The lesson went just as the one before it did. Exhausting, gruelling physical and spiritual exercise, followed by being led home by Cancer and crashing shortly after. Emily made sure it wasn’t in Cancer’s bed that time, ensuring she had her own room so that the Cat-Crab could not do the naughty when Emily wasn’t looking. As the days blended into each other, a flurry of training, exploring, and very slow improvement, it turned out that the naughty was not Cancer’s plan. She seemed decidedly chaste around Emily, despite her earlier teasing. Maybe Cancer wanted to give her some room to adapt to her new surroundings before flirting some more.
A week into her stay on this new planet, Cancer appeared in her room as Emily was putting on the same outfit for the third time in a row.
“This will not do. I must take you out, and get you something proper. Come on” Cancer ordered, in that voice that Emily just could not muster the willpower to disobey. Hastily saying goodbye to Anne and making sure that Malik was going to be around to keep her company so she wasn’t on her own, she let Cancer take her to a massive open-topped building. Once inside, she saw a large collection of aircrafts, which made her think it was some sort of airport. But, she knew better than to assume, so looked to Cancer, who answered before she even asked.
“Shuttles. They take passengers to the docking stations that are in orbit around the planet. Some places like to have ground-based ports, but this place has very large ships, and the practicality of having them on the ground would demand giving over entire continents to them. Instead, they made use of the infinitely larger space up there. No landmass restrictions up there, and zero-gravity constructs don’t need as much reinforcements to bare their own weight, allowing for structures that dwarf anything you have ever seen” She put an awe-inspiring spin to it, and Emily was looking to the stars with anticipation, as if to see these massive constructs. There were, surprisingly out of view, however. So she just let herself get taken to one of the shuttles, and strapped in. She didn’t know what she was expecting, a jarring start or the strong g-forces of escape velocity, but there was none of that, she just sat in her seat, until a voice filled the passenger bay.
“We have arrived at Port Kek. Please note, if this is your first time outside the atmosphere, do not wander off. Some of the Port is depressurized and without the required suits, you will leave a mess for others to clean up” He seemed slightly amused at the last statement, but it was clear he was speaking from experience. Emily wondered how many people had wandered off and left messes, but she was determined not to become one of them, and clung to Cancer as she expertly navigated her way to a hanger. The ship was not a large thing, but it looked ornate, well-made. Sleek, and beautiful. It suited Cancer, really. And then she was greeted by a man, who then looked to Emily and held out a hand.
“I’m Captain. I’m the Captain of the Crab’s Claws” He said, which made Emily giggle softly. She wasn’t sure if it was the best case of name matching the job that she had ever seen, or if he had just changed his name because he wanted to fit it to his job. Either way, it worked.
“You are really rocking the crab motif, aren’t you?” Emily asked, giggling softly to herself as she followed the captain and Cancer onto the ship. Once aboard, Cancer took her to a nice looking room, and then pulled out a tray from apparently nowhere and putting it next to a bed that was a little too posh for Emily to feel comfortable sitting on.
“So, how’s your Qi training going?” Cancer asked, sensing Emily’s awkwardness at being in a room alone with Cancer.
“Terribly. He won’t teach us anything other than the Chi Sheathe because we have terrible physical fitness. I can’t argue, I’m not really a fit girl. This last week has been hell on my everything. I’m surprised I am not a mess like my mum is” Emily replied, sitting down on the bed next to Cancer, deciding that it was fine, as long as the girl didn’t try anything.
“Well, you have powerful Chi. It will help with your recovery, so you won’t be as badly fatigued as Anne is” She brushed Emily’s hair softly, and then smiled warmly at her. “But you should really get some sleep anyway, it’s a long trip” Cancer told Emily. She wanted to stay awake to ask why Cancer couldn’t just teleport there, but she couldn’t disobey the suggestion for sleep, and so conked out on the bed.
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Her sleep was dreamless, and so when she was woken by Cancer, it felt like no time had passed at all.
“So, something unexpected has come up. Shopping will have to wait” Cancer told Emily, getting her out of bed and almost dragging her out of the ship, then quickly out of the hanger it was stationed in. And there, leaning against the wall, was a green-bound deva that Emily immediately recognized, regardless of how much she had changed.
“Jane!” Emily exclaimed, throwing herself into a hug and squeezing tight. She didn’t know where the girl had been, and right now, she was just happy to be with her friend again. It was surprisingly nice, almost as if Jane’s presence was a secret craving she couldn’t put her finger on until she had lost it, and then gained it again. It was probably buggerations to do with the Yesura stuff, but right now Emily didn’t care, she just hugged Jane tight, and smiled to herself. Peace at last. An irritation that, like the craving, she had not known about until she had been relieved of it. Questions about where she had been, and all that would have to wait. Right now was time for snuggles. But then Jane spoke, in such a cold and dark voice that Emily shivered. What could have caused her to fall this far, after being so bright, for so long?
“I…...It is good to see you, Emily” She said. It seemed, she had paused for a few seconds after the first letter, as if thinking about something before speaking, and refusing the first sentence she had thought of. And even now, Jane stroked Emily’s hair and whispered ‘mine’ softly. Cancer looked on, confused and interested in the same measure, as if expecting something that didn’t come about. And then held her head as if something painful just stabbed her in the head. Something that Jane also copied, with an exclamation of pain.
“J-Jane?! What’s wrong?” Emily’s panicked, shrill voice looked over her as she cried out in pain, but the woman recovered quickly enough and looked at her. It was like someone had lit a fire in a blizzard, the woman was still cold beyond measure but had reason to try and be more.
“No need to worry, my little one. You and the Crab are here for a reason, yes?” Jane asked, looking behind her to Cancer.
“I…how did you…?” Emily looked between the two, wishing she knew what kind of conversation was being shared as the two intensely stared at each other. Then, somewhat half-way between the two, the air cracked, and the intensity vanished in a moment.
“Just shopping, Daughter” Cancer replied. Jane stepped around Emily and was right in Cancer’s face before Emily could blink. How, did she move that fast?
“I have heard nothing, about me, from anyone. And now you so casually throw about something? Explain” Jane demanded. Wind spinning up around her and crackling with power. Not that it intimidated Cancer at all.
“We are shopping, Jane. Conversation flows naturally, but can not be forced on such a topic” Cancer stood tall, staring down Jane in a show of confidence that Emily couldn’t comprehend, let alone replicate.
“Tell me!” Jane shouted, a throbbing crack of power raging from her and ripping words from lips. Only, not the words she wanted.
“I love her!” Emily exclaimed, suddenly and unbidden. Whereas Cancer, was not moved an inch.
“You are a strong child, Jane, but still a child. Do not push me on this. The abuse of your power will only hurt those around you, and will not give you what you want” Cancer then looked to Emily, who’s hands were over her mouth and her cheeks deep red. Not, that that was the most pressing matter. While Jane was naturally predisposed to care about Emily, she was also naturally predisposed to dislike Cancer. Mostly because of Emily, as well.
Jane’s fist clenched and electrical energy crackled, zapping out from her hand as her temper grew. But Cancer stood undeterred.
“You are strong but have no control, nor experience. Whereas I am Cancer, First of the Seat of Cancer, Overseer of all Magical Activity in the Universe. Forged by Gaia’s hand from the great stellar Aldrazi, to fight The Beast. This is not a fight you can win. This is not even a fight you can survive. And I have no qualms removing you so we may do better next time” Cancer seemed to grow, beyond size, behind what the mind could understand, and crush Jane beneath the metaphysical weight. It was a terrifying thing, that Emily was wholly protected from, and merely saw a stern glare. “Shopping. Conversation. Civility” Cancer all but ordered. And with no recourse left available, they just followed. The tension was palatable, and Emily had no idea what the hell had just happened, except that Jane and Cancer had done something and Jane had lost.
“What…There are so many whats to ask…The, the, Ald, thing. What’s that?” Emily asked, deciding to ask the least bad thing first, and hopefully break the tension.
“Ancient constellation of stars. 88 stars aligned in a manner perfect for Sidereal Magic. Gaia funnelled power through all of them and then crafted that power into thirteen beings. Beings you know as the Zodiac. The only survivors in this modern age are myself, Taurus, and Leo. Although I have since retired” Cancer told Emily. It was a strained voice, as if trying to withstand Jane’s company, so Emily was quiet for the remainder of the journey, so as not to provoke her further.