The Ruler's Rift

Heading Home

"I feel bad for eating your sandwich...and Nova's," Celeste chuckled. She refused eye contact with Lucy. She couldn't face her, not after that furious noise her stomach made. Its growl challenged one of Celeste's. Fortunately, the abyss outside gave her something else to look at. Glints of light glittered in the darkness of space, a sight which never grew old no matter how much Celeste had traveled with her ex-troupe. And, for once, a trip through the stars lacked Lance's irritating squawks.

"Well, we weren't eating them. How do you keep that beautiful figure with how much you eat?" Lucy asked.

Confused on whether that was compliment or criticism, Celeste rubbed the back of her neck in search of an answer. Now probably wasn't the best time to explain her Mystearlian gluttony. "So, is this your first time in space?" She asked.

"No, second," Lucy said. "The ship I was in before wasn't as nice as this one, though. This thing even has bedrooms."

Celeste could only admire the ship in agreement. Its tiles and dials were sleek and shiny as mirrors. The interior was dimly lit with the blue glow of strips and buttons, melting into the blackness of space. "Yes, it's calming," Celeste cooed. The softness of her voice didn't smooth Lucy's rigid expression as she stared at the passing cosmos. The demon looked aside. "Are you mad at me?"

A sigh escaped Lucy and she held her arms as if cold. "No...I just don't trust this. And I keep thinking about Lucian."

Celeste rested her hand on the Sharcanid's shoulder. "I'm sure we'll learn something about The Order from this. We'll examine the queen's palace by the inch. And if we learn about The Order, we learn about your brother. It will be okay." With the grace of a river, Celeste pulled Lucy into a hug.

Lucy burrowed into the demon, stuffing those fluffy, red ears into Celeste's neck. The demon smiled and whispered, "Maybe we should go to your room...pass the time a little?"

"Didn't Nova say we should stay in separate rooms?" Lucy pulled her face from Celeste's neck and looked up at her.

"Heh, do you think I care what she says?"

"Glad to see you don't," Lucy huffed.

Celeste's devilish smirk widened. "Here we are, traveling the stars...and I still haven't gotten a kiss," she rasped.

Lucy shook. Her eyes rounded; her ears stood firm like steel. Celeste eyed her like prey as she fought against her blush and surely her desires. That bashful dog - she looked right at the demon's black lips, but then turned away. "Sorry, I...I'm too tired to start this," she confessed.

Disappointment shot through Celeste, but she hid it under a layer of understanding. "No worries," she said. "It's been a long day." She let go of her girlfriend.

"But...I'd still like you to come to my room with me," the Sharcanid whispered.

"How come?"

"Sometimes I have a hard time getting to sleep. Maybe you could help?"

Lucy's face crumpled like paper, folding into every emotion as she spoke of her difficulty dozing off. Celeste tilted her head but agreed, and the two descended into one of the ship's bedrooms. Lucy settled under the covers of the cot and shut her eyes. Try as she might to focus on lulling the malamute to sleep, Celeste couldn't help but smile at the cute, softly thumping tail which peeked out from under the blankets.

Time passed, spent with Lucy lying still and Celeste stroking her head. The Mystearlian hummed a gentle tune, and eventually whispered to Lucy until she fell into slumber. When she was certain of that fact, Celeste let out a sigh and rose from the bedside. There was 'having a hard time getting to sleep' and then there was this - not that she minded. Sitting by Lucy felt like a treat. Her resting face certainly was.

However, under the sweet, kind, loving atmosphere lurked a deep, visceral calling. With each passing moment it grew stronger. Celeste's nerves tormented her, goosebumps threatening to overtake her skin. She quietly made her way to the cockpit.

"Nova," she demanded as she barged in. "Can this ship go any faster?"

The fox spun around in her chair, which lay in the eye of a hurricane of buttons. "Antsy, are we?" She teased.

"More or less," Celeste answered.

"Sorry, Miss Superbia," Nova sighed, "it's going at top speed. I'm eager, too."

Everything happened so fast - now, it'd all come to a screeching halt. Celeste wanted to be there now, now. She needed to. She couldn't explain why, not even to herself. Yet the lack of reason did nothing to lessen the urge's ferocity.

"We'll be there soon," Nova assured. "I hope you don't mind if I join you out there. Mystearlia isn't usually...accessible. I'm curious."

"I don't mind," Celeste said.

"You know...I've never met a Mystearlian in the flesh before," Nova began, her voice growing soft. "This may not be appropriate, but could I touch your horns?"

Celeste huffed, trying to regain clarity. "I would rather you didn't right now," she said.

"Of course," Nova hummed. "Ah...look. See it there?"

The demon followed Nova's finger to the pale spot in the distance. Two smaller spots orbited it - moons. Like a bloody sword or a line of fire, a red streak circled the planet, barring off the moons angrily. Icy eyes widened, and a shudder flew down Celeste's spine. "What is that?" She gasped.

"Oh, you haven't heard?" Nova asked. She nodded towards the distant Mystearlia. "Supposedly, just before her death, Queen Violet cast a ring of blood around the planet. And apparently, it's true!"

Celeste's gaze fixed on the river of crimson. Interesting and terrifying as it may be, she longed for the surface. She'd be there soon - no matter the minutes remaining, she'd be there soon.