Friends' Arrival

The rain tapped loudly outside the warm interior of the 2-story house.

Tap, tap, tap…

The house was quiet, only brought to life by the golden glow of the ceiling lights and the sharp whistle of a kettle.

A tall figure danced to rock music from a small bracelet device lying flat on the countertop.

Gracefully, she moved between activities, cutting the onions and carrots as the cooking oil heated up, then moving to wash the meat and prepare the seasonings while a bigger pot filled with rice, water, and a pinch of salt boiled on the stove.

Meanwhile, In the upstairs bathroom, a figure sat on the toilet contemplating very serious matters.

"Ok, so… am I supposed to use her washing cloth or…?"

Clasping his hands together in front of his face, using his thighs for support, he stared intently at the bathtub as the steam rose and fogged up the mirror.

Good thing for him, though; he doesn't have to struggle trying to avoid his own reflection anymore.

"I mean, she gave me these clothes and sent me to go bath, so she must have known there were no other washing cloths in here, right?"

Pausing, he leaned deeper into the pose.

"But, what if she just forgot or something? She's only human, after all; mistakes happen."

Overthinking himself into a corner he sighed.

In the meantime, Sumi was putting the finishing touches on her dishes before leaving them to mature.

"Ok, so next I have to wash the dishes and set the table. I wonder how Altha's doing."

"You know what I'm just gonna take a shower instead. Cause this isn't going anywhere." Altha said as he got up from the toilet and undressed.

Ding Dong!!!

The doorbell rang from downstairs. With dishes in hand, Sumi was on her way to set the table but decided to make a quick detour toward the door instead.

As she opened the door, the light from the warm interior pierced the darkness, revealing long, dusky-rose-coloured hair that cascaded over one shoulder, tied into a loose braid that draped over her chest.

Strands of hair escaped from the braid, its lustre giving it a silken sheen, catching the light in subtle, shifting tones of magenta and crimson.

The figure looked into her eyes and then slowly shifted her attention to the plates she was holding in her left hand with bowls on top.

Her lips were full and delicate seeming as she subtly smiled.

"Need help?" She said as she reached for the plates.

Sumi returned the smile and hugged her gently as she said:

"Cassie, you're earlier than I expected. It's good to see you."

"It's only been a week." Cassie said, "You're acting like I've been gone for months on end."

Sumi hugged her tighter and said:

"I know, but I'm just so used to you sleeping here."

Cassie hugged her back balancing the plates in one hand, and croakily said:

"Yeah, me too."

A rumbling boom rolled through the streets and reminded them of the raging tempest above. Quickly Sumi welcomed her in and closed the door behind them.

Soon after Cassie made her way to the dining room. While neatly setting the table she noticed her long jacket of a rich and deep black fabric on the outside and white insides was crooked. The jacket had gold embroidery and a small insignia on the back. Quickly adjusting it, she then dusted herself off.

It was odd, for although she had walked unprotected in the frigid rain, she remained wholly dry. It would be strange to most people, but for her, it seemed all too normal, as natural as breathing.

Happy with how she looked, she joined Sumi in the kitchen.

"I hear running water coming from upstairs. Is Solace suppressing his Ether or something?"

Sumi pulled out a tub of ice cream from the fridge and sighed.

"It's not Solace," she said "It's… you'll see for yourself."

Cassie raised an eyebrow.

"Hmm, how curious."

Her emerald eyes darted around her surroundings.

"Don't bother getting into detective mode now. There aren't any clues for you to go off." Sumi said, crossing her arms.

Responding Cassie sighed and wagged a finger at her.

"Tisk, tisk, tisk, you know nothing of my craft. Earlier today you called asking me about boys' fashion. So clearly that should be a boy up there, Correct?"

Sumi rolled her eyes playfully.

"Yes, correct."

"And then I heard from Solace that you had invited him to the dinner too and that you insisted he bring Isolde." Cassie stated, "Meaning, you want our opinion on something, and I bet I can guess what, or rather who?" Her eyes looked up in the direction of the sacond floor bathroom.

Leaning up against the countertop Sumi asked:

"Oh yeah, Miss Detective, tell me then. What more insight might you have on this meeting?"

"Well, you asked specifically for Isolde to come, so I assume there's something you want her to identify, meaning whoever this person is might be an Astral. Let me guess, he helped you rebel the Spatial-Fract on the bridge last night."

Sumi's eyes looked away, as she said:

"How do you know about that?"

"I see, so it is true," Cassie said as she walked over to the tap for a cup of water. "I wasn't all the way sure at first, but now you've confirmed my suspicions. I can't wait to meet this mystery Astral of yours."

Taking off her jacket and hanging it over a chair, she put on an apron over her black crop top with gold detailing and asked:

"So anything else to say about my craft?"

A brief silence settled in the kitchen but was quickly drowned out as they both chuckled and returned to cooking.

A few minutes passed as Sumi and Cassie cooked and joked around and as they were close to finishing a gentle voice emerged from behind them:

"Uhh, hello?"

Hearing the voice they both turned to look in surprise. The person to whom the voice belonged was wearing sleek black shorts that stretched a little past his knees and a black shirt that read "Keep Moving Forward"

"Sorry to disturb," Altha said. "I was just wondering if you needed help or something."

Sumi quickly walked over to Cassie as she asked:

"Dang kid, you're very quiet. I'm surprised neither of us heard you approach. What are you, like a ninja or something?"

"A ninja?" Altha thought to himself, "Also, I'm not a kid; I'm 16."

Sumi wrapped her arm around Cassie's shoulder and said:

"Cassie, this is Altha, Altha, this is Cassie."

"Don't start with nicknames as a first-time introduction," Cassie said as she approached Altha and put her hand out for a handshake. "My name is Cassilyth; it's nice to meet you."

Altha looked up at her and shyly shook her hand. Cassilyth had warm, golden-tanned skin, a narrow waist similar to Sumi and a flat, sculpted stomach with a golden piercing.

She also wore an asymmetrical skirt made of a sleek material with one side cut higher than the other and a gold trim along the edges. Keeping the skirt secure was a sturdy black belt with a metal buckle.

Black stockings covered her legs, with black and white sneakers covering her feet. Her eyes met Altha's for a moment but he quickly averted his gaze and let go of her hand. Pointing at the used dishes he uttered:

"Sumi, I could wash those for you if you want."

Smiling pleasantly, she nodded, and Altha quickly scooted on over there. Leaving Sumi and Cassilyth to discuss amongst themselves.

"Well he's cute, I'll give you that." Cassilyth said, "Can't sense any Ether from him, but who cares."

Pulling her into the dining room, she asked:

"So, I'm not crazy then. You can't sense any from him too?"

Cassilyth nodded.

"Yeah, not even a little. It's unusual, almost impossible even. He's a weird one that's for sure."

"I-"

Sumi was about to speak when all of a sudden two flashes of lightning roared their tempestuous winds in the middle of the road and formed into two elven individuals.

"They're here," Sumi said as they both rushed over to answer the door. As soon as they did bickering followed as Isolde exclaimed:

"How does it feel to lose, huh?"

"It would sting more if that was actually a race." Solace said as he waved at the two women. The two briskly sprinted over to the door.

"I thought I told you two not to do that anymore," Sumi shouted, "my neighbours are going to file another noise complaint."

"Well we thought this was urgent," Isolde said as she entered behind Solace, "so obviously we had to take the quickest way here."

Sumi squinted her eyes at them in disbelief and sarcastically asked:

"Is that so?"

"We're sorry, Sumi," Solace apologized. "It may have slipped our minds."

Sumi closed the door behind them and gestured Solace to the coat hanger. Then she asked both him and Isolde to make themselves comfortable in the dining room while her and Cassilyth finished up in the kitchen.

Meanwhile, Altha was finished washing the dishes and had resigned himself to looking around the kitchen.

The floor under his feet was strangely warm for a polished, light-toned tile, reflecting the warm glow of recessed ceiling lights, creating an airy, open feel.

The ceiling itself was a stylish tray design, that added depth and subtle architectural interest.

The cabinetry was a striking fusion of wood and metal, with flat-panel doors, accented by long, minimalist handles. The lower cabinets and drawers provided ample storage, while the upper sections housed built-in stainless steel appliances, including double ovens, a microwave, and an expansive refrigerator and freezer set.

The stainless steel elements extended to the range hood, which hung dramatically over a professional-grade gas cooktop embedded into one of the islands.

The islands featured pristine, light-toned stone countertops and darker base cabinetry. The main island included a sink with a modern, curved faucet, as well as a neatly arranged selection of decorative trays, potted plants, and small accessories that enhanced the space without cluttering it.

The secondary island, positioned opposite, housed another sink and additional prep space, along with seating for casual dining or socializing.

From the kitchen, he could see into the living room.

The room was a stylish modern design while remaining minimalistic. From where he stood, skies of grey and rain were visible tapping against a towering floor-to-ceiling window.

The walls were adorned with angular, high-tech panelling in dark metallic hues, featuring glowing accents that suggested advanced technology.

The windows were framed by vertical light fixtures, their cylindrical forms radiating a soft, ambient glow, adding to the ethereal atmosphere.

A plush, curved sectional sofa of tonal deep-navy and white colours offered a comfortable gathering space that lay next to the ceiling-to-floor window. Its low profile emphasized openness, while its positioning invited relaxation.

Two bean-bag chairs of deep navy and white tones sat nearby.

A round, gold-framed coffee table with an intricate lattice design rested atop a subtly textured rug, adding an artistic yet functional focal point. Small decorative objects and a potted plant sat atop the table.

The ceiling featured angular skylights, allowing even more natural illumination to filter in, casting subtle, shifting patterns throughout the space.

And Altha just stood in silence at the sight, taking in his surroundings. It all seemed so surreal, thathe felt maybe he was dreaming.

As he kept to himself some strange reflection in the living room window caught his eye, cautious he approached.

But nothing was there. Checking to see if anyone was outside he looked around some more but again, nothing...

Until suddenly from behind him Sumi's voice called out, it seemed it was time to start plating the food.

"Altha, you can make your way to the table if you want," Sumi said as she grabbed a pot with both hands, "we can handle the rest."

"Do you two need help?" Altha asked as he moved over to grab a pot.

Sumi paused for a moment, thinking, but before she could answer, Cassilyth smiled and responded:

"We could use as many hands as we can get. Go ahead, Altha, grab the rice. Sumi you grab the meat from the oven. I'll grab the tub of ice cream and the gravy. This way we'll only need to make one trip."

"Uhh, is it ok if I try something?" Altha said almost whispering. "I think it could help, alot."

Cassilyth raised an eyebrow.

"Umm sure, what do you have in mind."

Lifting his hand and focusing they watched as, slowly, the pots lifted into the air, along with the tub of ice cream. Cassilyth and Sumi's eyes widened, nervously they looked at each other.

"So I'm supposed to take these to the dining room, right?" Altha asked.

They both slowly nodded, too busy processing how to approach this new development to even speak. Putting a hand in his pocket, he walked to the dining room as the floating objects followed, trailed by Sumi and Cassilyth.