Later
Zhi Jiang can be seen collapsing on the couch in the Astral Express' Parlor Car with a bunch of shopping bags lying next to him. Dan Heng and Welt couldn't help but wince at the scene, knowing what the newest member had gone through.
"Geez, don't you think you overreact a bit?" March says as she scratches her head.
"...try changing clothes non-stop for several hours..." Zhi Jiang grumbles before Pom-Pom walks towards him, holding some sort of paper fan on their paws.
"Passenger Zhi Jiang," Pom-Pom calls before smacking his head. "This is for foolishly leaving the Express while not fully recovered yet! You're lucky that you didn't get hurt!"
"....ouch," Zhi Jiang mutters before slamming his head into the couch.
"...at least clean the mess before resting!" Pom-Pom exclaims.
"...Pom-Pom, where am I supposed to put all of this away? Because the stuff they got for me is enough to fill an entire wardrobe, and I don't have one..." Zhi Jiang gets up while rubbing his head. Pom-Pom was about to answer before pausing a bit, rubbing their chin.
"...oh, damn it! The Astral Express had no more guest rooms!" Pom-Pom exclaims.
"What about the storeroom on the second floor of the Party Car?" Welt asks.
"...we haven't used that room for ages, so it'll be very messy..." Pom-Pom sweatdrops before they give Zhi Jiang an apologetic look.
"...I suppose I'm staying on the couch for a while," Zhi Jiang sweatdrops.
"...oh, right! Pom-Pom forgot to tell you a few things for joining the Nameless!" Pom-Pom exclaims before pulling out a book and giving it to Zhi Jiang. The young man raises his eyebrow curiously and opens it only to be met with empty pages. "Please take notes so Pom-Pom doesn't have to repeat themselves. Being Nameless signifies to leave the past behind to blaze a trail into the future."
"...are you trying to say I should forget my past?" Zhi Jiang says with a grimace as Pom-Pom shakes their head.
"Pom-Pom means to let them go so you could have a future. It's a lesson that many people need to learn, but unfortunately, they didn't. Don't let your past hold you back from experiencing new things or building a better future for yourself; don't let it prevent you from growing, making new friends, and so on. You can learn from your past, but don't let it stop you from trailblazing." Pom-Pom explains as Zhi Jiang pauses a bit.
"...I can't promise you I'm able to do it, but I can promise you to try." Zhi Jiang says as Pom-Pom nods.
"That is more than enough," Pom-Pom says with a thumb up. "Second, being Nameless means exploring the far corner of the universe will seem to be more exciting than just looking out for yourself." Pom-Pom pauses a bit before frowning. "But that's not an excuse to be reckless!"
"Y-yeah, got it!" Zhi Jiang nods rapidly as everyone chuckles.
"Third, being Nameless means you'll step out of your comfort zone to set forth on adventures into an uncharted territory," Pom-Pom says. "Fourth, being Nameless means your home is no longer the places you know and love, but the distant stars."
'The fourth one is easy.' Zhi Jiang keeps his thoughts to himself. 'I doubt I'll find my way back home in this vast cosmos...'
"And above all else, being Nameless means the responsibility you bear will far outweigh the rewards you'll reap," Pom-Pom explains before looking at Zhi Jiang. "So, passenger Zhi Jiang, do you still wish to be a Nameless?"
"...I honestly thought I already am, especially after getting the Special Pass from Ms. Himeko, but yes." Zhi Jiang nods.
"Great! Now let's start the initiation of being a Nameless!" Pom-Pom exclaims.
"Don't tell me we're going to recite the creed again! It's honestly a bit cringey if you ask me," March says as Pom-Pom almost facefault.
"How dare you! This is the meaningful part of the initiation since Akivili creates this faction!" Pom-Pom exclaims in anger.
"How about we ask Zhi Jiang if he wants to recite the creed. Tradition or not, we need to respect his choice. Not...everyone desires to say the creed." Dan Heng explains as Pom-Pom looks disheartened.
"Well, I don't mind reciting the creed." Zhi Jiang says with a smile, causing Pom-Pom to perk up. March lets out a groan while Zhi Jiang gives her an apologetic look.
"Great! Now, please repeat after Pom-Pom! One, no matter the ebb and flow of fate, stop staying within the lines. Two, even in the face of tempestuous seas, we always align. Three, even if we don't gain the upper hand, we'll fight for right. Four, even if forgotten by the world, never care a rap for hindsight. Five, no matter how bleak the cosmos may get, let us light the night. Six, even when there are wheels within wheels, go ahead! May this journey lead us starward." Pom-Pom says it proudly.
"...yeah, it's still cringey even after hearing it again," March says as Pom-Pom pouts angrily.
"Don't ruin the moment!" Pom-Pom exclaims. Zhi Jiang takes a deep breath before repeating the creed without any mistake, making Pom-Pom smile a bit as Zhi Jiang's Pass glows a bit.
"Great job! Now, Zhi Jiang, you are officially a Nameless! Welcome to the crew!" Pom-Pom says.
"Thanks for having me, conductor," Zhi Jiang says.
"Okay, now that is over, let us address the elephant in the room," Himeko says. "First, our newest member doesn't have a room, so we're using the storeroom for Zhi Jiang's room. We're gonna need cleaning tools for that...."
"I'll go get it," Dan Heng offers and walks away before anyone can object.
"Wait," Zhi Jiang says as Dan Heng leaves the room, getting everyone's attention. "This may have solved the room issue, but what will happen if someone else plans to join the Nameless?"
This causes everyone to go silent before they start pondering a bit, and Zhi Jiang could see cold sweats start to escape their heads while they glance at each other.
"...it seems we might need to tighten our budget to add more cars in Astral Express." Welt sweatdrops.
"...that means we're eating some instant foods for a while now," Himeko says in concern.
"So much for responsibility greater than any rewards we reap," March grumbles. Zhi Jiang sweatdrops while scratching his cheeks.
"I could just stay on the couch..." Zhi Jiang offers.
"Nope!" Welt, March, Himeko, and even Pom-Pom say in unison. Before anyone could say more, they heard a knock from the exit as everyone looked at each other.
"Who could that be?" Welt asks before everyone walks towards the exit, and they were greeted with Asta holding something in her hand.
"Ah, the Astral Express crew." Asta greets.
"Miss Asta, what do we owe you a pleasure?" Welt asks as he adjusts his glasses.
"Um...I have something for you, Mr. Zhi Jiang," Asta says as Zhi Jiang blinks a bit.
"Me?" Zhi Jiang asks in surprise.
"Y-yes, it's a reward for saving my fellow scientists," Asta says before giving him a box. Zhi Jiang looks a bit surprised before accepting it and opens the box, revealing a phone. "A...phone?"
"Yes, and after hearing your story, I also set you a bank account for the credits I transferred, it's the intergalactic currency used in almost every planet," Asta explains. Zhi Jiang widened his eyes as he noticed a bank card behind the phone. He turns on the phone and greets with an astronomical amount of money in its notification.
"One, two..." Zhi Jiang counts the zero on the money. "...30 billion credits!?!" This made everyone snap their head towards Zhi Jiang. "Is...isn't this too much!?!"
"Nothing is too much for the life of several human beings," Asta says with a smile. "I also made sure to transfer to the rest of the Astral Express crew."
"...Ms. Asta, just how rich are you?" Zhi Jiang blurts out.
"...not sure," Asta admits.
'...what do we call this? Don't look at a horse gift at the mouth?' Zhi Jiang says before taking a deep breath. "Thank you, Miss Asta."
"Don't be," Asta says with a smile before turning around. "I hope you all enjoy the stay. And I'm sorry for Madam Herta being late."
"Don't be," Himeko says with a smile. "Even if Madam Herta is here, we still have a few things to take care of, so we can wait."
"Very well, then," Asta nods before taking her leave. As she left, March couldn't help but squeal.
"This is amazing! Now, we don't have to worry about a tight budget!" March exclaims as she shakes Zhi Jiang wildly.
"Y-yeah, March..." Zhi Jiang says, slightly dizzy.
"With this amount of money, buying a new car for the Astral Express still leaves us with a hefty amount of budget." Welt muses.
"...so, just like that, we're tossing the last meaning of being Nameless?" Zhi Jiang says in a deadpan manner, before March lightly pinches his cheek. "Ow, ow, ow!"
"Don't complain! We still need money to live!" March argues.
"Okay, okay!" Zhi Jiang exclaims before March stops pinching him. "Oww..."
"Everyone," Dan Heng approaches them while holding his phone in one hand and cleaning tools in the other. "Why is there 30 billion credits transferred into my bank account?"
"We're rich!" March exclaims wildly, startling Dan Heng while also further confusing him.
To be Continued