POV: Everyone
Kiana had trouble deciding on which of the many food stalls to try first. Their numbers were many, each offering an alluring aroma that drew her to them. She had always enjoyed having such a large selection of delicious food to choose from, so instead of spending too much time choosing, she simply chose the one nearest to her, which sold Apfelstrudel. She loved it as soon as she took a bite.
"Mei! Come try some of these!"
Mei heard her and quickly walked over. "These pastries look nice. Is that apple filling inside?"
Kiana excitedly nodded because her mouth was still full. She quickly gulped it down. "It's so sweet. Try it." She held it up for Mei.
Mei took a bite. Sweetness filled her mouth. "It is. You always had a good taste for things like this."
Kiana laughed. "I've always loved trying new foods from different countries." She turned to the stall owner and purchased another Apfelstrudel for Mei before they headed to the other stalls, trying foods from each.
"Remember not to buy so much food that you can't even eat it all. Don't eat them too quickly, either," Mei scolded her as they walked. She remembered how Kiana would always eat too quickly and end up unsatisfied back when they lived at St. Freya, especially on her birthdays. "At least wait until you've finished what you already have first."
"Alright. Let's sit there," Kiana said, pointing to a nearby bench with her free hand. They sat down and ate quietly, enjoying every bite. "I never thought I'd ever enjoy being in Kolosten," Kiana said when she took a pause. "There was no reason to before."
"Yes. We can finally make some positive memories here," Mei agreed.
"Kolosten didn't mean anything to me at first," Kiana said. "Then when…Otto did what he did, it was a place I never wanted to see again. I thought I'd hate coming back here for Theresa's coronation, but I'm glad I was wrong."
"I'm glad to be here, too. With you," Mei said. Kolosten had also held little meaning to her before she arrived, but it was here where her life changed forever.
They sat together in serene silence, watching the people of the town walking by and hearing their voices as they talked about the upcoming ceremony. The world would change on this day, and they were all excited to be here when it did. A man happened to walk near them. When he noticed Mei, he raised a hand in greeting. "Welcome back to Kolosten, miss! I knew you'd return in time for the Overseer's coronation."
Kiana did not recognize the man. "Do you know him?" she asked Mei.
Mei returned the man's gesture. "Hello again. Yes, that's why we're here."
"My offer from your last visit still stands, by the way," he said. "I'm sure you and your friend would appreciate having a nice place to stay for a night."
"That's alright. We won't be staying after today," Mei said. "We have a lot of things to do."
The man nodded in understanding. "Enjoy the ceremony, and come again."
"Who was that?" Kiana asked after he left.
"Back when I was trying to find you, I flew back to Kolosten," Mei explained. "He gave me some useful information and offered me the hotel he owned, but of course I had to turn him down. It looks like his business is booming."
"Ah. The entire town is," Kiana said.
"You can have my food if you want," Mei offered. "I'm not that hungry."
"Oh, thanks."
As she ate, Kiana looked into the distance. Bronya, Seele, and the twins were browsing other stalls and enjoying themselves as much as they were. She smiled. "Yes. Let's make some happy memories here."
—-
Bronya walked with Seele through the streets of Kolosten, visiting the stalls and other interests that caught their attention as Rozaliya and Liliya followed closely behind. The four of them had less than pleasant memories of this place, but those were quickly being replaced by their positive new experiences.
Bronya noticed something she was certain Seele would like. "Let's see what they have over there," she said, pointing. She led Seele by the hand over to a stall that sold many colourful hair ornaments.
"Welcome, all of you," the storekeeper greeted them with a smile. She wore an ornament of her own in her hair, which she had all made by hand. "Have a look at these and feel free to try any of them on. I'm sure there's one for each of you."
"Wow, all of these look so pretty," Rozaliya said. She wanted nothing more than to try them all on before she felt Liliya whispering into her ear to stop twitching her tail in excitement. They had to wear bulkier than normal clothing to keep their tails hidden whenever they were in a public area. They disliked needing to do this, but Liliya reminded her that they would dislike the unwanted attention even more.
Bronya had eyes only for what she noticed earlier and brought her here. The ornament was in the shape of a blue butterfly. She picked it up and carefully set it in Seele's hair. "It looks perfect on you."
"Oh, it does. Thank you so much," Seele said when she saw herself in the handheld mirror Bronya held up for her, which she must have discreetly created with the powers of Reason. The butterfly perfectly matched her hair and eyes. Even the stall owner complimented her beauty. Seele blushed. "Would you really buy this for me?"
Bronya smiled and handed over the money to the seller. "Anything for you, Seele. Is there anything else that you like?"
Seele looked over the other wares. They were all beautiful in their own way, but she was more than content with the butterfly. Instead, she picked out one in the shape of a white bunny. "This is for you," she said as she placed it in Bronya's hair.
"Oh…you must have thought of Project Bunny," Bronya said, looking into the mirror. The bunny was as white as the snow she used to always be surrounded by in her past. "I like this one a lot. Thank you." She paid for it before Seele hugged her.
"I wanted you to have one, too," Seele said. Then she turned to the twins. "Rozaliya, Liliya, it's your turn. You can choose any you'd like."
"I want this one in the shape of a cherry!"
"And this one in the shape of a blueberry."
Both twins tried their respective selections on and were more than pleased with the results.
"Both of you look great," Bronya said to them. "They go with your hair perfectly.""Thanks, but now I'm hungry for cherries…" Rozaliya said.
"Rozaliya Idiotka, you just ate a large amount of food from the stalls we visited earlier," Liliya admonished her.
Bronya looked back at the stall. Something else caught her eye. She purchased another hair ornament. It was in the shape of a blood-red butterfly. "This one is for you, Seele," she said, not to the Seele she saw in front of her, but to the other Seele within her. "You should have one, too."
"Seele says she likes this one and looks forward to trying it on later," Seele said. "She says thank you."
The stall owner was slightly confused but thanked them for their patronage. After they paid her, the five girls resumed wandering through Kolosten, their hearts even lighter than before. Seele gently squeezed Bronya's hand. "I'm so happy today. Because I'm with you. And because all we've done to work for this day will be worth it."
Bronya felt the very same. "We'll be there for Theresa. Just like we're here for each other."
—-
"So, now that you've seen the world a bit more, how do you feel about it?"
Li Sushang considered the question Fu Hua asked as they walked through the town of Kolosten. "Well, I can't say that I don't like it. It's different from the world I knew. It's almost scary, but change doesn't need to be bad. I'm glad to be exploring it, and the food is still so good…" She had purchased a large quantity of street food and was busily working on finishing them.
"The world may have changed, but I'm glad that you haven't," said Fu Hua. She had seen the world change much over millennia, but one constant would always remain. Humanity would always fight for their future. Their new Overseer would see to that.
"How are things going with you and Raksha's cousin?" Sushang asked.
"As well as they can be. You've still yet to meet him, aren't you? You told me that you wanted to."
Sushang had fond memories of the man she had befriended so long ago. He was gone now, but he had sometimes spoken of his cousin, whom he never named. He had expressed guilt, remorse, shame, and sorrow. He had said he would never be forgiven for the way he hurt him, and Sushang wondered why. Now she knew.
"Maybe when he isn't so busy helping the new Overseer with her tasks," Sushang said. "Until then, I'm fine exploring and making things up with you." She smiled.
Fu Hua smiled back. Her past was full of pain, but seeing Sushang again was healing it.
—-
A large, raised platform built from white marble had been placed in the town square. Hundreds of seats were arranged before it, many of them already filled with attendants to the ceremony. The heads of state from the most powerful nations in the world under Schicksal and Anti-Entropy were all present; the rest were the residents of Kolosten and those who had flown in from around the world. Welt and Tesla sat beside each other, waiting for the ceremony to begin. Raiden Ryoma and other members of Anti-Entropy were also present.
Tesla put her arm around Welt. "I'm glad Anti-Entropy and Schicksal's days of fighting are finally past us. I was getting sick and tired of Otto being alive for that long. It was about time someone better took over."
"Very," said Welt. "There's no one better than Theresa for the job, no matter what people might say of her. I'm looking forward to working with her to build a better world together."
Einstein, sitting next to them, kept her eyes on her book on theoretical mathematics as she spoke. "That's what we've been doing well before today. Theresa has always been a promising leader. I'm not surprised in the slightest at how far she's come."
"We all have. Especially you, Joachim," Tesla said. "You've changed so much from who you used to be, and for the better. And because you have, so has Anti-Entropy."
Welt considered his performance as the Sovereign of their organization. There were decisions he regretted making, things he could have done better. Despite his shortcomings, he knew Tesla was right. "Thank you. Let's hope the same for Theresa's leadership over Schicksal. I know she won't disappoint."
—-
Bianka checked the various monitors and sensors in the bridge of the Hyperion. Each provided a steady stream of data in figures, diagrams, and everything else that the crew needed to know.
"Bianka, anything to report?" Johann asked her.
"Our sensors aren't picking up any threats within their maximum detection range. We'll keep a constant lookout for any signs of trouble, but I'll clear you for entry. You're free to go."
"Thank you, Durandal," said Theresa. She stood beside her captain as she stared down at the town of Kolosten far below them. The Hyperion hovered a few kilometers above the town, the flagship of the large fleet of airships that accompanied them there. Included in the same fleet were two otherHyperion-classbattleships, the Typhon and the Echidna, both nearly as formidable as their flagship after their respective upgrades and refits. The Helios and many more destroyers and frigates composed the rest. Together, they presented a formidable defensive screening force that covered the entirety of Kolosten and a wide radius extending beyond it, watching and waiting for any threat that might rear its unwelcome head and interrupt Theresa's coronation ceremony. She had voiced her concerns about bringing an entire war fleet to a single town, worried that the act might be misconstrued as a show of force her detractors could use against her, but her objections were overruled by Johann and everyone else. Her safety was their priority.
Theresa turned to Johann. She wore elegant white garments, the same her grandfather once wore, fit for her smaller size. The Overseer's official uniform consisted of a pair of plain white pants and a white shirt with a black column along the front, adorned with patterns of black and gold. Two bolts of long, white cloth hung from her shoulders, both decorated with more complex patterns. On her chest was the Eye of House Apocalypse.
"Doesn't this look a bit…overdesigned?" Theresa said. Otto seldom wore it, preferring regular clothes in his day-to-day life, but even he had been required to appear as the Overseer for official occasions.
"You look lovely in it. Don't worry," Johann honestly replied.
She smiled. "I trust you. I also trust you not to drop me as you're flying me down."He laughed. "Don't worry. You're in safe hands, and so is the rest of Schicksal." He turned to Bianka. "We're ready. Please open the gate for us."
Bianka opened a gate in the side of the bridge that led to the open air. Theresa and Johann walked to it before he firmly held her in his arms with her facing forward and stepped into the sky. Despite their distance to the ground below, Theresa felt no nervousness and no fear. She knew he would never let her fall.
"Best of luck, you two," Bianka told them. She would watch the ceremony from the Hyperion, but she wished she could attend it in person.
"Don't worry, we'll keep an eye out for any troublemakers and make them wish they hadn't shown up!" promised Ai-chan.
Do your best, Sirin told him.
"Thank you, Bianka, Ai-chan," Johann replied while thanking Sirin in his mind. "We'll trust you with the handling of the fleet. Alert us as soon as you detect anything, and send my regards to Captains Typhon and Echidna. "
With his arms safely wrapped around Theresa's waist, he descended from the Hyperion and to the town of Kolosten below. He maintained a steady speed so that more people could observe them for longer and remember what Schicksal was capable of.
"Is this what Lilika and Kallen felt like when you flew them with you?" Theresa asked. He had told her about how he used to take his family flying with him. Not once had he ever let them fall.
"Lilika was usually a lot louder than you. She would always scream with excitement whenever I flew with her. And to my surprise, Kallen was just the same as her daughter," Johann said. It still pained him to remember his joyful moments with his lost family, but he was more than willing to speak freely about them now. It was his way of keeping them alive in his heart.
"I can imagine why. I've flown in the Hyperion and other airships more times than I can count, but there's something different…special about flying just with you."
"Yes…it makes you happy, doesn't it?"
Theresa laughed. "It does. After this, let's do this more."
Johann kissed her on the top of her head. "Otto's dying words to me were to make Kallen happy. It was all he ever wanted. At the end of each day, I asked myself if I had. Did I succeed today? Did I make her happy?"
"You did," Theresa promised him. "Don't mourn for her. Be happy for her that she could spend so many happy years with you and her daughter. And now, you're making me happy."
The town gradually rose to meet them. People on the ground excitedly pointed at them and filmed them on their phones. The entire world would soon see.
"There's no going back from this now," Theresa said in a somber voice. "The world will never be the same after today."
"That's why you're here to guide them. After today, they'll know what kind of person you are, and whether they love or hate you for it, you will lead them into a better world."
They descended onto the platform in the town square amidst excited whispers and conversation. Johann carefully set Theresa on her feet before standing aside, but he never strayed far from her.
Theresa looked at the crowd assembled before her. Hundreds of eyes looked back. Each told a different story. Some were apprehensive, some hopeful, but all waited to hear what the new Overseer had to say. She focused on the familiar faces of her friends and family, who all sat in the front row of seats. Kiana and Mei waved at her, Bronya, Seele, Rozaliya, and Liliya smiled, Fu Hua, Rita, and Nagamitsu nodded, and Amber supported her with her presence alone.
Theresa stood before the microphone and waited for the muted conversation to die down. When she heard only silence, she began her address. She had worried that her voice would come out small and quiet like any young girl's, but in it, she heard nothing but strength and confidence that dispelled all her fears.
"A brighter future is ahead of us all. A future that we will all share. A future that is possible only because of our combined efforts. Schicksal is only as strong as those who belong to it, and I express my gratitude to the many great leaders who have joined me today to witness the start of a better Schicksal." Her eyes scanned the world leaders. She had already spoken to each of them in private. She could rely on their support. "A brighter future awaits us all, and as your Overseer, I will guide our world toward it. I know that I have many burdens to bear upon my shoulders, but this responsibility is not mine to bear alone. Schicksal does not stand alone in this world. Today, we are joined by our friends and our peers. Representatives of Anti-Entropy, will you come stand at my side?"
Welt, Tesla, and Einstein rose from the audience and walked down the aisle and onto the platform. They climbed the short staircase to take their places at Theresa's side. She nodded at them.
"With this, I, Theresa Apocalypse, the Overseer of Schicksal, hereby announce that all enmity between the organizations of Schicksal and Anti-Entropy belongs in the past. We have moved on to forge a lasting peace that will make both of our organizations stronger for it. There will be no further hostilities between us, only cooperation and mutual understanding. It is the Honkai that is humanity's true enemy, not each other. We have been divided for far too long. The time has come to heal this rift. Sovereign, if you may speak."
Theresa stepped away from the microphone. Welt nodded in gratitude and took her place before it. He noted the reporters from every major news agency diligently filming them and writing down notes for the articles that millions would soon read.
"My name is Welt Yang," he began. "I am the Sovereign of Anti-Entropy. Along with Frederica Nikola Tesla and Lieserl Albert Einstein standing here with me, we represent the interests of the continent of North America, which is home to over five hundred million people. This number may seem insignificant next to the seven billion under Schicksal, but today is not about which sides we belong to but who we all are. We are all members of one human society, and we all share the same enemy: the Honkai, which has claimed so many lives from us for too long. Overseer Theresa Apocalypse and I are here today to announce the creation of a new Schicksal-Anti-Entropy alliance, which will bind our futures together into one."
The audience broke into murmurs and discussions. The reporters wrote down more notes even faster. Welt allowed it to last until he returned the microphone to Theresa.
"Thank you, Sovereign," she continued. "Our new alliance will facilitate cooperation and trust between our organizations and make it easier to combat the Honkai as one force. Our future is bright because of humanity working together." Theresa allowed the audience to speak amongst themselves as she steeled herself and prepared to do what she promised.
Johann, thank you. This won't be easy, but it's the right thing to do.
She raised a hand for silence. The chatter finally died down. "For this to happen, the truth must prevail. There can be no more lies, no more subterfuge or cover-ups, except for one more." She heard confusion spread. "I speak to the entire world when I say that I have an apology to make. This is about my late predecessor, Otto Apocalypse. I knew him personally for most of my life. He was a very complex man, and although you may believe that today's ceremony was meant to also serve as his memorial, I'm sorry. This was one final lie. There will be no funeral today, no eulogy to Otto's accomplishments and memory. This would only be one final insult to those he wronged." The crowd grew louder and slightly unruly. There was no going back. She sighed and spoke calmly into the microphone, fully aware that the eyes and ears of the entire world were focused solely on her. "Otto Apocalypse was not the man he presented himself to the world. What he allowed the world to see of him was only an image, a carefully crafted facade, because Otto Apocalypse was guilty of countless crimes that led to the harming and the deaths of countless innocents, and his thwarted plots would have led to countless more. It was Otto who launched a nuclear missile at New York City in 1955. He was trying to hide the evidence of his crimes there. It was Otto who ordered the massacre of hundreds at an artificial beach resort in Utah in an attempt to deflect the blame to Anti-Entropy. Otto committed these crimes and more. I condemn and disavow every last one of them, and as Schicksal's new Overseer, I vow that Schicksal will never commit such atrocities ever again."
The crowd exploded. They rose to their feet, shaking their fists at her and accusing her of slandering a great and beloved leader. They shouted that her words were nonsense - how could Otto have lived over sixty years ago when he looked so young? They directed their outrage toward Welt and Anti-Entropy as well, calling them snakes who could never be trusted and that any alliance with them was doomed to end in betrayal and failure. They declared that Theresa was only a child looking for attention after all and asked where the real Overseer was since this publicity stunt had gone on for long enough. Theresa heard them all, and she stood firm. What she saw were not the outraged faces of the crowd but the determined faces of her valkyries gazing at her with approval. Rita in particular looked especially pleased. When she felt Johann's hand on her shoulder, she stood even firmer.
I knew this would happen, but you told me this was the right thing to do. You were right. I meant every word, every last one.
Johann looked at her with worry. It was not the possibility of an enraged member of the crowd daring to attack her that he feared. It was their attacks on her heart that he feared would be too many. But Theresa stood stronger than ever. He stood there by her side, and his strength was her own.
Many minutes passed before the crowd's energy was spent and they returned to their seats. This likely would not be the last of it, but she had more important things in front of her now. Theresa knew it was time. She turned to Johann.
"Captain Hyperion, would you please accept the honour of crowning your Overseer?"
Johann nodded. He retrieved the coronet from the pedestal at the center of the platform and walked in front of her. He knelt so he could place it upon her silver hair. They were face to face as they smiled at each other, and then he stood and took his place in front of the microphone with Theresa at his side. "So begins the tenure of Overseer Theresa Apocalypse. May she guide us all into a brighter future. If I were speaking here even a year ago, I would now repeat the motto of Schicksal, which was 'Glory to Schicksal, Sieg Schicksal'. Our world has changed. No longer will glory and victory belong to Schicksal alone. They now belong to all of humanity as we prevail over the Honkai together. Starting today, Schicksal has a new motto to symbolize our new vision: 'For all our Futures'."
He waited for the audience's response. To his relief and Theresa's, Welt's, and all of their peers, some in the audience, the ones who had not spoken out against Theresa, began to accept it.
"For all our Futures."
He stepped back to join Theresa once more. Her blue eyes were bright and beautiful. He had made her happy.
"Johann, thank you for being here with me right now," she said to him in a quiet voice. "I couldn't imagine all of this without you."
He gently ran his hand through her silvery hair, uncaring that his affection for her was being broadcast for all the world to see. "Thank you, Theresa. Thank you for giving me a new reason to fight for. A new reason to live."
"You mean me?"
"Yes. And not only you. This world. Our world…my world, and my home."
He was a man with a heart that belonged to two worlds. One world would always belong in his heart. The other world he would always belong to, and to her, he would always belong.
A/N: It's hard to believe it's almost been two years since I finished Such Sweet Sorrow. It was the fic that changed this series and gave it a new identity, so I'm glad to finally continue from it. I'd always intended to write for Theresa afterward, but it took a lot longer than I expected after the ending of part 1 sapped away a lot of my interest in this game and my interest in continuing to write for it. For the same reasons, though, I'll do my best to finish this series. There's a lot that needs to be done, but at least Theresa got her turn to be happy like she deserves. She's always been one of my favourite characters thanks to her story and personality. Her newest battlesuit, Schicksal's Imperative, is perfect in every way.