Note at the end, let's begin.

Honkai Star Rail is property of Hoyoverse. I own nothing.

As the evening wore on, Caelus listened with rapt attention as Bronya regaled him with more of her childhood. From taking her first tram ride to the Overworld with Cocolia, laying eyes on Qlippoth Fort for the first time, and then her rigorous training to become the next supreme guardian after her mother. The sheer thought of such disciplined activities as a child sounded overwhelming to Caelus, especially when she got to the part about having to walk balancing books on her little head. And yet Bronya seemed to truly cherish these memories, especially the moments when Cocolia herself would pick her up after a stumble, offering gentle words of encouragement.

Though he did his best to maintain a polite smile, inwardly he felt more conflicted than ever. Bronya truly did view the woman as her real mother, blood ties be damned.

It was only when Caelus's stomach loudly protested its emptiness that her recollections were brought to a halt. He flushed with frustrated embarrassment, but Bronya merely giggled at him, sending off a quick message on her phone before gesturing for him to follow.

It had been up to him to pry Pela away from an unrepentant Seele, allowing Bronya to herd them into an adjoining room which sported a cozy dining hall that she idly remarked was where she and the former guardian had often shared their meals.

Caelus couldn't stifle his amazement; despite Bronya having sent the summons only mere minutes prior, the table was already laden with food, sporting a spread that would make even the snootiest food connoisseurs salivate at the mere sight of it.

Once they had all taken their seats, each dug in with varying degrees of decorum. Seele attacked her plate with the fervor of a starved wolf, while Bronya and Pela maintained a sophisticated grace, leaving Caelus to fumble awkwardly with the array of utensils, particularly annoyed by how many spoons were meant for soup.

Idle conversation soon flowed easily about the small party before Pela broke in with a stoic update on the city's affairs.

It seemed that Belobog had finally found its groove in its restoration efforts, namely involving that of the Engine of Creation. While much of the technical details about the salvage effort flew over Caelus's head, he was able to see that Silvermane Guards, under Gepard's leadership, had significantly reduced the Fragmentum incursions since the young Landau had taken Bronya's former position.

There were even discussions about expanding beyond the city, setting up railways and settlements in the snow plains—an idea Seele had once passionately pitched to Caelus, which had apparently reached even Bronya's ears. Even so, that initiative would take years to get underway.

Eventually, the focus shifted to Caelus himself, and he regaled them with tales from the Astral Express's adventures, particularly their exploits on the Xianzhou Luofu.

Pela shuddered at the thought of an Aeon cursing an entire race to eternal life, while Seele's eyes practically glistened at the prospect of sparring with someone like Yanqing. Bronya listened intently to his recounting of events, drawing parallels between the Cloud Knights and the Silvermane Guards, her curiosity sparking thoughtful questions.

Seele let out a rather unladylike burp, eliciting an aghast reaction from the bespectacled girl and an exasperated roll of the eyes from Bronya. "Gotta admit – Overworld grub has its perks."

"You said it," Caelus said, setting his cutlery down nice and neat under Pela's glare.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it. Perhaps we should eat like this again sometime. This room doesn't get much use nowadays," Bronya admitted.

Because her mother no longer being there went unsaid among the four of them.

"If we're meeting up for food, then we oughta check out some of the stalls in the Underworld," Seele suggested, and Pela did her best imitation of a cat, nose sticking in the air.

"I'm at a loss how one would even smell anything resembling food with all the odors down there."

"Well then maybe you don't know everything after all, Beret," Seele snickered at the smaller girl, prompting the two to start squabbling once more.

Caelus watched the two go back and forth with a smirk tugging at his lips.

Like fire and water those two were.

"Now, now, let's not fight when it's… goodness! Where did the time go?" Bronya said, rising from her seat. "I should get ready to retire for the evening, and that goes for you two as well. Come on now, and no fighting."

"She started it," Seele snitched.

"YOU-!" Pela hissed.

And that was how the trio left, with Bronya playing mediator between a grinning Seele and the belligerent beret-wearing intel officer, leaving Caelus by himself for once.

"Dinner and a show," he remarked dryly just before he felt something vibrating in his pocket. Caelus checked his phone and found the Express's group chat bubble blinking rapidly. He tapped it once and opened it up to find Himeko had messaged him.

:Caelus, is everything alright down in Belobog?:

His fingers darted across the phone's key screen, composing a quick response for her.

:Cold as always down here. You guys in the system yet?:

:About that…:

Before he could pry any further, March's avatar popped in and immediately began spamming crying emojis.

:March, what's wrong? Are you ok?:

Himeko herself cut in before the younger girl could get another message in, topped with a emoji of an angry Pom-Pom.

:Oh, she's very much not. And here's why.:

Seconds later, several attachments – photos specifically filled the chat window, and it wasn't until he clicked on one of them that the truth revealed itself.

It was evident to all that March had clearly outdone herself with her little shopping spree, so much so that even Asta herself would've been put to shame.

And now his room had been turned into emergency storage for all the bags she'd brought, most of which held shoes – so many shoes…

Despite the situation, Caelus couldn't find it in himself to be upset in the slightest. It was so typical of March that all he felt like doing was laughing.

:Wow… I didn't think my room was that big to begin with, but even I can't ignore its size now. I'm impressed you got them all in there… That is all of them, right?:

More crying emojis of March in chibi form flooded the chat, each one denoted with apologies from March.

:I'm really sorry! I just got a bit carried away, I swear!:

:If that's a bit, I'd hate to see what happens when you go full shopaholic.:

He was doing his damndest to try and not make March feel worse than she clearly did, but Himeko seemed thoroughly ruffled this time, which was emphasized by the grim little emoji stylized in her likeness.

:I'm glad you are taking this so well, Caelus, because I most certainly am not. There comes a point when indulgence becomes a vice, and I'll not have it on this train. She and I will be having a talk about all of this before bed, don't you worry. In the meantime, do you have somewhere you can stay for the night? I promise we'll be there tomorrow for sure.:

:Sure, I'll just stay at the hotel again. Speaking of which I should start winding down for the night anyways. See you tomorrow, and Miss Himeko? Don't be too hard on her, ok?:

March quickly sent relieved and happy emojis in a persistent wave, showing how she felt about that sentiment.

Himeko's own emoji depicting her holding her cup of coffee with a smile followed suit.

:Aww, you're such a sweetie! Don't worry, it'll just be a little scolding. She'll live.:

And suddenly March's emojis went back to worried and scared.

Sorry March, can't help you any more than this, he thought with a chuckle before typing one last message

:Good luck March! See you all tomorrow:

Caelus stowed his phone away with an odd sense of relief. Though the situation was inconvenient, March's shopping spree had given him an excuse to linger in Belobog a little longer. The city and its people had a way of making him feel at home which he never quite experienced when on the Express.

That wasn't to say he didn't think of everyone there as family, of course. Himeko, Welt, March, Dan Heng and even Pom-Pom made up the strange, but warm relatives he'd come to cherish so dearly.

He could survive being away from them for one more night at least.

"Caelus?" His head turned in the direction of the voice, finding Bronya walking back into the room. "I'm sorry about all that. I didn't realize Pela and Seele would be so at odds like that."

"I think them clashing will be good in the long run," he confessed, smiling back at her. "A little bit of conflict is good for growth."

"Speaking from experience?" the young guardian shot back with a tone that bordered on playful.

"Of sorts."

Bronya barely managed to stifle another giggle before getting herself under control. "Well, much as I would enjoy to hear more of your exploits, I have to retire for the evening. I've got a mountain of reports to sift through as per my morning routine."

"So problem. I'll just see myself out…" he said, but right as he did he drew a complete blank as to how he even got here. "Uh… about that-?"

Bronya wasn't put out by this either; her giggle rang clear this time, a gloved hand coming up to cover her mouth. "Come on, I'll be the one to guide you this time, though we should do best to keep an instance like this under wraps. Who knows what everyone on the Express might think of a trailblazer who can't even remember how he got here."

"Har, har, Miss Guardian," he drawled, heading after her as she led the way out of the room, her musical laughter lighting up the gloom beyond.

In no time at all, they emerged from the fort and out into the nip night air. The view from where they were was breathtaking—a canvas of lights spread out beneath them, twinkling like stars scattered across the night.

"Quite the view," he remarked in awe, restraining the urge to snap a quick pic of it for later.

"It's a reminder," Bronya stated, her voice steady but filled with a quiet resolve. "The Eternal Freeze has buried everything except this city. It's through the efforts of the Guard, and myself, that it remains so. Views like this are only possible thanks to those who never get to stop and admire it."

Perhaps it was just his imagination, but Bronya suddenly looked much older than she really was in that moment.

Despite being the supreme guardian for little more than a year, the weight of her responsibilities etched into each and every one of her features.

Those steel gray eyes, the same hue as that of her hair bespoke of a story still being written with each arduous day.

Standing there without saying something to her felt like a disservice, given all she had been forced to endure all this time in her lonesome.

"It's important to remember what you're fighting for. Your mother forgot that."

"You're right…" she whispered, inhaling the crisp night air deeply. "I miss her dearly, but I won't follow in her footsteps. Belobog was once a paradise but our ancestors ruined that. I may be only one person, but I hope to leave a seed of change that will sprout in the generations to come."

"You already are," he assured her sincerely.

A choked sob escaped her, and she turned to him, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "Thank you, Caelus. I… I don't say this to you often enough, and not just you either. You, Seele, Serval, Pela, Gepard, Natasha and even Clara – I'm blessed to have you in my life."

"And we're not going anywhere," Caelus told her with a firm nod.

Against his will, a yawn escaped his lips and shattered the tender moment. "Alright, that's my cue I guess. I'd better head off. Maybe I'll finally get some proper sleep."

Bronya didn't immediately respond, but as he started down the stairs, he heard her heels clicking softly behind him.

"Caelus, wait one moment!"

He came to a halt and turned to find her holding out an intricately crafted box that looked like it had seen better days. Even so, she held it with the kind of care he'd only ever seen mother nursing her child. "What's this?" he asked, puzzled at the object's existence.

"A gift," she said simply, placing it in his hands. She didn't let go of it immediately, though. The young ruler took a few calming breaths before she spoke again, her voice almost too quiet to hear thanks to the clamor of the city around them. "My mother is gone, Caelus. I'll never hear her voice calling my name again, nor will she ever sing to me. Yet in spite of all that, I know that she lives on in my heart. That's why I want you to have it."

"Want me to have…?" It was that that the realization dawned on him, and he looked at the box with newfound reverence. "Bronya, you can't give me this!"

"Yes, I can," she insisted, her smile watery but serene. "I've come to terms with everything that was hers—everything except this. That's why I'm giving it to you."

The last vestige of her mother and she was giving it to him, someone who should by all intents and purposes be the one she despised the most. Guilt wracked his form like a virus, tearing his soul up inside until the words spilled from his lips all at once:

"Why would you give something so precious to the one who took her away from you in the first place?"

In that single horrifying moment, Bronya practically became a statue to him and he wasn't much better.

Why did I say something like that?! He ranted to himself, cursing his bluntness with a passion.

Yet, instead of anger, Bronya's gaze softened as her lips parted softly to ask, "Is that what you really think, Caelus?"

He lowered his head, guilt tightening his chest, until a gentle touch lifted his chin, forcing him to meet her eyes.

"Don't ever say that to me again," she said firmly, sounding every bit the queen she had become. "The Aeons themselves can judge you but they can all go to Hell. I've never blamed you, Seele, or anyone else for what happened to my mother. Not for an instant. You are my friend – all of you are, and nothing will change this fact, not even your own guilt."

Before he could respond, she was already ascending the steps back to the fort, leaving him clutching one of Cocolia's most cherished possessions.

"BUT I WASN'T STRONG ENOUGH—!"

Her footsteps halted, and she turned, her eyes brimming with tears, her lips curved into a fragile smile. "Neither was I, Caelus. That's why we have to become stronger, so that something like this never happens again."

With her silver locks flowing in the wind, Bronya Rand disappeared into the fort, leaving him alone amidst the city's silent din.

His trek back to the hotel was little more than a blur. It wasn't until he heard the lock on his door click that he found himself back in the lavish suite.

Caelus moved to head towards the bed for an early night but was suddenly reminded of the weight in his jacket. With great care, he withdrew the box Bronya gave him and held it up, inspecting it closely for any signs that might detail its purpose but found none. For all intents and purposes, it was just a well-worn heirloom that Bronya had seen fit to give him – who knew if it was really Cocolia's?

Showing these useless thoughts aside for the moment, he carefully set the precious box on the table in his room, stepping back quickly as though it might explode, which it of course didn't. Even still, he didn't allow himself to relax until he was neatly seated back on his bed, his gaze leveled squarely at the object.

The significance of Bronya's entrustment of this box weighed heavily on him, as though someone were actively pressing down on his shoulders. He couldn't fathom why she would entrust him with something so personal, but it mattered little in the end.

He vowed right then and there to never to tamper with it unless absolutely necessary, out of respect for her mother's memory.

Still, curiosity gnawed at him like a pest.

Its true nature was a complete mystery to him.

Practically speaking, there were no obvious tells that gave away what it actually did, and it occurred to him that he hadn't bothered to ask Bronya what its purpose was beyond being a family heirloom.

Given its craftsmanship, it was clear that it had been made by someone with exceptional skill. Serval's name crossed his mind, but he quickly dismissed the idea. The meticulous artistry suggested a creator with a depth of understanding far beyond Serval's usual work, and the slight wear on it indicated it was a relic from a bygone era.

Honestly, it looked like to belonged more in a museum than lying decrepitly on some shelf in the fort. He was sure the Museum of Natural History would foam at the mouth to have something so close to the guardianship in its possession but quickly dismissed the idea.

Bronya had given it to him as a token of her trust. To betray that all because he didn't want it was not just slap in the face to her, but everyone he had become close with. He refused to be so wishy-washy.

Maybe I could let Dan Heng look at it, he wondered and for now that idea seemed best to him.

For now, all he could do leave it alone until the Express arrived tomorrow to pick him up.

Caelus let himself flop back on the bed with a loud sigh, staring up at the ceiling. "What a day," he muttered, nearly stripping himself of his coat but thought against it at the last second.

Himeko might chide him for it if she saw him, but what she didn't know wouldn't hurt her.

His mind was like a whirlwind right now, each lingering on all the aspects that made up the backbone of today's revelations.

Bronya's grief, Serval's inner turmoil, and the tragic backstory that had led to Boulder Town being the sole remaining settlement in the Underworld.

All these threads traced back to Cocolia, a woman who was supposed to be this land's vanguard against an evil they could barely comprehend, let alone defeat.

And that very same woman had nearly led them headlong to a fate unkinder than even that corrosion held in store for them.

Thoughts of Cocolia's upbringing surged again, especially with what he now knew of her adoptive mother, Katarina Rand. No one had spoken of her, not even in passing. Cocolia's legacy was either cast as tragic or lauded for her actions, yet the woman who had shaped her remained little more than a shadow.

Caelus groaned with frustration, burying his face in a pillow. "I need to let this go. It's in the past already. Cocolia, Katarina, the other guardians—they're gone. It's up to those who remain to pick up the pieces."

Belobog would take time to recover from the scars left by Cocolia's reign, but he had faith in them. Cocolia's little doll had resisted the temptation of ultimate power when the chips were down and was guiding the city toward a brighter future.

Bronya Rand would make her lineage something worth being proud of once again, he just knew it. She had people like Serval and Natasha who would be with her every step of the way, ensuring she never strayed down a darker path like her mother did.

His eyes drifted to the box on the table once more, scrutinizing the strange but important keepsake.

He growled, forcing his eyes away from the box. "Go to bed already, Caelus. Figure this out with the others tomorrow."

With a great mental effort on his part, he pushed all thoughts of Cocolia and the supreme guardians from his mind, willing himself to relax. It was slow coming but eventually, slowly, his vision dimmed, blackness creeping in from all sides like a comforting shroud.

Yet, just before sleep claimed him, he swore he felt a gust of icy wind from outside.

I feel this is one of the better ones as of late, and it's a damn sight better than the original iteration I had. I did have another scene with Caelus and Bronya written up where she tells him what the box actually is - though some of you can already guess anyways. But I feel that we should get one with the hook of this fic and stop stalling.

We'll be ramping things up from here on. Strap yourselves in.

Till then,

take care.