○ --SandremSHADE__ ○

 New Moon 

Note: Before I begin, I offer my sincere apologies for completing this oneshot so late. I don't really have an excuse but I realised that planning a story and physically writing it out is a lot harder than simply reading one and reviewing it. The actual content is meant to be longer but I felt bad for taking so long.. so I am posting this now. It is finished, but it's not perfect. I had initially planned for more scenes but they weren't necessary to the plot. Also, the title that you put in the form I personally felt did not match the story because the story had nothing to do with 'Scattered' so I made up a new title - I hope you won't mind. Anyway, thank you for waiting very patiently for such a long time. I sincerely hope you enjoy :)

Fera tries to think of the last time something like this happened to her. She tries to remember the last time she felt the air suck out of her lungs and her ribs. She tries to remember the last time her stomach has dropped like this. She tries to think of the last time that she has felt as though she has truly lost control over everything. She tries to think of the last time she has ever felt like she was free-falling through space to her impending death. She has never felt like this before. She has never free-fallen in her life.

The impending crush that she knows will come comes quicker than she expects. It knocks the breath out of her lungs before the pain of her landing on the hard ground is registered through her senses. All she sees is dirt and darkness. Her lungs feel like they are constricting her, restricting the amount of air she can take in. She can feel herself choking, her lungs suffocating her. As her vision blurs and her mind slowly fades to black, she could almost sense someone close by – a figure watching over her. It is the person she recognises as the one who has made her fall to her death. It is the person she recognises as having trapped her here.

When Fera wakes up again with brief glimpses of her vision returning to her and her eyes able to make out shapes and colours, her lungs grasp in as much air as they can. As she slowly tries to get up, her limbs groaning in protest against her willed mind, she notices that her surroundings are different to what she remembers. Long gone are the tall trees with the thick entanglement of the canopies and long gone is her adrenaline. Long gone is the dark pit where she fell into that she remembers falling into and long gone is the fear that consumed her heart when her captor imprisoned her here.

She realises that there are thick lines in front of her. She doesn’t know what they are but already she feels suffocated (they are meant to trap her). There is nothing but open space in front of her and the thick lines appear to be suspiciously like bars – thick, metal prison bars. She panics for a moment because she doesn’t want to be imprisoned and trapped and not in a cage. She wants to be free of restraints and binds and never inside a cage. She wants to be completely free.

She takes a deep breath as she shakily manages to stand up, having to hold onto the prison bars for support. She realises that she has been lying in a comfortable position when the expected cramps and pains in her limbs disappear the moment she stretches. Adjusting to the dimness, she calls out from her cell, “Hello?” She hopes that there is someone who can get her out. She desperately hopes that there is someone who can free her. She sincerely hopes that her captor is not anywhere near.

Her hopes are shattered when a shadow moves about in the dimness, its shadow prominent in the light. She stares at the shadow and its owner. The presence of the person (she assumes it is a person), cold fear grips at the seams of her soul and gives her no place to run. She cannot scatter. She cannot shake off the fear that shivers down her spine before squirming its way back up again. The person takes another step in her direction, much of their figure being revealed in the dim lighting.

The person is swathed in black. Head to toe, he is covered in black which works to his advantage of scaring her. She takes a small step back, curious yet fearful. When the person is in the light, she realises that it is a boy, a man and he is the one who has her trapped here and he is also the one who made her fall into that dark pit and he is the one who made adrenaline run through her veins as she sprinted through the woods, looking for an escape. He is the one who has baited her and caught her here. He is the reason that she is here.

“W-Who are you?” she asks. She is expectant of an answer but not quite sure of what she should expect to hear.

“Kevin,” he replies simply. “And that is all you need to know.” His face is handsome and his features only complete his complexion. If Fera is not so scared, she would say that he was hot. Unfortunately for him, his looks put him at a great disadvantage because she is scared of him and what he can do to her.

“W-” she takes in a deep breath and starts again, “Where am I?”

“In Neverland.”

She does not know where Neverland is but for now, she does not want to know. For now, she is still figuring out the mystery that is Kevin. She feels as though he is not a mystery because she has known him from somewhere but she can’t remember where (there is a familiarity in his face and way he speaks, commanding power and attention with his every word, that she cannot quite put her finger on).

There are six scratches in the ground, carved by Fera’s dirty fingernails. It has been six days since she has been trapped here. It has been six days of feeling eyes bore into her flesh and skull. It has been six days since she has felt the presence of Kevin, her captor, envelop her. It has, in her opinion, been far too long. A part of her asks why she has not dared to break free yet. A part of her already knows the answer. The Fera who is strong and daring is hidden beneath fear and insecurities.

The delicious wafts of food, presumably her breakfast, make their way to her as her meal comes closer to her. She is aware that Kevin comes down with her breakfast. Afterwards, he sits outside of her cage and watches her. Occasionally, he will try and engage her in conversation but the conversations never last long (a vain attempt on his part and a deliberate attempt on hers). The rest of the time he will stare at her and scrutinise her every move. She feels suffocated under the pressure of his eyes and she feels the need to try and show her defiance in every way possible (even if the food is delicious). She decides that she needs to be brave. She decides that it needs to be today. (It has already been far too long.)

When her food settles down in front of her and Kevin sits opposite her, outside of the cage, she manages to open her mouth. “When can I go home?” The memories of her mother nagging her whenever she tried to cram too much food into her mouth and her little sister’s face lightening up at the mention of a lolly spring to the front of her eyes. The memories of her best friend teasing her about her new crush and the proud grade on a recent exam paper only make her feel even more homesick. For days, she has been wondering when she can go home – if she ever gets the chance to go home.

She studies Kevin’s expression. His face does not change for a moment. It remains expressionless as she waits for his answer. Immediately, he turns livid and angry and Fera is back to cowering in fear, the state that she has been in for the past few days. She stares at the man before her whose fury cannot be contained. He is outraged (and a part of Fera wishes that she never asked at all). “Are you really looking forward to going home and leaving me?” His tone is angry and frightful, shocking her at its volume and ferociousness.

When she manages to focus on what he has just asked, she stares at him. What kind of question was that? Her fear is suddenly forgotten as she stares at him incredulously. “Yes! Of course I am looking forward to leaving! I don’t want to be trapped in a cage with no one for company and no freedom at all!”

Fera realises a second too late that she may have said the wrong thing. She watches as his hands stretch, forming into vicious and sharp claws. She watches as his arms extend, protruding cracks in his skin clearly evident the closer he comes towards her. The tip of his claw scratches her cheek, easily drawing blood. She freezes, fearing the worst. What if he kills her? What if puts her through a lot of pain before killing her? What if-? Her thoughts are unceremoniously interrupted when she hears him speak in a low voice, “You are never going to leave.”

Abruptly he turns and leaves her presence, his claws turning into hands. He leaves her there, shaking in fear of what is to come over the next few days, weeks, months, years (eternity). There really is no hope left for her at all.

Raonak sometimes stares at himself and then Kevin and wonders how the two even became friends. They are completely different when it comes to their magic. Kevin prefers to use dark magic to scare people and manipulate them to be where he wants them to be. Raonak prefers to use colourful magic to entertain and amuse others and use their good attitudes towards him to ask for favours. They are completely different when it comes to their appearance. Kevin is somewhat tall but everything about him is dark. Raonak is also somewhat tall but he is more open and prefers to wear colour, as opposed to Kevin who simply wears black. The two are completely different when it comes to wooing a girl in order to be more powerful. Kevin prefers to trap them and then get to know them, hoping that they will fall in love with him. His method has never worked. (Maybe that’s why he always kills them.) Raonak prefers to approach the girl, befriend her and then make her fall in love with the charming persona that he wears and the magic he performs. It always works.

For centuries, trapped between time and space, Raonak has wooed many girls. In turn, it has made him more powerful. Kevin has not been as successful. So in order for him to be more powerful, he resorts to visiting the devil and obtaining the heart of a guardian fairy for the devil to devour in return for more power. Somewhere along the line, Raonak is sure that Kevin has sacrificed his own heart in order to keep the devil pleased. This time, Raonak really wants to help him – he really does.

“Why don’t you give her a bit of freedom?” he suggests, hoping that his friend will consider the idea. “Let her have her own room and explore Neverland – she might love it.” But Raonak knows because Kevin has been his friend for centuries that Kevin does not like a change of routine, especially a routine that has been practised for centuries. However, because Raonak has been his friend for centuries, he knows his friend better than anyone. He is aware that his friend possibly likes the girl, more than he should have and certainly more than he could afford. “Maybe she’ll love you.”

Kevin is silent. Outwardly scoffing the suggestion presented, Kevin is aware that Raonak’s idea will reap better results than his current method. Maybe she would love Neverland. Maybe she would love him (and he would do anything to make her do so, no matter the doomed ending that their love would endure at the end.)

Kevin watches Fera sleep. She is breathtakingly beautiful, like the first time that he saw her. It is the reason that he wants to have her, keep her forever. His hands touch the bars of her cage and immediately they vanish. Using his magic, he levitates her and brings her up to her room and places her on the bed that he has prepared for her. He watches her as she settles down, immediately adjusting towards her new environment. Her locks fall in front of her face, never obstructing her beauty but only illuminating it.

“Why are you doing this?”

She has been awake all along. She sits up on the bed, eyes wide and staring at him. During her time trapped in the cage, she thought that she would have to spend the rest of her life there. She seriously thought that she would never be able to see the day of light ever again. She thought that Kevin is predictable. She knew his next move and what he was going to move. But what he has done has contradicted everything she thought about him. She did not know him at all.

Kevin freezes, reluctant to give an answer. “Dinner will be served soon. Dress up a little.”

“I don’t have anything else to wear.”

He closes his eyes. How could he forget? He sits down her bed and grips her arm. Immediately, she fights against his touch and tries to protest but an overwhelming sensation consumes her. She closes her eyes. She does not know what is happening but she cannot feel anything. All she can feel is the firm grip on her arm. It is the only thing that she knows.

When she opens her eyes, she is amazed at what she sees. He has brought her to see fairies. They glow like little fireflies, each one with its own unique colour as they quietly whisper among themselves at the sight of a girl. Every one of them is different from the next, from their clothes made of marvellous silk and glorious fabrics to their fancy hairstyles of sophisticated braids. Fera cannot help but be awed as she watches them dance in and out amongst the trees. She lets them take her away.

Later, when Fera comes to dinner, the fairies have done their magic and they wait anxiously for Kevin’s approval. Her dress, a simple design but in itself quite sophisticated, is beautiful as she glimmers in fairy glitter. For the second time, Kevin can feel his breath being stolen away.

(The fairies let out a sigh. Kevin will not come for them tonight.)

Fera feels that sensation again – the sensation that tells her she is being transported to another location in this magical land. She closes her eyes but fear still grips her spine. Kevin’s firm grip on her arm is the only thing that she is familiar with and the only thing that she can hold onto. Without it, she would not be able to tell the difference between herself being transported and freefalling. When she can finally feel the ground beneath her feet and the sound of gushing water and the fresh air, Fera keeps her eyes closed.

“Open your eyes.”

Slowly, she lets her eyes open. She is not disappointed. The scenery presented in front of her is truly spectacular. The pristine waterfall gushing down the slopes gives the small pixies, slightly bigger than the fairies and less fluttery, a place to live. The vegetation around the waterfall only contributes to the beauty of it – being a variety of colours, shapes and sizes. She stares at them as they go about their normal tasks, humming a common tune and moving to the beat. They do not notice her at first but one by one, they turn to her. They are surprised but wear warm and welcome smiles on their faces.

She watches as they all crowd around Kevin, low muttering voices as she is sure they whisper about her. One of them whispers something into his ear and he laughs. The sight of Kevin laughing surprises Fera because never in this life has she imagined him laughing before. She always envisioned him to be evil and even if he laughed, it would be an evil laugh. Seeing him laugh heartily and sincerely, genuine happiness displayed on his face – it feels funny and weird and for once, she thinks maybe he is human. Maybe she could give him a chance. Maybe she could stay here with him. (Slowly, without her realising it, her heart is slowly inching towards the very man who trapped her.)

“Fera is very pretty, beautiful in fact.”

The statement catches Kevin off-guard as he turns to his friend, surprised. It is common for Raonak to comment on girls and whether they are pretty or not. But since Kevin has been his friend for centuries, he knows that Raonak has never called a girl beautiful before. Besides, how does his friend even know what Fera looks like?

“You’ve seen her.”

“I have.”

The sudden agitation that stirs inside of Kevin sparks his short temper. He feels something else that burns in the pit of stomach and he wants to spit it in his friend’s face. “Don’t look at her – ever.” His tone is murderous and Raonak realises that he may have crossed the finely drawn line between them, that Kevin likes his prisoner more than he should have.

“No.” Raoank refuses to back down because of a silly request.

There is no hesitation. “Then we can’t be friends anymore.” Kevin glares at him. Raonak glares back before he turns swiftly and leaves. Raonak does not reply nor does he show a sign of either complying or denying. But Kevin has been his friend for centuries. Kevin knows the answer better than anyone else. So be it.

(That’s it – centuries of friendship and mutual trust come to an end, all because of a girl.)

“Don’t you have any friends?” She asks him out of curiosity as the elves weave their way around her, chatting amongst themselves in excited voices. He stares back at her, surprised that she would ask.

“I did.”

Fera is quiet for a moment. Her mind tends to analyse everything over even when she really shouldn’t because it is crossing the line. “But you’re no longer friends because…”  He does not answer her. Instead, he prefers to remain silent. However, she has never been one to give up especially when she no longer fears him anymore and when her curiosity is awakened. “Why aren’t you friends anymore?”

“It’s none of your business,” his voice is cold and has an edge to it that tells her that this topic of conversation is better left untouched. Under normal circumstances, Fera would have let it go and kept her mouth shut. But Fera knows the man who has captured her and knows he would never harm her (at least, she hopes so). She is unsatisfied with his answer and will not settle for anything less than the truth.

“But why?”

“You don’t need to know.”

“Can’t you tell me why? I thought we were friends,” Fera isn’t exactly sure what they are but she thinks they’re friends because he’s been nice to her over these past couple of days.

“Friends?” he questions almost disbelieving.

“Yes. Is it because I’m friends with you now that you’re no longer friends with that other person?”

“Yes-no… No!”

“Why yes?”

“Because I like you.”

Her senses freeze for a moment because she almost cannot believe that this is all happening. It seems surreal and unrealistic that her brain immediately disappears and she can’t think about anything else anymore. She can see him, out of the corner of her eyes; look away – ashamed as to what he has done and the chances that he has ruined everything. He thinks that the situation is beyond repair because he’s freaked her out and she would never fall in love with him. What was he thinking? She would never fall in love with him. He does not want to look at her anymore because all the sacrifices he made to obtain her love are no longer important nor were they enough.

“Hey, look at me,” she gently beckons him. Her hands guide his head so that she is facing him again. He lets her do so but her eyes are cast down, afraid to look at her. Fera almost cannot stop the blissful feeling spreading through her insides and threatening to explode. She moves and closes her eyes, aware that he is not expecting it. She takes him by surprise when she kisses him. His mouth tastes funny. It is everything she imagined and nothing she expected. But she feels happy and everything feels right.

(And even though he sacrificed his heart to the demons, Kevin can feel his ‘heart’ warm up anyway.)

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