TWs: Verbal abuse/name-calling, higher authority/being, impending doom, past pain/injuries. Stay safe :)

"Helios Ra Apollo the Inti..." A voice rumbled throughout the abyss, "Or do you prefer to go by Sun now?"

Sun anxiously smiled, bowing before the superior, "Wh-Whatever you prefer, almighty one."

"How about... nuisance?"

Sun flinched, standing straight to face the black hole.

"Do you honestly think I wouldn't find out?" It seethed, scowling at the metaphorical ant, "How idiotic do you think I am?"

"I-I don't-"

"I wasn't finished." It snapped, "I gave you an order, and what did you do?"

"...Not do it."

"Exactly!" Its voice reverberated, "Even the Kepler and Gliese systems are more capable than you, you pathetic excuse for a Star!"

Sun held his tongue, his eyes blazing red as he took the hits.

"Now," It glowered, "I want to see that blue planet... gone. Destroy him if you have to, I don't care, just do it. Otherwise, I'll have to get someone more capable of getting their orbit dirty... do you understand, nuisance?"

Sun nodded, "Yes, almighty one."

"Good." It seemed satisfied for now, "You're dismissed... and Sol?"

Sun peered up at the black hole.

"Do. Not. Fail. Me..."

« NOW »

"BH... Sagittarius A*...?" Sun repeated, voice wavering as his eyes widened, "A-Are you sure?"

"Oh, we're sure alright." Regulus nodded, "And it's taking all its anger out on you and your little solar system of miracles."

"What Regulus means to say," Proxima stepped forward, "Is that whatever is going on... you may be the cause of it."

The words entered Sun's head, echoing back at him like a broken record. He shook his head, not believing it, "N-No, I'm sure there's another reasonable explanation, haheh- right? Th-There has to be... right?"

"We're sorry, Sol." Spica spoke, shuffling through her pockets, "Toliman found this just beyond the Kuiper belt."

She pulled out a black eight-pointed object.

The Sun gaped, "An Asterium..."

"Judging by the different coloration on some parts, I'd say it's been floating near the Kuiper belt for a long time..." Spica uttered.

"Did you have any idea about this?" Sirius asked.

"No- I have no idea how it ended up there!" Sun shook his head.

"Is there someone who could've dropped it there?" Proxima tilted their head, "I know some celestial bodies hang around the outskirts..."

Sun thought about it, raising a hand to his chin, muttering to himself, "I don't think... actually...wait."

"You have someone in mind." Sirius furrowed his eyebrows, "Who?"

"I- I need to be sure." Sun responded, "I have to get answers from him before making accusations."

"Sol," Spica looked at him with a solemn gaze, "You have to remember that not only are you in danger, but so is the entire Milky Way galaxy."

Proxima never looked so small as they stood huddled close to Toliman, who rested an arm around them. Sirius merely averted his gaze, never being one to show emotions.

"So, you all are...?" Sun trailed off, his eyes wavering to each of his friends.

"Well, except for me as I'm part of Leo I." Regulus spoke, "Though, I'm sure you guys can handle it without fucking the galaxy up."

"Thanks for the commentary, Regulus." Spica rolled her eyes.

"Ay, no problem, mate. Tis what I do best."

"Anyway," Spica turned her attention to the yellow Star, "We're putting our lives in your hands, Sol. We trust you know what to do."

Sun nodded, trying his best to smile assuredly, "Of course, Spi."

"Good. We're all counting on you." Spica smiled.

"No pressure or anything..." Regulus shrugged. Proxima hit them on the shoulder.

"Toliman." The blue star turned her gaze to the other, nodding.

The orange dwarf stepped forward, his right hand grasping something as he brought it forward, "A gift."

Sun put his hand out expectantly. Toliman dropped the object he was holding into the palm of the yellow Star's.

"This is... a charm?"

"Made out of Asterium." Toliman spoke, "It can withstand anything."

"Anything...?" Sun raised an eyebrow, staring into the other's eyes.

"Anything." Toliman clasped Sun's hand shut, "Ensure you don't lose it."

Sun smirked, "What do you take me for?"

"A lot of things." Toliman answered, "You can't keep track of anything if your hydrogen depends on it. Remember when I gave you one of my Sai to practice with and you lost it minutes later?"

A chuckle was elicited from the Sun's mouth, "Hah, those were good times..."

"Can you assholes stop flirting?" Regulus snapped, "The Milky Way may as well be turned into stardust by the time you lovebirds are done."

Sun froze, his face steaming red as he glared at the interrupter. Toliman huffed, pulling his hand away from Sun's as he retreated to his spot next to Proxima.

"Awe, why'd you interrupt them? They were having a special moment...!" Proxima whined, their eyes shimmering as they looked up at Regulus. The blue star merely averted his gaze, face noticeably flushed.

Sun peered at the charm in his hand- it was about the size of Mercury and as black as the abyss, a faint glow surrounding it.

"I'll do my best." He said, clutching it close to his chest.

« »

"Nine," Neptune spoke as he followed his brother around the outskirts of the Kuiper belt, "Can I ask you something?"

"You're already talking, so you might as well." Nine responded, barely looking at the other.

Neptune hummed, tilting his head, "Alright, so... what's up with that scar?"

Nine skidded to a stop, eyes wide as he turned to face Neptune, "...Pardon?"

"You know... that scar on your left cheek." Neptune reached out to touch it, yet Nine backed away, "Now that I look at it closely, it sorta resembles an X..."

Nine didn't respond, frozen in place.

"Is that why the others called you X- cause of that scar?"

Neptune was talking, yet Nine didn't hear a word. His mind was a raging storm and his head was underwater, the sounds drowning from around him as he could only watch as Neptune paused in speaking.

He realized Neptune was reaching a hand out to touch him. Reflexively, Nine batted the offending arm away, taking a step back. He blinked, realizing what he had done when Neptune looked at him surprised.

However, Neptune smiled softly, "Sorry, I guess that was a bit personal of me to ask... you don't have to tell me."

Nine nodded, subconsciously reaching a hand up to his left cheek, "Right... it's fine, Neptune."

"Anyway, we should head back," Neptune turned, "Even the dwarf planets don't go this far from their orbits."

"Planet meeting!Planet meeting!~" A voice rumbled throughout the solar system.

"Oooh, exciting!" Neptune grinned, clapping his hands, "Wonder what's in store for us this time!~"

Nine didn't bother telling Neptune he wasn't going to be a part of any celestial meeting- he figured the blue Celestial would remember that fact along the way.

Still, Nine followed Neptune out of the Kuiper belt, his cheek stinging with phantom pains of a past he wanted so badly to forget.

« NOTE »

Sagittarius A* (abbreviated Sgr A*) is the supermassive black hole at the Galactic Center of the Milky Way. The object is a bright and very compact astronomical radio observations of several stars orbiting Sagittarius A, particularly Star S2, which have been used to determine the mass and upper limits on the radius of the object. Based on mass and increasingly precise radius limits, astronomers have concluded that Sagittarius A* must be the central supermassive black hole of the Milky Way current best estimate of its mass is 4.2970.012 million solar masses (4 million times the mass of our Sun).

Adding Sgr A* was kind of a last-minute decision lmao

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