Pruned Trees Re-Sprout!! ~ Ragazza Volpe Magica ~

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 – 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 – 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.