Chapter Text
“It’s unusual for you to be the one calling upon me.” Black Swan’s gaze sweeps across the barren field of palm trees, and sand. Some dirt and grass sprinkled into the mix of the plot of land closest to the water. She’s grinning when she meets his gaze again. A particular amused glint pressed into the way her pupils dilate into the purple-yellow sunset mixture of her iris. “I have a feeling it has to do with your absence from the Astral Express.”
“I had attempted to speak with you in the Forgotten Hall, but…” Dan Heng trails off.
“That was two weeks ago.”
“Yes.” Dan Heng nods.
“And I apologize for that. I had attempted to stay below the radar after Amphoreus. The Garden of Recollection is not known for being the most benevolent in frictions of decision pertaining to cases of galaxy wide anomalies.”
“It’s fine. I wished to ask–”
A clink of metal swipes Black Swan’s attention from Dan Heng, and to behind him. Boothill is fidgeting around with the bullets in his gun. Either chewing away at the hard metal or fidgeting with the barrel of the revolver. Every little movement makes the spiked wheels of his boots spin and clank against the dipping sand or rub against his body.
“Ah, Galaxy Ranger.” Black Swan’s smile seems to sweeten. Then looks over to greet Dan Heng’s eyes, again. “What a strange pair.”
“Nothin’ strange about it. We had a mighty showdown in the party car.” Boothill huffs.
Dan Heng shakes his head. “He infiltrated the Express, and threatened both Pom Pom and I.”
Boothill grins, rigid shark teeth exposed to the world. “Yet you find yourself here with me.”
“Only because you insisted on righting your wrong.”
“It wouldn’t have been like that if you just told me from the get go.”
Dan Heng sighs. That would have destroyed the whole point of being secretive.
Black Swan laughs, pressing her fingers to her mouth in a poor attempt to muffle her amusement. “Since you went to all this trouble to still call upon me while on the run, ask away. If it’s anything I can assist you with, I’ll see to it.”
Dan Heng exhales out, his chest coming down while he takes a moment to accumulate his thoughts. “Is there anywhere in the galaxies where the memoria is strong, but isolated enough to establish a connection to the Chryso Heirs.”
From amused to astonished, Black Swan’s eyes close for a moment. She presses a curled finger to her lips. “I see…”
“What do you intend to do?”
Dan Heng folds his arms over his chest. “I only intend to speak to them.” By them, he means one of them.
“I would suggest the previous location of Amphoreus but seeing as how fresh and unstable the planet’s memoria is. There is no saying if it wouldn’t birth another IronTomb and repeat the cycle.” Black Swan shakes her head. “Perhaps Penacony would be best under a controlled and central environment most known for memoria stability.”
Dan Heng’s breath hitches, expression twisting. Going to Penacony would leave too many chances of seeing someone they knew… most notably Robin… Sunday’s sister. Were the two even on talking terms?
You’re going back to the Xianzhou. What difference would this added risk make?
“Perhaps Penacony would be more promising.” Dan Heng speaks aloud, whether to himself or Black Swan. “Would there be a minor planet that would have existence or a lower variance of skill regarding memoria?”
Black Swan’s lips press together. “Any planet existing in the same plane as Penacony. The closer the better.”
“Right…” Dan Heng would only have to worry about how to make the jump from the Luofu to Penacony without getting caught, seen, or encountering anyone he knew. This would be much more trouble than what he presumed.
Black Swan assesses Dan Heng’s form. Confirmation from what she had extrapolated regarding him came to fruition.
Dan Heng clears his throat, fidgeting under Black Swan’s scrutiny. “If I may ask,”
A day ago…
“Thank you for coming on such short notice Black Swan.” Himeko sets her hand on her chest, just above her collarbone in lieu of good faith towards the memokeeper.
Black Swan waves her off with one hand. “I apologize for the delay. The situation post Amphoreus has taken the Garden of Recollection some time to recover.”
Black Swan looks around the party car, her sunset ridden eyes already catching the strongest of the most recent memoria floating through the air. The strongest energy coalescing the round table.
“It’s been such a long time since I’ve visited Planarcadia’s galaxy. You must be elated to be back.” She looks towards Himeko, then rests her eyes back on the bar.
Himeko smiles fondly, though in there lies something vague and hidden. Something Black Swan will not press into. “Yes, it was wonderful to reconnect with the local culture and my father. We’ve been too busy with the Phantasmoon Games to truly appreciate and rest after the events of Amphoreus.”
She adds. “It’s only a shame that Dan Heng can’t be here to witness the continuance of this journey.”
“I’m aware from your message that Dan Heng has made himself… absent.”
Himeko nods, looking over to the round table just partially before facing Black Swan once again. “You did a wonderful job with March 7th, we were hoping you could do something similar with Dan Heng.”
“I’m beginning to see that.” The vague yet extremely potent emotions of worry, abandonment, and sorrow filter the room in and stream out when the other positive emotions like glee and content come to take its place. Though the most recent and strongest memories of the party car are filled with worry and dejection, the majority of the memories made here are happy ones.
“We have his bracer, and two letters from him. Is that—“
“No need. Please escort me to his room.”
With the door shut closed behind them, Black Swan stands in the middle of the room with Himeko trailing her. Compared to March 7th’s room, this room is quite quaint and small but life is birthed into every nook and cranny just the same. With the steps leading to the glass panes with water texture resonating under and a cozy desk space that spans the entire wall and some more. The dark wood of the wall leans at an angle and accompanies shelf space for the many books. In the center of the room at the farthest end of the wall, is an elaborate screen showcasing an abstract visual of the galaxy; orbs of gold in hierarchy amongst the rectangular space while strong lines circle the focal point.
“Please do as you will.” Himeko nods, folding her arms under her bust. Her over-the-shoulder coat rustling with the change in movement.
“Hmmm…” Black Swan hums, her lids slowly shutting. The strongest sensation here…
Discomfort, nausea, and foreign aches.
The emotions accompanying these factors are panic; especially with the foreign aches. There’s confusion lingering around but most of it has been clouded by the panic and longing. Longing?
If anything, every recent emotion is riddled with an underlying anxiety. Oh the little dragon… what has he gotten himself into.
But there’s something that's foreign—not alluding to Dan Heng exactly—but to Black Swan. Strange not as in never occurring, but strange for Dan Heng. An energy that is only acquainted and synonymous to an expecting mother.
Black Swan’s eyes widened. Her body nearly recoils, however she withholds herself, becoming hyper aware of who stands behind her. Dan Heng… attempted to call upon her two weeks ago… could it have been for…
“Has there been any recent changes to Dan Heng’s behavior or events, outside of Amphoreus, that would influence his change in behavior?”
Himeko sighs. “Perhaps it was the most recent change in his and Blade’s dynamic that brought about this change.” She says it as if Dan Heng’s a rebellious child running off with his juvenile sweetheart that she doesn’t approve of. The sentiment would make Black Swan laugh but the resounding context of Dan Heng’s situation weighs heavy over her head.
“Dan Heng increasingly had more exposure to Blade.” Himeko’s nose scrunches. “Sunday says that Dan Heng has been showcasing symptoms of being ill.”
“Specific to nausea and fatigue.” Himko clarifies.
Black Swan nods. “I understand. Dan Heng abandoned his bracer in this endeavor…” that eliminated the prospect and rare case scenario that Dan Heng would abandon the Express for the Stellaron Hunter. Even the thought of it was foreign and unusual.
But that wasn’t the point.
Increased exposure to Blade that shifted their relationship dynamic.
The abandonment of the most cherished bracer.
Nausea and fatigue witnessed by Sunday himself.
Feelings of panic and anxiety within his space.
Then the final straw, the unusual vibrations given off only by expecting mothers.
Oh little dragon. What did you get yourself into?
The Present
“Who knew you would be the one to find me?” Black Swan chuckles.
Dan Heng frowns, folding both arms over his chests. Just as he suspected, Black Swan had met with the Express first. Mind them, he had contacted her first.
Black Swan tuts, unable to contain the absolutely guilty crinkle in her expression while she grins amused, from ear to ear. “Don’t give me that look.”
“Need I remind you that I requested you first?” The absolutely adorable frown on Dan Heng’s expression would tie any stone hearted warrior to his side. It has Black Swan charmed by the blatant ease of his displeasure. She can understand why the abundance-ridden Stellaron Hunter’s so infatuated with him.
“That’s why I’m here to rectify that.” Black Swan’s smile shifts subtly. “I’m aware you wish to keep away from the Astral Express, for the time being of course.”
“I won’t let them know of your next steps until you deem it necessary.” She assures.
“And how will I know you will keep your word?”
“Hmmmm, I don’t believe that this is something that can be mentioned in the eyes of someone else.” With a graceful wave of her hand, fingers spread out to fan out a memoria space that sends Black Swan and Dan Heng to darkness.
“Son of a biscuit!” Boothill’s voice becomes drowned out in that same moment.
When the light emits, Dan Heng can see they’re in a similar space to that of the Vortex of Genesis. With the skies distantly vast and far in the mesh of navy blue and purple. The only thing that’s missing is the Titan runes and altar.
Dan Heng turns around, there is a fragmented window—like a rip in the space—where Boothill’s pacing and shooting at them. Though he fires multiple shots, nothing ever penetrates through.
“We can talk here for the time being without worry of being overheard by the Galaxy Ranger.”
Dan Heng turns around to face Black Swan. She should have done so earlier but whatever. “Go on…”
“That Stellaron Hunter… Blade, left you with a little gift.” Her eyes draw down to his stomach.
Of course she would know. She was most likely the first of everyone they knew to find out. That’s why Dan Heng wanted her on his side first.
“So you know.”
“You knew that I’d be the first to find out.”
Dan Heng sighs, the temporal force that invaded his temples now focuses on the middle of his forehead. “It was inevitable. I suspect that the letter would not be enough to deter my companions.”
“They miss you.” Black Swan tilts her head, resting her hand on her hip.
Dan Heng missed them too.
Sunday’s companionship over the first period of being on Planarcadia was a comfort he didn’t realize he sought out. That calm in contrast to the other two’s chaos, someone whose view was not as experienced as Himeko and Welt but just as valuable. However, Sunday would be too perceptive to his shifts and changes in mood and health that it would be too dangerous to stay any longer.
March and Stelle’s chaos he dearly missed. At least if he was still on the Express he could use them as a distraction. Not only that but the nights that Stelle and March would wake him up to infiltrate the kitchen for ice cream from Belobog and candied soda from Penacony. However, Dan Heng knew that if he remained longer with them then his difference in mannerisms would catch them off.
Same thing with Welt and Himeko. Their experience and deep knowledge of their relationship with him would cause them to worry and catch the differences in his behavior. But alas, Dan Heng would give whatever he could for a moment of Himeko’s comforting words and Welt’s calming presence to assure his future.
“They suspect that an illness has something to do with why you left, and that it bloomed from Blade.”
They were right.
“Wait.” Dan Heng’s head bounds up, assessing Black Swan’s face. “They don’t… you haven’t told them. Correct?”
It would be okay if she did. Really. It was just that Dan Heng was hoping to keep it secret a little while longer… to maybe see if something of this manner for his species was okay to keep. Otherwise he would need a doctor to be rid of it.
“No. I haven’t informed them of the nature of your illness. However, they do believe you to be ill with something of terminal nature, or something serious enough to warrant your abandonment.”
“… Yes.” Dan Heng looks back to Boothill, who's still struggling against the space rip. Anything to avoid Black Swan’s eyes.
“I don’t understand why you would rather run.” Black Swan shakes her head. “Was this truly something you believe would warp their vision of you?”
“With the Phantasmoon Games at front, Stelle and Sunday need to be at their best, whatever is going on with me could no longer be contained…” Dan Heng looks down at his stomach. Running was foolish, and stupid, it drew more attention than not but he truly didn’t know any other way to solve this concern… there were really only two options. “I am aware that running causes more attention to be pulled away from the important task at hand but I know my companions, eventually they’ll give up and focus on what’s important.”
“And…” he didn’t want to cause Ren to waver in his decision… no matter how bitter they left off.
Black Swan’s lips press tightly against one another. “You are important.” She shakes her head. “Oh Little Dragon…”
“Miss Black Swan, until I am fit to, please continue to hide my location from my companions.” Dan Heng places a hand over his heart. “I promise I will return to the Express safely and soundly.” Once he found out a proper plan of action.
Black Swan sighs. “I understand.”
“But,” she holds up a hand. “I will notify them of your location after you’ve visited the Asdana galaxy, and the Xianzhou to get your answers. Whichever comes last, I will be watching you.”
Dan Heng falters, but he gives in. “You don’t trust me to return on my own.”
She smiles. “I don’t trust that you’ll return in a timely manner.” Black Swan brings her hand back down. “By the time you deem it as okay, the others on the Express would have pulled their hair out in worry.”
He can’t help but smile in response. “Alright. That much I can oblige with.”
With a snap of Black Swan’s fingers, the space around them has collapsed and brought them back to the oasis. Dan Heng’s feet meet the inbetween of padded dirt and malleable sand.
The sound of gun shots have him whipping his head around, catching onto the sight of Boothill aiming his gun at Black Swan. Clashing with Boothill’s terse and rigid frame, Black Swan relaxes and pops her hip to place her hand onto.
“It’s nice to see you again, Boothill.”
“Same could be said to you. You really ought to quit that disappearing act. I tend to read those type of things wrong.”
“Boothill.” Dan Heng calls.
A mere side glance is what Dan Heng’s given.
“My apologies.” Black Swan diffuses. “I had to give our little dragon some privacy. As truce, how about after you accompany Dan Heng to his next stop I will treat you to some of Asdana’s White Oak.”
Boothill’s eyes narrow, he breathes in deep, all before he closes it and unequips his gun. The mechanism shifts into gear as it reforms back into his fingers. “There’s no fighting some good ole Asdana. I’ll keep you to that, Miss Memokeeper.”
~*~
3 Days Ago… with the Stellaron Hunters
“How is he holding up?” Firefly approaches Kafka, right after she’s stepped through the door, leaving Blade inside with his lonesome.
The blue holographic signatures from both flicker in the trick of the light but reappear in a matter of milliseconds.
“Not good.” Kafka answers. The bluntness leaves Firefly subtly wincing at the thought.
They all assumed that once after Dan Heng and Blade… more or less bonded after the recent events of Shuhu their companion would stabilize. If anything, he’s more volatile. Not towards them in any aggressive sense, but to himself.
He had told General Yao Guang that he felt a shift on the mental plane, an absence of sorts that had made Blade restless and fidget endlessly. He paced endlessly in his holding room, and his focus was wavering. Yao Guang told them that if he didn’t cease in his restlessness then he would not be able to undergo the ending he was searching for.
Something was preventing him from moving on.
That was something Kafka planned to ask her about later but… she somehow poofed into thin air by the time was able to corner the Xianzhou peacock.
“How are you doing? Has Elio given you permission to leave your pod?” Kafka nearly scolds the other, if not for her gentle and amused smile.
Firefly fidgets, sheepish in her smile and the way her feet rub against each other. “I am strong enough to do this, Kafka. I wish to be here for our companion.”
“Bladie would not approve of your neglect against your health.” Kafka folds her arms over each other.
Firefly smiles, though void of any sort of true glee. “Unfortunately, at the moment he’s not here to scold me for doing so.”
“Were you able to figure out what it was?” Silver Wolf pops in from beside Kafka and Firefly, she pops both hands on her hip and looks from the taller woman to the shorter one. The subtle curls in her ponytail jostling as she moves her head from side to side.
Kafka shakes her head, “No.” She presses a gloved palm to the side of her head, attempting to ease the slow fall of an ache soft launching itself inside her skull. “I was able to put him to sleep.”
“Too bad Dan Heng isn’t here…” Firefly utters out, looking down at her feet.
“You both should have seen them.” Silver Wolf throws both of her hands up. “Bladie couldn’t keep his eyes off of the dragon king. It was like he was a limited edition skin.”
Firefly giggles. “We wish we could have been there. It must’ve been a sight to see.” How romantic—oh. She means, how heartfelt. Seeing their oh-so-intimidating and hard natured companion become soft and vulnerable in the vision of someone who sought revenge against.
Kafka smiles too, something nearing her usual grin but much more sincere and genuine. “That would have been the best conclusion for his perfect ending, I suppose.”
Silver Wolf shifts unevenly on her feet at that. Her arms relaxing at her side, and a frown patterning over her usual carefree expression. She pulls away partially from the others, lifting her hands up to press away at the holographic screen that blooms from the device built into her tech glove.
Before Firefly can lean just close enough to read at whatever she’s tampering with, Silver Wolf has pulled it all away and down as if it never appeared. “I guess since Bladie’s out of the lobby I can go back to playing games.”
Kafka looks more amused than anything, crossing her arms and fixing Silver Wolf with an arched brow, as if saying ‘is that really what you should be doing right now?’ While Firefly shakes her head and face palms, her long flowy tresses of her silvery blonde hair move in tandem with the gentle movement.
Kafka looks over to Firefly, or rather down. “Since Bladie’s down, we can—“
BAM.
The door behind them flies from its hinges, along with smoke. The object narrowly wisps through the holographic entities of Firefly and Kafka. Firefly panics, a subtle change in her body movement flagging her arms away from her sides and looking around as if expecting armor to take root from her body.
The three of them first spot the growth of red. His spider lilies, blooming from the fissures born into the ground.
“Where is…” Blade, hunched over and leaning into the frame, knees bent as if he’s using every last bit of his strength to pull forward.
“Bladie,” Kafka takes slow steps towards their companion. Her voice is honey sweet, something that would transfix past SAM into Firefly, past the hyper alert rush of blood going into her body and the endorphins that push her to stay alive. It could coax her to sleep, to do whatever at this moment Kafka wished.
“Don’t…” a mere subtle step forward pushes another fissure of red spider lilies from the ground. “leave.”
Blade falls forward, crashing into the ground, one arm held out and cushioning his fall.
Silver Wolf is by his side first (the only one who can be), her knee crashing into the hard ground and peeling Blade off his front and to his back. She’s cradling his head with one arm and using the other to pat over his body for any irregularities.
Blade had only been with General Yao Guang for a week. They were just playing Cosmicon Collective together three days ago, and he was just fine. He was even wearing bunny ears, he told her he was hanging out with Dan Heng and they were able to see eye to eye in simple daily life activities. Silver Wolf even joked that the next thing they would do together if they stayed this long around each other was get married and buy a house.
Now, he’s short of breath, clutching on her forearm, and sweating profusely beyond what his Mara madness would take from him before. He just suffered from his battle with Shuhu, wasn’t that enough?
“Get him stabilized.”
From the other side of the room, a pair of clicking heels forces all three of the lucid Stellaron Hunters away from Blade and onto Yao Guang. Her multi-colored eyes transfixed on Blade’s form curled into Silver Wolf. With every intention, Kafka and Fireflh both step closer to Blade and Silver Wolf.
By Yao Guang’s command, the Xianzhou soldiers line up and begin approaching them.
“Not with force.” With a compelling reckoning, Yao Guang’s managed to get the soldiers to put down their spears and in fact, await for the Stellaron Hunter’s permission.
Both Kafka and Firefly step back, allowing space for the soldiers to come forward. However, Silver Wolf holds a degree of apprehension against them. If anything told by the way she may have held Blade closer.
This time, Yao Guang steps forth. She meets eyes with each and every one of them, aside from Blade. “We have the full picture. If you can allow us to handle his condition we can speak until we have him under control.”
“Under control?” Silver Wolf spats the words, eyebrows crinkling. A deep downturned frown set onto her lips.
“Stabilized.” Yao Guang corrects herself. “I believe once we are able to stave off the abundance culling at his body we will be able to speak with him and receive a coherent response.”
“Until the time being, I will explain everything I’ve learned on my end.”
The three take a moment to reflect. Firefly looks towards Kafka, Silver Wolf, then Blade; his beads of sweat apparent from where she stood, and repressed grunts of pain barely heard.
“As long as you treat him well.” Firefly nods. “The first sign of his lucidity we want to speak with him.”
Yao Guang turns to her, an amicable smile present. “Yes. Of course.”
The guards pull Blade away, leaving just the four of them together. The fissures of energy have disappeared along with the stench of death resonating from the red spider lily’s.
“You are a hard person to catch, General Yao Guang.” Kafka says in lieu of a greeting. “You must be busy with how often you disappear.”
“I’m content you all understand my position does not allow me to be in more than one time or space. Now that I’m here, I suppose the three of you want to know—“
“What did you do to him?” Silver Wolf Sparks, both hands on her hip. “Blade was fine before you had him confined here.”
He was able to make her the only thing she’d be too stubborn to stay away from, something native from the Xianzhou, easy to eat and absolutely delicious. Spicy chili noodles that weren’t just from a styrofoam frame but individual ingredients served and cooked with intention and care. All served under a fried sunny side up egg.
Kafka turns to Silver Wolf, brows furrowed and a twitch in her hand that roots her hand in place against her sides that prevent her from lifting it up. It’s not as if she could touch Silver Wolf anyway, she… she’s not even there.
Yao Guang shakes her head. “I apologize, seeing a companion in pain is something I’d never wish on anybody.” She presses a hand over her heart as emphasis.
“However, it’s nothing I or any of my Xianzhou fleet ever did or would do.” She turns to address everyone. “I was notified as of late that Dan Heng has disappeared.”
“What?” Firefly pitches in. “How?”
“The Express’s newest friend notified me that Dan Heng took a leave of unapproved absence.” Yao Guang fiddles with a dangling aspect of her silver necklace. “They say he’s left a gift for Blade. Specifically, a letter.”
So when Silver Wolf texted Dan Heng earlier… the unusual ‘service provider not in use’ message was not a prank response.
Kafka gestures to Yao Guang, “So the dragon’s disappearance has to do with our Bladie’s health.” She then tuts, and shakes her head. “What will we do now that they’ve just had a taste of each other. Now they will never want to be apart.”
“Other than the innuendos referenced there…” Yao Guang begins. “I’m sure you’re all aware of this already but these two share a common history. There is truly never one without the other…” she continues, exhaling out a sigh as if preparing herself to go through the full depth of their intertwinement.
Without a doubt. The only reason Blade had these instances and spikes in Mara was because of how Dan Heng—or the person Dan Heng was before—cursed him. Or that’s how Blade explained it. He has no recollection, no memory of the complete and stable story of how he came to be and who he was before.
They’re all lucky he hasn’t succumbed to the curse.
“We know Dan Heng’s important to him.” Firefly answers. “But what does his disappearance have to do with Blade’s misery? I know that they’ve spent more time together lately but Dan Heng’s always been far away.”
Dan Heng has been gone from Blade’s life for so long. There was absolutely no way that to this degree it would pull Blade into a misery that nearly fragmented him.
“The bracer.”
Speak of the devil.
The man himself.
Blade, from the corridor, comes into light. Much more present, eyes less clouded.
All eyes are set on him.
“Well, that was quick.” Yao Guang folds her arms over her chest.
“Bladie,” Kafka calls out, a smile crossing her features. The usual dull look in her eyes seemingly brighter. Blade notes, something that happened similarly before, that her smile looked very sad. In response, he stalks her to her side, nodding in acknowledgement in her direction.
“I hope you’re feeling alright.” It’s the only thing Firefly can say that she feels is suitable. Blade too nods in her direction, though there’s deep wrinkles set under his eyes.
“How did you recover so quickly?” Yao Guang inquires. “I don’t believe any of our abundant remedies would serve this fast of a recovery.”
“I’m built different.” Blade faces Yao Guang, eye to eye. Lips pressed flat and expression unmoving aside from the usual lines of regressed aging. Even Silver Wolf, whose expression held tight and unpleasant could not contain the snickers beneath her hand clamped over her mouth.
In reality, it had been the mere thought of Shuhu culling the happy memories of his time with Dan Heng that pushed him forth to recover. Something about him made him calmer… and just the same, as if two aspects on one coin could ignite his ire and fury.
She barks out a short laugh, something coming off more surprised mocking than actually sincerely humorous. “Your service of holding off the Abundance aren’t just of noble quality, but your humor as well.”
“Har. Har.”
“Now what about the bracer.” Kafka encourages. She’s fully aware that the bracer was one of the largest aspects that pulled them together. A telepathic bond that let Blade know of his location at all times. Honestly, Kafka’s more stunned that Dan Heng didn’t take it off first thing when he realized it was what kept Blade chasing after him.
Blade winces, pounding hitting all nodes of his brain. The synapses all firing at once. “He took off the bracer… I can’t feel him anymore.”
He inhales. “His very breath, his being, is absent.”
“It is as if… the Nihility came and took him away from me.”
“Nothing but a void.” Blade closes his eyes. No matter how he tried to concentrate and sense Dan Heng, it came up to be as fruitless as what he attempted many times before. So intently and responsively it had brought him closest to the heart wrenching misery of Shuhu’s full frontal assault.
“This bracer…” Yao Guang pauses in her sentence. “I see.”
It’s clearer now. Dan Heng’s disappearance and the lack of information of his presence linked through the bracer is gone. That’s what must have pushed him over. Perhaps that’s a reason why Blade hasn’t been so far gone as one would have expected of someone so Mara struck.
“The letter…” Blade‘a voice cuts through her thoughts. “Dan Heng wrote a letter for me.” He looks towards her.
Yao Guang shakes her head, shifting her weight onto one side of her hip. “I’m afraid I don’t have it in me. It’s on the express. You’ll have to go there yourself.”
Blade nods immediately, something universally acknowledged by everyone around them. Yet no movement is made to encourage his movement or discourage him.
“Let’s go.” He urges.
Kafka speaks up first, after sharing a look with Yao Guang. “Bladie, perhaps we should take a break on all the action and wait for your body to stabilize.” Any wrong emotional current and it could bring about a tsunami much larger than what they prepared for. At least without Dan Heng, nothing can be promised in assuaging Blade’s deep unrest.
“No.” Blade’s voice is cutting edge, he practically snarls the response. Though not out of aggression towards Kafka but rather as a manner of restraining himself. “Every moment I remain here, it’s taking all of me to sustain my weight to this pointless space when every bit of my gravitational pull wishes me closer to him.”
Oh how poetic. Firefly nearly cries out a ‘yes’ beyond what normal measures of what she would do. Especially regarding this delicate circumstance. Who knew Blade had it in him? Not stating that he was a heartless monster of sort but Blade’s usual hard exterior always helped making a show amplifying the moments his soft interior showed through.
“If it’s Dan Heng he wants, Dan Heng he should get.” Silver Wolf looks over to the other two, as if challenging their decision. She suspects Firefly would have no qualms… Kafka however.
She merely chuckles. “Who knew you’d have such a strong resolve dedicated towards anything other than death.”
“I don’t see why not.” Kafka turns to Yao Guang, the final verdict.
The general merely nods. “It’s easy access to the ship through a temporary space anchor set on Planarcadia.”
“Hm, I’ll come with him.” Silver Wolf gestures a hand out of her folded arms.
Yao Guang nods. She looks over at Blade. “That would be best. Although…”
“Never mind.” Yao Guang shakes her head, a silly little smile appearing on her expression. “I refuse to believe you would take this as an opportunity to serve as a getaway plan.”
“As of now, my priority is to find the truth.” Blade responds. Though Yao Guang is barely fooled with that excuse. Not because she expects Blade to run, but because she’s aware he cares deeply for Dan Heng.
“That’s the spirit. In this case, it’s time me and Firefly fall back.”
Firefly nods. “I wish the best of luck to you both.”
Blade nods while Silver Wolf gives them a complementary wave.
When the entities of both Kafka and Firefly’s holographic forms fizzle out, Blade and Silver Wolf make their way out of the room.
Yao Guang, not too far behind, follows them; she can’t help but feel a momentary lapse of unsettlement. Not because she feels another warp or shift in space or time occurring, but rather, the discomfort settles from Blade’s attachment to Dan Heng.
If he’s so held by the material aspect of their relationship, how will be move beyond to meet his death?
~*~
Penacony is just as they’ve left it… perhaps even better. Now that the Dreamscape has long been abandoned, Dan Heng finds it easier to navigate through the Reverie hotel. Though, it’s been revamped into a rehabilitation facility where those who have come to the dreamscape to reside are allowed to progress to a new tomorrow.
It would be easier for Dan Heng to navigate through the sea of people if there wasn’t a constant looming mechanical cowboy following his every move.
“I thought we were goin’ to the Xianzhou.” Boothill says a bit too loud. He draws the attention of the fellow customers but not enough to get them to say anything. If anything, they steer clear of them and even make room for Dan Heng, spearheading into whatever direction he feels is the strongest.
Dan Heng was planning to go to the Xianzhou first. In fact, Dan Heng didn’t even need to touch Penacony grounds, much less the Asdana galaxy. Getting here was such a pain without the Express’s jump.
Yet, there was another aspect in his head pulling him away from his place of birth.
But he didn’t want to explain all these complicated emotions to Boothill into words he couldn’t even manage to think up or explain himself. Instead. Dan Heng says. “I am. You’re not.”
“Shame. I wanted to talk to that kid, hey, how about I come along with ya. They say two’s company?” Boothill grins.
Dan Heng already has company. In this instance he’s holding it. Whether parasite or progeny he must find out.
His head makes a resounding temporary ache, only for a few seconds but it’s enough to slightly halt him in his tracks and stir Boothill confused.
Boothill leans over Dan Heng, face slotted close enough over his shoulder to recognize the wince of discomfort. “You’ve been doin’ that a lot. You need to grease your gears or something?”
“Grease my gears…?” Dan Heng looks over his shoulder to Boothill, expecting to spot the shit eating grin, instead, he looks rather… concerned.
“Or something.” Is Dan Heng’s post response. He steps away from Boothill.
He turns away, continuing to walk towards the only place he feels is enough. Before he left, Black Swan had mentioned this specific aspect of the Reverie had an accessible yet private space that had a stronger memoria connection that would allow Dan Heng to use “As I’ve Written” to do as he see fit. Potent enough to summon a being from Amphoreus, but not enough to pull Amphoreus into the unprepared Asdana galaxy.
But before he can do this. Dan Heng pauses, and turns around.
“Boothill.”
“What?”
“Please do something for me.”
Boothill crosses his arms over his chest, giving him an exaggerated tilt of his head, nearly toppling his cowboy hat over the side while his hair follows shortly of the movement with a sway.
“Whatever you have, it better be good. I ain’t wasting my time here, almost being caught by forking IPC biscuits.”
Boothill never needed to be here in the first place. He’s just doing this for the love of the game (annoying Dan Heng) at this very point.
“Please stay here, and prevent anyone from going past this point. Once I’m done I’ll find you again.” That should be enough.
Boothill pushes. “That’s two ‘pleases’ already. Should I expect this to be something important? By any means necessary?” He eggs on.
Dan Heng can feel the tension and strain of a vein on his temple forming.
“Don’t do anything reckless.” He feels like he’s speaking to Stelle, ridiculing her to stay safe, even if he’s fully aware of the many times she’s always managed to come back.
“Yeah, yeah.” Boothill waves off without another question…
Strange.
Boothill being this obedient and docile.
Dan Heng shakes his head. There's no use in lingering on it right now.
It’s a long hallway. Very bare and empty. There hasn’t been a slot where a frame fits a door for several feet and he’s beginning to question whether or not Black Swan set this as a trap.
The hallway finally reaches its “end” when a slot appears, and it leads Dan Heng to his left to a wide room. In its corners, coalesced with memoria bubbles as if they were webbed to the wall, floating in, around, and on the space.
“—in that space of the Reverie, the memoria has crystallized into a physical resin form it would be beyond laborious even for the ever most capable IPC to remove.”
This should be enough. Memoria bubbles that may already be stained with others’ memories whether through shed tears, heart break, joy, or the horrors of the abundant life; Dan Heng has no choice but to attempt to reach out to the only person he can consider assistance.
He opens ‘As I’ve Written’ that was taken (stolen) from Stelle’s room.
I apologize, Stelle. Just for this instance I require it. It will return to where it was safely and soundly when I return.
When he passes through the pages of ‘As I’ve Written’ he stops at the very chapter his heart had been calling to all this time. Regrettably, every moment he’s managed to have his hands on the long written book, he’s always skipped this chapter due to the depth of his forlorn sorrow.
A pain akin to that of acknowledging the Cloud Quintet.
Dan Heng shuts his eyes, focusing on the energy of the space. Going beyond time and into a space that existed in another galaxy and happens over a 30 million life cycle… and even in this, he only has to remember one.
The one he’s actually in.
Memories of traveling the grove with her, following from when she met her people in attempts to retouch with the sky, and all until she had no choice but to merge with the heavens in a cruel hand of fate.
But he won’t linger on the tragedy.
Would this pull him into their world or pull her into his? Whatever it was, all needed was to see…
“Dannie!” Hyacine cheers.
Her.
When Dan Heng opens his eyes he’s greeted with the sight of Hyacine’s cheer stained smile and kind eyes. Her pink pig tails dipped in the color of the sky at its brightest like a paint brush jostles with her movement.
“I’m so happy to finally see you!”
Whatever it is, guilt trips him. He’s avoided reliving this for a long time. It’s only now when he’s in his most turbulence that he comes back here.
“Hyacine, I—“ Dan Heng begins the workings of an apology. However, Hyacine barrels into him, focusing on wrapping her arms around him and pushing her cheek into his sternum.
“Don’t say anymore.” She basically pleads. “It feels as if it’s been an eternity since I’ve been able to waken… to make other decisions than the ones I’ve made before.”
“… I understand.” Dan Heng takes a deep breath. Yes, it’s been a long time since Dan Heng felt so comfortable but it's been a longer time since Hyacine could make choices unbound by any script.
“You're glowing.” Hyacine pulls away and assesses him top down.
Oh… that.
Dan Heng swallows (what he should have done in the first place before he put anyone in this predicament). “You are, too.” Hyacine has always had this halo to her. Something as potent as Stelle but… different. In the way that is Hyacine.
Hyacine laughs. “But you’re glowing, more so than after taking on Terravox.”
“Are Stelle and March here, too?”
“No, it’s just me.”
Hyacine blinks. “How were you able to come here?” To the grove.
“I… it’s a long story.” Dan Heng shakes his head. “Let’s not focus on that now, I’d like to hear how you’re doing.”
He listens to her talk away, her voice as melodic as the blissful clouds on a sunny day just overcast to let the sun rays filter through. Dan Heng finds his eyes fluttering for a moment.
Peace.
Past the flurry of constantly being on the run; the stress of finding his way onto Penacony; hiding his morning illness and moody eating habits from Boothill; and past the constant anxiety revolving Ren.
“What’s wrong, Dannie? Your head’s been somewhere else. Is it with Stelle and March? Or something beyond the cosmos?” She blinks at him, the gentle tilt of her head and those multicolored cotton candy eyes being ever so inquisitive. “If that's the case I’m not sure how much I can help.” Hyacine giggles at the end of her sentence.
Dan Heng can’t help but be a little alleviated by her words. “No, it’s nothing that serious.”
He waits. He can’t find it in his heart to continue, or name a place where it began. Instead he says.
“You’re a medic beyond your years… I’ve assumed you’ve dealt with strange illnesses.”
“I suppose the strangest thing I had cured is a villager who had managed to house a colony of fungi on their head.”
Dan Heng finds himself smiling again. “I suppose what I have isn’t that strange.”
It might be worse in fact.
“… could I ask you to please look my body over? For any defects?”