I don't need no light to see you SHINE

2

TWs: Brief arguing, feelings of defeat, unresolved issues. Stay safe :)

"You want us to help you track down a NovaStar drifting in the far parts of the Kuiper Belt?" Sedna raised an eyebrow.

"NovaStars are bigger than us. What good can we do?" Quaoar asked.

"I just need someone to locate it." Neptune smiled, tilting his head as he clasped his hands together, "Please help me, it's a present for Nine."

"N-"

"Sure." Sedna interrupted Salacia's disagreement.

"What? Sedna, the lunatic literally forced us to do his bidding and almost destroyed you!"

"No, well, yes- but he's trying his best to make it up to me. He leaves around diamond debris with messages carved into them."

"An apology doesn't make up for everything that someone did wrong, Sedna."

"I know, it doesn't! But look, in the end, he found your moons wandering the edge of the Heliosphere, doesn't that account for something?"

Salacia was quiet before huffing, "I still don't trust him."

"And it's fine not trusting anyone!" Neptune butted in on the conversation, "Nine understands that he's not... well-liked at the moment, but that doesn't mean we can exclude him from everything that happens here! He's one of us, and as such, he'll be treated like the rest of us ought to treat him."

The smallest Dwarf Celestial slowly nodded, "I suppose you're right."

"Huh." Sedna tilted her head, "I heard all kinds of stories about you guys from Nine, but he didn't mention how good you are at giving advice, Neptune."

"Oh, it's nothing! Just a lot of time in isolation tends to make you speak without thinking."

"Are we done here? Can we find that thing you're looking for now? I hate doing nothing." Quaoar grunted.

"Patience, Quaoar, grab Gonggong and Orcus for us, will ya?" Salacia shooed him away.

"I'm going, I'm going... jeez." The oblong Celestial uttered as he flew away.

"I should get going as well." Neptune hummed, "I'm going to try to get Triton to help- he's one of the fastest moons out there!"

"Sounds good, right, Salacia?" Sedna turned to the other.

"Yep, whatever, as long as nobody gets in my way." Salacia crossed her arms, eyes piercing through the void only to soften upon noticing her moon's deflated expression, "I don't mean you, Actaea."

The moon perked up, smiling. Actaea didn't speak very often, opting to only talk to certain bodies, such as her planet and two fellow moons. It had a term on Earth called 'selective mutism.' Salacia acted as her voice, telling others the moon's opinion on subjects.

"I have to say, your moon is so adorable!" Neptune leaned down, blinking one eye and then the other at the small moon.

Actaea squeaked, moving behind Salacia and grabbing her arm, muttering something under her breath.

Salacia patted her on the head, giving her a smile, "She says thank you."

Neptune grinned, "I'll see you guys soon, then! If you run into any trouble, just yell!"

Before the Dwarf Celestials could ask, the blue Giant Celestial flew off.

"Just yell...?" Salacia uttered, "What good will that do?"

"Who knows with Neptune?" Sedna shrugged, "He's on a different plane of existence- not that that's a bad thing."

Actaea watched Neptune disappear within the debris and rubble, eyes full of wonder and curiosity. Soon, she would tell Vanth and Weywot about the carefree Celestial.