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Chapter Text

It was a quiet night, streets were empty and dawn was hours away. The Trip Trap only had a small handful of patrons, all of them fables. 

He'd been smoking at the counter, exchanging banter with a fellow patron and nursing a drink of his own. In just a moment he went quiet and suddenly turned around. His eyes turned yellow, his claws were out and he was growling. They didn't know what he saw or heard. Only knew that his expression from anger and caution, turned into alert and shock.

Just like that, he vanished.

As per the testimony of three witnesses.

Chapter Text

The first thing he noticed as he began to stir was the stiffness. His limbs, torso and neck were tightly bound, judging from the lack of surfaces he was probably suspended in mid air. What surprised him even more was the presence of his own snout, muzzled shut with the same bindings as the rest of his body.

He doesn't remember ever being in wolf form prior to this.

" It looks like the creature has awakened."

He hears a voice on his right side.

" It seems its hearing is still sharp. How are the vitals?"

" Steady."

" Prepare a sedative. We need to pass through this sector quietly if we are ever to get the specimen to the labs."

He feels something prick the back of his neck and tries to struggle against his binds but whatever hit him was strong and fast acting. He goes limp in seconds.

When he finally woke up again, it was to shouting and panicked whispers.

" General Feixiao! Regardless of your standing, you can't simply waltz into an IPC transport ship without a warrant!"

An annoyingly nasally muffled voice was shouting something he doesn't understand.

" What's the harm? Unless you have something to hide, I don't think it's that much of a concern."

" We don't! You're the one who's trespassing on our ship!"

He tries to move again, barely rustling the restraints in quiet little clicks of metal.

" What was that?"

" Nothing! You paranoid Xianzhou know-it-alls think just because you have a fleet doesn't mean you can just waltz in here-- Are you listening? Hey! Don't touch that! You stay away from those doors or I swear,"

He hears a hiss and a metallic door sliding open. Before he knew it, the bindings over his eyes were removed. He winces against the harsh lights, blinking slowly until they are adjusted. He scans the room he's being held in, only to be met with white walls. The bindings surrounding him are a mixture of chains and strong fibrous strips.

" This is a highly classified subject."

The annoying voice continues and he sees the speaker, dressed in a white lab coat with an expensive looking shirt.

" The Xianzhou has very strict laws on transporting biological materials. Especially live specimens."

He searches for the calm voice and his gaze lands on a woman with white hair and large fox ears over her head. There is a certain familiarity in her gaze. An gleam of understanding in her eyes.

" Care to explain what this is?"

" It's not even sentient! Just a random specimen we found to be taken for testing. That's it. Just a regular wolf, not those ravaging Borisin!"

The annoying one continues to say.

The woman's deep teal eyes had odd white rings around her pupils and red eye liner painted on the lower corners of her eyes. Her white trenchcoat trails behind her as she approached the not so regular sized wolf. She gazed into his yellow eyes, as if seeing something others don't. Her left ear with the gold earrings flicked twice.

He repeats the motion after a short pause.

" Moze."

A flash of purple mist moves past his head and the muzzle clicks open. It falls to the ground with a clatter of the chains and bindings.

He works his jaw, opening it partly to snarl and those within the room aside from the woman step back. He breathes in deep, rearing his head back as far as the chains allowed and he huffed and puffed and blew a blast of wind against the annoying ones.

He thrashed around his bindings until his hind legs were free and touching the ground. The annoying one seems to have called for reinforcements as black clad men came through with their weapons pointed at him. He growls at them and looks down at the woman that removed his eye bindings. She was not cowed or threatened by his outburst, instead her face expressed elation. Not in the cruel way one corners prey but in a certain awe he can't place.

" Let me go."

Surprised, the woman was momentarily taken aback but the black clad assholes were still aiming their firearms at him. He wasn't sure if she understood what he said but her hand moved to a weapon he hadn't noticed before, a double axed green halberd. His growl lowers until it becomes a silent hum.

" Let me go."

He says more softly with a meaningful bow of his head. Her grip adjusts over the weapon and her stance changes. The wolf closes his eyes, awaiting the strike.

The clatter of chains and snaps of binding echo around the room. The wolf gasped as the restraints were released and landed on the floor in a heap. He roared at the black clad troops, more annoyed than angry. It lowers into a growl, he sees the fear in their shaking figures and smells another unfamiliar presence behind him.

" You're safe now, friend. I will ensure it."

He has no idea what she's saying but believes it. He feels the fatigue and exhaustion rushing into him and he knows he doesn't have much time to dwell on it. He forces his body to shift, letting his form grow smaller and smaller until his hands and forehead meet the ground in a few grunts and gasps. He stands up on shaky limbs, gasping for control as his fangs shrank and claws disappeared.

The wolf, now a man, stands before them with yellow eyes burning with barely contained anger. He closes them again, stumbling backwards but the presence behind him had already moved to catch him.

" Thanks."

He muttered as the stranger covered his modesty with their own hooded cloak.

The rest of it is a blur as his body gives out. He was being helped out of the room and walked down a hall somewhere else. Before he knew it, he was lying down on a medical slab, an IV in his arm and multiple blood samples taken away.

" All the tests showed up negative."

Another fox person with pink hair approaches him with a strange looking gun with a needle at the barrel.

He sits up, alert. The wolf bared his teeth when the armed man approached and growled loud enough to be heard through the whole medical facility.

" It's not a weapon."

The person says, speaking gently with placating gestures.

" The synesthesia beacon should help us understand each other. It'll only hurt for a moment."

His claws grew out and he grips the metal slab with an audible grating tear as a warning since his growls weren't getting through. The white one who freed him appeared from behind the pink one, her mouth was full and chewing on some skewers.

" So, how's it going?"

He stared at the skewers, suddenly aware of his own hunger.

" He isn't exactly very...docile."

" Let me try."

The white one approaches him again and holds up the bag she brought with him.

" I just picked these up on the way here. Thought you might be hungry."

" Maybe we shouldn't be giving him any,"

Whatever the guy wanted to say was interrupted by the wolf's stomach. He looks down, a little embarrassed but the guy merely sighs.

" Now his insides are growling too. I suppose the implant will have to wait."

His body relaxes as the weird gun is put away. The white one takes the chair next to the medical slab and unpacks the bag she brought in.

" Not sure what you liked so I got a bit of everything."

She says as she spreads out what he could only describe as a full feast right on the medical slab.

" Let's see, Songlotus cake, berrypheasant skewers, chili oil beef offal stew, ooh, you have to try the grilled shontak moa drumlets. It's the best."

She offers him a grilled chicken wing of some kind, the smell already making his mouth water. He goes through the food one by one, not even the sweets were spared from his hunger. He has no idea how long he'd been strung up before or how long since his last meal. He could usually go without food for days so it must really be hitting his limit.

It's a quick prick, he barely even noticed it until it itched and looked around cautiously to see the guy with the weird gun smiling triumphantly with said gun in hand. He growled, touching where his neck had been shot in and grew out his fangs.

" Do not growl at me, please. You were the one who wasn't being cooperative." The guy says.

The wolf ceased his growling, looking far more confused now. " What?"

" Ha! You're sly, Jiaoqiu. I didn't even notice you move then." The white one laughed, taking in the wolf's baffled expression with humour. " So? Understand us yet? I hope that thing's working."

" I think it is." He says slowly, still rubbing his neck. He turns back to the guy, Jiaoqiu. " What was that?"

" It's called a synesthesia beacon. It allows cross communication between different languages." The pink fox said.

" Okay..." He gathered his scrambled thoughts, pressing a hand to his temple. A cup is thrust into his hand and he looks at the giver. " Who are you?"

The white one smiled. " I am General Feixiao of the Xianzhou Yaoqing. The one with the needles is Jiaoqiu. My healer and advisor." She nods to the pink one.

A single word comes to mind. " Wolf."

" A bit on the nose." Jiaoqiu muttered as he picked up a clipboard. " Most of the blood tests have shown up negatively on any drugs or additional changes to your biology. It seems we found you right on time before they could do anything to you. Do you remember what your home planet is called? We could arrange for a transport."

" No."

" Ah, then maybe a description. We could match it up with our database and go from there."

It wouldn't take long for them to find out that the Wolf remembers nothing of where he came from, of who he was before aside from a feeling of homesickness he could never put down.

He remembers he shouldn't be in wolf form, despite it being his primal form.

He remembers the word Snow and knows not its significance. 

He hears a mention of Winter both as a name and the season, regarded ruefully yet fondly.

He knows he's Wolf, not only in being but in name.

He's granted asylum on the Yaoqing and since then, the Merlin's Claw had gained another lieutenant.

A new home, a new name, a new language to learn.

All things she's experienced before and will help him through.

Chapter Text

Clouds of white smoke fill the air, he could taste the salt wafting from the seawater below him. With the amount of censers in the area, he's surprised the smell hasn't overwhelmed him. It's probably because a majority of them are shut down and the base ingredients have no effect on beings like himself.

Then it him.

A sword knocks the pipe out of his hand. A blonde kid zips by on a flying sword while another, barefoot little girl chases after the boy with a giant black sword.

He'd question what they were doing but he was smoking on the rooftop in the first place. He simply ventures down to pick up his pipe again, completely ignoring the battle happening behind him if he would call the childish squabble as impressive as it was.

In another time he would be a little wary and concerned, he thought as he brushed off the dirt and dust from his pipe. Now? There are things he's seen in a short amount of time to be far more reckless and impressive.

" Didn't I tell you smoking here would be ill advised?" Cue reckless and impressive's etymology origin in the form of a white foxian.

" Wouldn't have happened if you let me have cigarettes." He scoffed, cleaning up his pipe.

She shakes her head and chuckles, walking towards the children. He fishes for the tobacco in his pocket, going through the oh so arduous process of putting in the tobacco and lighting it up again. Only for it to be knocked out of his hands again by yet another sword.

He peers over his shoulder with his yellow eyes where she had decided to intervene on the children's squabble, if not to avoid any more damages to their surroundings. He picks up his pipe again, cleans out the contents and walks over to where the children were being gently reprimanded.

" The Luofu is never short of surprises." She says with a fondness in her voice.

" I'd make a suggestion." He says as gets closer. " Why don't you settle your dispute at the Wardance's ring? Fair and square, settle your grudges and put it behind you."

" Grudges? No, not at all." The boy balked, but quickly collected himself. " Yunli and I...we were just sparring."

" I'd tell that to my pipe when you knocked it out of my hand earlier with those swords you summoned."

" And she swung her sword at full strength." The white foxian added with an amused snort. " No grudges? I don't believe you."

" Granted, the second time was all you." He points the pipe in his hand at the foxian for emphasis.

She shrugged, one arm on her hip. " I told you not to smoke here."

" Aha!" Three more figures join in. " What brings you here, Lady Feixiao? Have you finished your health consultation with the Dragon Lady?"

" Fei... Feixiao?" The girl, Yunli, muttered with a disbelieving look in her eyes. " Grandpa always talks about you... Could it be you are..."

" The Merlin's Claw of the Xianzhou Yaoqing?" The boy finishes in her steed.

" Looks like you're as famous as ever." He teased her. The foxian proceeds to give him a side eye. " Just saying."

" Of course, everyone has heard of the Great General, known to all, unbeknown to none." Lingsha, the Red Dragon says. " And, my greetings to Lord Beifang, The Unabating."

" Great General? Isn't that title a bit narcissistic?"

" Please, never address me as 'Lord'." He pleaded with them. " We're not exactly fans of unnecessary titles."

" I heard there was a 'Dozing' General on the Luofu, so I came up with a humble nickname for myself;" 

" Here we go."

Ignoring Beifang, she continued. " The Lacking General - lacking in worries, regrets and rivals. Sounds much better, right?"

" And it only took you all morning."

" Perhaps we should also participate in the Wardance, Beifang." She suggested. " Settle your grudges with me there."

" Or, you could buy me a box of cigarettes." He says instead, tucking away the pipe into a secret compartment in his trench coat. " But, more tobacco works too."

Lingsha giggles. " I think the title is rather befitting, sounding both humble and impressive."

Beifang regards the two unknown people behind the viyadhara with a friendly smile while Feixiao dealt with the young ones. " Hello. Are you also a guest of the Loufu?"

" Um, hi." The pink haired girl waves at him and covers the grey haired girl's mouth before she could speak. " We're the Nameless from the Astral Express."

" The Nameless." The grey one shoves the hand away. " I've heard a lot about your adventures. Consider me a fan. Here for the Wardance, I presume?"

" We received invitations and wanted to see what it's all about." The grey one says. " Who are you?"

" I'm called Beifang but you could also call me Wolf if it's easier for you."

" Wolf?" The two cocked their heads.

" It's the only name I remember before joining the Xianzhou Yaoqing. I don't remember anything before that, unfortunately." He explained with a slight sigh. " Would be nice if I did."

" You don't remember your past? That's just like me and Stelle! The Nameless found me floating in ice and I don't remember anything either. We found Stelle unconscious in a space station with no memories either." The pink one bounced. " Ooh, what if you've got, like, some tragic backstory or some super cool powers you can unlock when your memories come back?"

The grey one gasped dramatically. " Is that you March 8th?"

" Hey, that's not funny after the second time!"

He chuckled in good humour. " I definitely have a past, but I hope it's not tragic."

" I'm sorry to interrupt but I believe we've finished our task here. The General would like to have a word with you at the seat of Divine Foresight." The blonde kid, he'd later know him as Yanqing, politely nods at Beifang before escorting the Nameless back to their friend who is apparently waiting for them.

Beifang takes out the pipe again once the kids are out of sight. He walks off, knowing his sister would join him soon once her business is settled with the red dragon. He relishes the moments of silence by the sea shore, hearing the waves lap against the sand and the wind blowing through his brown hair.

" How was it?" He asked without turning around, already familiar with her footsteps and presence.

" As usual." She says. " The Healing Lady told me to just enjoy some good food. I've handed a sample of your blood to see if they can do anything with it."

" I'm sure Jiaoqiu would be glad to see the results regardless of the outcome." He blows a mouthful of smoke into the air. " I don't like what I'm smelling around here, Feixiao. Something's up."

" I couldn't agree more." She leans against the railings. " I'd let you shift to investigate but the attack earlier today has caused a bit of panic and you can imagine how the lesser knowing Cloud Knights would react to you."

Beifang snorts. " It's only for emergencies anyway."

" Have you considered what I asked?"

" With everything going on right now, I'd rather put my own agendas on hold." He says. " We're already on the Luofu. I don't think the Divination Commission is going anywhere any time soon."

Feixiao smiles sadly. " Always putting yourself back."

He huffs more smoke. " Pot. Kettle."

They sensed the approach of two figures, familiar with the presence they didn't bother to turn until Feixiao addressed them.

" Couldn't you have at least picked something with more quality?" Jiaoqiu waved the fan in front of him to dispel the smoke. " It's bad enough you have this habit, but at least spare me the second hand smoke."

He doesn't grace the other foxian with an answer, simply turning the other way.

" Well, you've met with Jing Yuan and wandered around for a few hours. So, what do you think?" Feixiao asked.

So far, it seems that the Wardance was attracting an influx of visitors and guests unlike ever before. While the Divine Foresight seems to be using the ceremony as a show of strength since the previous disaster, one can't help but be concerned over the possible disorder and chaos that would ensue. The Cloud Knight are still as vigilant as ever at least.

" For future reference, can't we send Beifang for future meetings with generals?" The healer suggested, showing his unease. " I'm just a military healer, and now all of a sudden I'm thrust onto the center stage having a cordial chat with two generals?"

" My work doesn't lend itself to being in the limelight either." Adds Moze.

" Sure" Beifang grinned. " It'll get me arrested immediately and then, I can head on into the Shackling Prison ahead of you before Feixiao bails me out." He purposely blows a thicker plume of smoke their way.

" Quit whining, you two." She playfully chides them. " At least, you're in one piece right?"

The discussion moved on to the generals. Personally, he had no qualms with either one. Never really met them personally anyways and would prefer to keep it that way. As much as he worked with Feixiao, he preferred to stay clear of the high command as much as he could. For his own sake and hers.

He wasn't a Foxian or of similar descent.

Essentially, he was an outsider who's only been around the Yaoqing a few years and participated in a few battles. Initially he stayed because they needed something from him, from his blood, but then he somehow ended up with a sister.

Eventually, Jiaoqiu asks about her visit with the Dragon Lady. Though disappointed, he remained resolute in his promise to find a cure for her.

" With Beifang's help, I can find a new lead."

Feixiao smiles and they know that smile. One that's not happy nor sad. Acceptance. Something they've refused to grasp.

" Life and death, Jiaoqiu. It's all predetermined." She looks to the skies, he could see her mind drawing back to a clear night illuminated by a single light that sailed through the cosmos with a purpose. " Upon starting my career, I made a pledge that the rest of my life would be dedicated to being the Xianzhou's spearhead, hunting down Abominations of the Abundance till the end of my days. As long as I fulfil that deep-seated desire... I don't care how long I live."

The vow is one he was familiar with, though not in the same noble cause. He can empathize with the feeling, understand her convictions but also recognise the difference. He would never be able to speak of his own vow, not only because he has no memory of it aside from a feeling but said feelings were not of noble cause. It is a selfishness he keeps to himself, one that aches and lingers like a repetitive dream he can't recall.

" My true enemy has always been myself."

She has said this often and he would repeat it himself in silence, kept safe in the privacy of his mind. He supposed their brotherhood had come from seeing themselves in one another, even with his lack of memory.

" Have some tasty food... So, what are we having for dinner?" Moze asked.

" You really know how to read the room, don't you?" Jiaoqiu says.

" You guys can figure that out." Feixiao says. " I'm going to visit an old war friend I haven't seen in a long time."

Beifang raised a brow. " I thought you said you were going to show me how to drive a skiff?"

She chuckled. " We can do it on the way."

Chapter Text

Crashing a skiff was one way to land. Feixiao had laughed it off, patting his shoulder as she held her stomach at the sight of the skiff embedded in a wall. It also alerted the Skyfaring Commission and instead of meeting with her friend at Aurum Alley, here she was, giving Beifang a hefty fine.

" While I do appreciate your dramatic entrances, I do believe this wasn't the time or place for such things." The foxian woman in charge says the turns to the actual driver. " I suggest you never drive."

Where has he heard that before?

He should be offended but instead he felt oddly relieved. It was fun while it lasted though. He takes out his pipe to smoke.

" It's been thirty years since we last saw each other, right Yukong?" Feixiao puts her arm around his shoulder, squeezing playfully as he attempts to light the pipe. " This is my brother-in-arms, Beifang."

" Hello." His voice was muffled by the pipe in his teeth.

" I've heard of you on the news, Beifang the Unabating. It's an honour to meet you in person." She greeted him nonetheless. His eyes were a curious and very appealing sight. Bright, glowing yellow and reminded her fondly of a small foxian judge, or rather the heliobus sealed in her tail. His blue attire is much more similar to the styles outsiders who live in the Xianzhou preferred. Easy to wear and blended in well with their style.

The tobacco blend might be cheap but the pipe itself was most definitely custom made. It gives too much smoke and the smell is heavy but he seemed content with it, wistful even. He smokes the whole way to Aurum Alley and only puts away the pipe to eat after Feixiao pesters him.

He had a few habits that reminded Yukong of members from the investigative bureau. One would be his lack of appetite which is often corrected by Feixiao who constantly adds more to his plate and he does the same for her by switching out certain plates to balance her meals while she eats. Beifang listened to their conversation throughout, without much reaction to the topics until Hoolay was mentioned. Even so his reaction was subdued in knowing Feixiao would assure their safety.

" My brother would like to visit the Divination Commission as well." Feixiao revealed.

" Only out of your suggestion." He snorts. " I don't have any memories prior to Feixiao saving me from the IPC. I don't even know how I got into their clutches in the first place. I get these... feelings sometimes. For certain things."

" Like smoking?" Yukong prodded gently as his hand patted where the pipe was tucked in his coat.

" That's more because it helps dull my senses so I don't get overstimulated. But yeah, something like that." He nods, taking a sip of the tea. " It's strange because of how contradictory these feelings could be. I know I like winter and snow but I don't like the cold as much. I feel comfortable in places like Aurum Alley, the shops and taverns feel homely and at the same time it feels as if I'm trapped, confined."

" That must be confusing for you."

" Not so." The empty plates are taken away and Beifang leans back as he prepares to smoke another round. " Maybe it's simply the kind of life I've lived before. A little contradictory but not against all my nature. I... I find comfort in it, in a way I can't remember but still understand."

Feixiao smiles, eyes shining with a certain pride. It seems she had a hand in helping him express his feelings as well. Despite his rather gruff appearance, he's rather polite and good with his words.

" Out of curiosity, I'm wondering how old you are?"

" No idea." Feixiao says. " But he feels older than me."

Beifang scoffs. " I'm definitely older than you."

" Perhaps Diviner Fu Xuan could help determine that for you."

" We'll have to see. She says she has time tomorrow to see you." The general looks at her brother carefully. " But first, we're meeting with the Nameless first thing in the morning after breakfast."

" You want me to be there? Younglings don't usually like me."

" Is that a concern with the Nameless?" Yukong asked.

" Nonsense!" Feixiao gives his back a hard pat, nearly causing him to drop the pipe. " I saw how you talked with them today, they're fine with you. If anything I think they're fascinated. Your eyes aren't even as frightening as you think they are."

" You worry about your eyes?" Yukong asked, looking surprised. " That's a shame, I think they're rather beautiful."

Beifang coughed, smoke sputtering in the air. " No, it's not- You're just saying that."

" Look at him, Yukong." Feixiao clicked her tongue and shook her head. Then, her ears flicked and eyes lit up with an idea. " Say, do my eyes look scary to you, Yukong?"

" Terrifying." She replied without missing a beat.

" Feixiao-"

" You see? I'm terrifying." She places her cup on the table loudly. " Beifang, who am I?"

" You're the general. We don't have to do this thing again-"

" I'm the Lacking General. Lacking in worries, regrets and rivals. So, who are you?"

" I really don't think-"

" Lieutenant, I asked you a question."

Beifang narrowed his gaze, pipe still to his lips and a small rumble emitting from his throat. The growl is cavernous, not quite a warning nor reprimand. It gathers curious eyes to their table and with that, the growls cease.

He sighs, huffing more smoke before finally answering. " I am the Wolf."

It was like he was stating a word of law, an obvious fact. Like how Lan is the Hunt, then he is the Wolf.

Though, from the way it was said, it felt like there was something missing. Something unspoken. An epithet incomplete.

" Now that's settled. Yukong, have you heard of someone named Ruan Mei?"

From then on, the Wolf continued to listen to their conversation in silence.

The following morning, Beifang followed Feixiao to the seat of Divine Foresight where he was formally introduced to General Jing Yuan and General Huaiyan.

" The Unabating. You must've shown to be quite a thorn on the enemy's side to be given such a title from them." Jing Yuan says.

" My constitution is unique, I've been told." Beifang replied with the pipe in his hands. " I heal very quickly but I've no traces of mutation or biological interference of the divine nature. I am not touched by the Abundance but I have no way of knowing if I am not under another's gaze."

" Ah, so that is the reason for your request with the Divination Commission." The Divine Foresight hummed thoughtfully. " Lady Fu Xuan has asked me to inform you beforehand that she could not guarantee that the device would work. They had attempted to look through one of the Nameless, March 7th's memories but were interrupted by an external force."

Beifang looked contemplative. " Who or what stopped them?"

" A member of the Garden of Recollection it seemed. A faction of the Remembrance." Jing Yuan replied.

There's a short pause, something flashing in Beifang's yellow eyes before he shuts them and brings a hand to his temple. He chews on the pipe, smoke trailing out of the corners of his lips as his brows furrowed.

" You seem a little unwell." Elder Huaiyan pointed out. " Perhaps you should have a rest before seeing the Divination Commission."

" No, I'm alright." He assured them. " I still have to meet with the Nameless, don't I? Just a greeting and I'll be on my way." 

Before long, the Nameless arrived and the grey one marched up to him immediately. She looks at him up and down, then stares straight into his eyes with a purpose he hadn't seen the day prior. She looks like she was figuring something out, then finally, speaks.

" Are you Gallagher?"

" Stelle!" A green one this time grabs her by the yellow strap on her back. " My apologies, sir. She is a bit forward."

" It's okay." He says as he awkwardly tucks away his cleaned up pipe. " Do I look familiar to you?"

" Not exactly." She says once her gaze goes over him properly and rubs the back of her head. " We had a friend in Penacony and you sort of resembled him. After meeting you yesterday and hearing about your memories, I just thought for a moment you were him but I... guess not. Sorry for the misunderstanding."

" Like I said, it's fine." He assured her. " And I didn't quite catch your name."

" Allow me to introduce our guests." Jing Yuan says, reminding them of the generals present in the room. " The one dressed in green..."

" He's the reincarnation of Imbibitor Lunae, Dan Heng." Feixiao cuts in. " And the one behind him is the newest member of the Crew, Stelle. My brother and I have heard a lot about you. Outside the reports from the Luofu, the Sky-Faring Commission of the Yaoqing has also gathered plenty of information about both of you. I've been eager to meet you face to face, for reasons that... I'm sure General Jing Yuan has explained, right?"

The duo only exchanged a single look. " You're here about the Ambrosial Arbor's resurrection, no?"

So there was some thought behind those golden eyes. He and Feixiao shared a smile.

" Straight to the point. I like it."

They've talked about how they should approach the Nameless regarding the topic, considering how young the representatives are. Despite whatever is written officially and known, it was easy to see that they were still youths. The Path of the Trailblaze isn't an easy one to thread as they've seen in reports from various sources. High effort with little reward, he found the notion rather noble if not foolish. Something about it makes him reminiscent about a past he knows nothing of.

Still, there were details in the report of the crisis that requires clarification and they are to approach them within an official capacity. He checks the time.

" I'll have to head off to the Divination Commission. So you can go ahead with the interrogation without me." Beifang announced. " If my sister asks questions you might not like, just know that it may not reflect her own thoughts. We've all got things we have to do so I hope you understand."

The two Nameless nods.

" It was nice meeting you, Nameless, Generals." He bids them farewell and exits the Seat of Divine Foresight.

He checks his jade abacus, a device he had struggled with for a good while and reads out the information of the Diviner he was supposed to meet. She's described as a slacker but her recent work repertoire has her promoted after an incident where her sharpness had managed to break the Head Diviner out of a mind control spell.

Twin tails and green eyes with a pension for finding ways to slack off. He spots her in a crowd of people playing a game of tiles, some money is passed around with clever slights of hands. The girl at the centre is already winning the game and before long her expression became more boring while her opponent became more frustrated.

She wins in one more move.

He sifts through the crowd as she counts her winnings through the simultaneously cheering and booing crowd.

" Miss Qingque." He calls out.

" Next round is next week, sorry." She says without looking up.

" Wasn't looking to compete but sure. At least show me where the Divination Commission is." She paused, looking up from her wins. Like a deer in headlights, she was frozen.

Very subtly, she tucks away her winnings and smiles awkwardly. " Please don't tell me you're the special guest I'm supposed to guide..."

He smiles, bemused. " Okay, I won't."

The silent pause fills him with muted mirth as she pales. 

" Right this way, Sir!"

Chapter Text

" My most honoured greetings, Lord Beifang." The Head Diviner bowed, she raised her head and her eyes narrowed in half a glare. " The Wolf of the North."

The title irks him in ways that only his past can describe. He feels the growl building in his chest before it vocalises and dispels it with a single breath.

" So, how do we go about this, Lady Fu Xuan?"

" As I have informed previous guests, the device does not allow one to remember anything. It merely collects data in order to simulate 'past events'." She leads him to where the device was situated as she explained its function. " Would you say your memories are dormant or completely erased?"

" Dormant, more like. I get these...feelings. Instances that are both alien and familiar." He explained.

" Did you bring the items we've specified?"

He reaches into his trenchcoat and hands over various items throughout his years serving in the Xianzhou. Among them included his smoking pipe which was the first thing he ever bought with his own money, the dagger Moze insisted he carried around for emergencies, the tea cup from the gift set Jiaoqiu gave him to enjoy medicinal teas he'd give and his jade abacus, which Feixiao delightfully purchased with a matching casing to hers.

" I don't have anything from before my memory loss, unfortunately. The IPC claimed I didn't carry anything with me when I was brought in." They both soured at the mention of the large corporation. You could never trust what they say but it was clear they might not have anything after all since Feixiao and himself would guarantee nothing was left unchecked.

" Then, perhaps a lock of fur from your coat." Fu Xuan suggested.

Beifang glanced at the surrounding diviners and cloud knights whose not so subtle glances would linger on him for too long. " I'm not sure your staff would be very comfortable should my appearance change."

" I assure you, all of our staff have been briefed of your constitution. You are free to change at will." So they are aware of his other form. Explains the long staring. " We could move forward without your coat but the chances of unveiling your past would be close to null."

At a single look from the Master Diviner, the surrounding staff began their retreat and even the Cloud Knights gave a salute before following. Any guards left were at the very outskirts of the area and had their backs turned to them.

Fu Xuan did not say anything further, her arms crossed and she awaited his reaction.

The change is not instantaneous, the bones don't crack with an agonising tear of flesh and sinew. It doesn't grow out of the skin or rapture in any way. It simply comes to be. Like the way thunder rumbled in the sky when Jing Yuan summons the Lightning Lord for battle.

A cool wind tickles her face, from the shadows is a large creature with fur darker than the night's sky. His yellow eyes stared down at Fu Xuan, now he was the one waiting on her action.

" Only a grasp." His voice rumbled as he leaned his head lower.

The Head Diviner's hands are swift and cautious, in just a moment she has a grasp of black wolf fur in her possession and ties it into a bundle with a white string. Her intuition that morning served her well even if the form he took still surprised her.

Beifang returns to his human form and Fu Xuan immediately turns away to prepare the items at the terminal on the Matrix core. There was another reason for the dismissal of her staff, for the sake of modesty and decency of their well respected guest. By the time she returned, he was fully clothed again and standing at the very core as instructed.

" The diagnostics are complete. Are you prepared?"

" Ready as I'll ever be." He grunts, already missing the taste of the smoke from his pipe. " How long would this take?"

" Depending on your memories, it could go very shortly or take much longer." She answered. " I will soon connect you to the Matrix of Prescience Ultima, where the Matrix will read your memories and guide you back into your past. If you reach a block in your memory, the Matrix will use the data gathered to derive a scenario, and construct a possible past for you. I will ask again for assurance, would you like to proceed?"

" Yes." He's already made it this far. There are few chances to visit other Alliances outside of the Yaoqing, the Yuque have even fewer chances and second to them would always be the Luofu. He would not squander the opportunity Feixiao, his sister in all but blood, had given him.

" I will be able to communicate with you from outside the Matrix and manipulate the recollection process to a certain extent." Fu Xuan's hands glow with energy. " Let us begin."

He hears the hum of the machine, sees the symbols illuminating the circuitry around him and the whirling and ticking of the Matrix' rings around him. It's like a poke, not as invasive as a needle but like a gentle prod.

His surroundings turn dark and when it clears, he finds himself on the streets of the Yaoqing. He remembers this particular street, illuminated by street lamps and a number of people passing by. A section of the commercial district. He doesn't think the stares are as hostile as they seemed but something amiss does catch his eye.

" Lady Fu Xuan?"

The Diviner glances around curiously. " Am I to interpret those glares as their true nature or your personal insecurities?"

Beifang sputtered.

" Beifang!" He's grabbed by the collar of his trenchcoat. Feixiao wraps her arm around his neck and points overly enthusiastically at the nearest store." Look here, we have to pick out a jade abacus for you!"

" I'm assuming this is also your own interpretation." She was correct. While stubborn, the general was never overly boisterous or touchy.

" You've got a lot of admirers, huh?" Feixiao speaks again, catching another passerby glancing at them discreetly.

The truer vision of that memory leaks through and the glares morph into curious stares and blushing cheeks. He manages to pry himself out of Feixiao's grip, fortunately.

" This was where we bought all my things." He looked around, starting to recognise his surroundings. " I didn't have anything so one of the first things they set out to do was to fill up my inventory. I was living under the direct custody of the Realm-Keeping Commission for a few months. They'd given me a new name, taught me their language and the worst of it all was getting me the jade abacus. I did not, could not understand how any of it worked. But, Feixiao was insistent, apparently a mandatory device if I wanted to hold down a job anywhere."

" I see you aren't one to be idle." Fu Xuan says.

" Maybe, maybe not." He mused to himself as Jiaoqiu appeared, muttering incoherent nothings to himself which is unlike the usually outspoken healer.

" Do you see anything out of place? An object that shouldn't exist here." Other than his peers acting slightly out of character and his insecurities put on display, he doesn't quite notice anything at first.

He hears it before he sees it.

The ringing tone doesn't match with any other devices he's seen. Not a jade abacus or any kind of phone the IPC tries to sell off as higher quality.

Sitting on the counter of a stall was a clunky, outdated communications device. The buttons were large and heavy, the chord connecting the main device and receiver is coiled up.

" A landline?" Fu Xuan peers at the device. " How...archaic."

Such devices are now mostly used for aesthetics and exclusively in hotels to connect lines between rooms. One so beat up has no place at an open stall where the owner is literally talking on their jade abacus.

It rings insistently and he exchanges a glance with Fu Xuan before reaching for it. His hand closes around the receiver and the streets of the Yaoqing disappeared.

He looks around the empty room, there's a blue couch near the window, an ash tray on the side table, an open empty fridge and bloodstains over the wooden floorboards.

" Fu Xuan?" The Head Diviner was nowhere to be found.

The landline keeps ringing, the receiver vibrating in his hand. He picks it up and puts the receiver to his ear.

" What are you doing here?"

He pulls away the receiver, baffled by what he was hearing. Surely that wasn't his voice, was it?

" I'm looking for answers."

He waits for a reply, listening to the quiet breaths on the other side of the line.

" This is a lost cause."

The line goes dead with a deafening beep before the landline automatically goes to voice mail.

" Hello, Bigby."

The voice is feminine, gentle and calm. Something about it is so soothing to his ears and without any sultriness or honeyed tones, it lures him closer.

" I'm not sure what you think you'll find here but knowing you, you won't stop until you get your answers."

He felt compelled to ask.

" Do I know you?"

The soothing voice laughs softly. Somehow, she answered.

" No, Sheriff. But, I know you. Go through the door and keep walking straight. Okay?"

" Okay."

The message ends with a beep and he puts the receiver back where it belongs. The voice lingers in his mind longer than any form of nostalgia. If he met the owner's eyes, would he drown in her gaze and never return to the surface? If he saw her would be think of her as an angel? If she spoke, would he hang on to every word?

He already knows what the answer is.

The only right one he can think of coherently through the haze of his dazed mind.

He finds the door that would lead to the outside of the apartment. Yes, he knows it's an apartment as shitty as it is. He twists the doorknob open, a gust of cold air rushing in and beyond the open door is pure white snow.

Trees towered overhead, reaching into the cloudy skies above. His surroundings are covered by a peacefully white landscape. His breaths are visible against the chill. He remembers the advice the voice gave him and walks forward, leaving the apartment behind him.

The landline rings again but he's too far to hear it. It goes into voice mail.

" Beifang, can you hear me? Something has disconnected me from the Matrix. There are signs of divine interference and I cannot stop the immersion with you still inside."

The Head Diviner would receive no reply. The Wolf was already too far gone.

" Whatever you do, do not engage with anything in the memory. Whatever you'll find there---."

There's a loud beep and the call ends.

Beifang continues his walk, he relishes the memory of the cold and the wind that grazes his cheeks with its bitter touch. He smells blood in the air, faint but only at first.

A small green spot in the snow attracts his gaze. It's a sizeable grasshopper, a leg missing. He makes no other note of it and continues down the path. He finds a small bird next, followed by a squirrel, a rabbit, a wild goose, a hawk, a fox, a fawn, a doe, a buck, a bear and the size of the carcasses he passed kept growing in number.

The taste of blood fills his mouth, runs down his throat and paints his teeth. He feels his hands flexing and dares not to deviate, even when he finally comes across a human corpse.

It's a child, a little boy with his face down in the red snow.

The more he walked, the more corpses replaced the carcasses and the more impressive were the sizes of monsters that were felled. More armoured men filled his sight, their weapons stuck to the ground in haphazard fashion.

He did not pause, did not waver in his step.

The bodies were piling up, he believes he knows what's ahead of him as he licked his teeth to taste the iron that suffocates the air. Without ever breaking his stride, he grabs the hilt of a sword stuck to the ground in passing. He tests its weight as he walks, gripping the handle steadily.

He sees the large mass amidst the stretch of bloodstained snow, like a single black dot in an ocean of red. Within sight is a wolf with fur so black, you don't even see the blood that drenched its coat, the same blood that soaks his trenchcoat into a deeper colour than it is. Blood dripped down his muzzle, down the corners of his lips. The eyes are hazel, calmer than his own bright yellows.

" Well," He finally says after a stretch of silence between them. " This is poetic."

Chapter Text

The Matrix of Prescience Ultima is still functioning much to their shock. The entire platform that houses the core of the machine is encapsulated in clear, mirror-like ice. They say it started to spread out of nowhere and the Head Diviner barely had time to escape before it completely enclosed the Matrix. An evacuation was called in order to contain and investigate the situation.

General Feixiao observes the block of ice, one so cold that it burns with just a touch. Breaking the ice, as she was told, was ill advised. It was too sturdy for any blade to cut through and could possibly harm Beifang who was trapped in its middle.

Its origins are linked not to the Garden of Recollection but the Glowswather THEMSELVES. What THEY wanted with Beifang was unbeknownst to her or anyone on the Xianzhou for that matter.

" How is he?" She asked the Head Diviner who dismissed a group of Artisans and Diviners.

" His brain activity is high, at the very least we know for certain that he's alive. As to what he may be experiencing in the Matrix, that is a completely different matter. Our indicators show a level of stress that he's going under, he may have tapped into the past he sought or re-experiencing a possible traumatic event calibrated by the Matrix." The Head Diviner hands her the written report.

" It's one thing after another." Feixiao muttered.

He was like a picture, completely frozen in time with his knitted brows and set frown, not in anger but confusion. The creases on his face show his age despite them having no clue how old he truly was. The report included his perception of his peers, how he thinks of her as too energetic, projected how quiet Moze was and just how much Jiaoqiu actually grumbles and mutters under his breath. His insecurities made her crack a smile, she shakes her head at his obliviousness to courtships back on the Yaoqing.

" Is he safe here?" She still had a duty to uphold and despite what she wanted, she had to put her hunt for Hoolay as top priority. She looks back at Beifang, flicking her left ear subtly. It's but a moment, less than a second of movement but his eye did twitch.

" As safe as one can be in such ice." The Head Diviner answered, pulling her attention again. " I am responsible for this incident getting out of hand. I will ensure he is constantly monitored during your hunt, General Feixiao. No harm will come to Beifang, you have my word."

The foxian general only smiled. " I'll hold you to that then. Try talking to him, keep him updated over what's happening at all times."

With two lieutenants down, she'll have to resolve the issue quickly to ensure the safety of everyone on the Loufu. Jing Yuan had gone to the Shackling Prison with Dan Heng and Lingsha, Elder Huaiyan has temporarily taken over command of the Seat of Divine Foresight. They have seven hours before the official start of the Wardance and as one who is most familiar with the Borisin, she would be spearheading their hunt.

" May your hunt be fruitful, General." Fu Xuan bade her farewell as she stepped out of the Divination Commission.

Out of their sights, a miniscule crack appears over the clear ice.

Chapter Text

As they stood amidst the sea of bloodied snow, mouths stained in red and coats soaked heavily with crimson that's not even noticeable in the blackness, the world around them is ever so silent. There was no wind, no sounds of life anywhere for miles on end and nothing but their own breaths filling the silence. Neither of them were making any moves, each taking in the appearance of the other.

Beifang could imagine how heavy the wolf's fur must be, caked in all that blood and grime like his trenchcoat at the moment. It's a bit strange, for the Wolf's brown eyes looked far more human than his bright yellow ones.

He lifts the sword as the Wolf bares his teeth.

The fight that ensues wasn't their best. Beifang wasn't a master with the blade and the Wolf wouldn't use his claws. Their coats are heavy, making movement more sluggish. Neither of them are happy with their circumstances, with their fight (if they would even call it that) for one was so pathetic, or with their surroundings which hinder most of their actions with obstacles upon obstacles.

" We can't fight like this." He remarked, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand which was stained, only doing as much as smearing more grime across his face.

The Wolf does the same, rubbing his snout and receiving the same results. This causes him to shake his head in discomfort.

" Watch your step." 

The Wolf looks down where his paw would have landed over a severed head. The Wolf places his paw away from the girl's head. From the way the cut was too clean, they could deduce this was not the wolf's doing and the precision it would take could never be attributed to Beifang's swordsmanship.

" Why are we fighting?" He finally asked.

The Wolf made a confused sound, perhaps posing the same question. He places his sword on the ground, glancing around. The Wolf too looks at his surroundings and lets out a little grunt.

" I don't have a lighter on me right now. Know where we can get a shovel?"

The Wolf seemed to consider his words before walking off. He paused, looking back at Beifang expectantly. Understanding the hint, he follows the Wolf.

Beifang sighed, taking in the sight in front of him and massaging his temple. There was a shovel alright, deep in a man's gut.

" Did you do this?"

The Wolf grunts and growls, offended.

" Right. Sorry to assume."

He steps forward, placing one boot over the dead man's shoulders and wrapped his hands around the shovel's handle. With a single, decisive pull, the shovel was yanked free. The cold had frozen the flesh along with the metal, so bits of guts ended up flying out of the body. The pieces littered over the snow, adding black lumps to his already tainted coat.

He sighed, wishing he had a smoke right about now.

They spent hours just gathering the bodies together at the open field, away from most trees and shovelled the red snow from the white. He went back to the apartment room to look for kindling, and the Wolf waited outside patiently as he wouldn't fit through the door.

He goes through the cupboard drawers of the small kitchen and finds some matches with a bit of cooking oil. There isn't much left of either one so he'd better keep looking for things to keep the fire going. Over a small writing desk were papers and files.

" I don't know these names." He muttered, making out the letters that weren't completely scribbled out. They seemed important so he let them be.

He looks at the board on the wall instead. There are claw marks over the torn papers that had been hung up. There are blurred pictures on the shelves, he decided to leave those alone as well.

Finally, he finds an old yellow covered phone book with equally yellow pages. The numbers aren't registered in the interastral communication system and considering how untouched it was, he deemed it wasn't of any importance. Most of its pages are all black anyway. Weirdly enough.

The landline rings again, both he and the Wolf look up, alert. If he looked closely, he could see a spark glittering over the receiver. The two looked at each other and the phone then back at each other.

He doesn't pick it up.

" Hello?" 

The voice is familiar but he knew it shouldn't be possible to hear.

" Hey, Bigby. I just wanted to check on ya. See if you're home. I heard you'd gone somewhere and no one can find you but I always do. I know you're alive, better than how some of us are. Even if I can't reach you myself, I want you to know that I...I forgive you."

Beifang straightens up. For a moment, he's unable to process those words correctly and blinked in a dazed state. The Wolf outside blinks owlishly at the words, his hazel eyes starting gloss with tears.

" What happened wasn't your fault, you got taken away who knows where and there was nothing you could do. Things got dicey after that, and I landed myself in trouble. Ain't the brightest of us three anyways. 

I ain't the best person to say this, maybe, but you're not a bad person. It was fucked up times and things weren't fair. It wouldn't be fair to blame you for what happened no matter what anyone says. At least, I don't blame you.

Remember that, Bigby.

So, yeah. I forgive you. This is goodbye, pal."

The message ends with a beep, Beifang opens and closes his mouth before finding his voice again.

" Goodbye."

He leaves the apartment with the items and the moment he closes the door, it vanishes in an instant.

He and the Wolf share a look, neither commenting on the shine in their eyes. He doesn't know why they were tearing up over a word of forgiveness but the weight it lifted makes the grime on their coats lighter than ever before.

With all the blood, dead bodies and logs, they get themselves a fire going pretty quickly. The flames spread quicker than anticipated and the smoke soon filled the cloudless sky in grey clouds.

It smells like burning cigarettes and paper.

A relief that he didn't need to brave an air of burnt flesh fills his senses. He watched in stillness as the fire consumed every corpse and ounces of blood gathered with the Wolf next to him. The fire's warmth is a comfort against the bitter cold, and the bigger it grows, the more the snow melts.

" You don't know what happened either. Do you?"

The Wolf and he stared into the fire, the light like a mirage of faces and the crackling as their soft voices and whispers. He closed his eyes to listen to their fading voices, to smell and he caught whiffs of different people perhaps he'd known in a past life. He can't remember what they looked like, can vaguely grasp what they sound like but very few do stick out in his mind.

A voice in the background grows clearer and clearer the longer he listens. It was not one of the mirages or whiffs of lingering scents. She was a far more recent acquaintance.

" ... They've lost contact with Moze and he was last reported discovering the fugitive and the hostage's whereabouts."

" Fugitives?" He echoed, trying to recall what he heard that morning before quickly realising, " The Shackling Prison."

He gets to his feet, the sky darkens as thunder rumbles and rain begins to fall in buckets. The downpour washed over their coats and swept away the blood and grim but never put out the flames of which the funeral pyre continued to kindle. It drenched his hair bathed him in lingering touches and the taste of cheap alcohol on his tongue. The muffled conversations that roamed around his mind in a strange cacophony of gentle sounds.

Understanding, forgiveness and gratitude pelted his figure with every sincere drop.

" Lady Feixiao is spearheading the hunt and she suspects Hoolay will be targeting to cause more chaos rather than escape."

With the grime and blood washed away, the weight of his sins no longer weighed heavily over his back. In his mind the gentle voice beckons him to action, while the faraway murmurs of his friend bid him farewell.

He opens his eyes, yellow and bright.

Chapter Text

" We have cleared out the enemies in Starskiff Haven."

Yukong has her hand to her earpiece. " But it seems that there are fierce battles being waged at both the Exalting Sanctum and Aurum Alley. I will prepare a starskiff—"

" We cannot allow the fighting to continue. This is now a race against time to stop this farce that Hoolay has created." Feixiao cuts in. " I know Jiaoqiu always wants me to know my limits and not get carried away, but... now is the time to bring this to a swift end."

A voice intervenes in their earpieces. " Couldn't agree with you more, General."

" Beifang?" The general smiled, hopeful.

" I'm almost at Aurum Alley. You handle the light show for the Exalting Sanctum, I'll bring the storm to wash out the pests."

" I'll leave you to it." She says. " Contact the Exalting Sanctum. Tell them, if they see a light in the sky, all units are to retreat immediately!"

As a trail of light sails through the skies, a wall of smoke descends over Aurum Alley. Once it settled, the wind began to whip and whirl. The borisin encroaching the frontline soldiers are blown away and sent tumbling down the street like a rolling tumbleweed.

A dark figure looms over the Cloud Knights as the smoke starts to clear and reveals the black wolf blowing up a storm against the borisin. The black wolf moves swiftly, eliminating any borisin left standing with a ferocity that exceeds their own and a precision befitting of such a great creature.

It takes to the rooftops without so much as a thud and takes a breath of the air. Finding his target, the Wolf leaps over buildings and roads, his shadow grows smaller until his boots touch the pavement. Smoke waves off him as the Wolf dissipates and his coat flies behind him like a shadow.

He follows the faint scent of spices, musk and blood. None stood in his way as the looming shadow of the Wolf is ever present, leaving behind dead mutts in his wake. He rounds the corner, the scent grows stronger and there his target sits.

" Doc!" He slides up to where the healer lays prone against the wall. Deep lacerations over his chest, tearing through fabric and flesh to where he could see the man's ribcage. He carefully takes the body into his lap. " I've found him!" He shouts, looking around.

" .... smoke...?" The healer's eyes trailed up weakly, landing on the vague form of his comrade, and his lips upturned in the corners. He whispered, breath rattled with relief. " ...Beifang."

" I've got you, Doc. Don't worry, help's on the way." He takes out the life transmitter he brought along and places it over the healer's too pale face. He shifts his head a little and finds a chunk of the healer's flesh from his shoulder to neck missing its skin. " Shit!"

" ...Those who have no secrets... are no more than prey... cut open and waiting for death..." His breath rattles through the damage in his lungs and lack of blood. " Unfortunately, I am not a man without secrets. I still have one little secret hidden up my sleeve..."

" No, no.... Don't..." Beifang spies an empty bottle near the wall, small enough to be well hidden but lacked any scent to be identified as medicine. " What did you do, Jiaoqiu?"

The healer smiled, a laugh wheezed through bloodied teeth as he spoke. " Tumbledust..." He coughed, spitting blood into the life transmitter. " I drank it a while ago, and the poison is already flowing through my veins..." His giggles were borderline delirium and pure cunning. " He'll feel the effects...sooner or later....He drank my blood after all....."

" You idiot." Beifang hissed at him before calling out again. " I need some help here! Hurry!"

" If the most lethal poison known to this world... is able to save innocent lives... Then it can also be called a great medicine... Don't you think, Beifang?" His hand reaches up weakly. " I told her that I would do my best to cure her. I kept... I kept my promise to Feixiao."

He gently guides Jiaoqiu's hand back down. " Well, you gotta be able to see through it. Stay conscious, Doc. Keep talking to me."

" I'm glad you're here... By far, you're my favourite wolf." His eyelids fluttered. " Beifang....Wolf... I want to see your true form, just one last time... I don't want that borisin to be the last thing I see... Please...?"

" Of course. It's no problem." Through shaded light and plumes of smoke, the Big Bad Wolf emerged.

Jiaoqiu's tired eyes widened as much as they possibly could, flicking between the man holding him and the wolf behind the man. " That's..."

" It's me." He says.

The healer takes in this information and finds it in himself to allow another delirious giggle. " Always a surprise with you... At least I get to see your pretty eyes one last time..."

" Don't say things like that."

The healer doesn't answer, his eyes shutting gently.

" Hey, keep talking." He jostles the healer gently. " Doc, wake up! Jiaoqiu!"

" Jiaoqiu!" Moze and Stelle arrived with some healers.

" He's poisoned himself. Tumbledust." Beifang quickly informed them.

" Pulse is weak." Stelle's fingers glowed and she snaps her two fingers together. A bit of colour returned to the foxian healer but he remained unconscious.

" That mutt!" Moze cursed seeing the bite mark. " Hoolay is heading towards the Skysplitter. General Feixiao went to face him."

" I can sustain Jiaoqiu for a while till he's stable." The young Trailblazer says, carefully replacing Beifang's place on the ground. " I've got him, you can go."

" Thank you, Trailblazer." They thanked her and raced towards the Skysplitter for the faux Wardance.

By the time they arrived, the sky had gone red. Beifang growled as the sound of Hoolay's voice echoed throughout the Skyplitter. Something about a crimson moon which he assumes is the red tumour ball in the sky. A flash of green and white is all he needs to see to know Feixiao was already taking action.

" No, wait -- Feixiao!" He called out as she used her divine spirit to fly into the sky. It opens its jaws wide and swallows the moon whole in one gulp.

As they fell, he raced into the arena. The dust clears and she stands once again, but not as the Merlin's Claw. By the time the younglings realised this, the maddened general had moved.

He catches her fist and pushes her back. Their arms are locked and he growls a challenge.

" Take a breather, kids." The red in her eyes glow brighter as his yellow eyes glare right back. " My turn."

Through plumes of smoke and shadows, the Big Bad Wolf emerged once again and engaged in battle with the foxian general. He refrained from using the smoke in front of younglings, focusing more on brute strength to match the maddened general before him. The eyes saw but didn't see, a smirk with all teeth without smiling.

He matches against the mad foxian blow for blow. He knows how Feixiao fights, seen the destruction wrought by her strength for the short ten years they've known each other and this? she's holding back. Whatever self control she has left is focused on making sure she doesn't permanently injure the younglings. Strong as they are for their age, they were still younglings nonetheless.

So when she really starts hitting hard, Beifang endured. Because the stubborn young ones still try to help and she won't direct her complete madness at them. But he can take the hits. Even when his regeneration runs him ragged.

He is not called the Unabating by their Abomination enemies for no reason.

Every hit should have broken bones and burst veins but he heals through it persistently. Flesh tore and knit itself back together with a persistence through visible blood and bruises. He knows the general is in there, fighting to regain control of this madness. For what is a mere moon to the Merlin's Claw? She will overcome this, for that he is most confident.

" I found him, he's safe now." He says between grunts, kicking her back and spitting out blood. " Jiaoqiu, Moze, everyone back at the Yaoqing is awaiting your return. These younglings are the same."

He borrows March 7th's sword as the girl switches to her bow. Blocking Feixiao's own twin blades with the sword, he holds her in place. There's blood running down her chin where his fist burst her lip, an unavoidable outcome as they fought to survive. Her cheek swelled purple as his coat is torn through places where he would have shattered bones and shredded flesh. His blood smears the arena more than any other, ensuring every near fatal hit is focused on him and not the children.

" You've got a lot of people who still need you. So don't you dare shirk off your responsibility, Feixiao." He manages to disarm one blade, knocking it clean out of her grip as he grapples her wrists. The general growled, a low raw sound that he responded with his own gutteral roar. 

" Wake up, Saran!"

Feixiao's eyes blinked wide open, the red that rimmed her pupils already gone. Her halberd is half buried through Beifang's shoulder and nearly crossing through his heart. Arms wrapped around her waist in position to pull her back, a desperate hand around her ankle and ice trying to stop her armed limb from going further.

Beifang coughs a mouthful of blood, the red spraying over her sleeves and he smiles in relief. " Welcome back."

The halberd is whisked away into her subspace, every ache in her body screams as her mouth falters to make a sound towards the state of her brother as he staggered. Eyes rolled back, and they both went down.

" General!"

" Mr Wolf!"

Chapter Text

" Mr Wolf!"

He looks up at his name being called. The light was shining just right over the trees, a faint scent of disinfectant and medical herbs hung in the air. Smoke lingers at the corners of his mouth as he smiles at the approaching group. He puts away his pipe, the ashes properly discarded and adjusts his new coat.

" Trailblazers and two Lieutenants... To what does a humble retainer like me owe the visit?" 

" Were you smoking again? Didn't the doctor say your lungs just got healed." Yunli puts her hands on her hip.

" Maybe."

" Mr Beifang, I would like to express my gratitude for the... Intense sparring session with General Feixiao." Yanqing says with a polite bow. " We would have suffered much worse if not for your help."

" Hey now, don't discredit yourself just yet. You kids did great, especially when you had to face Hoolay on your own."

" What about your injuries? Lingsha said you almost got sliced in half." March asked fearfully, the image of the man cut from shoulder to chest in one clean motion still presents itself in her mind.

" Oh, that? I heal a lot quicker than most beings so I'm mostly alright. Nearly nicked my heart but the blade didn't pierce it." He tries to assure them but they only seem to look more concerned. " I'm about to go drag Feixiao back to her room, wanna come with?"

Since his advanced healing took care of most of the injuries he sustained, he had been keeping the other guests of the Yaoqing in check. Making sure Moze doesn't sneak out of his room to see the others and aggravating his wounds, getting Feixiao to rest more from the endeavour and sitting vigil by Jiaoqiu's side. The healer had woken up one day in a panic, thrashing around his bed and even going as far as to rip out his own IV.

It was a stroke of luck that Beifang had come by just at the right moment and managed to calm the wounded healer with his presence. The smell of smoke had become a comfort in such tribulations, the healer himself found it ironic.

The young ones did end up following him as suggested. He asked of their own injuries, Yanqing's ribs were already patched up and healing well while Yunli's bruises have already faded. When they arrived at the edge of the territory, Feixiao had finished speaking to Jiaoqiu with Moze lagging behind her in concerned yet flighty motions. Like mist clinging to their clothes in a gentle fog 

" Beifang!" The general greeted him happily, not having many opportunities to see him outside of her own room. " Nice to see you up and about."

" I think the doctors would say the opposite about you, Feixiao. Or should I say, Xiao Fei?" He grinned as her eye twitched.

" Xiao Fei?" Yunli repeated in pure confusion.

" Beifang, brother." Feixiao puts a hand on his shoulder, smiling not so gently anymore. " Never call me that again."

However younger she was, she's still his superior officer and as he laughs, she's shaking him by the lapels of his coat with threats to dock his pay if he dared to even utter the new nickname to anyone else.

" Beifang, I heard your session with the Divination Commission was quite an event in itself." Jiaoqiu says, his ears twitching to the sounds of approaching footsteps while he still faces the Wolf.

March gasped dramatically. " Does that mean, you've got your memories back? That's so lucky!"

" Only some. Enough to get an estimate on my age and some of my origins. I'm somewhere between five hundred to six hundred years old."

" Oh Goddamn, you're old!"

" Rude much?" March asked Stelle, looking just done with her antics.

" I mean, she's not wrong." He shrugged. " I'm still getting a few hints here and there, no one expected the Remembrance THEMSELVES to be the one who sealed my memories. Faces are blurred, voices are nothing but whispers, it's something at least."

" And your name?" Moze asked. They had taken to using his Xianzhou name for a long time since calling him Wolf felt rather derogatory on the Yaoqing.

" Bigby Wolf. It's short for Big Bad Wolf." 

His real name does not help in this case.

" Like a fairytale?" Stelle asked.

Wolf smiled, yellow eyes glinting in light. " I am the fairytale. In my world, we're called Fables. Some are human, others animal or monster like."

" An entirely new species of being that has yet to be added to the database and research." Jiaoqiu hummed with interest, his once bright eyes now dulled as his sight was lost to the poison. " It explains your blood's different reactions to the experiments."

" Best not to take everything from me, I'm a bit more complicated for a Fable." He continues, thinking back on what memories he did regain. 

" Regardless, it's incredible you've managed to gather any memories at all. I'm happy for you, Beifang." The general says.

Beifang's expression softens and his yellow eyes look at her with a sense of gratitude." I wanted to ask you this privately but since everyone is here, I might as well say it now. General Feixiao, I would like to resign from my position on the Cloud Knights."

" Resign?" Yanqing echoed in a horrified voice.

" This is in relation to your memories, am I right?" Feixiao asked calmly.

" Yes. These kinds of things don't happen for no reason, the likelihood that anyone I knew in my past life being alive is slim but I can't give up yet." He says with a firm look in his eyes.

" Even if that world you knew could be completely destroyed?"

" I still have the memories with me, somewhere. I think they're worth remembering so I'd like to take some time for myself and look for them." At the very least, he wanted to know what happened to that gentle voice. Just a whiff of her and that would be enough.

Feixiao sighed, rubbing her neck. " I can't say no to those pretty eyes. Alright, you will be officially discharged from duty after the Wardance. It's been a helluva few days and we haven't even enjoyed any festivities. So you're still stuck with me until then. Got it?"

" Crystal."

" So, you're sticking around?" March asked.

" Looks like it."

" Great. Let's all get something to eat, I'm starving." Stelle says, already starting to walk off. " I'm thinking... Hot pot. How about it, Mr Jiaoqiu?"

His ears perked up, a fond smile on his lips. " Sounds lovely."

Moze tugs at the foxian healer's sleeve and slips his hand into the latter's. He announced quietly." We're moving now."

" I can hear them, Moze." The foxian huffed but their hands remained intertwined.

Lunch was a rather chaotic affair. Jiaoqiu had argued with the children how he wanted his hot pot but the majority, including his own colleagues, had voted to do without the spice. Feixiao ordered for a bowl of chili to be added as a condiment and have the bowl Jiaoqiu would be using to be boiled with chillies.

Once the bowls arrived, Beifang took over to place the ingredients before Moze could reach for it. All the while, the healer tells them what he wanted to have regardless of the reluctance in his voice to taste anything lacking the amount of spice he needed.

The bowl was placed in front of him, full of beef, vegetables and mushrooms. Jiaoqiu brought the bowl to his face, a spoon placed in his hands for him to try eating for himself after a couple days of being spoon-fed by nurses and healing staff.

He takes a sip of the soup, expecting it to be mild yet he feels a pleasant boldness in the broth, it flares upon contact but leaves a gentle finish on the tongue.

" How is it?" Beifang asked.

" It's good, the amount of bird's eye is just right and the bit of ginger adds to the richness. How'd you achieve this?"

" Hard to forget what your cooking smells like. I just matched it to memory."

" By smell?" Dan Heng repeated curiously.

" I was born a wolf. Literally. So I grew up in the woods." He started picking out things he wanted to eat out of the hot pot. " I don't remember a lot of it but I know why I like Winter now. It's my mother's name. Usually runts of the litter die out in the wild but she never gave up on me." He looks wishfully into the boiling pot, picking up some meat. " She was- God, she was beautiful. Her coat was pure white, sometimes it looked like she could vanish in the snow and her eyes.... I've been told I got mine from her but I remember hers being more like gold." He trails off a bit, setting his bowl down to eat.

" Woah..." March marveled as the Healing Lady sipped her bowl loudly, everyone's eyes were fixated on the Wolf.

" So, you're an actual wolf?" Yunli asked.

" Yes."

" And you have a human form! Wait, what about your newer abilities? You summoned your wolf form through the smoke and it was like there were two of you." Yanqing pointed out.

He shrugged. " I'm honestly not sure how but that's still me."

" So, the summon is you, you're still you and you can turn yourself into the other you while being you." Stelle says.

The entire room looks utterly confused save for Stelle and Bigby. 

" You...?" Bailu tilts her head.

" You...." Dan Heng seemed exasperated.

" You...!" March looked annoyed.

" Me." Stelle's usual deadpan expression morphs into a cheeky grin. She isn't as expressive as March but not as quiet as Dan Heng.

" She's...not wrong." Beifang smiled as his comment sparked a debate on how it actually works.

The Astral Express crew suggested the Wolf was an entity of memitic nature, the Xianzhou locals suggested somewhere along the lines of a heliobus or some entity born of aeonic blessings. Each of these are somewhat correct to an extent. Comparisons were made, opinions shared and shot down. Through it all, the Yaoqing envoys ate in peace despite the chaos brewing around them.

Like the eye of a storm, the calm amidst the whirlwinds.

It may not be the last time they were to enjoy a meal together but it would be one to remember.

Chapter Text

It's a few weeks before the Wardance properly kicks off. After much of the damage from the Borisin attack had been dealt with, the Luminary Wardance finally opened officially. Now with even more participants attending and challenging each other in the ring.

" Looks like the Nameless are on the move again. Or rather, Stelle's gotten bored and picked up something to do." Beifang puts down the booklet and lets Feixiao have a read over it.

" She's got history with the participant. The Nameless had visited his homeworld." Feixiao hummed. " Jarilo-VI, can't say I've heard of this world but he looks like he's got a good story."

Beifang hums in agreement, taking another huff of smoke.

" Have you thought about where you'll start your journey?" She asked him.

He looks up, a little surprised but it's not completely unexpected. In the past few weeks, some of his memories were coming back. Not all of them were great either and a huge chunk was still missing. On top of that, the blood analysis from the Alchemy Commission returned with the results showing great compatibility with Foxian and Borisin blood simultaneously. Which meant his blood could be donated safely without side effects and he himself could accept blood from either side without being infected or mutated.

" There's plenty of people from all walks of life coming to visit during the Wardance." Feixiao would be able to use his blood whenever necessary without suffering from blood cell rejection or effects on her moon rage affliction. They never had time to fully investigate it before. " Have you made up your mind?"

" I'm still thinking about it." He takes another drag from his pipe.

" We have to return to the Yaoqing sometime after the Wardance, immediately actually. If you haven't decided where to go then, maybe you could stay on the Loufu for a while to find your way." She suggested. " I dread our goodbye but it's fortunate we have a dateline marked."

" A blessing and a curse." He says, cleaning up his pipe. " Actually, I think I might just check out those matches. Get an idea on the vast universe or something."

Feixiao scoffs. " Remember, no smoking on the Skyplitter. You'll get a hefty fine that's coming out of your pay."

He stands up, putting the pipe away for now. " I saved up, don't worry!"

The general watches him walk away, glad he had some of his memories back and with a knowing smile, could already figure that something was already on his mind. Now, she thought, how to break the news to the Yaoqing. It's an open secret that every high ranking official on the Xianzhou has some kind of fan base. They were public figures so it was to be expected.

Beifang does not care for fans or is completely oblivious to them.

As he is now, he'd just boarded the Skysplitter and was stopped by a rather bold young woman with vulpine features. She looked up at him with her hands clasped together in prayer, stars shining in her eyes like he'd hung the moon. The blatant admiration was troubling for one, a bit disturbing for another considering he could sense what she was.

" The Unabating! I am extremely honoured to meet you in person." She says as the little robot behind her seemed to be staring at him with a hint of scepticism.

" Samatha, are you certain this one is the Unabating Storm the temple spoke of?" The robot says. " He does not share the appearance of the Great Storm you described. Only his eyes match the database I've recorded."

He can't get a word in before the girl spoke again. " I am most certain."

" Hello, Miss Foxy." A kid with red hair appears from the hall, a metallic arm replacing his right and wearing a red sleeveless jacket. " Are you my opponent for this match? My name is Luka."

Speak of the underdog.

" Mr Wolf." Stelle greets him with a smile. " Here for the Wardance?"

" Stelle." He returns the greeting. " Thought I'd drop by to see how you're doing. By the booklet articles, you seem to be doing well."

" Thanks. I've never actually coached anyone before." She admitted a little sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head.

Samatha glances a little awkwardly between Beifang and the Nameless before correcting her posture. " Greetings to you, patrons. My humble name is Samatha. I am one of the ordained monks of Claretwheel Temple, here to participate in the Wardance."

As they started chatting, Beifang slipped away. He didn't know which was more disturbing. The almost murderous look in that robot's eye or the glowing admiration on the girl's face. A Borisin on the Skyplitter isn't usually good news.

He'll have the knights on standby just in case.

His jade abacus notifies him of an escapee and he swears under his breath before making his way immediately to the main arena. The girl and kid were introduced by the host.

" Apologies, host. Before the competition begins, I would like to ask for a moment of the audience's time. On behalf of Claretwheel Temple, I would like to implore the Xianzhou Alliance for protection!" The borisin girl says. " I know that in the eyes of this audience, the borisin are murderous beasts who only kill and destroy civilizations. But the distinction between good and evil have always been on a gray scale and never defined. Like all intelligent species, the borisin are able to make their own decisions."

He hangs back in the spectators' row, lingering out of sight to further observe. The audience were growing restless as the girl continues to speak above the shouts and weapons pointed her way once the Cloud Knights arrived.

The little robot unfolded, somehow within its bellies much larger and complex mechanisms emerged. Shifting and turning with audible hisses and clicks until it stands as a fully armed Aurumaton Gatekeeper. Despite the girl's protests, the Aurumaton began its assault against the Cloud Knights.

Luka calls for its attention, diverting the attacks his way so the Cloud Knights wouldn't be harmed. Its eyes flashed dangerously, a swift scan swept over the arena.

" I think that's enough." With smoke and wind, the Wolf pounced on the Aurumaton and pinned it down. He leans in before it could struggle. " I know you don't care what happens to you but you have to cooperate if you want Samatha to be safe."

The eye of the machine stared at him before letting its eyes dim. The Wolf backs away to give it room to recompact itself and after a few gear shifts, Sugata is back into his much friendlier form.

" Lieutenant Beifang." The audience whispered.

" That's the Unabating Wolf...."

" Is he part Borisin?"

" Borisin? Nah, you saw him. He's way different!"

" He's pretty cool for a wolf though."

He ignores them and addresses the Cloud Knights. " I'll be taking them to the Shackling Prison for investigation. Do give the witnesses the run down of the situation and send them over for testimony."

" Of course, Sir!" The Cloud Knight Captain salutes him.

Stelle gives him a concerned look, her eyes glanced at the two apprehended individuals and pleads silently. He gives her a small assuring smile and a subtle nod.

" You two." He addresses the convicted. " If you don't want anymore trouble then you should follow me. You hear?"

" Yes, Great Wolf." Samatha lowers her head and he lets out a soft grunt. Her vulpine ears perked at the sound but she keeps her head low. Sugata is confused by the interaction.

A starskiff arrives to pick them up, along with Madam Yukong for additional security and to pilot the skiff safely to the prison. The foxian head commissioner had expected more struggling or profanities by the borisin and maybe a couple playful quips from the lieutenant while he was here. Yet, she's met with this odd silence.

The borisin girl was watching the Unabating with a clear shine of admiration in her eyes. The small inteillitron seemed more occupied with adjusting its optical lens but it was still directed at the lieutenant.

Of all people, the robot breaks the silence. " Correction : I am sorry for doubting your identity."

" That's fine. Didn't know I had such a reputation among Borisin." He prepares his pipe for the nerves and the smells that would soon overwhelm him in the prison.

" Not just Borisin." The girl finally pipes up. " At the temple, our numbers have doubled since your appearances on the battlefields. There are murals and tales of you among the monks there. You could say that you are like a standard we hope to achieve and emulate."

Beifang coughed, alarmed. He barks a nervous laugh." I don't think I'm the kind of role model you're looking for."

To his fortune, they've already arrived at the prison before anyone could say anything more.

Chapter Text

" ...According to records from the Sky-Faring Commission, this spaceship was originally registered under the Intelligentsia Guild." Yukong reads out the evidence report as Beifang hung a little further to the side so the suspects could focus on the investigation. " Now, it's docked at the port, carrying 102 unidentified corpses. The only two individuals who landed from this ship and entered the Xianzhou are a borisin disguised as a foxian and an Intellitron."

He drew a breath of smoke from the pipe he lit, leaning against the railings. The scent of the prison would have been overwhelming otherwise. All manner of abominations and long lived species lived within the prison's halls. Scratches over the walls and the taste of blood still cling to surfaces, all marks of the previous incident.

" So, I'm asking once again, who killed them?" The spiritfarer asked them.

" I can only repeat my previous answer. I absolutely did not violate my vows against bloodshed. However, I cannot divulge the details of the situation." The stubborn girl says, firm and undaunted.

He looks up at the approaching figures and takes the pipe away from his lips to smile.

" Sorry, wrong door?" Stelle, ever the humorous one, looks around in case she actually was lost.

" Nah, kiddo. You two are at the right place." He assured.

" Mr Wolf." She waved at him. Just to amuse her, he waves back. Awkwardly, Luka also gives him a meek little wave.

" We are currently conducting an urgent interrogation of the suspect. Mr. Luka, please come here and leave a statement." The spirit farer said.

Yukong then explains the situation. " This involves the Sky-Faring Commission, hence I have been summoned for the hearing as well. However, considering the severity of this case, even the General may have to come to oversee this personally. But these two suspects... one refuses to cooperate with the investigation, and the other refuses to even speak."

Stelle seemed contemplative. " Could this be a misunderstanding?"

The Wolf shakes his head. " I'm afraid 102 corpses on the ship aren't a misunderstanding."

The coach and coachee duo drew in a sharp breath, wincing at the info. What followed was a clever deduction of logic by Luka, which at least convinced the Intellitron to admit to the crime in exchange for Samatha's innocence. The memory recordings are projected as holograms from the single eye of the machine. It showed his entire journey with the Claretwheel Temple from when they discovered him, to their battle against other borisin, bounty hunters and even the annihilation gang. All within the span of over fifty days spent traveling across the cosmic wilderness to attend the Wardance and plead for their temple.

He notes the appearance of the borisin from the temple. They appeared more humanoid and their features carried some differences from foxians. The tails were shorter, ears were more pointed and slimmer. And the smell, the iron and earthy scent was a stark difference to the foxian musk which was more fragrant and thick. Most importantly would be their eyes. Out of everything they could mask, the eyes remain the same. Foxian eyes are sharper, slit like a cat's, while Borisin eyes are rounder, like a human's.

His name is mentioned in the recording.

" I saw him once on the battlefield." The head monk Dhyana says as they were resting by a fire. " He was everything the borisin clans sought to be but could never achieve. He created typhoons in a single breath, decimated armies in one blow and above all, he was compassionate. I saw it in his eyes, in the way he protected the soldiers of the Xianzhou and in the smile when the Merlin's Claw returned safe rather than victorious. Many denizens abhorred him for his direct involvement in the release of their slaves and destruction of slave houses through the dark of the night where he cannot be seen."

" Inquiry : What does the Unabating look like?"

" His coat is the colour of the darkest depths of the galaxy but shines like the many stars that light the lonely night skies. His eyes are as yellow as sunbursts." He pretends not to see the nods of agreement around him. " He is akin to a storm. Chaotic, destructive, powerful but also silent, calm at his center and as a force of nature, he too is capable of great kindness. Which is why to us, he is the Unabating Storm."

The memories continue, showing the head monk's death and the moment when Sugata was ordained and given a new name. Then, for the true events behind the 102 corpses. He would never grow to feel at ease with the scenes of the anti-life equation in action. That sort of indiscriminate bloodshed would cause more tragedy than triumph as evidence of the regret clearly felt in these recordings.

" Historical database recording playback complete."

They shared a moment of silence for the monks who were martyred on the journey. Even as high ranking officials at present, neither Beifang or Yukong could give them exactly what they wanted. The precarious balance of peace they were maintaining after the borisin raid won't have her in the main ring. It would only damage the temple's reputation.

They were talking this through, as peacefully as they could manage. Then, the intellitron decided to prove his resolve for Samatha to achieve her wishes and hacked into every automated device within his surroundings.

He keeps Stelle and Luka close as he growls, low and deep enough that it reverbs through the prison walls.

" Sugata," He says, smoke forming the looming shadows that encircled the others against the Aurumatons protectively. " What are you doing?"

" You truly are a Great Wolf." The Intellitron says. " In an era forgotten by history and drowned in time, the empire that the Anti-Organic Equation ushered in once extended across more than half of the universe. As an elite soldier of the Rubert Empire, I am an extension of the Emperor's will."

No one moved, weapons at hand but not a single one fired.

" This power is sufficient to corrupt and control all machines in this area, commanding them to grind all organic life to fine dust. But what I wish to demonstrate is not the intent to slaughter. Because beyond that, I have always found an even greater power..." His tone shifts into something softer.

" ...There will always be a choice, and I will make that better choice. In deadly battle, we raise the beacon's blaze. Under command, we hold the golden binding's embrace. In life, I have claimed and taken other lives, wandering through karma's web for sin to turn into fortune. What is the nature of oneself? All karma traces back to one's decision and will. For all things are born with emptiness and neutral void. Do not call any being born filthy or tainted."

With that, the Aurumatons glitched and sparked before all mechanisms returned to their initial state and shut down.

In a high-pitched screech of overload, all mechanical creations are freed from the control of the Anti-Organic Equation's curse.

Elite Soldier 0089 "Sugata" has blown their own circuits and fallen silent once more.

" Sugata?" She receives no answer, her ears drooping slightly as her last companion on this journey is no more.

Another silence was shared, broken by a young man with a spark in his blue eyes. " Madam Yukong, I am not a Xianzhou native, and I don't know what happened here in the past, so I cannot point fingers at your decision. But, as a contender, I cannot accept a victory that was not earned in battle."

The kid's got guts.

" Just like Mr. Sugata said, even if the petition is ultimately rejected, they should not be denied the right to express themselves." Stelle stays firm by his side, smiling proud at her friend. " Just like Mr. Sugata said, even if the petition is ultimately rejected, they should not be denied the right to express themselves."

Beifang smiles, putting out his pipe. " You make a convincing argument, kid."

They looked at him hopefully.

" But, I'm not the one calling the shots here. Remember, I'm still considered a guest from the Yaoqing." He didn't like to have to deny them but he didn't want to give them false hope. Besides, there wasn't anything to worry about anyway.

" Sugata has already made his voice heard by all of us." Madam Yukong says. " However, I still wish to see the resolve of another person."

They turned their gaze to Samatha, who seemed surprised that they were still considering her opinion. " ...As long as the petition is complete, I will offer everything I have."

" Samatha, I will arrange your rematch with Luka in the Skysplitter's lower-floor arena. It will be different from what you hoped — there will no bustling cheers of spectators, nor will there be raucous applause. No one on the Xianzhou Luofu will know the outcome of this match." Madam Yukong informed her. " If you can take victory, the Xianzhou Luofu will consider Claretwheel Temple's petition."

The battle between Samatha of the Claretwheel Temple and Luka of Belobog was witnessed by only a handful of spectators. Including five Cloud Knights, Madam Yukong, Lieutenant Beifang and Nameless Stelle. The outcome had been in favour of Luka but Xianzhou does not only listen to the voices of victors. Samatha would be arranged to speak with General Jing Yuan and present her case during the Six Charioteers' meeting.

The remains of Sugata were buried on the Luofu.

Chapter Text

As soon as he submitted his report, he made his way to Aurum Alley for a smoke. He picks up a booklet along the way to read over and finds a spot to hang around without bothering anyone. Surprisingly, the docks are rather bare at this hour.

He's about to reach for his pipe when he senses someone familiar growing near.

" I wasn't expecting company." He says with a soft smile. " You need something, Stelle?"

" I was in the area so I just thought I'd say hi when I saw you." She stuffs her hands in her pockets, finding it too small and grumbling before switching to crossing her arms. " You can smoke. I don't mind."

Beifang snorts. " I'm not gonna smoke in front of younglings."

" I'm not that young." He gives her a look. " Much."

He shakes his head with a soft chuckle. " Let's go grab a drink then."

The vending machine rumbles as two drinks are dropped into the pick-up box. He did offer to get something from the teahouse in the area but Stelle was insistent that they actively avoid it for personal reasons. He found out through Moze that the girl had a hand in revitalising the place and has experience with every stall and shop in the area.

" So, you got anything you wanna get off your chest?" He takes a sip of the scalegorge spring water, which despite its appearance actually contains a lot of calories.

Stelle takes a sip of her mung bean soda, grimacing at first from the smell before licking her lips over the good taste. " Do you want to join the Astral Express?"

" Straight to the point as always." He hummed. " I thought I'd ask you after the Wardance, I didn't want to just drag you into my problems. Is there even a vacancy?"

" There's always room on the Express for more passengers!" Stelle says, eyes alight. " And why not join us? It'll be fun."

" If I say yes, would the others want me there?" He asks her in a soft voice.

Stelle immediately takes her phone and types rapidly over the keys. In just a few seconds, a few notification dings could be heard and she proudly shoves the screen into his face. He leans back a little over the brightness but could clearly read over the positive responses from the other members of the group chat. He glances at the girl, golden eyes shining like stars as she stares at him with anticipation.

" Alright, alright." He chuckled as he pushed the screen away from his face. " I'll join you."

The grey haired girl gasped softly before beaming and jumping in place with triumphant whoops. Turning to him again, arms open and he hesitantly opens his own for her to crash against him in a tight hug. The girl was tall for her age, the top of head coming up to his eye level. Still, she somehow felt small. Perhaps because in his wolf form, he would dwarf her easily.

She pulls away soon enough, still smiling. Her phone vibrates and she scans over the text.

" Got somewhere to be?" He asked.

" Luka wants to talk to me about the previous knockout match. Just some tactics review."

" Sounds like he needs you, go on then." He chuckled at her subtle hesitance. " See you later, kid."

" Okay, bye Mr Wolf!"

When she was finally out of sight, he took out his pipe. He relishes the way it dulls the scents around him, quietens his surroundings to a more bearable buzz. Most of his past memories that he'd regained were all of a familiar dance and song. He eats, he sleeps, he grows and he repeats this process without much care what or who his prey was.

Of course, by now he knows the loathing that came with the cold. His birth father, the North Wind, they called him.

Hate comes so easily when you're hurt and having practically lived through two lives by now with the before and after regaining some memories, he has quite a few perspectives on the matter. Without his memories, he had no hurt and even now, it was more of a dull ache.

He loved his mother fiercely and his heart knew the burdens she bore through her own broken spirit. Watching her slowly deteriorate the way she did would forever be etched in his mind. He would not forgive his father but he knew better than to simply forget.

Somehow his mind leads him back to the Express. He finds something inside him anticipating the idea of traveling from place to place. Another part disliking how it reminded him of the nature of Winds who eternally roam. Or so he heard.

For did his father not have a kingdom of his own? A place to return after roaming. 

How hypocritical.

The loathing returned anew and he took his time to inhale the next drag in order to calm himself. He breathed in, thought of how Feixiao roamed through different battlefields and still returned to the Yaoqing. He breathed out, knowing what she fights for and willing to die for.

He breathes in, thinking of the Nameless. Passengers get on and off all the time, travelled with different agendas but united under the banner of Trailblazing. He knows not all Nameless are honour bound or honourable, but he admired their current crew who relentlessly stepped forward to assist in any crisis they come across.

He breathes out, thinking of Stelle. The girl was like a wild thing. She was fierce but silent at times, playful too but never without empathy. Her invitation echoes in his mind and for once, he feels at home at the thought of travelling with the youngling.

He spends the rest of the evening smoking until his tobacco runs out. Before long, he would leave Aurum Alley and go to the Exalting Sanctum for something a little more specific.

There's a covered bird cage at the corner of the counter, something about it feels oddly amiss but he doesn't say anything.

" Scroll rolls, bound bamboo strips, printed and bound paper books — we've got all the formats. Anyway, just come see me if you'd like to buy a book." The shopkeeper at the counter is a young little girl with short hair and blue-grey eyes.

" Do you have any notebooks?"

" Sure. What kind? Are you looking for blank pages, lines, dotted or grid?" She gestures at a set of books with different bindings and sizes.

" Uh, lines. A small one's fine."

She rummages through the available sets and places two of them on the counter. They were identical, with hard cover bindings and simple clasps, only differing in sizes. He chose the smaller one, to fit perfectly in his pocket and the colour was appealing to him. It was blue.

" Would you like a pen too?" The little shopkeeper offered.

" If it's no trouble." The pen's ink is jet black, a simple test in writing his name behind the cover demonstrates the smoothness and comfort in using the pen. He usually isn't picky with these sorts of things but as Jiaoqiu said, small luxuries can be a great boon.

" Away you go then, take care." He thanks her for the purchases and bids her farewell.

Aside from his own name, he writes another name upon the first page. The memory of this voice first surfaced within his own mindscape, forgiveness lingering in his mind as he writes what he remembers.

Colin.

A friend, slacker and squatter.

The last word felt about right.

Red Hood.

Naive, innocent. I think I ate her grandmother.

He doesn't remember the details specifically but he knows this fact. Most likely repeated to him by someone else, perhaps in his past. His past is full of people he's eaten.

Woodsman, Woody?

Drunk. I don't remember if he was a friend.

He closes the book, his head already pounding at trying to dig through the hidden memories. With a sigh, he resolved to get himself something to drink and soothe the migraine.

" Uncle Beifang!" A small, petit figure runs up to him and immediately takes shelter in his coat.

" Bailu?" He had the pleasure of meeting the little dragon back when they were recuperating at the Alchemy Commission. The little one was ecstatic to share the results of his blood sample and asked for more.

" Shh! Hide me!" She whispered. 

He sees ahead where she came running from and spots two frantic viyadhara looking around, he assumes they're her retainers.

" Don't tell them I'm here!" She whisper shouted at him with a glare that's supposed to be intimidating but ends up looking adorable.

" Good thing, I need a healer right now." He whispers back and lifts his coat a little. She steps out cautiously, nervously watching the retainers getting closer. He leans down to her eye level. " I've got this migraine right now and it's getting worse. Would the kind Healing Lady take me as a patient?"

" Lemme see."

" Lady Bailu!" The retainers arrived with exasperated looks.

" Hush now! Can't you see I'm examining this patient?" She says with a spark of authoritative flare at her retainers.

" Sorry, ladies. I asked Lady Bailu to meet me here for an emergency." He looks up to apologise properly but Bailu grabs his head and pulls him back down.

" I'm not done!" She scolded, placing her hand over his forehead with her little hands. She hums thoughtfully and presses a point on the side of his temple that makes his brows furrow. " As I thought. Your migraines are connected to your memory acupoint."

So she was seriously giving him a check up. Colour him surprised, he really thought it'd be fun skit.

" Is it serious? We could retrieve some medicine at the Alchemy Commission." One of the retainers offered.

" Not yet. We have to determine the proper cause. Leave us be, I will send for a prescription later." Bailu says in all seriousness and the retainers don't argue. " Have you had anything to drink yet? Or eat?"

" I had some spring water earlier."

" The high calories don't replace solid food." She scolds him again as they watch the retainers disappear. " Let's go get you some proper dinner."

" If that's what the doctor recommends." He shrugged. " What're you thinking?"

" Hmm, there's this new dessert a patient told me about at the Gourmet Garden! If we go now, we might be able to get it before the line gets too long." She takes his hand and pulls him up to follow. " This way!"

She nearly trips over but Wolf catches her. " Up we go." He places her over his shoulders. " Better?"

" Yeah!" She nods enthusiastically, kicking her feet a little at the new height. " Now I can keep examining your head while we walk."

" Sure, little doc."

Bailu presses his scalp, lightly threading her fingers through his hair and pulls. A burp leaves his mouth in an instant and he nearly stumbled from the startling reaction.

" What was that?"

" Bad gas!" She answered cheerfully. " I read some manuscripts about muscle and vein points in reflexology. Toxins in the body can appear in gaseous forms so we gotta get rid of 'em. I met a really good practitioner of this skill who taught me a little bit about it."

" A long life species?"

" Nope, she was a Galaxy Ranger. Her home planet's called Rantau-per. The skills aren't really written down in detail because it's overlooked with other masseuse techniques. They're passed down through teaching." She explained, picking through the strands in his hair and pulling at them gently, eliciting a stream of small burps from him.

It actually feels good. Like bits of unnecessary weight being forced out. He knocks against his own chest to clear it out.

" Anything else she taught you?"

" Not really. The guards were after her so she left early." Bailu explained in a softer voice. She moves on from hair pulling to massaging. " It's pretty much different for different practitioners. She says she's met masters who could make your limbs longer and some who could see right through your skin without any special gear of any kind."

" All this with massaging?"

" It's sensory." She says, now smoothing back his hair in steady motions. " So like the veins send signals throughout the body, right? Practitioners could feel the signals and the affected areas with just a bit of contact. It's a bit hard to describe." She pats his head. " Done!"

" Thank you." He sets her down just as they neared the restaurant.

" How do you feel?" She asked, the line wasn't long today.

" Better." He assured her, running his own fingers through his hair. Indeed, the migraines had dissipated and most of the pain had vanished. " So, what are we getting?"

Chapter Text

On his way to visit the Skyplitter he runs into some rather interesting company. As a literal wolf, he had strong instincts that helped him throughout his early life and lingered on even when he eventually became the apex of the land he grew up in. His yellow eyes make contact with a pair of jade green ones, with visible literal sparkles that give a decorated shine in the corners of his irises like stars, and he knew the knight was far more versatile than a normal knight.

" Oh, it appears that another beautiful soul has graced us. Come hither, dear Memokeeper." Beifang was a tad confused for a moment, looking around for any sign of a Memokeeper before realising the knight was referring to himself.

" Hm..." The cyborg cowboy looks at him up and down. As menacing he may appear to be, he was not the level of threat the knight was. At least, not on the surface of what the Wolf could see. The crop top served nothing more than to show off the black metal work of his augmented body and there isn't a visible spot other than his face that was upgraded in a way. His eyes had scopes on them, a pin point red dot glowed within his pupils. " Don't look like any Memokeeper I've ever seen."

" I'm afraid your friend is mistaken. I'm not a Memokeeper." He steps towards them, curiosity winning him over the rather eccentric pair. " I'm Bigby Wolf, my colleagues call me Beifang. I'm a lieutenant from the Xianzhou Yaoqing visiting the Loufu for the Wardance."

" Pardon my assumptions then, I will do my best to correct my approach." The knight apologised with a flourished bow and offered him a blooming red rose. " My name is Argenti, I belong to the Knights of Beauty. This companion of mine is--"

" I can introduce myself." The cowboy scoffs. " Name's Boothill. Galaxy Ranger." Regardless of the rough demeanour, the man does tip his hat to Wolf.

He returned the gesture with a nod. 

" Are you two participants?"

" Indeed." The knight replied. " I had the greatest honour of dueling with a number of wonderfully worthy adversaries."

Boothill rolls his eyes. " Half of 'em ain't even worth the bullets in my gun. Hell, they even forfeit before the match starts."

The knight turns to him, his smile as gentle as can be but the sparkles in his eyes are now sharper. " That is because, my dear silver cowboy, you would threaten their lives on the battlefield. Might I remind you of the poor lad you've undoubtedly traumatized? You and I both know he has good potential and above all, this is a friendly competition."

" Yeah, yeah, I know. I'll apologise to that kid after my match." Boothill sighed. " I'm just laying it out for him. Ain't every fight is gonna be a friendly one. Ya put your life on the line t'help either yourself or someone you protect. That kid, I don't wanna see young'ins like him get hurt either. He's too young for that kind of life."

" I'm guessing you're both talking about Luka?" The Wolf asked, receiving nods. " I think you both can put your worries at ease. If you've been paying attention to his matches, then you know he'll be fine. Stelle won't steer him wrong, I trust her to keep encouraging him wherever he needs it."

The three of them share a smile. Then, Boothill says, " Figures you know the Nameless too."

" An interesting soul. Truly remarkable." Argenti agreed. The announcer calls the challenger to the ring and Boothill grins. " It seems it is time for you to take the stage."

" Then I'll give 'em a real good show for it." He inspects the barrels of his gun both on hand and in his hand. He tips his hat to Wolf once again." Nice meeting ya, Wolf. You ain't no Memokeeper but you're definitely worth a good memory."

Boothill left the hall in a few short strides, a crooked grin showing off his sharp shark-like teeth and the red pupil of his eye turning pin point in anticipation.

" Why did you think I was a Memokeeper?" He asked the knight.

" I had sensed the blessings of Remembrance upon you. Its power is like the purest frost over a field of flowers, protecting their delicate forms from the cold and preserving the warmth inside. Beautiful." He sighed longingly in some romantic daze. " I pray you too see its Beauty."

" Are you...an Emanator?" The knight smiles in an enigmatic manner, rose petals seem to drip straight from his red hair for a few seconds and his eyes wrinkled in mirth.

" It seems we share quite a few similarities, dear Wolf."

Appearances can be deceiving, this the Wolf knows well. One can seem human but behave like a monster, one could appear monstrous but have hearts of gold. As such, one could appear much younger than their age presents or looks harmless despite being otherwise.

" You're saying I'm also an Emanator?"

" I have met an Emanator who draws power from an Aeon they despise. So yes, while your predicament is unusual it is not impossible." The knight answered in advance.

Wolf sighs, running a hand through his hair. " It feels more like a curse than a blessing. My memories are being locked away and I don't know why that is or why it has to be me in the first place. If THEY aren't willing to answer me then I should look for the answers myself. The Xianzhou doesn't move very far outside of their war with the Abundance, so I will be traversing the stars myself soon."

" That's wonderful! The universe has so much beauty to offer, I'm certain you too would be enamored by it and love all that is beautiful as I do." Another longing sigh flows from his lips, the lights dimmed and shone upon the knight alone. Rose petals swept at his feet, cascading gently in the air with dramatism in their slow descent. His eyes fluttered, lips parting for a prayer. " Oh, Irdila. May we fall into your gaze and uphold the beauty that you represent."

Wolf shifts backwards awkwardly, not really into the whole.... Thing, the knight was doing. Fortunately, the announcement for Boothill's match had concluded and surprisingly the cowboy had actually forfeited.

The metal man storms through the hall, spewing a stream of colourful yet creatively censored curses which flow as easily as a running tap. Behind him, following him closely is Luka, who looks a tad confused and concerned. The gunslinger locks eyes with Argenti and his eyes filled with seething rage.

" IPC on m'tail, I told you t' warn me, and you didn't forkin' tell me that kid was hella strong." The cowboy spat.

" To be fair, my silver cowboy, would you have believed me?"

" Fork you!"

" Perhaps later." The knight muttered quietly under his breath clearly meant for himself but Wolf had sharp ears.

" ...What?" Apparently so did Luka.

" Ignore him, kid. Tavern. Tea. Let's go."

The knight chuckles to himself, watching the cyborg hurry off and smiles wistfully.

" Unlike most Emanators of Remembrance, you, my dear Wolf, are no memitic entity." Sparkling jade eyes turn to him with a more serious shine. " Most of the Remembrance Emanators have given up their physical forms in order to search the ends of the Cosmos for memories to collect. You are the exception of such rules, given your physical form and current convictions."

" But I don't even know how to collect memories or anything like that." He growls in frustration. " I didn't ask to be an Emanator or an exception for this rule. I just want to know what happened to me, to my past."

" Do you wish to return to it? Your past, I mean." The Knight of Beauty asks.

A gentle voice lingers at the back of his mind, an apology echoing over his ears. " I don't know yet."

The knight gives him a meaningful look and smiles. " They say that the compass of destiny has three directions - the Unknown, the Known, and the Unknowable. It is said that Akilivili can tolerate the Unknown, but will never bow to the Unknowable. Perhaps this path you've chosen may yet lead you to the answers you seek."

The words give him a bare bit of comfort, at the very least the Aeon of this new path seemed to share a similar view. " I suppose we'll see."

His jade abacus pings with a new notification. A text from Feixiao asked him to meet her at the VIP lounge. The knight and the wolf exchanged numbers before parting ways rather politely. He would require the insight from a fellow Emanator every now and again anyways, if not only for himself then perhaps for the crew he's soon to join in the cosmos.

Chapter Text

" Surprise!" 

Holographic confetti filled the air. He looks around the lounge in wide eyed confusion. With the streamers and banners written in bold calligraphy with short words of wisdom and motivation.

" What's with the party?" He asked, looking dumb.

" It's yours!" Feixiao ushers him to the center. " You're already leaving the Xianzhou soon with the Nameless so we ought to throw you a farewell party."

" I'm not one for extravagance, Xiao Fei." She punches his arm.

" It's a celebration between family and friends. Nothing extravagant." Jiaoqiu makes his way towards him almost too smoothly, until he nearly trip over and Moze appeared to catch him.

" Looks like you need more sensory practice." Beifang says. He'd been helping Jiaoqiu adjust and sharpen his other senses for the last few weeks they'd been on the Loufu. At the very least, they've achieved identifying the specific smells of culinary ingredients and are very close to letting him cook independently.

" We thought at the very least, we should have this little celebration to thank you for your service for the past decade. It's been an immense honour working with you." Jiaoqiu says with a slight bow.

" I should be thanking you." He shakes his head. " If you all hadn't found me when you did, who knows what the IPC would've done to me." He's seen those Howling Caskets as they were called and shift uncomfortably at the idea that it could've been his blood and flesh inside of that thing.

" Then enjoy the party. For all our sakes." Moze assured him.

" Mr Beifang!" The young girl has twin tails and wore a yellow uniform, pulling his attention from his colleagues. " It's good to see you again. My friend Lil Gui wanted to meet you."

" Likewise, Sushang." He greeted her with a nod. His yellow eyes shift to the ginger haired girl beside her. " And hello to you too, Miss."

" I'm Guinaifen, sir." The girl says in a nervous tone, smiling sheepishly. " I've heard about you through the news letters and latest articles. And the edits make you look so cool!"

" The what?"

" The edits!" Guinaifen pulls out her phone and scrolls through the trending pages. " Most of these that are trending are from that time the Borisin attacked but the rest are gathered from the Yaoqing and got popular here too!"

From what he understood what these edits were, they're basically just shots of him with minimal movement slowed down to all kinds of music and focused on certain angles that focused on various aspects of his body, especially his eyes. He wasn't aware there was just so much footage of him in public media. He wondered mutely where they got all this stuff and when anyone had the time to take these pictures. They accidentally stumbled upon one where he was warming up for a spar in the training hall. They skipped past that one.

" I should report these."

" But, your fans-!" Sushang covered Guinaifen's mouth quickly.

" Of course, sir! We'll have these reported immediately." She nods in understanding as he decides to walk away. Especially after stumbling upon edits of her Uncle J which left a most awkward feeling seeing him again after reading those comments.

They should be glad he didn't bother reading the comments.

" Mr Beifang?" The Ringmaster of the Wardance approached the now mildly disturbed man with a new drink in hand. He's patting a portion of his coat where he keeps his smoking pipe, only barely holding off the thought with the presence of a few younglings around him.

" What can I do for you, Ringmaster?"

" Ah, well," He began a bit awkwardly. " I wanted to thank you again for everything you've done for not only the Loufu but for the Alliance in general. I've managed to catch up on some of your achievement reports."

" Not exactly much to say in those." He muttered, recalling each time his colleagues would go over them in a strange awe. It wasn't that they were lacking, far from it.

" But every detail you've put in them makes the reports feel so...alive! It's like I'm right there on the battlefield. Way better than any novel you'd find on any of the Alliance ships." The descriptions for a cloud knight's report can vary from person to person. Some are more detailed, some do the bare minimum. But Beifang's descriptions included the sights, sounds and senses beyond the surface.

He specialised in rescues, often locating where the slaves are kept through what he hears and smells. Through the night, his eyes see clearer than even Borisin and he runs through enemy camps like a typhoon. Sudden, explosive and goes far more quietly than he arrived with droves of slaves who ran into the night with him. He used his abilities to blow away the scent of the slaves so the Borisin wouldn't catch up and always ran them through a light rain shower so their scents were masked.

Many following testimonies would describe him akin to a ghost. Whisking them away into the night, taught them to run faster than the wolves and led them to the sanctuary of the Hunt. It was mainly why he's quite popular on the Yaoqing. His form, both human and wolf, replaced the cruel visages of the Borisin which scarred their mind.

Jiaoqiu would agree.

" How do you write these so well?" Sushang asked, the group having absorbed into Yanqing's retelling of the reports.

" We have the same teacher, Sushang." He snorts.

" I taught you the basics, yes. But I dare say you're much more of a writer than I ever imagined..." Jiaoqiu knew well enough the difficulties at the start but once Beifang understood the basic structures and with the help of the synesthesia beacon, his writing had soared to levels most knights don't even bother to reach for.

" You know what this reminds me of? Those super classy detective novels!" Guinaifen says. " I just got a whole series from Penacony that's been super popular lately ghostwritten by this guy called Wacks Hunt. The main character is this detective from the Bloodhound Family solving crimes in the dreamscape."

Wacks Hunt? The name was strange, clearly fake too.

" What's the title? Sounds interesting." He asked.

" Don't answer him!" Yunli cuts in suddenly. She looks up at Beifang, pouting and cheeks puffed. " I haven't prepared a gift for you yet so I'm choosing this one! Dibs!"

" You can't just call dibs on a gift idea." Yanqing says.

" I can and I did. You'll have to think of something else." She crossed her arms.

Yanqing huffed, resting his hands over his hips. " I already bought his gift. Unlike you."

" You...!"

" Hold that thought, you bought me a gift?" Beifang asked the young man.

" Of course. It's a party." Feixiao then hands him a box with leaf pattern wrapping. " This is from me."

Before he could say anything, Moze added two more boxes to his hold. In a cheeky manner, Guinaifen drops her gift right over the stack and Sushang puts hers at the very top.

" This is..."

" The bare minimum. Not excessive." Jiaoqiu points his fan into the vague direction of the Wolf. " Seeing as we are going our separate ways, you should at least humour us by accepting these gifts. No more shrugging off your rewards and do expect more gifts delivered to the Express later on."

The Wolf is silent, looking around as more gifts are added to the pile. His eyes seem sort of glossy but he doesn't cry, he couldn't cry. Literally physically incapable of doing so.

Yet, they could tell he was very touched and perhaps a little overwhelmed by the party.

He's trapped by presents.

The Unabating hesitates in the face of receiving gifts.

" We'll be returning to the Yaoqing soon."

They were awaiting the match to begin. The gifts were set aside momentarily as they took their seats above the arena. He sits next to Feixiao, Jiaoqiu seated between the general and Moze who tells him everything that is happening in the area.

" I reckon you'll miss me."

The general scoffs. " Like the scars on my back."

" That makes no sense."

" It does in my book." She shrugged.

Shaking his head, he smiled. " Then explain it to me."

" Meeting you was like opening a wound." 

He raised a brow.

" Let me finish."

" I am. Didn't say anything." He crossed his arms, looking to his side but does keep paying attention.

" When I saw you chained by the IPC, I saw myself trapped in your place. Your pretty eyes certainly struck a chord and how could I say know to them? With time, the wound closes, the ache dulls and all it leaves is a scar. I'll think of you when I notice it time and again. Or none at all depending on what I'm wearing for the day."

" That still makes no sense." She shoves his side, initiating a small banter between them.

Jiaoqiu laughs with every little detail Moze gives him of their chair bound banter. The poking, shoving, until it builds up to Feixiao having Beifang in a playful headlock which he breaks out of and promptly picks her up to throw her off the edge.

" All eyes are upon Luka "Strongarm", who has finally arrived in front of Yanqing after overcoming numerous hurdles!" The announcer interrupted them, much to the Yaoqing retainers' relief.

Beifang sets Feixiao back down and they go back to their seats to watch the final match.

" Since the beginning of the Wardance, the match between Luka and Yanqing has been the most anticipated one among the audience. Now, this highly awaited showdown is about to unfold before viewers across the cosmos!"

Beifang leans forward, watching the contestants with interest. Luka has grit and a top notch boxer to boot but Yanqing didn't get the rank of lieutenant at such a young age by being idle.

" What will be the final result of this match? Let's watch and find out!"

In a touching finale to their battle, in such a match there was no declared winner or loser. He would hear later on of the long tale of Luka's ancestor Igor and his own history with the General of Divine Foresight.

The Wardance was over, the day was coming to a close and the guests of the Yaoqing prepared to part ways with one of their own. They're unnaturally quiet as they return to the guest house. Beifang excused himself to go over his belongings and pack the gifts he'd been given.

He was notified of more packages sent to his room. Additional gifts from generals Huaiyan and Jing Yuan, Yanqing and Yunli all wrapped with similar instructions as the first set of gifts to be opened once he was settled on the Express. He had been invited into their group chat after a private call with the senior members. Not a lot was said, just how they met the younglings and why he wanted to join. Like a basic interview.

After ensuring all his belongings were in check and secured, he decides to have a drink.

Long pink ears flicked his way as he entered the kitchenette. Jiaoqiu is at the counter, making himself some tea.

" Evening, Doc." He says as he takes up a clean mug and fills it with water.

" Beifang." Jiaoqiu nods as he feels his surroundings for the water dispenser. Usually he'd prefer the more traditional method but with his impairment, he would have to make do with what he can. " Are all your belongings accounted for?"

" I didn't think delivery would be so soon." He answered, keeping an eye on where the roaming hands were searching for the dispense button.

" You barely have anything in your dwelling so I'd imagine there wasn't much to transport anyways." The healer successfully activated the dispenser, smiling to himself over the small success as the sound of water filling the cup could be heard. " You've never really bothered getting much for yourself. Some would call you minimalistic but I'm starting to think maybe you've never thought of the Yaoqing as a home to fill."

" Jiaoqiu." The tone is a gentle reprimand. For all his brilliance, the Doc has his own bundle of insecurities that came from his own experience of treating soldiers that simply run off to die.

" Sorry, I'm sorry." He muttered. " I'm not trying to assume but I'm just never sure... I didn't want to overstep." A hand touches his shoulder gently, the scent of smoke lingering in the air.

" I'm going to miss you too, Doc."

" ...Thank you." For what, he could make a list but then they'd be there all night. His tea seeps, just warm enough for him to hold and the hand moves away. The scent of smoke lingers but the lack of heaviness had indicated that the Wolf had left the room.

Upon the rooftops where he lights the tobacco of his pipe, he is accompanied by a feathered shadow. The crow was the youngest of them, barely an adult when they met and had worked well with him through the battlefield. He says nothing as he sits next to the Wolf, who smokes leisurely through the late hours to relish the cool night air.

When the tobacco finishes, only one of them speaks.

" I will protect them." A vow renewed with wild yellow eyes as the witness.

The Wolf grinned, showing a bit of fang as though to enact upon the vow should it be broken. An assurance for both of them, motivation to move forward.

By the time he returned to his room, Feixiao was at his door.

" I'm not helping with paperwork, I'm officially resigned. Your words, Xiao Fei."

She doesn't hold back her laugh this time. " You're so good at it though!"

" Doesn't mean I like it." He chuckles along. Their laughter died down and they stood in silence for a minute. " I don't think I've told you enough how thankful I am that you found me. I'm so glad you forcefully adopted me as your brother."

This elicits another stream of giggles Feixiao does little to actually stifle as he continues to list them down.

" Made me learn how to use this godforsaken jade abacus, made me write up all those reports, forcefully had me train with you."

" And that time I ordered you to let me ride on your back."

" On multiple occasions! Not just on the battlefield."

" I did take you starskiff riding in exchange. That was fun."

" I've decided I don't like flying."

" Hey!"

" Seriously, I will miss you though."

" Aw, that's sweet. Bring it in." She opened her arms.

" What? No."

" Get over here!" He growls and she growls right back. " Give your sister a hug!"

" My sister can suck it!"

It's more of a grapple or a tackle rather than a hug, especially considering how Feixiao suplexes him immediately after but it still counts.

Chapter Text

He joined the Yaoqing guests in their formal goodbyes at the Seat of Divine Foresight. He had initially thought to part ways with them there but it becomes apparent that his sister and colleagues wanted to stretch their goodbye for as long as they could. Who was he not to indulge them?

So they walked together to Starskiff Haven Port where to their surprise, a little farewell group was waiting for them. March and Stelle spotted him and waved cheerfully, he returned the wave with a smile of his own.

" If it isn't Yanqing, the Xianzhou Luofu reigning champion! Oh, and our Astral Express friends are here, too!" Feixiao says enthusiastically. " To think you younglings would be the ones to steal my brother away from me. At the very least I'd thought he'd be whisked away by some incredible beauty."

" Please don't start."

" Pity. I think I had a table going with some aunties back at home." Moze muttered.

" Moze, you traitor."

" Assassin." He corrected the Wolf.

The younger ones lined up, put their hands together and gave a short bow. " Farewell, General Feixiao."

Everyone, save for Stelle. " It is a shame that we never got that duel."

Feixiao grinned wide, the fangs in the corners of her mouth flashing a pearly white as her eyes gleamed. " The Marshal warned me repeatedly that I was not permitted to take to the stage and show off my skills. Although, I also think it's a shame not being able to spar with my talented allies."

" You're really going to be sending battle invitations with your schedule? Come on, Xiao Fei." Wolf took the immediate chance to tease her. Ignoring the glare she sends him, Wolf continues. " With the current turmoil still being settled, I'd imagine there's a ton of things the general would have to take care of first. It could take a while."

" That's fine. I'll wait." Stelle says confidently, hands on her hips. " I'll do my best to learn from you."

" Alright, I hope we'll all do our best. Maybe you could have a few sparring matches with Beifang to get you up to speed. He's been my sparring partner for years!" She says, giving him a slight nudge.

" Only because your stamina is impossible for anyone else to keep up with." He replied. " Go a little easy on whatever poor sap takes my place. You'll run them ragged."

" Well, that's their problem now."

" Fair enough."

She returns her attention to the farewell reception. " I am truly honored that I was able to meet with you all one more time before I left the Luofu. Nameless, I'll be leaving my brother in your hands. He's a little scruffy but he means well."

" Wow. I'm almost offended." He muttered quietly with a quirk of his lips.

" Great."

He crossed his arms. " Now I am offended."

" Great."

" Oh yeah!" March piped up. " I brought authentic local drinks from the Xianzhou Luofu for you all — mung bean soda! Please don't hesitate to take one, and you can enjoy it if you get thirsty on your journeys!"

The girl takes out the box of sodas she brought along, handing each person a drink with ease. Wolf didn't mind the drink much save for the overwhelming smell, he puts it away for later. Maybe after a good smoke.

" You are too kind, Miss March." Jiaoqiu began, chuckling in amusement. As he gives his own heartfelt words of farewell, Wolf contemplates, as everyone seemed to be at the time, if they should interrupt his moment to tell him that he was facing the wrong way. Sure, he was looking somewhere in Wolf's direction but March was on the other side. 

The smoke scent can't be his only indicator. Maybe Wolf leaving was a good thing.

" ...Master Jiaoqiu. We're actually over here." Thank the stars for the grey one. Straightforward as ever.

" We were hesitating whether to tell you or not..." March says as the others looked at him with apologetic looks.

They tried to carry on the conversation but it seems the stereotype about the Yaoqing being conversation killers seems to simply prove itself. Repeatedly. As an outsider now, he should probably say something to lighten the mood but they've had their moments back at the guest villa and he knows Jiaoqiu is already feeling embarrassed, Moze doesn't like talking much and Feixiao has a one track mind that's usually spent on anything related to martial arts and fighting.

" So, did you spend the entire Wardance just looking for factions to join or was I lucky?" Stelle then asked him.

" I was looking for transport and somewhere to start my new journey. It just so happens the Express offers both." He says. " That and I really didn't want to get on any kind of ship related to the IPC. Last time I did, they were going to ship me off into a lab before Xiao Fei rescued me. It's how we met."

" ... That's awful." Dan Heng finally speaks.

" Considering I woke up around that time, I don't think it was as bad as it could've been. After all, I got a sister out of it." He smiles at her. " She's annoying and bossy, but a sister."

" Aw, I could cry." She doesn't cry, physically incapable like he was, but she does go to hug him. It's awkward but warm, patting each other's back like comrades and letting go without another word.

Moze announces the starskiff arriving soon and the general gives one last word to Yanqing. March suggests a group photo before they leave and starts arranging their positions while Stelle sets up the cycrane. Wolf is placed next to his sister, matching black and white trenchcoats shoulder to shoulder. Biting wind and cloudy smoke.

Stelle hurries to her spot next to Wolf and they smiled for the camera.

Before he knew it, the starskiff had left and the Yaoqing guests with them. He feels a little sad at their parting, watching the vehicle disappear over the horizon and sighs wordlessly.

" Mr Wolf, are you alright?" Dan Heng, the silent young man looks a bit concerned.

" Yeah." He nods.

" The Zhuming guests will be here soon. Would you care to join us in saying farewell?" Yanqing asked.

He smiles at the invitation. " I don't see why not."

He refrained from smoking as he waited. His nose twitching as some of the smell of the mung bean soda was becoming more obvious to him and adjusting his coat isn't doing much favours to distract him from the discomfort. The Zhuming guests do appear moments after.

He decided to hold back on speaking excessively as the others exchanged their farewells. The banter Yunli and Yanqing exchanged was an amusing distraction but not long lasting.

" Hehe, looks like I made it just in time for a show." In a surprising turnout of events, Lady Lingsha had appeared.

Stelle gasped. " Miss Lingsha, the Alchemy Commission cannot go on without you!"

" Hehe, I am here to bid farewell to our Zhuming guests as you are. As I've spent so many years studying on the Xianzhou Zhuming and been under the care of Ardens Regia, I am basically a half-native Zhuming person at this point."

" I'd take a puff to that." The Wolf said.

" And another thing," The dragon marches forth and holds out a wrapped tin box. " You've certainly given me quite the challenge. Dulling heightened senses without being a hindrance, calming effects for the user and for the sake of everyone around you, harmless smoke."

She dropped the tin into his lap and smiled proudly as he took a minute to process what she just handed to him.

" I don't know how many more thanks I can give you." He says as he looks around the well wrapped tin. " The Cloud Knights, the guests, the younglings here and even myself received timely care and treatment at the Alchemy Commission - Miss Lingsha, these incidents would be catastrophically tragic without you."

" Not at all." She giggled with her hand over her mouth. " This is all simply the work of the Alchemy Commission."

He's about to put it aside when she says,

" Why not give it a try? The smoke is safe and if you find anything amiss, you can tell me immediately."

He excused himself to sit a bit away just in case. He takes out the pipe, fills in the bowl and before long, takes a drag of the new blend. The strong smell of the mung bean soda is replaced by the familiar warm smokes of something woody, a little earthy and just a pinch of spice in there. It's familiar but clearer, refined enough to pick out the tastes and keep the other senses out. Like a very mild perfume.

It's only a couple minutes before he's called over to join in the photo. He declined, but the youth are stubborn and he's dragged over anyway without any chances to properly put out the pipe. The cycrane ended up holding it for him as they took the picture.

The Zhuming guests leave and soon Lingsha returns to the Alchemy Commission. A starskiff silently pulls to a stop and the familiar figure of Master Diviner Fu Xuan emerges from the hatch. He hadn't seen her since his incident at the Matrix.

" I have been devoted to divining the cause and effect outcomes of so many things, yet I never divined that there would be so many people here to meet me on my return to the Xianzhou. I see the Xianzhou Luofu really just can't go on without me." Proud as a peacock, she smiles graciously upon her unexpected welcoming committee.

" Who's this sassy, lost, short pink-haired girl?"

Wolf chokes on air, coughing to hide a wheeze.

" Huh? I cannot pretend I didn't hear that."

Yanqing swoops in immediately to explain the situation. She seemed understanding at first then immediately upset.

" You have all been on the Luofu for all this time, and you didn't even notice that I wasn't here?"

" I did." Wolf raised his hand before Stelle could speak, March and Dan Heng sighed in relief. " I wanted to thank you personally after healing up but then I heard you'd left for the Yugue."

" Why are you smoking here?" He looked down at his pipe and back at Fu Xuan, then continued to smoke.

" You must be tired, Master Diviner Fu. I have some mung bean soda. Please take one cup as a welcome back gift!" March offers her one.

" Thank you. That is very kind. However, I am quite picky when it comes to drinks. Almost no regular Luofu citizen actually drinks mung bean soda." Fu Xuan says as Wolf drinks the soda somewhere in the background, physically recoiling at the smell but shrugs and carries on drinking. " I'll take you to try some startaro bubble tea and you'll understand."

" Aren't those vile?" Wolf finished his drink and holds up a hand to abate her glare. " Jiaoqiu and Moze told me they'd never try it ever again."

" ...I suppose it's more of a preference." She admitted.

" You should have told us you were coming back!" Stelle said.

Fu Xuan shook her head. " I do not like fusses. This was simply a work trip, and there was no need for a welcome party."

There's a pause there, Wolf continues to smoke.

" Although..." It seems Qingque might actually get in trouble with the Master Diviner for not showing up.

To make the situation lighter, they decided to take another group photo. With a little more talking, their farewell party ends.

" March, have you tried Immortal's Delight?" Wolf asked her.

" Of course!" Her eyes are shining, already drooling at the mention of the much more popular drink.

" I haven't so how about we go get a cup? It'll be my treat." He extends the invitation to everyone. " Consider it my way of celebrating joining your crew."

" Yes!"

" Free drink!" Stelle cheered.

" Maybe we could send Miss Himeko and Mr Yang the stall location and meet them there instead." Dan Heng suggested.

" Sure, tell them I'm buying drinks for everyone so they don't miss out." The girls were still celebrating the prospect of a free drink behind them.

Chapter Text

It's a lot more spacious than he initially thought when he first saw the train from the outside. With shining marble flooring in the middle lane and red carpeting on the sides, red leather armchairs and curved sectional sofas of the same colour. His eyes gazed upwards at the illuminated model of a deep space creature. A type of leviathan that resembles a whale.

There are quite a few plants too, lush and green. Clearly well cared for.

" Excuse me," A voice calls him. " Down here."

He looks down into the biggest blue eyes he's ever seen. When he stepped aboard the train, he was asked to wait for the other Nameless to arrive. He had expressed his desire to join them weeks ago and with some collaborative effort, they had managed to create another passenger car from what was once the supposed botany car right next to the medical bay. But, an incident involving remnants of the Propagation had destroyed the car's interior, baring it from entry until renovations were done.

" We haven't been properly met. I'm Pom-Pom, the conductor of the Astral Express." The elusive figure behind the wheel barely reaches his knees and for whatever reason, the most feared person on this train. " I've heard about you for a couple weeks now and I don't care who you used to be or what you are but all passengers must follow the rules when aboard the Express."

" Okay, then...." He adjusted his coat. " I'm Bigby Wolf. Thank you for having me on your train."

" Great. The others are here now so we can talk about your initiation together." The bunny led hin where the other Nameless were gathered in a circle each with a drink of Immortal's Delight in their hands.

A woman with bright red hair wearing a white dress and black jacket looks up first. The now infamous navigator of the Express, Himeko smiles at him. " Ah, Mr Wolf. It's nice to finally meet you in person. We were just talking about you."

" All good things, I hope. And you can call me Bigby."

" Well then, Bigby." He feels a slight tingle at hearing his own name from someone else's lips for the first time in a decade. He smiles at the sound, yellow eyes softening their gaze. Himeko smiles a little sweeter. " Bigby, we've made some living arrangements where your things have been sent to. Care for a tour?"

" I wanna come!" March sprang up from where she'd been sitting with her drink long discarded.

" Ditto." Stelle raised her hand.

Dan Heng simply followed after them and nodded at Bigby.

" This is quite the reception." Bigby chuckled. " Am I expecting a prank?"

" No, we've just been... ecstatic to have another companion joining us on this journey." The man adjusts his spectacles. " I'm Welt Yang, if you need anything just ask me anytime. Welcome to the Astral Express."

He's led through the cars. The group shows off the party car where guests and passengers are able to lounge, enjoy drinks, play games and have their meals. Stelle practically dragged him up the stairs to her room which was actually more of a storage room full of empty boxes and proudly shows her favourite box to sleep in.

It's apparently still under renovation but she does have an actual bed in there, so his concerns were unfounded. She hasn't gotten around to doing the rest yet though.

They pass by the bar where a robot sat and waved, Himeko hushing the mechanical life form before it could even speak.

The passenger car as it seemed had four rooms. Or rather, three rooms and an archive which Dan Heng had put a mattress on the floor and called it a day. They passed by March's room where she grabs a couple pillows as a housewarming gift. Bigby refrained from scrunching up his nose passing by the heavily coffee scented room of Himeko's, he probably won't take up her offer to brew him a cup if the grimace the others wore were any indication, and Welt, thankfully, had simply offhandedly mentioned his own room.

The next car had a med bay and two more rooms, which was a lower floor and a loft much like the party car and Stelle's room. His luggage was already in one corner next to the door. It's spacious, lacking a lot of furniture other than lighting and has a distinct lingering scent of pine.

" The bed we thought we had was damaged so we squeezed in a sofa which I hope you don't mind for the time being." Himeko explained, gesturing the long blue divan near the window.

" Again, we apologise for the lack of furniture at the moment but we will be able to do some shopping at our next stop." Welt says with a promise.

" No, it's alright." Bigby assured them. " I actually don't really like sleeping in beds, might be a wolf thing. The room's huge, thank you."

Himeko smiles warmly at him, still clearly uncomfortable with leaving the room so bare and looking determined to help him fill it out. " Then, we'll leave you to settle in for now. Whenever you're ready, you should meet us at the parlour car."

March cheerfully hands him the pillows while Dan Hang hands him a folded blanket. 

Stelle gives him an ash tray and tells him that the room is well ventilated so Pom Pom wouldn't mind him smoking.

They left him in the room feeling rather awestruck at their easy acceptance and kindness. He sets the pillow and blankets down on the divan, finding it actually completely brand new with the plastic cover still attached. 

The ash tray is placed on a small layered side table and he takes a moment to try understanding why Stelle gave him such a thing. Not that he wasn't grateful but it was shaped like a skull with a knife handle sticking out of the top acting as the cover handle to open and close the tray.

He tries not to think how she got her hands on it in the first place.

He turns his attention to an empty book shelf next to the divan. The clear glass door letting him see about two books already placed inside, a note on the door lets him know that Welt and Dan Heng had picked him out two books to help him pick out more furniture to buy later on with multiple shop listings that allows for fast interastral delivery.

He takes a look at the pile of gifts and brings them to the divan. The soft mattress like seat dips slightly and he picks up the nearest gift.

The first one he opened had a sword pattern wrapping and sharp, broad calligraphy letters spelled out Yunli right at the very top. He already knew what the gift was but was still pleasantly surprised with the set of five books from that detective series Guinaifen talked about. The covers are red with green silhouettes of the detective in various poses.

The title says Segugio, the main character of the series. He sets the books aside for later, already intrigued by the first book's summary.

The next gift he opened contains a well crafted short sword. A red tassel hung gracefully from the hilt and a single word is etched on the blade ; Hunt. He has no doubts the gift was from Yanqing considering the rather intricate design of the guard and hilt. It even came with a display.

The leaf pattern on the wrapping was a cool teal, much like the clothes Feixiao favours. Her favourite colour. The high collar shirt is mainly blue with black and white gold accents, sleeveless and in some ways, armoured. An emblem of the Verdant Knights sat above it, fully framed with both of his names engraved on the plaque.

The next two boxes were wrapped identically. Only that one held a set of brushes and the other a set of hair accessories. He knows the duo enjoy teasing him for trying to grow out his hair but all he managed was just enough for a small bun and he still hasn't bothered tying it up much. One of the brushes had a large base and the bristles were metallic. It was probably for his wolf fur.

Sushang's gift for him was some recipes for local foods of the Yaoqing and Loufu that can be generally made wherever he is. It's thoughtful but he doesn't really cook that much. Jiaoqiu wouldn't let him because their tastes were too different.

Guinaifen had gifted him a black lantern in the shape of a pagoda. It's a pretty basic Xianzhou gift for tourists and he chuckles when he realises she forgot the scented candles that are supposed to go with them. It doubles as an incense burner too. He places it next to Lingsha's gift.

The Generals had given him a box of custom made tiles to play celestial jade and a set of cufflinks made from a rare kind of red jade. He sets them aside with the brush sets and hair accessories.

He scans the room, the gifts and his meager luggage. Starting from the shelves, he arranges the gifts as best he can. The short sword on the highest shelf, second only to the plaque. The new set of books on the shelf below the sword and the lantern kept on its own section beneath the plague.

The brushes and accessories were placed into a drawer beside the divan. His clothes followed after and the armoured shirt was placed in own compartment at the lowest drawer.

He looks around, somewhat satisfied with the arrangements and thought to himself if he actually should get anything more for his room. He quite liked the spaciousness of it and he never did enjoy unnecessary extravagances of overly furnished rooms and luxury items.

He's reminded of what Himeko asked of him and made for the parlour car.

" Hello, new passenger!"

" Shush." He meant it as a greeting but it comes off as a harsh command even to his own ears. However, the bot seemed rather amused than offended.

" You're certainly well settled in." Shush said with a mechanical chuckle as he walked past the bar and through the door to the next car.

" Oh, good. You're here." Himeko beckons him to join in the conversation. " We were just finished with the working schedule arrangements. I'll give you the run down. Everyday, someone will take charge to ensure duties aboard the express are done in an efficient and timely manner. Cleaning, cooking, maintenance, patrol and any other relevant activities. You don't have to join us on the first day of course but we figured we should keep you in the loop."

" Much appreciated." He nods. " But, I'm not an idle person."

" Ooh, I got it." March waved her hand up enthusiastically. " Me and Stelle are gonna be looking through some furniture catalogue for her room, Mr Yang is gonna be doing the floor plan and designs based on her preference. Wanna join us, Mr Wolf?"

He gives the thought a moment. " I don't see why not."

" Awesome!" March reached for his arm and dragged him over to the table where catalogues and books were laid out. " Stelle's already sorting out her stuff so we're just going through the funding needed. Over here, let's see...."

He glances at the open pages marked with grey sticky notes. There were designs picked out for kitchens, bathrooms, an entire notebook dedicated to what looked like a personal gaming room and various display cases for weapons.

" What kind of preference do you usually like?" March asked, blinking her blue-pink eyes.

He shrugged, scratching the scruff of his chin." I usually just go with anything I'm given. Even back on the Yaoqing, I never really bothered switching things up or adding a lot of things."

" What?!" March exclaimed.

" What's wrong?" Stelle returned from... Wherever she was that had dried leaves sticking out of her hair.

" Mr Wolf doesn't have a preference! Don't you want anything in your room? At least pick a bed." March whined.

" Well... I like the couch." He says slowly. March groans while Stelle nods with a smile.

" Couch supremacy wins again."

The pink haired girl ignores her. " Okay, what about other furniture?"

" I'm pretty fine with what I have. I already unpacked and the space is nice." Now this received clear objections from both girls.

" Mr Wolf, you don't even reach bare minimum living conditions. This is as bad as Dan Heng but at least he has the archive to keep himself entertained and a personal shower." Stelle said. " Won't you get bored?"

" Let's start with something simple then... Like a bathroom!" She spreads the catalogue before them.

It didn't take very long to decide what he wanted, which actually isn't a lot. His requirements are very basic, reflected as much in his choices which the girls did little to argue against.

" So, no tub?" Stelle asked.

" Nah, I like the way the showers feel. It's like rain." The girls nodded along, marking the shower set with the high filtration drain using a black sticky note. With that, they were finished with his bathroom.

" What's next?" March asked.

Their devices pinged simultaneously in different tones. A text from Pom Pom indicated that lunch was ready and they were to have their meals in the party car.

Chapter Text

By dinner, all the chores had been done and plans for his bathroom had been made. Pom Pom and Welt Yang had managed to complete a section of Stelle's room, namely the kitchen she had been going on about for a while. The girl had invited everyone for a celebratory midnight snack at her place.

He doesn't expect anything else to occur for the day. Tomorrow he will be starting out on the roster and Welt Yang will be leading them throughout the day.

Tonight, he's disturbed by a noise in the med bay. The shadow of the figure is slim, he smells maple and sea salt nearby. Leaning against the med bay's door, he watched the figure struggle to locate the bandages.

" Need help?" The figure jumps up, spear in hand just as Bigby turns on the light.

" Mr Wolf..." Dan Heng sighed.

" Glad you didn't stab me." The spear is whisked away immediately. The Wolf reaches over to where the desired supplies were actually kept. " Bandages are in a separate cabinet from the medication. Keeps them dry in case of any spillage. Go sit on the table, I can smell the blood from here."

" I'm sorry to disturb you at this hour." The young man apologised, trying very poorly to hide the blood dripping over his forehead.

" It's nothing." Bigby says, grabbing some clean cloth, a small basin of water and disinfectant. " Be still, this won't take long."

The wound is a number of small cuts focused at certain areas, thankfully they don't seem deep so it was easy to clean up. Once the blood was wiped away, Bigby took care of applying the disinfectant.

" Don't forget to clean up your hands." The young man looks down at his fingers, red crescent marks filling in his nails. He grimaces at the sight and at the sharp pain from the disinfectant.

His head is wrapped neatly and his hands were cleaned with a wet cloth. He observed Bigby keeping the supplies again and stood up from the table.

" Thank you."

The Wolf nods. " Jiaoqiu made it a point to drill in some basic medical training."

" I see." The young dragon says with a small smile. " I'll be going back now, thank you again."

" Dan Heng." He paused mid step and looked up, prepared for the lectures. " You're allowed to ask for help."

The young dragon stared at him for a while before quietly excusing himself from the room and hurried off. He tilts his head at the retreating form, wondering what he said that was wrong. Maybe he really is bad with younglings. Youths from slave camps often cried at the sight of him and they would continue to cry when they spotted him on the Yaoqing but then started following him before he managed to shake them off.

At least March and Stelle seem to like him.

The next day, breakfast was a quiet affair with toast and eggs being served up. He takes a plate for himself, a little groggy still from the dreamless slumber and fills the plate up per usual. The Express members paid the pile of food on his plate little mind, simply glancing at it momentarily before moving on with nothing more than a shrug. March had gasped and decided to make herself a tower of waffles of which they had no clue where she even got the waffles or when she cooked them.

He sat down and a cup of coffee was placed at his table. He thanks Himeko for the cup as she smiles at him. Breakfast was good, Pom Pom was an incredible cook and Shush wasn't bad at making toast.

He takes a sip of coffee.

He wakes up in his room again, tucked in with an IV connected to his arm.

" Mr Wolf!" March is tearing up at his side, looking extremely concerned. " We should've warned you. I'm so sorry!"

" What happened?" He sits up, immediately alert. He doesn't remember being attacked or getting hurt bad enough to knock him out. There aren't any bandages on his body much to his relief. Was he poisoned?

" Apologies, we have neglected to warn you that Himeko's coffee is rather intense. As a human, it's enough to kill a man but for a wolf like yourself, I'd imagine the reactions are no less severe if not worse." Welt Yang explained as Stelle sat at the end of the bed with flowers. " We've asked Himeko to hold off on the coffee."

The door to his room slides open and Dan Heng hurried inside. " Is he awake?"

" I'm alive." He waves at the young man from the bed. Himeko walks in behind him, sighing in relief at the sight of Bigby already awake. " I understand the concern but isn't this a bit, uh, excessive? You're all acting like I died."

" You did." Dan Heng said. " For thirty seconds, you didn't breathe and your heart stopped."

" Oh." That would explain a lot. He moves to get up. " Well, I'm fine now,"

" Please don't get up." Himeko says, gently pushing him back down. " Just focus on resting for the day, we can handle our duties on board."

He makes a grunt of reluctance and leans back against the soft divan. March and Stelle had to leave to do their part of the morning clean up, Welt Yang had gone to monitor them while Himeko decided to do a routine check on the engines. Which left him with Dan Heng in the room, the young man fidgeting in place.

" Yeah?" He prompted the younger one to speak.

" Can I stay for a bit?" He asked meekly.

" Sure. Uh," He looked around and noticing the lack of more seats, invited him to sit on the divan.

The young man declined, now settled on the floor with his legs criss-crossed. They're quiet, awkwardly so until the kid actually speaks again. " Perhaps you should have a reading desk."

He looks around and yes, he could use a good reading desk and probably a nice pin board. He liked having those in his office. " Could you grab the catalogue on the book shelf? Since you're here, you can help me pick out a little work space for me."

Dan Heng rose from where he sat and reached the book shelf. He glances at the items that filled the shelf and hummed before taking the catalogue inside.

" What sort of workspace do you need?"

They poured into the catalogue. The kid's style was more on archiving and practicality. For Bigby, they settled for a decent sized desk with space for a filing cabinet attached to it, a classic office chair, a desk lamp and a big ol' pin board just for the heck of it. On days when he didn't run rescue operations on battlefields, he would help work through cases with the investigation bureau.

" You've already finished the series?" Dan Heng asked, flipping through the pages of the first book of the Segugio series.

" They're a good read." He says. " Went right through 'em all night. The main character is clever, a trickster that cracks the case in most ways people don't expect. The best part is it's written from everyone else's point of view but his own. Refreshing and insightful."

" Could I give them a read?" He asked.

" Be my guest."

The kid poured through the pages immediately and was completely absorbed into the book even as Pom Pom and March came along to bring them lunch and subsequently dinner. He lets the young man take the rest of the series to be saved digitally into the archives and advised him not to stay up late reading.

The next day, March wanted to have a read as well after catching Dan Heng reading the book while walking down the hallway. Welt expressed his own interest in the series and started borrowing them as well.

It's been a few days since he first joined, the girls had tied his hair into a half bun after having discovered the hairbrush sets while visiting his room one day. The renovations to his and Stelle's room were done much faster than anyone had anticipated. They threw a small party to celebrate both the rooms finishing and his receiving of the official Astral Express pin by the conductor, Pom Pom.

He and the others were taking a break from their duties in the party car. Chatting over the book series they've been reading and sharing opinions about it.

" What I don't know is just who is Segugio?" Bigby asked aloud.

" He's the detective." March tries to answer, curious as to where he's getting at.

" And other than that?" Bigby prompted.

The silence was a loud enough answer.

" Was his first name ever mentioned?" Welt pondered.

" No." Dan Heng said.

" There's a few lines that bother me a bit here too. They don't exactly stand out all too much but they're certainly put in odd places." Bigby said. " I just got the final book of the series and at the same time I get the news that the series has been cancelled."

The sixth edition was no longer a silhouette so mysterious but a man shrouded in shadows still. There have been orders for a total recall of this edition and he has yet to fully analyse the contents.

Welt flipped the pages all the way back to the author's note and information. It's woefully blank save for the publisher and the name. " The writer's from Penacony."

" Penacony..." Himeko muttered. " No wonder some of the places here sounded familiar. They're based on the dreamscapes in Penacony."

" We'll be restocking there, won't we?" He asked.

" Yes. Speaking of, I have some news." Himeko says. " The Astral Express just received an invitation to the Planet of Festivities..."

March sat up. " Hang on! Why am I getting a sense of deja vu?"

Stelle finally looks up from her phone and grimaces. " Are we all still in a dream?"

" No way!" March shakes her head and turns to Bigby. " Mr Wolf is here with us so it can't be. Right?"

" I'm missing some context here..."

" I'll explain." Himeko gives him a rundown of everything that went down in Penacony. For a short summary, being trapped in a dream that seems too perfect sounds like a lot. The expressions on their faces clearly show how disturbed they were by the experience.

" Don't worry — the Express received a normal invitation this time. It's from Penacony's "Paperfold University"." Welt assured them.

" A university trip..." Bigby tries to remember the last time he had been to one of these back at the Yaoqing as Himeko explained the event. He'd gone in wolf form once as Feixiao's escort at one of the Intelligencia Guild's floating university ships and was treated more like a pet before he changed back. Even then, he didn't know peace as the students and lecturers alike started following him around with so many questions about his being.

" What do you think, Bigby?" Brought out of his musings, he faced the others who seemed pretty excited to see a university. Granted, they probably hadn't had the opportunity to attend one before.

" I'll pass." He says. " I think I'll do some sightseeing instead. You said the locations in the book are in Penacony, right?" He holds up the book, the final edition. " I'll go on a personal book tour, so to speak."

" Hey," Stelle points at the cover. " Doesn't that guy kinda look like Brother Hanu?"

" Who?"

" He's a cartoon character that's popular in Penacony." Dan Heng explained.

" Yeah, I played tons of Brother Hanu puzzles and got some sweet rewards for them. Some readable material too but I just stashed those in the archives." Stelle went back to her game.

Bigby turned to the resident archivist. " Could I have a copy of those materials?"

" Of course."

Chapter Text

When the night system hours kicked in, they gathered around for a watch party. Apparently, Welt had the ability to make projections and movies out of nothing. For tonight, thankfully, they settled to just projecting the Clockie cartoon series for Pom-Pom.

Bigby hadn't thought much of it until he learned who Clockie was based off and why the cartoon viewing was important for the conductor. It got pretty sentimental from there.

Then, he met the infamous Brother Hanu and was immediately taken aback. Though, not for the reasons you'd expect.

" Isn't he cool?" Stelle asked as they watched the cartoon wolf use a rocket launcher on a crocodile.

" He certainly has a way with one-liners." Bigby said. " Just to assume, since there's no subtitles, you guys do know he's actually saying things, right? Not just random grunts."

The Express Crew stared at him wide eyed. Welt paused the viewing and cleared his throat. " Am I to understand, Mr Wolf, that he isn't speaking gibberish but actual wolf language?"

" ...Yes?"

" We'll save the questions for later. Though," Himeko glanced at the screen. " Perhaps you could give us the translation?"

They continued the viewing this time with Bigby repeating the grunts into coherent sentences for the humans to understand. It's easy to forget that he was an actual wolf. It surprised them all in knowing that the voice of Brother Hanu is actually speaking, especially considering how good his one-liners and phrases were. The credits rolled and Bigby made a motion for Welt to pause.

" The voice actor isn't credited." He pointed out where Brother Hanu's name was not included in the credits.

" I'm certain someone was behind the voice." Stelle said. " There's no way it'd go blank...I would've made sure of that."

" Is that your name on the credits, kid?" Bigby pointed out where her name was next to Director.

" You were the movie director?!" March gasped.

" I'm not even going to ask." Dan Heng sighed.

" Looks like you had fun." Himeko praised.

" Directing isn't an easy job. For a hit movie like this one, you've done phenomenally well considering it is your first time." Welt added.

Stelle shrugged, looking pretty proud of herself through all the praise. " I was just helping out."

Bigby laughed. " Never a dull moment with you."

He sets aside the fact that Brother Hanu's voice actor isn't credited along with the fact that he was actually talking. There was something going on with this Hanu character.

Segugio the Series wasn't just any detective book, for one the focus isn't on hus point of view. On the first chapter the reader actually witnessed the crime and knew the perpetrator. The real kicker is when the detective, Segugio, appears at the crime scene. Aloof, unkept and easily permissible as some lazy bum forced to do his job by the precinct.

He talks to the perpetrator, asks casual questions and actually forms a rather loose bond or connection with them. It's through this that they become careless, noses up high in arrogance as they share jokes and wine.

It's near the end where they see how the investigation would be coming to a close and Segugio would look at the perpetrator in the eyes.

" One more thing..."

From there, it's downhill. He unravels the crime with evidence none of them even noticed he looked through. Traps the perpetrators with clever ruses and extra calls they don't see him make. Most of the killers are highly influential individuals with great arrogance for their own wealth and intelligence and an air which believed they could get away with anything.

The final edition is the oddest.

It presents a series of murders of which you actually follow Segugio through his search of gathering evidence from the crime scenes and investigating each victim's death. There's no body to account for only signs of death and very few eye witnesses that even then couldn't ascertain what the perpetrator looked like.

The detective series without mysteries left with one last one. It's the ending, the last entry ever recorded.

" Fate plays cruel jokes."

The line itself didn't feel like it belonged to this character.

Segugio was the serial killer and after claiming his last victim, he had vanished and was never caught.

" Dear passengers, please prepare for a warp jump."

He hears Pom-Pom's voice through the speakers and prepares for his first trip to Penacony. He feels this shift in the air, it ripples over his skin and shudders in the light. He hasn't quite encountered much memoria bubbles before, much less entire systems pooled with the stuff. He knows they've reached the Asdana System and tucks his pipe into his coat. The train pulls to a stop at the Reverie Hotel.

The entire building screams of grandeur and luxury. Something about the style strikes a chord with him when they get off the Express. There's familiarity, a smidge but somewhat there. Something smells off about this place like a buzz in his ear. It doesn't fade even as they walked towards the reception.

" Bigby, we'll be doing some networking while the young ones check in first." Himeko's voice brings him from his thoughts. " Do you want to go with them or stay with us?"

" I think I'll check in. I'm not familiar with anyone here so I might as well get touring as soon as possible."

" Alright then, be safe." Welt says with a nod.

Induced by habit from whenever Feixiao says this, he replied, " You too."

He finds the young ones at the receptionist and overhears that not six, but seven VIP rooms had already been prepared for their arrival. Apparently, Pom-Pom was checking in as well. 

" ...I see. We thank The Family for their gracious hospitality. Please help us with the check-in." Dan Heng definitely knew what was going on and leaned in to apologise to March once they were a bit further from the front desk.

" Dan Heng, do you know something that we don't? Why did the front desk mention that Pom-Pom is staying at the hotel too?" The sweet conductor was bound to the train and couldn't leave the premises more than a foot away. 

" If my guess is correct, it's probably Boothill checking in under Pom-Pom's name." The young man explained.

" The Galaxy Ranger?" Bigby hadn't expected to hear his name so soon.

" You know him, Mr Wolf?" Stelle asked.

" I met him during the Wardance. Interesting guy."

" What do you think he's doing here?" March asked.

" I don't know. Galaxy Rangers always work alone, but I don't think Boothill will do anything that is detrimental to the Express." Dan Heng said.

" He checked in three days ago, yeah? We might meet him sometime so you kids could probably ask him then." Bigby assured them.

March helps guide him to his room as the others go into theirs. She leaves him with a cheerful wave and wishes him a good tour.

" The tour's started since I got to this place." He murmurs to himself. After all, one of the most prominent victims in the final book perished right within an unspecified VIP hotel room.

He takes a look around the room. Circular sectional couches and lounge chairs surround a round coffee table. Refreshments were placed on a black and gold tray. There's a phonograph in the corner, a few music discs in the holding cabinet as well. The fireplace was lit with a low light, providing a comforting warmth to the otherwise cool room.

The tub at the end is shaped like an oyster, supposedly some kind of memoria immersion device. There's a flier on the table, he gives it a look and finds some rules regarding the immersion. The instructions only stated that simply needed to lie down in the tub and the memoria will take him to the dreamscape.

He eyes the tub suspiciously, feeling a bit uncertain over the process but decides to trust his instincts. He wades into the pool and lies down until the water reaches his neck. He relaxed his breaths and closed his eyes.

When he opens them again, he's in the snowy plains of his own mind. Familiar as it were, this wasn't what he was looking for.

" Well, someone's lost." A smooth, sultry voice cuts through the cold wind. A woman with pale skin and long lavender hair stands there. Beneath her veil purple to gold eyes looks at him with a soft smile." Chilly, isn't it?"

" You don't belong here."

" Easy now, Great Wolf." She says gently, bowing her head slightly. " I'm only here to show you the way. I'm Black Swan."

" Bigby Wolf."

" If you could follow me, Mr Wolf. I will take you to the dreamscape." The Wolf tilts his head, yellow eyes sharp and still.

" I think I can make my own way there, pen."

" If you insist, Mr Wolf. I apologise for intruding upon your mindscape and," She leans in closer, pressing something into his hand. " I do think this may be of use to you. Farewell."

She walks past him into the fog of the cold and he, himself carries on into the treeline. He looks down at his hand to see what she handed him.

The Thirteenth tarot card with the image of a doberman hound with bright red eyes.

He puts the card into his pocket.

He smells a whiff of confusion, hopes, despair and a distinct flavour of something sweet but he couldn't quite put a finger on it, following the scent leads him to a small clearing with two bare trees. Between the two trees is a door, reminiscent of the ones he saw at the hotel but more vibrant. With a glow beneath it that invited a sense of warmth.

He takes the handle, feels the metal under his grip and pushes the door open.

The dim night sky of Golden Hour greeted him with city lights and a beautiful starry sky that shouldn't be possible with the amount of light pollution. He glances behind him where the hotel stood taller than it did in reality.

" Excuse me, sir?" Someone calls him.

His yellow eyes looked down at a young girl in a black pinafore and blue shirt, somehow that alone causes the girl to flinch. He averts his gaze, taking out his smoking pipe and busying himself with filling it up.

" Can I help you?" He asked, trying to keep his low but not intimidating.

" Uh, you're standing in front of the hotel, dear guest." The girl said, the small puffball on her head leaning back.

" Oh, sorry." He moved forward, stepping away from the door but doesn't miss how the smaller figure shrunk at his movements. " Are you alright?"

" I'm fine!" She said, her voice cracks. " Um, I just, I'm Auslotte. Are you new here in Penacony?"

" That I am." He responded calmly as he finished filling his pipe and set it alight. He huffs a puff of smoke into the air, letting the blend's effects kick in before the smells get to him. " My friends told me Penacony was a good place for tourists so here I am."

" And where are these friends of yours?" He smiled at the bravery the little one was showing.

" Paperfold University. They were invited for a lecture." He explained.

" I see." She nods, something shining in her eyes. " Then, on behalf of the Bloodhound Family, I wish you a pleasant time in Penacony."

He thinks of the tarot card he'd been given, the smile he wore unwavering and nods at her before leaving. He revised his mental checklist of places to visit from the book. There are eleven locations described in the last entry of the Segugio series. Two of them could be found in Golden Hour and two more within the Reverie but going back feels like a hassle.

Besides, the first murder sight is in the Dreammerse Shopping Street, Golden Hour.

Chapter Text

Dreammerse Shopping Street ; Golden Hour.

0900 system hours.

The way down from the Reverie does take a while. The moment he stepped onto the streets, he was blocked by this dancing advertisement board out of nowhere. He crossed the street and it still followed him. Annoyed, he gives it a distasteful glare and it yelps, jumping up in a cartoonish alarm before running into the street.

A car ran over it.

" Haha, you've got a pretty scary glare there, Mister. The thing ran off just like that!" Another small figure laughed from behind a food stall.

He glances back at the walking ad, a little concerned but his worries are unfounded as it gets up again and continues to cross the busy street to return to its huddle of buddies.

" So, mysterious stranger. What can I get for ya?"

" Sorry, I'm fairly new to the dreamscape. Could you give me directions to the shopping street?" He asked, holding his pipe to his lips.

" Yeah, sure. I'm called a Pepeshi by the way, not some little kid if you're wondering." The fearless merchant said. " Just head straight down these stairs and take a right. And a little extra advice, don't ask about the puff ball. It's offensive."

" Got it." He nods his thanks.

He heads down the street, most of the people around pay him little mind but quite a few do stare for longer than he liked. It wasn't the same as the Xianzhou where little giggles and whispers could be heard. There was an underlying scent of curiosity and fear that accompanied it.

He doesn't think his eyes were that strange and yet, something about it didn't feel at all unexpected. It irked him and at the same time made him feel oddly somber.

He huffs at finding yet another contradiction to his moods. He suspected it to be connected to the missing memories he's still looking for. He passes by a number of stalls and shops, not really interested in getting anything since he liked the space in his room.

A monument of three champagne glasses sat at the walkway roundabout surrounded by advertising gift boxes of different brands both big and small. There were three clubs in this street's specific district, frequented by three different gangs and Families.

A few people dressed in black were escorting people out of the area and a yellow tape was being put around the left side corner of the first club on the left. Curious, he stayed in place and pondered if he should call off the day's tour and resume another time.

" Hey, you there!" He turns partially, pipe still in his mouth.

" Yes?"

The man is momentarily caught in surprise at his eyes. Straightening himself, he asked, " Are you Gallagher?"

Bigby blinks, head tilted slightly in confusion. " No."

" Sorry, but this place is closed out for now. I'll escort you to the exit." He says.

" What happened?"

" Just a small accident, let's get moving." He's probably the only visible civilian left.

" Doesn't seem very small."

" Esteemed guest." The man keeps his voice calm but stern. " Please evacuate the premises."

" They're here!" Someone shouts from the now restricted area.

Growls echoed off the walls and one of the guards screamed. Three of them, static crackles over the light grey fur, their forms fidgeting and blipping like an animation error. The darker half of their muzzle drips down over their jaws like excess paint on a canvas. Their mouths remained partly agape, the growl resonating from inside the tar black interior of its mouth.

There's a buzz in the air as these strange wolf-like beings growl at them.

They would later be dubbed as Static Wolves.

" Damnit!" The man hissed, stepping forward to help but paused as he looked back to order the yellow eyes man to evacuate.

A sharper, deeper growl echoes in a cavernous manner. Raw and real, smoke and shadows followed the man in a black trenchcoat as he appeared in front of the Bloodhound Family. The darkness curling around the members in a near protective manner.

The Wolf growls again in tandem with the man, both sets of fangs showing as they faced off with the Static Wolves. It was over in moments, with an incredible precision that tore through the wolves like a malicious storm. One even tried to escape but the man caught it by the tail and threw it upwards where the Wolf then ate it whole with a quick snap of his jaws.

The buzz is gone, the smoke and shadows dissipate as there now only stands one man with a smoking pipe. His mouth opens partially, smoke trailing from the corners as he licked his teeth with a glare.

They followed the gaze of his glare at the television, the one the wolves had emerged out of. It flickered and blipped until it started to overheat and smoke poured out of the box. The screen shattered and the television was dead.

" Halt!" The Family surrounds the wolf eyed man with their weapons drawn. " State your identity and purpose!"

Yellow eyes cast their cold, unimpressed gaze at the Family and they flinched. Hands on the trigger, they only needed one wrong move, one command to fire but their superior instead signals them to stand down.

" May we know your identity and purpose, esteemed guest?" They stared at the Family Head.

" My name is Wolf. I'm here on Penacony for a vacation." He informed them calmly, the pipe resting in his hand.

" Then, visitor. Would you kindly come with us for questioning?" His sharp eyes find a figure from afar, hiding behind a near wall with the same uniform as the Bloodhound Family but shaking his head. He blows a long puff from the pipe, the dark cloud growing thicker.

" No." The Wolf threads past them easily in the cover of smoke.

" This way." The young man leads the Wolf through the alleys and paths, ducking into a ventilation shaft near a wall and disappearing from the streets.

The Family Head tries to pursue them but fails and orders his men for a search of the man named Wolf. Directly beneath them, in a broken vent was the runaway suspect and an unknown traitor to the Family. They waited until the sounds of their footsteps had long gone and waited another half an hour before the Wolf no longer smelled anyone in the vicinity.

" Explain to me why you told me to run." He ordered as they climbed out of the vents.

" I didn't say anything. You just ran."

The Wolf grunts at him.

" Kidding. The Family would've had you interrogated then gotten rid of you if you weren't important or taken away your memories." The Wolf doesn't look pleased with either outcome as he tucked away his pipe. " I'm Graysen."

The Wolf hummed. " Bigby."

" You must be confused by everything." Graysen said.

" Understatement."

" I get how you feel. I'll explain everything, just put these on and follow me." He hands over a pair of shades and fedora.

Bigby does as he's asked, putting on the shades and hat. For extra measure, he buttons up his trenchcoat and pulls up the collar of his lapels.

" Huh." The young man hummed thoughtfully.

" What?"

" You look like Hanunue like this."

" Who?"

Graysen sighed. " The Hero of Penacony. The one they based Brother Hanu on. You won't find his name in history anymore, those Family scoundrels have nearly wiped out any mention of him out of all records."

" Brother Hanu..." He muttered.

" If we hurry to the Reverie, we could get you out of Penacony quickly." Graysen said, already walking.

" Wait." He stopped him. " Just what is going on here?"

" I guess you deserve to know." Graysen rubbed the back of his neck in discomfort. " I'll take you somewhere safe to talk then. Luckily, there's a Brother Hanu cosplay competition today so it's easy for you to get around. Let's go."

Graysen's Shop; Dreamflux Reef

0935 system hours.

" Make yourself comfortable." The man said, closing the door behind them.

Bigby takes off his shades and looks up at the wall where there are images of the Static Wolves taken at faraway points and odd angles. Ribbons tied their connections to the little television screens and tied to it was a picture of Graysen himself.

" You're involved." Yellow eyes glanced back at the man.

" Not in the way you think." Graysen stammered. " I came up with the writing for the games, Lil' Brother Hanu Adventures. That's what those screens are for. I wanted to ensure the name Hanunue doesn't fade from history even if it's immortalised by a little cartoon character."

" And now these Static Wolves are pouring out of the screens. Attacking people they see." He reads a note on the wall where reports state how many wolves emerged and who they attacked.

" Not just anyone." He points to a more detailed list of victims and their positions in the Family. " Bloodhounds."

" Wolves attacking Bloodhounds." Bigby mused before sighing. " And I just made myself a suspect."

" Well, you're not the only one." Graysen chuckled in good nature. " Clock Studios is probably under a lot of fire right now for the games, Family members must be looking for anything to put them under for good. However, with the recent release of their film Dreamjolt Memoir which is the highest grossing one of the year, they're currently under protection from the show's international fandom."

" Stelle's work." He smiles with pride.

" Yeah, one of the Nameless." Graysen said. " Do you know them?"

" I recently joined."

Graysen whistled. " Looks like the Nameless are wrapped up in another conundrum of Penacony."

They had no idea how true those (bana) words are.

Bigby scrutinized the notes, going over them once again before turning to Graysen. " Tell me more about Hanunue."

Graysen, though confused, was excited to speak of his Hero and told Bigby everything he knew. The clan he was from, the rebellions he started and led, brought Penacony from the shackles of the IPC towards their own independence, even named it. Yet, he was labelled as a traitor and a tyrant. All that's left behind of his existence are the cartoons and the memories of the Watchmaker.

At the very least he was familiar with the Watchmaker via the Astral Express Crew recounting their adventures to him. The girls were especially enthusiastic, even going as far as to show off the pictures they took of their adventures. Stelle, oddly enough, had pictures of trash cans in her phone and various miscellaneous side missions the others either only witnessed or barely heard of until after it was done.

" If the Family is vehemently against the Watchmaker, and the Watchmaker wants Hanunue to be remembered... then you don't think they buried Hanunue's history because of their affiliations to each other, do you?" Bigby suggested.

Through the shade of his bangs, he could see Graysen's eyes widen and mouth gaping slowly as he processed the sentence. " Oh Stars. That actually makes sense."

" But Mikhail has passed." Bigby pointed out.

" Then, who else could be doing this?"

They stewed over the information they had, between the notes and evidence. Until a certain name crosses Bigby's mind.

" Is the name Gallagher of any significance to you?"

" Gallagher. He's the founder of Dreamflux Reef." He answered. " Why do you ask?"

" The big guy with the shades,"

" Woolsey." Graysen interrupted him gently.

" Yeah, him. He asked me if I was Gallagher."

" They're still looking for him?" Graysen scowled. " If he doesn't want any of them to know about him then we should keep it that way. Gallagher was one of us and a child of the Watchmaker. We don't betray our own."

Yellow eyes studied the listed screen locations, running them through the mental checklist in his head. " Then, what do you know about the Segugio series?"

Chapter Text

Sweet Corner ; Golden Hour

1125 system hours

He crosses out the mental checklist as he observes the restricted area from a distance. Hidden behind shades, his yellow eyes tracked over a familiar little Pepeshi as she marched around the area with purpose. Lagging behind her is another Pepeshi in cuffs and a curled snarl on his lips. He looked off...

The walkie talkie at his side crackled to life. " How's it looking, friend?"

" I see Auslotte, she's got someone with him." He reported back.

" Let's see...right, Hound Detective. She's recently taken up a case of a catfisher going after Pepeshi." Explains the off feeling he had. " A Borisin."

He growls under his breath.

" Easy, friend. Wait for the hour stated in the book. You've got five more minutes before the attack may happen. In and out, right?" Graysen waits for his answer.

" In and out." The Wolf agreed.

It came as a shock at first to know that the series had been cancelled and production for the last book had been halted before it could even be published. How he received the last book was an utter mystery since it was mailed to the Express without a sender.

In the first chapters, the first two bodies were found in Magic Hour, Golden Hour's synonym, spaced nearly over an hour between each other in times of death which had been the first clue of a serial killing. Considering the distance and time it could possibly take to do the murders, the screen on Sweet Corner was their best guess.

He's close enough to hear the two speak as Auslotte dismissed some of the guarding Bloodhounds in the area.

" I didn't hurt anyone." The faux Pepeshi said. " Look, I was just messing around. So what if I tricked a few girls, no one was hurt. I don't get why I'd be here for attacks I couldn't be bothered to do. Borisin don't hunt this way."

" Then enlighten me." She said without fear.

The Borisin growled. " If a Borisin were to hunt, none of your precious Family members would have survived."

Her scowl remains defiant. " How many more of you are here?"

The Borisin rolled his eyes. " I already told you, I'm the only one."

" Then, you don't recognise a man with yellow eyes and calls himself Wolf?" She questioned further, eliciting a rather surprised expression from him. " I wouldn't be surprised if he were your superior."

" He's not my superior." The Borisin quickly said, shaking his head but obviously recognised the description. " That person, he's The--"

The television crackled loudly, buzzing and shaking before spitting out Static Wolves in front of the duo, the visage of the Borisin's disguise falters and his teeth start to show. Smoke and shadows moved swiftly, like a rampaging typhoon that passes by in mere seconds.

The Wolf stood over them with one of the Static Wolves in its mouth and bit down. The smaller wolf yelps and goes limp, its form ripples and bleeds into the shadowy ground. The other one did not fare any better before it was grabbed by powerful jaws and swallowed whole.

The smoke and shadows dissipate, leaving a man in a black trenchcoat to stand between them and the flashing screen before it fizzles and dies. The man with yellow eyes looks back at them, idly licking his teeth clean of the black substance that oozed from the Static Wolves. He seemed unfocused, contemplative.

" The Unabating..." The Borisin whispered fearfully. Yellow eyes turned to him with clear suspicion. " This was not my doing, Great Wolf. I swear it. I have long left my pack since I was a welp."

" So," He stretched out the word in a drawl. " You're with the Temple then?"

" No, I mean, I used to be." He shrinks back under the Wolf's gaze.

Auslotte steps forward between them. " Mr Wolf, you are under arrest for suspicion of involvement with the Bloodhound Attacks."

He grunts, the sound oddly amused as the little Pepeshi seemed to be protecting the Borisin now.

" Try not to be hasty and always ensure you have enough backing to arrest someone. If you lack the physical power, then you should at least have enough manpower and evidence to perform the arrest." The Wolf finds himself advising the Pepeshi. " Believe it or not, I might have a lead on this case. Since I'm in a rush and you're lacking manpower, I can only give you two options."

Auslotte scoffs. " Options? You think you're in a position to give options to me?"

" Well," He chuckled. " Are you?"

After a moment the Pepeshi relented, crossing her arms and scowling. " What is it?"

" First, you could go back and report this attack, have them look into the cancelled fifth installation of the Segugio series for a start in the right direction. Or, you could follow me for a bit and give your updates on the way while we solve this case. Your choice." The Wolf waits for a moment as she contemplates her choices.

The walkie talkie crackles to life and he brings it to his ear. " What are you doing, friend?"

" Getting a guide." He replied casually. It took him too long to figure out where Sweet Corner was despite Graysen's instructions. He's itching for a smoke but he's going to need his senses to get through the confusing haze that is this dreamscape.

" It appears... We will be working together on this case, Consultant." She said with some reluctance.

" Great, we should head to the next location of suspected attacks." He immediately starts moving and the duo could only exchange a quick glance before following after him.

" Where do you think it is?" Auslotte asked, catching up to his side.

" Where the third and fourth victims from the Segugio book was found," He explained briskly, the walkie talkie at his ear buzzing with instructions on how to get there.

Dream's Edge ; Dreamweaver Plaza

1200 system hours

" Looks like someone's been messing around with the construction tools." Auslotte observed the already assembled paths that weren't scheduled for completion until the next month.

The Wolf chuckled, taking in the surroundings with a smile. " Stelle's been through here."

" Stelle?" The Borisin echoed.

" That girl loves puzzles. Considering the mechanics of operating these things, she'd definitely think of this construction work as a puzzle." The Wolf says with a fond expression. " You should've seen her when we were on the Loufu, starskiff schedules completely cleared, cycrane deliveries fixed and even menial tasks such as fixing locks on prison doors are fun puzzles for her to explore."

" She sounds like she's got time on her hands." Auslotte said. In any case, it certainly has cleared up the rest of the way for them to make it through without much incident or running into other Family members.

" She gets bored easily. Younglings are like that." He hummed thoughtfully. " Which reminds me, I should buy her a gift later when this is over. Probably something for March too or she could get upset with me. The boy would probably accept anything... I'll think about it later."

His two short companions seemed contemplative and considered the context of his words. The three he mentioned are clearly spoken with a fondness and he even called them younglings. By this point, Auslotte can conclude he wasn't the culprit just from the mention of being on the Loufu prior to the case.

" Hey," The Wolf spoke into the walkie talkie. " Did Stelle play all the games?"

" From what I heard? She completed everything in record time." The other voice replied. " We talked but I'm starting to think she wasn't really paying attention. She looked like she had a lot on her mind."

" Does this Stelle have gray hair and golden eyes?" Auslotte asked.

" She does." The Wolf confirmed.

" I've talked with her too. She's helped me out a bit during a different case." The Pepeshi admitted. " She didn't look all that thrilled after our first conversation. Like she was trying to check for something that I apparently didn't have."

" It sounds like she's looking for something." The Borisin pondered aloud.

" Or someone." Auslotte added.

The Wolf looked around, the screens started glitching and flickering until a loud pop could be heard and smoke fizzes out from the dead television. No Static Wolves in sight.

" It looks like they're not showing up."

Still, the Wolf did not relax and turned his head partially to where they came from. Just in time to see someone walk in.

" Then it's a good thing I did." Woolsey steps into view.

" Captain!" Auslotte seemed surprised, so she couldn't have called him here. " They're... These are my consultants...!"

" Our consultants." Woolsey corrected her and the Wolf makes a curious sound. The captain takes off his shades, his eyes are a dark, greyish gold and he had eyebags underneath them. " My brother was attacked by these things and many more of our own members are at risk. If the Bloodhounds fail here then we won't have any hope of defending our home turf from other invaders. I'd like to ask for your cooperation on the case."

The Wolf removed his own shades, idly licking his teeth before casting his cold gaze over the captain. " No."

The silence that overtakes the rooftop is deafening but the Wolf pays them no heed. He goes on with his investigation, going around the scene where the crime was described. There were some squared spaces on one of the vents and under another, most likely the treasure chests that were left for Stelle to collect once she finished the game.

Considering how limited the game was and Stelle being the only recorded player on this particular level due to its location, he finds it odd for traces of extra presence aside from herself. The traces are still fresh, he could smell a whiff of something bubbling like a cocktail, fragrant and well blended. It lingers like a perfume, faint as it is.

" Auslotte, I'm moving to the next area since this place is cleared out." He says with a partial turn of his head.

The Borisin steps ahead.

" Where are you going?" Auslotte hissed.

" Following the Great Wolf." He answered in a simple manner. " The Temple speaks highly of him. I wanna see where he goes. Can I?"

Auslotte looked flabbergasted. " I- Why are you asking me?"

The Borisin lifts his cuffed hands. " You're in charge of me."

Woolsey finds his voice again. " I'll be leaving this investigation in your capable hands then, Detective Auslotte."

" Sir?"

The man turns around, walking towards the exit in silence. Auslotte seemed to hesitate for a moment before straightening up and looked up at the Wolf with a determined gaze.

" Let's go, Mr Wolf."

Chapter Text

The Reverie (Dreamscape)

1255 system hours

" Despite the serial killings in the book, the murder weapon was never found." The Wolf led them through the halls of the Reverie, careful of shifting walls and stairs. " Never mentioned either."

Something about Penacony was becoming increasingly obvious. It was familiar. Achingly so. The distrust, the fearful gazes towards his yellow eyes and the architecture as well. His vision swam momentarily, a pounding felt throughout his skull and he pressed his palm against his temple. It seemed that living on the Xianzhou and the Express made him... Comfortable.

He wants to go back to his room car.

" Mr Wolf?" He cracked an eye open, glancing down at the concerned expressions of both Auslotte and the Borisin. " Are you okay?"

He runs a hand through his hair and fixes his posture. " I'm alright."

With his shades pushed back up and his hat adjusted, the two watched him from behind in a mesmerized state, for how his silhouette gave rise to the image of a legend revitalised would be engrained in their minds. Auslotte sticks close, her dark eyes shining with even more determination than before. The young Borisin followed the Great Wolf with the whispers of the Temple he ran from still lingering in his ears.

For them, this was the path forward.

Locating the first screen had been easy enough. With instructions from Graysen, they were able to break the screen with the Wolf's presence. The second one however, was much more challenging.

" Are there any other clues about where it should be?" He spoke into the walkie talkie.

" Sorry, friend. The studio only mentioned it was somewhere within the Reverie's halls."

" Should we take a break?" The Borisin asked.

The Wolf grunts but pulls out his pipe, his shades hanging low over the bridge of his nose. The Borisin sits down on the floor as Auslotte takes the space next to him.

" If the next screen is hidden... Then, is it holding something important?"

" That depends." The Wolf breathes out a mouthful of smoke, leaning back against the wall. " Stelle's the only one who went through these and right now I'm lacking reception in this dream for some reason."

Messages he's been sending aren't getting through and he's getting worried if it's his end or theirs that has trouble. He didn't like either of those possibilities.

" Do you think it's in some kind of pocket space?" The Borisin suggested.

" A pocket space in the Reverie?" Auslotte echoed. " Unlikely."

" But possible. How do you think I slipped into Penacony?"

That also meant there were openings to slip out of Penacony. Just as how Dreamflux Reef exists right outside of it. Then, how did the founder gather people there?

He huffs another puff of smoke into the air before bringing up his walkie talkie. " Hey, is there some kind of pocket space in the Reverie?"

" Let me see." It takes a minute before he gets another reply. " There's a reported space called the Arcane Artwork. It's a space that was initially created by the Watchmaker for unknown reasons and was sealed off by the Family. Find a painting of a torn wall."

" How the hell did Stelle find a painting like that?"

" I know where that is."

The group turns towards the new voice. It sat peering from the corner, snout in the air where the smoke flowed and still as a rock, or metal as it was made out of it.

" A talking Bubble Hound?" Auslotte blinked.

Said Bubble Hound seemed to realise its mistake as its form slowly retreated from the corner. However, when your sister is an arbiter general, you'd have to be fast enough to catch her during campaigns. The Wolf of smoke formed behind the Bubble Hound, his enormous form filling up the entire hall. The Bubble Hound growled as it was stuck between the giant Wolf behind him and the wolf eyed man in front of him.

" We just wanna talk." The man said and the Wolf sat down to block its escape. " I need to find this painting to get to a place where some monsters could be hurting people."

" We aren't monsters!" The Bubble Hound said defiantly.

" I never said you were." The man reasoned. He looks at the Wolf, who had shifted their brown human-like eyes to meet yellow wolf ones. The giant Wolf dissipates and the Bubble Hound looks around in shock.

The Bubble Hound looks at the Wolf. " You're weird."

The man doesn't reply as his friend on the walkie talkie laughed. " I don't think I've met one of you that talks. So you're weird too."

" Heh, yeah." The Bubble Hound sits, no longer afraid. " You said you're friends with Stelle, right? Siobhan says she's one of the Nameless."

" She is." He nods.

" Stelle's friends are Siobhan's friends. I like Siobhan's friends. My name is Mr Big Wig." He wagged his tail delightfully as he introduced himself.

" It's nice to meet you, I'm Wolf." Patient as he was and his head clear after a good smoke, he humours the Bubble Hound. " Can you tell me what you know about the painting?"

" Actually, I'm not the one who knows where it is." Mr Big Wig says. " I'll tell you but you have to come with me to see Siobhan! Is that okay?"

The Wolf takes another huff of smoke before nodding mutely. The Bubble Hounds yipped in excitement and scampered down the howl with a skip in his step. The trio followed him with little reluctance and were actually rather curious to where this leads.

He leads them up to the third floor, passing by a few different Dreamjolt Troupes who took one look at him and ignored the group instead of attacking. One of the flying ones even greeted them, albeit in such a sad tone. A sign on the wall lit up in neon lights says " Dreamjolt Hostelry" with a martini glass image.

The Wolf hums, momentarily shutting his eyes to dwindle the ache in his head. It's funny, he didn't quite feel this way at any taverns on the Xianzhou. Is anything, he has dismissed the headache as a symptom of drinking which came as no surprise considering how much he can actually drink.

" One more thing." Mr Big Wig stops short of the door. " Can you take off the hat and glasses? Oh, and let your hair down!"

He pulls down the shades just so he could openly glare at the Bubble Hound.

" Please? It's just Siobhan, I promise! You look like one of her nicer friends and she misses him a lot." Mr Big Wig explained. " He was one of the only ones other than Stelle who came over without being mean or judgy. Siobhan doesn't show it but she's really hurt and misses him a lot. We can't find him and I have a really good nose!"

" Have you considered maybe this could make her feel worse?" Auslotte says, crossing her arms.

" Or, it could help." The Borisin said. " What? I wanna see what happens."

With a grunt, the Wolf does remove the hat and shades, as well as lowered the collars of his coat from his neck. " I'm not letting my hair down. My girls did my hair, I can't do it myself."

" I understand." The Bubble Sound seemed satisfied already.

The door swings open, the four of them stepped right into the bar. A couple other Dreamjolt Troupes are chatting at a seat together, one near the door tried to swipe at the Wolf but was met with a harsh growl.

" Spades! I thought we talked about this." Mr Big Wig growled.

The Spring Loader, as they are called, laughed nervously as he apologised and hid behind Mr Big Wig in a fearful manner.

" I hope you two aren't fighting again." A voice calls from the corner of the bar. A woman is seen arranging glass cups on a shelf with her back to them.

" No, Miss Siobhan!" They say in unison.

The woman has short blonde hair in an asymmetric cut, longer on the right side. A red jacket with folded sleeves and a belt over her right arm. A choker hugs her neck with a sleek shine and above her head, a staple of all Halovians, is a halo.

" Big Wig's brought some guests!" Spades announced.

" Guests, ay?" The woman turns around, an easy smile on her lips which parted to voice a greeting but paused when her turquoise eyes landed on the Wolf. Her cool, half lidded gaze widened, her mouth hung open and she was frozen on the spot.

" Is there something wrong, Miss?" The Wolf asked, smoking pipe still in hand.

His voice snaps her from her frozen state and she collects herself again in a blink. The smile returned, a touch sweeter if not somber, her eyes relaxed and she gives them the greeting they were due.

" Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Dreamjolt Hostelry! Name's Siobhan, I run the place. What would you like to drink? I'll whip it up for you." There's a natural charm in her gait and the way she talks.

" Not exactly what we're here for but I suppose I could use a drink." The Wolf says as he walks up to a seat at the counter, huffing another puff of smoke. The other two decided to sit as well, the Borisin surprisingly helping Auslotte up to her seat.

" Usually I'd kick you out for the smoke but, it looks like you've got a pretty interesting story to tell." She says as she picks up three glass cups. " That, and it doesn't reek like most of the smokes I've seen."

" Custom blend." He explained. " Friend of mine insisted on getting me a good resignation gift."

" Your friend's got good taste. The question is; do you?" She teased. " What are you feeling like?"

" Whiskey." It rolled right off his tongue before he even realised it. " Sorry, I mean, I'm not looking for intensity, I've got a smoke."

Siobhan smiled. " I've got you covered, pal. Don't worry."

She takes the orders of the others, assured Auslotte her drinks are non alcoholic, and starts mixing. There's a certain rhythm to her skills, the cups dance in her palms and drinks flowed about like a melody. Her fingers were never idle, tapping away even as she started putting the toppings and decorations then served the drinks each with a little flourish, a curve of her fingers or a twirl of her wrist.

The Wolf gazed into his drink, the small vintage glass is filled with a dark concoction with the topmost layer a contrasting yellow and a cartoon Brother Hanu clip on the side. He takes a sip, the thick bitterness hitting all the right spots to mask all the other tastes on his tongue much like his smoke and the intensity isn't high but not low either.

" What do you call this?" He asked.

" Lupical." She said, her turquoise eyes observing him mutely. " A very rare term first heard to be spoken by Hanunue himself."

" What does it mean?" Auslotte asked.

" Fated family." Siobhan looks at the Wolf with a soft grin. " You remind me of a friend. His name was Gallagher."

There's that name again. " I've been told."

" I'm guessing Woolsey suspected you to be him." She scoffed. " He came here a couple times to ask about him but I haven't a clue where he's gone. He left as quietly as he appeared, that Gallagher. He worked with me at this bar, I taught him how to mix drinks and he was like fish to water, a fast learner."

" We can't be that similar."

" I'd say he's got a few more inches over you." She chuckled. " Other than him having less stubble, then I'd say you're visually similar. Your eyes are certainly unique, I'll give you that."

" So they say."

" You can imagine my shock when you walked through those doors." She stirred her own drink. " You've just fulfilled an old wish of mine to see him again, even if a little differently. So, what do you actually want coming here?"

" Do you know something about a painting of a torn wall in the Reverie?"

" Ah, those doorways." She nods and steps out of the bar. " I'll show you the way."

Chapter Text

The Reverie (Dreamscape)

1330 system hours

" Pocket spaces are usually connected to certain doorways that become more tangible based on the type. There's a couple of 'em with hotel doors, which confused some of our guests before the Family decided to capitalize on it as part of the attraction." Siobhan explained as they walked along the halls of the third floor.

" A land of opportunists, it seems." The Wolf amused.

" Exactly." Siobhan grinned. " The more difficult ones are behind paintings. Abstract and capable of storing things according to certain memories. The ones the Family used at the Theatre are all copies of the original."

" Then, the Watchmaker came up with the original." The Borisin guessed.

The Halovian smiled, shaking her head fondly as they reached the end of the hall. " No."

Auslotte guessed another name. " Then, is it the legendary Razalina?"

" You all know quite a few names. But, no. Not her, not Tiernan, or the Professor, not even the original Dreammaster." She reached for the door handle at the end of the hall. " The original Painter, is Gallagher."

The Wolf's eyes sharpened as her hand closed around the handle and turned. He reached for her with a cavernous growl and time slowed down. The door had cracked a slither before he could stop her. The last thing she saw was the purple and red eyes of __?##???

???

??? system hours

" Siobhan, wake up." She groans, eyes fluttering open. She could make out the blurred figure above her as her eyes blinked blearily.

" Gallagher?" Yellow eyes clarify the image and her eyes refocused on the Wolf.

" I've been told we look alike." He chuffed. The walls and floors creaked and groaned, she could hear window panes shuddering. The Wolf looks up with a glare, annoyed. The noises ceased and her vision cleared.

She sits up and looks around. The Reverie's interior was a well known retro design, with cool yet warm lighting, deep red velvet carpets and pops of orange furniture for a bit of contrast. She sees none of those things now.

The walls are dull off white, the wooden floors are covered modestly with long floral carpets and the lighting seemed more aesthetical than practical.

" Where are we?" She asked as the Wolf helped her up. " Since when did we have a gothic suite?"

" Haven't the foggiest." He answered. " I can sense we're still in the Reverie. Stay close, we'll find our way out."

The floorboards creaked at their steps, the sound only dulled by the faded floral carpet. The windows are all boarded up from the outside with bricks but they could still hear raindrops pelting against the glass. The soft rumbles of thunder muffled by the white walls.

" Where are the others?" She asked.

" Outside. I made sure of it." He said as his yellow eyes glanced around cautiously.

There are picture frames on the tables, the photo subjects are whited out and obscured. Only the bare hints of dresses and suits remained as the only indicator of the people in the picture. The curtains are a mix between torn, dusted or completely untouched depending on which window frame you were looking at. However, the quality seems to grow worse along the line.

" Siobhan, do you know this place?" He asked.

" Nope." She popped the 'p' feeling a tingle in the air that doesn't sit right with her. Like a hum, going through the walls and barely audible to the trained ear.

" It isn't in my memory either." As scarce as they can be, a Wolf would have no business memorising such a place so intimately. " I think we're in someone's mindscape."

He pauses briefly at a painting on the wall, the image of a person that's rotted and falling apart. There's no indication of it as a man or woman, it was like a corpse unwrapped from a spider's silk cocoon. Beside it is an identical painting but with more white and grey sploches filling the canvas. Another with increasing sploches and only grows with the adjacent paintings.

" There's something wrong here." Siobhan glanced back where those paintings now fill up every wall.

There's a buzz, the lights flicker wildly around them. A door she didn't see before rattles loudly as a distorted voice sings a wordless melody in the air. White electricity crackles all around the walls, shattering windows and carving through the furniture.

The top of the paintings bleed an inky black, cascading over the upper half of the portraits' faces. The white and grey moves, gathering and twisting. Pushing themselves out of the images with every blink of the lights. They reform with purpose, gurgling growls and broken howls. The door was banging and rattling even louder than before. Static Wolves snapped their jaws, writhing in the blotches of grey and white trying to form their legs as their eyeless heads were directed at the two.

The Wolf snaps a growl once, letting his voice rumble through the house like the thunder. He growls a second time and the lights cease their flickering. The third time, the Static Wolves became silent but still writhed in place.

" Siobhan, when I say so you run through that door." He points to the very ominously noisy door.

" Not sure I like the idea there, pal."

" He'll let you through, but not me." The Static Wolves were almost finished forming. The Wolf growls low, then looked back at Siobhan. " He won't hurt you. Now, go!"

She bolted for the door, surprised when it gave in so easily and tumbled forward into the dark. The door behind her closing just in time for her to see the waves of Static Wolves swarm the Wolf before shutting completely.

Silence.

Siobhan could only hear her own breaths in the darkness before a soft light suddenly illuminated the room. Her eyes take a moment to adjust to the lighting before she looks around.

The room is circular, with a large window pane covering up a whole wall, cream coloured wallpapers and firm wooden floors. There are about three chests in the room, lined up against the wall. A chair on a raised platform seemed to be where a model would sit, with messy splashes of paint in the background.

An easel sits in the very middle of the room, enshrouded with a white sheet.

" Why are you here?"

She jumps, looking around wide eyed for the source of the voice which she undoubtedly recognised. " Gallagher?"

" You shouldn't be here. Not here, please."

His voice was terribly soft, cracked at the end like he was just moments away from sobbing.

She takes a step and finds a piece of paper under her foot. Picking it up, she realises it's a music sheet, with the notes clearly coinciding with the distorted melody she heard before.

" Gallagher?" She calls out.

" ...Are you hurt?"

He asked quietly.

" No, I'm fine." She assured him, still unsure just where she is. " Where are you?"

He doesn't answer.

" Gallagher?"

" Who was that?"

" Mr Wolf? He's a guest." She answered, now searching for the voice.

" He's frightening."

He muttered.

" Siobhan?"

She crept closer to the easel, taking one end of the sheets.

" Stop!"

The walls and floors creaked and rumbled.

Unperturbed, she removes the sheet with a swift flick of her wrists and finds... Nothing. The canvas is empty with an open background. She doesn't know what she was expecting.

The windows shuddered, a dim reddish glow replaces the warm lighting and every pane of glass is filled with these red-purple eyes that stare at her with wide hatred. No, not at her. The easel.

" Gallagher." She muttered, finally finding where he was hidden in her own reflected. A collage of eyes in the form of a human, staring, quivering.

" Why did you come here?"

His tone is harsh, she could picture him bawling his fists up and gritting his teeth.

" You let me in."

The eyes observed her for a while longer before closing them and she could hear him sigh.

" You have to go, Siobhan."

She chuckled nervously, glancing at the eerily silent door. " Not exactly anywhere I can go."

" Then... I suppose I'll have to draw up a path for you."

The brushes on the side were lifted up into the air, dipping into paint and sailed over the canvas. Without anyone visibly holding them, it seemed almost as if the brushes were dancing. The reflection is focused on the easel, every eye watching the movements and strokes of the brushes.

" No wonder you're a good mixer." She says as she watched him work.

" Come on, you've watched me fumble with cups before, birdie."

Hearing that old nickname made her smile. " Only on the first day."

" At least I got a free drink out of it."

" And a stolen flask."

She gets a chuckle out of him with a couple follow up jokes. They chatted all the while, a bit of catching up here and there.

" You've just been here and continuously trapped those wolves in this place?" The painting was almost finished.

" Yeah."

" For how long?"

" I'd say.... The start."

Gallagher continued to paint.

" It's an accident at first, I didn't even have a real body yet but I was already wandering around the Dreamscape. I didn't even know what he was until I got him in one of my ruined works. I couldn't let him run around in a rampage or even leave him to rot by himself. So I kept him here."

His voice bleeds from a harrowing echo into something more solid. Something softer and present. The brushes paused momentarily.

" Then, I found more."

" ...What are they?"

" Traitors to the Family... Or rather, former Bloodhounds who fell victim to the Family's whiles."

He explained.

Siobhan's eyes widened a fraction. Everything clicking into place. " That's why they were targeting Bloodhounds."

A long howl reverbed through the walls, causing the house to rumble and shake. She sees tendrils of black smoke reaching from underneath the floorboards. She heard Gallagher gasp and physically felt him recoil in veiled fear.

" It's finished, little bird."

He muttered.

" Go, now."

" What was that?" She eyes the oddly familiar smoke.

" I'll handle it. Please, Siobhan!"

She touches the arcane artwork, looking back one last time at the collage of eyes before the hands of the painting tear it open and she's engulfed by a white light.

Silence once again. The canvas is clear and Siobhan is gone.

But the Wolf was here.

The door is torn open, darkness crawls into the room and the glass quivers at the wall of smoke coming his way. A pair of yellow eyes find him and several things happen in the span of a moment.

The Wolf lunged, darkness engulfed the room, glass shatters and there's a hand over his mouth, grabbing him by the face and his back hits the door. The Wolf in human form was only a few inches shorter than him but still held him up enough for his toes to not even scrape the floor.

He thrashed and kicked, trying to get the Wolf off him, to get the smoke away. The hand around his jaw squeezed, the pressure sending jolts of pain to a body that shouldn't exist. It hurt, being suspended by the jaw and the weight of the rest of his body becoming increasingly obvious the more he struggled.

As time waned, so did his struggles until his feet stopped kicking and his hands fell to his sides. The grip locking around his jaw relaxed just enough to let his feet touch the ground. He breathes through his nostrils, trying to keep still in the darkness that engulfed his surroundings and under the glare of those yellow eyes, he finds it to be the only dim source of light available.

" I've heard about you a lot. Been mistaken for you more than once." The Wolf's voice is under a similar baritone to his own, a lot less jovial and much of the Wolf's characteristics in fact seem to match his eerily well. " I didn't expect to find you but still, it's nice to finally meet you. Segugio."

Chapter Text

The Reverie (Dreamscape)

1505 system hours

She stumbled through the door, her hands finding the railings of the Reverie's halls to stop herself. She hears the door slam behind her, arms wrapped around her middle and pulled her away from the edge.

" Miss Siobhan!" Auslotte was by her side in an instant. She looked back at who was holding her and stiffened momentarily at the sight of a full fledged Borisin.

" Are you okay?" Another voice joins them and she finds Woolsey holding his hand out to her.

" Yeah, I'm fine." She bats away their worries and stands up by herself. " Where's Wolf?"

" That's what we wanted to ask you." Auslotte said. " I'll have to apologise to him for calling over Captain Woolsey but you were both gone for some time and it had us worried!"

" I even left my disguise to break down the door but it wouldn't give in." The Borisin said, his purple fur now on full display and his light brown eyes blink in an almost innocent manner.

" Still, you can't be walking around like that." Siobhan said and saw something on the ground near the cursed door. She picks up the walkie talkie, it had a monochrome Hanunue sticker on the back. In some ways, it looks like the Wolf.

The walkie talkie crackles to life again in her hands. " Hello? Friend, are you there?"

She looked around, Woolsey shrugged, not recognising the voice while the other instead gazed at the door. She clicks a button.

" If you're looking for Mr Wolf, he can't be reached at the moment."

The walkie talkie doesn't reply.

" I think I could use a drink right about now." She told them, rubbing her head. " Is it alright if I head back to the bar?"

" Of course." Woolsey says. " A civilian shouldn't be too involved in such cases."

" What about Mr Wolf?" Auslotte asked.

" I can wait here." The Borisin offered. " You can go with Miss Siobhan."

" I can't leave you alone. Look at you, right now." Auslotte crossed her arms.

" She's right. The guests would panic if they saw you and we do have a few visitors from the Xianzhou that might recognise you." Woolsey said. " I can wait here, the three of you should head back first. When the Wolf returns, I'll bring him to you."

" The Wolf doesn't like you." The Borisin said.

" No, but he's not unreasonable." The trio exchanged a short look before Siobhan handed him the walkie talkie.

" He'll probably trust you more if you give him this." The bartender said and soon they left, leaving Woolsey alone at the ominous door.

Dreamjolt Hostelry, The Reverie (Dreamscape)

1315 system hours.

Siobhan busies herself with making the drinks, trying not to think about what she saw in the gothic house, what she saw of Gallagher and the yellow eyes of the Wolf that cut right through the static like a jolt of real lightning. He serves herself a glass of something nostalgic and sweet, just to get her mind straight.

An odd sound was a good distraction and she listened in to their conversation.

" What are you muttering?" Auslotte asked.

" A chant from the Temple before I ran away, it's dedicated to the Great Wolf. It's also the only chant I know." The Borisin explained. " It's for protection and a ward against all forms of evil."

" Was that Borisin language?" Siobhan asked.

" Um, yes? It's a bit mixed with some ancient terms." He explained.

The bartender downs her drink in one go. " Hit me with it."

" With what?" They looked around in confusion.

" The chant. Let's hear it." She elaborated shortly.

The Borisin contemplates for only but a moment before opening his mouth and let the chant roll pff his tongue. " Bey'fet ihru ga, Ahuni lek'cho. Bey'un hahbab, Ahuni lek'cho. Suhbi al naa yih, Suhbi al naa yih." It's not long and actually carries a rhythm to it.

" You could put that in a chorus and make something epic." Siobhan said.

Auslotte tries to repeat it with little success.

" No, the pronunciation is softer than that." The Borisin corrected her.

As they practiced pronouncing the chant, Siobhan finds herself mumbling a tune and tapping a rhythm to it. They say old habits die hard and being on the Iris Family, the rhythm in her soul keeps tapping away to a melody her heart stubbornly sings.

She picks up a pen and notebook from underneath the bar counter. She flipped past the recipes and experimental stuff, pausing at an empty section before scribbling away.

Music notes are easy to read, much like any actual language once you've mastered it. She detested following directly in the Family's footsteps but she still had her talents anyways and with it comes understanding and knowledge. As she wrote, she thinks of some of the wild stories Gallagher would tell her about the cases he was working on, she thinks of the Wolf's yellow eyes and the way he carried himself.

She turns to the duo, interrupting their impromptu lessons to have the Borisin write down the chant.

" Oh, I never asked your name." She said.

" Haven't earned one." He said in a simple manner. " Never got to it since I ran away from the coming of age ceremony and didn't bother waiting around to earn a name from an ordained monk at the Temple. I want to choose my name."

" But before this, you went by another name, didn't you?" Auslotte asked. " Why not just use that one?"

" Cover name, duh." The Borisin stuck his tongue out. " I want my name to be mine. Me." He flashes them a cheeky smile with all teeth, a slight growl in his voice out of excitement from the thought alone.

" Yeah! Be your own person." Siobhan cheered him along. She presents them a new round of drinks to share, the ingredients for a good glass of Lupical set aside. " How about we start working on your new disguise? Something less suspicious as this."

The Borisin scoffed as she gestures to himself. " I can do that easily. I just haven't decided how I should look."

Before long, they were pouring into options for his disguise. Auslotte was very adamant he shouldn't use a Pepeshi because his fluff wouldn't give any reaction, Siobhan didn't mind him having Halovian as an option but he could be spotted out since his halo wouldn't react to tuning like most Halovians. Human was a common choice and very simple but sometimes a bit boring times.

" Why not a Foxian? Their genus is quite close to yours." Auslotte suggested.

" The Borisin at the Temple disguised themselves as Foxians often too as so they look less threatening to others." He gave it a thought. " I guess it shouldn't hurt."

True to his word, the disguise didn't take long. The Borisin now sat comfortably with fox ears over his head, short purple-grey hair and wearing casual Penacony style attire.

The door swung open and in walks Woolsey.

The Wolf isn't with him.

" We're gonna have to keep moving." He told them. " There's been another attack at Clock Studios Theme Park. The Bloodhounds have dealt with it but I fear we're far from finished. Wolf's informant is willing to cooperate with us on the possible attack locations."

The bar is silent. Siobhan throws the man an obvious side eye.

Then, the walkie talkie crackles. " I get you guys, and I don't like it much either but Wolf would prioritise the incidents first. The longer we wait, the more people we put at risk. We'll have to trust that Mr Wolf finds his own way back."

Meanwhile...

Mindscape (???)

??? system hours.

He sat slumped against the door, head hung low and eyes closed. It wouldn't have mattered if he opened them, the world around him was too dark to see and the only visible thing would be those glowing yellow eyes.

He could hear the Wolf moving around the room. The subtle creak of chests and cabinets opening, the rustle of the sheets on the floor and curtains on the wall. In the remains of his memories, he had been content to simply decay in this space, of the home he knew in a past life.

" I won't ask how you got them. Just, did you like the books?" He decided to ask in order to fill the aching silence.

The eyes turned to him. " They were a gift and yes, I did."

" I see. I'm glad you enjoyed them."

The Wolf continues to pace around, his steps could be heard over the floorboards as he takes a look at the raised platform with the chair.

" It didn't take too much to piece it together." The Wolf said. " With what I've heard of Hanunue and his original world Nashoba, I happen to be familiar with some of the languages they speak there. Starting with Segugio, which means hound. Then, with the pen name you chose. Wacks Hunt, an allusion to Wachhund, meaning watch hound. Watchmaker's Hound."

He gives a small hum, not many people knew enough about Hanunue. Especially not so far. " You've met Grayson."

The Wolf simply carried on. " Did you enjoy writing?"

" I guess. Had to keep Dreamflux Reef afloat somehow." He gives himself a humourless chuckle.

" And painting?"

" ?"

" Did you enjoy painting?"

He speaks without meaning to. " Painting was my life and at the same time, it took everything from me. It's my muse and my torment. My pride and shame." The answer rolls right off his tongue. " Yes."

The gaze of those yellow eyes softens into something akin to understanding. Not pity nor sympathy, just understanding. He felt like he was pinned on a courtroom bench, all the evidence laid out, the Wolf was his witness, prosecutor, defendant, jury and judge.

" Could you paint something for me?"

Did he hear that right?

" I'll lead you to the easel and canvas. Paint me anything you feel like." There's a touch on his shoulder and he reaches for it. The Wolf gets him up to his feet in one pull.

" Okay."

He steps through the dark, nearly stumbling over but the Wolf keeps him steady. When they stopped, the Wolf then took his hands and placed them on the canvas. The texture is familiar, just the right tones of smooth and rough. The quality stuff he enjoyed from his favourite brand.

He familiarises himself with his work space, finding his pallet and brushes on his left. It's a familiar feeling. Both ecstatic and nightmarish.

" I..." He swallows a lump in his throat. " Could you sit in the chair?"

The yellow eyes gleamed with interest as the Wolf silently moved to the chair and sat down, the creak of the old wood could be heard. He closes his eyes, taking a few deep breaths and picks up a brush.

After the first few hesitant strokes, he finds a pace to work with. Before long, his shoulders had relaxed and moved his hand along the canvas like a fish to water. He can't see his work, so he feels for it. Usually you'd need a different kind of tool for the impression but this was a dream, he knew that well.

The darkness is consuming yet soothing. He hadn't noticed when the Wolf had closed his eyes but in his mind, he could see them as clear as day. In fact, he could see everything. He could see the direction of his brush, the size of his canvas and the rough work he was putting on it.

There was no mood lighting to distract him with shadows, no extra creaks or rattles to make his head turn, no pain in dragging his lame leg around like an old wounded dog to depress his thoughts. All he could see and hear at the moment in his canvas.

His muse and torment.

His pride and shame.

Everything and nothing.

The ache in his heart had long dulled but it continued to beat and with every move he could feel the slight twinge that had before left him writhing in agony. 

He sees every moment he's spent behind this easel, all the people and things he's painted. Flashing across his visions like a moving picture slideshow. Going faster and faster until they were fully moving, animated. The laughter that echoed, the smiles they wore. Everything good up until his wife took her own life and his daughter, his beloved little birdie, taken away from him.

The flashes that followed weren't his own, he knew. The house had become dark, ruined, abandoned. He hears her voice, the anger and anguish she carried, oh how bitter it tasted to hear the snippets of his little birdie cursing out his name. Yet, he can't help but be proud with how she's grown up. He knew she must be as beautiful as her mother.

When she finds his easel, his incomplete magnum opus, he stops painting for a moment. His breath caught in his throat as she relieved the canvas from his easel and his body doubled over as the cursed canvas ends up somewhere new. A workshop that wasn't his, but hers.

He sobbed as she goes through his personal hell, continuing his absurd work like some sort of twisted legacy. He wanted to rot right there, right then until she heard her voice again.

Like himself, she too was reborn. 

Like himself, she chose her own path regardless of what family she was born into.

Unlike him, she had been a proper new life. A real second chance with a whole new world right at her feet.

Unlike him, she didn't carry the burden of the past. She didn't carry any of the sins he committed.

She was free.

For the first time, she had taught him something. And, despite taking after her mother's talents from her past life, carved her own path in this one. That life was over now, she was no longer his daughter and he wasn't her father. As much as that ached, he was glad for it.

He straightened up, wiping away his tears and carrying on to finish the painting he started.

He had painted wolves before. Savage, bloodthirsty and a black mass of nightmares. It's a cruel visage of an animal given the moniker of villainy and the basis of many terrible tales of evil. But they were not monsters, were they? Not in this life, not even now while he's at the mercy of the Wolf.

" What are you painting?" He hadn't noticed when the Wolf had left the chair and now yellow eyes hover near the canvas.

" I'd say you but it's not quite a match to the model." He says.

He hears the Wolf move to stand beside him. An amused hum could be heard. " Not exactly a wolf I'm looking at."

" You aren't exactly looking like a wolf right now." He retorted.

The Wolf chuckled at that. " I'm Bigby Wolf. Who are you?"

He takes a short breath. With a small brush, he signed the corner of the painting to mark it. Claiming it as his own, an extension of himself and an interpretation of the Wolf. Even if the legs are lanky and the eyes are more orange than yellow.

" Gallagher."

The Wolf's eyes glow brighter, illuminating his features to reveal a smile.

" It's nice to meet you." The Wolf says to his Iteration.

Chapter Text

Dewlight Pavilion

1602 system hours

" Okay, according to Wolf's deductions, we could probably see a simultaneous attack at the Dewlight Pavilion and Scorchsand. The Static Wolves aren't following the times of deaths in the book anymore so we'll have to be on our guard."

Auslotte and the Borisin entered the space of Dewlight Pavilion. The walkie talkie safely tucked in the Pepeshi's bag as the informant wasn't willing to be directly communicating with Woolsey.

" How was that?" She asked the Borisin.

" You sound natural." He praised. " I'm surprised you managed to get the pronunciations spot on this time."

" Don't you have any faith in my linguistic skills?"

" No."

" Well, it's not like there's a learning manual! No one's ever published one." She threw her hands up, frustrated when she had looked up for a guide online but found no credible results.

" No one's ever let us publish one." He corrected her calmly with a smirk. " That and sometimes the meaning for certain words can differ according to dialect. I was from the Rhinohound Pack, our values have certain differences than most traditional Borisin societies so we're sort of on a thin line of it all. Because of that, some terms have been redefined to fit the pack's lifestyle. Anyway, it's not like the language isn't registered on the main synesthesia network."

" Still, it doesn't hurt to learn the proper way." She said. " Why don't you publish one?"

The Borisin wheezed, his guffaws attracting glares and side eyes from other visitors. Especially the receptionist.

" Could I help you, sir?" The receptionist interrupts his laughter. He trickles it down to a chuckle and coughs to make it stop.

" Sorry about my partner, we're here on official business." Auslotte shows her identification card and badge.

" I see. We have two Dreamwalker Rooms on the east and west side. I've been asked to tell you that the west side is covered." She says after confirming their identities. They were directed to the east side.

Dreamwalker Rooms are as tricky as any pocket space, the ones in the Dewlight Pavilion happened to be accessible through doors as a fun attraction to showcase the wonders of Penacony's dreamscape. They passed by a few armed Bloodhounds who were gathering at the halls and a couple more already inside guarding the door.

They could see where the television was placed on a wall somewhere. With gravity being as weird as it is, it's no wonder how complicated its position is. Woolsey and Siobhan were to be stationed at the Moment of Scorchsand where it's suspected that the 'murder weapon' from the book is hidden.

How it got there, it's shape and form are all unknown.

" Where do you think the Great Wolf is?" The Borisin asked as they waited.

" I'm not sure but this would be a lot easier with him around." She gives him a curious look. " Do you miss him or something?"

" Or something." He says. " There's a mural at the Temple with his liking. With all the stories they had of him, I naturally got curious. He's like... our boogeyman sometimes and at the same time, he's sort of a role model."

" A role model." She hummed. " I can see it. You know, we suspected him at first because he matched the descriptions for Gallagher but I think he looks like Brother Hanu."

" Brother Hanu. Cause of the hat and glasses he wore for a disguise?" The skeptical stare made her scoff.

" The vibe." She gestures vaguely with her hand. " After hearing stories about Hanunue from his informant, I could see even more similarities between them."

" What, you mean, brave, driven, mysterious and a protector?" He listed off.

" I really don't think he's actually trying to be mysterious."

" He is though. They say he just showed up on the Yaoqing one day with the Merlin's Claw and just went ahead with it. He shot through the ranks like wildfire and got the position of lieutenant with his own merits on the battlefield. There's this Foxian songstress who was apparently rescued by him and even wrote a song about it."

" Where are you getting all this information?" She asked.

The Borisin picked up his phone and waved it in the air. " Social media, duh."

" Woah, woah, woah." She grabbed his sleeves to pull the phone closer. " There's a page dedicated to his edits?"

" He's pretty popular with the locals of the Xianzhou Alliance. There's already a fandom." He moved around the social media pages to show accounts that had dozens of clips on the Wolf. " He's known as Beifang there."

" You're talking as if the Temple doesn't already sing chants for him." On top of being called Great Wolf. " Looks like some of these accounts have been flagged or their posts forcibly removed."

" Yeah, he's not comfortable with too much publicity. But, he's not active on social media if he's on at all." The Borisin added. " As long as people keep it on the down low, he won't be disturbed."

" Why not use that name?"

" Beifang?" The Borisin echoed before shaking his head fervently. " Absolutely not! That's his name! I already said I want my own and as cool as he is, I don't think he's Hanunue levels of cool yet."

" Oh?"

" If anything, I think something like Nue is fine, right? It's short and simple."

" Like from Hanunue...?" Auslotte's eyes lit up. " Did you just choose a name?"

His eyes sparkled, tail now moving left and right at great speeds. " Oh, God. YOU'RE RIGHT!"

" Did you not notice?!"

" I got a new name!" He says excitedly. " Wait, let's try it out. I'll look over here, just call me."

The Pepeshi gave him a puzzled look but shrugged it off. " Nue?"

He turns to her with the most blinding smile for a Borisin. " Yes, Auslotte?"

She smiles back. " I'm glad you have a new name now."

The walkie talkie in her bag beeps loudly.

" Team, are you there? We have a problem." The informant says. " Dreamflux Reef's been breached by this... memitic virus thing. I've been called to assist so I need you to listen carefully. I've been studying some of the attack patterns of these Static Wolves and they match the original operating manual of the Bloodhounds. The ones organised by Hanunue himself. I don't think those things have the capacity to operate in such an order."

Their phones pinged loudly with notifications. The temporary group chat for the investigation was filling up. The two stared at their phones in growing horror. There's a buzzing in the air, ripples of white electricity appeared over the distant TV screen.

" Hanunue's death was never fully confirmed."

Growls filled the air, Auslotte and Nue put away their phones with the final messages from Siobhan telling them that the screens were already destroyed by the 'murder weapon'. Which left only one possible location for the attack. Static Wolves spilled from the screen, their heads no longer constantly dripping the blank inky substance and they were finally able to see what would have been the wolves' eyes.

They're as blank as marble, empty as a white void.

Dozens of them prowled over the ceilings, pouncing and tearing into the memitic entities closest to them with a violent fury. The numbers were increasing and even if they called for more backup, they might not arrive on time.

" We have to lock this place down." Auslotte declared.

" Good idea." He picks her up by the waist and throws her to the Bloodhound at the nearest exit. Before she could protest, he sheds his disguise. His fangs grew out, claws extended and he growled at the guards. " GET HER OUT OF HERE!!!"

" WHAT NO!" She protests but it's drowned out by Nue's howl.

He jumps into the fray, the shift in gravity was expected but surprised him a little. He was still able to tackle one of the Static Wolves and tear their throat open with his claws. He doesn't hesitate to move on to his next target.

The Borisin Pack had taught him how to fight ruthlessly and relentlessly, but the Temple had tried to instill patience.

Both similarly stuck to numbers, fought as a team, as a pack. Something which he severely lacks in the face of this many adversaries. So he had to adapt to a different style.

In this universe, the solitary do not survive for long. Those that do however, are considered the apex.

And his best example was the Wolf.

Strike decisively and swiftly, never draw out the battle and never back down. The Wolf's style is flexible and more towards the street fighting styles. Adapting to his style isn't so difficult since he was a Borisin and he had a natural talent for picking up things with one glance.

With every breath and strike, he hardened his focus with the same chant. Praying over and over again for courage against the evil he's facing.

Still, he wasn't the Great Wolf.

He could hear Auslotte banging at the distant door, it's been sealed shut by the Bloodhound Family. He hears her shouting profanities at him, calling his name.

There's only a few left and he wouldn't stop until he finishes them all.

Bang!

He didn't notice the one behind him until it was shot dead. He looks up at the door where lo and behold, Auslotte had returned with a gun far too big for her small stature. Though, considering the shot, perhaps not.

" Nue, you're an idiot." She stated calmly while taking her next aim.

Nue grinned wide, energy rushing back as his instincts sang happily at the presence of his friend.

" Thanks, Lottie!" With a low growl and claws flexing, he lunges into the fray once again.

She rolls her eyes at the new nickname, the smile on her face unwavering. The other Bloodhounds started picking up more weapons and fighting back against the Static Wolves.

A door appears on the ceiling with a heavy sound. All their gazes were drawn upwards as smoke seeped through the cracks. It bursts open, the smoke raining down and condensing rapidly into the form of the Wolf. The Static Wolves howled, calling for a retreat but the Wolf was faster, immediately tearing through the adversaries before they could escape. The television pops and its screen shattered while smoke fizzes out of it.

" Nue!" Auslotte hurries to him as he finally catches his breath, littered in wounds.

" I'll be fine." He says breathlessly. " I'm Borisin! We're tough!"

" Good." The butt of her gun hits his sides and he goes down in a wheezing heap. " Never do that again! None of that death flag bullshit while I'm around, you hear me."

" ...Crystal." He wheezed.

" Forget kneecaps, Auslotte goes for the ribs." The Wolf teased as he emerged from the smoke of his larger form, familiar yellow eyes regards them with a relieved smile. " I'm a little late it seems."

" Where were you?" Auslotte asked immediately while handing back the walkie talkie.

" Nowhere." He replied and tries to contact the informant but received no response. " Tell me what's happened since I was gone."

Meanwhile...

Gunfire Time: Gunfire Trial (Basement), SoulGlad™ Scorchsand Audition Venue

1750 system hours

Memitic entities never last. Unlike Memokeepers, they corrupt and fade at a much more rapid rate. They are ideas, fragments of thoughts and alone are not capable of existing for long. Of course, Siobhan had her hand in making them last as long as she could but none had she seen more resilient or loyal as the creature before her.

A fragile existence, she'd been told by Mr Aideen. One that could only utter a single name with a longing like a dog would have for their beloved owner.

The traces of the Static Wolves had long gone and all it left behind was a wheezing fragile entity that could barely lift his head. Just moments ago, this creature had slaughtered dozens of Static Wolves all on its own.

" Gal...la...gher..." It muttered between breaths.

" Oh, Sleepy." Dormancy was his true name but he responded better with the sweeter nickname.

Woolsey is crouched next to her a silent, steadying presence.

" Thank you for the help."

Dormancy whined, low and winded before halting altogether.

They watched his body fade into nothing, the surrounding screens flickering with dozens of mournful eyes. A painting appeared in his place, later to be hung on the wall, an image of a brown messy wolf with gangly limbs and orange red eyes.

Chapter Text

All over Golden Hour, radios, phonographs and screens fizzled with strange static. It's muffled at first, distorted like a corrupted recording. But with each repetition, it becomes clearer and clearer until its voice could be heard clearly and understood.

" In my life, I learned that the only way things can work is if you treat others how they treated you. Those who have treated me with kindness, I will repay that kindness ten fold. And those, who had treated me with injustice; who used me, who hunted me down and hurt my friends, hurt Mikhail...!"

Flickers of yellow mechanical eyes peered over screens in a flash, accompanying the growl.

" I will repay that injustice a thousand times over."

Ascension Hall, Penacony Grand Theatre

1800 system hours

" ... That's basically everything we've got." Auslotte finished as they all gathered at the start of the Ascension Hall.

" Before this, the Static Wolves were appearing at hours mentioned in the Segugio book but now, they're no longer following those patterns. I had no idea all this time Gallagher had been sealing them within his own memories..." Woolsey remarked.

" None of that." Siobhan said. " Did you all get the weird broadcast earlier? There's this noise in the static that's kinda giving me bad vibes."

" It's him." The Wolf said. " It's how he gets the Static Wolves to listen to him."

" It couldn't be." Auslotte shakes her head. " Could it?"

" His death was never quite confirmed, he has the motive, is familiar with Penacony and right now, we can see he has the means to do all this. All those people have nothing left but rage and they gave him the reigns to enact their revenge." The Wolf surmises. " While the Watchmaker had always held hope for Hanunue's return, I don't think this is what he wanted."

" The fault is on our side." Woolsey rubbed his temple. " If we had noticed the corruption within the Family sooner.... No, those kinds of assumptions aren't going to help this case. I've dwelled on enough what-ifs to know this is getting us nowhere."

" I agree, Captain Woolsey." They hadn't heard her approach but the Wolf didn't seem surprised as he had caught her scent much earlier. " Greetings, I am Lady Black Claw. I'm assigned to this area for information gathering and security."

They each muttered their pleasant greetings to the blonde woman with a stiff smile.

She turned to her fellow Halovian. " That noise you heard, the disharmony isn't a very familiar condition for others. Could you elaborate?"

" It's like a frequency. Silent and hard to detect unless you're someone like Miss Robin who's close to the Harmony or be really good and discerning frequencies. Naturally, Halovians like me are pretty sensitive to certain frequencies, some are more acute to light or sound. I know a guy who was sensitive to vibrations through solid objects." She explained.

" Is there any way to dispel the noise?" Auslotte asked.

Siobhan hums thoughtfully, glancing at Nue and the Wolf. She takes out her notebook and smiles. " I might have an idea."

Communing Hall, Penacony Grand Theatre

2050 system hours

The lone screen crackles in static. The silhouette in the middle switches rapidly between Brother Hanu, a man and flashing images of circuits, wires and wrangled metal. Accompanying these glitches are distorted audios of gunfire, shouting, screams and a single voice sobbing, crying out as they begged someone to stay.

Long metal claws reached out from the screen, grabbing the upper and lower ends of the box and tore it open as though it were made of paper. Like manually tearing a hole through the air, forcing the fissure of the screen to become wider and wider than ever intended.

A metallic snout, covered in soot and scratches, emerges from the gaping fissure with a low growl that carries this metallic quality. Like it's vibrating out of a metal tube and bounces off the too clean white metal walls of some kind of facility. With a muted hiss, the mechanical figure stands upon the mockingly clean carpet floor.

From the get go you'd understand there isn't anything right about the creature. The shape of its figure, half animalistic with hind legs and sharp ears, did not match well with the mechanical meld surrounding it. Some parts are stretched or mangled in a certain way that showed something white and dusty at the joints. Wires poked out haphazardly and the enormous clawed limbs don't seem to balance well with the abnormally small waist.

The sound it emitted was a growl, yes. But it was gutteral, wrong and reached for something deep down that borders between both anger and fear. Following through the fissures with inky black liquids dripping all around are the Static Wolves. They are silent now, lined up behind the mechanical being obediently as they gathered in numbers.

" It's here..." He didn't like his own voice, how twisted and raw it was. He grunts in anger and anguish, the very thing that corrupted his home, a true cancer of worlds, is put on display like a bright shining chandelier in the middle of a ballroom.

Pretentious, he thought. Greedy, slimy lizards all of them. To have turned their backs against everything they've done, everything he fought for, everything Mikhail worked to build... His growl softens into a low hum.

How they sullied his legacy. Forced him to hide away. Let him wither and fade while laughing with their greedy stomaches full of credits. Of course, Mikhail's hope had held out and the Nameless arrived to save the day. All over again. Just like then.

The speakers all over the Grand Theatre started up, all their ears perked up at the sudden noise.

" Citizens of Penacony! This is your host, Nova, freelancing MC speaking to you live straight from the Radiant Feldspar and tonight, we have a special show lined up for you." He's heard of that name enough to warrant a growl, annoyed by the fictitious bird. " To celebrate the end of the Brother Hanu lookalike contest, a song written by the second of the Iris Family will be performed at the Penacony Grand Theatre! That's right, an exclusive one hit single will be played live for all listeners to tune in soon."

He scoffs. A lookalike contest was already grating on his nerves but now a commemorative song?

He stalks past the gaudy red curtains, slicing through them easily with his claws. Quietly, steadily, he makes his way towards the main stage. Dreamjolt Troupe monsters attack him on sight but were thwarted by Static Wolves. He needed to go through here anyways, if he dismantled the concert then that would simply be a consequence of the Family's arrogance.

The drop at which the song starts is like a thud of machines, a siren sounding out could be heard. Thumping like marching boots, the steady rhythm reminiscent of a heartbeat, strong and resilient.

He smells an odd scent of something woody and earthy, refined with a touch of spice. He relished it over his tongue, an old habit from the past resurfacing.

Tobacco. God's ashes.

A voice enters the music, the Static Wolves freezing in place as the deep, gentle tones send shivers through the air. Black smoke gathers between himself and the Static Wolves, forming an enormous mass of black before condensing fully into a Big Bad Wolf. His eyes catch on to the main stage where the singer, the Wolf waits for him.

The lyrics directly speak to him, or perhaps to the Family considering its implications. The rhythm picks up with the additional sounds of ticking and turning gears, like a machine at work. He moves forward, the Wolf in both forms growling and belting their challenge. Claws splayed out, he does not cower as he growls right back.

There's a brief pause between the sounds in the song as he moves onward. His body hunched low, shoulders coiled and tense with anticipation. The pause arrives and right after the ticking, he lunges.

The chorus explodes in a cacophony of sounds, a language unspoken in Penacony roared by Bloodhounds flooding into the Grand Theatre with the chant of the Great Wolf reverberating through the air led by a Borisin who's followed closely by Woolsey and Laby Black Claw while Auslotte hangs back to handle her sniper. It cuts through the buzz of static, overriding the feed with its sound accompanied by a harmonic tune from Siobhan and Lady Black Claw that rings between the lines like a prayer through a cold silent night.

The Wolf grinned with all his teeth on display, dodging the lunge swiftly. A glint of gold shines from the side of his shirt, the emblem of the Nameless sits right over his gut.

The black smoke recoils, no longer needed on the other side of the bridge and reforms around the Wolf, moving in tandem. Growling as he sang, snapping jaws forward when he steps back, coiling up when he moves forward to strike at the same time.

The Static Wolves whines grew into shrieks and gasps, their white and grey bodies tinged with blue and black as the chant grows. The Bloodhounds continued with their offence, not to harm this time but to restrain.

The second verse goes along with the harmonious tune. Fast paced like you're running for your life, running towards something more. Towards salvation.

Garbled speech drowned by the cacophony, the symphony inside roaring back as the grey and white amalgamated into black, blue and silver. Someone's on their knees, retching up the static like bile as their white eyes filled back with colour and sobs ripped from their throats. The reformed remnant of a memory tries to speak, the sobs gutteral and raw before they realise she was trying to chant along. Awakened from the nightmare of that intoxicating dream, they prayed to keep the buzzing out of their heads.

Something flickers from behind the mechanical wolf, the pink flames swirled like a cocktail in a glass and a burst of magenta fire seared across the mechanical wolf's back. He cries out, howling in pain and swiping his claws behind him.

The mysterious attacker, the man whose existence was questioned time and time again looked just the same as he left but somewhat neater. Most notably is how his hair was tied up, a low ponytail, and the fact he was finally wearing a matching set of black gloves. There's an imprint on his back which resembles the faint visage of some kind of wolf.

Black smoke swallows Gallagher before the claws could reach him, smoke gathering around the stage to form a whirling wall that rose up to the ceiling like a hurricane. The Wolf swoops in as he's distracted, reaching out and grabbing hold of Hanunue's wrist before tearing apart the metal plating at his forearm. Flesh, bone and wire were exposed.

Jaws clamp around his shoulder and rip off the pauldrons.

Then, the tear on his back is pulled open like popping open a tin can.

The Wolf rips him apart mercilessly.

Bit by little bit until nearly every bit of metal scrap was taken away and exposing his heavily damaged body to the world. The yellow eyes of the storm watched as those human-like hands tore open his front chassis and neck.

He gasps, pulling back hard enough to escape the Wolf's grasp. He stumbled backwards, no support over his feeble legs. He hissed through his teeth as the burns across his back flared up when it met the ground.

He tries to get up, turning over to his less injured side. Hanunue makes the mistake of looking up.

The Wolf looms over him in full black coated glory, there were no wisps to his form as it had during the battle. The song was ending and the lyrics had finished, the Wolf did not need a human appearance to finish this.

His heart hammered against his chest, following the beat. The jaws opened, a blur of motion makes him tense and those teeth are enclosed around his exposed neck. The force of the lunge pushed him down.

Chapter Text

He doesn't dare to move, even if the position was extremely uncomfortable and his eyes were glued to nothing but the ceiling above him. His throat barely shifts for a nervous gulp and the teeth sunk deeper. He knew when he was beat, but he never understood how to give in.

There was nothing but the sound of the whirlwind around them, he wouldn't be heard from where he is. He tries to find anything, any kind of opportunity to get out of the literal death grip he's been put in but there was nothing.

That couldn't be right.

This couldn't be all there is.

He'd fought every step of the way just to get here. Even gravely injured, he found a way to shut down those crocodiles before they could hurt anyone else. Even surviving that explosion, getting his consciousness, his body in the dream fished out by IPC rats that snuck in and tossed him onto some cold metal slab, to be torn apart, studied piece by piece before he found his footing and ripped out their throats.

Killing those scientists had made him realise the sweet dream was over but it also let him know what he had become. His physical body no longer existed and what he was left to become within the dreamscape wouldn't be recognised by anyone. He had sent signal after signal to Penacony even before escaping, only for it to be rendered into a hypnotic buzz that only what were now Static Wolves could interpret. He ordered them to help him, brought him back home while the Family was in disarray.

He heard everything.

He knows what they're done and those responsible have barely paid for their crimes.

He couldn't let it be.

He needed to get rid of it all.

There was no Penacony without Mikhail after all.

The teeth around his throat sink deeper, the blood dripping down his neck shouldn't be possible but it was there.

He had been so close.

Close to...

To...

What was he doing?

All at once, his body relaxed on its own. The jaws would've clamped down shut due to the sudden lack of tension if not for a pair of small hands. He registered the small weight on his body, dangerously close to his neck. The pressure around his neck softens and he dares himself a glance.

The Wolf's eyes were not yellow in this form, they were brown and looked oddly very human-like. They gazed down curiously not at him but the little creature insistently keeping his jaw open.

With wide eyes, Hanunue stares in shock at Brother Hanu standing over his neck protectively with a decisive grunt.

The Wolf growls, the sound making him freeze up again.

" Hmph!"

Stubborn little shit.

Surprisingly, the Wolf released him. His head fell back with a thud, he groaned slightly from the impact. The little thing grunts in concern, patting his neck carefully. Growling, he grabs its ridiculously small body and forces himself to sit up, swallowing a wince.

He hated seeing this small, helpless mouse sized runt run around like a helpless pup. Through the games and cartoons, his presence was far too minimal and anything he could have said reduced to grunts most viewers wouldn't even understand.

Yet, the other characters did understand.

His grip on the small entity softened significantly, a long exhale leaving his body. The small thing slipped its hand out and patted his face with a comforting grunt.

He scowled but there wasn't any actual bite to it.

He sets the little thing down and looks back at the Wolf whose brown, gentle human eyes simply observed them. He huffs, the sound rattling against his chest like a broken vent.

The Wolf, bastard, just nods his snout at the little thing.

Hanunue scowls harder at the Wolf, growling.

The Wolf growls back.

The little thing scampers up between them and grunts at them both, crossing his arms. The little shit was not amusing. Having voiced that thing for years did not make him any fond of it.

He didn't see the point of the Wolf stopping, or why this little shit stopped him. There was no point in this existence anymore. The Wolf growls, snapping his jaws in a way that reminds him of the Static Wolves under his influence.

The Wolf circles Hanunue, growling him a challenge.

Hanunue snaps back sharply but his aching body protests at the pain of the sudden movement, making him whine. The Wolf puts his snout in the air and Hanunue has half the mind to curse him out. He carefully tries to rise, the lack of support on his legs rendering him back to the ground.

The little thing urged him on, grunting in encouragement. He scowls at it, baring his teeth but only a fraction.

His second attempt is slower but smoother, he still falls over. This time the Wolf catches him in human form. Their eyes were all a similar shade of yellow, even the little one had them despite being hidden behind dark shades. He spies the emblem at the Wolf's person and sighs, accepting the support.

" Hmph!" The little thing climbed up the Wolf's legs and scampered across his coat to get on his arm.

He comically makes his way across to Hanunue. Brother Hanu removed his shades, wearing a face based on himself as he then climbed up over his snout. The little thing pressed his forehead against Hanunue, a strange hum could be heard and he saw Mikhail again.

His Mikhail.

Hunched over his work desk, papers all over the place and empty bottles on the floor. His silver hair is a dull grey, his lilac eyes are bloodshot and swollen. The hat he cherished is the only thing placed carefully on its perch on the coat rack. The pictures of his companions, from the Express and everyone he'd lost were all over the table. The one picture in his hand is of a Harbeck werewolf from Nashoba.

He whines at seeing the distressed state of his partner. Whose eyes stared at the images without any light. He then glanced at the compass on the corner of the table, dangerously close to its edge.

He picks it up, a light in his eyes returning as his mouth parted slightly.

Hastily, he grabbed some papers and a pen from the ground. He starts sketching, paper after paper until it flies off the desk. He designs this cylindrical device with a sequence of Clockie running. He blinks and the device sits on a now clean table, Mikhail turns a key on the side and the base starts to move with the images cut out and put in position. The images moved faster and faster, piece after piece until he could see the character practically come to life. Running right off the base gleefully.

It starts with Clockie followed by Brother Hanu and their hands entwined. They twirled around merrily as other characters joined the roster, he could see where each character gets their inspiration and before long those characters meld into the people they were based off.

The memories continued to flood forth, ink to paper and colour then it brings itself to life from cartoons to real people.

Penacony's origins are somber as it is warm. After their independence, they coined the term Family from one of his own terms. Lupical. Fated family, that's what he considered the then small hopeful gang of dreamers.

Which made the sting of betrayal all the more painful when he heard of it through the memories of others. What more if he had been there in person. How agonising it must have been not only for Mikhail, but everyone else too. Tiernan, the poor man was rejected the right to visit his own companion countless times until the Nihility swallowed him in THEIR shadow and Razalina, gone without a trace.

The sweet dream was over.

The prison was broken.

Everyone had long gone before they could see the true dawn.

Yet their memories of that simpler time remained ever present in his mind.

He blinked and he was back on that stage, the curtains around them closed and he was standing on his own two feet, facing the starry sky beyond and if he looked long enough, he could feel the sun on his face. He drew out a long breath he hadn't known he was holding in.

He's in human form, one he hadn't used since he was imprisoned as a form of protest. He's healed over in a way, his familiar dark blue suit and black tie was a nostalgic sight. Hat on his head again, he gives it a little adjusting so his grey tuffs aren't smothered. The black storm still blocked the bridges but he didn't mind it anymore.

There's something in his hands, he finds the device from Mikhail's memory sitting idly in his palm. He would know it to be called a zoetrope and this one had a grey wolf in a walking motion.

That was him. He knew.

Yet, it looked similar in shape to the Wolf as well.

He... Doesn't see the little thing around anymore. No, that entity has always been a part of himself, a way for his memory to be preserved. A way Mikhail commemorates him in his own special Watchmaker way.

" My Watchmaker..." His voice still carries a rasp from disuse. " You've faced your nightmares so courageously, so mischievously, I might be falling all over again." He smiles fondly at the sky above even as the Wolf stepped up to his side, his human form a whole head shorter than his own and the smell of tobacco wafts through the air.

" You're gonna be okay?" The Wolf asked.

He grunts in affirmation, extending one claw and carving his name into the underside of the zoetrope.

Hall of Chords, Penacony Grand Theatre

2115 system hours

The wall of smoke dissipates and all that stands is the Wolf with yellow eyes. The Static Wolves were no more, in their place are now silver eyed Dreamweavers who watched him quietly as he walked down the bridge and bowed their heads. His gaze falls upon the five who helped him throughout the adventure and smiled.

" Crisis averted." He announced as he drew near.

" Crisis averted!" Nue cheered, followed by a whoop from Siobhan and Auslotte.

" Thank you, Nameless. This was by far, the most exciting mission I've taken yet." Lady Black Claw smiled stiffly but her tone was genuine.

" I'm glad the matter's resolved for now. Sorry again for our first impressions not being the best." Woolsey apologised.

" I'm more concerned about them." The Wolf glances around at the mute gazes of the victims. " Their physical bodies have detached for too long, most likely at a state of no point of return. How will you handle this?"

" Penacony is no longer under the illusions of sweet dreams and us of the Bloodhound Family take that to heart most effectively." He affirmed. " I will take direct responsibility in getting these victims the aid they need. It's the least I can do since the Bloodhounds are just as to blame for this crisis."

" And your elders?"

Woolsey grinned. " They can sit on a-"

" Great Wolf!" Nue interrupted them, thankfully. " Siobhan invited us for drinks at her place. Lady Black Claw says she and Woolsey will handle the rest."

Woolsey gives them a nod before walking over to the Greyhound and a few of the silver eyed people. They looked pretty shaken but otherwise alright. It would take a while for them to fade more naturally and he could trust the friends he made here that they would be alright.

" As much as I'd like to, you can go on ahead with them. Besides," He holds the walkie talkie in hand. " I've got a friend to visit."

Chapter Text

He's backed against the wall, there's pounding in his head and those stupid bananas were getting too close for comfort. The stupid jingle they kept playing was getting louder and closer. Miss Robin had acquired his and a few other discreet Bloodhounds for assistance in dealing with the situation.

Not that the Family could be actively landing a hand considering what he was investigating prior.

" So this is where you were." He looks up where his friend was perched over the wall. " I'm glad I found you, Graysen."

" Bigby!" He exclaimed in relief.

" Hey, friend. You look like you need a hand." Yellow eyes redirected their gaze to the enemy. The asistananas flinched and stepped back. Bigby growled and jumped down, landing on all fours as his wolf form took up the entire alley. The enemy was dealt with shortly.

" How'd you find me?"

" You kinda smell." He tosses his friend the walkie talkie. " A little too much cologne."

" Har har." Graysen puts away the walkie talkie. " Since you're here, I'm guessing the situation in Golden Hour's been resolved."

Bigby nods, huffing a puff of grey smoke from his pipe. " What's going on here?"

" An infestation, I'll say. I'll explain the situation on the way to the plaza. That's where we'll meet with the survivors." The Wolf raised a brow at the term, a little concerned but does follow him out of the alley.

They moved past quite a few monkeys hanging around, it didn't take long for Graysen to explain the whole fiasco with the memitic virus that's affecting everyone. An infestation indeed.

Just as they turn another corner, Bigby narrowly misses bumping straight into survivors running from another section of Dreamflux Reef. It's the scent that struck him first. He felt his body lock in place, he blinks once, the shrouded figure stopped to turn around. He blinks twice and sees her blue eyes gaze up at him with recognition and her shoulders relaxed into relief. Her soft smile blinds him and when he blinks a third, she was already gone.

" Mr Wolf!" March crashes into his arms, bringing him out of his haze. " You're here!"

" March." He greets her before gently pulling back to get a good look in case of any injuries, finding nothing amiss. Regardless, he still asked. " Are you hurt?"

March shakes her head. " I'm okay!" She affirmed. " Did you finish your book tour?"

He gives her an amused huff and pats her head. " Stelle's been rubbing off on you, kid. But, yeah. I did."

" Urgh, no....Not Stelle..." March whined. " Wait, where's the lady that was with us? I thought she was here just a moment ago."

" Um... I saw her leave after we ran into these guys." The other girl who would introduce herself as Montana glanced around cautiously. " I think we should talk elsewhere for this."

They gathered beneath a balcony for cover and each filled Bigby in on what was happening.

" I'm starting to think we shouldn't leave you kids alone." He says as he crossed his arms.

" Not our fault." March said. " Even if it is, Stelle probably started it."

" By this point, I believe Stelle can't be stopped even if the Aeons intervened." Bigby replied.

" My, my, my, look who's here!" They looked up as another person approached them. Montana groaned, clearly displeased at the sight of the cyborg cowboy.

" Ahh... I've been looking for you all day!" March said.

" Hmm, should I believe that or not..." The cowboy teased.

" So you've been roped into this too." Bigby says in lieu of a greeting. Boothill took one look at the emblem he wore and grinned wide, nodding at him with a slight tilt of his hat. " The others just filled me in on the situation. You folks need a hand in getting rid of these pests?"

" Any extra hands we can get is welcome. Since whatever you two had between you is resolved now," He glances at the girls. " Follow me then."

The plaza was filled with people surrounding the open air stage. Graysen was led over by someone with medical supplies to treat some of his scrapes.

" Mr Wolf, over here!" March calls him over to where a Halovian lady, Boothill and a blonde man were gathered around some kind of table with knobs and records. He knows what it is just never bothered to learn what it's called.

" I overheard your tune from the Grand Theatre earlier. This is your voice, isn't it?" The Halovian singer he would realise was actually an interstellar super star. He's startled by his own voice coming through the speakers of her phone.

" I, where did you get that?" He asked.

" It was broadcast all over Penacony, except here in Dreamflux Reef but I managed to snag a recording." Robin explained. " I haven't heard a song like this before, the chorus is brilliant and the harmony in the tune is a different vibe from the Family altogether."

" Broadcasted?" He was certain Siobhan said it was only in the Grand Theatre.

" We'll be doing something similar here. I was rather skeptical at first but considering the absurd situation we're in, I suppose an absurd solution is as well needed." Robin nodded with more confidence now.

" I didn't know you could sing, Mr Wolf." March says, already replaying the recording again.

" I honestly didn't think I could either." He sighed. " Please don't tell me I have to sing in front of this crowd. At the time I was under the impression that it was a...private session."

" Don't worry, I think I can handle this one." She assured him.

March drags him over to find a spot to enjoy the show, introducing her friend Montana more properly as Micah and Robin prepare for the party. He spots Boothill across the venue chatting with a rather eccentric looking person, another Memokeeper if his senses are correct. He takes a moment to lean back against the light post and take in the adventure he had by himself today and shuts his eyes against the pang of pain against his temple the longer he gazes at the architecture around him.

It's much lighter now, he doesn't know why the surroundings were affecting him as it were but perhaps his locked memories recall something similar. Identical even.

His mind drifts to the shrouded figure he'd bumped into earlier. The scent of her rolling around in his mind, the powder blue eyes like the rarest of bluebells hidden beneath the frost in early winter and late spring, the smile she gave adorning her fair complexion and her voice, the one that lingered in his mind since that day at the Matrix was surely hers. Who was she? He pondered and why did every thought of her hurt the most?

" Mr Wolf?" A cool hand pressed against his forehead and he instinctively leans in for comfort. " You okay? You don't look so good."

" Just a little headache, March." He assured her. " It'll pass." She doesn't seem to believe him.

" Are you trying to remember something again?" He had approached her with his ailments a few days ago. Talked about how trying to reach their lost memories could hurt but it was far more prominent for Bigby than herself.

" It's nothing. As always." There are just some memories that refused to open up, to let him in and relive them as he did others. Ones that make his head pound until he feels like he should manually crack his head open. He diverts his thoughts as best he could, trying to think of the gifts he said he'd get the younglings.

March stays with him, talking about her own little adventure on campus. Her new friend group, the clubs they had and she was even thinking of joining the photography club that had off campus programs. Someone hands them a drink and it does wonders to soothe his headache.

He joins in March's conversation, replying and chatting.

Robin then takes centre stage and tosses her microphone aside. With a wave of her hand, the turntable appeared at her fingertips already hooked up to the surrounding speakers. Flashing them a lovely smile, the music blasts out loud. It attracts the crowd with its jovial energy, fast rhythm and little dissonant mixes that were somehow even more pleasing to the ears.

People started dancing, moving around the floor without much form and just letting loose of all the tension in the air. He laughs as Boothill is practically dragged out of his chair to get on the dancefloor. An arm loops under his own, the alluring scent fills his senses and he's pulled forward without any resistance.

" Just follow me." The enshrouded figure says.

She brings his hand up against hers, entwining their fingers. A gloved hand rests on his shoulder delicately and she pulls him closer. Bewildered, he barely registered his hand carefully placing itself against the small of her back.

He's very awkward and stiff at the start, but with a bit of patience he was starting to move with her. The steps are a simple repetition, a little back and forth, a twirl and a spin there, just follow the rhythm and you'll be right on track. Like a conversation.

" Do I know you?" He can't help but ask. He feels like he should and his head is pounding at the seams but he needs to hold on, just a little longer.

She seems to notice this and step back, ready to pull away but he takes her hand and pulls her close, lowering their bodies into a careful dip before bringing her back up. He doesn't want her to go.

Within a few blinks they're already at the edge of the party, his back rests against the building wall. The shrouded figure is with him, looking up rather sadly into his eyes.

" You're getting worse." She says, reaching up for him and he almost leans forward to feel her touch. Something sharp and cold pressed against his shirt, his eyes sharpened immediately.

A growl builds in his throat but refuses to be released. The knife is positioned right under his ribcage, behind the Nameless emblem he wore. He pressed his back further against the wall, not wanting to get stabbed but couldn't find it in him to bring her harm.

" This will hurt." She says softly. " But it won't for long. You trust me, don't you?"

Fear and anger swelled at her tone, she spoke as though he were an animal to be placated. His colleagues at the Yaoqing had made it very clear he would not and should never be treated as such. The growl that rumbled from his throat does not deter her, instead she pushes the knife deeper in a swift motion. He hates this. The wholehearted affection he feels for this stranger and the heartburning betrayal that seered his flesh.

His hand wrapped around her wrist in an instant and forcefully wretched it away from himself, the knife still in his chest. She stumbled back, surprised at his resistance. She stands up, mouth open to speak.

Bang.

" Imagine making a ruckus out here while people are trying to have a good time in the middle of a crisis." Boothill sneered, clicking his gun.

" Don't." Bigby said, grasping the handle of the knife in his chest. " Let her go."

Boothill looked like he wanted to argue, but when he turned back to the lady, she was already gone. With a click of his tongue, he put away his gun. He turns his attention back to Wolf, who was pulling out the knife like it was some minor inconvenience than a literal assault. There isn't any blood for being in a dream but there is indeed a hole where the knife was.

" You okay, pal?" He asked, looking around for that one guy with the med kid. As if reading his mind, Wolf shook his head.

" I'll go to him myself." He says, clutching his wound in a light manner. " Watch over her for me?"

Boothill looked around, following Wolf's gaze to where March was still partying obliviously. " I'm assuming I don't get to say a word of this?"

" It's nothing." Wolf says, voice sullen and low but from the way he was still standing upright suggested that the wound was actually nothing. " Let her have her fun. Younglings should be enjoying themselves."

" Younglings, huh." He chuckled, still following behind Wolf as he made his way at the edges of the party to the medic available. Turns out, it was deeper than he thought and required immediate attention. Boothill stayed close, keeping an eye on March whilst Wolf stayed out of sight.

The wound was already healing, granted but it did cause Graysen to be a lot more alarmed.

" She stabbed you and you just let her?" He asked incredulously when Boothill gave a bare idea at what happened.

" I didn't..! I don't know, alright?" Wolf runs a hand through his hair, careful not to disrupt the doctor's work as they are bandaging him now. " It just happened."

" I'm betting on shock." Boothill piped up.

" Shut up." Wolf growled.

" What? I'd be pretty shocked if my dancing partner suddenly pulled a knife on me." His voice was dripping with sarcasm. " I mean, I already had that happen but my body basically stops most blades from getting through."

An explosion rings out in the distance, full of colour and... Monkeys. Said monkeys then popped into people and each of them landed on the ground with some kind of spray can. Following them were Dan Heng and Stelle, who fell into a tangled heap of limbs on the ground.

A pink haired girl lands on her feet expertly with a proud grin. " Mission accomplished."

A falling can lands on her head with an audible thunk.

The former monkeys picked themselves up, shaking their heads in confusion as they looked around. Wolf takes that as his cue to move, thanking the medic for his work and putting his coat back on.

" Stelle, Dan Heng! And... Miss Rappa?" March approached them first.

The pink haired girl, Rappa, greeted her in return. " Yo, Ninja Ruri! Yo, Silvergun Shura!"

" Forkin' hell, they are making more of a scene than we are." Boothill says.

" How can it be... How could such mighty aspirations be brought down by a bunch of failed kindling..." There was one monkey left, one he could assume to be behind the entire mess here. Still rolling off the anger and hurt he felt earlier, he stalks his way over to the group in quick strides.

" What the hell did you just call my kids?" He growled, immediately cornering the chittering monkey with a hard gaze.

" Failed kindling." The monkey has guts.

" Fiendling Chief, stop insulting others with your filthy language. The way of the ninja does not discriminate between classes..." Rappa steps forward. " One who seeks the way of the ninja is a Ninja Initiate. One who upholds the way of the ninja is a Ninja. And one who lives by the way of the ninja... is a Ninja Hero!"

" ...I don't understand, bana."

Bigby couldn't care less. " I'm going to rip out your tongue and feed you your own intestines."

Boothill laughed. " Yeah! I'm liking your style. Hah, whip him with a belt soaked in saltwater and serve him everything that the IPC once used on me."

Wolf growled, flexing his fingers as he glared at the still monkey. " It ran."