*Bing-Bong*

We interrupt this chapter in order to address a plot hole that had popped up in the prior chapters, namely, the origins of the fox and sheep spirits that joined the little prince on the Voyager-1 probe.

When Captain Gallop broke through the side of the mountain mines while riding that [Chaos]-based spaceship, his exit point was right where the aformentioned spirits were having an odd heart-to-heart with Blazejudicator and Nepherage.

The latter duo had to eventually bail, though, due to being ordered to clear the way so that Dante didn't have a chance to pull some sneaky bull shit like taking a hostage. However, this also meant the spirits had time to be left alone long enough so that they could cling on to the side of the spaceship while it was on its ascending trajectory.

The two, surprisingly hardy, spirits managed to ride that spaceship all the way pass the cloudline and hop back on to the Voyager-1 probe while it was flying away.

As for what happened to those three after...well, that's a story for another day.

Literally.

The next three chapters are going to be epilogues pertaining to the events of this rebellious shit show.

We now return to your regularly scheduled chapter, thank you.

...

Alright, you really got to take focusing meds or something because this getting ridiculous!

|In this economy?!|

Fair enough.

*Bing-Bong*

___________________________________

Eventually, the light of Captain Gallop's explosive finishing move faded from the night sky as his floating ship also began to dip below the horizon and fade from view.

For all intents and purposes, the newly freed slaves and rebels had no reason to be staring up at the night sky at this point.

And yet, they did.

"Huh..was the sky always this pretty?," a young rebel warrior was asked aloud to no one in particular.

^I...I think so. It's just that we haven't had a good chance to look at it since we were enslaved,^ an older-looking freed slaves commented as he continued to stare at the sky as well. ^Hell, I was on surface wagon duty a couple of times in the past, and yet I didn't care for the sky in the slightest. Damn.^

The older slave had listed off the most common reason why the adult slaves were staring up at the night sky, but failed to realize something important in regards to the enslaved children of the mines and their relation to the sky.

Namely, that didn't have one until just this very moment.

^Big bro, how long would it take for us to reach that ceiling?^ the slave once known as Pebble asked his older brother, now that he was more or less cognizant. ^Because I want to touch one of those gems that are glowing so brightly like a torch!^

^That ain't a ceiling, little brother,^ the slave once known as Boulder patiently explained to his younger counterpart. ^That's the sky. An endless expanse of air that goes all over the world.^

^It does?!^

^Yes,^ the older brother nodded, clearly overjoyed at the return of his little brother's energy. ^And those aren't gems, those are stars. Brilliant lights from a space that exists even beyond the sky. In fact, some say that those stars are actually our ancestors watching and guiding us.^

^Wow...^

As these feelings of warmth and wonder continued to fill the hearts of the slaves, many of them had yet to realize that they were actually digesting all manner of esoteric knowledge that had yet to reveal itself.

However, there was one piece of wisdom that none of them really thought about until one guy asked the question aloud.

"Wait a minute ...where did that galleon fly off to?"

...Yeah, where did that spaceship go?...

[I suppose this is the part where I ship off, now,] Captain Gallop declared as soon as he noticed that one of his hands on the steering wheel was becoming transparent. [If you need me, Admiral, you know how to summon me.]

As soon as that last sentence was spoken into the universe, Captain Gallop's entire body became engulfed in a bright light that would blind anyone watching art this point in time.

Once the light died down, Captain Gallop was replaced by Zhen Liu, Depth Strider, Railhorn, and Pegasoar.

Despite basically dominating the previous fight and barely getting a scratch in the process, the Kaijin Lord and the Gallop Brothers looked absolutely exhausted.

Then again, that exhaustion may have come from the fact that four of them used their combined powers to make a bloody spaceship.

"Well...that was...new," Zhen Liu commented as he steadied himself against the [Storm Queen's Galleon]'s steering wheel. "Are you guys holding up okay?"

[I could use a nap to get my engine back in shale again,] Rail Horn admitted first as he collapsed on to the deck and stared up at the sky. [Didn't expect running as a fusion would make me run so hot.]

[To be fair, we were the first voluntary fusion to be formed,] Pegasoar followed up as he laid down to join his brother. [I can't wait to actually meet the rest of our new tribe. Been awhile since I talked to someone other than your ugly mugs.]

[Speak for yourself,] Rail Horn chided. [My new mug is sexy as hell. Hell, I don't even think I need to use my old human force to charm anyone.]

[Oh, shove it, ya steam engine.]

Depth Strider, initially, didn't say anything as laid down to join his brothers on the deck of the flying ship.

The eldest of the Gallop Brothers was just happy to be alive again, and to have finally gotten their revenge on that bastard Dante.

But as he laid their, and listened to his brothers talk about the more immediate future, he realized that there was something that they were failing to address: whether or not they even had the right to do any of what they were talking about.

They were all originally dead, and were only brought back as kaijin due to happenstance and circumstance working in their favor.

When they accepted the choice to come back, they all knew that it had come with several caveats.

The first was that they were no longer considered human by the wider world, due to obvious and esoteric reasons.

That part didn't really bother them, as they believed that as long as they remembered who they were, that they would always be the Gallum Brothers turned Gallop Brothers.

The second caveat, though, was that they had now sworn their eternal loyalty to the Kaijin Lord Zhen Liu and had to do whatever he said.

Not wanting to ruin the joyous mood, though, Depth Strider decided to make use of their new telepathic abilities to ask the War Chief directly about a few things.

...

[War Chief, there are several things I want to—]

'Let me take a wild guess,' Zhen Liu interrupted, 'You're wondering if you'll now be forced to do whatever I say whenever I say, yes?'

[Yes, War Chief. While we appreciate you bringing us back, we—]

'Don't worry about doing that, I have a whole mess of kaijin that are already willing to whatever I say. I don't mind if y'all have any other goals and thoughts in mind, hell, I don't mind if you guys argue against me now and again. Lord knows, I could use the pushback if try to do something dumb.'

[That...okay,] Depth Strider nodded, feeling simultaneously relieved and deflated. [But what about...]

'You don't have to be at my side 24/7. I can sense wherever you three are in the same way you can sense me. I will be checking in now and again if you do go too far, and I will be chiming in to stop you.'

[Okay, but what about—]

'And if you wish to try and rekindle any old human relationships you lot may have had in your past lives...I ain't stopping ya either. But keep in mind that what you remember, and what they have gone through is a source of disconnect,' Zhen Liu said in a tone that was much more serious than before. 'Dont try and force something that used to be there and was replaced because of time. It's not fair to either of you. Now, is that everything you wanted to ask?'

[...yes.]

'Wonderful. We'll be landing shortly, and I'll see if I can have the others bring around that old flame of yours.'

...

[Huh? What are you two talking about?] Rail Horn asked.

[Nothing, just...getting some knowledge about what we should do from here on out,] Depth Strider informed his brothers. [Do you guys think our old friends and family will recognize us.]

[I mean...]

Before fully answering, Pegasoar took on his human disguise.

"Maybe as long as we look like how we did before we collectively kicked the bucket?"

[That makes sense,] Rail Horn agreed. [But I'm pretty sure you didn't look this good in life.]

[Fuck you.]