Chapter 7: No More Fear of Right or Wrong

One hour thirty four minutes and twenty three seconds.

That was the amount of time Bronya needed to infiltrate and bypass the heavy security of Belobog. More impressively without alerting a single soul aside from a stray cat in a nondescript alleyway that scampered away when the air concealing Bronya shimmered and revealed the aloof woman under the shadow.

Optical camouflage was a handy piece of technology, one that would usually take a massive amount of resources to build and operate but Truth's power make it easy to create and utilize for personal use. That combined with Bronya's extensive knowledge of silent warfare allowed her to set the record.

Of course, she had Mei to thank for giving the routes earlier. Intel was arguably the most important element in war and Mei provided her a solid one. She knew she could rely on Mei.

Admittedly, she could've gone in sooner but Bronya took leisure in knowing the battlefield. She spent a good few minutes to scrutinize the city of Belobog, memorizing the map with the speed of supercomputer and planning escape ways for when necessary. Bronya refused to get caught underhanded, moreso after learning that her Matushka was the leader of Belobog.

She was bound to be careful. While Bronya didn't hate her foster mother, it wouldn't be wrong to say she wasn't a saint. Cocolia had the tendency to throw everything just so she could achieve her goal, including her family which was rather ironic because that woman loved nothing more than her family. Bronya had learned to forgive her Matushka, but this Cocolia was not her Matushka thus didn't grant her the sentiment.

Cocolia also appeared younger in the brochure she inconspicuously snatched from a bespectacled midget girl in the city's center a while ago, a Silvermane Guard that looked like she would fare better as a scholar than soldier which sort of set some alarms in Bronya's head. The Path of Trailblaze allowed her to read and understand languages she previously didn't understand as explained by Welt and it turned out the girl was a part of Silvermane's Intelligence Division.

In other word; a spook. One thing soldiers hated to see besides their superiors when they called for volunteers. Both spelled troubles and nonsenses soldiers would rather avoid.

Bronya wisely distanced herself from the oblivious girl then, careful with her steps so to not leave suspicious footprints on the snow laden ground. Fortunately, the place was quite crowded so she didn't have to worry too much.

Once she was certain she wasn't being followed, Bronya set foot into the Underground by going through an abandoned ventilation system. It was more akin to tunnel so she had no problem going through the vast space, still as silent as the cold draft blowing from outside world.

Flickering yellow lights that hadn't seen much maintenance were her companions as she traversed the place, following where the dust was the least. Although people didn't come through regularly, there were still traces on the walls and floor Bronya's sharp eyes didn't miss.

Her intermittent journey didn't last long either as soft ambient light crept into the exit on the other end. She stopped just before the light could reach her, a pair of silver orbs taking in everything visible from under the shade like a hunter stalking its prey.

But Bronya was not in a hunt. Otherwise, it would've gone differently. She didn't rig the place with explosives and traps or prepare some defensive spots to pick on said preys, instead she simply walked in to the plain views of the others.

Literally.

The moment she exited the tunnel, people stopped to stare at her. Some was surprised, some was in disbelief. A lot, however, was hostile.

Bronya hummed to herself.

Looks like Mei was right.

She marched forth, keeping her eyes open and ears sharp. The glares hadn't turned to direct physical assault and if there was something Bronya was a master at, it was ignoring others.

Kiana could sod off.

The thought of her best friend sent another pang of annoyance to her chest and Bronya scowled. She was not upset Kiana left her so she had to go through such a length of sneaking into the city. Rather, Bronya was more annoyed by the fact Kiana jumped the guns, again, into a possibly hostile environment by using her Void power. If she were to use fingers to count how many instances Kiana recklessly charged into battle in the years they knew each other, she would need at least another ten pairs of hands to help her count.

Her hind brain is always in control whenever Mei is involved...

Mei was upset about something and it did worry Bronya a little. She was the kind sister who looked after others wholeheartedly. Unfortunately, that meant she was the one that care the most. Bronya had learned to never get too close to others since she was ten when one of her late uncle Maxim's friends caught a bullet in the head during a raid, a man that was significant enough to Bronya she felt the sadness deep in her heart when he died.

Ever since, the Silver Wolf closed her heart to the world. Rough and jaded like the stock of her Dragunov and cold like the Siberian tundra. She was truly the alpha predator of the snow plains. Her enemies feared her, her allies were wary of her. They spoke of the emotionless girl who could twist a knife into a man's gut and didn't twitch in the face at all.

Even before X-10 and all, Bronya had learned to ignore people and unnecessary things with her mask of indifference. So when a group of armed men and women approached her Bronya easily walked past them until one of them raised their rifle towards her.

Bronya was many things. She was a mercenary, a Valkyrie, a Herrscher, and a game designer rightfully in that order. But above all, she was a fighter from the day she was born.

That was to say her instinct was well tuned against aggressions, more than normal people's.

The moment the man raised his gun, said instinct kicked in in the form of Truth's power. She dismantled the weapon with as much as a thought violently, making it explode on the man's shoulder and sending splinters of hot metal and wood into the man's face and upper body. His hands were outright mauled, fingers missing into a fine red mist and skin set ablaze by Geomarrow powder in the cartridges. His scream of agony was a wake up call to his friends who began to charge at her.

Bronya tensed up, fingers flexing and ready to construct Falcon Flare. But there was something in the air that caught her hearing, an incessant beating that akin to a swarm of butterflies. Her eyes widened as an influx of Quantum energy sliced the atmosphere apart.

In a literal flash of Quantum explosion, the world exploded and the men and woman surrounding her suddenly found themselves lying on the ground, writhing in pain. At the same time a girl flickered to existence right in front of Bronya, her giant scythe shouldered on a shoulder while her other hand rested on her chanted hips as if it didn't weigh in tens of kilograms.

Then she spoke, and Bronya was taken aback by her scathing tone. There was not many that could surprise her nowadays. "You lots have a death wish or something? Looking for troubles right in our backyard..."

She dropped the bladed head of her scythe down and the ground shook from the sheer mass before she walked forward slowly, dragging the scythe against the cobblestone and making an eerie scraping noise of metal against stone. "Well, I don't know what you want but if it's death you seek then I can grant you one"

"I—it's Babochka! Run!"

In an amazing display of self-preservation instinct at work, they dispersed to nearly all corners of the Underworld while dragging their wounded with them. Some hissed and growled profanities but nobody dared to press their attack, not after getting beat so easily and before long there was only the two in the now empty street.

Bronya, still stunned, could only stare with wide eyes and mouth agape.

The golden glow from nearby lamppost bathed the girl before her in a beautiful cascade of shadowy static, turning her flowing long hair into an even more fascinating sea of purple that lost on her back. Her dress dragged into two points behind her, creating an illusion of butterfly wings as they continued to sway along the buzz of Quantum energy surrounding the girl. Beautiful, fierce and dangerous but at the same time nurturing. A nature's keeper.

A swallowtail. Her butterfly.

"What with the rumors of an Overworld's princess in the Underworld?" Said the girl as she released her grip on her scythe, the heavy weapon disappeared in a flash of purple before the shaft could hit the ground. The girl turned around and Bronya was met with a pair of disapproving if not aggravated red eyes. "Are you stupid?"

Not a lot of things could surprise Bronya but being called stupid for the first time by someone with her dearest's face and voice certainly caused her thoughts to grind to halt.

"Are you actually stupid or what? Close your damn mouth before you've got an insect in there"

Now, that certainly didn't help. Seele had never called her insults before. Not even the other Seele, at least not right in her face like this. Bronya was drowning so deep in her shambled thought she almost missed the way the girl's eyes turning color to a more well-versed purple.

"Seele...?"

Bronya had the thought to expect this Seele turning personality like her Seele did in the past into her gentler and reserved self with the change of eye color but she was certainly wrong because she suddenly found herself under a threat of swift decapitation.

In the two seconds Bronya uttered her name, Seele summoned her scythe back and looped its blade around the back of Bronya's neck, eyes narrowed into a dangerous slit. "Nobody goes with that name when addressing me in this part of the town" The sharp edge pressed closer until it touched her skin and Bronya grimaced once it drew blood, staring down at Seele's cold gaze. "I didn't expect a Rand to know my name either"

Bronya was still as statue. She had no doubt Seele was being serious with her threat. She had seen that gaze before in the eyes of her comrades and enemies, a certain fortitude that they would do the Coup de grâce themselves with their own hands. This Seele had the eyes of killer and it saddened Bronya.

"I'm not her" Bronya tried to reason, voice even despite her internal turmoils. Wasn't that what she good at? Hiding her feelings? She didn't feel particularly proud about it this time. "I won't hurt you"

"Words mean nothing" Seele hissed and Bronya winced, not from the pain as the blade dug further into her skin but because of the flash of sting in Seele's tone. Those three words meant more than what met the eyes and Bronya knew it. "Prove it"

Bronya didn't have to. She could easily fight back but Bronya would rather shoot herself in the foot than to hit Seele even with just a punch and something told her it wouldn't be over with just a punch. Instead, she slowly reached for her phone in her pocket, careful to maintain eye contact with Seele. "Here, you can check on my friends. They're at Natasha's clinic"

Seele blinked, eyebrows furrowing together as she frowned. "The doc...?"

Bronya nodded as she unlocked her phone, scrolling through her chat with Mei until she found a picture of the clinic's interior to show Seele.

Seele glanced at it through the corner of her eye before she sighed, removing the scythe and shouldering it. "Well, whatever. I'll escort you there so go ahead"

Bronya's eyebrows shot up, an amused twitch on her lips as she stared at the girl before her. "You don't trust me"

Seele glared back. "I asked for a proof, you gave me. I'm willing to give you the chance but I don't trust you yet until we clear it with the doctor. I'm warning you, if you try something funny you'll regret it before your head can touch the ground. I've enough bullshit for today"

"Alright" Bronya conceded, walking ahead before it could escalate further. She only managed two steps before Seele called her again.

"Hey!" Bronya turned just in time to catch a roll of bandages from Seele. "Fix your neck"

She had half the mind to tell Seele that the wound had already healed but instead Bronya thanked her, using the bandages to wipe the blood than anything else. "Thank you for showing me the way"

"Shove it. I don't want to get familiar with someone I'll probably have to kill"

Bronya hummed. They both were similar in that regard.

"We were? That's fascinating to know"

"In one way or another, yes. But I don't think she has the knack for medicine and all this"

"Well, I'm not much of a fighter myself"

Mei stared at the woman before her with a probing gaze, thumb absently nursing the warm cup of her tea said woman so graciously provided her. In return, Natasha did the same to her from across the table.

They sat near the windows and Mei could see Kiana playing with some kids outside the building with March while Dan Heng watched them with a concealed smile across the street. Stelle, who woke up at some point before, was too busy stuffing her face with a bowl of noodle on nearby food stand to actually care. The view warmed Mei's heart more than the tea could ever, knowing how much Kiana missed mingling with others like this. Kiana didn't tell her that, at least not explicitly, but Mei knew her enough to see the boredom and longing in Kiana's gaze as she was forced to see pale moon rocks for almost a decade. To finally be in civilization again was joyous and Mei could feel Kiana's happiness through their connection.

Kiana's boisterous laughter could be heard from where she was despite the window separating them. Mei hadn't seen Kiana this happy and it made her smile bigger.

From time to time, Natasha would join her and look at where the festive at. Much like Mei, she would also smile softly at the view. It was rather endearing to see Natasha smiled so genuinely like that on a face that usually revealed nothing but sneer and snide, underhanded amusement. Then again, Raven herself never failed to reveal her true self whenever she was with her children.

"You don't find it odd?" Mei found herself asking the woman across of her. Natasha nodded and shrugged halfheartedly, her smile never fading.

"Rather, I find it intriguing. Can you imagine? In the infinite expanse of the universe with all its worlds and galaxies two people share the same traits in two entirely different worlds"

Frankly, Mei had had the thought herself the moment she met Cocolia and Bronya so it was easy for her to agree. Humming in concession to Natasha's words, she chuckled. "It is. One of my best friends is Bronya and I still find it odd to see a different her here"

Intrigued, Natasha smiled and raised her eyebrows at her. "Oh? Does she share a resemblance with Lady Rand over there?"

"Besides physically? Cocolia is also her foster mother back in my world. I don't know her full story but my Bronya is an orphan from the day she was born" Mei took a sip, lips twisting down to a frown as she stared at her reflection on the red liquid in the porcelain cup. "I don't like her"

"Who? Bronya?"

"No. I meant Cocolia" The curious gaze she received from Natasha was so potent Mei could feel it drilling her skull despite not looking anywhere close to the woman. She gently sloshed the tea around with a gesture of her hand as she pondered. "She was manipulative, narrow-minded and careless. Something's telling me she's the same to Bronya here, which is why I don't like it"

"That was... A rather astute opinion" Natasha said with a heavy sigh. "When the Supreme Guardian locked us down here, she did it without preambles. In one night, she pulled her Silvermane Guard Garrison off the Underground and cut the tram behind them. Some that disobeyed ended up joining the Wildfire later on while many, if not all, of them were reluctant to leave us"

"The Guards are not her puppets"

A nod. "No. A lot of them have family down here. Actually a lot of us do" Natasha paused as a sad smile bloomed on her face. "I know I do. Well, I'd like to think I still do have a family up there"

"You're from the Overworld?"

"Yes. I'm a graduate of a prestigious medical school in Belobog's Overworld. My parents both worked in a hospital and my father in particular was a leading doctor there"

"You never told me about your parents..." Mei muttered to herself but Natasha heard her nonetheless. The latter chuckled and Mei realized she said it out loud. "Sorry, I was thinking of you from my world"

"I was an orphan so I can't tell you about my blood parents either"

"... what about a brother?"

Mei watched with acute clarity the way Natasha froze, her smile disappearing into a fine line while her red eyes dulling as her expression emptied itself of all form of emotions. For a moment, she caught a glimpse of Raven in the woman's face but it disappeared as soon as it appeared.

Like a hurricane passing a tropical island, the storm stopped as warmth crept back to her feature. Natasha shook her head, taking her moment to answer. "I had one. He's... Not here"

Mei was tempted to pursue the subject, after all it was the death of her brother that pushed Raven to join Grey Serpent and become a mercenary. At the same time, she couldn't bring herself to pry the subject open because of the clear sadness in Natasha's eyes as she stared into nothingness behind Mei.

Raven and Natasha. Two different people with two different circumstances. While Mei started on a shaky ground with the former, which was a little bit of understatement considering how Raven once threatened to kill Kiana, they were now close enough to become friends. Raven was dangerous but she wasn't ruthless. She had a soft spot like everyone else. When everything was over, she opened a bar back in Arc City that Mei made sure to drop by whenever she visited the place, half the reason was because of Sora but the other half was admittedly because Raven knew her way with liquor like nobody else.

This Natasha was more open with her kindness so Mei couldn't treat her like she would hers. She chose to be more sympathetic with Natasha, forgoing her curiosity for the woman's privacy.

"I see. Do you drink?" Mei asked lightheartedly, smirking. Natasha caught up quickly and chuckled.

"Not really but I know a place around here"

"Show me later?"

Natasha laughed. "Miss Mei, are you asking me out out or just out? Because if it's the former, I'll have to decline because I don't want your dearest kicking me in the butt" She gestured at the silver ring around Mei's finger and Mei laughed.

"I just want to talk as friends. I'd ask Kiana but she would decline anyway. She doesn't like alcohol" She had Siegfried to thank for that which she did after she reprimanded him about children and alcohol. The usual Kaslana family shenanigans, really. "Besides, she is the one and only for me"

Natasha smiled knowingly at Mei who had her eyes set on the white haired woman outside. Kiana was playing a game of baseball with the children and Stelle. March was the batter, Kiana was the pitcher and Stelle was the catcher behind the pinkette. From the distance, Mei could see Stelle motioning something to Kiana with her fingers who grinned and nodded.

Kiana took a stance, readied up while March tensed up and threw the ball.

March was rather inexperienced and it showed from the stiff way she did her footwork and swing. Which was why it didn't surprise Mei a bit when she hit the ball with such a force that caused it to shot towards Dan Heng who calmly stepped aside from its deadly trajectory, causing it to bounce against the wall behind him and sail back towards a dumbstruck Kiana's face.

It hit her with a loud thwack and knocked her down to the ground. For a long time there was only silence that was only interrupted by a horrified March when she dropped Stelle's bat down. Mei sighed, opened the window and yelled. "Kiana, be careful with that!"

Kiana promptly gave her a thumbs up, still lying on the ground, and the kids cheered as they returned to playing.

"Is she okay?" Natasha asked worriedly and Mei nodded.

"Kiana is tougher than that" Mei pulled out her phone and giggled, snapping a picture and sending it to Bronya. "She would love this"

"Hey, why are you stopping?"

"... It appears my best friend is eating dirt. What a beautiful sight"

"What?"

Questions and answers.

A game of catch and fetch. Mei intended to do just that to the Silvermane Commandant when she woke up but she couldn't bring herself to do it as the moment arrived.

Bronya woke up with bleary eyes and confused mental state. She groaned and moaned in pain on the bed, blinking rapidly to adjust her sight to the blinding lightbulb overhead. Her head was throbbing along the steady rhythmic of her heartbeat and everything was spinning.

She felt a warm hand on her cheek, guiding her towards a pair of intense red orbs and she used it to anchor herself. There was a muffled sound from the person holding her but all Bronya could hear was her breathing.

"What... Where am I...?" She managed to grit out through her teeth to the abstract details of a feminine face in her line of vision. The woman paused and spoke to someone behind her but Bronya hardly caught anything.

There was a sudden sting on her right arm and she hissed, the fog in her head clearing. Taking a deep breath, she inhaled slowly and closed her eyes as the pain subsided.

When Bronya opened her eyes again, she was met with a clearer view of the woman's face. She was smiling slightly but all Bronya could think about at the moment was the very fact that she was unfamiliar. She knew almost all the men and women under her command, ensuring to memorize at least their names and faces and that included her medical staff. This woman before her was not one of them and as she looked down to her attire that wasn't very much a standard issued uniform she concluded her circumstance immediately.

"Hello, Lady Rand. I'm Natasha" The woman introduced herself to Bronya who blinked back. "How are you feeling?"

Bronya swallowed thickly, her throat parched. "A little dizzy. Are you a doctor?"

"Yes, I am. Don't worry, I'm a graduate of Belobog's medical school so you're in a good hand. Do you want to sit up? I can explain your circumstance"

"Are you with those criminals?" Bronya began with clipped tone, ignoring the offer to glare at Natasha instead.

"Oh, don't worry about them. I'll make sure nothing can harm you when you're here" Natasha was unfazed. She helped her up anyway and offered her a drink. Bronya stared at the clear cup of water for a moment before she sighed in resignation and drank it in sips, the cool liquid helping her speak better.

"Where is this, Miss Natasha?"

"My clinic, ma'am. In the Underworld. And please, call me Natasha"

Bronya almost didn't catch the last bit. She choked on her drink and sputtered, hastily wiping the water running down her nostrils and mouth.

"Th—the Underworld?! How did I...?"

Natasha smiled and stepped back, revealing Mei who sat cross-legged on a chair behind the doctor. Bronya's eyes widened and she reached for her weapon only to realize the strap wasn't there around her shoulder, so was her knives that should've been on her belt. Aware she had been disarmed, Bronya couldn't do anything but to stare at a pair of amethyst eyes.

"Madam Rand" Mei began with a curt nod, her index finger absently tapping her knee. "Are you—"

"Bronya Rand, Silvermane Guard Commander. Service number BR—Zero—Eleven—Thirty two—Eleven—Eighty—Sixteen—Charlie"

Mei raised an eyebrow, an amused smile on her face. "—Are you okay?"

Bronya opened her mouth, ready to answer, only to close it again. "The Silvermane Guards do not make compromise with criminals" She settled to say, still glaring at Mei.

Mei simply hummed. "I see. So whatever I say won't be put into consideration at all, correct?"

"Yes"

Thunder laughed loudly inside her head and Mei fought the urge to roll her eyes. "She has the face and voice of the impaired brat! What does it feel to be called impudence by dear Bronya?"

"Thunder?"

"What?"

"Shut up"

"Okay, I understand that. But won't you at least tell us our crime?"

"I already told you your sentence"

"Right, conspiring against the Supreme Guardian and all that. But do you have a proof?"

"That is to be settled in the court"

"Are the Guards arresting people who, until proven guilty with sufficient proof of criminal conduct, are rightfully innocent on daily basis?"

"The Supreme Guardian ordered your arrest"

Mei scoffed, leaning forward until Bronya was forced to scoot back into the mattress. Her eyes were intense they were almost glowing as she stared at a pair of defiant silver.

"Your mother manipulates you"

Bronya gritted her teeth and pushed Mei back, jumping down the bed to confront Mei directly. "Your slander to the Supreme Guardian's name is baseless!"

"And your accusation to our crime is baseless" Mei retorted calmly. "Come on, Bronya, you can't be that stupid"

She wasn't. If anything, Bronya was simply being naive, or perhaps too trusting towards the law Cocolia bent to her advantage. Nobody could blame her. In this world she was a career soldier and a heir to the governmental seat. Her whole life she spent studying the ins and outs of Belobog, which was why she didn't know how to react on outside variable like the Astral Express crew. Mei watched with a sad gaze as Bronya sat back down to the edge of the bed, face drawing blank.

However, it wasn't the familiar stoic face Mei was accustomed to seeing. This Bronya was lost as her heart and mind conflicted against the other. There was a time when Mei saw it on her Bronya's face, back shortly after Kiana went to the moon. No matter how the two acted near the other, all that teasing and jabbing, they were practically sisters in everything but blood. Bronya didn't want Kiana to go but she knew the importance of her mission to the whole world. They couldn't afford to be selfish, not when they had a promise to fight for all that's beautiful.

Too much, never enough.

Gingerly, Mei shifted closer towards Bronya but she didn't intrude her personal bubble, keeping a distance yet close enough to let Bronya knew she was there.

"Can you please listen to our story first? You can make your decision later. Your own decision"

"For the record, you are not a prisoner or such" Natasha chimed in. "You are free to go if you wish to. We here are simply asking for your wisdom as the future Supreme Guardian"

"It is my duty to listen to people's aspirations" Bronya muttered resolutely, looking up to meet both Mei and Natasha's stares. There's fire in her silver and Mei smiled internally. "If it's audience you seek, then I'll grant it"

"Thank you, Madam Rand" Natasha said kindly and Bronya shook her head.

"... Just call me Bronya"

"Okay, then. Mei?"

Mei got the memo and nodded, interlocking her fingers with a hum. "My friends and I are with the Astral Express, an interstellar train created by the late Aeon Akivili. Part of our missions is to destroy the Stellarons scattered about the galaxy while reconnecting worlds back to the Star Rail network. This planet, Jarilo-VI, is our first stop" Mei paused, mulling over her words. "My friends and I hailed from a different galaxy to help one of ours who was stranded here before the three of us" She pointed towards Kiana outside and Bronya's followed her finger. "That's Kiana Kaslana who happens to be my wife and I'm Mei Raiden. Our other friend is y—"

"Hey, Nat!"

Before Mei could finish, the doors suddenly swung open and a frigid blast of cold air seeped through the opening. Two figures stood on the entryway, one a little bit behind the other but that wasn't what caught Mei's attention.

It was the figure herself.

"Seele?" Mei blurted out, eyes skipping between an aloof Bronya and a glaring Seele. The former sighed while the latter scoffed.

"Who the fuck are these people?!" Seele growled and Mei had to do a double take to make sure she heard right. Never in her life knowing Seele had she heard Seele cursed and from the way her Bronya frown told her enough.

"What is the meaning of this?" The Silvermane Bronya demanded as she stood back up, eying both newcomers with confused eyes. "Why are you... I don't think I have a twin?"

Mei chuckled in a mixture of sympathy and amusement, gesturing towards her Bronya. "Lady Rand. Meet my best friend Bronya Zaychik"

"Hey, Mei, did you ca—Oh..." Kiana glanced around the room, scratched her head sheepishly and shrugged. "Well, okay. Call me back when you guys resolve whatever is going on"

She turned around and about to bail but before she could walk out the door again, Stelle grabbed her by the back of her collar and dragged her back, staring pointedly at Kiana's panicked blue eyes. "Nuh-uh, if we have to stay so do you"

"Oh, come on, man! I'm not cut for whatever the hell is brewing! I'd rather fight a Judgment-class Honkai Beast in a locked room!"

"First, I have no idea what that is. Second, you're an adult so it's your responsibility" Stelle punctuated her words by grabbing Kiana's shoulders and guiding her to the center of the room where Mei, Seele, Natasha and both Bronya's sat around a dining table. She made. a sound of distress as March apologetically dragged one chair back for Stelle to force her down to.

"Nice of you to finally join us" Bronya deadpanned and Kiana groaned.

"I literally don't have a choice" Kiana sighed, her expression shifting to a more serious one as she addressed the three natives. A kitchen was hardly an ideal place to have such a heavy conversation but they didn't have much luxuries. "So, where are we?"

"We have a mission" Mei supplied helpfully. "Natasha told me the Wildfire requires our help in the mine, something about an uprising?"

The doctor nodded. "Some miners found a huge Geomarrow vein some time ago and as per rules, finders keepers. However, a few days ago a group of vagrants flooded in the mine and barricaded themselves in, seizing the reserve for themselves and causing an unrest. The Wildfire tried to keep orders but we are overwhelmed and there are also reports of Fragmentum monsters seeping in the area. The situation is rather dire"

"Geomarrow is very potent and thus highly explosive" Bronya said flatly, eyes shifting about the kitchen occupants. "It'll only take a spark for this to explode"

"Will it affect the Overworld?"

Bronya's eyes settled on her counterpart and two pairs of silver met. One devoid of any emotion while the other was clearly full of concern.

Before she could answer, however, Seele beat her to it. "Why? Do you only care about your precious Overworld?"

"N—no! I'm just worried..."

"Get a load of this girl" Seele muttered angrily. Natasha who sat beside her put her hand on Seele's crossed arms.

"Calm down, Seele. She's within her right to worry because it's her duty"

Seele scoffed. "Duty... right. It's their duty's demand they left us here to slowly die while they enjoy fresh air and food up there" She glared at Bronya, eyes red, and suddenly the Commander find herself unable to meet such fierce of a gaze. "Isn't that right, princess?"

"I..."

"Can't even bring yourself to deny it? Of course. Because it was the truth. Wasteful, gluttonous piece of shit Overworlders who take everything for granted as if life provides them everything already. Do you even know how we live down here? We have to fight for every scrap of food, sometimes trading limbs and even life for it so we can go another day and you all throw it down the garbage can!"

"I'm sorry... I'm really sorry"

Bronya's pitiful whispering tugged at something in Seele's heart and she paused, only now noticing everyone except the Silvermane was staring at her because of her outburst. She gritted her teeth before she exhaled, trying to calm her nerve.

When she opened her eyes again, they were back to their original purple. "Your apology doesn't fix anything. Your mother is the one at fault" Seele said evenly, gaze meeting the other Bronya who blankly stared at her. It was so different to the distraught Silvermane Guard Seele was a little taken aback. "... Had she not locked us down here, none of this would've happened. If you're really sorry, fix it yourself. You're the next Supreme Guardian, aren't you?"

Bronya nodded, a little too vigorously as she wiped the tears welling on her eyes. "Yes... I promise, I will. I understand now" She said, addressing the Astral Express crew. They all smiled softly at her except her counterpart who merely stared back. "I'll help"

"Well, then" Natasha began after a short pause. "Now that we're on the same team, I think it's time you set out. Seele" Seele glanced at the doctor. "Go with them"

"... Got it, Nat"

That day the Underworlders were treated with a sight they never thought would see. An Overworld princess walking side by side with Babochka, a girl many considered as the embodiment of the Underworld and its upbringings. Bronya Rand held her head high, taking in every heated gaze she received with honor and pride while Seele's sheer presence kept those more violent down in their lane. Unknowingly, the two women had already created a balance that lost in the years between the two worlds.

Kiana elbowed her Bronya on the side and grinned, the latter rolled her eyes. Still, the nearly imperceptible smile on her face was there for Kiana to see. "Even here, huh?"

"I suppose, yes"

"Still, what the hell happened to Seele? I don't recall your girlfriend being this... straightforward" Kiana paused. "Well, maybe she is when you guys have se—oof!"

Bronya elbowed her hard, eyes shining with warning. "What happened on my bed is none of your business so stop"

Mei saw it all happened and chuckled, catching up beside Kiana from the rear of the group. "Kiana, stop pestering Bronya" She reprimanded and Kiana pouted.

"I'm just curious, okay? I never through Seele would be like this. The one I know is soft spoken and kind"

"She is kind" Bronya said with certainty as she motioned towards Seele, both Mei and Kiana shared a glance before they nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, she is"

Because anyone who worried about the wellbeing of the people as a whole when everyone was being selfish was definitely a kind and caring person.

People and predispositions...

TBC.

Huh, people were sure excited.

Alright, then. I believe some questions are already answered in this chapter so I'll go on to answer some else.

I plan to update this story as quick as I can and as long as I can, so you'll be on this ride for a while.

There are moments I prepare in the future for the characters to just talk and interact so some of your curiosity will be answered then. For now, we'll take a walk first. This is a slow-burn story so we have plenty of time ahead of us.

Thank you for stopping by, guys. I'll see you around!