Family Begins With You

by Jmaster49

Arc XXIV Episode II: Rising Moon

Meanwhile, at Luna’s house…

The resident vice principal was spending her day lounging in her loosely-fitting gray duster-gown with crescent moons patterned across them. She was on her couch, reclining as she nibbled into some toast that she had prepared for herself. The bags under her eyes denoted that she had been tired for the last few days after the festival. Her hair was also rather frizzy and running down past her shoulders. Though, there was a rather faint smile on her face…

“Ugh…waking up alone again was…rather lonesome. I wish Aidon and I could spend more nights like that together. He was so…wonderful to listen to. Not to mention he treats a woman like a complete dream…”

BZZZZ!

“Eek!”

The vibration of her phone caused Luna to jump when it interrupted her daydreaming. She picked it up off of the couch cushion next to her and answered it. “Hello?”

It was her therapist, Stellar Flare on the other end. “Hey, dear! How did your night with Aidon go at the festival? Did he treat you well? Did he hit all the right buttons--”

“Y-yes! Yes!” Luna quickly cut her off as her face turned red. “You need not mull over the finer details, ma’am. After the festival, he brought me home and we…continued to treat each other well. That’s all I’ll say--”

Stellar could immediately tell what Luna was saying and started to squeal. “Ooooooh! She nailed him! Yes! Now how does that make you feel, hun?”

Luna thought about it for a moment and replied. “I feel…better. Far less lonely now that I have someone I can speak to both as a friend and…possibly a lover. He’s actually a rather enthusiastic man when it comes to aeronautics and mathematics. A far cry from what his initial impression would have you believe.”

“Doll, the man can apparently make math fun enough for those crazy kids of yours to pay attention to,” Stellar snarked over the phone, “If he can do that, then I’m sure he can do anything.”

Luna giggled and replied, “Yes. You do have a point there. But him aside, I think I’ve got a much clearer head on how I want to approach the rest of my life.”

“Oh? Do tell, Luna.”

“Well…I want to start taking more time for myself,” she went on, “I still love my job as a vice principal, but I want to take up something…more on the side if you catch my drift.”

“I follow,” Stellar replied, “You deserve to take time for yourself. After all, you can’t love others until you love yourself. I learned that the hard way when I was younger.”

That’s when Luna got an idea…

“Hey…why don’t invite you both over tonight?” Luna asked with a sly grin that Stellar couldn’t see. “You could see the exact sort of methods that Aidon used to help me with my stress. I can tell you have some…unsolved tension too, Ms. Flare.”

“Uh-wh--” Stellar stuttered for a moment, coughed, then finally answered. “Hm…I might take you up on that. But in any event, I’m glad you’re alright for the moment. Call me back if there’s anything else, hm?”

“I will. Thank you, Stellar.” Luna hung up her phone and flopped onto her couch. “Gotta plan a nice dinner. Maybe…oysters? I should go down to the pier for some…”

---

Meanwhile, with Aria…

The punky Siren made her way to Keiji’s luxurious condo home and knocked on the door. “Yo, K. It’s big-sis Aria. Wanna go put that ATV of yours to the dirt?”

The door opened up moments later with Keiji having just put down his crochet supplies. “Oh yeah. Haven’t found any good time to go riding that thing. Anyway, sure. I’m game. I mean, I had a whole day of non-social activities planned, but I can spare a moment for you at least.”

“Sweet. Go get your helmet and meet me at the public BMX track near the edge of the city.”

“Wait--you got your own--?”

“You’ll see,” Aria cut him off with a grin, “You’ll see.”

About 20 minutes later…

Keiji arrived at the dirt bike track with his quad bike, and waited to see what exactly Aria would show up with.

“Alright. I’m here. Now where is she…?”

And just like clockwork, Aria would show up on a purple dirt bike with a motor attached. “Yo,” she took off her helmet--which somehow held her twin ponytails inside of itself. “Nice to see that you made it, Keiji. We’re gonna have some fund today without any of the craziness.”

“Shit that’s cool,” he commented on her bike and leaned against the handlebars of his quad, “Ugh. But I doubt we’ll actually get a peaceful day for once. Seems to be cursed no matter what happens.”

“I don’t think so, lil’ bro,” Aria consoled him as she put her hand on his shoulder, “Besides, it’s just us here. Nothing’s gonna happen since we’re pretty much away from the rest of the city.”

Her words must have worked because Keiji was now more focused on getting his quad in the dirt. “Alright…if you’re sure. Now…let’s see just how fast this baby can go, huh?”

“That’s the whole point,” Aria said with a grin as she put her helmet back on. “I wanna see that thing in action for myself. You ready?”

“Hell yeah, sis!”