Tap.
A soft, almost weightless sound against the grass.
The figure’s bare feet touched the ground with a gentle grace, barely disturbing the blades of the grass beneath them. The night air shifted, carrying the lingering glow of the moonflies around her, their soft radiance outlining her delicate form.
Emma’s breath stilled.
The girl before her was... serenely strange.
Not in the sense that Emma had noticed before, but in a way that made her feel as though she was looking into a reflection cast from another world.
She was young... her age.
Her height matched Emma’s almost exactly.
Her skin had a soft glow, like the pale light of the moon kissing still water. Her hair, white as untouched snow, flowed down past her shoulders in silken waves, shimmering faintly under the moon’s embrace.
And then, there were her eyes.
Glowing.
A brilliant, ethereal white, mirroring the full moon in the sky.
She wore a simple white gown, its fabric impossibly pure, reaching just past her knees. It billowed gently with the movement of the warm night breeze, shifting as if woven from something lighter than silk, something not entirely of this world.
A hush settled over the grassy plains.
The wind whispered through the field, carrying the scent of fresh earth and the faint, lingering traces of something unknown... something ancient.
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Then, the girl smiled.
It was soft, warm, as if she was greeting an old friend rather than someone she had just met.
"Hello, Emma," she said, her voice holding the same soothing melody from before. "You can call me Luna."
There was something about the way she said Emma’s name... like it carried weight, like it meant something more than just an introduction.
Emma blinked.
Her lips parted slightly before she repeated the name, testing it on her tongue.
"Luna."
It felt... right.
She nodded to herself before taking a slow step forward, stretching her hand toward Luna for a handshake.
"Nice to meet you, Luna."
Luna’s smile widened, her glow pulsing faintly in response. Without hesitation, she grasped Emma’s hand in hers... her touch light, fairly steady, like holding a wisp of flowing moonlight that had taken form.
"Nice to meet you too, Emma."
The handshake lingered for a moment longer than necessary, neither of them moving, as if some unspoken understanding passed between them.
And then, silence.
Not awkward. Not tense. Just... calm.
Emma found herself simply staring at Luna, unable to tear her gaze away.
She hadn't expected this.
Hadn’t expected the voice from the moonflies to belong to someone like her.
A girl, just like her.
A being who seemed so human, yet carried an undeniable otherworldliness, like a living embodiment of the moon itself.
Luna tilted her head slightly, amusement dancing in her glowing eyes.
"Do I look weird?" she asked, her voice light, teasing, though her expression remained as serene as ever.
Emma’s breath hitched slightly.
She immediately straightened, realizing just how long she had been staring.
Her shoulders stiffened for a brief second before she quickly waved her hands in dismissal, a sheepish chuckle escaping her lips.
"No, no! You don’t look weird at all..." She hesitated, then exhaled softly, rubbing the back of her neck. "I just... got carried away, that’s all."
Luna’s smile remained, her glowing gaze unwavering.
She seemed amused by Emma’s reaction, though she didn’t comment on it. Instead, after a brief pause, she turned slightly, her gown shifting with the movement.
"Well then," Luna said, her voice as steady as the night itself, "about what you asked earlier... Why don’t we start going?"
Emma blinked.
Oh.
Right.
She had almost forgotten about that.
A soft sigh escaped her lips, but then she nodded, stepping forward as the two began to move calmly.
And just like that, the journey continued.
Under the beautiful gaze of the serene moonlight...
In this world where Emma's fate, is yet to unfold....