Vows

Adventure Log - December 7, 2022

Luna appears in Solaire's Meridian Branch fully wide eyed and crying. Toby is finishing up some experiments when he hears it. He rushes out to the waiting room to check on them. "Lunes? What's wrong?"

Krystal's soul inhabits the armor in the corner as before. "Did you see Twitter?"

"No. What happened?" He reads it, and the shock of what was found brings him to the ground. "Oh dear Gods."

The armor nods and with some difficulty, it gently places a hand on Luna's back. "Lunes, you're still together with me. We'll never be apart."

Luna is completely out of it however. She just wanted to be a normal girl. "i'm a monster.. i murdered you.. why are you--" she broken down once more. Krystal and Toby back off and give Luna some space, but stay by her side. She is hyperventilating quite a bit. Krystal and Toby remind her how to breathe and guide her in doing so. It seems to work, though slowly.

"I don't understand. How could this have happened?"

"Unsure. Seems someone got into our blog and posted it. But what makes less sense is that I had that vision and then immediately after, it was posted. I didn't even post the link myself."

"...maybe it was The Ful--" Krystal stops her right there.

"The Full Moon is a myth. It doesn't exist."

"But!" Luna protests

"No, she's right. The Full Moon was proven to be false. Nothing more than a conspiracy theory." Toby says softly.

"...then I genuinely don't understand." her tears seem to have dried up. "All I know is that I'm the reason she's not physically next to me. . I don't know how I can live on.. I'm nothing but a monster. A tool."

Krystal sighs, "you are not a monster. You were used by Solaire. If anyone is a monster here, it's the bastards who caused this! I don't..." she pauses. "Look, what's done is done. I made a vow to you Lunie. Do you remember what it is?"

Luna takes a deep breath and tries to find her vows. Something they had made together on Jane's birthday the year she passed. Luna fights through her mind and looks for any hint of what she could have said. Maybe it will unlock something. Minutes pass. Nothing. The locks are in the way.

With some difficulty, Krystal picks up Luna in the armor's arms and hugs her. Luna continues to trudge through the fragmented swamp that is her memories.

She suddenly feels a warm touch while her eyes are closed. A guiding touch. Comfortable. Familiar.

And then as if a bright light is shone on where the vows are located, Luna remembers. Somehow, she remembers more of her past. The vows. She screams in pain as another lock is removed from her mind.
"...i remember.." she winces. "i remember that you vowed to never let me go. that we would be soulmates for the rest of my lives. I didn't understand what you meant by th--" Luna passes out from the pain of recollection.

Krystal holds onto Luna while she recovers, playing with her fur and petting her. All things Luna misses heavily from their relationship. Being alone for a decade and change will do that to anyone. After some time passes, Luna comes to, tears still in her eyes. But it seems she's beginning to understand.

"Lunes? How are you feeling?" Krystal asks softly. The voice is a little electronic as if passed through the synthesizer, but it still sounds like the Jane Krystal Solaire she loved.

Luna pauses for a moment. "I'm not a monster. I was used by Solaire to murder you. I guess.. they didn't see any of this coming."

Krystal nods. "And this is why I like to be a couple steps ahead of the game. Toby, it's your turn. Explain to Luna what I mean."

"Right. So do you remember the collar Jane gave you when she proposed? The one you're unable to take off?"

Luna points to it. It's blue and spiky, but it seems to be nothing more than a cheap collar from maybe Hot Topic. "What about it?"

"Well, Jane came up to me one day at Solaire asking me about wedding gifts. I originally suggested a ring, but you know how Jane is. She loves emo shit hahaha." he chuckles.

The suit of armor glares at him, but it's lighthearted.

Toby coughs out of awkwardness. "Anyway, the collar isn't just a gothy piece of jewelry. It serves another purpose entirely. And.." he looks over and Krystal nods. "well, I'm guessing she wouldn't like it if I just told you the answer out right. So Luna."

He goes to kneel down in front of her.

"Knowing what admittedly little you do about Solaire, can you figure out why you've never been able to take the collar off? Think about Jane's presence in your mind. I know you can solve this."

"And you know what I always say, think crazy. The answer is quite literally in front of you."

Toby smiles as she works out the puzzle given to her.
Luna takes a moment to really think over everything she knows. She knows that the collar is unable to be removed due to a promise Jane made her. She would never leave her side.

Wait.

Never leave her side. Soul mates forever. Is there a connection between the collar and a soul? But that doesn't make sense right? No. Wait, Solaire. Could Solaire have made a way for Jane's soul to live on?
Luna looks to Toby with tears in her eyes. He nods, as it seems Luna understands.

"Go on Luna. What's your answer?" There are a couple tears in his eyes as well.

"Well, I don't understand what Solaire is about, other than it using me. But something odd strikes me about the collar, Jane's magic, and the fact that despite dying, she never left my side."

She takes a deep breath and declares her answer. Toby smiles.

"Is Jane's soul in the collar?"


Toby and Jane give her a round of applause for figuring that out herself. And then Luna feels hugged by two people. Both Jane and Toby surround her with warm hugs.

"Correct Lunie. My soul was imprinted into your collar just in case I were to pass away. I don’t exactly live in your mind, but you have easy access to me whenever you want it. I told you. No matter what, we would be together. As lovers, as allies, as friends. I do not know what the Worlds have coming for us, but all three of us will face it down together." Krystal sounds serious.


Luna seems to have cheered up greatly on hearing that. Whoever targetted her with trauma needs to be stopped, but at least, she's not going after this alone. She's got Jane. She's got Toby. And she's got [the kiss], and all of her friends on her side and rallying for a victory. Luna may be a solitary person, but she's not alone, no matter what.

"Anyway, ready to head back?" The armor goes lifeless as she travels back to Luna's mind.

{-  I'm sure The Kiss want you back. -}

Luna nods and hugs Toby one more time.

"There there my friend. We're gonna figure this out together. No matter what." he smiles.

Luna and Krystal disappear with the knowledge gained. Knowledge is power, as they say.