Luna's

Luna’s

Chapter 4

Pushing the rude awakening I received from my mind, I went down the rickety stairs to join Luna in the restaurant. Much to my expectation, the bar was, in fact, empty. I peered around the corner from the stairs to see Luna standing at the bar with her usual bored expression. This time, I couldn’t blame her. The place was dead.

Before venturing out into the dining room, I glanced back up stairs once more. Whoever that pony was upstairs didn’t seem to be coming down behind me. Her soft-spoken words still echoed in my mind, almost like they were haunting me. Luna advised me not to engage with her…but then again, that pony told me not to trust Luna… I sighed. It was a bit circular, but the answer honestly wasn’t that difficult. I shrugged my shoulders in resignation. “I think I’ll take both of their advice,” I muttered before moving forward.

Once I stepped into the bar, the floorboards creaked under my weight, not that the sound of my hoofsteps wouldn’t have given me away. Luna lazily glanced my way. Her exhausted smile greeted me in an oddly warm way. “That didn’t take long,” she said softly, though loud enough to hear. “I was wondering when you would finally come out from behind that wall. Can I get you some coffee?”

I couldn’t stop myself from scanning the empty bar for guests, even though there wasn’t a soul around. “I think I’ll pass tonight,” I replied. After I had satisfied my curiosity, I climbed onto the bar stool and joined Luna. “I would like to get to wake up at a decent hour and after last night…”

“You’re already too late for that, but if you would rather go to sleep early, I won't stop you.” Luna shrugged as she lowered her foreleg from the counter. “Though I thought you liked caffeine.” She giggled, which only made me roll my eyes. “But, if you would prefer, we do have just about anything you could want here.” She softly tapped the counter top.

“Water for now.” I placed my foreleg on the counter and rest my head against my hoof. Watching her prepare a glass of water wasn’t particularly interesting, so I shifted my gaze towards the window. What little hopes I had upon waking were deflated when I was greeted with the wispy haze outside. The forest was still covered in the dense fog from the previous night. I furrowed my brow and growled a bit in frustration. “How is it still foggy?”

Luna placed a glass in front of me. When I looked up to her, I saw she was only smiling that condescending grin. It was the same look she always had when I asked her a question after her silly little limit was reached. “It’s odd…” I clarified.

“What is?” A pitcher filled with ice and water appeared from behind the counter, held aloft in her magic. She poured me a glass, still smiling at me the whole time.

Sadistic mare… I sighed. She enjoyed this game of hers too much. It was obvious she was playing dumb, anything to give me that smirk of hers again when I asked her a question. “It’s odd that there is still fog. One would expect it to clear by now.”

Luna nodded softly. “The fog lasts a long time here. Sometimes days, sometimes weeks.” She giggled again. Two cubes of ice fell into the glass, causing a splash. Before the droplets hit the counter though, she caught them with her magic and funneled them back inside the glass. Her eyes shifted from the water to mine. When our eyes met, I could see a twisted sense of glee. “Even months on a few occasions.”

My eyes went wide for a brief moment. It took a few seconds for what she said to truly sink in. I could feel my heart sink down further in my chest as I stared at her. She was still boasting that smile, clearly enjoying the look of desperation on my face. Slowly, I turned my head back to the window, watching the fog slowly drift by like an endless sea, trapping me in this forest. “Surely, you can't be serious…” I said, weakly.

“I am serious and don’t call me—”

I shot a piercing glare at her, stopping her before she could finish.

She was taken aback for a brief moment before her expression quickly softened to its usual casual self. It wasn't long for a soft smile to appeared on her face once again either. She used her magic to push the water closer to me, which I took with my hoof once it was in reach. “Perhaps one of our regulars might be able to help you out of this forest when they come,” she offered as a consolation, or at least what I assumed was her attempt at consoling. “They are quite the colorful cast, some of them…” She looked towards the window.

I rolled my eyes before folding my forelegs in a huff. “I don’t see how that will help.”

“Others’ experience can help you. After all, they had to get in these woods themselves, right?”

My ears perked up at the mention of that. If they are in this restaurant, then there is a way out. My heart stopped aching with disappointment with that bit of optimism.

Luna giggled again. That sound immediately dashed my new-found hope. It was a prelude to her usual brand of cynicism that I would rather live without. “Though, what luck would it be if they, too, don’t remember how they got here…” My gaze drifted up to see Luna smirking. That same condescending smirk she had when she refused to answer. “It’s a possibility.”

She really is sadistic… I couldn’t hold back my glare, despite how rude it might be. “Why must you always dash my hopes?” I asked, not expecting a response. Indeed, I was right. She only continued that devilish smirk before turning her back to me. My head sunk down into my crossed forelegs on the counter in front of me.

“High hopes only lead to disappointment,” she said before leaving the bar.