Akari's POV:

"Good morning Akari!" Maya bounced happily out of the kitchen as I walked down the stairs. She seemed very energetic for it only being 6:20 in the morning. I yawned and waved in response. I looked over inside the kitchen, where a young man with peach blond hair was swishing some food in a frying pan. Whatever it was, it smelled good, and I found myself getting hungry. I decided to be bold and asked, "What's cooking?" The man turned to look at me with a wary expression on his face, that, after he saw me morphed into a slightly disappointed look.

"Omelet rice." He said, focusing once more on the frying pan.

"Oh," I blinked, not expecting that response. "well it smells great." The pan sizzles and I don't get any more responses from the man. I walk over to a table that sits in front of a small, make-shift stage. A guitar sat on a stand in the corner. I sit down in a chair and stare into the distance. Still tired and slightly overwhelmed at being back here.

"So what are you doing today?" Maya sat down in the chair across from me. "Off to work?"

"Yeah I think that's the plan." I found myself chuckling after that sentence.

"Is something funny about that…?" Maya asked.

"What? Oh, no… sorry Maya I guess I'm just really, tired." I grabbed a salt shaker and stared at it. "A lot happened all at once last night, and now I have to speak with the Mayor because he forgot to mention that my old house was…occupied."

Maya glanced back at the kitchen. "Yeah, a woman moved in a few seasons ago… I'm surprised he didn't tell you that, then my family and I could have prepared a room for you." She said.

I felt a twinge of guilt. "I will pay you back, Maya." I said.

She smiled a waved her hand down. "Oh please, Akari you don't need to do that! We're friends! Practically family…" she mumbled the last bit.

More guilt flooded my heart. I stared at the salt shaker again, as if it had something interesting about it. A plate of food is suddenly placed in front of me. Taken aback, I turn around and see the man from before walking back into the kitchen.

Maya stared down at the plate of food with wide eyes and a tight smile. I noticed there was no plate in front of her. "What's this for?" I asked.

"Chase loves to cook, and his food is really delicious! You should eat it so you have energy for work." Maya said.

"Well…" My stomach rumbled, and I clenched it quickly. "yeah I guess I will." I said.

After eating the omelet rice, which was blander than I had expected, but still great for what I needed. I waved goodbye to Maya and the chef, and walked down the steps towards the Mayor's house. A building I passed caught my attention, it seemed normal at first, but a wooden sign had been hammered above the door. "Wizard's house" I squinted to read it, and I read it multiple times. A wizard? Seriously? I shake my head in disbelief. I catch the curtains move in the nearby window out of the corner of my eye, and my heart nearly jumps out of my chest. I decide to continue walking towards the mayor's house, a bit faster this time.

I knock on the wooden door of the Mayor Hamilton's house, and wait for a response.

Not much had changed about this house. It still connected to the only school we had, where kids of all ages would study all under the same roof. It was different to how the city children went to school. I wondered how many children still resided here in town. By then a few minutes had passed, and no one had opened the door. I knocked again, louder this time.

"What is it?" an annoyed voice asked, as a young man in a white vest opens the door. It was Gill, the mayor's song. His expression changed when he saw me from irritation to surprise.

"Oh, Akari." He said, smoothing out his white blond hair.

I half-laugh. "Hello to you too, Gill." I said.

He smiles slightly, which for Gill, is about all you'll get in terms of smiling. "My father told me you would be moving back here." He said.

"Temporarily." I corrected him.

"What brings you to our house?" he asks.

"I need to speak with your father, regarding my old house…" I said.

"It's being rented out now, didn't my father tell you that?" he asked.

"No, he must have forgotten to mention that, somehow." I try my best to not sound as frustrated as I felt. How could someone forget such an important detail? He must have withheld this information from me on purpose…but why?

"He told me that it was available for me to stay there while I was here."

"Well, I have no idea what he meant by that, and unfortunately my father is off running errands, and knowing him, I'm not sure when he will return." Gill sighed. "I'll let him know you stopped by."

"Thanks, Gill." I said. "And, it was nice seeing you again."

He stares at me for a moment before replying. "You as well, Akari." Then he shut the door.

After that awkward exchange, I decided to head straight to Garmon Mine district where the carpentry was and prayed that Bo would be back in town so it wouldn't be just Luke and myself.

It took a decent amount of time to walk there. I had to walk through the farm district, which is where my old house stood. I was tempted to sneak over and inspect it further than I had the night before, but decided against it. Then cross the huge rope bridge that was one of the only pathways to Garmon mine district. I gripped the thick rope and walked carefully across the bridge. Memories of my younger self running across this bridge filled my mind. I smiled despite myself. I stared down at the boards. They seemed weaker now, which would make sense after all this time had passed. My heart started to race, I didn't feel secure on the bridge suddenly. I walked at quickly as I could and finally stepped up on the solid edge of the road.

I breathed a sigh of relief and continued walking, the carpentry just ahead.

Please let Bo be there. I thought.

"Akari!" called a warm, familiar voice.

Thank goodness.

Authors note:

The next chapter will focus solely on Hikari most likely. Thank you all for the kind reception that I've gotten so far! It makes it so much more worth it 3

-TheAnxiousStoryTelleR