Several Anime Girls Appeared in my World

Chapter 58: Echoes in the Starship's Silence

The walk to Himeko's probe, "Little Express," was a study in strained silences and simmering resentments.

Erza Scarlet marched with the ramrod straight posture of a soldier, her gaze fixed ahead, pointedly ignoring the Pirate Empress who glided beside her with an air of offended royalty.

Boa Hancock, for her part, kept a fastidious distance from Erza, as if proximity to the armored warrior might somehow tarnish her own radiant perfection.

Mirajane walked slightly ahead with Himeko, occasionally glancing back with a worried frown, her attempts at light conversation met with monosyllabic grunts from Erza or disdainful silence from Hancock.

Himeko, ever the pragmatist, led them through a less frequented series of backstreets, her internal sensors noting the fluctuating energy signatures of the two powerful women behind her.

"The probe is camouflaged just beyond this industrial park," she explained, her voice calm and steady, a small island of reason in a sea of barely suppressed hostility. "It's quite comfortable, I assure you. We have a good stock of coffee."

Hancock sniffed. "Comfort is relative. One's definition is often dictated by one's… prior experiences." The unspoken implication that Erza's standards were likely lower than her own hung in the air.

Erza bristled but held her tongue, a monumental effort of will. The warning from the scarred man – the future Joey – about the Conqueror, about the need for allies however unpalatable, echoed in her mind, a counterweight to her rising fury.

As they rounded the corner of a dilapidated warehouse, the "Little Express" came into view, nestled in a small, overgrown clearing. To the untrained eye, it might have been a discarded piece of industrial machinery, but its clean lines and the faint hum emanating from it hinted at something far more advanced.

Joey and Lyra were waiting just inside the open ramp, their faces etched with anxiety. Joey visibly flinched when he saw the formidable figures of Erza and Hancock approaching, the sheer intensity of their auras almost a physical force. Lyra, her elfin features pale, instinctively moved closer to Joey, her large eyes wide with apprehension.

"Welcome aboard," Himeko said, gesturing them inside. "Joey, Lyra, these are the… individuals we went to meet." She wisely refrained from attempting names, as none had been formally exchanged.

Erza gave Joey and Lyra a curt nod, her expression unreadable. Her gaze lingered on Joey for a moment longer than necessary. This boy… the younger version of that tormented soul? The thought was unsettling. He looked nothing like the scarred, desperate man who had shown them visions of a ruined world. He looked… fragile.

Hancock, however, barely spared Joey and Lyra a glance, her attention immediately captured by the interior of the probe. Her perfectly sculpted nose wrinkled. "Quaint," she murmured, her tone making it clear she found it anything but. "Rather… compact. Does it come with an actual throne room, or is one expected to recline on these… functional seats?"

"It's a scientific vessel, not a pleasure barge," Erza snapped, her patience finally snapping. "Perhaps if you spent less time critiquing the decor and more time focusing on the impending threat to all worlds, we might make some progress!"

"Threats are best dealt with from a position of comfort and authority, armored woman," Hancock retorted icily. "Something you clearly wouldn't understand, accustomed as you are to roughing it in common guildhalls and mud pits."

Her eyes flashed. "And do not presume to lecture me on priorities. The safety of my beloved Luffy and my Kuja tribe is paramount, and any threat to them will be met with my full, undivided, and devastating attention!" The vision of Luffy's death, of Amazon Lily in ruins, seared her memory, a fresh wave of anguish and fury washing over her.

Joey swallowed hard, shrinking back as the two women glared daggers at each other. The air crackled with their animosity. Lyra tugged at his sleeve, her eyes pleading.

Mirajane sighed softly, stepping between them once more. "Please," she said, her voice still gentle but carrying an undercurrent of her own formidable will. "We are all in an unfamiliar situation. Antagonism will only hinder our ability to understand what is happening. Perhaps some refreshments would help calm everyone?" She looked towards Himeko. "The coffee you mentioned?"

"Of course," Himeko agreed, grateful for the intervention. She guided them towards a small galley area. "I have several excellent blends. And some pastries Mirajane and I picked up earlier."

As Himeko prepared the coffee, using a surprisingly intricate hand-grinder and a pour-over method that spoke of a connoisseur's dedication, Mirajane gently ushered Erza and Hancock towards the seating area. Erza chose a seat as far from Hancock as possible, her posture rigid. Hancock, after a moment of disdainful survey, selected a chair with a sigh, as if making a great sacrifice.

Joey and Lyra huddled together on a bench near the probe's main console, watching the newcomers with a mixture of fear and fascination.

"So," Himeko began, returning with a tray laden with steaming mugs and a plate of cakes, "the hooded man. He mentioned a 'Conqueror of Worlds.' Can you elaborate on that? Any details he provided would be invaluable."

Erza took a mug of black coffee. "He showed us… glimpses. A powerful entity, capable of traversing dimensions and subjugating entire worlds. His methods are… brutal and decisive." She deliberately omitted the vision of her own world in peril, the specifics too raw, too personal for this initial, fragile truce.

Hancock accepted a delicate porcelain cup, her expression one of distaste as she eyed the robust brew. "He implied this 'Conqueror' enjoys pitting powerful individuals from different worlds against each other. A grand, cosmic game for his amusement." The thought of being a pawn, a plaything, was anathema to her imperial pride.

"And this hooded man himself?" Mirajane asked, her gaze soft and probing. "What was his purpose in revealing this to you? He seemed… desperate, from what we could sense of his energy before he vanished."

"He claimed his own world was a victim of this Conqueror," Erza explained, choosing her words with care, mindful of the future Joey's warning not to reveal his identity to his younger self. "He sought… to prevent others from suffering the same fate. He said his time was limited."

"Pathetically so," Hancock added with a sneer, though a flicker of something unreadable crossed her face – perhaps a grudging respect for the scarred man's final, desperate act, or merely annoyance at his abrupt departure. "He had mere minutes before he… dissipated."

"And he believed you two specifically could make a difference?" Himeko pressed gently, sensing gaps in their narrative.

"He seemed to think our… unique talents… might be of use," Erza said, a slight emphasis on 'unique' as she glanced at Hancock.

"Naturally," Hancock affirmed, preening slightly despite herself. "The world has always recognized my unparalleled capabilities. It is only fitting that even beings from other realities would seek my aid."

"His selection criteria seemed rather haphazard, if you ask me," Erza muttered, taking a large gulp of coffee.

"Are you implying, armored one, that my selection was anything less than divinely ordained?" Hancock's voice rose. "I am Boa Hancock, the Pirate Empress, the most beautiful woman in the world! Warriors and kings grovel at my feet!"

"And I am Erza Scarlet of Fairy Tail!" Erza countered, slamming her mug down, coffee sloshing over the rim. "My strength is for my comrades, not for meaningless titles or the adulation of fools!"

Joey jumped, and Lyra let out a small, frightened squeak.

"Now, now," Mirajane interjected, her smile strained but present. "Such impressive titles. It's clear you are both very powerful. And you both have… strong convictions." She looked at Himeko, a silent plea in her eyes. "Perhaps we should focus on what we can do, now that we have this warning."

Himeko nodded, her expression thoughtful. "Indeed. Boa Hancock, Erza Scarlet – thank you for sharing what you have. It's a great deal to process." She had their names now, spoken in the heat of their argument. "This Conqueror… it seems Healdsburg is becoming an unwilling focal point for his activities, or at least for those displaced by them." She looked at Joey. "You've encountered several others, haven't you, Joey?"

Joey, startled to be addressed directly in the midst of such powerful personalities, nodded shyly. "Y-yes… Lyra, and Pip… the little one in the shed… and Zylar, the engineer… and Kael, the one who watches…"

"Kael?" Erza's head snapped up. "The hooded man mentioned a 'Tracker' who seemed to operate independently. Is this Kael the same?"

"We believe so," Himeko confirmed. "He's highly elusive. His energy signature is… unusual."

"This is becoming increasingly complicated," Hancock declared, dabbing her lips with a napkin she'd produced from somewhere. "A menagerie of displaced oddities and shadowy watchers. It's hardly an environment conducive to strategic planning, let alone one befitting an Empress."

"Then perhaps you'd prefer to face this 'Conqueror' alone, your Majesty?" Erza challenged, her voice heavy with sarcasm.

Before Hancock could unleash a suitably scathing retort, Mirajane spoke, her voice imbued with a quiet authority that, once again, seemed to momentarily quell the storm.

"We are all here, in this strange town, far from our homes. Whether we like it or not, our fates seem to be intertwining. Fighting amongst ourselves will only make us easier prey for this… Conqueror." She looked directly at Hancock, then at Erza.

"The man who sent you here, whatever his flaws, believed you could help. Perhaps the first step is trying to believe that yourselves."

Erza and Hancock fell silent, the truth in Mirajane's words undeniable, however unpalatable.

The fragile, volatile alliance, born of a shared nightmare and a future threat, held by the thinnest of threads. And the secrets they both carried, the full weight of Future Joey's desperate plea and the phantom touch of their forced mental connection, remained locked behind walls of pride and mistrust.

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