Lost In the Stars

by Crabs_of_steam

Vegetable on a spit

After the meeting between Nico and Luna, Nico went off into the forest to hunt for food. "Feel free to explore the forest," he said as he was walking into the woods, "Watch out for the wildlife!" So, for the past few hours Luna has been flying through the forest gazing at the breath taking sights before her. At first glance Luna thought the forest was similar to the ones back at her home, She's never been so wrong in her life. In those few hours Luna saw giant green plant stalks with massive blue flowers sprouting all over it, alien creatures so mind boggling Luna couldn't find the words to describe them, and patches of purple grass.

"Purple Grass!" said Luna to herself, "Now I've seen it all!"

Luna descended to the ground to take a break and relax. She sprawled all over the purple grass, laughing and giggling as she buried her face in the grass. She's never had so much fun in her life. She wished that her sister was here to share this moment with her. That would've been the highlight of this whole journey for Luna, yelling at her sister's face, "I told you that aliens were real! I told you so!"

Luna looked up into the sky and saw planets close and large enough that she could see it with just her eyes. As she gazed at the planet taking each detail into her mind the sun was slowly setting. Luna decided it was now a good time to return back to camp before it became dark.

"Snap!"

Luna jumped from the sound and looked at the surroundings around her. Everywhere, there were trees. Luna remembered Nico's warning before and was about to flee, until she saw a small shadowy figure hiding behind a tree. It disappeared as soon as Luna noticed its presence. Luna wasn't going to take a chance and decided to return to the ship. She spread her wings and was about to take off, but she noticed something behind her. She turned to see a small creature in front of her.

The creature had a massive black and white head that looked too big for its own body. long black arms protruded from the top of the creature's head. They were so long that they drag on the dirt floor wherever the creature walked. To Luna, it looked extremely adorable, so much that she wanted to scoop up the creature and give it a roaring hug.

Its orange eyes stared at Luna's cyan eyes for about a minute and then merrily skipped off as if oblivious to Luna's existence. As Luna stared with awe, she was unaware of another creature behind her. It was the same type of creature that was in front of Luna. The creature's head began to twitch and secrete what could only be saliva. As if ripped open, the creature's massive head slowly began to open, revealing a jagged mouth line big enough to engulf something more than twice the its size. As the creature's lengthy arms circled around Luna, An arrow zipped past Luna and struck the top of the creature's mouth. The power was so great that the creature was flung into the air and became pinned on a tree.

Luna's pupils shrunk at the arrow that went past her. She turned to see the creature hanging from the arrow still squirming. It thrashed its longs arms in the air, smashing the arrow and the tree that held it place. Bits of wood shot up into the air like shrapnel from an explosion as the creature freed itself.

The creature's jaw was lodged open from what was left of the arrow. A long, blood-red tongue appeared from the creature's mouth and removed the arrow. Its eyes changed from an orange to a red pigment, Its arms became more muscular, and its jaw increased in size.

The now monstrous creature charged to pounce on Luna, its arm outstretched to seize her. Before Luna could flee and take off into the air, a blur of blue light zipped past her and towards the creature. "Slash!" The sound of metal cutting through flesh rung in Luna's ears. The next the second, Luna saw the creature rolling towards her, along with its dismembered head. Luna looked up to see Nico with a sword painted green within his hands. After he cleaned his sword by rubbing it off the purple grass, Nico turned to Luna and laughed at her shocked expression. "Didn't I tell you to watch out for wildlife!"

Luna pointed her hoof at the corpse and sputtered, "It-it-"

"Tried to eat you? Yes, good observation there." He then knelled down and scooped the creature's dismembered head. "Ooo this is heavy. Care to help?" Nico gasped.

"Are you really gonna eat the beast that tried to eat me?" Questioned Luna.

"Well, being marooned on a planet as well as hardly having any provisions doesn't leave a man with many options. Would you kindly?"

Luna shook her head and let out a sigh. She levitated the creature's head from Nico's hands into the air. "Well, don't make me eat this." Luna shuddered as she looked at the head, its mouth still ajar with its tongue sticking out.

Nico picked up the creature's small body and slung it over his shoulder. "Why? Vegetarian? Don't worry about it. this little beast is a plant! if I remember correctly it's called a um..... a poptop." Nico began to walk back to camp, Luna went after him.

"'Poptop'?" Luna said sarcastically, "Oh! I have never been so sorely mistaken! Please, enlighten me of this plant you call a 'poptop'."

"Oh, ha, ha. Well, poptops are a plant species. They're very cute when they want to be. A few minutes ago you were starring at one in the face. Trust me don't let looks deceive you, that's how they get you. They get you from behind while your distracted by their cuteness. It proves my theory back in high school, cuteness is a weapon. And that reminds me, Luna can you please turn around."

Luna obeyed Nico and turned around. The sun had already set and it was already too dark to see anything clearly. Luna could see only orange eyes staring at her and Nico.

Nico continued to talk. "Another thing interesting of poptops is that they don't eat you. Of course they 'eat' you but they don't swallow you. They only just chew on you continuously to get your succulent nutrients. In all honesty they're not really dangerous unless provoked and if you don't pay attention to them. Luna?"

Luna wasn't paying attention to Nico, she was more concerned of the countless orange eyes that were staring at her. "Nico," Luna gulped, "Have I ever told that I can use teleportation?"

"You can? Then get us outta here please, I see orange eyes as well."
----------------------------------------

Nico sat down by the campfire. "Alright I finished installing the turrets so we'll be safe from any pesky creatures that want to make a meal out of us. Could you please lend me your hoof for a quick sec?"

Luna was right next to him staring at the dark sky filled with stars. She obeyed and held out her hoof. Nico then pulled out a syringe and injected something into Luna. "Ow!" she yelled, "Hast thou gone nimble-footed! what was that?"

Nico was thrown back from the force of the great Equestrian voice. "Woah!" he shouted, "That was just something for the turrets so they can recognize you and not shoot! I should've told you I'm sorry, I didn't expect you to go all Shakespearean and knock me off my ass! My ears are ringing."

Luna began to blush. "Sorry, force of old habit."

"It's okay, it's my fault. Anyway, I think the poptop has been cooked enough for eating." He turned to the food on the spit that's been roasting for fifteen minutes. Nico never felt more excited to eat a vegetable in his life. He grabbed his sword and carved a piece and offered it to Luna.

Luna backed her head away from the offering. "Uhh, no thanks."

"Oh come on Luna. It's just a carnivorous plant. It's a roasted vegetable now! Eat please."

Luna gave out a long sigh. She levitated the slice of poptop to her mouth and took a small bite. She slowly chewed trying not to get sick that the thing she was eating something was once alive. "It's actually good." said Luna with a small smile on her face. She then had a thought. "It was actually good? I'm the worst."

Nico jumped with joy. "Yes! I'm so proud of you! Here, have an apple." Nico held out his hand to Luna and an apple appeared in his hand.

Luna gazed at the apple then at Nico. "You had apples this whole time?"

"Yes, I did. Apples are a luxury to me and I want to save them in case we really do need them." Nico pointed to his ship. "I'm gonna go to the ship to get a drink. Here's my sword if you want to carve yourself some more." He left his sword in front of Luna and walked off.

"Do you require me for light?" Luna called out.

"No thanks, I'm good!"

Nico brought out his flashlight and jumped up through the ship's open door. He turned on his flashlight and made his way to the ship's cockpit. Many memories began to surge through Nico's mind as he walked through his ship. Nico could recall many events he had with his ship, from using it to save Apex insurgents from their tyrannical government to its many scuffles in space. Countless times the ship saved Nico on his daring escapes when things got dangerous. The many times he spoke to the computer of the ship gave him more comfort than anyone else has since he first started his voyage. To Nico, his ship was like home. Now it's just a shell of what it used to be just like his last home.

Nico found himself in his pilot's chair, his hands clutched tightly to the ship's controls. He released them and stared blankly at the charred control panel. Nico remembered why he was here and grabbed the flashlight resting on his lap. he went underneath the control console and opened a secret compartment. Inside was a single brown bottle with a label, it read whiskey. As Nico grabbed the bottle something fell on the floor. He picked it up.

It was a photograph of two men, one looked liked he was in his forties while the other looked to be twenty. They both had the same brown skin color, black hair, and wore the same blue colored jumpsuit. The older man's arm rested around younger man as they both smiled. Behind them were a line of ships that were similar to Nico's ship.

Nico flipped the photo and saw writing on the back. Nico, sometimes I find it hard to believe how much you've grown. Once you were just barely learning how to walk, next your making spaceships alongside me. You made me proud. I knew you wanted to be an astronaut when you grew, so I wish you're as happy as I am. If there's anything that ever troubles you, come straight to me, but if I'm not there be strong and face your problems with a positive attitude. -Your Loving Father 5/25/2076

"I will, Dad." Nico silently muttered with a small smile.

Nico walked off with the bottle of whiskey and photo in hand. He spotted his helmet on the ground and picked that up as well. When he returned to the campfire he saw Luna eating more of the Poptop. Luna noticed Nico and asked him, "What do you have their Nico?"

Nico hid the photo in his Millennium side-pocket. "Just my helmet and a bottle of whiskey." Nico sat down and carved off a piece of poptop for himself. "You want some whiskey?"

Luna shook her head violently and sputtered, "Oh, no thanks. My sister tells me to refrain from alcohol, said it blurs the mind. Is it true?"

Nico popped off the cap and took a sip from the whiskey. "Yes, but only if you drink too much. I don't really drink alcohol that much really, only on special occasions."

"And what special occasion would that be if I may ask?"

"You crashing my ship, so a perfect occasion indeed." Nico noticed Luna blushing violently and handed her the bottle. "Here, your sister is not here to bother you now. Your also older than anyone else that I know, at least in human standards."

"Human?"

"That's my species. I'm a Human. And Your uh, a Pony Alicorn?"

"Yes." Luna took a swig of whiskey, she then started to gag and retch from the strong flavor. "How in Tartarus do you drink this?"

Nico laughed and slapped his knee from seeing the Alicorn cough and gag from the drink. "Well you don't drink it for the flavor that's for sure."

As Luna was wiping her face of the drink she asked another question, "Nico, do you have family as well?"

Nico paused from this question. Luna thought he didn't hear her because of the crackling wood of the campfire, but Nico spoke. His voice sounding like it was forced from expressing any emotion. "I have a family. Mother, Father, three younger sisters, and a lot of cousins back at home. Can I have my bottle back?" Luna levitated the bottle of whiskey to Nico. Nico drunk half of the bottle's contents. He belched and wiped his mouth with his arm.

"Are we ever gonna stop at your home?"

"Not anytime soon, Luna."

"Why not? Don't you miss them?"

"Yes I miss them, but I can't due to many circumstances. Someday. Won't your sister miss you?"

Luna frowned. "Nico, are you okay? Is there anything troubling you?"

"No, I'm alright, really. I'm just concerned about you."

"Why me?"

Nico became more angry. "I have a Princess in my presence and I could only presume her kingdom is in chaos searching for her!"

"What are you saying Nico?"

"You know what I'm saying Luna. I can't keep you with me, your people need you! I have to return you where you belong!"

Luna turned her head away. "If that is what you believe, so be it." Luna began to sniffle.

"Luna," Nico scooted closer to Luna and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Please, don't be so sad. I'm sorry, I'm just concerned about your people and your responsibility as a princess." Luna turned her head to Nico, tears were dripping from her face. Nico wiped the tears away from her eyes and said, "I know what I said when we first met. Don't think of this as the end of your adventure, but the beginning of an adventure to get you home. Tomorrow, were going to build a distress beacon to get help, and I'm going to take you to a planet filled with many different aliens. After that, we get parts to fix my ship as well as fuel then fly you back home. How does sound Luna."

"Will I ever get to see you again?" Luna sniffed.

Nico tilted his head and smiled. "Luna, you broke my ship. I'm not gonna let you outta my sight!"

Luna chuckled and started to smile. "Thanks Nico."

"Alright, lay down and watch the stars with me. You're such a drama queen, and you call yourself a princess?" Nico laughed when Luna punched him on the arm.

Nico and Luna laid down and starred at the starry night sky. Countless stars of many hues dot the sky. the orchestra of color and light was accompanied by the occasional comet and a shooting star. It wasn't much for the duo to be captivated by the majesty of the night sky.

"Luna," said Nico as lifted his upper body from the ground, "Have this." He placed a small rectangular device on her stomach.

Luna craned her head to see the device. "What is this Nico?" she asked.

"It's called a codex. It's used to record and contain information. I mainly use it just as a field journal. It contains information on different creatures and other alien creatures, I encountered. You should have this."

Luna felt touch by this and blushed. "That's so thoughtful of you Nico, thank you."

"Ah don't mention it. After that poptop encounter, I just don't want you to get eaten, or chewed up. Do you want more whiskey." Nico shook bottle, swirling its contents.

"No thanks." Luna replied.

Nico and Luna continued to watch the stars until they slowly feel asleep. Tomorrow, they will work on escaping from the planet.

Author's Note:

Introducing, the codex! I'll be making small bonus chapters that will include some info on a creature or alien, as well as Nico describing his experience. There's also gonna be artwork. Bad artwork because it will be done by me. It will be posted on perhaps on a weekly basis (or whenever I feel like it).

On other news I will be going to youth camp tomorrow morning and I won't come back till the 24th, so you won't hear another peep from me. Until then, be patient.

The Poptop creature was taken from a fellow Starbound fan. Here's the link if you're still curious about the Poptop and the wonderful artist that brought him to life.

Comments

[Amethyst Blade]

It's interesting...

[Hoploo]

"We'll build a distress beacon."
A score shall be settled.

[Hoploo]

Reminder: dreadwing usually sends a goon to attack someone with a distress beacon, he would not go himself.

[Crabs_of_steam]

4734951 Oh don't worry about that. Dreadwing is gonna do more than just send a single goon to get Nico.