Rei walked into his house, shutting the door behind him. He was tired. Training had taken all his energy, and all he wanted to do was rest. But when he saw his parents sitting at the table, waiting for him, he knew something was up.
"Rei," his father said, sliding an envelope across the table. "We've enrolled you in knight school."
Rei stopped. He stared at the envelope but didn't touch it. "...You did what?"
His mother smiled softly. "We know you've been struggling to figure out what you want, but we think this is the right path for you."
Rei didn't answer right away. His hands clenched into fists. "I never said I wanted this."
His father sighed. "You've trained for this your whole life. You're strong. And whether you admit it or not, this is what you're best at."
Rei hated that they were right. No matter how much he tried to do something else, nothing worked.
His mother placed a hand on his. "Just give it a chance."
Rei swallowed and picked up the envelope. Inside were school papers and a train ticket. It was already decided.
The next morning, Rei stood at the train station, his bag slung over his shoulder. His parents had walked him there, but they kept their distance. The air was cool, and the village was waking up. He stared down the tracks, his stomach twisting.
Then, a voice called out.
"Hey! You must be Rei, right?"
Rei turned. The person in front of him had fox ears, a bright grin, and eyes full of energy. He had long orange hair
"I'm Kajala! First-year knight. I got assigned to escort you. Pretty cool, huh?"
Rei wasn't sure what to say. This was his escort?
Kajala's tail flicked as he looked him up and down. "I thought you'd be taller. You do look strong, though! What's your weapon? How long have you been training? Are you excited? You don't look excited. Why don't you look excited?"
Rei let out a slow sigh. "Can we just go?"
Kajala just smiled bigger. "Sure! But we still have time before the train. Have you ever been on a train before? Do you get motion sickness? I hope not, 'cause that'd be bad—"
Rei groaned. This was going to be a long ride.
The train finally arrived with a loud hiss, steam rising from beneath it as the doors slid open. Rei stepped forward, ready to get this over with, but Kajala grabbed his arm.
"Wait, wait! We have to sit together, right?" Kajala's tail flicked excitedly. "I mean, I'm your escort, so I gotta keep an eye on you. What if you run off?"
Rei gave him a blank stare. "Why would I do that?"
Kajala shrugged. "I dunno! Just making sure."
Rei sighed and stepped onto the train, finding a seat by the window. Maybe he could just stare outside and ignore everything else.
Kajala, of course, plopped down right next to him.
"Wow, this train is nice! Have you been on one before?" He barely gave Rei time to answer before continuing. "I have! A few times! The view's really pretty when we pass the hills. Oh, and there's a food cart! I hope they have meat buns."
Rei exhaled slowly. "Do you ever stop talking?"
Kajala tilted his head. "Huh? Not really! Why?"
Rei rubbed his temples. This was going to be a very long trip.
As the train started moving, Kajala leaned forward, his ears twitching. "So, why'd you decide to become a knight?"
Rei tensed slightly. "I didn't."
Kajala blinked. "Huh?"
"My parents decided for me." Rei looked out the window, watching the trees blur past.
"Ohhh." Kajala paused, ears twitching again. "So… you don't wanna do it?"
Rei didn't answer right away. He didn't know what to say. Did he want this? Maybe. Maybe not. But either way, here he was.
Kajala didn't press further. Instead, he grinned. "Well, hey, maybe you'll end up liking it! And if not, at least you get to train with me!"
Rei gave him a tired look. "That's not helping."
Kajala just laughed. "C'mon, I'm not that bad! Besides, we'll be classmates, so you're stuck with me anyway."
Rei groaned and rested his forehead against the window. Maybe he could just sleep through the rest of the ride.
The train rumbled along the tracks, its wheels clicking rhythmically, but Rei barely noticed. His gaze was fixed on the window, where the world outside seemed to stretch endlessly. The landscape was gradually changing, the hills turning into low, rolling mountains as the sun began to dip.
It was the blue hour, that quiet time between sunset and nightfall when the sky was deepening into a rich, indigo blue. Strands of orange and purple began to blend in at the edges of the horizon, a soft, glowing gradient that almost seemed to pull at his attention.
Kajala, still sitting next to him, didn't seem to notice the peacefulness of the moment. He was bouncing slightly in his seat, tail flicking with excitement.
"So," Kajala began, leaning forward, "what's it like, really? Training for real, I mean. You've been training for this kind of stuff for a while, right?"
Rei blinked, surprised by the question. "It's... hard. Lots of practice." He didn't feel like going into detail.
Kajala nodded, his ears flicking with interest. "Yeah, I figured. I mean, this stuff isn't easy, right? You're gonna be one of the stronger ones, huh? I'm kinda excited to see what kind of techniques you have."
Rei didn't answer. Instead, he kept his gaze on the sky. The orange and purple hues were getting deeper now, painting the clouds in a way that felt almost like fire and ice at once.
Kajala leaned back, staring out the window too, but his curiosity never slowed down. "So... what's your weapon of choice? I bet you're really good with a sword, huh?"
Rei sighed, wishing Kajala would leave him alone for just a little while. "I guess. Swords are fine."
Kajala grinned, completely unfazed by the lack of enthusiasm. "Swords are the best! I'm glad we'll have someone like you with us. We're gonna make an awesome team!"
Rei muttered under his breath, "Yeah, sure."
Kajala didn't notice his irritation. Instead, he smiled wider, his tail wagging. "I can't wait for the first practice. I think we'll get along just fine!"
As the train continued its long journey, Rei glanced out the window again. The sky was a blend of colors now, soft and intense at the same time. He tried to focus on the beauty of it, hoping it would help him forget about the nervous knot in his stomach.
But Kajala wasn't done. "Do you think you'll ever get used to the whole school thing?" he asked, his voice quieter now. "It's weird, right? Being around so many people who know what they're doing... and then there's you, starting fresh."
Rei frowned slightly. "I'm not fresh. I've been training for a long time."
Kajala didn't seem to take offense. "Right, right. But it's still gonna be different, huh? I mean, I've only been here a little while, but it's already been kinda crazy. People expect a lot, you know?"
Rei nodded slowly, his eyes flicking back to the train's passing scenery. The sky was slowly darkening, and he let himself relax for a moment, letting the colors settle in his mind.
Kajala, however, leaned forward again, clearly ready to start another round of questions. Rei braced himself.
The train clattered along, the rhythm of the tracks almost hypnotic, but Rei couldn't shake the feeling that this trip was dragging on forever. The hills in the distance were giving way to flatter land, and the sky was now turning to a soft dark purple, the last hints of orange melting away.
Kajala, still bouncing with energy, didn't seem to mind the slow pace at all. His eyes were glued to the window, occasionally glancing at Rei as he kept talking.
"So, how do you think you'll handle the classes?" Kajala asked, his voice a little more thoughtful. "I mean, you've been through a lot of training on your own, but... it's gonna be a lot more serious at the academy. You'll have to keep up with everyone."
Rei didn't answer immediately. The thought of classes, real lessons, and the pressure to perform hit him harder than expected. He wasn't used to being around others who were so confident in their abilities. He had always been a bit of an outsider in his own training.
"It's... fine," Rei finally muttered, not looking at Kajala. "I'll manage."
Kajala tilted his head, his ears flicking as he took in Rei's answer. "Yeah, but you don't sound too sure. I get it. I was the same way when I first came here. Everyone's so good, and you're just like, 'What am I doing here?'" He chuckled, though there was a hint of nervousness in his voice too. "But hey, you'll catch up. Trust me, you're not the only one who's struggling. I'm still trying to figure some stuff out."
Rei gave him a quick glance. "You?"
Kajala grinned widely. "Of course! I mean, yeah, I'm a first-year, but that doesn't mean I have it all figured out. There's so much to learn, and sometimes it feels like I'm barely keeping up with the others."
Rei blinked. He hadn't expected Kajala to admit that, especially since he seemed so confident and talkative. "I thought you already knew everything."
Kajala's grin faltered just slightly, but he quickly recovered. "Nah, I mean, I know the basics. I can hold my own in a fight and all, but the academy's tough. It's not just about fighting—it's about thinking, too. Strategy, technique, how you handle situations... It's all way more complicated than I thought."
Rei stayed quiet for a while, letting the weight of Kajala's words sink in. Maybe it wouldn't be as easy as he thought. Everyone around him, including Kajala, had their own struggles, their own doubts. Maybe he wasn't so out of place after all.
The train began to slow as it approached a station, the rhythmic clacking of the tracks gradually becoming softer. Rei glanced out the window again. The sky outside had darkened into a deep shade of purple, the last faint traces of orange barely visible on the horizon. The air inside the train had cooled slightly, and the quiet moments between the sounds of the train felt oddly peaceful.
Kajala yawned loudly, stretching in his seat. "This ride is taking forever. I think we've still got a few more hours. You doing okay?"
Rei just nodded, not trusting himself to say anything more. The thought of hours more of this journey felt like a punishment, but he couldn't shake the nagging feeling that this was just the beginning.
Kajala stretched again, his tail swishing lazily. "You'll get used to the travel stuff. Trust me. Once you've done it a few times, it's not so bad. And once we're at the academy, you'll forget all about this long ride. We've got a lot of work ahead, but we'll get through it together!"
Rei gave him a tired smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Yeah... I guess."
Kajala leaned back again, settling in for the long haul, clearly unaware of the exhaustion creeping into Rei's bones. The conversation had slowed, but Rei's mind raced. He stared out the window, watching the last remnants of the orange and purple sky fade away, giving way to the dark. The journey wasn't over yet, and neither was the road ahead.