Fun With Fireworks

Disclaimer: I do not own Animal Crossing, the "New Horizons" game, or any of its characters. This probably should have been a text post, but since I don't really use Tumblr anymore, this story came about instead.

Fun With Fireworks

"Oh, this is an absolutely wonderful party!"

Tom chuckled into his coconut juice, the cool drink doing much to fend off the humid summer air. "Yes yes, Reese, the Resident Representative did much to make this party a good one."

The pink alpaca beamed as she looked off onto the beach party near the shore below. Villagers splashed in the dark waters, the moon and stars as the light to guide their time in the sea. A small dance floor lit up the grassier parts of the beach, and the Resident Representative danced with Reneigh as K.K. Slider's "Drivin'" blasted out over the speakers. Tiki torches and seashells carved out pathways for villagers to move across, and even from the little tiki café the tanuki and the alpacas were sitting at, the general cheer of the party was evident to see.

"Oh... it's just..." Reese sighed as she looked off towards the sea. Her hooves lifted under her chin, and with another dreamy sigh, she turned her head to the direction of the dance floor. "Please send the Resident Representative my regards! This party makes me hesitant to leave the island now!"

Tom sipped more of his juice, a large smile teasing the corners of his mouth. "I shall let the Representative know that the Summer Solstice Party was a success."

"Well, I don't think they did it all by themselves..." Cyrus tipped his head respectfully to the tanuki. "Surely you pitched in your share of the work, what with the promotion this thing had."

Tom's shoulders lifted, and a paw circled in the air. "Honestly, the Representative did most of the work. I just helped with getting the word out, yes."

"Oh, you certainly got the word out alright," Reese said, a chuckle to her words. "Dance party, beach fun, and to end off the night... fireworks!"

"Speaking of which, it's almost midnight." Cyrus threw a glance over his shoulder to the tiki hut clock, and when he turned back, a concerned look decorated his face. "Don't the twins want to watch the fireworks with you?"

A beat of silence passed, Tom slowly enjoying his drink before reaching for the fruit punch pitcher at the middle of the table. As his paw wrapped around the smooth, curved handle, he laughed under his breath. "I'm sure they do, though they're currently with my husband setting up the fireworks display."

Cyrus looked to Reese, confusion gracing both their snouts. "Erm, Tom," Reese began, a hoof raised in question. "I do hate to pry, but... does your husband know that young children shouldn't be around fireworks?"

"I have mentioned that to him, multiple times, yes." He poured more drinks into his coconut cup, then reached for the cups the twins had left behind an hour before. "Though I don't technically know if my husband is with the twins right now teaching them how to light explosives on fire... I have a feeling it was going to happen whether I wanted it to or not, hm?"

The two alpacas looked off into the wall of trees and bushes blocking off the tropical beach party from the rest of the island. As Tom pour juice into the cups, Reese and Cyrus blanched before looking back to Tom.

"And you're sure the kids are safe?"

Tom set the pitcher down right next to him, just to his left. He lifted his cup and drank from it, a slight tease in his tired eyes. "I believe it is almost time for the fireworks to start."

Before Reese or Cyrus could say anything, loud pops and bursts of bright color exploded just behind the wall of trees. Purple, red, blue, a rainbow. Shouts of glee and fear mixed together, and as Tom kept his gaze on the two alpacas, his right paw gently put down his cup to adjust the twins' cups to his right.