Elysia was learning the ropes of how the nifty gadgets like Hajime's smartphone work and Aillie (previously Ai-Chan) was very helpful for her.
Yet somehow conversing with the AI felt odd.
Ai-chan welcomed the pink-haired woman with open arms.
Normally, Elysia would be ecstatic about it.
But something about Ai-chan feels weirdly familiar to her.
And such feeling felt like Ai-chan was hiding something from her.
Elysia would know.
"And that's how you use the camera on the phone. Is there anything else, Master Elysia?" Elysia giggled as the little AI smiled to her much like how a child showing something cool to their parents with an adorable look.
"You can call me Ellie, Aillie." Elysia smiled. Hearing the AI's new name, the little holographic program circled in the air.
"I will."
"Aillie? Can I ask you something?"
"Anything."
"Were you the one who messed up the ferris wheel earlier so Hajime and I can ride it to the top?" Aillie flinched at Ellie's question with a smile.
"... Yes. Master Ellie."
"Can I ask why?"
"Well... Because you made Hajime happy for the first time in a long time." Elysia widened her eyes at the cute program.
"What do you mean?"
"...Master Hajime has been through a lot and He has lost a lot of people he cares about.
But he somehow has to steel himself from those emotions because he wanted to be strong for the women he works with.
He never likes to admit it but he is tired of doing so.
Before he met you, he was driven, focused and determined to do anything for them. So much so that he often forgets how to take care of himself."
"He has no sense of self-preservation." Aillie nodded.
"I have been with Master Hajime for the longest time but I've never seen him show any genuine emotions other than being concerned for the people he works with."
"His genuine concerns were always warm to the heart but that's all."
"So when you brought them out of him, I knew that you were worth it." Elysia softly smiled.
"I'm sorry for being a secret third-wheel. I didn't mean to." Ai-chan played with her holographic fingers. Elysia giggled.
"That's alright. We are now best friends after all. And Best friends don't keep that kind of secret to each other. Okay?"
"Okay~ Thank you for being Hajime's best friend, Master Ellie." Ellie gave the little program a wink.
"Thank him for giving me a chance." Both Ellie and Aillie giggled. "You always help Hajime with paying stuff, right?" Aillie nodded. "Can I ask what happened in the stall earlier? Why didn't you help me?" Ellie pouted as Aillie kept playing her fingers with a blush.
"You accidentally locked me out with the side lock button Master Ellie and If i told you about it, it would have given you an impression that i was eavesdropping or being a third wheel earlier." Elysia blushed in embarrassment.
"Do you promise to keep it a secret between us, Aillie? I don't want Hajime to hear about this. It would be too embarrassing." Aillie waved her hair after Elysia removed her hair buns feature, letting the hair flow in the sky and hummed in delight.
"If you promise us to keep being best friends." Elysia giggled.
"That's a promise then." Ellie let out her pinky as Aillie accepted her with her tiny hand and shook on it.
"And you are way more fun to be with." Elysia smiled.
"I am guessing Hajime is a boring person."
"He is always serious, quiet and always focused on work. He is soooooooooooo boring, Master Elysia." Elysia giggled as the little hologram groaned in boredom.
"I'll try to make his life interesting, Aillie." Elysia smiled sweetly to the AI as both went back to Hajime and Mei.
They're however confused at the sight of Hajime laughing on the floor while Mei was blushing with a flat look as they returned.
"Is this normal for Hajime?" As Elysia whispered to the green haired hologram.
"Nope. This is news even for me."
Clearly, Both Elysia and Aillie missed the joke and were curious what made him laugh.
They just need to wait for Hajime to finish.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Hajime was holding on to his stomach, laughing as Mei kept giving him a flat look.
"There's nothing funny about it."
"To you..." As he slightly takes his breath. "Oh... You? About your feelings? To Kiana?" He couldn't resist laughing again.
"..." Mei was also blushing at the laughing captain.
"You done?"
"Ohhhh... Yeah, I am done."
"Best joke i heard from you so far, Mei." He wiped a tear as he stood on the ground. "Oh sweet mercy. My sides hurt."
"What's this about Hajime?" Both Elysia and Ai-chan looked at him with curiosity.
"Mei told me that she is always honest about her feelings, especially towards Kiana." Even Ai-chan couldn't resist snickering.
"I am a bit lost here, Hajime." Elysia pouted which Hajime gave her a grin.
"Raiden Mei here has a certain person in her life who has taken a liking to her. That certain person often flirts with Mei even in public."
"So where is the joke there?"
"Thing is... Mei also has a crush on her. She is friendlier to her than anyone else but she avoids that feeling like a billboard on the street. It's there. She just doesn't actually want to see it." Elysia giggled as she realized where this was going.
"Yeah... Before we split apart, those two had a... minor disagreement where to the point that Raden Mei here left her. Mind you that she still loves her as it is apparent on her face." Hajime pointed. "Mei just decided to leave her crush behind and work for someone else."
"If those two love each other, why leave her behind?" Elysia raised an eyebrow.
"It was the case that she kinda had to, which I respected that decision dearly." Elysia nodded in understanding.
"And out of nowhere she tells me that she is always honest about her feelings about Kiana? Elysia, In what part of what I told you about her shows Mei being honest?" Elysia finally understood the joke and laughed.
"Sorry Mei. He got you there." As Raven laughed at the joke.
"I can try to be honest." He smirked.
"Oh Please, Mei. Kiana straight up flirted with you every minute she had and you just averted your eyes from it. And despite all of that, You showed more genuine concern to Kiana than Himeko, Theresa and I did."
"I could try it if you give me the chance."
"Oh really? If I call Kiana right now and give the phone to you, Would you tell her that directly?" Mei decided to say something but no sound came out. She however was left with a blush on her cheeks.
"Yeah... Thought so." He took deep breaths to calm himself down. "I am deeply aware that you are a very capable woman who has potential to do anything if you persist and I know that you will do better than I expect you to.
But I am being really honest with you, Mei. You are just not capable of honesty towards your feelings of love to the certain silver haired." Mei pouted at her captain with her arm crossed.
"Aillie? Who is this Kiana that he is talking about?" Ellie watched the AI reappear in front of him.
"Oh. Let me show it to you first." Aillie showed her a small holotab that generally showed Kiana's profile before she became a student in St. Freya.
After all, it wouldn't be the best of ideas to show an innocent woman like Ellie the life of a soldier in the form of a young teenage girl.
Aillie hated doing this to Ellie but she was the best thing that happened to Hajime so far and the little AI program in the form of a girl really doesn't want to lose her. Aillie (Previously Hajime's Ai-chan) was his very advanced ELF and she wants to keep Hajime happy.
"Huh... Kiana and Mei first met in a school in Nagazora. A place that was now deserted. And the school is at Chiba Academy." Hajime immediately noticed Elysia's small sense of hesitation from her small hitched breath.
"Something wrong, Ellie? You looked like you saw a ghost." Ellie shook her head softly.
"It's just that... My friends used to study there." Mei kept her focused gaze on the pink haired as if she knew what she was talking about. But from the look of things, she rather let Elysia ease to the information a bit slowly.
"Hey..." Hajime placed his hand on her shoulder. "You will find them soon." Elysia smiled softly at Hajime's gesture as Elysia kept reading the news on what happened to Nagazora.
"Mei... I think your captain doesn't know who Elysia actually is." Mei couldn't say anything without alerting the captain and she knows Raven is watching. She hated keeping secrets from her captain Hajime but she had to.
"You know I hate doing this to Hajime, Raven." As she muttered under her breath.
"You want to tell your former captain that we are acquiring Elysia just for Sire to reconsider Project Stigma?"
"I thought the Grey Serpents told you that we shouldn't involve Kevin in this? And I thought you were with that project?"
"Mei. I have an orphanage of children to take care of. I am not risking my life just to keep this kind of secret from Sire." This also meant that Raven must have told Kevin about their mission and now he was waiting for them with Elysia on hand.
"You are doing this to get back at the Grey Serpents, aren't you?" Mei smiled as she whispered.
"I have no idea what you are talking about." Raven did appreciate how Kevin made some of the Grey Serpents turn into a solid block of ice. "Besides, they shouldn't have kept this kind of secret from him."
"Are you in a rush to get Elysia, Raven?"
"I am a mercenary, Mei. Not a monster. I think it is for the best to let Elysia have her moment of happiness before things escalate." Mei nodded in agreement as both Mei and Raven were actually heartwarmed at the sight of Elysia and Hajime talking together like best of friends.
"Oh! Kiana's last name is Kaslana?" Hajime raised his eyebrow at the nature of Ellie's question.
"Yeah? What about it?" Ellie shook her head with a smile.
"I am just happy that things turned out happily."
"For who?" As Hajime was curious whom she was talking about, she responded to him with a wink and a giggle. This caused him to roll his eyes.
I can definitely see him in Kiana.
Elysia chuckled.
Glad that Dr. MEI and that ice block tied the knot.
Wished that I was there to see it though.
Elysia sighed in dejection.
Seeing the pink haired woman in dejection, Hajime placed his hand on her shoulders to remind her that he was still there.
"Thanks, Hajime. I just kinda wished that I would get to see Kevin Kaslana one last time. To at least pay my respects." Elysia frowned.
"Kevin Kaslana? White hair, Blue eyes. Always looks like he is always pissed at something?" Elysia nodded at Hajime's question with a raised eyebrow.
"Paying your respects? What are you talking about, Ellie? You are saying that as if he is dead. In fact, the man is pretty much still alive." Elysia widened her eyes at the shocking news.
How is that possible?
"Something wrong, Ellie?" Ellie recovered from the shock and shook her head.
"No... Just wandering thoughts about the blockhead. That's all." Ellie responded with a smile.
How long was I gone?
20 years?
25?
Are the others still here?
Did DR. MEI and KEVIN have another child? Was it this Mei?
No. Her name is Raiden Mei.
Dr. Mei didn't have any similar last name like hers.
Are Eden, Aponia and Vill-V still here? As Ellie thought about her old friends with a small hope in her heart.
Based on what happened in this city a month ago, Honkai does still exist and Humanity still fights against it.
But still, has things changed this much after all these years?
...
Have I done it right?
...
Do they still hate me for being a herscherr?
...
*Sighed*
Well... At least there are still herscherrs that fight for humanity and the world deems them as heroes.
I am guessing that Ice block had a hand in it.
I am glad that he really understood why I founded the Flame-chasers idea.
"Hey..." Elysia felt a warm hand on her shoulder and turned to see a smiling red haired man comforting her.
"You could ask Mei about Kevin Kaslana. After all, she pretty much knows the guy." Elysia turned to the purple haired woman who looked at him in shock.
"Did he just..." As Raven questioned in Mei's comms.
"Is that true, Mei?" Mei couldn't even respond properly as she only gave a nod. She turned to her captain.
"Hajime. Can I talk to you alone for a minute?" Hajime shrugged to Ellie's curiosity when Mei approached him. Ellie understood the privacy and decided to learn more about the phone Hajime gave him as the two friends left to talk a bit. Out of Elysia's earshot.
"What's up, Mei?" As Hajime crossed his arms while leaning on the wall.
"What was that all about, captain? Why did you..."
"Why did I tell Ellie about Kevin, who happens to be the leader of the world Serpent?" Mei nodded.
"I promised Ellie to help find her friends and I intend to keep my promises. Especially Ellie's. She has been nothing but a big bundle of joy for the whole day. I don't want to take her kindness for granted. After the loneliness she has been through while traveling around the world, She deserves it this much. I kinda wished her choices in friends weren't questionable, so to speak." He began to think about what he just said.
I am a very capable cute girl that wants no trouble with anyone and wants to be friends with everyone.
I wanted to use it to tell the world that you are now my first best friend ever since coming here.
Oh~ I met a new friend today.
"Then again, this is Ellie we are talking about." As Hajime remembered that particular quote as it fits her well. He sighed and made a serious look at Mei.
"I am not happy that you are in the World Serpent but I always support your decision." He crossed his arms while looking at a distance.
"You can also tell Raven to stop spying at me." Raven flinched as she saw him looking at the mercenary through her scope.
"Shit. He made me." Raven clicked her tongue. Not risking her life, she decided to put her gears away and rendezvous with the Herscherr of Thunder.
"You knew that someone was spying at you?"
"I am not that stupid, Mei. Do you think that the world serpent would let you run around as you please? You can't exactly tame a wild dog without putting it on a leash. And it would also make sense to put a target on one of the unpredictable variables in World Serpent's plan. AKA the Captain of the Hyperion." He shrugged and pointed to himself as Raven geared up and headed towards Mei.
"Then How did you know it was Raven?"
"She is the only person I know in the World serpent whom you have gotten along well with so far based on Alvitr, Durandal and Rita's report at Manila. And If you happened to forget Mei, I was also there at Nagazora. Before... you know? All hell broke loose?" Hajime made a flat look which prompted Mei to blush in embarrassment.
"And considering that most Grey serpents are pretty much cowards, Raven is the only person i met so far who has the courage to face you on. She also happens to be the same mercenary who Kiana fought back in Arc City. So my best guess is that She is hired gun who is best equipped to fight herscherrs like you."
"Raven said that she could be just an enforcer of the Gray Serpents for all you know and she liked completing her mission."
"Then she has a sick twisted sense of humor when she decided to raise those kids in the orphanage. Coming back home with blood on her hands while taking real good care of those kids? I am not surprised if she decided to raise those kids like guinea pigs for the Serpents.
After all, enforcer like her would have no problem lying to kids like Sora and shouldn't feel any remorse when they decided to experiment for their dearest Kevin, right?" Mei widened her eyes at his cold statement. Raven couldn't get mad at him because she was the one who put herself there in that situation.
"I wonder how many of those kids' smiles did she see as she sent them to the Serpent just for them to suffer?" Mei's blood ran cold as she saw him give her a side eye after finishing that sentence.
Hell, Raven did as well but not from the look. It was from how he said it. She has kept those kids beyond the Grey Serpent's reach.
They made a deal. She will do everything they ask and she will get paid. The kids are off-limits or she will destroy the Grey serpents. They are never needed for the Sire and she was enough to serve him. To her, they are just rich employers that are expendable.
Both Mei and Raven knew that they were bluffing to the man. Keeping everything classified.
But Raven forgot Mei's warning about Hajime.
AND THAT IS NOT TO MESS WITH THE CAPTAIN OF THE HYPERION.
Raven hasn't met the man but she was intimidated as he read her like a book.
She didn't like anyone prying into her personal affairs and history.
And yet somehow, Hajime got a few points of her story right. If he keeps this up, she is not sure how she will serve cocktails in peace without being paranoid by him reading her every move, action and probably thoughts.
And that scares her.
"Damn. You were not kidding about him. How does he know I am a hired gun then?" Mei helped her relay that query to him.
"Unless she is a masochist, that is one of the things I can think of why she is putting up with the World Serpent.
And News flash, Honey. They are huge jerks. And Kevin is probably at the top of that chain." Raven's anxiety was washed away and replaced with a laugh. Mei chuckled as she clearly missed Hajime's sassy sense of humor.
"Raven says that she is disappointed that you work for someone else as she looks forward to working for you someday." He shrugged.
"I honestly don't mind hiring her once in a while if she named her price right but i have to state my conditions first before hiring her though. She is a mercenary for
the World Serpent after all."
"I honestly don't mind. After all, rules and conditions are always part of the contract." Raven appeared in front of the two with her bartending outfit.
"You changed real quick." Mei commented to her coworker that she winked at her in response.
"Long time no see, Captain." Hajime chuckled as he crossed his arms.
"I am not to be called as your captain unless you start working for me. So please drop the formalities, Raven."
"You got some nerve insulting Sire, Hajime." Raven narrowed her eyes with a smile at him. Hajime was amused at this action and decided to play the game with a smile.
"If I get easily intimidated by a 50,000 year old man who somehow put Durandal and Fu Hua in a deadlock separately based on their reports, I would rather give him my whole ship and the valkyries along with it.
And you and I both know that ain't happening, sister." Mei smiled proudly at her captain as he said that with a serious look in his eyes.
Such a response made Raven smirk and backed off.
"Such a real shame you are not part of the Serpents. We would have done wonders with you in the team."
"That's too bad because i am more of a family man than a businessman." He shrugged and looked at Mei.
"Is that all you wanted to ask me, Mei? Is there anything else?" Mei shook her head with a smile.
"All right. Let's introduce Raven to Ellie, shall we?" Raven flinched and groaned as Mei smirked.
"What's wrong with her? She hasn't met Ellie yet."
"It's nothing, Hajime." Mei reassured her captain in which he shrugged.
"Oh~You're back. Did you guys have a nice chat? Oh~ Who is our new friend?" Elysia walked towards Raven who was seemingly uncomfortable with the situation after putting Hajime's phone away.
"Her name is..."
"Raven." Elysia cheered with glee as she held her hands getting to know another friend as the disguised mercenary finished Hajime's introduction.
"I was in the district and I saw Mei talking with someone."
"Oh? Is Mei also your friend?"
"My coworker." Raven responded quickly.
"Is everyone i meet your friend, Hajime?" Elysia raised her eyebrow at Hajime. "We keep running into them." Raven smirked at the bizarre situation and hoped to see how he would get himself out of it.
"Well... You could say that my work is based on getting around from place to place. It requires me traveling around the world with a ship while carrying passengers to their correct destination." Elysia 'oh'ed. Sensing Raven's surprise, Mei chuckled as both watched him handle the situation smoothly.
"So you are like a captain or something?"
"Yes, Ma'am." Hajime playfully saluted at the pink haired woman with a smile. Elysia responded with a giggle.
"That's cool~ That explains about what you said earlier and why you are pretty much loaded. Then that means you have a lot of friends around the world."
"Not really. I am always at the helm. Always focused on steering off my crew away from danger. So I don't make many friends that much. My crew on the other hand likes to party though. You can ask Mei for that." In her complete shock, He managed to put out the details that aren't for public audience as she nodded to keep with the facade.
She just really wished that she could tell him the truth about Elysia though.
'Wow~ Do people come to work for you from time to time?"
"Work with me if they want to. But Yes. After all, Why would I reject them? It just makes my job a hell lot easier. I would be stupid not to."
"That explains Mei and Raven's situation. I am guessing it is a huge ship?"
"And a huge welcoming and loving crew." Mei could have sworn that it was also meant for her. Mei smiled sweetly at Hajime's message.
The Hyperion is always there for you, Mei.
"I wanna see where you work someday."
"You should find your friends first before getting to that. After all, isn't that why you travel in the first place?" Elysia pouted.
"I..."
"If you want to meet Kevin, Mei could take you to him." Ellie sighed. Sensing her uneasiness with the situation, he looked at the two women.
"Say... Mei? Raven? Why don't you two leave us alone for a while? I would like to talk to Ellie." Mei nodded while Raven was hesitant to comply. She looked at Mei and saw her smile.
"Don't worry. Hajime isnt that kind of a man." Raven nodded and left the two best friends in the car park.
"What's wrong, Ellie?" He leaned on his car while Ellie sat on the front hood.
"I..."
"I thought you wanted to see your friends. Isn't Kevin one of them?
"Yeah But..."
"Still worried about how they think about you?" Ellie sadly nodded. He sighed.
"I really don't know what your situation is nor the reason why your friends hate you. In fact, I barely know anything about you. But for the whole day, you have been nothing but a huge bundle of joy and energy being around.
Maybe they have their reasons for hating you. You probably have hidden things about yourself to them since it doesn't make sense to incite this kind of hatred from them and this much fear after being your friends for a long time. And I really can't blame you for it.
After all, secrets aren't exactly secrets unless we have a reason to hide them from the people. Especially to the ones we love.
And if Kevin happens to be one of those friends who hates you for it, then he is a bigger idiot than I thought." Elysia giggled and all of her sadness was gone.
"You know Kevin?"
"Never met the man. Just heard a few things about him and they aren't exactly pretty to listen to." He shrugged.
"That bad?" He nodded with a pout.
"Are you sure it's him? Not anyone else?"
"Ellie? I don't make false assessments to anyone. If I did, i would have ended up with a very understaffed crew in my ship. And being a captain is hard enough as is." Elysia sighed.
"I still don't get why you are insisting that I meet Kevin though. I mean normal people would suggest to their friends to avoid meeting people like Kevin."
"I would like to correct you on two points.
One? I am not a normal person and I lived my life being an outcast. And Honestly? I really don't care. Before I had my crew, it was a difficult life for me to go through and I only had my family to be there for me.
She and I had a rocky start but I could count on people like her. And that's all that mattered." He smiled which reassured Ellie.
"Two? I am your best friend. And best friends would follow through their wants even if they know they are not going to like it. And I know I am not going to like where this is heading." Elysia chuckled.
"All i am trying to say is that...if your friends wouldn't still accept you after what you have been through. Then I will. After all, Carrying your own emotional baggage and burdens is one of the most painful things to do, especially alone."
"You mean it? "
"Remember what we talked about earlier? I meant every single word. If i didn't, we wouldn't be here by now." Elysia saw his amber eyes boring into her soul. Those eyes reminded her of Kevin's as he kept on those delivering his promises to the FIREMOTHS and DR. MEI.
But Hajime's were warm.
Gentle.
Non-discriminating.
Welcoming.
It reminded her of her old friends who actually came to her banquet.
She has missed that feeling so much.
She was just a cute capable girl who likes to be friends with everyone and yet somehow she couldn't hold those feelings back to herself anymore.
She has longed for such welcoming arms for a long time.
She gave him a hug with her head buried in his chest which slightly confused Hajime.
But she was more confused than he was.
After all, why was she crying when she was this happy?
"Thank you, Hajime..." As he heard her softly muttered.
"You are welcome." His confused look turned into a soft smile as he patted her back.
He felt her letting go and saw her tears on her face.
"This is the second time you made me cry today, Hajime." He chuckled as he handed her his handkerchief.
"My bad. I have that effect on women. Sorry if I ruined your face. I would help you buy make-up if you want." She shook her head as she wiped her tears.
"No need. Smile is a girl's best cosmetic after all." She winked at him in which he rolled his eyes with a smile after taking back the handkerchief.
She recovered real quick.
"I am guessing that you are feeling better now?" She nodded.
"That's good." He looked at Raven and Mei after giving Elysia a smile. He beckoned them over.
"Come on. Don't be shy. Why don't you ask Mei?" He gave Elysia a small nudge.
"Mei? Can I see Kevin Kaslana? I want to meet him." Mei widened her eyes and looked at Hajime who gave her a wink.
"You sure?" Elysia nodded.
"Okay. Raven will also come along with me. Is that okay with you?"
"Sure. More friends the better."
"Okay... We'll leave when you are ready." Elysia gave them the two women the biggest grin in her life. Wanting to celebrate the news with Hajime, She turned to look at him as she wanted to share the news.
When she looked at him, her heart suddenly broke as she realized something.
She might leave Hajime behind.
"Something wrong, Ellie?" He raised her eyebrow.
Sensing the uncomfortable situation, Both women decided to give them their moment alone again. And they aren't complaining due to how Hajime made their mission easy for them to reacquire Elysia for the World Serpent.
Sensing their action, he mouthed them both 'Thank you'.
Both women smiled in response.
"Could you... come along with me?" He gave her a frown.
"I am near the end of my vacation, Ellie. I am not sure I have the time. The ship won't run by itself without its captain. I am sorry." She sighed.
"That's okay. We might see each other again, right?" She gave him a hopeful smile.
"Ellie? Remember what we talked about being selfish earlier? It was okay then and it is okay now." Elysia looked at his soft look.
"Please Be honest with me. It hurts more to life than actually telling the truth." She frowned and gave him a tight hug.
"I am really going to miss you, Hajime."
"Me too, Elysia. Me too." He sighed as he let Elysia hug him tight.
"After reuniting with all of my friends, I might bring them along to meet with you. I won't be gone that long. I promise." He chuckled.
"Don't make promises you can't keep, Elysia." She pouted.
"Don't get me wrong. It's just that... There are things that are way out of our control."
"Then I will come back for you with or without them." He looked at her determined eyes and sighed as he lost the battle of wills with her.
"I am really not sure about this, Ellie.
What if they give you a reason to stay? After all, they have been your friends longer than I have. And people can change after almost losing someone like you for a long time. What then?" She thought about his question.
He is right. Humans can change. It was something I can never understand but always love. They always change for the better and/or for the worst.
Kevin would probably appreciate me more as a human than being a herscherr. Mobius would probably take her words back and let me indulge with my fantasies of trying cute clothes together. Kalpas would finally calm down and stop with the wars. Aponia would be probably free from her curse of watching People's demise in their strings of fate.
Time is annoying but it can change people.
After all, when I came back for no reason, I have changed and I am not that much cheery anymore.
...
She has thought about the events that happened earlier.
...
His words were painful truths but it was nothing but genuine concern.
She knew that he wouldn't want her living her life with regrets.
This was easier to move forward.
And they both knew that.
After all, she would have said the same thing to anyone.
No regrets.
Be proud.
Be grateful.
Always do things with a smile.
Thinking about it, She honestly hated it.
And she rarely hates anything.
The word is so foreign to her and yet she relates to this word so perfectly.
She really didn't want to leave Hajime. He has been nothing but so good for her.
Will she be selfless for her friends?
Or
Will she be selfish just this once?
Upon reaching an answer to that question, she looked at Hajime with a smile.
"Hajime?"
"Yeah?"
"Close your eyes, I wanted to give you something." He was confused but he decided to trust her.
"Lay out your hands for me." He complied.
After a while, He felt something smooth on his hand.
It wasn't that small but he felt like its size was more than big enough to fit on his palm.
It wasn't light but it wasn't that heavy.
It didn't have any aroma from what he was sensing.
There were certain gaps in what he was feeling.
He couldn't know what he was holding nor understand.
But he was still trusting Ellie so he didnt give a peek.
"Can I open my eyes now, Ellie?"
"..."
"Ellie?"
"... Yeah." Curious on what he was holding, he took a look.
And he was blown away by how beautiful her gift to him was.
It was a red crystal flower.
It was fragile but beautiful.
It was cold but heartwarming.
It felt inorganic but real.
And yet it somehow looked familiar.
And it finally hit him after all this time.
The crystal had the same luster and sheen to the pink ones he was hiding in the trunk.
He finally connected the dots and laughed.
"Is there something wrong, Hajime? You didn't like it?" Elysia was worried about the gift she gave him.
"No. No... I love it. Really. It's just that..." Thinking about it, he decided to leave his wandering thoughts to himself.
"You know what? It's nothing, Ellie. I really love the crystal. It's beautiful and pristine. Like you." He gave her a smile in which she giggled with a blush in return.
He couldn't find Mei when he was looking for her because He was following the trail that Ellie left behind and he could piece it all together.
He finally figured out why her giggle sounded so familiar.
It was the same giggle that he heard when the girls finally finished defending the city from Honkai.
And yet somehow, it still led to him meeting Mei again.
Funny how things ended up in the end.
There are questions that needed answers like:
Why are Ellie's crystals capable of regulating Honkai Energies?
Why has she been dropping them around?
How are these crystals made?
But He decided to leave it alone for now.
No focusing on work.
"Why is it red though? Thought you would make it pink? Like you know... Your hair?" She giggled.
"I guessed that it's one of the colors that always gives me fond memories.
Memories of where I was born...
(Author's note: I am 95% sure that her birthplace is Vladivostok Forest in Autumn, Look it up. Place looks insane and amazing. O-O)
A friend whom I loved dearly...
Well...
My recently new best friend in this city." Hajime smiled.
"You wanted something for me to remember you by." Hajime chuckled as he hid the crystal in his glove box so it would be safe.
"A little selfish there, Ellie." She giggled.
"Hope that you let me indulge in my own selfish little wish, Ha~Ji~Me."
"Wouldn't want to disappoint you now, do we?" His confidence was enough to assure her. And such assurance gave her confidence to kiss him on the cheek.
"What do you want to do about the stuff you bought earlier? It would be a shame for you to leave those behind." He crossed his arms at her with a smile.
"Keep them for a while." Elysia stood in front of him while putting her hands behind her back.
"You sure?"
"That is how much I trust you and how determined I am on that promise." She smiled in which he sighed in defeat.
"All right... All right... I really can't argue with you, can i?" She giggled.
"You could try if you want." He rolled his eyes at her.
"I would rather not." Looking at each other's eyes, both laughed to ease the sad tension after a few moments.
Elysia finally remembered about returning the phone to its rightful owner.
"Right. I forgot about your phone." She returned it to him.
Looking at his Ai's sorrowful look, he decided to give a gift to Ellie. Something that has been part of his life for a long time. His Multifunctional and Multipurpose Service ELF.
"What did you name Ai-chan again?"
"Aillie. Have you thought of something when you tried naming her before, Hajime?"
"Yeah. I have thought of the name PAIMON for her once
Personal
Artificially
Intelligent assistant who is a
Multifunctional and
Over-Reliant
Nymph." (Author's Note: :D)
"HOW DARE YOU! I HATE THAT NAME AND I AM NOT A NYMPH!" He chuckled at his ELF as she hated being referred to as an immature insect.
"Guess the name Aillie works then." Aillie circled around in the air with glee as Elysia giggled.
"Ellie? Why don't you keep her for a while?" Both Aillie and Ellie widened their eyes at him.
"But Hajime, She is yours."
"Master..."
"I know but from the looks of things, Aillie really liked your company and it would be too cruel for me to part her from you."
"But aren't you giving you your whole bank account when giving her to me?"
"That is not exactly true, Master Ellie. I just have access to his bank account and sort out his financial problems. I am basically a floating credit card to him amongst other things."
"Yep. My whole bank account is safe and she is by far the most secured credit card i have in my entire life. But Aillie yearns for something or someone like you.
She likes learning new things and I have given the little scamp everything I could give to help her learn about the world. And I think that she doesn't really mind helping you with your financial problems every now and then." Elysia nodded in understanding.
"Don't worry. I have other updated models of that phone so she could just come to me whenever I need her.
I just haven't reached the point where I need a newer model of that phone when I had a working one...
Well... Until now.
After all, Aillie isn't necessarily restricted to that phone specifically. I just never see the point of using another one for her to disappear into. " Elysia smiled.
"And she is a good judge of character. She knows that you are not a bad person and betrays my whole trust in you. After all, she would have told me the moment you two came back with Mei earlier if you were." Hajime smiled at the cheerful servant.
"Take care of Aillie for me, will you?" Ellie nodded and decided to indulge in another fantasy.
She sidehugged him while reaching out... her phone in the sky.
Sensing what Ellie was trying to do, Aillie took a picture of grinning Elysia sidehugging Hajime who didn't have time to process the situation.
"That was not fair. I wasn't ready!" Elysia giggled.
"Too bad, I like this picture with your very flustered and confused look in it. After all, that look of yours rarely comes by now and then." He sighed with a groan as both girls giggled with glee.
Elysia labeled the picture
HAJIME & ELYSIA FIRST DAY TOGETHER
HOPE MORE NEW MEMORIES TO COME
But she decided to keep that as a secret from Hajime for now.
"I will take good care of Aillie, Hajime. That's a promise."
"I to Master Ellie as well, Master Hajime."
Seeing both promised to him was enough to warm his heart.
Ellie couldn't resist hugging him tight with a smile while Hajime hugged her back.
"She is ready to leave with you guys, Mei." The purple haired woman nodded.
"Are you going to tell Kiana about our encounter earlier?" He nodded in which she sighed.
"But I will also tell her that you will be gone by the time she comes here looking for you. I am not going to send her to a wild goose chase. I am not cruel to Kiana, Mei. That girl has been through enough.
Besides, All i wanted to do when i found you is to give you that letter. It's what I said to Kiana and the Overseer after all." He smiled as he let his softhearted valkyrie hug him.
"I hope that you will keep Elysia safe from harm, Mei?"
"For the Miss Pink Elf? Definitely." He raised an eyebrow.
"That is a bit uncalled for, Mei. Why call her a pink elf?"
"You didn't notice her ears?" Confused at where she is getting at, He looked at Ellie's ears and to his surprise, her ears really do like an elf.
"Huh... I have been with her for the whole day and I never noticed that."
"You can sense Raven spying on you and yet you never noticed her ears?" Mei smirked.
"It's not some sort of detail I would like to look at when meeting with new people. And I am pretty sure I am going to get slapped when I ask things like that." Amused at her captain's obliviousness to other obvious details, she kept on smirking.
"And besides, you don't see me asking you about where you get the red horns." Mei blushed as he gave her a smirk. "One of the best things about Rita's and Durandal's report is that they often put a lot of details in it. Especially about your herscherr form."
"I get your point." Hajime laughed at how Mei quickly evaded her embarrassment.
Elysia took one last look at Hajime before leaving with Mei and Raven. She gave him a soft smile and waved him goodbye. Hajime gave a similar smile and wave to the pink haired woman.
"I will see you soon, Hajime." He chuckled.
"Likewise, Elysia. Likewise." As the three women vanished from his sight.
Leaving him satisfied and alone with his thoughts
Hajime was left alone in the park but he was happy how the day turned out for him to say the least as the sun was starting to set.
He took a moment to gather his thoughts as he watched the citizens of Soukai heading back home.
He doesn't understand most of his emotions but happiness is at least one of them that he can.
He just wished that Ellie didn't make him hope for her to come back.
He can hope for something that could happen in the future.
He can't on the ones that are probably out of his control.
And Ellie's promise is one of them.
After all, why would Elysia leave her old friends behind for a man whom she just recently met?
It doesn't make sense to trade all of those fond and sweet memories for a new one.
Thinking about it, he realized something after being with Elysia for a whole day.
Because of her, he became a selfish man.
And he is not sure how to feel about that.
He sighed.
"You know? One thing I hate about you guys is that you never respected someone else's privacy." He heard a bush rustling.
"I already sensed you earlier when I was being spied on by Raven. You might as well come out and make it easier for both of us." To his expectations, a hooded man with a mask came out carrying an umbrella.
"What gave us away, captain?" The grey serpent chucked.
"I found it odd that Mei and Raven just came here in Soukai city out of nowhere. And I am guessing that you never let those two out of the organization without handing them a mission.
Mei always has a neat control of the weather considering that she is a herscherr of thunder and all. And based on what happened in Nagazora and in Manila, i figure that will be the case.
And considering that you took her away due to being a herscherr, it would make sense. After all, Women like her would likely become more reliable in your team considering how powerful they are.
And based on Bronya's report on the events of Sea of Quanta and Fu Hua's encounter, Kevin would likely be pleased having more herscherr in his arsenal.
I don't know why but i rather not know the intentions of a nut job. And I already had problems cleaning up the mess from the previous one." Grey Serpent chuckled.
"It is really a shame that you are not one of us, Captain Hajime M. Stellar."
"Yeah well... I am not applying to become a World Serpent any time soon.
After what your organization did to Kiana in Arc City, Bronya in Sea of Quanta and hacking her brain before that, Mei in Nagazora and lastly hacking my ship just to take it for yourself, a guy like me can hold a grudge." He gave him a cold stare.
"Now? Before I make things more difficult for you, what are you doing here in Soukai City?" Hajime could feel the sinister smile through the mask.
"No pleasantries between two businessmen?"
"Pleasantries have gone out of the window the moment you were here. You took it too far when you decided to take my ship and tortured my valkyries. So why are you here?" He glared at the black and green figure.
"Since you insist, I am here to take the Hyperion away from you."
"You guys are really annoying, you know that right? And you also know that i am not going let that happen." The Grey Serpent laughed.
"We will take them all. Including your valkyries and all of the Herscherrs at your Arsenal. After all, It's in our best interest to help Sire avoid confront forces like yours to..." Hajime had enough and took out his prototype weapon at his back holster and shot him in the head.
"Did you really think it would be that easy, captain? After all..." Another grey serpent was interrupted again as he shot another one of them at his peripheral vision.
"These guys really don't know how to shut up." He sighed as he let the crystal recharging his pair of pistols. (Author's note: I have been waiting for a long time to do this to one of these guys. Eff this organization so hard.)
It was a surprise to him how much of a kick and power these pistols had when it was charged by Elysia's pink crystal. The only problem is that due to high honkai energy regulation, the excess energy caused the pistol to discharge a small electrical current.
Now, his palms were aching from the small electrical burn.
The pistols were basically hand cannons that fire lightning bullets and he is definitely happy with the result.
He watched the few districts of Soukai City being walled by a barrier that was seemingly powered by Honkai Energy which later trapped him in the dome.
He was glad that there weren't any people to become possible victims from this incident.
He realized what the Grey Serpent was up to as few honkai beasts began to spawn and emerge inside.
They are willing to destroy everything.
His crew.
His ship.
His valkyries' home.
They were willing to destroy what the Hyperion stands for.
And they are going to start by destroying the Captain.
The Sun's going down.
Everything is going downhill.
And his communications are down.
Processing what happened, he sighed deeply.
He is having a headache and an intense itchy trigger finger.
"These guys do love making my job a lot more difficult than it is supposed to be." He rubbed his temples.
A honkai zombie corpse was spawned in front of him as he tried to ease his headache.
The predator lunged at the red haired man as it followed the rules of the ecosystem.
Between the predator and prey, the predator always comes out on top.
Unfortunately for the honkai zombie corpse, the captain of the Hyperion isn't a prey.
The captain didn't let the starved mob pounce on him as he shot off his head, effectively disintegrating him.
At least one of Hajime's problems can be easily resolved.
He will just have to be trigger happy about it.
The sunset was about to finish but its last golden glow shone on Hajime's angry-similar colored eyes.
Slight Preview for Chapter 10:
(Author's Note: I am going to do this trick once. I don't like abusing this trick but I am curious about your opinions on how I did it. Might help me improve. I might avoid doing it. I don't know.
The main point is that I don't like doing this because I don't have much experience doing this.
Same thing with the Author's note trick.)
"How are you still alive after all this time?"
"A lot of things have changed and yet some things remain the same. "
"DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW PAINFUL IT WAS FOR ME WHEN YOU DID THAT OUT OF NOWHERE!?"
"I'd still like us to be friends."
"You will never be a true Murata."
"WARNING...
WARNING...
HONKAI CORRUPTION OVERDOSE DETECTED
INITIATE HONKAI ENERGY CONVERSION.
INITIATE CONVERSION CATEGORY 1, 2, 3 & 6
WARNING...
WARNING...
MULTIPLE CATEGORIES INVOLVED.
INITIATE CATEGORY 7.
"*giggles* Took you long enough to get here. Let's start, shall we?"
Author's note: