A Familiar Beginning

“Professor Raine? Professor Raine—wake up!”

“H-Huh…?”

Mari knew very well that her life had ended. That the cruel loan sharks I brutally beaten her and that she had took her last breath in her old and broken down apartment. Yet out of nowhere, as if waking up from a nightmare she was graced by the sound of woman she did not recognize.

As her eyes adjusted Mari had realized that she was some sort of office, but it look far from casual. Everything look very expensive and seemed to have been carved and polished by a special wood. There was also a gigantic book case filled with texts in languages Mari never knew three snow owls flying around on the ceiling. 

“W-where…”

“Professor Raine? Are you alright?”

“AH!”

“BGHAH?!”

Mari squealed in shock as had completely forgotten the second person in the room. She was an adult woman with long light brown curly hair which seemed to cover her eyes. The woman also wore strange clothes with an itchy looking gray sweater-like cloak. 

“A-are you okay, Professor Raine?”

“Y-you…wait a second…do I know you?”

“H-huh!? Y-you’ve forgotten me!?”

“Wait…what did you call me?”

“P-Professor Raine? Do you…not like being called that? When I called you Ms. Redwood you got really upset and slapped me…”

The long haired woman bowed nervously.

“What name would you like to be called?”

Mari did not answer as she was still trying to process the current environment she was in. And then, after looking at the woman for quite a bit longer…a name had popped into her head.

“Your…Nora Christina, right?”

“Y-yes?”

Mari nearly gasped but she quickly covered her mouth. 

“A-and you called me…”

Mari had turned around and saw a mirror. She walks towards it to see that it was not her—or at least not the version of her she was used to seeing. 

She was a beautiful woman who looked around their late thirties with violet hair in a bun style. She wore glasses that covered her  purple eyes. Her attire consisted of a black female dress suit with purple dress shirt and a black tie. With was a black skirt, fancy boots, and white cloak.

Mari recognized the woman instantly as she was a fictional character. A fictional character in a video game that her son used to play. One that he loved deeply.

“Raine…Redwood…”

Mari pinched herself. Then she slapped herself twice which warranted a sudden worried squeal from Nora. 

“This…isn’t a dream…I’m really…Raine Redwood…”

Out of nowhere the loud sound of trumpets ruptured throughout the area. Nora started to sweat and run around in a panic.

“It’s time! It’s time! It’s time!”

Nora hurried behind Mari and started to push her out the office.

“I apologize for this Professor Raine but we are going to be late! You don’t want to upset the Headmaster do you!?”

“The Headmaster…this is…”

Mari closed her mouth and continued to speak within her head.

“This is…Minia—The Academy of the Blessed. Which means…that this world is…THE SETTING OF “THE UNYIELDING SKIES”!?”