Chapter 16: Sharmeija Part 3

While Israr and the Harmony group are taking their tour and meeting a Captain, Marie-Jane is on her way to the guild leader's office. 

"Why are Guild Leaders always situated in the most inconvenient places?" 

Marie-Jane is on the top floor of one of the Sharmeija Main buildings. 

"And why was the elevator not working?! It feels like I've been walking for an entire chapter!"

She stares down, seeing specs of black dust running around Sharmeija's ground. 

"Well, our office is at the top of a 6-story building. So I guess I shouldn't be too surprised." 

Marie-Jane enters a large oval room. There is one other person, a silver-haired girl wearing glasses. She sits at a desk. 

"Name?"

"Marie-Jane."

"Thank you. Please give me a moment." The girl's eyes dash around. She touches the air around her. 

Marie-Jane stares at the girl. Tension starts to build in her body. "I hate technology! I want to know what she's doing!" 

After a bit more typing and eye-dashing, she speaks. "The Guild Leader will see you now."

"Thank you." Marie-Jane walks through the double doors. The room isn't too big. There are a few seats. More comfortable couches are near a desk. A giant red chair sits behind the desk. 

One man wearing grey and a white cape stands near a table. He has very short hair, almost a buzz cut. The man is hunched over near the table.

Marie-Jane chuckles. "Hah! Still playing with action figures Cashel?" 

"They're miniatures, not action figures." The Guild Leader of Sharmeija, Cashel, pushes one of the white miniatures into a position. "Besides, this is all needed… everything has to be… perfect." He stands up and steps back.

"Beautiful," says Cashel

"It's the outside of Sharmeija. Just look outside your window if you want to see the 'beauty'," quips Marie-Jane. 

"…True, but it's not the same." 

There's a moment of silence before they both laugh.

"Glad to see you haven't changed four eyes!" Marie-Jane slaps Cashel's shoulder. He pushes his glasses up.

"You too. We haven't seen each other in a while. What, 3, 4 years ago?"

Cashel gestures for Marie-Jane to sit before he goes to sit on the red chair. His cape falls over the armrests, and the white shield on his grey attire stands out.

"Yeah. That seems about right. We always missed each other at the White-Rank meetings."

"Right. I'm the Sharmeija Guild Leader and yet you were sent out on more field missions than me… how embarrassing." 

"We both know the reason why that is." 

"Yeah…" Cashel stares for a bit at his hands. Marie-Jane slams and rests her feet on his desk. 

"No need to look so gloomy!"

"No need to mess up my desk," Cashel whispers. He places ornaments back that are miss-positioned. "So what can I do for you, Marie-Jane?"

"I need Sharmeija members for Harmony. The animals around us have been slightly restless, and our field team can't be everywhere. 3 should be enough." 

Cashel sits with his hands in front of his mouth. "Straight to it, I see." 

"I know what you're thinking. How are we going to pay? Don't worry about that. I don't need strong members. I will take any orange-rank members you have." 

Marie-Jane stares out the window behind Cashel. She grinds her teeth. 

"If only those newborns didn't lose my gems! I would have been able to get proper Sharmeija members. Ugh! Hopefully, these orange ranks are good. Gosh, now I'm mad again!"

"…Marie-Jane?" 

"Huh? Did you say something?" 

"Yes. Unfortunately, I can't help you." 

"What?!" Marie-Jane leaps out of her chair. "Is it because I don't have money?! You've become corrupted Cashel." 

"Sigh… no Marie-Jane. It's because everyone is at Virtura."

"…Oh." She sits back down on the couch. "What's going on at Virtura? I've been busy with other tasks the entire week." Again, Marie-Jane grinds her teeth. "Because of those f******." 

 "Ahem." Cashel coughs. 

Marie-Jane sits normally again. "Continue."

"Unfortunately I can't share anything, Marie-Jane. As I heard… you're no longer part of the White-Ranks, and that's classified information." 

"But what about Virtura?!" 

"Don't worry. I've sent one of my best there. A young indigo-rank. He's our current admissions officer."

"Really? Why haven't I heard of him?"

"He likes to keep to himself. I don't parade his name. I think he appreciates it."

Marie-Jane slouches on her couch.

"Well, then this was a waste of time. Why did you allow me to come?" 

"… I was curious about why you left the White-Ranks willingly." 

"Ah, don't worry about that. I have my reasons."

"I hope everything is okay?"

"It is. Look at you Cashel, caring about your former guild members. Like a true Guild Leader. I'll tell Ebbot you're doing a great job."

Cashel's hands in front of his face rise higher, along with his temperature. Marie-Jane laughs and lies back in her chair.

"I'll get to spend some time at my guild properly. Consus won't have to look after everything. Sigh, maybe I was too harsh on him and our newborns. Oh well, guess I'll get them and leave."

"That might be a problem."

"Huh? Why's that?"

"I just received notification that a Captain booked an arena for a sparring match. The records show Consus is participating."

"What?! Really?!" Marie-Jane jumps out of her chair. "That idiot! I told him to sit still!" 

Inside one of the arenas at Sharmeija. 

Tasha, the green-ranked member of Sharmeija, stretches. She watches her opponent close, who rests against a bamboo staff stabbed into the ground. 

"Why does Captain Teua want me to fight this man?" She looks up towards her Captain sitting in her corner of the arena, smiling big. She then returns her gaze to her opponent. "It feels like a waste of time. He's red-rank. Does he want me to practice holding back?"

Consus' back rests against his bamboo staff. He stares at the ground. His mind goes back to just before he entered the arena. 

"Are you sure about this Teua?"

"I am Consus! 100% positive!" Teua slaps Consus' shoulder. Consus hunches forward from the force. 

Consus rubs his shoulder. "I'm not much of a fighter."

"That's exactly what I need."

"What do you mean?"

"You see, Tasha is strong. Really strong. In 3 years she's been able to get green-rank, and on missions, she's been exceptional. However, she has a bad tendency to underestimate and overestimate opponents."

"I see."

"Being part of my squad means facing Rogue Guilds. I can't have her underestimating people without a rank. It's why I didn't send her to the Virtura Guild."

"Huh? Virtura? Did something happen there?"

"Yes, but not important now. All I need from you is to do what you want."

"Well… okay." 

Back to the present time.

"So Teua wants me to do what I want? Does he even know what he's asking for?" Consus smiles and looks down. "I do hope the young ones are watching." 

Easton, Kiran and Israr sit in the corner of Consus' side. They are in the stands. 

"The arena is so big!" shouts Kiran. "How are we supposed to watch Consus?"

"It has to be big, red-rank. With gifts, who knows what type of damage can be caused? Just keep your eyes peeled."

"R-Right Easton." 

Israr, who sits next to Kiran, leans close.

"When he says red-rank, I don't know if he talks to you or me. People call me that here too." Israr smiles and pats Kiran on his back. Kiran smiles and looks back towards the arena. 

A referee stands between Tasha and Consus. "This will be a sparring match between Guild Leader Consus of Harmony and Numeri Squad Member Tasha of Sharmeija. Normal Combat rules will apply. This will be a best of 3. First to 11 gets a set."

The referee raises his hand in the air. Tasha stands ready. She eyes Consus. "This man is not even looking? I'll make this quick. Land a critical hit, but not too hard. That should be enough." 

"On my mark! Get set!" The referee brings his harm down. "Fight!"

Tasha dashes right next to Consus. She goes for a shot at his head but misses. "I missed?! No…" She turns to see him standing a bit further away and smiling. "He dodged it…"

"That was quick, but I think a green-rank should be quicker than that, no?" states Consus.

"Tsk. What did you say?!" Tasha dashes to Consus again, throws a kick, and misses. She turns around immediately and kicks, and misses. "Why is it so difficult to hit this man?! His… His eyes are closed!" 

"You're getting faster. So you were holding back? That's sweet of you."

"Shut up!" Tasha strains her muscles and sprints towards Consus. "Barbaric Combo!" She punches and kicks in a 3-move combo. A dust cloud formed due to her sprint. 

Tasha breathes. "I definitely got him that time." 

"I've seen that move before. Did someone teach it to you?" 

"W-What?" As the dust settles, she sees Consus standing. She looks at the ref, who hasn't given any points. 

"This referee's gift is precision eyesight… he can see any contact in a nanosecond… The combo is fast, but someone like him could easily see it! Did he dodge again?!"

Tasha stands up straight. "I see… you must have some sort of movement gift." 

"Not quite. I like playing tag, that's all."

"Is this some sort of game to you?!"

"Sort of. You're it, since you started chasing me. You haven't touched me yet."

Tasha grinds her teeth. "Fine. I'm taking this seriously now."

"Oh?" Consus watches her. "She's building up energy…"

Tasha crosses her hands in front of her. She takes a breath. "Cobalt Creation! Cobalt Gauntlets!"