POV: Bronya

The dagger in her hand was flawless, pristine, and the most finely-crafted weapon she had ever held, surpassed only by the Kalashnikova rifle she materialized next using the powers of the Herrscher of Reason. The two weapons held more meaning for her than they ought to have. Nearly as soon as she was old enough to walk, the knife and the rifle had been thrust into her hands. She was made to learn how to use them. She used them well. None of the other many thousands of children forced to become slave soldiers in the ruined wasteland that had once been named Siberia were ever as skilled as the Silver Wolf of the Urals. She knew this because she had killed many of them herself.

From the start of her life, the dagger and the rifle were the two most important things in it. Where other children happily played with their cherished toys and created memories that would last their entire lives, she used her weapons to lethal effect, leaving a trail of blood and bodies behind her. It was not until she was rescued from that life and joined Cocolia's orphanage that she learned what it truly meant to be a girl, not a weapon.

Bronya dematerialized the weapons she created, hoping to never see their like again. They vanished into particles of glowing blue light that soon faded away. She exerted her authority over Reason once again. This time, she made a small yellow doll that fit neatly in her arms. She smiled at it. She would always remember her first HOMU. She still had the same doll, which was resting on her bed. She would always love the twins for that and more. Rozaliya and Liliya were chasing each other over it in the courtyard of their orphanage before Bronya confronted them and asked about the value of the seemingly useless object they were expending so much time and energy over. The twins had gifted it to her then and taught her the value of things like it. They taught her that not every item needed a practical purpose. Not everything she owned needed to be a weapon or a tool. Some things had value by their very existence. People could be the same.

The door to their room opened, and a lovely girl with blue hair and blue eyes walked in. Bronya smiled warmly at Seele. "Welcome back. How were things with you and Fu Hua?"

Seele smiled back. "It went very well. Fu Hua is so amazing at cooking, and she's just as good at teaching it. I learned so many new recipes from her." She quickly blushed. "You're amazing at cooking too, Bronya."

Bronya hugged her. "I'm glad you and Fu Hua are getting along so well. She was always as kind as you."

Seele returned the hug. "Let me cook you what she taught me."

"I'd love that."

As Bronya watched Seele busily working in the kitchen area, she had many thoughts. She was happy for Mei. Mei settled in well with her friends and family after abandoning World Serpent for Kiana. It had hurt Bronya to learn about the disastrous events in Nagazora, but she never lost faith in her closest friend, not even when Mei fled from them again after aiding them in the battle against Otto and his many clones. It took weeks for her faith to be proven true, but proven true it was. Mei and Seele were spending time to know each other and had quickly become close friends. Fu Hua was the same. The distant and isolated woman she used to be was still there, but she was opening up to others, like Seele. Seele was the ray of sunlight parting the stormclouds for everyone who met her.

Like with Mei, Bronya never lost faith in Seele or in herself. She made a promise that she would rescue her from the Sea of Quanta, and after many trials, she did, and both of them emerged stronger for it, strong enough to protect each other so they would never lose each other again.

But not strong enough to protect him.

Bronya closed her eyes. When she lost him, it was like losing Seele again. It was worse. She was powerless as she watched his body disintegrate to dust before her eyes, leaving no hope for his survival. When he was revealed to still be alive, her hopes soared only to be shattered again when he was sent deep into the depths of the Imaginary Tree. As long as any hope of his return remained, she clung to it with the same faith she had in Seele and Mei, and once again, her faith had proven true.

What she was less certain about was his heart. He had lost what none of them could begin to imagine. He lost his family, his home, and his world for ten years. Ten years was no short time. Even Seele's three years lost in the Sea of Quanta was nearly too much for Bronya. She wished she had a way to help him, but -

Her thoughts were interrupted when Seele called out her name. "Bronya, it's done. I'm bringing it over now." Seele set down several plates of food from Shenzhou, which Fu Hua specialized in. Seele had learned well from her; all of it looked and smelled amazing.

"Thank you. I know I'll love all of this." And Bronya did. The meal was a heartfelt reminder that Seele was with her and always would be. Bronya ate more than she usually would, already thinking of what she would cook for Seele in turn. "Seele, you were always so skilled at cooking from the day we met. I still remember the borscht you made for me that day. It was the best food I ever had. And so is this."

"I wanted to make you feel welcomed. Matushka told me to prepare them for you, but I would have done it on my own without being asked to."

Bronya had also done something else the day they first met. She had nearly broken Seele's neck, something neither of them liked to dwell on aside from seeing it as a reminder of how far they had come since.

"You did. Thank you, Seele."

Seele smiled sweetly. "I'm glad you like still it."

Seele had cooked enough for them to leave leftovers, which they stored away. That was when Seele hugged her from behind.

"Seele?" Bronya was used to Seele's displays of affection and never grew tired of them, but this one felt different to her.

"Bronya…is something wrong? You didn't seem like yourself…"

"I'm fine. You don't need to worry about me."

Seele let her go. Bronya turned around and saw the concern on her face.

"You aren't fine," Seele said. "You're worried. When you're worried, I'm worried. Talk to me, please."

Seele's blue eyes were as caring as they were concerned. Bronya knew she only wanted the best for her. She did not wish for Seele to worry, but hiding her worries would only worsen them.

"Seele, let's sit down."

"Okay."

They returned to the table. Bronya gathered her thoughts before speaking. "I'm worried about two people. The first is Theresa. The second is Johann."

"I am, too," Seele said.

"Theresa must be under a lot of strain. An organization like Schicksal is not easily run by anyone. Even Otto must have struggled at times. I wish to help Theresa, but I'm not sure how I can."

"If Theresa needs our help, she'll ask for it," Seele said. "She knows we're here for her."

"Yes, she does. We'll be ready for her."

"And Johann…" Seele put her hand over Bronya's. "We'll be here for him, too."

"He…his situation is different. It's not something any of us can directly help with like we can with Theresa."

"You don't know that. But I do know that he remembers us and how happy he was with us, and I know that he chose to come back because we're still important to him."

"That was before he came back. Before he stepped into this world with no way to ever go back." Bronya had seen the tortured look on his face after his return to them. It was the look of a man who may never be happy again.

"He made his decision," Seele said in a firm voice, which was so unlike how gentle she usually was when she spoke but also proved the inner strength she always had. "All we can do is have hope for him like you had hope for me. You never gave up on me, and I never gave up on you. Let's have the same hope for Theresa and Johann."

Bronya loved Seele for this. She was a shy girl on the outside, although she had become more confident in herself since, but even back in the days of their life at the orphanage, she had a hidden strength that she used to protect Bronya from the experiment that changed both their lives forever.

Seele's eyes turned red. What would you like to do, Bronya?

The other personality inside Seele had gradually been warming up to Bronya and others in general. She was less dismissive and more willing to spend her time in control of their shared body, something Seele was more than content to let her do.

"Let's go see them. Both of them."

I think that's a good idea, the other Seele continued. I don't find the idea of spending all day in this room to be very interesting, even if this does mean having food as good as Seele's. If we can be of use, let's be of use.

"Let me call Theresa and ask if there's anything we can assist her with."

Bronya called Theresa, but when she answered, her voice was strained. "Bronya? I was just about to call you. Johann's missing. He left the base, and we're trying to find him."

"He left?" Bronya started to feel a rush of panic.

"We're at the laboratory. Make your way there and we'll discuss our options."

"We'll be right there." Bronya anded the call and saw Seele's worried face. "He's missing."

"Johann is missing?"

"Theresa and the others are waiting for us at the laboratory where he was staying. Let's go."

Bronya and Seele ran through the corridors of the base until they saw Theresa and several others standing outside the laboratory. Theresa was speaking with Tesla, Einstein, and Nagamitsu. Standing nearby were Kiana, Mei, Fu Hua, Bianka, and Welt.

"Yes, we're certain he created a portal," Tesla was saying. "There are other ways he could have left the base, such as phasing through the walls, but the Void authority's portals carry a unique energy signature. What we don't know is where that portal lead."

"If I were here at the time, I probably could have tracked him," Kiana said. "But it's a lot harder to after the fact."

When they noticed Bronya and Seele, they all greeted them.

"We're glad you're here," Theresa said to them. "I was hoping you might have another way to find where Johann went. We're looking over our options, but if the Herrscher of Reason has another, we'll take it."

"I…I need to know more before I can answer that," Bronya carefully said. Her mind was already racing through her limited options, quickly exhausting all but one.

Einstein stepped forward. "About five minutes ago, we detected a surge of Honkai energy here in this lab. When we arrived, we discovered it empty. We're trying to detect his current location now."

Bronya noticed Welt looking at her. She wondered if he knew what she knew.

"Theresa."

"Bronya?"

"I know a way to find him."

"You do?" Kiana asked.

"Yes. I will explain. As we learned from Otto, Johann's lifespan was greatly extended past his natural one. Otto did this by creating cloned bodies for Johann and imbuing them with enough Soulium particles to carry on his soul to the next body whenever his current one died. His life was prolonged for centuries this way."

"Yes," Einstein affirmed. "That's the most likely explanation given the evidence."

Bronya continued. "In 1952, Johann was living in Berlin." Everyone, Welt seemingly the most of all, was listening intently. "During the First Honkai Eruption, a portion of his soul was trapped inside the Core of Reason. That portion should still be with me. I will use it to find him."
Everyone except for Welt reacted with surprise.

"Why are you only telling us this now?" Theresa asked. Her voice was apprehensive, not accusatory.

"Because I wasn't sure if it were true or not. I felt… something when I was gathering strength to create the Selenes in Kolosten. I wasn't sure if it were him, and later, I assumed it was his energy from his new body. But now, I'm certain of it. He's a part of me, and I will ask him where he is myself."

Bronya had told no one of this, not even Seele and not even Welt. It was something she had deemed too personal to divulge and, despite her efforts to feel otherwise, something almost unsettling. She did not know if the soul within her core was the same man she loved. It felt strange, different, and incomplete to her, but at the same time, she knew it was still him. It was only now that she knew it was true.

Bronya met each of their concerned eyes one by one. Welt gave her an understanding nod.

He must have felt him, too, when he was still the Herrscher of Reason with three hundred thousand souls within him. Did he know?

"Bronya…" Kiana said hesitantly. "If you're sure about this, then please, try. We're depending on you."

"It's important to understand our cores," Mei said. "Like them or not, they're a part of who we are. Bronya, do your best."

"Any option is worth trying, no matter how slim the odds," Bianka said. "And I feel that you have the best chance at finding him, Bronya."

"I trust in you, Bronya. I always have," Seele said as she took Bronya's hand. Bronya gave her a reassuring smile.

"Everyone, I'll need a place where I can be quiet and alone. I will need to focus," Bronya said.

"Use the laboratory. It's soundproofed," Tesla said. "We'll be just outside if you need anything."

Bronya thanked her and walked inside, closing the door behind her. She noted that a number of accommodations had been added for Johann's stay. There was a bed to sleep on and some books on a small table, none of which seemed to be read.

This place is no place to live for very long. Did he leave for this reason?

Of course not, Bronya told herself. He was not so petty. If he left, it was for a more personal reason.

Bronya took a deep breath before slowly letting it out. She reached within herself. As she closed her eyes, the world around her fell away. The darkness yielded to the light of blazing fires lighting up the destroyed buildings of a once-proud city. The devastation of Berlin was near-absolute, but it was still home to the three hundred thousand surrounding her.

When she opened her eyes, she stood amidst rubble and ruin. Ghostly souls gazed at her, their faces pointed to her, each and every one. She started walking. They parted at her approach, their eyes never leaving her. Even decades later, many still felt the same terror they knew that day. They wondered why they were the ones to die and be reborn in this timeless prison of souls. Whether they wished it or not, they had become immortal.

She passed thousands of them as she walked through the ruins of Berlin. Tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, but she was here for only one. She sensed his presence the moment of her arrival, and she was drawn to him. He was waiting for her.

She stood before an apartment building, one of the few that still stood. She opened the door, went inside, and ascended to the highest floor. She opened another door and found herself looking at a simple apartment. Inside, a man sat at a table, reading a book. His hair was bright red.

He was just a few steps away, nearly close enough for her to touch. But Bronya did not move, not until he turned to her.

"Welcome, Bronya."

His voice was friendly, yet foreign. He was not the same man she knew and cherished so dearly. This man had not experienced the same life as that man, the six decades that had passed since this day frozen in time.

"Johann."

"That is my name."

"Do you know why I'm here?"

"We do. None of the Herrscher of Reason's thoughts are unknown to us. You are us, and we are you."

"Then please, help me find him."

"Why do you believe I can help with that?"

"I don't know if you can help or not. But I'm here because of my hope that you can."

"Hope. That's a strange word to say here."

Johann stood from the table. He stood before her. Bronya looked up into his amber eyes. They were not the same, and yet they still were.

"Hope is why I fight," Bronya said. "Hope is why you helped me in the past. Why you helped Welt even after his body was completely destroyed. All of you still hope for a day where the Honkai is gone and the world can finally be at peace. Perhaps you hope for a day when the Core of Reason will no longer be needed, and you can all finally rest in the peace that's been denied to you."

Johann listened. Then, to her surprise, he offered her his hand. She carefully took it, not knowing what to expect, and he led her to the window. She expected to see the same destroyed Berlin outside, but to her surprise, it was alive. It was better. It was Berlin as it was today, not the Berlin he once lived in.

"Look," he said. "This is our city as it is today. The eruption nearly destroyed my home, but we persevered. We lived on. We hoped for a brighter future, and the people of today are finally living it. This is all because of hope."

Bronya nodded.

"When I lived here, I taught history at the Freie Universität Berlin," Johann said. "I covered the history of the Honkai. Many of my students didn't believe it. Many of them thought it was impossible. Many of them are here with us now."

Bronya had met them in the core. Some were not much older than she was.

"But one student stood out to me," Johann continued, staring at the horizon. "He was a young man with blonde hair and green eyes. He was the brightest student in my class, and one day, he told me that we had to be prepared for what was coming. He was right."

Bronya said nothing.

"His identity must be obvious to you. I always thought he seemed familiar to me. Now that we're here, we know why. Bronya, let me offer you some advice. Look into yourself, and you will know what to do. Look into mine, and you will know the way. You're the Herrscher of Reason. Doubt will not stop you."

"But - "

"Go, Bronya Zaychik, the Herrscher of Reason. He needs you, so be there for him. Be there for me. We are waiting for you."

She suddenly felt as if the world were being pulled out from under her feet. The fallen buildings of Berlin and the glowing souls that inhabited them faded from view until there was nothing more than the darkness behind her closed eyelids. She opened them and saw herself in the laboratory once again. She felt a calmness that told her she was no longer lost. She opened the door and stepped back outside where the others waited for her.

"That was fast," Kiana said. "You didn't even take a minute."

A minute? It felt so much longer.

"Did you learn anything?" Mei asked.

Seele gently took hold of her arm.

"I did," Bronya answered. "I know where he is. Let's go see him."

—-

They were outside the base. Bronya entered her Herrscher form, wearing a blue and white dress and letting her hair fall freely down her back in four spiral curls. She summoned Project Bunny and reshaped it into a large, blue motorcycle. She helped Seele onto the back seat and ensured she was safely secured to it before climbing into the driver's seat.

"Good luck, you three," Theresa told them. "We'll be waiting for all of you to come home safe."

"Thanks, Theresa. We'll bring him back," Mei said. She entered her Herrscher state, which manifested two red horns on her head, the easier to keep up with Project Bunny's speed.

"I wish I could come with you, but Theresa says it's probably a bad idea," Kiana said to them. "So I'll just wish you luck."

"You won't need to. I promise." Bronya smiled at Kiana, who smiled back.

"Be careful not to pressure him too much," advised Fu Hua.

"We'll be careful," Seele promised.

Bronya felt Mei's hand on her shoulder. "Alright. Let's go, you two."

Bronya revved Project Bunny's engines. She checked again that Seele was safely strapped in before she accelerated to top speed. Project Bunny surged past the open gates before taking to the skies, leaving a trail of bright blue light in its wake.

Bronya heard Seele behind her screaming in terror. "Are you alright, Seele?" She looked behind herself and saw Seele covering her eyes. "It's okay. I'll never let you fall."

Seele slowly uncovered her eyes and saw the ground falling away beneath her. She wrapped her arms tightly around Bronya's waist. "It's my first time flying on Project Bunny with you…but…I think it's beautiful…as long as I don't think too hard about it…"

"It is. Keep holding onto me, I'll keep you safe." Then Bronya noticed Mei flying close beside them, easily keeping pace.

"I never thought I'd be able to fly with you like this, but I'm glad we are," Mei said with a smile.

"Care to race?" Bronya dared her.

"You know I'd win unless Project Bunny can fly as fast as lightning," Mei teased. "I'm only flying this slowly so I don't leave you behind."

"Can…can we please not go that fast? I think we're going fast enough already," Seele said, still holding onto Bronya for dear life.

"Alright, Seele," Bronya and Mei told her.

The continent of North America beneath them yielded to the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean. They soared above the clouds, heading eastward to find the man they all loved so dearly.