'Neptune Escape Rocket: Online.'

The Neptune Escape Rocket stood proud and tall on its launch platform, as the plasteelic surface of the ship shone under the blazing sunlight. After an intensive search and scavenge for resources and strategic planning - the vehicle was ready. However, (Y/n) wasn't.

There, on the edge of the platform, stood (L/n) staring at the presented rocket in front of them with awe and melancholy. The human dreamt of this very moment countless time, helplessly wishing to survive the Kharaa and fly off this planet - and finally, this moment came. Except, (Y/n) floundered.

Turning around to face 5 little Sea Emperors, (Y/n) spoke with uncertainty: "Well, all my belongings and equipment are packed. It seems that... I'm ready."

But the (gender) was met with bitter glances from cyan pairs of eyes: "I-ɪs ɪᴛ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ᴛɪᴍᴇ? Tɪᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ʟᴇᴀᴠᴇ?"

"Apparently..." - 'Leaving' was a killing word for (Y/n)'s soul. Indeed, they wished to leave this infected planet but that was no longer the case - instead, The Safe Shallows were brimming with Enzyme 42, and now they had 5 baby leviathans that actually cared for them. They saw the (gender) human as a mother, as a guardian ever since they just hatched; but they grew up in a brisk and so wonderfully.

Jeffery, Billy, Samwise, Marshall, and Sean knew very well this day would come sooner or later: "Mᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴄᴀʀᴇᴅ ғᴏʀ ᴜs ғᴏʀ sᴏ ʟᴏɴɢ. Yᴏᴜ ᴛᴀᴜɢʜᴛ ᴜs ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ - ɪᴛs ʜᴀʀᴅ ᴛᴏ sᴀʏ ɢᴏᴏᴅʙʏᴇ. Gᴏᴏᴅʙʏᴇs ᴀʀᴇɴ'ᴛ ɢᴏᴏᴅ."

"You're right, Goodbyes aren't good." - (Y/n) crouched down, patting the heads of the younglings "But you're all so grown up now, heh, just look at you! You're brave and adventurous... This planet needs you more than it needs me."

(Y/n) had grieved so many times for The Sea Emperor Leviathan that passed within the Aquarium. And now the same grief has returned with grand emptiness in (L/n)'s heart, a shear of nothingness that snowballed into her/his memories.

One by one, cyan-blue eyes welled up as tears stroke down their scaly faces. Jeffery, Billy, Samwise, Marshall, and Sean began cooing, emitting low noises of wistful sobs: "Gᴏᴏᴅʙʏᴇ.... Gᴏᴏᴅʙʏᴇ... I ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ ʟᴇᴀᴠᴇ! Gᴏᴏᴅʙʏᴇ. Wᴇ ᴡɪʟʟ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ғᴏʀɢᴇᴛ ʏᴏᴜ! Wᴇ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ."

(Y/n)'s lips trembled until they bite them and threw back their shoulders, tears threatening to fall down into the salty ocean - but (L/n) had to stay strong in front of the young ones: "...I love you all too. More than anyone in this whole universe."

With kisses on their small heads, the (gender) human waved their final goodbyes, as they temptingly entered the cockpit of Neptune's Escape Rocket. "It is time to go home."

'Life support systems online.'

(L/n) passed through the endless control panels, activating launch systems along with its necessarily conformity. 'Pressurizing hydraulics. Auxiliary power unit online. Communications systems array active.'

Panel after panel, (Y/n)'s eyes focused on every button and every statistic. Until, a sudden realization knocked into the human's head: "Oh my stars, I almost forgot!"

Rushing into a panel with a jettisoning tube, (Y/n) clenched into a time capsule. It was just a small cylinder-chest for storing few items or informative data - and that's exactly what (Y/n) had prepared: an item served as a gift and a small video log. Sighing with unsettlement, the young (gender) finally attached the time capsule in its launching jet, this time, no going back: 'Time Capsule ready.'

'Primary computer systems active.

Ready to launch on your command captain.'

(Y/n) seated themselves, fastening their seatbelt and taking control of all systems.

It isn't easy to leave even when it's the only option available. If (L/n) was still infected with the Kharaa - they would've stayed on this planet and choose to die in the dark. But now they're healthy and thriving with Enzyme 42 within their blood. (Y/n) is alive - there's nothing left on this planet for them.

The awful hollowness, the waves of wretchedness threatened to engulf her/his mind. With no more time to waste, (Y/n)(L/n) activated Neptune for the launch.

Primary thrusters for reaching atmosphere escape velocity roared with life as it blasted upwards towards the sky, leaving only a trail of smoke behind. The Rocket shook, soaring through the clouds and into the thermosphere. (Y/n) bit her/his lips with unease.

'Time capsule jettisoned.' - a small capsule launched off from the ship, falling somewhere into the deep ocean next to a warper who now examined the mysterious item.

"Okay...All right," - (Y/n) began to sweat, their breath hastening "Everything should be good. I'm launching now."

And as the rocket reached the last layer of Exosphere, a breathtaking view of the planet could be seen from the cockpit. Planet 4546B was outlined with ghastly colors of the blue sky with cloud-blurred contours of seas and continents with a vague mottling of brown and green, showcasing major mountain ranges that (Y/n) distingue them as the floating islands. "...Oh my god."

'Caution: approaching orbital debris field. Activating shielding.'

"Oh no no no..." A deafening crash rocked the spaceship. Everything that wasn't strapped down spiraled into the microgravity. The force pin-wheeled (Y/n) against his/her seat, as a blaring alarm broke the stillness inside the shuttle. The great impact of debris didn't cease to calm down as the Rocket now roared from the inside out, barely holding together.

"Please, no no no... Not now! Please." - (Y/n) took in deep, ragged breath before shutting her/ his eyes, trying to hold on with such crashes. They lived for so long, they can't die from now - not form crashing the rocket again. Fear engulfed the (gender), like a helpless child lost between space and atmosphere, (Y/n) began to pray to whoever listened to her/him. They just needed to survive the crash.

'You've been down too long in the midnight sea.'

A voice spoke up to (Y/n), breaking any crashing sound and warping her/him in comforting blue colors. (L/n) knew this voice better than anyone. "Hh..Wha..?"

'What is a wave without the ocean? A beginning without an end? They are different, but they go together. Now you go among the stars, and I fall among the sand. We are different, but we go... together.'

Basking silhouette of luminous light muted any sound and feeling of anxiety from the human. And as they heard those words, they couldn't help but smile one last genuine smile of relief and gratitude towards their friend: "Th...Thank you."

Neon lights flickered through the small, glass windows into the vast white-dotted darkness of space. Abruptly, the dense air sank, making way for the haze of the barrier allowing (Y/n) to escape the blotches of debris and metal that surrounded the planet. They propelled themselves for the impact; and with a burst of energy, they escaped the debris as they arose...

And (Y/n) flew. Off into stars.

Young Sea Emperor Leviathans mourned and grieved the departure of the (gender) human being that day. But her/his recognition was never forgotten and as generations passed on within planet 4546B's species, the honor of (Y/n)'s name divulged within the surviving life, as the sea whispered her/his name.

Feasibly, there was no monument or pedestal built in (L/n)'s honor for surviving and saving the planet - but the endless ocean carried on the echoes of the human's tears and suffering, along with her/his determination and will-power that (Y/n) upheld while swimming in those abounded waters.

Now, Planet 4546B was prosperous, rich with an eco-system far more complex than any planet and free from any Kharaa bacterium. As the currents went by with Enzyme 42 - so did the memory of a (gender) human being who saved this planet and befriended a lonesome Ancient Sea Emperor Leviathan. (Y/n)(L/n) was a miracle. A Hero who dared to outmaneuver death and survive, only to save this helpless planet that was 4546B.

Perhaps, (Y/n)'s soul shall forever be earthbound to its birthplace - The Earth; But (L/n)'s spirit shall forever wonder the vast sky of Planet 4546B, engulfing it with courage and the will to live no matter the odds. Planet 4546B was forever grateful for (Y/n) and for her/his love that she/he brought to its oceans. Something, the natives of this planet could never fathom.

And thus, nothing was left but a mere whisper of past Companionship and Love between (Y/n) and the Ancient Sea Emperor Leviathans.

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