The Chance Reunion
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to the very talented Phillip Pullman.
Chapter 1
Lyra P.O.V
There was always something about gyptian boy, but I never knew what. There was always something about Billy Costa that I was interested in but I couldn't think of a way to get close enough to see what it was. We were always on different sides. The mud fights. The gobbler games. We were always opposing each other.
But now. We don't even see each other anymore. We're both 15 now and it seems like we've drifted apart. But I'm determined not to break all ties with him. I need to find out what that thing was. The thing that kept me near him those years ago.
Sure, we were never as close as I was with Roger but Roger and I lived in the same collage. What did you expect?
I was walking down a cobbled road, being careless as always, when I saw him. The gyptian boy, man now, in all his radiant glory. He hasn't changed at all. I don't know how I knew that but maybe it was thanks to the alethiometer giving me that sort of sixth sense, I don't know.
I don't know how, but I just knew that I had to go talk to him. I started to make my way to him but I then noticed that he had started to walk too. Towards me. As he got closer I examined his features. He was very handsome but the girls wouldn't fawn over him. This would make it easier for us to become friends again.
"Hello Billy, been a while hasn't it?" I greeted him. He smiled back at me and replied, "Too long Lyra, how are you?" "Good and you?" "Great actually. Why don't you come back to my boat and we can catch up?" "You have your own boat now?" He nodded, "Sure why not?"
We walked in a comfortable silence to his boat. But when we got there, I was mesmerised. It was an amazing boat and it seemed to fit Billy Costa perfectly. I probably don't seem like someone who knows anything about boats, but after spending time with gyptians of the sea, you learn some stuff.
Anyway, after I was done studying the exterior of the boat, Billy showed me the inside. It was just as brilliant as the outside, but I'm not going to go on about how perfect it looked.
He showed me a seat and I, of course, sat down and he sat across from me. We stared at each other for a while until Pan nudged my leg. Now a fully grown panther, he nearly knocked me out of the chair. At the thought of my daemon I remembered a letter that Billy had sent to Roger and I. The letter had said that Ratter was starting to settle. So I asked a personal question. "Billy, what animal did Ratter settle as?" He suddenly stiffened and then stared at Pan and me. After about 30 seconds of staring he called Ratter from the other room. As I saw what he was, my breath caught in my throat.
Ratter was a panther. I couldn't believe it. But while I was staring in disbelief, Pan made his way over to Ratter and they both started purring and putting their scent on each other.
I was so scared at that moment… so I fled, Pantalaimon had no choice but to follow. I felt a pang in my heart as our daemons disconnected, but I kept running. I just… couldn't face the truth right now.
Our daemons match. Our souls match.