Archive of Our Own

She was going to kill him. She was going to get her gear together, march through that damned rift caused by the dispersal of otherworldly astral energy that had exploded when the worlds were merged, get him back from wherever his stupid curiosity had lead him, and kill him.

“Rinwell, are you sure-”

“I’m fine, Alphen. I can handle this.” Furious, the now fifteen year-old mage shoved her best books in the knapsack Kisara had helped her make. “I’m the best chance we have to get him back, you know that.” She wasn’t kidding. The research into opening gates to new worlds had indeed been shut down by the combined efforts of Dohalim and Shionne, just as they’d all promised Chronos, but Rinwell had gone ahead anyway and added the knowledge of the that Renan to her already impressive repertoire so she’d know what to do if it ever cropped up again. No one had doubted her intentions for it were anything less than honorable, and now it was a mercy that she’d bothered learning at all.

She really was going to kill him. After all their time together, all the dangers they’d survived, Law really thought it an okay idea to see something shiny in a strange mist and try to poke it. He’d vanished with almost terrifying speed and the order of business had instantly become finding a way to get him back . They’d had a bit of help from the scientist (who swore up and down that he’d had nothing to do with the sudden appearance of the gate) and then Rinwell was gathering her things without a moment’s thought so she could march in and haul her partner and best friend back to Dehna where he belonged.

Still furious, the mage blinked back tears. Dammit Law!

“He’s going to be okay” Kisara’s voice said gently, ever the mother figure of the group despite not being all that much older than any of them. “He can handle himself for a while, and before you know it, the both of you will be back home.”

“If you’re not, we’ll just come in after” Shionne said bluntly. She winked at the sudden surprised look from the younger girl. “You can’t possibly think we’d let you go alone for long, do you?”

“We would be highly remiss in our duties as your friends if we did not help” Dohalim added, quirking a smile when her gaze moved to him. “Be safe, Rinwell, we will be here waiting for when you get back.” She blinked, willing her vision to clear.

“Thanks Dohalim, everyone. We’ll be right back, okay?”

“We know it” Alphen said gently. “Don’t keep him waiting too long, okay?” Rinwell huffed, hoisting her sack on her shoulders.

“Please, he’s probably just standing there on the other side, gaping like an idiot. I’ll see you all soon.” She gave everyone a hug and marched with a purposeful stride through the mist. A part of her wondered what exactly had enticed Law’s curiosity to the point that he’d risk a dangerous situation. Honestly, he was such a kid! The dummy was eighteen now, but that had never stopped him from goofing off or playing with the kids back home. It was...kind of endearing.

A light shone into her eyes, and Rinwell blinked, losing her train of thought as she lifted a hand to shield them. Weird, why was she wearing that glove? This wasn’t what she normally went out in, right? The girl frowned, lowering her hand as she stepped out into a woody area. Come to think of it...what was she even doing here? Didn’t she have some place to be, something important that had desperately required her attention? She was sure of it, but...

Oh well. Whatever it was couldn’t have been that important if she’d already forgotten. The teenager shrugged and walked off, knapsack bouncing on her shoulders. She’d remember it later, probably.

---

“Were you playing magic out by the mist? Rin you know no one’s allowed out there. And where’d you pick up the old knapsack? Do you want to get laughed at?” Frowning deeply, Rin tied her hair back in two small pigtails. Why had her hair been down in the first place, didn’t she usually wear it like this?

“I can’t afford to buy a better bag, Lila, you know that.” The other girl clucked her tongue.

“Oh right...school’s only paying for the necessities after all. Do you want me to buy you one?” Her friend shook her head with a smile.

“I told you not to be frivolous with your allowance. This is enough, I don’t care how it looks. I actually...kinda like the old style, you know?” Lila shook her head with a sigh, blonde hair bobbing with the motion.

“Only you, Rin…”

“What’s that supposed to mean!”

“That if I didn’t know better, I’d think you belonged in that weird fantasy place you say your books talked about, silly. I mean after coming back to school in that get-up you had, I wouldn’t be surprised…” Rin flushed.

“I...I must have been looking for a convention or something! You better not tell anyone I was walking around looking like that, Lai.” Lila mimed zipping her lips shut, but her eyes were laughing.

“They’ll never knoooow~”

“That’s not very convincing…” Another giggle.

“I promise, don’t worry! Did you remember to study for the test tomorrow?” The other student groaned.

“Oh no, that must be what I was forgetting earlier! I’m so stupid, come on, let’s hurry up and review the work Teacher gave us. I’ll never forgive myself if I fail.” Her friend sniffed.

“As if, you’re still the smartest in the class even without studying.”

“It’s because I study that I’m the smartest” Rin reminded her, poking the blonde’s head with her pencil. “You could be too, now sit. We can go to that store you like after this.”

“You’ll come with? Yay!” Excited, and highly motivated, the bubbly blonde plopped down next to her friend and roommate and dove into their course material with equal vigor. “Soooo…see any cute boys lately?”

“Focus on your work, Lila.”

“Oh you’re no fun!”

“I’ll be fun afterward!” Lila giggled.

“Okay, okay…” She leaned over the spread of paper on their shared work desk and for a time, there was silence, punctuated only by murmurs of one or both girls thinking aloud or the occasional question. It was peaceful, and though she’d lost her parents at a young age, Rin was content to live in the school dormitory with her roommate and friend. Lila was excitable, but nice. She was all Rin had ever needed, the only friend she’d ever had.

Still though, it sometimes seemed that something wasn’t right, but that was silly wasn’t it? This was her life, it always had been. She studied in school and hung out with her friend, and…

...and what? Rin chewed her pencil, thinking hard for a moment before shrugging. It didn’t matter. Now was now, and she had to get this work done. That was her only concern. The knapsack she’d brought in and the contents it contained sat by her bed, forgotten. She didn’t even remember what was in it, it must not have been very important.

Oh well.

When they’d studied to Rin’s satisfaction and Lila could correctly answer any question that was liable to show up on the test, the girls left the dorm to “hit the town”, like it wasn’t their regular activity when Lila didn’t have club meetings and Rin wasn’t left in their room to read the day away. It was something, and nothing more or less than the pigtailed girl had ever asked for. She let her friend lead the way as well as the conversation and patiently waited with an indulgent grin as the blonde browsed through all number of outfits for the bookish teen.

“You’ll look so cute! Please Rin, let me buy at least one? Pretty please? I’ll let you choose, I promise.”

“Fine ” exhaled the other, laughing. “Just one, your parents didn’t give you an allowance just to blow it on me.”

“They said to spend it on things I care about” countered Lila, petulantly. “I care about you don’t I?”

“Oh, Lai… All right, pick out a pretty one.”

“Oh you know it...would you like something blue? Perhaps with some gold accents?” Rin groaned, remembering the bizarre get-up she’d had on when returning to the dorms.

“Please drop that.”

“I’m just saying, the colors looked good! I especially liked that pretty cyan, very eye-catching.”

“Then just pick whatever you think is nice” the dark-haired girl tried not to growl, hiding her face in her hands. Really, what had she been thinking? “I don’t care if it’s blue.”

“It goes with your pretty hair” Lila cooed, diving back into the clothes racks. “The gold was lovely too.”

“I’ll take your word for it” Rin called back, leaning against the nearest wall to wait. Accents, hmm. She reached a hand up and felt her fingers brush against the butterfly clip still resting in her hair. Even with it tied back in pigtails, she hadn’t felt compelled to take it out. She’d never been one for accessories, but the clip felt right. It wasn’t so bad, the school had no rules against jewelry and it did compliment her uniform, which was primarily navy. Where had she gotten this…? It was strange, but she didn’t remember. A birthday present from Lila, maybe? The other girl did have quite the eye for fashion. She’d keep it around for now.

Another hour and an admittedly flattering cyan dress later (“you can wear it at the next dance!”), the two were headed back. Lila bounced off to do some club activities, leaving Rin alone in their room. That was fine, and she’d never once felt left out when her friend went off to have a social life outside her. The shorter girl pulled a book off the shelf in their room, it was on her side because she was the reader of the two, and let the story within eat up her time for the rest of the afternoon.

---

Rin awoke the next day to the sound of someone shuffling through her knapsack. She rolled over and sat up with a yawn.

“I didn’t hide your diary in there.”

“You never know” Lila shot back, and she stood up with a stretch. “I was looking for a textbook, and I found this. Where’d you get such a cute keychain?”

“What?” Confused, and sleepy, the shorter girl stretched out a hand to receive it. Sure enough, an adorable keychain in the shape of a round...that was probably an owl, with two feathers near the same blue as her new dress and little red collar. Probably. Where had she-Hootle?

“Is that its name?”

“I guess so” hummed Rin, and she smiled at the little thing. “I must’ve forgotten it was there.”

“You should attach it to the outside” Lila advised. “Show it off, I bet the other girls will like it too.”

“Sure, why not. That’s where keychains belong, anyway.” She fastened the keychain to the strap of her bag where it would be easily noticeable and began digging through the bag herself. “What was I doing with these?”

“Pffft, you got me. Better leave them here for class though, those aren’t the kinds of books Teach wants you reading.”

“Yeah, that’s a good idea.” Rin carefully lifted the strange books out, running her fingers over the ornate covers and frowning. Had they been from her parents? They felt...special, in a way nothing else in the dorm did. No matter where she went, she didn’t want these far from her. Maybe that was why they’d been in her bag. She tucked them under her bed where they wouldn’t be easily spotted by anyone else and began getting ready for the day. Lila was already getting dressed, leaving her bed a rumpled mess like always.

“Wanna eat lunch together today?”

“You can eat with your friends today” Rin allowed, scooping her actual textbooks into the rustic knapsack. “I’ve got a book I want to read, so I’ll just go upstairs.”

“Are you sure?” Lila seemed concerned, and not without reason. Outside of their friendship, Rin could be a very lonely girl. The smaller girl rolled her eyes, smiling.

“I’m sure.” She quickly got dressed, a much simpler affair than whatever yesterday’s...thing, was, and grabbed her bag. Lila followed after, pulling her roommate’s hair into its signature pigtails as they walked. Rin shook her head so the tails swung, shooting a thankful grin over her shoulder.

“Thanks, Lai.”

“Gotta look our best for the boys!” the blonde chirped. “That clip works, you’re going to wear it again today?”

“I must have fallen asleep with it on...you think it looks good?”

“Of course! You could stand to have some more cute things, you know? C’mon, let’s go before they take all the breakfast.”

“Woe betide them if they don’t leave you a toaster pastry” Rin teased, dodging the playful swat. They raced each other down to the cafeteria filled with all the students who lived at the school, and then rushed off to class. It was a day like any other and Rin drifted through the motions like she had a thousand times before. She grabbed lunch or a shambling excuse for it from a vending machine and headed up to the roof, just like always.

The weather was mild, if not a little cloudy, and Rin looked over the school grounds and the town beyond with an unfocused gaze. It was all so familiar, but at the same time, something insisted that this simply wasn’t right. She closed her eyes against the mundane buildings and plain architecture, imagining in their place a snowy city of stone, a town that revolved around the biggest windmills she’d ever seen, a place as pretty as a jewel nestled in sun and grass, and a tower of glass that glittered like the waters it stood on. It was all so beautiful, but there was nowhere she’d ever seen such places. Rin didn’t know where they’d come from, but she held on to the images her mind had created and tried very hard to imprint the details into her memory. The cities she saw in her mind’s eye were infinitely more lovely and exciting than anything in this life.

“So you wanna go the arcade after school? I’ll ask my parents for some cash.” The voices were below her, probably students headed back. Rin opened her eyes and glanced down dispassionately as another voice replied back with a laugh.

“Hey if you’re paying, I won’t say no!” Brilliant gold eyes focused on the speaker, and something in her cracked.

A strong jaw.

Wild purple hair with pretty light streaks throughout.

A happy grin.

A pair of gauntlets.

A ridiculous wolf pauldron he never went anywhere without.

Teal eyes deeper than any pool looked at her with laughter and warmth. Talks by the campfire, comforting each other through their shared losses, laughing as he tripped over himself into the river by the jewel-like city, standing on a snowy island as the Northern Lights streamed above for the first time in centuries, making fun of him for being afraid of flight, him standing in a stone courtyard, critically wounded by her own hand and unwilling to move from the line of fire just to save her from herself, and the two of them coming to a deeper understanding of each other after months of being acquaintances, teammates, and then the best of friends. His smile stuck with her, teal eyes closed to happy slits, as his voice sang through her mind.

”Rinwell!"

Unbidden, unexpected, hot tears began streaming down Rin’s face. The boy was long gone, but his name now lived deep in the recesses of her heart and mind.

“Law…”

Oh Great Spirits...what was that? She had the distinct feeling they were memories, but how? Rin had never met Law before, and how did she know his name? He hadn’t said it, nor had his friend, but she was very sure that was indeed it. Not to mention, nothing she’d seen existed in this tiny town, but it all felt so crisp and clear and so real. Rin toddled towards the stairs with misty eyes, remembering everything she’d seen and the name Law had called her by. She knew he’d been speaking to her in that memory.

“Rinwell…” Her eyes welled up again at the sound of it, even from her own mouth. That was her name, she knew it. She always had, even if hadn’t remembered that until now. No one called her Rin...or at least they weren’t supposed to. Something was definitely not right, but what?

Afternoon classes proceeded as normal, not that Rin noticed. She passed the rest of her day in something of a daze, thoroughly unable to get Law and that stunning world out of her head. The more she thought, the clearer things seemed to become, and the more images (memories) of Law popped up, in the clothes that were vastly different from the school uniform but looked far more right on him than any blazer. The gauntlets were there, the pauldron was as well, and always did he sport baggy pants and a long loose top designed never to get in the way of one who used his whole body as a weapon. The details were sharp and clear and more consistent than her imagination would be able to manage. They were memories, they had to be...but how?

” W ere you playing magic out by the mist?”

The final bell rang, jerking Rin out of her reverie for the moment. Lila put her books away, chattering.

“Wanna go out today? I’ll let you pick the shop.” The first place she thought of was the arcade and the shorter girl shook her head, grimacing.

“N-no, not today.” Lila’s grin faded to concern.

“Rin?” Her friend forced a smile.

“I’ll just go back to the room and rest, headache.”

“Are you sure-”

“Yeah. See you later, okay?” She swept her books into the knapsack and hurried off, anxious to have time alone. The dorm room was still and quiet and Rin dropped into her chair by the work desk with a sigh that dragged itself up from her feet. There were other people in the memories now, not just Law. A man with white hair that belied his youthful appearance showed up in many, sometimes with half a jagged iron mask and sometimes without. He was always accompanied by a lady with the longest hair Rin had ever seen, like pink silk, and donned often in a ragged but elegant dress with a rifle that greatly contrasted her noble appearance. They felt like the closest friends she’d ever had and Rin railed against her mind, desperately seeking their names. In later memories, so it seemed, there was also a woman who exuded all the warmth of a sister with eyes and hair like sunshine on wheat and a man with warm brown eyes and darker skin, contrasted by wavy ruby locks. Their faces were clear to her, but what exactly they were called remained clouded by the fog in her mind she hadn’t realized was even there. The feeling of “not right” became ever more prevalent, but still she could not pinpoint why things weren’t right. It was unsettling, to say the least.

A night’s sleep did nothing to alleviate the fog in her head, and the memories filling her brain were as sharp and clear as ever when she woke up. Rin gazed up at the ceiling with something like a thousand-yard stare. That didn’t look right either.

“Want me to tell Teacher you’re sick?” She exhaled, slowly.

“I’m fine.”

“You don’t sound fine.” The younger girl huffed, sitting up and rolling out of bed.

“I can go to class at least.”

“Do you at least want me to get some meds from the nurse?”

“No thanks.” She stretched, stood, and began making her bed before getting dressed. Lila still seemed doubtful of her friend’s health; but she took Rin at her word and proceeded as normal, filling the room with chatter about their day and bringing the atmosphere to something close to normal. The girls got dressed, gathered their gear, and left the room together. It was marginally easier to focus that day, and Rin tried her very best to keep her eyes on the desk and blackboard rather than the faces in her mind’s eye. It wasn’t easy, but to some degree, she managed.

When the sun was near its zenith, the lunch bell rang and Rin rose without a word to anyone and headed for the roof. She was hearing other voices now, not just Law’s, and without class to keep her focus, it became easier to place the voices to the faces she kept seeing. The names still escaped her, these four strangers making their home in her heart and soul, but their voices were comforting and familiar in the way a dream was on the border between sleep and awake. She turned a corner into a quiet hallway, those not in class having already made their busy way to the cafeteria, and promptly slammed into two students coming the other way.

“Ow!”

"Watch it!” Rin stumbled back badly with the impact, rubbing her nose as something clattered to the floor.

“Sorry!”

“You should be” growled one, rubbing his shoulder. “Watch where you’re going, nerd.”

“Yeah, use your eyes.”

“It was an accident!” Rin huffed. “Look I’ll get of your way now, sorry.” She stepped aside, irritated, and stalked back down the hall. There was a snicker.

“Hey nerd, you dropped something.” She whirled around angrily, and gold eyes widened at the sight of a tiny white keychain being held mockingly aloft.

“Hootle!”

“Aww, you named it, how cute!”

“Give him back!”

“That’s adorable” cackled the other, leaning on his friend as Rin jumped for her keychain. The first boy held it far out of reach, still snickering.

“Go ahead, take it back. I’m not moving.”

“Jerk” hissed Rin, reaching desperately for her keychain. “I’ll call a teacher.”

“And get in trouble for being in the hall between periods?” the taller boy mocked. “Yeah, you do that.” She scowled.

“Just...give him to me.”

“Say pleeeeaaassee~” sang the boy holding the tiny effigy out of reach. “Say the magic word, nerd.”

“Is this how you treat a girl who bumped into you and apologized for it?” A hand clamped firmly onto the wrist of her tormentor, forcing it to drop the accessory. “You guys sicken me.” Rin stared in shock, unable to react as that same hand caught her little Hootle quite neatly by his chain. He turned to face the two, carefully placing an arm around Rin as he did.

“I thought better of you two” the stranger said, almost politely. “Find someone else to go to the arcade with next time, kay?” The other two flushed, perhaps with shame, perhaps with anger, and hurried off with muffled curses. Rin craned her head up, meeting the strong jaw, wild purple hair, and teal eyes of the boy who’d been haunting her waking hours.

“...Law?”

“Do I know you?” Curious, he looked down, and Rin could see it in the way his eyes widened, the way his expression shifted, and how his grip stiffened with the rest of his body. A funny hope flared in her chest. Could he...possibly remember her as well? After a long moment, the other teen shook himself.

“Rin…” he blinked, as though trying to focus. “You’re...Rinwell?”

“You know me too.” It wasn’t a question. Law blinked again, holding a hand to his head.

“I...guess I do. That’s weird, I didn’t think I’d ever met you before. Oh shoot, here!” He quickly offered little Hootle, still dangling from his fingers. “Sorry about those guys...I didn’t know they’d treat anyone like that, and I did hear you apologize for it.”

“You got him back, so it’s okay.” Rin didn’t waste any time in putting the little owl back where he belonged. “Can I, um...pay you back for it?”

“That’s not really needed” Law laughed, scratching the back of his head. “I’ll take a drink in the park though, if you want.”

“S-sure” Rin agreed, excitement curling in her chest. “After school, then?”

“Yeah.” His teal eyes were laughing. “See you then.” Law gave her a wave and walked off, and Rin continued her walk up to the roof, feeling as though a piece of her heart she hadn’t known was missing had just slotted back into place.

---

When school was done, the short fifteen year-old stopped by her room long enough to drop her books off and change into an outfit suitable for an outing. She lingered by the dress Lila had purchased, as it was rather pretty, but ultimately decided it was too much for a first d- meeting with a guy she knew in her head but not in real life. Flustered at the thought, she chose a cute, if not rarely worn, blouse paired with a skirt made from a repurposed pair of pants. The weather outside had been agreeable as of late, so Rin dug out a pair of sneakers and tried not to look too eager as she left. She passed Lila on the way out, waving to her friend with a smile, and left the bemused blonde behind the tennis fence wondering what had the younger girl in such a good mood.

A stop at a convenience store produced two drinks and a snack, and Rin soon made it to the playground to see Law on the swing set. Playing on the swing set. The teen was nearing the highest point when he saw her, and waved.

“Hi Rinwell!” A rush of warmth filled her at the sound of her full name, her true name, coalescing in her chest and somehow making her feel more alive than she had in...days. The other teen leapt off the moving playground equipment at it’s peak, landing easily on the plethora of wood chips and jogging over with a grin.

“Nice to see you.” She couldn’t help returning it, offering the bag.

“You too.” It really was nice to see him, properly face to face like this. The way he was in her mind was more clear, somehow. “I wasn’t sure what you’d like, just pick whichever you prefer.”

“Sure thing.” Evidently not picky with drinks, or perhaps they had similar tastes, he did so, popping the lid off and shoving it in a pocket instead of on the ground where others had before and relocating to the nearest bench. “Thanks for going out of your way like this.”

“It’s no problem” Rin insisted. “Hootle...my keychain means a lot to me, so I’m really grateful you got it back.”

“You mean him, right?” She blinked.

“What?”

“Hootle, he’s a boy?”

“I...yes. You don’t think it’s weird that I look at him that way?”

“I might tease if I didn’t know better” Law admitted, staring out over the empty playground with sharp eyes, “but that...I get the feeling he’s just modeled after the real thing.” Rin blinked in delayed surprise, realizing he was right. Hootle was a real owl, a baby, small enough to ride in her hood or on her shoulder and who’d been her closest friend for years after her parents-

Her parents… She blinked again, frowning. They were dead, right? That was why she lived in the dorms. When she tried to think back on when they died, or where they were buried, she couldn’t. There was just a gray area there, and that...wasn’t right.

“Hey Law?” The other teen took a long drink, letting out a contented hum.

“What’s up?” She fiddled with her own.

“Have we...met before? You knew my full name, no one else does.” Not even the staff.

“You knew mine too” he countered, brows furrowed. “I definitely recognized you, but I don’t know from where. I remembered you wearing a muuuch different outfit...I liked it though.” What if he was talking about the strange outfit she’d found herself wearing that day, out by the mist?

“That’s funny...I remembered you wearing a different one as well. It suited you better than a blazer, if I’m honest.”

“Wish I could wear it now, then. The uniform really doesn’t sit right on me, even though everyone says it fits. I don’t know what it is.” Come to think of it…

“I don’t think it feels right either” Rin admitted, and she hadn’t realized until that moment that it was true. Law took another drink, and grinned at her over the rim of the bottle.

“So there’s someone who gets it, huh? I like you, Rinwell, and since I’ve just had to kick two of them to the curb...wanna be friends?” She laughed, eyes curving up in a smile. He’d seen that expression somewhere before.

“I’d like that.”

---

The newly established friendship was the first thing that felt right in...a while, for both of them. Neither could quite place why or what it was, but they got along as though they’d known each other for years instead of days. It quickly became a thing to meet up at the park every weekend, whether it was empty or not, and talk about their shared feelings or just what the past week had brought. During the week, though their class schedules were completely different, Rin would join him in the library after school to help with whatever work needed it and they both found a measure of comfort in working side by side. During lunch, the only period they happened to share, Law got into the habit of grabbing enough food for them both from the cafeteria and steal away to share a meal with his new and rapidly becoming best friend on the school roof. For her part, lunch became Rin’s favorite part of the day and she began to spend every class before waiting for the measly half hour she had to feel at home at Law’s side. And she did feel at home, far more so than in class or in the dorm, or even with her bubbly roommate. She didn’t know why, exactly, only that she’d never trade anything for it. Law was a comfort, a source of stability in a sea of confusion. He was coming to mean more to her than she knew how to put into words. It might have been unsettling, or made her nervous, if it didn’t feel like this was how things were supposed to be.

“So should we go somewhere different next time?” Rin took a sip from her milk carton, chocolate this time.

“What’s wrong with our usual spot?”

“Hey I just thought we’d mix it up every now and then, y’know?” The younger teen giggled.

“The arcade?” Law made a face.

“Yeah, no...that’s still the main haunt of those two guys who were being assholes to you. I’d rather not bump into them.”

“Right...sorry.” He gave her a grin.

“Don’t worry about it. Do you prefer places with more people?”

“Not...really.” The only person she wanted to be around these days was him. “I just thought you might.” An arm came around to hug her briefly about the shoulders. He was a warm person, and evidently prone to being affectionate with those he called friends. It was comforting, and Rin had never objected to the hugs or hair ruffles he seemed to enjoy giving.

“Thanks, Rinwell.” She shrugged, leaning into the hold before he pulled away.

“Why, you got a place in mind?”

“Well, yes and no. I was thinking that place I woke up in one day? I dunno what happened, the guys at the dorms assume I got mugged or something.” Rin perked up.

“What happened?”

“Honestly, I don’t know. I was just...there, out in the woods on the town outskirts. You know, the place no one’s really allowed to go? I have no idea how I ended up there, and no one else does either.” He scratched the back of his neck. “I kinda wanna know what’s up with that place, why it’s forbidden. It didn’t seem dangerous.”

“You...that place with the mist that never goes away?” Law’s eyes lit up.

“Yeah, that! Wow, Rinwell, never pegged you to be a rulebreaker.” She smacked his arm halfheartedly.

“Shut up! I only know it, because…”

“...because?”

“The same thing...happened to me. I remember being out there, with my knapsack and different clothes. I didn’t know why I was there, only that there was a feeling that there was something I was supposed to do and I never could remember what.” Law seemed pensive.

“So the same thing happened to us both, and no one else in town...you wanna go back, figure out what the place is all about?” Rin gave him a lopsided smile.

“Only you...they all say it’s dangerous you know.”

“Pfff, I can handle anything the mist has to throw at us. Besides, I know you’re curious too. It doesn’t feel threatening like they say, does it?” He wasn't wrong, but...

“...Okay.” She couldn’t help the light chuckle at the way his expression lit up, like a puppy. “Okay fine, you win. We can go check it out after school tomorrow. You were right...I am curious.”

“Caaaaaaaalled it~” Law sang, dodging another playful swat. “It’ll be an adventure, unknown territory...you’ll have to forgive me for going full nerd on this.”

“Please tell me you’re not going to dress up.”

“That is exactly what I’m going to do.” Rin threw her hands up, laughing.

“Then I guess I will too. I suppose I have the perfect outfit for it.”

“I can’t wait to see” Law said, with such honesty that it made her blush. The bell rang as he did, signaling the end of lunch and informing students they had five minutes to get to the next class. The pair of teens left the roof in a hurry, trading grins and filled with a shared sense of excitement for their own little adventure.

---

The next day dawned warm and bright and Rin woke almost as soon as it had, rolling out of bed to land lightly on her feet in an effort not to wake Lila. She swiped a hand under her bed, retrieving a navy and teal bundle with gold accents and wondering if it had anything to do with Law’s memories of her. She supposed there was only one way to know, now. Carefully, she tucked it into the bottom of her bag and, after a few minutes’ deliberation, added in the strange books she’d had with her that day. She wasn’t so sure now that they’d been a gift from her parents, but they were still important in a way she couldn’t articulate. The mist was a strange place. If something happened...she didn’t think she could stand to leave these behind. Her homework went in next, and Rin was halfway through getting dressed for the day when Lila finally woke up.

“Someone’s up early” the blonde teased, stretching as she did. “What’s up?”

“Oh, nothing. I’m going out with Law after school is all.”

“So are you guys official, or…”

“Lila!” The other girl giggled behind her hands.

“Face it, Rin, no one gets this excited to go out with a friend. You totally like him.”

“Of course I do, he’s my best friend!” The sheer truth of that statement gave her pause. “N-next to you of course.” Her roommate waved it off.

“I know, I know...so where you going? Into town?”

“No, he doesn’t want to run into those guys he used to hang out with. Law’s got a spot picked further out.”

“A romantic setting, perhaps~?”

“I will hit you” Rin threatened, holding her pillow up in warning. Lila mimed zipping her mouth shut, but her eyes were still full of mirth. She left it alone, and the girls got ready for school. No one had ever wanted class to last, not even her, but the short raven-haired student found herself particularly impatient for that day to end. She was so focused on plans for the afternoon that she almost missed the bell for lunch and Lila’s laughter followed her down the hall opposite.

“Have fun, Rin!”

“I’m not talking to you!” the younger yelled back, face red as she stalked towards the roof. She hadn’t even heard the teacher dismiss the class, this was so embarrassing… The door to the stairwell was already open, which was alarming. Was it a teacher, had another student had the same idea? She had to keep Law out of trouble if that were so. Carefully, and making sure not to disturb the door in case it was a teacher, the little teenager slipped through the gap. There were footsteps on the flight above, accompanied by a voice quietly singing something in a language she didn’t recognize. The words may have been a mystery, but the voice she definitely knew.

“Law?” The song cut off, and a familiar head poked over the railing.

“Hi Rinwell! Did I beat you up here?”

“No” she snarked. “I’m magic and teleported to the stairs to surprise you. You left the door standing open, dummy, I thought someone else was here.”

“I did? Aww crap, sorry!” He sounded so genuine that any irritation gave way to a smile.

“Just wait...I’ll close it and meet you by the top.”

“You’re a lifesaver~” he sang, still watching her. She rolled her eyes where he could see.

“I know.” Quickly, before a teacher really did show up, she hurried back down and shut the door with as soft a click as she could make it. Law was still standing on the stair she left him.

“Seriously, thanks.” She shook her head, fondly.

“I’ll always have your back, Law. Come on.” She opened the door and held it open for him. The other teen edged through and she was left to wonder how he opened it himself every other day they came up here. They set themselves up against the wall as normal, heads just barely hidden from the view of anyone walking down below, and set out that day’s haul.

“You excited?” She wanted to shrug it off, to be cool, but Rin’s fingers curled into her skirt anyway.

“I already had my stuff packed before my roommate woke up.” Her friend laughed.

“You’re totally on board! You, uh...did say you were dressing up as well, right?”

“Why, afraid you’ll feel out of place?” She took a long drink of her juice. “Don’t worry, I hid a suitably adventurous outfit in my bag.”

“I did the same thing! Couldn’t carry any of my books in there with it though. The, uh...the pauldron’s kinda big.”

Rin’s ears perked up, and she remembered vividly those otherworldly images of the boy sitting beside her. Could it possibly be?

“It’s...not shaped like a wolf head, is it?” Teal eyes widened, and he turned to her with a wondering look.

“How do you know that?”

“I don’t know” she answered, staring at the floor. “I just know I’ve seen it before. I think...the outfit I remembered you wearing, the one I said suited you better than the uniform?” Law nodded, slowly.

“Yeah?”

“It’s probably the one in your bag. You probably know the same one I’m going to wear because I’ll bet anything it’s the one I have in your memories.”

“You’re serious?” The other teen sat up straight, food forgotten. “The blue one, with the coat that matches your hairpin? Rinwell, what the hell.”

“I don’t know!” she cried, and he was horrified to see her eyes brimming. “I don’t know, Law...but somehow we do.”

“Hey hey, it’s okay…” He reached over to pull her into a hug, rubbing her back with one hand while the other carefully cradled her head. “I’m just confused, but you are too. I’m sorry, but it’s gonna be okay, all right? We’ll figure this out.” She held tight to him, face pressed to his shoulder.

“You and me?”

“From here on out,” he promised, and Rinwell believed him.

---

If Rin thought the morning was long, it was absolutely nothing compared to the afternoon. She kept her eyes on the teacher and board without seeing any of it while her hand worked on autopilot, taking down notes on a lecture she could barely hear. The crowds between periods shunted her down the halls between classes like driftwood in a current until that final bell rang. She didn’t even bother going back to the room to change. As soon as class was dismissed, Rin threw her work into her bag and bolted for the front of the school, dodging students as she went. Lila tried to call for her as she passed, but her friend’s ears were closed to everything but Law.

The boy himself was waiting by the door with a bulging backpack, and she could just envision the armor she knew was hiding inside. The seventeen year-old must have been thinking along the same lines and come straight from class because he hadn’t changed out of their uniform either. He lit up like a small sun at her approach and held out a hand. She grabbed it, and the world fell away.

“Ready to go?” It felt like she’d been ready for weeks. Unable to put that into words, Rin just nodded. His grin widened and all the fear, all the anxiety and nervousness over the mysterious phenomenon hanging over them both, vanished into the warmth of that expression. A smile spread over her face in return, and hand in hand, they headed out.

The town was bustling, as was often the case when school let out. Students just like them flowed like rivers down the streets, all in their uniforms and carrying their backpacks, headed for home or after school haunts like the arcade or park or whatever store struck their fancies. Rin watched like she’d never watched before, still holding Law’s hand tightly in her own. Had it always seemed so foreign to her before? Just days ago, the scenes in her head were as good as figments of her imagination even if she knew objectively that they were too detailed and consistent for that to be completely true. Now, it was this world that felt like the dream. It probably should have scared her, the growing detachment with every step they took.

For some reason though, it didn’t.

On the very edge of the outskirts, at a rest stop that didn’t get much attention from the locals, they stopped to change from their uniforms into the outfits each had brought. Rin smoothed down the edge of her sleeveless coat, reaching up with the other hand and adjusting her voluminous hood. It felt weird to have it so empty, and she remembered with a smile that this was Hootle’s favorite place to rest. Wherever this adventure lead them, she hoped the tiny owlet was there waiting for her.

Much attention wasn’t no attention, and so the little fifteen year-old walked past a few kids older than her, but not quite into adulthood. They made no secret of snickering at her getup.

“Hey short stuff, where you goin' in that?” She threw a look over her shoulder, as though confidence itself had been woven into the clothes she knew she belonged in. Her gold eyes were sharp enough to give the pair pause.

“That’s not really your business, is it.”

“You tell ‘em, Rinwell” Law’s voice said, fondness and pride wrapped up in audible warmth. Her head whipped around, short raven locks flying free, and the rush of emotion at the sight of him nearly unbalanced her. The memories had been one thing, seeing him like this was like looking at home.

“Oh, Law…” he held a gloved hand out, fingerless much like her own, but the forearm was covered by a simplistic, but deadly gauntlet. His left shoulder was adorned by the pauldron from her memory, and the long top with slits that started at the base of his ribs looked miles better on him than the uniform had ever managed to.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes” she agreed, nothing but the books she’d hidden under her bed weighing down the knapsack hanging from her shoulders. “Let’s go.” They left without a backwards glance to anyone, eyes only for each other.

“That really does suit you, you know.” He grinned down at her.

“I could definitely say the same of you. I like your hair more like this as well.” She fingered the loose bob, smiling a little bashfully.

“...yeah, me too.” Teal eyes crinkled up at the corners, and for a fleeting moment, Rin thought that was rather cute. From the edge of town, it was only a few minutes’ walk to get completely encompassed by the forest. The further they got away from that civilization, the more relaxed they became.

“Do you even remember where we’re going?”

“My feet probably do” Law said, breezily. “Do yours?”

“Well that’s not where I keep my brain” his companion snarked back, lips twitching. “Obviously the same can’t be said for you.” She veered off slightly to the right, heading deeper into the woods without conscious thought. Law kept pace easily, as though he’d had the very same thought at the very same moment. She held up a threatening finger.

“Don’t say it.”

“Looks like your feet are brainy too!”

“It’s called muscle memory you idiot!” Laughing despite herself, she began to chase him, swinging her knapsack around as though desperate to land a hit. Her friend ducked out of the way, snickering, and straightened in a clearing that struck them both as immensely familiar. The playful atmosphere vanished almost immediately and Rin couldn’t help but freeze up at the sight of a strange and clearly ever-present fog. It had been gray and overcast the last time she was here. Today, the sun was glancing through the canopy and leaving rays of green and dappled light. None of it had any effect on the strange shifting mist seeping between the trees. Law got a determined expression on his face and stalked forward without any kind of fear.

“Law!”

“You don’t have to be scared, Rinwell.” His fingers found her own, interlacing in a comforting hold. “I feel like it’s calling me, like it’s calling us. I want to know what’s up with this place, I don’t think it’s just a regular fog.” In spite of herself, she snorted.

“No duh, dummy...of course it’s not a regular fog. I just don’t…” she heaved a shaky breath. “I didn’t want you to go alone.”

“Who said I was going to? We’ll do this together. I promised that, and I meant it. Come with me.”

“...I’m scared.”

“Honestly? Me too, a little. I feel like someone once told me to push on despite that, though. It’s good advice. Whatever’s there, I promise...I’ll protect you.”

“I know.” She took a deep breath. “You always have.” Since before this place...long before it. “Let’s go, then.”

“Just don’t let go.”

“I should be telling you that” Rin grumped, and together they did. The two teenage high school students of a sunny nondescript little town vanished into the mist, and as they disappeared from sight, so also did they from the minds and memory of everyone they’d ever met. An invisible ripple ran through the town and something, whatever it was, snapped straight again.

---

As far as they walked, they never ran into any trees or foliage of any kind. It almost instantly became nigh impossible to see each other, but with a firm grasp on each other’s hand, they kept walking. As they did, the gray blankness that had obscured Rin’s (and though she never knew it, Law’s as well) mind lifted with every step. The further they walked, the more she remembered, and the moment her boot landed on grass in a surprisingly moonlit clearing (when it had been mid-afternoon mere moments ago), the final memory came back, the reason they’d been in the rift at all. Rinwell promptly turned on a heel and smacked Law hard across the face.

“Idiot!”

“Ow!” She hit him again for good measure, trembling.

“We save the world, two worlds from imminent death and destruction, nearly get killed at every turn doing it, and you think it’s a good idea to see something shiny in a magic mist and stick your dumb head in to find it! Honestly, Law!” She was still shaking, but so was her vision, and the mage bit her lip in an effort to keep it all at bay. “What the hell would I have done without you? Stupid…”

“Yeah, I think that’s been established” groaned her friend, rubbing his jaw. She’d bruised it, he could already tell. Rinwell sniffed, and he let her anger born of worry roll off his back like water.

“Yeah, I’m the idiot...and trust me I won’t do something that reckless again, but now I’m back home because of you. Something tells me you don’t slip through the cracks in reality for vacation.” She growled, giving his shirt a vicious yank forward to hug him hard around the middle.

“Dumbass...of course I came in after you. I was the only one with an inkling of how uncontrolled rifts worked, I had to.”

“Oh, that was the only reason?” She smacked his back without letting go.

“No.”

“Yeah, I didn’t think so.” Law hugged her back just as firmly, leaning down slightly to rest his chin against her head. “I’m sorry for making you worry, Rinwell, I really am...and thanks for coming to find me. Great Spirit only knows where I would be without you.”

“You’re welcome...I suppose.” His laugh reverberated in his chest and against the cheek pressed up against it. She soaked in the warmth of him, taking in the sight around them both. Not far away was the now abandoned Earth Temple, where had once dwelt one of Lenegis’ four great zeugle creations, and above them the star-speckled sky of the unified planet of Dehna. Traslida Highway and the grassland between Overseer Hill and Viscint, which she abruptly realized was the jewel-like city from her dreams, were just minutes from here. They were home. If she had ever felt that the five realms of this continent were too small a world to live in, she never would again.

“You asleep?”

“We’ve only been up for like nine hours” Rinwell pointed out. “No, I’m just...really glad to be back.”

“You and me both, believe me.” Law very likely never would have made it home without her, and he knew it. Neither much wanted to let go, too happy to have each other and their planet back, but standing out here all night was asking for trouble. The elder teen stepped back first, grabbing for his friend’s hand. She gripped back tightly. “Sooo...Viscint?”

“We could try Alphen and Shionne first, they’re closer.” They’d probably also be very happy to hear of their return. How long had the two of them been gone, anyway? Her partner shrugged, hummed in agreement, and together they began the moonlit walk back to a familiar world.