The streets of the city bustled with life, a symphony of voices, laughter, and the distant hum of conversations blending with the rhythmic clatter of carts rolling over cobblestone paths.
Golden lanterns hung from ornate posts, their soft glow illuminating the lively market that stretched across the district. Vendors called out their wares, advertising everything from shimmering fabrics to glistening skewers of roasted meat, their scents intermingling in the cool morning air.
Hikari found himself drawn into the flow of people, observing the unfamiliar world with cautious intrigue. It was a stark contrast from the academy's structured halls. Here, the city breathed with an organic pulse, shifting and reshaping with every passing moment. As he turned a corner, something—or rather, someone—caught his eye.
"Well, that certainly is interesting..." Hikari muttered under his breath as he watched the figure walked past him.
A girl, barely reaching his chest in height, stood near a bustling food stall, wrapped in a brown tattered robe that barely concealed her feline features. Cat ears twitched atop her head, their grayish fur standing out against the fabric's dull tones, while a thin tail swayed behind her absentmindedly.
Crimson eyes, wide with longing, fixated on a glass display case filled with skewers of grilled meat. Her lips parted slightly, revealing a pair of tiny fangs that only enhanced the childlike curiosity etched on her face.
Hikari watched as she sniffed the air, her nose scrunching as though tracking the scent of the skewers with practiced precision. Her tail flicked once, twice, and then—
"You smell different."
The statement took him by surprise. He barely had time to react before those red eyes locked onto him, the girl's expression shifting from hungry to intrigued. Her ears perked up, and she tilted her head as if studying him.
"I—what?" Hikari blinked, thrown off by the sudden remark.
"You're new here." She took a step closer, nostrils flaring as she took another sniff. "No scent of Golden Sanctuary on you. You don't belong to any faction yet."
Before he could question what she meant, her gaze flickered back to the skewers, and a soft whimper escaped her lips. She pressed her hands against the glass, eyes shimmering with desperate hunger.
Hikari sighed. "You want those, don't you?"
The girl didn't even hesitate. "Yes! Buy me skewers, and I'll tell you anything you want to know."
Her bluntness caught him off guard. He had expected some level of pride, maybe a bit of bargaining, but she laid it out so plainly it was almost comical. Then again, her situation must have been dire if she was resorting to trading information for food.
With a small shake of his head, Hikari stepped forward and handed a few coins to the vendor. The moment the skewers were passed into his hands, the girl's tail wagged excitedly, her entire posture shifting from desperation to barely contained joy.
He handed her the first one, watching as she snatched it up with both hands, taking a bite so quickly she nearly burned her tongue.
"So," he said, leaning against a wooden post, "you said you'd answer my questions. Let's start with something simple. What's your name?"
The girl paused mid-bite, then swallowed before puffing out her chest proudly. "I'm Rin! Rin Feles." She twitched her ears as she looked at him expectantly. "And you?"
"Hikari."
Rin hummed in acknowledgment, her tail flicking as she took another bite. "Alright, Hikari. What do you wanna know?"
He glanced around, taking in the diverse crowd moving through the market. "Golden Sanctuary. What exactly is this academy? I was brought in, but no one really explained how things work." He asked, barely remembering that students had different uniforms, which screams an obvious hierarchy.
Rin snorted, licking the juices off her fingertips before grabbing another skewer. "Pfft. Typical. They always throw newbies into the deep end. Alright, listen up, because I'm only saying this once."
She took a dramatic breath before launching into her explanation. "Golden Sanctuary is a place where only Irregulars go. Doesn't matter where you come from. If you have abilities, you belong to one of three groups."
"First, there's the Noble Class. They're the ones born into power, either from prestigious bloodlines or with abilities so strong that they're automatically placed at the top. They control most of the academy's decisions, and, well… they're jerks."
"Let me guess," Hikari said dryly, "the blond guy with the sword is part of them."
Rin barked out a laugh. "Oh, definitely. I can smell those arrogant types a mile away." She twirled a skewer in her fingers before biting into it again. "Then you've got the Commoners. These guys are talented, but they weren't born with a silver spoon in their mouths. They have to fight tooth and claw to earn respect. Most of them are just trying to survive the academy without getting stomped on by the Nobles."
Hikari frowned. "That's… kind of unfair."
"Welcome to Golden Sanctuary." Rin gestured grandly before taking another bite. "Finally, there's the Irregulars. The outcasts, the weird ones, the students who don't fit neatly into the other categories. Everyone is an Irregular, per se, but if you belong to this group, then you're just like me."
She finished the last of her skewer, twirling the wooden stick between her fingers before flicking it expertly into a nearby trash bin. "Some of us are born with powers that don't align with the academy's neat little rankings. Others have pasts that make them… undesirable. Either way, most of us either survive on scraps or work under the table."
Hikari studied her for a moment, noting the way her ears drooped slightly, betraying the nonchalant tone she tried to maintain. "And you? Which one are you?"
Rin grinned, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "I'm just a street cat looking for her next meal."
Something about her words didn't sit right with him, but he decided not to press. Instead, he leaned back and absorbed what she had told him. The academy was more than just a school—it was a hierarchy, one where power dictated your worth.
"What about... them?" Hikari asked, pointing at the students who had a sash around their shoulders.
"Oh, those guys? They're called Judicators. Think of them as the academy's attack dogs. Nobles get the final say, but Judicators make sure everyone falls in line. If you piss off the wrong person, expect a visit from them."
Hikari frowned. That explained why the blond noble had been so confident in attacking him earlier. If he had Judicators backing him, he could do whatever he wanted without consequence.
Rin suddenly pointed at his chest. "You're gonna get wrapped up in this, y'know."
Hikari raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
"You don't smell like someone who's gonna sit quietly and take orders. People like you either rise to the top or make a lot of enemies along the way."
He chuckled, shaking his head. "I haven't even been here for a day, and I already have a noble trying to cut me in half. So yeah, sounds about right."
Rin's ears twitched. "Well, if you survive long enough, maybe I'll let you buy me more food."
"Is that your way of saying you'll help me?"
She grinned, her fangs gleaming. "Let's just say I like interesting people."
Hikari exhaled, glancing up at the city skyline. The academy was one thing, but the world around it held its own challenges. Whatever lay ahead, he had the feeling that Rin Feles would be a valuable ally—or, at the very least, an amusing one.