Moonstone Crystal has always had her life figured out. A loving family, wonderful friends, and a well-trod, well-loved path into her future. But when her beloved Saffron flees a heartless home, jealousy and anger lead to all of her plans vanishing along with her sight, and she must find a new way to live.
cw: this section contains family violence (parent to child)
Opal: Now–come here. Try not to worry too much, okay? You both still have two years before graduation. Things can change overnight, believe me. It’ll work out somehow.
Moonstone: Yeah…I hope so. Thanks, Gramma. I’m gonna go practice.
Opal: Don’t stay up too late.
Moonstone: You’d really be okay if I took the scholarship?
Horizon: Uh, duh? I can earn my own, thanks. I just have to get better at the game, that’s all.
Moonstone: Thanks, Hori. I don’t know what I’m gonna do about Saffron.
Horizon: What do you mean?
Moonstone: I promised I’d never leave her. If I take this and she can’t…what then?
Horizon: You live your life.
Horizon: Moony, you’re her friend, not her mother. You’ve gotta think about you, too.
Moonstone: I know, I just…
Horizon: But nothing. This is your chance, Moony. Don’t blow it because of…guilt or something.
Moonstone: *sigh* You’re right. I know you are, it’s just…
Horizon: Uh-uh. Do what’s right for you. She’ll understand or she’s not a good friend.
Moonstone: …Yeah. Thanks, Hori. You’ve always had my back.
Horizon: You’re my sister. Of course I do.
Horizon: Shoot for the stars, sis. Don’t let us keep you down.
Horizon: Agh…why can’t I get this shot right…
Moonstone: Hm…
Moonstone: I think you’re putting too much wrist into it. It’s a throw, not a launch.
*laughter*
Luna: Artemis! You can’t run off like that…
Moonstone: What the–Arty…
Artemis: Moomoo! Story?
Moonstone: Bath and dinner done?
Luna: Dinner then bath and she took off like…well.
Moonstone: One story, then. Come here, rascal. What story do you wanna hear tonight?
Artemis: Fairy princess!
Moonstone: Okay, okay. Once upon a time, a very long time ago, there was a magical kingdom in the woods far, far away from here. A kingdom of fairies lived among the trees and plants, their beloved princess singing and making music for them all day long…
Moonstone: Life was good for the fairy people. They wanted for nothing, missed nothing…
Moonstone: *soft laugh* And out like a light before the first chapter’s over. Oh, Arty.
Horizon: Every time. How do you even do it?
Moonstone: Heck if I know.
Luna: Well, if you ever become a mom, you’ll have had plenty of practice. Think she’ll ever hear the full story?
Moonstone: Maybe when she’s older. Up we go.
Some days later…
Spinel: Oh, look at you three…pretty as pictures.
Aurora: And all wearing flats! Good.
Moonstone: Gran, we all know the stories of you twisting an ankle at this thing.
Firefly: No twisting anything!
Opal: Just each other. And for Watcher’s sake, have fun!
*knock on door*
Saffron: –Wow. You three clean up nice.
Moonstone: You don’t look so bad yourself. You ready?
Saffron: Definitely.
Spinel: Alright, you girls have fun. Just remember: be safe, back by midnight, and no–
Firefly: Twisting anything.
Aurora: Except each other! Watch your feet and try not to step on one another. One wrong foot can have the whole line dropping.
Spinel: Mom, I don’t think that’ll ever happen again.
Luna: It’s just a square dance!
Horizon: We’ll be fine. Come on, girls–love you!
Saffron: Whoo–that was fun, but, man! Keeping track of that many feet is…
Moonstone: I can see how Gran brought down the whole line! *laugh* Worth it, though.
Saffron: Yeah, it was. …Moony? Can I…can I tell you something?
Moonstone: Anything.
Saffron: I really wanna kiss you.
Moonstone: *laugh* Really? Well, that’s good.
Saffron: It is?
Moonstone: It is. Because I really wanna kiss you, too.
Luna: Is she still blushing.
Horizon: She’s still blushing.
Moonstone: You two stuff it.
Luna: Hey, I’m just saying–
Moonstone: Kissers in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones! You and Skye were swapping spit, too.
Horizon: *laugh*
Saffron: *humming*
Saffron: Uh–hi?
Nectar: Don’t “Hi” me, young lady. You’re grounded, remember?
Saffron: Yeah, Mom, I remember. But this thing only happens once a year and–
Nectar: And you decided to sneak out for a dance. A dance, Saffron? Really?
Saffron: Yes, really. I’m gonna go to bed, okay? You can ground me for another five years or–
Nectar: Saffron. Clem’s parents agreed to the match.
Saffron: …what? But that means…
Nectar: You’ll finish your schooling in Wineburg.
Saffron: Wineburg? But–the team, the games–
Nectar: Saffron. This is your future at stake. A good match would grant you security, a family–is a ball game worth that?
Saffron: …I..Mom, I don’t want to…
Nectar: I know it isn’t what you wanted, but it’s what’s best for you.
Saffron: Is it? I already have a life here, and friends, and…
Nectar: And?
Saffron: And a girlfriend.
Nectar: You what?
Nectar: A girlfriend? Saffron!
Saffron: Mom, don’t freak out. It’s Moony–you know Moonstone! You like her family–
Nectar: You were already promised to someone else, Saffron! Romance? You cannot be serious.
Saffron: I am serious. I love her.
Nectar: Teenage hormones. Moonstone is a nice girl, but you’re both far too young to know what that kind of love is.
Saffron: I’m not. We’re not–Mom, I love her. I have for years.
Nectar: …Watcher, you’re serious. Saffron…
Saffron: I don’t–I don’t want to get married to some guy I don’t even know. I don’t even like boys. I know you worked hard to get this working but I don’t–I can’t do this, Mom.
Nectar: …
Saffron: …I’m sorry, Mom, but I can’t. This is my life and I have the right to decide how I live it.
Nectar: Not for this. This is a passing fancy–Clem will make sure you’re cared for years from now. Moonstone can’t do that, and she isn’t even–she’s entirely the wrong color.
Saffron: I don’t care about–
Nectar: You should! Do you even understand how important color is? We have to–
Saffron: Keep the lines pure–Mom, come on. That Raw Line bull isn’t even true. Colors can pop up even three generations later…
Nectar: Which is why we have to keep the lines pure! The Watcher created us this way for a reason and we have to stay true to her vision–
Saffron: The Watcher? That’s what you’re using to justify this?
Nectar: Young lady–
Saffron: The Watcher gives us all free will. The Watcher lets us make decisions for ourselves. We fall in love because of who we are, not because of what she wants. Why can’t you do the same?
Nectar: I am looking out for you! I am safeguarding your future–
Saffron: By killing me? Because that’s what this will do.
Nectar: Don’t be dramatic!
Nectar: Clem is a perfectly nice young man. You’ll want for nothing and–
Saffron: Like you and Dad?
Nectar: ….
Saffron: Mom, I saw you two fight for years. Want for nothing? That’s a load of bull, too.
Saffron: What does color matter if we’re not happy? Raising a family like this–it’s not right, Mom. All it does is make more families like ours. Broken families who don’t even know how to be themselves.
Saffron: Citrus left because of this, and now I–
*slap*
Saffron: –!!
Nectar: Enough dreaming, Saffron. This is the way things are. We all have our roles to play and this is yours.
Saffron: …what, the beaten daughter and dead inside housewife?
Nectar: Stop being dramatic. You’ll leave tomorrow.
Saffron: …yeah…I will.
Saffron: …fudge. What do I do now…
Saffron: I can’t…I can’t stay here. I have to get out.
Saffron: …good riddance to this place.
*tapping on glass*
Saffron: Psst–Moony! Moony!
Moonstone: Mmph…
Moonstone: Wha…Saf?
Saffron: Come around back!
Moonstone: Saffron, what…
Saffron: Just come on!
Moonstone: Saf, it’s the middle of the night. What’s going on?
Saffron: I’m leaving.
Moonstone: Leaving–wait, what–slow down. Start from the beginning. What happened?
Saffron: *sigh* My Mom found a “match” for me in Wineburg. I’m supposed to go and live with his family until we get married or something stupid like that.
Moonstone: What.
Saffron: Yeah. It’s…it’s a mess. I’m supposed to leave in the morning.
Moonstone: But you’re leaving now? …She doesn’t know.
Saffron: Hell no.
Moonstone: Where are you going to go? We haven’t even graduated…
Saffron: I dunno. I’m just getting on the train and going, honestly. I’ll figure the rest out as I go.
Moonstone: Saf, that’s not smart. You need some kind of plan, or something. Look–just stay here for the night. We can talk with my Moms tomorrow and work something out.
Saffron: I can’t get you guys involved. She could call the cops or something and I don’t want that on you.
Moonstone: Saf, we can handle ourselves. Gran used to be a cop.
Saffron: I can’t.
Moonstone: Saf, come on–whoa!
Saffron: I’m going to miss you. You were the best part of this stupid town.
Moonstone: Saf…
Moonstone: You can stay. We can figure this out together.
Saffron: I wish we could, Moony…but I have to go. I have to figure out who I am out there. This is my chance to be me
Saffron: I’ll write you when I can, okay? So…take care of yourself. Win the championship, go big places.
Moonstone: Saf, if this is about the scholarship–
Saffron: It’s not. We just….*sigh* Moony, I love you. But we’re going down different roads right now, that’s all.
Moonstone: We don’t have to–I don’t want to….I want you to stay with me.
Saffron: I do, too, but I have to do this. Maybe someday I’ll come back and we can try again.
Saffron: I’m not gonna ask you to wait for me, but…
Moonstone: Who else is there? *sniffle* I could come with you. We could–we could go see the world together or something!
Saffron: Oh, Moony…you can’t. You’ve got a life here–a good one! Don’t…don’t just throw it away for my sake, okay?
Moonstone: I’m not. Saf, I love you. I wanna be with you…
Saffron: You’ll always be with me, and I’ll always be with you. We’re just…gonna be in different places for a while, that’s all.
Moonstone: …Saf…promise me you’ll come back.
Saffron: …
Moonstone: Promise me.
Saffron: ….I have to go. Bye, Moony.
Moonstone: Wait–Saffron!
Moonstone: Saf!
Moonstone: Saf, come back!
*gate closes*
Firefly: Moonstone, what is going on out here?
Moonstone: Mama–Saf, she–she’s running away and I don’t–I couldn’t stop her. Her mother wants to–
Firefly: Stop. Get dressed, get your sisters, and go to the station. Stop her from leaving and we can work this out later.
Moonstone: R-right!
Firefly: And Moonstone–hurry.
Luna: The train’s leaving!
Moonstone: No no no!
Horizon: We’re never gonna catch it like this!
Luna: We have to get the conductor to bring it back!
Moonstone: Come on!
-
Horizon: Hello? We need some help!
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