Connor found Alisa on juu of the mountain, sitting in a little nook. She was soaking up the last rays of the sun even as the tears fell from beneath her closed eyelids.
“Alisa?”
She opened her eyes at the sound of his voice.
“Connor. Hey.”
“Are you...what...Do wewe wanna talk about what happened?”
Alisa smiled a little.
“Thank wewe for not asking if I'm okay. And I'm not sure if I can explain what happened in there. The three of us always got along. We never fought. At least not like this. It never used to happen.”
“You three are learning.”
“Learning what Connor?”
“What normal humans do. wewe were raised in a horrible environment that kept wewe separated from others. Now that you're here, wewe guys are able to react like a normal group of Marafiki would. You're learning about humanity.”
Alisa was quiet for a dakika before she smiled.
“I never expected such words from you. Normally wewe are quiet. wewe are quite wise Connor.”
“Just because I'm a clone doesn't mean I can't still learn.”
“I know.”
Alisa moved to stand up. She stumbled and Connor caught her. She lifted her head to thank him but found her lips on his instead. Both blushed furiously and Alisa moved away.
“Sorry! It was an accident!” they both apologized in unison.
They blushed again, but smiled too. Alisa put her hands behind her back and Connor rubbed the back of his neck.
“You know, I actually kinda liked it,” Alisa admitted.
“So did I.”
“You did?”
“Yeah.”
Alisa moved the toe of her left foot in the loosened rocks and dirt.
“Do you...wanna do it again?” she asked.
Connor smiled at her. He came closer to her, wrapping his strong arms around Alisa. She put her arms around his neck and smiled as they fist touched noses then lips. An electric spark drove the two apart, but they quickly restored their lip-to-lip contact. And there was no doubt in Alisa's mind that she was hearing angels signing above them as the birds flew into the sunset.
“Alisa?”
She opened her eyes at the sound of his voice.
“Connor. Hey.”
“Are you...what...Do wewe wanna talk about what happened?”
Alisa smiled a little.
“Thank wewe for not asking if I'm okay. And I'm not sure if I can explain what happened in there. The three of us always got along. We never fought. At least not like this. It never used to happen.”
“You three are learning.”
“Learning what Connor?”
“What normal humans do. wewe were raised in a horrible environment that kept wewe separated from others. Now that you're here, wewe guys are able to react like a normal group of Marafiki would. You're learning about humanity.”
Alisa was quiet for a dakika before she smiled.
“I never expected such words from you. Normally wewe are quiet. wewe are quite wise Connor.”
“Just because I'm a clone doesn't mean I can't still learn.”
“I know.”
Alisa moved to stand up. She stumbled and Connor caught her. She lifted her head to thank him but found her lips on his instead. Both blushed furiously and Alisa moved away.
“Sorry! It was an accident!” they both apologized in unison.
They blushed again, but smiled too. Alisa put her hands behind her back and Connor rubbed the back of his neck.
“You know, I actually kinda liked it,” Alisa admitted.
“So did I.”
“You did?”
“Yeah.”
Alisa moved the toe of her left foot in the loosened rocks and dirt.
“Do you...wanna do it again?” she asked.
Connor smiled at her. He came closer to her, wrapping his strong arms around Alisa. She put her arms around his neck and smiled as they fist touched noses then lips. An electric spark drove the two apart, but they quickly restored their lip-to-lip contact. And there was no doubt in Alisa's mind that she was hearing angels signing above them as the birds flew into the sunset.
Now in the Charlie Brown spirit, Robin sat at the kinanda and started playing a couple notes.
"Do wewe know any Charlie Brown songs?" Megan asked as Artemis sat beside Robin.
"Yeah, three, only one has lyrics though." Robin replied, turning the notes into a song.
"Christmas time is here, Happiness and cheer, Fun for all that children call, Their inayopendelewa time of the year" The teen added lyrics.
"Snowflakes in the air, Carols everywhere, Olden times and ancient rhymes, Of upendo and dreams to share." Artemis continued.
"Sleigh bells in the air, Beauty everywhere, Yuletide kwa the fireside, And joyful memories there." Megan added sweetly.
"Christmas time is here, We'll be drawing near, Oh, that we could always see, Such spirit through the year, Oh, that we could always see, Such spirit through the year..." The three finished laughing. Wally walked in.
"You guys are good singers." He smirked.
"SHUT UP!"
"Do wewe know any Charlie Brown songs?" Megan asked as Artemis sat beside Robin.
"Yeah, three, only one has lyrics though." Robin replied, turning the notes into a song.
"Christmas time is here, Happiness and cheer, Fun for all that children call, Their inayopendelewa time of the year" The teen added lyrics.
"Snowflakes in the air, Carols everywhere, Olden times and ancient rhymes, Of upendo and dreams to share." Artemis continued.
"Sleigh bells in the air, Beauty everywhere, Yuletide kwa the fireside, And joyful memories there." Megan added sweetly.
"Christmas time is here, We'll be drawing near, Oh, that we could always see, Such spirit through the year, Oh, that we could always see, Such spirit through the year..." The three finished laughing. Wally walked in.
"You guys are good singers." He smirked.
"SHUT UP!"