Decision Time

When the ship docked it was with no small amount of trepidation that Holland shouldered her pack and walked the plank towards her future. The bustling city before her was a welcome sight after her time at sea and she saw in each direction elements from different cultures, most of which she was unfamiliar with, which wasn't surprising because she wasn't well travelled.

Well, she was fixing that now, wasn't she?

She looked around until she saw the welcome booths, the man and woman behind each of them beckoning all the newcomers over.

She listened to each representative give a brief rundown of their respective cities. Coastal Ynnisi looked and sounded the best, but while the slick looking representative of Azzaru slightly irked her in the way he spoke, the city itself sounded intriguing as well. How to choose her citizenship? The decision to journey to Itona itself had taken months! Now she was faced with yet another choice, the first of many, most likely, in this new land. Without giving either one an answer she walked away towards the water.

Ynnisi looked (and smelled) fantastic. Its diversity of culture and foods, well, those were very alluring. She could see herself walking these streets every day, going about her business. On the other hand, Azzaru sounded exciting as well, something that was new and changing.

Holland reflected on the reason she had come here. She had gotten complacent in her life, or had she always been that way? No need to try harder, content to let things lie the way they were. Day in and day out, work sleep eat, shop for essentials and repeat. She had worked a dead end job she hated but never had the motivation to look for something better. Well, Itona was certainly better.

But would Ynnisi be too comfortable? She didn't want her new life to end up like the one she'd left behind. She wanted to challenge herself, she was ready to force herself from her old mold and into something new. No, no more easy route for Holland Ashdawn. She would venture into the unknown, forge a new life, and prove to herself she could do it!

She hiked up her pack and walked purposefully back towards the booths. She had wandered a fair distance while she had been thinking and now admired the view on the coastline as she made her way back to the busier part of the harbor. Hopefully joining the inland city of Azzaru would still let her enjoy the coast from time to time.

What work would she find in Azzaru? What was it like? What foods did they have there? Would she have to deal with that business suit guy? Probably. Would she be able to acquire the necessary skills to survive there? What was housing like? The questions were endless so she shook them from her mind. She would camp on the outskirts if she had to!

She straightened her shoulders and nodded to herself, vowing silently to be stronger, more determined, more confident. And also, possibly, to get one of those cool animals just about everyone seemed to have here...