a Tale Among the Stars

Chapter 6: a new ally?

William could feel the wind tear at his face as he sped through the narrow paths of the junkyard. He couldn't be too late, he just couldnt. He made another turn and the woman came into view. Except it wasn't a woman. Standing before him was some strange humanoid, clad with bright white skin, and standing in two legs. It seemed to have a long tail, fins, gills, and sharp, pointed teeth. It had the general shape of a female, and stopped as he pulled up beside it. With only a momentary pause to take in its shape, he quickly gestured to the spot behind him.

"I dont know if you can understand me-" William started, and the strange creature tilted its head. "But If you want safety, jump onto the back of my land cruiser."

The creature seemed to be mulling it over, but behind her Jonathan could already hear the group of people getting closer.

"Quickly!"

The creature seemed to still be thinking. The sound if the strangers grew louder and louder, and William couldnt wait any more.
So, panicking, he lifted the creature and set it behind him while punching the accelerator. Just as he did, the strangers rounded the corner. Dirt and trash flew at them as they covered their faces in self defense. He peeled out of the junkyard, his land cruiser wobbling as a small bit of the degree landed into the anti-gravity wells.

He continues to speed home, ignoring the signs that he passed. The creature seemed to be holding onto his back, curiously looking over his shoulder to peer at the screen of the land cruiser. William glanced back, then put his eyes back on the road. The creatures skin was soft, and slightly damp. It seemed to be native to water he thought as he pulled into his warehouse. Luckily, he could see his machine hadn't been touched as he stopped the cruiser and switched it off. Immediately the creature hoped off the back and began to touch everything, picking things up and inspecting them. It seemed to be fascinated with his Crylian Crystal processor, and cooed happily when it picked it up.

"Heh. Alright first things first. Can you understand me?" William put down a green paper and a red one before the creature as it cooed and tapped the processor with its tail.

"If you can understand me, touch the green paper."

The creature cooed again, seemingly oblivious to what he was saying. However, the tail that had previously been tapping his processor slithered to the green paper and pressed the very end of itself onto the middle of the paper.

"Well I'll take that as a yes." William said, sighing as the creature scraped its teeth against the metal casing of the processor.

"Ok," William began, leaning forward. The creature momentarily took its attention off of scraping and cooed at him. "Are you female? Green paper yes red paper no."

Again, it seemed to ignore him. However. Like before the tail responded and touched the green paper.

"Well that clears a lot if things up."

He leaned against the wall as she became disinterested in the processor and picked up his welding mask, putting it on her face and cooing again. He watched her carefully in case she tried to grab his welding kit. While it wasn't really that dangerous, he didn't want her to break it. She was being quite rough with his equipment, and that was one of the only pieces he could not replace.

"Can you speak?" William asked, standing.

The creature cooed as it looked around with his mask and the tail slithered to the red paper.

"Damn.."

He slowly picked up the slightly damaged objects that the creature dropped, and the trash he had left out earlier.

"Last quiestion," he started, the creature ignoring him. "Do you have a name in your language or otherwise?"

She looked at him, for the first time longer than just a brief moment and, instead of with her tail, picked up the red paper with her hands.

"Then do you mind if I call you Luna?"

She shook her head and gave him a sharp-toothed grin. William smiled back nervously as he started a small pot of noodles. Luna seemed to be staring intently at him as he unwrapped the noodles and flavoring, slowly cooking. After a moment, she scurried off, picking up a bowl, a spoon, a water bottle, and some rocks. She then scurried back and began mimicking him, pouring the water into the bowl and putting the rocks in as well. However, as she mixed she frowned and peered at his food. She then looked at her bowl and growled at it as she pushed it away. She then cooed at William and pressed her head against his chest, nearly brushing against the pot.

"Ok ok I get it you want me to make you some." He said, trying to gently push her head off his chest. She cooed against his chest and laid her face down on his leg, seemingly not understanding he wanted her off him.

William sighed and continued cooking, taking the pot off the heat and pouring the noodles into two bowls. Luna lifted her head and cooed loudly as he handed her a bowl.

"Ok I know you understand me but still be careful-" he warned, but before he finished she attempted to shove her face into the hot noodles and broth. shrill screeching filled the warehouse as Luna ran around, rubbingher face against everything and anything.

"I warned you!" He quickly got up and chased her down, grabbing a towel and water bottle. He held her down as she screeched and poured the cool water on the towel, gently pressing it against the burned flesh in her face. After a moment, the screeching stopped and she began to coo at him again, slipping out of his grip and holding the towel herself against her own face.