Sunset ^beta

Chapter Text

“Mei, you’re back!”

“Love you, Mei! Bye-bye now!”

“Hehe I’ve got the strength of a hundred warriors when Mei’s around!”

“You know, you told Professor Himeko your love language is cooking, so what does that say about how you told me you’d never turn down the chance to cook for me~?”

“Don’t worry Mei, we’ll do this together! Like always!”

“MEI, NO!”

“MEI!”

“ MEI! ”

The grating buzzing of an alarm startled her, pulling the girl from a deep slumber as surely as a hand pulling her from bed. Groaning, a pale hand shot out from the tangled and twisted blankets and pawed blindly for the offending device. Eventually her fingers closed around the beeping rectangle on her dresser and snatched it back under the sheets. A moment later, the beeping ceased and quiet reigned once more. At least for a few seconds, until the warm lump under the mess of blankets let out an exhausted groan. Up came the blankets like a rogue wave ready to capsize an unfortunate ship. Instead, they simply fell harmlessly away from the body rising from its rest. Dark purple hair revealed itself, messy and tangled, half plastered with drool against the grumpy face of its owner. Another groan of annoyance accompanied calloused fingers pulling the spit soaked strands from her face. The cobwebs of a sleep laden with quickly forgotten dreams began fading from her mind. The girl slowly climbed out of bed, her feet dragging as she shuffled into her bathroom like a zombie.

Wednesdays were the worst.

Well, she shouldn’t say that really, she mentally corrected herself. She’d been trained as a priestess for the Herrscher of Finality for years now and she couldn’t really say she truly regretted it for a moment. However, that didn't stop her from drowsily wondering why her Goddess insisted her main day of worship be in the middle of the week. And on top of that, today was a day of celebration as well. The woman quickly began the motions of freshening up and soon- too soon- moved on to the arduous task of working the knots out of her knee-length hair. Once satisfied, she worked shorter strands by her ears into simple braids that hung down to her collar before gathering the long silky ends thrown over her shoulder, twisting and tying it up into a ponytail that brought it to a slightly more manageable length at her lower back. Her short-cut bangs framed her face gracefully. With a small smile at her reflection, she took her priestly garb from the small altar where they were always left carefully cleaned and folded and began the process of clothing her toned, athletic body.

The garb was made up of three pieces, the first styled similarly to a black dress shirt. However the material was a perfect combination of tough yet stretchy, allowing her much better movement than the thin, stiff clothing her father sometimes wore when on business. Over the top of this she put on a jacket of moderately thicker material that reminded her of a formal military uniform, though again much more protective and easier to move around in thanks to an expensive Honkai infusing threading process. It was dyed a stark white, fading into purple at the edges at the edge of the jacket collar extending up her neck. The upper torso was decorated with a half wreath of embroidered black flowers that faded into a highlight of purple around the petal's edges. The flowers flowed down from right between her right shoulder and the crook of her neck, arcing to the left above her breasts to stop just before her left underarm. From there a more dispersed trail curved and snaked down the left side of her torso and ended at her waist. It buttoned up quickly, a flap of fabric folding over to be pressed down onto a second column of buttons hid them from sight to give a smoother look.

Next were the pants. Much like the shirt, they were styled like formal dress pants, white and with the pattern of flowers continuing down the side of her left leg. And finally, black boots a bit more visually appealing than the combat boots that might be worn by conventional militaries, but just as tough and functional. They were perhaps the only part that deviated from the more formal look of the rest of her ensemble, though it was a small price to pay for a woman who needed to be ready to combat Honkai beasts at any moment. A quick lacing up kept them to a snug fit, the cuff of her pant legs tucked inside to shield them from dirt and grime.

The final touch was a shoulder cape she attached over her left arm. The braided cord she attached to the fixtures on the front and back of her shoulder was a shining silver. The cape itself began as a purple so dark it almost appeared black, before fading into brighter hues the further it went from her shoulder before it ended in the brilliant deep amethyst to evoke the similar coloring of Honkai energy said to stain the hands of the Moon Goddess..

Her clothing was complete. There was only one last thing to top off the small mission of getting dressed. The girl turned to the small altar against the wall of her room where her clothing had been nearly folded. Kneeling down to put herself level with it, she reached out and gently wrapped her fingers around the sheathed katana held on the backboard of the small altar. Holding a degree of reverence in her every movement, she lifted the katana from the rungs and mouthed a silent prayer to her Goddess before rising to her feet and affixing it to her waist alongside the variety of pouches connected to her belt.

She took a moment to glance over herself in a mirror next to the shrine. Everything appeared to be in place. The girl turned this way and that, a satisfied hum leaving her lips. She stood straight and stared at herself for a moment. She could not deny that her mothers description of her appearance as “princely and handsome” was rather apt. Though she did have to wonder if this was truly a decree of her Goddess, or if someone higher up in the Priestesshood was the reason such a significant portion of her morning was spent making herself look like she was headed to some noble's dance. Either way, it was time she left.

The quiet thump of her footwear made their way down the wooden hallway until her ears were met by the muffled sound of conversation and the clinking of utensils. The pleasant smell of cooking breakfast invaded her nostrils the closer she approached the kitchen door. Her feet quickly altered their course and the woman shuffled into the dining room proper. The muffled noises rang clearly in her senses the moment she pulled open the door.

“Mei! Good morning, dear!” Mifumi Raiden greeted the girl with a smile, “You look as handsome as ever!”

Mei returned the greeting with a much sleepier smile. “Good morning, mother.” Her gaze trailed over to the man sitting at the table, already absorbed in his breakfast. “Good morning, father.”

Ryoma Raiden raised his fork in greeting, not one to talk with his mouth full.

“Busy day today?” Her mother questioned.

“It is the Ascendancy celebration tonight.” Mei sighed. “I just came to say goodbye before I left, I need to get to the temple as soon as possible.”

“Ah. Prayer day is today as well, is it not?” Her father commented flatly, having finally swallowed his food.

Mei's eyes lit up in annoyance. “Yes, Father. It happens every week. Just like how you travel to the Temple of Seven Thunders every week.” She replied tersely.

“Yes, the same temple any daughter of the Raiden clan should be attending.” Her father frowned. “Even all this time later, I'm still trying to repair the damage you caused to our reputation when you declared your fealty to the Herrscher of Finality instead of the Herrscher of Thunder.” Ryoma sighed. “At the very least, I am glad you chose the one goddess held in great favor by the Queen of Thunder. Gods forbid you choose someone like the Herrscher of the Void.” He shuddered.

Mei grit her teeth. “So you have told me many times, father. Now if you'll excuse me, I must be on my way.” She turned without waiting for her father's gesture of dismissal.

“What about your breakfast?” Mifumi called out.

Mei shrugged. “I'll stop by somewhere on the way.” She kissed her mother on the cheek. With one last glance thrown towards Ryoma, she made her way towards the door. “I'll see you both tomorrow!”

“Breakfast together tomorrow, then?”

“Of course!” Mei grinned.

Ryoma quickly swallowed his next mouthful before Mei could disappear. “I know you won't accept my offer of having my staff escort you so… stay safe, Mei. Don't go wandering too far or walking off with any strange girls.”

Mei rolled her eyes. “Come now father. I'm a grown woman, I can take care of myself.” Her hand rested gently on the hilt of her katana. With that she slid away and quickly pushed her way out the front door.

The bustle of Arc city never failed to bring a smile to Mei's face. Seeing the wide diversity of cultures and people, on their way to work, shopping, or simply spending the morning with friends, she loved taking it all in. Seeing humanity on display in this way filled her heart with a joy and love her prayers would pass on to the Gods themselves.

For now though, what she really needed was a bite of the street food set up all around one of the squares her path took her through. Mei frequented this area so often she could travel through without drawing the unwanted gazes that usually followed any priestess outside of a temple. Though, of course, that didn't stop people from staring at her formal looking attire, but she greatly enjoyed that she could smile and trade greetings with those she passed instead of making people cower in intimidation. Her senses were alight with the sensations of the busy city. The feeling of her shoes against the stone flooring, her body twisting as she weaved through the crowd, her ears snatching up bits and pieces of the conversations around her, and the smells. Oh Goddess, the smells. The spices, meat, various sauces, every type of noodle under the sun. An intoxicating blend of sweetness, spiciness, smells of bitterness and tanginess, it all swirled around her, growing more or less intense depending on the stall she was walking past. The vendors would hawk their wares, knowing the patronage of a Priestess of Finality would be the best kind of advertising they could get. Unfortunately for them, there was only one place on Mei's mind.

Around the rim of the square were more eateries set into portions of the ground floor of the various business buildings forming the border for the area. Though most of them occupied barely more building space than the carts outside, they were often just as good. And one of them had captured Mei's attention for a few days now. While “Shenzhou Noodles” seemed a rather uninspired name to her, it more than made up for it with the actual product. Instead of going inside, the priestess approached the empty outside bar to place an order to go. The proprietor spotted her coming and a bright smile immediately bloomed across his face.

“Miss Raiden! Back again! What can I get for you today?”

Mei returned his bright smile with a softer one of her own. “Please, just Mei is fine, as it was last week, Mr. Lin.”

The man chuckled and waved her off. “And yet you still refuse to call me Zhao. At least meet me halfway, Mei!”

“I suppose I can oblige… Zhao.” Mei smiled.

“There we go! See? It's not too bad! Now, what would you like?”

Mei hummed and tapped a finger against her chin as her eyes scanned the menu. “I think I'll just get a takeaway of the same I ordered last time. I'm afraid I don't have time to sit and eat today.”

Zhao flicked her a two-fingered salute and turned to begin preparing her order. “Ah, prayer day for Finality folk today, isn't it?”

Mei nodded. “And a celebration tonight. As much as I enjoy your establishment, I must get to the temple early.”

“Ahh don't sweat it! It's an important job you have there. Important for any temple! I don't know if I could handle the pressure myself, you're one tough girl.” He chuckled. “Maybe that's why my family goes all the way back to The Phoenix instead of a Herrscher.” He was practically yelling now, battling against the cacophony of sizzling ingredients. “We never had a sect of warrior priests like you, but-” The sound of a new pair of customers walking in stole his attention away. “Oh, sorry Mei, duty calls!”

Mei waved goodbye, a small giggle bubbling in her chest. The man's energy certainly did help bolster her own on these early mornings.

“Wow, so you're a Priestess of Finality, huh? Sick drip.” A curious voice sounded from the seat to Mei's left.

Mei started at the sudden voice. Surely when she had arrived that seat had been empty? Or had she simply not heard this stranger approach? Was she that distracted?

“Oh, sorry!” The stranger cringed and raised her hands apologetically, chopsticks and noodles still clasped in one of them. “I didn't mean to scare you! I was just curious!”

Mei splayed her fingers and pressed the pads against her chest as she took a deep breath, as if guiding her breaths with the pressure of her fingers. Once she had calmed she turned to the strange girl. She was dressed rather plainly, baggy brown cargo pants and sneakers with a white jacket highlighted with orange. Mei's gaze quickly found two icy blue eyes staring back at her, bangs as white as snow swept to the left and framing a pale, rather cute face. The rest of her hair was pulled back into twin braids that spilled down the girl's back to her waist. Was she a local? Mei was certain she would have remembered seeing a girl such as this around before. “Apology accepted. I must have been distracted, I didn't notice you there, miss…”

“Kiana!” The girl beamed. “Kiana Kaslana!”

“Miss Kaslana.” Mei flashes a small smile and gives the girl a shallow bow. A Kaslana? “My name is Raiden Mei.”

“Ehehe…” the girl smiled bashfully and rubbed at the back of her neck, “Just Kiana is fine. Nice to meet you, Mei!”

“Alright, Kiana.” Mei turned her gaze out to the bustling courtyard for a moment before returning to find those icy blue eyes still locked onto her, “I haven't seen you around here before, and I venture through this area most days. Are you a visitor?”

“Oh uhhhhhh,” Kiana's eyes widened ever so slightly. Not too much, but just enough that it appeared to Mei her question had caught the girl off guard, “I guess you could say that? I wasn't born here but my family came here a lot. We had… well, my family used to have friends that were close with the Phoenix a long time ago, so we ended up visiting Shenzhou a lot out of tradition.”

“Oh!” Mei exclaimed in wonder, “I've heard the stories about the Phoenix mingling with mortals on rare occasions. Your friends must have been very lucky!”

Kiana grinned, “I'll say!” She jabbed a thumb at herself proudly, “I even got to meet the Phoenix myself a couple times myself!”

Mei's amazed expression quickly crumbled into a confused frown, “Met her yourself?... But how? The Celestial of Shenzhou hasn't been seen or felt in the mortal world in centuries!”

Kiana froze, “Oh! Uhhhh I- I didn't mean literally, aha…” She scratched at her cheek nervously, “I just meant it in that… uh- Our family friends took us to a sacred site of hers! Yeah! You can feel some of her power lingering there, it's so much for us mere mortals it almost feels like she's standing there with us!”

Mei's eyes lit up in understanding, “Ah, I see! Yes, our temple here in Arc City is built around a similar site for the Moon Goddess. I've only had the privilege of visiting it once but it was… rapturous.”

The feeling of that night still blessed her senses when she recalled the memory. The unearthly feel to the very air, the ethereal amethyst energy that was a trademark of the Honkai Energy the Herrscher of Finality commanded complete control over. The light of the moon shining down upon the gathered worshippers felt like the purest of embraces from the Goddess herself, wrapping them in her warm love. It had felt… strangely familiar…

…

“Mei? Mei? Hey!”

The sound of several snaps of a finger cut into her senses.

“Yo, you were zoning out a bit there.”

Her eyes came back into focus and found that cute, white framed face gazing at her with a curious quirk to her eyebrow. “I-Im sorry!” Mei stammered, “Sometimes recalling the memory has… an effect on those close to the Herrscher of Finality's power. Like we're back in that spot feeling her presence all around us… almost like she were standing in front of me.”

Kiana tilted her head, “Does that happen often?”

Mei shook her head, “No, I simply let it get to me, I apologize.”

“No it's alright. A little weird, but alright. I guess being a priestess comes with its own stuff to deal with like anything else, huh?”

“That's certainly one way to put it.”

Kiana seemed to exhale in amusement at this, though it was hard to hear over the din of the crowd the flash of her teeth certainly got it across.

“Order up!”

The sound of a bag being placed next to her stole her attention from the strange girl. “Thank you, Zhao!”

“No problem, Mei!” He laughed, “ Come back soon, yeah?”

Mei bowed and snatched the bag containing her meal from the bar. “I apologize Kiana, but I must get going now. I must get to the temple and prepare for today's celebration. If I don't get going, I'll miss the train.”

Kiana immediately perked up, “I can totally get you there lickedy split! Much faster than waiting for the train and walking from the station!”

“I-” Mei knew it was wiser to turn her down. A stranger she barely knew? Serving the Finality did not come without enemies. However the girl's earnest tone and the confident grin on her face were… rather charming. She found herself drawn to the girl’s casual manner dealing with one of such station as herself. Drawn to the alluring, honest shine of the girl’s cerulean eyes. To say Kiana seemed like a simple-minded girl was to do her a disservice. Simple-minded was not the right word for someone radiating such kind earnestness. She… found herself a bit loath to cut off her time with this girl. But logically she really should turn her down. “Alright, I suppose getting there a bit faster wouldn't hurt.”

Dammit.

“Yesssss!” Kiana pumped her fist in victory. Mei watched with no small bit of amusement as the girl clumsily fished her phone out of her pocket and- after a few seconds of tapping- brought it to her ear and took a few steps away from Mei. “Hey. Yeah it's me. What do you mean I missed our check-in? It's only been like 15 minutes since the last one!” 

Briefly, Mei wondered if the girl knew she was still talking loud enough for her to hear every word.

“N- no- hey- shshshsh Bro- Bronya shut up for a second! I need to borrow Project Bunny real quick.” Kiana suddenly grimaced and pulled the phone away from her ear for a moment. “Listen, it'll only be for like forty minutes! What? No, I'm not gonna drain her battery racing! I'm-” Kiana glanced back at Mei who simply raised a curious eyebrow. Kiana quickly turned away and loudly murmured, “I just need to take a cute priestess to the Temple of Finality, okay?!” There was silence for a moment. Then Kiana threw her arms up in a cheer and quickly stuffed her phone back in her pocket. “Alright, lets go!” Without waiting for a response, Kiana grabbed Mei's wrist- getting a quick yelp from the woman herself- and took off at a brisk pace.

They only walked for a few minutes to cross the distance to the nearest street parking on the main road through the city. Kiana’s searching gaze only took a moment to lock onto someone through the crowds and the excitable girl wasted no time dragging Mei along behind her. Some people in the crowd shot concerned glances at the strange girl dragging along a Priestess, but Mei simply smiled awkwardly and waved. Hopefully that would reassure them.

“Oi! Bratnya! We’re here!” Kiana yelled above the din of the crowd.

Kiana pulled her to a stop in front of a rather unique looking motorcycle. Aerodynamic and low to the ground, it was much bigger than others she’d seen before and gave off the impression of being very high tech. Though how much that was true, she couldn’t be sure at just a glance. But the object of Kiana’s attention was not the bike itself, but rather the diminutive woman leaning against it.

Her gray hair was tied up into a ponytail styled into a single drill. A blue streak ran down her bangs as well as down the back of her head where it looped through her drill. Her eyes were a similar dull gray, with a pink dot in the center of her pupil giving her a rather striking gaze. Cybernetics? The girl wore a simple brown jacket over her more colorful single piece biker gear. As they approached, a bubble of gum blossomed from her lips, which really just sold the laid back vibes she was giving off even further in Mei’s opinion. Her eyes darted up from her phone and the instant she saw Kiana she used her hips to push herself off her bike and into a standing position.

“Kiana.” She gestured at Mei with her chin. “So this is the ‘Cute Priestess’ you were talking about, huh? Fancy,” The girls tone was strangely flat. Unemotional. But it wasn’t the typical monotone of someone that was simply bored or uninterested, it was like there was something… missing. The temptation to ask was sitting on the tip of Mei’s tongue but the fear that it was too personal a question kept it from spilling from her lips.

Kiana immediately leapt forward and clapped a hand over the shorter girl’s mouth, forcing a laugh from her lungs, “Hahahaaaa you’re so funny Bronya! I never said anything like that! Just Priestess!” Bronya glared at her friend out of the corner of her eye. Her jaw moved slightly behind Kiana’s hand and the white-haired girl yelped and snatched her hand back like she’d been bitten. “Bronya! You fucker, don’t lick me!” right after the words left her mouth she seemed to remember Mei was standing right next to them. The girl ducked her head in apology and quietly cringed out a “Sorry!” in the Priestess’s direction. “Bronya, stop embarrassing me! Just tell Project Bunny not to throw me off this time!”

“Why? If Bunny is throwing you off, you must have done something wrong, Kiana idiotka.”

“I would never do anything to make Bunny mad! We’re besties! She loves me!”

“You could not have said that any more unconvincingly.”

“It’s true! It’s not my fault you’re just mean to me.”

Bronya rolled her eyes, “I’m not mean I just don’t want you to almost kill yourself yet again, dumbass. If you come back somehow burned half to a crisp again how am I supposed to explain that to-” Bronya seemed to catch herself and shot a glance at Mei. The priestess couldn’t help the worried frown that formed on her face at the cold look from the younger girl. Did she already mess up with Kiana’s friend? She hadn’t even said anything yet.

 “Anyways, stop embarrassing yourself in front of your crush.” She pulled out a set of keys and dangled them between her forefinger and thumb.

“Shut up, Bratnya!” Kiana snatched the keys and tapped a flat teardrop shaped key to the dashboard of the bike. The machine roared to life and Kiana shot a satisfied grin at her priestly companion. Reaching over to the other side of the machine she procured two helmets, casually tossing one to Mei. The Priestess caught it easily and shot an awkward smile at Bronya.

“Lift up the back of the seat and you can stow your food under there!” Kiana chirped.

Mei bowed in apology before approaching the bike further. “I’m, uh,” She hesitated, “Sorry for being a bother.” 

Bronya waved her off, a small smile dancing across her lips. “You’re fine, the idiotka borrowing my bike is the only bother here. I hope you know what you’re getting into with her.”

Red blossomed across the priestess’s face, “Wh- wh-what? I’m not- We’re just- I just met her!”

Bronya shrugged, her eyebrows shooting up and down as she bobbed her head at a tilt as if to say ‘ uh-huh, sure’ . “And you’re already letting her drive you around? Whatever you say, ‘Cute Priestess’ lady. Just put the helmet on and hold tight, Kaslanas aren’t known for their conservative driving.”

Mei swallowed a lump in her throat and managed to give one last awkward smile before stowing her bag and then throwing her leg over the machine.

Kiana’s cocky grin shifted into something… softer as she watched Mei fiddle with her hair as she tried to fit the helmet on her head without messing up her ponytail too much. After a moment, Mei finally got the helmet on to a satisfying fit. Through the open visor her eyes flicked over and met those softened cerulean. Kiana almost immediately ducked her head, ashamed of having been caught, and quickly jumped onto the bike herself. Her own helmet was pulled on in a single practiced motion.

She tapped on the console a few times and a digital beep sounded in Mei’s ear. Then a feminine voice followed, “Rider Confirmed: Kiana Kaslana. I must question what situation has led to my creator allowing you to drive me again.”

“Hey!” Kiana’s voice chirpped through the helmet, “All we’ve been through, and that’s how you greet me?”

“That is how I treat airheads that scratch my paint and set me on fire, yes. Though at least you let me have breaks from Bronya, that workaholic.”

“Whatever.” You could almost hear Kiana roll her eyes. When she spoke again she pointedly directed her words away from the motorcycle, “Might wanna put your visor down.”

Mei quickly did as instructed.

Revving the engine, Mei barely had time to react to Kiana’s excited “Hold on, Mei!” and wrap her arms around the woman’s waist before the bike shot from its parking spot into the road.

“Kiana!” Mei shouted fearfully, “Did you even check for traffic?!”

“Don’t worry, My Lady!” Kiana laughed, “Project Bunny’s sensors would have picked up anything close enough to be cause for worry!”

Mei could hardly believe the gall of this woman, however she also couldn’t deny the prospect of simply holding tighter instead of arguing was much more appealing at the moment. And so she did. White blended with purple as Kiana’s braids whipped in the wind alongside Mei’s loose hair, a sight that struck a strange chord of… nostalgia? Whatever this strange feeling rising within her was, such introspection would have to wait for when she didn’t feel as if her heart was going to jump into her throat. After all, it couldn’t mean that much, could it?

It took an unsurprisingly short time for Mei to realize the true extent of Bronya’s words about Kiana’s driving. Not to say she had expected Kiana to be the safest driver ever, even in the short time since she’d met the girl Kiana seemed like a girl who craved excitement. She wouldn’t go quite so far as to call Kiana an adrenaline junkie, but it was hard not to have the thought cross her mind as the woman took corners at dangerously fast speeds and weaved through any gap in traffic wide enough to fit the oversized motorcycle.

Mei had to quickly re-asses her musings on Kiana’s character as they approached a traffic jam on one of Arc city’s bigger motor ways. What caused it was unknown to the woman, but of greater concern was the fact that Kiana did not seem to be slowing down.

“Kiana?”

“Yeah?”

“Have you noticed all those vehicles in front of us are stopped ?”

“Yeah!” Kiana’s voice was filled with her smile, “No worries though, check this out!” She raised a hand to slam down upon a button on the dashboard when a rather unpleased voice crackled to life in their earpieces.

“Negative, Subject Kiana.” Project Bunny chirped.

“Huh?!”

“Mistress Bronya has revoked your permission to use most of my more advanced functions after you nearly shot me off the Massive Electric Co. skyscraper.”

“That was ages ago!! Bunny please, I’ll get you out of having to pick up all that overtime Bronya gives you for a week!”

“Hm… deal accepted. Access to Road function restored.”

“Huh, that was easy,” Kiana murmured.

Mei gave the girl a squeeze, “Uh, Kiana? Traffic approaching at high speed still?”

“Oh shit!”

“KianaaAAAAAAAAAAAA!”

Mei almost regretted reminding the woman of their impending collision when gravity seemed to forget itself. The disoriented priestess could do nothing but hold on for dear life. Kiana’s body tensed beneath her touch, shaking with laughter as the woman whooped and cheered. While Kiana’s cheerfulness certainly helped Mei’s mind not devolve into sheer panic, it did nothing to stop the dizzying spin that overtook her senses. Gravity seemed to reassert itself just as quickly as it had lost itself and Mei was just barely able to gather enough presence of mind to glance behind as the world seemed to right itself again. Out of everything that her mind could come up with, she hadn’t quite imagined that she would see a transparent blue-tinged road- seemingly patterned after a tire track- spiraling after them and disappearing back underneath the wheels of Project Bunny.

“W-what was that?!”

“That, my Lady, was a Project Bunny special!” Kiana paused and then, grumbling, added, “Well technically it’s thanks to Bronya but that runt isn’t here to complain.”

Mei groaned, pressing herself against Kiana and screwing her eyes shut against the assault of dizziness. While it did begin slowly fading, Mei did not want to chance losing her balance from the combination of Kiana speeding along and her vision distorting from dizziness. Mei had to admit that holding herself close to the girl like this was rather comfortable and she had to actively prevent herself from relaxing too much. After what felt like mere seconds- far too short for Mei’s liking- she found herself once again gripping Kiana tight as she slid the vehicle to a stop, perfectly filling her chosen parking spot and leaving a blackened trail of asphalt behind them.

Mei simply sat there for a moment.

The frazzled woman barely noticed when the warmth in front of her shifted and left the seat, awareness only coming back to her as the darkened confines of the helmet were lifted from her head. Wide eyes once again met those cheery cerulean blues.

“Yo, Mei, you alright?”

Mei nodded absentmindedly. “Y-yeah, I just- Give me a second.” Her hand pawed at Kiana until it found purchase on the girl’s arm. Now grounded by the contact, Mei took a deep breath and slowly dismounted Project Bunny, “That… sure was something.”

Kiana was silent, nervously chewing on her lip. A smile from Mei a moment later wiped that anxiety clean away, the girl beaming back at the priestess.

“But it was fun. Heh, thank you, Kiana.” Mei’s smile only brightened, “Though I must wonder how you still have your license, driving like that.”

Kiana grimaced, “Hey, come on it wasn’t that bad!”

“You drove full speed at stopped traffic and the only reason we didn’t die is because Project Bunny has some kind of road-forming ability,” Mei deadpanned.

“Well… okay, you've got me there,” She conceded.

Mei quirked an eyebrow, “You do still have your license, right?”

“Uh,” Kiana pressed her pointer fingers together sheepishly, “Hahaha… about that…”

Mei groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose in exasperation. After a moment she sighed and a grin once more brightened her face, “Regardless, you did get me here as promised, so I can't be too mad,” She reclaimed her food and made a welcoming gesture towards the temple, “Since we're here, would you like to come inside?”

Kiana shrugged, “Sure, why not? I have time.”

Exiting the parking lot, the pair ventured towards the temple entrance. Marking the temple grounds was a tall, elegant iron fence that ran down the walkway and was only broken by an archway signaling the open entrance gate. The archway was decorated with painted carvings of dark purple flowers and emblazoned in the center with the swirling singularity of Finality. Once inside there was a long and well-kept brick pathway bordered by well-kept hedges, bright and colorful gardens just past them on either side made up a large open space that seemed to take up most of the grounds. The path slowly widened into a courtyard that would take them several minutes to cross. The gardens made the place smell of a myriad of flowers, soil, and grass. Excitement simmered in Mei's chest at the prospect of showing it all to her new friend. But later. At the end of this path sat their destination. 

The actual temple wasn’t as big in scope as one might have expected. Mei had even thought she had yet to see the actual building when she first arrived in her youth, the dissonance between the importance of the Herrscher of Finality and one of her main temples being barely the size of a small church was quite difficult for her to get to grips with. Even the living quarters and dining hall stretched over more land than the temple proper. In the courtyard center was an elegantly carved stone statue of the moon that served as a massive fountain. Behind it and to either side the courtyard went from a comfortably wide path to a massive space that could easily hold thrice as many people as the building that formed the location's centerpiece.

Kiana's eyes darted back and forth, the girl drinking in every sight and sound with a small smile. The fountain even managed to pull an impressed whistle from the girl.

“Wow, this place is pretty fancy, huh?” Kiana said.

“The woman who built this particular temple certainly had a… penchant for the opulent,” Mei replied, “Though that didn't keep her from following our Goddess's request in keeping the actual building of worship small and rather unassuming for its intended purpose.”

Kiana nodded, looking at the building more closely. As they approached closer, Kiana could better see what Mei meant. The building itself was a rather bland looking stone construction. Two stories, but not much flair in terms of carvings or decoration. Serviceable and functional, but lacking the decoration found in the rest of the grounds. A stark difference from some of the old Schicksal cathedrals, cavernous in their grandeur and walls decorated with stained glass windows depicting the ancient events of the Holy Maiden's journey to Sainthood.

Kiana shoved her hands in her jacket pockets and strode along rather lackadasically as they continued, “The Finality temples back home definitely have a kind of fancy air about them but they're not usually this big,” She gestured to the grounds surrounding them, “The one that is is less because it's supposed to make you feel all holy and everything and more because it's a repurposed Herrscher of Fire cathedral and the Schicksal Overseer that built it made it the size of his ego.”

“Schicksal… the organization that leads the Valkyrie order, correct?”

“Yup, that's the one!”

“Valkyries are a rare sight in Arc city, but it’s not impossible to come across them,” Mei mused, “I’ve fought alongside a few in the instances that we needed help removing some of the larger Honkai beast swarms. Do you know Ana Schariac?”

Kiana's next step faltered before relaxing back into her casual stride like she hoped Mei wouldn't notice. The girl studiously ignored the priestess's questioning gaze, “Ana? Yeah she’s my… aunt? I think?”

“You think?”

“Listen, when you’re half Schariac half Kaslana you get a family tree that is way too big. I swear every time I get dragged to a family gathering there’s someone new that starts fawning over me who’s apparently known me since I was a child.”

Mei chuckled softly, “I see.”

Kiana nodded, “Anyway, I doubt most valkyries would come to your temple, yeah. Most of them worship other goddesses like Durandal, the Palatinus Equinox. It's usually just the Kaslana knights and the Shariacs that devote themselves to Finality, though there’s been a couple that went for the Herrscher of Thunder instead.”

“And how about you?” A new voice boomed as they neared the great doors to the temple proper, “Has Lady Raiden brought a Kaslana knight to our door?”

Waiting for them was an older woman who appeared to be in her early-fifties dressed in robes much more like one might expect of religious clergy, in great contrast to the more militaristic outfit adorning Mei’s body. A stark white with a decoration of purple stars that seemed to fall down from around their shoulders and a stitched pattern of a wreath of black flowers much like those on Mei from the right shoulder diagonally across the collar. A silver tiara finished the look, sitting atop the woman's deep brown hair, the top half of which was held up in a ponytail while the rest was allowed to fall freely around her shoulders.

Kiana rubbed the back of her head and gave the woman an awkward smile, “Heh, well, I am a Valkyrie, but I dunno if I'd call myself a full fledged knight just yet.”

“Modesty was the last thing I expected from you, young Kaslana,” The woman said, raising a curious eyebrow.

“Hey, I know how to read the room!”

“Maybe that ability could have helped you before you set that strange motorcycle aflame and destroyed the upper floors of ME's Shenzhou offices.” The woman deadpanned, “You caused Miss Raiden's father much grief, young lady.”

Mei cringed as Kiana's eyes widened and darted between the two women like a deer caught in the headlights, “M-Mei? Your dad is…? Ah fuck…”

“Language, young lady.” The High Priestess admonished.

Mei sighed, “Yes Kiana, it's true. I didn't want to cause you any trouble so I did not say anything when Project Bunny brought up the skyscraper, but it seems the High Priestess recognizes you.”

The high priestess eyed the young Kaslana warily, “Project Bunny? With a name like that it must be another contraption invented by followers of the Herrscher of Reason.”

“Oh, yeah,” Kiana nodded, “My friend built it herself! She's amazing like that!”

The high priestess let out a quiet exhale, “As long as you do not cause undue mayhem, I will not bar these doors to anyone of the Kaslana family.” Her gaze shifted over to Mei, “Miss Raiden, please eat quickly, the crowds will be gathering in the courtyard soon. The others shall handle prayer without you today, I need you to assist in preparing the temple for tonight.”

Mei bowed, “Of course, ma'am.”

Kiana happily strode through the open doorway. Mei moved to follow when a hand clasped her shoulder, her superior leaning down to murmur, “Keep an eye on her,” before allowing her to continue on.

Today was sure off to an interesting start.

Kiana had stayed surprisingly well behaved as Mei quickly emptied her bowl of noodles and then took the liberty of showing her around, casually chatting about her life in the temple with the white-haired valkyrie. Kiana did not talk much of her personal life- in fact she seemed to actively avoid revealing too much detail about herself with Mei being turned aside by deflections and sidestepping- but Mei was not one to begrudge a guarded soul. Especially on their first day of meeting. While they did not have time to explore the gardens, Mei did take the opportunity to show her new friend another area she was quite proud of.

“Woah…” Kiana stared in amazement at the lines of bookshelves thrice as tall as she was and absolutely filled to the brim with books, compartments for scrolls, and pedestals for ancient preserved tomes, “You curate all this? That’s amazing!”

“Well,” Mei began, her embarrassment shining clear on her cheeks, “Not all by myself, I am part of a team that takes care of this treasure trove of knowledge. These scrolls for example,” She pointed to a set on the shelf beside her head, “A team of the librarians were sent on an expedition to a nearby city that was lost to the Herrscher of the Void’s Honkai beasts. I was sent along as an escort,” Her smile wavered, “I gained the curating position I am in now because of the people I failed to protect that day.”

Kiana hesitantly laid a comforting hand on the priestesses arm, “But you also saved everyone else, didn’t you? I’m sure they appreciate having you here to help maintain what your companions left behind.” 

Mei took a deep, steadying breath, “You’re right. The lead curator here petitioned the high priestess to let me spend some of my time assisting them here instead of constantly being sent out on patrols or handling prayer ceremonies.”

“See? Sounds like you’re pretty amazing to me!” Kiana nodded to herself, pleased with her conclusion, “What all do you even keep in a library this big?”

“Oh almost anything you can think of!” The priestess's low voice shimmered in excitement, “There are so many books of varying ages detailing the lore of the many gods and other powerful figures that have appeared in our world over the generations. Some even claim to be from a time before several of the Herrschers as we know them even existed!”

Kiana watched on as the priestess rambled excitedly, oblivious to the way a shadow crossed over her friend’s eyes as she continued.

“We have no way to verify the authenticity of most of these scripts but we've at least dated some to confirm their age. Some read more like mythology than firsthand accounts, but I must admit the story of the Herrscher of Flamescion traversing other dimensions and confronting the Herrschers of Death and Rebirth just to bring the Herrscher of Thunder back from an unknown, tragic fate was very compelling.”

“Yeah…” Kiana agreed softly, “It really made for an epic tale, huh?”

“Sorry, what did you say?” Mei frowned, pausing her rambling, “I couldn't quite hear you.

Kiana blinked, “I-it's nothing,” She shot the woman her usual bright smile, “You're cute when you're talking about something that gets you excited, y'know?”

Her strained flattery failed to wholly convince the priestess, but Mei was loath to press further at the moment. Instead, she smiled back, “Charmer. Come, I must get ready to help prepare for the ceremony now.”

The walk back to the temple entrance was quiet. Every so often Mei would shoot a concerned glance in Kiana’s direction only for the woman to continue staring straight ahead with a small frown on her lips. This newfound silence was disquieting.

“Kiana? Are you okay?”

Those cerulean eyes finally flicked over and met violet, “Oh! Uh, yeah! I’m fine!” She said unconvincingly. It must have shown on Mei’s face because a moment later Kiana sighed, “Sorry, it’s just- I had some unpleasant memories rear their heads.”

“I am sorry if it was something I said.”

“No! No.” Kiana’s voice edged dangerously close to desperation, “It’s okay. It happened a long time ago.”

Mei held her gaze for a moment. Cerulean eyes darted around her face, her bright eyes in great contrast to the hurt buried deep in her voice, “Okay,” Mei nodded. She reached out, offering her hand, “Then let us use the celebration to chase away these shadows that marr your complexion.”

Kiana let out a short laugh as she laid her hand in Mei’s own, a wry smile flitting across her lips, “So serious, my dear priestess.”

“I am trained for formal ceremony,” However, when Mei moved to pull Kiana along, the white-haired girl’s arm did not move with her, “Kiana?”

“I’m sorry, Mei,” Kiana looked up to the taller woman, her smile fading to a saddened frown, “I’d love to stay and experience what will undoubtedly be a day to remember, but I-I need to go. Bronya’s waiting for me, and… I-” Her voice caught in her throat as a calloused finger pressed against her lips, shushing her.

“It’s okay, Kiana, you don’t need to explain yourself to me.” Her finger left her skin only long enough for the Priestess’s hand to move to cup the young Valkyrie’s cheek, “I do not know what you have suffered or what haunts you. Go as you must, you are not beholden to me,” Her eyes dipped lower for a moment, those violet eyes darting back up with a hint of hesitance, “But… I do hope we can see each other again.”

“Heh, only known me for a few hours and you’ve already fallen for my charms?” Kiana grinned.

Mei snatched her hand away, red blooming on her cheeks, “I was trying to be understanding!”

“Hehe I know, Mei,” Her energy died down once more, “Thank you. I enjoyed our short time together, and I’m sure we’ll meet again sooner than we think.” She ended with a wink, “Here, give me your phone.”

Mei fished the device from her pocket, unlocked it, and handed it to the Valkyrie. Kiana searched for a moment before rapidly typing away. A moment later the phone was back in Mei’s hands.

“There,” Kiana grinned, “Now you can get in touch whenever you’d like.”

“I shall certainly take you up on that,” Mei smiled, “I must go now,” she added apologetically, “May the silver light brighten your path, Kiana Kaslana.”

“Thanks, you too, Mei.”

As the Kaslana sullenly walked down the short set of stairs leading up to the temple entrance, Mei unlocked her phone once more. There sitting in her contacts was a new entry, the number sitting under the name “Kiana~ <3”.

Me smiled and tucked the device back in her pocket, “A day to remember, huh?” She murmured to herself, “I hope you're right, Kiana. I hope you're right.”

The preparations lasted for hours. The whole day was a holiday for the followers of the Herrscher of Finality, however the main event, a ritual, would not happen until the moon was high in the sky. Throngs of worshippers would need much food, places to shelter from the sun, and priestesses to lead the people in worship and activities that had been set up around the place (it is said the Moon Goddess greatly appreciates fun). Mei, however, would be preparing for said ritual instead of participating in the dancing and merry making taking place outside the temple doors. It was tedious, power intensive, and would take all day. When priestesses, like Mei, showed enough aptitude for both Honkai resistance and the rudimentary ability to manipulate Honkai Energy- from the slight godly favor all priestesses of Finality received- they would inevitably be roped into assisting with such things. However, when it came to something such as this, a ritual that would give them a chance to use Honkai Energy to call for their Goddess herself to grace their presence for a time, Mei didn’t mind the exhaustion that came from slowly drawing out the energy from the aether.

By the time she was able to exit the temple, the golden rays of the sun had been replaced by the comforting cold light of the moon. The view outside was breathtaking. The massive courtyard was filled with a huge crowd of people all dressed in varying garbs designed to show their fealty to the Goddess of the Moon. Purple patterned with stars, shirts or robes designed in the likeness of trailing arms of stars being pulled down into the diamond-shaped star of finality, or moon flower decorations. The black and purple-tinted flowers were often found at places the planet had felt the Moon Goddess’s power and found in depictions of the Goddess herself and had become a favorite of her devotees.

Together with the other priestesses, they pulled wide the massive doors and revealed the interior for all to see. Mei took a step into the moonlight to the cheers of an exultant crowd, a satisfied smile plastered on her face. As the doors locked into place, box shaped protrusions on either side of the door frame came to life with a gentle hum. Devices that would absorb any excess or wayward honkai energy should the priestesses lose control. While rudimentary, as a collective they could perform feats with Honkai energy only rivalled by the battlesuits and honkai powered weapons of the Schicksal Valkyries, however Honkai energy’s danger should never be underestimated. Mei and her companions raised their arms and threw their focus deep within to that familiar tug in their guts. 

As the edges of their consciousness dipped ever so slightly into the primeval current that was the Honkai, a swirling pink energy seemed to manifest from the dim light inside the temple. A tightly coiled orb of Honkai energy coalesced and lit the inside of the building. The Energy swirled in place above an altar set on a circular platform raised one stair high with staircases on either side leading up to a platform that stretched out just enough that one who stood at its edge would be almost right above the altar. There at the precipice, stood the High Priestess. Together, with the priestesses lined down the stairs to the entryway, they moulded the energy to their will, bending and twisting and threading it through the air. It gently flowed out of the temple like whisps of smoke on a gentle breeze, snaking its way over an enraptured crowd as they sang praises to the Herrscher of Finality, the Moon Goddess, protector of humanity and Queen of the Honkai. They raised their hands in a supportive mimicry of the priestesses, like if they could stretch high enough to touch the ethereal whisps of pink energy they could reach the heavens and the Goddesses themselves. Slowly but surely, the ribbons of Honkai energy were drawn to the statue of the moon in the center of the courtyard. 

The power the priestesses held tightly coiled at the edge of their minds hummed in Mei’s ears. A deep, bassy droning that seemed to rumble down to her very soul. The others always said the Honkai scared them. That it felt like they were balancing on the edge of a precipice of flame, the malevolent energy ready to consume them entirely at the most minute slip. Mei had never confided in them that each time she gently dipped her fingers into the currents of this destructive energy channeled by the gods it felt… comforting. Like the warm embrace of an old friend. She recognized the danger of course, but she couldn’t help but be enthralled by the almost energizing effect these tendrils of destruction had upon her psyche.

The whisps of energy reached the statue, and thus began the next part of the ceremony. The honkai energy was infused into the statue, the stone moon’s craters and cracks beginning to glow that same vibrant pink like veins of Honkai corruption. Slowly but surely the entirety of the Honkai kept tame by the priestesses was confined within the statue, and the High Priestess appeared in the entranceway to the temple, her voice booming unnaturally loud thanks to a device she held to her throat.

“On this day! We celebrate another year passed since our Goddess returned to us! For centuries we were left blind, our world darkened as the Herrscher of Flamescion ventured into the void between worlds! Regardless, we kept our faith! And we were rewarded with the return of our Goddess! A protector that tamed wild Honkai beasts and drained the harmful radiation from sites of the Honkai Impacts! Without her we could not flourish despite the dangers of this world, as we do now! So we celebrate! We celebrate the day the Herrscher of Finality truly became Goddess of Moon and Soil! Pray! And give up your thanks to the Goddess! That she might hear your words and grace us with her presence and her blessing!”

A low hum began picking up in the ears of all present. The very air seemed heavy with anticipation as the statue of the moon shook, the grating sound of grinding stone drawing all attention to it as it twisted and rose from its base. It hovered a few meters above the now detached and exposed water pipes, its role as a simple fountain put to rest for the night. Shouts and prayers lifted from the crowd, everyone present fervently praying for their Goddess to hear their words. To grant them grace, for even the sight of such a being was more than any mortal could ever dream of. The Honkai infused moon hummed with power, the Honkai energy swirling within a testament to the focus and training of Mei and her companions. Seconds became minutes. Mei felt a bead of sweat tickle the corner of her eye, the strain of keeping such a large amount of Honkai tamed beginning to weigh on the priestesses.

“Girls,” The voice of the high priestess came at a measured, if strained tone, much quieter so that only the priestesses may hear, “Prepare to banish the Honkai back to whence it came. We must beg the Goddess to forgive us, for it seems we are not worthy of her presence.”

They waited a moment more. The moon remained where it was, the Honkai writhing against its mental confines. The High Priestess opened her mouth and Mei prepared to use her remaining energy to force the Honkai back into oblivion.

"I hope Kiana's okay." The thought ran, unbidden, through her mind.

The gasping of the crowd tore their attention away as a shifting of the pink light illuminating the courtyard at first brought with it a fear that they had lost control. Then second, amazement. A wave of mental relief flowed through the Priestesses of Finality as control of the glowing energy was gently wrested from their grasp. The statue became a light show as the honkai energy coalesced at the top before bursting forth, a brilliant pillar of pink light stabbing into the sky with such force it punched a hole straight through the clouds.

“We did it!” The High Priestess cried out, her words thick with reverence and a relief that carried with it decades of struggle, “She has heard us! In all my years I never thought I…” The shouting and merriment of the crowd drowned out her words to all but those positioned closest to her. 

Mei couldn’t help but bow her head in silent agreement. That she should see the Goddess herself make an appearance within her lifetime? After almost two centuries of absence from the mortal eye? It was almost unbelievable.

Pulses of energy ran down the pillar of Honkai energy, as if drawing down the heavens themselves. Mei looked on in silent rapture as the base of the pillar exploded in brilliant white light, a figure silhouetted against it. Pink sparkles rained down upon the gathering, little twinkling things like the lights of fireflies that carried with them the same sense of wonder. They landed harmlessly against clothing, brick, and skin alike, bursting into a tiny flare of light before disappearing. The glow of the Honkai within the statue gained a softer tone and illuminated large swathes of the courtyard and those within.

Standing on top was a woman. Clad in white, she appeared as if to be wearing a tattered dress, one that gave hints to the elegant ballroom gown it may have once been. Now reduced to little more than a tail of clothing flapping in the wind behind her. At her side were two wing-like shapes. Rounded and organic they were almost like the spines of bird feathers in appearance, coming to a point where their tips nearly touched and the rest spread out like a fan forming four points. They hovered next to her and the space between each of these spines was alight in the same pink and amethyst energy forming three brilliant vertical ribbons of fire. That same amethyst energy flowed on the underside of her dress, white points of light remaining still as the woman shifted, as if the fire of her dress and her wings burned a window into an ethereal realm.

The torso of her dress clung tightly to her skin, otherworldly plating forming armor along her body, the sharp points and edges of black tattoos peeking out from under the fabric, perfectly lining and accenting it as if they were part of the outfit itself. A sash of starry purple fabric drooped across the front left of her hips, the belt that seemed to hold it in place snaking around her waist, the arrow-shaped segmented material that hung off her hips defying gravity in a way that reminded Mei of a tail. Familiar purple flowers ran from her right shoulder across her collar before ending just before her underarm and continuing down her side to her hips, just like the pattern on Mei’s own clothing. Her shoes were brilliant white heels, the thick sole giving them a chunkier appearance. A decoration of four stars arced above the top of the left foot, and the lip ending just above her ankles had hints of lace decoration peeking from beneath them. Matching this peek of decoration was the two bridal garters around her left thigh. As her eyes rose higher, Mei could hardly put to words the beauty that met her eyes. Her face perfect in every way, cerulean eyes alight with a four-pointed pink star in place of both irises and glowing with power. Her snow-white hair was cut into bangs that were brushed to her left, a small piece falling just between her eyes. The rest was gathered up into a cascading ponytail held in place by a tie connected to a silver tiara that sat lopsided where it held her hair in place. Her hair fell down her back and all the way to just above her ankles. Halfway down the ethereal white faded into the pink and then amethyst of Honkai energy. Hands stained the same dark purple brushed some of her hair out of the way, her right hand covered in a gauntlet of white metal.

Mei was, quite simply, too stunned by her beauty to speak.

The uproar of the crowd quieted as she held her hands up and slowly lowered them, palm facing the ground as a request to quiet down, “Thank you, thank you!” She began. Her voice sounded much more youthful than Mei expected, her wavering tone making her sound more like a nervous public speaker than a goddess, “Um,” she cleared her throat, “I have watched for many years! As you have offered up your prayers, your worries, your hopes, and your fears. And so uh… I believe it would be unbecoming of me to not reward your faith. Tonight, I will bless one amongst your number. They will receive my protection, my wisdom, and be granted a fraction of my power.”

Her eyes darted around as the crowd failed to respond with anything but shouts and cries of amazement as they prostrated themselves in worship.

Mei quickly dropped to one knee in reverence and she swore the Herrscher of Finality looked right at her.

The Goddess took a step off the statue, the spot where her foot would land if she was on flat ground halting just the same as a platform of pink energy blossomed to life beneath her foot with a plink like falling rain. She continued onwards, each new step blossoming as she walked over the crowd. All either watched on or lowered their heads in silent prayer as the mere presence of the Herrscher seemed to charge the air with a restless energy. Slowly but surely she walked over the crowd. Directly towards the temple. Plink. Plink. Plink. A steady march where each step made Mei’s heart pound in her chest until she could hardly bear it, bowing her head as her Goddess approached. She could vaguely sense the steps lowering down, the Goddess approaching the priestesses near the entrance to her temple. Plink. Plink. Plink. Plink.

Until they stopped right next to her.

“Please rise, Raiden Mei.”

The words were like thunder in her ears, her heart beating violently in her ribcage like a prisoner pounding against her prison bars. Eyes wide, Mei struggled to make her body obey her commands. The air around the Herrscher felt… heavy. Like her mind was struggling to comprehend the existence of the being in front of her. Her lungs fought to suck in enough air as she pushed herself to her feet. Until she met her Goddess’s eyes and it all fell away like a heavy cloak falling from her shoulders. They shone like precious gems, beacons burning away her worries and fear.

The Moon Goddess smiled and tilted her head curiously. A mischievous glint in her eyes that seemed startlingly familiar. Mei could swear she was about to faint.

“The woman who rejected the Herrscher of Thunder to serve in my temple instead,” It was not a question.

Mei swallowed thickly and managed to nod in agreement, vaguely registering that she was taller than the Goddess in front of her.

The Herrscher took a step back. Far enough to give her the room to bow slightly, the smile still on her face. A honkai-stained hand reached out, palm up and fingers opened and inviting.

Mei’s own hand shook in her nervousness, but she managed to lay her hand in that of her Goddess’s.

And the world vanished.