Everything quickly fell into a comfortable schedule.

Ezra wakes up an hour earlier than Alani, so he would walk around outside her door until she woke up. When she did, they left before anyone could catch them. They walked around the ship, trying to keep their giggles and laughs quiet as they passed through the guest hallway.

Usually, they just kept traveling around the ship, sometimes daring each other to make noise to mess with the staff. They would do so until they would eventually get caught by either one of the guests, or one of the crew members.

Ezra was still considered one of Eleanor's "employees", so he would have to eat, sleep, and mostly spend his time with her staff, and Lucius.

Alani loved seeing the look of irritation on Lucius's face when she swept Ezra away for the whole day.

They had become an inseparable duo. Wherever Alani was, Ezra wasn't far behind. If Ezra was working, Alani would be seconds away from (lovingly) dragging Ezra out of the lower decks.

Ezra was small, like all Felinid kits are. He was shorter than Alani by a couple of inches, he reached around her neck, and she could easily pick him up if she wanted, to Ezra's dismay.

Ezra didn't completely mind, though. He secretly enjoys the attention he is receiving.

It was an afternoon, like any other. The sun was shining, the crew of the Escardian Jewel were grumbling, and Alani was once again using her "Daughter of the Captain" status to do whatever she wanted.

They were messing around in the shrouds, much to the complaint of Omar's staff. They were laughing as Alani leaned off of the ropes and Ezra jumped back onto the deck.

He was wearing the same jacket when he first boarded the ship, he barely ever takes it off.

He wore a dark red colored shirt, and muddy brown colored pants.

Alani always wore some simple, yet elegant enough for her to be out and about in clear sight of the high-class passengers.

Today, she wore a long green skirt and a dark green top that was loose around the sleeves and neckline.

For the past week and a half, Alani had been planning the perfect, semi-secret birthday for Ezra.

It was like a dream for Ezra, having someone who was so committed to such a small thing. He would have many birthdays, but she was planning it like it would be his last.

They had devised a full proof plan that would get them a few good hours to themselves.

One of the many entertainments the Escardian Jewel has to offer were the late night parties hosted by Omar. Ezra's birthday was one of those nights.

Alani planned on saying she was not "feeling well", and would then excuse herself to her room for the remainder of the evening. After that, she was gonna sneak out to meet Ezra in the ship's second kitchen, which should have less staff occupying it then the main one.

Then they'd have the time of their lives, filling their faces with deserts the whole night, until someone eventually caught them.

"This is gonna be the best birthday you've ever had." Alani smiled. Ezra tilted his head, then broke into a smile.

"It better." He laughed. "The birthdays I've had at the mansion were so… bland." He sighed. "Something like that."

"What was life at the mansion like?" Eleanor asked, her smile dropping into a curious expression. "You never talk about it."

Ezra's face fell. "It was… uneventful, if that's what you want to hear." It was a world that was so new to him when he first got there, now it was the only world he knew and would probably be the only one he would know until he turned twenty.

When he became of age, Ezra fully planned on going back to his family's little space port. He'd get to see his friends again, his Uncle, Dyrek, even all of the gossiping market ladies and scheming salesmen.

He just had to play his part.

"Miss Keen, get down from those shrouds!" A voice yelled. An Aquanog crew member came rushing towards them. He wore black, baggy pants, with a royal blue shirt. All of the Escardian Jewel's staff stuck to a specific dress code of simple clothes the color of blue and black.

Alani groaned. "Oh, come one, Mr. Cecil!" She hopped down from the ropes. "We're just having some fun."

"It won't be so fun if you fall and you're lost to the Etherium." Cecil scolded, irrational lining his angler features.

It was hard for Alani to stay serious when she was arguing with a man that was almost two feet shorter than her.

Ezra knew where this was going, and prompted on getting Alani far away from Cecil before she could make things worse for herself- or for the crew, at least.

"Don't even try, Cecil." Another voice chimed in. It was an Arcturian woman, clearly a burnt out sailor. She was smoking a cigarette as she leaned against the wall of the ship.

"You know she'll just run to her daddy and you'll get a good scolding." She mocked.

She was right, though. Ezra glanced at Alani. Her smile had fallen.

The woman looked at Ezra.

"You're probably the one thing that keeps us from getting fired with how busy you keep her." She brought her cigarette back up to her mouth. "Too bad you'll be gone soon."

Ezra's face felt hot and his body tensed. His discomfort was visible to the open eyes.

"This don't concern you, Lisa. You best believe I won't be tolerating your nonsense no longer!" Cecil sneered, his slight accent and strange use of grammar becoming clear as day.

"Oh, did you forget that Mr. Keen doesn't want you speaking that kind of language around little miss Alani?" Lisa laughed, blowing out some smoke.

"Did you forget that Omar don't want you smoking on the job?" Cecil clenched his fists.

Seeing how the two staff members were seemingly keeping each other distracted, Ezra made his move.

"Let's just go, Alani, we can find someplace else to hang out." Ezra said delicately. He was always the peacekeeper, like his Uncle before him.

Alani didn't look at him. Her fists were clenched and her expression was unidentifiable. "Fine." She said, walking off, expecting Ezra to follow.

-And Ezra was about to, but Cecil spoke quietly, stopping him in his tracks.

"You've got a good head on your shoulders, kid." Cecil crossed his arms. "You remind me of her mother. You keep her out of trouble, 'ya hear?"

Ezra stayed quiet. He simply nodded and turned to catch up with Alani.

-

They were silent as they laid on Alani's bed. They laid on their stomachs, their feet hanging off of the bed.

Alani stared at the floor, almost a glare. Ezra bit his lip, glancing away, then back at his friend. He rested his head on his arms.

He didn't know what to say, so he went with the basics. What do you say to someone when they are sad?

"Alani." He spoke softly. "Are you ok?"

She grunted in response. She rolled over to lay on her back. She put one leg over the other.

She sighed and put her hands behind her head, using them as a pillow.

"Oh, she'll just go tell her dear old dad everything." She mocked, repeating the words of the Arcturian crew member. "Just leave it to her to ruin our lives, blah, blah, blah."

Ok, so that is what this was about.

"I don't think they said that." Ezra commented, his voice barely above a whisper. Alani heard it still.

"But that's what they're thinking!" She shouted, suddenly sitting up. "It's what they all think!" By the smallest amount, her voice broke.

"I think you might be overcalculating the situation-"

"You don't have to act like them, you know!" Alani yelled.

"Act like what?" Ezra was taken aback, eyes wide.

"Like- like that, with all your fancy words and mannerisms! It's like you were born for this life!"

He didn't know what she meant by "this life".

"I'm not- this is how I've always acted."

"I refuse to believe you've always been this skittish!" She said, almost shouting. "You barely think for yourself!"

By "this life" she meant the life of being able to stand aside so easily while other people control your life.

Born to extinguish the flame before it becomes a fire.

"B-but, I don't- I mean, I do!" Ezra sat up, rambling over his words as he did so.

"No, you don't!" She screamed. There they were, sitting on her bed, she insisting and he denying.

"I've watched them push you around since you got here!" Tears brimmed her eyes.

"-and you don't do anything- you just take it!"

"It's not that bad!" He got louder, it shook his core.

"Yes it is!"

"Why do you care!" Ezra yelled- he didn't mean to. He's never raised his voice at anyone before. He was used to staying quiet- maybe Alani was right.

"Because you're my friend! My only friend!" Alani choked back a sob. The confident, defiant girl broke down, face in hands. "-and when this trip ends, you'll be gone!"

So that's what this was about.

"I won't be gone for a few more weeks, Alani!" Ezra said, his voice going back to its usual calm state. He rested his hand atop of hers. "We still have the rest of the trip to and the one back."

"Then what!?"

Ezra paused, biting his lower lip.

"I don't know." He said. He looked down at his hands blankly.

What would they do? Neither of them have many friends, they are each other's first. Even if they had only known each other for a little bit, they didn't want to lose the other.

"Dad- he would never- let me- or you- there's nothing we can do!" She said in between sobs.

Ezra sat there silently. He didn't know what to do in this situation. There were moments when people cried while he was in the room, but this is someone crying to him.

Ezra pulled her in, doing what his mom would do when he was sad. Alani rested her head on his shoulder. Ezra spoke softly, slowly combing through her hair with his fingers.

"At Eleanor's manor, she has this room- on the very top floor- it's like a dome, with a bunch of windows. She paints there. I've seen her work, and it's very nice."

Alani sniffed and nodded. Ezra continued.

"She was up there a lot for the first few months I was there. Most of the time she didn't even paint. She would just stare at the canvas."

Not all of her canvases were left completely empty. Some had been started, just never finished.

"… She painted pictures of my mom a lot." He said. Eleanor had many paintings of Selena, even if she couldn't bare to finish most of them.

"What was your mom like?"

Ezra hummed at the question. His tail wrapped around them.

"She was nice." He said. Alani pulled away from his embrace, turning away, her back facing him. Ezra picked up a hair tie, pulling it around his wrist. He began separating Alani's hair into parts, braiding it together.

"How about your mom, what was she like?"

Alani sniffed, then spoke, her voice dry.

"I don't know. She died when I was a baby."

"Hm." Ezra continues braiding her hair. He knew about Mrs. Keen from Eleanor, though not much about her personally, just her tragic fate.

He supposed it was just one more thing that made him and Alani so… similar.

Everything Ezra had heard about Sadia Keen was from the crew. They said that she was the exact opposite of her husband and daughter. She was quiet, reserved, and held strong opinions about people, only treating people the way they treat others.

She had died of illness over a decade ago, meaning she had in fact died when Alani was young.

A shame, it was.

And a shame Ezra was cursed to accidentally overhear these whispered conversations from adults who spoke when they shouldn't.

Ezra's father had died when he was really young too, but not to illness, he got crushed by the mass of a ship, or so he'd been told.

Not that it bothered him much, no one ever really talked about his father, it's almost like he never existed. It wasn't that big of a deal.

Selena kinda served as both his mother and his father, in more ways than just being his only parent.

Ezra racked his brain for more questions to keep her distracted.

"What do you plan on doing for school?"

Alani was mostly homeschooled, whenever she and her dad were on the ship, at least. There were times where she would go to a fancy private school for a few months while staying with some rich aunt or cousin.

"Dad thinks I should give school another chance." She leaned back into his chest.

Ezra thought for a moment. "You know… Drion has a pretty nifty private school, it's not anything prestigious, but…"

Alani looked up at him with wide eyes, like he had just told her he had found the Lost City of Atlantis.

"You're a genius." She said, and hopped off the bed, the feeling of despair leaving her. She dug through her belongings in a nearby drawer.

"What do people do on Drion?"

It suddenly occurred to Ezra that Alani hadn't gotten the chance to actually explore the planet's towns before they left.

"That depends." Ezra's lower legs hung over the bed, leaning back using his hands and arms as support beams. "What kind of person are you?"

Alani hummed, holding up and examining a yellow shirt. "Well, what kind of people are there?"

He walked up to her, hands behind his back as he casually strolled around the room.

"All kinds. You've got the people who work all day, drink all night, the scholars with their big fancy buildings, small merchants and sellers, and the wealthy ship owners like Mr. Keen, or high-class women like Mrs. Harrison."

He stopped. "Then there's people you do not wanna meet."

"Ooh, like who?"

Ok, so maybe not "wanting to meet" isn't the right word- he didn't have any problem with these sorta people, but Ezra knew the wealthy folks who owned the spaceports and many shops disliked them a.

"Street runts," Ezra only wished he had the chance to say goodbye to Ruckus and Glem. Had he known that night would've been the last time he'd ever seen them, he might never have come home.

"-Really sketchy business guys,"

Ezra listed, digging his hands into his pockets. Could his 's friend, Dyrak, be considered a shady businessman? He does kinda look like one.

"Oh, and pirates." He added calmly and shrugged.

"Pirates!?" She turned around, stars in her eyes.

He grabbed her shoulders and shook her slightly.

"Um, yeah. But it's rare! You'll never see any famous ones, so don't go getting any ideas."

But it was too late. Alani was already in her own world, walking around her room dreamily.

"Can you imagine what it would be like to meet a pirate?" She swooned. "Swashbuckling, sword fighting, and being free!"

Ezra whispered words that only he could hear.

"No, I can't imagine…"

He wasn't ever the biggest fan of pirates. They always brought destruction and chaos in their wake whenever they were around- his mom told him never to tell anyone what they did at the docks.

-and he would take their secret to the grave.

He hadn't told anyone, he doubted even Eleanor knew, but with how Lucius spoke about Selena, she probably did.

While Alani ran around the room, asking questions she didn't give him the time to answer too, Ezra looked over at Alani's huge makeup desk, staring back at himself in the mirror.

He squinted.

What if…?

He walked closer to the glass, leaving only a few feet between him and the desk chair.

Everyone was right.

He did look like his mom.

He barely got anything from his father.

He lifted his hand, and pulled out a small bit of hair in front of his face with a single claw. He pulled out another one, this one was a bit longer, though they barely made it past his eyes.

Now two strands lay gracefully in front of his face. He blew one of them out of the way of his right eye.

It did look a lot better than having it all slicked back.

He never cared for looks, not as much as other people. He just had to look unthreatening, and he would get along just fine.

He just had to stay in his lane. Do anything to not be on the bottom, but not enough to get stuck at the tippy top.

Which is one thing he learned, from both his mom and , who were always two distinctly different people, one reckless and the other responsible.

"Hey, Ez," Alani came up from behind him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. She looked into the mirror. "Whatcha thinking?"

He brushed her off. "Nothing."

Alani raised an eyebrow, then shrugged, thinking nothing of it.

"You, uh, got an idea of what you're gonna wear for the party?"

Ezra scoffed lightly. "Which party, there's one every other night?"

"Your birthday party, obviously!" She playfully nudged in the arm. "You gotta look somewhat nice before you disappear into the night!"

She added that last bit with her "fake scary ghost" voice. He laughed.

"I'll just wear what I always wear, no need to go over the top."

"Oh, come on, have fun with it!" She lightly shoved him.

"No, no, I'm good, really."

Alani playfully rolled her eyes and looked back into the mirror.

"I like your hair."

"Thanks." They spent the next few moments in silence.

"So," Alani smirked, breaking the silence. "Tell me more about Drion."

-

The night of Ezra's birthday was an elegant one- or, another night of Omar's grand party's. The main ball room was packed, as it was every single time.

The people never get enough of these extravagant gatherings.

Which is something Ezra never understood. He had learned from his mother that crowds are good as they are bad.

Enough people so you can easily steal things without getting caught, too many people that could see you if you slip up.

Well, at least he didn't have to steal to eat anymore- not that he ever stole anything in the first place. His mom was the mastermind, his was the one who kept her out of trouble with the police, and Ezra only helped his mom out when she needed a distraction.

Ezra stood quietly by Eleanor's side, waiting patiently for the right moment to excuse himself and head down to the kitchen.

Eleanor sat at a table on the sidelines, it wasn't long till she would begin to socialize with the other guests.

She waved to other guests as they passed, saying quick hellos and goodbyes. Any minute she would stand up and waltz into the crowd, giving Ezra the perfect opportunity to leave.

Ezra spotted Alani. She stood next to her father in another one of her fancy, red evening dresses. She noticed him, and waved.

Alani dismissed herself from the group of people she had been engaging in, made her way through the crowd, and disappeared into a hallway.

Ezra looked at Eleanor, then hesitated. He carefully took a step forward, gaining Eleanor's attention.

"Can I please be excused, Mrs. Harrison?" He said with a slight bow of his head.

"What for?" Eleanor asked.

"I'm tired." Ezra answered, his hands folded in front of him like a small plea.

Eleanor gazed at him for a moment, until she nodded, sending him on his way. Lucius, who stood beside her, sighed, knowing full well what she would say next.

"Yes, you may."

Ezra mumbled his thanks, and left.

The corridors of the ship were dark, and almost quiet. The walls covered up the sounds of the party, but the faint sound of music and engaging conversations still made their way to Ezra's ears.

After a few servants passed him, not questioning him at all, Ezra waited a few moments, before taking off, sprinting all the way to the stairs leading to the lower deck.

This isn't the first time he's snuck away.

He and Alani would hide (although a bit terribly) on the ballroom balcony, gossiping and talking for hours.

He carefully sneaked down the steps. The second kitchen was smaller, dimly lit, and practically abandoned by its owners for the night, leaving a few stragglers left to clean things up.

Ezra hurriedly hid against the kitchen island as the last cleaner walked past, leaving for the night.

Ezra sighed in relief, then got up from the floor, only to be stopped.

"And where do you think you're going, Mr. Calico?" Ezra looked up and saw one of the servants was blocking his path.

She was a tall Vulpes (fox) woman. She wore a sly smirk as she looked down on him. Then she huffed and laughed sweetly.

"Alani will be here any minute, dear, don't worry, I won't tell a soul." She winked at him and ruffled his hair, before leaving.

Well, that happened.

Ezra took a seat on one of the stools near the kitchen island, patiently waiting in the dark.

He was really here.

It still felt weird. Even after almost, what two, three years? He had stopped counting the days, and just let time pass by while he waited for his life to change again.

Maybe this time, his life will change for the better.

Wouldn't that be something?

The thought left a burning feeling in his chest. His mind was filled with the dawning uncertainty of his situation.

He pulled out the starlight from his pocket, and immediately started fidgeting with it.

It was old and dirty now. It was rusting in most areas, and made weird clicking sounds whenever Ezra turned it on. To be fair, it had gone through years of abuse and survived Ezra's multiple attempts at reviving it.

Even though newer versions were out, he would never get rid of this one.

"Boo!"

Ezra yelped, almost dropping the starlight, but catching it just in time. His tail wrapped around his waist.

Alani clutched her stomach and laughed so hard she almost choked. She pounded her fists against the table.

"What was that for!?" Ezra yelled, still covering his ears from the scare.

"The look on your face!" Alani wheezed, and continued to hit her fist against the table's surface. "That was priceless!"

She walked over to the other side of the kitchen island, and began pulling things out from the cabinets.

"I had one of the cooks leave a bunch of snacks so we can literally gorge on food all night!"

She started putting a bunch of food in fancy glass containers on the table.

It was mostly cookies, fruits, chocolates and other fancy delicacies Ezra's never seen before.

She then pulled out a small chocolate cake, and stars filled Ezra's eyes.

Alani hopped up onto the table. She crossed her legs. Ezra just realized she was wearing her favorite light pastel pink, silk pajamas.

She lifted the lid to the chocolate container and popped one into her mouth.

"Alright, birthday boy, let's get this party started!" Alani clapped her hands together. "How does it feel to be thirteen?"

"I don't know." Ezra spoke, mid bite through a purp. "Am I supposed to feel different?"

"Well… no?" Alani shrugged. "I mean, I got this big party for my thirteenth, and like, a bunch of new stuff, but that's just all my birthdays."

Ezra hummed, taking another bite out of the purp.

Ezra set the starlight on the table, turning around a few metal pieces, it began to click.

Soon, it whirled to life, holographic images of stars and planets reflecting onto every surface.

"You know, you're really good at this engineering stuff."

Ezra smiled softly. "I wanna design ships when I'm older. Maybe military ships. Oo, maybe cruise ships!" He said cheerfully.

"Well, maybe when I take over my fathers company, you'll be my top engineer." Alani said, resting her head in her hand.

"Really?" Ezra's eyes widened. Alani smiled, teeth and all.

"We'll see." She giggled, picking up more chocolate.

"If you're not interested in yours truly, I'm sure I can find some rival ship owners that would be willing to take me up."

Alani gasped overdramatically, placing a hand on her chest. "The betrayal! How could you! After everything I've done for you!?"

Ezra laughed, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"I'm kidding!"

Alani got down from the table, and took a seat. She went to grab something, then paused.

"You want cake now, or later."

Ezra looked around, thinking for a moment.

"Better now than later."

She pulled out a butcher knife, and was about to cut into it, until she froze again.

"Ah, I almost forgot the candles." She set the knife down and dug deeper in the cabinet below her, knocking a few things over.

A minute later, she pulled out a box of matches.

She ever so gracefully dumped a handful of matches onto the table.

"You're a fire hazard." Ezra commented, looking at the pile of matches.

"Thanks for reminding me, I'll be sure to add that to my academy resume." She replied unceremoniously.

She plucked three red candles into the cake. She flicked a match against the side of the box, and flames came to life. She carefully lit each candle, illuminating the room even more.

"Make a wish, birthday boy."

Ezra tapped his sharp black nails against the table, thinking long and hard.

What could he possibly want?

To get accepted into the engineering academy? Or, more parts to fix up the starlight?

Maybe, he should wish for a good job, so he doesn't end up… like the rest of his family.

He wished Ruckus and Glem were here for this. They, Ruckus mostly, constantly talked about this moment when he'd finally be 13.

"What would you wish for?" Ezra asked, his eyes never leaving the lit candles.

Alani sighed, her shoulders slumped. "I don't have to wish for anything, because I get whatever I want! Now, hurry, make a wish!"

Ezra quickly blew out the candles.

He wants to go home.

Pretty basic stuff, for him anyway, he wished the same thing last birthday.

The smoke disappeared into the air. Alani plucked on the candles, and picked up the knife. She held it out to Ezra.

"You wanna do the honors?"

Ezra pushed the knife back to her with a single finger. "I insist."

Alani shrugged, and took the knife, swirling it in her fingers like a madman as she set it to cut. She cut out two huge pierces, and set them on white glass plates. She pushed a place and fork towards Ezra.

"Bon appetit!" She spoke, taking a big bite, practically eating the entire slice in one bite.

Ezra ate his slice in little pieces, unlike his friend who was already halfway done.

"So," Alani swallowed another bite. "Now that you're thirteen, we like… we have to do something that non-teenagers can't." She stated, waving her fork around.

"Like…" she thought for a moment. "Oo, you should pierce your ears! I mean- I can't because of my dad, but you can!"

Ezra lowered his fork mid-bite. His right ear twitched.

"I don't know how that would feel. But, maybe? Do you think it would look cool?"

"Uh, totally!"

Ezra lightly pinched his right ear. He let a small smile settle on his face.

Then his smile fell.

"No, Eleanor wouldn't like that." Ezra whispered as he fidgeted with his hands, avoiding eye contact.

Alani stared at him silently, before pulling out a small, neatly wrapped box.

It was pink, with red ribbons.

"I know your favorite color is red, so I worked with what I had, and pink is pretty close to red, right?" She slowly slid the box to him. Ezra's green eyes lit up as he picked it up.

He carefully undid the red ribbon, placing it on the table. He slowly opened the top, revealing a gold bracelet with a green jewel in the middle.

"Woah…"

He held it with both hands, before slipping it on to his left hand. It fit like a glove.

"Not to be corny, or whatever, it just reminded me of your eyes, so- plus I've had that old thing for a while, and it seems more of your style." Alani explained in a nonchalant manner.

"I love it." The words felt like nothing coming out of his mouth, coming out in a monotone voice.

He adored it, even if he didn't know how to say it. Even though he was never a fan of hard jewelry such as this, he would wear it everyday from then on.

He finally made eye contact with Alani.

"Thank you."

"It's the least I can do." Alani smiled proudly.

Ezra laughed when she said that, while his other hand was still fidgeting with the bracelet on his wrist.

But just as Ezra was about to speak again, the kitchen lights flickered off, and there was this…

-Sound, a low, deep noise that captured their full attention. It was an eerie bellow that shook the sleeping ship.

Alani looked at Ezra with wide eyes.

"OooooOoooo…" She hummed.

"Stop it with the ghosts!" Ezra wheezed. Curious, the lights to the kitchen still didn't turn on, continuing to leave them in darkness.

Suddenly, there were muffled voices coming from outside the kitchen.

Alani cursed under her breath.

"We've got to go." She said, grabbing his hand and holding onto it tightly. "Dad probably sent servants to my room, I bet he's got half the ship looking for me. Come on."

She pulled him from the room and as soon as they found themselves in the hallway, they ran. Soon, they came across a fork, and each of them took different turns, whispering goodbyes as they raced to be in their desired destinations.

Ezra's run turned into a tired walk.

Odd.

Usually there were a few lights left on in the hallways, but nothing was on, it was just the dark of the night and the light of the stars guiding Ezra through the ship.

It was also getting… colder? Like the heaters weren't working.

It's like all the power to the ship was cut off.

No, no, everything's fine, probably just some new rule- or maybe some guests are stargazing-

Alright, those are some stupid answers, but Ezra was too tired to truly think.

He finally found himself in the hallway that led into an open room that was more like a library/living area.

He hears the voices of Eleanor and Lucius, and picks up his pace, softly dragging his hand against the wall. Knowing he was in for a scolding (from Lucius, most likely), Ezra waited at the entrance, waiting for them to end their conversation, but Ezra caught onto their topic:

It was him- and his mom.

He tucked himself behind the corner, peeking his head out ever so slightly.

"Why did you insist on bringing him? If he's anything like his mother-"

"He's not!" Eleanor desperately protested. She sat in an armchair, while Lucius ranted beside her.

"Yes, he is!" Lucius replied. Their argument was in a series of whispers, but the clear intentions and emotions rained clear in their voices.

"Eleanor,"

It was weird hearing Lucius say "Eleanor", instead of "Mrs. Harrison" for once. Ezra knew they were close friends, but it was still odd to him.

"He can pickpocket, he can pick locks, he knows every single Drion street game imaginable! There's a reason why the maids won't let their children near him! You can't tell me his mother didn't leave an impression on him."

Eleanor gasped slightly. "Selena was a good person-"

"Good person!? Eleanor, she was a criminal!" Lucius cried out. "She stole from you! Ok, maybe she loved her family, but she didn't love you at all- where was she when you needed her!?"

"She was taking care of her family!"

"She was helping pirates get off the planet!" Lucius yelled, his concern for his long time friend ran deep, but his patience for her never ending blindness was wearing thin.

"She was wanted for treason against the Terran Empire."

Eleanor was quiet. She sunk into her chair in shame. Lucius knelt down and took her hand.

Lucius was about to speak, but Eleanor interrupted him.

"You're right."

What.

Ezra took one single step into the room.

"What was I thinking?" Eleanor threw her head into her hands while she sobbed.

Lucius put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Ezra's claws lightly dug into the wall next to him.

Lucius isn't right, he's never right! Why was Eleanor siding with him!?

When it came down to Selena- Ezra's mom, Eleanor was always there to defend her honor.

Ezra knew his mom didn't do things exactly according to the law, but she didn't have a choice- right?

She did it to protect him, to provide for their family.

The rest of Eleanor's and Lucius's conversations came out in quieter whispers and mumbled that Ezra couldn't bare to hear.

Ezra let out a shaky breath, alerting Eleanor and Lucius of his presence.

"Ezra-"

Ezra ran out of the room before Eleanor could say anything else. He didn't know where he was going, but he soon found himself on the ship's deck.

It was the middle of the night, and the colorful sky and bright stars were hidden by the cosmic mist that surrounded the cruise ship.

He panted in short gasps, and leaned against the wall. He slid his back against the wall and sat down. He brought his knees up to his chest, his arms wrapped around his legs.

His breath slowed as he finally calmed down. He let out a desperate sigh.

He pulled on the starlight. It clicked and whirled in his hands.

Still broken.

Never gonna be fixed.

Ezra choked back a sob, stuffing his face into his crossed arms.

It wasn't fair. His mom was a good person. He was a good person.

They just didn't get it.

With the push of a small button, Ezra turned off the starlight without even having to look at it.

But the clicking noise continued?

Why was it still on?

Ezra pushed the button again.

Nothing.

The noise remained, but it was getting quicker, faster.

Ezra looked up, staring at the starlight, looking it over.

The starlight wasn't on.

Then what was-

On the deck in front of him, a small sphere shaped device beeped, and continued beeping until it-

It explodes, releasing gassy smoke colored fumes that take over the ship, blinding him.

Ezra coughs violently, covering his face, one arm shielding his head, and his other was over his mouth and lower face.

Then, there were voices. Panicked voices.

Ezra could see the shadows of people through the smoke.

The crew of the Escardian Jewel were running all over the deck, the superiors barking out orders and the crewmen scrambling around to complete them.

Something was wrong.

Something was very wrong.

Ezra sees orange sparks flying from the ends of guns.

Gunshots filled the air. People were screaming, crying, dying, all in the shadows.

Pirates.

They were being attacked by pirates. The band of cut-troops swarmed the ship, their laughter for the thrill filling the air.

But there was something else.

Someone else.

Ezra saw this-

This person through the smoke. They were no pirate. They looked like… a soldier to some degree, but with a color palette of grays and blacks. They wore a gas mask, with a pair of dark glasses that hid their eyes and a helmet so you couldn't see their hair.

-And they were staring right at him.

But before Ezra could do anything, someone grabbed him from behind, putting their hand over his mouth and nose, and using their other hand to hold him in place.

Ezra struggled, kicking and trying to scream, but against the will of a full grown pirate- were they a pirate? Or one of those soldier… things?

Whoever it was, lifted him off the ground just as his vision began to blur. He suddenly felt more tired than he ever was before, and he couldn't keep his eyes open any longer.

No, no-

This wasn't happening-

Everything went black.