Adam Oceanus, seventh child of the Waylay

[I am collecting (flowers) for dad]

[I like the blue ones]

*The closest there are are the violets that speckle the surrounding area in small bunches*

*something shiny lingers, tucked away behind a rock.*

Hmm?

[I pick it up]

*it's a feather, a decently large one that must have belonged to a bird. Or perhaps one of the Lilliths left it, the wind having blown it up against the building*

S-Soft.

[I run my hands over the softer part of the feather, watching the iridescent colors change as I turn it over in my hands so the light hits it different]

@seventhnoteoftheuniverse

*The feather sparkles and gleams, it's colors seeming to intensify with each turn in the light. Soon they start to bleed into the air, like a drop of paint in water. A rainbow of magenta and purple surrounds Adam, overtaking the scenery of the Waylay...

The soft grass vanishes, replaced with empty air.

You're falling...

Falling..

Fall- no, there's the ground. It was always there. But it's different now. Cold, smooth tile.

*where did he go?*

__________

[I am somewhere (else)]

[I stand up, and look around. It's darker here, colder (lacking the warmth of a home)]

Hello?

[I gravitate towards the singular light, trying to peer over the desk (I am too small)]

[I walk around to the other side]

Hellooo!

[I look up, wide-eyed at the new figure.]

H-Hello! Hi!!

[I walk up to you, waving]

Mmm lost! W-Where?

[my ocean eyes, meet the reflection of your screen.]

From home! Uhh

*He reaches down and scoops you up, and begins to walk down one of the hallways.*

[I have been picked up]

[I nod enthusiastically, I exist to (learn)]

[I look around in awe at the elevator, and cling to you once it's starts moving]

[I point at the buttons]

W-What that?

[I push more buttons! Pressing some multiple times just to hear the click with each press]

Ah!!

Haha, if you enjoy the elevator panel, I'm sure you'll appreciate this.

*He pulls a lever on the wall, and the massive room thrums to life. Floodlights in the high ceiling reveal a plethora of conveyor belts and machinery, all of which start to move. It's some form of automated assembly line.*

N-Nuh uh

S-Spassip?

*He starts to walk along the catwalk again, following the path of the conveyors as they carry metal plates and engine parts to the other end of the massive room. At the end of the room, metal arms that extend from the ceiling are collecting the pieces brought by the conveyor and assembling them. At the moment, the creation is just a skeleton of metal beams.*

A spaceship is an advanced vehicle for travel, maybe you've seen something like it before. Have you ever seen a boat? :)

[but I can recognize (my) ocean]

Boat!

W-Whats it f-for?

[I look back at the construction, the scent of metal tinges the air as things are screwed and welded in place]

Mmm

*Latho steps off the catwalk, stopping just short of the platform where the pieces are being assembled.*

Y-Yeah!!

W-Whats in s-s-space?

*The metal skeleton slowly takes the shape of a cylinder, as internal mechanisms are slotted into place, followed by outer panelling.*

I c-can go i-in?

[I point at the forming structure]

I see! C-Can see!?

[I excitedly squirm in your arms]

*By now, floor panels have been set in place, so Latho starts to walk again, carrying you into the structure as the walls are slowly patched in. It's a small vessel, something that could probably carry 3 or 4 fully grown people semi-comfortably. The main body of the ship is a seated cargo area, with a simple control room in the front. The soft cushioned captain's chair that Latho sets you in is much too big for your tiny frame. He gives the chair a gentle little spin after he sets you down.*

[I set my hands on the metal control panel, looking up at you as I jump up and down in my seated position]

[Joy!]

Wh-Why no one else w-want?

Mmm!!

Some people just don't appreciate the joys of science, unfortunately.

[I flinch as I am suddenly plunged into darkness, reaching out blindly to grip to your lab coat.]

[I have never experienced (true) darkness.]

[I am suddenly cold (there is no hearth)]

Mmm.

HELLO?

[I call out but am met with no answer (only silence greets me)]

L-LATH?

[again, only my voice echoes against the tight space (my voice was once an echo too)]

[though this time I am (real)]

[and there is nobody(nobody) to comfort me through it.]

MAA?

...

DAAAD?

< LAUNCH SEQUENCE INITIATED >

< DESTINATION.... PRE-PROGRAMMED >

DAAD! DAAAAD!

[I don't want to do this (alone).]

[There are no stars here (I was lied to)]

[I have not safe here (I never was)]

[Tears pricked at my eyes, I don't understand what's going on. There are no windows to see where I am]

*There's a loud rumble that reverberates through the whole ship, followed by an even louder and more prolonged noise. It's the engine firing up, and thrusters blasting on the rear of the ship. The vessel begins to move.*

< LAUNCH SUCCESSFUL. BEGINING PRE-PROGRAMMED ROUTE TO P4R4D153. >

[I am (trapped)]

MHH!!

[I reach out, the threads(existences) here are different (they are not my mother). They do not easily let me hold them (unfamiliar)]

[Despite the new (cold and violent nature of this world), there is something I recognize, a thread so thin and far away I nearly miss it]

[familiarity]

[family]

[my eyes glisten and widen, despite the dark, the glow is soft in my mind]

[hope]

[I reach through the layers of existence, compressing them, pulling my soul close enough to feel the shiny existence of my brother. And tug the silver threads of his eyes, to turn their attention to me.]

.

.

*But it's not quite out of sight yet when Lucifer reaches the floor Lillyth pointed to.

Beyond the elevator door's flashing "no oxygen" warning, the bay doors are still wide open, and Adam's ship is a slowly shrinking star, the bright red of the rockets making it stand out amongst the rest.

It's not too late.*

*Luckily, the god can survive without oxygen. The problem is that the lack of air would make it hard to talk, and he had no clue if this Adam kid needed to breathe.*

*Only one way to find out! Lucifer grit his teeth against the wind and carried up onward.*

[I am (stuck) somewhere i do not want to be]

[it's cold in here.]

[after a few moments I make my way back to the chair, needing to hop up and climb onto it. Curling my wings around myself I try to keep myself from shivering]

< PROXIMITY ALERT >

< LIFE FORM RAPIDLY APPROACHING BEHIND >

< TRAJECTORY SUGGESTS OVERTAKING CURRENT FLIGHT PATH >

< ACTIVATE VIEWSCREEN? >

---

*Stars and space debris fly by, while the ship gradually becomes a closer presence. It doesn't look like there's any obvious door or docking section, but it may just be hard to tell without being right on top of it.*

*Got it! Lucifer clung to the bottom most portion of the ship's siding. He felt his human form stripping away under the pressure, but he ducked his head to his chest and willed himself to stay together for just a little bit longer.*

Hang on, Adam! I'm coming!!

[I do not understand what this means. So I start to push buttons on the controls in (hope)s something will work.]

*The darkness inside the ship suddenly abates a little, as the previously pitch-black wall above the control panel lights up with a view of the passing stars, captured by cameras embedded in the front.*

(Ooc: I tried to find a gif of the old windows flying stars screensaver, best I got was a screenshot tho. Pretend this is moving lol)

*The panel beeps loudly again.*

< PROXIMITY ALERT >

< LIFE FORM DETECTED ON UNDERSIDE OF SHIP >

< INITIATE PURGE? >

---

*There's definitely no doors on this thing, not even an emergency hatch. The only way in, is to make one.*

Just a spark... that's all I need. Come on, Lucifer, work!

*He closed his eyes and cleared his mind. The worries about controlling his powers fell away like a rocket ejecting the weight dragging it down.*

*His chest split open. Immense light and heat poured out between the bars of his ribcage. The raw power of a star burned away the panel until a hole formed, big enough for Lucifer to climb through.*

*Eyes flying open again, he clawed into the opening. His muscles screeched under the pressure. Finally, he flopped inside, just clinging for dear life and relieved as it was that he got in. He concentrated on closing his human skin again while Adam struggled against the controls above.*

AAAA!

AH AH!

[noticing the unfamiliar face I am cautious, until I notice the (familiarity)]

[someone I've seen around the Waylay]

[I rush to you once you are within the ship and cling to your leg]

MMMM!!!

< HULL DAMAGE SUSTAINED, CABIN PRESSURE LOST >

< STABILIZING... STAND BY >

*The control console beeps in alarm as Lucifer burns a hole through the ship. The rapid rush of oxygen into the vacuum of space threatens to drag him right back out, and Adam with him, but only for a moment. Tiny metal nodes in the ceiling and floor light up red, and some kind of force field expands inside the ship, covering the walls, ceiling and floor.*

< INTERNAL SHEILDS ACTIVE >

< CABIN PRESSURE STABILIZATING >

< INITIATING REPAIRS >

*By the time Adam is clinging to Lucifer's leg, the hole has already started to close itself. Scorched wires stretch unnaturally to reconnect, while melted metal edges ooze together into one, like scoops of pancake batter poured too close to each other.*

Ah, haha... Hey, kid! I'm here to rescue you!

*Lucifer got to his feet with a groan, holding Adam under the arms.*

C'mon, let's see if we can't figure out these controls, yeah?

*He sat in the pilot's seat, Adam in his lap, and tried to make sense of what all the various screens and buttons do.*

Mhmm!!!

[I look up to see your intense expression and then look back at the buttons trying to copy it (I am thinking)]

[I press the first button closest to me (I am helping!)]

*4 hours and 38 minutes to find a way to turn this thing around- but then Adam presses a button.*

< CALCULATING... EMERGENCY WARP POSSIBLE >

< INITIATING IN 10, 9, 8.. >

*Lucifer pressed the button Adam pushed again, pulled back a lever, frantically tapped at a keypad to punch in a command. He was way out of his depth and had no idea what he was doing. The boy looked at Adam remorsefully.*

I'm sorry, little guy. You're going to want to hold on tight.

*He brought his legs up so his feet were resting on the chair, pulling Adam towards him. His arms and wings wrapped around his little body. It was funny, he thought, how similar they looked with their wings, like they could be cousins. Lucifer was ready to protect him at all costs. His power began to thrum inside his ribs.*

Waaah?

[I'm worried, but at least I am not alone. You are (warm) safety]

[I cling to you as the ship seems to thrum louder with the sound of electronics.]

W-What-ts n-name?

[I whisper to you, curling up]

*The ship thrums with energy, and then suddenly it feels like plummeting down to the earth on one of those insanely tall roller coasters. The G-Force pins the two feathered boys into the back of the seat. Then just as abruptly as it started, it stops, and ship slows into a complete standstill.

The viewscreen is black now, inactive, and the hole Lucifer made has fully repaired itself. There's no way to see what's making the loud metal whir, followed by two rhythmic THUNKS on the outside hull of the ship. It sounds a bit like something clamping down, but it's hard to tell. The control panel beeps one final message before seeming to shut off.*

WELCOME TO P4RAD153.

No, no, no no no no...

*He knew a Nyarlathotep who tried to build paradise once before. He refused to believe he had been caught up in the schemes of another one to send him back.*

Adam, whatever you do, we are not getting off this ship until we find a way out of this para... place. Do not run away on me.

[you're just as scared as me]

[two small lights in a sea of darkness]

[we cling to each other]

[(I//you) cling to (you//me)]

W-w-what?

[what (now)?]

Hold on a second...

*He closed his eyes and concentrated. The power burst like a lightbulb surging with electricity, making him gasp.*

Ahh, that's not it! I've just... gotta...

*Cool breaths coursed through his lungs. Adam became his anchor as he tried to stay calm. All they needed right now was a way to see, and if he could help with that for even one minute...*

*Slowly, a light inside him glowed. It was bright and dazzling, like a miniature star. It expanded outward, dimmed only by his clothes and the shadows of his ribcage. The light illuminated the cabin. Lucifer laughed triumphantly.*

Haha, I did it! Now we can see what's going on here. How do you like that, Adam?

Wwooaah!!

[I sit up, looking around at the ship with the new light. Squirming to get off the chair]

Mmm!!

[I run across the short space]

[i run back]

[it's too quiet]

[I reach out, looking for strings of life and sound outside of our own ripples of breathing and beating hearts. Is there anything (here)?]

Outside of the ship... there is life. It isn't close, but it is loud. A great thrum of hearts beat in perfect sync high above, like thunder in the heavens. Joyous, rapturous thunder.

There are hints of another sound though.

Something deep below is trying to reach out, too.

The faint and fragile notes

of a song drift up

In

fragments

fighting to not

be drowned

out by

the thunder above.*

*Lucifer looks around, wide eyed, with an awestruck, terrified whisper. He's too stricken to get out of his seat, beckoning Adam to him with a hand instead.*

Psst, Adam, come back! I told you to stay with me, remember?

[the sounds I've pulled from afar dissipate back into silence again]

Mmm!! Mmm!!

[I reach to grab Lucifer's hand, pulling him from the seat.]

Ah!

[(you) stay with me]

[I dig through the thick bright cords of drumming heartbeats and pluck once again at the thin faraway strings of the quiet sound]

[hello? I tug gently at the will of (you)]

*will (you) Answer?*

-yes? -no?

[....can... you...]

[..hear me..? ]

*The weak song answers Adam. The rest of the ship isn't quiet for Lucifer though. Something metal, and very tangible, is now faintly clicking around outside.*

Hello?? If someone is there, then... let it be known, I'm not afraid of you!!

[I (can) hear you]

[Where are (we//you)?]

[How odd it is to speak so directly without words, my will tentatively reaching towards yours with effort. You can feel my fear and hope.]

[..your fear..]

[...calls to me...]

[My will is weak and hungry]

*The mechanical clicking grows closer, until it travels up onto the top of the ship, then down the other side, where it grows distant, eventually ceasing. The cadence almost sounds like the limbs of a crab or a spider climbing over and going on it's merry way.

The darkness is quiet again.*

Nuh uh. Nope, I don't like that, not one bit. Adam, don't make a single move. I'm going to see if I can make this ship turn around and go back to Latho's lab!

*He stepped back over to the pilot's chair, looking over the control panel for a way to send them off.*

[...]

[I can share, if you help?]

[my will reaches out to you. It's new and shiny but powerful with concentrated power that comes off as clumsy, the will of a child that trusts in you]

[how can I(we) help (each other)?]

[I am collecting (flowers) for dad]

[I like the blue ones]

*The closest there are are the violets that speckle the surrounding area in small bunches*

*something shiny lingers, tucked away behind a rock.*

Hmm?

[I pick it up]

*it's a feather, a decently large one that must have belonged to a bird. Or perhaps one of the Lilliths left it, the wind having blown it up against the building*

S-Soft.

[I run my hands over the softer part of the feather, watching the iridescent colors change as I turn it over in my hands so the light hits it different]

@seventhnoteoftheuniverse

*The feather sparkles and gleams, it's colors seeming to intensify with each turn in the light. Soon they start to bleed into the air, like a drop of paint in water. A rainbow of magenta and purple surrounds Adam, overtaking the scenery of the Waylay...

The soft grass vanishes, replaced with empty air.

You're falling...

Falling..

Fall- no, there's the ground. It was always there. But it's different now. Cold, smooth tile.

*where did he go?*

__________

[I am somewhere (else)]

[I stand up, and look around. It's darker here, colder (lacking the warmth of a home)]

Hello?

[I gravitate towards the singular light, trying to peer over the desk (I am too small)]

[I walk around to the other side]

Hellooo!

[I look up, wide-eyed at the new figure.]

H-Hello! Hi!!

[I walk up to you, waving]

Mmm lost! W-Where?

[my ocean eyes, meet the reflection of your screen.]

From home! Uhh

*He reaches down and scoops you up, and begins to walk down one of the hallways.*

[I have been picked up]

[I nod enthusiastically, I exist to (learn)]

[I look around in awe at the elevator, and cling to you once it's starts moving]

[I point at the buttons]

W-What that?

[I push more buttons! Pressing some multiple times just to hear the click with each press]

Ah!!

Haha, if you enjoy the elevator panel, I'm sure you'll appreciate this.

*He pulls a lever on the wall, and the massive room thrums to life. Floodlights in the high ceiling reveal a plethora of conveyor belts and machinery, all of which start to move. It's some form of automated assembly line.*

N-Nuh uh

S-Spassip?

*He starts to walk along the catwalk again, following the path of the conveyors as they carry metal plates and engine parts to the other end of the massive room. At the end of the room, metal arms that extend from the ceiling are collecting the pieces brought by the conveyor and assembling them. At the moment, the creation is just a skeleton of metal beams.*

A spaceship is an advanced vehicle for travel, maybe you've seen something like it before. Have you ever seen a boat? :)

[but I can recognize (my) ocean]

Boat!

W-Whats it f-for?

[I look back at the construction, the scent of metal tinges the air as things are screwed and welded in place]

Mmm

*Latho steps off the catwalk, stopping just short of the platform where the pieces are being assembled.*

Y-Yeah!!

W-Whats in s-s-space?

*The metal skeleton slowly takes the shape of a cylinder, as internal mechanisms are slotted into place, followed by outer panelling.*

I c-can go i-in?

[I point at the forming structure]

I see! C-Can see!?

[I excitedly squirm in your arms]

*By now, floor panels have been set in place, so Latho starts to walk again, carrying you into the structure as the walls are slowly patched in. It's a small vessel, something that could probably carry 3 or 4 fully grown people semi-comfortably. The main body of the ship is a seated cargo area, with a simple control room in the front. The soft cushioned captain's chair that Latho sets you in is much too big for your tiny frame. He gives the chair a gentle little spin after he sets you down.*

[I set my hands on the metal control panel, looking up at you as I jump up and down in my seated position]

[Joy!]

Wh-Why no one else w-want?

Mmm!!

Some people just don't appreciate the joys of science, unfortunately.

[I flinch as I am suddenly plunged into darkness, reaching out blindly to grip to your lab coat.]

[I have never experienced (true) darkness.]

[I am suddenly cold (there is no hearth)]

Mmm.

HELLO?

[I call out but am met with no answer (only silence greets me)]

L-LATH?

[again, only my voice echoes against the tight space (my voice was once an echo too)]

[though this time I am (real)]

[and there is nobody(nobody) to comfort me through it.]

MAA?

...

DAAAD?

< LAUNCH SEQUENCE INITIATED >

< DESTINATION.... PRE-PROGRAMMED >

DAAD! DAAAAD!

[I don't want to do this (alone).]

[There are no stars here (I was lied to)]

[I have not safe here (I never was)]

[Tears pricked at my eyes, I don't understand what's going on. There are no windows to see where I am]

*There's a loud rumble that reverberates through the whole ship, followed by an even louder and more prolonged noise. It's the engine firing up, and thrusters blasting on the rear of the ship. The vessel begins to move.*

< LAUNCH SUCCESSFUL. BEGINING PRE-PROGRAMMED ROUTE TO P4R4D153. >

[I am (trapped)]

MHH!!

[I reach out, the threads(existences) here are different (they are not my mother). They do not easily let me hold them (unfamiliar)]

[Despite the new (cold and violent nature of this world), there is something I recognize, a thread so thin and far away I nearly miss it]

[familiarity]

[family]

[my eyes glisten and widen, despite the dark, the glow is soft in my mind]

[hope]

[I reach through the layers of existence, compressing them, pulling my soul close enough to feel the shiny existence of my brother. And tug the silver threads of his eyes, to turn their attention to me.]

.

.

*But it's not quite out of sight yet when Lucifer reaches the floor Lillyth pointed to.

Beyond the elevator door's flashing "no oxygen" warning, the bay doors are still wide open, and Adam's ship is a slowly shrinking star, the bright red of the rockets making it stand out amongst the rest.

It's not too late.*

*Luckily, the god can survive without oxygen. The problem is that the lack of air would make it hard to talk, and he had no clue if this Adam kid needed to breathe.*

*Only one way to find out! Lucifer grit his teeth against the wind and carried up onward.*

[I am (stuck) somewhere i do not want to be]

[it's cold in here.]

[after a few moments I make my way back to the chair, needing to hop up and climb onto it. Curling my wings around myself I try to keep myself from shivering]

< PROXIMITY ALERT >

< LIFE FORM RAPIDLY APPROACHING BEHIND >

< TRAJECTORY SUGGESTS OVERTAKING CURRENT FLIGHT PATH >

< ACTIVATE VIEWSCREEN? >

---

*Stars and space debris fly by, while the ship gradually becomes a closer presence. It doesn't look like there's any obvious door or docking section, but it may just be hard to tell without being right on top of it.*

*Got it! Lucifer clung to the bottom most portion of the ship's siding. He felt his human form stripping away under the pressure, but he ducked his head to his chest and willed himself to stay together for just a little bit longer.*

Hang on, Adam! I'm coming!!

[I do not understand what this means. So I start to push buttons on the controls in (hope)s something will work.]

*The darkness inside the ship suddenly abates a little, as the previously pitch-black wall above the control panel lights up with a view of the passing stars, captured by cameras embedded in the front.*

(Ooc: I tried to find a gif of the old windows flying stars screensaver, best I got was a screenshot tho. Pretend this is moving lol)

*The panel beeps loudly again.*

< PROXIMITY ALERT >

< LIFE FORM DETECTED ON UNDERSIDE OF SHIP >

< INITIATE PURGE? >

---

*There's definitely no doors on this thing, not even an emergency hatch. The only way in, is to make one.*

Just a spark... that's all I need. Come on, Lucifer, work!

*He closed his eyes and cleared his mind. The worries about controlling his powers fell away like a rocket ejecting the weight dragging it down.*

*His chest split open. Immense light and heat poured out between the bars of his ribcage. The raw power of a star burned away the panel until a hole formed, big enough for Lucifer to climb through.*

*Eyes flying open again, he clawed into the opening. His muscles screeched under the pressure. Finally, he flopped inside, just clinging for dear life and relieved as it was that he got in. He concentrated on closing his human skin again while Adam struggled against the controls above.*

AAAA!

AH AH!

[noticing the unfamiliar face I am cautious, until I notice the (familiarity)]

[someone I've seen around the Waylay]

[I rush to you once you are within the ship and cling to your leg]

MMMM!!!

< HULL DAMAGE SUSTAINED, CABIN PRESSURE LOST >

< STABILIZING... STAND BY >

*The control console beeps in alarm as Lucifer burns a hole through the ship. The rapid rush of oxygen into the vacuum of space threatens to drag him right back out, and Adam with him, but only for a moment. Tiny metal nodes in the ceiling and floor light up red, and some kind of force field expands inside the ship, covering the walls, ceiling and floor.*

< INTERNAL SHEILDS ACTIVE >

< CABIN PRESSURE STABILIZATING >

< INITIATING REPAIRS >

*By the time Adam is clinging to Lucifer's leg, the hole has already started to close itself. Scorched wires stretch unnaturally to reconnect, while melted metal edges ooze together into one, like scoops of pancake batter poured too close to each other.*

Ah, haha... Hey, kid! I'm here to rescue you!

*Lucifer got to his feet with a groan, holding Adam under the arms.*

C'mon, let's see if we can't figure out these controls, yeah?

*He sat in the pilot's seat, Adam in his lap, and tried to make sense of what all the various screens and buttons do.*

Mhmm!!!

[I look up to see your intense expression and then look back at the buttons trying to copy it (I am thinking)]

[I press the first button closest to me (I am helping!)]

*4 hours and 38 minutes to find a way to turn this thing around- but then Adam presses a button.*

< CALCULATING... EMERGENCY WARP POSSIBLE >

< INITIATING IN 10, 9, 8.. >

*Lucifer pressed the button Adam pushed again, pulled back a lever, frantically tapped at a keypad to punch in a command. He was way out of his depth and had no idea what he was doing. The boy looked at Adam remorsefully.*

I'm sorry, little guy. You're going to want to hold on tight.

*He brought his legs up so his feet were resting on the chair, pulling Adam towards him. His arms and wings wrapped around his little body. It was funny, he thought, how similar they looked with their wings, like they could be cousins. Lucifer was ready to protect him at all costs. His power began to thrum inside his ribs.*

Waaah?

[I'm worried, but at least I am not alone. You are (warm) safety]

[I cling to you as the ship seems to thrum louder with the sound of electronics.]

W-What-ts n-name?

[I whisper to you, curling up]

*The ship thrums with energy, and then suddenly it feels like plummeting down to the earth on one of those insanely tall roller coasters. The G-Force pins the two feathered boys into the back of the seat. Then just as abruptly as it started, it stops, and ship slows into a complete standstill.

The viewscreen is black now, inactive, and the hole Lucifer made has fully repaired itself. There's no way to see what's making the loud metal whir, followed by two rhythmic THUNKS on the outside hull of the ship. It sounds a bit like something clamping down, but it's hard to tell. The control panel beeps one final message before seeming to shut off.*

WELCOME TO P4RAD153.

No, no, no no no no...

*He knew a Nyarlathotep who tried to build paradise once before. He refused to believe he had been caught up in the schemes of another one to send him back.*

Adam, whatever you do, we are not getting off this ship until we find a way out of this para... place. Do not run away on me.

[you're just as scared as me]

[two small lights in a sea of darkness]

[we cling to each other]

[(I//you) cling to (you//me)]

W-w-what?

[what (now)?]

Hold on a second...

*He closed his eyes and concentrated. The power burst like a lightbulb surging with electricity, making him gasp.*

Ahh, that's not it! I've just... gotta...

*Cool breaths coursed through his lungs. Adam became his anchor as he tried to stay calm. All they needed right now was a way to see, and if he could help with that for even one minute...*

*Slowly, a light inside him glowed. It was bright and dazzling, like a miniature star. It expanded outward, dimmed only by his clothes and the shadows of his ribcage. The light illuminated the cabin. Lucifer laughed triumphantly.*

Haha, I did it! Now we can see what's going on here. How do you like that, Adam?

Wwooaah!!

[I sit up, looking around at the ship with the new light. Squirming to get off the chair]

Mmm!!

[I run across the short space]

[i run back]

[it's too quiet]

[I reach out, looking for strings of life and sound outside of our own ripples of breathing and beating hearts. Is there anything (here)?]

Outside of the ship... there is life. It isn't close, but it is loud. A great thrum of hearts beat in perfect sync high above, like thunder in the heavens. Joyous, rapturous thunder.

There are hints of another sound though.

Something deep below is trying to reach out, too.

The faint and fragile notes

of a song drift up

In

fragments

fighting to not

be drowned

out by

the thunder above.*

*Lucifer looks around, wide eyed, with an awestruck, terrified whisper. He's too stricken to get out of his seat, beckoning Adam to him with a hand instead.*

Psst, Adam, come back! I told you to stay with me, remember?

[the sounds I've pulled from afar dissipate back into silence again]

Mmm!! Mmm!!

[I reach to grab Lucifer's hand, pulling him from the seat.]

Ah!

[(you) stay with me]

[I dig through the thick bright cords of drumming heartbeats and pluck once again at the thin faraway strings of the quiet sound]

[hello? I tug gently at the will of (you)]

*will (you) Answer?*

-yes? -no?

[....can... you...]

[..hear me..? ]

*The weak song answers Adam. The rest of the ship isn't quiet for Lucifer though. Something metal, and very tangible, is now faintly clicking around outside.*

Hello?? If someone is there, then... let it be known, I'm not afraid of you!!

[I (can) hear you]

[Where are (we//you)?]

[How odd it is to speak so directly without words, my will tentatively reaching towards yours with effort. You can feel my fear and hope.]

[I am collecting (flowers) for dad]

[I like the blue ones]

*The closest there are are the violets that speckle the surrounding area in small bunches*

*something shiny lingers, tucked away behind a rock.*

Hmm?

[I pick it up]

*it's a feather, a decently large one that must have belonged to a bird. Or perhaps one of the Lilliths left it, the wind having blown it up against the building*

S-Soft.

[I run my hands over the softer part of the feather, watching the iridescent colors change as I turn it over in my hands so the light hits it different]

@seventhnoteoftheuniverse

*The feather sparkles and gleams, it's colors seeming to intensify with each turn in the light. Soon they start to bleed into the air, like a drop of paint in water. A rainbow of magenta and purple surrounds Adam, overtaking the scenery of the Waylay...

The soft grass vanishes, replaced with empty air.

You're falling...

Falling..

Fall- no, there's the ground. It was always there. But it's different now. Cold, smooth tile.

*where did he go?*

__________

[I am somewhere (else)]

[I stand up, and look around. It's darker here, colder (lacking the warmth of a home)]

Hello?

[I gravitate towards the singular light, trying to peer over the desk (I am too small)]

[I walk around to the other side]

Hellooo!

[I look up, wide-eyed at the new figure.]

H-Hello! Hi!!

[I walk up to you, waving]

Mmm lost! W-Where?

[my ocean eyes, meet the reflection of your screen.]

From home! Uhh

*He reaches down and scoops you up, and begins to walk down one of the hallways.*

[I have been picked up]

[I nod enthusiastically, I exist to (learn)]

[I look around in awe at the elevator, and cling to you once it's starts moving]

[I point at the buttons]

W-What that?

[I push more buttons! Pressing some multiple times just to hear the click with each press]

Ah!!

Haha, if you enjoy the elevator panel, I'm sure you'll appreciate this.

*He pulls a lever on the wall, and the massive room thrums to life. Floodlights in the high ceiling reveal a plethora of conveyor belts and machinery, all of which start to move. It's some form of automated assembly line.*

N-Nuh uh

S-Spassip?

*He starts to walk along the catwalk again, following the path of the conveyors as they carry metal plates and engine parts to the other end of the massive room. At the end of the room, metal arms that extend from the ceiling are collecting the pieces brought by the conveyor and assembling them. At the moment, the creation is just a skeleton of metal beams.*

A spaceship is an advanced vehicle for travel, maybe you've seen something like it before. Have you ever seen a boat? :)

[but I can recognize (my) ocean]

Boat!

W-Whats it f-for?

[I look back at the construction, the scent of metal tinges the air as things are screwed and welded in place]

Mmm

*Latho steps off the catwalk, stopping just short of the platform where the pieces are being assembled.*

Y-Yeah!!

W-Whats in s-s-space?

*The metal skeleton slowly takes the shape of a cylinder, as internal mechanisms are slotted into place, followed by outer panelling.*

I c-can go i-in?

[I point at the forming structure]

I see! C-Can see!?

[I excitedly squirm in your arms]

*By now, floor panels have been set in place, so Latho starts to walk again, carrying you into the structure as the walls are slowly patched in. It's a small vessel, something that could probably carry 3 or 4 fully grown people semi-comfortably. The main body of the ship is a seated cargo area, with a simple control room in the front. The soft cushioned captain's chair that Latho sets you in is much too big for your tiny frame. He gives the chair a gentle little spin after he sets you down.*

[I set my hands on the metal control panel, looking up at you as I jump up and down in my seated position]

[Joy!]

Wh-Why no one else w-want?

Mmm!!

Some people just don't appreciate the joys of science, unfortunately.

[I flinch as I am suddenly plunged into darkness, reaching out blindly to grip to your lab coat.]

[I have never experienced (true) darkness.]

[I am suddenly cold (there is no hearth)]

Mmm.

HELLO?

[I call out but am met with no answer (only silence greets me)]

L-LATH?

[again, only my voice echoes against the tight space (my voice was once an echo too)]

[though this time I am (real)]

[and there is nobody(nobody) to comfort me through it.]

MAA?

...

DAAAD?

< LAUNCH SEQUENCE INITIATED >

< DESTINATION.... PRE-PROGRAMMED >

DAAD! DAAAAD!

[I don't want to do this (alone).]

[There are no stars here (I was lied to)]

[I have not safe here (I never was)]

[Tears pricked at my eyes, I don't understand what's going on. There are no windows to see where I am]

*There's a loud rumble that reverberates through the whole ship, followed by an even louder and more prolonged noise. It's the engine firing up, and thrusters blasting on the rear of the ship. The vessel begins to move.*

< LAUNCH SUCCESSFUL. BEGINING PRE-PROGRAMMED ROUTE TO P4R4D153. >

[I am (trapped)]

MHH!!

[I reach out, the threads(existences) here are different (they are not my mother). They do not easily let me hold them (unfamiliar)]

[Despite the new (cold and violent nature of this world), there is something I recognize, a thread so thin and far away I nearly miss it]

[familiarity]

[family]

[my eyes glisten and widen, despite the dark, the glow is soft in my mind]

[hope]

[I reach through the layers of existence, compressing them, pulling my soul close enough to feel the shiny existence of my brother. And tug the silver threads of his eyes, to turn their attention to me.]

.

.

*But it's not quite out of sight yet when Lucifer reaches the floor Lillyth pointed to.

Beyond the elevator door's flashing "no oxygen" warning, the bay doors are still wide open, and Adam's ship is a slowly shrinking star, the bright red of the rockets making it stand out amongst the rest.

It's not too late.*

*Luckily, the god can survive without oxygen. The problem is that the lack of air would make it hard to talk, and he had no clue if this Adam kid needed to breathe.*

*Only one way to find out! Lucifer grit his teeth against the wind and carried up onward.*

[I am (stuck) somewhere i do not want to be]

[it's cold in here.]

[after a few moments I make my way back to the chair, needing to hop up and climb onto it. Curling my wings around myself I try to keep myself from shivering]

< PROXIMITY ALERT >

< LIFE FORM RAPIDLY APPROACHING BEHIND >

< TRAJECTORY SUGGESTS OVERTAKING CURRENT FLIGHT PATH >

< ACTIVATE VIEWSCREEN? >

---

*Stars and space debris fly by, while the ship gradually becomes a closer presence. It doesn't look like there's any obvious door or docking section, but it may just be hard to tell without being right on top of it.*

*Got it! Lucifer clung to the bottom most portion of the ship's siding. He felt his human form stripping away under the pressure, but he ducked his head to his chest and willed himself to stay together for just a little bit longer.*

Hang on, Adam! I'm coming!!

[I do not understand what this means. So I start to push buttons on the controls in (hope)s something will work.]

*The darkness inside the ship suddenly abates a little, as the previously pitch-black wall above the control panel lights up with a view of the passing stars, captured by cameras embedded in the front.*

(Ooc: I tried to find a gif of the old windows flying stars screensaver, best I got was a screenshot tho. Pretend this is moving lol)

*The panel beeps loudly again.*

< PROXIMITY ALERT >

< LIFE FORM DETECTED ON UNDERSIDE OF SHIP >

< INITIATE PURGE? >

---

*There's definitely no doors on this thing, not even an emergency hatch. The only way in, is to make one.*

Just a spark... that's all I need. Come on, Lucifer, work!

*He closed his eyes and cleared his mind. The worries about controlling his powers fell away like a rocket ejecting the weight dragging it down.*

*His chest split open. Immense light and heat poured out between the bars of his ribcage. The raw power of a star burned away the panel until a hole formed, big enough for Lucifer to climb through.*

*Eyes flying open again, he clawed into the opening. His muscles screeched under the pressure. Finally, he flopped inside, just clinging for dear life and relieved as it was that he got in. He concentrated on closing his human skin again while Adam struggled against the controls above.*

AAAA!

AH AH!

[noticing the unfamiliar face I am cautious, until I notice the (familiarity)]

[someone I've seen around the Waylay]

[I rush to you once you are within the ship and cling to your leg]

MMMM!!!

< HULL DAMAGE SUSTAINED, CABIN PRESSURE LOST >

< STABILIZING... STAND BY >

*The control console beeps in alarm as Lucifer burns a hole through the ship. The rapid rush of oxygen into the vacuum of space threatens to drag him right back out, and Adam with him, but only for a moment. Tiny metal nodes in the ceiling and floor light up red, and some kind of force field expands inside the ship, covering the walls, ceiling and floor.*

< INTERNAL SHEILDS ACTIVE >

< CABIN PRESSURE STABILIZATING >

< INITIATING REPAIRS >

*By the time Adam is clinging to Lucifer's leg, the hole has already started to close itself. Scorched wires stretch unnaturally to reconnect, while melted metal edges ooze together into one, like scoops of pancake batter poured too close to each other.*

Ah, haha... Hey, kid! I'm here to rescue you!

*Lucifer got to his feet with a groan, holding Adam under the arms.*

C'mon, let's see if we can't figure out these controls, yeah?

*He sat in the pilot's seat, Adam in his lap, and tried to make sense of what all the various screens and buttons do.*

Mhmm!!!

[I look up to see your intense expression and then look back at the buttons trying to copy it (I am thinking)]

[I press the first button closest to me (I am helping!)]

*4 hours and 38 minutes to find a way to turn this thing around- but then Adam presses a button.*

< CALCULATING... EMERGENCY WARP POSSIBLE >

< INITIATING IN 10, 9, 8.. >

*Lucifer pressed the button Adam pushed again, pulled back a lever, frantically tapped at a keypad to punch in a command. He was way out of his depth and had no idea what he was doing. The boy looked at Adam remorsefully.*

I'm sorry, little guy. You're going to want to hold on tight.

*He brought his legs up so his feet were resting on the chair, pulling Adam towards him. His arms and wings wrapped around his little body. It was funny, he thought, how similar they looked with their wings, like they could be cousins. Lucifer was ready to protect him at all costs. His power began to thrum inside his ribs.*

Waaah?

[I'm worried, but at least I am not alone. You are (warm) safety]

[I cling to you as the ship seems to thrum louder with the sound of electronics.]

W-What-ts n-name?

[I whisper to you, curling up]

*The ship thrums with energy, and then suddenly it feels like plummeting down to the earth on one of those insanely tall roller coasters. The G-Force pins the two feathered boys into the back of the seat. Then just as abruptly as it started, it stops, and ship slows into a complete standstill.

The viewscreen is black now, inactive, and the hole Lucifer made has fully repaired itself. There's no way to see what's making the loud metal whir, followed by two rhythmic THUNKS on the outside hull of the ship. It sounds a bit like something clamping down, but it's hard to tell. The control panel beeps one final message before seeming to shut off.*

WELCOME TO P4RAD153.

No, no, no no no no...

*He knew a Nyarlathotep who tried to build paradise once before. He refused to believe he had been caught up in the schemes of another one to send him back.*

Adam, whatever you do, we are not getting off this ship until we find a way out of this para... place. Do not run away on me.

[you're just as scared as me]

[two small lights in a sea of darkness]

[we cling to each other]

[(I//you) cling to (you//me)]

W-w-what?

[what (now)?]

Hold on a second...

*He closed his eyes and concentrated. The power burst like a lightbulb surging with electricity, making him gasp.*

Ahh, that's not it! I've just... gotta...

*Cool breaths coursed through his lungs. Adam became his anchor as he tried to stay calm. All they needed right now was a way to see, and if he could help with that for even one minute...*

*Slowly, a light inside him glowed. It was bright and dazzling, like a miniature star. It expanded outward, dimmed only by his clothes and the shadows of his ribcage. The light illuminated the cabin. Lucifer laughed triumphantly.*

Haha, I did it! Now we can see what's going on here. How do you like that, Adam?

Wwooaah!!

[I sit up, looking around at the ship with the new light. Squirming to get off the chair]

Mmm!!

[I run across the short space]

[i run back]

[it's too quiet]

[I reach out, looking for strings of life and sound outside of our own ripples of breathing and beating hearts. Is there anything (here)?]

Outside of the ship... there is life. It isn't close, but it is loud. A great thrum of hearts beat in perfect sync high above, like thunder in the heavens. Joyous, rapturous thunder.

There are hints of another sound though.

Something deep below is trying to reach out, too.

The faint and fragile notes

of a song drift up

In

fragments

fighting to not

be drowned

out by

the thunder above.*

*Lucifer looks around, wide eyed, with an awestruck, terrified whisper. He's too stricken to get out of his seat, beckoning Adam to him with a hand instead.*

Psst, Adam, come back! I told you to stay with me, remember?

[the sounds I've pulled from afar dissipate back into silence again]

Mmm!! Mmm!!

[I reach to grab Lucifer's hand, pulling him from the seat.]

Ah!

[(you) stay with me]

[I dig through the thick bright cords of drumming heartbeats and pluck once again at the thin faraway strings of the quiet sound]

[hello? I tug gently at the will of (you)]

*will (you) Answer?*

-yes? -no?

[I am collecting (flowers) for dad]

[I like the blue ones]

*The closest there are are the violets that speckle the surrounding area in small bunches*

*something shiny lingers, tucked away behind a rock.*

Hmm?

[I pick it up]

*it's a feather, a decently large one that must have belonged to a bird. Or perhaps one of the Lilliths left it, the wind having blown it up against the building*

S-Soft.

[I run my hands over the softer part of the feather, watching the iridescent colors change as I turn it over in my hands so the light hits it different]

@seventhnoteoftheuniverse

*The feather sparkles and gleams, it's colors seeming to intensify with each turn in the light. Soon they start to bleed into the air, like a drop of paint in water. A rainbow of magenta and purple surrounds Adam, overtaking the scenery of the Waylay...

The soft grass vanishes, replaced with empty air.

You're falling...

Falling..

Fall- no, there's the ground. It was always there. But it's different now. Cold, smooth tile.

*where did he go?*

__________

[I am somewhere (else)]

[I stand up, and look around. It's darker here, colder (lacking the warmth of a home)]

Hello?

[I gravitate towards the singular light, trying to peer over the desk (I am too small)]

[I walk around to the other side]

Hellooo!

[I look up, wide-eyed at the new figure.]

H-Hello! Hi!!

[I walk up to you, waving]

Mmm lost! W-Where?

[my ocean eyes, meet the reflection of your screen.]

From home! Uhh

*He reaches down and scoops you up, and begins to walk down one of the hallways.*

[I have been picked up]

[I nod enthusiastically, I exist to (learn)]

[I look around in awe at the elevator, and cling to you once it's starts moving]

[I point at the buttons]

W-What that?

[I push more buttons! Pressing some multiple times just to hear the click with each press]

Ah!!

Haha, if you enjoy the elevator panel, I'm sure you'll appreciate this.

*He pulls a lever on the wall, and the massive room thrums to life. Floodlights in the high ceiling reveal a plethora of conveyor belts and machinery, all of which start to move. It's some form of automated assembly line.*

N-Nuh uh

S-Spassip?

*He starts to walk along the catwalk again, following the path of the conveyors as they carry metal plates and engine parts to the other end of the massive room. At the end of the room, metal arms that extend from the ceiling are collecting the pieces brought by the conveyor and assembling them. At the moment, the creation is just a skeleton of metal beams.*

A spaceship is an advanced vehicle for travel, maybe you've seen something like it before. Have you ever seen a boat? :)

[but I can recognize (my) ocean]

Boat!

W-Whats it f-for?

[I look back at the construction, the scent of metal tinges the air as things are screwed and welded in place]

Mmm

*Latho steps off the catwalk, stopping just short of the platform where the pieces are being assembled.*

Y-Yeah!!

W-Whats in s-s-space?

*The metal skeleton slowly takes the shape of a cylinder, as internal mechanisms are slotted into place, followed by outer panelling.*

I c-can go i-in?

[I point at the forming structure]

I see! C-Can see!?

[I excitedly squirm in your arms]

*By now, floor panels have been set in place, so Latho starts to walk again, carrying you into the structure as the walls are slowly patched in. It's a small vessel, something that could probably carry 3 or 4 fully grown people semi-comfortably. The main body of the ship is a seated cargo area, with a simple control room in the front. The soft cushioned captain's chair that Latho sets you in is much too big for your tiny frame. He gives the chair a gentle little spin after he sets you down.*

[I set my hands on the metal control panel, looking up at you as I jump up and down in my seated position]

[Joy!]

Wh-Why no one else w-want?

Mmm!!

Some people just don't appreciate the joys of science, unfortunately.

[I flinch as I am suddenly plunged into darkness, reaching out blindly to grip to your lab coat.]

[I have never experienced (true) darkness.]

[I am suddenly cold (there is no hearth)]

Mmm.

HELLO?

[I call out but am met with no answer (only silence greets me)]

L-LATH?

[again, only my voice echoes against the tight space (my voice was once an echo too)]

[though this time I am (real)]

[and there is nobody(nobody) to comfort me through it.]

MAA?

...

DAAAD?

< LAUNCH SEQUENCE INITIATED >

< DESTINATION.... PRE-PROGRAMMED >

DAAD! DAAAAD!

[I don't want to do this (alone).]

[There are no stars here (I was lied to)]

[I have not safe here (I never was)]

[Tears pricked at my eyes, I don't understand what's going on. There are no windows to see where I am]

*There's a loud rumble that reverberates through the whole ship, followed by an even louder and more prolonged noise. It's the engine firing up, and thrusters blasting on the rear of the ship. The vessel begins to move.*

< LAUNCH SUCCESSFUL. BEGINING PRE-PROGRAMMED ROUTE TO P4R4D153. >

[I am (trapped)]

MHH!!

[I reach out, the threads(existences) here are different (they are not my mother). They do not easily let me hold them (unfamiliar)]

[Despite the new (cold and violent nature of this world), there is something I recognize, a thread so thin and far away I nearly miss it]

[familiarity]

[family]

[my eyes glisten and widen, despite the dark, the glow is soft in my mind]

[hope]

[I reach through the layers of existence, compressing them, pulling my soul close enough to feel the shiny existence of my brother. And tug the silver threads of his eyes, to turn their attention to me.]

.

.

*But it's not quite out of sight yet when Lucifer reaches the floor Lillyth pointed to.

Beyond the elevator door's flashing "no oxygen" warning, the bay doors are still wide open, and Adam's ship is a slowly shrinking star, the bright red of the rockets making it stand out amongst the rest.

It's not too late.*

*Luckily, the god can survive without oxygen. The problem is that the lack of air would make it hard to talk, and he had no clue if this Adam kid needed to breathe.*

*Only one way to find out! Lucifer grit his teeth against the wind and carried up onward.*

[I am (stuck) somewhere i do not want to be]

[it's cold in here.]

[after a few moments I make my way back to the chair, needing to hop up and climb onto it. Curling my wings around myself I try to keep myself from shivering]

< PROXIMITY ALERT >

< LIFE FORM RAPIDLY APPROACHING BEHIND >

< TRAJECTORY SUGGESTS OVERTAKING CURRENT FLIGHT PATH >

< ACTIVATE VIEWSCREEN? >

---

*Stars and space debris fly by, while the ship gradually becomes a closer presence. It doesn't look like there's any obvious door or docking section, but it may just be hard to tell without being right on top of it.*

*Got it! Lucifer clung to the bottom most portion of the ship's siding. He felt his human form stripping away under the pressure, but he ducked his head to his chest and willed himself to stay together for just a little bit longer.*

Hang on, Adam! I'm coming!!

[I do not understand what this means. So I start to push buttons on the controls in (hope)s something will work.]

*The darkness inside the ship suddenly abates a little, as the previously pitch-black wall above the control panel lights up with a view of the passing stars, captured by cameras embedded in the front.*

(Ooc: I tried to find a gif of the old windows flying stars screensaver, best I got was a screenshot tho. Pretend this is moving lol)

*The panel beeps loudly again.*

< PROXIMITY ALERT >

< LIFE FORM DETECTED ON UNDERSIDE OF SHIP >

< INITIATE PURGE? >

---

*There's definitely no doors on this thing, not even an emergency hatch. The only way in, is to make one.*

Just a spark... that's all I need. Come on, Lucifer, work!

*He closed his eyes and cleared his mind. The worries about controlling his powers fell away like a rocket ejecting the weight dragging it down.*

*His chest split open. Immense light and heat poured out between the bars of his ribcage. The raw power of a star burned away the panel until a hole formed, big enough for Lucifer to climb through.*

*Eyes flying open again, he clawed into the opening. His muscles screeched under the pressure. Finally, he flopped inside, just clinging for dear life and relieved as it was that he got in. He concentrated on closing his human skin again while Adam struggled against the controls above.*

AAAA!

AH AH!

[noticing the unfamiliar face I am cautious, until I notice the (familiarity)]

[someone I've seen around the Waylay]

[I rush to you once you are within the ship and cling to your leg]

MMMM!!!

< HULL DAMAGE SUSTAINED, CABIN PRESSURE LOST >

< STABILIZING... STAND BY >

*The control console beeps in alarm as Lucifer burns a hole through the ship. The rapid rush of oxygen into the vacuum of space threatens to drag him right back out, and Adam with him, but only for a moment. Tiny metal nodes in the ceiling and floor light up red, and some kind of force field expands inside the ship, covering the walls, ceiling and floor.*

< INTERNAL SHEILDS ACTIVE >

< CABIN PRESSURE STABILIZATING >

< INITIATING REPAIRS >

*By the time Adam is clinging to Lucifer's leg, the hole has already started to close itself. Scorched wires stretch unnaturally to reconnect, while melted metal edges ooze together into one, like scoops of pancake batter poured too close to each other.*

Ah, haha... Hey, kid! I'm here to rescue you!

*Lucifer got to his feet with a groan, holding Adam under the arms.*

C'mon, let's see if we can't figure out these controls, yeah?

*He sat in the pilot's seat, Adam in his lap, and tried to make sense of what all the various screens and buttons do.*

Mhmm!!!

[I look up to see your intense expression and then look back at the buttons trying to copy it (I am thinking)]

[I press the first button closest to me (I am helping!)]

*4 hours and 38 minutes to find a way to turn this thing around- but then Adam presses a button.*

< CALCULATING... EMERGENCY WARP POSSIBLE >

< INITIATING IN 10, 9, 8.. >

*Lucifer pressed the button Adam pushed again, pulled back a lever, frantically tapped at a keypad to punch in a command. He was way out of his depth and had no idea what he was doing. The boy looked at Adam remorsefully.*

I'm sorry, little guy. You're going to want to hold on tight.

*He brought his legs up so his feet were resting on the chair, pulling Adam towards him. His arms and wings wrapped around his little body. It was funny, he thought, how similar they looked with their wings, like they could be cousins. Lucifer was ready to protect him at all costs. His power began to thrum inside his ribs.*

Waaah?

[I'm worried, but at least I am not alone. You are (warm) safety]

[I cling to you as the ship seems to thrum louder with the sound of electronics.]

W-What-ts n-name?

[I whisper to you, curling up]

*The ship thrums with energy, and then suddenly it feels like plummeting down to the earth on one of those insanely tall roller coasters. The G-Force pins the two feathered boys into the back of the seat. Then just as abruptly as it started, it stops, and ship slows into a complete standstill.

The viewscreen is black now, inactive, and the hole Lucifer made has fully repaired itself. There's no way to see what's making the loud metal whir, followed by two rhythmic THUNKS on the outside hull of the ship. It sounds a bit like something clamping down, but it's hard to tell. The control panel beeps one final message before seeming to shut off.*

WELCOME TO P4RAD153.

No, no, no no no no...

*He knew a Nyarlathotep who tried to build paradise once before. He refused to believe he had been caught up in the schemes of another one to send him back.*

Adam, whatever you do, we are not getting off this ship until we find a way out of this para... place. Do not run away on me.

[you're just as scared as me]

[two small lights in a sea of darkness]

[we cling to each other]

[(I//you) cling to (you//me)]

W-w-what?

[what (now)?]

Hold on a second...

*He closed his eyes and concentrated. The power burst like a lightbulb surging with electricity, making him gasp.*

Ahh, that's not it! I've just... gotta...

*Cool breaths coursed through his lungs. Adam became his anchor as he tried to stay calm. All they needed right now was a way to see, and if he could help with that for even one minute...*

*Slowly, a light inside him glowed. It was bright and dazzling, like a miniature star. It expanded outward, dimmed only by his clothes and the shadows of his ribcage. The light illuminated the cabin. Lucifer laughed triumphantly.*

Haha, I did it! Now we can see what's going on here. How do you like that, Adam?

Wwooaah!!

[I sit up, looking around at the ship with the new light. Squirming to get off the chair]

Mmm!!

[I run across the short space]

[i run back]

[it's too quiet]

[I reach out, looking for strings of life and sound outside of our own ripples of breathing and beating hearts. Is there anything (here)?]

[I am collecting (flowers) for dad]

[I like the blue ones]

*The closest there are are the violets that speckle the surrounding area in small bunches*

*something shiny lingers, tucked away behind a rock.*

Hmm?

[I pick it up]

*it's a feather, a decently large one that must have belonged to a bird. Or perhaps one of the Lilliths left it, the wind having blown it up against the building*

S-Soft.

[I run my hands over the softer part of the feather, watching the iridescent colors change as I turn it over in my hands so the light hits it different]

@seventhnoteoftheuniverse

*The feather sparkles and gleams, it's colors seeming to intensify with each turn in the light. Soon they start to bleed into the air, like a drop of paint in water. A rainbow of magenta and purple surrounds Adam, overtaking the scenery of the Waylay...

The soft grass vanishes, replaced with empty air.

You're falling...

Falling..

Fall- no, there's the ground. It was always there. But it's different now. Cold, smooth tile.

*where did he go?*

__________

[I am somewhere (else)]

[I stand up, and look around. It's darker here, colder (lacking the warmth of a home)]

Hello?

[I gravitate towards the singular light, trying to peer over the desk (I am too small)]

[I walk around to the other side]

Hellooo!

[I look up, wide-eyed at the new figure.]

H-Hello! Hi!!

[I walk up to you, waving]

Mmm lost! W-Where?

[my ocean eyes, meet the reflection of your screen.]

From home! Uhh

*He reaches down and scoops you up, and begins to walk down one of the hallways.*

[I have been picked up]

[I nod enthusiastically, I exist to (learn)]

[I look around in awe at the elevator, and cling to you once it's starts moving]

[I point at the buttons]

W-What that?

[I push more buttons! Pressing some multiple times just to hear the click with each press]

Ah!!

Haha, if you enjoy the elevator panel, I'm sure you'll appreciate this.

*He pulls a lever on the wall, and the massive room thrums to life. Floodlights in the high ceiling reveal a plethora of conveyor belts and machinery, all of which start to move. It's some form of automated assembly line.*

N-Nuh uh

S-Spassip?

*He starts to walk along the catwalk again, following the path of the conveyors as they carry metal plates and engine parts to the other end of the massive room. At the end of the room, metal arms that extend from the ceiling are collecting the pieces brought by the conveyor and assembling them. At the moment, the creation is just a skeleton of metal beams.*

A spaceship is an advanced vehicle for travel, maybe you've seen something like it before. Have you ever seen a boat? :)

[but I can recognize (my) ocean]

Boat!

W-Whats it f-for?

[I look back at the construction, the scent of metal tinges the air as things are screwed and welded in place]

Mmm

*Latho steps off the catwalk, stopping just short of the platform where the pieces are being assembled.*

Y-Yeah!!

W-Whats in s-s-space?

*The metal skeleton slowly takes the shape of a cylinder, as internal mechanisms are slotted into place, followed by outer panelling.*

I c-can go i-in?

[I point at the forming structure]

I see! C-Can see!?

[I excitedly squirm in your arms]

*By now, floor panels have been set in place, so Latho starts to walk again, carrying you into the structure as the walls are slowly patched in. It's a small vessel, something that could probably carry 3 or 4 fully grown people semi-comfortably. The main body of the ship is a seated cargo area, with a simple control room in the front. The soft cushioned captain's chair that Latho sets you in is much too big for your tiny frame. He gives the chair a gentle little spin after he sets you down.*

[I set my hands on the metal control panel, looking up at you as I jump up and down in my seated position]

[Joy!]

Wh-Why no one else w-want?

Mmm!!

Some people just don't appreciate the joys of science, unfortunately.

[I flinch as I am suddenly plunged into darkness, reaching out blindly to grip to your lab coat.]

[I have never experienced (true) darkness.]

[I am suddenly cold (there is no hearth)]

Mmm.

HELLO?

[I call out but am met with no answer (only silence greets me)]

L-LATH?

[again, only my voice echoes against the tight space (my voice was once an echo too)]

[though this time I am (real)]

[and there is nobody(nobody) to comfort me through it.]

MAA?

...

DAAAD?

< LAUNCH SEQUENCE INITIATED >

< DESTINATION.... PRE-PROGRAMMED >

DAAD! DAAAAD!

[I don't want to do this (alone).]

[There are no stars here (I was lied to)]

[I have not safe here (I never was)]

[Tears pricked at my eyes, I don't understand what's going on. There are no windows to see where I am]

*There's a loud rumble that reverberates through the whole ship, followed by an even louder and more prolonged noise. It's the engine firing up, and thrusters blasting on the rear of the ship. The vessel begins to move.*

< LAUNCH SUCCESSFUL. BEGINING PRE-PROGRAMMED ROUTE TO P4R4D153. >

[I am (trapped)]

MHH!!

[I reach out, the threads(existences) here are different (they are not my mother). They do not easily let me hold them (unfamiliar)]

[Despite the new (cold and violent nature of this world), there is something I recognize, a thread so thin and far away I nearly miss it]

[familiarity]

[family]

[my eyes glisten and widen, despite the dark, the glow is soft in my mind]

[hope]

[I reach through the layers of existence, compressing them, pulling my soul close enough to feel the shiny existence of my brother. And tug the silver threads of his eyes, to turn their attention to me.]

.

.

*But it's not quite out of sight yet when Lucifer reaches the floor Lillyth pointed to.

Beyond the elevator door's flashing "no oxygen" warning, the bay doors are still wide open, and Adam's ship is a slowly shrinking star, the bright red of the rockets making it stand out amongst the rest.

It's not too late.*

*Luckily, the god can survive without oxygen. The problem is that the lack of air would make it hard to talk, and he had no clue if this Adam kid needed to breathe.*

*Only one way to find out! Lucifer grit his teeth against the wind and carried up onward.*

[I am (stuck) somewhere i do not want to be]

[it's cold in here.]

[after a few moments I make my way back to the chair, needing to hop up and climb onto it. Curling my wings around myself I try to keep myself from shivering]

< PROXIMITY ALERT >

< LIFE FORM RAPIDLY APPROACHING BEHIND >

< TRAJECTORY SUGGESTS OVERTAKING CURRENT FLIGHT PATH >

< ACTIVATE VIEWSCREEN? >

---

*Stars and space debris fly by, while the ship gradually becomes a closer presence. It doesn't look like there's any obvious door or docking section, but it may just be hard to tell without being right on top of it.*

*Got it! Lucifer clung to the bottom most portion of the ship's siding. He felt his human form stripping away under the pressure, but he ducked his head to his chest and willed himself to stay together for just a little bit longer.*

Hang on, Adam! I'm coming!!

[I do not understand what this means. So I start to push buttons on the controls in (hope)s something will work.]

*The darkness inside the ship suddenly abates a little, as the previously pitch-black wall above the control panel lights up with a view of the passing stars, captured by cameras embedded in the front.*

(Ooc: I tried to find a gif of the old windows flying stars screensaver, best I got was a screenshot tho. Pretend this is moving lol)

*The panel beeps loudly again.*

< PROXIMITY ALERT >

< LIFE FORM DETECTED ON UNDERSIDE OF SHIP >

< INITIATE PURGE? >

---

*There's definitely no doors on this thing, not even an emergency hatch. The only way in, is to make one.*

Just a spark... that's all I need. Come on, Lucifer, work!

*He closed his eyes and cleared his mind. The worries about controlling his powers fell away like a rocket ejecting the weight dragging it down.*

*His chest split open. Immense light and heat poured out between the bars of his ribcage. The raw power of a star burned away the panel until a hole formed, big enough for Lucifer to climb through.*

*Eyes flying open again, he clawed into the opening. His muscles screeched under the pressure. Finally, he flopped inside, just clinging for dear life and relieved as it was that he got in. He concentrated on closing his human skin again while Adam struggled against the controls above.*

AAAA!

AH AH!

[noticing the unfamiliar face I am cautious, until I notice the (familiarity)]

[someone I've seen around the Waylay]

[I rush to you once you are within the ship and cling to your leg]

MMMM!!!

< HULL DAMAGE SUSTAINED, CABIN PRESSURE LOST >

< STABILIZING... STAND BY >

*The control console beeps in alarm as Lucifer burns a hole through the ship. The rapid rush of oxygen into the vacuum of space threatens to drag him right back out, and Adam with him, but only for a moment. Tiny metal nodes in the ceiling and floor light up red, and some kind of force field expands inside the ship, covering the walls, ceiling and floor.*

< INTERNAL SHEILDS ACTIVE >

< CABIN PRESSURE STABILIZATING >

< INITIATING REPAIRS >

*By the time Adam is clinging to Lucifer's leg, the hole has already started to close itself. Scorched wires stretch unnaturally to reconnect, while melted metal edges ooze together into one, like scoops of pancake batter poured too close to each other.*

Ah, haha... Hey, kid! I'm here to rescue you!

*Lucifer got to his feet with a groan, holding Adam under the arms.*

C'mon, let's see if we can't figure out these controls, yeah?

*He sat in the pilot's seat, Adam in his lap, and tried to make sense of what all the various screens and buttons do.*

Mhmm!!!

[I look up to see your intense expression and then look back at the buttons trying to copy it (I am thinking)]

[I press the first button closest to me (I am helping!)]

*4 hours and 38 minutes to find a way to turn this thing around- but then Adam presses a button.*

< CALCULATING... EMERGENCY WARP POSSIBLE >

< INITIATING IN 10, 9, 8.. >

*Lucifer pressed the button Adam pushed again, pulled back a lever, frantically tapped at a keypad to punch in a command. He was way out of his depth and had no idea what he was doing. The boy looked at Adam remorsefully.*

I'm sorry, little guy. You're going to want to hold on tight.

*He brought his legs up so his feet were resting on the chair, pulling Adam towards him. His arms and wings wrapped around his little body. It was funny, he thought, how similar they looked with their wings, like they could be cousins. Lucifer was ready to protect him at all costs. His power began to thrum inside his ribs.*

Waaah?

[I'm worried, but at least I am not alone. You are (warm) safety]

[I cling to you as the ship seems to thrum louder with the sound of electronics.]

W-What-ts n-name?

[I whisper to you, curling up]

*The ship thrums with energy, and then suddenly it feels like plummeting down to the earth on one of those insanely tall roller coasters. The G-Force pins the two feathered boys into the back of the seat. Then just as abruptly as it started, it stops, and ship slows into a complete standstill.

The viewscreen is black now, inactive, and the hole Lucifer made has fully repaired itself. There's no way to see what's making the loud metal whir, followed by two rhythmic THUNKS on the outside hull of the ship. It sounds a bit like something clamping down, but it's hard to tell. The control panel beeps one final message before seeming to shut off.*

WELCOME TO P4RAD153.

No, no, no no no no...

*He knew a Nyarlathotep who tried to build paradise once before. He refused to believe he had been caught up in the schemes of another one to send him back.*

Adam, whatever you do, we are not getting off this ship until we find a way out of this para... place. Do not run away on me.

[you're just as scared as me]

[two small lights in a sea of darkness]

[we cling to each other]

[(I//you) cling to (you//me)]

W-w-what?

[what (now)?]

[I am collecting (flowers) for dad]

[I like the blue ones]

*The closest there are are the violets that speckle the surrounding area in small bunches*

*something shiny lingers, tucked away behind a rock.*

Hmm?

[I pick it up]

*it's a feather, a decently large one that must have belonged to a bird. Or perhaps one of the Lilliths left it, the wind having blown it up against the building*

S-Soft.

[I run my hands over the softer part of the feather, watching the iridescent colors change as I turn it over in my hands so the light hits it different]

@seventhnoteoftheuniverse

*The feather sparkles and gleams, it's colors seeming to intensify with each turn in the light. Soon they start to bleed into the air, like a drop of paint in water. A rainbow of magenta and purple surrounds Adam, overtaking the scenery of the Waylay...

The soft grass vanishes, replaced with empty air.

You're falling...

Falling..

Fall- no, there's the ground. It was always there. But it's different now. Cold, smooth tile.

*where did he go?*

__________

[I am somewhere (else)]

[I stand up, and look around. It's darker here, colder (lacking the warmth of a home)]

Hello?

[I gravitate towards the singular light, trying to peer over the desk (I am too small)]

[I walk around to the other side]

Hellooo!

[I look up, wide-eyed at the new figure.]

H-Hello! Hi!!

[I walk up to you, waving]

Mmm lost! W-Where?

[my ocean eyes, meet the reflection of your screen.]

From home! Uhh

*He reaches down and scoops you up, and begins to walk down one of the hallways.*

[I have been picked up]

[I nod enthusiastically, I exist to (learn)]

[I look around in awe at the elevator, and cling to you once it's starts moving]

[I point at the buttons]

W-What that?

[I push more buttons! Pressing some multiple times just to hear the click with each press]

Ah!!

Haha, if you enjoy the elevator panel, I'm sure you'll appreciate this.

*He pulls a lever on the wall, and the massive room thrums to life. Floodlights in the high ceiling reveal a plethora of conveyor belts and machinery, all of which start to move. It's some form of automated assembly line.*

N-Nuh uh

S-Spassip?

*He starts to walk along the catwalk again, following the path of the conveyors as they carry metal plates and engine parts to the other end of the massive room. At the end of the room, metal arms that extend from the ceiling are collecting the pieces brought by the conveyor and assembling them. At the moment, the creation is just a skeleton of metal beams.*

A spaceship is an advanced vehicle for travel, maybe you've seen something like it before. Have you ever seen a boat? :)

[but I can recognize (my) ocean]

Boat!

W-Whats it f-for?

[I look back at the construction, the scent of metal tinges the air as things are screwed and welded in place]

Mmm

*Latho steps off the catwalk, stopping just short of the platform where the pieces are being assembled.*

Y-Yeah!!

W-Whats in s-s-space?

*The metal skeleton slowly takes the shape of a cylinder, as internal mechanisms are slotted into place, followed by outer panelling.*

I c-can go i-in?

[I point at the forming structure]

I see! C-Can see!?

[I excitedly squirm in your arms]

*By now, floor panels have been set in place, so Latho starts to walk again, carrying you into the structure as the walls are slowly patched in. It's a small vessel, something that could probably carry 3 or 4 fully grown people semi-comfortably. The main body of the ship is a seated cargo area, with a simple control room in the front. The soft cushioned captain's chair that Latho sets you in is much too big for your tiny frame. He gives the chair a gentle little spin after he sets you down.*