Remember when I said that the lantern must have good intentions? I was starting to doubt that.
I could barely tell what was happening, the world around me started changing rapidly. Environments appearing and disappearing in the blink of an eye. I closed my eyes, in part to avoid throwing up, and also because the constant flashing lights were hurting my eyes. I tried to drop the lantern, but it felt like it was glued to my hand.
“What’s happening? I take it back, I don't want this!”
Suddenly the flashing stopped. I slowly opened my eyes to see the world not changing. I fell to my knees and sighed. “Where am I?”
The room I was in was dark and metallic. Pipes ran across the walls, ceiling, and probably under the grated floor as well. There were no windows and the only light sources in the room were the lantern and a single dim fluorescent light directly above me. There were three doors, one in front of me and on either side. I heard heavy footsteps coming from the door on my right.
I looked for a place to hide, however there typically aren’t many of those in hallways. All I could do was go through one of the doors. I was about to make my way through the middle door when I felt a hand grip my shoulder.
“What are you doing here girl?” The voice speaking was deep, but muffled as if wearing a helmet. “Are you human?”
“Uh, y-yes.” Suddenly, with the ease that one might pick up a baby, he lifted me up, turned me around, and placed me back on the ground. I looked up at him, and I mean looked up. He was around seven feet tall and wore high tech black armor with dark brown accents. On his shoulders were large, round pauldrons that held his red cape on his body. The circular lenses in his helmet made it seem as if his eyes were glowing bright red. On top of that helmet was an almost out of place cowboy hat, but he seemed to make it work. At his hip was a clearly modified GDA plasma pistol. “Who are you? How did I get here? Where am I?”
“I am Star Hunter Alexander, I don’t know, and you are on my ship, The Retribution.” Wait, his ship? As in a spaceship? No, that wasn’t possible, he must mean a boat or- “yes I mean a spaceship.” he said as if reading my mind. “What is that?” he asked, turning his head to the lantern.”
“I don’t fully know, I found it in the street and when I touched it I started teleporting a bunch. I don't know what’s happening or what I’m going to do!” As I spoke, more tears started to form in my eyes.
“Hey, deep breaths, try to relax.” he took a second to think, “have you eaten? I don’t have much but I’m going to make a stop for food soon.” he sounded concerned, but still weary.
“A little bit, I forgot to eat dinner.”
“Ok, follow me,” he said, pushing past me, his cape flowing behind him.
Alexander led me through the halls of his ship until we made our way to a small dining room. By small I mean it had a table, a bench for the table, and doors to the kitchen and hallway. It was a little over the size of a large closet. After sitting me down, he went to grab some food. While he was gone I tried to put the lantern down and found it was still stuck to my hand. I put it up to my ear and could even hear a faint hum.
“Ok, I have some bread, some jerky, and some water for you.” Alex said as he walked back into the room. He set the food on the table and sat next to me. I started eating as he began asking questions. “Do you know how you got here?”
I swallowed the piece of jerky I was eating before answering, “well, I found this lantern in the middle of the road, and it told me to touch it, when I did I just teleported a bunch before stopping here.”
He cocked his head, “You just touched it, it talked in your head and you just trusted it?”
“Well it was a little more complicated than that but…” I said starting to defend my actions.
“Doesn’t that belong to The Lantern Bearer? How did it get onto the road?”
“I don-”
“How do I know you didn’t just steal it?”
“I wouldn’t, I didn’t have much time to think about that.”
“Why not?”
“I-” I paused, did I really want to tell some strange man that. If he didn’t like trans people he might kill me. But on the other hand, he seemed like my best chance at figuring out what was happening.
“Well?” he said, the patience seeming to drain from him like water from a colander. I had to tell him something.
“My mom kicked me out. Well, I ran away and she said I couldn’t come back.” I admitted, I decided to leave out why. His posture started to soften as I talked. “I was crying in the rain and it was just there, I don’t know what happened to Evangeline'.”
When I was done he turned and thought for a moment. “Do you mind telling me why you were kicked out? I understand if you don’t want to.” he said, his voice melancholic. “My mom left shortly after I was born. Parents are built up as bastions of unconditional love, but they rarely live up to that.”
I was about to offer my sympathy when I heard the lantern speak, but it wasn’t in my head this time. “Destination determined, preparing to transport.” as it spoke, the hum became louder.
“Shit, what’s happening!” I said, letting go of my new friend.
“You’re probably teleporting again,” he pulled up his arm, which opened at the wrist and produced a tamagotchi sized square with a screen on one end. “We don’t have much time, this will find a suitable meeting point near where you teleport to. Go there and I will find a way to meet you there.” as he spoke, he handed me the device and what remained of the rations. “Good luck and stay safe, I will be there as fast as I can.’
I wanted to protest, why did I have to go? I had just made a friend. Just before I could, however, I was encased in one final flash of light, and Alexander, as well as his ship, were gone.
:3c