When I first started this story I thought "Man, Sirin was such a poor girl I wish to give her happiness" but all I wrote has been nothing but suffering. This chapter in particular got me a bit emotional, I just wish I succeed in delivering what I had in mind to you guys.
Or, in other words; I AM UTTERLY UNHINGED.
Chapter 7: Homecoming.
The smallest of things, were often the bearers of the greatest of change.
Small actions that were thought to have no consequence whatsoever could be the reason someone's fate changed drastically even if said someone was not aware of what they had done. Who knew, a simple gesture was all it took to derail the otherwise unstoppable train of destiny.
For Sirin and the future yet to bloom, it was but a few short seconds. Three seconds, to be precise. Three seconds that could have been nothing but everything to someone whose time had run out in this world. Those mere three seconds were Sirin's everything, her future, her happiness and all she had ever wished for.
It was cold. Like how it was the day she was born. Sirin could still remember when her late mother told her about it, a soft smile on a face Sirin couldn't even remember. But it was all real, everything about it was. Her mother tender voice and gentle stroke on her head, and the pride and love gushing from each letters she uttered were all real. It was a language of a mother's unconditional love for her child, one that was only reserved for her everything, everything of her joy and pride.
Sirin was loved, and she loved what loved her. It was nobody's secret she loved nothing more than her mother.
So, what led her to this outcome where she laid alone in the cold surrounded by nothing but endless snow? Gasping and whimpering as the unholy power inside her body went rampant? What did she do to deserve such pitifully immutable ending? Where not even God came to her aid?
Sirin loved what loved her, and in the end where she loved nothing, nothing was left to love her.
Perhaps it was a given. Perhaps it was for the best. The world had no need for someone undeserving of love, a tormented soul too traumatized to accept a good will. She would only bring about destruction and hatred, forever be known as the harbinger of suffering and death. Nobody would tell a story of a girl who was born under the howling blizzard in the middle of a night, a girl whose first word was 'mama', a girl whose hobby was to sit on her mother's lap behind a fireplace as her mother read her fascinating stories from around the world. Her favourite was Snow White but nobody would remember that.
Instead, Sirin would be known as the Second Herrscher. The ultimate foe during the Second Eruption. The villain that was successfully slain in a story generations to tell. Her death would be celebrated, her pain would be buried along with her, never to be brought to surface.
Her whole life would be summarized into a sentence and associated with a disaster.
She hated the cold. She hated the snow and she hated whatever white. Her whole life revolved around white and snow, from the day she came to this world and her last moments until her final departure.
Sirin hated ever being born.
A sob rocked her body as another tendril of pure Honkai energy erupted from her chest, sending blood and flesh into the air. They fell like rain around her, blemishing the white snow around her with rivers of red. She didn't even scream when the excruciating pain hit her, no longer having the energy to push the air out of her ruined chest cavity. All she did was lay there, trembling and gasping uselessly as her life source continued to bleed out of her body.
The pain was unbearable, it throbbed along with the rapid beating of her heart. It sounded oddly loud in her ears, drowning any other sound with ceaseless thump, thump, thump.
She didn't hear the soft thud of boots, or aware of someone else's presence until she felt she was being lifted into something warm.
It was warm.
Sirin was warm.
"Oh, you poor thing" A woman's voice broke from behind her, trembling and was punctuated with a choking noise. The arms Sirin didn't know was wrapped around her body tightening, their owner unheeding the crimson fluid staining them from the gesture as she cried on Sirin's hair. "You poor, poor child"
"Ma..." Sirin rasped out and the woman sobbed and whimpered even more, as if the pain Sirin was feeling from uttering the word was hers, as if it was her heart that was bleeding out.
"Yes, Mama is here. My poor little Sirin, Mama is here"
"Ma... ma" Shaky hand coming up to grasp the arms holding her up as a pair of golden eyes cracked open. Sirin could see now, a bit clearer than before, and she used whatever left she had to focus on the person behind her.
It was white. It was always white. The only difference was this one was warm. It was all Sirin wanted to love it. She could see the small smile on the woman's face now, full of sorrow and pity.
"My poor little girl" She rephrased, as if to make Sirin understand what she was saying, to pierce through Sirin's muddled thought. Sirin chased after it, snuggling closer as she coughed out blood, using the momentum to seek the warmth the woman was giving. "I saw your loneliness and pain in the illusion you created, that's why I tried to be your mother and made it up for you"
Memories flashed before her eyes, sudden and short. They were of a life she never experienced but did at the same time, a dream that was so real. Sirin remembered she was angry and jealous, but she also remembered she was content.
"But I couldn't do much at that time"
Another image surfaced, this time it stayed. In it she saw a woman with short white hair smiling to her as she handed Sirin a piece of cake. She said something to Sirin and her voice sounded so gentle it made her feel so safe, so accepted. Not unlike the woman's voice talking to her.
"Here we are, at the last moments of our lives"
The woman in her memory turned and ushered her to a kitchen, where a man and a girl with white hair sat behind a dining table. The girl was wearing a dress and a birthday hat, a goofy smile forever plastered on her face which seemingly grow larger as their eyes met.
"At least you won't be lonely now"
The white haired girl enthusiastically gestured for Sirin to sat dawn with them. Though she was unsure until she felt hands on her shoulders guiding her down. So she sat there, as the woman took her place beside the girl with the man on the girl's other side. The man then placed a gift box before the girl, saying more soundless words.
"See, I'm here with you. Sharing a moment of warmth together..."
They sang, and although no sound came of it for some reason Sirin could understand what they're saying. The girl continued to smile and it made something inside Sirin sparked with delight, it filled the gaping void inside her with a feeling she hadn't felt since a long time ago. It felt like home, it felt like family.
It felt like love.
The image shattered as they finished, however the woman's face stayed, everything from her gentle smile and wistful gaze. It took a few painful heartbeats for Sirin to realize that this wasn't a dream nor hallucination anymore. This was reality and the woman was real, always had been.
Sirin reached out to that smile, despite the burning pain on her chest, though it couldn't compete with the warmth she felt at the moment.
"Mama..."
Cecilia's hand met Sirin's remaining one and brought it to her tears soaked face. "Mama is here, Sirin. My daughter, Mama is here"
"Thank... you..."
"This is the least I can do for you, baby girl"
"No..." A breathy sigh escaped Sirin's bloodied lips as her head shook ever slightly from side to side. "N-no... you... y-you must... l-live..."
Sirin's hand fell as her strength slipped from her grasp, body shaking violently it made her wheeze in agony. At that moment Sirin understood she could only do one thing to save her mother, wishing to whatever deity existed she would succeed. She put everything at stake in her next move, feeling her body breaking down even more as she tapped back to the raging storm that was her uncontrolled Honkai energy.
In her last ditch of strength Sirin kicked her legs and pushed the woman back, into a waiting portal she summoned with what remained of her power. She saw the woman's stunned face as she disappeared behind the swirling vortex and for the first time since her mother's death, Sirin felt genuine smile adorning her face as she fell to the snowy ground once more.
Oddly enough, it was no longer cold. All Sirin felt was the warmth the woman gave her, lingering in her body like a rekindled flame. Her smile stayed, even when her body finally shut down from the injuries she sustained, even when splotches of blood poured out from her mouth like a broken faucet and tainted her fading vision with red.
Even when the world around her exploded in a brilliant explosion of red and yellow.
Her last thought was how she wished she was that woman's daughter. At least Sirin knew a girl would be spared the pain of losing her mother due to her action. What was her name again? Something like Tuna?
Well, it didn't matter.
She might lost the war but she had won the battle. In the moment where her rage and anger and hatred had left her, Sirin only felt contentment. It was all she sought, it was all she got, no matter how brief it was.
"Ich liebe dich, Mama"
A searing heat hit her, and Sirin was no more. Gone along the snowy tundra surrounding her like a scattered leaf in Autumn wind.
The end of one life, however, made an opportunity for another. Perhaps this time she would get what she wished as an apology from the universe, because truly no child deserved to go through what she went.
A new chapter of life was yet to be opened, so full of potentials it simply couldn't be told in a single page. Where Sirin would be? What would she encounter in her journey? However, nobody should know of the future, few had the power to intervene with fate as it written.
In three seconds, Sirin had altered her destiny.
Theresa could feel the Honkai energy licking her exposed skin as she stepped into the swirling portal, like a Summer gust in the middle of the day, dry and hot but not unbearable. It was unlike what she imagined, for certain, and the volatile energy was actually very well controlled there hardly any excess bleeding out into the world.
The power was well calculated.
Theresa thought Sirin didn't care and had been ripping space open without regards all this time but Kiana explained it to her it was actually a very delicate process. She told Theresa due to their past Sirin had been refining her control so Schicksal wouldn't notice the sudden spike of Honkai energy in an area, which should be not all that surprising yet here she was, in whatever place the Herrscher brought them wondering just how much Sirin's original power she recovered already.
"Where are we?" Theresa asked the sisters after doing a quick scan to the area, noticing the large constructs and heavy machineries surrounding them. They looked like they hadn't been used for years, judging from the rust covering the metal parts and the faded paint jobs.
"East Coast of United States" Sirin replied casually, as if she hadn't just teleported them all the way across the world. It suddenly made sense, why Kiana told her they had to wait another night to prepare. Theresa hated to admit it but she was so impatient she almost screamed in frustration when Kiana refused to elaborate. "This is one of the abandoned off coast oil rigs"
The Herrscher then gestured for them to follow her, going sets of stairs and catwalks. The metal floor below them creaked and groaned as they walked on it.
"Have you been here?" The Principal asked, mostly to fill the atmosphere with something other than the creepy grinding of metal against metal. Theresa nearly jumped off her skin when Sirin opened a rusty door, causing a great scratching noise in the process.
"I have"
Kiana yawned and rubbed her eyes tiredly. Just like Theresa, she barely got a wink of sleep the night before due to the boiling excitement flowing in her veins and right now instead of sleeping she had to walk under a scorching heat of a mid-day. She should've listened to Sirin's advice and stop pacing about their room last night while sipping two liters of apple juice straight from the bottle, as if the consequential need for bathroom wasn't enough of an indication already.
In her defense, Kiana would've sought comfort from her beautiful senior Raiden Mei but the ever courteous Instructor Himeko literally kicked her out of Mei's room before Kiana could do her biddings, saying something along the line 'not wanting little yous running around the house in the foreseeable future'.
Needles to say, Kiana was left baffled because how would she do that when she didn't even have a di-
"We're here"
A pair of blue eyes blinked, pulled out from whatever fantasy their owner was having. Where was she again? Oh, right. Mei's bedroom and she and Mei about to cuddle-
"Sis, you're creeping me out"
Wait, no! That's not it!
"Uh, yeah. You were saying?" Kiana began, smiling to Sirin as the latter continued giving her the strangest look Kiana had ever seen on her sister's face.
"I said, they'll be here soon" Sirin repeated slowly, spelling each words carefully to ensure Kiana understand the message she was trying to convey. The young Kaslana simply nodded in response, looking around the helipad for anything interesting. In the end, Kiana decided the old tower housing what remained of the mining machineries was more fascinating than the endless blue surrounding them.
"Why is this place abandoned?" Kiana asked suddenly it surprised even herself. She didn't mean to think out loud, no matter what past instances had to say.
"An accident happened. Something pertaining the Honkai" Sirin supplied offhandedly, tossing a bottle of water towards Kiana and Theresa. "I heard there was an underwater Honkai beast that damaged the mining pipe and caused a blowout a few years back"
Kiana tilted her head curiously. "How'd you know?"
"Well, because unlike a certain someone I read newspapers instead of using them for doodling"
Kiana made a mock hurt expression and huffed.
"Did Schicksal eliminate it?" Theresa asked with a smile, watching these two sisters never failed to amuse her.
"No, the United States Navy did"
"Huh, what?"
Before Sirin could elaborate, Kiana suddenly called them both out from her position near the edge of the helipad. Sirin wasted no time in getting to where her sister was.
"Look!" Kiana pointed out to the distance and Sirin followed her index finger, blue eyes scanning the horizon until they settled on an approaching dot. "It's a ship!"
Sure enough, Kiana's excellent vision didn't fail to identify the incoming construct, though it took them a few more minutes until they could make out what type of ship it was.
"It's a warship" Theresa said apprehensively. Indeed it was a warship, but what surprised Theresa the most was the flag flying on its mast. "An American warship"
"This area is heavily guarded by the US Navy after the incident. The remaining rigs are closely monitored all the time with underwater assets and counterattack force" Sirin informed. The ship was close enough now for her to see a single large number on its starboard and a single Osprey leaving its deck, heading towards them. "That's USS Essex LHD-2"
"How can they fight the Honkai? Only Honkai powered weapon is effective against them"
Sirin chuckled dryly, eyes filled with disgust as she spoke next. "Because Anti-Entropy is actually willing to fight the Honkai, unlike Schicksal who has been keeping all knowledge for itself. Schicksal monopolies the power, forcing nations to adhere to their rules for exploits" She spat as the Osprey circled around before coming to land on the helipad. Sirin could see the pilots looking at her as they slowly descent. "The first thing Anti-Entropy did when they seceded from Schicksal was to share all knowledge about Honkai to the United Nations. They came to an agreement with the United States and has been using American soil as their main base"
"Did you not know of this, Aunty?" Kiana asked amidst the down wash, voice rising as the Osprey finally touched down. Theresa merely shook her head because truly she didn't know.
Her Grandparent told her of Anti-Entropy. A bunch of traitors whose leader was none other than the First Herrscher. Originally part of Schicksal's Europe Branch, they seceded from the organization not long after the First Eruption due to conflicting views with headquarters and thus had been an organization of its own.
While it was true Schicksal and Anti-Entropy were enemies, there hardly any instances both parties involved in a battle against each other, mainly because Anti-Entropy mostly kept for itself throughout the years. Theresa had the pleasure of working together with them during the Second Eruption and she realized back then they were not that different from Schicksal. They fought for what's best for Humanity and more than willing to put aside their difference with Schicksal to achieve victory against the Second Herrscher.
The said Second Herrscher who, apparently, had been in touch with the organization now.
Sirin was unfazed with the whole ordeal, though Theresa could see the underlying excitement that didn't fit the girl under her eyes. She tried to look aloof but the occasional slip of her mouth twitching in an early stage of smile really betrayed her attempt. Unlike Kiana who was grinning unrestrainedly when the Osprey cargo bay opened slowly.
The first person who exited it was not who Theresa expected, though. Or rather, the group of persons.
Those are... US Marines?
Honest to God conventional soldiers dressed in full gear, brandishing their service weapons went out and created a protective ring around the aircraft. Some looked at them oddly for a brief moment before refocusing to their tasks. Once nothing happened, one of them declared an all clear for the rest and they relaxed their stances.
And then she appeared. Down the open ramp with a steady gait, beautiful white hair flowing along the whirling of the Osprey's engine blades. An everlasting smile adorned her face all the time, from the moment she thanked the Marine Sergeant who nodded respectfully in return, to the moment her blue eyes settled on the three of them.
Theresa couldn't move a muscle.
She didn't budge even when two blurs of white zoomed by her periphery to approach the woman, one tackling her into a hug while the other slowed down beside her.
Cecilia held Kiana tightly in her embrace, tears of happiness flowing down her cheeks freely. She kissed her daughter lovingly when Kiana began to cry, strong arms keeping her safe and assured.
"My daughter Kiana. Look at you, all big now"
Kiana's only reply was to repeatedly chant "Mom!" again and again.
Sirin took her time to approach the woman, for the first time ever Theresa could see the girl smiling from ear to ear. The image burned its way to her memory and part of her realized just how alike Sirin was with Kiana with such an expression on her face.
Cecilia opened an arm and gestured for Sirin, still smiling with the same tenderness she gave Kiana. "Sirin... My daughter Sirin, come over here"
The Herrscher practically skipped to the embrace, looping one hand around Kiana who did the same. The sisters shared a moment of happiness where yearning was finally paid off after years of solitary from their mother.
"Good job keeping your sister safe, Sirin" Cecilia praised with a smile, tracing a hand on Sirin's white locks that had the girl melting on spot. "Really, I appreciate it"
"It was not an easy endeavor" Sirin giggled, giddy and genuine. "But I managed, Mother"
"I'm the one who keep Sirin safe" Kiana all but whined, voice muffled by Cecilia's dress. "I'm the big sister"
Cecilia laughed and planted another kisses on each her daughter's foreheads before finally her gaze settled on Theresa. There was a long moment of pause until Kiana and Sirin retreated from the embrace before Cecilia made her way to the rooted Theresa.
The Principal nearly jumped in surprise when Cecilia grabbed her hands, still speechless.
"Hello, Theresa. It's been a long time"
In what probably the most significant moment in her life, words failed Theresa. How much did she think of this scenario in her head already? Probably hundreds if she were honest. She expected plenty of things, even the ones where Cecilia hated her because she had failed no matter how ridiculous it might be knowing Cecilia Schariac, the woman who would forgive you even if you stabbed her, yet nothing prepared Theresa for this moment. It was just like back then when she learned her niece was alive and well and she got to meet her, only this time it was amplified by tens. Honestly, it couldn't be good for her old heart.
"Ah, yes it has" She replied dumbly before her mouth snapped shut. Theresa would've kicked herself in the shin had it been physically possible with how lame her response was. Really, decades she thought her best friend was dead and the first time she met said best friend being alive all she had to say was that? It couldn't be worse, could it?
"So, how's life?" Theresa blurted out before she could think and in that exact moment she learned Murphy's Law was, indeed, a bitch. Thankfully Cecilia spared her the embarrassment by merely chuckling.
"We're good, we have been good. It's not the most ideal of a life but it's the best in this line of job" Cecilia pulled Theresa into an embrace, yet once again taking the initiative to invite her like how she did all those years ago. Theresa remembered the first time Cecilia hugged her, amongst many that followed after. Kiana certainly earned her affection for physical contact from her mother.
"I missed you" Theresa whispered and Cecilia hummed, patting Theresa's small back reassuringly.
"I missed you too. I wish I could tell you but alas it was not a privilege I had"
"Just... what happened? I thought you were killed when we dropped the nukes"
There was a pause and Cecilia pulled back. Although her smile stayed it was not exactly the same now. She appeared... tired. As if Theresa's simple question had drained her of her energy.
"I will tell you what happened. But for now, let's get off this place" Cecilia offered her hands to both Kiana and Sirin who readily accepted them, each holding a hand. "This place is not safe"
"Mom?"
"Hm?"
"Where's dad?"
"Oh, he's on a mission. He said sorry he can't meet you but he promised he'll send you a gift"
"Really?"
"Uh-huh"
"What'll it be?"
"I'm not sure, dear. Knowing your father it may be anything"
"Can I have our family recipe book?"
"Can you cook?"
"Well, no. Not really. I was told I'm a hazard in kitchens so I don't cook"
"Don't be silly. I'm sure you'll become a superb cook one day especially with our recipe book"
"Actually, I'm planning to give it to this girl... if you don't mind me sharing it"
"Of course not. You're free to share it to whoever you wish. What's the name of this girl?"
"Raiden Mei. She's an amazing cook, Mom, and she's responsible for our food. Honestly, she's the most perfect girl I've ever known. She's kind, smart and beautiful and also strong! I wish we could bring Mei along to meet you but... Well, it's not really an option. Sirin didn't want to bring unnecessary people"
"Mama thinks we'll find the right moment to meet someday. She and your other friends. How about you tell Mama how you two met?"
"Well, it started in Nagazora..."
The humming of the ship and the disquieting sound of sea water hitting its hull drowned Kiana's words from Theresa. The deck shuddered as a helicopter took off from above them, going off into the distance far away in the horizon.
Theresa kept her gaze set on both mother and daughter across from her, occasionally glancing to her far right where the second daughter was at. They were given a small quarters by the crew, a temporary residential belonging to Cecilia, which was nice enough with a bed and small sofa. Theresa knew it was a luxury room reserved for high ranking individuals in the military, a far cry to the cramped sleeping places for the sailors. The fact the Captain himself greeted them when they came aboard was an enough proof Cecilia was well regarded.
Kiana was lying on the said bed, head resting on her mother's lap while Cecilia gently stroked her white mane. She kept on and on with her story, albeit more quietly now as slumber slowly claimed her consciousness. It didn't take long until Kiana fell quiet and her breathing evened out.
Once Kiana was fast asleep, Cecilia turned her attention to Sirin who had been watching them both with a cup of ice cream on her hands.
"Thank you, Sirin"
The Herrscher blinked inquisitively, tilting her head in a universal gesture of confusion. It was rather cute, if Theresa were honest, with the little spoon hanging between her lips and all.
"I don't quite understand, Mother"
Cecilia gestured for her, patting the free space on her other side. Sirin lit up and quickly made her way there, smiling widely when Cecilia draped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into a half embrace Sirin immediately reciprocated.
"Thank you for bringing your sister back to Mama" Cecilia repeated, nose buried on top of Sirin's head in a kiss. "Mama missed you both so much"
"We missed you, too"
"The moments we lost... Mama can't possibly replace them. Mama wished Mama could watch you both grow into such a splendid young women but Mama can't. Mama is sorry"
Sirin's heart dropped when she heard her mother sobbed, her slow caress on her white hair was punctuated with noticable tremors. She hated seeing her mother sad, more so to witness her cry of anguish.
"My daughters are all grown up" Cecilia continued amidst shuddering breath and suppressed sniffles, each hands resting on Kiana and Sirin. "I didn't even see them grow, didn't teach them how to cook, didn't send them off to school in the morning and help them with homework in the night. I didn't teach them how to fight the monsters or protected them when the stars were nigh and the leaves were still into their blankets, from the cold or the dreadful eyes. My daughters... my daughters who had gone a lot of hardships without your mother knowing, begotten tears with no joy I was offering. My daughters, I'm a failure as a mother"
"No!" Sirin hissed, fresh tears making rivulets unbidden. She grabbed Cecilia's hand and clasped it between her own. "No, Mama. You're the best mother a child can ever ask for, perhaps not to others but to Kiana and I we would never trade you for anyone else. You are our one and only, our mother we love so dearly"
"I'm certainly the luckiest woman on Earth to have you both as daughters"
Sirin buried her face on Cecilia's chest, keeping her mother in a fuller embrace. She was never good with words so her actions always spoke louder than whatever her lips uttered. Words could be deceiving but actions stayed true to the intentions and right now she intended to let her dear mother know the overflowing love she reserved for one of the most important women in her life.
Seeing Sirin acted like a normal girl sent a strange feeling into Theresa's heart, especially when Cecilia returned the embrace and planted small kisses on her daughter's crown. It was at that moment she knew she should stop seeing Sirin as anything but a little girl deserving a happy future, discarding the misdeeds she committed in the past as that, the past.
"Why won't you let me tear Schicksal asunder, Mama?"
The small smile on Theresa's face met a sudden end at Sirin's words, cold travelled down her spine as pure terror replaced her juvenile thought. Cecilia, for the most part, was unfazed.
"You can't, honey" She explained patiently, rubbing Sirin's back comfortingly. "While there's bad people, there's also a lot of innocent ones. Mama sure the good outnumbers the bad, you know? People and girls like your sister who want nothing but to protect the weak and innocent. There's also those who take pride on their job to protect their loved ones"
"The stupid Kaslanas?"
Cecilia laughed, short and sweet. "No. Well, I mean they too but not just them. I'm sure you know, you have the blood of Kaslana in you"
"I'm a Schariac" The Herrscher grumbled in a mock plaintive tone. "We don't need another hot-headed, ball-to-the-wall idiot. Kiana is a lose ballistic as she is, Mother, and that stupid Oath of hers was a pain to me!"
"Really? Why is that?"
"She would run head first into danger, throw herself into any available Honkai beast in the vicinity and work. I mean, work as in working, Mother. She started working when she was eleven!"
"That means she felt responsible as an older sister" Cecilia pinched Sirin's cheek playfully and the girl whined in response. "I understand she caused you troubles"
"Exactly! She would go 'Sirin go eat, Sirin go take a bath, Sirin change your clothes' in every chance possible!" Sirin exaggeratedly mimicked Kiana's way of talking when she bossed her around, pulling back from her mother to put her hands on her hips. The intentional imitation of Kiana blurred the line between the sisters even more, with the Herrscher's voice changing to that of the sleeping girl's so much it threw Theresa off. "But, but do you know what I hate the most? When she's injured she would stay silent about it! Why would she act tough in time like that? One time I found her bleeding out from a fragmented glass stuck in her back and I only noticed it when we were about to sleep! It's horrifying once I pulled her for a cuddle I got blood all over my hands!"
"Oh, dear..."
"That's what I thought, Mama" Sirin crossed her arms and huffed, pouting to the oblivious Kiana who was still sleeping so soundly. "I don't understand why she's so adamant about it. It's not like Kiana was responsible to see me grow up"
"Perhaps, that's what she thought" Cecilia offered gently, a small smile visible on her face as she regarded her daughters. "Kiana is your big sister and she took that responsibility seriously. I wish she didn't have to but really, both of you could only rely on each others. Mama is proud you did it so well"
"It should have been me" Grumbled Sirin quietly, fiddling with the hem of Cecilia's dress. "I'm technically older than she is"
"I'm sure you would've done great"
A heavy sigh escaped Sirin's pursed lips and she stopped her fingers at once. Regret was one of the many feelings she deeply associated with and the biggest regret in her second life was trying to deny the connection Kiana gave her during her earlier days. Memories were a precious commodity especially for a girl who had nothing left, but for Sirin whose life clung on a single wish to have a working family the images of her dying mother were a constant reminder of the ill fate she suffered. When she was rescued from Otto's clutch, she remembered everything, from the rare happiness and the reccuring nightmares of her previous life. The deeds she had done could not be undone, she knew as much, but the fear she had for the future was filled with uncertainty.
Sirin was afraid. She was scared and hurt she only wished to be left on the darkest corner on the planet. The way Siegfried looked at her sickened her because it reminded her of what transpired in Siberia and the tender gaze Cecilia gave her served as nothing but a fuel to her nightmares, the what ifs. But it was when she met Kiana for the first time she finally snapped, in the best way Sirin understood to hide her fear and pain.
Sirin pretended Kiana didn't exist.
She didn't talk when spoken to, didn't move a muscle of her face for the first few months. She was content to just exist, watching and observing. At mornings they would have breakfast, when noons came Siegfried would go out to hunt some Honkai beasts, sometimes Cecilia accompanied her but most of the times the former Valkyrie would be in the house. The nights were Sirin's most hated time because she had to sleep with Kiana, sharing a bed and pillow and blanket. Sirin didn't need to sleep but the last time she refused to sleep Cecilia was very concerned Sirin had no choice but to relent.
It wasn't just her different needs that caused her some concerns. Her abnormally warm body was the cause why Kiana loved to cuddle her, clinging at her side when the weather was particularly cold. Kiana would stare at her face with those bright blue eyes, brimming with curiosity befitting a girl her age, until she drifted off to sleep saying "Nighty night, Sirin" which the Herrscher didn't even verbally acknowledge.
Sirin didn't even bother to know Kiana. Sirin thought she didn't need the connection.
Months past just like that but Kiana never gave up, not even once she stopped biding her good nights or greeted her good mornings during breakfast with the largest smile Sirin had ever seen on someone's face. Even after Sirin ignored her greetings Kiana never once quitted from pestering her for the rest of the day, clinging so closely Sirin swore she could feel the girl's breath on her neck and talking so enthusiastically it hurt Sirin's ears. Kiana would drag her about the house, pulling toys and the like to show her because Sirin was not interested to play, or in some occasions they would go outside to make a snowman. Sirin didn't participate at all but the sight of Kiana being so energetic made her feel... happy. Sirin was happy in those moments because they made her forget about the more ugly ones.
It was then she realized her feeling of contempt had changed to guilt. She no longer felt anger or hatred towards the cruel world, only regret of what she had done, and it all because of Kiana. She saw for the first time how normal girl acted and how a proper family worked and suddenly Sirin felt coldness bubbling in her chest whenever her eyes found Cecilia. She was so close to ruin Kiana's life like how she did to many countless families out there.
It was a given the first word she said to Cecilia was a quiet "Sorry" in which the woman replied with the truest fashion of a Cecilia Schariac.
"It's not your fault, sweetheart"
Cecilia never asked why she apologized, never imposed nor forced her to explain. She just smiled and extended her comfort, a finger at a time until Sirin forgave herself enough to hold her whole hand, and when she stopped with a heart full of uncertainty it was Cecilia who pulled her in to the embrace of acceptance. Sirin only accepted herself for who she was because on that day Cecilia offered her hand. When the world turned its back on a lonely girl yearning for nothing but an unconditional love, one woman gave her everything to ensure that girl was loved.
Sirin followed Kiana's example and laid her head down on Cecilia's lap, sighing contently when a soft hand traced her cheek.
"I let her become the big sister because she wouldn't shut up about it" Sirin grumbled dryly, earning an amused smile from her mother who only hummed in response. "What am I going to do with her, Mother?"
"What you have been doing so far, Sirin"
Cecilia didn't hesitate with her answer, only resoluteness dripped freely amongst her tone. Sirin basked in that steely response and let it lit up the determination within her. If her mother believed in her, then Sirin would do anything to meet her expectations. Snuggling her face to Cecilia's thigh, Sirin exhaled deeply and closed her eyes.
"Kelly, please look after my daughters while I'm away. They're currently sleeping inside my quarters"
"Of course, Ma'am"
"Thank you, I appreciate it"
Cecilia gave the lone female Marine standing guard outside her room a smile before turning towards Theresa, gesturing with a wave of her hand to follow her. The Principal blinked and simply nodded in return.
"You seem well regarded" Theresa asked once they rounded a corner, squeezing past a pair of crews who was busy fixing something on the corridor. As soon they spotted Cecilia they too gave the woman a friendly greeting she replied with such, further accentuating Theresa's point.
"Well, us Anti-Entropy have been working together with a lot of nations to fight the Honkai. We also help them with research and key technology transfers"
"You give the American government access to Honkai powered weapons?" Theresa asked in surprise, ignoring the odd taste in her tongue when she referred to Cecilia and Anti-Entropy as a 'you'. It was a bitter reminder the woman before her was technically a traitor to Schicksal.
Cecilia was oblivious to it, though, and she simply nodded in return. "We have to, it's necessary"
The former Valkyrie led her above deck, where many flight crews were attending their respective stations. Naturally, Theresa's abnormal body size earned her a few raised eyebrows, looking so much like a little girl following her mother around onboard a warship. She couldn't seem more out of place.
Eventually they stopped on the starboard aft of the ship near one of the CIWS mounts, overlooking the bubbling wakes the ship left behind. Cecilia sat down on the edge of the deck and after a moment of hesitation Theresa followed her example.
For a long few minutes, nobody said a word, content to enjoy the fleeting peace the warship ironically offered.
Theresa clenched and unclenched her hands repeatedly, trying and failing to quell her nervousnes. Cecilia had changed, that was for sure, but at the same time she was still the same selfless woman Theresa knew and saw as her dearest friend.
"I'm sorry, Theresa" Cecilia began and looked at her right in the eyes, giving Theresa a clear view of her hidden fatigue. The years hadn't been kind to her with many sacrifices had to be made, yet two in particular were the highest price she had to pay, must pay in exchange for a better world she still strove after.
It was a conclusion Theresa reached startlingly quickly, with how bare Cecilia with her emotions. Always had been. "I don't blame you for a thing"
Cecilia was one of the cause of many sleepless nights but Theresa didn't blame her one bit, even after learning she was alive all this time. Rather, the Principal took it as a gift or blessing, now she knew Cecilia was well and fine.
"You must have questions" It was a statement, but Theresa nodded nonetheless. "You can ask me"
"... where have you been?"
"A lot of places. I don't exactly stay in one country"
"That's why you're so hard to track?"
Cecilia hummed, sweet and melodic, as she folded her hands on her lap. "One of the reasons. Anti-Entropy keeps me as one of its biggest secrets, always moving me around however the assignments dictate"
"So you're still fighting..." There's sighed deeply, mind flashing back to two certain girls. "I thought you would quit"
"I can't quit, Theresa, this is a responsibility my family and I have been keeping"
"I know that... I was there when you took your oath"
Cecilia smiled sadly as she nodded, that day was a distant memory but one she still held dearly in her heart. "I still keep it. I might be no longer a Valkyrie but all I did was for the greater good. Do you believe that?"
Theresa shook her head no because she knew Cecilia would do everything she could to fulfill her oath. To be the shield and sword of the innocences, the banisher of Honkai.
"I believe you" Because it was the truth. No matter the means or allegiances Cecilia would do what's best to fight the Honkai. "You're not the type to turn your back to the helpless"
Lips thinning, Cecilia didn't answer right away as a gust of wind blew her hair astern and shielded her expression from Theresa. Her blue eyes narrowed slightly in a display of concealed sadness. "I wonder about that..." Cecilia muttered, barely loud enough for Theresa yo hear. "This never ending war has taken a lot of tolls sometimes we had no choice but to abandon those we deemed unsurvivable. People like you and me with families"
It was a bitter reminder of the truth, that despite their best attempt they would never be able to save everyone. The line between good and bad was separated by numbers, chances and overall probability sometimes systematical rescue was the only option. To save two persons they often needed to sacrifice one person and so on because lives were just numbers.
"That's not what I meant"
"I know what you meant"
Grunting, Theresa kicked her legs back and forth absentmindedly over the deck. Cecilia sighed deeply beside her and visibly sagged, shoulders hunching together. She looked tired.
"What happened?"
A gentle, imploring tone, not forcing but rather urging. Cecilia looked at Theresa with a nostalgic small smile. "After Schicksal dropped the bombs, I woke up a few hundred miles from the ground zero and was rescued by the locals. They helped tend my wounds and nursed me to health"
"Why didn't you contact us? Why didn't you come back?"
It was a question rather than accusation, causing Cecilia to hummed to herself as she pondered her answer. In the end, she decided to keep it simple.
"I can't. You saw what Schicksal did to those kids. That one month I spent in the village had me thinking about the path Overseer Otto chooses for Schicksal and I can't stand for it. When I saw Sirin, I knew life wouldn't be the same anymore"
Theresa fell quiet. A part of her knew Cecilia was right. She was there, too, seeing the lab first hand and the multitudes of inhumane acts committed on it. If she were honest, Theresa could find it in her the desire to condemn the Overseer even though she couldn't with her position as the Eastern Branch leader.
Cecilia was more free, although the stake she gave up was more than any job positions in the world. The former Valkyrie sacrificed not just herself but also the happiness of her family to mend the broken reality, to fix what many had no knowledge about. If anything, Cecilia was probably one of the few people still keeping her duty oath, incorruptible by greed.
The reality was not lost in either of them, it was a wordless conviction that would never be spoken to many, only the lowly soldiers fighting this never ending war would understand.
So, wisely, Theresa didn't pursue the subject.
"That kid... She's really the Second Herrscher, huh..."
Cecilia laughed fondly, a smile that so much like Kiana's on her face. "Yes, she is. I hope she didn't cause you too much trouble"
"She did cause some problems, but it's nothing Himeko can't handle"
"Himeko?"
"Yeah, Murata Himeko"
"Ryusuke's kid?"
"You know her father?"
"Well, not exactly but I did hear some stories from our resident scientists" Cecilia hummed and frowned to herself, Theresa watched her with apt attention when her frown turned to a grimace. "How unfortunate, she sounds like she's a good woman"
"She is, if you ignore her habit of drinking her brains out"
"We all have our own ways"
Theresa rolled her eyes but the gesture lacked any negative connotations. "Sirin doesn't really get along with her, though, which is concerning since they would've had to live together now"
"Sirin does not hate her. She just... doesn't know how to get along with strangers, how to act or react near them. Those terrible things she went through back then shaped her to who she is now, a distrustful and callous kid"
"She saved you"
"That she did. I don't know what had gotten into her but I'll always be grateful of the decision she made. It meant she learned to accept and if there's something Sirin needs is the will to accept the love given to her without suspicions or fear"
"Sirin? afraid of you?"
Cecilia considered the answer, weighing her words as she stared off into the distance. Theresa patiently waited for her answer. "I saw it" She began with a shuddering breath, fingers interlocked together on her lap.
"Siegfried saw it, too. We were told Schicksal began to experiment on children again so we and a bunch of Anti-Entropy people set out to neutralize the lab before another Babylon might occur. It was a shock once we learned the children they experimented on was none other than our daughter, they used her DNA to make clones for... I'm not even sure what. Kiana was five and they already weaponized her for their own gain"
"But you know what's the worst part of it all? the dead clones, the labelled failures. I saw them being rolled into the burner, some even still breathing with this empty gaze staring at me. They looked just like my daughter, all of them" Cecilia choked on her words, hands finding purchase around herself as the first tears rolled down her cheeks. Years had passed yet the memory was still hauntingly fresh, etched in her mind to forever be remembered. She would never forget those soulless blue eyes that were so like Kiana's, their small bodies heaped in a pile like trash, as they're being transported into disposal.
"They were my daughters"
Theresa's small hands clenched into fists, feeling moistures on her own cheeks as she watched the woman beside her cry. She couldn't imagine how that feel, to see copies of one's kid being thrown into the pit of fire as if they're nothing but waste. Without thinking, Theresa scooted closer and wrapped her arm on Cecilia.
"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry"
Cecilia nodded frantically, wiping the tears off her eyes with the same vigor. "Siegfried stopped me from rescuing them. He knew we couldn't do anything to them anymore. We broke into an argument but I eventually realized the same, I still feel bad for calling him names I didn't mean" She tried to laugh but it earned her another fit of sobbing instead. "I realized the only way to stop it once and for all was by destroying all available research data and subjects. So we set out to snuff our own kids"
Horror ran free inside Theresa's heart at Cecilia's word, the woman grabbed her hand and placed it between her palms absentmindedly, tracing her small fingers with her bigger ones. "I couldn't, but Siegfried could. We searched further into the lab, to every sections and rooms for any more clones. I saw each of them he killed, saw the burning hatred and pain in his eyes as he euthanized them. He didn't say it out loud but I knew how it felt, the desire to cry and yell and the helpless frustration, the worst of it all"
"And then... we found her. Floating inside yet another life support pod with a serial number K-423. At first she seemed like another failed clone but the moment she opened her eyes... I saw something her sisters didn't have"
"She recognized you" Theresa breathed out and Cecilia nodded.
"She knew who I am and I knew who she was without even looking at her files. There was this strange feeling in my chest when I entered her room, the need to walk ahead of Siegfried, like a thread was pulling me. It all suddenly made sense when I saw those wide golden eyes, pooling with so many emotions I couldn't name at once. So bright and innocent..." Cecilia drawled as her own eyes grew distant, recalling that day with utmost details in her head. "But then I saw fear, fear and agony. It hurt me to see her suffer again in her second life, in what supposedly was her second chance, so I told Siegfried to set her free"
"What happened after that?"
"We destroyed the lab and took all research data to be deleted. We found out the Overseer ordered for periodic amnestic injections so Sirin wouldn't remember herself, and that a new drug for longer effect was currently being developed for a purpose of suppressing Sirin's persona. We were lucky we found her before it could be utilized on her, otherwise I don't know how Sirin would have become"
"After that... Well, Siegfried and I kind of excluded ourselves from the outside world which is why you didn't hear from us" Cecilia offered Theresa an apologetic smile. "You and I both know how the Kaslanas are, the subtle internal strife between them and Schicksal is obvious throughout the years. Siegfried made a few calls to his family to cover our tracks, something I couldn't do with mine"
Theresa nodded slowly, frowning as she digested the information. House Kaslana had not been quite seeing things eye to eye with Schicksal since generations now, supposedly some old decisions didn't sit well with them because they didn't adhere to their Oaths. While the Schariac Family also had their disagreements with Schicksal, their far more cool headed and docile tendencies often stopped them from doing anything drastic as protest.
The Knights and the Holy Maidens kept a healthy distance from each other, the former thought the latter was too soft whilst the latter thought the former was too brash in their conduct. It was also one of the reasons why Siegfried and Cecilia's marriage was considered as an expected unexpected, with Siegfried being a problem child of the Kaslanas while Cecilia was Schariac's prized daughter, one of few who's capable to wield Abyss Flower.
Their daughter, however, was equally thought would be the best of both houses.
Siegfried might be a reckless, womanizing idiot but he had the quality of a great Kaslana. He was tough outside but ultimately soft inside, a quality to brave the coming tide while still caring enough to those around him. He's willing to protect anyone in perils, to be the shield and sword of the weak and innocents without second thought. He didn't see a person as a mere someone to save, but also understand that someone was a person like himself.
Cecilia was a kind woman, adored by many and seen as the perfect example of a Schariac. She followed orders without hesitation and pierced through the darkest of path unflinchingly. Yet deep down she was a curious girl, always wondering what was up that hill or how the ice cream of that destroyed store taste. She was immaculate, she wondered and from there the seeds sprouts to bigger questions. From where there was thoughts, there would be wills, and from wills did decisions be made. Cecilia didn't hesitate to follow orders but she was not blinded by them, she would think what's best and do everything in her power to ensure her heart wouldn't be blackened in return. It was why she helped Sirin that day, for when everyone saw a destructive being all she saw was a lonely girl crying for a love so prematurely taken away from her.
Contrary to what many believed, Cecilia was the head while Siegfried was the heart in their relationships. Kaslanas were tough but their heart was fragile, their single-minded nature made them a stubborn nearly unstoppable force once they made up their mind, only stopping once they're dead. Schariacs didn't hesitate to do what's right, but oftentimes when the line blurred between rights and wrongs they're left confused on what to do. It was this exact reason why many of them spiralled into the ambiguous uncertainty which often led them to downfall.
Kiana was expected to have the guidance of both Siegfried and Cecilia, the best of the two worlds until their disappearance. A lot of people thought they were a lost cause, but the way Theresa see it Kiana didn't just meet their expectations but also exceeded them. The girl survived Nagazora for weeks, gathered survivors and brought them to safety at a tender age of fourteen without proper training whatsoever. It was a feat a trained A rank Valkyrie would struggle to achieve.
She was a fighter by heart and genius by head, if the questionnaires Himeko dumped on her desk last night meant something. The redhead looked genuinely impressed at what she saw, despite the disbelief.
Apparently, she didn't expect the goofy white haired girl to be a fast learner. Although she acted like an idiot most of the time but her photographic memory was truly something else. Theresa had to double check because she was certain she gave the materials to Kiana just at the noon after she complained she was bored out of her mind.
"So, you and Siegfried took Sirin home? Just like that?"
Cecilia laughed softly, eyes twinkling with amusement. "Oh, we did. Our friends in Anti-Entropy were worry Sirin would commit another Eruption but we dismissed them. Well, mostly I" She smiled widely before shaking her head. "I just... I felt I couldn't just leave her to them. I could tell Sirin was scared, not just of them but of everything. I can testify they're good people but the thought of abandoning that child the second time hurt me than anything I ever known"
"We had to wrap half of her face in bandages once we learned her still uncontrollable Honkai power pained her. Sirin had to see the world through a single blue eye because her other one was leaking volatile Honkai energy if kept open. When Kiana met her the first time, she thought Siegfried and I were gone to fetch her a sister from the city"
Theresa giggled and Cecilia grinned at her, a bit sheepishly. "How'd she react?"
"Exactly how you think. She practically dragged Sirin and I to the closest sofa and held Sirin close while thanking me for her new sister" A tender chuckle escaped Cecilia's throat at the memory. "Honestly, that child of mine... She's so much like her father"
"She's also just like you, you know?" Theresa offered in which Cecilia hummed in agreement. "Although I'm still confused. Kiana told me you left first when she was six, and then Siegfried when she was nine. Why you both left them so?"
"It's... complicated. I didn't really leave them but the gap between each interaction grew larger until we couldn't talk for long. I couldn't risk Schicksal finding out where they lived so most of the time letters were the best we could afford until we realized it didn't worth the risk" Sighing deeply, Cecilia leaned back on her hands. A contemplative look adorning her face. "Siegfried had to left them because Schicksal found out where they were. Otto sent Valkyries to apprehend him and he had no choice but to usher Kiana and Sirin into hiding alone while he distracted Schicksal"
"We told them what to do in case we're suddenly unavailable, Siegfried taught them enough to survive the wilderness. I didn't doubt Kiana and Sirin would pull it off one bit but when Siegfried rushed towards me I couldn't help but worry. I wasn't sure if Otto knew I was still alive, or that Sirin was living with Siegfried, but it's an indisputable fact he and I couldn't contact our daughters anymore with Schicksal hunting us down"
Theresa had always known Schicksal was disliked in some parts of the world, especially Europe despite it being the origin. Past misdeeds were hard to reconcile with the populace even if only so few remember of Schicksal's existence and the fact Otto was a loose ball didn't help one bit. The man had seated as an Overseer for centuries now, a feat that was unheard before. There were also taboos in how he did it, though nobody dared to point it out to him. Even Theresa herself.
But Cecilia described Schicksal as if it was a thorn on her side, biting and worming into her life like a disease. She had to basically sell her service for a deal to keep her family safe, going as far as to leave her daughters at a tender age of six. It wasn't a decision many mothers capable of doing but yet still willing to if it meant letting her child grow safely. For Cecilia who loved and cherished nothing but her family the most, it was equal to ripping her own heart and giving it to the devil in hope it'd keep demons away from her child.
Once again, Cecilia proved it to Theresa she would do anything for her family. The Schariacs might see her as their prodigy kid, but only her little girls saw her as a truly invaluable woman. For them, she's simply irreplaceable and for Cecilia both of them were her pride and joy incomparable to her status as an S- rank and many other titles.
Her blood once saved the world, but for Cecilia it was more impactful that it also saved one of her daughters.
Theresa had never been so angry of Otto before for destroying a perfectly normal family. It happened a lot, but this time she would ensure he wouldn't just grin back knowingly when she complained about it.
The calm sea and the gentle breeze of evening air caressed Kiana's hair as she stood on the deck of the cruising warship, beside her Sirin waited patiently for Cecilia as the woman talked about something with Theresa a few meters ahead. Crew members stared at them but nobody really came and engaged them in a conversation, only curious glances and somewhat sympathetic head shakes every now and then. Kiana saw these all under the cover of her neutral face that occasionally twitched into a smile of acknowledgement.
"Tomorrow's the first class"
Sirin blinked her scowl and looked at Kiana, wondering where the topic came from.
"Yeah?"
"Yep. Aunty Himeko told me there's weekly physical evaluation, it's just so happen it's tomorrow"
"What physical evaluation?"
Kiana kicked a nonexistent rubble below and sighed. "Sparing" She mumbled oddly dejectedly, making Sirin's eyebrows shot up.
"Why are you worry? You can definitely kick their asses easily"
"I'm... not sure. I don't know them yet"
Scoffing, Sirin crossed her arms and rocked back and forth on her feet absentmindedly.
"The weak respect the strong. You show them what you're capable of doing and they'll start swarming over you like moths to flame"
Groaning in annoyance, Kiana proceeded to jab a finger onto Sirin's side, making the Herrscher yelped in surprise. "Why did I bring this up to you? Your way of problem solving involves impaling it for like, 90 percent"
Sirin glared at Kiana and her offending finger disapprovingly, though the meaning was lost to the other girl. "It works so it's the most efficient way"
"I can't impale my own classmates, Sirin" The young Kaslana mumbled before a thought occured and she sharply turned to her sister who knew exactly what's coming. "And neither can you! Hear me? Don't go around impaling someone even if they piss you off!"
"You said it like it's all I did"
"Because it was! Like, why is it the first response to displeasure from you always involves putting something inside someone?!"
Sirin grumbled something under her breath as she crossed her arms stubbornly. "Fine, I'll try to not kill someone in the school. Though, if I see that bloke Otto I will definitely shove my lance down his throat" Kiana opened her mouth to protest but Sirin held a finger up, noticing Theresa and her mother walking towards them.
It was a shame, after years of not seeing each other Kiana spent most of the day sleeping her head off because she was too tired from recent sleepless nights, though she didn't seem that bothered by it judging from the smile on her face as Cecilia kneeled down in front of them both and opened her arms invitingly.
Wordlessly, both Sirin and Kiana delved into the embrace.
"Kiana, Sirin. Mama cannot go home with you"
It wasn't a surprise, but it still hurt nonetheless. Sirin and felt her fingers curled on the back of her mother's dress in suppressed distress. "Do not worry, Mother, I will look after Kiana"
Cecilia smiled sadly. For years her daughters had nobody but each other to rely on and now despite their reunion nothing had really changed.
"And I will take care of Sirin because I'm the big sister" Kiana replied softly, nuzzling to the side of Cecilia's neck. For a long moment she let herself enjoy the familiar warmth of her mother before she pulled back, beads of tears threatening to fall from her eyes. "I'll miss you"
"We both will" Said Sirin, surprising Theresa with the raw emotions under her soft words. The girl wasn't used to speaking with her heart so it felt raw and honest. "When can we meet again?"
Cecilia took a deep shuddering breath as she grabbed both her daughters' hands and held it level.
"Mama cannot promise you both. Mama is so sorry, but Mama cannot give you the hope" She confessed as the first roll of tears trickled down her cheeks. This war was a never ending one, a non definite certainty that might or might not end anytime soon. It might be tomorrow, it might be hundreds of years later. The prospect itself was painful, the reality was more so.
A warm hand touched her cheek and wiped the flowing tear before another one joined a moment later. Cecilia opened her eyes and the sight of her daughters holding her with reassuring smiles made her bursted into a full blown crying. She was a warrior by blood, born and raised, yet many said a good soldier fought because they loved their family. For her, said family was what holding her at the moment, both figuratively and literally. No titles, no awards and no praises worthy the love shining from her girls because they're her world.
The world she must faced away so she could protect others' worlds.
Yet, here they were, facing her back even when she left them to ruin. Acting as if she never left, holding her so tenderly because to them she was also their world.
Cecilia had never felt so grateful in her life.
She continued to cry into her daughters who merely held her close into their own embrace, one tracing her hair soothingly while the other clutched her head lovingly. Years Cecilia missed them, the last time she saw them was when they were five, hardly old enough to understand concepts but they had grown into such wonderful young ladies Cecilia couldn't be more proud of.
As the last of her tears died down, she squeezed Kiana and Sirin's shoulders and stood up. A smile so bare it showed all the emotions on her face, telling thousands of words that couldn't be simply spoken. "Mama is so proud of you both"
"We will wait for you" Kiana reassured, squeezing the hand on her shoulder with her own. Cecilia smiled and rubbed both her daughters' heads before she stepped aside and gestured towards Theresa.
"Aunty Theresa is a good friend, you can trust her" Sirin's eyes flashed to Theresa but she didn't say anything. Truthfully, she couldn't really trust someone from Schicksal but if her mother told her so then she would try. "Listen to her and your teachers, be diligent and remember to look after each other. Cherish your friends and hold them dearly, they're your family now"
"Okay, Mom"
With a final smile, Cecilia stepped back and nodded to Sirin. The Void Queen merely nodded back before turning around, hands clasped together behind her. There was an unnatural breeze as the air shifted, hot gust flowing from seemingly nothing before a spark grew in front of her, bigger and bigger into a swirling portal of Honkai energy.
Around them, crew members and Marines alike stared wide eyed.
"Let's go" Sirin announced, meeting Cecilia's eyes for a brief moment, a goodbye hidden in her crossed irises, before she stepped into the gaping void.
"Goodbye, Mom. I, uh... I will take care of Sirin"
Cecilia nodded, her own hands coming behind her to hide her clenched fists. "I know you will, darling"
With that, Kiana also stepped into the portal. Cecilia almost called back to her but she stopped herself, not wanting to make her daughters worry despite her bleeding heart. It's like she was sending her daughters into danger, and every instincts in her screamed for Cecilia to pull Kiana and Sirin back.
Theresa noticed this, as she put her hand on Cecilia's balled fists. She could see the first trickle of blood from how strong her nails digging into her palms yet the woman was oblivious of the pain due to her inner turmoil.
The touch, however, succeeded to bring her back to reality.
"Don't worry. I will take care of them, I swear with my life"
"Please..." Cecilia sobbed, desperation filling her tone. "Please, Theresa..."
"You have my word"
The former Valkyrie nodded frantically and Theresa patted her hand for the last time before she too stepped into the waiting portal. Not a moment later, it collapsed, leaving a sobbing Cecilia standing alone on an empty deck.
The absence of the ambient Honkai energy shifted the temperature drastically. The air grew cold, further accentuating the emptiness in Cecilia's heart.
TBC
Man, I don't know what the heck happened but holy cow my luck took a turn for the best these last two months. I got Senti, Thunder, Silverwing and Vill-V even though I didn't save nor whale (I'm a f2p player by circumstances because I'm broke lol). I'm not complaining but it scared me.
Anyway, sorry for taking so long but this is quite a lengthy chapter. I couldn't divide it into chapters because it might break the immersion so here we are, the longest chapter so far (11.500-ish words excluding the note).
Also I said this before I cannot give any information of the future plots because, well, spoilers. Sorry, peeps.
One more thing I wanted to say but kept forgetting, you can find me in Honkai Impact with my ID 19895014 in the SEA server, in case you want to chat or something. I usually go online at 9 PM GMT plus 7 because of works so yeah... just saying.
I guess that's all.
Peace out, guys.
Cipher 032 out!