CounterPart

23 | You may

You would think that being a SeaWing would mean you liked rain.

Tsunami did not. Not at all.

The bullets of rain battered her scales until they were sore, and wet in every inch, and the sky cast grey shadows and depressive undertones to all the dragons huddled outside. She felt that it was mostly targeted at her. No more deep sea sapphire scales for her, and it was frustrating.

"Riptide." She sighed. "Remind me why we are currently sitting in a downpour, instead of inside in the warm and safe and..." She trailed off at safe. What she'd give to be back in her office at Jade Mountain right now...

"I said I'm sorry, Tsu, but Morpho wants us here."

"Who gives a damn about what Morpho thinks!"

Riptide smiled sympathetically, and dropped a wing around her back like an umbrella. It didn't take long for her to push it away.

"Tide, I don't need your pity. And besides, now you're getting wet." She said, with a hint of cleverly disguised care. The voice of Nightstar caught her ears from several leagues away, tugging on his mother Glory's wing for attention.

"Mummy, what's a dam?"

"Er - oops." Tsunami muttered awkwardly, and she could feel the heat of Glory's glare on her. "Whatever."

The dragons seemed to be trying to make the most of their pitiful situation. She could see her mother chickening Auklet and Icefish, but Guppy seemed to be under the care of Cliff. Many dragons were searching for those close to them: Sky and Clay were calling for Peril, and Snowfall was searching in vain for her friend Lynx. Meanwhile, Tsunami could hear snippets of Qibli and Winter's conversation:

"You're only going to exacerbate the problem!"

"Assassinate it? Wonderful!"

And she shook her head. Anemone was nowhere to be seen... Suspicious. Come to think of it, neither was Sunny. Where was she?

And then she caught sight of her, talking calmly, restrained, with her friend Azalea the SilkWing. Her voice was breaking... And she let Azalea pull a wing (or two) around her comfortingly.

No no no, something was wrong here, and she was going to find out what had hurt her almost-sister. And fight it. And WIN! And maybe be praised for it, perhaps get a statue built - No, no, SUNNY was the problem here! Focus.

She was at their side in seconds, without even bothering to alert Riptide, and she stared down at Sunny authoratively. She only just noticed how small the little hybrid looked when she was sad... Shoulders hunched, wings dragging, claws sinking into the mud. Her downcast eyes flickered up to Tsunami and held there, something unsaid passing between them.

"Who is it?" Tsunami growled. "And I'll fight them."

"No! No..." Sunny choked. "You don't need to fight him. It's not his fault."

"Ohhhhh no." Tsunami groaned. "Don't give me that. It's kelp-face, isn't?"

Sunny's eyes darted downwards again, betraying the truth.

"I'll kill him." Tsunami swore. "Why would he do this. To you?"

"Tsunami!" Sunny gasped. "Didn't you hear me? It's not. His. Fault. It's mine."

"Nope, I refuse to believe that."

"Well you should!" She snapped. Azalea didn't back down, and stood protectively with her wing around Sunny. "It's my fault, anyway. I was the one who told him I was only helping him." Her eyes were plaintive as she looked up at Tsunami. "I really thought he liked me." She whispered.