Cairo

Chapter 30: Becoming Divergent

It took Coaltrice a week to announce the date for the funeral of Dr. Savas. Everyone who wanted to attend was rushing to get off work, to get out of plans last minute, to even get to the capital in time. Cairo didn't look the least bit please as he barged into the graveyard with only two minutes left to spare. His hair was flopped to one side with spikes sticking up while his suit was wrinkled and only half buttoned up with the tie slung around his neck, not even touched. He received choice looks from people and more than audible grumbles, but completely ignored them as he made his way to the front where he could see the other fire mages standing.

Coaltrice stood straight, the definition of proper with her hands folded together in front of her. It was only when she saw Cairo did she break her perfect image, scowling at him like he was an insect that needed to be rid of. So he did the only thing he could think of. He stopped dead in his tracks and patted his chest with both hands before holding them out to his side.

"You don't like it?" Cairo asked. "I was trying for a new look today. Wild, free, and I-only-had-forty-seconds-to-get-out-of-the-train."

"This is a sacred place to mourn the dead," she said. "You pay your respects here for the deceased, not come in here flamboyantly arrogant to goof off. If you're not going to take this seriously then leave. I will not have this kind of disrespect at my comrade's funeral."

"Comrade?" Cairo scoffed, shaking his head. "Last time I checked, neither of you really liked each other, and records say that Dr. Savas stopped working with the Government years ago. The real comrade who you should be honoring is Tyson, but he doesn't get so much as an ounce of recognition, does he?"

Coaltrice hissed an answer as she stalked towards Cairo, pulling him by the shirt to where Aidan stood. Cane walked in front of Cairo, fixing his outfit and hair until he looked a little bit more presentable.

"Where's Adena?" Cairo asked. "Still in the hospital? I thought she'd be out by now since the healing Kleptos would be able to treat most of her burns."

"She's not here, is she?" Aidan said.

Cairo glared at him, receiving on back just as quickly. Coaltrice smacked both of them, pulling them closer to her by their sleeves. Both Cairo and Aidan didn't protest and let her pull them until they stood next to her.

"Behave, you two." She turned to Cairo, rubbing her hand up and down his sleeve. "Listen, this probably isn't the best place to say this, and I know you'll keep this under wraps, but when she got into the hospital, she had a heartattack. A lot of it probably has to do with the emotional stress she was under, but it put her into a coma."

"What do you mean a coma? I-Is she okay? She's not...--" Cairo looked to the ground, grasping his fists as his side, a tightness growing in his chest. "--going to die is she?"

"The doctors are saying she'll wake up naturally at some point, since as far as we can tell it's a self induced coma. They're still monitoring her brain to make sure the concussion hasn't damaged it, though. We're paying her medical fees now unless they come out with some inconclusive evidence that says she's not going to wake up."

"She's going to."

Coaltrice shrugged. "As far as we know. It'd be disastrous if we lost another fire mage right now. Now face the front; it's starting."

After a few moments when the priest walked to the podium, Aerie walked next to Cairo They stood there in silence, listening to the introduction speech. Cairo stood up tall with his hands behind his back. His mind was barely able to focus on the sentimental words that were being said, regardless of the truth or lies that they held. A funeral for a dead person, one in a vegetative state. Cairo scoffed because nothing good was probably going to come from being told this at a funeral.