Chapter 1: Clean Stale
Caelus is in his room in a deep sleep. He is having a pleasant dream of him and Tingyun going on a picnic in an unknown world. He is enjoying himself seeing her warm smile while being in a field of greenery and flowers brushing against the cool breeze.
He looks upon on with her large fox ears twitching with happiness and her warm long brown hair dancing against the winds. "This is so nice, thank you for bringing me here," Tingyun said as she grabbed a bottle of tea.
"It's my pleasure to always hang out with you," Caelus said.
"You always got amazing stories to tell me. I am so sync when you talk about your adventures," Tingyun said.
"I wish you could come with us. March would be very happy to have a girl to hang out on the express," Caelus said.
"I wish I could but I got my job which does come with its benefits. I am lucky to be joining you in this lovely world we are in," Tingyun said.
"I am the lucky one here to be graced by a true Foxian beauty like yourself," Caelus flirts with her as she giggles at his affection to sport a soft blush on her pale white face.
"Oh, you are too sweet to me. You spoil me," Tingyun said.
"You deserve everything in more Tingyun after all you have been through," Caelus said with sadness in his voice as Tingyun leaned to him to kiss him on the lips.
"Don't worry, I am here now," Tingyun said as she placed her slender hand on his thin chest covered by his t-shirt. "I am happy you remember me even after a short time. We got close," she said to whisper in his ear making him long for her.
"Tingyun, I found you and I will not let you go again," Caelus said as suddenly the bright blue sky darkened and the flowers began to wither. "What the hell?" he thought the lovely Foxian he had fallen for looked different than before.
"How sad, you fallen for me. Loving over a dead girl," a dark voice replaces Tingyun's sweet gentle voice making Caelus angry that the evil entity takes over her body like last time.
Caelus summons his baton ready to strike her down. "I will find her and save her," he urged as the dark Tingyun laughed at him.
"You will not get what you want," Dark Tingyun laughs as everything suddenly goes dark.
"Hey Caelus, are you okay?" March's voice reached out to him as he woke up from his bad dream.
"Oh, morning March," he said as he rubbed his eyes March looked worried for him.
"Bad dream about Tingyun again?" she asked as he nodded his head.
"I want to find her; I can feel she is out there. Somewhere," he said as March nodded her head.
"I know, I had a dream about us having fun and talking about all the crazy things we were doing," March said.
"I was on a date with her in a plain on an uncharted planet. Just the two of us, doing in a panic," Caelus said as March frowned at him.
"That's a very sweet dream," March said as Caelus looked down at the floor wanting to cry.
"I am stupid for liking her in the first place?" Caelus asked as March shot this down instantly.
"No, it's not. Everyone we talked to said she was a sweet and caring person. It would be natural for you would fall for someone like that. She was beautiful inside and out but that evil fake isn't doing anyone favors," March said to place her hand on his shoulder to comfort him.
"Thanks, March," he said as she gave him a big smile.
"No problem, no point in being sad when there is little hope there to clear it up. By the way, I came over to tell you about a mission we are doing today," March said.
"A mission?" he asked.
"Yep, you, me, and Dan Heng are going to a broken-down space station which is sending a distressing call. Something about protecting important cargo," March said.
"Hopefully we get a lot of credits for this," Caelus said.
"Yeah me too, there is a new pair of shoes with my name on them. Come on," March walks around to prepare for them to teleport into the space station.
"Tingyun, I will find you," Caelus said as he went off to prepare for his mission with his friends.
Shortly the trio teleport within the space station to see it's in a state of disarray. "What a mess," March said.
"Seems like there is a breach," Dan Heng said as they saw machines going haywire.
"Time to take them out," March 7th summons her bow to fire ice arrows to freeze them in place with Dan Heng and Caelus coming in with their melee weapons to smash them to pieces.
"I wonder what happened here," Dan Heng thought as they teamed up to destroy the robots going haywire.
"The Express crew is here. Don't let them get to our prize. We have been searching her for months and that crazy power will be lost if they get their hands on her," the voice said to the head of the space station.
"Of course. Someone ratted us out and pressed that distress signal. Now we got the crew of the Astral Express on our asses," the commander said as he gets into a mech suit. "Time I greet them to my station," the commander said.
"The plan is still going. Her power would be a benefit or a trouble if this mission goes either way," the voice said.
"Don't worry. She will not be a threat to our allies," the commander said.
"Our partnership with our benefactors will remain unchanged. Get it done, remove the threat," the voice said.
"Yes Lady Alice, it will be done," the commander said as he climbed into the humanoid mech suit. "Time to these troublemakers the red carpet treatment," he said as he went into the hallways.
The Trio are slicing and bashing rouge machines scattering them across the floor. "This is troublesome," Dan Heng said.
"These machines went crazy," Caelus said as they entered the security office to see various cameras around the station. "Let's see what we can find. What are they holding here," Caelus browses through the screens to go into the warehouse section to be taken aback by the sight of someone he is so happy to see. "Finally," he said with relief washing into his heart as they all saw Tingyun storage in a medical pod.
"I can't believe it, she is alive," March said as she gave Caelus a high five. "I knew it," she said.
"Yukong would be happy to hear about it. We need to head for the warehouse and rescue her," Dan Heng said.
"So, you are going to get your fox maiden back huh?" March teases Caelus as he is blushing.
"Let's get her first before celebrating yet," Caelus said as he was secretly happy his beloved Foxian was alive and well. "Soon we can start fresh and proper this time," he thought as more rouge machines appeared with Caelus using his bat to strike and bash into the robots to knock them to the side broken and unmoving.
Dan Heng used his spear to thrust and slash into several enemies reducing them to scrap metal. March 7th is jumping across the walls dodging and shooting back ice arrows to freeze the machines with the boys following up with powerful blows to destroy them to icy bits.
"You can't claim our prize. The Foxian stays here," the station commander said on the intercoms across the broken station.
"You can't keep her here forever," Caelus said.
"You don't understand what she is capable of. She can either help us or destroy us with that special power of hers deep within her Foxian cells," the commander said as the trio was confused by this.
"What are you talking about?" March questioned as the trio kept destroying machines with the weapons.
"There is a reason why Phanytila wanted her due to her powerful ability of the Nine Tails. She wasn't able to gain access to this ability and use her memories to create her clone body to sneak into the Luofu to gain new powers there," the commander said.
"Oh seriously, she got a special power too," March sounded annoyed as they finished off the robots to be within the warehouse.
"Yes and she would be a great help If we brainwash her and make her one of us," the commander said.
"We will not let that happen," Caelus said as he switched to his lance power up with flames.
"We are getting our friend back," March said as the commander laughed at this.
"If I recall, you befriended a fake Tingyun who was Phanytila in disguise. Why do you care about this random person?" the commander questioned as he landed on the floor with his mech suit to unleash a big shockwave knocking the trio across the room.
"That is true but we learned about her from the people who knew her best. She is a sweet gentle person and she will not be your pawn," Caelus said feeling firm about this.
"Oh, you must be in love with her. Can't blame you, she is a catch for a Foxian. Very pathetic to fall for the fake one though," the commander said as Caelus said as he placed his hand on his chest.
"She was fake but the feeling I had for what she was. That was very real to me and I am going to save her, to make these feelings a reality," Caelus said.
"Tell that asshole, you are going down," March said as the mech suit is preparing for a fight.
"Stand down but we will make you," Dan Heng said.
"Nonsense, prepare to die," the commander unleashes rows of missiles with the three scattering to avoid the explosions. Caelus uses his lance to send crates across the room to slam into the mech as he swings his lance to unleash fireballs to slam into the robotic suit.
"March uses her icy arrows to freeze the legs with Dan Heng slashes and jabs into the machine doing more damage.
"Get off of me," the commander slams his metal foot to unleash a shockwave to knock Dan Heng away. "Be purged," he fires rows of bullets from the arm cannons tearing up the warehouse.
"Shit," Caelus said as he is running away from the barrage of bullets.
"You are not going to take our prize away. She will die before you have her," the commander said aiming his arm cannons at the capsule holding Tingyun inside.
"No!" March said as Caelus rushed towards the capsule. He slams his lance into the floor to emit a flame shield in front of Tingyun to deflect the incoming barrage of rounds getting tanked by his fire shield.
"I am going to keep you safe Tingyun," Caelus said as he swung his lance unleashing a wave of flames to knock back the mech. He lunges front and drives his lance into the mech unleashing an explosive blast doing some grave damage.
"Good footwork," March felt happy that Tingyun was not killed. She unleashes a row of ice arrows which fall towards the mech freezing it in place. Dan Heng is rushing toward the machine with his spear in hand as the mech is firing its weapons trying to stop him. Missiles and bullets miss him while he is getting closer.
"Eat this," he unleashes a powerful wind-powered thrust attack to appear behind the mech as he slices the mech in half.
"Damn it. Doesn't matter, my comrades will seek the Cogna's wisdom and then the universe will be purged of the Aeon forever," the commander said in his dying breath as he died on the spot.
"That isn't good," Dan Heng said as they approached the capsule to see she was sealed inside.
Caelus presses a button to unlock the medical capsule to let out the Foxian to hold her in his arms. She is only wearing a white bodysuit clinging to the ample curves of her tall shapely frame. "Tingyun, thank goodness you are okay," Caelus said as the fox lady groaned for she began to open her eyes to lay upon Caelus's face.
"Oh, a sweet knight has come to save me from my captors," Tingyun said in that sweet voice he adores to give her a big hug.
"I missed your lovely voice," Caelus said.
"Oh, my sweet human, your sweet comments are music to my lovely ears," Tingyun said with her fox ears pointed upward looking very cute.
"Good to see you Tingyun," March said.
"Oh, you are guys. I need to know the ones who saved me," she asked.
"Oh yeah, we never met her before. I am March 7th, this Dan Heng and your sweet knight is Caelus," March 7th said as Tingyun gave him a sweet smile with Caelus feeling his cheeks getting heated.
"Thank you Caelus, I am further grateful to you and your friends for saving me," Tingyun said as she got to her feet. A ton of robots begin to pour into the warehouse beginning to swarm them.
"Oh shit, so many of them," March said firing arrows at them with Dan Heng swinging his spear to slash and thrust into the robots.
"Stay here," Caelus switches to his bat to unleash waves of kinetic energy to blast away enemies but he gets tackled by a machine.
"Caelus!" Tingyun said as her eyes began to glow turning her eyes from green to blue. "I will not let you and your friends get hurt," she lets out a primal roar with shockwaves pouring out of her body.
Her body was empowered with raw lightning transforming into plasma. Brown hair from the head, fox ears, and tail become snow white with her large bushy tail spilling into nine slender white tails spreading behind her.
"What the going on here?" March questioned this raw power flowing out of her power.
"Is this her Nine Tails power?" Dan Heng wondered as Tingyun summons her bladed fans.
"Watch me my sweet knight and I will show you my power," Tingyun said with a deep yet soothing voice sounding very ancient yet calm. She rapidly slices and dices rows of robots as she slices several robots in half with ease. She swings her fans to unleash tornadoes of roaring plasma vaporizing all the machines in an instant. "Burn in the heat of my plasma storms," Tingyun said as she unleashed arcs of plasma that spread all over the warehouse vaporizing anything in their path and reducing hundreds of machines into dust.
Tingyun lands on her knees on the floor to return to normal losing her power as Caelum holds her again. "That was so cool," he said being very impressed by this as everyone there was shocked to see how strong of a fighter she was.
"I got more where that came from my sweet knight," Tingyum said.
"We should get out of here. I will gather the security footage and show it to Welt and Himeko," Dan Heng said.
"Good idea, you need a hand?" he asked.
"Thanks," she said as he held her up bridal style. "Oh, I am like your new blushing bride," she teased him.
"Yeah I wish," he blurted out as she giggled at them.
"You are so cute when you are being teased," she said as he felt his heart racing from her sweet voice slinging together those cute words of hers. She lays her head onto his chest feeling his warmth and his fox ears twitching with happiness.
The trio along with Tingyun gets teleported off the ship and back into the Express to see Welt and Himeko looking on with shock not being they found the missing Tingyun. "Amazing, you managed to find her," Welt said.
"Impressive for just a simple job a rescue job," Himeko said.
"Sadly, all the others were killed with the rouge robots killing them all except Tingyun here," Dan Heng said as Tingyun looked around to see the express for the first time.
"Wow, this is so cool. It's very comfortable too," Tingyun said.
"That is not the only thing we found there. I got the recordings and they are not good," Dan Heng said as he handed the two senior members with the data tapes.
"We will take a look at these later. Hello, miss Tingyun, I am Welt and this is Himeko. They are the senior members of the Astral Express," Welt said.
"Good to know you both too. Happy to meet you both," she said to bow her head in respect.
"We need to look over the tapes and see what we can find. You keep Miss Tingyun comfortable and check her mental state," Welt said as the duo walked out of the main area. The four sit in the comfy seats with Tingyun being excited about this.
"This is so soft and warm. I need that after being kept in that pod," Tingyun said.
"So do you remember anything?" Caelus asked.
"Not really, I was traveling around and got caught by those weirdos. They were talking about my power and how I can be useful to their cause," Tingyun said.
"Do you know Yukong?" Dan Heng asked as Tingyun looked confused by this name.
"Doesn't ring a bell, why?" she asked as they were left confused by this.
"You remember your boss?" March asked.
"Boss, I am a person who is an adventurer who seeks a living in helping others and taking down evil. I am from Luofu but I am not with the merchants there," Tingyun said.
"Did you lose your memories?" Dan Heng asked.
"All I remember is that I am a traveler who goes across the current galaxy seeking a living. I went away from Luofu after I was old enough to leave," Tingyun said.
"Seems like that guy was saying was true but it's more than I thought," Dan Heng said.
"What do you mean?" Caelum asked.
"Well, the commander said that Lord Ravager Phanytila used Tingyun's memories to make a body to copy and use. This might be how she didn't remember anything about her past life since that was taken away from her," Dan Heng said.
"Seriously, she didn't remember her old friends," March said.
"Well, she knows the basics like her name and her homeworld but everything else seems to be erased from her mind when Phanytila stole her memories. Also, there are some differences," Dan Heng said.
"She said she can fight and her old friends said she was never a fighter," Caelum said as they all saw how fierce she can be in a fight despite her sweet caring nature.
"Yeah, that was nuts watching it in real-time," March said to be surprised by how powerful and raw Tingyun was in a fight with those waves of robots.
They kept talking with her as Welt and Himeko looked over the security tapes to see some interesting things like Tingyun unleashing her new power with arcs of Plasma ripping into waves of robots with ease.
"Goodness, such fearsome power," Himeko said as they saw her in an aura of plasma circling her body, her hair and tail becoming snow white while her tail split into nine tails.
"I think we got into something we don't understand. Speaking of which," Welt said as he switched to the next video to oversee two guards talking about their bosses and their plan.
"This woman better be worth it. The Pathfinders must seek out the Cogna for guidance," the first guard said.
"I know, this universe is a big mess and then needs to be driven by a better hand. The Cogna is who needs to be in charge over the Aeons," the second guard said.
"All the Aeons are fighting over stupid nonsense and people follow along with it. With the Cogna, people can truly be free to reach their full potential," the first one said as the two senior members showed concern over this.
"Pathfinders, Cogna, and destroying the rules of the Aeons," Himeko said.
"This could be the ravings of lunatics or we have moved into something very awful," Welt said as he cut off the videos. "We need to contact Yukong about Tingyun. We keep the Cogna stuff to ourselves," Welt said.
"Agreed, this is worth investigating on our own," Himeko said as they called Yukong on their phone to tell her about them finding her friend.
"Goodness, I can't believe it. I will be there right away," Yukong said as she teleported onto the Astral Express to be within the main area to see Tingyun talking with Caelum in the seating area. "Good grief, it's truth. I can't blame it," she walks over to the duo for Tingyun is confused by this woman.
"So, you are Yukong?" Tingyun asked.
"Yes do you remember me?" she asked as Tingyun shook her head.
"No, I never met you but you are very pretty," she said.
"Oh, thank you, I want to talk with her for a bit. I need to confirm something," Yukong said as she took the young Foxian to the other side of the main area to talk with her.
"What wonder they are talking about?" Caelum wondered as it took 30 minutes for them to stop speaking to come back to him. "What did you girls talk about?" he asked.
"I was telling about certain people and the guild I run. She didn't remember anything like they never existed in her mind," Yukong looks a bit disappointed but feels content with it.
"I am deeply sorry you didn't get the answers from me," Tingyun bows her head.
"It's not a bad deal. I just needed to know something. Caelum, can I have a word with you?" Yukong asked.
"Sure," he said as they walked away to the other side. "You need something?" he asked.
"Tingyun has lost her memories due to that monster Lord Ravager Phanytila taking them but that is a blessing in disguise. She has suffered but this allows her to get a new chance at life. She has the same traits that make her a great person but she is living a different path to the original Tingyun," Yukong said.
"Are you sad about this?" he asked as she shook her head.
"A bit but I am happy she is safe and sound. In her current state, she now has a clean stale allowing her to forge a new path for herself away from her old life. A rebirth of sorts," Yukong said.
"Do you want to befriend her again?" he asked.
"No," she shoots this idea down sharply. "She needs to make new memories with new friends to aid in her new life. I think she should join the crew of the Express. I have seen the video of her powers, she will be more useful here," she said.
"Speaking of which, do you know what the Nine Tails' power is?" he asked.
"This is a very rare mutation of the Foxian. The cells in our bodies allow us to keep our youthful near the end of our long life as well as sharpen our senses beyond human limits. This mutation goes above and beyond. Allowing the mutant Foxian to gain amazing godlike powers. Bending the fire of stars dubbed fox fire, bending illusions, having great healing powers allowing us everlasting life and among other powers she will learn in due time," Yukong said.
"Thanks for the info," Caelus said as Tingyun approached them.
"Ready to have some tea with me," she said with a bright smile which Caelus adored.
"Yes, do you want to join us?" he asked as Yukong could tell these two were hitting it off pretty well.
"I will be going; I do not want to get in the way. I hope you have a trip," Yukong said.
"You too, bye," Tingyun said.
"Goodbye," she said as she walked away preparing to teleport out of the train to see the two looking nice together.
"She is going to be okay and I am happy for her," she thought as she teleported away allowing the two to have their teatime.
"She seems very nice," Tingyun said.
"Yeah wanting to say goodbye to an old friend," Caelus said as he was happy that Yukong had made peace with Tingyun to go back to her home on the Luofu.
"I hope she is happy," she said as she drank this tea which was driving her taste buds wild. "Wow, this is amazing. What brew is this?" she asked.
"It's called Tingyun's Blend," Caelus said as he looked down into the cup to see the bright green tea oozing with flavor.
"Wow it is named after me, it that is funny," Tingyun said.
"Yeah the universe has a weird sense of humor," Caelus said.
"Whoever made this has excellent taste, this could be my new favorite tea to drink," she said.
"Good to hear," Caelus said as he was secretly happy she liked it. "So, what will you do now?" he asked.
"I want to join your crew," she said.
"You sure about that?" he asked.
"You seem so eager to have me around," she said in a flirty tone making the young man blush from this. "So cute," she thought to giggle at them.
"I know but I don't want to urge you to do it. It's your choice," he said as she nods her head happily.
"Of course, I want to join. I want to go on crazy adventures with you guys, also being near my favorite brave knight is a sweet bonus," Tingyun said batting her pretty green eyes at this.
"One hell of a bonus for sure," Caelus said bluntly as Tingyun laughed at this.
"Let's tell the others I want to join," she said as they finished their tea to head for Himeko, Walt, Dan Heng, and March 7th.
"So, you want to join us," Welt said as she happily nodded her head.
"My skills will be of great use to you to help stop the Pathfinders and what they are scheming," Tingyun said.
"I agree with her joining, also having another lady here is nice to have," March said with a smile.
"Yes her skills are needed for this new foe we are facing now. We need to gather intel about them. Hopefully, you can do some intel gathering," Welt said as Tingyun nodded her head.
"I will do my best," Tingyun said.
"Another pair of hands around here would be useful. Welcome to the team," Himeko said.
"I am grateful, you are okay. We will show you the ropes," Welt said.
"Put me through my paces, sir," Tingyun said.
"Me too as well. I am deeply interested in the lore of your Nine Tails powers," Dan Heng said.
"Gee. Caelus can switch elements. Dan Heng has a dragon form and now Tingyun has magical fox powers. I am so screwed," March said feeling disappointed.
"I bet you are going to have cool ice powers," Caelus teases her.
"Quit it," March said as Tingyun felt happy to be part of the crew.
"I will do my best for you all," Tingyun said as she got close to Caelus.
"Okay, you can relax now. We need to look deeper into these Pathfinders and the Cogna," Welt said as the senior members departed.
Tingyun sits down to be relieved. "I hope we can be great friends," Tingyun said.
"Me too," March said as Tingyun got close to her sweet knight.
"Hopefully with a certain someone, something much more," Tingyun flirts with him as this makes Dan Heng uncomfortable and march cooing at this.
"So cute, right Caelus," March teases him as Dan Heng taps her on the forehead.
"I think we need to leave," Dan Heng said.
"Alright, don't be fresh," March said as the two friends left them.
"She is adorable," Tingyun said.
"Yeah, she's cute. Too bad she says silly things too much," Caelus said as Tingyun laughed at this.
"You three make interesting friends," Tingyun said.
"Hopefully, we can make our trio into a quad-field team," Caelus said.
"Hey, I am happy you managed to save me. March told me about it," she said.
"Yeah, I wanted to keep you safe. Be a shame to lose such a lovely Foxian beauty like that," Caelus said.
"Indeed. Such a sweet guy," she said to give him a small kiss on the cheek. "You going to show me my new room," she said.
"Of course, you are going to go get new clothes," he said for she still is wearing that white medical bodysuit.
"You don't like it?" she asked in a flirty tone as the suit hugs her ample curves, especially her boobs, hips, thighs, and butt.
"It's very fetching on you," Caelus said with a blush on his face as Tingyun shoved her breasts into his arm while she hugged him on the side.
"Oh really, I will keep that in mind. My shining knight," she said.
"Okay, let's move," Caelus said as Tingyun clung to him to be very happy to be with her favorite human and have a new set of friends to go on new adventures with.
"Thank you Caelus, you gave me a new life of wonderful and excitement along with a cute human to hang out with," the Foxian's tail is shaking with happiness to enjoy her new life.
Elsewhere Alice and her other lieutenants meet with the leader of the Cogna within a dark room. "Seems like you lost the woman, she would make a powerful asset in our army," the Cogna leader said with a deep AI voice.
"Vector Prime. Her along with that young man with the Stellaron would be major threats. They need to be killed at all costs," Alice said.
"It would be better to take them into the fold of our ranks. The Cogna only want to spread across the universe to maintain order and rewrite the laws to our will to put us on top of everyone," Vector Prime said.
"Of course, we will find the keys you need to unlock the rest of your horde and unleash them across the universe like a raging fire burning down the old order and replacing it with a new one by your design," Alice said.
"Use the compass you have to find the keys and keep me posted. Use my forces well if you need to get to Omni keys," Vector Prime said.
"How about your world project?" Alice asked.
"It's going under well. It would have to do until the full force of the Cogna can be reactivated. Keep me posted," Vector Prime said to cut off the hologram.
"Well, it has begun. The universe needs a clean stale for life to reach its full potential and gain utopia," Alice said as her Pathfinders searched throughout the universe to find the Omni Keys to unlock the full might of the Cogna.