//------------------------------// // 7: The Hero // Story: The Princess and I // by Flanagan //------------------------------// After about fifty minutes of watching the show I was actually impressed, it wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be. The characters were well developed, the writing was good and the animation seemed to just draw you in. but my counterpart had a much different opinion. Luna just stared at the screen blankly mouth wide open eyes on the verge of tears. Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to watch this with her present, after all it pretty much showed her that she was the product of someone’s imagination and wasn’t supposed to be real. “You ok Princess?” I asked placing my hand on her shoulder, but she just kept staring at the now blank screen. “Luna? Princess Luna are you ok?” “My entire life…” she said still staring, “all of my memories, my feelings, my home, my race… it’s all a falsehood… I-I’m not… I’m not real…” Suddenly Luna buried her head into my chest, crying uncontrollably. Now I knew it wasn’t a good idea to watch the show with Luna. I underestimated how devastated she would be, and just a few hours ago I told her that something from the T.V. couldn’t be real, that’s what probably ran through her mind. “I refuse to believe it…” she said between sobs, “I REFUSE to believe it!” “Hey It’s ok Princess…” I said embracing her softly, “It’s ok…” “YOU said that those Transforgers were fake!” Luna cried, “Completely fake!” she looked up to me, seeing her that said actually burned my soul, “What if I AM just a figment of your imagination? What if I’m not real?” “Then everyone that’s seen you, touched you and heard you are just as crazy as I am.” I replied reassuringly, “Trust me Princess; you’re just as real as I am… I don’t know how but you are… and I’m going to do everything I can to get you home.” “You’ve been nothing but kind to me ever since my arrival…” she said burying her head into my chest again, “I wish I could repay you.” “You don’t need to,” I said lifting her chin up so she could look at me, “I’m here to help, It’s just that simple.” Even though a reward would be nice, but she’d just gone through possibly the most traumatic experience anyone could go through. I didn’t want her to think that she was nothing more than a figment of someone’s imagination. She was a lot more than that. “It’s like what I told you yesterday…” I said, “One foot in front of the other.” “How does that make any sense?” She asked, “That was just teaching me to walk.” “There’s more to it than that…” I said smiling, “It’s about being able to keep going no matter what life throws at you, getting up after you fall, becoming more than you were supposed to be.” “More than what I’m supposed to be?” “That’s right…” I said, “More than you’re supposed to be.” “I-I’m still going to need time…” Luna said sniffing. “Time’s all I got Princess,” I said as she laid her head back on my chest. “Time’s all I got…” We sat there for what seemed like hours, her head resting squarely on my chest. After the ‘S’ on my chest was thoroughly soaked I looked to the clock, 23:00, damn still thought in military time. But most of all I was tired, and Luna probably needed the rest too. “You ready to go to bed?” I asked brushing my hand through her hair. She replied with a simple nod of her head. “Alright…” I said picking her up, “I’ll get you to bed.” I carefully cradled Luna in my arms and made my way to my bed. Placing her gently in my bed I pulled the covers over her. “Goodnight Princess…” I said beginning to walk off. “Luna…” she said softly, wrapping up my pillow “You can just call me Luna.” “Alright Luna…” I said with a smile, “See you in the morning.” I walked back into my couch and plopped myself down. She actually wants me to call her Luna, after just two days she’s already considering me close enough to drop formalities. I’d never become this close to someone this quick, not even Dawn. Smiling I closed my eyes, only to be rudely awoken by a knock on my door. Grumpily I stood up, too tired to care who it was, even IF Mr. King called the cops on me I could still tell them about what he did to Luna. Just thinking about that made me mad, trying to take advantage of a person like that, disgusting. I opened the door with the most welcoming look a man who’s been awake for nearly a day and has dealt with nothing but B.S. for even longer could. I expected Mr. King and a cop, but again I was wrong. “Hey Aedan…” Jamie said, “How you doin’?” “I’ve been better…” I grumbled, of all the times anyone on God’s green earth could stop by, why now? Jamie lived in the room under me; she was about my age, slender build, a runner’s body actually. She moved in about three months ago, Mr. King let her in without even looking at a background check, but what was really the kicker was that he placed her in the room next to his. I’m sure that freaked her out, but this was the first time we’d said anything other than ‘hello’ to one another. “What are you-“ I was cut off by Jamie’s lips pressing against mine, the force behind it nearly knocked me off me feet. Finally after a few seconds she released me. “Thank you…” she said squeezing me tightly, “Thank you…” “For what?” I asked pushing her away from me, “What did I-“ “That sicko has been harassing me ever sense I moved in…” Jamie explained, “Last night he threatened me, saying if I didn’t sleep with him he’d kick me out… I can’t afford anyplace else… I thought… I thought…” “You don’t need to say anymore.” I said, “I understand.” “If it weren’t for you… I don’t know what I’d do…” Jamie said through happy tears, “and after what you did Mr. King is scared that you’ll beat him to death if he tries it with anyone else.” “He should be scared.” I replied, “I’m not going to stand idly by while he takes advantage of us anymore.” “Everyone else in the flat knows what you did…” Jamie said, great I thought to myself, unwanted attention, “You’re a local hero now.” Hero, a word I hadn’t been called in a long time. Not since I left the Marines at least, maybe because I didn’t let people call me that. But may little explosion of anger had an effect I didn’t expect, I’d given the flat hope. I didn’t know that Mr. King had held such a tight grip, but since I stood up to him, everyone else was starting to rise against him. “I’m just doing what should be done.” I said, “I’m not a hero.” “But nobody was brave enough to do that before you.” Jamie said, “That’s why you’re a hero.” Jamie then placed a small piece of paper into my hand. I looked at the small paper, 573-232-7649. Oh wow, she gave me her cell number. “If you need anything…” she said sliding her hand down my chest, “and I mean anything just give me a call, I’m never too far away.” “Uh… Thanks?” I said awkwardly looking to the ceiling, “I appreciate it.” “So do I.” Jamie said walking away from me, purposely shaking her hips with every step, it was kinda funny, but I knew what she was trying to do. I had an admirer, weather I liked it or not. I closed the door behind me, shaking my head, I can’t catch a break, I thought. Walking to my couch I looked to the clock once again, a quarter to midnight, I really needed some sleep. Falling onto my couch I finally closed my eyes, tomorrow was Monday, thankfully I still had about a week’s vacation left. Hopefully nothing else would happen in that time, but I didn’t think about that, because even though that couch was lumpy and about a foot and a half to short it was something to sleep on. The next morning came early to me yet again, this time 0530, I’d only gotten about five hours of sleep, but then again I have gone a week with as little as five hours of sleep before. I got off of the couch, working out the kinks yet again, I really needed a new couch, but after dropping over twelve hundred dollars on Luna my wallet had had enough pain for the month. I walked to my bedroom to check on Luna, she was still sleeping peacefully. I wondered what she was dreaming about, but no one can look into someone else’s dreams and if they could that’d be kinda creepy. I closed my bedroom door and silently made my way to the refrigerator. It was a perfect time to eat something that Luna didn’t quite approve of. I pulled the bacon out from under the huge bag of apples I got at Wal Mart and threw them over to the stove. Grabbing the pan I made my wave to the stove, with a huge smile I opened the bag and threw the bacon on the pan. “Screw you PETA.” I said, letting the delicious aroma fill my nostrils. Some ten minutes later I was at the back end of a bacon and egg sandwich when I heard another knock on my door. I thought I was the only guy in the flat to ever wake up before six, finishing my sandwich I walked over to the door, wondering who the hell would be up at this hour. “Just a sec.” I said undoing the locks; I didn’t want to take a chance as long as Mr. King was still here, “How can I-“ It was Jamie again. Does this girl even sleep? She just stood there for a few seconds, making it very awkward for me. After all, our first real conversation started with a thirty second make-out session. “Can I come in?” she asked. “Sure.” I said before I remembered that there was a talking pony princess sleeping in my bed. “Thanks…” Jamie said walking past me, purposefully brushing her hand across my chest. I’ve seen enough videos via the internet to know where this was going. And even though Jamie was a very, very good looking girl I couldn’t do something like this right now. Rule 51; never sleep with anyone if you have a guest living with you. Why couldn’t I have scared the hell out of Mr. King a month or even a week earlier? Why does God think I’m so entertaining? “Nice place you’ve got here.” She said taking a seat in the couch. “You should know.” I said, “Every room in this flat is designed the same.” “I guess…” Jamie said with a smile, “but I like your set up.” “My set up?” “Well yeah.” She replied looking around, “It’s very spacious, plenty of room to move around.” “Maybe because all I have is a couch, a T.V. and a table that acts as both an end table AND a T.V. stand.” “That’s true.” Jamie said getting off the couch, “But I really like how there really isn’t anything in the way.” Jamie walked towards me stopping only inches away from my face, “So much room for… activities.” Jamie leaned in closer but I stopped her before she kissed me. “Jamie…” I said, “I know you’re trying to show your appreciation, but you don’t have to do it like this… maybe a fruit basket would suffice?” “I don’t think a fruit basket would really show how much I appreciate what you did.” “I think I have an idea…” I said looking to the door. “Then let me show you…” Jamie leaned in once again, but before she could make contact a strange sound rose from my bedroom. I knew it was Luna turning back into a human, but Jamie had no idea. Using the opportunity at hand I stepped away from Jamie and opened the door for her. “It’s been nice talking to you Jamie.” I said, “But I’ve got a busy day planned and I really need to get started.” Gently pushing her out the door I waved, “I’ll see you again some time.” “Ok…” Jamie said confused, “I’ll-“ I closed the door behind her before I could hear her finish. “Who was that?” Luna said whipping the sleep from her eyes, “I thought I heard someone else in here.” “There was…” I said dragging my hand across my face, “But she’s-“ I froze midsentence; it was the first time I really got a good look at Luna in my clothes. My shirt dangled all the way down to her thigh, I wasn’t complaining because all I could see was leg for miles. I don’t really know how long I was staring at her, but a combination of my morals screaming at me and her voice snapped me out of my trance. “She’s what?” Luna asked. “Huh?” “The person you were talking to.” She reminded, “She’s what?” “She’s gone now.” I answered, Shaking my head, “You hungry?” “Yes…” Luna answered with a raised brow and a cute smile, “now could you answer me a question?” “Shoot.” “Why were you staring at me for so long?” I could feel my eyes shrink into tiny dots, I really didn’t know why I was staring. I knew that I was caught, but why couldn’t I think of a good excuse? You’re good at this Aedan, I told myself. Why are you having trouble right now? “I’m exhausted…” I said fake yawning, “I guess I spaced out…” Sloppy, but it’ll have to do for now. “Well, it might be a good idea to return to your slumber.” Luna replied. “Yeah that’s all I really need.” I said walking to the couch, “just some sleep.” I fell onto the couch and in a matter of minutes I was actually graced with the one thing that I was being generally denied for the past few days. I didn’t know what I was going to do when I woke up, but with Luna around I knew it was going to be an experience.