The ship soared high above the clouds, engines humming with a steady rhythm as twilight painted the sky in deep orange hues. Below, the scattered islands of the world floated like emerald jewels in a vast ocean of mist.
"TONY, YOU JERK!" Amai shouted, jabbing a finger in his face.
"I told you not to push the button again!"
Tony leaned back in a deck chair, sipping some weird fizzy drink with a skull-shaped straw.
"Heyyy, come on now—it was worth it."
He grinned mischievously. "Kawai's scream was hilarious."
Amai growled, picking up her tiny creature—Kawai—who lay belly-up, twitching from shock.
"You made her pass out!"
"That's on her weak nerves," Tony shrugged, unapologetic.
"Wait!" Eleo shouted, suddenly slapping his cheeks in realization.
"Olorun! You haven't joined the team yet!"
Olorun blinked. "I haven't?"
Kenji, standing tall with his arms crossed, said bluntly:
"No. Eleo has to ask. That's how it works."
Olorun turned dramatically to Eleo. "Then what are you waiting for, Captain!"
Eleo stood up, proudly puffing out his chest like a hero about to give a big speech.
"Olorun!"
He paused.
"Uhhh… would you… like to join my team?"
Olorun saluted with a goofy grin. "Yes please!"
Bling!
A glowing blue message appeared in mid-air:
> [Olorun – Age: 16 | Height: 6'2 | Race: Human]
The two high-fived like they just pulled off the coolest thing ever.
"YEAHHHH!" Olorun shouted, spinning mid-air for no reason and nearly crashing into the helm.
"Alright, Tony," Amai said, regaining her composure, "now push the green button to check the world map. Don't touch anything else."
Tony lazily kicked the control panel. "Boom. Map time, baby."
A glowing blue hologram projected from the center of the ship, floating in the air above them. The whole crew leaned in.
Behind their current position floated Lola Island, lush and vibrant.
"To the left…" Amai pointed, "That's Minari Island."
Eleo tilted his head.
"Wait what are the Minar?"
Tony threw a grape in his mouth. "They're a race of tiny forest folk who live in harmony with nature. They're like... bark-wearing hobbits with PhDs in tree whispering."
Kenji nodded. "They serve as guardians of the forest. Incredibly smart. Also good at hiding. I trained with one once—barely saw him the whole time."
Eleo's mouth formed a big "O."
"Ohhh…" he said.
Then after a beat—"Wait what's a PhD?"
Amai facepalmed.
"Next to Minari is Swordsman Island," Kenji added, his tone proud and unwavering.
"That's my homeland. It's where warriors live and die by the blade. We train from the moment we can walk."
Eleo looked starstruck. "Cool! Do babies fight there?"
Kenji blinked. "…Yes."
"On the right is Kiniki Island," Olorun said, spinning the hologram like a kid in a toy store.
"That's my home! Beaches, parties, and more beaches. Did I mention the beaches?"
"That place was chaotic," Amai muttered.
Tony lazily traced his finger across the map.
"Next to Nuke City is Skeleton Island…"
He raised his arms grandly. "My people. Home of stylish bones and endless afterparties!"
Eleo squinted.
"Where's Pork Island?"
Amai zoomed in on the map.
"Hmph. It's not there."
Tony leaned forward with a smirk.
"Maybe it's too thicc to show up on the map."
"Thicc?" Eleo asked.
"Like... juicy thick?"
Kenji sighed. "Don't encourage him."
Tony cackled.
Amai pointed to the glowing marker ahead of them.
"We're headed toward Silvan Island. Should take a day at this speed."
Olorun leaned back, arms behind his head. "Looks like it's about to be night anyway. Good time to rest."
The sun dipped below the horizon, the sky now painted in hues of violet and starlight. The ship glided smoothly over clouds that looked like cotton candy.
The crew stood on deck under the open stars.
Wind blowing. Lights soft. Spirits settling.
Tony broke the silence.
"Hey Amai, what happens if I push this blue button again?"
Amai shot a glare at Tony.
"Don't you dare. I swear if you press that—"
Tony raised both hands, smirking.
"Relax! I'm not touching it. Just askin' questions. Innocent little ol' me."
He then casually leaned on the panel…
And accidentally elbowed the red button.
VROOOOM!
The ship lurched forward with a burst of speed, sending everyone stumbling back.
Kawai went flying out of Amai's arms again—
"WEEEEE—!"
thud
"...Meep."
"TONYYYYY!" the whole team screamed in unison.
Tony grinned as his coat flapped wildly in the wind.
"Okay okay! That one was on me! But c'mon—totally worth it, right?"
Eleo was clinging to the railing upside-down.
"That was so cool!"
Amai groaned, trying to catch her breath.
"I hate you. I hate all of you."
Olorun laughed while spinning in the air.
"Best. Team. Ever."
Kenji crossed his arms, nodding seriously.
"Okay Amai, can you show us around the ship?"
Amai sighed, already regretting agreeing to live with these lunatics.
"Ugh… alright. Follow me, weirdos."
They headed down into the lower deck, footsteps echoing along the hallway lit by flickering blue lights. The hallway looked way longer than expected.
Tony blinked.
"Yo... this ship big big."
Eleo looked around, mouth open.
"It's like… a maze of awesome!"
Amai stopped at the first door and pressed a button. The door slid open with a "shhhk."
Everyone peeked inside.
The room was completely empty. No furniture. Just wooden walls and a slightly flickering lightbulb.
Olorun squinted.
"…There's nothing in there?"
Amai smirked.
"Yup! That's your guys' room."
"HUHHHHHH?!"
The whole squad's voices echoed through the hallway like a cartoon chorus.
Eleo jumped inside and spun around.
"Hey! This isn't fair! There's no bed!"
Amai shrugged.
"Well, you'll have to buy your own beds. We're not made of money."
Kawai, perched on Amai's shoulder, burst out laughing.
"Meep meep meep!"
All four boys glared. Then without hesitation—
PTOO! PTOO! PTOO! PTOO!
They all spit on her at the same time like synchronized llamas.
"HEY!" Amai barked, wiping her face.
"You jerks! Don't spit on her!"
Eleo folded his arms. "That's what she gets for laughing!"
Kawai stuck its tongue out at them like a smug little gremlin.
"Whatever," Amai muttered, marching ahead. "Let's continue."
The next door slid open… revealing a room so cute and perfect, it felt like it belonged in a magical princess anime.
Pink wallpaper. Fluffy rugs. Posters of sparkly heroes. Four cozy beds with canopy curtains.
"WHATTTT?!" Eleo screamed.
"Why can't we sleep in here?!"
Amai grinned like a cat with a secret.
"Because this is for me… and the girls you're going to recruit for my team party."
Eleo pouted.
"Ok… what about the boys?"
"You can recruit boys too," Amai said coolly. "But you must recruit at least one girl. Or all of you are off the ship. Capiche?"
Tony whispered to Kenji, "I feel oppressed."
Kenji nodded. "This is tyranny."
"Glad we're all on the same page," Amai smirked.
As they descended deeper into the ship, the air grew cooler, and the walls became thicker and more reinforced.
Amai stopped in front of a heavy black door with a glowing red scanner.
She smirked. "Alright, this one's restricted. But since you're technically freeloaders, I'll show you anyway."
She scanned her palm.
BZZZ–CHK.
The door hissed open, revealing a dark corridor lined with sleek lights. They stepped into a long chamber humming with energy.
Inside, rows of mini blasters were locked into rotating mounts built directly into the ship's structure. Each one was compact, slick, and deadly — like futuristic turrets ready to deploy with precision.
The floor vibrated gently with each pulse of the ship's core, and a few of the blasters even tracked the group as they entered.
Kenji's eyes narrowed. "These aren't toys."
"They auto-lock onto hostiles within range," Amai explained. "Each one is connected to the AI defense grid. If someone tries to board us without permission…"
She snapped her fingers.
ZRAK-ZRAK-ZRAK.
Three blasters swiveled to face the hallway and charged up, glowing ominously.
Eleo flinched. "Okay okay, point taken! Sheesh."
Tony walked over to a rack of personal weapons on the wall—handheld blasters, EMP sticks, energy shields, a device labeled "Vapor Dagger".
He picked one up, studying it. "Who built all this?"
Amai leaned against the wall. "My dad was an engineer before he vanished. I kept some of his designs."
Olorun crouched by the edge of the floor where reinforced tubes led out toward the ship's sides.
"These... feed power to the exterior ports."
Kenji nodded. "That means the weapons fire directly from the hull."
"Smart," Olorun muttered. "No wasted space."
Tony pulled a lever near a window.
A panel outside opened, and one of the mini blasters extended out, adjusting itself with smooth movements.
Eleo's eyes sparkled. "Can I shoot it? Just once?"
"Absolutely not," Amai snapped. "Last time Kawai fired one, we lost a lifeboat."
Kawai, still riding her shoulder, squeaked and covered its face. "Mweep…"
They all stood there for a second, admiring the cold precision of the room.
Tony finally spoke. "I like this place. Feels like it's ready for war."
They walked into a cozy library with spinning globes, floating books, and holographic map scrolls.
Eleo tapped one glowing scroll and it projected a giant map of the world.
"Whoa… you can zoom in and everything!"
Amai nodded. "This room auto-records every island you visit. It'll help keep track of your journey."
Tony tossed a book in the air. "Hey, this one's called '101 Ways to Lose a Sea Battle.'"
Olorun grabbed a manual titled "How to Talk to Women (and Not Get Smacked)."
He looked at it solemnly. "This may save my life."
NEXT Room:
The door creaked open to reveal a shiny white room with an operating table, cabinets full of strange herbs and syringes, and a strange machine labeled "Ouch Meter."
Kenji raised a brow.
"What kind of doctor uses something called an 'Ouch Meter'?"
A robotic arm swung down and poked Tony's head.
BEEP.
> "Pain Level: 3/10 – Mild Dumbness Detected."
Tony blinked.
"Hey!"
Amai grabbed a clipboard.
"This room self-diagnoses injuries and has medical tools for emergencies. It also gives you lollipops if you don't cry."
Eleo immediately sat in the chair. "Gimme the lollipop."
The group climbed back topside. The sky was now filled with stars, and the engine hummed beneath their feet.
Amai yawned and stretched.
"Alright… tour's done. I'm heading to bed."
She turned to them, serious.
"No explosions. No button pressing. No fighting. And absolutely NO spitting."
Eleo raised a finger. "What about—"
"NO."
Amai stomped off toward the pink hallway, dragging Kawai behind her by the ear.
Kawai looked back, sticking out its tongue one last time.
As the door shut behind them…
Tony grinned.
"So… anyone wanna redecorate our empty metal prison room?"
Olorun cracked his knuckles.
"Let's paint flames on the wall."
Kenji sighed."Just don't touch anything flammable."
After the long, chaotic tour, the crew dragged themselves down the hallway to their "room"—still just an empty space with floors and walls echoing their footsteps.
They all laid down on the cold floor like a bunch of exhausted toddlers who just lost a fight with reality.
Eleo flopped down first. "Good night, Tony."
Tony, already curled up using his clothes as a pillow, replied, "Good night, Eleo."
Eleo turned his head. "Good night, Olorun."
Olorun gave a sleepy thumbs-up. "Night, Captain."
Then Eleo looked over at Kenji, who had his arms crossed, sitting upright like he was guarding a shrine.
"Good night, Kenji…"
Kenji said nothing.
"…Kenji?"
Still silence.
Eleo's bunny ears suddenly whipped out like ropes and SMACKED Kenji right in the face.
"Say good night back!"
Kenji rubbed his face, sighing. "Okay, okay. Good night."
Eleo grinned and tucked his arms behind his head.
"See? Wasn't that hard."
As the lights dimmed and the ship quietly hummed around them, the crew slowly drifted off to sleep on the hard floor. While the boys grumbled and twisted on the cold metal floor like a pile of discarded socks, Amai was upstairs in the girls' room—her haven of softness and sanity.
The moment she stepped inside, she let out the biggest sigh of the day.
"Finally," she muttered, flopping onto one of the four perfectly made beds, the mattress puffing under her like a cloud. The room smelled like cherry blossoms and lavender, soft pink lighting glowing from little orbs on the ceiling.
Kawai hopped up beside her, curling up like a cat and letting out a tiny snore.
Amai stared at the ceiling for a moment, her expression somewhere between exasperated and proud.
"List of Dumb Things the Boys Did Today"
1. Tony pushed a button (again).
2. Eleo forgot what a PhD was.
3. Kenji admitted babies fight on his island??
4. Olorun almost crashed into the ship wheel.
5. THEY SPIT ON KAWAI.
6. No one said thank you for the tour.
7. Still no beds in their room.
She yawned, set the notepad down, and pulled up her covers.
"…Tomorrow better be quieter."
Kawai let out a sleepy blep.
Amai smiled just a little before whispering, "Good night, weirdos."