~ Rainy Day Romance ~

Aisha – Elemental Master

Elsword – Rune Slayer

It was over.

She had failed.

No matter what she did, none of her spells worked.

She forced out a weak laugh. She could remember the judges' confused expressions.

Ironic, isn't it? The number one magician in Velder, was unable to properly cast a spell during the magician's final exam.

She had immediately run out of the exam room out of panic, and she was far too humiliated to return.

It was over.

Her eyes began to water. She raised her arm, quickly wiping away the tears with her long white sleeve with a jagged opening.

She glanced down at her outfit – the usual white dress shirt and navy blue skirt uniform of Velder Academy, combined with a long white coat, lined with magenta silk. On each side rested a large lilac-colored pocket, embedded with the universal symbol for elemental magic. On her chest, to tie up the jacket, was a large rosy-pink ribbon, with a small golden seal in the middle, depicting the crest of Velder's Official Elemental Masters. The official jacket representing Velder's most talented magicians.

She received the jacket early on in her school year, for showing extreme potential in nature-indulging magics. It was an honorable gift, given only to the greatest students with such potential.

They hadn't expected her to fail. She was sure of it. They were expecting her to enter the exam room and pass with flying colors. Just like every other test she had. Her perfect 100% streak was over. Her future as an Elemental Master was over.

Tears began to form on the corners of her eyes again. But the little magician did not wipe them away. She wanted to cry this time. But she was deep in the city, and she was far too ashamed to return to her dorms.

Hiding her face from the passerby strangers, Aisha wove her way through the crowd and into a large forest park. She strode off the gravel sidewalk and deep into the forest, not even caring about the branches that tore at her hair or scratched her legs. She soon arrived at a small clearing, barely wide enough for her to stretch her arms out to the side.

She leaned against a tree and let out a long sigh, but alas, her tears would not fall. She was extremely upset, frustrated with herself and her failure. Her chest felt tightened, as if it was going to explode if she did not release her grief, but her eyes remained dry. She let out a weak laugh.

"Am I such a failure, that I'm unable to even cry?" She called out to no one in particular.

Of course, there was no reply.

She hung her head and let out another sigh. Raising her head, she untied her pigtails and combed her hair, picking out the various leaves and dust that had gathered while she ran. Tying her violet hair back into their usual twintails, she felt a drop on her head, followed by a second shortly after.

She raised her head. Rain.

The rain quickly intensified, turning into a small storm, trapping the girl in the forest. She would be able to escape, dry, if her teleportation spell worked.

Aisha let out a small laugh.

"How ironic, even the elements are laughing at me…"

"That's not true."

Aisha flinched at the unexpected reply. She raised her head, meeting with friendly crimson eyes.

She gazed at the owner of the red orbs. A young male, most likely only a little bit older than her, judging by his appearance. His bright scarlet hair was spiked, and tied into two thin pigtails resting over his shoulders. A quick flick of his head revealed a third strand, most likely a ponytail tied at the back of his head.

Despite the cold weather, the young boy was wearing a short, black, sleeveless jacket that showed his naval. His black pants were adorned with several ornaments – a large red belt around his waist, connected to two similar-looking streamers of sorts, a very large golden charm attached to the belt, and metal plates on his thighs that attached to long, baggy, white legwarmers of sorts.

He waved his hand, covered in fingerless black gloves with multiple black bracers.

"Yo."

The little magician stared, surprised to have met someone out in the middle of the forest. Snapping out of her trance, she quickly replied, her voice a little shaky.

"Hello…"

The boy smiled cheerfully.

"Whacha doing all the way out here?"

"Nothing really, just… …Thinking…" She glanced at the boy.

"Don't you feel cold, wearing such little clothing?"

The boy laughed, replying with an energetic tone.

"Nope! I like the rain, and the rain likes me." He placed his hands on his hips, leaning slightly, giving off an air of confidence.

It was only then, that Aisha noticed the boy was completely dry, despite no cover over his head. His hair stayed spiky and moved with ease, and there was not even a single drop of rain on his skin or clothes. But the ground below him was drenched with rainwater. A magician perhaps? And a powerful one no less, considering he was able to maneuver so many raindrops at once around his body, but lead them to their original intended location. She felt a small tinge of envy stir in the pits of her stomach. Mass maneuvering was a skill not even she had fully mastered yet.

"What about you, don't you feel cold?" The boy asked, curiously. "You're a magician right? How come you don't have a shield up or something?"

"My spells aren't working…" The girl replied solemnly.

"Really? Mind showing me?"

Aisha sighed and raised her left hand, facing her palm towards the sky. She closed her eyes and began to gather mana in her body, an image of a small flame flickering in her open palm forming in her mind. As she finished her mental incantation, she slowly opened her eyes, praying that her magic had returned. Her hand remained empty. She let her left arm fall and exhaled angrily.

"See? I can't even create a simple fire!" She furrowed her brows and bit her lower lip, frustrated with her incapability to do such a simple task.

"Hmm…" The boy placed his right hand on his chin, as if he were in deep thought. His face suddenly broke into a wide smile.

"I've got it! The problem is this!" He curled his right hand into a fist and jutted his thumb at his chest, where his heart laid.

The girl raised an eyebrow, giving the boy a strange look. He laughed.

"The problem is that you're underestimating yourself. It's the first time you've ever failed. So what? You'll do a thousand times better next time, so pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and carry on!" The boy cheered, puffing his chest out proudly.

The girl stared at the redheaded boy, dumbfounded.

"What does that have to do with my…" She trailed off, eyes wide as she realized, she never told the boy about her final exam, much less about failing it. "Wait a second! How do you know it was my first failure?"

The boy laughed and gave an all-knowing look.

"Don't worry about that. For now, concentrate on calling forth some fire."

He grabbed the girl's left hand with both of his hands and spread open her fingers, surprising the little magician.

"Close your eyes." He commanded. "And imagine that a gigantic fire is going to burst aflame in your hand."

Hesitating slightly, Aisha closed her eyes and began mentally chanting the same incantation as before. She visualized a small flame burning vigorously in her open palm.

"Not enough, think bigger! You want an even bigger flame, one that's as big and bright as the sun!"

Aisha clenched her eyes, furrowing her brows. She pictured the small flame growing larger and larger, doubling to twice the size of her delicate hand.

"More, more! Pour all your effort into it and make the flame explode!"

Aisha gritted her teeth, visualizing the flame increase drastically in size. With the redheaded boy's constant cheering, she soon relaxed, and her small flame began to flicker, changing shape to a beautiful bird of fire.

With a gasp, Aisha quickly opened her eyes, just in time to see a small flame shoot up from her open palm, dancing into the sky in the form of a phoenix. She stared, mouth hung open in shock. 'Did… Did I do that?!'

As if he had read her mind, the boy laughed, letting go of the girl's delicate hand.

"See? I knew you could do it!"

For the first time that rainy afternoon, the little magician smiled. She began to laugh. How strange. The boy's reasoning made absolutely no logical sense to her, but she felt extremely happy, and relieved that her powers had returned. She turned to face the boy.

"Thank you. I… I'll believe in myself more, and I'll retake the exam."

The boy responded with a bright smile of his own.

"No problem! Go and show them how amazing you are. Knock their socks off!"

"What the heck… Who says that nowadays?" The girl chided, laughing childishly alongside her new redheaded friend.

Wiping her tears on her white sleeve, Aisha turned to gaze at the sky, noticing that the rain had lightened, and many of the dark clouds had faded away. She glanced at the boy – whom had also turned to look up at the sky – and noticed a displeased frown on his lips. The boy let out a short huff.

"Looks like I've got to go now…"

He began to walk away, raising an arm and looking over his shoulder as he bid farewell to his new friend.

"Bye bye Aisha! Good luck on your exam!"

"W-Wait!" The girl stuttered, feeling slightly embarrassed. "What… What's your name?"

"Elsword." The boy replied, smiling. "Don't be sad, I'll come here again tomorrow."

Aisha felt her face flush.

"I was just asking for your name…" She mumbled, earning a light laugh from the boy.

She watched as the boy wove through the cluster of trees, carrying the rain with him. What a strange boy he was.

"Ah…"

She raised a hand to her chin.

"Did I tell him my name…?"

Panting slightly, Aisha ran deep into the forest, stopping only when she arrived at a small clearing. She remembered to put up a mana shield this time, and had an umbrella in her coat just in case. She leaned against a tree, waiting for her friend to arrive. As if on cue, she spotted a messy speck of red and black out of the corner of her eye.

"Elsword!"

Aisha ran towards her redheaded friend and jumped on him, embracing him tightly.

"I did it! I passed the exam!"

The boy laughed, returning the embrace.

"Congratulations! See? I knew you could do it."

Aisha let out a light chuckle, before realizing her position. She quickly tore herself away, feeling heat creep up to her cheeks.

"Oh my gosh! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to—I mean…" She continued to blabber on, attempting to save herself from her little mishap.

The boy watched in amusement, eventually deciding to give the little magician some peace of mind.

"So how was the exam?"

"Eh? Oh! Um, it went well, I think. All my spells came out perfectly." She grinned sheepishly. "I guess I should believe in myself more…"

Elsword nodded his head.

"Yup, yup! And then someday you'll be able to do something like this!" He waved his arms in an outward arc-like motion, gathering the raindrops in front of him and molding them into water-made roses of varying sizes. With a snap of his hand, the petals began to fall from the roses, one by one, drifting slowly before returning to their original form.

Aisha stared in awe. In the warm afternoon glow, the water droplets seemed to sparkle all over the green forest. 'How beautiful…' She thought to herself. Noticing her piqued interest, the boy let out a light chuckle.

"Amazing isn't it? I learned that trick from one of my friends – though she used sparkles instead of water." He placed his hands on his hips, releasing a hearty laugh from his mouth.

"Heh~…" The girl started to mumble to herself, gathering all her knowledge to attempt to replicate the boy's little show.

Raising her head confidently, Aisha swung her arms out in a large arc-like motion, much like what the boy did. But the water instead gathered in a large sphere in front of her. Aisha stretched out her left hand, spreading her fingers apart and facing her palm towards the orb of water. Murmuring a short incantation, she fired a quick burst of fire directly into the water, dispersing it around the magician duo. With a quick snap from her fingers, the water droplets froze in midair, and with a second snap, they changed into small orbs and began to slowly drift down to the earth. With the additional light from the compressed flame, the water droplets constantly changed colors as they fell, forming glass-like orbs filled with endless rainbows.

Elsword let out a low whistle, impressed by the girl's superior imitation.

"Wow~. Maybe you could teach me sometime?" He teased, earning a light laugh from the purple-haired magician.

"Of course! Big Sister Aisha is the number one magician in Velder, after all!"

"Huh? Big sister? How old are you again?"

"My seventeenth birthday was just a few months ago." The girl replied proudly.

"Seventeen? Wow, you're so short…"

"W-What was that?!" The girl huffed, feeling her face heat up. "Now you just listen here mister! Just because I'm small right now doesn't mean I won't grow any taller!"

The boy narrowed his eyes and smirked, replying with a playful tone.

"Heh~. But you're already almost twenty. Don't most people stop growing much by then?"

"T-That still gives me three years to grow!" The girl retorted, feeling her face flush even brighter.

"What about you? How old are you, mister you're-so-short-for-an-seventeen-year-old?" The girl asked with a sarcastic tone, earning a laugh in reply.

The boy raised a finger to his lips and closed his right eye.

"That's a secret."

The girl stared, deadpan, before throwing her arms up and bursting into a small, laughing fit.

"What kind of answer is that?!"

"It's still an answer!" The boy replied, laughing alongside the shorter girl.

Collecting herself, Aisha proposed another question to her redheaded friend.

"Then, where are you from? I've never seen you around before. Or is that a secret too?"

As expected, the boy gave a short, cheerful laugh.

"Bingo! I'm not around here, but my birthplace is a secret. You could say I'm a traveler of sorts."

"A traveler? That's so cool!" The girl's eyes began to sparkle as her curiosity intensified. "Where have you been to?"

"Hmm, well, I just came from Hamel…"

"Hamel? You mean, THE Hamel? City of Water, capital of Senace, all the way in Fluone?!"

Elsword flinched at the girl's unexpected enthusiasm.

"Y-Yeah…"

"That… That's so cool!"

Aisha quickly grabbed the boy's hands, clenching them gently as she pestered the boy to continue speaking.

"What was it like? Were the people there nice? Were there any magicians? No, wait, I read that Hamel's armies mainly consist of melee attackers with magical properties, so I guess there wouldn't be many. No, wait. Was that just the Red Knights? Did you get a chance to see the Red Knights? What were they like? I heard their captain, Penensio, is really handsome and talented. Oh! And the prince of the royal family is supposedly really talented too. Do you know what's he like?"

The redheaded boy laughed as he was continuously bombarded by various questions about the famous capital. Releasing his hands, Aisha let out a childish huff.

"What? I'm being serious here – I really want to know what your visit was like!"

"I know, I know." The boy droned teasingly. "Well, let's see… The city was really big, and there were fountains and rivers everywhere and…" He trailed off, stealing a glance at the little magician. Her eyes were wide and seemed to be shining brilliantly, as if she were tightly grasping onto his every word, and painting a beautiful painting of the valiant city with his words alone. He let out a light chuckle.

"Should I continue?" He asked, already knowing the answer.

"What? Of course! …Please!" She added, remembering to not forget her manners.

The boy glanced at the sky. The rainfall was still heavy, and did not seem to be letting up anytime soon.

"Hmm… Well, why not. I've got the whole afternoon to tell you."

As the words left his mouth, Aisha found herself grinning like a child on Christmas morning.

"Really?! Yay, thank you!" She jumped on the boy, giving him a tight hug before quickly pulling away, determined to not let the boy waste another second.

"So? There were fountains and rivers everywhere and…? What else?"

The boy laughed, amused by the girl's playfully curious nature.

"Well…"

The school bell rung, its silvery voice echoing throughout the famous Velder Academy. As soon as its third chime ended, students and teachers alike began to flood the hallways, eager to return to their homes and relax after a long, tiring day.

Collecting all her belongings, Aisha mumbled a simple teleportation spell, smiling victoriously as her schoolbag disappeared from her desk, and arrived back in her dorm room.

"Wow~, how amazing. I wish I had spent more time on Teleportation magic…"

The little magician turned to face the voice – a girl her age and height, with long purple twintails clipped to the back of her head, wearing the majestic gold, silver, and blue armor of the Velder Imperial Guards, a heavy blue schoolbag in her hands. Aisha smiled and greeted her fellow Elemental Master.

"Hi Noah! My Teleportation skills might outclass yours, but you don't know how envious I am of your ice magic."

"Really? Oh gosh, I'm flattered. Though, because of my mastery in ice, my affinity with fire is really low…" The armored magician replied, laughing sheepishly.

Aisha let out a cheerful laugh.

"That's Velder's Ice Princess for you!"

Exhaling a defeated sigh, Noah joined in with her own laughter before quickly changing the topic.

"So! Aisha, are you free today? I'm thinking we could have a little training session – you, me, and Speka."

"Sorry, I'm meeting someone today." Aisha replied, feeling a little regretful. She could've learned a lot from the two magicians if she decided to participate. Ice was a difficult element for Velderian magicians to master, as it was a dual element (of water and wind), and was rarely ever seen in warm areas, such as Velder. Though she reckoned the other magician's specialty void balls – miniature spheres of explosive dark magic – would have been far more difficult to master. However, her daily meetings with her redheaded friend took far more priority in her mind.

"Maybe next time."

"Is that so… Okay then. Next time for sure, don't forget now~!" The Ice Princess flashed a bright, reassuring smile to her magical companion.

Waving goodbye to her fellow magician, Aisha dashed out of the large classroom, mentally citing a self-teleportation spell as she wove through the cluster of fellow students and the occasional staff member. Her spell finished, Aisha snapped her fingers, floating gently – with the aid of wind magic – to the soft, grass-covered ground. She glanced around the small clearing. The tree leaves had begun to change color, ranging from lush greens to earthy reds to sunset yellows. Glancing at the ground, she noticed many flowers had already begun to wilt.

The rainy season would be over soon, and Christmas would soon follow. Without even realizing, Aisha had begun to plan out a gift for her redheaded friend. 'Should I make him something? Or would a store-bought item be better…?' Her roommate, a martial artist with blonde-green hair, often knitted various articles of clothing for her lover. 'Maybe I could ask her to teach me something simple?'

She chuckled lightly to herself. It had been many months since their first meeting, and she had grown quite fond of the redhead's company. He was a mysterious boy, often surprising her with his vast knowledge. She wanted to give him something that he would treasure for a long time. A personally-made gift would make a greater impact, but the wrong gift may upset her redheaded friend…

Lost in her thoughts, Aisha did not notice that it had begun to rain until the downpour intensified heavily. She quickly put up a mana shield and raised her head, meeting eyes with a familiar redhead, wearing his signature outfit of red, black, and white. The boy raised an arm as a greeting.

"Hey Aisha. You're early today."

The girl smiled in response, her recent thoughts continuously pecking away at her mind.

"Hey Elsword? I was wondering…" She trailed off, feeling heat rise to her face. "Umm… That is, are you free this Christmas? I was thinking maybe we could spend some time together. B-But only if you want to!"

She quickly looked away, feeling her heartbeat increase in speed. She began fiddling with the hem of her shirt, nervously awaiting the boy's response.

"Christmas huh…"

Hearing no proper answer, Aisha glanced at the boy, surprised when she saw a sullen expression on his face. Her smile fell.

"Are you… …busy that day?" She asked timidly, her voice quivering slightly. The boy shook his head, a bright smile returning to his face.

"Nope! I'm free that day."

"Really? That's—"

"Just… I won't be here by then."

"…Eh?"

Aisha felt her heart sink.

"What… What do you mean by that?"

The boy averted his gaze, forcing a sad smile on his lips.

"Well… Remember how I said I was like a traveler?"

The girl nodded, recalling one of their earlier meetings. Her shoulders fell as she finally understood his words.

"So… When are you leaving?"

"…Today, in a few moments." The boy replied quietly.

"Oh…" Aisha trailed off, feeling her eyes begin to water. She blinked rapidly, forcing the tears back with no luck. Tilting her head down, she wiped her tears on her white sleeve, determined not to show her crying face.

"Then, when are you coming back?" She asked in between soft sniffles.

"I… Don't know…" The boy choked out his reply, feeling an overwhelming sense of grief rise in his chest.

Hearing no response, Elsword glanced at the purple-haired magician, seeing her head buried in her large sleeves, her shoulders rising and falling with each silent sob. He reached his arm out, but quickly retracted, unsure of how to comfort the crying girl. As he debated on what to do, the rain began to lighten. He cussed under his breath.

"Aisha I—"

He stopped himself, unsure of how to continue. He let out an irritated sigh. He was running out of time.

Gathering all his willpower, he grabbed the girl's delicate hands and raised her head, noticing her tear-streaked face and red eyes. Hesitating slightly, he closed his eyes and kissed the sobbing magician, relieved when she did not fight back. Their kiss was gentle and was over far too quickly. Parting their lips, Elsword pulled the little magician in a tight embrace, feeling his own eyes begin to water.

"I'm sorry Aisha, I'm so sorry…"

The girl rested her head on the taller boy's chest, unable to stop her overflow of tears.

"No more… Please don't say any more…"

The rain lightened to a few mere drops, waiting for the reluctant boy to follow. With one last gentle squeeze, Elsword pulled himself away and began to walk deep into the forest. Glancing over his shoulders, he saw the girl fall to her knees, her cries muffled by her large white sleeves – a scene that would forever replay in his mind.

The following months had flown past without even a glance at the desolate little magician. The second school term started and ended just as quickly as her redheaded friend entered and left her life. Before she knew it, she had graduated – with top marks, as always. The graduation ceremony had ended mere moments ago. Certificate in hand, Aisha leaned on the cream-colored wall that surrounded the academy, watching a flood of fellow students leave with their loved ones.

She let out a heavy sigh. Unlike Noah, who chose to use her magic as an asset in battle, Aisha had decided to join the Velder Magician Council – a group of powerful magicians that dealt with various everyday tasks regarding magic – as their meteorologist. She would study under the current meteorologist for a few years, until he retired, and would take his post as his successor. Her future was secured, but the little magician could not help but feel dull and anxious. Her mind constantly flickered back to the thought of her redheaded, first love.

It had been nearly a year since she last heard anything from him. Where was the boy now? Was he still his same cheery self? Was he still traveling? Or did he decide to settle down somewhere? And if so… With whom?

The girl let out a sigh. She had gotten over her heartbreak, or so she thought. Without even noticing, the school courtyard had emptied and the sky began to drizzle. Putting up her mana shield, Aisha decided to wander around town, possibly rest at a café for an hour or two. A pair of approaching footsteps, however, piqued her interest, eliminating her short plan. She raised her head, eyes wide as she stared at the figure before her. A young man with spiky scarlet hair, tied into two pigtails that hung over his shoulders, and a third ponytail near his nape, with similarly shaded, bright red eyes. He wore his usual attire of black, red, and white, and the corners of his lips were raised in a bright smile. He raised an arm in a greeting.

"Yo."

"El…sword?" The girl called, disbelief reflected in her large amethyst eyes.

The boy laughed.

"I'm back, Aisha. Sorry I was gone for so long. I… Had a little talk with, uh, my father. I brought good news though – this time, I'm staying, for good."

"…Really?" The girl could not believe his words. "You're not going to leave again? Ever?"

"Not ever. I promise."

The girl felt her body quiver.

"Pinky promise? You'll stay with me? Forever and ever?"

The boy laughed.

"Even in death, if that's what you'd like."

Tears began to form on the corners of the little magician's eyes. She wiped her tears on her long sleeves, though they merely continued to fall out of her amethyst eyes. Unable to restrain herself, she ran towards the boy, embracing him tightly as she bawled all her pent-up loneliness out.

"Stupid Elsword…" She cried out, in between heavy sobs. "I missed you so much…"

The red-haired boy returned the embrace, pulling the girl's delicate head to his chest. As the little magician calmed down, he pulled himself away slightly. He cupped the girl's tear-streaked face and leaned in to plant a soft kiss on her forehead.

"…I missed you too." He whispered.

"You promise you won't leave?"

"I promise. The rainy season might come and go, but I will always be by your side. I promise."

~ Author's Notes ~

Requested by Tsurara-Oikawa Chan, a very enthusiastic supporter of EMxRS, who was also kind enough to read over most of this oneshot before it was posted~.

By gods though, happy endings are difficult to write. You don't know how tempted I was to write an ending where it was like a fleeting romance. It was very tempting. /slapped by Tsurara

Next oneshot will be a DCxSD one, which might take a little while, as I'm not very knowledgeable, per say, with that pairing...

Nonetheless, I hope you enjoyed this oneshot~! Feedback of any sorts is always welcome, and requests are still open~.