Chapter 331 - 273 - Conductor
"The name's Scott Walker, ninth year Conductor. You all must be PTRS." The man who greeted them was full of charisma, a powerful emotion stave, just like Pacifica. He smiled wide and bright as the members of PTRS convened in the airport near their destination.
Scott had messy blond hair and wore the typical Conductor's uniform, in it's spring variation; so shorter sleeves in lieu of the warmer attire of its winter counterpart. The baton tuner that hung proudly at his side was white with the Solar element.
The Resonator who accompanied Scott was quite the specimen. She was a tall beauty who bore grand orange and yellow wings as if she was a tapestry of dawn itself. Her magnificent wings were joined by a strange addition; rather than a tail consisting of feathers, a long, cat-like tail curled behind her.
"She's a griffin," Scott addressed the wonder in everyone's eyes. He motioned for her to introduce herself.
"Philina," she said simply.
"Don't worry about her, she's married to the job," Scott grinned, as he elbowed his partner in the side.
"Griffin?" Pacifica whispered to Rebecca.
"They're called feathered dragons for how strong they are, but they're even harder to find," the combat expert whispered back. "They're a really rare result of a lion and certain eagle species breeding--a hybrid like a mule," Rebecca explained. "Way harder to get, and way stronger." The Fire fox appraised the Solar element further. Truly a work of art in the flesh. "I've never even seen one before," she commented.
Pacifica simply nodded and stared in awe at the winged woman in their midst.
Cheryth clapped, drawing the attention of the two groups. "Scott, this is PTRS, as you've figured out." She went in turn. "Shouri, Emily, Vince, and Miro. Total of eight Resonators between them. We'll save full introductions for later. Let's get to the helicopter."
The group followed along quietly. The airport was busy, to say the least. Rebecca didn't need her trait to figure out many people were displaced from their homes due to the flooding. That was the thing though, it was all Maestros and Resonators. Only a few Naturals here and there broke up the scores of humans (demi or otherwise) that littered the terminal.
Cheryth flashed her tuner as they passed by several guards stationed by employee-only zones. Scott talked with Philina as they walked (it was a one-sided conversation).
Shouri and the rest of PTRS followed without a word. None were sure what they were about to go into. Cheryth was all business and Scott hammed it up like they were about to hit the club or something.
The group hit the tarmac and made their way to a helicopter that idled for them. It was a larger model, with two rotors spinning just enough to generate a small breeze, but not enough to achieve lift.
"Alright! PTRS, Conductor Walker will be managing the mission from here! If you need to pull out for any reason, he'll make sure to evacuate you all to safety!" Cheryth shouted over the whir of the two rotors. Before she stepped out of the way, Cheryth handed Shouri a thick wad of cash he didn't recognize.
"Natural currency, took the liberty of having some of your guild funds converted in case you need to trade for anything while you're there!"
Shouri nodded and pocketed the cash. He'd divvy it up among his guild members when they were on the helicopter--this was their money too, after all. With that established, everyone boarded the craft and got secured. Miro and Ritika in particular dreaded the next part, as they were taken from the ground and toward their newest mission.
"This is worse than I was thinking," Miro muttered as he stood over a cliff side that overlooked the city.
Murky brown water still flowed through the town, while those who lived within watched from inside their homes, on their roofs, or braved the waters. Debris, garbage, or belongings like people's clothing drifted along the streams.
Scott checked the large container left by their ride. With a satisfied nod, he turned his attention to the guild that accompanied him. "Okay people! First order of business--we need to gather together any Resonators that are here. They'll be instrumental to our success!" he announced.
"Why?" Vince wondered.
The conductor grinned. "Any Resonator here can bolster our capabilities." He drew his odd tuner from his side. A press of the side button popped an antenna-like structure from the top.
"That's a baton tuner, it lets him cast with any Resonator, his or not," Shouri informed the uninformed.
"That's a thing?" Emily blinked, a newfound appreciation settling in for the strange device.
"Resonators always want to help, it's etched into their very souls. We conductors enable that urge." The man spun his baton and holstered it with practiced ease. "We'll set up a base camp here and start triaging. Remember, Maestro magic is poison to Naturals, avoid hitting them with any spells at all cost, this includes healing magic."
Vince remained transfixed by the device, even after it was put away, though the rest of his fellow guild members acknowledged the plan with a hearty "Right!" which snapped him from his thoughts. He needed to focus on the mission at hand.
The plateau they landed on was nice and flat, plenty of room for them to set up a base camp. Everyone got to work on their individual tents.
"I guess I'm glad me and Taika got first aid certified back in Naiza," Pacifica's brows perked up with worry, however. "I wish she was here," mumbled the otter as she continued to unpack.
"Teach me what you know," Rebecca requested.
"Yeah, probably a good idea we all get acquainted with the process," Shouri said with a nod.
Scott didn't share in setting up the camp. Instead, he inspected the city through a pair of binoculars, Philina by his side, stoic as usual. With a short nod, he pocketed his binoculars and looked to Miro, who also looked upon the town with sadness.
"Miro, come with us. We're going to start organizing the people down there. The Natural Council is going to send some some of their own relief workers, but they don't have the infrastructure to mobilize as fast as we can," Scott explained.
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
Miro lit up at that thought, his tail wagging. "Si!" His enthusiasm faded quickly as the fox boy looked around, but didn't see a quick path into the canyon.
"Come on, Philina can carry us."
There was a moment where the rest of PTRS was distracted by Miro's panicked screams as he was taken down to the city with Scott via griffin flight.
"Right, back to work everyone!" Shouri clapped to refocus the guild members who remained behind.
"Shouri, can you have Rebecca dry the ground? It's too wet for us to summon Soot," Emily requested.
Shouri looked around and kicked the dirt they stood on. It sure was damp. He dropped a hand to Rebecca's tuner. "Lanciafiamme, Rubato."
While Rebecca, Emily, and Ritika got to work on making the golem a body, Shouri and Pacifica continued on their tent.
Vince meanwhile, was lost in his own thoughts.
"Hey, what's up beansprout?" Mila whispered.
"Ah! Uhh, I just kinda wanna see what that baton thing can do," he admitted.
Zephyr sat on her Maestro's shoulder, thinking about the strange device. "It's kinda cool," she mused. "He's not wrong. I want to go down there and help. It's just, I don't think we'll be much use," said the fairy.
"Oh, we'll be much use," Mila pointed at the horizon, where the sun was started to dip low. "Guarantee that shit," grumbled the cat.
Vince shook his head. That was enough to get him focused. "Oh boy, yeah, let's get the tent up."
Miro was thankful to be back on solid ground again. He didn't like how the water felt under his paws. That part was unpleasant by his own admission. To make matters worse, the ground he could feel through his pads anguished at its sodden state.
"It's not a pretty thing, but I am thankful for there being Resonators here," Scott told the Natural by his side.
The fox's gaze fell on the baton tuner. "You can have them help us?" he questioned, making sure he understood.
"Correctamundo my friend! Any Resonator will be a massive boon. We just have to connect with the people's hearts here."
Miro was unsure what the conductor meant by that, but he could appreciate Scott's confidence. Or perhaps it was audacity--as the man walked straight into the center of the Natural city like he belonged.
The townsfolk didn't take kindly to the invader. Scornful glares were leveled at him and his Resonator as they strolled right into the middle of their plaza. Miro followed along, in a small hope his own presence would ameliorate the concerns of the wary Naturals.
Scott climbed onto the base of a statue that remained steadfast even in the flood waters. He took a deep breath and cupped his hands around his mouth.
"Tranquillo, sono un Conductor Riterran! Per favore, siamo qui per aiutarti!" Scott boomed.
Miro blinked in surprise. He had only had heard one other Maestro speak fluent Naturalian, and admittedly Scott was fairly well spoken. Miro's presence no doubt helped assuage the fears of his fellow Naturals.
The earlier claims that Naturals respected conductors held true, as Miro watched a few people step forward. Mainly Water elements that felt confident enough to brave the murky streams that invaded their humble little city.
"Ciao! Portare tua Resonators, por favore," Scott requested.
The Naturals stopped short, wary glances exchanged with one another. Miro wondered if there was some shame in their possession of Resonators. The cautious Naturals traded a few curt words, with Miro catching one of them saying something to the tune of "just do it" in Naturalian.
The Earth fox looked to his human counterpart. Scott beamed positivity, perhaps enabled by the watchful eye of the griffin woman by his side.
"Più sono, meglio è!" Scott added with a bright grin.
Miro thought the man's charisma was infectious, and his brethren agreed, turning and shouting for the Resonators to be brought out.
It surprised Miro that the Resonators presented to the conductor were in good shape. Especially given what Miro was used to seeing from his fellow countrymen; it was a bit refreshing. Admittedly, he wasn't well traveled in terms of Natural settlements--he only knew of his own home, Subterris.
Each settlement had its own rules and culture.
"Alright troops!" Scott shouted to the gathered Resonators. "I'm Scott Walker, a conductor. You probably don't know what that means, but that's okay! While I'm here I'll be asking spells of you. You don't have to do anything I ask of you, and if you disagree just let the rhythm leave you."
There weren't that many, all things considered. About five or so, but they covered a good spread of elements. Two Earths, a Water, a Solar, and a Nature element. The Water element was even some kind of avian.
Scott pointed his baton at the bird in question. "You sir, go ahead and start taking the others up to that cliff-side up there. Tell the nice man in the black jacket you're there to set up the big box. It'll be pretty self-explanatory from there," he instructed.
The bird nodded and got to work carrying his fellow Resonators out of the canyon.
"Dove sono i tuoi feriti?" asked Scott of the remaining Naturals.
That made sense, they should tend to those who were hurt, first. Miro couldn't help but be impressed by the professionalism on display. Hopefully, things would continue to go just as smooth. Perhaps a bit of Shouri rubbed off on Miro, as his next immediate thought was how Sahji probably wouldn't let that come to pass without some complication.
The fox remained on guard as he followed Scott and Philina to where the injured were kept.
Even with the setting sun, Miro knew their night had only just begun.