A tall, red-haired man dressed in a winter coat quietly walked along the side of the road. He took in the serene sights of the clouds above and the idyllic setting of the island that was his temporary new home. He was happy to be here.
He was even more glad that now he could finally give her the gift he had promised her. They had both been so busy for the past year that neither had ever found the time. Now, it seemed that they finally had; a brief respite from the endless fighting they had become accustomed to. As he thought about this, he held both items even more protectively in his arms as if they could break at any moment.
He continued walking, memories of the past coming to him. He was the captain of the greatest battleship in the Schicksal fleet, the Hyperion. Despite its power, it had been severely damaged in a surprise Honkai attack. His squadron of valkyries had then invited him to stay with them at St. Freya Academy, the only school in the world for training valkyries to be. He had been there for the past few months and enjoyed every moment of it.
And now, both he and his co-commander could have some much-needed time off. He intended to use it the best he could, starting with what he had promised her some time after they had first met.
Murata Himeko was an A-rank valkyrie who worked with him onboard the Hyperion. She made the job experience so much more pleasant with her bright personality and unbreakable resolve. She was a fierce combatant but an even more caring figure to the other valkyries who served with them: Kiana Kaslana, Bronya Zaychik, and Raiden Mei.
Valkyries were more than just living weapons, of course; it didn't take long for him to start getting to know her and her unique quirks. For example, her fondness for alcohol despite being on duty, an infraction he never stopped scolding her for but could never report.
He gazed into the distance and saw what he was hoping to see: a large, luxurious house, almost a mansion, surrounded by lush greenery that added to the idyllic feeling of St. Freya. Himeko lived there, and oftentimes the other valkyries of their squadron stayed as well. He smiled as he thought back to the happy moments they had shared in that home.
He finally arrived at the front door. He raised a hand to knock on it. It was only then when he noticed to his surprise that the door was already slightly ajar, the movement of his hand widening the opening.
What? Did she forget to close the door?
A feeling of unease spread over him. He slowly walked into the house and looked around. Everyone seemed normal and in place.
"Himeko? Are you there? It's me, your captain," he called. There was no response. His unease grew stronger.
He carefully set his gift down on a table and began looking around. The entrance area, the living room, the kitchen. There was no one on the ground floor, which was strange because she was supposed to be waiting for him at this time. He pulled out his phone and called her, only to receive the same lack of response.
Could she be upstairs? He didn't want to disturb her in the privacy of her own bedroom. He decided that she must have been taking a nap there and decided to leave. She could discover the gifts he had left on the table on her own.
As he prepared to leave, he noticed something on the ground. It was a dark stain that must have been left by some liquid. His eyes narrowed. He looked beyond it and saw a trail of similar stains dotting the ground. They led to the staircase and onto the stairs themselves. He didn't know what that meant.
This…I probably shouldn't just leave…something doesn't feel right…
He carefully climbed up the staircase, noting how the stains became smaller as they went on. He stepped onto the second floor. To his greatly increased concern, the drops led to a bedroom, one with another slightly opened door. Lying on the floor next to it was a shattered glass cup, the wine that it had once held spilling around itself.
"H…Himeko? Are you alright?"
When he received no response, his fear propelled him forward. He rushed forward. He forced the door open. A woman lay on her bed, unmoving, her fiery hair as red as his own. She must have fallen onto it before losing consciousness judging from how only the upper half of her body lay on it as her legs were splayed across the floor.
"HIMEKO!"
The captain ran over to her and knelt down as he embraced her in his arms. She didn't respond. But to his eternal relief, she was still breathing.
"You're going to be okay…I'm calling for help…"
He dragged his phone out of his pocket as quickly as he could, nearly dropping it in his haste. His fingers trembled as he thumbed the screen, calling for Theresa. He could do nothing but gently set her onto her bed faceup and hope.
...
The captain sat in one of the benches lining the hallway of St. Freya's hospital. He knew that it was one of the most advanced hospitals in the entire world and had no doubts that Himeko would receive the best care it had to offer, but he still couldn't fully dispel the worry gnawing away at him.
He sighed. He closed his eyes. He waited for news on her condition. As he did, he thumbed the book he held in his hands without thinking.
It was one of the two gifts he had planned to give her. He had purchased it only the day before, along with the other item - a bottle of her favourite wine. Given the circumstances, he had thought it more appropriate to simply leave it behind on the table in her home.
When he opened his eyes again, he was unsurprised to see a short, silver-haired girl dressed in a nun uniform standing in front of him, her face only slightly above his despite him being seated.
"Theresa?" he asked.
Her bright blue eyes closed before she replied. "She's going to be okay, captain. It was just alcohol poisoning. She's been through much worse."
"I know. I know she has. But you can't expect to reassure me by saying that it's 'just' alcohol poisoning. I'm still so worried."
Theresa sat down next to him. "So am I. And as much as I hate to say this, I'm not surprised that this happened today."
He glanced at her. "You aren't?"
She was quiet for several seconds, her eyes closed. "Captain…can you tell me anything you know about what happened to her? Anything at all?"
He didn't want to think back, but he forced himself to. "I arrived at Himeko's house, but found the door already open. I pushed it open and went inside looking for her. Then I noticed several wine stains on the ground that led upstairs to her bedroom…where I found her, unconscious. That's when I called you."
Theresa nodded as she listened. "Thank you, captain…it's just as I thought. Himeko's always been fond of drinking, but she's been drinking so much more because…"
"Because?"
She turned her head to his, her bright blue eyes more serious than he had ever seen them. "Captain…I'm sorry. There's something that Himeko and I have never told you or the girls. Something that we should have told you a long time ago, before something like this happened…"
He gently placed his hand over hers. "It's okay, Theresa. You can tell us - me - anything. And if it's about Himeko, we need to know."
She closed her eyes and turned away again. "Captain, what is a valkyrie?"
He raised his eyebrows. He didn't expect to be asked such an obvious question.
"Well…that's obvious, Theresa. A valkyrie is a soldier who's been implanted with stigmata that give them the strength to fight against Honkai beasts. They're Schicksal's - and humanity's - first and last defense against the Honkai."
"And what must a valkyrie be prepared to do at all times?"
"...Every valkyrie is expected to be willing and capable of giving her life at any moment if the need arises…if they lose control of the Honkai energy in their bodies and suffer a Honkai cascade, then…"
She was quiet for a long time. With growing horror, the captain began to realize where the conversation, and Himeko, were headed.
"Theresa…you aren't saying that…"
"Yes, captain. This is exactly what I'm saying. Becoming a valkyrie is both a blessing and a curse. The price for the power that valkyries wield from their stigmata is a drastically shortened lifespan and the risk of becoming a Honkai zombie at any moment. And yes, this is what happened to Himeko when she agreed to become a valkyrie. She was fully aware of the risks, which were even worse for her because she became a valkyrie later in life than most."
"I…I didn't know…"
"I haven't told you everything yet. The secret we kept that should never have been a secret, captain…is that Himeko has at most a year left to live, and probably less."
He stared at her in horror. He couldn't believe this. He refused to believe it.
Himeko, who was always so energetic and strong. Who always found the strength to keep going. He was hardly able to reconcile this with Theresa's dreadful words. But he knew that she wasn't lying.
"You don't need to say anything if you don't want to, captain. Come to terms with this first, then speak."
He closed his eyes before managing to find his next words. "Theresa…why? Why did you hide this? Why didn't you or Himeko ever tell any of us? Were you trying to keep us from worrying?"
"Captain…it was Himeko who asked me not to tell anyone. She didn't want you worrying more when you already had so much to worry about. I didn't agree with her decision, but it was hers to make. But it turns out that it didn't work. Now she's in the hospital. She must have turned to alcohol to try to cope with her incoming death. She must have figured that it didn't matter since she only has a year left anyway…"
He nearly fell over the bench and onto the ground. "How are we going to explain this to Kiana, Bronya, and Mei? None of them will take this very well at all. I certainly didn't."
"They'll need to come to terms with it sooner or later. It would be cruel to keep them in the dark until the inevitable happens. And here they are now," Theresa said quietly as she stood back up to greet the three valkyries walking toward them.
All three had a worried expression on her face, which he knew would worsen once they were told the truth. He stood up next to Theresa.
"Girls, you made it," she said.
"We can as soon as we heard, Aunt Teri," said Kiana, who looked like an older version of the Headmaster.
"Is she going to be alright, Theresa?" asked Mei, whose worried expression didn't belong on her lovely face.
"She's going to be alright, Mei," Theresa answered, "but there's something the captain and I need to tell you about her condition…"
"I can already sense that this 'something' will not be pleasant to hear," said Bronya, floating slightly above the ground.
"Girls, why don't you sit down," the captain said, wanting this to go as easily for them as possible. The three of them sat down on the same bench he and Theresa had just been in as they stared at them and waited for them to speak.
He and Theresa carefully explained the painful truth to the three valkyries. As they expected, none of them reacted to the news well. Kiana and Mei both started crying. Bronya just kept her eyes closed and resembled for all intents a statue.
"NO! NO WAY is this real! Aunt Himeko won't…" yelled Kiana, her tears flowing from her eyes as Mei gently hugged her.
He was dangerously close to crying himself, but he had to remain strong for them. "Kiana…I feel the same way you do…but we can't lie to ourselves. It won't help anyone, and it won't change anything…"
Blinking through her own tears, Mei managed to choke out "Why are you only telling us this now? We should have known as soon as she started commanding us…we could have had more time to prepare for when…"
He knelt down in front of Mei and sadly placed his hands over hers. "I only just learned this today. Theresa wanted to tell us all ages ago, but Himeko…we can ask her why she didn't want to tell us when she wakes back up. And she will wake back up."
He suddenly felt another pair of warm hands over his own. He looked up and saw Bronya's dark grey eyes staring into his. As he gazed back, he saw a teardrop form in the corner of her eye before it flowed down her face.
"Subject captain, holding back tears is not a sign of strength. It's a sign of weakness, an unwillingness to acknowledge your own feelings. You are not being strong for us. You're only holding yourself back. Cry and let your tears out, captain, just like the three of us."
He wanted to follow Bronya's advice, but he couldn't bring himself to.
"Bronya, I…"
"You're both LIARS! You're just making all of this up to scare us from being valkyries! It won't work on me!"
Kiana had stood up. She was furious. She didn't know how else to feel.
He and Theresa tried to reach out to her, but she shouted "I don't want to hear anything from you anymore!" before turning around and running off, her teardrops falling to the ground behind her.
"Kiana, wait!" he yelled. He began running after her, but he felt two pairs of arms gently holding him back.
"Just stay here, captain. We'll go after her, and we'll make her apologize to you and Theresa," said Mei, a steely look of determination on her face.
"Subject captain already has enough to worry about. Do not let Kiana Idiotka increase that worry. Mei and I will find her and calm her down," said Bronya, an edge to her normally soft voice.
"Mei…Bronya…make sure you're there for Kiana. She needs you in times like this," he said quietly. Both girls quickly hugged him before going after Kiana.
He didn't know what to do. He didn't know what to think. He collapsed back onto the bench, no longer able to move. He just wanted to fall unconscious like Himeko mere meters away from him behind a wall. So he closed his eyes and waited.
He heard the sound of cloth rustling and a nun sitting down next to him. To his surprise, he felt a small hand running through his bright red hair.
"Theresa…?"
She gave a small laugh. "This is something you do for us whenever we're feeling down. It's about time I returned the favour, captain."
Despite himself, he smiled. "Don't you always say that you won't be able to grow any taller if I touched your head too much?"
She smiled, but didn't answer.
Theresa's gentle hand gradually calmed him down and made him feel more at ease each time she lifted it out of his hair and rubbed it again.
"Are you feeling better, captain?"
"I am…thank you, Theresa…"
"I'm only getting started."
He suddenly felt her gently pulling him downwards and onto her lap.
"Huh? Wha-what are you doing?"
"You looked like you needed some rest. I'm more than happy to help you with that. Just lie down and relax," she murmured. "It's the least I can do for you after all that's happened…"
His head rested snugly on top of Theresa's slender thighs, which were soft, warm, and more comfortable than any pillow he had ever used. Her nun uniform was created from material as soft as it was durable, which helped its wearer remain in comfort as she battled. He was fortunate to now feel them for himself. He smiled as he closed his eyes again and Theresa resumed caressing his hair, bringing him closer to a much-needed rest each time. Then she quietly began singing a gentle song, one of the most beautiful he had ever heard. He had never known that Theresa had such a beautiful voice or was capable of singing such enchanting music. He didn't want to sleep yet. He wanted to listen to more of Theresa's somber but caring lullaby, but as her voice faded more and more into the distance with each melodic note, soon he was hearing only the sounds of his dreams.
Ich…
...
"Captain on the bridge," said Ai-Chan as the elevator completed its short journey upwards.
He stepped off and looked around at the area he would be spending so much time in as his new job demanded. It was filled with advanced equipment, computer monitors, seats for the crew members who worked there, and massive, reinforced windows that revealed the world outside the battleship.
He held in his hand a beautiful rose he had found on the bed of his private cabin. He was unsure where it came from, who sent it to him, or what it meant. But he knew it would need a vessel if he wanted it to remain as bright as it was and not wither.
As he looked around for a suitable vessel, he found something he did not expect to find. A woman with hair as red as the rose he held in his hand already stood on the bridge in the same location where he would stand when commanding a battle. Doing so was in violation of Schicksal battleship protocols. Only the captain was ever permitted to stand there.
He cleared his throat to speak. "Excuse me, miss. I'd like to greet you, but I believe that the spot where you're standing is reserved for the Hyperion's captain, who I happen to be."
The woman did not seem to have heard him. She stood still, gazing out of the windows. Then she finally turned around. The captain momentarily stopped breathing as he beheld her beauty.
She had fiery hair as bright and as red as his own, solemn, amber eyes that mirrored his, and a skin-tight battlesuit that made clear the curves of her body. Her gaze never left his as she stepped forward and stopped in front of him. Neither of them spoke as they took in the other. Then, she smiled.
"The Hyperion's captain, you say? You wouldn't know where the old one is, would you?"
He shook his head, not knowing how to gauge the mysterious woman in front of him. For whatever reason, she seemed oddly familiar. "No. But they shouldn't matter too much anymore, since I'm the captain now. You must be one of the crew members I'll be working with. It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss…" he said as he extended a hand.
The woman laughed. She gazed at the rose he held in his other hand as she accepted the handshake.
"Murata. Murata Himeko," she said. "That rose wouldn't be for me, would it, captain? What a considerate way of leaving a first impression on your co-commander and valkyrie."
His eyes widened as he remembered her face that he had already seen in Schicksal's files of his crew. He berated himself for not recognizing her sooner. He smiled awkwardly before replying. "Ah, Murata Himeko, one of Schicksal's brightest A-rank valkyries. It's a pleasure to meet you. I apologize for not recognizing you sooner; there was something on my mind, but let's forget that for now. I look forward to fighting beside you in the years to come."
She turned back around to observe the rest of the bridge once more.
"And…well, this rose? I'm honestly not sure where it's from. I happened to find it in my private quarters, but there was no message or letter with it, so I've no idea who sent it to me. But I guess it doesn't matter. If you want it, it's yours, Miss Murata."
She did not respond. He worried that he had offended her in some way.
"It's alright, captain. As beautiful as that rose is, it was clearly meant for you, not me," she finally said.
He walked to the edge of the platform next to her. He tried to follow her gaze, trying to find what she was watching.
"It's a beautiful sight, isn't it? The bridge. It's the heart of the battleship. It's where everything happens. Without it, and without a captain in charge of it, the Hyperion is nothing," Himeko said. "You have a lot of responsibilities on your shoulders. To both the Hyperion, its crew, and to yourself. Being its captain isn't easy. But I can already tell that you'll be able to do an even better job than I ever did."
"I wouldn't say nothing. But you're right. You seem to know a lot about this battleship, Miss Murata."
She remained silent. Then he noticed that her eyes were closed.
"Of course I do. You know what I used to be until just a few days ago, don't you, captain?"
He did. He had read it in her file. Murata Himeko had been the captain of the Hyperion before him before recently stepping down. For what reasons, he could not say, for the files did not.
"You were the Hyperion's captain before me. I'm even more glad that I met you, since you must have so much experience I could learn from."
She laughed. "I'm just as glad to teach you everything I know. But there's one thing the files didn't tell you, isn't there? You don't know why I stepped down and handed the captaincy over to you. I made sure that the reason was kept private from the records."
"...Yes. I'd be lying if I said I didn't wonder why, Miss Murata."
She turned to him.
"I wasn't just a captain. I'm also a valkyrie. That's who I am, first and foremost. My status would be wasted on a non combat role like a captain. A more active role in fighting the Honkai is what I was meant for. You, on the other hand, are perfect for the job."
He slowly nodded. "I could tell from the battlesuit you're wearing. It's the Scarlet Fusion, isn't it?"
She seemed pleased that he could recognize it. "What else could it be? What other battlesuit can link directly to a battleship's energy source to increase its own firepower? Even back when I was a captain, I'd use this function of Scarlet Fusion in emergencies. And I enjoyed every moment of it."
"But…Miss Murata, using this battlesuit can also be incredibly dangerous to yourself. There's always a chance that it could become overloaded. It can even reduce the wearer's life expectancy with each usage…"
She gave him a sad, knowing smile. "That's a risk all valkyries already take. You know what I mean, don't you?"
He did not answer. He was uncomfortable with the direction their conversation had suddenly turned. He slowly turned away from her before speaking again. "Yes, I do. And since we're on the topic of valkyries, I'd like to say that I look forward to meeting the other members of our squadron."
"You mean Kiana, Bronya, Mei, and Theresa? They'll be arriving in a few days. For now, it's just you and me. Let's use this time well."
"What would you suggest, Miss Murata?"
"Didn't you say yourself that there's a lot about captaining you could learn from me? How about a tour of your new boat given by yours truly?"
"That sounds great, but I've already been given a tour by the other crew members," he said with a smile.
"Do crew members know every little nook, cranny, and secret that a captain can know?" she replied with a smile of her own. "Come with me. I promise you that you'll be amazed at what you'll find."
She began walking past him and to the elevator. He gladly followed her. Hopefully, he could find a container for the rose he was looking for.
liebe…
...
Time passed. Time that he and his valkyries used well. Their initial work relationship left much to be desired; Kiana Kaslana was as hot headed as she was stubborn, and oftentimes he had to threaten her so she would obey his orders. Raiden Mei clearly had severe trust issues and tried her best to treat him as a stranger when she was forced to interact with him and to ignore him otherwise. Only Bronya Zaychik, the youngest of the three, seemed willing to accept him as her captain. She was always hardworking and responsible, just like any valkyrie should be. He would sometimes confide in her the frustration he felt with her two squad members, and she would always listen with her full attention, nodding along as he complained of the latest mischief Kiana had committed.
But due to his unceasing efforts, Kiana and Mei were no longer the rebellious and cold valkyries they initially were to him. They gradually began opening and warming up to him. Because of them, the Hyperion was whole.
Murata Himeko and Theresa Apocalypse made the experience so much more pleasant. They were adults like him despite the latter's diminutive stature, and he easily maintained a healthy professional relationship with both. Himeko, especially; she seemed to understand him in subtle ways the others did not, such as the gruelling effort required to captain such a large and complex battleship. She had at times offered him a drink to help him relax, which he had always regretfully declined. He was perpetually on duty, and drinking on duty, after all, was expressly forbidden, which he always made sure to remind her of.
It was after one particularly exhausting battle when he found himself shambling into the Hyperion's lounge. It was a room designed to be as relaxing and as comforting to those within it as possible, which was exactly what he needed now.
He opened the door, staggered over to one of the couches, and collapsed into it as the soft material conformed to the shape of his body. To his surprise, Himeko sat mere centimeters away from him. She stared at him with disapproval.
"Be more careful next time, captain. You almost sat on me…not that I'd have minded if you did," she said with a teasing tone of voice.
He blushed. "Oh…uh…I'm sorry, Major Murata…I didn't see you…"
"You're still calling me Major Murata after all this time, captain? I've already told you that it's an unnecessary mouthful when just 'Himeko' will do."
"It's…it's…"
She laughed. She helped him sit up straight. "You can call me whatever you want, at least for now. Is the couch to your liking?"
"It is. It's the most comfortable thing I've ever sat in…it's just what I needed…"
He closed his eyes and prepared to take a much-needed nap.
"I'm glad to hear that," she replied.
A silence filled the room until he heard the sound of a page being turned. He opened his eyes and saw a book in Himeko's hands, which she was reading with intense interest. Then he saw Himeko picking up a glass cup before taking a sip of the dark red wine contained in it. To his dismay, he found himself thirsting for a drink of whatever she just had. Himeko noticed him staring at her. She grinned.
"I knew you'd come around someday, captain. You want some of my wine? There's another cup here; have as much as you want." She picked up the bottle and began pouring another glass before he stopped her.
"Wait…while I'll admit that I'd love a drink right about now, I'm still on duty… you're still on duty, Major Murata. I could report this infraction…"
"But will you?"
He grinned. "Don't worry, I won't…as long as you tell me what book you're reading."
She marked her current page with a bookmark before closing the book and holding it up so he could read the cover.
"Flying Into the Future: the Fundamentals of Aerospace Engineering, Fifth Edition," he read aloud. He was not sure what he expected the book to be, but he did not expect this.
Himeko seemed amused by his reaction. "Surprised that I'm not just a pretty face, captain?"
"I…I am. I can't say that I ever pictured you in aerospace engineering. But it's a very interesting subject, isn't it?"
She set the book down on her lap and closed her eyes. "Very. I haven't told many people this, only Theresa so far. But if I didn't join Schicksal and become a valkyrie, aerospace engineering is exactly the field I would have gone into."
He raised an eyebrow. He did not doubt her ability or intelligence to do that, but as he had said, he found it difficult to picture such a ferocious warrior in a wildly different, less combative setting.
Her eyes remained closed as she resumed speaking. "Captain, have you ever heard of Murata Ryusuke?"
"I can't say that I have," he said, but given how this person shared Himeko's family name, he had a good guess.
"He…he was a leading researcher in the field. Much of the knowledge the world has today about space engineering was discovered by him. He was the brightest person I ever knew."
"You knew him?"
"You can probably guess who he was to me."
"...Was he your father, Major Murata?"
"...He was more than just that. He was…my hero. My teacher. I learned so much of what I know from him. He was part of my life, and when I lost him, I didn't know how I would carry on."
"I'm sorry."
He had not meant to make her relive her painful memories. But she reopened her eyes and looked into his.
"Don't be. It's the reason I joined Schicksal. I received a letter from them not long after his passing. They said that they'd help me look into his mysterious death if I became a valkyrie. And I did."
"I didn't know. Most valkyries join Schicksal for very different reasons," he said.
"Very true." She was quiet for a while. "Captain, could I ask you why you joined? You aren't a valkyrie, but you fight for what's beautiful in this world all the same."
"..."
She noticed his unease. "It's a secret, then? That's fine. We all have our own."
She looked down at the book in her hands, slowly running a hand across the cover. "Dad always used to read this to me when I was little. Even though I had no idea what any of it meant, I knew I wanted to learn all of it and even more. He was the reason why I decided to study this in college. And in a way, he's the reason why I'm here right now." She laughed softly. "Captain, did you know that he was actually the one who designed the Hyperion, the very same ship we're flying in right now?"
He shook his head, fascinated at her reveal. "I'm not surprised to hear that. He sounded like a brilliant man, and if anyone could build such an incredible ship, it was Murata Ryusuke. I wish I could tell him how grateful I am for his efforts."
"He once showed me a scale model of it he'd made in his room. He intended for it to be a spaceship used to sail the stars. It didn't quite work out the way he wanted, but I still think he'd be proud of how the Hyperion turned out."
The captain nodded. He felt far closer to Himeko after learning this. He had not expected such an intimate conversation with her when he had entered the lounge in hopes of finding a brief respite, but he was glad that fate had a different plan for him.
Himeko opened her book and resumed reading. After a few pages, she spoke again. "It's a shame how this is at least three editions out of date. There's already a lot of outdated info here that my father and his colleagues discovered afterwards. If only he were here to write it himself…I've been meaning to get my hands on the latest edition, but time isn't something that I have a lot of these days…"
"I can get it for you, Major Murata," he replied without thinking.
She raised an eyebrow. "Really, captain? You're even busier than I am. I should know. I used to be the captain myself."
"I'll find a way. I promise."
She smiled. She reached over and placed her hand over his. "Then I'll hold you to it, captain. Maybe we can read it together then."
He smiled back. "Sounds good to me, Major Murata."
"In fact, why don't we start right now?" she replied. She turned the book back to the first page and began reading it aloud.
The floor to ceiling windows revealed the darkness of the world outside. Countless points of light dotted the night sky, each one a journey for a ship much like the Hyperion to one day sail.
dich…
...
It was the taste of hair in his mouth that woke him up. He tried to make a sound of surprise, but the clumps of hair muffled his voice. Not only that, his lips felt slightly wet. Panicking, he quickly reached up and began pulling the strands of hair out of him, which woke up their owner.
"AHHHHH! W-what are you doing, captain? You-you big PERVERT!" screamed Theresa, who'd been given a rude awakening herself. "A-and, why am I LYING ON TOP OF YOU?!"
"T-Theresa, calm down! I just-"
She'd never felt as embarrassed in her life. Her face had never blushed redder. But at the same time, she knew it was her own fault. She knew she shouldn't have started singing that lullaby! It worked on herself too well.
She immediately tried to sit up and separate herself from him, which was when they noticed that they were being watched by six other people, each with varying degrees of second-hand embarrassment on her face.
The captain very quickly sat up next to Theresa, hoping that they wouldn't give off the wrong impression, at the same time trying to remove the taste of Theresa's silver hair from his mouth.
"Uh…hello, everyone…" he stammered.
"...Hello, captain. We're back with Kiana now…and she has a lot to say to you both…" said Mei, her violet eyes avoiding his.
"Kiana Idiotka owes subject captain and Principal Theresa an apology," said Bronya.
He wasn't in the mood to hear it even though he knew Kiana needed to say it. He looked at her, who was staring at the ground at her feet and seemed like she wanted to be anywhere else but there. Then he noticed three more women standing behind his squadron. The tallest of them stepped forward. She was dressed in a black and white maid uniform decorated with dark red roses.
"We came as soon as we heard, Masters Theresa and Captain Hyperion. It's a valkyrie's duty to provide support for another valkyrie in need. And on a happier note, I truly hope that I'm not stepping out of bounds when I say that it's heartening to see the two of you getting along so well," Rita Rossweisse said, her expression unreadable.
"Uh…this…this isn't what you think it is, but…oh, forget it, thank you, Rita…" he mumbled. Theresa didn't answer and merely fumed with her arms crossed.
Then Bianka Ataegina stepped forward. She had changed out of her Valkyrie Gloria military uniform and now wore St. Freya's standard school uniform since she was now attending classes there again as if she were an actual student.
"Major Murata Himeko is a vital asset to Schicksal and an excellent leader, which is why you'll receive my full support in all matters regarding her wellbeing. Let me know if there's anything I can do for you, and I'll do all I can," she said determinedly. He half-mumbled his thanks to her.
The third woman was Fu Hua, a class monitor. Her bespectacled eyes remained closed and she stayed silent, but her face was intense with emotion.
He nodded at her in gratitude before turning back to Kiana. Her gaze hadn't left the ground. But then he saw that she was wearing a beautiful red scarf around herself. It had been the gift he had given her for her birthday. He was glad that it still had so much meaning for her.
"Kiana…I'm glad to see you again. But do you know why you're here in the situation you're in right now?"
She didn't answer, which prompted Theresa to finally speak again. "Kiana, you said some very angry things to us before you ran away. You need to know that we aren't angry at you and we don't blame you for anything…but you also need to know to control your emotions. As a valkyrie, it's your duty to."
"Do you have anything to say to us, Kiana?" he asked again.
She slowly prodded the ground with her feet before finally answering. "I…I'm sorry, captain, Aunt Teri. I didn't mean what I said back then…I know that neither of you are liars. I was just so…so angry and sad and scared, and I still am…"
He stood up and gently embraced her in his arms. He felt her calming down, but not enough to stop her from trembling. "I know, Kiana. I'm scared, too. We all are. We all love Himeko so much, and this news…I don't know what we'll do, but whatever we do, we'll do it together. Can you stay strong for her, Kiana?"
A few more of her teardrops fell from her eyes before she buried her head in his chest, hugged him back, and swore that she would. Everyone else remained silent.
The door to the ward opened. A nurse stepped out and spoke briefly to Theresa before walking back in. Theresa stood up.
"Himeko's awake. We should go see her now."
The eight of them quietly stepped into the hospital ward where Himeko awaited them. She was lying in a hospital bed with various sensors attached to her body. She looked terrible, but her eyes were open and as bright as they always were.
She smiled as they stood around her bed in a circle, her squadron stopping the closest to her.
"The room's a little crowded to have all of you here at once…not that I'm against it or anything," she said.
Kiana rushed forward and hugged her aunt as tightly as she could without injuring her.
"Why, Aunt Himeko?! WHY didn't you ever tell us?! Look at where you're at now! We could have helped you! We could have found a way to…"
Sadness and regret spread across Himeko's face as she gently ran her hand through Kiana's silver hair. "Kiana…you're right…I shouldn't have kept this from you. Any of you. I shouldn't have told Theresa to keep it a secret, either…so I'm telling it to all of you now. Yes, it's true. I only have less than a year to live. And yes…I started drinking, even more than I used to, to try to keep myself from thinking about it…and here I am."
None of them spoke. Mei and Bronya walked forward and hugged Himeko, too. The captain sat down in a chair beside her bed.
"Himeko…I know that you didn't want us worrying about you. But now we're all more worried than ever. If you'd told us earlier, we'd…we'd have more time to come to terms with it," he said quietly.
Mei stood up and walked beside him. "He's right, Himeko. We aren't even sure how we should react."
"If Major Himeko's time came and you left us without any warning, we wouldn't know what to do. If we had known, we could have been prepared for the inevitable," said Bronya, a hint of emotion having crept into her otherwise emotionless voice.
"I'm sorry, captain, Mei, Bronya…I know I should have. It was my mistake."
"Now isn't the time to be thinking about mistakes. Now is the time for all of us to come together and stay strong for you, Himeko. It's all we can do," said Theresa as she walked forward.
Himeko gave another sad smile. "That's exactly what you said to me last time, Theresa. You're right. What do you plan to do now?"
"That's obvious. We're going to do our hardest to make your last year with us the happiest in your entire life, Himeko. That's what we're here for. That's what we'll do. Isn't that right, everyone?" declared Theresa.
"There's no other option! This is my oath as a Kaslana!" yelled Kiana.
"I'll make all of your favourite foods as much as you want, whenever you want. Onigiri, sushi, anything," declared Mei.
"I will gladly assist in whatever tasks you need assistance with," said Bronya.
Himeko laughed. She had never felt as happy as she did with them until now. She hugged all three of them before turning to face the captain, who was unusually silent.
"And you, captain? Aren't you going to be doing anything for me just like the girls will?"
He smiled. He reached over and gently began running a hand through her fiery red hair, causing her to blush slightly.
"I'll do the only thing I can do - be your captain. And your companion. I'll be anything you need me to be, Himeko. I promise you."
She closed her eyes and let herself relax as he continued to run his hand through her hair.
"But in return, Himeko, you need to promise me one thing. Promise me that you'll stop drinking so much. It doesn't help you, and it'll only make you feel worse. And when you feel that way, so do we."
With her eyes still closed, she nodded.
Bianka stepped forward. She saluted Himeko. "It's an honour to finally meet you, Major, even though this isn't the best of circumstances. If you or your squadron ever require any assistance, just let Rita or me know. The Immortal Blades will do our best to support a fellow squadron." She glanced at Rita, who bowed. Himeko thanked them both.
Finally, Fu Hua stepped forward and spoke for the first time this evening. "I'm not the best with words…but I want you to know that I'm here for you, Cap…Major Himeko. Knowing you is an honour." Her glasses failed to hide the emotion on her face.
Himeko thanked all of them one more time, unable to fully express her feelings of gratitude and love. She hated herself for hiding the truth from them for so long. She hated that they all needed to learn about it in such a painful way. She felt that she didn't deserve this outpouring of support, but she was so happy that they were giving it to her.
There was a knock on the door. Theresa walked over and opened it to see a tall, brunette man wearing glasses standing behind it.
"Professor Nokianen?" Theresa asked. He was St. Freya's history professor.
"Good evening, Headmaster," he replied. "I apologize if I'm interrupting something. Captain Hyperion asked me to come here at this time to deliver an item he said was very important."
Hearing this, the captain stood up and walked over to the door. He offered his hand to the professor, who shook it.
"Thank you so much, Professor. Did you bring the rose?"
Nokianen reached into his pocket and withdrew a small, clear sphere made of acrylic resting on top of a concave stand. Encased in it was a perfectly preserved red rose, still as bright as it was the day the captain had found it.
It was the perfect vessel for preserving such a beautiful and mysterious flower; the clear material both protected the delicate petals and clearly showed their beauty to a beholder. He had kept it in his personal cabin onboard the Hyperion and had brought it with him to his dormitory at St. Freya. He had asked Professor Nokianen earlier to bring it over to the hospital, to which the professor had agreed.
"I'm grateful for your help, Professor. Thank you," said the captain.
Nokianen nodded. He placed the rose into the captain's hand before speaking to Theresa again. "If it's alright, I'd like to give a few words to Professor Murata."
"Of course. Please come in," replied Theresa.
The three of them returned to Himeko's hospital bed, the captain protectively holding the case containing the rose in his hand. Upon noticing it, Rita's magenta eyes narrowed before she stared at Himeko.
"Professor Nokianen?" Himeko asked. "You're also here?"
"I heard the unfortunate news that you had been hospitalized, Professor Murata. I came here to offer whatever support I can," he replied.
The professor seemed strangely familiar to Himeko's eyes. She was certain that she'd seen someone who looked exactly like him before elsewhere. But it must have been years ago, and besides, there was no way he could retain the exact same appearance for so long. The wine must have been playing tricks on her mind. That was all.
"Thank you. You don't need to trouble yourself, but thank you," she replied.
Nokianen looked around the room and noticed the book the captain hid behind his back. After he read the title, he was no longer able to remain in the same room as her. His overwhelming feelings of remorse and shame forced him to say a brief farewell before he turned around and left the ward.
Everyone was quiet for a while more. Then Himeko spoke again, very softly.
"Everyone…thank you so much for being here for me. I don't know what I'd do without you…especially you, captain…could I ask that we have a few moments in privacy?"
Everyone nodded. Kiana, Bronya, and Mei embraced her one last time before walking out the room after everyone else.
...
The seven valkyries exited the ward into the hallway. Kiana and Mei decided to return to their dorms for the night, no longer able to handle more of the terrible day they'd had. Fu Hua and Bianka did the same, leaving only Rita, Theresa, and Bronya left.
The maid bowed to Bronya. It was the first time they had met since her arrival.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Master Bronya," she said, her magenta eyes closed.
Bronya didn't respond.
"Master Theresa must have already informed you who I am and why I'm here."
Theresa nodded, finally prompting a response from Bronya. "Yes, she has. You're Rita Rossweisse, one of Schicksal's only S-rank valkyries. Your duties also include maid service, piloting, and providing therapy, among many others."
Rita smiled. "You're a very observant young woman, Master Bronya. All of that is true. I'm here because you have been experiencing some distress recently, and I was asked to help relieve you of it. This is a task that I promise you I'll do my best to carry out."
Bronya didn't answer.
"Bronya, your first session with Rita starts in a few days. We were waiting for the winter exams to be over with first, and now that they are, you can finally get the help you need," Theresa said, trying her best to make Bronya feel as safe as possible.
"Master Theresa is correct. And while we're on this subject, I'd like to congratulate you for your excellent performance on the exams, Master Bronya. A hundred percent is nearly unheard of, yet you achieved this almost effortlessly. I look forward to our sessions with each other. I truly do," Rita said. Her eyes did not match her smile.
Bronya seemed not to have heard her. Then she gave a nearly imperceptible nod before turning around and heading back to her dormitory.
Theresa felt uneasy at the way Bronya and Rita's first meeting had gone, but she hoped that things would work themselves out.
"Thank you, Rita. As you can see, Bronya can be…well, distant to people she doesn't know. I hope she will be able to open up to you," she said.
The maid laughed softly. "I hope so as well, Master Theresa. Are you heading back now? Then good night."
Theresa nodded and went off in the opposite direction.
Rita had eyes only for Bronya as she watched her slowly fade into the distance. Bronya may not have cared one way or another about their upcoming sessions, but Rita did very, very much.
Her emotions were running high. Higher than they had been for over a year. She was normally a very strong woman in perfect control of her feelings, but even she could lose control if the conditions were right. She was able to hold herself back for now, and as she began walking back to her residence, she whispered three words to herself so softly that she didn't even hear them.
Her ephemeral whispers were heard only by the gentle evening breeze. It carried them up into the darkening sky before fading away into eternity.
Glory to Schicksal
...
"You don't need to keep stroking my hair, you know. You'll get tired."
"But I want to do everything I can to make you feel better, Himeko."
She laughed. "You can start by taking out whatever you're hiding from me. I could tell, captain."
"Oh…uh, I was just about to…"
He carefully picked up his two gifts and gently placed them into Himeko's hands. Her eyes widened at the sight of both.
"Captain…these are…"
"Yes, Himeko."
"You did remember…after all this time…"
He smiled and held the book up as he read the title aloud: "Flying Into the Future: the Fundamentals of Aerospace Engineering, Eighth Edition."
She stared at the cover, hardly able to believe it.
"Captain…thank you so much…"
"I'm not done yet."
He held up the acrylic orb containing the rose. He waited to see whether she would recognize what it was. She did.
"This…this is the rose you had the day we first met on the bridge. You were looking for something to keep it in…and it looks like you've found it."
"I did, Himeko. And I'm so glad that you remember it."
"How could I ever forget? It's the most beautiful flower I've ever seen."
"And now it's yours, Himeko. I wanted to give you it ever since that day, but the time never felt right. Until now."
She hesitated before carefully grasping the rose and holding it up to see it better. The vermillion petals were as vibrant as the day she first saw them. Their protective covering would ensure that they would remain that way.
"But it isn't for me, captain. Whoever sent it to you meant them for you alone. Are you absolutely sure about this?"
"As sure as I am about the book you've wanted to read for so long. They're yours and yours alone, Himeko."
She accepted his heartfelt gifts, almost ashamed that he'd gone so far for her. She gently set the rose on the stand that it was meant to rest on so the sphere didn't roll away. Then she opened the book to the front page and began reading the introduction.
"This is what you were going to give me at my house earlier, isn't it?" she asked.
"That's right. And…uh, along with a bottle of your favourite wine, but given the circumstances…"
She laughed. "It's still waiting for me in my house, I'm guessing. Not that it'd be a good idea for me."
"...Himeko…I'm not going to stop you from drinking it. You have the right to live your last year the way you want to. But I'm asking you to please consider your own health first…"
"I know. I promise that I won't go overboard. Not for myself, but for everyone. Kiana, Bronya, and Mei didn't deserve to see me lying in this hospital bed today. I'll make sure they won't again."
He closed his eyes, hearing nothing but the turning of pages. Then, he heard her speak again.
"Captain…is it alright if I say something?"
"Anything you want, Himeko."
She was silent, her eyes shut tight. She seemed to be trying her best to work up her courage to say what she wanted to say.
"It's…it's something I've wanted to say to you for a while now…"
"I look forward to hearing it, Himeko."
She gazed at him, her amber eyes staring into his own. The two of them were nearly like mirror images of the other.
"Captain…I…I l-love how you're always here for me, how you're always willing to listen to me, how you go so far for me…how you were the one who helped me when you found me unconscious…I love what you've done for me, and I love these gifts so much…"
Her words poured out of her faster than she could even think. She hadn't ever said truer words. What she hated was how she was still unable to say what she truly wanted to say, even now.
The captain smiled. He was happy to hear how much he meant to her. He gently placed his hands over hers.
"I know you do, Himeko. I love being with you as well. I love being able to make you feel better. I'll do anything you need."
She smiled again. Then she resumed reading. When she finished the introduction, she turned the page to the first chapter.
"Do you know what would make me even happier, captain? Remember what else we promised to each other back then?" she asked.
"Uh…that we would…"
"...read it together," they both said at the same time before smiling at each other.
"Yes, that's exactly what we agreed to do, Himeko. Nothing would make me happier. I can't promise that I'll understand everything in the book, but I look forward to it all the same."
"Hah! You remind me of myself back when my father used to read it to me. And now it's my turn to explain it all to you, captain," she said with a teasing wink.
With a grin, he moved his chair closer to her and leaned over so he could read the words more easily. Himeko cleared her throat and began reading aloud.
"Chapter One: To Sail the Stars…"
A/N: thanks for reading. This was originally posted to Archive of Our Own.
Happy (late) new year, everyone.
I know this chapter was rather dark and depressing for this fluff series given the lightheartedness of the previous chapters, but I think it's better because of it. I still made sure to include plenty of fluff. I'd already used elements of the fluff series in the main one, so I thought it was about time to do the reverse. If you've read the other series, you probably noticed something strange about the gift the captain gave to Himeko. Hint: it's in the title.
A lot of Himeko's characterization in this chapter was based on Alien Space, which you can read on the official website.
After rereading it, I noticed something interesting in the tenth chapter, which was a scale model of the Hyperion in Ryusuke's room. I'm not sure if he was actually the one who designed it in canon, but I decided to include this detail here in this chapter.
Nokianen/Welt's reaction to the cover of the captain's book is also explained in Alien Space.
Himeko being the Hyperion's original captain isn't actually my headcanon, in fact; it's based on one of Himeko's lines she can say when selected in the selection screen: "话说, 休伯利安号原来的舰长可是我哦."
And if you're waiting for more from the main series, don't worry; I could never forget it. I look forward to a new year of stories with you all.