I am Artemis

Torn

Ash

She was telling the truth, but that didn't sit right with me. She looked happy, but there was sadness. I didn't like it. It felt like she was purposefully sacrificing her happiness all because of the body she now resides in. It wasn't fair to her.

"Ash," she smiled at me, "do not feel bad on my behalf. I am happy. Yes I still care about you. I always will, but if life has taught me anything it's that things don't always go our way. Sometimes we are and never will be anything more than a friend."

She looked down. I could see her clench her jaw. I heard a bark. She turned around. A black dog with green eyes was there. She walked down the stairs to the dog. She knelt down in front of it.

"Inu?" The dog barked at her.

She stood up. She turned and looked at me.

"You and I will forever be friends. I swear it. Now please return Inu back to what he was." I shook my head.

"I can't," she looked upset, "I didn't do that to him. I think he did it to himself."

She wasn't upset anymore. She looked troubled. She met my gaze.

"Why? Why would he turn into this? How long has he been like this?" I looked down at Inu.

He was very much a dog, but I could see the Charonte Demon traits.

"I don't know," she looked worried, "it's been a long time. If I had to guess, it's been eight hundred years."

She looked confused. She turned back to him and held his face in her hands.

"Why?" All Inu did was lick her face.

She pulled away. She summoned a leash and collar. She placed it on Inu. She stood and turned to me. She leaned up and kissed my cheek. She smiled at me.

"You will find the one for you Ash. One day you will find someone unaffected by Epithymia's curse. That day will be the day you find your true happiness." Her eyes drifted to my arm.

I looked down and saw Simi on my arm, "please tell Simi I said goodbye and that she is welcome anytime at my temple."

I looked at Kaori. She was sad. She was pulling away again. She was saying goodbye again.

"Would you stop," she looked surprised, "you're basing your decisions off of something that hasn't happened yet. Let me make my own decisions."

I wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her to me. She dropped the leash. She had her hands on my chest. Her green eyes met mine. I expected to have a flashback or a negative feeling, but I didn't. Her eyes and hair may be the same. This body may be the same, but the woman inside was different. She wasn't the one who had hurt me. She wasn't the one who was afraid to be seen out and about with me. She wasn't the one who stood idly by while her brother did awful things to me. I could see desire in her eyes, but it wasn't to the extent of what those affected by the curse felt. It was her own desire. She had loved me the moment she read about me in her world. She cried for me, got angry with me, and defended me. She felt a strong connection with someone she had never met. She was biting her lip. She was tense in my arms. She let her eyes travel down to my lips. Then she looked me in the eye.

"What are you doing, Ash?" She never looked away from me.

I leaned down and kissed her. She gasped. She went to slide her hands up, but kept them on my chest. I placed both my hands on her hips and pulled her closer. She fisted her hands in my shirt. She pulled away. She was panting. She kept her gaze on my chest.

"Why," I tilted her head up.

Her cheeks were red and she was biting her lip. Her chest was rising and falling slightly faster than before. I saw the concern in her gaze. I leaned down and kissed her again. She opened her mouth and kissed me back. I didn't feel any disgust. She placed her hands on my face and pulled me in closer. She slid her tongue across my bottom lip. I bit down on her tongue and she moaned. I pulled away. It wasn't Artemis's moan, but just hearing it made me sick. She was trying to catch her breath.

I can't do this. She's right.

"It's okay," I looked up at her, "the likelihood was nonexistent Ash. It's okay."

She smiled at me. Inu barked at her. She grabbed his leash.

"I've got to get back to work," she kissed my cheek, "don't force yourself to do something Ash. It's not healthy. Come visit sometime and bring Simi." She turned towards the stairway door.

"Will you be okay, Kaori?" She froze.

She looked down at the ground, "I don't know Ash. Maybe not right away, but eventually? Yes. I'll see you soon, give Simi and Matera my love."

She walked through the staircase door. Once the door was shut I was unsure of how to feel. She wasn't mad or anything about what just happened. I felt bad. I just hoped she wasn't.