Eliott and Yumi stepped out into the courtyard, the sunlight gently warming the stone path. Yumi had insisted she needed "fresh air to recover from bored."
Eliott carried a tiny basket of morning pastries, because he knew she'd complain about being hungry soon.
They walked slowly, the garden bright and peaceful, a perfect contrast to Yumi's chaotic energy.
Yumi was stretching her arms when Eliott suddenly said,
"You know… the Moon Festival is coming soon."
Yumi paused mid-stretch.
"Moon… Festival? What do you do? Sacrifice ? Danceing ? Summon ghosts?"
Eliott dropped the basket. "WHAT?! No! Why would you think that?!"
Yumi shrugged. "This castle feels like that kind of place."
Eliott pressed a hand to his forehead.
"It's not that kind of place, My Lord."
"Okay, then what happens at this Moon Festival?" she asked, now curious.
Eliott hesitated.
"Well… it's just a rumor, but…"
Yumi immediately lit up.
"Oooo, gossip? Tell me everything."
Eliott sighed, defeated.
"Fine. But don't take it too seriously."
He cleared his throat dramatically like he was about to tell a campfire story.
"A long time ago, they say the moon watched over the first king.
And when the king was lonely, the moon granted him… someone."
Yumi blinked. "Someone? Like a gift? A lover? A pet?"
"A person, My Lord," Eliott corrected.
"Someone chosen. Someone connected. A soul that belongs beside yours."
Yumi froze slightly.
"That sounds illegal," she whispered.
Eliott ignored that.
"Anyway, the rumor says… if that person ever disappears, the moon takes them back.
And the king — or whoever was chosen — must fulfill a certain task to get them again."
"Task?" Yumi asked, eyes sparkling. "Like a quest? A mission? Delivering pizza?"
Eliott sighed.
"…No pizza. Something more mysterious
Ahhh.... My lord what that pizza Is ."
Yumi smiling "nothing.. nothing"
He continued with a sighed:
"They say… the moon gives three warnings.
Three signs.
And if you understand them all… the person returns."
Yumi raised an eyebrow.
"What signs?"
Eliott ticked them off on his fingers.
"One — a scent
Two — I don't know "
Three — I don't know."
Yumi with a face like I will kill you.
Scent like??
Eliott didn't notice her expression and kept talking.
"But it's just a rumor! People say it's not true — just a festival story for kids."
Yumi cleared her throat loudly.
"Ahem. Yes. Kids. Rumors. Totally fake. Hahaha."
Eliott narrowed his eyes.
"…Why are you laughing like that?"
"No reason!"she snapped quickly.
They walked a little more.
But inside Yumi's head…
The scent.
I bet it will smell like a fresh fresh poop
She forced herself to smile and look away.
"Such a silly rumor," she said.
Eliott nodded. "Yes, very silly."
But Yumi's heart thumped once, heavy.
Then she was the "person granted by the moon."
And someone…
somewhere…
was trying to get her back.