A Nameless Messenger
Time is difficult to accurately note down when by nature it is relative to the position of the interpreter. Especially in a place in a vessel that seems to play around the concept of time, such as the Astral Express. Despite this, the conductor had already set a clock for the passengers of the Express to normalize their body routines. And currently at this hour, it was "nighttime" for the crew of the space train - with everyone sleeping in their rooms.
Well, everyone except two.
Dan Heng was awake, organizing information in the data banks as usual. As guard and archivist of the Express, it felt like it was a duty for him to keep the night's watch despite the safety of the train in space. Maybe it was a habit, but he couldn't seem to sleep just yet. Not with things left to do…and the soft strumming of an acoustic guitar. The young man froze from his work and stood up from his desk. Who could be playing at this hour?
He opened his door and peeked down the hallway. The strumming seems to come from the lounge area at the end of the passenger cabin. It didn't seem to be disrupting the crew, but anyone who sleeps lightly might wake up from it. Curiosity got the better of him and Dan Heng walked towards the source of the music. Leaning around the corner, he could see who was actually playing.
With eyes closed and her hands gracefully on the six-string that was given to her by Serval as a gift, was the second person awake in the passenger cabin: Stelle. She was the one strumming the tune, and she was good at it too. Her fingers switched from chord to chord smoothly, creating a slow, beautiful melody. Dan Heng was about to simply leave her alone when the Trailblazer suddenly began to sing, her voice leaving her lips as smooth as a calm ocean.
"I don't want to set the world on fire~, I just want to start a flame in your heart.
In my heart, I have but one desire and that one is you. No other will do~
I've lost all ambition, for worldly acclaim! I just want to be the one you love~
And with your admission, that you feel the same! I'll have reached the goal I'm dreaming of. Believe me~"
The young man watched in silence. He did not expect Stelle to be musically talented, nor was he familiar with the song she was singing. But he could sense a certain sadness behind the music. Sad was probably not the right word for it, but Dan Heng felt that Stelle had some connection to the song in some way. He had become so engrossed with her song, he did not notice Stelle looking at him until she had suddenly stopped strumming with a smile on her face.
"I was expecting someone like March to eavesdrop on me, but I didn't know you'd stick around." She commented, putting the guitar on the side of her chair. "Sorry, did I disturb you?"
"Not really." Dan Heng replied, crossing his arms as he leaned against the wall. "I was working to try and make myself fall asleep when you began strumming. The song…It's melancholically beautiful."
The girl gave a chuckle as her face flushed pink with embarrassment. "It's nothing, really. It's an old song I like to sing when I want to pass the time." Her face fell slightly. "You're not wrong though, about it being…melancholic? I don't know why it makes me feel down. Just comes to me like second nature."
"I see." Dan Heng replied. "I've never heard that kind of song before. Usually, the songs in the Phonograph I hear are electronic, orchestral or upbeat. Where did you learn that?"
Stelle seemed to furrow her eyebrows and stare into the stars out the window before she answered. "I don't…remember..."
This of course didn't go past him. While he may not have known about Stelle before she came aboard - even though she herself doesn't know - Dan Heng noticed she was more troubled than before. "Stelle, are you alright?"
The girl blinked, as if coming out of a trance. She yawned and stood up, picking up her guitar. "Whew. I'm tired. I'll head to bed. See you tomorrow, Dan Heng." The archivist only gave a concerned nod as he let the Trailblazer head to her room.
"Good night." He muttered, before he too returned to his own chambers to sleep.
Stelle gave a sigh as she locked the door to her room, putting the guitar on the bedside. Her hand went to her head as she suddenly felt a dull ache in her head. She had been experiencing these headaches for the past few days and she didn't know why, suddenly coming out of nowhere during a visit to Jarilo-VI. A vision of the Aeon of Remembrance, Fuli, manifests itself in her mind to warn her about something…She didn't quite understand it when she fell unconscious on the steps towards the office of the Supreme Guardian.
"Another life…" She muttered the few words she caught during the encounter. Stelle went to the bathroom in her cabin to wash her face and try to calm herself down. The warm water did help to ease her mind; but when she moved her bangs away, Stelle saw something that made her eyes wide.
Two scars appeared on her forehead - two clean holes just a few inches apart. They looked like the same holes of paper targets when Silvermane guards would shoot their rifles, except much smaller. It was as if something…or someone…punctured her brain twice. But who? Why? Why was this happening to her? Stelle stared at them a little longer before she shook her head in disbelief. What even was she back then if she had a past life? She hoped that she would find answers sooner about this. Walking to her bed, she could feel the exhaustion kick in as soon as she laid down. Maybe she could look at herself tomorrow…
Stelle would find herself in a dream similar to the ones she had during her expedition in Jarilo-VI, except she was not a witness to a memory like with the Stellaron and Cocolia. She looked down to see that she was wearing different clothing and straw gloves, tied at the wrists. It didn't chafe at the skin, but it was uncomfortable.
"Time to cash out."
"Will you get it over with?"
A man in a strange, checkered suit held up a finger to interrupt his associate next to him. "Maybe Khans kill people without looking them in the face." He then turns to the man, presumably a Khan, next to him. "But I ain't a fink, dig?" The Khan seemed offended, before brushing off the insult.
The suited man reached into his jacket, pulling out some kind of poker chip and brandishing it in front of her. "You've made your last delivery, kid. Sorry you got twisted up in this scene." Putting the chip back into his jacket pocket, he then pulled out a gun decorated with engravings and gold. Stelle's eyes went wide with fear, realizing what was going to happen next.
"From where you're kneeling, it must seem like an 18-carat run of bad luck." The man says with a smug smirk on his face. He aims the gun towards her. Stelle's heartbeat went faster, and her breaths became panicked as she stared at the barrel of the firearm, a bullet already in the chamber. Was this how her previous life ended? Tied up like a criminal and executed?
"Truth is…"
She braced for her incoming doom.
"...The game was rigged from the start."
He pulled the trigger and it all ended in a muzzle flash.
Stelle jerked up from her bed, gasping for air. She held her head and attempted to slow her breathing. Unlike her previous dreams, this one felt more real than ever as she was no longer a bystander but being in the moment. It only left her with more questions than answers: Why was this only coming to her now? Who was the man in the checkered suit? What's a Khan?
Stelle jerked up from her bed, gasping for air. She held her head and attempted to slow her breathing. Unlike her previous dreams, this one felt more real than ever. No longer a bystander but being in the moment. It only left her with more questions than answers: Why was this only coming to her now? Who was the man in the checkered suit? What's a Khan?
She got out of bed before she could drown herself in more questions than she could comprehend. Stelle wanted answers, but not now. Not today. There was another expedition for her to take part in...
Hey, welcome. This is only a oneshot, experimenting with ideas at the moment.
If there's enough traction and interest for this sort of thing, maybe I'll make it into a series of oneshots or something.
If you're wondering about the other work that I have, it's practically dead. I've lost interest in it a long time ago.