Chapter 9

Homeward Bound

The ship blasts and fighting faded off to reveal some great devastation to the normally lush and lavish landscapes. The Brotherhood climbed out of their disassembling stolen ship to see they were on top of a very long black ship that reminded Lance of their one time pirate ship. Most of the ship fleets from other planets had vanished but one of the large glowing ships was landing, its lights seemed to be a now shrinking electrical barrier, the silver thin ships only had three that landed. Lance looked to see Corsair's ship landing next to the large barge style one they were on. They could see a large portion of crowd currently stepping out of the palace with their traveling companions in front of them.

"Wow…. That could have been worse," said Fred.

"It only lasted a few hours… I think," said Pietro, scratching his head, "I don't know without night and day I can't figure it out."

"Agreed," was a mumbling as they began to climb down the ship.

"Hey, friends!" yelled Ch'od, "Your still alive!?"

"Reassuring," said Wanda as they gave a wave back.

"Good timing we were swinging by with some of our friends," said Corsair, "Yeah, sorry to say your ship care is really bad, the other ones unfixable…. What did you do to that one?"

"Became a target for everyone," said Lance, he sighed, "Which is pretty typical for us."

"Yo, what were you guys doing?" asked Todd as he hopped over to them.

"Fixing the war in Animite's favor," said Pietro confidently, "Their welcome."

"What did you do?" asked Lance .

"After trying to figure out what Z was doing and then wondering if you left me here in space, yo. Nature, Mika, and Me joined in Z's 'Save the people' campaign," said Todd as they headed over to where Nature was leaning against a building, Mika walking over to her to also lean against the building. The looked just as rough as the Brotherhood, still wearing broken and cracked armor and looking a complete mess. Zodiac's peacock show costume was dirty and ripped but she didn't stand out nearly as much as she was talking to multiple people of Animite, all with vastly different colors and looks. Lance slid along the building to sit next to Nature who gave a deep sigh.

"Think we could get home without a ship?" asked Fred, "Corsair said ours shot."

"Or hey sold it," said Wanda, they give her a look, "Pirate… he's a pirate… apparently a pirate with a conscious since they came back to help us."

"That is a tall woman," said Nature as a tall blonde women got out of the D'Jinn ship and walked towards Starling and Zodiac who were talking animatedly as they talked to the man from the Caldonian fleet.

"How long do you think we're gonna have to wait for us to go home," asked Tabitha, as she slid down the wall next to Lance as they watched the Luna girl run out towards the Caldonian general.

"Something tells me it's gonna be a while," said Mika with a sigh.

It felt like days, but it had probably only been two very long day. There had been a party, a very weird and eccentric party that even Tabitha had zoned out of. There had been strange colored wines and liquors, very odd and large food including a bright pink form of pig with blue stripes. This party had commenced shortly after a new treaty had been signed which had strengthened the Animite strong hold in their galaxy. So in the joy of the perspective end of a very long war, the planet wide party had commenced, and who were the Brotherhood to not join in. After all, the people seemed to see them as some sort of fascinating hero's… may the never find out they could have killed them all.

Fred had danced with several of the female guards before being cornered by the tall amazon women, he had lost a lot of translation with most of them. He was sitting in the lush red velvet seat of the new ship, staring off into space, literally. Tabitha had led some of the dancing at one point before she'd got into the Animite Wine and since then, she'd been in a bit of a stooper as she giggled over in her seat, which was better than her dancing attempts that took out several crystal vases and had accidently knocked out a cook. Pietro had collapsed into a type of coma sleep tend minutes after getting on the ship, he'd been racing around talking to nearly everyone and anyone and would not admit if he hooked up with the green haired female soldier. He had also had some Animite Wine, which seemed to actually work against his metabolism. This had resulted in the strange event of Pietro's first ever drunken antics. They were certain he'd gotten banned from some planet or moon.

Even Wanda had joined in the party for a small amount of less dangerous antics. She'd mostly ended up talking to a few of the people and had resigned to sitting quietly with the ruby necklace and crown she'd traded her ankh necklace for. For which Tabitha would most likely try to 'borrow' after she was sober again. Lance had gone swimming, no one was sure how or with who or why, but he had rejoined the party drenched and laughing with some also soaked people and Starling. He'd been in a rather cheerful mood since then and seemed wide awake all the way to auto pilot, and now he was passed out on one of the fold down beds on the side. Nature, like Tabitha, had gotten into the Animite Wine and was sleeping, sure to have one major hangover and regrets after her and Tabitha's almost strip tease before Mika had talked them both and stopped it from happening. Mika had mostly stayed calm and relaxed, it was later found out because he was attempting to not be tempted in swiping something, Zodiac had off handedly mentioned that her older brother was a bit of a klepto, which she'd laughed the irony of him marrying a cop. Luckily the chaos had mostly caused him to have to keep an eye on his group. Todd had mostly talked to some of the people who seemed to find him fascinating, since most of the Brotherhood was off in chaos, he'd picked up the Earth fanclub, and he was enjoying this attention. Zodiac had spent most of her time talking to people and socializing before Liliandra stolen a ship and caused some panic, then she and the others, blended into the background.

This eventually led to Zodiac, Lance, and Mika to casually bring up the fact they didn't have a ship, which a partying pirate had backed up. Starling had jumped at this and the next thing they knew they had all headed into a teal ship with lush insides and a robotic voice that Zodiac had named Sophie and auto piloting home. Todd sat happily waiting to get home, most of the others had fallen silent or were sleeping, save for Zodiac who flopped in the seat next to him after nearly tripping on the tails of her falling apart stage costume.

"Did you know Animite titles you based on an animal," sighed Zodiac as she slumped in the lush seat, "Apparently, because of my lovely cousin, I am the Peacock Princess… Not hating, just saying."

"She'd gonna have to remake that costume," smirked Todd, "You look like hell."

"Says the person with dried alien blood on his armor and… did you slime yourself?" asked Zodiac with a raised brow, "I know Candy mentioned you can slime."

"Nah, yo…. Triccidian acid slime… fun," said Todd, "So what happened before we got there?"

"Well… I made friends with other prisoners, had dinner with the tyrant torturing my planet and people, found out the extent of my family lies be giving me an ability suppressing necklace… apparently a Triccdian design, so go figure that, worked on my powers, came up with an escape plan, executed it, and ran like hell," said Zodiac, "What about you guys… pirates?"

"We make friends or enemies pretty fast, mostly enemies, so it was a refreshing change," said Todd, "I'm looking forward to getting home to Candy…. And getting some sleep. You? How you taken all this, yo?"

"I don't know what I'm looking forward too," sighed Zodiac, "It's weird you know…. I didn't expect to feel this compassion towards these people I'd never met…. And I don't know if I'm upset anymore, if not just indifferent. I understand what my family did and why… I'm more upset about feeling betrayed….. Either way, I made a choice."

"What's that?" asked Todd.

"I'm not saying I am going to be queen, but in the long run if I do… I am going to live my life like I want too….. and also to prepare for things…. I mean without that necklace, it's like a block has been moved and I can hear that your thinking about my cousin and I kind of want to thwack you, but I won't," said Zodiac, Todd quickly thought of butterflies, "Better… but I'm gonna put the music tour on hold and focus on school… and living. I've always played it safe…. That's not always fun."

"Don't let Pietro hear that," said Todd, "He's waiting for an opening."

"Noted," said Zodiac, "So do you think he and Efil hooked up?"

"Efil?... the green haired girl, yeah…..you now Fred think he got married," said Todd quickly.

"Who knows, I have to learn more about the culture," said Zodiac with wide eyes.

"Well you're already calling your people. I suggest knowing what the hell you're doing," snickered Todd

"Noted, Toad Prince, noted," said Zodiac with a smirk.

"What?" asked Todd with a raised brow.

"Your marrying my cousin, she's a princess... I'm just saying," said Zodiac looking out the window with a smirk.

"Kick you off the thrown… become the Toad King," said Todd casually, Zodiac raised a brow, "I can find a way… I'd be a terrible king though, first sign of trouble… I am out of there."

"The Terrible Toad King," snickered Zodiac.

The two continued their conversation animatedly and began giving different names to the unconscious ship mates that Zodiac swore if she became Queen, to put into effect. They were unaware that as they began to near earth and the Milkyway Galaxy that a small dark ship lingered behind them in the distance. A large armored form in Triccidian general attire flew quietly behind them. His Scarab like helmet was tossed aside revealing a thin high cheekbone face that was framed by black around the tan skin, long black tentacles that looked like dreads were slicked back down his back. He was verbally talking in a different accent on the communications radio before his voice changed.

"You are certain of your success this time? And you are not to injured?" came the deep accented voice of Vantragood on the radio.

"I was certain the last, it wasn't me who let them escape father," said the general, as he messaged his wrapped arm, "A sword is nothing, besides I have even more incentive because of it. An arm for an arm after all."

"You are sure Zodiac and her family does not suspect?" came the voice.

"Not a clue," said the general as his form shifted to a tall handsome man with high cheeks and sleeked back short black hair, "She's as clueless as my 'girlfriend'….. Eventually Triccidia will win over the weak minded Animites… starting with her sister…. No one thinks Dewey and I are the same… and by the time they figure it out, it'll be far too late, father."

"Try not to get too lost in vengeance against those meddlesome mutants, you have a mission, complete it," the radio cut off and the man smirked.

"Oh don't worry, I will," smirked the man as they entered the Earth's atmosphere.

THE END