To prevent these suddenly appeared "team members" from making a mess of the corner Pom-Pom had worked so hard to tidy up, or accidentally being spotted by passing members of the Astral Express Crew and causing unnecessary trouble, Stella thought for a moment and withdrew the newly summoned Dan Heng, March 7th, and Clara.
The room instantly returned to silence, leaving her all alone.
"Hmm... since I can transform, why not get familiar with it first?"
Stella pondered.
She recalled Clara, the white-haired, red-eyed little girl who looked timid yet very adorable.
With a slight thought, a pale blue halo once again enveloped her body, and her form rapidly shrank and changed within the light.
As the light dissipated, Stella looked down at herself—her small feet were stepping directly on the cool floor, long white hair hung by her ears, and her field of vision had become much lower.
"Ugh..."
Stella (Clara) wiggled her toes somewhat awkwardly, then ran to the only reflective metal plate in the room to look in the mirror.
The "Clara" in the mirror had a hint of confusion and inquiry on her face that didn't belong to the original owner.
"Why wear such a thick coat and skirt, but no shoes?"
She muttered softly, expressing her complete lack of understanding for this kind of fashion (or setting).
"Won't the soles of her feet get cold? Won't it hurt to step on things?"
Just as she was studying "Clara's" look in the mirror—
"Hey! Stella!"
The room door was pushed open with a "clatter," and the pink-blue haired girl, March 7th, burst in energetically with her signature vibrant smile.
"I'm telling you, we're about to... Eh?"
March 7th's words came to an abrupt halt.
Her gaze swept across the room, finally landing on "Clara," who was standing before the "mirror" and was clearly startled by the sudden interruption.
The "Clara" before her widened her ruby-like eyes, staring in surprise at the uninvited March 7th. Then, as if caught in a secret, her fair little face flushed red instantly. Her hands nervously gripped the hem of her skirt as she stammered:
"M-March 7th... why are you here..."
That voice, that expression... although she looked like a little girl, that reaction, that tone...
"You're Stella?!"
March 7th reacted instantly, her already large eyes widening further, seemingly sparkling with stars as they burst with an amazing light!
"Wow—!"
In the next second, March 7th let out an excited scream, like an archaeologist who had discovered a rare treasure (or a child seeing a fluffy plushie), and lunged forward in a classic "pouncing tiger" move!
"Stella, you can actually turn into other people?! Who is this little girl? She's way too cute! Let big sister give you a hug! Let me pinch your cheeks!"
While shouting excitedly, March 7th reached out her "devilish claws" and accurately pinched Stella (Clara's) soft, baby-fat cheeks, beginning to gently knead them like dough.
"Ah! Stop... stop kneading... March 7th... mmm..."
Stella (Clara) tried to struggle, but unfortunately, Clara's small body was no match for the energetic March 7th in terms of strength. She could only let out muffled protests, her little face being squeezed out of shape, looking even more pitiful and adorable.
Seeing that her "Clara" form couldn't escape the "devilish claws," Stella had a sudden flash of inspiration (or rather, instinctively switched her "skin")!
A pale blue light flashed and vanished!
March 7th, who was happily kneading, suddenly felt her hands go empty. The petite and cute white-haired loli vanished instantly, replaced by an even shorter little girl with a slightly arrogant expression—none other than "Pitch-Dark Hook the Great"!
"Eh?"
March 7th looked at her hands that had suddenly lost their grip, then at the little tyke whose style had abruptly changed, and was stunned for a moment.
Stella (Hook) took the opportunity to quickly back away several steps until her back hit the wall. She warily pointed her short little finger at March 7th and shouted in Hook's characteristic, slightly fierce-yet-cute tone, "D-Don't you come any closer! Moles warning!"
Seeing "Hook's" feigned ferocity that was actually full of cuteness, the light in March 7th's eyes grew even brighter, as if she were about to pounce again.
Seeing this, Stella didn't dare play with fire anymore. The blue light flashed on her body again, and she quickly reverted to her original tall, gray-haired girl form.
"Phew..."
Stella breathed a sigh of relief, rubbing the spot where she had just been pinched (even though it was Clara's face that was pinched) with lingering fear. Looking at March 7th, whose eyes were still glowing and who seemed unsatisfied, she asked helplessly:
"March 7th, why were you looking for me in such a hurry? Is something wrong?"
"Ah! Right!"
Reminded by her, March 7th remembered the business at hand and slapped her forehead.
"I was so busy watching you change back and forth that I almost forgot! We're here to notify you that the Astral Express is about to perform a Warp. Our destination is the Herta Space Station! Sister Himeko told me to come and tell you to get ready, so you don't end up spacing out in your room again."
"Herta Space Station?"
Stella tilted her head in confusion; the name was completely unfamiliar to her.
"Hehe, that's a very interesting place! There are many mysterious Curios, and even puppets of that super genius from the Genius Society #83, Ms. Herta!"
A mysterious and expectant smile appeared on March 7th's face. "You'll find out when we get there! I guarantee it'll be an eye-opener!"
Saying that, she enthusiastically reached out again, grabbed the still somewhat bewildered Stella, and dragged her toward the Parlor Car without taking no for an answer.
"Let's go, let's go! Hurry! We might even catch the snacks Pom-Pom hands out before the Warp!"
Dragged along by her, Stella stumbled out of the room. Her mind was still dwelling on the feeling of her face being rubbed and March 7th's excessive enthusiasm. At the same time, she felt a strange curiosity, a mix of expectation and unease, about the "Herta Space Station" they were about to arrive at.
Meanwhile, March 7th, who was pulling her along, was thinking:
"Great! If we run into Mr. Dan Heng on the way, I'll have Stella turn into Clara or Hook again to scare him! Hehe, I'll definitely get to see his eternal poker face crack!"