Ennis -
We trudged back through th' cave, Kai 'n I. M'arm was 'round 'is shoulder, bringin' 'im t' move forwerd. Th' woman's voice ached in me, bu' I wouldn't let'er know she'd got'n t' me.
We heard Pierce callin' out, an' fer once, 'e e'en called my name, beggin' us not t' go. Tellin' us 'e'd come with us.
Kai was bein' quiet. We'd ne'er known...there was a Harmony. I guess we'd kinda known, tho, tha'...if'n there was...we'd ne'er git in.
"Sonuvva..." I bit my lip, "Goddess." I turned to look at th' group, jus' one last time, "Hey! It sure was nice t' meet'cha all. Sorry...'bou' everythin'. M'glad y'all got t' where ya were goin'." I saw th' faces I knew I'd manage t' pick out. Pierce...Lion-Boy...Kasumi...all'a th' wolves...M'arm tightened 'round Kai's shoulder. "Wish we coulda joined y'all. M'glad ya got out. I git th' feelin'...things may git rough out 'ere. I jus' want ya t' know...an' not jus' one 'r two o' ya, I mean all'a ya...ya were th' closest things I'd 'ad t' friends in a long, long time." They couldn't 'ear me. I was already gone t' 'em. Th' cave 'ad swallow'd me up like it 'ad swallowed th' girl, an th' two boys.
I turned back around, "I really hope we ne'er meet again. An' I really wish this'un 'ad made it in with ya." I talked t' th' cave. Meebe they'd hear. Meebe they wouldn't.
The only sound was our footsteps, an' I waited till I was sure the...my group was outta sight before I looked t' Kai
I sighed, "'Ey, Kai?" I looked up at th' tall, cocoa-colored man I'd managed t' forge a friend outta, despite e'erythin', "Ya know we're gon' be okay, don't'cha?" 'Cause we were. 'E 'ad t' know it er it t' be true.
Kai shivered, 'is once silver hair now the color of mud--a dark, deep, damn brown, the color it always was when sumthin' was wrong wit' 'im, "Yeah...I know, En." he swallowed, twistin' 'is hands, "I was just...finally getting used to a family. Finally. And I'd just found Pierce, Ennis, I'd finally found my brother, and he's gone. This time forever, he's gone."
I knew. I reach'd up a hand an' ruffled 'is hair, not able t' lookit 'im. "Hey, now." My accent was gone fer now. I 'ad t' make sure 'e knew I was serious. "Kai, it's not the same, and you know it. He's safe now. You know he'll be alright. No matter what we go through. And you know what? We'll be alright, too. You've got me, and I've got you. We'll be okay." I smiled, lookin' up at 'im.
'Is 'air light'nd an' 'e put an' arm 'round my shoulder, too. 'E smiled a li'l bit, "Yeah. Right again, kiddo." he paused, "And don't talk without your accent. You sound ridiculous."
An' I was sure we'd do jus' fine on our own.
-
Pierce -
I was going to kill that woman. Harmony or no, right or wrong, whether she'd kill me first or not, I was going to kill her.
They were gone. Gone forever, my best friend and his...significant other, they were taken from me.
I was screaming for them, screaming at them, screaming and trying to run after them but being held back by two people that I knew I cared about, but hated for keeping me from my friends. It wasn't fair. Maki had been gone. That had been hard enough. Now Kai? No, no, that wasn't fair, it wasn't!
And suddenly I felt evil. I'd been rude as I could to Ennis--I'd been proud of it. It wasn't his fault. He was an okay guy and I knew it.
We could've been best friends. It could have been Abby and I and Kai and Ennis, happy in Harmony until we got old and died.
But, not that was all gone.
I was cussing and cursing and pissed. I was so pissed.
"You." The woman spoke, and I realized I'd been brought to the stairwell by the two people who'd been holding me back. I still couldn't tell who they were. They were looking at the woman, who was apparently talking to me, "You're angry."
It was enough to make me forget the idea of calming down reawaken the outrage, "I'm going to murder you." I spat through gritted teeth. I'd never been so mad. It even surprised me to hear the utter seriousness present in my voice.
She continued, "You're angry that your friends have been sent away due to their impurities. They were a risk to Harmony. I am not the one to put Harmony at risk to the unstable." She stepped aside, opening the stairwell to me, and I was let go by the people holding me back. "You have a choice. Nothing will change should you try to kill me. You will fail, and you will die."
I fisted my hands, "Sounds fair enough." I was going to, and I knew it, and it scared me.
"You're forgetting someone. Someone who will miss you in Harmony. Someone who loves you. Someone behind you now." The woman gestured behind me.
And I saw Abby. Looking scared, looking worried. Kind, warm, wonderful Abby. My shoulders slumped and my anger drained away, replaced with sadness. "P-Pierce? Are...are you okay?" She reached out, touching my arm hesitantly.
I sighed, "No." I took her hand, and she jumped nervously. I looked back and smiled a little, "Let's go, okay? I'm sorry." I walked up the staircase and into Harmony. It was world. A whole new world, waiting for me.
A whole new world without my best friend. Again.
I sighed again, turning back to look at Abby. I walked up to her and hugged her tightly, "I'm sorry." I closed my eyes, biting my lip. I should be happy. I made it. Maki would be proud.
Kai would be happy.
Ennis and Kai...they'd be okay. They'd make it.
Abby hugged me tight, patting my back, "It's okay, Pierce."
I straightened up, smiling at Abby, "Yeah. I know." I grinned, "Let's go explore the towns, okay? It'll be fun."
--
Yey :3
In Post
Kai
Pierce
Abby
Two Random Halfers--feel free to throw yours in if you want
Ennis
woman
