The Other Side: A Second Chance

My father's lower eyelid twitched visibly as he smiled and listened to Anne, who sat on her uncle's lap at the edge of the table after a chair was brought over for them. Anne waved her little arms as she spoke about her favorite tales from the stories about the Spellbound Rangers, and my mother giggled and smiled gently as she listened.

Isa, who sat across from me beside my aunt and uncle, leaned forward with her elbow on the table, and her chin rested in her palm as she listened. I could hear her purring gently as her eyes focused on Anne as she hopped up on Oscar's lap and said, "My favorite part of all is when the Spellbound Rangers battled Shul'Kirk, the Necromancer of Aeilhart. Especially at the end, when it's said that you guys blew up his tower and it was thought that Deadeye had died in the explosion! But Moonweaver found his body in the rubble and revived him with a sweet, sweet kiss!"

My father's jaw nearly hit the table, and he raised a finger in protest. "Hold on now—" He started but was silenced by my giggling mother as she grabbed him by the shoulder.

"No, no, I like this version more," she said with a smirk, and I couldn't help but giggle and shake my head as I turned back to the food on my plate. My parents had allowed me to pick whatever I wanted, and well, little old me decided to grab what stood out to me the most: a Yanky Grok-style burger. I hadn't tried foods from other cultures in this world, aside from the few dishes Isa made that were from her homeland. Based on the description, the burger was a well-grilled grok patty with southern seasoning, whatever the hell that is, stuffed between two toasted cheese breads.

What I got was a burger between two grilled cheeses about the size of my head. A sight that would've made the old me salivate. Not saying I wasn't, but I was more or less concerned if I could eat this.

To make matters even more complicated. Varis decided to order the same thing as me, and, well, he's a little bigger than me. And the young bastard did the one thing that ensured I wouldn't back down from this insurmountable challenge.

"I bet I can eat all of this before you can!" He said from across the table in front of me. And I knew at that moment that I couldn't lose. I refused to back down.

Reaching out with my tiny hands, I grabbed onto the side of this gargantuan grilled cheeseburger, and like a snake unhinging its jaw. I did my best to take the largest bite that I could.

"By the gods, Luna, you're going to choke yourself!" I heard my aunt Saria exclaim, and beside me, my mother turned away from Anne and gasped as well.

She then reached over to push the plate away from me, and I whined and wiggled away from her with my food. "No!" I said, "You shall not interfere with my pride!"

"Pride of what? You're going to choke if you keep eating like this!" My mother said as she pried the burger from my little greasy hands.

"No! I don't need outside help!"

"You're not acting very ladylike, Missy!" My mother huffed as, from across the table, I could see him. His multicolored eyes squinted at me with that smug little smile as he nibbled away at his burger.

I squinted back. I won't lose.

After a minute, my mother slid my plate back over to me after cutting up my burger into bite-sized chunks. "You lose," Varis said after swallowing another bite.

I gasped. "Nuh uh!"

"Yes huh!" He smiled as he dabbed at this mouth like a prissy noble kid. "You had momma help you; that's not fair. So you're, uh, dequalified."

"It's disqualified you, dummy!" I huffed.

"Hey! I'm not dumb!"

"Calm down, you two," my mother said, turning back to us. "What are you even arguing about?"

"Varis challenged me in an eating competition!" I pointed a finger at him.

He smiled. "And you helped me win, Momma, thank you!"

"You didn't win!" I huffed.

"Yes, I did!"

"Nuh uh!"

My mother sighed and wrapped an arm around me, and before I knew it, I was being yanked into her side, my head resting against the side of her bosom as she hugged me.

"Wh-what're you doing?" I asked and blinked confusedly.

"Oh, I missed this so much," my mother said happily with a big smile.

My heart melted, and I smiled as well. So did I. I thought and looked to Varis across the table, who seemed a little confused as well, but before he could do anything else, Isa leaned over and yanked him into a hug as well.

"Gyak! Unhand me!" He squealed, and Isa laughed.

"It looked like you wanted a hug as well." She hummed. "Do you not like hugs?"

Varis didn't reply; instead, as Isa pulled him close to her side and chest, he just gave up and relaxed alongside her, his muscles visibly going limp, and he closed his eyes.

"I can't imagine what they've gone through," I overheard Uncle Aenorin say from across the table.

"A lot," Oscar said as he patted the top of Anne's head, who was taking a break to drink her water after her excited rambling. "Out there, there is hell right now." The older elf looked at my uncle. "No place for kids."

My uncle slowly nodded. "So I've heard. The papers have been doing a good job of painting a picture."

Oscar nodded. "Indeed, but seeing with one's eyes, much worse."

The adults nodded their heads, and my father leaned over and asked, "So what brings you all the way out to Heinmarr, Elder?"

Oscar smiled, held a hand up politely, and said, "Please. Oscar is my name. I am not old yet." He chuckled. "I come to see my niece." He bounced Anne on his lap, causing her to squeak and fumble with her drink a bit. "And work." He smiled.

"Work?" My aunt Saria said as she swallowed her food. "What is it that you do?"

"I am artificer engineer for Lambert Arms and Manufacturing." He puffed his chest and smiled as my aunt dropped her fork, and my mother's jaw dropped as both my father and uncle glanced at each other.

An awkward silence fell over our table as Oscar glanced around at each of us. "Something wrong?"

My aunt grabbed her napkin, dabbed at her lips, and shook her head. "No, not at all… I'm just… impressed. What position?" She asked.

"Uh…" Oscar frowned. "I don't… Anne… help." Suddenly, Oscar's voice changed to that of Yanky, and he began to speak to Anne.

Anne's ears twitched, and glancing up, she replied in the same language. Her voice was light and pleasant as the two exchanged words. Finally, the little elf rolled her bright green eyes and said in Maurich, "Uncle doesn't know the words. But he said it's something like a mechanical engineer or something."

"I help design and make Lambert's creations," Oscar said excitedly. "Many weapons I've made, and many inventions I've helped create." He reached down with one hand to his pockets, pulled out every worn wallet, and began to dig through it. After a moment, he pulled out a weathered card and placed it on the table—a card that I couldn't decipher due to it being written in Yanky. "My credentials." He hummed happily as both my mother and aunt leaned over to examine it.

My aunt smiled and nodded as she looked at Oscar and said, "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Reynolds."

My mother nodded as well and said, "That's quite impressive; do you mind if I ask why your work brought you out here?"

Oscar shook his head. "I don't mind. I came for a trade show here." He tapped the table. "In Johanneson. I and my colleagues were here to show off latest invention. The Promethean gun."

My aunt's eyes widened a bit. "Are you referring to the Mithiral Arms trade show?" She asked, and Oscar nodded.

"Yep. Lambert sent me and few colleagues in his place. Show was supposed to happen week ago but cancelled it was for obvious reason." He said with a sad sigh, and we all lowered our heads.

"Uncle," Anne said, breaking the brief, awkward silence. "Would I be able to play with Luna tomorrow?" She asked.

I blinked and perked my head up. "That depends, little one," Oscar said, patting her head. "I do not mind, but ask the Ashflows you must."

"I wouldn't mind it!" I said excitedly that the thought of hanging out with someone else who wasn't an immediate member of my family was surely something I didn't want to pass up.

Anne looked at my parents, and my father glanced at my mother, who sighed. "Well, there are things we need to discuss first before I can answer that," My mother said and glanced at me and then at my father. "For instance, Luna here was offered a job."

"A job?" Both my father and uncle said.

Oh shit, that's right. I thought. With all the shit going on today, I forgot my mother wanted to talk to my father about this!

My mother nodded. "Do you remember Dr. Kegan, love? The man who helped nurse Luna back to health?"

My father's eyes lit up, and he smiled. "Yeah, I remember that egg head. He's an okay guy."

My mother nodded. "Well, he owns a clinic here in town—two to be exact, one in the Helmsworth district, and a newer one in Tretonville."

"So, Dr. Kegan offered you a job, Luna?" Father asked me directly, and I nodded. "Is he aware of what you can do?" I gulped, thought for a second, and then nodded slowly.

My father took a deep breath and shared another look with my mother. For what felt like a minute, the two shared a longing look with each other, almost as if they were having a silent conversation. Knowing my mother, I wouldn't be surprised if they were.

Finally, my mother took a deep breath and said, "I don't think this is a good idea, Luna."

"Why not?!" I blurted out, causing everyone to flinch at my sudden outburst. 'It'll help us make money, and I'll be doing something I enjoy."

My father's face hardened a bit, and I gulped as he leaned forward. "Luna, keep your voice down," he said sternly. "We're in public. Secondly, you heard your mother the day we arrived. If people start seeing what you're capable of, we'll be drawing a lot of unnecessary attention."

"What attention?" My aunt asked curiously as she and my uncle shared another glance.

"Luna's really good at healing people!" Anne suddenly said, "She helped me after I got really hurt by those bad guys."

"Indeed!" Oscar said before leaning down to Anne's ear and whispering in yanky. Suddenly, Anne's expression changed, and she looked away, guilty.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't notice…" I heard her say.

"She can heal people?" My aunt looked at me, and both my parents had their eyes closed, and they sighed.

"It's a long story," My mother said, "But yes. Luna is capable of some incredible feats. We can discuss this side more later. For now," My mother turned to me. "I agree with your father, Luna; as tempting as this may be, it's best if we keep things on the down low—"

"But why?" I whined. "Why do you guys want to stop me? I can help us get the money to buy the tickets."

My mother groaned softly and ran a hand through her hair before she said, "Luna, I understand you want to help. But it's for your own good…" She leaned down to my ear and whispered, "Isa told us what happened between you and that Colonel Hass and how she only recruited you as a tool."

I gulped and nodded. "I know, but… it worked out, didn't it?"

"That one time, yes." My mother nodded. "But there are others out there who may want to take advantage of you, dear."

I frowned. "Are you saying Kegan is taking advantage of me?"

My mother thought for a second and sighed, "Not maliciously, I hope, and it wasn't he who I was referring to, but others."

My father straightened up and cleared his throat before taking a drink of water. He then wiped his mouth and goatee with a napkin and said, "I just had a thought, and I'll allow this on one condition." He side-eyed me and my mother

I wiggled in my seat and said, "And that's?"

"You can work with Dr. Kegan and Isa, but only if you don't use magic."

Isa leaned forward. "But that's the whole reason why he wants to recruit her," she said. "He may change his mind now."

"And that's his right," my father said, "but I won't risk my daughter's personal life because of what she can do."

I gritted my teeth and clenched my fists. I understood clearly why, at least, the adult in me did. If word got out that a young child could cure and heal anyone without any cost, my life would immediately be uprooted. People like Hass, as my mother stated, would be all over me in no time.

Yet at the same time, part of me was furious that my parents were the ones choosing this for me. God, dammit… Dammit! It's like the whole moving away conversation again. I just wish I had my say, but fuck, they're right! I just want to help people, that's all.

I sank into my seat, deflated and having given up. Isa glanced at me from across the table and sighed. "We can talk to Dr. Kegan tomorrow, Luna; I'm sure he'll understand and still bring you on board."

"What about me?" Varis asked. "I want to work too! I want to help, Momma and Papa!"

Isa sighed. "I don't know, Varis; I'd have to ask the good doctor about that too."

My parents nodded. "If that's what you want, boy," my father said with a smile. "But keep in mind, work isn't play time, and you better listen to everything Isa or Kegan says."

"Does that mean Luna won't be able to play tomorrow?" I heard Anne ask, disappointed, from the end of the table.

My mother awed softly and said, "She'll be busy in the morning, dear, but maybe come the evening she'll be able to play, right, Luna?" My mother looked at me.

"Ma-maybe," I said with my arms crossed.

Curse these childish emotions; I feel all grumpy now…

Though such grumpiness would vanish when my mother placed a hand on my head and tussled my hair, "Now, now, no time for pouting. You need to finish up your food." She leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. "And don't be too upset with me, your father; we both love you and are only trying to help," she said, and I felt my cheeks light with flame.

I nodded and said, "I'm not too mad…" I scooted forward in my seat and straightened up. My appetite had mostly left me by this point, but I knew skipping dinner would be a mistake.

I glanced at Anne, and our eyes met. Her big green orbs were glistening with excitement as she waved at me, smiled faintly, and waved back.

"I can still eat faster than you," my brother said, snapping my attention over to him.

"Oh, don't even start with this again!" I exclaimed and laughed along with my family.

As dinner came to a close, my aunt and uncle went to pay for the meal as my family and I began to head out into the city nightlife to find our car. As we stepped out into the early summer air, we were hit by a chilly breeze, which sent both my mother and father shivering.

"Yikes, it's awfully nippy, isn't it?" My mother shuddered, and my father nodded.

Both I and Varis huddled close as Isa placed her hands on our shoulders. "Could be the breeze coming off the river," she said, just as I noticed something shining in the air.

Glinting off the neon lights of signs and animated pictures, drifting along the air before me. I held out my hand just as another cold breeze blew down the street, and upon landing on my palm, I was surprised to see a speck of snow melting against my skin.

Isn't it too early for snow? I thought.