Chapter 24: The Beauty of This World.
The ride they had to undertake with the Starskiff was truly a unique experience for the Crew. It was smooth and steady as if they were sailing on water instead of flying in the sky and with communication still unavailable it was a rather peaceful journey with the gentle hum of the engine being their only friend.
None of them said a word the whole trip, content to just savor the moment. A respite even if it was brief was not to be taken for granted especially in a journey where uncertainties were the norm. Who knew what sort of troubles awaited them in the future and who knew when they would get a moment of rest hereafter.
When they arrived at their destination, it was after they went through multiple gates separating the multiple sectors of the Luofu. Each time they did so, the feeling washing over their body was a familiar one, specifically one they felt whenever the Express underwent a Warp and broke through the barrier of reality itself. It wasn't uncomfortable, if anything it was sort of comforting so despite the concerned questions their host asked them they could just smile and assure her that it was nothing.
Tingyun was the first to exit, followed by Welt as he sat close with the woman to occasionally chat quietly with her regarding some things about the Xianzhou. As usual of him and his courteous nature, Welt extended a hand for the four women to help them out of the Starskiff.
"You are such a gentleman, Mister Welt," Tingyun commented the moment Kiana stepped out, being the last person to do so, and thanked him with her usual grin.
"It's nothing," he replied to both Tingyun and Kiana, giving a nod to the latter before turning around to face the former again.
They talked about something then but Kiana was too distracted by the sight to pay any attention to the topic. Her mouth opened slightly as she took in her new surroundings, awestruck by a world so full of life and colors amidst the sea of intricate buildings. One stuck out the most by the sheer size of it, dwarfing the shops and stalls around it and covering them in its shadow.
This was her first time looking at a proper civilization in years. Belobog was a nice place, all things considered, but Jarilo-VI was a planet currently suffering from a disaster and it affected the city despite its occupants' best efforts of keeping its light burning. It was what one might consider as a bare minimum for civilization but the Luofu didn't suffer from similar fate. The Luofu was a working civilization at its peak and it showed from the glorious stretch of architecture and vibrant mood.
Everywhere she looked, everything just seemed alive.
Merchants lined up the streets, hollering their products in hope to gain attention of the passerbys walking about while street vendors went back and forth delivering the orders of their customers to the tables. The Xianzhou Alliance was a military entity but it also was one of the biggest trade partners of many businesses in the galaxy. Their population alone was too great to ignore for even the IPC so everyone wanted a piece of it.
So, for it to be this packed was not entirely surprising.
Especially on the dock.
"Dear guests! We are currently experiencing technical issues so all flights in and out of the Luofu are being delayed until further notice! We apologize for this inconvenience but your safety is our top priority!" A Xianzhou official announced at the waiting group of people as the Crew and Tingyun made their way out of the dock, squeezing through a sea of people to get to the higher ground.
Kiana noticed that some of them weren't wearing Xianzhou traditional clothes the natives wore, some even wore suits and dresses belonging to foreign corporates. There were also heavily armed soldiers mingling with them, their intentions lost to the Kaslana, but all equally upset at the unexpected delay. She would've felt bad for them, she did actually, but the fact people were dying trying to quell said 'technical issues' made the thought far and distant.
Finally arriving at the top of the stairs and away from the crowd, Kiana allowed herself to relax a little and let her attention diverted from the two teenagers in front of her. Stelle had her hand on March's the entire time to help the pinkette navigate through the crowd safely while Kiana looked out after them both to make sure nothing bad would happen to them during their short walks, fully aware how dangerous their new environment could be.
"That would be our next stop," Tingyun announced, pulling Kiana from her reverie. She blinked and faced the Foxian woman just in time to catch her smile. "Lady Yukong should be in her station at this time of the day," she finished with the same smile.
If she noticed the strained smile Kiana had on her face, she certainly didn't show it.
"It is wise for us to talk to her immediately in regard to our visit," Welt suggested and Kiana took it as her sign to finally detach herself from the group.
"Right," she scratched the back of her head sheepishly while throwing a certain redhead glances. "So, I see you guys later?"
"Oh? Is there somewhere you need to be?" Tingyun asked, smile turning curious and inquisitive.
"I have a date to attend."
"My, oh my... Who's the lucky person?"
Kiana laughed bashfully. "It's not like that! I'm married, see?" She brought her hand up to show the silver ring around her finger for Tingyun to see and the woman cooed adoringly as a response. "She is the only one my heart belongs to... But this date of mine is also special, just not in that way," she finished with a meaningful look towards Himeko who only smiled back.
"Well..." The Foxian woman smirked as she threw Himeko a glance too, making a show of thinking by putting her thumb under her chin. "I suppose Mister Welt will be suffice for our upcoming talks. Or maybe our young fellas here can represent the Trailblazers instead?"
March shook her head frantically. "No way! That's too much for someone like me to shoulder alone!"
"March is right," Stelle backed the pinkette up with a casual shrug. "It's a group decision and Mister Welt is a better fit to uptake that."
Tingyun laughed softly. "I was merely teasing. Well, then, shall we?"
"We'll see you both soon," Welt told both Kiana and Himeko, gaze stopping on Kiana with something beneath those bespectacled orbs. He hesitated for a moment as he regarded the Kaslana before settling to a simple wish. "Try to have fun."
Kiana's eyes softened. "I will, Mister Welt. Don't worry."
He took her response with a nod. If there was something he learned from her bloodline, it would be that they would do anything to keep their words. A Kaslana took pride in their steadfastness and the ability to fulfill their promises, which was why every words spoken by them held values that couldn't be found somewhere else. They were a family of knights and honor was their code of conduct.
Their sire was a prime example of this. In the 50.000 years he lived, his entire goal and commitment were set on a single promise he gave to his dearest wife; purge the Honkai regardless the price of the victory. Although Welt only knew a handful of Kaslanas with two closest than the rest, he could tell that all of them held similar values.
Not even the Sea could erase the sheer willpower of a Kaslana. No amount of betrayals and sorrows would taint them of their honor. They of course sometimes doubted themselves, everyone did at a certain point in their lives, but they would always bounced back to do the right thing. That preservation was admirable and probably half the reason why their world survived and won against the Honkai in the first place.
The proof was right there in front of him, wearing her jacket and usual goofy smile. A woman who had gone through a lot but still managed to stay true to her heart and that heart brought her to where she was now in life full of happiness she desired the most. So, although he worried for her, he knew there was nothing she couldn't face anymore.
Bronya obviously had the same thought as he did. The three of them understood each other so much they practically could read the thoughts of the others. She was far from worry, if anything Bronya seemed proud if the spark of light in her eyes meant something.
"Try to not cause troubles, okay?" She told Kiana with a tone befitting a kindergarten teacher, an attempt at humor which was further accentuated by the subtle smirk on her face. "Listen to Himeko."
Kiana promptly flipped her the bird. "Ride it."
"I would but I have girlfriends already and you are married. Also, it's you we're talking about here."
Kiana rolled her eyes and grabbed Himeko's hand. "Let's go, Himeko, I'm sure there are better places we can be where we don't breathe the same air Bronya does."
"I'll leave it to you, Welt," Himeko managed to say just before Kiana dragged her away.
The Kaslana's hand around her own was warm and occasionally Himeko would felt the fingers squeezed her own digits. Kiana didn't seem to do it voluntarily judging from how sporadic it was. The redhead squeezed back after the nth time and Kiana let go of her grip as if she was burned, smiling apologetically at Himeko.
"Sorry about that," she apologized as she shoved her hands into her jacket pockets. "I didn't mean to drag you away like that."
"It's fine," Himeko assured her sincerely as they fell in a more comfortable pace. "Is something the matter, though?"
Kiana sucked in a breath. For a moment she contemplated on whether she should tell Himeko or not but the concern on Himeko's face was too familiar Kiana could feel her resolve crumbling just from glancing at it.
"There's something wrong with Tingyun," she began slowly as to pick her words carefully. "At first, I thought it's just something special belonging to her kind but I can't feel the same thing to other Foxian people."
She gestured loosely at a passing Foxian to accentuate her point and Himeko's gaze drifted towards the Crew behind them just in time to catch Stelle disappearing into the Palace of Astrum to meet Yukong.
"What did you feel?"
"Power. A strong one. It's hiding inside her and it's stronger than the Stellaron inside Stelle." Himeko's eyes widened in surprise and worry. There's not a lot of things more powerful than a Stellaron considering one of them was enough to destroy a planet.
There's only one thing standing between a Stellaron and an Aeon.
"An Emanator..." Himeko whispered, suddenly having the urge to go and warn them. "Why didn't you say anything?"
There's no accusation in her tone, just plain curiosity mixed with a hint of urgency. Kiana raised her hands to calm Himeko down. "I've consulted with Mister Welt. He said we should sit back and see first."
"But it's an Emanator..." Himeko trailed off anxiously.
There was not much beings that could qualify as a 'god-like' but an Emanator certainly could easily fit in that category. They were people once, normal people whom had received blessings and direct powers from the Aeon whose Path they travelled on.
An Emanator didn't necessarily mean they were strong. Depending on the Path and Aeon they followed, their 'strength' also varied. She knew one Emanator quite closely and although fighting wasn't her forte, she was one of the brightest brains in the Universe thanks to said blessings from Erudition themself.
An unknown Emanator, however, was a wild card. Unless they figured out who they served, they ought to be careful around them. The worst case scenario here was for that Emanator to be a follower of Destruction because amongst all Paths, that would be the most dangerous to encounter.
An Emanator was generally the enforcer of their Aeon, meaning that an Emanator of Destruction would want nothing but to lay waste on the Universe and those residing in it. Destruction was an enemy of existence itself and the Express had come into conflicts with Destruction in the past.
They were not friends.
Kiana, however, didn't seem bothered by it. She still looked concerned but not as much as Himeko expected someone would to the news. A part of it was probably because of Welt's advice but the other part was because of an entirely different reason.
Confidence.
"You don't have to worry," she tried to reassure Himeko again. "Bronya and Welt are with them."
"But if it was the Destruction's enforcer then they are a planet-level threat."
"The key here is the if. She could be anything else." Kiana waved her hand dismissively then. "Besides, something like that won't be a problem to Bronya in particular. When I said not a lot can go through her shields, I meant it."
The Central Starskiff Haven was one of the Luofu's many recreational areas, acting as both the center of public transportation and tourism. People came and went through the bustling skyport, though with crisis currently befalling the ship none of the Starskiffs lining the port were allowed to fly.
The Jade Gate, usually alive and open for exit and entry, was now closed shut and dark. Cloud Knight's military Starskiffs replaced the usual civilian ones in the sky, flying in squadrons from one place to another. Himeko was sure that if it weren't for Tingyun, they wouldn't be granted an entry much less to fly through and conduct their business.
But there was always one thing the Xianzhou Alliance was known to have; their ability to control the flow of information and keeping their populace oblivious to governmental problems. So, although Cloud Knights patrolled the area more than usual nobody managed to draw a conclusion that something was wrong out there.
Ignorance is a bliss, huh...
For those who knew, however, there was just a right amount of tenseness in their gait. An expectation of something to go down at any moment. Knights gripped their weapons just a little bit too tightly while government officials walked in a brisk pace back and forth to their destinations.
For Himeko, she was just a tad too busy to really worry about it.
Kiana was an energetic woman that even now in her late twenties she still had enough energy reserves to rival teenagers. She dragged her here and there, talking enthusiastically about the food, view and literally everything she saw. Himeko tried her best to keep up but it just seemingly impossible.
She wondered how Mei did it.
"I think it's high time for lunch," she had told Kiana then after looking at the time on her phone, all the while hiding the exhaustion from her voice. They had been going around for over an hour now. "Let's find a place to eat."
The grin the Kaslana gave her was so bright it reflected just how much more Kiana still had in her tank. "Wouldn't say no to food."
That was ten minutes ago. Now they were seated on an open restaurant called Sleepless Earl with Kiana practically inhaling the third bowl of noodles they ordered and happily munching on them with little to no care to the world. Himeko had just finished her own bowl and she could vouch that the portion was in no way small or anything of sort.
It was no wonder Kiana was a very active woman if her diet meant anything.
"Please don't tell Mei about this," Kiana began, stacking the now empty bowl over its brethren on the table just in time for the restaurant's owner to put another one for her. She was a small woman and Kiana made a mistake of thinking her as a child the first time they arrived. "Thank you, Ma'am."
"Just to make sure... you guys can pay, right?"
Kiana paused just as she was about to put the noodles into her mouth and shot Himeko a look that pretty much meant we can, right?
Amused, the Navigator nodded as she sipped on her tea. "We have more than enough budget," she calmly told the owner and Kiana breathed a sigh of relief.
"Oh, okay. I'm sorry I just want to make sure. I've lost count on how many people bailed on me after eating."
"I'm sorry to hear that but I assure you we are not some petty thieves."
"Right."
"We do have the money, right?" Kiana whispered once the small woman was out of earshot, suddenly looking concerned. "I mean, I literally am broke here."
"The IPC hasn't reached your galaxy, right? And judging from the distance, they probably won't be any time soon so the currency your people use is invalid here."
"That and we actually didn't bring any money," Kiana paused as she leaned forward onto the table, voice turning conspiratorial. "Say, if I make some... will I get into trouble?"
"You mean money? It's practically a crime so I advise you refrain from doing so." Himeko shook her head then. "You don't have to worry about money. The Express is pretty well-off. We make more than enough from selling merchandise and commissions."
"We uff thogh?" Kiana asked between a mouthful of noodles, surprised, and Himeko raised an inquisitive eyebrow at the unclear question. She swallowed the food and repeated, this time more clearly without noodles clogging on her throat. "Sorry. We have those?"
"The Express is rather well renowned so it's only natural."
"And this?" Kiana raised the golden Pass pinned to her jacket for Himeko to see.
"That's a mark that you're now a Trailblazer. Only those who have travelled the Path can own it."
"So, it's quite rare?"
A nod. "Akivili was different. They didn't have people worshipping them, nor did they wanted people to worship them. Trailblazers are people who follow them as companions rather than servants, and those who inherited their will for travel and adventure. That innate desire to see the Universe and find journeys exists in all thinking beings so everyone can be a Trailblazer."
"Did they not have an Emanator?"
Himeko shrugged. "That I do not know. We aren't the first one to go through a journey with the Express, and very likely won't be the last either. As long as there are places to explore, the Express will explore even after we're long gone." She paused then before shrugging again. "Well, maybe one day you'll see it pierce the cosmos again with entirely different Crew."
Kiana frowned as she stacked her now empty bowl on top of the previous three. "... what do you mean?"
"You're a goddess, right? Doesn't that mean you will outlive us mortals?" Himeko explained.
Kiana blinked and put down the iced tea in her hand down to the table, a bead of water rolling down the glass surface where her fingers were. The weather was warm enough that day and the coldness she felt inside her wasn't entirely from the tea.
"I hope that I will die one day," Kiana started, voice soft like a whisper. Her blue eyes grew distant as she stared at a far away place beyond the invisible walls that were Xianzhou's space-folding technology, beyond what a mortal could see. "I have people I want to meet again." She laughed then, but it lacked any humor as she absently draw circle on the table with her finger. "But that is not something I can be certain of."
Herrscher didn't need sleep nor sustenance. They, for all intent and purposes, had been liberated by the shackle called mortality. They could live for as long as Honkai exist and the only way for it to completely disappear was for the Universe to collapse and come to an end.
She didn't have the luxury to dispell it for herself either since the Cocoon connected her to that higher dimension and Honkai itself even if it was just an abstract idea. Even right now Kiana could feel the steady flow in her veins that surged along her heartbeats for it had been a part of her ever since she accepted the seat of Finality.
There was a price for every power. Inevitable loneliness was what she had to pay.
"Do you miss them?" Himeko asked softly.
"Well..." Kiana mulled over her words for a second. "I never really knew my mother but from what little I remember of her... She was definitely an awesome woman. That, and my dad's drunken babbling about her should've told me enough," she finished jokingly which earned her a somewhat sad smile from Himeko.
Kiana didn't remember any real interaction with Cecilia simply because she didn't exist at that time yet. Bianka, however, ever since her memory started to return she had been getting flashes of time when their mother would take care of her as a child. Her sister said that it was one of her most precious memories, sharing stories of what she remembered with Kiana while Kiana told her about the brief meeting she had with Cecilia in the simulation many years ago. In a way, both sisters completed each other as they reminisced about a past denied to them.
"I have a friend who's been alive for over fifty thousands years now..." Kiana continued after a short pause, noticing the way Himeko's eyes widened in surprise. Fifty thousands years were by no means a small amount of time even by Universe standard and Fu Hua lived through it all, enduring the pain and loneliness it brought. "I've seen what that much time can do to someone and it honestly scares me sometimes."
"Hey, Class Rep, can I ask you something?" Kiana had asked then when Fu Hua came to visit her on the Moon. The two of them were in the kitchen that day with Fu Hua responsible for dinner since Mei asked her to check on Kiana since she had been too busy to do so. Fu Hua being Fu Hua couldn't really refuse the request even though she was also busy with her business on Shenzhou, not that she told Mei or anyone that.
"Of course," she replied casually, not moving her eyes from the vegetables she was cutting.
"When do people draw the line that immortality is not a blessing but rather a curse? Is it when they lose everything, or is when everything is lost to them?"
She was never one to go tacit so although Fu Hua was used to it, the question itself still caught her off guard she stopped cutting the carrots to face Kiana instead.
"Where did this come from, Kiana?"
Kiana blinked then, as if realizing that she had just asked the question. "Sorry, forget it. I was just thinking out loud."
At first, Fu Hua seemed like she was about to press on but she didn't. With a reluctant nod and a hum, the Phoenix turned again to continue with her task. Kiana thought that her friend had dropped the subject entirely until she suddenly answered.
"Immortality is only a curse if you've lost yourself. You are what you are and it must not change with the passing time. What you are now is what you have to be tomorrow," she glanced back and Kiana caught the gentle smile Fu Hua threw her way before she turned away again. "Someone I know taught me that."
But Kiana didn't have Fu Hua's resolve nor drive. All these time she had been fighting for her friends and dearest. If she were to lose them in the inevitable marching of time, she didn't know what might become of her.
"But you don't have to worry. The doctors will figure a way to return you to mortality and if they couldn't... Well, you get to stick with me for a little while longer until someone do, right?"
Honestly, that was not a terrible idea. Fu Hua was one of her best friends, responsible for bringing Kiana from depth unfathomed. She owed her life to Fu Hua just like she did to Mei and just like to Mei it was also quite literal.
The ghostly sensation of the warm barrel of her revolver, pressed against her skin still made Kiana shiver to this day. The despair she felt that day was too overwhelming she almost resorted to the final option if not for Fu Hua who reminded her of the beautiful things around her.
"But we've all made a promise to cherish the present. What comes next is for later and living at the moment is the blessing we refuse to take for granted. Not anymore," she finished.
It was also one of the things they failed to appreciate before. When her family was still complete, when St. Freya was still her home and every moment still existed in abundance. A sweet dream they so violently robbed of by reality. Once it was all lost, they finally realized just what they had so they wanted it back.
Yet, no matter how much they had struggled, no matter how much they had accomplished, some things were just not meant to return even if she could bring them back if she ever so wished.
Like fire that has been snuffed out.
"The people of Xianzhou know that rather intimately, I believe." Himeko gestured loosely to around her. "Do you see how they live their lives seemingly without care? These people are used to living under a constant threat of Abundance."
Kiana hummed. "It is nice here. Too bad things aren't as peaceful as it seems."
"Everyone has their own worries," Himeko reminded her and Kiana nodded in agreement. It didn't matter how happy someone was for there was always something they would get to worry about. That was simply what life was. "What was that about?"
"Hm?"
"Back then in Cloudford I saw you cry."
"Oh..." Kiana laughed again somewhat sheepishly. "I was just being sentimental, that's all."
But it wasn't all and Himeko knew it. "Welt told me about you lots," she began softly, watching every and each shift of Kiana's facial muscles closely. "You know I'm not her. You don't owe me anything."
The breath Kiana sucked in was audible as she leaned back on her chair, eyes closed and lower lip nibbled between her teeth. The stiffness on her shoulders reached its peak, making them shake, before she released it with an equally deep exhale.
Finally, she opened her eyes and stared directly into a pair of tender amber.
"When you see fire... what is the first thing that come to your mind?"
Himeko fell quiet as she thought over the question, a little unprepared by it judging from the sudden crease on her brows. At first, she thought Kiana was just being dismissive but something in her gaze made Himeko seriously consider the question.
Fire meant a lot of things but when she saw it, the first thing to pop in her head was the heat and that she should stay away from that all-consuming destruction. An instinct ingrained to humanity since time immemorial, far before they reached and conquered the stars.
"I'd say destruction," she settled to say. "Fire burns everything regardless friend or foe and it will not stop until everything has turned to ashes. It is, after all, the oldest and most efficient weapon humanity has to date."
"That is true," Kiana nodded in agreement. Fire was the number one killer in the Universe and as Himeko said herself it was also the most dangerous of a weapon due to its sheer self-sufficiency. Fire wouldn't stop burning until its source of fuel had been consumed, leaving nothing but a charred remnant of a grand display that was existence itself.
But...
"But when I look at that blaze, all I can feel is hope."
"How so?" Himeko implored when Kiana fell silent, appearing to be lost in thought.
"Fire is one of humanity's very first inventions. It has been with us since the very beginning, lighting up the dark nights and keeping us safe from dangers lurking in the darkness. It heralded a new era, a new dawn for us, a bright future where we can fight back and triumph against that darkness itself. Fire is a symbol of hope and a source of warmth for those lost."
"There once a fire who burned so bright in our life," Kiana heard Sirin mumbled from deep within her and she hummed in both acknowledgment and agreement. It was the first time her other self spoke since they landed on Luofu and Kiana couldn't be more proud of her at the moment for willing to address their deepest pride like this. "She lit up the darkness around us at the cost of her own life."
Himeko couldn't hear her of course but Sirin pretty much summed up what she meant, after all they were the same person so they shared the same thought too.
"She brought a new dawn to me, a new hope, and banished all the darkness surrounding my body and soul. The dark void was no match to her brightness and her burning warmth brought me back to the beautiful world, all at the cost of her own life. Himeko was my fire, the one who guided me until I could find my own way."
The path her teacher paved for her was long but it's not without end. Once she had learned to move on her own way, once she had learned to shine her own light did Kiana finally let her go.
"But I'm sure you know that I'm not her."
Kiana smiled. "Yes. There was only one her out there in the infinite possibilities," she shook her head in admonishment, not to the redhead in front of her but to herself. "Maybe I'm a fool, maybe I'm simply selfish. Hell, maybe I'm a selfish fool but after what she had done for me... This feeling in my chest whenever I look at you is unmistakable. My head tells me you are not her but my heart cannot distinguish you both. To it, you both are Himeko and so the love I have for her is also shared to you."
"Do you not want it?"
Sincerity filled Kiana's voice but Himeko could also hear the vulnerability in it. The woman before her was practically a stranger to her, having just met a few days ago only in which they barely spent a time together with everything keeping them apart. Yet as she sat there, looking at her with slightly glossy eyes that were full of hope and expectations directed at her she could tell that the person Kiana was seeing in her must be a very important person to her.
Himeko wasn't her.
She could never be her.
"I'm not the perfect teacher she was," Himeko mumbled as she looked away, finding the gaze Kiana gave her too much. She had met a lot of people in her journey with the Express, the foul, the spiteful, the hateful, and not fewer were the fools. But there was also the honest, those who did good deeds simply because they could without needing for rewards.
Sometimes, it was easy to tell who was who just from talking to them alone and right now she was certain that Kiana wanted nothing but to cherish her the same way she wanted to cherish her old teacher, one she innocently took for granted in the haze of youth.
"Nobody is perfect," Kiana chuckled, smile turning nostalgic. "She certainly was not. She was a drunk. A shameless and hopeless woman who would sneak into her student's bed buck naked in her daze after a particularly terrible date night and scared the living daylight out of said student in the morning, lazy to the boots and liked to wake up super late in holidays."
"Maybe, that was what make her special," Kiana continued. "Her flaws were many but despite it, she still surpassed them when it mattered. Despite it, she still found a way to become extraordinary, guiding her students until the very end of her life. Heroes are the people who rise up to the challenge, is it not? And bravery doesn't mean the absence of fear, either. It's the willingness to overcome them no matter what."
"I still think it's... misplaced, for you to see me the way you did to her."
"I just want to keep you safe."
I just want you to end your story the way you want.
"I understand you are not my teacher."
Even if you wear her skin, her eyes and hair so beautifully just like how I remember.
"And I will respect you like I did to her."
We took things for granted once. We didn't know what we had until we lost it. Once it's gone, we fought tooth and nail to get it back.
"But, it can't be the same."
Some things are just not meant to return.
"You're an entirely different person, unrelated to my past."
Yet, our present and future will only intertwine more.
"As it is, you're still a Himeko in my eyes."
One who will keep on burning bright and only brighter still.
The gleam of hope in Kiana's eyes made Himeko's breath stutter in her chest, it was clear and unadulterated, glinting on the surface of those sapphires like sunlight on water. She found herself unable to refuse, not when Kiana was being vulnerable to someone that was practically a stranger. She didn't know Kiana much and the fact the younger woman was willing to lay down her heart like this made the situation feel more constraining to the redhead.
She knew just how easy it was for someone to take advantage. She could feel the trust Kiana had for her in the air, pressing on insistently from all directions and squeezing Himeko's own heart in its warm embrace. Kiana knew it was misplaced and although a snap of her fingers was enough to collapse reality itself, she was simply powerless against the needs of her heart.
The goddess cherished her humanity more than her divinity, for it was where the true her resided.
"Okay..." Himeko breathed out. "I don't mind your help."
At first, Kiana's expression stayed as her brain started to register Himeko's words. Then, a grin so bright the sun couldn't compete broke on her face. She grabbed Himeko's hands on the table, this time without hesitation, and squeezed tightly. "Thank you. Thank you for giving me the chance."
"But," Himeko interrupted, eyes serious as she squeezed back. "You don't have to coddle on me the whole time. I can fight myself."
"Yes, Ma'am!" Kiana gave Himeko a mock salute and the redhead rolled her eyes, though the amusement in her smile was visible for Kiana. "Can I ask you something, though?"
"Sure," she said with a casual wave of her hand.
"Can I get another bowl?"
Himeko's eyebrows shot up incredulously. "You're still not full yet?"
Kiana, understandably, could only scratch the back of her head sheepishly.
The talk afterward was much easier now the difficult part was over and Kiana happily engaged the redhead in the conversation with a big smile on her face. They talked about a lot of things, exchanging stories and tales about their respective journeys in the past. Through it all, Kiana felt like she was talking to an old friend, finding comfort in the familiarity of it.
Himeko, this Himeko was not much different than her teacher. So much it was almost scary if she didn't know any better. The Universe worked in a mysterious way that only a select few could see, but even mortals could understand that people, regardless where or when, would always share the same traits no matter how small.
She was not looking for validity from this Himeko. She had gotten that when she bade her goodbye to her teacher in Theater of Domination when Himeko entrusted her with her fire. Kiana simply wanted to protect her, to keep her safe in a Universe full of dangers.
Maybe, a small part of her wanted it as a mean to repay her teacher. To return the favor given to her. Or maybe she simply wanted to do it because it was the right thing to do.
Kiana certainly didn't care for the reason as long the objective was achieved.
After another hour and no sign of the rest of the Crew, Himeko decided to return to the Express after giving Kiana more credits than what she would need. The Kaslana practically gawked at the bundle of money Himeko fished out of her purse and put on the table, never seeing that much in her life before since it wasn't really a priority at all. She lived her life as a soldier and her needs were fulfilled by Schicksal most of the time with what little she had being only the bare minimum in case of emergency.
That, and Kiana was dirt poor when she was a child so money wasn't really a luxury she could have.
Kiana wisely pocketed it. By the time she managed to pull herself together and turned to thank Himeko, the redhead had already disappeared in the crowd. Presumably going for nearby Space Anchor.
Huffing to herself, Kiana smiled and sank back into the chair, head resting back to stare at the darkening artificial sky as thunderclouds rolled and merged with one another.
What is taking so long, Bronya?
She asked through their Herrscher Link and Bronya answered almost immediately, voice slightly tainted with annoyance which wasn't directed at Kiana for once.
"The negotiation is bogged down because Madam Yukong doesn't want us interfering with Xianzhou's internal affairs. Thankfully, the General is here to discuss a middle ground for us."
Huh. I guess we better wait, then. It's about to rain out here.
"What about you? How are things with Himeko?"
Eh, it's been fun. She's heading back to the Express right now.
"Did you guys talk?"
We did.
"How are you feeling?"
Kiana closed her eyes.
Content.
There was a pause but when Bronya spoke next Kiana could see the smile on Bronya's lips.
"Idiotka."
Kiana chuckled, pulling out her phone out of her pocket along with a pair of earbuds she then put on each of her ears. She unlocked her phone and was about to connect it when a selfie of her and Himeko made her pause, smile broadening and matching her self in the picture.
Shaking her head fondly, she closed her gallery and opened her music app after connecting her earbuds to her phone, scrolling through her collections until she found what she was looking for. Without much preamble, she pressed play and began to hum along the song.
Now playing; Kiana's Album of Awesome.
Linkin Park - Iridescent.
When you were standing in the wake of devastation
When you were waiting on the edge of the unknown
And with the cataclysm raining down, insides crying save me now
You were there, impossibly alone
Do you feel cold and lost in desperation?
You build up hope, but failure's all you've known
Remember all the sadness and frustration
And let it go
Let it go
The first droplet hit the ground with a silent splash, blooming and spreading into yet smaller drops around its point of impact. Then, another followed and another until thousands fell from the sky above her.
Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled between the clouds, all but a simple imitation of the real thing due to the danger they possessed. The canopy above her opened further, creating a larger shield against the onslaught of water that was Xianzhou's artificial rain and protecting Kiana from getting drenched.
The ship had its own weather cycles along with seasons, some parts separated than the others but no different in that regard. Similarly, time was also constant, all in hope to simulate a real world to adhere with people's biological needs.
Although necessary, some people just weren't as prepared. Perhaps that added to the realism of it, a cherry on the icing or something like that.
Kiana felt rather than saw or heard someone approach her in haste, then a gentle tap on her shoulder that made her open her eyes to look at the newcomer. She pulled an earbud off her ear just in time to catch the song resolved.
"Yes?" She asked, looking at the drenched girl before her with a hint of pity. She was also carrying some stuff with her, wrapped in a tarp and judging from the amount it wasn't light either.
"I'm sorry, Miss, but is this seat taken?" The girl asked back with a gesture to the seat Himeko used before, still able to give Kiana a bright, hopeful smile despite her state.
"Oh, no. Not anymore."
"Great! Do you mind if I take a shelter here? Everywhere else is packed."
Kiana took a quick look around and sure enough the other spots were full of people already, either by the natives or foreigners with each having their own places. It seemed like everyone had their own friends already.
"Not at all."
"Thank goodness," the girl let out an explosive sigh as she sat down, putting her stuff down on the floor before she undid her hairstyle by untying the red lotus hair ornament keeping it up and let her light orange hair spilled onto her back. "Oh, man, I'm totally drenched," she lamented then, running her fingers over her hair and groaning at the wetness of it.
Kiana smiled in sympathy. She had seen this girl before in the streets, performing some sort of stunts for entertainment. "Weren't you the girl that did that sword-swallowing stuff?"
In a flash, the girl's demeanor changed as she grew a grin of her own. "Oh, yes! That was me! Were you watching? I'm sorry, I couldn't tell because of the crowd," she offered Kiana her hand and Kiana accepted the handshake. "I'm Guinaifen, but I usually go with Lil Gui when performing."
"Kiana, Kiana Kaslana. We saw you earlier but that sword-swallowing stuff was a little too uncomfortable to my liking so we didn't linger for long, sorry."
"Oh, that's fine. I totally get it," Guinaifen laughed. "Is this your first time to Xianzhou?"
Normally, it would be a terrible idea to be honest about that matter to a stranger in an even stranger place but Guinaifen didn't seem to be a bad person so Kiana allowed her guard down a bit. "I'm not from around here so... yes, that would be true. My friends are currently in the Palace of Astrum and I'm waiting for them right now."
"Huh. That's where the big shots are and people don't usually go there..."
"Well, we do have some businesses with the Helm Master and my friend just told me the General has also shown up for them."
"I see... How did you communicate with your friend, though? My phone still hasn't gotten any connection for hours now."
Kiana raised an eyebrow as Guinaifen pulled out her phone to check on the network, groaning exasperatedly when there was none still. She had expected the girl to ask about their businesses but it seemed she was more concerned about something else entirely.
"I have my ways," Kiana cryptically answered, not wanting to reveal her powers since they would only bring more questions.
Guinaifen shrugged, she must've realized that Kiana refused to answer but didn't pursue the subject anyway. "Must be nice. This is honestly just suck because I can't stream or call my BFF."
"You're a streamer?" Kiana asked, intrigued.
"Oh, yeah. She and I usually go on about streaming stuff around here on her free day and today's supposed to be it. She didn't even tell me what's up, just that she got called for her Cloud Knight duty early before communication went down." Guinaifen gestured at her phone on the table, still a bit wet from the rain. "Worst of all, she's still a Recruit. She wasn't supposed to be handling Cloud Knight matters until she's a full fledged Knight."
"Maybe she's just that good?" Kiana offered with a nervous smile, feeling like she's treading a dangerous water with Guinaifen. The Knights seemed like they wanted to keep things under the radar and Guinaifen was so close to figure things out on her own accord.
The girl before her snorted, though there's nothing but fondness in her eyes as she spoke next. "Sushang is a total klutz."
The gears in Kiana's head grinded to a halt, smile disappearing as her face turned blank. Guinaifen kept on talking but the white haired woman was too stunned to process what she was saying.
"What did you just say?" Kiana interrupted, voice uncharacteristically flat.
"She's got the right heart and potential but she's still far from excellent?"
"No, not that. Her name."
"... Sushang?"
"... does she have brown eyes and hair?"
"Yes?" Guinaifen tilted her head inquisitively. "Do you guys know each other?"
Yes.
"No," Kiana said instead, flabbergasted. "Oh, man. This ought to be interesting."
TBC.