Sunset Incarnate

                The day had been a good one, everything had come together wonderfully and even now as the sun started to set, Pink couldn’t help but smile slightly. She walked down the beach that had been her old stomping ground as a child, where she had met Riptide and Waverunner. The two males having long moved on to establish their own territories. But she still liked to come by and walk, remember her time with them as they had grown.

                She missed them to some degree. She looked out at the calm water, barely a wave in sight but the sound of the ocean was still there. The seagull calls, the soft sounds of water lapping up on the beach, the smell of salt in the air. Pink closed her eyes as she inhaled deeply, letting the tension in her shoulders and neck go as she relaxed.

                “Beautiful, right?”

                Pink opened her eyes and looked up towards a nearby overlook and spotted the all to familiar hide of Riptide. The deep, inky, blackness of the curse marking on his hide had made it impossible for her to spot him at first as he sat on the grassy overhang and watched the sunset. She smiled a bit and stopped, giving a nod.

                “I suppose.”

                “There’s room up here for one more person, if you want.” The male called down to her. Pink couldn’t resist as she turned and made her way up into the grass and then climbed the small hill to sit down beside her old friend.

                The pair sat in silence as they watched the sun sink lower on the horizon. The ocean looking ablaze as it reflected the brilliant oranges and yellows of the massive sun. The sky starting to turn into a deeper, darker, blue specked with starts that started to shine even brighter.

                “This is my favorite part.” Riptide muttered, unwilling to shatter the atmosphere of awe and wonder that he and Pink were sharing in that moment. The sun finally dipping down completely below the water, the last bit of light igniting the rest of the sky into a beautiful multitude of colors. The two Cryo’s stared at the display before finally they were left in just an afterglow.

                “I’ve never seen anything so beautiful. Nothing beats the sights of this beach. Only beauty can be found here.” Riptide said and smiled, closing his eyes as he basked in the last light.

                “Good thing you’re not beautiful. Because that means your spats with your brother would’ve proved that fact wrong.” Pink said with a slight smirk, making the male crack an eye open and look over at her with a smirk of his own.

                “You and I cancel each other out and keep the balance. You looked absolutely incredible in the setting sun tonight, you know. The red of the sky and the sun, the deep crimson of the clouds even right now. You match it all perfectly. Forgive me for being so sappy.” Rip replied, opening his eyes fully again to roll onto his side slightly to look over at her, still smiling gently as he beheld her.

                “You’re excused. Come on, though. Let’s go and take a walk. We might even find some whole shells down there. The tide is just going out, right?” Pink replied, flicking her tail over to smack Riptide as she got to her feet and waited for him to follow suit.

                He gave a nod as he stood, walking after her as they headed back down to the beach and walked side by side as they scanned the sands before them and stole glances off at the ocean as a full moon graced the skies. It gave off plenty of light for the pair to see where they were going, and to still see the shells that littered the sand around them.

                “What brought you back here, Pink?” Rip asked casually, their pace slow and peaceful as they walked. The pair enjoying the cool night air and the company of each other.

                She thought for a moment, tilting her head as she considered the question before shrugging a bit.

                “It felt right. I was called back here by the ocean, I guess. Your brother would say that, anyway. Followed by about a thousand ‘dudes’ and ‘bros’ thrown in there as he talked.” Pink replied and laughed softly. Rip chuckled and gave a nod.

                “What are you doing back here, Riptide?” She asked, meeting his gaze.

                “I think much the same reason. I can’t find a place I love. I can’t settle down. So I came back here, hoping it would give me some clarity on where I needed to go. Who I should see. I hoped something would come to mind while I was here. Instead I see this sunset and then I see you. It makes me want to come back here and just set up in one of the nearby caves. Not on the beach, so I can avoid all the flooding but-“

                “You’re thinking too much. Enjoy the silence. If you feel you should move back here, then just do it. Tackle the details later.” Pink said and smiled, using her head to nudge up against Riptide gently to get his mind from being stuck on the details of where he would go and live if he moved back.

                He smiled, snorting over at her and playfully smacked her shoulder. The pair laughing as they continued down the beach.

                “What about you? Would you consider moving back here?” Riptide asked and glanced back over at her.

                “Hm. I don’t think so. But I might have a place of my own for those nights that I do want to come and visit. That wouldn’t be such a bad idea. I’ll have to have a look around in the morning. In the meantime. Let’s just enjoy the night. It’s too young to waste away by sleeping or trying to find a cave to go find shelter in. It’s so nice out tonight.” Pink replied and smiled, brushing up against Riptide as she took the lead, flicking the tip of her tail against him as she trotted ahead.

                Riptide smiled and watched as she strode ahead, his own pace slowing down as he beheld her fully in the moonlight. The color of her hide never had changed in her life as far as he remembered. But in the full moon of that night, she was the most breathtaking thing that he had witnessed in some time. More beautiful then even the setting sun they had both watched.

                “Come on, slow poke! Don’t just stand there and gawk.” Pink called back to her, making him smile and give a quick nod as he went to catch back up with her.