in my head

Luna awoke in a strange place. A meadow of sorts. The grass was too green, the flowers were too blue, the clouds were too…well, they looked more like cotton candy than actual clouds - but the sky in the distance was… nothing? Dark, somehow, yet not.

She couldn’t remember how she got there. The last thing she remembered was falling asleep, but this place felt very real.

Huh… where am I?

She rose to her feet, futility brushing at the faint grass stains that littered her robes.

Maybe this is just a dream.

Something flickered in her peripheral vision, and her neck snapped as she turned her head a bit too fast, only to see nothing but greenery and a small pond.

“Hello? Is somewhere there?” Her voice was uncertain, shaky. She pulled out her wand.

“Helloooo,” a voice that seemingly had no origin - or perhaps simply came from everywhere, if such a thing was possible - purred. “Welcome, Luna.”

“What? How do you know my name?” Her voice stuttered. “Who are you? Where are you?”

“I know you. Better than you know yourself. I am here,” the origin of the voice shifted to a spot seemingly behind her, her hand automatically pointing her wand in its direction like a magnet, “and I am there,” the voice shifted to a whisper in her left ear. Or was it her right?

“What does that even mean?” She was incredulous now, her anxiety spiking her voice with annoyance.

“It means whatever you need it to mean,” the voice responded smugly.

“I…I need to understand.”

“You will.” A different voice this time.

“Please stop messing with me,” she pleaded. Please, I don’t understand.

We will help you understand, Luna. It will be okay. This response definitely was not voiced, but the thought didn’t feel like her own.

“What the fuck? How are you in my head? Get out of my head!”

I am you but different, and not, just as you are me but different, and not. Close your eyes, and please breathe.

Luna closed her eyes and tried to inhale and exhale slowly. The shape of an Angel appeared in her mind’s eye, and to her great confusion its lips moved in tune with the words she heard.

“I am Cassiel. I apologize for Leon’s behaviour. He enjoys playing games, but he generally means no harm.”

Luna’s thoughts blanked for a moment before firing at lightspeed. An Angel? Cassiel? Like, the Angel Cassiel? Who the hell is Leon? Am I dreaming? Where on earth am-

Her thought was interrupted by another thought.

Don’t worry about where you are. Don’t worry about what I am. Just listen, please.

Luna sighed to herself. “Okay.”

“We are here to help you, to protect you. You need not fear me. I love you, and you will understand when you are ready.”