Off-Seer ~ Mio

~ Xenoblade Chronicles 3


The haunting melody weaved through the half-buried ruins of the shrine gate. Renko watched the kids as Mio played. Taion was always a grump, but now he stared at Mio with a sad look on his face. Cheerful Sena similarly looked downcast, her flames smoldering. Even ever peppy Ino held her hands close to her sides, closing her eyes.

Renko couldn't blame them. Mio had suddenly picked up the flute shortly after the day of Intersection, all those years back. She'd become a remarkable flautist. Yet all of her songs sounded lonely, for lack of better word. Especially this one. The one that she had seemingly composed herself.

Renko knew better. She didn't know exactly what had happened with Origin. No one did. Not even Nia, who'd been one of the two Administrators of the project, had known. All Origin was supposed to have done was take a snapshot of both universes before they inevitably collided, and then afterwards recreate them. A monumental task of engineering and science, but with a relatively straightforward goal. From the point of view of the people of this universe and the other, literally nothing should have happened.

All that was known was the immediate aftermath. They'd been unable to contact the other world for a start. And at least ten percent of the population had reported hallucinations. Feelings of loss with no discernible cause. In some cases, even phantom memories of things and places that couldn't be.

Things had calmed down in the year after Intersection. Already phantasmal memories faded away, feelings were left behind in time's flow. These kids here were some of the few who still chased what according to everything never was. Their parents, as much as they had tried, didn't quite understand. Not for lack of trying, or for a lack of care. Renko knew for a fact that both Rex and Nia had also been affected by whatever had happened that day. But they were busy with their responsibilities to Alrest. Renko had toyed with the idea of bringing them along this little field trip. In the end she decided not to waste their time in case it-

Renko understood. She too had feelings of longing and loss, inexplicable, ever since the day of Intersection. But that was nothing new. For as long as she could remember, she'd dreamed of someone she'd lost. Someone with blonde hair and creepy eyes. Growing up, kids had made fun of her, and adults had patronized her, for continuing to talk about a girl who didn't exist. Only Rex hadn't.

'Well then, maybe you haven't met her yet! Maybe, you'll meet her one day!' the younger boy had said, smiling.

It hadn't been until, alongside Rex, she'd met the Architect that she'd learned the truth.

(If, somehow, she ever met Klaus again she'd thrash him.)

As Mio's lonely song reached its last notes, Renko glared at the shrine. It had to work. It had to.

Nothing happened. Renko stared at the sands. Her mind raced, trying to figure out the next scheme, the next plan, to meet her again.

The kids were glancing at each other, she knew distantly. Sadly. They'd been hoping for something else too. Something more than-

"Meh?" Ino began. "What is that?!"

Renko snapped around, towards the gate. The space between the pillars was pitch black. No, scratch that. Something was staring at them. She could feel it, with the way her hair stood on end.

The kids had pulled out their weapons.

"Professor," Mio said. "Get back and let us handle i- Professor!?"

Her face of determination turned into shock as Renko ran towards the gap. Taion's mondo whirled around her, trying to stop her. A blast of wind from the gap blew them away, and nearly took Renko off her feet. Strong hands caught her before she tripped into the sand.

Renko looked up into familiarly creepy, too wide eyes. She was older than she was in Renko's dreams. Taller too. Her blonde hair lighter, and longer. Her usual violet dress different from the ones she remembered. But there was no mistaking her.

Merry ponderously reached out to take the white ribbon of Renko's hat between her fingers.

"Hey there," Renko said, grinning even as tears slipped down her cheek.

This time she did fall backwards as Merry wrapped her in a hug, nesting her face in the crook of her neck. Renko, a little winded, patted the shaking Merry on the back. Based on the stars above, it was 8:01:07. If she stared hard enough, Renko could swear she saw a twinkling emerald star in the heavenly canvas above.

"Like I said," Renko managed to say. "I found you. My Merry."


By the time I reached the end of this story, I had so much more that I could write about for this specific crossover. But, alas, twelve tracks was the limit. Originally Renko was meant to end up on the side of the Bionis and Mechonis. I changed that on realizing that her ability with the night sky would make her a great navigator. Thank you all for reading!