It hadn't been easy reaching this point. Tingyun sighed, her gaze drifting toward a ship anchored on the sea of clouds.
She shifted her weight with a faint, almost imperceptible wince, her hand brushing the frayed edges of her tail, now missing a fair bit of its once-lustrous fur. A rueful smile tugged at her lips as she lamented under her breath, "So much of my beautiful tail… rubbed away along the journey."
Yet as her eyes settled on the ship before them, a bright smile blossomed across her face. She turned slightly, angling her body to give the group behind her a full view of the vessel, her gesture as graceful as a practiced merchant welcoming esteemed guests. Her hand swept outward in an inviting arc as she spoke again, voice light with relief.
"Still, though the journey was fraught with obstacles, the final stretch went without a hitch. Look, benefactors—this is the ship I mentioned…"
But her voice faltered mid-sentence. Tingyun's smile froze, and she slowly glanced behind her, towards her tail.
There, Felicity stood silently, her presence unnoticed until now. Her slender fingers were buried in Tingyun's tail fur, kneading it with a curious, almost reverent touch. A glimmer of delight shone in her eyes, her voice soft and tinged with a hint of mischief.
"The real thing… Hehe."
She had been yearning for this moment, secretly coveting Tingyun's fluffy tail for longer than she'd care to admit. The chaos of their journey had delayed her intentions, but now, with a moment's peace, her hands had acted before her mind could catch up.
"…Benefactor?"
Tingyun's voice trembled slightly. She stumbled back, her steps light but hurried, tugging her tail free from Felicity's hands. Her heart raced—despite her gentle nature, there was something about Felicity that stirred an inexplicable sense of dread within her.
"A proper massage will restore the tail to its original glory. I'm merely lending a hand."
Felicity's tone was utterly serious, as though her fingers were performing some sacred ritual rather than indulging in a private obsession. She continued massaging, weaving in a faint trace of Blessing of Abundance—though the energy could do no more than make the fur a little fluffier.
Tingyun forced a smile, her posture impeccable despite the unease coiling in her chest. "I appreciate the thought, but we should depart now."
Her gaze flickered toward the ship, then she raised her hand, making a courteous gesture. The practiced smile on her lips barely faltered.
"Please, take your seats on the vessel. We'll set off at once."
Only then did Felicity reluctantly release her grip on Tingyun's tail, her gaze lingering on the Starskiff. A flicker of doubt crossed her eyes. She could clearly sense it—the faint pulse of Abundance energy emanating from the ship's core.
"Hey… is this thing safe?"
March 7th's voice trembled as she peeked nervously over the railing. Her eyes widened at the sight of the boundless sea of clouds below, the sheer drop leaving her breathless. She instinctively clutched at Stelle's sleeve, seeking reassurance.
Stelle shook her head, still dazed. From the moment she'd arrived at the Xianzhou Luofu, it felt like she had been swept into chaos without a moment's warning. And she still hadn't found the trash can she so desperately sought.
"It should be fine," Welt spoke calmly, voice steady and reassuring. "The Starskiff of the Xianzhou Luofu is a marvel—renowned for its stability. The odds of a mishap are negligible."
He stepped forward without hesitation, taking the lead. His cane tapped lightly against the Starskiff's deck as he boarded, then he turned back, gesturing for March 7th to follow.
"Come on up. No problem at all."
"Yeah!" March 7th responded with a burst of enthusiasm, though her steps were tentative.
Felicity followed next, her curiosity unabated. She rapped her knuckles against the side of the Starskiff, listening to the hollow sound resonate beneath her fingertips. Her eyes narrowed slightly. That unmistakable pulse of Abundance… Could it really be harnessed like this?
The thought sent a ripple of excitement through her. If she could craft deer and robots, why not a boat?
"Don't worry, benefactor." Tingyun's voice was light and teasing as she boarded last, catching March 7th's lingering apprehension. Her tone was gentle, comforting. "For merchants like us, piloting a Starskiff is a basic skill."
She pressed her foot down on the accelerator, and the wheel beneath the tail of the Starskiff hummed to life, glowing with a soft, pulsing light. The ship jolted gently, the surge of energy rising within.
Or at least, it was supposed to.
The Starskiff began to inch forward—painfully, almost embarrassingly slow. Tingyun's brow furrowed. Her fingers twitched on the joystick, nudging it experimentally.
March 7th and Stelle exchanged bewildered glances.
"Eh?"
Tingyun's frown deepened. She adjusted the controls, her confusion mounting. What had gone wrong?
Of course, she couldn't have known—the culprit was Felicity. In her quiet fascination, she had drawn a sliver of the Starskiff's Abundance energy into herself for study, disrupting its balance.
The Starskiff's design was simple at its core—an intricate combination of plastic metal, biological material, jade, and more, all intricately carved with the Blessing of Abundance. As long as the main structure, the Fallow Earth, and the Ligneous Freeroamers imbued with Abundance were properly aligned, the ship would grow according to the schematics.
But the true heart of the system—the mysterious Jade Wheel—was another matter entirely. It fed on the life force within the Fallow Earth, regulating the vessel's gravity and power.
Felicity calmly injected the power back into the Starskiff, restoring its flow. Yet there was one thing she hadn't accounted for: the Blessing of Abundance drawn from the Ambrosial Arbor was inherently weaker than her own. What she had taken in as a whisper of vitality now returned stronger—subtly transformed by her own power.
What entered her body as the breath of a small tree now pulsed with a deeper, more robust life when released.
"I apologize, benefactor," Tingyun began, a rare hint of contrition in her voice. "The Starskiff may have suffered a minor disturbance, but—"
Before she could finish, the ship lurched forward without warning. It surged ahead in a sudden, breathtaking burst of speed, the force slamming into Tingyun's senses like a tidal wave.
"Ahhh—!" Tingyun shrieked, her voice cracking as she gripped the controls in desperation. She tried to reduce the speed, but no matter how she adjusted the levers, the Starskiff continued to rocket forward—its slowest setting now matching the previous maximum.
"No way—!" March 7th yelped, stumbling, and instinctively clung to Felicity's arm.
Felicity remained composed, her lips curving faintly in amusement, while Welt's expression barely shifted—though if one looked closely, a flicker of excitement danced in his eyes.
"…Sorry to have kept you waiting."
Tingyun's voice was tight, her smile strained as she bowed lightly to the inspector who had just issued her a speeding ticket—the very first she had ever received. The stiff formality in her posture did little to hide the simmering frustration beneath her skin.
How had it come to this?
Forcing herself to regroup, she waved her Gathering Bone Fan with a practiced flourish, her voice brightening once more.
"Please allow me to officially welcome you all to Central Starskiff Haven, on behalf of the Sky-Faring Commission."
Her tone softened, but there was a faint note of regret lingering beneath the words. "I had hoped to offer you a proper tour and fulfill my duties as a gracious host… but time is tight. Let's head directly to the Palace of Astrum and report to Lord Yukong."
Her gaze drifted toward the towering structure in the distance, her expression faintly wistful. She gestured subtly, voice low but firm.
"See that building? The tallest in the city—that's the Sky-Faring Commission's headquarters. Let's not waste time. Please, follow me."
"Wait a moment—"
Felicity's voice rang out, halting Tingyun in her tracks. Her heart raced; if they charged straight to the Sky-Faring Commission, the intelligence she'd gathered from Lord Ravager would be wasted.
No, she needed to act. Now.
Her gaze shifted to Welt, her expression steady. Felicity never excelled at fighting over matters with others—so she would simply toss the problem his way and let him think it through.
"Before we proceed, there are preparations we must make."
Felicity's eyes gleamed as she spoke. The tension in the air sharpened.
--+--
T/N: Bro I had to look up the creation of a Starskiff... who actually puts this in a fanfic.