(Writers note - Don't get me wrong. I love the (unaugmented) Shadow Dash battlesuit. But it's a little... garish aesthetically. I've deviated from canon insomuch as it's described as something more sleek and fitting of a Ninja).

The complete absence of civilisation's many hums and rumbles was unnerving. Like much of the former urban sprawl caught up in the Honkai Eruption the multi-storey shopping mall had been abandoned in haste. Now only long shadows and the spectres of previous violence remained. That and the bones of those who hadn't moved fast enough. Still wrapped in the scraps of clothes that had survived, they were a grim carpet scattered across the dusty floor.

Mei crept along one wall, conscious of each footstep and avoiding the human remains. Though the Honkai Eruption had ended many of the beasts still lingered. She had no desire to awaken a slumbering enemy. Surprisingly the electrics had partially survived. Solar panels on the roof of the mall provided barely enough power to the flickering lighting. The long indoor thoroughfare was flanked with glass shopfronts, many shattered and their contents strewn about. Another testament to the violence that had been visited upon the civilian population.

The black battlesuit allowed Mei to blend even further into her environment. Einstein had informed her that it was woven with complex metamaterials that would further bend light around her as well as "other useful features." It seemed that the scientist had wanted to give Mei her own gift before they parted ways. A counterpart to the battlesuit Tesla had created for Mei. Something sleek and fitting for any Ninja that trusted the shadows.

'That piece of information had better have been worth the price. World Serpent we cannot trust. This source is reliable. Only just.'

The shopping mall was about as far away from the walled heights of civilisation as one could reasonably imagine. Which was why Mei was willing to follow the very tenuous thread. Keen eyes scanning her surroundings, she tried to find any signs of recent inhabitation. Ghosting forward on silent feet Mei came to halt just before the thoroughfare opened into a wide atrium. Small dribbles of water fell from the partially shattered glass roof several stories above. It looked like the atrium had once been a food hall. Most of the chairs and tables were now clustered around the outer wall. Bent in ways only something of nigh-incomprehensible strength could manage. Mei's attention was drawn to the small column of light rising from near one of the piles of tables. Closing her eyes she stilled her breath and tried to listen for anything. Seconds ticked by with only the patter of the falling water for company.

'No Honkai.'

Dr Einstein had warned Mei that water could cause some strange optics with the metamaterials. Blinking twice in quick succession, Mei brought up the augmented reality interface fed to her contacts via the computer built into her battlesuit. She disabled the optical camouflage. Instead Mei relied on her own natural talent and honed skills. Taking a circuitous route, she slowly made her way toward the light source. Once within visual range Mei crouched down beside a bar that had once sold ice-cream and surveyed the scene. A small electrical lantern with solar recharger, sleeping bag, outdoor blanket, plenty of scrounged up supplies and other small nick-knacks.

'No way a civilian would hide out in an area claimed by the Honkai. Maybe it's a Valkyrja gone rogue, someone with military training, maybe Anti-Entropy, or perhaps, just perhaps it's—'

Mei's train of thought was interrupted by a metallic click from above. Hand dropping to her blade, she slowly tilted her head upward. Her eyes came to rest staring into the humming barrel of an ARC Serratus pistol. Swallowing, Mei spread her fingers and lifted them away from the hilt of her weapon. The figure crouched atop the ice cream bar relaxed a fraction. The gun barrel tipped to one side just enough to permit the enemy to look at its prey more closely. Those same hateful golden eyes met Mei's purple-blue own. Mei could never have forgotten them. Soulless. Contemptuous. The pupils an inhuman vertical cross. Mei swallowed and blinked away her fear.

Clear, crystal blue eyes stared at Mei. A pretty face framed with somewhat unkept long white hair. But the joy that had always clung to it was gone. Now there was caution, wariness and pain.

"Kiana," Mei whispered.

The gun barrel wasn't withdrawn. Instead Kiana watched her prisoner carefully. Mei wondered what was taking her so long.

"I can't have you go back to the Hyperion," Kiana finally spoke. "You'll bring them down on me quickly."

"I don't care. I'll stay with you then."

"Not an option," Kiana spat out.

"Kiana please you have to—"

"— I won't kill you. But you won't be able to move for a while. Long enough for me to get away."

The voice that spoke. The way she spoke. The plans Kiana made. They were nothing like Mei remembered. They weren't Kiana. Not the Kiana Mei knew and…

"You don't have to run," Mei pleaded.

She made to stand only to have Kiana level the other Serratus pistol. Shifting back to a crouch Mei pleaded her case.

"Kiana, we're all looking for you. We want to help. Everyone on the Hyperion wants to help you. They want to stop Shicksal."

"Then do it your way. I'll do it mine."

"Otto is looking for you. He has Rita, Durandal and the Immortal Blades tracking your movements. I got here first because of luck and a favour."

"I know. We've crossed paths. I avoided them before and I will again. If necessary I'll kill them."

"No you can't!"

Mei's voice echoed around the empty atrium. Breathing hard, Mei tried to calm her emotions, tried to think things through.

"Kiana, think about what you are saying. You want to face down Shicksal all on your own? Everyone is worried about you. The St Freya staff haven't eaten properly in weeks. Dr Tesla and Dr Einstein risked their lives for you. The Twins simply want to meet the legend. Bronya, even Bronya is distressed."

Kiana shook her head and slowly stood up from where she was crouched atop the ice cream bar. Now in better light Mei could see Kiana was somewhat taking care of herself. She wore jeans, boots, a loose shirt and a dust-stained hoodie. She looked like any other refugee that had fled the Honkai Eruption.

"I'm a danger," Kiana warned. "A danger to everyone. I have to do this my way. I won't hurt my friends anymore."

"It's not like that. We don't think you're a danger. We can work with you. We can support you."

"Tell that to Th... those dead millions"

Those cold words cut deep. Mei exhaled slowly. This bitter Kiana, the fear and anger, they were new to her. But what she was facing right now was also familiar. The stubborn Kiana. The Kiana that was convinced of how right she was. This Kiana would barrel through everyone obstacle until she proved herself right.

'It's time I brought you back down to earth.'

"So that's your final answer?" Mei asked.

"I'm sorry." Kiana levelled her guns. "This will hurt."

"You couldn't even find the courage to say my name," Mei muttered.

Blinking twice Mei brought up the AR interface and highlighted the systems activation. She had been running with only the bare minimum battlesuit systems to hide her presence from any scanning technology. Now the time for subtlety was over.

"Goodbye, M—"

The battlesuit awoke, power flooding through its components, lending strength and speed to Mei. The barrels of both ARC Serratus flared. Even at such close-range Mei was able to judge the angles of both bullets perfectly. The secondary evasion system flared into life. Mei focussed just like Dr Tesla had taught her, drawing on that echo of power that still dwelt within her. She directed the reservoir of Honkai energy through the manifestation coils of the battlesuit. Diving to one side Mei created a shadow clone to leap forward, the doppelganger rushing into the spray of fire. Multiple pistol rounds slammed into the shadow. The construct of Honkai energy paid no mind. Instead it drew a black blade and slashed at Kiana. The Valkyrja retreated with a careful somersault. Mei used the temporary distraction to dash into the shadows. The shadow clone fell apart as the Honkai energy sustaining it ran out. Mei crouched behind the remains of a fountain and listened for her opponent. She didn't dare show her face lest a Serratus round take it clean off.

"I won't hold back," Kiana warned. "If we fight then we go all out."

'Perhaps it is not only physical subtlety that I should discard.'

"How many times did we face each other in the dojo at St Freya's?" Mei called out. "If I recall you never beat me. Actually, that's a lie. You have beaten me once. As a Herrscher."

It pained Mei to hear the sharp inhalation of breath from the person she held most dear. But it had to be said.

"That hurt," Kiana whispered.

"If you're going to fight me then you need to be able to face that pain. I won't hold back either. Do you think I've been sitting on the Hyperion moping around? You're not the only one who has changed."

Mei slowly drew the GodKey from its sheath and directed Honkai from her battlesuit into the weapon. A slow inhale and measured exhale centred the Valkyrja.

'Here I go.'

Mei burst from cover, already watching the lines of fire that she mentally saw sprouting from Kiana's weapons. Feinting left and right, she dodged the bursts of gunfire with near-prescient accuracy. The tile floor was torn up as supersonic rounds shredded everything around Mei. Realising the danger of her rapidly approaching foe, Kiana leapt high into the air and aimed both guns downward, snapping out several rapid shots. Mei redirected Honkai energy from the combat systems into the manifestation coils, evading to one side and sending a shadow clone running the other. Both sprinted across the floor beneath Kiana before going into a sliding crouch and leaping upward. Kiana's response was to use the recoil from her weaponry to adjust her trajectory. Quick bursts sent her flipping through the air before landing on the balcony of the first story.

Sweat trickling down her face, Mei caught her breath. She had managed to avoid being shot. But it was still a struggle.

'Since when was Kiana so accurate? I expected to tangle with her Gun kata. Not try my best to close distance and fail.'

A sonorous ping echoed inside Mei's mind. Her eyes shot upward. Perched on the balcony was Kiana. But she didn't seem well. Her eyes were squeezed shut. A hand was pressed against her head. Between gasps she tried to force her eyes open and watch Mei.

Golden eyes stared down at Mei in pain.

[Well that is interesting]

Mei slowly stood up.

"Stop this, Kiana! You're clearly in pain."

The silver haired girl gave a stubborn shake of her head. Crystal blue eyes watched Mei warily.

"I have to be careful," Mei heard her friend whispering. "She hates her too much."

Kiana stood tall, rolling her shoulders and spinning both pistols in her hands. The air smelled of ozone. Kicking off the balcony railing Kiana soared through the air and directly toward Mei. Mei shifted into a long stance and readied to cut her friend out from mid-air. As Kiana soared the darkness of the shopping complex was briefly lit up. Strange flashes of light and complex fractals washed over the Valkyrja. Mei shielded her eyes against the incandescence. Blinking away the after-images Mei refocused on her foe. Kiana stood before her, but it was a different Kiana, one she wasn't familiar with. A black and white battlesuit, orange strapping and short cloak. What stood out most was Kiana's face. Her right eye was the baleful gold and cross of a Herrscher, matched against her human left.

In a flash Kiana was upon Mei. Two quick kicks followed by gun blasts at point-blank range sent Mei flying. She slammed into a concrete pillar and flopped to the ground. Gasping in pain Mei tried to shake off the daze. A kick under her ribs lifted the Valkyrja into the air before two more gun blasts sent her tumbling into a pile of chairs. Metal limbs and warped surfaces bruised and battered the woman.

Warning lights flashed in Mei's AR interface. The rapid attacks had seriously drained her energy reserves. Another rapid attack like that would exhaust the battlesuits defensive weaves and leave her vulnerable to serious injury. Mei spat blood to one side and considered her next move. Kiana was calmly walking toward her. The onboard computer scanned her opponent for any possible weaknesses or flaws. An Anti-Entropy database article sprung up.

'Battlesuit model unknown. Real-time combat assessment indicates heavy modification of existing metamaterials combined with multi-layer fabric-mesh armour composite. High levels of Honkai energy is channelled through the Valkyrie and infused within the fibres.'

Mei queried the databases recommendations.

'Retreat.'

The Valkyrja shook her head.

'I made a promise. My fourth reason,'

Mei overrode the safety protocols on her battlesuit. Any energy dedicated to defences was redirected to the evasive systems.

One clean shot and Mei was likely dead.

Activating the manifestation coils, Mei kicked off the ground, dashing toward Kiana even as a shadow clone moved for a flank. Kiana's movements were lithe and precise, gun shot after gun matching her opponent, independently targeting either foe. The evasion system flared again, another shadow clone spring in front to shield Mei. Whilst its existence was measured in only seconds the clone's Honkai energy matrix was nigh invulnerable to physical damage. Each Serratus round merely slammed into it before shattering. Using the body shield Mei was able to close the distance with Kiana. Her first slash was enough to have Kiana withdrew a few steps. This gave the shadow clone that had gone on the flank a chance to attack. It appeared from the shadows and attacked with reckless abandon. Kiana kept on the defensive, relying on her kata to slip in and around the attacks, firing back where she could to keep the shadow clone off balance. Mei closed in herself and joined the fray just as both shadow clones disintegrated.

Years of training by Himeko was reflected in the duel. Neither Valkyrja showed any weakness. Neither gave any quarter. Both moved fluidly, both made to trick or feint, both analysed how the other had changed up their fighting style. Kiana with her gun kata snapping from stance to stance, as lethal in melee as she was ranged. Mei with her five slashes techniques, blade moving erratically and seemingly from everywhere at once. Blade and bullet met time and time again.

A puddle of water was the decider. Mei slid under a shot on one knee and made to perform a reverse sheath in Kiana's back. Instead the water carried her too far along. That gap in movement was all that Kiana needed. She twisted to one side and fired off two rounds. Evasion system activating, Mei summoned a fresh shadow clone. Kiana fired another shot. This time the bullet immaterialised just before hitting the clone. Once past the shadow the bullet materialised.

This one hit the right side of Mei's abdomen.