Her room was… normal, for an orphan. Austere in the extreme for anyone who’d grown up with any sort of wealth, though Lily didn’t think Avyr really had enough context into that whole sort of thing to appreciate the difference. From what she knew of his past, he hadn’t really lived in rooms as a kid, per say…

At least she got her own personal space— a perk of being a final year student. Her little desk, her tiny lamp with its lightbulb that always produced more heat than warmth, which was great actually because the vent in her room was right next to the air conditioning unit, which meant it was always uncomfortably cold. Her small bed, which almost didn’t fit her, even though she wasn’t even that tall; she’d heard from the older wards when she was younger that the orphanages were only given beds for the little kids, and the older ones just had to make do. She wasn’t sure if she believed that, but she did definitely pity the kids who were taller than her. Thin walls. Paint, flaking off the plaster and collecting in corners on the linoleum floor. That horrible popcorn-style ceiling, complete with the wounds where kids before her had picked at it. Paper. So much paper, heaped up in stacks and filling up boxes and threatening to spill off her desk, most of it scribbled with homework or runes or something.

Altogether, though, it combined into something very much hers. “It’s… not much, but… yeah. At least the Matron wasn’t too harsh on you?”

Avyr barely even blinked as he took in her room, looking entirely unperturbed by the whole… whatever that had been, but Lily knew him well enough to tell that he was, in his own peculiar way. “I don’t think she even noticed me.” Then, a second later, as he stepped into the small space and pulled the door shut behind him— “she was intense, though. I can see where you inherited your stubbornness from.”

“I… maybe.” Instead of dwelling further on those grim matters, she turned instead to what she had prepared— a big bag! And not just any big back, it was a nice big bag. It made her not feel like she’d totally skimped on the journey preparations, even though she had done her research— extensive research, at that. A backpacker’s bag, waterproof, lightweight, filled with all those clips and clasps and random other things that any good backpack should have. Yup. She’d learnt that one in a TV drama, so it must be true. “Everything’s packed! I’ve got clothes, camping gear, the cool treasures Mingtian gave me, and—” she picked two items up from where they leaned precariously on top of her bag, grinning widely—

“tickets!”

Avyr grabbed one of her hands almost faster than she could react, scanning it intently— and Lily knew exactly what he’d find on it. Scheduled for later that day, departing from the Phoenix Gate station out of East Saffron city— a ticket to a cabin seat on the Phoenix Line. The entire line— all the way to Chongtian at the end, long after most everyone else would have gotten off— the last population center of any note below the Dragonspine Mountains. “This is…”

“Awesome?”

“Dangerous. I’m not a Ca Cao native, but I’d already dismissed the Dragonspine Mountains as an option for whatever potential advancement I pursued.”

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Lily gave him her best half-judgmental, half-pouty look. “How much of that was because of how far away it is?” If the way Avyr was shifting sheepishly was any measure, the answer was a lot. “It’s the perfect place and you know it. The mountains will be great for gathering qi, and the remoteness will keep us from getting found.”

“By who, though?”

Lily rolled her eyes. “Anyone with qi sense, obviously. I don’t plan about being subtle in trying to get you to advance all the way to opening in just a few short weeks.” It still sounded impossible whenever she said it, but maybe if she said it enough times the universe would give up on the contrary and just let it happen? It’s pretty much worked with getting into University, probably…

There was a chance, and even if it wasn’t hers

, she would seize it with both hands and her teeth and wrestle it into submission. She refused to let her future escape without a fight. And so she slipped on her fluffy jacket and shouldered her bag, grunting slightly under the weight of it— beneath the cold of an East Saffron winter, and the rest of it swirling around her—

She turned to Avyr, perfectly serious. “Last chance. Do you want to come?”

Avyr blinked, then laughed. “Was that ever even a question? Of course I’m coming!” The two of them escaped her room in high spirits, for the start of their trip— a few curious eyes peeking at them out of their own rooms as they sauntered through the halls dressed for some great exploration more than any typical trip… it felt liberating, in some small, not quite quantifiable way—

The Matron was waiting for them at the exit, just calmly standing there, still sipping her tea. “Lily, Avyr.” Lily gulped, remembering the conversation they’d just come from— how could she not? And so many other things besides… she just nodded to them. “Good luck. Bring us honor.”

For that, Lily’s grin turned broad. “Don’t worry. When I get into the sect, this orphanage is going to be the most known one in the entire city.”

“Then… what else can I say that hasn’t been said already?” She waved a hand towards the door, face unreadable, hint of smile and sorrow, touch of an old wisdom all wrapped around it— faint color, touch of amber glow, pale. “Good luck, Lily. When I see you again… well, just make sure you’re back before school starts. And have a good trip.” And with that… there was nothing left between them and their journey.

An incredible thought.

A scary thought. She pushed open the door and stepped out onto the snowy street, marveling for a moment at just how warm the new jacket was. She knew the mountains weren’t going to be nice and hot, but there was certainly something to be said about standing out in the middle of an East Saffron winter and barely even being able to feel the cold.

Avyr looked like he could feel it, though, so— with a laugh, she gave her orphanage, her home one last look, then waved to the big cat and—

They set out.