A few years back, I wrote half of this story as a gift for another user, but I abandoned it and wrote something else because I didn't know how to finish it. All these years later, I revisited it and completed it. Regardless of how you spend this time of year, I hope you and your loved ones are happy and safe during these uncertain times.
A Brighter Tomorrow
Luna couldn't help but let a smile as she stared out the frosted window, past her pink-pigtailed reflection, at the big snowflakes that lazily floated down from above. As much as she disliked cold weather, looking out at it from the inside of a stove-warmed house was far more pleasant. Despite the various emotions that had been running through her head, there was something about watching the snow that soothed her, and the aroma of freshly-baked cookies made the feeling even sweeter. For a brief moment, her world was problem-free.
"Luna, where are you? I need your help. You don't want your cookies to burn, do you?"
"No, Grandma! I'm coming!" the short, pink-haired woman called back to her. Back to reality. Savoring one last glance, she left the window and walked back to the kitchen where her grandmother had spent the last few hours baking and cooking. It was the same thing every year. Her grandmother would always make food for all of the residents of Harmonica Town, and this year, Luna joined in. Along with helping her grandmother with her cookies and cakes, Luna baked her own batch of gingerbread cookies for her friends.
Friends. She had plenty of those, but now that she was actually going through with this cookie thing, she was beginning to regret it. Baking cookies for her friends seemed like a good idea at the time, but now…
"Ooh, they look good!" Shelly commented with awe as Luna swiftly pulled the tray from the oven. Other than one of the corner cookies that looked slightly burned, the rest looked perfect. "The frosting and decorations are still on the table."
"Thanks, Grandma," Luna answered absentmindedly as she stared blankly at the cookies. They did look good, but she was too distracted to care. Letting out a sigh, she took off her oven mitts and tossed them carelessly onto the counter. The young woman just wanted to go back to the window. "I'm not going to bother decorating. In fact, I'm probably not going to give them out at all."
"Oh, sweetie, but they look so good," the little, old woman said, smiling. Her smile faded into a frown quickly as she pointed a chiding finger. "I know I didn't raise you to finish things halfway."
Luna rolled her eyes at this. Of course, her grandmother wouldn't understand. "Look Grandma, I'm just not feeling the Christmas cheer right now. I think I'd rather just stay home and watch a movie tonight anyway."
"On Christmas? That's so unlike you!" Shelly turned back to the cake she was decorating but continued to talk. "Spend the night with your friends! I know that they're going to be a party at the bar, so-"
"That's the thing, they all have dates tonight. Maya finally got Chase to go out with her, Candace is spending time with Julius, Gill is with-" a lump in her throat swelled up as she pictured him, "her. I'd just rather sleep until the New Year if that's okay." She began to slump over the counter. Of course, she knew that her grandmother wasn't going to accept her answer.
"Oh dear, you can't just hide away like that. Your such a ball of energy when you're happy and-"
"Well I'm not happy right now, okay?" she replied, pounding her tiny fist against the counter. Normally, she couldn't be mad with her grandmother, but right then, it just irritated her that she just didn't get it. "I just don't feel like going out and spending time with people, alright? I just want to be alone." The truth was, she was feeling lonelier than she had in years.
"Dearie," Shelly murmured to her youngest granddaughter as she touched her shoulder, slowly moving her back into a standing position from her slump. "We've all had bad days, but you shouldn't just lock yourself away on a night like this. I wouldn't want you to miss out tonight. You'll never know what you'll miss. You never-"
"You never know unless you try, nothing ventured, nothing gained, life is short. I've heard it all before." Luna had heard all of those life talks before, but usually, it was her saying those phrases to Candace. But when she looked at her grandmother, who seemed to be a bit saddened that her granddaughter wasn't listening, Luna felt a bit sorry for what she had said. Shelly was only trying to help, even though she wasn't the greatest at doing so. "Look, I'm sorry, I-"
"No apologies, Luna," the elderly woman replied, shrugging off her rudeness. "I understand. You're lonely. It's okay. Believe it or not, I know what that's like. And I know that you're upset about Gill seeing-" She used her better judgment and stopped mid-sentence. "You can do whatever you want to this evening, and if it makes you feel any better, I'll decorate your cookies for you, just in case you change your mind about delivering them. But can you do me a favor?"
"Sure, anything," Luna answered, a sad smile taking the place of her frown.
"The streets are slippery, so could you please deliver the cakes for me? Normally, I would have Candace do it, but since she's spending the day with Julius, do you think you could do that for me?"
"Yes, I can do that…" It was the least she could do after her sass, though her grandmother didn't seem to be offended by it.
"Thank you, sweetie. Just remember to wear your good boots. I don't want you slipping and falling out there. Life may be short, but it shouldn't be that short."
"Yes, Grandma," she laughed half-heartedly. Maybe some fresh air would do her some good, but she doubted it. Still, maybe stepping into the snow for a little, rather than just watching it fall, would be nice.
"One raspberry pie delivered," Luna murmured to herself. It was a lot colder outside than it looked, but her red winter coat kept her warm enough, although it didn't cover her legs as much as she would have liked. Still, being outside did make her feel a little bit better. Harmonica Town looked really pretty in the winter, even if it was bitter cold. But she wouldn't have to deal with it much longer. She just delivered one of her grandmother's last sweets to Mayor Hamilton (being quick about it so that she could avoid having to talk with Gill) and she only had one left.
"Let's see who the coffee cake goes to," she muttered as she opened the basket and looked at the card that her grandmother had attached to the small coffee cake's box. However, her eyebrow raised in confusion as she read the name on the card. "Wizard?"
She felt it was a mistake at first. She didn't even know that her grandma knew Wizard. Then again, she didn't know anything about Wizard to begin with. If that's even his real name. It can't be, can it? Who names their kid Wizard? But nobody seemed to know his name either, let alone anything else about him. She had only talked to him a few times since that day that he first arrived in town five years ago and the only reason she even talked to him in the first place was because she went to have her fortune read a few times. All she knew about him was the same things that everything else knew about him. He was a loner that spent his days either reading fortunes or mushroom hunting in Fugue Forest, and that he spent his nights looking through that gigantic telescope in his house. Then there were the things that people didn't know, but they speculated about anyway: that he was actually a wizard of some sort, that he was really hundreds of years old, or that for some reason, he couldn't tell anybody his real name. Things like that couldn't be real, of course, but given how nobody knew anything else about him, they might as well be true, he was that mysterious.
I wonder what he does on Christmas. He rarely ever leaves his house, so I guess just celebrates the holidays alone… That's actually pretty sad. She suddenly felt a wave of curiosity and downheartedness rush over her. But the curiosity was much stronger. Hmm… Well, I have nothing better to do. Maybe I'll ask him when I get there.
The Wizard's house was only a few steps away from Mayor Hamilton's home, so she reached his door in a matter of seconds and gave a quick, rapping knock. Hopefully, he's not out in the forest today. Lucky for her, he wasn't.
"It's unlocked..."
She recognized his calm, tired voice coming from the inside of his house. Using her free hand, she opened the door and walked in, hoping that was the right answer.
Luna always liked Wizard's house. It wasn't stylish or chic like she'd prefer, but it fit his "look" if that made any sense. It was a simple home with simple, old-looking furniture and a stone-tiled floor. A beautiful, ancient rug covered the center of the floor where he read his fortunes, and its blue pattern matched the sparkling crystal ball on his reading table. She especially liked the stone platform in the back corner of his main room with steps that led to a giant telescope that peered into the heavens. But what took her senses today was the wafting heat from his wood stove and the smell of the cooking food within, mixed with the scent of the dried meats, vegetables, and fruits that hung off his walls. She took a deep inhale of the room's aromas before looking around for her host. "Wizard?"
"Here…" Luna turned to see him come from seemingly out of nowhere. She couldn't help but smile at his appearance, although she knew to keep it subtle. She didn't want to freak him out or anything, especially since she liked the way he looked from a perspective of fashion. Nothing he wore was fashionable from any modern perspective, but it looked both ancient and ethereal, like something she'd expect a real wizard would wear. Black boots, white pants with designs on the ends of the legs, a purple, hooded, outer shirt with long sleeves, a dark purple turtleneck underneath, decorated with strange jewelry. Like his house, it was a look that only he could pull off. It matched well with his tanned skin, messy silvery hair with that peculiar braid that hung off the side, and those eyes… those two, tired, different colored eyes, one green and one brown. She didn't understand why they looked like that, but in a weird way, like his wardrobe, it worked.
"Luna… isn't it?"
He broke her trance. "Yes, I… my grandma made you a coffee cake, so I brought it over. You like coffee cake, right?"
"Yes, I like it very much. Thank you." He slowly and gently took the cake from her basket. "Tell her that I said thanks."
"Alright, I will..." There was an awkward silence as she tried to figure out what to say. For the lack of anything better to do, she really wanted to prod around and figure out who he was or at least what he did on holidays, but she had no idea where to start. It's not like the two of them were close friends or anything.
"So, do you want me to read your fortune?" he asked in response to the awkwardness, although his face remained blank and his tone didn't waver.
"What? No, no, not today," Luna answered, flustered with the situation she had created. "I just... wow, your house is warm. I've been out all afternoon delivering Grandma's sweets and-"
"You're cold." Again, he stated this with no discernible emotion, but his next question seemed to show that he was concerned. "The temperatures have been lower this December than they have been in the last twenty years… would you like some tea? I have some mushroom tea in the kettle if you would like any."
"Ew, no I hate mush-" She stopped herself, remembering what her grandmother always said to her about being too honest. "No thanks, I don't like mushrooms that much," she answered in a more respectful way, although it felt so unnatural.
"Well, if you would like to warm up, you…" Suddenly, Wizard's voice trailed off as he began to stare into space. "My dinner is almost done. Would you excuse me for a moment while I take it off the stove?" Not waiting for her to answer, he walked over to his stove.
Luna felt uncomfortable again at what had just happened. "How does he know his dinner is done?" she asked herself in a hushed voice. "There was no egg timer or anything." She looked at the wall that he had stared at. "No clock either. That's a little strange. Maybe he was about to take it out when I arrived?" But since her mysterious host was allowing her to stay and warm-up, she placed her basket on the ground and began a slow walk around the ground floor. Her curiosity about Wizard drove her to take long, steady stares at the things she saw. The fortune-teller had a large collection of books sitting on a shelf, but upon closer inspection, she saw that their titles were written in some strange language that she did not recognize. She almost touched the nearest one, but she decided that touching things that weren't hers would be one of the rude things that Grandma warned against.
She walked past the books to look over at his desk, which was covered with even more books, pencils sharpened so far that there was little left, and paper that was smeared with eraser marks and graphite. Perhaps these are notes about his astronomy? He obviously liked astronomy, considering he had a giant telescope, but for all she knew, he could have been writing a trashy romance novel like one of the ones that she caught Candace reading from time to time. She couldn't tell, though, as the various writings were a mix between English and the strange lettering on the Wizard's books. But when she looked away from his writing, she saw something that truly garnered her interest.
What is this? On Wizard's desk was a framed, black and white photo. Ignoring what Shelly had taught her, she picked up the frame and looked closely at the photo within. Before she looked at the people depicted in the old snapshot, she noticed that the photo itself looked very old; like, it looked as if it was taken in the 19th century, it was so ancient-looking. But it couldn't have been, because in the photo, she identified Wizard standing left of center, although his hair didn't have a braid and he was wearing some strange, white robe. There were six people in the photo, but other than Wizard, only two others caught her eye. One was the girl standing next to him. Her hair was white, but she looked to be his age, although unlike him, she had a sassy little grin on her face and she was wearing a pointed hat, like witches did in storybooks. The other person that caught her eye was the man in the center with a long beard and a long staff. Who are these people with Wizard? And why does this photo look like it was taken with an old camera? Feeling that she had been touching his property for too long, she put it back down on the desk and turned away, spotting the crystal ball.
"His crystal ball…" Wizard used it to tell fortunes, but it was probably just a regular prop. It was all fake, after all. She had heard about cold reads, when fortune-tellers use set techniques to convince a mark that they knew more about something than they really did. Still, she couldn't help but feel drawn to it, like it was calling out to her. Step by step, she gingerly made her way towards the center of the room where the ball sat on the table. As she got closer, she could see a shimmering light coming from inside. Was it just the distortion of light? Or did this object truly have some sort of supernatural element to it? She had to know, delicately touching it with the tips of her fingers. It felt as if the ball was causing her senses to heighten, as if she could hear every little thing in the house. How was that possible?
"I'll ask that you refrain from touching that."
Instantly, Luna withdrew her hand. Her cheeks reddened as she realized that Wizard had caught her hand in the metaphorical cookie jar. Yet he still seemed undisturbed in his tranquil demeanor.
"Sorry," she apologized, looking at her boots with shame.
"It's not all your fault… Humans in general seem to be drawn to it. I just have to be careful. It was already stolen from me once this year."
Humans. That was odd, Luna thought to herself. Choosing the word "humans" over "people" stuck out to her. But she didn't dwell on it any longer. "Sorry. I-"
"You're a curious one…" Wizard continued, stepping closer to her. "When I was taking my food off the stove, I saw that you were looking at the photograph on my desk." He paused, waiting for Luna to say something, but her cheeks did the talking for her. "If you have any questions, you may ask them, though I can't guarantee an answer."
"I do have one," Luna admitted sheepishly as she looked back into his tired eyes. "I was wondering: what do you normally do during Christmas? I never see you at any of the festivals, so I was wondering if you have any traditions or you celebrate with anybody."
Wizard blinked. "Like most holidays, Christmas has neither a religious nor a secular meaning to me. I am perfectly content to watch the stars and read my books on a night like this."
"So you do nothing?" Luna asked, somehow shocked, even though she expected him to answer like this. "You don't like to bake cookies or sing songs or give gifts or at least spend time with your family or friends? Besides, there are too many clouds for stargazing tonight."
"Traditions are a fine thing for those who observe them, but for me, I have few left…" He looked towards his desk and then back at her. "Besides, I have no real friends to speak of. Not anymore, anyway."
"None?" Luna asked, her head cocked. "What about the people in that picture?"
"That photograph was taken years ago," Wizard answered, his voice still tired and hollow. "We've all gone our separate ways. I only keep in contact with one of them, but she's a bit unpleasant… the more space we have, the better." Luna then noticed that his eyes focused on her, his expression changing slightly. "What about you? Surely, you would rather be doing those things than talking with me."
"Well, I do love those things," she agreed, her eyes growing a bit dreamy. "But what I love the most is getting curled up in a warm blanket next to a fireplace and watching the snowfall?" Luna's eyes then saddened as she remembered her predicament. "But this year, I feel a bit lonely. I just feel like I have nobody to really celebrate the holiday with since my friends are all…" She didn't complete the sentence. He wouldn't understand. She was about to head for the door when Wizard's voice interrupted her actions.
"If it would make you feel any better, you may have some of the food that I made. There are no mushrooms in it."
The offer caught Luna off guard. Wizard wasn't a bad person or anything, but she didn't expect him to share his food. He had never carried himself as the social type. "Oh no, I couldn't impose."
"Isn't this a tradition for you? Giving gifts to others? I'm giving you some of the food I made…" What Wizard did next surprised Luna even more: he smiled. It was barely a smile, really, but considering how his face was typically in a state of neutrality, the change was obvious to her.
"Alright, if you insist," she agreed, feeling excited about this opportunity. It wasn't her intention to get invited to dinner, but perhaps she could continue her detective work with Wizard. And even if that failed, it felt better to be doing something over nothing during this season.
Wizard's dinner consisted of milk, a simple chicken dumpling recipe, and the coffee cake that Luna had brought over. They sat at an old wooden table that was really only big enough for one person, but they managed to fit both plates on the surface. Luna enjoyed the food, but she felt slightly out of place when with Wizard. He never spoke, but simply ate his food slowly while occasionally looking up at her. It was uncomfortable on multiple levels.
"So… I didn't know you knew my grandmother well enough for her to send you a cake," Luna stated, regretting her choice of words. Hope that doesn't sound too rude.
"I really don't know your grandmother at all," Wizard admitted, taking another bite of his dumpling. "She has only visited my house twice, the first time when I first moved here, the second time during my first Christmas in Castanet… She doesn't believe in my fortune-telling, but when I told her that I don't celebrate Christmas at all or with others, she sends me a coffee this time each year, usually delivered by your sister. Very sweet of her… I like coffee, so it's a nice gift. I'll deliver some mushrooms to her house as thanks the next time I come back from Fugue Forest."
"Huh, I didn't know that…" Luna admitted, thinking of how strange it was that her grandmother sent a gift to Wizard every year and she didn't know about it. Then again, as Wizard had pointed out Candace usually did the deliveries, so how could she? "But isn't that like exchanging gifts? You said you didn't do that."
"It's more like I'm returning the favor," Wizard replied coolly. "I don't like being in debt."
"But it's not really de- Oh, nevermind." He wouldn't understand anyway. "I just don't get why you don't celebrate anything at all. Don't you like having fun?"
"I have fun. I prefer to do it in a different way. " He looked away, out the window, where it was snowing even harder than before. "Stargazing, reading, writing… besides, tradition is empty without anybody to practice it with. As I said before-"
"You could celebrate with people in town," Luna eagerly suggested, trying to reach him in his isolation. "People like you well enough and they all wonder why you spend so much time alone."
Wizard sighed as if he had heard this all before. For the first time, Luna sensed a slight exasperation in his voice. "I really don't belong, mixed in with the townspeople like that. I've come to prefer my solitude, Luna. Humans… no, people are so easy to understand, yet so difficult to coexist with. For a holiday to mean anything to me, I would need people to celebrate it with… people that I have developed real relationships with. But there are… reasons. Reasons why I don't do that."
Ugh, more cryptic talk. "And you're not going to tell me what those reasons are?" she pouted.
"No… Despite your snooping, you're a nice girl. There are other good people in town, but my secrets are not for anybody."
Of course. Luna leaned in on her fist as she considered the situation. Wizard's philosophy had essentially written him into a corner of loneliness from which he could not escape. She pitied him, but at the same time, she was incredibly irritated that he was too stubborn to take any initiative. But perhaps he didn't want to.
"May I ask you something personal?" Wizard proposed, breaking the silence.
"Well, I've been doing most of the asking, so I guess you may." She did not know what to expect. Wizard rarely asked any questions at all in their conversations. He only seemed to talk in cryptic statements.
"You like this holiday… You like spending it with your family and friends, celebrating old traditions, correct?"
"Well, yes."
"Then why are you spending it here with me, somebody that you barely know and who doesn't observe the holiday at all?"
Silence followed. For a brief moment, Luna had no idea how to respond to that. Wizard was right, of course. Here she was, intruding on this quiet man's solitude, prying him for his secrets, only because she had nothing better to do. Simply put, it was rude of her. If she had plans, she would have left as soon as she had delivered the cake. But no, he was her "backup plan". Not that she would tell him that. He probably already knew.
"There's nobody to do that with this year…" That was technically a lie, but she decided to explain what she meant. "Grandma is celebrating with friends at the inn, but that's mostly for the older crowd. As for my friends, most of them are going to the bar, but they all have dates, so I can't go with them."
"And this stops you from celebrating? Would they really be so childish as to reject you for that?" he asked.
It was a good question, but she had a good response (in her mind at least) for it. "Well… no, but it's so awkward. They're all in that lovey-dovey stage right now. And I mean all of them. Chase and Maya, Julius and my sister, Gill and…" Trailing off, she regretted mentioning his name again as she leaned back on her chair. I need to stop bringing him up.
"The mayor's son…" Wizard broke the silence. While he noticed that Luna was disturbed by the mention of his name, he kept talking. "He's a good man. An honest man. He had hope in his heart for Castanet during her hardships… He is courting the rancher who arrived this year… Molly, corre-"
"Please, just please don't talk about her." That was definitely impolite, but this was where she drew the line. Not that she blamed Wizard for not knowing about how she felt, but he would know now, just by reading the disgusted frown on her face.
"You don't like her…" Wizard took another bite of his food before cupping his chin in his hand. Though his expression remained the same, it almost looked as if he was analyzing her. "I always thought that she was a nice woman. Generous, outgoing, kind-heart-"
"I was hoping that because you read fortunes, maybe you'd understand this," Luna said, trying her hardest to keep her voice civil. "Don't get me wrong, the ringing of the bells was a great thing… I don't know why the Goddess would choose her over anybody else, but whatever. I just… Gill and I… we were so close. We fought a lot, but we… We had great chemistry. At least I thought we did."
"And Molly? Where does she come in?"
"We were friends for a brief time. She came off as being nice, but when Gill asked her out two months ago… she knew I liked him. I told her before, but she just went ahead with it. She didn't even say anything to me about it to me. It all just happened so fast and I wasn't ready for it. I mean, I know she wasn't obligated to tell me or anything, but I thought we were friends or that we at least could have been friends."
Luna had not forgotten about what had happened all those months ago, but she had effectively pushed the raw memory out of her mind, even when she was thinking of Gill and Molly being together. Recalling it then… she wasn't ready for it. And it made her eyes swell up with tears. She blinked them away, but one escaped, rolling down her cheek.
"I'm sorry, I'm okay. I…" She looked up to see Wizard staring at her with those multicolored eyes as if he had never seen somebody cry before. Somehow, Luna could tell that he was trying to show he cared by staring at her like that, but to anybody else, it would be uncanny as hell.
"Unrequited love… it's a difficult thing, I imagine," Wizard said, finally breaking the tension.
"You imagine?" Luna asked, having mostly regained her composure. "You've never had your heart broken before?"
"From love? No. From other things, yes. I suppose we share that in common… Did Gill know that you cared for him that way?"
"No, I never told him," Luna admitted, looking down at her. "I should have said something long ago…"
"And he never pursued you?" Wizard asked inquisitively.
"No. If he did, I'd be with him… at least I'd hope I'd be." Unless she had missed something, but Luna liked to think she was good at reading people, so that would be another blow to her shaken confiedence.
"Hmm…" Wizard hummed as if he were processing all that information. But Luna expected him to objectively call her out on her mistakes like some sort of robot, so she decided to beat him to the punch.
"It's my fault," she blurted out, not looking back up at Wizard while she talked, frustratingly twisting her right pigtail between her fingers. "That's what really sucks about all of this. I can be mad at Molly or Gill or whoever, but it's my fault for not doing something about how I felt. Maybe if I had said something to him before he had feelings for Molly, we'd be together instead. But no, I have to live with that."
Another silence, though this one was not as brief.
"Maybe you're right," Wizard finally said, but he did not criticize her decisions. "But maybe not... You saying something sooner may have had no difference if Gill did not share those feelings... Or if it did, if you weren't ready, maybe there was a reason for that too…"
Luna couldn't tell if this was making her feel better or worse. If anything, both sides were canceling each other out. "So you're saying that even if I had done something different, it might not have worked out?" Scratch that, she felt worse again.
"Humans tend to dwell on their mistakes and ask themselves questions of 'what if,'" Wizard continued. "There's a reason why I will never read a fortune for somebody about what they could have done differently... It will only hurt them, whether things would have been better or not… If better, they grieve what they missed out on. If not, they feel as though they have no hope or control over their destinies."
Well, that makes sense. But Luna still felt so upset about the whole thing. "So what's the answer here?"
"The answer is the truth you have told me…" Wizard replied, his braid bobbing as he nodded. Though that didn't make sense to Luna at first, the mysterious man clarified. "You cared for Gill. For reasons known to you, you were not ready to tell him. He pursued feelings for somebody else and this hurt you and it is why you feel alone right now… And to feel hurt and alone are normal, human feelings. But maybe you will heal one day. And maybe you will become stronger and wiser from this experience. Maybe you will be happy again one day. I could see for you in the crystal ball if you'd like, but to belittle yourself for what was, rather than living for what is and what could be while growing from your experiences… it's foolish. Very human, but foolish."
Normally, being called foolish would have gotten Luna shouting, but not this time. Wizard was trying to be supportive, not cruel, even if his way of being supportive wasn't exactly empathetic. In fact, this kick in the pants… maybe it was what Luna needed. It didn't make her feel any better at the moment, but in time…
"For somebody who doesn't hang around people all that much, you have a lot of wisdom on dealing with things like this," Luna commented, a small smile peeking through.
"It comes with age," Wizard commented before sipping his drink.
You don't look like you're that much older than me, though. "But by this logic, don't you think it would be growth to spend time with people in town? You say that you don't belong, but you have no basis for that other than your feelings. You know that we'd love to see you at more events and parties, even if you're quiet the whole time. Maybe you'd get closer to people like those you say you care about? Maybe it'd be good for your growth." Maybe that was too intrusive pr forward of her to say, but the way she saw it, Wizard started it.
"Hmm… Perhaps there is truth to that…" Wizard said. And that was all he said about that. At least for the moment. And while Luna knew he wouldn't tell her anymore about himself, it just made her more thirsty for the truth. It almost made her forget about her pain in regards to Gill. Almost.
The rest of the dinner was far easier to get through. Luna and Wizard talked a little bit about basic things: the weather, work, plans for the new year. Small talk, really, but getting Wizard to engage for this long was a feat in itself.
"How do you feel now?" Wizard asked as he took her empty plate, silverware, and cup to the sink.
"I don't know… a little better?" Luna said, though she failed to hide it with her sad smile. "But like you said, things take time, right?"
"Yes… Maybe it would help if I read your fortune?" Wizard asked, obviously trying to be warm, though his voice was still as hollow as ever.
"I- Um… I didn't bring any money," Luna admitted. Even if she had, she didn't feel like paying a fortune-teller to make something up.
"You brought me my coffee cake and we had a nice conversation. Almost nobody talks with me for longer than a minute... In addition to the meal I shared with you, I'll give this to you as well at no cost. Exchanging of gifts is something that you enjoy during this time of year, remember?"
"Yeah, look... " Luna said, looking down at the floor. "I don't know how to say this without sounding rude, but… when I had my fortune read before, it was mostly out of curiosity. With all due respect-"
"You don't believe in my fortune-telling?" Wizard asked, still unwavering.
"It's not just that," Luna continued, still feeling guilty for admitting her doubt. "I don't know what this is supposed to accomplish. You read my fortune and it's either good news that hypes me up, only for me to get let down later, it's bad news and I get depressed about what's supposedly on the horizon, or it's ambiguous and I get nothing out of it. So really, why do it?"
"My fortunes aren't like a spoiler at the end of a movie," Wizard answered, unoffended. "To suggest something like that is to suggest that your will is not your own... What I see in the ball represents a possible outcome, but to give you details about what I see that are too explicit would distort your actions. Regardless, if you don't believe what I see, then you can continue living your life. Or don't let me peer into your future. But I thought that this was something that might make you feel a little less sad…"
Well, damn. Regardless of what she thought, it would be rude to turn down a gift, especially from somebody who was trying to make her feel better, especially more so on Christmas. "Okay then. I'll give it a shot."
"Very well. Right this way…" He walked to his crystal ball and she followed, sitting on the opposite side of the table as him. As she had done when having her fortune read before, she sat there, peering forward into the ball as if she could see what Wizard would see, but no such luck. It was still beautiful, though, almost as if it contained its own swirling galaxy within, complete with planets, stars, and other heavenly bodies. Mesmerizing… she wanted to touch it again, but she refrained. Wizard didn't even touch it, his palms hovering just centimeters away from opposite sides of the orb.
"Though the future is clouded, I can see good fortune for the ones you love. Your grandmother… she will remain in good health for some time. Your sister… although she is quiet and hides her heart, she is happier than she's ever been and she will continue to grow happier."
I hope he's right about Grandma. As for Candace, Luna already knew that she was happier, but hearing it from Wizard made her feel warm inside, even if she didn't believe he could actually see into the future."
"Your friend Maya is hurting… Someday, she will tell you why. But her happiness is inevitable as well…"
She's hurting? It better not have to do with Chase! Wait, what am I saying? He's probably making this up! Luna wasn't about to assume Maya was hurting just because Wizard said that she was. And if she barged in trying to find answers, she might create a problem where there might not have been one to begin with. She'd have to wait. But if the fortune was true, at least she had a happy future too.
"Your friend Gill is undergoing an emotional metamorphosis… He's challenged by thoughts and feelings he has never experienced before… However, I cannot see his future beyond today."
But Luna was more concerned with the present. Those feelings that Gill was supposedly feeling… She saw the way he looked at Molly; a way that he never looked at anybody else. Was he in love with her? She hoped that it wasn't something Wizard was making up, because it hurt to hear what he said. Or maybe this was the sort of thing that he didn't need a crystal ball for.
"Is there anything in that ball about me?" Luna asked, only for Wizard to shake his head in return.
"Nothing that we didn't already talk about…" Wizard answered solemnly. "But that doesn't mean your future is bleak. Perhaps there is a lesson here… The people you love do not live perfect lives, but they have good fortune on the horizon. I know that you have felt lonely, out of place, and misunderstood, but you have not always felt this way. So perhaps these feelings will pass. Perhaps-... Huh, this is unusual."
"Huh? What, what do you see?" Luna asked, perking up somewhat at the prospect of something new. Not that Wizard's speech wasn't nice, but if she was going to humor his fortune, she'd like to hear something interesting.
"I see you… it's a year from now, Christmas Eve again. You're doing what you love… curling up in a warm blanket next to a fireplace and watching the snow as it falls… And I see your hand intertwined with another's. It's…" Uncharacteristically, Wizard's eyes widened for just a second before returning to normal. "Interesting…"
"Interesting?" Luna had forgotten that she thought this was fake. "Who is it? Who am I with?"
"Too much information. If I say anymore, you risk your future being altered..."
"Really?" Luna snapped. "What if I don't believe any of this anyway? Just tell me what you saw!"
"No… Tell me, what if I am right and I saw a future where you are happy? Is that something you would want to risk losing by having me give away too much information?"
"No…" I can't believe I'm buying into this. "But how am I supposed to believe in this?"
"Having faith, I suppose. But…" Slowly, he rose from his chair and walked over toward his desk. Luna followed him, standing behind him as he wrote something on a piece of paper. She wanted to ask him what he was doing, but knowing how cryptic he was, he probably wouldn't tell her, so she waited. As he finished writing, he put the piece of paper into an old envelope, sealed it, and wrote something on the front. Then, he turned around and showed Luna the envelope. It read "Luna" on the front in very elegant-looking cursive.
"So what's this? A Christmas card?" she asked, unimpressed. Writing somebody a Christmas card last minute right in front of them wasn't exactly sentimental.
"No… I wrote down what I saw in the crystal ball. In one year's time… no, on New Year's Eve next year, I'll give this back to you and you'll see for yourself. Good things come to those who wait, they say…"
"Wait, that doesn't prove anything," Luna exclaimed, pouting as she put her hands on her hips. "How do I know you wouldn't just change your prediction if what you supposedly saw doesn't happen?"
"Because I can admit that the future is flexible and I would not be ashamed if what I saw turns out to be wrong... Are you always this mistrustful of people?"
"No… sometimes." Luna wasn't even sure why she accused Wizard like that. She was just being rude again. Thankfully, her grandmother wasn't there to scold her for it. "Thanks… I'll hold you to that. I'm sorry I snapped like that. I appreciate the reading. I just hope all the good things you said are true." Even for Gill. She was happy that he was happy, even if that hurt her.
"There's no need to apologize…" Wizard replied, nodding. "You should probably get going. Your grandmother may be worried about you."
"Right, right." In the awkward silence, Luna went to put on her coat and get the basket that she had been carrying all the sweets in. But when she lifted the bag, she could feel one last thing inside of it. Huh, what's that? There's nobody left on Grandma's list. She looked and saw that at the button of the bag was a small tupperware container with a card attached to the front. Curious, she lifted the container and saw a single gingerbread man inside, one of the ones she baked earlier. Opening the card, she saw that it was addressed to "A Friend."
"Grandma…" she muttered, slightly annoyed. She must have snuck it into the bag when Luna wasn't looking, probably trying to spark Luna's interest in handing out cookies again.
"What is that?" Wizard asked, having walked over when he noticed Luna's stillness.
"What? Nothing, nothing, it's a gingerbread man I baked earlier and…" Her voice trailed off as she stared at the sweet a little bit longer. If she brought it back home, would she get scolded? But no, it wasn't the threat of a tongue lashing that she was thinking about. Instead, she had a better idea.
"Here. This is for you." She handed the boxed cookie to Wizard, who held the box up to the light so he could get a better look at it.
"Thank you… Your grandmother is a very good cook, so I'm sure you are too…" Delicately, he opened the card and stared. "To a friend?"
"Yeah, I didn't write that," Luna admitted, blushing a little. "I mean, we really don't know each other that well, but..."
"But maybe someday," Wizard said, smiling as subtly as one possibly could.
"You mean that?" Luna asked, a little surprised by what the mysterious man had just said. Wizard really wasn't the social type and the who experience that evening felt like an outlier.
"My former colleague always tells me that I should socialize more… Granted, she almost never leaves the woods she lives in, but she's not wrong. If you ever feel lonely like you do tonight, I'm willing to listen to what you have to say. I can't guarantee that I'm the warmest support in the world, but I'll do what I can."
"Wow…" That was unexpectedly sweet of him. "I might have to take you up on that, especially if things keep going the way they're going."
"They won't forever. I can promise you that."
"I hope you're right… And if you ever need to share those secrets of yours with somebody for whatever reason…" She smiled, a little mischievously. "I hope you know I'd never tell a soul."
"Hmm…" Wizard pondered, though only for a moment. "I'll keep that in mind."
"I should probably get going," Luna said, moving the conversation to its end. Walking to the door, she was about to turn the handle when something above her caught her eye. "What's that?" she asked in disbelief. It can't be.
"That?" He looked up at what Luna had brought his attention to. "It's a bean plant. I keep it in the windowsill above the door where it gets enough sun."
"Ah, okay," Luna chuckled. "For a moment, I thought you had mistletoe up, but I know you don't celebrate Christmas. I mean, that would be pretty awkward, right? Us, under a mistletoe. I mean, no offense or anything. I just…" Why did you even bring it up? Stop being weird.
Thankfully, Wizard didn't care. Or at least he didn't seem to care, as his voice was as monotone as always. "Yes, that would be quite perplexing."
For a moment, they both just stood there. Luna wanted to say something other than "bye" and Wizard just stood there, expression blank, or quizzical if somebody was really searching for some other adjective to describe him. It was as if sometimes, he had no idea how to read any social cues or react appropriately. Then again, she was drawing a blank too.
Oh, what the hell? Standing up on her tiptoes, she gave Wizard a kiss on the cheek. That probably got the biggest reaction out of Wizard that night, as his eyes widened, his tanned cheeks pinkened, and his mouth fell slightly agape. And while Luna didn't do that to get a reaction out of him, it tickled her to see that shocked expression. While Wizard may have been a fortune-teller, he clearly didn't see that moment coming.
"Thank you for the food and for the fortune," Luna said with a slight nod. "And even if you don't celebrate Christmas, I hope you spend it happily."
"Y-yes…" Wizard answered with a nod of his own, slightly unsettled. "You as well, Luna." He stepped forward and opened the door for her, allowing for a cold gust of wind and snow to blow in. "Whether you choose to stay home or to go see your friends tonight, do stay warm. It would be unfortunate if you got sick…"
"Thank you! Have a good night!"
And not wanting to make Wizard feel anymore uncomfortable, Luna scurried out the door and into the chilliness outside. Yet it did not matter to her. She wasn't sure what she'd do next that night, but regardless, she promised herself that as Wizard said, things would not always be so lonely. And even if things were difficult for the moment, having somebody new who was there for her, even if he wasn't exactly social… that still made her feel good inside about her future, whatever it held.