Chapter 5: The Emerald-Eyed Girl

“Let’s Rock this New World, Partner.”

Adora awoke with a warm smile on her face, the words of her spirit partner echoing in her head. Sitting up, she yawned and stretched, only to look up and see Ashura sitting on the foot of the bed. The other girl grinned upon seeing her ward awake, crossing her arms coolly.

“Look who’s finally up. Ready to get going?”

“Yes, let’s have a wonderful day today.”

Adora freshened up as Felicia entered the room. She aided the young girl in preparing her school clothes and fixing her hair. Ashura whistled at the maid’s handiwork, impressed with how fast she was able to get Adora ready for the day. Even after they left the room, the rockstar hovered in shock as he witnessed the maid turn herself into a cleaning typhoon, making the room look like no one had even slept there the night before.

“Dude, your maid is nuts.”

“Felicia is very efficient, which is why she is one of our best maids.”

“That’s so friggin’ sweet, I wish I had a maid like that.”

“You… do?” Adora gave the ghost a quirked eyebrow. Ashura returned the look, tilting his head in confusion. “Ashura, she’s your maid too now.”

“I-er… I knew that! Shut up!” Adora giggled to herself, watching her tomboyish copy get flustered. As they departed the mansion, the head butler and Felicia eyed the bluenette carefully out of sight. Once she disappeared behind the doors, they dropped their voices into a hushed whisper.

‘How peculiar…’ The old man mused. ‘Just who was Miss Adora conversing with just now?’

‘I had the other servants wait outside to receive her, so it cannot be one of them.’ Felicia responded, concern etched onto her face. ‘Has something happened at school to make her like this? I cannot imagine something would bring her to the point of imagining a friend…’

‘I do not think that is the case, my dear. But, if you wish to, you may take leave to observe the young madam at school today. I, too, am concerned for her wellbeing after all.’

‘Understood, sir. I shall keep a close eye on the Young Mistress for the day.’ With a flash, the maid was gone, leaving a small tuft of feathers in her wake. The old butler sighed as he procured a hand broom and dustpan, sweeping up after her.

“You would think that after all this time, that girl would be more considerate of me and not leave those blasted feathers everywhere…”

x-x-x-x-x

“Booorreeeddd~” Ashura bemoaned, laying on his back. His head was leaned against Adora's as she sat in class. Meanwhile, the quiet girl did her best to ignore her other self's grousing. She quietly wrote her notes down as she muttered under her breath for Ashura to behave. Thankfully, her natural meekness meant that almost no one would look her way. Almost.

“Are you Miss Adora Rockett?” An auburn-haired girl asked politely. Adora jumped in fright, not expecting this new visitor. She also managed to bump her head into Ashura, who shot up and rubbed his head in pain.

“How the hell did that hurt me?!”

“Sorry! I-I mean, um, yes. I am her. M-May I help you?”

“Indeed. I was told to come fetch you for my Lady.” The smaller girl puffed up in pride at the mention of this patron of hers. Adora looked at her with confusion scrawled across her face.

“I-I'm sorry, but who is this ‘Lady’ of yours?”

“Oh, don't worry, you'll find out soon enough! Everyone loves her!” Without warning, the smaller girl grabbed Adora's hands and dragged her out of her seat and into the halls. The bluenette's head was spinning with the sudden excitement as her partner glided beside her.

“Oh, sick, we're actually doing something today? Beats listening to old people speak all day, that’s for sure. Don't ya agree, Addy?”

“Awawawuwhwawa~!”

“Yeah, you get it.”

The two girls and spectre eventually made their way into another classroom a few doors down. The small auburn girl, who was now wheezing after running so much, announced her presence to the class.

“LADY ELZETTE! I HAVE BROUGHT THE QUIET GIRL YOU WERE ASKING ABOUT!!” Adora's ears rang as the megaphone-like voice boomed across the study hall. The students in there merely plugged their ears or flinched slightly at the noise, as if they were used to it. And in the middle of the class, were a collection of extremely pretty and rich looking noblewomen.

“Cassandra, you really don't have to yell to announce yourself every time…” One of the girls in the circle groaned. “Our poor eardrums cannot handle it much longer.”

“I apologize, but how else am I to let the world know of Our Lady's Grace, Genny?”

As the girls in the circle and Cassandra got into a bickering state, Adora stood motionless at the whole scene. She had no idea where to jump in, or how to get them to stop. Ashura elbowed her in the arm, getting her attention as he nudged his head at the gaggle of girls. The ruby-eyed girl gulped before finally speaking up.

“U-Umm… What did you need me for, exactly?”

“Oh, I apologize about that, my dear.” A prim yet elegant voice hummed out from the inside of the noblegirl group. “My girls tend to get caught up in their menial endeavors. Please excuse them.” With a snap of a fan, the surrounding girls immediately filed into lines beside the desk, standing at attention. What was then revealed to the duo was a blonde-haired girl with a fox-like smirk and emerald-green eyes. Her social standing had to have been high, given the way she carried herself and even sporting the twin drill hairstyle common in upper class ladies. And the way she stared at Adora was akin to a cat that had found its latest toy.

“My name is Elzette Euco, and I have heard quite a lot about what you did yesterday, Miss Rockett.”

“I-I uh, u-um…” Adora was once again thrown into a stuttering mess, unsure of what to say. Her eyes shot towards Ashura for a brief second, but he seemed to be entirely focused on the girl before them. The meek girl gulped before speaking again, steadying her voice. “I-I hope I didn't cause any issues yesterday. I-If I did, however, I do apologize!” The drill-haired girl blinked in surprise before letting out a giggle, covering her mouth with her fan.

“Oh no, no, no! Do not get the wrong idea, darling! You have not caused me any inconvenience at all! In fact, you might be whom I was searching for all this time.”

“Huh?”

“I have been in need of dire assistance with my craft for quite some time. You see,” Elzette's hand shimmered with radiant energy before it solidified into a beautiful viola. “I have attained the status of Muse, yet my songs feel incomplete. No matter what I try, the music feels like it is missing something integral. And that's when I heard your voice!” Elzette snapped her bowstring towards Adora, making her point to herself in shock.

“M-ME?!”

“YES! Your majestic yet powerful voice! Your song that rang out from feelings long since sheltered! It spoke to me! It said ‘O, my dearest Elzette! How I wish to stay at your side and compliment your melody!’ Ahh~ What a lovely voice~”

Adora stared at the noblewoman fantasizing about her voice in utter disbelief. Her voice choked up in her throat, unable to find the right words to say. Ashura’s voice finally broke Adora out of her shock.

“Yo, Adora.”

‘Y-Yes?’

“That drill-haired broad's got some huge tits, holy shit.” Adora looked back at her partner with absolute disgust on her face. “What?”

‘C-Could you please say something else?’ Adora sighed, realizing she has to deal with two headaches now. But despite all of that… Miss Elzette said she liked her voice. She even said she loved it. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad?

“U-Um… I wouldn't mind helping you, Miss Elzette, but, um, well…”

“Hm? What is the matter, Miss Rockett?”

“I-I'm not a Muse!” She cried out, making the other girls in the room gasp in shock. “I'm just a girl who likes to sing, that's all!”

The room fell silent at her outburst, with Adora shutting her eyes. She prepared for the worst, for Miss Elzette to drop her immediately because she wasn't a Muse. It couldn't be helped, but it still made her feel horrible-

“Oh, is that it? Well why didn't you say so?” Elzette hopped out of her chair and walked up to Adora. She poked her fan into the girl's chest before giving her a confident smirk. “Then we shall just unlock your talent, that shouldn't be too hard!”

“What?”

With that proposition, Adora's eyes rolled to the back of her head as her mind quickly shut down. Ashura, sensing trouble, immediately jumped behind the wheel and took over, preventing the girl from fainting.

‘Holy crap, she really cannot handle attention!’ Sapphire eyes shot awake to meet emerald ones, the drill-haired girl still smiling at Adora.

“You went catatonic for a moment, but that is quite normal! It is not every day that one gets the invitation to learn how to become a Muse, especially not from a woman of House Euco!” Elzette's followers clapped in response, with some of them having tears in their eyes at their patron's mercy.

“Wait, wait, wait, hold the phone: You know how to unlock someone's Focus?!”

“Of course! It came so easily to me, so naturally it should not be difficult to open up yours, too!” The blonde girl then tapped the fan to her chin, contemplating something. “...What is a phone?”

“Nevermind that, just tell me how to do it, Lady! That shaggy old fart in the Music Room told me he couldn't!”

“Ohoho! Worry not my Melodious Madonna, by the day's end, I shall make you into a Muse!”

“Hell yeah! Let's get going!” At this declaration, Ashura's hair flared out, the once-quiet girl replaced with a brash tomboy that was ready to rock. Unbuttoning her school jacket in a single flourish, Ashura ran out the room with an excited grin on her face. Everyone's faces went pale with shock at the sudden transformation. Everyone, except Miss Elzette Euco. A sly, sultry grin stretched across her face as she followed after the rockstar.