Meeting/Luna: Part Five

There was some power dynamic at play here that Katya had yet to fully grasp. Luna and Everest were not friends. If she was reading the situation, and this was just her best guess, or the best reasoning she could come up with; Luna and Everest didn’t get along, they seemed to be no more than an employee and a supervisor. Everest appeared to respect Luna in her role, but didn’t fully trust her as a person. They had some history, which was probably putting it mildly, and it influenced the direction the meeting had taken.

Luna felt powerful, and yet seemed to lack any defense. The really powerful people didn’t need it. Katya was all defense. This body felt so much heavier than what she was used to, it was nothing compared to Madame Ginger of course, who could probably sink a normal ship with a single step, but she did feel a bit tank-ish. She’d never needed to fight in her other world, or maybe she never believed she could, or even wanted to, her own reasoning was lost to her. Katya shook out the past and refocused on the present. She would have to do battle to get to the end of the game. She personally didn’t know what she wanted out of this game yet, or even if she wanted to get to the end, but she had to fight at some point. Hopefully not soon, though. At that thought she could feel flags beginning to poke out of the ground.

“I’ll do it! I don’t know what my playstyle is but I’ll contribute to the best of my abilities, whatever those may be!” Or she’ll chicken out and go hide in a corner until it’s over, that part she’ll keep to herself. Peer pressure was a bitch.

“That’s wonderful to hear.” Luna smiled and stood up, “I’ll be counting on you, Katya.” She offered her hand. Katya took it and kissed it. Her regal aura had once again pulled her in. As soon as she did it, she felt incredibly awkward. That wasn’t the right thing to do, you were supposed to shake it! Goddamn it, Katya! She berated herself as she pulled away. Katya kept her torso bowed forward and stepped away, afraid to look up at Luna’s reaction. “I’m sorry” Katya said quietly under her breath.

She heard Luna’s shoes click forward and saw a blue glow as she walked through the coffee table, like it had become holographic. “You have nothing to fear.” Luna placed her hand under Katya’s chin, “I’m a bit awkward too.” Katya let Luna’s hand raise her head.

Katya was about a foot taller than Luna but they stood face to face on level ground, staring into each other’s eyes. There was nothing awkward about Luna, Katya saw her as a model of elven perfection, there wasn’t a mole or pimple or blemish of any kind to be found, just a smooth symmetrical face with a cute little nose, and eyes green as the sky was blue, the sky should be envious of their brightness and clarity. Emeralds were cheap imitations of the jewels peering lovingly back at her. “I’m a bit awkward too.”

Luna laughed, “It appears so, I believe that was my line.” She let go and threw her arms behind her. “We’ll meet again soon, Everest will see you out.”

Opal jumped on Katya’s back, “Wanna go to Madame Ginger’s? Mr. Allspice will be home.” She suddenly let out a yell, “Belly, you wanna go to Mr. Allspice’s?” There’s nothing but silence and imaginary crickets from behind the thick steel door, “Yay!” She shouted, raising her fists above her shoulders in celebration as if he’d actually answered.

Katya was in a breathless whirlwind. She didn’t know who this Mr. Allspice was but presumably he lived with Madame Ginger, her boyfriend perhaps. None of that really kept her attention as she was led out. Her mind was still on Luna as she waved them off. Katya walked forward on autopilot unable to shake the mesmerizing image of her perfect face. “Do Elves have the power to bewitch people?”

Everest looked worryingly at Katya, “Mind and soul tampering magic was lost many ages ago, though Lady Luna is…” She stopped and thought better of what she was about to say, “It’s unlikely”

Katya didn’t feel like these emotions were coming from anywhere other than herself, so it was a comfort to hear those words. There was still something being kept from her, but she was sure answers, and more questions would come in time. They joined Bellamy just outside the door and continued on to Mr. Allspice.

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Once Katya and the rest had exited Luna’s office, she exhaled and walked back to her desk, once again taking a seat in the oversized office chair.

“What do you think?” Her tea cup floated from the side table and landed gently on her palm. A small figure materialized on her desk; the wooden figure had a scraggly grey beard, weathered face, wrinkly body, sunken eyes, and four translucent glowing wings.

“She’s at a much lower level than what young Everest claims. Perhaps even below the Region Two threshold.”

“I thought as much. Such an oddity.” She takes a sip. The small tree raises a non-existent wooden eyebrow.

“If I may divulge some information. It’s not unheard of, this phenomenon, or at least there is one other rumored case: a girl who is able to move freely across region borders.”

“Hmm? Interesting.” She brings her face down to his level, “You bring me welcome news. I doubt we’ll have a run in anytime soon, but it’s certainly something to look forward to.”

“This new world is indeed strange.”

“It’s exciting if anything. Old folk like you are so stuck in your ways, I adore a shake-up every now and then.

“Old folk like…you insult me! You’re not much younger than me!”

An intense, evil battle aura whips across the desk sending the tree-man rolling, “At YOUR age it should be second nature to NEVER ask a woman hers. ‘Kay?”

“Yes! I forgot who I was talking to! I let my manners get away from me!” He landed in a dogeza, “forgive me!”

Her malicious aura settles down and her smile returns, “8 out of 10” she remarks, “Now, please tell me why you felt the need to tamper with the girls mind?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He pleaded earnestly. Luna sat back with a sigh.

“So it was genuine.” Luna relaxed, “I believe you, I know you would never do such a thing. It’s just… I wanted to know for sure.”

Luna looked far into the past she kept buried in snow, “Sol.” She uttered the name with deep affection.

“It’s has been a long time since someone has expressed such pure ardor. Sol… it has been that long, hasn’t it?”

“Leave me alone for a bit” She turned her chair around so it faced out the window. The tree-man acquiesced and disappeared.

Luna had been around for a long time and she remembered every bit of it, although she wished it would stay buried; the mind was a shallow grave. Her heart refused too often to let things stay where they were. That icy sheet was merely for visitors and what lied beneath were buried the people who stayed.

Luna was genuinely concerned and attached to her people, but she didn’t plan to stay with them forever. Once they had been reunited, she would say her goodbyes and continue on with The Game. There was no other way to have her wish granted. She was certain she could win, there were certainly other powerful entities in this world, but Luna was among the oldest and most powerful, and…

Luna waved her hand under the window and the wall disappeared revealing eight silver marbles. She withdrew a ninth from the inner pocket of her shirt. Luna had a wish and the only way she would see it fulfilled was to play the game, a task so many foolhardy masses had lost their lives trying to accomplish. Luna wasn’t like them. She was powerful. She was determined. There was no room for distractions or mournful reverie. Luna was going to play to win.