Moonstones

Stalker?

Jack watched Lunette and and the tall, handsome man leave the school. He was easily disguised among all the other colorfully clad students so he could observe Lunette. Her annoying deer wasn't with her and she didn't carry her moonstones either. Even more intriguing, the man at her side seemed to radiate just as much power as she did if that night, possibly more. Who was he?

His master was correct in saying that Lunette was not from this world and neither was her beau. Jack expertly faded into the background of the crowd until he completely disappeared. This was a new development. As he pondered these things, he changed into his new costume as a college student. At least he hoped that was what he was impersonating.

He was hurrying along the street without looking too conspicuous. He easily caught up to the other worldly couple who were no longer touching one another. Jack pulled out a small notebook and pretended to read as he listened to the conversation.

"You must get more sleep," the tall man seemed serious but suddenly changed to a more tender tone. "I couldn't bear for my sweet Lulu to damage her beauty and slow her great perceptiveness. To shoulder such burdens as fatigue, school and the pressure of finding the moonstones...I can't think of it lest I collapse from despair."

Jack furrowed his brow. This man was so strange and he knew about Lunette needing to search and collect moonstones. Interesting.

"Are you complimenting or mocking me?" Lunette seemed to be slightly irritated.

"How could it not be so? I am not insulting you." The man turned and grabbed Lunette's hand as they both pulled to a stop. Jack slowed his steps and crinkled his nose at the book. "You are to be my future wife after all."

Jack came to a complete stop. The two were engaged? He quickly corrected his mistake and turned onto a new block getting farther away. What would his master think? Jack closed the book and kept an even pace. Should he tell his master or fish around for more information first? If he chose the latter he'd have to move quickly so his master wouldn't have to wait long.

Looking around, Jack found a good place to hide from sight and change his clothes once more. He tried to pull of a goth, skater boy look with baggy pants and a skull shirt.

Jack checked his surroundings before emerging from his hiding spot. He'd observed teenagers who dressed in such a manner as he currently was and had hated the fashion sense right away but it was a good way to hide his true identity. Sticking his hands in his pockets, Jack tried to catch up to Lunette and her fiance once more yet look as if walking casually.

It wasn't very hard as the man's voice carried in a dramatic tone and Lunette kept shouting at him to stop talking altogether although it sounded tender in the slightest way. The moon princess could be passionate? He'd only seen her angry, frantic, and in pain. Jack wondered what it would be like to see her truly smile.

"There's only a few more hours of daylight left," Lunette's fiance's voice seemed to grow louder as Jack closed the distance between himself and the royal pair. "You must sleep. I insist."

"I was going to," Lunette's face came into view as she pouted at the orange-haired man who simply smiled gently at her. "Derward's going to throw a fit."

"Perhaps," the man answered in a carefree tone. "However, he shan't object to your studious search for moonstones."

"Shan't?" Lunette raised her eyebrow with a slight grin. They seemed to get along besides their incessant bickering.

"Here we are," the man ignored her. Jack stared up at the typical two story house in the large neighborhood. Like those around it, the house was plain white and had a nice picket fence surrounding it's borders, besides a small post jutting out awkwardly. If only the neighbors knew that inside were no human beings but were from planets in Earth's very own solar system.

Jack hung back as the man pecked the princess on the cheek and briskly walked away before she could swat him. The blush that appeared on her cheeks showed that she actually did not dislike the gesture. In one swift move, Lunette had turned and entered the house. Jack decided to give up his pursuit for now. He had so much information to process and conglomerate before appearing before his master.

Deciding to head back to his motel room, Jack proceeded to meander the city that wasn't far from where he was. Wandering the streets aimlessly was more annoying than he had expected. All the lights and noises along with the packed bodies moving in different directions was irritating. He was lucky his current outfit kept passerby's from getting too close.

'This place is insane,' Jack thought to himself. A car honked at the crosswalk only feet away from Jack. The light had turned green but an elderly woman hadn't finished crossing the street. Aging was so problematic. If only there was some potion to make the aging process slower. Jack looked away and continued along his path.

Finally, he came to a curb at the end of the bustling city that led to a silent street. Jack walked along the sidewalk taking in his surroundings as the obnoxious noises faded away. The tall buildings slowly turned into houses dotted across some small fields and a few train crossings. The number of automobiles had decreased as well.

'This is more pleasing,' Jack nodded dropping his satchel as he sat on a rock beside a nearly empty highway. The sun was setting giving the sky an orange glow that reflected off the buildings and parked cars.

As he watched the setting sun, Jack contemplated his next move. The motel was another mile and a half away from where he sat. He wouldn't mind the walk in the dark but wouldn't following Lunette on her moonstone hunt tonight be more profitable? He could supply his master with more information and hopefully get out of his doghouse predicament sooner rather than later.

Jack stood and moved east back towards the princess's home. The only downside would be keeping hidden from the exasperating midget deer but not falling too far behind.

It was nearly dark when Jack had returned to the block Lunette's home was on. He'd changed back into his normal clothing which felt like a second skin to him. Jack smiled and tipped his hat slightly as a yawning Lunette carried the small deer-who seemed to be ordering her around- north bound. She was ignoring the midget stag obviously. What surprised Jack the most was the scabbard that flashed quickly out from beneath the princess's cloak.

"Are moonstones that much of a challenge to get?" Jack mused as he followed the two like a shadow.