TWs: Panic attack, rude behavior. Stay safe :)

Neptune blinked away the oncoming tears, hands pulling in and out of each of his pockets. He breathed heavily, hyperventilating as he searched his coat again for the NovaStar, "C'mon, c'mon... he has to be here somewhere, I couldn't have just dropped him...!"

Neptune started to laugh hysterically, running his hands through his messy blue hair. He pulled at the roots, squeezing his eyes shut as he ran over every possibility he knew. He didn't hear the voices calling his name over the loud beating of his heart.

"...tune! Neptune!"

Neptune shot his head up, eyes wide. Nine was holding onto his shoulders, brows furrowed as he stared in concern.

"You need to calm down." He said, "I know you're worried; I am too. I haven't seen Pinwheel since..."

Neptune blinked, eyeing the other.

Nine shook his head, "Anyway, panicking will only make things worse... wherever Messier is, I'm sure he's fine. He's a NovaStar, after all."

"I've gotten used to having Messier around... I just don't want to be alone anymore." Neptune whimpered.

"You're not alone, Neptune- you have us." Nine gestured to him and Uranus, who watched the conversation with apprehension.

Neptune sniffled, nodding slightly, "Right, hah... thanks, Nine."

"Don't-" Nine paused upon Neptune hugging him. He blinked owlishly, arms tense at his sides, "...mention it."

A rustling came from the bushes as Mars, Sun, Jupiter, and Saturn appeared from the foliage.

"I got... the others..." Mars crouched to the ground, trying to catch his breath, "This... would be so much easier if we could fly..."

Taking one glance at Earth's hunched form, Sun stepped forward, kneeling before the smaller one, "Earth, can you hear me?"

"Mmh, I can hear ya just fine... whatever your name is," Earth uttered.

"Okay, and can you tell me where it hurts?"

"As I told the others, I'm- agh!" Earth leaned forward, his head practically touching the stony sidewalk. He huffed, "Ev-Everywhere... hurts..."

Sun looked at Jupiter, who stood a few feet away with his arms crossed, watching the scene with a nervous gaze. Sun glanced at the smaller one, "I'll be right back, Earth."

"Mmkay, Sol..."

Sun froze, staring at the other with wide eyes, "Wh-What did you just call me...?"

Earth was silent for a moment until he grunted, voice rasping, "I-I don't know...?"

Sun raised a hand to his chin, 'Sol... the only ones who call me that are the other Stars, and... Sagittarius.'

Sun clenched his hands into fists at the name.

'Of course...' Sun scowled, 'Though, I didn't expect it to do anything else so soon...'

He glanced down to where the Earth was huddled, eyes sharp and calculating and brows twitching in annoyance.

'This isn't about me, or the others... Earth was its target all along.'

...

"It seems our dear Sol has figured it out already..." Mage frowned, staring into her Novae as her hands sparked with electricity, "It's no fun when that happens..."

"Do you think he knows about us?" Kepler asked.

"Hah, no! As far as he knows, we're only mythical legends, part of some stories told to scare new Stars." Mage smirked, "No one will find out."

Kepler pondered, eyes cast down, "But what if they do?"

Mage glowered, "Do you always have to ask such annoying questions? No one, and I mean no one, knows of our existence!"

Kepler nodded, crossing his arms as he looked away.

"Besides... as long as we're attached to the Earth's body, nothing can interfere with my plan."

"What about the other NovaStars...?"

"Hah! They're no match for us AetherStars!" Mage cackled, "We're more powerful given that our source of energy comes from the dark matter around us. Those three Novaes can't do a damn thing to stop us..."

Kepler hummed, "Right..."

Mage grunted, "How about instead of asking dumbass questions, you keep a lookout for those dwarf planets?"

Kepler grunted, yet did as they were told, revealing their Novae before them. Their hands crackled with electricity.

As Mage turned her back, she couldn't help but feel daggers digging into the back of her head. She whipped around, only seeing Kepler staring into their Novae.

She squinted her eyes before slowly returning to what she was doing.

« × »

"You have got to be kidding me," Venus spoke. The Celestites and two Celestials stared at the new arrivals.

"Uh... howdy?" Pluto waved awkwardly.

"Wow, even the dwarf planets are here," Mercury spoke.

"Thanks for pointing out the obvious, pipsqueak." Venus rolled his eyes.

"Wait, so- the other Celestials are here?" Haumea asked, peering from behind Eris' shoulder.

"Including the Sun." Mercury nodded.

"Where... and what are we?" Eris questioned.

"We're on Earth's surface," Luna replied, simply. The other Celestites cried out in surprise and shock, "And before anyone asks- no, we don't know how this is possible or how to get out of here!"

The voices soon died down, hundreds of unanswered questions lingering in the air.

"Uh- Makemake, are you okay?" Charon asked her friend, who was practically vibrating in exuberance at the situation.

"You're telling me we're on Earth... the planet that harbors intelligent lifeforms?" Makemake grinned.

"Yes...?" Luna knitted his eyebrows, staring curiously at the dwarf planet.

"This is the best day of my life...!" Makemake pulled out a notepad and pen, clicking it a few times, "I need to write down everything!"

The group stared at the reddish brunette as he started to jot down his experience.

"Dwarf planets are so freaking weird..." Venus grumbled.

"Normally, I would take offense to that, but it's true." Pluto shrugged. Charon nodded, giggling at the statement.

"Anyway..." Mercury turned to Luna and Titan, "We should do a headcount."

"Already did." Triton strolled up to them, adjusting his sunglasses, "Everyone's counted for, except..."

"Except what?" Titan asked.

"It seems the moons that are smaller than four hundred kilometers are missing," Callisto answered.

"How do you know it's four hundred kilometers?" Mercury tilted his head.

Triton gestured behind him, "Proteus is four hundred twenty kilometers. He's the only one out of Neptune's moons, other than me, to show up here."

"Huh, now that you mention it, Hyperion isn't here. His shape is weird, even for an irregular moon... one of his diameters does measure up to four hundred ten, but his mean radius is one hundred thirty-five kilometers."

"This is all so confusing..." Luna uttered.

"Yeah, no kidding..." Triton shook his head.

"We should find the others- see how much they learned," Mercury spoke.

Titan nodded, "I'll let the other moons know."

Luna frowned, peering at the grassy terrain in thought.

"You okay?" Mercury asked, nudging the other's arm.

"No..." Luna blinked, running a hand through his hair, "Just how did we even get here in the first place, out of all the planets and moons, why are we on Earth? None of this makes sense..."

"Maybe..." Mercury trailed off, his eyes looking at the orange-hued sky, "Maybe it's because Earth is habitable?"

"Hm...?"

"It's just like Makemake said- out of every celestial body, Earth is the only one who harbors intelligent lifeforms. That's why Earth saw himself as special in the first place, right?"

Luna blinked, eyes seeming to realize something as they widened slightly. He rushed forward, placing both hands on the other's shoulders, "That's it...! Mercury, you're a genius!"

"Eh, that's debatable..." Venus uttered, causing Mercury to turn his head to glare at him.

Luna chuckled, leaning forward to place a kiss on his cheek, prompting Mercury to tense as his face turned a deep shade of red, "Thank you...!"

"Bwah...?" Mercury felt dizzy and light on his feet, his head reeling.

"I'll go ahead! I'll see you guys later!" Luna waved to the other Celestites before running off.

Venus clapped Mercury on the shoulder as he nearly fell back into the taller, "Oh, get a grip, pipsqueak, it's not like he kissed you on the lips!"

Mercury gave a shaky lovesick smile, "You just don't get it, Venus..."

"No, I don't, and I would like to keep it that way if this is how you're acting over one measly kiss on the cheek."

Mercury huffed, glowering at the other. Venus moved out of the way, letting go of Mercury and causing him to fall backward onto his back.

"Wah- oof!" Mercury landed with a thud.

Venus snickered.

Mercury puffed his cheeks out, staring at him from his place on the ground, 'I swear... he can be such a proto sometimes.'

« NOTE »

Proto in that context is similar to toddler (i.e they can be such a toddler)

I am so close to 500K words in total on Ao3...

I'm aiming to make it at the end of the year, but I don't know if it's going to happen ;-;

Comments are appreciated 3