~Moon
I felt like I needed to apologize for what I said to Rika as I sat, staring at the cold, cave floor and saw everybody waking up with the talk of Harmony on their lips. Sky was going around, letting everybody know how Sen knew where the entrance was and Luna was stirring awake and turning around, seeing what was going on and joining in on the conversation.
I looked over at Rika, who looked like she was thinking about something, but for once, I didn’t have the courage to walk over to her and just tell her what I was thinking, so I just started to follow the group in moving to Harmony, thinking about Rika and how I dreamed about her and I in a great big, empty grass field with a structure halfway built that looked like a house. I wondered what it meant, what we decided. My shoulders slumped as I realized that Rika had moved herself to beside me and I could tell from her body language she wanted to talk but didn’t know what, I figured that I should apologize, since it was obvious I didn’t really give her a chance and that I should’ve realized that if she wanted to tell me, than she could tell me on her own accord, when she wanted to.
“Rika…” I started off but then she stopped in her tracks and looked at me. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have-“ She cut me off.
“You don’t have anything to apologize for,” Rika told me with a smile and I looked at her. What was she trying to say…? “I hope you can forgive me.”
And then she kissed me. A hint of surprise rose through me but I soon closed my eyes and realized this was a way of apologizing for her, so I kissed her back, letting her know it was okay and my hands rested on her hips, they slightly clutching her clothes as she wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me back and for a few minutes, this was all we did and we got slightly behind the group, but I didn’t care at the moment. This was the moment revolving around Rika and I and I didn’t want it to end, but instead, Rika ended it with her face completely flushed as she looked me and moved her feet from her tiptoes back to stand properly.
“I was going to say that you don’t have to tell me, Rika. Just tell me when you want to, alright?” I smiled while I caught my breath slightly and she just smiled and I took my hands off of her waist and she moved her hands back down from my neck and I took her hand and rubbed it slightly as I held it and we caught up with the group and I stood beside Luna, who seemed distracted as we watched a serpent rise from a pool that was in front of us and hiss that we wanted to go to Harmony.
Then a woman appeared out of the pool and she spoke slightly but it was hard to pay attention since Rika and I had just kissed but I got the basic jist of what she was talking about and that only those who were worthy of entering Harmony would be able to go in. Sky spat back at her at some point and then she replied in showing us a winding staircase that rose into the sky and people just started to get onto the steps and go up into Harmony. Rika and I got in line, she being nervous, but the woman didn’t seem to notice until she stopped talking to Ennis and Kai, who had just went out a back way, back into the human world, and turned to us and stared at Rika.
“You are nervous and scared for what you are to find, and you are doubting yourself on what you want to say to the man you love-“ I blushed and so did Rika but the woman continued. “- and how you can be trusted by everyone here when you yourself hunted us halfers and lead all these people to their death but you have gained back the trust of the people here around you, even if you may not think so. What do you want to do?” She frowned and Rika stopped in her tracks and frowned back at her.
“I want to go to Harmony with Moon. What else would I want?” Rika spat back and all the woman did was smirk. My best guess was that she was the protector of Harmony and its gate so she had to see if everyone was worthy of going into Harmony.
“Then go on ahead. You’re next,” she told us and that’s when I realized that we were, with Luna behind us, and Jake behind her, looking annoyed with the situation and probably glad that the woman didn’t call on him as we slowly put a foot on the stone steps, it feeling different and something that we all wanted, so slowly, Rika and I walked up the winding staircase, Luna following along with Jake, until we got to the last step and Rika and I nodded to each other and we took that last step onto a grass field that was open and wide.
What lay out in front of us was a grass field with houses not far off with other people’s heads popping out of the doorways and the halfers that were in front of us were going off and wandering off, doing what they wanted to. They didn’t have to be in the group anymore. It was their choice on what they wanted to do.
There were rolling hills and mountains not far off, along with forests and they even had small businesses not far off, selling just halfer stuff, not human. There were clinics for people who got hurt and it was basically a small town only for halfers, which was just nice to see in general. Luna went off, probably going to find Mom, and Jake went off into town.
“What do you want to do, Rika?” I asked her and she was just mesmerized as I prodded her to walk, the grass feeling nice between my toes and I just noticing my tail and my cat ears were out. We were able to transform back now.
“How about… we just explore? Oh, and can I meet your mom?” Rika asked and I couldn’t help but smile and nod and so we slowly made it over to the town and the people who were welcoming us to Harmony. The houses were gigantic, I guess built to the halfer’s preference, and so I followed Luna’s scent to a nice, warm, brown house and I could sense Luna was in it, so I popped my head in and saw Mom.
She had silver hair now and it was cut to just above her shoulders and she had on a brown dress that I knew was her taste and her brown eyes just bore into me, her being slightly shorter than me but about the same height. Mom had looked up from hugging Luna and she immediately moved over to me with tears in her eyes and hugged me.
“You’re finally here. You finally got through the cave,” Mom sobbed as I hugged her back as small tears grew in my eyes but I knew crying in front of Rika would be completely embarrassing so I wiped them away quickly as I looked at Mom as I stood back from her and she looked at me and picked up my hair.
“Too long,” Mom chuckled slightly and I just nodded with a smile. “How old are you now?” Mom asked and I sighed. I kind of didn’t want Rika to know but I knew I had to say my age.
“I’m nineteen now, Mom,” I told her and she just smiled and just nodded.
“Nine years. Nine years since you left and you killed your father. It’s so good to see you again, Moon,” Mom said with a sniffle as she hugged me and kissed me all over my face and I had push her away and I turned around to see where Rika was and saw that she was near and I went back over to her and grabbed her hand.
“It’s okay, Rika,” I told her with a smile and she just nodded and I took her hand and she, with a flushed face, moved with me over to Mom and I looked over at Luna, who seemed worried and I raised my eyebrows.
“I’m just worried about Sen and how he’ll end up,” Luna told me with a shrug and I just nodded and Mom looked at me with wiping her tears away and she looked between Rika and I.
“And who’s this?” Mom cleared her throat and I just smiled and Rika cleared her throat and held out her hand.
“I’m Rika,” Rika told her with a smile and Mom smiled.
“Mary Anne,” Mom said with a smile and then she let go off Rika’s hand and turned to me with questioning eyes. “Girlfriend?” She asked and I rolled my eyes.
“Yes, Mom,” I told her as I glanced at Rika and swung our arms and she smiled brightly.
“Anything else potential that I need to know?” I blushed and thing was, I never thought of the “marriage” prospect at all and right now, I wouldn’t ask such a thing to Rika but still, it was embarrassing.
“No, Mom. Nothing like that,” I said in a gushing sigh and a smile and Mom just giggled.
“You know, I would like grandchildren one day.” Now I just face palmed with my cheeks bright red and I looked at Mom.
“I’m leaving,” I laughed as I walked over to the door and Rika slowly followed after she said goodbye to Mom but Mom hurried after us after we started to walk away from the house.
“Moon, wait,” I turned around and she forced a bag into my hand and I moved it around and the things inside it clinked around and I realized it was money.
“I’ve saved that up so that you can make your own home, since you do like building a lot. I have some for Luna too, so there’s no worries about it. And don’t worry about paying me back. You’re my son and I wanted to give this to you for a long time,” Mom told me with tears in her eyes again and I just nodded with slightly rolling my eyes and I said goodbye to Mom and Luna and slowly walked off with Rika.
We walked down the main walkway, avoiding other halfers doing their daily things, until I nervously cleared my throat.
“Well, that was awkward,” I chuckled nervously as I looked at Rika and she just nodded in agreement.
“Well, if it’s alright with you, Rika, do you want to have a house… together?” I asked her as I stopped in my tracks and she looked up at me with wide eyes.
“U-Um…” And then I realized I really needed to clarify.
“Not like that at all. Just so like… you’re not alone here in Harmony. I wouldn’t want you to be alone, Rika, so that’s why I was asking,” I told her with scratching the back of my head. “We could later… only if you wanted though, make it a home,” I said quietly with my eyes darting to the ground and all Rika did was move my head up and peck me on the lips.
“It’s okay, Moon… I don’t want to be alone either... And I-I love you, Moon,” Rika told me with a smile and a bright blush on her cheeks and brightly blushed and just smiled.
“I love you too, Rika," I told her with a bright smile and my dream came to mind. "How about a place on a hill? I could build most of it, along with some of your help, of course,” I told her and she thought about it and just nodded with a smile and a nervous blush and soon enough, we got the supplies, bought a hillside, and started to make a house.
But I knew it would a home one day. One day…
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Hope that was alright with you, Poochy, and that the scene I set for Harmony was okay with everybody!! I was going a bit far for Rika and Moon but I hope that was okay :DD I'll get to Jake and Luna soon enough :)
Featured in post: Moon, Rika, Jake, Luna, Moon's Mom, and mention of Moon's Dad and Sen
~Anime-chan
