[Courtship] Apparition x Nyrieal

Nye had spent the better part of the afternoon trying to convince himself that he was not nervous.

It wasn't working.

The medium-sized dragon stood at the edge of a quiet pool, staring down at his reflection in the water while he shifted his weight between his feet. The faint breeze stirred his mane, lifting a few strands across his face before letting them fall again. Nye gave a small shake of his head, sending the loose strands swaying back into place, then looked down at his reflection once more. He knew he was beautiful. He had never particularly doubted that. His pale scales, elegant horns, flowing mane, and unusual coloring were all things he took considerable pride in. The problem was getting anyone else to see him when he was usually far too shy to actually put himself on display.

And today, there was someone he very much wanted to impress.

Apparition rested within the water nearby, their enormous serpentine body partially hidden beneath the surface. As always, the colossal dragon seemed perfectly at home there, their strange presence making the pool feel considerably smaller than it had moments before. Nye had spent enough time around Apparition to understand that their attention was difficult to predict. They might linger for hours or disappear without warning, leaving little indication of what had caught their interest in the first place.

Nye glanced toward them, then quickly looked away.

His stomach fluttered.

He wanted to do something impressive. Something beautiful. Something that would make Apparition look at him and decide that he was worth watching. The thought alone made his ears warm, and for several moments he simply stood there, trying to think of something that wouldn't make him feel like he wanted to disappear into the nearest patch of grass.

Normally, his shyness would have won. He might have simply stayed where he was, admired Apparition from a safe distance, and told himself that there would always be another opportunity. But Nye was also daring, especially when there was a challenge involved. The desire to impress himself upon Apparition became a challenge all on its own, and gradually, the nervousness gave way to determination.

He lifted his head.

Magic gathered around him.

At first, there was only a faint shimmer in the air, almost indistinguishable from the afternoon heat. Nye concentrated harder, carefully shaping the illusion in his mind. A thin ribbon of color appeared above the water, followed by another. Red flowed into orange, orange into yellow, then green, blue, and violet, each color blending seamlessly into the next.

The illusion expanded.

A magnificent rainbow unfurled across the sky above the pool.

Nye stared upward, momentarily forgetting his nerves as the brilliant arc stretched farther and farther across the afternoon sky. It wasn't merely a simple band of color. Nye poured every bit of care he could into it, creating layers of soft light that shimmered like reflected water. Smaller fragments of rainbow appeared around the main arc, drifting through the air like ribbons and slowly curling around one another.

The colors reflected across the surface of the pool.

For a moment, it looked as though the water itself had become filled with rainbows.

Nye's chest swelled with quiet pride.

He couldn't help himself. He made the illusion even more elaborate.

The great rainbow began to shift, its colors flowing slowly across one another while tiny points of light scattered beneath it. Nye carefully maintained the illusion as the ribbons of color dipped closer to the water, creating the impression that they were actually touching the surface. Their reflections rippled beneath them, making the illusion seem almost real. He continued shaping the display, adding gentle arcs of color until the entire area around the pool seemed transformed.

Then he remembered who he was doing it for.

His confidence immediately faltered.

Nye glanced toward Apparition.

The colossal dragon had noticed.

Their attention was fixed upon the rainbow.

Nye froze, suddenly acutely aware of himself again. His ears lowered slightly, and his front hooves shifted against the ground while his back feet adjusted beneath him. He wondered if it was too much. Perhaps the rainbow was silly. Perhaps it was too obvious. Perhaps Apparition didn't care at all.

But Nye didn't dismiss the magic.

Instead, he held the illusion steady.

The rainbow continued to shimmer over the water, brilliant against the afternoon sky. Apparition remained there, watching quietly, their enormous form surrounded by reflected colors. Nye could feel his nervousness slowly giving way to something warmer. He had wanted to dazzle them, and judging by the attention he had received, he had at least succeeded in making them look.

That alone was enough to make his heart flutter.

Nye slowly relaxed, his mane shifting gently in the breeze as he watched the colors dance across the water. For once, his shyness had not stopped him from showing off. He had actually managed to create something beautiful and let someone see it, without fleeing the moment he realized he had their attention.

He let the illusion linger a little longer, allowing himself to enjoy the moment. The rainbow stretched overhead, its colors reflected in the calm pool where Apparition rested, and Nye found himself quietly pleased with the sight.

Maybe being noticed wasn't quite as frightening when he had something beautiful to show for it.

And beneath the rainbow, with Apparition watching, Nye decided that perhaps showing off wasn't so bad after all.