Chapter 2 - All Aboard!
No one seemed to notice or care when Nova suddenly appeared out of thin air in the Master Control Zone he took a quick moment to regain his bearings among the multitude of busy groups of scientists moving about or guards that were either on patrol or acting on orders.
He didn't pay it too much attention despite its difference from how he knew the game, after all, of course, no one in the world was about to be either a static NPC that just stood around to be interacted with in certain locations or simply didn't exist in the world around them beside mere mentions of them. Had the staff only appeared as few in numbers as they did in the game despite the whole nature of the space station then he might have found more concern in it than peace at the idea of the world and game being just that alike.
"Hopefully Asta at least is about the same spot." Nova thought aloud as he began moving towards a similar spot in the game where Asta always stood. It wasn't hard to spot with the massive holographic planet that was found at the central platform. Still, it was made somewhat harder to reach as he could see Asta talking with a small group of researchers and security guards that came and yet as per her orders despite her also managing various warnings and messages that came to her on holographic screens. "I don't know if to either wait because of her drowning in work or to jump in anyways because I don't know if there's going to be an end to this…"
"Oh, you must be Nova over there, right?" Asta suddenly said as she began waving at him with a shockingly energetic smile despite her evident workload of people.
"You were waiting for me?" Nova asked as he approached, now with the crowds of people making a clear path to approach.
"Yup, and it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm the lead researcher, Asta, but I already know who you are so don't worry. Madam Herta has already informed me of everything but I thought that you would have come here a lot sooner. It wasn't like Madam Herta didn't tell you where I was and you wandered off somewhere else looking for me did you?"
"Oh, well she didn't tell me but I did know where you were. It's just that I went on a little walk to make up my mind about something. I didn't realise that you were waiting for me like this."
"Don't worry, it's fine. It's not like you caused me any trouble, unlike all the jobs that need doing now because of the attack. But I heard that you were almost handed over to Madam Herta as a curio."
"Oh, that… that would have been awkward later down the line whenever I eventually revived…" Nova replied as he scratched the back of his head.
"Revived? Wouldn't you have died if that happened?" Asta asked in conern.
"Well, I was in a dormant, coma-like state actually. So long as I'm not expending any energy then I can just barely maintain my existence via the power I get from the Path of Trailblaze so in my dormant state I would actually be steadily recuperating. It would take a while to gain enough energy to reform a whole body but I'd get there eventually."
"I see, but you certainly would raise the security alarm if you just suddenly appeared in the curio storage. It explains why I can't feel your presence as a Pathstrider though, but I think that we should just focus on the fact that you're back now."
"Yeah, if it's not a problem to ask for clothes…"
"Of course not, you can consider this under our deal to assist with the Astral Express and even ignoring that, I don't think is a matter that could be ignored…" Asta said with an awkward expression as it became evident to Nova that she had actually been making a conscious effort to either look at his face or avoid looking at him at all. "I-it's not like… ah, please forget about it! It doesn't matter."
'She was wondering about that…'
"It's not quite the same but it's also not as good as being clothed… and to some people, it might look cool but honestly, it's just an extra expentature of energy too. Wasteful when you consider the usual cirumstances that our kind is typically dealing with." Nova said with a tired look, quickly catching Asta's confusion.
"I see… Well either way this is something that we should he sorted out as soon as possible. And because of the Express's own schedule, Arlan can't refute the need for the tailor!" Asta with with a determined voice as she pulled out a tablet from within her lab coat hurriedly tapping on it.
"Why would he refute the use of a tailor? Unless you're constantly buying clothes from it?"
"I'm not, and whist I'm happy to enjoy shopping in person as well, the times that I've considered just getting the tailor to prepare something he almost always considers it a waste of money. But because of timing, there's no choice! I don't know of shops with the service to get it here on time."
"But you know a tailor that does? They can make clothes from scratch and deliver it quicker than something already on the shelves could arrive?"
"Thanks to the latest fabric-synthesizing technology, such requests are made possible and because they then treat everyone on a personal basis it makes delivering within the hour possible as well," Asta answered with an upbeat expression, yet because of her focus on her tablet she remained oblivious to the expressions of the few researchers that had been listening in on her, most of them looking on with looks of disbelief as they murmured amongst themselves.
'She's… paying some outrageous amount of money, isn't she?' Nova could only think to himself in dread, wondering how much he should have expected it, but perhaps such services were the only possible ones to consider when the time crunch was factored in.
Despite whatever he thought, however, Asta was clearly well into putting the arrangements in place with so evident way of stopping her forcing Nova to simply go along with whatever actions the financial powerhouse was so casually performing…
Himko felt a small sense of relief and satisfaction as she oversaw the last of the workers and bots loading supplies onto Astral Express, making sure that everyone was out before firmly locking the Storage Carts to finish the job. "That's another success restocking, there shouldn't be anything to worry about not for the next few months."
"Even with the extra mouths?" A familiar voice sounded from behind, revealing itself to be Nova.
"Even with extra mouths, can I assume that means you're coming with us then?" Himeko replied with a soft smile, one that Nova didn't immediately reply to as instead he gazed upon the Express with a serious expression.
"Yeah, I've made up my mind. And Caelus has too on that note, Herta just called him over for something so he's with her currently." He eventually replied, turning back to her.
"As expected, I'm positive that Herta has some experiments in mind that she wishes to get Caelus involved with because of his situation. She would get assistance on one research topic whilst being able to look into his constitution that allows him to host a Stellaron inside him."
"Makes sense, and whatever keeps them happy," Nova said, taking a few moments to catch the interest look that Himeko was giving him before raising a brow to silently question it.
"You're not surprised or questioning the existence of a person that can host a Stellaron?" Himeko asked with an assumed look.
"...It's a big universe? Besides, I ran into Caelus before, I learned of it then." Nova answered, not knowing what to answer with. 'I… need to remember there are things that I shouldn't know… I just hope that excuse won't come back to bite me later.'
Perhaps it would have just been better to commit to the act of treating the unheard-of situation like it was normal instead of passing it off on a previous encounter. He had no idea what kind of talk would follow if Caelus said that he had never mentioned the Stellaron to him before as it would surely raise questions about why I did know about it, and even try to hide that knowledge…
'I really need to develop more plans to hide things better…'
"It's good to hear that you already met, and since you've already met March and myself that just leaves Dan Hung, Welt and Pom Pom." She said with a content smile. "Since you're joining us, feel free to hop on board whenever you like and meet the rest. I promise that they're just as kind, we all make sure to look out for one another. I would be willing to give you a little tour but because of Caelus, I'll wait here until he arrives."
"Right, I have to admit… I've been real curious about the Express since I first heard of it…" Nova said he glanced back at it, a feeling of elation in his chest that persisted despite his lack of a heart. "Alright then, I don't have a phone yet so until that arrives I'll just remain on the Express so as to not get left behind."
"You still haven't received anything? I thought that Herta said that she would help you out."
"Well, what she really meant was that Asta would help me out. And she has, it's just that despite spending a… lot of credits waiting times are still a thing. Apparently, clothes and a phone for me will arrive within the hour though."
"That's good to hear, I can't imagine that you would be terribly comfortable to remain like that forever and lack of contact would pose for more than a few issues." Himeko smiled, "I'll make sure that if anything arrives, it'll be passed on straight to you then."
"That would be appreciated, I just hope that it hasn't been too long since I last connected to my account…"
"Can I ask if there is a reason for that?"
"Oh, just a friend that I keep in contact with on a regular basis. It's not like we've actually managed to meet in person for quite a while though but they remain important to me." Nova answered but certainty didn't stay put as he had already begun walking away, making his way down the side of the Express whilst Himeko watched him go until he finally boarded the train.
Yet it didn't even take a minute for Nova to bump into another member of the Express Crew, and rather literally at that.
"Shoot!" "Ouch!" Nova and another exclaimed the moment that he had turned into the main lounge space of the Express, almost tripping up over a small yet fuzzy entity.
"Hey, pay attention to where you are going! You almost walked over Pom Pom!" A small rabbit creature fumed immediately in response whilst Nova regained his footing. "And who are you, you're not any of the crew or look like someone from the space station!"
"Oh, sorry, I didn't expect there to be anyone right around the corner…" Nova quickly apologised before his mind caught up with the person that he had bumped into, resulting in him going still as he took in the bunny's presence.
"Hey, what are you looking at?! And are you going to answer the question or not?"
"First question: you. Second: I'm one of two newbies. Hasn't someone told you of what's happened recently?"
"Hm? I heard that someone who somehow has a Stellaron inside of them was given the offer to join but I didn't hear anything about you."
"Oh, well… you remember when the Express went to fetch a curio for Herta recently on a planet? At the same time, they came back with a black crystal in this shape, no?" Nova said as he pointed to the gem in his chest.
"That's right, but how do you know about that?" Pom Pom asked, now clearly puzzled as they tilted their head to the side adding to their charm.
"Because I am that crystal. They handed it to Herta and she gave me enough energy to awaken me again, that's just what I'm like when I've gone dormant due to energy depletion. Anyway, Himeko gave me the offer to join shortly after."
"Huh? Pom Pom hasn't encountered a race like your's before."
"Really? I know that we don't get around the universe much but I thought some more experienced travellers or just knowledgable people at least had an idea of our existence…" Nova replied, feeling oddly disheartened at the news despite it being the natural outcome of their 'isolation'.
"They're Krystalvilian, but it's not surprising that you haven't heard of them." Another voice said, drawing the attention of the two of a calm, serious young man. Whilst the majority of his attire seemed typical enough, it was his long, hooded coat and earpiece that hinted at his native culture. "I wouldn't have thought we would encounter someone like you so far from home."
"That's understandable."
"Huh? Is there something strange about it, Dan Heng?" Pom Pom asked as he glanced back.
"Not strange necessarily, but perhaps rare might be the word for it. It's a known fact of the Krystalvilians that they're firmly locked into a civil war, primarily divided between the followers of The Hunt and The Abundance. Despite having been born thanks to Youshi and making them considered Denizens of the Abundance, a faction one day turned sides and have been warring since."
"Really? Then does that mean you escaped it one day?"
"Yes… I was lucky enough to get out of there." Nova said with a heavy sigh, "Sorry, but can we leave that topic there? Those memories… aren't fun ones."
"I'm sorry for bringing it up so suddenly." Dan Hung quickly replied.
"It's fine, it's only known facts albeit outdated."
"Outdated? Has there been some developments recently?"
"All I'm going to say is, there's a third group now. A group that either got tired of war or relished in it and said they're gonna take everything down."
"An Anillation Gang arose…" Dan Heng quickly surmised with a downcast expression, not needing to be told anything to imagine the amount of chaos that had likely unfolded on the planet.
"Bingo… Not fun stuff."
"I see. Perhaps we should move past this topic for now," Dan Heng calmly said, "I should introduce myself, I am Dan Heng. I act as the vanguard for the Express alongside managing and updating the Data Bank. And this is Pom Pom, the conductor of the Astral Express.
"Nice meeting you, I'm Nova and I've been discussed already."
"Alright, then let me say that as conductor, welcome aboard the Astral Express! As an official passenger of the express, please keep this ticket on you at all times!" Pom Pom said as they reached into their little jacket to pull out a golden ticket before trying their best to hold it out to Nova despite the massive height difference.
"I'll clip it on or something later… right now I don't even so much have pockets," Nova said as he stood back up after having accepted the ticket. "But, is there an issue if something happens? Like what if someone steals this from us?"
"Humph, don't underestimate the power of the Trailblaze! Those might look like normal tickets at first but they're protected by its power. They can't be taken by force, but even if you do lose it it's just proof of you being a Crew member. Currently, because the Express Crew's numbers are so few it's easy to know everyone personally and therefore know by heart everyone who is expected to be on the Express so the tickets need aren't as evident. However, don't think I'm going to allow any slacking on the official procedure!"
"That's fair, that's fair. I'll stick it on somewhere soon enough." Nova said, nodding along to the conductor's words.
"And whilst we're talking about official procedure, understand that there are rules on the express that everyone abides by! You might think yourself special or with a unique past but that goes for everyone else on the express as well!"
"Pom Pom, don't you think that it would take a while to go over each of the Express's rules? I fear that this might be considered a lecture if you do." Dan Hung interjected, making Pom Pom pause before coughing into his paw before starting again.
"Passenger Dan Hung makes a valid point, as thus the rules can be summarised as… be a decent person! There are some rules such as making sure you stay out of the engine room as only Pom Pom and Miss Himeko may enter it and others that you will be informed of when needed. Also, meals such as breakfast and dinner are shared on the Express but you will be noticed when they are ready."
"Ah, you can just leave me out for meals," Nova said with an awkward expression. "I might have joked about being an extra mouth to Himeko, but I don't actually eat food."
"You don't?" Pom Pom said in shock. "You must consume or need something, right? Please inform Pom Pom so that we can prepare that instead."
"I believe that will be hard to supply Pom Pom, Krystalvilian are energy-based lifeforms after all." Dan Hung mentioned as Nova nodded his head.
"He's right, unless you're going to turn on a generator of some sort there's nothing you can really do. If allowed however, I can just naturally draw in all forms of energy but that has effects that others typically don't like, like making the room colder or darker, or putting a dent in people's wallets via the electricity bill… So either I'm awkwardly just there, or making you all uncomfortable, probably both honestly."
"Please don't worry about it. Instead, keeping apart would make you feel more distance and be more awkward as a result."
"Humph, says the one who's late most of the time." Pom Pom chimed in. "But fear not, Pom Pom will make sure to procure something for you."
"Thanks, but don't push yourself. The power I gain from Pathstriding is enough to sustain my being and if I take time to rest at night then I should recuperate any energy extra energy being spent during the day. I'll only have an actual issue if for whatever reason I get into some intense fight or other draining activity."
"Very well, but still leave it to Pom Pom to figure something out. Something almost always happens on each stop so it still remains an important matter to tackle." The little conductor said with the utmost serious expression, willing to relent even slightly on his duties to his passengers. "But there is something that Pom Pom can do for you know at least, and that's show you to your room!"
"Do I not get to see the Express whilst we're at it, or am I just have to take risks in poking around?" Nova asked.
"Of course! Pom Pom is happy to show new passengers around, even more, if it prevents you from going places that you shouldn't!"
"I will return to the data bank in the meantime and continue updating it as I intended to do. You're free to come by whenever you want, it is a public room and resource for everyone on the Express." Dan Hung said with a cool nod.
"Right, I'll come by then. There is something that I think I should ask you."
"Can I ask what that is?"
"Eh, you'll find out. I don't think I'll be long."
"Very well, I'll be awaiting you then." The calm and collected vanguard replied as he took his leave, heading to the back of the carriage and letting the door slide shut behind him by itself.
"So… What's in the other direction?" Nova couldn't help but ask, his curiosity sparked with the potential to gain the answer as the game had never given any indication of what lay beyond.
"That would be the dining cart and kitchen! If we had a larger crew and a couple of dedicated chefs beyond just Pom Pom then the layout would make a little bit more sense. Currently, because of the size of the crew we have one large table in there instead and a kitchen space to the side. There is no need for anyone aside from Miss Himeko and Pom Pom to go any further beyond that room."
"Ah… a place that I won't have much use for. But it's always the places that you're not supposed to go that make you want to go there the most…" Nova dully replied, yet despite his sudden disinterest, he still tried thinking of what the room looked like at least. 'Perhaps I could just pop in there anyway? I did always wonder what was beyond that door…'
"No! There will be no trespassing beyond the dining carriage! Only with reasonable exceptions will that ever be permitted, or you shall receive punishment from Pom Pom!" They said whist stamping their little foot on the ground but their frustration only amplified their cute charm instead of invoking any fear.
"So what I'm hearing is that I need to be Himeko's little assistant when she needs one?"
"W-well… that… that role is mostly filled by Pom Pom, but if you ever do find yourself aiding Miss Himeko in the care and repairs of the Express then you should make sure to only do as you are asked and be mindful of everything!"
"That's fair. My goal isn't to blow this train up or get kicked off. If anything it's to protect it."
"That's good to hear. Pom Pom can already remember a time hosting the worst Trailblazer Pom Pom has ever met…
"Because they were actually Aha the Elation who blew up a planet and half of the Express after impersonating a Trailblazer for over a year as a prank?" Nova guessed with such sheer nonchalance that Pom Pom was left stunned and dazed at his reveal.
"Y-yes… can Pom Pom ask how you knew that? Pom Pom doesn't believe that even any of the current Express Crew knows that…"
"Because… how about round 2?" Nova replied with a smug smile that set the rabbit into a state of alarm that left him paralysed. A reaction so strong that Nova couldn't even find it amusing at how affected they seemed to be. "Ah… That was just a joke. I-I'm… I'm not Aha…"
"That's not funny at all!" Pom Pom shouted back in frustration, "That was a terrible time for Pom Pom and the Express! Fine! Maybe Pom Pom won't find a way to settle your energy needs if this is the treatment that Pom Pom gets!"
"Sorry, sorry, sorry! Whilst I could manage without energy… I think… I genuinely didn't want you so upset, I just thought that it wasn't so bad because didn't you still have Akavili back then to help out?"
"T-thats true but it doesn't make it any less terrible. You're like those Masked Fools still, you aren't actually one, right?"
"No, I swear not. Not that I know how to prove it considering many of them have quite the knack for trickery…" Nova replied, genuinely regretting what he had caused. It took Pom Pom a few moments of merely watching Nova before releasing a heavy sigh as they made up their mind.
"Very well, Passenger Nova, I'll choose to believe you this time as you seem genuinely remorseful, but never do it again! But for Pom Pom to accept your apology, Pom Pom requests a genuine answer to how you know about Aha's 'prank'!"
"Fair enough," Nova replied with a small smile, glad for the quick recovery from their nearly ruined friendship. 'I can't just tell him because the game about this very world had bits of law in it, but it shouldn't be too hard to fib either by keeping it vague. Although... I never should have brought it up at all...'
"I know about it because I'm a long-lived species. Between traveling and being around long enough you get to hear things by chance. Honestly, I had no real stake that it was genuine until you reacted like that. Guess that means you've also been around for a really long time?"
"Pom Pom has indeed been with the Express for many years now, helping take care of all Trailblazers that have travelled with us. But Pom Pom didn't think that there were people old enough to remember events like that alongside Pom Pom."
"Oh, no… I'm not that old. Honestly, even as a long-life species, it's stunning to hear how old you are since not many things can live… is it 26 Amber Eras since Akavili's disappearance now? They average about 158 trailblaze years in length so… isn't that over 4,000 years minimum?!"
"Maybe, Pom Pom doesn't remember exactly how long it has been since Akivili vanished but Pom Pom does know that they don't like talking about this subject anymore! You don't need to know how how old Pom Pom is so stop trying to work it out!"
'But isn't that extraordinarily impressive?! I mean, even so many of the Denizens of Abudnace don't have anything on that! Members of the Xianzhou aught to learn how to deal with being Mara Stricken by this bunny right here…' Nova couldn't help but think to himself with a whole new sense of respect and curiosity towards Pom Pom.
"Ok, I'll stop, sorry. Why don't we just move on with the tour instead?"
"That's right, Pom Pom shall show off the Express to you! To summarise the Express has the Dinning Car, this lounge space, the Data Bank, everyone's rooms, Storage Cars containing either supplies or other helpful items that we sometimes use on Trailblaze missions, a Space Anchor Car so that travel to and from the Express for anyone becomes easier, the Party Cart that we currently don't use very much and finally the Observation Car right at the back. You'll be free to fill your room with anything that doesn't violate the rules of the Express if you're worried about entertainment whilst travelling or whatever circumstance prevents trailblazing."
"That Observation Car sounds so far out of the way… but at the same time if it's a quiet place it could be nice." Nova moaned to himself.
"Pom Pom admits, it's one of the areas that gets the least amount of cleaning because of its distance from the more commonly used carriages. However, Pom Pom does assure you that no dust is to be found there despite the fact, although the nooks and small spots might be slightly dirtier than elsewhere…"
"The fact that you take care of this whole place alone is incredible as well, I can't hold anything against you about it."
"Please do inform Pom Pom if you do encounter some dirt! Pom Pom can't possibly leave it like that!"
"Either that or I'll just handle it myself." Nova replied, "But shall we get moving?"
"Of course, please follow Pom Pom!"
"What am I doing…" Nova said to himself as he remained seated on a couch that was before the middle of the main window at the very back of the Express. The moment that the tour from Pom Pom had finished, he had quickly made sure to retreat to what was now assuredly the most quiet and empty part of the Express. Now that he had time to himself once more, the weight of his actions was already setting in. Heavily.
He was resisting the strong urge to hold his head in his hands as he remained quiet in contemplation. He wasn't completely wracked with regret as he remembered how Caelus had very nearly made the wrong choice, it was enough to prove as a sign that perhaps a little intervention was needed to ensure the best possible outcome. But how much was the raging question?
'He was about to make the wrong choice, but it was an actual choice that players could make in the game for a brief bad end. There's every chance that the only thing I had to worry about were those bad-end options, of which I'm only aware of one more on Penacony and beyond that, I can only hope… But now I'm in the picture, something that would only be the right thing to do if they are capable of going wrong at any point in time, which considering this is an actual reality mirroring the game might be possible. Well, it certainly is now that I'm hanging around…'
"There's no point in worrying about anything else, I've already made the choice and am involved. The only question is what I'll do from now on… No doubt I'll be joining them for trailblaze missions at times but I suppose as long as everything goes as it should then I just minimise my presence I suppose…"
As if he had done that. The very first thing he did on the Express was get a rise out of Pom Pom, and a rather large one at that. Why did he just go out and mention the Aha incident to Pom Pom alongside even making it sound as if he knew all about it as well?! He certainly had to work on keeping certain bits of information to himself.
"This also begs to question… will those lies last? They have no way to prove my age unless we happen to go back home so hopefully the knowledge about Aha doesn't matter. But if talk surrounding Caelus and his Stellaron situation certainly has a chance of outing me as someone who knows things that I shouldn't… dam it why did I say that I overheard his situation or just felt the energy of the Stellaron inside of him?! It's viable considering my nature as an Energy-based lifeform..."
"I hope that I'm not interrupting anything?" A voice suddenly cut through Nova's thoughts as he spun around in shock to find that an older gentleman was standing in the doorway with a cardboard box under his arm. Welt.
"Uh, not really? But how much of that did you hear?" Nova asked in concern which he desperately tried to hide with a poker face.
"Just the last bits, it seems that you were thinking about something concerning your nature as a Krystalvilian. I currently guess is that it's worrying concerning the nature of your race and the current lack of your equivalent of food." Welt said as he entered the room, allowing the door to slide shut with a satisfying click.
"Mm, something like that… Although from what I've heard of the Astral Express is that it could be powered by the very trailblazing that it's doing, aside from Pathstriding power. Perhaps that could be something?" Nova guessed, quickly opting to go along with the topic that Welt had so unknowingly helpfully provided.
"I would say that are quite well informed then. The Express does indeed get its fuel from the very trailblazing that it performs, making the Trailblazing life it carries out necessary to remain in commission. However, despite admittedly not knowing the exact details of your species I wonder about your ability to make use of the same source of energy to sustain yourself. Not that I'm trying to deny the possibility."
"Maybe it's something worth talking to Pom Pom about. Unless it would mean leaching from the Express's supply of energy he might be willing to talk and help more with the possibility."
"Indeed they might. Aside from Himeko who fixed the Astral Express herself, Pom Pom would be the best person to consult concerning that matter. But I fear that we might be delving a little too deep into this topic so quickly, whilst I don't have any issue talking about such matters I feel as if we ought to introduce ourselves first."
"True. I'm Nova, nice to meet you." Nova said with a smile as he stood up to properly address Welt.
"And I'm Welt Yang, it's a pleasure to be meeting you. Himeko has already told me a bit about your situation and how we unknowingly picked you up on a previous trailblazing mission. I've also been informed that this delivery is yours." He said, taking the box out from under his arm and holding forth as he walked forward for Nova to meet him in the middle of the room.
"There's only one thing that this could probably be unless I'm receiving mystery mail," Nova commented as he quickly and neatly sliced open the tape sealing the box with a small energy blade that he formed over his finger. The result was just as expected, specially tailor-made clothing with a top-of-the-line mobile phone comfortably sitting on top of them. "Ah, how Asta goes over the top. A normal phone would have been fine as well…"
"It seems that you have a lot to be grateful for there," Welt said with a slight chuckle at the sight. "But the quality of those clothes is also something to appreciate as well. It's high quality and appears to be both comfortable and durable. Qualities that I think you'll quickly come to appreciate a lot as a Trailblazer."
"Oh I know, it's just that I was there for that much. She insisted on using some judiciously expensive tailor to make just the right clothes that would also arrive on time. I just hope that I don't lose any of this like last time."
"Might I ask how you lost your belongings previously? I can only think of the possibility tied with your reversion to a dormant state as the crystal present in your chest."
"That's the whole ordeal. If ever I exhaust myself too much on energy reserves I'm forced to go back to that state, assuming I haven't used so much that my whole being falls apart then and there. And extras that I'm carrying or wearing aren't a part of my composition so they just fall to the ground. My original stuff is either somewhere out there, maybe still in the Fragmentum of which I was found, or destroyed. I hope my phone is gone at least for security's sake…"
"At least you managed to survive the ordeal, and perhaps something to keep in mind in the possibility that such an unfortunate event happens to occur whilst trailblazing together."
"Hopefully not, it's effectively my equivalent of entering a coma for not eating enough."
"I concur with the thought. Please remain aware that you don't have to worry about facing any troubles alone now, the rest of the Express Crew will have your back."
"Glad to hear it, and I'll be sure to return it as well."
"I'm happy to hear that as well. But there is also another matter that I initially sought you out for aside from introductions and your package." Welt then said gathering Nova's curiosity at the seeming list of things that Welt had to do with him. "I recently ran into Dan Heng who mentioned that you were wishing to talk to him about something you have yet to disclose. He was wondering when you were going to approach the Data Bank to talk to him concerning that."
"Oh… OH!" Nova said as his eyes went wide in realisation. "Not having a clock or a phone makes it hard to keep track of time, I was thinking here for too long… I'll go get properly dressed in my room and then go straight to him. If you're heading back that way again could you tell him I'll be there soon, please? Sorry for making you go back and forth the whole Express…"
"Please don't worry. Mostly everything is towards the front of the train including my room so I shall be passing by anyway. I don't hold anything against you either, I understand that this could very well be the most relaxing space on the Express due to its distance location and that you may appreciate that."
"I'm not trying to avoid everyone, well at least I won't be all the time… it's just good for thought." Nova defended himself for Welt to nod along in agreement.
"I can understand, I believe that we all can want to get away from others at times, myself included." He replied with a relaxed smile. "I'll be sure to tell Dan Hung that you will be with him shortly then."
"Right, it was nice meeting you Welt," Nova replied as he watched the man leave ahead of him, resulting in another brief moment alone. Yet it was also at that moment that the Express shook slightly before it began to move making evident that the bland scenery that was the long train tunnel in the space station began to move as the Astral Express began to pull out of the station.
'Well, we've really begun now…' He thought to himself in silence before catching sight of Asta, Arlan and Herta on the station platform, waving as he went past prompting him to return the gesture as quickly as possible. Or, at least to the two people waving as Herta was already halfway off the station having been unwilling to wait for the train to leave sight. "I can sort out my new phone later, I need to see Dan Hung soon," Nova said to himself before following Welt's footsteps, hurridly sliding the door open and rushing to his new room.
A couple of minutes had gone by as Nova had finally arrived outside the Data Bank's door, otherwise unofficially known as Dan Hung's room. "Sorry I'm late, can I come in?" Nova called out after knocking on the sliding door.
"You may enter." Came the somewhat muffled voice from beyond the door which Nova quickly responded to by grabbing hold and sliding it over to unleash the constant humming of machinery that practically made up the walls of the room as Dan Heng was seemingly still inputting data. "Do not feel that you were late, it was not as we specified a time that you would arrive."
"I still kept you waiting long enough that you had Welt be a messenger." Nova countered.
"Either way, please do not dwell on it. Instead, I am curious as to what you wish to talk about with me in particular so soon after meeting one another." Dan Heng replied as he stopped what he was doing to seriously address Nova, finally noticing his new attire. "I see that your order has finally arrived, I think it suits you." He commented with a faint smile.
"Yeah, it's something simular to what I used to have, but Asta spared no expense in making the materials and everything perfectly tailored for the dangerous and adventurous life of a trailblazer." Nova replied as he inspected himself. No longer was he shrouded in flame-like energy but instead high quality clothing that were clearly inspired from it, perhaps because Asta considered the style more to his personal tastes.
With smart pointed, black shoes with small heels and perfectly cut black jeans he wore with a belt. Yet despite the smart yet causal appearence that it gave him, it was evidently made for potentual adventures as the outsole of his shoes were onpar with or even surpassing the practical properties of most boots from the selected materials and design. His jeans weren't any different as despite their comfort, the feeling of them made it clear that they wouldn't rip or tear for any menial amount of effort.
He wore a top that had intricate metal designs joined into it, including a small silver breastplate section that proudly displayed his glimmering Core and thin gloves with matching designed silver plates that covered the back of his hand and arm. However, just like his previous appearence he now wore a large, long white overcoat yet now it sported long sleaves and split in its tail to accomidate for his legs whenever he began to move. With a folded, fluffy collar and his sleaves rolled and held up with small belts around his upper arms, the whole of his upper attire manage to give him a somewhat battle ready appearence despite not fully robbing him of a friendly aura for a more stern and serious one instead.
"Honestly... I wonder if she spent more money than I'll ever earn in the next 100 years of this and that troubles me a lot... But to keep things focused on the more important reason that I came here is well... it's more of a slight concern. I was wondering if you have any issue with me?"
"I don't, but why would you think that?"
"Well, unless I'm reading into it too much or flat-out getting it wrong, but the design of your coat and that earpiece you're wearing suggests that you're from the Xianzhou. Followers of the Hunt known to fight against the Abundance."
"If you believe that I might hold something against you considering your nature as a race considered one of the Denizens of Abundance, please do not worry about such matters. I view us both as Trailblazers and now fellow crewmembers, I would not discriminate against you in any way." Dan Hung quickly answered, almost as if to mercilessly shoot down the idea of hostilities towards him. "And another point to be raised, by the fact that you have joined us as an official crewmember means that you are a follower of the Trailblaze and therefore do not have anything to do with the spread of the Abundance."
"That's good to hear… but, just in case… how do you think that the Xianzhou might feel about me?"
"Whilst I can't speak for the Xianzhou, I believe the Kristilvilian despite being Denizens of Abundance are not immediately viewed in ill-light by the Alliance. After all, unlike the Abominations, you are a race that is confined to your planet, fighting one another and possessing a notable faction of the Hunt. But a history of performing acts of abundance would likely land you in trouble should they learn of it."
"That's fine because there's nothing to learn about," Nova said with a sigh.
"You sound rather relieved." Dan Hung noted.
"Well… it would be a shame, or perhaps problematic, if we were to ever stop off at a Xianzhuo Ship, wouldn't it?" Nova replied. 'Namely, the fact that being unable to enter the Lofu would mean that something could start going wrong and there'd be nothing I could do about it without performing serious stunts… But if Belobog goes alright then there shouldn't be anything to worry about either.'
"Yes… I suppose it would." Dan Heng hesitantly replied before regaining his composure, "Unfortunately if that journey ever comes, I fear that you'll have to do it without me. Forgive me, but I'd prefer to keep it to myself."
'Ah… right, he's currently banished from home. Nice one, jackass… I really ought to go back over what I remember and make some notes or something to learn up my memory before I keep making more hiccups...'
"It's fine, or rather, I'm sorry if I troubled you. Queries about… well, I imagine that those questions were uncomfortable." Nova awkwardly replied as he failed to come up with a sentiment that he was satisfied with.
"It's fine. You didn't know anything, and you wished to ensure that there wouldn't be tension between us on the Express. You cannot be faulted, and I'm trying to keep it as the past." Dan Heng replied with a slight shake of his head.
"I can understand that, I'm not that different."
""Hello? Hello, hello?" Pom Pom's voice suddenly sounded out, making Dan Hung and Nova unconsciously look up from the interruption. "All passengers, please return to your seats. The train is about to make the jump. Hold on, everyone!"
"We should sit down quickly." Dan Hung quickly said, already kneeling down to sit on the floor whilst resting against the wall. It was just as the train was beginning to tremble did Nova follow his example, but instead opting to sit in the sole office chair.
"5… 4… 3…" Pom Pom counted down over the intercom as a blue energy began to ripple over and cover the entirety of the train causing the tremors to briefly stop. "2... 1!" he finished, marking a sudden lurch forward by the train as it made the jump before already killing off the moment seconds later as the blue energy broke off like glass. Whilst the majority of the shards quickly faded into nothingness, the few pieces that were close to Nova instead began to drift and fade into his Core as they were absorbed.
"Is that it?" Nova asked, almost feeling disappointed at how simple the experience had been.
"Yes, the train successfully made the jump. We should be close enough to arrive at Jarillo-VI by tomorrow." Dan Hung replied as he calmly stood up whilst Nova couldn't help but freeze up slightly at his words.
"By tomorrow?" He repeated.
"Yes, had it not been for the Antmatter Legions's attack then we would have made the entire jump but Himeko felt that everyone needed time to rest." Dan Hung answered. "I understand that you weren't impacted by the Legion at all, perhaps you should instead spend this time getting acclimated to the Express instead."
"Ah… right. I think I'll check out my room first then. Pom Pom claimed that he was going to hurriedly prepare another one since he had only prepped one for Caelus." Nova said as he began to slowly leave the room.
"I see. But can I ask a question before you leave?" Dan Heng spoke, getting Nova to stop in his tracks as he glanced over his shoulder, waiting for Dan Heng to continue. "The Data Bank is currently lacking information on Kristivilians. I won't ask to sit down and interview you, but would you mind me taking notes about you and asking questions?"
"Uh, not really. Just as long as you're not constantly pestering me with question after question, but I feel that March is the one more likely to do that than you."
"Very well, thank you." Dan Heng replied, allowing Nova to make his way out of the room.
As soon as the door had shut behind him, Nova could only stand in silence as dread took over him. 'A deviation this soon? Unless this is just because it's reality and not a game? Because if not… what can a day's delay cause?'
Had his mere presence already managed to derail the story, or was he just overreacting?
Meanwhile, down on the wintery planet as blizzards blew over the eternally snowy ridges soldiers combed over the area with great care as they carried out their search despite the weather that plagued them. They did their best to not let their discomfort show nor allow their focus to waver as they made their way along, getting closer and closer to the limit of the boundaries that they agreed to search up towards.
In such a frozen world, the limitless amount of snow was hardly a surprise, making various lumps and clumps of snow the most regular sight to see out there. Yet despite that far, determined actions of a certain slick conman still weren't enough to evade detection from the unyielding spirit of the captain that led the hunt.
"Who's in there? We can hear you breathing under there. Reveal yourself!" the captain ordered as he thumped down a guitar case on the ground for added intimidation. Instantly, all his fellow guards joined him in surrounding the pile that now stopped breathing.
The captain only glared more in response before turning to one of the spearmen that was beside him, giving a silent order towards the snow that they received loud and clear. The moment that the spearman gripped his weapon before jabbing the handle into the snow to result in a slightly pained "OW!" that disrupted the snow to reveal the convict they were pursuing.
"In the name of the Silvermane Guards, you shall be coming with us! Do not resist!" The captain declared as he made sure to never take his eyes off of the conman who could only stare back with a sly smile, internally damming his situation. This wasn't how things were supposed to go…
This came out a touch later than hoped, and not really with the kind of double checking that I hoped to do either... yet I hope this is another enjoyable chapter as Nova gets to meet more of the express members, alongside already potentially seeing even more changes...
On a side note, I've only played Star Rail, please don't expect me to know anything about the likes of Welt. (Although I plan on at least skimming over his law)
Reviews:
Guest - I'm glad to hear you enjoying this already. And yep, the plan is to consider all sorts of potential choices that could be made and their impacts (even some more minor player choices could now cause major impacts) and some things I'm just throwing in there and changing things up, like Express not immediately jumping straight to Jarillo-VI.