Eyes like the ocean blinked open and ruby lips gasped, "Damn."
Rikki gazed around herself in wonder. Thousands of galaxies of stars seemed to swirl around her, with a blink she was centered and she felt more steady as her feet felt planted upon a small hill. Further up it stood a ginormous old tree, its old limbs reaching out to the starry skies; stepping closer Rikki noticed the odd texture upon the tree was actual words but they were tiny almost in code.
"There has to be millions." She gazed up at the hundreds of branches stretching above her head, all holding their own pale white leaves.
"More than that."
The blonde cursed loudly as she was startled by the man's voice behind her, turning she shot a glare at the stranger. Medium build, emerald gaze and small quirk of a smile.
"Where are we?"
The man-boy, for Rikki could definitely get some boy-scout vibes coming from him, stepped forward.
"We are in the In-Between."
"Wow, super helpful there buddy." Rikki rolled her eyes, before looking around the desolate place. The field went on as far as the eye could see before seeming to end on the horizon of stars, "Where's the light coming from there's no moon here?"
The man-boy chuckled, "The In-Between is not on any planet, it is a space between dimensions. A place that can be visited in dreams."
Rikki crossed her arms over her chest and raised a golden eyebrow, "Why have you brought me here then?"
This time his lips lifted barely and he grimaced slightly, "I am here to make an offer. A trade, if you will."
She sighed, what was it with these kinds of boys and not getting to the point. Lewis used to be like this too. "Go on."
"In my dimension I have a position that allows me immortality, I no longer wish for it. Along with it comes the task of stopping a war, however I...am not an impartial party, I would not succeed. I wish for a normal life, I wish to live and die as a normal human."
"So I would become you?"
He shook his head, "You would become my female counterpart. Born to my original parents to live the life I did, however free to do as you wish with it."
Rikki's eyes narrowed, "What is this position I'd be gaining?"
"I'm the Master of Death."
Rikki stared at him, glanced at his forehead only to see a familiar scar before busting out with laughter.
"You are Harry Potter. Oh this rich."
He shifted on his feet, going to adjust glasses that no longer sat upon his nose. "You've heard of me then, Death said you wouldn't be from my dimension."
Rikki was nearly on the floor now with how hard she was laughing, "I'm not."
"Then how…"
The blonde took gasping breaths before she gathered herself enough to say, "You're a character created by JK Rowling, some British lady that wrote like six novels about your schooling years at Hogwarts."
"I'm very much real."
Rikki looked at him again and shrugged looking back at the tree a little ways from them.
"I would have eternity. No take backs?"
"I don't want it. I never wanted it."
Rikki shook her head, "That's where we differ. I'll do it on one condition, I have to in some way become a mermaid again and keep the ability of being a mermaid for eternity, the powers I've developed over time in my dimension would be nice too if possible."
"You have magic in your dimension." Harry grimaced.
"Don't freak, dude. Nothing crazy. If you really want a boring life, stay away from Mako on full moon nights."
A shadow appeared beside Rikki, this time she didn't even blink as she saw the cloaked figure with abyss-like features.
"Your request is reasonable."
Rikki grinned widely, "Well then Death, I think this is the start of a great friendship."