Side A – Nia
Nia wasn’t sure Kyra’s impassioned speech had convinced Horgi or Grash, and for a brief moment she contemplated how she might be able to play them up some proof of Kyra’s claim that her first drum’s echoes weren’t entirely lost.
She didn’t even have to glance at Margrada or Osdora to decide that would be a terrible idea though.
Apart from the fact that she, a Shatter Drummer, would be treading into territory which the Roadies very specifically kept Shatter Drummers away from, there was also the tiny detail that playing to call back an impossibly distant beat was likely a.) far beyond her skill level and b.) would risk calling back other things as well.
Every time Nia had played anything of major importance, she’d been connecting to something she knew. Bridging the distance to the Darkwood had been possible only because Yasgrid was there. There were lots of other places in the world and trying to play a beat with any of them would have been an entirely different experience.
When she and Yasgrid had strayed out of the world, Nia knew they’d been extraordinarily lucky that they’d attracted King’s attention and not something far less benign.
Could some Shatter Drums and all the Shatter Drummers around her deal with a malign entity or two? Sure. Probably. Especially if Yasgrid was there to back them up.
Would unleashing still more chaos on her newly adopted home do her any good whatsoever?
And before she considered the answer to that, the vastly more important question stood of whether it would even convince Horgi, or Grash, or any of the Roadies, that Kyra was right.
So, instead of jumping up as had become her wont, Nia tucked her hands under her legs on the chair she’d selected and did not give voice to her first impulsive thought.
Margrada patted her on the knee as a show of pride in her restraint.
“I don’t know about any of that,” Grash said. “And I don’t think the others will either.”
“But it wouldn’t be bad to get some extra opinions,” Horgi said, smoothly enough that they could have been Grash’s words instead.
“But that’s only if you take the Silence,” Grash said.
“And understand that we’ll listen to your advice, but we’ll be making the decisions on what happens from there,” Horgi said.
“Guys,” Yasgrid said. “I’m not a drummer anymore but do you think my Mom wouldn’t still box my ears in if I was stupid enough to give you a hassle on something like this?”
“Well…” Grash said, unwilling to concede what was a solid point in Nia’s estimation.
“No, she’s right. Wouldn’t even hesitate, even with her being little like that,” Osdora said, without a trace of insincerity.
“That might carry some weight,” Horgi admitted.
“But it won’t for me,” Kyra said. “Not only do I lack someone known to you to vouchsafe my conduct, the things I can speak to will not be well received by the others you are with.”
“You can see that in the future?” Grash asked.
“Not at all. Not anymore. Spilling secrets however is rarely something people find all that enjoyable though. Better to keep those as secret as they are meant to be.”
Side B – Yasgrid
For a moment, Yasgrid wasn’t sure what Kyra was saying but the meaning hit her quickly enough.
“You’re not going to come with me?” she asked, dismayed to be parting again so terribly soon.
“I believe I would be more of a liability than an aide,” Kyra said. “Also, I wouldn’t mind a chance to walk with Nia for a bit.”
Yasgrid was puzzled at that but looked to Nia who shrugged in acceptance.
“Maybe I outta go with Yasgrid then,” Margrada said, clearly intending it as a joke.
“That might not be a bad idea,” Horgi said, to the surprise of Margrada and everyone else near her.
“You can’t have her,” Osdora said. “This one’s special. She’s staying a Shatter Drummer.”
Which drew a perhaps even more profound look of surprise from Margrada.
“We’re not poaching her,” Grash said. “I mean, not yet.”
“Don’t you even!” Osdora said, raising a fist in punctuation, though Yasgrid could tell that was merely a sign that Grash’s teasing had hit the desired target.
“Hold on, hold on,” Margrada said. “I thought you couldn’t have Shatter Drummers around for any of this.”
“We can’t,” Horgi said. “And you won’t be.”
“Then why would I go with you?” Margrada asked.
“You can’t be there for the ceremonies,” Grash said. “Since this one is, special, though, we might need you there as a witness. Before hand. While things are being worked out.”
“Wait, shouldn’t you be brining Nia then?” Margrada asked.
“Yeah, uh, see, no,” Horgi said.
“What we mean is that everyone knows she landed in a Fugue State as a result of the calling,” Grash said.
“And now she’s someone else entirely?”
“Let’s just say there’d be issues with trusting her recollection and leave it at that.”
“She’s not lying.” Margrada’s voice took on a hard and challenging edge but Nia was there to blunt it’s edge.
“Nah, I get what they’re saying. If I had to listen to my story without having lived it, it’d sound ridiculous too. Not to mention the fact that you’re actually educated in all this. You probably understand what I did better than I do, at least as far as the external music itself went. I could speak to what it felt like, sure, but you were there and a lot less clouded than I was, so you can speak to what it did. And what the drum managed to do.”
“Well, I don’t know if…” Margrada started to say but Osdora cut her off.
“Nope. Nia’s right.” It was statement which did not allow any arguments from a lack of self-confidence. “If they start asking questions about the underlying aetheric dissonance reflections Nia’s going to give them that look, the one she’s wearing right there. You on the other hand will give them the answer that you’re considering right now.” Osdora turned back to Horgi and Grash. “You’re right, you should take her. Know that if you don’t bring her back though, the Shatter Band will feed you to the volcano.”
“There’s no gods there anymore,” Horgi said.
“Still plenty of lava,” Osdora said with a smile like an oath.