"What do you see?" the captain of the lumbering cargo freighter Fairmount asked.
"See yourself..." first mate handed the captain a looking glass.
He looked through to an absurd looking boat, no, boats lashed together, of flimsiest white canvass.
"You know they won't last more than a few hours out here."the first mate said again as the captain surveyed passengers in what looked very simple home spun covering, bailing water with whatever bucket they could find including a faded Halloween Jack o' Lantern.
The lens followed the tallest mast to a woven yarn crows crooked nest he'd ever seen.
A girl with limp pink long hair tied up in a headcercheif, like a pirate, looking dejected dangled her arms over the sides suddenly peering down. The captain followed her gaze, a rainbow headed girl was giving orders, frantically waving her arms, directing the balers, throwing water faster, others clung in couples, groups, families tightly clutching in panic as still others were trying to cut away part of the flotilla at the lashings the sinking boat threatening to pull down the rest, using nails, or shells(flint knives) teeth even broken bottles of glass.
Cut free, the wreck disappeared beneath the waves, shuddered the flotilla , knocking people off their feet causing other balers to panic.
"Yas..go and override the auto pilot...tell Nate in the engine room, they won't last long."
"I will...but there are pirates in these water...not them...never seen anything a near insane as them!"
"Pirates, I know...my responsibility and send a message...just in case...."he looked at the girl in the crows nest with the long pink hair and her blue, blue eyes, blowing a strand of hair out of her face with a puff.
There was something funny, as in off, in these humans at sea.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Luna walked quickly down the corridor. Normally Luna was claustrophobic, but the large windows in the hall and every classroom of the former sanitarium helped keep away that closed in feeling.
Another troubled student had come to the school and didn't quite understand the rules yet.
Unfortunately, for him, he had decided to act up right in from of her sister Governess Celestia, prompting him to be thrown immediately into detention for a few moments scolding under Celestia watchful eye.
Such a classic building, it was a shame it stood empty for so long. Neighborhood rumors had it Rotbug was the lair of changelings, clearly unfounded!
Luna's sources at U.N.I.T. told her last shapeshifters had been chased out by Queen Victoria's Phantasmagoria Squads in the eighteen hundreds, disbanded because they drank to much beer and scandalous enough, most of them were gnomes!
Although annoyed Victoria admonished then dismissed the lot of them with a firm warning after which every harvest, they would send the Queen the best of their ales and beers, being honor bound and doubly grateful!
Just loyal subject doing their part for Queen and country.
This, long, long before the Giant Slayers were established by Queen Elizabeth sometime in the late 1950's/1960's.
It is quite a large house after all,nice calming place for indoctrin, like stories, likable staff, and a most enduring host. Note 1
At least gnomes weren't trying to form their empire...like certain...mice...from space...space mice! Luna shivered.
She had seen them only once, their excitement being part of the team was contagious, what had made such a dent in her wall of self control, she had thought they were cute.
Luna had forgotten what she was, what she was doing, where she was and who with, lost focus.
She found herself in a place, so terrible, so isolated that she imagined the stars she saw at night were her friends.
Those twittering mice!
She shook her head.
Above her pay grade it was. Any news about them she would get from old friends, like Triggy, when he stopped by for tea: to complain about New Moabite settlement requests, politics in his country, and that stupid moon base earth had made of paper mache and special effects to convince the galaxy earth was more advanced than it really was!
Stupid chuckling mice out of Zeus and their empire!
Not think about the celestial, least lose focus again.
That was the realm of Earth Defense and the Space Forces.
No, keep ones focus on the immediate, the terrestrial follow orders against the arcane!
The clandestine and the arcane! Nothing is trully hidden, you can look at the stars and know that!
Nature divides it like dot on a grid, the clandestine, you know they are there, you may even be able to comprehend some of it...but you can't see it all! That's why the clandestine is divide among so many bosses. Only the mad want to know and see it all, and they fall into a pit too big for themselves to fill, begging it be covered!
To live the quiet life, yes. Luna nodded.
Luna never wanted to go back to those exciting heady days, where one could delude herself that one were part of the inner ring, part of her didn't.
Just a little indulgence, the Sisters and Father Roland had told her, "It doesn't make you stronger..it makes you weaker."
How strong was her sister!
Luna remember, so long ago, curled up, bracing, in the end of dug out canoe as her sister not much older cursed and spit at those wind and waves of the storm as the sisters were tossed.
Luna wasn't afraid of the storm.
She looked into one of the glass window as she passed by, the tell tail lines round her mouth bent a little. Her internal conflict was bringing out the Jeckel. She heard in her brain the sound of the snare drum beating in time..
I'm on the front line
Worry not, I'm fine
its just short story beginning
So goodbye to my weakness
goodby to regret
seeing the world, a diamond in each eye...
note 2
"No..."she thought firmly.
The monster was always with her.
"I will pick the song."
A wonderful rift began in her mind...the song was Ordinary.noten 3
Yesterday lost I don't cry
The world ordinary
I must find
Trying, making, way
The world ordinary
Learn I must to survive
She finished the song in her head, the monster, placated with the arrangement Ordinary ...or at least an oversized kid mesmerized by a Judy and Punch puppet show, just as she reached the door.
She let out a little sigh. Silly Luna!
Luna worries were unfounded, she told herself. Surely Celestia would keep a sober mind full of self control.
She was strong!
....the moment she lay hand on the detention door a fierce growl bellowed followed by a desperate cry of surprise.
The deepest of disappointed frown creased Luna's face she scooped it up remolding her cheeks, mouth and chin line. Luna sighed and girded herself walking in.
After playing the good cop, she assigned the student, hiding behind the school-desk chair, paperwork, promising to have a very open and frank talk to him about his delinquencies...no, that he was, less, in denial.
Goosing Celestia out, she then closed the door moved her a distance and began to quietly scold her.
"Honestly Celestia! You promised to behave!" she told the cookly face creature with a Jack'o Lantern grin and bulging eyes.
Looking at Celestia at that moment if her back wasn't turned to you...you would call her a monster!
...Unless you were a good student of humanity...you would see, despite the unnatural width of her maw, that it was quite a cheerful smile. That her eyes the bulging and bloodshot were quite merry.
In fact if you stepped back you would exclaim, "Why she's looks like a little girl!"
....little girls look quite monstrous that size!
Like that monster in the other end of the canoe, powering through mountainous waves with inhuman strength up one side down the other, pure instinct guiding her, opposite Luna, shivering.
The conversation consisted of heavy whispers.
"Oh come on Luna! Stop being a stick in the mud...the brat need just a little scare. You've been like this ever since we retired. I..."she said in almost a pur.
"I'm not the one got stuck with thatThat face off and on for two months!"
"Come off it sister! I saw you scare a cat burglar, looking in that massive bay window skylight of yours in your room, where you like to watch the moon pass. You, with that hollow Cheshire glower of yours."
"That was security...wait, how did you know?"
"Who was it you think chased him into the waiting arms of the gendarme?"
Luna was agape, "My sister?? Doing the long armed lanky?!! Apely, parkour playing a smalltime hood all over the neighbor's roofs...?!!!"her voice squeak stressed a little."No,no,nononnonono!" hear voice sounding almost nickering like a horse.
"Sister control yourself."Celestia whispered.
"Control myself?You enjoyed scaring that boy!"Luna kettle hissed. "I do just fine! Myself and handle the observer looking in:see I continue human. But this?"
"I'm soooooo bored Luna!" Celestia said with a monstrous pout.
"You're not allowed to vigilante! Signed that agreement.We did!" Luna looked to the heavens. "I just...just wanna live the normal quiet life!" She stomped her foot.
"I don't want action all the time..just a little variety..."Celestia said attempting to appease.
"And I don't want to be dragged to headquarters explaining why my sister is running round town in her jamies with a blanket tied around her neck wearing her underwear on her head as a mask!"Luna hissed.
"...That would be striking...
"Be serious!That's not the point!" Luna whispered exasperated." These silly stunts threaten to take that all away! Or worse..."Celestia saw Luna's expression flash panic looking beyond down the hall.
Someone important was walking up toward them. "Looks like you're about to get your wish..."
That click of the heel....hssss..military!
"I never want to go back to that He...cell! Hard fought probation that!" Luna reiterated in a voice almost out of air. "End like brother Brandon's elder , a vapor? in a pickle jar?"
Luna grumbled," Months of therapy, exclaiming, 'Wonder Twin's powers activate, half hourly...Hello Lieutenant what can we do for you?"Luna said with a wide human grin.
Celestia quickly put her face back in order.
"Agent Knight? Agent Day?" confidently greeted the military man in the smart uniform. the hall was clear.
"Yes..."Celestia said in a commanding voice turning slowly, lock eye to eye, spoke for the both of them being the senior officer.
"This is for you agent Day...agent Knight we expect you to follow procedure..."
"Fine..."she sighed, "until ,if, I'm needed I'll await instructions, office and home." she walked off her heels clicking, she stopped turned. "I'll be in the pickle jar, er , my office, till 7:00."continued walking. "Then to market and home alone with my ice cream and paper work.."she grumbled
"Bad hair day?" said the officer as Celestia snatched the envelope.
" I suppose this is my itinerary..." interrupted, moving the scene along with a sniff.
"Car's waiting to take you to the nearby air-club. There you will catch a plane to the nearest airbase."
they began to walk toward the exit.
" I don't suppose you can tell me what's this about?"
"You're going to the Indian ocean..."he raised his hand before she could ask another question.
"It's kite flying time....Yahoo..."
She froze a moment then caught up. Genetics, her and her sister's unique genetics. She swallowed, realizing the matter.
"Oh dear." she said.