The Moonwalkers

Used to be Home

As soon as the sun rose, I made my way up to my room and turned back to normal. I immediately took a shower and changed into a casual outfit and cleaned out the fur that was collected. Maybe I can do something with all this hair, a fur coat or something like that.
That actually sounds like a good idea but how will I pull it off?
I looked at myself in the mirror and smiled as I dried my hair. It's so good to be back.
I made my way downstairs and spotted Charles still eating the grilled meat from the others' hunt. Ours was long gone.
"Is it good?" I asked as I sat down on the armchair.
Charles nodded. "It is..."
He finished his meal and got up before making his way to the kitchen. He returned and muttered a farewell, apologised profusely for getting me involved with yesterday, then thanking me just as much for helping him escape.
"It's what we do," I said. "We always help those in need."
"That's just what we Moonwalkers do," Mom added, now dressed in a t-shirt and shorts. She stood in front of Charles and nodded. "The hearing is in a few hours. You better go home and collect yourself. Get yourself cleaned up and presentable for court."
The hearing! Gosh, with all that's been going in, it went completely forgotten! I turned to look at the time and realised that it was just seven-thirty. The hearing is at twelve.
"I'll be going," Charles nodded and turned towards the door to leave.
Mom grabbed his arm, much to his surprise. "Wait. You want us to drop you off?"
Charles looked hesitant to agree, but nodded. "Thanks. It's a really long walk."
"No kidding," Charlene said as she descended the stairs, also back to normal. "Come on, we'll drop you off."

This is the first time we are ever going back to our old house after moving into our new home. Mom pulled up at the driveway and I couldn't help but glue myself to the window as I looked at it. The house I grew up in.
It was a home filled with happiness and joy, laughter and fun. But here it was, standing lonely with just Charles solely living in it. It didn't hold the same happiness and joy it did before all of this, there wasn't any laughter or fun. I don't think he's even taking care of the garden. I can't see it from where I am, but I'm sure Charles didn't really take that effort. I'm just glad that I rescued the potted plants.
The house stood majestic in the bright morning sunlight, though lifeless compared to how it looked months prior. I sighed and fell back onto the seat and watched as Charles made his way inside.
"Charlie, tell me everything that happened when you were away," Chris interrupted the silence. "What happened after that stupid Loony girl left?"
I chuckled. "Loony. That suits her better." I sighed and began with the story of how I was grabbed when I was making my way back inside, woke up in a room with poison gas, rescued Charles who was left lying on the ground tied to a chair, how I broke the window and jumped out with Charles, and how we ran off. "And that's when we met you guys. I've said my side of the story, now what's yours?"
"We searched all over the house, all over the neighbourhood, and all over the town," Charlene said. "We didn't even realise the sun had set until we became werewolves. It was easier to track your scent then."
"Do I really smell that strong?" I couldn't help but say.
"You do," Chris nodded. "Especially since you didn't take a shower when you were kidnapped."
Right, that's actually true. I had just woken up and had breakfast. At least I did that, or else I would've starved. I smiled at Chris trying to make a joke at a time like this. It certainly does lighten the mood.
"We can sit around for a while before getting ready for court," Mom said. "It's today, guys. We can finally get it done with."
"Woo," I said without enthusiasm. "Yay."
"Yay indeed," Mom chuckled. "To make up for it, we will all be going for a nice lunch afterwards, okay? I was thinking of going for Japanese food, but Charlene suggested trying something different like Korean. What do you guys think?"
"I don't feel like eating anything," Chris sighed. "It was hard trying not to punch Charles earlier. It was a good thing he didn't treat us like dirt."
"He couldn't," Mom smirked, looking at him through the mirror. "We saved his butt again, remember?"
"We? Charlie did," Charlene added, making me smile. "She was kidnapped, poison-gassed, and still she managed to get him out of there in record time."
"She also fed him cookies and love letters," Chris added. "I wanted to eat some love letters just now and found only two left in the jar."
"He finished the entire thing?" I said in surprise. "He said he was hungry, but he finished the entire thing?!"
Mom shrugged, signalling to turn left. "I mean, he did say he skipped breakfast."
"That makes sense too, but still?" Chris argued. "My love letters!" He fake sobbed.
I joined in too. "No! Not the love letters!"
Mom and Charlene started laughing at our drama.

I brushed my hair and styled it in a low ponytail. I got ready in formal clothes just as Mom mentioned, only I didn't wear that button up or a pencil skirt. Not even the cardigan, though I dug it up from the back of my dresser. What I ended up wearing was a pair of black slacks and a turtleneck leopard-print blouse.
Well, at least I look professional.
I decided on some makeup, just some powder and some liquid lipstick that came with the set that Mom got me. Of course, I slapped on some lip balm first since this stuff isn't very comfortable to wear. I actually wonder how Mom wears it without anything else.
I fixed my hair a little and sprayed on some perfume before making my way downstairs. Charlene was all dressed in a simple white button-up and dark blue slacks and was turning the television off. Chris soon came down wearing a short-sleeved black button-up shirt, holding onto a pair of leather shoes as he came to us.
"Well, I guess we're all dressed up now," Chris said. "Where's Mom?"
"She's using the toilet," Charlene said, gesturing towards the downstairs bathroom.
Chris sat down and started putting his shoes on. That reminds me, I need to get my court shoes too. Was it in my room, or was it in the shoe rack?
I rummaged in the shoe rack beside the door and found them on the bottom tier. I pulled them out and put on a pair of half-socks before slipping them on. By then, Mom was out, revealing that she had accidentally matched with me by wearing a similar leopard-print blouse.
"Look, we're matching," I pointed out with a grin. "And we didn't even plan this."
Mom smiled in reply. "Guess we have the same ideas."
We waited for everyone finish off before heading out, getting into Mom's car. It was odd how we didn't even feel like fooling around like we usually did, not even Chris. I nudged his arm and gave him an assuring look, to which he nodded I reply.