The Rain Always Falls

Chapter One, Part One-

Catharsis

Disclaimer: I do not own Sword Art Online. However, Morgana and the other characters, unless otherwise mentioned, belong to me.

~writingthedayaway

The airplane wove through the soft clouds, the sunlight and the blueness of the hard sky breaking through the openings that were created.

Morgana stifled a yawn, her dark eyelashes closing briefly over half-lidded eyes as she quietly lifted up the window, throwing dancing bright morning light onto her lap, and peeked outside. It was early in the day as the passengers arrived at the Tokyo Narita Airport, and the terminals were bustling with life and people, in contrast to her home, Sicily, where it was but one in the morning, still in the wee hours even before dawn.

Unused to the time difference, the blonde blinked her turquoise eyes that were presently glazed over with drowsiness, and got to her feet unsteadily, righting herself with a hand on the back of the seat in front of her. Unknowingly, her fingers happened on a head of soft, black hair. She let out a hurried apology and removed her hand, looking up into the kind eyes of a boy around her own age. In charming, slightly accented but perfect English, he replied, forgiving her with a broad smile.

"It is fine, miss. Is this your first time in Tokyo?"

Morgana nodded, looking down at her feet with an embarrassed reddening of her pale cheeks. Was it so obvious? He noticed her bashfulness and brought up the next subject.

"I recognize your pin. Are you going to attend the Tokyo National Academy?"

She nodded again. "I was supposed to meet a classmate at the airport. His name is Yukimura Ko."

The boy grinned, pointing to his own matching pin and drew out his student ID. "Miss Morgana Dione Biancardi? I am Yukimura Ko. Or as you might say it, Ko Yukimura."

With that astonishing remark hanging in the air between them, he offered her a handshake. She took the proffered hand and shook. Her babbo had told her that a good, solid handshake was a sign of strength and maturity. Yukimura's handshake was firm and gentle at the same time, relieving Morgana of her fears. She could certainly trust him.

Yukimura, who insisted she call him anything she'd like, including Ko, without any honorifics, helped the girl with her single suitcase. He was going to also take the large, oddly formed black carry-on, but Morgana insisted on taking it herself. After all, it contained her going-away present from her parents, the latest Nerve-Gear.

Meanwhile, Ko had glanced at the carry-on and immediately recognized it for what it was, resolving to ask his companion, after they returned home, if she wanted to game together.

The two made their way through the busy airport and passed through the checkpoints, stepping outside of the cool into the heat of an urban city.

*Note: all Italian is in italics.
babbo- father