I dedicate this fanfiction to the youtube channel, EndlessSeaBTV, for uploading the two routes of Lamento: Beyond the Void~ owo!

Leaks never mingled with other cats. He liked to live on his own in the forest just a bit far from Ransen, the capital town of Sisa. Living in a gigantic tree with a hollowed inside, Leaks' lifetime goal was to study magic until his last breath. No, unlike his kind, he didn't strive to be anything else but a magician.

He never strived to open up the bustling opportunities in Sisa. Never planned to open up a crowded business in Ransen, nor live in harmony with other cats, nor become a sanga whose job was to remain a sidekick, nor become a touga to any sanga. Leaks preferred none of those boring, trifling things. Even becoming a bounty hunter whose life was all thrill and about the chase, or becoming a traveller who saw many of Sisa's wondrous features. He was content with being surrounded by the musty smell of books, buried in his life's work and performing spells from ancient tomes.

As long as no one had bothered him, Leaks lived his long life peacefully in his home in his beloved forest. He would live the rest of his life that way, right? Leaks detested company anyway and even the thought of it unnerved him, so he was plenty satisfied to live in isolation from other cats. The trees rustling by seemed to assure him that he would live the rest of his life in peace—and how nature loves to lie at times.

It was really just a small whim. Nothing else, nothing more. He gathered that if he whimsically did a good deed, he could still continue his peaceful life. However, the cat he saved from an aggressive beast called out to him and lightly pulled on his robe. Warm blonde hair blew against the wind towards a reddish-brown hair as the wind danced around them. Leaks felt both hurried and confused at the cat's actions.

The cat shortly introduced himself as Shui, both a Sanga and a poet. Leaks didn't really mind Shui following him to his home, taking into mind of Shui's safety. It wasn't as if he worried for Shui, but that he detested the idea of saving him again. On the way to his home, Shui hummed a tone that calmed Leaks' confusion and brought forth enjoyment instead. It was a pretty melody that Leaks quickly grew to like and it resounded within his ears, twirling around the two of them in melodic harmony. Shui wasn't lying when he said he was good at singing and playing his songs. He carried behind his back a stringed instrument which was mostly black and edged with wooden brown.

It must've been the first time that a living thing other than Leaks entered his own house. Shui was amazed at how unique the house looked with piling books, shelved bottles and strange herbs he barely recognised.

"So this is where you live?" asked Shui, making himself comfortable in a corner. "It's amazing. Do you study magic here?"

Leaks glanced at Shui and mentally sighed to himself, sitting down at his desk.

"It is where I study magic and live," he shortly answered. He then wondered why Shui was here, having completely forgotten he led him here. Leaks wanted to delve into his research again and having Shui here was strangely distracting. He gave a short look outside, seeing that the sky was darkening. "Choose, would you rather stay here for the night or go back home?"

Shui blinked twice at the offer and posed thoughtfully. With a short hum, he came to his answer.

"Well, it is getting dark and all," he said. "And this place really is interesting."

Leaks felt like giving himself a blast of fire for mentioning the offer in the first place. Of course, the singing cat would prefer to happily stay inside his home for one full night. It wasn't like Shui offered any benefit to his research in the first place and that Sanga abilities were far behind his interests in magic.

"I think I'll stay here for the night if you don't mind."

Having settled on the former of the two offers, Shui brought out his instrument and gave a quizzical look to Leaks.

"You can play if you want as long as you don't disturb me," said Leaks, turning around to his desk. Shui began strumming his instrument and sung a song. It was then that Leaks decided he had one reason to like the stranger. As time passed by, Shui had played many songs and Leaks liked them all. It was weird how all the songs were to Leaks' taste, even though he never really listened to music or took interest in it. It was comforting and fitted the atmosphere of his own home.

And came morning when Shui had slept on Leaks' bed. Leaks preferred to stay up all night and turned down Shui's insistent concerns for him. Leaks was perfectly fine and was used to staying up until morning. The first task he had for the day was leading Shui out of the forest. Before they both left the house, Shui asked Leaks a question.

"Can I come again tomorrow?"

"No," came Leaks' quick reply. He still preferred living alone in peace, studying magic like he wanted to.

After guiding Shui out of the forest, he returned to his own now-empty home. Leaks frowned to himself, feeling a strange feeling inside his chest. Something felt missing from his home. It was silent with only the constant sounds of nature around him. Empty and void of music.

He shook his own head, shaking the thought out of his own head.

"Nonsense," he muttered under his breath. "He won't come anymore anyways."

However, the very next day, Leaks' own prediction was proven false. He found Shui again who was lost and running away from a monster. Without thinking, Leaks had saved Shui once again. He quickly hushed Shui out of the forest, but it seemed that after several days, Leaks had to keep helping again and again. He quickly grew tired of this and gave up pushing Shui away from the forest. Gradually, he allowed Shui into his home and casted a barrier on the path to Ransen. So that no monsters would attack Shui on the way back and forth.

And so began the time between the magician and the poet in the forest.

A/N: And that's the end of the first chapter~! If ya like this fanfiction so far, please review/favourite/follow/share~!

I've been meaning to do this fanfiction and finally got my lazy butt off the bed to do it XD