"Luna, Kongming, how did you like the garden?" he asked as they left the grounds behind.
Kongming held onto his left arm even as Luna held onto his right. "It was an enlightening experience," Kongming said. "I learned much today."
"For once, we can agree," Luna said next. "I have only limited knowledge of the world, so I was glad to experience more of it today. Rita did her best to teach us all that she could."
"That's good. I didn't choose the garden just for Rita, but for you two as well. Today belongs to all of us, not only some of us."
Rita walked a distance behind them. She was uncharacteristically distant.
"Human…"
"Yes, Luna?"
"We spent so long in there, and it was so interesting that I was able to keep my mind away from my hunger, but not anymore. You promised me there were restaurants for us to eat at, remember?"
"Of course. It's just in time for dinner. Kongming, Rita, I'm sure you both agree."
"I've been craving authentic Emberyan cuisine lately. The Hyperion hasn't had the necessary ingredients to prepare any for a while. Surely this bubble universe has at least one restaurant that offers it," said Kongming.
"I'm content with any sort of restaurant we visit. Luna, you lead the way," Rita said.
"Luna, what kinds of food would you like to have today?" Johann asked her.
Luna's laugh was an entrancing melody. "I appreciate the freedom you've given me. I have heard many good things about Emberyan cuisine from Kongming, and her mentioning it just now has made me want to try nothing else. Shall we go, then?"
Kongming looked slightly surprised upon hearing Luna's words, but she happily continued walking.
They walked out of the park and into the city as the sky began to darken. The gentle breeze caressed their skin, but the unnatural silence of their surroundings was deafening. Any city could be expected to be bustling with the sounds of traffic and conversation, but they still found no beings as they entered this one. There were no vehicles on the roads nor pedestrians crossing them, but despite this, they were lined with empty, parked cars, and the city's lights illuminated them like any other city at night.
"Rita, what do you think happened to this world to make all its people vanish?" he asked.
"I'm afraid that I can't say for certain, but it may have been some disaster or other. In any case, it probably isn't our concern. After all, the buildings and amenities are all still intact, and it's them we've come for."
Kongming hugged his arm slightly harder. "Rita's right. We aren't here to worry about this world's past, not as long as we have each other."
Hearing Kongming's words, Luna pressed herself even closer to him. "I will not let anything harm you. We will all protect you and keep you safe."
Their words did a little to reassure him, so he let the matter rest as they stepped into the restaurant. It was a large one, and the savoury scents of countless different dishes was the first thing to greet them as they entered because there was no staff to do so.
Again, he pressed the bell at the receptionist's table. Again, there was no answer. He turned to the three. "I thought this might happen, so I chose a buffet-style restaurant so we wouldn't need to wait to be served. Kongming, let's show Luna the best foods that Emberya has to offer."
Kongming seemed to welcome the challenge. She gave Luna a mischievous look as she led her into the restaurant. "I know all sorts of dishes with a special ingredient I want to show you…"
They walked among the many dishes, none of which were even partially empty and all of which made their stomachs rumble with anticipation. There were steamed buns complete with an endless variety of fillings, chunks of pork belly cooked dark red and glistening, fish cooked in a way that its flesh resembled a cob of corn for easier eating, and countless more.
"Luna, you can choose whatever you'd like," Johann assured her. "They're all perfect. Kongming can vouch for that."
"I certainly can, especially this," Kongming said, pointing her fan to a container of chicken glazed in sauce.
Luna sniffed it before scrunching her nose. "I'm sure you're right, but I'm afraid that I don't eat garlic. This chicken has been cooked with as much garlic as it can fit, hasn't it? And the sauce, too. You can have as much of this as you'd like, but I think our captain has ideas in store that are more suited to my tastes. Isn't that right, dear?"
Johann laughed quietly as he led her away to other dishes, but Kongming was satisfied at having confirmed Luna's dislike of garlic and filed the information away.
It was difficult for them to decide on the dishes they wanted; there were simply so many of them, a problem compounded for Luna because of how many included garlic in their recipes. Johann was careful to help her avoid them. Eventually, all four of them made their selections and sat down at a square table with Kong and Luna to his sides and Rita opposite him.
"Kongming, you chose what you always cook for me," he said, nodding with approval at her plate piled high with dumplings among other choices.
"Indeed. You seem to be missing quite a few. Here, have as many as you wish," Kongming replied as she pushed her plate over to him and offered him as many dumplings as he could eat.
Luna made a small grumbling sound as she watched him help himself to several of Kongming's dumplings. She waited until he was done before she offered him her own dish.
"Human, these are what you helped me choose out. It'd be a shame for you to not try some for yourself, wouldn't it?"
"That's very true. Thank you," Johann said as he picked out some spring rolls and other foods, none of which included garlic.
Rita quietly ate her food as she watched them. If she wished to share hers with him, she did not show it.
When Luna took a bite out of a spring roll, she gasped.
"Luna? Are you alright?" he asked, concerned for her.
"This…this is better than I could have expected…" Luna gasped again after devouring the rest of it, and then another before choking. She quickly swallowed a mouthful of tea. "And so it the tea…these all better than almost anything I've tasted…human, you know that I don't need to eat to sustain myself. I never had to eat anything, let alone anything this good. I'm so happy that I can share such a wonderful meal with you today…"
"I'm happy to hear that, too. It's only a spring roll, though. Try the rest. It should be even better."
Luna nearly fainted at the taste of the rest of her meal.
"Human…I…I've only tasted one other thing as good as this…"
"You have?"
Luna slowly nodded before staring at his neck. "Your blood…"
Kongming tensed for a fight. Even Rita looked more alert.
Johann blinked once before he responded with a laugh. "I remember that. It was in Soukai City the first time we met. You bit me right here…" He gently took hold of Luna's hand and pulled her closer until her fingers were caressing the location of the two bite marks that used to be on his neck. "I was terrified…but after that, everything worked out in the end. Now, you can enjoy food that tastes just as good as my blood whenever you want."
Luna blushed. She withdrew her arm but leaned toward him. Her red eyes became brighter and more beautiful the closer they came. They captivated him. He could no longer even move as her face moved in.
Kongming nearly leaped out of her seat and over the table at the sight while Rita stopped eating.
Luna's lips found the base of his neck and gave it a quick kiss. She quickly withdrew, too embarrassed to meet his gaze.
"There…now it should feel better…I hope it doesn't hurt anymore…"
Kongming and Rita relaxed, although the former did not stop staring at her like a hawk even as she resumed eating.
Johann reached up and touched the area where Luna had just kissed him. "It feels better already, Luna. Thank you."
"Anytime, human…"
"She isn't the only one who can do that, you know…" Kongming said loudly.
"That…that's true…" he stammered in response. "For now, though, let's just focus on finishing all this incredible food…"
The rest of the meal continued in silence. Despite the ostensibly relaxing atmosphere, the four of them did not allow themselves to be entirely at ease in this bubble universe. As they finished eating, Johann retrieved his phone and contacted the Hyperion. It orbited the bubble universe a close distance outside, always monitoring and ready to take action if action became required.
"Bronie, are you there?" he said.
"Always. Sirin, Kallen, Kasumi, and Himeko too. How's the date going? Do you need my help with it?" the quirky voice answered.
He ignored her teasing tone. "Could you run another scan of this bubble universe? I know we already did before we entered, but I want to see one again. This time, focus on its inhabitants. We didn't bother scanning for them last time because we had no reason to suspect there was anything strange about them."
"One scan coming right up. Sirin, use your magic to help with this."
"Fine. If you say so," he heard the magical girl say in the background.
Several minutes passed before Bronie answered again. By this time, Kongming, Luna, and Rita had also synced their phones to the call.
"Scanning this world again was a good call," Bronie said. "It isn't like any bubble universe we've seen before. It's strangely stable for its small size, but there's still a strange disharmony in its energy signatures as if the different regions aren't quite the same."
"Should I be concerned?" he asked. "There's something else strange that we've noticed: there are no other people in this world. We've spent hours here and haven't met a single person. There don't seem to be any animals, either. A koi pond we found was empty, and we saw no pigeons or other animals we would normally expect to find in a park or city."
There was a pause. "Sirin, tell them what your magic discovered," Bronie said.
Sirin's voice was focused and serious. "I cast a spell to check on the inhabitants of this bubble universe, and as you said, there isn't a single life form in it aside from the plants. What's really weird is that while the three with you are registered as being foreign to this bubble universe…you aren't, captain."
Johann sat perfectly still. Not only was this information unexpected, it was frightening. "Are you saying that this world sees me as belonging to it?"
"Not exactly. But it isn't the first time you've visited this world."
"I'd remember any world like this one. I'm fairly certain that this is the first time I've been here."
"It's what my magic says…you trust me, don't you?"
He swallowed a mouthful of hot tea. "I do, Sirin. Thank you."
Bronie spoke again. "Do you want an extraction now? If you don't feel comfortable in that world, it's better that you all come back as quickly as you can."
Johann glanced at the three women he had promised to spend the day with. He met their eyes one by one, each telling him the answer.
"Miss Kongming, you haven't seen the lantern festival that will be starting soon," Rita reminded her. "Luna and I have already visited the locations Johann picked out for us, so you're the only one yet to experience the full extent of your date."
Luna nodded. "It wouldn't be fair for only you to miss out. Kongming, whether we stay here for longer or not is up to you."
Kongming looked at him from across the table. "Mr. Assassin…"
He stood up, walked over to her, and knelt down so their faces were level. "Kongming, the choice is yours. You know our circumstances. I don't feel that we're in danger just yet, but I will go with whatever you decide."
Kongming looked back at Luna and Rita and again to him. "I'm not blind to the risks of us staying…but I also know the challenges the four of us can overcome. Together, we'll see that lantern festival tonight, and then we can go home to the Hyperion." She cupped his face with a hand before kissing him on the cheek. "Shall we go, then?"
The feeling of Kongming's lips on him was something he had to feel again, he realized. "Alright. Bronie, continue monitoring the situation. Contact us if anything happens we should know about."
"No need to ask."
They were all full by then. When Johann stood up, Kongming took his hand. Together, they walked to the exit. Something alien yet familiar became visible in the corner of his eye. He looked back at the empty receptionist table. He stopped walking.
On the table was an object identical to the third of the disc he kept in his pocket. He had nearly forgotten about it.
"Mr. Assassin?"
"Kongming…"
He released her hand and retrieved the disc from his pocket. He held it up in front of him and then against its twin on the table. Like two magnets, the two pieces fit together and merged to form two-thirds of a complete circle.
"This leaves only one left to find," he murmured to himself, but loudly enough for the others to hear.
"Human? What's that you're holding?" Luna asked. "Is this another one of what you found in the garden?"
"It appears so." He turned to Rita. "Rita, you know what this is."
"I do."
"Do you know where to find the third and final piece of whatever this is?"
"I do."
"Will you tell me?"
"There's no need for that. You already know where to find it."
"Rita…"
"Yes, Miss Kongming?"
"...Nevermind. I don't know why you're being so secretive, but I know that I can trust you about this." Kongming took the disc out of his hand and inspected it herself. "So far, both pieces were found in the locations you picked out for Rita and Luna. It should be obvious, then, that we will find the last piece somewhere at the lantern festival that's about to start. The lantern festival you planned for me."
"I hope so."
Kongming gave him back the disc, which he carefully placed into his pocket once more. "Whatever this is, it was meant for us to find," he said. "But now, Kongming, the night belongs to you."
With his hand in hers, they left the restaurant and into the empty world beyond.
...
Shining stars illuminated the night sky.
The four sat on a grassy hill overlooking the city, the location most suited for viewing the lanterns that were soon to be released into the sky. The breeze was cool but calm as it brushed past their skin, and he found himself entranced by Kongming's knowledge of the heavens.
Her hand rested on top of his as she pointed to the stars above them.
"Do you see the brightest star in the sky?" she said, pointing at the point of light that outshone all others. "The name Emberyans know it as is Beichen, or as you would know it, the North Star Polaris. Because it is immovable in the sky, travellers have always used it to help them find their way."
He stared at the star and then at her. "There are no stars like this in the Sea of Quanta. But what I find amazing is that the same stars from your world can still be found in others."
Kongming nodded. "The stars in a bubble universe aren't real. They are merely projections in the domes of the sky the worlds create to make them seem more real. But real or not, they are there for their people to see. Each star in the sky right now is real to us seeing them, and this is what matters."
"But there isn't anyone in this world to see them. No one aside from the four of us," he quietly said. "This entire bubble universe is a ghost town. How will the lanterns even be released without anyone to release them?"
"Does that matter? No, what matters is that right now, you're here with me, and I'm here with you. We're gazing at the stars tonight, and I'm so happy because of it. Even without any lanterns tonight, I'm more than happy to do anything with you."
He placed his other hand over Kongming's. "I'm happy to be with you tonight, too. No matter what we do."
"And so am I," Luna said from behind them. "Especially now that the sun has gone down. I can tolerate the day if it isn't too bright, but I feel much more comfortable at night, especially when the moon is out."
He looked behind himself at Luna. "I know. I worried that the sunlight might have made this visit uncomfortable for you…"
"There's no need to worry about silly things like that. I have had nothing to complain about at all today."
Rita, who sat beside Luna behind them, laughed lightly. "I enjoyed today very much as well. There is no better way to end it than like this. Luna, Miss Kongming, I'm sure you both agree."
"Yes, I do. And the day isn't even over yet," Kongming said. She squeezed his hand to regain his attention and pointed back up to the sky. "Not far from the North Star is an asterism known in Emberya as Beidou Qixing, or the Big Dipper. But what I want to show you the most are the Twenty-Eight Mansions that form the Four Symbols."
She took hold of his arm and made it so he was now the one pointing with his finger. She turned his arm to the eastern quadrant of the sky. "Dongfang Qinglong, the Azure Dragon of the East. It represents the season of Spring." She pointed his arm to the south. "Nanfang Zhuque, the Vermillion Bird of the South. It represents Summer." Then to the west. "Xifang Baihu, the White Tiger of the West. It represents Autumn." Finally, to the north. "Beifang Xuanwu, the Black Tortoise of the North. It represents, as I'm sure you can guess, Winter. These are the four of some of the most important symbols in Emberya, and I'm glad that the sky of this world is no different from my own so we can see them all tonight."
He never would have discerned any of the creatures from the surrounding stars with his own unaided eyes, but when Kongming pointed him toward them, he could see them as clearly as her. Kongming lowered his arm, but to her surprise, his hand fell to the top of her silvery hair. "Thank you, Kongming. I couldn't have found any of them myself. Because of you, I've learned so much more today."
Kongming's blush was nearly invisible without the sun shining on her face, but he saw it regardless. "I'd be glad to teach you even more."
Behind him, he could hear Luna murmuring to Rita how she was unable to see any of the shapes, but Rita, having been taught them by Kongming in the past, showed them to her.
When he and Kongming looked back to the stars, he noticed that one of them seemed to be much brighter than the others, brighter than even Beichen. Not only that, it appeared to be moving.
Could it be a comet? Or a shooting star?
"Kongming? Are you seeing this?"
She did not answer, so focused was she on the point of light that was then joined by another. And then another. And then there were a dozen golden lights floating upward to the sky, but they did not end there.
"Kongming! Those are the lanterns that were scheduled for tonight!" Johann called out, surprising himself with the excitement in his own voice.
"Yes, they are," she replied. She watched as a dozen lanterns became a hundred and a hundred became a thousand and more. The lanterns were of the exact same make as those used in Emberya, and they took to the air just as gracefully. Kongming had seen the same sight countless times before, but this one was special in a way she could not explain. Perhaps it was because she had not been entirely certain if tonight she would be able to share such a beautiful sight with the man she loved, but now that she was, she was happy beyond words.
"This is indeed a sight to behold," Rita said. "How wonderful it must be to hold such an event each year."
Luna's eyes reflected the golden light of each lantern. She had never seen a sight like this one before. There were enough lanterns to nearly cover the sky as they drifted along the night breeze and vanished beyond the other horizon.
"Human, where are all of these lanterns coming from?"
He attempted to find their point of origin, but he found none. "From far away. But don't worry about that just yet. Focus on the sight. It's all that matters."
"I will."
He felt the warmth of Kongming's hand on his once again. "Mr. Assassin, do you know the meaning of Emberya's lantern festival?"
"I do."
"But do you know what it means for you?"
He closed his eyes. The light from the lanterns vanished only to reignite with the lanterns from that night when everything changed.
He and Kongming had been wandering the streets of Emberya as it celebrated its own lantern festival on the night of Qixi. They had eaten delicious food, talked with each other, and grown closer than ever before. When Kongming returned to the Star Pavilion to retrieve a brush to write their wishes on the lantern they had made, disaster chose that exact moment to strike. The explosives hidden inside the lanterns stored there exploded, taking the lives of Kongming and all others in the palace.
Even after he had reset time using his consciousness mapping ability, the unbreakable laws of the bubble universe found increasingly creative ways to kill her. It did not want her there. She did not belong to her own world. Tens of millions of deaths later, he was finally able to find a way to save her through sheer willpower alone, leading to this very moment they were now sharing together.
The pain of witnessing her many brutal deaths in front of his eyes would never leave him.
"You're thinking about my homeworld, aren't you? The one that rejected me," he heard her say.
He nodded.
"It was the night of Qixi. Emberya's lanterns were in the sky. But the lanterns were a trap. They were filled with explosives that killed me."
He nodded.
"It wasn't the first time, nor was it the last. I have no memory of any of this, but I know it all happened because I trust you."
"...Yes, but I will always remember…"
"Mr. Assassin, I asked you a question, but you haven't answered it yet. What is the meaning of the lantern festival?"
"...To celebrate what's to come, which the lanterns illuminate. To help people let go of their past and welcome in their future."
"Correct. I think you needed to see this tonight."
"...I still think of him."
"Who?" she asked, but she already knew who.
It was the man who refused to leave his thoughts, the man who haunted him even after his death. "The Ferryman. The man I was before. The man I don't know but know so well. I saw his memories. I saw who he was and how his tragedies changed him for the worse. I wonder if I could become that man again if the circumstances align. He entrusted me with the future, but I can't let go of my past…"
Luna and Rita stood up. Luna sat down on his other side while Rita remained standing.
"Human, why do you worry yourself with these things? You are you. The Ferryman was the Ferryman. Whatever happened to him doesn't matter now except for his trust in you, and I know it wasn't misplaced."
"Luna…"
"Johann…captain…I knew the Ferryman for much of my life," Rita said slowly. "He was just like you when he rescued me from my world. He was the man I fell in love with, but that love vanished with his hope. He fell into a darkness he could never escape, but then his hope was reborn as you. You will never fall into that same darkness. I'm certain of it. No darkness can ever overcome you because you are the light of our hope, and your light shall never fade."
"Mr. Assassin, you said so yourself. These lanterns are meant to symbolize letting go of the past and walking into the future. The Ferryman made his decisions. Now you're free to make your own. Let's do that right now. Together."
"Indeed," Luna said. "The lanterns also mean that for me. My own past is done, and now my future with you begins."
Kongming and Luna both hugged him.
He could not help but give a laugh. "You two…thank you for being here for me. And you as well, Rita."
"Always," they all replied.
Neither of them let go, so he was content to sit there and appreciate the warmth of their embrace as they continued to gaze at the lanterns overhead.
Then Rita noticed one of them heading toward them. "Do you see that one? It appears to be getting closer."
He looked at the lantern Rita pointed at. "You're right. It's the only lantern this low to the ground, and the only one moving against the wind."
The three of them stood up and joined Rita watching the lone lantern grow larger and brighter.
"This one is meant for us. I can feel it," said Kongming. "Mr Assassin, can you let me ride on your shoulders so I can catch it more easily?"
"Alright. If you say so." Johann knelt and let Kongming climb onto his shoulders before standing back up. She was now tall enough to reach the lantern that was only some tens of meters away. He kept his guard up as Kongming reached out for the lantern. His memories of Emberya struck at him and threatened to overwhelm him, but nothing happened when she reached out and caught the lantern in her arms.
"There's nothing to worry about. I was right when I said this was meant for us," she said after looking inside the lantern. He knelt back down to let her climb off. She reached into it and pulled out one-third of a black disc.
"Kongming, this is the final piece," he realized. He glanced at Luna and Rita. Their eyes alone told him what he needed to do. He retrieved the incomplete disc from his pocket and accepted the third piece from Kongming. He held them both up in his hands.
"Whatever this is, it was meant for us to find. First in the rosemary, then at the restaurant, and now here. Someone knew we would find and visit this bubble universe. They knew what sorts of things the three of you wanted to see. They left these for us to find."
"They did," Rita said knowingly. "And they wanted you to complete them."
"I already have a very good idea who they were. Kongming, Luna, Rita, are you ready to learn the truth of this world?"
The three women all nodded.
He fit the final piece into the disc. The completed circle was inert for a second before it floated out of his hands and to a distance in front of himself. Its center emitted a beam of blue light that soon took on the form of a man.
He recognized this man. They all did.
The man formed from the light of the disc wore dark grey robes that concealed his body and face. Black metal armour covered his arms and legs. A sword was sheathed at his side, the same sword that was once held against Johann's neck.
"The Ferryman," Johann said quietly. "I knew all along that it was you."
"I have had many names, but in the end, the Ferryman was the name others gave me."
At all other times they heard the Ferryman speak, it was deep, distorted, and menacing. But now, his voice had changed. It was calm, resigned, and no different from Johann's own.
The four of them remained silent as they waited for the Ferryman to continue.
"If you are listening to this recording, then you have found the bubble universe the pieces of this device were left in for you to find. I am dead, and Kongming, Luna, and Rita are there with you."
"A recording?" Johann said with disbelief. "How could this be a recording if you answered what I said to you? You're long dead."
"Because you are me, and I know you," replied the recording of the deceased Ferryman. "I know what you will say and when you will say it. I know the questions burdening your mind. I know this because you are the hope I lost long ago and the hope of all those who travel with you."
Johann looked at Rita. She listened to her former captain with an expressionless face.
"You are here in this bubble universe because a certain hacker aboard your Hyperion discovered it using the hardware she took from my Hyperion. My electronics contained a hidden program with directions leading to this bubble universe, which was activated when they were used bolster your own Hyperion, which enabled your ship to detect this bubble universe. You must have noticed its lack of other living individuals. In the past, these worlds teemed with life, but as with all bubble universes in the Sea of Quanta, they were condemned to annihilation. There was no hope for their inhabitants. They all died as all must do in this endless hell."
Johann looked away. It was true. The cold reality of the Sea of Quanta was its impermanence. The many worlds they had visited before were doomed to die. There was nothing that could be done to stop this.
"Why did you speak about this world in plural?" Johann asked.
"Because this world was once many. The botanical garden, the city, and the hill you stand on were all once separate worlds that had no contact with the others. After they died, I salvaged what remained and stitched the remnants together into one conglomeration. Doing so did little for the billions who once called them home, but it does serve as the final gift from my past to my future."
"...A gift? Why would you care to give us a gift?" Johann became more confused with each word the Ferryman spoke.
The Ferryman stood still. Then he reached to his hood. Slowly, he pulled it back and looked at him with eyes that were the same amber colour as his own. His face and his red hair were perfect mirror images of Johann. The Ferryman sat down on an unseen chair and sighed, resigned to his incoming fate. Johann was unable to look away from his doppelganger and progenitor. He looked utterly defeated.
"One gift can do nothing to undo my failures and my crimes, but these are no concerns of yours. What you must focus on is your future and the futures of those with you. Where I failed, you can succeed. Cherish them. Protect them. Let no harm come to them, and they will do the same for you." The Ferryman laughed to himself, a bitter, self-mocking noise. "They once called me Noah and the Hyperion my Ark. I could not live up to the name, but you can. You already have. I saw it when you rescued the Grand Seeress of Emberya from her destined fate. I saw your drive to rescue A-872, or Luna as she prefers to be called. I sent Rita, my closest crewmember, to protect you because her talents were wasted on protecting me."
Teardrops fell from beneath Rita's closed eyes. She remembered his last order to her. It came not long after their last visit to the botanical garden that was contained in a bubble world soon to die. The garden was the one remnant of that world that survived. He had preserved it for her.
"You are now fearless and free," said the Ferryman. "Free to do as you wish, free to spend your future as you see fit. All I ask of you is…is to apologize to Kasumi and Delta for what I am about to do to them. They will never forgive me for this betrayal, and that is their right. This is not something I ever wished to do, and I pray that you will save them. I will gladly die as my punishment."
"I will tell them this," Johann whispered. "If only you could have told them this yourself. If only you had never seen the need to poison them."
"Rita Rossweisse," the Ferryman then said. She opened her eyes. "If you are there, then know that I am happy for you. I am happy that you found someone better than me to spend your life with. I'm sorry that I couldn't stay the same man I was when you met me. I'm sorry for not being strong enough. But now you're in safe hands, and I thank you for your many years of service. May he serve you as well as you served me."
The Ferryman addressed his future self once more. "Johann Stern, the captain of the Hyperion. That name is no longer my name. I discarded it years ago. I will die as the Ferryman, and you will live on. Do not waste your life like I have. Always care for those who care for you. This bubble universe will remain stable for the rest of eternity. You may keep it as a home to return to whenever you wish. This is my last gift to you. I hope you have used it well. I shall be seeing you soon."
The recording ended. The light vanished. The disc fell to the ground, but Johann caught it before it fell. He looked to his three cherished companions, the three women he loved so dearly. They looked back with smiles on their faces. Together, they embraced him beneath the starry sky.
A/N: With the Captainverse likely coming to a permanent end, I thought I would finally write a story for its own unique cast of characters, which I found a lot of fun doing. It's a real shame they probably won't ever be seen again. At least it ended happily.
I might have a slight bias for Kongming because of The Day You Vanished With the Stars, but I did my best to give Luna (who's also awesome and deserves to be happy after everything that's happened to her) and Rita (who's also awesome and deserves to be happy after losing the Ferryman) the focus and attention they deserve. As for the Ferryman himself, I made sure to humanize him a bit. I did not really like the ending he got, especially how he started acting like a villain out of nowhere and poisoned the two who trusted him, so I gave him one final moment where he could be himself.
This will probably be the last fic I write this year because I will be busy travelling abroad soon, so I look forward to returning in 2024. Early Happy New Year.