Family Begins With You

by Jmaster49

Arc XX Episode X: Confidence Issues

Meanwhile, inside the school…

Aidon had returned to the principal’s office for a coffee break when the phone had started to ring.

“Hm?” he answered, “Hello?”

And on the other end, Vice Principal Luna’s voice could be heard. “Aidon? Is everything going well there without us?”

“Just fine, Luna. Just fine,” he replied with a smile, “And how are things going on your end?”

To be more precise, on Luna’s “end” both she and Celestia were at a water therapy facility, swimming in an indoor pool and was currently sitting in a locker room before she got ready to head out. “Just fine. We’re about to get ready to start our first therapeutic procedure. I knew leaving the students in your capable hands was the right call.”

“Well…I wouldn’t go that far,” Aidon downplayed her words, but accepted them, “But I do appreciate your acknowledgement.”

“Good to hear. Also…” Luna began to idly twirl her hair upon her index finger as she spoke, “I was wondering if you’d like to--”

But just before she could finish her thought, their conversation was interrupted once someone stepped into the office in front of Aidon.

“Excuse me, sir,” Parabola spoke up as she walked into the room, “I just wanted to say that your students cooperated beautifully today. You taught them very well.”

Aidon held the phone down for a moment and replied, “Oh. Er…thank you, madam. I always do my best when it comes to them…” he said with an uneasy smile on his face.

Parabola giggled in response, and pointed to the phone. “My apologies. Are you speaking with someone?”

“Yes,” he replied and held it up, “Vice Principal Luna. Would you like to speak with her?”

“Yes please,” Parabola stepped forward and took ahold of the phone, “Hello?”

“Ms. Parabola?” Luna spoke up from the other end, “How has everything been?”

“Oh just fine here,” the striped lady responded in a sultry tone, “This man you have here is a shining example of how to treat students. They’re all so well-behaved that they were easy for me to deal with. He definitely deserves a raise if you catch my drift.” She shot a wink in his direction as she spoke on the phone.

Which caused the shadowman to react with an unstable smile, sweating as he tried his best to stay professional. “...You don’t have to say all of that, haha….ha…”

Meanwhile, Luna’s response was a bit more cut and dry. “I see. I’ll take that into consideration. May I speak with him again, please?”

“Of course,” Parabola handed the phone back to Aidon, and prepared to take her leave. “See you later, hm?” She walked out of the office while looking at him over her shoulder with narrowed eyes and a wide smile.

“Y-yes of course…” Aidon stared at her for a moment and nearly dropped the phone in the process. “Ah! Ahem. Luna? Are you still there?”

“Yes…yes I am,” she responded flatly, “She’s quite the character, isn’t she?”

“Weelll…I dunno about that,” he mumbled with a nervous smile on his face and quickly tried to change the subject. “Anyway…I recall that you were about to ask me something a few moments ago. What was it?”

White noise from the other end. Luna hesitated for a moment, and eventually remarked, “...Nothing. Nothing at all. Keep up the good work, Aidon.”

And while he wanted to question it, he kept things as professional as possible by moving right along with the day. “Understood. I will. Have a nice day, Luna.” With that, he hung up the phone.

---

At the locker room, Luna sighed to herself as she lamented the conversation she had with Aidon. “...I should’ve guessed that it wouldn’t work out. But I guess I didn’t lose out on anything.”

“Lose out on what, dear?” a woman’s voice called out as she entered the locker room.

“...Stellar Flare?” Luna called out, “You take therapy here too?”

“Take it? Honey, I’m your coach,” the tan-skinned woman wearing a one-piece swimsuit of her own replied with a chuckle as she grabbed a whistle from a locker. “But it sounds like there was something wrong with you. Care to speak up on it?”

“No no, it’s…just to do with a guy I--”

Stellar immediately cut her off as she waved her hand dismissively, “Ohhhh. I see it now. Hun, don’t worry about it. I know just what that feels like. It’s exactly why my ‘man’ and I broke it off after a year. Nothing was working out between us. Ya don’t wanna get caught up in something you’re not prepared for, understand?”

“Yes…” Luna replied with a nod, “I suppose that’s true. Thank you, Stellar. You’re rather inspirational.”

“Eh, I try my best. If you need anyone for some more…private talk, then speak to me once the therapy session is over, okay, Luna?”

Luna got up from her seat on the locker room’s bench and replied, “Yes, ma’am. Understood.” “She’s so…confident in herself even after everything she’s been through. How I wish I could be like that...”