Chapter 11: Footprints.
It was the warmth that pulled her back into reality.
Creeping over her skin and flesh was a warmth Sirin familiar with both in this life and before. It danced on her exposed skin and leaving a soothing sensation of a promised comfort, of baked cookies and sweet warm milk along with the soft smell of papers courtesy of a book held by a pair of lithe but strong hands on her lap.
The words didn't make sense to her then little self and thus her memory recalled nothing but jumbled scribbling in her head. But anything else was crystal clear to her. The taste of sweet she munched in her mouth, the sound of snow gently falling to the ground from the trees and rooftop, and the crackle of firewood in the fireplace.
She remembered that warmth. The way that burning ember swayed back and forth as her golden eyes watched the woods being broken down into charcoals, pulsating with hot red pulses as the last of its fuel being used. Sirin stared in fascination as her little mind struggled to understand the how because like any other five year old everything was fascinating for her.
"Ma?" Sirin called out then, and the voice she vaguely remembered paused from reading the content of the book laid open on her lap. Somehow it made Sirin sad but she didn't remember feeling that way.
"Yes, honey?"
A pair of wide golden eyes blinked, almost entranced by the fire raging before her. She felt one of those hands went to her hair and caressed the purple mane, making her snuggled back instinctively.
"Why's fire hot?"
A hum, soft and melodic Sirin could see the smile accompanying it. "Why, of course it is"
"But why? How do I know it was hot if I never actually touch it?"
"But you feel the warmth this far, no?"
Sirin scrunched her face and nodded. "I do but it's not enough proof to... ah... conclude... that fire is hot because sometimes things are not what they seem. Or feel"
Her mother chuckled fondly and Sirin looked up, only to feel a slight dismay when all she saw was a shadowy smile as usual. But she smiled back nonetheless.
"You are right in that regard. Things are often not what they actually are. Oftentimes we need to delve further into them to understand how they truly are. But, darling, there is also common sense"
"Common sense?"
"Yes. Common sense is a knowledge shared by the entirety of humankind as a basis of society. A culmination of thousands of years of evolutions and growths. You see, when someone helps you, what do you say to that someone?"
"Thank you!" Sirin replied enthusiastically and giggled when she felt those hands embraced her.
"My daughter is so clever!" Her mother began to tickled her sides and Sirin couldn't help but try to wiggle free from the hug all the while laughing and giggling. After some time, her mother dragged her back to sit her on her lap again. "That is an example of common sense. You do not have to be told to know what's right and good"
"So, everyone knows fire is hot even though not everyone has tried to touch fire? What if someone lied about common sense?"
"Common sense is the truth of mankind, darling, because in it is where humanity finds its inner nature. Fire is hot to touch thus dangerous, the knowledge then gets passed down to others. It is there we realize we are social creature and cannot thrive on our own"
"What does social creature mean?"
"It means no man or woman can live alone forever without others to help them"
Sirin frowned, an adorable little expression on her equally little face. "But... We're living alone?"
As soon as the words left her mouth, Sirin regretted it when the smile on her barely recognizable mother's face disappeared. It was another memory Sirin couldn't fully recall because her mother was always shine and smile even in the harshest of day. At least until...
Until...
"Until you couldn't smile no more..."
"... sorry?"
Sirin blinked and inhaled sharply when she felt the tears prickling her vision. Her mother said something again but Sirin merely shook her head when none of her words registered. It was one of the signs this sweet dream was about to end so Sirin simply smiled back, trying— and failing— to commit her mother's face into her memory. "No, it's nothing. Something got into my eyes"
The air stilled. The crackled of the burning firewood went silent and the ever raging blizzard outside stopped altogether. Sirin sighed, putting a foot to the cold floor and standing up from the empty chair. A final look to her long lost house was all she gave before she resigned to reality, vaguely feeling the warmth creeping on her skin once more.
It was always like this. Whenever she started to function her dreams would escape her, cutting short the conversation she had with her late mother. She knew it was all a dream but as a girl who grew up around her mother only, she was her only anchor to Earth until she was eventually ripped away from her.
But it was alright. This dream meant she was alright, somewhat, and well. It was probably her subconsciousness that made it possible because it was a fixed occurrence. If she dreamt good, then it was a good day.
Sirin huffed, her now taller stature and white hair swayed back and forth behind her as she walked to the exit, something she remembered with a crystal clear clarity with how often she sneaked out to play in the snow when her mother was not looking in occasions she was too preoccupied to join her. Another fond memory she still cherished, no matter how damaged it was now with missing details.
Her hand reached for the knob, feeling the usual coldness on the brass, but before she could turn it open a voice called out to her from behind and Sirin instantly stopped, eyes wide.
This had never happened before.
"Mama is not alone because Mama has Sirin" The voice said and slowly, very slowly Sirin turned around to see her mother sitting on the usually empty chair. This time she could see her face clearly. Not the sick, wrinkled and sunken of the dying but the gentle and beautiful woman she grew up with. The firewood glowed and cascaded her mother's auburn hair with a soft light and her golden eyes Sirin inherited seemed to shine from it in the inside.
Sirin's lips quivered, wanting to dash to the embrace she knew always awaited her but found her feet rooted to the spot instead. She tried to make a distressed noise for her mother to come but the woman shook her head sadly, a smile so somber Sirin never wanted to see on her face adorning her normally cheerful visage. "But Mama will not always be with Sirin even if Mama wishes to. But Sirin must not afraid, for there's someone out there who will be with Sirin as long as Sirin wishes"
"But all I want is you!" Sirin managed to scream amidst the suffocating feeling in her chest. The tears she held fell unbridled to the cold wooden plank below her until it was a steady trickle. "Please, Mama is all I want!"
"You have Mamas now, Sirin. Me and Cecilia"
"But—"
"She loves you as much as I do and she gave you what I couldn't ever give"
"What does she have to give you don't?!" Sirin was aghast, in her mind there was nobody better than her mother. Everything she gave her was the best she could ask for so how could a woman who was a stranger to her be better?
But her mother knew, and Sirin knew too deep down. The smile on her mother's face was the one Sirin cherished the most, big and genuine and always knowing. It was the same smile her mother gave her now and suddenly Sirin was ashamed to herself for denying it.
"She gave you Kiana"
The words felt like a splash of cold water on her skin, robbing all sense of warmth and replacing it with shame and regret. She had, she did and would keep denying Kiana the truth of their relationships if this were to continue because she was afraid of what it entailed. Her mother knew, even when she was nothing but a filament of Sirin's own imagination.
Her fingers reached for the knob again, squeezing it so hard her knuckles turned white. But Sirin didn't hesitate when she twisted it, nor did she when she pushed it open and ready for the cold and harsh outside world. This had been nothing but a fleeting comfort brought upon by her mind and she understood that.
Didn't mean she didn't get to like it, this ghostly image of her past.
"Ich liebe dich, Mama"
Sirin never had this dream again after that.
The warmth crept over her exposed skin like a Summer breeze, soothing her sore muscles and weary bones as if a loving caress of a mother to her child. Sirin's eyelids were burning from its source, forcing the girl to groan in both annoyance and discomfort as she stirred awake from her slumber.
Her movements were slow and sluggish, as if the action of rolling to her back was performed under water. That added with the fact searing white pain kept flaring from her right foot every time she tried to move the limb made her very delicately settled back to her position on the sofa.
Sirin was lying on a sofa, under an unfamiliar ceiling, an equally unfamiliar fireplace by her side, and a more unfamiliar surrounding. To say this was an unfamiliar place would be repetitive at this point but everything about this was unfamiliar the only thing keeping Sirin from going into a wary fit was the single fact whoever it was that took them in was kind enough to make her comfortable —the heavy blanket draped over her body was an indication— and dressed up her wound —a peek of her mauled right foot showed it was wrapped in bandages— so there's a chance this was one of the villagers. Either way, even if it wasn't, Sirin could easily dispose of them if they were proven to be a threat but for now she would just relax and let her strength recover.
Kiana was alright and alive, she was inside the cottage too and judging from the vicinity of her energy signature she was on the second floor. The time they spent together allowed Sirin to sneaked a portion of her power into her sister, marking her as a pseudo Void Herrscher by resonating their signatures. The fact they were basically twins made it easier for Sirin to transfer a drop of her Core's power everyday until Kiana's presence was solidified in her Herrscher radar.
Sensing her sister was easy, telling her mother she made her sister a pseudo Herrscher was not.
Cecilia was surprised, which was understandable, and a little concerned but Sirin explained it to her it would be necessary in the future. After that she agreed rather quickly, saying something that sounded 'If you think it's okay then you can do it. I trust you' which Sirin found stupid. The woman agreed to let her only daughter to be turned into a walking Honkai reactor because she trusted a former genocidal girl.
Kiana was not aware of it, though, because if there's something denser than a black hole then it would be Kiana. One day she would reveal what the Void could do to her sister but Sirin hoped it would not be necessary.
... ugly thing that was; hope. Kiana really rubbed on her.
Little footsteps approached her position and Sirin blinked the tiredness from her eyes, groaning in pain as she twisted her body and head to look at where they came from behind the armrest. She saw a girl barely older than she was walked down the stairway with a basin far too large for her to carry, a toothy smile on her face which disappeared immediately once she noticed Sirin staring with narrowed eyes. Carefully, the girl slowed down until her steps faltered into shuffles.
Sirin watched warily as she set the basin down, revealing a warm water with steam rising up its surface and the towel in it. The girl looked into her eyes and smiled, those hazel eyes seemed to gleam from the dancing fire in the fireplace. A gesture Sirin didn't return as she continued to stare.
And then she talked.
Sirin couldn't understand what she said.
"I don't understand you" She cut her off in English after a few seconds and the girl immediately paused.
"Du verstehst nicht?"
Sirin sighed.
Great, it was German. A language she sucked the most of all the European languages. Where the hell was Kiana when she was needed to speak her native tongue? Oh wait, she was kind of almost dead because of her stupid little stunt. Charming.
Sirin plopped back on the sofa, running a hand over her face tiredly. Through the corner of her eye she could see the girl still there kneeling and unsure on what to do. "What is that for?" Sirin asked after a minute, giving the little girl a side glance. When all she received was a confused look, Sirin rephrased her question while pointing the basin and then herself. "That. For me?"
The girl nodded and her smile returned. "Yes. You"
"Well, I don't need it now so you can take that away. I'm okay now"
Although confused, the girl seemed to understand the last bit. "Okay?" She suddenly stood up and ran over to Sirin to put her palm on her forehead. Sirin didn't take the intrusion kindly and grabbed the offending appendage before it could reach her by the wrist.
"Yes. I'm okay" She gritted out the words, barely able in restraining herself from crushing the tiny hand in her grasp. It was so fragile the initial grip had the girl stopping in shock from the pain before Sirin eased up her fingers. "Call your parents. Your Mama or something"
Those hazel orbs lowered as the girl took a step back and Sirin suddenly felt bad for saying it. "No Mama"
"... your Papa?"
"Papa" The girl pointed to the ceiling where Kiana's signature at and nodded, mostly to herself than Sirin. "Help your... scissor?" She scrunched her face and mumbled some more jumbled words before her face lit up. "Ah! Sister! Up!"
"Is she okay?" She nodded, that large smile gracing her lips never left. "What's your name?"
"Aneliese. Ane. You?"
"... Sirin"
"Sirin..." Ane mumbled, trying the name with her tongue. "Sirin wash yes?" She asked a moment later pointing at the warm water and the towel. "Ane help?"
"No, I'll do it myself" Sirin sat up, pushing the thick blanket of her body and beginning to strip off her shirt when she noticed it was not her shirt at all. Her muscles ached along with her confusion, something the girl before her picked up rather quickly.
"Papa help Sirin" She said, pinching her own shirt between her index and thumb. "Ane"
Well, that made sense. She was lucky there was a girl of her size around to lend her a shirt. Sirin didn't want to start counting on her lucky star, though.
The basin scraped against the wooden plank below as the girl pushed it near Sirin's feet. She gave Sirin another smile before retreating back to the stairway and effectively leaving Sirin alone. Sirin eyed the water for a few seconds before continuing her action, carefully rolling the shirt over her head and putting it beside her. Any notion of shame was put aside, they never were a big part in her life whether this or the one before.
As a test subject, she was used to violations that would make any normal girl shudder from horror and as a homeless traveller she had to make priorities on what was important. Shame in survival situation was not beneficial.
Still, she took comfort in the knowledge there was no unwanted eyes in the vicinity thanks to her power so Sirin took her time in washing the sweat off her skin. The water was warm, something she or Kiana didn't have much as to use warm water for basic hygiene so they resorted to the cold one most of the time or if they were lucky enough the normal one which was far and between.
Cooking water for drinking was hard enough with only so much equipment so using it to wash like this was out of the question.
Sirin dabbed the towel on her face and sighed contentedly. "What is it?"
The presence behind the sofa stopped approaching her, not a moment later a small hand peeked over the headrest with fresh clothes Sirin took without a word. Before Sirin could say anything more it retreated back and away from her once again.
Huffing in amusement, she quickly went through with the rest of her body, throwing the fresh clothes on once she was done cleaning. Her right foot was still hurting despite her accelerated healing so it must have been pretty bad but Sirin disregarded the feeling as best as she could as she stood up.
Gingerly, Sirin tested her weight on her injured foot, hissing once it settled entirely. It was painful but nothing she couldn't manage, certainly not as painful as dying which Sirin had experienced before. With that in thought, she slowly dragged herself to the second floor, gritting her teeth all the way.
Okay, she was wrong.
It hurt. A lot. At this point Sirin wished she was dying instead of this surges of pain consuming her nerves with each step she put on the stair, flaring and fading again and again. It didn't lessen nor worsen, just a constant beat of searing white pain that was almost endless.
Already, perspiration built up on her skin, making her sticky all over again but the most uncomfortable of it all was the wet of her injured foot being ripped open on her second step on the stairway. Blood seeped into the white bandages, painting it and her footsteps crimson. It would've left a long trail from bottom to top if it weren't for the small Imaginary steps she summoned each time she put force on her right foot but her power ran out on the last three steps.
Now with her back resting against a wall Sirin did her best to catch her breath, panting and grunting along with the pain. The red liquid had begun to pooled up around her right foot, forming a small puddle and if the way the hallway seemed to sway was any indication then she had also started experiencing the symptoms of blood loss.
She really, really, regret doing all this when she could have just rest in the sofa until Kiana was well enough. She was always one to look a gift horse in the mouth, wasn't one to trust things in the first glance but many things possessed little to no threat to her she hardly concerned herself with self defense. After all, a quick flick of her hand could summon a deadly lance capable of piercing a tank armor and as, if not more, dangerous as a radioactive material. That was just a flick. With effort she could summon a portal to swallow anything she desired so Sirin didn't care about mere humans and their futile attempt to cause harm.
Yet here she was, wheezing and swaying in her way to check on Kiana despite her logic telling her it was unnecessary and a waste of her precious energy. There was no rationale behind it nor benefits she would gain. None. But for some reason the knot in her stomach wouldn't loosen up and the urge to make sure Kiana was alive still pretty much eating her inside out.
Her body remembered even when her mind refused to. How the frail and cold limbs got tangled with her own in a desperate attempt to share warmth, how the red kept slipping down from where her hand met Kiana, and how her chest rose and fell as the beat inside it got slower and fainter.
Sirin's power was a curse. This much was true from the beginning. At first it looked like a gift but something that required you to abandon your humanity was no way a blessing no matter how one tried to see it. This power gave her so much but in so much there would be things she didn't need nor wanted.
The way she perceived her surrounding was vastly different to a normal human being. She could see where her eyes not see, she could feel where her skin never touch and she could sense what her senses shouldn't be able to. The dying flame of Kiana's very soul being one of it.
Her sister had always been a constant never dwindling flame. Always so full of energy to share and exhibit. But at that moment Sirin could feel the bonfire had been reduced into a flickering candle struggling to stay lit.
Sirin had never been so scared in behalf of Kiana before and that was saying something considering how Kiana often pulled some stupid stunts that did wonder to her heart. In a bad way.
Because Kiana never looked so fragile and helpless. Even if Sirin denied Kiana, she had grown on her. There was a bond there Sirin wouldn't— couldn't —wish to sever. The existence known as Kiana Kaslana was a part of her now and it went deeper than her sharing a portion of her power to Kiana.
Sirin could share her power to anyone capable of bearing it, but this? All of this was because Kiana being a Kiana.
Sirin didn't knock nor asked for permission. She simply opened the door and walked into the room where Kiana's signature at. It was one of the bedrooms, judging from the lack of personal decorations it's probably for guests. Aneliese was there, holding a flashlight for a man Sirin assumed as her father as he tended Kiana on the bed.
Walking slowly as to not disturb the man and to prevent her foot from making a disgusting squelching noise on the floor, Sirin silently stood beside the sitting man and watched.
He was in the middle of suturing the wound on Kiana's abdomen, the grievous one where the Honkai Beast impaled her. Sirin had done everything she could in closing the wound but it still looked bad. Kiana would have to live with that scar now.
"I heard you speak English" The man suddenly said without breaking his concentration on the work. His voice was gruff but not unkind, simply heavy with accent and the measured way he spoke it certainly didn't help. "But 'Sirin' is not exactly a Western European name, no?"
"I'm Belarusian by birth" Sirin replied softly, brushing a stray lock off Kiana's face. Her skin still felt cold but nowhere as cold as it was before and although she still looked pale at least some color had returned now.
"Odd. You and your sister certainly look like a German"
"My mother was" It was not a specific answer. Her mother was a German, her birth mother to be precise. This appearance was mostly because of Siegfried who was German himself. Sirin wasn't sure where Cecilia was from because she never asked.
"But you don't speak German?"
"She died when I was little, never had the chance to teach me anything beside how to tell others I love them"
"My condolences. However, I believe she had taught you the most important part before her passing"
"I wish she could teach me more" Sirin mumbled. Why was she talking about this to a complete stranger? Had the blood loss seriously affected her? She huffed to herself. "You're a doctor?"
"I am one, yes, but I have retired a while ago. The other villagers still look up to me for help, however" He replied, still not breaking his concentration which was pretty impressive. Sirin made an acknowledging grunt and straightened up, ready to leave the man to do his work when he continued. "My name is Rainer Altman, this over here is my daughter Aneliese"
Ane gave Sirin a smile which she returned with a simple nod. "Sirin Schariac and my sister there Kiana Kaslana"
"Two surnames?"
"Long story" Sirin pulled a dresser stool and sat on it, crossing her arms as she watched the man work intensely. It was a harrowing work but Sirin didn't tear her gaze from Kiana's abdomen one second, burning the image into her memory as a reminder of her failure to protect the girl before her. It had been so close and although she was out of the wood now, both literally and metaphorically, there was still no telling how long it took for Kiana to recover or if she would function normally after this.
Kiana was, in all known common sense, dead. The blood loss was not superficial, the wound had been grave and the damage done to her body was beyond repair by medical standard. There was no telling how much internal damage she suffered alone and it was worrying.
A 11 year old girl getting mauled by a Honkai beast. It didn't matter how strong Kiana was because in the end she was still human and humans were fragile.
"... fool"
The man, Rainer, looked up for the first time to glance at her. "You don't have to worry, she is stable now. They got you just in time"
Sirin's eyes were locked on the IV tube connected into Kiana's small wrist, every now and then a clear liquid would fall inside said tube. She absentmindedly counted the drop for no particular reason except to suppress this bubbling feeling in her chest.
But when crystal clear drops similar with the one in the tube fell on her crossed arms from her eyes Sirin knew she had failed.
Sirin didn't sob, didn't whimper nor cried out. She simply held her hard gaze up as tears fell from the corners of her eyes. It was easy because beside being sad she was also angry to herself for allowing this to happen and anger was one of those emotions she knew intimately. For Sirin, it was always easy to focus on that anger and direct it to something which in this case was herself.
Time flew by after that. Sirin didn't know how long it had been but her tears had long dried up when Rainer finish. The man sighed in a mixture of relief and exhaustion as he wiped his bloodied hands on a rag before giving his daughter a pat on the head and compliment in German.
Ane grinned and nodded before she jumped down the bed, little feet thumping on the wooden floor as she jogged to the exit. "Your sister should be fine now but I do not suppose she will wake up anytime soon. Are you hungry?"
Sirin immediately shook her head. Food was never a necessity for her and right now her priority was lying unconscious and barely escaping the clutch of death. "No, I'll stay here. Do you have more of those bandages?"
"What for?"
"My foot. I think it's opened again"
Rainer looked down and frowned, noticing the droplets of red on the floor leading to Sirin. He sighed in sympathy. "I will dress that for you"
He didn't wait for her response before he took a roll of bandages and a bottle of antiseptic from the nightstand. Kneeling down, he began the process of unwrapping the horror that was Sirin's right foot. To his credits he barely reacted when he saw the state it was in while Sirin couldn't help but to wrinkle her nose in disgust at the sight. "How could you still have appetite after looking at something like that?"
He chuckled. "It comes with the job" Holding up the antiseptic, he gave her a warning look. "This is going to sting"
Sirin nodded and braced for the pain. No matter how often she experienced it, a sudden biting on her flesh was not something she could just ignore with a straight face. True to his words it was painful and it took Sirin a considerable effort to not thrash her foot around to douse the burning in her veins. Perhaps it was the pain but Sirin didn't exactly feel the bandages being rolled around her foot until it was done.
"You are a tough kid" He commented, standing up. "Most would have cried from that"
"I would have said something cool like how I understand pain more than most people but that was still painful as hell"
"As I imagined. I can prepare you another guest room unless you want to stay here with your sister?"
"I'll stay here"
Rainer nodded. "I understand. My room is down the hallway of the second floor so if you need anything just call me or Ane"
"Ane doesn't understand English so I will go to you"
"Then please do not hesitate to call me. I will have Ane bring you blankets and pillows in a moment"
Sirin nodded and the man took his leave. A feeling in her gut stirred at the sight of his retreating figure, like something urgent was needed to be said which grew stronger until he disappeared behind the closing door. Sirin bit her inner cheek and pinched the bridge of her nose, fully aware what that feeling was yet too afraid to say it out loud.
Gratitude. It had been a 'thank you' she urgently wanted to say but unable to because something was holding her back. A feeling of mistrust she always carried. Sirin hated herself a little bit more after that.
"What a disgrace I am to your teaching huh, Mama?"
Sirin was jolted awake by a hand shaking her shoulder. Her pair of blue eyes blinked rapidly to get rid of the sleep in her system, glancing to the side the hand at to see Mei looking at her.
No.
"What?"
Thunder rolled her eyes. "We've landed. Wake Kiana up"
"Why didn't you wake her up?"
"First of, she's on the window seat on your other side and I will not shove my tits out to your face in a futile attempt to wake her up. Second, trying to wake Kiana up is a near futile attempt so I'll leave that to you"
"Bitch... Unlike Kiana I don't want your tits on my face anyway" Sirin muttered once Thunder left, rubbing her face to get rid of the lingering drowsiness. She gave Kiana a side glance and shook her by the side. "Hey, wake up"
Kiana grunted, lolled her head to the other direction and proceeded to snore. Loudly.
"You've gotta be kidding me..." The Herrscher muttered with a heavy sigh. She would need something to wake Kiana but there was nothing she could use... Well, unless...
Glancing around the cabin to make sure nobody was looking, Sirin pulled Kiana's collar back and summoned a small portal connected to the North Pole. A frigid blast of snowy air hit Kiana on her exposed neck with the might of a blower and the effect was instantaneous.
Kiana shrieked awake, flailed around in her seat and accidentally kicked her foot on Sirin's shin so hard Sirin joined her scream in agony.
"What the hell happened to you guys?" Himeko asked Kiana as she supported Sirin walking by her side, a red patch visible behind Kiana's neck where the frozen air hit her.
Both sisters were scowling at each other and refusing to answer the question, grumbling nonsense as they brushed past a dumbstruck Himeko, Mei and Bronya, although the latter masked her expression very well. Kiana practically dumped Sirin on one of the benches on the airport terminal and crossed her arms menacingly. "Sorry about the leg but you kind of deserved it"
Sirin returned the gesture with a glare. "Piss off, that was your fault for being a heavy sleeper. Have someone ever told you that you sleep like the dead?"
"Yes, you"
"No wonder I remember"
They glared towards one another heatedly. Himeko, Mei and Bronya couldn't help but worry this might turn into something ugly in the future but their concerns disappeared immediately when Kiana's stern face cracked with a smile that turned into a grin.
"Really? Cold air?" She laughed and Sirin did the same.
"You should have seen your face"
Kiana was doubling on her fit she slumped on the bench beside Sirin. "You... You have no idea how it felt. I thought we were crashing or something with the wind and all that on my ears!"
Sirin snorted. "I would catch us"
"Yeah, I know... Sorry about the leg"
"It's healed now"
Kiana's smile turned softer, stretching as she pushed herself up to her feet before offering a hand to Sirin who accepted it without a question. The rest of the team shared a glance before they decided it was not worth the chase so wordlessly Himeko led them out of the terminal.
"I still don't understand why we are using commercial transportation" Sirin said when they finally exited the airport, a cool breeze of Winter air hitting her skin. A well honed instinct had her tucking her body further into her jacket in an attempt to seek warmth, something Kiana mirrored almost immediately beside her. "We could have just used one of the transport aircraft"
"The Principal wanted us to have a proper rest, hence the choice, and a trip halfway across the world was a perfect opportunity" Himeko explained to her, pulling a red rimmed glasses and tucking them between her ears. She looked around the bustling city before nodding to the girls. "This way"
Silently, they followed. Like ducklings following their mother goose as Himeko led them around the city. None of them could hide their amazement as they traversed the streets of Berlin because despite its total destruction during the First Eruption it had flourished back into one of the most modern cities in Europe.
"Feels like home..." Kiana muttered dreamily. Mei gave her a soft smile of understanding which Kiana returned with her own. "When this is over, I'll show you around, Mei!"
"You've been to Berlin?" Himeko asked almost disinterestedly as they crossed a Zebra crossing.
"Sirin and I have been to most European cities" The young Kaslana supplied giddily, bouncing on her feet in excitement. "As fugitives we simply couldn't stay in one place for an extended time"
"Schicksal moved fast" Sirin added with clear disdain in her tone. "To escape capture we often jumped randomly. One time we could be in Finland and the next we could be in the UK or the other way around. Berlin just happened to be one of those places"
"Sirin disliked Berlin, though"
They gave her an inquisitive look following Kiana's statement but Sirin simply shrugged. "There was this... thing... in the atmosphere that made me uncomfortable. I don't know how to explain it but it's an oppressive feeling that had me feeling sort of unwelcome here"
"The people hate you?" Himeko wondered with a clear surprise that quickly turned into a frown when Sirin shook her head.
"No, it's not the people. It's like the very earth itself didn't want me here"
"Could it be related to the First Eruption?" Bronya queried from behind, a honest puzzlement adorning her face.
"Maybe. We all know the story"
The First Herrscher, who happened to be the first Herrscher who fought for Humanity. His emergence started from a disaster not of his doing, rather he was a byproduct of it unlike Sirin or Thunder. The Herrscher of Reason was a unique existence even amongst the Herrschers.
The group paused when they noticed where Himeko led them. Immediately, a series of disapprovals rung from the four girls. The redhead raised an eyebrow in return. "What?"
"A bar?" Kiana asked incredulously, pinching the bridge of her nose. "We just landed and this is where you led us foremost?"
Himeko made a face. "I'm not here to fetch myself a drink, though I seriously wanted one. The Germans know how to make a good beer"
"Himeko!" Kiana whined disapprovingly while the redhead laughed.
"That can wait. No, our contact is in here"
Without preamble, she pushed the door open and entered. After sharing a quick glance to each others, the girls followed her inside and were immediately greeted by a lot of... unfavorable stares.
The bar was almost full to the brim, too, which was expected. Kiana had spent enough time in Germany to know many of its populace loved to spend their free time hanging around places like this. That and the Germans had a certain view towards alcohol in general. Siegfried did not just once tried to have her tasting an awful smelly beer when she was little which was probably the reason why Kiana hated alcoholic drinks with passion.
Himeko, however...
Their only attending responsible adult practically sauntered to the counter, plopped on the stool, smiled sultry to the men sitting on each of her sides and ordered for a beer. She did this in just five seconds and by the count of ten she already had a glass half empty and a man openly flirting with her.
Needless to say, none of the girls were impressed by her behavior.
In a very rare occasion Bronya sighed in a mixture of disbelief and weariness. She did not do that unless the situation was really bad and someone was about to get killed, most of the time it was Kiana, or she genuinely felt exhausted in their predicament. Mei did not even try to hide her exasperation as she crossed her arms over her chest.
Kiana stepped forward and squeezed herself between Himeko and the man talking to her while Sirin simply glared at the one on Himeko's other side. Kiana said something in German to the man and despite Sirin's lack of proper knowledge to the language, she still caught the bit of him apologizing before retreating away. The one she was glaring at simply deposited some money onto the counter and left, though.
"Tch, no fun" Himeko grumbled, taking a large swig of the beer Kiana disdainfully glared at.
"You said no drink"
"Figured it would be such a wasted opportunity, one wouldn't hurt"
"Just... this one, please"
They sat down on the stools and the bartender gave them a somewhat bemused look. "I'm going to need some IDs, though I can say I'm not serving that kid over there" she told them while pointing the glass she was cleaning towards Bronya on the far left.
Sirin was quick to refuse. "We're not here for a drink"
"Really? Then let me fetch you something kids drink"
"You don't—"
"English?" Kiana interrupted with an almost inaudible mumble, almost because it was still loud enough to draw their attention. Laughing nervously under the scrutinizing stares, Kiana went on to explain. "Sorry, it's just a little odd but now that I think about it not really so please don't mind me"
"Is it my accent?" The bartender asked and had Kiana not in a fit she would have noticed the underlying playfulness in her tone. Instead she rambled on something that impressed them.
"Er, no it's actually because I found it odd that you speak in English as to address all of us despite knowing it was only necessary for you to address Himeko who was our guardian. I think you're just trying to be polite?"
The woman gave her a long unblinking stare that had Kiana shuffling on her seat. Maybe she was wrong to assume but this whole ordeal had her reverting back to her old self. Before Kiana could apologize, the woman suddenly grinned towards Himeko.
"Sharp kid" She commented and Himeko replied by waving her hand dismissively. "How you doing, Himeko? Still can't find a man?"
"Piss off, Mara"
The woman, Mara, chuckled in an ill concealed amusement as she slid them glasses of milk. "Maybe you should cut the drink but I honestly doubt it would do you any good. You're fine as you are which is the problem"
"... just gimme the thing"
"You're our contact?" Mei asked in surprise and Mara gave her a teasing smile.
"Amelia 'Marauder' Turner. Schicksal Logistics and Field Support Department, A rank. Nice to meet you, Miss Raiden" She reached for under the counter and handed Himeko a set of keys the redhead silently took. "Down the road there's a shop called Directus, go to the back there should be a car and the details for your assignment in it"
"Thanks"
"Fair warning things have been... noisy around here. I suggest you lay low, Himeko"
"Who is it this time?"
Amelia's smile turned into something more strained as her eyes swept over the girls, a hint of solemnity and somberness. "Both"
Himeko grimaced and nodded, pulling out the bill from her pocket and put it on the counter. "Unfortunate"
"Indeed. I'll see you around?"
"Nothing personal but we all know whenever you guys are around means shit has either hit the fan or about to. So, I hope not"
Amelia laughed, unfazed, as the group made their exit. "Welcome to Germany!"
"When she said car, did she mention anything about this?" Sirin wondered out loud for everyone to hear. Kiana who was on her side chuckled darkly in response.
"She didn't but I'm sure as heck not complaining"
"It's and armored car"
"An M1124 Maxxpro Mine Resistance Ambushed Protected Vehicle, to be precise" Bronya chimed in, running her fingers on the dark coating of the vehicle with clear fascination in her tone. "Well protected but the Bronya certainly does not see the concealment implementation as warned"
"That girl likes to pull on your legs at when you least expect it" Himeko grumbled as she climbed into the car. "We'll be turning heads on our way". A display suddenly lit up on the dashboard and Himeko focused on it. Fumbling with the small computer, she put her finger on the screen when it asked for identity verification.
A synthetic voice rung from the vehicle not a moment later. "Biometric recognition A-OK, welcome Major Murata Himeko"
"Neat" The redhead mumbled, shifting so she was now sitting comfortably on the driver seat. Kiana, Mei, Bronya and Sirin climbed inside by the crew compartment to see what their squad leader was doing, curiosity got the best of them.
Tapping the mission prompt, Himeko was greeted by a familiar face of Theresa. "Hey, girls, welcome to Berlin!"
"Is this a recording?" Sirin queried, noticing the discrepancy of the time zones of St. Freya and Berlin didn't match what they supposed to be. It was daytime in both places which should be impossible.
"Sorry for making giving such a sudden order but I have no choice. As you must have noticed, this is a recording..."
"I knew it"
"And the reason for that was because I can't afford to use the open channel for what I'm going to tell you"
"That... why?" Kiana muttered inquisitively and they couldn't help but agree.
"Time is of the essence and turning you guys back to school for briefing will take too much time. Of course, I'd prefer we talk about this face to face but alas" Theresa fell quiet for a second, her small hands crossed together on the table of her office. "Kiana, Sirin. I received some concerning intel from your mother"
The world stopped for both Kiana and Sirin at the mention of their mother, the former's eyes sharpened as her thoughts began to pump out information and possibilities of what this might be while the latter's expression hardened as if she was preparing herself for a battle.
"Two days ago, Anti-Entropy and the United Nations detected a surge of strange energy from the Eastern Germany near the border to Poland. The site was a closely monitored area for Honkai activity since 1964 when a sudden break out occured, resulting in countless loss of human lives and materials. As you know, Schicksal and Anti-Entropy made a pact to not hinder each other in operations against Honkai and this time they specifically asked for you girls for support"
"Support" Himeko muttered thoughtfully and despite being a recording Theresa seemed to hear her.
"Yes, support. You'll have HOPE on site along with some Anti-Entropy people for this investigation. Listen and adhere to what they have to ask but refuse if you feel it's too much. I have no doubt that despite everything they're still good people fighting for Humanity but your safety is also important" Theresa paused to let her words sink in, blue eyes boring through the screen to the five of them. Their lives were a gamble, always at stake every time they stepped out the safety of their home to face the uncaring world. It was a fact they all knew and understood. "The coordinate is in the system. Oh, you must be wondering why you're given an armored car for this mission? Well, there are some equipments in the back that might come in handy and that car will be your acting mobile post in this deployment so make sure you keep it safe"
"Way to jinx it, Principal" Himeko said flatly and they inclined to agree.
"Do your best out there, girls"
The video ended with Theresa's smiling face frozen on it. Turning the display off, Himeko sighed and waved for her team to sit down as she began to navigate the computer once again. After a second she found what she was looking for.
"Eastern Germany..." Kiana muttered from behind the seat, peering over Himeko's shoulder to see the digital map now on the display only to gasp in surprise at what she saw. "Sirin!"
At Kiana's urgent tone, her sister quickly squeezed beside her to see what got Kiana's attention, ignoring the scolding from Himeko. "Oh..."
"You think it's a coincidence?"
"I'm not sure... But this certainly explained some things from back then"
"I hope they're okay"
"Yeah..."
Vaguely Kiana could hear Himeko asking Sirin what it was all about but the words didn't register with her focus transfixed on the small pulsating red dot on the map alone. An all too familiar rush of cold ichor stirred in her gut and she swallowed thickly, feeling dread pumping in her blood and setting her entire body in an unwelcome state of frozen stupor. The long healed scar on her abdomen throbbed, the scar making itself prominent to her sensitive skin. It took everything from Kiana to not retch as distant flashes of white monstrosity loomed over her small body, a ghostly pain she remembered all too well raking her flesh and bones.
But Kiana prevailed and stood her ground, swallowing the terrible memories down her gullet and heart. Patting Sirin on the shoulder to gain her attention, she ordered for her to ride shotgun and to use her power to open a portal for them to enter. Sirin caught up immediately and nodded, cutting whatever she said to Himeko as she sat down on the passenger seat.
Kiana made her way to the rear compartment where she found Bronya reading a manual for the MRAP's equipments Theresa mentioned, nose deep on the one inch thick book. Mei sat across of her but from the look of it Thunder was in control this time.
Kiana sat down beside her and smiled sweetly.
"Hey, Thunder"
The Herrscher of Thunder didn't quite smile back but her expression softened considerably. "Hey"
"How are you?"
"You have no need to question my well being each time you see me. If Raiden Mei is well then I am also well. Besides, unlike her I can just hand over control until she is all better"
"Yes, but how are you?"
There was a pause as Thunder stared at her before she chuckled, this time she did smile at Kiana as she traced her fingers on one of her white braids. "I am well. You, however, I can tell are upset about something"
Kiana's smile faltered and it was all Thunder needed as confirmation. Sighing to herself, she felt the car shuddered and roared to life. The distraction provided Kiana the time to organize her sentence.
"It's... I'm worried"
"About what? You know Void will protect you against any harm and you are a... decent fighter yourself" Thunder rolled her eyes when Kiana gave her a meaningful look. "Fine, you're a good fighter also which makes it more unlikely you will die here. Your friends will protect you, no?"
"Thank you for your concern—"
"Preposterous"
"— but it wasn't myself I'm worried about" The Herrscher of Thunder's stare turned somewhat inquisitive, Mei's fine eyebrows shooting upwards ever so slightly in wonder. Kiana didn't know how to start the topic at first so she grabbed Mei's hand once caressing her hair and traced her index finger on her open palm absentmindedly, trying to formulate her sentence. The MRAP had no windows like a conventional car but Kiana could see the world turned dark as Himeko drove into Sirin's portal through the small view ports lining the crew compartment. "There was this girl"
Thunder shifted so she was now facing Kiana and the Kaslana couldn't help but giggle in amusement at her antic. Kiana would've teased Thunder about it but decided against it, now wasn't exactly the time to poke fun on the Third Herrscher. Still, her response was enough to lift some of Kiana's apprehension and she squeezed the hand she was holding for assurance. It might have been too hard but Thunder never complained nor would Mei.
Mei's hands were a bit bigger than Kiana's and much more softer... Had she told her that? Felt like Kiana needed to.
"What is it?"
It was probably her life as wanderer. She spent years learning how to make fire with her hands and doing millennial labors certainly did wonders to her physique. Kiana was not buff by any means but her muscles were taut and solid, clinging to her bones under her scarred flesh and skin. She was the type who enjoyed physical activity but she was also the type who would sleep all day if she could. To put it simply, she was a girl as free as bird and as carefree as a cat.
But Mei was never meant to live this life and Kiana thought of it not out of malice because fate certainly had a funny way to define people. Mei was a heiress, a princess on the High Castle that shouldn't concern herself with meager things beneath her, things like passerbys and strangers struggling to just live. Mei's entire life was not easy, that much Kiana knew from what Mei herself told her, and it was precisely why she was here with Kiana in this armored car heading to yet an unknown battlefield that might or might not be their doom. Because if Mei just decided to be a princess like she was supposed to be, she wouldn't concern herself with other's opinions that led her here.
Because if Mei just didn't care then she wouldn't have to suffer like this.
Mei was kind, too kind even, and sometimes Kiana couldn't help but think she didn't deserve this girl. If Kiana loved the world, then Mei's love was reserved for those she deemed deserving enough and it was a burden so big than what Kiana capable. It was tough to just love one person, but to love multiple? How big that love had to be one could share it to so much?
Raiden Mei was a girl who, despite her upbringings, would climb down the ladder onto the dirt just so she could hear what others had to say in equal footing. Raiden Mei refused to let people look up towards her and instead chose to have them in eye level despite how unnecessary it was. Raiden Mei understood pain and suffering as much as Kiana if not more for she had bonds wherein Kiana lacked. Raiden Mei had the courage to keep those bonds strong wherein all Kiana did was run away from them in fear of hurting those she loved.
Raiden Mei could be attending balls and those rich people gatherings but instead life threw her off into the gutter and still she chose to pick up her sword and fight the menace head on. Raiden Mei did all that because that day a certain white haired girl pulled her up from the darkness, like the Northern Star offering guidance to those lost at sea.
There was a difference between loving faceless strangers and the people one knew, one was bound to duty and the other was bound to responsibility. A duty was a must but a responsibility was a necessity.
Thunder knew. She had Mei's memory and knowledge. She and Mei might be two separate persons entirely but they were also one and deep down they had the same will driving them forward. The only glaring difference was their method in achieving something but even then it had blurred now.
So Kiana traced that soft palm, relishing the warmth radiating from the flesh and blood in the veins with her own calloused finger as if to commit the shape into her memory while Thunder silently watched her.
"There was this girl. Her name was Aneliese" Kiana wrapped her hand on Mei's who squeezed back encouragingly. "She was one of few friends I have"
Kiana told Thunder a story.
Kiana told Thunder a story about a girl who died in her arms when she was eleven.
TBC
I got Seven Thunders and finally done farming for the Handel Set so my Herrscher of Thunder is a full set now! My first ever full set, too.
By the way, I'd like to say the latest chapter of the main story is literally my favourite because it's everything I want from Honkai Impact. If you guys have played it then you would understand.
That's all for now and I catch you guys later, as usual please keep the reviews coming.
Peace out, guys.