The King's Knights

Chapter Sixteen: Day to Day

Kiyora had woken up and was herself again. Oddly enough, she did not remember her dreams as well as usual and she'd had some headaches. It was all a bit of a blur, really.

But she wasn't the Dreaming Goddess.

Kiyora got up and dressed as usual for one of the last times. It felt odd, wearing that gray and white school uniform, showing legs that were getting longer. A red bow tie around a slender neck over breasts that had filled out lately. Was she ever going to match Arraxia? Kiyora liked how she looked now but wasn't used to it. And now she'd be putting this uniform away for good, sooner or later.

School was nearly over, or at least this stage of it. Decades of going to one class after another were slowly ending. Kiyora already had her plans lined up, but she wondered what Laurus and the others would be up to.

For now, breakfast.

And coffee.

Coffee was good, though the beans had yet to taste as good lately.

"Good morning, Kiyora," said Mom, cooking it already. "Fried eggs today and bread."

Dad was painting over by the window, with a good view of the branches of the great tree, Actovosh. He was painting something dark and unpleasant, like a starship but a living thing. It had many maws and tendrils all over it.

"Thanks, Mom," said Kiyora, pouring herself coffee. "...This is a new kind of bread."

"The brand I usually buy is out of stock," said Mom, serving her. "There were crop failures, remember? There have been lots of droughts in the past year. We've had to import food from off-world, raising the price."

"We didn't do something stupid like destroy our ecosystem to make a slum," said Kiyora, eating some bacon.

"You mean Taurus?" asked Mom. "It is a powerful industrial center. One of the largest population centers in this part  of the galaxy. And we've managed to make the air quality much better. Especially with cooperation from the government."

"There is no excuse for turning an entire planet into a city," said Kiyora. "It is so, so stupid."

"Technically, it isn't, dear," said Dad. "Large segments are virtually uninhabited and have developed their own ecosystems. Moss feeds off the pollution in the air.

"I drew a picture of it over there."

"Why the interest in Taurus, Dad?" asked Kiyora.

"I'm interested in anything I dream of," said Dad. "I wonder if there isn't some symbolism. We dwell in a realm where nature and civilization live closely. A place of metal and wheels symbolizes the domination of civilization over nature."

"I've read they have gang problems," said Kiyora. "Like, large city segments are controlled by criminal operations."

"They aren't controlled, Kiyora," said Mom. "They just have a problem. And that is only in the worst parts of the city.

"Eat your eggs."

Kiyora did, and blinked. "...This is really good!"

"Thank you," said Mom. "So, you've filled out your resume."

"Yes, I'm going to completely redo it like you wanted," said Kiyora. "And I'll let you read it before I send it in."

"Good," said Mom. "First impressions count for a lot. You'd better finish and head out for school."

"I'm off to school," said Kiyora.

She finished her meal and headed out.

As she did, Kiyora realized that she would only take this routine a little later. She would be legally an adult, and a lot of time she spent walking and studying would end. What would she do once she entered the workforce as a Dream Sage?