Chapter 21 - 20 - Mundane Heroes
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 threat 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 still 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 lean on her. "Don't apologize," Taika grunted as they trudged along. "I should have been there," she lamented.
"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 throwing himself into danger to protect her and Taika. While she loved that he cared to that extent, it also hurt her pride as a Resonator.
She didn't say anything, in all reality, she wanted to cry from 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 arduous task they had completed.
"You successfully killed it?" the desk attendant asked.
"Yes sir! No casualties either," Cera boasted proudly.
"Good on you all – 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 for field duty. 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 grinned. "Thank you."
Shouri exhaled and smiled. This man was exhausting, but at least he was genuine. Accepting the gesture, 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.
After 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. "Anyway, good job out there tonight. Was a bit sketchy there for a moment, but you all handled yourselves like real pros," Makani told the newer trio.
"I mean you and Rynda carried us – let's be honest with ourselves," 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 – you all earned it!"
Finally left alone, Shouri regarded Pacifica and Taika who returned his gaze knowing smiles. He yawned. "I suppose a shower and bed does sound good right now, come on you two."
"Holy shit." Shouri gasped. He sat on the edge of the bed with both tuners in hand. A towel hung around his neck, his hair still damp from the shower.
"What is it Sho?" Pacifica sat next to her Maestro, and peered over his shoulder at the tuners. Her eyes widened. "That's a lot of 'new'," she noted.
Almost every spell had (NEW!) next to them; 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 the normal gains for fighting a big Scherzando, it was no wonder that duelists went after them – 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 excitedly.
"You both got three new spells," Shouri began, tilting Taika's tuner to the curious otter-girl.