Uncle Himeko’s gentle gaze swept across the slightly disarrayed parlor car, a warm smile gracing his lips.
“Before we discuss our next course of action, let’s get our new passengers, Chen and Qiong, settled in first.
The Astral Express may not be particularly spacious, but we do have the basic living quarters.”
He turned his attention to Pom-Pom, who had managed to reclaim some measure of the Conductor’s dignity.
“Pom-Pom, if you would be so kind as to take our new passengers to their rooms.”
“Okay, pom!”
Pom-Pom immediately puffed out its small chest, its voice booming with a newfound authority, as if to make up for its earlier loss of composure.
“Follow me, pom!
The Conductor will lead you personally!”
It hopped energetically toward the connecting passage between cars.
Chen and Qiong exchanged a glance before rising to follow.
March 7th, ever the enthusiast, bounced on his feet.
“Let’s go, let’s go!
I’ll come take a look too!
Heng-er, you wanna…”
“No need.”
Dan Heng’s cool voice cut through the air.
She had already dismissed her spear and was now leaning against the window, arms crossed.
“I remember where the rooms are.”
Even so, her gaze remained fixed on the small group as they headed deeper into the train.
They passed through the connecting corridor and arrived at the residential car, a much quieter and cozier section of the Express.
The layout was simple, exuding a comfortable, lived-in warmth.
Pom-Pom stopped in front of a door.
There was no number on it, only a sleek metal plate engraved with the Astral Express logo.
“This is the room prepared for Passenger Qiong, pom!”
It pushed the door open with a soft pat of its paw.
The room wasn’t large, but it was fully equipped.
A bed that looked exceptionally comfortable sat against one wall, accompanied by a simple desk and cabinet.
A small, circular porthole offered a view of the cosmos outside.
The style was minimalist, with almost no trace of personal belongings, as if it were perpetually ready to welcome a new traveler.
Qiong walked in, still clutching her bat, and looked around with quiet curiosity.
She went straight to the bed and carefully leaned the weapon against the nightstand.
Turning back to face everyone at the door, she gave a slight nod, a clear sign of her satisfaction.
“Very good, pom!”
Pom-Pom closed the door and hopped over to the one directly adjacent.
The pattern on this door’s metal plate seemed slightly different, but Chen didn’t get a clear look.
“This is Passenger Chen’s room, pom!
Please come in!”
Chen stepped inside.
The layout was nearly identical to Qiong’s, but the color palette here was cooler, favoring shades of blue and gray.
The bed was already made, and a set of neatly folded casual clothes lay on the desk—the material looked soft and comfortable.
A warmth bloomed in Chen’s chest.
He turned and offered a sincere bow.
“Thank you, Ms.
Welt, thank you, Uncle Himeko, and you too, Conductor Pom-Pom!
You’ve all been so thoughtful!”
“As it should be, pom!” Pom-Pom puffed out its chest again.
“Now, our two new passengers should rest for a bit and get familiar with the environment.
If you need anything—if the mattress is too soft or too hard, or the lights are too bright or too dim—you can tell the Conductor, pom!
In ten minutes, please gather in the Parlor Car.
We need to decide on our next destination, pom!”
Ms.
Welt gave Chen a polite nod and turned to head back.
March 7th, however, lingered, leaning against the doorframe with a wide grin.
“Hehe, nice room, right?
Get some rest.
See you in a bit!” With a final wave, he dashed off.
The corridor fell silent.
Chen closed the door and walked to the porthole.
Staring out at the river of starlight flowing slowly past, he took a deep breath and let it out in a long, slow sigh.
Finally… he had a place to settle down, at least for the moment.
The Astral Express.
A new home.
Just as he was about to collapse onto the soft bed and recover some energy, a light knock sounded at his door.
Chen went over and opened it.
Qiong was standing outside, still holding that baseball bat, though now she hugged it tightly to her chest.
“Qiong?
What’s wrong?
Is the room not to your liking?” Chen asked, a little surprised.
Qiong shook her head.
She looked up, her gaze locking directly onto his.
In a calm but serious tone, she asked, “Chen… can you change into that form again?”
“Which form?” Chen didn’t immediately understand.
“The one… from before.
The other version of me.”
Chen was even more confused now.
He’d only done that to satisfy the curiosity of March 7th and the others.
Why would she want to see it again?
‘Could it be that she just thinks it’s fun?’ he wondered.
“Why the sudden urge to see that form again?” he asked, genuinely puzzled.
Qiong seemed to be gathering her thoughts.
Her arms tightened around the bat, and after a few seconds of silence, she spoke, her voice barely a whisper.
“…It feels very peaceful.
Watching another version of myself standing there, it’s like… I’m not so lonely anymore.”
Her voice was incredibly soft, carrying a hint of reliance he had never heard from her before.
Those eyes, which always seemed a bit lost and distant, were now clearly reflecting his own image.
“And,” she added, her voice still low, “when you turn into the other me, it feels very… comfortable?
Like… like soaking in water that’s just the right temperature, or… the feeling of falling asleep while holding my bat.”
Chen was stunned.
He had not expected an answer like that in a million years.
It was because of… peace of mind and comfort?
His mind raced.
‘Is it because of the Stellaron inside her?
The energy of my transformation essentially comes from the original game character.
Could it be creating some kind of resonance, a correct frequency that aligns with the gender-swapping rules of this world?
Has it made the Stellaron inside her feel a sense of belonging or stability?”Or,’ he considered,’is it simpler than that?
In this completely strange world, is seeing a “normal version of herself” just a deep form of psychological comfort?’
Looking into Qiong’s clear, expectant eyes, the small part of him that had been grumbling about being used as a party trick instantly vanished.
“I see…” He smiled gently and stepped aside, opening the door wider.
“Come in.
It’s strange to talk while standing in the doorway.”
Qiong entered, bat in tow, and naturally sat on the edge of his bed.
She then resumed looking at him with that same hopeful gaze.
Chen scratched his head and made sure the door was closed.
‘The youth version of Qiong—Caelus—and the young woman version—Stelle… the icons for both seemed to have unlocked together when I made contact with Qiong.
I should be able to switch freely.”Since she feels at peace seeing another version of herself,’ he reasoned,’would the image of Stelle make her feel even closer than the male version?’
It was worth a try.
Instead of transforming back into the handsome, bat-wielding youth, Chen let his body change in a different direction.
His frame grew more slender, more elegant.
His short black hair lengthened, its color shifting to a soft, silvery gray.
His clothes dissolved and reformed into that iconic black-and-white coat.
A few seconds later, a cool and graceful “Stelle” stood before Qiong.
Chen, in his Stelle form, flexed his wrists.
He felt a sense of physical balance different from both “Little Herta” and the “Youth Version of Qiong.” He looked down at Qiong, who was sitting on the bed, looking up at him with wide eyes.
He deliberately gave her a wink, his lips curving into a slightly smug smile that didn’t quite match Stelle’s typically cold appearance.
He spoke in a soft, conspiratorial whisper.
“How’s that?
Is this surprise okay?”
Chen, as Stelle, leaned in a bit closer.
“This is our little secret.”
He raised an index finger and placed it gently against his lips in a shushing gesture.
“Don’t ever tell March 7th and the others, and especially not Dan Heng.
Otherwise… they’ll look at me like I’m some kind of pervert again.”
Qiong’s eyes widened slightly as she took in this familiar yet new version of herself.
She didn’t speak.
She just watched him for a long moment before nodding very, very seriously.
“…Mm.”
“How is it?” Chen (Stelle Version) asked, his voice soft.
“Do you… feel at peace this way?”
Qiong didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, she stood up and walked right up to him, tilting her head to examine his face closely.
Then, she did something Chen hadn’t expected at all.
She took another small step forward and gently leaned her forehead against his chest.
Chen’s body stiffened for a fraction of a second before he consciously forced himself to relax.
He could feel her breathing, light and even, and the tension seemed to melt out of her body.
“…Mm.” Qiong’s voice was muffled against his coat, but it was filled with obvious satisfaction.
“Peaceful.
Comfortable.”
After a long while, she slowly stepped back.
Her face showed no particular expression, but the light in her eyes seemed a little brighter than before.
She looked at him one more time and whispered, “Thank you.”
Chen deactivated the transformation, his form shifting back to his own.
He looked at Qiong, a strange, moved feeling stirring within him.
This girl, who seemed so ignorant of the world and fought purely on instinct, might be far more sensitive on the inside than he had ever imagined.
“In the future… if you feel uneasy or want to see the other you,” Chen said carefully, “you can come find me anytime.
But… it’s probably best we don’t let March 7th and the others know, and especially not in front of Pom-Pom…”
He really didn’t want to cause any more bizarre misunderstandings or commotions.
Qiong nodded seriously, as if she had just received a solemn promise.
Holding her bat, she walked to the door, paused to look back at Chen one last time, and whispered again, “Thank you.”
Then, she pulled the door open and quietly returned to her own room.
Chen closed the door and leaned his back against it.
He gazed out at the eternal galaxy flowing past the porthole, his heart a swirl of mixed emotions.
‘Sister Qiong’s personality… is completely different from what I thought!’
[Elysian’s Note:
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