HONKAI ENERGY AT 5000 HW AND INCREASING
In darkness, blades clash, flames emerge from both that lighten the background before it quickly vanishes.
WARNING: HONKAI SURGED DETECTED
Two eyes looking at each other: One blue glaring with wariness and suspicion, the other golden with confidence of winning the fight.
HONKAI ENERGY BREACHED CRITICAL POINTS
"So it's the fight in that theater…" HoTE grabs a drink for herself and takes a sip…
"That couldn't happen." She stops when HoV deflects the possibility. "Before this idiot…" The Herrscher points her finger to her latest host. "Fought Herrscher of Domination, we fought to get full control of the body. She won, and I stopped fighting."
"...It would be stupid to think that you don't have any desire to take back the host." HoTE retorts back.
"She didn't." It's HoFi confirming the fact.
"...Then what happened here?" Putting down her glass, HoTE starts punching in some codes in her phone while her eyes almost glue to the vision.
"It's an alternative universe. Maybe…"
"I know it is, but how did HoV have the power of Fire if HoF was there?" The False Herrscher interrupts the Navigator's guess. "There are things that SHOULDN'T happen. One shift could end in the whole collapse of the system."
HONKAI *STATIC* IMMINENT *STATIC* ERUPTION
When the warning sign fades out, the vision pulls out to show it observing from the orbit of the moon. A moment later, a burst of flame lightens up parts of the surface of the moon.
"...And it's even on the moon." HoO's hands clutch. "What's going on here? Did you know this can happen?"
"Never dreamt of that." The phone of the 'Captain' starts scanning for the universe, trying to find the coordination of the fight happening right now.
"Who cares?" KALPAS throws his hand to the air carelessly. "It's just like every other vision. They can't interact with us anyway."
With the kids and young Valkyries, they're with him totally as they're expecting another good 'film'.
Some adults also start calming down after HoTE and HoO's cautious and start laying back as well.
The rest who experienced traveling between dimensions…
The vision zooms in again for a better view of the fight…
Blades clash again, creating another flame burst that melts everything around the two fighters. The space distorts, allowing the Honkai to flow out like pillars from the cracks between dimensions. The flame is large and dense enough to hide the appearances of the two fighters…
But it is not enough for the fighters themselves to recognize their own shadows. HoFi is holding her breath, not knowing what to feel about this. HoV, meanwhile, just keeps glaring at the vision and tries to find out what could possibly trigger this fight.
Pointy lances appear from the left fighter's side and launch themselves towards the opponent. The other launches identical ones, letting the lances fight each other while she focuses on clashing with the one before her.
After grinding on the blade for ten seconds trying to overpower the other, the left fighter manages to find the right angle and makes an uppercut, throwing both out of the contest. She tries hitting her opponent instantly, but the other fighter recovers just as fast and responds, creating sparks with their next exchanges.
Mini black holes are summoned from both sides, but they just neutralize each other. Though their appearances alone also shatter the clashing lances.
The two continue fighting for minutes, and the only victim here is the moon's melt surface.
HoTE then remembers a pattern of this and frowns, which is noticed by HoTr. "Did you find something?"
"...I think so. Excuse me." After answering, she vanishes to who-knows-where.
"Fire against fire." KALPAS grins.
"You are ready for another fight?"
"Don't be surprised, SAKURA. But I'm relaxing now, that one entertained me enough."
MEI is deep in thought about the Herrschers' reaction. From their conversations, fighting between Herrschers in the Current Era is not an uncommon thing. However, this particular fight doesn't seem to have a reason to start, or rather it couldn't happen due to its conflict with the flow of events. So the question is:
What changed?
"MEI?"
"No worries, KEVIN. I'm just thinking about this vision."
"I know. Don't think too much. I don't want to see wrinkles on your pretty face so soon."
It takes her a few seconds to notice his intention despite his 'cold as ever' expression, and her face lights up.
And ELYSIA just smiles mischievously hearing that.
"...Doesn't that blade look similar?" HoV asks HoFi.
"Well, it's the weapon I used when…"
"No, the other one 'I' am wielding."
"...I was hoping you didn't bring it up…"
The last clash makes the explosion big enough that makes both fighters leap out of the fighting zone and the flame, keeping distance to regain some strength for a moment.
One of them is a somewhat tired Herrscher of Flamescion with her sword holding tight in her hands. She's glaring heat at her opponent, which is…
Surprisingly, it's Welt who stands up in surprise seeing the weapon HoF's opponent is carrying. He then looks at HoV who just shrugs, not exactly knowing what is going on. Then Tesla quickly pulls him back to his seat, knowing that it's going to be a long vision. Not the vision itself, but how everyone's going to react.
"May I ask what's the shocking part in this?" PARDOFELIS questions weakly, feeling the intense atmosphere for a moment.
"I don't think Kevin is kind enough to give a Herrscher his weapon." Siegfried answers.
"And given the stance…" Bianka analyzes. "She must have been using the sword for a long time."
"...So there are these possibilities." Einstein proposes. "One: The world is conquered by Herrscher of Void somehow and she used the weapon as a prize."
"Two: The fight is still continuing, but somehow Siegfried or Kevin lost it to her…" Tesla adds.
"Three: This Shamash is a replica. But I doubt it a bit since it can handle Kiana's weapon." Welt continues.
Before they could theorize further…
'That's Papa's, or rather the Kaslana heirloom.' Not losing focus on the weapon, HoF starts thinking of the current situation. 'It should be in the World Serpent's hand after they took Papa into their custody, and Kevin won't give that out for certain.'
A sudden burst of chuckle causes all to turn to Sieg, and his wife asks in confusion: "What's so funny about?"
"It's just… seeing her growing up and still calling me Papa makes me proud, that's all."
HoFi's face reddens up, with Bianka giggling at the scene.
Sieg then yelps in slight pain as Cecilia pulls his ear. "Ow ow. Hey now, I'm just trying to lighten up the mood."
She knows he has good intentions, but that doesn't stop her from stopping him from embarrassing their daughter.
The girl's baby version is giggling at how her parents are interacting.
HoV hums a bit, then turns to APHO Mei and asks: "How do you think this could happen?"
"...Unfortunately I don't have any good evidence or knowledge to either support or deny the theories."
'This one is unexpected.' Ai-chan turns off most of the outside sounds to hear her thoughts clearly. 'The two couldn't exist in one space unless it's in her mind or in a simulation world. But this scenario is on the moon, which means it should be when everything should end. Then why is HoV there?'
'How she fights is strange too. Since when did Sirin fight head-on? Even in the theater she only floats around while launching lances. Why the change?'
Sirin pouts and turns her head away. "So what's wrong with that?"
"If you don't have fighting skills then that's the best choice." Siegfried chuckles and pats her. "You are good at that so don't need to feel down."
"But she does bring a good point." HoV wonders out loud. "And that brings another question: Where and when did she learn to fight close-range?"
"Shouldn't you learn from your host?"
"I was sealed, MOBIUS, not like Seele. While I may have the knowledge, using them is a different thing."
'And she didn't gloat either. If there's a chance, she always repeatedly reminds me of how I am responsible for Himeko's death and her suffering while being engraved in the Gem of Haste. What's different about Shamash?'
The atmosphere instantly shifts.
HoFi winces.
Young Kiana's color drains out of her face.
The cup in Himeko's hand falls, luckily caught by her chibi version before it crashes to the ground.
Theresa's eyes widen in shock, then she turns to her future self to see the grimace but acceptance look on her face.
Welt pinches his nose bridge, silently blaming himself despite not being his fault.
Those who don't know gasp in surprise.
The others (excluding HoS and HoV) can only watch Himeko sitting in silence, and their silence confirms her fear.
After a whole minute of heavy silence, Himeko shakily asks: "What… why… how…"
"Technically it's me." HoV answers. "Though she remembered everything, therefore she got depressed for months."
The Major wants to joke that she at least died in the line of work, but hearing that her own student had the front seat of the event stops her from doing so. And that makes her feel even sadder… which makes her wonder if she's also the same if she saw what happened to her father…
Young Kiana swallows hard and turns to HoFi with her eyes pleading in fear if what they said is true. To her horror, HoFi nods in solemn.
The deafening silence occurs through the audience for a good five minutes (even KALPAS is not rude enough to mock it), HoV breaks it: "It happened, accept it."
"Acceptance is one thing…" Ai-chan shakes her head in disapproval. "Getting over it is another."
"...Sorry, I think I need fresh air." Himeko stands up and starts looking around, trying to find an exit. Fortunately, her chibi version has placed the cup to a safe place and starts guiding her out by opening a door in a seemingly endless space.
Once the door is closed, the vision continues without giving the audience another moment to wait.
When it's time, both clash again, and this time Kiana notices a pattern: 'Sirin' always uses the same moves as hers. Not counting the sword fighting, anytime she tries to use one of her Herrscher's powers, the other pulls out similar if not the same one.
Her blasting fire with the Gem of Haste? 'Sirin' has one too.
Opening/Exploding black holes? 'Sirin' is the Herrscher of the Void for a reason.
The same goes to their healing moments when they use the Gem of Serenity.
'This is no dreams, no illusions… this is very real. What's going on here? Even if somehow Sirin became her own person, where did she get the power?'
"...Can we somehow compare her situation to Seele?" While the fight is happening, everyone swallows the sorrow back with Susannah asking Sushang.
"I… don't think so. Seele don't fight, they live…"
"I mean in power."
"I'm sorry, I can't answer it." Blue Seele apologizes. "We have never separated before."
"...At least not physically." Red Seele adds, referring to their fight against a certain doll Herrscher. She then notices APHO Bronya smiling at her. "What?"
"It's nothing." Keeping the smile, the woman replies, which is noticed by APHO Mei and she also smiles at the recognition of what Bronya is thinking.
During the healing section, 'HoV' asks much to HoF's irritation: "Are you ready to give up?"
"Never."
"Should have expected as much." 'HoV' smirks after letting out a sigh. "Guess I should finally get serious now."
"...She's not been serious before." Young Bronya deadpans.
"To be fair, I don't think Kiana is serious either." Ai-chan defends.
The two clash again… at least, that's HoF's belief. To her horror, 'Sirin' and Shamash phase through her.
She quickly turns back to prepare to defend against a slash… only for her eyes to be painful poked with two fingers.
All watching this have their eyes turn blank.
"My apology." Himeko with her Chibi returns, and they see everyone's expression. "What's wrong?"
"...'Sirin' just poked Kiana's eyes." Younger Theresa replies, voice devoid of emotions as she doesn't know how to respond.
Himeko is a bit stunned hearing that. She turns to HoV who shrugs again while keeping the expression.
"...Since when are you into dirty tricks?"
"Ask her, don't ask me." The Herrscher points at the vision.
'Sirin' tries to hit the temporarily blinded HoF, but her mind-eye can still recognize the threat and she erects a barrier to stop the blow. When she manages to open her eyes, she sees her opponent's eyes sparkling before her shield starts receiving powerful bonks. HoF pours her power into the shield, waiting for an opportunity to strike back.
"...Why am I imagining Sentience doing this?" Phoenix Hua rubs her eyes, slightly grunting at the new image she has in mind.
And that makes Senti glare at her with a pout.
Eventually the attack slows down, and the role reverts as HoF goes for the offensive and 'Sirin' defends. But then one of her attacks phases through 'Sirin' again, so HoF quickly backs away. However, 'Sirin' takes the chance and shoots HoF on the back during the retreat with the gun form of Shamash.
"You're going to have to do a lot better than that." 'Sirin' blows the smoke out of the barrel and mocks Kiana.
"This… couldn't be Sirin or even HoV." HoFi says out loud in confusion. "Not bad mouthing you, but this is not your normal gloat."
"As much as I hate how you phrase it, I agree." HoV, for a rare chance, is one Kiana's side.
"She does look cool though." Sirin quietly says, thinking that she might be able to be like that too.
"That's close to how Sieg works, though." Cecilia looks at her husband to see them nodding.
HoF gets up and quickly looks at her opponent and sees various portals opening with the spears ready to launch. She tries to run, but 'Sirin' freezes her legs with Honkai cubes, so she changes her tactics and deflects the lances away as they are launching at her.
A last lone lance heads towards her, and HoF's blade is ready to shatter it…
Only for the lance to phase through her block.
It's in a mere moment, and HoF can only notice 'HoV' smirking before she feels the immense pain in her abdomen.
She looks down… to see a large portion of her stomach is replaced with the attacking lance which turns solid when it reaches the target.
Many wince at the pain as the girl starts bleeding out. KALPAS also feels it a bit, but he grins and compliments: "That's an interesting way to use your abilities."
"But it's hard to pull." MEI, despite not being a good fighter by herself, can understand the logic behind the attack. "Making an object phasing through another solid one is hard enough, but to make it reappear into the same dimension and replace whatever is in its way…"
"It defies physical laws, if that's what you want to say." Einstein's slightly triggered as well. Not at the other doctor, but at the law defying move. "Even if we want to break them, there are still others to follow."
"But I think that also confirms one thing." They turn to Tesla who has a tick on her forehead. "Even if you wield the same power as your opponent, you aren't immune to said power. Both can teleport things, and in an ideal situation the attack shouldn't connect."
"...You are basing on the Time Stop immunity in Corvo and Daud's visions, right?" Ai-chan questions, which earns her a nod from the redhead scientist. "That also depends on the strength of the fighters as well."
"Should we chalk this up as a Honkai thing or a Physics thing, or even Magic?" HoO questions curiously.
"How about all?" HoS suggests. "There's no single answer for this, right?"
'A bit overkill there.' 'Sirin' grimaces internally. 'But she asked for it. No one demanded Shamash and walked out fine.' She disintegrates the lance, and watches HoF down to her knee, the hole in her stomach pouring out blood like it's no tomorrow. 'That's the last gift from Father, and I'm not letting it go until I want to.'
"...Could it be?" Carole somehow manages to draw out a conclusion. A silly, but plausible theory.
"Can you share it?" Sakura advises.
"Maybe those two are from different dimensions. We're watching the moon of HoV's world, with Kiana somehow getting teleported there."
The vision, thankfully, stops for everyone to think…
And moments later, the scientists or those who know about physics laws facepalm.
"...Is that not correct?"
"No, you might have it straight to the point." MOBIUS grunts. "We're grimacing at how we didn't think of this earlier. Especially when we're literally in that situation."
"We shouldn't have taken so long to figure this out." Otto sighs deeply.
"Maybe we've been too relaxed here." Amnesia Hua reminds.
"Maybe we really are." MEI agrees.
"Can't blame you." Ai-chan giggles. "And can't blame Kiana either, traveling between dimensions is not that easy."
"And given the timeline 'I' might be in…" HoFi comments. "I don't think I'm that smart to figure it out."
"You're never smart, Idiotka." And that earns HoTr an elbow to the side from her friend.
"But that brings up another question: How did that happen?" HoV, surprisingly, brings up a good question. "If this idiot didn't know what happened to her, then that means someone sent her away without her noticing. Also, how did I become on top here and not this idiot?"
That one lingers in many's minds while the vision continues:
"Just another washed-up Herrscher wannabe." 'Sirin' gloats as she watches her opponent's Gem of Serenity healing HoF. "At least try and put up a fight, you have multiple cores for crying aloud." She then purposefully turns her back to her opponent and taunts: "Oh well, guess that's it huh."
"Having cores doesn't mean you can master them that easily." Phoenix Hua counters.
"There's a thing called 'training' for a reason." KEVIN agrees.
"If Kiana is teleported just some times after fighting Herrscher of Dominance then she wouldn't be so efficient in using their power." HoO defends her 'girlfriend'.
"Are you done talking?"
'Sirin' glances over her shoulder to see HoF standing up, with the level of Honkai rising rapidly.
"It's my turn now, I hope you're fine with that!"
'...Of course.' 'Sirin' huffs, knowing exactly where it's from as she turns to her opponent fully and sees HoF's eyes glowing. "Quoting the Major, you know how her story ended, right?" Her grip on Shamash slightly tightens.
"So… is that the same event?" Himeko asks, though she might already have the answer she needs.
"It's… correct." HoFi confirms.
"Then something else has changed." HoV concludes.
"Her story ended on her own terms! And I'll write this story on my terms as well!"
"True, her end was on her terms." Surprisingly, 'Sirin' agrees. However: "But right now, right here. This isn't your story Flamescion." The blade in her hand is returned to the empty space as she summons Domain of the Void. "This is mine. So, if anyone's going to end it…it's going to me."
"Damn, it's going to be epic." Siegfried whispers.
"...Hang on a moment." Ai-chan's confused statement catches others' attention. "I know that this form of her is Herrscher of Flamescion so it's no stranger to us. But… how did this HoV know that as well?"
"Well it's…" HoV plans to counter, but the thoughts catch up. "...Yeah. If I'm the dominion, there's no way for me to just change into that. And even if I can use the cores, that doesn't mean my main power is shifted."
"...This is getting strange now." SU speaks up. "Or… this HoV knew about the alternative dimensions? Especially of her possible futures?"
HoF's flame grows and spreads larger, turning from red to blue. She then lungs at HoV, determined to end it. However, 'HoV' is no pushover as she counters every attack. Nothing has dealt true damage to her opponent yet…
Until 'Sirin' teleports away.
And HoF seizes that opportunity and focuses her power…
"Edge of Taixuan." Both HoFi and Phoenix Hua speak at the same time, with the former continuing: "She intends to completely eliminate the other HoV."
"...But it seems the other me also knows that technique." HoV looks at 'Sirin' and notices the annoyance on her face.
'Of all things.' The vision temporarily turns to 'Sirin' point of view. "If that's your game, fine." She starts focusing on her own technique as well…
Thanks to the vision, everyone can see the Honkai Energy inside 'Sirin' body stop concentrating in pools and knots and instead flow into one streamline. HUA is impressed at the way 'Sirin' controls her body's chakra to an expert level… But then, she notices how the flow goes and asks in surprise: "Is she going to brace the attack?"
"...Can you even block it?" HoFi questions with a surprise face. "I thought Eminence had no physical forms."
"This 'HoV' is more resourceful than we thought. Maybe she knew a way." Phoenix Hua is not confident that the attack can't be blocked, but 'HoV' might be able to do something about it.
Having her defense ready, 'Sirin' watches the flame orbs floating around HoF. She decides to mock her opponent with a 'Come at me' hand gesture. And that earns her a very visible scowl expression.
"Eminence." The flame orbs morph into an enormous sword as HoF's command, and it launches towards 'Sirin'.
Everyone watches in expectation as 'HoV' raises her hands up and emits a seemingly transparent barrier that is blocking the attack. And it seems to work…
Until Phoenix Hua notices the flow of the energy starts running into 'Sirin', as purple veins appear throughout her body as the sign of Honkai Infection. And that's also the sign for everyone to realize what 'HoV' is actually doing.
"She's absorbing the attack?" APHO Mei gasps in surprise, not believing that the Herrscher is that crazy to do that. "It's going to destroy her body."
"...Unless she doesn't intend to keep it forever." APHO Bronya turns to Adam, or rather the Moon Ring in his arm. "I think she's planning to throw the attack back…"
"But why doesn't she do that from the beginning?" Bella asks, not knowing much about combat.
"You can't just throw a thing that large away easily. Especially when Kiana is still sending her power to the attack." Cecilia explains.
"Besides, if thinking of another way, it's something she won't expect her opponent to do." Bianka analyzes. "Not many have witnessed this attack to know how to counter it."
"Especially when the concept of the attack is that nobody can stop it." HoFi addresses while waiting to see what 'HoV' is going to do to counter next…
"In hindsight, this was not my best idea." 'Sirin' says to herself as she feels her body boiling up due to the excessive Honkai she's receiving to the point anyone who's not her would instantly melt. However, she also feels the power of Flamescion slowly dissipate. "Just a little more…" She still has a trump card. This will work… no, it has to work.
'Or I won't be able to take my sisters to the Homu Land as I promised.'
"...This is just a wild idea, but…" HoV looks at Sieg and asks: "Maybe this version of me is the idiot's sister?"
"...Given our current situation, I suppose that theory is plausible. How else would she defend Shamash that much?" Siegfried agrees, though he has some doubts it's not that simple.
"But if that theory is correct, then why does she turn into Herrscher?"
"...If we go with that theory, who can say that she's a Herrscher?" ELYSIA counters. "She could be a very strong Valkyrie."
"But she has Herrscher cores."
"Maybe they're from the defeated Herrschers, MOBIUS."
"Can a non-Herrscher… never mind. We have KEVIN here." HoO almost asks before she remembers about a certain grandpa in the group and their last fight against him.
"Except ELYSIA, the others were humans before being Herrschers." HoTr adds.
Finally HoF exhausts herself as her power, so no more power is being pushed into the attack. However, 'Sirin' is not in a good state either, as she's standing still. HoF is slightly surprised that 'Sirin' could take it on, but she believes that the attack definitely does enough damage to stop her. And when she sees 'Sirin' dropping her weapons, she believes she has won.
"You lose, Sirin."
"I'm not finished." While not hearing the line, HoF sees 'Sirin' staring at her with her teeth chattering. To Kiana's confusion, her opponent takes a deep breath…
"Taking a deep breath in space. That looks so…"
Before KALPAS can say anything further, 'Sirin' screams…
And EVERYONE in the audience gets hit by said attack. All panically cover their ears while not recognizing what is going on. No one can say a word as they're trying their best to block the scream away to no avail. They look down at the tables to see them shaking from the sonic attack. Some weaker glasses even break.
'Sirin' keeps her attack while watching HoF desperately trying to defend the attack with no success.
Covering her ears? Nope.
Her eyes? Can barely open.
Body parts? Vibrating to the rupturing points.
Curling her body while erecting barriers? Barriers shattered.
In the end, HoF can't withstand it and falls unconscious. Which marks the final win for 'Sirin'.
However, that doesn't mean she can walk it off. She pukes up blood instantly after stopping the attack, her vocal cord is destroyed in order to win the fight. At least the vines on her body vanish due to the excessive Honkai being purged out of her body during the attack.
'...Why are you here?'
Many groan in pain after the attack dies down and they try balancing back into their seats. Some succeed, some don't.
"That… is…"
"Unexpected." SU continues KEVIN's words.
"Why are we affected?" VILL-V is not amused that the attack hit them. "We're not in the same dimension with them."
"My ears…"
"You tell them." SAKURA instantly follows after hearing PARDOFELIS's cry, both having two pairs of ears equaling double the pain.
APONIA and KOSMA don't complain immediately as they try to help the children, who luckily seem to not get as much damage as the adults.
"Where's…"
"The Idea…"
"Of that attack from?" The young main trio whine.
"That… is the most *Beeping* unorthodox thing I have heard." HoV's ears still ring.
"Effective, but I'm not stooping that low." Sirin grunts.
After several minutes, everyone's hearing finally stabilized. Ai-chan winces last as she asks a bit louder so if anyone's listening ability is still affected: "Have any of us performed that kind of attack before?"
"Battle cries, all of us do." HoFi replies.
"But screaming attacks? I don't think even Wendy did that." HoTr adds.
"And why do we get attacked?" VILL-V has to ask again. "Is that attack really that powerful…"
A portal suddenly appears before them, and two figures drop through… with snow follows, much to everyone's confusion...
"...Void, I didn't ask for a teleportation."
"Does it look like I did that, Thunder?"
Thanks for your permission to make reactions of your story, RushAlias.
If you guys want the casts to react to other authors' stories, no problem (unless the authors don't want to).