The first thing Aether felt was the gentle embrace of water.
He tried opening his eyes. Colors spun in front of him in a dizzying way, flickering this way and that. The hodgepodge of colors, white spinning into black, green blending with blue, red bleeding into orange and then yellow – it was all too much and he had to close his eyes.
There, in the darkness of his mind, he found some semblance of peace.
It was an odd, empty feeling, being this low on starlight. His mind idly tried to make sense of the world around him, but his thoughts were too scattered and disconnected to understand it.
And he was feeling so, so tired…
…
When Aether woke up again, he was still flowing down a river.
The next thing he did was to draw strength from the cosmos, everything from the ever-distant stars to this world's sun, but no matter how much he reached for it there was nothing for him to grasp. It didn't make any sense because he could literally feel the sunlight's warmth and the moon's cool gaze. No, for some reason, gathering starlight – something that had always been as easy as breathing, as natural as walking – was out of his reach right now.
So he continued to flow alongside the stream, dipping in and out of consciousness. Eventually, he mustered enough strength to stay awake for a few seconds. Something different greeted him each time his mind woke itself up: he heard the morning song of birds, felt the rocks slick with moss, and was occasionally nibbled on by the marine life.
Maybe this was revenge for all the fish he had eaten in all the different worlds. Waking up to find a fish – one that he couldn't see or even kick away – nibbling on his toes had been more than mildly terrifying.
But, as all things tended to do, it came to an end.
One day, he woke up to find himself being pushed against a net.
A rudimentary fishing trap. One that was poorly maintained and rarely used, if the twigs knocked out of alignment and digging into his body was to be any indication. Or maybe it was him that had ruined it. Either way, it was a miracle that he didn't just push on through the stubborn sticks holding it all together.
He didn't know whether to laugh or cry. So he slipped back to unconsciousness instead.
He didn't know how long he was there, bundled up awkwardly against the pieces of twine. Sometimes, it was the sun that would greet him with its warmth, and sometimes, it was the crickets' gentle song he awoke to. Sometimes, it would be a gentle breeze that roused him for a few minutes, and sometimes, it would be the raindrops sliding down his body.
Once, Aether swore that he woke up to the distant thrum of explosions. It was made all the more surreal when the very distinct sound of a child's joyful laughter. But of course, there was nothing but the serene hum of the wind the next time he woke.
No, he must have been truly out of it to imagine such strange things. He resigned himself to a very long and uncomfortable time recovering any semblance of strength.
The days and nights melted into one another. The sun and stars mocked him for his weakness and his inability to wield their power.
He wondered why he was here, stuck in a fishing trap and unable to move. He wondered if this was an afterlife. Was it a prison meant to torment him? After all, solitude was its own kind of poison. And right now, it was seeping through his hazy thoughts.
Did he do something to deserve this? If he did, why couldn't he remember what he had done? No, why couldn't he remember… so many things? His past felt lacking, the faces were blurred and unrecognizable, and the names danced right outside his reach. It was aggravating, knowing that he had lost something, but being unable to remember what he had lost.
He wondered if it would ever end.
But, as all things tended to do, it came to an end.
And it was because someone finally approached him. He was just slipping back into the blessed quiet of unconsciousness when he heard a surprised gasp.
"Eh?! Um, mister, my nets aren't made for sleeping, you know! Except if you're a fish, but kind of more permanently- wait, you're still alive, right? Please tell me you're alive, please tell me you're alive-"
-o-
The next time he woke up, he felt far better than before. He was surrounded by a warm, soft fabric. Rather than the constant flowing of water, he felt the cool hands of… someone stroking his head.
And… starlight. He felt starlight so close to him and as he tried to take it in, his eyes shot open instinctively-
He immediately regretted it when he was met with a splitting headache. Black spots danced before him. The hands froze on top of his head before darting away.
As the black slowly cleared away, he found… onyx eyes looking back into his own?
No, not just onyx, he realized. They were like two white stars gleaming in the night sky, those eyes.
She also had long white hair. That was about the only thing he could make out when she was peering into his face from so close.
Long white hair, flowing upwards like a flickering candle-
Aether winced, and the women drew back just as suddenly. After a moment where neither knew where to begin, she cleared her throat and spoke.
"You have very pretty eyes."
…he had no idea how to respond to that. Thankfully, he didn't need to when she continued, her words picking up speed as if the floodgates had been opened.
"Golden just like the sun, you know? Except, I'm sure you must have heard that a million times over – believe me, the bards just won't shut up about mine," she chirped. Was she rolling her eyes right now? "It's always 'shining like a star within the abyss,' or 'a cecilia resting against the dark of the night,' or if they're feeling particularly antique, 'a brilliant galaxy trapped within her eyes.' Ugh, talk about being bland, I don't think I heard a single new line out of them in the past hundred years. So I'll just keep it simple by saying that your eyes are very, very pretty. By the way, who are you? I thought I knew most of the faces of the Seventy-Two, but I sure as heck don't recognize you."
It took Aether several moments for her words to make sense in his jumbled mind. But the fact that it did, that he was able to make sense of her outpouring of words had him so, so relieved.
"… Ae-!" he croaked, before breaking out into coughing. Unfortunately, his body disagreed.
Inwardly, he despaired. A pretty lady was nursing him back to health, and all he could do was cough in her general direction. He couldn't even defend his choice of thoughts – being compared with the stars was the best kind of compliment, thank you very much – yet alone introduce himself properly.
Thankfully, it seemed like she understood his condition.
"Ah, sorry, sorry!" she laughed softly before stopping as if she wasn't sure if it was alright for her to be laughing. She settled for a weak grin. "…guess I got my excitement get the better of me for a moment, hehe. You understand though, right? The years get so dull when there's nothing new that happens."
When he didn't respond, she began threading her fingers through his hair once again, slowly and methodologically. Her cool hands gently combed through his undoubtedly messy hair.
Aether didn't have the strength in him to deny her. And truthfully, he welcomed the warmth for what it was.
She must have done this before, his tired mind declared. There were no tugs of pain nor uncertainty accompanying her movements, only the soft humming of a tune he had never heard before. A melody akin to the setting of the sun, the final steps of a journey, the pleasant passing of the day.
He had almost fallen back to sleep when he heard her whispered promise, low and solemn.
"Sleep, oh weary traveler. Rest well and recover. Paimon guarantees your safety."
Well, at least he had a name for the lady taking care of him.
-o-
The next time Aether woke up, his hair had been braided. It wasn't identical to his usual by any means – the biggest difference was a small ribbon holding his hair together rather than small strands of light – but it was close enough for him to find comfort in the familiar weight of his hair.
At the very least, he didn't feel like he had a soggy mop for his hair anymore.
He tried sitting up. When the world didn't collapse back into darkness, he sighed in relief and stood up. He stretched, cracking bones that felt glued together and loosening muscles that felt as tough as granite. His entire body felt sore, but it was nothing he couldn't deal with.
Now, it was time to find the lady who had healed him, find out where he was, and figure out just what in the stars above had happened to him.
Looking around – he held back a wince, had the colors of the world always been so bright? – he seemed to be in a wooden cabin of considerable size. There was all the furniture he could expect in a well-off individual's house: a black sofa, a white desk, even a fluffy carpet patterned after the night sky. A glance outside the windows showed a small garden, and beyond that, a sea of trees swaying gently along the wind. Several doorways lead to other rooms, but he figured it would be rude if he left the place without his host's permission.
All in all, it was a pleasant, secluded home. He fully approved of the galaxy-themed décor. Then he tried closing his eyes and opening his other senses.
And nearly staggered in shock.
The entire room he was in was flooded with starlight.
He reflexively drew some of it – okay, all of it – for himself. Later, he would explain that it really was more than just instinct. It wasn't like putting water in front of a thirsty person and asking them not to drink, it was more like pushing a wingless person off a cliff and asking them not to fall. He nearly moaned when he felt the rush, the power of the cosmos empowering him again-
And almost immediately, the room was bereft of starlight.
…huh. Now that he thought about it, that might not have been the best decision-
The quiet whoosh of air was the only warning he had.
He instinctively ducked his head and prepared to roll sideways, but didn't account for who knows how many months floating on the river and crumpled to the ground instead. The first projectile went over his head, but a sad little plop sounded as something moist hit his head and slid off, leaving a trail of slime and a feeling of disgust.
Aether glared at the fish that had hit him. So his host was a pretty lady that had saved him and given him practically free reign around her house, that was still no excuse to lower his guard. If he had read the trajectory right, the first one had also been aimed at his head.
So, she was good with something throwable – knives, maybe. Good enough to predict how he would move and good enough to aim accurately with something as floppy as a raw fish. It served as a good warning, which was no doubt what his host had intended.
A distinctively annoyed voice broke through his thoughts.
"What's the big idea, mister? I nursed you back to health, and you pay me back by taking all of the starlight? Why not just take my titles at that point, huh?"
Aether had already swiveled towards where the fish had come flying from when she walked into view. Paimon – that was her name, right? – was wearing a flowing long white dress, with long strips of midnight black. With her crossed arms and narrowed eyes, she managed to cut an intimidating figure despite being on the short side, only coming up to his chest. Though of course, she was currently taller due to him being on the ground.
Despite this, Aether felt a sheepish smile coming onto his face as he was about to reply. For some reason, he felt… used to ticked-off women coming after his throat. But when their eyes met, his words of apologies died in his throat.
She continued her tirade, gesturing angrily at him. "Really, that was a half a century's worth of starlight that I had gathered, and you just… just… gobbled it all up like it was the last slice of moon pie! I don't care if you're crippled or braindead, there are limits to my hospitality! Did the Archon War teach you nothing about what we do when we're pissed off with each other, huh?! Hey, answer me-!"
But all Aether could focus on was her long white hair, starting to billow in slow motion. Just like-
-the Sustainer of-
A stabbing pain in his head. He groaned, stumbling backward and grabbing his head reflexively.
-its own laws-
There was some panicked yelling in the background, but he couldn't hear through the haze of pain, the throbbing of his blood, the humming of his starlight, the echo of a voice.
-ends now-
Suddenly, hands firmly took a hold of him. He found himself staring right at the one with white hair. Eyes filled with concern peered down at him, but all he could see was a small little smile.
"Breathe. It's okay. Everything's okay," she said.
-You shall be the opening act, he heard.
Instincts took over again, and he shrugged her off, shielding himself with his left arm. At the same time, his right hand grasped his… his…
Nothing. In a stance that suddenly felt hollow, he drew nothing.
Something was terribly, terribly wrong.
"Why… why are you afraid of me?"
Aether was ashamed to admit that it wasn't the confusion and hurt in her eyes that knocked him out of it. No, it was her distinctive white eyes in an ocean of black. She was different from her, and that meant she wasn't an enemy.
He opened his mouth to apologize, but he paused. Why had he been so afraid? Who had he been so afraid of?
"…I don't know."
A long pause. And then he heard the sniffles.
He mentally rewound the conversation and winced. "Uh, I mean-"
"WAAH! Y-you… you big brute!" She sat back up on her haunches – he had kicked her back, he realized guiltily – sniffling tearfully into her arm. "T-this lady fished you up from the river, and brought you back to my house, and even nursed you back to health! Then you wake up, and Paimon was so happy and was preparing a special dinner for you, but you just… just took all of Paimon's starlight and flipped out on this lady for no reason! W-was… was something Paimon did wrong?!"
Stars above, he couldn't remember just how long it was since he had felt so terrible. Now that the adrenaline was fading away, he was painfully reminded about just who had been the one to have healed him.
Groveling it is.
She started when Aether raised both of his hands, ducking his head in apology. Showing his empty palms as a sign of surrender and lowering his gaze as a silent admission of guilt. He belatedly prayed that the customs of this world weren't too different from what he knew of and spoke.
"I… I apologize," he rasped, before coughing. He felt like he was gargling river water while he spoke but soldiered on regardless. "I… mistook you as someone else."
She sniffled and raised her head. It took all of his willpower to not finch at her tearful gaze. "…really? It's not something Paimon did?"
"No, well, it's just…" he gestured helplessly at her hair. How would he feel if someone freaked out on him and blamed it on his hair color? Very much unsatisfied, he imagined. But the truth was all he had. "Someone with long white hair. She's the one to have hurt me, I think."
"What? Huh…" Her hurt seemed to fade away to be replaced with confusion. "So, the person that put you in that state… they had hair like mine?"
Aether nodded.
She furrowed her eyes for a bit, but in the end, she took a deep breath. "…alright. Just… alright. Everything's alright."
For a minute or two, they were both silent. As Aether listened to his host's breathing becoming quieter and more even, he could only guess what was on her mind.
Probably somewhere between 'I should kick this madman out from my house' and 'I should kill this insolent guest'. For his own sake, he hoped it was closer to the former than the latter.
Eventually, his host broke the silence, standing up and brushing away at her dress. Her eyes darted over to him but didn't quite meet his eyes. "Um, sorry I lost my composure there, how about we just pretend that me losing my mind never happened-"
"-no, no, you had every right to be angry. I'm sorry about the starlight, and I'm grateful that you helped me. No, you saved me," Aether corrected himself, nodding. "Thank you for that. I'll make it up for you, I promise."
"A-aw, shucks, I mean, I kind of guessed you were badly injured," she said, rubbing her head sheepishly. "So I just threw down a lot of my energy, figuring it might help. I just didn't know that it was that bad, and you would need to take all of it."
Aether didn't think it was the time or place to tell her that all the starlight of the room had amounted to a drop in the ocean compared to his usual reserves. So he continued nodding gratefully.
"Well, at the very least, you should be practically dizzy with energy now – wait, don't change the subject, you agreed to forget that had ever happened, right?"
"Um, is the fish throwing included or just the 'talking in third person' thing-"
"Yes." At a moment's notice, he was looking cross-eyed at the finger inches away from his nose. Paimon was fast. "To both. Clear? Capiche? If not, I might have to kick you out of my house and possibly this mortal plane. You know, just possibly."
She laughed as if she was saying something silly, but she was grinning just a bit too much for it to be completely a joke.
"Crystal clear," Aether laughed. He would forever deny that there was a slight nervous tinge to it.
The finger withdrew, and Paimon offered to him her hand and a far more natural smile. "Good. Alright, let's start from the beginning. So what's your name, mystery man?"
Oh, he hadn't even introduced himself. He grabbed her hand, pulled himself up, and did a small bow. If he swayed a little unstably while doing so, Paimon didn't say anything about it. "Aether. It's Aether, but… I can't remember much about myself. I know that I used to travel between worlds."
Yes. There were… patches in his memory. He could remember the many places he visited and the people he had met, but not where it was or what they looked at. Just… vague impressions.
The one thing he could keenly remember was that he was searching for something. Something he had lost, somewhere along the way.
"Can't remember much, huh? Well, we certainly have a lot to talk about," Paimon mused. She stepped back, spun around, and did a small curtsy. Any form of formality was immediately ruined when she flashed him a victory sign and winked.
"I'm Paimon, former Rank Nine of the Seventy-Two! Currently the minor Archon of the Constellations, but I'm more well known as that strange woman in the woods by most, the harbinger of ruin by bards, and friend of the ducks by the kids. Pleased to meet you!"
She stretched her right hand toward the ceiling and snapped her fingers. A glimmer of stars popped up – a constellation.
Aether's heart nearly stopped when he felt the tiniest drop of starlight from it. Thankfully, he had more control over his actions this time, and so he watched on quietly as Paimon inspected it once before waving it away with a smile.
"Alright!" Her confidence and pep fully restored, Paimon let out a small cheer. "Since I'm tired of the fact that we're both feeling sorry for ourselves, let's let the past be the past and move on! I'm cooking us some dinner, alright? Trust me, my fish stew is to die for, and since I spent hours catching two of those slimy evil things since someone ruined my trap, we both can eat well-"
Paimon froze.
He followed her horrified gaze and was met with a fish lying next to his feet. He couldn't tell where the other one was at, but there was no doubt that it was also far, far removed from the cooking pot it had been destined to be in.
Aether immediately stonewalled his instinctive laughter. Do not laugh, smile, or display any positive emotion, he chanted to himself. Do not mention the fish throwing. Do not test the limits of your goodwill with your savior.
It was a very, very close call.
"…I can clean them up for you?" Aether offered.
Paimon took a deep breath, and let it out just as slowly.
"No, no, that's fine. Completely fine, actually! Just…please give Paimon a moment."
She bobbed out a graceful curtsy, flashed him another gentle smile, and quietly padded out of the room, closing the door behind her. A moment later, he could hear her muffled screaming in embarrassment and frustration – maybe both.
Well, Aether thought, slumping back down on the sofa. First contact could have gone a whole lot better.
And that's a wrap!
I was imagining that Paimon was humming Dream Aria while lulling Aether to sleep. You might know it better as the song that plays while the game does its initial loading during nighttime.
This fic was mostly born because I was dissatisfied with Paimon as a character. Instead of a guide and an actual being of this world, we're instead saddled with a mascot that talks for us, summarizes whatever is important, and occasional tries for humor. Practically no one acknowledges how weird it is for us to have a fairy thing following us around shedding constellations everywhere. No, I wanted Paimon to be an actual character with history, personality, and aspirations – hopefully, I could write well enough to get that across. I was largely inspired by miraage1's 'Boundless,' so go check it out!
Also, my original idea of a different Paimon consisted of Paimon from the Dungeon Defense LN (good read, but definitely not suitable for everyone) - 'this lady' was a part of her overly former dialect in the translation I read. Ultimately, I decided that a complete personality switch would be more harmful than good in my goal to write a lighthearted, easy-to-digest fic, but I couldn't resist adding that little reference.
Yep, definitely lighthearted. Definitely!