Lux did not hold much fondness regarding Siberia. He truly was glad to be out of it.

But now, he realized that it had quite the convenient characteristic : the lack of proper social order.

Never once did Lux imagine that leaving the orphanage and going somewhere else would be such a huge pain. Laws and so much came to get in his way since he was still small.

It had taken a grueling amount of preparation and deception in order to leave that place behind him. Officially, he 'died' during an accident and his body burned to ashes.

After that, Lux left the European continent behind him. Staying there was too risky and now that he knew a normal life was not for him, he had another objective : learn more about the Anti-Honkai organizations, perhaps even joining one. At least, it would be a better place for him than where he went.

A place where I'll be fighting with my life on the line will be a better place ? Man, that sounds like I'm insane.

As for why he thought of going to another continent, he figured that these multiple organizations must have different territories. So, the US would be a starting point for the search.

The boat had been pretty nice, considering the fact that he didn't even pay to get on it. The stowaway thus set foot on American soil with a light heart. Blending through the crowd, Lux walked in the bustling streets of New York. How come there were so many people in the middle of the night anyway ?

The scent of food filled his nostrils, making him aware that he was hungry. He turned his head and heard the sizzling sound of cooking coming from behind multiple stalls on the side of the road.

Fried chicken would be great...

A very important piece of info had been acquired : New York had some stalls that sold very good fried chicken.

Devouring the skewers as he walked, Lux began to use his senses to pick up Honkai Energy. His plan was simple : he would simply trace the trail that the Honkai left and naturally, he would eventually find the object of his search. While there was the risk they would find him, he was confident he'd be able to escape when needed. He was of course aware that this was quite an arrogant mindset but that was just who he was.

The town was quite big, so he needed to get to a position from where he could oversee as much of the town as possible.

What was the name of the super tall building over there again ? World Trade Center, right ?

Lux asked someone on the streets and they told him that it was already closed.

And it's not like they would let someone that looks like a kid go alone even if it was open... Well, hell. It'll be business as usual, then.

Getting the coordinates had been a child's play for something so physically close. It was after that that that problems arose.

Each time Lux tried to find a spot far from prying eyes to move to Imaginary Space, he got assaulted by robbers. It took him time to understand that he looked like an easy target : a kid with nice clothes like him was an enticing prey for anyone that was after some easy money. Of course, he wiped the ground with every idiot that came after him, but it was long and boring. He wished they would take the hint already.

They finally stopped coming after him once he defeated a dozen different groups of thugs. Ugh. He didn't want to waste his time on this any longer, so he did the usual and moved to Imaginary Space. A second later, and a way to the top of the World Trade Center swallowed him. This roundabout way of transport had its own inconveniences, but it sure was useful. The change in temperature and height made him blink several times.

Woah. The view was, well, spectacular. The building was so tall he felt like he could touch the clouds. Come to think of it, couldn't he fly ? He had thrusters back then, so maybe...

"Ah."

Jerking his head to his right, his eyes fell upon a small girl standing a few meters from the hell did I miss her ?!

She had silver hair and sky blue eyes, so she was quite the flashy figure. Those features painted her as a foreigner even though she wore local clothes. Obviously wary of him, she took a step back-

"Oh."

-on nothing. The expression of pure surprise that occupied her face made Lux remember she was the girl that had been called a 'Herrscher'.

Overall Augmentation. Lifting power restrictions up to level 1.

Moving reflexively, he tried to catch her before gravity could push her towards the ground. Her body was light, so much he wondered if she would have simply floated down had he not caught her. Setting her down, deactivated his augmentation and took a step back. The entire action took no longer than 5 seconds.

...What was he supposed to say now ?Hey, are you the girl that held me as I died in Siberia ?She would think he was nuts if she was simply a lookalike. In the first place, deactivating that augmentation was a hasty move when he knew so little about her.

He looked back into her eyes. They were blue and confused, but it didn't look like she recalled him or felt a sense of danger. There was wariness, but it was normal in a situation like this. Was he mistaken then ?

"Woah !" Kiana jolted as her consciousness was thrown out of the Void Core, back into her own body. The reasons for her tears were blown away by the incredulous turn the last minutes had taken. Someone was inside her ! A spirit ! She remembered stories about them possessing humans, but she never thought they'd really exist !

Nyet, I'm not some kind of ghost, you duryoha !

"Waa, she talked in my head !"

Don't just shout like that ! You'll get attention on you like an idiot !

This was just the worst. No seriously, just how did things get this complicated ? Sirin was struggling to determine the course of action here.

Take the body now ? Risks. Not take it ? Risks. There were risks for every choice.

That's why Kiana provided that third choice herself. "Hey, what's your name ?"

Even at a time like this, that's what bothers you ? You're just...And before asking someone's name, shouldn't you give yours...

"The name's Kiana Kaslana ! Now your turn !"

I'm Sirin-Chyort.

Sirin was so done with all of this. It really was the pot calling the kettle back : playing at the good girl, at a time like this ?

"Language !"

Oh, shut it. And I told you to stop shouting !

Kiana was welcoming this change a bit too easily. Sirin thought that it was because she was likely using this as a distraction but her next words proved her wrong.

"Hey, what was your mom like ?"

Ouch. That hurt.

...What does that have to do with you ?

The less-than-warm reply caused Kiana to squirm on the flower field. She stopped sitting and laid down on the ground, inviting the stars in her eyes.

"I...don't know anything about mine."

...

"I'm not doubting Dad's words, and she looks like me, but...I just don't know how I should be. How I should feel towards...Mom. What should I do ?"

Of all the things you could have...Counseling ? I...

Come to think of it, Sirin had acted with both of her...with her only mother quite lively. That behavior came to her very naturally, without needing anyone to tell her.

...Duryoha.

"Hey, that's mean !" Why did she say this ? The word had escaped her heart before she could stop. She felt Kiana's mood changing, shaking off the dark emotions as a result and abhorred how it eased the heavy feeling weighting down her soul.

Compassion. Envy. Empathy. Nostalgia. It all bubbled at the surface and pleaded for her hand to stop. Kiana's soul rocked gently against hers, sharing everything. It was so detestably familiar.

Kiana smiled, stars filling her eyes.

It was all so dumb.

Her optimism passed through Sirin.

Pointless.

Not once did she try to block it, or did she notice she was using her name.

Just...act however you like. A durochka is incapable of much more anyway.

Sirin had no idea whether that word was for Kiana or herself.

There was just no way. Him, here ? Right now ? Why was everything falling on top of her head all of a sudden ?!

Okay, calm down. I need to keep my cool. For now, he shouldn't know about Kiana and me. He might just take her as a lookalike as long as I lay low.

It all began when Kiana said : "Let's blow away the dark mood !"

Sirin answered :Stop whatever you're about to do, because it's going to be a disaster. And talk in your head !

Of course, Kiana lived up to her name and didn't listen. And that was pretty much how they found themselves on the top of the World Trade Center. Sirin had to admit, the view was quite the thing. She wouldn't have minded admiring the scenery for a few minutes longer, but...

I'm hungry.

You wolfed down an entire chicken before climbing and you're already hungry !?

Buuut, it was so long ago.

It was not, barely an hour ago. Kiana didn't have a portal in her stomach, so why did food vanish so quickly ? What an annoying mystery. Keeping Kiana warm with the Void Core was no big deal, but creating food was definitely out of the Void's reach. Creating a portal would be a dead giveaway too, so no.

That was the moment Lux arrived. Sirin was immediately on guard as soon as she sensed space warping nearby, but her mind froze as she took in just who came.

...Him...? Here !? But...he was dead ?!

Huh ? That guy's bad news ?

Everything after that came so quickly. Kiana slipping, him catching her, and now the awkward silence. He had definitely suspicions about them, she could understand what the wary look he threw them was about.

He's not attacking...Come to think of it, he didn't look to even be in his right mind back then anyway. And as soon as he did, he...

Recalling this, Sirin wondered if he was normally softer. Regardless of this, he was still plenty dangerous. Funnily enough, she would never have imagined she would get into so much trouble in just one day. Turns out being inside of a Herrscher Core didn't block fright. Actually, she didn't think that was even possible without her own body.

The silence between the two was the definition of awkwardness : none spoke but they didn't avert their eyes-wait, no, Kiana did.

What are you doing ? Keep your eyes on him, he's suspicious !

But he, umm, looks serious and scary ?

Do you think I'm as stupid as you ? You're not scared, you're...You've got to be kidding me...

Hey, w-what does that mean !?

Now of all times, you get shy because he has a pretty face ?! We're in danger, you absolute durochka !

"Could I talk with the other one ?"

...

...

...What did he just say ?

Detecting the faint but definite amount of Honkai Energy inside, the girl allowed him to identify her, but her behavior was so different he almost concluded she was someone else or perhaps a sister of the amber-eyed girl. Keyword wasalmost. To dispel his doubts, he decided to take a shot at her.

Even so, that reaction is ridiculous. It's worse than a deer caught by headlights.

Eyes open wide, panic and surprise clearly visible...Lux was beginning to feel sorry for her. Be as it may, his guess was correct. As for the fact that a single body held two consciousnesses...well, since there was a weirdo like him in this world, something like that wasn't that shocking. He had to think out of the box sometimes.

Unbeknownst to him, Kiana currently couldn't appease his worries as she first had to deal with the fully panicked Herrscher running in circles in the Void Core.

"I don't want to attack her, or anything like that. I understand that she does not trust me, but...please, I need to speak to her." Ugh, he was so unfamiliar with this. It wasn't that he didn't want to say please, but it was so long since he made an earnest request out of someone. She was making quite the face, did he word it weir-

Data n retrieved.

00:55 : Verification process over. Data deemed safe. Archiving in progress...

00:56 : Reading data n°?...

The first time my head blew up was when the teacher's words got to me.

All in all, it could have been worse. My childhood had not been happy, but I was in good health and grew up well, as far as my body was concerned. No, maybe not, since the mental has a big effect on health.

But in truth, I didn't care. Or better, I stopped caring about a lot of things when I understood what being hurt and disappointed meant. I was just a kid living in a small town, going to an ordinary school and living a life like thousands millions of other people. Nothing more, nothing less.

My father was a man that was simply the textbook example of someone that didn't keep up with the changes around his environment. That's probably why he came to live in a place like this, where little happened outside of his comfortable routine. The family moved into our current house a few years after my birth, so this wasn't my hometown. My mother, on the other hand, was a person that had greatly suffered from the old-fashioned thinkings of her own parents. The second she could stand up on her own in life, she cut ties with them immediately. That might sound like a cold-hearted move, but I had no idea what exactly happened between them. I didn't ask, and I didn't care. I still don't.

Me ? In all of that, my position was of course the one on the receiving end of everything. My father did care and dote on me when I was young, but I quickly understood that he would just do that for about anybody that buttered him up. Small as I was back then, I naïvely believed parents were always right.

My mother, on the other hand, was someone that kept pushing her emotions and complexes onto others. This led to many disputes and shouts. Though it never got violent, at least physically. But it was not because that man was someone that wouldn't raise a hand on a woman, nothing like that : coincidentally, scandals about domestic violence on women had been reported many times recently, which led to the offenders being immediately the easy, convenient target of scorn and hatred. Overly conscious as he was in the public eye, he was far too scared to go through with it.

To be honest, it would be hard to say which one was at fault here. Once more, I didn't really care.

Cutting off expectations from them, I adopted a behavior that allowed me a relatively calmer life. I'd wear a false smile coming back from school as if I was still talking to someone from the outside. Which was, in many ways, true. Both swallowed this facade without complaining.

The only redeeming trait of my father was the fact that he left you most of the time alone. But my mother didn't.

"No, you need to wear this, Lux."

Even though she told me to choose.

"Oh, if only you were a girl ! I could have gone shopping with you for hours ! Here, why don't you let your hair grow a little bit more."

I'm not a girl. I don't need to know that. I don't want to grow my hair.

"I know I told you to choose, but that was only so I'd get an idea of your awareness on the subject ! Look here, Lux. I'm your mother and an adult, so of course I have to guide you !"

Wasn't that precisely what you suffered from when you were at my age ?

And on and on. I was lucky she was a woman. When I sometimes said a word out of line, she would shake my head hard, slap me, shout even louder...In the end, she took the controller of my life as soon as she gave it to me. Her own life had started late, so she was making up for the lost time by using-stealing mine.

And of course, a kid can't do anything other than endure. I was weak, so I just continuously gave up on everything one by one so I could be left alone. Due to that, I managed to minimize the unpleasant things. Ah, but there was one thing I treasured above all.

Books. Yes, books. Ah, what a blessing. For that only, I did my best.

If my mother ever got mad, I was reading too much, I hid them. If she tried to search for them as soon as I entered the house, I would switch to a hiding place outside. I researched how to protect my precious books from insects and humidity and crafted a small place where I could read them in peace. Indeed, I strained myself, spared no effort, persevered, for they were my sole source of happiness. Books would let you escape. Blissful, wonderful books would let you ascend into any world. It could be an ugly one, a pretty one, as long as it lets me escape the truly detestable real world. I was obsessed and desperate with them.

When there was no more to read at junior high, I would just go to the nearest bookstore and buy them with what little money I could scrap together. Even if that wasn't enough, I would casually ask my classmates if they read any books that could catch my eyes at home and break into their houses to steal them. One day, when a classmate of ours got in trouble for stealing a hairclip, I almost burst out laughing. Compared to what I did, this was cute.

I felt no guilt. My hometown wasn't a place where anyone looked out for anyone apart from themselves anyway. Even though my mother's screams were very audible, no one made a single remark or tried to smooth things out. So, I was fine with doing this.

I was fairly talented at stealing and deception. Or maybe I just put that much effort into it ? Who knows, but I was never caught. One time, I pretended to have found out about the thief's hideout that no one managed to find for years and led some adults there, but 'coincidentally' the thief had lit fire to the whole thing.

This whole incident gave a such a good reputation, no one ever imagined their praises were directed at the very criminal that pulled one over them. Out of spite, I had put a few of my parents treasured possessions into the fire beforehand.

...But somewhere, I knew it wasn't enough. That was why when the red-haired teacher said those words at the orientation meeting, when I told her that I was fine with whatever would come my way, I snapped.

"You've got the right to live your own life, Lux."

"Oh...yes."

I didn't throw a tantrum. In fact, it ended on a calm note and I went home with the snow falling on top of my head.

My burning, raging head that is.

I don't know if I should hate that teacher or not, but I am glad she said those words in the end. That evening, when I went back home, I found it turned upside down.

My father left the house apparently. Got divorced. Not only that, but my mother was fired from her job the same day. Well, she was never someone well-liked around here, and she never worked on it, so it wasn't surprising. Always throwing the blame on others certainly didn't help. But she had struggled quite a bit to get that one, so I guess she understood a next chance wouldn't be going her way. My father made sure to badmouth her as much as possible before leaving, so yeah, she looked really done for.

As for me ? Well, to be honest, I was pretty confused about what to do, or feel. I just stared at her sprawled figure resting on the wall with a blank look from the entrance, racking my brains to determine what to do next.

"...ney."

"Huh ?"

"Money. I need money."

"What are you talking about...?"

All of a sudden, she sprang up and slammed her hand on the wall to her left."Can't you understand !? I've taken care of you for so long, spent so much money, time, energy ! Now it's your time to give it back to me !"

As if a junior high student could even gain enough.

"Secret labor, prostitution, anything is okay, so bring money for me ! No, before that, you need only one of your kidneys to live, right ?"

Hardly surprised me really. But what was surprising was the bubbling anger that made my mouth move before my head.

"Prostitution ? I'm your son, you know. They'll vomit as soon as they try to kiss me. Sorry that I look so much like you."

"Y-you..."

"I never asked you to give birth to me. I never asked you to take care of me ! I didn't ask anything ! Not a single thing ! So WHY !? Why did you...why didn't you...!"

"How dare you...!"

"I hate you ! I wish you were dead ! How come so many people out there kick the bucket for whatever reasons everyday yet some shit stain like you is fine !? You can go ahead and die in some ditch alone for all I care, dear mother ! That's all you're worth !"

"You ungrateful little shit !"

She charged me. Her wail made me panic and rage simultaneously. I could have run away, but I just didn't do it. Instead, I threw my backpack at her face with more strength than ever. She fell to the ground and I clumsily tried to straddle her in my rage. For an instant, her hands found my throat and she began to squeeze and scratch it.

She was going to kill me. After 13 years of this shitty life both made me live through, she was going to kill me.

I never understood up until that moment what bloodlust meant. The very idea that you would crave the death or suffering of someone else this much never did stick with me. But now ? No, I totally understood. Right now, I was lusting for their blood, for their suffering.

After that...well, I don't really remember. It was one huge blur of bloodlust and rage. The feedback from my fists, the terror of death, the pain due to the lack of air, the relief when her hands slackened...

After I calmed down, I found her huddling in a corner, trembling. Oddly, that sight only made my blood boil even more. But not completely at her.

I asked where my father was. She shivered, but did not answer. My own voice sounded almost foreign even to my own ears. I remember being surprised but barely paying attention to this. The haze of bloodlust and anger hadn't abated yet.

She stuttered that she didn't know. Next thing I knew, I was walking some streets at night with a crowbar in hand. I was wearing the same clothes, but it was colder during the night. Well, it had to be at least. I couldn't feel the cold anyway.

The eventuality that he already left the town ate at me. I felt like I would go mad if he was. But fortunately, he was still there. Drinking in a pub with his friends, bragging about his new life beginning.

After screwing up mine. After shouting and abusing me, using the fact he was stronger, bigger than me to force me to shut up. After carving so many years of my life with his cursed presence, he was just going to go and leave me with the other person I hated most in the world to enjoy some happy life ? No.

Lighting a fire hadn't been too hard, the pub was mostly built with wood. I made sure to start multiple fires at once, and prepared several loudspeakers with explosions sounds and screams. In the dead of the night and with some booze, this little recipe was very effective : the fire killed no one, but they were all running from it like a real inferno had started. I laughed so hard : they looked like ants fleeing out of the nest !

He foolishly ran from everyone into a dark alley where no one could reach him in time. Hidden by some pallets, I targeted his knee as soon as I saw it. It broke in one hit, which I didn't' really expect. I guess what they say is right : emotions can get some power-up out of you. Absolutely confused as he was, my father was an easy target for more hits. I hit his head to make sure he wouldn't be able to think clearly and got to his shoulders next.

For my mother, I mostly felt fear, anger, bloodlust and panic. But now, I just was drunk on bloodlust and the thrill of hurting someone who had always made me suffer, stood higher and took advantage of it. Unlike earlier, it was so damn satisfying.

It was over before I knew it. His corpse lay disfigured and broken on the cold street.

What a shame. Fun things really lasted for a short time.

I let the crowbar go and sat on some boxes left here and there to authorities would be here soon.

"There's no way I'll let them think I'm the culprit..."Disappearing like this was the worst move I could try. Since I had some practice with deception, why not use it ?

I left the alley and headed back home as fast as possible using the small streets. I was worried that my mother would file a complaint and get me under suspicion. That was an unfounded worry, seeing that she just took her own life. I found her hanging in the middle of the living room. I still don't have the slightest beginning of an idea as to why she did that.

But I didn't really care. For either of their deaths I mean. If some people call me a monster because of that, then, go right ahead.

I washed my hands and started a fire in the house. I burnt my clothes stained with blood and changed into new ones. My plan was to have firefighters rescue me to solidify my position as a victim. It all went so well I felt kind of bad for the inspector that promised he'd find the culprit and the few residents of the town that came to see me.

It had been child's play, no pun intended, to convince the cops of my innocence. I mean, there was no way they'd suspect a kid of being the culprit behind all of this without any proof. So yeah, it was for all intents and purpose the perfect crime.

When I still was at the police station, eating a pizza the cops got for me, I 'remembered' about the last will that my parents 'coincidentally' wrote recently that indicated legally and in no uncertain terms that I had every right on their propriety and assets. The money I got was spent getting me into a junior high school and high school where I would be able to live in a dorm without getting stuck to another family. Once I graduated, I would have the means to live on my own.

...

...

...Well. Putting that way is nice and all, but I was still just a small kid back then. My emotions waited until the moment when I was alone in my own, new room to burst.

Dammit ! Chyort ! He knows. How ? The Honkai Energy, probably...Kiana,d-!...He fell ?

Lux suddenly toppled down without a single warning. Sirin nearly materialized a Void Lance when she saw him moving, but restrained herself at the last moment when she understood he meant no harm. He had just plainly fainted.

...What an opportunity ! This wasn't the moment to stand in place. She had too quickly...to quickly...

...Why did you save me ?

Sirin fervently wished to forget that moment, but her memory wouldn't let go of her. Few people had ever reached out a hand to her : there was no way she would ever be able to forget them. Cecilia, Theresa, and now him...

I don't even know your name...

Sirin...

Unable to do anything, Sirin went silent. Kiana, feeling Sirin's peculiar mental state, shut up, swamped by indecision. At that instant, small sobs echoed.

"Why...didn't you two love me ?...Mother...Father..."

Shocked to their core, Sirin and Kiana each reached out a hand to wipe his tears and take his head off the cold surface, one that had the warmth of flesh and the other that had the color of the moon and the consistency of the Void.

"Yes. I have indeed confirmed her safety. Also, your girl has met quite an intriguing individual."

"Got it, thank you very much. Say, wouldn't you let me treat you to-...Uhh, please don't tell me it's a boy. No way it would be so quick, right ?"

"..."

"My baby girl's getting stolen really quick...Dammit, Dad's gonna cry...!"

"That is all I have to report. Well then, good day to you."

"Ah, wai-"

She felt bad for cutting the transmission like that, but she was aware of how Siegfried Kaslana capacity to drag things out, especially if the other party was a girl, was a pain to deal with. Anyway, her mission was complete. Nothing out of the ordinary, except from the fact Kiana sometimes talked to herself. The boy had been a surprise, but it was her first time seeing him and she didn't detect any Honkai Energy, so there was no danger, probably. Whatever had caused the drones to malfunction was not a problem anymore, so she headed back to her transport. On the way there, she spotted a few bright stars above, shing despite the lights of the city. Noy a particularly meaningful moment to smile, but that was why she did.

It wasn't a normal human body, but Reanna Brigantia sure was glad to be alive.

Author's note :

Didn't see that one coming, eh ?