A/N: I'm rather out-of-it today, but I figured I'd post before I forgot^^' Forgive me if the post is terrible?
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Tamotsu:
"In the end, Harmony will not have a place for humans….”
The woman's words rang in my ears. No, this couldn't be the end. Could it? Had I really come all this way and gone through what I have just to be flatly refused entry to Harmony?
This woman didn't seem like the type to make exceptions though.
Nervously, I turned to Kasumi with a sad smile, "I suppose...this is the end, Kas."
The one eye that I could see widened and then narrowed into the nastiest glare I had ever received. She snarled at me, "What do you mean? This isn't the end. I will carry you into Harmony myself, if I have to!"
I sighed and shook my head, "You heard her. Harmony isn't a place for hu-"
"I'm going to drag you in, Tamotsu," my old friend threatened. This definitely would not end well, especially if the halfer woman heard her.
"Another human?" the woman's voice rang out as she approached us.
Kasumi crossed her arms and growled, "You had better let my friend in, lady."
The woman's eyes narrowed and she spoke rather icily, "And who are you to make demands? Who said that you would even be allowed inside Harmony? You have killed many, have you not, soricid halfbreed?"
"Listen, you!" Kas started to yell, but I cut her off quickly by clamping my hand over her mouth. Then I spoke softly to the woman, "I will leave, if you wish it, but let Kasumi enter. She's not a bad person."
The strange color-shifting eyes turned on me now. "You have also killed. You have killed a halfbreed, human. But it was in defense, was it not?"
I nodded slowly, not trusting my voice for it would surely give away my fear now.
Then the woman did something I did not expect.
She reached down and picked up a shell then filled it with the water from the lake. After doing so, she turned her attention back to me and spoke the words I had waited for so long to hear.
"Drink this and fulfill your wish. But as compensation, you must never kill another, human or halfbreed. If you break this promise, your soul will be split and you will be human again, doomed to wander in that world forever," she told me. Alright, so maybe I hadn't expected the compensation part, but it was close enough.
I bowed my head in silent understanding and then took the shell as she offered it to me. Before I drank, I looked at Kas and smiled. This was it.
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Kasumi:
I couldn't believe this was happening. It was finally happening! Tamotsu and I would finally be able to enter Harmony. Together.
I grinned back at him as he swallowed the lake water. Then there was a simple flash of light where he stood. When the light vanished, there was a blue jay fluttering where my friend had been standing.
"Kasumi!" he cried with joy as he changed back into his human form, "We did it!"
I hugged him tightly, "You did it, Tamostu-kun. Congrats." Then I pulled back a little to look at him. He was the same as he had been except there were two feathers in his hair and markings on his face.
"You may enter Harmony," said the woman as Tamotsu turned and bowed to show his thanks.
I smiled at my old friend and took his hand, "Here we go."
He nodded and we both crossed over the stones and to the staircase. Before we entered, I turned back and called to Io in particular, "See you on the other side!"
Then we took our first steps into Harmony.
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Phew! I got this done^^ Yay Tamo's a halfer now!^^' Cliche? Maybe...oh well! XD
In this post:
Kas&Tam
the woman
Io (mentioned...sort of)
