A New Life?

New Life?

"Ramiel." calls out an unfamiliar voice, stirring him awake. "Ramiel." repeats the voice, cutting through the thick fog in his mind.

"Wake up, sweetheart." says the voice as he blearily opens his eyes only to see a blurry figure looking down at him. "It's time to get ready for school." says the voice as the figure comes into focus.

Just as his eyes adjust to allow him to see properly, a sharp headache strikes his mind causing him to tightly close his eyes with a wince before the pain disappears just as quickly as it arrived. In the split second that the pain had been there however, a set of memories and emotions that are completely unfamiliar to him, yet also very familiar, had been implanted in his mind. In those memories he lived a life completely different, yet also similar, to the one he first remembers living.

"Are you in pain?" asks the voice of who is now his mother according to his new memories. "If you're having a crisis you can just skip school today. I'll call the school right away." she says reassuringly as Ramiel hears her move through his bedroom towards the door.

"No!" hurriedly answers Ramiel as he shoots up from his bed. "I'm fine," he says. "Just a little sleepy. I fell asleep late last night." he partially lies.

"Are you sure?" worriedly asks his mother as she turns back to look at him.

With his newfound memories Ramiel can understand why she would ask him that. The original Ramiel, the one who somehow shares the exact same name as him, has a habit of downplaying his pain whenever he experiences a sickle cell crisis. As a person who spent 90% of his previous life bedridden, Ramiel can completely understand why his counterpart would downplay the pain from his crisis, after all being treated like a fragile piece of glass is not fun and is quite bothersome. However, while he understands, he isn't exactly pleased about it since it's coming back to bite him. If he can't convince his mother that he's fine then he would be monitored all day until she's convinced, making him unable to figure out what the hell is going on.

Mind made up, Ramiel puts on his best smile, the same one that he wears whenever he's attending a high class banquet hosted by his family, and answers her "I'm fine mother." he says.

Seemingly unconvinced by his act, his mother continues to scrutinise him for a few more minutes before finally accepting it with a sigh.

"Ok. Get ready for school then. Today's your first day at Teiko, it wouldn't be good for you to be late." she says as she exits the room.

Watching her leave, Ramiel releases a sigh of his own. "What is going on?" he silently asks himself while rubbing the back of his neck. His last memory, that wasn't inserted into his mind, was his father trying to turn him into a vampire to save him from the illness that left him bedridden since his birth and for most of his meager 12 years of life. All he remembers after that is excruciating pain before waking up here, in the body of a boy with the same name as him, in a similar situation but in a completely different universe.

As he begins to think more about his situation, a bright light engulfs his vision before disappearing as quickly as it had appeared and leaving a neatly folded piece of paper on his bed.

Carefully picking up the paper, Ramiel slowly unfolds it to find a letter written to him.

Dear Ramiel,

You're probably confused about your current situation and want answers about what happened to you after your father tried to turn you into a vampire. Well, there's no other way to tell you other than by being blunt: you died.

Stopping there, Ramiel takes a deep breath as his worst fears are confirmed. He died. He died and some higher being seems to have claimed his soul and put it in this new world for god knows what.

"Ahhh, I didn't think that I'd care so much if I died." sighs Ramiel as the paper becomes slightly wet with tears. He didn't live a particularly interesting life, nor did he really have many people that he would miss.

Being born in a powerful family of magic wielders with a lineage spanning millennia, Ramiel was mostly ignored by the majority of his family and the world due to being bedridden with a magical illness. His mother, despite loving and caring for him, was too busy being the matriarch of the family to really spend time with him. His father, despite doing his best, could never hide his disappointment and hatred for having a useless firstborn son. The only people that he ever really connected with were his grandparents, who had died two years before he himself died, and his two genius siblings who were younger than him.

"I'm going to miss those two." Ramiel whispers to himself as he wipes his tears with a sniffle before continuing to read the letter.

By now you've probably figured out that I'm a higher being and wondering what I want with you and why I merged your soul with that of your counterpart from this world. Well, the answer to that is simple, you're an experiment that I am conducting. That's all you need to know other than the fact I'll be moving you from world to world when I feel like it. Your job is to just take this second chance and live your life however you'd like.

Sincerely,

The Admin.

Staring at the letter, Ramiel can't help but feel as if someone is trying to play a cruel joke with him. Had he not known better he would have started to look around the room for a trace of his mischievous siblings. With the lack of burning pain coursing through his body, Ramiel is sure that this is in fact real.

Having finished reading the letter, Ramiel reaches out to the magical energy of the world to burn the letter only to feel nothing.

"A world without magic, perfect." sarcastically says Ramiel with a disappointed sigh before crumpling the paper into a ball and throwing it in the trashcan next to his desk.

Getting up, Ramiel makes his way out of his room and seamlessly walks towards the bathroom, the layout of this house being as familiar to him as his family's castle despite only being here for a few minutes.

Arriving at his location, Ramiel tries his best to ignore the feelings of emptiness and loss in his stomach as he goes about his morning ritual. Luckily he also possesses the emotions of this body's original soul and is able to suppress the depressing feelings with his counterpart's excitement for school. For both he and his counterpart, this will be their first time receiving education outside of home. It's honestly an experience that Ramiel is looking forward to.

Finishing tying his uniform's black tie around his neck, Ramiel slips on the school's white suit jacket and looks at himself in the mirror. While not being vain, Ramiel is still very proud of his looks, it's one of the few things that his family possesses that he shares with them. Soft and unblemished brown skin that many have compared to chocolate, braided black hair with shaved sides, and unnatural fiery orange eyes with swirls that are the trademark of his magical family. In addition to those features his body is slim rather than lancky despite having never exercised once in his life. Back in his old world, it could be attributed to him using magic, but here he honestly has no idea why he looks like someone who exercises sometimes.

Shaking those useless thoughts from his head, Ramiel grabs his school bag and makes his way to the dining room where his mother and father wait for him at the table.

"Goodmorning." says Ramiel as he takes a seat across from his father.

"Son." replies his father a nod while his mother gives him her signature smile. "Good job with your tie." compliments his father as he studies his son's attire.

"Thank you." replies Ramiel as he tries to hide his astonishment at the compliment. His first father had never complimented him a single time in his entire life. Not when he aced his academic exams, not when he walked for the first time despite being diagnosed to never being able to, and not even when he cast his first spell. Evidently magic is not the only difference between this life and his last.

"Are you excited for school?" asks his mother as she fills up his plate with food.

"Yes." replies Ramiel with a genuine smile on his face.

"What club do you plan on joining?" asks his mother.

"I don't know yet." replies Ramiel. "I don't really know what club they have, and I'm not sure what I would be good at." he elaborates.

"I hear that their sports clubs are amongst the best in the nation." says his father. "Just because you have sickle cell doesn't mean that you can't at least try to play."

"Well, whatever club you choose we'll support you." says his mother with a strained smile at the mention of a sports club. While Ramiel's father doesn't believe that he should let his condition stop him from at least trying, his mother has her own thoughts on the issue yet decides to remain quiet for his sake. She understands that the past 12 years haven't been easy for him and doesn't want to put him down any more.

Looking at the two of them, Ramiel can't help the soft smile that graces his lips. Despite never having lived with these two before, he can clearly feel their care and love for him; a stark contrast from his previous parents considering that his mother was frequently absent and his father held nothing but animosity towards him.

Returning his attention back to his plate, Ramiel spends the rest of the breakfast having light conversation with his parents while eating. As their meal nears its end both his father and his mother's phones ring.

As the two look at their message, the previously light and happy expressions on their faces disappear.

Looking at her son with a conflicted expression on her face, Ramiel's mother sighs "Sorry to do this to you honey, but your father and I have to go. Bernard will take you to school." she says as she stands and places a kiss on his forehead before leaving the dining room.

"We'll see you later and talk about what clubs the school has to offer." says his father as he puts on his suit jacket and caresses the top of his son's head before following his wife out.

Sighing to himself, Ramiel gets and picks up his bag before making his way outside where he knows Bernard is waiting for him with the car. Despite coming to a new world and having different parents things are still somewhat the same.

Arriving outside, Ramiel finds a middle aged man, slightly older than his father, dressed in a typical butler suit with white gloves waiting for him in front of a black luxurious car.

"Good morning young sir." says Bernard as he opens the back door of the car for Ramiel.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?" asks Ramiel as he gets into the car.

"Many more times, young sir. I'm afraid my memory seems to be slipping in my old age." replies Bernard as he closes the door, causing Ramiel to sigh. Despite looking like a middle aged man, and moving like a younger man, Ramiel knows for a fact that Bernard is at least 70 years old if not older. For as long as he could remember, Bernard has been in the employ of his family, and according to his father Bernard has worked for the family ever since he was 13 years old.

"Are you excited for your first day of school?" asks Bernard as he enters the car and begins to drive out of the manor's driveway.

"Yes." answers Ramiel with a smile.

"You know, if I didn't help raise you I wouldn't believe you." says Bernard as he briefly looks at Ramiel through the rearview mirror. "As far as facial expressions go, you look completely indifferent and unbothered by today's occasion. Then again, you have, what I believe is called, a resting bitch face. Anyone who doesn't know you intimately would believe you to be indifferent, uncaring, and contemptuous to everything." says Bernard with a chuckle.

"Is it that bad?" asks Ramiel with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes." replies Bernard as if it were the most obvious thing.

The rest of the drive is spent in silence as Ramiel looks out the window and takes in the sights of Tokyo, Japan. This is his first time in Japan, and while the Ramiel of this world moved to the county months ago he spent most of his time at home.

"You can stop here." says Ramiel as the car arrives one block away from Teiko Junior High.

"Are you sure?" asks Bernard as he stops the car on the side of the street..

"Yes. I can walk the rest of the way." replies Ramiel as he gets out of the car.

As he turns to walk towards the school, Ramiel bumps into a figure, sending the two of them stumbling backwards.

"My apologies. I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings." says a soft spoken voice.

Looking towards the speaker, Ramiel finds himself facing a boy about as tall as him with spiky bright crimson red hair and large eyes with vertical pupils the same color as his hair.

"It's fine, I'm the one who bumped into you. I'm Tōsen Ramiel, it's a pleasure to meet you." says Ramiel as he bows

"Seijūrō Akashi." replies the boy with a bow of his own. "Are you a transfer student?" he asks as he straightens from the bow.

"Yes. Today is my first day." answers Ramiel as the two begin begin to make their way towards the school

"I see. Welcome to Teiko, Tōsen-san" says Akashi as they enter through the school's gate. "Do you need help with finding the office?" asks Akashi as he greets enthusiastic boys and girls that they walk past.

"Your help would be greatly appreciated." replies Ramiel.

"Very well, follow me." says Akashi as he leads Ramiel into the main building.

Guiding Ramiel through the building, Akashi gives him a minor tour as they pass through various classrooms such as the music room, the student council office, teacher's lounge, etc… Eventually Akashi stops in front of a particular door with the sign 'Principal's Office' printed on it.

"Thank you." says Ramiel with a nod as opens the door.

"It was my pleasure. I will see you around." replies Akashi before walking away.

Watching his schoolmate walk away with narrowed eyes, Ramiel can't help thinking back the slight feeling of danger that emanates from him. Having been raised in a family of magic users who hunt down creatures capable of obliterating mountains with a casual wave of their hands, Ramiel knows intimately how to gouge the potential danger that others can pose to him. The danger could be anything from physical, financial, or even mental. As long as they have the potential he can sense it.

Shaking his head with a sigh to rid himself of those thoughts for now, Ramiel makes his way into the office where he comes face to face with a young man with glasses who seems to have been expecting him.

"Are you Tōsen-san?" asks the young man with a gentle smile.

"I am." replies Ramiel.

"Good. I am Tanaka-sensei and I am your homeroom teacher." greets the young man with a slight bow.

"I will be in your care." replies Ramiel with a bow.

"Come along now, class will begin soon." instructs the teacher as he leads Ramiel out of the office and towards a classroom not far from the office.

Walking into the classroom, Ramiel takes in the appearance of the students. His eyes merely pass over them as he casually dismisses all of them before his gaze lands on a brown skin boy around four inches taller than him with short navy blue hair. As their eyes meet Ramiel instinctively knows that this boy is dangerous.

Seeing Ramiel looking at him, the boy offers him a wide smile and a wave of his hand. Returning the boy's smile, Ramiel follows the teacher to the front of the class.

"Alright class, we have a transfer student today. So please be quiet as they introduce themselves." says the teacher before nodding towards Ramiel to introduce himself.

"My name is Tōsen Ramiel, I look forward to learning with you." says Ramiel with a bow.

"You can sit next to Daiki-san." instructs the teacher as he points towards the blue haired boy.

Thanking the teacher, Ramiel makes his way through the class until he reaches the empty seat next to Daiki.

"Yo, I'm Daiki Aomine, nice to meet you." greets Aomine with a smile and a nod.

"Tōsen Ramiel, the pleasure's mine." he replies as he sits next to Aomine with a small smile of his own.

Before they can continue their conversation, class begins and for the rest of the day Ramiel is too busy adjusting to school to really socialise much beyond answering his classmates' questions about him.

Soon the day comes to an end and the students separate to go their different ways. Those who have extracurricular activities make their way there while those who don't leave the school. Ramiel, interested in seeing what clubs the school has to offer in person, exits the walks towards the main building's exit.

As he steps out of the building and sees the various students talking and laughing together as they decisively make their way to their destinations, a sense of loss envelops him. This is his first time in a school, surrounded by his peers, and with countless options for him to choose from on what to do with his life. A life where he isn't bedridden, a life where he can do anything without worrying about dying on the spot from overexertion. Yet, despite having this opportunity he has no idea what to do with it. His passion in his previous life, magic, is nonexistent in this world, the people that truly cared about him are also nonexistent, and most of his knowledge about society is essentially useless here.

"Not again." tiredly sighs Ramiel as he feels the tears stream down his face. Wiping them from his cheeks, Ramiel makes his way towards the athletic fields where he sees the various outdoor sports clubs practicing. Yet despite seeing them Ramiel pays them no mind as he absent mindedly walks past them.

However, as he makes his way past a building, the sound of students screaming and the bouncing of a set of balls attracts his attention. Walking to one of the side entrances of the building, Ramiel arrives just in time to see one of his classmates, Aomine, face off against a group of other students while bouncing an orange ball in his hand and a confident smile on his face.

As if a signal had been fired, Aomine explodes into action as he charges towards the first player before stopping cold mere inches from the player, causing him to stumble backwards and fall in fright. Unbothered by the fallen student, Aomine steps around the student and casually passes the ball behind his back just as the second student reaches for it, causing him to stumble forward and allowing Aomine to pass. As the third student steps up to intercept him, Aomine begins to turn with the ball towards the student's right only to appear on his left just as the player moves to follow him. Before the remaining two players can even process what happened, Aomine takes to the air and slams the ball into the net.

Watching his classmate casually land after the dunk, Ramiel can't help but become entranced as he watches Aomine move. The way he fluidly switches from one move to the other, casually handles the ball without looking, changing his pace from a stroll to an explosive drive, and the absurd speed that he moves with all completely enchants Ramiel. Perhaps it's because he's been bedridden for as long as he can remember, or maybe it's because Aomine's drive reminds him of his grandfather's explosive power as he demolished his enemies on the battlefield; regardless of the reason all Ramiel knows at that moment is that he wants that. He wants that explosive power, that unmatched speed, and even that fluid way of moving, Ramiel wants to be able to do it all.

Before Ramiel can completely fall entranced by Aomine's performance, a shot blocked by Aomine sends the ball flying in his direction.

Catching the ball, Ramiel adjusts in his hands to how he remembers seeing Aomine holding it and imagines what it would be like to play on the court. The feeling of the air on his face as he speeds down the court, the adrenaline rushing through his veins as he faces down an entire team, and even the feeling of the ball in his hands as he manipulates it to his whim.

"Yo, you're the new kid from class. Ramiel, right?" asks Aomine, shaking Ramiel from his thoughts.

"And you're Aomine." replies Ramiel as the boy approaches him with a light jog.

"The one and only." he answers with a smile before noticing how Ramiel is holding the basketball. "Are you interested?" asks Aomine with a grin as he points at the basketball.

Looking down at the ball, Ramiel imagines once again, what it would feel like to play, before looking back up at Aomine. "Yes, I am." he answers as he returns Aomine's grin.

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AN: I am back. Sorry for being inactive for the past few months, but my laptop broke and I only recently got a new one. Unfortunately with the loss of my laptop I also lost a good six months of story drafts, plans, and ideas, including the ones for A Godslaying Pharaoh and my Chaldeas story. As such it will be a little while longer before I can continue A Godslaying Pharaoh. As for Chaldeas I decided to rewrite it into a world hopping story similar to my first one, From Mortal to Divinity. This story will be more explicit and may have sexual scenes so it won't be on spacebattles or sufficient velocity. Anyway, as usual, tell me what you guys think and don't forget to comment or review.