Chapter Text
Kiana awoke to pain.
Given her last few memories, this wasn’t surprising. She’d been fleeing Nagazora with Mei and Bratnya when some Honkai Beasts attacked. Kiana had jumped into an attack aimed for Mei and took a serious gash in her back. After that… her memories got fuzzy, but she was pretty sure the Herrscher of Thunder had reemerged. They were in the air and Kiana…
Kiana had ripped the Herrscher’s wing off. Remembering that was enough for her to suck in a breath. What had she been thinking ? Did she want people to discover what she was? She should have tried harder to get Mei in control of her abilities so the two of them could run far away from all of this. No fighting, no danger. Humans and Honkai could have their War— Why did the two Herrschers need to pick a side?
Stop that. You’re a Kaslana, remember? “Thou Shalt Constitute Thyself As A Shield For The Weak And Innocent.” Live by that oath, for Papa.
Finally, Kiana opened her eyes. An immediate look at her surroundings told her she was in an infirmary. That alone was enough to make her breath hitch, but she was in a soft and comfortable bed, and there weren’t any needles in her arm. She could relax.
Or not, with the high pitched voice that suddenly invaded her senses. “So you’re finally awake.” Looking that way, Kiana had to bite her tongue to avoid shouting. Theresa Apocalypse was in the room with her, sitting on that damned golden cross. “It seems that your recovery is on track.”
Kiana forced herself to breathe normally. She wasn’t supposed to know who the nun was, so she put on an air of indifference. “What is this place? Hey, brat, I’m talking to you!”
That might have been a mistake, given the way Theresa’s face darkened. “Brat!?” She jumped off the cross and snapped her fingers. Realizing what was coming, Kiana responded too late. Golden chains shot out of the weapon, wrapping around Kiana’s limbs and pinning her to the bed.
Kiana shrieked.
Agony invaded her senses. It wasn’t real— just a memory— yet she knew how potent the pain produced by one’s mind could be. For a moment, Kiana wasn’t in the hospital room, but at the top of a great tower. A phantom spear pierced her heart, sharp cold rushing through her veins.
Then, the chains receded, and Kiana’s mind returned to the present. Breathing heavily, she looked to the nun, whose eyes were wide in horror.
Shit.
Kiana licked her lips, mind scrambling for an excuse. “I… have bad experiences with being restrained,” was all it came up with. At least Theresa seemed equally unsure how to proceed, whatever lecture she had in mind long forgotten.
“I’m sorry.” Surprisingly, she bowed slightly. “I’ve failed you in so many ways, Kiana. My name is Theresa, I’m in charge of the Far East branch of Schicksal. I’m also your godmother. I remember holding you when you were a baby… I should have done more to protect you.”
By some miracle, Kiana managed to avoid cringing. Theresa didn’t know it, but she was wrong. This was the first time she and Kiana were meeting in this life. The child she had held was long gone.
Forcing those memories aside, Kiana put on a smirk. “Hey, we Kaslanas are tough! We also don’t jump straight to bondage play when we meet people.”
The words had their intended effect, making Theresa groan and pinch the bridge of her nose. “Just what sort of books have you been reading? I’m actually here to make you an offer. How would you like to find Siegfried together?”
Kiana’s eyes widened. “You know the old man? Do you… know where he is?” It had been so long, and her last memories of him…
Flames, blood, screaming. He said she could be someone else but how could she ever escape her past when this destruction had been her doing? Her father’s arm was gone and it was her fault and her sins would chase her forever—
“I have a hunch,” Theresa said, snapping Kiana out of her thoughts. “But I won’t be telling you. You’ll die if you try to find him in this state.”
Only then did Kiana notice the bandages wrapped around her. The injuries still ached, but she forced herself to appear strong. “These wounds can’t stop me! Tell me where he is!”
Theresa’s eyes narrowed. “I’m not talking about your injuries. I’m talking about your combat skills. If you can’t even handle a single Honkai beast, you’ll probably meet your maker before getting a glimpse of Daddy.”
She had no idea just how strong Kiana really was, but using those powers was off the table anyway. Instead, Kiana leaned forward, eyes meeting those of the shorter yet much more capable woman. “Teach me then! I’m a fast learner!”
Not true, but no one was here to argue the point.
The smirk Theresa had would make any Herrscher proud. “That’s exactly what I have planned. My proposal is for you to enroll in St. Freya high school for some Valkyrie training! I’ll mold you into a warrior capable of fighting entire armies on your own! Your friends have already agreed, so how about it? Will you join them and become great warriors defending our planet?”
There wasn’t much need for Kiana to consider. This was everything she wanted, wasn’t it? Not that she’d let Theresa know as much.
“On one condition.”
That was how Kiana found herself walking into her new apartment, where Mei and Bronya would be waiting for her. The grin on her face was impossible to defuse now that she had a new goal. With a skip in her step, she bounced to the door and flung it open.
Her grin vanished.
The apartment could only be described as a dump, full trash bags and empty beer bottles shoved against the wall. Articles of clothing ranging from jackets to underwear were strewn across the floor and furniture, and the uncovered spots were littered with dust and dirt. There was a rank smell in the air that Kiana didn’t dare attempt to identify. As the front door opened, Kiana saw Mei opening a closet, the red-haired woman’s warning shout coming too late. A mountain of junk poured out, burying them both. Mei yelped as she fell down.
“What’s all this stuff?”
“At least 3 months of things which I couldn’t find a use for…” The red-head sighed. “Be a sweetheart and help clean this up.”
It was then that Mei spotted Kiana, her eyes lighting up in joy. “Kiana!” There was no time to react before the other girl had her in a tight hug. “Welcome home!”
This girl is too precious , Kiana thought as she returned the embrace. She was smiling like an idiot, but she didn’t care. Who wouldn’t smile in Mei’s presence?
Unfortunately, a certain grouchy nun interrupted their reunion. “That’s my part of the deal. Now that you’ve been reunited with your girlfriend, will you accept my offer?”
Mei’s face turned scarlet, but Kiana just rolled her eyes. “You’ll really tell me where the old man is if I sign up?”
Theresa shook her head, making Kiana frown until she explained. “Not so easy. If you want to know where your daddy is, you need to become an A-Rank Valkyrie.”
Oh, was that all? Kiana made her thoughts on that clear with a smirk. “I won’t just be an A-Ranker. I’m gonna be the best Valkyrie there ever was!”
The future best Valkyrie couldn’t sleep.
Kiana groaned, shoving her face into her pillow to muffle the sound. The bed was comfy and her body was exhausted from being forced to help with cleaning, but it seemed her mind had a hundred different thoughts it insisted on sorting through before resting. Thoughts of the past, the future, and her friends. She’d be able to protect them this time, right?
A soft knock on her door drew Kiana’s attention to the fact that she wasn’t the only one awake. Putting a pillow back in its rightful place, Kiana called out as quietly as possible so Bratnya wouldn’t have reason to complain. “Come in.”
She wasn’t surprised when the door opened and Mei stood on the other side. The other girl hesitated for a moment, before stepping inside and closing the door behind her. “Sorry, if I woke you, Kiana-chan.”
“Nah.” Kiana stretched her arms and flashed Mei a grin. “I wasn’t asleep yet. What’s up?” She already knew the answer, but it seemed rude not to ask.
“I wanted to hear more about… your past life. If that’s okay.”
For anyone else it wouldn’t be, but for Mei? Kiana patted the end of her bed, pulling Mei a bit closer when she cautiously sat at the very edge. “Relax, Mei-senpai! I’m the same Kiana you’ve always known, just like you’re still my sweet and wonderful Mei!”
Mei flushed, but seemed to relax a little. “You’re right. Sorry, Kiana, it’s just… been a harrowing few days. I still haven’t thanked you properly for saving my life.”
Kiana waved off Mei’s concern. “That? It was nothing. I couldn’t let you give up on yourself. If I did, then what would be the point of the second chance Papa gave me?”
“How do you manage?” Mei whispered. “Is it… because it all happened in a past life?”
Despite the temptation to nod in agreement— to act like she was still the blank slate she’d been for the first 2 years of her life— Kiana answered truthfully. “No. Sirin is… she’s my past. I was Sirin. All that stuff happened to me, and all her actions were mine. When the memories returned to me… I knew I had to accept that. I just… don’t want to be Sirin anymore, you know? I’d rather be Kiana, daughter of Siegfried Kaslana. That’s why I haven’t told anyone.”
“Until me.” Mei’s eyes were rooted to the floor. “Why…?”
Kiana couldn’t help but wrap an arm around the now startled girl and pull her close. “Because you’re not alone, Mei-senpai! That mean Herrscher of Thunder persona doesn’t get to choose how you live your life. If she tries, I’ll beat her up for you!”
The giggle that escaped Mei was one of the most beautiful sounds Kiana had ever heard, only contested by Mei’s flustered squeaked and contented hums when eating something delicious. “I believe you, Kiana-chan. Thank you.”
“Of course!” Kiana laid down, pointedly leaving half the bed available. “And if you need protection in your sleep, I’m available for that too~” She waggled her eyebrows for good measure, adoring the way Mei’s blush reached her ears.
“I-I’m alright. I should be getting to bed now.” She hurried for the door, ignoring Kiana’s pout. “Goodnight, Kiana-chan.”
“Night, Mei-senpai…” Maybe one day she’d pull Mei out of that shell. They weren’t officially dating but… come on. Kiana was interested. Mei was interested. What was holding them back?
Fuck it. As the door closed, Kiana decided to cry out in a singsong voice. “I love youuuu~!”
Yeah, the flustered noise Mei made was worth it. Though the other girl returned to her room, Kiana was smiling as she settled back into bed. Now she was confident she wouldn’t have trouble sleeping.
That was, until a pillow collided with her face.
Kiana yelped, limbs flailing to the point that she nearly fell out of bed, only catching herself at the last moment. Once she was confident she was safe, she glared at her assailant. The gray-haired girl, of course, was unfazed.
“Kiana Idiotka will keep her flirting to a minimum volume when everyone else is trying to sleep.”
“Bratnya, get out of my room!”