Listen, And The Stars Shall Speak

Jade Mountain Fever

"You want me to what?" Shore asked in confusion.

"You are four years old and it is about time you went to a real school." Joy explained. "JMA will be perfect for you." Shore stood frozen.

"I've been to a real school," he retorted. He didn't want to leave. What about Ander, Apple, and Rin? What about Orange? Or Juniper? He couldn't just leave them. It suddenly occurred to Shore that he had no guy friends. Maybe he should get away before they all turned against him. "On second thought, yea, that's great. When do I start?" Joy's eyes narrowed.

"Why the sudden change of heart?"

"I just realized that I am completely surrounded by girls and I don't want to be murdered when I inevitably mess up." He explained. Kelp burst out laughing and Joy turned to stare at him.

"Oh, you better get use to that feeling." He offered. "Especially if you like girls with a temper."

"I do not have a temper." Joy declared. Shore and Kelp glanced at each other and started laughing. She glared at them.

*~*~*~*~*

"Shore!" Orange exclaimed, running towards her friend. 

He turned and grinned at her and she fought against the jump in her heart. Orange found herself noticing things about Shore that she hadn't when they were younger. He was handsome, and something about him made it seem like he'd only grow more pleasing to the eye as he got older. Especially his face. The way he smiled....... 

Wait. 

Why was she going off on an internal monologue about how handsome Shore was? 

She shook off the thought, reminding herself of a painful, but necessary fact. Shore liked Juniper. He didn't like her. They were friends, and that's probably all Shore would ever see in her, wasn't it? A friend? Who knew that such a kind word could sting so much.

"Hey Orange, what's up?" Shore replied, snapping her thoughts back to reality. 

"My parents are sending me to JMA this year." She grumbled. Shore's face lit up. 

"You have to go too? That's great!" He exclaimed. "My parents are making me go too!" Orange's heart lept. An entire year at a school with Shore? And no Juniper? That sounded like heaven!

She should've known better than to get her hopes up.

"That's awesome!" Shore continued. "Juniper said that she's going too, but she doesn't seem as excited as you." 

And there's another knife stabbing into her chest. With Juniper there, she'd be nothing but an unwanted third wheel. She bit back a sigh. 

"Oh." she replied flatly. "How great." Shore frowned, wondering why she suddenly looked upset. "You know, I think I actually have to go- chores, you know. So....I'll see you later okay?" 

"Okay...?" He agreed. Orange took off from the platform, her scales flashing as she flew away. 

Well, Shore thought to himself. That was weird. 

A week went by, and it seemed to Shore that Orange was starting to avoid him. That was strange. Had he done something wrong? Had he offended her in some way? Whatever it was, he hoped it stopped soon. Jade Mountain would be a very lonely place without Orange. 

"Would you stop moping." Rin yelled at him one morning. "I don't know why you're so depressed, but it's VERY OBNOXIOUS to us happy dragons." 

"He's not moping." Ander retorted, popping a grape into her mouth. "He's brooding."

"What?" Shore asked in confusion.

"Brooding. Ruminating?" Ander explained. Shore stared at her blankly until she sighed. "You are deep in contemplation about Orange." 

"How do you know what I'm deep in contemplation about?" he said sarcastically. She rolled her eyes.

"Because she's your anima coniunx. Your amore for all eternity." Ander got a dreamy look in her eyes and she sank down with a longing sigh. Rin put her head on the table, trying her hardest not to burst out laughing. She knew what Ander had said. 

"Uh....I'm gonna go out on a limb and say you're wrong. I'm 'brooding' or whatever about Orange because she won't talk to me." 

"Why won't she talk to you?" Joy asked.

"I don't know." he admitted. "We were fine and now she runs away whenever I'm near her." 

"Well, what was the last thing you said to her?" Kelp questioned. "It's usually something you said or did."

"All I did was tell her that Juniper was going to be at Jade Mountain with us, and then she got all weird and ran off." Joy facetaloned. 

"That's what you did wrong." She explained.

"Why would that make her upset?" Shore said in confusion.

"Don't look at me. I have no idea." Kelp admitted.

"You are all morons." Ander declared. 

"Yes they are." Joy agreed.

"Do we have to spell it out for you, for crying out loud?" Rin asked. Shore raised an eyebrow.

"He's clueless." Ander proclaimed.  

"Can I ever get a straight answer?" Shore questioned.

"No." Kelp confirmed. Shore threw up his hands.

"Girls!"