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Rocky had been excited amaze thrilled fulfilled as he and Best Friend Grace were approaching his ship.
These last I∀λ+λII days had been an Odyssey, a concept that he'd learned from the Human Thinking Machine and Grace. A long journey of sadness and horrors leading up to moments of greatness and hope. Really, only in the last ∀∀IV days had things seemed to harmonize, a single note growing back into a crescendo.
Grace. Grace's people. The strange 'Barbieland' aspect.
Magic was a concept that Eridians also had. The word didn't directly translate, more 'concept that has not been explored in full from a mathematical aspect' or 'things that cannot be explained by current science,' but their version was a little more hopeful, filled with strange possibility that twisted the universe.
Very strange and powerful, but not without a fuel to it.
Rocky knew that it would be a concept that Adrian would adore, as did Rocky. He wanted to play with it, but, more so, he wanted to just. See it.
See his crew.
Know that they were alive in some way.
He missed them so much, and hearing their tones over the cell phone had healed something in him.
They had died but survived, lived somewhere off in the universe where Rocky could find them. They may not be able to return to Erid, but they were alive aloud alive.
Grace had been something else when they'd met. A strange alien who filled the blanks where Rocky, sadly, fell short. Who not only explained why the universe had harmed the Eridians but then somehow fixed it.
Rocky loved the human. Best Friend wasn't enough. In Rocky's mind, he'd already folded Grace into his Resonance, a person who was not genetically related to Rocky but was considered the closest family. Adrian was Mate, and now Grace was DemiMate. Like Mate, but not in the same way.
Rocky would need to ask for word in future.
Oh, wait, he had to focus on what the Engineer was saying.
"...and we should be seeing your ship any moment!" Engineer spoke. Rocky had been asleep when Engineer first began to speak to them, but Rocky had come in at the important parts.
The engineering parts.
Engineer was not as skilled as Rocky in some ways, but he was vastly ahead of Grace. He also had some interesting ideas on space-time and constructing engines that could shorten the span of time between their planets when not accounting for what had been dubbed 'Barbieland Space.'
A strange, interesting man that Rocky looked forward to meeting!
Rocky and Grace had made it to the strange human-not-human ship. Just at arrival, feeling the vibrations under his claws, he could see the massive vessel that would rival his own ship, filled with many many many humanoids.
He was saddened that his Crew could not meet them, but he was also astounded by what he'd arrived on. Already he could hear Grace cry tears of joy as he was held by Grace Twin, many others crowding around them.
(To another side of Rocky's mind, he recognized how Grace was different and yet same to all those aboard. Generally, there seemed to be a divide between leaky space blobs and more solid humanoids. The tall, long-haired humanoid who had introduced herself as Space Captain Barbie did not have the same internal systems as Grace. Barely a detectable shutter of anything internal, like it was solid and not at the same time. Another, the co-captain, was clearly as Leaky Space Blob human, with organs and a heart and all the squishy bits.
Grace had oscillated between these two extremes during their journey, mostly being Bloby and Loud Loud Alive Aloud when he was around Rocky. Sometimes, there was an emptiness there, which was worst when Rocky had briefly risen to consciousness while they recovered before he fell back into slumber. It was clear that Grace Twin had that Sameness to him, though, now, as the two were embraced on the ground, their heartbeats seemed to crescendo and peak, their breathing rapid and organs singing. Barely any signs of the Strange Solidness, though Rocky could look to find spots here and there.)
"It's good to have you aboard, Rocky and Grace!" One of the Solid Humanoids spoke, greeting the two.
"Must give thank thank thank for welcome!" Rocky spoke. Unlike Grace, who forgot things constantly, Rocky remembered to bring his Human Thinking Machine and a custom made harness that allowed it to attach to his carapace. He'd also been careful not to break it when Grace was, of course, Grace.
There was a Squishy Human who seemed to vibrate as they approached. They had on a silly little hat and a strange outer layer. "It's good to finally meet you, Rocky!" The person spoke.
Rocky jumped, immediately recognizing the voice. "Engineer! Good good good to meet you!" He pushed his hand into the mesh part of his ball, offering it out in the human motion that he'd learned from Grace's movies.
The man stilled before seemingly shaking harder. "Oh my heavens I get to shake the hand of an alien!" He spoke before jumping down to Rocky's level. He gently took the offered hand, and, due to the limited mobility, could only shake a little. Rocky was unaware, but this was far below his usual hand-shaking vigor.
"Engineer, we must discuss more on your ideas on time-space when Grace not so leaky. Also, must show me your lab." Rocky spoke excitedly. Human technology was strange, sometimes stupid, but ultimately fascinating to the Eridian. He was sure that any of his Thrum would be dying to be in his place.
"You can call him by his name, you know." Another Squishy Human spoke. Rocky rapidly took in the new speaker's features. He was very similar to Engineer, though he had longer hair and a prosthetic where his second arm should be, a fact that might not have been obvious if Rocky couldn't hear the motors there.
Rocky hummed.
"Apologies. Have not heard Engineer speak name. Rude rude rude to not use title or full name in Eridian culture when meeting new people first time. Now that we have met, I am Rocky." Rocky explained. The translator had been modified to give both Rocky's full name and shortened name as Rocky, though his full title was more Engineer Shoal of Song of the Hopik Valley. He'd become used to the "Rocky" nickname, though. Really, it was uncreative at first, but, after watching Rocky Balboa and having his mate named Adrian, Rocky had come to appreciate the name more.
Grace seemed to have gotten his momentary fill of full-body crying and hugging of his Twin as he pulled Grace Two over. "Wait, really? Then why do you always call me just Grace? Is that not in the program?"
"Grace already friend by time Human Thinking Machine get words. Friends can call friends whatever. Grace ask to be Grace, so Rocky call Grace, Leaky Space Blob, tripping creature, fuc..." Rocky began his list of names for Grace, given the occasion.
Grace set a hand on his ball. "Ok, ok! Also, please no swearing. It's not nice."
"I'd say swear away normally, Rocky, but, yeah, the Barbies have, like, a visceral reaction to it." Grace Twin explain. "Also, thank you for saving my brother out there. Colt Seavers, and you can call me Colt. Any friend of Ry's is a friend of mine."
"Hm... Will need Unique Word for Grace Two. Do not know what that name means." Rocky commented.
Grace laughed a little. "We'll figure something out. 'Colt' probably doesn't have a good word in Eridian."
The Engineer stood and looped an arm around the similar human. "Well, if we're doing introductions! This is Simon, my cousin. His name means 'to listen,' which he does sometimes." Engineer introduced to them all.
Simon - Rocky mentally made a note to add 'listens well' as an equivalent later - snorted at the introduction. "You should be introducing yourself, doofus, not me."
"Where's the fun in that? Come on, Si! Do my intro!"
"You spend too much time with Wilford." Simon responded. Engineer did something with his face, what Rocky had learned was a 'pout,' before Simon sighed. "Alright! Dramatic moron. This is Mark. He's the smartest idiot I've ever met."
Rocky stilled.
A story flooded back to him.
"I used to have someone. Linda. But, well, she found someone else. Fell in love with Mark. It's... it's ok."
Rocky knew that it wasn't ok.
He felt instant betrayal.
"Rocky HATE Mark!" Rocky roared before he began to ram his ball forward. "You hurt Grace! Rocky hurt YOU!"
Grace's face seemed to shift rapidly. "Wait, Rocky, no! Wrong Mark!"
"Freaking KNEW IT!" Simon yelled as he scooped his cousin and began to run. "He's trying to kill us! I called it! This was all going way too smoothly!"
"I'm sure it's a mis..." Mark began, but Rocky wasn't letting him get away.
Rocky screeched as he picked up speed.
Mark screeched in return, realizing that he was now Prey. He scrambled to get higher on Simon's shoulders.
Grace swiftly lost control of the situation.
An hour, several bruises, and a scramble through the ship worthy of the Scooby-Doo gang later, and Grace managed to clear up the confusion.
Rocky grumbled. "Sorry for nearly killing you, Engineer Mark. Mistake. Grace not explain well."
"It's ok, Rocky! I forgive you!" Engineer Mark had to splint his wrist due to a fall in the chase, resulting in what the on-board doctor had determined was a mild sprain.
"Well I don't! What fucking moron thinks the random Mark we bring with us is the same as the billions of other Marks!" Simon threw back as he still pushed Mark behind him.
"Come on, cuz! Honest mistake!" Mark defended.
"Differences of culture, but, also, Rocky holds grudges." Grace sighed.
"Grace call Rocky Special, and Rocky take great pride in being Scary Rock Space Monster." Rocky returned with a huff.
"This is not how I imagined meeting your new bestie, Ry." Grace Two stated. "You two are actually two peas in a pod."
Grace looked at his brother. "What does that even mean? I mean, we're both smart, but that doesn't seem in context. I also don't hold grudges."
Grace Two laughed. "Do we need a revisit of Mr. 'Calls-Everyone-Who-Disagrees-With-Him-A-Staggering-Waste-of-Carbon?' Oh, or that absolute brilliant time you destroyed Ryder to his face? Jody got it on camera. Favorite memory. I need to find the video."
Rocky could hear the blood rush to Grace's face. "It was a different time! Have I not paid for my crimes?"
"The crime was that Ryder was in jail before you could obliterate him further." Grace Two tossed back.
Grace groaned and put his head in his hands.
"Rocky still want to see lab!" Rocky threw up an arm like he saw Grace do so many times. "Rocky Good Mark go! Grace be leaky blob with other leaky blobs! Watch sleep later!"
Mark seemed to finally slip around his cousin. "Oh my heavens let's go!"
"Wait, Mark - fuck!" Simon cursed, but the two were already off, chatting like they were old buddies. Rocky could still trace Grace's very unique sounds through the ship as only he and his brother seemed to have the same mix, so Rocky went off with new friend.
(Though, if this Mark hurt Grace, well, there would be no body left to be found.)