Chapter 14

She was confused and amazed at the same time. The food that was placed in front of her doesn't even look familiar, yet it looks mouthwatering. What kind of food is this? She have zero ideas.

"You feeling good there, young lady?" Luna heard the woman who treated her asked. Her name is actually Midori, a herbalist who moved here from Hokkaido. While Luna was still on the futon while the food is placed on a small table.

"Oh...um.. what is this food? I'm not familiar with it." Luna said and there's a silence. The woman sat there on the cushion and looks at her. Luna felt her cheeks heat up when she saw the woman' eye twinkling in amusement.

Midori then slowly lost it and was laughing uncomfortably. She tried to hide it but failed. Luna was getting bright red in embarrassment. Eventually Midori stopped her laughter and shook her head. "Well it's surprising to here that someone has no clue what's an udon is?" She said chuckling.

"Udon, huh?" Luna said and looks at bowl. "It looks tasty. My place don't have nice things to consume. It first time I'm seeing something so good." She said.

Midori stopped chuckling and realised that Luna is actually telling the truth. The noticed that Luna is staring into the bowl as if she'll swallow the whole thing. But she's not eating it. "What's wrong? Not wanna eat it?" Midori asked.

Once again she noticed Luna' cheeks turning red. "I want it. But I don't know how to eat it." Luna said.

Midori raised a brow then leaned forward and picked up the chopsticks and handed it over to Luna who just sat there staring at the chopsticks instead. That was enough for Midori to realise that Luna doesn't have any clue about any of these things. She smiled and decided to do one thing. "Let me." She said taking the chopsticks back and picked up the bowl and took some udon noddles on it and brought close to Luna' mouth. "Here, open up." She said.

Luna can't believe what's going on. Someone is feeding her. She can't even say no without sounding rude. So she slowly opened her mouth and Midori placed the tips of the udon in her mouth. "Now slurp it up." She instructed. Luna has her doubts, but obeyed nonetheless. Well she almost swallowed it without chewing, but she successfully managed to take her first slurp of udon. Then came second, third and final.

Luna was satisfied. That was the best thing she ever had. Well she was tired of consuming tablets that tasted like the actual food. Thankfully she won't die at least not trying the real food. That's something positive in her fucked up life.

"Wow. That was really good. I loved it." Luna said.

"I'm glad you liked it." Midori said.

That's how her morning started. These people are too caring. They spent the few days aiding her and they didn't even asked anything in return. But Luna is afraid of getting them involved in her battles. Cyclops only failed once. But she doubt she could ever escape that hunter machine the next time. If it ever tracked her here, these fine people will get caught in the crossfire. That's a hundred percent true.

However things are about to go south.

"Mommy, mommy." Midori' older child kazumi came running into the room.

Midori saw her 8 year old daughter rush in. "Yes, dear?" She asked.

"Look, what I found." Kazumi said and showed them an object which was blinking red.

Midori wasn't sure what to make out of it. But when Luna saw it, the entire colour on her face drained as if she saw a ghost or something. Her eyes widened and her entire being was crumbling when she saw it.

The device that's blinking did belongs to her. But the meaning behind the red glow was something she was hoping to never happen.

"Coco." She mumbled.

"Come again?" Midori asked not hearing it clearly.

Luna' eyes watered and she stretched out her hand. "Please, give me that." She said to the little girl.

Kazumi raised a brow and tried to hide it. "I found it." She said.

Luna was breaking inside. "No, you don't understand. It's important." She said and reached for the device. Her body was in so much pain, but she didn't mind that at the moment.

Midori immediately caught Luna before she hurt herself further. "Calm down young lady." She said and held Luna on place and looks at kazumi. "Give it to big sis, dear. It belongs to her. And no buts." Midori ordered.

Kazumi pouted and slowly extended an arm with the device on her palm. Luna immediately took it and looks at it up close. "No, no. Coco." She mumbled.

The red light is nothing but an heads up. It is basically should be seen by her if Coco is ever got caught. After all, it was a possibility when Coco built it for her. He knew that he cannot fool Gen for too long.

The device was like an egg. It kept blinking red. Luna was in verge of tears. Coco was caught. And she couldn't even do anything for him.

Then the egg shaped object stopped blinking red and it turned full black. The a yellow bubble like dot appeared on it's side. She knew what it was. The device now turned into a compass. She faced the device in a different direction, but the yellow dot didn't moved from south direction. And she also knew which direction is it showing her. Coco actually send her something and the device will lead her to it.

IN ANOTHER TIMELINE... . ....

Gara walked rubbing her sore neck. Tan hurted her for the thousand time since she started to work here. That man always found a way to harrass her and cause her pain. She once tried to fight back, but he was throwing her around like a ragdoll. Even though she verbally tried to defend her, he always made it physical. She's frustrated. Hopefully, one day would come when she'll kill the sick bastard and free herself from his torments.

She walked towards her objective, which is to interrogate a certain someone. She never seen the boy, but she's sure he's actually young. She'll do anything to get some answers. He'll better be cooperative.

Eventually she opened the door that leads her to the room he's in and as she entered, the first thing she saw was a blonde haired young boy tied to a table. She almost halted seeing that. She guessed he's young, but not this young. He don't even look like thirteen. He's more younger than she expected.

He has blue eyes and golden blonde hair. He wore blue and purple jumpsuit. His both hands are cuffed to the table with a red whip like object.

She raised a brow when he looks at her with his eyes narrowed. "Save it kid. You ain't getting out of this with a fight." She said.

The boy huffed and looks away. "I know that." He mumbled.

She found it funny that, he's trying his best to appear confident even though he's scared like hell. She could see his lips tremble and his knees shake. He's terrified, yet he give her a pissed off expression a minute ago. He reminds her of herself. Whenever Tan tormented her, she did her best to appear threatening verbally. But always gotten hurt physically. However that's the only thing that seemed identical.

"Now, first of all I'm sure you know why I'm here." She said. He didn't said anything back and kept his eyes away from her. "I want the location you hidden Luna. I want to know where is she." Gara said.

He gulped and continued to avoid eye contact. "It's been my mission ever since she fled through time tunnel. Now it's a great priority to capture her and bring her back." Gara explained.

"Now I'll start my interrogation officially. I want you to answer me correctly. Or else there's gonna be consequences. You understand?" She said. He still didn't say anything. She sighed and walked around the table and crouched until she reached his eye level and grabbed his jaw to face her. "I want an answer." She said.

"Whatever." He mumbled. She let him go and stood up.

"What's your name?" She asked the first question. It's because she couldn't find anything on him.

He sighed. "why does it matter. You'll kill me anyways." He said.

"Not if you co-operate." She replied.

"I've heard things like that before. But never seen keeping the word." He said back.

She was getting frustrated. "listen here, kid. I've been ordered to do anything to make you talk. I won't hesitate, just so you know." She said threateningly.

He looks down and sighed. "Whatever you're going to ask me, I don't think you'll get your answer." He said with a fumble in his voice. Hemis knees are hitting together and he's sweating pretty much. He's scared.

"My advice is. Let's keep things more easy in yourself. Consider yourself lucky that I'm the one questioning you. Others would have started with a punch." She said.

He didn't spoke anything. Gara rubbed her temple in frustration and sighed eventually. "looks like traditional methods won't work on you." She said and brought her hand towards her 4th dimensional pocket and he realised what's happening.

Gara pulled out a box like device which he looks at in horror. "Pl.. please.. don't. Don't do this. They'll kill her. Please." He begged.

Gara saw his eyes tearing up and he's begging for Luna' life.

"I gave you time. It's not my fault that we gotta use some mind reading equipments." She said.

"No.. wait." He started only to cut off when she activated the device and a red light hit him between the eyes. He stilled like he's being mind controlled.

"Where is Luna?" She questioned and this time there's no hesitance or delay. The information little by little escaped his mouth.

BACK WITH NOBITA AND OTHERS.....

He was discharged that morning and all in his mind was the thing he had in his hand that night. Whatever it is, he's sure it's the thing he kept saw in the sky. Or it's something that relates to it. Whatever it was, he could not wait to go back to the cabin. He sat on his bed looking out of the window and Shizuka sat next to him with Kota fast asleep on her lap.

"Does it hurt anywhere, Nobita? If it does, we should probably inform the nurse." She asked after god knows how much minutes of silence.

She do remember back when Doraemon was with them. Nobita seemed to like talking to her and always came asking to go play outside and all. She remember him talking about comics and cartoons while he ate the cookies and pastries she made for him. He never shut up and she liked those part about spending time with him. But look at him now, lost in his own world and don't even acknowledge her presence. It's like he prefer staying alone. But she knew that's not how it is.

"I'm fine." He said.

She nodded and once again there's a silence. And then she noticed something on the table and looks back at him. "What about your glasses? They're useless now." She said.

Nobita looks at his busted specs and nodded his head. "Yes, they are. I'll buy a new one later." He said looking at her.

It's not always she see him without his glasses. And this way she could see the dark rings under his eyes. His tiredness was more evident this way and she is more worried than ever. Watching him slowly losing everything was heartbreaking. Even though they can help him, he don't seem to let them. He's kinda living like a loner even though they're with him. Maybe he was alone for the last two years and he may have got accustomed to the feeling.

Shizuka nodded. He took that as a sign and once again was looking out of the window.

Then the door opened and Suneo and Gian walked in. "Hey there guys? What ya discussing about?" Gian wondered.

Shizuka smiled at them. "Hey guys. We're just chatting about small things." She said.

"Okay. So, mamma called. She's coming to pick us up." He said.

Shizuka raised a brow. "Huh, but isn't it far from your house? And when did you called her anyway?" Shizuka wondered.

"Don't worry about all that. First we go back to the cabin, gather our things and leave." He said.

"What about Nobita? He's supposed to take some rest. Travelling now is gonna be bad for him." She said.

"Sorry, Shizuka. But our time of stay has ending. We can't extend it because of climate. There's a high chance of storm around these area. So we must move fast." He said apologetically.

"Oh, that's bad." She mumbled. "And what do you said about Nobita?" She asked.

"I told her that it was an accident while climbing. She was shocked to hear that he's back. I haven't told her until now. It just slipped my mind, that's all." He said and Shizuka nodded.

That's the last day of their 'hiking' trip. And non of them knew what kind of thing they got their self in.