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Through the embers onto the path of the trailblaze

Summary:

When Phainon displaced the heavens, there was always the issue of where the other "him" had to go. It didn't take long for people to realise there was something wrong with their deliverer.

Notes:

There's a few major differences between phainon and the heavenly principles, as well as the types of relationships they have with other people.
This is more of a dive into how this would affect the astral express in particular, as well as how the two members who were close to phainon would handle the shift. It's told from their POVs as they try to get the principles to loosen up on top of swapping them back.

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Chapter 1: First collision

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Irontomb was dead.

Gone.

Deleted. 

Khaslana’s sacrifice hadn't been for nothing, all the cycles, the blood on his hands, his death. It wasn't in vain. 

So despite that all why could Caelus - 

“So he didn't get fully integrated afterall.” 

Herta's voice made him painfully aware of the situation again, snapping him out of his disassociation. Could she not tell? She never met him so she could be excused. 

But whoever that was wearing his skin? 

It wasn't the deliverer. 

Dan heng was able to move to “phainon's” side faster than Caelus could even think right now. 

“You're alright pha-” 

“That's not Phainon.” 

The venom in his own voice shocked him, let alone Dan heng. Causing the vidyadhara to drop the lookalike for a brief moment. It's not like he was in any state to be questioned either, barely lucid after everything. Whoever it is clearly having been through the torment phainon volunteered for himself in his place. 

“Are you certain?” 

“Yes.” 

Which led them to where they were now.

Aboard the astral express, trying to debrief from Amphoreus. Caelus stared into the lookalike's eyes with an entire range of emotions. He didn't know what to say, and oh how he wished he could have snuck off like Mr Yang did, muttering about a “Kevin” whoever that was. Sunday had volunteered to sit with them, providing some sort of buffer to whatever might happen. 

“You're not -” 

Him. The person I swore to carry the burden of. The person I wanted to see most after this. 

He couldn't bring himself to say it. Instead, he balled his hands into his jeans and pretended as if he wasn't on the verge of tears. 

Black Swan and Himeko were busy helping March, Herta and Screwlum were talking with Dan Heng, Mr Yang wasn't able to look at this person for long without looking like he was about to have a nervous break. 

“I'm aware.” 

The voice confirmed it, it was Khaslana’s, but it was wrong. Just like everything else about this man. Too cold. No warmth. Nothing to soften a core of hatred. 

Nothing that made neikos496 Khaslana. 

“Then why were you where he should have been.” 

There was no reason to be accusatory. No reason to sound so bitter. But it hurt. It hurt more than the lance, more when Dan Heng shared how long he had waited, more than everything regarding Evernight. It wasn't fair for it to hurt so much. 

Would it have hurt less if he had pretended to be Khaslana? If only for Caelus' sake? 

He doubted it. 

“I am unaware of what could have led to me being in his position, though it was nothing intentional on my behalf. The last I am aware of I should be on teyvat.” 

Those words broke something in Caelus. The tears running from his eyes were noticed by Sunday before anyone else. Thankfully, he was ushered out of the room by him before he messed this up anymore. 

Sunday was speaking to the other man inside the room still. The expresses walls not soundproof. But he didn't care to listen. Opting instead to head further along the passenger cabin and stare at amphoreus through the window. 

It wasn't long until Welt joined him. Though the other man didn't feel the need to say anything, words wouldn't help much now. Resting a hand on his shoulder made Caelus crumble all the same, latching onto the offered comfort and clinging to him while the tears continued to flow.

Sunday, on the other hand, didn't have any preconceived notions about who he was speaking to. If things turned sour however… well, tuning had proved possible on emanators. And if he proved to be a threat to the astral express? 

He could still call upon Xipe to put his life on a timer. 

“You’ll have to forgive Caelus, he was close to the person you look alike. Closer than any of us in honesty. Though as you know you aren't that man, it feels only polite to ask your name.” 

“You may call me the heavenly principles.” 

Ah.

Perhaps himself and this man were more alike than he first thought. Mere months ago he would have been referring to himself with similar titles. 

“I doubt that such a moniker would be looked upon kindly by the other people aboard. If I may suggest you refer to yourself in another way?” 

No response.

“From first hand experience if you deem yourself a god above the other people here they will react poorly. They are far more capable than you give them credit.” 

“First hand experience?” 

Not the response wanted, but one given without force. 

“A certain, prior demeanor of mine was, from what I can tell, similar to your own current. Alongside the actions I took back then were, not looked upon kindly.” 

“And what, pray tell were those actions.” 

“I sought to create an eternal sweet dream without suffering or discontent. Somewhere everyone and anyone could find peace. By resurrecting Ena the order, keeping everyone in line to prolong it's existence. Although in that aim, I very nearly lost myself to Aeonhood.” 

That made the blonde freeze. His expression towards Sunday twist with a mix of disgust, apprehension, even fear and perhaps also a sick amount of respect underneath it. It was more than he meant to say, but at the same time there was no reason not to mention it to someone clearly headed down the same path as him.  

“You almost became an Aeon?” 

“If it weren't for the astral express and my sister severing my path with their intervention I would have ascended, yes.” 

“And you did that to… create a paradise free of suffering for humanity.” 

“Yes, knowing there were no gods who would save people unconditionally I sought to become one.” 

A pause, one that lasted a moment too long. Or perhaps it was a show of respect. Mutual agreement on a topic. 

“Phanes, you alone may call me Phanes.” 

“And the rest of those aboard?” 

“Should have no need to talk to me, you can pass along anything they should wish to say.” 

So Phanes only respects him at the moment, an improvement over before where he likely saw everyone here as below him or perhaps simply not worth his time. Not something worth fretting over at the minute, not when there are more pressing issues. 

“Well then, you said you should be on teyvat? As far as I am aware that isn't mentioned on any astral chart, though I'm also not the most knowledgeable of the topic, though if the express were to locate it we'd be able to help you return. Perhaps even find out what happened to Phainon whom you displaced.” 

“As long as any records of teyvat's location are subsequently immediately destroyed upon my departure from this express.” 

A curious request, one that's… really out of Sunday's control all things considered. Although it does convince him to keep a closer eye on Phanes, considering the rest of the information he's shared that fact. It doesn't entirely sit right. 

Hopefully teyvat, wherever that is, manages to survive with someone declaring themselves a principal of it's heavens existence. 

“You'll have to speak to the navigator about that, I don’t have the ability to make such decisions.” 

 

Notes:

I originally wanted this to be more about how the trailblazer would act, but besides them already having a tough time coping with what phainon left for them to handle as well as having his memories of the previous loops? they aren't really in a good state for that.

But sunday?

Sunday swooped in, having something that could seem similar to the principles in belief as well as just kinda being a nice fresh slate for Phanes to meet first. He just really wanted to yap too.

Plus if sunday can join the express after penacony? Well :)

Also I wrote this first chapter in one go - it's five am and I have not been able to sleep cause of this idea haunting me.

Chapter 2: An attempt to acclimate

Summary:

The discussion between Sunday and the primordial one continues, with Himeko joining too. A few things get cleared up between them, while suspicions start to grow towards the dethroned god king.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

“The navigator?”

The distaste in his voice was unmissable. Although the cause of it was hard to pinpoint.

Just another reason why Sunday wasn’t entirely sure how to feel about Phanes; there were similarities between them. That fact was undeniable. But those similarities ended in their goals, and perhaps vaguely in their appearance. Other than that? 

Phanes was unnerving. He’d even go so far as to call him irritating. 

Not in terms of strength, the astral express would be able to handle him if push came to shove, but in terms of how he acted. They hadn’t even been interacting for long either, fifteen to twenty minutes at most if his internal clock was still accurate. Yet those minutes were the first time the Parlour carriage had ever felt cold to him, acting as a distraction to most other things. To the point that he barely registered the door at the other end sliding open, nor did he turn to see who it was, simply assuming Caelus had returned. He had to remind himself that Phanes had asked a question; despite zoning out momentarily, it would be rude to leave him waiting any longer. 

“Yes, the navigator, Miss Himeko. You’d have to discuss purging any location data and such with her, if it’s even possible to do so.” 

“If?”

The anxiety in his voice was a surprise, and if it were any of the others, it was evident to Sunday that Phanes would have picked up on their growing suspicion of him. The feeling of being picked apart was expected to a degree, but not welcome. Luckily, the former Bronze melodia wasn’t easy to discern in intent, no matter how much he was being assessed. 

“If what would be possible?” 

The interjection was a welcome distraction, granting him an out to finally turn away. Thank Xipe. Himeko was a very comforting sight to see, despite the worn look about her. 

“Ah, Miss Himeko, how is Miss March faring?” 

It was rude not to give the other man an opportunity to answer her question, but there was no guarantee Phanes would even speak to her. Not with how he was acting just a few moments prior. There was something mildly selfish about it as well, wanting to know about her well-being rather than allowing this man to wear Himeko down more with incessant questions about something that could wait. Considering there was always the chance that they may never be able to locate Teyvat.  

He didn’t want to think about that, because if there was truly the chance that Caelus had lost Phainon for good? 

No. That wasn’t the case; no reason to catastrophise. 

“She’s doing as well as she can Sunday. Black Swan is discussing things with her, though she’s been asking about the new guest more than focusing on herself.”

“Seems as if she didn’t let it affect her too badly then.” 

“That’s march for you. Now what were you referring to with that if?”

Her curiosity couldn’t be prevented, no matter how much he wished it would. If only for the sole reason of the way Phanes looked at her like she was less than. It didn’t faze her, of course it didn’t, but if she noticed how Sunday’s hands tensed and how he was too distracted to fix the creases on his jacket from the action? She wouldn’t comment. 

The silence lasted a beat too long, her patience on waiting for an answer leaving the air in the room heavy. He could answer, clarify on Phanes’ behalf, of course he could. If he wanted to do so. Ultimately, he decided that wouldn’t help anyone; he’d have to learn sooner or later that Sunday is not the only person on the express to whom he should show respect. Better to learn quickly and rip the plaster off. 

That internal decision didn’t stop the look he was being sent; instead it only proved something Sunday had been thinking for a while now. 

He’s too used to people following his orders without even having to give them. 

He’s not in “Teyvat” so therefore no one here is his subordinate. The mindset he has will only cause issues for himself. 

“I know this is all unfamiliar to you, but I promise you’re not under any risk here. Why don’t I make us some coffee, then we can elaborate on what you were talking about?” 

“Would it be a hassle for you to,”

“I’ll prepare a pot of tea for you Sunday, you don’t need to ask.” 

She stood partway through that sentence, leaving swiftly with the intent to return in just a moment. That’s all he needed to attempt to clarify something. To make sure her kindness and patience weren’t to go to waste on him. 

“You will get nowhere if you refuse to be even so much as amicable with them.”

“What need is there to talk to humans as if they are equal?”

“You are not above us, Phanes.”

Perhaps, He thought, that was a harsh way to say such a thing. It had some kind of result; granted, it may have simply roused disgust if the way his face twitched was any indication. 

“Not above you perhaps, but the mortals-” 

“You are not above them, any of them. You were retrieved from the corpse of a lord ravager - an emanator of destruction capable of killing an Aeon. The lord ravager that they defeated.” 

If the clipped tone was too harsh, interrupting him was even worse. But the clarification had to be made. It had struck the man the way intended, causing him to stumble over his words. Arrogance and pride momentarily abandoned in wake of that revelation. All manner of emotions peeking through his stone cold facade, missable but there for a second or so, yet buried once again in the blink of an eye.

Just in time for Himeko to set herself back down with a tray of drinks, sitting marginally closer to Sunday than before. He reached over and poured himself a cup of tea whilst holding eye contact with Phanes. Communicate, I will not help you if you continue your hostility. Breaking it by glancing at the cup in his hand as she started to speak. 

“Do you take any milk or sugar with your coffee..?” 

“Phanes, and no, I do not have a preference.” 

He let out a silent breath of relief at that; a few curt words were an improvement, lifting the cup to his lips to hide the growing smirk as Himeko passed him a cup of her homebrewed coffee. He didn't move to drink it immediately. Staring at the sludge of grounds she'd passed to him. Such a shame he could have been warned against accepting. Though he would have missed Phanes trying to keep a poker face through a mouthful of grounds if he had done so. 

“So what were you curious about?” 

“We were discussing the deletion of coordinate, travel and navigation records once I've returned home.”

“You… want the route deleted?” 

“Yes.” 

“That’s, well it’s definitely a… unique request. Possible though, just... ”

She set her cup down, though her hand lingered on it while contemplating. He had to admit that it was a suspicious sounding request, paired with the personality shown? How he called himself the Heavenly principles? It was clear as day she was suspicious without that added context, he’d have to share it with her later in private. 

“It’s not anything I’ve ever been asked before. If you were dealing with the IPC I would understand the want for privacy, but the express,”

“There is reason.” 

“Of course, I doubt anyone would request such a thing without one.” 

Sunday would never admit to the snicker that almost left him when he followed Phanes eyes when she stopped speaking to take a sip of coffee. If his mask slipped marginally when he was told about Irontomb then it just cracked from himeko drinking, or rather chewing her coffee like it was a regular occurrence. 

“But naturally given your situation it’ll be a while before we locate your home anyway. Which is another reason I wanted to speak to you, I was going to show you to a room you can use while aboard.” 

Notes:

Sunday isn't as fond of the heavenly principles as he is of him. I really hope that was clear in this chapter. Because his distaste for the principles isn't close to the level it was for wonweek but don't get him wrong he does NOT like Phanes. Himeko doesn't know how to feel about him yet, but hasn't been given the best first impression. No one on the astral Express has a particularly good impression of him due to how the trailblazer initially reacted tbh and phanes is NOT helping himself with how he's acting.

I've been fleshing out how exactly I'm going to be handling the principles in this and I could yap for daysssss about it. For now, I'll just state that for this fic, the universe Phanes separated Teyvat from IS the hsr universe and that the principles is partly aware of Aeons / paths - or at least he knows that they exist and that they are dangerous.

Chapter 3: Damaged recollections

Summary:

Himeko and Sunday are sharing their opinions while Phanes gets to meet yet another member of the astral express. One who's less standoffish and doesn't expect him to be like someone else.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

“You felt something was amiss with him as well didn’t you Miss Himeko?” 

“I - yes I did, I want to give him the benefit of the doubt, that the reason he wants to keep his home private is harmless but… I don’t know, there’s something about him that’s just putting me on edge.” 

“He referred to himself as the heavenly principles before giving me his name and seemed to see a likeness in me when I mentioned what I did on Penacony." 

Her face fell when he said that, heavy with exhaustion, slumping on the chair she was in and glancing briefly to the door at the other end of the carriage. Like she expected the man to walk right back in, it was almost enough to make him feel guilty about mentioning it. 

“So you think,” 

“He has some sort of power, or a degree of worship, something that’s led him to being revered as a god where he is from.”

She set the coffee back down, glancing back at the parlour door they’d led Phanes through prior yet again. 

“Then we’ll have to try and get more information about this “Teyvat” he mentioned before making any promises to stay out of its affairs.”

“Perhaps Phainon has already started to meddle in the order of things there, if Teyvat isn’t in a good way. We can only hope.” 

“You’re right, if they’ve truly swapped positions and if Phainon is even half the person Caelus has painted him, then Phanes’ world is in good hands." 

"Either way, I think it would be an idea to tell everyone about this development." 

The room he’d been given was adequate. Distanced from the other people aboard to give him some privacy. It wasn’t reminiscent of Celestia, no, instead it was almost sickeningly intimate and homely in the very way he’d been trying to distance himself from. He doesn’t need something so human, it's repulsive. 

But neither did he have a choice. 

His wings folded behind him as he sat on the bed, for once in his life letting the mask he’d held for millennia fall away. There were no worshippers here; he wasn’t a god now; and they would never see him as one; at best, he was equal to them in strength. He had to get out of his mindset, shake the habits that Teyvat had ingrained into him before it caused an issue he couldn’t fix. Sunday had made that blatantly obvious while unintentionally also sharing that he wouldn’t be helped to fix things if he were to mess up badly. No matter how little he wanted to do so. 

It was the first time in unfathomably long that Phanes had felt human; it was terrifying. He craved the formality and detachment that Teyvat offered or even just the spaciousness of Celestia. His wings felt clunky, clumsy and more of a hassle than they ever had been before. This place wasn’t built for a being of his current form, on top of that?

Everything hurt. What was he doing before waking up? Khaenri'ah, right, he had to step in to eradicate those sinners before they could bring Teyvat to ruin by garnering an Aeon’s attention. The memories of it were foggy, buried under layers of fatigue and clouded further by the pain he was in. Looking down at the bed beneath him wasn’t much of a comfort either, as the bed itself was the issue; with his wings, there wasn’t any way to lie down that wouldn’t cause more pain. So either he simply dealt with the agony he was currently in not subsiding, or he did something he hadn’t thought of doing for millennia. Something he wasn’t sure he could even still do. 

He could drop this form and rest as a human, shifting back before interacting with anyone else. They wouldn’t know he was human, that he wasn’t an infallible divine. Admitting that he wasn’t above anyone here. They’d even left him some simple clothing folded on the side. It wasn’t anything fitting his stature. Had they intentionally given him something so below him? They looked as if they would physically fit him, however. 

Pain ended up deciding for him. 

The face looking back at him from the mirror looked wrong. Human. Vulnerable. And he was still sore. Less sore, but still not quite back to a manageable level.

“Uh, you in there?” 

No. Suppressing the instinct to shove whoever that voice belonged to away didn't feel right. He shouldn't be lowering himself to their standards, but he knew he had to. If he wanted to correct their opinion of him and follow through on eradicating any trace of teyvat on their records when he deboards. 

The regret from choice that hit him harder than the lingering pain from his overexertion. She looked identical to ▇▇▇▇▇▇… ▇▇▇▇▇▇? Has it been that long? I - I can't even remember her name. Have I really lost myself, living as Phanes for so long, that I can no longer remember my life prior? Is protecting a planet from the swarm worth having lost the reason I promised to do so? Yes. It has to be, Teyvat is safe. I will make sure of it. 

She had the same pink hair, but there were differences between whoever this girl is and ▇▇▇▇▇▇. For one, she had oddly coloured shards of ice dotted all over her. It almost looked like she was part defrosted. Regret didn’t describe how he now felt over deciding to look human. This "not ▇▇▇▇▇▇ "didn’t deserve to see him like this. 

“Sooo, you have a name?” 

She was picking at the shards as she spoke, letting them dissipate between her fingers. Odd, he thought to himself, not even cryo behaves or looks like that. 

“Phanes.” 

“Huh, even your name is kinda similar to Phainon’s. Ahem! Well Phanes, I’m March 7th, but you can call me march. I’m one of the Passengers of the astral express and we’ll be travelling together.” 

Compared to this Phainon, yet again, he really should try to dig for information about him at this rate. Her hand was cold when he shook it, no doubt a result of the ice still on her. What an odd name. This must be the girl Sunday was referring to earlier. Should he say something?

She took her hand back while he was still trying to figure out what would be acceptable. Returning to her previous motion of brushing off stray crystals. 

“Sorry if I intruded by the way, I just wanted to see the new guy on the express and Black Swan recommended that I should stretch too, make sure my joints haven’t iced up.” 

“I see, I appreciate the thought behind your actions.” 

A sharp nod of acknowledgement followed his words. Something polite in his eyes, though the way she stepped back with a chuckle and a hand on her neck was enough to tell it wasn’t to her. It was ridiculous lowering himself to their standards and still not getting it right. He was above this. It's not teyvat, he chided himself. Expression refusing to falter despite the internal debate. 

“Well- Hmm?” 

When she took something he didn't recognise out of her pocket to do who knows what, the relief was tangible, though not shown. She’d leave him alone again soon enough. 

“Looks like I’ve got to go, crew meeting. It was nice to say hi Phanes!” 

The door slid shut as she left, leaving him feeling as though he could collapse against it. What was all of that? Memories he’d suppressed for who knows how long resurfacing just because of some girl. Someone named after a date, no less. He felt weak and so dangerously vulnerable. It was nothing short of pathetic in his eyes. He is above this, a being with no need to be so human. He felt nauseous at the thought that this feeling would be a common occurrence for however long it took to locate Teyvat. And he still had the issue of being physically in pain on top of that. 

Notes:

I may or may not have written Phanes POV several times over to try and find a way to write him that I thought was suitable. Trying to hit that balance of being arrogant but not an asshole is harder when it's not the odd sentence that can be misconstrued by other characters. Some hints towards the lore I'm giving him for this too (some more obvious than others), keeping all of the genshin lore but treating some information from it as hearsay and the result of glorifying him for millennia while patching it in places to fit HSR.

Part of me during this was thinking it would be fun to have him be from Glamoth - as a member of the empire's lineage, the Iron cavalry being previous attempts of his at developing humans, but decided in the end to have him be from an unnamed planet. Firefly does almost resemble him in a similar way to the shades afterall. Might be fun to explore another time.

He also got to meet the only member of the Express who doesn't have any assumptions about him for now :)
he'll meet the rest soon enough, hopefully before any opinions sour further.

Chapter 4: Thrown into the deep

Summary:

How the Express is handling the unexpected guest while Phanes is still recoiling from seeing a pink-haired girl.

(very minor spoilers for a few things mentioned in 3.6, not much, just a reference to a line in a quest here and there.)

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

“Sooo, what's the meeting for?” 

Sunday watched as March bounced into the parlour, concerned yet also relieved at the fact she was moving so easily. She should be resting, given everything that has happened to her. But trying to keep her down would do more harm than good. Dan Heng had it covered anyway, standing the moment that she so much looked as if she was mildly pained, helping her to a couch beside himself and Caelus, keeping himself in between the two.

“Miss Himeko thought it best that I share the few details that I was able to learn about our guest with you all.” 

“You ended up tuning him?” 

He wasn’t surprised that that was Caelus’ go-to response. He was the only other member who saw how Phanes was before the man was shown where he stood regarding them - equal, not a lonestar above them. It would have made sense for him to have forced him to share information against his will. He himself had given serious consideration to doing so if he hadn’t cooperated.

“I didn’t have to resort to that method, no. He… well, he seemed to sense a similarity between me and himself -”

“You told Phanes about your actions during the Charmony festival.” 

Silence. 

Mr Yang was the first to break the silence that had settled between them all, sighing while trying to find his words. Looking worn, as if he’d expected such a thing. Had he? Sunday had been told about the time when he’d had a similar reaction to a couple of different people, Luocha and Acheron standing out the most. Welt knew someone else who wore Phanes’ face. Whoever that was left an impact on him. 

“And you are - certain that he saw that as a similarity the two of you shared?” 

“He seemed to resonate - for lack of a better term, with the idea of me wanting to create a paradise for humanity. And as I’ve told Miss Himeko, he also initially introduced himself as ‘the heavenly principles’.” 

“Then it seems he may have more in common with someone from my past than I assumed. If he has taken a similar course of action as him, we'd best be prepared for whatever we see when we find his home.”

It didn’t take him long to come to the same conclusion as them then. What exactly did this other man do to have Mr Yang so cautious without saying a single word to Phanes? I know it’s not the right time to pry; he doesn’t look as if he would freely share anyway. The curiosity nagged at him all the same. But it was quickly sobered by watching how they handled someone they deemed a threat on board. In particular, how on edge Dan Heng was, looking poised to strike if the person they were talking about stepped in unannounced. 

“Perhaps, we should be more cautious in how we approach him.” 

He had to admit that it was a sensible suggestion from the guard; even if they are stronger than him, it wouldn’t be impossible for him to gain the upper hand. They don’t know his abilities, not yet. March, though, she seemed embarrassed at the idea, like she’d been caught with her hand in someone else's snacks again. 

“Well, uh, I don’t think he’s that bad.”

“Huh? Wait March, when did you talk to him?” 

“I um, saw you and Sunday showing him to a room. Black Swan had suggested I move around while the rest of this defrosted, so I just uh - followed you both and snuck back later after you left to introduce myself.” 

She did have the decency to look at least marginally embarrassed by her actions. The memokeeper was also conveniently absent, a good decision on her part as the look Himeko had promised some kind of violence against her. He had to hide his mouth behind his hand, his wing and turn away to have any chance of the laugh that tried to leave him. Everyone else looked rather nonplussed, expecting that she was to do something like this. 

“Next time, I’d appreciate a heads-up before you make a move like that.”

“Hmph, I’m plenty strong enough to handle him!” 

“March, remember that - Forget it, you never remember.” 

“Hey!”

That seemed to be the end of the discussion about Phanes for the time being. Dan Heng smirking as she continued to pout at his dig while Caelus snickered behind his hand, the potential threat in the other carriage all but forgotten as everyone fell back into their usual selves as much as they were able. They were still slightly different to before disembarking though. Whatever trauma gained still subtly present, most notable in how Dan Heng flinched whenever Caelus or March moved away from him. He did try to hide and suppress it, while he managed prior it seemed finding out a bit more about Phanes made it far harder for him to do so. Hiding the protectiveness seemed to come easier than hiding how he jumped at Caelus’ phone going off.

“Bailu got back, she’s almost begging us to come.”

“She probably wants an excuse to skip training.”

“Either way, Wel- Mr Yang, we've got a fast pass to the legendary dragon lady of the Luofu's Alchemy Commission.”

It was the first time that Caelus had smiled properly in hours; it was better suited to him than the irritation that hadn’t left his features since he first laid eyes on Phanes. The whole express was starting to feel warmer again now that the focus was shifted to another topic.  

“That’s a relief, Himeko has been worried sick about what that stint of suspended animation might have done to you youngsters.”

“Like you haven’t been equally anxious about the kids.” 

“Oh, oh! Why didn’t you say you were planning on taking us back to the Luofu? I wanna tell Master Yanqing about my new strength in person!” 

His shoulders relaxed as the conversation went on, only half paying attention to them. Catching most of the important information, of which there was very little, but letting the conversation flow as he neatened his cuffs. His thoughts lingered on Phanes, still unsure what to think of the man. How long had he spent as a god where he didn’t recognise his own humanity any longer? How long had he been that lone star in the sky? Did he have anyone to attempt to make him see sense like I did? Would I have turned out like him, or worse?

“-unday, Sunday?”

Her hand on his shoulder was gentle, an attempt to reach him in his head. Filing the thoughts away for later he turned to her fully, waiting to hear what she was going to request. 

“Would it be alright if I asked you to go with Welt and explain warping to Phanes… and maybe also take him a sick bag for the jump?”

“Of course, it’s alright, I may also suggest that he sit in here in case he has a particularly adverse reaction. If everyone is comfortable with that.” 

“I won’t start bawling again if that’s what you’re hinting, Sunny.” 

Himeko requesting that he be there alongside anyone else was a smart decision, heeding the caution Dan Heng recommended. Respect, genuine respect, not just what Sunday had been trying to coax from Phanes, had only been shown to him so far. He also knew it was pointless to try and correct the nickname Caelus had taken to using for him. Instead, he opted to leave the carriage as Himeko suggested.

Walking through the carriages with Mr Yang was quiet, not particularly tense either. However, it was impossible to miss the grip that he had on his cane, prepared to act the moment a threat made itself clear. 

“Mr Yang, do pardon me for asking, but do you truly believe that Phanes will be a threat?” 

A sigh wasn’t what he wanted to hear, but he waited for an answer all the same.

“Having heard about your interaction with him gives me some peace of mind.”

Then yes, but he’s willing to give him a chance before interrogation or hostility because of me. It felt like the air was forced from of his lungs at that. If Phanes messed this up, it wouldn’t fall back on him. He knew that, and had to push the thought aside. Hand shaking slightly, he knocked at the door. Waiting in silence for Phanes to open it. If he'll open it Sunday. 

He did after a moment, looking different. Human, which on its own was jarring given the man’s demeanour, but more than that, he looked like he’d just been woken up. Hair matted to his forehead, and a sheen of sweat on his face, it was uncomfortable to look at. Catching Sunday off guard though, Welt didn’t seem particularly fazed. 

“Why do you need my presence?” 

While his tone still held the same bite as earlier, its impact had been lost due to his current condition. He looked even less regal with the flinch from glancing down at Mr Yang’s cane, though it was buried under a scowl the moment he locked eyes with the older man. 

“I am supposedly a guest here, yet you deem it necessary to wield… such a weapon while conversing me.” 

Sunday was rather glad that he didn’t know what they were trying to convey as they held eye contact. The air suddenly feeling heavy enough that it could be sliced. Oppressive was one way to describe it, like gravity had simply increased but it wasn’t threatening, just tense. The exact same feeling as when Mr Yang had interrogated him back on Penacony. 

“Keen intuition, you are currently a potential threat, such precautions are being taken to ensure the safety of those onboard whilst you have only hinted at your intentions.” 

“I do not plan to harm anyone, I have made my intention clear. My only wish is to return to where I belong.” 

The very air itself hesitated for a brief moment before returning to normal. 

“Then there should be no issue, Mr Phanes.”

After a moment more, just to make sure nothing would escalate as well as a glance at Welt. He decided to speak again. Introductions can wait until he's back with the rest of the express, hinging on Phanes agreeing to join them. 

“Miss Himeko wanted you to be aware that we're going to be warp jumping soon; personally, I would recommend you join the rest of us for it. Since it's your first time on the express, in case you have an adverse reaction.” 

“What exactly would you be calling an adverse reaction?”

“Severe nausea, whiplash, disorientation and potentially even hallucinations or loss of consciousness.” 

The list of symptoms sent a shudder through him, remembering his own first trip, well, less than fondly. Luckily, he didn’t react too badly, but walking in a straight line had proved to be a challenge for a considerable amount of time. He hadn’t even known the full list of things he could have potentially experienced. Not like he could have gotten back off if he had been told, perhaps it was a kindness offered to him. Ignorance is bliss after all. A bliss Phanes wouldn’t be afforded, not from Welt anyway. 

“I shall... join you, that is.” 

The walk back to the parlour was tenser than leaving it, with Phanes trailing Sunday’s steps like he was scared to step out of line. 

Phanes was intimidated. 

Whatever Mr Yang wielded was enough to intimidate a man who saw himself equal to someone who almost accidentally became an Aeon. What would have happened to me if I hadn’t cooperated when he caught me outside of oti mall? If I wasn’t one of his trailblazing goals? Nothing good, that he knew. 

Before long they were opening the door back into the parlour, Phanes only pausing momentarily in the frame before striding over to sit next to Sunday, which meant he was also quite near Caelus. Another oddity, he’d expected him to attempt to create some guise of distance. 

“You… really don’t look like Phainon.”

Notes:

Trying my hand at capturing how each of the Express members sounds subtly different in speech, to the point where I'm fairly confident they're discernible from one another when they're all talking - I didn't want to keep interrupting the flow of conversations with he said/ she said/ they said. (The cost of that was having like twenty tabs of dialogue and quest lines to reference. couldn't help myself from slipping in some voice lines/ parts of them either)

Phanes could also tell that the star of Eden isn't just a simple weapon - prompting the Welt's response. To say he was terrified was an understatement, sure he knows that Sunday is strong, but there were a couple of caveats to that. 1) Sunday isn't actively using his strength when talking to him 2) Sunday shares similar beliefs as his own 3) he thought sunday was an outliar (despite what he was told by sunday himself).
So being confronted outwardly with that power and now being made very very clear he's not the strongest while being referred to as a threat? not a great feeling for him.

On a different note, it might be a while till I update and they may be a bit less frequent - uni is picking up, so sadly my free time is dying before my eyes :')

Notes:

Come bother me over at tumblr if you'd like <3