trans_9 | Deadlines [Open---see note]

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Deadlines [Open---see note]

Miraculously, happily, Billy had finally set foot on Transmigration Nine once more. It wasn't the cleanest or happiest of reunions on-board the ship, but what mattered most to him was that he had survived. His task now was to return to the routine as much as possible and assist with the Melting Clock situation.

Unaware of how much the situation had deteriorated during his capture, he first set out for sanctuary from the wider world. Home, the house of the Sun and Moon twins, where he could retreat to safety and recover before returning to work. Ronnae would be there, wouldn't she? Some of the lingering guilt and pain would heal after speaking with her, right?

He'd make a beeline for the bathroom, of course. There was no doubt in his mind that the clothes he'd worn on the mission would have to be burned, and there was something he was required to apply to his back to aid the healing there. After that, his odor would be safe enough to expose the rest of the crew to.

---

By the time he 'recovered' and returned to work in the Engineering department, Billy was in a notably sour mood. His best friends and his girlfriend, he'd been informed and seen, were children. Children who didn't have much longer to live if a solution couldn't be found quickly.

His priorities were simple: the Clock and any work that had been left behind. With the Engineering team noticeably smaller than it had been before, and several members of it having taken an involuntary leave of absence at the same time he did, there was undoubtedly much to catch up on.

The race against the clock continued. Billy took his seat at his desk, ready to plow through paperwork and status updates more quickly than ever before.

((ooc: This takes place between the Oryan and Time Dragon missions. It's split into two sections so I don't spam the comm even more than I already have---the subthread at his home is open to people who would reasonably be there, like Ronnae, Nokosi, and maybe Kaya. The section in Engineering is open for anyone who wants to catch up with him//update on the situation//beg him for treats and toys. A separate post for Romeo and Juliet will go up tomorrow or Tuesday.))

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Billy glanced at the pile, wondering just how it had gotten there. Hmm.

"It looks like you've done some rearranging," he commented as he walked to the drawers, dressing as quickly as possible. There was so much to do: preparing a healthy lunch, brushing her hair, making sure she was well cared for, and then returning to work.

That also raised the question of where he would sleep that night, he thought, peering in the mirror when he was done dressing. He wouldn't go far, but a couch downstairs might do the trick.

"Are you hungry yet, Ronnie?"

Well considering she had been sleeping with Kosi so the Yog monster wouldn't get her, I doubt there'd be a problem if they had many many sleepovers until the clock was fixed... if it was fixed...

She nodded hurriedly, "Mhm! Very very very very very very much so!"

"Come on! We're going to find something you can eat to make the stomachaches go away, all right?"

Billy smiled, giving the girl a hug now that he was clean enough to do so safely. They'd take care of things one step at a time. For now, those steps were toward the kitchen where food awaited.

He was more than ready to serve them, even if his cooking skills were...awful, to say the least. Any food sounded good to his stomach right now. "Do you want something hot or cold?"

"Hmmmmmmm sumtin' hot... and sumtin' cold. Can I haff both?" she asked eagerly. Why couldn't she have both? It was the logical solution to the predicament! It also meant more yummies!

"Coming right up," Billy answered, remembering Nokosi's earlier suggestion of a pot pie and a milkshake. First...the shake. It was the simplest thing to get out of the way. He piled up the syrup, berries, and milky substance on the table in front of them.

"Know what this is?"

She looked at it curiously and shook her head, she always got her shakes made and given to her at that age, so she assumed that all shakes already came frothy, frosty and yummy! Ready for the drinking!

"Nope nope, what'cha doiiiiin'?"

"This," Billy replied, plopping the good old blender on the table in front of her. The ingredients went in one by one, a mess of white milky things, berries, and syrup trails. Once the lid was on and the blend button hit, it became a thick pink mixture that might look familiar.

"It's a milkshake, see?"

Her eyes opened in amazement as if he had just performed magic right before her eyes and she did a little happy jig on the spot cheering at the milkshake! And her favorite color to boot!!!

"It's strawbewy!!!" She couldn't contain her excitement that's for sure.

"That's right," Billy smiled, pouring the first drink out for her. Hopefully she wasn't a messy eater.

He moved to the other ingredients set out, nervously eyeing them. Roasted chicken, peas, carrots, a rich stuffing, some honey mustard, a sweet crust...hopefully she would like this.

"This'll take a little while," he commented, carefully roasting his onions while the other ingredients entered the pot. He'd make two: one spicy and flavorful for him, and another simpler and sweeter for her. That would help, right?

Now he just had to shape this crust properly. Amazingly, the proportions were correct, and it would almost fit on top of the bowls! He just piled and reshaped the dough again, trying his hardest to make circles.

If there was a way to keep her off your back for a while? It was definitely a strawberry milkshake!

She nodded obediently, turning and running off with her amazing present while B B handled the foodsies.

Sitting down at the large couch, she kicked her little feet up and down as she happily drank her shake with a happy tune.

It was a long battle, and he had the little burns to show for it, but Billy eventually returned with...food! Sure, the crust was bubblier than it should be and food oozed out of the bottom of his dish. But it was warm, and hopefully it tasted good.

"Here," Billy brought the thing out to Ronnae, bringing her the slightly less ruined pot pie. "I'm sorry if I messed it up. I can't really cook well."

Ronnae looked at it oddly as she poked it. Placing a pillow on her lap, and then her plate and pie, she poked at it some more. The smell was sure appetizing, but why did it look like something out of the ghost stories she read...

Being the adventurous little girl she had been when younger, she shrugged it off and took a 'big' bite of the pie... big as much as her small mouth would allow her too.

She fanned her mouth with her hand at the heat but swallowed fast regardless, giggling and blushing at her hurry.

"It tastes yummy~ Can I haff more strawbewy B B?"

"Of course," Billy nodded, very relieved that he hadn't made her sick...at least, not yet. He wanted to do everything in his power to keep her comfortable and happy, so another shake followed shortly afterward.

He came back out with his own pie and a glass of water, carefully nibbling at his own. "...I did this?"

Huh. He did it. That was a new one.

"Unless you can conjumere it like the mages, I tink you did it! And it's yummy!" She did a small cheer, trying not to spill her food and newly made shake! One which she was oh so happy about.

She continued to eat happily and peacefully, telling Billy about all the adventures (trouble) she got into while he was gone.

"I've never been a mage, Ronnie," Billy answered with a small laugh, relieved that she wasn't throwing it away or making faces. "No, you're just experiencing my first cooking product that hasn't gone horribly wrong."

He nodded, shuffling closer to the girl and listening to her stories during lunch. Somewhere in there, he was bound to find a clue of how to broach certain subjects and what stories to tell. Nokosi suggested stories, right?

There was no choice but to tell the best story ever.

Ronnae rubbed her eyes, fighting the sleep that seemed to be taking over her as she finished her happy food. She'd beat it! You just wait and see! And no this small cute yawn isn't a sign that she's losing!

"I'm weally happy you're back B B." she said with a small yawn and a happy smile. She moved against him and cuddled up against his body, finding the warmth and care very inviting.

"I luv you B B~" she said in a small voice.

Why did she have to be so adorable?

Billy relented, shoving his plate aside and allowing her to snuggle into him. The sleepy girl needed somewhere to rest, surely. "And I'm glad I made it back, hon," he answered, settling her in his lap. "I missed you so much."

Pause. Cuddle.

"...but I think it might be naptime," he pointed out, gently bopping her nose.

"N-nuh uh~" she replied in a defiant albeit sleepy voice.

"I dun need nap times, I need more B B times~ I dun want to lose B B too..." her eyes getting a bit glossy as she glomped Billy, her head on his chest as her small frame squeezed as best as she could.

"You're not going to," Billy whispered back, carefully brushing the shorter pigtails back. "I'm staying. Come on...how about you get ready for bed and I'll tell you a bedtime story?"

That then raised the question of where he was going to sleep. The couches on the ground floor were too far away, but maybe a room next door would work.

"Please?"

Ronnae nodded against his chest, but that doesn't mean she let go. I guess he'll have to carry his new attached kidlet to the room for bedtimes.

"All right, but I suggest you remember this," Billy told her gently, securing her in his arms before carrying her upstairs. He'd see to it that the little princess safely reached her bed.

She didn't seem ready to brush her teeth or change clothes, so he instead pulled down the covers and laid her to rest. Now...how did she like it? A big bundle of blankets? Something smaller?

"Nokosi told me that you like stories about Thrall and Saurfang, but he never did get to tell me about them. Do you want to hear about a princess who saved the day?"

That was what little girls enjoyed, right? Princesses? Not one of the passive, stuffy characters, but someone more active. One that would suit Ronnie's style.

She liked cuddling, cuddling as much as she could. No amount of plushies, covers, or pillows could comfort her as much as a warm body with whom she'd feel safe.

She looked up at Billy curiously before nodding. "A pwincess is otay B B. As long as yew are tellin' the stowy."

For such a little one, Ronnae sure had a powerful grip. He soon got the impression that she would remain latched onto him until lulled to sleep. Well...all for Ronnie, he supposed. Billy climbed into the bed with her on his hip, propping a pillow behind her and pulling the covers over their legs.

"This story is about the most beautiful princess in the entire kingdom. It was difficult to line up all the princesses and compare, but...she was. She had beautiful sweeping long hair, an adorable smile," here he tapped the little girl's cheek, "and the biggest heart of all. Her name was Lady Ronnae, and most everyone strived to be like her."

He paused then, reaching for the nightstand. Where---there! Picking up the stray brush, he couldn't stop himself from gently brushing the girl's hair. As if she really was a little princess.

"But it had to get boring always living in a stuffy old castle, right? She'd want to go out and play?"

Ronnae gasped and looked up at Billy, "The pwincess has the same name as me! She must be cool." she nodded with an obvious tone of voice.

She settled next to Billy, snuggling up to him and resting her head on his chest, she nodded at the question.

"Yup, I can't stand being in one place all the time. It gets sooooooo bowing~"

"She is, she's very cool," Billy laughed lightly, winding his arms around her when he was done playing.

"Then she certainly wasn't doing that! She grabbed her sword, her books, and her tools and slipped out of the castle into the middle of the night. It was dark, but she met small fireflies just outside the gate. They loved Ronnae so much that they formed a lantern for her, guiding her through the forest all night long. Unfortunately they're difficult to see during the day, so as the sun rose they departed and promised to return the next night."

Billy was really starting to sweat here. What could he say? Oh---that's right! "That day, Ronnae was hungry. She looked everywhere for food. Under the rocks, around the trees...she kept going and going until she saw a delicious red fruit. It looked so good that she climbed the tree after it, all the way up. It was so high, but Ronnae was a brave princess. Nothing like that could scare her.

At the top of the tree, though, she found out that she wasn't alone. An elf lived up there, juggling more of the fruits in his hand. He juggled on and on and on, never dropping a piece to the grounds below. Ronnae tossed her fruit pieces back and forth with him, laughing until they shared names. He was called Nokosi, he told her, and he was looking for an adventure too. What do you think he'd like to find?"

Billy would let her influence the story here and there. The creativity would help him along, he secretly hoped.

Deadlines [Open---see note]

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