"Someone's calling." Tori started walking towards the forest, a blank look
on her face. Haru grabbed her arm and spun her around to face him.
"I'm coming too then." Tori frowned and shook her head firmly. She wrenched her arm out of his grasp and started off again. He took hold of her arm again, and she looked at him properly.
"You can't." He started to protest, but she cut him off. "This isn't earthwalker business." She kissed him softly, and rested her hand on his. "I'm sorry, it's something I have to go to." He let go slowly and she walked decisively into the forest. Haru hesitated for a moment, and then followed her quietly.
-----
Tori walked into a clearing. 'It's disgustingly perfect.' She thought as she looked around. The grass was short, and the area was almost perfectly round. She walked into the centre and looked around. She opened her mouth to call, when bright light surrounded her. Haru, thinking she was in trouble, ran into the clearing to help her. When he stood next to Tori, she looked at him, surprised to see him there. "What are you doing here? You're not allowed!" Haru looked a little disappointed.
"I thought you were in trouble." He whispered back. "I came to help you." Tori shook her head, putting her hand to her forehead. She murmured something like "You really are an idiot," when a young man walked out of the circle of people who had appeared, and made his way towards Tori.
"What is an earthwalker doing here?" He looked at the teenagers with disdain. "This meeting was to be private." Tori frowned slightly, but bowed respectfully to the young man.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know he was here until he ran out." Her eyes flickered to him, issuing a very clear warning. 'Don't go black.' "It was not my intention for him to be here." The adult waved off Tori's explanation, scornfully. Tori watched Haru carefully, waiting for something to happen. Haru bowed politely, surprising her.
"Let's get on with this." The people surrounding Tori and Haru moved around, so they were all in front of them. The man in front sighed heavily. 'Who does he think he is, God?' Tori and Haru thought angrily. "The elders have decided to take you back." He shot Tori a condescending look before continuing. "A second chance, as it were." With that, Haru snapped.
"Who do you think you are, you bastard?!" He stormed over towards the man, ready to kill him. "You act all high and mighty, but what would you do if I was to shove -"
"Sohma Hatsuharu, get back here!" Tori interrupted. There was a powerful note in her voice, which stopped Haru in his tracks. He looked back to see a very angry Tori looking at him. He walked over to her angrily, still black. She looked down at him and commented quietly. "This does not concern you. Please let me fight my own battles." The frown on his face softened as she kissed him. There were several gasps in the group of adults watching. Tori broke the kiss and walked forward.
"How dare you." She announced. "How dare you have the gall to talk like that." She turned to address the group in front of her. "Second chance? What happened to my first chance? You rejected me long before I was sent away." She shook her head and smiled bitterly. "Go back?" She laughed. "I wouldn't go back for anything. I have told people my secret, and they accept me anyway." She walked over and stood next to Haru again. "Any threats you have said don't matter." Tori looked into the apparent leader's eyes and smirked. "I refuse to go back, and there's nothing you can do about it." Haru smiled slightly next to her, while the young man in front of them growled.
"You're disgusting, you know that? You are practically hanging off that earthwalker, who knows where he's been. I'm glad you refused, I don't want your filth anywhere near me." He smiled viciously. "You are just the same. Like mother, like daughter."
*smack!* Everyone gasped as a woman slapped the man across the face. She glared at him as he put a hand to the red cheek, touching it tenderly. "You went too far, Tsubasa." The woman had an air of importance, which made Tsubasa seem to shrink in front of her. There was a hint of fear in his eyes as he bowed slightly. Tori studied the woman carefully as she quietly lectured Tsubasa. Haru looked at her, concerned about her. She put her hand to the necklace around her neck, and stood straighter.
"Mama?" Haru looked stunned, while the woman turned to look. Her hand went to her necklace, which Haru noticed was the same as Tori's, but didn't say anything. "Mama? When did you become part of the council? Such an important one too?" Tori's mother smiled and stepped away from the embarrassed Tsubasa.
"Time runs differently here honey." Tori stamped her foot angrily.
"Don't call me honey as if nothing happened! "She brushed a tear that leaked from her eye away angrily. "Why didn't you tell me? Why did you let them send me away? Why didn't you do something to stop them?!" Tori put her face in her hands, tears dripping into the perfect grass. Haru rushed over to her, but stopped before touching her, remembering the curse. Tori turned and moved into Haru's chest, to his surprise. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, and, again to his surprise, didn't transform.
"I tired." Tori's mother murmured. The other elders called out to her, trying to stop her, but she ignored the calls of 'Mika, stop it! It'll only hurt you to tell her.' and continued. "I tried, but..." Haru looked up to see her hand covering half her face. A man moved forward to comfort her, but she pushed him away roughly. She took her hand away and straightened. "But I couldn't do it. At first I put it off with the excuse of 'she's too young to understand.'
"But all of a sudden, you weren't too young. But I still didn't tell you, waiting for the right time." A miserable, sheepish smile spread across Mika's face. "I guess 'the right time' never came." Tori turned to look at her mother, still in Haru's arms. As soon as she saw the wretched look on her face, She understood her reasons, but Mika continued. "You also look so much like your father." She said sadly. "The more you grew, the more you reminded me of him. I thought that is you didn't know, then they might not send you away. I thought that if you left, I would forget Hiroshi.
"When they told you, I didn't know what to do. I was losing my only child, my family. At first I was in shock, but after that wore off, it was too late. You were gone. I was so angry that everyone avoided me. I went to the council and demanded you be brought back, but they told me it was too late, you had been found." Some of the elders nodded, remembering Mika collapsing in grief. "The council decided it would be better for me if I tried to forget you. They gave me medicine, but it didn't work. I pretended it did, and they made me part of the council. As I rose through the elders, I spread the idea of letting you back in. I was consumed by the desire to bring you back." Mika paused, as if remembering hidden memories.
"It was agreed to bring you back, and inside, I rejoiced. I was not supposed to come down, I was to stay with some others to help with the ones too frail to make the trip. I snuck down without anyone noticing, and when I saw you again, I realised how much you had changed. When you refused, it felt like part of me had died." A tear rolled down her cheek, matched by one rolling down Tori's. Mika wiped hers away slowly, sighed and continued. "I realise now that you've grown up. You don't need me anymore, you have someone else to love." Tori broke away from Haru's hold and went over to her mother, stopping a few feet away. She shook her head fiercely, with a small smile on her face.
"I still need you Mama. I'll always need you. I understand now why you did what you did, and that everyone has reasons for doing things." She hugged her mother tightly. "I'm sorry for doubting you Mama." She murmured into Mika's shoulder. From his vantage point, Haru noticed how similar they were. They broke the embrace smiling at each other. The elders shuffled, and an elderly man moved forward.
"Um... well, if that's all, seeing Tori refused, we should be getting back." The others nodded at each other, murmuring "Shiro's right, we should leave.". Tori shot a pleading look at her mother quickly, and turned to Shiro.
"Would you mind If I introduce my mother to my friends?" Seeing the dissapproving look on his face, she continued. "It will be quick, I promise. "He nodded reluctantly, and she smiled wider. She turned to Haru, and put her hand out. He walked over and clasped it tightly. Mika whispered in his ear,
"Watch carefully, you're about to see a beautiful sight." Haru turned to where the elders were standing. As one, they opened their wings and flew off, white feathers floating to the ground in their wake. He saw a single black feather floating on the breeze. He looked to see Tori had slipped free and was flying, catching the feathers as they drifted to the ground. He smiled and caught the black feather as it glided past his face.
-------
This is supposed to be the end, but if I get enough people wanting another chapter, I will write one.
"I'm coming too then." Tori frowned and shook her head firmly. She wrenched her arm out of his grasp and started off again. He took hold of her arm again, and she looked at him properly.
"You can't." He started to protest, but she cut him off. "This isn't earthwalker business." She kissed him softly, and rested her hand on his. "I'm sorry, it's something I have to go to." He let go slowly and she walked decisively into the forest. Haru hesitated for a moment, and then followed her quietly.
-----
Tori walked into a clearing. 'It's disgustingly perfect.' She thought as she looked around. The grass was short, and the area was almost perfectly round. She walked into the centre and looked around. She opened her mouth to call, when bright light surrounded her. Haru, thinking she was in trouble, ran into the clearing to help her. When he stood next to Tori, she looked at him, surprised to see him there. "What are you doing here? You're not allowed!" Haru looked a little disappointed.
"I thought you were in trouble." He whispered back. "I came to help you." Tori shook her head, putting her hand to her forehead. She murmured something like "You really are an idiot," when a young man walked out of the circle of people who had appeared, and made his way towards Tori.
"What is an earthwalker doing here?" He looked at the teenagers with disdain. "This meeting was to be private." Tori frowned slightly, but bowed respectfully to the young man.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know he was here until he ran out." Her eyes flickered to him, issuing a very clear warning. 'Don't go black.' "It was not my intention for him to be here." The adult waved off Tori's explanation, scornfully. Tori watched Haru carefully, waiting for something to happen. Haru bowed politely, surprising her.
"Let's get on with this." The people surrounding Tori and Haru moved around, so they were all in front of them. The man in front sighed heavily. 'Who does he think he is, God?' Tori and Haru thought angrily. "The elders have decided to take you back." He shot Tori a condescending look before continuing. "A second chance, as it were." With that, Haru snapped.
"Who do you think you are, you bastard?!" He stormed over towards the man, ready to kill him. "You act all high and mighty, but what would you do if I was to shove -"
"Sohma Hatsuharu, get back here!" Tori interrupted. There was a powerful note in her voice, which stopped Haru in his tracks. He looked back to see a very angry Tori looking at him. He walked over to her angrily, still black. She looked down at him and commented quietly. "This does not concern you. Please let me fight my own battles." The frown on his face softened as she kissed him. There were several gasps in the group of adults watching. Tori broke the kiss and walked forward.
"How dare you." She announced. "How dare you have the gall to talk like that." She turned to address the group in front of her. "Second chance? What happened to my first chance? You rejected me long before I was sent away." She shook her head and smiled bitterly. "Go back?" She laughed. "I wouldn't go back for anything. I have told people my secret, and they accept me anyway." She walked over and stood next to Haru again. "Any threats you have said don't matter." Tori looked into the apparent leader's eyes and smirked. "I refuse to go back, and there's nothing you can do about it." Haru smiled slightly next to her, while the young man in front of them growled.
"You're disgusting, you know that? You are practically hanging off that earthwalker, who knows where he's been. I'm glad you refused, I don't want your filth anywhere near me." He smiled viciously. "You are just the same. Like mother, like daughter."
*smack!* Everyone gasped as a woman slapped the man across the face. She glared at him as he put a hand to the red cheek, touching it tenderly. "You went too far, Tsubasa." The woman had an air of importance, which made Tsubasa seem to shrink in front of her. There was a hint of fear in his eyes as he bowed slightly. Tori studied the woman carefully as she quietly lectured Tsubasa. Haru looked at her, concerned about her. She put her hand to the necklace around her neck, and stood straighter.
"Mama?" Haru looked stunned, while the woman turned to look. Her hand went to her necklace, which Haru noticed was the same as Tori's, but didn't say anything. "Mama? When did you become part of the council? Such an important one too?" Tori's mother smiled and stepped away from the embarrassed Tsubasa.
"Time runs differently here honey." Tori stamped her foot angrily.
"Don't call me honey as if nothing happened! "She brushed a tear that leaked from her eye away angrily. "Why didn't you tell me? Why did you let them send me away? Why didn't you do something to stop them?!" Tori put her face in her hands, tears dripping into the perfect grass. Haru rushed over to her, but stopped before touching her, remembering the curse. Tori turned and moved into Haru's chest, to his surprise. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, and, again to his surprise, didn't transform.
"I tired." Tori's mother murmured. The other elders called out to her, trying to stop her, but she ignored the calls of 'Mika, stop it! It'll only hurt you to tell her.' and continued. "I tried, but..." Haru looked up to see her hand covering half her face. A man moved forward to comfort her, but she pushed him away roughly. She took her hand away and straightened. "But I couldn't do it. At first I put it off with the excuse of 'she's too young to understand.'
"But all of a sudden, you weren't too young. But I still didn't tell you, waiting for the right time." A miserable, sheepish smile spread across Mika's face. "I guess 'the right time' never came." Tori turned to look at her mother, still in Haru's arms. As soon as she saw the wretched look on her face, She understood her reasons, but Mika continued. "You also look so much like your father." She said sadly. "The more you grew, the more you reminded me of him. I thought that is you didn't know, then they might not send you away. I thought that if you left, I would forget Hiroshi.
"When they told you, I didn't know what to do. I was losing my only child, my family. At first I was in shock, but after that wore off, it was too late. You were gone. I was so angry that everyone avoided me. I went to the council and demanded you be brought back, but they told me it was too late, you had been found." Some of the elders nodded, remembering Mika collapsing in grief. "The council decided it would be better for me if I tried to forget you. They gave me medicine, but it didn't work. I pretended it did, and they made me part of the council. As I rose through the elders, I spread the idea of letting you back in. I was consumed by the desire to bring you back." Mika paused, as if remembering hidden memories.
"It was agreed to bring you back, and inside, I rejoiced. I was not supposed to come down, I was to stay with some others to help with the ones too frail to make the trip. I snuck down without anyone noticing, and when I saw you again, I realised how much you had changed. When you refused, it felt like part of me had died." A tear rolled down her cheek, matched by one rolling down Tori's. Mika wiped hers away slowly, sighed and continued. "I realise now that you've grown up. You don't need me anymore, you have someone else to love." Tori broke away from Haru's hold and went over to her mother, stopping a few feet away. She shook her head fiercely, with a small smile on her face.
"I still need you Mama. I'll always need you. I understand now why you did what you did, and that everyone has reasons for doing things." She hugged her mother tightly. "I'm sorry for doubting you Mama." She murmured into Mika's shoulder. From his vantage point, Haru noticed how similar they were. They broke the embrace smiling at each other. The elders shuffled, and an elderly man moved forward.
"Um... well, if that's all, seeing Tori refused, we should be getting back." The others nodded at each other, murmuring "Shiro's right, we should leave.". Tori shot a pleading look at her mother quickly, and turned to Shiro.
"Would you mind If I introduce my mother to my friends?" Seeing the dissapproving look on his face, she continued. "It will be quick, I promise. "He nodded reluctantly, and she smiled wider. She turned to Haru, and put her hand out. He walked over and clasped it tightly. Mika whispered in his ear,
"Watch carefully, you're about to see a beautiful sight." Haru turned to where the elders were standing. As one, they opened their wings and flew off, white feathers floating to the ground in their wake. He saw a single black feather floating on the breeze. He looked to see Tori had slipped free and was flying, catching the feathers as they drifted to the ground. He smiled and caught the black feather as it glided past his face.
-------
This is supposed to be the end, but if I get enough people wanting another chapter, I will write one.