When Haruka awoke, Jonas was at her side. "Where's Michiru?" she asked, forgetting about her injury.
Jonas smiled at her. "She's in a bathtub outside. You've been asleep for two days. Michiru healed you, and we managed to get you to a nearby village."
"Is she okay?"
"Yes. They got water for her just in time."
Haruka sat up. "..And her wounds?"
"They're healing. Turns out the natives had some balm that helped a great deal."
"And Markaw?"
"What is this? Am I on trial?"
The blonde laughed. "No. I just need to make sure everyone's okay."
"Well, to make it simple, everyone's just great," Markaw said, grinning as he walked in. "Michiru's asleep right now, though."
Suddenly, a short, red-haired woman walked into the room, smiling. "I'm glad to see you're awake, Haruka."
"..And you know me..how?"
"Jonas has told me a lot about you."
"How considerate."
Jonas blushed and stood. "Rosemary, could you bring Haruka something to eat?"
"Oh, of course. I'll cook some eggs and bacon," Rosemary answered and turned to leave. Haruka could see that her wings were small. They had been clipped. Rosemary was an eternity-servant.
Their wings were cut, but parts were left to clarify species. They could not fly, and therefore could not save themselves. "Don't worry, Haruka," Jonas told her upon noticing her shocked look, "Rosemary's family chose that life. They are protected by the village elders for serving them."
"It's still cruel to cut their wings."
"It brings them no pain after a while," Markaw stated.
Minutes later, Rosemary came back, holding a large plate of eggs, bacon, and ham. She was also carrying a pitcher of juice from a rare fruit harvested only in certain places among the Wood Temples. This fruit was called an orange.
Rosemary set the plate down on the blonde's lap and the pitcher and a small cup on a bed-height stool. She smiled as Haruka ate her fill. "Orange juice?"
"I'll pour my own, thank you. No offense. I just feel awkward with a servant doing all the work for me. I don't like people who even have you lift the tea cup so they may drink from it," Haruka explained, pouring herself a cup of orange juice.
"I understand. Some people feel that way, too."
"I'm going to go check on Michiru, okay?" Markaw said, slipping out of the room instead of waiting for an answer.
Jonas nodded and picked a piece of bacon on the blonde's plate, grinning as he ate it and Haruka glared at him. "So how long will we have to stay here?" Haruka asked, mostly to Jonas.
Rosemary answered instead. "There are still a few patrols. The war is still as bad as ever. I think you should stay for a while. For your own protection, of course."
"Rosemary's right. Hopefully we can properly take care of Michiru."
"Uh, guys. Speaking of Michiru. I think you may want to see this," Markaw said, roaming back into the room.
The other three followed him back outside.
Once there, Haruka gaped at the mermaid. "Her tail..," was all she could say.
The aqua haired mermaid's tail's scales seemed to be fading. Underneath the scales, human flesh was exposed.
*****
A.N: Fun! There! Enough talking to make up for the last chappie, too! Bwahha.. Review, please!
Jonas smiled at her. "She's in a bathtub outside. You've been asleep for two days. Michiru healed you, and we managed to get you to a nearby village."
"Is she okay?"
"Yes. They got water for her just in time."
Haruka sat up. "..And her wounds?"
"They're healing. Turns out the natives had some balm that helped a great deal."
"And Markaw?"
"What is this? Am I on trial?"
The blonde laughed. "No. I just need to make sure everyone's okay."
"Well, to make it simple, everyone's just great," Markaw said, grinning as he walked in. "Michiru's asleep right now, though."
Suddenly, a short, red-haired woman walked into the room, smiling. "I'm glad to see you're awake, Haruka."
"..And you know me..how?"
"Jonas has told me a lot about you."
"How considerate."
Jonas blushed and stood. "Rosemary, could you bring Haruka something to eat?"
"Oh, of course. I'll cook some eggs and bacon," Rosemary answered and turned to leave. Haruka could see that her wings were small. They had been clipped. Rosemary was an eternity-servant.
Their wings were cut, but parts were left to clarify species. They could not fly, and therefore could not save themselves. "Don't worry, Haruka," Jonas told her upon noticing her shocked look, "Rosemary's family chose that life. They are protected by the village elders for serving them."
"It's still cruel to cut their wings."
"It brings them no pain after a while," Markaw stated.
Minutes later, Rosemary came back, holding a large plate of eggs, bacon, and ham. She was also carrying a pitcher of juice from a rare fruit harvested only in certain places among the Wood Temples. This fruit was called an orange.
Rosemary set the plate down on the blonde's lap and the pitcher and a small cup on a bed-height stool. She smiled as Haruka ate her fill. "Orange juice?"
"I'll pour my own, thank you. No offense. I just feel awkward with a servant doing all the work for me. I don't like people who even have you lift the tea cup so they may drink from it," Haruka explained, pouring herself a cup of orange juice.
"I understand. Some people feel that way, too."
"I'm going to go check on Michiru, okay?" Markaw said, slipping out of the room instead of waiting for an answer.
Jonas nodded and picked a piece of bacon on the blonde's plate, grinning as he ate it and Haruka glared at him. "So how long will we have to stay here?" Haruka asked, mostly to Jonas.
Rosemary answered instead. "There are still a few patrols. The war is still as bad as ever. I think you should stay for a while. For your own protection, of course."
"Rosemary's right. Hopefully we can properly take care of Michiru."
"Uh, guys. Speaking of Michiru. I think you may want to see this," Markaw said, roaming back into the room.
The other three followed him back outside.
Once there, Haruka gaped at the mermaid. "Her tail..," was all she could say.
The aqua haired mermaid's tail's scales seemed to be fading. Underneath the scales, human flesh was exposed.
*****
A.N: Fun! There! Enough talking to make up for the last chappie, too! Bwahha.. Review, please!