Warmth of the Heart

[Foleo]

"Hey, isn't that the new girl?"

"It is! She doesn't look like much, does she?"

"Yeah, I bet she's a fraud. Belmos dragged us all down to the Stream today just to let her pick out an egg, but she didn't even take one. She just stood there, like some dumb animal."

"Seriously? I wonder what Master Thane was thinking, enrolling her in the middle of the year. I mean, today in Practical Studies she couldn't even enchant a writing quill!"

"Have you seen the way the professors favor her? Whenever she fails a spell, they simply pat her on the head and encourage her. I don't see what she does to deserve that treatment."

"I heard she scored the highest in the Runes exam, though."

"Fah! Who needs those theoreticals? Any magickless could study up on runes."

It was the beginning of the Midsummer's Festival, and students were given one week's leave to return home, relax, or simply party until the sun rose up. In this blessed period, the first-years were doing what first-years did best—gossip.

In this case, the topic of discussion was a small girl, 10 years of age, who sat alone under a tree, cradling a heavy book on Runes. Desperately, she immersed herself in its contents, in an effort to escape the harsh words of the other students, burying her mind in the thick text.

Summer. Barely six months in, and Tsura could already tell she hated summer at the Keep.

Summer was a time when magi of all ages got drunk off their minds, partying late into the night with their similarly intoxicated peers. Summer was a time when everyone abandoned their studies in favor of taking some insane trek into the wilderness, with delusional hopes of finding some rare and powerful creature. But worst of all, summer was a time when everyone was celebrating with their friends. Friends that Tsura lacked.

"Hello!"

Tsura looked up, staring at an outstretched hand in confusion. The boyish face behind the hand grinned back at her.

"I'm Amestrain. What's your name?"

"Ts-tsura."

"Let's be friends, Tsura!" he chirped, the kitsune pup draped across his shoulders chittering happily.

Tsura blinked, perplexed. She was just the weird new kid that didn't even have a creature yet. So why would anyone want to befriend her? "Why?"

The boy thought about this for a second, before smiling even wider and replying, "Because you looked lonely, and no one should ever be lonely!" The kitsune nodded in agreement, wagging its twin tails.

"...Oh." Tsura was dumbstruck. Who was he, to say such a simple thing? Who was he, to be so happy? Who was he, to--

"Well? Are you going to come?" Amestrain asked, "It's the Midsummer's Festival, and that's a time for fun!" His hand was still thrust forward, an open invitation to take it.

Hesitantly, Tsura raised her hand to clasp his. As soon as their fingertips met, Amestrain yanked her up, mindless of her squeak of surprise.

"Let's go!" he shouted, breaking into a run as he headed towards the festival's center, towing Tsura behind him.

Tsura stumbled after him, a small smile beginning to form on her lips. The Runes book lay abandoned by the tree, the wind ruffling its thin pages until the covers blew shut with a firm finality.

A new chapter was beginning in Tsura's life. Perhaps this summer would not be so bad, after all...