Chapter 4: Thunder Avoidance.

The next time Theresa ventured the school's Medical Wing, things had calmed down greatly. She was no longer in a hurry, nor she felt the trepidation and anxiety she had the last time she stepped into the building. Now she was the exact opposite of her past self, a small, happy bundle of joy and excitement that couldn't be happier at the moment.

Her niece had finally woken up, her dear Kiana who she hadn't spoken with for almost two decades had finally woken up from her medicine induced slumber. That alone would be enough to make her feel giddy like a child befitting her body, already she thought of the countless questions she wanted to ask the little Kaslana.

Like where she was the past few years and what was she doing in those years, where did she live and where was Siegfried.

Those would have been the first questions she asked had she not remembered about an arguably more pressing question, namely how in the God green Earth did she get a goddamn Herrscher as a sister. The same Herrscher who killed her mother during her rampage nonetheless.

Shaking her head, Theresa mentally pushed the question aside when she felt the upbeat mood it slowly eroded from her, slowly but surely replacing it with a more somber one. It can wait, she reasoned, because right now all that's matter was her niece.

When she neared a certain door, Theresa couldn't help but to raise her eyebrows when she heard a rather loud giggle from inside the room. Whoever it was, she surely had no reservations about her emotions to be laughing so freely. It somehow warmed Theresa's heart, to hear a young soul sounded so carefree.

She waited another seconds before Theresa rapped her knuckles against the glass frame, feeling a bit disappointed when the occupants inside fell quiet. There was another pause followed by shuffling before a clicking of heels grew louder and louder to the door. Theresa didn't know why but it took her a moment before she realized she had been holding her breath.

When the knob twisted, Theresa took an instinctive step back, mentally bracing herself for whatever was coming from behind that blurry barrier.

A pair of blue eyes peeked through the small crack, the unnatural cross inside their retinas zeroed in towards Theresa.

Sirin.

Almost immediately, Sirin's annoyed face turned into one that of anger and disgust, but this time she kept her hostility at minimum for some reason, judging from the fact her eyes hadn't changed color like when she was pissed.

"What do you want?" Sirin hissed through her teeth, whisper as harsh as a typhoon. Theresa kept her straight face, not allowing a slightest bit of sign she was intimidated in any way.

"I'm here to check on my niece"

"No"

The Herrscher moved to close the door and Theresa, acting at the spur of the moment, slipped her shoe into the small gap. She hoped, Goodness she did hope, that Sirin wouldn't impale her foot with her subspace lance due to her admittedly thoughtless action.

Her prayer was answered when no searing pain pierced through the appendage, but Sirin couldn't be more pissed now when the door refused to shut. Theresa didn't want to try her luck further so she quickly said to Sirin "Sirin, please. I want to see her"

Sirin's eye twitched and for the briefest of moment Theresa began to ponder should they change the glass door to something less fragile and less volatile in case of sudden explosion, knowing full well picking up glass shards from flesh was as tedious as it was painful. But before she could ponder the thought more, a curious voice from inside the room called, effectively ending the standoff between the small Principal and the all destroying Herrscher.

"Sirin? Who's that?"

Sirin's expression softened considerably, something Theresa didn't know was possible, as she looked back to talk to the other person. Theresa, for her part, couldn't help but to smile when she heard the gentle voice undoubtedly coming from Kiana. She had changed.

"Just someone wanting to see you" Sirin responded, yet surprising Theresa again with how equally gentle her tone was. She wondered how deep the bonds between these two were for Sirin to show an actual affection.

"Well, let them in then"

There's a pause as Sirin's smile disappeared when she regarded Theresa for the second time, a warning flashing dangerously in those crossed irises and Theresa suddenly became too conscious of her one foot asymmetric to the other. The small woman swallowed hard and retreated a step.

Sirin didn't close the door on her face.

"If you try something funny, I will send this whole building into the Imaginary Space" But she growled, on her face, and it was a clear enough statement for Theresa to nod frantically in return.

Pleased, Sirin swung the door to open it more widely, eyes never leaving Theresa when she began taking a tentative step inside. And another, and another until she saw her subject of excitement.

Kiana sat there, face morphing from neutral friendliness to surprise before eventually confusion took place. She smiled dryly. "Oh, um... Can I help you?"

Theresa didn't answer right away as Sirin took her place back beside Kiana, still glaring heatedly it seemed.

"Hello, Kiana" The Principal said with her best smile, suppressing the choke coming with the sentence. "Do you not remember me?"

"Sorry, but I don't think we've met?" Kiana asked back, tilting her head so cutely it took everything out of Theresa to not pull her into a chest constricting hug. "B-but you do look familiar, a-and I just need some clues so maybe I can remember you..."

Kiana's words died at the end of her sentence, head casted low shamefully as she twiddled with her thumbs. When Theresa laughed, it almost startled her. "Oh, I'm quite familiar alright. Maybe it's because I'm a technical Kaslana? You know we all share this and this, right?" Theresa pointed at her eyes and drew her hair, ignoring the cynical Sirin and focusing on a more wonder stricken Kiana instead. "My name is Theresa, we met daily when you're barely a 2 year old. I guess I'm your aunt" Theresa chuckled and Kiana's jaw dropped.

"Wait, 2 year old?! How old are you now?!"

"That's a secret, besides didn't your father teach you asking a woman her age is a no go?"

"You know dad?!"

Theresa clicked her tongue, but there's no actual malice behind her action, as she dragged a stool and put it on Kiana's other side. "The hot headed, womanizing Siegfried Kaslana? Yeah, there's only one I know. It's a wonder Cecilia hadn't decked him here and there but I guess for a wife who loved her husband so much she could eat through his charcoal of a food, it's pretty easy"

"You know mom, too?!"

Theresa's smile fell.

"When you were born..." The small woman began slowly, giving Sirin an imploring glance in a hope she would listen also. So far she was being impassive, if not for the cautious glare she was giving Theresa would've chalked it as disinterest. "Siegfried was away on a mission so Cecilia was left alone. It took me a few hours after your birth to return from Germany and in my impatience I almost ripped the passenger seat of our transport ship back then" Theresa laughed shortly, yet tears began to well on the corners of her eyes. "I... um, Cecilia asked me to name you, blessing me with the privilege to be your godmother. At first I was nervous, but you looked so beautiful under the moonlight that night. It was at that moment I know what's best for your name"

"Kiana" Said the young Kaslana solemnly, smiling all the while.

"Valkyrie of the Moon, I said to Cecilia and she agreed. No greater joy and no greater honor, than when I heard that name left your mother's mouth. I cherished every moment we had together. I believed we would be happy forever because nothing seemed wrong" The first drop of tear felt fresh on her clenched fists, balled above her thighs in a desperate attempt to quell the burning in her throat. Those days were the happiest of her life, for once she could feel how it was to love and be loved by a family. It wasn't a privilege she had before, being born from the cold experiment tank as nothing but a mockery of a holy lineage, produced by a twisted desire of a man blinded by his goals.

Theresa was used of cold gazes, far before she gained her consciousness, so the way Cecilia looked at her as if she's an actual human being worthy of love was the fire that drew her moth.

And it seemed the same could be said to her daughter.

Kiana opened her arms, an inviting gesture even a guilt stricken Theresa could comprehend. Wordlessly, she launched herself to hug the girl, pulling her into a tight embrace Theresa could only hold herself because of Kiana's injured back.

"I'm sorry, Aunty"

Then everything went loose, as Theresa began to cry at her earnest on Kiana's shoulder. In any other situation she would never, ever, cry especially in near others but right now she just didn't care. Right now, Theresa let her heart bleed and heal for the nth times.

"I-I thought I l-lost you!" Theresa confessed between sobs, tightening her embrace as if to confirm the Kiana she was holding was not an illusion. But for once, fate wasn't so cruel as to toy with her. The warmth was real and the soft flesh against hers was even so. "I w-wouldn't... I wouldn't have thought we would meet again"

Minutes passed before Theresa retreated away from the embrace. Kiana took the hand she had been using to rub comforting circles on her newfound Aunt's back and watched as she settled back down to the stool. There was a long pause before Theresa spoke again, finally stopped sniffling.

"That was embarrassing"

Kiana only laughed, earning a smile in return from Theresa. "It's okay, I'm used to holding my crying sister"

Beside her, Sirin growled warningly. "Kiana..."

"It's okay to cry, Sirin"

The Herrscher scoffed, crossing her arms. "Practice what you preach"

Kiana chuckled sheepishly, scooting off her bed until her feet touched the cold floor below. If she was aware with the fact Sirin knew she was avoiding her gaze, she certainly didn't show it.

Theresa met Sirin's gaze for a brief moment, concern filling the two pairs of blue eyes, but neither of them said a word. They only watched as Kiana dragged her IV stand around, humming to herself until she stopped behind the window. "Oh, wow. This place is big" She whistled as she slid the glass panel open, sighing contently when a gust of fresh air hit her face. "Ah, that feels good"

"You sure you should walk around?" Theresa asked worriedly but Kiana merely smirked back before lifting the back of her dress up.

"I'm alright now, Aunty"

Theresa was stunned.

There was no sign of injury on her back, only soft pale skin and muscles. It shouldn't be possible, the only person with such accelerated healing Theresa knew was herself and it was only because she had a Honkai beast DNA in her body. Was this what her Grandfather meant? The outcome of combining two Holy Lineages?

It can't be...

It couldn't be. Combining a bloodline with great Honkai resistance and a great Honkai control shouldn't give that result, at least not naturally. At first, Theresa was scared that her Grandpa did something to the young girl because he would find a way to do so but then...

But then her eyes met Sirin's, and she suddenly remembered one crucial fact about Herrschers.

They had an unnatural healing rate because of the concentrated Honkai energy in their body, combine it with the fact Kiana had high tolerance against it there's only one meaning.

Kiana had been absorbing the ambient Honkai energy Sirin was exuding and used it to heal herself. Whether she did it consciously or unconsciously was a question Theresa had yet to ponder. For now, she couldn't help the sudden intrusive thought entering her mind.

If they've been together for years... does that mean Sirin had been continuously supplying Kiana with volatile Honkai energy?

But Kiana looked alright, and if something did seem amiss then the doctors working on her earlier would've noticed and notified Theresa. Unless they found themselves under a death threat by Sirin then they should have all the reason to tell Theresa.

Theresa was too deep in her own head she didn't notice Kiana had stood behind Sirin and pulled the Herrscher into an embrace, nuzzling her face into her white mane and inhaling deeply. Only when Sirin grunted did Theresa become aware of it.

"Are you always so clingy?" She blurted out, barely able to conceal the panic in her chest from surfacing. If Sirin somehow corrupted her niece with Honkai energy then she should do something to stop it. Preferably without separating the two, which was an impossible task by itself, but she would never. Not with the way Kiana acting she was practically purring on Sirin.

"Big sister privilege" Kiana said, her voice muffled slightly. A few moments passed before she pulled her face back to look at Theresa again, a big smile permanently glued to her face. "I missed her so much, that's all"

Sirin made a noncommittal sound but she didn't pull away. "Unfortunately so"

Kiana rolled her eyes and sat back on the bed, feet dangling above the floor as she stared Sirin down. "Drop your act already. This is our Aunt, not some random stranger"

"I will not call that woman Aunt" Sirin hissed back stubbornly, huffing in a childish indignation. Theresa couldn't stop the giggle leaving her until Sirin glared at her with so much malice it sent shivers down her spine. "I still remember our last fight, we still have scores to settle"

Theresa immediately tensed up, small fingers curling together around nothing. It was an instinctive action, one she associated with the Oath of Judah's presence which sadly anything but present.

But turned out, her concern was not needed.

Kiana slapped the top of Sirin's head and the Herrscher yelped, more in surprise than pain since it couldn't be that hard. Theresa, meanwhile, could only watch with open mouth when Kiana began to scold Sirin.

Did she just... slap the Second Herrscher?

"I said stop it, Sirin. These people helped us, we should at least show some bit of gratitude and respect. Say thank you and apologize this instant"

"Why would I thank those pi- Ouch! alright! alright! Stop pulling my hair!"

Satisfied, Kiana stepped back, giving Sirin a pointed look and silently urged her to begin. Kiana must be rated as Sirin's glare resistant with how easy she ignored the one Sirin gave her.

"You'll regret this" Sirin mumbled and Kiana rolled her eyes, hand reaching forward towards Sirin and the Herrscher jerked back immediately, covering her stray lock. "Give me a moment"

"It's a thank you and sorry, Sirin, not an election speech"

Sirin grumbled before sih fixed her gaze to Theresa, and with the most reluctant tone Theresa had ever heard from someone she began. "Thanks, and sorry"

The young Kaslana pinched the bridge of her nose exasperatedly, conflicted between sighing or outright screaming her lungs out. Eventually, she decided the former was better, at the moment. "Thank you, Aunty, for saving us. Truthfully, it's been a very long weeks and we're at the end of our rope already, had you not helped us... I don't know what'd become of us. As for my sister here" Kiana glared at Sirin, and the Herrscher withered immediately under those burning blue eyes. "She's a bit uptight. Those years we spent travelling together hadn't been kind to us. I'll spare you the details but... It's not easy to trust, especially when all we have is first impression, and Sirin has always hated Schicksal. It's not your fault at all, it's ours so I apologize for her unsavory behavior"

"What happened to the both of you?" Theresa whispered, trapped between anger and sadness. She was angry because Kiana, her lovely niece Kiana, had to go through such unimaginable hardships for years, not knowing there were still people who cared about her out there aside from Sirin. Theresa was also sad because no child deserved what Kiana went through, more so if it's Cecilia's child.

A sad look passed on Kiana's face, and whilst Sirin was mostly stoic she also sported a fraction of what Kiana showed. They really looked alike it's almost uncanny. "Too many to say, some are simply too painful to recall"

When she was told the Principal was out visiting her niece in the school's Medical Wing, Himeko had had a myriad of emotions and dread was admittedly one of them.

The Herrscher kid Himeko was sure hated their guts, no denying nor questioning it.

She looked like she was going to rip her head off the first time they met, and the times after. For all its worth, the only reason Himeko abstained from carrying her sword was because of Theresa's order, otherwise she would be bringing her weapon everywhere and everytime near the Herrscher. Those golden gazes were unsettling, inhumanly off and beyond intimidating. Unfortunately, she had the displeasure to be on the receiving end of those for countless times.

Himeko hated to think Theresa dealing with Sirin alone, two nights ago when they visited the girls Himeko happened to see Sirin tossing off something that distinctively seemed like one of her subspace weapons. It was a source of alarm, great enough for Himeko to waited for the Principal right outside the door when they had their talk. Himeko didn't doubt Theresa's strength at all but even Cecilia Schariac, the century's best Valkyrie and the wielder of a Divine Key comparable with Oath of Judah, couldn't win against Sirin despite having the whole Schicksal and Anti-Entropy backing her off.

Theresa didn't even have a backup beside her.

Himeko's heels clacked against the marble floor below her, sending a series of repeating rhythms around her. They bounced and echoed the long hallways, filling the silence with a melody of her steps.

The redhead was still cladded in her instructor uniform, hadn't had the chance to change to something more casual yet. School had just finished and Himeko was on her way to give a report to Theresa when her secretary told her she was out. It was pretty much how Himeko was in a hurry to talk with the Principal right now.

Finally, she saw a familiar door. Not even bothering to hide her relief when Himeko saw the glass was still intact and no subspace lance was impaled in the wall across it. It was a good thing, at least she now knew Theresa hadn't been impaled on her way out or something.

Taking a deep breath, Himeko balled her fist and rapped her knuckles against the door, announcing her presence with a flat "Principal, it's Himeko".

She didn't have to wait long for Theresa's voice to call back from the inside, a certainty that the small Principal was alright. "You may enter, Himeko"

Nodding to nobody in particular, she twisted the knob and pushed the door open. Taking the scene before her with great interest and relief.

Apparently, Theresa and the kids were in the middle of a talk, with Kiana standing behind her Herrscher sister and Theresa at the other side of the bed. The redhead couldn't help but to raise an eyebrow at the young Kaslana when she noticed she was absentmindedly messing with Sirin's hair, judging from the disheveled white mane and the absence of her ponytail.

Sirin, for the most part, seemed utterly defeated.

"Principal" Himeko greeted and turned to Kiana, offering the girl a genuine smile. "Hey, sugar, you look fine"

Himeko was sure no human should be able to grin so brightly like Kiana did. "Yep, thank you... um..."

"You can call me Miss Himeko or Instructor Himeko"

Kiana's grin broadened before a puzzlement replaced it. "Wait, 'Miss'? You're not married?"

That was a sore spot Himeko kept inside her, a restricted topic to speak around the redhead, let alone to her directly. Himeko felt her brow twitched but she fought the urge to pinch Kiana's cheek as retaliation to her unintended jab. "Yes. Still yet to find the right man" Himeko replied with a barely suppressed scoff, making Kiana smiled nervously in return. Shaking her head, she turned towards Theresa next. "So, Principal. Regarding our guests"

"Yes?"

"We found a stowaway"

Theresa blinked owlishly. "What stowaway and where?"

Himeko rolled her shoulder and sighed contentedly when it popped. "A rather peculiar brat, onboard the Hyperion. She calls herself Bronya, in third person"

"What?"

"Bratnya?"

Theresa shot Kiana a look, amused. "You know her?"

Kiana simply huffed and crossed her arms, if she was aware with the way Sirin muttered "Finally" when her hands left her hair, she didn't show it.

"Of course I do. She was with Mei and I, being a third wheel in our oh so wonderful relationships during our time in Nagazora. She kept stealing Mei's attention and care, like how is it always her who kept getting a lap pillow? It's just so unfair. I know she's a brat and all that, but she's actually strong, and I mean super strong with her magical robot and stuff. She's also super smart and-"

And Theresa and Himeko decided to tuned Kiana off. A quick glance to Sirin confirmed the Herrscher had already done the same thing, judging from the way she stared at her nails as if they're the most interesting things out there. Kiana kept talking animatedly, switching between annoyed grumbles to happy chirping everytime Bronya and Mei were mentioned. Most impressive she did that in one breath.

"-time we were chased by this giant Honkai beast Bratnya turned super dumb so I had to save the love of my life and acted like an actual knight. Okay, maybe that wasn't too bad but still I nearly died because of Dumbnya"

Kiana then proceeded to use her IV stand as a makeshift spear, making an elaborate gesture with it by twirling it beside her and puffing her chest out, hands on her hips. "Thou shan't worry, milady! This handsome Kaslana knight is here to protect thee!"

She then began to guffaw, deep and exaggerated as she pointed a finger high to nothing. It was an amusing display Theresa couldn't help but snicker.

Seriously... you act so much like Siegfried.

"Kiana, your blood flows back" Sirin said almost disinterestedly. Kiana's eyes widened as she looked down to the IV line connected to her and sure enough, the once crystal fluid was replaced with her crimson blood almost all the way to the bag.

Panic began to swell in her heart and she turned towards Sirin urgently. "Sirin, do something!"

"Do what? Just sit down and let your blood pressure normalize" Sirin clicked her tongue and muttered "So much for being a knight"

Kiana listened, for once, and sat back down on the bed. She watched anxiously at the crimson liquid, hoping it'd come back down into her body. Unfortunately, her excited heart didn't allow for such notion, the loud and rapid thumping never slowed down.

Himeko saw this and decided to step up, turning off the valve altogether. "I think she won't be needing this anymore. You look fine, and I meant it the first time"

Kiana gave Himeko a grateful look and a toothy smile befitting a toddler and suddenly Himeko found herself in a battle against her desire to pull her into a hug. "Thank you, Aunty Himeko"

However, Himeko allowed a pinch to Kiana's nose. "Don't call me Aunty, I'm not that old" She said lightly with a smile, watching Kiana protested. When she let go the poor girl's nose, it flared with redness that urged Himeko to giggle. "Anyway, what's your relationship with Raiden Mei?"

Kiana's eyes immediately sparkled, and both Theresa and Sirin internally groaned. "We are match made in heaven!"

Himeko smiled, albeit solemnly as she ruffled Kiana's hair. There was an apologetic hint in that gesture Kiana captured. "Kid... I think you deserve to know"

Kiana's smile faltered, a frown took over her expression. "She's okay, right?"

"Well, okay as in relatively okay yes. But mentally? I'm sure you know she's gone through a lot"

The young Kaslana nodded slowly, face scrunched up in concentration. "Mei was in a lot of pain. She told me that... she's afraid. Of everything. She's afraid of hurting others with her power, she's afraid she'd be abandoned again because of it"

"She wants to join the Valkyrie force" Himeko said and Kiana's head snapped to her direction, surprised. "But she also asks us to plant a bomb next to her heart in case the Herrscher persona awaken again"

"What?!"

The redhead quickly raised her hands. "It's also her wish. She doesn't want to accidentally hurt her friends or innocent people again. It's a power she cannot control"

"But her other self is not a bad person!" Kiana protested, drawing a scoff from Sirin. The former then looked at the latter angrily. "What was that?!"

"You are being reckless again" Sirin responded, staring at Kiana pointedly. "Herrschers cannot be trusted. I do not want you to get close to any of them"

"You're a Herrscher, hun" Himeko said to Sirin with clear amusement in her tone, getting a glare in return.

"I'm not like them. Not anymore. I don't care about their crusade against humanity"

Something clicked inside Kiana's head and she exclaimed loudly. "That's it! You can talk to her other self and convince her to be like you!"

"What? No! I will not be in the same room with Thunder, ever"

"Please, Sirin"

Kiana's plea was genuine unlike her usual cheerful ones. This time they could hear desperation and distress. Sirin, who hated nothing more than seeing Kiana down, quickly succumbed to defeat.

"Fine" She hissed, standing up. "Your portion of cup noodles are mine"

"Ah, whatever. Thank you, sis. You're the best"

Sirin rolled her eyes and turned towards Himeko, barely able to stop herself from glowering. "Let's get this over with"

The woman, Himeko, led her into a series of boring white long winding hallways. Past many door and doors of various designs and security levels. Sirin didn't even bother to memorize her way back, Kiana's presence permanently imbued to her soul she could sense where her sister was with her eyes practically blindfolded, and the fact she could just obliterate things if something went off the cliff allowed her to care less about emergency exit.

No, it was the plain view that had her bored she actually began to think the red in front if her was entertaining to watch.

"I won't lure you into a trap, hun" Himeko suddenly said and Sirin raised an eyebrow in response.

"So?"

"So stop staring at my back like you're about to murder me, I would appreciate it"

Sirin clicked her tongue but stayed silent, averting her eyes somewhere else. She shouldn't have thought the red was attractive but really, nobody could blame her. It's just that Himeko mistook her transfixion as a hostility and Sirin couldn't really blame the woman for it.

After all, just a few days ago she did consider impaling the woman to the floor along with her flying ship. Now, she just looked so vulnerable Sirin didn't even bother to think her as a threat.

Himeko herself seemed like she'd rather be anywhere but here, anyway.

Eventually, they stopped and this time Sirin did bother to assess the door before them. A door where she felt Thunder's signature energy was concentrated.

She wrinkled her nose. It was not unpleasant but having another Herrscher before her sent a strange feeling into her heart, a familiar need to assert her dominance but with plenty of trepidations. Sirin was not aware of the growl she's making until Himeko looked at her worriedly.

"You okay there, hun? Do you want to continue?"

Sirin paused and glared at the woman, giving a single message that she didn't need her worry nor pity. But Himeko's words did manage to pull her back to reality and she stopped growling at once. "Just open the damn door"

Himeko gave her another seconds before she opened the metal barrier. Once it was fully opened, Sirin stepped forth into the dimly lit room.

She only managed another step before a bolt of lightning raced to her face. Eyes widening, she ripped the space open in front of her and directed the attack back, all the while summoning her subspace lances to existence.

The lightning struck its sender, where it then harmlessly dissipated.

Behind her, Himeko hurriedly walked into the room. Sirin had half the mind why she didn't direct the bolt behind her before dismissing the thought immediately. It was due to the urgency, not because she cared for the woman.

"Mei!" The redhead yelled, not knowing it wasn't the Raiden girl she was calling. At least not at the moment.

"Get out" Sirin ordered, when Himeko didn't move Sirin had to repeat herself. "You'll get yourself killed. Get out now and seal the door"

Himeko hesitated but she eventually nodded and stepped out, the door following a second later and clicking shut as the lock was engaged. Turning her attention back to her front, Sirin glared at the darkness where a pair of glowing pinkish purple eyes at.

"Damned Thunder" Sirin growled, earning an echo of laughter in return.

"Damned? Was it not you who betrayed God? A heretic like you has no right to call others damned"

"I'm freer than I was. I don't need God whispering me empty promises, not anymore"

"Of course. You've got what you longed, a loving family and a sibling. Your reasons are weak, that's why you're easily swayed from your goals"

"And you?" Sirin shot back, feeling her Herrscher wing slowly manifesting on her back. She didn't even summon it consciously. "What do you wish for you to sell your soul?"

The light coming from her wing made it possible for Sirin to see Thunder's expression. She didn't know what to expect but her sister was right, this Raiden Mei certainly had the aesthetic of a princess. No wonder Kiana was charmed.

Or so Sirin thought had it not because of the impassiveness she displayed. It made her wonder was every Herrscher like that, including herself.

"I wish for nothing" Thunder said matter of factly and Sirin snorted disbelievingly.

"We all wish for something at one point" She argued, crossing her arms over her chest. "Personally, I do not care even if you wish to destroy the world the way you are. As long as my Kiana is safe"

Something flashed in Thunder's expression at the mention of Kiana, subtle but impossible to miss for Sirin. It's a mixture of concern and fear, but to what Sirin didn't know.

"The coward... My wishes are her wishes"

"Coward who?"

"Raiden Mei. My host. She's afraid, once of her weakness but now of her power. My power" The hostility in Thunder's tone had subsided considerably and she was no longer looking at Sirin with challenge. The older Herrscher narrowed her eyes, unsure where this submission came from. "I fear I will hurt Kiana if I stay near her"

"As much as I hate it, it was her wish for you to stay"

Surprise invaded Raiden Mei's face, her fingers clenched and unclenched repeatedly in a clear sign of distress. "Was it truly her wish? Surely, she's aware of the risk I possess?"

Sirin hated the hopefulness in the other Herrscher's voice. Just what the hell did Kiana do to have another Herrscher falling head over heels on her? She's going to punch Siegfried twice this time.

"Saying otherwise will make her hate me. I do not want her to hate me. If you're afraid of your power going rampant, then I can help you train your control" Sirin dropped her pretense and relaxed, her subspace lances disappeared along with her wing. "First, we'll focus how to suppress the residual Honkai energy you exude because you're leaking an awful amount of it"

"I'm aware. It's half the reason I did not wish to stay" Thunder said quietly.

Sirin merely smirked. "You had nothing to fear. Kiana is resistant to Honkai energy" She said proudly because she was. Unlike Sirin, Kiana inherited both the Kaslana and Schariac power, which was very special it was a cause of concern during their earlier days. "Still, leaving you the way is, is not an option. You might learn how to control your power as you grow, but time is not a luxury we have. If you want to stay, you'll do as I say, not as I do"

Thunder hesitated, for a moment, before she nodded resolutely. The talk had gone a lot smoother than what Sirin anticipated, she'd expected at least a toppled building but the most damage happened was the metal bench Thunder sat on where a dark circle surrounded her, a courtesy of the bolt that struck her.

Her job's now done, Sirin was about to leave when Thunder suddenly seized up and relaxed just as abruptly. The light above flickered on as whatever magnetic interference was removed, and when Thunder opened her eyes again the glow in her irises was gone, leaving a pair of hazy purple eyes to stare at Sirin.

Raiden Mei was back in control.

"Kiana...?" She asked tentatively, unsure with what she saw. Sirin just shook her head in return.

"I'm not Kiana"

"Then... you must be Sirin? Kiana's sister?"

Surprised, it took Sirin a few seconds to answer. Kiana didn't usually talk about her to strangers. She understood not all people were trustworthy. "Yeah"

"What happened to me?" Mei whispered, more to herself than Sirin as she clutched her head in pain. Sirin sighed and clasped her hands behind her back, once again making her exit.

"The Herrscher of Thunder controlled you but you should be alright, I broker a deal with her"

"Really? W-what did you do?"

Sirin kicked the door twice, the noise reverberated in the small room. At first, nothing seemed to happen until a series of clicking began followed by the door swinging open. Himeko was standing there, expression grim.

"All in due time" The Herrscher told Mei, stepping out the room, and to Himeko she then added. "She's your problem now"

The redhead nodded and opened her mouth but Sirin interrupted her. "I know my way back"

Without waiting a reply, she opened another portal and stepped into it. A familiar sight filled her vision as she entered the swirling void before it merged and exploded to yet another familiar sight, this one more colorful and bright than the first.

She saw Kiana still sitting on her bed, with Theresa holding a slice of apple mid-air for her sister. The small woman had her eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights, stunned by Sirin's sudden appearance.

"Sirin!" Kiana greeted with a grin, snatching the slice from Theresa's fingers and holding it to Sirin's general direction. "Would you like some apple?"

Sirin shrugged and sat down on her usual spot, opening her mouth invitingly. She heard Kiana giggled as she fed her. "Tastes like an apple"

"It is an apple"

Kiana laughed and Sirin smiled, meanwhile Theresa could only stare dumbly.

"There's a door" She mumbled, pointing at the contraption a few meters from them. There were only two scenarios why someone wouldn't want to enter through a door, one was in a criminal related activity and the other was during emergency. Sirin did it out of neither.

"Doors are just like suggestions for Sirin" Kiana chirped as if it's a normal occurrence for what basically a black hole to appear in the middle of a room. "She doesn't need them"

And Theresa, wisely, decided to not question it further.

TBC

Some of you might think "Kiana is a bit out of character" and yes I agree. However, things are different in case you guys didn't notice so change in characters is inevitable. I will do my best to not make the change too great, though, because I know how much you guys love our current Kiana and would like to see more of her.

Anyway, I might take quite a while for the next update since I'm now focusing on my other story. No promise when but I'll try to make it quick.

So, as a 'closure' this chapter is the longest so far. Consider it a compensation or something.

Reviews are always appreciated, I'd like to thank you guys for stopping by and for supporting the story so far.

Peace out, guys.