They arrived in Aki at sundown. The street lanterns burned dimly and added to the eeriness of the chilly night air. Of course, Akimoto was unaffected but Toni and Iwata needed to purchase extra clothing if they were going to stay in town for the night. “We should look for an inn,” Akimoto suggested as they finalized their purchases.

The two looked at each other, forgetting they needed to consider such an expense. “Well, we don’t have enough money for all three of us.”

Akimoto looked back as if the statement was completely irrelevant. “Then we work,” he said as if he shouldn’t have needed to.

Toni smiled and chuckled to himself, remembering Akimoto’s habits of travel. 

Walking down the streets, it was clear this was where the tournament was being held. Large men and women walked down the street, most of them stopping to lift and toss the heavy items often scattered across Beruga. Akimoto stuck out, regardless. His bare chest was unexpected in the cold months. It wasn’t unusual for Elementals to attend the tournament, and Firus were almost as common as Eartheans here. Still, with the current conflict, biases couldn’t help but be formed.

“We’ll need a room,” Akimoto said to an innkeeper.

“For the three of you?” the older woman giggled to herself. 

“Preferably with three beds,” he added.

She continued to giggle but nodded her head.

“You boys participating in the tournament?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Akimoto bowed.

“Yes, I have a room available. What will be your payment?”

“Labor,” he said plainly. Iwata’s eyes darted back and forth, obviously embarrassed to be unable to pay with items. He thought that’s what only the poor did.

“Here are the keys to your room. Feel free to get settled in and then meet the wood-hand out back. He’ll set you boys to work.” She added, eyeing them as they left.

Akimoto knew they were in for some tough labor, considering the time of year and their obvious physical dispositions. Akimoto drew a cold bath in which to rest his muscles from the long run. Toni and Iwata did the same. Akimoto and Toni left Iwata behind, feeling obligated to pay the boy’s way.

The wood-hand stood above both Akimoto and Toni, and seemed to be able to if they were on each other’s shoulders. We was built like an elm and looked just as unshakeable. He was a stern man, Fuzaiyuri. He was blunt and short with the two. He didn’t sound illiterate, but Akimoto could assume his intelligence was made fun of during his youth and emotionally scarred him. 

The two were tasked with the simple chores of chopping and organizing wood. Fuzaiyuri would return with large logs, dragging them behind him. This task would have been impossible for Akimoto and Toni together. They worked as fast they could to match the strength of Fuzai.

Hours later, Iwata emerged from his bath. Akimoto glanced and could tell the boy was a touch ashamed of his sloth. Toni only shouted out commands as if he’d been there the entire time. Akimoto and Toni worked on the two-man saw and chopping the wood into more manageable sizes while Iwata stacked it.

Deeper into the night, Iwata moved to chopping as well as stacking when the larger trunks were all that remained. Fuzai slinked back inside as it seemed his job was done. Until all the wood was chopped and stacked neatly, they wouldn’t have earned their night’s stay. However, it seemed this chore would last through the night even with the three of them working together.

The moon drifted through the starry sky and Toni looked up once to watch. “You two should head off to bed. I’ll finish this up.”

It was truly a martyr’s offer since there was still so much to be done. Toni would be up until the two of them awoke for the day still stacking wood. “No,” Akimoto insisted. “We’re all paying for the room.”

“If anyone should go rest, it’s you, Akimoto-sensei. You’re the reason we’re here.”

Akimoto could only look at the boy. He was right. “Yes, Aki-hi, you need the rest. We’ll be fine,” Toni said paternally. This might have been odd considering the fact they were peers of both age and martial discipline. The honorific confused Iwata, though.

“’Hi’?”

“Boy, you’re so naïve. It’s late in the Scorpion Season and he hasn’t worn a shirt since I’ve met him.”

Iwata only looked blankly at Toni. The man just shook his head and continued chopping wood as their conversation took up time they should have been spending working. Iwata looked back at Akimoto in awe. It was then he realized the burnt nature of his skin and the heat he obviously radiated to keep his surrounding warm enough to be comfortable for them. 

“I’ll pay you two back tomorrow, then,” Akimoto said as he stretched out a little before heading to their room.

“Don’t worry, you will,” Toni said with a wide grin as the axe fell onto the log, splitting it quickly and evenly. 

“Thank you,” he said back and bowed to both Toni and Iwata separately.

“Honestly, you didn’t notice that?” Toni harassed Iwata when Akimoto was out of earshot. 

“I don’t know what Firus are like,” he responded incredulously.

Toni chuckled heartily and the both of them continued deep into the dusk with their labor. Akimoto was sound asleep when the two of them entered their room for the night and crashed onto their beds. Iwata was a bit put off by Akimoto’s open nudity, and then Toni’s. He was understandably embarrassed by his own lack of physical maturity.