The stars are for you [Honkai:Star rail fanfiction]

Untitled Part 16

The former Geo Archon sighed as he carried a sleeping, partially-manifested version of his niece in his arms. 

"Aww, look who's being a good person," March teased with a smile as she watched the former archon gently hold the toddler in his arms as Pom-Pom handed him a cup of coffee. 

"Thank you, Pom-Pom," The former archon said with a smile as he took a sip of the unique blend of coffee he taught the conductor of the express. 

"Speaking of which, how can your Niece appear here?" Dan Heng asked, for the first time since Cerberus arrived was out of his archives. 

"A special ability that I managed to revise," Cerberus explained as he noticed how Reese's drool was even transported by the Adeptus Art. "Although, this gremlin is more attuned to it than I ever was," 

"I do remember how I found you stuck upside down on a tree while thinking of how to revise those," Welt said with a chuckle, causing the former Archon to turn red. Stelle giggled a bit at how the former Archon melted. "I do remember that time when you had to walk around shirtless after you destroyed your clothes," 

"Don't remind me," The young man said, remembering how Kiana, in a big brain move, have almost pimped him out so that she can get all that he owed her. Thankfully, he saw Mei and she helped him hide. "Although, I am proud that she can use the Adeptus Arts that I made and revised,"

"So, is Asta gonna be her new Auntie?" Himeko asked, enjoying the way how Cerberus twitched at the name of the girl he had just proposed to. After all, they were en route for some supplies at Herta Space Station. 

"You guys won't let me live it down, won't you?" The young man asked, only to blink when Reese disappeared. An effect of the disconnection of Reese's power with his. 

"Well, I admit that it is quite surprising," Dan Heng added as somehow, the two young men of the express forged a brotherhood. 

"Yeah! I mean, I had you for another Dan Heng!" March said, causing the duo to look at her blankly while Stelle pouted and gently poked the former Archon's cheek while giving him an annoyed yet blank look. 

"Well, I do get along with Dan Heng more than you, March," the former archon teased, enjoying how the girl that looked like his big sister, Elysia, pouted. The former archon ignored the way how Stelle poked his cheek as he leaned back. 

"Mark my words, Dan Heng!" March sporadically announced, poking the spearman's cheek. The spearmen looked at each other and sighed. 

---

The crew arrived at the Express and for some reason, Cerberus wore a different set of clothes. He had replaced his coat in favor of a copy of Welt's own with the button-up being replaced by a simple long-sleeved shirt. The former archon loosened the collar of his new turtleneck and smiled at the geo archery ring on his right hand, over a coat of earth-colored skin that acted like a glove. For some reason, he has some sort of earring of a finely shaped amber crystal the shape of a star. 

"Brother Cerberus!" A boy with tanned skin and white hair greeted the former Archon as he stepped out of the express. The former Archon looked at the boy and the people behind him and let out a sigh.

 "Someone has fans," Stelle said with a smile as she elbowed him with a smug smile.

For a split second, Cerberus looked at Arlan before an image overlapped with his. An image of a younger Cerberus before he found the Geo Gnosis and a picture of a boy, Alatus, if his inherited memory was correct.

"How Ironic," the former Archon said, gently appearing in front of Arlan in an amber flash. The boy was surprised, only to turn red when the older male took his hands and looked at them. "Protect your hands, you're a swordsman," An amber glow surrounded Arlan. "A swordsman with broken hands is worth nothing,"