I don't own Fairy Tail or any of the characters. I don't own the Pradesh Family characters or the idea of Bosco or White Sea, those are Desna's brilliant brain children. I do, however, own Mia and Thoma.

Seeking Sunrise

Chapter One: Where Next

Mia ended up spending two days in the clinic. The doctor wanted to ensure that her neck was healing normally and the various lacerations on her arms didn't develop infection. With a promise from Nico to keep on eye on them and help change the bandages there was no reason for Mia to stay in the small building. Accidents happened all the time in a farming community and the space was needed. They ended up having to get Mia a new wardrobe since her family had burnt what was in her room. Spending a week with Nico, Mia finally received the court summons that she had been dreading.

Mia stood at the stand of the court room, just finished swearing in. Floating, transparent, images of the magic council loomed above. "Now then Miss Barden," Councilman Org started. "Tell us in your own words what happened the day of the incident."

Mia took a deep breath to center herself before speaking. At the very least this was a closed interview. Mister Rolf managed to convince them that her father was too dangerous towards her to allow them in the same vicinity. "It was a normal day," she started. "I was working the lacrima tiller to get the fields ready for planting. As I was moving along I heard a screeching noise and the blades seized. I cut power from the lacrima and started to look around to see what the cause was. A large rock had wedged itself in between some of the gears. In order to pull it out I had to reach past the blades and grab it with both hands. Since I had cut the power from the lacrima, it should have been fine. It happens quite often when we begin the spring harvest. After pulling the rock and trying to coax it free I finally managed to get it unstuck. As I was pulling back the tiller started up again. I didn't have time to think before pain just shot up and down both my arms. There was a flash of light. I remember landing on my back and in a daze. I could hear my parents yelling, but I couldn't make out what was said. Then I couldn't breathe. Fuzzy images turned black. Next thing I know is that I'm waking up in the town clinic. My arms were lacerated by the tiller and I had bruising around my neck."

"Do you know what caused the bruising?" Coucilman Michello asked.

"Only what the doctor told me," Mia's voice grew shaky.

Councilman Belno leaned forward. "What did he say?" she asked kindly. Mia's breathing went from shaky to shuddering. "No harm will come to you here. Take your time, deep breaths."

Mia got her breathing under control and started again. "The doctor said that magic manifested from me, protected me. But it destroyed the tiller. When I had landed, my dad started choking me."

"You have brought an eye witness with you," Councilman Seigrin noted. "Can he verify these accounts?"

Nico stepped up to stand beside Mia. "I can sir," Nico nodded. "If I hadn't been there to stop him, Mia's father would have choked her to death."

A murmur went through the council. Org held a hand to stop the noise. "What happened to your mother?" he asked.

"She disowned me," Mia cried. "We went for my things when I got released, only to find she and my siblings burned them all."

Councilman Yajima spoke next. "It's a great honor in Fiore to have a mage in the family. Why have you been treated so harshly?"

Nico stared at Mia for a moment. She wasn't going to be able to answer right away. "If I may?" he continued when the council approved he gave the answer. "We come from a small farming town. There hasn't been much contact with mages. Our one magic shop only sells lacrima equipment for the farms or tools needed to fix them. Everything else is done by hand. It's still mostly marred in the old way of thinking when magic was rare and thought of used my demons or their followers. Mia's magic would be considered evil to her family. Them burning her belongings was to purge the evil from the home."

"I believe that we've heard enough," Seigrin offered. Nico escorted Mia out of the room at the dismissal. Once the door closed Seigrin turned to the others. "This is clearly a major issue."

"It would appear so," Ogra agreed. "Not only did a budding mage suffer at the hands of zealots, they were her own family."

"It's clear the father is the main suspect," Belno added. "However, I feel restitution should be made by the rest of her family for her lost property. More so since I read in the report earlier that Nico Rolf had to supply her with everything she needed. It's my opinion that not only should they reimburse Miss Barden for the lost property, medical bills, and emotional trauma this has no doubt put her through, but also to reimburse Mister Rolf for suppling her with the basic necessities."

"It seems like the least they could do," Yajima agreed.

"If we're all agreed?" Seigrin looked to see the other members nodding. "On to the matter of the father. We heard his testimony earlier. I hardly need to go over it. He made no attempt to hide his contempt of mages, us included. To blame the destruction by his daughter as intentional are the ramblings of the uneducated. While it is rare, a mage can develop their talents when their body has matured. Or if there is a great enough threat. In this case, Mia's magic saved her from the loss of her arms. It was instinctual, not intentional."

"That kind of instinct could be dangerous," Michello pointed out. "Just look at the mages of that one guild. They run on nothing except instinct and cause us no amount of trouble with rebuilding expenses."

"They're not on discussion here," Yajima pointed out.

"Indeed they're not," Orga agreed. "I would prefer not to speak of them as long as we can avoid it. Michello does raise a point, however. This time it was just replaceable farm equipment, next time an innocent civilian could be hurt."

"I already have an idea to that," Belno spoke up. "I heard Mister Rolf asking one of the employees if they had books she could study on barrier magic. Perhaps allow her access to those resources could give her a better idea how to control her magic."

"That could be one way to help her," Seigrin smiled. "Another would be to offer to provide trainers for her. Investing in her education could be beneficial to us. Once she's finished training she would need to join the rune knights."

"Both are excellent suggestions," Orga agreed. "We shall take a vote on it."

"One more thing," Yajima interrupted. "Wouldn't it be better to ask Miss Barden which she would prefer? She's been through quite the ordeal already. It would be uncouth to force upon her our decision. I agree she needs training, but let her go at her own pace."

"I second that," Belno agreed.

"I agree," Michello added. Behind his folded hands, Seigrin's smile melted away into cool calculation. If this didn't go right he could lose an opportunity for another pawn in his plans.

"I will speak with the child," Belno offered. "A little kindness could also turn her thoughts toward a favorable decision for us."

"It's decided then," Orga said quickly. He just wanted to be done with this conversation. "Now as to the sentencing of the father."

Lucy found herself in Hargeon. It was a small fishing town, but she was happy to find a magic shop. She wasn't so happy to find out it was only one. She managed to buy the little dog constellation key, but couldn't help feeling ripped off. A commotion up the street drew her attention. She followed the sounds of over excited girls out of curiosity. (I hardly need to go over the next few events.)

After an embarrassing moment with the charm spell, then feeding the two with no manners, Lucy found herself at the park. She purchased a Sorcerer's Weekly magazine. Even if she couldn't fulfill her dream, she could figure out what the next best move would be by keeping tabs on all prominent guilds. A rustle in the bushes drew her attention. The charm user from before popped out in front of her. "I've been looking for you," he smiled seductively.

"That's nice," Lucy flipped a page. She was doing her best to ignore him.

"I'm having a little get together on my boat this evening and I would love for you to join us."

Lucy let out a sigh. "I'm going to be honest with you," she said. "I think you're a creep for getting all the attention by using that charm spell you're wearing. Since it's weakness is knowledge it won't work on me."

"That's too bad," he spoke sadly. He noted the article that Lucy happened to have the magazine opened to. "A fan of Fairy Tail, huh? What if I told you I was a member of their guild?"

Lucy glanced up at him. "Are you serious?" she asked.

"Of course I am," he spoke easily. "You've heard of Salamander, the great fire wizard of Fairy Tail? That's me. If you join us on my boat this evening I can guarantee getting you into the guild."

Lucy closed the magazine with a resounding snap of the pages. "Once again I'm going to decline your offer," she stood. Lucy tucked the magazine under her arm and started walking away. "That is the last place where I should be right now." She left 'Salamander' looking flabbergasted at her blatant refusal.

Lucy stormed down the streets muttering under her breath. "I can't believe the nerve of that guy," she seethed. "Trying to bribe me to go to that party by telling me he's a member of Fairy Tail and can get me in." As she muttered she unknowingly passed by the guy and cat she had fed earlier.

"Did you hear that Natsu?" the cat asked.

Natsu stared after Lucy for a moment, wondering why she was mad if she wasn't going to bother with the guy. He then looked in the direction the boat was harbored. "Something doesn't smell right with that guy Happy." Natsu watched as young girl after young girl started boarding the boat. In fact, only young girls were boarding the boat. He was thankful that Luigi wasn't one of them.

"What if he did the same with those girls?" Happy wondered. "Promised to help them join Fairy Tail if they went to the party?"

"None of those girls are mages," Natsu pointed out.

"Isn't that worse then?"

"Let's go little buddy."

"Aye sir!"

Lucy just wanted to get out of that town as fast as possible. A creepy old man as persistent as that guy was spelled nothing except trouble. "He didn't even prove that he was part of a guild," she continued to seethe. "At the very least, if you're going to brag about something have the proof to back it up." She pulled out her keychain, admiring her two new friends. She had the keys she inherited, but she received the golden bull just before entering Hargeon and the little dog while in town. She had made the contract with Taurus on the spot, but the Little Dog took a back burner as she rushed away.

Lucy stopped walking as she looked at the silver key. "Maybe making a new friend will help calm me down." She pushed magic into the key to summon the spirit and begin making a contract with it. "I guess that finalizes things," Lucy put her notepad and pencil away. "Is it okay if I call you Plue?" The spirit nodded and Lucy immediately scooped him up to snuggle him close. "You can be my traveling partner." She then began walking again as she held onto her new friend.

This town was worse then the one he had come from. Thoma looked around him as he walked down the main street. Sure, things looked pretty and they put on a good show, but he knew what to look for. There were beggars in the darker parts of alleys. If they noticed him watching them they scurried away as if they were afraid he would do something to them. In some of the more trash filled alleys were children digging through said trash. He spotted a pair of boys fighting over a half-eaten and rotting apple. "Does no one look after them?" he growled to himself.

It was summer, so the kids were safe from the elements for now. Thoma wondered how many would survive the colder season though? This town was full of hypocrisy. A woman's flirtatious giggle drew his attention. A woman was plying her 'goods' to men coming out of a bar. Thoma let out a growl. How could the government ignore this? He understood the town was practically on the border, but that didn't excuse neglect by the authorities.

One of the drunk men was very unsteady on his feet. For being only early afternoon, he was wasted. Thoma watched him wobble too close to a fruit stand. The vender was nervous, trying to shoo him away. Taking a look back at the kids, they too were watching the drunk. An idea struck Thoma then. It might not have been the first time something like this happened since the kids were looking hopefully at the stall. With an unseen gesture of his fingers, Thoma caused a gush of wind to slam into the drunk. As expected the man completely lost all his balance. He fell right into the fruit stand, causing the merchandise to spill and roll all around.

A smile spread across Thoma's face as the kids all rushed forward with cheers. They each started picking up as much fruit as they could while ignoring the screeching Vendor. The kids ran away before the other vendors could help. Some had fruit laden in their arms, held between their chin and neck. Thoma laughed at the sight of one of the older ones carrying two bananas in his mouth. "Why didn't you stop them?" the vendor got in Thoma's face.

Thoma sneered at the man, causing him to take a step back. "I didn't see you doing much except yell at them," he pointed out. Thoma then glanced down at the man's extended belly. "Perhaps if you chased them you can get some of your goods back."

"I demand that you…"

Thoma got right in the man's face. "You demand what?" he snapped. "I've been where those kids are. You want some of that back you get it yourself. Although, they most likely know the best places to hide and you don't."

"You helped them," the vendor accused.

"The drunk was the one that fell into your stand. I was no where near him." Then vendor ground his teeth, but stomped away. He knew that Thoma wasn't close and that he was under no obligation to help stop the kids. Thoma let out a smirk as he walked past. Maybe staying in this town for a few days wouldn't be so bad. At least give the kids a little hope as he set some things up for them.

Mia stared at her reflection in the mirror. They were staying at an inn for the night and then Nico would head home. Mia was still undecided about what she wanted to do. For now, her only concern was how to get people to stop staring at her. The scars on her hands and arms were prominent in silvery tissue crisscrossing along her skin. Spending all day on the fields, she had a decent tan going. It seemed to make the scars stand out all the more. She wiped at a tear that fell down her cheek. She wasn't vain, but she didn't like people looking at her. What was worse was that she noticed a few kids pointing at her and asking their parents if she was a bad person.

Nico tapped on the door frame to the bathroom to get her attention. "I got you something," he said. "They didn't have something like this back home, but in this town you can hardly turn a corner without spotting some type of new fashion." He pulled out a shopping bag from behind his back.

Mia took it in curiosity. She opened the top and looked inside. There was a thin white fabric inside. "What is it?" she asked.

"Pull it out and see," Nico recommended.

Mia gently reached one hand in and pulled out two strips of fabric. She found each were cylindrical with a large opening, becoming thinner and then fanning out again with two other openings. One was really small and circular while the other was slightly bigger and oblong. She looked up at Nico, she still didn't understand. The fashion of cities wasn't something that she ever cared to keep up on. "Let me help you," Nico smiled. He took one of the pieces and gently opened the larger end. "Slide your arm up in there." Mia did as she was told. The fabric went all the way up to her elbow. On the small end her thumb passed through the small opening while the rest of her fingers all came out of the larger one. "They're fingerless gloves," Nico explained. "These ones are designed just for fashion in the summer. It's a light fabric so it won't over heat you. Best part is that they'll keep others from noticing your scars. Instead they'll notice your fashion sense."

Mia put the second one on her other arm. "They don't hide all of the scars," she noted.

"An inch is showing," Nico shrugged. "Only one or two lines at that. It's not as noticeable as all the other ones. When it gets to be winter you can wear heavier gloves. Or you can wear long sleeves like you used to and just wear normal gloves on your hands. They had all sorts of colors so you can mix and match with your shirts. I figured white was a pretty neutral color for now."

Mia rushed forward and wrapped her arms around Nico's waist. "Thank you Mister Rolf," she whispered. "I don't know what I would have done without you."

"It was my pleasure Mia," Nico sniffled. "Fate dealt you a bad hand. Everyone needs help getting pulled back up to the boat when the waves knock 'em over." A knock on the door pulled the two apart. "I wonder who that is." Nico went to answer the door.

Councilman Belno stood on the other side. "I hope that I'm not intruding?"

"Not at all Councilman," Nico opened the door further. "Please come in."

"Thank you," Belno walked gracefully through the doorway. "I'm afraid that I can't stay for very long." Her attention was then directed to Mia. "There is a matter of great importance that I need to speak to you about." The three of them sat at the small table in the room. "As I'm sure you've already wondered about, your magic isn't refined. Yet. Until you learn to control it your instincts will dominate how your magic reacts. This first time there were no serious repercussions, however that may change in the future. I've come to discuss two options that are available to you."

Belno removed some books from her requip space and put them on the table. "These are all the replica copies of books in the council library we have on barrier magic." Mia's eyes widened and she stared at them in fascination. "While we're not certain to what degree your magic can manifest, these will certainly be a good starting point. As they are replicas I'm willing to allow you to take them with you. Their cost will be deducted from the settlement you will receive."

"Settlement?" Mia looked towards Belno quickly.

"You didn't think that we would leave you with nothing, did you?" Councilman Belno gave her a small smile. "Your former family is to pay restitution to you for the manner with which you were treated. All medical bills will be their responsibility, they must pay you the worth of your property they destroyed as well as reimburse Mister Rolf for the money he spent of clothing and feeding you until now. We will need a list of the things you lost so that a proper estimate can be made. There is also a settlement being discussed for emotional damages that this has caused. The exact amount is still in discussion, but you and I will go to the nearest bank tomorrow and set up an account. They will be making payments towards the council so we can ensure they don't miss a payment. From there, we will place the jewels into your account that you may use whenever you wish." Mia nodded her head in wonder. This was more than she hoped for when she left town for the court.

"You said there was a second option," Nico reminded.

"The second option is to receive training from experts among the rune knights. As they are affiliated with the council we will be your sponsors for all your learning expenses. At the end of your training you will enlist as a fully-fledged rune knight."

Nico's eyebrows pinched together and his eyes narrowed. He worried for Mia before, now he was doubly so. He's heard both good and bad things about the council. If fate is kind, it wouldn't be a problem. Mia, however, had not been having luck with fate as of late. There had to be something behind the council's generosity. While he wasn't prejudice against mages or their political system they were still human. He found himself stuck, he could give his opinion to Mia, but he couldn't force her to turn them down. They weren't related and she was of age to make her own decisions.

"You said we would go to the bank tomorrow?" Mia asked for confirmation. Belno simply nodded her head. "In that case, may I give you an answer tomorrow? I'd like to look through the books a little first to see if they will help or not. It will also give me time to work on the list."

"That's fine with me," Belno stood. "I'll be back in the early afternoon tomorrow to bring you to the bank. I look forward to hearing your answer then." She turned back to look at the books and then at Mia with a smile. In a bit of magic she pulled out yet another book. "This one isn't about barriers. It's about requip space. It wouldn't hurt for you to learn this as well. Even a small bit of knowledge can prove useful, especially for people that travel a lot." She placed the book on the table with the others. Belno then left and the door closed with a soft click.

"That was the strangest reaction I had expected," Nico wondered. Mia waited for him to continue. "The kingdom is always looking for ways to get decent mages into their ranks. That second option you were given, you would have no choice except to join. The first option, you can study and learn on your own. Once you feel you've learned enough you can still do anything that you want. When she left, I think the councilman was urging you to study on your own."

"Wouldn't she want me to join the knights?" Mia asked.

"That all depends," Nico crossed his arms. "I've heard that guild mages are often self-taught or apprentice themselves under a master. They're often the go-to mages when things go real bad. That means the kingdom doesn't have faith in the strength of their own rune knights to get the jobs done."

"Where did you hear all this Mister Nico?"

"My kids left town, remember? They send me letters and pictures. Sometimes there's a big fight they hear about and then they write me. Wanting to make sure I'm alright I guess. But they're the reason why I'm not so prejudice against mages anymore."

"You used to be?" Mia stared at him with wide eyes.

"As bad as your pa," Nico agreed solemnly. "I regret it now. I'm thinking it might be best for me to move out of the town. I wrote a letter to each kid. They all agreed it was a good idea, I'm getting too old to tend the farm." He then started chuckling a bit. "They all offered me a place to stay with them too. Three different offers for a place to live." He then looked at Mia. "That also means we would have to split up. They regret not having space for you, but my daughter has started looking into finding you a spot close to us in case you need help."

"Please give her my gratitude," Mia smiled shyly. She flipped open the cover of the requip book. "But whether I choose to allow the council to sponsor me or not, I think that our paths go in different directions from here." Nico stared at Mia as she started skimming the book.

Slapping his hands on his knees, Nico stood from the table. "I guess I'll go find us some dinner to eat in," he announced. "To give you as much time to look over those books to make an informed decision as possible." Mia nodded her head absently and he left the room.

After walking for another few hours Lucy stepped off the main road. Plue made a little noise in confusion. "Just looking for a place to camp," she said. "I don't want to be noticeable from the road while I sleep, but I don't want to be in the open either. Did you know that old pine trees serve just as good as any tent if not better?" Plue shook his head in answer 'no'. "Their pleasant smell helps humans fall asleep, but it also masks the scent of the human from would be predators. Then there's the way the branches hang down and overlap each other. If it rains a majority of the water is kept away from the trunk. A few drops might happen hear and there, but depending on the amount of rain we can stay mostly dry."

Lucy walked around the forest for a few minutes before she found a pine tree that's branches were touching the ground. It completely covered all sight of its trunk. Taking a peek under the branches showed that there were no large creatures there already. In fact, the number of dead needles suggested that this was a free zone for Lucy to spend the night. "I had to sneak survival books from the library at night," Lucy broke the silence. "As late as I could I would read how to survive in the wilderness. They were mostly books in case a person got lost, but it also comes in handy to save money. After all the money I spent in the last down I doubt I could afford a room when I make it to the next town."

Lucy pulled a blanket out of her satchel and spread it on top of a nice pile of dead pine needles. "These will help keep me off the ground and away from any moisture the soil has absorbed." She sat on the blanket, but left her boots on. "Something may crawl in my boots overnight. Most likely I'll forget to check and that could be really bad. So, it's just better to leave them on for my peace of mind."

Once she was settled Lucy grabbed a food bar from her satchel and ate half of it. She wrapped it back up carefully and tightly before putting it in the satchel. "Best to conserve food too," she added. "I'll finish the rest for breakfast tomorrow." She then looked down at Plue with a fond smile. "So, this is where I'll say 'goodnight'." Plue made a noise and waved his hand. "I enjoyed walking with you Plue, have a good night." The small spirit then disappeared in a shower of golden sparkles. Lucy lay back, using her satchel as a pillow and attempted to go to sleep. The temperature was still warm enough that she didn't worry about exposure quite yet.

It didn't take Thoma long to find an abandoned home. It was a little cut off from the main part of town. A quick inspection on his part showed scorch marks and other signs of a fight. Given the different variety of damage, it had to have been done by mages. With this knowledge he abandoned the house as well. It wouldn't be in the best interest of the children to leave them with a fixed-up home only for it to be attacked. It was clear the town would be giving no help to whoever would be foolish enough to move in. The search for a place for the kids to stay each night continued.

Thoma spent the whole day looking into places on the outskirts of town and even venturing into the surrounding woods. There was nothing suitable for his needs. The places he stumbled upon after the first house were either too far neglected or already had residents of an unsavory nature. He turned his attention towards the center of town. That's where most of the homeless seemed to seek shelter anyway. The best parts were already taken over by the adult homeless and they weren't willing to share when Thoma approached them with the idea.

Nearly giving up for the day Thoma looked towards the setting sun. The sound of running water drew his attention. Knowing there wasn't a river or creek nearby he was curious as to the source of outside water. He came to the opening of the sewer drainage system. The grate over the opening was still fully there, but it was worn. Nose crinkled in disgust, Thoma pulled a corner open and ventured inside. He got in a little distance before the light from the opening could no longer give him a full view. Thoma turned around and headed for the only inn in town, which also served as the bar.

Entering the bar, Thoma counted at least six men already well past the point of being drunk to being nearly passed out drunk. Given the events from the morning he wasn't too surprised to see this. He went up to the bar to see the typical bartender wiping down probably the same glass he always did. "How much for a room for one night?" he asked.

"A thousand jewel," the burly man grunted. "No room service," he also growled out. "You want food, you eat down here."

"Just the room," Thoma put the jewel down. He shuddered at the thought of having anything from this place. The bartender dug under the bar and pulled out a key. Without any ceremony he tossed the key to Thoma and continued to wipe down the glass. "I feel so welcome," Thoma rolled his eyes. He looked at the key, which thankfully had a number on it. With any luck it corresponded with a door upstairs.

His room was directly above the main part of the bar. All the noise filtered in from the floor boards. "This is going to be a long night," Thoma groaned. He scrunched his nose at the filthy conditions of the room. "Maybe staying in the sewer would have been cleaner."

Lucy woke from sleep naturally. She gave a stretch and slowly sat up. A quick check of her belongings showed that nothing had come to disturb her. She grabbed her left overs from the night before and quickly finished it off. She folded the blanket and moved things around in her satchel so it was on the bottom. Tucking the trash away from breakfast with a promise to properly dispose of it once reaching another town Lucy began to make her way out from under the tree branches. Sun light was shining down in the forest. It gave a peaceful atmosphere along with the morning song of birds in the air. It gave Lucy the feeling that she had made the right decision in not only leaving her home, but also in not attempting to join Fairy Tail. She would only endanger those around her once her father began searching for her.

Taking a breath, Lucy summoned Plue back for company. "Do you think you can help me find fresh water?" she asked. "I've used up all the water that I had." Plue gave the affirmative and started skipping through the trees. He led Lucy to a small stream. "Thanks again Plue," she gushed. "You're the best." She pulled a small pot and heating lacrima from her satchel. Filling the pot with water she put it on the lacrima and let it heat. While she waited for the water to boil she stripped out of her dirty clothes. Dipping a toe into the water she shivered at the temperature. "A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do," she groaned. Taking her dirty clothes she washed them and herself quickly in the water.

When she was finished she hung her clothes to dry while changing into her only spare set of clothing. By this time the water in the pot was boiling. Lucy took it off the heat and set it aside to let it cool. She then spent some time playing games with Plue to pass the time. When her clothes were finally dry she folded them and put them away in her satchel. Taking her small canteen, she poured a good amount of the water she boiled into it. The rest that wouldn't fit she dumped back into the stream. After putting away the rest of her gear she picked Plue back up and headed for the road. With his help it didn't take long to find where they had left off. The two then started the journey towards the next town.

Thoma left the inn as soon as he could. It was true he was hungry, but he could get something from the stalls before someone had an 'accident'. He was looking forward to something other than bread and cheese. The stalls were busier in the small hours of daylight. Women dressed worlds better than the ones in the afternoon carried baskets as they went from stall to stall. Thoma briefly wondered if they knew what their men were up to in the afternoon and evening time. Spotting a younger woman with a bruise on her cheek duck her head and move along gave him his suspicions. The men here were trying to bring their own version of Pergrande to Fiore. Not liking the idea, but still needing to eat, Thoma purchased a pastry from the stand in front of the bakery. He ate it as he took in how meek the women were towards men and each other.

Promising himself not to let this go, Thoma went to a shop that advertised lacrimas. He purchased the smallest lighting lacrima there. He wanted to save as much of his jewel as he could. While a lighting lacrima is useful, it's not exactly a need over a want. Taking his new purchase, he headed back to the sewers. Before entering he tied the cloth Teacher had used to cover the bread and cheese around his mouth. It wouldn't filter all of the smell, but at least it would be a little better.

For being the sewer of a smaller town, the waterways were massive. Thoma considered himself tall at 6'1" and he didn't need to duck under any of the archways he passed through. Which also caused him to wonder who would put archways in the sewer. Just ten minutes from the exit Thoma found a once solid oak door. Moisture from the water had taken its toll and it was clearly starting to rot. This worked in favor for him since he was able to wedge it free from the doorway. Stepping inside, Thoma found a barren room. It was surprisingly dry, perhaps protected by the door. The webs of spiders was a little thick, but Thoma made quick work of that with a gesture of his hand. Sending the debris out the way he came Thoma finished the spring cleaning in a manner of seconds.

Now that the room was clean, Thoma was able to get a good look. Frames were in place for several beds. Some of them were bunk beds and others simple twin sizes. There were shelves that looked like it could have been used for provisions. A section in the back corner had a wall partition separating it from the rest of the room. Out of curiosity Thoma checked there next. Looking around the corner showed a stone seat with a hole in it. Looking down the hole Thoma saw some running water. It was a crude use of indoor plumbing, but effective. The only thing this room lacked was a fireplace for cooking and heating. Now with a plan in place, thanking his luck as he left, Thoma left the sewers. In the back of his mind he wondered about the room and wanted to look up if there was information about it.

Mia spent the morning practicing her requip space. Once she opened it she couldn't put it down. Nico forced her to stop practicing to at least have breakfast and then lunch. As they were waiting for Councilman Belno to return, Mia concentrated all her attention on mastering her space before the she arrived. She only managed to get in another hour before Belno was knocking on their door. Mia asked to meet Belno in the lobby of the inn and she would be right down.

Mia turned to Nico once the door closed. She hugged him for all she was worth. "I guess this is where we say goodbye," she sniffled. "I can't thank you enough for everything that you've done for me."

"You're safe," Nico answered. "That's all the thanks that I need. Besides, I gave you the address of my oldest. I'll be staying with him for a little until I decide if I want a small place of my own or not. I expect you to write to me and tell me all about the adventures you'll have. I especially need to know about the people you'll meet."

"Still going to worry about me?" Mia asked.

"It's my job," Nico shrugged. With one last hug, Mia placed the books in her requip space that now housed all the clothes she brought with her. "I'll keep your other things in storage. When you're in the neighborhood you stop by and collect them. This will give us an excuse to see each other again." Mia gave Nico a shaky smile and ducked out of the room. Nico let out a sigh. "Even when they're not your own children it never gets any easier."

Belno and Mia walked the city streets to the bank. The manager was more than happy to greet the two of them. He bent over backwards for the councilman, offering refreshments and setting up the best accounts that he could. Belno waved away all of his gestures. His actions were the main reason she always sent her employees on errands like this. Mia's situation, however, needed to have the bank realize she had the full support of the council. To send an employee to do this wouldn't have impressed that idea into their minds as much.

Bored, Mia was so overwhelmingly bored with the whole banking process. It was tedious and just mind numbing. Two hours they had wasted, in her opinion, setting up an account for her that would work to the council's specifications. Of course, Belno was the one to do all of the talking, Mia was just there to sign her name. Mia was shocked that the bank account would start with two hundred thousand jewel in it. "That's half the settlement," Belno explained. "The council paid that directly to you. Now your former family will be making restitution to the council for that as well. This way you'll have what you need to start out."

"I can't thank you enough for all that you've done to help," Mia bowed. "But with my family having to pay so much, they'll have to sell the property."

"There's no need worry about that," Belno gestured for her to stand. "It was their actions that caused you undue stress and turmoil. They're the ones that wronged you, not the other way around. It's also my pleasure to look out for aspiring young mages. Helping to guide them on a path to better themselves and help the community around them. Which brings me to the next topic. Have you decided what you want to do from here?"

Mia stopped and faced Belno. "I gave it serious thought last night as I studied," she said. With a flip of her hand, the requip book was there. "I'm surprised I was able to use magic on my own so quickly."

"I'm not," Belno took the offered book. "You have a tremendous amount of magical talent inside of you. From the events that you described, all of us in the council can sense that your magic is just getting warmed up. We haven't seen everything that you'll be able to do by a great deal."

"Considering how easily it was for me to learn requip magic on my own…" Mia took a breath as she paused. "I think I would like to try learning and studying in my own time. If it becomes too difficult for me to master will the offer of the council being my sponsor still be on the table?"

"I'll make sure of it," Belno agreed. "I do have to return, but I wish you the best of luck Mia Barden."

"Thank you, Madam Councilman," Mia started to walk away. She turned back to her with a smile. "For everything." She then made her way to the train station, a bounce her step.

"It was my pleasure," Belno said to no one. "I hope you master your magic on your own child. There's something stirring I can't put my finger on and I would not want you caught in the middle of it."