Submission (#7907) Approved

The sun had long dipped below the horizon, leaving the Pau'lau Islands bathed in a gentle twilight glow. Mavis stretched her arms over her head as she stepped into the small, cozy hut she was renting just a stone’s throw from the shoreline. The walls were lined with woven straw, and the scent of the ocean breeze drifted lazily through the open windows. Her sandals made soft thuds against the wooden floor as she padded over to her reading nook, a well worn book already open and waiting for her.

She had spent the entire day exploring local art stands and sipping tropical drinks beneath colorful umbrellas, chatting with friendly shopkeepers and collecting shells along the reef shallows. Now, all she wanted was to curl up and relax. She plopped onto a pile of soft cushions, book in hand, and let out a sigh of contentment.

But just as her eyes began to scan the first paragraph, a sound broke through the quiet evening: a sudden cheer of delight, followed by a chorus of laughter and then... music?

Mavis blinked. She tilted her head, listening more closely. Yes, there it was again, a flute like melody, drifting in from the outside. Voices chattered excitedly, and the beat of drums pulsed faintly in the air. Her curiosity piqued, she placed the book aside and tiptoed toward the open door.

Peeking out, her eyes widened.

Just beyond her hut, on the stretch of beach leading into the jungle, torches had been lit and strung between tall poles. A group of vacationers, familiar faces she'd seen at the markets and on the reefs, danced in the sand, laughing and spinning beneath a sky dusted with stars.

And then she saw it.

A brilliant streak of prismatic light tore through the night sky, followed by another, and then another. The light showers had returned, more vivid and vibrant than she remembered. Each cascade of color shimmered as it fell, transforming mid air into clusters of twinkling motes that danced across the ground like a thousand tiny fireflies.

Gasps of awe echoed across the beach as everyone watched the spectacle unfold. Music played even louder now, soft drums and plucky stringed instruments joined by flutes and tambourines. The light bathed the entire scene in shifting hues: coral pink, soft teal, deep violet, and golden yellow.

"Hey!" a voice called from the crowd. Mavis blinked, startled, before realizing it was one of her neighbor, a cheerful nin with a hibiscus tucked behind her ear and a cheerful smile. "Come on out! You can't stay inside during this!"

For a moment, Mavis hesitated. She was in her comfy reading clothes, after all. But then a ribbon of sapphire blue light passed just above her head, showering her porch with glimmering motes. She laughed aloud, the joy of the moment bubbling up uncontrollably.

She didn’t even bother changing.

Barefoot and smiling, Mavis stepped into the warm night air and made her way to the beach. Sand stuck to her feet and the wind played with her hair, but none of that mattered. As she neared the gathering, someone handed her a coconut drink with a playful wink. The music enveloped her, inviting and wild.

The party was in full swing. Kittoms twirled in circles, trying to catch the falling lights. Some of the nins danced barefoot in the waves, their reflections distorted in the glowing surf. Mavis joined in, her laughter mixing with theirs as she raised her arms and spun beneath the glowing motes.

Every time a new wave of light fell from the sky, it felt like the whole world held its breath. The bursts of color flared gently before floating downward, bursting like soft stars the moment they touched something solid. Some landed in her hair. Some dissolved across her shoulders, sending little shivers down her spine.

Someone started a conga line. Someone else began painting swirling patterns in the sand with sticks and seaweed. The scent of grilled fruit and spices wafted through the air as someone started passing around skewers from a nearby cookfire. Mavis took one, pineapple, peppers, and something she couldn’t quite name, and hummed happily.

It felt like a dream. A strange, beautiful dream.

She found herself standing with a group of fellow young kittoms, watching as one of them tossed a glass bottle into the air, trying to catch a falling mote. It missed, of course, but no one cared. The effort was part of the fun.

Mavis knelt beside them. "How long do these light showers last?" she asked.

"No one really knows," said a tiny green nin with a glittery tail. "Sometimes they happen for a whole week! Sometimes it’s just one night."

"Then we’d better enjoy every second," Mavis replied, eyes gleaming.

The music swelled again, and the beach came alive once more. Mavis danced until her cheeks hurt from smiling. She skipped along the shoreline with the kittoms, splashing in the glowing waves and watching the light fall into the sea, casting prismatic patterns on the reef below. Her pomu chirped excitedly, bounding through the surf like a comet of joy.

That night, as the party continued and the sky kept raining light, Mavis knew that this would be the absolute best vacation she'll ever have for the rest of her life.

How lucky she was to see a handful of light showers while on her vacation.

And this time she got to dance with some fellow vacation goers during the light shower!