New Beginnings

Ten

Night had already fallen, and "Phos" was still asleep.

Dia and I had been watching the little creature all this time, still squatting there.

Dia picked "Phos" up, placed "them" back in the bowl and stood up.

"Let's go ask around a little bit more. Come on Dan, let's go."

I stood up. "Alright."

Looking back at "Phos", Dia looked at the large moon.

"I'm sure there's someone out there who needs you."

"Yeah, me..." I muttered in reply.

"... and Cinnabar," I suddenly realized.

"Come on Dia, let's ask Cinnabar!"

Dia nodded in agreement.

"But where?" I wondered.

-----------------

A few minutes later, we still couldn't find Cinnabar.

"I'm tired," Dia said with a yawn. I myself am starting to feel a bit tired too. So much for all those nights I spent late doing last-minute homework. Or reading.

"You take a rest first, Dia. I'll keep a lookout for Cinnabar."

"Mmm," she said as she lied down. "Look after Phos for me too, okay?"

"Alright."

Setting the bowl beside me, I sat down.

Looking up at the moon, I allow myself to let my thoughts out.

"That one's not Luna, is it? Too large. Must be one of the newer moons. Oh, there's a small one behind, that's Luna. Damn, the tide sure has changed a lot with 6 more moons around. So where do the Lunarins come from? They said 'the moon', but which one? Ah, I'm overthinking things agai-"

Some odd rustling noises caught my ear.

I looked forward, alert.

No, that won't work. I closed my eyes.

The rustling noises got louder.

Just when they're close enough, I opened my eyes and jumped up.

The bushes parted to reveal Cinnabar crawling out.

"Oh, it's you," I said. "You're attracted by Dia's glow, aren't you?" I said, turning back to look at Dia's hair reflecting everywhere.

"Huh? Cinnabar?" Dia said as she got up, sitting on her legs.

"What are you two doing here?" Cinnabar asked, puzzled.

"It's so dark, I must've fallen asleep" Dia said, shaking her head.

The reflection from her hair got too blinding as the brightest spots moved around, focing Cinnabar and I to cover our eyes.

"Y-you're way too bright!" Cinnabar commented.

"S-sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you..." Dia apologized, before taking off her left glove, tying it around her hair and starting to look around for something.

"Get out of here!" Cinnabar told us coldly before turning around.

"Wait, Cinn!" I stopped her. "We need your help on someth- oh no, Phos!"

Noticing what Dia had noticed earlier, I immediately bent down and started looking.

"Phos is missing!" Dia told me.

"I know, my bad for not looking after her properly! Phos, where are you?!"

"Phos, where did you go?!" Dia called out anxiously. "What are we gonna do? Phos! Phos! This is terrible, what are we gonna do? Cinnabar! Don't go on without me!" Dia shouted as they grabbed onto the mercury-controlling gem. "You and I were both born on the same year, right? Help me look!"