AN: womp womp
The cave changed shape, opening up into a beautiful field. He couldn't believe his eyes. It was gorgeous, Seemed to be around noon, and creatures were playing, they looked like pixies, there was green grass, greener than he had ever seen, there were flowers and bushes, trees and streams, and there was a small house in the middle of the field. He stared in awe, he'd never seen anything like this in his life.
"I cannot lead you any further, but I know you can make it past this," the pixie said, "just remember, the journey always seems longer the first time around." The little pixie flew off after that, joining its fellows and playing with them.
"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked himself. He started to walk towards the little house, and as he did he could hear whispering of those around him, he could hear the wind going through the grass and the trees, and he could smell the air, the flowers, and the water, he took a moment to admire the area he was in, even though it was unfamiliar.
Though he wanted to just watch the world around him, study what he was unfamiliar with, and reminisce about what he was familiar with, he knew he had a place to be and things to do, his desires could wait. When he approached the door of the house, he knocked and waited for an answer. He saw the doorknob turn and the door slowly open, revealing a young woman, no older than 20, with a smile on her face.
The woman wore a sundress with roses covering it. She had a small white flower in her hair, holding her hair behind her ear. She was small, and had long hair, like it had never been cut in her life. She had blue eyes, dark brown hair, and dark skin. She looked like she spent her days in the sun, but even without the sun, her skin would still be a fair light brown. As she smiled at the boy, she moved, to let him inside.
"I'm truly sorry but I cannot come inside," She looked at him funny as he said, "I am covered in dirt and dust and I do not want to dirty your lovely home, so if you wouldn't mind coming outside, we can talk out here, or if you'd prefer, we could just stand here and chat."
"So thoughtful," she said sweetly, her voice smooth and feminine, "I would not mind stepping outside for a chat, it is a beautiful day after all." She stepped out onto the grass barefoot and closed the door.
"Aren't you afraid you might step on something and hurt yourself when barefoot?" He was a bit concerned with her safety.
"I have nothing to worry about here," she said, "There is nothing that can hurt us. Go ahead, take off your shoes, and see for yourself."
He did so, and when his bare feet touched the grass and dirt he felt at home, better than he had in a while, "I never thought I could walk barefoot in the grass without fear." He was being completely honest, he had always been taught to wear shoes so rocks couldn't hurt him and animals wouldn't bite him, never mind any glass thrown by vandals.
"Anyway, what is it that you wanted to talk about, Matthew?" She looked at him like he wasn't a stranger that just walked up and started a conversation.
"Matthew? I do-" She cut him off
"Sorry, I forgot you go by Pete," She said this like she had known him his entire life, "Or do you? Did you even go by anything?" She looked at him.
"I don't know what you mean," He was utterly confused, "I've only ever been Pete as long as I could remember, I don't know what you mean by Matthew or anything for that matter."
She smiled at him, "You may not remember, but I do. You may be Pete to most, but to 3, you are Matthew."
"And who are these 3?" He asked, not a hundred percent sure she meant anything by that.
"Well, first of all, me," she said, tilting her head slightly, "but that was obvious, was it not?"
"I do think it was, but who exactly are you?" He wanted to know how she knew him, and what she knew about him.
"My name is Karma," She answered, "I know everything and see everything. From when you are born to when you die, I see everything, it is my job to decide the fate of those who have done wrong. But you, on the other hand, I have no jurisdiction over."
"How come?" He asked
"You haven't done wrong without regret or pain to you," She said, "I am here to give those who have done wrong what they deserve, and I have nothing to give to you."
"I cannot agree," She raised an eyebrow at him, "I have done plenty wrong, why else would I be without family, why would I be punished if I wasn't in the wrong?"
"You are not without family," She was calm, "you have your town as a family, and I do think they are a better family than the one you were given at birth."
"What does that mean?" He sat down in the grass, and she followed, sitting on her knees to not get her dress dirty.
"Well," she started, "The family you were given may have said that they were unable to care for you, but it was that they did not want to give up things that they should not have been doing for you. They instead gave you to some children in the next town over and forgot about you." He looked at her with a sad look, she saw it and immediately regretted how she had phrased it, "Not that you weren't worth it, they just couldn't see what was wrong with giving you away because they were stupid people."
"No matter what someone does, you should never call them stupid," He said, "I thought you'd know that."
A look of surprise came over her face, "I know, but," she stopped.
"Stupidity is when someone knows better and does something wrong anyway," He interrupted the young woman, "They were nothing but ignorant."
She looked at him shocked, unable to respond, "Well, I," she stopped to think for a moment, "It doesn't matter anymore, don't you want to know who the others are?"
"It doesn't matter, does it?" He said, he no longer cared about who knew him, he truly only cared about how someone who was supposed to be all-knowing, could overlook something so very important.
"I suppose not," she said, "well anyway, do you know why you're here?"
"I haven't a clue." He mumbled.
"My time is up," She said softly, "it's your turn, my friend."
"My time for what?" He asked, "Is there something I don't know?"
"There are many things you don't know, you're still young," She began, "Everything will come with time. You will know everything you wish, but you must wait until it's revealed. For now, though, all you need to know is that I cannot go on any further, you must take my place."
"What do you mean by taking your place?" He interrupted.
"The issue is," She completely ignored his question, "I wanted you to be able to say goodbye first, but it's too late now."
Pete looked at the young woman for a moment, his mind racing. What did she mean by say goodbye? Is it too late for me? What is this place really? He had hundreds of questions like these, but he knew she wouldn't answer any of them.
