Star-Lore

He reached out and touched the hull. It was warm. The metal felt smooth, but the waffle grooves were real he could feel each square. The soft syrup-glow pulsed under his fingertips like it was breathing.

Lyra laughed again, brighter this time. "It does more than hum, Boboboy. It flies. And fast. Very fast. See these?" She pointed to the round glowing ports on the side. "This is where I put my tools. Recruiter goes here."

She tapped the blue slot.

"When it's connected, I can use its power with the ship. To heal faster. To protect better. Even to fix Waffle if it gets scratched."

Boboboy looked up at the ship, his eyes wide and full of wonder. The ship didn't look like something that belonged in space — it looked like a happy dream. A dream made of gold and syrup and light.

"Can..." he whispered, "Can it fly now?"

His voice was full of hope like a child asking if he could touch the stars.

Lyra turned to him, her eyes soft, her smile full of warmth.

"Maybe," she said, teasing just a little. "Do you want to go for a ride?"

The golden-brown waffle-shaped spaceship shimmered in the sunlight. Boboboy bounced with excitement beside it, eyes sparkling.

"Really? We can fly? Right now?!" he shouted, nearly vibrating like a shaken soda can.

Lyra chuckled and pressed a hidden panel near the honey-colored cockpit window. With a hiss, a door slid open, showing two cozy seats inside. The inside smelled like warm vanilla cake.

"Hop in!" she said.

Boboboy didn't wait he zoomed up the ramp and plopped into the co-pilot seat, swinging his legs like a kid on a sugar high. Lyra sat down in the pilot chair and gently placed Recruiter into the glowing blue slot. The amber "syrup" lights on the ship brightened. The engines gave a deep, toasty hum like a giant waffle iron warming up.

Smooth as butter, Waffle lifted off the mossy ground, floating gently into the air.

Meanwhile, back at camp…

Tyrant sat cross-legged on a smooth rock, reading a thick book titled Advanced Horticulture of Nebula X. He looked peaceful, flipping pages with care. "Ah," he muttered, "chapter six: Blooming in Anti-Gravity."

Bolo paced nearby, his metal leg clanking with each step. "Sooo... when are we leaving this plant zoo? My circuits are itchy!"

Rambo was juggling glowing pebbles, showing off.

Cragan and Crania were still arm-wrestling on a flat stone.

Faceless was drawing something mysterious in the dirt.

Destroyer sat in the shade, whittling.

The dragon-pets lay in the sun like sleepy cats.

Back inside the ship

Lyra smiled as the controls glowed softly.

"See? Easy as—"

But then Boboboy spotted the control yoke. It looked like the steering wheel of a fun spaceship ride at a theme park.

His eyes lit up.

"Oooooh!"

Without warning, he grabbed it with both hands and yanked it HARD to the right.

"WHEEEEEEEE!"

"BOBOBOY, NO!!!" Lyra screamed.

The ship jerked sideways like a flying pancake flipping in mid-air. The gentle hum turned into a loud, panicked WHUUUUUMMMP-WHIIIIIRRRRRRR!

Waffle spun out of control, zooming straight toward the camp.

Bolo froze mid-rant. "Uhhh... guys?"

Rambo dropped all his pebbles. One bonked him on the head. "Ow! What the—"

Cragan and Crania stopped arm-wrestling and stared.

Faceless snapped his stick in shock.

The dragon-pets hissed and scrambled behind a bush.

Destroyer sighed deeply. "Lyra…"

Tyrant looked up calmly as a golden-brown waffle-shaped spaceship came flying straight at him like a giant breakfast missile.

He blinked. Then slowly closed his book with one finger holding his page.

Inside the cockpit

Boboboy was grinning ear to ear, still pulling on the yoke.

"FASTER! FASTER! This is the best game ever!!"

He shouts without knowing the seriousness..