for extended periods with Rebecca. As if to answer his internal monologue, Pacifica spoke up, ¡°Nina and Talys told us that this form of the spell has been lost in the wider world.¡± ¡°Something about etude being ostriched?¡± Rebecca couldn¡¯t recall the correct word. ¡°Ostracized?¡± Shouri guessed, earning a quick (albeit slightly flustered) nod from Rebecca. That was a whole new rabbit hole to consider. How could spells even get lost¡­? What they said was concerning though but still lined up with his core experiences ¨C Riterrans were weird and cagey about etude. Why? Etude was mutually beneficial for both Maestro and Resonator. Their group right here was a shining example of that. Shouri¡¯s strong curiosity itched fiercely. Though he wanted to learn the mechanics of this spell. It was one of Rebecca¡¯s favorites after all. The way she brightened up whenever she got to cast it ¨C he noticed. That was when an idea hit him. The forms they talked about ¨C those were all basic level spells. He had a theory and wanted to test it immediately. ¡°Girls, hold hands,¡± he spoke up. Rebecca and Pacifica did as instructed, but Shouri shook his head. ¡°Taika, you too.¡± ¡°Me?¡± she pointed to herself, blinking with surprise. ¡°Yes, form a circle.¡± Shouri shuffled back to give the trio room. The girls linked hands, closing their eyes, letting the rhythm flow between them in a circle as they awaited their Maestro¡¯s command. ¡°Famiglio Incendio Meravigliare BollaLa Bella Vita , Presto !¡± Shouri called out in tre corde. All at once the three Resonators received their Maestro¡¯s rhythm ¨C what was different was they all felt the rhythm links being established. It was strange to think that they weren¡¯t only cognizant of their rhythm networks, but the rhythm networks of the others in the circle. Even so, that didn¡¯t distract them from the task they had just been asked to perform. Rebecca made the soul. Pacifica made the body. Taika added the finishing touch. When the trio opened their eyes, what they saw was beyond their wildest imaginations. A rhythm beast, just like the ones that Rebecca had summoned before, but rather than being made of fire or water, this beast was made of shimmering, warm light. Just being in the presence of this new creature relaxed the trio in a way only Taika¡¯s healing spells offered them. ¡°A¡­ healing summon?¡± Rebecca braved speaking. ¡°We can¡­ triple cast?¡± Pacifica spoke slowly. ¡°Together?¡± Taika¡¯s grip on her fellow Resonator¡¯s hands tightened, trembling in their grasp. Shouri chuckled, smiling warmly. He really didn¡¯t deserve to be in the presence of such amazing people. Meravigliare Bolla Presto ¨C Allegro ¨C Moderato (New!) Famiglio Incendio Presto ¨C Allegro ¨C Moderato ¨C Adagio (New!) Chapter 152 ¡°Oh, they¡¯re back,¡± Shouri noted upon arriving at the dining hall. A breakfast banquet was awaiting the hungry group. Taika, Pacifica, and Rebecca each had a rhythm beast riding on their shoulders, one of light, bubbles, and fire respectively. ¡°And you appear to have been training well,¡± said Nina, noting the trio of different beasts in their company. ¡°On all fronts it seems,¡± Talys chimed in, carefully observing the four. ¡°I can move things now,¡± Taika boasted proudly, demonstrating on one of the forks on the table. Unfortunately, her ego had been bigger than her actual skill because all she managed to do was yank the fork off the table and send it clattering to the ground. All eyes were on the vixen who slowly shrank, her face reddening. ¡°¨¨ ancora un lavoro in corso...¡± she admitted quietly. A slow clap alerted the small crowd to Vienna¡¯s presence at the table. ¡°Good job,¡± she said, her voice oozing with sarcasm. Instantly the trio of Resonators were glaring at the red-head before them. Vienna couldn¡¯t be bothered interacting with them any longer. She gave a small bow in thanks for her meal and left the room, ignoring the scowls on her back as she did so. ¡°I don¡¯t like her,¡± Taika grumbled. ¡°Not asking you to,¡± Shouri said with a shrug. ¡°She is useful though,¡± he said rather clinically as he moved to sit down. Pacifica¡¯s face contorted in confusion. What a¡­ strange response from Shouri. He wasn¡¯t one to use people¡­ or so she thought. The way he felt about Vienna, or at least when he spoke of her; it was as he said ¨C she was useful to him. That was it. It was a similar feeling to how Maestros like Lyle or Shawn Hawk looked at their Resonators. Like objects. But Vienna was a Maestro¡­ right? Even if she wasn¡¯t (somehow) what went on between them to make even the boy who accepted Naturals as friends take such a stance? ¡°Darn itchy rhythm,¡± Pacifica whispered to herself as she sat down for breakfast. Breakfast was as good as usual. Taika made a bit of a mess as she attempted to flex her rapidly blossoming telekinesis to little success. ¡°Maybe you should use your hands to pick up the utensils instead,¡± Shouri suggested after yet another failed attempt at diplomacy between Taika and the material world. ¡°Mrrpgh.¡± Taika puffed out her cheeks, a splash of red brightening them up. She picked up her fork like a normal person and ate her food the boring way. Satisfied Taika wouldn¡¯t send the rest of breakfast on a one-way trip to the floor, Shouri addressed his other Resonators. ¡°What are you two gonna do today?¡± ¡°Probably more endurance training for her,¡± Rebecca said, motioning to Pacifica. ¡°Yippee¡­¡± Pacifica failed to hide her lack of enthusiasm for yet more exercise. A thought came to mind as Pacifica¡¯s gaze shifted to Taika begrudgingly using her fork like a normie. Was this how Taika felt back in Canolapra every morning when they went swimming?
¡°Where are we going, Rebby?¡± asked Pacifica. Water and fire walked down the breezeway. They passed by the walkway that led down to the fields they had been training in for the past couple of days. ¡°So where are we going?¡± Pacifica repeated, bringing herself up to match Rebecca¡¯s pace. ¡°Training, I told you,¡± Rebecca replied. Well, she wasn¡¯t lying, Pacifica could sense that much. The otter poutily glared at the back of the fox¡¯s head ¨C was it so hard to just say what they were doing today? The two turned into the same training room they had been capitalizing on. Neither Nina nor Talys joined them, leaving the pair to their own devices, as had been the cast for the last couple of days. ¡°Alright.¡± Rebecca turned and faced Pacifica. ¡°Dodge,¡± she said with a wicked grin. ¡°Wha-!?¡± Pacifica suddenly dove out of the way of a fireball, landing on the ground. ¡°I said DODGE!¡± Rebecca barked, shooting another ball of fire at her fellow Resonator. ¡°What the fuck?!¡± Pacifica cried, rolling out of the way. ¡°It might not be as effective against you, but I know this¡¯ll hurt if you get hit!¡± shouted the fox as Pacifica ran away screaming. Today sucks, Pacifica decided.
¡°Questo ¨¨¡­ molto,¡± Taika mumbled. Her training room was in a different configuration than the day before. No longer was the floor barren as it had been prior. Now there was a whole tiny obstacle course of metal and wood. The scale of it looked like a children¡¯s playset gone horribly excessive. The course spanned the entire floorspace of the room, all interconnected in a wide array of twists, turns, loops, and other surprises that Taika couldn¡¯t hope to parse in the limited time she had to study it. ¡°This my child, is the true training,¡± Sarayaul said from the other side of the training room. ¡°Your first goal is from that end of the room guide your bead through this maze to this side.¡± Taika furrowed her brow. She didn¡¯t see how that was a challenge. The metal wiring that made up the maze was big enough to allow the bead passage, but narrow enough that she could just push it through with little resistance. As if he read her mind, Sarayul laid down the biggest stipulation, ¡°without your bead touching the rails.¡± The mortal fox gulped. Suddenly, this looked much more daunting than it appeared. ¡°Good luck,¡± tittered the Ethereal, leaving the Resonator to her own devices. There had to be a catch¡­ that much Taika knew. He wasn¡¯t even watching her. How would he know if she did it successfully? She figured it was a test of her conviction. It¡¯d be pretty useless training if she just cheated it. No, she had to want her skills to improve. That¡¯s why he told her up front how to properly utilize the obstacle course. Taika¡¯s eyes flickered blue with stubborn willpower. She was going to make this work. Stepping up to the test, she set the bead down on the little wooden podium that marked the entrance to the course. She channeled her rhythm into the bead and guided it into the maze. The first segment was easy enough. A couple of wide turns to test her ability to direct the bead around in space. Slowly the complexity built with the turns becoming narrower and narrower. At first, she was trying to take her time to guide the bead through the labyrinth, but she quickly grew frustrated with the speed she was at and decided to pick up the pace. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. This was a mistake. It was only then, did Taika learn of the punishment game. The bead touched one of the rails and then¡­. WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE A high-pitched squeal emitted from the course. Now for most, this would just be a slightly annoying whine. But for one with the Canid Sense trait like Taika¡­ ¡°AUGH!¡± the girl bellowed, grabbing her ears and immediately falling to her knees. It was so loud and piercing that tears formed instantly from how harsh the assailing noise was on her sensitive hearing. As soon as it had begun, the chaos ceased. ¡°What the hell was that?¡± Taika whimpered, wiping her face dry with her robes. ¡°Oh, I forgot to mention,¡± Sarayul said, leaning on the doorway. ¡°The way this is constructed, any contact with a material channeling rhythm will cause it to make that noise.¡± ¡°Woulda been nice to know before I blew up my ears,¡± Taika mumbled under her breath. ¡°Just don¡¯t let it touch the rails my child, good luck,¡± he sang before departing again. ¡°There¡¯s the catch,¡± grumbled the fox, still rubbing her ears. Taika studied the maze again. The bead had made it roughly about a fourth of the way through before her blunder, and even that was only because she had grown impatient and rushed things. Patience, that¡¯s what she needed. Stepping around the various bits of the maze, she located the bead, and with a little fiddling about she freed the pearl from its prison. Returning to the start of the trial, Taika studied the path. As she had observed, it opened quite gently. Some easy twists and turns, no doubt to get the trainees used to manipulating the direction of their chosen objects through three-dimensional space. Gradually the soft turns become harsher, with some being near twenty-degree bends with next to no room for error. There were even segments where one had to force their chosen object upward through a zig-zag of bends ¨C not only competing with the harsh directional changes but gravity as well. She sighed. ¡°This is gonna suck,¡± mumbled the fox to herself. Bellyaching wasn¡¯t going to solve the problem. It was time to get back to work, whether she wanted to or not.
Shouri and Vienna were, as usual, sitting alone in the store room. The actual Maestro of the pair was focused entirely on his craft. By this point the number of dud or failed pearls was minimal, and he got into his own pace with it. The key, he found, was to not rush it. Ease not only his blood but his very rhythm into the clay. Doing so resulted in the shining black pearls he was looking for. Taika had excitedly bragged about how sturdy they were, being able to deal significant damage to the wood beams that constructed the temple. She had yet to try it on other materials, but with the results he had witnessed, he did not doubt that they would be quite sturdy little things. Having 107 of these would be of great use to Taika. Though, she seemed to have some trouble moving objects that weren¡¯t the beads. He theorized that moving objects without latent rhythm like the beads possessed was much more difficult, but the skill would come with time. He deposited another bead into the bowl and held out his hands for Vienna. The lyrebird snapped to and tapped into their persisting connection, executing the healing spell without a word to him. Shouri had words for her, however. ¡°What did I say about the sass?¡± he questioned her. ¡°I haven¡¯t said anything in at least an hour,¡± she countered. ¡°You know what I mean,¡± he retorted. Vienna glared at her Maestro. ¡°This is a waste of time. They¡¯re such¡­ fodder,¡± she decided that last word carefully. Even so, Shouri took exception to that. ¡°What¡¯s your game?¡± he finally asked. The lyrebird cocked a brow. ¡°I just want your rhythm-¡± ¡°Bullshit, what are you actually after? The rhythm is just a happy consequence.¡± His expression told her he was done playing games. She, however, was not. With a defiant smirk, she reclined back in her seat. ¡°What are you gonna do-?¡± she stopped. A sudden burning feeling in the back of her head instantly set off alarm bells for her. Shouri held her tuner up, the red button pressed down. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare,¡± though she said this, her confidence wavered. ¡°I told you, push me and you¡¯re gonna wake up in a field with no idea who I am,¡± he warned, releasing the button. ¡°Don¡¯t fuck with me Vienna, what bullshit are you dragging me into?¡± he questioned. A harsh, almost hateful glare is what Shouri earned. He thought he deserved it in all honesty. Threatening her like this probably wasn¡¯t his wisest course of action, but also he wasn¡¯t about to be taken for a ride. Especially if it meant Taika and the others would get hurt again. ¡°This whole Ilea Vim thing is bigger than you¡¯ve let on,¡± he guessed. She remained quiet, maintaining her glare. ¡°You¡¯re personally involved, aren¡¯t you?¡± came another guess on Shouri¡¯s part. Her expression remained resolute, her scowl persisting. ¡°Let us help you.¡± Finally, her conviction wavered, the pressure of her brows cracking as her expression relaxed into concern as she hung her head. It was a strange look on her face, usually because she was always so self-assured and smug. Seeing the worry on the wingless bird¡¯s face was wrong somehow. ¡°You can¡¯t beat him,¡± she mumbled. ¡°Not alone, no,¡± he agreed. ¡°But I¡¯m not alone ¨C I have them.¡± Vienna shook her head. ¡°They¡¯re not strong enough, either.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Positive.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re wrong.¡± The null element stole a glance at the Maestro, who had resumed his bead-making. ¡°Logically, I have no idea of what Ilea is capable of. I have no idea if we even hold a candle to him,¡± Shouri spoke quietly. ¡°But, what I do know is they¡¯ll follow me straight into hell without hesitation.¡± The lyrebird furrowed her brow. She wasn¡¯t sure what that even meant, but for some reason¡­ it spoke to her heart. Her words were stuck in her throat, but her curiosity was piqued. ¡­could he actually do it? That would be something she¡¯d have to find out. Chapter 153 Another ¡°evening¡± fell upon the temple. Shouri and Rebecca relaxed on the couch, watching TV as usual. Taika laid on the bed, reading something on her tuner. Finally, Pacifica was capitalizing on the hot tub (and nobody was surprised). Shouri had an arm draped around Rebecca¡¯s shoulder, and his other hand held his tuner. A soft beep alerted him to a text message, however upon checking it, he soon discovered he had been added to a group conversation, against his will.
Elijah joined the chat room! Colette joined the chat room! Emily joined the chat room! Shouri joined the chat room! Me: what? Elijah: I thought it¡¯d be wise to keep tabs on where everyone is. Emily: hang on! Colette: Hey! A group text! No one¡¯s ever invited me to one of these
Rebecca noticed her Maestro glaring at her tuner. ¡°What¡¯s up bossman?¡± she said while peeking at the screen. ¡°Elijah added me to a fucking group chat,¡± grumbled Shouri. ¡°Is that really that bad?¡± Rebecca chuckled. ¡°It means I have to socialize.¡± ¡°You could just hug me more,¡± suggested the vixen. The brazen nature of the request earned a smirk from the boy. ¡°Perhaps. I guess I do owe it to Emily though to not leave her alone with Elijah and Colette.¡± He paused. ¡°Unless she did something while she had you to earn your ire?¡± ¡°Nah, she was a little angel, text away,¡± Rebecca waved at the tuner. ¡°But I¡¯m gonna be nosy,¡± she warned. ¡°That¡¯s fine, it¡¯ll be fun to have a commentary buddy.¡± And so the two caught up on the conversation thus far.
Emily: Why are we here again? Colette: Dunno, this wasn¡¯t my idea. Emily: So it¡¯s Mr.Klein then, cause we all know Shouri wouldn¡¯t.
¡°Hey uncalled for.¡± Shouri frowned at the screen. ¡°She¡¯s not wrong though,¡± Rebecca said. ¡°It¡¯s true, but she shouldn¡¯t say it,¡± Shouri countered.
Elijah: After the most recent news cycle, I figure it¡¯s best if we keep tabs on one another. Colette: I¡¯ll say. I didn¡¯t think that Vail would attack me like that! Emily: Wait, what happened? Me: tldr, she got jumped by a sprite Emily: No, don¡¯t tldr me! I want details! Me: Get in line! Ms. College Degree over here couldn¡¯t exposit her way out of a paper bag! Emily: idk about that, she¡¯s been typing for like ever Elijah: Either way, we should consider how to address this situation.
¡°I have a bad feeling about how long Colette has been typing for,¡± Shouri commented. ¡°Maybe she¡¯s slow on the keyboard? Surprised you¡¯re as fast as you are with the touchscreen keys,¡± Rebecca noted. ¡°The faster I type, the faster everyone leaves me the hell alone,¡± he boasted. Rebecca was content to chuckle at her Maestro¡¯s pile of dust he called his willpower. When they turned their attention back to the screen, Colette had attacked.
Colette: So it was crazy! We were heading back to campus, but got a call from one of my professors who asked to meet me down at a local park. Now that wasn¡¯t too crazy because we¡¯ve done that before to observe various rhythm users out in the wild, but when we got there the professor attacked me while my back was turned! Luckily Kaira sensed something was amiss and saved me and we managed to get away from Vail who had dropped her disguise. It was weird because I didn¡¯t think sprites had the ability to take on other¡¯s forms, so I did some research and they don¡¯t! Though sprite bodies are only toy sized from my research. Not full on melomorphic sized bodies like Whistler and Vail have. It does make me wonder how much those cybernetic bodies cost, as a small sprite body can run in the upwards of tens of thousands of notes for simple ones. It seems like their bodies mimicked organic systems to the degree of being near indistinguishable from stock standard Resonators. Now what really fascinated me was that disguise feature Vail had, it seems like whoever built her added additional features that weren¡¯t her Resonator powers, but drew on the same well of power as them! If the theory holds true it seems like it could be possible for someone to make a sprite with all kinds of crazy powers!
¡°Holy shit it just keeps going,¡± Rebecca tore her eyes away from the screen, unable to read the thick block of text. ¡°The short of it is, Colette thinks whoever actually built Whistler and Vail¡¯s bodies had a lot of money and know-how to do so,¡± Shouri said, his eyes scanning the text wall for any other pertinent info. ¡°Someone with a lot of money¡­ like the Klein Foundation?¡± Rebecca questioned. Shouri hummed at the thought. It did seem to line up, considering the Klein Foundation had basically unlimited money and was in the game of Resonator battles. As if to answer that line of thinking, a new message came in.
Elijah: I do have some news on that front. Emily: News about what? Elijah: The arm parts we recovered from Naiza Stadium did match specs of a canceled project we had initially funded. As Ms. Severine had pointed out, it does cost quite a pretty sharp to build sprite bodies. The proposed benefit with the larger models is they make excellent referees. Me: Buuuuut? Elijah: The costs were extraordinarily expensive. To put it in perspective, a human sized sprite body with the level of articulation and sensors ran about the price it took to create Zino. Emily: And that was? Elijah: Around 100 million, give or take. Emily: That¡­ is a lot¡­ Elijah: And that¡¯s why Father nearly killed me when Zino was subject to Feroce
¡°What would you do with 100 million notes Sho?¡± Rebecca inquired. ¡°Buy an island and never talk to anyone again,¡± he replied without missing a beat. ¡°Why am I not surprised?¡± Rebecca laughed.
Me: We¡¯re not asking the right questions here. Colette: What would those be? Me: Who could spend that kind of money without anyone noticing? It wasn''t a one time purchase either, the Whistler in Alspo had both arms. They''re being maintained.
The chat went silent for a couple of minutes. They had already established well enough that someone spent a fortune building Vail and Whistler¡¯s bodies. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong,¡± Rebecca hummed in thought. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of money to just evaporate.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think this line of questioning is gonna get us anywhere, but at least we might be able to wring someone¡¯s neck up for the shit we went through,¡± Shouri grumbled. ¡°That¡¯s for sure,¡± agreed Rebecca, mirroring her Maestro¡¯s irritation.
Elijah: I suppose I can look into the Klein Foundation¡¯s records and see if anything strange popped up. Do we have an idea of how long the two sprites have been public? That may give me a starting point to work with. Colette: I can do some digging and find out. Me: Speaking of people related to the lightning duo, what about Ilea? This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Colette: What about him? Me: How long has he been doing this Feroce thing for? Colette: I got involved in it after winter break this year. From what some of the others said, Dr. Vim brought the project to our school since our Rhythm Studies program is the best in the continent. Me: Why?
¡°Why?¡± Shouri voiced out loud. ¡°Why did he want to research Feroce so badly to get a whole college involved?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand why that¡¯s a big deal. Isn¡¯t it normal for colleges to study stuff?¡± Rebecca questioned. ¡°Well yes, but I still think Ilea is suspicious as fuck,¡± Shouri said, glaring at the screen. Rebecca hummed in thought. She was glad she was etuding with Shouri at the moment, as her normal brain fog was lifted, giving her a clear picture of what was going on. ¡°I do admit, every time we¡¯ve seen him he feels¡­ wrong somehow.¡± ¡°Pacifica said his emotions felt crafted? I¡¯m not sure what exactly that means, but that is a huge red flag to me ¨C like he has something to hide,¡± Shouri recalled. ¡°Right, and Kaira agreed with her,¡± Rebecca added. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± the two hummed. Their train of thought was interrupted by a new string of messages.
Colette: Dr. Vim is a rhythm researcher, so it seems pretty obvious to me why he¡¯d be interested in feroce as a condition. Emily: Well it¡¯s not obvious to the rest of us, spill the tea girl. Colette: Feroce is caused by extreme Aleatoria in Resonators. Aleatoria is a class of conditions that affect rhythm intake and outflow in Melopomorphs. Traditionally Feroce was found in very rare scenarios where a Resonator was not only pushed to a breaking point emotionally, but was compromised in some unknown way. Emily: Traditionally? This thing has existed in the past then? Colette: Yes, but it wasn¡¯t well understood, and the condition usually never went past the first stage. Emily: What changed? Elijah: Someone began purposefully inflicting it on Resonators.
The chat went silent. Rebecca grabbed Shouri¡¯s free hand and gripped it tightly ¨C it had suddenly become clammy and he trembled. It took a good minute or two for the conversation to resume.
Colette: From what some of the recovered Resonators testified to, they were tortured. Those that broke correctly were kept and further studied. Those that didn¡¯t were taken elsewhere. Emily: Where¡¯s elsewhere? Elijah: For the sake of all of our collective sanity, let¡¯s leave that point there and focus on the problem. Someone is out there purposefully creating a plague. Emily: Right, there was something back in Naiza about other resonators catching this thing and some being immune? Colette: Right. Some Resonators are just born with a natural disposition that prevents them from succumbing to the condition, while other Resonators can gain this immunity factor by catching the illness and being cured of it. Elijah: Like Zino and Shouri¡¯s trio. Me: Quick question, Rebecca also has the immunity factor?
Rebecca perked up at the sudden question from her Maestro. ¡°You were watching over us, but you weren¡¯t directly in the dream thing. Taika and Pacifica I get being immune to the thing,¡± Shouri laid out his thoughts for her. ¡°R-right,¡± Rebecca said uneasily.
Colette: Yes, Rebecca¡¯s immunity factor felt the same as Pacifica and Taika¡¯s. Why do you ask? Me: Rebecca was never in the dream with us. She more or less wasn¡¯t involved. Colette: Oooh, that¡¯s fascinating! I wonder if it¡¯s because your etude is so strong that Rebecca¡¯s rhythm synched up with Taika and Pacifica¡¯s, therefore gaining the same immunities as them! Elijah: Seems quite convenient. Emily: Like a true hero! Me: Cut it out Ems Colette: I also wonder if that¡¯s why you¡¯ve been able to cure Feroce resonators so fast. They just fall into line with the rest of your team after being with them for an evening. You don¡¯t even need your whole group with you as Rebecca and Pacifica were able to cure Resonators all on their own. But also every Feroce you fought in Naiza was cured shortly after you took them down, so I wonder what the factor is there.
¡°I knew about Mila, I guess we never asked about those other two we fought,¡± Shouri mumbled. ¡°I guess it¡¯s good that we did. Would have sucked for them if we beat their asses and they were still Feroce,¡± Rebecca shrugged. ¡°Yeah¡­¡±
Elijah: Either way, I¡¯m not content to allow this to continue. Despite our best efforts, the Klein Foundation can¡¯t get any local law enforcement on the matter. Me: Useless as usual. Emily: That¡¯s incredibly suspicious. Why the terra isn¡¯t your government doing anything about it? Me: I didn¡¯t vote for them, they¡¯re not my government. Emily: You know what I mean Shouri! Elijah: They keep citing lack of evidence. They¡¯re quite firm they can¡¯t even start investigating without at least a shred of information that this is being done intentionally and not just individualized cases of abuse. Me: I know of at least one Maestro who spoke with someone to purchase his feroce resonator. Colette: Me too! I could send their information over? Elijah: I have been in contact with some as well, but from what our representatives have been told, that still isn¡¯t enough. There¡¯s been some muttering about self-incrimination if they testify due to the fact that they used the feroce spells.
¡°Really hate our legal system,¡± Shouri grumbled. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about it,¡± admitted Rebecca. ¡°It¡¯s just all a bunch of red tape and hanging on to loose interpretations of the ¡®law¡¯, which is whatever the hell they decide it is this week.¡± Rebecca frowned, mulling that over. The world was more complicated than she had thought. Shouri mentioned that trying to take down Ilea Vim may get them arrested. But if he was truly the bad guy, why would they get in trouble for it? Weren¡¯t they being the good guys here?
Elijah: Something our legal team cooked up is abusing a loophole in Hunter¡¯s law to arrest him that way. Me: Oh? Colette: Oh! If a hunter catches a criminal in the act of committing a crime, they can act as law enforcement and perform apprehensions and arrests in lieu of proper authorities. Emily: Wait, what does that mean? Me: It¡¯s how I could beat up those Feroce maestros and their resonators without anyone batting an eye. They were not only using feroce spells, but were illegally battling in a public area, reckless endangerment of the public, and all that. Emily: I really need to read up on hunter¡¯s law then ahaha¡­ Me: You¡¯d better, you have a hunter¡¯s license now ¨C you can be drafted at any time for emergency work. Emily: I can WHAT?! Elijah: The princess has gotten herself in trouble yet again Emily: Shut the fuck up Klein. Elijah: Shouri is a terrible influence on you Colette: I also have a hunter license. I guess I can help with this? Me: I know a ton of people all over with hunter¡¯s licenses
¡°Wait, who do we know?¡± Rebecca raised a brow, wondering what her Maestro was up to. ¡°Makani, Lina, and all them in Canolapra, Vince, Solana, and probably a bunch of other people I¡¯m forgetting about. I know Vince would come running if I told him about it, and if not Mila would drag him back here,¡± Shouri said. ¡°So what¡¯s your idea?¡± Rebecca questioned. ¡°Still kinda thinking that through,¡± admitted Shouri quietly.
Elijah: Pass me their information, Shouri. I¡¯d like to vet them myself and determine who we¡¯ll be bringing. Emily: Huh? Colette: What did I miss? Me: Isn¡¯t it obvious?
¡°No! It¡¯s not!¡± Rebecca shook her Maestro, who kept typing despite it all.
Me: We¡¯re gonna need a team.
Interlude 8 - Elijahs Training ¡°A team?¡± Elijah Klein pondered aloud. The heir of the Klein Foundation wasn¡¯t one to stray from the idea of a team. After all, what was at the root of business but cooperation towards a common goal? Objectives, deadlines, metrics; these all lived and died on the backs of the teams who made them happen. The list of those who Shouri suggested was interesting. Elijah reviewed the list he was to forward off to his contacts. Even if he trusted Shouri, he couldn¡¯t necessarily trust every individual. Especially with an operation with such tight security. They should be vetted to ensure they could be trusted. One name he left off the list, however. Vince Rayburn and Mila This was a name that had come up in Shouri¡¯s file before. If not simply for being the Maestro Shouri hand-picked to leave Mila¡¯s care to. Such an act spoke to the trustworthiness of that individual. Elijah cast a lazy gaze over his shoulder. Zino was tearing into his third dinner. A plate of bloody red meat. The Maestro simply didn¡¯t have the heart to explain what the meat they ate truly was. Let them eat meat, decided the heir. His gaze returned to the list. Another name piqued his interest. Makani Almos and Rynda He knew not of their status; however, Shouri¡¯s brief explanation of their talents drew interest. ¡°A pilot I could use in my ventures,¡± he mused to himself.
¡°Mr. Klein! What a lovely morning it is?¡± the pilot greeted the heir. The man was a mess, though his hair and manner of dress were meticulously groomed to an almost unnatural level of perfection, his nerves were anything but. The poor man looked like he was about to fall apart. Stiff as a board, trembling like the last leaf in a storm, enough sweat to sate the parched. Why if Elijah were of the more sadistic persuasion, he could tear this boy to ribbons where he stood. Thankfully the pilot¡¯s better half had some sense and elbowed him. ¡°What Makani means to say is good morning,¡± the lunar bird shared her greeting with a curtsy. ¡°Indeed,¡± Elijah smirked. It was a funny reminder that the audacity displayed by Shouri and his precious Resonators was not the norm. He could only count the solitary Renard as one who greeted him with a blazing kick to the dinosaur. Unfortunately, the platitudes and reverence were average for Elijah. People were too afraid to tell him their honest thoughts. It wasn¡¯t as if he wanted to be unapproachable. Too many who just made assumptions. ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you as well Mr. Almos, Ms. Rynda,¡± the Klein heir allowed himself a short bow to the pair. ¡°I trust you are well equipped for our journey ahead? My compatriots and I are quite eager to make it to Unis-Resonn¨¦ as soon as possible,¡± he said, motioning to the dinosaur Resonator and fox Natural behind him. Zino looked like he couldn¡¯t care less about where they were going or how they were getting there. While Miro¡¯s eyes sparkled with his usual cheery curiosity at his new surroundings. ¡°Of course! Right this way Mr. Klein!¡± Makani gestured towards the tarmac, leading the group to the passenger plane with an uneasy gait in his step. ¡°Can you level with me?¡± Rynda asked as they walked. Ah, there was the audacity he was looking for. ¡°How in the world did you find out who we are? I mean, we don¡¯t advertise and we¡¯re not exactly the most prolific pilots in the world,¡± the bird shot the businessman a skeptical glance. Elijah couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°I have it on good authority that you and your Maestro are wonderful pilots,¡± he replied. Rynda furrowed her brows, wondering who spoke of them so highly. She didn¡¯t get the answer to that, as Elijah kept the knowledge of their benefactor to himself.
Miro looked around, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Unis-Resonne already delivered in visual splendor. The greenery was a new sight for the desert fox, but in such massive quantities made him wonder what kind of strange world he had been whisked away to. Truly it was the stuff stories were made of. Elijah himself was a good employer. All he asked of the fox was a detailed report of his rhythm on the daily. A task that he could rattle off in an instant. Rhythm was Miro¡¯s special interest after all. He was always aware of the rhythm of those around him. Especially tempo. Tempo was such a fascinating concept their world was blessed with. The ability to connect with others on a spiritual level ¨C it was something he had forsaken in Subterris. Being in the Maestro¡¯s world showed how dull his life had been before. People like Shouri were so dazzlingly beautiful, that Miro couldn¡¯t help but pine for them. The connection between him and the two girls he brought to his hospital room was almost blinding. Such trust, such strong tempo. He had never seen such a sight ¨C it only fed into his obsession. The pilots, Makani and Rynda were very similar ¨C their bond was so tight it radiated a comfortable warmth Miro basked in for the entire three-hour flight to Dorleans. Elijah on the other hand¡­ It was sad. Things were getting better day by day, but in comparison to the luminescence he saw from Maestros like Shouri and Makani, Elijah was barely a candle in the wind. ¡°My rhythm is said to be in a Solitario state. The doctors are unsure of why it is, but I will never have much rhythm to my name. Ironic, no? All the splendor in the world is right at my fingertips, yet my body refuses our world¡¯s greatest gift.¡± Those forlorn words were spoken by a man who would give it all to share in the delights his contemporaries bathed in. From Miro¡¯s research into the matter, the Solitario state was a class of condition similar to Aleatoria - the class of conditions where the afflicted is prone to extreme mental and physiological variance due to rhythm imbalance. In Elijah¡¯s case, Miro observed reluctance in the man¡¯s scale to readily etude, but in exchange, his staves were in near-perfect balance. It was almost as if his body was trying to say ¡°you don¡¯t need them,¡± as if it was better than any other scale. ¡°Miro, shall we head to the hotel?¡± Elijah¡¯s voice drew the fox from his thoughts. ¡°Yes!¡± he beamed. After bidding Makani and Rynda farewell, the trio were whisked away to their lodgings ¨C a top-class hotel in the heart of Dorleans. Miro was still getting used to the affluence on display whenever Elijah was around, looking around the lobby of the hotel with wonder. Resonators worked the floors, cleaning, moving luggage, any mundane job little Miro could think up, it seemed like a Resonator was doing it. The less taxing, more mental tasks, such as managing the front desk had a Maestro staffed. How interesting. It was certainly true that Resonators and Naturals alike were sturdier than the frailer Maestros, but that was mostly in tasks where spellcasting or elements of danger were involved. Why would Maestros be precluded from manual labor? Surely, they would require employment too? Unless all Maestros were hunters like Shouri? This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. That didn¡¯t make sense though. What a strange world Maestro society was.
Zino didn¡¯t really care where they slept. He was always bored to tears going through the same song and dance at every new destination they went to. Fly to someplace Ride in some car Go into some fancy pants hotel Live it up in the lap of luxury The dinosaurian wasn¡¯t an idiot. He knew very well what a privileged existence he led. But that didn¡¯t stop him from being so fucking bored. Bored bored bored bored. He got so bored he contracted a rhythm disease! And yet, life went back to normal after Nationals. Ferried from one place to another in his Maestro¡¯s shadow. So boring¡­ ¡°Zino.¡± The dinosaur listlessly raised his head to face his Maestro. ¡°What?¡± he mumbled. ¡°Armalcol Fucile, Legato.¡± The words that left Elijah Klein¡¯s lips were ones found plaguing Zino¡¯s dreams. Spellcraft. From his Maestro. The dinosaur watched in horror as Elijah¡¯s blonde hair turned to ash before his very eyes. Was this a dream? This had to be. But why did it feel so real? Why did he feel the will of his Maestro exerted on him? ¡°What the fuck is wrong with you?!¡± Zino snarled, suppressing the rhythm flooding into his body. ¡°Are you a fucking idiot?!¡± the dinosaurian snapped. ¡°Perhaps. Cast that spell, I imagine the rhythm is boiling under your skin.¡± Elijah smirked, the dark bags under his eyes growing as his body was suddenly devoid of rhythm. Zino looked around and found where he had been taken: a private casting gallery. The spell that was trying to force its way out was one he couldn¡¯t claim familiarity with. Thankfully his body knew what to do. He raised his arm, extending it out. He closed his hand into a tight fist, angling his hand so his thumb was facing out. At the intersection of his thumbnail and the phalanx of his index finger, an otherworldly gem manifested from his rhythm. With a flick of his thumb, the moon rock flew like a bullet fired from the hammer of his thumb, piercing the target with little effort. The pressure drained from his scale, the earth element turned to face his stupid Maestro. Miro was helping the idiotic boy stay on his feet as he messed with a bottle of apple juice. At first, Elijah gently sipped from the bottle, but he realized the efficiency wasn¡¯t there ¨C he threw his head back and choked down the rhythm-filled liquid. When he whipped his head back, his tresses had regained their luster. ¡°Armalcol Fucile, Legato,¡± he called without another word. Zino scowled. ¡°Elijah!¡± he roared. ¡°C-cast the spell Zino¡­¡± Elijah coughed; his breath labored. The dinosaur complied again, firing off the delicate moon rock projectile. He spun to face his moronic Maestro, who was slowly uncapping another bottle of apple juice. Before Elijah could sip the life-giving elixir, Zino stopped him, grabbing his Maestro¡¯s hand. ¡°What¡¯s your game? You into killing yourself now?!¡± snarled the earth element. ¡°Training,¡± Elijah said, as if it should have been obvious. His dull gaze was transfixed on the sparkling golden potion his body yearned for. ¡°Training to die maybe,¡± Zino growled. Elijah smirked knowingly. ¡°There was a tale I read recently,¡± he began. ¡°One of an old king who ingested poison every day until he became immune to its effects. It served him well when those who yearned for his throne attempted such underhanded tactics. Rhythm is my poison and you are my chalice, dear Zino. I ask for the poison, I yearn for your rhythm even if my body protests. Will you grant me this selfish wish, my friend?¡± Zino considered the heartfelt request. Obviously with such little rhythm, casting one Ossia spell brought Elijah from full to near death. This could easily end the man and he wasn¡¯t one to take unnecessary risks ¨C that much the dinosaur knew for a fact about his Maestro. He released the bottle to allow Elijah to partake of its restorative properties. The dinosaur turned his gaze on the Natural who was keeping a close watch on the Maestro of the trio. ¡°Make sure he doesn¡¯t die,¡± Zino growled to the fox. Miro didn¡¯t budge, his focus entirely on the recovering Maestro as he sipped his drink. ¡°His rhythm is very weak. It comes back a little bit brighter each time. I am not sure if he is hurting his scale. Too early to tell,¡± Miro advised the Resonator. ¡°Hrmph. Idiot,¡± grumbled Zino.
Day passed to night and with it, Elijah finally allowed himself a reprieve from the intense rhythmic exercise. If allowed meant forced. ¡°Fucking idiot,¡± Zino grumbled, leaning against the frame of the bathroom door. It was two who got to see the mask slip. The proper and prim Elijah Klein collapsed in front of a toilet, his body rejecting the past three hours of drinking. As it turns out the human body was not equipped to deal with large volumes of apple juice, no matter how much it craved the healing properties of the rare drink. ¡°I must seem like quite the fool after I ran my mouth earlier. A king I am not,¡± Elijah managed a weak chuckle before leaning over the porcelain throne to expel a few thousand notes worth of juice. ¡°His rhythm is weak, but not in danger,¡± Miro told Zino, who rolled his eyes in response. ¡°No juice for you tomorrow,¡± the Natural scolded the reckless boy. ¡°Yes yes, I won¡¯t take to the bottle tomorrow, urgh¡­¡± The cool rim of the toilet bowl was nice ¨C no one was ever allowed to see him in this state. ¡°I¡¯m glad I can get away with downing a good number of bottles before my stomach thinks better of me,¡± Elijah suddenly spoke. ¡°It¡¯ll be good to have in reserve, just in case.¡± Miro looked to Zino, who didn¡¯t open his eyes, remaining stoic and silent. Were all Maestros such strange individuals? Or did Miro have a knack for stumbling across the exceptional?
It was vexing. ¡°I wish I was wrong about this¡­ but it¡¯s hard to dispute the evidence,¡± Elijah muttered to himself. The rest of the suite was quiet and dark. Only the light of his desk remained lit as he pored over the documents delivered to him earlier that day. ¡°Klaus, why would you do this?¡± he whispered. Documented were papers of the parts recovered from Naiza stadium. The designs were a one-to-one match with a certain canceled project. Elijah took a breath. ¡°You¡¯re too brilliant for your own good.¡± He exhaled shaking his head. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t have been like this.¡± He lamented to a crowd of none. The regret built as he scanned the documents for anything disproving his hypothesis. Theory was fact, the evidence was damning. Especially the Klein Foundation branding found on some of the circuit boards. ¡°He must have people on the inside helping him source these parts. I wonder¡­ If Dr. Vim can reach inside the Klein Foundation, does that not mean he can reach other companies?¡± A chilling thought came to mind: ¡°Has he reached public offices?¡± ¡°Oh, that is a problem indeed. I need to make some calls. We¡¯d certainly be struck down before we even got started if I don''t stack the deck in our favor.¡± And so another long night continued for Elijah Klein. Interlude 8 - Emilys Sleuthing ¡°Hrm¡­¡± Emily furrowed her brow, studying the message on her tuner. ¡°What¡¯s up, Emmy?¡± asked Ritika, hovering over her Maestro¡¯s shoulder. It was another bright sunny day. Emily and her trio of Resonators were having a blast exploring Unis-Resonne, never having left Kalanichi until after they left with Shouri and his trio. However what weighed on their minds was the mission Shouri sought to complete: the halt of the intentional creation of feroce Resonators by one Ilea Vim. It was tough. Everything Emily had found painted the guy in a positive light. He was a little standoffish, sure, but in terms of rhythm research, he was second to none. One disturbing thing she found was the appraisal of the man¡¯s power, supposedly having the potential to best even the Grand Masters ¨C Riterra¡¯s finest Maestros. What was such a powerful figure doing messing with a condition as dangerous as Feroce? Nothing good she imagined. ¡°Elijah says it¡¯s probably legally dangerous for us to go after that Ilea Vim guy without a plan,¡± Emily told her cat. Ritika hummed, pursing her lips while she thought it through. ¡°I guess we can¡¯t just punch him in the face and drag him into a jail cell. We gotta prove he¡¯s been doing something wrong,¡± she reasoned. Emily nodded, poring over the information sent by Elijah again. ¡°Okay gang, we¡¯re going to Lyreann!¡± the Maestro announced, rising to her feet. ¡°Why?¡± said Albarich, looking up from his own tuner as he lay on the bed. ¡°That¡¯s where that Colette girl said she got attacked. We¡¯re gonna go make a citizen¡¯s inquiry about that attack,¡± Emily explained. ¡°See previous question,¡± the dragon snarked back. ¡°Simple, their law enforcement branch has to tell us the results of the investigation. So we can find out what they learned and piece it together with the help of Klein¡¯s people,¡± the princess beamed, pride welling up at her plan. Ritika hummed thoughtfully. ¡°I guess I don¡¯t know enough about law enforcement. Don¡¯t care much about that junk living in the desert all my life,¡± she said, deferring to Soot. The golem shrugged as well ¨C he was too old to know how modern law and order worked. ¡°It¡¯s probably fine.¡± Emily waved off the concern.
¡°What do you mean ¡®no¡¯?¡± asked Emily, struggling to keep herself even. The police officer in the Lyreann VdV station took a moment to look over their cuticles before allowing Emily to invade their gaze. ¡°No,¡± repeated the officer. ¡°The public doesn¡¯t get access to resolved cases that aren¡¯t going to trial,¡± they stated. ¡°My friend was attacked! What the terra do you mean there¡¯s no trial?¡± Emily¡¯s eyes glowed bright red as she felt herself losing to her strong stave. Soot placed a hand on her shoulder, the weight pressing her down and keeping her from trying to jump the counter to swing on the police officer. ¡°I don¡¯t know where your misconception of what the law is came from, Miss, but we can¡¯t be just handing out information to the general public like that,¡± the office stated, similarly taking some effort to keep their voice even. ¡°Now, unless you have a legitimate concern, please step to the side, you¡¯re holding up the line.¡± Emily snorted indignantly, deciding whether it¡¯d be worth the deportation to swing. Ultimately, logic won out and she begrudgingly complied. ¡°Now what?¡± Albarich asked as the next person stepped up to voice their concern. ¡°Gimmie a sec,¡± Emily mumbled, looking into something on her tuner. After a moment she furrowed her brow in confusion. ¡°What? But why?¡± she muttered, continuing to tap at the screen. ¡°What¡¯s up, Emmy?¡± asked Ritika. Deciding this wasn¡¯t the best place to have the discussion, she motioned for her trio to follow along. Returning to the MA Office, Emily addressed her trio. ¡°Okay, so Al and I came from Luna,¡± she began. Ritika and Soot nodded, following along thus far. ¡°The way that should have gone down is all records are available to the public including video recordings of the attending Officers,¡± she explained. ¡°If the officers on staff don¡¯t fulfill the request, then you can petition to Seat D¨¬ ¨¨r, Seat ?a??ha, or Seat Zw?lftel of the Fourteen¡¯s Court.¡± Ritika¡¯s hand shot up. ¡°Yes?¡± asked Emily. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± she asked. ¡°Oh right. So the Fourteen¡¯s Court serves under the king and queen of Luna. They¡¯re in the top percentage of their generation and are selected from birth for the role.¡± ¡°How does that work?¡± questioned the cat. Emily took in a deep breath before she began. ¡°So on Luna, rather than popularity, we pick our leadership based on strength of rhythm. Since we cherish bonds between Maestros and Resonators, the King and Queen are always a Maestro and Resonator. As far as I understand, the Resonator is selected first, and the opposite gender of the Resonator is then selected from the candidates for Maestro. The same process is applied to the twenty-eight seats of their court.¡± ¡°After the King and Queen ascend to the throne, they are to rule for twenty-five years, starting when they hit age twenty. Five years after the current Court is in service, the selection for the next court begins. The children born in that fifth year are analyzed on their potential rhythm, with the top fifteen of each Maestro and Resonator being selected and brought to the palace to be raised and educated as royalty. Each rank is taught together and live together as a pair.¡± The Maestro paused, giving her time to rest her vocal cords and allow for questions. ¡°So, it¡¯s always the same families then?¡± asked Ritika skeptically. ¡°Stars no! Lots of different families have been royalty. That¡¯s the pride of our system ¨C the truly strong end up leading our country,¡± Emily boasted. ¡°And yet, there¡¯s still plenty of corruption to go around,¡± Albarich scoffed. Emily wilted almost instantly. ¡°What does he mean?¡± questioned Ritika, her gaze narrowing. ¡°Well¡­ the church holds a lot of sway. I just didn¡¯t think they were bad¡­¡± the princess mumbled, her voice as low as her gaze. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°Daddy and Mommy haven¡¯t done shit about the churches trying to purge the non-lunars ¨C they¡¯re complicit,¡± Albarich growled. Emily wore a complicated expression ¨C frustration, shame, confusion; it was all there. Ritika recalled the story they told her when they first met over a year ago. How they pissed off the church and got chased from Luna by accident as a result. Being unable to call back to Luna for help almost felt like it was by design. ¡°So now what?¡± asked the cat. ¡°We try to find information on our own. If the Riterran authorities aren¡¯t giving us the info, then we ask people who were there,¡± said Emily. Soot stepped up at this point in the conversation. He tapped his chest with a C-like shape, then balled up a fist and moved his hand over the other, and finally held up a single finger and made a circle. ¡°Police, hide, someone or something?¡± Emily guessed. The golem nodded. He made a puzzled expression and scratched his head ¨C a seemingly innocuous gesture, but Emily quickly realized that also was a sign. ¡°Suspect? Suspicious!¡± she realized after a moment. Another confirmative nod from the golem put a new line of thought in the Maestro¡¯s head: the whole situation with the police was awfully convenient ¨C suspicious even. ¡°Let¡¯s hit the streets.¡± Emily rose from the desk, her determination palpable.
¡°Hm¡­ this is tougher than I thought¡­¡± Emily furrowed her brow as her eyes flicked up and down the tuner screen. She and Ritika were sitting on a bench while Soot and Albarich stood behind. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Albarich asked, taking a peek at the screen. ¡°There¡¯s like nothing online talking about Colette getting attacked. You¡¯d think there¡¯d be something.¡± No matter how much she pored over the various news sites, both local and continental she couldn¡¯t find what she was looking for. ¡°Weird,¡± Ritika commented, leaning on her Maestro¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Nothing at all?¡± she questioned. ¡°Not even people commenting on the local meet-up sites about it,¡± Emily hummed with frustration. ¡°Ok, idea.¡± She flipped to Elijah¡¯s number and called him. ¡°Miss Seijo, for what do I owe the pleasure?¡± he answered almost immediately. ¡°Send me Colette¡¯s number,¡± demanded the princess. There was a noticeable pause before the Klein heir spoke. ¡°And what is it that you¡¯re going to do with that information?¡± ¡°I want to talk to her about the night she was attacked.¡± ¡°By Vail?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Another considerate pause followed. ¡°Alright, but before I allow you this privileged information, you have to tell me what you¡¯ve found out,¡± came the bargain. Since he was getting this information one way or another, the princess spilled the beans as it were. ¡°We tried the police station and they wouldn¡¯t give me any information, and we tried looking online and found not a trace of the attack,¡± she told him. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s as I feared then,¡± Elijah said almost immediately. ¡°What?¡± Emily raised a brow. ¡°Someone is censoring the information. That¡¯s why Vail attacked so brazenly ¨C they knew she wouldn¡¯t be caught.¡± Emily felt her heart stop for a moment. She knew there was something wrong with this whole situation. Shouri was right¡­ Shouri! Emily rapidly threw a search out and found the same brick wall known as nothing. -The truck being attacked and flipped over was downplayed as protesters. -The attack on Kalanichi stadium was attributed to some rowdy sports fans. -Shouri¡¯s battle with Whistler in Alspo was cited as demolition work. Whistler and Vail were entirely absent from the news cycle, any event that involved them either didn¡¯t exist or was altered. Emily¡¯s trio of Resonators had watched their Maestro¡¯s frantic web searches with growing concern, sharing in her realization. These people could (and probably have) get away with murder ¨C in the most literal sense. ¡°Guess we get to work on that detection spell like that guy was suggesting,¡± Albarich chuckled. ¡°Y-yeah, Rilevare l¡¯intenzione, Rubato, please,¡± she requested. ¡°Now what?¡± Ritika asked, eyeing every person who walked by their quaint little bench. ¡°Gonna call Colette, and then we¡¯re going to check out that park,¡± Emily said.
¡°It¡¯s like it never happened,¡± Emily breathed out. Colette was verbose in her description of where and when the attack took place. There wasn¡¯t any way they had mixed it up. Even so, the park was pristine. No signs of a struggle. ¡°Emmy, Nature elements have a spell to fix plants and grow them fast,¡± Ritika advised. ¡°Combine that with our spell to fix damaged ground, they could have a battlefield repaired in a couple hours if they have enough people,¡± she advised her Maestro. ¡°But governments never move this fast, it¡¯s always so slow and filled with bureaucracy,¡± mumbled the Maestro, taking in the pristine glow of nature in abject horror. ¡°Maybe terrans are just that efficient,¡± Albarich guessed. Soot shook his head and threw up the sign for ¡°greed¡±, which was like he was grabbing at his jaw. ¡°I just don¡¯t get it, how is he able to do all this?¡± whispered Emily. ¡°Money probably,¡± Albarich guessed. The Princess nodded slowly. ¡°We did float the possibility in chat, but I dunno, it just feels like too much,¡± she frowned. ¡°How can we even bring him in if he¡¯s like paying people off?¡± ¡°Dunno, but I¡¯m sure Shouri and moneybags will figure it out,¡± the dragon laid a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Right. I guess we should stay on the move then, at least until Shouri says he¡¯s ready to move,¡± Emily decided. ¡°Sounds good to me!¡± Ritika beamed. It was at that moment Emily¡¯s tuners began ringing. Upon seeing who graced her caller ID, she eagerly answered. ¡°Hey Shouri!¡± ¡°Coming back tomorrow?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll meet you there!¡± The princess looked to her trio. ¡°Sounds like we¡¯re gonna be sleeping on a train,¡± Albarich guessed. ¡°How long¡¯s it even been?¡± wondered Ritika. ¡°Either way, can¡¯t wait to see how they¡¯ve grown!¡± Soot signed his approval without the Maestro asking. ¡°Let¡¯s get going!¡± Emily pumped her fist into the sky. Chapter 154 Bus service in the Scheitto Mountains ran once daily. The drivers rotated amongst a small pool talented enough to navigate the rough terrain, ferrying the many climbers between their chosen courses. Each mountain had its own peculiarities, its own challenges to face. One mountain stood alone in this sense, Mount Sinchero, the supposed home of the Ethereal Sarayul. It was said that any climber who attempted to brave its summit would surely meet their end. And for the tenured bus drivers, they had seen their fair share of those never to return after being dropped off at its base. So that¡¯s why on a particularly warm September day, one of these bus drivers got to see a once-in-a-lifetime experience ¨C someone returning from a climb up the deadly mountain. The bus was empty of course, Mount Sinchero was the very last stop in the chain. Slowly he brought the vehicle to a stop, opening the door. He remembered these four from when he dropped them off a little over a month ago. The lunar Resonator, the unassuming otter, the fire fox (possibly a Renard?), and their Maestro. The green jacket he wore stood out. ¡°We¡¯re back,¡± grinned the otter. The driver remembered her especially, she was the one who had shouted from the back their intended destination, and how they were deadly serious about it. Turns out that wasn¡¯t a whole lot of hot air after all. ¡°So didjya meet him?¡± asked the driver, motioning to the mountain behind them. ¡°Sarayul? Yeah! Nice guy!¡± beamed the otter as she got on the bus. ¡°I owe him a trading card at some point,¡± grumbled the Maestro as he boarded behind his otter. ¡°I¡¯m gonna miss the food,¡± the fire fox chimed in as she followed along. The lunar Resonator was the last in line, and she didn¡¯t say a word, but her presence felt different somehow. The driver wasn¡¯t sure how but the aura around the black-clad vixen had changed significantly in the month gap. Lunars were so rare to find out in the wild like this it was easy to recall the few he did see to memory. It was the combination of the four of them, how casually they strolled up the mountain and returned, looking as fresh as the day they left. These people weren¡¯t normal. He committed their faces to memory. Someday he would be able to tell stories about the time when he was the bus driver for these amazing people.
The bus slowly filled as it made its return trip back down to the Wenja terminal. Only the first travelers the bus picked up noted the oddity of there already being passengers. Surely, they hadn¡¯t climbed Mount Sinchero, right? They must have boarded from an earlier mountain and were just dealing with the full return trip. Yes, that was the only thing that made sense. Soon Shouri and his Resonators were just four of the patrons on the bus, riding with the rest of the returning mountaineers back to Wenja. Though they stood out from their contemporaries. Where the other climbers were worn down, exhausted, and ready to return to civilization, Shouri¡¯s group looked as they did the day they left ¨C full of energy, clean, and ready to go. The others riding the bus simply regarded them as a group who got cold feet before they even stepped foot onto their mountain of choice. Oh, if only they knew the truth. Would they have been mad? Probably. But they couldn¡¯t do a thing about it. Not now. The bus finally reached its destination at around five in the evening, sliding neatly into its terminal. The passengers disembarked all excited to be finally in the loving embrace of civilization. Many of the Maestros spoke of getting their Resonators checked up after the harsh battles against the mountain scherzando, others ready for the warm showers that awaited them. The Resonators were simply relieved to be off active battle duty for a while. Shouri¡¯s group stepped off last and immediately came to a stop, as who was there to welcome them back to civilization were a pair of familiar presences. Not ones that brought relief. No, who waited for them at the terminal drew a wicked smirk on Shouri¡¯s lips. He couldn¡¯t suppress the laugh that built in his stomach. He brushed his hair back and laughed. He laughed loudly. Laughed at the audacity of those who stood before him. Standing Shouri¡¯s opposite was a pair of larger men in suits, eyes obscured by shades. There were four Resonators between them in Solar, Lightning, Water, and Null elements. One of the two opposing Maestros spoke for the pair. ¡°Mr. Tomoshibi-¡± Shouri ceased laughing and glared down the much larger men. ¡°Look guy, I don¡¯t know how much my dad is paying you, but is it really worth what is about to happen to you?¡± Silence. The unrelated who walked the terminal drifted away from the three Maestros glaring one another down, the tension hanging thick in the air. Surely a battle wouldn¡¯t kick up here? Would it? Either way, the public seemed to exercise situational awareness of the impending conflict, a circle forming around the space Shouri and the pair of suited men occupied. The two hired men knew something was much different about the boy that had escaped them only months ago, that was clear the instant Shouri had spoken. The way he held himself; there was no fear in his eyes. His Resonators stood relaxed around their Maestro, unlike before when they huddled around him defensively. Unlike before he was alone, they had ensured of it. So where did this confidence come from? It wasn¡¯t anything to be concerned with. If it was dirty, money was money, and they had a job to do. With that in mind, the two drew tuners from their coats, yellow and blue; the linked Resonators stepping forward at the implicit command. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Shouri took in a deep breath. ¡°I don¡¯t want to fight! If you continue, I will defend myself!¡± he bellowed, catching the attention of many of the others at the bus terminal. If they weren¡¯t before, all eyes were on the combatants now, the crowd watching the standoff with bated breath. ¡°Hoping someone will stop us?¡± one of the men asked. ¡°No, not at all,¡± Shouri smirked as he took their clothes bag from Pacifica. ¡°Just making sure I¡¯m covered legally when I beat your asses into the dirt.¡± The lightning and water Resonators were up first, with the null and solar Resonators standing behind their Maestros, eying the soon-to-be battlefield. Without a word, Rebecca stepped up with Pacifica behind her. Unlike his opponents, Shouri did not move to his tuners, they hung from his waist untouched. ¡°Idrante, Forte!¡± ¡°Corrente Elettrica, Forte!¡± The basic water and lightning spells started off the battle, aimed at their respective weaknesses ¨C water for Rebecca, and lightning for Pacifica. Rebecca ducked under the water spell and cleared the distance between her and her opponent in an instant. She spun around and aimed a kick at her opponent¡¯s sternum, boosting her attack¡¯s force with a timely jet of fire. Despite the water Resonator being much larger than her, she was easily able to launch him into the air, winding him in the process. Meanwhile, Pacifica side-stepped the lightning attack aimed at her, keeping her eyes locked on her target. ¡°Were lightning spells always this slow?¡± she wondered to herself. ¡°Dolina, Legato; Ghiacciolo, Rubato,¡± Shouri passed a hand over Pacifica¡¯s tuner. The ease at which Rebecca and Pacifica had pivoted around their Resonator¡¯s attacks told the two assailants they couldn¡¯t afford to play around. The other two Resonators stepped into battle, their tuners being drawn. ¡°Corrente Elettrica, Fortissimo!¡± ¡°Manga de Agua, Fortissimo, Luce del Sole, Fortissimo!¡± Shouri shook his head slowly. ¡°Luce Lunare, Fortissimo.¡± The spells of the four opposing Resonators began to launch. Pacifica easily stepped around the two Corrente Elettricas, making sure her movements left her plenty of openings to continue dodging. After pivoting around the two lightning spells she unleashed the first of her two stored spells, sucking the lightning element into a sink hole which he couldn¡¯t escape from due to the earth part of the ossia spell. In an instant she formed a dozen or so ice needles and began throwing batches of them, peppering the two Resonators she was tasked to take on. Rebecca meanwhile, didn¡¯t need a spell, she was just plain beating down the water Resonator her opposite, not giving him any breathing room to even cast the Manga de Agua as had been ordered of him. It was taking every bit of his concentration to block the smaller Resonator¡¯s physical onslaught. That left the solar Resonator who was charging light in his hand. He pulled back an arm to cast his spell in the style typical of the slashing attribute, when a ball of purplish black light smashed into the back of his head, taking him out instantly. ¡°What?!¡± the opposing Maestro shouted. Even the surrounding crowd gasped. Everyone present had recognized that as a lunar spell. All eyes fell upon the sole lunar Resonator present. Taika¡­ had not moved. She still wore her medical bag. She hadn¡¯t prepared to fight in the slightest, even her eyes were closed. ¡°Luce Lunare, Fortissimo,¡± Shouri called again. Once more the crowd gasped as the null Resonator fell, having been struck by another ball of lunar energy from an angle he hadn¡¯t expected. ¡°Luce Lunare, Fortissimo.¡± Rebecca threw another blazing kick at the water Resonator, who easily blocked it. Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t block the ball of lunar energy that formed in front of his face. ¡°Luce Lunare, Fortissimo.¡± Just as the final Resonator had managed to crawl his way out of the mud pit Pacifica created for him, a ball of lunar energy ended him. Taika took a deep breath, finally opening her vibrantly glowing blue eyes. From all around, 107 beads gathered forming a necklace around the vixen¡¯s neck. They clattered around, finally resting against her chest. The crowd erupted into cheering and applause. It wasn¡¯t even close. They watched one small boy easily mop up two thugs with a number and element disadvantage. Rebecca and Pacifica smirked, pleased with their handiwork. Shouri approached the two Maestros. ¡°Gimmie one of your tuners,¡± he demanded. They refused to move, stunned speechless. This shouldn¡¯t have happened. How was this possible? How could this have been the same trembling boy from Canolapra? ¡°Give me one of your tuners NOW,¡± Shouri demanded, louder. His Resonators stood behind him, all three glaring at their attackers. The rhythm being radiated by them was unreal, suffocating even. The white tuner was handed over. Shouri thumbed through the contacts and found his target. James Tomoshibi Call The artificial ringer buzzed in his ear until the recipient on the other end picked up. ¡°This is James.¡± ¡°Hello, Father.¡± The line was silent for a moment. ¡°Who is this?¡± demanded the man. Shouri¡¯s grip on the tuner tightened. A billion words buzzed in his head, different scenarios playing out all at once. Finally, he spoke, unable to hold back the snarl. ¡°You try to pull this shit again ¨C you try to waste my fucking time, and I¡¯m coming for you old man. This isn¡¯t a threat, it¡¯s a promise. Leave me the hell alone.¡± With four months of pent-up frustration finally directed at its recipient, Shouri allowed the tuner to fall from his grasp, clattering to the ground. ¡°Come on girls, Emily is waiting for us.¡± Chapter 155 ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re alright Shouri?¡± Emily asked. ¡°No, I¡¯m fucking exhausted!¡± Shouri groaned. ¡°I get attacked and then get grilled by the police about it!¡± ¡°They kept us for like twenty minutes tops, chill bossman.¡± Rebecca rubbed the shoulder closest to her. ¡°Twenty minutes of my life I¡¯ll never get back!¡± he countered. After dealing with the goons (and the local authorities) they met Emily in her room at the Wenja MA office. Like Shouri, she had only gotten back into the city that day. Taika leaned against her Maestro, her hair partially white. ¡°That took a lot of rhythm to do,¡± she sighed, nuzzling her head against his shoulder. Her cluster of beads sat in her lap, having lost the invisible bonds that held together their necklace form. ¡°We coulda taken them,¡± Rebecca said, frowning at the two next to her. ¡°Were lightning spells always that slow?¡± Pacifica continued to wonder, staring at her hands. ¡°I know, but I also didn¡¯t expect them to go down so easily,¡± Shouri sighed. ¡°Wasn¡¯t even a challenge,¡± he complained. ¡°You really love the wish sage don¡¯cha?¡± asked Ritika, who reclined on their rented bed in the MA office. Shouri shot a small glare at the cat. ¡°Fuck that guy,¡± he grumbled. The group shared a laugh. ¡°So, when is Klein getting here?¡± asked Shouri. ¡°Been trying to ignore the group chat all day.¡± ¡°Tomorrow night. We¡¯re supposed to meet at the Sotirio Hotel downtown,¡± Emily informed him. Shouri rolled his eyes. ¡°Of course, he can¡¯t stay in an MA Office with the rest of us peasants.¡± ¡°Someone¡¯s spicy today,¡± Emily said with a giggle. ¡°Can you fucking blame me? Get off the bus and my dad¡¯s hired goons attacked me!¡± shouted Shouri. ¡°I mean, the video is already online. Didn¡¯t look like you had much trouble,¡± Albarich pointed out, waving his tuner, where the video of said battle played on. Emily took a peek at the video. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s cool! How did you get Luce Lunare to do that?¡± she asked, noting the sudden appearances of the spell taking out the four Resonators in rapid succession. Shouri looked to Taika, who opened her eyes when she felt her Maestro¡¯s gaze on her. With a flick of her finger, five of her hundred-plus beads flew up into the air and began rotating around in a circle. ¡°These are connected to my scale, if I force some of my rhythm through it, I can pass cast spells through the beads like an extension of my body,¡± she explained. The room went silent. ¡°Oh, I want that one,¡± Albarich finally spoke up. ¡°Remote casting sounds sick as fuck.¡± The beads fell back into Taika¡¯s pile. ¡°It takes so much rhythm to do though,¡± she sighed, taking possession of Shouri¡¯s arm and hugging it tightly. ¡°As far as we¡¯ve tested, she needs a ton of concentration to pull it off. If they had just focused on attacking her then she¡¯d have to fight normally,¡± Shouri added. ¡°That¡¯s where we come in,¡± Rebecca boasted with a grin. ¡°Rebby gets in their face, and I dodge forever and annoy them,¡± Pacifica chimed in, carrying a similar pride to her fiery teammate. ¡°It¡¯s so tiring though,¡± complained Taika. Shouri smiled, chuckling as he used his free hand to stroke the girl¡¯s hair. She giggled and rubbed her face against his arm, pleased with the affection. ¡°Hunters are scary,¡± Emily sighed. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Ritika said. After dwelling on that thought for a moment, Shouri rose, Taika begrudgingly joining him. Rebecca and Pacifica also got to their feet. ¡°So we¡¯ll meet up tomorrow with Mister Klein and talk strategy?¡± Shouri suggested. ¡°Sounds good. We¡¯ll probably stay in tonight,¡± Emily agreed. ¡°Have a good night, Ems.¡± ¡°Night Shouri!¡± With that Shouri and his trio made their way back to the front desk and got themselves a room proper. It was all so rehearsed and normal that the trio of Resonators relaxed and didn¡¯t think anything was amiss. That was until they entered the illustrious room twenty-three, Shouri stayed by the door, eliciting concern in the trio of Resonators. ¡°Sho?¡± Taika braved. She felt a massive tug on her rhythm ¨C what was Shouri about to say? Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. He exhaled sharply. ¡°Hey, I need to come clean with something,¡± he spoke low, reaching into his jacket pocket. His hand remained firmly hidden, however, against his will. The trio of girls could see him straining to reveal whatever was lurking within the confines of his pocket. ¡°Don¡¯t be a brat about this,¡± he growled. Taika realized something was there stopping him. Even if it couldn¡¯t be seen, she could help him. She closed her eyes and within her mind extended her rhythm out, attempting to grab whatever was preventing her Maestro from retrieving the object he had hidden. However- ¡°Ah!¡± Taika¡¯s eyes suddenly bolted open, her telekinetic hand easily swatted away by an unknown force. ¡°Taika? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Pacifica asked. ¡°Really strong rhythm¡­ next to Sho,¡± said the psychic fox, pointing to his left, where he was still struggling. Rebecca¡¯s heels blazed to life, burning brightly. ¡°Alright, whoever is fucking with my Maestro, cut it out or-¡± SPLASH A ball of water slammed into Rebecca¡¯s feet, not only extinguishing her flames but sweeping her to the ground. ¡°Rebby?!¡± Pacifica yelped. ¡°What the heck is going on?¡± ¡°Vienna, cut it out!¡± In the momentary distraction, Shouri took his hand back, a clear tuner in his grasp. The three girls stared at the tuner in his hand. ¡°Vienna?¡± asked Taika. ¡°Why do you have another Maestro¡¯s tuner?¡± Pacifica raised a brow but had a sneaking suspicion they wouldn¡¯t like the answer. ¡°Because-¡± began an all too familiar voice. ¡°-I can¡¯t trust him with you,¡± slowly fading into view was the woman from the temple, the girl who constantly antagonized them, Vienna. However, unlike when she was at the temple where she lacked any Resonator features, this woman sported a long, brown, feathery tail which she held high and proud behind her. ¡°Girls, this is Vienna, the last Lyrebird,¡± Shouri properly introduced her. Taika, Pacifica, and Rebecca glared at their counterpart, who was more than happy to return the favor. ¡°What do you mean you can¡¯t trust us?¡± Taika asked. ¡°What even is a lyrebird?¡± questioned Pacifica. Vienna scoffed and shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s pretty simple: you¡¯re not strong. Not strong enough to handle what¡¯s ahead.¡± ¡°What do you know?¡± Rebecca challenged. The lyrebird went to dismiss the questions of the three hostile Resonators, however, Shouri cut in. ¡°I think it¡¯s about time you owe all of us an explanation,¡± Shouri said. He looked to his trio and took a breath. ¡°Vienna is the one who saved me from Whistler, first from the plane they had me on, and again when she jumped me and Miro in Alspo,¡± he told them. His gaze drifted back to the null element. ¡°And she knows a lot more about this whole situation. Like for example that I was kidnapped specifically to be experimented on.¡± The revelation earned tense silence. ¡°Let¡¯s hear her out,¡± Pacifica suggested. ¡°Sho hasn¡¯t lied to us once about this, and I can sense¡­ he doesn¡¯t trust her either.¡± ¡°To be fair, she did force this tuner on me,¡± Shouri chimed in. ¡°Not exactly the best basis for a relationship, platonic or otherwise,¡± he added as an aside. All eyes returned to Vienna, who remained at best indignant about the situation. With a dramatic sigh, the wingless bird spoke. ¡°Ilea Vim is a monster in human skin, simply put,¡± she began. The null element paused, considering her words before continuing. ¡°Maybe a better word is he¡¯s a machine?¡± She shook her head. ¡°Either way, he¡¯s a rhythm researcher who focuses on potential.¡± ¡°Potential?¡± Taika asked, furrowing her brows. ¡°He¡¯s already figured out how to maximize the potential of a Maestro¡¯s body, you might have noticed it the few times you¡¯ve been near him,¡± Vienna told them. ¡°Oh!¡± Pacifica exclaimed. ¡°His emotions didn¡¯t feel genuine, they felt entirely like an elaborate performance!¡± ¡°That goes for all three of his staves, they all can be manipulated by him. Rhythm is a plaything to Ilea,¡± Vienna continued. Shouri hummed in thought, stroking his chin while he did so. ¡°And how do you know all of this?¡± he questioned the Lyrebird. ¡°Simple, my father works for him.¡± Chapter 156 Taika brushed her tail using a telekinetically controlled brush as she thought about the whole situation. It had only been an hour or two since Vienna revealed herself and told them about Ilea Vim as well as her connection to him. It was a lot to take in and consider. Ilea Vim¡¯s near machine-like obsession with rhythm to the point where its rules and stipulations were meaningless. As well as Vienna¡¯s father, the man they saw on the stage with the mad scientist that day in Lyreann Castle. All with idle thoughts, Taika put some toothpaste on a toothbrush and began to clean her teeth. She was grateful for Sarayul¡¯s tutelage, as simple tasks like this were as second nature to her now as moving her limbs. While her pearly whites were polished to a sheen, she considered Vienna¡¯s stance. The lyrebird still considered them weak. It was true that Rebecca hadn¡¯t grown as much as Taika and Pacifica had during their stay with the lunar Ethereal, but it was more like they were catching up to her. Now two of the three members of their team could fight all on their own, surely that had to count for something? But¡­ when Taika tried to grab Vienna earlier, she was soundly rejected. At the end of the day, Volont¨¤ Estesa used strings of rhythm to bind and move things in the physical world. Any decently strong rhythm could disrupt it. There was a reason she was taught to use an object close to her rather than being taught how to just tear tuners out of people¡¯s hands. There was enough rhythm going in and out of any tuner even at idle that grabbing it was impossible. She doubted she¡¯d ever reach Sarayul¡¯s level in her lifetime ¨C 900 years was a hell of a long time to refine one¡¯s technique. That being said, in a pinch, she could grab her own tuner due to its connection to her scale (though she hoped she wouldn¡¯t have to perform such a trick). Washing her mouth out, Taika considered where Shouri stood in all this. He now had four Resonators, but none of them were mad at him. The blame lay solely on the woman who forced herself into his care. And it was more than obvious to even Taika that he was not pleased about this arrangement. How he spoke to Vienna was much different than any other Resonator. He viewed her with the same level of annoyance he had displayed when Elijah asked him to do things. A chore, a bother, a nuisance. She couldn¡¯t blame him. Taika didn¡¯t have a frame of reference on what being a Maestro was like, but she felt this situation was similar to what other Resonators went through ¨C being forced to be with someone they didn¡¯t necessarily care about; the feeling of powerlessness. Oh, how Taika wanted to swing on this bitch. But¡­ Vienna viewed them as weak for a reason. Taika didn¡¯t have the formal training of Rebecca, nor the emotional sense of Pacifica, but what she did have was her gut. What her gut was telling her was Vienna was strong, frighteningly so. It was almost insane to think Resonators could grow even stronger than where their group was now. Emily was a top-level battler, she made it to the top four in a national tournament, and she was afraid of the power and skill they had displayed. What would Emily say when she saw Vienna fight? Would she lock up with fear? That level of power must be monstrous. Considering it further, Vienna had her ultimate spell; that must have been that huge hole they had walked by on the way to the hospital in Alspo. What absurd power¡­ Vienna didn¡¯t deserve it, that¡¯s what Taika decided.
Pacifica and Rebecca sat on the couch, Shouri between them. Vienna sat their opposite on one of the recliners, a leg propped up on her knee. ¡°Relax, I¡¯m not interested in his body, I just want his rhythm.¡± Vienna smirked coyly at the trio. ¡°That¡¯s ours also,¡± Rebecca growled. ¡°So back off,¡± Pacifica added in on the protest. ¡°They have a point,¡± Shouri agreed. ¡°You¡¯re the one that forced yourself on me.¡± His eyes narrowed, never leaving Vienna¡¯s form. Rebecca and Pacifica both took satisfaction in their Maestro¡¯s declaration, matching Vienna¡¯s smug energy with a bit of their own. Regardless, the Lyrebird was not perturbed. ¡°And yet you have yet to make due on that promise of ¡®leaving me in a field not knowing who you are¡¯,¡± taunted the lyrebird. ¡°You¡¯re useful,¡± said Shouri. ¡°And I¡¯m paying for your services with my rhythm. If you wish to remain employed, I suggest you watch your tone, Vienna.¡± The smirks faded from Rebecca and Pacifica¡¯s lips. It was so strange hearing Shouri speak so¡­ utilitarian of a Resonator. Pacifica could sense it from him; he wasn¡¯t hiding it after all ¨C Shouri really didn¡¯t like Vienna. ¡°Fine fine, master,¡± Vienna said with a shrug, which only served to earn an annoyed grunt from her ¡°employer¡±. It was at this point Taika exited the bathroom, appropriately freshened up. She looked between the tense standoff between her friends and the invader. After getting her fill of shooting Vienna some dirty looks, she joined the trio on the couch. ¡°Now that the family is all here, let me cut to the chase,¡± Vienna started. ¡°I looked into the people rich boy is eying, and it¡¯s not looking good for you all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just your opinion,¡± Rebecca grumbled. ¡°You¡¯re gonna tell me that Whistler was the weakest Resonator they have or something, right?¡± Shouri chimed in. Vienna shook her head, ignoring Rebecca¡¯s useless remark in favor of addressing Shouri¡¯s more pertinent inquiry. ¡°Not at all. In terms of raw power, Whistler sits comfortably at the top,¡± she paused, ¡°but raw power isn¡¯t everything when it comes to Resonator fights. Vail is a tricky opponent, maybe even cowardly depending on who you ask.¡± Taika¡¯s expression fouled, recalling the initial surprise bolt of lightning that led to her downfall previously. ¡°And then there¡¯s him,¡± Vienna made a face none of the quartet had seen her make before. It was a bitter one ¨C speaking of previous failures. ¡°You¡¯ve seen him already. The third bodyguard of his, my father.¡± ¡°Ah, there¡¯s your motivation,¡± Shouri realized. Vienna nodded slowly, her gaze cast low. ¡°Yeah, motivation, good word,¡± Vienna mumbled. ¡°He¡¯s being tricked, I know he is. But he¡¯s a terrifyingly strong Maestro. He could take any of the Grand Masters one-on-one with any Resonator. Though the Resonator surviving the encounter is another story entirely.¡± The four on the couch remained silent. ¡°Cool, so now we know we¡¯re totally outgunned here, ¡®cause I doubt we just have to worry about Vail and your dad, right?¡± Shouri asked. ¡°Not at all. Ilea Vim likes collecting Resonators, but you already know that. There¡¯s some documentation he has about a whole little system he developed to keep Resonators in stasis so he doesn¡¯t have to bother with actually feeding and caring for them ¨C not that I could find such a system anywhere when I went snooping, but who¡¯s to say he didn¡¯t build it for someone else?¡± the bird informed the group. Pacifica squirmed in discomfort at that knowledge. Rebecca¡¯s tail bristled, her teeth rolling across each other as her frustrated glare only sharpened. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°As much as I want you to be my Maestro Shouri, I know you¡¯re not up to the task of handling me,¡± Vienna suddenly said. ¡°You were at full when I launched my Ultimate back in Alspo. If we had a protracted series of fights before getting to my dad or Vail, you might very well bite it on the spot if we tried to pull such a stunt again,¡± explained the lyrebird. ¡°What the hell do we do? This is sounding more hopeless by the minute,¡± said Shouri. ¡°Our best course of action is to find my sister,¡± Vienna finally smirked again. ¡°Another Lyrebird?¡± questioned the Maestro. ¡°No, Faith is my actual Maestro.¡±
As much as the girls wanted her gone, Vienna was staying the night. ¡°Are you sure this is a good idea Sho?¡± Pacifica asked as they made their way to the cafeteria to pick up dinner for the evening. ¡°What? Trusting Vienna?¡± Shouri questioned back. ¡°No, leaving her with Taika and Rebby.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°She¡¯s right behind us.¡± Despite Shouri throwing a thumb over his shoulder, when Pacifica whipped around there was no one there. ¡°But-¡± ¡°She¡¯s there. She doesn¡¯t trust you and haunts me as a result,¡± Shouri said with a grimace. ¡°Gonna need to get me an exorcist,¡± he grumbled. Pacifica stole one more peek at the empty air behind them but decided to trust her Maestro¡¯s word on this and kept close to him. The otter kept her social sense sharp. No one could sense Vienna. Not the Resonators on duty serving them food, not their Maestro chefs, and not the menagerie of hunters and duelists who filled the mess hall. Vienna really was like a ghost. It was frankly rather frightening for the otter to know that her every move was being scrutinized by someone so powerful. Pacifica¡¯s shoulders were stiff, her movements shaky as the thought of Vienna¡¯s judgmental gaze bore down on her. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°EEP!¡± The otter squeaked, earning many more eyes on her than a pair of lyrebird¡¯s. ¡°Ignore her. She¡¯s just judgy,¡± said Shouri Pacifica slowly nodded, trying to calm herself ¨C was this their life now? She couldn¡¯t say she was a fan.
Dinner was always one of Taika¡¯s favorite times of the day. Especially when Shouri was the one to deliver the goods. However, this evening was an exception to that rule, as her beloved Maestro and ottery friend returned with the unwanted hanger-on, Vienna. Five take-out boxes were set down on the coffee table, allowing everyone to grab their share. One box too many in Taika¡¯s eyes. She tried not to be this spiteful and bitter, but everything about the lyrebird rubbed the lunar fox the wrong way. Every little thing Vienna said or did only served to irk Taika. While focusing on eating, Taika extended a tendril of her telekinesis out, testing the waters of what she could do and reach. It was a common exercise she practiced in secret. Today¡¯s practice was petty in nature. She probed the space around Vienna, attempting to gauge exactly how far her bubble of rhythm extended out. Turns out pretty far. Vienna was in the kitchen, eating on her own away from the rest of the family. A distance Taika could reach. Normally that is. Vienna¡¯s rhythm bubble encompassed the kitchen and bar attached to it, denying any attempts at penetrating the airspace of the surrounding area. ¡°Nice try,¡± Vienna mumbled, loud enough for only Taika to catch it. ¡°Tch,¡± the vixen clicked her tongue but arrested her rage when a hand touched her thigh. Rebecca shook her head. With an indignant snort, Taika decided to let it go, for now.
Rebecca dried her hair off after her nice boiling shower. It was the only way she or any fire element could clean themselves. The restorative heat outpaced any harm that the water could cause to her inner flames. However, that wasn¡¯t what was stealing the Renard¡¯s focus. No, it was that bitch outside the door. Little did the lyrebird know, her little trick was starting to unravel. Now that Rebecca was aware of the mechanics of the mysterious Null element, she could split the threads that made up her disguises. It wasn¡¯t perfect, but she could tease the connection between herself and Shouri, and in doing so it revealed the weak tempo between the lyrebird and Maestro. She dedicated the entire evening to studying the lyrebird¡¯s rhythm while in her various states. And that was enough. That¡¯s all it took for Rebecca to be able to sniff her out, even while invisible or otherwise. That was only one problem. The major hurdle to overcoming Vienna as a fighter was her combat skills. From Rebecca¡¯s observation, she was overly relaxed around the three of them. The fire element didn¡¯t think they were the strongest in the world, but their little trifecta was starting to push the boundaries of true strength. That didn¡¯t even faze the imposter in the slightest. Vienna regarded them as mere nuisances. Like minor Scherzando that could be crushed with as much effort as it took one to lift their foot. Or at least that¡¯s how Rebecca read the situation. It was frustrating. But something Taika had said long ago brought the fox some solace. ¡°So we can get much much stronger then? Like they are?¡± Most assuredly. They would get stronger until Vienna was the small one. Until she wasn¡¯t worth the effort. If no one else thought so, Rebecca would see to it herself.
¡°Do you just have to be as unlikable as possible?¡± Shouri asked as he filled a cup with ice in the common room. Vienna was right behind him, wearing Taika¡¯s visage as her current disguise. ¡°I don¡¯t see what I¡¯ve done wrong Mae-strooo~¡± sang the lyrebird. ¡°If my mere presence puts them that much on edge it just proves my point ¨C they¡¯re weak,¡± she stated. Shouri turned to face the false fox. An exchange of glares followed before Vienna huffed and broke the volley. ¡°You know I¡¯m right, otherwise, I¡¯d be in that field somewhere,¡± she asserted. ¡°Don¡¯t test me Vienna,¡± responded Shouri. ¡°Of course Maeeee-stro!¡± another taunting sing of her stolen voice merely served to irritate the boy. ¡°Seriously, you don¡¯t have to be abrasive with everyone. Have you tried making friends with anyone in your life?¡± Shouri leaned back against the ice machine, sipping his water while the false Lunar element mulled that over. After a moment she spoke, ¡°People like me don¡¯t get the luxury of having friends,¡± she started. ¡°We don¡¯t get loved ones. We get people who are useful. You¡¯re useful to me, so you get privileged knowledge.¡± Shouri considered her choice of words before responding in kind. ¡°Somehow I doubt that.¡± She smirked. ¡°Do you now? Well, do a little bit of research on Allucinazione di Massa and get back to me about how I¡¯d be treated. I¡¯m the last one for a reason.¡± The boy pushed himself up and crushed the empty cup in hand. ¡°Seems like a self-fulfilling prophecy,¡± he grunted. Vienna remained as Shouri walked away. ¡°Maybe it is, but when I have cold hard evidence that says otherwise, it¡¯s hard to dispute,¡± she whispered once he was out of earshot. Chapter 157 ¡°Shouri, you have to be one of the most interesting people I know,¡± said Emily upon meeting up with the Maestro on the sixth of September. That morning the two had decided to convene in the MA office they were both staying at to go where Elijah was staying. It was only then Emily asked about the fourth member of Shouri¡¯s team who he revealed as a Lyrebird. ¡°Next the dude¡¯s gonna walk up with an Ethereal,¡± scoffed Albarich. ¡°So someone explain what a Lyrebird is?¡± Ritika asked. ¡°Lyrebirds are a supposedly extinct species of Resonator who have the unique ability to transform into other Resonators,¡± Shouri quietly explained. ¡°The caveat is she has to cut her rhythm in half to do it,¡± he added. Vienna nodded in the affirmative. ¡°She looks just like any other Maestro though,¡± Emily pointed out. ¡°Yeah, she can just turn parts of her body invisible,¡± Shouri countered. ¡°It doesn¡¯t cost me as much rhythm to do simple tricks like that,¡± the Lyrebird herself finally spoke. ¡°Behold.¡± She held up her hand which flaked away into a stub as if she had suddenly been amputated on the spot. Ritika tried to grab the space where Vienna¡¯s hand once was and found it simply passed through. ¡°That¡¯s crazy¡­ how does it work?¡± asked the cat. Vienna shrugged. Shouri was more than happy to share the fruits of his research. ¡°There aren¡¯t many modern papers about it, but Lyrebird¡¯s species trait, Echo of the Soul, enables them to copy any Resonator¡¯s form down to their voice, spells known, everything. Unlike Allucinazione di Massa which just changes how one is perceived, Lyrebirds physically becomes their target,¡± Shouri explained. To demonstrate, Vienna¡¯s tail appeared back in view giving the new quartet to marvel at the beauty of the twin tail feathers. She extended them up, splitting them and revealing the net-like connecting fibers that connected them. She draped it over herself and in an instant, her form became that of Taika¡¯s (earning a glare from the copied Resonator in question.) ¡°W-woah¡­¡± Ritika gasped. Albarich rubbed his eyes and shook his head. ¡°If she hadn¡¯t stayed in place, I wouldn¡¯t be able to tell them apart,¡± Emily admitted. ¡°Really?¡± Rebecca asked. ¡°You can¡¯t tell?¡± Pacifica furrowed a brow. ¡°They look the same? What are you seeing that we aren¡¯t?¡± Albarich questioned incredulously. ¡°Her rhythm-¡± Pacifica started ¡°-isn¡¯t like Taika¡¯s,¡± Rebecca finished. The two Resonators looked at each other and smirked at the shared thought. ¡°You¡¯re fucking with me,¡± Albarich protested. ¡°They feel the exact same!¡± ¡°No, they don¡¯t?¡± Now the confusion was on the other tail, as Pacifica and Rebecca thought it obvious. Shouri decided to speak up. ¡°Vienna¡¯s copies are very good, near flawless even,¡± he admitted. ¡°But Pacifica and Rebecca are right ¨C the one crack in her guise is tempo. It doesn¡¯t feel the same as Taika¡¯s. That¡¯s the one thing she can¡¯t replicate.¡± His gaze rested on the false fox in the room, who glared back at him. ¡°I¡¯ll figure it out one day, and you¡¯ll never know,¡± warned the Lyrebird with Taika¡¯s voice. ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± chuckled Shouri. ¡°Tch.¡± Vienna clicked her tongue before glowing and returning to her own form. ¡°That tangent aside, she knows a ton about what we¡¯re going to be dealing with, so we¡¯re working together for the moment,¡± Shouri informed the other Maestro. ¡°Right, so what¡¯s our next step?¡± Emily asked. ¡°We¡¯re gonna go get her real Maestro and then I guess take the fight to Ilea himself,¡± Shouri shrugged at the last part. ¡°You guess?¡± questioned Ritika. ¡°Look, I¡¯m just trying to stop the fuck from spreading Feroce any further. I don¡¯t have a good idea how we¡¯re going to do that besides kicking his teeth in.¡± Shouri motioned at Rebecca when he mentioned kicking, who was more than happy to nod heartily.
¡°You certainly have a knack for extraordinary,¡± said Elijah upon the group gathering in his suite at the Sotirio Hotel. Day had passed to evening and as promised the Klein heir had taken up residence in the fanciest suite the luxury hotel offered. It was no presidential suite, but it managed to fit four Maestros, nine Resonators, and one Natural comfortably enough. It was a blessing there was so much room seeing how Taika was giving poor Miro the stink eye the entire time, even going so far as to bare her fangs at him at one point. As such, Shouri was on pacification duty, allowing the girl to sit on his lap (she still shot the Natural petty glares when she thought she could get away with it.) Thankfully, they could get away with such public displays of affection thanks in part to Vienna being the star attraction. Colette had been scooped up by Elijah at some point and was staying in the suite with him and Miro (Zino was there too). The scholar was excitedly taking notes on the thought-to-be-extinct Lyrebird, who did nothing to stop the obsessive documentation. ¡°So, Ms. Vienna,¡± Elijah began. ¡°I believe Mr. Tomoshibi had mentioned something about your sister, no?¡± he asked. Vienna nodded curtly. ¡°Yes.¡± The lyrebird lowered her head for a moment, narrowing her eyes. After a moment, she rose to meet Elijah¡¯s curious gaze. ¡°Her name is Faith, she¡¯s been living in Quiretteh for some time now.¡± Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s freaking Quiretteh,¡± Shouri instantly complained. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Quiretteh?¡± Pacifica questioned her Maestro. ¡°What even is it?¡± Taika threw in a bonus question. ¡°Quiretteh is the Riterran capital, right?¡± Emily chimed in. ¡°I remember learning about it from my teachers. It¡¯s where all the big politics get done from what I was taught.¡± Shouri grunted. ¡°Yeah, I just don¡¯t want to go there because it¡¯s a tourist deathtrap on top of the security being annoyingly tight,¡± he continued to complain. When no one backed up his frustrations, he huffed and turned his head. ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± he grumbled. ¡°I do wonder,¡± Emily mumbled. ¡°I¡¯m the lunar princess. Elijah figured me out instantly ¨C the Riterran government has to know who I am at this point,¡± fretted the young woman. ¡°They most certainly do,¡± Elijah nodded in agreement. ¡°I am privy to the fact that even though trade is open and free the two powers of our system do not play nice with one another,¡± he said, speaking slowly as he carefully picked out his words. ¡°What¡¯s the big deal here?¡± Ritika chimed in, wondering what this had to do with her Maestro. ¡°I think what moneybags is getting at is if we¡¯re not careful the Terran big-wigs could think we¡¯re trying to start some shit,¡± Albarich told his teammate. ¡°As if! We¡¯re trying to clean up the mess they¡¯re ignoring!¡± shouted the cat. Elijah nodded. ¡°Quite,¡± he agreed. ¡°Our movements have to be quite calculated. With myself and Ms. Emily in our ranks, we attract quite a bit of attention. Though that isn¡¯t to say Colette and Shouri don¡¯t have their fair share of attention as well.¡± ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± asked Colette, looking up from her notebook. ¡°The same reason we¡¯ve all united in the first place: Feroce,¡± Elijah answered with a knowing smirk. Another annoyed grunt from Shouri told all how he felt about that concern. ¡°So, what the heck do we even do?¡± Rebecca wondered. The room fell silent, as the group didn¡¯t have an answer to that simple question. All were deep in thought. That is, everyone except Shouri. Taika stared at him, interlocking her hands with his, pushing her rhythm into him. With a big dramatic sigh, he finally spoke. ¡°Here¡¯s the plan,¡± he begrudgingly announced. ¡°Before that-¡± Vienna cut him off. ¡°I need to see who is staying and who¡¯s going,¡± said the lyrebird. ¡°Who says you get to make that decision?¡± Albarich challenged, rising to his feet. Ritika was right behind her teammate, joining him in glaring down the mysterious Resonator. ¡°I¡¯m the strongest one here, full stop,¡± the lyrebird stated as fact. ¡°Making a whole lot of assumptions here,¡± Ritika said behind her glare. ¡°You¡¯re not making an ass out of me, only yourself lady,¡± Albarich growled. Vienna¡¯s cold gaze shifted to the Maestro of the two audacious Resonators. ¡°Control your animals, please.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± Albarich extended his wings out and launched himself at the smug bird like a missile. Ritika was right behind him with a pouch of sand ready to go. ¡°Al! Rika! No!¡± Emily cried out. In an instant Vienna was no longer herself, she had taken the guise of Albarich to use against him. Using her borrowed form, she easily parried the dragon¡¯s haymaker and effortlessly tossed him away like a used tissue. As she pivoted around to face the second attacker, her form changed again, becoming Ritika. Ritika cared not and swung her sand crescent wrench down on the false cat. Who caught it with a single hand, not budging an inch despite the power behind the blow. ¡°What the?!¡± Ritika tried to move the sand, but it was stuck. ¡°Oh, my apologies, here,¡± Vienna said in her stolen voice. The sand lost its shape and blasted out, striking its owner square in the gut and sending her flying to the couch. Thankfully for the couch, Soot was standing by and caught his teammate. The discarded sand flew everywhere as Vienna cared not to keep it under her control after her use of it was done. ¡°Any other takers? I¡¯m accepting all challengers!¡± Vienna boasted. Zino went to get up, but Elijah pushed him back down and left his arm extended to prevent the dinosaurian from doing anything rash. Kaira remained seated, her expression stoic and unchanging as she studied the powerful Resonator. Miro, seated next to his fellow earth element was unsurprised at the spectacle, having seen similar exploits of the lyrebird in Subterris. Finally, Shouri¡¯s trio didn¡¯t give in to the provocation and remained by their Maestro¡¯s side. ¡°You proved your point Vienna, that¡¯s enough,¡± Shouri¡¯s authoritative tone killed the joy gracing the thief¡¯s lips. ¡°Fine,¡± she begrudgingly obeyed, resuming her true form. Albarich picked himself up off the ground and dusted his jacket off. ¡°Bitch,¡± he grumbled, returning to Emily¡¯s side. ¡°You¡¯re not making any decisions about who stays and goes,¡± Shouri asserted. ¡°I will judge your choices audibly then,¡± said Vienna, folding her arms across her chest and rolling her eyes. Shouri shook his head but pressed on. ¡°Anyway, like I was saying before I was rudely interrupted,¡± he earned a scoff from Vienna and she earned the glares of most of the Resonators in the room. ¡°Here¡¯s the plan.¡± Chapter 158 September 7th, 2018 Shouri slowly opened his eyes as the train they were on rocked to a stop. As expected of a passenger train heading to the capital, it was filled with many passengers, Maestros, and their Resonators mainly, with a healthy mix of businessmen and women who lacked a Resonator partner. They had even a few Naturals suited up in expensive clothing, all business, sharply focused. Taika tried to pay them no mind, but Shouri could sense their presence put her on edge. The speaker overhead sparked to life with a small crackle before the automated message played. ¡°The train is now approaching Quiretteh Central Station. Please allow the train to come to a complete halt before moving. Thank you for riding Capital Rail ¨C may we serve you again!¡± Glancing back and forth, he noted their party was still together. Taika and Rebecca flanked his left and right respectively with Pacifica on Taika¡¯s left. To Rebecca¡¯s right sat Colette, with Kaira to her right. Closing his eyes for a moment, he focused on his rhythm, tracing the weakest of the four links. Vienna was directly in front of him, though she was currently outside of the visible spectrum. He briefly recalled her words while they formulated how they¡¯d be broken up. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me ¨C Quiretteh security might be great, but I¡¯m greater.¡± As always, the lyrebird was confident in her abilities. His main concern was he was the current Maestro registered to her tuner. He silently hoped Sahji would leave him alone today. ¡°Come on girls,¡± Shouri announced, rising to his feet as the standing room began to clear. Taika and Pacifica grabbed their bags off the rack above them, ready to go. Rebecca let out a sigh as she stretched. ¡°That was a long ride,¡± Rebecca complained as she tried to loosen her stiff muscles. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Pacifica said through a yawn. ¡°Got some good reading done,¡± Colette commented, with a short nod of agreement from Kaira. With the party gathered, they filed out with the rest of the crowd. As Shouri had feared, the central train station of Quiretteh was a madhouse. It was a colossal building probably towering upwards of twenty stories into the air. Trains raced in from all over, docking at different platforms and allowing their passengers to spill out, only intensifying the foot traffic problem. Movement was slow, people bumping into them at every pass. Shouri had long since moved his four tuners into his jacket pockets out of paranoia, constantly running his fingers across the four devices and counting them off mentally. His trio clung to him, Pacifica and Taika claiming an arm, and Rebecca holding onto his jacket¡¯s hood. Their grip on him was the only thing keeping him sane through this insanity. After what felt like an eternity, they managed to break out of the platform and into the front section of the station where the traffic waned. ¡°Never a-fucking-gain,¡± Shouri cursed, glaring back at the swarm of people still trying to fight their way into the main platforms. ¡°Yeah, that was horrible,¡± Rebecca rubbed the Maestro¡¯s shoulders for both her and his peace of mind. Taika and Pacifica nodded rapidly in agreement, clinging tightly to him. Finally, they spotted Colette and Kaira breaking free from the madness. ¡°Shouri!¡± the scholar shouted, waving to get his attention. Shouri jerked his head at Pacifica who read what he was putting down and waved to Colette. With the group mostly re-united, Colette looked around. ¡°Where¡¯s Vienna?¡± she asked. ¡°She¡¯s gonna meet us there,¡± answered Shouri, motioning to the door. They began the trek towards the exit proper and continued the conversation. ¡°And where is ¡®there¡¯?¡± inquired the scholar. ¡°Some apartment downtown,¡± he replied. ¡°Got the address on my tuner.¡± ¡°Woah, she¡¯s got an apartment downtown in Quiretteh?!¡± Colette exclaimed. ¡°Is that good?¡± Taika asked. ¡°Property values here are ludicrous,¡± Shouri told his curious fox. ¡°Rent is usually a thousand notes a month for a tiny ass studio apartment.¡± ¡°Studio?¡± Taika raised a brow. ¡°It¡¯s a one-room apartment, very small,¡± answered the Maestro. ¡°A thousand for a small room? That seems bad.¡± Taika frowned considering that. ¡°That¡¯s not even the worst part!¡± Colette had no control over her inside voice today and Shouri shot her a glare. ¡°From what I¡¯ve read the housing market is quite competitive here. Some people wait years just to rent a room,¡± Kaira chimed in where her Maestro had failed to elaborate. ¡°Absurd,¡± scoffed Rebecca. By this point in the conversation, they had crossed the threshold between the train station and Quiretteh proper. ¡°Woah¡­¡± The train station was busy, sure but that was one confined space. What greeted the travelers upon their first proper steps into the capital city was an expansive metropolis befitting the very best Riterra had to offer. The cobblestone streets were filled with vehicles parading along, though thin in number compared to the foot traffic. As one would expect there were dozens upon dozens of Maestros and their Resonators, of which there were a rainbow of different elements and species, making each one a distinct visual treat. The chatter of tourists and locals alike filled their air, bells ringing, the shouts of children playing, it was difficult to pinpoint any one sound. The sidewalks were smooth, any rough edges worn away by centuries of footsteps, carrying stories both modern and ancient. The city itself was an enigma, as the modern buildings were built with the ancient methods in mind, making them all seamlessly blend in with their ancient neighbors. In silent awe the group began to walk, heads turning to and fro as they attempted to steal every last detail of the old world around them. Sunlight filtered through the towering trees that dotted the roads, their dappled shadows allowing the briefest of reprieve of the brilliance in the sky. Taika perked up as the scent of fresh coffee hit them like a storm, the offending shop in question having a line out the door with patrons excitedly exchanging the latest gossip. Pacifica¡¯s ears flicked, her head snapping across the street as a familiar chain link fence contained an ancient-looking battle court, where two solar Resonators exchanged brilliant flashes of light in the heat of battle. The Maestros¡¯ passionate cries of spells she only had a passing familiarity with graced her hearing though they didn¡¯t reveal who was winning the skirmish. Rebecca kept her eyes closed, relying on her Maestro¡¯s sight to guide her along. The rhythm in the air hung thick, the very city whispering to her, imparting stories of the past that were etched into the very stonework they strode upon. If only she could focus on one voice perhaps, she¡¯d uncover some lost secret of the past. ¡°Here we are,¡± Shouri said, snapping the girls out of their wandering minds. Their lodgings were the same as they ever were: a Maestro Affairs Office. However, this one was unique. Unlike the previous campuses where they maintained the same aesthetic no matter the locale (only varying in facilities offered), the Central Quiretteh MA Office matched the stonework of the surrounding buildings. It blended in so well they would have walked right by it had Shouri not been following a map on one of the tuners. It looked like it had always belonged in the city even a thousand years ago. Walking onto the campus grounds proved to be the same experience as the other offices. The main building was right up front with worker Resonators maintaining the grounds. Where the main difference came was in the large connecting buildings which formed a large square behind the administration office. ¡°Oh! A real Quirettian domus!¡± Colette exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with wonder. ¡°Oh! The central atrium must be gorgeous!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just hope they¡¯re not still using lead pipes for the water,¡± Shouri grumbled, motioning for his group to head inside. While the outside of the admin building was vastly different from its contemporaries in other cities, the insides were nearly identical. Same front desk, same back offices, same Maestros and their Resonators milling about in the reception area. The change from unfamiliar to familiar was so jarring that Shouri had to shake his head to dismiss the sudden feeling of d¨¦j¨¤ vu that washed over him. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Like some of the bigger cities, there was a large line waiting for them. ¡°Welcome to the Fifth Central Quiretteh Maestro Affairs Office, how can we help you?¡± ¡°Room please.¡± Shouri handed over the three tuners remaining on his person. In this MA Office, the front desk attendant had a Resonator manning the second computer while they handled the first. ¡°Looks like we still have a vacancy in building five, you¡¯ll be in room twenty-two. Is there anything else we can assist you with today?¡± Shouri¡¯s tuners were slid back to him. ¡°That¡¯s it, thanks much,¡± replied the Maestro, reclaiming the trio of devices. ¡°Thank you for choosing our MA Office, have a wonderful day.¡± As soon as Shouri stepped out of the line, the attendant put up a little sign on the desk. [NO VACANCY ¨C PLEASE CHECK THE OTHER MA OFFICES FOR LODGING] ¡°WHAT?!¡± Colette shrieked. There was similar groaning and complaining from the other Maestros in line as they began to leave. ¡°Oh damn,¡± Shouri said as flatly as he could muster. ¡°What do I do now?¡± Colette took hold of the other Maestro and shook him. ¡°Why are you asking me?! Just go find another MA Office!¡± yelped the shaken Maestro in question. Shouri was released from the frantic scholar. ¡°Hmph, fine,¡± she huffed. ¡°Come on, Kaira,¡± Colette motioned for her Resonator to follow her. ¡°Maestro Shouri.¡± Kaira bowed before running to catch up with her own Maestro. ¡°Well at least she can¡¯t barge into our room now,¡± Shouri mumbled, adjusting his shirt¡¯s now stretched collar. ¡°She did make a big deal about this place,¡± Rebecca mused as they made their way towards the back exit. ¡°Kinda has got me interested in seeing how nice it actually is.¡± Taika and Pacifica nodded in agreement with their fellow Resonator¡¯s assessment. Stepping back out into the sunlight graced the traveling quartet with the scope of the Quirettian MA Offices. Sure enough, as alluded to by the desk attendant, there were many buildings on the property, much more than any MA office they had been to previously. Five buildings stood in a row, rectangular in shape boasting three floors each. Despite the dated construction methods, the buildings looked well maintained, as if they had only been built tens of years ago rather than hundreds. It wasn¡¯t quiet either; Maestros and their Resonators wandered around, a sizable number of them in awe just like Shouri¡¯s group was. The distinctive sound of camera shutters stuck out from the white noise of conversation. The Maestro¡¯s quarters were labeled one to five, with large signage, allowing Shouri to navigate to their building with ease. None of the quartet spoke a word, any that attempted to form were lost on their lips before they could hope to voice them. Passing through the main entranceway of the Domus, they found themselves in the central atrium. All around them were the rooms they would be staying in. The atrium itself was topped by a glass dome, allowing the sun a peek at the facilities within. Rather than the normal common room, it appeared the atrium served that purpose. A small computer room was open on their left with nearly every terminal occupied by Resonators. In the open space itself, Maestros and their Resonators lounged around, more idle chatter between all parties involved. They could spot many different breeds they were familiar with. Dogs, cats, snakes, and even the occasional winged Resonator wandered about. A quick look skyward revealed the upper floors had railing allowing guests who were on their way out to cast their gaze into the crowds below. ¡°Where¡¯s twenty-two?¡± Shouri wondered aloud. ¡°Third floor.¡± Rebecca pointed to a sign showing the floor number assignments. The quartet took to the stairs and made their way to their assignment. Despite the ancient architecture, the same electronic rhythm reader was stationed outside of their room. With a beep and a click, they were permitted to relax. It was almost disappointing that after all that, their room was the standard affair ¨C bed, desk, fridge, couch, TV, kitchen. All the same as the MA Offices they had grown accustomed to. There was one major difference. ¡°GUYS!¡± Pacifica cried out. The other three rushed to the water element in the bathroom. ¡°Woah¡­¡± Three astonished gasps beheld the facility they had exclusive access to. White and black stone adorned every surface of the bathroom. The tub was slightly larger than its contemporaries in other MA Offices, and the water fixtures were higher quality than those offices as well. The showerhead had many more knobs and settings for optimal comfort and the expanded tub even had jets in it. Rebecca rested a hand on her Maestro¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We¡¯re never getting her out of here bossman.¡± Pacifica was squealing in delight at each new feature she discovered in their personal bathhouse. ¡°Well, there goes plans for lunch,¡± Shouri rolled his eyes but smiled. He patted the otter¡¯s back. ¡°Enjoy your bath,¡± he said, allowing his hand to linger and rub her back. She either didn¡¯t hear him or didn¡¯t acknowledge him as her tail swished back and forth with excitement at the watery prospects in her future. Leaving Pacifica to her play, that left Shouri, Taika, and Rebecca in the main part of the room. ¡°So who wants to come with me to grab lunch?¡± Shouri asked the two foxes. They both raised a hand but noticed their counterpart¡¯s volunteerism and exchanged a look. Before a scuffle could ignite, he placed a hand on both of their heads. ¡°I think we¡¯re safe enough here to let Paci have her bath in peace,¡± he said. And now it was the two vixens¡¯ turn to wag their tails. ¡°Paci! We¡¯re gonna grab lunch, be back soon!¡± Again, no reply, but the splashing in the bathroom told him enough. Locking up, the man and his two vixens meandered through the property. The five domus were of course the Maestro¡¯s quarters. That wasn¡¯t all the property had to offer. Uniformed Resonators buzzed around, picking up litter, maintaining the lawns, polishing statues, the works. They happened to overhear a working Maestro and their Resonator as they cleaned out a drained fountain. ¡°What are you doing after work?¡± ¡°It¡¯s payday, me and Jessie are heading out to the pub.¡± ¡°Oh, you sly dog!¡± Hilariously enough the sly dog in question was in fact, a canid. It took some wandering, but they found the cafeteria. At first, the trio thought it would be like other MA Offices where they¡¯d find a firing range attached to the cafeteria. Here however, the entire massive building was one massive eatery. Rather than just one selection with a rotating menu, it was more akin to a mall food court, with many different brands and businesses competing for attention. Just like outside, inside had a small task force of uniformed Resonators keeping the place clean. Chairs were tucked in, empty tables were wiped down, trash was disposed of, and trays were collected with ruthless efficiency by the workers. ¡°Uhhhh¡­¡± The three young adults were inflicted with the biggest mental debuff known to melopomorphs: decision paralysis.
Shouri lay in bed, eyes blankly cast towards the ceiling. Rebecca¡¯s tuner rested on his chest. Pacifica was on bath three of the evening while Taika was unwinding on the couch reading on her tuner. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± asked Rebecca, sliding next to him. ¡°Thinking.¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°Everything. I¡¯m not sure we¡¯re doing the right thing.¡± Rebecca wrapped her arms around him. ¡°Of course, we¡¯re doing the right thing. The dude is making Resonators suffer. That¡¯s good enough by my count to take him down.¡± ¡°I know. But there¡¯s a nagging voice that keeps saying it''s not going to be as easy as I hope.¡± ¡°Then let my voice be louder,¡± she pushed herself up and spoke right into his ear. ¡°I trust you no matter what. We¡¯re doing the right thing.¡± He interlinked one of his hands with hers. ¡°Thanks.¡± Chapter 159 ¡°Huh, so it is,¡± Rebecca mumbled to herself, browsing the news on her tuner. The rest of the room was up and preparing for their day bright and early on the eighth of September. Shouri had the bathroom at the moment, Taika sat on the bed brushing her tail, and Pacifica was tying her hair up, while Rebecca herself sat on the couch. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Pacifica asked, the closest to the already ready fox. ¡°It¡¯s Remembrance Day today,¡± Rebecca said, flashing her tuner screen showing the date and time. ¡°Oh wow, is it that late in the year already?¡± the otter gasped. Taika overheard the chatter of her fellow Resonators and decided to chime in. ¡°What¡¯s Remembrance Day?¡± She figured it was yet another Maestro observation, but was curious all the same. ¡°It¡¯s Sage Seres¡¯ holiday,¡± Rebecca started. ¡°Usually just a day off to meet up with friends, especially people you haven¡¯t met up with for a while and remember the good ol¡¯ times,¡± Pacifica elaborated. Taika frowned. All her friends were present and they didn¡¯t really have ¡°good ol¡¯ times¡± to recount. Sure, she¡¯d been with Shouri for five full months now, but that was hardly enough time to get nostalgic over. ¡°I¡¯m more concerned with where we¡¯re going,¡± Pacifica spoke up, taking a seat on the couch next to Rebecca. ¡°Hm?¡± the fire element raised a brow. ¡°Vienna doesn¡¯t like us, like at all,¡± started the otter. Taika nodded ¨C the lyrebird hadn¡¯t exactly been trying to hide it even as far back as their time atop Mt. Sinchero. ¡°Going to Vienna¡¯s sister¡¯s place and knowing that their dad works for Ilea Vim. It just feels a bit intimidating,¡± the water element admitted. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine,¡± Rebecca said. ¡°You think so?¡± ¡°If Sho comes out and says we''re not going, then I¡¯m wrong,¡± asserted the Renard. Pacifica hummed in thought. ¡°I agree with Rebby,¡± Taika chimed in. ¡°Sho is careful with us, not himself, but us. I¡¯d also be worried if he told us to stay here and he go alone. If he¡¯s willing to take us with then he must think it''s safe,¡± the lunar fox laid out her thinking. That was enough to ameliorate the concerned otter. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re both right, thanks.¡± ¡°So we¡¯re ready to get going then?¡± Shouri asked, suddenly behind the chatty gossips. Pacifica jumped and squeaked in fright, while Taika giggled, having heard their Maestro approach. ¡°I¡¯d say so.¡± Rebecca got to her feet. ¡°Ready Sho!¡± Taika chirped. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go,¡± Pacifica said, still trying to calm herself from being spooked. ¡°Let¡¯s get this the hell over with!¡± declared the Maestro as flatly as possible
The streets of Quiretteh were quieter than the day prior. The ancient city felt sleepy, somber even. The cafes and shops open and bustling with foot traffic yesterday were abandoned, big CLOSED signs hanging in their doors. A few Maestros and their Resonators milled about, keeping to themselves. The energy the city exerted less than twenty-four hours ago was arrested and locked away. Shouri and his trio kept the peace, huddling close as they walked, not wanting to disturb the natural order the city had fallen under. Taika looked around; her ears flattened. She opened her mouth, testing the tempers of her voice before finally speaking. ¡°Is¡­ Remembrance Day always liked this?¡± whispered the fox, unfamiliar with the holiday. ¡°Yeah, a lot of people use the day to rest and sleep in,¡± said Rebecca. ¡°And spend time with family, right?¡± questioned the lunar element. ¡°Right. That¡¯s probably where all these people are going,¡± the fire fox replied motioning to the others that were out and about. Even the sky seemed to follow the mood of the day, with dark clouds threatening showers at any moment. The distinct scent of petrichor carried on the cool winds blowing down the streets. ¡°Let¡¯s not get rained on girls ¨C this way,¡± Shouri said, urging the trio behind him to pick up the pace. They stopped in front of a building, constructed in brick just like the surrounding ones. A small wrought iron gate stood between the street and a brick patio. Shouri glanced between one of his tuners and the building before him. ¡°Is this it?¡± Taika asked. The Maestro furrowed his brows, humming in thought. 233 was displayed proudly on the little number sign hanging on the fence. ¡°Looks like it,¡± he finally confirmed, sliding the tuner back to its spot on his waist. He approached the gate and undid the latch, letting himself in. ¡°Uh, is he supposed to be doing that?¡± Pacifica whispered to the two foxes. ¡°Dunno,¡± Taika replied. ¡°Let¡¯s make sure he doesn¡¯t get blasted,¡± Rebecca urged her fellow Resonators to follow along. Shouri knocked on the door. The four intruders waited in hushed anticipation. They weren¡¯t even sure who exactly would answer the door. They just knew Vienna¡¯s sister was supposed to be here, and that Vienna said she would meet them there. The click of the latch sliding away tensed the three Resonators as they readied themselves for anything. However, their preparation didn¡¯t survive contact with the presence who answered the door. ¡°Wh-who are you?¡± a shrill voice asked. None of the quartet had an answer at first, trying to figure out what exactly was standing in front of them. A small girl, roughly Taika¡¯s height from head to toe hid behind the door. The fair maiden was clad in browns, a fluffy jacket and skirt combo in one shade, her darker brown leggings contrasting, while her long boots were more of a tan color that matched what sat atop her head. Two long, slender appendages crowned the girl, folded at the halfway mark. A soft fur coated the twin lengths, with a lighter shade on the inside. ¡°A rabbit?¡± Taika mumbled, remembering the figure from the Canolapra museum. ¡°She¡¯s¡­ not lunar¡­¡± Rebecca¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I thought they were all lunars?¡± Pacifica shook her head. ¡°Who are you?¡± repeated the mystery creature. ¡°I¡¯m Shouri. We¡¯re looking for Vienna,¡± he replied. The girl perked up. ¡°Oh! You¡¯re different from how I imagined you!¡± She looked the boy up and down and cracked a smile. ¡°Come in! Please!¡± The girl stepped aside allowing the guests into her home. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. It was smaller than it looked. There was no foyer or entrance space, as soon as they stepped in they were greeted with the primary living space where a small dining table and couch sat. A thin wood staircase went up to a loft with another couch and a television. ¡°You can sit here.¡± The hostess motioned to the downstairs couch and chairs. There was a bit of a quiet argument about sitting arrangements. Ultimately, Shouri and Taika shared the two-person couch while Rebecca and Pacifica got seats at the table. ¡°Can I get you anything? Water?¡± asked the girl. ¡°Uh, water would be cool,¡± Pacifica hesitantly requested. ¡°Sure!¡± the brown-clad girl stepped off into the kitchen connected to the tiny living room, drawing some cups from the cabinets to fill. ¡°So uhh¡­ miss¡­?¡± Pacifica furrowed her brows, trying to decide how to address their host. ¡°Althea, I usually go by Ally,¡± answered the hostess. ¡°Right, Ally. Are you Vienna¡¯s sister?¡± guessed Pacifica. Ally hung her head for a moment, glaring at the water. ¡°No, I am not,¡± she said curtly. ¡°That child is our Maestro¡¯s biological sister.¡± The way Ally had said that told Pacifica everything she needed to know about how she felt about the lyrebird. ¡°So I have to know,¡± Shouri began as Ally returned with the cups of water. ¡°Are you a Rabbit, or¡­?¡± The Maestro scanned the girl up and down. He spotted a big puffball of a tail behind her as she set the glasses down on coasters. ¡°A relative ¨C I¡¯m a hare,¡± she replied. Rebecca scanned the girl up and down. ¡°Null element, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ally nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of hares before,¡± noted the battle expert. Pacifica jumped, her eyes catching on the hare in question. ¡°As far as Luna is concerned, we¡¯re birth defects and are usually uh¡­ taken care of.¡± The room fell to a grim silence. Shouri¡¯s expression fouled, turning to a bitter scowl. Taika lowered her head, linking her hand with her Maestro¡¯s; while Pacifica sat there mouth agape unsure what to say. ¡°Are there hare Naturals?¡± Rebecca asked. ¡°Not to my knowledge,¡± Ally replied. Rebecca snorted sharply. ¡°I see,¡± she decided. An awkward silence followed as Ally looked around quickly. Thankfully Shouri was the one to break the tension in the room. ¡°Can we meet your Maestro?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes, she¡¯s speaking with that child right now, I¡¯ll see if they¡¯re done,¡± Ally told them before rushing away. As soon as Ally was out of earshot Pacifica leaned into the group. ¡°She does NOT like Vienna,¡± whispered the otter. ¡°Can you blame her?¡± Rebecca grumbled. Taika shook her head. ¡°If she spent more time not manipulating everyone around her maybe she¡¯d have some real friends,¡± Shouri said, rolling his eyes. The three girls nodded in agreement with their Maestro. They didn¡¯t sit alone for too long as the door opened and the actual residents of the apartment approached their guests. The two Resonator girls were familiar, Ally and Vienna. The Maestro of the two, however, was a new face. It was easy to guess she was the mystery ¡°sister¡± Vienna spoke of ¨C they appeared biologically related, with the same tanned skin, and very similar frames, though what they inherited from their parents varied. Obviously, Vienna had her feathery tail held proud and high behind her, but outside of that, the other woman¡¯s hair was a darker red, bordering on brown, which matched her eyes. Vienna¡¯s yellow eyes on the other hand scanned the three intruding Resonators, the ire boiling behind them. ¡°This is my sister, Faith. Faith, this is Shouri who I¡¯ve been with for the last few months,¡± Vienna said, bridging the gap between the two groups. Faith looked the other Maestro over. ¡°I see,¡± was her response. ¡°Charmed,¡± Shouri replied flatly, raising his brows as he did so. ¡°My condolences,¡± Ally mumbled in Shouri¡¯s direction. ¡°Let¡¯s cut to the chase,¡± Shouri said, grabbing Taika¡¯s hand for rhythmic support. ¡°First, you take her back.¡± He all but forced the clear tuner back to its proper owner. ¡°I thought you took her in?¡± Faith furrowed her brows but still took the tuner back all the same. ¡°Not at all, she forced herself on me,¡± he stated. Faith shot the lyrebird a quizzical side-eye. Ally wrinkled her nose as her brows snapped to a sharp glare. ¡°The other thing is she was saying your dad is one of Ilea¡¯s enforcers or whatever?¡± Shouri asked. What followed was a loud, dramatic exhale. Faith leaned back against the wall pinching the bridge of her nose. ¡°Yeah. Dad¡¯s his chief of security or whatever bullshit title he made up,¡± admitted the woman. ¡°Here¡¯s the skinny of it kid, Ilea is a monster, full stop,¡± Faith started. ¡°If I didn¡¯t rescue Althea from him, she¡¯d have ended up in a million pieces. He doesn¡¯t have a shred of humanity. The man simply looks at everything as data points to be studied.¡± Shouri grunted and nodded. ¡°Sounds about right. He¡¯s mucking around with Feroce, not too surprising that he¡¯d want to tear into some wetware to find out how it ticks,¡± he commented. Faith grunted and nodded. ¡°Ally being a very rare Resonator species put her at the top of his list, same as Vienna,¡± revealed the Maestro. Another thoughtful hum and nod from Shouri. ¡°Yeah, again, not surprising in the slightest.¡± ¡°So what¡¯s your skin in the game?¡± Faith asked. ¡°I want that bastard to stop. He¡¯s hurt a lot of people close to me and I¡¯m gonna make him quit no matter what,¡± Shouri spoke with determination. The other Maestro watched a flicker of blue invade the yellow rhythm in her counterpart¡¯s eyes. ¡°You¡¯re serious then?¡± she asked. ¡°Deadly.¡± Shouri motioned to Vienna. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t have put up with her shit if I wasn¡¯t,¡± he added. Ally spoke up at this point. ¡°I think we should tell him, Faith.¡± The woman groaned, running a hand back through her hair. ¡°Yeah, I guess so,¡± she grumbled. ¡°Tell us what?¡± Pacifica asked. ¡°What happened to our parents, and what Ilea Vim really is,¡± Faith said. Chapter 160 ¡°It was about ten years ago now¡­¡± Yellow eyes stared groggily at the ceiling. It was morning once again. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± a girl sat up in bed. She flicked her red hair away from her face, blinking slowly as she suppressed a yawn. A brown feathery tail wrapped around her front, having been held while she slept. ¡°Morning¡­¡± she spoke to no one in particular. knock knock ¡°Vienna, breakfast!¡± another voice sang from the other side of the door. ¡°Okay, mom.¡± The young girl waved dismissively at the door, despite knowing the owner of the voice on the other side couldn¡¯t see the gesture. Slipping into her daily wear, Vienna took leave of her bedroom. She didn¡¯t get very far as there was a sudden pain in her rear. ¡°What have I told you about this young lady?¡± asked the earlier voice, though their presence wasn¡¯t immediately visible. Vienna grimaced, allowing her shoulders to catch slack. She shot an annoyed glance over her shoulder where her tail was being gripped by her mother who was fading into view. ¡°Put it away,¡± she droned. Wrenching her extra appendage loose from her parent, Vienna took in a deep breath and exhaled, her tail vanishing from sight. The stern expression on her mother¡¯s face faded into a smile. ¡°Good! Let¡¯s go get breakfast!¡± It didn¡¯t take long for the two Resonators to join the rest of the family downstairs and put them right in the small living room area, which adjoined the dining room where the two Maestros of the home sat. ¡°Morning,¡± the only man in the room nodded to the pair. His gaze was focused on a clear tuner, his thumb flicking the touchscreen every so often. ¡°Got chewed out again?¡± a younger Faith guessed. ¡°Shaddap,¡± Vienna grumbled, taking her seat. The two siblings began eating their breakfast while their father sipped from his coffee, wearing a content smile. Finally, their mother joined them at the table and began eating breakfast. Yes, this was how every morning went in their small town home they dwelt. This morning was special, however. ¡°Oh, remember girls,¡± the mother began. ¡°Your father and I are starting our new job today!¡± She was most certainly excited. ¡°Makes more than hunting?¡± Faith asked. ¡°Way more! We¡¯re going to be working for this famous scientist, Ilea Vim! We¡¯ll go out to a nice dinner when we get paid and and-¡± the energetic mother was cut off by her husband. ¡°Millie¡­¡± He pointed at her rear, where her own feathery tail was swishing about excitedly. ¡°Ah! Ryo!¡± the woman yelped, her face rapidly reddening as she tried to hide her tail. Vienna rolled her eyes but cracked a smile all the same.
¡°We¡¯ll be home late tonight. The orientation is supposed to be pretty long,¡± Millie told her children. ¡°Remember-¡± ¡°Don¡¯t use my powers unless necessary, yeah Mom, I get it.¡± Vienna waved off her mother¡¯s concern. ¡°Tuner?¡± Ryo asked Faith. ¡°Yeah, got it.¡± The elder daughter waved a second clear tuner back at her father. ¡°Love you two! Have fun! Don¡¯t get into trouble!¡± Millie kissed the two girls on the forehead before they took their leave. ¡°Now what?¡± Vienna asked her sister. ¡°TV,¡± replied the sibling, slinking over to their tiny living room. Vienna shrugged and followed along, not having anything else she wanted to do at the moment. And so, the two siblings sat and watched television like the good little girls they were¡­ for about thirty minutes. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m bored,¡± Faith announced, getting off their well-worn couch. ¡°Fay, we need to stay here,¡± Vienna fretted, chasing after her rapidly departing sister. ¡°Relax Vee, I¡¯m just gonna go see some friends,¡± Faith waved off her sister¡¯s concern as she got her shoes on. ¡°But mom said-¡± Vienna was silenced by a finger to her lips. Faith smirked knowingly. ¡°Mom said ¡®Don¡¯t get into trouble¡¯, she never said we couldn¡¯t leave the apartment,¡± said the elder sister. The lyrebird considered her sister¡¯s words for a moment, recalling the conversation before their parent¡¯s departure that morning. ¡°I¡­ think you¡¯re right?¡± Vienna hesitantly admitted. ¡°I am right; you gotta listen for these things Vee,¡± Faith said, ruffling her sister¡¯s hair. ¡°You coming?¡± she asked. Once more Vienna found herself at a crossroad, indecision gripping her. ¡°I dunno Fay¡­¡± the younger sibling continued to fret. ¡°Fine, you can stay here. I¡¯m sure you have plenty of your little cartoons to catch up on anyways,¡± goaded the elder sibling with a wicked smirk. The betrayal on Vienna¡¯s face was practically dripping as she watched her older sister turn to the door and threaten to leave her behind. ¡°W-wait Fay! I¡¯ll come! I¡¯ll come!¡± the lyrebird yelped, running to the door to grab her own shoes. ¡°I knew you¡¯d see things my way,¡± Faith said with a grin.
¡°We¡¯re gonna get in so much trouble, Fay¡­¡± Vienna whimpered quietly as she followed her sister ¡°We¡¯re not gonna get in trouble Vee, you worry too much,¡± Faith waved off her sister¡¯s concern as the pair walked along. Vienna knew she wasn¡¯t winning this one, so she just tried to become smaller than she was and stuck close to her Maestro sibling. The two girls met Faith¡¯s friends at the Gran-Quire Mall. It has seen better days, given the money in the area had moved on to greener pastures, leaving slowly failing businesses in an ever-stressful game of hot potato. As such the youth of the time took it upon themselves to claim the gradually crumbling infrastructure as their territory. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Faith did all the talking, with Vienna content to stay off to the side and listen. ¡°Yo Faith!¡± One of the older teens of their friend group waved. ¡°Yo, what¡¯s up?¡± Faith greeted the group. ¡°Not much.¡± It was at that moment, the group noticed the little girl hiding behind her sister. ¡°Oh, you brought the squirt today?¡± noted one of the older boys. Vienna frowned and scowled slightly. ¡°She wanted to come with today,¡± Faith said with a shrug. ¡°She can hold the bag,¡± added the elder sibling. ¡°Sounds good!¡± And that¡¯s how Vienna found herself holding a bag of¡­ something. It was a little on the heavy side. From what she could tell from the brief glimpses she got of the inside of the bag there were metal cylinders of some kind? They jostled around, clattering against one another if she swung the bag enough. Poor Vienna wasn¡¯t entirely sure what was going on but followed along all the same. Instead, the curious little lyrebird allowed her vision to wander, taking in the sights of the gradually shrinking mall. Lots of storefronts were shuttered, for reasons the little girl couldn¡¯t understand. She knew the concept of a store, but not the life cycle or demise of one, so this was all very confusing for her. Unfortunately, she lacked the willpower to just turn around and leave. Which she cursed as they reached their destination. The small group of teens forced Vienna¡¯s hands open, so they could draw out the various goodies in the bag. Faith was the last to grab her can, at which point Vienna finally found her conviction. ¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡± she hissed. Faith hummed thoughtfully. ¡°We¡¯re doing art! Like you do in school,¡± the elder sibling told her younger sister, tousling her hair. ¡°You like art, just relax!¡± Faith said before joining her friends in spray-painting some of the abandoned walls. The little lyrebird pouted. She knew something wasn¡¯t right about what they were doing, but she just couldn¡¯t find the words to refute her sister¡¯s claims. ¡°HEY!¡± Vienna¡¯s heart sank. That shout wasn¡¯t one of admiration or appreciation, but anger. ¡°Let¡¯s get!¡± one of the older boys shouted. And then suddenly it was chaos, the group scattered and Vienna was left holding the bag of evidence. The poor girl had no idea what to do and froze up. ¡°Come ON!¡± Suddenly she was dragged against her will in the opposite direction of the shouting. When Vienna got her bearings she realized Faith had a vice grip on her hand and was running as fast as possible. ¡°Vee, you gotta use your powers!¡± Faith hissed. ¡°What do I do?! I can only hide my tail!¡± the panicked lyrebird shouted back. ¡°Just turn into someone, an adult, you can give us an alibi that way!¡± Faith was throwing the proverbial darts at the board. ¡°But I-?!¡± Vienna shook her head as she was dragged along. ¡°Just do it!¡± Faith cried out. Before Vienna could try and do anything, it was too late. ¡°Vento in Poppa, Rallentando!¡± a gruff, deep voice shouted. Not seconds later a blast of wind arrested the two girl¡¯s momentum, stopping them in place. It blew hard against them making any further forward progress impossible. The only option was to turn around and face the music. ¡°Damn it, Vee¡­¡± Faith grumbled, facing the cop and their Resonator that approached the pair. ¡°Hands up!¡± was demanded of the two, who quietly complied.
¡°We¡¯re not gonna get in trouble, huh?¡± Vienna glared through her tears at her sister. ¡°Shaddap,¡± Faith replied bitterly, failing to hide the embarrassment on her face. The two girls were sitting in the local police station, waiting for their parents to pick them up. ¡°You really need to get some better friends,¡± said one of the officers. ¡°This is what, the third time this month, Faith?¡± they asked. ¡°And you¡¯re getting your kid sister mixed up in your mess now?¡± The officer shook their head in pity for the two girls. Neither sister defended themselves, avoiding the prying gaze of the constabulary. ¡°You know the drill. As soon as Ryo shows up, you¡¯re free to go, until then, try not to get into any more trouble,¡± and with that, the officer left the two girls alone in their cell. ¡°If you thought it was such a bad idea why didn¡¯t you do anything about it?¡± Faith snipped at her sister when the officer was out of earshot. ¡°M-me?! I wanted to stay in the apartment Fay! You dragged me out!¡± hissed the lyrebird. ¡°You could have not gotten caught! Simple as!¡± Faith barked. ¡°But mom said-!¡± ¡°You need to think for yourself, Vee! Mom ain¡¯t gonna be around forever!¡± Vienna looked away, tears streaming down her face. Her hands twitched as she desperately fought letting her tail materialize. She wanted to hold it so badly ¨C but her mom said¡­ The door opened. Drawing the two arguing girl¡¯s attention. Faith immediately stood and went into damage control mode. ¡°Dad I-!¡± the elder sister faltered however when she didn¡¯t find her father greeting her at the door to the cell. The officer from before was there, but she brought a different man with her. The officer¡¯s expression was clouded, not the same disappointment in a troubled teen like before. No, her expression appeared¡­ woeful... ¡°Wh-who are you?¡± Faith gulped, taking a step backward. Her eyes darted between the officer and the newcomer. Nothing about this was good. She held up an arm in front of her sister, being careful to keep herself between the stranger and Vienna. The man kept his calm and took in a breath before speaking. ¡°There was an accident.¡± Chapter 161 Months passed in the blink of an eye. Faith woke up, though sleep didn¡¯t come easily and didn¡¯t last long even so far removed from that day. The now fifteen-year-old sat up. ¡°Gotta make breakfast¡­¡± she mumbled to herself, swinging her feet out of bed. She planted her feet on the ground, but finding the strength to push herself up was fleeting. The woman sighed. ¡°Fuck¡­¡± she cursed. How much time Faith sat there like that was unknowable. Every second ticked by without her consent, and every minute flashed by like a stranger on the street. Finally, she mustered up enough strength to give her legs the stability to stand. One day at a time, that¡¯s all she could do. She had a sister to keep an eye on. Exiting her bedroom though, she heard the sizzle of a frying pan. Making her way to the kitchen, she stopped as she saw Vienna behind the pan, flipping some eggs. Her tail was out and held up behind her. ¡°What are you doing?¡± asked Faith. ¡°Eating,¡± replied Vienna. The two sisters remained quiet for a moment, only the sizzle of the cooking foot keeping the silence at bay. ¡°Has Dad been home?¡± Faith inquired. ¡°No. Not that I¡¯ve seen,¡± said Vienna. ¡°I see.¡± Silence once again. ¡°Haven¡¯t seen him since mom died,¡± Vienna commented. ¡°He comes home real late, changes clothes, and leaves,¡± Faith told her sister. ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Vienna cut the heat on the stove and plated her food. She turned to sit and eat, but Faith stood in the way, an unintentional obstacle. ¡°She didn¡¯t die, Vee,¡± Faith spoke quietly. ¡°...yes she did, Faith. We saw her body,¡± Vienna insisted. ¡°No.¡± Faith shook her head. ¡°Mom was killed.¡± The young lyrebird¡¯s neutral descended into a scowl. ¡°She¡¯s dead Faith. There¡¯s no grand plan or whatever,¡± Vienna grumbled. ¡°This isn¡¯t like a cartoon. There isn¡¯t a bad guy. Just¡­ mom being gone.¡± The small girl brushed past her larger sibling, hiding her face. Faith shook her head again. ¡°No no. It¡¯s all so suspicious,¡± mumbled the Maestro. ¡°You and Mom are super rare, special Resonators. She gets hired by a scientist guy and then conveniently is dead that day. It stinks. It reeks,¡± Faith said through locked teeth. ¡°Yeah it stinks, dead bodies tend to do that,¡± stated Vienna coldly. The elder sibling could hardly believe how dismissive her sister had gotten. Though none of this was new behavior. Something in Vienna changed that day. It pained Faith to think about. ¡°You miss her the most,¡± Faith whispered. Vienna didn¡¯t dignify that with a response, eating faster in place of any verbality. The siblings sat in silence. Faith with her head lowered in deep thought while Vienna polished off the remainder of her breakfast. Next that Faith became cognizant of her surroundings was the squeal of Vienna¡¯s chair against the wood floor. She tracked her sister as she took her dish to the sink and set it down. Then the lyrebird made her way to the front door and slipped on her shoes. ¡°Where are you going?¡± asked Faith. ¡°Out,¡± replied the Resonator. ¡°Vienna, you¡¯re like nine, you¡¯re not going out by yourself,¡± asserted the Maestro of the home. What happened next shook Faith¡¯s conviction to its core. Her little sister glared at her, not just a simple scowl, but an intimidating glower. Faith felt like the little sister from the intensity of her sister¡¯s expression. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought,¡± said Vienna. With that, she slipped out the front door. Once the lyrebird was gone, Faith regained her cool. ¡°That was her rhythm¡­¡± mumbled the Maestro. When did Vienna get that strong? She shook her head. ¡°Idiot forgot who¡¯s holding the tuner here,¡± Faith growled. She drew the clear tuner from her pocket and laid her thumb on the red button. Oh how badly she wanted to press down. Demand that Vienna return home and explain herself. But¡­ ¡°Resonators are love, whether they¡¯re your wife, or your sister, or someone unrelated. We have their tuners, but don¡¯t betray their trust.¡± Faith ground her teeth in frustration. ¡°Damn it, Dad.¡± A couple of frustrated tears spilled. ¡°What the fuck do I do when they betray my trust?¡± After wiping away the tears, Faith found her determination. ¡°I¡¯ll bring her back kicking and screaming then,¡± she decided. The Maestro stole a glance at the tuner in her hand. ¡°I don¡¯t need this to get my sister back.¡± The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.
Despite Vienna¡¯s earlier bravado, she was still a little girl and nowhere near as fast as she¡¯d like to think she was. As such, Faith easily found her but trailed at a distance. They didn¡¯t live in the most affluent part of town. Plenty of shady characters skulked about, but for the most part, everyone kept to themselves. ¡°Don¡¯t mess with me and I won¡¯t mess with you,¡± was a pretty common thought among the locals. They knew who belonged there and who didn¡¯t. Thankfully for the two girls, they were part of the in-group, probably because of who their dad was. Either way, Vienna was out here with a purpose, that much Faith knew. What exactly the lone Resonator was up to remained a mystery. A Resonator as young as Vienna all on her own would normally invite trouble. However, as Faith experienced earlier, people were generally unnerved by the aura the little null element was putting out and avoided her as if she was lunar. At least Faith could take solace knowing Vienna wasn¡¯t being entirely foolish in that she had her very distinct lyrebird tail hidden. It was a lot of walking around, with no real destination in mind the young girl seemed to be going around in circles. Was she lost? Faith couldn¡¯t be sure. Finally, the silent chase came to a stop when Vienna ducked into an alleyway. There was no one else around. Had she specifically waited for this opportunity? The alleyway was one Faith had familiarity with, there wasn¡¯t an exit on the other side, and the only way in was also the only way out. However, the woman that left the alleyway wasn¡¯t Vienna, but a total stranger. Faith panicked for a moment, but quickly regained her cool, she couldn¡¯t give up her hiding spot so easily. She checked Vienna¡¯s tuner. Faith Saitou Resonator: Vienna (Naida) Species: Demi-Human (Salamander) Element: Fire Attribute: Piercing Rhythm: 43% The young Maestro¡¯s eyes widened. Vienna not only was using her powers properly, but she was using them extremely well! The salamander woman Vienna had morphed into was much taller than her normal frame with a much heavier tail, but the lyrebird was perfectly utilizing the new frame she found herself in, walking with the same confidence she had in her nine-year-old body. It made Faith consider¡­ was that actually her sister¡­? Either way, Faith had to find out what her Resonator was up to and resumed the hunt. Nothing crazy happened, despite Faith¡¯s ongoing anxiety about the situation. Vienna walked around town in the guise of this ¡°Naida¡± character. She gave pleasantries and used a voice not her own without trouble. It was insanity to the Maestro. She knew what her mother was capable of. Faith had memories of her mom using the guise of her friends to get her to admit things in confidence, only for her ¡°friend¡± to transform back into her mother and bust her. Perhaps that frustration only emboldened Faith to mesh with the wrong crowds. Who knew at this point? By the time it was all said and done Vienna returned home without incident, slipping into the house as the salamander she was masquerading as. Faith was across the street from their apartment complex, watching all of this go down. How bold of her, thought Faith. At least from the Maestro¡¯s perspective, Vienna shouldn¡¯t have had any reason to believe she¡¯d be able to get away with entering the home in her salamander guise. Faith shook her head. She needed to find out what was going on and quickly found her conviction, following her sister into the apartment. Sure enough, Faith didn¡¯t have to look far for her sibling - Vienna had dropped her transformation and was in her real body right at the front door. Both sisters had the wind taken out of their sails by the stranger who was in their apartment. ¡°D-dad?¡± asked Vienna. It couldn¡¯t be him. It didn¡¯t feel like him. ¡°Vienna,¡± said the man. The way his once gentle eyes were obscured by thick black shades. The way his warmth was strangled by the heavy three-piece suit. The way his once loving voice had the love taken from it. This was not their father, but a creature who had crawled into their father¡¯s skin and puppeted him around. ¡°Wh-who are you?¡± Faith managed to get out through uneven breaths, her grip on Vienna¡¯s tuner causing her hand to tremble. ¡°Faith,¡± Ryo addressed his other daughter. Faith opened her mouth to attack, but the man before them spoke first: ¡°You¡¯re coming to meet Dr. Vim with me.¡± Chapter 162 Life was always difficult for me. I didn¡¯t know how bad it could really get until he got his hands on me. My part of the story started at the lowest point in my life¡­ Returning to the waking world should have been nice, a pleasant experience. However this¡­ was true hell. The cold concrete floor greeted Althea as she returned to consciousness. She couldn¡¯t be sure what happened, but the last she recalled she had been captured. It wasn¡¯t a surprise to the young hare. Her life hadn¡¯t been the easiest to this point. If it wasn¡¯t the Lunarans who actively despised her race or the Riterrans who regarded her as an enemy, it was those who could appreciate her scarcity. No matter what she was surrounded on all sides by enemies. But maybe they were right. Maybe she was a blemish in this reality. Certainly, that would explain why when she finally passed she ended up in the depths of hell. She had no other explanation for her current surroundings. The squished stone walls, the concrete floor, the chill in the air eliciting uncontrollable shivering, absolutely no furniture, and the sounds of cruel suffering all around. It was torturous. That wasn¡¯t all, oh no. The lights above were so bright it was a wonder she was ever able to be unconscious for any stretch of time. There wasn¡¯t even a toilet in her tiny cramped little cell. The thick iron bars not only prevented her escape but also prevented any privacy. She could see many other Resonators around her sharing her horrible horrible fate. She cursed her stupid, big, sensitive ears. Once again they made her life worse, catching the cacophonous stream of sounds being cast from above at maximum volume. That was the worst part if Althea was being honest. The loud booming noise was so unpredictable she couldn''t ignore it. It bit, clawed, and smashed her psyche, never allowing her a moment¡¯s reprieve. If not the artificial chaos from above, the screams of the damned from all around her would be the coup de grace on her sanity. All she could do was curl up around herself, trying and failing to hide from the torture. Tears streamed so easily down her face as her heart began to crack, allowing the darkness to seep in. Visages of those she had loved and lost haunted her, she couldn¡¯t tell if they were damning her or easing her into eternal slumber. Slowly she began to lose her grip on reality. The cold turned to numb as the darkness consumed what remained of her sentience. It was easier this way, submitting to the void. Maybe she could try again next time. Perhaps she¡¯d be dealt a better hand. ¡­ And then it grew hot, so very¡­ hot? Surely that must have been a mistake, a trick of a fading mind. But then there came a voice. ¡°Colpito da una Roccia, Piano!¡± The back wall of her cell suddenly collapsed, and the voice became much louder; louder than the horrible sounds behind her. ¡°Told you, Vee,¡± the first voice spoke. ¡°Hush, we broke into the wrong place,¡± said a second, much less inviting voice. ¡°There¡¯s a Resonator in here. ¡°Oh really? Let¡¯s get them out.¡± Althea couldn¡¯t question what was happening until she had been pulled out of her literal hell into a small office. The hare looked around in a daze, as the numbing of her torture chamber began to fade away. The warmth of the Maestro girl chasing the darkness from her heart. Althea winced, grabbing her head. ¡°O-ow¡­¡± she whimpered, as the tears began to pour anew. ¡°Whoa! What the hell happened?¡± asked the Maestro, steadying the hare by her shoulders. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± whimpered Althea, grateful her voice still worked after all that. ¡°Looks like they¡¯re torturing Resonators,¡± said the Maestro¡¯s Resonator, who had poked her head into the hole they created. ¡°Urgh¡­¡± the Maestro looked back at the door of the office they were in. ¡°I guess that hallway really is the only way out. Let¡¯s get out of here Vee.¡± ¡°What about finding Mom¡¯s killer?¡± asked the Resonator. ¡°We can¡¯t beat that man, not like we are. Let¡¯s just take this girl and run.¡± The girl¡¯s Resonator considered that thought for a moment before nodding in agreement. ¡°Can you run?¡± asked the Maestro. ¡°My name is Faith, by the way. This is my sister and Resonator, Vienna,¡± Faith introduced the pair to the hare. ¡°A-althea,¡± the hare remembered her manners. ¡°I can run,¡± she lied. The pain she knew was coming would be leagues better than going back. This was freedom. Althea wasn¡¯t about to give it up, not until her last breath. The now trio gathered by the door. Faith poked her head out, checking if it was clear for them to go. Althea watched the Maestro work, checking between a tuner and the hallway. After intense studying Faith nodded and lowered the device. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Faith waved the two Resonators to follow while stepping into the hallway. The younger of the two Resonators followed. Althea remained in place for a moment, deciding whether or not she was going to join them. It just took one glance back from where she had been to solidify her decision. Progress was slow as the trio carefully crept down the dim hallways. Despite the chaos she had just come from, Althea noted the ambiance, or more accurately the lack thereof ¨C it was quiet, deathly so. The musty air settled in the hare¡¯s nostrils, a nostalgic scent that informed her of the type of place they were in. The depths of the underground, it was always the same no matter where she was. What also never changed was the difficulty of visibility; poor lighting conditions cursed their path, but the way was blessed by being simple enough to follow. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°We¡¯re underground,¡± the hare vocalized her observation. ¡°Yeah,¡± confirmed Faith. ¡°Real secret operation they got going on here,¡± she elaborated. ¡°Who are ¡®they¡¯?¡± asked Althea. Faith opened her mouth to answer but a new voice cut in. ¡°That is none of your concern.¡± Althea jumped as the trio spun around to face the owner of those words. He stood over the three girls, the glare piercing the thick shades that he wore despite being in the depths of the underground. Althea backed up, the pressure radiating from the human making it just that much harder to breathe. Though her heart was seized with terror, the two girls by her side acted. ¡°Dad! How could you work for him!?¡± Faith roared, unperturbed by the intense aura the man exuded. Vienna stepped forward, glaring down their father. Althea found her gaze ping-ponging between the siblings and their supposed parent. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand what Dr. Vim is trying to accomplish,¡± stated the man. ¡°He KILLED mom!¡± Faith snarled. ¡°Millie isn¡¯t dead. She is asleep,¡± he stated. ¡°Perhaps it is time for your bedtime as well.¡± Althea shivered, feeling as if a blizzardous gale was cast over them with just those words alone. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Althea asked. ¡°Fuck if I know,¡± Faith said quietly to the hare. ¡°Dad¡¯s the strongest Maestro I know¡­ even without mom,¡± she admitted, her voice quavering in reluctance. The hare couldn¡¯t help but agree. She hadn¡¯t met too many Maestros in her short life, but this man¡­ no this monster was imposing, a hungry carnivore that would destroy anything in its path. Her instincts were screaming at her to run, to abandon anyone slower than her. But her heart said to stay. Faith pulled her out of hell. If Althea had to go back, she wanted to at least go back proud. For that, she stepped in front of Faith, glaring down the man despite the fear gripping her. Faith blinked in surprise at the hare stepping up. ¡°You-¡± ¡°I¡¯m null element, just like her,¡± Althea said, her gaze focused on the wall of a man before them. ¡°Use me.¡± ¡°Whistler,¡± Ryo spoke. He held out a hand, his digits wrapped around a glowing object of some kind. The seconds before battle extended into eternity, though nothing lasted forever and the battle began in earnest. ¡°Corrente Elettrica, Forte.¡± A bolt of lightning erupted from the man and slammed into Vienna effortlessly flicking her away. ¡°VEE!¡± Faith screamed. Althea ground her teeth. She couldn¡¯t be sure of the younger sister¡¯s power¡­ but she was certain of one thing. This man wasn¡¯t normal. How was he doing that? Casting spells himself as a Maestro? It didn¡¯t make sense. ¡°Riffletore Musicale; cast it at the same level he casts at,¡± Althea muttered to Faith who was desperately fighting the urge to tear her eyes away from Ryo. ¡°R-right,¡± Faith found her focus, placing her hand on Althea¡¯s back. ¡°Corrente Elettrica, Fortissimo,¡± said Ryo. ¡°Riffletore Musicale, Fortissimo!¡± Faith cried in response. There was no reason Faith should have trusted Althea could handle this. A fortissimo spell from a Resonator she just met? But¡­ ¡°Thanks for believing in me¡­ Faith.¡± Faith¡¯s eyes widened as despite the vicious electrical attack barreling down on them the shield projected in front of Althea held firm. CRACK BOOM! And just as quickly as the vicious assault began, the two were running again. ¡°Where¡¯s Vee?!¡± Faith cried out, feet pounding against the stone floor below. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Faith, I don¡¯t know!¡± Althea cried back, keeping herself just behind the Maestro. Faith checked the tuner. ¡°S-static¡­ she can¡¯t be¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t slow down!¡± Althea shouted, snapping Faith back to her full running speed. ¡°DAMN IT ALL!¡±
¡°Well, obviously she didn¡¯t die,¡± Shouri of the present spoke up, shooting a glance at the very much alive Vienna. ¡°Of course not, I¡¯m not that easy to kill,¡± chuckled the lyrebird. ¡°I just needed to make them think I was dead.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Shouri raised a brow. ¡°She transformed into someone who was dead,¡± Faith revealed. ¡°And the tuner didn¡¯t know how to process that any way except assuming she had died and cut the connection.¡± The room went silent. The absurdity of what was said stunned the room. ¡°Wait that doesn¡¯t make any sense. Why would they stop chasing you then?¡± Rebecca pointed out. ¡°Yeah, didn¡¯t they want rare Resonators?¡± Taika chimed in. ¡°It wasn¡¯t hard to stop our father. I just asked him to leave them alone,¡± Vienna shrugged. ¡°That worked?¡± Pacifica asked. The lyrebird grinned toothily. ¡°Of course, because I wore the face of the one person he¡¯d always listen to.¡± Chapter 163 ¡°Their story is kinda fucked up,¡± Emily commented upon being caught up with the situation. ¡°You met Vienna, she doesn¡¯t do anything in half-steps,¡± Shouri said, rolling his eyes. Once more Shouri and company found themselves sitting in the lap of luxury thanks to one Elijah Klein. ¡°Much like our Mr. Klein,¡± Shouri added, shooting a side-eye at the Klein heir. ¡°Why Mr. Tomoshibi, I haven¡¯t the faintest clue to what you refer,¡± chuckled the other Maestro. ¡°Shut the fuck up Klein,¡± grumbled Shouri and earning a shoulder rub from Pacifica. ¡°So what the terra is even our plan in the first place? Do we know where these goons are holding out?¡± Albarich asked, foregoing his manners to kick his feet up on the coffee table in front of him. ¡°Based on the information we received from the Saitou siblings and Ms. Althea, their last base of operations was abandoned,¡± Elijah read off of his tuner. ¡°They¡¯re smart fuckers, that¡¯s for sure,¡± Zino commented. ¡°Did we waste our time coming here then?¡± Rebecca asked, raising a brow. ¡°Not at all,¡± Shouri spoke up. ¡°Because they¡¯re in this city. The story Faith and all them told us yesterday was in some slums outside the Quiretteh metro area.¡± ¡°How the heck did you figure that out?¡± came Rebecca¡¯s next question. He flashed the map on his tuner. ¡°They said very specifically they visited the Gran-Quire Mall, which after some quick searching was an abandoned mall about an hour or so outside of the Quiretteh city limits, considering they were probably pinching Resonators out of the slums in the area, the math checks out,¡± Shouri explained. ¡°Okay, but why would they be here of all places?¡± Rebecca went back to the pressing matter. ¡°Because it¡¯s the last place we¡¯d look for him, or more accurately, the last place anyone would look for him,¡± Shouri replied. ¡°Also Faith and Althea have been on Ryo¡¯s trail. So bare minimum we get Ryo,¡± he added the more realistic element of the explanation. ¡°Oh, Vienna told you,¡± Pacifica realized. ¡°Vienna told me, yes,¡± Shouri confirmed. The large group finally went silent as they processed the information. Shouri took the opportunity to take inventory. With everyone gathered so far they had four Maestros, eight Resonators, and one Natural; of which Shouri was a (by his own admission) decent hunter, and Emily was a semi-finalist in a national-level tournament. At least their six Resonators were powerful, he could be confident in that. Zino was a monster all on his own ¨C Shouri could attest to that personally. With Elijah¡¯s training, they had to pose at least some threat at this point. Probably not on his or Emily¡¯s level, but at least he felt safe enough allowing Elijah to come with. Kaira was also quite strong from the second-hand accounts Shouri had gotten about the jackal. Colette could probably use some work as a hunter herself, but this was one of the few times where a busted Resonator made up for their Maestro¡¯s deficiencies. He also had to consider the additional Maestro and two Resonators in Faith, Althea, and Vienna. He had personal experience with Vienna as her acting Maestro. Faith being her true Maestro spoke to the older woman¡¯s abilities. Plus based on the story they told, Althea reflected a Fortissimo from Whistler. They¡¯d be great assets for sure. That did leave Miro, who was at the most risk for serious injury. Even in the best-case scenario where the only threat was Ryo, Miro still lost horribly no matter what the match-up was. Shouri committed to having the Natural handle logistics or something non-combat-oriented. Anyone else he couldn¡¯t be confident in their strength or just didn¡¯t want to get them involved. He briefly considered phoning Pacifica¡¯s parents about all this but he didn¡¯t want to risk exposing them to Feroce. If it was possible he¡¯d run in there by himself to deal with it and not put anyone at risk. He knew none of those gathered would let him get away with that though. They¡¯d follow him right into the fire. It was better to have some form of strategy and use his resources wisely rather than go in haphazardly and expose them to even more danger than they were already in. ¡­ Wait¡­ ¡°Since when was I the one leading this?¡± Shouri wondered aloud. Everyone stared at him. ¡°Uhhh¡­¡± Emily wasn¡¯t sure how to answer. ¡°You¡¯re not on my payroll anymore, Mr. Tomoshibi,¡± Elijah reminded the boy with a soft chuckle. ¡°I just always assumed this was your thing?¡± Colette offered. ¡°Was it not?¡± ¡°Shouri is the correct leader for this plan,¡± Miro added. ¡°You got this bossman,¡± Rebecca grinned. ¡°You¡¯re always the plan guy, I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re surprised,¡± Pacifica said with a titter. ¡°I guess I¡¯m not the only one following you into hell, huh Sho?¡± Taika said, squeezing his hand tightly. Shouri sighed but cracked an uneasy smile. ¡°I hate all of you.¡±
¡°Are you okay Sho?¡± The boy opened his eyes finding his trio of Resonators standing before him, all openly wearing their concern. They had since returned to just their little quartet in the MA Office they were staying at. His loyal trio had noted his relative silence and sullen demeanor ever since their discussion earlier in the afternoon. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. He closed his eyes once more. ¡°Tired,¡± the Maestro finally spoke. This didn¡¯t ameliorate their concerns, and he knew it. ¡°Just a lot right now,¡± he mumbled. Next he knew, he found himself suddenly pinned by his three partners. ¡°You¡¯re not alone, Sho,¡± said Rebecca. ¡°We might not be good at planning but we¡¯re here with you,¡± Pacifica added. ¡°Talk to us,¡± Taika chimed in. The boy considered what was on his mind for a moment. ¡°Is this right?¡± he asked. All he earned were three confused expressions. ¡°Are we in the right here?¡± ¡°He¡¯s hurting Resonators,¡± Taika said. ¡°Probably for kicks,¡± added Rebecca. ¡°If we¡¯re in the wrong, then it¡¯s the world that¡¯s wrong.¡± Pacifica asserted. Shouri nodded slowly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said suddenly. ¡°Huh?¡± More confusion. ¡°About Vienna. I didn¡¯t say anything about her to you all for so long,¡± mumbled the Maestro. ¡°Sho, it¡¯s okay,¡± Pacifica said. ¡°That bitch is a handful,¡± Rebecca grumbled. ¡°We get it.¡± Taika smiled. Shouri sighed, he wrapped his arms around the three girls and held them tightly. ¡°I don¡¯t deserve you all¡­¡±
The next morning Shouri found himself awake and ruminating. The whole situation bothered him. Had it not been for etude, he doubted his ability to get a restful night''s sleep. He did consider calling Priscilla, but not knowing if they would be more exposed to danger than they already would be kept him from committing to it. What he did know is by the end of all this he was going to get so chewed out, maybe even decked - he''d deserve it. At that thought, another came to mind. ¡°Fuck,¡± he cursed. ¡°What¡¯s up Sho?¡± Pacifica asked, also awake. ¡°Need to text Vince,¡± he said. ¡°Huh?¡± Pacifica, though wondering what her Maestro had in mind, rolled over and retrieved her tuner from the nightstand, passing it off to its owner. The otter watched the boy thumb up a quick text and send it off. Me: ¡°Let me know when you wake up, need to talk.¡± 8:19 AM ¡°Why?¡± asked Pacifica. ¡°Because-¡± Before Shouri could finish his thought, the tuner began ringing (waking up Taika and Rebecca in the process). The boy sat up prior to answering the ringing device, not wanting to take the call while supine. ¡°Surprised you¡¯re up,¡± Shouri greeted the other Maestro. ¡°Had a long night, what¡¯s up man?¡± Pacifica could hear Vince ask from the receiver. ¡°How¡¯s Mila doing?¡± ¡°She¡¯s the best! Thank you so much for trusting me with her. I promise you didn¡¯t make a mistake,¡± Vince gushed, earning a smile from both Shouri and Pacifica. ¡°I¡¯m glad.¡± ¡°Why did you really want to talk, man?¡± Vince asked in a more serious tone. ¡°I doubt it wasn¡¯t just to check in.¡± Shouri was disarmed by that ¨C he wasn¡¯t used to serious Vince. Regardless, he pressed on. ¡°Some shit is about to go down. We¡¯re going to try to arrest the guy who is forcing Resonators to become Feroce,¡± Shouri told the other Maestro. ¡°When and where?¡± Vince asked immediately ¨C his tone maintaining that un-Vince-like edge. That didn¡¯t surprise Shouri. Mila probably felt the same way as her new Maestro as well ¨C she wouldn¡¯t need convincing when Vince broke the news to her. ¡°Quiretteh, couple days give or take,¡± Shouri told the other Maestro. ¡°We¡¯ll be there tonight.¡± Shouri remained quiet for a moment. ¡°Thanks,¡± he decided on. ¡°No, thank you for telling me.¡± There was a pause. ¡°That bastard is gonna pay,¡± the younger Maestro growled, once more disarming Shouri and Pacifica. ¡°Text me when you get here, call if I don¡¯t respond,¡± Shouri advised. ¡°Of course, see you tonight.¡± ¡°See ya.¡± And with that, Shouri laid back into his pillow. As usual, his trio snapped to his sides and clung to him. ¡°Good call, bossman,¡± Rebecca spoke up. ¡°Mila isn¡¯t just strong, she¡¯ll be immune to becoming Feroce if exposed.¡± Shouri nodded. ¡°That was the thought. I¡¯m not sure of anyone else who is not only strong enough, but with the immunity factor,¡± he mused. ¡°It makes our list of allies distressingly small, but we¡¯ll have to work with it.¡± ¡°Who else were you thinking about?¡± wondered Taika. Shouri took in a breath before laying out his thoughts. ¡°Cera and Saul, but I don¡¯t know if they have the immunity factor, nor if they¡¯d care.¡± ¡°Makani and Rynda, but again, immunity factor, and who knows where they¡¯re even at right now.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to involve Lina and the others in this at all, though I know at least Amika would rush over here if she knew.¡± ¡°What about mom and dad?¡± Pacifica asked. Shouri hummed in thought. It was supposed to be Priscilla and her Resonators at that conference, not him. But¡­ He shook his head. ¡°Immunity factor. Besides your mom is usually busy with stuff, no idea what she gets up to.¡± There was another aspect to it all: he was confident in his friend¡¯s strength Pacifica nodded. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°Anyone else we¡¯ve worked with we didn¡¯t work with long enough for me to have any idea if they¡¯d be suitable for the job,¡± said Shouri. Silence fell back to the room as the three Resonators considered their Maestro¡¯s words. ¡°Rebby,¡± Taika was the next to break the silence. ¡°Yeah?¡± replied the fire fox. ¡°Wanna spar?¡± ¡°Huh? Uh sure.¡± Chapter 164 At one point in their time together Taika and Rebecca wanted nothing more than to tear each other¡¯s hair out. Such a scuffle would have earned them a heavy scolding from Shouri. But now it was different. They weren¡¯t trying to tear each other down but build one another up. Taika and Rebecca stood opposite one another on a dirt battlefield. They kept their gazes solely on their respective opponent. Taika¡¯s beads rattled on her neck, while Rebecca¡¯s heels sparked at the ready. ¡°Let¡¯s do fifty percent rhythm, I don¡¯t want you two to be conked out for the rest of the day,¡± Shouri advised the two vixens who didn¡¯t acknowledge their Maestro, their focus entirely on their opposite. Shouri took in a breath, shooting a glance to Pacifica who nodded. ¡°Go.¡± Rebecca did what she excelled at: gap closing. She was immediately in Taika¡¯s face, throwing a kick skyward. While Taika¡¯s body wasn¡¯t as fast as Rebecca¡¯s, her mind was. A cushion of beads arrested the blazing foot, allowing Taika precious seconds to pivot out of the way of the attack. Just as quickly as Rebecca had launched her attack, she was forced to defend herself as a haymaker was thrown towards her head. ¡°Woah¡­¡± Pacifica gasped. ¡°They¡¯re so fast.¡± ¡°Instinct versus skill; Taika never got any training, but has always been scrappy, while Rebecca is the trained professional,¡± Shouri commented. ¡°I see that¡­¡± whispered the otter. Taika threw punch after punch, Rebecca blocking each blow with her arms. The Renard¡¯s eyes darted around, keeping an eye on both Taika and her beads. They were everywhere; each one was primed and waiting for her to make a mistake. They were small enough that they could be anywhere on the battlefield in an instant, whether on attack or defense. It was impressive that Taika could work hand-to-hand combat while keeping her beads on the ready. The fire Resonator had to go on the offensive again and she knew it. Blocking Taika¡¯s punches was difficult, even for her. Each blow carried so much physical force, it was no wonder that Whistler didn¡¯t stand a chance in a fistfight ¨C it was like trying to block a locomotive. Rebecca found her opportunity as Taika over-committed on one swing allowing the fire element to pivot around, grab, and throw her opponent in one solid motion. Rebecca wasn¡¯t done though - she chased her opponent into the air, her heels blazing behind her. Taika once more blocked a devastating kick from reaching her by use of her beads, sapping Rebecca¡¯s attack of its kinetic load. Though Rebecca wasn¡¯t going to let that trick work a second time, she increased the output of her fire, disrupting the telekinetic bonds that kept the beads under Taika¡¯s control. This momentary lapse in defense allowed Rebecca through and she finally landed a hit, slamming Taika into the dirt. Rebecca didn¡¯t let up and dropped down onto the other fox, only to find herself grabbed and pulled to the ground. The two girls tumbled in the dirt desperately fighting to gain the upper hand. Taika¡¯s beads lay scattered all about, unmoving as her focus was primarily on winning the tussle. Finally, Rebecca managed to get Taika pinned, securing the lunar¡¯s limbs to prevent any of her elbow jabs or otherwise breaking free. Next was to go for the knock-out, which Rebecca was poised to do by choke-out. ¡°Sho!¡± Pacifica shouted, pointing at her fellow Resonator getting denied the ability to breathe. ¡°Hold on,¡± Shouri held up a hand. Taika had calmed. Her beads, scattered all around started to move once again. Rebecca, sensing the change in her rhythm, pivoted around and threw the other girl up and right into a blazing kick to the back. ¡°GAH!¡± Taika¡¯s eyes bulged from the sudden strike, her beads falling still again. ¡°SHO!¡± Pacifica cried out. ¡°Hang on¡­¡± He still held a hand up. Rebecca spun around, giving herself more leverage, and delivered a second blazing kick into Taika who had fallen right back into the blow, sending her higher than the first blow. Rebecca spun up to her feet, building momentum until she delivered a devastating spin kick into the Resonator. ¡°REBBY STOP!¡± Pacifica had enough and ran out onto the field The fire Resonator breathed hard, her heels maintaining their fire. ¡°What a goddamn monster, holy shit,¡± she spat off to the side. Taika, despite the beating she just took, rose to her feet again, her eyes practically bursting with stubborn blue rhythm. ¡°It¡¯s a tie,¡± Shouri spoke up, drawing the attention of the three Resonators. ¡°Huh?¡± Pacifica blinked. ¡°They¡¯re both below fifty, as agreed upon.¡± Rebecca sighed loudly, her stance gaining slack. ¡°Yeah, that sounds about right,¡± mumbled the fox, snuffing the fire at her heels. ¡°Wait what?¡± Pacifica looked between the two Resonators and then her Maestro. ¡°Rebecca wasn¡¯t getting hit, but she was using a ton of her rhythm to deal damage. Taika on the other hand didn¡¯t need to use much rhythm to fight, but was taking a ton of damage,¡± Shouri explained. ¡°They¡¯re opposites in that regard.¡± ¡°Oh yeah¡­¡± Pacifica nodded slowly in understanding, ¡°La Bella Vita, Lento,¡± Shouri cast, allowing Taika to heal her wounds. Her physical pain dealt with, Taika flicked her wrist out and all 107 beads flew from their spots on the battlefield to take their place around her neck. She motioned with her head to Rebecca. ¡°La Bella Vita, Lento Tutti.¡± Taika approached her sparring partner. ¡°Good game,¡± Rebecca smirked. The grin was wiped off Rebecca¡¯s face when Taika wrapped her arms around her, imparting the healing energies into the other Resonator. ¡°Do it normally damn you!¡± Rebecca struggled against her fellow Resonator¡¯s embrace. ¡°No, I¡¯m winning this grapple,¡± Taika tittered. Rebecca pouted, her face beet red as she succumbed to the healing waves. ¡°Quite the show,¡± spoke one of two audience members. The group spun around to find Elijah Klein, and his shadow of a Resonator, Zino standing before them. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°How long have you been spying on us, Klein?¡± questioned Shouri. The blond Maestro hummed in thought. ¡°From the word ¡®go¡¯,¡± he answered with his trademark smile. ¡°So the whole time,¡± Rebecca said with a roll of her eyes. ¡°Ms. Taika has grown quite powerful with her ad-Lib.¡± The Klein heir¡¯s attention shifted to Pacifica. ¡°That¡¯s not fair to all their efforts,¡± he muttered knowingly. ¡°I already had duelists complaining about your skill with Resonators before, I dare say you could take worlds with no trouble should the Grand Masters ever earn your ire.¡± ¡°Too much effort,¡± Shouri scoffed. ¡°Discordant Willpower strikes again,¡± Elijah sighed. ¡°What do we owe the pleasantries, Mister Klein?¡± Shouri folded his arms across his chest, narrowing his eyes at the other Maestro. ¡°Just checking in on you.¡± An annoyed hum told the man that the answer wasn¡¯t satisfactory. ¡°The Klein Foundation still hasn¡¯t been able to locate your sister,¡± Elijah said. That didn¡¯t help Shouri¡¯s mood, earning an annoyed huff, as he dropped his arms to his sides. ¡°Where the hell is she?¡± he whispered. ¡°The last time she checked into an MA Office was June 6th, the Drahgo MA Office,¡± Elijah revealed. Shouri raised a brow. ¡°Drahgo? Why there?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t she get a dragon recently?¡± Rebecca asked, recalling that tidbit from an earlier conversation regarding the sibling. Elijah nodded in the affirmative. ¡°A solar dragon, named Chiara apparently,¡± he noted. Pacifica jumped, her head whipping over to Shouri. ¡°Sho?¡± she asked. ¡°I see,¡± the boy cracked a smile. ¡°She¡¯s fine then,¡± he suddenly decided. The trio of Resonators exchanged glances again. They had a nasty feeling that once again something from Shouri¡¯s past was behind his strange attitude. ¡°When will we be departing for Quiretteh?¡± Elijah questioned. ¡°I have a friend coming in from Lybertera, he should be here tonight,¡± Shouri said. ¡°Ah good. We wouldn¡¯t want our quarry to slip out under our noses, now would we?¡± Elijah smirked. Shouri nodded in agreement. ¡°Not at all.¡±
¡°I wonder if other people spend as much time at airports as we do,¡± Rebecca pondered. It was about ten at night, Shouri¡¯s group was at Quiretteh Intercontinental Airport, waiting at one of the gates. Despite the late hour, the terminal was still rife with activity. A Resonator cleaning crew was using the relative lull in foot traffic to finally get some work done. There were still travelers waiting to get out of the city, discussing plans for when they arrived at their destinations. A trio of pilots trudged down the walkway complaining about the grueling shift they just finished. Shouri sat on one of the benches with his trio of Resonators as they peoplewatched. ¡°When was his flight supposed to get in?¡± asked Pacifica. ¡°About ten minutes or so,¡± Shouri said, flashing the itinerary to his curious otter. ¡°Ah, I see.¡± They resumed their observations in silence. Besides the gates where travelers boarded and de-boarded their planes, there were shops on the opposite walls. Taking advantage of the forgetfulness or spontaneousness of those on the road was always the modus operandi of these types of business. Lots of small luxury items you could only reasonably find in an airport like this at around five times the markup one would expect such trinkets to cost. Everything from novelty snacks to over-the-counter drugs, and even souvenirs proudly showing off the Quiretteh name adorned the shelves of these little pop-up shops. Though the Resonators hired to man these stalls were weary, tenured employees; showing that these stands though shabby and temporary served the clientele year-round. Time passed on as the quartet waited for the appointed plane to arrive. Nothing of real note happened during the intervening time. Just a lot of people living their everyday lives with their own cares and concerns. None of them could know what the gathering of the talent in Quiretteh was actually for. If all went well, they probably would never know. Just strangers passing one another in the night, never interacting again. ¡°There they are.¡± Shouri rose, pointing to the plane that just docked at the terminal. His trio stood with him, crossing the walkway to the gate proper. A plane¡¯s worth of Maestros and Resonators departed, filling the terminal with more foot traffic. Finally, the guests of honor showed themselves. ¡°Vince, Mila!¡± Shouri waved. ¡°Shouri!¡± Vince rushed over and hugged the other Maestro. ¡°Toldjya we¡¯d be here,¡± grinned the younger Maestro. ¡°Never doubted you,¡± Shouri smirked back. His gaze rose to meet Mila¡¯s. ¡°Miss me that much?¡± she snarked. ¡°If it were up to me, I¡¯d have sent you and Vince to L¡¯ultera,¡± Shouri returned the snide remark in kind. ¡°Tch, brat.¡± Mila grinned toothily. ¡°I figured you¡¯d want in on this and you¡¯d kill me if I didn¡¯t at least invite you,¡± Shouri shrugged. ¡°You got that right, punk,¡± Mila huffed. ¡°Shoulda told us sooner; springing this shit on us at the last minute. I outta clean your clock for that stunt,¡± the cat continued to complain. ¡°Figured I¡¯d give you two some peace for a little bit,¡± Shouri said. ¡°You know how things get with me.¡± Mila scowled at the boy. ¡°Yeah! You got that right!¡± ¡°She was complaining the entire trip here, but I could tell she was actually really happy to be coming to see you,¡± Vince tittered. ¡°HEY! Don¡¯t tell him that!¡± Mila dragged her Maestro away to yell at him. ¡°They seem tight,¡± Rebecca noted. ¡°It hasn¡¯t been too long, their etude is pretty good,¡± Pacifica also observed. ¡°Not as good as ours,¡± Taika boasted. The older Maestro rolled his eyes and shook his head. He smiled warmly though, ¡°I¡¯m just glad she¡¯s doing well. She deserves it,¡± said Shouri. He took in a breath and exhaled slowly. ¡°Now there¡¯s only one thing left to do.¡± Chapter 165 Shouri sighed. His gaze graced the clock ticking away on the red tuner he held. 8:45 PM September 10th, 2018 It had been a long time coming. Nearly eight long years; a nightmare length of time. Finally, this evening was going to be it ¨C he was going to put this horrible terror to rest, one way or another. It wasn¡¯t a solo crusade to his demise either. Gathered with him were the people he trusted most. A crack squad of talent from Riterra and Luna alike. The man who stole Mila and Shouri¡¯s future together, the creature who feasted on torment, the demon who wrought suffering ¨C he would be brought to justice today; Shouri would ensure it. The ¡°strike team¡± as it were had gathered in a conference room at the hotel Elijah was staying at. Thankfully it was a luxury hotel, so a big conference room was available for their use. Six Maestros, ten Resonators, the one Natural waited in silence. They all awaited the results of the current reconnaissance mission being carried out by Vienna. Confidence was high in the game plan they had crafted, though blind confidence was the seed of failure, or at least that¡¯s what Shouri made up on the spot to keep everyone in their seats while Vienna did her work. Truth be told, no one knew what to expect. Even with perfect knowledge of the building¡¯s layout and staffing, it was very well possible for them to get steamrolled by insanely strong Maestros and their Feroce Resonators. Or maybe hundreds of feroce Resonators would be unleashed onto the streets of Quiretteh as a mutually assured destruction-type gambit. The most disappointing outcome would be stumbling into an abandoned building. No matter the scenario they could cook up, the group agreed that night would be the best time to start. At least this way the foot traffic would be down to hunters who could reasonably be expected to fight back in case their plan resulted in some spill out into the public. ¡°They¡¯re still there,¡± Vienna¡¯s voice drew the room¡¯s attention. The girl wasn¡¯t immediately visible, but that wouldn¡¯t be a problem for long as she lifted the veil of her tail and returned to the visible spectrum. ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡± Faith questioned, leaning back in her seat. ¡°Oddly calm.¡± Vienna pinched her brows together. ¡°Think it¡¯s a trap?¡± asked the older sibling. ¡°Definitely. They¡¯re not geared up for war, but the roadblocks we discussed are there.¡± There was a moment of silence while Shouri mused over that intel. Finally, he lifted his head to meet the expectant crowd before him. ¡°They¡¯re waiting for us,¡± Shouri grunted. ¡°More than likely,¡± Vienna agreed with a nod. ¡°But they are there.¡± Hush fell over the room once more. There wasn¡¯t an eye in the room that wasn¡¯t on the de facto leader of this raid. ¡°We¡¯re stopping him tonight,¡± Shouri announced, earning equal parts relief and excitement for the gathered talent. ¡°As soon as Vienna and Miro plot the data, we¡¯ll get started.¡± With that, Vienna took a seat next to the Natural, and the two began rapidly updating the schematics of the facilities on the laptop computer Miro was on. It was simply too dangerous for a Natural like him to waltz into a den full of hostile Maestros ¨C so he was going to keep an eye on the situation ¨C the laptop being now linked to the many tuners shared between the six Maestros in the room. ¡°The experiments are far in the building,¡± Vienna spoke up as she worked. ¡°Very far,¡± Miro noted, brows raised in surprise. ¡°He would definitely intercept anyone we sent that deep into the building,¡± the Lyrebird glanced up from the screen, looking her sister dead in the eyes. ¡°That¡¯s us then,¡± Faith said. ¡°That was the plan,¡± Shouri agreed with a nod. ¡°Excellent. I¡¯m pleased our previous planning session was not wasted.¡± Elijah stood up, checking the time on his tuner as he did so. Shouri looked around the room one more time, noting the other Maestros were rising to their feet. It was clear everyone was ready to go. He took in a breath and exhaled deeply. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get moving then,¡± Shouri declared. ¡°¡¯bout time.¡± Vienna too got up, leaving Miro to finish up the last bit of data entry. Slowly the rest of the strike team filed out of the room, leaving only one Maestro and his three Resonators left. ¡°Girls?¡± Shouri turned to his trio. ¡°How are we feeling?¡± he asked. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Nervous,¡± Pacifica spoke first. ¡°Let¡¯s rock bossman,¡± Rebecca said in contention with her watery counterpart. Shouri looked to Taika. ¡°Ready to go to hell.¡± The lunar fox smiled. ¡°With my Maestro,¡± she added with a titter. The Maestro in question couldn¡¯t help chuckling. ¡°Of course.¡± His attention turned to Pacifica. ¡°It¡¯ll be okay.¡± She jumped into his arms, barely avoiding taking him down in the process. ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose you,¡± admitted the otter. Taika and Rebecca felt the same, their confidence cracking under those words. Shouri motioned for them to bring it in ¨C which the two vixens complied. After sharing a tight hug, they broke off. ¡°It¡¯ll be okay. We¡¯ll be together no matter what,¡± he assured them. With three nods in the affirmative, Shouri and company followed the rest of the Maestros out. The march was quiet, uneasy. Through the storied streets of Quiretteh the group tread, a tale of their own being woven this Monday evening. As expected, the foot traffic that shared the outdoors with them was mostly of fellow hunters and their Resonators. Mainly the night crews getting ready for the hunts that occurred on the outskirts of the massive capital city. It was no surprise that even in the city center there were flocks of hunters heading towards the edges of town. Quiretteh must have looked like a buffet to the hordes of Scherzando that occupied the plains of the peninsula. But tonight, these six hunters weren¡¯t after Scherzando ¨C they hunted another monster, one who wore human flesh. Colette was the most out of her element, having to be quietly re-assured by Kaira the whole time. Faith and Vince were tied for the calmest of the group ¨C both wore absolute concentration on their faces, their mood infecting their Resonators. Shouri thought it kind of funny that the oldest and youngest of their group were the most focused on the operation. Emily and Elijah were discussing the overall strategy, being grouped up in the Resonator rescue part of the plan along with Colette. There was a part of Shouri that wished he had taken a chance to see the results of Elijah¡¯s training before dishing out jobs, but that was a mistake he could analyze another time. He had his own role to focus on after all. ¡°I¡¯m taking down Ilea Vim.¡± ¡°You? Why?¡± ¡°We¡¯re the best suited to take down any Feroce Resonator, and Ilea probably kept the best for himself.¡± It wasn¡¯t that Shouri was gassing himself up, it was simply a fact ¨C they were the only ones with the capability to subdue and cure a Feroce Resonator at the same time. It did bug him a bit that they were the only ones to possess that quality, but he wasn¡¯t going to turn his nose up at the opportunity. The side conversations lulled to silence as they approached the site in question. It was a standard office building. There were a couple of lights on deeper in the building, giving the structure an eerie glow to it. There was no signage posted anywhere on the structure, further adding to the mystery of the building¡¯s purpose¡­ for the general public. Shouri had been appraised of the situation before, but it was still surprising to see them just out in the open like this. The building''s blueprints acquired by Elijah didn¡¯t show anything special, however, it was well within the realm of possibility that off-the-record modifications could have been done to the building. At least Vienna was able to scope out some of the building beforehand and update some of their maps; so they wouldn¡¯t be going in with entirely outdated info. Emily, Elijah, and Colette took to the building first with their band of five Resonators. Next Faith, Althea, and Vienna entered with Vince and Mila close behind her. Finally was Shouri and his trio. ¡°We¡¯re the only group alone,¡± Taika noted. ¡°To be fair, you and Rebby can fight on your own, which only Vince has that luxury with Mila,¡± Pacifica reminded her fellow Resonator. ¡°It¡¯s cause we¡¯re the ass-kicking group,¡± Rebecca wrapped her arms around her teammate¡¯s necks. Shouri couldn¡¯t help his smile, though it quickly faded as he focused on the eerie building that towered above him. He took in a deep breath, his hands tracing the trio of tuners that lived on his hip. A touch of rhythm tickled his fingertips as they graced the cases of the devices. With a sharp exhale, Shouri stepped forward, into hell itself. ¡°Alright, our turn.¡± Chapter 166 If she had been asked a year ago where she thought she would be, never would Emelia Seijo have imagined what she was doing right now. She wondered what her maid would think if she saw her now. Most likely Emily would earn herself a scolding for being so reckless. Then again, everything was going smoothly thus far ¨C three Maestros and five Resonators crept down the hallway, only their continued footsteps echoing off the walls. This place had seen better days, that much was certain. The long thin bulbs encased within their plastic prisons were a coin toss on whether they had burned out or remained in service. The floors were thick with dust, dirt, debris, and other unidentified liquids that long since dried. The scent that hung in the air was musty, with a certain rusty odor that stung the nose. If buildings could talk, this one would tell a story of decline; of a slow torturous demise. Emily held herself, shivering. It wasn¡¯t cold, but the feelings that hung in the air¡­ ¡°Keep your chin up princess,¡± Albarich advised. ¡°It¡¯s about to get a lot worse,¡± he warned, quieter. She nodded, knowing full well her first was right. At least from what they had been told by Vienna, a not-so-insignificant number of their experiments had been moved to this location. How this was achieved in the middle of the Quiretteh metro area was beyond her. It did explain the lack of other people in the building. ¡°This building was purchased several years ago under a shell company,¡± Elijah informed the group, keeping his voice low. ¡°How do you even figure out something like that?¡± asked Emily. ¡°Public records. There weren¡¯t any assets being moved to and from the company, just many properties all around Unis-Resonn¨¦,¡± Elijah said. They stopped in a junction between two hallways. ¡°This way,¡± Colette pointed them down the left corridor. ¡°What¡¯s even a shell company anyway?¡± Ritika wondered. ¡°In legal businesses, a shell company is one that exists only in the records; it¡¯s not a real business. No goods, services, or employees. Typically, there aren¡¯t any assets either and no way for it to generate any income,¡± Elijah explained. He motioned for the group to come to a stop. With a jerk of his head, Zino stepped out into the junction. The dinosaur looked both ways, grunted, and motioned for the party to continue. ¡°It¡¯s a good way to hide money; or at least who is funding you,¡± Elijah continued. ¡°Especially since they¡¯re using it to hide the real owners of these properties,¡± stated the Klein heir. ¡°That¡¯s crazy that it works,¡± Emily commented, shaking her head. ¡°It works when no one is looking. Unfortunately, there came a reason for someone to look and the whole thing fell apart,¡± Elijah stated. The trek continued in silence before Emily broke it to sate a curiosity. ¡°Did the Klein Foundation find out anything about the shell companies that own these buildings?¡± Elijah grunted, furrowing his brows. ¡°Unfortunately, there wasn¡¯t enough time to go through all the records. I¡¯m sure within the next couple months or so we¡¯ll know everything, but whoever this was obfuscated themselves in several layers of protection, making it that much more difficult to track.¡± He allowed himself a brief pause. ¡°Thankfully my father¡¯s people are no amateurs. They¡¯ll uncover the true culprit, or at least the one holding the deeds to these facilities.¡± ¡°Too bad we don¡¯t know who the evil mastermind is,¡± Colette spoke up. ¡°Not on the business side at least. I have faith in Mr. Tomoshibi¡¯s deductions,¡± Elijah said. The squad marched on. Emily checked her tuner map, not seeing anything other than their little blob of ¡°friendlies¡± creeping down the map. Albarich was doing a good job updating it, as she felt the slight tug of him refreshing the spell consistently. Thankfully they didn¡¯t need the map to find their final destination, only to make sure they weren¡¯t detected before they got to their goal. Vienna¡¯s earlier scouting was quite useful for mapping out a good majority of the structures. It was almost scary how good she was at espionage. ¡°It should be here,¡± Colette spoke, looking up from the map. ¡°Are you ready, Miss Emelia?¡± asked Elijah. The princess¡¯ eyes scanned not the Maestros, but the five Resonators accompanying them. Only Ritika showed any bit of trepidation, and that was being stuffed down in favor of putting out a brave front. The two caught sight of one another ¨C Maestro and Resonator shared a nod of reassurance before Emily confirmed, ¡°Yes, let¡¯s proceed.¡± Kaira took the lead. She tugged her waist pouch open, allowing the contents to snake out of its container. Utilizing her sand, the jackal opened the door and gently pushed it open. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. As the door creaked open, they knew they weren¡¯t alone ¨C and not just from the souls of the tortured they had expected. The torturers in question had found their way into the building. In white lab coats, they were clad, carrying papers and tools, their work uninterrupted until this exact moment. There was a small silence as the two disparate groups stared one another down. Neither party made a move. Emily was the first to break the mental stalemate; her hand snapping down to her side. ¡°Al! Fissare la Ombra, Rubato!¡± she fired off the hip. The lunar dragon followed his Maestro¡¯s command, firing out a wave of black arrows, pinning the scientists down by their shadows, and preventing their escape. ¡°By order of the Riterran Hunter¡¯s Association ¨C you are under arrest,¡± Elijah found his conviction as he entered the room. Even the normally well-composed Maestro found himself shuddering as he unwittingly stole the abuse on display. Cages, cells containing many bodies in various states of torment lined both walls, stretching into the distance like a prison block. Many rolling tables littered the space, bearing tools dyed with sticky red life. The odor of filth and those forced to wallow in it, and the horrible cacophonous noise with a backing track of the groans of the suffering clawed at his psyche. Emily watched Elijah clasp a hand over his mouth, leaning over slightly. She shook her head, not wanting to bear witness to what he was experiencing. But she couldn¡¯t let him face that alone, and for that, she stepped in behind him. It all hit her at once, and she couldn¡¯t remain as composed as the Klein heir had. The bile stormed up in protest of the assault on her senses. She managed to swallow hard, the acid stinging her throat in the process. Colette wasn¡¯t so lucky and lost her dinner on the ground as soon as she found her way in. ¡°As we planned Colette!¡± Elijah barked. ¡°Urrhg, give me a second¡­¡± The redhead averted her gaze away from her previous meal. ¡°Sciame di gioielli, Piano Staccato,¡± she managed to get out, coughing hard after giving her command. Kaira quickly dispatched the speakers stationed around the room, easily slicing away the wires with disk-shaped gemstones. ¡°Whew,¡± Colette sighed in relief. Emily too allowed her shoulders to catch slack. ¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down,¡± Elijah warned. A warning well founded, as chaos soon erupted at the call of one spell. ¡°Grave Esplosione, Feroce.¡± The cell closest to them suddenly exploded, throwing several of their group off their feet, Emily included. Ritika scrambled to her feet in an instant, while Albarich pulled his Maestro back up. ¡°What the heck!?¡± Emily screamed. ¡°Grave Esplosione causes a Resonator to unleash all of their rhythm in the force of an explosion!¡± Colette called out loudly, her hearing must have gone out being so close to the blast. ¡°Who called that?¡± Elijah spun around in a daze, none of the scientists they had bound up in shadow arrows had moved ¨C it wasn¡¯t any of them. Emily stared in horror at the source of the explosion ¨C the Resonator who cast it lay face down in their chains, smoldering from the force of the blast they had been compelled to generate. The only beacon letting the would-be rescuers know the victim was still alive was the pang of the tuners¡¯ maps updating from Albarich¡¯s continued casting of Rilevare l¡¯intenzione. There was no reprieve from the assault. ¡°Grave Esposione, Feroce,¡± the same voice called. Now the Resonator caged in the cell to their left exploded with the same payload. ¡°Fuck!¡± Albarich cursed, having thrown himself on Emily to shield her from the force of the attack. Despite his best efforts, Emily found herself on the ground again. ¡°I got him!¡± Zino¡¯s shout reached Emily¡¯s ears before the sounds of his stomping ever did ¡°Right behind you!¡± Elijah shouted. ¡°Rika, Soot! Go with them!¡± Emily cried out. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Ritika shouted. By the time the princess had gotten her bearings, their group had split, leaving Emily with Colette and Kaira. Albarich helped his Maestro back up to her feet. ¡°Lanciafiamme, Rubato; Tempesta di Sabbia, Rubato,¡± Emily provided the basic fire and earth spells to her two absent Resonators. ¡°What are we going to do?¡± Colette asked. She held herself and trembled slightly, her eyes darting around. Kaira held her Maestro¡¯s shoulders, a ring of sand circling them like an agitated beast. Emily let out a short breath, Albarich patting her back. ¡°We¡¯re gonna spring these folks,¡± said the dragon, motioning to the occupied cells. Interlude 9 - Klaus Journal June 18th, 2015 ¨C 10:47 AM At the suggestion of my work-appointed therapist, I am jotting down my thoughts. Starting with this: It is so beneath me to take orders from a child. It must be so nice to have everything handed to you by Daddy dearest. Some of us had to pay for our schooling through blood, sweat, and tears. Not that I¡¯m implying that the child has any intelligence worth the money spent on his education. He had the audacity to talk down to me! Me of all people! Klein senior was practically begging me to join the Foundation¡¯s research division. How dare that whelp consider raising his voice at ME! No matter what I do it¡¯s not good enough for you! Every project I start gets shut down in the concept phase. Isn¡¯t it our job to enhance the world through our research? We can¡¯t do that without taking risks! What fools all of these people are. Perhaps that wage slave was right, this is liberating. Elijah Klein, you are a petulant child. Oh, I cannot wait for you to slip. I will be all over you when your perfect fa?ade cracks.
November 4th, 2015 ¨C 9:40 AM We as a civilization have not forged the words needed to describe my fury at this moment in time. I am writing this just outside Human Resources. I know they¡¯re about to terminate my employment with the Klein Foundation. All because that child can¡¯t see my vision. We don¡¯t need to pay referees and risk their injury by just having sprites on retainer. The initial investment in their robotic frames are steep, I will admit that ¨C but their bodies can be customized to a limitless degree. We could install visual sensors to detect if Maestros are being passed rhythm. Cameras for recording at high speeds to get instantaneous rulings. We could even make them stronger than the competition in case of unruly conduct from competitors. Just allowing the sprites the opportunity to inhabit such powerful bodies would be worth it to any of them! We wouldn¡¯t need to pay them! Think of the cost savings you ingrate! But sure, complain about the financial burdens of my Sprite bodies when you run around with an abomination against nature at your beck and call. Not that Elijah Klein is a Maestro worth possessing a Dinosaurian. If anything that unruly beast should be handed to me. I would whip it into shape. Too many people spare the rod when working with Resonators. There¡¯s a reason the override function exists. I will admit, my project¡¯s sudden and unexpected cancellation earned some unsavory words from me. It was not my proudest moment. However, I will argue he deserved it. The door is opening, perhaps I can convince the human relations representative that Elijah Klein was discriminating against my genius. We will see.
January 22nd, 2016 ¨C 2:39 PM Despite my early termination from the Klein Foundation, I have kept off the street thanks to my connections with my previous co-workers and the freelancing work I¡¯ve been doing. Though I return to these logs to document a pleasant happening. I met with Dr. Ilea Vim today. He is a marvelous man, despite being ten years my younger he is truly a radiant soul. We spoke at length regarding Resonator potential, and he is interested in my work with Sprites! He has offered me a position in his research firm, though he did express the need for discretion when talking about the work we would be doing. It is only natural that such a brilliant man has enemies trying to abscond with his discoveries. It is only a foregone conclusion that those without talent wish to steal from the chosen ones. I am familiar with Dr. Vim¡¯s work. He must have dozens or even hundreds of research grants from various universities and government entities as he did not flinch at the numbers I was proposing for the project. I assured him as I refine the construction techniques the cost savings will only grow. He was very clear he wished to know the capabilities of what I can do with this project. It has been a long time since I¡¯ve been truly excited to start work. I have faith in Dr. Vim¡¯s vision.
February 8th, 2016 ¨C 3:47 PM My first day with Dr. Vim¡¯s research firm was as boring as I expected. The secretary showing me through the facility was such a dullard. I suppose her excitement was a touch infectious, though that is only because of the range of experimentation on display. I feel as if I am not seeing everything Dr. Vim is working on. Perhaps the bleeding edge research is being done in secret. A private circle must have access to this information. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Emotion was always my weak stave ¨C I have no illusions about my inability to socialize with the rabble. But if I focus on what I know rather than who I know, perhaps I can get into this circle of trust.
April 25th, 2017 ¨C 4:23 PM It has been quite some time since I¡¯ve felt the need to open this application. With the completion of Model: Whistler, I have demonstrated my talents and Dr. Vim felt I was trustworthy enough to enter his inner circle. As I suspected, the good experiments were being kept under wraps. I had no idea such efficiency could be achieved with spellcasting. These Feroce spells are wonderfully convenient. These must be at least Fortissimo-level power at the cost of Piano rank spells! Some of the other scientists cited concerns with the degradation of the test subjects. But who cares!? This is for the advancement of science! We cannot progress as a society if we¡¯re constantly afraid of hurting people¡¯s feelings. Such sentiments are incompatible with what Dr. Vim strives for and these simpletons should be biting their tongues more. They must be useful in some capacity because I highly doubt Dr. Vim assigned them to this project for their thoughtful insights. The world doesn¡¯t need bleeding hearts like them. If they won¡¯t bloody their hands for the sake of science, then so be it. Besides, it¡¯s just a couple of Resonators. I have no idea why there are any trepidations about breaking tools. If they break, they can be replaced. Simple as.
July 12th, 2017 ¨C 11:36 AM It has been a long time since I¡¯ve found a fellow Maestro interesting. There isn¡¯t anyone in this firm as interesting as Dr. Vim, of course. But I do feel the need to speak on Mr. Ryo Saitou, Dr. Vim¡¯s head of security. Dr. Vim specifically requested I assign our first two combat-ready Sprites to him. It is my understanding that Mr. Saitou possesses some unique traits that rapidly degrade your garden variety Resonator. During our calibration, I can understand where this may be a factor. His rhythm is practically bursting with power. The artificial Scale installed into the frame burnt out from only Piano spells. I¡¯ll have to install some limiters into the Rhythm intakes to ensure we¡¯re not wasting precious hardware. The last thing I want is failure of my magnum opus when it truly matters. If this man is to protect our great leader, I will ensure he is well-equipped with the best weapons money can buy.
March 31st, 2018 ¨C 11:53 AM I grow weary of the constant complaints of my subordinates. What must I do to make them understand the grand vision of our work?! It vexes me that these incompetents were invited into Dr. Vim¡¯s inner circle. The Ferocification process has never been more efficient. Even the staunchest opposition in our ranks must appreciate how quickly we can grant Feroce spell lists. Distribution of Feroce Resonators to the general public has been progressing smoothly as well. The data we¡¯ve been receiving back has been such a boon to our research. Physical stimulus does seem to do the trick in terms of adding the condition to the subjects, however, the most effective method continues to be sound-based treatment. We¡¯ve been refining the exact pitch, tone, and melody to get the processing time down and grow more effective Feroces. A careful balance is needed to not injure the beasts before they¡¯re complete. They must be broken of their ¡°personalities¡± but not so much so that their body degrades from the over-saturation of the Feroce magics. Thankfully I have plenty of Model Whistlers available to deal with any unruly beasts who think they have a chance to resist. There is a small concern. Dr. Vim was discussing the subject of rehabilitation, or otherwise the removal of the Feroce condition. It is almost treated as a viral infection in that Resonators who have the condition removed will no longer be able to obtain it in the future. Just like viruses though, that simply means our process needs to evolve.
August 9th, 2018 ¨C 7:31 PM It is vexing. Today we have been told we¡¯re to move into the facility in Quiretteh. I don¡¯t need any regulatory board expressing their opinions about our work. How can we hope to evolve Resonators to the next level without breaking a few? The brutes in charge of moving our livestock kept asking so many questions. Thankfully I was the only person with functioning brain cells in the room and thought to sedate our subjects before we moved them. This is standard procedure people! It¡¯s not difficult! Thankfully there are few privy to the facility we¡¯re moving operations to. Fewer incompetents to rub elbows with. At least Dr. Vim allowed me to handle the selection of the chosen few who would accompany us to the Quiretteh lab. Speaking of Dr. Vim¡­ He appears distant as of late. I¡¯ve heard a particular name passing his lips more and more frequently. Shouri Tomoshibi. I can¡¯t be certain who this is, but based on the papers Dr. Vim had ordered on the boy, he doesn¡¯t appear anything special. Just an average Maestro brat with average-looking Resonators. Nothing worth concerning ourselves over. But still, what does Dr. Vim see in this child? For the first time, I find myself failing to understand our leader¡¯s vision. -Klaus Martin Chapter 167 Elijah Klein pressed forth, his feet pounding against the unkempt tile below as he gave chase. He knew the voice of their assailant. The man who had attacked them in such a cruel and underhanded way. It made a lot of puzzle pieces click into place for the young man, as unfortunate as it was. There was a small part of him that held out hope and for that, he had to be the one to intercept their attacker. Zino blazed ahead, the blood of the fossilized hunters burning in his veins. There was a tinge of pride in the Klein heir, he didn¡¯t even know how Zino had formed his dirt claws without punching into the ground. Perhaps he had been slowly pulling dirt along as they went. Either way, it demonstrated the last month hadn¡¯t been a waste ¨C even if Elijah had focused on training himself, Zino must have sharpened his mind. ¡°We¡¯re with you!¡± Ritika¡¯s voice momentarily surprised the Maestro, but he was glad to have backup with him. He couldn¡¯t take the time to find out if it was just Ritika, or if another Maestro gave chase ¨C it was taking all his might to keep up with Zino both physically and visually. Thankfully the sprint ended shortly soon after; the hunters having cornered their prey. A rather tall man stood before the group of four. He had greasy black hair and wore a long white lab coat. Even taking into consideration the poor lighting the decrepit building possessed, the man still thought to wear a pair of sharp cat-eye sunglasses. Despite being cornered at the end of a hallway, the man stood nonplussed by the presence of the Maestro and three Resonators. ¡°I had my suspicions, but I had hoped them to be wrong...¡± Elijah furrowed his brows whilst attempting to catch his breath. ¡°Klaus Martin,¡± he announced the man¡¯s name. ¡°Of course, my former employer is the one to give chase,¡± laughed the man. ¡°How do you do Mister Klein? I hope you¡¯re well.¡± The three Resonators around the Klein heir stood ready to fight despite their target having no visible weapon or Resonator of his own. They know something I don¡¯t, Elijah realized, keeping himself ready to move at a moment¡¯s notice. ¡°We¡¯re sorely missing your talents, Mister Martin.¡± Diplomacy was met with a scoff. ¡°Doubtful. You constantly shot down my projects.¡± The scientist glowered at his former boss. ¡°I hope you enjoyed my demonstrations of what they¡¯re capable of,¡± he chuckled. ¡°The sprite bodies?¡± Elijah raised a brow. That was the big one he remembered the man championing, though he was certain that wasn¡¯t the only project to have been shot down. ¡°Of course. We can equip them will all manner of attack and auxiliary systems that push the envelope of Resonator potential,¡± Klaus grinned wildly as he spoke. Elijah shook his head. ¡°Once again, you miss the point.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Klaus barked. ¡°That¡¯s not a Resonator. That¡¯s just a weapon, a gun.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the difference?!¡± Ritika gulped, gathering sand around her. ¡°This guy¡¯s a freak,¡± she muttered to Soot, who nodded in agreement with his fellow Resonator. Elijah too, found himself in agreement with Ritika¡¯s commentary. His eyes narrowed as his focus remained solely on the other Maestro before him. ¡°Resonators are beautiful, wonderful beings we have the luxury of sharing this world with. They should be respected.¡± Images of Shouri and his trio flashed in the young man¡¯s mind. ¡°They¡¯re our equals, our partners,¡± the conviction in his voice was loud and clear which earned warm smiles from Emily¡¯s two by his side. As strong as Elijah¡¯s convictions were, however, they were swatted away by a scoff of indifference from the receiving party. ¡°They¡¯re useful, Klein. You can cut your self-righteous preaching about their rights or feelings. Tools are to be used until they break. When they break you pick up a new tool. It¡¯s as simple as that,¡± spat the scientist, his glare sharpening behind his shades with every word he spoke. The Klein heir shook his head. ¡°Who hurt you, Klaus? You have too brilliant of a mind to be missing the big picture like this.¡± Regardless, Elijah persisted. ¡°If you¡¯re concerned about returning to a normal life after this, I can pull some strings and help you find a more reputable position at a better firm,¡± he offered. Ritika just stared in awe at the Maestro by her side. Despite the horrible, monstrous things Klaus was saying, Elijah still saw the potential in the older man. He wanted to help. He wanted to make a difference in this man¡¯s life. ¡°You can take your deal and shove it in the paper shredder,¡± Klaus growled. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear that from you of all people. You¡¯ve never known a day of honest work in your life.¡± This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Once more the hand of diplomacy was smacked away. There was only one option left. Elijah took in a deep breath, exhaling loudly. ¡°So be it,¡± he spoke, his voice quavering with regret. ¡°Zino,¡± Elijah firmly called, his Resonator flexing the digits of his claws. ¡°Apprehend the criminal.¡± The Dinosaur grinned, arcing his back and flicking his tail. ¡°With pleasure,¡± he spoke through his bared fangs. Klaus stood up straight, pushing his shades back up. ¡°You think I¡¯m not ready for your pet, Klein?¡± he scoffed. ¡°I hope you are,¡± Elijah said a confident smirk gracing his lips. ¡°It would be disappointing if you weren¡¯t.¡± The expression the Klein heir wore was unlike anything the scientist had seen before. It shook him momentarily, but he quickly regained his composure. Zino slowly approached his target, preparing to leap at any second. Ritika and Soot stood on either side of Elijah, tugging on the strings of rhythm that connected them to Emily. The cat gulped, her eyes darting back and forth. This was too easy. There had to be a trick. There¡¯s no way a man like this would go down quietly. Little did Ritika know her suspicions were spot on. Ritika¡¯s ears flicked as a certain hum hit them. But before she could voice her warning one of the walls exploded. Electricity crackled in the air as the battle began in earnest. Zino pivoted and intercepted the first fist coming his way. The opposite wall similarly collapsed with another lightning-covered fist being thrown in his direction. The dinosaur grabbed both of the oncoming attacks, his dirt claws snuffing out the wild charges contained within the assailants¡¯ limbs. ¡°Those are sprites?!¡± Ritika gasped, holding up a hand in prepared spellcraft. Soot too aimed a hand up ready to arc a shot at their adversaries. Zino held onto two robot bodies, slowly crushing their metallic limbs with his dirt claws. They attempted to attack with their other arms, but a quick flick of Zino¡¯s powerful tail sliced through the metallic bodies like warm butter. Even with his precious robots being crushed Klaus grinned toothily. Before Elijah could figure out why, the opposing Maestro pressed a button on his tuner. BEEP BOOOOOM! The floor rocked as both robots exploded in a violent blast of rhythm and shrapnel. ¡°ZINO!¡± Elijah cried out, only being held back by Soot and protected by a timely barrier of sand from Ritika. ¡°Have a little faith in me¡­¡± the dinosaur snarled from within the smoke. When the debris settled, Klaus remained in place, three more of his robot Resonators having appeared to shield their owner from the blast. The floor, walls, and ceiling were severely damaged ¨C chunks taken out of the surrounding infrastructure. Despite the destruction around him, the proud dinosaur remained standing, his dirt claws having been evaporated in the blast and his real arms being charred black. Klaus adjusted his sunglasses. ¡°I¡¯ll give you credit, lizard. You¡¯re certainly sturdier than the last time I saw you.¡± His eyes scanned the opposing Resonator who despite the rough state he was in, glared back with blazing hate in his eyes. ¡°Though those pesky claws have been dealt with,¡± chuckled the scientist, allowing his shoulders to catch slack. ¡°Armalcol Fucile, Legato.¡± THWICK One of the robots suddenly collapsed, the yellow gem containing the sprite that moved it embedded in the wall next to Klaus. ¡°What the hell¡­?¡± Klaus gasped. Through the hole in his defenses, he noticed Elijah; panting hard, hair half white, brown tuner tightly in his grasp. ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t cast spells...¡± Klaus¡¯ shock was quickly replaced by anger, however. ¡°You can¡¯t! Especially not Ossias!¡± roared the researcher. Elijah grinned, one hand clutching his chest while he gathered his breath. ¡°Correct - I don¡¯t,¡± he replied, reaching into his coat with his tuner hand. ¡°But my life has always been about risk management and optimal usage of my resources.¡± A small flask of golden liquid met his lips. He threw his head back, downing the vial in one go. Color burst back into his hair, restoring the Maestro¡¯s lost energy. Klaus shook, his teeth nearly cracking under the pressure of his jaw, the hate-filled glare directed solely at the Klein heir who stood defiantly before him. The blond Maestro stood up straight, his composure returning with his spent rhythm. ¡°Let¡¯s play a game Mister Martin ¨C who will run out of steam first? You or I?¡± Interlude 9 - Ryos Memories ¡°Ryo? I like that name! It¡¯s cute, but also feels kinda strong, ya know?¡± ¡°Millicent¡­¡± ¡°I told you, just Millie is fine!¡± Before him stood a girl blessed by the sun, kissed ever so gingerly that its mark was left on her both physically and emotionally. A treat to be around, a blessing that illuminated any room she graced with her presence. It made him smile. He wished he could be something more¡­ ¡°Hey, Ryo.¡± ¡°Yeah, Millie?¡± ¡°There¡¯s this guy I like.¡± ¡°Oh really?¡± Her face puffed up as she pouted at him. ¡°Act a little surprised! Jeeze!¡± ¡°Who¡¯s the lucky guy?¡± Her smile was radiant, but her bashfulness filled the soul. If there was ever a being that could be described as pure, it would be her. ¡°Well, he¡¯s tall, dark, and handsome. He¡¯s very strong, but kind. The nicest guy I¡¯ve ever met.¡± ¡°Do I know him?¡± ¡°Gosh, I hope so!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s a very lucky guy.¡± ¡°What makes you say that?¡± ¡°Having someone as amazing as you after him. Quite an envious position to be in.¡± ¡°D-do you mean that?¡± The red that graced her cheeks, he¡¯d never forget that. The way her eyes shimmered, the way she gripped her blouse as she tried to steady her heart. The way her rhythm poked him, trying to say that which remained unspoken. ¡°Wait, is it¡­ me?¡± Even the sun needed to hide behind the clouds sometimes. Though he alone stole her radiance in those moments. ¡°Y-yeah¡­ I¡­ like you Ryo.¡±
¡°What a wonderful day, I¡¯m so glad we¡¯re together.¡± ¡°Me too Millie.¡± The man stepped forward, wrapping his arms around the back of her neck. The pair drinking in each other¡¯s love. Though warm metal suddenly hung around the woman¡¯s neck and their touch broken. ¡°Wait wait!¡± She stepped back, eyes wide, darting wildly refusing to rest on his visage for even a moment. Her hand snapped to the necklace he had deposited during their embrace. Had he messed up? Was it too early for this question? ¡°I-I¡¯m not being honest with you¡­ I can¡¯t.¡± The way her voice trembled, it wasn¡¯t the beacon of sunshine he was used to. She was fearful, possibly for her life. That¡¯s what she conveyed to him. ¡°Millie I-¡± He tried to reach out but she smacked his hand away. ¡°NO!¡± Her scream was disarming, his heart hurt; not from the rejection but from the fear emanating from his beloved. ¡°No¡­¡± ¡°Talk to me Millie, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Me, I¡¯m¡­ wrong.¡± She trembled, tears sliding down her cheeks, her smile long since departed. Only terror was left in its wake. Even so, he loved this woman and refused to allow her to face her nightmares alone. ¡°Millie!¡± ¡°Ryo, I can¡¯t I¡¯m scared¡­ you¡¯ll hate me.¡± ¡°No matter what you say, I can¡¯t hate you. Even if god itself stood against us I¡¯d never give up on you.¡± ¡°D-do you mean that?¡± ¡°With all my heart.¡± She gently pulled her hands away from him, sniffling as she tried to dry her tears. ¡°I haven¡¯t been honest with you. I¡¯m not who I say I am. But¡­ if you want to marry me, I have to let it all out. I have to let you see what I truly am.¡± She took a breath, holding it. She trembled, fighting her lack of conviction. The dream couldn¡¯t end, that¡¯s what her rhythm said. ¡°Trust me, Millie.¡± His words gave her the strength to let go. To allow the veil to drop, to finally show the beauty she kept hidden from the world. The net of feathers she kept hidden deep, the secret no one was allowed to know, she laid it bare before the man she loved, a curl of feathers now rested behind her, showing what she was. ¡°I¡­ am a Lyrebird. The last of my kind. I¡¯ve been hiding from you-¡± Her confession was cut short as he took her up in a tight hug. He squeezed her tight. His rhythm poured into her, the truth of his conviction saturating her fear, washing it away. ¡°You¡¯re beautiful Millie, will you marry me?¡± ¡°Y-yes Ryo¡­ yes¡­¡±
Their apartment was small, far too small for their ambitions, but the husband and wife were happy. That¡¯s all that mattered to them. They soon came to share their happiness with a third. Over a crib they stood, warm smiles appreciating the life they brought into this world. ¡°What should we name her?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, there¡¯s lots of good girl¡¯s names.¡± ¡°How about Faith?¡± ¡°Why Faith?¡± ¡°Do you not like it?¡± ¡°I do, just curious why you decided on that name.¡¯ The new mother leaned on her husband, closing her eyes as she rest on his shoulder. ¡°Because you trusted me.¡± ¡°That I did dearest, and I would do it again in a heartbeat.¡± A baby crying cared not for what hour it did so, she had her needs and her parents were nothing but doting. Even with the two newlyweds having to support their new child, they still had to keep a roof over their heads. Trading who was working and who was caring for Faith was a task all of its own. Even so, the years went on and the family of three was happy, content with their modest existence. And then they were joined by a fourth. ¡°Vienna.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Our new baby girl, I want to name her Vienna.¡± ¡°Where did that name come from?¡± ¡°I heard someone use it in passing, and I thought it was pretty¡± ¡°She¡¯s your daughter, so a pretty name fits a pretty lady.¡± ¡°You¡¯re gonna have to put her in a castle, there¡¯s going to be so many boys after her.¡± ¡°If they can get through us they might make the cut.¡± ¡°Oh, Ryo!¡± The days went on, summer, fall, winter, spring again, day after day, year after year the family of four lived their modest, quiet lives. The young girls grew up, though they tested the edges of what was right and moral. Girls will be girls, their transgressions were waved off as the mere boredom of youth. The parents couldn¡¯t be more proud of their girls. The two young ones they shared their lives with, their treasures.
She lay in a glass chamber. Perfectly preserved was her vessel, as if hands of time had released their grasp of her. For Ryo Saitou, time had most certainly stopped. Every day passed without his consent, cold, and uncaring. His heart had long since frozen over. However. ¡°With future technology, we may be able to bring her back.¡± For the one he had sworn his life to, Ryo Saitou would sell himself to any demon just to hear her sweet voice one more time. That is why he rose every morning. That is why he completed his tasks with ruthless efficiency. That is why he served a man like Ilea Vim. ¡°P-please! Don¡¯t!¡± a Resonator man cried, using his body to protect a smaller Resonator that lay beneath. Ryo had no words. If only they were stronger he wouldn¡¯t have had to do this. The parent was easily dealt with. The child plucked from their father¡¯s embrace like a ripe fruit ready for consumption. He¡¯d never see this child or their parent again. Fed into a proverbial grinder of research. His hands were long bloodied with the lives of countless parents just like himself. Perhaps he himself was part of this meat grinder, fed to it long ago. Even so, he couldn¡¯t stop now. Not until her voice graced his ears, not until her touch caressed his, not until her eyes drank him in. ¡°Alright Mr. Saitou, the next one is ready for you.¡± Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. The man snapped to. Everything blended together, but he knew what was being asked of him. A tuner was in his grasp, a red device displaying the vitals of a Resonator standing in a cage before him. The fragments of his mind showing a transparent shell briefly roused his heart, his stoic face cracked as a scowl formed. ¡°Lanciafiamme, Fortissimo.¡¯ His call passed his spiritual essence to the unsuspecting Resonator. Forced into their being. ¡°AUGHHHH!¡± The screams that followed every time failed to rouse any empathy from the man. He had heard it too many times before. Even watching the various scientists crowd around the suffering creature didn¡¯t elicit any change in his demeanor. He just watched them writhe, not deriving any pleasure or guilt from the act. Only apathy. That¡¯s all that was left in his heart. His daystar was gone, nothing wrought meaning anymore. These were mere motions of a shell being puppeted by another. The owner of the puppet had long abandoned his post. Perhaps the dulcet tones of the one he cherished would bring him back to his station. ¡°His rhythm is simply too much for normal Resonators.¡± ¡°We need a way to control his output.¡± ¡°Why are we wasting our time with this?¡± ¡°Orders of Dr. Vim ¨C Mr. Saitou needs a Resonator to fulfill his duties as chief of security.¡± The useless rabble of the scientists gave nothing to him. He only entertained their fancies with some vague notion that all research would lead to the path where his beloved lay. It would all be worth it in the end. For every soul he trampled, Ryo Saitou was one step closer to returning to her.
¡°Corrente Elettrica, Fortissimo.¡± A bolt of electricity struck down a target in a firing range. Ryo regarded the large yellow gem in his hand. There was a connection there. Not the same connection he sought from his beloved, but one that could be used to enforce ¨C a weapon. ¡°I told you the sprites would suit him! Such robotic rhythm can only be matched by a being of pure electricity!¡± The man who gloated over Ryo¡¯s success was a newer hire. Ryo didn¡¯t recall the name, then again he had long lost the ability to remember. ¡°Klaus Martin¡± was written on the man¡¯s employee badge, so that had to be it. ¡°I will inform Dr, Vim right away and we can proceed with the project!¡± Klaus had passion, that much was certain. Though that left Ryo with the gem containing the sprite. He pocketed it and left the room. Underground bunkers had been his dwellings for as long as he had been employed under Dr. Vim. It mattered not. Comforts were luxuries reserved for people with souls still affixed to their vessels. His had long since abandoned its post. Comforts were wasted on a man like him. The rumbling of the facility was new. Even if his emotions had atrophied to dust, what remained was a keen sense for rhythm. A finely tuned tracker that told him more than any Resonator ever could. A sense that pushed him into his duty, his obligation. It wasn¡¯t long until the question of another graced his hearing: ¡°Who are ¡®they¡¯?¡± Three girls walked cautiously through the hallways of the facilities. The trio of trespassers didn¡¯t immediately become aware of his presence. He lifted the yellow gem to strike them down. However, a pair of hands wrapped around his. A shake of her head told him to stand down. These interlopers shouldn¡¯t be dealt with indiscriminately. Instead, he gave power to his vocal chords: ¡°That is none of your concern.¡± Instantly the trio of girls spun to face him. He loomed over them, his scowl penetrating his shades causing the girls to back up and evaluate their current options. ¡°Dad! How could you work for him!?¡± roared his rebellious daughter. In defiance, his youngest stood between her sister and father, glaring him down. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand what Dr. Vim is trying to accomplish.¡± ¡°He KILLED mom!¡± For just a moment his heart wavered, but it quickly seized back the ice that encased it, wrapping up in chains of permafrost. ¡°Millie isn¡¯t dead. She is asleep.¡± Though he said this, the children refused to back down. They just didn¡¯t understand. He¡¯d make them understand. ¡°Perhaps it is time for your bedtime as well.¡± While the girls muttered amongst themselves, Ryo readied his weapon. Thankfully he wouldn¡¯t have to touch the girls. All he needed was the gem. ¡°Whistler.¡± He spoke the name of the spirit encased in the gem. He couldn¡¯t afford to waver. She was waiting for him. Even if their own flesh and blood stood against him, he couldn¡¯t back down. Not now, not after everything he had done. ¡°Corrente Elettrica, Forte.¡± His youngest was effortlessly flicked away by the bolt of lightning. ¡°VEE!¡± His eldest screamed into the air. It mattered not. There remained two standing ¨C they must be dealt with. Once again he raised the gem to dispatch the intruders. ¡°Corrente Elettrica, Fortissimo.¡± ¡°Riffletore Musicale, Fortissimo!¡± Ryo Saitou was a monster in all classifications. So even when lightning was reflected back at him, he stood unflinching, a simple side step was all that was required for such a simple tactic. When the smoke cleared the children had done the same. ¡°?????????R???????????y???????????o????????????.???????????????.??????????.??????????"??????? However, before him stood an impossible presence. ¡°M-millie?¡± His beloved stood before him, just as gorgeous as the day she d?????????????i???????e?????????d????????.??????????? ¡°Ryo, don¡¯t do this, do you think this is what I want?¡± It all became hazy. He couldn¡¯t hear the words of his beautiful wife. It all spun together. She was saying something to him, but he just couldn¡¯t hear her. Despite forcing himself to listen all he got was "????????????C?????????o??????m?????e???????????? ????????b??????????a???????????????c????????????????????k???????????? ?????w???????????i???????t????????????h??????????? ??????m????????????????????e???????????????,??????????? ????????w????????e?????? ??????????c??????????a??????????????n?????????? ??????????????????b?????????e????????????? ?????h??????????????????a???????????p?????????p??????y????????? ????????????????a??????????????????g????????????????a?????????????i????????????n?????????????.???????????????? ??????????????????P??????????????????l????????????e??????a??????????????s???????e???????????????????.????????????????.???????????.????????????"??????????????? What had he done to deserve this hell? All he wanted was to be with the love of his life. Here she was in front of him and he couldn¡¯t even hear her wondrous voice.
The next he had become aware of his surroundings, it was all gone. Like a bad dream, he awoke to his recurring nightmare. His heart chained back up and the horrible status-quo resumed. Not all was like it should have been though. Every so often, there was a whisper in his soul. ¡°???????R??????e???????s???????????t?????.???????¡±???????? ???????¡°??????????L??????e????????????t????????? ???????i?????t???? ?????????e?????????n?????????d????????? ????????R???????y?????????o????.??????????¡±??????? ??????????¡°?????????J????????o???????i????n???????? ????????m?????????e?????????.??????¡±?????? ???¡°???????P???????????l???????????e????a?????????s?????????e???.??????????¡±???????? ????????¡°???????I???????? ?????????m????????i???????s??????????s?????? ?????????y????o??????????u???? ????????m???????y??????? ????????l?????????????o???????v???????e??????.??????.???????.???¡±??????????? Chapter 168 If it wasn¡¯t for the weight of sin pressing down on his heart, Vince Rayburn would have been beyond himself giddy with excitement. Here he was, tuner in hand, Resonator by his side, sneaking into a building to take down a bad guy. The him of six months ago would have gone crazy thinking he could be an honest-to-goodness hero. But not the boy who crept through the dimly lit halls - not this Vince Rayburn. This was something he had to do. Not for revenge or anything like that. No, if he were to ever meet Cecil again, he had to make amends. Stopping this madman was the only way to ease the pain. He jumped when a hand touched his shoulder. ¡°Keep calm,¡± whispered Mila. Her hands radiated such warmth, that it was almost overwhelming ¨C especially in contrast with the cold, musty hallways which they crept through. He felt welcomed by her fire. ¡°Tch.¡± Faith clicked her teeth. ¡°Of course I get put on freaking babysitting duty,¡± she grumbled. ¡°If you didn¡¯t like it, you shoulda said something sooner,¡± Mila growled at the other Maestro. ¡°Mila.¡± Vince held an arm in front of his Resonator. ¡°I¡¯m serious about seeing this through.¡± His conviction was sharp, slicing through Faith¡¯s expectations. "Try to keep up,¡± warned the elder Maestro, turning on her heel and resuming their forward trek. Althea let out a held breath, following her Maestro. Vienna shook her head and also went along with her sister and the other null element. ¡°It¡¯s alright beansprout, we got this.¡± Mila patted her Maestro¡¯s back. He nodded and the group marched on. Their part of the plan was simple, but decidedly lacking in elegance. They had a majority of the combat power between their three Resonators. Althea and Vienna were monstrously strong, and Mila was pretty handy in a fight. So Ryo Saitou was their problem to manage. Through brute force alone. ¡°Here we are,¡± Vienna¡¯s voice snapped Vince from his thoughts. Faith, Althea, Vince, and Mila entered the room. It was a stock standard meeting room. Though unlike the one at the hotel they were in less than an hour ago, this one showed its age. Several of the fluorescent bulbs were out, causing an uneven distribution of lighting through the space. The long rectangular conference room was marred by time, having accrued nicks, scratches, and stains from uncaring office workers. Telecommunications equipment was bundled haphazardly all around the room. Perhaps this space had been converted into a makeshift closet as the original owners of the building slowly dwindled. On the opposite end of the conference room he stood. Clad in his black suit and shades, Ryo Saitou glared down the two Maestros his opposite. At his side were the two Resonators at his beck and call ¨C Vail and Whistler. ¡°Faith,¡± spoke the man. ¡°Father,¡± the daughter returned in kind. ¡°You¡¯ve returned to me,¡± he noted. ¡°I didn¡¯t return to shit. I came here to stop you ¨C by force, if necessary,¡± Faith growled. ¡°Cease this foolishness,¡± his tone notably sharpened, his brows descending. ¡°You¡¯re the one being an idiot, Dad. What would Mom say if she was still here?¡± Faith spat, her fist trembling as she scowled at him. ¡°Children are meant to obey,¡± the older Maestro spoke, raising his tuner. ¡°Children who don¡¯t obey must be taught.¡± Vince gulped, the grip on his tuner intensifying. The rhythm that filled the room was suffocating. This man and his child were monstrous. The young Maestro had never experienced any sensation quite as crushing as this in his short life. But still ¨C he had to see this through. Ryo could not be allowed to make it to Shouri, which went doubly so for his two mechanical Resonators. ¡°Expect at least two Resonators by his side ¨C most likely Sprites in human-sized robot bodies.¡± Shouri¡¯s advice from earlier in the evening rang in Vince¡¯s head. He couldn¡¯t claim familiarity with Sprites, but from his quick searching, lightning elements were going to be in the cards this evening. Not that he ever worked with or against the element. His naivety regarding Resonator affairs was biting him in the rear at this exact moment. This wasn¡¯t the time for that though. His gaze steadied as he studied the opposing Maestro and Resonators. A distinct aura of static hung in the air ¨C the rhythm of the two strange Resonators standing their opposite. They were relaxed, looking down on the four standing before them. Vince¡¯s eyes stole the battlefield to be. Besides the furniture, the space was empty. Unfortunately, that still didn¡¯t afford them much room for an actual fight. There was going to be some serious damage to the structure. Mila remained completely focused on the lightning elements, as did Althea. Mila¡¯s wrists sparked wildly with her tensed fists. She was ready, that much was certain. It started with a bang, a bolt of lightning crossing the gap between the two groups. Before Vince or Mila could make a move, the attack was parried with an instantaneous reflection thanks to Althea. In that moment of distraction, Whistler made her move, darting across the table to attack Althea. ¡°Mila!¡± Vince cried. He didn¡¯t need to say anything as his cat was already intercepting, fists ablaze. Whistler and Mila met atop the table, trading blows of electricity and fire. ¡°Carica Traboccante, Lento,¡± Ryo spoke. Both Whistler and Vail suddenly began sparking wildly, from horn tip to toe. Mila cared not and continued her assault ¨C though the effects of the spellcasting became apparent. ¡°Come back!¡± Vince shouted. The cat jumped back to her Maestro, not pleased. ¡°That electricity was sapping your rhythm,¡± advised Vince. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. ¡°Well, let¡¯s fix that problem, I¡¯m a shielder, remember?¡± she hissed back to him. Right, he wasn¡¯t used to defensive play. Shouting attack spells was easy to do when the enemies weren¡¯t conscious of your actions like Scherzando. Especially with Mila preferring hand-to-hand combat didn¡¯t dissuade the idea of just brute forcing through the problem. This Maestro was different. Ryo Saitou could give the best of them a run for their money. Vince needed to think smarter, not stronger. Once more without Ryo¡¯s intervention, the lightning Resonators began their attack. Bolts of lightning crossed the room, but Vince was already mid-cast: ¡°Riffletore Musicale, Forte!¡± Two barriers went up to reflect the attacks, however this time the attacks broke through rather than being stopped by either Resonator, throwing them into their respective Maestros. ¡°L''Ordine di Gabriele, Lento!¡± Vince groaned. He further winced as a ton of rhythm was torn from his body. He couldn¡¯t let Mila fall, even if it hurt him. He licked his lips as he readied his voice. Mila scrambled to her feet, her wrists re-igniting in a blaze of resistance, her eyes glowing with intense blue rhythm as she radiated an aura of rhythm around her body from the shielding spell. Althea hung back, keeping her gaze locked on Vail ¨C the posturing was reciprocated. Hare and Sprite were supporting the two battlers in the center of the room. Whistler and Mila exchanged intense blows. Though with L''Ordine di Gabriele providing a boost to Mila¡¯s defenses, her reckless assault was emboldened. The cat was swinging furiously, and landing glancing strikes. Her scrapes only needed to be that, as the intense heat radiating from her fists was enough to steadily sap her opponent. Both Faith and Ryo were holding back from calling spells. Faith must have called some spells in Rubato before they entered. Maybe Ryo did the same? Or perhaps it¡¯s something to do with those advanced robot bodies. Either way, the whole fight would come down to who gambled on their support attacking first. And it was Ryo: ¡°Fulmine di Zeus, Ultrissimo!¡± ¡°L''orizzonte Scudo, Lento!¡± Faith called out in response Vail snapped a hand out, gathering the rhythm provided to her into one point. Althea held out her hands, which glowed a brilliant white. Instantly Vince knew what Faith¡¯s spell was intending to do and made his distance from the Maestro and her Resonator by diving away from them. He didn¡¯t look back to see what would become of them. A bolt of lightning unlike anything Vince had ever experienced tore through the air, the electrical equipment in the room bursting from the surge of power flowing through the space. His hair immediately stood on end attracted to the unbelievable current. Rather than going at its intended target of Mila, it headed towards the hare and her Maestro. An explosion of concrete, wood, metal, and other building materials rained down on Vince who kept his head covered. With the lights destroyed, all that remained was the glow of Mila and Whistler, who continued to exchange blows despite the horrifyingly powerful spell that was just loosed into the room. Where the chaos should have ended there was another burst of material crumbling, this sounded like something falling, and crushing a mess of machinery. ¡°Roccia Fusa, Legato!¡± Vince called. He watched as Mila landed a hook and then unleashed the ball of lava point blank. ¡°AAAAUGH!¡± Whistler screamed, falling to her knees. ¡°YOU BITCH!¡± Electricity began to gather in her slowly disintegrating arm. Vince knew he didn¡¯t have much rhythm left, but still ¨C he needed this to end. ¡°Lanciafiamme, Fortissimo!¡± A wave of fire overtook the lightning Resonator before she had a chance to get her spell out, ending her resistance. Mila stood up straight, keeping her wrists ignited despite the pain radiating from them. ¡°Where the hell did he go¡­?¡± breathed the cat. ¡°Mila?¡± Vince shook the dust covering him off as he got to his feet. ¡°That Ryo dude is gone,¡± she breathed out, extinguishing the flames by her side. ¡°Faith?¡± Vince asked. No response. ¡°Can¡¯t feel her.¡± Mila made her way over to her Maestro. ¡°It¡¯s okay, relax,¡± she said between heavy breaths. ¡°What the heck even happened?¡± Vince could feel the exhaustion rapidly consuming him, but the pounding of his heart kept him wide awake. ¡°From what I felt¡­ that wasn¡¯t the hare standing next to y''all, it was the Lyrebird,¡± Mila said as she guided her Maestro out of the room. ¡°What¡­?¡± Vince gasped. ¡°I guess at some point the hare split from us and the Lyrebird took her place,¡± Mila mumbled. She held up her arm and briefly reignited the fire around her wrists, giving light to the scene of the battle they had just left. Robot parts were scattered all around the room, but also in the corner of the room where Ryo had been standing was a large gaping hole in the ceiling, and a giant boulder occupying the spot where Vail had once stood. Her mechanical form scattered about the room with only fragmentary sparks alerting one to their presence in the otherwise dark space. ¡°I guess Faith planned this from the start,¡± Mila guessed. ¡°We were a good distraction, I think,¡± the cat let out a gruff laugh. ¡°Where¡¯d they go? That man and Faith?¡± asked Vince. ¡°...good fuckin¡¯ question kid. After casting an Ultimate spell like that, he ain¡¯t gonna be doing much else,¡± she mused. ¡°Let¡¯s see if we can find that¡­ uh Faith,¡± Mila patted her Maestro¡¯s back. Vince allowed himself one last look back at his battlefield. Was what they did heroic? Interlude 9 - Ileas Routine ¡°Subject 2797¡¯s vitals have ceased.¡± Splayed out before them was the remains of a once proud and noble creature, sullied by the hands of academic pursuit. The flames that ignited their soul snuffed out in the favor of progress. ¡°I see,¡± spoke Ilea Vim. His calculating gaze studied the new cadaver before them. ¡°Total time before they succumbed?¡± he questioned the lab assistant. ¡°Twenty-three minutes and forty seconds, doctor.¡± ¡°I see,¡± repeated the raven-haired scientist. ¡°Prepare the next batch, I am retiring to my quarters to compile the data.¡± Ilea Vim pardoned himself from the test chamber, walking through the sterile, cold hallways of the test facility. This was one of many he had tucked away from prying eyes. His research wasn¡¯t what one would consider ¡°above board¡±, but such foolishness mattered not to him. Progress would be made. His curiosity would be sated. Resonators would evolve to the next stage. It was just a foregone conclusion at this point. The question was, how many eggs would need to be broken for this recipe? Even the genius scientist couldn¡¯t say for sure.
Ilea Vim¡¯s days started like most people. He got up at 6 AM, checked on his investments and research grants. Emails by 7 AM, and breakfast by 8. Breakfast was always accompanied by his lab managers reporting updates on their test subjects, and any new findings or losses that occurred overnight. Even if it seemed like he was ignoring them, he heard and digested every word. If his dutiful assistants ever doubted him, he spoke before they had a chance to voice their concerns. Newbies quickly learned this aspect about the enigmatic doctor ¨C he always knew. There was no hiding from the genius of Dr. Ilea Vim. ¡°Sir about 3144-¡± ¡°Feroce, yes,¡± he responded without missing a beat. ¡°Yes sir, our fastest one yet.¡± ¡°Time?¡± ¡°Twenty-one hours thirty minutes.¡± ¡°Fascinating. We have the process to weed out the incompliant quickly, see to it that the process documentation gets updated and disseminated to the rest of the technicians.¡± ¡°Yes sir!¡± Every morning went this way. It was routine, it was normal. Even with new recruits in the trust circle, very little changed. ¡°Dr. Vim,¡± spoke Ryo Saitou, the head of security. It was difficult for Ilea Vim to say he liked anyone. In fact, it was something that was just an outright lie. He had useful people and those who could not be replaced. Ryo Saitou was part of the latter group. ¡°Mr. Saitou,¡± greeted the scientist. ¡°Whistler retrieved the subject of interest and is on the way back,¡± reported the security chief. ¡°As expected,¡± Ilea paused. ¡°What difficulties were there?¡± ¡°Whistler lost an arm in the skirmish.¡± ¡°What were the exact orders given to 5111?¡± ¡°Lie in wait with Vail and strike after the cat and the boy had sufficiently weakened the subject¡¯s Resonators.¡± ¡°They were stronger than expected.¡± Ilea nodded slowly, having already picked up that hiccup in the operation. ¡°Yes, Whistler reports the lunar had Volont¨¤ Estesa, which wasn¡¯t in any of our documentation.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll need to have that updated. Additionally, see to it our associates obtain more Lunar elements. I think we should study their unique properties in greater detail.¡± ¡°It will be done.¡± ¡°And witnesses?¡± ¡°Discredited, as usual.¡± ¡°Excellent, ensure our people are paid.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± And with that, Ilea was free to continue his morning. Ten in the morning usually saw the good doctor in his office, doing general administration tasks and keeping tabs on his employees. ¡°It¡¯s a shame about the loss of that cat, it was one of the hardier subjects. But a loss is a loss, the boy¡­¡± A file popped up on his computer. A picture of an average-looking Maestro was displayed on the screen. Green eyes, brunet hair, a record only months in the making. Nothing stood out¡­ ...to a simpleton that is. With common breed Resonators by his side, he had unlocked potential Ilea had yet to see in any other. ¡°That otter sniffed me out¡­ that shouldn¡¯t have been possible,¡± Ilea Vim mused, as he studied his most cherished file on his computer. ¡°None of them are special. Not a one, and yet he is.¡± ¡°Shouri Tomoshibi, I will know what makes you tick.¡±
By noon Ilea resumed his lab work. Today he joined one of his head scientists, Klaus Martin. Klaus was a driven fellow. He had earned a spot in Ilea¡¯s assortment of useful tools. This tool provided a valuable service ¨C his knowledge of electrical systems and mechanical bodies. Collecting Sprites from their homeland of L¡¯ultera was a simple task (in fact one such shipment was coming in that day). Just providing the gem-encapsulated creatures an adequate body to perform their daily tasks was another matter entirely. It was a theory Ilea had cooked up in the past, but with everything else going on with the ongoing Feroce projects, he just didn¡¯t have time to spare. That was until Dr. Martin fell into his lap. A normal man would think it a stroke of good fortune that such a convenient person appeared before the genius doctor. It wasn¡¯t difficult to make a man desperate enough to seek employment from shadier organizations. A raving fanaticism for Ilea¡¯s cause also helped oil the gears. And the gears were oiled ¨C Sprites were marvelous little Resonators. They were mostly spared from the Feroce experimentation. Mostly. As long as the sprites did the jobs asked of them, they got to keep their new bodies. Any dissenters or slackers became the next test subjects. It was as simple as that. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.
¡°There are anomalies in the stored Resonator¡¯s health, are there any adjustments that can be made to the system?¡± Ilea considered the request before him. A call timer was displayed on his laptop screen ticking up, various notes were typed up around the various other windows he had open. ¡°Please send me the latest diagnostic data for review,¡± requested the scientist. ¡°Of course, I will have it done ¨C I have a vested interest in your work being completed,¡± his accomplice easily agreed. ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°Have you found anything interesting in that rhythm script?¡± Ilea looked at a thick book sitting on his desk. The cover was well worn, the title long lost to the forward march of time. Even closed the book spilled its secrets to him. ¡°The cipher is interesting,¡± commented the scientist. ¡°So not yet?¡± questioned the curious party. ¡°I never said that Mr. Noel.¡± ¡°Please Ilea, Ren¨¦ is fine.¡± Dr. Vim didn¡¯t consider the invitation. He stole a glance at the book once more. ¡°The book¡¯s contents are no secret to me. The Orchestra of Heaven cannot be tamed with magic or technology. They will abide by their oath to their contracted Maestro only. No force can hope to claim it.¡± ¡°Indeed, I¡¯ve heard the rumors,¡± chuckled Ren¨¦ knowingly. ¡°I¡¯ve already spent quite a few sharps on that. Tell me something I don¡¯t know, doctor.¡± Ilea remained silent for a moment, studying the continued incrementation of their call timer. ¡°There may be a couple of interesting adjustments in your investments should I hear something that tickles my fancy.¡± The doctor took a breath and spoke, ¡°Even as Ethereals, the Orchestra are fallible. Their Maestros are a primary weakness. However, as concepts which governed the physical realm, they can be bested by creatures who lurk in the intangible.¡± ¡°Lunar elements?¡± Ren¨¦ guessed. ¡°No, these are Null elements, possessing the dream attribute.¡± ¡°Dream attribute? Hmmm¡­¡± The two men went silent, the call timer ticking into yet higher numbers as the rumination continued. ¡°I¡¯ll have my people look into it,¡± Ren¨¦ decided. ¡°The direct approach simply doesn¡¯t work when fighting Ethereals. However, this lead might bear fruit.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± agreed the scientist. ¡°Well, I must be going Ilea, I¡¯ll have the money wired to your people shortly.¡± Ilea said nothing more and allowed the line to disconnect. He cared not for Ethereals or otherwise. They were always in such a nebulous state of existence. Though his eyes saw through their fa?ade, he needn¡¯t bother with them ¨C they were boring, mundane even. No different from a Scherzando in that sense. Neither Scherzando nor Ethereal would help against what was ahead. No, there was a greater purpose for everything. Maestros and Resonators were their future ¨C their salvation. For that, he had to understand everything about them, everything that made them tick. How fallible they were; how strong they could become. If that meant weaponizing the entire population, so be it. They¡¯d thank him in the end. Or not. He cared little for accolades or praise, only the result mattered. Once more, the file of Shouri Tomoshibi graced his screen. Mundane as the boy was, it stoked the fires of curiosity that welled deep within Ilea Vim. Perhaps, Ilea considered, this approach was flawed? How could someone so boring be simultaneously so exceptional? He had to know. He would know soon.
¡°Dr. Vim.¡± It was another morning, as scripted as ever ¨C Ryo Saitou was briefing him on the developments over the last day. However- ¡°The plane carrying the boy crashed in the Subterris Desert.¡± Ilea dropped his fork, the utensil clattering against the plate. His face paled, as his stoic guise shattered. ¡°WHAT?¡± The doctor¡¯s throat burned, not having been used in such a harsh manner in decades. Ryo Saitou was not a man to crack under pressure, and even his employer¡¯s ire earned no change in his own stoicism. ¡°We have reason to believe he¡¯s still alive and survived the crash. The black box tells of a Resonator aiding in the crash and his escape,¡± reported the chief of security. The mad doctor calmed himself. ¡°Right. Keep me updated.¡± ¡°Yes, doctor.¡± With that, Ilea was left alone. The man hurriedly retrieved his laptop computer and reviewed Shouri¡¯s file again. ¡°This tempo is not normal. It can¡¯t be etude. It¡¯s too simple of an explanation,¡± the doctor mused to himself. The book sent by Ren¨¦ Noel spoke to him. ¡°¨¤ deux¡­¡± he breathed. ¡°If the legends hold true, then perhaps those redactions I made in his family history file were less of a tall tale after all¡­¡±
¡°Shouri Tomoshibi has been spotted in Alspo.¡± ¡°Send 5111 to retrieve him. ¡°It shall be done.¡± ¡­ ¡°Whistler was destroyed in combat, but we did recover the sprite¡¯s crystal.¡± ¡°Where is the boy?¡± ¡°Alspo General Hospital. Our people report he came in with no rhythm, but they were able to save him.¡± ¡°¡­perhaps our approach is too heavy-handed¡­¡± ¡°Doctor?¡± ¡°6002, send 6002 to retrieve 61354-35129.¡± ¡°Colette Severine?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It will be done.¡± ¡­ ¡°Colette Severine escaped, her Resonator was far stronger than anticipated and Vail had to escape before too much of a commotion was caused.¡± ¡°Excellent.¡± ¡°Doctor?¡± ¡°She¡¯ll run to the boy now.¡± ¡­ ¡°We¡¯ve located Shouri Tomoshibi again, he¡¯s in-¡± ¡°Wenja. That¡¯s perfect. I want you to leak some intel. Begin preparations to move our main operations to Quiretteh.¡± ¡°¡­ It will be done.¡± Ryo Saitou left the room as he did every morning. Once alone, Ilea¡¯s stony expression cracked. ¡°If I can¡¯t have you Shouri, then I will make you come to me.¡± ¡°If my hope in you is misplaced¡­ then I will continue, for the sake of this beautiful world.¡± Chapter 169 The lights flickered as battles echoed throughout the building. Occasionally the entire structure shook, but it held firm, allowing Shouri and his trio to continue their trek unimpeded. None of them spoke a word. No commentary, no concerns, no snark. Just a forward march into the depths. Taika continued to apply Rilevare l¡¯intenzione, updating Shouri¡¯s map. A solitary blip well below them pulsed like a beacon, urging them deeper into the structure. The first words finally spoken were Taika¡¯s: ¡°He¡¯s here.¡± They stood before a single door at the bottom of a stairwell. Below the first floor, in an unlit space, though this was no problem for half of the party. ¡°That was too easy,¡± Pacifica noted, looking back up the staircase they had descended. ¡°Why didn¡¯t anyone stop us?¡± ¡°This is totally a trap.¡± Rebecca shrugged. ¡°Definitely,¡± Shouri agreed. ¡°It felt like he was guiding us specifically to this spot,¡± Taika mumbled. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Shouri shuffled to the front of the party and pushed the door open to step into the light. Their destination was illuminated by high bay lighting, the kind one would find in a warehouse. The floor was empty, nothing having been moved into the space. On the opposite end of the massive room was a freight elevator. Just in front of the elevator was the target of this whole operation. ¡°Ilea!¡± Shouri barked, his voice echoing throughout the empty basement. ¡°Mr. Tomoshibi, I didn¡¯t realize we were on a first-name basis,¡± Ilea spoke loudly enough for the pursuers to hear him, but only just that. ¡°We¡¯re bringing you in!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± That took the wind right out of Shouri¡¯s sails. He looked back at his trio of Resonators who returned his confusion with some of their own. Ilea Vim began to cross the room, slowly closing the distance between himself and Shouri¡¯s party. The Maestro drew Pacifica¡¯s tuner from his side, while Rebecca and Taika readied their ad-Libs. Four glares failed to penetrate the cool confidence that casually strode over to them. ¡°Much better. I would rather not converse over an entire warehouse,¡± said Dr. Vim. ¡°What¡¯s your game?¡± Shouri growled. Ilea Vim raised a brow. ¡°No game Mr. Tomoshibi. I am well aware of the laws regarding maltreatment of Resonators.¡± Rebecca shook, baring her fangs at the scientist before them. Shouri held out a hand to steady her. ¡°Then why?¡± he asked, the yellow rhythm in his eyes burning radiantly. ¡°I just had to know what happens¡­ when they break that is,¡± Ilea Vim stated. ¡°BASTARD!¡± Rebecca roared. ¡°REBECCA, NO!¡± Shouri shouted. Though he tried to stop her, he wasn¡¯t fast or strong enough. A blazing foot rocketed towards the feroce researcher¡¯s head. However, the result was beyond anything the quartet could have expected. Rebecca¡¯s anger had been extinguished in an instant, along with her fire and all of the momentum from her missile of a kick. Ilea Vim had not only caught her foot, but he caught it with such ease that the man was not phased. It was as if she had gently tossed him a ball. It took no effort for him to pull off this feat. ¡°Let go!¡± Rebecca yanked her leg away from the man, her eyes still darting around in a panic. She tried again, flipping around and throwing another blazing cannonball of a foot at the man, but history repeated itself ¨C her flames snuffed, her force parried like a beach ball. Three more attempts all ended the same, the man was ready to intercept no matter which angle she attempted. Taika tried her hand at attacking the man next, urging her beads to restrain the scientist. However, rather than being caught like Rebecca¡¯s ad-Lib had been, as soon as the projectiles entered his space, she lost control of them, causing the polished pearls to scatter all around the ground. ¡°His rhythm is insane¡­¡± Taika mumbled. ¡°How is he doing this?¡± Rebecca shook her head. ¡°Ghiacclio, Fortissimo,¡± Shouri¡¯s command cut through the confusion. At that moment, Pacifica¡¯s heart beat alongside her Maestro¡¯s, and no further elaboration was needed. A great spear of ice took shape above her head and she fired without mercy. The arc of the attack magic flew with the final destination being the scientist¡¯s heart ¨C only a fatal conclusion awaited the monster in human flesh. But as the two attempts before her had failed, Pacifica¡¯s attack met the same fate; caught just like Rebecca¡¯s had been, the ice disintegrating against the man¡¯s open palm as if it was running into molten lava. Undeterred, Shouri called another ¡°Ghiacclio, Rubato.¡± Pacifica nodded and created a prison of ice spears covering every angle, but as soon as they invaded the man¡¯s space, no matter the vector of attack, they all turned to a fine mist. The otter¡¯s determination cracked as she openly trembled, her eyes in disbelief at the spectacle unfolding before them. ¡°Are we sure he¡¯s alone?¡± Shouri guessed, his own conviction faltering. ¡°I-I can¡¯t sense anyone else, only him,¡± Taika reported. ¡°I don¡¯t feel any spellcasting either, it¡¯s just him doing this!¡± Rebecca called out, desperately searching for an answer to this logic-defying technique. ¡°You find it fascinating, no Mister Tomoshibi?¡± spoke Ilea Vim, a small smile on his lips. The younger Maestro slowly shook his head in denial, unsure of what else to do. Rhythm didn¡¯t work, and based on the way he easily parried Rebecca, physical attacks didn¡¯t work either. ¡°What the fuck are you?¡± was all Shouri could get out. ¡°One in eight billion¡­ or so they say,¡± Ilea stated simply. Four pairs of eyes went wide at what they witnessed. ¡°A stave with no peer; all strength, no flaw ¨C that is what I am.¡± The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Ilea¡¯s eyes burned black like the scherzando they hunted; blazing, bursting in the deepest pitch where light could not hope to escape. ¡°Monster¡­¡± Rebecca couldn¡¯t help but mutter. ¡°Yes, that is what they call me. Cursed children; scherzando born; the corrupted; all monikers those of my blood have bore,¡± Ilea spoke like he was reciting his own legend. ¡°Sho, what do we do?¡± asked Pacifica, never tearing her eyes from the creature that towered over them. ¡°I¡¯ll come willingly Mr. Tomoshibi,¡± Ilea Vim repeated his earlier claim. ¡°Provided you can show me something interesting.¡± The man didn¡¯t move, he just stood there. Even so, he was slowly ratcheting up the rhythm radiating off of his body. Rebecca was the first to notice, grabbing her tie and loosening it as sweat began to bead down her face. ¡°He¡¯s gonna kill us¡­ by just standing there¡­¡± Rebecca warned, having long lost control of her composure. The fear in her eyes stabbed Shouri¡¯s heart. He could feel the ever-invasive rhythm filling the space like a deadly gas. There was a reason Ilea picked to wait here. He was making a point. Not even the huge warehouse could contain his seemingly unlimited rhythm. Rhythm so dense and potent that it broke fundamental laws of spellcasting. He made the rules his servant as if he had pressed an override button on reality. ¡°Sho¡­¡± Pacifica grabbed his arm. ¡°D-do you think he¡¯d let us¡­ leave?¡± she whispered. ¡°M-maybe I could¡­ hold him off?¡± Rebecca suggested, though her voice quavered as she did so. Shouri shook his head, his mouth agape as he began to sweat himself. Sacrificing anyone was out of the question, and he wondered if Ilea Vim would let them walk away. He knew they knew everything about his operation at this point. Surely, if he intended to continue his sick experiments, he wouldn¡¯t let them leave. ¡°Punch him.¡± The panicking trio looked to Taika. ¡°Punch him right in the face,¡± despite the oppressive rhythm that hung in the air like poison, Taika¡¯s blue willpower burned defiantly in her gaze. In fact, the longer they waited, the more brilliantly her radiance grew. ¡°He wants to see something interesting? I think you punching him right in his smug face would be the most interesting thing you could do,¡± Taika told her Maestro. ¡°Taika are you out of your mind?!¡± Rebecca barked. ¡°I¡¯m not letting Sho get anywhere near that THING!¡± the fire Resonator cried. ¡°You won¡¯t, and he will,¡± Taika said, her tone remaining even as she spoke. ¡°Y-you¡¯re serious¡­¡± Rebecca gasped. ¡°We don¡¯t exactly have the luxury of joking,¡± said the lunar fox. Rebecca opened her mouth to protest further, but Shouri spoke up before she could: ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°AUGH!¡± Rebecca grabbed her head and shook it. ¡°Paci, tell me you¡¯re at least still sane!¡± ¡°They¡¯re serious Rebby¡­¡± Pacifica said with a sigh. ¡°I trust Taika,¡± Shouri told the other two. ¡°FINE!¡± Rebecca shouted. ¡°I¡¯d rather go down swinging anyways!¡± the vixen growled. ¡°It has to be Sho. We can¡¯t touch him,¡± Taika advised. ¡°But, he doesn¡¯t have to do it alone.¡± There was an implicit understanding the quartet reached upon hearing those words. Shouri took in a breath and recomposed himself. He faced down the older man, flexing his digits as he did so. ¡°Wait wait,¡± Rebecca grabbed Shouri¡¯s hand. She balled it up and rested his thumb over his index finger. She shuffled behind him, holding his fist. ¡°Push off your back leg, throw it forward, use your knuckles as the impact point. Don¡¯t stop when you make contact, push right through him,¡± Rebecca quickly advised, moving his body from behind so he could feel the motion. ¡°Thanks.¡± He managed to grin. ¡°It¡¯s gonna work,¡± Taika told her fellow Resonators. ¡°We just have to believe in him,¡± she said with a smile. Rebecca stepped back, allowing him some space. ¡°That¡¯s so corny,¡± Rebecca chuckled hollowly. ¡°Then again, we¡¯ve done some crazy shit already. This¡¯ll probably work.¡± The fire Resonator shrugged. ¡°He wants to see it,¡± Pacifica noted. ¡°I think this is it.¡± ¡°Hit him with it, Sho,¡± Taika urged their Maestro forward. In a reversal of roles, it was now Shouri¡¯s turn to truly protect them. Not a self-sacrificial throwing his body on the explosion, but stepping up to face down a monster that would kill them if given the chance. ¡°This is your answer?¡± Ilea questioned. ¡°I trust them with my life,¡± answered Shouri. ¡°Very well.¡± The two men stood face to face, sizing one another up. Well, at least Shouri was doing the sizing up. Ilea remained as stoic as ever as if he was alone in the room. Shouri held up his hands, both balled up in fists, just as Rebecca had shown. However, what she didn¡¯t show him was that defensive positioning. It all felt natural. The suffocating rhythm that previously surrounded him had long ceased being a problem. ¡°We¡¯re hunters,¡± Shouri spoke. ¡°Anything that endangers lives, we¡¯ll take them down ¨C with force if necessary.¡± He drew his fist back, his feet following suit, giving him all the leverage he needed. ¡°GO!¡± ¡°GET¡¯M!¡± ¡°SHO!¡± Ilea¡¯s eyes widened ¨C for the first time his poker face cracked. What was unseen by most was painted vividly before the rhythm master. Shimmering blues, reds, and yellows intertwined, sparkling around the Maestro whose attack rapidly approached. ¡°Beautiful¡­¡± Ilea Vim whispered as he watched his rhythm shatter away in the wake of the incoming fist. THWACK! Chapter 170 ¡°I don¡¯t know how this keeps happening,¡± grumbled Shouri, arms folded across his chest with indignance. He hated being separated from his Resonators. It was becoming concerningly common in his life and he grew weary of it. What else persisted was his run-ins with law enforcement. He sat in the back of a cop car, with Emily being his ridemate in the back. A Maestro Officer and their Resonator partner for the evening sat in the front, also having a conversation. Thankfully the thick vatonium-infused glass separating the two groups also muffled the conversations, so the two pairs didn¡¯t have to talk over each other. ¡°How¡¯d your end go?¡± asked Shouri ¨C his first real opportunity to get info on what the others had been up to. ¡°Uhhh, well we got as far as outside when suddenly the whole police force was pinning us to the walls and reading off our rights,¡± Emily replied. She sighed, hanging her head. ¡°I¡¯m so getting deported.¡± ¡°Wow, ye of little faith,¡± Shouri rolled his eyes. ¡°What about Ilea?¡± she asked. ¡°Punched that fucker right in the face,¡± the boy grinned. ¡°Wait, YOU? Not Rebecca or Taika?¡± ¡°Me. They couldn¡¯t touch him.¡± ¡°But you could?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not arguing with the results.¡± The patrol car rolled on. One thing they did manage to catch despite the muffling protective glass was the radio up front talking about the multiple arrests for the evening. Though this was brief and the two young Maestros in the back cared not as it soon turned to prattle on about unrelated affairs. ¡°Did they get everyone?¡± Emily asked, resuming their conversation. ¡°I saw Colette, Elijah, and Vince getting carted away if that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking,¡± replied Shouri. ¡°No Faith?¡± Emily raised a brow. Shouri shook his head. ¡°No trace of her or her Resonators. Probably gotta ask Vince about that.¡± Emily nodded slowly. ¡°Speaking of missing persons, did you find Liza?¡± came Shouri¡¯s next question. Emily furrowed her brow. ¡°Liza? She¡¯s that dragon girl you took in for a little bit in Naiza, right?¡± she asked for clarification. ¡°Yeah, her. She disappeared after our fight with her ex-Maestro, haven¡¯t heard from her since.¡± Shouri¡¯s voice lowered. ¡°I was hoping we¡¯d find her.¡± The princess frowned hard, turning her head. ¡°No, she¡­ wasn¡¯t there,¡± she informed him, quieter. ¡°Damn it all,¡± grumbled Shouri. Before they could dwell on the fate of those missing any longer, they arrived at the VdV headquarters. Like the other buildings in Quiretteh, the VdV HQ stuck to the ancient modernized standards the other structures in the city held. The impressive shiny white stone bore modern windows, with hand-carved statues of stone adorning not only the meticulously kept courtyard, but the tops of the building itself ¨C as if the ancient heroes of yesteryear were watching over the constabulary of the present era. Shouri whistled. ¡°Impressive,¡± he commented. ¡°You¡¯re way too relaxed,¡± Emily narrowed her eyes at her fellow Maestro. ¡°I got to punch the guy directly responsible for my childhood friend¡¯s seven years of torture right in his smug fucking mug. I¡¯m going to be riding the rush of that for at least a year,¡± he boasted. ¡°Carry on I suppose,¡± shrugged the princess, though she failed to suppress the smile brought on by his infectious mood. Speaking of carrying on, it was their turn to carry on, into the police station. Before unlocking the doors, Shouri noted the Maestro calling a spell. He wasn¡¯t sure of which one, but based on the yellow tuner the officer was carrying it had to be of the lightning element. Before either door was opened, he also flipped down the guard on the gun at his side ¨C allowing him to draw it if needed. The whole set-up was suspicious. They were taking all these precautions¡­ but where were the handcuffs? He spotted a pair of them at the officer Maestro¡¯s hip, so it wasn¡¯t like they didn¡¯t have them. Was it because of Emily? Surely they wouldn¡¯t think to roughhouse the princess of Luna. Shouri perked up. How did they know who Emily was if that was true? It¡¯s not like she went around advertising who she was. She even used a fake family name to avoid suspicion. It wasn¡¯t like the princess of Luna was particularly well known. The door swung open. All he could do at present was play along. What they didn¡¯t know is he could still feel Taika ¨C they hadn¡¯t removed her beads, probably just thinking they were jewelry and not a proto-tuner. At worst, they could find each other. He wondered if he could impart serenity into his undoubtedly concerned fox. There was this strange sense that existed as a shadow over him ¨C she was upset. It wasn¡¯t mere suspicion, but fact. ¡°It¡¯ll be okay Taika,¡± he spoke under his breath. Maybe it was the trick of his mind, but the panic dulled, curling his lips up. ¡°Hm?¡± Emily glanced at her fellow detainee, brow raised. ¡°Just keeping them calm,¡± Shouri whispered to the other Maestro. There wasn¡¯t time to question that as the pair were ushered into the station. Given it was well past midnight at this point, the office was sparsely staffed, the graveyard shift covering down for late-night bookings like them. Something Shouri noticed that he hadn¡¯t before was the variety of elements among the Resonators. It seemed they had nearly every element covered with uniformed Resonators proudly carrying badges and defense equipment like their Maestro counterparts. Rather than guns, however, they had holsters with bright glowing Rubato crystals. ¡°What are they?¡± Emily whispered, noting there was a majority of one particular Resonator species among the Police¡¯s employ. Even with the menagerie of colors influenced by their elemental affinities, many shared similar traits ¨C large floppy ears with thin fur, and short tails with coarse fur lining them. Another interesting quirk was their nose curved ever so slightly upward. ¡°Suids ¨C swine or hog species; they have the Rhythm Rooter species trait making them good for investigations,¡± Shouri explained quietly. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s that one do?¡± asked Emily. ¡°Besides a good sense of smell, they¡¯re excellent at sniffing out latent rhythm in the air. Some of the best from what I¡¯ve read,¡± he told her. ¡°Oh, they must be able to identify who was at a crime scene based on the rhythm still in the air,¡± the princess realized. ¡°Bingo.¡± Shouri nodded. Their conversation came to an abrupt end, as they were led into one of the meeting rooms in the back of the building. However, they weren¡¯t alone, as they were joined by four others. ¡°Wait, Miro? How the hell did they link you to this?!¡± exclaimed Shouri as soon as he caught sight of the Natural among the ranks of the incarcerated. ¡°I am not sure. Suddenly these men came into the room and told me to come with them,¡± fretted the fox, adjusting the uncomfortable device around his neck. ¡°They said the computer was suspicious and took it away,¡± he added. Shouri grunted in frustration. Probably Vienna¡¯s handiwork, he knew she wasn¡¯t the most above-board individual, but it did explain why she made herself scarce after their part was done. Was she sloppy on purpose? Keep the authorities distracted while she made her getaway? It could be anything with that girl. His gaze fell back onto Miro, who continued to fidget with the collar. The fox boy yipped as the device jolted him (presumably with rhythm) as punishment for messing with it too much. Shouri honestly wanted to snap at their captors ¨C this was another reason he didn¡¯t want Miro near the building. He couldn¡¯t be sure how the Riterran police would treat a Natural like Miro. The rest of the group was quiet. Vince was sitting on a couch, head in his hands; no doubt dreading having to explain to his parents that he got arrested again. Elijah was a bit more ruffled than Shouri was used to seeing him as, but if anything the Klein heir looked indignant about his arrest. Colette was pacing and chewing down her fingernails. And finally, Emily kept her gaze firmly on Shouri, her hands folded together. The hope in her eyes made his stomach churn with guilt. Besides Miro¡¯s rhythm suppression collar, the Maestros in the room were free to use theirs. Granted, none of them possessed any tuners, so there wasn¡¯t much they could do with it. The door opened and several suited individuals walked in. Clad in formal business attire, they were at odds with the geared-up battle-ready police officers guarding the doors just outside the room. The stand out was the one Resonator in their midst ¨C a small boy with green hair and robes. The distinct feature that separated him from the Maestros he stood among was the long, thin reptilian tail wrapped around his waist. A snake, Shouri noted mentally. Nature element he surmised, but couldn¡¯t place which of the five snake families this boy belonged to ¨C he missed Rebecca. ¡°Please, take a seat,¡± were the first words they heard from these individuals. None of the detained moved only ratcheting up the tension between the two groups. ¡°Why?¡± Elijah spoke up. ¡°What are your intentions?¡± he further questioned. ¡°We¡¯re here to discuss the terms of your punishment,¡± said the lead suit. ¡°What kind of punishment?¡± Elijah asked, unable to hide the wariness in his voice. The gaze of the strangers in the room shifted to Shouri. ¡°We want you to open a guild.¡± Shouri furrowed his brows. The suits continued to stare at him specifically. Not Emily nor Elijah, but him. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Wait¡­¡± Shouri stepped backward. ¡°Me?¡± he pointed at himself. ¡°Yes, Mr. Tomoshibi. We¡¯ve been keeping a close eye on you.¡± ¡°Not making me feel good,¡± mumbled the Maestro. ¡°Let me take over,¡± one of the other members of the suit gang approached the apprehensive young adults. She was the only one wearing a tuner, a green device bound to a nature Resonator. ¡°Cheryth Arkwright, I¡¯m a guild liaison.¡± She motioned to the snake who had stepped forward with her. ¡°This is my partner, Haruki.¡± The snake gave a short bow as his greeting, allowing his Maestro to continue. ¡°Tonight¡¯s events¡­ were dangerous and I¡¯m being nice when I say that. Didn¡¯t you think for a second there was a reason we had not brought in Dr. Vim ourselves yet?¡± Cheryth didn¡¯t wait for them to answer. ¡°We needed evidence of what he was doing before we could move in. It was awfully convenient that every time the VdV moved in to try to pin him down the evidence just evaporated.¡± That was a concerning fact Shouri was afraid to hear confirmed. A new train of thought brewed in the young man¡¯s mind. If Ilea was able to avoid the authorities like he had for apparently years, why now? Why could a ragtag group of young adults bag one of the most elusive criminals in probably all of Riterra? ¡°¡­show me something interesting.¡± That couldn¡¯t be it. Ilea Vim being bored couldn¡¯t be the reason this was so easy¡­ None of them were even hurt! Something was going on. Shouri wasn¡¯t the paranoid sort; okay maybe he was a little paranoid, but this all went too well. And by the way Cheryth was talking she felt similarly. ¡°If I must be honest if Dr. Vim hadn¡¯t been so agreeable, this could have been a major disaster. We¡¯re talking mobilizing the Grand Masters level of possible damage.¡± The woman¡¯s gaze sharpened. ¡°You got lucky. In playing hero, you almost put a major metropolitan area in cataclysmic danger. It was extremely stupid and reckless of you all to do this and I know you all know better.¡± The accused shirked back at the harsh tone. They did plan for that, but none of them could deny the allegations. Their only real contingency plan had rested on Miro¡¯s shoulders ¨C to call the police and local MA Offices if everything fell apart. It didn¡¯t but... ¡°To be fair, I did have some of father¡¯s top security detail stationed around the building as well,¡± Elijah chimed in. Shouri snorted indignantly, giving the Klein heir the side eye. ¡°Woulda been nice to know that detail Mister Klein,¡± he muttered under his breath. ¡°Yes, we talked to them as well,¡± Cheryth focused her scrutinizing gaze on Elijah, who was more than happy to sharpen his gaze back. ¡°Even with your people watching, it still could have been a bloodbath out there,¡± Cheryth asserted. Another stab of guilt hit the group as they avoided the judgmental scrutiny of the authorities. ¡°If I¡¯m being frank, we should be processing paperwork to have you all locked away for a long time for this foolishness.¡± Studying the rueful expressions of the young adults gathered, Cheryth decided they had enough of the scolding and allowed her glower to fade. ¡°Buuuut we¡¯re not,¡± her tone notably fell back to a less authoritarian level. ¡°In fact, I dare say you did exactly what you set out to do. You stopped one man¡¯s cruelty disregarding any personal cost you would have to pay.¡± Shouri allowed himself to meet Cheryth¡¯s gaze. He didn¡¯t like where this was going, but it didn¡¯t sound like she was about to throw them in jail. ¡°So!¡± The suited woman clapped twice. One of the men stepped forward with a bundle of papers. He walked over to the meeting table and dropped the stack. ¡°We¡¯ve already got all the paperwork here. All you need to do is sign on the dotted line!¡± ¡°Woah woah, wait¡­¡± Taika would know something was going down as Shouri practically grabbed hold of his rhythmic link with her and yanked it like he was dying. ¡°Why me? Why not Elijah? Or Emily even?¡± questioned the boy. ¡°Well¡­¡± Colette spoke up. ¡°You did organize this whole thing,¡± said Emily, turning her head away from their group¡¯s leader. ¡°You¡¯re really good at it,¡± Vince sheepishly chimed in. Elijah simply nodded in agreement with the other three Maestros. ¡°I don¡¯t want it,¡± Shouri shook his head. ¡°Just fine me to hell, I can work it off.¡± Cheryth sighed, shaking her head. ¡°Can you take the rest of them out of here? I want to talk with Mr. Tomoshibi in private.¡± Shouri ground his teeth, only able to muster a frustrated scowl as all of his friends were carted out of the room, leaving him alone with this woman and her Resonator. Despite the glower Shouri continued to wear, Cheryth not only remained calm but relaxed with the diminished presence in the room. ¡°Okay, Mr. Tomoshibi. Let me cut to the chase,¡± she began anew. ¡°What you achieved tonight was frankly terrifying,¡± she said. ¡°What? Punching Ilea in the face?¡± he snarked back. ¡°That was one thing yes ¨C you not only managed to bag him and bring him in, but you beat him one on one. That¡¯s not everything, however.¡± ¡°You managed to do it with the help of the heir of one of the biggest companies on Riterra AND the current Princess of Luna. Do you know how absurd this is? Surely you realize this,¡± Cheryth pointed out. Thinking it over, yeah it was kind of hard to believe when it was presented like that. One of the greatest rhythm masters on Riterra was taken down by a normal average guy from Lybertera who somehow managed to recruit two people linked to highly influential figures in their system. ¡°Fuck,¡± Shouri cursed. He had long ceased being normal. He had earned himself the attention of the Riterran government, because of course he did. ¡°It¡¯s not only that but we¡¯ve traced your records as a hunter. Your Resonators¡¯ growth over the last half year has been nothing short of miraculous,¡± Cheryth continued to sing his praises, causing the boy to try to make himself smaller than he was. ¡°So that¡¯s why I¡¯m here,¡± she said, stepping over to the table. ¡°This guild paperwork is already filled out, the only thing left is for you to write your mission statement and guild name.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not doing it,¡± Shouri asserted. ¡°Besides, guilds require five Maestros minimum to be established, and ten Resonators among those five,¡± he countered. ¡°If you force Me, Emily, Vince, Elijah, and Colette, we only have nine Resonators between us.¡± Cheryth chuckled knowingly - Shouri didn¡¯t like that. ¡°The guild establishment charter requires ten spellcasters; defined as individuals capable of utilizing elemental magic.¡± She paused, allowing the horror to wash upon Shouri¡¯s face. ¡°There happens to be a tenth individual amongst your ranks capable of utilizing rhythm to cast spells in an elemental capacity.¡± ¡°Miro¡­¡± Shouri fell backward into a nearby chair. ¡°You¡¯re gonna force a Natural to work in a Riterran guild?!¡± he snapped, glaring at the woman. ¡°To be entirely fair, he does seem happier with you all than back home,¡± Cheryth said with a shrug. ¡°Tch,¡± Shouri clicked his teeth, averting his gaze bitterly. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of being spied on,¡± he grumbled. ¡°Just sign it already.¡± Cheryth held out the pen for him. He refused. ¡°You know,¡± Haruki spoke up for the first time since walking into the room. ¡°I am quite shocked with Mr. Tomoshibi¡¯s actions,¡± he stated simply. ¡°I had guessed he¡¯d eagerly sign up for the chance to right a fundamental flaw of this world.¡± Shouri and Haruki¡¯s eyes met. ¡°What?¡± he asked the snake. Haruki smirked. ¡°Something in your file said you care very deeply for Resonators. The exact wording was something to the effect of ¡®obsessively so¡¯,¡± said the snake. ¡°My thought was you¡¯d use this opportunity to make a guild worthy of that obsession.¡± Shouri Tomoshibi wasn¡¯t one to be baited. However¡­ this forbidden fruit suddenly looked quite appealing. He turned to the papers stacked up on the table just to his right. Mission Statement: His eyes remained transfixed at the empty space before him. Slowly he allowed his vision to fade into darkness, focusing on the string connecting to the ones that mattered to him the most. ¡°What should I do?¡± he whispered. In the void of his heart, he heard them speak. ¡°Follow your heart, Sho¡± ¡°We¡¯re right behind you.¡± ¡°We trust you.¡± When his eyes opened next, the pen in his hand was at the end of the box, his choice documented loud and clear. Mission Statement: To rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome Resonators in crisis, ensure their healthy lives through education, advocacy, and affordable services, and inspire a community where the Maestro-Resonator bond is celebrated and nurtured. Cheryth smiled at the completed box. ¡°Yeah, that sounds like the you I¡¯ve read about in your file,¡± she said with a nod. ¡°You got an idea for a name?¡± came the next hardest question all evening. Shouri hummed. He thought about it long and hard, but he didn¡¯t just want any name. He wanted something that really sold his mission statement. Something that said, ¡°You can start your new life here.¡± Something that celebrated the most important people in his life. Before his mind could catch up with his body, he found he had already written his answer: Pruned Trees Re-Sprout Chapter 171 In half a year Shouri Tomoshibi¡¯s life had gone from directionless to driven. However, today was another day for him to question what in the world he was doing. Sitting in a small meeting room alongside his three Resonators, the air was stuffy. Whoever was in charge of the ventilation systems needed a serious talking to. (It wasn¡¯t going to be him.) The warm muggy air that hung in the room only compounded the discomfort he felt from his new attire. He hadn¡¯t grown used to the formal jacket, nor the glasses sitting on his face. Pacifica insisted on the frames though, backed up by Taika and Rebecca after they saw him sporting them. It was all for visuals, but either way¡­ ¡­he feared he may have unlocked something in his loyal trio. The door opened and the quartet rose. Shouri extended a hand over the table for the new entrant to the room. ¡°Good afternoon, Mister¡­¡± ¡°Leary, Tristan Leary,¡± he said, shaking Shouri¡¯s hand. ¡°Shouri Tomoshibi, I am the guild master. Please, have a seat,¡± Shouri motioned to the chair opposite the four. As all gathered took their seats, Tristan noticed Taika. He raised a brow at the Lunar element who was the only one behind a laptop screen. Her eyes were closed, arms folded across her chest. Without moving at all, there was the distinct sound of keys on a keyboard being pressed. ¡°Ah, my apologies, allow me to introduce you to the panelists for this interview,¡± Shouri motioned to the trio. ¡°Pacifica, she will be asking you questions regarding your interest in our guild.¡± ¡°Rebecca will be delving into your prior experience as a Maestro.¡± ¡°And Taika will be handling any note-taking that needs to be done.¡± Tristan nodded slowly. ¡°If I may ask sir, will you be part of the interview?¡± the applicant asked. ¡°No,¡± Shouri said without missing a beat. He pushed his glasses up and smiled. ¡°I hope that is not a problem.¡± ¡°Not at all!¡± Tristan exclaimed. The keyboard came to life again upon completion of that comment, drawing his eyes to the lunar element. ¡°Good afternoon, Mister Leary, do you have any questions before we begin?¡± Pacifica spoke up, once more earning a jump from the applicant. ¡°Uh¡­ no,¡± he replied. ¡°It¡¯s okay to be nervous. Interviews are pretty scary,¡± Pacifica said with a smile. He simply nodded in response. ¡°First question: Can you tell me about yourself and your history with Resonators?¡± Tristan shifted in his seat for a moment before answering. ¡°Well, I¡¯m currently a duelist, but I¡¯m uh, not a very good one. I was thinking about trading my license in for a hunter license.¡± Rebecca spoke up next. ¡°How do your current Resonators feel about that?¡± ¡°Oh! Uh, I haven¡¯t talked to them about it yet,¡± he replied. ¡°I see,¡± said Rebecca as Taika¡¯s keyboard furiously clacked away in the background. After a sufficient amount of time in silence passed, Pacifica moved on. ¡°Right, next question. How did you find out about our guild?¡± ¡°Uh, I found it in the upcoming guild listings. I wanted to see about getting in on the ground floor of something,¡± he admitted. Pacifica nodded. ¡°I can see that. That answers my next question, so I suppose I¡¯ll move on. Do you find yourself getting along better with Maestros or Resonators?¡± ¡°Well-¡± He bit his tongue as he mulled over his answer. ¡°I uhh¡­¡± he tried to fill the space. ¡°Take your time,¡± Pacifica said with a patient smile. After about thirty seconds of silence, Tristan found his answer. ¡°Resonators.¡± ¡°Why?¡± came Rebecca¡¯s instant inquisition. ¡°Uh, they¡¯re just easier to talk to?¡± he stammered out. ¡°Is that a question or a statement?¡± her expression sharpened, though it was clear she was trying to fight off a glower. Tristan gulped. He was sweating at this point. ¡°Darn AC is on the fritz,¡± Shouri commented, easing the applicant¡¯s anxiety. ¡°Statement,¡± Tristan finally responded. ¡°I see.¡± Rebecca nodded curtly. Another harsh silence followed, only broken up by the clacking of Taika¡¯s keyboard. ¡°Let¡¯s move on to the next question; why are you the best candidate for our guild?¡± Pacifica folded her hands on the desk, offering an expecting smile to the man. Who immediately crumbled under the simple question. ¡°I uhh.. well um¡­¡± he stammered, doing everything he could to avoid looking the otter in the eye. ¡°Well, I like Resonators and I¡¯ve worked with them for a while, and uh¡­¡± Rebecca removed her hands from the table, slowly sliding them onto her lap. She closed her eyes, instead focusing on the novel Taika was writing with the insane clip of notes that were being penned up nearby. ¡°Thank you for your time, Mister Leary,¡± Pacifica spoke up suddenly. ¡°Sho?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Shouri rose to his feet, walking around the table and to Tristan¡¯s side. He offered a hand once again. ¡°You¡¯ll hear from my Vice guild master in the coming days regarding our decision.¡± Tristan accepted the handshake but hung his head. It was obvious to everyone in the room what that decision would entail. Once the applicant had left the room Pacifica spoke up. ¡°So? What do we think?¡± ¡°Hell no, let¡¯s get out of here,¡± he waved his trio out of the room. None of them were going to argue with that and shuffled out of the room behind their Maestro. The Lyreann Maestro Affairs Office was generous enough to lend them some meeting rooms to conduct these interviews, but they did have to vacate fairly quickly afterward. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°Man, nobody is gonna actually make it to my questions, are they?¡± complained Rebecca. ¡°People aren¡¯t good at lying,¡± said Pacifica with a shrug. ¡°Non.¡± Taika shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not just letting any Joe in off the street. If we could find kindred spirits out there as hunters, we can definitely find them in the guild system,¡± Shouri stated. They came to a stop in the lobby, and Shouri lowered his head. ¡°Then again¡­¡± he mumbled. ¡°Maybe people like us don¡¯t end up in the guild system?¡± Taika suggested. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I was thinking,¡± Shouri replied quietly. A quick glance around the lobby told him what people thought ¨C the eyes that lay upon them now shimmered with a sort of reverence. Now it wasn¡¯t just his Resonators that earned attention, but he himself held his own share of the presence. Shouri¡¯s gaze fell on the emblem stitched into the breast of his jacket. It was a dual crescent design, the top half green nestled into a larger brown one. A hand extended to the inside of the circle formed by the two crescents holding a small green sprout. The letters PTRS were overlaid in the bottom right corner of the emblem. The symbol of their organization they thought up after a couple of days of brainstorming. ¡°A spout of new beginnings,¡± Taika spoke up. ¡°and a helping hand at the root of our cause,¡± Pacifica sang. Rebecca coughed, her face splashed a bit of red. Pacifica grinned, suddenly wrapping an arm around her fellow Resonator¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Come on Rebby, you like it~¡± teased the otter. Poor Rebecca tried to make herself smaller, refusing the provocation. ¡°Come onnnnn you said it was cute~¡± Pacifica continued to tease. ¡°I told you that in confidence!¡± Rebecca hissed. Shouri smiled and shook his head. He pulled his glasses off and pocketed them. ¡°Come on girls, I want to get out of this stuff and see what the others are up to.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll grant you this Mister Tomoshibi, your vision is grand,¡± Elijah spoke over the tuner. ¡°Say no more, today¡¯s a bust on your end too,¡± groaned Shouri, throwing his head back. Now back in his usual lighter clothes, the boy sat at the desk in his room at the MA Office. ¡°We¡¯re a guild now, why don¡¯t we get a nicer room?¡± Rebecca complained, sitting on the desk Shouri was at. ¡°MA Offices are neutral grounds,¡± Elijah spoke from the phone. ¡°Even I am treated as no more as a commoner when I stay there.¡± ¡°Bullshit. You got that lady to let me and Zino scrap that one time,¡± Rebecca pointed out. ¡°That was merely to cover any damages you two may have caused. The fact that they were considering asking the Klein Foundation to front the cost of such incursions should more than prove their neutrality,¡± he countered. ¡°Tch,¡± Rebecca clicked her tongue, snapping her head away from the direction of the tuner. ¡°Do you have any good news Klein?¡± asked Shouri. ¡°Nothing you don¡¯t already know,¡± Elijah stated simply. There was a brief moment of silence. ¡°You,¡± the Klein heir paused, choosing his words carefully. ¡°You haven¡¯t had the time to check the group chat, have you?¡± was what he decided on. With a big dramatic sigh, Shouri pulled a second tuner out. ¡°Vince will join us when we have a proper guildhall, and oh, Emily will be back in a week. That¡¯s news,¡± noted Shouri. ¡°Surprised Vince¡¯s folks didn¡¯t kill him for getting arrested again,¡± Rebecca chuckled. ¡°They seem like nice enough people. At least this time he was on the right side of history,¡± Shouri said. ¡°My ears are still ringing from mom and dad screaming at us. I thought they were gonna take me away for sure,¡± Pacifica shuddered, remembering the verbal assault they had gotten when they finally broke the news to her parents about what they had done. ¡°Anywho, I must get going. The real estate market won¡¯t conquer itself,¡± Elijah cut in before a whole conversation started. ¡°Wait,¡± Shouri spoke up. ¡°Yes, Guildmaster?¡± said Elijah with a titter. Shouri squirmed at the title; one he still hadn¡¯t grown entirely accustomed to. Strangers were fine. His friends on the other hand¡­ well, all of them knew it was a button to press. ¡°Maybe we could get something more of a fixer-upper,¡± Shouri suggested. The line remained quiet for a moment. ¡°A property in poor condition that we have to fix ourselves,¡± Shouri clarified. ¡°Ah yes¡­ the context makes that obvious, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Elijah said with a sheepish chuckle. ¡°I¡¯ll let our agent know.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± And with that, Shouri was left back with his thoughts and Resonators. ¡°I have an idea Sho,¡± Rebecca snapped him out of his thoughts. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Well, we always found more people to our uhh, taste out while hunting. Like that Solana chick and her Resonators?¡± Rebecca recalled. ¡°Yeah?¡± Shouri raised a brow. He hummed and stroked his chin. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± he muttered. ¡°Hunters are more likely to be people who actually give a shit about others,¡± he mused aloud. ¡°Right! That¡¯s my thought! I mean there¡¯s always bad apples, but letting people come to us isn¡¯t working out,¡± Rebecca continued her train of thought. ¡°It¡¯s a good thought,¡± Pacifica chimed in. ¡°So we¡¯re going hunting tonight?¡± Taika asked. ¡°Looks like it,¡± Shouri couldn¡¯t help his smile. ¡°Let¡¯s get ready.¡± Chapter 172 It had been a couple of months since their last hunt in Lyreann. In fact, the last time saw Shouri leaving the forest on a stretcher fighting for his life. To say a lot had happened in the intervening time was an understatement. It felt like a lifetime ago since they had even been on a proper hunt. As they waited in line to register for tonight¡¯s festivities, one thing remained on his mind: Cheryth¡¯s words from a month ago. ¡°Your Resonators¡¯ growth over the last half year has been nothing short of miraculous.¡± Even from the last time they were in Lyreann itself (which was only about three months ago), his trio had grown leaps and bounds. Taika had unlocked and mastered her ad-Lib. Pacifica was a more confident fighter who leaned into her attribute beautifully. Rebecca, while not making the same strides as her fellow Resonators, was still growing stronger as well. He was proud of them, smiling at the thought of their continued progress. ¡°Next!¡± The Maestro approached the booth, proudly handing over the three tuners attached to him. Things never went smoothly for Shouri Tomoshibi, however. ¡°Wait a minute, you¡¯re a guildmaster?¡± asked the booth registrar. Shouri closed his eyes, took in a deep breath, and exhaled through his nose, trying to avoid being overdramatic. (The back rub of assurance from Pacifica helped ease his mind.) ¡°Yeah¡­ uhh PTRS¡­ Pruned Trees Re-Sprout,¡± he answered. ¡°Never heard of you.¡± ¡°We¡¯re new.¡± ¡°Well appreciate a guildmaster¡¯s help.¡± It didn¡¯t seem like a problem, but the trio of tuners was slid back to him without the usual check-in process being completed. ¡°Is it really that big a deal?¡± questioned Shouri, replacing the devices at his side. ¡°I mean, you are a guildmaster. They don¡¯t hand those out like candy,¡± said the attendant. They looked over the three curious Resonators behind their Maestro. ¡°Your three look pretty tough.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t register us though,¡± Shouri noted. ¡°No, Guilds are outside of MA Office jurisdiction. Your guild liaison will handle any member payments for work you do out here.¡± ¡°Right¡­ we have one of those.¡± It was taking everything in Taika¡¯s willpower to keep Shouri from complaining too loudly. ¡°Either way, you¡¯re a free agent. You can bring your guild members on hunts, join up with the regular hunting parties, or just wander around and take out Scherzando. Whatever you want,¡± the registrar informed the new guildmaster. ¡°Makes sense, I think¡­¡± he said the latter part quieter. ¡°Sorry for wasting your time,¡± he decided before stepping out of line. ¡°No worries, it¡¯s pretty rare to see a new guild master, definitely a treat!¡± The fact that Shouri had been addressed as a guild master the entire conversation wasn¡¯t lost on the other Maestros waiting in line. He was in his usual green jacket and black pants combo ¨C normal street clothes. Even so, the muttering and pointing was a bit unnerving. Pacifica blushed, huddling closer to their Maestro. ¡°They uhh¡­ they¡¯re in awe of us,¡± she mumbled quietly. It was one thing when people were staring at Rebecca for being a Renard, or Taika for her lunar element, but this was different. All three Resonators were being appraised as powerful simply because of Shouri¡¯s newly gained title. ¡°Hrmph¡­¡± Rebecca too huddled close to Shouri, trying to avoid the appraising stares of the public. ¡°Maybe we should go?¡± Taika suggested, otherwise unphased by the attention. ¡°Sure, let¡¯s set up a few spells and then I got a call to make.¡±
¡°You could have told me about this shit,¡± Shouri complained to Cheryth as they walked through the woods. A small pack of flame foxes lit the way, alongside water, ice, and lunar foxes for good measure. The sounds of spellcraft in the distance were a decent backing track for their little jaunt through the woods. If nothing else it broke up Shouri¡¯s caviling that most certainly could be heard throughout the woods. ¡°You never asked!¡± was Cheryth¡¯s rebuttal from the other end of the line. ¡°I¡¯m a hunter, you would think something that affects my job would be one of the first things you told me!¡± he countered. ¡°No sir, your job is guildmaster of PTRS. You just happen to have a hunter¡¯s license.¡± ¡°Mmrpgh.¡± ¡°Either way, if you want to go hunting, just shoot me a text so I know to get the forms filled out in the morning,¡± she told him. ¡°I don¡¯t mind. It¡¯s good networking.¡± ¡°Mrrrrgh¡­¡± ¡°No complaints mister! But I do hope you have fun out there.¡± ¡°Yeah, thanks,¡± he said. ¡°Talk to you tomorrow.¡± ¡°Sure sure.¡± As soon as the line dropped, Shouri let out a dramatic sigh, hanging his shoulders. Taika placed a hand on his back and rubbed it reassuringly. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°Thanks, Taika.¡± With that minor disturbance out of the way, the quartet got down to business. The traveling formation was still a work in progress, mostly Taika¡¯s positioning. Rebecca always took the vanguard position with her flame foxes illuminating the path. Pacifica remained by Shouri¡¯s side with the three elemental foxes in a triangular formation around them. Taika was trying out covering the rearguard but wasn¡¯t sure how she felt about trailing behind her dear friends. Either way, the formation began to tighten as they approached a group of Scherzando. Per the map, it was a larger group that the other hunters were either ignoring or too intimidated to handle so early in the evening. ¡°Sho, can I go first?¡± Taika requested upon reaching the crowd of Scherzando. ¡°Oh, sure.¡± It wasn¡¯t what Shouri had planned, but it was safe to say they were all curious about the efficacy of Taika¡¯s ad-Lib against Scherzando. ¡°Paci, Rebby, can you be ready in case this doesn¡¯t work?¡± she requested of her teammates. ¡°Of course!¡± Pacifica smiled, prepping some ice needles. ¡°Like you needed to ask,¡± Rebecca said with a chuckle, the trio of elemental rhythm beasts taking their place in the front. The flame foxes covered their backs. Shouri couldn¡¯t help the amazement as he watched Taika get into position. The 107 beads slowly floated out from Taika¡¯s clothing and took positions hanging in the air. ¡°If they get too close to us don¡¯t hesitate to take them down,¡± Taika reminded her fellow Resonators. ¡°Definitely,¡± Pacifica nodded. Rebecca simply flashed a thumbs up, keeping her eyes on the Scherzando milling about. The four waited in silence, observing the pack of beasts that milled about in the clearing. The waxing crescent of the moon made it darker than normal, but Taika didn¡¯t need such trivialities as light to spot her prey. She needed to test what kind of damage she could do ¨C that was the point of this exercise after all. As such, one single bead was selected as the first soldier. With a flick of a mental thumb, she fired off the bead like a bullet, nailing its¡¯ target: the closest Scherzando to them, a large elk-shaped shadow adorned with bark. It punched clean through the beast but didn¡¯t take it out. The only thing the attack had accomplished was alerting the idling rhythm beast to their presence. That wouldn¡¯t be a problem for long as the remaining 106 beads went in for the kill, wrapping around the beast¡¯s neck and slamming it into the ground to dissolve it. Unfortunately, such a brutal takedown alerted the rest of the horde to the presence of dinner ¨C Shouri and his Resonators. ¡°Rebecca, stay close, you and Pacifica keep them from getting to us ¨C Taika, Loro Formato Lunare Lago, Legato!¡± Shouri commanded immediately. The girls traded places, Pacifica and Rebecca taking Taika¡¯s spot, while Taika backed up to begin creating the Lunar-Water Ossia spell. Rebecca kept Pacifica safe by kicking away any Scherzando that got close. Pacifica fired off needles like an otter machine gun, keeping the beasts contained in a small spot. The furious assault continued until- BOOOOOM! A giant space rock crushed the enemy resistance. The elemental foxes rushed out on Rebecca¡¯s mental command to clean up the stragglers. ¡°Whew,¡± Pacifica wiped the sweat from her brow. ¡°That went well I think,¡± she grinned. ¡°We did learn a few things,¡± Taika noted, her beads rotating around her body. ¡°My beads can interact with Scherzando, despite losing connection when near a Maestro or Resonator,¡± she stated. ¡°One alone isn¡¯t enough to kill ¡®em though,¡± Rebecca observed. ¡°So much for operation ¡®One Taika Army¡¯.¡± Shouri shrugged. ¡°The choke slam was pretty cool,¡± added Pacifica. ¡°It¡¯s probably better if I send clusters of beads out to channel spells through,¡± suggested Taika. Shouri nodded in agreement. ¡°Also, we can use you as anti-air when dealing with flying Scherzando,¡± he proposed. ¡°Oh yeah, that¡¯s a good idea,¡± Taika realized. With the return of the friendly rhythm beasts, the area was cleared of Scherzando. ¡°Let¡¯s keep going,¡± Shouri urged the group onward. ¡°Good shooting out there,¡± Rebecca praised Pacifica as they resumed their trek. ¡°Thanks,¡± Pacifica chuckled sheepishly. ¡°I had a good teacher,¡± added the otter coyly. ¡°Grk¡­¡± Rebecca¡¯s face reddened, as she jerked her head away from the water element. ¡°Che? Maybe I should have Rebby give me some lessons,¡± Taika teased, taking up the side that Rebecca had tried to turn to to avoid Pacifica¡¯s teasing. ¡°Go away!¡± The fire fox stomped ahead of her two teammates. Another smile from Shouri, he was doing that a lot recently. ¡°I¡¯m blessed,¡± he whispered to himself. Chapter 173 Rebecca¡¯s eyes fluttered open on the morning of the twelfth. Almost immediately the girl wore a serene smile. The warmth of her Maestro wrapped possessively around her felt good. This was where she belonged. This was the only thing she ever wanted in life. She allowed herself a pleasured breath as she buried her face into his chest. Everything was right in the world. ¡°Good morning my fiery little vixen,¡± tickled her ears. Her cheeks grew uncomfortably warm. That tone of his felt so indecent. It was at that realization she found they were alone. Where had Taika and Pacifica gone? She couldn¡¯t hear them. ¡°Come here,¡± her chin was pushed up and her lips were claimed by her Maestro¡¯s. Well if they were alone then it was okay to be greedy, right? Her hands snaked around his back as she leaned into the kiss. They broke for a second to breathe before resuming their private affair. Another few founds left her heart fluttering and lips well moistened. She wondered how long this arrangement would last. She didn¡¯t get much more time to ruminate on that, as her train of thought was derailed by Shouri¡¯s next words. ¡°Happy birthday Rebecca.¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Why was her face wet? Oh¡­ she was crying. Why was she crying? ¡°You knew?¡± her voice cracked as she spoke. ¡°Of course I knew. I¡¯d never forget such an important day,¡± Shouri whispered. She kissed him again. ¡°I thought I¡¯d be better than Taika¡­¡± she sniveled. ¡°It¡¯s okay Rebby, just let it out,¡± said Shouri. The vixen took him up on that offer, hiding her mess of a face in his shoulder and allowing her emotions to drain out. ¡°Let it out,¡± Shouri stroked the back of her head as she trembled in his grasp. ¡°Don¡¯t want you crying when we go out.¡± ¡°Wh-where are we going?¡± sniffled the fox. ¡°To get your driver¡¯s license, of course.¡± Her bottom lip trembled as the storm of emotion only intensified. She reburied her head into his shoulder and cried louder. All Shouri could do was chuckle and give her time to let it out. Hopefully, they wouldn¡¯t be late.
Rebecca¡¯s heart was not meant to be still today. Her Maestro woke her up with his lips (something that lived rent-free in her head), and now they were at a driving school. This wasn¡¯t even something she fantasized about ¨C Rebecca Renard was a tool, not a person with hopes and dreams. Yet here she stood. ¡°D-don¡¯t you need a license too?¡± she brought up. He flashed her tuner at her. ¡°Got mine already. Took the test last week.¡± Sure enough, Shouri¡¯s newly minted digital driver¡¯s license was displayed on the screen, showing an active date of October first. ¡°That¡¯s where you¡¯ve been going all month¡­¡± Rebecca muttered, shooting him a suspicious stare. ¡°Yeah, I had Cheryth arrange to take me here after our meetings were done for the day, and then do some driving to get the required hours,¡± he replied. Shouri grinned at her. ¡°Not that I¡¯m a fan of driving. But if you want to drive, I¡¯ll make sure you can.¡± Rebecca folded her ears back, lowering her head. ¡°You really did all of that for me?¡± she mumbled. ¡°Dunno why you¡¯re so surprised. I¡¯m willing to take a spell for you; what is a driving test compared to that?¡± Shouri shrugged. Her sullen expression morphed into an annoyed glare. ¡°I guess,¡± she pouted, earning a tousle from the Maestro. ¡°Let¡¯s go. There¡¯s a lot of practical stuff they gotta teach you before they let you behind the wheel of one of these things,¡± he informed her. He took her by the hand and led her into the building. Rebecca looked around in awe at the small school they were in. Besides the check-in, there were a couple of offices and a classroom. From out the window in the back, she could see a full driving course and several cars adorned with distinctive ¡°Learner Driver¡± stickers all over them. The Renard gulped. Sure, she liked cars and wanted to drive them, but this was a whole different beast entirely. Shouri¡¯s effort to get his own license in full was all so she could do the same. He planned all of this to coincide with her birthday¡­ She couldn¡¯t let him down! The orientation was pretty mundane stuff. The teacher introduced the course material, which was all to be completed in one ten-hour class. ¡°Are they serious!?¡± Rebecca hissed. They had gotten up pretty early, but still¡­ ¡°They have a bunch of options for course material, I just wanted it done in one go rather than the week of two-hour classes I did,¡± he whispered back. ¡°I guess that¡¯s better,¡± she conceded the point. The first part of the day was going over the basics of driving starting with how the licensing process worked. The requirements for a Resonator like Rebecca were pretty simple: 1.) Shouri (her Maestro) needed to possess his full driver¡¯s license. 2.) She had to take the class they were currently attending (which was eight hours of road rules and safety in the classroom as well as a two-hour vehicle basics outside) 3.) Finally she had to complete fifty hours total of driving with her Maestro present and ten of these hours must be at night. At least at the end of today, provided she passed the final written test, she¡¯d walk out with her learner¡¯s permit. The classroom section was boring in Rebecca¡¯s opinion. A lot of the road rules were pretty easy to intuit, things like ¡°stop at a stop sign¡±, while others were less obvious like what to do when traffic lights were out. Some other concepts discussed were things like how to navigate changing lanes, and highways, and even lessons on how to handle driving in inclement weather. She was thankful Shouri was by her side during all of this. Her mind was as sharp as her battle sense. It made the written exam a cakewalk since she was able to retain most of the concepts she had been taught over the course of the day. While their physical learner¡¯s permits were printed out, they were guided out of the building and onto the practice course for the vehicle basics course. ¡°How the fuck do they expect us to remember all that?¡± groaned the fox. ¡°It was much more digestible in the two-hour daily courses,¡± admitted Shouri while rubbing his exhausted vixen¡¯s shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s okay, this next part is more fun.¡± He patted her back and urged her over to where the others had gathered. ¡°Alright!¡± The teacher clapped to get the attention of the class. ¡°Please get into one of the cars, doesn¡¯t matter which one.¡± With that in mind, Rebecca beelined for the red one out of the group of average sedans that sat ready for the students. Given she was one of the few Resonators in the class, she was simply faster than her competition and landed her first choice comfortably. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a race,¡± Shouri laughed as he took his place on the passenger side. ¡°I wanted this one,¡± Rebecca stated adamantly, her tail wagging. ¡°If you say so.¡± The Maestro smiled; glad his precious Resonator was enjoying herself. ¡°Go ahead and sit in the driver¡¯s seat! Don¡¯t start the cars yet!¡± the instructor shouted to the class. Shouri and Rebecca went ahead and took their respective seats. There was a lot to take in all at once. Sure, she¡¯d seen plenty of cars in her short life, but sitting behind the wheel itself was an entirely different experience. She took in a deep breath and extended her arms out, taking grasp of the wheel at the ten and two positions, just as taught in class. Her breath remained even as she eased her heart in the same way she did before a fight, her focus narrowing (again just as she did in battle). ¡°Scary, isn¡¯t it?¡± Shouri¡¯s voice snapped her out of her tightened focus. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°A little bit,¡± admitted the fire Resonator. ¡°They talk about how easy it is for one of these things to hurt someone¡­ or worse,¡± she muttered. Rebecca looked over and watched one of the Maestros who was getting their license puking in the grass most likely from the stress of it all. At least she was more composed than that poor soul. The Maestro nodded. ¡°That¡¯s why you need to be responsible when you drive,¡± he warned. ¡°I trust you,¡± he motioned to the other cars around them. ¡°But they also trust you not to be reckless.¡± Rebecca nodded. After a moment of silence, Shouri broke into one of his patented explanations. ¡°Vehicles like these run on engines called Harmony Drives. Rhythm is converted into electricity which is then run through a special motor which is basically electrically created magnets. By switching the polarities of these magnets, the motor uses the changing of the repelling forces of the magnets to rotate a shaft to create a mechanical force that allows the car to move by turning the wheels.¡± ¡°Uh,¡± was all Rebecca could muster. ¡°My brain hurts,¡± she decided after a moment, resting her head on the steering wheel. ¡°Basically, all cars are powered by converting rhythm into electricity and electricity into magnetic force,¡± he simplified for her. There was one thing Rebecca latched onto. ¡°Why don¡¯t Scherzando try to eat cars then if they¡¯re full of rhythm?¡± She couldn¡¯t think of a time she heard of Scherzando attacking cars. In fact, something she was only recalling now was that cars were extremely safe to be in at night. ¡°The rhythm cells are encased in dense rhythm-dampening material, similar to Vatonium, or Ceo¨ªche cages,¡± he added. ¡°All modern cars have Vatonium cages and a similar compound in their paints, so to a Scherzando it¡¯s just a really big moving rock.¡± ¡°That makes sense,¡± Rebecca nodded. ¡°That¡¯s also why there was a whole section on proper maintenance and making sure the car isn¡¯t leaking rhythm,¡± Shouri reminded her. ¡°Right, it¡¯d be bad if a Scherzando started chasing cars down the road.¡± She shuddered at the thought. It was at this point the teacher began giving instructions. Seatbelts on first, naturally. Check mirrors. Windows down to hear instructions. Doors closed. Then it was time. ¡°Go ahead and start the car!¡± Another deep breath as Rebecca reached under the wheel column and pressed the start button located there. With her highly sensitive rhythm, she noticed it ¡°pricked¡± her rhythmically speaking. Sure enough, the reason for this became clear as soon as the vehicle¡¯s engine started. ¡°Welcome Rebecca,¡± was displayed on the screen in the center console before resting on a map screen with a clock in the corner. ¡°The car won¡¯t even start if you¡¯re not a registered driver,¡± Shouri reminded her. She nodded. Shouri glanced at his tuner and noted it flipped to drive mode and disallowed him from texting or opening any other distracting apps while the vehicle was started, despite him not being the driver. ¡°Hm, must be because she¡¯s a learner and they want me to focus on her rather than whatever I want to do,¡± he mumbled to himself. ¡°Smart system.¡± Though something he did note was spellcasting was still entirely on the table. Probably as a defensive measure in the event that it was needed. The teacher stopped by the car. ¡°Oh good, you¡¯re already ready to go,¡± they noted. ¡°You¡¯ll go first then. Put it into gear, and drive the circle. No need to press on the gas, just take it easy and get used to how it feels while the car is in motion.¡± After the teacher stepped away, Rebecca flicked the car into gear and pulled away from the car¡¯s resting space. Shouri remained quiet, allowing her to focus on the task at hand. It was slow going, not even a fraction of the speeds she wanted to feel. But she was trained better than some adrenaline junkie. In this way, it was just like her ad-Lib training. Start slow. The speed will come with time. Rushing foolishly would only get her hurt. That wasn¡¯t a mistake she was willing to make again ¨C especially with her irreplaceable Maestro by her side.
Unis-R¨¦sonne Driver Learner¡¯s Permit
Resonant Registrant Rebecca (F/N) [Fox] Date of Issue 10/12/2018
Maestro Registrant Shouri Tomoshibi
Sex F Eyes RED Hair RED Hgt 5¡¯4¡± DOB 10/12/2000
¡°It¡¯s really mine,¡± Rebecca held out her learner¡¯s permit card as they returned to their room at the Lyreann MA Office. It didn¡¯t feel real, yet there it was in her hands, all her information, her picture, her rhythm signature burned into it. All hers. Something to cherish and protect. The pair stopped in front of their room. ¡°I hope you had a good birthday,¡± Shouri said. ¡°It was the best,¡± Rebecca replied. ¡°You¡¯re the best,¡± where she thought her mouth stopped it continued. ¡°I love you, Sho.¡± Her hands snapped to her mouth as her heart froze upon realizing what she had done. Sure, they kissed¡­ maybe it was more appropriate to call it making out, but they kissed and that was one thing, but she hadn¡¯t ever vocalized her feelings like that. It wasn¡¯t a lie but¡­ how¡­ ¡­would he react¡­? She didn¡¯t want to see; she didn¡¯t want to hear. She was horrified. Even after everything he had done for her, everything they had been through together, she still denied he held anything but a small fascination for her. Maybe that¡¯s why¡­ ¡°I love you too, Rebecca.¡± ¡­it was unbelievable for her to hear those words in return. Her strongest stave was emotion, her social sense. Years of being treated as an object taught her to focus on the expectations of those around her. To be the perfect tool is to understand what is demanded of you. Rebecca learned this at a young age and it shaped her identity. And yet, that same stave that was purpose-built to be useful only to a weapon was telling her she was loved as a person. Not a familial love, but romantically desired by the Maestro standing before her. ¡°You what¡­?¡± she dared to ask. ¡°I love you. I don¡¯t know how else to say it,¡± Shouri sheepishly averted his gaze. He frowned, making her heart sink. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re the first to say it though,¡± he mused. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Rebecca squeaked, her heart continued to hammer uncomfortably in her chest. ¡°Neither Taika nor Pacifica has said a word to me about their intentions, though I doubt they¡¯re any different from you,¡± he replied. Rebecca gulped. ¡°N-now what?¡± she managed to get out. Shouri placed a hand on her shoulder. ¡°We talk. All of us.¡± Chapter 174 Pacifica had a small idea of what was happening when Rebecca and Shouri returned. She had expected Rebecca to celebrate her learner¡¯s permit, but instead, the poor fox looked like she wanted to crawl into a hole and die. They were all asked to sit on the couch, Shouri sitting on the table, their opposite. What¡¯s more, he had handed over their tuners. It was a symbolic gesture ¨C whatever he wanted to say was between them as people, not as a Maestro to his Resonators. Embarrassment? Maybe? It was difficult to parse ¨C Rebecca was purposefully obfuscating her emotions so Pacifica couldn¡¯t read her. What was her fellow Resonator hiding? It most definitely had to do with whatever Shouri was about to talk to them about. Poor Taika was even more in the dark and she didn¡¯t have the luxury of being able to read the room. She occasionally stole glances at Rebecca, trying to focus on Shouri, but being hopelessly distracted. ¡°Alright,¡± Shouri finally spoke. ¡°I think it¡¯s finally time we have this talk,¡± he began. He hummed in thought, gathering his words before speaking again. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a secret we¡¯ve all been kinda¡­ involved with one another for some time now,¡± Shouri decided. Pacifica nodded, her suspicions of the topic now confirmed. ¡°I¡¯m not gonna pick one of you.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± three confused, yet concerned gazes met their Maestro. ¡°Maybe I worded that poorly, I¡¯m going to pick all of you,¡± he rephrased. ¡°HUH?¡± More confusion. Shouri took a breath and continued. ¡°Look, I love all three of you. I¡¯m gonna be honest about that. I love you three so damn much. The thought of leaving any of you out hurts ¨C I don¡¯t want that. So fuck it, I¡¯m going to be greedy. I¡¯ll just love all three of you.¡± Silence. His bravado started to fade in the face of the overwhelming quiet. ¡°I hope that¡¯s not a problem,¡± he muttered. Pacifica lowered her head, trembling. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Shouri¡¯s brows turned up as he braced himself for the rebuttal. ¡°GREAT!¡± the otter threw her head back, her expression bright. ¡°I love you Sho!¡± she shouted as if throwing a great weight off her shoulders. ¡°But¡­ Taika, Rebby, I love you too¡­¡± her smile was radiant, though the tears of relief that poured down her cheeks spoke to her own anguish about the situation. Rebecca¡¯s face was completely red as she tried to hide from the world with just her hands alone. Regardless, Pacifica¡¯s outpouring of emotion earned a muffled ¡°me too,¡± from the fox. Taika was the only one left, and now all eyes were on her. Her expression was just as troubled as the other¡¯s had been previously. The weight of this conversation was not relieved by simple admission. ¡°I¡­ never thought I¡¯d be here,¡± she spoke quietly. ¡°Do¡­ you all really¡­ love someone like me?¡± ¡°Taika-¡± Shouri reached out for her, but Rebecca snapped and turned on her, pinning the lunar fox to the arm of the couch. ¡°Someone like you?!¡± hissed the Renard. ¡°How dare you?!¡± Rebecca growled. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re included! Why wouldn¡¯t I?! Why wouldn¡¯t we?!¡± barked the fire element. Taika trembled, refusing the intense blazing eyes bearing down on her. ¡°I¡¯m not honest with¡­ any of you.¡± Before Rebecca could ask what she was going on about, Shouri spoke up. ¡°None of us care about that. We know we¡¯re going to have to deal with your¡­ caretakers eventually,¡± Shouri said loud and clear. ¡°That¡¯s another reason I had Rebecca train me,¡± Pacifica chimed in. ¡°I don¡¯t care who or what they are. They¡¯re not taking you away from me-us,¡± Rebecca added, keeping the other girl pinned. And now it was Taika¡¯s turn on the teary-eye express as she got the relief the others had cashed in already. ¡°Really?¡± she squeaked. Rebecca eased up. ¡°Really,¡± she whispered. ¡°I know we got off on a bad start¡­ but I do love you too,¡± though she admitted this, Rebecca¡¯s face was rapidly approaching her hair in hue. ¡°I don¡¯t deserve this,¡± Taika sniffled. ¡°But I love you¡­ I love you all so much¡­¡± Shouri finally cracked a smile. ¡°Alright, bring it in.¡± He held his arms open for his trio, a mistake as he got slammed onto the table by the weight of the three girls he had decided to share his life with. After a good hug and cry, they resumed their positions. ¡°So now what?¡± asked Rebecca. ¡°Ground rules remain the same but with one new caveat; we¡¯re keeping this little arrangement of ours among the four of us. Nobody else,¡± Shouri stated. ¡°I agree,¡± Pacifica said first. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s fair,¡± Rebecca nodded. ¡°What about Vienna?¡± Taika wondered. The room went silent. Shouri grunted, once more deciding on how he should address this. ¡°I know for a fact she doesn¡¯t love me, and I know she sure as hell doesn¡¯t love any of you.¡± The couch-bound trio nodded in hearty agreement at that assessment. Shouri continued, ¡°Even so, I promised myself to you three, not her. Even if she comes back, I won¡¯t take her tuner. She has Faith. I at least hope that their relationship was mended, wherever they ended up.¡± ¡°He¡¯s deadly serious about that,¡± Pacifica confirmed. The two foxes nodded, accepting Pacifica¡¯s confirmation as gospel. ¡°Thank you lie detector Pacifica,¡± Shouri joked. ¡°No problem,¡± Pacifica grinned and winked back. After a moment, the quartet laughed heartily. All was at peace in the world.
The next morning came with the group returning to their usual routine. However today, Pacifica decided to mix it up. ¡°Hey Rebby, go with Sho to get breakfast.¡± ¡°Huh? Me? Why?¡± questioned the fox. ¡°You hardly ever get to go on breakfast runs.¡± The otter leaned in close to the fire fox. ¡°Plus, I¡¯m sure you want more alone time with Sho since you spent yesterday mostly at school,¡± she whispered. ¡°You¡¯re up to something,¡± Rebecca pointed out. ¡°Perhaps,¡± Pacifica tittered quietly. ¡°Fine, have fun I guess,¡± Rebecca stood up straight. Shouri watched the exchange happen but decided to let them self-mediate. ¡°Alright, come on,¡± he waved Rebecca to follow along, which she did dutifully. Thus Pacifica and Taika were left alone. ¡°Finally,¡± Pacifica turned to her fellow Resonator. ¡°Che?¡± Taika tilted her head. ¡°You¡¯re the only one I have yet to kiss,¡± the otter said with a grin. ¡°Dio mio¡­¡± the fox whimpered as Pacifica approached. Pacifica didn¡¯t let her escape, grabbing hold of the other girl before she could get too far. ¡°We literally had a big confession session last night. Just let me have this,¡± Pacifica whispered. ¡°You¡­ kissed Rebecca?¡± Taika asked. ¡°Of course, how was she?¡± Pacifica fired back with an inquiry of her own. ¡°Warm, nice,¡± Taika mumbled. ¡°Yeah, that was my experience.¡± The otter girl shook her head. ¡°But we¡¯re not talking about her, we¡¯re talking about you and me right now. Come here!¡± With all of her attempts at deflection failing her Taika had no other choice left but to let it happen. The warmth of Pacifica¡¯s lips against her own was amazing. She relaxed in her friend¡¯s grasp, Pacifica¡¯s stronger tail wrapped around her legs as they fell backward onto the bed. The vixen gulped as she was now securely pinned by her taller counterpart. ¡°Good?¡± Pacifica asked. ¡°B-bene¡­¡± Taika said, her face flushed. ¡°Good, ''cause we need to make up for lost time.¡± ¡°Dio mio¡­¡± Taika whimpered as Pacifica approached for a second round.
¡°Where¡¯s Taika?¡± Shouri asked as they returned to the room. Pacifica pointed at the vaguely Taika-shaped lump underneath the blanket. ¡°Not gonna ask,¡± Shouri decided, setting down breakfast to be claimed by the others. He placed a take-out box on the edge of the bed for Taika to claim when she got over herself. ¡°So, what are we doing today?¡± Rebecca asked, plopping down next to Pacifica and popping open one of the containers. ¡°Dunno,¡± Shouri joined the two girls on the couch. ¡°Everyone else is everywhere,¡± he considered aloud. He watched in slight amusement as Taika slowly crawled out from under the covers and perched herself on the end of the bed to consume her food. ¡°Emily is still on Luna, Elijah is busy house hunting for us, and Vince is back in Lybertera until we get something concrete down,¡± the Maestro continued. ¡°That leaves Miro and Colette,¡± Pacifica brought up. ¡°Oh yeah¡­ Miro was at school with her, wasn¡¯t he?¡± Rebecca recalled. ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s in the same field of study as her ¨C Rhythm research,¡± Shouri told the group. He glared at the calendar app on his tuner. ¡°It¡¯s Saturday, but I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she¡¯s doing some work today to make up for lost time,¡± mumbled the Maestro. ¡°I wonder if us becoming ¡®official¡¯ affected our rhythm at all,¡± Pacifica pondered aloud. All eyes were on turned otterward. ¡°What?¡± Pacifica asked. ¡°That¡¯s a good question,¡± Rebecca said. ¡°We can probably have them check out our tempo and find out,¡± Shouri offered. Taika remained quiet during this whole exchange; sitting at the foot of the bed, her ears folded back while she held herself. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°Taika,¡± Shouri spoke up, causing the girl to jump. ¡°Thoughts?¡± he asked. The vixen hummed, furrowing her brows as she refused the concerned gazes of her friends. ¡°Non,¡± she shook her head. Shouri walked over and knelt in front of her. ¡°Hey.¡± She refused his gaze. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it,¡± he offered. ¡°Non,¡± she refused again. ¡°Taika-!¡± Rebecca stood up. Shouri held a hand to stay her rage. ¡°I promise you Miro isn¡¯t like them,¡± he whispered gently. ¡°I met a lot of friendly Naturals in Subterris. I¡¯m not asking you to love him and skip through the fields together, but he¡¯s someone I trust.¡± Shouri held her hands as he spoke. She remained quiet, the torment swirling in her eyes. Her normally bright blue rhythm that glowed in times of stubbornness remained muted, her natural blues being allowed to display her grief. He squeezed her hands tighter. ¡°I love you Taika,¡± her face flushed red at the statement. ¡°If you can¡¯t trust him, can you trust me?¡± he asked. Her lips trembled as she shakily nodded her head. ¡°That¡¯s my girl, come on love.¡± He stood up. Poor Taika¡¯s face remained red ¨C this was their new normal, huh?
¡°Fuck,¡± Shouri cursed. Lyreann University was the same as it ever was. Fall had fully set in by this point in October, so Pacifica was decked out in her winter clothes she kept from their trek up Mt. Sinchero. The rest of the party had their everyday wear on. However, Shouri¡¯s complaint wasn¡¯t from the chill of Fall, but a different problem that had reared its ugly head upon their arrival. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Pacifica suddenly gasped. ¡°We have no idea where Colette is,¡± she spoke the realization. ¡°We don¡¯t?¡± Rebecca raised a brow. ¡°No, we only knew where she was before because of the specific circumstances behind our visit,¡± Shouri recalled. ¡°The feroce thing,¡± Rebecca furrowed her brow. ¡°We could just wander around until we find her,¡± came the idea. Which earned a furious head shake of denial from the Maestro. ¡°Absolutely not, this place is a fucking maze.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not look for Colette then,¡± Pacifica suggested. ¡°Miro will be easier to find,¡± Shouri nodded in agreement, calming at the proposal. Taika grunted, holding herself tighter. Shouri shot a glance at her. ¡°I can give you something else to focus on,¡± he offered. She was about to ask what he meant when her gaze finally met his. The coy smirk was one thing, but the moistening of his lips. She shook her head. ¡°Far¨° il bravo¡­¡± whimpered the fox. Rebecca caught onto the implication and covered her mouth and nose to hide the red steadily creeping up. Pacifica rolled her eyes. ¡°Cowards,¡± she decided. She grabbed Shouri by the shoulders, spun him around, and accepted the kind offer he had offered Taika - making a scene in the middle of the campus grounds. Thankfully it was Saturday so there weren¡¯t nearly as many people prowling the property to bear witness to their affectionate public display. She broke off after a moment, licking her lips. ¡°Thanks for the meal,¡± the otter said wearing a satisfied grin. ¡°Let¡¯s go find Miro,¡± she declared, pointing towards a building at random. ¡°Oh, she¡¯s gotten worse,¡± Rebecca mumbled. ¡°In public?!¡± hissed Taika. Shouri didn¡¯t appear bothered one way or another, simply following Pacifica¡¯s lead as if the last display of endearment hadn¡¯t happened. Seeing how neither participant was dwelling on it, all Taika and Rebecca could do was follow along. They caught up just in time to see Pacifica accosting a poor defenseless student. ¡°Hey!¡± beamed Pacifica. ¡°C-can I help you?¡± the victim in question asked, not expecting to be attacked by the bubbly otter so early in the morning. ¡°We¡¯re looking for the Natural going here, he¡¯s a small fox boy, earth element,¡± said Pacifica. Rebecca raised a brow; surely it couldn¡¯t be that easy? ¡°Oh yeah, him.¡± Apparently, it was. ¡°He¡¯s been with Professor Fawkes¡¯ class. They usually use Room 118 for Saturday studies,¡± said the student. ¡°Thanks!¡± Pacifica waved the hapless victim off. ¡°There we go,¡± beamed the otter, facing the group. ¡°Not touching that gift sword,¡± Shouri rolled his eyes, strolling towards building one. ¡°Another Sahji-?¡± Taika started to ask. ¡°Yeah. It means not questioning something convenient ¨C lest you draw Sahji¡¯s interest,¡± Pacifica informed the fox as they followed along. ¡°Since Sahji ya know, likes watching people stab themselves with the End of Desire,¡± Rebecca added. ¡°Right¡­¡± Taika nodded slowly. She furrowed her brows. The lack of faith in the Seven Sages was an interesting aspect of Riterran culture she still had problems coming to grips with. Either way, it mattered not. The buildings were just as barren as the courtyards that they passed through. ¡°Saturday,¡± Shouri mumbled with a short, understanding nod. Room 118 was easy enough to find, it was on the second floor, and this time they knew they were in the correct building, unlike the first time they visited the campus. Peeking through the glass window on the door, they found their quarry. ¡°Lucky!¡± Pacifica grinned, pushing the door open. ¡°Oh? We have a guest?¡± an unfamiliar voice asked. The man standing in front of the room took in the quartet that stood his opposite. His calculating gaze studied the four interlopers. Colette, Kaira, and Miro, who were all seated in various seats in the small classroom turned back. ¡°Oh, Shouri!¡± Miro exclaimed. ¡°You know them, Ms. Severine?¡± The older man questioned Colette. ¡°Y-yes Professor! They¡¯re the ones I told you about.¡± The student in question stood from her seat, motioning to the group at the door. ¡°Ah yes, I believe I remember such a name being on your remote studies application,¡± the professor mused. Shouri took that as his cue to enter the classroom proper, followed by his Resonators. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± the professor hummed, stepping around his podium to greet the guests. As he was being scrutinized, Shouri took the opportunity to size up the teacher of this class. A middle-aged man, clean cut, with long black hair. A pair of glasses adorned his face, and his clothes were proper, but worn loosely ¨C a tie allowed to hang tied up, yet looped wide; the top buttons of his white dress shirt unbuttoned. Black slacks and dress shoes completed the look. ¡°Judas Fawkes - Rhythm Studies,¡± the man offered a hand. ¡°Shouri,¡± the Maestro shook the Professor¡¯s hand. Pacifica perked up. She furrowed her brow as she looked the man up and down. Without speaking a word, she grabbed Shouri¡¯s hand and focused on her rhythm. Shouri felt the intention behind her rhythm and returned her gesture in kind. ¡°Oh,¡± the stoic Professor¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°And here I thought Ms. Severine was exaggerating,¡± said Professor Fawkes. ¡°A genuine ¨¤ deux user.¡± ¡°You believe that too, huh?¡± Shouri frowned. ¡°It is hard to argue with facts.¡± The man turned and walked back towards the front of the classroom. ¡°It¡¯s a dangerous thing, ¨¤ deux.¡± The four affected by the phenomenon in question stepped forward, stopping at the end of the rows of desks. ¡°What¡¯s dangerous about it, Professor?¡± Colette asked. He didn¡¯t answer her question directly; instead, he directed a question of his own at the afflicted. ¡°Tell me Mr. Tomoshibi, have you spoken with a Scalatologist?¡± asked Professor Fawkes. Shouri¡¯s brows had been steadily descending into a glare. ¡°Not in a few years,¡± he replied quietly. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Taika whispered to Rebecca. ¡°A doctor who specializes in rhythm health,¡± replied the fire Resonator. ¡°Not surprised. If you had, they may have advised you to distance yourself from your Resonators,¡± stated the professor. Miro looked back and forth between the Professor and his dear human friend; his brows turned up with concern. ¡°Why?¡± Colette fretted, the confusion dripping from her voice. ¡°¨¤ deux is a dangerous thing,¡± repeated the Professor. ¡°Firstly, it requires a Resonator to be emotionally comfortable with their Maestro; that is to say they¡¯re treated more like family than the utilitarian nature most see in their Resonators,¡± Professor Fawkes began. Shouri growled slightly, the scowl refusing to budge. ¡°Secondly, and more importantly, it requires a Maestro with a particular temperament. A hero they¡¯d be called in the past, perhaps a martyr to their Resonators.¡± Miro was flipping through a pocket dictionary. ¡°What is that word mean?¡± he furrowed his brow. ¡°Someone who dies for their cause, in this case, one¡¯s Resonators,¡± Kaira broke her silence. Taika, Pacifica, and Rebecca all looked to their Maestro ¨C that described him perfectly. He had demonstrated that time and again through action alone. It was no wonder Emily and Colette had dubbed them as ¨¤ deux users. Shouri was showing all the signs of it in his behavior. ¡°I considered seeing my Scalatologist again, but I knew they¡¯d prattle the same crap to me,¡± Shouri spat. ¡°You could die; you will die,¡± Professor Fawkes warned. Shouri smirked. ¡°Appreciate the concern, but you can keep it.¡± He brushed his hand across the three tuners at his hip. The three Resonators by his side felt it at that moment ¨C Shouri already knew all of this. However, he did not waver in his conviction. If anything¡­ he planned on mastering ¨¤ deux. Chapter 175 ¡°The camera is ready Professor!¡± shouted Colette, waving from the ref¡¯s box at the mid-point of the court. A tripod was set up with a large, expensive-looking machine affixed to the top of it. ¡°Excellent, thank you, Ms. Severine,¡± Professor Fawkes smiled at his returning student. The ¡°class¡± had moved out to one of the fields on campus. A classic dirt court usually used for Resonator battles, with fresh chalk outlines laid out only the day prior. It was as hot as it was going to get on this October day. The mild temperatures encouraged some exercise from the student population, and as such there were Maestros and their Resonators wandering about, taking in some fresh air. While the teacher dictated instructions to his students, Shouri¡¯s attention fell on his trio. ¡°You still need that?¡± Rebecca asked Pacifica, who was still rocking her jacket. ¡°YES,¡± the otter stated loudly. ¡°It¡¯s not even that cold.¡± The fire element rolled her eyes. Pacifica refused to dignify that with a response and instead focused on the court. ¡°Ms. Severine, Kaira, if you would,¡± Professor Fawkes motioned to the opposite end of the court. ¡°Yes, Professor.¡± The pair took their positions: Colette returned to the camera and Kaira walked across the dirt field and took up her position. ¡°Miro, I suggest you stand behind Mr. Tomoshibi. Just in case,¡± advised the professor. ¡°Si si!¡± The Natural had no qualms about sticking close to Shouri. ¡°And Mr. Tomoshibi, if you would, as we discussed.¡± Shouri took his place in the Maestro¡¯s box closest to him. His trio of Resonators walked onto the court, facing down Kaira. The Earth element pulled up the dirt from the battlefield surrounding her. ¡°You¡¯re good Shouri!¡± Colette waved from behind the camera. ¡°Luce Lunare, Piano,¡± Shouri called, his hand passing over Taika¡¯s black tuner. Taika threw a ball of lunar energy at the target her opposite. The mound of dirt Kaira had summoned held firm. ¡°Next!¡± Colette shouted. ¡°Ghiacclio, Piano,¡± came the next spell. Pacifica threw her ice needles which stuck firm in the sand. ¡°And Rebecca now!¡± Colette barked, keeping her focus on the camera. ¡°Lanciafiamme, Piano,¡± was the final spell from Shouri. Rebecca thrust her palm out, unleashing a stream of fire in Kaira¡¯s general direction. ¡°Alright! That¡¯s good!¡± Colette shouted. ¡°Did you notice it, Miro?¡± Professor Fawkes asked the Natural. ¡°I think? Is hard to tell at this spot?¡± the fox Natural furrowed his brows, stroking his maw in thought. ¡°So, what was the point of this little demonstration?¡± asked Shouri. It wasn¡¯t much rhythm, but it was still a task he hadn¡¯t expected to do when they had come out here. Professor Fawkes motioned for the group to follow. ¡°This way please.¡± The group gathered by the camera that Colette had been strangely fixated on since her last shout. ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense,¡± Shouri heard her mutter as they walked up. ¡°Professor!¡± Colette looked up from the camera. ¡°This can¡¯t be right!¡± she shouted. ¡°Seeing is believing Ms. Severine,¡± the Professor said with a knowing smile. ¡°And that is?¡± Shouri questioned warily. He didn¡¯t answer verbally, instead, the man turned the camera towards the rest of the class and played back the clips in order. Nothing looked off to Shouri or his Resonators. Miro, however, ¡°Oh!¡± cried out when he saw Rebecca¡¯s recorded demonstration. ¡°I don¡¯t get it¡­¡± Pacifica mumbled ¡°What is different?¡± Taika furrowed her brows. Rebecca didn¡¯t say anything but squinted her eyes as she studied the recordings closer on the second playback. ¡°Here, allow me to do this,¡± Professor Fawkes stepped forward and played it back again, but this time had it going in slow motion. ¡°OH!¡± The result was much more obvious in the slower recording ¨C the magic was appearing when Shouri started calling the modifier, not after. ¡°How?¡± Rebecca asked, her eyes wide with shock. ¡°That is ¨¤ deux; your rhythm is so connected that the Resonator may pull from the Maestro¡¯s intention. Put another way, the deeper you lean into this connection, the faster you will be able to cast spells,¡± the Professor explained. ¡°Woah!¡± Taika gasped. ¡°That¡¯s so cool!¡± Pacifica exclaimed. ¡°We can do that?¡± Rebecca said with wonder, staring at her hands. ¡°What¡¯s the catch?¡± Shouri¡¯s pointed question drew the attention of his three Resonators. Professor Fawkes smiled knowingly allowing the thought to fester for just a moment before the dramatic reveal. ¡°The catch,¡± Shouri repeated. ¡°There¡¯s a reason why this power is ostracized, isn¡¯t there?¡± he asked. ¡°You and all those doctors out there wouldn¡¯t make such a big deal about it if there wasn¡¯t.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. The teacher took another moment before speaking. ¡°Such a strong bond transcends the physical realm. Even if the connection is brief, you¡¯ll share their burden, their fate,¡± the man waxed poetic. Before Shouri could snap at the poetic professor, he continued. ¡°Should you be connected and they take damage, you will feel their pain.¡± The previous excitement for the new power was suddenly arrested, as the three Resonators fell silent. A whirlwind of consideration swirled about the trio as any number of doomsday scenarios played in their heads. ¡°And?¡± But Shouri¡¯s lack of concern parted the skies of doubt in the trio. ¡°You said to even get this in the first place I had to be willing to die for them. You really think this warning would change that?¡± Shouri was serious about that. Even Taika felt as much. ¡°Shouri¡­¡± Miro looked on in awe ¨C this was a real Maestro; he¡¯d accept no substitute.
¡°Are you really not worried about that Shouri?¡± Colette asked. ¡°Colette, you watched me take a claw through my gut for one of my Resonators - how are you even questioning this?¡± Shouri pointed out. The group (minus the Professor and Miro) walked the streets of downtown Lyreann. Afternoon was settling into evening as the sky had gradually turned orange with the passage of time. The chill of night blew through the town, earning long sleeves from the Maestros and their Resonators who shared the streets with the large group. ¡°Even without the etude component of ¨¤ deux, I believe Maestro Shouri¡¯s innate curiosity would push him into experimenting with the phenomenon,¡± Kaira informed her Maestro. ¡°I guess¡­¡± Colette mumbled. ¡°I do want to learn more about it myself,¡± she admitted. Shouri turned, halting the group. ¡°Enough to die for Kaira?¡± Colette¡¯s eyes were wide as she stared into his. ¡°I¡­¡± she stammered. The rhythm that blazed in his eyes, the yellow had sparks of blue that swirled around within. ¡°That¡¯s not a fair question, Maestro Shouri,¡± Kaira spoke in place of her own. ¡°I am Colette¡¯s shield. I would not wish her harm in my protection of her,¡± stated the jackal. Her eyes met the three adamant gazes of Shouri¡¯s party. ¡°I believe we do not differ in this opinion,¡± she studied the other Resonators. ¡°We don¡¯t,¡± Taika spoke up. ¡°But if that¡¯s how the game is played so be it,¡± Pacifica added. ¡°Just means we¡¯ll have to be that much stronger,¡± Rebecca said with a shrug. ¡°And there you have it, simple as,¡± Shouri said with a chuckle. ¡°Simple as?! You could get hurt! Or worse!¡± Colette screeched. Shouri shook his head. ¡°Colette, I was planning on being a career hunter before this guild business ¨C one that usually doesn¡¯t end gracefully.¡± He turned his back to the other Maestro. ¡°This way I¡¯ll never get full of myself and forget what they mean to me,¡± he stated before continuing forward, his Resonators following behind without a waver in their step. Colette¡¯s brows pinched together as the quartet walked away. ¡°What they mean¡­?¡± she questioned on a breath. Kaira had no answer for her Maestro, she remained quiet as always.
¡°Are you sure about this Sho?¡± Taika questioned. ¡°I know what we said but¡­¡± she trailed off. Finally alone for the first time since morning, the girls stood before their Maestro who sat on the couch, their concern worn openly. ¡°You heard what I said to Colette, right?¡± he asked. The trio nodded in agreement. ¡°Paci?¡± His gaze fell on the otter. She remained quiet for a moment, her head hung. Her lips pursed as she tested her voice, as if hesitant to admit what she felt. ¡°You meant every word,¡± she confirmed. ¡°There you go,¡± he said. ¡°You can always tell me I¡¯m wrong in public. You don¡¯t just have to blindly agree with whatever I say you know,¡± Shouri noted. ¡°But-!¡± Three cries of worry earned a sigh from the Maestro. He stood. Their fears remained visible. He took the three of them in his arms squeezing them tightly. ¡°Come on, we just spent last night telling each other how much we love one another,¡± he whispered. ¡°We don¡¯t want you to hurt!¡± Taika cried out. ¡°Not you¡­¡± Pacifica sniffled. ¡°I can¡¯t go back¡­¡± Rebecca muttered. They held him and each other tightly, trembling with emotion. He pushed them off, holding Taika out by her shoulders. ¡°So that¡¯s why we lean into it,¡± Shouri stated, earning three confused stares. ¡°We make it ours,¡± he declared in confidence. At that moment, his smile was luminous, and the three Resonator¡¯s worry melted away in the brilliance that was their Maestro. Interlude 10 - A Garnish of Shouri? (Part 1) Hmmm... Interesting. Oh, my apologies, I didn''t see you there... It''s a joke, I''ve been trying to lighten up like Luca has been telling me to. I suppose if we''re meeting again you want to hear another story? Another tale of the boy you''ve come to cherish over these... five hundred thousand words? My goodness that is quite a few. A mere grain of sand in the face of something as so grand as the Book of Kairos, but an accomplishment nonetheless. Let''s see, what do I have here? Ah! Here''s one. The boy you''re familiar with and those he shares his love with, you''re intimately familiar with their exploits. But how about another? What say you we explore a tale of a boy named Shouri''s chance encounter with one who you have yet to meet? That should be interesting, right?
Dalliva was a big city in the middle of nowhere. In all directions from the massive urban center were rolling hills and farmland. Even so, Shouri Tomoshibi still found himself apathetic to his new surroundings. He had been to plenty of cities that looked just like this one. Well, that wasn¡¯t entirely accurate. Not many cities had one singular skyscraper that poked out well above the rest of the moderately tall buildings. ¡°Tomoshibi Energy Center¡± was the name of the singular tall building that blemished the Dalliva skyline with its obstinance. It was almost gaudy in the way that only it alone dared to intrude into Sage Cielto¡¯s domain. And then at night, it illuminated in many different colors. Almost as if being the tallest thing in the region wasn¡¯t enough of a draw, it had to make sure it was seen at night too. Perhaps that is why the young adult wandered away from his family. Visiting properties across the continent came with the territory of being a CEO¡¯s son. Not that he had any grand aspirations of taking over his old man¡¯s mantle. No, there was one thing Shouri wanted to do ¨C find her. His childhood friend who he lost nearly a decade ago. At this point in his life though, with no skills to his name and his refusal to go to secondary schooling, the patience of his parents was wearing thin. He wasn¡¯t an idiot; he knew very well his indecisiveness was going to earn the escalations of his parents'' demands. But what could he do? Walking down a city street was one step. Well, multiple steps, but who was counting? Certainly not him. ¡°Oof!¡± Shouri¡¯s thoughts were interrupted by a girl running into him. She was a small thing, just barely up to his chest in height. Her green hair was¡­ strange. The texture didn¡¯t look right. He didn¡¯t have time to analyze her as she grabbed his shirt, looking up at him, her red eyes wide with desperation. ¡°Help me!¡± she squeaked fearfully. ¡°Huh?¡± Shouri blinked. ¡°They¡¯re after me! Please!¡± the girl begged. Before he realized what was happening, she shoved him into an alleyway, spinning around him to body-block herself. Sure enough, there was the clamor of footsteps behind them, just outside of the alley. Without thinking about it, Shouri stood taller, wrapping his arms around the mystery girl to hide her as much as possible. ¡°Where did she go?!¡± ¡°Split up! She couldn¡¯t have gone far!¡± ¡°Mr. Noel will be pissed if we can¡¯t find her¡­¡± As soon as the commotion faded from their hearing, Shouri released the fugitive and allowed some space. ¡°Thank you,¡± she sniveled, wiping the tears on her jacket sleeve. ¡°What is going on?¡± Shouri questioned warily. Studying the girl, she was clad in pinks and whites, the sole exception being her green leggings. Her hair was strange, as he had initially observed. It looked almost like grass? He knew she was a Resonator as her rhythm carried the distinct aura of being in a forest ¨C a nature element. ¡°They took me from my home and brought me here. I managed to get away but¡­¡± She peered around him, trembling fearfully. ¡°I don¡¯t want to know what¡¯s going to happen if they catch me again.¡± She now looked him up and down, studying her savior. ¡°Oh! You¡¯re a human, right?¡± Shouri raised a brow. Referring to him as a human was odd. It was correct, but every time his race had been referenced in his life it had been as a Maestro. ¡°I guess, yeah,¡± he mumbled. ¡°Be my Maestro!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°Eh?! Wait a second, we just met and-¡± ¡°I know I can trust you! You just have this feeling, I can¡¯t describe it, please!¡± ¡°Hold on hold on.¡± Shouri shook his head, stepping back. ¡°I don¡¯t even know your name.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Holly! What¡¯s your name?¡± Her smile was bright, a far cry from the fear in her eyes only a scant moment ago. The boy sighed. He really was about to take in this little girl as a Resonator, wasn¡¯t he? Damn weak willpower. ¡°Shouri.¡±
He couldn¡¯t claim extreme familiarity with MA Offices. It seemed simple enough at first pass. He walked in, Holly in hand, and strolled up to the front counter where two attendants awaited. ¡°Welcome to the Downtown Dalliva Maestro Affairs Office, how can we help you today?¡± asked the Maestro of the pair of attendants. Shouri immediately shirked at the question. ¡°Yeah, I uh, well I-¡± he struggled to get the words out. Holly shot a glance up, let out a small huff, and changed her expression entirely. ¡°Hiya Miss!¡± the girl greeted. ¡°This nice boy said he would be my Maestro! I¡¯m so happy someone wants to be my friend!¡± she beamed. Shouri¡¯s expression also changed, to one of sheer confusion. That wasn¡¯t her voice ¨C it was far bubblier and innocent than the terrified nature element he had come to know in the last thirty minutes. ¡°Is that so?¡± The attendant turned their attention to Shouri. ¡°As crazy as it is, we bumped into each other on the street and decided to take the plunge,¡± the soon-to-be Maestro stated with a shrug. Though he couldn¡¯t keep himself straight and proper, his back gradually curled into a slump. The annoyed gaze through his narrowed eyes told of his exasperation. This was all so exhausting. Holly squeezed his hand, looking up at her eventual Maestro. She nodded and gave a short smile. I¡¯m being taken for a ride, aren¡¯t I? wondered Shouri. ¡°Alright, what species is she? It¡¯s hard to tell,¡± the attendant asked, starting to fill out some of the paperwork on a tablet computer. ¡°Zalavan,¡± Holly chirped playfully. The two attendants looked between each other. With a nod, the Maestro attendant stepped into the back, leaving Shouri and Holly to be managed by the bovine Resonator attendant. And Shouri now stared slack-jawed at the little nature element. His first registered Resonator was going to be a Mirage class? He knew something was strange about her but didn¡¯t put the pieces together quickly enough. What was worse was the other Maestros milling about the lobby now were interested in what was happening at the counter. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?!¡± Shouri hissed. ¡°I thought you knew!¡± Holly whispered back in her normal voice. ¡°Zalavan aren¡¯t exactly running around the city!¡± ¡°Well excuse me for getting kidnapped!¡± ¡°You got kidnapped?!¡± ¡°Yeah, I wasn¡¯t kidding when I asked for your help!¡± ¡°Oh my god, you¡¯re gonna get me killed.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be fine, just take me with you!¡± Before their hushed argument could escalate any further, a new presence joined the front counter. ¡°Mr. Tomoshibi?¡± they asked. The new person was in a business suit, wearing the same MA Office pin on their lapel as the attendants. Shouri gulped. This looked like a manager or someone equally as important. ¡°Y-yeah¡­?¡± he squeaked. ¡°Follow me please.¡±
¡°For all of our sanity, please call in advance before bringing a Mirage class Resonator for registration. We can make accommodations to have the process done at your home,¡± the manager told the pair who sat together in a small office. ¡°Making a lot of assumptions here,¡± Shouri mumbled under his breath, avoiding the scrutiny of the MA Office manager. Had he figured out what Holly was sooner, he¡¯d probably have shown a bit more discretion. Or maybe headed for the hills. Who knew really? ¡°Did we do something wrong?¡± fretted Holly, that innocent bubbliness coming back in full force. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! ¡°Mirage classes like yourself are extraordinarily rare. If anyone had figured out what you were, there would have been quite a rush to see you,¡± they explained. Shouri nodded in agreement. He knew very well of the seven rare elemental Resonators known as Mirages; called such for their scarcity in the wider world. It wasn¡¯t as if they were beings of myth, all seven were of a known quantity and could reproduce and be otherwise found in the ¡°wild¡± as it were. He shot another appraising glance to Holly who looked back at him and smiled. ¡°The first thing we need to do is check for an existing chip,¡± the office manager stated. They stood up and stepped around the desk, holding a baton-like device. ¡°Stand up please,¡± they requested. ¡°Of course!¡± Holly did as instructed, though she refused to release Shouri¡¯s hand. As the manager worked, Shouri noted Holly gripped his hand tighter. He squeezed her hand back in reassurance, a thin smile rising on his lips. ¡°Hm, no chip,¡± the manager noted. They looked between the soon-to-be pair. ¡°I guess the only thing to do is complete the registration process. Holly looked to her all but confirmed Maestro, grinning brightly. He couldn¡¯t help himself and returned her smile in kind.
¡°Uuuhgg¡­ this sucks¡­¡± groaned Holly, face down in an oversized bed. ¡°It looked pretty bad,¡± noted Shouri, sitting by her side. In his hand, he held a green tuner, the screen resting on the linked Resonator¡¯s status. Shouri Tomoshibi Resonator: Holly Species: Zalavan (Ilex Aquifolium) Element: Nature Attribute: Adaptable (Currently: None) Rhythm: 75% That wasn¡¯t the interesting part ¨C that came from her spell list. Foglie a Lame ¨C (Pianissimo, Piano, Forte, Fortissimo) Colpo di Vite ¨C (Pianissimo, Piano, Forte, Fortissimo) No other spells existed in her spell list, but with a quick internet search, Shouri discovered those were both basic nature element spells and totally maxed out ones at that. Her attribute was also one he couldn¡¯t claim familiarity with. It must have been another thing about zalavan that he didn''t know. ¡°Uhhgh¡­¡± groaned the zalavan again. Now probably wasn¡¯t the best time to drill her with questions. Shouri filed his inquiries away for later and allowed himself to fall back onto the bed. ¡°It¡¯s comfy,¡± he noted. Holly turned her head to face her Maestro. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Her eyelids began to droop. ¡°Comfy¡­¡± And not a second later she was fast asleep. Shouri sat up. Everyone had made such a big deal about her species, but¡­ She looked so tired, so weary. It spoke volumes that she was able to relax around him. That said, he wasn¡¯t sure he could be of any help to her. Sure, he had okay rhythm compared to non-battle-ready Maestros like his parents. But also, eight years of rust clung to the gears of his scale. He never got far with her. Touch casting was a different beast from modern spellcasting. He wouldn¡¯t know the extent of his own capabilities until they tried.
Holly returned to the waking world, the nausea and dizziness from her chipping only hours prior a thing of the past. She immediately felt her head. ¡°One, two,¡± she counted the berries now resting in the grass that crowned her. ¡°Four hours,¡± she yawned. The sky that illuminated the room glowed with orange hues. Evening. Sitting up, she took in her surroundings. She was all alone on the big bed. ¡°Shouri?¡± she whimpered. Her frantic search didn¡¯t last long as she found him resting on their room¡¯s couch. With a soft sigh, the zalavan pushed herself out of bed and stepped over to where her Maestro slept, being careful not to make a sound. She reached the couch and fell to her knees. Watching him sleep was probably awkward by her own admission, but there was this new feeling that welled up in her. It felt as if his essence flowed through her. She understood him so deeply ¨C they shared the same stave, she knew as much. Though she thought her willpower was poor, his lack thereof was deeper than she could ever hope to imagine. Him taking her in meant the world then. She felt truly blessed in that moment. She draped herself over him. ¡°Only you have earned my honesty,¡± she whispered as she allowed his warmth to seep into her. Perhaps she was being rash, all he did was agree to her ridiculous suggestion, but she could feel it ¨C even his following along took every ounce of strength in his pitiful scale to accomplish. That wasn¡¯t right ¨C this boy was incredibly bright. He dwarfed her intelligence by a large margin, not even from experience. The divide between the two ends of his staves was a gap that would bring most to ruin. Even so, his logical mind considered everything, even them. The impression she got was this boy was fanatical about Resonators. Perhaps that¡¯s why he so easily agreed to help her, a total stranger. ¡°I¡¯ll protect you, and in turn I know you will me,¡± Holly breathed, tightening her grip around him. Shouri stirred, opening his eyes. It was dark, night had fallen while he slept. There was something behind him and wrapped around his chest. The white cloth he realized belonged to his new Resonator. Holly was behind him, her front at his back. She was small enough that they could both lay on the couch without falling off. ¡°Holly?¡± came his somnolent ask. As his voice reached her ears, she tightened her grip for a moment before she spoke, ¡°Huh...?.¡± The grogginess in her voice informed of what she had been doing before his own awakening. ¡°Why?¡± he asked. ¡°You looked lonely,¡± she replied without missing a beat, as if it should have been obvious. He cleared his throat, pulling up their shared tuner to check the time. She shuffled herself up, just in time to get flash banged by the bright screen of the device. She squeaked and buried her face into his shoulder. ¡°Huh?¡± Shouri¡¯s confusion inspired Holly to brave the blinding light to find out what perplexed him. As her vision cleared, she could read the text displayed on the screen. It was information about her. That shouldn¡¯t have been surprising, but the strange glowing text left no secrets hidden. Shouri Tomoshibi Resonator: Holly Species: Zalavan (Ilex Aquifolium) Element: Nature Attribute: Adaptable (Currently: Toxic) Rhythm: 100% Available via the Toxic Attribute Spore di Veleno ¨C (Presto, Allegro, Moderato, Adagio, Lento) Tempesta di polline ¨C (Presto, Allegro, Moderato, Adagio, Lento) Il Raccolto Della Natura Linfa Appiccicosa ¨C (Tenuto or Mosso) Speaking of secrets, she intuited that he must not know much about what she was. He was like her: he needed info to work with. If they were going to be partners that meant no secrets. ¡°Shouri,¡± she spoke up. ¡°What is it?¡± he asked. ¡°How much do you know about what I am?¡± she asked. He paused. ¡°Not as much as I should,¡± he admitted, his voice stoked with shame. ¡°Don¡¯t be,¡± she replied. ¡°I¡¯ll teach you,¡± added the plant girl. ¡°I¡¯ll make you an expert.¡± The pride those words carried was enough to convince the boy.
Lights now on, the pair sat up on the couch, facing one another. A new aspect of Holly¡¯s biology was instantly obvious. ¡°You noticed. Good boy,¡± Holly giggled. Shouri flushed, averting his gaze in a huff. ¡°We zalavan carry plants atop our heads. Usually, we¡¯re named after monikers our resident plant carries. I¡¯m Holly, and I carry hollies.¡± She lowered her head, allowing him to take in the majesty of her attached plants. The evergreen branches were small enough to be mistaken for hair clips, a couple of spiny shiny leaves hung from each side of her head along with two bright red berries that graced each branch. ¡°For every two hours I sleep, I restore one berry. I can¡¯t grow more than four at a time ¨C trust me I¡¯ve tried,¡± she continued. ¡°Zalavan can take the rhythm from plants including our own to cast spells. Just as you can ask magic of me, so can I command the magic of Sage Lanvi¡¯s cherished greenery,¡± the zalavan waxed poetic. ¡°It consumes the donor plant,¡± Shouri guessed. ¡°You got it!¡± Holly beamed, glad she had accurately appraised her new Maestro. Shouri hummed thoughtfully. He stared at the tuner, specifically Holly¡¯s attribute. ¡°You get more spells based on what seed types you possess,¡± came the next guess. Holly smirked, pushing herself towards the boy. ¡°Are you suuuure you don¡¯t know about zalavan?¡± she teased. The Maestro backed up. ¡°It seems pretty self-explanatory based on what you¡¯ve already told me,¡± he countered. Another satisfied grin rose on the nature element¡¯s lips. ¡°That makes things easier then,¡± she replied. ¡°Should we go then?¡± he asked. ¡°Go?¡± and now Holly was confused. ¡°Hardware store. You must be really uncomfortable without seeds on you, right?¡± Holly¡¯s smug smile faded as fluster rose on her cheeks. ¡°D-don¡¯t do that,¡± she squeaked. ¡°Do what?¡± he asked with a head tilt. ¡°N-nothing! You¡¯re right! Let¡¯s go!¡± Interlude 10 - A Garnish of Shouri? (Part 2) Oh? Back again? You wanted to know more about what happened to Shouri and Holly? Well I suppose there wasn''t a thrilling conclusion. Let me see here... Ah, here it is. Let us continue~
¡°Wow, this is so amazing Shouri!¡± Holly exclaimed. He shot a perplexed glance at the Resonator. The tone of her voice had changed again. It was far removed from the girl who calmly explained herself only an hour ago. This other persona of hers was overly bubbly, almost na?ve. He got the distinct sense that she was putting on a performance¡­ unwillingly. Questions to dedicate to later. Right now, they had to pick out some seeds. Thankfully the local hardware store had yet to close. Revo Repo had everything one would need to start a garden, though the employees didn¡¯t know the garden in question was the little zalavan girl. ¡°What seeds do what?¡± asked Shouri. ¡°Fire,¡± she pointed to some cayenne pepper seeds. ¡°Healing.¡± Strawberry seeds. ¡°Shadow.¡± Cherry tomatoes. ¡°Earth.¡± Carrots. ¡°Light.¡± Sunflower. Two of those weren¡¯t like the others. ¡°Shadow and light?¡± questioned Shouri. ¡°Yeah!¡± Holly beamed like it should have been obvious. And it was after Shouri gave it a bit of thought that it clicked. ¡°Oh, Lunar and Solar have shadow and light-based spells.¡± Further considering that point, he also recalled Holly¡¯s current toxic attribute. The poison, pollen, and sap aspects of trees fell under that. The rest of the nature spells must be under a woody or plant category or something like that. ¡°So, what do you want?¡± he asked. ¡°We don''t have much money so we should be a bit frugal and focus on getting the most value for our notes,¡± advised the Maestro. Holly hummed thoughtfully. There was a lot to consider, ideally, she''d get a little bit of each but if their money situation wasn''t ideal then- ¡°Water,¡± he interrupted her thoughts. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What gives water magic? We should stock up on a ton of that,¡± he suggested, looking at her. ¡°Good idea,¡± sang the plant. After another twenty minutes of scrutinizing, they had their selections. Watermelon provided the water magic needed to deal with any pesky fire elements. Strawberries as healing would always be useful. And so-called ¡°White Icicle¡± radishes, which true to their name provided ice spells. They were putting a lot into the ¡°water basket¡± as it were, but considering Holly¡¯s primary weakness was fire, Shouri didn¡¯t want to take any chances. Plus, he could call nature spells for her, so it wasn¡¯t like they were going to run into problems with uppity lightning elements. ¡°Why are we going this way? Isn¡¯t the front that way?¡± Holly wondered as they walked deeper into the store. ¡°Gonna see if they have something to hold all these. Need to make sure you not only have an easy way to reach the seeds but also keep them organized,¡± explained the Maestro. ¡°Oh! That¡¯s a good idea!¡± beamed the little plant. As it turned out, there wasn¡¯t a neat solution to their problem. This was a hardware store, after all, so all they found were pouches for holding tools. Shouri pulled down a small holster and eyed it. It did have a belt clip that could be secured to Holly¡¯s skirt. ¡°Hmmm.¡± He compared it to her. She tilted her head and smiled, though he could see despite her innocent stare she was scrutinizing it as intently as he. ¡°Why do you do that?¡± Shouri questioned, focusing on the plant girl. ¡°Do what?¡± another innocent smile and tilt of her head. He took a breath. ¡°Hey!¡± he shouted just loud enough to get the attention of anyone nearby, but not enough to carry deeper into the store. After a moment of standing there and no one else showing up, he turned his attention back to his Resonator. ¡°We¡¯re alone,¡± he pointed out. Holly relaxed, her innocent mien melting away in favor of her more calculating countenance. ¡°It¡¯s easier for me, please don¡¯t ask anymore,¡± she warned. Shouri averted his gaze, the guilt sticking hard in his heart. She grabbed his free hand. ¡°I¡¯ll be honest with you, I promise. I just¡­ can¡¯t trust people.¡± He nodded slowly, still stuck in his feelings regarding her. His curiosity itched fiercely but sensed that was one bridge they weren¡¯t ready to cross. They had only known each other for around twelve hours at this point. ¡°I trust you,¡± she clarified as if she felt his unease. ¡°Okay?¡± ¡°Alright,¡± he took a breath and recentered himself. ¡°Think this¡¯ll work?¡± he asked. ¡°Mhm!¡± That innocent mask she wore was back. It¡­ pained Shouri to see. What in the world happened to her?
¡°I didn¡¯t think we took that long,¡± Shouri frowned as he held up the plastic bag with their purchases. The night had carried on without their consent, as the moon climbed higher into the darkened sky. He felt a tug on his sleeve. Holly stared up at him, her eyes big and pleading. ¡°Can we get food, Shouri?¡± she asked. Shouri shot a narrow-eyed gaze at her. ¡°Ask me in your real voice,¡± he replied. The theatrics faded as she clicked her tongue. ¡°I¡¯m hungry,¡± she said flatly. The Maestro smirked and tousled her grass. ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°You¡¯re mean,¡± said the zalavan as they began to walk. ¡°You said you¡¯d be honest, and turning up your charm on me isn¡¯t very honest,¡± he pointed out. Another annoyed click of her tongue told him how she felt about that. ¡°Sorry,¡± she mumbled after a moment. ¡°Don¡¯t be,¡± he replied, pulling her close and causing her to stumble. ¡°It¡¯s only been a few hours, but we¡¯re partners, right?¡± Her eyes were wide as she drank in his genuine smile. Her face warmed uncomfortably. Finally, she managed to scrounge up enough willpower to push herself off of him. ¡°St-stop that!¡± she hissed, her back toward him as she tried to wrangle her heart rate back down. Shouri raised a brow, shrugged, and continued on. ¡°Is it fatal?¡± wondered the zalavan as she practiced some quick deep breathing exercises. ¡°Get a grip, Holly,¡± she mumbled before rushing after her Maestro. They didn¡¯t walk far before finding their way to a little fast-food place. ¡°What is it?¡± asked the plant. ¡°M''krocs, fast food burger place,¡± he replied without missing a beat. ¡°Those¡­ were words,¡± Holly said, her gaze fixated on the establishment. ¡°Come on.¡± He took up her hand and guided her inside. Given the hour it was, only the Resonator employees milled about; chattering amongst themselves while they kept an eye on the ever-prepared food cooking on the stoves and vats of oil bubbling away the night. ¡°Menu is up there.¡± Shouri pointed to the large sign which presented a wide menagerie of menu items alongside prices. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a lot.¡± Holly felt her head spin at all the choices on display. She shook her head and grabbed a hold of Shouri¡¯s arm. ¡°Just get me whatever you get,¡± she said, quieter. Shouri nodded and stepped up with his little Resonator who refused to release him. Minutes later the two were seated, each with a burger, a small cup of fries, and a drink to their names. Holly looked over her meal and then to her Maestro who had picked up his own burger. With a hearty chomp, he took a bite of it, appraising it. ¡°Hm, fresh,¡± he noted after swallowing. The carnivorous plant¡¯s stomach growled with anticipation. It did look good. She licked her lips before following his lead and biting into her sandwich. Her mouth wasn¡¯t nearly as big as his, so she didn¡¯t get as much in one bite. Regardless, her eyes opened wide. It was so warm and savory. The cheese was melted to perfection, and the condiments mixed to give it not only additional moisture but a slight tang that made the hot beef patty pop even more. ¡°Dish ish sho gewd, Showree!¡± She couldn¡¯t help talking with her mouth full. Shouri failed to hide his amusement as he reached over and dabbed her cheek with a paper towel. She froze. ¡°You had a bit of ketchup on your cheek,¡± he chuckled, whilst pointing to the same spot on his face. ¡°Er¡­¡± Once more her eyes retreated. She wanted to beg him to stop smiling like that, but another part of her felt she would regret such an ask. She grabbed her drink and sipped it. The sweetness was almost too much. The strange bubbliness hit her right in the chest and she had to stop drinking. The slight tang of the beverage was the perfect compliment to the initial sweetness. That left one thing on her tray she had yet to sample ¨C the fried potatoes. If food was holy, heaven was found in thin strips of fried potatoes. Each one has a nice crisp bite to it, lightly salted and just warm enough to be comfortably tasty. The fries vanished from her sight first, eagerly consumed in rapid succession ¨C she had a new favorite food. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Holly sighed, content after a delicious meal. ¡°You ate that like you had never eaten before,¡± Shouri noted with a tickled smirk. ¡°We don¡¯t eat food as often as you all do,¡± Holly replied. ¡°Sun and water are enough for a healthy berry tree,¡± she boasted. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Her playful expression cracked. ¡°But I like food a lot,¡± she admitted. ¡°Love food,¡± she added, quieter. ¡°You want to go try a hunt?¡± asked the Maestro. ¡°Huh?¡± The little Resonator looked to her human. ¡°I wanted to try out casting spells with you,¡± came his own admission. ¡°We don¡¯t have to though. I know today¡¯s been a lot.¡± Her lips rose to a warm grin without her consent. The consideration offered to her was so genuine. She reached across the table and took hold of his hands. ¡°I¡¯m your Resonator, of course we can go.¡±
Unlike other aspects of Maestro society, this was a new experience for both of them. The two newcomers drank in their new environment with wide-eyed wonder; in awe of the hunting grounds. They were surrounded by magic and the Resonators who wielded it. Maestros spoke familiarly with one another, and there were even little booths set up selling food and other wares. ¡°Put your hood up,¡± Shouri suggested. ¡°Why?¡± asked the zalavan. ¡°Probably better if we don¡¯t make a big fuss about you,¡± he advised. Holly nodded, doing as she was told. He was right. If those people were still after her, it¡¯d be a lot of trouble. She couldn¡¯t speak to Shouri¡¯s capabilities as a Maestro, but she did trust him, and that¡¯s all that mattered to her. ¡°So, what do we do?¡± asked the Resonator of her Maestro. ¡°Uhhh¡­ good question.¡± Shouri took in their surroundings more carefully. The thing that stuck out was the long line in front of a desk where a few workers with laptop computers were doing¡­ something. ¡°I think we need to wait in this line,¡± he decided, joining the queue as he spoke. Red eyes scanned the procession of Maestros and their Resonators. Holly had never seen so many gathered in one place. Dog tails, cat ears, dragon wings, deer antlers. So many different accessories were worn by the many different Resonators prided by their Maestros. The wave of elements that coursed down the line was just as varied as those who made it up. Fire, water, lightning, earth, solar, and even other nature elements all stood at the ready. Only lunar was missing from the census. Finally, it was their turn. Shouri had watched the Maestro before him carefully and handed over his green tuner before the verbal behest could reach him. The registrar accepted the device and scanned it in. Their eyes widened at what they saw and rose to meet Holly. She smiled and placed a single index finger on her lips, slowly shaking her head. Seeing the girl¡¯s hood up, the meaning was understood and Shouri¡¯s tuner was handed back. ¡°Main group. Be sure to follow the hunt leader¡¯s orders.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Shouri mumbled, taking his tuner back. He grabbed Holly¡¯s hand and quietly pulled her away from the line. She squeezed his hand tight, and he returned it in kind. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Was what was said with that simple exchange. ¡°It¡¯s really dark,¡± Shouri noted as the light of civilization abandoned them in the darkness of the woods. ¡°Really really dark. At least there are trees here though,¡± said Holly. ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Let me take the lead.¡± Without waiting for approval, Holly did exactly that. She could feel her Maestro¡¯s itchy curiosity and addressed his unspoken question. ¡°All plants have rhythm, we-¡± she cut herself off, being more careful about her word choice. ¡°-I can sense the rhythm in the plants. It makes a forest like this easier to navigate while it¡¯s hard to see like this,¡± she explained. ¡°Still kinda sucks not being able to see,¡± she chuckled. Eventually, they found the dim light of fire, which slowed Holly¡¯s leading stride. ¡°Thank you,¡± said Shouri. Holly simply nodded and pulled her hood down more. There were far fewer people gathered than Shouri had expected based on the turnout, but he did remember a few of the other Maestros getting their assignments and not immediately going into the thick woods. Maybe they were assigned elsewhere or perhaps even on some kind of backup duty? Either way, he couldn''t claim to be familiar with the process. The most likely reason was they were simply lollygagging as more showed up to fill out the ranks of the gathered. As more Maestros and their Resonators filed in, Holly hugged Shouri''s arm, eventually pressing herself up against his side, warily watching the strangers surrounding them. ¡°Is she okay?¡± asked a concerned voice. Shouri and Holly snapped their attention to a pair just to their right. Instantly they noted the calm aura of the night wafting from the girl of the pair - a violet-winged nightingale. Her Maestro, in his brown flight suit, was the one who had addressed him. ¡°Er, no she-¡± Shouri tried to figure out his words, thankfully his partner in crime had his back. ¡°Hi, mister! I''m just trying to be a good little er- Resonator and stay out of everyone''s way!¡± Holly hoped the two strangers didn''t notice the stumble. ¡°Ah, didn''t realize this scene was that strict,¡± said the man. ¡°We just flew in this morning. Figured we''d pop in and get some spending money,¡± the bird clarified. ¡°I''m Rynda, he''s my Maestro, Makani.¡± ¡°Hiya Ryn-Ryn! I''m Holly!¡± beamed the little plant, looking up to Shouri to offer his own name. His greeting was more subdued than his partner''s. ¡°Sh-Shouri,¡± was what he offered to the other pair. ¡°Oh, aren''t you the sweetest little thing?!¡± Rynda squealed in delight at the smaller Resonator, pulling her into a hug. Holly giggled at the affection, though she was careful in keeping her hood up. ¡°You two!¡± the hunt leader shouted, drawing the attention of the group who was causing a commotion in the back. ¡°North side, that Lunar can keep an eye out for anything up there.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± Makani shot a glance at their new party members for the evening. ¡°Well, should we head out?¡± he asked. ¡°Uh-¡± Shouri looked down at Holly, who nodded, despite not facing her Maestro. ¡°-yeah, sure.¡±
¡°At least she''s not a canine,¡± Shouri whispered to Holly. Makani and Rynda were a healthy five or six paces ahead of the nature duo, chattering loudly for all of the forest to hear. ¡°Why''s that?¡± asked Holly. ¡°Canine species like dogs or foxes have the Canid Sense trait which gives them really good hearing,¡± replied the Maestro. Holly furrowed her brow. ¡°Wonder what my trait is called,¡± she quietly mused. ¡°Riterran''s Bounty,¡± Shouri replied without missing a beat. The little zalavan looked to him, impressed. ¡°Wow, you really did your research.¡± ¡°I figure if I have to take care of you, I should know everything about you.¡± The smile that followed was awkward but warm. She flinched, lowering her head. ¡°Stop that¡­¡± she whimpered quietly, desperately trying to will the warm blood away from her face. Thankfully Holly wouldn''t be able to focus on her fluster for much longer as Makani and Rynda slowed to a stop. The pilot held out an arm to make sure the younger pair didn''t walk into what lay ahead. The two greenhorns gulped as they managed to catch a glimpse of the hazards before them. Scherzando were horrifying abominations, shadows that lacked thoughts, emotions, compassion; they only knew the pangs of hunger; they only sought to destroy lives. All without making a single sound. It was as if they weren¡¯t a part of this world; intruding on a cross-section just enough to shuffle innocents off this mortal coil. Makani placed a hand on Shouri¡¯s shoulder, as did Rynda on Holly¡¯s. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± whispered the pilot. ¡°Just make sure you¡¯re aware of them and they¡¯re no threat,¡± advised Rynda. The two newbies looked to their seniors and nodded. ¡°We can pin them down for you to get a couple of easy kill shots,¡± Makani offered. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Shouri asked. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted money? I don¡¯t want to take your money,¡± Holly fretted. Rynda patted the little Resonator¡¯s head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry cutie, we still get some for casting support spells.¡± Shouri nodded, filing that tidbit away for later. ¡°They figured out we''re new,¡± Holly whispered to her Maestro. ¡°We were hiding it?¡± Shouri questioned back. ¡°Well no but-¡± ¡°Fissare la Ombra, Fortissimo!¡± Makani''s command overshadowed the hushed conversation between the greenhorns. Rynda didn''t wait ¨C with a flap of her wings a flurry of pitch-black arrows flew forth, pinning the beasts in place. ¡°Uh uh, Foglie a Lame, Piano!¡± Shouri hastily called. Holly jumped. This was¡­ different from what she was used to. She had never cast a spell with a Maestro¡¯s rhythm before. It was a more intense rush than she got using seeds to cast magic. Even though her body moved outside of her control, it felt¡­ good. His rhythm coursing through her body, she felt like she knew him much better from just one spell. His wants, his needs, his fears, it was all so open to her. At that moment, the two became connected as she unintentionally left herself open to him. In turn, he felt her worries, her desires, her needs. All of that for a basic nature element spell ¨C Holly threw her arm out and, in its wake, several bladed holly leaves spun into existence by the will of Shouri¡¯s rhythm, firing forth at the bound Scherzando. The beast directly in front of them was easily cleaved in twain by the spell. Holly and Shouri breathed hard; eyes transfixed on where the Scherzando once stood. They had done that. There were yet more to fell, so Shouri took a breath. ¡°Foglie a Lame, Piano!¡± Interlude 10 - A Garnish of Shouri? (Part 3) Holly¡¯s eyes fluttered open the next morning. She was greeted by the green of her Maestro¡¯s jacket. Her heart stopped for a second as she realized she had taken it upon herself to fall asleep next to him. Though this time he reciprocated the gesture at some point. She knew she was small, that was an undeniable fact of her biology, but being enveloped in his embrace really hammered that point home. She was smothered in warmth and rhythm. And she didn¡¯t hate it, a smile overtaking the anxiousness of her heart. Having a Maestro was¡­ nice. When light graced her vision once again, time had passed. She couldn¡¯t be sure of how much; though, she could confirm its passage by the difficulty at which the lids of her eyes took to lift. Still though, Holly remained buried in Shouri¡¯s comfort. ¡°You¡¯re addicting,¡± she whispered into his shirt. ¡°How were you ever alone?¡± she asked on a breath. He began to stir, and her heart likewise followed, strumming up the beat until their eyes met. ¡°Ah¡­ good morning¡­ Shouri,¡± she squeaked, her nervous laughter growing as he stared at her, quiet and wide-eyed. ¡°If you¡¯re just going to keep doing this, we might as well cut the pretense and use the bed,¡± Shouri grumbled, clearly not pleased to be sleeping on the couch for no reason. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Holly trailed off. The pounding in her chest refused her pleas for peace. Thankfully Shouri wouldn¡¯t allow her to expire from heart palpitations this morning and took his leave for the bathroom. ¡°Whew,¡± sighed the plant. She brushed a hand through her hair and counted off four. ¡°Least I slept well,¡± she noted. Now that she had a full day to get her thoughts in order, being with a Maestro was pleasant. Provided you found the right one. She shuddered to think what could have happened to her if she reached that Mr. Noel character, or the even more treacherous possibility of attempting to strike it out on her own. She wished the loner Holly that existed out there in the Book of Kairos all the luck in the world ¨C she¡¯d need it. The good little house plant perked up upon Shouri¡¯s return to the room proper. ¡°So, what are we going to do today?¡± Holly queried. ¡°Uhhh¡­¡± Maestro and Resonator stared at one another, exchanging several blinks in silence before Holly broke the tension. ¡°You uhh¡­ um¡­ what were you doing before I ran into you?¡± came the plant¡¯s next question. Shouri had to think about that. ¡°Oh right, my dad was taking us here for a business trip,¡± he recalled. ¡°Business trip?¡± Holly furrowed her brows. ¡°Yeah, Dad owns a big energy company, blah blah, drags us all around for fun or whatever,¡± Shouri said with a shrug. ¡°Not too interested, wandered away, ran into you.¡± Holly slowly nodded as she processed the words he was speaking. ¡°Right¡­¡± she spoke carefully, arms folded as she leaned back into the couch. ¡°Not our problem,¡± said Shouri. ¡°So, what is our problem then?¡± challenged Holly, propping up her feet on the table. He took a moment to ruminate on that. ¡°Wanna help me find a friend?¡± he came out and said it. That took the zalavan off guard, earning the straightening of her posture and interest. ¡°A friend?¡± Shouri spent another moment considering his words. ¡°Yeah, I hope you don¡¯t mind. She¡¯s very important to me.¡± He allowed that to hang in the air for a moment before he realized what he said. ¡°Not that you aren¡¯t!¡± he quickly yelped. ¡°I just want to find her again,¡± he admitted, quieter. Holly wasn¡¯t sure how to feel about this. On one hand, having an exclusive monopoly on him would be lovely¡­ she shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s fine!¡± she shouted unintentionally. ¡°What¡¯s her name? Do you know where she is?¡± asked the Resonator. ¡°Her name is Mila, I haven¡¯t seen her since she went missing eight years ago,¡± he replied. The zalavan was taken aback. ¡°Eight years?¡± she questioned quietly. ¡°Mila,¡± she tested the name on her lips. After a moment to let it marinade, she smiled. ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s go find Mila!¡± The zalavan hopped to her feet. ¡°After all, two heads are better than one, right?¡± Shouri couldn¡¯t help but return his Resonator¡¯s infectious positivity. ¡°Yeah. Thanks.¡± ¡°So uh¡­ now what?¡± asked Holly. ¡°We have a goal, but um, what exactly should we do?¡± The Maestro didn¡¯t have a real answer to that question. He backed up until he sat on the bed. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± He folded his arms across his chest, his brows pinched tight as he considered their next plan of action. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the scene of the crime,¡± he decided. ¡°Huh?¡± Holly didn¡¯t follow. ¡°Mila vanished from the park she was staying at eight years ago. I think she was kidnapped,¡± Shouri revealed. That revelation was especially poignant for the zalavan. ¡°Right.¡± She nodded, gulping as she stiffened. However, it was not fear which earned her tension ¨C it was determination. She had avoided the fate that befell Mila all those years ago. But now she could help Shouri right this injustice. ¡°Where was it?¡± she asked. ¡°A park near where I live,¡± he replied. ¡°Okay, so how do we get there?¡± ¡°Good question. Maybe like a bus or something considering our money situation.¡± Something didn¡¯t track. ¡°Wait, didn¡¯t you say you came here with your family? Couldn¡¯t we just go back with them?¡± questioned Holly. Shouri¡¯s expression became rather strained. ¡°Yeah¡­ probably best if we avoid that sticky conversation for now.¡± She didn¡¯t like the way he was avoiding seeing his family. Then again, she couldn¡¯t blame him if there was some¡­ history there. It was something she could unfortunately empathize with.
After further planning, the duo decided on their course of action: they¡¯d hop from city to city until they reached Riva Solare, Shouri¡¯s hometown. The plan was to do hunts at each stop to keep themselves topped up on money and also avoid sleeping on a bus. It was a simple, but elegant plan. Too bad they failed to account for one very minor detail. ¡°Hand her over.¡± Neither boy nor plant had expected to get jumped in broad daylight on the way to the bus terminal by a bunch of suits ¨C a Maestro and a fire Resonator. The Dalliva streets were not the place for a battle. Holly was stuck in place, totally frozen. She knew what happened to her wasn¡¯t exactly the most above-board thing, but she didn¡¯t think these people were crazy enough to just attack them on the street like this. Regardless, Shouri wasn¡¯t about to lose another Resonator. He held an arm in front of Holly, mustering up the most hateful scowl he could produce. ¡°You¡¯ll take her over my dead body,¡± he growled. The nature element¡¯s undivided attention shot to her Maestro. Wasn¡¯t she supposed to be the one protecting him? She shook her head. If he was willing to go that far for her, she had to do everything she could. ¡°She doesn¡¯t belong to you,¡± said the suited Maestro. ¡°Really? This green tuner and lack of chip when I found her say otherwise. She¡¯s mine, fuck off,¡± Shouri snarled at the men, flashing the green device in question at the pair. She was thankful he was running distraction as it afforded her plenty of time to sort her seeds. A flick of his eyes to her communicated everything she needed to know and she adjusted her palmed seeds accordingly. ¡°So be it,¡± said the suited Maestro. ¡°Hope this is worth your life,¡± the fire element added. ¡°Anello di Fuoco, Tenuto,¡± the fire Maestro called. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°Precipitazioni Frontali, Accelerando!¡± Shouri called in response. A ring of fire erupted around Shouri and Holly, but the nature element didn¡¯t panic and instead shot a ball of blue light into the clouds at the low cost of three watermelon seeds. Within seconds, it began to rain, snuffing out the growing fire. Shouri and Holly turned and ran. The fire element went to give chase, but the two escapees were faster. ¡°L''onda di tempesta, Accelerando!¡± Shouri commanded. Truthfully Shouri didn¡¯t need to call the spells, Holly could cast these all on her own thanks to her seeds. She did appreciate the quick wit and battle strategy, however, and took his advice with the same reverence as if he called a nature spell. Holly didn¡¯t look back, she burned three more watermelon seeds and upon one of her steps, a river of water erupted down the sidewalk, pushing both the pursuing Maestro and Resonator away. Unfortunately, those weren¡¯t the only two sent after the prize that was the little zalavan girl. Another suit, this one with a lightning element jumped out. Shouri remained quicker, this time not relying on Holly¡¯s ammunition, but his own rhythm. ¡°Linfa Appiccicosa, Tenuto Staccato!¡± he shouted as they pivoted into a nearby alley. Holly moved on pure instinct, leaving behind a trail of buds in their wake. The obscene shouts and screams told their gambit succeeded. The bud¡¯s sticky sap secured their pursuers, binding them to the sidewalk where they had stepped into the traps. But before they could celebrate a winged man swooped down and plucked Holly from the ground. Unfortunately for the solar element, Shouri¡¯s unending thought processes had already considered such a maneuver. ¡°Spore di Veleno, Moderato!¡± And then the bird man began choking on a ball of spores localized entirely in his breathable space. As he choked and wheezed on the hazardous air, he dropped Holly. Shouri caught the girl before she was introduced to the concrete via gravity. ¡°Thanks,¡± she panted. ¡°Don¡¯t thank me yet,¡± he wheezed, glaring ahead at the approaching Maestros and their Resonators. There were so many, and the fleeing pair were already being worn down from just three meager encounters. Shouri refused to put Holly down and held her tighter, shakily stepping back. Holly gulped, shaking with fear at what was to come. Was this really it? She couldn¡¯t let him get hurt. He was too good to her. As she took in a breath to tell him to hand her over, a wind blew behind them and a new voice joined the fray. ¡°Take another step and I promise you¡¯ll regret it.¡± It was a voice Shouri recognized, and her presence eased his anxiety as he turned to face- ¡°Aura!¡± Holly took in the newcomer the opposite of the suits. A blonde woman in black with two Resonators on either side ¨C a charred fire element dog clad in dark reddish browns and black, and a solar element dragon who was somehow even smaller than she was. ¡°Who the fuck are you?!¡± one of the suits demanded. Aura motioned at the boy. ¡°I¡¯m his sister, and I don¡¯t like when people bully my brother.¡± She cracked her knuckles. ¡°Dames, Chiara, put ¡®em in the trash.¡± The dog smirked. ¡°Gladly.¡± Chiara extended her great wings. ¡°With pleasure.¡± The rhythm suddenly flooding the alley was unreal, Holly gripped her Maestro¡¯s jacket tighter. She knew this woman was there to protect them, but did she have to make such a spectacle of it? Damian and Chiara ran past to engage the mob of thugs, while Aura rushed to her brother¡¯s side. ¡°You okay Shouri?¡± she asked. ¡°I¡¯ve been better,¡± Shouri mumbled, finally letting Holly down. ¡°Aw, and who are you sweetie?¡± asked Aura, leaning over to greet the nature element. ¡°I¡¯m Holly, miss. Thank you for helping us!¡± the zalavan had flipped to that innocent face. ¡°I can see why they want her, she¡¯s as cute as a button,¡± Aura grinned, tousling the grass atop the girl¡¯s head. ¡°Yo, Aura! We got trouble!¡± Damian shouted. The older Maestro grabbed her tuners and turned to the end of the alleyway where her two Resonators faced down one. A small boy clad in the blues of the sea. His tail was strange, not like any species Shouri or Holly had ever seen before, blue and greenish with scales, like some sort of sea dragon? ¡°Shine, it¡¯s been far too long,¡± greeted the water element. ¡°Aura, he¡¯s one of us!¡± Chiara warned. The solar dragon turned back to face down her counterpart. ¡°Sea, what do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± ¡°What do you think you daft construct? My Maestro asked me to be here.¡± He raised a hand and pointed directly at the zalavan. ¡°He wants the flower pot, and I¡¯m compelled to collect her.¡± The yellow glow behind the sea dragon¡¯s bespectacled gaze was locked firmly on the zalavan. Holly trembled, grabbing Shouri¡¯s side. ¡°Sorry Sea, but she¡¯s the Resonator of my Maestro¡¯s brother. I¡¯m not letting you put a scale on her,¡± Chiara replied, lowering herself in preparation for a fight. Sea chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re forgetting one thing, Shine ¨C my Maestro isn¡¯t here and yours is.¡± Even with his diminutive stature, the confident glare passed in the two Maestros¡¯ direction glowed, as if they faced a great beast ¨C as if the ocean itself was now their enemy. Before a fight could break out, however, the being known as ¡°Sea¡± chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s what I would like to say, but that man is so particular. He wanted her untouched. And bearing a chip, well that is ¡®pretty darn touched¡¯ as the youth says.¡± ¡°Nobody says that, Sea,¡± Chiara snarked, though she relaxed her aggressive posture just a bit. ¡°Girard,¡± he said in response. ¡°Ah, Chiara,¡± the dragon replied in kind. That exchange meant something to the two of them, Holly could sense as much. Not that she could even utter a cry given the monstrous rhythm being radiated from the two Resonators. What exactly was she involved with now? The little zalavan couldn¡¯t be certain. However, as quickly as it all started, it was over. The thugs were gone and the Tomoshibi siblings were left with their Resonators. ¡°A zalavan huh?¡± Chiara appraised the still taller than her Resonator. ¡°Been a while since I¡¯ve seen one. Which one are you from?¡± asked the dragon. ¡°Eh?¡± Holly blinked. ¡°Chiara knows a lot of things,¡± Aura chuckled. ¡°Uh, Inverna,¡± replied the zalavan. ¡°Oh! I know that one! It¡¯s in the Cascata Mountains, near the source lake.¡± Chiara nodded. Holly¡¯s eyes widened, as did Shouri¡¯s. He looked to his Resonator and she looked up at him. ¡°D-do-¡± he paused, really struggling to get his words out, ¡°-you want to go home?¡± he asked. ¡°What? No!¡± she shouted almost instantly. She realized what company she was in and donned her innocent mask. ¡°I¡¯m having so much fun with you, maybe one day, but not right now!¡± Shouri knew there was more to it than that, but that wasn¡¯t a conversation for now. He was happy to be Holly¡¯s Maestro, for as long as she¡¯d have him.
Hm? What''s that? Oh, little Holly? Yes, she is quite alive in the world of Riterra you know. She thought as much herself, remember? In my Book of Kairos I hold every possibility. While some events are always fated to happen, others ebb and flow with ease. Perhaps you''ll find yourself regaled with that loner Holly this one feared becoming. Until next we meet dear readers~