Citizenship Uncertainty

Hilda's legs ached as she finally, blessedly deboarded the ship that had carried her across the East Sea. She carried little more than a duffle bag across her back, and her short frame was nearly lost in the throngs of people rushing the docks and finally breathing Itonan air for the first time. Her boots clopped dramatically down the wooden walkway, where she followed the flow of people beginning to gather on flat land. They seemed to be forming a circle around two people - a man and a woman, both smartly dressed - who were calling out to the crowd. 

"Gather 'round, gather 'round. All future citizens of Ynnis are welcome. We'll register you to the city of culture right away!" The woman smiled brilliantly to her audience. 

"Culture," the man in the suit scoffed. "You'll want to live in Azzaru, city of innovation! Become a citizen of wealth with a vision for the future." 

The two bantered back and forth, and the crowd began to split as others made their decision. Hilda had heard people on the ship discussing where they'd ultimately end up living, but even now, standing her between the two, Hilda was uncertain. Wealth in Azzaru sounded nice to a girl with little more than a bag to her name, but the sheer mass of Ynnis and the seemingly endless list of things to experience was enticing. Hilda stood there, in the center of the two crowds, until the lines dwindled and it was just her and the two representatives. As if sensing her uncertainty, they both watched her silently with patient smiles on their faces. 

Suddenly the sole attention of the two, Hilda couldn't take it. She made a snap decision and scrambled to the Ynnis representative, feeling uncertain. Out of the corner of her eye, she swore the man deflated, just a little. 

"Brilliant choice, ma'am," the woman grinned. "I promise you won't regret it. Ynnis is filled with people and activity. You'll make good friends, experience the variety of life, and the seaside view is nothing to sneeze at, if you ask me." She winked conspiratorily, and Hilda's shoulders relaxed just a little. 

"Thanks," Hilda said. 

The woman paused, as if expecting more than a single word, and blinked when Hilda said nothing else. "Well. Let's get you all registered and have you on your way. I'm sure you're exhausted." She pulled a folder from a neat stack on her table and presented it to Hilda. Inside was a truly nauseating amount of paper. Some she had to sign, others she had to read and struggle to understand the lingo. It felt like she stood there for hours signing her life away, even though she'd seen everyone else complete it in only minutes. 

By the time she handed the folder back to the representative she was just as mentally exhausted as she was physically exhausted. "I think that's everything." 

The representative hummed cheerily as she looked over every page rapidly, checking that all the signature lines were full. When she was finished, she clapped the folder closed and smiled wide. "Welcome to Ynnis, Ms. Weber! We are truly delighted to have you. Please take your time getting to know the city, and let me know if you need help finding accomodations." 

That was it. Hilda was officially a citizen of Ynnis.