Vistus: Storm Queen

Dear Journal,

I broke down two months ago, to the point where I could not even put my thoughts to paper. Though that was mostly because I actually broke my writing hand.

I discarded what little dignity I had left and begged one of my teachers to dictate a letter to my parents. I look back on it with shame now, but at the time I could not even think of spending another week here and pleaded to return home.

Thankfully my teacher intervened, and talked to me with actual words, not through combat. He suggested, once my hand recovered, to write letters to my family and friends. He is also taking me under his wing until I can find my feet at the Academy and finally face the other students as an equal. I am very grateful to him for giving me another chance.

I have been exchanging letters with Mikhael, learning how Welfirth has been doing in my absence. The town is getting steadily worse, however. Mikhael's mother died in a Shadow Mage riot trying to protect the civilians. I feel so much for him, and my heart aches to lose one who was like my own mother to me. I absolutely cannot let anyone else die anymore. No matter my reservations, I must push through and train.

I should write to Mikhael now and go see Professor Ark.

-

“Where the heck were you, Jazz?”

“On my assigned street, obviously.”

“You didn't hear the chick shouting?” Elora stood by the table, leaning on it so she was eye-level with Jazz, who was standing at the front of the meeting room. 

“Bit hard to hear over the crowds.”

“Or maybe all your loud music's starting to make you deaf.”

Jazz's ripped ear twitched and she narrowed her eyes.

The group sat in the meeting room of the Red Wyvern, all except for one red-haired Fillian, of course, who was currently enjoying an all-expenses paid trip to the Chrome's Edge Police Station. Shady poked his head in through the door as he watched the argument.

Laerya couldn't help shrinking back in her seat just a bit. She was used to arguments, but she was usually involved in them. She felt a wave of sympathy for Jinny now that she was in her shoes.

Jinny herself seemed to be paying little attention to the squabbling Peacekeepers, her eyes glued to the table she sat at.

“You wouldn't know music if it hit you upside the head.”

“I'd like to hit you upside the head!”

“Oh, I bet you would!” Jazz grinned just a little too widely, the grin that Laerya now dubbed the ‘un-Jazzy grin’.

She caught the split second shock in Elora's eyes before Elora glared back at Jazz. “Don't make this about me! You weren't there when we needed you and now that Fillian's in the slammer!”

Laerya flinched, not daring to look at Jinny. The vacant seat between the two of them spoke volumes.

“I wouldn’t go that far, he’s just in the damn local police station. And I was on a different street, ya dumbass! Ijust said so!”

“So was I, but I still came running!”

“Yeah, and some help you turned out to be.”

“Lightningdancer got in my way!”

Hold up, we’re blaming me now? Laerya couldn't stop her spark of anger. Don't let her get to you. You know the real story. State your case calmly. “Dude, I dragged you on top of roofs so we'd get there faster.”

“You wouldn't have needed to if you didn't knock me over in the first place!” Elora protested.

“You what?” Jazz turned to Laerya with a hint of a grin. Laerya's ears lowered with embarrassment from the very misplaced pride in Jazz's voice. The glare Elora shot her seared her insides for the second time today.

“Oh, you find that funny, do you?” Elora's hackles raised as she hissed at Jazz. “How about I knock you over?”

“Try it, hothead. I dare ya.”

Heat flared in an instant before sputtering out in the same breath. Laerya noticed steam trailing from Elora’s fingertips.

Are they really going to duke it out while Akorri’s stuck in jail? Jazz wouldn’t do that. She knows her priorities… right?

“Call me hothead again,” Elora growled. “See what happens.”

Jazz grinned her un-Jazzy grin. “Oh, ya gonna burn my other ear off too?”

Crap. Laerya winced so hard she didn’t catch Elora’s expression. She didn’t need to see it. She heard, clear as day, the crack running down Elora’s armour. Laerya would have retreated at this point, repaired her equipment before trudging into the battlefield again.

Elora was not Laerya.

“You forgave me, didn’t you? Why are you throwing that back in my face?”

Jazz’s eyebrow twitched. “What made you think I forgave you?”

Laerya’s ears lowered again. She needed to do something before this got any worse. Jazz was her friend, and while she wasn’t sure how to feel about Elora, she couldn’t see the both of them hurt each other like this.

Maybe Elora deserves it though.

Laerya paused. Wow, hey, me, what the heck? Where had that come from? Fair enough, she didn’t like Elora much, but that didn’t excuse such a vile thought.

She’s got no lid on her temper. She’s dangerous, she attacked her own friend--your friend--and there’s no sign she won’t do it again.

But she said she wouldn’t! She said she changed! 

Laerya was no stranger to her less palatable thoughts. Everyone had them, though she could hardly admit it to herself. More often than not, she blocked them out. But this one…

Has she? Look at her.

The fur along Elora’s back connecting to her tail stood on end, her fists shaking as waves of heat radiated from her body.  “So you’re just stringing me along then? Why am I even on this damn assignment?”

Laerya couldn’t shake this thought.

“Dunno.” Jazz shrugged. While Elora blazed like the summer sun, Jazz’s voice was ice. “For all I care you can just fuck right off and leave me to deal with your leftover shit again.”

“You…!”

Laerya had seen enough. This wasn’t Jazz, or rather, this was a Jazz that sorely needed a good talk. It hurt too much to see her friend and her ‘cousin’ in such pain. 

I’m gonna help them become friends again, or my name isn’t Laerya Lightningdancer! Okay, time to step--

“Are you done?” 

Laerya turned to the cold, strained voice beside her. Jinny still refused to look up and didn't look like she even acknowledged her surroundings, but that was unmistakably her voice.

“Uh…” For once, Elora looked dumbfounded.

Jazz just blinked.

“Thank you.” Jinny chanced a look at Laerya before looking down again. “I'm sorry about that, but the longer you--we, we argue, the longer Akorri's stuck in prison.”

“It's just Chrome's Edge police station. He's not in any real danger there,” Jazz said.

"Jinny, don't worry, I'm sure he's fine," Laerya jumped in before Jinny could retort (though Laerya wasn't sure she would). She didn't add that his cell was temporary until they moved him to a real prison. She felt pressed for time as it was. “We need to come up with a plan to free him.”

“We could sneak him out," Elora chimed in.

"But then we'd have a reason to join him if we got caught," Jazz said.

"We are not sneaking Akorri out!" Laerya protested. The last thing they needed was to actually break the law. 

"It's the fast option," Jinny muttered.

"It's the wrong option!" Laerya countered.

Jinny actually visibly rolled her eyes and folded her arms. Laerya had never seen such an unabashedly teenager-ish action from her before. She looked like she wanted to protest, but after staring at Laerya for several moments, she turned away.

"We aren't sneaking Akorri out and that's that," said Laerya with confidence she didn't entirely have. She didn't much like acting like a leader, but needs must. "If I catch anyone trying it I'll put you in prison myself. That includes you too, Shady." She pointed a finger at the black dragon, who blinked; the dragon version of a shrug. She knew he was too big to be discreet enough to sneak anyone anywhere, but she had to cover all bases. “Anyway. Let's think up a proper, legal plan.”

"Then let's hurry up about it, if we can, I mean." Jinny turned back, hair draped over half her face again.

"Hm, I like this Jinny," said Elora.

Jinny's visible eye flicked to her for less than a second before looking back at the floor.

Alright, so, Akorri’s stuck in jail, and we gotta get him out. Man, I wish he was here, he’d know what to do. Maybe he’s trying to break himself out right now. Laerya drummed her finger on the table as she mused. Okay, so how’d he get stuck in the first place? Right, it was ‘cos of…

“The illusionist.” She stopped her drumming. “We have to catch the illusionist ourselves.”

“Because that worked so well the first time,” Elora said.

Laerya glared at her. “We put away the bad guy, my friend gets the all clear and there’s one less criminal on the streets. Sounds like a good deal to me.”

Elora’s eyebrow threatened to skyrocket into the ceiling as she pointed to the empty space between Laerya and Jinny.

Okay, yeah I get it, shut up. “Listen, I’m all for anyone else coming up with a plan. “Again, a legal one,” she quickly added as Elora opened her mouth, “so please feel free to shoot me down if you’ve got something better.”

“The Feln chick,” Jazz weighed in. “He was lookin’ to rob her the first time. We get her help, bait the trap, and wait for the sucker to trip it.”

“Get her help how?” Jinny asked.

“And why?” Elora added.

Wait, no, that’s it! Laerya’s ears shot up. If we know beforehand, we can stop the illusionist from blinding us again. But… “I’m not comfortable using a civilian like this,” she said.

“No harm in askin’ her though, is there?” Jazz replied.

“I guess not,” Lae mumbled. She didn’t like it, but with the Feln being the illusionist’s known target, they would be dumb not to use her to their advantage. Ugh, use her. Come on, Lae, you’re better than that.

“Then are we all in agreement?” Jazz asked. The challenge in her eyes was directed only at Elora.

I need to talk to her about this. 

Jinny nodded, so Laerya gave the all clear with a nod of her own.

“Great,” said Jazz. “Then it’s decided.”

-

According to the locals, difficult as it was to flag them down in such a busy city, the lady they were after was a violinist who performed at the music hall most nights. A doughnut stall owner on the street food road mentioned that she stopped by after her performances. They would have to catch her in the evening, which left the group free to explore Chrome's Edge as they wished until then.

This did not explain how Jinny ended up in Elora's company.

She thought back to when and why they decided to split up. Laerya had insisted on dragging Jazz off somewhere. At first Jinny thought it was because she wanted to catch up, but Laerya informed Jinny she planned to discuss Jazz's feud with Elora. That left her alone with Elora by default, as Shady had stayed behind on the ship, since he would be too big to properly navigate this city of packed sardines. Laerya's brow had furrowed in a sincerely apologetic look, and while Jinny desperately wished she could join her, she understood the reasoning.

That did not make this any better though.

The two of them stood as far apart as possible on the road of street food vendors, which wasn't very far because the stalls had them surrounded and packed in. If Jinny had to pick one word to describe Chrome's Edge, it would be claustrophobic. The scent of fried food all around didn't help at the moment.

She took one glance at Elora, who was surveying a nearby noodle stall, and hoped that would keep the Lucive's attention for the next hour. Unfortunately said Lucive turned around a second after that thought, and fixed Jinny with an expectant, if a little grumpy, stare.

Years of practise was the only thing keeping Jinny's neutral expression from cracking. She wanted to disappear into the ground so Elora never looked at her again. Did she expect her to lead? Why did she look angry? Was she angry at Jinny?

"You wanna grab a bite while we wait for those two?" Elora asked.

Oh thank goodness, she’s leading. Jinny allowed her muscles to relax ever so slightly, not even realising how tightly wound they were. Unfortunately, eating was the last thing on her mind. Being alone with Elora, and thinking about Akorri still in jail, kept her stomach captive in queasy purgatory. But the thought of saying no to Elora... 

I’d rather swim in a pool of sharks.

"No?" Elora pressed after what must have only been a few seconds of no reply, but to Jinny felt like hours. "C'mon, just say. I won't bite your head off, y'know." She grumbled the last part and looked away. 

Jinny blinked. Wait, does she actually care about what I think of her?

This time Elora's frown was one of genuine irritation, so Jinny hastened to reply. "I know you won't," she said. That's a lie. "I'm, um, not very hungry at the moment. S-sorry."

"Hey, no worries." Elora shrugged. "Just thought it might be a good way to take your mind off your friend."

"Thank you, but I can't eat when I'm nervous."

Elora pushed past the people crowding around the food stalls as she left, giving them glares when they bumped into her. Jinny followed behind. "Oh, I'm the opposite. Stress makes me eat."

Jinny could not imagine the unrelenting jaws of stress opening for anything other than vomiting. She simply nodded, hurrying through the path Elora made by parting the sea with her glares.

They made their way to a more open part of the city: a shopping district, oddly enough. Jinny learned by now that the streets were more populated because of commuters and tourists, so shopping areas, while still packed, felt mercifully empty by comparison. This one consisted of a large department store and many more modest retailers, peppered with a few coffee shops. 

"So what do you wanna do?" Elora asked.

That was a good question; the type that you normally knew the answer to, but when prompted by a total stranger, sent any answers flying out the window. What did Jinny want to do? What did Jinny even like doing? And did she like doing anything that Elora liked? There was no way to know, because Jinny knew next to nothing about her fiery companion. She felt like any answer she gave would be wrong. She wanted to hide in the ship.

“Oh, come on, this isn't a hard question. Are you like… okay?” Elora leaned down, scrunching her face up as she studied Jinny’s.

Oh Vacerus please stop looking at me please please please-- “Yes, I am okay.”

“You sure? Because you’re not saying anything and it’s starting to freak me out a bit.”

Oh, well, sorry I’m so creepy. Jinny fought back a glare. Typical. I take a few moments to collect my thoughts, I get labelled-- “Sorry.”

Elora groaned and rolled her eyes. “Do I have to decide everything? C’mon. You pick what we do.”

Why don’t you just kill me now? Jinny turned away from Elora, pretending to look at the shops. She wanted to call for Laerya or Shady, never more aware of their lack of presence until this moment, but she had to abstain. Clinging to her friends at the first sign of discomfort was pathetic. She tried desperately to ignore the growing pit in her stomach. Why did you leave me alone with her, Lae?

Before she could come up with anything, Elora growled and rubbed her forehead. “Wow, you’re impossible. Come on, we’re going to a cafe.”

Impossible? Are you aware how difficult it is to function around you, you damn fire-brain? Something almost slipped out. Jinny bit her lip and followed Elora as she led them to the nearest cafe.

They sat in a quiet corner in one of the emptier establishments, a modest, no nonsense coffee shop that smelled strongly of the one drink it served. Jinny thought it a little out of place in such a showy city like Chrome’s Edge, but it was a welcome break from the city’s lights and bustle.

Elora sipped--that isn’t sipping, that’s vacuuming--her espresso as she leaned back in her chair and studied Jinny, much to the girl’s dismay.

“Okay, so now that we’re finally chilling somewhere, can I ask what your deal is?” She cocked her head slightly to the side.

“My deal.” Jinny phrased it more like a statement than a question. It was getting hard keeping her less pleasant thoughts on Elora at bay.

“Yeah. You’re like, more than super quiet. Kinda like a ghost. Which fits.” She pointed at Jinny’s face. She was probably talking about her white fur. Funny.

“Sorry.” It was an unsatisfactory response to pretty much anything except for those asking for an apology. Jinny knew that. But it was all she could think to say. There was no proper answer to Elora’s question anyway.

“Again with the ‘sorry’! Why are you sorry? You haven’t done anything to me.”

I’m starting to wish I had. Maybe then you’d leave me alone. “Because… well. I’m… not… I… I don’t know.”

Elora blinked. One eyebrow always seemed to be raised with her, and this was no exception. “You were cool earlier, on the airship. What happened?”

I was cool? You mean when I stopped you and Jazz from squabbling like babies? “I was mad.”

“Why?” 

That wasn’t a fair question. Elora knew the answer, Jinny could see it in her eyes. She thought she was getting Jinny to open up. Jinny saw that as well. She always saw people’s attempts to get her to ‘come out of her shell’. You couldn’t hide that kind of thing from the girl who’d been unwillingly subjected to it for most of her life. You do it for too long and that shell becomes a fortress.

“You know why,” she said simply.

Elora’s eyebrow twitched slightly, and Jinny felt a hint of satisfaction. She saw Elora’s hammer bouncing off her wall. Perhaps it was wrong to feel that way about someone trying to get to know her, but she wasn’t in much of a state to care. She just wanted to find Akorri and move on. Just him, her, Laerya, and Shady, as it should be. That was all she needed.

“Yeesh, okay, ice queen.” Elora chugged the rest of her espresso like a beer and wiped her mouth. “I get it, you don’t wanna talk to me. You don’t have to be such a bitch about it.”

“I’m not… being a bitch.”

Again with the eyebrow. “Maybe you n’ I need to swap dictionaries.”

Oh, shut up, you--

Oh.

Jinny froze. These thoughts were not good thoughts. Not good thoughts at all. Laerya wouldn’t have them. These were not the thoughts of a nice person. And Jinny was a nice person.

Right?

She didn’t want Elora to pry, but she didn’t have to spear her, either. There had to be a middle ground. Jinny wasn’t good at achieving it. Those shitty Greengladers had pushed her too far to one extreme and kept her on that setting the entire time she’d lived there.

Shitty. There was a word Laerya wouldn’t use to describe people.

“I’m sorry.” Jinny raised a hand before Elora could say anything about her apologising again. “I didn’t mean… to be mean.” Somewhere down the line, she had started shaking, because of course she did. Damn it.

What, now you’re going to panic because Elora called you out on being shitty yourself?

“Uh…” Elora rubbed the back of her neck. “It’s okay.”

Jinny hadn’t realised her thoughts had gone that far, but was thankful she caught herself before they went further. Unfortunately it was doing nothing to stop her anxiety spike. She was nervous about Elora, nervous about being alone with Elora, nervous about Akorri, and, though she was loath to admit it, angry at Laerya for abandoning her.

Elora went quiet.

Jinny blinked. She tried to stop shaking. No luck.

Elora stayed quiet.

She’s judging me, isn’t she? Why isn’t she saying anything? She’s thinking I’m horrible company, I know she is. I’d think that about me right now. I want to go home. Why am I shaking? Please stop shaking, you look like an idiot. Stop being nervous. Damn it, stop it, stop--

“Come on.”

Jinny blinked again as Elora got up and motioned for her to follow. What now? Jinny hurriedly finished off her coffee and followed Elora out of the cafe. She was following Elora a lot.

Still she continued to follow her, even as Elora stopped and looked at signs, scrunching her face up as she read them. She followed as Elora led her down streets, crossed roads, and passed shops. All the while her heart pounded in her chest like a discordant drummer and each breath got harder to draw.

Vacerus damn it, if you break down in front of Elora over literally nothing you might as well die.

After what felt like half an hour but was likely only ten minutes, the two of them stopped in front of the only building that could offer Jinny any sort of reprieve right now.

A library.

The wide building had a neon sign flickering between the opening and closing of a book. A look through the windows revealed rows of bookshelves and tables to sit at. Jinny instantly calmed, if only slightly, from the familiarity of it. She lowered her head again, preparing to walk off, but her legs were shaking so much she was worried they would give way if she moved.

Elora shifted, rubbing her arm awkwardly as they stood in silence. "... You wanna go in?" she asked.

Jinny could only nod.

Elora continued to look unsure, even as she realised she would have to be the one to move first. Warily, as though the automatic sliding doors would devour her if she got too close, she stepped towards the entrance. When the doors opened for her, she glanced at Jinny before entering the library. Jinny followed her in.

The scent of books old and new hit her immediately, forcing her to look up from the carpeted floor. The ground floor was large and spacious despite bookshelves filling it on all sides. A staircase led to a visible upper floor which also seemed to hold as many books as the level below, though this one had computers sitting on desks in the centre of the room.

Jinny glanced at Elora, who eyed her surroundings with tight lips and narrowed eyes. Even if Jinny didn’t know her, she could immediately tell that Elora was out of place. It begged the question of whether she had ever set foot in a library before. It begged a question now.

Had Elora taken her here on purpose?

“Well, go on, then. Do whatever it is people do in a library,” Elora mumbled, looking off to the side.

“Read?” Jinny’s incredulity over that statement broke her filter.

Elora opened her mouth to reply, and her eyes squinted in something close to a glare. Then she shut her mouth and just looked away.

Oh, wow, this is weird. She kind of looks like… Jinny’s ears twitched as she tried not to flatten them reflexively. Me.

This was something Jinny hadn’t experienced in a long time, and certainly never with a stranger; she was the one in control. She wasn’t an idiot. She knew what this meant, for both her and Elora.

“Are you okay with this?” she asked.

Elora nodded.

Jinny was almost too stunned to reply. The situation had turned on its head so abruptly she couldn’t adjust to it. How was she supposed to proceed from here? 

Walking. That was a good first step. She moved forward, and Elora followed her. She continued walking towards one of the bookshelves, aware of Elora right behind her. She stopped in front of a shelf and stared. Her eyes were pointing towards the books, but she focused on Elora.

She forced herself to actually look at the titles in front of her, her eyes dancing over the spines of the books. It seemed she had led them to the science fiction section of the library, if the title Time Shift was anything to go by. Wow, I don’t know half of these. Read this one, though, it’s okay. This…. no. Maybe this one? I’ve heard good reviews.

She took the book off the shelf, fingers sliding over the paperback cover. She supposed this was a good way to spend time until she had to go back to Laerya. She looked up to find a place to sit, and then saw that Elora was watching her.

What was she supposed to do? She couldn't just read while Elora watched. Though they were in a library; there was only one thing to do here, really.

“Uh, do you want to… read something?" she asked quietly.

Elora's lips thinned as she looked from Jinny to the bookshelf. She continued this motion for a minute before finally answering. "D'you, uh, recommend anything?"

Jinny's eyebrows shot up to the heavens. Elora was asking her for a book recommendation? "You actually want to read?"

"I guess. It's why we're here."

Jinny finally smiled a little.

No. I know why we're here.

She only just realised she had stopped shaking.

"Um, okay," she replied, looking over the bookshelf again, though half her mind was still on Elora.

She didn't think Elora had the capacity to care about other people's feelings. If she was wrong about that, maybe she was wrong about Elora in general. Jinny didn't meet many people who willingly put her comfort first, especially at their expense. For someone to do that for her…

Perhaps Elora and Jazz really could work things out. For now, though, Jinny had to pick out a good book for her.

I wonder if she'd like Cherry Moon? No, no, not yet. I have to figure out her tastes first.

The fortress wall cracked.

-

Laerya sat on the roof of one of the taller buildings in the city and looked down at the busy streets below. From up here she couldn’t make out many details as she watched the commuters navigate the roads like fish swimming through streams. The crystal streetlights blinked even in daylight.

“Great view, ain’t it,” said Jazz, who sat beside her with a doughnut in hand. The sweet smell coaxed a complaint from Laerya’s stomach, but she ignored it. She had a more pressing matter to deal with.

“Gosh, you’re so extra,” she said with a light snicker. “We couldn’t have done this in a cafe like normal people?”

“Nah. And I know you’d rather be up here than in one, too.” Jazz took a bite of her doughnut, raspberry jam oozing from the fried confection. She licked it away and winked at Laerya.

Am I supposed to take that some way? No, now’s really not the time.

Jazz studied her for a moment before sighing heavily. “I got to ya, didn’t I.” It wasn’t a question.

Laerya’s ears lowered. It wasn’t common knowledge, but she knew Jazz hated coming off as intimidating, and in her line of work, that demeanour was to be expected. The two of them had been friends for years now, even though their contact was infrequent. Laerya knew how Jazz worked. Despite that, she couldn’t deny that Jazz spooked her lately. And Jazz had noticed.

“It’s not me, I know.” Jazz’s head rolled in exasperation, which seemed to be a more dramatic version of eye-rolling. “It’s just, Elora brings out the worst in me. Can you believe I’m like, hyper aware of everything I’m saying when I talk to her? It’s kinda like… I’m watchin’ myself go off, but I’m behind glass the whole time, so I can’t tell myself to shut up.”

Laerya nodded. That was familiar.

“It’s not an excuse, but…” Jazz heaved a deep sigh, one that had years behind it. “She burnt my ear off, man.”

Laerya knew that wasn’t it. The Jazz she was friends with always boasted about the potential for scarring at her job. She had always said she would wear one like a badge of honour. “It’s not just that though, is it?” Laerya asked quietly.

Jazz eyed her with those small pupils of hers and puffed up her cheek. “How’d ya figure that out, detective?”

Laerya shrugged. She didn’t really feel the need to explain. She knew Jazz understood.

“Good solve, in any case. Yeah, it’s not just my ear. That was just the straw that broke the shitheap of a camel’s back.”

“So what’s the problem?”

Jazz gave her a flat look. “You’ve met Elora.”

“Yeah.”

“Do I need to explain?”

“No.”

Jazz smirked. “Seriously, though. It was just one thing after another with her. She was okay at first; kinda angry, but friendly enough that you could let it slide. She was strong. She was cool. She was… what I wanted to be, I guess?”

“What you are,” Laerya corrected, poking Jazz’s shoulder.

Jazz’s smirk softened. “Then she made her opinion clear on the magicless. That was kinda… Yeah.”

”I can’t believe I’m related to a Terros-killer.”

Laerya winced.

“She said some shit, but in a backhanded compliment kinda way. Said I was good for a magicless.”

“She didn't call you a… hollowblood or a Terros-killer?” The words laced Laerya’s tongue with bitterness.

“What? Vacerus, no!” Jazz’s eyes widened. “Wait, did she…?”

“Yeah. Said she didn’t know they were ‘that bad’.”

“Oh, that dumbass...” Jazz groaned and slapped her forehead. “She was pretty sheltered before she worked for us. I’d believe it. Elora’s many things, but intentionally malicious ain’t one of ‘em.”

Laerya still struggled to believe that, but Elora really was trying to prove herself lately. That did count for something, and Laerya always made a point to see the good in people. Elora should be no different.

“I think it’s worth remembering that,” she murmured.

“I mean, you’re right. Believe me, I actually know.” Jazz finished off her doughnut and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “She was just so hard to deal with, and then she got downright terrifying the longer she worked with us. Didn’t matter who was in her line of fire so long as the pest got caught. I really thought she was gonna kill someone one day.”

Laerya nodded, glancing at Jazz’s ear.

“You wanna know the worst part though? The real worst part?” Jazz laughed mirthlessly. “I actually thought she’d stay.”

Laerya listened.

“I thought, maybe she’ll become a better person, make up for what she did, stick around… for me.”

Laerya sighed inwardly. What a mess. She put the pieces together, and the result was not a pretty picture. Jazz, you silly girl. “She’s here now,” she said.

Jazz narrowed her eyes. “Yeah, a hundred years too late.”

It was Laerya’s turn to give her a flat look. “Come on, man.”

“This kinda stuff doesn’t just go away!” Jazz growled. “I hated her for abandoning me! We were… we were gettin’ close, y’know? And then she went and did this--” her ripped ear twitched, “--and left me out to dry!”

That sounds a little familiar.

Laerya’s stomach lurched, but she absolutely could not think about that right now. The situations were not remotely similar. Fericeus had left her for a good reason. This was different. 

This was salvageable.

“But she’s here now,” Laeyra repeated firmly. “She’s finally making up for it. I mean, she could’ve done it earlier.” She smiled. “But better late than never, right?”

Jazz glared at the commuters down below. Her torn ear twitched rapidly. She grumbled something to herself.

Laerya knew Jazz was a reasonable person. She just needed some time. “She’s trying hard, and even after what you said to her, I’m sure she’s gonna try even harder. That seems to be the kind of girl she is. That’s why you brought her here, right? To see her try?”

Jazz rivalled Fericeus in the deep sighing department. “... Yeah.”

“Don’t lose sight of that. I’m sure being around her’s bringing up a lot of stuff, but don’t forget she reached out to you, and you gave her a second chance. It just happened to take longer than you thought.” Laerya patted Jazz’s shoulder. 

An electronic chime drew her attention to the clock by the train station. She remembered she had left Jinny alone with Elora and winced internally. She hoped Jinny was doing okay.

“We gotta get back to the others before Jinny kills Elora. I feel bad leaving them together,” she said, and gave Jazz a look. “You good to meet back up with her?”

Jazz cracked a little smile. This one was also rather un-Jazzy, but in a quiet, earnest way. “Yeah. Yeah, I think I’m good.”

“And you’ll be okay?”

“Yeah. I’ll be okay.” Jazz stood up and stretched, and her usual, completely Jazzy grin came back in full force. “Thanks, Lae. I can’t really let go of everything overnight or anything, but it was good to get that off my chest.”

“That’s good enough for me.” Laerya hopped up just in time for her stomach to grumble again.

Jazz raised her eyebrow.

Laerya coughed. “I hope they’re still at the doughnut place.”