The Journey #5

The sudden change of scenery was serene and almost unreal-- and it displayed the diversity of the world's culture. The atmosphere of Oasis City was almost old-fashioned, the surroundings bearing a Middle Eastern tint and hue, and the culture and architecture drastically different from Earlshide and Paytun. It was fresh, organic, and amazing-- to put simply.

Akiro turned around once, taking in the view from the center of the city, his ears taking in the city's own heart-- the bustling activity of its people. Their clothes were different compared to theirs', their sun-kissed skin tone, their unique language-- it was truly a wide world, whatever this world was called. "Honestly, I'm surprised! This is the first time I'm hearing this language, this city, or this culture. It's nothing like Earth-- although it strikes some resemblance to the Middle East."

“Akiro, where are we gonna go?” Ayama poked, his attention on Akiro but his eyes elsewhere. "I don't know about you, but I actually might kill for a good, deep-cleansing bath," he grumbled.
"Honestly, I would do the same for much less." Akiro agreed with him, his strained feet were tired both from the lack of proper rest and constant physical exertion, "Let's see if there is a good inn nearby. We both have some money to spare."
"Sounds good to me--" Ayama beamed, his energy reserves running low, "--hopefully a place that serves good food as well."
"I like the sound of that."

The class of twenty-four started to disperse, some blending into the crowds or marketplace, while others immediately left the port.

"Jeez Kaiser," Mary grumbled, her fingers massaging the bridge of her nose. "You're one brutal mentor." She hissed, frowning at the man's strictness to his own wards. "Teaching them a lesson through a brutal, three-day march? They're kids!"
Brandon nodded at her opinion, his head keeping a watchful eye over the students with Mary-- as they were hired to do. "As much as I understand the worth of discipline, this might be a little too far."

"True," Kaiser admitted, passing a scroll to a government official that approached them. "But we can't pamper them like helpless children forever-- we have a job to do."
"Hint noted, bossman." Mary frowned at him, picking up on his intention of being resolute in his ways, "You owe me a drink-- when this is all said and done!" she said, her form slowly dissipated into transparency-- much like smoke.
"I will also be taking my leave." Brandon said, turning away, "I will carry out my task."

The priest of the group raised his hand, "With Mary overseeing the children-- I believe its time for us to meet the City's Sultan? He has plenty to answer for."
"Yes, let us." The knight smiled, his mood soft, but his aura carrying his hostility like a sword, "This city's filth shall be cleansed-- as per, the King's decree."

Akiro's eyes shot open, and he was greeted by a wooden ceiling, crossbeams of logs, and shut-off, hanging oil lamps. In confusion he reached for the daggers he kept strapped to his person, glaring at his surroundings in confusion. "What the--" Akiro grumbled, "What was that?!--Where am I?"

He surveyed the furnished room, the two chairs tucked underneath the small table, a cushioned couch, and a small coffee table in front of it; two storage trunks at the foot of two single beds. "Oh yeah-- we're at a hotel now, not camping outside like usual." He sighed, falling back onto the bed, his eyes slowly closing, "Must've been my imagination." Akiro mumbled, drifting to sleep once more.

It was not his imagination, however, but someone did trigger him to consciousness, and she was across from their room. On the adjacent building's rooftop, Mary smirked, amused, "Wow, aren't you a sharp cookie," She chuckled, peering into their room, which was located on the second floor of the hotel. "Sleep tight, little soldier."

"So, what's the game plan today?" The blonde of the two asked, humming satisfied in between sips of his thick, very aromatic coffee-- the flavor and thickness thereof much like Turkish coffee. "Also, you should have some of this coffee-- it's really good."
Crunch!
"I'm not sure," Akiro replied, his mouth chewing on buttered toast, drenched in honey. "Our Identification cards need authorization from the local guild in order to actually do business."
Ayama poured himself another large cup of coffee, impressing the locals, "Let's buy some coffee too."
"Yeah, we can do that after." Akiro smiled, his eyes glancing to the table next to themselves, eavesdropping on a very interesting conversation with his heightened senses. "Is this the effect of growing stronger?" He asked himself. "We'll also take a detour."
Ayama shrugged, sipping happily at his cup of coffee, "Sounds like a good plan-- and we can also prepare packs and supplies." He remembered, "We need to be well-stocked because I'd prefer to be able to eat properly."
"That--" Akiro nodded, pointing at Ayama, "That is a definite must. We also need to earn some more coin-- this place is quite costly."
At that list of ideas, the two boys cleanly tucked their eating utensils onto the plates, motioning to the waiters for the cleanup-- smiling at each other as they stood up simultaneously. "Sounds like a plan."

Exiting the luxurious establishment, the two immediately headed for the local Adventurer's guild, using only the signs they could understand because the local language was not something they could understand.

"Damn it!" Ayama seethed, his steps bearing slightly more frustration and grouchiness with each step, "Is this was foreigners feel like when they visit Japan? I seriously am about to lose my mind."
"Bear with it," Akiro sighed, "It's not like we have a choice-- but hey! My gut is telling me that we're getting closer." He reassured, trying to calm Ayama, "If you look carefully, there are more and more people wearing armor."
Ayama took a deep breath and did as he said, noticing his observation and his mood being lifted, "Oh my god, finally!" He cheered, walking with more gusto, "I'm getting sick of the heat!"
Akiro chuckled after the griping boy, his pouting being the funniest thing he has seen in a long while, "Wait up, damn it-- haha!"

They did not really have a choice, and as a result of that, they have been walking around the central city like it was a maze-- being seen by their classmates along the way, who also seemed to have the same problem as them. Before the two knew it, they were already on the second floor of the city-- a long way from their inn.

“Aren't those two-- Akiro and Ayama?" Kenji pointed out, not sure what to make of them as he just saw. The class loner who always sleeps in between periods, always lethargic and quiet, was laughing; as the class president and student body president, known for his cool-headedness, was angrily traversing the crowd. "When did they get so close? Or were they friends before he got transported here?-- huh, who knew?"

“Wanna follow them?” Hitomi peeked in the direction where Kenji was pointing, seeing the same thing he did. "Maybe they know where the guild is-- we really, really need money! We've basically exhausted our resources!"

Toshiyuki answered for Kenji, "I'm in-- we honestly can't be picky since we're desperate at this point."
Hitomi hummed, the athletics group following as she suggested, "It is strange though--" She sighed, weighing the possibilities in his mind, "Could it be--- Yaoi?!"

"I know I said that it was hot," Ayama shivered, the hairs on his head standing up. "But I felt a shiver up my spine."
Akiro felt the same too, confused as to why, "Yeesh--"

Fortunately for both groups, Akiro's observation was right, and soon enough, the two arrived in the guild hall-- but it had a different atmosphere compared to the previous city's. Instead of happy, excited, or merry, there was a dangerous scent in the air, the silence incredibly uncomfortable and somber.

The lighting of the building was another thing, with barely any other source of light peering into the shade of its interiors. Only the slightest glimmer of sunlight permeated it, with only a lamp illuminating the front desk. Ayama found his hand to be on the handle of his sword and his shield at the ready.

"This is a guild hall? More like a den of thieves." Akiro thought, keeping himself from sneering at their sharp, impudent glares, "Well whatever."

"Hello," the desk clerk greeted, his voice as plain and neutral as it could be, "Welcome to the Adventurer's Guild of Oasis City. What do you want?"
"To register and earn some money-- that's all," Akiro replied, keeping his tone as neutral as possible.
The clerk sighed briefly before reaching out with his hand, "Identification?" he asked. Ayama and Akiro reached for their pockets, taking out their identification cards as he requested. "You're from Paytun, huh? A long way from home. What are you doing in a remote city in the middle of the fucking desert, near the border?"
"None of your business." Ayama quipped, replying to the clerk while his eyes were glaring back at some bystander.
"True," The desk clerk huffed, making eye contact with the one Ayama had been exchanging glances at, "But this isn't some refined town, you need to mind your manners." He poked, a non-verbal signal being sent.

At that cue, most of the closest onlookers within the room stood up from their chairs. Their hands immediately flashed their blades, all unique and tailored to each of them. Ayama drew the longsword from his waist, "They don't look reasonable." he miffed.
Akiro rolled his eyes at Ayama's response, brandishing the two daggers from his waist. "Did you expect anything better?"
"Not really, no."

"Hurry! We might lose them at this rate!" Kenji pestered, leading the group through the crowd. He noticed that the surrounding people were more armed than the ones in the center ring, therefor his hunch of following the two was right. "C'mon! I can see the guild sign!"

At his words, the group focused their attention forward and saw the Adventurer's Guild. Hitomi let out a sigh of relief, "Finally!" She cheered, but her joy was short-lived.

Bam!

There was a faint thud in the guild hall, a man being thrown out straight out of the front door, and he lay unconscious there in the street. "Whoa--" Kenji gasped as they got closer to the scene, seeing the knocked-out man's face being punched in, "That's pretty brutal."

Toshiyuki squinted as they entered the building, and he gulped at what he saw next. Akiro held the desk clerk's neck at blade point, the edge of it being stained by blood; and Ayama's fists and sword being stained too. "D-Did they k-kill them?!"

Hitomi cringed as she looked at the beaten down thugs on the floor, bloodied, bleeding, but not dead. "What did they do?"

"H-Here is y-your identification!!" The clerk stammered, cold sweat pouring down his head, fear coursing through his veins, "I-I also put everything you asked for in the b-bag! Please don't kill me!"

"Good." Akiro snatched the bag from the tabletop, removing the blade he pressed against the man's neck. "Never pull shit like that again, you hear me?"

"Y-Y-yes sir!" The man nodded profusely, a puddle forming beneath him.

The man fell to his knees, making Ayama roll his eyes in annoyance. After all, the desk clerk started it. When he turned around he spotted the athletes of the class, all gobsmacked and put off by what they walked into.

He then turned to the man behind the desk, "Hey you. They're with us-- so don't you even think about it."