Chapter Text
Frantic screams and garbled phrases echoed throughout the cosmos. From the farthest edge of the Xianzhou flagships to the depths of Herta’s Space Station, heads could be seen turning from afar as girlish screams reached their ears. And the source of such panic-stricken screams? It was none other than the famed, galaxy-known, and revered Astral Express.
The elegant vessel ventured peacefully through the stars, but what lingered within its confines was anything but peaceful …
“WHAAATTT?!?!?!” Those screams and shouts echoed once more, ringing closely through every passenger's ears.
Within the main parlor car’s lounge, Caelus’s hand cradled his stomach in never-ending laughter at his fellow crew-mate’s visual dismay. Tears emerged from his tear ducts as he doubled down, eventually falling down onto the carpet in pure laughter. “Hahahaha!! March good luck with this one!! Looks like it’s your turn to draw the short straw.”
“B-B-B-But—”, the poor girl stuttered in disbelief, delicate fingers twirling through pink locks just to keep herself moving. Crystal hues grew to the size of plates as she took time to process the information , “I mean … I know that I’ve always liked to dance and stuff … BUT ATTENDING A BALL?! AND UNDERCOVER?!?!?! I’ve never done such a thing in my life!”
Laughter continued to echo throughout the train’s halls accompanied by March’s pained groans. It was a complete mix of comedy and chaos. Overseeing the duo’s mixed reactions, a beautiful red-headed navigator wore a sympathetic smile before she placed a comforting palm on the younger girl’s shoulder. “I know, and for that I'm really sorry March. But there are some things that only you can pull off at your age.”
With her voice the bursts of laughter came to a sudden halt. The girl’s pained gaze looked up at her senior, her face almost resembling that of a kicked puppy which made Himeko’s stomach churn … but they could not afford any hesitation on this matter.
“We need you to infiltrate Penacony’s upcoming ball to see if there are any new developments that the Family or IPC might be brewing while we are away. Because we are co-owners of Penacony … it would be best for us to not show our faces there otherwise those players might not show all of their cards.”
“But Mister Welt, won’t me being there be exactly that? Everyone there knows that I’m a part of the Astral Express.”
An upturned smile made its way to the older man’s lips as he met March’s gaze, a single finger pushing his glasses upwards. “That’s exactly why it’s good that the ball being held is a masquerade ball. Everyone there will be wearing masks so it will be perfect for you to blend in with the crowd.”
It was obvious that the mention of a mask piqued March’s interest. Her eyes lit up, almost sparkling even, as endless designs began running through her mind. “No way! You mean to say that I might be able to wear a cute mask? I’ve seen movies with those types of things!”
“Now March”, Himeko spoke, her voice waning caution, “Like every mission you’ve undertaken, we want you to uphold the spirit of the trailblaze. You have the right to have fun and be yourself during this mission, but those masks add another layer of danger as well, so you have to be very careful of what you do.”
“What? What difference do those masks make?”
Warm orbs grew serious which made March freeze up slightly in uncertainty. It was hard to make Himeko so serious … just what were they getting her into? It was then that Welt chimed in once more and stood alongside the Astral Express navigator. “Those masks hide your identity March, but that also means that they hide the identities of other attendees. You never know who you might encounter at that ball and what goals those people might harbor.”
The girl’s frown grew lopsided as she took in that information. They definitely had a point … as much as she enjoyed doing creative things like putting together outfits and making a mask for the first time, they came at a cost.
As March took some time to think, Caelus seemingly recovered from his fit of laughter earlier. His look of joy soon flipped into worry with arms waving frantically as he spoke, “Whoa whoa whoa! That doesn't mean that March is going to do this alone is she? Neither you or Miss Himeko has consulted me or Dan Heng about this. All three of us are a trio aren’t we?”
“You've got a point there Caelus.” Welt spoke. “But we have to use our cards wisely. We are not sending March on this mission alone, but also we need to maintain our cover while she is there. Not to mention that this is a ball that March is attending … so we need to teach her how to dance too.”
“Are you saying that I’m not good at infiltration? C’mon~ I’m THE Galactic Baseballer here!”, the trailblazer couldn’t help but don a cheeky smile as he spoke, jabbing a thumb at his chest in a stance that just oozed confidence.
At his display Welt pinched his nose in disbelief while Himeko couldn’t help but laugh at Caelus’s antics.
It took a moment to process what was happening. Neither of the adults were speaking against nor for Caelus’s claims. The young man stood in silence for seconds, minutes … it was then that his lashes fluttered. Ah — okay maybe he wasn’t the best choice for this mission. He made his name known throughout the cosmos after all! Nobody would be able to resist his charms even if he did wear a mask! Or at least that’s what was running through his head.
It was then that Caelus fell into a slump, a heavy breath left his lips. “Okay finneeee, I’ll take a seat for this one … but what about Dan Heng? He’s pretty good at keeping a low profile.”
Welt hummed at the recommendation, his hand resting under his chin in thought. “That’s a good point. Dan Heng would make a great choice as March’s partner for this mission.”
“Now now, let’s not get too ahead of ourselves.”, Himeko chimed in with a small smile. “Dan Heng is good at keeping a low cover, but he’s not the most social person on this train either. Infiltration not only means keeping a low profile, but also blending in with the atmosphere. At the same time, we might not have a choice in the matter either … March’s safety is our first priority after all.”
“Blending in with the atmosphere? Are you sure that we’re talking about the same March here?” Caelus mumbled in disbelief, his thumb jabbing in the pink-haired girl’s direction.
It was then that March stuck her tongue out at the trailblazer in banter. “If you don’t mind me asking, when is this ball exactly?” There was underlying uncertainty as March spoke. All of this information was coming at her so fast … all of it sounded really fun, yet she had to remember that there were heavy stakes at hand as well.
“It’s exactly two weeks from today, which means that we still have time to think about specifics, but time is also ticking.”
“Awww man … Miss Himeko, will I be able to find a dancing teacher before then?”
The older woman smiled at the younger girl in comfort. “Don’t worry March, we’ve made many connections across the cosmos. I’m sure that there is at least one decent dancer amongst all of them.”
Caelus hummed in thought. “Do you think Bronya would be good with formal ballroom dancing? She is the Supreme Guardian of Belebog after all, I'm sure that she’s been to plenty of formal dances. Oh! Or maybe our lovely navigator herself! You’ve had to attend a few balls here and there right?”
Amused chuckles slipped through the navigator’s lips as delicate fingers covered her lips. “I can teach March a thing or two about ballroom dancing. My skills are nowhere near professional, but they are manageable enough.”
Once more March’s eyes lit up like stars in this endless night sky. The idea of dancing with the beautiful and elegant Miss Himeko?! How could she pass such an opportunity up? Maybe she can learn a thing or two about gracefulness from her. It would definitely do her a favor in the long run if she ever needed to swoon anyone in the future. Heck! With Miss Himeko’s guidance, she would be able to make a whole room fall at her knees within these next two weeks! “Oh no way! Miss Himeko’s going to teach me?! Now that’s what I call a plan!”
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, okay? I’ll teach you the basics of ballroom dancing for now, but we’ll find you a more fitting teacher somewhere along the way to better refine your technique.”
A pout managed to leave the younger girl’s lips as she puffed her cheeks. “Awww come onnnn, I’m sure that you’d be a perfect teacher!”
The navigator’s hand rested over her heart in a show of thanks for their faith in her skills. “Thank you March, but like I said we need to cover our bases. If all goes well, maybe you can be the one who teaches me next time.”
“You’ve got yourself a deal Miss Himeko!”