chapter 5 raising water

I wake up in a daze, my head throbbing as if to remind me that what I experienced was real and not just a dream. Blinking against the dim light, I sit up slowly, scanning my surroundings. The room is completely unfamiliar.

Swinging my feet over the side of what appears to be a cot, I take in the towering bookshelves that line the walls, stuffed with ancient tomes and strange artifacts. Among them, glowing orbs float lazily in the air—miniature planets, their surfaces shifting and morphing in ways I can't comprehend. My gaze drifts to the far corner of the room, where something large looms.

A skeleton.

But not just any skeleton. This thing is monstrous—easily twice my height, with thick, jagged bones and a massive, hollowed-out skull. A single eye socket gapes at me like a void. A cyclops? That can't be real. Surely, this is all some elaborate prank.

My pulse quickens. I need to get out of here.

Pushing myself up, I move toward the door, my heart pounding in my chest. Who lives here? What kind of person surrounds themselves with things like this? Just as my fingers graze the handle, the door swings open on its own. I stumble back, only to come face-to-face with my teacher—Mr. Stone. His daughter, Madison, follows close behind him.

"I see you're awake," Mr. Stone says, his voice uncertain.

I wrap my arms around myself. "Why am I here? What's going on?" I demand, my voice stronger than I feel.

Before he can answer, Madison steps forward. "You might want to sit down," she says gently. "It's... a lot."

I glance between them, searching for any hint of a joke, a lie—something to tell me this isn't real. But their faces are serious.

For the next hour, they explain everything: the magical world, the war, and—most confusingly—something about me. About JoJo. By the time they finish, my mind is spinning, my throat dry.

I don't know what to say. The room was silent after they told me everything. My mind was actively connecting the dots. "So, this floating island in the sky isn't normal?" I looked at them while confirming my question. They only nodded.

"I'm sorry, but why do I find it hard to believe?"

"Because the G.O.M. sealed your memories," he explained calmly.

"Well, can't you undo the seal?"

"No, I'm not powerful enough to."

I sighed in disappointment.

"Unfortunately, you will have to believe us until we find someone who can," he said.

I shrugged in defeat. "So, now what?"

"You don't need to attend classes anymore. They're a front for studying you, human."

I raised an eyebrow and repeated what he said back to him. He nodded.

"Our kind has never come into contact with this planet or its people. It was a once-in-a-lifetime chance."

I shook my head, no longer caring for this conversation. Walking towards the door, I waved goodbye. But, like the teacher who liked to talk my ear off, he had to keep yapping.

"Since you know everything now, the only lessons you'll be getting are on magical usage. Come early tomorrow to the library."

I flashed a thumbs-up and headed out, with Madison close on my heels. Keeping up with my pace, she moves swiftly beside me. I glance over at her and shyly smile. She returns the smile and waves. "Hello again, I'm Madison," she says.

"Hey, I'm Dominique. Nice to meet you again," I reply.

We make our way out of the school and onto the road as I head home. "You... going to follow me home?" I ask. She looks at me, surprised. "Oh, sorry. I, uh, don't have any friends and wanted to get to know you more," she admits. I feel excited but also a hint of what seems like melancholy. The silence stretches between us for a long while, the cold air dancing through our hair and into my unzipped coat. I glance up at her face, now slightly flushed and pinker. Something in my chest tightens. The honesty in her voice catches me off guard. I nod, and we continue walking. The wind picks up, making her hair dance.

After a long moment, she murmurs, "I'd love so much for us to be friends."

The words hit me harder than I expect. Before I can stop them, tears spill down my cheeks. I don't even know why I'm crying, but I can't hold it back.

Madison doesn't hesitate. She rushes into my arms, holding me tightly. The warmth of her embrace settles something inside me. I grip her just as fiercely, like she's an anchor in the middle of a storm I didn't know I was caught in.

When we finally pull away, we walk the rest of the way home hand in hand. Inside my house, the heater hums softly, its warmth instantly comforting. Madison removes her coat, setting her bag down. We make eye contact, both of us shyly giggling.

"Are you hungry?" I ask, trying to shake off the lingering emotion from earlier.

Madison nods enthusiastically and reaches into her bag, pulling out a few tin containers. She opens them, revealing an assortment of... questionably edible things. One looks wet and lumpy. Another appears brittle and flaky. The third is a sagging, mushy mess.

I swallow hard. "Uh... what is this?"

Her eyes light up. "Rations from my world! They're super tasty!"

I glance between her and the food, my stomach twisting. She hands me a fork and gestures to the flaky one. "Try this! It's called Dumemond Cake. It's my favorite."

I take a deep breath and stab a small piece. The moment it touches my tongue, my taste buds protest—it's dry. Almost flavorless. I gulp it down, forcing a smile.

"Well?" she asks eagerly.

I hesitate, then decide to be honest. "It's... kinda dry."

Madison blinks before taking a bite herself. She chews thoughtfully. "Huh. Tastes normal to me. Maybe our taste buds are different?"

Relieved that she isn't offended, I nod. I sample the mushy one next, but immediately spit it into a napkin. It's overwhelmingly salty, like chewing on chicken gristle. Madison laughs at my reaction, eating it effortlessly.

"Wow," I say. "Is this what all the food in your world tastes like?"

"For commoners, yes," she says with a shrug. "Nobles and royals probably eat better."

Something about that stirs my curiosity. "There's a royal family?"

She nods. "Yeah. There are four major kingdoms on the planet of Alice. I'm from Halo."

The conversation lingers in my mind as I push away the rations. "How about I cook you something from my world instead?"

Madison's eyes widen. "Really? I'd love that!"

I head to the kitchen, gathering ingredients. Butter sizzles in a pan as I boil water, mixing everything together until a rich, creamy aroma fills the air. When I set a plate of chicken alfredo pasta in front of Madison, she stares at it, entranced.

The moment she takes a bite, her eyes widen in shock. She shovels in another mouthful, then another, moaning in delight between bites.

"This is incredible!" she exclaims. "I've never had anything like this before!"

I laugh. "Really? This is just normal food."

Madison shakes her head. "No way. This is high-quality!" She pushes the tin containers toward me. "Compared to what I usually eat, this is a feast!" we laugh and enjoy our meal as we chat about the magic world.

As we clean up, my mind whirls. What kind of world does she come from? And... will I be going there? I lead her to the room Later, and I start the bath, hoping to relax. As I sink into the warm water, my thoughts drift.

Did I really never live in this house? Did I have a family? am I even living as the real me? I hate that i can't remember. I angrily slam my fist to the water suddenly, the water surges around me. Before I can react, it explodes from the tub, sending me sprawling onto the soaked floor.

I stare in horror. The water moves—no, it obeys me. My hand twitches, and the liquid follows. I hesitate, then move my arms deliberately. The water dances like a ribbon in the air looping and spiraling mimicking my hands every move I was both scared and intrigued.

The memory of the blue light in the classroom, the stone sinking into my skin—it all rushes back.

Magic.

With effort, I guide the water back into the tub, leaving the floor dry. Heart racing, I throw on a towel and bolt into my room.

"Madison! Come quick!" I gasp.

She hops up and runs to the bathroom after me. "Watch this," I say. I gracefully move the liquid, bending it to my will with mastery. I end my demonstration by returning it to the tub, then turn to her with a smile on my face.

She screams in excitement, and I jump along with her. "You just controlled one of the elements! You really are a legendary guardian!" I smile shyly. "How were you able to control it so masterfully?" she asks. I look at my hand. "It just felt... familiar," I reply. After that, I get dressed, and we both hit the hay, exhausted. She lays next to me, holding my hand as we doze off to sleep.

"I wish I found you before my mom died," she whispers. "Your mom died? I'm sorry," I whispered back. "It's okay; it's not your fault. I just wonder... if you were there, would she still be here?" she says. "I don't know," I reply, "but I'm here now. I'll do my best to protect you, me, and both worlds." She squeezes my hand, and tears fall from her eyes. "Thank you... for being a new source of hope for me."

It feels nice being needed. As I watch her zone out into a deep sleep, I think to myself: I pray that I can live up to her expectations. I hope I can discover who I really am amidst the battle between good and evil.

I smile, but inside, one thought lingers.

Who am I really?