The Thantir Three parked somewhat awkwardly on the edge of the small pit stop. Mostly because its captain was a little nervous. The Metal-Ice Meteor Pit Stop, the pit stop in question, was surrounded by large metal spikes, which both stopped much larger ships from crashing into it and also redirected lightning and winds away during void storms, which were common in this area.
As the ship’s engines shut off, a door on the side opened up and its captain and three passengers emerged. Akah was excited to get out and greet the pit stop staff, and he almost dragged Tanos with him, so he could introduce Tanos to them. Kaytee and Arkay on the other hand took things a bit more slowly, but they did still follow Akah and Tanos into the main shop.
Immediately, they were greeted by a tall, mechanical being, wearing a brown mask and with purple organic bits in the gaps in their limbs.
“Heya, lil bro!” Atuho, a Matanaiai and a former member of the Ventra, waved as they entered. “Oh! Heya! Lil Arkay! Long time no see!”
Arkay paused, then immediately remembered why this being recognised him.
“Oh, hi. Yeah, it’s been… a few… year strings?” Arkay stuttered.
“Four year-strings, in fact!” Atuho beamed. “How ya doin’? Lil bro told me ya got trapped inside a universe or somethin’!”
“Ah… uh…” Arkay was still struggling. “Well… I kinda got out. Somehow. Long story. Pretty painful.”
Atuho continued to smile, doubly so as he noticed Tanos was eyeing the wall of confectionery, the sweet stand Atuho took a lot of pride in maintaining. “Well, either way, good t’see ya again! Y’all want some sweets? On the ‘ouse.”
“R-really?” Tanos muttered.
“Indeedio!” Atuho turned to Akah. “Lil bro, who’s your furry buddy?”
Akah patted Tanos on the shoulder. “This is Tanos, he’s a newer member of the Thantir, he and his team do Corruption purges around here. But he’s as strange as I am among the Thantir, so now we’re very good friends. Also, all he eats is sugar.”
“Huh…” Atuho thought for a moment, then reached underneath the table he was standing at. After some rummaging around, Atuho pulled out a massive bag of long, red tubes with a sherbet middle. “Furry guy, ya like sour sticks? I ain’t been able t’sell these bastards.”
“I… I haven’t really had them. Can I try one?”
Atuho nodded and handed everyone a stick. Kaytee clearly didn’t like the flavour, but Akah and Arkay didn’t seem to mind either way. Tanos though was very unsure on how to react, but after a moment, he finished off the rest of the stick.
“Well, turns out I do like them!” Tanos grinned.
“Well, ya can have the whole damn pack!” Athu handed the bag to Tanos, only to realise that the bag was massive in Tanos’s hands. “I’m just glad t’get rid o’them! Anyway! How can I help y’all?”
Akah shrugged. “I honestly just came here to say hi, but Arkay is looking for a new paint job for his new ship. Uh, his first new ship.”
“Oh? Ya got your own ship now, mate?” Atuho exclaimed.
Arkay nodded. “Yeah. Kinda accidentally got two. I bought the Thantir Three off Vikalos so he could buy back his old ship, Shimmer’s Plight, and then Deathven kinda gave me a ship called the Deathly Soulflame. But I’m redecorating the Thantir Three to make it less bleak and wanted to give it a cool paint job. Akah says you guys do paint jobs, and I wanted to get a quote.”
“Well alright! You’ll wanna have a chat with Elwa then, ‘e’s in the main garage and does the paint jobs. You didn’t introduce your Phantai friend though.”
“Am I really that obviously from the Goldtorn Remains?” Kaytee exclaimed, before suddenly pausing. “Oh. Forgot I’m wearing my old Phantai armour… But yeah, I’m Kaytee, Loopblade-6, I’m a former member of the Phantai, now I’m a member of the Thantir, and I’m one of Arkay’s ex—boyfriends.”
“You didn’t need to include that last bit…” Arkay tutted.
“Sorry but it’s true. The Matanaiai did ask… You’re a Matanaiai, right?”
Atuho nodded. “We are, yeah.”
“Do you guys get along with Melek Glatorans?”
“Yeah but some o’them seem t’hate us. Dunno why. Akah ‘ere is a Lanex though, he’s cool. And technically my lil bro. Anyway, Elwa’s down that way. He’ll give ya a quote.”
Arkay waved, then dragged Kaytee off. “Thanks, Atuho! And thanks for the candy. See you in a bit!”
Atuho went back to smiling, then turned back to Akah, who was snickering a little. He vaulted over the table and stood by Akah’s side. “Anyway, lil bro, you up to anything?”
“No. Just wanted to chat. Mostly about mine and Tanos’s little idea that we were given.”
“Oh?”
Atuho paused for a moment, then quickly pulled out his communicator, tapped on it a little and put it away again. After a few seconds, a being similar to Atuho but blue and clearly more feminine popped by.
“Atuho, you want me to- OH! It’s the sexy little guy! And a four-eyed walking teddy bear.”
“Khalia, please. We’ve been through this. I’m gonna take a quick break, can you keep an eye on till for me, for a bit?”
Khalia tutted. “Alright fine. See you, sexy guy.”
“Cool. Thanks, Khalia.”
Atuho smiled and led Akah and Tanos outside. They sat down at a bench that overlooked the void.
“Anyway, lil bro, what’s your little idea?”
Akah smiled too. “Well, I want a more physically safe job for a bit, mostly because Voidborns keep on thinking I’m a Matanaiai or a Melek Glatoran and keep on attacking me-”
“Are you-”
“I’m fine. I can handle myself no problem. But when Elksia came back from her trip to that new Life Oasis, she suggested I start making and selling ice cream. Set up a little cafe at Savepoint in one of the nicer corners away from the patients’ area and just sell nice things.”
“Huh. That sounds fun. Why you asking your big bro though?” Atuho asked.
“I didn’t want to be in competition with you. And also, I kinda… well, Tanos is helping me with flavours and Tahvra and Talok want to help in some way, but I also wondered if you wanted to help in some way as well.”
“Oh…” Atuho’s smile returned. “That sounds awesome.”
“You want in?”
“I do, yes.”
“Awesome.”