Chapter 71. Similar Interests

Looking back at Luna, her eyes widening in silent surprise, all I could do was sigh. ‘Nobody comes here, that was why I enjoyed being here so much.’ However we had gotten complacent, Luna was now seeing another creature I was close with. “I heard your first year, you were dragged down under the water… Was it perhaps this magical creature?” Luna asked, walking around the brush and over to me. I sighed, that rumor still being around three years later. “Where did you hear of that drivel?” I asked, while Val slithered to Luna, chirping as he slithered around her bare legs.

As Luna faced away from me, I heard her expel air in little bits at a time. ‘Is she… Laughing?’ I stared at her wavy blonde hair bouncing as she bent down to pet Val. “She pets me like you do!” Val chirped as he continued to splash around in the water. I quickly took my own shoes and socks off, as well as my own robes, letting the bottles I had stored clink as they settled on the ground. Underneath was just my silken pants, vest and a long sleeved shirt, both made from the least fine thread my mother dared let my skin touch. It was still very high end, but it was the cheapest I had. ‘I was supposed to use that Pepperup to stay around Abarrane for longer tonight but…’

I sighed while hiking up my own pants, and getting into the shin high waters. Luna glanced back at me, but I focused more on Val wrapping around her arm, flicking his tongue out in happiness. “Alright. I think-” I held out my arm to collect Val, but it was suddenly taken from the familiar feeling of suction cups. With that feeling, I was suddenly dragged down on my back. I just laid on my back, looking at the overcast clouds while Abarrane excitedly touched and felt around my body, much like a mother does when her son is gone for a long time.

I then noticed a single tendril gently raise to Luna, and to my shock, I never saw an ounce of revulsion or fright in her gaze. Pansy felt frightened, I felt scared when meeting Abarrane for the first time, but Luna seemed usual. Well… As usual as this strange character goes. She stared down at me, blinking a few times before placing the tendril in her hand, gaining the smallest of smirks as it coiled around her hand. “Do you like them too…?” She asked, looking at the tendril, making me wonder if she was talking to me or Abarrane.

She then glanced at me, clarifying her question. “Magical creatures I mean… I saw you pet the Thestral for your carriage…” I slowly sat up, Val slithering over to me, and coiling around my arms along with Abarrane. I continued to stare at her with shock, my mouth slightly agape as she spoke, looking over every inch of Abarrane’s tendril attached to her. “I see them too… There are many things that exist, but aren’t seen yet.”

Despite my attempts, my lips curled upwards into a smile, just looking at Luna. Finally another to share my interest, nay, love of magical creatures. I had no idea why, but I felt that I should show her more. The walls that I kept up for everyone, quickly opened their gates at the opportunity of finding someone with similar interests. Pansy was a close friend that I held dearly, and a desire for learning magic and potions, but magical creatures was not one of them. She liked Val, since he was a common black snake, but she held fear and apprehension towards anything large. I saw it when she first looked at Abarrane. Not that I could blame her, but meeting someone who truly, from the bottom of their heart, loved magical creatures the same as me? I had to know more.

“Would you like to see all of her?” I asked, pointing at Abarrane’s tendril Luna was still grasping. Luna, without hesitation for the first time I had seen, nodded as she turned towards me. I then took my wand as I stood up, placing it on Abarrane’s tendril attached to Luna. I took a deep breath, and gently placed it on Abarrane’s squishy skin. The dull sound of ringing filled my ears. Soon, Abarrane took half her tendrils from me, and wrapped themselves around Luna. “Hold your breath.” I ordered while glancing at Luna.

I heard Luna gasp just as we were both dragged down under the waves together. “*s ***s a*o***r fr***d?” Abarrane asked, full of warmth, a stark contrast to the icy waters she inhabited. I nodded, knowing she was asking if it was someone I considered good. Abarrane’s massive yellow eye glowed, illuminating itself in the darkness as she studied Luna. I glanced at Luna, silently hoping I wasn’t pushing too much too fast. Once both of our breaths were running out, we were thrown back to the surface, I coughed from some water getting in my lungs. ‘Still happens from time to time…’ I thought with a slight frown.

I then glanced at Luna to see how she thought, or at least make my best guess. Luna’s eyes were opened wider than usual, and her mouth was slightly agape as she huffed. Her flushed face not an indication of anything from the Pepperup potion I gave her. I then felt a shiver run down my body as a breeze blew past, taking my heat with it. Luna glanced at me, her widened gaze remaining, the most I could see was different about her expression.

She then, without a word, came up to me, and latched onto me. “I- Hey! What are you-?” I stammered in confusion, and she quickly answered back. “I took your Pepperup… I thought I should give some of it back…” She said candidly, soon I noticed the warmth her body gave to mine. I let out a sigh as I felt warmer, before coming back to my senses and pushing her off of me. “I’m fine… Ventus.” I used my wand, and dried myself off with hot air, a spell I learned just for this instance.

I looked back at Luna, staring at the lake. I dried her clothes for her, and she looked back at me. “You really are nice…” I frowned at her blatant manor of speech, coughing before changing the topic at hand, ignoring Val’s giggling chirps as he slithered around me. “Do you want to see Abarrane again?” Luna tilted her head, looking down at her hand with Abarrane’s tendril still latched on, mirroring mine. “Did you name her…?” She suddenly asked, staring deeply in my eyes again.

I was stunned by her sudden change of topic, but nodded. “Yes. It’s much more convenient than saying her species.” She hummed while petting the small portion of Abarrane attached to her. “Have you named others…?” I paused at her question, before shrugging with a nod. “Yes.” I acknowledged, however, not speaking more on the subject. Luna turned to me, blinking as she stared deeply into my eyes, finally speaking after her lost track of mind returned its course. “Can I meet them…?”

I frowned at her, squinting my eyes judging her. “Why?” Luna turned her gaze past me, her eyes glazing over as she continued to feel Abarrane. “Magical creatures and animals have always been what I’m most comfortable around… I always want to see more…” I felt my chest clench from her words, feeling as if they were lifted from my own lips. I gulped, my head yelling at me to keep silent, wanting to keep her away, seeing the crest of the raven adorning her chest. At odds with it, I wanted to show her Gaynor, I wanted us to discover Magical Creatures together, I wanted us to be friends.

“Do you have a fear of spiders?” I asked, Luna pausing a moment before answering. “Not particularly… Are you referring to Acromantula's?” I stuttered a bit, her sky blue eyes focusing back on me. “Uh, yes. I happened to help a blind one in the forest, and have been taking care of her ever since.” “What’s she like?” Luna immediately asked, stepping closer to me, her eyes starting to shine in contrast to her still flushed face. Just as I was about to speak, I felt the rain starting to come down from above us. “We should talk inside, I don’t want to dry off your clothes again.” I motioned with my head back towards the castle.

Luna silently looked down at Abarrane, before waving her tendril as a goodbye. When she began to leave, I took the tendril I still had, and placed my wand against it. “It was fun. Thank you.” I whispered, using my wand to help send my feelings of thankfulness, and joy to her. She immediately wrapped her arms around me again, telling me to come back tomorrow. “*t *as so *ood to s** *o* *ot*. Co** aga** soo*” By the time she was done, and I left, I was soaked again. I sighed while drying myself off, soon Luna walked over, holding her things as the rain began coming down harder. I glanced down at her feet to see she was still barefoot. “Where are your shoes?” I asked, with a raised eyebrow, my hands pausing midway from collecting my things. Luna glanced back towards the castle, avoiding eye contact as she spoke. “They always turn up in a day or two…”