Arc I : Nagazora
Chapter 4: Plans for the future
-Ω-
Cocolia fingers slowly tapped her desk as she read the email before her. Tesla and Einstein had simply informed her that they were traveling to Nagazora to look into ME corp. They had recovered a majority of the data and wished not to be bothered with such a task again. So they said they would upgrade the defense of the building as well as see if they could potentially recover more of the lost data.
Thinking about the breach still made her blood boil. So much for the illustrious security of the legendary ME corp. No video of the perpetrator, no alarm raised, massive amounts of data deleted and most importantly the critical black box was now missing. She had fired the head of security for his incompetence but it hadn't helped raise her mood. The thought that a single infiltrator could sneak in with them none the wiser either spoke volumes of their skill or how pathetic their security had been.
This of course led her back to the innocent email flickering on her screen. On the surface it seemed like a kind gesture by the scientists and Cocolia had almost deleted the email. But something about the situation bugged her. Like an itch just beneath the skin that refused to be scratched. Tesla would never have done such a thing without complaining. Grant it, Einstein may have curbed such behavior but the blue hair scientist had always been a closed book.
Was the pair really going to Nagazora to help Cocolia or was there another reason? She needed to know.
"Bronya, please come to my office." A minute after speaking into the intercom, a small girl entered. She had twin spiral grey pigtails and carried a HOMU doll clutched to her chest. Despite the adorable appearance, the grey eyes held no emotion.
"You called for me, Matushka?" Bronya asked, tilting her head slightly.
"I have an assignment for you." Cocolia responded with a smile. "I have two collueges from Anti-entropy coming here to Nagazora. I would like to know where they go during their stay here. Stay out of sight and don't bother our guests, just record where they go.
"Understood, the Bronya will tail them and report back where they travel." The girl answered with a nod before leaving the office. With that cover Cocolia could only sit back and wait. If it all turned out to be her imagination then Cocolia would have lost nothing. If there was another reason however… she would have to dig a little deeper to find out.
-Ω-
Adam glanced at the clock face only for it to tell him that the time hadn't changed the last seven times he checked. The private room he had rented in the restaurant had been an obvious choice. The conversation he hoped to have needed to be away from prying eyes after all. However, he had not anticipated his lack of patience. He took another breath, disappointed in his inability to keep calm. He was going to meet two of the smartest women in the world, if not THE smartest. Lieserl Albert Einstein and Frederica Nikola Tesla, two of the founders of Anti-Entropy and loyal allies to the late Welt Joyce.
He had met them in the future of course. Hell, Tesla was the one who not only designed but created the Labor of Olympus . He wouldn't have called them close friends, but they had certainly been amicable whenever he had the chance to interact with them. Tesla had even gone so far to call and thank him for finding Joffrey Joyce Yang and Welt Yang, as their mission in St. Fountain slowly progressed.
He needed them on his side. For the future trials ahead, both had played pivotal roles. If he could give them future warnings and hints they could possibly save millions of lives. A shame he couldn't tell them the truth, they would think him crazy. Thus he needed to convince them that he was a trusted ally. He truly wanted to help them and hopefully that would be on full display.
However, this was a completely different playing field. Otto was still alive, Welt Yang was in hiding and Anti-Entropy and Schicksal were still enemies. They wouldn't give him the benefit of the doubt. If he slipped, this meeting would likely end in failure, perhaps his death if he was unlucky. But first he needed to pair to show up, something that seemed less and less likely as the clock ticked away. Adam was startled from his thoughts when the door opened.
The waitress walked in, giving a quick bow. "I'm sorry to disturb you, but two young women claim to be here to see you?" Adam quickly nodded, a weight lifting off his chest. So they had come, that at least was according to plan. He had begun to worry that his message had never been received. A minute later the two girls walked into his room. One with pale blue hair and the other a fiery red. Tesla and Einstein, in the flesh.
It was Tesla who broke the silence with her ever blunt attitude. "What the fuck? He's just a kid." Despite her dismissal, Adam couldn't help but smile. Even in this twisted past, it was comforting to know that she hadn't changed at all.
"Dr. Einstein, Dr. Tesla." He gave them a deep bow. "A pleasure to meet both of you." He could see the suspicion in their eyes, though he couldn't blame them. He kept his expression light, and made sure not to make any jumpy movements. Adam gestured to the table before him. "Please sit down and feel free to order what you want. I know you must have traveled a long way to get here, and I will cover all the costs."
"Let's skip the pleasantries." Einstein spoke, keeping watchful eyes on him as she slipped into her seat. "I want to know who you are in the first place." As always, Einstein was the cautious one. He had no doubt that if he were to attack, a fleet of Anti-entropy titans would teleport in. Thankfully he had no intention.
"My name is Adam Fountaine," he began. "And to be perfectly transparent with you both I am an ex-Valkyrja." At this the pair froze, panic quickly settling in. "Please let me finish. I am no longer affiliated with Schicksal in any way." His words calmed them both but only slightly. "I know you have questions, ask me anything. I will tell you whatever I can."
It was a gamble. Adam had prepared a false history for himself, one that would seem valid but be nearly impossible to verify. It included items he knew from both organizations and what he remembered from history books. Unfortunately if they asked the wrong questions, his prepared 'story' would fall apart. But it was a risk he needed to take as the rewards far outweighed the potential backlash.
"I'll start then," Tesla began, eyes narrowed. "I just ran your name through several of our databases," she tapped her glasses, and Adam was alerted to the miniature supercomputer just behind the frames. "I got back no results, not even a birth certificate. So what is your actual name?"
"I don't know." Adam's response was not received well.
"What?!" Tesla snarled. "If this is your idea of a joke then-" She came to a stop as Einstein grabbed her shoulder and shook her head. She then nodded to Adam, asking for an explanation. He gave a small smile in thanks and continued.
"I don't know my real name." Adam repeated. "Wherever I was taken from and who I was before is lost to me. I only know I was orphaned and a group took care of me. When it was discovered that I had a stigma I was given the name Adam, after the first man from biblical texts. Probably to reference the first male this generation to possess a stigma." Tesla and Einstein shared an uncomfortable look. No doubt they were remembering Welt Joyce, who had a similar situation. "I was sold and then indoctrinated into Schicksal soon after."
"That's what I wanted to ask." Einstein broke in. "You said you're an ex-Valkyrja. I don't think Schicksal allows Valkyrja to quit and you're far too young to retire." The obvious question hung in the air and Adam took a deep breath to prepare himself. This was the make or break part of his story.
"I say I am ex-Valkyrja because Schicksal believes me to be dead." Tesla paled and Einstein fist audibly tightened. "My team and I were sent on a suiside mission, though we didn't know it at the time. It was in some remote desert in the south of Africa, our mission details told us it was to quell some Honkai beasts." He chuckled bitterly. "Perhaps that should have been our first clue."
"What happened?" Tesla quietly asked. "What happened to your squad?" Silence dominated for a moment as Adam carefully chose his words.
"There was...a bomb of sorts. Probably planted before we even got there. When we finally made it to our destination, we found nothing and then…" he trailed off and thankfully neither girl interrupted. "The explosion surprised us, it wasn't done with conventional weaponry. It was as if a film of pink light expanded from a certain point. Our leader commanded us to run but we never had a chance. As soon as the light touched one of the members they disappeared, as if they had been spirited away. Soon I was the only one left."
"How did you survive?" Einstein was the one to ask this time. Adam sighed, before looking the doctor in the eye.
"Welt Yang saved my life." Tesla gasped and Einstein's eyes widened upon hearing their leader's name. "He used his abilities to save me from the explosion and brought me to a safe place. I admit I was hostile when I learned who he was but then he told me the truth. About what Anti-entropy was and how Schicksal betrayed them and what their goals truly were. We got to talking and… well he changed my outlook on life." Tesla was nodding now with a smile on her face, and even Einstein was taping her chin thoughtfully. It wasn't a lie persay, the future Welt had saved his life in St. Fountain. The problem was that the present Welt Yang had never seen him. Adam needed a reason for Welt to deny his existence if they asked him.
"Before he left, he gave me one last gift." Adam continued. "He promised me that he would tell no one of my survival. Neither his own organization nor Schicksal. In return, he wanted me to find my own path and to make my own choices. I took it to myself to learn what I could about your organization and I guess the rest they say in history." He stood again and bowed. "Please allow me to join Anti-Entropy. I want to pay back the man who saved my life."
"Your story is… plausible." Einstein spoke slowly, eyes still critical. "Our sensors did indicate an unidentified explosion of energy in South Africa a few months ago." Adam hid his surprise well. Had that really happened? Perhaps they had detected his arrival to this timeline? "But we would like to confirm your story first."
Shit… Adam kept his poker face on. "How? Do you intend to speak with Welt? I don't think he would break his promise to me."
"Oh we have our ways," Tesla's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Little Welt has always been an easy nut to crack. He is a terrible liar. Once we confirm your story we can talk about more details." Adam nodded though he could feel his stomach coiling. The truth would come out as soon as they called. It was down to luck then. If Welt took pity on him then he might have a shot, if not well he would need to find different allies.
"I thank you for sharing your story with us," Einstein concluded. "I would love to stay and chat but we are rather busy. If you could give us the black box you promised, we will be on our way." Adam swallowed, here came the second road bump.
"I won't give you the box." Immediately the tension in the room tripled, but Adam surged forward regardless. "Not now at least." Tesla and Einstein exchanged a look but nodded for him to continue. "I would like to request to keep the box until after the 10th, about a week from now."
"The 10th? Is that date important?" Tesla wondered aloud. They wouldn't know but Adam did. February 10th, 2014. The day that wiped five million lives off the map as well as the city of Nagazora. The Third Honkai eruption. Call him delusional, but he would keep the box till then… just in case.
"Yes, I hope that won't be a problem." Adam said. "By then you will have been able to confirm my story, correct? I will give you the box then, regardless if you allow me to join or not." Einstein looked split but Tesla stepped in.
"That's fine," her partner looked ready to argue but Tesla continued. "I trust Welt's judgement and that means I'll give you a chance." Adam forced a smile. Tesla was gonna be pissed when she figured out the truth. "Come on Mophead, we have some calls to make." After exchanging contact info the duo left, Tesla practically dragging Einstein out. Adam collapsed into his chair, trying to replay the conversation in his head. Hopefully Welt took pity on him, if not for his sake then the world's.
-Ω-
Joachim Nokianvirtanen, better known as Welt Yang, rubbed his eyes forcing them to focus. Being a history teacher at St. Freya's academy was not all that it was cracked up to be. Sure the pay was good, and the equipment was top notch. But because this facility was funded by Schicksal, he had to teach history according to Schicksal. This meant that he had to discredit the very organization he was the leader of. Still it was a small price to pay. At the very least, St. Freya didn't report to Schicksal about who the staff were. If they did, Otto would have found him long ago.
He brushed such thoughts aside. It was already late and he was the only one in the office by now. He only had a few more papers to grade then he could finally get some sleep. He began the next one, highlighting in red a paragraph that had been blatantly copied from the textbook. Was it such a challenge for his students to put a report into their own words instead of regurgitating the book back to him? A shrill ringing caught his attention, he checked the caller ID and his eyes widened. Why in the world would Tesla need to contact him? He was supposed to be in hiding after all.
"Welt here," He answered as the red headed girl appeared on screen. "Is there an emergency?"
"No, nothing urgent." Tesla responded. "Though I do have an important question for you." He frowned but urged Tesla to continue. "Have you ever met a black haired boy with golden eyes going by the name Adam Fountaine?" Welt's eyes immediately widened.
"You know Adam Fountaine!?" He exclaimed in shock. A few months ago, Adam was all the principal ever talked about. The mysterious caller from St. Fountain, the male Valkyrja who apparently had no identity. He still remembered Theresa asking each of the teachers if they had ever seen the boy. Even now, the email from Theresa sat in his inbox practically begging anyone to come forward with new information.
"So you do know him," Tesla smirked, mischief dancing in her eyes. "Well yes, I've met with him and we know all about your little rendezvous."
"What?" Welt's eyebrow raised quizzically. "Tesla, I've never spoken to him."
"Right," Tesla winked. "I completely understand."
"No Tesla," Welt repeated. "I've never even met him."
"No, no I believe you," Tesla laughed. "Never even seen the man right? You didn't save his life and promised to keep it a secret?"
Welt blinked in confusion. Were they having two different conversations? "Tesla, what in the world are you talking about?"
"I'm proud of you, Joachim," The way she whispered his real name caught him off guard. "You are upholding his will beautifully, never forget that." Her smile was radiant then and Welt couldn't help but smile along. "Well I have a load of work to finish. Thank you for the confirmation, it will certainly put Einstein at ease. See you later!"
"Wait but-" the screen cut off leaving Welt in the dark office. He blinked once before sighing and running a tired hand through his hair. "What the hell was that about?" Grading could wait till tomorrow, he had too much on his mind now. He leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling. Adam Fountaine huh? The mystery surrounding the boy was only getting deeper and deeper.
-Ω-
Sora laughed as Kiana continued her story, her overacting only adding to the hilarity of the tale. In the kitchen nearby, Mei hummed a tune as she sliced a variety of vegetables. Adam stood beside her, mindfully watching a pan of sizzling fish before him. Sora's parents had always told her never to enter a stranger's home, and yet these three felt more like family than her parents ever had. It was no wonder that this was the first time in years that she felt at home.
"Kiana-nee," Sora giggled. "There's no way you beat Adam in a fight! He's a Valkyrja." The white haired girl gave a huff as if offended but soon gave a laugh of her own.
"Ok, perhaps I might be slightly exaggerating," Kiana admitted. "But most of it was true."
"Oh? Well if you really did 'flatten me in under three seconds' as you claim, then you can skip dinner as punishment." Adam's threat drifted from the kitchen causing Kiana to deflate.
"Adam, don't be so critical," Mei gently chided. "It's only a story. Still it's almost time to eat. Kiana if you could get the dishes."
"Ok!" The excitable girl ran off giving Sora a moment to herself. The invitation to dinner had been a surprise. The trio had spent time with her as usual, but when it was time for them to leave Sora had asked if they could stay a little longer. Apparently something big had happened at her father's job and he had been more...irritable as of late. It was a selfish request, but to her surprise, Adam had only smiled and invited her along to dinner.
"Sora, why don't you wash your hands?" Mei called as she brought over a steaming dish. A matter of minutes later the small group were seated around Adam's small table. Sora was seated comfortably between Mei and Kiana, heartily digging into the fish and assorted vegetables. Despite her attention to the food, the conversation at the table had taken a serious turn.
"There was a break-in at ME corp?!" Kiana asked in shock. "Who did that?"
"You didn't know Kiana-chan?" Mei responded, "It was all over the paper a week ago. The perpetrator was never caught, but it seems like they didn't steal anything. The criminal didn't go into any of the floors beyond the first. Investigators are baffled why they would break into such a high security facility only to leave."
"Now that just sounds suspicious." Kiana countered. "There had to be a reason." She looked at the only quiet member at the table. "What do you think Adam? Anything your Valkyrja senses can tell us?" He only shrugged.
"How am I supposed to know the mind of a criminal?" He asked airly. His lack of response only caused Kiana to pout and Adam rolled his eyes. "Fine, maybe there was a secret lab below the building and the perpetrator snuck in and stole an invaluable object."
"I think you've been watching too many movies." Mei laughed "Those kind of things only happen in spy films." Adam gave a wry smile of his own and shrugged.
"Uh Adam-nii?" The trio looked at the young girl. "Does that mean a bad-guy is somewhere out there? Do you think they will come for me?" Adam winced at that.
"Don't worry Sora," Kiana smiled. "I'll protect you, it's a Kasala guarantee!"
"If you are ever in trouble, go to the shrine." Mei added. "We will meet you there. I promise." Sora gave a shaky smile at that.
"Ah I just remembered." Adam snapped his fingers. He departed to the kitchen before retrieving a white box from the fridge. Bringing it to the table, he revealed the small cake hidden within. Sora's eyes widened in excitement.
"Why the cake?" She asked. "Is today you birthday?" She looked to the calendar to see if February 10th was circled or marked in anyway. Adam simply shook his head.
"It's not my birthday, but it's... a day to celebrate." Adam finally answered. Sora frowned at his conflicted expression, but it soon melted away as Adam divided the cake for them. And so as the sun set, the group partook of the desert. Kiana with her sharing more of her 'stories', Mei with her light laughter and Adam with his small smiles. It was then that Sora felt that everything was right in the world.
-Ω-
Adam didn't dream very often and even if he did he rarely could recall them. The only ones that stood out were the nightmares. The one's about St. Fountain were the worst, filled with screams and pain and agony. Most times he woke up with a scream or covered in cold sweat. Sometimes he had to wait the dream out, suffering every excruciating second.
This dream was however was different. There was nothing more than an empty white void aside from the single mirror before him. Adam's face was reflected on the glassy surface and as he reached forward a cautious hand, his counterpart copied the motion. To his confusion the glass rippled, and Adam took a step back, bringing up his guard. Yet the reflection did not reach through like some horror movie. Instead it stepped back, watching him with sharp azure eyes. Wait...his eyes were gold not-.
"What are you doing?" The reflection spoke, its facial expression remaining passive. "You returned to make a difference and yet you have done nothing."
"I… I have." Adam argued. "I stole the black box, I befriended Mei, I am changing things for the better." The reflection shook its head, giving a disappointed sigh.
"History is not so easy to change." the copy replied. "How could a single person hope to divert the course of a river by tossing in a few stones? Your actions may have caused changes but on a larger scale, all your efforts are insignificant." Adam blinked as the words sunk in. Had everything he had done really been for nothing?
Sensing Adam's lamentation, the reflection continued. "You need to gather allies to your side. Those with the power to help you change the course of history." The doppelganger returned its gaze to Adam. "You can not do this alone."
"Then what do you suggest?" Adam asked.
"Leave Nagazora," the blunt statement startled him. "Staying here will limit the allies you can interact with. The sooner you leave the better." The reflection sighed. "After all, it won't be a choice for much longer." At Adam confused the look the clone simply repeated the phrase. "Leave Nagazora." It was then that the mirror cracked and shattered, the glass pieces raining down to the floor. His vision blurred and Adam rubbed his eyes in an attempt to clear his vision. When he opened them again, the sight of his room greeted him.
"Leave Nagazora." In his bleary haze, these solitary words slipped past Adam's lips. They echoed around the room for a moment, before entering his ears and craving themselves into his memory. Only these words escaped and then like a roll of film exposed to light, the rest of the dream and its secrets vanished.
-Ω-
From the files of Schicksal: Honkai beasts
Honkai beasts have appeared across all of history. As humanity has evolved, so have the Honkai developing to be more powerful and more capable of killing humanity. While Honkai zombies are a problem, the beasts are the most numerous threat.
Over the years, Schicksal has categorized the Honkai into several is Templar-Class, Chariot-Class, Knight-Class, and finally the Seraph-Class. These are the most common and can all be taken out with a single A-class Valkyrja. or a group of B-class Valkyries.
There are however two more classes that stand out above the rest. These are emperor-class beasts and judgement-class beasts. Both classes are extremely dangerous and require a group of several A or S class Valkyries to subdue. These beasts many times can not be killed by normal means and can cause destruction in a widespread area. If one is encountered by change it is recommended to run and call for more backup. Without proper preparation, fighting these monsters is akin to suicide.
-Ω-
Was sicker in the past week than I have been for a while. Being confined to bed and feeling exhausted but without being able to sleep is one of the worst feelings in the world. Hopefully I will get some free time to get back on my proper update schedule.
This chapter was honestly a bit of a rough one to write. I honestly wanted to press the story further than where it stopped but the pay off seemed weak and forced. I also had other scenes planned like Mei and Kiana breaking into Adam laptop and finding the files he stole from ME or Adam meeting Bronya at the restaurant. However the scenes had little pay off and I think would have only hurt the story pacing.
Still I think the story is going in a proper direction, and hopefully the pacing is keeping the work interesting.
A huge thank you to everyone who favorited, followed and reviewed.
As always If you have any questions or comments feel free to leave a review or send me a private message. I will answer them as soon as I can.