Shouri and Taika followed the directions provided by the attendant and found themselves face-to-face with a large gymnasium that sat at the back of the campus, far from the other buildings.

Entering the gym in question, the two immediately felt the pressure on their sixth sense, their rhythm – there were a lot of spells being flung around, which made the air thick with evaporated rhythm. Given the coastal nature of Riva Solare, this manifested in mainly the water element.

Before they got to work on themselves, they took a stroll through the facility and watched others train. There was a small stadium area where a couple of Maestros and their Resonators were participating in battle. There was also a second battlefield, though this one was a deep, long pool. The water battlefield was also occupied, with a couple of Resonators duking it out under the surface.

Finally, Shouri spotted what they had come here for: the casting range. Targets were set up at a distance and Resonators could practice their long-range spell-craft with little worry about collateral damage.

"This way." Shouri led his partner over to the range and they settled into an open booth. Taika looked down their lane and then through the glass partitions into the others. Spells of a wide variety of other elements and intensities were being fired at the targets set up at the end. She held up her hand and scrutinized her palm, recalling how small her attack spell was. It elicited some spell shyness from her.

"Ready?" Shouri asked. "A-are you sure this is a good idea Sho?" she questioned back.

The Maestro raised a brow, unsure of what the problem was. He studied his partner; she held herself, her ears were folded back, and her tail wrapped around her leg – the anxiety was palpable. He frowned, not sure what the big deal was. He kept his focus on her expression for a moment and noted her eyes kept darting over whenever another spell hit its mark.

"Ah."

He placed his hands on her shoulders and offered a smile. "It's okay. We're here to practice just like them, no big deal."

Swoon. "O-okay Sho..." She tried to hide the big dumb grin on her face by turning her attention to the target. She grounded herself with a lungful of air and steeled herself.

"Luce Lunare, Pianissimo Staccato," he commanded.

The girl jumped as a new feeling invaded her. She had cast Luce Lunare yesterday and it didn't feel like this. It was like a thread of rhythm linked her to Shouri and the connection persisted, wholly unlike the sensation of one-and-done spellcasting. In addition, she wasn't immediately forced to create the spell as she had experienced the other day. "What was that?" She glanced back at her Maestro.

"Oh, I read the Staccato modifier lets you use the spell as many times as you want at that rank. I figured if you were going to practice it'd save me some breath if I just used that," Shouri told her.

"Hrm." She frowned. Nothing was immediately happening. "So how do I do the spell?" Taika asked. "Uhhh..."

A moment of web surfing uncovered the answer. "Ah, it says here to just focus on me and envision the spell in your head and it should work," he instructed.

The lunar Resonator clapped her hands together. "Bene!" She did as instructed; closing her eyes to focus on Shouri, and then imagined herself performing the motions in her head. Sure enough, it triggered the spell and when Taika opened her eyes, she was holding a small ball of lunar energy.

"Throw it," he told her.

With a confident nod, she threw the ball-

-and completely missed the target. Her ears folded back. She knew this wouldn't be as simple as creating the spell, but she had hoped to at least hit the target.

"It's okay, just try again," Shouri gently urged.

And try she did, missing a dozen throws completely. The girl panted hard, sweat dripping down her face as the frustration mounted.

"Let's take a quick break," Shouri finally said. "Sotto," he added. Taika jumped again, the rhythm "thread" between them snapped with but a single word. That must have been the cancellation command he mentioned the other day.

Sat on the bench in their booth, Shouri pulled up a couple of videos on proper form when casting spells. "Oh, I see," said Shouri. "I didn't realize the spells form differently based on your attribute," he elaborated on his realization. "Since you're healing attribute, it looks like your basic spells are sphere-shaped, and you can throw them?" Shouri hummed in thought.

"I didn't know that..." Taika breathed out as she watched the form of the Resonator in the video. She tapped the screen and re-wound the video several times, committing the stances to memory. "I want to try again," the vixen spoke with determination. "Let's do it," Shouri agreed.

Standing back at the range Taika positioned her body as the instructor in the video had. She ground her shoes underneath her and glared at the target.

"Luce Lunare, Pianissimo Staccato," came her Maestro's command.

Forming the ball was easy. She drew her arm back and waited a moment as she recalled her crash course in spellcasting form. Then she cast, her arm whipped forward and she released the ball of energy while at the furthest point in her arc. The spell flew much faster than her previous attempts and smashed into the target. Although she missed the bullseye, she did manage to hit one of the outer circles.

"I did it!" she exclaimed. "Yeah! That's the way!" Shouri grinned toothily, patting her back.

Taika was not done, however. Another ball formed in her grasp and she flung it in the same manner as her first successful attempt. The second throw also hit the target. A bit closer to the middle, but at least on the target. "More," she breathed out. Shouri nodded and motioned for her to continue.

"Sotto. I think we should stop before we hurt ourselves." Shouri wiped some sweat from his brow. Despite not doing anything except being a fancy battery for Taika's spells, he too was worn out. They had been at it for at least an hour or so, but he couldn't be certain as he didn't check the time when they started.

"Si..." Taika panted in agreement, trying to shake off some of her sweat. Her arm was going to be sore later, that was certain. It was well worth it though; while she didn't end up hitting the center, she got pretty close. In fact, her consistency had improved drastically throughout the small training session. There was a new-found confidence welling up in the newbie Resonator.

"Let's go get some water and take a break before we head home," Shouri told his Resonator. "Si!" she beamed.

That smile was not long for this world; as when Shouri stepped out of the booth, he was suddenly and violently shoved to the ground.

Immediately Taika jumped to her Maestro's defense, putting herself between him and his assailant. She lowered herself and glared at his attacker, her tail bristled up as her eyes glowed bright blue.

"The fuck man?" Shouri groaned, getting to his feet. Now he took in who had so rudely pushed him. Two much larger men returned Taika's glare in kind; one a Maestro, and the other his Resonator. The Resonator was some dog breed based on the tail and ears. Both Shouri and Taika's sixth sense pegged down his element immediately: Earth.

"Couldn't help but notice you brought a ninte here," the Maestro of the pair spoke.

"Hurling slurs around makes you feel pretty big huh?" Shouri snarked back. Taika's scowl only intensified.

"I'm bein' nice. Get lost. We don't need your kind around here," he growled.

There was that feeling again – that desire to rebel; this time for a good reason. "We have our license; we have as much right to be here as you." Shouri placed his hand on Taika's back, though she refused to relax her defensive posture.

The large earth Resonator cracked his knuckles, his grin wide and toothy as he invited them to swing first with all but words. Taika ground her teeth as hard as she could. Her breathing became shallower as a new sweat coated her. She wasn't ready for this, there wasn't any way. She knew Shouri had used a ton of his rhythm in practice. They were both worn out and presumably, this guy had just wandered in and decided to start trouble.

This wasn't fair! Why was she so weak!?

"Now, that just isn't right," a voice spoke up. The four turned their attention to the fifth and sixth entering the fray. Shouri opened his mouth to call the person's name but saw the Maestro place their index finger over their lips to silence him.

"Oh? Another ninte lover? Why don't you run away like the rest?" The earth Maestro smirked.

Taika's ears flattened as she stepped back. Damian now stood in between her and the earth Maestro.

"I've been watching these two and they ran themselves ragged practicing their spells. They're obviously new." Aura folded her arms across her chest. "You just wanted to beat up on someone clearly weaker than you." The woman chuckled. "Pretty small dick energy if you ask me."

That enraged the Maestro. "Oh yeah?! Wanna take this down to the court?!"

"Oh, I'd love to." Aura cracked her knuckles. "If I win, I don't ever wanna see your face in this town again," she proposed.

"And if I win?" "Hmmm, we'll go on a date then. I'll even put out if you win quick enough."

Sizing up Damian, the earth Maestro figured his own Resonator could take the doberman. "Fine by me, you better keep your word."

"You too, big boy," the woman tittered.

Shouri and Taika stood behind Aura on her side of the battlefield they had rented for this little scuffle.

"I'm sorry Aura," Taika spoke up, her fists balled up tightly. "Relax hon, I enjoy emasculating muscle heads like him." Aura ruffled the Resonator's hair.

Shouri was just as frustrated at the situation. Of course, they immediately got harassed by lunar haters. He couldn't wait for him and Taika to be able to defend themselves. Logically he understood it though: they were specifically targeted because they were weak. These kinds of people didn't want to see a strong lunar element.

"Ready?!" Aura shouted to her Resonator as she drew her red tuner from her side. "Hmph, should I make it quick?" the fire Resonator asked his Maestro. "Yeah. I think we need to get these two home."

A smirk rose on the stoic dog-man's lips as he finally got into position. "With pleasure."

The battle appeared to be one-sided at first glance. A large, muscular dog-man against another dog, albeit a much thinner, lankier breed.

"Colpito da una Roccia, Piano!" the earth Maestro began with his command.

The earth dog formed a decent-sized boulder and threw it in Damian's direction. The fire Resonator stepped out of the way as the rock sailed by harmlessly. "Care to try again?" Damian smirked, keeping his eyes locked on his opponent.

"Fuggin' mutt," the earth Resonator growled. He charged the thinner man and threw a haymaker, an attempt to beat the smaller Resonator without the use of his magic.

Damian easily dodged the wild attacks, knocking away punches that got a little too close. This further frustrated the bulkier dog. "Use your ad-Lib!" the opposing Maestro shouted.

"Right!" The bigger dog jumped up and dove into the earthy battlefield below them as if it were water.

Aura chuckled. "Parte le Terra, that's precious." She turned to Shouri and Taika. "When fighting earth elements, keep in mind Taika's species perk." She motioned to Damian who stood with his eyes closed; his ears twitched every so often but he remained motionless otherwise. "Canid Sense lets you keep track of opponents even when you can't see them," she told Taika.

"But just in case, let's make sure he doesn't try to pull a sneaky without us knowing." She took in a breath and belted out a command: "Mine Terrestri, Lento!"

Damian knelt and slammed a fist into the ground, flames licking the surface of the dirt before fading away.

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"Shit! Get away from the mutt!" the earth Maestro shouted into his tuner. A second later, the opposing Resonator burst out of the ground in front of his Maestro.

"Yo, he didn't fall for it." Damian craned his head back to Aura. "Ah well, he has some brains at least." Aura shrugged.

"What happened?" Taika questioned. "Mine Terrestri sets fire-element landmines, the higher the rank the more mines and further they spread," Shouri explained. "It's my anti-Parte la Terra weapon." Aura kept her gaze on the battlefield. "They usually fall for it though," she tittered. "At least he's keeping it a touch bit interesting."

After weighing his options, the opposing Maestro shouted his next command: "Sciame di Gioielli, Piano!" Aura had the counter already in mind though: "Magifiamma, Legato!"

The earth-dog formed several gemstones in the air around him and fired them at Damian.

Taika was transfixed by Aura's command and Damian's execution of it. She watched Damian form seven balls of purple fire that orbited around the fire elemental. As the gemstones drew closer, two of the fireballs left Damian's orbit, intercepting the attacks and popping them like bubbles.

The final five orbs whipped out from their original orbit and assaulted the opposing Resonator, the first two took him off his feet and the remaining three slammed him into the dirt.

After the dust settled, the earth Resonator lay on the battlefield, unmoving.

"I think that's my win." Aura clapped. "Fucking useless! Get up!" the opposing Maestro barked.

The unconscious dog Resonator rose to his feet, his movements stiff as if a foreign entity had possessed him and was piloting him like a meat puppet. Despite standing now, it didn't seem like anyone was home.

Aura's carefree smirk faded. "Damian." She held up her tuner. "On it." He rushed the opposing Resonator.

"Crush him!" the enemy Maestro shouted desperately. Still moving robotically, the Resonator brought his fists down like hammers toward Damian. The doberman caught both fists and in doing so the sleeves of the earth Resonator's shirt caught fire.

"Keep it up!" Aura shouted.

Shouri and Taika watched in awe as Damian easily held off the larger Resonator, but more than that it appeared as if waves of something were rising around him. It was almost a little difficult to see a clear picture of the resumed battle.

That's when it hit them: a sudden wave of heat coming from Damian. Even at this distance, it was almost unbearable.

"Don't... lose." The earth Maestro wavered before dropping his tuner. Then a moment later, he collapsed.

With the brown tuner now on the ground, the earth dog became dead weight, with Damian easily pushing the man over with a resounding slam against the ground.

"What fucking slime." Aura shook her head. "What happened?" Taika voiced her confusion. "Remember that button? The red one?" Shouri quizzed, his eyes still locked on the unmoving earth Resonator.

The implication immediately earned discomfort from the lunar fox. "Yeah...?"

"Sore loser." Aura spat off to the side. "You can theoretically command a Resonator like a meat-puppet when they're unconscious but you can't channel spells through them while they're like that," she told them. "Thankfully Damian has Corpo Fuoco as his ad Libertum, so he can just put out so much heat it can knock the offending Maestro unconscious."

The blonde Maestro let out a weary sigh. "I'd like to say this is the first time I've had to pull that stunt, but you know how people are," she said with a shrug.

Damian returned to his Maestro, still radiating quite a bit of ambient heat, but not unbearably so like before. "So, uh, you think we should report that?" He motioned to the pair of bodies taking a much-earned dirt nap.

Aura hummed, frowning in disapproval. "Yeah. Principle of the matter I guess."

The dog man nodded. "You got it?" he asked. "Unfortunately." "Cool. I need a smoke."

And with that, Damian left to go inhale some lovely tobacco.

The walk home was relatively uneventful. Though Aura did want to confirm something. "Oh, did you pick up the fire ossia?"

"The what?" Shouri questioned his sister. "Check your spell list," she advised.

With a shrug, he pulled his tuner from his side and did as his sister suggested.

SPELLS Luce Lunare Pianissimo Rilevare l'intenzione Presto La Bella Vita Presto Magifiamma (NEW!) Legato (NEW!)

The first three spells he had familiarized himself with. The fourth, however- "That's new," he noted. Taika popped up over his shoulder. "A new spell?" she questioned.

"Yeah, ossias are dual-element spells. You can only get them from watching other Resonators perform them or fighting a big Scherzando that uses them," Aura told the newbies.

"Be very careful with that one," she warned. "It's gonna be your strongest spell for a little bit, but it also costs a fuck-ton of rhythm to pull off."

Shouri stared at the spell. It was kind of scary to suddenly have such a unique and powerful spell in their arsenal, but based on Damian's earlier demonstration, it certainly was potent. Either way, he had used up enough of his rhythm today, he wouldn't get to try their new toy until he had a chance to recover.

The blonde-haired Maestro stepped in front of Shouri and Taika, halting the group. "You two need to make sure you're ready to defend yourselves out there," Aura advised, her hands on her hips. She bitterly averted her gaze. "People aren't nice, and Damian and I won't always be there to bail you out."

Shouri lowered his head, gritting his teeth in frustration. He hadn't expected people to act on their distorted worldviews so brazenly. Was it too much to ask for people to leave them alone? He just wanted Taika to be happy, but there seemed to be those who disagreed with that wish.

GASP!

Taika sat up, her eyes wide, her body covered in a deep sweat. It was night now and she had been visited by yet another nightmare.

Before she had a chance to reflect on it, her door opened.

"Taika?" "Sho?" "Another nightmare?" "S-si..." "Come on."

The girl's face reddened again, recalling how they awoke this morning. "A-again?" she squeaked.

"It helped last night, right?" "S-si..."

She folded instantly and allowed herself to once again be led across the hall to his bedroom where she nestled into the thick comforters.

"Sleep well, Taika."

And with that, the two drifted off to slumberland.

History repeated itself the next morning as Taika found herself in his arms once more, in the same position as the day prior.

"Taika?!" "Sho?!"

They pushed away from each other again just like the previous morning. "I-I'll go back to my room," the flustered fox told her Maestro. A short nod was all she earned from this.

Darting across the hall and into her room, she pressed her back against the door, as she attempted to calm her racing heart. "He's my Maestro," she reminded herself. "It's not like the books," came the quiet addition. These words were spoken forlornly, however. She wished her fantasies could be her reality.

It just wasn't that easy.

"Luce Lunare, Pianissimo!"

A ball of lunar energy whipped through the air and slammed into a target set up about ten paces away in the yard.

Taika stood opposite the target board, coated in the sweat of a mid-morning workout. "A-again," she breathed.

"One sec." Shouri took a drink of water before he passed the bottle to his Resonator. She glared down the target board, failing to notice her Maestro's offer. He poked her arm with the bottle, which elicited her response.

Polishing off the remainder of the water, she threw the bottle behind her and repeated her demand: "Again."

"Luce Lunare, Pianissimo!"

Once more a ball of lunar energy sailed through the air, hitting the target. She was edging ever closer to hitting the center but still was off the mark by a small margin. For her efforts, she had made leaps and bounds in her consistency.

"Again."

And so this repeated on and on. They spent hours practicing their solitary attack spell. When they weren't doing that, they practiced the two support spells in their arsenal.

"What's up, Dames?" Aura asked her Resonator.

Damian sat by one of the open windows, smoking away as usual as he leaned against the frame of the window. "Watching them." He motioned his head in the direction of the yard where Shouri and Taika continued their exercise.

"It spooked them pretty badly," she noted, sitting up on the window sill. "It's better it happened now, to be honest," he commented. "Yeah. Still worried." "You think your parents are gonna pull some shit?" "It's been on the back of my mind."

The doberman nodded, bringing his cigarette up to his lips and taking a deep drag. He blew out his smoke before speaking again. "They threw a fit when you brought me home." He focused on Taika specifically. "Surprised they didn't have a meltdown when he brought her in."

"Totes. They've been oddly amicable about the whole situation." The corners of her lips tugged down with worry. "Think they're trying to teach him a lesson?" he offered. "That's gotta be it." Her gaze fell on her brother. "When he told me he would be her Maestro though, I felt it," she paused, considering her words, "He's so committed to her."

This earned a chuckle from Damian, who crushed the remaining butt of his cigarette. "Reminds me of someone I know." A coy smirk rose on the Maestro's lips. "Oh yeah? Who's that?" The smirk was returned in kind by the doberman. "You probably don't know her. She's pretty loud and obnoxious."

Hopping down from the window, she elbowed her Resonator. "Tch, you," she chuckled. "Always the brat." The blonde smiled warmly.

"You knew what you were getting yourself into when you picked me." He shrugged. "Maybe I didn't. I'm just a stuck-up rich girl, right?" "Yeah, fucking bitch." "Fuck you."

And so the two made a ruckus all down the hallway as their language only grew in vulgarity – however their goofy grins betrayed the language they used.

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