Story
New
- Partners
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This story was originally written for the PokePod project. The theme pokemon was Clefairy. You can find an audio version of the fic here.
Summary: Nova the clefairy revisits her old home and is reminded of the parts of clefairy culture she's missed.
Clefairy Nova took a deep breath as she exited the Remains Island mystery dungeon, reaching the highest point of the island. She raised a paw to shield her eyes against the harsh light of the setting sun. Good, she was a bit early; moonrise wasn’t for another couple of hours.
As her gaze swept across the clearing, she spotted another group of clefairy a dozen meters or so away, but no more. The others would probably arrive later, but she, for one, was looking forward to catching up.
“Hey there!” she called to her fellow fairy types, dashing to close the distance between them.
One of them looked up from their conversation and waggled his fingers in a metronome motion. Nova returned the friendly gesture as she ran.
“Here for the Lunar Ceremony?” he asked when she got close.
“Of course!” Nova said. “It's my first time back in years.”
One of the other Clefairy, one with a scruffier hair tuft turned. They swept a scrutinizing gaze over her before their eyes lit up.
“Wait. Nova, is that you? It's me, Cosmos! We used to hang out before every ceremony, remember?”
“Cosmos?” Nova gasped. “I do remember you! We were still cleffa back then. But look at us now.” She spun around, ending with a wink and a waggle of her finger.
The male clefairy that had waved her over gave a goofy salute. “I’m Tide of the Starburst cluster. Cosmos joined us last moon. What cluster do you belong to?”
Cluster. That wasn’t a term she’d heard in a while. Outside of predominantly clefairy areas, using it to refer to a friend and family unit wasn’t common.
Nova gave a flustered wave of her paw. “O-oh, I’m not currently with a cluster. I actually formed a rescue team with a friend of mine a couple years ago. I took some time off to come back and catch up with old friends and family.”
“Ah, I see. Well, if you want to stick around with our cluster tonight, feel free.” Tide gave her a wink. “It sounds like you have someone to catch up with here, as it is.”
Well, she had other pokemon to find, but she did want to be with a group for the ceremony. Standing alone would be embarrassing. “Not for the whole night. But I’d like that. Thanks.”
Tide grinned. “Awesome. Then we better get going. You remember the way to the clearing, right? It’s this way.” Then he turned, leading the way up a hill.
By the time Nova had made her rounds at the ceremony grounds, greeting old friends and family, it was already dark. She couldn’t help but be surprised by how many were there, though she supposed more clefairy stayed on the island than left.
She took a seat on a flat, smooth rock beside Cosmos, staring up at the twinkling stars.
“It shouldn’t be too much longer,” Cosmos said, gesturing to a group of clefable at the center of the clearing.
“Mm.” Nova leaned back, fluttering her wings. “I’m glad I made it. I’m surprised how little has changed since I left if I’m being honest.” She sighed. “I missed this.”
Cosmos laid back and rested their arms on their belly. “You know, you could stay if you want,” they said. “You could join our cluster. I don’t think Tide would mind; he seems to like you.”
Nova smiled wanly. “Thanks, but I can’t. I have a life off the island now. There are pokemon out there that depend on me.”
“I should have expected that. You’ve always been an independent one.” Cosmos laughed, then grew quiet, turning their attention to the twinkling stars. “But come back more often, okay?”
“I’d like to try.”
The duo lapsed into silence, content to stargaze in each other’s company until a call came from the center of the clearing. It was time to begin.
Cosmos and Nova slipped from their seat, making their way over to the rest of the Starburst cluster. A group of clefairy wove through the crowd, dancing and twirling and raising their voice in song. All around, clefairy began waving their arms to the rhythm of the voices. More of the observers joined the song, adding harmony to the melody and calling out to the moon.
In that moment, Nova knew that there would always be a part of her that belonged here, no matter how far away she traveled.
Summary: Nova the clefairy revisits her old home and is reminded of the parts of clefairy culture she's missed.
Perigee
Clefairy Nova took a deep breath as she exited the Remains Island mystery dungeon, reaching the highest point of the island. She raised a paw to shield her eyes against the harsh light of the setting sun. Good, she was a bit early; moonrise wasn’t for another couple of hours.
As her gaze swept across the clearing, she spotted another group of clefairy a dozen meters or so away, but no more. The others would probably arrive later, but she, for one, was looking forward to catching up.
“Hey there!” she called to her fellow fairy types, dashing to close the distance between them.
One of them looked up from their conversation and waggled his fingers in a metronome motion. Nova returned the friendly gesture as she ran.
“Here for the Lunar Ceremony?” he asked when she got close.
“Of course!” Nova said. “It's my first time back in years.”
One of the other Clefairy, one with a scruffier hair tuft turned. They swept a scrutinizing gaze over her before their eyes lit up.
“Wait. Nova, is that you? It's me, Cosmos! We used to hang out before every ceremony, remember?”
“Cosmos?” Nova gasped. “I do remember you! We were still cleffa back then. But look at us now.” She spun around, ending with a wink and a waggle of her finger.
The male clefairy that had waved her over gave a goofy salute. “I’m Tide of the Starburst cluster. Cosmos joined us last moon. What cluster do you belong to?”
Cluster. That wasn’t a term she’d heard in a while. Outside of predominantly clefairy areas, using it to refer to a friend and family unit wasn’t common.
Nova gave a flustered wave of her paw. “O-oh, I’m not currently with a cluster. I actually formed a rescue team with a friend of mine a couple years ago. I took some time off to come back and catch up with old friends and family.”
“Ah, I see. Well, if you want to stick around with our cluster tonight, feel free.” Tide gave her a wink. “It sounds like you have someone to catch up with here, as it is.”
Well, she had other pokemon to find, but she did want to be with a group for the ceremony. Standing alone would be embarrassing. “Not for the whole night. But I’d like that. Thanks.”
Tide grinned. “Awesome. Then we better get going. You remember the way to the clearing, right? It’s this way.” Then he turned, leading the way up a hill.
By the time Nova had made her rounds at the ceremony grounds, greeting old friends and family, it was already dark. She couldn’t help but be surprised by how many were there, though she supposed more clefairy stayed on the island than left.
She took a seat on a flat, smooth rock beside Cosmos, staring up at the twinkling stars.
“It shouldn’t be too much longer,” Cosmos said, gesturing to a group of clefable at the center of the clearing.
“Mm.” Nova leaned back, fluttering her wings. “I’m glad I made it. I’m surprised how little has changed since I left if I’m being honest.” She sighed. “I missed this.”
Cosmos laid back and rested their arms on their belly. “You know, you could stay if you want,” they said. “You could join our cluster. I don’t think Tide would mind; he seems to like you.”
Nova smiled wanly. “Thanks, but I can’t. I have a life off the island now. There are pokemon out there that depend on me.”
“I should have expected that. You’ve always been an independent one.” Cosmos laughed, then grew quiet, turning their attention to the twinkling stars. “But come back more often, okay?”
“I’d like to try.”
The duo lapsed into silence, content to stargaze in each other’s company until a call came from the center of the clearing. It was time to begin.
Cosmos and Nova slipped from their seat, making their way over to the rest of the Starburst cluster. A group of clefairy wove through the crowd, dancing and twirling and raising their voice in song. All around, clefairy began waving their arms to the rhythm of the voices. More of the observers joined the song, adding harmony to the melody and calling out to the moon.
In that moment, Nova knew that there would always be a part of her that belonged here, no matter how far away she traveled.