Jinx sat on a couch, her arms folded across her chest as the doors hissed open and Josephine walked inside.
"Decided yet?" Jinx asked, and scoff afterward:
"What am I saying? You'll need more than two hours for that—"
"I already decided," Josephine cut her off, walking straight to the control seat.
"It's true I don't know my feelings toward Sunny. Maybe I'm using him, or he's using me. All I know is he saved my life and the lives of my people. Not only that, but he helped my nation get back on its feet."
A resolute, cold expression was on her face. "I'm just going with the flow, following the mating bond, so what?"
"Huh?" Jinx looked at her in confusion.
"The bond was created for a reason, and as long as I'm marked by him, I'll always be beside him."
She pushed a button, automatically starting the starship. "You know why?"
She turned to Jinx. "I owe Sunny more than my life, and I won't hesitate to give him mine in exchange." She lowered her gaze, sighing.
"I don't know about Ellen, but... I will try my best to love and take her as my own daughter." She looked up at the dumbfounded Jinx.
"You also asked if I love Sunny or if I'm just using him for my goal... Well, what if I am?" She turned back to the screen.
"Everyone in this galaxy has a goal. Although I don't know where my heart lies, I know what I want."
A slight smile played on her lips. "My parents died because they were weak. If I'm a bad person for using Sunny to get strong, I don't care. No matter what happens in the future, my people must survive."
"You never have a say in anything. Whatever Sunny decides, you just go with the flow and follow. Is that because you want to get stronger with his help? If that happens, then what?" Jinx asked calmly.
"Are you saying I should go against him?" Josephine asked, looking at Jinx over her shoulder.
"No... I'm just saying your opinion matters in most decisions. For example, with Nicolas and the Blood Eye people moving, you didn't say anything about it, you just went with the flow." Jinx sighed.
"What kind of couple are you two? One makes a plan without the other's input, and the other just goes along with it. Both of you are simply using each other, and when you solve this issue, that's when your people and nation can grow."
Josephine thought for a few seconds, then a slight smile appeared on her face. "Thank you, Jinx."
"Huh?" Jinx was caught off guard by the 'thank you.'
"For what?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.
"For everything. At least you showed me how stupid I was to think everything would be better by just going with the flow, and maybe... I will be free." She exhaled.
"You said it, we have more enemies in this galaxy and beyond." She looked at Jinx. "Tell me, what was your life like before?"
Jinx's eyes narrowed to the size of a needle, and she looked away.
"Nothing worth mentioning."
Josephine stared at her for a moment and nodded. "Okay... Thanks again. Once Sunny gets back, there are things I need to put in place."
Jinx remained silent, moving only one eye in Josephine's direction before looking away again.
'The galaxy is just a fish in an ocean.' Jinx thought, closing her eyes as the starship flew out from the Dragon planet, the warships and battleships following behind.
_____
[Planet Gaia.]
"Cough! Cough!"
Star's gaze swept over her surroundings, seeing nothing but smoke. She clenched her fist, shattering the battleship's glass and jumping down. Her feet touched the blackened soil as she took in the desolate landscape.
"Cough! Is anyone around?" she yelled, looking around.
'I'm in my armor, so why do I feel so weak?' she thought, looking up at the dark storm, seeing red and black lightning striking intermittently.
"And... what planet is this?" she muttered, lowering her gaze.
"Is... is that smoke? The others might be there!"
She brought out her bat wings and flew into the air, only to plummet to the ground.
"What the?! Why can't I fly?" she asked, looking at her wings, then at the storm.
"Is it because of this storm?" She stood up.
"Then I'll have to run. I can't use my skills." She gritted her teeth as her wings retracted and her armor on her back closed up again.
"The celestial energy is thin... And my celestial energy limit has been reduced by half. Is that even possible?" she muttered, starting to run toward the smoke in the distance.
"What if someone with a 100 celestial energy limit entered this planet? Does that mean they would have to survive with only 50 celestial energy? Where does the rest go?" she speculated, increasing her pace.
"I don't know anything about this place, no matter what, I must save my energy... I might need it!"
____
[Five Minutes Later.]
Star stopped in her tracks, staring at the smoke emanating from the battleships before her.
Five of her team—two men and three women—stood, all trying to lift a rock off one of their members.
"What happened?" Star asked, walking toward them.
"Commander! Thank goodness you're alive! She's trapped, and we're trying to help!" a lady quickly reported.
Star nodded at the fox lady's words, staring at the girl pinned under the rock. "Have you guys tried using your powers?" she asked.
"Yes... But our celestial energy isn't enough to use any powerful skill," said one of the men, a human, while trying to lift the rock.
"I don't know what happened, but all our celestial energy has been reduced by half."
"Please, you should all go! Maybe look for help," the lady under the rock said with difficulty.
"Even if you get me out of here, I'll be useless; both my legs are crushed."
"No way! We're all going back!" Star said, but before she could take a step forward:
BANG!!!!!
The ground trembled, stunning the seven of them.
"What was that?!"