~Back At The Town~

Nightmare sat on the roof, staring at Kekoa's flying figure.

"Aye, yah, yah... That battle was so boring. Gha, a complete waste of time." He looked up and saw the moon.

"The moon...? The moon is up..." Realization hit him "God damn it! I have to get home or Autumn's gonna kill me!!!"

He stood up and hopped from roof to roof till he reached the edge of town. There he ran into the large willow trees in a panic. If Autumn got to him before he got back to the grove, Nightmare would be in serious trouble!

Nightmare ran through the willow trees, clearing the long vine-like leaves out of the way frantically. He was running so fast that he didn't notice that about a stone throw away was Autumn and Luna.

Unlike Nightmare, they were walking, Luna calm as can be and Autumn as nervous as well... Anything that gets nervous. You people get the gist. Make up some examples! Let your imaginations go wild!

Luna and Autumn were walking by idly, until Luna looked over and saw Nightmare run by before she could call out to him

"Oiy, is that him?" Luna nudged Autumn and pointed at Nightmare's running figure

Autumn smiled the moment she saw him and sighed in relief. "Yes, that's him! Thank goodness! We should get back to the grove then. If he gets there before we do, he'll probably worry about what happened."

"Alright" They walked towards the grove while Nightmare ran, unaware that Autumn and Luna were behind him.

Autumns giggled as she watched Nightmare run to the grove. Luna noticed this, confused by her giggles "Why are you doing that? He's coming back. I don't think that would be the best reaction to that."

"Well, you see, Luna, whenever Nightmare comes home late, I always get so mad at him for doing that, like now. Nightmare's scared of me when I'm mad." Autumn laughed

Luna raised an eyebrow "When you're mad, huh?" Autumn nodded.

"Huh..." Can't really imagine someone like her to be scary.... I can't even imagine her getting mad!

Autumn and Luna entered the grove and saw Nightmare sitting down by the big willow tree, huffing and puffing like crazy from exhaustion. Nightmare looked over at them and waved. They waved back.

 Autumn smiled, then ran towards Nightmare. Luna, surprised by her sudden movement, watched her.

Nightmare stood up, his eyes widening. "Autumn.. I-I'm sorry... I-I, you see, was watching La-" He was cut off by Autumn tackling him with a hug.

 Nightmare blushed and looked down at Autumn, who barely reached his shoulders "A-Autumn...?"

She shook her head and buried her face in his chest, hiding her blushing face. "You dummy... Don't worry me like that ever again..."

Nightmare chuckled nervously and hugged her back "I'm sorry... You were probably here waiting for me, getting all worried cuz I didn't come back. I'll try not to do it again, Autumn."

Autumn released him and nodded. She gave him a stern look "You better not! Have you any idea how worried I was! Me and Luna saw smoke coming from the town! What was that about?!?"

Nightmare sighed, suddenly excited "There was a big fight back at town. Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, was there! Even Kekoa! You should have seen it, Autumn! It was so cool!!"

Autumn laid her hands on her hips. "Liar. You thought it was boring, didn't you?"

Nightmare huffed, the excitement draining from his face "Fine, okay. It was boring. I bet it would have been better with me in it." He smirked

Autumn smiled and giggled making Nightmare smirk even more "I mean, if you saw the townspeople fighting, you'd think they were all pathetic! And Dusk was useless against his own wife! That dumbass Solaris couldn't do a single thing. The only one who was interesting enough to pay attention to was Kaimana, and even he wasn't all that good!"

While they were talking, Luna took in their behaviors and emotions. Nightmare seemed to be confident in himself. He seemed to be a rude one, but also really nice. Autumn was a very nice person, although there was a side to her that was apparently "scary". Luna pondered on the thought, thinking Nightmare and Autumn and how they acted.

She was noting to herself about how they were both blushing while hugging, when she heard about the fight in the town.

Almost immediately Luna walked up to Nightmare and stuck her hand up "Hold on, what happened to them? Did they die?"

Nightmare glared at Luna, irritated that she interrupted him "Well, hello to you too."

"Yeah, yeah, hi. Now, tell me what happened to them." She pressed on

"Not with that attitude I'm not." Nightmare crossed his arms. The two exchanged glares, practically throwing daggers at one another with their eyes.

Autumn watched them with an annoyed expression "Why can't you guys just get along? There's no reason to fight like this!"

Nightmare scoffed "This pipsqueak should be thanking me for saving her from that Number rock guy."

Luna rolled her eyes "I had him just fine, didn't need your help. Now, tell me what happened!" She demanded

Nightmare locked eyes with Luna and stayed like that for a few long minutes. After what seemed like hours, though in reality it was only five minutes, he scoffed once again and explained what happened at the town.

At the end of his explanation Luna frowned, feeling concern for Lana and somehwat for Kaimana. "Where did they go?" She asked

Nightmare shook his head "I'm not sure. Sorry..."

Luna sighed and sat down. She was really worried about Lana. She was the very first person to treat her with kindness. Even before she found out that Luna was her daughter, Lana had tired to save Luna from the townpeople.

She hated to admit it, but Luna felt touched at her mother's kindness. No one had ever been so nice to her before Lana, and because of that she wanted to repay her for her kindness...

Luna got up and turned away from Nightmare and Autumn. They've been kind to me too... Why though? Why do I keep meeting people like this? Like them? I didn't do anything to deserve such kind treatment from others....

"Are you going to try and find them?" Nightmare asked, snapping Luna away from her thoughts

"Yeah. I'm gonna go find them..."

"Then we'll help you find them." Autumn said.

Luna was shocked. Not only did these people save her, but now they were willing to help her.

"Why?" Luna asked

Autumn and Nightmare tilted their heads to the side in confusion "Why what?" They asked.

Annoyed at their incomprehension Luna spoke at them, filling her voice with annoyance and confusion, not even bothering to hold back her thoughts. "Why are you helping me?!? I-I never asked for this! For your pity! For your sympathy! For your anything! Stop helping me!" Luna shouted.

She felt really confused about Autumn's and Niightmare's actions. Lana's too. Why would they help someone like her? And why her? There are a bunch of other Numbers suffering. Why didn't they just go help them instead?

Minutes of silence passed. It seemed like days to Luna before Autumn and Nightmare answered her questions with loud laughs.

"Well?!" Again, Luna shouted.

"Do we have to have a reason to help you?" Nightmare asked, wiping a tear from his eye

Now, not only was Luna confused, but she was also shocked. "A-A reason...? Well, yeah! Of course you need a reason!"

A reason...? Don't they have one for helping me...? I mean it must be beneficial in some way... Maybe they thought that if they helped me, I would repay them or something like that... Yeah...! Th-that must be it!

"Luna, we don't have a reason for helping you. We just felt like it." Autumn said with a smile

"Besides, if someone needed help with something and we didn't do anything about it, then that would leave a bad taste in our mouths." Nightmare said coolly, crossing his arms in the process

Luna was caught speechless by their words. They helped me just because they felt like it and because it would leave a bad taste in their mouths?! What the fuck is this shittery?!

Nightmare laughed at Luna's shocked expression. Not that long ago he would have reacted the same way. He knew what it felt like. To be treated like an outcast. To be glared at, to be hated. He knew all of it. He wasn't a Dark Number, no, but because of his appearance most people assumed he was one and treated him like one.

Nightmare walked up to Luna and in one quick, fast swoosh, he embraced her in a warm hug.

"Look, kid, I get where you're coming from, trust me." He whispered in Luna's ear "But, look, me and Autumn, we're not like those other Numbers who treated you so badly. We won't ever treat you like cuz we know how it feels like.

"I don't expect you to understand this, since you're so young and dumb, but just try to accept our kindness. After all that hard shit, I really don't want my hard work to be tossed aside like it was yesterday's garbage. No. Couldn't you at least thank us, kid?"

Luna remained silent, but after hearing his words, she truly felt thankful for what they had done for her. It's not everyday you meet people who help you and expect nothing but a "thank you" in return.

"Thank you..." Luna whispered softly, so softly that Nightmare hadn't heard her at all. He asked her to say it again and Luna repeated herself only to say it in another small whisper.

Nightmare smiled. Even though he didn't hear her, he knew what she said.

"You're welcome, Lu-chan." He released Luna from their hug. "Come on, let's go find your friends, Lu-chan."

"Aye, let's go find them, but Nightmare, why are you calling me "Lu-chan"? "

"Dunno." He smiled teasingly "I just feel like it~"

Luna rolled her eyes and for the first time in her life, Luna smiled.

~Luna's POV~

It felt nice... This feeling in my chest... My mouth turning up into what people called a "smile". I've seen people do it, but I've honestly never done it myself.

Autumn and Nightmare are really nice people, Lana- I mean, Mom is too... I don't know what they see in me to feel the need to help me, but I'm glad they see it, though I'd never admit that or tell them.

What the Cloaked man said was a lie... He told me that everyone only cared for themselves and the people they were close too. That was a lie, obviously, cuz look at Nightmare, at Autumn, at Mom. They all helped me.

Mom protected me from the townspeople, Nightmare saved me from that rock guy and Autumn took me here to the grove and kept me safe.

Also, I guess to a certain degree, Dusk helped me too. If he didn't blurt out that I was his daughter or whatever, me and Mom would probably be in bad shape by now. Well, I would, not Mom.

Maybe when I see the Cloaked man again I'll ask him more about the world. Not the bad things, but what's also good about it. What he told me was very short and not in much detail. I wanted to know more about the world. It made me feel...curious... Speaking of the Cloaked man...

Oh, no... OH, SHIT! HOLY FUCKING SHIT! SHIT! SHIT SHIT!

The Cloaked man! I have to get back to him soon! I've been gone for how many days now?! Wait... Ummm... Let's see... There was the day I came into town, then the day where Mom bought clothes for me and Solaris, which I thought was stupid since Numbers didn't need clothes, and then there was today... Let's see, that's one, two, three...

I'VE BEEN GONE FOR THREE FRIGGIN DAYS!!!! THREE! The Cloaked man is going to punish me for sure! Not only did I disobey his orders, but I stayed HERE for THREE friggin days!!!

I have to get back to the Cloaked man. I just have too! I-If he finds out about Autumn and Nightmare and Mom, then there'll be trouble... I'll be in trouble!

"Autumn, Nightmare, I appreciate your help, but you can't help me." I said to them, turning away.

I expected them to protest, to say "No! We're gonna help you!" and stuff like that, but no... They just kept quiet...

"We understand, Lu-chan. Go find the Cloaked man, then come back and call us, so we can begin our search for your Mom and the others." Autumn said after what seemed like FOREVER!

"Wait, how do you guys know about the Cloaked man?!" My eyes widened. Had they seen me training with him before? What do they know about him?! Do they know anything about me?!

"Umm... You were ranting on about him earlier. Don't you remember? You started like "Oh, shit! The Cloaked man!" then ranted off from there." Nightmare said.

"O-oh... Was I voicing out my thoughts...?"

"Yes. Yes, you were" They said in perfect sync

"Well... That's embarrassing..."

Autumn laughed "That's alright, Lu-chan. But, Lu-chan..."

I gave Autumn a look  that asked what she wanted to say "What is it?"

"If you ever need help, just call me and Nightmare. I know you don't know us much, but I would really like it if you came back, Lu-chan."

She would like it if I came back...? Does she really mean that...?

I looked all over Autumn's face, trying to find if she was lying or not. When I looked into her eyes, they weren't the eyes of a liar. They were nurturing and firm. I looked over at Nightmare and locked eyes with him. His eyes were reliable and loyal... To be frank, I don't really like him. Autumn was okay, but Nightmare was annoying with his stupid smirk.

Neither of them seemed to be lying, though.They really do want me to come back, don't they? But should I come back? I mean, I want to come back. Don't get me wrong, but... I just can't.

It took me a while to gather my thoughts, but when I finally did all I said was "Thanks..."

Nightmare frowned, but it didn't seem like he frowned in a sad way "Eh? Thanks for what, Lu-chan?"

"Thanks...for...everything..." I started out "For all you've done for me. For saving me and keeping me safe here. I appreciate it mo-"

I was interrupted by Nightmare. He smiled and ruffled my hair teasingly " 'More than you know', huh? We know, Lu-chan. Now, go on and find that Cloaked guy. We'll be here, waiting."

How did he know what I was going to say? Is he some kind of mind reader? Is THAT his special ability?!? If so, then I should be careful around him... Wait! Luna, you dumbass! He could be reading your mind right now! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!

Although, despite what I thought about Nightmare, I smiled again. To be mildly honest, I really liked smiling. It felt very nice, but the Cloaked man told me that people only smile when they're happy... Did that mean that Autumn and Nightmare made me happy? And if they did, why? What does it even mean to be happy?

Even if I did wanted to smile again, I have no reason to. What should I smile for?

Autumn and Nightmare were able to make me smile, so maybe I should smile for them? Does that make sense? I'm not sure... No, that sounds stupid... Is it? It probably is. It's stupid.

"Hey, Luna, you should get going." Nightmare urged me to the summer side of the grove, snapping me out of my thoughts. "Well be fine. Don't you worry one bit."

"Huh? Oh, right!" I started running to the woods at the end of the summer side, but... I didn't feel like leaving them... At least not like this...

This was the first time someone or someones had been so nice to me and it felt really nice... I don't know why, but I really wanted to stay with them, but I knew that the Cloaked man wouldn't like me staying with them. He doesn't like me staying with anyone other than him.

But beside that point, I really wanted to stay. I really did

Not only did I want to stay, but I also felt this weird feeling in my chest. It was a peaceful feeling. A feeling that I've never felt before. This feeling made me want to stay even more or at least say something before I left. Something more than a simple thank you.

What would I say, though? I'm not that good with words, I never was... And saying something to them would be like turning back. The Cloaked man never liked turning back. He said it was for fools and the weak.

I never want to be weak. I aim to be strong! To be the best! But that feeling in my chest told me otherwise...

Should I turn back? Could I turn back? Would I turn back? What would I say? What would I do? All these questions I kept asking myself. Honestly, there were annoying, but I couldn't help but ask them.

What will Luna do? Will she turn back or keep going? Will the weird feeling in her chest will her to stay? Or will she just go?

Mahalos nui loa for reading, commenting, voting and all that what not~! Have a wonderful day, afternoon, night, whatever. You know the drill! XD