novelraw Chapter 296 - 244 - Options
Chapter 296 - 244 - Options
Colette Severine knew a lot of things. She knew rhythm. She knew Resonators.
She thought she knew Resonators. She thought she knew her Resonator.
The way Emily spoke to her, the way Shouri glared at her, the way Pacifica screamed at her. It was like they thought she was the scum of Riterra. Just like those Maestros who abused their Resonators.
She never abused Kaira! She had to figure out how Kaira got feroce! It was her duty as a Maestro to make sure Kaira was healthy!
"I don't get it…" Colette mumbled, hugging her knees to her chest. Today had been so good, right up until that horrible moment. Kaira didn't even want to go with them when Colette offered earlier. She just mumbled something and stayed under her covers. This wasn't her fault! The Maestro closed her eyes and let time pass her by.
Nothing made sense anymore…
It was too hard to figure out…
…
Nina stepped out of the bathroom. They had opted to stay in a Maestro Affairs Office, which by the phoenix's admission was extremely luxurious. Especially the shower. She hadn't had waters that hot since she lived on that volcano.
The fire Ethereal had dismissed her mantle, gloves, boots, tights, and dress shirt. Her shirt and shorts were all she needed to relax with her Maestro.
Speaking of…
Colette was pretty in the dumps about her other Resonator. The phoenix hummed thoughtfully. What had Shine always said? Keep a common Resonator in your Maestro's employ? Something like that?
Sea never cared. He always said "Let their enemies come; if my Maestro can't handle them, clearly it was not meant to be."
She remembered that advice more clearly than the rest, because of how cruel it was. Nina loved Colette. She loved all her Maestros. She hated having to part with them, and she especially hated quick partings.
"Colette." Nina crawled into bed with her Maestro. "Just relax, don't stress out about it." The bird hugged her precious Maestro, wrapping her great wings around the other girl.
"But Kaira…" Colette whimpered quietly.
"That man said the blonde woman would talk to us when they're ready. Don't worry about it," Nina breathed, stroking Colette's hair. "Take my warmth, you need it," she whispered.
"O-okay…" Her new Resonator was so nice, so warm. She didn't get yelled at by Nina…
As Colette drifted off to sleep, Nina remained where she was, continuing to run her fingers through her beloved Maestro's hair. "Even if the entire world becomes your enemy, I'll always be by your side Colette…"
Shouri's eyes cracked open as he resumed consciousness. Pacifica and Rebecca draped themselves over him, in desperate etude. Even so, it felt like when he was separated from them in July. It wasn't that he wasn't letting them in. He clung to their rhythm like a life preserver.
No, yesterday… was just that exhausting, for everyone.
Poor Kaira wrung Pacifica, Rebecca, and every other strong emotion stave Resonator in the guild dry.
He didn't know the normally strong, stoic jackal could break down like that. Her heart-wrenching sobs were so loud it nearly broke him every second he was present for. Honestly, if he wasn't stopped by Emily and Vince, he would have called Colette to dress her down again. She needed to hear how much her apathy hurt someone who loves her.
That was the wildest part.
Kaira still loves Colette, after all of this.
She loves her to the extent that she got feroce over it.
But that only spoke to the despair in the jackal's heart.
It wasn't Emily, Vince, or even his Resonators who finally talked him down.
It was Mila.
"We need to talk to her, Colette I mean."
How was it Mila could make him see reason when Pacifica and the others could not?
Shouri sighed. This was why he agreed to found PTRS. It was never about the jail time or the government. He knew if he wanted any hope of changing this messed up little world even a little, he needed to surround himself with like-minded people.
Thankfully, Mila was aware enough to see she needed to step in.
"Don't make decisions in the heat of the moment, man."
He wasn't wrong last night, however. He needed time to piece together his thoughts; time to pull Kaira out of her feroce; time to rest his weary body.
That checklist was completed last night. He was still tired, yes, but he felt much more composed than he did hours before.
"So, what are we gonna do?" whispered Pacifica.
"See how Kaira feels. Then, when she's ready, we talk to Colette. She needs to understand what she did, because she doesn't get it," Shouri replied.
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He didn't realize Pacifica linked with him. à deux was a hell of a drug. Shouri Tomoshibi was an addict, and he let himself fall deep. If only for a moment, he could find peace within Pacifica's soul.
Shouri, Emily, Vince, and Miro sat in the guild office.
The room was quiet. Miro looked between the three humans in his midst, his concern resting on Shouri.
"Okay," the guildmaster finally spoke. "All in favor of revoking Colette's membership of PTRS?"
Nobody raised their hand.
"And that's what you agreed to with your parties as a whole--it's unanimous?" Shouri questioned Emily and Vince, specifically.
"Yes," both Maestros replied, without hesitation.
"Okay," Shouri repeated.
"What about you?" Emily questioned.
"Likewise. Taika, Pacifica, and Rebecca feel she should be given another chance," Shouri stated.
"No, I mean you. Shouri Tomoshibi, how do you feel?" Emily challenged.
The guildmaster was quiet. He lowered his head, his eyes resting on the keyboard of his laptop. He balled up his fists, his nails digging into his palms. Finally, he took a breath and addressed his vice guildmaster. "If you asked me yesterday, I would have said we should report her for negligence and take ownership of Kaira ourselves," he admitted.
He continued, "but that's not fair to Kaira or Colette."
Miro couldn't help but smile--Shouri was wise beyond his years. Or perhaps it wasn't wisdom but something deeper? "Should I go get signora Kaira?" asked the fox.
"Please." Shouri motioned for the door.
While they waited for Miro and Kaira, Shouri leaned back in his seat, letting out a weary sigh.
"It's only fair," Emily spoke up. "According to Pacifica, this had been going on for a long time. We're as much to blame for not saying anything," she added.
"Yeah, I know." Shouri covered his eyes with an arm. "Doesn't make me any less mad," he mumbled.
"You can be mad at the situation. And Colette if she doesn't change her tune after this," Emily advised.
Shouri nodded, though he remained reclined back.
Miro returned with Kaira not soon after. Despite recovering from feroce in record time, she was still a wreck emotionally. Now that she wasn't suppressing her emotions, she wore her depression in the open. Her ears rested against her head, her tail hung limp, her gaze was distant. She didn't even bother with her side braid, nor did she brush her hair. Her usual orange button-up was gone and her t-shirt was untucked. Her brown tuner rested at her hip, worn more as a mark of her shame than anything.
The strong silent guardian had crumbled, and all that was left were the remains of a once-proud jackal.
Shouri sat up. "Kaira." He wanted to look away from the sad sight, but he couldn't do her justice if he avoided her--like he had done already.
"We've discussed it at length, but I want to ask you directly: do you want to go back to Colette?" Shouri asked.
There was no hesitation, no consideration, only one word of conviction: "No."
The Maestros (and Miro) looked between one another, not having expected that answer.
"Not immediately," Kaira clarified. "I've had a lot of time to think, and I don't want to run back into her arms. Not yet." She carressed the tuner at her waist.
Shouri waited a moment for anyone else to speak their minds. When nobody had anything to offer, he voiced his thoughts. "Of course. We respect your decision. If you would like we can start looking for another Maestro for you. Or you can just stay here. This is as much your home as it is everyone else's, and we won't chase you out even if you don't have a Maestro."
"I…" Kaira hung her head. Her arms rested by her sides as her tail wrapped around her leg. "I'm not sure what I want."
"Kaira," Vince spoke up. "If you want, we could go hunting," he offered.
The jackal stared at the young Maestro, at a loss.
Where the space between them was empty, Vince filled it with warmth and words. "It might help if you get a different perspective. I know me, Shouri, and Emily have different ways of doing things," he suggested.
The poor distraught earth element always felt like an outsider. Just someone here because she was Colette's Resonator; a mere accessory. That couldn't have been further from the truth. These people cared about her. She could feel it. To them, she was just as much of a person as their own Resonators were to them. The sudden emotions welling up in here were overwhelming. It took her a moment, but Kaira found her voice. "I'll think about it."
"Whatever you want. Our mission applies to our guild members too," Shouri said. "You can rest tonight or--"
"Let's go," Kaira cut him off. "I don't want to sit here. I want to do something."