Ember of the Starry Sky

After stuffing herself to the point where she felt like her belly might explode, Yukari decided it was time to move on. She groaned as she stood up, taking a few moments to stretch and let her food settle before heading out of the restaurant.

"Ugh, that was way too much," she muttered to herself, rubbing her stomach. "But totally worth it."

Stepping outside, she felt a cool breeze brush against her newly trimmed hair, and for a moment, she felt… different. Lighter, more confident. Maybe it was the haircut, or maybe it was the fact that for once, she didn't feel like a total mess. Either way, she allowed herself a small, satisfied smile.

As she wandered through the streets, Yukari couldn't help but wonder when Hinote would show up again. He'd just dropped her off like it was no big deal and hadn't said when he'd be back.

"Maybe he forgot about me," she muttered, half-joking. But deep down, the thought made her stomach twist. What if he really did leave me here?

She pushed the thought away as she reached the edge of the town. Yukari found a spot just outside the city walls and plopped down on a large rock, pulling her knees to her chest.

Alright, Hinote, any day now, she thought.

Time seemed to drag on as she waited. She kicked at the dirt with her foot, huffed, and even tossed a few pebbles, but there was still no sign of Hinote.

"Ugh! I knew it," Yukari groaned after what felt like an hour of waiting. "He totally ditched me. Left me out here like yesterday's garbage!"

Just as she was about to start cursing his name into the sky, a flash of red caught her eye. She looked up to see Hinote swooping down from above, his massive wings blocking out the fading sunlight.

"Finally!" she yelled, jumping up and crossing her arms in annoyance. "What took you so long?"

Hinote landed with a graceful thud, folding his wings back as he eyed her up and down. His fiery eyes locked on her new look, and for a brief moment, there was a flicker of surprise on his face. But, as always, Hinote wasn't about to give her any compliments.

"You actually look… presentable now," he said, his tone dripping with mock disbelief. "I almost didn't recognize you without all the dirt and wild hair. But don't get too excited. You still look like a lost puppy."

Yukari scowled, her cheeks puffing out. "Oh, gee, thanks. I'll take that as a compliment, you overgrown turkey."

Hinote snorted. "Don't get too ahead of yourself. It's just hair. Doesn't change much about you."

Yukari grumbled under her breath, but secretly, she was a little relieved that he hadn't completely ignored her new look. At least he'd noticed.

"Come on," Hinote said, crouching down so Yukari could climb onto his back. "We're heading back to the cave."

Yukari clambered up onto his fiery-feathered back, gripping tightly as he launched into the air. The wind whipped through her hair, and she found herself once again wondering how she had gotten used to riding a giant, snarky phoenix.

As they soared above the landscape, the town quickly disappeared behind them, replaced by the familiar rocky terrain of the mountains. The flight was shorter than usual, probably because Hinote was flying faster, eager to return.

When they finally touched down in front of the cave, the sky was a deep orange.

Yukari slid off Hinote's back, stretching her legs. "You know," she said, glancing at him, "you could've just stayed in town with me. We could've hung out."

Hinote raised an eyebrow, his beak twisting into a smirk. "I don't do 'hanging out,' kid. Besides, I had more important things to do."

"Yeah, like what?" Yukari shot back, hands on her hips.

"Like not listening to you complain for a few hours," Hinote quipped, flicking his tail as he headed into the cave.

Yukari huffed but followed him inside. "I wasn't that bad."

"You're always that bad," Hinote retorted with a grin. "Now, get some rest. Tomorrow, you're learning a new spell."

Yukari's eyes widened, excitement bubbling up inside her. "Really? A new spell?! What is it? Is it going to be awesome? Am I going to shoot fireballs or—"

"Calm down, spark plug," Hinote interrupted, cutting off her rambling. "You'll find out tomorrow. And yes, it'll be awesome if you don't screw it up, that is."

Yukari's excitement was momentarily deflated, but she quickly bounced back. She couldn't help it. A new spell meant more power, and more power meant… well, she wasn't exactly sure what it meant yet, but it felt important.

"Fine, fine," she grumbled, settling down on her makeshift bed of furs and blankets. "But if this spell isn't amazing, I'm going to roast you."

"Sure, kid," Hinote chuckled, lying down near the entrance of the cave. "You keep telling yourself that."

As Yukari lay there, staring up at the darkening sky through the cave's opening, she couldn't help but feel a small thrill of excitement. Learning magic was hard, and sometimes frustrating, but it was also incredible. And tomorrow, she was going to get one step closer to becoming someone powerful someone who wasn't afraid anymore.

But first, sleep. And maybe just a few more insults thrown at her oversized, feathered mentor.

"Goodnight, you overgrown feather duster," she mumbled as she closed her eyes.

"Sweet dreams, brat," Hinote replied, his voice laced with amusement.

Yukari smiled to herself as she drifted off, already imagining what kind of spell she'd be mastering next.