(HELP MY TEACHERS WANT ME DEAD, WHATS WITH ALL THESE PAPERS?! 😭)

(Anyways—)

After checking in and having their luggage checked, the trailblazers acquired some nice rooms and even got to visit the VIP lounge.

Much to y/n's dismay, they didn't have what she was looking for when she bounced on over for a beverage.

"What do you mean you don't have steamed puffergoat milk? You don't even have it cold?"

"I'm afraid not, ma'am..."

She gawked at the uncomfortable bartender in silence, slumping over at the bar with a quiet groan of distress.

"C-Could I offer you some SoulGlad instead...?"

"I'm good..."

"Don't worry, y/n, you might be able to find some in the Dreamscape." Himeko hummed with a smile, giving the h/c haired woman a pat on the shoulder, "Let's head to our rooms and put down our bags first, alright?"

Y/n only nodded and trailed after Caelus and March with a miserable look as they raced to locate their rooms. She couldn't help but feel curious when Himeko and Welt stayed behind, but a shriek from Caelus quickly drew her attention back to the current task.

"Caelus, you idiot, what were you thinking?!" March snapped as Caelus while the hydrogen bomb was laid out on the steps after tripping and sliding back down.

Y/n peered at him curiously, raising a brow at the agonized look on his face, "What's your problem?"

"I feel nauseous... just being around that piss man makes me sick!" "Oh please, get up already."

After dragging him up the rest of the stairs, March and y/n went right to their rooms while Caelus crawled into his. It was quite spacious, but that big 🍑 clam shaped bathtub made y/n super uncomfortable.

She set down her bag on the couch, hesitantly approaching the bath and kneeling beside it. Y/n poked at the water experimentally, a suspicious look on her face.

Nothing abnormal... but still unusual.

'Why water?' she wondered.

"..."

As she kept poking at the water, watching it ripple, March and Caelus successfully snuck past her room and returned to the lobby where Himeko and Welt were still standing.

Sneaking around and hiding stuff from y/n didn't feel right to March 7th, it never did. She couldn't say the same about Caelus, though, he had zero shame.

'Still, this is meant to be a relaxing time for her! The last thing we want is to stress her out, so this is necessary.' March told herself with a conflicted look as she returned to the VIP lounge with Caelus.

The hydrogen bomb, on the other hand, was beaming with delight, 'I get to talk to Miss Himeko and Mr. Yang without y/n there! This is great,' March side eyed him with a wary look as his little grin became rather menacing, 'And if I find that piss man in the halls, it's on sight.'

"...well, I did. Which is why, before we set off, I told March 7th and Dan Heng about this." Himeko was saying when the pair joined her and Welt.

"Huh? Told them what?" Caelus asked in a clueless tone while March rubbed the back of her neck with a sigh. "Were you not listening to a thing I said earlier?"

"About the distress call? Yeah, I heard that."

"Then you're all caught up."

Welt looked a little surprised, which was completely understandable. After a moment, he let out a chuckled, "Ah, so I was the only one kept in the dark, then."

"Not the only one," Caelus proclaimed loudly, "March 7th keeps insisting that we don't make a peep to y/n."

"Caelus, shut up!" March hissed to him, the young man shrugging with a shameless look on his face.

"It was Dan Heng who asked that we not say anything about this to y/n, and it's impotent that we respect his request." Himeko told Caelus, her tone a bit more firm but still gentle, "He made a good point about her current state, and based off of what I've heard about the situation at the Ambrosial Arbor, we don't want her being pushed over the edge again."

Welt, March, and Caelus all winced at that. The injuries inflicted by their formerly mara-struck companion were nothing but a faint memory now, but they hurt like hell during the days they spent recovering.

"Yeah, I'd rather not get stabbed by her again..." Caelus mumbled, "But won't she be upset if she finds out."

"If she finds out." March pointed out.

"She's not a fool, March." Caelus bit back.

"But she'll be completely oblivious so long as you don't screw or up, so behave yourself!"

"Tsk." the hydrogen crossed his arms with a sigh, "So. Are we getting involved behind her back?"

"Penacony's situation is getting complicated, so we ought to tread lightly. I mean it Caelus, don't cause trouble." Welt reminded the bat wielding gremlin.

Caelus nodded, "I'll behave d—" March slapped a hand over his mouth, muffling the last bit of his sentence. Welt decided to pretend he'd heard none of it.

"Who sent the invite, what's the purpose behind inviting so many factions to Penacony at once, and why does The Family choose to remain silent about their knowledge of this...?" Humeko murmured with a pensive look before sighing, "There are too many unanswered questions. We must be very cautious before thinking about delving any deeper:"

Caelus and March were looking a little on edge, so Himeko offered them a warm and reassuring smile, patting them both on the shoulders, "For now, let's focus on what the conductor requested. We'll learn what we can while enjoying this wonderful vacation."

"There are different sections of the dreamscape, right? Where will you all be going?" Caelus inquired, "So I know where to find you in case y/n starts looking to stab me again."

"She won't stab you without a reason, Caelus." March sighed, but her lips still quirked up into a little smile, "Well, unless you piss her off."

"Huh?!"

"I'm joking. Mostly."

Welt intended to visit the Moment of Sol, basically a spot where you could find tons and tons of information on Penacony's history and culture.

Himeko was looking forward to the Moment of Scorchsand! Taverns and a Trailblaze vibe... Caelus wanted to there too! Mainly because Himeko was going but also because he liked the sound of the name. She mentioned The Moment of Morning Dew, but it seemed a little ominous to Caelus.

After some chatter with the two senior member of the Astral Express, Caelus and March began heading back to their rooms. As they were walking, March 7th was tapping on and on about how she was going to go shopping and get a nice dress to go watch a show in.

It seemed nice, sure, but he was a tad bit distracted by the face that his door room was open. Maybe he just did a dumb thing and forgot to close it.

"Hey, I'm gonna head to my room. Remember, if you end up with y/n, you keep an eye on her." Caelus instructed to which his pink haired companion rolled her eyes and began heading for her room.

"Yeah, yeah. But if you end up with her, you can either take care of her or find me at the Moment of Dusk." March said with a nod, "I'll make sure she doesn't run into trouble."

"Without your taser?"

"Without my taser."

The two said their goodbyes, Caelus returning to his room only to find piss man himself snooping about. The hydrogen bomb's expression immediately turned sour, "Hey, what are you doing here?"

Aventurine glanced back at him with raised brows and the hydrogen bomb shuddered at that unsettling smile the IPC goon sent his way, "How unexpected, we meet again."

"This is my room, what do you think you're doing here?" Caelus demanded in a sharp tone, brimming with hostility.

"Woah there, you're being awfully antagonistic, don't you think? That's no way to treat someone who went out of their way to help you," Aventurine commented, thought Caelus looked very unamused, "Relax. I'm just here to soak in the festive vibe. This room may be yours now, but half a system hour ago, it was mine."

"A lucky block number, a lucky floor, a lucky room numbers you have no idea how much I went through to book this precious space, and now I've given it to you. Treasure it well, friend." the man hummed.

"I'm not your friend. Now, get out. You're stinking up the room." Caelus retorted, "If you're not out in the next thirty seconds, I'm gonna do something neither of us will like. Miss Himeko and Mr. Yang will surely scold me for it, but I'm willing to take that chance."

"Haa... your little xianzhou friend was much more agreeable than you, Mr. Stellaron. What was her name again...?" Aventurine tapped his chin with a thoughtful look as he approached Caelus, "Y/n, right?"

Caelus's brows furrowed, "How do you— okay, now you've gone from creepy to creepier. Don't bother y/n, she'd dealt with enough 🐂💩 to last her a century. And don't bother me either, I'm trying to figure my own 💩 out."

Aventurine merely smirked, "Think about your position here, and the type of people who can afford to stay in a place like this. Had it not been for me, do you really think The Family would offend their bigwig visitors to help an unwanted guest like you?"

"Frankly, I don't really care. You're here for a reason, so what do you want?" Caelus challenged, "Let me guess, you intend to collect whatever nonexistent debt I've accumulated from this little favor of yours."

"Ha! You're quick to catch on, I like that." the man chucked as Caelus glanced over to where he'd tucked his bat away in a closet, "Simply put, my friend, I'm in need of your help. You may or may not be aware, but Penacony is a far murkier place than it may seem. The Family's eyes are everywhere, but you get the drift."

Caelus hated the sound of this already. He could sense some weird cult type 💩 looming around the corner and he really didn't like it. Just one normal Trailblaze mission... was that really too much to ask for?

"Well? What are you getting at?" Caelus questioned as he headed for the closet, not at all trying to be discreet about the fact that he was going to bash Aventurine's head in.

"My goal is simple: Help the IPC retrieve some things that were theirs in the first place. If you agree to help me, you will be rewarded greatly and procure the Preservation's protection."

Caelus was thoroughly unimpressed, "I don't particularly care for any reward from the IPC," 'Unless it's directly from Topaz, of course,' "You need to leave. I don't know what the hell you thought you were cooking, but you didn't cook 💩. Out. I'm warning you."

"Warning me?" Aventurine's brows raised before he laughed, shaking his head, "You're too funny. Don't worry about giving me an answer now, sit on it for a bit. When the time is right, I'll seek you out again."

Caelus glowered at Aventurine, still debating on retrieving his bat but holding off on it. He really wanted his vacation, and he wouldn't get one if he bludgeoned a member of the IPC to death.

"Of course, if you feel the need to do so, you can confer with your collages. Or even go as far as to use me in turn — I welcome the notion." 'This dude is so shady, where the hell is March 7th and her taser when you need her?' "It will also show me your true value."

"I don't do deals where I'm in the losing end. So, I hope that friends don't let me down." Aventurine finished. Caelus reallyyy didn't like his tone.

"You should be leaving now." was all he said.

"Mm. Very well."

Caelus watched Aventurine carefully as the man headed for the door, internally grumbling when he suddenly halted with a, "Oh, before I go, let's play another game — a simple one, to get to know one another better." he turned to face the scowling Caelus, "You just have to guess which hand the chip is hiding in. It'll help me get a better grasp on your personality, and the way you do things."

Yep. No. Caelus was tired of him.

As Aventurine flicked a coin in the air, Caelus's gaze wandered to the coffee table by the couch where a little pen sat. He swiftly picked it up, turning his cold gaze back to the man who now approached with two closed fists.

"Left or right? Get ready, I'm about to reveal the answer." Caelus didn't speak, he was so over conversing with this man, "Oh? Not going to say anything? That's fine."

Aventurine approached Caelus calmly and with no sign of any ill intent, yet the hydrogen bomb was on edge. The pen was gripped tightly in his hand, nothing dangerous but it was about o be one if this mf didn't get out.

"The game has already begun, my friend," Caelus couldn't tear his eyes away from those damned eyes as the IPC goon approached, holding up one hand only to reveal that the other was empty, "Allow me to make you an offer — one you can't refuse."

Caelus glanced down, checking his pocket and finding that damned coin. When he looked up, Aventurine was right up in his face and 💩.

"No reason to choose otherwise, and no other choice."

"Hey."

Right as Caelus was about to stab Aventurine, a familiar voice caught his attention. The pair of dudes glanced towards the doorway where they spotted a woman with long purple hair and some gorgeous 🍑 eyes—- OH 🚚!

'AIN'T THIS THE LADY WHO STABBED ME?!'

She didn't look too happy, a menacing look on her face as she glared at Aventurine, "What are you doing in my room?"

"Your room?" Aventurine questioned before scoffing, glancing at Caelus who had already tucked the potential murder weapon away, "Well played, friend. You haven't been in Penacony for long, yet you already know how to get other people involved in your cause."

"I'm so over this, just go away." Caelus groaned.

"Yes, yes, I'm leaving. Just remember, this place runs deep, with plenty of unsavory characters." Aventurine hummed as he turned, leaving the room, "Don't forget to stay on your toes. And... maybe remember to keep your door closed. I'll be going now, Caelus, have a pleasant stay."

As soon as Aventurine left, there was an awkward silence between Caelus and the woman. He felt a little wary, but still cracked a small smile, "Thanks. A second longer and I would've had a murder charge on my hands."

The woman was silent for a moment longer.
"Why haven't you left?"

Wh—WHAT?!

"Huh? This is my room."

"This is my room."

...

The woman finally broke her stoic outward appearance as she chuckled, "I was only teasing, please forgive me. This is your room. I couldn't help but notice that man snooping about while I was in the hallway, it didn't seem like he was searching for his own room, so it made me wary."

"Yeah? Thanks, though. If it weren't for you, I probably would've stabbed him to death. That would've been problematic, wouldn't it?" Caelus laughed, 'Acheron... this person is Acheron. She seems nice, but I've got a bad feeling about this. I think it may be best to play coo-coo for now.'

"Hm, as long as you're okay. I ought to return to my room too." Acheron hummed, "But— before I go... may I ask you a question? Have we met somewhere before?"

"Woah-! That was some serious déjà vu just now..."

"Is that so? I haven't been able to shake off this familiar feeling since just now... maybe it's as you called it. Or it could purely be serendipity."

The woman shook her head, "Caelus... that's your name, right? Pleased to meet you." SERIOUS CHILLS.

The conversation between the two was brief, but Acheron eventually left the room. When she turned the corner, she halted.

Standing in front of the door to the room next to Caelus's was y/n. The woman was silent, and her expression wasn't the slightest bit hostile, but she observing Acheron rather closely.

There was a tense silence between the two before y/n smiled, remaining silent as she returned to her room and shut the door behind her.

Not even a day and everything was already going to 💩. Y/n trudged over to the Dream Pool, settling down in it with Mimi in her grasp.

It was cold, but that was okay.

There was voice, but it was muffled as she tuned it out. Her focus was solely on the plush held close to her chest... it still smelled of home.

Home... she missed it, but she was content.
Or maybe that was just the water, it was surprisingly comfortable. Y/n was getting pretty sleepy...

She dozed off in a matter of moments, out like a light.

There was darkness all around her, bubbles floating up above as she sank further and further into the depths of sleep.

A gaze was fixated on her, still.
She could feel it constantly.
What would happen if she were to look back at it?

What would she see?
The thought terrified her but at the same time—

Green luscious grass beneath her, an endless expanse of stars surrounding her from all angles. It was a place she had visited many times, an escape from all the pain and sufferings.

She was not alone, a fond gaze focused on her as she rested in this paradise. They listened to her quiet reminiscing, always there to keep her afloat.

Y/n had never paid much mind to it at first, content as she laid with her head on their lap. The calm, reassuring feeling she felt was familiar.

"Mother? Are you here?"

She rolled on her back, eyes fluttering open to catch a glimpse of whoever was there with her. Before she could, they covered her eyes gently.

She nudged one of their hands away, finding a face concealed by a veil of some kind. All she could see was the smile upon their lips as they lifted a hand as if to shush her.

"Who... are you?"

Just as quickly at it came, the vision was burst like a bubble as an infernal screeching noise hit y/n's ears.

She glanced to her right and— WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?! There was blinding light and a pair of arms looped around her waist, lifting her up and out of the street before she could be hit.

Her and her rescuer hit the ground with an oof as the car sped off, honking as it went. Y/n hardly heard it, in a bit of a daze as she took in her surroundings.

This grand, bright... loud city. Was this Penacony?

'Yikes... I just got here and I already almost got into trouble.' y/n thought wearily as she heaved a small sigh of relief, 'Whatever, I should see where the others are.'

"Uh. Excuse me?"

Y/n blinked, looking around in surprise at the sound of a muffled voice. She couldn't find the source of it— so where exactly was it coming from?

"Down here."

She paused and glanced down to find a head of dark brown hair— where was the face? Huh? What?

"I get that you almost just got hit by a car but