1 A girl in the rain
The girl knelt in the rain, despondent about the world. The despair she felt held more weight than the dripping rain droplets on her body.
"Aether..." she croaked out. The pain was her scar, the fresh scar was for all to see.
An unfamiliar land, an unknown world. Between the dimensions she lost the only partner she knew of.
"Are you okay?" An unfamiliar language further hammered her broken heart that she was in an unfamiliar territory.
She turned to the source of the voice. A boy with short spiky brown hair, with two short locks of hair behind his head, and light brown eyes.
He extended his only free hand out with a look of concern on his face.
From the words he told, the tone of his voice, his facial expression and current action, the girl deduced he was asking him if she was okay or something similar to it.
Unable to trust her words and desperate for warmth, she reached out to the hand and held it tight.
A slight wince appeared on the boy's face, but the girl didn't particular cared for now.
The boy pulled her under his umbrella, keeping her from the rain. Without a word, the boy pushed the umbrella handle into her free hand.
Understanding his intention, she held on it to keep both of them from the rain. He took off his thin coat (a blazer, later she learned) and wrapped around her before taking the umbrella back.
Both of them walked, perhaps to the boy's place of residence. She didn't know, nor she didn't care.
If her fate was doomed from the start, so be it. No other fate than death was worse than losing her powers and brother.
The walk was silent, the sound of their feet stepping on the wet road and rain drop accompany them.
It was all a blur to the girl, only distinctly remember reaching a home, hearing the unfamiliar language being spoken between the boy and, perhaps, his mother before being pulled to an odd room where she washed off the dirt on her body.
When she became aware once more, she saw a bowl of noodle in front of her. The distinct smell and texture was something she must've encountered before, but the memory of it was hazy.
"You're hungry, eat it."
Again with the unfamiliar language, this time by the older woman who gave her a small smile.
Without a second thought, the girl took up the chopsticks and ate the noodle. The loud slurping noise she made could be rude in her culture, but the girl cared none of it.
Her body wishes for food, so she'll provide it.
During eating, the boy returned from somewhere and spoke to the older woman. On his hands held a pair of white flowers and feather.
He turned to the girl and held out the item in his hands to her. She took the items back, feeling it to be slightly cold and wet to her touch.
Knowing she couldn't wear her brother's gifts yet, she merely bowed to the boy in gratitude.
The panicking tone of the boy and the woman implied they couldn't accept her thanks.
Finishing the food, the girl merely sat on the sofa, stirring in her own depressed mind to contemplate her next course of action.
Without her power, she couldn't defend herself from threats that could not be solved with a sword. Without her power, she could not travel between worlds.
Without knowledge of this unknown world, she would be easily lost and forced to survive in the wild.
Without Aether...
Aether...
She felt tears well up in her eyes, and her emotions became a storm. Her heart beat against her chest and her stomach tied into a painful knot.
"Aether..."
Her attempts to give herself some semblance of control failed miserably. She could hear herself cried softly in despair as the recent pain surfaced once more.
"Aether... I'm sorry."
Something wrapped around her, trying to comfort her. But no warmth and comfort would patch the wound she held. Even so... she could appreciate the shoulder she could cry on.
She needed time. She needed to learn new things in this world while searching for Aether.
Lumine swore to her fellow gods that she shall never leave this world before reuniting with her brother.
*---------break---------*
Hyoudou Issei was just on his first day of high school life when he found the girl.
It was interesting, really. He joined Kuoh High because he desired to make a harem there, wishing it will be like in anime.
Boy, did it look like it'll be going in that direction with the beautiful girl he found to be a sign of good things to come.
Despite clearly being in despair, he could tell she was a beauty unlike others.
Her white dress and pale skin gave her an air of purity like a goddess. Golden eyes that looked like it truly was made of gold itself. The smooth blond hair she had, which was adorned with flowers and feather, gave her a divine air.
If the situation didn't call for his concern, he would've admired the girl as his waifu.
Unfortunately, he must look after the girl. From the way she acted, a tragedy must've struck. It involved someone called Aether from what she mumbled in her sadness induced sleep.
The way she took a moment to think about his and his mother's words before replying with a gesture implied she was a foreigner.
An European perhaps? Shit, does it mean he needs to look up all the languages in the European region?!
A concern for tomorrow's Issei. For now, he has to carry the girl to the guest room. She was heavier than he thought, but still light enough for him to carry her.
Light as a feather, delicate like a flower. She was a goddess to him.
He carefully tucked her into the guest room bed before leaving the room, allowing the girl to rest.
Hopefully she will have a good night's sleep.
"She's in the room now, mom." Issei informed his mother, Miki Hyoudou.
The middle age woman smiles in relief at the young girl. She does not know the full story of the young girl, but her bleeding heart told her to keep her safe.
Just as soon as her son told her he was going back to his room, she stopped him.
"You did nothing to her, did you?"
He flinched at his mother's suspicion. To him, it was an insult to the highest order.
Despite being warranted for it, he doesn't like the tone his mother used.
"Why would I even stood that low mom?" The boy spoke in an annoyed tone. "She needs help right now."
Realizing her mistake, she apologizes to her son before allowing him to return to his room.
Issei entered his room with his mood not uplifted. Not even the gravure posters of various women he masturbated to help him.
Not that he intended to do so anyway. A girl was sleeping in their guest room after what seemed to be a tragedy and he was here doing something... dirty?
Unacceptable.
Contrary to many people, Issei was capable of empathy.
But now he had some stirred emotions inside him. Emotions that usually dealt with by doing his "activities".
However, now is not the time.
The boy rummage through his desk cabinet until he had gotten an old notebook.
"Been a while since I did this..." He muttered to himself, wondering what stopped him.
Mentally shrugging off the question, he took out a mechanical pencil and flipped through the notebook.
He hovered his pencil over a blank page, hesitation clear as his hand felt heavy.
'Let's do this.'
He took a deep breath and start writing on the blank page. His being fell into a trance as he poured his thoughts and feelings into words.
{A hair that is soft as silk
Skin as beautiful as Snow White
As light as feathers
A body, while petite, looks perfect
Is she a goddess
For what tragedy had befallen upon her
Questions unanswered
But I shall answer the cry of help
May her wish be granted}
The boy closed the book right as he was done. He felt flustered by what he had written.
Without a word, the boy slept early for the evening to let his mind forget about those words.
