Caster of Light

chapter 1: meeting another

Lumina sat upon her favored telephone pole, looking down upon the dull brick roads that were lain before her. It was a cold night, although Lumina could not tell that it was so. Her slow breaths were lifted up into the night sky in a transparent cloud. People walked slowly on the bricks, occasionally talking to others. Lumina stared at them, her heart longing to jump down and join them.

Instead, Lumina simply sat and stared. It was what her life, or rather, afterlife was.

Not wanting to just laze around, she hopped down to the ground, and took slow steps towards the brick road. The people paid no attention to her, and she simply paid no mind to them either. Instead, she walked across the road, towards a small pond residing alongside the road. Some people stood fishing, and others just watched the rippling waves break apart the moon's reflection.

Something small and bright caught her eye. It stuck up out of the river, and it was quite apparent. Yet, the people who stood looking out into the river seemed to not notice it. Or, at least not care.

But Lumina cared. She began wading into the pond, but it wasn't hard to sift her way through it, since it went only up to her knees.

She reached the bright object, and to her surprise, it seemed it was a small ball of light. Her eyes widened in curiosity as she reached her hand out to touch it softly. Her hand did not go through it, and instead gently stroked it. It felt... warm and fuzzy. Comforting, like a warm hug.

She gently wrapped her hand around it and carried it away from the pond. It seemed to light even brighter when she reached the brick road. As she walked across it, she noticed it... grow? Yes, the light was growing stronger, warmer, bigger.

When Lumina reached the telephone pole, the light had grown to the size of her arms. She laid it down onto the ground, and finally, the light seemed to take a shape. It looked like a small human, perhaps a boy. Lumina stared with awe as it seemed to glow the brightest, and finally die down.

And in front of her, was a transparent figure in the shape of a young human boy. Another spirit.

Lumina reached out to the spirit, but before she could touch the spirit, it's eyes opened. They were the only colored thing on it, a beautiful deep green color. It blinked a few times, and shifted it's head to view Lumina. The head of it cocked, and it looked Lumina up and down. Lumina opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She cleared her throat, and looked into the eyes of the spirit.

"H-Hello?" Her voice seemed to cut the silence, and the spirit's face seemed to appear confused.

"He... llo?" it spoke softly, as if he had never heard the word.

"Yes, hello." Lumina said rather excitedly. She hadn't spoke in a long time. "Do you... know where you are?"

It shifted it's head around to look at it's location. It held the same face of confusion, and a frown was growing on it's face.

"No," it spoke. "Where am I? Who am I?"

"I'm not sure who you are, but you're in a small town called Wellspring." She paused for a moment, and continued. "Do you remember anything before this?"

"N-no." It's frown grew even more. "All I remember is being by water."

"Ah, I found you by water," she clarified. "I brought you here."

"Oh." It frowned, and seemed to be thinking.

"Anyways, what's your name?" she asked.

"I think it's..." It paused. "Midori."

*Isn't Midori a girls' name?* Lumina wondered, but ignored it. But she had to ask. "So, are you a girl or boy?" Lumina hated she had to ask, but it couldn't be avoided.

"A boy, duh. You couldn't tell?"

"I-I just wanted to make sure..." Lumina mumbled. After a minute of nothing, she broke the silence.

"Well, Midori, I hope we become good friends! I assume you'll stay with me?"

"I have no where else to go." Midori said, and smiled. "So, I guess if I have to."

"Great!" Lumina smiled. She finally had a friend.

Friend.