Chapter Text
Looking at the time, the trailblazer found it difficult to fall asleep ever since partaking in the phantasmoon games, especially ever since he recieved the mask as a supplicant.
It's been gnawing on him, the thought that a supplicant's mask fluctuates said person's divine authority over their chosen path. Caelus' being, naturally, the trailblaze's since, much like Sunday's association with the harmony, is a pathstrider of the trailblaze ever since he can remember. Well, emphasis on "remember".
Did he really used to be a Stellaron hunter? And if so, will the path of finality which he used to traverse influence him now that the elation is turning everything upside down?
Ugh, all this thinking is giving him a headache... Also, how strange it is that everyone is calling him "Akivili" he can't possibly be an Aeon. Nous, the fools, even Aha back in the simulated universe which he attended for a mission, called him Akivili despite knowing his identity as just a nameless.
Aaaaa, so wierd! That's why he leaves the thinking to Dan Heng! Did Nous' gaze back in Amphoreus cause his brain to suddenly go overdrive!?
No.. The geniuses would probably notice any changes..
So then, Caelus gave up on his luxurious' room's monotony and made his way to the archives.
Knocking on the door, Dan Heng surprisingly, or unsurprisingly answered. It's so late, they should both be sleeping.
"Hey, Dan Heng.. i didn't wake you up or anything, right? You said you're a light sleeper"
"No, no it's alright, has anything been troubling you? You look more of a mess than usual, I could make us some tea"
"Thanks buddy, I appreciate it"
Patting Dan Heng's back, Caelus sat on Dan Heng's bed, appreciating his companion's thoughtfullness.
He spaced out, staring at the cool, blue lights the bed was on top of, they were mesmerising to his exhausted brain.
Dan Heng cut the trailblaze's daze off by offering a sandwich and some warm tea.
"Something has been on your mind, that's unusual considering how carefree you usually seem"
"Oh- I just.. I was just processing the weight of our previous journeys, happens sometimes, plus, the Stellaron has been buzzing every time the phantasmoon gazes"
"That.. sounds dangerous, have you told mister Yang? He often helps you out during those fluctuations. I could- we could try recommending contacting the geniuses even, to check if anything's amiss"
"But.. won't that put the genius's plan on Stabilizing Amphoreus on hold? We'll be putting our friends in danger.."
<
>, Dan Heng thought to himself
"Speaking about our friends, I hope I didn't wake Sunny on the Party car on my way here, I was kinda on autopilot and only.." Caelus blushed "I was only thinking about seeing you.."
That.. was so heartwarming for Dan Heng, since such statement revealed about Caelus' view of him, as a source of comfort and the first person to talk to whenever something went wrong. It stirred his heartstrings seeing his close friend.. friend? So comfortable with being vulnerable around him.
"I'm... Glad I could be of help, really, I'll always be there for you lean on"
"Thanks for that, Dan Heng but uh.. can I sleep with you? Tonight? Heheh I have to admit, I missed being roomates"
Dan Heng sighed and sat with Caelus in his bed, it honestly felt much more welcoming and safe to sleep with Caelus. Despite being goofy most of the time, Caelus is caring, thoughtful and even selfless.. that's handbook ideal trailblazer according to the archive's fiew recordings of the trailblaze before the Aeon's disappearance.
In order to fall asleep, Caelus even hugged Dan Heng with all four limbs and started snoring in his trashcan themed pyjamas.
Dan Heng appreciated the contact, smiled faintly and gave into his companion's warm embrace.
Next morning, Dan Heng woke up to an odd buzzing sensation, the source being his partner's chest. Oh no.. is it the Stellaron? The Vidyadhara checked Caelus' vitals and ran out of the archives to call for assistance, thankfully, Welt (who wakes up early) and Sunday (with the same habits he had from childhood discipline) came for help.
"What's the matter? Is Caelus alright?" Welt asked
"No, he came here... Last night because the stellaron was bothering him, he's running a fever and his body is...buzzing" Dan Heng said, body language full of worry for his companion's situation
"Mister Yang will seal the Stellaron, I'll try and bring some compresses, though.. I feel like I can sense great conflict within him" Sunday added on his way to bring compresses while Welt was trying to limit the Stellaron's influence
"It's alright, Dan Heng, this isn't your fault in case id that's what you were wondering. Topics such as Stellarons are.. too incomprehensible for even Aeonic beings and too unpredictable, you did well to call for help" Welt added.
Sunday made his way back with a bucket full of water and a few towels, using them accordingly as compresses to calm down Caelus' ongoing raise in temperature.
"Mister Sunday, can.. you tell if his consciousness is facing any difficulties?" Welt inquired
"In fact, yes, it's been happening for days but it felt too intrusive to ask him about it.. but now it feels like I should have engaged more" Sunday answered
"For Days.. and without the Harmony I doubt any of us would have noticed..." Dan Heng said, mostly to himself, feeling ashamed at his inability to notice the seriousness of Caelus' situation.
"It feels even worse to try tuning now due to the supplicant's mask fluctuation in my powers, Caelus has the right to keep his thoughts private but I.. if it helps.. I think I heard an odd voice seldom speak to him, it felt powerful"
"Mister Sunday, we won't judge you for revealing that fact, especially from the moment it came from the intention of helping a friend in need, could you tell us at least some characteristics?" Welt said
"It felt divine, different from the Harmony, or the Stellaron that spoke to him other times, it was difficult to comprehend"
"Different than the Stellaron, has something else powerful started disturbing him again?" Dan Heng said
"It's presence was always there with him believe it or not, but it's essence not too different from Caelus' s" Sunday added, changing the compress which had started to feel warm.
"I can't.. seal this, there's nothing wrong with the Stellaron, it may had been disturbed from being used in an earlier fight but it's still dormant" Welt said, as confused as everyone else in the room
"I'll notify the conductor and the geniuses, this is truly an enigma.." Welt announced, getting up, opening the door of the archives and leaving in a hurry.
"I wish I could be more of help, mister Dan Heng, especially after I've put the Express in danger before"
"Don't think about it, and we've all put it in the past, what matters now is.. helping everyone out in any way we can" Dan Heng replied, trying to sound composed.
Back to Caelus' POV
After falling with Dan Heng in his arms, he found himself in a weird plane, his head was aching, as if a memory is aggressively trying to stir.
"Why... Did I trailblaze"
Caelus replied before even thinking, his mouth moving on it's own
"We're already on this road, so why not traverse it?"
Why did he say that? And who was that? The presence felt familiar, much like looking in a mirror, it felt uncanny.
"Your reply.. didn't change at all, how reassuring"
The figure was faint but what Caelus could tell is that it had silver hair and very bright golden eyes, the colour scheme much like his own.
"A journey can and wilk change a person, just how this reply can change in the future, and so what?"
The figure was surprised, but most of all amused
"You're right... Every journey truly is that important and fascinating, that's what the trailblaze is about" the figure said
"So.. who are you anyways?" Caelus voiced the question that has been aching to ask since the start of the conversation
"I am you, just how you are me"
What..?
"I have watched you, the Nameless for a while, and every journey is more exciting than the last. Especially Amphoreus? Such a new concept..." The figure added, leaving Caelus with more questions than earlier.
"Are you... Akivili?" Caelus said, almost absentmindedly
"I am the embodiment of your journey, of every journey, just how it made you into who you are, you reminded me of who I am and awakened my slumber. Aha.. well.. definitely out a hand in stirring me awake"
Was that a yes? That was so cryptic
"So.. what am I supposed to do?" Caelus asked
"You might slowly.. try to adapt to the trailblaze, I apologise if it's painful but I have little to no control over this, I just woke up and- my abilities are limited"
"Wait, last thing I remember was falling asleep.. did I lose consciousness!?" Caelus was freaking out
"Ahhhh! Sorry, sorry! My awakening probably caused that and definitely troubled your companions! I can even start feeling the power of the harmony leaking into your headspace" Akivili said
"So wait! What happened to you then!? Why am I you!? Are you just.. memories!?"
"That's.. a probable outcome, I don't even know about it myself.. but I'll try waking you up, I promise!" Akivili said, understanding that THEY have put Caelus in a rather tough spot, waking the trailblazer up.
Opening his heavy eyelids, Caelus found himself in.. Herta space station? Akivili said that his companions were worried but coming all the way here just for him? He feels like he should apologise or make it up to them somehow.
"Ugh.. my head is throbbing.. and I'm tied to all these machines?" Caelus groaned
"You finally woke up! Sleepyhead! Have you any idea how dangerous your Aeonic powers were to the space station? I did everything in my powers to at least keep your body in place so you wouldn't explode!" A grandma like voice yelled, in a somehow relieved tone despite the nagging, it was madam Herta! In the flesh! The Herta!
"M..madam Herta..." Caelus exclaimed, trying to get up from his bed just to notice that his hair has grown to his shoulders and his eyes felt different.
"Yes, that's me, but my.. have you really adapted to your new look, your fanbase all over th cosmos might just evaporate from th surprise" The genius society member 83 replied while adding some dose of morphine to help with Caelus' discomfort.
"But truly, most of the credit should go to Ruan Mei for her expertise in biological life forms even if I added my own for your Aeonic identity, I can't believe my starting conjecture came true with your reactions and presence in the Simulated universe, at least we now know what happened to the trailblaze's consciousness thanks to you"
Caelus had a difficult time keeping up with the excited genius, at least he's aware that madam Herta is in a good mood ever since he woke up.
"How long have I been asleep.."
"About.. ugh let me check! Honestly, which bot has been counting... Ah yes! About 38 system hours! You're welcome for my assistance~ I'll call your friends in a second since your vitals are stable"
Madam Herta made her way out of the sterile room full of beeping machinery and medical equipment, was his situation that bad? No wonder Akivili seemed to be feeling guilty.
Then, not even a second later, Dan Heng and Sunday barged in the room"
"Caelus! Are you alright!? The geniuses evacuated even the most staff of the station and wouldn't even let us in!" Dan Heng seemed pale, dark circles under his eyelids, not having batted an eye ever since they slept together, literally
"They said you almost lost your physical form and trasitioned to an Aeon before it stabilised itself, I.. understand if you need time to process this, I just need to know if you're feeling alright" Sunday added, his past weighing on him but also using itself as a fuel for his worry towards his companion.
"You guys..I shouldn't had worried you so much, I'm so sorry..."
Even at times like these... Caelus apologises
"Are you kidding!? We literally were scared out of our minds trying to save your head!" March 7th barged in, her eyes reddened, had she been crying?
"It's nice to see you too, March" Caelus giggled, at least his demeanor hadn't changed, much to his companion's relief.
"Even miss Silver Wolf had hacked into the systems out of worry, she seemed ready to intervene in case something wrong happened" Sunday added
"Even Silver Wolf? That's extreme.. this all happened while I was sleeping like a bird..." Caelus exclaimed
This pun... Was definitely directed at Sunday but at that point he didn't mind.
"But really, while you were "sleeping like a bird" you almost blew up the Express and the Space Station! You stirred all the scientistss and geniuses and our Sunday and Dan Heng were crying too hard to sleep! Young man! You owe me at least two game nights with all the snacks funded by you!" March yelled
At least, despite her own, loud way, she made it known that despite his Aeonic identity, he was still part of the crew, like he's always been.
"And don't even get me started on the makeover! Oh and I won't forget to mention how you even made PomPom cry-" March continued yelling until Dan Heng nudged her with his elbow so she would stop spilling everything out.
"You didn't cause any trouble at all, don't listen to her" Dan Heng said in an exasperated tone while approaching Caelus carefully so as not to startle him in his vulnerable state.
"I.. should apologise again, I didn't mean to stir up that much trouble" caelus said
"We would never in a million years ignore someone in such need" Sunday added earnestly, "I understand..at least a part of your situation and can relate, Aeonhood... Changes a person and you almost ascended without even being given a choice, such feat isn't for the weak, trailblazer, we'll always, really, be here to at least lend an ear to your problems" Sunday said
"Thank you guys.. all of you.. a lot, uh.. how long did the geniuses say that I had to stay here?" Caelus asked
"A week, and you won't act otherwise, if you have any worries about your duties, they'll be fulfilled by yours truly" Dan Heng answered, in a strict tone, knowing of the impulsive nameless's habits.
"A week!? In here!? No way! It's not that bad!" Caelus was surprised
"Madam Herta had to add more painkillers and miss Ruan Mei did her best to keep your psyche intact and your neurons from paramorphing, you truly should rest" Sunday consulted
"Sigh... I'm guessing mister Yang and Himeko are keeping PomPom company..." Caelus sighed and groaned, itching to just get up and start exploring the place, to turn it upside down from the sheer curiosity gnawing at him.
Akivili said
Caelus was surprised from Akivili's voice, his expression betraying his situation as Sunday seemed to, accidentally, hear that remark, the guilt already creeping up on the Halovian's face for disturbing his privacy but honestly what Caelus was concerned about was only that at least someone knows THEY are talking in his head.
"Caelus, your eyes just.. glew gold even more intensely, did something happen." Dan Heng immediately asked the moment he noticed the change in his companion
"No, no it's okay, just a side effect, Dannie, I'll.. manage it, no need to notify the geniuses" Caelus replied
"They'll be checking up on you often anyways, how long will you be able to hide even a booger from them! Especially when you've got them hooked on this!" March yelled again, recieving another elbow from Dan Heng
"There seems to have been an improvement in your complexion, let's hope it's a sign that you'll get to be in the comfort of the Express sooner than later" Sunday added
"Yeah I can't wait to at least have a talk with PomPom, Himeko and Yang... Just like how march said, I've probably worried them a lot..." Caelus replied