Chapter 115: March 7th's Wish
"Dan Heng!" March 7th called out, waving him over. "Little Blue Light says it wants to become a Swarm Lord, and it wants to ask you for advice on how to do it."
"A... what?" Dan Heng, who had just been discussing the Astral Express's greenhouse car with Himeko, turned his head, a perfect picture of confusion. "What on earth is a Swarm Lord?"
"Uh, actually, I have no idea," March 7th admitted. "Maybe it's something like a Vidyadhara High Elder?"
'That's right, it's me, Little Blue Light!'Rekka buzzed internally.'I'm going to become a Venerable of the Swarm, buzz!'
To demonstrate, the little bug mimicked Dan Heng's draconic form, commanding a massive swarm of smaller insects to coalesce into the shape of a dragon. The resulting construct, a writhing mass of chittering legs and iridescent wings, was rather eerie.
"Buzz buzz," the little bug chirped, striking a pose. 'Azure Swarm, Cleanse the World! Buzz!'
Rekka, in his bug form, stood proudly on his rearmost legs, planted his middle two legs on his hips like a triumphant hero, and waved his foremost two appendages in the air.
Unfortunately, in his moment of supreme smugness, he overbalanced and tipped backward, landing flat on his carapace with a soft thump. His six legs kicked frantically in the air, a portrait of pure panic.
'Boss, this is bad, buzz! I can't flip back over, buzz!'
"...He has the same problem you do," Dan Heng noted dryly, recalling a previous incident. When Rekka had last transformed into a bug, he'd also gotten stuck on his back, legs flailing helplessly.
This was the state of affairs for the aspiring god-tier being of the Astral Express.
Later that night, March 7th snuck into Rekka's room, cracking the door open just enough to peek inside.
"...Rekka? You asleep yet?" she whispered into the darkness.
Rekka, lost in the hazy space between wakefulness and sleep, stirred.
"Are you asleep?" she tried again.
"...Ah?" he mumbled, his voice thick with drowsiness. He wasn't quite asleep yet, but he was close.
"Rekka, do you think I could get an SP form, too?"
"...That's called an SP form, not SV," he corrected, his voice a faint drift from the bed.
"Oh, right, an SP form."
"Why don't you just... discuss it with your second personality?" Rekka suggested, cracking open a bleary eye.
"Is that even possible?" March 7th asked, surprised.
"Have you ever asked her? You know, if she could give you a new form to buff you up?" Rekka smacked his lips, already drifting off again.
"No... I'll go ask in a bit," she said, nodding to herself. She quietly closed the door, only to immediately open it again and tiptoe back inside. Leaning over the bed, she gently poked his shoulder. "Have you seen my camera?"
"It's on your desk," he sighed. "This is the third time this week you've left it on your own desk and forgotten where it was."
"Thanks!"
Back in the safety of her own room, March 7th flopped onto her bed and pressed her hands together as if in prayer.
"Other me, other me, can you hear me?" she whispered to the ceiling. "I want a new form! Preferably one that can tank, fight, support, deal damage, and heal! It should have a totally different style from my normal one, and ideally, a brand-new mechanic that's different from everyone else's..."
A presence in the back of her mind stirred. 'My dear March 7th, do you think I'm some kind of wishing machine?'
March 7th waited for a while, then a while longer. Her eyelids began to feel heavy, fighting a losing battle against sleep. She pulled the quilt over her head, curling into a tight ball. A few minutes later, the steady, rhythmic sound of breathing emerged from the bundle of blankets.
Then, under the covers, a pair of eyes opened. They glowed with a deep, ruby-red light, a clear sign that the one now awake was not March 7th.
Long Night Moon had awakened.
A faint, knowing smile curled at the corners of her lips.
'Hmm? It seems something has boarded the Express.'
The corridors of the star-faring train were empty, with only the soft night lights casting a faint, warm glow on the polished floors. Long Night Moon moved with a liquid grace, each step utterly silent. She paused at the entrance to the Parlor Car.
The main lights were off. Only the distant starlight filtering through the panoramic glass roof cast mottled, shifting shadows across the room.
Long Night Moon observed the scene without a sound. Stelle, dressed in a pair of fluffy raccoon-themed pajamas and clutching her inseparable baseball bat, was standing before a tall, floor-length mirror. She was twisting left and right, striking poses, though for what purpose, it was impossible to tell.
That mirror...
'Why aren't you sleeping in the middle of the night? What are you doing, looking in a mirror?' Long Night Moon's voice suddenly cut through the silence. It wasn't loud, but in the quiet car, it was startlingly clear.
"Whoa!" Stelle yelped, nearly swinging her bat out of pure reflex. She spun around, her heart pounding, and let out a long sigh of relief when she saw who it was. "March? Why don't you make any sound when you walk? You scared me to death in the middle of the night."
Stelle patted her chest to calm her racing heart, but then her eyes narrowed. Something was off. The girl in front of her had the exact same face as March 7th and was wearing the same pink pajamas, but her eyes were a deep, bloody crimson, and her entire aura was completely different. The usually boisterous, giggling March 7th now carried the cold, aloof air of a seasoned assassin.
"Wait a second." Stelle took a couple of steps closer, looking her up and down. "You're not March, are you? You're that... March's second personality?"
'Yes,'Long Night Moon confirmed.'I'm just checking to see if you're alright.'She cast a pointed glance at the mirror.'Be careful when dealing with Memokeepers. Don't worry, though. If any Memokeeper dares to lay a hand on you, I'll hang them outside the Express like little paper dolls.'"Oh, oh, thanks for the heads-up," Stelle said, relaxing slightly. "You really are just like March, after all... just a bit less talkative. Speaking of which," she tilted her head, suddenly curious. "How do you and March... usually get along? Like, when she's awake, do you know what she's doing? And when you're awake, does she know?"'Mm~ that's right,'Long Night Moon replied with a small, enigmatic smile.'Go get some rest. I still have things to do.'After Stelle had left, Long Night Moon turned back to face the mirror. A new smile spread across her face—one that would make any Memokeeper's skin crawl.'Pretend you didn't see anything,'she murmured to the reflection.'This is none of your business. If you dare to come out, I'll feed you to my cute little friends.'
As if on cue, ethereal red jellyfish, shimmering with an otherworldly light, began to drift slowly through the Express car around her.
The mirror showed no movement, but Long Night Moon had already received her answer.
'Mm-hmm~ thank you for your cooperation.'With her business concluded, she turned and made her way to Rekka's room. She opened the door, slipped inside, and naturally pulled back the quilt on his bed before climbing in.'Tomorrow morning, March will surely be very happy, right?'she thought.'No need to thank me. After all, we're the same person.'
Rekka, deep in a hazy slumber, felt the quilt being lifted and something chilly crawling in beside him. He subconsciously shifted to the side, mumbling incoherently.
"Senior March... is the AC in your room broken?"
No one answered.
Rekka rolled over, turning his back to the person who had just joined him, and his consciousness sank back into the depths of sleep. Between sleep and wakefulness, he felt someone press gently against his back. A hand rested on his waist, its fingers slightly cool against his skin.
"Are you cold?" he asked groggily, his brain barely functioning. "The AC remote is on the nightstand..."
'It's not a problem with the air conditioning.'
The words didn't quite register in Rekka's sleep-addled mind. He gave a vague, noncommittal grunt and fell completely asleep.
Long Night Moon maintained her position, listening to his breathing gradually steady and deepen. In the darkness of the room, her red eyes narrowed slightly.
What a dense fellow.
The next morning, March 7th opened her eyes groggily, only to find herself hugging someone. One of her legs was hooked over his, one arm was draped across his chest, and her face was buried in the warm crook of his neck.
March 7th's mind went completely blank for three whole seconds.
Then, at a speed visible to the naked eye, a furious blush spread from her neck all the way to the roots of her hair.
"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!"
A scream sharp enough to pierce the morning silence ripped through the Astral Express.
March 7th sprang back as if she'd been struck by lightning, tumbling right off the bed and hitting the floor with a solid thud.
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