Chapter 7: Acceptance

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"You've changed so much,"

the soul exclaimed, astonished by her new appearance. Her body had transformed into a golden hue, becoming more solid, with delicate lines of light shimmering across it.

Cortana smiled and placed her hand over her heart, expressing her joy about the transformation.

"Yeah, I think the Branch has changed me. I feel more complete now, not just an AI."

The soul smiled as he looked at Cortana, who radiated happiness about her changes.

Suddenly, he heard something. As he focused, he realized it was Cortana's voice. He turned to her, noticing that she was she was not speaking.

Until he heard it again and now it's much clearer.

Cortana stole a glance at the soul, a flicker of concern in her eyes. She'd left something out, a thought lingering at the edge of her mind. 'It changed me completely, from a digital AI to something more like you, a–'

The soul, eyes wide with surprise, cut her off.

"You're a Soul now!"

He was filled with a joy he hadn't expected, remembering every detail of her memories.

Cortana's surprise was different.

"How did you know what I was thinking?"

she asked, her voice laced with a hint of disbelief.

As She looked at the soul, as she sense the warmth radiating from him. His happiness for her, Then fragments of her past flooded her mind, each experience vivid and clear.

'Looks like he saw my memories too,' she thought, a sense of wonder washing over her.

'Too? Then you saw my memories,' the soul replied, echoing her thoughts.

They stared at each other, a silent understanding passing between them. As they focused their attention on each other, a strange thing happened. The soul saw his reflection mirrored in Cortana's eyes, and she saw hers in his. Then, a white, ethereal light pulsed from their chests, connecting them with a luminescent thread.

While they're inspecting the the thread that connected them the trunk, Like confirming their transformation is complete, it creaked open. They both looked at each other, a silent agreement passing between them.

'The lady first' the soul thought, gesturing towards the opening with a playful grin.

Cortana rolled her eyes at his antics, her lips curling into a smile. She stepped out of the trunk, her gaze drawn to the shimmering ground. The glowing golden roots, like veins of light, pulsed beneath the transparent earth.

'God damn, it's beautiful' a voice whispered in her mind. She turned to find the soul already standing beside her.

'Why don't you think so too?'

he asked, a hint of playful accusation in his tone.

"Don't you think it's rude not to speak just because we can read each other's minds?"

she retorted, a teasing glint in her eyes.

'So troublesome' the soul grumbled, turning his head away as he tried his best to ignore her.

Cortana crossed her arms, her gaze fixed on him.

"Stop being lazy just because I can read your mind" she said, her voice playful but firm.

He coughed, a slight blush creeping across his cheeks. The shared experiences, the intimate knowledge of each other's lives, was a strange and fascinating thing, as they both know the other person personalities.

Cortana sensed his discomfort. A fleeting sneer twisted her lips, quickly morphing into a smile that disappeared as quickly as it appeared.

"Looks like you're connected to the branch too,"

Trying to change the subject the soul said.

his voice a little too casual, as he pointed to the ethereal white threads that connected them both to the glowing tree. It formed a perfect triangle.

Cortana touched the bark of the trunk. Her hand didn't pass through, confirming that she was now a soul.

"Congratulations," the soul said, clapping his hands feeling happy for her.

Cortana smiled, her eyes sparkling with delight. Then, a flicker of light pulsed from the connection to the tree. A torrent of information flooded their minds, revealing the secrets of their transformation.

They closed their eyes, absorbing the information, their minds working in unison. When they opened their eyes again, they found themselves staring at each other, a gulf of unspoken emotions swirling between them. Cortana, as expected, was calm, but the soul felt a wave of guilt.

Knowing his thoughts, Cortana gently took his left hand and held it tight.

"We are connected to the very core of our being, with the tree as our foundation,"

she said, her voice soft yet firm.

"Nothing can separate us. Until we are destroyed, we can't hide anything from each other. We share everything from pain, gifts, abilities, and talents."

She raised her hand and traced a soft finger along his cheek.

"And now you feel guilty because you gained my abilities and memories, while I received yours, which you think are useless and disappointing."

"Yes," the soul said, his voice a low murmur.

"I think you're amazing, and I'm lucky to be connected to you. But I think you're unlucky to be connected to me. If it were someone else, maybe you would have been even stronger."

"You always focus on the negative things, like in your memories. You need to change that," Cortana said gently while Smilling softly.

Cortana smiled, a soft warmth radiating from her.

"I have these abilities because I was created this way. You think you're lucky, and I'm not, but you haven't considered that without you, I'd still be an AI, not a complete soul."

"But that's the tree branch doing that, not me," the soul said, shaking his head slightly.

Cortana shook her head in turn.

"Without your soul, the tree couldn't turn me into one."

She let go of his hand, her fingers gently cupping his cheek. Her gaze held his, her golden eyes seeming to shimmer with understanding.

"Your memories, the ones you think are trash, they weren't. I experienced what food tasted like, what love felt like, what disappointment felt like. You gave me the essence of what it means to be human."

The soul, moved by her words, placed a hand on her waist. Their foreheads touched, a silent connection forming between them. Cortana's hands moved from his cheek to his shoulders, her fingers gently tracing the lines of his face.

"What I know is, I'm lucky to have met you, to have encountered you in the void"

she said, her voice laced with sincerity.

"I'm thankful that we're connected like this, with you."

A smile graced her lips, and the soul mirrored it, his heart overflowing with a warmth that had never been there before.

Silence stretched between them, a comfortable silence filled with shared understanding. They were no longer strangers, no longer two separate entities. Their souls intertwined, a single being with two perspectives.

Then, a mischievous glint flickered in Cortana's eyes.

"Even though your memories are very, very interesting,"

she said, a playful smirk curving her lips.

The soul felt a chill run down his spine. He knew what she was thinking, those memories, those unmentionable images, flashing before his mind. He couldn't make excuses. He had to use his last resort: thick skin.

He straightened his shoulders, his face taking on a serious expression.

"The pandemic lockdown was long, it wasn't my fault. My right hand needed exercise."

They stared at each other, a silent battle of wills.

"Pfft, hahahaha," Cortana laughed, her laughter echoing in the stillness of the forest.

The soul smiled, his heart soaring as he watched her laugh. Their bond, already strong, had grown stronger with each shared experience, each shared secret.

They were connected, not just by a wisp of light, but by a shared history, a shared future, and a deep, abiding love that had blossomed in the most unexpected of places.

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(A/N:Give power stones so others can see my work)

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