"You may proceed."
Phantylia's voice flowed with eerie smoothness, her agreement coming without hesitation.
"…?"
Felicity blinked, taken aback by the unexpected response. For a fleeting second, she felt as though the ground beneath her had shifted.
Weren't the people of "Destruction" supposed to be ruthless fanatics, twisted beyond reason? Yet here they were—agreeable, even docile.
Before Felicity could voice the tangled thoughts in her mind, a brilliant purple light surged from Tingyun's body. Her eyes fluttered shut, and without warning, she crumpled forward into Felicity's arms.
Instinct took over. Felicity reached out, catching Tingyun just before she fell. But then—an emerald-yellow flame erupted from Tingyun's chest, spiraling into the sky like a comet. The world seemed to hold its breath.
A soft, lilting voice whispered into Felicity's ear, barely audible, as though spoken from another plane:
"Then please allow me to take my leave first. I hope to see you at the last performance."
The words lingered, curling through Felicity's mind as the flames dissipated, leaving behind nothing but the scent of scorched air.
A sudden gust stirred the air, and a familiar figure materialized beside Felicity. Welt, sharp-eyed and alert, took in the scene with a glance. His gaze fixed on Felicity, cradling the unconscious Tingyun, and his voice was taut with urgency.
"What happened?"
His sharp senses had picked up the faint, fleeting glow in the sky—he hadn't missed the shift in the atmosphere. It was enough to raise alarms. The worst possibility was clear: immediate withdrawal from the Xianzhou Luofu, even if it meant becoming fugitives. Abandoning their companions was unthinkable.
"Mr. Welt? You're here, which means..."
Felicity's voice trailed off as a realization dawned on her. She turned her head, eyes narrowing at the scene unfolding behind Welt.
A few Cloud Knight soldiers stood frozen in place, glancing at one another with bewildered expressions. After a few seconds, their confusion seemed to melt into collective urgency, and they turned—eyes locking onto Felicity.
"Ms. Tingyun has been kidnapped!"
No one could tell who shouted first, but the words sparked an instant reaction. A chaotic energy surged through the Cloud Knights as they brandished their spears and surged forward, charging straight toward Felicity and the others.
Some of the hesitant soldiers—those Felicity had helped earlier—stood frozen, torn between loyalty and fear. After an agonizing moment, they exchanged glances, hesitated no longer, and broke into a run, following the main group.
"Calm down. We haven't reached the worst-case scenario yet." Welt's voice cut through the tension, a steady force anchoring them. He spoke firmly, lowering his voice to soothe Felicity's worry. "There's still room to negotiate. We won't abandon anyone."
Turning away, he tapped the end of his scepter against the ground. A subtle, invisible ripple pulsed outward, distorting the air with a muted thrum. The pressure in front of him seemed to sink, and the charging soldiers froze mid-step, their expressions contorting in frustration as they strained against the unseen force.
[Gravity.]
The Cloud Knights snarled, teeth gritted and bodies trembling, but they couldn't advance another inch.
"Stop—please, stop!" Felicity called out, raising her voice to reach Welt. Her tone carried a pleading edge, urging him to ease up. "This is too complicated to explain right now! I'll tell you later!"
Without waiting for a response, she extended a finger toward Tingyun's brow. A faint green glow bloomed at her fingertip as she gently tapped the spot between Tingyun's closed eyes.
A soft, almost imperceptible murmur escaped Tingyun's lips.
"Hmm..."
Her eyelashes fluttered, and she slowly opened her eyes, gaze hazy and unfocused. When her vision cleared, she found herself in Felicity's arms—her expression shifted from confusion to startled awareness. She struggled weakly, trying to sit up.
"Oh... this girl is..."
"Do you remember what just happened?" Felicity asked softly, watching her closely.
"I remember… I was going to discuss something important with Miss Felicity… but..." Tingyun trailed off, brows knitting together as she strained to recall. Her expression twisted with frustration. "Why can't I remember anything?"
Her gaze flickered toward Felicity, suspicion flickering in her eyes. This doctor—this gentle, unassuming woman—was the only one nearby when she lost consciousness. Could it be… she was so weak that even a doctor could overpower her?
Felicity's brow furrowed in thought. Yes, it had been Tingyun speaking with them earlier—but the one truly in control was Phantylia, lurking within Tingyun's body, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Just now, when Felicity had been alone with Tingyun, Phantylia had seized the opportunity, taken over completely, and erased any trace of their conversation before slipping away.
Not entirely, though. The memory wipe wasn't perfect. And she hadn't shared her name.
"You were feeling a little agitated, a little tired. I gave you a sedative, and you drifted off." Felicity's tone was calm, almost clinical, as she offered the half-truth.
Explaining everything—Phantylia, the possession, the memory erasure—was impossible. Not now. Not here. It was better to wait, to speak with Welt in private when the dust settled.
"I was… agitated?" Tingyun repeated blankly, struggling to reconcile Felicity's words with the emptiness in her memory. Still, the fatigue she'd felt moments ago seemed to have lifted, replaced by an odd sense of clarity. Even so, there was a lingering bitterness on her tongue, as if the aftertaste of a forgotten moment lingered.
"Mm-hm." Felicity nodded with quiet conviction.
"...Thank you for your help." Tingyun hesitated, then smiled—gentle and sweet, the kind of smile that disarmed tension. She wasn't the type to dwell on suspicion or resentment. Even if there had been foul play, she lacked the heart to challenge it here, in front of so many.
Besides, looking at Felicity and the others, it was clear they weren't ordinary travelers. If a conflict broke out now, the odds were slim. Better to resolve this peacefully, escort them to the Sky-Faring Commission, and let Master Yukong decide their fate.
Still, she couldn't help but ask.
"My benefactors… are you from the Astral Express?"
Her tone was light, but her gaze sharpened slightly, a glint of shrewdness in her eyes. Years of business had honed her instincts. The Astral Express—an enigmatic group known to wander the stars, helping those in need—was no stranger to her ears.
But it wasn't their reputation that tipped her off. It was a feeling—when her eyes met Felicity's, the name Astral Express whispered itself into her mind, unbidden.
"You know us?" Welt asked, lifting his chin slightly, a hint of caution creeping into his voice. It wasn't uncommon for their name to be known, but for her to recognize them on sight… that was another matter.
March 7th's fame didn't compare to his. And as for Stelle and Felicity, they were recent additions, still finding their place among the stars.
"I've heard the stories before. Sigh… You've come at a difficult time." Tingyun exhaled softly, a flicker of regret passing through her expression. She fanned herself lazily with her bone fan, slipping back into her familiar, sly demeanor. "Something's happened on the Xianzhou Luofu—entertaining guests isn't exactly a priority right now. Whether you're here for sightseeing, treatment, or trade… I'm afraid you won't find much luck."
Her voice, tinged with a hint of warning, held a note of gentle regret.
"For your safety, I advise you to seek shelter in the center of Central Starskiff Haven. I'll escort you to Master Yukong of the Sky-Faring Commission—she'll decide what happens next."
Felicity and Welt exchanged a glance, a silent understanding passing between them.
"Then we'll trouble you, Miss Tingyun."
Felicity spoke first, her voice steady, while Welt silently nodded in agreement.
Tingyun wasn't going to reveal more. That much was clear. There was no point in pressing further—best to follow along for now, and see what could be negotiated once they reached the Sky-Faring Commission.
But as Felicity watched Tingyun's swaying tail, the thought crossed her mind—
Soft, fluffy, and so very tempting.
--+--
T/N: You know, it kind of makes no sense about Tingyun being attacked on her return trip and being saved by Ruan Mei because wouldn't Phantylia need a body anyways seeing as she is a Heliobus? So there's two bodies?
I could just be tripping. I know jack shit about Fugue lore.