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

“Mila…?” Taika gasped, staring down her senior. Shouri’s first Resonator. The one who should have been accompanying him. The one who was meant to be his. The one who changed him down to a rhythmic level.

There was a familiar feeling being in the presence of this cat girl. Not a good one. Taika shook her head, but her rhythm quickly quelled her desire to flee.

Instead, Taika saw Mila for what she was: a threat, an obstacle for her to eliminate. She went to step forward, however, she was beaten to the punch.

Rebecca stood confidently in front of Shouri. “Sho. Don’t zone out, ” she told him. Her heels sparked wildly. She wasn’t prepping to ignite her flames, no, she was struggling to keep them tame.

“Don’t hold back.” Rebecca maintained her glare focused on Lyle. “I am your sword and I refuse to break, so swing me at him already, ” the vixen growled.

“Idiot! A mere fox doesn’t stand a chance against a Feroce!” Lyle boasted, raising his tuner. “I’ll show you who the third-rate Maestro is!”

At that moment there were sounds of battle arising in the various levels of the colosseum. Shouri figured they must be still after Emily for what she saw on Luna and this was their last-ditch effort at getting her. The practical mind in him said to do his job; to restrain Mila with all three of his Resonators and take Lyle out himself. But... there was a louder, more selfish voice in his head.

Put him in his place.

Destroy him as a Maestro.

Show him Rebecca's true potential.

Prove how worthless he really is.

Lyle was just a distraction - they were looking for Emily after all. He could afford to go all out here. Rebecca wanted this chance as well; he watched her bounce on her toes, her eyes completely focused on their adversaries. The boy smirked, his decision made. “We gotta end this quick Rebecca,” Shouri advised his fire Resonator.

“Of course.” Rebecca grinned toothily.

Mila was unamused, bringing up her fists, ready to scrap.

“Taika, Pacifica – we’ll keep Mila and Lyle distracted. Focus on getting Liza away from him,” Shouri quietly told his other two Resonators.

“But-!” they tried to protest, but Shouri silenced them with a gesture of his hand.

“Please. Trust me and Rebecca.”

“Fine,” Taika gave in.

“You better not lose to him,” Pacifica said with an uneasy pout.

Shouri nodded, his eyes never leaving Mila’s form. The scars coating her body, the state of her dress. She was wearing the same tattered blue shirt from her childhood. It was much too small for her adult frame, but even her new clothing was in a similar state of disrepair. Just what had she gone through in these eight long years?

“First let’s set the stage! Grave Rischio, Feroce!” Lyle declared the first spell. Rather than casting the spell towards Rebecca, Mila held out her hands and spread the sinister caltrops in either direction, filling the walkways with the Feroce-infused spikes, effectively trapping the combatants in an arena of their own.

“Good,” Shouri muttered under his breath. He didn’t want other people getting involved with this. It was a blessing in disguise really.

Raising Rebecca’s tuner, Shouri never let his vision leave Mila’s visage. His heart hurt having to do this, but in the same respect she was right in front of him. He could save her this time. He had the power!

“The battle has reached the final stage, but we still can’t predict the outcome of this battle!” boomed from the loudspeaker overhead.

“Famiglio Incendio, Rubato!” Shouri declared.

“Scottare, Legato!” Lyle countered.

Rebecca began to summon a pack of rhythm beasts but, was instantly countered by the Fire-Water Ossia whipping across the battlefield. Rebecca herself dodged the steam blast however, her summons did not fare so well and were wiped out in the crossfire.

Landing firmly on the ground, Rebecca glared at the opposing cat, who was more than happy to return the glower.

Without a word, Rebecca charged Mila, clearing the distance between them in an instant. As soon as she was in range, the fire fox unleashed a flurry of kicks. Mila responded in kind, her wrists igniting with flames of her own.

Hand met foot as the two fire Resonators exchanged blows. Every kick aimed carried the weight of technique and perfection, while the blocks and punches were that of raw willpower, being forged through numerous confrontations without regard for how the technique was molded.

Shouri studied how the cat was fighting. It was just as he suspected, and he didn’t need to say a word to Rebecca – they were on the same wave-length. She increased the intensity of her attacks, and Mila was forced to respond in kind, lest she lose ground.

That’s when Lyle suddenly cried out, “Get away from her!”

Mila ducked under a kick, and blasted herself away from Rebecca, who attempted to punish her position with an axe kick. Thanks to Mila’s timely retreat, Rebecca only sliced through a whole lot of air.

“Tch,” Mila spat to the side, smothering her wrist flames.

Several flame foxes remained on standby, having suddenly popped into existence during the exchange of blows.

It was clear allowing Rebecca to get close was not only dangerous, but deadly. Though they were matched in spellcraft, Lyle had one advantage to press his contemporary did not.

“Grave Cinesi, Feroce!” he called out.

With a wave of Mila's hand, a wave of sinister energy assailed Rebecca, instantly causing her vision to blur. The fox stumbled, finding it difficult to maintain her combat-ready stance. With the loss in concentration, the flame foxes evaporated into thin air.

“Fuck,” Shouri cursed, having shot a concerned glance at his tuner.

Status: Hallucination

And now he unfortunately had learned what that particular Feroce spell did. “Snap out of it!” he shouted, feeling particularly useless in that moment. His cry did cause Rebecca to regain a bit of her focus.

Lyle however sought to capitalize on the momentary distraction. “Grave Gelo, Feroce!”

A spear of blackened ice was launched at the struggling fox. She barely managed to step out of the way of the frozen spear, but didn’t dodge it entirely, getting nicked in the side by the spell.

“Gah!” Rebecca grunted, her hand snapping to the side that got hit.

Another quick glance at the tuner

Status: Frostbite

The pain had snapped her out of the hallucination, but in exchange she now held her injured side while also trembling from the cold. Feroce spells were no joke, being able to inflict a chilling effect on a Resonator who should have been immune to such an effect was the pinnacle of insanity. Fitting for what Feroce was as a phenomenon.

Lyle didn’t let up. “Grave Fulmine, Feroce!”

Thankfully, this was one Feroce spell they were familiar with. Mila unleashed a black bolt of lightning. Rebecca rolled out of the way, giving herself speed with her ad-Lib and hopping back up to her feet with ease.

“Tch, ” Lyle ground his teeth. “Grave Fulmine, Feroce!”

Another lightning bolt, Rebecca began to move to dodge it in the same way.

“Grave Fossa, Feroce!”

Right as Rebecca was rolling to stand up, the ground under her gave way and began to suck her down, similar to the Ossia spell that they had seen trap the lightning Resonator from a few days prior.

“Shit!” Rebecca cursed, completely trapped.

“Rebecca!” Shouri cried out.

“Finally, dealt with that fucking mobility,” Lyle sighed in relief. “Drown her - Grave Beccuccio, Feroce.”

Time slowed.

This is it?

This is all I could do?

No.

Not again.

I won’t be useless again.

In spite of the oncoming attack, Rebecca and Shouri calmed. They both took in a deep breath, the chaos of the shouting and screaming around them muted.

Shouri’s lips moved as an impossible clip as Mila began to launch her spell, sinister black water jetting towards the pit Rebecca was ensnared in.

“Saldatura ad ArcoMagifiammaScottare, Legato!”

The sinister water-like rhythm struck where Rebecca was trapped, but the spell splashed away in an unusual manner, and through it two more spells cut through the attack: a blast of steam that struck Mila, and then following along the water an intense bolt of super-heated lightning that finished cleaving away Grave Beccuccio and Mila as a result.

The cat flew backwards, slamming into the ground and rolling a small distance.

“What… the fuck was that…?” Lyle’s eyes were wide, unable to believe what just transpired. To his horror, Rebecca pulled herself out of the trappings she had previously been pinned in. Streaks of white graced her normally vibrant ombré hair. Her breaths short, haggard, but focused. Even in such a weakened state her eyes glowed with vibrant red rhythm.

And Shouri, his eyes similarly shimmered with yellow rhythm, practically bursting at the seams. His own hair was free of any ashiness. He took a breath with Rebecca. Their focus mirrored, absolute in what must be done.

BEEEP!

“Lanciafiamme, Fortissimo!”

Lanciafiamme

Pianissimo – Piano – Forte – Fortissimo (NEW!)

“Riflettore Musicale, Fortissimo!” Lyle shouted in desperation as the intense stream of fire whipped by him aimed squarely at the recovering Mila.

The shielder threw up her reflective barrier, matching the intensity of the attack with a barrier that returned the spell right back at its caster.

Another breath shared by Shouri and Rebecca.

BEEEP!

“Bolide, Fortissimo!”

Bolide

Pianissimo – Piano – Forte – Fortissimo (NEW!)

As the Lanciafiamme was on its way back to Rebecca, a massive ball of fire tore right through her own reflected spell. There was no time to block, dodge, or brace herself: Mila took the attack head on, whether she was ready to or not.

BOOM!

The impact ended in a massive explosion of fire, knocking Lyle off his feet and sweeping away the Grave Rischio that surrounded them. When the dust settled, Mila was soundly defeated, her hair nearly totally white.

“THIS ISN’T FAIR! I WAS SUPPOSED TO WIN!” Lyle roared, tossing his tuner to the ground in disgust. “YOU FUCKING CHEATED SOMEHOW I KNOW YOU DID!” The Maestro pointed an accusatory finger at his opponent.

Rebecca and Shouri turned their glares on the pitiful Maestro who stood before him. The pathetic man crumbled under the intense, hateful gaze cast in his direction and ran away with a loud whimper and cry.

With that nuisance now someone else’s problem, the victors of the match turned their attention to Mila. For a moment Shouri and Rebecca studied the downed cat, fearing the match had ended fatally. However, the slow rise and fall of Mila’s chest alleviated those concerns.

“Holy shit, ” Pacifica gasped, holding up the still unconscious Liza.

“Nothing to it.” Rebecca grinned toothily. Her bravado only lasted a moment as she buckled over, holding the side she had been struck on by the Grave Gelo.

“Holy shit indeed.” Shouri slumped as well, allowing the sweat to rain as he shook it of him. His head was pounding and his body ached from the intensity at which the rhythm had been ripped from his body during that entire exercise.

Speaking of, his hair had begun to fade into white, the rhythm adrenaline rush wearing off. “Let’s never do that again,” he snarked with a smirk.

“Yeah, fuck that,” Rebecca chuckled.

Taika rushed over, leaving Pacifica to tend to Liza. But before she could make it to her friends, Rebecca suddenly flew to the ground, as if struck by an invisible force.

“What the-?!” and before Shouri could finish that thought, he too was struck and slumped over. His trio of tuners were thrown from his person by an invisible force, clattering to the ground and scattering away. Unlike Rebecca, he floated unnaturally in place, being held up by some unseen actor.

“Taika-!” Pacifica cried out.

A bright flickering light from behind the fox caused her to spin around to see Pacifica drop Liza and fall to the ground, unconscious.

The vixen’s heart raced. She was suddenly alone – someone had just picked off all her friends. Based on how fast Pacifica fell and the light show, the lightning element was probably utilized. She spun around and threw a punch into the air…

THWACK!

…and made contact.

“FUCK!” a voice yelped, their form suddenly coming into focus after being struck.

Blues, greens, yellows, and oranges adorned the woman’s form. Next to her laid her red glasses, being a victim of Taika’s sudden strike. The mystery woman brushed back her blue hair, passing over the strange mechanical green horns that jutted out of her head.

“Lunars are always the most dangerous,” the woman grumbled. “Then again, all four of you were dangerous to the project.” She hopped to her feet.

Taika’s glare was locked solely on the woman. “You were at Lyreann Castle,” the Lunar Resonator noted. “Whistler,” she managed to recall her adversary’s name.

“Fat lot of good that will do you. You’re Maestroless,” Whistler scoffed.

WHOOSH

Whistler barely managed to dodge the second punch thrown in her direction.

“Metti giù Sho o sarà l'ultima cosa che farai...” the vixen threatened.

Even with such provocation, Whistler maintained a smug smirk. “Why don’t you make me, little girl?”

Another punch.

Whistler’s eyes widened, the smirk wiped off her face as she suddenly fell to the ground. She had dodged, right!?

THEN WHY WAS HALF OF HER ARM MISSING?!

A sea of metal shards, circuit boards, and wires scattered across the ground leaving Whistler staring at the protruding wires arcing and sparking from the remnants of her elbow joint.

Whistler didn’t have time to analyze her new found amputation, as a foot was barreling towards her head like a rocket. The woman flattened herself against the ground, but had to roll away as Taika’s foot instantly stamped into the ground where Whistler once was. The concrete cracked under the force of the blow.

“FUCK! The bitch has Volontà Estesa! She’s telekinetic!” Whistler cursed, spinning to her feet. She managed to dodge another kick thrown in her direction. Catching it was out of the question, even Vatonium wouldn’t survive against such a boosted physical force.

“Just go down!” Extending her remaining arm, she shot a bolt of lightning through the lunar Resonator. This only served to enrage the fox further.

Once more Whistler was on the backfoot, dodging a flurry of punches. Had she been an organic being such a feat would have been impossible. Even so, she was rapidly draining her own rhythm reserves. Maintaining the speed required to avoid the attack and repel the telekinetic force attached to each swing was taxing even for a Resonator of her combat level.

CRACK BOOM!

Taika was suddenly struck by a massive bolt of lightning from the sky, halting her for a moment. That break was all Whistler needed to charge up a lightning strike of her own and unleashing it on the stunned lunar element.

The fox fell to her knees panting. “I won’t… let you take him.” Tears poured down her face. Despite being struck twice by lightning and the residual electricity arcing down her body, despite her hair having turned almost entire white, despite being completely cut off from her Maestro, Taika rose again.

CRACK BOOM!

Only for a third bolt of lightning from the sky to smother the final embers of resistance.

Thud!

Taika fell flat on her face, unmoving.

“Holy shit… what a god damn monster,” Whistler sighed in relief. “No wonder they want to study this kid.” Her glance fell on the point where Shouri had once been floating, now gone. “Either way, mission complete,” and with that declaration, Whistler faded out of sight as if she had never been there.