Work Text:
She watched her carefully, a smile so sweet that the other occupant of the room shivered while typing away on her digital keyboard. Red wine-colored tresses fanned downwards as she leaned closer to the digital monitor that has a small image of a group of people on the upper right
“Mmmh.” She walked behind the silver-haired hacker who was typing away the coordinates of a certain vehicle that was set on exploring the vast universe. Her heels clicked and clacked on the metallic floor, forming a duet with the beeps of the keyboard from her companion.
"Interesting, the Express is currently orbiting the glacial planet. Stelle’s first planet after that rich girl’s ship, Kafka.” The hacker mused, screen now showing a train that’s slowly moving along the orbit of a blue planet.
“Which one, darling?” Kafka leaned against the seat of her companion, looking at the coordinates that showed on the screen and smiled. “Ah, the near-dying planet. Fitting for our little Trailblazer’s first exploration.
The hacker, Silver Wolf, eyerolled. Everyone knew that Kafka has a soft-spot for Stelle and having the stoic yet idiotically comedic woman away from Kafka is akin to a mother letting go of their child. “Still a mystery why you dropped her off with them. I know Elio and all that but you’re kinda her mom.” Silverwolf chewed on her bubble gum. “Does Elio have a script for you here in Jarilo-VI?”
Kafka chuckled and patted the silver mane of her companion. “Not quite. I have a—“ her eyes looked at a certain red hair on the screen. “Personal matter to attend to.”
Silver Wolf raised her brow when Kafka said it was a personal matter but brushed it off upon seeing Kafka’s playful smiles. “Urgh I don’t even wanna know. Just go so I can continue playing my games.”
Another pat on the head of Silver Wolf, Kafka went to her own room with the thoughts of her current personal script. A recurring script that she pursue aside from seeing what Elio has for her.
Jarilo-VI, Night Time
It was easy for Kafka to enter the orbiting Express. Stelle and her new friends are out and exploring, hence the remaining occupants are those she can easily face without any remorse—well two that is. She admired the Astral Express, how majestic it was with the combination of dark, gold, and white. How it travelled along the galaxy via star rail. She admired the galaxy train not because it was made by the Aeon Akivili, but because it was repaired by the reason of her visit.
Standing in front of the door that would lead her inside, Kafka knew she can’t get in without being invited or having the permanent pass from the Trailblazers. She does not carry those gold plates that Stelle now has. No. she carries none of those or has permission from anyone of the Express.
Yet—
Kafka chuckled and adjusted her coat before her gloved hand gripped on the door handle and gently opened it. As if the Express itself allowed it, Kafka was able to enter with ease, closing the door softly and patted the trinket that decorated her left lapel.
With access to the connecting carriages of the Express, Kafka took her time walking to where she wanted to go. Red wine-hued eyes looking around, admiring how the interior looked well decorated, unguarded. With the soft clack of heels on carpet, Kafka made her way towards the Passenger Cabin.
It was easy for the Stellaron Hunter to find the room she needed to visit. Just follow the strong aroma of the dark liquid she has a love and hate relationship with and it would lead her where the reason of her visit would be.
Pressing her hand on the door, Kafka heard a click on it, unlocking the usual room and opening it, making a wheezing sound. Inside, she saw the navigator of the Astral Express, sitting on her bed with a book in hand.
“Seems I was just in time,” Kafka drawled, door closing behind her. She leaned back on the now locked door and stared at the red-haired woman a few feet away from her. “Himeko.”
Himeko, the one who fixed the Astral Express. Navigator of the Star Rail. Emanator of the Trailblaze
Without any hint of surprise, Himeko closed her book and looked at the intruder, brows furrowed. “Why is a Stellaron Hunter visiting the Astral Express at such a late hour?” she glared at Kafka who was merely smiling at her.
Kafka crossed her arms under her breasts, smirking at how Himeko glared at her. Such burning gaze was enough to send shivers down her spine and crossing her arms was a way to control it. Gripping the shirt to maintain her composure. ‘A devil hunter shivering from the mere gaze of such woman.’ Kafka chuckled.
“Hmm why indeed. You seem not surprised, Himeko. As you said, a Stellaron Hunter, one with a bounty of 10 billion credits, standing in your room. Alone. Yet you’re not surprised.” She tapped her fingers on her bicep as if playing a soundless tune. “That confident? That you can take on a dangerous criminal?”
“Confidence will take one a long way, Kafka.” Himeko looked away from the Stellaron Hunter who was smiling at her like a predator toying with its prey. “Which begs to question, who let you in the Express? Pom-pom would’ve noticed right away if an unwanted guest were to step foot on the train.”
“Who indeed.” Kafka pushed herself off the door and uncrossed her arms. “I do recall, before the establishment of those gold tickets you graciously gave your crew, there are only a few items that can unlock the train.”
Slow and soft clacking on carpet noise filled the small room as Kafka approached the coat that laid on the table beside a steaming cup of coffee. On top of the black coat lay a golden flower that settled on it with care.
Kafka dared to trace its petals carefully, humming a tune. “Broken and irreparable, the Astral Express could not be opened save for two items.” She gently took the flower, raising it to eye level, examining the intricacy of it while looking at the owner who sat on the bed with a glare still on her face.
“One is the golden flower that is the most beautiful than the sea of stars in the galaxy.”
Kafka then placed the flower back on the coat then removed her own, placing her coat beside Himeko’s. She then unpinned the ornament that decorated her coat’s left lapel. “Listen.” She whispered, pressing her index finger on the butterfly and pulling it gently, a short string appearing at the ends of her fingertip.
Kafka was confident in using her ability. Knew that despite producing the thread, it was of naught of other effects. With the trinket now dangling on the wine-red thread, she let the butterfly ornament float eyeing it with softness in her eyes. “The other is the butterfly. Flying around the flowers, until it dies.”
Kafka then pulled the web, retracting the butterfly ornament and placing it on her own coat. “The flower and the butterfly go hand in hand, isn’t it not, Hi-Me-Ko?”
Himeko’s lips pressed together after hearing what Kafka said. It was an obvious answer, one she felt stupid to even ask.
It was during the first few days when the Astral Express took flight, after meeting with Welt and her friend. One of the reasons why Himeko included in her journey to seal the Stellarons. It was when she and the Conductor first arrived at a planet contaminated by Stellarons that she met the first one who gained access to the Astral Express.
A quiet voice disturbs the still air once more: "What do you see?"
"The stars have finished their journey." She says.
████ laughs: "I, instead, see that their journey is only just beginning."
They do not speak again.
"Let's go back. They're waiting for me."
████ is silent, then asks: "Has the journey so far made you happy?"
She picks up her suitcase and walks back in the direction of the Express without looking back.
"Same as always."A resident devil hunter of Pteruges-V—The one whom she gave the butterfly key.
“Kisses for your thoughts?”
Warm breath against her lips snapped Himeko from her short reminiscing of her travel on such a dangerous planet. Her breath hitched seeing those wine-red eyes staring right at her, faces inches apart. Startled by the closeness, her usual calm composure broke, and she pushed the hunter away from her, face now imitating the color of her own hair.
The push was strong enough for Kafka to fall back, but in doing so, the navigator of the Astral Express too fell forward.
“My, my, here I was just asking for some pieces of what’s running in your head, Himeko.” Kafka smirked as she now held the redhead in her arms. “And not have you falling in my arms already.”
Eyes wide open, Himeko opened her mouth and was about to call out the hunter’s name in shock. “Kaf—mmph!” A gloved hand covered Himeko’s lips, stopping her from shouting out the name of the one beneath her.
“I would love for you to scream my name, but that man who follows the path of IX is next door.” Kafka, hand still over Himeko’s mouth, looked at her eyes, amused. “Unless you are now willing to let them know you’re getting in bed with a Stellaron Hunter?”
Blushing madly, Himeko bit the gloved hand, making Kafka retract her hand. “What are you even doing here, Kafka? Let me guess, Elio has this some sort of destiny for you to work on?” she got off the woman underneath her and made her way back to her bed, regaining her lost composure by reaching for her cup of coffee and savoring the scent, eyes still on the dangerous criminal that lay on her floor.
Kafka merely smirked and got up from the floor, dusting off the non-existent dirt from her clothes. She hummed again, feeling Himeko’s gaze on her. She then smoothened her sleeves and adjusted her gloves, teeth marks on the place where Himeko bit her, and smirked at the feeling of such action still lingering. “Whether Elio has this in script or not, it is my choice to board the Express currently. Listen, I am here because I want to be here.” She approached the woman whose first love is coffee, and gently took the said cup from her.
Himeko scoffed, hearing the trigger of Kafka’s rather interesting skill, doubting the reasoning of the woman before her. “Please, your ability has no effect on me.” She stood up and poked the chest of the hunter with her index finger. “So, before I drag you out of my room, you better tell the reason now.”
Swirling the contents of the cup, Kafka merely sipped the contents, not wincing at how strong it tasted. With her free hand, she grabbed the taller woman’s nape and pulled her close, lips connecting and pushing the dark liquid in Himeko’s mouth.
The grip on her nape was strong and Himeko struggled from the said hold. Instincts kicking in and liquid that was pushed in her mouth was then swallowed and now replaced by a soft tongue that’s now entangled in a dance for dominance with her own. Hands that were once pressed against the other’s chest, pushing for distance, stopped frozen, feeling the pounding from the other woman’s chest.
Placing the mug—one she is very much aware that was precious to the navigator—safely on the table before gently leading Himeko down on the bed. “Listen.” She mumbled, producing the web from her fingers and instantly wrapped it around the redhead’s neck and right wrist, tugging gently.
A soft gasp escaped Himeko’s lips, breaking the liplock between them and groaned as she felt the strings on her skin. Her right arm pulled above her head, threads connecting with her wrist and neck, making her shiver and panting heavily. It was as if her body was shocked by lightning, making her squirm and shudder, yet felt no pain from them. “Kaf-kah…” she breathed softly, squirming under the hunter.
A slow lick across the reddish lips of the Astral Express navigator, Kafka’s eyes darkened as she straddled her now tied up prey. Her chest pounded, ears hearing every fast beat of her heart. Her body felt the vibrations, the squirms from the woman beneath her, in synch with her own needy presses.
“Surrender to me.”
Himeko knew that she felt no effect from the so-called Spirit Whisper. She is, by the Aeon’s grace, certain that her body and mind was immune to it. Yet her body listened. Not to the whisper, but to another need.
Jarilo-VI, Morning
Mornings in the Astral Express composed of Pom-Pom, the conductor, doing his usual rounds. The pitter patter of his foot and the swishing of his ears were the only sound that could be heard. Especially when March is out on a Trailblazing mission.
As the usual rounds go, passing by passenger cabin, it was a surprise for the conductor to hear the whirling sound of the coffee maker suddenly went off. With curiosity filling him, knowing not many would attempt to use such mechanism that the navigator is possessive of, he peeked inside and saw a wine-red haired woman, dressed only in Himeko’s coat, brewing coffee.
As if his presence was noticed, Pom-Pom saw the stranger now looking at him and smiled. A small yet sinister smile that sent shivers down his spine and his fur standing up. Immediately, he scampered away, door of the navigator’s room closing.
Inside Himeko’s room…
“I smell coffee.”
A raspy voice from the bed broke Kafka’s amusement after seeing the conductor running away. Taking the now filled cup, she took the concoction to the groggy redhead and handed it to her, planting a soft kiss on her lips. “I need to go.”
Himeko nodded sleepily, cradling the cup with both hands.
“Do you want me to leave the key?” Kafka asked, tone dangling between seriousness and hope.
Still cradling the hot mug, Himeko shook her head quietly. Despite the sleepiness, she was still conscious enough to know what Kafka was talking about.
“Very well. Our destinations may differ, but the orbits of the stars will eventually converge.” Kafka once again placed a soft gentle kiss on Himeko’s lips before putting on her clothes and leaving the navigator’s room.