Harm and Harmony

-Chapter 112-

Day: 157

Days Left: 5323

Lives Saved: 0

The blood moon went without incident. Harmony remained captivated by the music player for the majority of the time. On a few occasions, she attempted to escape from being tied to a chair, but Calixte calmed her down, entrancing her himself with his glowing antenna. Whilst they waited for the day to pass, Corinna continued to tell Calixte about Violette's legacy, her achievements and her descendants, the nice ones at least.

*

Walking with hesitant and dragging footsteps, Harmony headed towards Ivette's trading post with Corinna and Calixte at her side, giving encouragement.

"'iss Ivette is a respectable lady," said Calixte. "I am certain she will hear your a'ology all the way through."

"And she'll understand why you did it, Harm," added Corinna.

Harmony grumbled, still unsure, unable to predict Ivette's response. She had rehearsed her apology in her head for a day now, but it didn't seem like enough. Perhaps she could help collect stock for her shop like Calixte to make up for it?

When they eventually arrived, the large warehouse towering over them, they heard screaming and yelling coming from inside the shop. The converted garage's shutter doors were closed shut. Then it flung open, and a panicked Sumit and Rin dove out and slammed it shut again. They laid on the grass, gasping for breath, then glanced around and spotted the trio.

"I'm so glad to see you guys!" Sumit wheezed as he stumbled over to them.

"What happened?" asked Corinna, seeing the bruises and scratches on Sumit and Rin's faces.

"I don't know, we only just got back," replied Sumit, then gave a short laugh. "Mask me likes to take long wanderings. Anyway," he paused, catching his breath. "We just got back, and Ivette's still in her monster form and attacked us."

"She usually is already back to normal when we return," said Rin as she put on her mask, the black writing swirling and fading. "Something's different..." she glanced over to Harmony who stared down at the ground.

"Yeah, she's usually back to being human at this time," said Sumit. "But it seems like she broke out of her chains. Now she's wandering around and breaking things in there- she's not going to be happy when she changes back."

"So, what should we do?" asked Corinna.

"You'll be essential to helping her," said Rin. Due to her mask, it was unclear if she was addressing Calixte or Harmony.

"Ah, yeah!" Sumit patted Calixte on the shoulder. "You can calm her down with that glowy orb thing of yours, right?"

"I should be capable, yes," answered the amphibian.

"Great! Let's go!"

The five of them entered the warehouse, opening and shutting the shutter doors slowly and quietly so as not to gain any attention. They crouched low and hid behind a shelf.

"Alright, so when Ivette's in her monster form, she tends to attack and focus on whoever looks the youngest," explained Sumit in a whisper. "That means Rin and Corinna... she'll want to kill you two first since you both got baby-faces."

Rin glared at him.

"So you guys will be bait whilst Calixte gets close enough to calm her down."

Rin glared at him harder.

Whilst Rin and Corinna headed right, skulking further into the warehouse, Harmony, Sumit, and Calixte went left and hung back, waiting for their opportunity.

Something crashed onto the floor and a shrill shriek resonated across the entire warehouse. Harmony peaked above the cabinet she was hiding behind and saw what caused the sound. Towering above Corinna and Rin, at the height of a bungalow, was a half-human half-snake creature with long ragged hair. It was a naga. And it was Ivette. Its face resembled Ivette perfectly apart from one detail: it had no eyes, instead, there were two sunken holes.

The naga's tail writhed back and forth, agitated as it was unable to swipe at Corinna and Rin who repeatedly circled around it.

"Now!" Corinna yelled, and together she and Rin threw a large sheet of blue canvas over the creature. They knocked down shelves, ladders, and anything else heavy along the edges of the sheet, trapping the naga underneath.

"I don't remember that being part of the plan!" shouted Sumit, who was still hiding under a table.

"Corinna thought your plan sucked!" jested Rin.

"I didn't!" Corinna called out. "I just- ah! A little help, please!"

The naga squirmed its body, swinging its long tail, almost managing to break free. Harmony and Sumit helped weigh down the canvas sheet as Calixte stepped closer to the trapped creature. His antenna unfolded from his head, and the orb hanging from the end glowed with luminous and warm light. The others closed their eyes so as not to be affected.

"It is not working!" Calixte cried, backing away. Even when he was right up close to its face, the naga continued to struggle. "She does not have any eyes! It will never work!"

"Eyes? Wait! I know where they are!" Sumit yelled. "Near the front desk there's a jar- they should be in there!"

Not stopping to question why Ivette would have her eyes in a jar, Calixte darted to the front of the shop to find them.

The naga's tail heaved upwards and whacked Corinna and Sumit off the canvas. With less weight and restraints, the creature writhed and broke free, slithering out of the sheet.

"Calixte, hurry!" screamed Harmony as she stood protectively in front of Rin, the naga swiping its scaled hands at her ward.

With a disgruntled groan, the naga swung its tail and knocked Harmony aside. The creature raised its scaled hand, ready to strike at Rin when it froze. It slowly lowered its arm, its tail calmed and coiled around. Vacant yet somehow peaceful, the naga's face remained still.

Calixte appeared holding a jar which contained a set of eyeballs that stared at his glowing antenna. "It appears to have worked," he commented. "Is everyone well?"

"Yeah," groaned Sumit as he clutched his aching ribs from where he had been hit by the naga's tail. He helped Corinna up. "All's good."

"What now?" asked Corinna. "Do we have to take off her mask-"

"No. Taking off someone else's mask is very dangerous. She won't change back fully."

"Then, what should we do?"

Sumit sighed. "We wait until she changes back naturally."

Harmony stepped in front of the entranced naga, staring up at the face of the old trader. "Ivette..." Harmony mumbled, nervously fiddling with her dark curly hair. "Ivette..." She spoke up, louder and clearer. "I'm sorry for what I did. I'm sorry. I only thought about myself. I thought that everyone wanted to escape this place. I still don't understand why you want to stay, but I had no right to try and force you to leave. I guess... not everyone sees this place the same way as I do, or the other place. If staying here makes you happy then I have no reason to take that from you." She paused, sucking in a breath. "I want you to be happy-"

The naga's shoulders slumped, then its whole body relaxed and gently collapsed to the floor as if it was falling asleep. Calixte gasped as the eyeballs inside of the jar disappeared.

"She's turning back." Sumit grinned.

The body of the naga shrunk into a human.

Harmony cradled the old trader in her arms. "Ivette?"

Ivette's eyes opened, and a soft smile spread across her face as she caressed Harmony's cheek. "Thank you..."