How we met Magma: Part 2

BudgetPixelHow we met Magma: Part 1"Hello, friends. Looking back through our flight logs, it’s clear we’ve received a mountain of questions about our voyage, but one curiosity always stands out

Let's continue our story. We left off after setting the scene at Misogi and explaining what Magma's life was like—oh, hold on a moment.
"Come here, Magma!"

"Hey! He came to me!"

Now, let's start talking about our visit.
It would take three standard days of sub-light transit to reach the jump gate leading to our destination's warp corridor. I used that time to get a proper read on my new passenger. We ate our meals together, with me taking on the role of ship's chef. Sarah proved to be adorably clumsy, with an uncanny knack for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time—yet her underlying warmth was undeniable. It made me wonder if her soft-spoken nature was precisely how she caught Pre-Corp off guard. Even so, I couldn't afford to relax; I had taken an assignment protecting someone who had pulled off a major heist. I also couldn't shake a slight twinge of professional guilt. Here I was, drawing a fee to keep her safe, and my immediate instinct was setting a course for my favorite hot springs retreat. But when you think about it, that was the beauty of it—who would ever think to search for a wanted fugitive at a luxury resort?"

During those three days in transit, I was playing detective, picking her narrative apart piece by piece. Initially, I harbored a sneaking suspicion she was involved in black-market narcotics synthesis—she kept referencing "precursors." When I nonchalantly asked her to clarify, she set me straight: she wasn't talking about chemical compounds, but the Precursors—the progenitor alien civilization that had crafted the warp gate network a million years ago. They were the sole focus of her doctoral studies, and the creators of the mysterious tablet she refused to put down. Watching her mess with it was like watching a mad scientist at work, poking and prodding unknown alien tech with zero concern for our collective survival.

"I already knew it was safe!"

"Sarah, I would have willingly believed you back then if you had actually explained how you knew."

As we neared the final leg of our three-day transit, I found myself starting to warm up to her. It was finally her turn to handle ship galley duties, marking her very first earnest attempt at cooking for us. She opted for something straightforward—a classic plate of bacon and eggs. Even though it was about as simple as a meal could get, I was genuinely touched by the immense amount of effort she poured into it. She fussed over the stove with nervous intensity, overly anxious that I wouldn't enjoy her culinary creation.

To top it all off, she took the time to carefully arrange the sunny-side-up eggs and crisp strips of bacon into a goofy smiley face right in the center of the plate. Sitting there looking down at this adorable, lopsided breakfast creation, I couldn't help but smile. Don't get me wrong—I still didn't drop my tactical guard completely, but in that moment, my skepticism began to melt into a real, genuine appreciation for who she was.

"Aww, you really did like my breakfast! But wow—you actually thought I was some kind of monster back then!"

"It was my job, Sarah. A professional always stays on guard. It didn't matter how sweet or innocent you acted—Pre-Corp trusted you once, too."

"Ash! Pre-Corp is pure evil! You know that better than anyone!"

"Sarah, what part of 'this story took place in the past' is so hard for you to grasp?"

"Great, now you're snapping at me again."

Sighs deeply "Alright, alright... let's just get back to the story."

As the navigation console chimed to signal our final approach to Caelestis Hiems, a surge of genuine excitement washed over me. It had been far too long since I’d felt the soothing heat of Misogi's geothermal baths. My previous bounty hunting contract had been an absolute nightmare——and I was desperately overdue for a vacation.

I was so eager to submerge myself in those volcanic waters that I had already changed into my blue bikini while sitting at the helm, fully intent on landing the ship, locking down the dock, and leaping straight into the nearest steaming pool the absolute second our landing gear touched the tarmac. Sitting at the pilot's yoke with the radiant swirl of the galaxy framed through the forward canopy, the weight of the galaxy finally felt a little lighter.

As our destination drew near, the wait became absolute torture. Space has a funny way of distorting perspective—at first, the distant planet almost felt like it was drifting farther away. But second by second, that faint speck of light grew into an egg, then a soccer ball, and finally transformed into a colossal world of ice and volcanic ash filling the entire windshield. I took the controls and expertly cut through the planet's turbulent atmosphere, gliding seamlessly down toward the sweeping mountain peaks where the reinforced domes of Misogi glinted against the snow.

Even though I was dying to abandon the cockpit, I executed a flawless entry into the resort's sprawling cavern hangar. The subterranean landing bay was breathtaking, lined with sleek starships parked under vaulted stone arches and vast observation windows framing the jagged ranges outside. The moment the landing gear locked into place, reality set in: walking around in a two-piece bikini inside a drafty planetary garage was a terrible idea. The air in the hold was bone-chillingly cold. Sarah, meanwhile, was facing her own dilemma—she hadn't even brought a swimsuit!! Wanting to escape the arctic draft as fast as possible, I powered down the ship, threw open the hatch, and made a mad dash for the warmth of the connected resort lobby.

I hurried through the reception doors into the main lobby, eager to complete check-in procedures. Looking back now, booking separate cabins was admittedly unprofessional on my part; as her hired security detail, tactical protocol dictated that I stay in close quarters or at least command a adjoining suite. But after a grueling month on the job, I prioritized my personal privacy and wanted space to properly unwind.
As I said, naturally, Sarah arrived completely unprepared for resort life without a bathing suit in her luggage. That left us with only one logical next stop before hitting the pools: the resort's general store.
"Hey! I was literally fleeing for my life, and your choice of destination was entirely last minute! Why on earth would I have packed a bathing suit?"

"You should always be prepared, Sarah."

We made our way over to the Misogi Supplies boutique to browse their swimwear collection. Sarah spent a good ten minutes carefully contemplating the racks before selecting a bright pink geometric two-piece, stepping out of the dressing room with a beaming smile.

"I was so excited! I'd never been to a hot springs resort before in my entire life!"

Naturally, since Sarah got to do a little shopping, I wasn't about to pass up the opportunity to do some of my own. Before we headed down to the baths, I made a mandatory pit stop at the Misogi Wine Arboretum to pick up my absolute favorite sparkling wine. After all, nobody should ever have to step into a luxury hot spring empty-handed. Since Sarah admitted she was virtually uninitiated in fine vintages, I figured it was the perfect chance to give her a proper education. Misogi boasts an extraordinary cellar curated with rare vintages from every corner of the universe—a true sommelier's paradise.

"Oh! Are you going to tell them about Lembas? That wine was absolutely delicious!"
"All in good time, Sarah. Remember: I'm the one telling the story."

With bottle and towels in hand, we made our way down the sleek glass corridor toward the entrance of the West Hot Springs district, specifically targeting the Valley View pool. Stepping out onto the stone terrace, the sheer scale of the landscape took our breath away. Nestled high along the cliffside, the pool was cradled by towering snow-dusted peaks, offering an unobstructed vista over the sweeping frozen valley below. The thermal water rose up in thick, fragrant plumes of steam, forming a natural cocoon of intense heat that shielded us entirely from the sub-zero mountain winds blowing across the range. It was absolute, sublime tranquility—the kind of pure relaxation that makes you forget the rest of the galaxy even exists. Given that this was Sarah's very first time experiencing hot springs, I found myself easily forgiving her overly exuberant, chatty demeanor as we waded into the mineral-rich waters.

You're being so mean! You were just as bubbly as I was! Mainly because we were drinking bubbles! HAHAHA! See? You're so much better when you're drunk!"

"Yes, well... the wine was undeniably exceptional."

Allow me to elaborate on the bottle of Lembas Sparkling Wine we were enjoying. This particular sparkling vintage is crafted entirely from Chardonnay grapes. Whenever someone flatly claims they 'don't like Chardonnay,' it usually just reveals how little they actually understand about wine. It stands as one of the most remarkably versatile grape varieties in the known universe, so what people usually dislike is simply a specific style or winemaking approach, rather than the fruit itself.

On the palate, this vintage carries clear, bright notes of dried apricot, indicating that the winemakers allowed the grapes to ripen fully on the vine for a late harvest before pressing. Running underneath those fruit tones is a rich, luxurious layer of pure butter flavor. That decadent profile is the result of malolactic fermentation—a secondary fermentation process where sharp malic acid is converted into creamy lactic acid. A lot of pretentious wine snobs claim they dislike buttery Chardonnays simply because it isn't currently fashionable in their elite circles, but they're denying themselves pure pleasure out of sheer snobbery—because butter, frankly, is fucking incredible.

Beyond the creaminess, you might notice a delicate, nutty undertone reminiscent of roasted almonds. That complexity comes partly from the malolactic conversion, but mostly from allowing the wine to age on its lees—the spent yeast cells left over after primary fermentation. Aging on lees infuses the wine with a warm, rich backbone that tastes remarkably like fresh, toasted brioche, while also lending subtle notes of wild flower honey. Meanwhile, the crisp, clean mineral finish on the back of the tongue is a direct signature of the rich, rocky soil where the vines took root. Drinking it is truly like tasting a delicious, golden slice of toasted bread in liquid form. As for those fine, persistent bubbles tickling your nose? They're created naturally during secondary fermentation inside sealed tanks, where trapped carbon dioxide integrates directly into the liquid.

"I remember that! I was so happy sitting there in the water! It was completely delicious, and your explanation made so much sense! The wine literally tastes like toasted bread, and 'Lembas' is an ancient Precursor word for bread!"

After we had finished a generous portion of the bottle and let the soothing geothermal heat work its magic on our travel-weary muscles, Sarah decided she had reached her limit for soaking and needed a breather from the hot springs. I, on the other hand, was nowhere near ready to end my spa day—the dry heat of the Sauna was calling my name, and I intended to bake out every last bit of tension left over from my last contract.

Being a responsible bodyguard—even a slightly tipsy one—I wasn't about to let her wander the vast resort complex entirely unattended. I escorted her down to the automated transit hub and boarded the quiet, smooth-gliding hover bus with her, making sure she knew how to navigate the lines back to the cabin district under the glass dome. Before she stepped off at her stop, we made a firm arrangement for later in the day: we would meet up before lunch at the tasting room so I could continue her formal education in fine galactic vintages.

Oh! I remember this part so clearly! I was already so excited for the wine lesson, but this is the exact moment where I finally meet Magma!"

"That's right, Sarah. Though at the time, neither of us had any idea what kind of chaos that little orange fur-ball was about to bring into our lives."

I watched from the hover bus doors as Sarah walked up to her cabin, verified that her room AI unlocked the entryway, and ensured she was safely inside before the doors glided shut. Satisfied that my high-profile client was secure in her climate-controlled retreat, I rode the transit loop right back to the North East district. I grabbed a fresh, warm towel from the attendant, left my sandals at the bench, and headed straight into the pine-scented, sanctuary of the River Sauna to sweat out the rest of the morning.

Back inside her cabin, Sarah stretched out on the bed to do some reading—what exactly she was reading, I have no idea.
"It was a fascinating historical treatise on Misogi's original geothermal founding!"
"Sarah, I'm the one narrating the story, remember?"

"But you weren't even in the cabin! You were off baking in the sauna! I should definitely tell this part!"

Sighs "Alright, alright, fine. Take the floor, Sarah. Tell them what happened."

"Okay, so I was beyond excited! I was experiencing my very first luxury hot springs, I had just tasted incredible sparkling wine, and I had officially bonded with my super-cool new bodyguard! But I had zero idea that I was about to meet the single most adorable little creature in the entire galaxy!

So, after I finished lounging on the bed in my new pink bikini reading through the cabin's history archives, I started getting a little restless. I sat up, stretched, and asked the cabin AI to tell me more about how Misogi was built! And that’s when the AI casually dropped the most life-changing piece of news ever: there was an adorable, resident spa kitty wandering around the village named Magma!!

Well! The second those words left the speaker, reading time was over! I threw on a cozy fleece bathrobe and my fluffiest slippers and practically sprinted out the door! The cabin AI was so helpful—it pinged his collar tracker and told me the exact garden pathway where he was hanging out!

Now, the AI did chime in with a quick warning: "Caution: Resident feline may bite if startled." But did I care? Absolutely not! The moment I spotted that bright orange tabby sniffing around the cobblestone path near the flower beds, my heart completely melted. I crouched right down, chirped his name, and extended a hand.

And guess what? He didn't bite me at all! He trotted right over, rubbed his little cheeks against my knees, and let me scoop him up into a giant cuddle! I wrapped my plush bathrobe right around his ginger fur, and he started purring so loudly it sounded like a little motor humming right against my chest! He was the absolute sweetest, most precious little creature in the entire universe!

So naturally, I gathered that precious little fur-ball into my arms and took him right back inside my cabin and-
"And on that note, let's take a quick intermission, Sarah. My glass is dry, and I need a refill. Folks, make sure to tune in next time to hear how Magma went from resort mascot to official starship cat—and how I handled Pre-Corp sticking their nose into our business!
"Ooh, that part gets so dramatic! But hey—didn't we promise to tell them the entire story in one sitting?"

"We did, but the recap ran a little longer than expected. Good stories deserve good pacing—and another bottle of Lembas."