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Sunshine Park. Stelle wasn’t sure what she was expecting the first time she learned about the Moment of Oasis, yet as she stood on the park's edge, the sight before her was nothing like she expected.
Before her was something foreign, a world completely…green. Above her, a sapphire sky shined bright, matched with a blazing golden sun that's light stretched across the entire park. A sea of trees lay before her, stretching across the entire park. Every direction she looked, a different view would be before her. Trees that couldn’t possibly be together flourished only a short distance apart. Tropical trees on one side, large maple trees with red and orange leaves on the other, the whole sight was almost an overwhelming splash of color.
The entrance was in close proximity to where she was standing, a large neon sign that arched in front of a paved walkway surrounded by trees on either side. On the sign, Sunshine Park glowed in bright neon letters, a stark difference to everything else around. Near the bottom of the sign and bordering the pathway, dozens upon dozens of flowers stretched beyond what Stelle could see, an overwhelming splash of color.
Despite having traveled to several planets, none of her previous trailblazing locations were anything similar to the sight before her. The Xianzhou Luofu was a floating ship in space, a fascinating sight to be sure, but still devoid of little natural life outside of Fyxestroll Garden, which remained relatively the same.
Jarillo-VI was in a similar state, being covered in a permanent frost that coated the entire planet. Icy tundras unlike the stale atmosphere of Herta Space Station where she awoke, yet still mostly devoid of life besides fragmentum monsters. It would be a long while before there was anything besides snow that grew in the fields outside Belobog.
Even the other parts of the Dreamscape she had visited couldn’t be more different. Everything there was urban, from the malls to the auditorium to the bar. Even Dreamflux Reef felt like an abandoned cityscape.
Stelle had yet to step inside the park, lingering on the beach just nearby where she had landed. The beach was open, a perfect place to keep watch on the sky above her as she waited.
Yet the beautiful scenery did little to stop the nervous thump of her heart as she paced along the pearly white sand beach. Even the loud noise of crunching sand beneath her boots did little to distract her. She paused for a moment, taking a second to look out at the water in front of her. A cerulean ocean stretched out towards the horizon, the white capped waves shining bright against the midday sun that hung eternally in early afternoon. Out in the distance, Stelle could make out the small figures of other tourists surfing among the waves, trying their best to stay above water as long as possible.
The place was alluring, and yet, Stelle could only wonder why Firefly had summoned her there. It had only been a short while before that they had been on board the Radiant Feldspar, trying to save it from Sparkle’s impending destruction. Or so they had thought. Instead, it was yet another prank pulled by the masked fools, as bombs turned into fireworks as Firefly had shot into the night sky.
It had all been a blur after that. Stelle remembered being shoved off the ship, before being caught by Sam, who then transformed back into Firefly. A beautiful girl who had held her close, and interlinked their hands as they fell from the sky. They had boarded the Feldspar once more, being rushed by the fellow Nameless who drowned them in congratulatory applause and excitement.
And then nothing.
When they landed back on the ship, a rush of disappointment had flooded Stelle’s senses, yet she couldn’t quite place why. Hadn’t they achieved their goal? They had saved Penacony, Firefly had survived, Robin had gifted them the Feldspar, so why did something still feel missing?
After the initial commotion had died down, Firefly had pulled Stelle aside, asking if they could talk in a more private location, and had sent the coordinates for the place she was currently standing. The Moment of Oasis was the last place she had expected, yet it hadn’t taken long for Stelle to find her way. However, several minutes later, she still remained alone, waiting along the shore for the girl that had sent her there.
“Did she ditch me?” Stelle muttered to herself dejectedly.
What a silly thought, she shook her head. Firefly wouldn’t do that, it was unlike her. Despite what little length of time she had known her, the girl was unlike anyone Stelle had met before. Of course, she was beautiful, but she had met plenty of pretty women in her journeys so far. There was something different about Firefly though, it was almost as if she felt subconsciously drawn to the girl.
As she stood there, lost in thought, a small streak of green in the sky caught her attention. Her heart began to thump once more, as the form of Sam came clearer into view. The mechanical figure crashed into the sand in front of her, kicking up sand and dust in its wake. Stelle sputtered, waving her hand in front of her face to try and clear her clouded vision. As the dust settled, a girl stood in the place of the mech, surrounded by shards of broken glass. It didn’t take long for Stelle to realize that it had been the heat of the mechanical armor that had crystalised the beach into glass.
Hot
In front of her, Firefly blushed, looking down at the ground bashfully.
“Oh… um thank you.”
Shit, had she said that part out loud? Stelle felt embarrassment creep onto her face, and turned away before Firefly could see the state she was in. It was strange the way she had started acting since arriving in Penacony. She never felt so flustered, never made mistakes like that. Of course, she could keep her cool in front of others, but when it was just the two of them…
“Sorry…” Stelle mumbled. “I didn’t mean to say that.”
A small chuckle echoed from Firefly and Stelle peaked her head back towards her direction.
“It’s okay.”
Firefly had a gentle smile on her face, her eyes shining brightly as they held each other’s gaze. As she broke contact, Firefly turned her head towards Sunshine Park, looking curiously towards the shaded path.
“So, this is Sunshine Park? It’s a lot different compared to Golden Hour.”
“Oh—yeah,” Stelle sputtered, turning back towards the entrance. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“Well then…Shall we?” Firefly asked, nudging her head towards the direction of the park.
Stelle swallowed the growing lump in her throat, giving a small nod as they began to walk towards the entrance. Stepping underneath the canopy of trees, she couldn’t help but feel mesmerized by the sight before them. In the trees above, Stelle could make out moving figures on the branches. As she squinted to get a closer look, she realized that it was more origami birds, watching the pair with curious eyes. It was colorful, yet in a way completely foreign to the night time lights of Golden Hour. Despite their vibrancy, the lush colors of the plants and flowers felt natural, and didn’t strain her eyes like the bright billboards and glowing lights she had grown accustomed to. It was all almost enough to completely distract her from everything.
Almost enough. Even with the surrounding distractions, she couldn’t help but be acutely aware of the person walking besides her. The subtle warmth of Firefly’s body as they walked together, the way every once in a while, their fingers would graze ever so slightly against each other, sending little tingles coursing through her body. If Firefly noticed, she didn’t make it known. Instead her sights were fixated on the scenery around them, constantly moving to take in their surroundings.
The trees slowly began to open up into a clearing, giving way to the sunshine and stretching out into a large open valley. Off in the distance, a large rocky cliff jutted from the ground, towering over the valley as a giant waterfall streamed over the side. Stelle felt her breath hitch at the sight. It was truly unlike anything she had ever seen before. At the bottom of the waterfall, a river snaked through the park, following the path before splitting off to connect to a lake in her distance. The lake was crystal clear, sparkling like a mirror as if it were frozen in time.
“Wow,” Stelle whispered. “Have you ever seen anything like this?”
Stelle turned her head towards Firefly, who seemed to be lost in thought, looking at the waterfall in the distance.
“Once,” Firefly began before an almost melancholy look adorned her face. “But it was long ago.”
A pain squeezed Stelle’s chest. It hurt to see Firefly upset, yet she didn’t even know why she was upset in the first place. A small part of her wanted to reach out, wrap Firefly in her arms and shield her from whatever was troubling her. Yet, the thought also filled her with a bit of embarrassment. It wasn’t her place to comfort Firefly like that, a girl she hardly knew. That kind of thing was reserved for close friends, and lovers.
Lovers
The word caused Stelle’s stomach to twist in knots. She had to admit, she had never quite thought of anyone like that before, but the thought of Firefly being with another filled her with an uneasy sinking feeling. One that made her chest tighten, as if she were being chewed up from the inside. It took a moment for her to place the feeling, for she had never experienced an emotion like that before. Jealousy.
It was rather silly to be jealous. It wasn’t her place to be, after all they were just friends, and they were both destined for different paths. However, Stelle couldn’t deny a small part of her didn’t want to let go, wanted to be selfish and keep Firefly all to herself. Such things were impossible though, and thinking about them would do her no good. This was their final moment together, and she needed to make it count. They both needed a distraction. Shaking her head to collect her bearings, she looked around the scenery before her eyes landed on something out in the distance.
“Do you want to check out that waterfall?” Stelle asked, turning her head towards Firefly with a mischievous smirk.
The melancholy look fell from Firefly’s face, replaced with eyes that glittered in excitement. Bingo, her plan had worked. Firefly nodded enthusiastically and the two of them began making their way towards their destination.
Despite the cloudless sky, and there being no trees to provide shade, the temperature in the air felt perfect, even with Stelle’s long coat. Firefly didn’t seem too bothered either, strolling along content next to her even in her multilayered outfit. The wind was gentle against her skin, not too much or too little. The power of the Dreamscape was indeed incredible, creating a perfect environment. Yet a small part of Stelle still felt a little unsatisfied. It was almost too great. One of the best parts about trailblazing was the uncertainty and unpredictable nature of it all. Here, everything was at a standstill, behaving exactly how it was supposed to.
Or perhaps, the environment was the only thing behaving how it should. Instead of easing up, Stelle could feel the tension in her stomach as they got closer and closer to their destination. It wasn’t as if some unknown mystery awaited them at the end of the path, yet Stelle still held her breath in anticipation.
“So, you’re the new captain of the Radiant Feldspar huh?” Firefly asked next to her. “Tell me, what do you plan to do, now that you’re in charge.”
Stelle tapped her finger to chin, falling into deep thought. She had to admit, she hadn’t quite thought of what she was going to do, yet the possibilities seemed endless. A forever getaway that was suspended in the air. She could throw the best parties, inviting her friends from all over. Or maybe she could kick everyone off, give herself a day to sit back and do nothing in a place all to herself.
“First, I think I will have a giant statue made in our honor, as the saviors of Penacony.” Stelle said smugly.
“Our?” Firefly raised an eyebrow curiously.
“Of course! I may have dealt the final blow, but I couldn’t have done it without you, my awesome sidekick!”
Firefly looked away shyly, turning out towards the water running alongside them.
“Oh? I thought March was your sidekick.”
“Huh…yeah you’re right, perhaps we can be partners-in-crime then.”
Firefly turned back towards her, a hint of amusement on her face as she listened to Stelle.
“It’s a deal.”
As they finally reached their destination, the path came to an end at the bottom of the waterfall, connecting to a bridge that arched over the river. Despite looking like a perfect scenic point, there was not another soul in sight besides the two of them.
Walking onto the bridge, the pair stopped at the center, approaching the side closest to the waterfall. Stelle placed her hands on the railing, looking up at the towering waterfall above them. Even though it still stood a good distance away, the wind was picking up the falling water, carrying it towards her and ever so slightly splashing her face. Firefly took her place besides Stelle, looking towards the waterfall in equal wonder.
It was a mesmerizing sight. Although she had seen the parted waters of Scalegorge Waterscape, there was a certain beauty that was unlike anything else. Yet even now, a part of Stelle’s brain nagged uncomfortably. The question remained why they were even here in the first place. Why had Firefly invited her there?
Stelle turned around, crossing to the other side of the bridge and looking down at the river beneath them. In the water below, dozens of fish swam happily, just under the surface. Their colors were unnatural, just as vibrant as the flowers around the park. Upon closer inspection, Stelle realized that they were origami, like the birds hidden around the rest of Penacony.
“Is something wrong?” A voice spoke up next to her.
Stelle flinched, spinning around and coming face to face with Firefly who looked at her with curious eyes. They were so close to each other, standing a hair's breadth apart. From the distance, Stelle could count every star in Firefly’s eyes, and could feel the warmth of her breath against her own skin. The butterflies in her stomach grew as she tried to create distance, only to be stopped by the railing behind her.
“You’ve been acting… different. Did something happen?”
With a heavy sigh, Stelle’s gaze fell downward, fixating on her boots. It seemed that Firefly had noticed after all. Stelle wasn’t surprised, the girl did have a keen eye, perhaps from her training as a super soldier. Still, she had no idea what to even say. She didn’t even know what she wanted. There was only one question that she could ask. Taking a deep breath, she lifted her head, locking eyes with the girl in front of her.
“I just… I want to know why you brought me here.”
“Oh.”
Firefly’s face fell and she took a step back, letting her gaze drift to the view behind Stelle. She closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath before looking at Stelle once again.
“I wanted to see you one last time, before it was our time to part ways.”
“But why here?” Stelle pushed. “We could have said our goodbyes back on the Feldspar, yet you insisted we come here. Why?”
A pink hue dusted across Firefly’s skin, and Stelle realized that Firefly was blushing.
“I’m sorry. You’re right, we could have just said our goodbye’s back on the ship. I didn’t realize you didn’t want to see me—
“No, no, no!” Stelle interrupted. Aeons, she felt like an idiot. Somehow, she had made Firefly think she hated her, when all she wanted was to be near her. All she wanted to know was if there was a chance. “I—I wanted to see you too. But I was wondering, if that was all you wanted to say…”
The look on Firefly’s face morphed, shifting in an expression of curiosity and uncertainty. She paused for a moment, as if in deep thought. Hesitantly, she began to speak once more.
“Was there something that you wanted to tell me Stelle?”
“Yes!” Stelle blurted out loud quicker than she meant to. “I mean… I don’t know…”
The butterflies in her stomach only grew as they stood face to face, neither daring to move. Time seemed frozen, as if a spell had been placed over the pair.
“Did you want to tell me something as well?”
Ever so slowly, Firefly nodded.
“Ok,” Stelle sighed. “How about this…I’ll tell you what I wanted to say, and then you tell me what you wanted to say. How does that sound?”
“Alright.” Firefly swallowed. “You first then.”
Stelle was never usually one to hesitate, but it felt as if all her senses were muddled around the girl in front of her. Nothing seemed to make sense, she was behaving irrationally. Stelle would consider herself usually level-headed, but that all seemed to dissipate around Firefly. Yet mind muddled or not, there was a clear part of her mind telling her to take the chance. She couldn’t just let the girl in front of her walk away, not without trying. There would be no second chances. With hesitation, Stelle took a sigh before speaking again.
“I don’t want this to be our last goodbye.” Stelle finally spoke.
Silence. Stelle stood there with a lump in her throat, watching the unmoving Firefly. She could see a million thoughts flooding those sunset eyes, yet couldn’t make sense of any one of them. Slowly, she began to speak again.
“I know that we haven’t known each other that long, but getting to know you has been unlike meeting anyone else. Everything just feels right when I’m with you, but at the same time it doesn’t feel enough. I don’t know what you want, but I don’t know if maybe in the future… we could maybe be something more?”
Stelle held her breath in anticipation. However, to her shock, tears began to well up in the eyes of the girl in front of her. Before she could even ask what was the matter, hands were thrown around her neck as she stumbled forward into a hug. Firefly squeezed with a strength Stelle could hardly comprehend. As if she were being squeezed by the mechanical suit Firefly wore. Slowly, she raised her arms, hugging the girl back.
“Yes, of course Stelle. I would like that more than almost anything,” Firefly whispered.
Despite still being crushed from Firefly’s tight grip, it felt like a weight had finally been lifted off of Stelle’s shoulders. Out of all the responses she prepared for, she never had expected such an enthusiastic yes. As if telling her to finally relax, her body truly melted into the embrace, giving back her own reassuring squeeze. They stayed there for several moments, yet Stelle felt like she could stay there forever. After a little while, once Stelle’s arms had truly gone numb, Firefly pulled away, wiping her face with one of her sleeves as she took a step back.
“Sorry, I guess I got a little excited,” Firefly chuckled meekly.
“But wait…” Stelle shook her head. “You never told me what you wanted to say.”
With a smile, Firefly stepped forward once more, bringing herself face to face with the grey haired girl.
“How about I show you instead?”
The butterflies in her stomach returned with a vengeance. Stelle began to feel squeamish under the intense, yet gentle gaze of the Stellaron Hunter
“Yeah? And how would you do that?” Stelle swallowed nervously.
Slowly, Firefly brought her hands down towards Stelle’s, interlinking their fingers and pressing their palms together. Even through her gloves, the heat of her hands could not be ignored. Yet it was not a raging heat, like that of Sam. Instead, it was soft, like the warmth of a gentle summer evening.
And then… their lips connected, and it was like a thousand fireworks going off in Stelle’s head all at once. It almost felt too good to be true. It was soft and delicate, yet also intense and passionate. It was like the perfect sweet dream. And suddenly, Stelle felt like a manor hypocrite, because it was a dream she wouldn’t mind staying in forever.
As they pulled apart, Stelle’s eyes fluttered open, a goofy grin slapped across her face. Her mind was no longer a jumbled mess, but her head was still buzzing. There was so much she wanted to say, yet her tongue couldn’t find the words.
“I liked that,” was all that managed to escape Stelle's lips.
In front of her, Firefly laughed, her eyes twinkling brightly as they looked into her own.
“Why don’t I give you another then?”
She didn’t need to say anything else. Stelle nodded, leaning forward and connecting their lips once more. She tried to pour everything she could into the kiss, all the want, the desire, trying to show Firefly how she felt without words. When they finally pulled apart, the pair were both gasping for air, faces both flushed red.
“Have you been practicing?” Firefly asked with a raised brow.
Blushing Stelle shook her head, looking away from the accusatory eyes of Firefly.
“No… that was my first time,” Stelle admitted embarrassingly.
In front of her, a small giggle escaped Firefly’s lips, a hint of amusement twinkling in her eyes.
“Something wrong?” Stelle asked.
Firefly shook her head, only humming in response as she reached up, gently touching Stelle’s face. Stelle leaned into the warmth of her palm, letting it brush along her cheeks and through her hair.
“You know…” Firefly started, a tinge of sadness forming in her voice. “We are headed on very different paths. I don’t know how often we will be able to see each other.”
“That’s alright,” Stelle immediately reassured, placing her hands on Firefly’s shoulders. “As long as you’re still out there, I promise to come back to you.
“Are you sure?” Firefly asked with uncertainty. “After all the lies and deception that I put you through, are you really willing to just forgive me?”
“Fly… I already forgave you long ago. Besides, you did have good reasons for your secrets. We may have started off, well… had a bit of a stumble in the middle of our journey together, but that is behind us now.”
The wind picked up around them, causing Firefly’s hair to gently sway in the breeze. Stelle took a moment to look away from Firefly, and at the scenery around them. Even though the sun still remained high in the sky, its angle washed the area around them in a bright yet gentle glow. Further along the bridge railing, a pair of origami birds perched along the metal railing, chirping as they watched the pair. It really was a lovely spot.
“We still have some time… before we have to really say goodbye. Would you like to see the rest of the park?”
Firefly smiled, looking so bright. It was unlike anything Stelle had ever seen before. A beauty unlike any other. Lover. That was what Firefly was. And not just any lover, hers. With a nod, Firefly looped her arm around Stelle’s and they began their journey along the path once more. They finally had each other. After everything that had been thrown at them, it was finally over. Yet for Stelle, this was the greatest victory of all.