4 Fight For My Way

"Drunkards like him get on my nerves. Got nothing to do with you." Mizuki purses her lips.

A short walk away from Hinata's home is the Central Plaza, a fountain in its center and surrounded by a hub of shops and makeshift stalls. Horse-led rickshaws trot past Mizuki, entrancing her instantaneously. It's like a scene out of a world history textbook. "Why are we wearing clothes like these when there are people wearing suits and everything?"

"I don't look half as bad as you," Hinata scoffs, and he knows he's right. He dons a vibrant red coat with intricate gold designs, tucked into a corset with an ornament of the sun. His slick black tights fit his legs perfectly, a little tight but just enough to ensure comfort. Mizuki compares it to herself, questioning why he couldn't have provided her with anything better.

If he lives in such a shabby house, God knows how he can get himself an outfit like that. 'Maybe he's a thief.' Mizuki's mind doesn't stop with the speculations, her judgemental gaze fixed on him as he struts ahead.

Snapping herself out of her reverie, she scoffs, flipping her hair over her shoulder. 'Vain doesn't look good on men anyway.'

Mizuki is led into a tall building right from the road leading out of the Plaza. She steps in, hit in the face by a gust of fresh air. The stench of perfume lingers in the air as heels are heard clacking along the floor. The interiors strike her as some sort of office, perhaps a bank of some sort. She recalls seeing a bulletin board set up outside, a couple of ragged old men wrenching their necks to get a good look at the papers.

"Ingrid," Hinata raises a hand in greeting toward one of the many counters that sit a close distance away from the entrance. A couple of them are unmanned, only one woman peeking her head out from her station. "Ah, Hinata!" she exclaims in a cheery voice.

'Hinata?' Mizuki questions. 'They're probably close. I didn't think this old man could get himself any friends.'

"I have someone who wants to register at the Union," Hinata explains when he's in front of her counter. Ingrid cocks her head with a warm smile, her gaze shifting onto Mizuki. Mizuki furrows her eyebrows, knocking Hinata on the arm.

Tugging at his sleeve, she whispers to him, "What are you doing? What is this place?"

"Trust me," Hinata shakes her off. Mizuki, for the sake of not being the worse one in the duo, forces a close-lipped smile. 'I have a hundred reasons not to', she rambles in her head.

"Do not worry, I can explain to you who we are," Ingrid reassures, sliding a beige form through the slit in the glass frame. Holding out a hand, she gestures for Mizuki to sit. Curiosity piqued, she slides into the chair, holding up the form to her face. On the very top, like the header, is a logo with a crescent moon in the sun, five stars beside it.

Under it, in black ink, is written "The Wanderer's Union."

"I am Ingrid Abram, one of the affiliates of the Wanderer's Union. We're an organisation that trains adventurers and assigns quests. We have one branch in each of the five regions around Astrum," she explains, handing Mizuki a much clearer map as compared to the one Hinata first showed her. On five different regions around the map, is a drawing of the Union's badge in red. Mizuki nods, listening obediently.

"In our city, erm…" Ingrid looks up to Hinata, who shakes his head, urging her to continue, as if he could read her just by the look in her eyes. Intertwining her fingers, Ingrid adds, "We have a class system. It's prevalent all around Astrum, unfortunately, a lot more in our little city."

Digging through her drawers, she pulls out a pamphlet amongst a collection of files and slides it over the map. Mizuki reads, intrigued.

Ingrid holds up five fingers, "We have five social classes, all of which you can ascend to but with great ardour. We have Peasant, Rogue, Ranger, Knight and Mage." As she speaks each name, she lowers a single finger each. "For adventurers, classes are especially important as lower classes leave you with a limited amount of quests. For civilians… Those unfortunate enough to be a rogue or peasant are often prejudiced against."

"I don't get it. Why?"

"For civilians, the only way to get to ranger is by working with a stable job, doing hands-on work to build up experience. Those that are poor or lack skill won't get any jobs and get tossed around by the public," Ingrid explains. Mizuki sits back, kicking one leg over the other. Things start to add up, bit by bit.

Mizuki nods to herself. "So what's in it for me if I join this organisation?"

Hinata sighs, tapping his foot against the ground impatiently. Ingrid laughs awkwardly. "Oh, if you become a Wanderer, you'll get access to quests and commissions, a much faster route to gaining experience and we'll offer you money."

"Oh? How often is this?" Mizuki's ears perk at the sound of monetary compensation.

"When you complete new sub-goals and achievements, as well as all your beginner's tasks. It's worth considering," Ingrid rests a few more documents atop Mizuki's existing stack. Without further hesitation, Mizuki quickly jots down her information on the form, pausing a couple of times in an attempt to use the fountain pen without damaging it. Ingrid watches as Mizuki scratches her pen against the paper loudly in her attempt to write quickly, pursing her lips as to hold herself from making any unprofessional comments.

[Achievement Unlocked: Reliable Beginning - Join the Wanderer's Union]

[Wanderer's Mark, Adventurer's Working Boots and 250 EXP received]

"Couldn't hold yourself back once you heard about the money, hm?" Hinata sneers in his attempt to poke at Mizuki's morals, only for it to go to vain.

"If that's what it takes to survive in this world without your help, yes," she argues, signing against the bottom of the form and lifting the pen pridefully. "It's done, thank you," she smiles politely at Ingrid, shoving it to her a tad too enthusiastically. Hinata finds himself biting his lip at her temerity, not used to having people talk back to him.

Fixing her satchel around her shoulder, Mizuki stuffs the papers into her bag, a soft hum rumbling out of it. Turning on her heel, she walks out with a smirk on her face, proud at her sole successful attempt at shutting the redhead up. "Where do you think you're going?" Hinata grabs Mizuki's shoulder, forcing her to halt in her tracks. She winces at the tightness of his grip, turning with a disturbed expression.

"You want to get that money, don't you?" he yanks her towards him, moving his hand down to her wrist. "I'll be using the Training Room, Ingrid!" he announces, then dragging Mizuki up three flights of stairs. With the way she's being dragged with no explanation, she can't find a pocket of time for her to utter a single word.

"Now, Snowball, we learn how to fight," he states as he turns at a corner and leads her into a room. It's dusty inside, the air reeking of sweat. There are training dummies stacked against the cement walls, polished weapons hung upside down.

"You get around five thousand gold coins for each achievement you finish, I'm sure, so the faster you get this over with, the faster you get to pay me back," Hinata rests his palm against his hip.

Mizuki gasps. "Who says I'm indebted to you?"

"Me. For having to deal with your impatience for twenty-four hours a day."

Mizuki pushes him away with the tips of her fingers, brushing them against his chest, even trampling on his toes on purpose. Before he can snap at her, her attention is caught by the royal blue sheaths of twin anelaces, glinting maliciously under the light, whispering for her to come forward. She does, leaning forward before gingerly picking them off the walls. They fit perfectly in her hands.

Mizuki's gaze falls on crescent moon patterns on the casing and she can tell, these daggers are made for her. "I'm taking these ones."

[Achievement Unlocked: Fight for my Way - Select a weapon]