章 2: Chapter 1
A familiar melody of a piano echoed in his ears… and opening his eyes under his chestnut locks proved his theory of being in the Velvet Room again correct.
"Welcome back." Igor greeted him with mirth. "You have awakened your unique ability under such troubling circumstances, congratulations. The power you awakened was that of Persona, a manifestation of one's inner self." He briefly explained.
The kind barista with silver locks continued for him. "Typically, people only have a single persona however people such as yourself have the potential for multiple personae—the Velvet Room assists in cultivating those with potential… although that's a conversation for a later day."
It is?
Igor continued. "You have experienced your first taste of combat and awakened your other self and surely you will encounter instances in which you will have to utilise your ability… what are your thoughts about it?"
"…" Tenma merely hummed. "Nothing in particular."
He chuckled. "I see, understandable. You have just found yourself in a most unique situation and thus have had little time to process the situation. Take your time."
…This guy read him like an open book.
Then a rotating blue-key flew across a table under Tenma's gaze which he caught—heh, it felt like his Technique increased by spontaneously catching it. "What's this?"
"Only those with this Key can enter the Velvet Room and so as a Guest you have been given said key." Kotone explained. "You have no real reason to visit right now, but you will in the future."
It was at this exact moment the sign on the door flickered to "closed".
"Hmm, it seems our time seems to have been cut short. Farewell."
[LINE BREAK]
"You're awake." A coarse masculine voice echoed as Tenma glanced towards a man with greying hair in grey conservative clothing—he noted that the old man had a cane. "…You—you're not from this place are you?"
Steel orbs met amber.
[—]
"…I'm from a planet called Earth."
Realisation awoke in the amber-eyed elder's eyes. "Are you aware of Anti-Entropy or the Honkai?" He stated those names with slight gravitas—it must be important.
Tenma shook his head. "Never heard of them."
The elder sighed. "I didn't expect that I'd meet someone from a different Earth… or rather, it should be expected—I suppose." He shook his head. "No matter, my name is Welt Yang. I'm from the Astral Express—we travel the stars… although currently there is only me, the Conductor and two others."
Tenma decided to speak up at this moment.
Askr whispered in his mind. 'Welt, as in World?'
Whilst he decided to ignore the thought for now. "The hard-drive—"
Welf interrupted. "—Don't worry, we already delivered it. Or rather, Dan Heng and Himeko already delivered it… I brought you and placed you in safer circumstances as you were quite exhausted after summoning the being you had before."
"…You were there?" He inquired.
He nodded. "Only until the last moment in which blue flames erupted—it was quite showy, although it also seemed like it was your first time wielding such a power. We helped you in your battle against the Anti-Matter Legion, although I doubt you noticed us with how preoccupied you were."
Askr hummed. 'I noticed them and by extension, so did you—my other self. Although, admittedly we had other matters to focus on at the time, it is better to show your gratitude.'
Tenma nodded. "Thanks."
"Heh, don't mention it."
A knock on the door echoed as it opened soon after. "Mr Yang, it seems that the Director wants to speak with him as soon as he wakes up."
It was another masculine albeit youthful voice—a person with an asian disposition with a white coat with traces of green and black tunic.
[—]
"Then the Acting Director's in luck, he already awoke." Welt informed the other as he then turned towards Tenma. "This is who I spoke of before—Dan Heng. He may be distant on the outside, but on the contrary he can be quite a warm individual."
"Nice to meet you." Dan Heng nodded.
Welt then turned towards him. "—And this is…" He paused as he didn't know the answer either.
"…" Didn't reply, out of curiosity. Tenma ignored Askr's incredulous expression.
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…I believe you're supposed to interject here." Dan Heng pointed out.
"…Tenma Kamijou." He greeted them.
Welt simply took it in stride as he handed a bottle of water. "You must still be exhausted, here drink this—it'll freshen you up. After that, we can meet the Acting Director."
Why was there an emphasis on "Acting"?
'A feud, perhaps?'
Either way, after briefly taking a sip from the bottle of water—the trio proceeded to walk in the corridor and hallways.
The trio were silent as two of the three seemed withdrawn, and so it was the responsibility of the adult to bring in conversation.
"I wonder what the Acting Director wants with you? From my past encounter with him, he didn't particularly seem fond of you… have you met before?"
Tenma shook his head. "We talked through a device."
"So you appeared during an attack with the Anti-Matter Legion? That doesn't sound too good." He commented. "I have a general idea of what might happen, so steel yourself just in case."
Dan Heng silently sighed near them.
As they entered another room full of blue interfaces and technologies along with people in formal pale clothing—a certain individual took notice of them.
"You." Said individual was an elderly man who growled as he approached Tenma in particular who wasn't quite prepared for such hostility. Maybe if he had more Guts he wouldn't have flinched? Thankfully, Welt and even Dan Heng stepped forward as if to defend him from the elder.
Taking a moment to calm himself, the Acting Director merely clicked his tongue. "I want you off my Station, as soon as possible." He then promptly walked away.
"…Why is he so hostile?" Tenma inquired curiously. 'Stress? No, grief?' Askr rubbed his chin.
Welt sighed. "I suppose he feels that you are somewhat responsible for the deaths of those in the Storage Sector—intellectually he knows you have no fault, although emotionally it seems he feels animosity towards you for surviving and even partially suspicion."
Dan Heng also spoke up. "I heard it's due to a lover perishing during their journey towards the Storage Sector… I think it would be a smart idea for you to depart as soon as possible before he loses his… generosity."
'Definitely grief.'
Tenma raised an eyebrow. "Depart how?"
Dan Heng hummed. "I suppose you may have to ask Himeko… I think she wouldn't mind if you join the Astral Express, even if temporarily."
Welt also spoke up at this moment. "Or you could join the Astral Express in a more permanent fashion, after all—I understand how lost you are right now."
Seems like he's gonna have to find this Himeko and inquire about it.
"Although, I suggest you do it fast." Welt idly tapped his cane's handle. "It seems he's quite furious with you… as unreasonable as it is. The Station's Hangar is on the Second Floor near where you lost consciousness, in other words it might be quite dangerous but with Dan Heng's help and a couple of robots to point you in the right direction it shouldn't be much trouble."
Dan Heng glanced at Welt curiously. "What about you Mr Yang?"
Welt readjusted his glasses. "…I have business with the Acting Director on someone else's behalf—it shouldn't take long so don't wait for me."
The duo nodded as Welt departed from their presence… Tenma and Dan Heng glanced at each other as they silently asked each other a question to which they decided to answer each other with a shrug.
"…I suppose we should be on our way." Dan Heng commented and Tenma couldn't find it in himself to disagree.
[LINE BREAK]
"This sanctuary… is but a vision! Break!"
"Persona! Agi!"
On there travels towards the hangar they had unfortunately encountered more of the Legion, however they were deftly handled with Tenma having a pristine advantage over ice-attributed foes whilst Dan Heng utilised his wind-attributed spearman techniques on the flame-attributed enemies—this efficiency was actually quite useful in allowing the two to cleanse the area of any enemies.
"Hmm… you have little technique, but your intuition seems to make up for it." Dan Heng commented as he then glanced at the rusty sword that Tenma wielded. "We'll probably have to get you a new weapon sometime soon—that is little more than a pointy rod."
Tenma nodded as a thought surfaced on the forefront of his mind. "…Can you help me with my Technique?"
"You want me to give you pointers?" Heh, pointers. Tenma nodded. "I don't see why not—on the Astral Express there is a training room we can use."
"…Then it's a deal." Tenma muttered to which the other agreed.
I am thou… Thou art I…
Thou hast established a new bond…
Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Emperor Arcana…
Rank Up: Emperor 1.
…Okay. Tenma decided to ignore that time itself literally just slowed down so he could mentally catalogue someone with a card… maybe he needs to see a therapist? Also, was that Kotone's voice?
"It seems more have arrived." Dan Heng noted as seemingly a leader of sorts, arrived. "A Trampler Void Ranger? This may be more than we can handle at the moment, should we retreat?"
Tenma gripped his rusty sword with his right hand and his model pistol with the other. "…Let's proceed." Heh, he could feel his Guts increase at this challenge.
A single Trampler and two Eliminators.
Tenma pulled the gun on the temple of his head. "Persona! Agi!"
A flash of crimson simultaneously struck the Eliminators and knocked them down, however it seemed as if the Trampler held enough strength to avoid it and unleash an attack of its own.
"…!" Tenma grunted in pain as he was lifted in the air a couple of metres as a rough attack collided with his torso—did he break a rib or two?
Dan Heng clicked his tongue. "The time is now." With a thrust of his spear he eliminated the stunned Eliminators and refocused his effort on the Trampler which seemed to have decided to engage with him in that very moment—
Thud.
A large blunt noise echoed as he successfully defended himself against the unruly attack.
Tenma, who had been on the sidelines, decided to try a new trick he had recently learnt. "Askr! Dia!"
It felt odd how a broken rib internally fixed itself into its former place, but it also felt odd how even mere scratches vanished. What a handy power.
"Persona! Dia!" Focusing his efforts in supporting Dan Heng was quite effective as it seemed to have given him enough adrenaline to act more recklessly.
"The truth of life and death, revealed in an instant…" An emerald tint emanated from Dan Heng for a moment as in the said moment he had appeared behind the four-legged creature. "Break!"
The Trampler was down for the count for the moment.
"There's an opening!" Dan Heng informed as he regrouped with Tenma as a cautionary measure.
Tenma nodded "Got it. Persona! Agi!" A burst of crimson engulfed the creature which howled.
'One more attack!' Askr noted.
"Break!" Dan Heng's spear soon pierced its torso as its corpse fell and disintegrated.
They took a moment to steady themselves… they might have been a tad reckless with this encounter.
"Are you okay?" Dan Heng inquired.
Tenma nodded. "I'm fine."
He sighed. "We might've been reckless with this… although, I suppose it was beneficial in you becoming stronger. You can heal now?"
Tenma nodded. "I feel like I'll also be able to do something else soon with a little more experience."
"I see… we can obtain that experience later. For now we should really be regrouping with Himeko." Dan Heng decided.
Tenma shrugged with a nod.
They glanced at a few armed automatons and followed their trail and eventually came upon an odd sight. The Astral Express was literally a train…
'I suppose the Conductor is literally a conductor then?' Askr thought within the recesses of his mind.
There were steel boxes scattered about in a haphazard manner with multiple spaceships in the Hangar of similar make and robots assisting people in labcoats packaging resources into ships… They were in quite the hurry.
"…Why are they in such a hurry?" Tenma muttered towards Dan Heng who momentarily closed his eyes.
"I suppose they are simply worried about being detained by the IPC despite knowing that the IPC would never let them go after an incident such as this."
Tenma raised an eyebrow. "IPC?"
"The Interastral Peace Corporation is an intergalactic corporation responsible for the economy of the entire cosmos. Wherever there is transaction, there is the influence of the IPC as almost everyone uses their credit system—they're the top of the business world and advocate free trade whilst also issuing the currency and monopolisation of certain resources." He briefly explained. "I can show you my databases if you require more information."
Tenma nodded. "Got it, thanks."
"It is of no issue." He shrugged it off as he glanced at a duo in the distance… a woman with long crimson locks in a loose white dress with a brown-coat atop her shoulders and a familiar man holding a cane…
[—]
"So Mr Yang arrived first." Dan Heng noted.
"…We came as fast as possible too." Tenma noted too.
"Mr Yang is indeed capable." Dan Heng nodded as he then glanced towards Tenma. "He's with Himeko, it would be within your best interests if you ask her about your voyage within the Astral Express."
Tenma nodded as the younger duo approached the older duo casually talking with each other—they paused when they noticed them approaching.
"So you're Tenma? I heard you're also experiencing a similar situation to Welt… but don't worry, The Nameless welcomes all who wish to travel aboard the Astral Express." She smiled. "You'll have to introduce yourself to Pom-Pom though."
"…Nameless?" He tilted his head.
Welt interjected. "It's usually used to refer to those who travel the stars in the name of the Aeon of Trailblaze Akivili… Akivili may be deceased but there are still those who travel in his name and travel on adventures connected by the star rail… or the map within the Astral Express' databases."
"I see…" He nodded. "I would like to join."
She nodded. "Very well then, welcome aboard."
I am thou… Thou art I…
Thou hast established a new bond…
Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Fool Arcana…
Rank Up: Fool 1.
That is definitely Kotone's voice!
週次パワーステータス
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