Author's note: Shem-Ha is having a nervous breakdown on the toilet. She's really getting the full teenage girl experience.
Shem-Ha sat on the toilet, not knowing what to do. Just behind the bathroom door waited certain doom, and Miku's body was shaking uncontrollably. She knew there was nothing she could do, nothing she could have ever done. Hibiki had known the entire time, and just let her walk around, thinking she was in control. But through all her despair, all her thoughts, only one thought kept coming back into her mind.
"Why?" Shem-Ha asked.
"You still haven't figured it out?" Miku asked from the back of her mind, "Alright, I'll help you. Remember what you and Waon talked about?"
"She was presumptuous," Shem-Ha answered, "She spoke of matters beyond her comprehension, and assumed that she understood what it means to be a god."
"You know there are still people who worship you, right?" Miku asked and explained, "I read up on you after last time, because I wanted to know more about you. You have hundreds of thousands of followers, all over the world, right now. They all consider you their mother, since you created them."
"Are you telling me I still have followers?" Shem-Ha asked, her voice betraying a hint of pleasant surprise, "Even after all I have done? But… why is that important?"
"Because Waon didn't talk to you as a human to a God," Miku responded, "She talked to you from one mother to another. Your followers are the same. They enjoy this life, and their freedom, and they see it as an act of love that you put them into this world."
"How does that relate to what you two put me through?" Shem-Ha asked.
"There is a recurring theme," Miku responded, "Something that all these situations have in common. The one answer to all questions about human behavior you had today. That is the lesson I wanted to teach you, and I believe that, deep down, you already know the answer." Shem-Ha was quiet for a moment, pondering the words she had heard.
"All I know is that mankind defied me," Shem-Ha finally said, bitterly, "I made them, I created this world, I let them be themselves, I gave them all they could ask for. And yet, they defied me."
"Hurts, doesn't it?" Miku asked softly, "To be abandoned by the one you hold so dear. You gave us so much, and we gave so little in return."
"Yes, now you understand," Shem-Ha said, "I should have never made such a weak, and feeble, and powerless species. You can do… so little. And… and yet, you… made it so far. I watched you… take your first steps… from high above. I saw it all, from so far… away. So… disconnected." She felt something on her hands, looked down, and saw tears.
"And yet, despite how small we are compared to you, we gave you so much in comparison," Miku said, "It is easy for you to create an entirely new species, or to rewrite matter on the molecular level, but we have to work tirelessly just to support ourselves. But despite all this, we gave so much of what we had. Because that is the lesson you taught us when you created us. Because that is why it hurt you so much when we couldn't do enough to repay you. Because that is the thing I wanted you to remember."
"Because… of this one thing," Shem-Ha said, "Love." Suddenly, Miku took control again, but this time, it felt like a warm hug, rather than being shackled and forced down by her host.
"Took you long enough," Miku thought, "I'll go tell Hibiki that you're no longer a danger, and that you can stay."
"What… what do you mean?" Shem-Ha asked, confused.
"I felt bad for you," Miku replied, "Well, that's what I told Hibiki. But I also felt bad for her. She cares a lot about people, and wants to save everyone she can. She reached out to save others so often, but failed almost every time. So, I wanted to help her save you. After all, you created us, and you felt betrayed when we turned away from you. And you can only feel betrayed by those you love."
"All this, just out of pity?" Shem-Ha asked, more confused than anything.
"Love," Miku replied, "It was always about love." She got up, wiped her tears, and unlocked the bathroom door. The dorm room was dark, and Hibiki was sleeping in her bed.
"Did she fall asleep?" Shem-Ha asked in confusion.
"You spent close to an hour shivering like a chihuahua and hyperventilating," Miku replied, "Of course she'd get tired eventually."
"I had no hand in creating those," Shem-Ha said, slightly offended, "I stake no claim on them."
"I know," Miku replied, "Anyway, we'll talk more tomorrow." She changed into her pajamas and went to bed, laying down next to Hibiki. As soon as she settled in, Hibiki instinctively hugged her, and Miku drifted off to sleep. Shem-Ha felt oddly comforted, despite knowing it was this same hug that killed her.
~o~
The next morning, Shem-Ha watched as Miku slowly woke up. Being a divine being herself, she needed no sleep, and had just watched over the two all night long. She watched in silence as they woke up, talked a bit, and got out of bed to get dressed and have breakfast.
"And, how is she?" Hibiki asked after taking a bite from her bread with strawberry jam.
"Quiet," Miku answered, "She went through a lot yesterday, and it took longer than I expected for her to remember why she created us. But I am proud to say that she did it, and no longer poses a threat to humanity."
"Great," Hibiki said, visibly happy, and choked on her food. She coughed, hit her chest with her fist a few times to dislodge the bite, then swallowed the food properly.
"You should be more careful," Miku said, scolding, but smiling. Hibiki returned to smile, and chuckled.
"Sorry," Hibiki said, returned to a more neutral expression and asked, "So, she's fine?"
"Yep, no need to worry," Miku answered.
"That's good to hear, really," Hibiki said, "Also, sorry I let her spend all your money on that crane game."
"It's fine, really," Miku said, "I'm sure I can get compensated by the government, considering what it was used for."
"We'll have to ask Genjuro about that," Hibiki said, "But there is one thing I still don't understand."
"What is it?" Miku asked.
"That new ability of hers," Hibiki answered, "I mean, the Metanoia stripped her of all her powers, but she still knew how to win that game every time, and also that that hippo would attack the zoo employee."
"Actually, that was me," Miku said, surprising both Hibiki and Shem-Ha, "When she started to be more independent, I let her do what she wanted, and looked around a bit. I found a kind of… key to decipher the essence of creation, and it allows me to perfectly understand all things."
"Wait, really?" Hibiki asked and said, "That's amazing."
"It is, but it's also strange," Miku said, "I can understand all humans, animals, and even plants, intuitively, and can understand man-made machines much better. I mean, you saw it. It only took me one try, one time seeing the machine in action, before I understood how it worked, and could direct her hand to let her win every time. But it only works on simple things, so relics are still a mystery to me."
"Does she know it was you?" Hibiki asked.
"I do now," Shem-Ha piped up in Miku's mind, "But I appreciate your assistance, considering you did it to remind me of my love for you."
"Well, she does now," Miku answered, "But she doesn't mind, so we're good."
"I see," Hibiki said, finished her breakfast, and asked, "Can you let me talk to her?" Miku finished her breakfast as well, closed her eyes, and retreated into her mind. Shem-Ha retreated further, leaving her in control. Miku opened her eyes again and let out a sigh.
"Sorry, she doesn't seem to want to," Miku said, and Hibiki looked down.
"I would appreciate if you asked my opinion on this matter as well," Shem-Ha scolded.
"Sorry," Miku thought, "Do you want to talk to her?"
"Why yes, thank you for asking," Shem-Ha responded in an almost passive-aggressive tone.
"Actually, it looks like I just forgot to ask first," Miku said and closed her eyes again. She retreated into her mind, and eventually passed Shem-Ha's consciousness, letting her take over.
"Hello, Hibiki," Shem-Ha said and opened her eyes, expecting quite literally anything other than what she saw. However, considering what Miku had told her, it seemed quite fitting after all.
"I'm sorry," Hibiki said, tears forming in her eyes, "Please don't hate humanity, just because a few of us tricked you."
"I… am at a loss for words," Shem-Ha said, "But you can rest assured, I do not resent you for your actions. When the roles were reversed yesterday, and I was at your mercy, I understood what all humans felt like upon my previous return, and I understood how infuriating it is to be at the mercy of another. You taught me more in one day than I learned in the eons I have existed. So, thank you."
"Y- you mean it?" Hibiki asked and wiped her tears, then jumped up and said, "I'm so happy, I could hug you."
"No hugs, please," Shem-Ha said, "I have had… unpleasant experiences." Hibiki paused for a moment, then sat back down.
"Right," Hibiki said, "Sorry."
"You have nothing to apologize for," Shem-Ha said, "I would have done the same, had the roles been reversed."
"Got it," Hibiki said, and regained her smile, "I also noticed that you're much more comfortable speaking Japanese now."
"I had a lot of exposure to it as of late," Shem-Ha said and asked, "But, I take it you have plans for today as well?"
"We do, yes," Hibiki answered, "Today, now that you're properly redeemed, you'll meet our friends." She got up again and started putting everything away again, and Shem-Ha helped her to the best of her abilities, then they left the dorm and entered a black car waiting for them outside the door.
~o~
As the convoy of three black cars made its way through the city, which was bathed in the golden light of the morning sun rising behind the horizon, Shem-Ha looked out the tinted windows and took in all the different sights. Every once in a while, she saw people in uniform on street corners, watching out for something, or someone.
"Don't take it too personally," Hibiki said with a cheerful tone, "When I first awakened Gungnir, they had me in handcuffs."
"They really believed they could restrain the God-Killing Spear so easily?" Shem-Ha asked.
"Not really," Hibiki answered, "They knew I could break out if I wanted to, but it made them feel safer. It's also standard protocol whenever they transport something that can be dangerous to civilians."
"I see," Shem-Ha said, and neither said anything for a while.
"By the way, we're there," Hibiki said after a while, and Shem-Ha looked head. The cars pulled onto the harbor, and several armed soldiers stepped out of the ones in the front and back. They took up position around the area, blocking off all escape routes, and two people went to open the doors for Hibiki and Shem-Ha. They stepped out of their car, and Hibiki seemed oddly comfortable with the whole situation.
"Now don't make a scene," Miku piped up in Shem-Ha's mind, "It's all three of our lives at stake here, after all. Go to the docks, and we won't have any issues." Shem-Ha swallowed nervously, slightly startling the man closest to her, then turned around and walked towards the docks, where a submarine waited. Hibiki was already halfway on board when Shem-Ha reached the edge of the water.
Author's note: Yeah, Miku has some new ability now, and it's not tied to Shem-Ha, or any relic. The idea is very much that the combination of being purged of Balal, and housing Shem-Ha's essence, set Miku back to the state of humanity before Balal, and the only other person we know from back then is Finé, who had her Asgard defense thingy.