It is foolish indeed to spend one's life in this world between dreams, doing things one doesn't enjoy, observing the suffering.
- Yamamoto Tsunetomo, Hagakure
Dawn.
Luna awoke but remained in bed anyways. An hour or two passed.
Luna enjoyed laziness amidst occasionally stretching and yawning, pondering about the past few days: the Wolfos pups, Kibou finding her, the peach tree, reaching home, Vera hitting her, Elmo giving her bread, getting the owlets back into their tree, fleeing the wasps…
And now I'm here… Is this life? She sighed. I don't want to be here. Home is more of a prison… Luna's body tingles. She turns her head. Kibou sits silently on the end of the bed.
The albino sat up, yawning. Kibou was where he was, motionless.
"Something wrong, Kibou?" Luna sat cross-legged, leaning over her guardian fairy.
"Um, yes, I think I got stung a few times yesterday by the wasps. I was so scared I forgot to change into an intangible form and then whiz into your head. I can't move very well and I can't fly, I feel stiff and puffy," Kibou muffled.
After hesitating, Luna cupped her hands under him, picking him up. She shuts her eyes and held him close.
"Kibou…" Luna whispered, "Why didn't you say something yesterday? We need to get you ointment or something! You're so tiny compared to us, stings can really hurt a fairy."
"Please stop squishing me!" Kibou wriggled between Luna's hands. She put him down.
"Sorry! Uh, I'll get dressed then go running around. there has to be something for you." Why were you just lying in bed this whole time!? She got dressed and left.
"Oh, come on, you can go with her..." Wings oscillating, Kibou hopped off the mattress—he just splat on the floor like a soggy thing.
Luna walked around looking for help but was too shy to ask people. Some Kokiri were only just waking up, dozens climbing down their trees to begin the day. After swallowing up enough courage, Luna went to the nearest group of kids getting ready. They raise their brows and eagerly await her, even their fairies brightening up. Their friendliness made Luna feel better yet awkward. Her hands balled up into little fists.
"Hi Luna! Need something?" one of the girls asked, looking above Luna's head and noticing Kibou isn't with her.
"Ugh-yeah…" Luna croaked. She relaxed her fingers. "My fairy was stung by wasps, he's really hurt, I need something to heal him." The kids worry.
"Did you try crushing garlic and putting the juice on the stings?" a boy asked.
"Ugh, no? I don't know what to do. I was thinking of getting an ointment or something."
"I think crushing onion and putting the juice on the sting mark is better than garlic," a girl suggested.
"OK, so just garlic or onion, squish it, and use the juices as an ointment?"
"Pink fairies can heal wounds too, though I have not seen any flying around lately," the previous girl says.
"Can pink fairies heal other fairies? I thought they can only heal people?" a boy inquired as if to himself.
"What? I dunno?" the girl who spoke previously admitted.
"Well, whatever... In the meantime, I guess your best option is garlic and onion drops. They'll at least help take a little discomfort away," a boy said.
"Only put a little bit at a time, though," a girl cautions.
Luna nodded then jogged towards the granary.
A few kids left the granary with armfulls of food, seeing Luna heading over.
"Oh, I'm not just taking for myself this time!" Luna nervously said, looking around for Vera but she's nowhere.
A boy nodded. "No worries!"
Luna went past them and hopped into the granary, looking for garlic or onions. She saw sacks of onions easily enough but no garlic. She took a yellow onion, leaves still attached, reminding her of a Deku Scrub. She stuffed her pockets with onions then went to the well, got a cup of water, and jogged homeward, other Kokiri wondering what her hurry is. A few asked but Luna ignored them, sometimes nearly dropping her things.
Once reaching home, Luna held the rim of the cup between her teeth and climbed, spilling a little water a few times. A couple onions fell. Luna growled. "Mrmmhrrr!" Eventually atop the branch, she held her cup and went inside. She puts the cup on the table. Kibou remained on the floor so Luna puts him to bed. "Stay."
Kibou grumpily crossed his arms.
"Oh, I'll be right back, I dropped a few onion." Luna tied the curtain to the side then climbed down. She got her onions, biting the leafy end to hold it in her teeth and others back in her pockets, and climbed up again. She sneezed, her onion falling out of her mouth—she caught it, nearly losing balance. "Oh-whoa!" Regaining herself, Luna bit the onion, sharp pungency piercing her tongue.
She soon reached indoors, putting her onions on the table. "OK, I was told that onion and garlic helps heal stings. I couldn't find any garlic, but I have onions. I also brought a cup of water for you to wash yourself."
Kibou jingled.
Luna put the plate and cup on a flat spot on the bed. Kibou leaned into the cup to drink and wash.
While Kibou splashed a little, Luna went off to peel onions.
She cut a chunk off and winced, aroma burning her eyes. "I hate onions…"
Luna heard Kibou gently splashing. Don't stop, Luna. She puts the chunk of onion into the plate and mashes it with the bottom of the cup. The vegetable's white flesh cracks and squishes. The power of onion overwhelms her face and she rears, eyes red and leaky. She turns around and rubs her face.
"Don't rub your eyes! You touched an onion!" Kibou muffled but Luna does so anyways then grimaces.
"I'll do this outside." Eyes painfully watery, Luna took the things outside. She knelt and continued mashing onions.
The breeze high in the trees helped blow the aroma away. Luna still leaned away, unable to fully avoid the invisible vegetable malevolence. Once she extracted enough onion juice, she went into her dwelling.
"OK, I guess we'll put a few drops of the onion juice onto your stings. Well, you will, because I can't see them." Luna sits beside Kibou.
"Onion juice to heal my stings?"
"Yeah, they told me to use onion or garlic, but I didn't find any garlic." Luna puts the bowl down beside him, grabbing a piece of onion and intending to clean Kibou with it.
"No, wait!" Kibou cries as Luna attempts to apply onion on him. He wiggles away.
"Hold still, I have to heal you! Don't be scared, it's good for you!" Luna whined like a mother trying to give her child medicine. Despite the stings, Kibou is quite quick and dances away.
"I can do it myself! Don't grab me, you'll just squeeze my stings and hurt me!" Kibou jumps away, wings flapping. He takes refuge behind a raised section of blanket. He peeps his head. Luna huffs. "I'll apply the onion on myself, by myself, please. I can do it."
Luna shrugged. She put the bit of onion into the cup.
Kibou leaned over the bowl, staring at the pungent puddle of onion juice. Kibou fills his hands and rubs onion juice onto his stings.
"Owie. It kinda stings and itches... Guhhh! My eyes are more sore now!"
"Don't give up, it's better than nothing!" Luna encouraged, tilting over Kibou to check on him. "How many times did you get stung?"
"A few spots. Back, neck, chest, shoulders. Those stings hurt so much. For you, it'd be like swords!"
Luna sighed. She wiped her face with her sleeve.
Kibou rang aloud, "Aww, don't cry Luna, it makes me want to cry, too!"
Luna uneasily chuckled, looking away. A few birds hovered around the entrance then flew away. Luna made a loose smile, unable to hold the tears back.
Kibou uncomfortably applied more onion juice. "Does this even work?" He grabbed a piece of onion to use like a bar of soap.
Luna watched patiently. "Ow!" She rubbed her stinging eyes. "Hate onions..."
"Imagine how I feel, I can barely see!" His onion bath didn't seem pleasant. "I'm guessing this'll take a while? I don't feel any different."
"Yeah, it'll take a while, I guess. Maybe go to sleep later, I can go outside if you'd like to be alone."
Kibou froze. Now would be the best time for her to run away… "Uh, I don't know..."
"Need help?"
"No thanks, I'm fine."
Luna put a hand to her cheek, watching Kibou. I wonder what causes the light…maybe fairies have glowing skin?
Kibou noticed Luna's thoughtful expression. I never realized she had so much affection for me!
Most Kokiri had a straightforward relationship with their guardian fairy. Usually just an advisor, serve as a bright thing that flies around, and simply be a dear and beloved friend.
Hmm… it's always so hard to find her when she runs away, but… She never went too far I couldn't ever find her. Either I am really good at finding kids or she never wanted to truly run away… I'll need to ask her that someday.
"Hey Luna?"
"Yeah?"
"Never mind."
"What did you want to say?" Luna asks nicely.
"If the onion still made you cry, but I think it wore off."
"That's not it, you had something in mind. What was it?"
"I don't want to talk about it now, I'll ask you later, after I'm healed."
Luna frowns but nods, "Well then, I'll have to remember that. Should I get you anything else?"
"No, I'm fine, you do whatever you want."
"I can stay with you, if you want."
"I don't mind."
"Well, do you want me to stay or not? I don't mind either way." Luna crosses her arms.
"Hm, alright, how about you go outside, I'll sleep here alone? I'd rather not keep you in."
"Yeah, OK! See you later, love you!" Luna pats Kibou on the head and leaves.
"Awwww…" Kibou feels like mush whenever Luna tells him she loves him.
Luna cannot bring herself to work, not while Kibou suffers. She instead went towards the Lost Woods to breathe nature and be free. This time, however, anxiety caused her to pace amidst shrubs and plants aimlessly amid silence.
Yarrow flowers caught her attention.
"Oh!" She picked the pretty things, finding some rosemary and thyme as well. She plucked the aromatic plants, stuffing them in her shirt. "Kibou will love these!"
Luna froze. "Why don't I hear birds?" She looked around. Outlines of masks appeared in the bark of trees, as if the trees grew grotesque faces within their wooden skin. They outlines grimaced, some exhaling or moaning. Others drool sap from their mouths and eyes.
"Uhhh…" Luna walked away, gnashing noises following her, all nearby trees creaking. She covered her ears and ran, not looking back.
Luna hoisted herself up ropes and ran inside, panting.
"Something wrong?" Kibou asked.
She held her breath.
"Luna?"
Luna caught her breath, pretending nothing happened. "I-I hope you-you like them!" She pulled out her armful of herbs and flowers.
"Oh? I sure do!"
Luna made the place look nicer: A few flowers here, some herbs there... "I'll get more!"
"Oh, you don't have to—"
She left.
Luna's eyes blinked open. She was lying on the ground near her home. She sat up, rubbing her face. "Uh...what happened? Did I fall?" Her vision cleared. An armful of flowers and herbs was nearby. "Oh, I already got more? I don't...remember... Well, whatever." She stuffed her shirt and pockets with plants then climbed the ropes.
"I'm home!" Luna soon decorated her mansion with even more flowers and herbs, putting some in the sink and in cups and bowls.
"Ughhh…"
"Feeling better?" Luna teased.
"No."
Nina flew into the home. "Hi, Kibou! Hi, Luna!"
"Hey," the other two reply at the same time.
"Wow! It looks great here!"
Luna smiled. "Thanks! I literally did this like two seconds ago!"
"Very cool! Anyways, I came by to see how Kibou's doing." Nina hovered close to him, "Bzzzizzih!" She jabbed her fingers at Kibou. "Scared!?"
"Like you wouldn't believe! I'm actually doing even better!"
"You are?" Luna asked, confused.
Nina turned her head. "That's right!" She looked back at Kibou. "I sure can see Luna really cares about you. She did such an awesome job making the place nice!"
Luna blushd. "Heh, thanks… I'm going out, give you two a chance to talk. Bye."
"Already?"
"I said bye."
"Bye!" The fairies waved.
"Not worried she'll run away now?" Nina asked.
"I actually was thinking that lately. She did go out this morning, came back, you came, now she's out again..."
"Well?"
"No, she won't."
"How do you know?"
"Just do. But, if you'd do me a favor—"
"Of course! Anything for you, Kibou!"
"If you ever meet Patty, Kayk, whoever, just tell them what's happened."
"When Vera goes out hunting, and I see them, I'll tell them."
"You'll remember, right?"
"Of course!"
Nightfall.
Ms. No Fairy sat on a large branch somewhere in the Lost Woods, lost stargazing. She sighed, a shooting star briefly flashing across the sky.
Several Pink Fairies were flying over yonder.
"Where's Kibou?" Patty asked.
Kayk pondered. "Didn't Nina say something about him earlier today?"
"Maybe he's looking for her?" Chloe suggested.
"I'll go ask." Arvo flew forth but Foa grabbed him.
"Wait! What if we do something wrong and make her run away?" Foe cautioned.
"Hmm… I think Kibou's at home for some reason," Kayk remarked, "I say we go to his place and talk to him first."
"But what if we go then she runs off?" Foa said.
"Hm, Kokiri Forest is just a few minutes from here. If she wanted to run away, I'm pretty sure we would have stumbled upon her," Patty said. "If we go now, we can be back pretty quick anyways."
"Good point," Foa remarked.
Kayk jingled. "OK, let's just be quick!"
Luna watched them fly off. There's no way they didn't notice me...
The Pink Fairies whizzed to Luna's dwelling.
Kibou's black light shone, revealing he's sitting against the pillow. "Hey, guys!"
"Hello!" the Pink Fairies greet.
"We saw Luna at the Lost Woods without you. Everything OK?" Arvo asked.
"She usually walks around out there before going home, but sometimes she just stays out there all night. All's back to normal."
"She didn't look happy," Foa remarked.
"Happier, just not happy," Kibou corrected. While the Pink Fairies hover, Nina zoomed in and sat beside him. "Oh! Hello again!"
"Hi! Mido is planning a festival, he wants a celebration dedicated to Luna. I told him what you told me, but I think he doesn't agree with it," Nina explained.
"Oh? Uh, I hope the attention makes her feel welcome, but she doesn't like it, she likes to be left alone. Too bad I still can't fly, body still feels so swollen. I'd go to Mido myself and tell him, but I have a feeling he wouldn't listen anyways."
"He can be stubborn at times, but maybe his idea will work?" Nina asked.
"I don't know, maybe... Maybe you are right, maybe Mido's festival is the best thing to do. Maybe I was wrong this whole time. Luna did ask me why I was so stubborn once, heh."
"Stubborn friendship is the strongest friendship!" Arvo butted in. "Oh, and how's Luna doing in her work, anyways?"
"I think Luna is doing pretty good. She does what she likes and works at the same time. I think she'll gradually develop a sense of belonging."
They chatted about nothing for the rest of the night.
Even after the Pink Fairies and Nina said their goodbyes and left, Luna did not return.
"I hope you're feeling better!"
Kibou snorted awake from Luna's voice, sunrise shining through the entrance. Luna put flowers into a jug of water.
"Better."
Luna looked at the rising sun. "Can you fly?"
"A little."
"Oh? OK, I'll go now. It's morning but I still want to go for another walk. See you soon. Love you!"
"Hey! Wait!"
Luna is gone in no time.
"Where does she get all that energy…"
Kibou weakly flew to the entrance. Luna was nowhere. Sighing, he sat on a few mushrooms growing out a branch. "How… did she just disappear like that?"
Kibou hopped off the mushrooms and glided—he flopped into the grass with a clinking smack.
"Ow!" His head popped out the grass. "Who the heck just randomly leaves a Green Rupee in the grass like that? It's like they grow out of the ground!"
Kibou awkwardly flew through the village, not quite fully functional yet. Where did she go? Many working children here and there spoke about the coming festival.
"Did you hear? Mido planned a festival!" a Kokiri boy exclaimed while haying with a rather big pitchfork. His green fairy floated nearby and nodded to Kibou.
"What? No one told me!" a black-haired girl mumbled while scything away, her purple fairy sneezing with such force she jolted back and hit the girl's face.
Hey another black fairy! I wonder who she is? "Kibou, just find Luna..."
Elsewhere, a group of Kokiri made baskets as quickly as they could under shade.
"I can't wait for the festival! I wanna get everything done early to get ready for it!" a redhead boy stated eagerly, his hat tilting over his eyes for no reason. He raised his hat but it fell over his eyes again. His yellow fairy swooped by and held it up for him.
"I heard Mido was planning it for a quite a while, but that he was keeping it secret," a plump blonde girl remarked, finishing a pretty little basket.
"I think he only told a few people about it—probably the older Kokiri—so that less people got distracted from work," a chubby boy commented.
"Really?"
"I dunno."
"Don't worry, let's just finish our baskets!" a blue fairy encouraged.
As he flew, Kibou noticed some Kokiri made masks both bright and fantastic. Other create costumes of every color, or musical instruments of many shapes and sizes, decorations and handicrafts…
"Aw, Luna… where'd you go?"
Everything felt unreal for Luna as she walked around aimlessly, somehow avoiding Kibou. All faces she saw looked like sheets of paper. The Kokiri are just wooden puppets. The sky seemed as though a streak from a painter's brush, black ink dripping down a colorful canvas. That yellow circle in the sky called the sun…
Luna did not talk to people, disassociated from everything. She just nodded every time a Kokiri asked her what was wrong.
"I think Kibou, her fairy, got stung and is sick. She probably doesn't feel like talking," a boy said to his friends as Luna blankly passed them. "I hope Kibou gets well soon!"
"Bye, Luna! See you at the carrrnivalll!" a girl nearly cheered.
Don't be here. Luna headed home with an empty expression.
Luna climbed her tree but stopped halfway. She let her hands drop but her feet remain in the ropes. She stood vertically loosely, wind picking up. Please, just let me fall...
After a few seconds, Luna continued climbing, soon reaching the top. She stepped through her curtain—something flew in her face and she reared.
"Hi!" It's Kibou. "I'm all better now!" He twirled, sparkling.
Luna stared with her big pink eyes...and slowly smiles. "Oh, Kibou… You waited just to surprise me? Good to see you back to normal again." She sighed.
Kibou jingled, aura shimmering.
She embraced her black fairy tightly, warm light emanating into her body.
"Luna, you're squishing me again…" Kibou muffled. Luna snuggled Kibou against her face. "Stop that you sniveling little weasel!" he cried.
"So, what are you two lovebirds up to?" Nina giggled, seemingly materializing out of nowhere with Foa, Arvo, Patty, Kayk and Chloe.
"Aww, how cute!" Kayk squeaked.
"N-Nina? Oh! Uh, hi guys!" Kibou wiggled out of Luna's clutches.
"Well, glad to see you're feeling good now!" Foa rang with glee.
"I'm good enough to fly, but I still feel sore, heh."
"As honest as always!" Patty added.
"I don't want to be rude, but can I steal Kibou for a while? I want to run around with him now that he's better," Luna butts in shyly, face low, hands behind herself.
"Oh, yeah, sure! Sorry for getting in the way!" Nina said.
"You weren't in the way," Kibou assured.
"Actually, how about we all go together somewhere? I know a special spot. The sun is setting, we don't have much time left," Luna suggested.
"OK, let's go!" Arvo said.
Off they go.
Luna and the seven fairies eventually came upon a meadow of dandelions and lavender growing amidst leafy trees.
Bees and other insects whizzed to and fro, finishing the last of their work for the day. Luna gently waved her hands through the plants, grasses tickling her skin. A big fat bee buzzed by her ear, she smiled—no wasps.
The setting sun cast a reddish sky, clouds absorbing the roseate hue. Luna said nothing, just enjoying the sunset, fairies sitting on large dandelions.
"What a pretty thing a sunset is! This is always my favorite sight to look at. I can watch this forever. It's so magical, it's just… perfect…" Every breath filled Luna with the aroma of lavender—a grasshopper jumped into her face. "Get!" She slapped it away.
"Yeah, I like sunsets, too. Reminds me of the day, helps me get ready for the next…" Nina said, not noticing Luna's grasshopper.
"I think I like full moons way more," Chloe remarked.
A breeze came, plants swaying. The fairies remained seated in their dandelions, angling their wings to keep balance.
"Full moons are beautiful, too," Luna appropriately said. "Just staring out at the sun and the moon...they are so mysterious. I always wondered where they come from, where they go… Why they move through the sky… Just how many things they must move over?"
Remember when you tried to fly up and touch the sun? Kibou thought to himself.
The friends just watch in silence.
Luna sat down, elbows are on her thighs, cheeks resting on her palms, face drowsy.
"Um, Luna? Maybe we should go home now?" Kibou whispered, hovering beside Luna.
Luna yawned, rubbing her eyes as she stood. "Guess so."
"Well, that's that for today. I better get home before Vera worries about me. See you tomorrow!" Nina hopped off her dandelion and hovered beside Kibou.
"See you next time, Nina!"
"Bye!" She flew off.
"Guess we'll get going too, then! Bye!" Patty says.
"Bye, guys!" Kibou said, Pink Fairies leaving opposite direction of Luna.
Luna headed home. Her head and shoulders lowered, face blank.
Kibou flew along, observant but quiet. "Something wrong?"
"Kibou have you...have you ever seen trees make faces in their bark?"
Kibou needed a few seconds. "Whut?"
"Not sure how to...explain."
"You were just seeing things, it happens when you're tired and stressed."
"Yeah, you're probably right." I wasn't seeing things.
