—The pleasant aroma of freshly roasted coffee brewed with hot water filled the house made of wood, mud, and straw. Even on a hard day’s work, the peace in that home was palpable. An old scorpion who had once been an enemy of nations was now nothing more than a retired commander who spent his days advising King Blue Sky and caring for his blood relatives, the youngest a tiny piece of obsidian with a sensitive gaze tinged with blue, as if he were four fragments of sapphire. He called himself Kenai'ta; he was about 7 or 8 years old and had come straight from school to fall asleep in his little bed. He was very intelligent—that was a fact—and Pigo, who rarely saw a scorpion use its brain beyond its muscles, was proud of him.
The older one, about 10 years old, seemed excited, his little eyes shining, full of curiosity, hoping his uncle would ask him why. Pigo, who had just made coffee and milk with cinnamon for the boy, raised an eyebrow—
The little scorpion would have come home from school with his little brother; first he’d go to his room to drop off his things, and just before leaving, he’d tuck his brother in, only to finally put a little blanket over him.
The little bean would just look at his uncle with wide eyes and a small smile, trying to figure out what he meant—probably finding it all a bit boring in his little mind when it came to long talks. But when it came to Darel, he knew there would at least be something interesting involved, though not this time. Still, noticing the shift in the conversation, the little boy would grow pensive as he stared at the cup.
“I’m a big boy now, so I should start drinking coffee… but I want a cup of sweet milk, please!”
How could he say no to a nice little cup of milk with sweet cinnamon? The coffee could still wait, though given the situation he was hearing about, the little boy would play with his little hands, trying to ask with a mix of curiosity and trepidation, since he didn’t know what his uncle’s reaction would be.
“Uncle Pigo, I wanted to ask you, have you ever done something nice for a girl?”
That question threw the old man off balance. For years, the idea of a romantic situation with a lady had been a painful past he really didn’t want to touch on, but now he was one of the guardians of two children, who were growing up, and inevitably that question would come—he just hadn’t imagined it would be so soon. And to make matters worse, all the other adults who helped raise Stinger were busy. He settled in and looked at the boy, who was staring at him with a mix of embarrassment and hope.
“All right, little scorpion,” he said, stirring his coffee. “For our clan, the black sand scorpions—better known as desert scorpions—we have countless ways to woo the ladies. It could be through surfing, winning friendly battles as a sport, with a powerful stinger, or even huge fangs. But there is one that is the most sacred and important of all; the one that isn’t just for courting, but the one you’ll use with the person you love with all your soul and heart.
“With that person for whom you’d be willing to do anything, that female worth killing for,” he said passionately, without realizing he might be crossing the line by placing such expectations on the boy, but he couldn’t help himself; every time he spoke of his culture, it felt like poetry passed down from tongue to tongue and from generation to generation; it was impossible not to love the little good his people had left him and to share it with his young and inexperienced nephew.
“The one that is only fulfilled with the woman who will be the mother of your children,” he said seriously. “Pay very, very, very close attention, because this is by no means a game, and once it happens, there’s no turning back… understood?”
Much of that explanation came from him watching his uncle intently as he laid out all the things he could do to try to get that girl’s attention. Surfing? It sounded like something that involved water. Fight with someone else? Maybe not; he was still terrified of kids bigger than him—even a dragonfly landing on him could beat him. That discouraged him a little, though when he heard that there was something much more important and valuable—even sacred to his people—he paid closer attention to the older scorpion’s explanation. He had even grabbed a spoon to stir his cinnamon-sweetened milk, but he was so engrossed that instead of stirring the spoon in his cup, he waved it in the air while nodding his little head, watching his uncle get excited with every word he spoke.
“I understand, Uncle Pigo. Whatever comes my way, I’ll face it like a big boy!”
“...Dancing,” he said simply, then took a sip of his coffee. “Dancing is one of the most important romantic connections between one couple and another in our species.”
For Scorpios, dancing is like another kind of battle, so to speak; a way to connect with the other person in a synchronized way, like sunflowers with the sun and the sea reflecting the sky.
“I know that ever since you were very young, I’ve told you that being a scorpion means being tough… but when it comes to your partner, Stinger, you have to let your guard down, because they’re not your enemy, they’re not your squad mate… they’re the love of your life, and when that moment comes… when that exact moment comes and you’re absolutely sure, don’t hesitate.”
His little eyes quickly sparkled as he heard how lovely and beautiful that moment had been for that old scorpion. Now he could begin to understand a little of that beautiful feeling of being able to dance with the one you longed to be with so much. That comforted him greatly, and it showed on his little face as he looked at his uncle with determination.
“That was a really nice story. Thank you so much, Uncle Pigo!”
With that, Pigo would scratch her little head while Stinger took advantage of the elderly scorpion’s caresses to rub herself against his pincer, purring with delight.
The old man smiled kindly upon hearing his satisfied little voice.
“Is there… perhaps a little scorpion out there I should know about?” He arched an eyebrow with a teasing smile. His eyes widened at his uncle’s suggestion, and he stopped purring immediately, only to look slightly embarrassed.
Before he could continue his scolding, one of his biggest headaches appeared on the scene. It wasn’t just any desert scorpion; it was worse. A scorpion from the Emperor clan, which had long since joined the community. Jir couldn’t stand him… and it wasn’t because he was a scorpion. If only that were the case.
“Sorry, Master. This simple dummy won’t be a problem for me,” Stinger replied, trying not to lose his focus or forget what he’d learned.
It was either that or take another hit from the totem. However, a small sound—and above all, a smell—distracted him. The aroma of food made him turn his head and leave the battlefield, but not before landing one last blow on the dummy.
An emperor scorpion appeared in front of the door. Its skin, cold as ice, was marked by blue streaks running across its body, and its eyes were a peculiar lavender color. Its natural spikes and spines were integrated into its armor, and its characteristic long, segmented tail curved behind it, topped by its most powerful weapon: a stinger that looked like a sword ready to strike down anyone who dared to harm its family.
“Excuse me, I hope I’m not interrupting your training so abruptly,” Ark said with a calm and slightly elegant demeanor.
He was carrying a basket of snacks for the little one; because, besides Pigo, there was someone else who cared about the pup.
“Baba Ark! Baba Ark!” Stinger exclaimed.
Excitement shone in the little one’s eyes. As soon as he was close enough, he used his tiny little paws to climb up the large dark cloak the young emperor was carrying.
“Oh! Hello, little one! I’m so glad to see you.
“Oh, that’s right… by the way, Jir,” he added. “Purzura sent this for you.”
With that, he kindly handed another basket to the old frog, filled with desserts and food prepared with great care.
“Am I going to get something, too?” asked Stinger.
Jir frowned more than usual. How he detested Arkaiser Valkaryan, aka Ark to his friends. But, as mentioned earlier, his problem wasn’t that he was an emperor scorpion… or even a scorpion at all.
It was his friendship with his daughter, Purpurina—aka Purzura. Deep down, Jir knew that closeness had a suspicious undertone… and he didn’t like it one bit. Jir didn’t like any man around his daughter, unless they were part of the Kulipari team, since she saw them as brothers. Ark was a special case. A particularly unpleasant special case. Even so, he decided to ignore those thoughts and relax a little.
“Tell him thanks. His gifts always brighten my afternoons,” he said, surprisingly calm. “You can take a break this time, Stinger.”
He handed three glazed rolls to the young scorpion.
The boy began eating the sandwiches Ark had brought him, while Ark took some juice from the basket and poured it into a small glass for him.
“Thank you so much, Baba Ark.”
“It’s the least I can do. Tell me, how’s training going? It doesn’t feel too hard, does it?”
“Um… nope! Not right now,” he replied, playing with his little pincers before taking a sip of the juice.
“Baba Ark? Can I ask you a question?”
“You… what have you done to impress a girl?”
The question took the major by surprise, but he also found it sweet and unexpected.
“Better yet, what haven’t I done?” he smiled. “Why? Do you want to impress a girl at school?”
“No! No, that’s not it… I just wanted to know…”
Seeing his reaction, Ark dropped his teasing tone and adopted a more serious one.
“All right, listen carefully, little one.
Dancing is the most sacred way for the black sand scorpions to demonstrate their strength and devotion. You already know that, don’t you?”
Stinger nodded as he ate, though he seemed a little lost in the explanation.
“Good, but for an emperor, there is something just as sacred… something that is offered only once in a lifetime.”
“A flower, but not just any flower.”
“One that represents your beloved.” One that, when you see it, reflects what she means to you. That flower isn’t a simple gift: it’s your soul, your effort, and your devotion brought to life.
“Yurlunggur, when he looked upon his wife, believed that nothing in the world could match her beauty. No treasure, no jewel, no star could equal her.”
“Then he dreamed with all his love and power… and thus created flowers as a gift for her.”
He looked down at Stinger.
“When the time comes, don’t try to impress with force or noise. Find the flower that is meant for her. Because when a woman receives that flower, she doesn’t receive an object… she receives your devotion, your soul, your whole being.”
Stinger looked at him in amazement. His claws trembled with excitement.
“Hey, Baba Ark…” he whispered. “Do you think you could come to Akiane’s aviary a little later…?”
“T-the birds asked if you could play some music, but… that you should wait for me to arrive. Y-yes!”
Ark understood immediately and pretended not to notice his intentions.
“All right, little one. It’ll be my honor to help you impress those ladies,” he winked.
Stinger’s little tail wagged excitedly, but a chirp interrupted them.
“You must be quite the expert on ladies, aren’t you, Valkaryan?” Jir said sarcastically. “How many female scorpions have you left with broken hearts?”
“Ahem… I highly doubt it, sir. If that were the case, it would be a disaster.”
“Today I learned from my Uncle Pigo that we scorpions are monogamous owo,” Stinger interjected, trying to defend him.
Ark lifted him up carefully.
“You’re learning fast, little bean.”
“I hope so, Mr. Valkaryan… I hope so,” Jir replied coldly.
“And you’d better hope that girl you’re pining for is worth it…”
Though he was harsh, the last thing Jir wanted was to see his star student’s heart broken.
In a wooded area filled with trees that King Blue Sky had planned to plant over the years, all kinds of species thrived. His goal had been to recreate the forests and jungles around Nova Australis, seeking to emulate the diversity of flora that Anfibiland once possessed.
Three little scorpions and three tadpoles were out on an excursion, following their leader: little Stinger.
“Little brother, when you said we’d go on an expedition to find something, I agreed without hesitation. I thought, ‘Oh, this will be fun,’ but… what exactly are we looking for?” asked Kenai’ta.
He was a double-stinger scorpion, two years younger than Stinger. He was dressed in blue and had sweet sky-blue eyes.
“Fight a dingo? Carnivorous plants? A fierce battle with Narubi?” asked Thuma, the reddish tadpole. “I can’t wait to put my venom to the test—it’s as strong as a rock!”
“Thuma, there are no dingoes in the woods,” Tharta interjected.
“I just hope they don’t eat us…” whispered Tippi, the pink tadpole, hiding behind Stinger in obvious fear.
“Well, I brought you all here because I need your help with just one thing,” said Stinger.
Noticing the younger ones’ concern, he paused to reassure them.
“No dingo is going to attack us. In fact, I don’t think there are any in this area… and let’s hope there aren’t any carnivorous plants.”
“No one’s going to eat us today, and they’d better not run into us because they’re in for a world of trouble!” said Kailani. The little albino emperor scorpion was scurrying and hopping around the area, making sure there were no dangers. Even so, she trusted Stinger completely; he was always the first to ask them not to wander off unless it was necessary.
“That’s the spirit! But… we didn’t come here to fight!” exclaimed Stinger. “I brought you along to help me find a flower. The most beautiful one I can find!”
“A flower? What do you want a flower for?” asked Kenai’ta as she walked beside him. “Arkaiser has plenty in his garden.”
“I went a while ago and didn’t like any of them,” Stinger replied. “It’s not that they weren’t pretty, it’s just that… they weren’t what I was looking for.”
“So? What’s the flower for?” Kai pressed.
“Um… it’s for a school assignment!”
“Hmm…” Kai narrowed his eyes. “All right!”
Kenai’ta watched her older brother closely. She knew he was lying, but she couldn’t quite figure out why.
As they ventured deeper into the forest, it slowly transformed into a jungle. The variety of flora was immense; without a doubt, Darel and the gardeners had done an exceptional job. At times, it was impossible to tell Anfibiland apart from Nova Australis. Years of love for botany were reflected in every corner.
On a raised part of the grounds stood a bush covered in beautiful salmon-colored hibiscus flowers, their yellow filaments contrasting with their intense tropical hue. The scent and beauty were impossible to ignore.
Stinger’s eyes filled with determination.
“I’m going to climb up. Kai, give me a lift.”
“What if you fall?” she asked, worried.
“Then you and the triplets catch me.”
“Um… okay. You can do it!”
Kai helped him partway up. It wasn’t far, but it was enough for Stinger to continue on his own. The higher he climbed, the closer he got to the flower, though he wouldn’t take just any one: he wanted the one at the very top.
For a moment it looked like he was going to fall, but he grabbed hold quickly, whether out of reflex or fear. He kept climbing until, finally, he reached the top. He stretched out his right little claw, stuck out his tongue in desperation, and, after so much effort, managed to grab the flower.
“Well done, Sting!” exclaimed Tippi.
“Excellent!” added Thuma.
“That’s it, that’s it!” celebrated Tharta.
“I’m coming down now!” Stinger called out. “Stay right there!”
“Do you want me to help you?” asked Kai.
Going down proved harder than going up. When he looked down, the height paralyzed him. His greatest fear wasn’t that he would fall, but that his friends would try to help him and something would happen to them. Extremely slowly, he began to descend.
As he slipped, he grabbed hold again in panic. Kai and Kenai’ta looked for leaves to cushion a possible fall.
“I don’t know if I’m going to make it!” Stinger shouted.
“You’re almost there! You can do it!” Kai encouraged him.
Seeing the cliff below him, he realized he had to jump.
“Calm down! You’re going to fall—”
He couldn’t finish the sentence. Stinger leaped and landed on the ground, almost face-first, but without serious injury.
“Face-first? What kind of scorpion are you?!” Kai protested.
“A black sand…” he replied, wincing but victorious, holding up the intact flower.
“Good thing your shell is hard,” said Kenai’ta, patting it. “And surprisingly, not hollow at all. What’s next, Sting?”
“Thanks, Keni… I appreciate your support,” he replied as he sat up.
Kai helped him to his feet.
“Well… Keni, Kai, thanks for the help. Now I need to deliver this flower. Can you take the triplets for me?”
“But who are you going to give it to?” Kai asked.
“Gossip! If I tell you, it won’t be a surprise!”
“I’m not a gossip, just well-informed!”
“Let’s go, kids,” Kenai’ta ordered the tadpoles, grabbing Kai’s tail. “Good luck with your secret girlfriend!”
“Hey!” protested Stinger.
Before leaving, Kenai’ta turned back.
“I have some iridescent stones for you,” she said. “A necessary sacrifice.”
—Deep in the jungle stood a massive tree. It was so large that it towered over all other trees. At its center lay paths of hammocks and mahogany railings. In its branches, other fruit-bearing plants had been planted in holes filled with fresh soil, creating a natural, sprawling orchard. From its beautiful green canopy of leaves hung nests and colored glass that adorned the place like tiles on certain parts of the tree.
But the most impressive thing there was not its meticulous decoration, but its inhabitants: thousands upon thousands of bird species living together, even predators of one another, as if they were sisters. They were more than neighbors; they were family, especially after everything they had been through. From among the feathers of a macaw, a sweet, singing voice could be heard as it searched for something in that nest. The bird wasn’t worried or tense at all, because the one down there was none other than a Kulipari tadpole of about 8 years old. As he emerged from that cozy nest, he carried art supplies, two small bags, and two notebooks while continuing to sing—
“All right, sweetie… what shall we paint today?” said the pretty little girl with creamy skin, turquoise spots like gemstones, and arms and legs dotted with freckles that looked like entire galaxies. Her enormous eyelashes, reddish-brown lips, and beautiful blue eyes with purple pupils gave her the natural beauty of a poison dart frog, not to mention the iridescent sheen of her pretty skin. “Hmm… I know!” she said to herself, beginning to draw what looked like several colorful birds in flight, with meticulous precision.
The little arachnid had prepared everything so she could go find the amphibian she wanted to give that flower to, but before that she had gone home to make her a drawing using Kai’s colors and a makeshift little envelope to give it to her, not without first getting some cans she would use later. With everything ready, he would begin to climb up to that beautiful aviary, taking great care not to disturb the birds, for he respected them more than anything else in his life. Once at the top, he would peek his head out to look for Akiane. Still nervous and with his tail trembling, he would approach little by little, clearly hiding the cans and all the beautiful details that had taken him so much time and care to make and gather. Once he was close to her, he would try to speak to her in his little trembling voice—
“U-um... H-hi, A-a-Akiane!” he greeted her nervously, like a skunk.
—The sweet little girl stopped mid-drawing to look up at the sound of the boy’s voice, her eyes widening with excitement, accompanied by that genuinely warm smile—
“Oh—hi, Stinger!” she said with the tenderness she reserved for everyone she loved— “What brings you here? Do you want to play? Do you want to take a nap on the birds?“ she said, tilting her face tenderly while squinting slightly at his welcoming smile. ”I have some shawls that Mama Wirra knitted recently for you to keep warm!"
He’d feel a little nervous hearing all his partner’s questions, so out of habit he’d step back a bit so she wouldn’t see all the details he’d brought for her, though something about her made him smile nervously when he saw her, because that little spark of happiness she radiated on her own was more than enough to put him in a good mood.
“I-I’d like to sleep later with the birds while I show them off the shawls Mama Wirra made.” —He pictured himself curled up among the birds, but his thoughts quickly refocused as he remembered why he’d come—
“But not now—I came because I wanted to do this!”
Summoning what little courage he had to avoid dying of embarrassment in that moment, he would hand her a drawing of the two of them happy and laughing; though he wasn’t the best at drawing, he’d put all his effort into making it as pretty as possible. Just to slip them on a little surreptitiously, taking advantage of the fact that she’d be distracted by the drawing, just to improvise quickly and thus complete his final step. Once he was high enough, he would duck his head and stretch out his little claws to hand her the flower that had nearly cost him a broken arm. He wouldn’t say a word; his four little eyes would stay closed, hoping she wouldn’t reject it.
The sweet little girl was surprised to see the drawing, and when she looked at it closely, she couldn’t help but laugh and hugged it with great love, as if it were one of her dolls.
“It's... so beautiful, Stinger. I'll hang it among the ones I have on the tree!” she said as she stood up, grabbed some animal stickers, and placed Stinger's artwork high up, not before giving him a little kiss. “You've improved so much. Don't forget, Stinger—you don't have to be a genius to be an artist.” —She stopped short to look at the flower the boy was giving her.
Her little eyes widened enormously, revealing her own amphibian-like pupils; she blinked softly as she began to blush as red as a cherry. “F-for me…?” she asked hesitantly, as if she couldn’t believe that the sweet boy was really giving her a flower. He nodded suddenly, indicating that her assumption was correct, for he couldn’t look her in the eye because of the embarrassment he felt, nor could he speak, as the words wouldn’t come out of his mouth no matter how hard he tried to form them.
“That was it. If she doesn’t like this, then I don’t know what else she might like... She must think I’m weird,” he thought to himself as his face seemed to turn red.
“Um... These are just little gifts,” the boy said, “to... ask you to dance.”
Once again, his nervousness was evident in the way he fiddled with his hands and kept his eyes downcast.
When the little girl heard that, she blushed as red as a hibiscus flower and hopped up and down with excitement at his proposal. “Really!? Yes, yes, yes!”
—Deep within the twilight and shadows, there was something that remained still yet watched every movement of those children as they shared a moment as unique as it was tender; for when you could see two little ones emerging and stepping into the realm of love, well, only Arkaiser could answer that, as he watched over them; seeing them so happy gave him a unique and beautiful feeling. Everything he’d told Stinger was working perfectly; that’s when he saw that his advice was at least serving some purpose. Oh, not for long—for the moment had arrived, something as sacred as a dance, but—what is a dance without music?!?! “It can’t be,” he told himself, so as quickly as he could, using his shadow powers, he would cast a spell to create a music box that would activate its mechanism without them hearing it. Little by little, a soft melody began to play even before the little tadpole said yes. Clearly, the tune made her realize that Stinger had planned all of this; the little scorpion was so cautious.
She stood up nervously and waited for him to ask her to dance. With some caution and nervousness, she took his hand, afraid of squeezing it too hard and hurting him. In this way, she tried to move slowly on the makeshift stilts she had fashioned to make herself taller than her partner. She gave him a smile and, with a better sense of what a waltz was, began to dance with him serenely. Her movements were faster and slightly unpredictable, but never abrupt, for to her he was as fragile as a koala cub. Every now and then she would lift him up because he was so light, and she would laugh excitedly at it; it was just another game among many for her, but she slowly began to realize what was happening when the four eyes in the shadows made themselves known. After feeling the gaze fixed on him, she would disappear again more discreetly, leaving the two little ones alone.
And so, the little black sand scorpion wiggled his tail nervously yet happily, knowing that one of his dreams was coming true. Being able to dance with her was, without a doubt, magical, and even so, he wondered if any of what was happening to him in that moment was real. As soon as the dance ended, Akiane hugged Stinger tightly and eventually cupped his little face with both hands.
“This is one of the nicest gifts I’ve ever received… thank you, Stinger,” the little tadpole said sweetly.
Stinger accepted the hug with surprise but also with great affection, clinging to her before purring softly. “No, Akiane, thank you for accepting it.”
—With that, he would burrow into her and rub against her little by little, as he never wanted to let go. She widened her eyes and laughed at the outpouring of affection. The moment was interrupted when she heard her name in the distance; it was Mom Acala—
“Kids, time to eat!” she called from beneath the big tree.
“Oh! My frog mom is talking to me,” she said, smiling at Stinger. “See you at lunch. Thanks for everything, Stinger,” she said, cupping his cheeks and planting a little kiss on his lips before quickly climbing down from the aviary. He could barely react to the girl’s kiss, as she suddenly left—her mother’s call would separate them after that beautiful moment. He already felt that she had won him over completely with that kiss, and not just the kiss, but the fact that she had thanked him for the drawing and accepted the flower; he was more than satisfied. And so he sank to the ground, processing everything that had just happened, only to curl up into a ball and shift from side to side while covering his face because he was so flushed, making little silly sounds of excitement—
So everything went as planned? —Pigo asked Arkaiser as he drank coffee and poured some for the young emperor scorpion— wow... I knew that pup was hiding something from me.
Of course it did, you would have loved to see the outcome.
—He would graciously accept the cup of coffee offered by the former commander, for who would refuse a cup of coffee with someone who once posed a threat? But today, without a doubt, he considered him one of the bravest and fiercest scorpions on the battlefield—the one whom his old way of thinking had prevented him from seeing clearly until this very day—
“Thank you very much. Although—don't blame him for it; we both know how hard it is for him to share his experiences. We just have to give him time, though I must admit that can worry me, too.”
—she said, taking a silent sip of her drink—
"No, I don't blame him... he must be embarrassed by the idea of showing his feelings, since “he’s not very Scorpio”—he said sarcastically, dismissing all the negative connotations left by the culture of the ancient Scorpio Lord—thank you for helping him, Arkaiser; at least he knows he has a great example to follow—he remarked just as the little Scorpio came running toward them to sit by his side; his rosy cheeks and overwhelming excitement were still evident—
—He would be stunned by the old man’s words; something about him would stir his conscience and all his memories. All she could do was smile warmly, though somewhat wearily—
“Thank you, I’m just doing what I can with what I have,” she said after giving him a smile, only to see the scorpion cub quickly approach with an almost triumphant look on his face after what had happened—
“And look who’s coming this way. So tell me, Stinger…”
“Really?” she’d look at him with a silly smile while wagging her tail.
“How did it go?” Ark asked.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the puppy pretended not to know anything, giggling.
“Okay, fine,” Ark replied with a laugh.
The emotion and warmth in his heart were so overwhelming that he wasn’t afraid to tell the truth in that moment, but he wasn’t going to allow himself the luxury of lying after what had happened either. Pigo could only smile at the boy, for that thrill of victory only showed that his little one was growing up, and that made him feel a bit wistful, but above all proud, knowing that, whoever the girl he chose might be, she would take care of Stinger’s little heart; after all, Pigo had raised him well to choose someone worth it. Stinger just wagged his little tail with excitement, unable to stop thinking about how wonderful it was to have danced with that little tadpole who was flooding his tiny puppy body with so much dopamine.
For: @skylet-dreen and @nwysperiablog
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