Within the Moon

Chapter 3: Whatever Happened to Marie?

Ashe's POV (small note, I'm going to be switching from Ashe to Luna so I won't be naming which POV it is after this chapter!)

                 Ashe writes her latest letter to Luna telling her about how her idiotic twin brother started fawning over Annabelle the other day when she accidentally fell. Getting up from the desk, Ashe walks over to her bed and falls onto it, arms and legs spread apart and looking at the ceiling. This was the 4th letter she had written to Luna, and she had still yet to reply. It's been months since her last message to her and Ashe was getting worried. Ashe made a loud sigh, "Luna...where are you?" she said in a whisper as she got up from the bed and looked out the window.  Movement. Ashe got up and slowly walked towards the window and as she got closer she heard a car door slam and three guys walk into the house. "Dad?" Ashe heard Brain say from the first floor. Dad? But...he isn't supposed to be home yet! Ashe ran downstairs and saw Brian, 'Uncle' Carl, her father, and a man who looked to be about her age. "Dad?!" said Ashe with excitement as she ran to him and hugged him, " I thought you were going to be gone for a year! Why did you come back early?" Her dad chuckled and said with a big grin "We've made a huge discovery and had to come back immediately." Brian cleared his throat and said  " Who is this?" pointing to the man who was looking at the ground the entire time. He suddenly looked up to reveal the most handsome face Ashe had ever seen. Oh my gosh...he's gorgeous! thought Ashe as she soon realized she was staring and looked away. The man let out a short cough and said "Hello, my name is Bryce. It's nice to meet you..." he looked away as Anna Marie came walking through the door and saw Bryce. Her eyes widened a little and she said: "Um, hi..." Bryce smiled at her a little and said hi back which caused Anna Marie to blush, much to Ashe's surprise. "Oh there you are Anna Marie, can you show Bryce around the house?" Ashe's father asked. Anna Marie nodded and said to Bryce

"So Brycen,"
"It's Bryce..."
"Bryce..."
"So Anna,
"It's Anna Marie...
"Anna Marie,"
          The two looked down at the ground for a long time until one of Anna Marie's cats, Yawë, walked up to Bryce and began to purr and rub against him. Anna Marie's eyes widened and Bryce said "She's so cute! I own some cats too you know?" Anna Marie smiled brightly and said "That's awesome! Want to see my other cat? Her name is Niana." Bryce nodded and together, they walked up the stairs.

                 Ashe chuckled as her dad said, "Well, continuing where we left off." Carl turned his head towards the door and yelled: "Bring it here Greyson!" It? wondered Ashe. "She's too heavy Carl!" a voice called from outside. Carl muttered under his breath and walked outside to assist Greyson. "By the way dad, is it ok for me to have that letter?" Ashe asked she worried that her father bid information from the government. "We find those everywhere! They said I could keep one." her dad chuckled. Greyson and Carl arrived  holding a large burlap bag "Woah, what is it?" Brian asked in wonder "This," Ashe's dad said "is a creature we found within the moon." he opened the bag to reveal a girl. Ashe gasped in shock, this isn't a girl...could it be, a Moonweaver? One of Luna's kind? The girl was blindfolded and had a gag in her mouth, her hair was the most interesting part, it was somewhat wavy and went down to her upper chest, the colo-no-look of her hair....looked as if it were a blue galaxy with all the swirls and twinkles. Carl bent down and tore off the blindfold and took off the gag with some obvious force. The girl looked around and then at the stairs. "The area up there-" she said slowly "-has something I recognize." everyone jumped back in surprise as she spoke. "Well, we need to report back to the lab but she keeps on interfering with us so, we have to let her stay here for now," said Ashe's and Brian's dad. Brian squealed like a girl and said " This is so awesome! Come on Ashe let's bring her to our room!"
"W-what?!"
"Well, come on you too!" Brian laughed as the girl stood up and said: "lead the way." Ashe looked at her, she appeared to be somewhat amused. The three walked up the stairs in silence, when they got to the room the Moonweaver stopped in her tracks. "Something wrong?" Ashe asked. The girl whispered something and walked around the room, she stopped at the earth charm Luna had given to Ashe. The girl then hastily walked over to Ashe and Brian and said "Why do you know of this?" holding up the charm. "Wait, do you know Luna?" Ashe said with wide eyes. "And what if I do?" she gives a suspicious look. She isn't going to talk, is she? Ashe thought to herself. "Tch." the girl looked away, crossing her arms. "Hey, girl-" Brian started but the girl cut him off "-it's not the girl, it's Marie. I have a name you know?!"

"Ok...geez."

"Hmph."

Brian then sat on the floor and crawled under a conveniently placed blanket. Silence rang in the room for several long minutes until a shout was heard in the hallway. "-ver -et...." the girl supposedly named Marie turned and glared at the door.  As the voice grew clearer Ashe finally recognized the voice when suddenly Anna Marie burst through the door and locked it, shouting at the door "You will never have this banana!" after that the room was silent. So silent you could hear a pin drop. Ashe slowly looked at Marie, her short wavy hair was slightly frazzled, eyes widened in shock, and one of her sleeves on her shirt was falling. Anna Marie looked at her, then at the bundle of bananas, she was holding, then back at Marie. "Who's that?" Marie said turning her head and looking at Ashe with cool gray eyes which held the look of curiosity in them. "Oh, that's my adoptive sister, Anna Marie." The two look at each other for what seems to be a very long time then suddenly Anna Marie walks to towards Marie and sets her hand on Marie's right shoulder and Marie sets her hand on Anna Marie's left shoulder. They continue to stare at each other's eyes and suddenly smile a bit then nodded. "It seems that a new friendship has formed between the two," Brian says suddenly popping out of nowhere. "Gah! Where'd you come from?!" Ashe said "Magic." Brain grinned mischievously "The Within." Marie says flatly. Ashe's eyes widened 'The Within? Does she know how to get there?!'. Another very long silence consumed the room once more till suddenly Anna Marie pulls off one banana and gives it to Marie. Marie stares at the yellow fruit and then looks up at Anna Marie

"What is it?"

"My family."

"Do I eat it?"

"No."

"Noted."

Brian walked over and grabbed the banana from Marie's hand and began to peel it "NOOOOO!" screamed Anna Marie, Brian took a large bite out of it "How could you- you fiend!" Brian shrugged and looked at Marie who was comforting  Anna Marie in her time of need. "Whats all the ruckus y'all are making up here." Carl opened the now unlocked door and saw what seemed to be a funeral for a banana peel while the song 'Funeral for a Friend' by Elton John was playing in the background. Anna Marie blew her nose "S-she was a friend....a mother...and my sister!" she said breaking down into sobs. 'I thought I was your sister...' thought Ashe as she watched the funeral.

"Um. Hello~o!" Everyone, minus Anna Marie who continued to sob, looked at the source of the voice and saw none other than Carl. "What do you want?" Marie growled. "Wow! I didn't know it could talk!" laughed Carl "She isn't an it, you know, " Ashe said with her head held high "-she's our friend." Carl stopped smiling and said "Well sorry to break it to you but we're bringing it back to the lab. After all, it is an extraterrestrial." he grabbed Marie tightly and tied a rope around her hands. Marie smiled softly and whispered to Ashe as she passed by "Tell Luna I said hi, ok?" Ashe looked at her and silently nodded. It was then Carl looked back at the room from the hallway and said "Whattaya nodding at?" then slammed the door shut. "Wait! Marie!" she tried to open the door but Brian stopped her "It was bound to happen, Ashe. Carl was right Marie isn't from our planet it's best we let them take her, even if I don't like the idea." Ashe looked down at the ground then suddenly had an idea. She hastily scribbled a note down then held the stone 'Oh please reply!' she took a deep breath and said "Send to Luna." a flash of white light lit the room but soon quickly died out. Almost instantly another flash of white light appeared and a piece of light blue cloth fell to the ground. Written on it was a single word in black ink which read "Where."