The navigation room of the Astral Express was smaller than Alex had expected, dominated by a central console that hummed with soft energy and displays showing star charts that looked more like abstract art than any astronomy textbook they'd ever seen. Himeko moved around the space with practiced ease, adjusting controls and monitoring readouts while explaining the basics of interstellar travel to someone who was still coming to terms with being inside what used to be a video game.
"The Express doesn't travel through space in the traditional sense," Himeko was saying, her fingers dancing across controls that pulsed with gentle light. "We follow the rails laid down by Akivili, the Aeon of Trailblaze. The paths connect distant worlds across impossible distances, allowing us to traverse the galaxy in a matter of days rather than centuries."
Alex nodded along, trying to process information that their astrophysics education had definitely not prepared them for. "So it's like... faster-than-light travel, but magical?"
"Not magical, exactly. The Aeons are forces of the universe that embody certain concepts—Trailblaze, Preservation, Destruction, Hunt, and others. Their influence shapes reality in ways that transcend normal physical laws." Himeko gestured to the star charts, where lines of light connected distant points like a cosmic subway map. "The rails exist because Akivili willed them into being, and the Express can follow them because we serve the same ideal of exploration and discovery."
"Aeons," Alex repeated slowly. In the game, they'd been more like background lore, mysterious entities that influenced the plot but remained largely abstract. Having Himeko explain them as real forces shaping the universe was profoundly unsettling. "How many are there?"
"The exact number is disputed, but there are approximately eighteen active Aeons, plus several that have been confirmed dead or missing." Himeko's expression grew serious. "They're not gods, exactly, but they're so far beyond mortal comprehension that the distinction becomes academic. Most people never encounter direct Aeon influence in their lifetimes. Those who do are rarely left unchanged by the experience."
Alex thought about the Stellaron Hunters, about Blade's immortality curse, about all the cosmic horror elements that had seemed so exciting when they were safely contained within a game. "And the Express crew just... deals with this stuff regularly?"
"It's our calling," Himeko said simply. "The Trailblaze means following the path of discovery, no matter where it leads. Sometimes that brings us into contact with forces beyond our understanding." She smiled, but there was steel underneath the warmth. "It's dangerous work, but someone has to do it."
A soft chime from the console drew Himeko's attention back to the controls. Alex watched her work, noting how naturally she seemed to understand the displays that looked like abstract art to their eyes. After a moment, they moved closer to the console, drawn by curiosity and a strange sense of familiarity.
"The quantum resonance patterns," Alex said without thinking. "They're fluctuating because we're approaching a gravity well."
Himeko paused, turning to look at them with raised eyebrows. "That's... remarkably accurate for someone who claims to be from a world without space travel."
Alex stared at the display, surprised by their own words. The readouts had seemed incomprehensible moments before, but now they could see patterns in the swirling data—energy flows and resonance cascades that somehow made intuitive sense. "I... I don't know how I know that."
"Interesting." Himeko made a small adjustment to the controls, and the fluctuations smoothed out. "Your arrival here wasn't just a matter of crossing between realities. It seems you've gained some kind of innate understanding of our technology."
"Is that normal? For people who get transported between dimensions?"
"I wouldn't know. You're only the second person I've met who's crossed realities, and Welt's situation was very different." Himeko saved her current settings and turned to face Alex fully. "This could be significant. The Express's systems are based on technology that most civilizations consider impossibly advanced. If you can understand them intuitively..."
"What does that mean for me?"
"I'm not sure yet. But it suggests your presence here isn't entirely accidental." Himeko's expression grew thoughtful. "The universe has a way of bringing the right people together when they're needed most."
The implications of that statement hung heavy in the air. Alex had been hoping their situation was some kind of cosmic accident that could be reversed with enough effort and understanding. The possibility that they'd been brought here for a reason was both exciting and terrifying.
"Can I ask you something?" Alex said. "In the game—in the stories about you on my world—you guys encounter Stellarons. Seeds of destruction that corrupt entire planets. Are those real too?"
Himeko's expression darkened. "Very real. And very dangerous. Stellarons are one of the greatest threats the galaxy faces—fragments of destructive force that can unmake entire civilizations if left unchecked." She gestured to another display showing what looked like a map of the local stellar region. "Our mission often involves containing or neutralizing Stellaron incidents before they spread."
Alex studied the map, noting the red warning markers scattered across multiple star systems. In the game, Stellarons had been exciting plot devices that drove the story forward. Seeing them represented as real threats to real worlds full of real people made their stomach twist with something between fear and responsibility.
"How do you do it?" Alex asked. "How do you deal with threats that big without losing hope?"
"The same way anyone deals with overwhelming challenges," Himeko said. "One step at a time, with good friends to help carry the load." She powered down the navigation console and turned toward the door. "Speaking of which, it's almost time for dinner. Pom-Pom takes the evening meal very seriously, and March will never forgive us if we're late."
As they left the navigation room, Alex caught a glimpse of themselves in one of the polished surfaces and barely recognized their own reflection. They looked the same, but something in their eyes had changed—a depth that hadn't been there before, as if the cosmic vista they'd witnessed had left permanent marks on their perception.
"Himeko?" Alex said as they walked toward the dining car. "Thank you. For taking me in, for explaining things, for not treating me like I'm insane."
"Everyone deserves a chance to find their place in the universe," Himeko replied. "Even if that place turns out to be somewhere they never expected."
Behind them, the navigation console continued its quiet humming, monitoring the path ahead and the infinite possibilities that lay scattered across the stars.