Capital Ground Explorer

I arrived at the massive stone brick gate, the walls so massive that from close up they appeared straight. I attempted to walk through the gate into the city when I was stopped by the guards. They were all wearing the same non-descript bland uniform with an insignia stating, "Royal Guards patrol 3rd division."

They harassed me until I pulled out my letter of admission to Etchtome and they allowed me to pass through, begrudgingly. Entering the city proper I finally took notice of it. Homes made from wood and stone, just like that one house back in Tresloc. Although these homes had much more polished materials, maybe they're just better quality here?

Most homes housed some other decorations to make them stand out, like certain types of flowers, arrangements, and ornaments. So I'm here, but school doesn't start until tomorrow. What do I do now? Where do I sleep? Oh right, I can just stay with Asaki. I haven't seen him in 2 years, it'll be nice.

I pulled out my bag and located an address my sister had given to me a while ago. I started searching around the city, most residents stared at me, was it my clothes? I guess long black coats aren't the capital sense of fashion. Well, not like I care.

I hadn't been paying attention and bumped into someone, they had scruffy black hair going down to their shoulders. They were wearing a simple black shirt and pants made from some kind of hard fabric that'd been ruggedly stitched.

"Oh, sorry about that? Need some help?" I put my hand forward and bent down to help them get up.

"Yeah, thanks." He spoke in a shy monotone and never made eye contact while looking around the area.

Now that I notice it, we are in a pretty interesting place. A massive well centered in a grove of flowers. The air of the flowers overwhelmed any other kind of smell. Even the homes around this area were bigger, maybe I'd accidentally wandered over to the rich area?

He looked like he wanted to run away, "I'm Fubuki, who're you?" I said.

"Yeah, I'm Kasago Fotohume." He grabbed his arm and continued avoiding eye contact, though he spoke up slightly.

"So you're from around here right? Maybe you can help me find a certain address?" I asked trying to capture his attention.

"Oh, I can help with that, where are you trying to go?" He finally spoke in a normal speaking voice, I think he's getting more comfortable with me.

"I'm trying to get over to an old friend's house." I showed him the address on the paper.

"Oh that's just down that way," He pointed down towards a direction I hadn't gone in yet.

"Thanks so much, Kasago right?" I put the address in my pocket.

"It's okay," he turned towards me but still hadn't looked me in the eyes.

"See you around alright?" I said as I began walking off before turning around and seeing his mouth move, but he was too quiet and I couldn't hear him.

The street was much nicer than the gate from which I entered, the roads were freshly polished and there were signs indicating every address cleanly. The homes were larger and had much nicer colors and materials used in them.

I approached Asaki's house, knocking on the door slowly. Silence, I stood there for a solid minute while nothing happened. I punched the door before hearing footsteps and eventually, the door opened.

"The hell is your deal?" Asaki said before recognizing me, "Fubuki? What the hell're you doin' here?" He asked while moving aside to let me in.

"I'm here for school, but I kinda got here early and need a place." I walked inside and looked at Asaki's home.

"You can stay here if you like." Asaki offered while closing the door.

"Already planned on it." I laughed while sitting on his couch.

The couch was a disgusting blend of dark green, brown, and red in stripes. The carpet not nearly as horrid was a nice design made with red and yellow. He had quality wood furnishings and tables all around having pictures of him and some of his friends? I'm assuming as I don't recognize any of them.

Asaki took a device from his pocket and started pushing on it, and then it made a noise, "Hey let the headmaster know I'm coming by soon, thanks." Then he put the device away.

"What was that?" I asked.

He looked confused for a second before replying, "Oh the Kommun, it's a device that lets you send messages and talk to people from distances." Asaki took out his device and showed me a few buttons.

"You think I should get one?" I asked looking up at him.

"If you're gonna be living here then you'd be stupid not to." He said.

"Can you take me to get one then?" I asked.

He sighed, "Alright let's go." He put on his coat.

We headed out the door and now it had gotten a bit darker, leading to someone lighting a torch with their spirit so that in the morning they could deactivate the flames themselves. The roads now gleaming with the orange glow from these torches up on poles allowed us to safely walk to a store pretty close to Asaki's house.

We entered the store and it was nearly futuristic, made entirely out of glass, and was completely spotless. They only sold a few products yet had tons of employees, I guess these Kommun things must be hard to make, so maybe they're sold for a lot?

I looked around a bit before picking up a display model and talking to Asaki, "But I still don't get how these even work." I said before putting it back down.

"They're made by someone using their spirit Fubuki, it's really not that complicated." Asaki was toying around on his own device.

"So which do I get?" I turned to him.

"Whichever one is newest because that probably means it's the best." He jolted up from his relaxed position and went over to a salesman.

I was still just stood in front of the displays while Asaki talked to this guy, well if I have nothing else to do. I guess I'll just make some shards of ice and mess around with them until Asaki is done.

It didn't take longer before Asaki threw a box at me and said, "Let's go." Bringing me back to reality. On the way back to his house Asaki helped me set up all the features it had and even added in his own Kommun address and showed me how to do it myself.

We had gotten back and I was just unpacking some of my things into Asaki's spare room when Asaki came in.

"Yo Fubuki, you hungry?" Asaki asked me.

"Yeah, I've been only eating whatever for a few days so yeah what you making?" I asked while fitting the bed sheets across the seemingly very expensive mattress that sat upon a light wooden bed frame.

"Alright then I'm getting a pizza, it's almost as good as pops." He said non-chalantely.

"That's not possible!" I argued.

"I don't feel like dealing with you just wait and see." He left quickly.

So it seems like in the capital people can just use their devices to contact restaurants who send out people to deliver them food. It's pretty convenient but relying on it could turn out pretty bad.

A little while later a skinny kid in a red uniform delivered us the pizza. We sat down to eat and Asaki opened the box, the pizza's aroma filled the air and caused me to realize how hungry I was.

"So Fubuki, when you got the letter for Etchtome why did you accept the invitation?" Asaki asked while patting his mouth.

"Hmm," I thought a bit while eating, "I guess it's just because of that phoenix guy." I took another slice.

"You still hung up about the phoenix spirit? Fubuki, he's not back yet." Asaki put his food down to answer.

"He's back! If you looked at when Nokotome Reviola died then that would mean the next phoenix spirit user would be my age!" I stood up a bit and raised my voice.

"Fubuki you don't know if spiritual incarnation takes place immediately," Asaki said.

"I know, I don't know why, but for some reason, I can just sort of, feel it." I looked down at my hands, focusing on that feint feeling that'd gotten stronger, though only slightly since I'd gotten here.

"Why do you hate him so much anyway?" Asaki asked, taking more pizza.

"Well, he's supposed to be the world's spine, the backbone that keeps it together, but if he's too scared to even reveal himself then what does that say about everyone else?" I argued.

"I guess it means that the phoenix isn't as strong as everyone thinks, now can we eat in peace without this stupid conversation?" Asaki asked.

"Fine." I sat back down and calmed myself.

A few moments later I had that feeling, almost like the sensing of the phoenix spirit, but this one was internal rather than external, I know this feeling.

"Fubuki? Where the hell are you going?" Asaki yelled at me as I ran out of his home.

He chased after me and as I flew through the door, my body exploded with energy. The explosion was a massive exertion of energy that caused mass damage from the frost and ice I'd projected. Plants, frozen down to their roots, completely dead. Wood sapped of their moisture, so fragile they could be broken with a breath.

Asaki stepped out of the door and looked around before unleashing a feat of his own. He quickly created little bugs of flame that cleaned up the frost entirely, doing it so quickly that across the 50-foot radius the event had occurred in, not one person managed to notice it.

It's been like this for a while, though as I get more powerful each outburst takes longer and longer to happen, as if my body is containing more and more energy each time.