Chapter 170: Work Trip, Part 3.

The hot spring was everything I could have hoped for and more. It wasn’t crowded; everyone had enough space to group and discuss. Each group was headed by their own leader, each going over what they remembered and furthering plans even as they relaxed.

I’d never seen them all so alive, even Terada seemed to be younger, with a spark I’d never seen flickering in his aged eyes. Unfortunately, with all the old hands going at it, we, the newcomers, found ourselves out of the loop. I didn’t mind, as it gave me time to do other things, and more importantly, it gave me a chance to potentially talk with Joan.

Liche was more or less, good for the time being. Whereas Joan’s own issues were something that needed to be resolved and not something that could simply be ignored or put off without end. Part of me hoped that by the end of this weekend, I might have a bit of ground gained with Joan, enough to start figuring out how to untangle the mess she was.

After all, I didn’t like the idea of her not using her uniform.

Admittedly, getting her to cool off, to loosen up was difficult. Even after sightseeing throughout the day, and this heavenly bath, she’s only just started calming down. Momentarily forgetting about everyone and everything enough to actually, properly relax.

Liche was clearly worried about her, but she also wasn’t entirely capable of disarming the girl. Hell, even I wasn’t, but here? With all these facilities, there was hope. Sure, it was, a side benefit of this trip and not the main focus, but whose to say I can’t kill two birds with one stone?

Seeing that she was properly resting, I didn’t disturb her and instead focused on my own recovery. Though… It wasn’t as effective as I thought it would be. Comparatively, Liche and Joan were in dire need of relaxation, and as for me? Honestly? The visit to the hospital’s therapy wing had probably helped a lot more than this hot spring was.

Which was something to keep in mind. Maybe my doctor would be willing to prescribe be another visit when I’m in need? Who knows? But at the same time…

As good as it felt, and as positive as the experience was… I couldn’t help but think of it as a crutch. Opening my heart like that, allowing someone else to feel what I feel, even if I kept my mouth shut during the whole experience. Even then, I didn’t like the idea of it.

If anything, I’d much rather soak in a hot bath like this… And just let myself drift. Luckily, I wasn’t that far gone, and I didn’t fall asleep, but I couldn’t say that everyone else felt the same.

Once we finished our bath, we went back to the conference room, not to do more work, but rather to mark down what progress was made and take notes based on what was discussed, and thus, we ended our first official day here. Leaving us with the rest of the weekend, or, rather, week.

Next day was a bit calmer. Even if Samantha had slept in the same room as me, she wasn’t a bad roommate. If anything, sharing a morning with her was a fun experience, as she helped me with my hair in the morning and showed me a few additional tips. As a result of that, we arrived a bit late for breakfast. Nobody seemed to mind, and the moment we finished eating, we hit the ground running.

Soon enough, free time arrived, but some people stayed behind, others went walking about, sightseeing like we had the day prior. It wasn’t long before everyone was off doing their own things, spreading throughout the resort.

While they did their thing, I pulled Liche and Joan into getting massages done, along with a manicure and pedicure. They didn’t resist, though, Liche was a bit hesitant.

“I’ve never done this before.” She mumbled as we were being doted on. Her reticent manner, and just, general embarrassment won over the staff watching over us. Joan was a bit more open, surprisingly. Actually, engaging and speaking with the people working with her, all the while, I did my best to keep my eye on the pair for any trouble.

Thankfully, nothing came up. After that, we ate a late lunch and did some wandering before reconvening at the hotel for dinner and another meeting. It didn’t take long for the board I brought to be filled with ideas. Lots of paper and pens were also brought in as everyone took excessive notes and annotations on every little detail.

For the most part, our trip seemed to be going to plan, and it looked like we wouldn’t hit any hitches. We bathed, reconvened in the conference room to get some more work done before going to sleep. Only to rinse and repeat the next day.

Each day, despite how little time was actually allocated to work, we shot forward at a blistering pace. Easily working through the biggest knots and issues with the plot.

The next day though, was when we hit our first roadblock. The morning meeting after breakfast was tense and nearly broke down into a brawl as everyone pushed their own ideas. The only reason it didn’t turn physical was due to Terada acting as a voice of reason and hemming them in.

Still, in this way, we ended up splitting with some bad blood between members, which boded ill for our meeting later in the day. It took a bit of effort to keep Joan cool, and for her to keep unravelling, I managed, but dinner and the subsequent meeting were as tense as ever.

And at the hot spring, in those waters, tensions ratcheted to an ever-higher height, which led to shouting matches as groups tussled with each other. Even with Terada stepping in and me putting my own voice into the mix, we barely kept the situation from escalating.

The problem we were facing was two-fold, what kind of story were we ultimately telling? How did we want it to end? And what message did we want to send with our work?

There were a lot of opinions, holdovers from the development hell of decades past. Now coming back like a masked killer from the grave, haunting and torturing us. There was no easy solution, and even with Terada at the helm, we were facing a mutiny, with no real solution in sight.

Even after consulting Samantha, and the man of the hour himself, Terada, I felt we were no closer to getting an answer. Neither Joan, nor Liche had an answer either, putting us in a precarious position.

After all, we were gridlocked. Everyone had skin in the game, and I had no idea how to unravel that mess. Especially with everything I did to motivate them, acting like an accelerant on an already burning flame, there was a very real chance that instead of breaking through or making any real progress, we might just derail. Like a train going too fast leading up to a turn.

The next day the tension was thick enough that it could be cut with a knife. Groups had formed up, each pushing their own ideas. And even with me and Terada working to keep things cordial, it was like trying to keep a bucking bronco calm.

The gridlock needed to end today, as time was running out.  I almost didn’t want to split after our morning meeting, but tensions were already running too hot. Even after consulting the various leads, I still had no answer. Hell, even Tom was talking to me of all things, and even he had no insight on how to end this mess.

Which meant, during our break, I was forced to have a discussion with Joan and Liche, risking days of effort to get Joan to loosen up. Then again, maybe this too was an opportunity…

“So, what are we looking at?” I asked the pair as we were served food and drink. We were currently sequestered in a small restaurant that sat off the beaten path. We were sitting at the bar, while the person manning the bar served us.

“Hell if I know…” Liche said.

“Didn’t Éclair’s lesson give you some insight into your abilities? Anything that could help here” I ask back.

“A bit…” She said with a frown. “I can get a feel for how other people are, or rather, their current emotions, but it’s nothing great. If I had to say anything, they’re committed. Nobody is posturing, they all have something to prove. They all want their voices heard.” She said with a frown, knowing full well what that meant.

I couldn’t help but sigh as I downed my drink and had another. “And you Joan? Any insights?” I asked as I watched our server fill my drink.

I wasn’t sure she’d respond, but I still had to try, and to my surprise she actually did.

“Liche is right, they are committed, but… it’s more than that.” She started, her tone uncertain, her body fidgeting in her chair. As if voicing her thoughts was a sin. Eventually though, as we both listened in and watched her, our intent must have carried over and she pressed on.

“What we’re seeing is… years of bad blood, forgotten trauma, all coming to a head. You have the younger portion of the crew, being headed by Kenta.”

“The prodigal son.” I say, and Joan nods.

“Yes, he was slated as Terada’s successor and the younger portion of the group cede to him. He, and those with him see this project as a chance to step out into the world to make themselves known, to… step out from Terada’s shadow.”

I nod. “A metamorphosis. Like a caterpillar to a butterfly.” I follow up with.

“Exactly. It is highly likely that after this project, Terada, and the old guard may end up retiring.” She then paused and jolted as if recognizing the words that came out of her mouth for what they were. “Not that I’m blaming you!”

Her words, stung, but… it was inevitable as it was. Many of them were getting old, aged. It was only a matter of time, and years of abuse had not helped.

“You’re not wrong. I knew that was likely to happen when I chose this project, I just didn’t think it would cause this kind of mess. Now, I imagine this works into the next group?”

She frowns, but continues, taking my words for what they were. “Yes, the old guard, the older, failing members of the division are all under Tom.”

“Tom, really? I thought he was at the bottom of totem pole.”

“He had been… after your… coup, and when you were being ostracized by the division, Tom had made some inroads with certain members of the group. A lot of them… have come to resent Terada. See him, and how he has acted, rather, how he’s treated them over the years as not only problematic, but…”

“It’s the ones they lost that’s the problem?” I asked, putting together what it was she was trying to say.

“Yeah… you could say Tom and his group want this work to be a monument, not to Terada and his work, but the work of everyone that had worked with them before, and for those that had been lost over the years.”

I groaned and downed another glass. “And Samantha?” I ask.

“She’s probably the only one on Terada’s side. She and her group think this should be Terada’s crowning work, that they should put everything aside to accommodate him. Also, that the only reason they came this far, was because of him.”

“She’s not wrong… some of the members are talented, but Terada was something special to bring them all together. A lesser man couldn’t possibly have put so many egos into check. And what of the man of the hour himself? Surely, Terada has an idea?”

Joan shakes her head. “No, he doesn’t and from what I can tell, its rather complicated. His own pride is, shattered after what happened all those years ago, at least, that’s what I think. He can also sympathize with each group and their wants. That, and when you chewed him out that one time… it made him realize that of everyone, he should be the last to dictate the direction of the story.”

Another groan, another drink.

“Is it really that bad?” Liche asked. “Surely we could have each of the groups make a draft and see where it goes, I mean, where are we anyway with the story?”

“We have the skeleton, but… as for meaning, it can mean nothing or everything. Without a theme, we wouldn’t know where to begin with composing the music, the coloration and art, or the message we want to convey. We also don’t have the time, nor the resources to let each group work on their vision for the story, especially when I know for a fact, that each vision is not only viable, but a potential answer.”

Another drink, a pause.

“Letting them work, will just putt the proverbial ball down the road. Wasting time and resources, we again, do not have just to be back in the position we are in. We need to decide a direction and swing, aiming for a hole in one.”

“Golf analogies, really?” Liche asked, eyeing me as I took another long drink. “And should you be drinking so much, especially now?”

“Drinking? This?” I pointed to my class. “This isn’t alcohol. Its soda, pop.”

“Really?” Liche asked, leaning over, and without concern I brought it closer for her to sniff. “Huh…” She said, leaning back, both mystified and satisfied. “Didn’t think you’d go for something non-alcoholic.”

“I didn’t want to risk it. This entire trip, I haven’t had a lick of alcohol.  I need to remain sharp, plus being surrounded by alcohol and denying myself keeps me alert.”

“No, I get that. It is smart.” Liche said, “You’re usually such a boozehound though. Never seen you pass up a chance to drink, especially not when fine alcohol is served, like what they have here.”

“I admit, it makes me a little twitchy, but… I can drink myself under when I get back home, I already have a specific brand in mind for just that when we’re done here. And whose to say I haven’t already purchased some alcohol specifically for when this damn project ends.”

Liche laughed. “Figured as much, but… You said you used to smoke right?”

“Yeah, I did.”

“Well, I was curious.”

“About?” I ask instead.

“?hat got you into drinking? You grew up in a rather fancy home, so I’m just wondering when it was you became a raging alcoholic.” She teased, but I could tell she was serious.

I laughed at that. “What, just because I was some princess, I can’t have a taste for alcohol?”

“Just not something I’d imagine a rich kid getting into. Not when your rich parents would probably have made sure you’re as far away from it as possible.”

I laughed again, but this one, this one was a lot more genuine, louder too. Enough that it caught both Liche and Joan off-guard.

“Did I say something funny?” She asked, bewildered.

“Yeah, just… I just thought it was funny that you thought, just because I was rich that they’d keep me from alcohol. Surely, you’d never been to a fancy party?”

“I mean, I’ve been to company parties? I think I may have been to prom too, but… well, more outside the venue, behind the gym smoking, but it’s all the same, right? Sure, it’s just plastic cups and punch, maybe a pizza, and if you’re really lucky someone decides to spike the punch.”

The image was, hilarious. “Hey now, why are looking at me like that?” Liche said, sounding offended.

“No, I just thought that was rather adorable.” I said, causing Liche to freeze and blush. “And no, upper class parties are nothing like that…”

I took a moment to pull myself back to those early days. “The moment I had my debut, I was drinking. Given only the finest of wines fit for royalty. After all, one of the first tests I faced as a young… noble.” I paused tasting the words, “Was learning to hold my drink.”

Both were tuned into my story, hell, even our server seemed to be listening in with perked ears, their back to us.

“It starts simply; it was only tradition that at my debut I’d have to toast with allies of the house. People that I would inevitably work rather closely with. Then came the rivals, technically our enemies, here to toast, specifically for the reason of testing my limits, my capabilities.”

“See, as a noble, it mattered who I toasted, and what mattered more, was who I didn’t. Especially during a debut. I had to toast the allies, show them that I felt they were important, that I saw them, heard them. Enemies had to be toasted, if only not to show weakness. Everyone else was hit or miss, but the point was to locate and toast individuals, to form relationships and connections.”

A pause, a drink.

“The issue came, was, there is no way I could drink under the entire venue. Even if I could have, such an action could have been perceived as either reckless, or worthy of note. Both of which could be exceedingly dangerous, especially for a young noble not in line to inherit. Which meant, I had to learn, fast, where to go, who to talk with, who I could afford to talk with, who I could afford to offend, and so on.”

Another moment, a pause to let my words sink in.

“So, of course, over the years, with every party I attended, I learned to hold my alcohol fairly well, my tolerance was fairly good by the time I came to this city.”

“That’s… Huh…” Liche said after a long pause, “But you suck at holding your alcohol though?”

“I assume it’s my magic causing an issue.” I say. “You could say alcohol is my critical weakness, but… even back then, alcohol was always a nice thing to have at hand. A way to calm down a bit, to grease the wheels, so to speak. I’d rarely go without a drink or two during the day, usually of sterner stuff than a typical beer.”

“So… what? You were a functional alcoholic?”

“You could say that. Smoking was just another issue on top of that. Granted, my master helped with my smoking problem, didn’t help so much with my alcohol addiction.”

That earned a bit of a chuckle from Liche, “And I thought I was bad.” She said wistfully.

“So, to the point. I am a bit of a boozehound, but I know my limits, I also know when I should or shouldn’t drink.” Is what I say, but in reality?

This new body sucked at handling any kind of booze. I used to be able to down just about anything without issue, especially if I paced myself. Now? A single beer is often enough to leave me buzzed. Let alone a shot or anything else…

If I wasn’t a magical girl, with an absurdly tough body, I’d have died of alcohol poisoning by now… And boy, would that be a way to die…

I sighed… “Anyway, back to the original topic at hand, what exactly am I supposed to do?” I ask.

Neither were forthcoming for an answer, but eventually, Liche spoke back up. “Why don’t you just tell them what the answer is?”

“Me? How would that work?”

“The only reason we’re here is because of you, right? We only got the chance to work on this because of you, no? Just choose one of their ideas and go with it, would that be so bad?”

“That…” I frowned, thought on that… Would that actually work?

Sensing my hesitation Joan spoke out, “On the surface, each group is about equal in membership, but many of them are actually on the fence. The groups variate back and forth as people migrate between them, with each group only having a core of a couple of people. If you were to make a plan and enforce it, you might be able to pull in everyone else...” She trails off, as if unsure if she should have even spoken out.

“That… hm… you’re not wrong actually. Thank you Joan… And you too Liche, I need to think on this.”

I get up and leave, but not before I pay the bill. “We’ll meet back at the hotel later.” I say as I exit, leaving both to their own devices, all while I took a walk, working over what they said.

After all, were they wrong? I didn’t think they were. Which meant, in the end, I was the one that had to decide in which direction we were going to go in. Only, where do I start? And what direction did I want to go?

Questions, questions…