Moonlight Demon

The Passing Festival, Part 2: Sinneah

This is all very loud,  Sinneah thought, scowling as the noises surrounding her just wouldn't cease. 

Strangely enough, it looked like she was the only one being annoyed by all of this. The humans all around her looked happy, and Sinneah wondered if this was just something she couldn't understand due to her half-dragon nature. 

Well, she thought she was the only one. There was one other person who didn't have a smile on her face, and it was Yumi, who was standing to Sinneah's right. The draconic woman spoke up, making Yumi flinch as she was startled by Sinneah's voice. 

"Do you not enjoy this?" Sinneah asked. 

"Hm? No, no, it's just... Different from what I read about." 

"What do you mean?" Sinneah asked. 

"In the stories, parties like these were often done after something great. Something good, like the death of a great demon. But, these people seem to be celebrating someone's death with loud music and wild dances. I do not understand it," Yumi stated as she looked around with an analytical expression. 

There was a lot Yumi had just said that Sinneah had no knowledge of. The ideas of "celebration", "music", and "dancing", were all foreign to her. The first of those words, however, sounded pretty to her ears, and she asked about it. 

"What is a 'story'?"

When she heard that, Yumi turned toward her. 

"Hm... Well, it's something like an invention, but, of the mind," Yumi explained as she looked away from her. "You sort of... make something up that didn't actually happen." 

"Can you show me?" Sinneah asked and, at that, Yumi smiled. 

"Certainly. Let's say... Once upon a time, I was walking down this street, and I ran into a half-dragon woman, just like you, and we fought, and I lost." 

"Really!?" Sinneah asked, shocked to hear that. 

"No," Yumi laughed. "Sinneah, like I said, it didn't actually happen. That's what a story is. Well, a fictional one, anyway." 

"... Oh," Sinneah replied, and something about how she said that must have been funny because Yumi laughed even harder. 

However, the woman then gestured at the large building behind them. 

"Would you like me to show you a few? I have a couple of books if you'd like to learn more." 

Before answering, Sinneah gave one last look at the humans around her, all laughing and jumping around joyously. 

... There is nothing for me here. 

"Sure," she said, turning toward Yumi. 

"Very well, then." 

As she said that, the two of them walked back into the Manor, side-by-side. As per usual, some of the workers Sinneah passed by looked up at her with surprise and fear, but she had gotten accustomed to it. Yumi led her down a hall to the right where she entered their shared room, and here, she walked up to one of the drawers. 

Specifically, she walked up to the one that Sinneah had stored her father's eyes in. 

Sinneah's eyes widened and she ran forwards, grabbing Yumi by the wrist and stopping her. 

At that, shocked, Yumi looked up at her. 

For some reason, the expression she wore made Sinneah let go instantly. 

"Sinneah?" Yumi asked. "What was that about?" 

"... I..." She remembered her father's words but she wanted to disregard them. She didn't feel like this woman would take them, though she didn't really know her too well yet, either. With conflicting feelings, she simply stood aside and clenched her hands into fists. 

Wordlessly, she let Yumi continue. 

I... I will see her reaction first. Then, I will react accordingly.  She told herself. 

Still looking at her, but with an arched brow, Yumi pulled the drawers open and looked into them. 

"Well, let me see, I have... Huh?" When Yumi's gaze fell on Gurron's eyes, Sinneah tensed up. "What are these things? They look like rocks. I didn't bring them with me." 

"... They are mine," Sinneah replied. 

"Oh?" Yumi looked over at her. "And, what are they?" 

"..." Sinneah didn't want to say. Her father had told her to be careful with them, after all. Maybe because Yumi didn't know what they were, she wouldn't steal them. 

"... Uh, I suppose it is irrelevant," Yumi shrugged, putting them back in and then taking out two books. "Here, sit with me. I'll show you." 

"Yes," Sinneah replied and the two went to the bed, where they sat by the edge, next to each other. 

Honestly, Sinneah didn't like spending too much time in this place. Mainly, because Yumi's scent always filled it, and it had a way of clouding her mind. Whenever it reached her nose, she couldn't really think straight. 

She was feeling that way right now, actually, being this close to Yumi. 

"So," Yumi crossed one leg over the other, "this one is about- oh, lean in a little, so you can see the pretty pictures," Yumi told her and Sinneah nodded, doing so. 

It didn't make her situation any better. 

"Like I was saying, this one is about a knight, or, a fighter, who was enlisted to save this girl in a demon-infested castle. And..." 

As she spoke though, Sinneah found her eyes looking away from the book. Instead, they fell on the woman's crossed legs, under the book. She didn't know why they trapped her eyes so effortlessly, but the woman's thick legs, made visible by the tightness of the pants she had on, felt good to look at. 

Her eyes ran up Yumi's body to her narrow, elegant face. As Yumi said things that Sinneah didn't hear, due to how distracted she currently was, Sinneah watched her silver eyes moving back and forth as they scanned the pages in front of her. She had a little smile, as well, as though she really enjoyed talking about this. 

Mmm... Sinneah thought.  Is there a word to describe this? My father didn't teach me any that fit... 

"... and, when he got there, he was told that actually, the princess was in a different castle entirely, and- Sinneah?" 

Yumi turned toward her, her brows raised. 

"Hm?" 

"What are you doing?" Yumi asked, blushing. 

"What do you...?" However, as Sinneah spoke, she caught something out of the corner of her eyes. Her own left hand had come up and was currently massaging her chest. Her nipples felt far more sensitive than usual but in a good way.

Hm? When did I start doing that? 

Yumi's face increasingly grew redder. They remained in awkward silence for a moment, before Yumi cleared her throat and looked away. 

"Please, focus," she said, before sneaking a glance toward Sinneah's chest that the half-dragon caught. "I'm explaining something." 

"Sorry," Sinneah replied. "Can you start over?" 

"Yes, it's okay, just pay attention. Now, from the top, there was once this fighter who..." 

As Sinneah actually started to listen to what was being said, she found herself interested. Granted, every couple of sentences Yumi would have to pause and explain different concepts so that Sinneah could keep up. But, anytime she was understanding what was being said, she found herself enthralled. 

"What's this?" She asked, tapping one drawing. 

"Oh, that's the princess!" Yumi began to explain. "She is the daughter of the royal family and a very important figure. This is who the knight is trying to rescue, understand?" 

"Ohh, I see," Sinneah nodded. 

"Yes! It's funny though," Yumi chuckled, "I had expected the lord of Onyx to be just as beautiful as the women in these stories, but, she ended up being rather plain-looking." 

One of those words made Sinneah pause. She narrowed her brows. 

"What does that mean?" 

"Which word?" Yumi asked, turning toward her. 

"Beautiful," Sinneah replied. 

"Oh, well, it's like... Something that is very appealing, aesthetically. How do I say this...? Um, like something you enjoy looking at!" Yumi told her. 

And, as soon as she heard that, it was like things clicked in her mind, finally. 

"Ah, like you, then?" Sinneah asked. A natural smile came to her as she finally had a word to attach to this sensation she was feeling. She felt like she'd solved some sort of problem. 

"... I'm sorry?" Yumi asked, her face flushed. 

"You said that something 'beautiful' is something I enjoy looking at. So, something like you?" Sinneah asked again. 

For the second time, a type of silence settled between them. 

"I... Sinneah," Yumi chuckled as she put a hand on her shoulder. "I... You should probably not say such things so casually." 

"Hm?" Sinneah was confused. 

"Your words... They can have an effect on people," Yumi said, taking a deep breath. "They can be taken in ways you did not mean for them to be expressed in. In that sense, words can be dangerous, sometimes. Other times, they can enhance experiences and make things better, as well, but you have to be careful and... Consider the time and place." 

"I do not understand at all," Sinneah shook her head.

Yumi rolled her eyes, though a smile tugged at the corners of her lips. 

"... Neither do I, mostly," Yumi replied. "Most of the social skills I have I got from books like these. I'll admit that in real life, it's all very confusing."

She paused then, closing the book momentarily. Looking up, at nothing in particular, she said: 

"I would like to see some of these things, someday. The things I read about. I've seen a few. Some have been disappointing, others have lived up to my expectations, though. Eh," she waved a hand. "Don't listen to me, I'm rambling." 

"... I enjoy it," Sinneah shrugged. 

"What?" Yumi looked over at her. 

"Listening to you like this," Sinneah added. "I feel as though I'm learning." 

At that, Yumi looked back down at her book. Then, after a moment, she looked back up at her. 

"Did you mean that?" Yumi asked. 

"Did I mean what?" 

"... The part about how you, eh, enjoy looking at me, I suppose." 

"Yes," Sinneah nodded firmly. 

"... Okay," Yumi looked away. "I see."