A dream is a wish your heart makes

“Ah! Sorry, I got a little bit ramble-y there, huh…”It was so easy to get lost in his passions.. Gosh, he must look like a total weirdo. A little embarrassed, he cleared his throat. “They’re out for a supply run at the moment.. if you’d like, you could stay for a little while until they return…?” He offered, just a smidge shyly. He wasn’t really used to talking to people his age.. “Um, there’s drinks and snacks in the other car.. if you’d like, I could serve you something..?”

Today though he had plenty of time. Everything was in working order, so work was a breeze. He wrapped things up early, leaving plenty of time to visit perhaps one of his favorite places in all of Penacony. It might seem odd at first, that such a well-behaved and admittedly timid boy would enjoy spending time in what looks like a bar, or all places. But there was a very good reason for that.

For as long as the boy could remember, Gallagher had been looking out for him, almost like a guardian would. With most other people, Misha always felt just the teensiest bit nervous. He wanted to make a good impression on them. But with Gallagher that tension just… wasn’t there. Any conversation they had was easy and fun. No matter how much Misha could ramble about his day, about stories the guests told him, or about what Clockie did, the old hound never made him feel like he was imposing. Made him feel seen in a way few others did.

So when Gallagher spoke to him, that familiar smile on his face, he could almost forget about all that stuff about Souljoy and Metrom. Almost. “Yep..! The clock brigade is all accounted for and working in tandem. And no stray gears to be brought back home either, so everything is in working order..!” Playfully, he did a little salute as a light laugh escaped his lips. This was to say that all the machinery in the hotel was working as it should be. “And of course, all the guests behaved as well..! …Um, There was one guy who drank a little too much Soulglad, but…” In the hotel reverie, it wasn’t too much of an out of place sight to see people come back after drinking perhaps a little bit too much.

He wanted to continue talking about his day, but instead quieted down when another man approached the bar counter. When adults spoke amongst each other, it was good manners for a child to stay quiet until given the chance to speak, after all. He did listen though, mild displeasure on his face visible at the offending drink being put on his mind yet again.

Gallagher was quick to notice, much to Misha’s dismay. He didn’t want to cause any undue concern as really, it was just a small thing, but… “Oh! It’s okay, really.. and thank you for the drink!” He fidgeted with the straw lightly, twirling it back and forth between two fingers. “It’s just, that souljoy stuff.. Don’t you think it’s kind of a phony?!” Voice raised in pitch and volume, as both hands found their way on the countertop. It wasn’t until he caught a stray stare of some of the other patrons that he noticed how emotional he was being about it. “Ah..! Sorry, I didn’t mean to raise my voice, it’s just… That mascot is totally a Clockie rip-off..! And.. and.. Clockie says it’s okay, but when people are comparing the two they’re now saying mean things about him too….”

Gallagher didn’t trust it, but that wasn’t his decision - it was Siobhan’s.

”Might as well find someplace to put it.” He gave the counter in front of Misha’s drink a pat - an unspoken “sit tight” - before circling around the bar to the mostly unoccupied guest seating. The three cases of SoulJoy looked to contain far more than just a sample, as the boxes stacked on top of each other reached nearly to Gallagher’s chest. Fifty bottles in each, he’d guess, all wrapped up in vibrant red and blue. Even here among the underwater tones that rippled across the lounge, the shade of blue chosen for SoulJoy’s label stood out in its bright artificiality. The packaging likely turned heads all the way here. Free advertising. Gallagher snorted, but hefted the topmost box up into his arms and returned to the warm light of the bar.

”Siobhan’s probably not gonna want to sell it,” he said as he came back around, making some effort to reassure the distressed bellboy. There were certain things one had to listen to children about, like canaries in coal mines. If Misha didn’t like this soda and its phony mascot, then maybe there was something to be said about it. Or maybe Gallagher just wanted an excuse to hate it, too. SoulGlad, after all, had been a symbol of freedom for Eras. What was SoulJoy?

With a sigh, he set the box down on the floor and pried open its lid. Then he withdrew one of the bottles, which was shaped suspiciously like SoulGlad but filled with bubbly ink instead of glittering gold, and placed it on the counter. Sure enough, there was the metronome Metrom grinning just like Clockie on the label. Gallagher set the palm of his hand on its cap and tilted it to get a better look.

“Mm.. It’s just as delicious as last time, Mr. Gallagher…!” His words, though soft and a little unsteady, conveyed gratitude. Sweet and light drinks were the perfect way to drift off into dream land, letting the young bellboy almost forget about Souljoy. In fact, once the stimulation of conversation left him for a moment, he felt his eyelids become heavier.

“Ah..!” It wasn’t when he saw Gallagher return that he quickly tried to compose himself with his back straightened and a light slap to both cheeks. “Mm, I really hope she doesn’t.. B-Because, I was thinking… If Souljoy gets popular, what if.. if they suddenly don’t want Clockie around anymore..?” That would be perhaps the worst thing that his innocent mind could imagine. A Penacony without Clockie would be no Penacony at all, the two so deeply intertwined. “He loves Penacony.. if they don’t want him anymore that would make him so sad, don’t you think?”

Inspired by the voicelines from Genshin Impact! CONTENT WARNING: none, ask if you need one added!

The express hadn't changed - still elegant and well-kept as always. However, it seemed that recently, they had been really putting it up a notch with the cleaning... Yanqing wonders why that's so, when he spots the culprit - is culprit a right term to use in this situation? - of the newfound cleanliness.

A boy Yanqing had never seen before is standing there with a mop, sweeping the floors. He doesn't seem to have noticed Yanqing's entrance to the Express. The lieutenant then proceeded to realize that he was probably a new member of the Express - if he's on, seems at home, and Yanqing hasn't seen him before, it's the most logical conclusion to come to. So, therefore, the young boy walks over to the blue-haired boy with a cheerful smile.

"Hello! I don't think we've met before! I'm Yanqing, of the Luofu - it's a pleasure," he says, extending his hand to the Nameless member.

With a repeating motion, Misha was hard at work in the Astral Express’ parlor car, getting rid of any dirt or grime that may have found its way on the floor. In the dreaming boy’s head however he was currently locked in a dangerous battle against evil bacteria, to soothe the aches of a hurting whale. Not to worry, Mister Whale! Captain Misha and his crew are on the job! Next time though, don’t drink so much Soulglad, okay?

Humming lightly to himself, mimicking one of Miss Robin’s most famous songs, Misha was so in his own world that he missed the hiss of the passenger door opening, and the sound of footsteps. It wasn’t until he turned around- and came face to face with an unfamiliar boy, that reality started to set back in.

“Eep!” The boy let out a somewhat undignified squeak, caught off guard at the sudden arrival. “O-Oh, sorry! You, um.. You surprised me..” Putting a gloved hand to his mouth he laughed lightly, feeling a little bit embarrassed. “Nice to meet you, Mister Yanqing..!” He said, with a small curtsy. The boy before him only looked a little bit older than him. However, the Luofu had many long living species.. He’d hate to be rude or disrespectful by accident. “My name is Misha, I’m lucky to call myself a new passenger of the express.”

It's been so long. It feels foreign, but nice. This is already shaping up to be a wonderful encounter.

“Ah! Sorry, I got a little bit ramble-y there, huh…”It was so easy to get lost in his passions.. Gosh, he must look like a total weirdo. A little embarrassed, he cleared his throat. “They’re out for a supply run at the moment.. if you’d like, you could stay for a little while until they return…?” He offered, just a smidge shyly. He wasn’t really used to talking to people his age.. “Um, there’s drinks and snacks in the other car.. if you’d like, I could serve you something..?”

Compared to the hustle and bustle of Penacony, where every street is full of bright lights, full of people looking to make their dreams come true, the Fontainian countryside held a picturesque beauty to it, serene and tranquil. From the smell of grass and fresh water to the cool breeze ruffling his pale blue hair, it was all so different. His heart fluttered with excitement, eager to explore all the nation had to offer.

So after securing a place to stay in the city, Misha was quick to start exploring. While taking the Aquabus to see the opera house, the kind Melusine guide gave him a rundown of various landmarks and places of interest to visit. The one that piqued the boy’s interest most of all was the Weeping Willow of the Lake. He’s read about similar genuses of trees in travel books before, but he’s never seen one for himself!

It wasn’t too far away from where the Aquabus stopped, but that short journey was already full of sights Misha would keep in his heart forever. Maybe if he’s lucky, and he keeps the land of hydro on his mind enough, he’ll get the chance to explore it again in his dreams… that would be nice.

“Whoa…..!” The boy couldn’t help but gasp, eyes widening in amazement as he finally arrived at his destination. The light of the tree in the center of the lake reflected softly on the water’s surface, creating a breathtaking view. It was even more beautiful than he could’ve imagined it. Quickly he walked towards the lakeshore and looking down at the water, he could see his own reflection.

It was an odd sensation, seeing himself here. With the blue sky of daytime above him, going on an adventure in an unfamiliar land.. It was everything he could’ve ever dreamt of doing. It almost didn’t feel real, standing where he did. Losing himself in the water’s edge for a moment, he allowed a few minutes to pass before finally snapping back to reality. “Ah!” He spoke softly. “Heehee, what am I doing.. I should be enjoying the view, not look at myself-“

It was then that he noticed another person, standing a short distance away from him as he turned around. “Wah..!” Surprised, he let out a small yelp as he lost his balance and fell backwards.. right into the water. It was only by the shore, so the water didn’t reach high, but it didn’t stop the underside of his shorts from becoming soaked. “Ow.. Ow….”

That was embarrassing.. the stranger was nowhere close, yet he still was caught off guard.

“Souljoy, in 5 refreshing new flavors! Scan the code on the bottle cap and help Metrom on his adventure!” The grating voice played from the TV, advertising Penacony’s newest fad. Souljoy, a supposedly “brand new” drink that hit the market recently. This wasn’t the first time the bellboy noticed the brand either, with posters lining walls and advertisements being played out nearly everywhere that tourists went to.

At first Misha didn’t see much of a problem. In the city of dreams, everyone wanted to be the hot new thing. Seeing people try to build off of the success of others really wasn’t a new sight. Most of them didn’t last very long however, but Souljoy seemed to become a known brand at rapid speed. Even all that he could forgive just fine. However, the thing that bothered him, was the existence of their supposed mascot.

Metrom was a walking metronome that was the protagonist of his own mobile game, closely associated with Souljoy. And he was… a total knockoff of Clockie! Just thinking about it made the boy feel bothered. Clockie was his very best friend, a symbol of Penacony, an icon! Yet this.. this… faker was nothing more than a botched copy. But now everyone’s comparing the two and speaking ill of Clockie as a result.

He sighed, wisps of pale blue hair fluttering as he did. It bummed him out, but… Oh well, nothing to be done about it, he supposed. Clockie knew how much the young trailblazer loved his friend, and his true fans loved him too! That.. had to be enough, for now. “Okay Misha, that’s enough of that.” He thought to himself. Softly, gloved hands patted pale cheeks.

Like the trailblazers he so admired, he had to rise above it.

Besides, today was a good day. With his tasks finished early, he had time to visit the Dreamjolt Holstery! He couldn’t drink everything on their menu, courtesy of many drinks containing Soulglad, but.. the things he could drink were always delicious, especially when Gallagher was the one on the counter.

And speak of the devil, there at the counter was the man in question. Upon noticing him, a gentle smile quickly crossed the previously glum Bellboy’s face. It was like storm clouds parting, revealing gentle rays of sunshine. “O-Oh! Gallagher, you’re here..! Wow..!” The boy quickly approached the man, climbing atop one of the chairs at the bar.

At least, that’s how Gallagher saw it, but having lived for so long in a world where time didn’t matter, there was leisure in everything he did. This moment was this moment until it was the next, and he had no interest in hurrying it along.

This moment, however, escaped through the double doors as they opened, and in came the next one with the hotel’s bright-eyed young bellhop. In the somnolent dark of the lounge, he was like a little star freefalling through stasis. Bounding up to the bar renewed life in the old bartender, and when he raised his eyes from the glass he’d been shining meditatively, a smile warmed his face.

”Hey, kid. Finish work early?” Setting the glass on the counter, Gallagher bent down to begin pulling ingredients from the cabinet. The requested concoction had been the product of a joint effort some time ago. Misha couldn’t drink much of what the bar had on its menu, but Gallagher had never been much of one for following a recipe. What mattered to him was finding something his guest liked, and after a few discarded errors, he’d come up with something like spun sugar - sweet but delicate - and altogether comforting, like a blanket one might take to bed. A jug of chilled milk joined the row of newly-refilled syrups, and Gallagher stood back up to put it together.

”Hopefully no one’s been givin’ you any trouble,” he asked, glancing up from his work to catch the boy’s eye, noticing instead that another man had approached the other end of the counter. Gallagher shot him a look and a “I’ll be right with you,” but the man raised his hands and shook his head.

”No, no, I’m just dropping off a delivery.”

Muscle memory afforded him a moment to look down the counter at the courier as he poured syrup into the glass, an eyebrow raised.

”For what?”

”Three cases of Souljoy.”

”Pretty sure we didn’t order any of that.”

”It’s a sample shipment, courtesy of Mr. Sylvester.” The courier smiled and tipped his hat. “Just to get the word out there. It’s a gift.”

Gallagher grunted, skeptical.

”Where can I leave it?” The man asked.

”… Just over there.” Directed by the sharp gesture Gallagher made with his chin, the courier wheeled the stack of boxes off to the side and went on his way again. With a soft sigh, Gallagher turned to retrieve the pitcher of newly steamed milk from the espresso machine and topped off the drink with a generous layer of silken foam.

”Sorry about that.” Force of habit, even if he knew the apology wasn’t necessary. He slid the glass across the counter for Misha.

Today though he had plenty of time. Everything was in working order, so work was a breeze. He wrapped things up early, leaving plenty of time to visit perhaps one of his favorite places in all of Penacony. It might seem odd at first, that such a well-behaved and admittedly timid boy would enjoy spending time in what looks like a bar, or all places. But there was a very good reason for that.

For as long as the boy could remember, Gallagher had been looking out for him, almost like a guardian would. With most other people, Misha always felt just the teensiest bit nervous. He wanted to make a good impression on them. But with Gallagher that tension just… wasn’t there. Any conversation they had was easy and fun. No matter how much Misha could ramble about his day, about stories the guests told him, or about what Clockie did, the old hound never made him feel like he was imposing. Made him feel seen in a way few others did.

So when Gallagher spoke to him, that familiar smile on his face, he could almost forget about all that stuff about Souljoy and Metrom. Almost. “Yep..! The clock brigade is all accounted for and working in tandem. And no stray gears to be brought back home either, so everything is in working order..!” Playfully, he did a little salute as a light laugh escaped his lips. This was to say that all the machinery in the hotel was working as it should be. “And of course, all the guests behaved as well..! …Um, There was one guy who drank a little too much Soulglad, but…” In the hotel reverie, it wasn’t too much of an out of place sight to see people come back after drinking perhaps a little bit too much.

He wanted to continue talking about his day, but instead quieted down when another man approached the bar counter. When adults spoke amongst each other, it was good manners for a child to stay quiet until given the chance to speak, after all. He did listen though, mild displeasure on his face visible at the offending drink being put on his mind yet again.

Gallagher was quick to notice, much to Misha’s dismay. He didn’t want to cause any undue concern as really, it was just a small thing, but… “Oh! It’s okay, really.. and thank you for the drink!” He fidgeted with the straw lightly, twirling it back and forth between two fingers. “It’s just, that souljoy stuff.. Don’t you think it’s kind of a phony?!” Voice raised in pitch and volume, as both hands found their way on the countertop. It wasn’t until he caught a stray stare of some of the other patrons that he noticed how emotional he was being about it. “Ah..! Sorry, I didn’t mean to raise my voice, it’s just… That mascot is totally a Clockie rip-off..! And.. and.. Clockie says it’s okay, but when people are comparing the two they’re now saying mean things about him too….”

a collection of words to describe the strangeness of being human.

✧ agnosthesia: the state of not knowing how you really feel about something.

✧ alazia: the fear that you're no longer able to change.

✧ altschmerz: a sense of weariness with the same old problems that you've always had, the same boring issues and anxieties you've been gnawing on for decades.

✧ apolytus: the moment you realize you are changing as a person, finally outgrowing your old problems like a reptile shedding its skin.

✧ bareleveling: trying to improve yourself without anyone else knowing about it, afraid that they'll think it's silly or grandiose or unnecessary, or that they'll end up calling too much attention to your efforts.

✧ bye-over: the sheepish casual vibe between two people who've shared an emotional farewell but then unexpectedly have a little extra time together.

✧ candling: the habit of taking stock of your life on the occasion of your birthday.

✧ craxis: the unease of knowing how quickly your circumstances could change on you.

✧ daguerreologue: an imaginary conversation with an old photo of yourself, in which you might offer them a word of advice, or maybe just ask them if they thought you had done justice to the life they built for you.

✧ dead reckoning: finding yourself bothered by somebody's death more than you would have expected, even if they were only an abstract presence in your life.

✧ dolonia: a state of unease prompted by people who seem to like you too much, which makes you wonder if they must have you confused with someone else.

✧ endzoned: the hollow feeling of having gotten exactly what you thought you wanted, only to learn that it didn't make you happy.

✧ énouement: the bittersweetness of having arrived here in the future, finally learning the answers to how things turned out but being unable to tell your past self.

✧ etterath: the feeling of emptiness after a long and arduous process is finally complete.

✧ falesia: the disquieting awareness that someone's importance to you and your importance to them may not necessarily match.

✧ feresy: the fear that your partner is changing in ways you don't understand, even though they might be changes for the better.

✧ fool's guilt: a pulse of shame you feel even though you've done nothing wrong.

✧ harmonoia: an itchy sense of dread when life feels just a hint too peaceful, with an eerie stillness that makes you want to brace for the inevitable collapse, or burn it down yourself.

✧ heartspur: an unexpected surge of emotion in response to a seemingly innocuous trigger, which feels all the more intense because you can't quite pin it down.

✧ immerensis: the maddening inability to understand the reasons why someone loves you.

✧ inerrata: a kind of mistake you wouldn't take back even if you could.

✧ insoucism: the inability to decide how much sympathy your situation really deserves, knowing that so many people have it far worse and others far better.

✧ justing: the habit of telling yourself that just one tweak could solve all of your problems, which leaves you feeling perpetually on the cusp of a better life.

✧ kairosclerosis: the moment you look around and realize that you're currently happy, which prompts your intellect to identify it, pick it apart, and put it in context.

✧ keep: an important part of your personality that others seldom see, that remains a vital part of who you are even if nobody knows it's there.

✧ kuebiko: a state of exhaustion inspired by senseless tragedies and acts of violence, which force you to abruptly revise your expectations of what can happen in this world.

✧ lackout: the sudden awareness that you're finally over someone, noticing that the same voice that once triggered a cocktail of emotions now evokes nothing at all.

✧ leidenfreude: a sense of paradoxical relief when something bad happens to you.

✧ liberosis: the desire to care less about things.

✧ lyssamania: the irrational fear that someone you know is angry with you.

✧ mauerbauertraurigkeit: the inexplicable urge to push people away, even close friends whose company you generally enjoy.

✧ mcfeely: to be inexplicably moved by predictable and well-worn sentiments, even if they're trite or obvious or being broadcast blindly to the masses.

✧ nachlophobia: the fear that your deepest connections with people are ultimately pretty shallow.

✧ nighthawk: a recurring thought that only seems to strike you late at night.

✧ opia: the ambiguous intensity of looking someone in the eye, which can feel simultaneously invasive and vulnerable.

✧ ozurie: the feeling of being torn between the life you want and the life you have.

✧ pâro: the feeling that everything you do is always somehow wrong.

✧ povism: the frustration of being stuck inside your own head, unable to see your face or read your body language in context, only ever guessing how you might be coming across.

✧ proluctance: the paradoxical urge to avoid doing something you've been looking forward to, stretching out the bliss of anticipation as long as you can.

✧ punt kick: a quiet jolt of recognition that it's time to become a better version of yourself, sensing that all the strategies that brought you this far are no longer working.

✧ rasque: a moment you instantly wish you could take back, feeling a pulse of dread right after crossing the point of no return.

✧ rubatosis: the unsettling awareness of your own heartbeat.

✧ scabulous: being proud of a certain scar on your body, even if it hurts.

✧ slipfast: the longing to disappear completely, so you can take in the world without having to take part in it.

✧ soufrise: the maddening thrill of an ambiguous flirtation, which quivers in tension halfway between platonic and romantic.

✧ tiris: the bittersweet awareness that all things must end.

✧ the whipgraft delusion: the phenomenon in which you catch your reflection in the mirror and get the sense that you're peering into the eyes of a stranger.

✧ tichloch: the anxiety of never knowing how much time you have left.

✧ tornomov: the weird hollowness of trying to imagine the distant future.

The express hadn't changed - still elegant and well-kept as always. However, it seemed that recently, they had been really putting it up a notch with the cleaning... Yanqing wonders why that's so, when he spots the culprit - is culprit a right term to use in this situation? - of the newfound cleanliness.

A boy Yanqing had never seen before is standing there with a mop, sweeping the floors. He doesn't seem to have noticed Yanqing's entrance to the Express. The lieutenant then proceeded to realize that he was probably a new member of the Express - if he's on, seems at home, and Yanqing hasn't seen him before, it's the most logical conclusion to come to. So, therefore, the young boy walks over to the blue-haired boy with a cheerful smile.

"Hello! I don't think we've met before! I'm Yanqing, of the Luofu - it's a pleasure," he says, extending his hand to the Nameless member.

With a repeating motion, Misha was hard at work in the Astral Express’ parlor car, getting rid of any dirt or grime that may have found its way on the floor. In the dreaming boy’s head however he was currently locked in a dangerous battle against evil bacteria, to soothe the aches of a hurting whale. Not to worry, Mister Whale! Captain Misha and his crew are on the job! Next time though, don’t drink so much Soulglad, okay?

Humming lightly to himself, mimicking one of Miss Robin’s most famous songs, Misha was so in his own world that he missed the hiss of the passenger door opening, and the sound of footsteps. It wasn’t until he turned around- and came face to face with an unfamiliar boy, that reality started to set back in.

“Eep!” The boy let out a somewhat undignified squeak, caught off guard at the sudden arrival. “O-Oh, sorry! You, um.. You surprised me..” Putting a gloved hand to his mouth he laughed lightly, feeling a little bit embarrassed. “Nice to meet you, Mister Yanqing..!” He said, with a small curtsy. The boy before him only looked a little bit older than him. However, the Luofu had many long living species.. He’d hate to be rude or disrespectful by accident. “My name is Misha, I’m lucky to call myself a new passenger of the express.”

Today was to be his first official expedition outside of Penacony, a momentous occasion for the boy. They were going to a place called Belobog, so Misha wanted to make double, no, triple sure he wouldn’t mess up. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, as they say. No way was he going to let his clumsiness make trouble for the amazing trailblazers, no way! This was officially the start of his adventure, he was going to make the most of it!

While anxiety definitely was the most prevalent emotion, under it also hung a deep sense of excitement. To think, he had the chance to travel among the stars, together with the people he admired so much.. Sometimes he still felt like he should pinch himself, to make sure it wasn’t all a lovely dream.

“Okay…!” Holding his hands to his chest, both of them clenched shut, he took a deep breath. This was it, time to make the first step! “I’m ready! I can do this!” He told himself.

One step forward, two steps forward, three-

“Ouch…!” His adventurous stride came to a halt as he bumped into something- or rather, someone. Having fallen to the ground, Violet eyes looked upwards until they met gold belonging to the grey haired trailblazer.

“Ahhh..! Mister Caelus…!” Scrambling upright, the bellboy quickly bowed as respectfully as he could, a furious blush of embarrassment reddening soft cheeks. “Sorry.. sorry about that! I wasn’t, um.. I didn’t notice you were standing there…” Oh great, they hadn’t even disembarked and he was already making a mess of things… “I just wanted to say that, uh.. I’m ready to depart!”