I don't need no light to see you SHINE

25

TWs: Crying/breaking down, keeping secrets, cliffhanger. Stay safe :)

Theia interlaced her fingers, an apprehensive look on her face as she faced the past moons of the planets.

Morta, a moon of Nine, frowned, eyebrows furrowing, "But why? Why did you feel the need to hide this from us?"

Theia rubbed her knuckles, letting out a sigh, "At first, I said it because I didn't know it was possible... until one day when I found it was. It was disorienting, confusing, and terrifying. No one could see, or hear me, and I phased through objects... we're not on the same plane of existence as other Celestial objects."

Some, especially the smaller moons, looked disheartened to hear that while others seemed cognizant.

"I've experienced firsthand what it's like," Theia continued, her voice shaking as her whole body trembled, "That no matter how hard you yell, no one will hear. No matter how hard you try, you can't touch them, you can't even comfort them when they're depressed, you can't talk them out of doing something irrational and idiotic, you c-can't...!"

The moons watched as Theia covered her face, breath shuddering. The smaller Celestites huddled together, some eyes filling with tears more than the rest. The bigger moons looked on in sympathy.

"Theia..." Chrysalis uttered, a bleakness in her eyes as her lips quivered.

"N-No matter what you do, you can't be with them..." Tears flowed from Theia's eyes. She tried blinking them away, turning toward the others, "I-I'm sorry I hid this from everyone... after my experience, I didn't want to get anyone's hopes up. It's agonizing not being able to be there for your planet... but that doesn't excuse the fact that I should've told you guys sooner. I'm sorry..."

Herschel, a moon of Uranus, stepped forward, offering Theia a hand, "It's alright, Theia... we've got til the Sun turns into a Red Giant to find out what our planets have been up to."

"Not to mention we get to see them again!" A moon of Saturn, Cardea, exclaimed, jumping up and down.

"Yay!" The other small Celestites celebrated. Theia smiled softly despite some tears falling from her eyes.

"Go on now, Cura..." Chrysalis pushed the smallest moon toward Theia, "Just like we practiced."

Cura nodded, turning to face the chestnut and sepia planet, "Miss Theia...?"

"Yes, little one?" Theia gave her her full attention.

Cura averted her eyes, fiddling with her fingers, "I-I'm sorry... for yelling."

Theia frowned, tilting her head. Slowly, she took the small Celestite's hands in her own, "It's alright, Cura, I didn't think anything of it."

Cura smiled before rushing forward to hug Theia. The Celestial returned it, patting her on the head.

"Miss Theia, can we go now!?" Clementia exclaimed as she darted around.

"Uh-"

"Yeah! Can we, Miss Theia!?" Cardea grinned.

"Can we!? Can we!?"

"Uh, w-well..." Theia knitted her brows, thinking about it.

"Clementia, Cardea, you're stressing the poor thing." Dia, a moon of Jupiter, lightly scolded as she pulled them away.

"Sorry, Dia..." They apologized.

"Don't apologize to me." Dia gestured to Theia.

"S-Sorry, Miss Theia..." The small moons uttered.