Cyber Sunset and Aleena were both excellent additions to AIL, both hailing from outside the main Loathing Kingdom where our stories took places. Both in locations not found in Kingdom of Loathing, to which the AIL game was a kind of fanfiction of.

Whereas Aleena and the elves come from space, Sunset's home is Honorburg, the city introduced as part of Sebastian Dash'sbackstory, later used for the setting for a mission (and the following mission).

His time on the Morlencir spaceship is about over, it looks like.,,

 
The capital ships of the Morlenciri empire are beautiful and deadly, and Aleena's flagship was among the best. Sporting the best of their technology, its lines, both hard and flowing, stretched out along its major axis for nearly a mile. Its crew of eight hundred among the most skilled of their kind.

Cyber Sunset stood at a forward facing window watching the stars. "Looking forward to getting home?" Aleena asked. She moved to stand beside him, eyes focused on the star in the center, the star of Loathing. In a certain language, the word itself, 'loathing,' is one of great hostility, Aleena mused. Such a strange name for an intriguing world.

“Actually, I’m regrettin’ it,” he said, glancing at her before looking back out the window. He smiled. “This has been incredible. It’s all so beautiful.”

"It is the least we could do. We have learned much from you. Thank you." The Morlenciri Queen smiled.

“I wouldn’t say that, darlin’. You’ve got sharp minds up here. If one of you’d wanted what I had, you’d’ve gotten it. Me, I don’t think any amount of thinkin’ could’ve shown me the things I’ve seen up here. Beautiful planets, technology an’ people, if you don’t mind my saying so.”

Aleena grinned, turning her gaze to the man's chiseled cheeks. "Thank you Timothy. Forgive me for being forward, but many of my people found you to be very interesting as well."

He chuckled and turned from the starfield to look into Aleena’s eyes. “It’s strange. Two totally different races of people seein’ the other one as so interesting. Kinda like a mirror that showed a different person who was thinkin’ or feelin’ the same things. ...and you know I’m okay with being forward, Aleena. Much better than hidin’ things behind words.”

Aleena giggled, turning away. "I've duties to attend to. We'll see each other again when we reach Loathing."

The Queen walked smartly out of the observation room, leaving Cyber Sunset to his thoughts.

Cyber Sunset tipped his hat to Aleena as she left before turning his attention back to the window. He knew that he should head home...too many stories filled his head about dying on some asteroid or contracting an alien virus far from home...but he also knew that he’d always regret the fact that the universe was just outside a layer of atmosphere overhead and that he likely wouldn’t get another chance at it.

He reached into a storage panel on his suit and withdrew the note that he’d written for an engineer who worked not too far from his quarters. Nothing would come of the letter, that was to be expected, but knowing that it’d be the last such letter he sent while on this trip was bittersweet. She’d likely not even read it until he was back at Loathing. Still, he knew the attempt would have to be made. Otherwise, what was the point in meeting people beyond his home?

He approached the door and felt giddy as it opened for him before he entered the hall.

“It’s the little things,” he muttered to himself.

---------

Cyber Sunset awoke to the sound of a chime ringing in his room. It chirped again after a few seconds. Cyber Sunset groaned at the hour but quickly rolled out of the bed, deftly tossing his sheet over his unworn suit of armor on the mat next to the bed. He crossed to the door, willing it to open, forcing himself into a more wakeful state. An athletic-looking elf that Cyber Sunset immediately recognized was waiting for him. Her platinum blonde hair fell to her shoulders, perfectly framing her elfin face. She wore the slightest streaks of pink in her hair, parted only by the tips of her pointed ears. Her cysuit matched, using the colours of pink and midnight. She grinned happily. "Good morning, Timothy! We have arrived at Loathing and Lady Aleena requests you join her party in the shuttle bay."

Cyber Sunset smiled and the friendly face. “Morning, Sylenia! Thanks for gettin’ me up. I’ll just take a moment to get ready and be along shortly.”

"I shall be pleased to be waiting!"

The door closed. Cyber Sunset turned around and approached his suit, preparing to don it for the last time while aboard the flagship. “Let’s ride, buddy.”

The process was quick and practiced, concluding as always with the placement of his goggles and his hat. He picked the broadsword up from the table where he had left it after last night’s practice and resheathed it on his back. Finally, he picked up the small bag that had been waiting by the door all night, letting the door slide open. He nodded to Sylenia, smiling.

“Ready.”

Sylenia led the way through the halls of the ship until the pair arrived at an elevator. After a brief ride, the elevator doors opened onto the cavernous shuttlebay. It spanned the width of the ship and the far wall stretched off into the distance, easily a quarter mile away. It contained a myriad of vehicles; some small and sleek, some were surprisingly large. Some ships could carry people, some were clearly fully automated machines.

The space doors on the right side were open, affording a clear view of the planet from the ship's current orbit. Sylenia and Cyber Sunset walked towards a gathering of elves, many of them unfamiliar - one had dusky skin and twin swords; her suit was coloured black and grey. She looked like she meant business. Two wore red and black; one was female and one was male. The male's chiseled elven features and firm muscles easily showed through his suit, while the female's grace did little to hide that she was just as capable at combat as her partner.

Aleena smiled, introducing her companions. "Timothy, please meet Valaria, Zachane and Jen." The elves nodded and smiled as their names were mentioned.

Cyber Sunset nodded, tipping his hat to both of them. “Pleasure to meet you.”

"A pleasure," spoke the drow. Zachane nodded in agreement. The group walked to a beautiful and majestic ship -- clearly one of the royal transports.

"Tarvel, Glyn and Dash are already at the site. Let's go join them."

The party boarded the vessel. With Jen at the helm, it quickly flew towards Adventure in Loathing.

"Man, I'm gonna miss this kinda travel," said Cyber Sunset. "Rides easy. Sure I can't keep three or four of 'em for home?"

"Hah. We'll see." Aleena answered.

Light on action but it was a fun little piece. Don't worry.. the next writeup puts us right on the verge of the fight.. and things are getting a bit tense, as you can probably imagine!

And it's really cool getting a little more out of Aleena and Cyber Sunset, too. Great read here huh? Big co write up next!