The Planeteers - In Search Of Greatness – Final

Read part 6 here

Begin with part 1 here

***

"What on earth do you mean, nothing happened ?", Kwame asked Suchi, quite annoyed.

Linka noticed that he mentioned "Earth" which was his own ring, and didn’t understand why he was annoyed at Suchi.

"Patience Kwame, maybe Suchi wasn’t in the right frame of mind", Wheeler pitched in.

"The Heart ring doesn’t care about the frame of mind", Gaia explained to Wheeler, placing her cup of hot tea on the coaster.

"What does it need then ?" , Gi asked looking at the ring that was in Suchi's fingers, "Also, how did the ring fit Suchi?"

"The ring adapts itself to the bearer, in size and virtue", Gaia shot back at Gi.

"What does this virtue even mean, Gaia?", Linka puffed in complete dismay.

"I don’t know, I just know the rings work when it finds the correct bearer"

Suchi was slightly aggravated by Gaia's claim.

"So, you mean I am not the right person?", he asked.

"Can you just try it one more time and show us ?", Gi asked Suchi even before Gaia could answer that question. Gaia felt saved because she didn’t have an answer.

Suchi bowed his head, took a deep breathe. He then placed his hand on the chest and said heart. All of them stared at the ring for the yellow glow, but nothing happened. There were uneven moans in the room.

"Gaia, when you gave us the rings, how did you know it would work?", Wheeler asked while he tried to find some clue in his ring.

"I didn’t , the rings brought all of you to me", Gaia finished her tea with the sentence.

"Guys! I think we need to help Suchi here. Let us try and recall how we made our rings work", Kwame explained to others, shooting a look at all their directions. His idea was given a nod, and they all dispersed to think.

Gaia put her cup in the sink, and noticed Nitra was sitting in the same place Gi sat two days ago. She looked tanned even though she hadn’t gone out in the sun. She had the same sullen expression on her face from the time they had returned from the police station. Gaia pulled a chair closer to Nitra, and sat down with her. Nitra broke her expression and looked at her.

"Hope you find the strength", Gaia held her hand.

Nitra's lips began to murmur.

"They said Ma-Ti was a murderer. How could they? They didn’t know him at all. He was such a sweet boy", she wiped a tear drop with the end of the t shirt's sleeve.

"How do people get away from this ? How do they sleep at night ? Don’t they have conscience ? How brutal is this ?", Nitra went on rhetorically

Gaia never understood the love between Nitra and Ma-Ti, but she sure understood Nitra's pain now.  

"Don’t worry, they will be punished. We will make sure of that", Gaia consoled Nitra.

"Punished ? Just spend few years in jail, so that they come out to commit another crime? They should ROT IN HELL. There must be a special place in hell for them!", Nitra snarled angrily.

Gaia was shaken with the words. Reading her expression, Nitra softened.

"I am sorry Gaia, I am being very emotional now, and letting my words flow"

"It is fine , Nitra. We are all here for you. Ma-Ti was like my son, and I loved him a lot too"

Nitra hung her head down.

"Thank you Gaia, I think I will be fine. It has a big impact on me, but I will get out stronger. I am full of hatred and bitterness, so please allow me to mourn. I will be ok. Thank you again"

Gaia understood the message, and left Nitra alone.

The Planeteers were gathered again around Suchi, who kept repeating heart. They saw results that were same as before.

"Does the ring lose the power when the bearer dies?", Suchi asked Gaia when he saw her approaching them.

"The ring is an energy, and it can be only shifted from one bearer to another I don’t think it loses the power, but quite possible"

"Do you think I lack the heart for the ring?" Suchi asked the taboo question that everyone feared to ask Gaia.

"No Suchi, I think you are the right bearer. The ring just needs the right heart…."

Gaia's eyes widened in a realization. It was an instant recognition of something. Suchi frowned at her. She took a moment to think. Her words and actions, if it weren’t right would have consequences.

'The ring needs a heart. A good one. A good intention'

Everyone in the room exchanged puzzled look.

'The ring only needs a heart. YES! YES!'

"Nitra, come here", she barked scaring everyone with her excitement.

"What?, Nitra groaned from her place.

"Come here, right now. Suchi, remove the ring"

"What?", Suchi questioned same as Nitra.

"The ring, give it to me. Nitra, are you …?"

"Yes Gaia, I am here. What happened?"

"Try on the ring", Gaia shoved the Heart ring into Nitra's hands.

"What on the fuck, is going on ?", Wheeler screamed at Gaia.

"Language Wheeler!", Linka shot back at him

"My dear lady, what on the sweet heaven is going on? Better? ", Wheeler exaggerated

Nitra looked perplexed like everyone else.

"Gaia, I just explained to you that I was full of bitterness and hatred. Are you trying to mock me? "

"TRY-ON-THE-FUCKING-RING!", Gaia emphasized on every word

Wheeler gestured at Linka which meant , now what?

Nitra slid on the ring into the finger.

There was rhythmic breathing in the room. All their faces muscles tightened in tension, and they looked upon the ring on Nitra's hand.

Nitra looked around at everyone, and placed her hands on her chest.

"Heart"

There was a yellow glow.

Heart knows nothing of love and hatred. It only understands how much was the intense. 

***

The end 

****

While we are here, most of you know I am a huge fan of Vijay Deverakonda . To help with the COVID-19 situation, his team has started a Middle Class Fund, which aims at providing the basic necessities to middle class families. The team has been very transparent in their work, and you can watch the behind the scenes on Youtube (link here )

Last time when I had tweeted about VD, I saw a lot of fans comment on my post, so I felt I could use (my so called writing) platform to make people aware of the foundation. You could donate, volunteer or just spread this message around.

(If you did any of the above, please let me know so that I can give a shout out on my blog)

More details on the foundation can be found here

(Also, if you absolutely hated my writing, please feel free to let me know, and I will donate to the TDF :D )

****