It was a bright morning where Itsuki was currently in a dark room sleeping on a bed with his arms and legs sprawled all over as if he was uncomfortable, but his mouth was open and was slightly snoring.
RAAAAAAAAANNNNNGGGGG! RAAAAAAANNNNNGGGGG! RAAAAAAAANNNNNGGGG! RAAAAAA----!!
The alarm clock was destroyed as a hand came out and smacked it against the wall, bits and pieces of it cluttering to the ground.
"Stupid alarm clock." He growled as he turned over his head and decided to pull the covers over his head trying to go back to sleep. Unfortunately for him, the door to his room opened and a shadow figure entered the room, silently approaching the bed with a gleam in their eyes.
Evil laughter was heard as Itsuki who was unaware of what was about to happen, the evil figure smirked as they leaned near towards him and cupping their hands near his ear and…
"TIME TO WAKE UP, YUREI!" A voice shouted that seemed to wake up Itsuki who panicked and immediately jumped off the bed dragging the covers with him and hitting the ground. Muffled screams were heard as Itsuki struggled to get the blanket off him, on the other side laughter was heard as the figure had their hands to their mouth and their stomach trying to contain their chuckles.
After one minute of struggling, Itsuki finally took the covers off showing his ruffled hair and turned to the adversary.
"Not cool, Mia that was completely messed up!" He yelped at the figure now revealing to be Mia.
Mia was a young adolescent woman with amber eyes and long forest green hair that was styled into a high ponytail that stopped at her back, she was wearing a beige unzipped flap vest showing her large breasts confined in a black bra, with black shorts with bandages wrapped around her legs and matching boots with steel guards.
"Well, maybe now you'll think twice before pranking your big sister first thing in the morning." She stated with a smile on her face as he let out a groan.
"Are you still mad at me for that? That was a long time ago." Itsuki whined as she gave him a blank stare.
"You did yesterday."
"Oh yeah, I did." Itsuki remembered as Mia shook her head knowing that the boy has a rather short memory to certain things. "What are you doing here anyway?"
"Oh, Gaia wanted me to wake you up. She asked me to come wake you if you weren't at the guild hall by 8." Mia answered.
Itsuki raised an eyebrow in confusion, looking around the floor he grabbed his clock and despite it being smashed he was able to check the time and see that it was now 8:24.
"I overslept." He commented.
"Mhm, and now that you're up, you need to get dress. We'll be leaving in 10 minutes." Mia said as he groaned.
"Fine, I'll get up." He whined as he sat up with a frown on his face. Mia then walked over to him and put her fingers on the corner of his mouth.
"Now don't be so grouchy, you get to spend time with your big sister after all." She commented as he rolled his eyes.
"I always spend time with you Mia." Itsuki stated as the older girl pinched his cheek.
"Don't be sassy with me, mister. Now get dress so we can head out to the Guild Hall." Mai chastised him letting go of his cheek.
"What about breakfast though?"
"We'll eat when we get there, now chop, chop." She ordered as Itsuki rolled his eyes and grumbled before picking himself up and went to change.
Mia was by the door waiting for her companion as she twirled her hair with her finger until she heard footsteps approaching behind her. Turning around, she saw Itsuki in his gear.
Itsuki was wearing a tattered grey hooded steampunk trench coat with rounded sleeves with small tassels, underneath he had black combat pants with matching combat boots and black t-shirt with a vest.
"Ok, I'm ready to go." He announced as Mia stared at him. "What?"
"Oh nothing, just remembering how small you when we first met. You were so adorable." The green-haired girl gushed as the boy glared at her but the blush on his cheeks made it hard for him to look angry.
"I'm not adorable." He mumbled while opening the door and left.
'You are to me.' She thought while following him. As both teens left the house, they walked a few feet forward before turning right where the dirt path was and followed it, heading to their destination.
Wren, an individual city in the region of Monsoon, one of the four major continents of the Grand Freiheit is where the main hall was located.
Wren is known for its majority of different songbirds that roam across the lands and its Spirit Festival where the entire town participates, with the latter event coming within the next two months.
Mia and Itsuki were walking through the town until they arrived at the main hall for adventurers, the building was a small three-story with at least four windows on each side, and a balcony on the rooftop where there were people conversing with each other.
Both teens then entered the place and they could see that it was packed, for a place that was small it was sure quite lively.
Mia and Itsuki made their way to the bar and they were greeted by the bartender. The bartender was an old man with short grey hair, he was wearing white collar shirt with rolled up sleeves, a black vest with trousers, tie and belt. He also had a mustache.
"Well, look who finally decided to wake up. How's it going Mister Yurei?" He asked as Itsuki gave the old men a wave.
"Morning, old man." He greeted as Mia gave him a small glare.
"Show some respect, dummy."
"It's quite alright, Miss Onyx. I don't mind him calling me that at all, at least the youngsters." Basten reassured her as both teens sat down. "What can I get for you two this morning?"
"I'll have some go ole fashion waffles." Itsuki answered.
"Eggs Benedict for me." Mia followed up.
"Of course, coming right up." Basten nodded as he went through the mini double doors and into the kitchen. As they waited, Itsuki moved his head around to look for a certain someone but didn't see them.
"Is Gaia not here?" He asked as he continued looking.
"No, she's not." Mia answered. "Gaia was needed for a mission that revolve around her skills so she won't be around for be back for quite some time." She explained as Itsuki raised an eyebrow.
"What, wait if that was the case then why didn't she tell me where she was going!?" He asked.
"She didn't want you to know and for good reason." She said while crossing her arms under her chest. "Anytime, she tells you about her missions, you always try to find a way to follow her or sneak around so you don't get caught."
"I do not." He denied as she gave him a blank look as he gave a nervous chuckle. "Okay, so maybe I do but come on, her missions are always so exciting. You can't just not want to sit around and experience it for yourself and have you not see her magic and fighting style, it's so amazing to look at." He admitted with a huge grin on his face. "And one day, I'm going be just like her."
He then earns a flick to the forehead.
"Ow." He yelped while holding his head as Mia smirked at him.
"Maybe, but right now you're still a beginner and a Rank-E Adventurer so you still need to be accompanied with someone which is either me, Shuichiro, Aerin or Fia." Mia said as while thinking to herself.
'Though, I would prefer if it was just me or Shuichiro. Aerin is a reserved loner while Fia is a pain in the ass.' She internally cursed at the mention of the said people that can push her buttons other than the fact that both of their names sound similar.
"Yeah, but there's got be some way for me to rise through the ranks other than the so-called novice trials. That's more biased than the freakin' exams I went through." He complained and Mia didn't argue as she agreed with him.
"There only biased towards those that they see unworthy, espiritu." A feminine voice interrupted. Itsuki turned his head and was met with woman smiling at him. This was the barista of the shop Ana. Ana had light brown skin and short ash grey hair styled in a bob cut with bangs around her left eye, wearing a frilly purple blouse, with a short frilly black multilayer grey tights and black heels with straps around her ankles.
"The Higher-ups won't allow those with defective powers or appearances enter the adventurer's organization. And if by some chance, someone does than they will not even acknowledge them and keep those at the lowest rank possible. It's why no one really does the trials anymore." She explained.
"Morning Ana." Both teens greeted as Ana smiled back.
"How are my two favorite personas, today? Can I get you something to drink?" Ana asked as Itsuki was about to answer but Mia quickly covered his mouth.
"Well just have some water because someone is not allowed to coffee." Mia said turning to Itsuki who let out a growl though his mouth was covered. "we're waiting for our food from Basten." Mia ordered as Ana nodded her head.
"Aye."
Mia then felt someone wet across her palm and immediately pulled her hand back filled with drool.
"Ew! Itsuki!" Mia yelled as he gave her a smirk.
"What!? You never let me have coffee!"
"That's because you're not allowed to due to what happen last time." She stated as he glared at her.
"So, just because it happens once doesn't mean I'll do it again! Besides it wasn't even that bad." Itsuki argued as Mia gave him a blank stare.
"You blew up the flower shop!"
"That could've been anybody."
"You set the guild on fire!"
"That was an accident."
"You stole all the weapons from the blacksmiths shop, melted them into a giant spike ball and then rolled it into the river that blocked off the water. It took 3 hours to get that thing moving." Mia listed as Itsuki scoffed.
"Tomato, Potahto." He waved off.
"That's not how you say it."
"It is when I was say it." Itsuki said with a smug expression as Ana chuckled while Mia had a tick mark on her forehead and raised her fist above him shaking, as she was ready to knock him out. Fortunately for him, he was saved thanks to Basten.
"Breakfast has arrived." He announced as set down the plates to the two teens. "Enjoy."
"Food!" Itsuki announced as he immediately grabbed his knife and was about to start cutting until his ear was pulled. "Ow!"
"What do we say?"
"Thank you for the food!" He whined as she nodded her head in approval and let him go.
"Thank you for the food." She followed as they both started eating.
"So where are you two heading, today?" Ana asked as Basten started cleaning dirty glasses that the former had brought earlier.
"Well, there were some treasure quests that I saw up on the board but none of them stood out as anything major and we've been on quite a lot of them for the past few jobs so we're going to hold off on that." Mia explained while taking a bite of her toasted muffin.
"How about this one?" Itsuki suggested holding up a flyer in his right hand.
"When did you get that?"
"Just now." He said pointing a thumb over at the board. "I picked it up because there wasn't anything else interesting up there, but mostly because of this."
"Hmm." Mia took the flyer from him and read.
[Help Wanted]
[Fallen Goblins, Hobgoblins and Trolls raiding Hazel Village. They are also kidnapping people around all ages, please send help.]
[Clearing out all monsters.]
{Reward; 2000 Bronze} (Rank-E)
[Destroying all Fallen and saving our people.]
{Reward; 2000 Silver} (Rank-D)
"Seems like a hefty reward." Mia mused.
"Well, can we do it? I haven't been on a hunting mission in a while and I kind of been itching for a fight." Itsuki asked, eager to go on the mission.
"I don't see why not." Mia decided before turning to Itsuki with stern gaze. "But remember, you do NOT wander off. No doing anything until I give the order okay?" She said as he slowly nodded his head but that wasn't enough for her. "No, I want a verbal answer." Mia demanded causing him to sigh internally.
"Yes ma'am, until you give the say so, I will not disobey orders." He said as she peered at him observing his expression but leaned back and nodded her head.
"Good, then we'll head out after this."
"Sweet!" Itsuki cheered, while pumping his fist in the air causing Mia to smile. The two teens then finished their food before they started heading out.
"Alright, you two be careful out there and come back home safe." Ana waved.
"Best luck on you adventure youngsters." Basten followed up as he gave a slight bow.
"Bye old man, bye Ana, we'll come back soon." Itsuki waved as he headed out the door with Mia following him, once they headed the door. After walking out of the town and appearing on the hill, they both then looked around to make sure there was no one nearby.
Itsuki looked around one more time by turning to Mia.
"Okay, we're all set."
"Next stop, Hazel Village." Mia said as she took out a blue key and then set it on the ground. A chime was heard and suddenly a gate appeared in front of them. The double doors were both grey and then slid open revealing a bright light and a view of the village.
Both teens quickly stepped inside and through the portal as the door closed behind them and then suddenly disappeared into thin air as if it was never there.