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

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 – 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 – 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 déjà vu that washed over him.

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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.