POV: Seele
"Rozaliya Idiotka, stop trying to peek at my hand."
"Liliya, I wasn't peeking! I was just…curious!"
"I can see your tail holding your phone and recording my cards."
Rozaliya sheepishly pulled away her tail holding the phone.
"Liliya's right. No cheating," Seele admonished her. "We'll forgive you this time, but just this once."
Not that cheating would have helped them against Bronya. She proved to be either the luckiest or the most skilled out of them, but Seele suspected it was a bit of both. It was their fourth game, and Bronya was likely to claim another victory to add to her previous three.
To help Bronya take her mind away from ongoing matters, Seele had invited her and the twins to play several matches of Bronya's favourite video games. Bronya completely dominated the competition. Seele and the twins' skill at gaming came nowhere close to Bronya's. They usually died within minutes, or in one case, within the first few seconds. Rozaliya had proven herself the least skilled at all when she accidentally killed her own character as soon as the round began. Seele had hoped to offer a more enjoyable experience for the four of them, but Bronya reassured her that her worth was not measured by her skill at video games.
"Video games are a fun way to relax and spend time with those we care about," Bronya told her. "But that's all they are. There are other ways to do that."
After that, Seele suggested a game of cards. She tried and failed to maintain a poker face to disguise the weakness of her hand.
Not if I can help it, said Seele's alter ego within her mind. Seele, let me try.
Seele nodded and gladly let the other Seele take command of their shared body. The other Seele had a talent for cards Seele did not. She was head-to-head with Bronya until Bronya finally prevailed over her. It was a slight victory but a victory all the same.
Well done, Bronya. Be prepared for next time.
"Yeah, we all will," Rozaliya said to Bronya. "You're good at cards, but I'll be even better next time!"
"Don't bother cheating again, Rozaliya. You'll just lose even if you try," Liliya said.
Seele smiled at Bronya. "Yes, Bronya. Well done. You're so good at this, too."
Bronya smiled back, but it faded just as quickly. She had barely made any reaction during any of their games. Seele knew why. She was as worried herself for the same reasons.
Their captain had returned to them, but he had not. Seele, Bronya, and Mei may have succeeded in appealing to his heart and convinced him to return with them, but after that, they saw little of him. It was clear he was still avoiding them. He made no efforts to see any of them, and this hurt did everything she could to be there for Bronya as she always had. She cooked for her. She comforted her. She kissed her and more. Bronya was happy with her and always would be. She would be even happier if things returned to the way they used to be.
"Would you care for another game?" Seele asked them.
"Bronya would just win again," Liliya said. "But playing against her is fun anyway."
"It is," Seele agreed. Even though Bronya won each time, Seele enjoyed the moments she shared with the three of them. She had always cherished them as they grew up in the same orphanage together, and she hoped the four of them would never be apart.
Bronya gathered up her cards and neatly stacked them in a pile. "Another time. I think we've played enough for one day."
"Alright. Let me help you with those," Seele said as she gathered her own cards and those of Rozaliya and Liliya. She arranged them all into one deck and stored them away in their box. "What would you like to do now?"
"Well…we could play another game…like hide and seek. There are so many hiding places in this base," said Rozaliya.
"There are," replied Liliya, "but there are so many that we might never find each other. The game could last an entire day before we give up."
Seele had always enjoyed playing hide and seek with her friends in the orphanage, even though there were only a few places they could hide. Perhaps they would play it again in the Salt Lake base, but she had other ideas instead. "Maybe another day. Right now, I'd like for us to just talk about things,"
"What kind of things?" Rozaliya asked.
Seele took out her phone and showed them a picture of Schicksal's floating island in all its former glory. "We'll be moving here soon once Kiana finishes helping with the repairs. I'm looking forward to seeing something like this."
"Wow," Rozaliya said. "So am I. Imagine all the places we could hide in that…"
"Be careful not to fall off the edge," Liliya said.
"Seele and Rozaliya are both right," Bronya said. It was the first she had spoken for some time. "Schicksal HQ is an island roughly in the shape of a hemisphere. It is five thousand meters in diameter and has a surface area of over nineteen million square meters. Over four hundred buildings of varying purposes are on its surface while larger areas are carved out in the stone beneath. It is sustained by thirty Leonov anti-gravity engines, each more powerful than those that enable the Hyperion to fly. They output enough power to propel Schicksal HQ at a top speed of one-third the speed of sound. It is nearly impervious to attack because of the many long-ranged weapons emplaced on it, including intercontinental ballistic missiles fitted with MIRV warheads, shorter ranged-missiles, railguns, directed energy weapons, and various point-defense systems, including mass driver and laser CIWS. It is further defended by a hard light energy barrier that can withstand assaults of energy yields of at least multiple teratons of TNT, or tens to hundreds of zettajoules, which is comparable to the energy output of a stronger Herrscher. It was recently installed with a cloaking field to render it invisible. Arguably the single most heavily defended location in the world, it's essentially a floating city in the sky and the ideal seat of power for Theresa to lead Schicksal from. And it has plenty of places to hide in."
After Bronya finished, Seele looked at Rozaliya and Liliya, who looked as bewildered as she was.
"Uh…did you understand a single word Bronya just said?" Rozaliya asked her sister.
"Only the last bit about the island being the best place for Theresa and being good for hide and seek."
Seele laughed. "I didn't understand most of that either, but I'm glad you're so knowledgeable about this, Bronya. You've always been an expert on technology like this. I'm also glad that Theresa will be moving there soon, and us with her. I like staying at Anti-Entropy's base, but we were never meant to stay here forever. I'm really looking forward to the view from up there."
So am I, said the other Seele. It'll be a welcome change of scenery.
Bronya only placed her hand over her heart.
"Bronya? Are you alright?" Seele asked. Bronya had repeated the gesture more than once recently. She wondered if anything were hurting her.
"I'm fine, Seele. I was just thinking about the souls in the Core of Reason."
"The three hundred thousand…" Seele said quietly. "And one of them is…"
Bronya nodded. "Johann is here with me. He always is. I can go see him whenever I want, but he isn't the same. This Johann is trapped in time. He's a different man from the one we know, and I don't know if he'll ever come back to us."
"One day, I know he will," Seele said. "He hasn't forgotten us. We have a place in his heart, and he has one in ours."
When Seele was still adrift in the Sea of Quanta, she was alone save for her alter ego and the times she could manifest in the real world as a blue butterfly. This way, she could keep watch over Bronya and shield her from harm. When Bronya had nightmares about her tortured past, Seele's butterfly calmed her in her sleep. When Bronya had taken a nap while waiting for a pot of borscht to finish cooking, her butterfly woke her and reminded her that her food was ready. When Bronya's life was endangered by a woman wielding a scythe, her butterfly saved her and guided others to where they would find her.
Seele had watched over Bronya as she joined Schicksal and met those who had become so dear to her. Seele had seen Bronya meet her captain, and she had seen them grow closer as time went on.
Seele did not know what to think when she realized how Bronya felt for him. She did not understand why Bronya would love anyone else when she already loved her and was waiting for the day they would reunite. As Seele continued to watch them together, her heart grew cold before warming again. Bronya had never forgotten her, and she had never stopped loving her. Like Seele, she longed for the day of their reunion, and even if this day never came, what Seele wanted was for her beloved to be happy with or without her. As Seele watched this man named Johann Stern love, cherish, and protect Bronya just as Seele had, she found herself wanting to meet him for herself and learn what kind of person he truly was. When she finally did, her own heart had found another to cherish with Bronya.
"Yeah, we know he will," said Rozaliya. Liliya nodded in affirmation. Seele smiled. The twins' fondness for him were not the same as how she, Bronya, and the others felt, viewing him closer to an older brother figure, but they cared for him all the same.
"If Kiana isn't too busy, I'd like to call her and ask how she's doing," Seele said. "She said it'd only take a few days for her to finish work there, but I'm sure she'd like to talk to us during her breaks, too."
"She would. Let's do that," Bronya said, but before they could, there was a knock on the door. Seele stood and opened it. Behind it were the two people she least expected to see.
"Theresa. Johann," Seele slowly said as she saw their faces.
The contrast between the two could not be more apparent. Theresa had a warm expression while his face was more reserved. Her diminutive height did not even reach Johann's shoulders. Despite these, they stood closer together than Seele thought was normal.
Theresa smiled at her. "Good afternoon, Seele. May we come in?"
Seele quickly smiled back before meeting Johann's gaze. She found it difficult to read his face. She stepped aside and let them in. By now, Bronya, Rozaliya, and Liliya were all watching and waiting.
"I hope the four of you were enjoying yourselves," Theresa said. "And I hope we haven't interrupted anything."
"Not at all. We had a lot of fun at cards, but we just finished," Seele said. "Do you need any help from us?"
Theresa glanced at Johann. "Johann? Are you ready to speak to them?"
Seele inspected his face as she waited for him to answer. He seemed conflicted, but soon, he took on a different, more resigned expression.
"Bronya. Seele," he said at last. "I came here to apologize to both of you. I apologize for my behaviour and for the way I've treated you. I pushed you away because even though the way I feel for you hasn't changed, I can't act on those feelings right now. I can't continue what we had before I left you, but…I wish to still be a part of your lives as long as you allow me."His words finished, he fell silent and spoke no more.
Seele and Bronya looked at each other. For better or worse, his admission marked a significant change in the person he was and the person he would become.
Bronya stood. "Why? Johann, why can't you still accept us?"
"Have we done anything wrong?" Seele asked, her voice shaking slightly.
Johann shook his head. "No. None of you have done anything wrong. This is because of me. I have things I need to work out for myself before I can do anything else, and I can't be with you like we used to until I do."
Bronya took a step forward. So did Seele. Seele took Bronya's hand as she asked, "Is there anything we can do to help? Anything at all? You know we're here for you."
He did not speak. Seele watched with surprise and then realization as Theresa took his hand.
"It's okay. Let me explain it to them." Theresa took a deep breath. "Bronya. Seele. I have something to tell you."
Seele and Bronya stared at Theresa's hand holding Johann's.
"Yes, what you're thinking is right. We're together now."
Seele stared for a few seconds more before she broke into a smile. "Congratulations, Theresa. I'm so happy for you. Both of you."
"Theresa…" Bronya said quietly. "I'm happy for you, too. I am not surprised at all. The two of you were always close, and it was likely only a matter of time before you realized how you felt for each other. When you started spending time alone together, that's when I knew. I know you'll continue to be there for Johann."
"Thank you, Seele, Bronya," Theresa said. "Your acceptance means a lot, and I will be."
"We're happy for you, too!" Rozaliya and Liliya said.
"But why? Why is Johann comfortable with only you?" Bronya said. She addressed him directly. "Johann, I'm happy for you because you've found a person to love again. I truly am. So please, let me ask when you can feel the same way for us again, too."
Theresa spoke in his place. "Johann isn't ready to love more than one person at a time again yet. It's too much for him. He wants to focus on just me, at least for now. Please, give him time. He does still love both of you. I hope you understand."
"It's the truth," Johann said quietly, looking her and Bronya in the eyes. "My feelings haven't changed, only…only my strength."
Bronya wordlessly looked away before nodding. "I understand. Thank you, Theresa. Thank you, Johann, for coming here and telling us this. It couldn't have been easy."
"Yes, thank you. We'll be waiting for you, and I wish you both the best," Seele said. She had respected Theresa from the moment she observed her and the moment she met her in person after Seele's return from the Sea of Quanta. She and Theresa did not differ by much in terms of height, but the silver-haired woman was wise and experienced beyond her appearance. From her observations, Seele knew Theresa to be a strict but compassionate person, one who cared dearly for those she was close to. Theresa had never expressed an interest in the matters of love and romance, but something between her and Johann must have changed since his return. Whatever it was, Seele was glad for it and for both of them.
After that, they entered a natural silence. Johann and Theresa seemed to decide to leave. Then the twins piped up.
"Hey! Don't go just yet! Want to play a game of cards with us?" Rozaliya said.
"Bronya beat us every time, but I want to see if either of you can beat her," Liliya said next.
Theresa glanced at Johann. "We have plenty of time. What do you say? Care for a game or two?"
Johann looked at the five of them in turn before nodding and smiling. "Yes. I'd like that."
Bronya pulled two more chairs over to the table for their guests. She reopened the deck of cards and began passing them out. She and Seele helped explain the rules to them, and soon, the game was well underway. Like they had hoped, Johann and Theresa proved to be formidable opponents in their own right and posed a challenge for Bronya that Seele and the twins could never hope to match.
Seele peeked over at Bronya, not to cheat at cards, but to see if she had changed. And she had. Bronya sat up straighter. She talked, smiled, and laughed with the rest of them. She was like herself again.
Seele was the same. Having Johann and Theresa in her room, enjoying a game of cards and speaking about lighthearted subjects like they used to, was something she realized she needed. It was something Johann needed as well. She carefully looked over to him. He was deep in concentration as he focused on his hand, but she knew he had taken the first out of many steps toward healing.