CC | Starry Skies (Jubilee 2/5)

The sun, bright and stark against the slowly darkening, red hues, was sinking under. Being dragged down, while it gave its last spark of life to redden the darkening sky. The softest sight of stars could be seen above, bright and white, to become scintillating once the moon decided to poke its head out. It was undisturbed, the soft lapping of the ocean could be heard as well as the distinct chirping of a little robin. It was close to perfection and Akeem savored it, breathing in the sweet salt, gills fluttering in bliss.

"Hurry up!" Vita squawked, her voice loud, cutting through the once tranquil sky. Her voice was shrill and piercing, her spine curling up. "It's almost time!"

Akeem felt a smirk arise from him, glancing down at his frustrated, writhing dark blue companion. She had crawled out of her tunnel she had successfully made by herself. After a lot of cleaning from her, with her currently licking away at the sand that was clinging to her claws, before shaking them bitterly. Aila, soft and gentle, was quickly skipping towards them, her fingered claws clutching shells and lovely gems. Some threatened to drop out from her hold, one about to sink between the gap of her fingers. She seemed to hold on tighter to it, trotting up to them and panting, before dropping her find down. Akeem offered his tail for a rest, which Aila gladly fell onto, clinging stubbornly.

"Come on, come on!" Vita chirped, jumping onto the pile of treasure and searching through them. The shells she quickly tossed away, brow furrowed as she searched for something.

"Hey!" Aila cried, shrill and desperate, unlatching herself from Akeem and throwing herself at Vita. Despite both small, Aila's bulky size easily knocked Vita away, whose claws dug into the sand as Aila laid on top of her find. "No throwing!"

"Shells are useless," Vita snapped, spine coiling up and tail thrashing. She shook her claws menacingly at Aila, who curled her tail tightly, protectively, around the pile of jewels. "I need something amazing!"

"Why do you need them?" Akeem interrupted, tilting his head, inquisitively staring at Vita, who simply puffed herself up. She twisted away from them and lurched herself back into her home-made tunnel, disappearing with an angry flick of her tail. Akeem turned to look at Aila, who clung to her jewels, downtrodden. "Vita doesn't mean it, Fluffball."

"Why is she mean?" Aila questioned, saddened eyes turning to him. Akeem only shook his head, laying down next to her, brushing his snout against where her crest would've laid if she had one.

"She's just worried," He purred, letting Aila nestle next to him. "Hey, look at this."

"Hmm?"

Aila's large, curious gaze latched onto those words, as Akeem looked over to where the vast ocean laid before them. It lapped and curled back at the sand, as he closed his gaze and focused on the magic that beamed inside of him. He was still acquainting himself with his magic that laid under his scales, flowing through his veins. It was easier than last time though, and he grasped it, bringing it down to the waving ocean. Grasping a strand, particles, gathering them up in the palm of his webbed paws, until there was enough for him. His magic waned as he pulled, the ocean whirling as if a typhoon had hit. It was pulling and with one last pull, he pulled the water out. A beam of the ocean emerged, swirling in a cascade, curled and wonderful. Splashes, droplets of the spiral ran back to its origin, but the rest stayed. Swirling and running into the air, reaching what seemed to be for the heavens.

"Woah," Aila breathed, her claws coming to clutch one of his front legs.

She was peering out, trying to get closer and Akeem smiled as he saw the wonder in her gaze. He finally dropped the spiral, letting it fall back to the ocean.

"That was amazing, Akee!"

"I'm glad you liked it," He purred, ruffling her head with his snout.

She squeaked and pushed herself away, feet tumbling around in the sand. She shook herself, tail twitching as her wonder-filled gaze returned back to the ocean. The only sounds that could be heard were the soft whispers of the ocean kissing the sand and the soft scrambling of sand under them.

"Why does Vita want all of this treasure?" Aila finally spoke up, and Akeem turned his head to look at her. She was laying down in the sand, fingers buried under the slowly cooling sand.

"She's going on a date with Grim," He answered, lightly chuckling and twisting his tail to curl around Aila, bringing her closer to him. Her fluffy, pale pink coat puffed up against his cooler, smooth scales.

"With Grim?" She asked, Aila, scrunching up her snout and poking her tongue out. "Ew!"

"Yep, with Grim," He laughed, bubbling from his chest, loud, cheery and boisterous. "They're cute together."

"She does seem happier," Aila admitted, snout still wrinkled and fur fluffing up. "But they are always making fun of each other."

"That's just how they flirt," Akeem laughed, and he tossed his head back and laughed as Aila screeched, shaking her head in disgust. She pushed herself away from Akeem and covered her eyes with her fingers.

"That's so gross," She whined, fur shivering in horror at the thought of them.

"What's gross?" Vita hissed, and Akeem felt more chuckles escape as she stared at them through narrowed eyes. She dropped her newfound gems onto the ground, checking them over with the click of her claws.

"Are you and Grim dating?" Aila asked, eyes appearing behind her claws. Vita froze, claws stricken as they hovered over the gems. 

"We're not - who, what?" Vita asked, finned crest flaring down against her head, turning her narrowed, amber gaze at them. She rubbed her snout with her claws, scrunching her eyes up and spine shivering. "AUGH! NO!"

"Then why are you collecting the jewels?" Aila continued, piping up as Vita shook her head, curling herself up in horrified embarrassment.

"We're not dating!" Vita squawked, glaring at Aila, claws now digging into the sand. "Shut up!"

"Vita, don't be mean," Akeem chided and Vita's scowl deepened, looking away while her body vibrated with anger.

"We're not dating, or in love, or anything like that," Vita snapped, rolling her eyes and turning back to her jewels. "We're just hanging out as friends."

"And watching Fi and Mal on a date?" Akeem asked and Vita hissed, finned crest flaring up as she bore her small, teeth.

"Fi and Mal aren't dating either!" She snapped. "Fi just likes him, alright? And I agreed to do a stakeout with Grim."

"A stakeout, huh?"

"Shut up, Akee! Fi and Mal are taking notes on the constellations, alright? And I wanted to bring a gift to Grim because Mal is ignoring him. We're just friends!"

Vita's cheeks would've been red if she could properly blush, her head turned away as she collected her gems and some of the treasure that Aila had found for her. She held them to her chest and she stuck her tongue out at Akeem, childishly while Akeem chuckled.

"Now, if you're not going to be of any help," She began, basically puffing up and holding her collection closely to her chest. "I'm going to me and Grim's stakeout. Hear that, Akee? Stakeout!"

"Whatever you say, Vee," He chuckled and she squawked, smacking her tail against his chest, before flying off. The sun's head was the only thing to be seen as Akeem listened to the ocean's songs, with Aila cuddled against his side.


The sky had darkened into tones of navy, stars dotting the night sky. Vita could only clutch the gifts close to her chest, finned crest pressing hard against her head. How dare Akeem suggest it was a date, her and Grimsby were just friends! And he had offered to do the stakeout and she wanted to show how much she loved the tooth he gave her. They were just two very close friends, watching their riders do weird constellation stuff. Definitely not date-worthy, and besides, she can do better than him. 

"You're late."

A voice shook her out of her angry, confused thoughts and she shook her head, finned crest springing back to life. She chirped as she saw the obnoxious, bright green colors below her, Grim's head peering at her, mouth awkwardly open. He was laying down on the cliff top, a perfect angle to watch their two riders.

"Akee was being an asshole," She hissed, gliding down next to him. He grunted as she landed on top of him, wrapping her tail around his midsection. "Are they already here?"

"They've been setting up a telescope," He answered, tilting his head to look at her, eyes rolling in his sockets before landing on everything that she was gripping. "What's that, worm?"

"Don't call me worm," She snapped, before untwining herself from him and landing onto the grassy field. It tickled her underside and she shifted, before dropping all of the jewels. She sniffed, and pushed them towards him. "It's for you, prick. Because I'm nice."

"I must be wonderful then," He chortled, pulling all of the treasure towards him. He poked at them cautiously, before deciding they were good enough, and pulling them close to his body with his feathers, laying down. "They're alright."

"They're better than your tooth," She smirked, before pouncing back on top of him. She rested her head against his, tail draping off his body. She eyed down at their riders, little dots in the green grass. She lightly poked his skull, eyeing him. "What are they doing?"

She could feel him roll his eyes at her, and she poked him a bit harder. He hissed, grumbling as he moved closer, eyeing at their riders.

"Talking, I think? Fi's setting up a blanket and Mal's with a telescope," He noted and she laughed.

"They're totally on a date," She laughed, rubbing her face against the top of his skull.

"Ugh, don't remind me," He grumbled, before looking up. "So, constellations?"

"Fi's been getting into them. I guess she wanted to show Mal them and see if he liked them. And I guess get his mind off Leshen."

"What's interesting about stars? They're just, boring lights in the sky."

"Fi says that a group of stars make a story. And each star has one."

"Oh," He hummed, a whirring noise in the back of his throat. Vita peered over his head as he seemed to be thinking.

Malakai, or at least who she thought was Mal, was showing Fi how to use the telescope. One of his hands on her shoulders and the other tweaking the telescope. If she focused on trying to hear them, she swore she could hear Fi explaining some of the constellations, before backing up so Mal could look as well. They were smiling, more relaxed than the past few weeks. Probably also being flustered as well, with them taking turns at looking at the constellations. Fi pointing and explaining, while Mal took small notes.

"Can you show me some?"

Vita's gaze on their riders was snapped out, and she looked at Grimsby, who was eyeing her. She rested her chin on his head and thought about it.

"I guess, but Fi knows more than I do."

"Show me," He said, and she looked up. The stars were odd and she shuddered, clutching to his skull. "Make some up."

"Oh, ok," She breathed. That was easier, and she pointed at one star, beginning to speak.

As the night grew dark, moon high up in the sky, illuminating the land before them, two pairs laid under them. Both bustling with newfound love for the other, but still frightened to ever admit to them. They pointed at the stars they laid under, stories that came before them long ago. They shone brightly, smiling down at them, them feeling at peace with the world around them. For a moment, they could forget about their troubles and enjoy the company of the other.