Right first things first, went on a bit of a hiatus there, but I can promise this story has not and will not be abandoned, I've got the sequels planned out and everything, I just need the dedication to typing it all.
That being said I want to say that this arc was something that I was looking forward to a fitting for a while now, I will be adding my own twists to it compared to the cannon version so I hope that you will enjoy it!!
Disclaimer: I don't own any HI3 characters but all OC are mine!!
"Uugghh!!"
The frustrated cry came from none other than the protagonist of our tale Kiana Kaslana whom was seated within the living room of the majors apartment once more competing against Bronya in a series of video games. Not that she was winning any of them in the first place. The silver haired child showed no mercy!! Six games, twenty three losses in and two draws the last two hours alone!! Kiana had finally had enough of such a losing streak, it really took all the fun out of a game when you faced against an immovable mountain right from the start.
Kiana needed to face someone who she had an equal chance of winning against. Under normal circumstances that would have been Mei no offense to the former heiress but she was just terrible at video games, but she was currently out assisting the major while Theresa had left for a mission earlier that morning. That left Kiana, Bronya and surprisingly Fu Hua in the majors place. The class monitor was seated within the living room reading a novel.
"Fu Hua come play with me!!" Kiana shouted in exaggerated childishness that caused both the class monitor and Bronya to scoff.
"Subject Kiana has failed to match up to the Bronya." Bronya spoke up. ' The Bronya pities subject Kiana, she retreats from a beast in order to challenge the monster.' Bronya thought to herself, she too had once made the mistake of challenging Fu Hua to a video game and had lost horribly, her expertise was nothing in the face of the grand Master known as Fu Hua.
She would not correct the Kaslana on her folly however, it would be entertaining to see just how the Kaslana would react once the class monitor utterly destroyed her.
"I suppose I can spare time to play a round or two." Fu Hua said as she placed the book she was reading on the table in front of her and walked over to the two of them.
"Awesome!!" Kiana cried out as she swiftly took the controller from Bronya's hands and handed it to Fu Hua, the class monitor gladly accepting it while Bronya shook her head sideways at Kiana's eagerness.
From the corner of her eyes Kiana noticed Fu Hua roll up the sleeves of her uniform, and for a split second the Kaslana could have sworn she saw two muscular arms with bulging veins holding the controller. She blinked and turned to face the class monitor for a clear look, but Fu Hua's arms seemed to be back to normal. The class monitor turned to the Kaslana with a challenging gaze.
"Are you ready?" Fu Hua asks, snapping the Kiana out of her thoughts of the image she had just seen. She could ponder on that another time.
"Yeah totally!!" Kiana shouted with a smirk of her own as they both turned towards the screen.
What followed next was entertaining for the silver haired sniper. Challenge after challenge for the next thirty minutes, Fu Hua dominated them all, much to the shock of the Kaslana who didn't see it coming. Kiana had tried to spice things up by playing a few different games but Fu Hua's win streak did not end, she kept stacking one victory after another. Kiana eventually decided to give up after losing mote than twenty matches to the class monitor.
"How are you so good at this?! You don't look like the type to play video games at all!!" Kiana shouted as she casted a rather childish glare at the class monitor. Fu Hua simply smiled before speaking.
"And that's the reason why you lost, you underestimated me and thought I was a beginner." Fu Hua said with a somewhat taunting tone in her voice, "I don't indulge in video game entertainment often but I do enjoy myself when I do." The class monitor went on to add.
"Subject Kiana load because she has no experience with video games." This was Bronya's way of say she sucked and Kiana knew it.
"Not my fault, never really indulged in video games, I'm more of an arcade kind if person." Kiana explained, she remembered going to the arcade with Kasumi and the other children in the orphanage from time to time when she managed to make a large enough saving.
She would have bought a console for the orphanage but Mrs.Ryuuki had shut that idea down saying that it would bring more trouble than it was worth. Something that Kiana now understood.
"There's an Arcade in Soukai City you know, you should visit it some time." Fu Hua suggested causing Kiana to him in thought.
Despite having been attending St.Freya for almost a year now Kiana had never really given herself the time to truly explore they city beyond the school walls, the main reasonable that being she had been behind the rest of her class scholar wise and had dedicated her time to catching up. Then there was the extra study sessions she was taking with Fu Hua and her own training sessions that she did late at night. Even her weekends were carefully planned out in order to maximize her mental and physical growth as a valkyrie.
As a result the only times she really left the school ground was when she was shopping for groceries or other items that she would need for one reason or another.
"Maybe you're right, I haven't really taken the time to explore the city since I came here." Kiana said as she leaned back into the couch.
"You've been working hard to catch up, and now keep up, with the rest of the class. But even a seasoned valkyrie could use a break every now and then." Fu Hua advised, she had seen first hand just how much Kiana had improved her academic scored in the last few months, she was a hard worker who put effort into whatever she set her mind to.
The class monitor was also aware of Kiana's rigorous training hours outside of school hours. It was more than what any student in St.Freya did on their own. The effort Kiana was putting showed that she was aiming to excel, if she hadn't already, but it also proved that the Kaslana was holding back in combat classes.
"Class monitor is correct, subject Kiana should refrain from overworking herself." Bronya said as she lowered the homu comic she was reading slightly to cast a gaze towards the Kaslana.
Like the class monitor she too was aware of how much Kiana studied and trained. It had pushed the silver haired sniper to start doing more training of her own, and had even affected Mei to an extent.
"Okay, I get it. I'll take a look around the city at the earliest convenience." Kiana relented, but both Bronya and Fu Hua knew this wouldn't be the last time they talked about this. If there was one thing Kiana seemed adamant about if was training hard to get stronger.
"Good." Hua said with a nod as she pushed up her glasses with her I sex finger. "We can organize it on a day we're both free so I can give you a proper tour of the city." The class monitor added.
"That would be great!" Kiana suddenly shouted in excitement, causing both Fu Hua and Bronya to look towards the Kaslana with a raised eyebrow. The Kaslana quickly took note of her error and was quick to amend, "I-I mean that w-would be nice." The Kaslana added as she sat back down with her cheeks glowing red from embarrassment.
The class monitor and silver haired hacker turned towards each other with curious glances before simply shrugging. If Kiana was eager to explore the city then who were they to question her.
The living room door was suddenly slammed open before conversations could pick up once more. Mei came running through breathing heavily, hair looking a bit disgruntled and a panicked expression on her face as she looked around the room.
"Mei!!" Kiana shouted as she stood up swiftly and made her way towards the former heiress, Bronya and Fu Hua right behind her. "What's wrong?"
The heiress took a moment to catch her breath as well as find a way to break the news.
"The principal….she just returned from her mission."
~~~
News of Theresa's condition had apparently spread around the school like a wild fire. Nobody really knew what happened other than the fact the principal had returned from her mission unconscious and had not been responding to normal waking methods. When Mei delivered the knew Kiana ran out of the apartment without waiting to hear the rest of it, sprinting well ahead the rest of her friends and making a beeline for the medical wing of St.Freya. She would hear it later when she was sure okay.
"Aunt Teri!!" Kiana shouted as she barged into the room she had been told Theresa was in, almost ripping the door from its hinges from how hard she tried to open it. In fact Himeko, who had already been inside the room, visibly clinched as she heard a few squeaks. No doubt something would need to be replaced soon.
"A little easy on the furniture there sugar, the schools funds is already going dry as it is." Himeko said with a deadpan as she tried to break the ice. Her comment went unheard as Kiana simply walked past the redhead major and towards the bed in which the unconscious principle lay.
Himeko would have reprimanded Kiana for blatantly ignoring her if not for the rather concerned expression she had on her face as she gazed at Theresa's sleeping for. If Theresa could see the girl now the principal would feel even worse over the confusion she held. At the end of the day the Kaslana was still just a child, regardless of her origins.
"What happened to her? How long has she been like this?" The Kaslana asked as she visually examined the principal, nothing seemed to be wrong with her. Her chest was moving up and down, showing that she was breathing, and she didn't look to have any injuries that were visible to the naked eye. Perhaps it was something psychological.
It was at this moment that the others arrived in the room, Mei looking like she was on the verge collapsing from running to and from. Fu Hua offered apologies for the delay but the major brushed her off before answering Kiana's question, at least she wouldn't have to explain things twice now.
"We're not exactly sure ourselves. Doctors say that she's physically stable and that everything checks out. However they did notice something that was more than a little strange." Himeko said as she walked over to the bed Theresa was on, Kiana moving to the side to give the major space.
The major shifted Theresa so the principal was sleeping on her stomach rather than her back before pulling up her hair. There the students in the room easily saw a stigmata at the back of her neck in the shape of three magatama marks.
"Is that a…." Fu Hua started as her eyes widened. As far as She, and those who were aware of Theresa's origins, knew the principal only had the Kaslana stigma on her person as a result of the blood flowing through her veins. This was most certainly not a Kaslana stigma
"Yes, it's a natural stigma." Himeko said with a frown as she wondered just what kind of joke fate was playing on her. The mission to Shenzhou in search for her to acquire a natural stigma had ended in a bust, though they still came with a divine key. And now weeks later Theresa came from a mission with one on her.
"I'm not exactly sure, but doesn't one have to be born with a Natural stigma instead of receiving. Isn't that why most valkyrie receive artificial stigma?" Mei questioned as she looked at the stigma, Bronya who was beside her had already pulled out a data pad and was going through some stuff the heiress couldn't quite understand.
"Da, stigma serve as an archive of genetic data that can be passed from on generation to the next through bloodlines. Over time they accumulate more data and thus more power. It's because of this that stigma such as those of the Kaslana lineage and Schariac lineage are powerful seeing as they have been present a long time." Bronya explained as she didn't even look up from her data pad.
Kiana couldn't help but think about what this meant for her seeing as she possessed both stigma on her person. As far as She knew the Kaslana stigma has existed since the previous era, making it possibly the oldest and strongest stigma of the modern era. Then there was the Schariac stigma, she wasn't quite sure how long it had existed since she wasn't quite aware of the of how long it had been there. But if she assumed it came around the time Schicksal was founded then that was a good six to seven hundred years.
"That still doesn't explain how the principal came to be in possession of a foreign natural stigma." Fu Hua spoke up as she rubbed her chin in thought.
"That's because it's not a natural stigma." Kiana spoke up with a frown as she folded her arms in front of her.
"What do you mean? This is clearly a stigma." Himeko said as she gestured to the stigma on the principal.
"It's a Herrscher stigma, similar to the one that Mei has on her left thigh, just different in nature." Kiana spoke up, surprising those that were in the room. She had long since sensed the Herrscher energy that was following within the principal, but she couldn't feel the Herrscher core within her. "But she doesn't have a core, at least from what I can tell, you'd have to have medics actually check for that. But there's no doubt of the Herrscher energy flowing through her."
"The Bronya has done a diagnosis and has concluded the principal is not likely to wake anytime soon due to the stigma." Bronya said as she finally looked up from the data tab in her hands.
"Do you mind explaining further." Fu Hua requested as everyone else present payee attention to the silver haired girl.
"The Bronya has detected numerous spikes in psychological and mental spikes within the principal, and yet no outward action has taken place. Thus meaning the principal is most likely within the data space of the stigma." Bronya explained.
"That's not good." Kiana said as the knot in her stomach just became that much tighter, no matter how she tried to look at it the principal was in real danger.
"Something you want to tell us Kiana?" The major said with a stern expression, she had been watching Kiana throughout Bronya's explanation and had seen a look of realization and dread that came over her by the end of it.
"If Aunt Teri is actually within the stigma realm, then this could mean serious trouble. I'm no expert but most Herrscher awakenings usually come with a second persona that intends to destroy humanity on behalf of the Honkai, right?" Kiana said earning nods from everyone in the room as they wondered where the Kaslana was going with this, "Then there's a high chance that Aunt Teri may encounter the Herrscher of this stigma within the stigma realm?" Kiana asked as she watched the same look of realization come on the faces of those present. Fu then spoke up
"High, if it really is a Herrscher stigma…"
"Which I'm sure it is."
"…then we need to act fast. The longer we wait the more at risk the principal will be." Fu Hua said as she cast a glance at Kiana for the interruption, the Kaslana had the decency to at least look embarrassed.
"The Bronya does have a solution. It will only be a moment." Bronya said before darting out of the room, leaving everyone else looking at each other for answers before they all just shrugged and waited for the silver haired girl.
"Kiana." Mei called out breaking the silence in the room, the Kaslana turned towards the former heiress, "I wanted to ask how it is you know so much about the stigma data space, and why you refer to it as the 'stigma realm'?" The heiress asked.
Himeko and Fu Hua had both noticed the same thing. However the redhead had opted to question the Kaslana about it after the whole crisis was over. But now that it was out there…
"Well…" Kiana dragged nervously as she knew she had cornered herself. She couldn't tell them everything though, "I've had a few experiences with my Kaslana stigma since awakened." She responded sheepishly as she rubbed the back of her head.
"Why is this the first we're hearing about this?" Himeko asked with a frown. This girl would honestly be the death of her, something as big having your consciousness dragged into the stigma space was a pretty big deal.
"Well it's like Bronya said, stigma are an archive of genetic data. With the Kaslana stigma having data of the Kaslana before me. Besides thus far I've only been using it to further myself in the family arts since my old man didn't finish training me." Kiana said. The message was clear, it had been a family matter and she hadn't been doing anything dangerous.
Before any more words could be exchanged the door to the room opened as Bronya walked back in with a slightly large box in her hands. The major cast a glance at Kiana that told the Kaslana the conversation was not yet over. Placing the box on the table the silver haired girl then went on to pull out two Homu headsets from it.
"What are those?" Fu Hua asked as Mei and Kiana's eyes seemed to light up in recognition.
"Aren't those the same headsets we use to do VR studying from time to time?" Mei questioned, as Kiana nodded her head in agreement. The three of them used these whenever they wanted to review historical topics on Schicksal and the honkai in general.
"Da, the Bronya has readjusted them so they allow us to link up to the stigma's native data space. Entering the stigma space will allow us to find the principal and hopefully pull her out the data space before her mind is assimilated." Bronya said with her usual indifference as everyone around her gained a slightly worried expression at being reminded just how dire the situation was, "The Bronya only has two headsets, meaning only two individuals may enter the data space. The Bronya will have to monitor readings from both the principal and those who enter, additional assistance may be required."
"Bronya, I know I don't say this enough, but you are awesome!!" Kiana exclaimed with a grin. She doubted there were many people that could come up with a solution as quickly.
"The Bronya knows." The silver haired girl replied with a small smirk visible on her lips, the response prompting everyone chuckle.
"Alright back to business. Kiana will be one of those to go, for obvious reasons." Himeko called out sternly as she eyed the Kaslana who nodded her head in understanding, she was the only one in the room to have entered a stigma data space. "That being said she one of you needs to go with her and the other has to stay with Bronya. I'd help if I could but I have to make sure the news of the bedridden principal doesn't cause a panic in the school."
"I'll accompany Kiana." Fu Hua offered as pushed up her glasses. Her reasons for doing this were double layered of course. While she did want to save the principal from the current predicament she was in, this was also the perfect opportunity to gather more information on Kiana to report back to Otto.
"Then I'll be staying with Bronya and keep things under control from this side." Mei said with a smile and a nod as Kiana moved to receive a headset from Bronya before passing it Fu Hua and then taking the next one for herself.
"Good, I'll try to get back as fast as I can." Himeko said as she made her way out the door seeing that the kids had begun to take action. She couldn't help but be proud of them in that moment, they had reacted faster than the medical team of the Far East branch could. If they continued to grow at this rate then they would make it far as valkyrie.
"The Bronya will remain in contact with Kiana-san and the Class Monitor through this terminal." Bronya explained.
"Something tells me that this is going to be far from easy." Fu Hua muttered as she took a nearby with Kiana mimicking her action and taking the seat next to hers. The Kaslana grinned at the class monitors words.
"Come on Fu Hua where's your sense of adventure? We just go in there, kick some butt and bail the principal out." Kiana said kicked with a grin as Fu Hua shook her head at the Kaslana's simplistic view. But the class monitor knew Kiana was taking this just as seriously as she was. The class monitor simply nodded her head with a smile at the enthusiasm displayed by her snow haired comrade.
"Do you have any idea what we should expect?" The class monitor asked Kiana. The Kaslana shook her head sideways.
"No clue. This would be my first time exploring a stigma other one of my own. But it will likely be different seeing as we'll be experiencing recreations of memories within the stigma itself." Kiana responded to which Fu Hua nodded her head in understanding.
The Kaslana had tried a few times over the past few months to access the stigma realm of her Schariac stigma, but she hadn't had much luck in that front. Not even Aunt Kallen had been able to help her on the matter. Ironically she could still partially activate the stigma just like she could the Kaslana stigma, she just couldn't enter the data space of the Schariac stigma. Eventually she just gave up and decided if it was to happen then it would happen naturally.
"Understood." Fu Hua said, basically they were going in blind and caution was going to be the name of their game. "Alright Bronya I think we're ready." The class monitor said as she leaned back into her seat, Kiana also nodding her head as she did the same.
"Affirmative, your objective is to live the principal and pull her out of the data space be far she is assimilated." Bronya said as both Kiana and Fu Hua nodded their heads while securing the headsets.
"Please be careful…" Mei said sorry my with concern as Bronya started up the device and both Kiana's and Fu Hua's bodies went limp and their a eyes closed.
'Tch…' the voice of the herrscher suddenly boomed from within the mind of the heiress. Mei didn't know what had prompted her destructive counter part to speak up now but she would rather not deal with this now when she had three people she cared about in danger.
'What do you want?' The heiress mentally asked the herrscher.
'Here you are again, standing on the sidelines while those you love constantly throw themselves into danger.' The third herrscher spoke with distaste audible in her voice, Mei flinched slightly at the reprimanding tone and the disappointment that it held.
'It was agreed that they would go. I would have gone myself if asked to." Mei defended herself. Of course she would have, they were her friends.
'Don't give me that, I can understand Kiana, but the monitor simply asserted herself, yet you hesitated. Because at the end of the day you are a coward, weak.' The Herrscher said coldly, the last words stinging Mei mod than they were supposed to.
'I-I'm not that weak girl from before anymore!' Mei tried to argue, but the doubt within her voice was clear even to her. The heiress had no doubt that she had grown over her time at St.Freya, which was nearing two years now. But was that level of growth really enough to make a difference?
'I'll believe it when you actually do something that is worth my attention. Until then get off your butt and be more assertive in your decisions, I will not be seen with a weak vessel.' The third herrscher said sternly.
'It almost sounds like you're trying to encourage me?' Mei questioned cautiously, she didn't want to somehow offend her counterpart with that comment, but she also wanted to be aware of where she stood with the herrscher within her.
'Despite your beliefs on me, I'm actually on your side human.' The herrscher retorted, she had been born from Mei's desire and intentions after all. It would only make sense that they had similar goals.
'And yet every time you awaken, there is destruction and death at my feet.' Mei shot back with confidence she didn't know she had.
'You forget that you wanted the people of Nagazora gone. You wanted the pain, discrimination and violence to end. I was born from those desires and the anger and hatred you buried deep inside you. I simply acted on what you wanted and gave you the freedom you sought. Without me you wouldn't be here right now, you would still be in Nagazora being ostracized, being made into an outcast."
Mei couldn't find it in her to argue the last point of the herrscher. She was right to an extent, were it not for re third eruption Mei would have never found herself being transferred to the Far East branch, she would never have made the friends she has now and would still be suffering for the fake accusations on her father in Nagazora.
'I'll take your silence as agreement. And before you accuse me of death and destruction, remember who it was that saved you and you friends during the recent attack.' The herrscher continued upon seeing that her host would not be responding.
'Kiana told me about that…' Mei conceded, she had been surprised when the Kaslana came to her telling the heiress that her herrscher counter part had protect Bronya and Fu Hua from the attack against the herrscher clone and prevented the heiress from being kidnapped. 'Thank you for that….' She didn't know how to address her herrscher counter part, simply calling her herrscher would depreciate the value of the apology all together.
'…Empress.'
'Excuse me?'
'Empress, that's the name that was supposedly…given to me.' The herrscher within her replied, and Mei could have sworn that Empress actually sounded embarrassed. The name in itself was not bad, it actually held a lot of power to It, a fitting name for the 'Queen of Thunder'.
'By who?' The heiress asked, this had to have been a recent as her herrscher counter part had made no attempt to correct the way that she had addressed her before.
'That is none of your concern. You have your friends and I have mine.' Empress said with a huff, before scoffing as she realized that she had more or less just called the snow haired Kaslana her friend when they barely even knew each other. 'Anyways, your welcome. Just make sure you step up to the plate of being my host. I won't have my reputation tarnished by your incompetence.'
Before Mei could even respond to that last sentence the connection between her and the herrscher was cut, as Empress returned to slumber within the depths of her mind. She had learned a fair bit about her counter part today, there was apparently more to her than meets the eye. She still didn't trust the herrscher, she couldn't afford to if she wanted to endure that she didn't hurt those close to her, but to Mei Empress seemed just a little bit more human to her.
"Mei-neesama." Bronya suddenly called out pulling the heiress from her train of thoughts. She couldn't help but blush from embarrassment at being caught distracted during such a crisis.
"Y-yes Bronya, do you need something?" Mei asked ready to help in any way that she could.
"Nyet. But the Bronya advises Mei-neesama to sit down. The Bronya will monitor the conditions of the principal, Class monitor and Kiana-san." Bronya said as she continued to plug away at the data pad.
"Okay then, Just let me know if I can do anything to help." Mei said as she took a seat on a free chair. She couldn't help but wonder if Empress, it still felt weird to address her herrscher counter part with a name, had actually been correct. Perhaps she could stand to be a bit more assertive in her decisions. But for now there was no point in being stubborn, even she could see that it would be counter productive to what they were trying to achieve.
~~~
When Kiana and Fu Hua eventually made it across the initialization process of the stigma data space the two of them landed on what appeared to be a shrine ground. But what they saw around them wasn't truly what they were expecting. The shrine in itself was in ruins with various buildings and trees all around them lit ablaze in flames and reduced to nothing but ruins of various shapes.
"Well this is different." Kiana couldn't help but mutter as she looked around. It truly was different from the meadow in which Aunt Kallen lived in, for one this stigma recreation was much larger in size as Kiana could see the entire destroyed and burning village from where she was standing.
"To think that a stigma could contain all of this." Fu Hua said as she gazed at all the carnage and destruction that was around them, "What on earth happened here?"
"I don't know, but I have a bad feeling we're going to find out one way or another." Kiana responded grimly, they were dealing with something powerful if it could cause this much destruction to the land scape. Could this be the work of the herrscher within the stigma realm.
"Class monitor, Kiana san." A window suddenly popped up in front of the two valkyrie, with Bronya within a square on It, "The Bronya has detected no sign of the principal within this sector of the stigma space. You will need to move onto the next one. The Bronya will direct you to the waypoint to get there."
"Understood." Fu Hua responded with a nod, the sooner they got out of here the better. She didn't want to be here when whatever cause thus destruction returned.
"Yeah, let's get…" Kiana froze mid sentence as her gaze landed upon a collapsed individual on the ground amidst the flames…someone that she knew very well. "The hell is she doing here?!!"
Fu Hua followed Kiana's gaze as the Kaslana shot off towards the fallen figure. Fu Hua had no knowledge of the importance this held to Kiana by she was just as surprised when she saw just whom it was. After all what decent Schicksal valkyrie wouldn't know Kallen Kaslana when they saw her. Though Fu Hua had to admit her resemblance to the principal was somewhat astonishing to say the least.
"Oh my gosh Au-!!" Kiana had to catch herself from say 'Aunt Kallen' for two reasons.
One, nobody was supposed to know the legendary Kaslana was alive within the Kaslana stigma and that includes Fu Hua who was with her now, and two, the Kallen bleeding on the ground couldn't possibly be the same one that had trained the young Kaslana in their family arts. She was most likely a recreation of the stigma that they were in.
But that just brought about a whole new set of questions!!
Such as who's memories were within this stigma?!!
"Are you alright?!!" Kiana shouted swiftly in order to cover up her slip up, she hoped that Fu Hua wouldn't pick up on her slip, and if she did that the class monitor would think nothing of it. "What happened to this place?!! What attacked You?!!" Kiana asked as Kallen slowly opened her eyes and began coughing up blood.
"A demon….a manifestation of the honkai." Kallen wheezed out as she let out another series of pained coughs, "It…came from the….please…save her."
"Save your energy." Fu Hua said to the elder Kaslana, though she knew the elder Kaslana would still die soon. The Kallen before her was nothing but bits of code, yet it was still somber to watch a legend die.
"You two look like warriors, please…" Kallen spoke as she lifted her hand and pressed it on Kiana's chest, "…if you find a miko with cherry hair….give this to her."
"The data space is collapsing. The Bronya will have to forcibly move you to the next sector"
Before Kiana or Bronya could say another word to Kallen the world around the began to fall away into pixels of data. By the time it reconstructed they were no longer within the burning ruins of the village but were within a forest with the sun high in the sky marking just around midday. It took a few seconds for them to realize that they a few meters above ground before the two fell towards the ground. Fu Hua was quick to right her decent and managed to do what Kiana would call a superhero landing, unfortunately the Kaslana was not quite as fast and landed on her bottom.
"Ow, damn it. A little warning would have been nice Bronya!!" Kiana shouted in annoyance as she stood up and rubbed her bottom.
"Apologies. The Bronya had to move the two of you quickly before the stigma sector collapsed, so it was urgent."
"Don't worry Bronya you're fine." Fu Hua said with a chuckle as Kiana grumbled some incoherent words.
"You can say that since you…Woah!!" The words suddenly died in Kiana's throat causing the class monitor to turn towards the Kaslana in confusion to see what caused such a reaction.
Only to see that Kiana was looking at her. But it was the way she was looking at the class monitor that confused Fu Hua. The Kaslana was looking at her with eyes wide like a deer in headlights and the Class Monitor could gave sworn she saw her cheeks flushing pink as well.
"What is it?" Fu Hua asked becoming a little self-conscious with the way that the Kaslana was looking at her.
"It looks like out clothing changed with entering the stigma data space." Kiana pointed out with a small blush as she pointed at the class monitor.
It was only then that Fu Hua noticed that Kiana's clothing had indeed changed. The Kaslana was dressed in what was clearly Japanese style of clothing with her color scheme of white silver and yellow. The attire she had on was one that Fu Hua would have associated with a wondering swordsman from long ago, she even had a double edged sword strapped to her back to complete the attire. As for Fu Hua, her attire was more Chinese. A dark blue kimono that brought out her figure and went down to her knees, it had sky blue linings that decorated It, and the Class monitors hands were covered in white bandages from her fingers to half way through to her elbow. Surprisingly her usual ponytail had come undone and this her hair had fallen freely all the way down to her thighs.
"So it did." The class monitor commented as she inspected herself.
"I didn't know that your hair was that long." Kiana commented with a minor blush. She had to admit that Fu Hua actually looked a lot better with her hair down, it made her look more serene and attractive to the Kaslana.
...yes Kiana admitted that she found Fu Hua to be attractive.
The young Kaslana had long since cone to terms with the fact that her feelings towards the class monitor were more than just platonic. Perhaps it was the numerous, maybe it was the hours they spent together during Hua's tutoring sessions or maybe it was just spending time with the class monitor in general. But knew the way she felt around Fu Hua was different from how she felt around anyone else. That being said she had only just begun to explore these feelings and so it wasn't like she was head over heels in love or anything.
"I prefer to keep it tied up so it doesn't accidentally get in the way. It's just more organized that way." The class monitor responded.
"You should let it down once in a while, it really looks good on you." Kiana said as she turned around in order to avoid Fu Hua seeing the blush that was on her face, and unfortunately in so doing missed the blush that grew on Fu Hua's.
"The Bronya advises that you not waste time. There seem to be traces of Theresa within the sector, so get looking."
"Don't worry Bronya we're on it." Fu Hua said as she shook her head sideways to quell the heat emanating from her cheeks, she hoped that Bronya had not been listening in on their conversation, and that if she had the silver haired valkyrie would at least keep quite.
"Speaking of moving, I just remembered that Kallen gave me something before Bronya moved us here." Kiana said as she held out her hand, showing a golden crucifix that hung in the air as she held it by the chain.
"Who do you think she was referring to when she said to give this to a miko?" Fu Hua asked, as she inspected the object.
"No clue, to be honest I'm surprised it even stuck with us after moving to this sector of the data space." Kiana said as she shrugged her shoulders.
"Just hold onto it for now, looking for the principal should be our top priority for the time being." Fu Hua said to which Kiana nodded as she tucked the object away. The Kaslana couldn't help but feel this object would play a key role in their adventure here. "The best thing to do now is to look for a by sign of civilization nearby. I can see a river close, we'll be most likely to find a town or village if we follow it."
Kiana nodded her head in agreement as she spotted the river Fu Hua was talking about. And so the two of them began to walk along the river bank. It didn't take long until a village cane into sight.
"Hey Fu Hua look! There's a town just up ahead." Kiana said excitedly as she pointed to the village that was indeed visible to the eye not too far away within the hills of the riverbank.
Fu Hua nodded as the two of them continued to make their way down the river while keeping the village in sight.
'To think a stigma could hold this much data. It's simply amazing' The class monitor thought to herself as they approached the edge of the forest. The recreational imaging within the stigma space was sharper than any simulation that the class monitor had ever been in. She doubted Schicksal had the technology to create simulations this realistic.
As the two of them exited the forest and entered the clearing that was much closer to the village their eyes unexpectedly fell onto an individual who happened to be passing by.
Said individual was a young woman in her early twenties with sakura pink hair and fair skin. She was dressed in the white and red robes of a miko. Upon noticing their presence the woman turned to them curiously as she undoubtedly didn't recognize either of them.
'Could this be the miko that Kallen was talking about?' Kiana wondered as she instinctively clutched the crucifix in her pocket.
"Oh my, I didn't expect to see travelers." The miko said in slight wonder as she looked both Kiana and Fu Hua, "You must have travelled quite a long journey if you have made it all the way here."
"We've been travelling for quite a few weeks, though we're not exactly familiar with this region." Fu Hua said, "We got a bit lost through the woods and were separated from a friend, seeing your village in honestly a relief."
Kiana was honestly surprised at how quickly Fu Hua had gotten into the act of things. But the Kaslana suppos3d that had to do with her experience as a valkyrie. One thing that she had learnt since joining Schicksal was that honkai wasn't the only adversary that Schicksal fought, the recent encounter with AE was a good example of that, but that they also clashed with humanity itself from time to time.
"The friend is slightly younger and smaller than us and has white hair and sky blue eyes. Probably a bit loud and obnoxious too. You wouldn't happen to have seen her would You?" Kiana asked after a suggestive cough from Fu Hua.
"No I don't think I have." The miko said after a few seconds of thought, "I was just heading down to the river to investigate some strange activity that the villagers reported. Feel free to come along, perhaps you will find you friend there."
"If it's not too much trouble." Fu Hua said to which the miko shook her head sideways with a small smile.
"Its no trouble." The miko responded before her eyes widened slightly, "Oh, forgive my manners, my name is Yae Sakura, and I'm the miko of Yae Village."
'So it is her…' Kiana thought as she glanced at Fu Hua only for their eyes to meet. It seemed the same thought had crossed the mind of the class monitor. But Kiana wasn't prepared when she heard the familiar voice within her speak inside her head.
"Sakura…"
Authors Notes:
Alright and that's a wrap for the opening of this arc, honestly I intend to make this two to three more chapters longer from this point depending on how inspired I am with the whole loop conspiracy of the Sakura Samsara.
There was a bit of fluff in that Chapter, nothing major but just enough to garner interest I hope.
There will be a bit of confusion in the next Chapter considering the Kallen trapped in Kiana's stigma and the one recreated by the memories within the herrscher stigma but rest assured that I already have a means to differentiate them.
That being said, with the original Kallen still being alive within the Kaslana stigma I wonder how many of you can actually guess how this will end.
I will give a shout out to whoever figures that out!!
