Naughty Luna

Chapter 2: Out of the Shadows

The night air was cool against Luna's skin as she managed to enter the crowded streets of the city, and her heart sped with the thrill of having barely escaped. Cars went zipping by, little metallic flashes against pursing neon glares, and whirled by some hurriedly moving people whose faces glowed with the illumination from their tiny devices-all around her, earth was really chaotic and alive, completely the opposite of Zarythia's peaceful and crystal-clear beauty.

For one astonishing moment, Luna froze-she was too shocked to feed the other details in her mind. Then, her hand went to reach up to the cracked green jewel hanging at her throat, which still pulsed faintly but critically low on energy reserves.

The location of the stolen shard is secured within a weak projection matrix that had once etched its image into her memory from the hospital. Somewhere in this dread space, the thief bore a fragment of that precious token that connected her to Zarythia. To lose it would mean losing the chance to go back home.

Growling from her stomach refocused her on immediate needs: energy, food, and shelter. These were new challenges for a person who had lived as a pampered warrior princess all their life, with boundless resources available.

Undeterred by her plight, Luna held herself as if she were royalty. Emerald eyes scanned the assembly with an analytical gaze while auburn locks cascaded like molten fire over her shoulders. Indeed, her figure, almost human but not quite, soon sent lusty glances from passersby whom Luna paid no mind. Every stride she took with intent saw her short skirt swinging along vertical lines, each measured for balance between grace and predatory instinct.

"Focus," she muttered to herself. Her charm and cunning mind were her key tools at this point. If she played her cards right, she could manipulate even the most chaotic systems of Earth to her benefit.

She turned into a narrow alley toward the interior instead of walking under the glaring lights of the main street. She was cloaked into shadows where the hum of distant conversations and honking horns seemed muted. The faint sound partially picked up by the sharp hearing of Luna was of shuffling hurried footsteps just behind her.

She spun around and stopped in her tracks. 

A wiry man with tattered clothes emerged from behind the shadows, and his eyes, which moved about nervously, were the only signs of life. His hands trembled as he held a small, crude blade. "Empty your pockets," he said sharply, but with a shaky voice that revealed high anxiety.

With an amused tilt of her head more than in fear, Luna chuckled at her own thoughts: "Do I look like a person with money?"

The man eyed her for a schism second but was too battered by desperation to give credence to caution. "I said empty your pockets!"

Luna smiled mischievously. She came a little nearer now, moving slowly and deliberately. "You really think that pathetic little thing's gonna scare me?"

The man faltered in his grip, then took a step back. Something about her voice, her presence taught him that it's not a good time.

In an instant, Luna closed the distance between them. Her hand shot out, grabbing his wrist with a grip that felt quite strong. She twisted it in a quick movement that made his blade fall to the floor with a loud clatter, all while the man yelped in pain.

"Lesson one," Luna murmured close to him so that her emerald eyes were fastened on his. "Never underestimate your opponent."

The man winced, nodding like crazy. 

She released him to see him shamble backward, nursing his wrist. "Get out of here," she ordered. "Before I change my mind. "

He didn't need to be told twice. The man bolted, disappearing into the darkness.

Luna sighed and brushed back her hair. After all, that was what this meeting brought to mind, the fact that this world could change in a moment. She needed allies fast.

She shifted back onto the street and saw the television that's being announced by the shop window nearby. It was a group of uniformed people—soldiers—standing at attention. Sergeant Ethan Cole was one of them, with his piercing blue eyes glaring out from the screen, as a news anchor droned on about another military operation.

Luna went weak in the knees. Ethan's grip, his powerful presence, and the curiosity in his gaze flashed back when she thought about him. He was not just another Earthling; he was dangerous yet oddly... interesting.

Her brain whirred with possibilities. The military must have every resource, intelligence, and even technology to aid her in finding the missing segment. Ethan was her ticket inside.

But she would have to charm him into it. She couldn't expose herself; not now. She needed to think of a plan, some method to ensnare him without raising suspicion.

Wandered into a soothing cafe in the streets. Lights twinkled, making it impossible not to enter. From the end of the corner seat, she watched the humans around her: excited, giddy, whispering, and fighting; all looked so exposed. 

The young waitress came to her table with a smile. It did look like a tired one. 'What can I get for you?' 

Hesitation and then pointing to an item on the menu all colourful and completely indecipherable to her. The waitress gave a nod and scribbled it down before she left. 

Now, it was just her and her tracks awaiting the next move. The new appearance was both a gift and a curse. It meant that she will stand out, but what a wonderful edge it could give her; it could put on the mask of whatever it made to survive on this earth. 

The waitress brought the food, setting it in front of Luna. It was strange to her, with its mixed combinations of texture and smell, but hunger won against caution. She took a fork and began to eat as the flavors were new and delightful to her. 

With every bite, conviction grew. She wasn't just a lost princess anymore. She was a survivor now, a warrior, and now a woman on a mission.

As Luna walked out of the café, she took her last look back towards the table she had occupied. She found the meal more than satisfactory, as if the Earth flavors felt different to her palate. Her fingers roamed around the wad of cash tucked away in her pocket, bringing a sly smile to her lips.

Earlier, when the desperate man had threatened her with his knife, she had disarmed him and then forcibly deprived him of his wallet. Enough bills were inside for a meal plus a balance to spare. It was only just to pay for the hassle he might have caused and to make him learn a lesson about his victim choices.

Luna had satisfied her hunger and sharpened her wits and was now stepping into the cool night, her rich emerald eyes surveying the chaotic city streets stretched out before her. Somewhere out there was the thief still roaming who had snagged her stone, and she would find them.

As she turned a corner, her instincts flared. A shadow moved in her peripheral vision, subtle but unmistakable. Luna stopped, and her muscles tensed as she prepared to act.

She whirled on her heel, her gaze darting into the darkness, but the figure was gone swallowed by the city's labyrinth of alleys.

Luna exhaled slowly, her hand brushing against the fractured stone still secured on her chest. Earth was proving to be a battleground unlike any she had faced before. But she was ready for the challenge.

The game was just beginning.