Hey, who could it be? (No, it's gotta be...!)

38

TWs: Injuries, arguing/attacking/fighting, insults, cliffhanger (again). Stay safe :)

45 MINUTES BEFORE

...

"Sedna...!?" Nine flew over to where the small dwarf planet floated, "What're you doing here?"

"I... came looking for you," Sedna answered, holding her arm. She grunted, "The others have probably gone ahead."

"Your arm..." Nine furrowed his eyebrows, eyeing the cracks marring her surface. Small bits of debris fell from her hand as she raised it.

"Oh." Sedna looked at the display, her face holding no emotion, "Don't worry, it will reform. Eventually." Sedna winced, groaning in pain as more cracks formed, taking over the left side of her body, "Eventually..."

Nine said nothing, yet his eyes said everything.

"Is this what you wanted...?" Neptune whispered, prompting the other to look at him. The blue Celestial gazed at him with pain-stricken eyes, tears falling down his face as he spoke, his voice cracking, "No matter the cost, you're willing to get rid of anything that's in your way despite the pain it does to you?"

"I don't-"

"Did you try...?" Sedna asked.

"What?" Nine glanced at the dwarf planet.

"Did you try to search for their moons?" Sedna clarified. Despite the cracks spreading, she spoke with force, "We trusted you, Nine- I trusted you. You made this mission your own that you forgot about us. You think lowly of us... just because we're small doesn't mean we can't do anything!"

"Sedna."

"I wanted to believe there was hope for us. Y'know, since we're the outcasts of the dwarf planets- we're the forgotten ones. When you offered to help us, I thought it was too good to be true."

"Sedna."

"Maybe it is too good to be true, but we'll find our moons with or without you."

"Sedna! Shut up!" Nine ordered, "All of your talking doesn't help the cracks go away."

Sedna blinked before slowly looking into the void below, "Of course. You never really cared about me, Gonggong, or Quaoar... you only care about yourself. Why pretend now?"

"I'm not-" Nine bit his tongue, shaking his head.

Sedna peered up at the navy Celestial, "And this," The dwarf planet winced, shaking as she felt the cracks rise to her face, "This is nothing compared to the feeling of losing a moon..."

Nine said nothing.

"I lost my moon millennia ago." Sedna gritted her teeth, "But the others... there's still hope for them finding their moons." Tears fell from her eyes, "Is this what I get for helping you, Nine? A slow and agonizing demise?"

Nine faltered, his eyes wavering as he looked at the trembling dwarf Celestial. He took a breath, closing his eyes, "I see..."

The navy Celestial turned to face Neptune, who was still cradling the NovaStar in his clasped hands.

"This is what you meant." Nine shifted closer, watching as Uranus pulled out an arrow, pointing it at Nine's neck.

"Come any closer and I won't hesitate to decapitate you." He spoke.

"Since when did you care so much about Poseidon...?" Nine questioned, "Whatever the case, I see what you meant, Neptune; how far I'm willing to go to get what I want."