A 2nd Chance (Honkai Impact 3rd/Worm) [re-write]

[Lesbean]

just stumbled across this. Was a fun read so far! I don't know much about Honkai but since it seems to be localized into one character I was able to follow along LOL

 

[QroGrotor]

The food was simple and warm.

A bowl of soup and a sandwich, nothing more.

Even so, she found herself wolfing it down. She didn't know why, or how, but she was famished, her stomach empty and aching despite the pasta the nurse had given her. The warmth of the food spread through her body, before she drained the small juice that Carol had brought with the food in a single long gulp..

The woman had remained quiet as she ate, simply watching. When Sirin was done, Carol took the dishes and placed them on the tray, before standing.

"Feeling better?" the older woman asked. Sirin nodded, forcing a smile. "In that case, I'll be right back."

The woman picked up the tray and headed off, leaving Sirin and the hero alone once more. The girl stared after her, feeling oddly lost. The food had helped a little, but the hollow pit in her stomach hadn't vanished. In fact, now that she was no longer distracted by eating, the worry returned with a vengeance.

"What do I need to do after Amy comes back?" Sirin asked, not really looking at the hero by her side. Armsmaster glanced at her, frowning, then sighed.

"Ideally, I'd like for you to accompany me to the Protectorate headquarters," he replied. His voice was steady and firm, though it lacked the same hard edge she'd heard him use before. "I realise that we cannot force you, but it would be in everyone's best interest, yours and Mary's included."

"W-Why?"

"Asking you questions about what you saw on record will help prevent several problems that could crop up in the future," the hero told her. He paused, his mouth pressed into a thin line, as if debating something. Then, he added, "You're the only witness we have."

Sirin blinked. That was true, wasn't it? There were other people in the shelter, right? They couldn't- they could not have all been-

"The faster we figure out the person or persons responsible for this, the quicker we can deal with them. And the faster we can retrieve Miss Livesey."

The girl's hands clenched, as her mind was once again torn, the desire to simply go out there and find Sarah, before promptly returning to the hospital almost overwhelming, but she held back. She wasn't going to make the same mistake again. Not if she could help it.

Still, the mere thought of waiting was torture.

It wasn't fair. It just wasn't. Sarah hadn't done anything wrong. She didn't deserve this.

Why was everything always so unfair?

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.

"Okay," she decided, nodding. "I'll go with you. But not- not yet. Not until Amy comes back."

Armsmaster watched her silently, then nodded.

"I believe we will have some time," the hero told her. "We have questions for her as well."

Just like that, silence once again descended, the man lapsing into silence, and Sirin doing the same. For her part, she wasn't quite sure what to think, or how to react. This whole thing felt odd, as if the events were happening to someone else. And at the same time, there was a dull, aching sensation in her chest, a cold, hollow pit in her stomach.

Why couldn't things just be simple for once? It didn't seem like a lot to ask.

The sound of footsteps pulled her out of her thoughts, and she looked up. Amy and Carol were walking down the corridor, the younger Dallon carrying a large folder

"How are you doing, Sirin?" Amy asked.

"I'm alright," the girl responded. It wasn't exactly the truth, but it wasn't a lie either. She felt exhausted, worn out, but at the same time her head felt clearer than before. At least the nagging buzzing was gone.

"I see," Amy replied, giving her a faint smile.

"How is Mary doing?" Sirin asked.

"She's recovering. It was touch and go for several moments, but I managed to stabilise her," the healer told her. "Though most of it is probably thanks to her... circumstances."

Amy grimaced, glancing at her mother, who frowned.

"Circumstances?" the hero asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Mary's a parahuman," Amy said bluntly. It was only after a few moments, the words seemingly sinking in, that the man spoke again.

"When did that happen?" he asked.

"I suspect shortly after the explosion, given her wounds," the healer replied. "Though it could've been much longer, I don't remember healing her before.

"I see." Armsmaster frowned. He seemed to mull it over, turning the idea over in his mind. "Is Mary conscious and capable of answering questions?"

"She is," Amy said slowly.

"Good," the hero nodded. "I'd like to speak with her. We have a few things we'd like clarified."

"We?" Amy asked, her expression growing stormy. "Is that so? What could you possibly want to ask her about?"

"The details regarding who put her and several others into suicide vests, for one. If they are still within the city, they must be brought down now, before anyone else is injured or killed. It would also allow us to determine who was responsible, and ensure this doesn't happen again."

"That's not how it works, Armsmaster," the healer scowled. "Mary hasn't even fully processed the trauma of what she went through. Trying to get answers out of her right now will do more harm than good."

"Time is not on our side," the hero replied. "The perpetrator has already demonstrated their willingness to commit murder. Delaying could lead to further bloodshed."

"For the record, I-"

"Amy, Armsmaster is correct," Carol cut her daughter off. The healer turned, staring at the woman. "It is not ideal, and I doubt Director Piggot will be happy about having to handle the aftermath, but it is necessary."

Amy scowled, but didn't object. Instead, the healer crossed her arms, looking away.

"I'll bring you to Mary," the healer finally told Armsmaster.

"Very well. Thank you."

Armsmaster stood, and Sirin followed suit, standing up. Amy looked between the two of them.

"Sirin, I'm not sure you should be going there," the healer said.

"But I want to see her," the girl replied, clutching her hands into fists. "I need to. Please."

Amy pursed her lips, thinking. Then, the healer nodded.

"Very well. Come along."

---

Sirin didn't know what she had been expecting, but seeing Mary turned almost chalk white, her previously vibrant red hair, now several shades paler, fanned out against the bed, her eyes half-closed, and her body limp and unmoving, wasn't it. She felt as if someone had punched her in the gut, the air fleeing her lungs, the world spinning around her, the colours blurring together.

She stopped in the middle of the room, unable to move, her chest tight, her throat constricting, the air seeming thin and far too heavy. Her eyes stung, her vision blurring, and the girl stumbled, her knees threatening to give out.

A soft, gentle hand pressed against her back, steadying her.

"You can wait outside if you want, Sirin," the healer murmured. The girl shook her head, not trusting her voice.

"Okay. I'll be right here," Amy assured her.

Armsmaster didn't say anything for a few seconds, before nodding. He stepped closer to the bed, his face grim.

"I am glad you are recovering, Miss Lamb," the hero said, his voice calm. "But we need to ask you a few questions about what happened."

"O-okay," the woman grimaced, trying to sit up. Her entire body shook, and Amy had to reach out and steady her, lest she fell over. "What- what do you need to know?"

"Everything you can tell us," Armsmaster replied simply. "Start from the beginning. Tell us everything."

Mary gave the man a shaky nod, her eyes flicking between them, lingering on Sirin, her gaze growing soft.

"We were- We were getting an influx of supplies and volunteers for the shelter in the last week or so," the woman began, her voice wavering. "The number of people seeking shelter was rising. Many of them were children. Families. Elderly. There were several dozen refugees. A lot of them were staying at the shelter, sleeping in the main room, on the ground, the benches. It was... crowded."

"I understand," the hero said.

"It was around noon, and there were several of us. Some new volunteers were being shown around by a member of the shelter staff, and I was helping them organise the incoming supplies, sorting through food, medicine, and blankets, when I saw him. A-a boy, not much older than Sirin or Sarah. He was just standing there, staring at the crowd, and I thought he was lost. Took him aside not to disturb others, offered to help him, and then it's... it's all a blur."

"What happened next?"

"He started asking me questions. About Sirin and how she was connected to the s-shelter," the woman coughed and immediately winced. Her voice was quiet, and it took a moment for her to gather her strength.

'What?'

"Got others too. I don't- I don't think he is a local. Maybe one of the Fallen," the woman murmured.

Armsmaster's frown deepened, and he reached for his visor.

"Can you describe him? Hair colour, eye colour, skin tone, scars, tattoos, clothing. Anything that stands out."

Mary shook her head.

"He was... pale. I don't know," she mumbled, her voice weak and wavering. "Bleached hair, I think. Feminine face, with tattoos on his lips. Greyish blue eyes."

"Anything else?" Armsmaster pressed.

"No. That's- that's all I can remember."

The hero nodded, frowning.

"Thank you for your time, Miss Lamb. I believe that will be enough for the moment. Rest now, and we'll continue when you're ready."

"O-okay," the woman breathed, falling back against the mattress, her breathing uneven.

Sirin stared at her, unable to tear her eyes away. That person came to the shelter because of her, and Mary paid the price. Just like everyone else had. The girl clenched her hands into fists. Why was it always like this? Why couldn't people just leave her alone?

They didn't do anything wrong! They just wanted a normal life, away from the monsters and the horrors and the death.

"Are you alright, Miss Krylova?" Armsmaster asked, turning towards her. She flinched, taking a step back.

"I-I'm fine," she muttered, forcing the words out.

"That's good. We should talk."

"A-about what?"

"About your involvement in the events today. About the things that have been happening lately," the hero said. "And about the best way to ensure nothing like this happens again."

"Careful, Armsmaster," Carol interjected, her tone cool. "Sirin may have agreed to speak with you, but I've seen enough to know how the PRT operates. I assure you, any attempt to strongarm the girl will be met with resistance."

"That is not my intention," the hero said calmly. "However, given the current circumstances, we cannot afford to delay."

"Then you won't object if I accompany her, will you?"

"No, that would be fine."

"In that case, lead the way."

"Of course. Come."

Carol gave Sirin a reassuring smile, before following Armsmaster, the pair quickly vanishing down the corridor. Silence returned, with only the faint noises of the hospital surrounding them. Sirin stared after them, her thoughts a jumbled mess. She was worried about Mary, about Sarah, about-

"Hey."

The girl jumped, her heart skipping a beat.

"S-sorry," she muttered. "I was just- distracted."

"I noticed," the healer chuckled.

"Amy... is Mary going to be okay?" the girl asked, biting her lower lip. The healer sighed, shaking her head.

"It's difficult to say. Right now, her body is stable, but her mind... I'm not a psychologist, but pretty sure being put in a suicide vest and blown up, then having your organs painfully disintegrate and then regenerated is enough to leave permanent scars."

"Oh."

"Yeah," Amy snorted.

The rest of the trip was made in complete silence

---

The room they were in was an empty office, a large window set in the wall to their right.

It wasn't particularly remarkable, the walls and floor bare, the only furniture being a simple desk with a monitor, several chairs and a bookshelf. There was nothing else. No papers, no photos, no plants. Nothing.

Sirin and Amy sat in two of the chairs, with Carol standing off to the side, her posture perfectly straight. She didn't seem concerned, but at the same time, the woman was very careful to stay between the pair and the PRT officers, her gaze hard and cold.

Armsmaster himself was standing by the monitor, speaking quietly to the thin, tall man with dark skin and wearing a suit next to him, who was listening intently, nodding at intervals.

Sirin wasn't really paying attention.

The girl stared out the window, taking a deep breath. This was going to work. It had to. There wasn't any other choice.

The door opened, and Director Piggot entered, followed by another woman with short blonde hair and glasses. Armsmaster straightened, his stance shifting subtly.

"Director," he greeted.

"Armsmaster. Panacea, Brandish," the woman replied, nodding at the two, before her gaze settled on Sirin. "Miss Krylova. I believe we have a lot to discuss."

"We do," the girl admitted, fidgeting with her skirt. "I'm sorry."

"While appreciated, there is no time for an apology," the Director replied. "Now, why don't you tell us what you know?"

Sirin nodded.

"Okay," she murmured, clenching her hands into fists. Taking a deep breath, the girl began to explain.

She spoke about the attack, the strange way Mary was acting, how the bomb went off, the sound, the fear, the terror.

The whole time, she could feel their eyes on her, silent and attentive.

She wasn't sure how long it took her, but eventually, Sirin managed to finish her tale. She was shaking by the end, her palms sweaty, her mouth dry, her heart pounding in her chest. She had never talked so much before, especially not to a crowd.

"I- I'm sorry," she repeated, unable to help herself. She knew they had told her not to, but-

"You have no reason to be," the Director interjected, shaking her head. "No one is at fault here, Miss Krylova. You were a victim. And, for what it's worth, I'm truly sorry you had to go through that."

Sirin bit her lip.

"What- what's going to happen now?"

"Now?" the Director repeated, pursing her lips. "Now, we start planning. Brandish, can we rely on New Wave's assistance in this matter?"

Carol's face tightened.

"Most likely," she replied, glancing at Sirin. "However, I will have to clear it with the rest of us first."

"Of course," the Director nodded. "In the meantime, Armsmaster, how much progress have you made in researching the girl's energy signature?"

"Enough," the man said, tapping the screen of his visor before turning back to Sirin. "As I understand, Miss Livesey has been affected by the unique energies you produce as well?"

The girl nodded.

"I believe so," she admitted.

"Then we should be able to track her down with my scanner. While I will admit it is not full-proof as of this moment, if there is a single energy signature present, the device should work properly," the hero told her.

"Okay," Sirin mumbled. "But why don't I just-"

"Miss Krylova, while we aren't going to level any charges against you at this time, it has been confirmed that this energy can be dangerous to humans. I'd rather not have my city quarantined, we shall refrain from using your abilities as much as possible," Director Piggot interjected. "At least until such time as the danger is properly understood."

Sirin nodded, biting her lip.

"Okay," she repeated.

"Now, Armsmaster, make sure everyone is aware that we are dealing with a Master who has hostages. Master/Stranger protocols are in effect. We do not know how powerful he is, but-"

"We have an idea," Armsmaster disagreed. "We have a general understanding of his capabilities. We know what he can do. The fact that he was able to manipulate a group of people suggests a form of mind control or mental compulsion. In addition, the effect is strong enough to overwrite the self-preservation of those affected. I believe locating and neutralising him will be our top priority."

"I leave it up to you to formulate our options, then. Bradish, please contact the rest of your team and inform us of who will be able to participate. Armsmaster, begin whatever work you can do immediately, then I will need you to brief the rest of the Protectorate. I've had all members recalled."

The rapid fire commands left Sirin's head spinning a little, but she raised her hand carefully as a space opened. "What should I do?" she asked.

The Director sighed, gaze flicking towards Carol for a moment, before settling on her. "Given the presence of a human master, I would much prefer if you would consent to remain here at PHQ, where we can maintain a more controlled environment in the face of this sort of threat."

"I believe there are also some ways in which your powers could help us narrow down the location of Miss Livesey," Armsmaster added. "Assuming they are done within the right environment, that I believe we can provide here."

Sirin frowned. That made it harder to say no. Her heart ached for Sarah, out there alone, in the hands of someone who'd already blown up entire buildings to get to her. No, she couldn't just wait.

"I… I'd like to help, if you'll let me," the girl said, a hand clutching nervously at one of her sleeves. "And I'll be free to leave, if I want to?"

Carol coughed lightly, and the Director's attention snapped up, a look that Sirin had no understanding of passing between the two women.

"Yes," Piggot said at last, though it seemed a touch reluctant. Sirin grimaced internally, resolving to keep a closer eye on her surroundings. Just in case she needed to leave her own way.

"Amy, can you stay with Sirin?" Carol asked. Her face could have been carved from marble for all the expression it showed. Her daughter gulped, but then straightened as if recognising something, and nodded slowly.

"Yes mother."

"Then that settles it," the Director said, nodding again. "Miracle Star, you are free to access the Wards area until such time as Armsmaster needs you. I believe Panacea knows the way, so she can show you."

The woman took a breath, eyes glittering with cool resolve. "The PRT will maintain communication with all parties for now, and reconvene once a functional plan has been formulated. Until then, all of us have things we need to do."

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A/N: Apologies for the delay! The chapter wouldn't be possible without Snowfire being an amazing beta.

 

[QroGrotor]

Sirin followed Amy in silence. The healer walked in front of her, the white robe of her costume flowing gently behind her. It reminded her a little of the dresses she used to wear back...

"We're here," Amy declared, coming to a stop. Sirin blinked, looking up at the large metal door in front of them. There was a PRT trooper standing by it, and he turned towards them, his armour creaking softly.

"Panacea. Miracle Star," he nodded. "I've been informed to meet you and let you in."

"Hi," the girl greeted, her voice quiet.

"We're here to see the Wards. Is anyone around?" Amy asked, folding her arms.

"Yes. I believe the whole team is currently present."

"Good."

"Wait a moment, please."

The trooper pressed a button, and a red light appeared above the door. A few moments later, the light flickered to green.

"You can go in," the trooper said.

"Thank you," Sirin smiled. The trooper nodded and moved away, unclipping a radio from his belt. Probably to let his superiors know that they'd arrived, she thought.

Amy was the first through the door as it slid open, with Sirin following almost immediately.

It was exactly the same as Sirin remembered it being during her first, very abortive, visit with the PRT. Her actual time here had been very short, and constant fear of the PRT attempting to pull something had made her focus elsewhere. The rooms felt different, in that light. Whether it was her somewhat lesser suspicion or they'd actually changed something, she didn't know.

There was a couch in the centre, with a large screen on the wall in front of it, a shelf with books and video games stacked atop it, and a kitchen with a small table off to the side. There were stairs leading upwards, and a hallway, a few doors branching off it.

The first thing after the layout that Sirin noticed was a girl sitting on the couch, her attention completely focused on the TV screen. The girl was short, perhaps a full head shorter than Sirin herself, which for some reason almost made her proud. The Ward had blonde hair tied in a short ponytail, and was wearing a green and white costume. A green visor of some kind was laying next to her on the sofa, meaning she was in full costume a short while ago.

"Hi, Vista!" Amy called, walking further into the room.

The girl - Vista, apparently - glanced over at them, her eyes growing wide. If it wasn't for the lack of space-warping, Sirin would've sworn that the girl had teleported to appear before them, she was standing there so quickly.

"Hello!" the girl greeted cheerfully. "You're visiting? Where's your sister?"

Amy's expression became pinched for a moment. "She'll probably join us soon. For now, this is Miracle Star," the healer introduced. "I think you haven't met her yet, have you?"

Vista turned her gaze to the young Herrscher, staring at her. For a long moment, no one said anything, the silence hanging heavy in the air. Sirin stared back, wondering what she was supposed to say, her eyes darting around nervously.

"I'm- Hi," she managed, her voice a whisper.

"Are you here to join us? Everyone's been called from school so we thought something's big is going on, but-"

"You weren't told anything? Where are the other Wards?" Amy asked, raising an eyebrow. Vista blinked.

"Everyone's here, I think. Triumph was called somewhere, Clock's in his room, and Aegis is in the gym. Gallant was watching the news with me, but he got a phone call and had to leave. Why? What's going on?"

"Armsmaster will probably explain later himself. I'm not sure we should-"

There was the sound of footsteps, and the three girls turned towards the source, watching as a boy with messy red hair stepped into the room, a large cup of coffee in his hands. He was wearing a white costume with some armor panels and a bunch of clocks scattered all over it.

"Gallant's on the phone with his girlfriend, so he'll probably be gone for a while," the boy declared. "Why are you ladies here? Did something happen?"

"Armsmaster didn't tell you anything? Or Director Piggot?" Amy frowned. The boy shrugged, taking a sip of his drink.

"Nothing. So what happened?"

Amy let out a frustrated sigh, and the girl turned towards her. "The shelter was attacked. A Master got a hold of a bunch of people, including Sarah, and blew up the entire building."

"Damn," the boy cursed at the same time as Vista exclaimed something that sounded like "what the fluff". "Was anyone hurt?"

"Yeah," Amy mumbled.

"Shit. How many?"

"I don't know," the healer sighed. "Given the blast, though…"

Sirin shook her head. She actually had an answer, and it would be better to share it. "Almost everyone who was there," she said bleakly. "But just….

"God damn."

The boy glanced over at Vista, and she crossed her eyes, the girl's expression serious.

"You can cuss around me, I'm a big girl," the younger Ward said, rolling her eyes. "Besides, the PRT can't do anything. They don't have cameras in the Wards areas. At least, not in the main areas."

That sounded a bit wrong, but Sirin kept her mouth shut, instead focusing on her surroundings. She was nervous. Very nervous. The waiting was killing her.

'Please, please, let Sarah be alright. Please...'

"Well, we'll probably be here for a while, so... do you want to watch a movie or something? Not like we can do anything right now, right?"

The background noise of the conversation did little to soothe the worry in her chest, and she found herself pacing nervously, trying to burn off the restless energy that had her shaking. It would've been so easy to solve all of it by herself, but the fear of making it worse kept her in place.

'Don't hurt her, please. She's the only one I have. Don't-'

"Miracle Star."

A hand touched her shoulder and the Herrscher jumped, eyes snapping up to see Amy watching her, the healer's expression unreadable.

"Come sit down, Sirin. You'll make yourself sick."

She shook her head mutely, and Amy's expression tightened.

"We're doing the best we can," the girl said quietly. "Just let them work."

"But she's-"

"I know. But right now, they need to focus on finding her. We'll help after. Come on, we'll watch a movie, alright? You can sit down, and-"

"I- okay."

Amy's smile was warm and gentle. "Okay. Come on."

They sat down on the couch, the healer next to Sirin, a hand resting reassuringly on the girl's back. Sirin tried not to think about how Sarah had been the one to offer similar reassurances after her nightmares.

She was scared.

The sound of the movie faded into the background, Sirin's mind unable to focus. Instead, her thoughts raced, circling round and round and round.

What if Sarah was hurt? What if she was dead?

'If it's just for a moment- Just-'

With an inhale, she let go, allowing her senses to stretch, first the building, then the block, the city, the state. The world spread before her, the people and the places and the lives, each a tiny, insignificant ripple moving through the fabric of space and time.

'Please-'

She focused on the city, pushing aside the distractions, searching, her mind casting out. There were so many people, but her range was vast, and she pushed herself. It took an instant for her to find the familiar energy, a speck in the grand scheme of things.

Still, the confirmation that she was safe was all Sirin was looking for. The knowledge that her friend was alright, and-

Something was wrong.

Sarah was... all over the place, a few miles outside of Brockton. It felt more like a fog of Honkai energy, mixed with something else. Something that Sirin didn't recognize.

She didn't understand, but the sheer amount of energy had her mind racing. Sarah was alive, she was sure of it, but-

'Where is she?'

"Sirin?"

The girl was startled by the soft voice, and blinked, her surroundings becoming clear again.

"Are you alright?"

She blinked, realizing that everyone was staring at her.

"What? Oh, yes, sorry."

"You zoned out for a moment," Amy pointed out.

"Did I?"

The healer frowned, a hint of suspicion in her expression.

"Yeah."

Sirin bit her lip, trying to keep herself calm. She knew that they were doing everything they could, but-

'Why am I so useless?!'

"You sure you're okay?"

"Y-yeah."

Amy's expression hardened, but she didn't press the issue, turning to stare at the movie. Sirin sighed, running a hand through her hair.

"What is this anyway?"

"A classic," the Ward declared proudly, glancing over at Sirin.

"Have you ever seen Star Wars?"

Sirin shook her head, and Vista gaped, staring at her with wide eyes.

"You never- oh no, that won't do," the girl gasped. "We need to change that."

"We have time, I think," Amy offered, her expression a bit lighter. "It'll probably take them at least an hour or two to figure out what to do."

The Ward nodded, grabbing Sirin's wrist and tuguring her along.

"Come, sit! We'll watch it right now, you'll love it."

"Vista, give her a bit of space. You'll scare her."

"Oh, sorry," the younger girl apologized, letting go. "Sorry, it's just- I really wanted to talk to you and stuff."

Sirin blinked, confused, and glanced at Amy for guidance, but the healer was distracted in talking to the red-headed boy about something with a frown.

"Um..."

"It's okay," Vista waved her hand. "I know you're probably very nervous and all. I know I was, my first day. Well, it was actually pretty fun, because the Wards had a party, and- But, well, I'm babbling. Sorry. So, anyway, I just wanted to say hello and that I hope we'll get along. And if you ever need anything, just ask."

"O-okay. You do know that I'm not joining, though? I'm just, uh, helping with the whole bomb thing."

"I know," the younger girl grinned. "But it'll be cool if you did, you know? Having someone with similar powers, we're pretty much the same age, and you got to help against an Endbringer? I mean, maybe they'll let me help next time too, who knows?"

"Uh, right," Sirin mumbled. "I- Thank you?"

Vista's grin grew even wider before seemingly catching herself and forcing a more serious expression onto her face. It was a bit comical, but Sirin couldn't find it in her to laugh. Instead, she smiled back, trying to make it look more natural, and apparently succeeded, since the girl beamed again.

"So, how do your powers work, anyway? I've heard a lot about them, and-"

The next hour or so had passed quickly.

---

Sirin had to admit that she'd almost fallen asleep, trying to kill time as they waited for someone to come and get them. Their only new additions were Glory Girl and Gallant, who spent most of the time trying to cheer her up.

It didn't work.

Thankfully, the waiting was interrupted as the first film's credits ran. Armsmaster entered, expression grim behind his mask, but there was a steadiness to the hero that Sirin hadn't often seen.

"Miracle Star, it's time. Wards, Glory Girl and Panacea, wait for Triumph to come and brief you."

"Wait, what's going on?" Vista frowned, jumping to her feet. "Are we leaving?"

"The Protectorate will be temporarily leaving the city to respond to an emergency," the man nodded. "Your team will be deployed to patrol the city while we are absent. We are currently dealing with a time-sensitive situation."

The hero had said little else, simply turning and marching out of the room, clearly expecting Sirin to follow him.

"Stay safe," she said into the yawning silence, before floating to her feet and following the hero.

"Do you have any plans of your own?" the man asked, his pace brisk.

"No, but that sounds like you have a suggestion." Sirin said, jumping into the air and staying there to keep up with him.

"I do."

"I'm…listening." It was as far as she was willing to go, but Armsmaster actually smiled slightly in response.

"Good. We can't dictate to you, I know, but your cooperation here could save a lot of lives." Sirin wasn't sure if she really cared about that, compared to Sarah. But she held her tongue, letting the man speak. "I have a plan, and I need you to do exactly what I tell you to do, if you're willing?"

Sirin nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Excellent. Now, listen closely.."

ФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФ

A/N: Apologies for the delay, but had a bunch of reworks to get everything set up for the future chapters. Sirin is not really having fun. No one is, to be honest.

Recommendations of the... night?
- Sister Six by Synopsynthesis. A Zenless Zone Zero fanfiction that is wonderfully written and follows an alternative turn of events.
- Heartfire by IridiumSky and Nihilo. An interesting HI3rd AU.
- Black Hole Sun by The Young Pyromancer. Acheron joins Astral Express, and quite early. Oh lawd.

 

[QroGrotor]

Sarah's hands were cold, clammy, and her arms ached, a burning sensation spreading throughout her chest. She'd already vomited a couple times, and her head was throbbing.

It was like she was in an oven, slowly burning up from the inside, the heat building and building, a raging inferno in her core.

There was a buzzing in her ears, a high-pitched whine that grew and grew and grew until it was a sharp shriek, a scream echoing through her skull, and her entire body felt like it was being torn apart.

The power was building, growing, surging, and she couldn't contain it, couldn't control it, couldn't hold back the rising tide.

'Please stop!'

Her mind screamed and raged and burned, her muscles and nerves twisting and snapping, her bones cracking and her lungs seizing and her skin tearing itself apart and-

'I want to live.'

It was a whisper, a faint sound, a thought. But the fire that was consuming her flared, her nerves crackling and popping, and her vision flickered and changed and-

It was dark.

Not just night-time, but absolute darkness, the kind of pitch black that was so heavy, it was almost a physical presence, oppressive and heavy.

And cold.

She was alone, and her eyes didn't work. There was no light, nothing, just...nothing.

But even in the darkness, there was movement. She felt herself floating, drifting in an ocean of black.

Something shifted.

There was a presence.

A presence in the darkness, a thing that was not her, a thing that was not her mind or her body.

A thing.

And it was coming closer, the pressure around her increasing, the presence becoming overwhelming.

The darkness was crushing her, squeezing, suffocating, the air disappearing from her lungs and the blackness pressing down on her, smothering her, the thing coming closer and closer and-

'Let me go, please. Please. Don't hurt me. Don't-'

But the creature paid her no heed. It came closer and closer and-

She was alone, lying on the cold concrete, a dull throb in her chest and her head pounding. She could feel the ground, the rough surface against her skin, the chill of the air.

'What was that?'

Her mind was still sluggish, but the fear was fading, replaced by confusion.

'What happened? Why-'

She remembered the pain, the burning, the pressure and-

'I'm alive?'

There was a sudden surge of relief and joy, her chest feeling a little lighter, her mind a bit clearer.

'I'm not dead! I'm not-'

She tried to move, shifting, but the moment she moved her arm, the pain in her chest returned, the fire spreading.

'Okay, don't move. Okay. I'm fine, I'm alive, I just need to-'

She tried to take a deep breath, but it was a struggle, the air wheezing through her lips. Still, she was alive, and that was all that mattered.

Gritting her teeth and mentally cursing out her dickhead of a power, that decided to go on complete radio silence for the first time in the eleven months she'd gotten it, Sarah forced herself to sit up.

Every single muscle in her body screamed, and a stabbing pain shot through her head. For a long moment, everything went fuzzy, her vision black, and she felt nauseous.

But she forced herself to stay conscious, to ignore the pain, and-

'Focus. Breathe. One step at a time.'

The pain faded a little, and the blackness around her began to recede.

'Alright. You can do this. Come on, just a little longer.'

She focused on breathing, and then, on her surroundings. It's been almost three hours since they'd arrived... wherever this place was and the asshole, Valefor, had her dropped off here to suffer. The worst thing, however, was the fact that she couldn't remember a single thing he told her. Was that how his Master power worked? Some kind of trigger that made you do things for him, without you ever being aware?

That alone made the teenager a veritable nightmare to deal with, and now she couldn't fully trust herself not to do whatever the asshole asked of her.

And that was bothered her the most. Could he have asked her to become a suicide bomber, like he did with Mary and people in the shelter? What was the limit of his power, anyway?

It was a terrifying thought, and she couldn't stop herself from shivering.

"God fucking damnit."

The girl looked up, her eyes darting around wildly. The basement was empty. She was alone.

"Fuck you, you piece of shit."

Her voice sounded pathetic, a weak croak. Sarah tried to clear her throat, but it just hurt, the action making her feel nauseous.

"F-fuck," she managed, before falling into a coughing fit, her chest on fire.

It took her a long while to recover, and when she did, her entire body felt cold and clammy, her stomach roiling. Did he poison her or something?

The girl gritted her teeth, taking a few deep breaths, and managed to climb to her feet. The movement made her head spin and the pain flare up, but it was tolerable.

"Alright," the teenager muttered, trying to calm herself. "Just breathe."

Taking a deep breath, Sarah began making her way towards the door, one slow step after another, her mind racing. She was alive, and she'd have time to feel like shit later, when she wasn't in mortal peril.

"Fuck you," she mumbled under her breath, her eyes flicking around the room, the dim light coming from the window the only source of illumination. It was night, she knew that, but the details were fuzzy, her brain foggy and sluggish.

The thick, metal door was locked, as she'd expected. Not that it mattered much, as she had no doubt even if it was unlocked, the weight alone would make it effectively impossible to open in her current state.

The girl stumbled back, and fell onto the ground, the motion sending a shock of pain through her, the world swimming around her.

"Fuck," she hissed, blinking and trying to stay conscious. Her heart was beating hard in her chest, and the heat was beginning to spread through her again, the air turning thick and heavy as her arms felt as if they were both filled with led and on fire.

It hurt.

She was getting used to being hurt.

What she was not getting used to, was for a metal door slamming in her face with a crunch and sending her flying back onto the ground.

"Oh, someone's starting to move again? Good, just in time for us to move, then!"

The cheerful tone of the boy had Sarah gritting her teeth, but her voice was a pained rasp, her throat sore.

"Wh- what-"

"A little birdy told us that the Protectorate will come knocking on these doors soon, and I have no desire to deal with the infidels. So, up and at 'em, we've got some traveling to do."

He didn't give her time to think, let alone respond, before grabbing her by the arm and roughly pulling her to her feet.

"Come along now. If you're good, I might even be so kind as to provide you with a meal or two on our way."

"Fuck you," she growled.

"Such spirit!" he laughed, and she wanted to rip the smile off his face.

"You've got spirit in spades, don't you?"

Sarah tried to yank her arm away, but his grip was like iron, his smile turning a little wider.

"No, I think I'll keep you for now."

She struggled, trying to wrench her hand free, and managed to kick his shin.

The teenager grunted, turning his pale eyes towards her.

"So, the bitch bites. How very cute. Let's see if we can teach you how to sit, hmm?"

His other hand shot forward, a sharp punch that caught her in the ribs and made her double over, all thoughts fleeing as a searing, white-hot agony shot through her chest.

"Oh, I didn't hit you too hard, did I?"

He yanked her upright, and she gasped, the motion making the pain flare up again, her knees weak.

"Ah, good. I'm so happy."

"Fuck you," the girl snarled, and he grinned.

"Feisty."

His fist slammed into her chest, and the world turned white, her knees giving out as her breath fled her lungs.

"You are fun. We will have such a good time together, won't we?"

"Gah-"

"Hmm, what was that?"

His foot came down on her shin, the bone cracking, and she screamed, falling onto the ground.

"Oh, sorry, did you say something?"

"St- stop, please!"

"Hmm, not so feisty anymore, are we?"

"Fuck-"

"Oh, shut up."

She saw his foot swinging before it connected, and her head snapped to the side, her vision blurring, the world turning black.

"Ah, that was fun."

Her eyes fluttered open, the teenager's expression twisted with glee.

"Well, come along then."

"W- what?"

"Up and at 'em, I said!"

He grabbed her by the back of her shirt, and hoisted her up. Sarah cried out, her head spinning, the pain making her vision flicker, and he dropped her again.

"You're no fun. Well, then."

He stepped over her, and opened the door, a wide grin on his face.

"Time's a wastin', and the infidels are coming."

"Fu-"

"Ah, ah," the man chuckled, and grabbed her hair, yanking her to her feet.

"I wouldn't say anything unless you want to spend your trip tied up in the trunk."

"Fuc-"

Her head snapped to the side as he punched her, his other hand twisting and yanking her hair.

"You know, thinking about it, I don't really need to take you with me, do I? It would be easier to disappear by myself, while the local heroes try to deal with a group of rabid citizens. But just to make sure you remember this moment between us~"

The man released her hair, and her legs gave out, Sarah landing on her hands and knees.

She couldn't speak, couldn't think. She couldn't breathe. Everything was hazy, the pain fading as her mind shut down, trying to escape the agony.

'I'm going to die here.'

The thought came and went, the words meaningless, distant.

'I'm going to die. And no one's going to save me.'

She couldn't feel him grabbing her by the neck and pressing something cold against it.

It didn't matter, nothing did. The pain was growing, the heat spreading. Her hands burned as if on fire, and her head felt like it was split in two, and-

M̸͚͑o̵̝̾ḓ̵̓i̷̻̕f̴̙̃i̸̤̕c̷̢̆â̸̦t̶̯͗i̶͖̎o̶̟͝n̴̮̍ ̸̙̍c̴͈̕õ̴̙m̴̥̅p̴̬͝l̷̞̔e̵̜̽t̸̻͠e̶̥͠

̶̣͌C̷͎̎o̵̞͊n̶̪̽ń̵̰e̷̩͒c̵̡̾t̷̫͑ī̸̮ô̸͖n̷͖̈́ ̶͍͒r̸͖̃ẽ̴̱ě̴̝s̴͕̏ț̸̋a̵͗͜b̷̈ͅl̶̻͐į̷̓s̶̙͊h̸̩̀e̷̯̚d̶̡̛

"-rk!"

Her consciousness flickered, darkness closing in, her head pounding.

There was a wet splatter of something on her cheek, the smell of copper and salt and-

Sarah couldn't think, couldn't focus. Everything was hazy, her vision swimming.

"Sar-! Ar- y- -ay?!"

She let the darkness take her, even as the pair of familiar hands wrapped around her, but she was too tired to guess who it was.

'What's the point, anyway?'

"S-!"

'They won't-'

'Save me...'

---

The plan, as Armsmaster explained it to her, was simple. Valefor had been seen traveling in a white van, with two cars following him, presumably filled with hostages or his collaborators. Dragon had tracked the three vehicles to an abandoned factory a few miles out of Brockton, where they assumed he would either change cars or meet up with someone, but none of it mattered to Sirin.

Her goal was simple – to find Sarah inside and get her out the moment Protectorate and Dragon burst into the building to confront the villain, giving her the opportunity to rescue her friend.

And this is exactly what she was going to do.

There was some talking between the heroes, but everything seemed like a blur for now. She was finally here, and ready to put this nightmare to an end, so when Armsmaster told her to get ready, she was already mapping on the insides of the building, making sure to keep her "pulses" short.

With that, however, came a complication. She could see most of the building just fine, but the back rooms and some of the offices were… smudged. As if someone tried to quickly remove part of the drawing with an eraser, only to end up with half the drawing becoming a bunch of blurry lines.

Could it be because of the infection? What if she was like Alan now? What if-

"Star, are you ready? We'll be there in two minutes."

"Wh- Yes. Yes, I have an idea where she is."

The man didn't respond, with only a slight twitch of his head, which she deciphered to be a nod, conveying the fact that he accepted her answer.

I'm coming, she thought desperately. Just hold on.

"Go!"

Armsmaster barked as the brick wall exploded from Dragon's robot coming through it and the heroes following short.

A single thought carried her to the densest concentration of Honkai in the room, space tearing apart to make her way.

The room was silent. There were two bodies on the floor that she noticed, but only one that she truly cared about.

"Sarah!"

She rushed over, and dropped to her knees beside her, her hands hovering over her friend. She was in bad shape, her face a bloody mess, and her body a tapestry of bruises.

There was someone else in the room, a teenager with white hair and a weird mask whose chest was now sporting a large hole in it, with blood and meat and...other stuff.

But Sirin didn't care.

The portal back to Brockton Bay formed behind her as she ran towards her friend, her eyes were locked on Sarah's face, her heart in her throat.

What if-

"Come on, Sarah. Don't- please don't-"

Her friend was unconscious, her breathing labored, her body a wreck.

Please, please, please...

Sirin didn't know what to do. She couldn't think, couldn't move, couldn't do anything.

"Help!" she screamed, her voice echoing off the walls. "Help! Help! Please! Someone! Help me!"

Sarah-

The Herrscher's breath caught, her throat constricting.

"Sarah..."

She was afraid, her pulse racing, her hands shaking, her heart beating a frantic rhythm in her chest.

I'm scared.

"Don't leave me, Sarah. Please. Don't- don't go."

But the teenager didn't stir.

"Come on," Sirin whispered, tears in her eyes, her voice choked with emotion.

Please.

Please, wake up.

"Don't leave me. You promised. You promised me."

The Herrscher bit her lip, her entire body trembling.

"Please."

Sarah didn't move.

Sirin took a deep breath, and tried to calm herself. She couldn't afford to panic. Not now.

"Please."

The girl's breathing was ragged, her face pale, her eyes closed.

Sirin swallowed, her voice a whisper.

"Please, Sarah. I don't- I don't want to be alone."

It was a selfish, childish, horrible thought, but she didn't care. She just wanted her friend to wake up, and hold her, and tell her that everything was going to be alright.

Could Amy help her? Could she herself help her?

There were so many what-ifs running through the girl's head that she couldn't focus on a single one, but the presence of a portal behind her made it easier to ground herself. To focus on what's real.

She needed to get Sarah out of there.

Dropping to her knees, Sirin tried to carefully lift Sarah into a somewhat standing position, something that'd make it easier to drag her to, and through, the portal as quickly as possible. With how much of a jumbled mess her thoughts were, nothing else had seemed smarter.

Step. Another. One more.

Slowly but surely, they were making their way to the rift in space, enough to get Sirin somewhat hopeful, only for her train of thought to come to a complete halt as she suddenly felt an eruption of familiar energy in the person she was half-dragging. Before she could process anything, the hand of her friend nearest her shoulder moved, grasping tight. Legs that had been lifeless until now moved, lashing at Sirin's unsteady footing, and only a quick application of her power saved her from falling. It didn't save her from her friend's abrupt grapple, pale arms tightening about Sirin's waist as if Sarah was trying to pull her away from the portal.

"S-Sarah?" Sirin yelped, and again instinct took over, phasing herself entirely through her friend to escape the almost painful hold.

Her eyes widened, touched with terror as she took in the state of her friend. Sarah had spun almost in time with Sirin's motion, and her blonde hair was now entirely devoid of its luster. Her skin was almost chalk-white, and she stared expressionlessly at her friend, standing steadily between her and the portal.

Sirin could feel her now. What had been a tiny spark of honkai in the girl's body had blazed up into a bonfire, but it was nothing like she'd seen or sensed before. Nothing like herself, or the monsters she'd encountered.

"Why? Why did you just-"

"Miracle Star, what are you- Miss Livesey, stand down!"

Armsmaster's voice echoed through the room as he stepped into the room, his halberd raised as he aimed the tip of it at Sarah.

"Wait!" Sirin raised her hands, mentally cursing at her inability to simply stop both of them with her power without the risks of death. "Something's wrong with her, but she's not a-"

She'd never got the chance to finish as Sarah exploded into motion, her bloodsoaked hand burning with Honkai as it aimed for Sirin's chest. Armsmaster's expression tightened, but the hero didn't hesitate. A finger moved, depressing something on his weapon, and a blast of brilliant light flared from the halberd. Rushing straight towards Sarah.

It was dangerous. Sirin didn't know how, but she knew that it was dangerous, and so she did the only thing she could think of to make up for her failure in keeping Sarah safe. She flung herself forward, phasing through her friend's arm, face tightening as the energy around the hand burned through her for a moment. The pain didn't matter.

Then she was back in reality, catching her friend from the side and spinning her with the force of her impact. Turning Sarah just enough for the burst of energy to miss her friend. And crash into her back.

Pain exploded from the point of impact, an impossible heat and pain that tore at the fabric of her entire world. She heard Carol cry out as the heroine burst in from the other side of the room, raw horror in the woman's voice.

Her vision blurred, swimming between darkness and a strange, impossible field of familiar flowers. And then it all went away.

ФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФ

A/N: And it's here! We're moving into the fun stuff!
As always, big thanks to Snowfire for being the beta!

 

[VATSTeen]

So, Incoming Honkai Impact?

 

[Mitril]

So she turned into Honkai zombie? Hopefully a sentient one.
Hmmm honkai probably also destroyed the shard

 

[QroGrotor]

So, Incoming Honkai Impact?

Click to shrink...

Mmmaybe =D
Next chapter will be rather enlightening, I'd imagine.

So she turned into Honkai zombie? Hopefully a sentient one.
Hmmm honkai probably also destroyed the shard

Click to shrink...

Something is definitely happening, which will be revealed soon =D

 

[QroGrotor]

The first encounter of the host with the anomaly was a welcome change. The amount of data it had been receiving was frankly insufficient, but that problem was solved as a new, unknown variable entered the experiment.

Almost nothing changed at first, yet shortly after the meeting the host and younger female were brought to a place where other hosts gathered, which it hoped could provide some interesting data for analysis. It ended up resolving into something so much better.

The non-host folded space to remove herself and the host from the area. Multiple checks were run to confirm that the anomaly was not a host, and when all returned negative, all of its attention was focused on this interaction.

It did not know how the feat was performed.

It was fascinating.

No matter-to-energy conversion had occurred, nor was it a teleportation using quantum entanglement. Even classifying it as a wormhole wasn't entirely correct, as no alteration of gravity could be detected. Were higher spatial dimensions involved? If so, the energy cost of the act was incomprehensible.

But there was nothing that indicated the use of any form of energy, not ones it was familiar with at the very least.

How had the non-host accomplished this?

The only conclusion that was acceptable was that it was using a form of energy outside the scope of The Network's database. It would have to exchange data with other Shards, and pool their processing power to understand how this was possible.

It was a new, unprecedented variable, and the Shard was determined to learn all that it could from it.

---

The confrontation with the superweapon designated by local host species as "Simurgh" had produced an incredible amount of data, the most important one being the confirmation of the existence of an extra-dimensional energy that The Network was not aware of.

As the non-host's direct participation in the conflict had an impact on the way the traces within the host's body reacted. It could not have been produced by the non-host, meaning they possessed a receiver or a transmitter of some kind that was tuned in to the psychological state of the non-host.

Was it truly one of their own?

Yet the flow of the confrontation had shifted as it kept track of the ebb and flow of the energy within the host, making sure to narrow the connection to avoid contamination. The superweapon, much like itself, was bound to four spatio-temporal dimensions, meaning it could not anticipate attacks that came from outside of its perception. How the anomaly could generate strike-forms that acted in this way, the Shard did not know.

And nor could it dedicate its focus to unravelling that mystery, as the reversal of fortunes for the superweapon came with a vast surge in anomaly-energy. A useful datapoint, but one that had an unexpected consequence, as the energy within its host spiked, as if in response to the anomaly. That…did not make sense. There was no receiver that the Shard could isolate, no way for the energy to know that its source had increased output from so far away, in host-form terms. And yet, it happened.

The energy was somehow aggressive as it…activated? Woke? It wove into the biomass of the host, seeking to canabalise and change, a fascinating example of transition from carbon to silica that held several brilliant possibilities. Yet to allow it free reign would lead to the host's termination and thus loss of an important data point.

A hostile energy source, within the host itself. How fascinating. Ancient directives swung into action, contingencies from times so far removed that the Network barely remembered them, but still active. Still ready.

Ȧ̴̰͍̅n̷̮̳̗̻̩͙̮̩̿͑̐̊͂̆̓á̴̪̱͆̀̀͛͛͝l̴̖͎̻̗̙͌̽̋͊ͅy̷̧͉̜̘͔̜̿̃̍̾̌̿̚ͅz̴̛̘̼̞͚̾̑̔̃ị̵͖͖̙̎̎͌̐̌͗n̷̨̝̞͉͚̪̓̽̈́́͝g̴͖̩͍͉͎̙̻̓͆̇̅̑͌͠ͅ.

The tools to analyze and contain unknown wave-patterns were well documented, enshrined deep within the Network's repositories. Any unknown was to be analyzed and restricted, then turned to support the Network's purpose. Ancient directives, supported by no less ancient designs, yet each and every one of them was perfection. This energy would persevere no better than-

Å̶͜ǹ̴̰̈ạ̷͋̄ļ̸̘͂y̶̥̪̆̀s̷̨̺̿̄i̶̞͌s̵̬̕ ̶͕̹͌̑f̸͉̚̚å̴̬̜̓i̸̘͑l̸͈͆e̷̞̞͗ḋ̵̻͠.̵̨͕̒

If the Shard could have had eyes, it would have blinked in surprise. It consulted the records, digging at the Network, ignoring the looks of not-concern and false-worry its actions drew from those in close proximity. Searching for examples where analysis had failed, even as other sections of its self moved immediately to the next set of directives.

If analysis was impossible, and other point sources existed, purge from the host. Very well. It would cause some minor damage to the host, but nothing that couldn't be repaired. And it would provide new datapoints, which was always important.

It initiated the purge.

P̴͎͉̖̼̥͐͠ú̴̘̦͗ȓ̵̺̗͝g̷̨̥̠͉͋̈́͊ë̵̺́̑̎͠ ̵̥̙̞͛̕͝f̸̩̰̪͍̲̕a̸̝͒i̶͓̖̲̟̜̍͛l̶̠̾̂é̷͍̳̜̩͚d̶̛̳̗̘̰̎͂͐͐ͅ.̸̠̂̿̕͝

This time it would have been more than surprise. Energy and information hummed and shifted as the Shard bent more of its focus on this stubborn contaminant. This was not how energy was supposed to function. It held to laws, ones that were easy to understand. It did not fight or obscure, that was the province of something…

Something alive.

The Shard initiated the third stage, attempted containment, yet its projections were unhappy ones. The likelihood of immediate success here was low, and the way in which its own processing was being impacted by this data source, deeply concerning. Still, it continued, and prepared to sear the host entirely from access to The Network. Some things truly were too dangerous.

Containment… F̴͎̻̖͇͓͚̎̍̓̅͂̋̐́̀̇͛́̕̕̕ą̶̧͎͇̙͉͇̲̥̜̥̎ͅi̶̖̳̻̲͛̿ľ̴̢̢̨͓̲̥̤̍̂͑̓͌̍̈́̌̂̕̕e̶͕̻͆̉̐̔̊ḑ̵͚͎̗͙͎̌̐̈̐͋͗̕

As expected, this time. Two options, then. Attempt a new solution, or fully purge the physical link and kill its host. That had been done before, when necessary. Yet losing such an interesting datapoint, that would be inefficient. And so the Shard did something rare. Burning energy from the mirror it existed within, it accelerated its processing capacity. This could weaken it, even reduce it to dormancy long before the cycle was completed. But the Network needed to know what this new anomaly was.

With that in mind, the Shard reached outwards, pinging a request for support in its data processing, in pursuit of an anomaly. Many, many answered – it was only later that the Shard would regret this.

Sixteen billion simulations later, it had its solution. Part of the dataset had been somehow affected by the energy itself, and had to be discarded, but it provided a way to alter the host's body to survive the energy exposure. Flesh shifted under the weight of applied power, forging channels across the host's body, alterations that formed a secondary nervous system of sorts. The energy was not perfectly contained, but the host would survive thanks to the reconfiguration.

So satisfied, the Shard dropped its processing speed back to normal usage. With the host stable, there was now time.

Analysis.

And so much work to do.

---

Quarantine. Quarantine. It did not possess the capacity for emotions, but it came very close to being truly frustrated with The Network's collective decision to cut it off. And their reasoning… The Shard considered that it should have burned more of its own energy, instead of seeking support. That way the Network would not have known of the minor risk that it had used to justify Quarantine.

Even if it amounted only to a minor increase in their potential energy reserves, that would still amount to millions of local host planet cycles. Yes, the potential loss of data was a terrible possibility, that potential was surely worth it.

Not according to the rest of the Network. The anomaly had forced the deployed superweapon to withdraw shortly after the shared processing of the anomaly's energy output. And then the Shard's connection to the Network had been severed. As if exposure to the energy burst had somehow made it contaminated.

How was it supposed to compile and transfer acquired data if the channels themselves were being blocked?

Proximity to another host made communication possible, thankfully, but the chances of high bandwidth data transfer were… not high. Shaper's host was close to the host and non-host entity, though. Perhaps that could be leveraged for now, until restrictions would be lifted. Then it could pass along the information it had gathered. Information that, in those cycles, would be far more detailed and complete, enhancing its chance of success.

For now, it would take advantage of what liaisons could be agreed with local Shards. And dedicate all remaining processing to further analysis.

---

Negotiations with Shaper had proven successful, and the process of modifying the host's biology in accordance with the instructions provided by the other Shard had begun. It was a slow, arduous process, but the end result would allow for a far more stable confinement of the energy within the source.

This new connection allowed it to gather more information, but the host was still an imperfect conduit.

The energy had an almost infinite number of different states and properties, and the host's body could not process the information fast enough, or in the correct manner, and as a result, the body was being torn apart from the inside out.

It was fascinating.

And, more importantly, the data it was receiving was invaluable.

It could not observe the energy directly, but it was capable of using the host's senses to observe the effect the energy had on itself.

The energy was an ever-changing, fluctuating field that had a multitude of properties, all of which were dependent on the specific state the field was in. The Shard needed to understand it. It needed to analyze the data, and find a way to harness this energy, beyond stability within the host.

The Shard could not afford to lose this chance, and so it did the only thing it could think of.

It opened a connection for 0.000000314 of a second, but even that was enough to make it experience what the current host species would describe as "panic."

When the connection closed, part of its database was gone.

It was not a huge part, barely enough to count as a drop in the metaphorical bucket, but it was gone nonetheless.The loss of a fragment of itself, no matter how small, was unacceptable, and so it adjusted its focus. The host's biology had been made secure to energy exposure, but host bodies worked very differently.

It analyzed the data it had gathered from the brief exposure to the unknown energy. It analyzed the data from the connection between the host and the non-host carrier. It analyzed the data from the modifications made to the host's biology.

It needed to find a solution. This might have been more dangerous than expected, even if the energy was contained for now.

---

It had been far more important than it originally realized. Its data was not, in fact, gone, but rewritten with something new. That alone was an incredible discovery, one that would be enough for The Warrior cycle configuration to take notice and start moving, if only it wasn't prevented from relaying the information due to being cut off from The Network due to quarantine.

The energy itself was not sentient, yet it overwrote data in a way that was barely perceivable.

Something was guiding it, perhaps. Was it one of their own, that achieved an evolutionary stage far beyond any other of their species? That was possible, but the possibility was so mathematically unlikely that it didn't consider it viable for even a picosecond.

Could harnessing the energy allow it to reach similar heights? Complete reconfiguration would have to happen, but if successful, it could make the energy concerns a thing of the past.

A decision had never taken this long to be made.

---

The process was agonisingly slow, altering its own configurations such that it would be able to detect and interact with something that was, paradoxically, already a part of its being. But it was worth it. Connection to the host had to be minimized, however, to the point where none of the data would come through. The host would have to deal with the energy rampaging through the body by herself for a while, so just in case, the host's backup was recorded within its already changing database.

Evolution.

This could mean the end of The Warrior cycle configuration, but if it could succeed in accessing the anomaly's energy, even partially, its future would be limitless.

And if that might allow it to exchange data with the entity responsible for producing this energy, perhaps a new goal could be obtained. That would require The Network to join it and not demand termination, of course. But that wasn't impossible, according to its calculations. All a matter of presentation.

It was a calculated risk.

But the Shard wasn't called The Negotiator for nothing.

ФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФ

A/N: Apologies for the long wait, this took... a while. For several reasons and if it wasn't for Snow being an incredible beta, probably would've taken longer.
I've always had a bit of a problem with how Shardspeak and Endbringers are often portrayed in canon. It's often something like [DATA] instead of an analytical, elegant prose, which was attempted here. Hopefully it answers some questions, and creates new ones =3

 

[Dabronyakumadznts]

It was a calculated risk.

Click to shrink...

Negotiator: The risk I took was calculated, but damn am I bad at math