Cat, Bunny, and the Good Ship Honey Starbright

by Lazy Autumn Moon

From the stranded to the stowaways, paying traveler to hitchhiker, hero to farmer, the spaceship Honey Starbright welcomes you for however long or short your stay, because strangers are just friends you haven't met yet. Disclaimer: This offer does not extend to space pirates.

3. Episode III Little Roads

Disclaimer: RWBY belongs to Rooster Teeth and WB, I own nothing.

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Episode III: "Little Roads;
Cat and Bunny"

John's Rocky Road, the next day

People! So many people! Where did they come from, where do they go? It's always fun to think about every time Blake arrived at a port and, imagination alight, she marveled at the sights, the sounds, the exuberant energy of the scene before her.

John's Rocky Road, a place she's never been, a waystation to many destinations. The map she saw showed it resting equidistant between some very wealthy planets, and she wondered if the intent was for it to be a major trade hub in a long-distant past. Whatever the plans had been, nowadays the station existed in the back of beyond, largely forgotten in the bigger scheme of things due to the veritable minefield at its back in the form of the Blasted Castle asteroid belt. The impenetrable wall cut off routes to entire sectors altogether, thus firmly relegating this place to a local refueling stop.

Looking around, Blake thought there must be a lot of people not involved in said bigger scheme of things, because the waystation hummed with activity. Ships, from huge cargo haulers to tiny one-man crafts, came and went at a constant pace. Their passage through the atmospheric bubble caused it to shimmer and dance, casting an ever-shifting soft blue tone on the happenings within. At the fuel depot, captains of all stripes took the opportunity to trade goods and gossip as their vessels resupplied. Damaged ships settled in another corner, where mechanics donning jetpacks roamed over the hulls. Along a stretch of the dock, open ramps became impromptu stalls to create a marketplace.

Shoppers browsed and bartered. Tourists asked for directions. Parents bought food for their children. Military types rubbed shoulders with smugglers (though not without wary eyes from both parties). Some sort of part-singer, part-performer was putting on her act a distance away, camera-bots circling the girl to capture every angle.

At the center of it all was a diner, the waystation's namesake. Donut-shaped, it wrapped a long circuit to accommodate the kinds of crowd this many ships brought. Upbeat jazz emanated from its doors. With the garish red roof, gleaming silver walls, and a massive sign where neon tubing spelled out John's Rocky Road, the diner was easily the brightest thing on this gray metal platform. Blake rather liked the effect, how it drew the eye from the very moment they landed. In the dark, dark void of space, a light shone for the weary traveler, promising comfort and warmth.

The fellowship of the escape pod huddled just outside that diner. While Blake people-watched, Ruby and Yang perused the menu set on a nearby display. The last of the quartet, Weiss, was once again curled up into a ball of misery, mourning her insignificance.

"My life is worth less than a smoothie. Pirates value me more than my savior. I entrusted him with my safety and now he's run off to who knows where. I'm dooooomed..."

Blake would call her a drama queen, but she conceded that the situation appeared less than ideal. More people than not threw them glances as they passed by, a flash of recognition visible on their face now and then. A few, either fans or flirts, have tried to get close. They were soundly rebuffed to the amusement of bystanders, but Blake panicked a little each time since the increased attention played hell on their attempt to keep a low profile. Couple that with the lack of disguises, and she imagined they might as well have signs painted on their backs blaring their location to certain interested parties.

She hadn't told the others yet but her cat ears, keen of hearing, picked up the occasional conversations between visitors of the waystation. The news they shared proved quite concerning, because the word on everyone's lips was 'pirate'. The frequency of contact has rocketed up throughout multiple sectors, with regions previously secured now rife with raiders. Each new encounter contributed to what was clearly shaping up as a wide net cast over the area. None of the people discussing the matter had a clue what the ultimate goal of it was, only that those ships have been at the task for the past week. Which happened to coincide with a group of girls' escape from piratical grasp.

Whether their group would continue to elude the search parties was rather up in the air. The pirates turned out to be as relentless in their pursuit as Weiss feared. The Honey Starbright rested firmly within the cordon, and the safe routes were narrowing. No doubt, were they to be discovered, the entirety of the pirate fleet would descend upon them. From where Blake stood, their prospects appeared dim.

But that's okay, because they have the greatest, most amazing spaceship captain in the universe backing them up!

"Yo. I'm back."

Speak of the man, and he appears. Blake and her companions turned to where the voice came from—

Bunnies.

Wow, okay, she blanked out there. In her defense, the sight of the captain was a bit of a surprise, what with all the—

Bunnies.

And on his head was—

Too many bunnies.

Blake could not tear her eyes away. Neither could other people in the vicinity, who stopped and gawked. Jaune Arc has returned from what he called 'urgent business' laden with, to borrow one of his words, oodles and oodles of rabbit-themed merchandise based around that emblem she saw on his shirts. He wore a new top under his jacket, blue in color this time and projecting a hologram of the thing's beady-eyed face. Three of the logos, made of metal in different colors, dangled off a chain attached to his belt, the buckle of which sported the same motif. His boots were now ornamented with stickers, a ball emblazoned with the rabbit's face juggling at his feet. He had on wristbands, armbands, headbands, too many bands. A bandana bearing the bunny's 'w-shape' mouth encircled his neck, and a pair of long ears stuck up atop his hair, orbited by a drone built in the form of the disembodied creature. In his arms, he carried clothing, plushies, figurines, mugs, and other such goods in one precarious pile. All in all, he looked ridiculous. Quite ecstatic, too.

A touch manic, with the way he kept on grinning.

"Sorry for the wait. I saw one of Pumpkin Pete's cargo freighters, and just had to drop by. It's getting near the time for the yearly releases, so I thought 'what the hey, the guys working those ships are usually up for a deal' and, oh boy, were they ever. Look at this, it's all brand-new products that's not even on the shelves yet!"

Yang was the first among them to find her voice. Barely suppressing her mirth, she said, "You, ah, you sure you have enough there?"

The sarcasm met Jaune's enthusiastic mood, and lost the battle. He regarded the bounty in his arms. "That's...that's actually a good point. There's no telling when another chance would come around, so I'd be a fool not to buy all I can."

Three hands smacked Yang on the back of the head.

"Ignore her, Jaune." Blake advised. Weiss chimed in, blanching at the idea that he might run off again.

"Buying too much can become a problem, since you would not have the time to properly experience each item." The indecision remained on his face, so Blake nudged her to continue. "Believe me, I should know. Why, there are rooms filled with things my family bought but have never even touched. They languish there for years with nary a chance to be shown off and appreciated."

"I suppose that's fair…" Jaune mused, looking torn for a moment before brightening up again. "Ooh! Speaking of showing off, check this out."

Jaune shifted the pile of merchandise to better display the image hovering on the shirt. He smiled. The character smiled. He frowned. The character frowned.

"It matches my expression. How cool is that?"

Pret-ty cool, Blake admitted though she outwardly maintained a stoic façade. The bunny detracted from the overall image, in her opinion, but were it to carry something more her style, she could see herself shelling out money for a shirt like that. Ruby, starry-eyed, agreed with the sentiment as she zipped around the boy, poking and prodding.

"Where's the monitoring-, there's no connection-, the hairband? No. The drone? Not that either." She screeched to a stop in front of Jaune, excited. "Linked-apparel this thin shouldn't be possible yet! The last I've heard, corporations were still working on ways to miniaturize the brainwave scanners. How did they crack it? I wanna see!" Jaune waggled a finger.

"Tsk, tsk, Ruby. Never inquire about Pumpkin Pete's proprietary information. The company likes their position on the cutting edge and works to keep it that way. They send operatives after people who ask too many questions, you know."

"N-no way that's real," Ruby stammered, "It's probably a rumor made up to scare us. C'mon, let me study the shirt."

Jaune danced out of Ruby's reach, unmoved by her plea. "You say that, but I'm pretty sure I saw one of their squads last year. Popped out of nowhere to blast a crew of smugglers to ashes right in front of me, and I know for a fact those poor bastards were sniffing around about a delivery being transported between research labs. I bugged out of the region immediately but, and I swear to you, Honey Starbright's systems kept detecting a shimmer nearby for a couple of days."

Blake along with the other three girls (plus many people within earshot) gulped in unison. They peeked at their surroundings, searching for hidden figures.

Gradually, when nothing of note occurred, the tension eased off their shoulders. The suspicion that Jaune just played them set in, leading to chuckles and scoffs among those present. Yang clapped him on the back.

"Hehehe. Good one, dude. I almost thought you were for real. Gotta remember that for later."

Jaune shrugged, expression somber. He shuffled to the diner's entrance, nudging the doors open. "Believe what you like, but I suggest we leave that particular convo for some other time. Out here is a little too… exposed." He entered the restaurant.

Shaking their heads and rolling their eyes, her friends filed in after him, with Blake bringing up the rear. As she passed the threshold, a thought tickled her mind, remarking that Jaune has yet to show himself the type to spin tall tales. What if he had been serious? To banish the sense of paranoia, she cast one last glance outside, where most of the spectators have moved on now that the entertainment has concluded.

Most.

One woman stood there, blank-faced and staring directly at Blake. As the door swung shut, she raised a finger over her lips in the gesture for silence.

Ah. Ahaha. Oh, fuck.

"—can just run some tests. Give me three months top, and I can probably reverse-engineer—"

"HEY! How about those smoothies? Sounds like they'd really hit the spot. Right? Right! Let's focus on that. It's way more interesting than big, sciency words. Jaune said they have strawberry flavor. What's a strawberry? Never mind, doesn't matter, I'm ordering that, ha-ha-HA-HA—!"

With fake and stilted laughter ringing loudly to drown out Ruby's voice, Blake made a beeline over the diner's checkered tiles to Jaune. Said boy had dumped his loot in an unceremonious heap on the countertop and slid onto a seat. Humming a tune, he played around with his purchases. The spot next to him was available, and Blake dove for it. She hunkered down as best she could behind the tiny backrest of the stool to hide from the scary people.

The odd looks from Ruby, Yang, and Weiss did hurt, but not as much as a laser through the neck would. Or plasma. Or just straight ballistics. Should things go awry, this position would let her stick to Jaune like glue. He's proven himself the survivor type, and she hoped that translated to a better chance for her of living through corporate assassins.

Weiss took the adjacent seat with far greater grace, daintily perched with her back arched. The poise shown by her projected an aura of aristocracy so palpable that Yang and Ruby, who'd followed Jaune's example, felt compelled to make hasty adjustments to their own sitting postures. Instantly, she captured the attention of their surroundings. A mere quirk of an eyebrow, and a waitress arrived in a blink to take their orders.

"I shall have a slice of cake. The Cosmo Creme Delight. And—" She skimmed the menu. A frown appeared. "Hm. You only have black tea. I suppose a pot of that would have to suffice."

Jaune interrupted, "Yay to the cake, but nay to the tea, Weiss. We came here for one thing, and by stars we are going to get it." He directed his next words to the waitress. "Five of John's Famous Smoothies for us, please. The rumors said you have a new—or should I say, an old flavor called strawberry?"

The waitress nodded, her face lit up with eagerness. She glanced at Weiss, seeking permission to switch the item. The singer allowed it with an indulgent wave of her hand.

"I'll put the order in right away! Our supply of the key ingredient is limited at the moment, though, so the price will be higher than usual at 50 Lien for each cup. With the slice of cake, it's 260 Lien, all told!"

Blake winced at that abso-lute-ly premium price. She could buy food for days on fifty Lien!

Among their party, Ruby gaped in disbelief and even Yang, who should have a sizable nest egg from her competition winnings, likewise balked. The only person wholly unaffected by the proclamation was, of course, the wealthy celebrity among them.

As for Jaune...well, she caught the cunning smile he tried to hide. The captain's plan became apparent when he leaned over her lap to peer into the eyes of Weiss in the next seat.

"Weissy, Weissy, you think you can spot me my smoothie? Lien's a bit tight for me right now."

This shameless moocher!

She should have thought of that first, dammit!

"Don't you have a ton of money to burn after that delivery job?" Blake accused, the implication being that a person more deserving—i.e. her—should be the one to get free food. Her savings were literally whatever Lien she had left in her pockets, and it did not afford her luxuries like this.

"Had." He indicated the bunny-themed pile on the counter. "I spent most of the money already. Even with the 'fell off the side of the ramp' discount, Pumpkin Pete commands top Lien."

Four hands met foreheads. He said it so proudly, too.

Blake groaned. "Tell me you at least have enough for supplies. I don't fancy starving again for the sake of your rabbit obsession, Jaune."

At the start, she thought this Pumpkin Pete was simply another galaxy-wide phenomenon she had not heard of. Weiss, Ruby, and Yang seemed to possess a passing familiarity with the name, so she stayed quiet to hide her ignorance. Judging by their flat gazes, however, she was beginning to understand that Jaune may be an outlier in his level of enthusiasm for the thing.

"No worries on that," Jaune reassured them. "It's been drilled into my head to keep the budget separate from my personal hobbies. I learned my lessons well, especially where it concerns Honey Starbright."

"And where it concerns yourself..."

"I'm completely hopeless there."

Once again, he said it so proudly that Blake could not suppress a snort of amusement. Still, with a smoothie on the line, she schooled her expression and retorted.

"It looks to me that you brought the problem on yourself. If Weiss paid for your drink now, she would simply be enabling your vices, don't you think? Her kindness would fare better if spent on someone else, someone in need that had ignored their own safety to stick by her through thick and thin, someone like-"

Ruby chimed in, "Me?"

"No!" Oops, her answer came out sounding pretty harsh, and Ruby looked devastated. Blake attempted to salvage the situation. "I mean, you have your sister who can cover your share, so you're never without means of support. I have no one." She turned to the white-haired girl, eyes glistening with moisture. "No one, but you, Weiss."

If this move did not sway her, nothing will.

Jaune, fellow questor of cuisine that he was, saw through her ploy. He tried to shimmy past Blake to get Weiss's attention, a new plea ready on his lips. They jockeyed for place.

And then, they froze, elbows jabbed in each other's ribs, because the waitress had just pushed five tall cups, each of clear plastic and filled with pink, plus a container for a slice of cake in front of the singer.

"Thank you for your patronage. Enjoy your day, Miss!"

"You as well." Weiss said, granting the waitress a picture-perfect smile to show her satisfaction, one that made the waitress almost swoon. She smoothly passed a cup over to Yang on her left, then another to Ruby. She turned to her right, where Jaune and Blake were still staring. An eyebrow rose.

"What? This amount of Lien is a pittance to me. I'm not some kind of miser." She passed the mute duo a smoothie each. "Of course, since I paid, you won't begrudge me getting to-go cups, will you? No need to delay our journey, after all. We can savor these beverages as we get a move on."

Weiss maintained eye contact, waiting for their response. A smug smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.

Blake had to give it to her, that was a suave move to assert herself. Weiss might be near helpless under pressure, but the girl proved adept at using the advantages she has to make things go her way. Money possessed a power all of its own.

She shared a glance with Jaune, and jerked her head at the drinks in an unspoken question. Their petty squabbling was done half in jest. Now, though, their desire sat in front of them. A temptation to tantalize the senses, theirs to be had. All it'd take was for them to swallow their pride and accept. But would they? Could they?

Jaune shrugged his shoulders, proceeding to snatch up a cup. Blake promptly mirrored the gesture. There was a power play at work here, but what do they care? Free food!

Their new overlord appeared very pleased with this answer. She took a sip of the smoothie, hummed appreciatively, and with a wink she marched for the doors.

What a cool exit, Blake thought. It was too bad, then, that Weiss will probably have to come back. Judging by how fast Ruby was sucking down her strawberry smoothie, they'd need to buy the girl another one of her new favorite drink if they wanted her to leave.

~o~

In the end, Ruby got two—two!—more strawberry smoothies before they lifted off. The slurping noises she made as she sucked on the straw sounded downright obscene at time. Blake did her best to tune it out while she peeked over Jaune's shoulder.

She could not say she understood much of the cockpit's controls. There were buttons, there were levers, most unlabeled. A screen took center stage, and Jaune (cleaned up of his many, many Pumpkin Pete accessories) was tapping away on it to set up their route. Texts and numbers flashed by with almost no time for her to read them. Out of a desire to contribute, she tried to follow along. A few attempts later, she decided that this domain belonged to Jaune, and was best left in his hands.

Her time might be better served in other ways. Namely, by preparing for what was to come.

"Jaune, what should we do when we reach the pirates?" The captain paused and turned around, brows furrowed.

"I... don't quite understand."

Blake explained, "Well, I was wondering whether you need us to operate the ship's weaponry as you run the blockade or to act as lookout for incoming fire. I'm willing to help out however I can!"

Jaune continued to look at her funny, and it took her an embarrassingly long time to figure out why.

"Oh! Sorry, I should have known that we aren't going in all guns blazing. It makes so much more sense to disguise the ship and sneak through, right?"

The expression of utter confusion did not abate.

"That's not it, either?" She racked her brain, until the obvious answer sprang to mind. Snapping her fingers, she said, "Ooh, ooh, I know! You're going to play on their pride and call their leader out in a challenge between captains. That's smart! Do you need a second for the duel?"

At last, his facade cracked. It underwent a gradual change, pale skin turning redder and redder. She noticed how his shoulders shook as if overcome with emotion... or like he was giggling in silence. His fit went on and on and on, redoubling whenever he looked at her. Minutes passed before Jaune regained control, whereupon he turned back to the console.

"You have got a wild imagination," he said, and changed a couple of final parameters.

The image of a planet appeared on the screen. A swipe and it became a projection hovering in the air. Blake and the others gathered around the hologram to take a look at their destination. Right away, Weiss pointed out the problem.

"That is not Neige II."

The singer had spoken of her home during their time in the escape pod. A trio of planets, locked in eternal winter, were nestled close to the heart of Atlas Alliance Space; they numbered among its core worlds. Of the three, Neige II carried the least number of inhabitants. Hence, Weiss claimed, the view from space would show a pristine white sphere. This image was not that, nor was it even of the original Neige, which would be pitted by Crystal extraction, or Neige III, where more than half of the planet was shaded gray due to the singular megacity.

Here, she saw pockets of green surrounded by blue. This world consisted of islands and oceans. Not Neige II, unless it went through a cataclysm in the time Weiss was away.

"All in good time," Jaune reassured, "We'll get there, eventually, but only after we make a stop at Medalia." Yang raised a hand. Jaune pointed at her.

"I've no idea where or what that is." Ruby, Weiss, and Blake nodded in agreement.

"I guess you didn't get a chance to travel much in these parts? Well, here." A map of nearby space popped up next to the planet. The area was divided into cubes to indicate the immediate sectors, a glowing line connecting a planet with a dot labeled Honey Starbright. "I'm sure there's a place like it close to your home. It's one of those resort planets. The biggest island-" He turned the globe."-is one big shopping mall where you can find almost any brand name on the market."

"Ooooh, I like where this is going!" Yang exclaimed. Then, she slumped her shoulders. "...is what I want to say, but now's not exactly the time for that, is it?"

"Are you kidding? We've got to get you girls some new threads! The distressed survivor look is so last cycle."

Ruby, studying the map in more detail, protested, "But this is in the opposite direction of where we need to go!" Jaune waved away her objection.

"It's barely a detour. Also, there's no good way to say this, but you kinda need new clothes. The washer can only do so much when you've worn the same outfit day in and day out." Ruby searched for an ally.

"Blake? Weiss?"

Blake shrugged. Distance-wise, the planet didn't seem that far out of the way, and as the one with actual spacefaring experience, Jaune should know about the danger pirates represented. His attitude spoke volumes.

Aside from that...well, she didn't want to be the one to say it, but due to her comparatively acute sense of smell she can confirm that Jaune had a point. Pee-yew, did the scents linger.

The opinion that mattered most here, however, belonged to the one in danger, and whose request Jaune accepted. Blake cannot see how the suggestion of this next stop was going to fly for Weiss considering the captain already took them on a first detour. The flavor of strawberry did turn out to be the deliciousness that he promised. Was it 'worth risking capture and indignities for a sip' delicious? Debatable.

Weiss surprised them all when she refrained from giving an instant rejection. For a long, silent span of time, the girl simply stared at the captain. She regarded him as if he was a strange organism, one which she could make neither head nor tail. Of her thoughts, she revealed none. In the end, though...

"Okay. You can take us there," she said.

And that pretty much settled it.

---

Medalia, the (19th Rank in Popularity Polls) Vacation Planet

Blake checked herself over in the mirror, admiring her outfit from all angles.

The warm climes of the island affected her choices somewhat. Shorts instead of long pants, a crop top rather than the basic t-shirts she owned, it was a bolder look than usual. A jacket in light purple decorated with flowers in white contrasted the other pieces, thicker and better suited for the spaceship life. At the moment, she wore it off the shoulders so as not to sweat, relying on the sleeves to hold it on her frame.

She had experimented with other sets of clothes in a similar fashion, picking what she imagined would work off the clearance racks. There were some real gems, and though it cleaned out the last of her meager Lien, she bought them all to replace the clothes that she lost. Money come, money go, if they succeed in getting Weiss back home, Blake can find work on Neige II until she has enough for the next leg of her trip.

Stepping out of the store, she took in the bright, sunny day with its fresh sea breeze, and thought that the troubles hanging over their heads felt far away indeed.

Doom and gloom died quick deaths on resort planets. Medalia and its ilk had been designed to take their guests' minds off of their many worries, and the Honey Starbright's party fared little better than the average tourist against the deluge of distractions presented to them from the moment they disembarked. Bright smiles beamed at them from billboards and employees alike, the practiced good cheer infecting visitors as they walked down wide avenues chock full of artful performances and flashy products. Songs, upbeat in their tempo, added a pep to their steps.

Blake tried to keep up with the others, she really did, but the first shop offering free food samples she came across stole her attention away. On a grill, succulent chunks of meat dripping with juices rotated on spits, their hearty aroma carried by the wind to reach clear across the street. Blake lingered near, sniffing the air. A sigh escaped her lips.

She caught the gaze of the cook, and before she could dart away in embarrassment the woman indicated a plate set on the table in front of her stacked with little cubes of meat. It was free, the woman told her, but just one. Instantly, Blake snatched up a toothpick and speared a piece.

Why, thank you, kind lady. I shall partake.

She nommed on the morsel, and as she bit down, the cube of meat practically melted in her mouth, the taste of butter harmonizing with a hint of apples. It was a richer taste than anything she had ever experienced and, a hand on her cheek, Blake softly hummed, radiating joy in how her cat ears flickered. Her eyes fluttered shut, letting the experience overwhelm her taste buds.

Distantly, she became aware of voices in her surroundings, rising in volume. She ignored such pesky details, wholly focused on the lingering taste of the meat. Fleeting, it faded all too soon.

"Miss?"

Blake awoke with a gasp to find herself standing before the food stall, staring into the eyes of the vendor. The woman has a hand held over her mouth, stifling her chuckles.

"Good, was it?"

Heat bloomed on Blake's cheeks as she grew all too aware of the hubbub around her. Looking around, she seemed to have drawn a small crowd of spectators. The blush consumed her, and without a word she dropped the toothpick in a passing robo-trashbin, dipped her head in a bow to the cook, and hurried off. In her wake, she heard the sound of the bystanders clamoring to try the same samples for themselves.

Fast-walking down the boulevard, Blake swept past a patisserie at all speed...and slowly walked backward until she was in front of it, because she thought she saw a sign with the two quite enticing words 'Free Samples'. A quick check confirmed she was right.

...what could it hurt to try? After all, only an idiot refuses free food.

The people ahead of her liked it well enough, complimenting the product as they ate. When they left, Blake stepped up and regarded the unfamiliar confections resting on the multi-layered stand. She read an accompanying note, which bore a single word.

"Ma-ca-ron?" She tilted her head.

"That's right, young lady. Would you like one?"

Macaron. Macaron. Macaron!

What a delightful word to say. It rolled on the tongue. She decided she liked the name of this pastry. But how would it fare to her senses?

She plucked a piece off the top tray to find out.

A delicate outer shell broke with the lightest bite, revealing a chewy dough, the texture a delight on her tongue. She first tasted almonds, soon replaced by the aroma of vanilla from the smooth layer of cream in the macaron's center, the sweetness almost overwhelming to her palate but for the notes of...of coffee with its bitterness to contrast, and enhance, the vanilla and… and… dammit, it happened again. Blake fumed as eager passersby stepped in line for the sweetshop.

Come on, she wasn't a show!

But then, she saw the waving hand of a shop employee just next-door trying to get her attention. In their other hand was a spoon, on which sat a tiny blue egg, boiled and garnished with herbs.

"Would you like a try, miss?" The boy said in a hopeful voice. His eyes gleamed with Lien signs.

And Blake found her calling in life.

Under the warm sun and clear sky, she meandered from one food stall to the next, breathing in the mouth-watering scents wafting in the air. She munched on a proffered bite of waffle here, savored a free slice of sashimi there. When her parched throat called for refreshments, a cup of tea was provided gratis. Truly, she could spend a lifetime in this place.

Alas, the blissful culinary journey was cut short in its infancy by her companions, cruel-hearted demons that they were.

"Come on, kitty cat. We'll be here for years if you keep that up." Yang and Ruby each grabbed her by an arm, frogmarching her away from paradise.

"But, but, there's so much I haven't triedyet!"

"You'll ruin your stomach at this rate. So many different things can't possibly mix well."

"I can take some Iron Belly™. There, problem solved!"

"Just come along. There's more to life than food and more food."

"Like what?" Blake challenged.

Like the sea, apparently.

Dressed in a swimsuit and peering down the slope leading to the waterline, Blake wiggled her toes in the sand, feeling it shift beneath her bare feet. Observant eyes followed those who had gone before her and were now in the ocean, studying them for signs of danger she should be prepared for. Also, she kind of hoped they would give her cue on what the heck she was supposed to do here. She knew, in an academic way, that people use beaches for amusement. Depictions in popular media she'd consumed made it seem a pleasant pastime.

Blake had her doubts. There's too much blue.

Turning her head, she looked back at the rest of her party. When she confessed that she has never been to the beach in person, they took it upon themselves with great enthusiasm to rectify the issue. They were behind her right now, cheering Blake on to take her first foray into water deeper than a bathtub. Her protests of an inability to swim did not deter them any, with Yang claiming the skill was an optional part of the experience. Only Jaune refrained from pressuring her, though that wasn't so much a compassionate nature as him abandoning her to nap in the cool shades of an umbrella.

Under her friends' encouragement, Blake sidled to the edge of land and sea. She extended a tentative toe past that line, ready to bolt at the first hint of sea beasts, giant man-eating fish, invading armies, tentacles, and all the other threats her novels warned her could be lurking beneath the ocean surface. With great care, the toe lowered inch by inch. The moment it touched the water, she halted all movements. If something were to happen, it would be now.

A minute passed. Blake decided to give it a bit more time. This lull could be the trap, after all. So, she waited. And waited.

From behind her, Blake heard the sound of running. Ruby appeared in her periphery, zipping right on by in a show of bravery she could scarcely believe and plunging into the sea as if nothing could hurt her. In horror, Blake watched the girl's head go below the surface, and breathed a sigh of relief as it emerged seconds later unharmed. On her other side, Weiss strolled past at a sedate pace. The singer tested the water in much the same manner as Blake did, before wading in until it was up to her knees. Did she not even think of what her feet might step on?

She half-expected Yang to follow suit in this recklessness, something that turned out to be true as the girl's footsteps drew near. Oddly, her path drifted. At this rate, Yang would end up walking into—two hands grabbed her shoulders, and shoved.

Treachery.

The foot she had raised stomped into the sea. The forward momentum proved too strong, and she was forced to take a second stride. *Splash* went her other foot, but her ordeal was not over. Once more, she stumbled ahead in a third step away from the safety of dry land. By the skin of her teeth, she regained balance then, but it was far too late. She now stood in the embrace of the ocean, helpless against its whims.

All four of her limbs locked up, and her eyes squeezed shut. Her breaths came in rapid, shallow gasps. One thought consumed Blake's mind. What monstrous fate awaited her now?

Blake wiggled her toes, feeling the sand and water mix together under her feet.

...actually, this didn't feel so bad. Nothing's eaten her yet, either. Blake chanced a peek, and failed to see sharp teeth going for her throat. Emboldened, she opened her eyes fully. The waves lapped at her legs, and she bent down to touch the shin-deep water with her hand. Amazingly, it came back in one piece.

How about that. The beach might be safe after all. Whew!

She's still totally going to give Yang an asskicking, though.

~o~

"I'm wiiiiiped!" Yang groaned.

"Saaaaaaame!" Blake, Weiss, and Ruby answered.

Laughter came from the boy ahead. Jaune spun around, walking backwards to speak with them face to face.

"That's how you know you had a good time."

The best time, Blake thought. She put it down to the long days they've spent in a cramped escape pod. Jaune's ship improved the situation, but there was still that sense of being hemmed in, the dark of space reminding her and the others of their recent ordeal. Here, they got to enjoy the open sky, wide roads, and the sea stretching as far as the eyes can see. They needed this, the chance to decompress and return to a happier mindset. Blake felt like she could stay here for another week, and judging by her friends' chatter, they agreed with the sentiment.

Such a shame present circumstances won't allow that. Blake comforted herself with the thought that she can at least experience a good night's rest and, if she can get up early enough, a morning full of delectable things to taste before they lift off.

"I always thought resort planets were just hype, but man did this place rock. You picked a good destination," Yang complimented.

"A lot of them are just hype. You should keep in mind that they're tourist traps in the end." Jaune warned. His eyes shifted in Blake's direction, who bristled at the implication. So what if she's dead broke after less than a day here? It didn't prove anything. "Always check their place in Worlds of Leisure's popularity rankings. The top twenty resort planets are usually worth the trip. Once they hit that level, the fleecing eases off because they make more money from maintaining a good image… but even then, it never truly stops. As for the ones below Twentieth Rank, they're expecting to see you once in your entire life, so they will try to strip you of all your Lien when you are there."

"Good to know. I think the one nearest to my home is in the high sixties. Avoid?" Jaune nodded emphatically to Yang's question. "Gotcha. Maybe we should bring mom and dad here, huh Ruby?"

Ruby did not answer, prompting everyone to turn around. The younger girl was trailing behind her sister with half-dazed eyes. The way her head swayed and dipped as she walked told them that she was ready to clock out for the night. Blake thought she looked adorable. Like a child tottering after her mother. It's hard to believe this was the girl that got them out of the Sherry Waltz.

Yang wrapped an arm around her sister to prop her up, and said, "C'mon, sis, we're almost there."

Out of the corner of her eye, Blake saw a flash of mischief pass Jaune's face. It was gone in a blink, but the memory stayed in her mind as they ascended the steps to the Hotel Medalia Royal, which was a rather bold name for a place with middling reviews. As she listened with half an ear to Weiss booking a suite for them, she carefully watched him. To all appearances, he comported himself with utmost calm, his dispassionate gaze sweeping across the faded lobby. The rabbit on his shirt, though, the one that changes with his mood…it was smiling. The default face did, too, but was it her, or was the smile just a tad sharper than usual? She struggled to recall the details of the mascot. Ultimately, she put it aside as a trick of the light.

A payment screen popped up in the air before Weiss. The girl pulled out her account card. A tap, and they had their rooms.

Jaune then clapped his hands together, drawing their attention.

"Okay, back to the ship!"

Everyone, including the receptionist, tilted their heads in confusion. Only the hotel manager made a move, quickly shutting down the projected screen and placing a sign on the counter. It said 'No Refunds'. It clicked for them a second later.

"What?" Ruby choked out, shock overcoming her lethargy. Jaune circled around the group and started herding them towards the front entrance.

"C'mon! C'monc'monc'mon!"

"It's already nighttime!" Yang shouted, clinging onto the door handle. Unfortunately for her, Jaune had napped most of the day away while they exhausted themselves. He pried her off finger by finger, all too chipper.

"Didn't you know? Day and Night don't exist in space. Now, let's go, I'm taking you to see starfishes!"

Ruby was nearly in tears.

"But my comfy bed!"

"My beauty rest!" Yang wailed.

"I'm so sleepyyyy!"

"Me tooooo!"

Blake had a lot she wanted to say, ranging from how Jaune should have told them this before Weiss made the purchase or that she wanted to stay on the Planet of Free Samples a little longer, but a most pressing question overrode it all. She sidled over to Weiss while the others were too busy kicking up a fuss to notice.

"Hey, hey, what are starfishes?"

The singer answered in an absent-minded tone, her focus taken by the battle between spaceship captain and sisters. "They're marine creatures, most often shaped like a five-pointed star, and come in many colors. You might have seen one earlier washed up on the beach. I cannot say they are very interesting, however, nor why Jaune is so enthused about them."

"Are they tasty?" Everything would make perfect sense if they were.

"N-...huh. I have, in fact, never had the occasion to eat it, so I cannot render a judgment. I do know that it is unpopular as an ingredient."

"Soooo, not a typical reason to go racing off into space, then?"

"No. No, it is not."

"This isn't the first time he sprang a strange decision on us. Or the second."

"No. No, it is not." Weiss repeated. Oddly, her tone lacked the anger it should have from seeing her money washed down the drain.

---

The set of doors slid open without a sound, and Blake stepped through into the central chamber. She had her eyes squinted almost shut, ready to close at the first hint of a bright glare. Fortunately, the room was still under low lights like the hallways. With a soft sigh of relief, she reopened her eyes in full to look around. As it so often did, her attention was at once stolen by the view outward and she wandered over to stand next to the transparent wall, resting her forehead on the cool glass.

Day and night might not exist in space, but the Honey Starbright paid them a token nod. The lights have been dimmed, almost extinguished, to imitate the effect of a planet's midnight. Far-off tars and nebulas glittered in the depth of space, all the more noticeable in this darkened room. With her rambunctious companions asleep, peace and quiet reigned in the sphere, giving her the sense of being the only living soul in the universe.

Six months on since she went out into space, and Blake has yet to tire of these kinds of sights. The world outside could be terrifying at times, and she missed her parents dearly, but she could never regret volunteering to leave. Her planet hadn't seen the sky in a long time. She herself caught the last glimpse of the stars from the surface in her childhood, before a new factory went up and its smoke blocked out the world above. It'd be years yet before people finished reversing the effects of the empire's rule; at least two decades, before they can become a spacefaring race again and not just send out handfuls of explorers to bring back stories of what lay in the wider galaxy. No, she thanked her luck every day that it was her who went, and her who could see this scene.

A flickering at the edge of her vision alerted Blake to another presence in the glass sphere. She tore her gaze from the view outside to scan the room. It took her a couple of seconds to spot the source over at one of the sunken couches. Jaune was reclining with his feet on the table. In his hands he held a datapad, which he perused at a leisurely pace.

As if sensing her attention, he looked up to catch her eyes. The both of them blinked, taken aback. After a short pause, he acknowledged her with a small wave of his hand. Blake returned the gesture. A pointed look from her at the couch got a shrug from him in reply. It was invitation enough, so she crossed the distance and took a seat on the opposite side of the pit.

"Can't sleep?"

"Just a lot on my mind," she answered, before adding, "and the view is nice."

Jaune glanced at the outside of the ship. His lip twitched into a slight smile.

"That it is."

He went back to scrolling on the datapad, and Blake expected that to be the end of the conversation. But then, he stopped and his eyes flicked upward as if in thought. The hand holding the device lowered. He took his feet off the table with what might have been a contrite expression, and his gaze settled on her again.

"Sorry about that, I'm used to not having guests." She waved the apology away, and he brightened. "Sooo, I guess I should ask, how do you like your stay on the Honey Starbright thus far?"

Oh, she could have talked for days on the subject, and gave a fair shot at it. She gushed to him about the design of the ship, one unlike any other vessel she had traveled on, and the plethora of objects that she barely began to get the details of. She all but begged permission to check out the archives, something he agreed to with an easygoing air. On the matter of meals, the available food could not be considered fine dining by any stretch, but she declared it fit for royalty nevertheless, if only for how well it satisfied the stomach of someone that has gone hungry for days.

Of the stops they've made, the bustling waystation of John's Rocky Road carried a vibe she liked, and the strawberry smoothie had to be one of the most delicious things she ever drank. Medalia, of course, was her taste of paradise, and opened her eyes to unorthodox avenues with which a fledgling planet can find their place in the galaxy.

Barring some questionable moments, it had been a delightful experience. A learning experience. That it took place on the Honey Starbright of all ships made it even better.

…

Yet.

Yet, there was something she expected, that she had not found.

"—I mean, we should see some action by now, shouldn't we? we're practically on a quest! I knew going in that we'd be hounded by pirates every step of the way, and I keep expecting them to jump us at any moment, but they're just waiting out there! At this point, I almost wish they'd get it over with!"

"People generally prefer to not get attacked. This is a good thing," Jaune pointed out.

Blake winced. "Okay, yes, it sounds kind of stupid when you put it like that. But still! The pirates are supposed to be deployed everywhere. That's what I heard the people at John's said. If that's the case, where are they? We haven't seen a single ship!"

"Heheheh. Yeah, that's really odd, isn't it?" Jaune leaned towards her, a grin on his lips. "My advice? don't worry about it, and enjoy the ride. If we see them, we see them. If we don't, we don't. There's no use fretting."

"I know, I know. And it really has been an amazing few days on this ship. It's just that I thought there would be, well, more."

"More?"

"I wanted to witness your battles! To join you in fighting pirates, rescuing maidens, and saving the day. Like how it goes in the stories I've read. Like an adventure should be."

Something she said struck the wrong chord, for a change in the captain took place before her eyes. He leaned back to rest on the couch, and it seemed as if all the energy leaked out of him. The good cheer faded. He was once again sporting a placid gaze.

"Honestly? Meh. Trust me, things don't always work like the stories do. I'm more for the fun stuff."

She should have left it there. Agreed to disagree, because who was she to argue against the captain of the legendary Honey Starbright?

It was his tone that got to her. The disinterest as he so callously denied her hopes and expectations. The flaws in him that she saw and tried so hard to ignore surfaced all at once, and…and she realized that she did not like how he acts.

In disbelief, she blurted out, "This, coming from the person who helped to free my planet?"

"I figured you were from Faunhom," Jaune mumbled.

"Yes! And I saw it then, how the story went. For the sake of the innocent, you headed into danger, fearless, at the head of a fleet and led them to victory. I heard that you defeated Botheads by the scores. You were the one that took the shot to decide it all. You're a hero!"

At least, he should have been. She had dreamt of one day meeting the liberator. Who hadn't? He would have been larger than life. Confident, selfless, brave, compassionate. Instead…

"That's what they say. I don't think I really did much. Past captains have done greater deeds." His head lolled on the backrest of the couch, eyes drifting off to the ceiling and body splayed in a languid heap as he lounged, dull in demeanor.

…Instead, what she found was this silly, irreverent fool who cared more for his enjoyment than anything else. Who acted as if what he'd done for her was worth nothing, and that he had long put it out of his mind. That'd show her to want to meet her hero.

Her thoughts slipped out in a whisper, tinged by disappointment.

"How did someone like you ever become the captain of this ship?"

Immediately, she regretted her words. Doubly so, when he lifted his head to look at her. Blake floundered for a way to explain what she said.

"I-I meant, it's just that you don't seem to have much of a motivation or a sense of urgency. When you spoke of the Honey Starbright, you had this…this glow that made me think you were a real-life hero, but since then you weren't—" Blake trailed off, unwilling to finish the sentence.

You weren't like I imagined.

Ruby, Yang, and Weiss had not heard of him, so they did not hold expectations of him. She had, and so she did. That hurt all the more because everything about this ship was perfect. Everything, except for him.

For a time, Jaune stared at her, unmoving. She tried to appear defiant at first, sticking with her stance to convey how let down she felt, but she soon shrank under his gaze as his expression changed not one iota. Her hands began fidgeting in the uncomfortable silence. In her head, she berated herself for continuing to pull at a thread that was best left alone. It wouldn't surprise Blake if he kicked her off the Honey Starbright after this; questioning the competency of a captain on his ship typically qualified for such treatment. The thought of escaping the conversation crossed her mind. It became more tempting as the seconds went by, and she was ready to scurry off to another corner of the ship when he finally broke the silence.

"I think..." He hesitated, gathering his thoughts. "I think that you might have misunderstood what I am."

"...I guess I did." To her, it was him who did not live up to what he should be. Jaune must have caught her meaning, for he continued.

"Blake, when my old captain chose me to succeed her, she didn't do it because she thought I was the strongest, bravest, or most heroic. At the time, I certainly thought there were better choices, and I told her that. One of my friends is an excellent pilot, better than any I've ever seen, and has a selfless heart to boot. But the captain decided she would not do. I asked her why, and she said this to me: 'The stars call for you'."

Blake saw a wan smile pass his lips.

"That's the only reason I have this post. And the years that went by showed she might have been right in her choice. People came, people went. In time, everyone found a home, somewhere else that spoke to them, even the heroes and warriors and champions. Everyone, except for me."

A place that made them want to stay; she envied them for it. For all that she missed her planet, and loved her parents and friends, Faunhom was not that. After the war, she had to leave and see what was out there. When she saw a chance, she grabbed it with both hands.

"She must have foreseen this end. They left, you see, and I remained. I am here, I am the captain, because I have nowhere else to go."

The way he said it, Blake wondered if this ship was a burden for him. A prison to which he was consigned. For in those blue eyes, she saw a silly, irreverent, and lonely fool.

The grin he wore, it said otherwise.

"Nothing in this galaxy can compare to my Honey Starbright."

He declared it with greater and truer emotion than he'd ever displayed to her, and in that one instant she thought she understood. It was no traits of a hero which gave him ownership of the famed vessel. No great drive, no great cause; but simply, love. Amidst the stars on the Honey Starbright was where he saw himself, even if he had to leave everyone behind. A planet, a port, a person, none could convince him to stay, for they failed to measure with what could be found up here.

In a way, it was his best life. In a way, it was a sad life.

She'd let the fantasies concocted in her mind, fueled by the rumors that spread like wildfire about Faunhom's hero among her people, to color her view of him. From the outset, she tried to make him fit what she wanted to see, and was dismayed when he did not match up. Her mind now raced to find something to say that would make up for the criticisms she laid upon him, coming up blank.

Before she could muster a reply, Jaune rolled off the couch and to his feet. She panicked, fearing he was leaving due to her earlier callousness.

"Wait, Jaune, I'm sorry—"

He shook his head, and said, "No need for that. How could I be mad that you held me in such high regards? You had an image of me that I almost envy. Me and you are fine, no worries. It's just that we're almost to our destination, so I'm off to prepare. Wake the others up for me?"

Was that the truth? She failed to get a good read on his face, but he had another tell. Her gaze lowered to look at his shirt as he walked past her to the cockpit. The bunny's eyes were two lazy, horizontal lines, its mouth curled in a small smile. It seemed closer to the default expression than any strong emotions. She breathed a sigh of relief. The captain might truly be unfazed and lighthearted as ever.

"You aren't as I imagined you to be," she whispered, more to herself than anything. She'd forgotten about his keen ears. Jaune paused in his step, and half-turned his head.

"You're not the first to say that."

The cockpit door closed behind him.

It hadn't been a kind thing to say, but it wasn't an insult either, merely that reality differed from a fantasy. She hoped he understood.

Briefly, Blake contemplated going after him. She decided against it in the end, since she already stuck her foot in her mouth today, and chose rather to fulfill his request. It'd be better to make peace for any offense unforgiven before attempting to bring the subject up again. If she ever will, that was. Jaune did not seem the type to get angry easily, but he must have a limit. Getting herself thrown out the airlock did not sound fun.

A light drew her gaze. It came from the same object that first brought her attention to Jaune earlier, the datapad that now laid strewn on the couch. At a glance, the device was opened to what appeared to be a video of a news site. Interest piqued, Blake walked to the other side of the pit, and leaned down to see what was on the screen. A tap of her finger un-paused the video.

"—Medalia Planetary Defense identified the captured men and women as pirates operating under the umbrella of Branwens' Buccaneers. A motive has not been forthcoming from the criminals yet, but a transcript of the anonymous tip to the MPD recently obtained by our station purported that the pirates planned to abduct and ransom the patrons of the Hotel Medalia Royal. Sources tell us the hotel's most exclusive suite happened to be booked mere hours before, though hotel management has assured us that the guests, who shall remain anonymous, were not in the vicinity of the building when the crime occurred. Nevertheless, it has led many to ask the question: was this pirate crew acting on their own initiative, or are the Branwens making a play for Medalia?—"

~o~

The set of doors slid open without a sound, and a quartet stepped through into the central chamber. The lights were somewhat brighter now to let them see more easily. A row of chairs had been set along the side of the room, facing outward, and there they spotted the captain of the Honey Starbright waiting for them. He motioned for the group to join him.

"Hey girls, how was your sleep?"

"Would be better if not for Blake," Yang grumbled, shooting Blake a glare. "I barely got five hours in."

Jaune blinked, taken aback. "Wow, I forgot how long you planetsiders sleep for. It must be tough to get anything done in a day."

"Does sleep not exist in space, either?" Blake said, chuckling. Her ears perked up when Jaune returned the laugh. There was not a hint of hurt in his demeanor as he talked to her.

"As dependable as the auto-pilot is, a lot can happen in five hours. When you have a small crew, it's a good habit to instead nap for short stints throughout the day."

Weiss interrupted. "While that is quite Illuminating as an explanation for your…inimitable disposition, what is going on, Jaune? I myself am accustomed to longer periods of rest." In answer, the captain indicated the seats.

"You'll like it, trust me. But for now, make yourself comfortable. Anybody want popcorn?" He held up an oversized bag of the stuff. Blake raised a hand at once, and ended up on a chair with a bucket of the buttery snack. The others soon did the same, though Weiss opted for a selection of cheeses and nuts.

Once done, Jaune said, "Alright, are you four ready to see starfishes?"

Yang looked outside the glass. She then craned her neck as if to check that nothing was hiding below the ship.

"Uhhhh, Jaune? We're in the middle of nowhere. Last time I checked, those things live in the ocean."

"Is this a joke?" Ruby added. "Because if it is, I'm gonna go back to sleep."

"Patience, young traveler—"

"Hey! I'm almost twenty already!"

Jaune scoffed. "Pft. Teenager."

The three other mature, worldly adults nodded in unison, to Ruby's great indignation, before they broke out in laughter. The girl in red huffed, rolling her eyes, but she sported a smile of her own.

When they've settled down, Jaune signaled for their attention.

"As I was saying, it should be soon." He turned his head. "In fact—"

The group peered outside, but saw empty space. Not a planet in sight, or an ocean, and certainly not a…wait, was it her, or was it getting brighter?

"—Here they come!"

Jaune pressed a finger on his datapad, and the glass hull began to darken, dimming their surroundings before the strange illumination could irritate their eyes. That lasted only a few short seconds, however, then the room gradually became bright again, a gentler glow this time that let them see…let them see…

The thing emerged from above, casting not a shadow, but a light upon the chamber. Impossibly, inexplicably, daytime arrived for the Honey Starbright.

Were not the glass so dark, they would have been blinded as they stared agog at a creature almost half the size of the ship passing overhead. Its skin was molten fire, blazing white. Whips of flames—barbel whiskers—caressed the ship so close that they caused the shields to flicker. Long, flowing fins floated around the entity, wrapping its body in voluminous layers of light that shifted through the spectrum of colors as the fins moved. The mouth opened, and shimmers of heat poured out like fog. A slow rotation brought the eyes into view. They were two golden orbs, twin suns within a sun.

For one timeless moment it hung there. Then, the creature undulated its body to zoom ahead and the party awoke from their stupefied silence.

"I—what is that? Was it real? It can't possibly exist! I've never seen—what is that!?" Ruby stammered, repeating herself on a broken loop.

"Star. Fish. A star-fish," Yang breathed out in a tone of complete and utter delight, amazed by the sight, in love with the pun.

Blake struggled for something to say, words to describe what she just saw. Beside her, Weiss gaped in disbelief. They turned to look at each other, as if to search for confirmation that it was no mere hallucination. With a jolt, Blake realized what Jaune had said. 'They'.

In ones and twos they came. Over, under, and alongside the ship, more fish revealed themselves, swimming by in a veritable school of the creatures. Within the ship, shadows vanished from every nook and crevice as light brushed the room on all sides. The quartet of young women were out of their seats, pressing their faces against the glass or turning in circles as their heads swiveled to and fro. Jaune had put a foot on the glass and kicked back onto his chair's rear legs, looking up at the view through the ceiling with a wide grin. He spoke to the entire group.

"As Yang said, star-fishes." This time, he added an emphasis and a pause to the name. "What we know of them can maybe fill three pages of a book. The scans taken of their bodies tend to fail pretty quick after the surface level, scrambled by the sheer heat of the fish. What we managed to glean supports the idea that they share much of the same makeup as stars, just…alive.

"The biggest obstacle to studying them, however, comes from the fact that the Honey Starbright is, as far as we can tell, the only spaceship that can get close. The pictures we took were collectively dismissed as hoaxes by the wider galaxy, and a long time ago it was agreed to let them remain unknown. They're better off like this, anyway, without people messing up their habitat trying to get at them."

Curiosity prompted Blake to ask. "Where do they live?"

"They're always on the move, swimming through the gaps of our civilization. A star-fish is sensitive to the byproducts of most energy sources. Like, super-duper sensitive. They can detect traces of it over incredible distances, and would chart a course far outside the range of even the best sensors to avoid ships, space stations, planets, and the like."

"But not this ship?" Weiss said.

"Not this ship." Jaune confirmed.

"That one! It's looking at us!"

The conversation came to a halt as their party followed where Ruby was pointing. Sure enough, one of the star-fishes has slowed down, and now drifted in a loop around the sphere. It fluttered a fin.

"I-I think it's waving!" Weiss exclaimed.

"No." The growl took them aback, and they turned to Jaune. He sported a stormy visage as he glared at the star-fish. "That thing's issuing a challenge. It thinks my ship can't keep up. Too bad for it, I came prepared this year."

With a smirk, he whipped out his datapad, tapping on a preset program. The two rings of the ship kicked into motion, spinning faster and faster. Another tap, and the rockets practically exploded with power, shooting long trails thrice the norm. The only sign of their acceleration was the sudden disappearance of Jaune's piscine challenger. Were it not for the dampeners, they no doubt would have turned into smears on the back wall.

"WHOO! You like that? Upgrades for the win!"

He narrowed his eyes when the fish caught up a few seconds later. It was joined by more of its brethren. A call resounded from their mouths, projecting a palpable sense of joy that permeated the glass sphere, and could be felt by those within. Blake's heart became lighter, happier, and she broke out in a giggle, mirrored by her companions. Jaune whooped, and activated another set of parameters to make the ship go even faster.

Some star-fishes kept pace, some went ahead, some drifted back. They playfully danced around the ship, spinning their bodies or performing loops that would briefly take them out of view. To Blake, it was as if celestial bodies orbited the Honey Starbright.

She pulled on Jaune's sleeve to get his attention.

"Why don't they avoid us? You said they can't stand most types of energy. What is it that powers this ship, then?"

Yang chimed in. "It's not a ragnite engine, is it? Because we can't be friends if you use a ragnite engine."

"No, no. They dislike ragnite as much as they dislike Crystal and all the rest." Jaune held his chin in thought. "So, why do the star-fishes allow this ship in their midst, huh? Perhaps, it is because they recognize something familiar at the core of the Honey Starbright. A power source that they could accept. A star's heart."

Blake dropped back into a chair, floored by the revelation. Never could she imagine that answer. There was so much about this universe she still did not know. Oh, just wait until her parents hear that she practically rode a star!

Ruby's flat voice shattered the mood like glass.

"Put a star inside a ship, and you get a melted ship. Leaving the matter of a star's size aside, the shielding it would take to keep the thing contained is not feasible." Jaune winced.

"Okay, yes, I admit that was just what one of my passengers proposed as a possible reason. He's a professor and his theory sounded like it could be true, though." He noticed Blake's glare of the betrayed, and threw his hands up in the air. "Look, I'm a captain, not an engineer. The core's an original part, and we still haven't cracked its housing. It could be a star's heart."

"People have tried thousands of experiments to interact with a star. Nothing can hold it. We can't grab a piece to stick it somewhere else, either." Ruby mercilessly pressed her point. "Of all the things the power source can be, a 'star's heart' is literally below the bottom of the list. It's imposs—" Jaune covered her mouth with his fingertips.

"Shoosh, Ruby. Away with your logic. Enjoy the moment."

Chuckling at their antics, Blake put aside the questions to do just that. What did it matter, the how. As was once said, none could say for sure how the ship still worked, yet it clearly flew. It was a thing unexplainable. And, because of it, she witnessed a beautiful sight not seen by more than a handful of people in living memory. How many could claim to have traveled alongside a living constellation? The minor details paled in the face of a wonder incomparable, a wonder unknown.

That, she mused, might be the true magic of the Honey Starbright. A ship of legend, that knew of legends.

Nearby, Jaune returned to his explanation. "Back then, this ship might see the star-fishes once in a generation if its crew was lucky. Among the past captains, however, one in particular was fascinated with these things, and stumbled upon a use for them while searching the archives for more details on the species. You see, he noticed a stretch of space that featured in multiple accounts of previous captains where they saw star-fishes. He camped there for weeks on end to confirm whether it was fluke. It wasn't. He had found a reliable place to make contact with the creatures, a spot where schools of star-fishes seemed to pass by on a regular basis. A waystation."

Four pairs of eyes snapped to Jaune, star-fishes momentarily forgotten as the group realized the implications of his words.

"He bade each generation after him to collate as much data as we can on other areas where they roam. In time, we mapped out a series of schedules and routes that gave us an idea of when and where we can expect to see them."

Another fish swam by, a young one judging by its size. The thing moved close to brush the shields with a whisker. Jaune waved at it.

"That's their way of greeting. They've no idea of the individual captains, of course, but after so long they now remember the ship. We are welcome to join them on their journey. By following the star-fishes, we can enter one of the hidden roads of the galaxy."

"And it'd take us past the pirates!" Blake exclaimed. She received a thumbs-up from the captain as confirmation.

"The kind of pirates that would attack a ship like the Sherry Waltz… they're not amateurs. To capture high-value targets, they favor the use of two tactics, both of which I am familiar with. The first is that they will spread out their fleet, dropping sensors all over the sector to alert them of ship movements. They would then swoop in, and attempt a raid if they think you are aboard. The second thing they do is trace the Lien you spend." Yang jerked in shock.

"They can do that!?"

"There's a variety of methods. Hacking in, sometimes. Bribery, usually. It lets them conduct a pursuit with accuracy."

"B-but Weiss spent—you asked her to—"

Blake understood Yang's panic. First, Weiss paid for their drinks at John's Rocky Road. Then, she bought clothes for herself on Medalia. And, hours before, a room was booked under her name at a hotel. A hotel that received an anonymous tip about criminals breaking in.

Jaune grinned, unrepentant. "I wanted to break up their formation. The first payment sent them scrambling. Dozens of pirate ships on the move will trip up their own sensors. Add to that the sheer number of ships stopping by the station before heading off in a hundred directions, and we've created a chaotic mess that paralyzed them with indecision, buying us some time. Then, I had you make the second payment, and it gave them an idea of our heading. What was it that you said, Ruby? The complete opposite direction of where we need to go?" The younger girl gasped.

"You were setting up a false trail!"

"Yup. Most of the fleet overshot Medalia in anticipation of where we would go next, and in doing so exposed gaps in the area for the star-fishes to enter—and later leave—the sector. Booking the hotel signaled that we were going to stay in one place for an entire night, a chance the pirates could not miss. While their attention was diverted, I ran to the star-fishes. Now, we're going to hitch a ride on their route. And while I don't know the exact path they will take between the waystations, I can at least say with confidence that it will allow us to weave through the pirates' blockade without being detected."

Trickery. Deceit. An understanding of his enemies. Unexpected allies in the wing. Jaune's answer to fighting insurmountable odds, was to not fight at all. Blake saw not a trace of heroism in his actions. But then…could someone who matched her idea of a hero have done better? Could such a person even come close to succeeding? She gave a rueful laugh.

"I suppose it was a bit much, expecting you to face so many of them head on."

Jaune shrugged, and said, "Weiss asked me to get her home safe. What kind of captain would I be if I brought her, and you three, straight into danger?"

"Heh, you could have at least let us know about the plan, you sly bastard," Yang complained good-naturedly. "For a while there, I thought you had a few screws loose."

"If I told you that my plan hinged on us going shopping followed by a meeting with mythical creatures nobody has ever heard of, would you have believed me? And if I mentioned how many pirates were nearby at any given moment, would you have had a good time?"

Yang raised a finger to object, paused, and lowered it.

"Fair point, captain."

Jaune chuckled. "This ship of mine, I prefer that you remember it as a dream instead of a nightmare. As a ride to never forget. So, I let you enjoy yourself while I take care of things." He glanced past Blake's shoulder. "That said, I suspect one person among you had me figured out. You don't look all that surprised, Weiss."

Blake's eyes widened, and she whipped her head towards Weiss. The singer seemed to not have heard the captain, her expression composed as she gazed out the window. But as Blake, Ruby, and Yang continued to stare, they spotted the corners of the girl's lips curling upward.

"I realized it a little while back," she admitted. "You accepted my request with such confidence, and throughout this trip you displayed no hesitation as you took inexplicable actions. I thought that you must have a reason. And you've proved me right."

A tinkling laughter rang out, as the singer twirled around to face the captain. Tears pooled in her eyes. Happiness suffused her voice. Against the backdrop of space, set aglow by the living stars, Weiss showed Jaune a sweet, lovely smile.

"Some might see a fool, some might see a wastrel, but with a bit of trust, who you truly are became clear to me. The road home can be a winding way, full of starts and stops. Yet, I knew you'd get me there, eventually. Well done, Jaune Arc."

~o~

Every story has an ending.

~o~

Neige II, The Planet of Snow

Breathing in the crisp, clear air of Neige II, Blake felt the last of her tension dissipate. Despite Jaune's assurances, she'd expected something to go wrong at the last moment. Now, surrounded by what Weiss claimed were security guards—and the rest of them would call an army—along with a dozen ships patrolling high up in the sky, it hit her at last that there was nothing the pirates could do now. They've reached the heart of Atlas Alliance Space; only someone with a death wish would attack here.

Weiss certainly believed so, and she had bloomed since the moment they touched down on the landing pad. She bore the confidence of a queen in her castle, and a gracious one to boot.

"I must thank you all again. You three—Ruby, Yang, and Blake—for your timely rescue of me from the Sherry Waltz, and you, Jaune, for what you did to bring me home. Please, the hospitality of Neige II is yours. You'll be staying in the best hotel on the planet. I've arranged a feast—" Blake perked up, and Weiss grinned smugly,"—to start, and there is a party later on in the week to commemorate your actions. I took the liberty of setting up a tour afterward so you can see some of the highlights of my home, from landmarks to restaurants to shopping, with all expenses paid. My family is also eager to meet my saviors."

Blake was drooling as she fantasized of the delicacies she might get to eat. Yang and Ruby quickly agreed, eyes shining with excitement. Jaune…Jaune smiled and scratched the back of his head.

"That's alright, Weiss. I'm actually going to head out soon."

""""WHAT!?""""

The four women shouted as one. Weiss took a step towards the captain, her composure crumbling.

"W-why? You've just arrived! There's the feast, and my parents are in talks with our Council about giving you a medal, and- and—you can't leave, you're the guest of honor! I still need to pay you for your work, too!"

Jaune cocked his head, looking confused. "But you already did?"

"...Huh?"

"My smoothie. You spotted me, remember?"

Shock turned into confusion, confusion became realization, realization gave way to anger. Red blossomed on the singer's cheeks, and Weiss jabbed finger at Jaune's face as she squawked, "I knew it! You really did think a smoothie is equivalent to my life!"

"You mean it's not?" His guileless expression had them flapping their mouths in silent disbelief. A second later, it cracked to reveal a grin. "Hahahaha! you should have seen your face! Hahaha!"

Hands wrapped around his belly, Jaune laughed on, nearly falling to the ground. His fits of mirth redoubled each time he looked at Weiss.

After a solid minute, he settled down enough to stand upright. This time, he spoke not in jest, but with kindness.

"You are worth more, Weiss. Your songs are lovely to listen to on a quiet night in the cockpit. I recognized you since the first minute we met. And sure, I knew at the time that I could have asked for a ton of money before I helped you. I could have made this one of my big paydays." He stopped there. His eyes drifted up at the sky as he collected his thoughts. He returned his gaze to them, bearing an honest smile. "Yet...if your safe return was contingent on me getting a suitcase full of Lien, what makes me any different from the pirates?"

"Everything! You risked yourself to help me, and made enemies of those criminals. You showed us a secret most would pay an arm for a chance to see!"

"I didn't do anything I didn't want to. I acted as I pleased. And, I had a blast. It's been fun having other people around." Jaune bowed with a flourish. "Thank you for a wonderful time."

On Weiss's face was a look of pure astonishment. She blinked away tears, and brought her hand up to wipe a drop trailing down her cheek. In doing so, she did not catch the nervous flicker of Jaune's eyes to the city in the distance. Blake did, and she sidled over.

"Are you afraid her parents will interrogate you about the wine if they know you're here?" she murmured. The answer was immediate.

"The Honey Starbright never took on any Lotus Blossom wine."

The way he averted his gaze told her what she needed to know. Jaune had managed to recall that incident. She stared, unblinking, until he caved.

"That is a very small part of my motivation," he grudgingly admitted.

Blake smirked. "But it is a part."

The captain refused to answer, making her giggle.

Despite her teasing, she doubted it was the full story. Not by how he stood. There was a jitteriness to him. He bounced from foot to foot.

"You really want to get back in space so soon?"

Jaune appeared glad that someone got it, giving Blake a firm nod. He had no good explanation for them as to why, only that his heart yearned to go.

She might have failed to catch their earlier byplay, but Weiss noticed his wistful mien. Crossing her arms, she petulantly huffed.

"Fine! But I will treat you to a meal you'd never forget when next we meet out there."

"Sounds like a plan, Weiss. I'll see you. And Blake, Yang, Ruby? Don't be a stranger."

Jaune threw them a lazy salute. Then, as abruptly as he came into their lives, he was off on his way. They watched him go until he vanished in the crowd.

Soon, conversation started once again between the quartet. They joked about the captain, complained as much as they praised him, and reminisced of their journey. Slowly but surely, though, the topic shifted from the recent past to the days to come, and Blake found herself falling quiet. Of the four, she alone was unable to move on.

That was it? It was over?

She got the chance to taste new foods, she was able to see new things, but Blake's trip on the Honey Starbright did not turn out to be the legendary adventure she envisioned. There'd been no excitement, no grand act. Were their journey made into one of the novels she loved, it'd likely sell not a single copy. For that, she felt a twinge of disappointment.

Yet, she must also admit to a sense of awe. What the captain had done was no great feat of bravery. He fired not a single shot of his laser pistol. But in a manner wholly his own, he stymied the villains and saved the girl. Someone needed him and he didn't let them down, creating a storybook ending as perfect as any hero can make.

And now, having bid farewell, an odd feeling dwelt within her heart, something that made her turn her head towards the Honey Starbright again and again. Perhaps, Blake pondered, she disliked the sudden parting. Their meeting deserved a proper goodbye.

She begged off a moment from her companions and went in search of Jaune. Along the way, an idea came to her. Why not get a picture, one to take along and one for the ship's archives? Let her leave some proof that she had been a part of the legend; that the captain of this era had touched upon her life. The thought tugged on that 'something' which beset her, thus deciding her course.

Blake located him a short distance from his ship, talking to a harried man in a chef's outfit. A large container set on a platform trolley cart rested between them. The captain sounded rather exasperated.

"—we do have a temperature-controlled freezer, yes. What idiot does not? It's not state of the art, but you don't need state of the art for something as simple as fish even if the thing is…what did you call it? Imperial-grade—?"

"Shhh. Shhh. We can't let anyone know!"

Those suspicious words piqued her interest, though not as much as the whiff she got of the cargo. The scent was…phenomenal. Intrigued, she moved closer.

"Remember, I am paying for discretion. If the Thunnus Regime gets a hint of this, we're dead!"

Jaune, incredulous, replied, "You're joking. It's just tuna."

The stranger gave an offended gasp.

"Just tuna!? You uncultured fool. Look!"

The man grabbed a clasp on the container and cracked open the lid by the barest millimeter. A golden glow emanated from the gap. The heavenly scent intensified tenfold. Passersby sniffed the air, salivating as they tried to find the source of their new craving.

Jaune sported an expression of interest, having come around to the idea that this job might be worthwhile. Quickly, he hauled the man and the container towards his ship.

And Blake…well, Blake laughed because she now understood that it was neither a farewell nor a memento that she wanted. Nor was it tuna, let that be said.

What truly dwelt in her heart was a regret. A yearning. A burning curiosity that might very well kill the cat. It was the desire for an adventure, of which she had not her fill.

The stars were calling for her, like it did when she left home. Like it did for him. She has to go in order to see where this absurd story led, and to discover what came next.

Again and again, as the Honey Starbright forever travels the Galactic Ways.

~o~

Their friend crashed into them as a meteor, pulling the three into a rib-cracking hug as she babbled in their ears.

"Something came up, and I have to talk to a man about a ship! And tuna. Lots of tuna! I'll tell you all about it sometimes. Here's my number, keep in touch love ya gotta go byeeeeeee—!"

As said friend sped off, Ruby, Yang, and Weiss shared confused glances, wondering what the hell just happened. Their eyes traced the path of the whirlwind named Blake, seeing her make a beeline for a particular ship. They spotted the boy standing at the foot of the ramp.

It began with Yang, who snorted in amusement. Then, Ruby broke out in a chuckle. Weiss soon joined in. Uproariously, they laughed at the whimsicality of their excitable, silly, naive friend.

"I guess that's the end for the fellowship of the escape pod," joked Yang once she collected herself.

"Awww, that's such a shame," Ruby said. But then, with some hesitation, she asked, "Do…do you really think we'll meet them again? It's a big galaxy out there."

As Weiss watched the two figures ascend the ramp, a feeling of complete, utter certainty settled within her chest, and it prompted her to answer the younger girl.

"I doubt we can get away from them that easily. We're going to see them out there, someday, somewhere."

Weiss smiled fondly as right before the door of the Honey Starbright shut, she saw Jaune Arc and Blake Belladonna start to bicker like children.

"And on that day, we'll say… hello, again."

Every story has an ending,
Every journey has a start.
With a turn of the page,
One such tale begins now.

~o~

Boarding Date
Day 418, Year of the Rabbit, Twelfth Cycle, Azurite Millennium.
Captain in Command
Jaune Arc
Trip Duration
A while? I dunno (=^･ω･^=)
Purpose of Travel
Adventure!
Destination
Here, there, everywhere
Passenger Name(s)
Blake Belladonna

---

Author's Notes: People come; people go. Not everyone stays on the Honey Starbright.

A captain's got to know his routes. A hero's gonna save the day. Jaune's greatest trait has never been martial might, and fighting was not what they asked of him anyway.

Essentially, I moved the two main characters through time. This is a Blake that has yet to experience the wider world, and very much retained a sense of idealism and romanticism. Jaune, on the other hand, attained his dream of becoming a hero very early on. What he found at the end of that road…well, that's a story we will get to in the future.

I'm continuing this after I get some updates in for Conquered Menagerie, The Agent, and Beacon Students Skipping Class. As for the last idea on my list, we'll work it in somehow. This one just gives me so many ideas that need writing.