Timelines Collide

Chapter 16: The Moon and It's Rocker

Luna is the name. The name of a moon that, in my eyes, once shined upon the valley. Many she would have come within her bubble thanks to her glossy skills in combat or winning them over with her looks alone. However, many she pulled inside that bubble, go right out one way or another.  Except for a small few; except for me.  

She always saw stars, pointing them out in the night sky as something that glitters above the many on-lookers of the valley. Such a pitiful star I became. My flames couldn't even keep the dream of her glow alive. They only dim as the rock she left pulls on my heart. I'm reminded of such as she walks in with a glistening smile. 

With moon-like white skin, somehow even shinier than I remembered it to be, it all hits home when she opens her mouth

"Hello, Folium family, I'm home!!" Such simple words she says with the biggest taste of fruity gum. 

While she greets some of her sister's voices from up the stairs. My mind can't concentrate on who or what is exchanged. My heart keeps pounding while my brain flashes memories rapidly through my eyes leaving everything else frozen in shellshock. I think even one of my eyes starts twitching.

I feel like I'm trapped in time itself until my eyes finally put together the image of her inches away from my face. Only then my ears can hear her words for God knows how long she was saying.

"You ok there dude," she asks. Her voice still speaks with sugar even if I felt the spice of irritation put deep into her black pearl-like eyes. 

As she waves her hand in my face I can't help shaking red. I blink my eyes once more and begin speaking.

"Oh, my apologies. The heat can fry your brain faster than slaving over coal down in a mineshaft." I smile but she doesn't do the same. 

Her body tilts in confusion while her eyes try to study mine. I guess she didn't get my Rango reference. Still, she has them running to my feet faster than any Lunger could have. 

"Oh dear, where are my manners? Joseph Arrowson at your acquaintance." 

If my squad mates were here, they would already be falling into laughter. I can't tell what went faster. My body bowing to her just like Lincoln did to me or how my cheeks start to bleed once I realize what I did. Even with my head at her knees, I could tell Lincoln and Lisa were holding in their howlers. I bet, to them, they are thinking like I've just seen a ghost. In a way I do. 

 I can only imagine what Lincoln and his sisters would do if they were in her shoes. Lincoln and Luana would laugh, Loran and Lana would find me strange, and then Lisa and Lavender would fight me even if one was born with a brain and not fists. That thought and having no idea what to do next keeps my body from moving. 

All is thrown away once I see the slight crinkly form in the ride side of her mouth, and then she tells me to rise like a king to her peasant. She even does it in a British voice to add to her act. We then were both sharing crinkles on the edges of our smiles.

"Say you said your name was Joseph Arrowson, right?" She asks, now starting to form a smile.

"That's right," I reply. The red on my face starts turning back to a crisp brown, though I don't think she notices.

"Well, Joseph that's a pretty rocking name you got there. Has a nice ring to it."

"Why thank you. Your Luna I assume then."

"You bet, Luna Folium at your service," proceeds to bow to me as I did to her, yet the form is a bit fancier. We both chuckle softly at that fact while staring into each other's eyes. 

She tilts her head to the side, her brain thinking like a person she's trying to recall. It gives me time to compare as I did for all the other Foliums I've seen, though I still can't believe she is one. Both share mostly the same features, from the freckles underneath the eyes to the way her lips perk vividly when forming a smile. However, her sense of style is much different. 

Her short brown hair is formed into a mullet, she dons purple eyeshadow underneath her eyes, and she wears a similar outfit to her jokester of a sister with her skirt being mixed with strips of light and dark purple with a plain shirt of blue-violet. Almost the exact opposite of how I remembered her. 

"Hmm, I swear I might have seen you in the halls back at school, do you go to Leafengard East?"

"I do not sadly, though between you and me." I lean my body towards her. "You can say I'm an out-of-towner."

"Oh really, is that so?" She says placing her hands upon her hip, leaning her body more my way filling in the gap. She smacks her lips to my surprise and claims "Hmm I suppose you're right. I would've remembered someone like you."

"Really, I'm that memorable?" I ask while my mouth chuckles from the inside. She smiles and continues

"Well, you did have your interesting entrance." 

All I can do is smile trying to hide the shame from my eyes. Still, the way she had her mouth blossom like a flower in my presence made the shame run away. Wouldn't be the first time that was the case. At least this time I wasn't lying down, curled up in my own embarrassment. 

I note her eyes studying me from top to bottom. I feel like a little kid with a crush trying to look her in the eyes as they keep running away. I guess she finds it amusing if not a bit weird as her eyebrows frazzle at the sight. Strangely, the smile never leaves her face.

"Do tell me, Joseph, what's someone like you doing in our humble home looking the way you do?"

"He's with me my dearest sister," Lincoln blurts out finally interrupting our cringe-making and taking a stand beside me. I glance back at Lisa who pretends we're not here. "My friend Joseph here has come far for our annual county fair's costume competition. I offered him my aid in regards to his costume and prop within our backyard as a means to try and win." 

I expected her to be at least puzzled like her other sisters. Somehow, I can never read these Foliums and my brain keeps reminding me that she is by her smile becoming even more elastic than before.

"Well Joseph, I can say you chose the right one to help you. Lincoln's a killer when it comes to that nerdy stuff. Did you know he tried winning that contest every year since he was six?" I was about to chuckle until I saw Lincoln whose face is a mixture of flattery and chagrin. I guess it's the ladder since it drops to the floor. 

Luna then asks if I would want to hear more. I politely decline though not before giving her a wink; Lincoln punches my side, making her laugh at the entanglement I got myself into. 

"I never really been into that type of stuff myself, though I can admit you guys can make some rockin' outfits." She stares directly at me when she finishes. I swear I can hear the tiniest bit of friskiness in her voice. I chalk it up to my mind playing games. 

She tries asking me more questions, but I can only say so much with Lisa's damn lie would allow. My attention slowly shifts to a hanging small shadow appearing in the corner of my eye near the machine. I couldn't tell if it was my imagination or if is Lana messing with it. Luna takes note of it as well and starts to chortle to herself.

"Looks like one of the little ones is trying to give your prop a little makeover." Both I and Lincoln's eyes go to see a tiny blonde figure that looks to be painting something on one of the legs. My eyes see it as Lana, but something seems off. Even Lisa smirks when she sees the sight.

"Anyways I got to go tune up the old battle-ax. Got it a wicked new melody I've been testing out."

"Hmm, a new melody you say. If you wouldn't mind, I would love to hear it later if I'm still around." 

My words stop her in place as she turns. I can tell her eyes are gleaming at the thought.

"Really dude?" She asks in a voice that doesn't believe I'm legit. Still, I nod, and it doesn't take long for her freckles to lay upon hints of red. She smiles and simply says "It was nice meeting you Joseph Arrowson." She does her fancy bow to me once more and skeeters up the flights of stairs. 

Lincoln then nudges my stomach, "Real smooth there Joseph." 

I laugh at his comment, and afterward, I couldn't stop smiling. I wished she showed me more of that moonlit smile. To think when I saw those black pearls for the first time, she didn't obscure them from sight as she did with so many others. The moonlight she kept hidden in the ashes. It's funny. Hearing her name ringing along in my thoughts, hasn't changed since the first time I heard it.