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"Sirin… Help…"
Kiana bit back a scream as she looked at the young girl in her arms — her best friend, the one who told her everything would be alright.
The horror and pain on her face, the blood trailing down her eyes in the place of tears — Sirin was certain it didn't happen like this, but even as an illusion from her nightmares, the sight would be ingrained in her memories forever.
"Help… Please… It hurts…"
All she could do was embrace her tighter, pressing her face against her chest in an imitation of how her own mother used to comfort her, whispering empty reassurances to her best friend.
But it didn't help, and Bella continued to tremble. The crimson stained Kiana's gown further and further, and couldn't do anything.
Suddenly, Bella's shaking began to subside. She seemed to grow calmer, and Ki— Sirin knew this wasn't the real world, was certain of it, but she still felt something akin to hope blossom.
The shaking was gone.
But so was her breathing against Sirin's gown.
"Bella…?"
Sirin brought up a trembling hand to Bella's face, still pressed against her gown. Carefully, she tilted Bella's head upward.
A bloodstained face and a pair of lifeless emerald eyes froze Sirin to her very core.
For a moment, she felt nothing, slowly processing what she was looking at.
And then, the Herrscher of the Void screamed.
.
.
.
Sirin's golden eyes snapped open.
The Void Core was warm, and she instantly willed her powers to stop.
Around her room, several Void Lances froze mid-air, ceasing the indiscriminate attack on her surroundings that they were about to engage in. Then, they faded, as if they were never there to begin with.
Just like that, an impromptu demolition had been averted.
Kiana groaned as she rose from her bed, clad in the simple shorts and shirt she slept in, with the nightmare still fresh in her mind. She could hear the sounds of a heavy storm outside, and a glance at her bedside digital clock revealed it was as early as 2 AM.
Even so, she didn't feel sleepy, and her stomach wasn't demanding food.
Herrschers could sustain themselves through Honkai energy alone, and her perfectly functional Core had no issues gathering said energy from Imaginary Space.
But this Herrscher would have certainly enjoyed a full night's sleep, regardless.
Well, not entirely full. Her conversation with Himeko yesterday had to be paused in favor of dinner, but when it resumed, it dragged a bit past midnight.
It ended with Kiana's victory, and she wasn't about to be reported to anyone because apparently she had severely underestimated how much Himeko cared for her.
The woman still argued about telling at least her friends or Theresa, but Kiana successfully shut down that idea using her puppy eyes. Strangely enough, that was the very first time they worked.
In the end, Kiana had to admit to Himeko that she didn't have a fully thought-out reasoning for that level of secrecy. She simply… didn't feel comfortable letting the others know, even if it seemed hypocritical when she knew about Mei.
Shockingly, that had been enough for Himeko. Apparently, she'd rather secretly shelter the Herrscher of the Void's successor by herself than risk making Kiana uncomfortable.
That was… a thing. And it certainly made Kiana feel really warm inside.
The thought was almost enough to wash away the waves of terror and anger that her nightmare brought forth.
Almost.
Maybe she just needed to head out and grab something to drink, even if just as a distraction.
Getting up from her bed, Kiana turned on the lights and walked over to the covered window, pulling the curtains aside. There was no scenery to be seen beyond the window, just a dark and foggy world under a raging storm. It would probably stay like this well past the sun's appearance.
She sighed. Sirin hated mornings like this. It meant she couldn't go outside and play.
In fact, she doubted even the humans enjoyed such a gloomy atmosphere.
Frowning, Kiana wandered over to the same mirror that caused her minor freak-out yesterday. Her golden eyes were still glowing dimly from her earlier use of the Void Core, and her hair was as frazzled as it always ended up in the mornings.
Sirin snapped her fingers and her hair smoothened itself, becoming silky and undoing its own knots as though an invisible and impossibly efficient brush ran through it.
Kiana paused, eyes wide.
She hadn't even known she could do that until she actually did. Weird.
… Well, whatever.
Deciding that her new tricks mattered little, she instead focused on her reflection, taking in the sight of a yellow-eyed Cecilia in the mirror. Not literally — plenty of bangs were different — but the resemblance was there.
Obviously, this wasn't the first time Kiana saw herself with her hair down, but it was the first time she could compare the sight with her mother's appearance. As cruel as it sounded, Kiana previously hadn't cared enough about Cecilia to memorize everything about her appearance, instead focusing entirely on the man who raised her by himself.
It almost made her sad to know that she'd stop looking so similar to her once she braided her hair.
…
Wait, then couldn't she just not?
Kiana liked the way father braided her hair, but she really liked Cecilia. It wasn't like the braids had much emotional importance, probably, so why couldn't she simply forgo them today?
On top of that, Sirin wasn't really a fan of braids — save for when her mother did her hair, in which case she loved them.
She kinda wished Sirin's mom was here. Her own, too.
… A grimace made its way to Kiana's face.
Perfect. She just had to ruin it, didn't she? Of course she'd be the one to make herself sad right when she was about to forget her nightmare in her distraction.
Well, nothing she could do about it now.
With a groan, Kiana closed her golden eyes for a moment and focused, trying to stop the flow of Honkai energy. Opening them again, she took in her reflection.
No changes.
Cursing under her breath, she tried it again, and blue eyes greeted her the next time she gazed into the mirror.
Finally.
Huffing, Kiana moved to the door and left the room, heading to the kitchen. There shouldn't be anyone awake at this hour.
.
.
.
There was, in fact, someone awake at this hour.
In Himeko's apartment, the kitchen and living room were essentially a single room, with a counter outlining the former's limits. As such, it was perfectly natural for Kiana to get a good look at the living room as she passed by the doorway.
It was right there that she froze in her tracks.
Because the dark-lit living room was where Mei was, wearing a beautiful white dress that had Kiana wondering whether the girl was an angel. She had her arms crossed as she leaned against a wall, facing away from Kiana while watching the rain outside through the large bow window.
It didn't seem like she noticed Kiana's arrival so far, so the girl was free to stop for a moment and focus on the pulsing warmth of the Gem of Conquest. It was Sirin's, but she didn't feel particularly against letting Mei keep it.
… God, Kiana wanted to hug her.
But then Mei would be startled, and there was a non-zero chance of Kiana getting thrown through the window, which would make Mei feel bad for hurting Kiana, and then Kiana would feel bad for making Mei feel bad.
Finally, Bronya would walk in to see what the fuss was about, and then chuckle.
It would be the same as full-blown laughter coming from her.
Should Kiana announce her presence normally, then? Or maybe just leave Mei be? It was possible she wanted to be alone right now—
"Are you just going to stay there?" Mei suddenly spoke up, not even turning around.
Just like that, Kiana's choice was made for her.
The girl let out an awkward laugh, letting her feet carry her towards Mei. "Um, sorry, I just… wanted some water. Maybe milk? Actually, do you know if there's any soda left—"
When she was close enough, Mei suddenly looked at her, and Kiana stopped entirely for a simple reason.
Namely, the scarlet, draconic eyes on Mei's face, glowing slightly in the darkness.
'... Oh, so it wasn't Mei.'
Maybe she should've paid attention to Mei's reflection on the window instead of her back, but priorities.
"You use Honkai energy rather freely for someone who wants to stay out of sight," the Herrscher spoke in a perfectly human voice, sounding almost amused. "What were you doing a few minutes ago? Attempting to alert Schicksal?"
That was when Kiana finally realized she was an idiot.
Well, no, that was basically common knowledge, but she still did something impossibly idiotic by not considering that obviously the Herrscher of Thunder could sense Honkai energy as well.
And that meant she knew about the activated Void Core and Kiana's impulsive displays of power.
Great.
"... I had a nightmare," she spoke after a few moments, figuring there was no point in playing dumb by now. "So I… almost blew up the building."
She was very much glad that Himeko wasn't there to hear that.
At those words, the Herrscher regarded her with curiosity. "A nightmare? Only the main persona should be able to experience dreams of their own, which means… you already finished merging with her?" She hummed, deep in thought. "How strange. There should've been more resistance… Not to mention you didn't start slaughtering humans yet…"
Kiana could sense a misunderstanding brewing.
"Wait, you got it wrong," she didn't waste time in saying, earning an interested look from the Herrscher of Thunder. "I didn't go Herrscher. Well, I did, but not naturally."
The Herrscher of Thunder raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Do tell."
It felt strange to be having a normal conversation with her like this, but Kiana wouldn't complain.
"There was already an old Core inside me, and it more or less woke up," she said, as if it wasn't the massive deal it actually was. "You know how Cores register everything? Yeah, well, I ended up with all the previous Herrscher's memories."
In response, the Herrscher of Thunder raised an eyebrow. "Did you eat a Core?"
"N-No!" she denied instantly, shaking her head. "Schicksal put it inside me, alright? At least I think so. I can't remember anything from before I was 9, so I'm guessing it was around that time. And that means I didn't eat any Cores, got it?"
Just what did the Herrscher think of her? Who the hell would go around gobbling up Cores?
Completely ignoring Kiana's offended expression, the Herrscher of Thunder brought a hand to her chin, considering what she was just told.
Then she suddenly walked up to Kiana and placed a hand right above her chest.
Kiana let out a surprised yelp. "W-Wait, what—"
"Shut it," the Herrscher ordered without missing a beat, and Kiana did just that. "Hm… It certainly doesn't feel new. I think I'd be able to feel another active consciousness if you were like me, and the Core itself seems to be… Wait, is this Kintsugi?"
"Um, is that the boy from Mt. Ashigara? From that legend?"
The Herrscher pointedly ignored her as she took a step back, regarding the girl with an interested look. "You seem to be telling the truth, at least. Then the reason you've been acting strange is…"
"The new memories, yeah…" Kiana gave her a sheepish smile, but she doubted it looked genuine. "They were the Herrscher of the Void's. It's just… kind of a downer from start to end."
The Herrscher of Thunder hummed. "I'm assuming you know why she became a Herrscher, then? The part our classes skipped."
Kiana winced. "Schicksal tortured her and killed all her friends for science."
"... Yes, that'd do it." Something seemed to change in the Herrscher's gaze, though Kiana wasn't sure what. "Want to destroy humanity together?"
"Yeah— Wait!" Kiana pouted, shooting the Herrscher a half-hearted glare. "Don't you take advantage of my confusion like that!"
She chuckled.
Kiana actually had to do a double-take, because the Herrscher of Thunder chuckled, and then she was giving Kiana an amused smile.
Considering it was Mei's face, it was certainly making Kiana feel things.
"Y-You still didn't explain why you're here," the white-haired girl attempted to change subjects rather lamely.
The Herrscher's widening smile made it clear she was aware of Kiana's inner turmoil, but she still went along with it. "Is it so wrong for me to want a body now and then?" She shrugged. "It's not like it's in use at the moment. As long as I sustain it properly, my host shouldn't even feel tired when she wakes up."
"... I see," was all Kiana could say in response, not quite sure where to take their conversation from there.
Right on cue, the Herrscher's smile disappeared. "Of course, if you tell anyone about this, I won't hesitate to share your situation with the others, as well." Her eyes narrowed. "Is that clear?"
Kiana gulped. "C-Crystal, ma'am."
And that was that.
As they continued to look at each other, the only sound that could be heard in the living room was the storm outside.
Needless to say, Kiana never thought about how to conduct a casual conversation with the Herrscher of Thunder. She doubted even Himeko could help her continue this exchange. Maybe it was time to go grab something to drink and retreat to her room.
As if realizing where Kiana's mind was going, the Herrscher of Thunder was the first to speak.
"I doubt you're eager to return to your nightmare," she said, "so why don't you join me for the time being?"
Kiana blinked, tilting her head quizzically. "You mean… standing around and watching the rain for a few hours?"
The Herrscher stared at the white-haired girl for a few seconds. Her eyes fell on the dining table and chairs nearby, and she seemed to wonder about something before shaking her head. As if that wasn't confusing enough, she abruptly moved, walking past Kiana and out of the room.
Before Kiana could question it, the Herrscher came back through the doorway with a couch in her grasp, as though it were light as a feather. She didn't mind Kiana's stare as she walked past the girl, casually placing the couch in front of the window.
"There," she said, turning around to look at Kiana. "Rather than stand, now we can sit around and watch the rain for a few hours, instead. That should be better for you, right?"
"..."
Was… Was she supposed to laugh now…?
"Well?" The Herrscher raised an eyebrow, waiting for an answer. "Do I have to force an answer out of you?"
"... Okay."
Yeah. That was alright. Rain-watching with a fellow Herrscher. She could do that. It wasn't like she had anything else to do right now.
Everything would be just fine.
Kiana just knew there was something wrong with her.
If her sense of danger was working properly, then maybe she wouldn't be awkwardly sitting on a recently relocated couch, listening to a Herrscher prepare something for her to drink in the kitchen nearby.
But, for whatever reason, her mind refused to consider the Herrscher of Thunder dangerous, at least to herself. It was certainly difficult to hold a conversation with her, and Kiana couldn't help but be nervous about the idea of sitting next to her for a while, but it wasn't because she was an apocalyptic destroyer of worlds.
Rather, it was closer to the awkwardness of dealing with someone she didn't speak to very often.
Her guard was so lowered that, if it weren't for her enhanced spatial awareness, Kiana might have yelped when the Herrscher suddenly appeared by the couch's side, holding a pair of mugs filled with milk as she sat by Kiana's side.
"You like it warm, right?" she asked. "Should I heat it up?"
"Um, I guess?"
It was a strange thing to ask after already sitting down, though.
Just as that thought hit her, one of the Herrscher's hands suddenly began crackling with electricity, only stopping a few seconds later when faint traces of steam rose from the drink.
Kiana couldn't help but stare.
"Here." The Herrscher offered it to her.
"... Thanks." She took it after a moment and hesitantly brought it to her lips.
It was just the right temperature.
The Herrscher took a sip of her own before glancing at the girl next to her. "I've been wondering about it for a while, but aren't you being quite rude?"
"Hm?" Kiana blinked, glancing at the Herrscher. Didn't she just thank her?
"From the beginning, you haven't called me by my name even once," she clarified. "Now that we're having a civil conversation, don't you think you have no remaining excuses?"
The white-haired girl didn't even try to hide her surprise. "Wait, you have a name?"
"Obviously." The Herrscher huffed. "I'm Raiden Mei."
"..."
In response, Kiana could only stare.
"I'm being serious," the Herrscher almost growled. "Where did you think I came from? Don't tell me you think I'm a soul plucked from the beyond and tasked with possessing this body."
Kiana opened her mouth to reply.
"Don't say it," the Herrscher cut her off, looking away like she was on the verge of a migraine. "Of course…" she muttered, before meeting Kiana's eyes again. "Fine, it's a possibility. I'll grant you that much, though it's not like I can clearly remember my own inception. But even if that's the case, I've already been rather thoroughly assimilated, wouldn't you say?"
She sighed as she continued, moving her thoughts away from the topic. "Regardless of the circumstances, right now I'm Raiden Mei, and so is my host. In this moment, we share the same identity. I was clearly meant to embody her negative emotions, and now here we are."
"That sounds…" the white-haired girl trailed off, considering her next words. "... hard to believe. I don't think any part of Mei would wanna destroy the world."
"Anyone would if their mind was wired to remember their worst traumas as often as possible." The Herrscher shrugged. "The voice in my head telling me to spread Honkai certainly doesn't help matters, though it's too quiet to be anything more than a nuisance at the moment."
"... Right, God's voice," Kiana said after a moment, blinking. "My Core kinda lost that function back then."
The Herrscher of Thunder huffed, bringing her cup to her lips before shooting Kiana an unamused look. "Well, aren't we lucky. Your milk's getting cold, by the way."
Kiana chose to take another sip rather than risk angering the Herrscher.
"I doubt you'd take all that at face value," the Herrscher continued, "but I do hope you'll believe me when I say I wouldn't declare to be the same as my foolish host if it weren't true. I'd rather be my own person from beginning to end, but the fact that she and I are 'Raiden Mei' is something I can't deny with barbed words and vague threats anymore. Not after yesterday."
"You mean when you saved me?" Kiana tilted her head. "Wasn't it because you wanted to be the one to finish me off, or something?"
"It'd be much simpler for me if that was the case." The Herrscher sighed. "I've spared you once and saved you twice now. Denial can only go so far. It became clear to me that I hold the same emotions as my host, and that was when everything fell into place," she explained, bringing the cup to her lips before staring out of the window with a distant look. "... Whether she absorbs what's left of me, I absorb her, or our consciousnesses merge equally, I can only assume we'll become a single entity sooner or later as we synchronize more."
Kiana's only response was staring blankly at the Herrscher.
"So, what you're saying is…"
"... I'm Raiden Mei," the Herrscher of Thunder deadpanned.
The white-haired girl slowly nodded. "And you figured it out by… not wanting me to die, right? Because me and Mei are friends, and you're Mei?"
It was the Herrscher's turn to stare at Kiana, as though she had just said something stupid.
Something inside Kiana told her that this Herrscher had no right to treat her like this, and she scowled. "If you have to something to say—"
"Kiana Kaslana, I love you."
She promptly let go of her mug.
The Herrscher deftly caught it before continuing, looking straight into Kiana's wide eyes, "Without any reasonable motivation, I love you, just as my host does. Is that not proof enough we are currently one and the same?"
Rather than responding, Kiana was opening and closing her mouth like a goldfish.
"W-Wait, hold on, hold on now," she stammered, her face flushing. "Aren't we skipping a lot of steps here? 'Like your host'? Y-You mean Mei actually…"
"Yes," the Herrscher groaned. "She loves you deeply. Overwhelmingly. Passionately. Should I pick smaller words?"
"B-But," Kiana argued, ignoring the insult, "then why didn't she say anything?! I've been dropping soooo many hints and innuendos that even Aunt Teri thinks we went way past every single line!"
"That's precisely why, you fool." The Herrscher pushed Kiana's mug against her until she took hold of it again. "You declare your undying love so freely whenever she does anything for you. Was she supposed to think you only act that way towards her? With all her issues?" She then narrowed her eyes. "... When she caught you sleeping on Fu Hua's lap after training last week?"
Kiana suddenly looked like a deer caught in headlights.
"I-I can explain," she declared quickly. "My tummy was hurting."
At those words, the Herrscher raised an eyebrow. "And how does that lead you to Fu Hua's lap?"
"... Because I'm into girls?"
The Herrscher took a deep breath, looking away and closing her eyes as if she was on the verge of a migraine.
"Kiana Kaslana," she said slowly, "you're a disaster."
"Yeah, but Mei still loves me," Kiana shot back with an annoyed edge. Then she paused in realization. "... Amagad, Mei legit loves me."
"Yes, somehow." The Herrscher of Thunder groaned, directing her narrowed eyes towards the other girl once more. "Can we move on from that? I have a question or two of my own, if you don't mind."
"I-I don't think I can just shrug that off," Kiana admitted hesitantly, "but I… I can try."
Then, to the Herrscher's surprise, she downed all her milk at once.
The girl let out a long sigh as she lowered the mug, placing it by the couch's foot. "Phew… Alright, I can probably think again. Head's as cool as the Siberian winter. You were saying?"
The Herrscher of Thunder stared at her for a few moments before simply shaking her head with a sigh.
"So, you have the memories of the Herrscher of the Void," she said. "Just how much is that affecting you, so far?"
"More or less a lot." Kiana shrugged, slumping in her seat. "It's weird. Sometimes I'm just her, and then I'm me again. Now and then I'm both." She tilted her head, letting out a hum as she thought. "If I saw someone being mean, I'd probably think something like 'Just as expected of a human,' but I also know that about… half or so of her grudge wasn't justified, you know? God just messed with her so bad after Schicksal."
The Herrscher of Thunder took in her answer without a word, simply adopting a thoughtful expression.
"How much of the Core's power is under your control?" she asked after a moment. "If there's some sort of slumbering alter ego in you that we're not aware of, there should be limits. You wouldn't have the entire authority."
"I… don't think there are any limits?" Kiana replied thoughtfully. "Whenever I tried to do the stuff Sirin did in her memories, there were no problems. Even the Honkai radar thing is working alright, though I'm not really used to keeping it going. It's like…" She considered it for a moment. "Oh, like remembering to keep your pinky finger curled all the time. Like that."
"I can't think of anyone else who'd describe it like that." The Herrscher actually chuckled. "Then I suppose you're a true Herrscher with no strings attached, so to speak. How interesting… So that means…"
As she trailed off, she took another sip of her milk, staring thoughtfully at the dark world beyond the window.
Kiana expected the questions to continue, but no follow-up came. The Herrscher seemed to be lost in her own thoughts.
She didn't break the silence, instead opting to follow her line of sight. Outside, the storm raged, showing no signs of abating. Even within the safety of their home, the sounds of rain and thunder still surrounded the two watchers.
For some reason, things didn't feel as gloomy as Sirin expected.
In fact, if she let her focus go just a bit, it felt like she could easily… slip away…
The Herrscher of Thunder let her mind wander as she watched the rain fall, calmly sipping her milk.
That feeling Kiana talked about, of being two people at once, shouldn't be familiar to her. She was the alter ego, her host was the human, and that should've been the end of it.
But, since the previous day, things had been… strange.
When Kiana was devoured by that Honkai Beast, her host panicked, and that much was expected. The Herrscher was supposed to watch over the scene with an indifferent gaze, only intervening to prevent her host from rushing to her own death.
Instead, she exploded in a burst of emotions that she never knew were her own, unable to focus on anything except the fact Kiana might have just been killed before her very eyes.
No amount of excuses could explain the things she felt back then.
In the end, she was something born of Raiden Mei, even if she was separated from her host. Suddenly, that became an indisputable fact to her.
And maybe that was why…
Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by something soft touching her shoulder. The Herrscher didn't jolt in surprise, but she did glance at her side, where a sleeping Kiana was breathing softly while leaning on her.
If she still had any doubts that she was Raiden Mei, the smile that crept up to her face at the sight would've put them to rest.
Gently, carefully, she took hold of the sleeping girl, shifting her position so she'd be lying on the Herrscher's lap instead.
It would be unfair for only Fu Hua to experience this, right?
Mei giggled at the thought, gazing tenderly at Kiana as she continued to sleep.
.
.
.
Sirin let out a quiet sigh as her eyes fluttered open.
Her dazed mind struggled to understand what happened. She was lying on her side, her head on a comfortable softness, and there was something smooth gently caressing her head.
On top of that, a strange warmth enveloped her entire being, as though she was near a comfortable fireplace. Combined with the darkness and falling rain, Sirin was almost lulled back to sleep.
"Finally awake?" a familiar voice sounded. "Or maybe you'd like to rest more?"
"Mei…?"
Her blue eyes glanced upwards, and that was all she needed to see the Herrscher of Thunder's soft smile as her hand caressed the hair of the girl lying on her lap.
Wait, that couldn't be right. Mei was the one who was supposed to smile at her like that, not the Herrscher. But, then again, Mei wouldn't be lightly pulsing with the warm Honkai energy she felt…
"I see you decided to call me by my name," she mused in a mellow tone, and that was right, she was also Mei, wasn't she? "I didn't expect my beloved hyperactive knight to be so at peace she'd doze off. Are you really Kiana?"
"Hmm…? But I'm Sirin…" she found herself mumbling, her head returning to its original position facing the window as her consciousness threatened to fade into the void again.
"Is that so?" Mei sounded amused. "Then, should I call you Sirin while we're alone?"
"Yeah, my name…" She could feel herself sinking in the warmth of the other Herrscher's energy. "Wait… No, I'm Kiana… At least I think so…"
"I think you're the girl currently resting on my lap," Mei provided helpfully, still running a hand through her hair. "Don't think too hard about which name to pick."
Kiana's only response was a blissful sigh as she shifted her head to a more comfortable position.
"So nice… Love you…"
The hand on her hair suddenly stalled, much to Kiana's disappointment.
"If you want something to think about," Mei leaned down to whisper in that sweet voice of hers, her breath tickling Kiana's ear "why don't you reflect on your behavior right now?"
"... Huh?"
Mei giggled, the sound as heavenly as Kiana remembered.
"Aren't you being far too defenseless?" she continued. "Especially considering your current company..."
"..."
Right on cue, Kiana's brain started processing the situation properly.
That's right, she dozed off while watching the rain… And she was lying on Mei's— no, the Herrscher of Thunder's— well, she said she was Mei too, so Mei's lap, and… incidentally, Mei loved her… and the Herrscher of Thunder was Mei…
In fact, the Herrscher of Thunder said she loved Kiana before mentioning Mei, but that wasn't important…
Wait… Hold on…
Right now, Kiana was…
"Oh? So you don't mind showing me this side of you?" the Herrscher whispered in the same alluring voice. "Don't tell me you're tempting me on purpose? In that case—"
It took approximately half a second for Kiana to spontaneously discover how to Time Fracture through her Core alone without the assistance of a Battlesuit, and suddenly she was sat on the other side of the couch, eyes wide and face beet red as she pressed herself against the furniture's arm as if to escape the Herrscher.
Said Herrscher blinked for a moment before sitting straight with a smile. "How fast. If you act like that, it'll make me think you don't like me back."
"H-Haha, well…" Kiana gulped, averting her eyes. "T-That was just, y'know, a bit t-too stimulating…"
What was wrong with her?
It was bad enough that any proper sense of danger regarding the Herrscher of Thunder was completely gone, but now it also felt incredibly comfortable to be near her!
Was it the Gem of Conquest? The fact the two of them were Herrschers? Both?
Kiana had to rein in her heart and thoughts. Especially her thoughts.
God, she wanted Mei to whisper more things in her ear—
Bad thoughts.
"Strange," the Herrscher— Mei? — spoke, amused. "How many times did you do things like this to Mei? How do you think she felt when you did so?" She smirked. "Could it be that you can't take it as well as you dish out?"
Oh, she'd love to keep taking it—
Bad. Thoughts.
"I-I can stop doing it?" she offered. "If it's t-that troublesome."
"Why would Raiden Mei want you to stop flirting with her?" The Herrscher didn't sound as annoyed as she was entertained. "Same as how you don't actually want me to stop this."
"Y-You don't know that…"
Kiana wasn't going to take part in this conversation. She was here to watch the rain and forget her nightmare, not ponder over her crumbling self-control.
Mei— The Herrscher of Thunder— Mei chuckled. "That's the most unbelievable thing you've said so far. But it's fine. You're also cute when you're being stubborn."
"C-Cu—"
She didn't get any tingly feelings from hearing that. She did not.
Dammit, she was the Herrscher of the Void! How could she be reduced to a blushing schoolgirl by this… this… cheater?!
"I-I'm the Queen of Honkai!" Sirin said, still looking away. "What gives you the right to treat me like this? I'm the one allowing you to use my precious Gem of Conquest, so—"
She froze as a soft hand found its way to her cheek, gently turning her head towards the other Herrscher's smile.
"So these are your true eyes," Mei spoke warmly, admiring the sight before as though it was a work of art. "You're even more beautiful like this."
Kiana damn near forgot her own name.
A glance towards the window was enough for her to see the dimly lit yellow eyes that now adorned her visage, along with the inhuman patterns in them revealing her as a Herrscher.
Also reflected was the loving gaze that Mei gave her as she continued to cup her cheek, moving closer and closer—
"H-Hold it!"
Sirin snapped out of her daze just in time, bringing a hand to the other Herrscher's mouth and pushing her away.
The white-haired girl glared at the surprised Mei, her cheeks noticeably reddened as she tried to force her beating heart to calm itself.
"... I'll tell you this much: The fact you're still breathing means I've already granted you an inordinate amount of mercy," she declared amidst her hastened breaths. "I won't order you to beg for your life, Herrscher of Thunder, but I hope you have a good excuse for this disrespect."
Mei blinked at her, looking puzzled at the sudden shift.
Then the shameless Herrscher had the gall to chuckle as she reached for Sirin's hand, gently prying it away and holding onto it with an infuriating smile.
"It seems I've offended you with my forwardness," she said in a soothing voice. "Would my beautiful queen be as kind as to forgive this thoughtless woman?"
Kiana's brain stalled for a moment, and she suddenly found herself breathing manually.
"F-Flattery will get you nowhere," Sirin lied through her teeth. "But if you find yourself a decent explanation for this, I might consider forgiveness!"
"Hm, you're really as kind as you're beautiful," Mei attacked her again while cradling her hand, the cheater. Before Sirin could punish her for doing so, her expression softened. "I have to apologize. I started our conversation with a lie."
Kiana blinked, thinking.
"You're not Mei?"
"I am." She held an annoyed gaze for all of two seconds before letting it fade. "I mean I don't actually borrow this body nightly."
"Oh." Kiana tilted her head. "Why is that a big deal?"
Mei's entire expression seemed to twitch for a few moments until she took a deep breath, looking deep into Kiana's eyes.
"I was… thinking," she began slowly, "about how to kill you."
Kiana's response was a bewildered gaze. "... I'm sorry?"
Did she really just say that? Kiana must have been hearing things, right?
Mei averted her eyes, suddenly uncomfortable. "When I was… 'created,' let's say, I didn't exactly have much in the way of positive emotions. The fact my host's own feelings bled into me back then were all due to your involvement and, to be honest, pure, dumb luck."
"Wait, but what does that have to do…" Kiana trailed off, realization setting in. "Could it be that you thought…?"
"... When you became a Herrscher, I thought you might have been the same — full of hate and anger, just hiding behind a mask," she admitted hesitantly. "If you were suppressing the real Kiana, I would've tried to defeat you, and if you had gone all the way and became her, then I… I wouldn't have allowed you to go any further."
She paused, taking a deep breath before looking at Kiana once more with a frown.
"That's something my host wouldn't be able to do, but I'm sure… I'm sure I could."
Kiana wasn't sure how to respond to that, and it probably showed on her face. "But… you just said you loved me?"
Mei chuckled, a sad smile crossing her face. "I said I'd be able to do it, not that I'd like it."
That had to be an understatement. Kiana could barely imagine how she'd feel if she was forced to kill Mei.
"But neither happened," the taller girl continued. "You might be different, but you're still you. And that just…" She let out a quiet chuckle, her cheeks flushing ever so slightly. "Sorry. It just made me so happy I might have… forgotten my place. From your point of view, I'm not my host, after all."
"..."
Faced with such a sad look, Kiana understood there was only one thing she could do.
Carefully, she pulled her hand away from Mei's hold.
Before Mei could question it, Kiana embraced her, wrapping both arms around the taller girl's neck and leaning forward so their cheeks were touching..
When she felt Mei stiffen in surprise, it was her turn to chuckle. "That's right. A big bad Herrscher wouldn't hug you like this, right? I'm me, and you're Mei."
"... I'm a Herrscher, you fool." Despite her words, Mei didn't sound upset, her arms moving to hug the shorter girl back. "But I'm still glad…"
Kiana giggled, her mind automatically focusing on the pulsing Honkai energy coming from Mei's Gem. If she didn't know any better, she'd say she could feel the contentment and happiness emanating from it.
Maybe it was just so nice to hug her that Kiana was imagining things.
"Kiana…" Mei began, her voice soft.
"Hm?"
A soft sigh escaped Mei's lips as they approached Kiana's ear, the sensation almost making her giggle, and then, in a single breath, the raven-haired girl let out a whisper.
"Can I kiss you?"
Kiana froze, the gears in her mind beginning to turn.
Right, the Herrscher— Mei was about to do that before, and she did say she loved Kiana, which meant…
It meant Kiana was currently giving quite a bit of affection to someone who made every single one of her intentions crystal clear.
…
Oh.
Before Kiana could ponder over that realization, she felt Mei's head shift, and then a pair of lips kissed her cheek, making Kiana tense up and let out a weird squeaky noise.
It seemed Mei had taken Kiana's long silence as an answer.
Still, a single kiss on the cheek wasn't that big of a deal.
Perhaps Mei realized it as well, because she wasted no time bringing a hand up to cup Kiana's other cheek and did it again, then again, over and over, each kiss a little lower as Kiana struggled to process what was happening.
Then Mei's lips reached her neck, and Kiana couldn't stop a breathy gasp—
"Nyet!"
But she could certainly stop Mei, Sirin's brain finally told her, and just like that she tore herself from the taller girl's hold and pushed her away, retreating to her own corner of the couch with a flushed face, a hand on her neck where Mei's lips touched, and what was likely a far higher heart rate than what was healthy.
"Again?" As she settled on her seat, the Herrscher of Thunder didn't even attempt to hide the dissatisfaction in her face. "You're being quite unfair. I'm sure you're aware, but there were only so many ways for me to interpret that intimate embrace and sweet words."
To be honest, she sort of had a point, but… but …
"S-So what?!" Sirin snapped in a half-whisper, mindful not to wake up the entire building as she pointed at the offending Herrscher. "I never gave you permission to… to do things to me like that, did I?!"
"Hm…" Mei tilted her head, frowning. "Could it be that Sirin was a fussy girl?"
"... I'm not." Sirin pouted, letting her arm fall to her side. "There's just… an order to these things."
"Oh, is that so?"
Mei's lips slowly twisted into a smirk, and Sirin felt a strange sensation running down her back
"In that case, shouldn't you give me an answer?" The taller girl scooted closer as she spoke.
Sirin did her best to glare. "T-To what…?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
Mei's smirk widened as she continued to approach, sliding closer until their legs were almost touching and Sirin's expression began faltering.
"I want to kiss you," Mei repeated in a whisper. "Can I?"
Sirin's mouth opened and closed, but no word came out.
"Ah, of course. It wouldn't do for me to make my queen sully her name by acquiescing to such an indecent request, would it?" Mei chuckled, gazing into Sirin's eyes. "In that case, allow me to rectify my words. In a few moments, I'm going to kiss you, and if you don't want me to, simply say 'no.' Just that one word and I'll leave you be, alright?"
Oh no.
It wasn't like she didn't want to kiss Mei, but…!
But she couldn't come up with any real objection besides the fact she felt like she was about to go crazy, and suddenly Mei was leaning closer.
In her panic, Sirin closed her eyes, readying herself for the inevitable.
It was too much. It felt like her heart was trying to beat out of her chest. Sirin couldn't take this.
'Help! Anyone! Auntie! Bellaaaaaa!'
Still, no one came, and then…
…
Nothing happened?
Hesitantly, Sirin cracked one eye open, only to be met with Mei's smirking face centimeters away.
"Well?" she said smugly. "Isn't this the part where you act like a troublesome girl again?"
"... You just want to toy with my feelings, don't you?" Sirin pouted, looking away.
"I didn't say that," Mei replied smoothly, "just like how you didn't say 'no.' Should I assume you actually wanted me to kiss you?"
"J-Just how insolent can you be…?"
In the corner of her vision, Sirin could see the grin growing on Mei's face.
"That's… not… an answer~!"
Alright, that was it.
"I wanted it, alright?!" Sirin hissed, glaring at the infuriating woman. "That's right, I admit it! I wanted you to kiss me! So what?! Are you happy now, Herrscher of Thunder—"
And then their lips met.
Kiana's eyes widened because Mei was kissing her.
It wasn't nearly as forceful as she expected. Rather, the Herrscher was surprisingly gentle, even as her arms embraced Kiana to pull her closer.
When Mei finally pulled away, bearing a victorious smile, Kiana wasn't certain whether she was disappointed or a few seconds away from rushing back to her room to hide under her pillow.
Probably both.
"I am happy, in fact," Mei said candidly, a hand caressing Kiana's cheek. "Thank you for asking."
"... Cheater." Sirin huffed, her cheeks flushed scarlet, though she didn't push Mei away this time. "You had no right… I wasn't ready."
"You know, I think I'm starting to grow fond of your new behavior." Mei chuckled, leaning in until their foreheads touched. "You're adorable when you're being this fussy. Can I continue?"
"Hnng…" Sirin frowned, glancing away. "Whatever… Just do as you please. I don't care anymore…"
"Then don't mind if I obey my queen's words."
True to her word, she wasted no time in catching Sirin's lips with her own. This time, however, the shorter girl expected it, and she could do more than just gape stupidly. She brought her arms up to hold the taller girl's shoulders and closed her eyes, if only to see if it helped calm her heart.
Under Mei's gentle touch and surrounded by the sounds of the storm overhead, Sirin actually found it quite easy to relax. Maybe she wasn't the best kisser there was, but she doubted either of them had much practice beforehand, so why did it matter?
What did matter was the loving gaze on Mei's face as they pulled apart.
"For future reference, what should I call you?" she asked. "Kiana, or Sirin?"
"... Does it matter?" Sirin grumbled, more eager to continue than to discuss something like this. "If anything, wouldn't it be Kiana? All I have from Sirin are her memories."
"Names are just words," Mei replied simply. "Even if you're not her, and you might yet be, there's nothing wrong if you like that name better now."
Sirin hummed, but she wasn't entirely convinced. "Either way, how would I know?"
"I wonder about that." Mei shrugged, then gazed deep into the shorter girl's eyes. "Kiana, I love you."
"Y-Yeah." Sirin frowned at the surprise attack. "I kinda caught on to that already."
"Hm, so you did."
Mei smirked, and suddenly she leaned forward, her breath tickling Kiana's ear.
"Sirin, I love you~."
"Hng?!"
A jolt went down Sirin's spine like lightning, and she couldn't help but shiver, hugging Mei closer.
That was definitely cheating! How could Mei just utter her… Sirin's… that name with that sort of tone?!
"It seems we have a winner," Mei spoke softly, chuckling as she leaned back to meet Sirin's glare. "Isn't that interesting, Sirin?"
"Just…" Sirin gulped, fully aware that her withering gaze wasn't having the expected effect. "Just keep kissing me before I change my mind about not destroying you."
Mei chuckled. "I thought you'd never ask."
Still smiling, the Herrscher of Thunder leaned forward, prompting Sirin to do the same…
"Superhot projectiles pierce the wind, I charged up my armor into lightspeed…"
And then they immediately froze as a quiet singing voice reached their ears.
Turning towards the source, both girls watched as Bronya, hair down and clad in her nightwear, wandered into the room distractedly, her ears covered by large wireless headphones and eyes focused on her phone as she walked towards the fridge.
"Though my wings've been bloodstained and could never rid…"
Opening the fridge, her eyes scoured its contents, and she reached for a carton of milk with her free hand, closing the door and turning away in a single motion.
Said motion came to a stop when she saw the two pairs of glowing eyes focused on her in the dark.
It was then that she noted the two Herrschers who shouldn't be there, embracing atop a couch that also shouldn't be there, clearly in the middle of something Bronya incidentally shouldn't be here to see.
Bronya blinked, pressing something on her headphones and lowering them to her neck, her eyes never leaving the sight she stumbled upon.
"..."
"..."
"..."
For several long moments, all three of them simply stared at each other, not uttering a word.
Slowly, the silver-haired girl turned back towards the fridge, opening it once more, and dived into it, placing the carton of milk back where it was and coming out holding onto several energy drinks.
Enough to pull off an all-nighter, as though Bronya had concluded that the night would be filled with noises and sleeping would be a fool's errand.
She turned to leave, only to stop, glancing down at her newly obtained items with a pondering look.
Reaching a decision, Bronya walked to the counter and carefully placed down two energy drinks, leaving them behind as she hurried to the doorway.
Once there, she came to a stop yet again, glancing back to meet Kiana's golden Herrscher gaze…
And giving her a thumbs up.
Then she raised her headphones to her ears again, pressed the same button as before, turned up the volume to the point even the two other girls could hear the song blasting into her ears, and disappeared into the apartment's hallways, footsteps as light as the wind.
"..."
"..."
As a result, nothing but silence was left in her wake.
Mei's expression could only be described as that of someone who was talked by Theresa into trying to eat bitter melon raw, and as for the shorter girl currently in the process of dying inside…
"No…" Kiana uttered, disentangling herself from Mei and bringing her hands to her face instead. "Noooooooooo…"
This was a good enough reason to open a portal to the void and never come back, right?
"... I suppose this is the world telling us we had enough excitement for one night," Mei grumbled, letting go of Kiana and rising to her feet. She reached for the two empty cups on the floor, taking hold of them and walking towards the sink.
"Whyyyyyy…" was all Kiana said in response, turning around to fall backwards on the couch as she continued to cover her flushed face. "Now everyone knooows…"
"Ah, right." The sound of running water joined the rain's as Mei washed the cups. "You mean the fact you're a bott—"
"I mean the Herrscher thing!" Kiana nearly screeched, following it up with a defeated groan. "You're an evil, evil woman… Nothing at all like my soft, kind Mei…"
"Is that so?" Mei sounded amused as she moved to store the energy drinks in the fridge. "But you sounded like you were enjoying my company so much just now—"
"Evil!"
"Yes, yes. I'm evil." Mei chuckled, walking back to the couch. "Do you feel like staying here or going back to your room?"
"... Room," Kiana mumbled, pouting at Mei. "I'm so done with everything tonight…"
"Alright."
The white-haired girl moved to get up, but she didn't have a chance to.
Not when the Herrscher of Thunder bent down and took hold of her, stunning Kiana into silence as she was lifted like a princess.
"M-Mei…?"
"Why such a face?" Mei chuckled, letting her feet carry them out of the room. "I'm bringing you back to your room, as you wished."
"T-That's not the issue here!" Kiana nearly let out a hysterical laugh, because this couldn't be happening. "Why are you carrying me like this? I can walk by myself!"
"But I want to hold you close," Mei explained, like it was the simplest thing in the world. "I love being near my queen, after all."
Any complaints the shorter girl had died in her throat as her heart skipped a beat.
"Cheater," Sirin whispered, wrapping her arms around Mei's neck and hiding her flushed face against the taller girl's shoulder. "Cheater, cheater, cheater…"
Mei's only response was to plant a kiss on her forehead that had her sputtering unintelligibly.
"Ah, what a predicament," Mei began, amused. "My gallant knight became an adorable queen… Then again, this is also quite nice. Wouldn't you agree, Sirin?"
Sirin pointedly refused to answer, pouting against Mei's shoulder.
It didn't take long for them to reach the door to her room. With a bit of fumbling, Mei managed to open it, marching inside with the silent girl in her arms.
When Mei gently placed her down on her bed, as though she was as fragile as glass, Sirin did not feel disappointed at the distance between them. Anyone who said otherwise was a slanderer.
Then she noticed the Herrscher of Thunder moving to take hold of her covers.
"What, are you actually tucking me in?"
"Don't want me to?" With an infuriating smile that Sirin didn't want to kiss, Mei pulled the covers over her. "What's wrong about making sure my queen is comfortable?"
"... Stop saying stuff like that," Sirin grumbled. "You're just making me feel things on purpose…"
"Guilty as charged."
Sirin wanted to say something else to reprimand the insolent woman, but unfortunately her chance was taken away by a pair of soft lips touching her own, only to pull away far too soon.
"Sweet dreams, my queen," Mei spoke softly. "Unless you'd prefer for me to stay?"
Unsurprisingly, Sirin shot her a wide-eyed look.
Mei expected the other girl to start sputtering something and then urge her to leave the room at once.
Instead, what she got was a half-hearted glare before Sirin glanced away with a huff, pulling the covers up to hide her lower face. "By now, you've already sullied my name irreparably… Just do as you wish, Herrscher of Thunder…"
For once, it was Mei who hesitated.
"Ah, w-well, it might not be a good idea, actually," she said. "It'd be too taxing on my self-control."
"Evil…" Sirin huffed, giving Mei her best offended look. "To do all these things and still leave me wanting… You're definitely evil, Raiden Mei…"
Even in the dark, it wasn't difficult to notice the way Mei went still at those words.
"... L-Let's leave it for another day," is what she went with after a moment. "Good night. I love you."
Yellow eyes watched as the accursed woman turned towards the doorway, eager to avoid responsibility for what she had done.
Before she could leave, Sirin opened her mouth.
"How ill-mannered can you be…? Aren't you supposed to wait for a response?" she said, and the other Herrscher stopped in her tracks, looking back with a surprised look. Good enough. "... Sleep well, you insolent woman. I…" she trailed off, following up with a quiet, almost inaudible whisper, "I love you too…"
Though the last three words were quite hard to make out, the Herrscher of Thunder definitely heard them.
There was no other explanation for the wide-eyed look she shot at her, nor the way her mouth opened and closed several times before she settled for a simple nod.
And then she left, closing the door on her way out.
Sirin huffed, shifting under the covers to find a comfortable position. The storm continued to rage outside, but, strangely enough, she didn't mind it this time.
Still, sweet dreams? Good night? What a joke.
As if she could find any sleep after all that…
The Herrscher of Thunder should have gone back to the living room to return the couch to its proper spot. Raiden Mei enjoyed keeping things tidy, after all.
However, it was because she was Raiden Mei that she walked straight to her room instead, heart hammering in her chest.
As soon as she closed the door, she pressed her back against it, sliding down to the floor and hugging her knees.
She was stupid. So, so very stupid.
Why hadn't she gone for it? Without a doubt, Raiden Mei wanted it. In fact, every single thing she had done so far was a desire of Raiden Mei that her host never had the courage to pursue.
But, at that moment, it felt like too much. That was the only way she could describe it.
She was meant to be far less hesitant than her weak host. She was the Herrscher of Thunder, and if she wanted something, she was supposed to fight for it. Though they might have shared a few feelings, none of her host's weaknesses should apply to her.
And yet, those sensations she felt, the ones that made her escape the presence of the girl she loved, were unmistakable.
The fear that she was overstepping her bounds, that she wouldn't be good enough for the perfect girl before her, that she didn't deserve any of this…
Indeed, she was Raiden Mei.
Ever since the previous day, her own thoughts were becoming more and more unfamiliar by the second.
The voice that treated her like a pawn and often told her to spread Honkai had always been an annoyance, but now it felt outright repulsive, because how dare that stupid Honkai God or whatever believe Mei would ever turn against humanity?
The Herrscher of Thunder never cared for humanity.
Raiden Mei did care, however.
And the Herrscher of Thunder was born from Raiden Mei.
The line that separated them was built from denial. To her host, she was a cruel monster, and to herself, her host was a weak-minded fool.
To the both of them, the other's existence was an eyesore, and who in their right mind could stare at what they perceived as a twisted parody of themselves and declare, without hesitation, that they're the same person?
But the Herrscher of Thunder cast all that denial away.
Yes, she didn't care about humanity's destruction. Though she might not like most humans, she was indifferent to them, not hateful.
Yes, she loved Kiana Kaslana more than anything in the world. She would never wish any harm on that girl, regardless of all her excuses.
And yes, she was Raiden Mei, constructed from the feelings and frustrations she kept locked deep within.
So what was left to separate her from each other?
Nothing. There was simply nothing left to force Raiden Mei to be two entities.
There was no point in two Meis.
Little by little, she could feel her confidence leaving her. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say her host's lack of confidence was affecting her.
She might have told Kiana a lie.
The truth was, she and her host were not merging. And they never would if left alone.
But.
There was no point in two Meis.
So it would be better for the Herrscher of Thunder who caused so much strife to leave. To simply allow herself to fade away and leave her host in peace.
And yet...
After the words she was told, after the warmth she was given, the Herrscher of Thunder refused to disappear so thoroughly.
There was no point in two Meis.
"Is that the conclusion you reached?"
Her host's voice ring clear in her head.
The Herrscher of Thunder could have asked her many things. Since when she had been awake. How she gathered enough authority to observe and make herself known. The reason for such confidence that she rarely demonstrated.
Instead, she only said one thing.
"... Yes."
And so there would only be one.
What would become of Raiden Mei?
She would probably be more confident, more cruel, a little bit more of everything that formed the Herrscher of Thunder.
It wouldn't consume her, of course; after all, her host would remain as humble and kind as always. That balance, perhaps, would make the true Raiden Mei appear — not a hopeless fool who only knew how to rely on others instead of her own strength, nor an inhuman monster who craved nothing but power and destruction.
But, then, what would become of the Herrscher of Thunder? The one willing herself to sink into Raiden Mei and become one?
"You'll be here," Raiden Mei told her. "The same as always. The Raiden Mei who loves Kiana Kaslana."
The Herrscher of Thunder chuckled, her eyes beginning to water.
How pathetic was that? A being like her getting emotional over a human's words.
Even so, that was true. She did love Kiana Kaslana.
Amidst her tears, she laughed, the sound echoing in her dark room.
And Kiana loved her back.
"Goodbye, Raiden Mei."
"No... What you should say is, 'I'm home.'"
And what else could she ask for?
…
The hours passed. Before long, the rain came to an end, and the clouds overhead parted to allow the sunlight through.
When the alter ego known as "Herrscher of Thunder" finally reached her end, it was with a victorious smile on her face.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
It was very fortunate that Herrschers didn't explicitly need sleep.
For hours, Kiana had done nothing but alternate between rolling on her bed, screaming into her pillow, hyperventilating, and using her phone. Not always in that specific order for every cycle.
But morning finally arrived, and she could smell the food being prepared. To stay hidden in her room any further would be nothing but torture.
So she got ready, turned off her Herrscher eyes, and hesitantly tip-toed towards the direction of food, her long white hair gently flowing behind her.
When she reached the doorway, Kiana silently peeked into the room first.
Mei was there by the stove, preparing a heavenly breakfast while humming a familiar song.
The memories of earlier nearly made Kiana let out a weird noise, but she couldn't falter. It had been the other Mei, not this Mei. She had no reason to be embarrassed.
She took a few deep breaths until she actually believed that.
That aside, Bronya was nowhere to be seen.
Kiana suddenly remembered all the energy drinks the younger girl took to her room earlier.
So that had been her solution to avoid hearing "certain noises" at night, huh? Gaming with her headphones on until she crashed?
An ultimately pointless effort, considering how things went after her interruption, but that wasn't Kiana's problem. In fact, all that meant was that the stars aligned just right to grant her a lovely morning alone with Mei.
A smile crept up to her lips, and she gently walked into the room with soft steps.
"Good morning, Mei~!"
The girl in question jolted in place, still focusing on the fry pan in her hold. "K-Kiana? Don't startle me like that… But good morning to you, as well."
Yep, that was her lovely Mei.
"I can't wait to see what my favorite girl in the world prepared for me~!" Kiana approached slowly, making sure Mei knew what she was doing before wrapping her arms around the taller girl from behind, tip-toeing to peek over her shoulder at their soon-to-be breakfast. "Hm… Can I get an early taste~?"
It almost felt like a normal morning, despite yesterday.
Almost, of course, because Kiana would usually be a lot louder than this.
Mei sighed, but Kiana could see she was smiling. "Kiana, you need to be more patient. I'm almost done."
Of course, This was the part where she was meant to start begging with a big smile and hugging Mei tighter.
'C'mooooon~! Please, please, pretty please? Mei's cooking always smells so good I can barely control myself~! I'm gonna go crazy and turn into a food-eating zombie at this rate!'
In fact, that was what she said two days ago.
Today, however, she simply giggled.
"This is Mei's world-class cooking, how can anyone be patient~?" Kiana grinned as she tilted her head, cheek pressing against Mei's. "Isn't there anything I can get early? As a treat?"
"A treat, huh…"
Kiana watched attentively as Mei pondered, resuming her humming.
Little by little, Mei's smile grew, and Kiana knew she had reached a decision.
The white-haired girl impatiently wondered what it'd be today. Would Mei pluck a little something from the frying pan and bring it to her mouth, or reveal that she had hidden away a snack for Kiana in the fridge earlier?
To Kiana's confusion, Mei did neither, instead bringing up a hand to Kiana's chin and turning the slightly bewildered girl's face towards her own.
Then she pressed their lips together.
Within the second, Kiana stopped thinking.
What was going on? Weren't they talking about treats? Clearly Kiana was referring to food, right? How silly of Mei, thinking Kiana was asking for a kiss.
… A kiss. Kiana was currently being kissed by Mei.
Mei was kissing her.
When they separated, Kiana had a completely dumbfounded stare.
Seeing it, Mei simply chuckled. "Is this enough for a treat, or are you hoping for something more?"
"..."
If Kiana's brain was functioning properly, maybe she'd have come up with a decent response.
Instead, what she did was to let go of Mei, and slowly take several steps back, one by one.
Then she ran to the other side of the counter and crouched to hide behind it, peeking out of cover at the amused Mei with wide eyes.
"V-Very funny, Mei, hahaha," she began with an obviously forced smile. "I-I didn't expect that at all… B-But you kinda missed my cheek, see…?"
Mei's smile turned somewhat pitying. "Huh… That much denial can't be healthy. Was I too forward again?"
For a few seconds, Kiana offered no response, simply eyeing the taller girl.
Then she suddenly jumped to her feet, eyes blazing gold as she pointed at Mei.
"I-I won't forgive you this time, Herrscher of Thunder!" Sirin declared, cheeks flushed scarlet. "Not even if you beg me for an entire era! I won't!"
"Ah, here's the defense mechanism."
"Shut it!" Sirin grit her teeth, glaring at the other Herrscher. "How dare you fake those eyes and pretend to be Mei…? Do you have any idea what you're doing to me, you—"
"Sirin," Mei cut her off with a frown, "breathe."
At such impudent words, she almost, almost materialized a Void Lance right then and there.
Fortunately, she remembered the fact Himeko wouldn't exactly be happy about waking up to half the apartment in ruins. That was enough for her to close her eyes and force herself to do as she was told, gritting her teeth and balling her hands into fists as she struggled to take deep breaths.
When Kiana opened her eyes again, they were still golden, but the fury in them had faded into mild annoyance.
"I thought that was clear enough earlier, but my mind's very unstable right now," she pointed out, exasperated. "You might find it funny to play around for my reactions, but if I lose control and start blowing things up, you'll only have yourself to blame."
"It's that bad? I guess I should apologize, then," Mei said, her smile returning as she turned off the stove behind her. "Still, you're acting a bit different now. Is this something like your third personality?"
"I'm just trying to keep my impulses under control." Kiana huffed, crossing her arms from across the counter. "It's not fun to have my personality swing between two extremes like a pendulum just because a certain someone finds it funny to agitate me. It's like I can't finish a single line of thought before my mind throws it all out and resets itself."
"Ah… Then I definitely should apologize." Mei's smile turned a little guilty. "Sorry. I didn't realize it was that distressing."
"Hmph, as long as you're aware…" Kiana stopped for a moment, frowning. "Still, it wasn't nearly this bad yesterday. I'd probably have gone Sirin during dinner if I was like this. What's going on…?"
"Maybe… I actually ended up knocking something out of place earlier?" Mei offered sheepishly. "Or maybe your mind's trying to find a middle ground. Having two personalities without an alter ego sounds complicated."
Kiana actually seemed like she was considering that.
Then she simply shrugged.
"Whatever. This conversation's devolving into nonsense," she decided. "I want to eat something. Is breakfast ready, huma— Mei?"
Said girl's apologetic smile told her all she needed to know.
"Um, I think it should be ready in… ten minutes?" Mei said, turning back towards the stove and moving to continue cooking. "Sorry, I started a bit later than usual."
Letting out a disappointed groan, Kiana dragged her feet towards the table. Pulling a chair opposite to Mei's direction, she slumped onto it, letting her head rest on the table.
"Feel free to take your time…"
"... You should at least sound like you mean it."
"I can't help iiiit..." she whined in a rather familiar way, kicking the air under the table. "Having to wait for Mei's food even though I can already smell it is just torture… Wait." Kiana suddenly raised her head, turning to Mei with a serious look. "Say, am I forgetting something?"
Mei glanced at the other girl, dumbfounded. "Is this that mind reset thing you were talking about?"
"So I did forget something." Kiana tilted her head with a thoughtful look. "Let's see, we were talking about… Oh!" Suddenly, she glared at the other girl. "Give the body back to Mei."
Mei stilled for a moment at the sudden order.
Then she let out a long sigh, turning off the gas and turning towards Kiana with a serious look.
"Yes, well… I'm Raiden Mei," she explained.
"You know that's not what I'm talking about." Kiana actually sounded annoyed. "Sweet and kind Mei. That Mei. Hand her over."
"No, you're the one who's not getting it."
"Hm?"
"How blunt do I have to be?" Mei crossed her arms, regarding Kiana with a mildly exasperated gaze. "I'm Raiden Mei, the only ego inhabiting this body. That's me."
All she received in response was a golden blank gaze.
"Did you kick Mei out—"
"We fused," Mei cut her off with an annoyed look. "This morning, Raiden Mei suddenly came to and realized she was the Herrscher of Thunder, and the Herrscher of Thunder also realized she was Raiden Mei. No one was kicked out of this body. Didn't I tell you yesterday that'd happen?"
Hearing that, Kiana tilted her head, regarding the other girl with a curious look.
Then she opened her mouth, and…
"Oh, okay."
It was Mei's turn to stare.
"That's it?" she asked. "I… expected a stronger reaction. Maybe even you accusing me of lying and trying to replace the 'real Mei,' or something like that."
"I mean, If the Herrscher of Thunder could do that, I think she'd have done it way earlier, right?" Kiana shrugged, slumping to rest her chin on the table as she looked at Mei. "Besides I just got eaten by a Honkai Beast, then found out someone put a Core inside me that made me turn into the Herrscher of the Void. To be honest, I thought it was gonna take longer for you to merge like that, but it still sounds pretty normal, you know?"
Those words rendered Mei speechless for several seconds.
Then she awkwardly cleared her throat, averting her eyes with a flush of embarrassment. "A-Alright, you have a point. Just about anything would sound normal compared to what happened to you."
"Helps that you actually had stuff leading up to this," Kiana added casually. "So, that means you're like me and Kiana, right?"
Mei regarded her with a raised eyebrow. "You mean 'Sirin and I.'"
"Eh, grammar." Kiana shrugged, entirely oblivious.
Mei sighed, letting her arms fall to her sides. "I think so? It's strange, having two sets of memories like this. Especially when they intersect. I can actually remember calling myself a weakling, and it's… a unique experience."
"Oh, right!" Kiana piped up, realizing something. "Does this mean you're gonna be all broody from now on? Instead of my cute happy Mei?"
"I just became a Herrscher for good, and that's what you're worried about?" The taller girl shot Kiana an unamused look. "Kiana…"
"H-Hey, I was just curious, okay?" She raised her hands defensively, wearing a disarming smile. "A cool Mei's fine, too. It's all good…" the girl suddenly trailed off as a thought hit her, smile receding. "Wait… How many of the Herrscher's memories did you get?"
Mei regarded her with curiosity. "All of them. Like I said, she's me."
"So…" Kiana gulped, her cheeks flushing every so slightly. "About a few hours ago…"
"... All of it," Mei answered after a moment, realizing where the conversation was going.
Kiana stared at her wordlessly for what felt like ages.
"I see," is all she said, before falling silent again.
In the awkward seconds that followed, neither broke eye contact.
Eventually having enough, Mei let out an awkward cough, moving to resume her cooking. "If this conversation's over, then I should—"
"Are we dating now?"
Mei nearly tripped over absolutely nothing as she spun back towards Kiana.
Then she took a deep breath of her own, calming down, and looked at the other girl with some amusement.
"I see that Sirin's memories didn't make you any less blunt," Mei said in an exasperated tone. "Then let me play along and put it this way. Do you want to build a habit of making out with girls you're not in a relationship with?"
The white-haired girl hummed. "Well, if that's a possibility…"
"Kiana…"
"T-That was a joke, a joke!" Kiana let out an awkward laugh, averting her eyes from the glare directed at her. "Alright, so! Lovers, then. The two of us. That's great. That's…" she trailed off, thinking. "... That's actually kinda amazing, isn't it?"
"I-I suppose so." Mei nodded, a blush of her own creeping up to her face. "Still, I'm surprised. Shouldn't this kind of conversation make you go 'Sirin,' as you said?"
"... I do kinda wanna start shouting, to be honest," Kiana admitted with a bashful smile. "It's just… Sirin had some issues with, well… basically everything, honestly. I think that's why there's a part of my brain that keeps saying you're just mocking me, or… that this can't be real because good things never happen. I'm just working on keeping it all down." A self-deprecating chuckle escaped Kiana's lips. "Sorry. As long as I'm like this, I might end up being pretty troublesome for you."
Mei simply smiled at her, cheeks still reddened. "I don't really mind."
"But you should…" Kiana looked away with a melancholic gaze. "I'm… actually afraid I might end up being more Sirin than Kiana, if I merge like you did. If that happens, then what went on earlier won't be just a phase, right? I'll have that difficult personality for good."
"I still don't mind," Mei repeated. "Besides, didn't I tell you earlier? You're adorable when you're being fussy."
Kiana suddenly shot to her feet, her hands slamming against the table as she glared at Mei with a scarlet blush and opened her mouth to shout something.
Then she realized what she was about to do, and all but deflated, slumping on her seat.
"Meeeeeiii…"
"Ah, sorry." A sheepish smile crossed the taller girl's face. "If the problem is 'Sirin' not being used to it, maybe things will get better over time?"
"I hope…" Kiana groaned, burying her face in hands. "I don't wanna freak out at every little thing… I just wanna be lovey-dovey with Mei in peace…"
Mei couldn't stop a giggle from escaping her lips. "I'm guessing this is you going 'Kiana' right now."
"Yeeeeep…"
Kiana let out something between a long sigh and a whimper.
Then she suddenly shot to her feet with a determined expression.
"Alright, that's it!" she declared, marching towards Mei. "I'm not gonna let these dumb impulses win!"
The taller girl watched curiously as Kiana walked past the counter, stopping right before her and spreading her arms open with an expectant look.
Mei blinked quizzically. "Kiana…?"
"You said it, right? The part of me that's 'Sirin' will eventually get used to it," she spoke impatiently, just in time for a few traces of hesitation to reveal themselves in her face. "S-So! Let's start training it!"
At those words, Mei continued to stare at Kiana.
No, perhaps she was already 'Sirin'?
Little by little, a smile grew on Mei's lips.
"Hm… I don't think I understood what you want," she said, thinking. "Can you be a little more specific?"
"H-How can I be any more clear than this…?" Sirin narrowed her eyes, her cheeks flushing. "I mean couple stuff! Let's do couple stuff!"
"But, you know, couples do a lot of things, so I'm still not sure…" The taller girl made a show of pondering. "Maybe it'll help if you tell me what exactly you're hoping for?"
Sirin snarled, but still held her pose.
"Hu… Hugging," she forced the words out. "I want you to… hug me, dammit…"
"Ah, of course!" Mei shot her a bright smile. "See? It wasn't that hard, right?"
Any comeback Sirin had in mind was far gone the moment Mei leaned forward and embraced her, gently settling the white-haired girl's face against her shoulder.
On instinct, she almost pushed the taller girl away, only barely managing to stop herself. Instead, she ordered her arms to hug Mei back, doing her best to focus on how warm she was as the Gem of Conquest pulsed soothingly.
It felt… good.
Granted, it also felt good when Himeko hugged her last night during her description of Babylon Labs, but Mei's hug was… different. Or rather, it made her feel different things.
"Well?" Mei suddenly spoke up in a calming tone. "Any progress?"
Sirin's only reply was a soft hum as she hugged Mei a little bit tighter.
Any reservations she had were far gone, shooed away by the comfort she felt. It seemed like it wouldn't be so hard to get used to this, after all.
… Then again, Sirin wasn't completely certain about it, so maybe she should stay like this for a little while longer.
Just to be sure, of course.
…
Unfortunately, good things weren't really allowed to last.
It was right then that, with no warning whatsoever, Himeko ran into the room, already clad in her uniform save for the scarlet jacket she was in the process of putting on.
"Mei! I'll have to skip… breakfast…"
She came to a stop at the sight of the two girls embracing by the stove, both indigo and golden eyes shooting her wide stares.
There was a lot to unpack there.
So Himeko simply decided not to, instead rushing moving towards the fridge as she finished putting on her jacket.
"Good for you girls," she said as she opened the door and eyed the contents inside the fridge, immediately reaching for a plate with a half-eaten slice of cake from the previous day and a plastic fork. "I'd get you some red rice, but the Principal just told me the Hyperion's leaving in thirty minutes with or without me, which is funny considering I'm the goddamned captain."
That finally snapped the two girls out of it.
"The Hyperion?!" Kiana nearly screeched as she untangled herself from Mei, moving to Himeko's side. "W-What's going on? An emergency mission? Is it something like Nagazora!?"
At the mention of her hometown, Mei's expression became serious. "Kiana, go get ready. I'll wake Bronya, and then we—"
"It is an emergency, but you girls are not coming," Himeko cut her off, pointing the fork at them. "We're dealing with a Judgment-class disaster here. That's way above your paygrade."
"But we're Herrschers!" Kiana argued, to which Mei nodded.
Himeko stopped right before putting another piece of cake in her mouth. She quickly glanced at the similarly worried Mei, noted the complete lack of surprise in her expression despite Kiana's declaration, then promptly decided to roll with it.
"Mei's officially registered, but she still has a bomb in her heart, and you have your cover to worry about," she explained in the same commanding tone she used for missions.
"But, Auntie, we can—"
"You're not coming," Himeko snapped, the sudden edge in her voice making both girls flinch.
When neither of them said anything, instead opting to stare at her with worry clear in her eyes, she took a deep breath, her eyes softening.
"You girls don't need to worry," she began. "If everything goes well, all we'll have to do is shoot the darn thing in the mouth about twenty times with the Hyperion's cannon and call it a day."
Kiana didn't look certain. "If everything goes well, huh…"
"... You're being strangely optimistic, Major," Mei added, about as unsure.
"Sugar, don't jinx it." Himeko brought more cake to her mouth, chewing it hurriedly and gulping. "It's already unfortunate enough that a giant white dragon—"
What.
"—just spontaneously popped into existence in Siberia a few hours back."
What.
"Keep talking like that," Himeko continued, "and it might just grow two more heads. It wouldn't be fun for anyone involved."
Unbeknownst to the woman, Kiana's brain was barely acknowledging most of her words, save for a select few.
"Major, are you sure we can't help…?" Mei sounded twice as worried now. "A Judgment-class dragon sounds… concerning."
A white dragon. In Siberia. Who just appeared with no warning.
"... Bella?"
Mei shot Kiana a puzzled glance.
"Benares, actually," Himeko corrected Kiana, finishing the cake and placing the plate on the counter before eyeing the two girls, her voice capturing their wandering attention. "You girls were supposed to learn about this about a month from now, but I might as well take this chance to say it. The first and only time Schicksal fought one of those was during the Second Eruption, when it first appeared to assist the Herrscher of the Void, and it took a lot of work for the unprepared Valkyries back then to kill it. Luckily, the Overseer is many things, but stupid isn't one of them, and Theresa told me he's deploying Durandal, Schicksal's top S-Rank Valkyrie, to…"
Her lecture came to an abrupt end as her mind caught up to her words. A certain story Kiana told her the previous day came to her mind.
"... Second Eruption. Siberia. Practically the Herrscher of the Void's pet. It's in Siberia again…" Himeko muttered to herself, her mind piecing things together. "So far, all Judgment-class Honkai Beasts were one-of-a-kind before only appearing as weaker variants. Benares would only be an exception if we assume it's a different Honkai Beast, with the alternative being..."
Slowly, both Himeko and Mei turned their gazes towards Kiana, noting the panic written all over her face.
"Bella, you say?" Himeko asked slowly. "Sugar, is there anything you'd like to share?"
"Kiana, don't tell me…" Mei trailed off, disbelieving.
The girl in question looked like she had just been caught cheating in a test.
"Uhhh…"
No, hold on.
Even if it was Bella and she had, somehow, been hibernating instead of slain, how would Kiana be at fault here? It wasn't like awakening sleeping Honkai Beasts from countries away was part of her skillset, and she hadn't done something like call Bella.
... Wait.
In her panic, Sirin closed her eyes, readying herself for the inevitable.
It was too much. It felt like her heart was trying to beat out of her chest. Sirin couldn't take this.
'Help! Anyone! Auntie! Bellaaaaaa!'
…
Ooooh…
Oh no.
Kiana couldn't quite stop a nervous laugh from coming out as she averted her eyes, trying to escape Himeko's and Mei's increasingly suspicious gazes.
"W-Well, I… Um, you see…" she began with a shaky smile. "I-It's a really funny story, hahaha…"
She was in trouble, wasn't she?