"Esteemed passengers, we are now nearing the dock at the Herta Space Station! Please be aware pom!"
Hearing Pom-pom's voice throughout the train, the teacup in my hand slightly jolts. Looking out the window in the Parlor Car, Elena could see Herta's Space Station in the distance.
Taking a sip of the tea in my hand, memories began to flood my mind. The whole ordeal felt like having a syringe push fluid into my brain, but I could feel every fluid gushing into my body, and it hurts.
It made me choke on the tea I was drinking with the sudden abruptness of the memories flooding my head along with the pain accompanying it.
Weirdest of all, was how the emotions in the memories felt so real, felt like it was all mine and something I had experience.
"Elena, are you alright?" a concern voice cut through the pain and flooding memories.
"You look pale, do you need help?" Himeko's voice pulled me out of my daze.
"No, worries just... feeling a bit under the weather." I said easing the concern in the voice in Himeko's voice, smiling softly as I placed the teacup back on the table as I massage my temples trying to ease the headache.
It really made me uncomfortable with how the memories, emotions and experience came like a flood that came free from a dam.
"Are you sure, Elena?" said Himeko, her face still tinges with a bit of concern for my wellbeing. It oddly filled me with warm.
For the past 3 days, my interaction with the Astral Express crew while it wasn't extensive, it was very comforting. It felt like I really had a family, and despite it being my first interaction with them, it felt comforting like nothing in our interaction was forced.
I covered my mouth with one hand, as I chuckle softly behind it. "Yes, just a bit of migraine Himeko ~"
Seeing the relief on Himeko's face, I turned to the Herta's Space Station slowly getting closer, while looking through the memories I was suddenly given and materialized.
While I did write it in my lore that I had met some characters in the Herta's Space Station when they were a kid and some more, and while I did expect it to become part of this universe, I wasn't expecting it to create memories for me too.
"Esteemed passengers, we are now docking unto the Herta's Space Station! The train will be station here for one week. All passengers may disembark and move about freely, pom!"
Hearing Pom-poms announcement, I turned to look towards Himeko who was getting up. I placed the teacup back on the table, and ready to get into Herta's Space Station.
"Will you be joining us unto the station, Elena?" a cheerful voice rang out from behind me. I looked behind me to see the ever-energetic March 7th.
"Yes, I have to restock some medicinal supplies, as we are running short on some." I said to March as I gently patted her head, enjoying her flustered expression of being treated like a child, it was adorable.
"Why not let us buy it, you're not feeling all too well aren't you, Elena?" Himeko offered to buy the medicinal supplies for me, but I turned her down.
I can't really have her do that for me; it's not like I could actually buy the supply with the Herta's Space Station currently under attacked by the Antimatter legion. I highly doubt I could even do anything I want until that was done.
And it was my opportunity to see who'll the main character be in this universe and let myself be known to the players and a chance to earn resonance points.
"No, it's okay. It's nothing too serious just a migraine."
"And I have to check the supplies myself; some medicine can be quite confusing without my knowledge."
I try to ease their concern as I try to come up with excuse to not be confine to the Astral Express train, and it seems to have work.
"Okay, just don't push your too hard now Elena." Himeko said giving up on making me rest.
"I know, I'll have Dan hang accompany in getting the medicinal supplies ~"
I offered a compromise to Himeko, not wanting to worry too much about it.
"I'll assist in any way that I can." a steady youthful voice rang out beside me as I was talking with Himeko, turning to my side I see Dan Heng.
"I appreciate that, Dan Hang ~" I said as I cover my mouth with one hand as I chuckled softly.
"Then, I'll leave it to you to help Elena, Dan Heng." Himeko said as we all went to the doors ready to do our individual task. Though I'm probably the only one who knows what's about to happen.
As the doors of the Astral Express opens and we all get off one by one, and Himeko talks to March 7th and Dan Heng and what they need to do, Dan Heng notices something wrong about the whole atmosphere.
March noticing Dan Heng's odd behavior.
"Something wrong Dan Heng?" March asked curiously, noticing how Dan Heng has been looking around the docking area with an odd look on his face.
"March, something's wrong with the station..."
Dan Heng frowned, seeing the empty and quiet platform. Logically there should have been plenty of station staff walking about and considering that the Astral Express had just docked at the station platform, someone should have been here to welcome them or even guide them.
Yet, it was eerily silent and was too empty.
Not one person was there since they arrived. Pom-pom even complained at how no one was responding to the docking confirmation with them, thinking that they were getting too lazy.
"Miss Himeko, something isn't right..." Dan Heng voiced his concern to Himeko.
The Astral Express had its own designated docking platform, yet it was strange how no one was there to receive them and no notification had come.
Himeko also realized something was wrong with the station the moment she had step into the station. It was too quiet, and Himeko realized the gravity of the situation. Usually, Himeko would get receive a notification message from Herta's Space Station on her phone. Especially from Station Master Asta, yet she didn't receive no notification or message on her phone.
She immediately sent a message to Asta trying to see what was going on.
[Message failed to send: Network Error]
Yet, she only received such a response.
"Little March, could you try to go online?" Seeing how things were turning out, I turned to March and had her check the station website.
But March wasn't able to load the station website, even the shopping website of the station was offline and her phone just like others didn't have much signal at all.
"It seems the Station is in some sort of trouble. Elena, you should stay in the train for now. March and Dan Heng, let's find Asta for now to understand what's happening with the station." Himeko instructed everyone on what they had to do.
But I decline Himeko's suggestion outright.
"No, I'll come along. If something really happened it'd be best, I come along too." I said as I softly patted my coat.
Himeko understood what I meant, she was silent for a moment