Look - up in the sky...!

[thespaceopera]

Suddenly, the SS Pathstone and the SS Golden begin to move on their own... slowly, calmly, they drift to two different points, a certain distance apart, away from the other ships of the fleet. Then, just as slowly, they turn to face each other.

And that is all the warning there is before the engines engage -- full speed ahead.

Like a pair of rockets, the ships torpedo toward each other, perfectly lined up for a head-on collision, and there is nothing to stop them. No matter what buttons the crews press, no matter how much they might panic, nothing is going to stop the inevitable. Any other ships watching will not have time to attempt any sort of interception.

CRASH!!

As if to shield spectators' eyes from the horrors of ships colliding in space, there's a blinding light upon impact -- and once it gradually fades, the results can be clearly seen by all: There is no wreckage. Nothing is broken. But where there were once two ships... now there's only one.

One ship that is... very clearly made up of parts from the SS Pathstone and the SS Golden, but somehow seems well put together, at least!

-----------

On the bridge, the crews of the SS Golden and the SS Pathstone arrive, along with the usual pop! of Atroma confetti and ridiculous jingle music upon a successful shuffle. Sitting in the captain's chair is a round cake, just large enough for everyone to have one slice. There's a single candle, and the following message scribbled on top in yellow icing:

"Congratulations - SS Goldstone!
Happy Fusion!"




... What, did you think you were going to die? Sorry about that.

Comments

[ahappylie]

They certainly didn't stop the raiders from coming aboard.

[But he's still trailing along behind Felix, even if he has to take a second hop-step every so often.]

Buuut do you know which room is even yours anymore? It seems a lot of the ship has...rearranged itself.

[lord_wizard]

No, they did not. But they don't seem disposed towards more than one piece of trickery at a time, either.

[Felix considers this, causing his steps to falter and then, rather suddenly, stop. He glances about at the walls.]

Hm. No, I don't. But...nothing a few minutes of searching will not solve.

[He starts walking again, determined. Seriously, his things had better still be here]

[ahappylie]

[More than one piece at a time as far as they know. Okita is never completely sure how much of this world is Atroma messing with them and how much is legit coincidences.

When Felix abruptly stops, Okita has to do a hop-step to avoid running into him. But not for long because the wizard is right off on the warpath again and his shadow is hot on his tail.]

True. But what if they've merged with someone else's things, too?

[Because looking at the walls, that's entirely possible (no it isn't).]

[lord_wizard]

[He slows, giving the scrawls of eyes on the walls a rather critical and concerned look, before opening the nearest door to check inside]

I sincerely hope not.

[ahappylie]

[He hopes not too, but everything here seems a bit upended right now. Even if the ship has fused in a way that isn't slipshod, it still seems off. The familiar bits are too mixed in with the unfamiliar ones.]

What things are you looking for?

I can help if you let me know what they are.

[lord_wizard]

All of it. My clothes...my books...[The tone of frustration is undercut by something like actual emotional concern. He hates the idea of having to start all over, but those books were not so easily replaced.]

[He opens another door, but nothing inside looks familiar]

[ahappylie]

[Clothes weren't that helpful of an indicator, but books? That stands out.

He starts opening hatch doors, looking down into them to see if he can spy a room full of books.]

Those are quite rare here - books, I mean. I haven't seen many at all since arriving. Did it take you long to gather them?

[lord_wizard]

[Felix's clothes are very distinct, what with his taste in bright patterned fabrics and ornate tailored coats of all styles, but books are special.]

Naturally. A few here and there on every planet they still bother to print them. The rest were...gifts.

[True, he has a few laying around that he's borrowing from his own library, but the two that matter were his, left to him by Atroma or other entities on the mysterious garden planets.]

[ahappylie]

[akdfja; all Western clothes look weird to him still.]

Well then I--

[He opens another door and suddenly stops talking, tilting his head. He can see some books sitting about down below.]

Is this it?

[lord_wizard]

[He glances in and visibly untenses a few degress. Yes, it was all there. His closet, his desk full of papers, and his small bookshelf with his collection of books. Gideon's books. Bookended by the orb containing a tiny glowing fish, of all things. Yet another good indication they were in the right place]

Yes. And everything looks more or less in order from here.

[A sideways glance at his escort]

And no monsters thus far.

[ahappylie]

[Aaaaand caught. Okita is just going to sidle away until Felix looks at him, then he freezes.]

That's good~! Who knew there wouldn't be monsters after all?

[Time to escape before he figures out he lied just so he could talk to hi a little bit.]