Ariya didn’t tell anyone where she was from. She had run away from a majestic land, seeking refuge in a place called Kyodai City. For hours, she wandered the streets, asking for shelter, but no one helped her.

  As the sun began to set, she sat alone on a park bench, her eyes tired and body aching. That’s when a girl, walking home from Taekwondo, noticed her. She approached and asked gently, “What happened?”

  “I don’t have a place to stay,” Ariya replied softly.

  The girl frowned with concern. “You can stay with me… if my parents say it’s okay.”

  Later that evening, they arrived at the girl’s house. It was calm and peaceful inside. Her parents were sitting at the table having dinner. The girl greeted them and asked, “Mom, Dad, can Ariya stay with us?”

  Her mother looked at Ariya and asked, “When are you going home?”

  Ariya hesitated. “Umm… I don’t have a home.”

  A silence fell over the room before the parents nodded. “You can stay for as long as you need.”

  The girl jumped up, excited. “I have a sister now!” She laughed. “Oh right—I didn’t tell you my name! I’m Umi Taki. These are Mr. and Mrs. Taki. What’s your name?”

  “I’m Ariya Daku. It’s very nice to meet you all,” she said with a small bow.

  Mr. Taki asked, “Do you go to school?”

  Ariya shook her head. “No…”

  “Well, you do now. I’ll enroll you at Umi’s school tomorrow. You can borrow her clothes for the time being.”

  Umi cheered again. “I have a sister!”

  ?

  The next morning, they went to Sugoi Academy. Ariya was registered in the headmaster’s office and placed in Umi’s class.

  When they entered, the teacher paused his lesson. “Ah, a new student! Please introduce yourself.”

  Ariya stepped forward nervously. “Hi… I’m Ariya Daku. It’s very nice to meet you all.”

  “Great,” the teacher said. “Take the empty seat next to that young man.”

  As she sat down, the teacher turned to the class. “Let’s all introduce ourselves so Ariya feels welcome.”

  One by one, the students spoke up:

  “Good morning, I’m Mr. Jinzu.”

  Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  “Hello, I’m Setchi Shizen. Nice to meet you.”

  “What’s up? I’m Kaen Kasai. Glad there’s another girl in here!”

  “Hey! I’m the one and only Sora Kaze!” flashes a peace sign

  “Hi, I’m Kido Hikari. Good to see you.”

  Ariya leaned toward Umi and whispered, “Are Sora and Kido related? They kinda look alike.”

  Umi snickered. “Yeah, his dad was… let’s say, off the rails. Had a kid with another woman. Wink wink—oh wait, you don’t get it.”

  “Oh… I see,” Ariya murmured, glancing at Sora.

  The lunch bell rang.

  “Umi, we’re over here!” Sora shouted.

  Umi grabbed Ariya’s hand. “That’s my group—come on!”

  They joined the others at a table. Kaen asked, “Where do you live?”

  Ariya looked down. Where do I live? she thought.

  Before she could answer, Sora smacked Kaen’s arm. “Leave her alone! She doesn’t have to tell you that, stalker.”

  “Ow! It was just a question,” Kaen grumbled.

  Kairi added, “Well, keep that question to yourself!”

  Setchi leaned toward Ariya and smiled. “Don’t mind them—they’re always like this.”

  Sora and Kaen both glared at him, while Umi burst out laughing.

  ?

  After school, they all stopped by a food stand, killing time.

  “I’m bored,” Kido said. “Let’s go see a movie.”

  Everyone agreed—except Ariya, who tilted her head. “What’s a movie?”

  They froze.

  “You’ve never seen a movie?!” Sora gasped.

  As they walked to the theater, they took turns explaining what a movie was. “It’s like a story on a screen,” Umi explained.

  “Well,” Kido said, “at least we killed some time.”

  At the theater, Setchi was sent to buy tickets. He frowned. “I’m not buying Kaen’s ticket this time.”

  Kaen sighed dramatically. “Looks like someone else has to buy for me… Hey Umi, would you—?”

  “No,” Umi cut him off. “You never pay us back.”

  Kaen pouted and started begging the others.

  Meanwhile, Kido noticed Ariya’s necklace. “Where’d you get that?”

  Ariya smiled softly. “My mother gave it to me on my eleventh birthday. She told me, ‘Never stop being yourself. Amethyst is for the precious.’ A few months later… she passed away.”

  Kido’s face softened. “What about your dad? Where was he?”

  “He was on a mission,” Ariya said. “He was devastated when he found out.”

  “Wait—mission? Was he a soldier?”

  Before Ariya could answer, Sora called out, “Guys! The movie’s starting!”

  They hurried to their seats. Kaen somehow got a ticket—but no one questioned how.

  ?

  After the movie, it was late, but Kaen had one last idea.

  “Let’s go to the haunted house on the hill!”

  Everyone hesitated—except Sora.

  “Yeah! Let’s see how much of a baby you are, Kaen. Bet you’ll be the first one out!”

  Kaen smirked. “You wanna bet? I’ll outlast you.”

  Grumbling, the others followed. At the top of the hill, the house looked abandoned—its gate rusty, its door slightly ajar. A cold gust of wind blew through.

  Umi shivered. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”

  Kaen and Sora exchanged a competitive glare and nodded.

  “Ladies first,” Kaen said with a smirk.

  “If that’s the case, you should go first,” Sora quipped.

  Kaen hesitated, but then puffed out his chest and marched inside. The others followed. As soon as they were all in, the door slammed shut behind them.

  Setchi’s voice trembled. “Guys… are we sure about this? We’re trespassing…”

  “No one’s lived here for five years,” Sora shrugged.

  The place was cold and eerie. Umi suggested, “Let’s split up in pairs—it’ll be easier to explore.”

  “WHAT?!” everyone shouted.

  Kido raised an eyebrow. “Now who’s the crazy one?”

  Umi stood her ground. “It’ll be quick. I’ll go with Setchi. Sora with Kaen. Kido with Ariya. Sora and Kaen—”

  “Wait, what?!” both complained.

  “You got us into this mess,” Umi said sweetly. “You shouldn’t have a problem sticking together.”

  ?

  As they explored, Ariya found an old family photo in the living room. A piece was missing.

  “Who’s this?” she asked Kido.

  “That’s Mr. Kasuka and his wife. They lived here until their child disappeared.”

  “Disappeared? Like, just vanished?”

  “Yeah. Nobody knows how or why.”

  Ariya stared at the photo, a strange worry flickering in her eyes.

  Suddenly, Setchi shouted from upstairs, “Guys! Someone’s coming—we have to GO!”

  Everyone bolted for the door, sprinting down the street until they were far from the house.

  Breathless, Ariya smiled. “I think that’s enough adventure for tonight.”

  Everyone agreed. They said their goodbyes and split off in different directions.

  As Umi and Ariya walked home, Umi asked, “So? How was your first day?”

  Ariya looked up at the stars. “Pretty amazing.”

  “Great!” Umi beamed. “Let’s do it again soon.”

  Ariya nodded. And so ended her first day in a new world.