Chapter 2: Fresh Start
On the planet Thanzo 2, there is an estate on top of a mountain with a purple sky above it. Several guards are protecting the wealthy owner's collection of art pieces including a special item he has gotten from a merchant. A special compass that has the interest of the Pathfinders.
"So, this is the place?" the man looks upon the ghastly exterior of the wealthy estate. "Such trappings to hide the emptiness of their own lives," he said in a mocking tone.
"Are you there Ren?" Alice asked on the comlink in his ear.
"of course, the compass is here. It took a while to track it down but we need no loss ends to anyone else finding the Omni Keys," Ren said.
"Of course, go forward. Don't let anything get in your way," Alice said as he nodded his head.
"Confirm," Ren said as he walked up to the front gate like he owned the place with the guards holding up the rifles. They see a tall man wearing a blue business suit, black fancy shoes, and black sporty sunglasses to hide his eyes.
"This is private property, you can't be here," the guard said.
"Like I care what your boss thinks. He is but a disgusting worm," Ren said.
"You bastard," he is about to fire a shot but Ren knocks it out of his hands and draws out his pistol to blow the guard's brains out onto the wall. The second guard fires his rifle but the waves of bullets are hitting but air. Ren is dodging so fast that it looks like he is teleporting as he swiftly drives his hand through the guy's chest to impale him. Destroying to his spine killing him instantly.
"The dream of the Cogna cannot be stopped," Ren said as he walked into the estate with several more guards with rifles and stun batons waiting for them.
"You can't escape," the guards open fire with Ren just walking through the hail of bullets like it was nothing easily dodging them. From the point of view of the guards he seems to be fading in and out of existence with his raw speed their eyes can't read. He is using his hand-to-hand skills along with his pistol to murder every single one of the guards with vicious precision.
"You all seem so slow," Ren said as he could see the fear building up over the men. He takes advantage by using a palm strike to launch the guard through a few walls killing him on the spot. He fires a few rounds onto the floor to lay them out like landmines.
They pursue but the bullet mines explode blowing off their legs while Ren performs a powerful kick to be able to tear off his head with ease. There is only an exposed neck with a lot of blood shooting onto the floor. Ren tosses a flashbang to blind the group with him swiftly chaining up strikes and kicks with minimal effort to sweep up the room.
Ren stands alone in the room with rows of dead bodies around him. "Pathetic," Ren said as he fixed up his sunglasses to approach the art room with more guards trying to stop but failing badly.
"What the hell is going on here?" the boss asked on the radio.
"Boss Nass, this man is unreal. He is so fast it's like he is teleporting. Our weapons are useless," a guard said as he got impaled by Ren's palm strike cutting right through his combat suit with ease.
"Damn, you men are useless," Nass said as he prepares to fight the thief himself. I am going to protect my investment. I am not letting some thief ruin that," Nass said as he got into a mech suit ready to fight the mysterious suited man.
Ren gets into the art room which is quite vast. "Seems more like a warehouse to me," Ren said as he saw more guards mock them with a hand gesture. "You are beginning to bore me. You will be used as punching bags," Ren is striking and kicking the men into bloody messes onto the floor and walls.
"Don't let him near Nass's best object," the guard said as he got his head blown off. Ren tosses a smoke grenade to confuse within the ranks of guards getting picked apart by Ren's sneak attacks making them break out in fear and losing their nerve.
The room soon becomes quiet with nothing but dead bodies littering the floor and blood scattered everywhere. "Now for the compass," Ren said as he felt a presence to dodge a wave of bullets to see a mech walker crash through a walk.
"No use Thief, I have the best mech money can buy. You can't take my stuff," Nass said as Ren had a smirk on his face to fix up his sunglasses.
"It's amusing you think you are in control of this," Ren gathers a mysterious energy from his body into his pistol charging up his bullet in the chamber.
"You will be crushed," Nass said as he rushed at Ren.
"Pathetic," he fires a powerful shot from his pistol to rip through the mech tearing it apart. Nass is in disbelief at this as he falls out of his craft badly wounded.
"Impossible," Nass spits blood onto the floor.
"I will take this," Ren takes the Omni compass out of its case and then crushes it to dust with his palm.
"No! Do you know how much is that worth?" Nass asked as Ren drew his pistol to aim at his head.
"Not enough for you," Ren said to put a bullet through his skull with blood oozing out of his exit wound instantly dying on the spot.
"Mission complete, the compass is destroyed," Ren said via comlink.
"Good work Ren, we need to make sure to have no loose ends. The Astral Express can't get one of the compasses, this will go a lot smoother that way," Alice said.
"I am interested in fighting them. Dan Heng's dragon form is interesting, I want to test these upgrades I've gotten recently," Ren said wanting a challenge.
"Soon or later, we will be fighting them. Tingyun and Caelus are our main concerns to deal with," Alice said.
"Due toothier own unique powers?" Ren asked.
"Yes. Her Nine Tales powers and the young man's unknown connections to the Aeons along with the Stellaron within his body. Those two are the most concerning along with the rest of the crew of the Express. They must be dealt with," Alice said.
"Yes we will handle them soundly," Ren said looking urged to encounter them at some point to teleport away leaving the crime scene.
Elsewhere within the Express Caelus goes up to Tingyun's new room to knock on the door. "Hey Tingyun, you awake?" he asked as the door was unlocked. He slips inside to see she is fast asleep in her bed under the sheet. "Wow, she is knocked out like a log but I can't blame her," Caelus said as he thought about how strong and beautiful her Nine Tails form was. "True beauty in every sense of the word," he thought to shake his head getting dirty thoughts out of his mind.
"Oh, my handsome knight, come to greet me in the morning?" she asked as she began to yawn.
"I wanted to check on you, how are you feeling?" he asked.
"Oh, I am okay, thanks for asking?" Tingyun asked as Caelum suddenly turned around. "Oh, what's wrong?" she asked.
"You are in underwear?" he asked trying to preserve her modesty.
"Oh yes, I don't have nightwear. Just the medical bodywear, I need to let my girls breathe," Tingyun said.
"I am sorry," he said being genuine about it as she giggled at this.
"It's okay, if it's you I don't mind," she said.
"This woman is something else," he thought.
"Hey, I know you want to peek at me. Be honest?" she asked as he sheepishly nodded his head. "Oh, such a naughty boy. I can't blame you; these undies are pretty cute. You can look," she said as she got out of the bed to expose herself. Caelus turns around to see this fox goddess in front of him. "What do you think, cute right?" she asked in a flirty tone.
"Damn!" he thought loudly in his mind to see her sporting a white silk bra holding in her busty chest while her white silk panties formed around her curvy butt ad wide hips. "You look very nice," he said being more subdued for this made Tingyun giggle at his cute expression.
"Very smitten with me Caelus?" she asked to get close with him to press her breasts against his chest.
"Wow, they are so soft," he thought seeing how big and round her breasts look in her bra. "I dream about you a lot," he admitted as Tingyun showed a soft blush on her pale face.
"You are so cute, I hope you can see more of me like this," Tingyun said to press deeper into his chest. Suddenly the door opens and March 7th comes into Tingyun's room.
"Oh Tingyun, we should go to the station to get some stuff," March comes in to see Caelus holding Tingyun in her underwear to begin to freak. "My goodness, you were doing something naughty, were you? Caelus, did you put her up to this?" March questioned.
"No," Caelus said bluntly. "I wanted to say good morning but she pressed up against me," Caelus said as March calmed down.
"Oh, I am sorry. I jump the gun on that one. I wanted to come to take you shopping for some clothing and stuff. Make this room less plain and give you some cute outfits," March said.
"Oh, I would love to. I lost my purse when I was ambushed," Tingyun said.
"Don't worry about it, we got a joint account with tons of credits in it from all our missions over the last several months," March said.
"Oh great, I will get my suit and we can get going," Tingyun feeling happy with March staring at her large breasts bouncing in her bra being very distracted.
"Damn, she got some knockers. Himeko isn't the only one packing heat here," March said as she looked down at her modest bust, sad about it.
"Something wrong March?" Caelus asked.
"Oh nothing, just acting silly. We will be going to the Shopping Station soon; you can come along too Caelus. Seeing us cute girls trying out new outfits," March said.
"I only want to see one of you in cute outfits," Caelus said as Tingyun blushed from this.
"Hmm, I hope I don't disappoint you," Tingyun said to press her tits into his arm.
"Okay, get ready we will teleport within the shopping station soon," March said as she grabs her tits to sigh. "Some girls have better looks than others," March said.
"Okay, I going to put my bodysuit back now. Keep your eyes on me, my handsome knight," she said with a cute little wink to go grab her suit on the chair to bend over giving her crush a good look at her ass and tail. "So, you like how full and thick my tails are?" she flirted as Caelus was confused by this.
"Two tails?" Caelus questioned as he realized to stare at her long busty and her curvy booty. "Shit this woman," he muttered as she giggles again.
"I am going to love teasing you my sweet knight," she said as she stopped playing around to slip on her bodysuit. "Okay, I am ready to go," she said as they exited out of her room to meet March in the main area.
"Where is Dan Heng?" Caelus asked.
"He is researching the Nine Tales myth trying to understand Tingyun's new powers," March said.
"All I need to know is it's very cool and I do some serious damage with it," Tingyun said.
"Alright, let's head into the shopping station," March said as the three teleported into a nearby space station which is a shopping hub like a shopping mall in space.
"Pretty clean here," Caelus said.
"Not a dump, that is for sure. Come on, let's get you some cute outfits," March is excited about this as they get dragged into a large clothing store filled with various items on sale. "Oh yes, yes, yes. So many cute things here," March said.
"March is so pumped for this," Tingyun said.
'She is always like this when it comes to sales," Caelus said.
"Don't make me sound weird," March protested.
"I think you do good enough without me," Caelus said lightly.
"Gee, oh look at that," March said as she was distracted to see a lovely pink dress on display. "It's so pretty," March said with stars in her eyes.
"She is enjoying herself," Tingyun said as Caelus sighed at this.
"She is like a squirrel. One minute she is pouting and then she is beaming like crazy," Caelus said as they walked over with Tingyun admiring the pink dress.
"She is a true blue Pollyanna. It's nice to have someone who can bring some positivity to our lives," Tingyun said as March 7th smiled at this.
"Yep, Tingyun knows what's up. We need to go to the dressing rooms and try these outfits," March said.
"Okay, let me pick some to try out," Tingyun said as she smiled at her sweet knight. "I am going to pick some cute outfits and I need your honest opinion," Tingyun said.
"Honestly you would look killer in anything honestly," Caelus said.
"Thanks, I will be right back," she said as she had a bunch of outfits to try on.
Both women go into the dressing room. Tingyun pulls out of her bodysuit to toss it to the side with her only in her underwear. "This is going to be fun showing off for him. I am going to knock him on his feet," she said with a mischievous foxlike smile.
March comes out of the dressing room first to show off the pink dress that was on display before. "This is so cute, it has bows and ribbons," March said.
"You look nice," Caelus said plainly.
"That is undercooked," March said as Tingyun came out of the dressing room sporting a white blouse and brown short shorts showing off her long shapely legs.
"How does this look?" she asked.
"Amazing," Caelus said eyeing up her long legs and curvy thighs looking amazing in those shorts.
"Thanks, Caelus. I got more to show to you," Tingyun said as March went back into the dressing room to put on a new outfit. Tingyun gets out first to be sporting a lovely yellow sundress with a slit that is used to fit her busty tail through. "How about this?" she asked.
"Simple yet elegant," he said as Tingyun giggled at this.
"Thank you, sundresses are cute and nice to wear," Tingyun said as March came out wearing a blue shirt and black pants.
"Do I look good?" March asked.
"You look cute," Tingyun said.
"You look alright," Caelus said plainly.
"Gee so underwhelming. You should be brisking in my beauty," March said.
"Sure, keep telling yourself that," Caelus said to deplete her ego.
"Gee, I going to try something special," March said.
"Oh, I got something special for you Caelus. You will be floored," she said as she went into the booth to remove her underwear to put on something nice for her favorite guy. "I am going to floor him dead this time," she said with a foxy smile.
Caelus is looking at his phone to see a news report about an estate being attacked by an unknown man in sunglasses. "What the hell is going on in this universe? Are the Pathfinders on the move?" Caelus wondered as the girls came out of the dressing rooms.
"Check us out," March said, sporting a frilly white and blue bikini showing off her slender frame.
"How do I look my sweet knight," Tingyun said as she was wearing a bright brown one-piece bathing suit hugging every inch of her tall hourglass figure.
"Damn, you are amazing Tingyun. No curve is not left out," Caelus said as Tingyun went up to him to press herself against his arm.
"Thank you, I am happy you enjoy my selections," Tingyun said.
"What about me?" March asked.
"It's very fitting for you," Tingyun said.
"She knows what's up," March said.
"Whatever, you girl better get your stuff," Caelus said as they went out to get Tingyun some underwear as well. She goes to a silk red bra to look at the tap to see it's not her size.
"Oh, hey guys, can you look for a bra like this for me?" Tingyun asked.
"What is your size?" March asked.
"36F," Tingyun said as March sighed with Caelus giving her large chest extra attention.
"Interesting," Caelus said.
"Perfect for you right," March said.
"Of course," Caelus said as March sighs again.
"Some women like Himeko and Tingyun have all the luck," March said as they got her some underwear.
"Time for you to fit into a travel outfit," Caelus said.
"Oh right, I think I found the perfect one," Tingyun said as she went back into the fitting booth. She gets into her outfit to go out to let them see it. "What do you think?" she asked as the two were floored by her travel outfit.
She is wearing a white sleeveless top, a red knee-length skirt with black tights under them, and knee-high brown boots with her outfit fitting her curvaceous frame quite well like her large chest and curvy bottom. She has detachable flowing black sleeves, a red hairband within her chocolate brown hair, and red fingerless gloves.
"Wow, you knocked it out of the park," March said.
"Yeah, you are the cream of the crop with that getup," Caelus said as Tingyun smiled, happy with her choice.
"Thanks, guys, I got all the things I need with clothing and underwear. Let's head for the furniture place to get some cute stuff for my room," Tingyun teleports her clothing back into the Express to go get some stuff for her room.
Elsewhere Dan Heng is doing some research on the Nine Tails gene Yukong was talking about its not finding anything new. "Still in here?" Himeko asked behind him.
"Yeah, I was trying to find out about the legend of the nine tails. Not nothing much we don't know already," Dan Heng said.
"Well, all we know is she will be a big asset to us. Her powers along with your new dragon powers will make our adventures much smoother. Oh, did you look at the news?" she asked.
"No, I was too busy," Dan Heng said.
"There was a break in on the world of Thanzo 2 on an estate of a wealthy businessman. Everyone including the man Nass is killed," Himeko said as Dan Heng looked on with interest.
"Is it the Pathfinders?" Dan Heng asked.
"Don't know but there was an unknown man with sunglasses and a business suit murdering everyone inside. The weird thing is that nothing was stolen. All his art is still there except for a weird golden ball but it was reduced to dust," Himeko said.
"For what purpose?" Dan Heng asked.
'We need to find this out and see who that man is. Pathfinders are not like the Stellaron Hunters, they seem very secretive and recently started popping up. We need to keep watch over anything weird," Himeko said.
"Alright, we wait and see," Dan Heng said.
"Oh, I found a gift in the mail here on the express. It's from Yukong for Tingyun, it is such a cute gift. I hope she comes back soon to get it," Himeko said as she walked out of the room with Dan Heng continuing to look through his phone to research the break-in at the estate.
Back with the trio at the shopping center within the space station. They finished getting stuff for her new room as they headed to the food court to get something to eat. "Oh, there is a sweet shop nearby," March heads off with the shop having a bunch of chocolate. Tingyun feels wobbling just smelling the chocolate with her strong canine nose.
"Oh no, not chocolate," Tingyun said.
"Oh yeah chocolate is toxic to Foxian like dogs," Caelus said.
"Yep, it would make me very sick," Tingyun said.
"What kind of candy do you?" he asked.
"Licorice, so delicious. Also love Red bean paste," Tingyun said.
"Sounds good, I would try that sometime," Caelus said.
"Oh, we can go into my new room and we eat sweets together," Tingyun said as March came back.
"I didn't see anything interesting inside. Let's head for the food court and get our bellies filled up," March said.
"I went to this buffet once on this snowy planet not too long ago. It's very good, I would like to you there someday just the two of us," Tingyun said.
"That would be lovely," Caelus said as they went off to grab their food from the various food shops.
March first grabs a table with her food to check out the news on her phone. "Gee, this is insane," she said as she saw Caelus and Tingyun come back with their food. "Did you see the news with the attack on the estate on the planet of Thanzo 2?" March asked.
"Yes, it's crazy. Some break-in with all the guards and the owner killed in the break-in," Caelus said.
"Things are getting nuts out there. I wonder what they wanted," Tingyun said.
"Well anyway. I got this spread," March 7th said as she had pasta and meatballs in a bowl.
"That looks good," Caelus said.
"Yeah very tasty," Tingyun said.
"What did you get?" March asked.
"I got some mini cheeseburgers and fries," Caelus said.
"I got some sweet and sour chicken along with fried rice," Tingyun said as she used a fork to take a bite out of it. "It tastes pretty good, not as good as at home but still good," she said as she happily ate her meal.
"Yeah good to enjoy ourselves once in a while," Caelus said.
"Indeed, so how does it feel to have mystic fox powers?" March asked.
"It's very empowering and overwhelming yet calming and focused. I feel like I can do anything. I will use this power to help you guys and I will train it to master to its fullest potential,"
"I wish I had a cool power-up," March said.
"Hey march, everyone has a role within the group. Welt and Himeko don't have power-ups yet they are powerful in their own right," Caelus said.
"Yeah, you're right. I will give it my all as well to help stop the bad guys," March said as Tingyun had gotten a message from Himeko.
"Oh, I have gotten a gift from Yukong. That is so nice," Tingyun said.
"I should give you a gift as well," Caelus said.
'That is very sweet, I am looking forward to it," Tingyun said feeling loved.
Soon enough they finished their meals to teleport back to the Astral Express with Himeko waiting for them in the main area. "Welcome back, I see you have gotten quite a bit of stuff for Tingyun," she said.
"Yep, very good things to make me feel more comfortable here," Tingyun said.
"Good, well I got something for you from Yukong. A bionic dog Diting is dropped here for you," Himeko said as the little dog barked to run towards the Foxian to jump into her arms.
"Oh goodness, what a little cutie you are. These machines are very useful and very cute to have around. It seems to be familiar to me," Tingyun said as they noticed that this robotic dog was the same one they used before on the Luofu.
"Yeah you have a knack with animals," Caelus said.
"Yeah, he will be nice to have on the express," Tingyun said as within the hour Tingyun had her room stocked with stuff getting into a certain style is very elegant and familiar to her home on the Luofu. "This is my new life now. Things will be very interesting here, especially with a cute human I can be with," Tingyun said as she flopped onto the bed with the Diting jumping onto the bed and licking her face. She pets the bionic dog which she calls Ace to enjoy his company in her room as she looks at her hand to glow blue Plasma energy to embrace her role as a member of the Astral Express crew.