No one expected a fight to break out when they visited Lina and the others, least of all Pacifica. The otter silently cursed not bringing her water bottle, but them's the breaks. Given what she remembered of her fellow water element, this wouldn't be much of a fight. Then again, that kind of bravado led to being humbled.

Almost assuredly those were Shouri's thoughts leaking in. Not that she minded--it was relieving not to face this challenge alone.

The court in question sat on a terrace overlooking the city. Sturdy chain link fences kept them contained to their little battlefield. It was smaller than the court back in Pacifica's neighborhood, and definitely smaller than any of the arenas available at larger facilities like the MA Offices or battle stadiums.

Leo and Chena stood opposite of the pair. The Maestro of the two studied his tuner with tense scrutiny, while the stoat maintained her glare.

Amika and Andi were off to the side, in between the two battling parties, acting as referee. Lina and Efigenious were behind Leo, while Taika and Rebecca were behind their own Maestro.

Pacifica took in a breath, reaching out with her rhythm. What spun up Chena?

…jealousy.

That feeling was so familiar. Her mind briefly drifted to Kaira--the otter wondered how their guild's jackal was doing. She shook her head; she needed to focus.

Either way, she couldn't let her thoughts wander. Fighting her father only a few days ago taught her that à deux was dangerous. Even so, her Maestro wanted to dive deep. This was a controlled environment. The worst that could happen was they get knocked out. Taika was on standby so they weren't in any real danger.

With all that in mind, she dove deep, deeper than any ocean she had ever swam, with one who she loved and trusted beyond all else. He was right by her side, and she wouldn't let him down.

Breathe in, breathe out. His heart beat alongside hers, his rhythm flowed so easily. They were one and the same--Maestro and Resonator--labels didn't matter.

"Everyone ready?" Amika asked.

Shouri shook his head for a moment, not used to the lack of a formal announcement.

"What's the percentage?" Shouri shouted back.

"Zero."

All eyes turned to Chena, who glared down the otter her opposite. "Don't hold back," she further clarified.

Breathe in, breathe out.

"Are you sure?" asked the bonded pair. Chena raised a hand and waved them forward.

"A-alright! Begin!" Amika declared.

"L'onda di Tempesta, Accelerando!" Shouri commanded.

Chena was caught off-guard, as by the time Shouri had finished half of the spell, Pacifica already created the river of water and rushed down it to attack.

"Precipitazioni Frontali, Rallentando!" Leo called.

Just as Pacifica arrived, Chena vanished into a snowstorm whipped up by her own magic.

"What the FUCK?!" Pacifica shouted (with Shouri along for the ride). The otter pulled the water of L'onda di Tempesta with her and tried to strike at the stoat, but the other water element disappeared into the snow like a ghost.

"It's similar to dad." "She has Diventare Neve." "What?" "Lets her vanish into snow storms." "Oh, like Grand Master Jacque's fighting style, I get it."

Just like with the fight against her dad, Pacifica gathered the water that fluttered through the air. The difference, however...

"I can't sense her."

Unlike her father, Chena truly disappeared. All Pacifica could do was ensure her visibility remained clear by directing the falling snow away from a bubble around her.

THWACK!

"Guh!" Maestro and Resonator cried out as a sudden strike hit them hard.

"Fuck! That damn species trait makes her physical attacks deal slashing damage!" the two (mainly Shouri) realized.

Chena remained silent and invisible. Pacifica spun around, her panic bleeding into Shouri.

THWACK!

"GACK!" A strike to the gut wasn't pleasant when it felt like they were being slashed by a blade.

"What do we do, Sho?" "...wait."

She could see him in her mind stroking his chin in thought. "We know someone who could become invisible," he pointed out.

Right… Vienna. The lyrebird that only served to complicate their lives almost a half a year ago. Compared to that bitch, Chena was nothing. Pacifica just had to focus.

Breathe in, breathe out.

She didn't need to panic. Shouri was by her side. She'd never be alone again. His breath felt good on her lips, his heartbeat pressed against hers was incredible. The otter giggled. The stoat attacked. Pacifica dodged and grabbed the assailing water element. With one fluid motion, Pacifica hip-tossed the other girl.

"Scottare, Legato!"

Pacifica's spell speed was unfair, while still in mid-air, Chena ate a cloud full of super-heated steam.

"FUCK!" cursed the normally reserved stoat.

"Idrante, Piano!" Leo cried out. As Chena landed, she swiped the air several times, throwing blades of water at the otter.

Pacifica danced around the slashes of magic, though this gave Chena the window she needed to vanish into the snow.

"Pioggia Acida, Legato!"

"WAIT SHOURI WHAT THE FUCK?!" Amika screamed as acid rain replaced the snow.

Both Leo and Shouri threw up the hoods of their jackets, protecting them from the hazardous rain that poured elusively in their cage.

The snow quickly melted away and Chena faded back into view.

Chena glared daggers at the otter, who was more than happy to return the favor.

"Precipitazioni Frontali-" "Dolina, Legato!"

Pacifica was the queen of speed in this match--before Leo even finished calling his spell, Chena was sucked down into a sinkhole.

"Loro Formato Lunare Lago, Legato!" Leo called.

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. "Lore Formato Lunare Lago, Legato!" Shouri returned in kind.

Chena was outmatched in speed--but she never intended on using the water-lunar ossia for offense. In the sky two meteors ballooned to unreasonable sizes. It was a game of chicken played by the two Resonators. Finally, the two spells collided before their casters ever got to release them.

A massive explosion rocked the building, shards of ice raining down not just on the battlefield, but all over the spectators and down to the streets below.

In the chaos, Leo dropped to his knees, his hair graying from the massive expenditure of rhythm. His loyal stoat refused to surrender, and had freed herself from her entrapment.

Once more, she charged at her fellow water element. Even if she didn't have her Maestro's magic, she still had her own arms and legs, which were weapons on their own. She threw punch after punch, swept with her tail and legs, all carrying the bladed magic of the slashing attribute.

If Pacifica were a lesser otter, this might have spelled the end.

But she wasn't.

Every lunge of her opponent earned a twist and a turn. Pacifica was graceful, beautiful, and a master of her craft.

"It's not fair!" Chena cried.

Swipe after swipe, Chena attacked, Pacifica dodged. Even the slickness inspired by the acid rain could not hope to falter the otter's footwork.

"How?!" Chena shouted.

Each punch and kick was met by empty air. Precious contact never made, warmth never stolen by the chilly stoat.

"You can't be this strong!" Chena screamed.

Pacifica grabbed Chena, pivoted around her body, and restrained the stoat.

"I'm not strong," the otter whispered into the stoat's ear.

Once again, Chena found herself flying through the air, tossed away like yesterday's garbage. Unlike every other landing, the stoat landed in a heap, unmoving.

Breathe in, breathe out.

"Sotto."

The rain stopped.

Amika whistled, as she appraised the boy she thought she knew. He rubbed his shoulder as he flicked his head back to remove his hood. This was a guildmaster, one recognized by the Riterran government no less. What happened to him to make him so powerful in such a short time?

Before anyone could move, the door to the terrace opened and several guards alongside the building's manager stormed out. "WHAT IN RITERRA IS GOING ON UP HERE?!" they boomed.

The huge chunks of ice from the twin meteor explosion still littered the once beautiful veranda.

"Uh-oh."

After being berated and forced to clean up, the weary group was finally freed from their societal obligations of not making a giant mess, and were allowed to rest back in Lina and Co's apartment.

"Why did you want to fight them so badly?" asked Andi.

Chena had been quiet since her defeat. She shook her head, refusing all the concerned eyes she had earned.

Leo hummed. "Is it about the South Pole?" he guessed.

"It's not fair," whimpered the stoat.

"Huh?" Taika was confused.

"Do you want to go to the South Pole?" Pacifica questioned.

Chena looked up, tears in her eyes as she glared at the otter. "It's been my dream since I've been a kit to go to the South Pole."

"Why don't you just go then?" Rebecca raised a brow, not understanding what the fuss is about.

"Oh, you must not know," Leo said, with a sigh. "No one has ever been to the South Pole, at least alive."

When he got back confusion from that statement, the Maestro continued. "There's a zone around the South Pole that no one has ever explored. The last expedition that went down there in the 90's was completely wiped out. No one has ever seen it and returned alive. Not because of lack of preparation, but because there's something there that destroys any attempts to enter its territory. It's something science hasn't been able to explain."

The room fell to a tense silence.

"I need to be smart and strong," said Chena, her fists trembling. "I'll never make it if I'm not."

"And you saw me, a water element doing something so dangerous that you felt you couldn't match it?" Pacifica guessed.

"I could feel how strong you were. I wanted to see if I was even half the Resonator you are," she admitted. "I'm just a joke…"

The girl got up and ran to her room, slamming the door shut.

"Damn," Andi snarked.

"Sorry," Shouri offered to his fellow Maestro.

"Don't be. I haven't been good to her," Leo admitted.

"But you care, right?"

"Of course I care!" Leo snapped, insulted that was even in question.

Breathe in, breathe out.

"I've considered expanding PTRS," he told the three Maestros (and remaining two Resonators.)

"Your guild?" Lina questioned.

"Yeah. Not any time soon, but I feel like I need to find more people like us. People who actually give a shit about their Resonators," he told them. He looked to Leo. "The fact that you're worried about her, the fact that you're majoring in ecology for her. I think you'd be a perfect fit for the guild."

Leo didn't know what to say, neither did his two roommates.

"Not to say you two are chopped liver. If anything, I'd have you act as a branch office up here," Shouri jerked his head in Pacifica's direction.

"Mom could probably help too," said the otter, in lieu of her Maestro.

It was a lot to digest for the college students.

Shouri allowed the moment to pass before he spoke again. "Again, not an immediate decision. We barely have a guild hall right now. This is kind of long term future planning. But if you're interested I can also tell you how à deux works."

"You what?" the three Maestros uttered.

"How does the old saying go? To use is to know--that is rhythm," Pacifica giggled.

Next chapter will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.