Work Text:
Caelus was bored of sitting around at the amusement park. Yes, they did go on many rides and probably are all tuckered out now, but something inside the trailblazer yearned for… more?
Not that the amusement park adventure wasn’t interesting. He did witness a murder and then the proceeding arrest of the culprit. While that was not pleasant in the slightest (he shifts closer to March’s side while recalling the events of the day), it was eventful.
But now the sun is setting, and the stellaron desires more adventure! More whimsy! Something else!
There! One of the two creepy trenchcoated men from the rollercoaster glances from side to side before hurrying down a dark pathway.
Caelus perks up. Something interesting is happening! Without a moment to spare, he springs up from the bench he was sitting on, startling the other expedition members.
“W-what are you doing? Hey, Caelus, wait up!” March gathers up her souvenirs while Dan Heng also moves to stand. Stelle seems unbothered, not looking up from whatever gacha game she’s playing this time.
He waves them off. “Don’t worry! I’ll be back in a couple!”
March shouts out some complaint, but he has already slid out of view, doggedly chasing the creepy guy. However, Caelus, stuck in his one track commitment to experiencing something interesting, runs straight into someone.
He rolls out of the collision, shouting a generic apology at his victim (huh, looked like the detective who solved the case earlier) while continuing to keep his target within view.
Finally, he notices his target slowing down and begins inching closer. When the man turns the corner, he peers from behind it to see his target and another person talking.
He strains his ears, picking up words such as “weapons” and “illegal” and “lots of money.” He perks up slightly.
An illegal weapons deal? While not the top on the list of things he expected, he’ll bust it lickity-split!
He readies his bat to swing at the criminals, only for a burst of pain to flash across the side of his skull. With a choked yell, he tumbles to the ground.
There was a man behind him, wielding a lead pipe in hand. Blood dripped off the end of it—well, that explains what he was hit with. “You need to be more careful—didn’t notice a little peeping stalker, did you?”
The weapons deal man shuffles closer as his client scurries off. “Oh, he was from the rollercoaster.” A kick lands squarely against Caelus’s ribs, and he yelps. “Should we just kill him?” his assaulter asks, gesturing with his gun.
“Nah, it would draw too much attention.” A hand threads through his hair, yanking his head up to meet the eyes of the man who hit him on the head. “Aren’t you lucky? You get to test our new drug.”
Normally, Caelus would be a smart aleck and say something like “I’m honored”, but his vision was swimming and his mouth was not cooperating.
The man holding him punches the trailblazer on the stomach. As he opens his mouth to yelp, something is dropped into his throat and his lips are pinched shut.
He writhes around for a couple moments. The capsule starts dissolving on his tongue, and he panics further. It also tastes awful, so Caelus unthinkingly swallows to get it off.
The men, seemingly satisfied now, lets go off Caelus. He falls with a loud thunk, and suddenly everything feels blisteringly hot.
Caelus lets out a loud, piercing shriek which makes the men recoil. “Shit, they’re going to hear him. Let’s dip before the cops come. He doesn’t seem to be in much shape for talking, anyway.”
One more kick lands on Caelus’s shoulder before he’s alone in the back alley of the amusement park. Then the Trailblazer lies there, mostly motionless until he gets the strength to roll onto his side.
This reminds me of that Xianzhou novel March talked about… I wonder if the evil organization is also named after a beverage...
His whole body shudders as he heaves. Please, please let me spit out the poison.
I don’t want to die.
I don’t want to die.
I don’t want to die.
His bones feel inflamed, and he screams out desperately. It hurts more than the times he kinda-sort-of died. Adrenaline and shock numbed the pain of that hard. This feels like he’s melting from the core.
Is he going to die for real? Oh, aeons. Oh no.
As he writhes on the ground, familiar voices calling out his name reach his ears. “Caelus?!?! Caelus?!”
“Oh Akivili—Caelus!” A set of muddy boots skid right in front of his face. His torso is lifted up so he can meet Stelle’s uncharacteristically fearful eyes. “Help! He’s over here and he’s bleeding bad!”
March and Dan Heng round the corner soon after. The bubbly girl gasps, covering her mouth, while Dan Heng drops his spear in panic.
March pulls out her phone. “I’m calling Mr. Yang! He’ll know what to do!”
Dan Heng, now by the injured Trailblazer’s side, presses a tissue from who-knows-where to Caelus’s temple. “Keep pressure on it,” he tells Stelle. For once, Stelle only grimly nods and does her task. “Caelus. Do you have any other wounds?”
He lets out a noncommittal noise; Stelle’s eyebrows furrow. Two fingertips—a bit cold, likely from Dan Heng’s cloudhymn magic—gently probe his sides, and he winces.
“Not good. His ribs feel bruised. I’ll try to ease the pain as much as I can. Stay conscious!” Dan Heng turns away from Caelus to address March. “The stellaron inside of him could put the whole planet in danger if we don’t act quickly. When is Mr. Yang arriving?”
March covers the speaker. “He’s rushing over as fast as he can! Sunday and Himeko are also on their way.”
“Caelus, you can’t die!” Droplets fall onto his face. “Come on, we’re a duo! A team! You can’t leave me like this!”
Man, if Caelus was able to speak, he would say something cheesy like “Go on without me” or “You must walk this path alone now.” Instead, he screams as something fizzles.
“Mr. Yang, Himeko, over here! He’s letting out smoke!” March calls out. He opens one eye with difficulty, only to find he’s feeling awfully small now. Everyone towers over him. This wasn’t right. He’s supposed to be the tall one.
“What the fu-” is all he manages to think before he passes out.