Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The decision to add Amphoreus as a destination choice was in discussion. The Eternal Land as it is called by the Garden of Recollection, has no records in the data bank. Not even a mention. A grand mystery of epic proportions so to speak, one that could possibly solve the fuel crisis they were apparently having.

" Might I be honest? I don't trust this." Bigby scratched the scruff on his face. " At the very least, I'm not trusting the source of this information. As something of an Emanator of the Remembrance that's not a Memokeeper, I'd say there's something they're not telling us about Amphoreus."

So to speak, his relationship with Fuli isn't something he could simply label as the Aeon's Emanator. He doesn't know much about those at the Garden or the Cremators but knows enough that Memokeepers don't lie, though they have an awful habit of omitting the truth especially on crucial matters.

" But, if she wants us to go there then there's gotta be something she wants out of it." Stelle caught on.

"...Memories." Dan Heng finished.

" Yeah, that tracks." The grey haired girl shrugged. " I could just ask her. Like she's in the next car over."

And she's already walking off before they can stop her.

" We'll discuss this again some other time then." Himeko chuckled. " If anyone needs me, I'll be at the Radiant Feldspar making a few calls and wrapping up a few things there."

With that, the meeting was dismissed and the crew dispersed to wrap up their stay at the Planet of Festivities. They would decide on their destination tomorrow or another day if they aren't ready. For now, there was simply a quiet night to be spent.

" Bigby, might I have a moment of your time?" His head perks up as he's called, back straightened slightly in attention. The charm hanging from the hook of his belt followed the way his body turned, the red tassel swaying slightly. Eyes like warm lanterns through a dark night, the gilded glow guiding his gaze to venture through the shadows of the unknown like a late night stroll through the woods. It's an exhilarating, wondrous feeling that makes his heart flutter and eyes blink twice to shake off that dreamlike visage.

Bigby smiled as he turned, pleasantly wide with no teeth. " If all you need is a moment then why not over a drink? Gallagher's manning the bar tonight."

Behind the yellow eyed brunette, Welt could see March giving him an enthusiastic thumbs up and nodding fervently. " Yes, I- I would like that."

March squealed, high pitched and loud before immediately covering her mouth.

" Is everything okay over there, Peppermint?" Bigby asked.

" Yeah, awesome! Great even!" She replied hastily, looking around for an excuse. " It's just- um, Stelle sent me more cat cake photos! They're super cute!"

" Cat cakes?"

Welt chuckled. " A creation of Ruan Mei, a Genius Society member that Stelle somehow befriended. If I'm not mistaken, she had brought one up into her room not long ago."

" Wait - seriously?!" March gasped. " That's where she's getting the photos? I've gotta go! STELLE!!!"

" Well, there goes March." Bigby muttered. " What are the odds she tries moving it to her room?"

" High, but not easy." Welt said as they began to walk towards the party car. " It's been a few months now. How are you adjusting?"

" I think I'm alright. You've all been very accommodating and kind." His eyes softened a fraction. " Thank you."

" Of course, what are companions for." Bigby shoots him an odd look, one brow quirked up and a crooked smirk. He could feel the heat growing on his face and averted his gaze from the yellow eyes.

Thank goodness they've reached the bar already.

" If it isn't the Boss and, ah, how rare, Mr Yang." Gallagher greeted them, dressed in a white shirt and striped vest with a loose bow tie. " I'm guessing a glass of Lupical as per usual," Bigby responded with a chuff as he took his seat. " And you, Mr Yang?"

" To be honest, I don't really do much drinking. Usually people my age tend to lay off the alcohol." Welt said with a small wave of his hand as he sits next to Bigby.

" Aha, then how about the old Hello and Goodbye."

Welt smiled at the suggestion. " Yes, that would do."

" Oh? That sounds like a pretty good drink. I'd like to try it." Bigby said. " Cancel the Lupical, Gallagher."

" Already on it, Boss." The bartender turned around to start mixing.

" So," Bigby began. " What did you want to talk about?"

" I actually wanted to ask if you wanted to head into town with us tomorrow. With us wrapping up the trip, I thought about taking one last stroll around Penacony and taking in the sights before we leave." He pushes his glasses up higher, adjusting their position idly on the bridge of his nose.

" I would join you if it didn't give me such a headache just looking at the architecture." He admitted.

" Headaches?" The drinks are served before them.

" The city reminds me of something but I can't really remember what it is. It's like... touching a hot oven barehanded." Bigby takes a sip of the drink. " Oh, that's actually nice."

He looks down at his glass. " Then, I suppose I should rescind the invitation. My apologies."

" No, I would've liked to have that walk with you. How about I'll cash it in another time?" He offered instead.

" Yes, that's...Anytime you're comfortable." He takes a sip of his own drink. " So, about Stelle calling you Dad..."

" Oh, here we go." Bigby chuckled, shaking his head fondly. " I don't know what kind of game she's playing with me but she's tried every other nickname possible then out of nowhere just stuck with Dad."

" Am I to assume that she's occasionally referring to herself as a can of beans is also related to you?" She only mentions it around Bigby, giving him a side eye all the while.

" She heard me call March Peppermint and decided she needed a nickname from me for her collection." He explained. " I said Bean and left it at that but mind if I tell you a secret? It's short for Vanilla Bean."

" Vanilla?" Welt pondered.

" I don't call March Peppermint just because of the incident. As a wolf I have a thing for scents, it's how I recognise people. I'm actually a little face blind, I don't bother remembering facial features as much but it seems to be something people are most critical of." Bigby swirled the drink, idly pondering if he should eat the little grape inside first or have it after the drink is finished. " To me, Stelle is like a vanilla bean. She's sweet but pretty unpredictable at times. She can choose to get along with anyone anywhere."

" Then, how do you see me?" Welt can't help but to ask

Bigby hummed, leaning closer. His eyes bore into the man, soft and light, before shutting his eyes. " Where to start?"

Welt remains still, not sure if he would be impeding the process or disturbing the analysis while anticipating the answer.

" To me, you're like cedarwood." He finally says after a moment, Welt welcomes the sight of those brilliant eyes again. " Of course, I don't mean that in the way they advertise with all those gaudy fragrances. You're like the forest, the ones with the tallest trees, the kind that covers the ground with so much shade that the day becomes evening and the nights are darker than most places. The best. It's... comforting. For me at least. I like the way it is. I like the way you smell."

Welt sips his drink silently.

" The only difference is that you're actually pretty chatty."

The spell is broken, Welt laughs. " I guess I can be a bit chatty, as you put it."

" No, it's fine." Bigby assured him. " I like hearing you talk. Your...Your voice is nice."

" Thank you." He says softly. Before he could say anything more, Bigby's jade abacus rings. " You should probably get that."

" Yeah, it's..." He squints at the name. " The Ten Lords Commission?"

" Sounds urgent. Best to get to it." Welt chuckled.

" Alright, see you, Welt." Bigby says as he rose from his seat.

" See you." Welt smiled back, giving a tiny wave. As soon as Bigby was out of sight, he put his head in his hands.

Gallagher whistled. " Really shooting your shot there, Mr Yang."

" Please don't speak." He pleaded to the bartender.

" I'm just saying." The bartender takes away the empty glasses, putting them aside to be cleaned up. " I think you two should give this a shot."

" This?"

" Don't get coy on me now, Mr Yang." Gallagher teased.

" We'll see, I suppose." Welt muttered, looking more spirited before getting up and thanking Gallagher for the drink.

Not long after, the Astral Express received a message regarding an old friend. The girls and Welt were going to town to meet up with them and Himeko would be meeting up with another on the Radiant Feldspar.

Surprisingly, the Express would also be receiving guests at the same time. A representative from the Ten Lords Commission will arrive to speak to Bigby regarding an urgent matter. Retired as he is, he was still one of the very best lieutenants the Xianzhou has ever seen. If the Ten Lords wanted a word with him then he would have to comply.

" Are you okay, Dan Heng?" Bigby asked him once the others had left. Knowing his general history of the young dragon's past life, he figured that he would be uncomfortable with the idea of Judges visiting the Express.

" I'm alright." He responded. " I've already...come to terms with my past. And, I've already been acquainted with some of the Judges."

" The two sisters." Bigby guessed. " Jiaoqiu was invested in their case, he uses it as a prime example of the failings of the Xianzhou."

Dan Heng only made a small noise, something more to a thought than agreement or rebuttal. After all, he too is a byproduct of such things. The young dragon is reminded of little hands and lavender hair.

" Actually, I think I'm going to make a call." He says after a moment.

" By all means. Don't worry, I can handle the rest here." Bigby assured him.

With that, Dan Heng excuses himself from the parlour car. It wasn't long until the designated Judge arrived, he met her once before while helping March on an exhibition assignment and from Stelle knew that she had an active visitor pass.

" Ah, um, my greetings, Lord Beifang." The small foxian Judge bowed.

She's a petite little thing. With sage green hair that reaches her elbows, her ears were folded in a manner that made her look even more meek than her posture already exudes, her round eyes are slightly down turned and had dark circles under them. Another unique trait of her's is her tail, which usually appears a bright cyan, puffy and fiery.

As of now, that tail is a ball of fiery gas with fox ears and an indifferent gaze.

" There's no need for the extra title, Huohuo." He says to her. " You can still call me Wolf or Bigby."

" Th-Then, may I call you Beifang?" She asked.

Tail groaned. " Speak up! No one can hear you muttering like that. We're supposed to be here in an official capacity, brat."

" R-Right. But, there's no need to yell!" She pouts out at Tail.

" She's right. There isn't." Bigby says. " I have exceptionally good hearing, so you can do this however you're comfortable."

The little foxian smiled. " Thank you, Mr Beifang."

" I can't imagine there are a lot of reasons I would be contacted out of my retirement for official business. Especially not by the Ten Lords Commission." He started off, keeping his tone low and gentle, trying not to come off as intimidating.

" It's not exactly the Ten Lords Commission but-but just...me." She said. " Do you remember when you and March were visiting the Loufu for that exhibition? You used an odd photo filter for the process."

He remembers that thing. Thought it felt rather off, from the look alone. He didn't get a chance for Gallagher to look it over. His Hound had a more refined sense when it came to things of the more discreet nature. It hadn't done much harm until they were visiting the Loufu and it had affected Huohuo in an unexpected way. Judge Hanya confiscated the item shortly after.

" It's effects...Um, the seal...." The young foxian stuttered.

" Argh! You're taking too long!" Tail growled. " Look, she's dying."

" Tail!"

" That thing unveiled a weakness in the seal and it turns out I've been syphoning off of the brat's life force in miniscule amounts." Tail explained quickly. " So, eat me."

" What?"

" WHAT?!" Huohuo yelped. 

" Wait, back up." Bigby says, taking a moment to digest this information. " Eat you?"

" They say you could eat any form of evil. Spirits included." Tail said.

" Tail..." Huohuo whined, brushing her eyes as tears stung them.

" Quit your whining." He hissed.

" Firstly, did you go to anyone else about this? The other Judges?" He asked them.

" We did." She nodded. " But, even when they sealed him away, it didn't make any difference. The Dragon Lady doesn't know what to do either and-and...Please don't eat Mr Tail!" She bursts into tears.

" What nonsense are you spouting?!" Tail growled over her wails. " You'll die, you stupid brat!"

He would never admit to the yelp he let out when she grabs him from the air.

" But you're my friend!" She cried. " My first true friend! Please don't leave me!"

Tail scowled deeper but said nothing as the girl sobbed.

" Huohuo," Bigby called her gently. " Miss Huohuo." He pats her head. " I'm not going to eat him."

She stops crying, looking up with a sniff. " Really?"

" I don't know where you heard that rumour but I don't eat heliobus or spirits of any kind." He assured them, gladly having gotten a majority of his memories from his time as the Big Bad Wolf.

" So...I get to keep Tail?"

" You're not keeping anyone!" Tail growled but doesn't move out of her hold. " I'd really rather not die with this brat."

" Huh? But you'll survive after I'm gone, won't you?" Huohuo asked, letting him go.

He floats up to look at her in the eyes. " As if I would lower myself to feast on mortals. You're the one who put me on your tail. I ate it out of desperation and you know that."

" You want to stay with me?"

Tail grumbled. " Whatever..."

" This is so touching." Gallagher says over Bigby's shoulder. " So, is he joining the club?"

Chapter Text

" An Iteration?" Huohuo echoed as she stared up at the painting on the wall of the Parlour Car.

" What is that?" Tail grimaced at the painting. 

The canine depicted on the canvas has long gangly limbs, it looks closer to a fox than a wolf but was clearly not. The coat is a reddish brown, something similar to the Painter's hair and had darker markings on its mane and freakishly long legs. He has no idea what it is but it is a freak.

" Well," Gallagher piped up. " Technically, it's sort of me. See my name on it?"

" You?" Tail turned to him, bristling. " I don't like this idea already."

Gallagher frowned. " What's that supposed to mean?"

He flew up and hovered above Huohuo. " I don't have to explain anything to you."

" Tail, don't be rude." She chides him with a pout.

He turned his head upwards with a grunt, arrogant little shit.

" The way this works is a bit... tenuous." Bigby explained as he returned from his room. In his hand is a device and behind him is another man who bears a resemblance to that cartoon the Trailblazer shared with them. " This is Hanunue, and this is his zoetrope." He places the device down. " For both Hanunue and Gallagher, they were both closer to memitic entities but had memories of a physical body before. The objects give them an anchor to the physical world."

Finding out the proper connection between the Iterations and their Anchors took a while to name. There's a link between himself and his Iterations, a Common Ground.

" What if this doesn't work?" Huohuo asked.

" Then, I can try to eat him." Bigby says a little too calmly.

Huohuo clutched Tail closer. The heliobus huffed. " Fine by me."

Huohuo looked around, she knew these streets but there was something off about them. It's foggy and there's barely any light around for her to see. Something touches her shoulder and she jumps up with a shriek.

" Don't eat me!" She screamed, crouching over and covering her head.

" Huohuo." He called gently.

She knew that voice and slowly opened her eyes. To another species, the yellow wolf eyes were a rather surprising display but foxians like herself have a different opinion, they were really pretty. She peaked out of the cover of her eyes, blinking softly.

" Hello, Mr Beifang." She greeted him in a quiet voice.

" Do you remember where you are?" He holds out a hand to help her out.

She nods her head and looks around. This was definitely the Loufu, Fyxestroll Garden to be exact, but something was different. A deafening roar fills the silence, the pitches contorted and mixed as though the vocal chords were shifting and changing constantly. Lightning crackled across the skies, static bouncing off the walls.

The fog clears and they bear witness to a piece of history. The enormous heliobus was a mass of energy, constantly changing until it had the head of a monkey, the body of a wolf, limbs of a tiger and a snake head for a tail.

The Spiritus that loomed with equal mass was in the shape of a warrior, differed to Feixiao's Flying Aureus. The Lightning Lord swung their glaive and struck the great heliobus, thunder clapped across the firmament of the Loufu, echoing to all levels like a divine drum.

The heliobus shattered. Bursting into hundreds of small balls of fire that filled the sky in a myriad of colours. These were the fragments of Ignamar.

" I see him!" Huohuo points out to the brightest fragment which burned a lustrous jade green. It floated towards them and in a surprising act of bravery, the foxian girl reached up to catch him.

It flowed right over her and landed on the street.

Fog rolled in, passing through like a thick cloud and as it cleared, they saw the fragment had become dangerously dim. Delicate little hands cupped the flame, soft green eyes gazing into the fire in awe.

" You're so small." Bigby finds himself saying as they observe the scene. It seems her ears have always been folded, it must be a hereditary trait and she actually had quite a lovely tail for Foxian standards. Jiaoqiu would certainly have given his compliments.

" This was a long time ago!" Huohuo says, embarrassed.

Without saying anything, the little one dropped the flame over her tail and it burned. The flames roared to life, the poor girl screamed once she realised what she had done. It ate away at her tail, bit by little bit like it was trying to be careful, trying to stop but kept going.

Desperation.

It yearned to survive and ate away despite pausing for a moment when the child started to cry. It couldn't help itself, it needed to eat and eat and eat. By the time Hanya arrived, her tail was gone. The flames roared in the Judge's presence.

" Don't just stand there!" A voice shouted in anger and a face forms on the tail. " Stop me!"

The girl had already lost her consciousness before she got there and to act quickly without hurting her, the heliobus was sealed. The fires died out but didn't dim.

" You're late." It growled before disappearing.

As Hanya takes the small Huohuo away, the fog surrounds them again.

The present Huohuo had her eyes on the same spot where they met. She had no idea what to think having witnessed the consumption of her tail. She remembers being mesmerized and thought it would be a shame to let a pretty light die, she wanted to help it. She had been terrified then, she hadn't heard the way he struggled to stop, as if the hunger was possessing him like a heliobus could to a person. He sounded scared.

Just like her.

" Found you." The Wolf said.

She looked around and Beifang was no longer next to her. The fog cleared away completely and she could see the Wolf not too far from her, standing over a ball of fire. He picks it up by hand, raises it over his head and dangles it by the tips of its flames. Her legs were already moving before she knew it. She doesn't hear what he says, only sees his mouth parted and sees his teeth show. The fire struggled but to no avail, he lowered it to his open mouth.

" No!" Huohuo jumps on his back, nearly causing the man to fall over. Without hesitating, she shoves his head away and steps over his shoulder for a boost. The fire was in her grasp, she knew nothing else as the familiar warmth enveloped her.

" Huohuo?" His voice is calm and gentle as always but she doesn't turn to him, stubbornly keeping her eyes shut.

" No, he's mine!" She says defiantly as she hugged the fire close to her chest. But she realized quickly that her hands were not grasping a flame, so she opened one eye and carefully unfolded her hands.

In her palm was a pendant, the framing in the shape of lantern and a round jade at the centre that seemed to glow. At her feet are the red carpets of the Express and she realises she was back in the waking world. She looks behind hee immediately but Tail wasn't there.

Glass broke and the metal tray clattered to the ground. At the counter of the bar, someone had stumbled and knocked over the tray. A familiar voice groaned as Gallagher tried to help the person up but was shoved away with a sharp growl.

The first thought that came to mind was that he was tall and his long hair was just like hers. The other was that, he was kinda naked. A big hand covered her eyes.

" Why are you nude?!" Pom-Pom yelled. She didn't know he was here.

" I didn't think of clothes!" He admitted aloud, growling in an oh so familiar manner. " I'm a heliobus, that's not what comes to my mind when I picture a body to inhabit!" His voice is muffled by some cloth.

" Think of one. Fast." Mr Beifang ordered, he sounds pretty scary.

She turns around to see who was closing her eyes and it was Hanunue, crouched down to shield her from any indecency. She decided to occupy herself with the pendant again, admiring the gem that beheld a familiar glow.

" Oh." She said, noticing a pattern in the jade that resembles a familiar fox. " This is...Tail."

" You ought to come up with a better name for me, you brat." She looked back at the counter, Hanunue didn't stop her.

The tall man had hair just like hers, if not with much darker jade green tips. His eyes are sharper and his face is set in an expression of indifference. The robes he wore were reminiscent of a spiritfarer's, but he did not bear their symbol nor the same cutting and his robes had misty cloud patterns at the hems like hers. His long hair is tied up in a high ponytail and his fox ears stood upright, with a notch just like her own but on the opposite side.

" Tail?" She called hopefully.

" Eh, we'll workshop it." He tests the grips of his hands, getting a feel for his new body. " Now," His lips curled into a wicked grin as he approached her. " Revenge."

Before anyone could move, Huohuo was swept off her feet in a flash of green flames. The green fox laughed, holding her up in the air by the armpits.

" How's this, you little brat?" He asked. " How's it like being held up like a child?"

" Uh..."

Before she could reply he brings her close and hugs her tightly. " You little brat! Always cuddling me without consent! How do you like it?"

Despite the rough appearance of him hugging and tossing her around, he's actually being pretty gentle. The nuzzling was definitely new but it got Huohuo giggling.

" How dare you laugh in the middle of my revenge!" He then resorts to tickling her. " Laugh some more then!"

" Stop!" She pleaded between laughter. He does so, the grin on his face no longer so wicked the more you look. He hugs her again, putting his chin on her head and sighing, content. Huohuo hugs him back, a soft smile on her face as she nuzzles him too.

" Huohuo." He calls her calmly, he points to the pendant in her hand. " That is my core. No heliobus has a core like this. Consider it payment for eating your tail and syphoning your life all these years. I hate debts, you know." He takes the pendant and clips it around her neck. " From now on, you can carry me around without burden and I'll always be with you. And the best part is this body!" He gets up, flexing his limbs. " Now this is a proper physique. Oh, the amount of damage I can do now! No one's ever going to mess with us again!"

" Us?"

" Of course! We're a team. A package deal." He smiled. " I don't exactly have money on me and I do still need to eat."

Huohuo gasped. " I've always wanted a big brother."

" Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever. Sure." He scoffed, turning his nose up. " So, name. If I'm your brother, that makes me a Huo as well. You better think of something fast or I'm calling you pipsqueak in public."

" You already do that!" She pouted.

" Then hurry up before I think of something worse to call you."

" Ah, um, Huo Jin?" She tried.

" Not bad, but not good either."

" Huoluan?"

" Do I look female to you?"

She tries a few times but is ultimately rejected.

" These are all abbreviations for fire!"

" Don't shout at me! You asked me for a name so I'm giving you one! You're not supposed to complain." She rebutted.

He hid his grin. " Fine. Last chance."

" No complaints." She said with a glare that isn't threatening in the slightest.

" No complaints." He nodded, letting the grin show.

" Xian."

It's simple, direct and in some ways a prayer. A name is to pray for someone's life. He holds his head up high, grinning wide. From that moment onwards, he was known as Huo Xian.

Chapter Text

The newly formed Huo siblings had decided to leave as soon as possible in order to sort out Huo Xian's documentation. They aren't sure how well the Ten Lords Commission would take to their new situation but have decided upon getting through it together. Besides, what's one more Judge to the Commission?

Just when Bigby thought he was having a weird day, the younglings came back and told them about Tingyun. The supposed to be dead friend who now is back from the dead. 

Like Gallagher but Loufu edition.

And if that wasn't strange enough, Welt brought back a stray. He really doesn't want to ask but from the name alone, he knew this person was a previous foe. He can't imagine many people who would be named Sunday and was a Halovian. He does try to listen to Welt's reasoning, but he continuously recalls all those little details the younglings had mentioned about their prior adventures in Penacony.

The distaste remained even after the assessment of the majority. Stelle shared his view in a way, being reasonably distrusting of Sunday. Stelle was also friends with terrorists. She's able to befriend anyone she puts her mind to but has decided to put the brakes on him specifically.

It isn't really a question of morals on this one. This was personal. For both Bigby and Stelle.

" I haven't been around yet to have gone through the incidents myself." Bigby says once they asked for his opinion on the matter. " But, I'm aware that a scar of the mind can do more harm than a wound on the body." Dan Heng shifted his feet while March looked down, Stelle wasn't really paying that much attention anymore or perhaps she was purposely deflecting from the situation.

Sunday's wings quivered as yellow wolf eyes stared him down. He leans in to whisper to him.

" I have a history of intemperance, remember that I was a wolf before I was a man." He leaves it up in the air for the Halovian to interpret however he wants. He didn't need any bigger gestures to get his point across and for a man as well brought up as Sunday, using the right words are the best ways to ensure he was paying attention.

To his credit, the Halovian did not cower or shake. Any indication of fear or any upset were only barely visible on his wings which have now folded under his ears.

He catches the look on Welt's face, usually he wears a resting frown when he relaxes, but as of now he actually seems upset. Their eyes met, yellow on brown but the latter shifted his gaze away.

" ...Looks like we've come to a decision." Himeko breaks the brief silence. " Remember to keep the conductor in the loop, too."

The meeting was adjourned in favour of making preparations for their new guest. He had meant to approach Welt but the man had taken Sunday aside, most likely to debrief him on the conditions of his stay. Pom-Pom will probably place him in one of the guest bunks, which is actually right past his car.

" Bigby, mind if I borrow you?" The scent of coffee pries his attention, a delicate touch over his arm pulls his gaze over to her. " I know you might not like our new guests, but I trust Welt on his decision making. Could you give this a chance?"

Under the process of analysing the crew's current trauma, he had perhaps neglected to consider Welt's reasoning on the matter. The man was an optimist, you wouldn't guess it firsthand considering his initial appearance. But he's always looking on the brighter side of things, giving him a lighter perspective that takes the weight off of the hypotheticals and worries.

Himeko smiles, catching the moment he comes to an understanding as he glances at Welt then back to her. " Well, he hasn't steered me wrong."

" Thank you." She nodded. " Since Sunday is being situated, would you like to grab a drink?"

" If that's what the lady wants." He shrugged, offering his hand.

They picked up a couple of warm drinks, coffee for Himeko and Xianzhou tea for Bigby. Accompanied by two servings of toast with butter and berrypheasant jam respectively. Nothing goes wrong with a little snack to process your thoughts.

" So, I hope you don't mind me asking but what was it like for you living on the Xianzhou Yaoqing?" Himeko asked.

" It was like learning how to walk. It's an adjustment." Bigby says through a mouthful of toast. " Jiaoqiu had a dietary plan for me for the first few months."

" Really?"

" Apparently I was sort of underweight." He said. " The IPC didn't really bother giving me anything else to eat but synthesised materials. For normal wolves that would have covered some of the required nutrients but I'm a fable. A big one at that. I was a real monster and for monsters, the artificial stuff isn't enough."

Himeko gasped. " Bigby."

" It's a long time ago, I'm fine now." He assured her.

" No, I mean, you called yourself a monster."

" I was." He continued. " The Big Bad Wolf had a reputation for a reason. I've eaten a lot of people, that's the truth."

Himeko gazed at her cup of coffee with a hum. " What was in the plan?"

" For the first week, I had a lot of fish and birds to start off. Berrypheasant especially." He recalled being first introduced to a full grown berrypheasant cooked whole for him to eat. " You know the jam's actually mostly made with fruits that hang off it's tail? For some reason, the fruits that have symbiosis with the birds are always the sweetest."

" Certainly explains why you enjoy them." She teased.

" The second week was when they found out I took to Abomination meat pretty well. For the record, it was a complete accident when that rabbit was apparently terrorising the Yaoqing but I caught it and ate it." He explained. " It actually tasted less like rabbit and more like flowers. I was on observation for a while just in case."

Himeko wondered what flowers would taste like to Bigby.

" Third week onwards, I had a high calorie diet with scalegorge spring water to drink in order to build up my weight and endurance. It's around this time, I started having sparring sessions with Feixiao. She's always been faster, but I tend to outlast her." He recalled being dragged into the training room and having to put up with Feixiao's high energy outbursts. She's limited to two cups a day because of how easily she's affected by the caffeine. The rush gets to her head and she destroys the facility. " After that, they came up with my Xianzhou name and well, I think you can read about the rest."

" Perhaps. But, reading it and hearing it in person are different experiences, no?" She says.

Bigby quirks a brow, the corners of his lips upturned. " Then, what about you?"

" What about me?"

" The infamous Explorer of the Stars surely has her own tales to share from her past travels." He says.

" Oh, I wouldn't know where to even start with those!" She chuckled.

" Maybe we could start with the part where they call you the Fairest on the Silver Rail." He suggested with a smirk.

Himeko smiled. " If so, then we might have to talk about your online presence. The Most Beautiful Eyes on the Xianzhou."

Bigby groaned, covering his face with one hand. " Please don't. They're just weird. Xianzhou people are weird."

She swiped through her phone. " They've got quite a lot of content on you." She pauses briefly on one post and saves the image. Hiding the blush with a cough, she puts her phone aside. " You have quite the number of admirers."

" It's just..." He tousles the frontal locks of his hair. " They just have a thing for the eyes. I don't know! Most people outside of it find them pretty unnerving."

" I think they're quite lovely." Himeko says.

" You're just saying that." He leans over the table into his arm.

" I do mean it." She says earnestly. " And I don't mean this aesthetically. They just light up. You know?"

Bigby looks up from his arm. Big yellow eyes which were so sharp but so very gentle. She can understand why the Xianzhou were particularly interested in them. They're like new stars, bright and full of life, thriving through the dark. She adores them in the way she adores the lights that illuminate the universe and vacuum of space.

" Himeko?"

Swimming in his gaze, she hadn't noticed how long she'd simply been staring at him. She hums to herself, pursing her lips and looking deep in thought.

" Bigby," She looks at him in the eyes, completely serious. " Are you interested in a relationship?"

His mouth hung open, astounded. " Excuse me?"

Himeko cleared her throat. " Would you be opposed to being in a relationship with me?"

There are some things that are rather incomprehensible. Like predicting the definitive future, the divinity of THEM and perhaps, why anyone would be in a relationship with the Big Bad Wolf. It's not that he's completely oblivious about how some people see him, but he isn't very accepting of such feelings. There's this ache that's dulled over the past few weeks, a wound from a silver knife.

He supposed it wouldn't hurt to try. " I'm okay with it if you are."

Her pink lips parted into a wide smile, golden red eyes light up like a rose in full bloom. No, a rose pales in comparison to who Himeko is. She is a self made star, burning brightly in a light that's all her own, shooting across the cosmos at a speed unmatched.

" Great!" She exclaimed, smiling wider than he's ever seen. Cheeks burning as red as her hair, like bright red cherries.

There's something subtle in the air, a floral fragrance that's sweet and refreshing. A hint of what tastes like fresh cut grass. This scent seeps through the heavy and bold smell of coffee he was familiar with. Not separate but hidden, layered in the machinations of the brew.

Oh. He thought. This is coffee.

" We should celebrate! How about meeting back after supper for a drink? I'll make the arrangements." She offered eagerly.

Now it was Bigby's turn to be caught staring. He blinks out of it, the hidden scent of wild coffee cherries lingering in his senses. He's drawn in and lets himself be, finding a smile that had made its way over his lips.

" If that's what the lady wants."

" Wonderful." The kiss is brief, planted briskly over his cheek before she hurries off. He could hear her giggling halfway through the door.

Confetti rains down from above. He looks up as Stelle throws them around whilst blowing a party whistle loudly. He has no clue when she got them or how. For now, he simply relishes the newfound scent like a treasure, smiling to himself.

The look vanishes immediately when he notices Shush taking a photo of him. The robot would delete them, even the backups, for fear of the Wolf's wrath. The only thing he didn't foresee was Stelle keeping her own copy of it.

From the door of her room was March, watching on with a conflicted expression. Stelle looked at her with a smug grin and rubbed her two fingers together to remind her of their bet. Huffing the pink haired girl goes back to the room with a pout.

Chapter Text

" I still think a room would be unnecessary. There's no need for you to prepare one for me." He walks in pace with the older man, his halo hovers behind him like a shadow, intangible in the waking world.

" As a passenger on the Express, no matter how temporary, you are entitled to a room upon boarding." Welt revised his line calmly. " Besides, Pom-Pom had recently added new rules that prevent passengers from spending nights on the seats."

Unlike Black Swan who was a Memokeeper, Sunday needed a room to stay for the night cycles. His body is rather weak from his extended time in the Dreamscape and would require ample time to recuperate. As a Family Head, he had seldom ever left the Golden Dream, maintaining the shiny coating so as to cover up the rotten roots that had long festered. To be given a room after everything he's done felt like he was receiving too much. The Express Crew were too kind.

" The next car after the medical bay is where you will be situated." He explained as they went through the well stocked medical facility. " I suppose I should also have you know that one other passenger occupies this car. Don't be nervous, alright? He might appear intimidating but don't take any of his words to heart."

" Ah, Mr Wolf." Sunday guessed. " I do actually hope he could spare me a bit of time someday. I don't want to overstep but I'm curious."

Welt prompted for him to continue. " You're familiar with his two Iterations."

It wouldn't be a surprise if he was. Gallagher was a friend to quite a few people, unknowingly endeared himself to the whole crew in record time for a grown man. Hanunue was practically a walking legend and reliable source of history aside from his already amicable personality. The Iterations, like Bigby, did not seem to favour him very much. Save for Gallagher, who immediately took to teasing the younger man with a nickname he had little agreement on but doesn't make an argument against.

" Gallagher had been the one to bring me to Dreamflux Reef, he had tried to help me see beyond the Golden Dream." Sunday recalled that momentous day, the start of his fall by the hands of a man who didn't even exist. 

He grimaced internally at the memory, the sensation of the red blade through his chest, the calm and welcoming smile Gallagher wore as if greeting an old friend. For all the man had come clean of his deeds, the fact that no one had actually been murdered by his hand, did very little to subdue the clear satisfaction he exuded in the act. He did not fall instantly that night.

Dormancy may have been the one to draw first blood but Gallagher ensured the killing blow. He remembers gasping, the pain immeasurable as his body failed to comprehend what it felt. He remembers the expression he wore, head tilted to one side like a curious dog. The flash of fire as the daggers formed over his knuckles like claws and the calm way he had walked up to him, then stabbed him again. He felt the blade burn him inside out, tear him open and miraculously was conscious long enough to see the comforting smile his murderer offered. Like he was doing a kindness.

" Sunday?" He blinks out of the haze of memories.

" Yes, sir?"

" There's no need to call me sir." Welt Yang says. " Are you alright?"

" Yes, I-" He hesitates. " I'm alright."

The door to the other car slides open before they even reach the handle. White shirt, black tie and the Nameless emblem clipped at the edge of his tie which sat right below his ribcage. His trench coat is slung over his shoulder, a pipe between his teeth and loosely tied hair falling over his eyes.

Bigby takes out the pipe, the black smoke trailing from the corners of his mouth. " Ah, heading in already?"

Welt adjusts his glasses, looking at his side. " Yes, I was just showing Sunday where he can spend his night."

The Wolf tilts his head in the same direction he's looking. Welt does look back, their gazes meeting and Bigby smiles.

" Pom-Pom already set up the bed up there. As your downstairs neighbour, you don't have to worry about making much noise. The rooms are all soundproofed for privacy." He says as he puts the pipe back between his teeth and fishes something out of his pocket. He holds out the key. " The conductor said you'll need it."

It's passed over to Sunday, the younger man doing well not to flinch under his gaze. He walks past them, muttering about the girls pestering him as his device continuously buzzes in his pocket. Welt's eyes follow him until the Wolf's form can no longer be seen.

" It seems I'm at a loss." He muttered under his breath.

" Mr Yang?" Sunday calls out hesitantly. The older man sighs internally, adjusting his glasses before turning back to the Halovian with a veiled sadness in his eyes.

" Let's continue."

------

With his hair done, some time on his hands, he takes on Stelle's suggestion to pick up Himeko at her car door. He reached the door without any problems, adjusting his tie he makes to knock on the door. It opens before he could even try and the untamed wild coffee cherries invaded his senses with its sweet fragrance.

A black and red jumpsuit dress, golden roses adorned her hair and neck, it seems she had foregone the perfume as her scent remains unchanged. Though, perhaps that last one was just him.

" Hello."

Her pink lips smiled up at him. " Hello."

" You look amazing."

" You look beautiful."

They paused, processing the words they'd spoken at the same time and laughed. " Sorry, you first."

" No, no, it's alright. You can start." He says.

" Well, gentlemen should go first."

He smiled, offering his hand. " If that's what the lady wants."

" Indeed." She placed her gloved hand in his open palm. 

" You look beautiful."

Her cheeks were tinted with blush, she tucks her red hair behind her ear before looping her arms around his.

" I'm quite lucky. The man with The Most Beautiful Eyes on the Xianzhou is my partner tonight."

" What is with that exaggerated title..." He shakes his head.

" You don't like it?" She asked as they walked leisurely down the hall.

" For one, it's too long." He began. " Another is that my eyes aren't that unique. They're wolves' eyes, there are dozens of species out there with similar features."

Himeko shakes her head. " No, none like yours." She says confidently. " I have about an average five thousand people who would agree with me. Probably more if they hadn't been banned." Himeko waved her phone for emphasis.

He sighed internally, there seems to be no winning this argument as always. So, he relents. " Alright."

Himeko grinned like the cat that got the cream. He doesn't know what she finds so amusing, but with a small grin could tell what she was looking at. Sue him, it's his first actual date as much as he could remember. He turns his head away from her experimentally, immediately her head leans around to follow it. He fights the widening smile as he turns around, only for her to take his head in her hands and fixed his gaze directly towards hers.

" Don't hide away from me!" He indulges her touch, leaning into it ever so slightly. She hides her blush with pursed lips and lowering her chin.

" If that's what the lady wants." He contemplated kissing her, if that much would be appropriate for a relationship this early. Maybe on the cheek as she had before? No, it still feels too much. The neck is enticing but far too intimate. Her shoulders would be awkward. Wrists? Considering how they're gloved, she might not like it.

In the end, he finds nowhere to kiss. He pulls out of her hold gently, a soft frown on his face before taking her hand as before and continuing their walk. Before Himeko could ask, they had already arrived at the party car.

" Welcome to the Party Car, Nameless!" Gallagher greeted them with a bow. " Table for two, right this way."

They're shown to their booth, now decorated with an intricate vase filled with an arrangement of small flowers. They're bright little things, as vibrant as can be like a sign of defiance.

" Oh, these must be from Belobog!" Himeko says. " Back during our stop at Jarilo-IV, we stopped by a florist there to get a few samples of the local fauna. Pom-Pom was over the moon when we came back with a few little samples for him to keep for himself. The conductor kept visiting the greenhouse car every hour to check on them."

The greenhouse is which he realises now that he's currently occupying.

" Where does he keep them now?"

" I've got a private spare collection in my quarters." Said conductor appears by their booth, pushing a food trolley with his long fluffy ears. " Two Xianzhou Specials and an extra serving of berrypheasant skewers."

" I see you're in the mood for something spicy today." Bigby says as the bowls of hot chili oil beef stew were placed before them.

" I hope you don't mind that I ordered ahead for us. If you feel that you prefer something else..."

" It's fine, Himeko." He says as he picks up a pair of chopsticks and a spoon. " Takes me back when I was still tutoring under Jiaoqiu. I'm sure Stelle has talked about his taste for spices quite often by now."

Himeko raised a brow. It was a clear understatement, for the girl had created a viral sensation known as the Secret Soup Challenge. Participants are blind folded and a bowl of boiling red soup is placed before them. Their reaction to the sheer heat of the peppers is what sells the challenge and it all originated from a single clip of March reacting to Jiaoqiu's soup while blindfolded as a prank.

" For a wolf, that must have been quite an adjustment."

" As you can imagine." He mixes the warm broth as he speaks. " My stomach couldn't agree with most of his dishes but I kept trying them until we reached a point where the food was mild enough for me but hot enough for him."

Jiaoqiu was a good teacher, often giving him breaks to sample his dishes during the lessons. Looking back, perhaps that was just his way of taking care of him. They did mention he was sort of underweight when he first arrived. He doesn't really feel hungry with his smoking habits but he never quite felt empty either.

But now as he glanced at Himeko, he felt no real hunger. No need to put his teeth to something and tear it apart. He never really understood why he was so insatiable during his time as the Big Bad Wolf. It seemed then that no matter what he ate, his hunger persisted even when his stomach was full. Even those stones that the Woodsman sewed into his stomach was soon digested.

He's certainly quite the monster.

" Bigby?"

" Yes?"

Her brows creased subtly in silent concern, a wordless sigh leaves her lips. " Is something bothering you?"

The thought washes away with a smile. Monsters are in no short supply in any world, this he had learned to truly accept in his career as a Cloud Knight. 

" No, it's fine. I was just...my mind wandered off for a bit." He assured her.

Himeko only hummed, smiling pleasantly as they continued their meal.

" I'm not very good at this, am I?"

" What?"

" This... dating." He clarified.

" Quite the contrary. I'm actually enjoying myself."

" Really?" He rubs the back of his neck.

" Oh yeah." She nodded. " Back when I was in college, I tried having coffee for the first time with some colleagues of mine. Usually I'm swamped with work but they insisted I give it a try..."

The story goes on that the drink was mixed up with a lecturer's but she loved it so much no one noticed until someone tried it and choked. Gallagher finds himself smiling from afar, placing the finished drinks on a tray. Quietly, he delivered the drinks as the two started to speak more confidently.

He's happy for his Boss, really but his mind wanders to another who admired the Wolf. Though, maybe he could make a new drink as condolences for a certain Mr--

" --Welt."

The Hound subtly looks up. Did he hear that right?

" I passed him on the way here. Him and Sunday. It looks like I'll be having a neighbor, and I'm not...I don't doubt Welt's decisions, I know he put a lot of thought into his actions but I just worry." Bigby puts his empty bowl aside. " The kids love telling me about their adventures, especially Stelle. God knows she makes a dozen nonsensical jokes about everything on a daily basis but when she talks about Penacony, there are gaps."

Gallagher paused, his hands still working but his mind had started running through the Charmony Festival again. Stelle loved poking him about Sleepy, and joked about getting stabbed like it's another Tuesday. She makes friends with terrorists of all flavours, people who threaten her and even enemies she's fought.

Yet, there are gaps in her retelling of Penacony.

" Did Welt tell you his side?" Himeko asked.

" Not really." He said. " The kids mentioned something about him getting caught and trapped, March said something like some kinda betrayal. Not much more than that."

" Ah." She nodded to herself as she sipped her drink, letting their plates be taken away by the Hound and glasses refilled. " I'll tell you my side then."

It's not exactly a harrowing tale of adventure like how Stelle would get into or a sweet little misadventure March preferred, the trip sounded relatively normal on her side of things for a good while. Until rumours of a murder spree crop up, suspects were being listed, that IPC stone guy committing what was basically terrorism and the unveiling of the gilded cage they'd unknowingly stepped into.

When they reach the part where the Trailblazers find themselves in the city in the sea, Gallagher understands where the gaps were filling in. Welt had gone with the two Oak siblings to Golden Hour in order to resolve things peacefully and was ultimately betrayed by Sunday. Each and every person on the planet was then plunged into their perfect, most idealistic dreams. A well crafted trap that most were reluctant to escape or were too busy with the decor to see the bars that surrounded them.

He's quite familiar with the subsequent battle following that dream. The girls painted a rather vivid image as Dan Heng only shook his head and sighed at parts he knew had to be either exaggerated or the unparalleled truth.

" So the vehicular violence was a real thing." He muttered.

Himeko laughed. " No one had expected for Pom-Pom to be affected since they was on the train but it seemed the vicinity was enough to pull them in. Robin met them and enlisted their help, so..."

" Train violence?"

" Train violence."

They shared a short chuckle, each imagining the little conductor behind the controls and driving the train into the enemy.

" If Pom-Pom could do that, I guess it's safe to say Welt's probably the most passive member on this train." Bigby hummed. " He forgives pretty easily."

" I wouldn't say easily." Himeko said. " He's optimistic. Has all these interests that make him relatable to the younger members."

" He indulges them a lot. It's actually-"

" Cute."

" Cute."

The pair blinked. They stared at each other, processing the admission.

They certainly weren't the only ones as Gallagher had fully stopped working with a blank expression. They just called Welt Yang, the guy who wields a black hole in his cane, cute. He zones out and doesn't notice the duo had already finished their date until the doors had closed, leaving him to clean up the table.

He sighed, grabbing a rag and carrying on. Maybe he didn't need to make some kinda special drink for now.

Chapter Text

There's a knock on his door.

He puts his pencil down and heads towards it wordlessly. He adjusted his glasses, making sure they were in place and clicked the locks. The door slides open and there stands Bigby, still dressed in his formal attire but his tie was askew and sleeves all unbuttoned.

" Hey."

" Hello." Welt replied, fixing his glasses again. " Is everything alright?"

" Yeah, I just needed to talk to you." He says.

" I see. Do you want to come in?"

Bigby considered the invitation but shook his head softly. " I don't wanna take much of your time."

" You're already asking for it." Welt said. " Please, sit. It's more comfortable to converse inside."

Not willing to argue, Bigby enters the room. The door slides shut behind him. Welt offers him a chair, the man himself deciding to stand. He doesn't take the seat.

" It's about Sunday." The Wolf began.

Welt adjusts his position, shifting the cane in his hand and waits patiently for him to continue.

" I'm not sure if you knew but Stelle told me a bit about Penacony."

The man merely nodded.

" There's gaps in her story."

That girl never hesitated to boast about her achievements, she talks about her brushes with death like a gaming trophy, things simply to add to the list. She references pop culture and reality shows for real life situations, she shamelessly makes inside jokes only she knows about in inappropriate moments for the heck of it.

And there's gaps in her story.

" I wasn't aware that was the case." He admitted quietly.

" Himeko filled me in on what happened on her side of things." Bigby continued. " And what happened to you."

" If you're concerned then please know that I'm alright. Those events have already passed."

Bigby smirked, stepping closer. " Isn't being concerned what companions are for?"

Welt steps back, his foot caught against a poorly placed wire and he stumbled backwards. He's caught by the waist, leaning backwards as Bigby holds him up easily.

" You people really have a knack for making me worry." His yellow eyes gazed down at him, rounded by a softness reserved for very few. " I know that's just the Trailblazing Way but it doesn't change how it makes me feel." He leans closer. " It scares me."

His ears were turning red, he couldn't turn away from those sad eyes. It hasn't been very long since they've known each other but Bigby always had him feeling some type of way. Tesla and Einstein would have reprimanded him for what he did next.

His hands reached upwards, the momentum bringing Bigby in and met their lips. He pulls back once he realises what he's done but Bigby only smiles.

The scent of cedar fills his senses, and the Wolf moved closer. The approach is slow, cautious and searching, like asking for permission. When Welt leaned in, Bigby kissed him back.

------

The early morning that follows, Bigby requested a meeting between himself, Himeko and Welt. The latter constantly adjusted his scarf higher despite already wearing a turtleneck. They talked in hushed tones at their own booth, away from prying ears and eyes.

Bigby still didn't quite trust Sunday but he trusted Welt, now more than ever alongside Himeko as they finalised the details of their shared relationship.

It's a first for all three of them but life is full of learning curves, they'll get by.