Tale Of The Relentless Luna

Episode Four

I decided to stay with Tobi until the sun began to peek over the trees after the bizarre dream. He only made ten or so playful attempts to flirt with me while he was walking me home. That in itself was a small miracle. The remainder of the day was uneventful. I informed Karla about her boy toy as usual, and then I read myself into a sound sleep. I had never before realised how fortunate I was that I had not had dreams about smoking or burning flesh.

On the morning of my eighteenth birthday, the sun peeked through the window. It encouraged me to welcome the day as it danced across my eyelids. I grunted and fell out of my comfortable chair while stretching. I pouted and rubbed my butt. "Happy birthday, birthday girl." In the back of my mind, I heard Claramond laugh. Her words were brimming with excitement. Claramond had been waiting impatiently for this day. She wanted it to happen as soon as possible because it could determine the course of the rest of our lives. “ Good morning, Claramond. Keep in mind that we probably won't see our Gefährte today. I answered in silence, hoping she hadn't raised her expectations too high.

As I got up off the floor, she gave me a snort. I prepared myself languidly to welcome the day. For once, I even tried to make my hair manageable after taking a shower. I put on a white-pinstriped, pale blue romper. A noise came from my window as I was putting on my Converse. I cautiously peeked out from behind my curtain. I was shocked to see Karla, Tobi, and Leni beneath my window. "What are the three of you doing?" I propped my thigh on the windowsill, fully opened my window, and called down suspiciously. Karla slid onto one knee and called out to me, "Rebekka-punzel, Rebekka-punzel, let down your hair." "I assumed you only knelt for me?" Tobi's straight-faced statement caused Leni to wince. I called down, "Please keep it in your trousers." "Am I expected to descend, or will you show me some kind of romantic gesture?" Leni grinned, "Stay up there, princess." She reached down and brought a special boombox from a thrift store into view. "You had better take advantage of this opportunity since it's a one-time offer. Try to persuade them for my birthday, though, as they stated they wouldn't do this again. After pressing a few buttons, she lifted the boombox above her head. As they dug through a bag, Tobi and Karla swiftly turned away from me. As the music began, I c****d an eyebrow at Leni. Karla's thick auburn sideburns clung to her face as she turned around. Tobi, wearing a ginger wig, did the same. When the music began, I nearly fell out of my window. These two fools began to sing the song "Love is an Open Door" from the movie Frozen, but Karla sang Hans' part and Tobi sang Anna's. The grand finale was Karla dipping Tobi and accidentally dropping him as I clapped. I snorted at my friends with tears in my eyes.

"Encore!" exclaimed Mrs. Dexheimer, my next-door neighbour, as her kids giggled behind her. I burst out laughing at that and fell to my floor.

My friends gave me a gift that no one could top. I hurriedly skipped out the front door and down the stairs, where I gave Leni, who was the closest to me, a tackle hug. I would have listened to that song a hundred times over if I could have. "Who came up with it?" I smiled eagerly. Leni got to her feet, brushed herself off, and bowed. "We are the monkeys, and she is the creative brain." Tobi gave Karla a passionate kiss after wildly ripping off his wig. "Save the sideburns for another time." He said it softly in Karla's ear, but loud enough for Leni and me to hear. In unison, Leni and I turned to face one another and pretended to throw up. The day passed quickly as everyone in the Silbermond Rudel was filled with excitement for the festival. Our streets were filled with strangers, and as the day wore on, Claramond was not keeping her disappointment to herself. She seemed more irritated by my behaviour than anything else, despite my repeated attempts to console her.

Everyone was finally drawn to the festival grounds by the soft whirl of rides and music as the sun started to set behind the Schwarzbach Berge. I took in this moment as I looked around at my friends. It may be the last time we spend time alone or even together. Will Karla be able to locate her Gefährte? Not having Tobi and her together would be really strange. There were no offensive remarks or jokes exchanged between them. Leni reached out to me, squeezed my hand, and locked her fingers with mine. I shook my head. She was my comfort and rock, but she was much more reserved than her sister. I inhaled deeply before moving in the direction of the festival's sparkling lights. I exhaled, "Let's go." I saw my mother by the forest's edge as we made our way into the festival. Her platinum blonde hair glinted in the fairy lights strung up in the trees, giving her an angelic appearance. She gestured for me and my friends to come to her flower wreath booth.

"Hello, my lovely birthday girl! For my Rebekka-bud, I made this crown especially for him. She put a crown of lavender, baby's breath, and soft pink cornflowers on my head and smiled. She cupped my cheek tenderly. My mother's soft hands exuded a reassuring warmth that I leaned into. I was still her baby girl at this point. She gave me a cheek kiss and then gave Leni a crown of statice and succulents. She positioned a crown of pink peppercorns and carnations on Karla. With a joyful sigh, she clasped her hands together. "So beautiful, ladies. Tobias, do you require one? The hours passed by as quickly as minutes. Karla and I did not smell the fabled aroma. Before Alpha Eldric's mass emergency mind link swept over us, the night was ideal.

"We are being attacked. To the southern border, all warriors. Please adhere to defensive procedures, everyone else.”