Dreams of Buronzu

A Journey Begins!

Morning light filtered through the window of the small inn bedroom. The building was silent, its air undisturbed since the previous nights intense drinking contests. Snoring was notably absent for the first time since the week had ended, those not living in the village had already concluded their business and moved on down the southern road to Kikoyori or onto the river towards the sea port of Chatsu in the north.

A small woman with honeyed brown hair emerged from the farthest room in the hall. She fastened the knot of her cherry red cloak with early morning precision, that is, lack of gracefulness, patience or skill. Satisfied with her haphazard knot she turned to throw a look over her shoulder to a small lupine creature which promptly pattered from the foot of the bed to her feet. She closed the wooden door behind her soundlessly and made her way out of the inn.

The Innkeeper was always the first one awake in the morning, it was tradition you could say, since a innkeeper who sleeps little will always be able to attend to late-night or early morning sods looking for a place to sleep or drink. A small dogbird stretched wide from the man's shoulder as the girl passed the bar as though to display his fangs and vibrant lime-green feathers. "Rough Night?"

"Mm Hmm" the girl managed a response before slipping outside with a respectful wave to Boris and his dogbird Chichiko. She searched the street across from her for a long moment before crossing and making her way down a brightly lit alley. It led to the local Samuko Gardens, which were a convenient shortcut to the Aokisokai Academy Building on the other end of the town. Aokisokai was the only proper Adventurers Academy in the region and the honey-haired girl was among its senior class.

Adventuring is a common term used to describe the act of traveling from place to place in the efforts of achieving one's goals, be them malicious or righteous or something inbetween. While anyone could simply call themselves an adventurer and travel on their own purse, many of the more respected adventurers were associated with guild houses. The only way one could be able to join a guild house was by graduating from an Academy, the more prestigious the better.

The girl made her way through the gardens gates and was greeted by the smiling faces of young children in gardeners outfits. Many held rakes but some held small gardening knives, shovels and plows. A collective "Hello!" rose from the small horde of bodies, causing the honey-haired girl to blush in embarrassment. Before she could mumble back a reply she was swarmed by some of the children, who eagerly begged and pleaded for her to tell them about her lessons in the academy.

"N-No i think i really should be going. Maybe another time?" She pushed her way forwards until the bodies cleared out and returned to their tasks. It was the first day of the new semester, she wouldn't have any stories to tell even if she had the time to stop and chat. Her vulpine friend seemed to notice her embarrassment and rubbed her ankles in an attempt to make her feel at ease.

It was a fifteen minute walk through the first half of the garden, the most intricate part. It was maintained by the towns orphans at the behest of their shelterer, the Church. Samuko Gardens were a popular place to visit in any town that had them, the orphans were able to pay the Church back for lodging, food and care by helping to work them everyday. It was tedious, hard work, she didn't envy anyone who did it, even voluntarily.

As she passed through the larger but less neat second half of the gardens the Academy Building finally came into view. It's carefully cut wood roof jutting out against the skyline. One couldn't miss it, especially because of the large red pillars that stood at the entranceway. Normally there would be a guard present with an C-Class or higher Kuricha but for once he was absent.

Other students were arriving in packs of 2's and 4's from all over town. They all passed through the gate with ease, their Kuricha's flying or crawling or scampering close by. She joined the mass of students converging on the entranceway. If she were less focused on getting to orientation then perhaps she would have picked up on the gossip around her. "The Blue Flame! Here in Hachiho, can you believe it? My aunt is taking me to see him this skyburn..."