Fandom Star-Crossed Striders | HSR

[Marlowe]

Stonehearth, Biastea -- the Endless Pursuit
Afternoon

So, this is how it was.

The Antimatter Legion foot soldier's sword had entered through right underneath his right breast and sliced straight through flesh and muscle. Zhao Ming spluttered in agony, the sheer pain that razed his body so intense that he couldn't even muster a scream. The blade streaked violently upwards, streaking through sinew and tendon and lopping off the entirety of his right arm. The severed limp landed with a sickening thump a few feet away to his right. His mouth hung open as he took a step backwards, his body already losing its warmth at the expulsion of his blood. His bow clattering to the floor as his quivering left hand reached up to try and stem the flow. Crimson gushed between his fingers, burning hot against his cold and pale skin as it poured down his side and splattered upon the stone at his feet.

It was just like back then on the Xuling. He was useless now just as he was back then. His breath came out in wild gasps as he fought the shadows that crept in the corners of his vision. The ivory soldiers and the Legion crept closer and closer. Though his body was wracked in shudders, he took another step back. His right heel hung off the edge of the cliff.

So cold. He was so, so cold. Zhao's vision blurred as the soldiers raised their rifles and aimed down their sights. Another rain of gunfire fell upon him, and Zhao anticipated the rest of his body to be torn apart by the bullets. But they cracked against a veil that fell over his form and clinked harmlessly to the ground. Someone had helped him, an Aeon or spirit, maybe. But it was no use; the fury of the gunfire never ceased and cracks began to form over the aura that had shielded him.

Lark was safe. She had finally gotten off this damn planet. Zhao couldn't save his people-- not now, not ever --but he had saved her, and that was all that mattered. It was time for him to rest at last.

 

[Serei2477]

Stonehearth, Biastea -- the Endless Pursuit
Afternoon


He had heard of this mysterious planet known as Biastea for quite some time during his long, lonesome adventures across the sea of stars. He had heard that it was very behind in danger of succumbing to a strange beast known as "Quarry", and their very limited technology was hindering their progress for survival. That was what made him decide to steer his ship in the direction of the planet in the first place. He wanted to provide his aid where he could and perhaps mingle with the locals. Wren knew very well that his glistening armor would attract all sorts of attention, but he would be happy to explain to them the significance of such masterful craft. He was without the armor for now, but he'd be more than happy to put it on and show off its beauty once he landed.

Unfortunately, the knight of beauty quickly realized that upon entering the planet's orbit that Biastea was about to be no more.

The Legion was in the middle of annihilating the planet for some reason and Wren sprung into action. He turned off his radars and signals and laid his ship low to avoid being spotted by the Legion's large ship and scoured for any survivors. All he could see was the destruction of IPC ships, the executed innocents being left in the snow, and strange creatures running around terrified of the sudden activity.

They were all dead... He didn't make it in time.

Or did he?

He flew his ship North and barely managed to eye something. The remaining survivors standing at the edge of a cliff. A foxian man, a blonde woman, and a white haired man who seemed at a loss. There was also a large train barreling in just off the cliff, with what looked to be someone opening the door.

That's when Wren witnessed it. Something so beautiful...

The foxian man said something, and his two comrades jumped into the arms of a man on the train. He'd caught and taken them into safety, but the foxian stayed put. He was fighting a hopeless battle in order to save his comrades. The man lost his arm, and was about to be at the mercy of the Legion's guns...

Such beautiful heroism. Such comradery. Such bravery... To sacrifice his own life for the safety of his friends. And now he was about to be executed...

Not if Wren had anything to say about it!

The knight applied directions to his ship's autopilot to loop around and venture close to the ground, enough so that Wren could play a risky and dangerous game. He grabbed the fasteners near the entrance and quickly clipped himself in multiple places to the safety bar next to the door. Then, he undid the hatch and opened the large metal door, seeing that the robotic horses of his "chariot" were approaching the ground and approaching quickly. He hung his body outside, keeping one foot on the step bar and putting all his faith into the safety fastens.

The black and white clad soldiers all turned their attention to the noise that stampeded towards them. In a sudden, startled motion they moved to try to dodge the oncoming ship or try to fire at the metallic stallions but instead they were barrelled through. The sickening sounds of bones crunching on impact and bodies being trampled were drowned out by the ship's engines, thankfully. Meanwhile, Wren opened his arms in a hugging motion and scooped the man into his arms, holding him tight. The action was enough to knock the wind out and maybe break a rib or two of Wren's, but the foxian man was in his hold.

He quickly dragged the man into his ship and redid the hatch. The autopilot would begin to fly them out of Biastea's orbit and to... anywhere really. They just needed to get away from this place and quickly!

Speaking of quickly, the foxian man needed treatment!

Wren would then take the foxian to his bed, where he would begin his songs of healing. The young man had taken a lot of damage, but not enough that the knight's powerful spell wouldn't at least put him on the track of recovery.


-----

Infirmary Room -- the Astral Express


Darkness... Everything was dark when his consciousness first arose... Lazuli, for a brief moment, thought he had died. That he was floating through space, awaiting the hands of Xipe to take him to paradise. But... he did not feel such a thing.

Underneath him he felt an uncomfortable hospital bed and the silky bedsheets were cold under the pads of his fingers. He could feel his muscles were in pain, but not because he had been injured. Lazuli had exerted himself and used much more of his strength than usual in such a short period of time. He was exhausted, but his only injuries were the ones he'd received from the Quarry.

The Quarry... Biastea...

Suddenly the memories of Biastea came rushing back to him and Lazuli's eyes shot open. He sat up quickly and he looked around, his heartbeat on the monitor quickened in pace significantly; no doubt it would get someone's attention. He was in an infirmary-- but whose? And where? He remembered a man had said something to the blonde cavewoman but at the moment he didn't recall what it was. All he knew was that the man had saved them from being executed, but Zhao Meng had stayed behind.

Zhao Meng...

He shook the saddening thoughts from his head, looking around for someone--anyone-- to talk to.

 

[Marlowe]

Infirmary Room -- The Astral Express

A whistling tune drifted from Rhys as he trotted down the lengthy corridor of the express. Within his hands was a large tray topped with a spread of food: two sets of slightly overcooked toast and jam, a pair of cups three quarters full with apple juice, poached eggs, and other fixin's that might delight their guests. He was never much of a cook (he was more likely to burn water than produce a decent meal) but Evie was willing to help him, as always. Surely, the pair of survivors wouldn't appreciated burnt toast and sour jam when they woke from their extended rest. No, no, they needed something pleasant after waking up from their nap of two days.

Twili told him that he should be the one to deliver the food, though. He had little problem with it; Rhys was accustomed with meeting new people, as with everyone else on the Express. Though, it was different when such individuals were survivors of heinous war crimes. These two almost died. One of them lost someone close to them. They would have to be dealt with delicately, unless he stepped on their toes and offended them. As an ex-Galaxy Ranger, he was more than accustomed to interacting with people under extreme distress, but even then it was still a tricky thing to deal with.

His song didn't falter even as he stepped through the sliding door of the infirmary. It wasn't a large room-- there was enough space for some rudimentary machines and cots -- and so they had taken note and provided enough space between the pair. The blonde girl who had given his forearms a good clawing was curled up on her side, obviously still asleep. However, the other one-- the white-haired young man -- had woken up and was currently wriggling about in his cot near the corner of the room. Rhys approached with a lop-sided smile.

"Good mornin', bud," he sang out as he placed the tray next to the man's nighttable. "The universe says hello!"

Rhys squatted next to the bed in order to peer closer at the new face. His features were delicate, his nails quite taken care of... it was evident that this man hadn't come from the planet that was just destroyed. Interesting. "You're on the Astral Express," he explained, already predicting one of the first questions that would be asked. "Probably've heard of it before, right?"

 

[Serei2477]

Infirmary Room -- the Astral Express


An unfamiliar tune accompanied by the light sounds of footsteps became louder and louder as it approached the door of the infirmary. The stoneheart didn't calm down; rather, he wasn't certain if this person's presence would be a threat to him or a source of relief. Was it the man from before? Lazuli didn't exactly get a good look at their savior so he wasn't sure what to expect, but friend or foe they would at least be able to answer some of his questions, right?

The person that came in was a tall man with long black hair and maybe some scars, carrying a large tray with an assortment of foods. His whistling didn't stop even after he entered the room which made Lazuli confused about how he should feel. Should he be concerned? Happy? Afraid? Was this man going to hold him hostage? Kill him?

The lop-sided grin told Lazuli that perhaps he should calm down a bit.

"Who hasn't heard of the Astral Express?" Lazuli asked the man in kind.

He'd heard of the train many times in passing from colleagues. It was supposedly created by an Aeon, destined to travel all around the galaxy. So this man was a trailblazer then.

Lazuli relaxed a little. At least it wasn't the Legion.

The planet, Biastea. It's no more, correct?" He asked the other man for confirmation more than anything. "And it was you that caught us... Thank you for that."

 

[Marlowe]

Infirmary Room -- The Astral Express

Ah, the man had sass in him. That was always a good sign. His question, however, was concerning. Rhys' smile faded away from his lips. "The Legion called their Doomsday Beasts not even five system minutes after we departed," he explained carefully. "Pair of them. If there is somethin' left of Biastea, it's no longer habitable. 'm sorry."

Perhaps the young man did hail from the planet after all. He was dressed a little different than his other half. Maybe he was a lord, or high-ranking officer. It wouldn't surprise him, judging off of his delicate features and dainty form. Ah, well, here he went assuming things again. There would be time for questions later. "Your friend still hasn't woken up yet. Sleepin' pretty deep. But she'll be up and at it before you know it, so you don't need to worry your pretty lil' head," Rhys' smile returned as he lifted up the tray once again and held it closer to the man. "Now, what's important is that you eat. You've been out for a day or two, so you need the energy. 'sides, I worked pretty hard at cookin' this!"

He wiggled the tray in a tempting fashion, his eyebrows following the motion. Rhys didn't know if this man shared his sense of humor or if he was a sour son of a bitch, but hey, might as well keep the mood light. "Name's Rhys by the way. I'm one of the Nameless on board here. 'n you are...?"

 

[Serei2477]

Infirmary Room -- the Astral Express


So Biastea was nothing more than a few rocks in space. Brilliant. Surely the IPC would love to hear how not only a 500 million credit debt disappeared with the planet, but even worse, a whole crew of soldiers, personnel, and many more had been killed by the Legion. Surely the IPC knew by now what had happened... He was certain one of the crew members or the pilots themselves would have sent a distress signal or a message before they were killed...

He would need to report this soon.

"That woman is not my friend." He made very clear. He doubted the two were anywhere close to friendship, not to mention he didn't even know her name.

What really caught his attention was that he had not been asleep for an hour or two, but a day at least!

Lazuli immediately shot up onto his feet, "Two days?!" Though before he could question further he suddenly felt his head start to swim and his eyes lose focus. He forced himself to sit back down. Damn it all he needed to speak to Diamond, but the man--Rhys--was right. He wouldn't be able to focus or get anything done in his current condition. He'd have to eat first then go about his work.

He looked over at the breakfast that Rhys, admittedly, made look more tempting. It was a plain, simple meal but to Lazuli it looked downright heavenly.

Lazuli picked up a fork and started with one of the eggs. It tasted amazing to his starving body, so much so that he had to force himself to eat with manners.

"Call me Lapis Lazuli, or Lazuli for short." He said, eyeing the man as he spoke. Would he see anything concerning on the other man's face? Or perhaps metaphorical credit signs in his eyes? "How many Nameless are here?"

 

[Marlowe]

Infirmary Room -- The Astral Express

There was heated denial behind his words, almost too heated, but they nonetheless surprised him. Ah, so they weren't friends, then? They were simply within the vicinity of each other during their rescue out of sheer luck? Rhys was about to question him further, but realization seemed to hit the man like a load of space trash. Yes, yes, he was out for two days, but at least he had a bed and some medicine to prevent any mental stressors from overcoming his body, and now he had a warm plate of food. It was better to look at the silver lining of such things. At that, the man stabbed his fork into the poached egg's gooey form before he finally went ahead to introduce himself. In an instant, it seemed like Rhys' entire demeanor changed as a jolt of surprise ran through his spine.

Wait. Lapis Lazuli. Did he mean the Lapis Lazuli? By the Aeons, did they have a damn Stoneheart on the Express without their knowledge until now--?!

Rhys choked on his words for a moment, sweat trickling along his brow as his hand absentmindedly scrambling for the phone in his pocket. After a split moment of tense silence, he mustered a nervous "oh?" from his lips, his thumbs rapidly tip-tapping across the screen.

"Evie, kinda need your help in the infirmary. IDK if I can handle this by myself '~'"

At least he wasn't the only one on the Astral Express. Then he would really be caught between in a rock and a hard place. What does one even do when they have to return a wayward Stoneheart back to the IPC? He didn't think people could just politely say, "hey, I found one of the Stonehearts, sorry I didn't show up any sooner than two system days." It totally wasn't suspsicious in any way. Something told him that this whole situation was much more complicated than they first thought.

"So... like..." Rhys muttered, pouting down at Lazuli in an almost disappointed fashion. "You're actually from the IPC? Like, for real?"

 

[Serei2477]

Passenger Room -> Infirmary Room -- the Astral Express


Poor Rhys was so clueless when it came to basic kitchen duties~

Unlike him, Evie had taught herself how to cook! She was quite the avid reader when she was just a little girl, so much so that she'd practically memorized all the recipes in her books. And when she was finally free to touch kitchenware and stoves, she put those recipes into action. With practice came perfection, and Evie proved herself to be quite the chef!

Buuuut it wouldn't be much fun to send Rhys into the infirmary with a breakfast she cooked, would it~?

After the Astral Express managed to pick up the two survivors and put them on medical watch, Rhys had insisted that he be the first face that greets them. He was more familiar interacting with people undergoing severe trauma and would know how to navigate their emotions. Evie herself had experience listening to someone going through trauma, but she'd never interacted with someone like that. Evie and Rhys both agreed that the rescued individuals should wake up to a nice breakfast and their phones charged so they wouldn't have to worry about anything!

But the lady didn't have a phone, and the man did and it was going off almost nonstop for the first day. She figured it was family who heard about Biastea's destruction on the news or something and wanted to find out if he was okay. Evie would have loved to send them at least a text to reassure them, but the man's phone was locked with not only a password but a fingerprint scanner. Someone did try to call him, but when she saw the name on the caller ID, she tilted her head a little in confusion. She wondered if the man was married to a woman named 'Diamond', or if Diamond was the girl he came with and someone had her phone.

So many questions!

When the time came, Evie had Rhys cook the breakfast so it would be a little more personal when he brought it to their guests. When he was finished, she wiped off any dust and unsightlies from his clothes with her hands and told him to send her a text if he needed anything.

It wasn't even 5 minutes before she got one from Rhys asking for backup.

Huh. Was the man being rude? Nervous? Would they have to sedate him?

'On the way manta ray ദ്ദി ˉ͈̀꒳ˉ͈́ )✧'

Oh! She should probably grab the man's phone in case it was him that woke up.

With that, Evie grabbed the phone and quickly made her way to the infirmary to give Rhys a helping hand.

---

&

Infirmary Room -- the Astral Express


As if Lazuli had said the magic word, the man's whole demeanor seemed to change. He'd gone from relaxed to tense in an instant. There was a slight glisten on his brow, and he seemed eager to send whatever message he wrote on his phone to the recipient. So there was at least one more person on the train... it'd make him more comfortable to know just how many Nameless were present right now, but Rhys seemed much more interested in confirming Lazuli's identity.

"Yes... You took my phone but you didn't search my wallet? My badge would be in there." He asked the other, putting the breakfast aside for a second to grab his wallet and look through it. All of his cash, his debit card, credit card, IPC purchase card... everything was in place. It didn't really make sense to him for the Nameless to take his phone away but not steal anything of value.

That was when a new character opened the door. A...shapely woman with long pink hair and a big smile on her face. She was definitely much brighter and happier than her counterpart; polar opposites just by looking at them.

"Hiya hiya! Good to see you're awake~" Evie greeted cheerfully, waving her hands in a 'hello' motion to Lazuli. "And sorry about Biastea... But welcome aboard the Astral Express. I'm Evie, one of the Nameless on board. And you are?"

Lazuli, at the question, looked into his wallet for a second and pulled out two black cards with an all too familiar logo printed on the upper right corner. He handed one to Rhys and one to Evie, basically to confirm his identity.

"Lapis Lazuli of the IPC, or you can call me Lazuli for short. My thanks for your timely rescue."

Evie held the business card with both her thumbs and index fingers. Her eyes had widened, her smile remained but it no longer met her eyes. She looked over at Rhys to meet his gaze. A people reader like Rhys would be able to tell that Evie was screaming internally, but not for the reason one might think.

"You're a Stoneheart? For truly?"

"It says right there in black and gold, doesn't it?"

With that answer, Evie clasped her hands together in front of her happily. "Yay~! That's one off the bucket list~"

'Bucket list?' Lazuli thought to himself but didn't care enough to question her about it. He had more pressing questions to ask. "Where are you taking me? I need to contact the IPC and let them know everything that happened."

Evie pulled out the blue and white phone and handed it over to Lazuli, mentioning to him that they had set it to charge. Lazuli would take it from her, awaiting an answer to his question while he looked over the many messages and calls that he had received during his miniature coma.

 

[Marlowe]

Infirmary Room -- The Astral Express

Rhys blinked down at Lazuli as he stated his qualms. As if he would go through someone's wallet... that was a huge breach of privacy! Knowing his luck, the man would've woken up while he had his fingers all up in his personal belongings. He was just about to retort Lazuli's words when the person he was waiting for waltzed into infirmary, brightening it up with the cheer of her presence. Having her around in the room was much better than dealing with this man on his own, especially since he seemed to have quite the swagger about him. Rhys felt his smile crawl back onto his lips as he took a step back to allow more room for Evie to approach. The look that she had given him at Lazuli's reintroduction had said it all. Harboring an IPC officer within the Express was no joke, but an entire Stoneheart was a different story. Rhys half-expected the train to be bombarded by a whole regiment of IPC ships at any moment.

Lazuli's business card felt as stiff and glossy as the man himself. Rhys pocketed it without a second look as Evie conversed with the white-haired man. The more he spoke, the more he realized just how uptight he was. Just how could he remain so stoic in Evie's presence? Her warmth was enough to make anyone relax. It was evident that the guy didn't give a rat's ass about them-- he just wanted to get back to where he had to be. Reasonable, but still...

"We're on the way to the Luofu to get ya'll some treatment. Better to be safe than sorry," Rhys explained as he crossed his arms. "'specially when we have the well-bein' of a damned Stoneheart in our hands. Don't want the IPC to lock us up if one of their own nabs a cold."

"U-ugh..."

A groggy moan lulled through the air and Rhys couldn't help but perk up in alarm. His eyes darted to the blonde woman that stirred in her own cot across the room. Giving Evie a knowing look, he peeled away from Lazuli's bedside and crossed the infirmary in only a handful of bounds. By the time he reached her, she was already sitting up in her bed. Her face was pale and her features stiff from sleep, and her hair puffed up in wild tufts. The young woman's head turned this way and that as she scoured the room. "Where... where am..." Her brows furrowed, and she raised a palm to her forehead as her face scrunched up in apparent pain. "I... I can't be here... Z-Zhao Meng needs help--"

Rhys was almost afraid to touch her. To her, he was nothing more than a stranger, and doing so would probably spur a violent reaction on her end. Still, he knelt by her bedside and placed a hand on her forearm. She flinched, but much to his relief, didn't pull away. "Hey, now. Don't worry. You're safe here with us on the Astral Express," he mumbled. "You've been out for quite a while, friend."

Her amber eyes finally rested on him as her mouth gaped in disbelief. "I..." she stammered. It was evident that she wanted to prove a point-- perhaps even argue with him -- but her mouth snapped shut and she dropped her gaze back down to the white bedsheets. Fat tears rolled down her cheeks as she covered her face with her palms and her body soon became wracked with sobs. Rhys raised a hand to her shoulder and squeezed gently before tossing a mournful look over at Evie.

 

[Serei2477]

&

Infirmary Room -- the Astral Express


Ah, so they were going to the Luofu. At least, that's what the man was saying. Could he really trust them though? Evie seemed a little too... friendly, for his liking. The only reason he could think for such friendliness is because she thought he would wake up devastated about the loss of "his" planet.

In truth, he was devastated. The lives of his workers were all gone; evaporated with Biastea. He didn't get to know the locals of the planet either, but what he did know was that they were innocent people just trying to survive. They didn't deserve to die the way they did. None of them did... But he wouldn't show that weakness to these people. The second he did, they'd see that he was vulnerable, maybe even ripe for manipulation.

He needed to contact the IPC. Diamond had been calling him the most while he'd been out, and he had other Stonehearts who'd messaged wondering if he was even still alive. No doubt they believed he'd been killed on Biastea.

Lazuli heard the groans of the blonde woman from Biastea and he, like the other two, turned to look at her. Rhys had slipped away to her bedside and Evie was already next to him ready to greet the mystery Biastea woman. However, her demeanor, Rhys's words, and Evie's shift in emotions told him everything he needed to know. The woman was mourning her losses, and he was certain the last thing she wanted to do was to talk to the main whose only purpose on Biastea was to collect money from them.

And so, he quietly slipped out of the room to begin making phone calls.

Evie's heart hurt for the poor woman. She'd lost her family, friends, and her home all in one day... Well, she had one friend, right? The man she was with when she was running for her life? Maybe the two of them could come together and help each other out through this trying time?

The pink haired woman exchanged a mournful look with Rhys then looked back at the weeping blonde girl in front of her. Evie truly hated the sounds of crying, she really did. She'd grown up hearing people reacting to devastating news all the time... It wasn't something she could a avoid, but damn it all she wished she knew the right words to say!

"Mind telling us your name? I'm Evie..." She gently, cautiously, placed a hand on Lark's hand. Her purple eyes looking at the other hoping to meet her gaze. "We're here to listen or lend you a shoulder whenever you need one." Evie began, her voice soft and sympathetic. "Do you want to talk to Rhys or me? I'd be happy to listen... Oh! Or maybe--"

Much to her confusion, the pink haired girl looked over at the other bed only to realize that it was empty. The man had slid out of the room... Weren't they friends? Wouldn't he want to comfort her?

"M-maybe you want to be alone instead?" Evie tried suggesting instead. "If that's what you want, we'll take the hint. But... if you want to come with us to grab medicine in Luofu, or even just walk around, we'd be happy to have you..."

Evie knew nothing about this girl save that she'd just gone through one of the most traumatizing events anyone could ever go through in their life. Her heart hurt so much for this poor woman, and all she had to show for it was keeping the door open for her. She knew Lark wouldn't want to step anywhere outside of this room at the moment, but she wanted the other girl to know that Evie and Rhys were not going to ignore her, or shut her out or anything. She wanted Lark to know that she had a helping hand ready for her to take whenever she was ready.

 

[Marlowe]

Infirmary Room -- The Astral Express

It pained Rhys to see Evie so distraught. In reality, they could do little for the woman in their care other than offer her a room until they arrived on the Luofu. It was evident that she didn't even want to speak to them, judging from the way she ducked away her head and refused to even look at them. Rhys understood the signs of shock within a person quite well, and that was exactly what was going on with this poor woman. As Evie went on to question her, Rhys reached under the cot and pulled out a set of heavier sheets. It was important that the woman retain as much body heat as she could, unless she fell unconscious again. And if she did, well, who knew if she would wake up...

"L-Lark... m'name's Lark," the girl mumbled around her hands.

"Lark's a good name." Rhys was already wrapping the warm covers about her as he spoke. "It's important that you get more rest. Ya can worry about eatin' once you're feelin' a 'lil better, m'kay?"

Lark's hands finally fell away from her face, and for a moment Rhys thought that she had mustered the strength to answer Evie's questions, but all she did was heave her body onto its side and curl up into a ball beneath the covers. Rhys gave Evie a downtrodden look before he raised himself back to his feet and walked back over to Lazuli's bed. Of course the man had decided to leave most of his food. The hell did he meander off to anyway? Rhys sighed and plucked a thermos and spoon from the tray. Plain, warm oatmeal. Nothing special to most people, but to someone whose stomach couldn't tolerate much, it might as well be an Aeonsend. He brought it over to Lark's nighttable and set it down near the edge. Hunger would strike her belly soon, whether she liked it or not; she'd be scrounging for food in a short while, so might as well have it nearby for her.

"We should be nearin' the warp point for the Luofu. Where'd this guy even go?" Rhys muttered under his breath towards Evie before he turned on his heel and strode back out of the room.

Lo and behold, the Stoneheart hadn't wandered far. He had settled against the wall near the doorway to the infirmary room, his newly reaqcuired phone lifted up to his ear. Rhys gave him a judgemental glare as he motioned back towards the entrance with a lazy hand. "C'mon man, seriously? You can't just leave a girl cryin' like that. Did your pa ever teach ya some common courtesy?"

"RHYS!"

Rhys' shoulders gave a jolt at the sound of his name being called by an all-too-familiar, high-pitched voice. He turned his attention to further down the corridor, where a small, pitifully fluffy figure stomped towards them. To most people, Twili was a harmless little creature in a conductor's uniform, but in the short while that Rhys had been a Nameless, he very much knew this wasn't the case. Yes, Twili was a kind ferret... thing. Yes, Twili worked hard-- probably harder than Evie and him combined. But Twili loved keeping everything in order, from the black-and-cream patterning of his fur to the books on the shelves. If things weren't carried out the way that they should be, well... that meant Twili was going to bite your ankles. And ferret fangs were sharp as all hell!

"Y-yeah, Twili?"

The ferret stopped right by Rhys' boots and put his stubby paws on his hips. Rhys cautiously took a step back.

"You didn't tell me the guests woke up!"

"Well, uh... that's 'cause they just woke up a few minutes ago," Rhys said. "We were trying to get them to eat somethin'..."

"Hmph," Twili grumbled, raising his beady eyes up towards Lazuli as he jabbed a paw up towards him. "He should still in bed! We're warping soon, and I don't want him throwing up everywhere. You did that last time, and I had to spend--"

Rhys flinched again at the beginning of another of Twili's embarrassing stories, and he raised his hands to silence the weasely conductor. "Okayyyyyyy Twili, I'll get 'im comfortable," he spluttered out before reaching forward and taking Lazuli by the elbow with a firm hand. He flashed a smile in Lazuli's direction as Twili pointedly crossed his arms. "C'mon, buddy. Let's get ya back in the infirmary room..."

 

[Serei2477]

&

Infirmary Room -- the Astral Express


Evie tried, she really did... But there was only so much they could do. The blonde woman would not even look at them. Instead, she opted to roll over onto her side and bury herself under the heavy sheets that Rhys so kindly put around her shoulders. How would Evie even try to navigate this situation without him? There was only so much talking could do...

She gave Rhys another pitiful look as Lark hid herself away from the world. Evie supposed they would have to leave their guest alone, but for how long? It wouldn't be healthy to let Lark die from starvation and depression...

"I think he's making phone calls... Maybe to tell his family he's safe?" Evie suggested though wasn't exactly too sure of that herself. Was he calling his parents or was he trying to phone in at his job? She herself truly couldn't imagine calling her job before calling her parents after such a horrifying experience... Maybe he was just a big workaholic..?

Regardless, she looked down at the balled up woman. "Try not to get out of bed during the warp, okay? Our conductor will make an announcement when it's safe to get up..."

Evie knew Lark wasn't gonna go anywhere, but she wanted to at least make sure the other girl knew what was about to happen. Evie's first warp jump made her feel nauseous the first time around, and Rhys had blown so many chunks when his first time happened. The last thing she wanted to do was force Lark out of bed because the sheets were covered in vomit.

A part of her had the feeling Lark wouldn't move even if she'd gone that far...


Meanwhile, Lazuli had just finished leaving a voicemail to Diamond. The call had gone straight to voicemail, which told him that his superior had turned his phone off or it had died. No doubt the man had forgotten to charge his phone again...

Before he could begin to mull over any ideas, Rhys had approached him with quite the glare. The look was met with Lazuli's stoic gaze, wondering what he'd done wrong. Though before he could explain himself, a strange little furret creature in conductor's clothing came up and started scolding the taller man next to him.

Was... this the conductor? Lazuli had seen creatures like the furret before. Not all the time, but he'd seen them once or twice of different species. But... the conductor to the Astral Express? He wasn't judging; rather he was intrigued.

Rhys seemed like he could easily punt this tiny creature, and yet he behaved like he was scared of it... Why? Did this creature have some sort of political influence? Were they a pathstrider of epic proportions? Or were they just extremely strict and would kick them out at the first rule infraction?

Oh?

Lazuli's lips twitched, forcing himself to stifle a chuckle as the creature freely exclaimed the taller man's first warp drive. He actually threw up? Seriously? Lazuli had felt ill after his first time, yes, but he wasn't so weak that he would actually vomit.

The man feigned a big smile and grabbed the stoneheart by the elbow, forcing him along with a grip so tight that Lazuli wouldn't be able to pull away with just a normal tug.

"Not the infirmary. Take me anywhere else." Lazuli told Rhys. "I doubt that crying girl would want to see the face of her planet's debt collector."

Maybe now Rhys will understand why Lazuli was so intent on leaving the girl alone. Lazuli's only purpose had been to take money from her planet; that was all. He was no friend, family, or even acquaintance of hers.

 

[Marlowe]

Corridor -- The Astral Express

To his surprise, he was met with some resistance. Rhys was tempted to yank Lazuli along with him in response, but before he could mull over his options, Lazuli spoke up first. The taller man's face lit up with a flash of shock at Lazuli's revelation: he had been on the now destroyed planet of Biastea in order to collect a debt. Slowly but surely, the pieces were falling into place, and something clicked in his head. His eyebrows furrowed together as he scrunched his nose down at the other male, setting his hand on his hip while he glanced him up and down. "Whatever you might be or might've been, what does it matter now?" Rhys was careful in choosing his words, though his voice had clearly dropped a few octaves. If he didn't acknowledge Lazuli's choice of career or methodology, then the whole thing would eventually blow up in his face. Still, it was somewhat amusing to see that this princely man was frightened of a girl. After letting his words sink in for a moment, his mutter darkened into the beginnings of a snarl. "And the girl has a name, y'know. Her name's Lark, so best start addressin' her as such. Show her some respect."

Twili gave a dismissive wag of his long and fluffy tail. "I don't know what's going on, and I don't think I want to know anyways. Just put him somewhere."

The ferret had turned and sauntered off before Rhys could utter a word in response. He turned back to look at Lazuli before nodding in the opposite direction of where Twili was headed. "This way," he said as he began to lead the way to the parlor car.

 

[Serei2477]

Corridor -- the Astral Express


The man seemed to finally process the situation between Lazuli and the cavewoman in the infirmary; or at least, that's what he thought, but it seemed that Lazuli's expectations were too high.

What does it matter now? It matters because that's the reason Lazuli couldn't just go in there and console the damned girl! Because she hated him! He was the representative of the people causing her planet grief! If he went in there, he was more likely to get stabbed than do anything productive! Why did this man not see that? Was he stupid?!

Hearing the man's snarl and his insistence that he use the girl's name, Lazuli was ready with his own retort but was interrupted by Twili. Right, Lazuli would need to find a seat, and soon, unless he wanted to feel sick to his stomach and possibly get tossed to the other side of the train.

He followed alongside Rhys, but their conversation wasn't over.

"I didn't know her name because she never gave it to me. She was rude since the moment I stepped foot on her planet. Uncalled for, but understandable." Lazuli said. He wasn't trying to blame Lark for anything, just telling the taller man the facts. "The only reason she was even around me was because her brother made her do it. I'm certain she would have let me die otherwise."

His gaze trailed over to Rhys, giving him a patient look as if waiting for the dark haired man to get on the same page. However, Lazuli had had those expectations before and Rhys let him down, so he chose to spell it out for him.

"As you can see, she doesn't like me. Would it not cause her more pain if I went in there and offered condolences after everything? Would you want to hear my condolences if you were in Lark's position?"

 

[Marlowe]

Corridor -- The Astral Express

Rhys' long legs carried him down the corridor as Lazuli maintained pace with him. This didn't stop Lazuli from stating his case, however. He went on to explain his grievances with the blonde girl, ending his conversation with a pointed question. A very good question, to say the least. His lips tightened into a thin line, and he held his tongue for the time being. The pair entered the parlor car with no other words between them, and Rhys remained quiet even as he flopped down at the end of one of the red, velvety couches with a small "oof". Kicking up his feet, he made sure to lean deep into the soft corner as he stretched his arms above his head. A pleased groan finally left his lips as he lowered his arms, resting his right arm atop the headrest. "Honestly... I dunno. Would piss me off even more if I know you're up and strollin' about like nothin' ever even happened," he drawled out as he settled deeper into the couch and scratched the raspy stubble at his jaw. "Y'know, for an IPC goon, ya really ain't fond of conflict, are ya? Ahhh, whatevs. 'm not judgin'."

Rhys buried his hand into the front pocket of his bright yellow jacket and pulled out a carton of cheap cigarettes. In a deft, well-practiced motion, he slipped one of the thin paper cylinders out from the box and placed it between his lips before holding the open box out to Lazuli. It was an offering-- perhaps of peace, perhaps of friendship. Right now, even Rhys couldn't figure it out. "You smoke?" he asked, already fumbling for his lighter with his free hand.

 

[Serei2477]

Parlor Car -- the Astral Express


Lazuli wasn't met with an answer to his question right away. To his displeasure, the taller man seemed to be really thinking about it, leaving him in the dark. Was he really-truly-thinking about it or was he just doing this to fuck with Lazuli?

An answer didn't come until the two arrived in a rather spacious and cozy looking parlor car. Lazuli was pleasantly surprised, actually. The parlor car not only went beyond the stoneheart's expectations, but it reminded him of something the IPC would have set up for the soldiers and personnel during travels. All that was missing were some vending machines and an area to play billiards...

Now that he thought about it, how did the Astral Express make money? They were Nameless, and their whole gimmick was to travel around to different planets. Did they sell their labor? Sell things? No way they worked online jobs and pooled their money together for travel expenses. This parlor car looked updated and well kept; serious money was involved and it had to come from somewhere.

Perhaps the little ferret conductor was a tycoon overlord and these two were the hired help. Maybe someone here was a trustee. The pink haired girl could be getting a huge allowance from mommy and daddy if he had to make a guess.

Lazuli chose to sit on the velvet couch next to Rhys, making sure to leave some space between them. The cushions were comfortable... moreso than he thought they'd be. He was tempted to lay on one and take a nap.

Rhy's answer from earlier... Lazuli wasn't quite satisfied. He had more to ask but before he could, he was being offered a cigarette.

Just by looking at the stick he could tell it was cheap dirt wrapped in notebook paper, but... Lazuli wasn't exactly picky at the moment.

He took one of the paper cylinders from the carton box with a "thank you". Lazuli patted around his coat pockets and touched a familiar metal piece inside. He took it out, revealing a chrome metal lighter decorated with a dark blue and silver design imprinted on it. If Lazuli really wanted to show off, he could turn a switch and change the color of the fire.

A quick flick of the wrist opened the lighter and revealed the spark wheel. He reached forward and sparked a flame, lighting Rhys' cigarette before bringing the lighter back to light his own.

A puff of smoke escaped Lazuli's lips, and an all too familiar sensation burned the back of his throat. He normally only smoked during social events or when he really needed some sort of stress relief. There was just something about sucking in then blowing out a puff of smoke that was strangely relaxing.

It was a shame that these cigarettes tasted like Lazuli had grabbed a bunch of wood chips and set it on fire in his mouth, but again, he wasn't picky.

"If I were Lark, I'd be insulted if Lapis Lazuli was grieving about my planet. I'd call it crocodile tears and attention seeking. I might even be wondering if he was going to pin the debt on me as the next of kin." He told the other man, taking a puff of smoke into his mouth before lightly blowing it out into the air. "I don't know what you heard about the IPC, but the more levelheaded ones aren't out trying to pick fights. I try to avoid them cause there's no point. Just hand over what you owe and let me leave."

He took another inhale of smoke. This time he left it in his mouth for a few seconds, letting his mouth and throat tingle with the burn of the chemicals before letting it out in a steady stream.

"How long have you been on the Express? And what exactly do you do?" Lazuli asked, deciding to change the topic. He was more interested in learning about the Nameless and their purpose. He had, of course, heard of the Astral Express but he wasn't familiar with the finer details.