In the Right Light

Penny sat in the shade of her favorite tree in Pelican Town, her eyes drinking in the words on the page she held in her hand. While the brunette loved teaching the children, she enjoyed her peaceful Summer mornings to immerse herself in the reading experience. It was a simple joy in life, but to Penny, it meant a few hours of peace and tranquility away from her normal life.

The brunette heard footsteps approaching on the dirt path skirting the tiny local graveyard and looked up to see Elliott. His long tresses were swept away from his face and secured with a narrow green hair scarf that matched his tie. His honey-gold eyes rested on her face with a charming grin. Penny blushed, realizing she had been caught staring at Elliott's handsome features and scrambled to her feet to greet the man properly.

"Good morning, Miss Penelope," the dapper gentleman addressed her. "No need to stand on my account. I am merely passing by."

The schoolteacher gazed up at him. "It's okay," she replied, dusting her sienna-brown skirt to make herself more presentable. "It's a little awkward to speak to someone standing while on the ground anyway." Penny smiled at Elliott. "Are you going out for a walk?" she asked politely. The woman noticed the author often went to the Cindersap Forest in the summer.

Elliott's answer was uncharacteristically vague. "I have a private appointment with another villager." He did his best to change the subject and discuss the beauty of the Summer day and Penny obliged, though her mind wandered, pondering why Elliott was hiding things from her. The poet was normally an open book.

"I am afraid I must be on my way Miss Penelope," Elliott apologized, dipping his head slightly. "Please, continue to enjoy your novel."

Penny's emerald eyes followed him as she watched Elliott leave. Rather than heading straight westward toward the Cindersap Forest, he veered northward toward the town square. Perhaps he was headed to see Doctor Harvey? That would explain the author's desire for privacy.

But Penny's curiosity got the better of her when - from her hiding spot behind the tree - she noticed Elliott walk past the clinic and take the westward path out of town. The brunette's heart sank when she realized there was only one villager who lived that way: farmer Violet. Slumping against the tree trunk, Penny felt an enormous wave overwhelming sadness wash over her. Had she completely misread Elliott? Did he only think of her as an editor after all?

White-hot tears welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision. How could this be happening again? First with Sam and now... The brunette shook her head vigorously. No, I must be mistaken. Penny stood tall and wiped her tears, determined to get to the bottom of this. I'll just take a peek, the teacher reasoned to herself. I won't stay long.

Maru stood on the shore of the mountain lake, basking in the thrum of wildlife around her. She could see why her father chose to study the flora and fauna of this region as she spied movement in the cool, clear water and rustling in the tall grasses of the opposite shore. There was so much to learn and study in such a small ecosystem.

The afternoon sun provided bright, filtered light through the pine needles overhead. Breathing in deeply, Maru smiled. This is exactly what she needed to unwind after a long week of hard work.

Even if Harvey decided not to leave Pelican Town's villagers in her care after all, Maru now at least had the proper guidance on how to run the clinic in his absence. Maybe her boss would finally take a vacation one of these days.

The insects behind her grew cautiously silent at the threat of a potential predator, and Harvey's voice spoke up. "Good afternoon, Maru," he greeted his assistant as she turned to face him. "Robin told me you would be out here," the shy doctor explained, wringing the hem of his buttoned shirt in front of his body anxiously. "May I speak to you for a while?" Harvey requested. "If it's not too much trouble..."

"Of course, Harvey," the overall-wearing woman acquiesced, gesturing for him to join her along the reeds of the bank. "Just because I'm not working today doesn't mean we can't talk."

His mustache twitched upward in a nervous laugh. "Right, silly me."

"I assume this is about the job offer you received?" Maru uttered, easing into the conversation. She could tell by his fidgeting that this was a serious conversation and Harvey was still unsure of himself.

"You've always been so perceptive..." the clinician chuckled to himself.

"I try," the part-time nurse countered modestly, tucking her auburn hair behind her ear to improve her peripheral vision.

Harvey stared out over the surface of the water. "To be honest, I'm not sure I can handle the stress of the new job…" he confessed to his co-worker. "I killed the party on Sam's birthday because I still haven't gotten over my feelings of losing a patient who died while I was still in residency. How could I possibly live with myself if I break another promise like that again?"

Maru nodded in understanding, but disagreed. She realized the last time she tried to comfort Harvey, she had gone about it the wrong way. His assistant would have to try a new angle. "Do you really think she would have wanted her last days to be completely devoid of hope?"

Harvey blinked noticeably, as if he were still processing her words. The young woman did not wait for her boss to form a rebuttal, however. "There's something to be said about bedside manner," Maru stated aloud, tucking her notepad away into her overalls. "I think most people would rather have a doctor fight for their patient's life. Someone who won't give up until they've taken their last breath." The auburn-haired woman sighed. "It's better than a doctor who lets the patient fade without a glimmer of hope that they might live another day." Maru's umber eyes fixed on Harvey. "Don't you think?"

"I suppose when you put it that way..." the man in the wide-rimmed glasses conceded. "It's hard to argue."

The young woman was proud of herself. "I framed it that way for a reason," she smirked.

Harvey shook his head, sweat dripping down the side of his face from the humidity. "I still don't know what I want to do, though."

"Liar," Maru responded in a firm, but teasingly accusatory tone. "You know in your heart what you want, it just needs a good way to communicate with your brain." She rummaged through her pockets and then offered Harvey a large coin. "It has a lot of tangled up knots to fight through, so why not simplify things?"

Confused, Harvey accepted the coin. "And how do I do that?" he wondered aloud.

"Heads, you go. Tails, you stay in Pelican Town," Maru instructed pointing to indicate which side was which.

The practitioner's dark eyes rested dubiously at his young assistant. "I'm supposed to leave this to a 50-50 chance?"

"No," she assured her friend. "You'll know what you want when your gut tells you. I hear it's a great heart-to-brain interpreter," Maru stated with a smile. "If you're happy with the result of the coin toss, that's the outcome you desire. If you're disappointed, the correct choice is the opposite of the coin toss."

"Ah, so this is a psychological trick," the bespectacled man realized with interest, holding up the large, silver piece of currency to view it better in the afternoon's light. "Once again, your breadth of knowledge astounds me."

"It's all just a little here and there," the scientist deflected the compliment. The auburn-haired woman turned to her boss. "Now, flip that coin already!"

Harvey obeyed and positioned the coin, flicking his thumb upward quickly to flip it upward. He caught the silver piece and slapped it in place just above his watch.

Maru urged the doctor to indicate whether the proposed methodology proved successful. "Well?"

The man's lips tugged back toward his ears. "It feels right…" he answered calmly, sniffing in amusement at how easily a simple coin toss tore through his indecisiveness. His dark orbs found Maru's umber ones. "Thank you," Harvey expressed quietly. "I know what I have to do now."

Sebastian sat on the far bank of the mountain lake, the nearly-full moon slowly rising in the sky overhead. He lay out a tarp underneath the picnic blanket to keep them from getting wet from yesterday's rain, which made the earth soft and muddy around the lake. "That should do it," Sebastian muttered to himself, though he immediately second-guessed himself and smoothed over a lump on the fabric. Robin was actually the one who suggested he bring anything to sit upon other than the damp earth. While Sebastian was grateful for his mother's insight, he also hoped it did not make him look like a total dork.

Sebastian became increasingly aware of the bouquet squirreled away in his backpack the longer it took Violet to arrive. He exhaled sharply, trying to expel his nervous energy. Violet doesn't live on the mountainside like you do and we didn't agree on a specific time to meet, so chill, the hoodie-clad man ordered himself.

Focusing on the frog song around him, Sebastian shut his eyes to try and relax. This was the last night he would be able to listen to his favorite amphibians' calming croaks. Fall was just around the corner and tomorrow night was the Dance of the Moonlight Jellies at the beach. Sebastian could feel his heartbeat decreasing back to normal as he inhaled through his nose and exhale out his mouth slowly. All he had to do was be himself tonight. Everything would work out.

"You're not asleep sitting up, are you?" Violet giggled. Sebastian's obsidian eyes fluttered open to see the farmer staring down at him. The corners of her lips pulled back toward her ears as Violet took a seat on the blanket next to him. "Sorry, I mean to get here sooner," the floral-haired woman expressed regretfully. "I… didn't keep you waiting too long, did I?"

Sebastian shook his head. "No, I only just got here," he lied. The programmer did not want to let on that he had been trying to clear the area of rocks and other forest debris that would be uncomfortable to sit upon well before he even put down the tarp and blanket.

"The frogs are out in full force," Sebastian declared. No wonder he had not heard Violet coming toward him. "But I haven't seen any bats yet."

Violet shrugged. "That's okay. We've got time." She leaned back to recline on her side, resting her head on one hand. Her wavy hair cascaded to one side, like flower petals flowing gently down a misty waterfall. Her sapphire eyes rested on his features and Sebastian's breath caught in his chest. He had never seen anything so beautiful. "Do I… have something on my face?" Violet asked self-consciously.

"Uh… no, I just…" Sebastian scrambled for an excuse for being caught blatantly staring. "I was thinking that the last time we hung out by the lake was… ages ago."

The agrarian visibly blushed, which alleviated some of Sebastian's self-consciousness since he was not alone. "It does feel like that, doesn't it?" she admitted, glancing his way shyly. "The day we met?"

"A lot has changed since then," Sebastian stated, tugging at the cord of his hoodie anxiously. "I haven't told anyone outside my family yet, but I'm going to start college on Monday."

Violet sprang up to a seated position. "Wait, seriously?!" she exclaimed.

Sebastian was taken aback by the strong reaction. "You don't think I should?"

"It's not that," Violet reacted quietly, realizing that she had startled her friend with her outburst. "I just thought you didn't want to be part of the 'rat race' that came with a degree and a corporate job."

The programmer grimaced, rubbing the nape of his neck. "Yeah, well, after that fight with Demetrius that you - uh -" Sebastian paused, unsure of how to word it.

"The one I had front row seats for?" his companion offered.

Sebastian nodded, "Yeah. And, I got to thinking about how to basically shove it in his face that I'm not the failure he thinks I am." He pursed his lips slightly. "That makes me sound petty - and maybe that's true," the dark-haired man conceded. "But I'm tired of him looking down on me for things that aren't my fault." He shrugged, then finally lay back, his elbows supporting his upper body. "So after brainstorming with Maru for a while, I found the answer. Just get a fucking degree at ZuZu U and maybe he'll shut up about it all. He only seems to acknowledge academic achievement and this way, I can maybe charge better fees for my freelancing gigs and save up some money."

"It sounds like you've really thought about this," Violet observed, settling back down on the blanket to gaze up at the stars.

The hoodie-clad man smirked. "That's not even the best part," he revealed to her. "While I have an excuse to be in ZuZu twice a week, I'm going to look for my biological dad. Maru seems to think he's still in the city."

Violet's head turned to face him. "He's been this close the whole time?" She sounded understandably disheartened by the idea that a man would be so close to his son and never bother to see him.

Sebastian slid his elbows out from under him to lie on his back. "Yeah, I guess so." He held up his hand and flexed the muscles in his hand, sore from using his keyboard all day. "Even if he is an asshole," the amateur sorcerer stated, watching a thin layer of ice form on his fingertips. He only felt a slight chill as it coated his skin. "My bio dad might be the source of this magic." Bringing his hand back to rest beside him, he turned his head toward Violet, "I need some answers…"

"I hope you find him," Violet stated, looking up toward the sky. "And I hope he treats you well."

Sebastian scoffed. "We'll see about that." He really did not want to think about what would happen if his dad refused to see him - or if he never found his father at all. The man wanted to shake off that feeling of dread, so he pointed toward a pair of bats overhead. "Didn't you want to show me the bats?"

Violet perked up immediately. "Oh, right!" She rummaged into her bag and produced a small bundle from it. Sebastian sat up and tilted his head to try and better view the contents.

"Rocks?"

The pastel-haired woman laughed. "Small ones work best," Violet answered mysteriously as she flattened the material in which she had wrapped the tiny stones and indicated that he should stand up. "Take the two corners closest to you," the pastel-haired woman directed him. Still puzzled, Sebastian did so anyway. They stood facing one another, with a small towel harboring a pile of pebbles between them. Violet's cobalt eyes glanced upward to make sure the bats were still close by. Sebastian was thankful these were not like the bats in the mines, ready to attack them at any moment.

"Now, when I count to three, we've going to lift the towel overhead as fast as we can and toss the pebbles into the air," Violet advised him. Just as Sebastian was about to question her motives, his friend began the count. "One, two… THREE!"

Sebastian hardly had time to react as they threw their arms up, launching the little rocks into the air. Violet tugged at his hoodie to get him out of the range of the falling stones and he watched in awe as the bats swooped low to chase them. For a brief moment, Sebastian felt the gentle whoosh of air from their wings flutter past his face. Violet let out an excited whoop as she fell back onto the blanket.

"What the hell was that?" Sebastian demanded to know, despite the grin on his face

"The bats think it's a swarm of insects," Violet educated him, clearly proud of the results. "They figure it out pretty quickly, but it's a fun way to get a closer look, don't you think?"

Turning his attention back up to the sky, Sebastian noticed the bats' forms blocking the view of the stars above them as they hunted overhead. "That was really cool, actually," the programmer acknowledged. His attention turned toward his backpack, which held the bouquet. Violet looked so happy, maybe now? Sebastian reached for the bag and pulled it behind him so he could remove the flowers and hide them behind his back without her noticing. "You know, before you moved here, I used to think I'd seen it all," he began. "But lately I've realized that there's a lot more to life lately, thanks to you."

Violet beamed at him. "I'm glad you're slightly less jaded now," she teased him, bumping his shoulder with her own. She turned away from him slightly, hiding her face as her fingers wrapped around the loose fabric of her clothing. Why did it seem like she was just as nervous as he was? Did she know what he was trying to do? "And I've got a lot to thank you for, too." It was then that Sebastian realized that farmer Violet was wearing a dress, rather than her normal t-shirt and jeans.

Embarrassed by his ogling but thankful that Violet did not seem to notice, Sebastian cleared his throat and sat up straight. Holding the flowers firmly behind him, the raven-haired man dared to ask the question that was burning in his mind. "I was wondering if maybe -" He saw a flicker of movement in the darkness behind him and immediately sprang to his feet.

Violet, unaware of the potential danger behind her, fell backward in reaction to Sebastian's sudden movement.

The man stopped as quickly as he had begun to act. "Krobus?!" Sebastian exclaimed in both exasperation and relief. "What are you doing here?"

The dark being blinked. "You said you would introduce me to your mate so that we might conduct business," he replied innocently.

"I told you I would send a note when it was time!" Sebastian argued in a whisper.

Violet's attention went back and forth between the two. Sebastian watched the evolution of her expressions and jumped to answer her to avoid further mortification. "Krobus thinks we're mates because I put a protection spell on your house that one time. I've told him that's not the case, but," he shot a look at the shadow, who only perked up in response, "he doesn't seem to listen!"

The cultivator nodded slowly, but Sebastian could still see the gears in her head turning, trying to process things before she spoke. She turned to the ambulatory shadow. "You… want to buy some crops?" Violet queried the monster doubtfully.

Krobus' mouth elongated into a smile. "Oh, yes! I want the ones like you gifted Nelir. They are delicious!"

The answer only seemed to confuse Violet more, so Sebastian motioned for his old companion to come closer. "Violet, this is Krobus," he indicated toward the living darkness. "He was my best friend growing up."

Violet extended her hand toward the monster, who accepted the handshake, though he really did not have proper hands. "It's nice to meet you, Krobus. I'm Violet."

The shadow closed the gap between himself and the woman. "I am sorry. I tried introducing myself to you once, but you were frightened and ran away from me…" Krobus explained, slightly embarrassed. That was not quite how the undead being described the turn of events to Sebastian, but he was not about to argue that with his friend now.

"That was you the night of Vincent's party?" Violet exclaimed as a series of events now clicked, making sense in her mind.

"Yes, now that we've established that," Sebastian sighed impatiently, trying to move the introduction along. "Violet, Krobus was hoping to buy the magic crops we produced. He sampled some of the berries on the plant you gave me and now he's an addict," the man chuckled.

The shadow creatures' orbital sockets grew wide, allowing the moonlight to pass through them in a soft glow. "I will pay you handsomely for your efforts!" he promised the human woman. "Especially if you are able to brew the hops into ale!"

"Oh!" Violet was surprised by this offer. "The magical irradiation doesn't harm you?"

Krobus shook his head. "Not in the slightest!" he promised the agrarian.

The farmer bit her bottom lip, considering the proposition. "I suppose I can't really sell them to human clients… And I would hate for them to go to waste," Violet relented. She flashed the creature a friendly smile and offered her hand to shake. "Alright, Krobus. You have yourself a deal."

A shriek of pure bliss escaped from the dark being as he bounced up and down. "Oh, marvelous!" he responded, practically dancing. He grabbed Violet's arm. "Come! We must make arrangements immediately," Krobus proclaimed as he politely started to drag the bewildered woman back toward her farm.

"W-wait!" Sebastian tried to stop him, but the monster was surprisingly quick for one so small and amorphous. "Can't you do this in the morning?" Violet did her best to assure Sebastian that she was fine.

"It's okay, Sebastian," Violet swore, tickled by Krobus' enthusiasm and his stream of consciousness in describing his experience while eating the berries she produced. "I'll see you at the Dance of the Moonlight Jellies tomorrow night, right?"

Sebastian deflated, defeated by the ridiculousness of the situation. "Fine…" he growled. The programmer watched Krobus and Violet disappear into the shadow of the pines ringing the lake. He sighed heavily and slumped onto the picnic blanket, resting the bouquet on his lap. His ink-black eyes stared at the pastel petals that mocked him. "Why does it feel like the universe is trying its best to stop me?" he complained to the flowers.

Harvey stepped onto the creaky old dock for on the last day of Summer, filled with a sense of purpose. He quickly noticed that he was among the first of the villagers to arrive for the Dance of the Moonlight Jellies, however. Since this celebration's only real set-up involved the tiny boats carrying the candles that Robin used to lure the bioluminescent jellyfish toward the pier, it made sense that the rest of the town did not feel any sense of urgency to arrive early. It was not like they knew about the announcement he planned to make while the whole town was present, after all.

Hauling his luggage, the doctor made his way around to Willy's house and rapped on the door three times as Talla had directed him. The seasoned fisherman opened the door quickly and let Harvey inside. Unsurprisingly, the seaman's dwelling had the distinct smell of fish and seawater. Adjusting his stained cap, Willy snorted as a red-faced Harvey struggled to fit through the door with his bags. "Just set 'em there, son," the sailor ordered and the bespectacled man obeyed. "I'll load 'em up in the ol' ship before it's time to set sail." He winked an eye at the physician. "Hope you know what you're gettin' yourself into lad."

"Of course I don't," Harvey admitted with a nervous chuckle. "But I suppose that's kind of the point, isn't it?"

Willy bobbed his head in agreement as he shouldered one of the doctor's bags. "Be sure to see me again at midnight so we can ship out on time!"

When Maru and her family arrived, Harvey pulled her aside to speak privately. Demetrius shot him a look, but nodded wordlessly before following Robin to the eastern half of the beach.

"I'm going to make the announcement once everyone arrives," the doctor told Maru quietly. "I'll even give you the keys to the clinic then, to make it more official."

Maru beamed confidently. "I think you're going to do a great job, Harvey," she articulated earnestly. "And don't worry, everyone here will be in good hands."

Harvey bowed his head humbly. "I don't think I would have felt comfortable leaving if it had been anyone else," he acknowledged shyly. "You are far beyond your years in ability. That's why…" he trailed off for a moment. It's one of the many reasons why I've harbored feelings for you these past few years, the doctor thought to say, but he did not verbalize the sentiment.

Maru's eyes scanned him curiously. "That's why…?" she repeated questioningly.

His lips pulled back in a soft expression. "That's why I know everyone will be safe in your care. I won't have to worry about the villagers while I'm away and I'm grateful to you for that," Harvey declared with a reassuring pat to her shoulder. He bobbed his head toward the shoreline behind her, where the bright candlelight gave the sand a warm glow. "You'd better go before your father decides I've borrowed you too long."

The researcher smirked knowingly. "He's staring, isn't he?"

"Only ever other chance he gets."

The auburn-haired woman shook her head for a moment before she very suddenly pulled Harvey into a hug. "In case we don't get a chance to have a proper goodbye before you go," Maru interrupted, "I just want to thank me for being an excellent mentor and giving me this opportunity." The overall-clad woman gave him a firm squeeze before releasing him, her umber eyes gazing up toward his face. "It means a lot that you believe in me so much." She paused briefly before adding, "I wish you safe travels and that you return home safely."

Harvey could not help but notice this was the first time they had embraced. For a moment, the physician regretted not taking his chance to express his feelings for the woman before him. However, the responsible majority of him knew it was for the best not to burden her with such things right before his departure. It would be unfair for so many possible reasons.

So, he held back. "Of course, Maru. See you for the big announcement."

Violet arrived on the beach right at ten o'clock, just as the festival began. The newest resident in town quickly realized that she was actually the last to arrive, however. "I guess on time is late for events like these," she muttered to herself as her sandaled feet stepped upon the fine white sand. The beach itself was littered with bright candles, projecting a dream-like air. Her blue eyes scanned the beach in search of Sebastian, who requested they stand together when the Moonlight Jellies arrived.

She found Pierre and Caroline first. The green-haired woman greeted her politely. "These candles are romantic, aren't they?" she queried, winking at Violet. It was so rare that the local shopkeeper did not try to sell his wares during a town festival that the young woman assumed Caroline was hinting she wanted alone time with her spouse. Pierre, on the other hand, hailed Violet before he left to remind her that fall seeds would be in stock as of tomorrow. The farmer promised her business and shooed him away before going to look for her friends.

Violet thought to head for the eastern pier to look for Sebastian, assuming he would seek out a less crowded spot. On her way, the agrarian found the wizard unexpectedly lingering along the tree line and said "hello" from a cautious distance. Violet had not really spoken to Rasmodius since that incident in which he gave her the "essence of the forest" drink that made her feel loopy and she was not about to get herself in another situation like it.

"How did you find me back here?" he inquired in disbelief. "I thought I was well-hidden. Perhaps you are blessed with the gift of clairvoyance."

The farmer opened her mouth to deny his presumptions, but the man did not bother to wait for a reply. "I'm here to observe the Lunaloos... or 'Moonlight Jellies', as you call them. They possess an unusually potent magical aura for an aquatic life form."

Violet heard from Talla that the Moonlight Jellies were sacred to the merfolk, so it made sense for them to possess some sort of magical aura. Still, she was not sure where he got the name "Lunaloos." The pastel-haired woman was more inclined to believe a syren over a wizard when it came to the names of sea creatures. The descendant of the earth goddess wondered if the cape-wearing magician made the name up himself.

When she reached the far end of the pier, instead of Sebastian, Violet found Leah dumping a bit of wine into the sea. The ginger smiled in recognition as the farmer approached. "Hey, Violet. I'm paying my respects to another bygone summer."

"I can't believe it's over already," the shorter woman responded in awe. "Who knew time could go by so quickly?

"It gets worse the older you get," Leah imparted to her friend, making a disgusted face as her brain processed her own words. "Ugh, I sound like my parents when I say that."

Violet laughed at her friends' expense and the two chatted for a short while before Haley came to gather them. "Doctor Harvey has an announcement for everyone. We're supposed to gather on the main dock," the blonde informed the duo. Sure enough, Violet noticed the villagers gathering near Willy's shop.

"Did you bring your camera?" Leah asked Haley as the three of them headed for the opposite end of the beach.

The blonde shook her head. "No! I always forget," the photographer pouted. "I'm sure their natural glow would make for some amazing shots, too."

Leah shrugged. "Well, there's always next year," she comforted her friend.

As the villagers all made it onto the dock save for Marnie, who wisely claimed that the heavy load of people was too much for an ancient wooden dock and that she would stay on land. Her point was emphasized by the clearly demarcated hole where Violet had fallen through the week prior.

When everyone had gathered, Harvey cleared his throat and did his best to project. "Today is my last day in Pelican Town for some time," he announced, catalyzing a series of whispered commentary. "I will be taking a job overseas to help with the war effort," he proclaimed, "but I will return by the end of the year."

He gestured to someone in the crowd, whom Violet could not see right away because of her stature. But as the person came forward, the farmer realized it was Maru. "Maru will be running the clinic in my absence," Doctor Harvey informed the villagers in a clear, steady voice. "I am confident in her abilities to keep you all in good health." He paused briefly for affect. "I know this is a sudden announcement, but please believe me when I say that I leave you in the best of care and look forward to seeing you all again upon my return." The doctor handed Maru a key of some sort, signaling the passage of responsibility onto his assistant.

Violet was surprised by the news, but it was not as if she and Harvey were particularly close that he might have confided in her. Still, it was odd thinking that such a drastic change went unnoticed by her. Sebastian's decision to start attending college was another incident that made Violet wonder how much would change next season. She looked up to find Sebastian across the docks, the faintest hint of a smile adorned his lips as their gazes met. Once again, Violet found herself drawn into the deep chasms of black that were his eyes. Yes… Violet thought to herself in a strange moment of helpless decisiveness, her heart fluttering like the wings of the last Summer butterflies. Lots of things are about the change...

If not for being Maru's brother, Sebastian would have been just as blind sighted by the doc's news as the rest of the townsfolk. There was a lot of gossip going around the crowd as Harvey dismissed himself from the center of attention and headed off toward the end of the docks to signal he was ready to send out the candle-boat and call the Moonlight Jellies over.

Maru bumped him softly with her shoulder. "It looks like people are taking it generally well, even if it was unexpected," she observed aloud.

Sebastian shrugged. "I feel like the old farts were the ones you would have to really convince and Evelyn and George already love you for hanging out with Alex so much."

The researcher giggled. "I suppose that's true," she admitted. "You know, dad doesn't give you enough credit for how well you read people."

Feigning a gag, Sebastian scrunched his face in disgust. "The more you read people, the better you can avoid them," he reasoned dismissively.

"... Or seek them out," Maru offered to foil his point, following her brother's line of sight. Sebastian scowled, realizing he had been caught staring across the crowd at Violet. Something about her was different tonight, but he could not quite put his finger on it. Maru snickered in the way only a sibling can, but dismissed herself. "Good luck!" she whispered before leaving her brother's side to find Penny.

Now that his nosy sister was gone, Sebastian looked back toward Violet. She noticed him and their eyes locked across the crowd. He clasped the bouquet in his hoodie pocket. I can do this…

The villagers began to spread out to where they each planned on viewing the bioluminescent sea creatures. Sam and Abigail joined them on the southwestern-most portion of the docks, where Sebastian and Violet had shared an umbrella just two nights ago.

Violet stood beside him, unusually quiet this evening until she posed a question to the seasoned residents. "What are the jellyfish like?" she wondered out loud.

Abigail pondered for a moment. "They're such a rare and exciting thing…" she mused. "The jellies are so beautiful they almost don't look real."

"I wonder if they're poisonous." Sam conjectured, prompting a light, playful shove from Abigail. "What?" he shot back defensively. "It's a legit question!"

"If they are, I feel like Demetrius would have given us a lecture about their toxicity or something," Sebastian cackled in good humor. He knew if he let things get too heavy he might chicken out on his plans. His fingertips brushed the silky petals of the flowers in his pocket. He just needed to find the right moment.

Abigail kept close to Sam so they could talk without Violet and Sebastian overhearing. "You still thinking of pushing Sebastian in?" she asked with hushed enthusiasm.

The smirk on the blond's face widened. "I'm tempted, just like every year since I moved here," he declared without shame. "Why? You think I should this year?"

The amethyst-haired woman nodded. "I think it would definitely help some things along. You know, give them an excuse to be away from the rest of us if he has to go dry off later?" Abigail winked suggestively.

Sam's deep green eyes sparkled with delight. "Oh, babe. I love it when we're on the same page." He held her face and planted a kiss on her lips before scoping out his target. But before he could do anything, Mayor Lewis pushed the candle-boat out to sea, signaling the beginning of the Dance of the Moonlight Jellies.

"It's now or never!" Abigail urged him quietly. Sam rushed at Sebastian, his arms held out straight to knock his best friend off-balance. But, what the skater did not anticipate was Violet's desperate grasp onto Sebastian's hoodie in an attempt to save him from tumbling into the sea. With a shout of "Fuck you, Sam!" and a squeal from Violet, the two flailed mid-air before falling into the water.

"Ooops…"

Abigail pulled him away from the scene of the crime and sat him beside her. "It's fine, let them go!" she hissed. "They can't possibly drown this close to shore, right?"

Sebastian had just been teasing Violet about a mysterious dark shadow in the water when they suddenly found themselves bobbing in shallows beneath the docks. Immediately, the farmer began to look for a ladder, but found none. "I guess we'll have to go to shore if we want back up on the docks," she sighed. Violet's clothes were completely soaked now. The only saving grace was that she had not brought her phone since the whole town was in attendance for the festival.

Sebastian held her wrist lightly to stop her from leaving. "We should wait to go up," he suggested grumpily. "I want Sam to sweat a little before we rejoin the group. Make him think twice about pulling a stunt like that again."

Violet giggled at Sebastian's sour expression and stayed put. His face was comically child-like with his lower lip sticking out. She grabbed hold of a loose mooring line to better stay in one spot. "I suppose it's not so bad, so long as it's just the two of us…" she confessed.

Then, Violet noticed the darkness of the water slowly gave way to a soft glow all around them. It was the Moonlight Jellies. Their periwinkle domes shone with a gentle light, their iridescent tentacles trailing lazily beneath them. "Abigail was right…" Violet breathed. "How could something this beautiful be real?" she wondered in amazement. The woman could now see why these jellyfish were sacred to the merfolk.

The magnificent creatures kept their distance, but with the light they produced, Violet noticed something floating in the water all around them. "Flower petals?"

Sebastian, who could no longer hide his embarrassment in the dark, frowned deeply. "They were… supposed to be for you…" he told her sheepishly, yanking the remnants of the bouquet from his hoodie pocket. The flowers were beyond saving, as evidenced by the floral fragments floating all around them. "I was… going to ask you out…"

Violet flushed as Sebastian stole a glance her way. He looked so vulnerable in that moment, his features softened as he regarded her.

The farmer admired the dark-haired man in the water beside her. The way the Moonlight Jellies lit up the water made the whole world seem like a beautiful illusion. Sebastian's ink-black hair glittered with the reflected radiance from the jellies and his eyes were like the night sky filled with millions of tiny stars. Sebastian was the most beautiful person she had ever seen. Violet knew in her gut that if she did not seize this breathtaking moment, it would be lost forever.

Violet pulled him toward her by the front of his hoodie. Their faces mere inches from one another, the farmer could feel his breath on her skin.

"W-what are you doing, Violet?" Sebastian stuttered, flustered by her closeness.

The floral-haired woman beamed at him. "Giving you my answer," Violet replied boldly, as she wrapped her arms around Sebastian's neck. Without another word, in the delicate light of the bioluminescent jellyfish surrounding them, Violet closed her eyes and kissed him.

Author's Note:

I bet you all weren't expecting that last scene with how long I've made you wait, were you? ;D

Proceed to freak the fuck out. It wasn't a dream.

This chapter concludes Summer Year 1. The next installment, which will cover Fall Year 1 in a separate fic (title TBD), will be published on April 21st, 2021. I'm giving myself a little break to relax and do some proper planning to keep the quality of the story going strong.

"Why April 21st?" you might ask. Well, that date marks one year since I posted the first chapter of this series, so it seems fitting to wait until then to post Part 3. I will close the raffle a week from today to give a few more readers a chance to enter. I will send the winner a snippet of the first chapter for Fall Year 1 at least a week before the official post.

For the rest of you, I suppose the fastest method of knowing when Part 3 posts (other than checking periodically) would be to add me on your author alerts or subscribe to the "In Search of a Soul" series' page? I honestly haven't done this before, but I assume that's the way to go.

Until then, I shall see you all again in a few weeks.