"Welcome home, everyone."
Aboard the Astral Express, Himeko greeted them warmly.
"Himeko!" March 7th gave her a great big hug the moment they met.
During her Trailblaze journey on Jarilo-VI, March 7th had gained things and lost others. All the emotions weighing on her heart found a little relief in that embrace, now that she was back aboard the Express with her family.
Himeko gently patted March 7th's back and murmured:
"Thank you for all your hard work. Although I didn't take part in this Trailblaze journey myself, I've already received Dan Heng's report. You did everything you could."
"I'm sorry I didn't bring Chu Mu back," March 7th said quietly.
"March, as members of the Astral Express Crew, we can't control every passenger's fate." Himeko shook her head. "Trailblaze journeys don't always end with laughter and everyone happily reunited. More often, danger is part of the journey.
"When a crisis becomes too great to avoid, we may choose to sacrifice ourselves so our companions can live.
"So, in return for what Chu Mu gave us, what we can do is carry his resolve with us and bravely head for the next stop, rather than stay where we are, wallowing in self-pity."
March 7th nodded slightly at her words.
She hadn't been with the Astral Express Crew very long, but she had already been on several Trailblaze missions.
Although they often ended up wanted, the journeys had always felt easy and carefree. She had thought there was no problem the Astral Express Crew couldn't handle.
Only after what happened to Chu Mu did March 7th realize that Trailblaze journeys weren't all that safe.
What would they do if they ran into serious danger, an enemy that even Uncle Yang and Dan Heng together couldn't stand against?
At that thought, March