"During the day, the Sankta looked up at the sky to find darkness shrouding even the sun. At night, the devil's army came and slaughtered countless Sankta. The Sankta lost much of their radiance.
"The saints said: follow me. Thus they rose. The saints said: listen to me. Thus, the bells began to ring.
"The bells echoed throughout the wilderness, uniting all the Sankta.
"This is a revelation. This is an exhortation.
"There will be light throughout the day, and it shall never be shrouded again.
"The saints said: build a city. It will be the Sankta's paradise.
"The saints said: this city shall be called Lateran."

As the rain kept pouring heavily onto the bright, white marbles of Laterano, a river of young, hopeful faces spilled out of school premises, quickly filling the streets. Clutching their bags and books high above their heads in an attempt to protect their shiny halos and fancy uniforms, not one of them was safe from getting thoroughly soaked. Having exchanged their half assed goodbyes, the students split into groups and ran off in a haphazard, ill-considered search for shelter, catching hundreds of raindrops in the process. Loud giggles and cheery conversations echoed all throughout Stevonus Avenue - a daily indication that school hours had finally been over. Usually, the occasion would be accompanied by a cacophony of gunshots and loud cheers from the older troublemakers.

Not today, however, due to Mother Nature's moody vagaries.

The streets began to clear out, as the rain kept assaulting the poor, battered architecture. Just one innocent soul remained in the downpour, sitting at the edge of a chiseled fountain and glaring down into its shallow pool.

"Just a couple francs off a peach cobbler. Might even nab a coke to go with it."

His thoughts wandered as he looked up at the figure of some hooded saint adorning the fountain. Holding a highly detailed flintlock pistol pointed towards the sky, water cascading from its muzzle, down his glimmering robes of marble. Wonder how much this piece cost?

Despite the premise of a sweet, warm meal, the boy seemed to hesitate for a moment. Dumb move, day diving into fountains. But on the other hand, it was raining, anyway, it's not like he could get even more soaked.

Ah, what the hell.

He flung himself right over the edge of the fountain's pool, diving head first into the shallow depth. His arms flailed around wildly, hungrily reaching and searching for any coins at the bottom. No such luck.

Upon resurfacing, a curtain of gray, curly hair fell before his eyes. An obstacle to quickly brush away. He took a deep breath and tried again. And again. And again…

"Got anything?"

The boy's head immediately popped out of the water, turning towards the source of that annoying chirping. There she was. A red headed girl with a bright, golden halo above her head and an even brighter grin plastered over her mug.

"Yeah, I got a moron watching over me."

"Hey, at least I'm not the one diving into fountains for cash. You could've just asked…"

"Asked you for money?"

He let out a small snort at the mere thought. As if he hadn't taken enough from her already.

"I'd rather not eat at all, Lem."

"Oh, shush..."

Sensing that his luck wouldn't turn, anyway, the boy climbed out of the pool and sat by her. His wet clothes immediately clung to his short frame, leaving no breathing room inbetween. Despite the rather brazen rain, the overwhelming feeling of living his life down in those very same dumps people speak of so lightly, the sight of his grinning friend immediately rubbed off on him, forcing a smile onto his face.

"So? How was school?"

"Boring."

"All of it?"

"Not all, I guess. I set off a stale flour bomb by accident."

A mischievous glint sparkled in her eyes. Must've been really proud of that.

"By accident?"

"By "ACCIDENT." You know how it is."

She made sure to really accentuate the quotation marks. He let out another snort and she giggled. The two morons then shared a fist bump.

"And the other moron? Skipped today, too, or..?"

"Oh, she's left already! Something about the rain, I guess. But I'm here to walk you home, you fountain diver~."

A tempting offer. Better than a walk through this downpour on his own, for sure. The two gathered their goods and chattels, before taking off. On a pleasant walk along the gutter they went, following the rainwater streaming down the empty streets. The marbles and quartzes of Laterano appeared almost tainted in the rain's cold embrace. It really drew all the bright colors, leaving them feeling all gray and sad. A military convoy rushed by, splattering the two with water. It's not like the boy could complain, he was already soaked to the bone, anyway. "Lem", however, gave the passing vehicles a piece of her mind, pissed beyond belief. Almost as if she was going to curse them out.

Almost.

Cursing wasn't very Lawful and she, herself was as religious as they come. The boy, however, was more focused on the Pontifica Cohors Lateran, the lads in uniform being driven out of the city. All of them, either angels or birdies. Sankta or liberi. Peacekeepers of the world.

"You think they're ever gonna stop all this war nonsense?"

"War? Surely, right? I mean, the good guys always win, eventually~!... Even if they can't drive, sure."

Her eyes shot downwards, glaring at the soaked uniform.

"Then again, there's not much to win, right? It's just peacekeeping."

"Oh, it is?… I don't really keep up with it, Andy."

"You don't?"

"Nuh uh! But if the Law... And the Pope want us to do peacekeeping in Kazdel, then let there be peace, I guess."

She gave a light shrug as they skipped along the pavement. Right. War in some foreign shithole wasn't exactly the hottest topic among other thirteen year olds. Even if it was so out of character for Laterano to ever fight for anything.

The two soon found themselves soaking up rain in front of a certain familiar establishment. A cinnamon shop. A merchant of dreams, retailer of various reveries, mysteries and old things nobody wants. By its entrance, a gate leading to a large backyard, connecting a few tenement buildings. It was usually, a community hub for the inhabitants, who were exceptionally forced into isolation due to the biting rain.

"Lem" took a deep breath and spoke up, letting her chirpy voice fill the empty yard.

"Soooooooo?"

"So?"

"Wanna drop by tomorrow? En's going out, we could raid her computer."

Sparks of excitement were practically bouncing around her eyes at the mere thought of going through her sister's private affairs.

Andy felt a tinge of guilt. Hanging out at her place, again. Seeing her parents, again. Being pampered with love and affection from people he's known so long, yet never given them anything in return. He was starting to feel like a leech at that point. A tapeworm feasting on apple pie and their good wills.

"I… Yeah, I dunno. We'll see."

"Yeah, we better do!"

After a small chuckle a familiar smack hurled over onto his shoulder. "Lem's" favorite way of saying goodbye - affectionate violence.

"I'll catch ya on the flip, then, Andy."

"Yeah, whatever that means. See ya, Lemuel."

The girl walked off, waving her frail, short arms up until Andy lost sight of her. He felt as if someone abruptly flipped a switch, completely altering the mood. The rain suddenly felt colder than a moment ago. An unwanted feeling of self consciousness washed over him.
Andy now stood before the door to the place he's grown to call home. As always, a little hesitant to enter. With the rain still intrusively enveloping him in its cold embrace, he took a step forward and turned the doorknob.

A sigh,

"... Hey, dad, I'm home."