Chapter 290 - 238 - Out of the Nest and into the Fire
"Sho!"
Taika's reunion with her Maestro was as joyous as when they had been separated for over a week. She jumped into his arms, and if not for her telekinesis, she would have taken him down to the ground.
"You were gone for like twelve hours, chill." Rebecca rolled her eyes, though she suppressed the smile that wanted to rise.
Pacifica was locked onto Kaira, who bitterly refused to take in the spectacle. Jealousy shrouded the jackal like a bad odor. The water element broke her gaze from her earth counterpart. They didn't have time for a heart-to-heart right now.
"Let's get breakfast," Shouri announced.
"But the castle!" Colette shouted. Her sudden desperation was unlike anything anyone had ever seen from the normally logical scholar. "We have to!"
Shouri eyed Kaira. He hummed in disapproval as the jackal refused to reign her Maestro in--what happened between the two? He sensed Pacifica knew something, but decided to quash his curiosity for now; that was something to address once they figured this situation out.
"No." The guildmaster put his foot down. "We're not walking into what could possibly be a trap with empty stomachs. That's just a recipe for disaster. We're eating and that's final."
"But--!"
"Sho, couldn't we grab some fast food on the way to the train and eat there?" asked Taika.
"That's what we did the first time we went to the castle," Rebecca pointed out.
He considered his Resonators' ideas. "Okay, fine. We stop by M'krocs and grab breakfast," he acquiesced. His stern gaze fixated on Colette. "But we're not getting off the train until you've eaten everything." He felt more like the other Maestro's dad rather than her employer.
… This was a weird situation.
"I will! Let's go let's go!" Colette refused to tarry any further and ushered the group onward.
Taika beamed with joy as she stared at her breakfast sandwich. The little vixen licked her lips as she savored the distinct aroma of bread, meat, and cheese that waft from her meal. With a hearty chomp she bit into it, squealing as she enjoyed every second of flavor.
"You're so simple," Rebecca said with a chuckle. She looked across her lunar counterpart to Shouri who was sipping his coffee while he studied one of his tuners. "Make sure you eat too, bossman," chided the fire element.
"I will, coffee first," he replied.
He scanned the local news while he waited for their departure. A lot of it was boring stuff; celebrity gossip, political drama, and even a heartwarming story about a woman and her seeing-eye Resonator.
One article caught his attention.