"WE WILL BECOME IDOLS!!", screamed Chika as she attempted to get everyone's attention.

"I don't care!! Ruby won't join you no matter what!!", responded Dia as she held Ruby tight.

RIKO'S POV

I could recall this scene. Everyone was fighting or not getting along. You, Kanan, Hanamaru, Mari, everyone. I tried to intervene, but my words didn't do anything. I was forced to back off and just let things happen. Sigh.

That's the kind of person I am. Quiet. Reckless and not careful whenever I say something. Normal. Nothing special.

But....I realized I wasn't the only one...sort off....

Amidst the fighting, another girl with dark indigo hair stepped in and tried to intervene...

"A duel must be decided!! For thy struggle be resolved, unleash your weapons and call upon me, Yohane the fallen angel, to bear witness to....", I think that was what I heard when she said that. In anycase....

"You. Shut up if you don't want to die.", Dia responded with menacing intent.

....it did not work. She was forced to back off too.

That was the first time I think I met her. Yoshiko...a chuunibyou with a "fallen angel" complex. The moment I saw her I felt the need to reach out to her.

Even more so as days passed...she seemed to be trying to get attention from people, could she be lonely or something?

There must be a reason why she acted so...so...so out of place...

I had to see her...

----- -----

Days later....Saturday...

YOSHIKO'S POV

6:03 AM

"Aarrrgghh....I...feel...so...weak...."

I felt pain and and grief as I looked over the magical realm, corrupted by darkness brought by the Ethreal Demon. My powers...drained from constant warfare....I...needed....strength...

(I was playing a video game.)

"Hey, Yoshiko-san. You've been playing for like 3 hours straight, you haven't eaten breakfast yet, zura.", my disciple Hanamaru said as she opened the magical door, calling for me.

But now wasn't the time....

"Hanamaru, this is a task that will determine the fate of all existence!! I must sacrifice by all means to rescue the denizens from their cruel fates!!"

(I have to finish the game.)

"Geez. Well, you better hurry up, zura."

As I concentrated on my mission, I never paid attention to Hanamaru as she brought in an unfamiliar guest.

--- Riko and Hanamaru ----

"Oh, Riko-san, you're really early. What's up?"

"I'm looking for...umm...Yoshiko...isn't it?"

"She's upstairs, zura. Fighting monsters, zura. You need something from her?"

"I just wanted to see her, that's all."

"Hmmm....her chuunibyou attitude got you huh, zura?"

"Yes! I think..."

"You could try, but...she's been playing so early in the morning, she hasn't even eaten...."

"What!! You're kidding me!!? Hang on, I'll cook her breakfast!!"

---- ----

I continued my struggle against those demons that turned against me. My mana was running out, my servants were slain one by one...

"Yoshiko?"

Darn it!! I am only one stage away from the Ethreal Demon's lair!! I cannot give in here....

"Yoshiko!!"

Then, I realized someone was calling me...

"Who's there!!? Yohane is here, not Yoshiko!!"

A girl with long dark purple hair appeared, holding a tray of....bread and chocolate milk.

"A commoner? What is your business here?!!"

"Hanamaru-san said you've been up with....oh my god! Your eyes...."

"Huh? Oh, yes...this is the fault of the demon army. My powers have been drained....and it's God's fault too for making me so unlucky!!"

"YOU HAVE EYEBUGS!! God, don't tell me you've been playing since midnight!!"

This...Riko girl...suddenly held my face and looked with intent. She pulled me closer, I could not believe my eyes!! She, a commoner, did not hesitate to hold me close! I felt....something...as she looked at me....

RIKO'S POV

This girl had been up all night!! She needs food and sleep really badly!

"Yoshiko-san! Here, eat this! Then get to bed..."

"I am Yohane, not Yoshiko!! And no, I must not!! The fate of the world is in my hands!! I cannot rest!!"

"What are you talking about - huh?!"

I noticed she was playing a turn-based fantasy game. Her avatars were in bad shape. I realized that this game is responsible for her current state.

"Yoshiko, let me finish that game for you."

"Imbecile!! You not know what powers the demons have!! And my servants will never listen to a commoner with no skill!! And call me Yohane, not Yoshiko!!"

Sigh. I have to talk like her to convince her....

"Yohane. I have travelled numerous worlds and fought multiple beings. You know not what experience I have!", I hope I am saying it right...

"...you mean...You're a wandering Sentinel!!", she said. I don't even know what that meant.

"ummm....look...leave it to me. You're injured. You cannot fight properly. I'll do it for you."

I had Yohane eat bread then I played the video game for her.

"Hmm...let's see...what skills does this one have..."

I played through the level of the game. I focused on buffing the skills of Yoshiko's avatars. Playing video games is something I've done too. I kept fighting until I got to the boss. I beat that boss by sacrificing Yoshiko's servants to protect her main avatar. Then I had the avatar's skills take down the boss.

Finished. I got the game to end in about 23 minutes.

"No...no way!! You...you should've not won...how...", Yoshiko was clearly shocked and awed by how I did it.

"Yoshiko, you just need to focus more on defensive magic."

"I see......TEACH ME!!"

"Huh!!? Ahh, wait!!"

She pushed me down to the floor and was totally looking at me with a reddish face. She was so...so...so close to me.

"...you must be...my savior!! The one fated to guide me as the prophecy declared!!"

"Wait...it's just...I've already played that game before...just that, nothing special!!"

"YOU ARE SPECIAL, RIKO-SAN!! Fate has made it your destiny to guide me to salvation!!"

She said all of this with much admiration. It sounded so weird...but I understood what she meant. She liked me and what I did.

"PLEASE. LET'S FORM A CONTRACT WITH EACH OTHER!!"

I realized this girl was expressing herself through a persona. She was not ready yet to deal with her real identity, but it does not mean she has no understanding of reality, basically interpreting it in a way only she understands...

I felt something...that pulled me to her...to help her out...to hope she could...at least...learn to act more normally...at least...

I smiled and held her cute face...

"Fine, I'll teach you. But make sure you sleep after this."

And yeah...that's what I thought....

...we ended up playing video games with each other all day. We tried different games, Yoshiko kept persuading me to do this and that....I couldn't say no...I got so tired and fell asleep before I knew it...

......

Then I woke up...9:47 AM. Yohane was on top of me, holding me tight as if I were a pillow. She was still asleep.

"....savior......Ri....ri...chan..."

I looked at her and felt my heart thumped a bit. She was so cute. I guess when she sleeps, she could be an angel after all. I patted her head and just waited for her to wake up...then...

"Finally, you're awake!!", Hanamaru opened the door.

"Oh!! Hanamaru...yaaaawwnn...I...I'm sorry for sleeping..."

"Nah, it's okay. I am so glad you enjoyed being with her, zura. Yoshiko-san hardly has friends because no one visits her. And with her parents not around..."

"Really?...well...umm...may I request something, Hanamaru-san?"

"Oh, what is it?"

"...(smile)...could I...visit her often?"

This was how we met...and how our relationship began... ☺