Switched! (A Star Vs The Forces Of Evil Fanfiction)

Chapter XIX: The Lone Lady

A/N: Hello fellows. This is the next part. Sit back, relax, and sip on some tea especially in this cool weather. :))

Chapter 19: The Lone Lady

9 years ago

∞

There was nothing, save for darkness. He could sense everything else. He felt as if his lungs were about to implode. He heard nothing but the low grumble of the place. He didn't know where he was, but it was empty. So empty that his footsteps didn't reverberate. Was he finally going to be free? Was this paradise as they call it?

He took another step on the unknown rubble. Once he reached further, he noticed a small figure. He painted a picture of it with his hands. It felt very cold. And lonely. Why was it here all by itself?

As he neared it, it tilted its head towards him. It was a lady. He stared at her. "What are you doing here, boy?" She asked in the most subtle and docile voice that sounded like silk and the scrawling of a pen on paper combined.

The boy shrugged. "I don't know either." He felt the lady's curious glare. "Is that so? Well then, you should go home. Your father must be waiting for you." She said with melancholy.

Looking side by side, the boy just settled in his position, unsure of where to go. "I have no father. And I don't know how to go home. Where am I? Who are you?" He asked. The lady looked mildly surprised. "If you like you could talk to me for a while. Sit beside me and I'll tell you a story." She suggested, patting the rock beside her.

The boy ambled towards the empty seat and suddenly, a rock rose up from the ground for him to sit on. He gave a subtle yelp. The lady's gaze trailed off into space. The boy touched her lap with his small hand. "Why are you all alone?" He asked. The lady turned to give him a small smile. "I've always been alone. But I never needed anyone." She said in a smug voice.

The boy bobbed his head to the side. She was lying. He didn't know how he knew it. He just knew that the lady was lonely and needed someone. He felt her pain. His whole world was filled with nothing but lies and bitter sentiments. He had no one else besides himself but even he hated himself for who he was, for what he had done and for everything else about him.

"Doesn't it get too lonely here? Don't you get tired just being by yourself? What do you do as a hobby?" He asked.

The woman turned to him. "I admit I often wonder what more could be out there and imagine what life would be like out there." She said in a wondrous tone. The boy thought wildly about what she meant about 'life out there.' Could there be more to it than this emptiness? Could there be more than just darkness? Even if there was something else, would he be able to see it?

The woman raised her hand as if she was trying to reach something. What was she doing? What was she trying to reach? Suddenly, he heard a sweet and low humming. It sounded like a lullaby and reminded him of a time that never happened and of someone he never met. He wished he could see that person right now and apologize for everything that he ever did. Every adventure he would embark on just to see that person again. Even if he would be in pieces or near death, even just a glimpse would be fine by him. Only then could he embrace death like a good friend.

His cheek was squished from lying against her arm. It was safe to say that he almost fell asleep, but the lady nudged him awake and gave him a gentle smile. "I sing whenever I feel lonely. Sometimes, I even lull myself to sleep. It helps me get my jinkies up." She said and did a little shaky hand dance.

The boy gave her a curious look. The woman became more interesting by the second. He arched a brow at her, questioning the gesture. "What does jinkies mean?" He asked. The woman flushed in embarrassment.

"Oh, when you're alone for some time, you start making up your own words as you go along." She said and gave an awkward chuckle. The boy stared at her before gazing back at the emptiness. He looked at his own hands, flexed his fingers and waved them up in the air to imitate her. "Like this?" He said and did the same dance. The woman sniggered. "Oh, I'm not really sure. I haven't seen anyone else doing that."

The boy just puts his hands down, thinking that he did it wrong. Since he wasn't sure if he'd be going back any time soon, he might as well ask her if she had someone she missed. Before she ended up like this, she might've had someone too, right?

"Do you ever miss anyone, Ms. Lady? I'll call you Miss Lady since you didn't really answer my question." He stated. Miss Lady's smile turned into a frown. She looked down onto the cold and rocky ground before saying something. "My name's Luna. And I do...miss someone. But I could never reach him...just as he could never reach me. He's too far away. " She explained. The picture he painted of her suddenly turned into a gloomy scene.

"Why?" The boy asked. The woman bit her lower lip. "He doesn't really...know I'm here. I...he...I don't know anymore." She said and covered her face with her hands. He could tell she was confused about her own feelings and that she was still trying to discover herself. Perhaps he should stay by her side to help her. He nudged her again, this time poking her shoulder.

"I could stay by your side. I could help you." He reassured her. The woman pried her fingers off her face and turned to him, feeling heartened. "You-you will?" She asked with a hint of shock before her expression went back into a sad state and she sank back down into her hands. "I-you shouldn't. I do bad things. I curse people. I play with them." She said, her voice muffled between her palms.

The boy arched his brow. "Why?"

"Oh, I've got my reasons." She said, removing her face from her hands.

"I could help you. I don't know how to return anyways." He said and tilted his head up into nothingness. Luna looked at him with sadness, unsure how she should tell him the truth. She decided she should just give him something before his inevitable departure. She conjured something from her palm. It was a white flower with yellow filaments at the center. She handed it to the boy. The boy tilted his head to the side in puzzlement.

"What is that?" He asked. Luna then took his palm, put the flower on it and closed his fingers to signify that she was giving it as a gift.

Luna smiled. "Take it. It's a bloodroot. Not only that, I'll also give you a special power. Ain't that jibonkers?" She said with a lilt. Ethan smiled at her and kept the flower inside his pocket.

Suddenly, the darkness gradually wiped into a brilliant white light from Ethan's vision. His mind became clear all of a sudden and he realized that he had a home to go to. At the same time, he didn't want to leave the woman here all on her own again. Perhaps he could bring her with him and take her into his home. That way, she would have someone to love her, take care of her and cherish her.

Yet, the more the brightness grew, the more she became distant. The picture he painted was a woman waving from him with only patches of her silhouette being seen from the bright light. Before he knew it, everything faded into white. 

A/N: I hope you all understand what's going on. This was Ethan's experience 9 years ago. It's up to you to decide how you would see this. Hope you all enjoyed this one!

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