AN: Helloooooooo!!!!!! Welcome to the latest chapter of this fic! I hope you are still enjoying this story.
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anyways, back to the story and enjoy reading!
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====<< Start >>====
Gate Inn, Seiryuu City, DesuMachi Planet…
"We're just passersby in this world," Sora murmured, her tone full of emotion. "Visitors who came to learn and experience the way of life here, not to dictate how its people should live. We don't have that right. Eventually, we'll leave and go to the next part of our journey."
She softly sighs, the sound almost lost within the room. "Even if Hachi-nii, you, and everyone took control of this world and forced our ideals on them… it wouldn't erase the cruelty in people's hearts."
Her fingers tightened around the glass of milk, the faint tremor showed her helplessness. "To really help the people like those two kids, it has to start from within this world. From its own people. But…" her voice shake, "how can that happen when they'd rather look down on others just to feel superior?"
Mei opened her mouth to answer, but no words came. She wanted to tell Sora that kindness still existed, that there were always people willing to help but her mouth refused to form the words. Memories from her past flashed in her mind, still fresh and remained unhealed. Even now, despite the new family she'd found aboard the Express, that wound is still there. Deep inside, she couldn't come to trust others so easily and maybe even inside their own circle.
Those she once called friends had abandoned her so easily. Their admiration turned into scorn, the praise became hatred. They cursed her name and treated her like a criminal for sins neither she nor her father had ever committed. That betrayal left deep scars within her heart, making it hard for her to believe in kindness or trust again. All of it happened because of one person, someone who pushed her to the edge in the name of obtaining the power to "save" humanity from the Honkai, or so that person claimed to justify their actions.
That's why Hachiman's place in her heart was so irreplaceable. He was the first and perhaps the only person who truly saw her for who she was. When she became the Herrscher of Thunder, he reached out instead of stepping back. He saw her fears, her loneliness, her dreams, and every emotion she had locked away for years. He saw her ugly, spoiled, gentle, and fragile sides and yet…. He never once judged her. Instead, he accepted her completely, just as she was.
'I guess I really am broken…' Mei thought, her eyes falling to her trembling hands. 'I can't even find the words to help the person I promised to protect.'
She bit her lip, tasting the faint bitterness of helplessness. 'Maybe… just like my other self said… I really am a coward.'
As she sank deeper into that self-pity, a small memory came back to her, one that had changed her entire life. It was the moment Noah had formally invited her to join the Astral Express, offering her the final unawaken Astral Emblem for her to take. The same words he spoke that day flashed in her mind again, back at the courtyard of Saint Freya Academy… the place where she had found not just a new goal, but also a new family waiting to embrace her. It was the moment she discovered her path and earned her Signet.
—---
Around two weeks ago, Saint Freya Academy courtyard, after the third Honkai impact, Honkai World..
"Mei-san, you may stay here at the Academy and learn how to control your powers," Noah began, his tone filled with warmth. "Here, you'll find friends, real friends, not like those bitc.... ehem.. People, and maybe even people you'll come to call as sisters. They'll stand beside you through joy and sorrow, fight with you through every trial, and laugh with you in every victory. But…" He paused, his eyes softening as he reached in the pockets of his coat. "I'd also like to extend an invitation to you, to take this emblem and join us on a journey across the endless sea of stars."
Noah gently took out an ornate box. Inside lay the final unawakened Astral Emblem, which remained blank with no color nor shine as it waited for its rightful owner.
"With us, you'll find the same things," he continued with a confident grin. "Friends you can rely on, a family that always has your back through danger, through peace, through chaos. And yes," his grin widened, "people who will protect you when things get tough… and absolutely tease you when we have nothing to do."
That last line drew an immediate mix of reactions from the others nearby. Kiana, Elysia, and Anisphia chuckled in amusement. Lumine, Sirin, Alice, and Euphyllia exchanged helpless smiles. Hajime rolled his eyes. Hachiman sighed like a man resigned to fate. Ingvild, Villhaze, Lainei, Patricia, Ilia, and even Ophis(despite being expressionless most of the time) all wore the same exasperated expression, the kind that simply said, 'Yes, that is soooo true! It would be just another day with their ever-unpredictable and chaotic group'.
"....Yes?" Mei blinked in confusion.
"As expected from you… the serious and solemn mood lasted only for the first five seconds," Hajime muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"It's Noah. Of course it did," Hachiman replied flatly, patting the head of an equally confused Sora. "Honestly, I'd be shocked if he stayed serious for more than a minute."
"...Peanut gallery, quiet down," Noah said with a twitching smile. "And maybe don't roast me in the middle of a recruitment speech?"
Hajime and Hachiman exchanged a glance before looking back at him with matching deadpan expressions that said everything without words.
"A-hem! Anyway—continuing!" Noah cleared his throat and pressed on. "By joining us, you're trading your peace for an unpredictable adventure. Your days will always be noisy and mostly in chaos… but I promise you this, they'll never be dull. There'll always be moments like this, chaotic, loud, doubting yourself how you end up different in all sorts of situations, maybe you'll find yourself in existential crisis, or even questioning how your reality became like this…. but in the end, it will be days full of laughter because that's what this family brings."
Mei blinked, watching as everyone sighed in exasperation while Noah smiled proudly, completely missing the irony.
"Mei-san, I know it's still hard for you to trust in others after everything you've been through," Noah said gently. "So instead of trusting in me or the others, I want you to do something different—have faith."
"...Faith?" Mei repeated softly.
"Yes. Faith," he said again, his tone calm yet resolute. "Not in me, not with the rest of the crew, not even in the world itself. But have faith that when everything feels like it's falling apart, there will still be a chance—no matter how small—for a grand reversal."
Mei fell silent. His words struck deeper than she expected. Because just like Noah said, even when she was consumed by the Honkai and humanity saw her as nothing but a monster to be destroyed, there were still those who chose the impossible path—the reckless act of saving her instead. Of bringing her back to herself.
There was a 'fool' who risked everything, betting on the faint hope that she could still be saved. Her eyes went toward Hachiman, the fool who reached out his hand when everyone else turned away. The one who saw her, accepted her, and never once hesitated.
Noah smiled gently at her, "I can't promise you that joining us will be easy, or even the right choice… but," he paused dramatically, then let a teasing smirk creep onto his face. "at least you'll be with Hachi, right?"
"Pfftt!!!"
"H-he didn't actually say that… right?!"
"Ohh!! Captain, are you seriously shipping them right in front of each other?!"
"My, my! Isn't this turning into quite the romantic story?!"
"Hmm, hmm. A classic tale, isn't it? The heroine falls for the hero who risked everything to save her."
"I think she's already in love—she just hasn't realized it yet."
"This guy… I can't believe you. Well, fine—I'll ship too."
"Hajime-kun?!"
"Ophis-sama?"
"Hmm… Shadowy and Thundery are like cookies and milk—great together."
"W-wh-wha-what are you saying, Noah-san?!" Mei stammered, her face burning bright red. "A-and everyone too! Just what are you all implying?!"
Hachiman's temple twitched as the rest of the crew broke into laughter, and even a certain pink menace could be heard giggling about turning their 'romantic' story into the next feature for her channel.
"Ahahaha! Alright, alright—teasing aside," Noah said, raising his hands with a grin before softening his tone. "I just wanted to give you, Mei-san, a different path. A chance to experience things beyond what you've known. To find yourself again… and reclaim whatever you lost during those difficult times."
Mei clenched her fists, her mind spinning with doubt. Was she truly ready to accept this offer? Her thoughts began to spiral downward again—dark, familiar, and heavy. Just like back then. But before she could sink too deep, a small, warm hand reached out and gently pulled her back.
Startled, she turned and saw Sora. The same child who had lost her entire family, even pieces of her memory, because of the Honkai Impact. A tragedy Mei always thought was her fault. Yet the little girl held no anger, no resentment. Instead, she smiled at Mei with the same pure warmth that had touched everyone around her.
"Let's go, Mei-nee!" Sora said brightly, her voice filled with hope. "Let's join Noah-nii and everyone on this adventure! We can meet so many people—talk with them, share food with them, and when they're sad or unsure…" she raised their linked hands and smiled wider, "we can hold their hands just like this, so they don't feel alone."
Mei's eyes softened, and before she could reply, Sora added, "Then, just like how Hachi-nii saved us, maybe we can help others too—the ones who feel the same pain we did!"
"Sora-chan…" Mei murmured warmly, her heart felt warm at the child's words. Then, taking a deep breath, she turned toward Noah, determination shining in her eyes. "...I will join the Astral Express and become one of its crew!"
She hesitated for a moment, biting her lip as she gathered her courage. "I… I want to see and experience sights that make me want to believe again—no, that's not it."
She stopped midway and shook her head. Then with renewed determination she began again.
"I will be a living proof that even in the darkest times, someone will always offer light. This… this is my faith. My faithful creed."
Noah's lips curved into a proud smile, mirrored by the rest of the crew. "Then this emblem is now rightfully yours."
He opened the ornate box and gently placed the Astral Emblem into Mei's hand. The moment the emblem touched her hand, her surroundings dissolved into a vast, starry sky. The sky was in dark deep blue, filled with twinkling stars, at the far front a pillar of golden light expanding at the center, its brilliant light swirling along with the dust clouds and drifting asteroids.
Mei's eyes widened in awe. Before she could speak, she felt a gentle tug. Turning, she saw Noah standing there, smiling reassuringly before fading away in moths of light, his hand still guiding hers forward. Strangely, Mei felt no fear. Instead, resolve filled her chest. Her heartbeat rang in her ears as she took another step forward running towards the pillar of light.
A faint sound reached her, rhythmic and powerful, the churning of a train engine. A gust of wind brushed past her as the golden train passed by, circling around her like showing her the path forward as she felt a gaze of approval from something big and unseen. Then came the sound of galloping, when she turned once more towards the source she felt she just saw a centaur-like figure drawing a bow of light, its eyes meeting hers for a brief second, then she felt something flow within her.
When Mei blinked, she found herself back in the courtyard garden of Saint Freya. Before her was Noah, smiling knowingly, as the glow of the Astral Emblem illuminated her face and body by a vibrant purple light swirling in the shape of three lightning-like commas that danced with energy.
"...What just happened?" Mei whispered, her voice caught between awe and disbelief. She glanced around, meeting the gazes of her crewmates. Just like Noah, each of them wore the same knowing smile, warm and full of pride.
"As the Captain of the Astral Express," Noah said softly, his voice carrying a reverence, "I welcome you, [Faithful] Mei, to our ever-growing family. May your journey on this path always be meaningful."
A gentle warmth bloomed in Mei's chest, spreading outward as if the emblem itself pulsed with her heartbeat. She stood, holding tightly her still-glowing Astral Emblem close to her chest, her eyes sweeping over the smiling faces around her—each one a reflection of trust, support, and belonging. Her eyes finally landed on Hachiman, who met her look with a calm, proud smile that said everything he wanted to say.
Mei's lips curved into a small but genuine smile. She straightened her back, resolved, shining in her eyes.
"Hmm!"
—--
'Pfft! Ahahaha, how could I forget that?' Mei laughed to herself, shaking her head at how ridiculous her earlier doubts seemed. 'I am [Faithful] Mei of the Astral Express—a Nameless, not the Raiden Mei who wallows in self-pity, waiting for someone else to save her.'
She closed her eyes, letting memories of her time with the crew wash over her. Just like Noah had told her back then, he didn't give her back a peaceful life from their home world. Instead, she found a chaotic one—full of explosions, noisy laughter, warm scoldings, wild discoveries, teasing, and joy. A life that was loud, unpredictable… but hers.
Then came flashes of her journey in this world: the battles with demons, meeting Akon Kagura, her other self slowly learning to open up, Sora's growing independence, the birth of little Kagura, and—her face reddened slightly—the deepening bond she now shared with Hachiman.
"Mei-nee?" Sora's curious voice snapped her out of her thoughts. The little girl tilted her head, watching her laugh to herself.
"Ah—sorry, Sora-chan," Mei said quickly, waving a hand with a sheepish smile. "I was just… feeling silly for overthinking dumb things."
"Eh? Dumb things?" Sora blinked in confusion.
"Ahaha, don't mind it! Come on, let's get back to your question!" Mei said, her cheerful tone returning.
Sora blinked again, still confused but smiling softly. "...Okay?"
"Sora-chan, I think the people of this world just need a chance," Mei said gently.
"A chance?" Sora tilted her head.
"Yes," Mei nodded, her eyes soft. "A chance to reach out—to show that kindness can still exist even in a cruel world. Let's have some 'faith' in them, that somewhere out there are people who still want to help, just like we do."
Mei placed her hand over Sora's, giving it a light squeeze. "And when we find them, we'll give them that little push they need… the one that can start changing everything."
"Mei-nee…" Sora whispered, her voice trembling slightly.
Mei smiled, her tone brightening. "Just like how the Captain and everyone gave our hero the chance to find us and save us. Now it's our turn—to give others the chance to meet their own heroes."
Sora blinked, her mind replaying everything Mei had said. And just like she said, It was Noah and the rest who had given them that chance, the chance for Hachiman to come into their world to be able to meet them. They were the ones who paved the path that led her and Mei to salvation. It was through them that new roads appeared, new choices were opened, their once-fixed destinies began to change.
That was how they became part of the Astral Express. How they left behind their old worlds, their former identities, and embraced the name of Nameless. Their stories had transformed into something far greater—something neither of them could've ever imagined. Slowly, Sora's lips turned into a bright, unrestrained smile—the kind that came straight from the heart.
"Wahahaha! Now I understand why you laughed at yourself earlier, Mei-nee!" Sora burst out between giggles, holding her stomach. "It really is silly of us to get depressed over such little things!"
Tears of laughter filled her eyes as she wiped them away. "Fuu… Yosh!!! I can't stay sad like this! Our journey's just beginning! There are still so many people to meet, to talk with, to share meals and stories with!"
Mei smiled softly at her enthusiasm. "Yes. And there are still countless places waiting for us—many people who'll need that gentle push or support to begin their own change." She stopped for a brief second, her tone turning warm. "But for now… let's start with the place right in front of us, this very city we are in."
"Right! Then let's go, Mei-nee!! We'll explore the city, find those people, and start the revolution!!" Sora leapt up from her seat, striking a dramatic pose with her finger pointed to the sky. Her eyes twinkled with pure determination and excitement.
Mei covered her mouth, chuckling softly. "Yes, yes, we'll do that," she said warmly, before adding with a teasing smile, "but first—you're going to finish your homework."
The victorious glow on Sora's face froze. Her finger lowered slowly as she turned toward Mei, looking utterly betrayed. "E-Ehh?! W-what…? M-Mei-nee! We were just talking about changing the world and finding heroes! Why are we going back to my homework?!"
Mei smiled sweetly and patted her head. "Because even heroes need to finish their responsibilities first. If you finish them now, you can focus later on helping others without any distractions."
Sora's mouth opened to argue—but then she saw that smile. The kind of smile that looked soft but radiated full authority. 'I-is this… the legendary Mom Pressure?!' she thought, trembling slightly.
"Uhh… okay…" she muttered in defeat, slumping back into her seat. She picked up her pen and stared at her notebook with a face that screamed despair. "I wanted to start a revolution, not solve equations…"
Mei laughed softly, ruffling Sora's hair. "Good girl," she said warmly. "Every great revolution starts with discipline, after all."
—-----
The next morning, as the group enjoyed breakfast together, Hachiman noticed that Sora's enthusiasm had fully returned. She was eating heartily, giggling as she played with Kagura between bites. He glanced at Mei, the one who had clearly talked sense into her the night before, sitting beside him as she gracefully alternated between eating and feeding the baby.
Feeling his gaze, Mei turned toward him and gave a playful wink.
Hachiman immediately choked on his coffee. "—Khff! W-what the—?!" He coughed, glaring at her with disbelief. Mei just smiled cheekily, pretending innocence as she wiped Kagura's face with a napkin.
"...Unbelievable," he muttered under his breath.
"What's our plan today, Hachi-nii??" Sora piped up brightly, her mouth still half full.
Hachiman cleared his throat, trying to regain composure after Mei's 'sneak attack.' "Ahem... well, since you seem back to your usual self, I was thinking we could take a look around the city. See what it has to offer."
"Ohh!! That's good!!!" Sora grinned. "I guess finishing my homework last night really was worth it!"
Mei chuckled softly, wiping a bit of porridge off Kagura's cheek. "Any idea where we'll start?"
"I'm thinking of checking out the market place in the eastern district," Hachiman replied. "I want to see their local specialties and maybe find something interesting along the way."
"Hmm, I guess that's fine." Mei nodded, letting Patricia take Kagura to burp her gently.
"Still, if possible, I'd love to have someone who can act as our guide," Hachiman murmured, swirling his cup of coffee. "It would make things much easier and save us from wandering aimlessly."
And as if the world itself decided to answer his wish, a small voice rang out from the doorway. A girl a bit younger than Sora came running in, Yuni, the part-time helper at the inn and a child from the orphanage in the western district.
"Hachiman-san! Mei-san! You have a visitor!" she called cheerfully.
Just then, their visitor finally stepped through the doorway, the smiling Zena Marienteil, just as promised, had come to meet them.
Hachiman blinked, caught off guard, while Mei raised an amused brow.
"Is this the power of the strongest Nameless?!" Sora gasped dramatically, eyes wide with mock awe. "Even the world follows his commands!"
"Pffft!" Mei couldn't help but laugh, covering her mouth.
"E-ehm… p-please excuse me…" Patricia turned away, shoulders shaking as she tried—and failed—to hide her smile.
"Auhhaa??" Kagura tilted her head, blinking innocently, clearly confused but wanting to join the laughter.
Hachiman's cheeks twitched. He gave the group an unimpressed stare, muttering under his breath, "You're all enjoying this way too much."
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