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.
*Doorbell rings*
Artemis: Mama! Someone’s at the door!
Firefly: Coming!
Firefly: *gasp* You…
Saffron: Hi, Auntie. Long time no see?
Firefly: Three years…You look well, Saffron. How have you been?
Saffron: Great, actually! Is Moony around?
Firefly: …Out back. Saffron–something happened while you were away. Things are…different now.
Ori: *quiet bark*
Moonstone: Ori? What is it, boy? Do you see something?
Moonstone: …hello? *sigh* Ori, you can’t bark at ghosts, boy.
Spinel: He’s not barking at ghosts.
Spinel: Hello, Saffron.
Moonstone: What.
Saffron: Moony…
Saffron: Moony, I’m so sorry–I should have been here, I shouldn’t have–
Moonstone: Yeah, you shouldn’t have left! But you did so you don’t get to–ugh. You cannot be serious.
Spinel: To be honest, there’s nothing you could have done, Saffron. It happened so fast…things are better now.
Moonstone: No thanks to you.
Saffron: Moony, I just…
Moonstone: I don’t need this. Ori, lead.
Saffron: Moony!
Saffron: Moony, wait, please–
*door slams*
Spinel: Give her time, Saffron. It’s been a lot.
Moonstone: *sniff* Oh, Ori…
Moonstone: …at least I still have you.
Artemis: Did you really spend a summer in Selvadorada?
Saffron: I did! And it was hotter than here, if you can believe it! Hot and muggy and ugh, the bugs.
Saffron: Mosquitos as big as your hand!
Firefly: It sounds like quite the adventure.
Saffron: It was, believe me.
Firefly: And did you find what you were searching for?
Saffron: I. What?
Spinel: The reason you left. It wasn’t just because of your Mom, was it.
Saffron: I…don’t actually know…
Firefly: That is fine. You are welcome to stay as long as you like, of course. Let us know if you need anything.
Artemis: Ooh, does that mean sleepovers?
Saffron: I can take the couch!
Artemis: And you have bed to get too, missy!
Artemis: Ugh, fine….
Saffron: I can get a motel room…
Spinel: Don’t be silly. That couch doesn’t have fleas.
Moonstone: Mrgh…’Ri?
Moonstone: ….*sigh* We did skip dinner, didn’t we? Okay.
Moonstone: Okay. Ori, lead.
*collar jingles*
Saffron: Wha…
Moonstone: You’re still here.
Saffron: I–yeah. Your moms said I could crash on the couch…
Moonstone: Great. Whatever.
Saffron: Moony, wait–can I help?
Moonstone: I can feed my own dog. Done it a thousand times.
Saffron: With anything?
Moonstone: I don’t need help, Saffron. I’m fine by myself.
Saffron: I know, I know, I just…Watcher, Moony…
Moonstone: You don’t have to be so surprised. I lived, this is life, that’s it.
Saffron: That’s it? Just like that?
Moonstone: Just like that. Nothing else to do about it.
Saffron: I–Moony!
Moony: Done, Ori?
Ori: *woof*
Moonstone: Ori, bed.
Saffron: Moony–Moonstone, please! Can we talk?
Moonstone: There’s nothing to talk about.
Saffron: Yes there is!
Saffron: There’s us, Moony! And you, and–please. Just…five minutes. Please.
Moonstone: ….*sigh* Fine. Five minutes.
Moonstone: What did you want to talk about.
Saffron: Oh, Watcher, where to start.
Saffron: I mean, there’s us to talk about–
Moonstone: Us?
Saffron: Yeah, us. I mean, there was something there, wasn’t there?
Moonstone: Three years ago, maybe! But you took that when you left and didn’t look back and–
Saffron: Hey, I had to get out of there! What was I supposed to do?
Moonstone: I told you: stay with us. We’d have taken you, protected you! Your parents weren’t all powerful mages or whatever.
Saffron: They could have–
Moonstone: They could have, and you could have stayed. We’ll never know now.
Moonstone: We’ll never know because you ran at the first sign of trouble, just like you always do.
Saffron: That’s not fair. I came back, didn’t I?
Moonstone: Yeah, you did. I just don’t understand why.
Saffron: Because I missed you, this place–I saw like, half the world, Moony, and I kept thinking I wanted you to see it with me.
Moonstone: Fat chance of that now.
Moonstone: I told you I’d go with you and I meant it, but you said no, and–
Saffron: I couldn’t take care of you out there!
Moonstone: I could take care of myself!
Moonstone: But you chose for me and you still ran off–it took years to even get a postcard. You ran, just like you always do, and you’re still running.
Saffron: I’m right here.
Moonstone: Yeah, but for how long. How long until you bolt again?
Saffron: Okay that is not fair! I couldn’t stay another minute and you know it! I was out of options!
Moonstone: No. You weren’t. You just took the easiest one even if it meant hurting everyone around you.
Saffron: Moony–wait!
Ori: *low growl*
Moonstone: Don’t touch me!
Saffron: I’m sorry, I’m sorry, just–what was I supposed to do?! It was killing me to stay there, I couldn’t bring them on you guys–I didn’t have a choice!
Moonstone: There’s always a choice, Saffron! You just made the first one that came to mind and damn the rest of us! You–you know what, forget it.
Moonstone: Ori, bed.
Saffron: Moony–
Moonstone: Do what you want, Saffron. You always do.
Saffron: …I’m not going anywhere.
Moonstone: …I don’t believe that.
Moonstone: You’ve always run, Saffron, but you can’t run away from yourself. Sooner or later, you’ll catch up.
Moonstone: …*sniff*
Firefly: Should we…
Spinel: No. They need to sort this out for themselves. *sigh* …I say that, but…
Firefly: But?
Spinel: We have to do something. Could we make another Elixir of Healing somehow? I mean–I still remember the recipe, so if we could find the stuff..
Firefly: It isn’t so simple, love.
Firefly: It is more than ingredients and proper cooking. It takes magic, and ours is…
Spinel: Gone. Right.
Spinel: I just…we’re her mothers. It’s our job to solve their problems, but we can’t even…
Firefly: It is not our job to solve their problems, it is our duty as parents to support them so that they can solve them themselves.
Firefly: Even if all we wish to do is take away their pain, to solve everything for them, they must learn how to stand by themselves. It is a disservice to them to take that away.
Spinel: But Moonstone’s…she’s hurting, ‘Fly. We can’t just let that go on…
Firefly: So what would you have us do? Intervene and force them apart, or together?
Spinel: I–I don’t know, but something…we have to do something…
Firefly: Not all problems can be solved so easily as a potion or spell, love…some must be lived through.
Spinel: Ugh…I know, I know…I just….Watcher, I wish we could make it easier for her. She’s been through so much already. They both have.
Firefly: We can be there to support her, and offer help if they ask for it. But solving all of their problems…what will they do when we are gone and they must solve them alone?
Spinel: …yeah, yeah, I know.
Spinel: Kind of makes you wish you could live forever, doesn’t it? To always be there for your kids…
Firefly: I would sooner hope they no longer have need of us, but…I wouldn’t mind, staying until then.
Firefly: If only things could be so simple.
Firefly: Good morning, my darling. Sleep well?
Moonstone: Uh…sort of. Is that a new piece?
Firefly: Yes, for your mother’s newest book. It has proven a bit more stubborn than I would have liked…
Firefly: I do not suppose you would like to help?
Moonstone: I don’t know how to play…
Firefly: A simple matter to resolve. Come, sit.
Firefly: Here. This is the center C note, here is B. Curl your fingers–yes, like that.
Moonstone: There’s a lot of keys…
Firefly: And a note for each.
Moonstone: Mama, I don’t know if I can…
Firefly: It is more by feel and ear than sight, my darling. Shall we try?
Moonstone: …okay.
Firefly: We shall start with the scales…
*piano music*
Spinel: Rough night, huh?
Saffron: Yeah. Yeah, you could say that…
Spinel: Let’s go for a walk.
Saffron: I just don’t get it! I came back but Moony doesn’t believe I’m gonna stay and I just–argh!
Spinel: Give her time, kiddo. It’s been a rough patch for a while.
Saffron: I know, I know, and I should have been here for it, but I just–I had to get out of there!
Spinel: Hey, no judging from me. Moony’ll come around if you give her time, okay? Time, and prove you’re not leaving again.
Saffron: And how am I supposed to do that? She won’t even give me the time of day.
Spinel: …Okay I’m still working that part out, but seriously. Just give it time, Saffron. If you want her, you have to be prepared to fight for her.
Saffron: She’s not a prize!
Spinel: Well, yes, she is, but I didn’t mean it like that. I’m just saying that you have to put in the effort, too. If you want to prove to her that you’ll stay, just do that. Be there for her, like she was there for you. And…
Saffron: And?
Spinel: And I might have an idea how to help.
Moonstone: What do you mean, I can’t stay here!?
Spinel: Exactly that. The signing’s going for the whole weekend–that’s too long for you to be by yourself.
Moonstone: I stayed alone longer than that before!
Firefly: Before the…incident, darling.
Moonstone: Oh, so because I’m blind I can’t stay by myself? Great! Am I supposed to just stay here my whole life, then?!
Spinel: I mean you could if you wanted, but it’s for your own safety. What happens if, Watcher forbid, there’s a fire or something?
Moonstone: There’s not going to be a fire!
Firefly: I would hope not, but if there was? Ori certainly would not be able to help much.
Moonstone: That is such bull.
Spinel: Look, there’s two choices. You can either come with us, like Arty, or you can stay here with Saffron. She’s already agreed to stay put if you do.
Moonstone: …Are you freaking serious? Stay alone with her?
Firefly: It is an option, yes. A set of eyes around the house–
Moonstone: A working set of eyes, you mean.
Spinel: Moonstone, she really isn’t going to leave again.
Moonstone: Yeah, right.
Firefly: Darling, give her a chance. I understand you are hurt, but people do change. No one is who they were three years ago.
Moonstone: Yeah, right. So it’s either go to Wineburg and get stuck in a hotel room anyway, or stay here with Saffron?
Firefly: Yes. Those are your choices.
Moonstone: I still don’t get why–Ori is right here! And you’re the one who said he was something more than a dog.
Firefly: I did, but be that as it may, his form is a dog. He would be unable to help you if you needed it. Saffron could.
Spinel: Didn’t you say you wanted her back?
Moonstone: On my terms! Not like this–
Firefly: Darling. Moonstone, please. Will you try, for your own sake? Holding onto this hurt only hurts you.
Moonstone: It’s my call to hang onto it or not.
Spinel: It’s your call to stay or go, too.
Moonstone: This is so not fair. …Ugh, fine, I’ll stay. No promises on talking to her, though.
Spinel: …Fair enough. *sigh* Fair enough.
Artemis: Are you sure you don’t wanna come? It’ll be a lot of fun!
Moonstone: I’m sure, squirt. I have to work on that music, remember?
Artemis: Yeah, yeah, I remember. I’ll miss you, though!
Moonstone: It’s only for the weekend, kiddo. I’ll be right here when you come back, I promise.
Spinel: Thanks again for staying, Saffron.
Saffron: Not a problem, Auntie. You guys have a good trip, okay?
Saffron: Safe trip! …well, they’re off. You wanna get lunch or something?
Moonstone: I have to work.
Saffron: Moony…you do better work on a full stomach, you know.
Moonstone: Hmm.
Saffron: Moonstone, come on.
*piano notes*
Saffron: You know I’m not leaving until you eat.
Moonstone: …
Saffron: Come on. I make a mean sandwich.
Moonstone: *sigh* Fine. Fine. But just so you let me work in peace already.
Saffron: Great! Do you need a–
Moonstone: I can get around my own house, Saf.
Saffron: So you’re composing for your Mom’s books now, right?
Moonstone: Mmhmm.
Saffron: Can you tell me about it?
Moonstone: If I can ever figure out the main theme, sure. Stupid thing’s been dodging me for days an–ugh.
Saffron: No, no, hey! Tell me, tell me!
Moonstone: You can hear it when I finish. I’m going back to work now.
That night…
*piano notes*
Moonstone: Hmm-hmm-hmm-hm…no, that’s not it, either…
Moonstone: Come on, Moony…the whole soundtrack hinges on this stupid theme…get it right already.
Moonstone: *humming* …Gah, come ON!
Ori: *whine*
Moonstone: Agh! Why is nothing working?!
Moonstone: It’s a thirty second piece, not rocket science!
*loud musical cacophony*
Moonstone: …rocket science would probably be easier. I need a break.
Saffron: Moony, dinner’s ready. …Moony? …Heh. Fell asleep, huh? Must have worn yourself out.
Saffron: What do you think, Ori? Time for bed?
Ori: *soft bark*
Saffron: Thought so.
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