Chapter 2: (Un)Wanted Reunion.
In her almost five decades of life, Theresa had never felt this annoyed by the fact her body would never grow due to her special conditions. No, this was the first time, not even when Himeko flaunted those monstrous assets of hers, or when some new freshmen mistaken her for a lost child at her own damn school. Those were understandable, but this was not.
As her annoyingly small legs carried her into St. Freya's Medical Wing, she couldn't help the scowl on her face. The hallways had never felt so long before and the doors seemed to never get closer despite the rapid thumping of her shoes, already Theresa could feel sweat rolling down her temples as she sprinted past many rooms.
After what seemingly an eternity, she saw a familiar head sitting on one of the benches lining the sides of the hallways. Theresa let herself slowed down, regulating her raged breathing and frantic heart as she shifted from outright running to jogging. Though, for some reason the thumping in her chest was quelled unsuccessfully and the heaving of her chest was replaced by the all too familiar anxiety she was feeling when she received the news.
"H-" Theresa's voice caught in her throat and she swallowed thickly before renewing her attempt. "Himeko!"
The redhead turned her head to meet her blue eyes and stood up, meeting her halfway. "Principal" She greeted, grabbing the smaller woman by the shoulders to help her slow down. "Sorry for calling you so suddenly"
"No, it's okay. You know I would come either way" Theresa quickly assured, stealing a glance to the door a few meters behind Himeko before fully turning her attention to the Captain. "Have you checked your injuries?"
Himeko shook her head, running a finger over the gashes on her arm. "No need, they're superficial. I have more pressing matter right now"
Theresa walked to the door and pressed her forehead to the glass panel, trying and failing to get a glimpse of what's inside thanks to its blurry characteristic. "The Herrscher?" She asked after she had calmed down enough, glancing back to Himeko expectantly.
"Her name is Sirin" Theresa's eyes widened as a flash of bitter memories resurfaced. She visibly shivered as images of endless snow and cold wind assaulted her senses, a ghost of a long buried past that somehow decided to dig itself out back to the world. "She claimed she's Kiana's younger sister"
"No..." The white haired woman whispered in disbelief, fingers clenched together. "Sirin was... Kiana does not have a sister"
Denial. Denial was what she could muster right now. How could that monster, the one who ripped a fraction of Theresa's heart, become a sister of Theresa's last remaining intact heart? She promised Cecilia she would take care of her daughter even if it costed her her very life, a final vow she made and broke to Cecilia. Losing Kiana once was enough, she didn't want to lose the last legacy Cecilia left behind for the second time.
The one who took, is a part of who's left.
She felt dizzy and nauseous, all these information swarming her thought ceaselessly, the wanted and the unwanted were equally a factor. Vaguely, Theresa could feel hands on her shoulders before she was guided to the bench Himeko sat earlier.
"Take it easy, Theresa" Himeko patted her arm, noticing the woman before her was hyperventilating. "Just breathe"
Theresa tried, she really did, but the first three controlled intakes ended up with her sputtering on her own saliva. Himeko didn't push on and allow her to control her shambled feelings on her own accord.
"I'll get you some water" The redhead eventually said when she was sure Theresa wouldn't choke on her own spit, earning a small nod in return. "Stay here"
Where would I go?
Theresa tried to humour but she didn't trust her voice yet so she merely nodded again. The abnormal warmth that was Himeko left, courtesy of her affinity to fire element, and suddenly Theresa felt the temperature dropped down a few digits. It could be nothing but her inability to think straight, though.
Resting her head against the wall behind her, Theresa took one shuddering breath and held it in, forcing her burning nerve to calm down.
She closed her eyes a second later, internally rummaging through her memories to find the ones about that day.
She didn't have to search for long.
Theresa remembered it all quite vividly, from the moment she stepped out the Chinook helicopter, entering Schicksal Babylon Lab and investigating the mysterious disappearance of its resident scientists until the eventual Eruption. She remembered it all, the pain and the despair she witnessed and felt not just from herself but also from Sirin, the false readiness she had when she prepared herself to kill a once innocent child and a piece of her heart because no victory ever without a price.
She remembered it all because she had to live her life with it.
And now, that child had returned. And Theresa had never felt so unprepared in her long life.
"Principal" A familiar voice called out to her from her left, cracking and eye open Theresa exhaled the breath she had been holding. "I hope you don't mind strawberry milk"
"No" Said the white haired woman simply, grabbing the small bottle and uncorking it. Without a word she downed the whole content, barely sparing an attention to the taste.
The seat beside her creaked as Himeko settled on it, a can of beer, because of course it's beer, rested loosely on her hand. For this once she would let the redhead had it because Theresa was certain had she capable withstanding the foul aroma of alcoholic drinks she would be having one at the moment.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Himeko proposed after a long pause, she sounded offhanded if not uncaring but Theresa knew her enough to understand it was one of her attempts to sound casual.
"Maybe" Theresa muttered, more to herself than Himeko if she was honest. There was another long pause it was a wonder Himeko had the patience to wait. In the end, Theresa decided being blunt was the best course of action after words failed her thoughts. "She killed Cecilia"
Himeko shifted on her seat, processing what Theresa said. It was a public knowledge in Schicksal, really, so it wasn't what Theresa said that affected Himeko. Any Valkyrie who worth their blade knew about the Second Eruption, even those with the lowest security clearance and rank. "She's supposed to be dead. Sirin, I mean"
Theresa buried her face into her palms, hunching forward to rest her elbow on her knees. She stayed like that for a while, but once she straightened up her expression was akin to a rock with how hard it was. "That she was. When we launched the missiles, Sirin's Honkai signature was so faint it's like she's teetering to exist following a sudden surge that almost swallowed the whole Serbia. There was no way she could survive that, but..."
"But here she is"
Theresa nodded, pursing her lips. "And her appearance... There's only one person that could do something like that and enjoy the light of the day"
Standing up, Theresa began to pace around the hallway as a myriad of emotions assaulted her. She knew her 'Grandfather' had done a lot of morally questionable deeds to others, the experiments she born from were also a bitter reminder for Theresa. But this one was on another level, this time he messed not just with anybody but Siegfried and Cecilia's kid and to make matter worse it involved a Herrscher gem.
It could have gone very, very, bad especially with Sirin, the girl who hurled meteorites back to Earth and nearly caused the end of Humanity back during the Second Eruption. The man was a despicable human being, but she never thought he would stoop this low.
Theresa should talk with Otto one of these days, the only problem was the Overseer rarely took her seriously and any complaints or whatever she gave her would only amuse him. She was sure it's just an excuse to dismiss her.
Minutes ticked by before Theresa settled back down, looking far more aggravated but more controlling. She swung her small legs anxiously, a gesture Himeko would've found adorable in any other situation but this wasn't just any situation. Truth to be told, Himeko had never seen the Principal look so agitated before, always putting a prim and proper picture in public. After all, the smaller woman was a Schicksal Far-East Branch leader and any sign of weakness was simply unacceptable.
The quietness that followed was lulling, not that it would put any of them at ease and with how on edge they were it's only natural for them to jump in surprise when a certain door swung open.
A doctor in lab coat walked outside and blinked when Theresa practically leaped off to his front.
"How is she?" She asked the elderly man who peered at her through his glasses.
"She will be fine" He informed, pausing when Theresa sighed shakily in relief. "The patient has an abnormally accelerated healing, the wound has mostly closed even before the surgery. In fact, all we needed to do was to disinfect her wound and stitch it back together. The only real threat was her blood loss but her sister provided us the necessary transfusion"
At the mention of Sirin, Theresa froze. Himeko took it upon herself to question the good doctor the questions she and Theresa had been pondering but the latter was too stupefied to begin questioning them.
"Doc" Himeko said, standing beside Theresa. Her can of beer left abandoned on the bench, still dribbling with condensed coolness. "What about the bits I told you?"
She had informed the man about Sirin's nature, the one inconvenience fact she was a Herrscher, and the doctor knew enough what it meant from medical standpoints. "Yes, of course. I'm sure you both must have known a Herrscher's body is different to regular human's. They're extremely resilient in cellular level and they can accommodate enormous amount of Honkai energy without breaking down. These facts lead to a conclusion where even their organs and fluids have lethal amount of residual Honkai energy"
Himeko nodded and crossed her arms over her chest. "They're more resilient than Valkyries by many miles, and us Valkyries have to pay a dear price for it" The Artificial Stigmata on her back ached at the thought, bringing back unwanted memories to the redhead. Shifting between her feet, Himeko forced the ghostly pain and suffering back to the deepest hole her heart had to offer. "But if I recall, the Kaslana and Schariac families are the bearers of Natural Stigmata?"
"Certainly. With the patient's special circumstances, it seems both families inherited their specialities to her not even a Herrscher could corrupt her body. However, her sister... assured us, that the patient wouldn't be affected by her blood before we concluded so, claiming they had done transfusion in the past"
Theresa visibly tensed up as another wave of agitation washed over her, this time directed to one single question that ironically didn't involve Sirin.
Just what had my niece gone through?
"You can see her if you want" The doctor offered, stepping aside encouragingly. "Just beware her sister can be a bit... skittish. She wouldn't stop glaring at us medical staff the whole time we worked on her sister"
Which was understandable. The only reason Sirin was still relatively docile was none other than her sister, obviously so with the way she kept her hostility to literally everyone when she was onboard the Hyperion. It was a miracle she didn't snap during the cruise back with the way the security team of the Battleship kept her posted, being a Herrscher gave her a natural wariness coming from the humans and it warranted a full time observation.
"Thanks, doc" Himeko eventually said with a small smile the man returned with an acknowledging nod before he took his leave. "So, do you want to or...?"
Theresa exhaled deeply. "Yeah, I have to. I need to talk to Sirin"
And with that, her small hands pushed the door open.
Finally,
Sirin thought contently as the last medical staff left the room she was at. She wanted nothing but these people to stay away from Kiana but the knowledge her sister needed the treatment stopped her from impaling any of them to the wall.
Sirin simply couldn't trust nor stand these people, the doctors and nurses reminded her too much of the scientists who prickled needles into her body, taking and often giving fluids she didn't recognize, and each gleams of the surgery tools they carried sent shivers down her spine. She hated it because it reminded her of her long buried past, the moments where she lost everything and too powerless to do anything to take them back. Never again, she vowed to herself as she watched over Kiana with a stern gaze, a gaze the other white haired girl couldn't see since she was too deep in the dreamland.
The silence permeating in the air was almost deafening, punctuated by a series of beeping from Kiana's heart monitor. The Second Herrscher kept her tense posture for another moment before she relaxed against the bedside table near Kiana, inhaling deeply to ease her nerve. She felt a bit lightheaded from the transfusion but Sirin ignored it, fighting the drowsiness that followed by summoning a small subspace lance and twirled it absentmindedly between her fingers, eyes never leaving the sole door on the far side of the room.
She wondered if this five inches long subspace lance could penetrate two bodies in a single throw, blocking the door enough time for her to summon more, it looked narrow enough two bodies should prevent more people to enter.
Sirin channeled more Honkai energy onto her hand, making the miniature version of her signature weapon float above her palm and spin rapidly, only to snatched it back to her grasp when the door knob slowly twisted.
Scowling, she tossed the subspace lance to her side and it disappeared into golden ember, narrowing her eyes when saw two familiar faces entering the room. One being more despicable to her than the other.
"You" The Herrscher growled, eyes flashing gold as she glared at the sickening spitting image of a Kaslana. A fake unlike her sister.
"Why are you here?"
The small woman stopped dead in her track when she noticed Sirin glaring at her, blue eyes meeting golden ones before they travelled to the sleeping girl.
"Hello, Sirin" Theresa greeted back stiffly, hoping to no avail Sirin's glare would subside. "It's been a long time"
"Time I enjoy away from you insects" Sirin spat, voice filled with echoes and burning hatred. "What do you want now?"
"I'm here to check on my niece"
"Liar! You Schicksal pigs are liars! Even now I bet you want to keep us custody for you experiments!"
Theresa quickly raised her hands in a placating manner, sad and angry at the same time. "I don't. I'm not Otto. I don't care about that, I just want to see Kiana, honest"
"Well, you see her. Now get out"
A sigh escaped Theresa's lips before she turned her head towards Himeko and told her to wait outside. The redhead looked conflicted but eventually she relented, stepping out without as much as a word.
Theresa stayed her ground.
"I said-"
"Please... J-just a moment"
Sirin crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back, unimpressed, as Theresa dragged a nearby stool and put it on Kiana's other side. Not once Sirin let her glare off Theresa and not once Theresa tore her fond look from Kiana.
"You've grown" Theresa whispered, eyes wide in wonder and silent happiness as she extended a hand towards Kiana's white hair, intending to caress it until a growl from Sirin stopped her.
"I suggest you keep your filthy fingers off of her if you still value your intact digits"
"Sorry" Yeah, it has to wait. Wringing her hands together, Theresa shifted to face Sirin. "Cecilia and I were pretty close and I was there when Kiana was born. I suppose you can say I'm her godmother" A smile found its way to Theresa's face, but as soon as it appeared it disappeared into a somber one. "I made a promise I would keep her daughter safe if something happened to her and nothing broke me more than when I learned Siegfried and his daughter had gone missing"
"I'm not interested with your biography"
The Principal frowned in response to Sirin's dismissive tone before sighing once again. "I didn't expect you to. I guess what I want to say is that we are on the same side" At that, Sirin rose an eyebrow in mocking disbelief but before she could retort Theresa continued. "You want to protect Kiana, so do I. I love Kiana and from what I see so do you. If you would just let me help, we could save everyone the pain the future might bring"
"I can't and I won't"
Sirin hissed through her clenched jaw, the sound was a bit too much like an angry hissing of a charging bull. "Schicksal is half the reason my previous life turned the way it was, the immoral experiments are a source of nightmare even to this day. If I agree to accept your offer, you will use us the way you do lab rats and it's not a life neither I or Kiana want to live"
Sirin's voice had a hint if finality in it and Theresa knew she wouldn't be getting through her so she relented, for the moment. "I understand" She simply said before getting up, giving the sleeping Kiana one final look. This time, she dared her fingers despite Sirin's warning and let her small digits touch Kiana's foot in a silent parting gesture.
Thankfully, Sirin let her be. Theresa wasn't sure if it's because she was merely bluffing or because some of her words reached the younger girl. She'd like to know more, to touch more, but for now she settled to what she was allowed. Besides, it was an enough reassurance just to feel Kiana after what seemingly an eternity, an eternity filled with despair and self loathing.
"You should get some rest too" Theresa muttered, glancing outside the window to see the crescendo of dawn peeking over the horizon, slowly basking the world with its warm light.
Sirin didn't respond.
Golden eyes followed Theresa until she disappeared behind the door, only when Sirin was sure she wouldn't be coming back did she allow her facade to crumble. Blinking, her eyes return to their original color as a condescending smile bloomed on her lips.
A short chuckle left her throat, deep and restrained, before it died into a mere rumble.
"Oh, how amusing. You don't know, do you?" She asked the empty air, still warm from Theresa's lingering presence.
"Mom...?"
Sirin whipped her head so suddenly it almost hurt towards Kiana, watching as a pair of bleary blue eyes barely open trying to discern her. Sighing, the Herrscher shook her head and pat her sister on the cheek. "No, it's me. Go back to sleep, Kiana"
"Mm'kay"
Sirin smiled softly as she watched Kiana drifted back to slumber, and she would continue to do so until the next time her sister woke up. Being a Herrscher had its benefits, not having to follow basic human needs like sleeping was one of them. Not for the first time Sirin was glad she's a Herrscher.
"Sirin! Sirin!"
"What?"
"You're warm"
"... my body is always warm because of my power"
"Really? you're not sick? Mama said when your body is warm even though it's cold it's a... a..."
"Fever"
"Yeah! Did you catch a fever? Should we buy medicine?"
"I told you I'm not sick. I can't get sick. Besides, where do you want to find a drugstore in this godforsaken place?"
"Really?"
"Yeah"
"So you're not sick?"
"No. But... you can... so um, come here"
"Yay! cuddle!"
"Don't move around too much! This cave is smaller than the last!"
"Hehe"
"..."
"..."
"Sirin?"
"Yeah?"
"Why can't you get sick but I can?"
"... that's because you're a human. I'm not, not anymore"
"Are you sad?"
"No"
"It's okay, you can always be my little sister. I like you now because you're warm and amazing"
"I told you I'm not sad. I can only be like this because I'm no longer human"
"Hehe! so warm and comfy!"
"See, even you like it that way"
"Hehe"
"..."
"..."
"Sirin?"
"What?"
"Don't leave"
"... I won't"
TBC
Whoopsie daisy gets run over by a trolley! What the hell is that ending.
I find myself enjoying writing this one so I came to an unexpected motivation to write some more. The ending was just a big mood coming from me since I love writing angst and being unable to do so for quite some time lol so this is the release I sought.
Anyway, didn't expect this story to attract that much attention from you guys because as I said before I wrote this on a whim without much thought. I did have the ideas and as the story progress I think I can turn this into a full blown story. No promises though since they're half-assed at best.
That's all I guess, see you guys later and don't forget to leave a review on your way out!
Peace out, guys.