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Assistant: Title: It started with a laugh
        Author: Ferairia123 Ferairia123 
        Chapter: 1/3 
        Summary: A mishap involving Sparkle, a curio of Aha and a poorly made mystery quest, lead to an overworked Sunday, disembodied Caelus and Dan Heng, and a guilt ridden Asta.A few days after Dan Heng had dreamwalked with Blade and Jing Yuan, Blade had found the Astral Express just as Silver Wolf received her script. Joining her, he had hoped to find Dan Heng, only to receive his own script. Now he's obliged to see it through.Behind the scenes, an old friend caught wind of their trouble and was furious on their behalf. But he'll need to fix them first.
            
            In which their return to the Spacestation had more than passengers in tow and Himeko will be struggling to hide him. As the conductor, she is obliged to notify them. It never got any easier after all this time.At the Tavern, someone caught wind of what happened and he's furious. But, he needs to help them first.
        Contents: Chapter 1
    

    

        
          
          
            In which their return to the Spacestation had more than passengers in tow and Himeko will be struggling to hide him. As the conductor, she is obliged to notify them. It never got any easier after all this time.At the Tavern, someone caught wind of what happened and he's furious. But, he needs to help them first.
          
        

      
        
          Uh...It finally came out qwq Real life had been...urgghhh but I finally found the guts to read and watch SVSS. That's partly why I have enough spirit to write this.This is a direct continuation of Chrysanthemum Tea but since this is purely from the Astral Express point of view, it'll be a different series.I'm sorry if it feels lacklustre but my body is so not agreeing to the changes of temperature. Yet this haunts me qwqHappy reading!
            
            (See the end of the chapter for  more notes.)
            
      
  

  
  
    
    
  “There hasn’t been any change.” Asta was almost in tears as the medical personnel did their work and two halovians sung along with Sunday as the Caelus’s baseball bat and Dan Heng’s spear glows and vibrates in their floating enclosure. Not too far away, their lifeless body were surrounded by monitors, all showing signs of life despite being unconscious. “I’m..sorry.”

  “You didn’t know any better and having a Masked Fool in the mix would’ve caught anyone off guard.” Himeko comforts. She just returned from a trip from another and safer commission from Penancony. It was also partly to keep the train’s fuel going but they picked up a couple of passengers, too. It’s Robin’s way of helping them once they secretly asked her for help when Sunday was too obstinate to do it himself. The poor man was exhausted when he returned March 7th and herself into their bodies. Not to mention he had to stabilise the psyche of another 12 researchers who were involved, including Asta herself, because of Sparkle’s lingering influence.

  “All we could conclude is that they don’t have enough self-awareness to recognise their own body. There were a few solutions but after Dan Heng’s recent breakdown, we need to figure something that can stabilise them en-route to their vessels-” Asta stops midway through her report with a raised hand from Himeko and a comforting smile.

  “Please, breathe Asta.” Himeko calms with a hand on her shoulder. “You were going so fast.” The poor girl was clearly frustrated that a state of the art research station like this was unable to solve a problem like that but...that’s the very reason why Madam Herta was obsessed with curios and collected them. Another mystery of existence she had yet to solve.

  Asta really felt like crying now. Her flood of information was the only way to stave off the guilt she felt. It has been more than a month now. The longer they are out of their bodies, the worse the loss of their energy sign is. What Sunday is doing is just stop gap measure. She’s seen the same situation before with some researchers crossing the border between the divine and the scientific with tragic outcomes with barely any survivors. 

  The observation bay door opens, revealing an equally morose Arlan, Peppy quietly following next to him. “Miss Asta, Miss Himeko.” He greets with a small, put upon smile. “How are they?” He asks morosely.

  “I’d say same-o, same-o.” Himeko replies as she crossed her hands and watches as they vibrations of the glow stops and stabilises. Sunday was talking to them, from the looks of things, with the two halovian friend that “came along”. Apparently, they were close to Sunday when they were working as confessors of the Oak Family. A chance meeting after asking Robin, they appeared, claiming they have business with the Space Station. That is, ‘to assist a fellow Melodia’. She needed all the help she could get.

  A moment of heavy silence passed as they watched the crowd in the medical bay laugh and chuckle, probably from a joke Caelus made.

  Trailblazing had its fair shares of hellos and goodbyes but Himeko will hold on hope to the last for each of her crew members, they left her for real.

  The door opens again. Himeko thought it would be Welt only for a familiar scent to reach her nose. Alarm blares in her mind before she whips around to see who it was. 

  “You?!” Himeko gasps as she puts herself between him and Asta and Arlan. “How-What- I mean, are you…?” She was afraid to say anything that might agitate the man more as the scent got stronger and the man gazes into the medical bay.

  He places a hand on the window. Quiet, almost statue-like. “The report…” His voice cracked. “The report said that their vitals and energy are withering away.” He began. “Has anyone reached out to a Chaos Doctor?”

  Asta was stumped. “Why? This was Aha’s doing. The curio is affiliated with THEIR power.”

  “The Nihility is at play here.” There was an air of muted violence as he puts his hand down. “Withering and wasting away is a trait of the Self-Annihilator.” The person had blond hair now and somewhat reminiscent to another Traveller from Xianzhou Luofu. But the glowing red eyes and the floral scent was familiar enough for Himeko to identify who it was.

  “Blade, could I trust you to control yourself?” Himeko asked with a tone that broke no argument. “At least, for Dan Heng’s sake.” She knows that if this man goes on a rampage, the two crewmembers in there would have even less help.

  Blade meets Himeko’s eyes head. “Please, save him.” He pleaded as best as he could with the Mara’s whisper getting louder. But he had faith. The new script needs him here after all and thankfully, involved with a matter at a separate part of the station entirely but the script would also need one more thing from him. He summoned his sword and presented it to Himeko. “Take it if it convinces you. The damage I do without a sword is less.” 

  She was apprehensive of him but she knew who he is to Dan Heng. Even if she had to struck him down in the most desperate situation, Dan Heng would be affected. Worse is if the IPC were to take him. There were so many things to consider. For now, the best way forward is for her to take the sword. “All I ask in return is to stay safe.” Himeko replies in a lowered voice. “You’ll have a room at the Express.” She hints as she dismisses it into her bag.

  “Thank you, Madam Conductor.” Blade replies formally as he straightens up.

  Himeko couldn’t help patting him on the shoulder comfortingly before facing the other two tense Space Station member. “Everyone, this is Blade from the Xianzhou ship. Fellow traveler and family of Dan Heng.” She introduces to them, defaulting to the vaguest lies she could muster on short notice. This was an IPC ship, after all. “Blade, this is Asta, Head Researcher of the Space Station and Arlan, Head of the Security Department. I’ll share the details later but for now, I’m sure you have questions for each other.”

  Asta didn’t waste time questioning his suggestions.
 
  -
 
  “Mr Yang.” March 7th exuberant whisper came. The librarian here was strict, she had to beg to not be banned last time and it was only because she helped in the attack on the Space Station that she was given a chance.

  Welt waves at her as he closes his book. “Welcome back. Himeko’s at the med bay?” He asked in a low tone as they both exited the library.

  “Yeah and Sunday has help now!” March gushed. “Robin heard about what happened to Caelus and Dan Heng. Just as we were gonna leave, there were two Halovians, Michael and Angela, that said they needed transport to Herta’s Space Station to help a Melodia. We just said yes and they’re singing with Sunday, Mr Yang! It sounded so nice.” March’s eyes began to blur with tear at the memory.

  Welt couldn’t help chuckling at that. They managed to get help after all when it looked so bleak before March’s information. Still, it did nothing to dissipate the worry about the Stellaron in Caelus’s body. He really hoped Caelus would be able to recover because there was no way for him to properly gauge the black hole to contain it. There will be sacrifices. “I’m guessing you’ve seen them? How were they?”

  There wasn’t much change for them other than Dan Heng’s suffering another sensory fit but she didn’t have the heart to share it now. “There was no change but at least they’re vital signs are stabilised.”

  Welt couldn’t help but feel sorry at her suspiciously over-cheery demeanour. He reached to give her a comforting pat on her shoulder. “They’ll get through this. It just takes time.” He tried to cheer her up only for her to freeze at the sight in front of her. Following her gaze, Welt froze, as well.

  “Welt, March, could we meet up at the Express?” Himeko asks, hoping to assuage the two frozen crewmembers. “A reunion here is sort of inconvenient.” She reasons, hinting at the passerbys.

  The blond man behind her simply laid his crimson gaze on them before looking elsewhere as if he was bored.

  “Sure.” Welt replies confidently as he slightly shields March 7th. He remembers him now, the disguise threw him off. It was Blade.



  -



  Blade meditates. 

  Asta’s promise. Himeko’s permission. The surrender of Shard Sword.

  After some housekeeping, Blade’s request to stay in the Archive was granted but with Welt’s unnecessary warning about triggers and the rather bold one about he won’t hesitate to fight him if he becomes Marastruck. Himeko had to assure them that Blade won’t. Her confidence in him was high but he really needed to stay sane until his script was acted out.

  Being here actually soothed him. He only ever spent time here when it was an emergency…and some fortuitous quickies. 

  His script requires him to ‘Use the Shard Sword as collateral to be with the Space Station’s system reboot.’ It was right after he found out about Dan Heng and he knew who he would surrender the sword to. Silver Wolf wanted to stay with him once Kefka told his script but Blade assured them he /will/ carry out his part. 

  Now, one part of his script is fulfilled. The next part will come to pass.

  He wonders what else he would need to do. Unlike Silver Wolf, he wasn’t the computer type. So whatever it is, it will happen with brute force.

  Yet…

  The unmoving bodies of both his heart and his salvation was…haunting. But that Asta, she was willing to listen. There’s still hope…right? 

  His heart still thumps at the flashes of the report and the chill of fear starts to crawl up into him when he remembers their shared dream. Jing Yuan’s massage was so eager but he doubts he would as eager if he knew. It was like a dark omen. 

  No, not again.

  He caught the train of thought too late and already the mara whispers at the edge of his sanity. He struggled to empty his mind against the fires of the mara just as there was a sharp knock.

  He nearly growled at the interruption but it helps to break him out of his dark reverie. Back to the present, he focused on his surroundings.

  “Blade, sir!” March 7th’s shrill voice shouted from the other side of the door. “General Jing Yuan called Himeko and she’s asking for you to join the call.”

  Jing Yuan? What was he doing? He clings on to his memory of him. A flame different from the mara. No, to call it a flame, it's too harsh. The warmth of the sunshine was much closer. “Ok.” He answers back as he gets to his feet. With that, he manages to cow the mara back and compose himself.

  March 7th hastily lead him to the passenger car where a hologram of the General was there. He wasn’t sure if it was out of fear or urgency but she smiled at him when Himeko waved at him to come over.

  The General gave Blade a cursory nod and a small smile. “Glad to see you’re well.” Even through the blue green tinge of the hologram, he was as regal as ever. An almost eerie calm came over his senses. Perhaps, this, too, was fate. A way to help him fulfill the script.

  Blade nods back silently and stood next to Himeko. The madam conductor smiled genially at both of them.

  “Since everyone’s here, I’ll begin with a warning. If any of you need to sit or otherwise engaged, it is best to make time for this now.” She warns them gently and sincerely as the smile slips away. “It is not a matter that can be lightly discussed.” It was never easy to give this kind of news but not knowing anything at all was worse.

  Jing Yuan eyes met Blade’s and Blade merely crossed his arms. She was going to update them about Dan Heng. He didn’t expect the chance to break the news to Jing Yuan came so soon and he’s partly glad she was the one to do it. It was hard enough when he saw him in the medical bay.

  Seeing Blade’s reaction, Jing Yuan was convinced this news was not as bad as it sounded. “Please continue, madam conductor.”

  Himeko took a steadying breath. “First off, I would like to apologize for the secrecy. Dan Heng didn’t want anyone to know until now. Mr Blade’s appearance had convinced him otherwise.” She began, keeping an eye on both of them. The General looked calm and Blade was as well but the flowery scent was a bit more obvious now. “Due to curio reaction and the involvement of a Masked Fool, the whole crew of the Express had their consciousness removed from their physical bodies and into their weapons except for Mr Yang and Mr Sunday as Mr Sunday’s shield was in range. While all were returned to their bodies, Caelus and Dan Heng had difficulties. According to the reports and Mr Sunday’s own examination, they were unable to recognise their own bodies due to either mental or subconscious dissonances.”

  Jing Yuan couldn’t help the heaviness that weighed on his heart. Once again, the reminder of the Dan Heng’s hard past wormed its way. While Dan Heng was never forthwith with his condition, those painful flashbacks and the subtle need to reassure of he was makes it obvious that he was still floundering with his sense of self after all these decades. And now, it's coming to bite him back. 

  Still, he was glad Blade was well. He did promise to find Dan Heng but with the circumstances, he feared it might trigger his Mara yet here he was. Though, seeing him in blonde hair was jarring. “Please continue Madam Conductor.”

  Himeko nods. So far, so good. “Among the many attempts we’ve tried, Mr Blade’s suggestions was one we have yet to attempt. We would be employing a Chaos Doctor in hopes it would help with the transition.” Jing Yuan’s surprised furrow of his eyebrow was to be expected. “With the dissonance, we hope a blessing of the Harmony would help but it hasn’t helped to improve the situation as it did with myself and March 7th. With a Chaos Doctor, we hope to find a catalyst for the Harmony’s effect or a whole other solution that can help them.” Himeko quickly fills in before the General could object. She pauses for a moment but the General merely blinks. The next part is harder. “And we’ll need to borrow Blade until Dan Heng returns to his body.”

  “What?”

  “Oh?”

  Both uttered in shock.

  Himeko refrains from sighing outwardly. She knew this was going to be a problem but one she hope was more shocking than troublesome.

  “Dan Heng had responded positively to Blade’s presence, stabilising quicker to the tuning for Harmony’s blessing.” She tried to convince them.

  “Madam Conductor, I did not object.” Jing Yuan replies as soon as he has the opportunity, stopping her near desperate explanation. “Surprised but no objections.” He calms her with a smile before he looks at the blonde Blade in researcher clothes. “Were you going to object, too?”

  Blade shook his head. While it’s not bad, he didn’t see this coming. Blade had remained as Caelus talked to them. He wasn’t sure how long he was there before Dan Heng had started to flicker, his words turned sluggish. Sunday had sung again but Blade couldn’t help but call out to him, too. For a few tense moments, he waited for the flickering to stop before Dan Heng breathes a sigh of relief when his glow stabilised. Sunday had stopped awkwardly in the middle of a song before they fussed with the gadget and readings. Things became busy and he had to leave. 

  Himeko couldn’t help the sigh of relief. Being this close to the IPC, she had concerns that Blade go elsewhere soon to escape them. “Thank you.” She breaths out thankfully. “The Astral Express is not under the jurisdiction of the IPC. If needs be must, you can take asylum in here.”

  Blade couldn’t help the twitch of his lips. The IPC can try catching him. With the size of the space station and the fact that none of the researchers are in interested in his bounty, it would be awhile before they noticed. Still, he nods to Himeko’s offer.

  “Then, that’s it for today. I’ll update as soon as I have more news.” Himeko informs earnestly.

  “Thank you, Madam Conductor.” Jing Yuan gave a small bow of his head to her. “Take care.” He meets Blade’s eyes one last time before ending the call. 

  Himeko regards Blade next. The scent of flowers had faded or perhaps she was getting used to it but Blade keeps staring where Jing Yuan was. She had seen many scenes of love and longing. Between the three of them, she can’t imagine how it must be for them now.

  “Blade, would you like some coffee?” Himeko offers. “I was thinking of brewing some.”

  Blade shook his head. Silently, he left for the Archive again. It was about time to update the Stellaron Hunters.
 
  -
 
  “What?!” Sampo burst out midway through his drink. “Someone used the Booming Laugh with the Trailblazers?!”

  “Now, now. They are unharmed…” He trails off thoughtfully. “Mostly.” He amends.”But point is, Sparkle didn’t get her laugh on her elaborate schemes again and she’s pissy.”

  Sampo was outraged. She was lucky she wasn’t here or else, a brawl would’ve broken out. “The Trailblazers are my friends.” He mutters ominously. Giovanni sobers at that, putting down his beer mug. 

  “Look, using the Booming Laugh has its risks but something must’ve gone right to trigger it. Whoever it is, we should give them an invite.” Giovanni tried to steer the conversation away.

  “Yeah, that’s Caelus for you.” He gives a knowing chuckle. Sampo needed to know where they are. “Say, was it Penacony again? It’s sooo easssy to get laughs there, though.”

  “No, no. She tried Herta’s Space Station this time.” Giovanni corrects him. “She set herself up for failure if you ask me.”

  Sampo laugh, mirthlessly this time. He needs to find the Cute Giggles to restore what Booming Laugh did. Booming Laugh was temperamental at best and even then, not everyone survives it unscathed.  But he has an act to keep up. “Can’t agree more.” He lift his mug for another drink of his beer, swallowing his anger. There’s a lot to do. Hang in there, buddy.

  
  

    
      
        
        
          Ohohoho, we have Sampo!I always wanted to write him and now I have the chance!Hope it was a good read and see ya in the next chapter!'
User: Summarize the chapter based on the content provided, ensuring to follow the set format and emphasize key aspects within the specified length.
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