It doesn't take long before our table is filled with food. The boar ribs that are brought out are loaded with meat and dripping with sauce. It smells absolutely delectable. The plate of moon peach jelly tarts is enormous. I have no idea how one would go about eating so many tarts. As I am thinking this I hear my stomach growl once again and my cheeks fill with warmth and color.

Kay ends up with a large salad in front of him. It is filled with many greens, radishes as well as fruit pieces. It looks pleasantly delightful, and I have been warned about getting salads at taverns. I suppose it is alright because it was an Inn and Tavern?

"I forgot to ask what you youngins wanted to drink, so I brought you some sparkling fruit juice. We often give it to kids to keep them out of their parents drinks, but I thought you'd like em just fine."

"Thank you Momma Tia, you are quite correct and I am more than a little grateful at your thoughtful consideration."

"Yes, thank you!" Kay says as he takes a sip before shoving a tart into his mouth. "So good." Kay says, letting out a little moan.

It seems that my new friend is quite a fan of food. This is something good to take note of. It would also make present giving simple. Make or buy tasty food, most likely sweets, and deliver for a happy Kay.

I take one of the moon peach jelly tarts and pop it into my mouth. This is truly exquisite! I understand Kay’s noises now, though I myself would not be making them. I am rather astonished though at the rate the dainties were disappearing at, into such a small frame too, simply astounding.

"Yum!" I exclaim instead, then take a sip of the drink. It's fizzy and dances along my taste buds. This is wonderful. I have not had a drink quite like it. I look at the boar ribs and wonder if they are as good. I pick one up and bite a chunk out of it.

"All of your food is absolutely wonderful! Would it be possible at some point to spend time with the chef so I can learn some tips?” Though it is a touch of a struggle I keep myself clean while dining on the ribs.

"Haha, if you want to. He's a big burly lookin fella but as sweet as he is large. Just tell him that you like his food and ask him to teach you to make something. Hmm, it might go over well if you help bake some of the sweets that go with the tea you will serve."

"Thank you. In that case I shall do so."

"Haha, alright. Enjoy your meals."

"We will!" Kay says cheerfully, mouth half full of food “it’s like you can taste the love”. Honestly, his words are nearly unintelligible.

“Kay are you sure you should have quite so many sweets, doesn’t the rigorous training start tomorrow?”

Kay pauses halfway to another tart “no, I think it’s just signing up for classes.” He starts into another dessert “I think.”

“Don’t you want to begin training early, one can never be too prepared as an adventurer.”

Kay looks down at his tart lost in thought, for only a moment. “I choose tarts, tarts for life!”

Kay returns once more to gorging on food whilst I do my best not to laugh at his antics. I failed at this.

We spend the next few moments eating in silence, not because we did not wish to speak with one another, but simply because we were too busy enjoying our food. A few minutes into the meal I ask, "So we begin adventurer training the day after tomorrow?"

"Yup! We begin our classes the day after tomorrow, but we still need to show up at the training hall to decide on the classes that we want tomorrow. It is important to go early as well. Not that you won't be able to get the classes that you want or anything, but in order to avoid the massive amounts of people that will be showing up there."

"Massive amounts?" I ask, perturbed.

"Well, maybe not massive amounts but it can feel that way. Especially since not all of the trainees are kids like us. There are also some adults there that are getting a late start or are looking for a career change. Some even use it as an acceptable method of suicide who is to say really."

"How early can we show up?"

"4 am." he says, as though waking that early is perfectly reasonable. And perhaps it is and that is simply something else that I simply do not know.

"I see. I shall be ready then. It has been a rather lengthy day for me and I am well am truly tired. I do believe after I finish supping I shall fall quickly to sleep."

"Umm... I do believe you mean to say that you shall render yourself into an unconscious state so that you can physically recover from the day’s events.?"

"Goodness, even I don’t sound that much like, well me."

Kay just laughs and continues eating. I do not blame him. I go back to focusing on my food as well.

Once we finish eating and our tables were cleaned off, I walk Kay to the door.

"Aww, is the bunny not staying the night here?" Vita asks, runs over to the door, nearly knocking into a rather large cat that was walking to the door at the same time. Poor kitty. Does he belong to someone here? I consider bending down, scooping him up and giving him some pets to make up for it but decide against it at this moment.

"No, I need to go home. I bet your beds are as comfortable if not more so than the one at the library. But I really need to get home or the librarian will be worried about me and I think that it is rather rude to make someone uncomfortable."

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

"Not your only other pair of clothes anymore." says Momma Tia walking over to the door and dumping a bunch of clothes into Kay's arms.

"Oh wow, are you really sure that I can have all of these?" Kay asks, astounded, tears coming to his eyes.

"Of course kiddo it's not like I am going to wear them!" she said and gives a heaty laugh. She seems wonderfully good natured.

"Kay, are you alright, are the clothes too heavy to carry on your own?" I ask him.

"No, I just haven't been given a present before. Or well, maybe I did as a small child before my parents went and got themselves killed in the dungeon. This is just so nice! I will make sure that I come here a lot, especially when I start making money and I can buy a lot of food."

"Make sure you do that. Now run along home. You have an early morning if I am not mistaken."

"That I do!" Kay says and swiftly disappears out the door.

I look forward to seeing him in the morning. Before going to bed I think that I am going to sit for a moment before the fire. It seems to get a little chilly as the sun makes its way out of the sky. Also, it seems to be a good place in which to sit and reflect upon the day.

I make my way to an open fluffy chair and plop my posterior down upon it. No sooner had I settled in than the cat that had been by the door leaps upon my lap and settles down upon me. I suppose I did not have to be the one to scoop him up after all. I run my hands over his silken fur.

"Well hello there, and what are you called?"

The cat turns his head to look at me as though he is going to say something but then makes a huffing noise. He rolls over and exposes his belly for a moment, taunting me to touch it. Yeah, I will not be falling for the trap of your claws cat!

The cat then rolls back over and begins purring and bopping his head upon my hand. Well alright cat, I will let you guide me in how you wish to be pet. I pet him and scratch him between his ears and beneath his chin.

"Haha Cat, it seems as though you have a new favorite." says the serpent-kin as she glides across the floor and towards me.

"Hello, my name is Emmie. I am very happy that you will be working here as well!" she says and smiles brightly. Her hair has been colored in different shades of green. It is very fetching on her.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Amaya."

"That name is really pretty, but I don't think it's going to take long before you get a nickname. Three syllables is more than most patrons are willing to say."

"I see. I wonder what it shall be."

"It will be fun to find out. Or you can have the bunny-kin give you a nickname."

"Why should Kay be the one to give me a nickname?"

"Because then you might have more of a say in what it is." she says and laughs lightly. Her laughter sounds like the tinkling of bells. It reminds me of Mom's laugh, which is a bit of a lonely thought.

I let the sad thoughts drift out of my mind as I pet Cat.

"His fur is so soft. Does he belong to someone here."

"Who Cat? Belong to someone?" she laughs again. "Of course not. Cat is Cat. He does what he wants. Don't let him fool you, he is not what he seems. Now then as much as I want to stay up all night getting to know you I think that you should go get some sleep. You have a full day ahead of you. Signing up for classes and starting to learn the ropes around here."

"My that does sound like a rather long day."

"Oh, and if you don't want to change the way you talk then don't. It has a rather exotic almost romantic sound to it." she says and touches her hands to her breast. Ah, it seems that she is a romantic.

"Ah well thank you. Romantic language is what I grew up around so I suppose I must have internalized it. Until recently I did not know that my language was so peculiar."

"Don't worry about it around here. But maybe talk very little around others. You want to show no weakness. This is very important.. You must remember that. Adventurers are not the most accepting group that you will meet. Please bear that in mind."

I nod my head to her. "Thank you for the kind words. I will internalize them."

"Very good. Now then, to bed with you."

"Hey Emmie? What is your full name, as it seems that is not what your full name is, that it is a nickname given you by the patrons."

"You are quick to pick up on that. My name is Emmelina."

"That is a very pretty name. Have a good night Emmelina."

"Good night Amaya."

I move Cat off my lap, something that he did not seem pleased with. I have half a mind to simply scoop him up and take him to the bed so I could snuggle his soft little body while I slip into slumber. However, I choose not to do so. I make my way up the stairs, covering my mouth as I let out quite the yawn. Goodness, I do believe that I am going to sleep rather well.

Upon arriving in my room, I strip off my dress and wash my face before slipping into some pajamas. They are silky and rather comfortable. Silky hmm. I do believe that I shall send a letter to Momma and ask if she would be willing to make Kay a rather lovely robe. I do believe that might well please him. And with that thought I drift off to sleep.

I awake as I feel the slightest warmth from the sun, alerting me that it was time to wake and be off to sign up for my classes. I quickly rinse my body and hair and rinse my mouth a few times to clear the taste of sleep out of my mouth.

I go through my clothing to try to find something that was easy to move in, as well as light and comfortable. If there are to be many people in the area, I do not wish to become overly warm. That would be most uncomfortable.

I decide on a cute pair of short shorts and a half shirt top. This would be rather comfortable beneath my cloak. The shorts are simple black ones with white vine print around the bottoms of them. The shirt as well is black but has white and purple flowers on it. I throw on some socks, my black pair of boots, braid, twist and pin up my hair, grab my cloak and I am good to go.

I lightly make my way down the stairs. I am sure many are not awake at this time, unless they simply hadn't gone to bed yet, so I do not wish to wake them. I do not enjoy being rude at all. I am glad when I make it down the stairs without hearing any other doors open. Well then good. Time to go.

As I am close to going out the door I am stopped.

"I sure hope that you aren't planning to head out without eating something. That will not do!" Vita says and huffs a bit.

"Yes, as a practice I believe that it is best to begin the day with a meal. But I cannot be late."

"I had a feeling that you would be the type to do this so here." she says and shoves something at me. "Eat that on the way. Now you may leave." she says and steps out of the way.

I look at what it is that she handed me and I smile. "Thank you. I rather am a fan of scones." What a lovely way to wake up. I feel something bop into my feet and look down. It was the cat that I met last night.

"Well hello there kitty. Are you wishing me well? That is very kind of you." I say and reach down and pet his head a few times.

"Well now Cat, it seems that you have a new favorite don't you. Are you planning on tracking the progress of this one?"

The cat makes a little sound somewhere between a sneeze and a meow. It is rather cute.

"Emmie said exactly the same thing last night, how strange."

"Did she now. I suppose that he really does have a new favorite. Alright then, be off with you."

I give them a little nod of thanks and make my way towards the library, eating my scone as I go. I do not know where the training hall was, so I want to make my way to the library to meet up with Kay. It is possible that it was the same place that we had been yesterday to test, but I do not know for certain.

The scone is light and puts me in a very good mood. I throw my hood up as I stepped out of the beast kin zone and made my way with haste.

I make it to the library and am pleased that I am not out of breath. I do try to keep myself in good shape, though I am beginning to believe that I may only believe that. This will be put to the test rather soon.

A few minutes later I am outside of Kay’s door, though I have already knocked several times. “Kay, I was told you are in here, please do respond to my inquiry.”

Though it isn’t the polite thing to do, I throw the door open to find…