Switches & Spices

Chapter One

A/N:Chapters will start out short and gradually lengthen. Started this while adjusting to writing on WP!

Esuha City, located in Kansai. Or rather, the outskirts, where things certainly aren't that busy. This area of the town is quiet and peaceful, full of older buildings that hadn't gotten taken down and absorbed by the downtown area. Still close enough to the bustling part of the large city that people can catch a bus ride over, or even walk an hour for a day/night of excitement.

This area I walked through, even with numerous older buildings, still had changed a good bit. Granted, the last time I wandered through these streets, I was much younger. Time still blurred in my mind, I wasn't exactly sure how long it had been. I was still young at the time, after all. Much has happened since then.

I let out a quiet breath of a sigh, stepping along the aged cobblestone path, tucking my vibrant blue wings tighter around my temperature controlled body suit, well hidden beneath the rubbery cloak I donned. The two weights at the tip of said cloak made a slight scratch along the stones, the hood hiding my hair and face from onlookers. A strange sight to see, you'd think.

Not so much. In a world full of endless possibilities with the multitude of Quirks that people developed, guises were rather common to hide the chance encounter with a frightful face. Most would happily brandish if they held a unique alteration to their flesh, just as much as hiding it. It was something that people embraced, both options were accepted as the norm. People could just be people out in the open. If they felt like it.

By that, you'd think I was one of the uncertain ones. One of those that despised my extra appendages that jutted out from near my shoulder blades. Yes and no. But, for different reasons...

I grumbled softly to myself, adjusting the heavy bag of ginger from one hand to the other beneath my cloak, raising my head and smiling as I looked to a pair of happily chirping birds. Little finches it looked like, chirping away without a care in the world from electrical lines up high in the air. My eyes drifted from them to the setting sun, watching as the colors bled into rich warm tones, such numerous shades that I couldn't name all of them.

That is something that hadn't changed, at least. The setting sun was always beautiful if rain wasn't threatening, a warm welcome to my favorite time. Dusk, nighttime in general. I loved the quiet it would usually bring. The peace. The stars. The moon.

Instead of my usual patrols in Fukuoka with another winged bra- uh, hero, I would be helping out here, before figuring out if my route would stay here, or move on. There's a month-long festival that starts tonight, and downtown would be bustling till late in the night, carried through till morning. Sure I wouldn't be able to enjoy my quiet time at night, but this would be an interesting month ahead of me.

~Goddamn, how long is it going to take you to bring the ginger back? You've only got a couple of hours before your patrol starts!~

A short laugh slipped out, and I adjusted my earpieces, feeling one slip slightly as my lips widened. Another brat...

~Yeah, yeah, I'll be there soon. You know I didn't want to fly around just yet. 'sides, going slow for once? I'm appreciating the hell out of it, Mana. No need to mother hen over me.~

A brief snicker escaped as a few colorful words slipped through my mind in response, an exasperated huff coming from the other.

~Always with the damn bird jokes... He rubbed off on you way too much. Fine fine, I'll start steeping some tea for you. The usual?~

My eyes brightened, my footsteps quickening in eagerness as she promised some of her delicious blend.

~That sounds perfect! See you in ten.~