Fantasy A Witch's Familiar (RIP)

[Aron the Aron]

"That sounds like a good idea." Kuroi didn't end up giving a neutral answer simply because of the mention that there would probably be less people at the bathhouse, and that was a good motivator.

"Great! Come on; the bathhouse is definitely the best place to be after a long day, or even if you just want some time to yourself!" She said, her tone a touch overeager to impress as she snatched Kuroi's hand and began marching in yet another direction that the foreigner would have to memorize for later reference. Thankfully the duo weren't accosted by the busy crowds of the Academy body making their regular travels, leaving at least one half to study the stone and brick structures that would become her probable home while she was connected to Xeria as Witch and Familiar.

"Is there anything I need to know about it?" It occurred to her that they might not have similar bathing customs, and that she should check before she ended up embarrassing herself.

The way Xeria tilted her head like a confused puppy wasn't lost on Kuroi as the Witch hummed to herself. "Well... what is there to say about bathing? You wash up and you relax in the mineral pools like anyone would, right?" She asked as she slowed to a stop in front of a much more... unusual building still within the Academy's walls. The Bathhouse itself seemed unassuming and almost boring upon first glance, with tiny circular windows hissing and puffing with warm steam and not a single window to let in light (at least, not from their angle on the ground). Unlike the anywhere else in the Academy, the doors were small and largely devoid of flamboyant detail when Xeria pulled Kuroi past them, and inside was similarly simplistic by design. The stonework was flawless against both cobbled shoe and wooden sandal, as if carved out of one large piece and making a hollow echo that reverberated against the lonely marble walls and pillars.

"The Bathhouse is the only place inside the Academy where exercise and socialization is actively encouraged... and where Magic Casting is explicitly forbidden." Making a turn seemingly at random, Kuroi found herself inside a small enclosed room full of benches and wicker baskets neatly lining the walls on orderly wooden shelves. The vast majority held only a long white cloak and a few odd tools that she couldn't make heads or tails of, while a scant few instead held the distinctive clothing and hats of Witches who were likely already deeper inside the baths. Already she could tell that bathing was a communal activity in this strange new world she found herself in, but Xeria didn't seem terribly interested in explaining how bathing even worked in her world (that or she forgot); the Witch was already in the process of stripping herself nude and placing all of her belongings inside one of the unoccupied baskets.

"Hm?" It was only after she had wrapped one of those white cloaks around her waist did she notice Kuroi standing around, unsure if she should've been mimicking the white-haired Witch. "Boys are separated into their own sections if you're worried about anyone peeping. Just take your... robe? Is what you're wearing- nevermind; just leave everything you have inside the basket so you don't end up misplacing them."

 

[That Lass Over There]

The way Xeria tilted her head like a confused puppy wasn't lost on Kuroi as the Witch hummed to herself. "Well... what is there to say about bathing? You wash up and you relax in the mineral pools like anyone would, right?"

Kuroi wasn't too comforted by the cute movements and the words of Xeria, but for the moment she chose to believe that things wouldn't be too different. At the very least, the place they were going seemed to be an onsen, so it couldn't be too different to what she was used to. There was also a part of her that spiritually disagreed with Xeria's half-hearted understanding of bathing, or more like, she felt like someone she knew would like to give the fledgling witch a sermon over the importance of bathing.

Something in her was disappointed to find the bathhouse of a similar make to the rest of the buildings in this apparently large academy, rather than the familiar designs of her homeland. On entering the building, she reflexively went to remove her sandals while looking for a place to put them, but almost as quickly noticed that Xeria made no such movements and went back to following, doing her best to follow in Xeria's example. She was already losing count of the differences she was encountering, and while she had originally felt like she didn't really need this time to relax, the tension in her head that was starting to form with every echoing step in these stone and wood halls said otherwise. Her right hand crept up the side of her waist with the echoing footsteps, unable to logically reason with herself that it was expected and normal, but it did not find the familiar object to rest on which made her tension rise even more. With venom, she wondered if the people of this place took some twisted pleasure in hearing the echoes of footsteps indoors that made one pair sound like five, or if they actually had a tradition of taking off the shoes that Xeria had forgotten to comply with at the front door.

"The Bathhouse is the only place inside the Academy where exercise and socialization is actively encouraged... and where Magic Casting is explicitly forbidden."

"... Exercise and socialization aren't encouraged elsewhere?" This particular tidbit struck an odd note to Kuroi, since she thought that socialization was one of the core parts of a place of learning. Discussion with peers and masters to gain a greater understanding was, fundamentally, the process of education. Moreover, someone like Xeria who was an orphan or from a less advantaged position in life would be able to make connections with their fellow students - who she doubted were all from the lower castes, as the ruling class doubtlessly treasured something as powerful as magic - and in turn would be able to help each other... It simply made no sense for that to be a thing. The more she thought about it, the more likely it was that Xeria was just an eccentric person who couldn't understand the social opportunities around her.

"Hm?" It was only after she had wrapped one of those white cloaks around her waist did she notice Kuroi standing around, unsure if she should've been mimicking the white-haired Witch. "Boys are separated into their own sections if you're worried about anyone peeping. Just take your... robe? Is what you're wearing- nevermind; just leave everything you have inside the basket so you don't end up misplacing them."

When they came into the dressing room, Kuroi watched carefully to see what Xeria did, realizing by now that she would be getting no words of guidance from her. After undressing, Xeria looked back at her, seemingly misunderstanding her to be worried about something... "The baths are separated by gender?" She couldn't imagine why that would be necessary, though it also felt like it would be one of the more understandable differences between their cultures that she would be encountering here. Since Xeria had prompted her she began mimicking her companion, finding an empty basket and easily slipped her kimono and sash off into it. Around her waist was a rag tied to be something like a miniskirt, and after dropping that into the basket she tied a white cloak around her waist in the same fashion as Xeria, duplicating the fledgling witch's movements with eerie accuracy.

 

[Aron the Aron]

"The baths are separated by gender?" She couldn't imagine why that would be necessary, though it also felt like it would be one of the more understandable differences between their cultures that she would be encountering here.

"Well of course silly! When the academy has so many boys and girls our age in the same place, it doesn't take too much before some start getting ideas." Xeria giggled, having finished wrapping herself with the white strip of cloth for modesty and humming in approval when Kuroi matched her perfectly. "Do they not separate by gender in the bathhouses where you come from? I wonder how you'd get people from being all creepy if you have boys and girls in the same place naked..." Just like Kuroi, Xeria had a bit of a moment trying to apply her logic to the idea of mixed bathing, ultimately chalking it up to ideological/cultural differences and moving on. Taking both her and Kuroi's baskets, she carefully tucked them away near a secluded corner of the room before placing their respective pair of leather shoes/wooden gets right in front for safekeeping. "I wonder how you're supposed to even walk in these; it's like they were made before stairs became a thing." She would have to ask Kuroi about getting more rugged footwear at some point...

"You're not unused to heat and steam, are you? It's not anything like the caldarium (a word which would sadly just translate literally into "hot room" to Kuroi's ears), but I thought I'd warn you just in case." With one hand firmly clutching her makeshift robe, Xeria had taken hold of Kuroi's free hand before leading her down a hall that she could've easily missed had its existence not been just pointed out. Being barefoot meant that the cold marble floor gave a slight chill to both ladies as they quickly tip-toed their way around, but that feeling of cold gave way to a more pleasant warmth as steam began to appear.

For all the oddities and complexities that Xeria's Homeworld had in terms of culture and architecture, there was no denying that there was a certain degree of sophistication behind it all; nowhere was that more apparent than the tepidarium. Rich marble and mosaics decorated the small chambers that both entered, with clerestory windows near the ceiling providing a bright and almost sunny atmosphere despite it being near-evening. The marble floor and stone walls underfoot were teasingly warm like Xeria's hand, and despite the numerous hallways that linked that very room to gods-knew-where-else, the ambient heat mirrored the sensation of sitting by a campfire. Overall... It wasn't unpleasant.

"You're not uncomfortable are you? I don't know what bathing's like in your homeland, so I don't have anything in my mind to compare, but it's important we don't rush into the caldarium too quickly. I've heard stories about how some foreigners from the southern deserts get so confused about how we bath and just rush right in only to faint from the heat."

 

[That Lass Over There]

"Well of course silly! When the academy has so many boys and girls our age in the same place, it doesn't take too much before some start getting ideas." Xeria giggled, having finished wrapping herself with the white strip of cloth for modesty and humming in approval when Kuroi matched her perfectly. "Do they not separate by gender in the bathhouses where you come from? I wonder how you'd get people from being all creepy if you have boys and girls in the same place naked..."

Kuroi lightly shook her head in response, but then thought to elaborate since there seemed to be some difference in the expectations - Xeria seemed to be under the impression that people wouldn't be able to behave themselves... Which she couldn't say never happened, but it was certainly an extreme rarity. "No, we all bathe in the same spring. Maybe separate pools depending on the establishment, but no need to bother with dividers. People, for the most part, are well behaved and don't do things they shouldn't, and those that would misbehave are kept in line by the presence of others. I think, in all my time, I've only been in an incident once." She didn't count the stares that she had occasionally gotten, mostly because she didn't think anything of it. "It was a good environment for social interaction, and I know there were many opinions like there was no greater way to build trust than to bathe together, naked and unable to hide anything."

"I wonder how you're supposed to even walk in these; it's like they were made before stairs became a thing." She would have to ask Kuroi about getting more rugged footwear at some point...

"Well, most buildings where I come from only have one floor, and stairs outside were made much wider than the ones here." She kept her comment informative and respectful, contrary to the complaints she wanted to make. She was managing fine with the stairs after the initial stumble that Xeria had somehow missed, but she still wasn't a fan and they were only the first of many grievances.

Being pulled along, the cold stone floor against her feet made her hairs stand on end as a shiver went up her spine. Xeria asked if she would be okay with the heat, but she would much prefer it over this sensation of walking over a frost. Besides, she had been in hot springs before, and she wasn't expecting this to be any hotter. She was surprised, though, when instead of ending up in a room with bathing equipment or a pool they instead were in a room where steam wafting in the air. Kuroi was a little confused, as her expectations had already been thoroughly tossed on their head.

"I'm not uncomfortable, no. However, this is already different from what I am used to. Where I'm from, we would wash our bodies before sitting in the bath, and that would be it." She swept her hand slowly through the air, watching the vague wisps of steam catch on it. Maybe because the room wasn't that hot, the steam wasn't that thick, but in a way that made it more fun to play with what was there. However, after blankly looking at her hand that had slowly raked through the air once she stopped, the playful ideas she had dying almost as fast as they had appeared. She looked to Xeria, but the apprentice witch didn't seem to pay much attention to the details and behaviors of her foreign summon, so Kuroi was only left confused as to why she had looked over with expectation for... Something.

 

[Aron the Aron]

"Huh... That's... that's so different." Xeria couldn't help how dumb the sentence sounded as she waved away a puff of steam. "The way you describe the buildings of your home, the differences I can figure from what I've heard of your culture and practices; the lands you come from must be as different from mine as the day is from night." Her imagination ran wild with images of a fantastical faraway nation removed from the established patterns that her home nation already bore; humble yet magnificent buildings close to the earth that contrasted the towering spires of Junoan stonework that reached to the heavens. She definitely would have to ask Kuroi about her homeland!

"I'm not uncomfortable, no. However, this is already different from what I am used to. Where I'm from, we would wash our bodies before sitting in the bath, and that would be it." She swept her hand slowly through the air, watching the vague wisps of steam catch on it. Maybe because the room wasn't that hot, the steam wasn't that thick, but in a way that made it more fun to play with what was there.

"I suppose you could say that we're no different here in Juno. This tepidarium is to make sure you don't get ill or worse from going between the caldarium and frigidarium; it's why its very warm, but not hot." She pointed her hand freely to the light steam that wisped around them. "The tepidarium is just a hall connects every other room directly related to bathing, but caldarium is where we actually clean ourselves, follow me and I'll show you."

---

From the moment Xeria dragged Kuroi inside the caldarium, both ladies already began to sweat from the heat that bombarded them. The room itself was not large like the room they had just been in, and the complete lack of decoration was a deep contrast to the fine mosaics and carvings the previous room contained, though maybe it was for practicality reasons considering the steam. The smooth marble floor here was like stone that had been out in the sun all day, and Xeria's ghostly complexion almost allowed her to blend in with the thick steam . A large pool of water with all the characteristics of a classic hot spring sat in the far end of the room, easily big enough to fit a mob of people, and already hosting a few young ladies who paid no attention to the two as they entered. Large basins filled with water dotted the small room, most ringed with urns of... something, strange chalky cubes that looked vaguely like clay, and the ever universal ladle for pouring water,

"Well, I hope the heat isn't too much for you Kuroi; this is where most of the cleaning takes place." Xeria took care not to be as loud as she carefully undid the cloth preserving her modesty, though the steam did a good job substituting as she walked over to one of the basins and knelt down beside it. "C'mere, I'll rinse you off first before I pour the oil and soap!"

... She wasn't seriously expecting Kuroi to just sit on her lap or something right? (She probably was...)

 

[That Lass Over There]

"It is quite the adjustment to be making." Kuroi had no idea the images that Xeria was dreaming up of her homeland, and also didn't continue sharing details since they were not asked for. However, she did listen, her head tilting ever so slightly as she thought for a moment to ask the question on her mind. Juno seemed to be a name, since it wasn't translated, and Xeria had previously mentioned in passing that this place was a kingdom, so she wondered if that was the name of the kingdom they were in or something more local. Either way, the name was very foreign to her.

---

The smooth marble floor here was like stone that had been out in the sun all day, and Xeria's ghostly complexion almost allowed her to blend in with the thick steam. A large pool of water with all the characteristics of a classic hot spring sat in the far end of the room, easily big enough to fit a mob of people, and already hosting a few young ladies who paid no attention to the two as they entered. Large basins filled with water dotted the small room, most ringed with urns of... something, strange chalky cubes that looked vaguely like clay, and the ever universal ladle for pouring water.

Yurei, Kuroi silently came up with this new nickname for Xeria as she looked at the pale girl practically fading into the steam like she herself was mist. She found the room they had ended up in... Familiar enough, for what they had been seeing today. At the very least, she knew what most of the things in this room were probably for. She followed Xeria over to one of the basins in the room, obediently taking off her bath robe, though something mildly concerning had been mentioned. "Oil? What for?" Nonetheless, having her own odd understanding of the situation, she sat next to Xeria in seiza, presenting her back to the fledgling witch. Now that her skin was bare and starting to be dyed with color from the heat of the room, small, faded scars revealed themselves, but three more large and fresh stood out in particular - one on her left thigh, a gash that scarred poorly as the flesh still seemed scooped out, another on the front of her left shoulder that seemed like a large puncture wound but had no exit on the other side, and one more puncture-like scar that went through her stomach and out the other side at an odd angle.

Kuroi, who was now paying attention instead of quickly swapping one set of clothing for another, stared at the scars with her expression as blank as always. She even poked the scar on her stomach, with a tepidness like a little kid touching something unfamiliar. Whatever her thoughts were, she quickly came out of them, as she turned her head back to look at Xeria and hear what she was supposed to do... Or how oil played a part in bathing. That was still an odd concept. Soap, she was somewhat familiar with, but she couldn't help but wonder what purpose the oil was supposed to serve.

 

[Aron the Aron]

"Oil? What for?"

"Why for cleaning silly; what else would we have it around for? We even use it as one of the main ingredients in our soap (*most hard soaps from the Classical Era use Olive Oil as a major ingredient. Heck, Marseille and Castille soap today still use Olive oil*)!" Xeria said as she raised a small urn, a low hollow sound whistling out as she swirled the liquid inside to show Kuroi. The scars lining her Summon's body didn't bother the witch as much as she had anticipated when she first noticed jagged lines running across her back, though she was careful not to do anything as she carefully upturned the urn.

The pungent, fruity scent was the first thing Kuroi noted about the oil Xeria talked about; the ticklish and slimy sensation dancing across her back and shoulders was the next thing her senses immediately latched onto as Xeria hummed an unremarkable tune. The sensation was far removed from what Kuroi knew of personal hygiene, not at all helped when Xeria began gently kneading her shoulders with the amateurish skill one expected out of an orphan. Xeria was careful with where her hands went though, not daring to touch any of Kuroi's scars, and strictly restricting herself to just her back and arms. She didn't need weird looks from her Summon for being handsy.

"It's strange washing up and bathing with someone else; I'm so used to doing this by myself, but you're most-likely unfamiliar with how we do things in Juno." The impromptu oil massage lasted another minute as Xeria tried her best avoiding the many little scars on Kuroi's back. The odd scar on her lower back made the Witch hesitate in going near it, and the less she acknowledged the mess that was her Summon's thigh gash the better she would sleep that night. "How does bathing work where you come from anyways? You said you'd wash your bodies and then sit in a bath, but that sounds so simple. What does the bath do for example?"

 

[That Lass Over There]

While Xeria was doing her best to help wash Kuroi - who has at this point accepted that the oil does something toward the end of cleaning, though still entirely unsure of what - Kuroi didn't seem at all unused to someone washing her, not twitching away or anything that might be expected when someone is being touched in an unfamiliar way. The icky sensation of the oil did make her tense up for a split second, but she immediately relaxed herself and continued sitting in her foreign posture.

"It's strange washing up and bathing with someone else; I'm so used to doing this by myself, but you're most-likely unfamiliar with how we do things in Juno." The impromptu oil massage lasted another minute as Xeria tried her best avoiding the many little scars on Kuroi's back. "How does bathing work where you come from anyways? You said you'd wash your bodies and then sit in a bath, but that sounds so simple. What does the bath do for example?"

Kuroi almost asked her own question in return to the first, but after looking to the pool where several people sat without seeming to mind each other and taking into account the things she had learned of Xeria she realized it was probably insensitive, and that she already knew the answer. Instead, she went straight to answering Xeria's second question, though she wasn't entirely sure whether she understood the question correctly. "Most places for bathing where I come from are built on hot springs - steaming water that gushes from the earth. I don't know how effective they really are, but they're supposed to have all sorts of benefits like healing wounds faster, improving one's general health, stimulating one's body for the next day of labor... I also heard some places had experimented with scenting the water to achieve various effects by changing the material lining the pool, though I didn't get to see one. The general concept was actually rather new, with the buildings only starting to be built around the time I was born." She wasn't sure that her answer was satisfactory, but to her mind there was only so much to the process of bathing.

When Xeria lifted her hands and seemed to be done, Kuroi looked back, turning herself a bit towards the fledgling witch from having her back faced towards her. "When I was traveling with my companion, we would often wash each other's backs since it's annoying to do on your own... Would you like me to wash yours?" It didn't sit well with her that she had received a favor and might not return it, so she made the offer while hoping she wouldn't make Xeria uncomfortable.

 

[Aron the Aron]

"When I was traveling with my companion, we would often wash each other's backs since it's annoying to do on your own... Would you like me to wash yours?"

"You'd do that for me? I wasn't the best at working with the oil; you'd probably do a far better job at this than me." Pivoting around on her knees, Xeria brushed her long mane of silvery-white hair aside to present her bare back to Kuroi. "Well uh... Be a bit careful around my neck? I'm very ticklish there."

It was readily apparent to Kuroi that Xeria boasted a natural beauty many would kill for despite her destitute upbringing, something that she had done a fair job at concealing with her voluminous coat and oversized hat. The steam did a fine job at exemplifying the deathly pallor of her skin tone, and the complete lack of blemish or flaw on her bare body only added to the ghostly visage. Were it not for childlike curiosity in her eyes and the light tone in her voice, the idea of Xeria being a Yōkai of some kind could've been entertained.

"You talk so much about your homeland Kuroi; the way you talk about it from what memories you have is like reading the memoirs of an explorer in a far-away land. If I could, I would love to visit your home, see the kingdom you lived in and maybe find the people I've separated you from once we resolve the gaps in your memory." Xeria turned her head back to look Kuroi in the eye. "I may not have intended to summon you, but maybe it was fate that brought you to me. Sure your memory may be missing in a few places, but we might be able to fix that! If we can heal wounds of physical and spiritual nature, then maybe someone's found a treatment that mends amnesia..."

...

​

---

The King's Academy - Thermae Frigidarium
First day of Serpent, 493 NE​

---

Kuroi blankly stared on as Xeria tried her best to explain the rules. "The game's really simple! The hare starts on one side of the board and attempts to pass the hounds, or reach the other end of the board, while the three hounds start on this end of the board here and attempt to surround and immobilize the hare. The hare can move in any direction, but the hounds cannot move backwards from their starting positions..."

...

---

The King's Academy - Xeria's Room
First day of Serpent, 493 NE
​

---

"...roi? Kuroi!"

Xeria worriedly waved her hands in front of Kuroi's face to get her attention. Maybe it was some sort of mental exhaustion from the long day, but Xeria had noticed how vacant her companion looked ever since they went to the bathhouse. She had barely touched any food the witch tried to offer once they got out and into the dining hall proper, and the entire time Xeria's comments or prompts got nary a response out of the ravenette.

"Oooooiii, are you okay?"

 

[That Lass Over There]

"You'd do that for me? I wasn't the best at working with the oil; you'd probably do a far better job at this than me." Pivoting around on her knees, Xeria brushed her long mane of silvery-white hair aside to present her bare back to Kuroi. "Well uh... Be a bit careful around my neck? I'm very ticklish there."

Nodding, Kuroi got to work silently, fully turning her body around and doing her best to mimic the steps that Xeria had taken. Though she was a bit hesitant with using the oil, when it came to the part of working it over the skin and massaging the muscles to relax it was difficult to believe she hadn't done this for a living - she studiously paid attention to every single detail of Xeria's reactions so that she knew how much force to use and where needed the most attention. Like Xeria, she respectfully kept her hands to the back and shoulders, though there were a few moments where her mind started to blank out and habitually went slightly further before she could stop herself.

"You talk so much about your homeland Kuroi; the way you talk about it from what memories you have is like reading the memoirs of an explorer in a far-away land. If I could, I would love to visit your home, see the kingdom you lived in and maybe find the people I've separated you from once we resolve the gaps in your memory." Xeria turned her head back to look Kuroi in the eye. "I may not have intended to summon you, but maybe it was fate that brought you to me. Sure your memory may be missing in a few places, but we might be able to fix that! If we can heal wounds of physical and spiritual nature, then maybe someone's found a treatment that mends amnesia..."

"Memoirs of a far-away land might not be an inaccurate way to consider them." The register of her voice was slightly lower as she responded with that, thinking on the fresh scars that she had now confirmed the presence of. "Still, thank you, Xeria." Kuroi's face broke it's stoicism for a moment, her lips drawing thin and the corners twisted up a bit, her best attempt at a smile that she could make. "I would be happy to guide you around if the opportunity came up." Unable to think of something better to say, she offered that while taking her hands from Xeria's back. "All done. Let's finish washing up and get in the bath." With Xeria taken care of, she went on to washing herself in the areas that Xeria had avoided for one reason or another, before standing up and moving toward the bath.

---

"...roi? Kuroi!"

"... Nn?" Kuroi reacted properly after being prompted a few times, her ability to pretend she was alright having started to deteriorate somewhere around the time that they had entered the bath. She was a bit ashamed, but there was little she could do about the matter. "I'm fine. Just tired." She shook her head and gently extended her arm to create some distance between her and Xeria, who had come too close for her while trying to get her attention. Now that she was a bit back in reality, she noticed that she had taken off her shoes at some point, leaving them in the corner of the room near the door. Eyes half closed, actually helping her see better with her eyes, she looked around the room for familiar things that did not exist in preparation for bed. "How do you brush your teeth... And is there anything else we need to do tonight?" Though she did her best to look alert now, with her posture straightening up from the slight incline it had taken, it was a difficult sell after the last hour or so of time. She personally was ready to fall asleep the moment Xeria said it was fine, with everything from today and beyond weighing on her.

 

[Aron the Aron]

"... Nn?" Kuroi reacted properly after being prompted a few times, her ability to pretend she was alright having started to deteriorate somewhere around the time that they had entered the bath. She was a bit ashamed, but there was little she could do about the matter. "I'm fine. Just tired." She shook her head and gently extended her arm to create some distance between her and Xeria, who had come too close for her while trying to get her attention. Now that she was a bit back in reality, she noticed that she had taken off her shoes at some point, leaving them in the corner of the room near the door. Eyes half closed, actually helping her see better with her eyes, she looked around the room for familiar things that did not exist in preparation for bed. "How do you brush your teeth... And is there anything else we need to do tonight?" Though she did her best to look alert now, with her posture straightening up from the slight incline it had taken, it was a difficult sell after the last hour or so of time. She personally was ready to fall asleep the moment Xeria said it was fine, with everything from today and beyond weighing on her.

"Should you really be asking questions now when you just said you were tired?" Just like before much of Xeria's clothing had been carelessly placed all around her little room, leaving her in nothing save a small nightdress that barely preserved her modesty. "I'm not the best at reading body language, but even I can tell you're ready to sleep at a moment's notice. Don't worry, you can just save all the questions you have for tomorrow when we go out to get some new clothes and everything for you." If she was being honest with herself, Xeria wasn't thrilled with how destitute she was already. She'd have to check her paltry savings to make sure she actually had enough to purchase some sets of clothing for her companion, but a quiet nagging in the back of her mind said that what savings she had was about to quickly disappear over the span of the next day...

"Come on, I said we'd share the bed for tonight, and I don't like the idea of you sleeping on the floor at all." Xeria brokered no argument when she tugged Kuroi by the sash of her kimono and pulled her under the covers of her miniscule bed. The lone piece of furniture didn't scream "comfortable"; the fact that Kuroi was sharing a bed originally meant for a single occupant with someone else was enough to elicit some embarrassment out of the two. Either one of them would end up falling off in an attempt to respect personal space, or they'd wind up in a tangled mess of arms and legs; neither scenario sounded particularly pleasing considering both girls were going to be spending a whole night with someone they only met that morning.

Still, sleeping in a bed with the prospect of waking up in an awkward scene sounded more appealing than sleeping on rough and uneven hardwood with only a rug, blanket, and pillow...

 

[That Lass Over There]

"Come on, I said we'd share the bed for tonight, and I don't like the idea of you sleeping on the floor at all." Xeria brokered no argument when she tugged Kuroi by the sash of her kimono and pulled her under the covers of her miniscule bed.

Kuroi grumbled something too quietly to be heard, something about dental hygiene and its importance, but obediently let herself be pulled into the bed as Xeria pulled on her sash since that was a bad place to pull. After having the covers thrown over her person by Xeria she straightened them out a bit, positioning herself to cede a bit more of the bed to Xeria without a thought. Their proximity meant that Kuroi, sensitive as she was, could feel the breath and the warmth of the person beside her in spite of the space she had tried to give, and for the first time today her muscles relaxed, even just slightly.

Her body still turned toward the fledgling witch from the tug, her eyes black like night looked toward Xeria's, though barely catching a detail of the person she was currently sharing a bed with as her eyes seemed to be focused beyond.

"... Of everything today, this feeling is the most familiar."

After a moment, whatever she was thinking about passed, as she looked to the night sky beyond Xeria. In this time with the silence of the night, another odd quirk stood out from this expressionless familiar whose humanity was dubious; her breathing was near silent, though her chest was clearly moving up and down.

Without apparent care for their proximity, Kuroi's broke the eye contact that had happened, twisting her body the other way to lay facing the door. Her right arm hung off the bed, held over air where something was supposed to be, and the hairs on her neck stood on end when all she felt was emptiness. She didn't speak up, though, simply noting what she felt and what had been said before to her memory. What her top priority was in the shopping trip tomorrow, it had been settled.

"Goodnight, Xeria."

---

When Xeria woke up, Kuroi was still asleep, blocking the way out of bed; however, rather than the tidy laying posture that she had last night, the girl was curled up tightly in a ball. Some strands of hair stuck to her skin with sweat, and her kimono had been ruffled and shifted around her body from a restless sleep. Her hands covered her face, hiding any expression that she might have in her dreams, but her silent trembling spoke enough about what she was feeling.

 

[Aron the Aron]

Kuroi grumbled something too quietly to be heard, something about dental hygiene and its importance, but obediently let herself be pulled into the bed as Xeria pulled on her sash since that was a bad place to pull. After having the covers thrown over her person by Xeria she straightened them out a bit, positioning herself to cede a bit more of the bed to Xeria without a thought. Their proximity meant that Kuroi, sensitive as she was, could feel the breath and the warmth of the person beside her in spite of the space she had tried to give, and for the first time today her muscles relaxed, even just slightly.

Her body still turned toward the fledgling witch from the tug, her eyes black like night looked toward Xeria's, though barely catching a detail of the person she was currently sharing a bed with as her eyes seemed to be focused beyond.

After a moment, whatever she was thinking about passed, as she looked to the night sky beyond Xeria. In this time with the silence of the night, another odd quirk stood out from this expressionless familiar whose humanity was dubious; her breathing was near silent, though her chest was clearly moving up and down.

Without apparent care for their proximity, Kuroi's broke the eye contact that had happened, twisting her body the other way to lay facing the door. Her right arm hung off the bed, held over air where something was supposed to be, and the hairs on her neck stood on end when all she felt was emptiness. She didn't speak up, though, simply noting what she felt and what had been said before to her memory. What her top priority was in the shopping trip tomorrow, it had been settled.

Sleeping with another person was a new experience to Xeria as she found herself lying across from Kuroi on her uncomfortably small bed. Their faces were mere inches away from each other despite the latter's attempt to give room, and yet her breath could be scarcely felt against former's pale cheeks. Her unfocused gaze contrasted the Witch's intense stare until she abruptly turned away, leaving Xeria both confused and somewhat hurt.

Deciding that turning away herself was the appropriate action, Xeria turned to face the few windows of her room. Xeria adored the night dearly like a surrogate mother; the gentle light of the moon and stars had always been a source of comfort since her earliest memories of sleeping atop the orphanage's rooftop. But she would find no comfort in seeing the night sky out of her window; the events of that day swirled around as she reflected on her day and new summon.

"... Of everything today, this feeling is the most familiar."

For some reason, that particular line struck Xeria, and she wound up pondering as her stare turned vacant against the back of Kuroi's head. Kuroi did mention having had a companion before her surprise summoning to Xeria's side, which raised several questions. What was to say that Kuroi had been unceremoniously separated her from her friend? What about her family? What would they do once they realized that a family member was missing? The questions bore a deep pit in Xeria that threatened to madden her with anxiety...

---

The King's Academy - Xeria's Room
Second day of Serpent, 493 NE
​

---

... Maybe that was why Xeria hadn't had as peaceful a sleep as she normally would've.

The early morning sun in her eyes was as unpleasant as the icky feeling of sweat gluing her nightdress to her skin. She gladly indulged the instinct to groan and turn away, but she quickly shot her eyes wide open when her stray arm felt something she didn't recognize.

Kuroi was still asleep, blocking the way out of bed; however, rather than the tidy laying posture that she had last night, the girl was curled up tightly in a ball. Some strands of hair stuck to her skin with sweat, and her kimono had been ruffled and shifted around her body from a restless sleep. Her hands covered her face, hiding any expression that she might have in her dreams, but her silent trembling spoke enough about what she was feeling.

Initially Xeria wanted to scream and kick the intruder off her bed, but the morning grogginess thankfully wore off before she could follow through with it. Remembering the previous day's events, Xeria stopped herself short and instead laid a clammy hand on the still-sleeping Kuroi's shoulder. The (seemingly) older girl looked like an absolute wreck unlike the air of refinement and stoicism that she showed off before; her unkempt kimono threatened to slide off her shoulders, and her hair was matted like a wet dog's fur. Just seeing her in such a sorry state prompted a gut reaction out of Xeria, who got up onto an unsteady kneel on her bed before grasping Kuroi by the shoulders.

"Hey... Hey! Kuroi? Kuroi!" Xeria didn't even realise just how dry her throat was until she felt her words scratch their way out. She had to force down a cough as she continued her hoarse and half-awake pleas for her temporary bedmate to wake up. "Hey! *Hack* It's almost the end of sunrise Kuroi; wake up!"

 

[That Lass Over There]

The black-haired girl rolled around under the blanket after hearing a voice and feeling a touch on her skin, her eyes opening to the sunlight that she normally beat to the rise. Her eyes, cloudy from the momentary blur of reality and fantasy, looked to the girl beside her, with a blank face that spoke nothing of the shivering wreck she had been moments before.

"I had that nightmare again."

The winter chill froze her breath in the air as she and her companion stared at each other, thoughts exchanged with little more than looks and a few subtle movements. Her companion was the one to break the silence, putting a hand over the black-haired girl's forehead. "You should let go of it all. You --------------------... and you're to blame for nothing." The other girl moved toward a basin in their room, soaking a piece of cloth in it before bringing it back and covering the black-haired girl's forehead. "Go back to sleep. You got a fever, no wonder you're having strange thoughts."

"---, I'm to blame for a lot of things. You're just too nice to me. You're the only one who would think I'm so good a person, having seen me."

*Whack*

The black-haired girl's flinch was the only reaction to being hit on the head with something like a wad of cloth, but her companion noticed the only evidence she needed to know it was effective. "I'm not the only one. Mom, and Dad too. They wouldn't have let me go with you if they really thought you were a bad person. You're not cursed, and you're not a yasha. You just..."

The black-haired girl's eyes blinked for what she thought was just a moment as she bit back her refusals, but when they opened her companion had found her way to her side, softly petting her hair that had been matted with sweat. The black girl's mouth cracked open to say so many things, but she was shushed, pressed back down onto the futon they slept in. "When you're better, and when you're ready to listen, I'll tell you as many times as you'd like. So go to sleep." Like she was used to it, her companion tucked the sheets over her again, combing her hair and lulling her back to drowsiness with a soft hum.

----------

Initially Xeria wanted to scream and kick the intruder off her bed, but the morning grogginess thankfully wore off before she could follow through with it. Remembering the previous day's events, Xeria stopped herself short and instead laid a clammy hand on the still-sleeping Kuroi's shoulder. "Hey... Hey! Kuroi? Kuroi!" Xeria didn't even realise just how dry her throat was until she felt her words scratch their way out. She had to force down a cough as she continued her hoarse and half-awake pleas for her temporary bedmate to wake up. "Hey! *Hack* It's almost the end of sunrise Kuroi; wake up!"

Xeria wasn't the only one who didn't recognize her bedmate upon waking up.

Kuroi's hands stretched out in a flash to the side of the bed, the rest of her body already twisting back toward the person beside her. In a movement too fluid, too natural to describe, Kuroi was on top of Xeria in a moment, one of her hands locking away Xeria's and the other gently touching Xeria's throat as she realized the blade she had been reaching for was not there. Having successfully restrained the intruder, she looked around, panicked, but as she didn't see the person she was looking for memories of the day before, and the reality that the person she was looking for wasn't there, hit her.

Her hand folded into an odd fist-like shape had not applied any sort of pressure to Xeria's neck, the touch surprisingly tender, but its presence was more than enough to make clear the threat it was. Quickly, Kuroi took back her hands and slipped off of Xeria, her movements carrying an anxiety as though she had seen a ghost. "I'm sorry, Xeria. I'm so sorry. I..." She prostrated herself, on the floor as she had gotten out of bed, apologizing without being sure of what to say. Her cadence calmed down and settled back into its slightly unnatural steadiness as she tried again, lifting herself a bit to something more like a seiza. "I had a nightmare. I'll never do that again. I just..." Her voice trailed off, not sure how appropriate it was to keep bringing up a person Xeria will never meet. "Next time, if you need to wake me up and it's not an emergency, don't raise your voice. That was how... It was how I knew I needed to wake up ready to fight."

She waited with her legs folded under her and head bowed until she received a response, but she did finally take the time to fix up her kimono, pulling one of the shoulders that had slipped down back on and pressing out the wrinkles. "I am also sorry for showing you such a sight. Is there anywhere I can wash myself, a basin or something of the sort?"

 

[Aron the Aron]

It happened so quickly that Xeria couldn't even find the time to react. Kuroi had snapped from being asleep to wide awake in a heartbeat, and before Xeria knew it she had been roughly shoved down under the woman she had just been sharing a bed with. Fear gripped her like the hand that was wrapped around her neck, paralyzing her to the bed she found herself trapped against as she watched helplessly. She felt an oppressive, suffocating feeling arise from her gut despite the lack of pressure being applied, but it wasn't the threat of being choked or her throat being crushed that terrified her so...

It was the blood-red eyes boring deep into her soul. Xeria swore that Kuroi had dark eyes that matched the similar blackness of her hair, but in that moment, Xeria swore that in that very instant she had eyes redder than the blood draining from her already pale face.

And just as quickly as the red came, it left. Suddenly Kuroi's eyes were back to the rich dark hue that Xeria remembered, and she retreated as far back as her bed allowed when Kuroi slipped off of her and the bed.

"I'm sorry, Xeria. I'm so sorry. I..." She prostrated herself, on the floor as she had gotten out of bed, apologizing without being sure of what to say. Her cadence calmed down and settled back into its slightly unnatural steadiness as she tried again, lifting herself a bit to something more like a seiza. "I had a nightmare. I'll never do that again. I just..."

Xeria had nothing to say, or rather, she could not find the will to muster a word out of her lips. Both of her arms were raised and tucked in close to her chest, one hand covering the same throat Kuroi had just grasped. She didn't register the faint quiver in her hyperventilation, nor the slight tremble of her limbs. All she could focus on were those eyes.

The eyes of someone who fought.

The eyes of a fighter.

The eyes of a predator.

The eyes of a demon.

"Y-y-you... You... Y-you-"

It was the best Xeria mustered in the end.

 

[That Lass Over There]

The eyes of a demon.
"Y-y-you... You... Y-you-"

It was the best Xeria mustered in the end.

Sharing a bed with someone, the warmth of another - those were perhaps the most familiar things she had felt yesterday, bar a single touch near the start.

And perhaps, this was the most familiar feeling she had felt since coming to this place. This suffocating stare, the feeling that she would never be forgiven. Never understood. The expressionless ningyou - the black demon - nobody could ever sympathize with such a thing.

Kuroi sharply inhaled as she unfolded her legs from under her, unsteadily putting her weight on them in an odd way - to Xeria, the movement seemed unnecessarily contrived, but in spite of the familiar's best efforts she could not fully convince herself that the slick of blood had not stained her feet in that mire of corpses. Doing her best not to slip, she turned her back and stepped toward the door of the room, opening it.

"I'll be stepping out for a bit."

The door shut without Kuroi having touched her shoes, not wanting to stain another pair.

She hugged a wall to support herself, one hand pressed against the cold stone and the other holding closed the gap in her kimono that exposed a sliver of her chest. Now that she was out of sight of everyone, her breathing was ragged, her stare fixed straight ahead as she tried to ignore the faces in the empty hall. Stepping over something in her way, she shivered a little at the squelching sound of her footsteps in the marsh but kept going.

None of this is real. That's what she always told me.

"You're all covered in red? Then you just need to wash it off, silly! Come over here, I'll get it all off for you."

Kuroi looked backwards, and immediately regretted doing so. Sinking to her knees, she held her head, squeezing her eyes tight shut to rid herself of the nightmare she saw in daylight.

I died before her. I told her to run. I held them off as long as I could. She might still be alive.

Laughter. She wasn't sure from where. It didn't matter. The screams, the crying, the silence, they scared her so much more.

Stumbling to her feet, she kept moving forward, holding the handrail for support as she went down the stairs one at a time. When she reached the bottom and out into the street, rather than a stone path she saw a dirt road, weeds starting to sprout here and there in the soil. Three bodies laid in front of her, and a knife she had stolen off one of them in the chaos was held tight in her hand.

There was... A river. Around here, somewhere. To the right?

Holding the gash in her left arm, she stumbled away, already lost without her last and only anchor.

She passed by several more bodies on her way. Some were skin and bones, one not even holding a weapon. Others were large, intimidating men that had come for the rice the farmer that had been kind enough to house her and give her work was growing.

Eventually, she reached a small alley the dark hiding much that transpired here, but several corpses again laid in front of her. She went to move forward again, not minding the new wounds on her body or the blood that it was impossible to tell how much was her own, but felt a tender touch on her palm, fingers stretching timidly to grasp for her own. When she looked back, she wasn't sure who she saw. There was one person, two, then one again. White hair that she immediately reached out to gather in her hands, pulling it out of the blood and mud that was here. Nobody should be stained by this.

Their eyes connected, and again, the person she was looking at changed, back to the other one. She couldn't make out any features, but this was the first time in so very long that anyone had looked at her without any fear. Just the nervousness of a small animal encountering something new.

"Thank you."

Lost and alone, Kuroi collapsed in the stone alley that was nothing like what she was seeing, pushing her back against the wall as she tried to rub the red off of her skin. The sticky liquid unsettled her stomach, but she had barely eaten anything yesterday so that did not matter. She didn't know when, but the slack-jawed corpses had stopped looking at her at some point, leaving her in peace to try and keep breathing.

She wasn't that small, scared girl anymore.
But she is a terrified, grown woman.

She isn't wounded, and there's nobody she has wounded.
But there's no way things will be so nice as to stay that peaceful.

And the person she had sworn to guard till her last breath... Was gone, and somehow, she was still breathing. Looking to the sky, she saw a small bird perched on a rooftop, feathers brown with cute black speckles.

"Without my wing, finding my way back seems impossible..." Clenching and unclenching her hands splotched red from her fruitless efforts to cleanse herself in front of her eyes, she looked up to find that the bird was gone, and remember that with her eyesight she wouldn't be able to see it from so far away anyway...
How funny.

 

[Aron the Aron]

"I'll be stepping out for a bit."

Xeria barely registered the sound of Kuroi talking; too focused she was on those haunting eyes that she didn't even notice the brunette disappearing until she had vanished behind the door, and only once she was alone in her room did the terror begin to erode from her heart. The events that had transpired kept repeating in her head without end, and it didn't take much for her mind to stir and wander.

How close had she come to death? Had she startled Kuroi into panic-driven action, or had the look in her eye revealed a more sinister side to the person Xeria thought she was learning? She didn't want to entertain the idea that her summon was a violent person by nature. But the little glimpses of backstory she heard, the stoic professionalism she heard, and the wild gaze that stared back at her.

Once she found the strength in her limbs, Xeria willed herself to crawl out of bed. Her disheveled white hair was now a veritable crow's nest of tangles and curls, and her short nightdress was overrun with wrinkles; she absently grabbed a brush from her drawers and began her usual routine of brushing her hair and laying out what clothes she would wear for that day...

---

The King's Academy - Lionscourt Hall: Outside
Second day of Serpent, 493 NE
​

---

In the end, Xeria had chosen something much more "protective" to wear that day. Some might've noticed how Xeria seemed more conservative and closed-off she appeared, but she didn't care to notice as she shuffled through the empty stone brick streets.

The long knee-length sundress she elected to wear was as simple as they came, bare of any detail or decoration save the plain bodice she elected to have overtop. The navy-blue longcoat Xeria loved wearing had been fully buttoned-up, and she had pulled her gloves back to cover as much as her wrists as she could. She still had almost iconic Witch hat on, though pulled down closer to her eyes.

Xeria honestly didn't know what she was doing outside. Maybe she thought that a walk outside would do her good, or that she'd find solace somewhere quiet like one of the many gardens the Academy had; whatever her case, she was wandering the Academy with only a vague idea of what she should do...

That was until she spotted a shape out of the corner of her eye.

Their eyes connected, and again, the person she was looking at changed, back to the other one. She couldn't make out any features, but this was the first time in so very long that anyone had looked at her without any fear. Just the nervousness of a small animal encountering something new.

"Thank you."

Lost and alone, Kuroi collapsed in the stone alley that was nothing like what she was seeing, pushing her back against the wall as she tried to rub the red off of her skin. The sticky liquid unsettled her stomach, but she had barely eaten anything yesterday so that did not matter. She didn't know when, but the slack-jawed corpses had stopped looking at her at some point, leaving her in peace to try and keep breathing.

By all accounts, Xeria should've turned tail and walked away. She had every voice inside her head screaming at her to forget the girl sitting there in the alley, and part of her wanted to agree.

But that lost look in Kuroi's eye... She had to do something.

Tentatively, Xeria shuffled out of the morning light and into the darkness of the alley. Her steps were as small as they were quiet and careful, but she noted that Kuroi did nothing as she drew close. It was as if they were each in their own reality, but that illusion broke when Xeria stopped and knelt by Kuroi's side. And as she slowly reached a gloved hand out to touch Kuroi's shoulder, she broke the silence.

"Um... H-hey..."

It wasn't an impressive start to conversation by any means, but to Xeria, any start was better than none.

 

[That Lass Over There]

Tentatively, Xeria shuffled out of the morning light and into the darkness of the alley. Her steps were as small as they were quiet and careful, but she noted that Kuroi did nothing as she drew close. It was as if they were each in their own reality, but that illusion broke when Xeria stopped and knelt by Kuroi's side. And as she slowly reached a gloved hand out to touch Kuroi's shoulder, she broke the silence.

Kuroi finally showed some level of reaction to being touched, looking to the face of the person who was there before instantly averting her gaze to the hand touching her, not wanting to see that expression. She lifted her hand up to gently nudge the gloved hand with the tips of her fingers, trying to move it off. "You shouldn't touch me, blood will-" She shook her head and cut herself off, trying to remember that as real as this all felt it was just her mind, like was always told to her. "- No, never mind."

She tried again to look at Xeria, but again what she saw caused her to avert her gaze, this time to where the bird had been, looking away from Xeria completely. The timing of this meeting was unfortunate, not having had enough time to recover, but it was better than being lost in the city alone when she finally managed to come back to herself. At least she had some experience with getting things done while like this.

"I understand if you'd want to say no, after what happened this morning." She spoke while not looking at Xeria, a first of these two days. "But I think, if the choice was between clothes and a sword, I would like a sword. I feel uneasy, I keep reaching for it to calm myself down but nothing is there, and I don't like that I might need it but don't have it. And, like I said, I can sew, but I don't know how to forge a blade." Unsteadily, she stood up, rectifying her posture, though still going out of her way to look away from Xeria's face. She started some steps forward out of the alley, her bare feet not making any sound on the stone pavement, shifting the focus to what they were originally planning on doing today.

 

[Aron the Aron]

"I understand if you'd want to say no, after what happened this morning." She spoke while not looking at Xeria, a first of these two days. "But I think, if the choice was between clothes and a sword, I would like a sword. I feel uneasy, I keep reaching for it to calm myself down but nothing is there, and I don't like that I might need it but don't have it. And, like I said, I can sew, but I don't know how to forge a blade." Unsteadily, she stood up, rectifying her posture, though still going out of her way to look away from Xeria's face. She started some steps forward out of the alley, her bare feet not making any sound on the stone pavement, shifting the focus to what they were originally planning on doing today.

The weight of the coin sack Xeria had hidden inside her heavy coat felt a lot heavier. There was no denying that she had only enough to afford Kuroi the choice between some changes of clothing that she'd need or a cheap sword, but she was hesitating. It should've been an easy decision; there were no threats within or without the Academy to warrant arming her summon. Why was she still so conflicted?

It took a solid minute before Xeria decided against the better wishes of her logic, and followed Kuroi out into sunlight proper.

"I can't promise you anything nice, that I'll get you a sword..." She said while twiddling her fingers. She hadn't missed how Kuroi was walking around barefoot; the lack of a "click-clack" sound from her wooden sandals was enough hint that they needed to make a detour first. "Let's... Let's go back to my room first, okay? It'll be a... a bit of a walk from here to where we need to go."

 

[That Lass Over There]

"I can't promise you anything nice, that I'll get you a sword..."

Kuroi simply nodded, following up with a short, "Nn. That's fine," afterwards. She hadn't expected to be heard out, much less to have a positive answer to her request, so she couldn't ask for anything more. She wasn't unaware of the possibility of a money issue either, and with how expensive swords had been in her homeland she had figured that a quality product was likely out of reach. Not to mention with how Xeria reacted to her description of her sword, it seemed unlikely that she would find any familiar designs here - something she thought more important even than the quality of the blade, to a point.

Though she had taken the first steps out of the alleyway, she still had no idea where in this city they were, so Kuroi let Xeria pass her and lead the way as they stepped into the street.

The atmosphere between them made the idea of conversation difficult; the people slowly pouring into the streets and moving as crowds to carry on with their daily lives made it even more so with the emotional nature of this morning. The silence continued for the entire way back to the apartment, a rather long trek that had Kuroi imperceptibly surprised at how far she had gone in her compromised state. It had been a very long time since she had been left in that state alone and unaided, and she had forgotten how bad it could actually get.

Though she was barefoot, Kuroi never winced or uttered a peep about the hard stone tiring her feet, even as they climbed the many flights of stairs to Xeria's room. When they did enter, however, the first thing she did was to move toward her platform shoes, slipping her feet into the slips of cloth that held them in place. After doing so, she simply stood still and waited, watching Xeria to see what they would be doing now. Whether they were going directly out or needed to take a moment, it didn't particularly matter to her.

 

[Aron the Aron]

The tension never truly left Xeria's system as she led a silent Kuroi back to her little room to fetch her wooden footwear. The thoughts she wanted to say couldn't coalesce into a coherent shape, leaving her as silent as her partner for the whole trek. Not even when she opened the door and let Kuroi slip her geta on her feet did she find anything to say; the only thing she could do was lead Kuroi back out with nary a word said...

---

The Kingdom of Juno - Ambition City
Second day of Serpent, 493 NE
​

---

Ambition City was the shimmering jewel of the mighty Kingdom of Juno. To many coming from across the Sea of Aria, the sight of the Royal Citadel looming tall over the city inspired an image of prosperity and wonder; casting a watchful shadow over the whole city. To Xeria, who had survived growing up in it's myriad alleyways and orphanages, it was a backdrop she had been long familiar with since birth. Thankfully she had spent her earlier youth further towards the slums that lined the outer walls of the city facing inland, far from the Academy Quarter she was leading Kuroi through.

Despite being closest to its namesake, the Academy Quarter of Ambition City was nowhere near as crowded as the rest of the city. Humble wooden houses and simple stone buildings no taller than a few stories lined the smooth sandstone roads that Xeria and Kuroi walked along; adorably simplistic signs hung for all manner of shops that the odd Witch or Wizard could be seen entering or leaving, some having strange creatures Kuroi couldn't recognize following them like loyal pets. The Quarter had all the comforts of a frontier town with all the benefits of being in a large, well-supplied and well-funded city: perfect for those who weren't yet comfortable with a dense atmosphere.

Ever since joining the Academy, Xeria had largely restricted herself to the Academy Quarter of the City since whatever shop she'd need could be typically found within. Clothes, books, and the endless need for ink and paper were just some of the typical reasons she'd need to leave the safe confines of the Academy. A sword on the other hand wouldn't be found anywhere near the Academy Quarter which meant going deeper into the heart of Ambition City

...

The deeper in Xeria led Kuroi, the more suffocating it became just walking the streets and paths. The wooden buildings had grown taller and more crowded as they went; citizens now walked alongside merchants, mercenaries, and all manner of ilk as everyone went every which way in the hustle and bustle of Ambition City's Merchant Quarter. Xeria seemed unbothered by the noise and the crowding however, striding through gaps in crowds with a practiced ease as she scanned stalls and window displays. She did spare the odd glance back at Kuroi to make sure they hadn't lost each other, but she didn't dare maintain eye contact for longer than a breath before whipping her head away.

 

[That Lass Over There]

The occasional muted footsteps were the only evidence that Kuroi was walking a bit behind and to the right of Xeria, with the foreigner still trying to figure out how to completely silence her footsteps on the stone pavement. Of course, one look back would also confirm the familiar's presence, but it was a given that after the events of this morning neither were in the mood to look at each other more than needed. Kuroi did keep careful watch if anyone came close to them, but mostly she was looking around the Academy Quarter with the same blank expression. The difference of atmosphere as they crossed from the heavily decorated, cluttered streets of the Academy itself to the comparatively simplistic and spread out architecture of the Academy Quarter felt a bit more welcoming to her, who had never been in such a densely designed area before. The architecture was still distinctly foreign and off-putting to a degree, but at least it was more bearable.

Something that continued to catch her interest even after their initial entrance to the new area was the signboards hanging above the streets, set standing outside doors, or hung in windows. Several she couldn't see, needing to squish her fingers in front of her eyes to be able to read the text of many that were too small for her. There were several others recognizable not by the unhelpful text, but by the simplistic and easy to recognize images accompanying it; bookstores and places selling stationery goods bore images of books, paper, and pens. Clothing stores were a little more obvious as the wares were put on display as part of the advertisement strategy, and the occasional place with a small crowd of patrons and delicious smells wafting out from inside were marked with plates topped with one sort of treat or another. The food establishments - cafes, as they were apparently called from the signs of the few they passed by - had a sort of sweet smell coming out of them that Kuroi was unfamiliar with, making her a bit curious.

She also occasionally stole a direct glance at one of the other wizards or witches walking the streets with their familiars, many exotic but cute looking animals in her eyes. A man with an owl-like bird on his shoulder passed by close to her, and Kuroi's hand twitched just a bit as she tried to resist the urge to reach out and ruffle the beautiful white and grey feathers. In order to distract herself from the feeling of disappointment as the bird left her reach, she looked toward the front where her gaze remained for the rest of the way through the district, silently wondering to herself whether or not the people they were passing recognized her as Xeria's familiar. Xeria had been so certain that she wasn't human, that perhaps it wasn't that difficult to tell. Either way, with her attention no longer occupied, her body tightened a bit more at the passing gazes and focused looks that she felt on her skin. It was only getting worse as they went further, people dressed without the cloaks seemingly beloved by Xeria's kind starting to mix into the streets.

A little less abrupt than the transition between the Academy and the surrounding quarter of the city was the blending of the Academy Quarter into the Merchant Quarter, the buildings gradually clumping together in clusters again and the shop types transitioning to a broader range of products - the sorts of clothes on display were more varied, and carpenters, smiths, ceramicists, artists, and other such artisans possessed shops advertising themselves best they could through displays and signboards. The crowd thickened and hardly any robes were present at this point, the magic users around the Academy apparently not frequenting anywhere this far out.

With the street getting busier and louder Kuroi stepped a bit closer to Xeria, her hand hovering at her sash where there was nothing but cloth. Though she was tensing up, her curiosity didn't wane too much, her eyes drawn to the weapons some mercenaries carried on their person, and the armor that others hadn't bothered to take off for one reason or another.

There were slight similarities to what she was familiar with, but certainly these were a far cry from what she was used to. The swords appeared to be mainly in the style of tsurugi, a double edged sword that had long ago stopped seeing combat to her memory, only they were larger and with different styles of guards. Axes, hammers, and other such tools also seemed to be held as actual weapons designed differently from their typical utilitarian forms. Spears... Didn't seem too common, possibly because it was a weapon that benefited from teamwork.

Feeling like she was learning a lot from examining the armed people walking the streets, Kuroi's steps halted for a moment as her eyes caught a lady with long animal ears like a fox's atop a head of red hair, and a fluffy tail swishing behind her with every step. Only when they connected eyes did Kuroi realize that she was staring, and hurried to catch up to Xeria, who was... An embarrassingly short distance away due to the difference in their gait. Reminding herself that this place was one where magic was openly practiced, she tried to convince herself that it wasn't so strange to see a youkai in the streets, and that she could ask Xeria later about the encounter.

 

[Aron the Aron]

Oblivious to Kuroi's errant gaze, Xeria continued her delicate weaving through the busy streets of Ambition City. Several times she had to tuck in her coat so it didn't catch on a random mercenary's weapon or a traveler's equipment, and even more times did she have to hold onto her massive hat so it didn't get knocked off her head by a taller passerby. The Merchant Quarter was a cacophony of noises, ranging from the mundane hawks and calls of sellers to the boisterous shouts and laughter of overeager mercenaries walking the city streets. Relief from the chaos couldn't come soon enough once Xeria's eyes lit up at a particular sign, though which one was impossible to tell from Kuroi's perspective; the sheer variety of signboards and signposts could pose a significant hazard if even one of them fell of their hanging perch onto someone's head.

---

Ambition City - Siltoth's Trading and Smithy
Second day of Serpent, 493 NE
​

---

The first thing that struck Kuroi when she was dragged through the inconspicuous wooden door was how paradoxically clean the shop looked despite its cluttered nature. Complete suits of polished steel armor stood proud on their stands, and countless weapons of all shapes and sizes adorned all four walls with tasteful care. A persistent metallic scent kept the place from being too pleasant to stay in however, and the dry air did much to compliment the uncomfortable heat. Not that Xeria seemed terribly bothered by the fact that her hat and coat were ill-suited for such heat, instead wandering around with her eyes as she took a few slow steps further inside.

"Hello? Is anyone still around? You'd better not be busy back there!" Her leather shoes thumped softly against the smooth wood plank flooring as she jogged and peered around a corner. "Ahah! I knew you were hiding behind that forge of yours again! Come on; you're going to tan at this rate!" Suddenly the white-haired Witch bolted off and disappeared around the corner, followed by what could only be described as complete and utter chaos.

"Bwuh?! Xeria?! What are yo- HEY! No- I'm not done casting that!"

"No protesting! I need you outside right now!"

"Hey wait! At least let me take off my goggles!"

Moments later, Xeria reappeared with an unwilling second person being dragged into view.



For someone who was somehow a full foot shorter than the already small Xeria, the new person proved a tough individual to budge once she began digging her heels into the floor. Her annoyed expression marred what was an otherwise pretty face, and what skin she was showing glistened with sweat from the nearby forge. Still clutched in one gloved hand was a small stone hammer, the other pulling back against a certain Witch's efforts to drag her out. That wasn't what caught Kuroi's eye though.

The very distinct pair of horns and fluffy ears framing her pinkish hair were hard to ignore... That, and the very bovine tail angrily swishing about behind her.

"Xeria, at least let me finish the casting first before you drag me out here! That thing's gotta be done befoooooore who's this?"

Xeria stopped her pointless tug-of-war to shuffle back to Kuroi's side, throwing her arms off in as if showing off some exotic pet.

"Sil, allow me to introduce Kuroi!"

...

...

...

"So let me get this straight: You walk into my shop unannounced, drag me out of my forge - which has my cast already setting as we speak, just so you can show off your new... fiend, to me?"

 

[That Lass Over There]

Kuroi's curiosity about the myriad of new sights, both individuals and craftsmanship, did eventually die down and leave her coming even closer to Xeria with the full presence of the crowd now sinking in. Thankfully, it wasn't much longer after that that Xeria seemed to find what she was looking for, speeding up a little and turning off the street into a door. The ambient noise of the shop was a lot less than that of the road outside, something that she was immensely grateful for as she took a look around.

... As expected, very little was familiar.

She did, however, think that perhaps whoever was in charge of this shop could teach Xeria a few things about cleanliness. Then again, with the confidence with which Xeria ran into the back to fetch someone and cause a commotion, it might be safe that they had failed to rub off on each other...

Kuroi waited patiently for the little bit of time it took for two figures to come out from the back that apparently housed a forge, explaining the mild temperature difference she felt on being pulled in. She only let out a single sigh when she heard Xeria obstructing the work of the apparent smith, managing to contain her exasperation with that little bit of release. While waiting, Kuroi's eyes brushed over the shop's wares with a little more attention this time, and something left neglected in the corner caught her eye; a couple of small firearms, which she stared at intensely, frozen in place. Her face sank a bit, shadows of her facial features falling long in the shop's lighting as she continued to expressionlessly look at the items left in the corner as gimmicks that few would make use of.

The very distinct pair of horns and fluffy ears framing her pinkish hair were hard to ignore... That, and the very bovine tail angrily swishing about behind her.

"Xeria, at least let me finish the casting first before you drag me out here! That thing's gotta be done befoooooore who's this?"

It wasn't until she heard the new voice a few feet away that she snapped out of whatever had bound her, paying attention to the... Rather small... Person? Kuroi's thoughts stopped as she saw another distinctly non-human individual, this time only a little bit of distance away from her. While Xeria's hair color had been a new sight, and she was sure she had seen more light-haired individuals this morning than she had the rest of her life, pink hair was certainly new. And that was the least distinct element of Sil's appearance; Kuroi's eyes kept flitting between the rather animated and expressive tail, following its every swish, and the pronounced horns sprouting from her hair. Not meaning to be rude, she tried to keep her eyes on other things as well, but that ended up a disastrous pursuit with the new person's eye-catching figure and she settled for resting her eyes between Sil's horns and face, satisfying both her curiosity and social etiquette to the best of her ability.

"A pleasure to meet you." Kuroi moved smoothly as she had many times before, her hands finding their way to rest over each other as well as her stomach and her head and shoulders inclining to show deep respect for the craftswoman in front of her. Somewhat funnily, because of the near 40cm difference between the two in height, Kuroi's face and closed eyes were still completely visible to Sil, shrouded only by some hair that fell loose. "And, apologies for the inconvenience, it would seem..." Making no response to how Xeria presented her, and barely wincing at the smith's choice of words - perhaps remarkable in that she reacted at all, expressionless as she always was - she added an apology that felt inadequate for keeping someone from their work, especially something as delicate as smithing.

Xeria didn't seem to be saying anything else for the moment, so Kuroi took the initiative, feeling a bit of kinship with Sil who seemed to have trouble following Xeria's lack of sense, and a respect for her skill as well if the works on display were by her hand. After coming out of her bow, Kuroi gestured with an open hand toward some of the weapons on display, her black eyes catching the light of one of the lanterns as she looked in that direction for a moment. "Actually, we came here as prospective customers. I was curious about the possibility of getting a weapon to replace my old one, which I have had to part with. However, few blades here even share resemblance with the weapons I know..." Curious about the chances, she took a shot in the dark, "Are you familiar with a katana? An odachi? Or a naginata might be fine as well, though it has been a long time since I've held one." Whether aiming for the nonexistent chance that Sil was familiar with the battlefield weapons of her homeland - short of a yari, which she had never quite liked and would rather pick up a hatchet - or the possibility of stirring the craftswoman's curiosity at products she had never heard of before, it didn't hurt to try.

 

[Aron the Aron]

It wasn't until she heard the new voice a few feet away that she snapped out of whatever had bound her, paying attention to the... Rather small... Person? Kuroi's thoughts stopped as she saw another distinctly non-human individual, this time only a little bit of distance away from her. While Xeria's hair color had been a new sight, and she was sure she had seen more light-haired individuals this morning than she had the rest of her life, pink hair was certainly new. And that was the least distinct element of Sil's appearance; Kuroi's eyes kept flitting between the rather animated and expressive tail, following its every swish, and the pronounced horns sprouting from her hair. Not meaning to be rude, she tried to keep her eyes on other things as well, but that ended up a disastrous pursuit with the new person's eye-catching figure and she settled for resting her eyes between Sil's horns and face, satisfying both her curiosity and social etiquette to the best of her ability.

"A pleasure to meet you." Kuroi moved smoothly as she had many times before, her hands finding their way to rest over each other as well as her stomach and her head and shoulders inclining to show deep respect for the craftswoman in front of her. Somewhat funnily, because of the near 40cm difference between the two in height, Kuroi's face and closed eyes were still completely visible to Sil, shrouded only by some hair that fell loose. "And, apologies for the inconvenience, it would seem..." Making no response to how Xeria presented her, and barely wincing at the smith's choice of words - perhaps remarkable in that she reacted at all, expressionless as she always was - she added an apology that felt inadequate for keeping someone from their work, especially something as delicate as smithing.

The pink shortstack that was "Sil" sighed to herself as Kuroi introduced herself, shrugging off the politeness and errant gaze with a dismissive wave of a hand. "Well since you're already here, I can't exactly just shoo you off without at least hearing what you two have to say." She said with a pointed look at the slightly taller Witch standing next to Kuroi. "Name's Siltoth, though as you can probably insinuate from the bumbling mess that brought you in, call me 'Sil' or whatever makes you sleep well at night. Now then..." She turned on her heel and casually tossed her small hammer over her side, where it landed on a previously unnoticeable wood countertop tucked away behind a barrel full of forgettable swords. "Since she's here and brought some strangely dressed foreigner into my shop, I'm going to assume you're here for something sharp."

"Actually, we came here as prospective customers. I was curious about the possibility of getting a weapon to replace my old one, which I have had to part with. However, few blades here even share resemblance with the weapons I know..." Curious about the chances, she took a shot in the dark, "Are you familiar with a katana? An odachi? Or a naginata might be fine as well, though it has been a long time since I've held one."

As was to be expected with Kuroi's previous experience with Xeria, the blacksmith blinked and raised an eyebrow at the slew of names she had never heard before. "I won't lie to you: I haven't the faintest clue what those words are. All I know's that they're probably weapons I likely never seen before, let alone gotten ahold of or forged." Siltoth was no amateur to her craft despite having spent more than half her life learning and honing the art of weapon and armorsmithing; being one of the more promising tradeswoman calling Ambition City home meant that she had handled her share of mundane and exotic weaponry. "For all I know it could be just some fancy word in your language for something I already have in the shop, but considering you're even asking if I have... whatever those words were, in my shop, I'm gonna assume not." Hearing fanciful names like katana or odachi triggered no recognition in those tired emerald eyes, but she did pull out a ripped scrap of parchment from out of nowhere along with a thin chunk of charcoal.

"Mind if you get some sort of description going for me so I can picture it out? Overall length and width, weight, "single or double-edged", blade length, blade curvature if there's any, tapering if there's any; I need every last detail so I can check if anything like it's passed by my shop before."