The Luna Raven drifted through the morning haze, but the sky around it buzzed like a storm waiting to break.

  Sky?radios crackled with frantic chatter.

  Floating billboards glided between clouds, projecting shimmering headlines that chased the ship like excited birds.

  “Bounty on the Luna Raven increases again!”

  “Stargaze sighted — is the legendary crew returning?”

  “Light Wavers: Fallentop Circuit begins in five days!”

  Elijah leaned over the railing, listening as voices from across the sky overlapped in chaotic excitement.

  > “Stargaze is back!”

  > “No way, they’re entering Light Wavers!”

  > “Hokori’s riding again?!”

  > “I thought they disbanded!”

  > “If Hokori shows up, it’s over for everyone else!”

  Not a single voice mentioned Elijah.

  Not one.

  He wasn’t offended — just stunned.

  He knew Stargaze had a history, but he didn’t know it was this loud.

  Inside the ship, the chaos was even louder.

  Casey was shouting over Aidan.

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  Aidan was shouting over Jaden.

  Jaden was shouting over the universe.

  > Jaden: “Why is everyone talking about us?! We’re supposed to be hiding!”

  > Casey: “Because we’re awesome.”

  > Aidan: “Because we’re entering Light Wavers.”

  > Jaden: “WE ARE NOT—”

  Hokori sat in the corner, silent, arms folded, eyes half?closed.

  He wasn’t denying anything.

  He wasn’t confirming anything.

  He was thinking.

  Elijah watched him, trying to read the unreadable.

  Then the radio blared:

  “Light Wavers — Fallentop Circuit — five days until registration.”

  The room froze.

  Even the ship seemed to hold its breath.

  ---

  The Ship That Shouldn’t Be Flying

  Imala marched into the room with a clipboard and the expression of someone about to ruin everyone’s day.

  > Imala: “Alright. Before anyone gets excited, here’s what the Raven needs to not explode.”

  She flipped the page.

  And flipped another.

  And another.

  Jaden’s soul visibly left his body.

  Imala began reading:

  - Replacement stabilizers

  - Gemwood panels

  - Indarem Metal plating

  - Pulser brickets

  - Two new sail joints

  - A drift?core recalibration

  - Wind?veins that aren’t, quote, ‘crispy’.”

  She said “crispy” like it personally offended her.

  Jaden swayed.

  > Jaden: “That’s not a repair list.

  > That’s a prophecy of doom.”

  Imala continued, merciless:

  > Imala: “And that’s just the essentials. If we want the Raven to actually fly without screaming—”

  Jaden nearly passed out.

  Casey caught him by the collar.

  Aidan whistled.

  > Aidan: “We’re dead.”

  Imala snapped her clipboard shut.

  > Imala: “We need Gemwood, Indarem Metal, and pulser brickets most of all.

  > And Fallentop is the only place that has all three.”

  Jaden groaned like he’d been stabbed.

  > Jaden: “Fallentop? During Light Wavers week?

  > Prices are going to be—”

  > Imala: “Yes.”

  > Jaden: “But we can’t afford—”

  > Imala: “Correct.”

  > Jaden: “Then how are we—”

  > Imala: “We’re going.”

  The ship creaked ominously, as if protesting.

  Hokori finally stood.

  His voice was calm.

  Certain.

  > Hokori: “Five days.

  > We’ll make it.”

  Something shifted in the room — a quiet resolve settling over the crew.

  They weren’t just running anymore.

  They were heading toward something.

  Toward Fallentop.

  Toward the Light Wavers.

  Toward a legacy Elijah barely understood.

  The Luna Raven turned toward the horizon, engines groaning, sails trembling, but still — somehow — flying.

  And the sky?radios kept shouting:

  “Stargaze is back!”

  ---