Submission (#7904) Approved

The Palu'au Islands were everything Mavis had hoped they'd be, warm, vivid, and humming with life. She had arrived earlier that day, her bags filled with sun hats, seashell patterned wraps, and a notebook for sketches and musings. Her Pomu had leapt from her shadow the moment her paws hit the island's sun warmed sand, chirping in excitement and tumbling into the bright green foliage that lined the coast.

The beaches here were soft with ivory colored sand, and the breeze smelled like salt and sun kissed fruit. Mavis took a deep breath, held it for a heartbeat, then exhaled with a satisfied sigh. She tipped her head back to admire the sky, a rich cerulean stretch unmarred by clouds. The sun painted the world in gold, and Mavis felt like she had walked straight into a dream.

"This is the life," she murmured, slipping off her sandals and padding barefoot toward the shallows.

The waters of Palu'au were impossibly clear, revealing the rainbow reefs below, filled with darting fish and pretty coral that looked like treasure under the water. Mavis waded in, then dove, the warm ocean wrapping around her like cool blanket. Schools of jewel toned fish scattered around her legs, and long, delicate strands of sea flora waved lazily beneath her.

She swam until her muscles ached, then floated, eyes half lidded, letting the waves rock her gently. Her Pomu chirped from the shore, trotting back and forth in the sand like it was trying to keep track of her. Mavis lifted a paw lazily in the air to reassure it.

That was when the sky changed.

At first, it was subtle, a glimmer in her peripheral vision. She blinked up, confused, and pushed herself upright in the water. Above her, the sky had begun to shimmer, as though a great veil of glass were rippling across it.

Then came the light.

It wasn’t sunlight, not exactly. It wasn’t moonlight, either. It was prismatic, like hundreds of tiny rainbows raining down from the heavens. Beams of multicolored light cascaded in thin ribbons, touching the surface of the water with soft sizzles and pops. Where the lights landed, small flares of color burst like fireflies trapped in bubbles.

Mavis flinched and ducked beneath the surface, holding her breath. The water was quiet, the reef below still undisturbed, but above her, the world had turned into a kaleidoscope. She kicked up to the surface again, her fur slick against her back, ears twitching.

More lights.

They were falling faster now, in slow spirals and flickers. One brushed her shoulder. She gasped, not from pain, but surprise. It didn’t burn. It was warm, like a sunbeam, but gentler. Where it touched, it left a little flickering mark of lavender and rose gold before it faded.

She blinked, heart still racing, but not from fear anymore. Wonder replaced worry.

Another light hit her paw, this time a soft jade green. It burst in a silent pop of color, sparkling and then melting into her fur. Mavis let herself fall back into a float, staring up at the strange, gentle storm of light.

"What is this?" she whispered, but there was no answer. Only the sound of the waves, and the soft, musical twinkling as the lights touched down.

The sky above her looked like stained glass splintered across the dome of the world. Each shard of light seemed to dance and hum with energy. Some fell into the water, igniting little bursts of color that fish darted through, casting long shadows beneath her. Others drifted lazily down and exploded against her fur with color and warmth.

Her Pomu had grown quiet now, seated in the sand, watching the display with big, blinking eyes.

Mavis laughed softly, breathless, a little dazed. She lifted her paws in the air, and a few ribbons of light found them, landing on her paws before fading away.

She closed her eyes.

Time didn’t seem to matter anymore. Whether minutes or hours passed, she didn’t know. All that remained was the water, and the sky, and the soft touch of light against her skin. It felt like the island was alive, truly alive, and it had chosen her, just for a moment, to witness something magical.

Eventually, the lights began to slow. They came fewer and farther between, like the tail end of a meteor shower. The sky softened back to its normal blue, and the shimmer faded into a hush. The last beam of light struck the water beside her, sending a final pulse of golden ripples across the reef.

Mavis stayed floating for a little while longer, a peaceful smile on her face. She a surge of emotions, happiness, wonder, excitement, and more. It was amazing.

With a stretch and a splash, she began swimming back to shore. Her Pomu met her halfway, chirping quietly and dancing circles around her paws.

"That was something else," she whispered, brushing a wet strand of fur from her face. Her Pomu chirped again, softer this time, and nestled against her leg.

She gave one last glance to the sky, now quiet and still, and whispered, "I hope it happens again tomorrow."

The island breeze picked up, carrying the scent of salt and flowers, and beneath the waves, the reef glowed faintly, like it was trying to hold onto the light shower that had fallen from the sky.