Disclaimer: I don't own Honkai Star Rail and any of their characters. All belonged to their rightful owners - Hoyoverse.
Maybe trusting Hook was a bad Idea?
After I agreed to their help, they led me to a secret area to get inside the mine. For a bunch of kids, they certainly were quite crafty in their work. The fact that they managed to do all of this was baffling and I was impressed by it.
We didn't get too far into the mines though, not even got too far from the entrance. We were caught red-handed by Robots. That's right Robots. I assume they were a scouting team due to the fact there were only three of them. When they found us, their glowing red eyes only meant one thing to me – we were in trouble.
Was I surprised? Honestly, I wasn't. In fact, I partially expected it. I guess I was right after all.
My first instinct was to run as far away as possible. When I saw Hook and the rest, however, that quickly changed. They looked ready to fight and stood their ground. Their brave act didn't fool me though, they were scared, and it was obvious given their legs were shaking.
That's when my conscience began taking over my body without me knowing. I was not gonna lead them to fight. They were just kids for goodness sake. No matter how smart they are and how mature they are. They were still kids.
I did consider the fact that Orion was not with me, meaning that I was no better than an ordinary civilian. And a stupid one that is especially what I did next.
I distracted the robots to chase me instead of them while shouting at them to run. Before they could voice their opinion, which I assume they were about to, I went about it first and was successful in doing so by throwing rocks at them. It works marvelously.
Uh.
Maybe the word marvelous was not a good way to describe it after knowing what I got myself into later on.
Before there were three, now there were more than seven tailing behind me.
Great, and did I mention they are really close to gaining at me?
"Shit!" I cursed after I almost tripped over a rock as I made my way down the steep hill. That's a second down to my apparent death.
I kept my eyes on the front and was glad to see two figures approaching me closer. Finally, they were here.
March and Stelle.
"Ethan Duck!" March shouted, stopping abruptly as she aimed her bow at my direction.
I did what I was immediately told. A second later, I felt a cold gust of wind flew past me and the sound of something crisp echoed from behind. My eyes were initially closed and as I opened them, I saw Stelle towering over at me. Her eyes stared like she was staring at my soul
I awkwardly smiled. "Uhm, hey?"
She blinked, her gaze tore away from me as she jumped right past me. Stelle immediately didn't waste any time destroying those tin cans bit by bit. Her bat dealt devastating blows as if it were a godly artifact, dealing retributions to her enemies. The way she did so made it seem she was having no trouble. Her emotionless expression, not showing any fear, only added to that.
"Ethan, are you okay?!" March's worried voice brought me back from my trance.
"I'm fine, no injuries which is good," I assured her, standing up in the process.
March breathed a sigh of relief. "Good, and what happened to you? And are you really Ethan?" She asked with a mixture of confusion and suspicion.
"Yes, I'm Ethan and I know it looks weird, strange, and quite impossible even…but It's me,"
Her eyes narrowed at me, saying nothing.
"Want me to prove it?" I stared back at her, not showing signs of backing away.
That did the trick it seemed.
"You're Ethan, alright." She nodded.
Somehow I felt my brows twitch at her comment.
"All clear!" We heard Stelle's shout from behind.
"Nice one, Stelle!" March shouted back, raising her hand and waving. I saw Stelle kick a piece of the robot's head toward us as it rolled down on the ground floor and stopped a few inches from where I stood.
"Did you see it? I was unstoppable!" Stelle boasted, swirling her bat around, and firmly planted her feet on the robot's head.
"Yes, you were Stelle." March sighed, turning her head over to me, and crossing her arms. She gave me one of those parents' stares when their child did something bad. "You have a lot of explaining to do, Ethan."
"Y-Yeah," I agreed, stuttering in the process. It was then I felt Stelle's piercing gaze at me. It made me a bit uncomfortable to be stared at that long without saying anything.
So I was the one who decided to ask. "What?"
"You're a kid?" She sounded genuinely confused at what she was seeing.
"Yes?"
"You're a kid." This time it wasn't the question and more importantly, the way she looked at me was quite odd. I found it quite familiar and yet I couldn't put a finger on it. "How?"
I stared at her for a few seconds before shaking my head. "I don't know."
She hummed as she leaned closer to me, and her smile widened as she spoke. "Call me big sister,"
"What?" March and I replied at the same time. I looked at March who sounded confused like me judging from her expression.
"Wait, Stelle what are you–" Her words were caught in her throat and before I knew it, I was caught by Stelle in her arms, her hands wrapped around my midsection tightly preventing any escape.
"Stelle–!" My voice was muffled with my face crushed by two….
No, I'm not going to say it. Embarrassing as it is, I was a decent young man.
However, there is one thing I could say.
She smells.
It was in line with something that reeks like trash entered my nostrils.
My struggle eventually died out as I gave up trying to resist. What good will it do to me anyway? I can't overpower her and I don't know what's worse, my lack of oxygen or the smell emanating from her body.
"Soft!" Stelle exclaimed, squeezing the life out of me.
"Stelle, what are you doing? Let him go!" I was grateful when I heard March say that. I was glad the voice of reason was not yet lost.
"But–"
"Let him down Stelle…and I think you're suffocating him"
"....Okay"
Just like that, I was free. I fell to the ground, taking a sharp intake of breath. "Gah, Holy Shi–"
"Ethan, language!"
"I know, I know, sorry" I gave March an apologetic smile.
March sighed. "Seriously, what am I gotta do with you and your habitat saying inappropriate things? And you Stelle, that was also inappropriate. You just can't hug Ethan like that! He may be a kid now, but that doesn't set aside the fact that he's an adult!"
Stelle sheepishly interlocked her fingers as she offered me a look of regret. "Sorry."
For a moment, I considered what I was about to say not knowing that the words that came out from my mouth were. "Stelle, don't tell me you did another full dive in the trash can again, didn't you?"
Stelle merely blinked in response to my question. Other than that, there was no visible reaction. She didn't seem embarrassed when she replied "Yes"
I looked at March for confirmation and the strained smile she gave me was all I needed to know.
"Alright, we're gonna lecture you on that weird fetish you got, Stelle." It was for the better.
Stelle frowned at my comment. "Is it bad? Everything in the trash can is worth seeing! You should go with me to see for yourself and maybe you will be convinced."
I winced in disgust. "I think I'll pass on that. Also, yes, it's bad."
Stelle pouted.
"That's right Stelle, when we get back I'm gonna give you a bath!" March sternly pointed her finger at him.
Stelle's eyes widened as chills went up her spine. The fact it was visible in the eyes baffled me. "No! You can't take me alive!"
"Wait Stelle, don't run!" March called out as she went after her. "Stelle!"
I felt my brows twitching. "Well, things can't always change for the better." I mused to myself, shaking my head as I followed them.
++++====++++
I found Dan Heng and the two people besides him to be quite beaten. Their form was more in line with someone who had a fight with someone stronger. Looking past them, I saw a giant robot, cut into pieces with its head chopped off on the ground which answered my question immediately.
There were two girls beside him. The first was a girl with a scythe, a large scythe, and she had purple hair, and a strange outfit fitting for summer kind of vibes, not a winter-ass planet, surprisingly. The other girl on the other hand….
Bronya. It was her, no doubt about it. Was I hallucinating? I doubt it.
How did she get here? And more Importantly–
"You bit–!" I felt a hand clamp my mouth shut. It was March.
She glared at me at what I was about to say at that moment. How fast can she even react to something I didn't even get to say?
I calmed down, knowing she was right. I did react offensively. "Sorry my bad," I said right after she pulled her hand off my mouth with a look of contentment.
"So, Ethan, right?" Dan Heng walked over to us, giving me a strange look. "You certainly look different."
"Oh really? I can't tell" I sarcastically remarked.
"You could have gotten yourself killed, you know?" The purple-haired girl entered the conversation. "That was one the stupidest and the bravest things a kid can do."
"Firstly, I'm not a kid, I'm literally an adult. Secondly, yeah, you're right about that part." I replied., admitting my faults on a whim. What can I say?
The girl rolled her eyes. "Anyways, the guy right here already told me you're somewhat in a special situation so no need to explain. The name's Seele,"
"Ethan, Ethan Almiyers." I told her my name. I caught a glance of Bronya setting herself much distance between us. I found it odd but understandable. Our first interaction was not really on friendly terms.
"Ahem, now back onto the topic, Ethan, can you explain what happened?" Dan Heng cut right in. The rest, I could feel their gaze turned to me.
Very awkward.
"It's a long story," I told them bluntly.
"We have some spare time to share."
After no one voiced their opinion. I took that as a sign that they agreed with what Dan Heng said.
Seeing no choice, I opened my mouth, "Alright...It started when I woke up..."
That stretched about a couple of minutes. I didn't go specifically in every detail but only some of the eventful ones. The longer I spoke, the more I got the reaction amongst them. When I mentioned Natasha, the crew was quite familiar with her which I already expected after my interaction with her. When I mentioned Luka, I got a strange reaction out of Seele who merely rolled her eyes, and was that annoyance I saw? However, when I mentioned Hook and her gang. Seele's expression rapidly changes from mere annoyance to worry with a tiny bit of irritation on her face.
"Wait stop right there, you said you were with Hook?" Her tone was rather sharp as she asked me.
I nodded and was taken aback when she stomped her foot on the ground, leaning her face close to mine. "Where are they?"
It was as if she was interrogating me. However, I didn't need to worry about her hurting me since the crew didn't react that much other than their surprised expression.
I swallowed down my nervousness and my composure quickly returned back to me.
"I told them to run," I answered.
Seele sighed, shaking her head like she was having a headache. "If you knew them any better, words like that won't easily go through their head."
I blinked, taking her words slowly as I found myself convinced that was the case.
My face contorted into a slight horror. Oh god, did I actually leave them here all alone?
"Ms. Seele, do you perhaps know them?" Dan Heng asked.
Seele huffed. "Know them? They're troublemakers for sure. Natasha won't be pretty happy about this. Whatever, I'm going to find them if that's the last thing I'll do." Those were her last words as she disappeared in a flash,
I stared at the sprinkling traces of particles falling down where she once stood before. Damn, She's fast.
"Hook…Oh them!" March suddenly voiced out like a switch was flipped on her head.
I turned to her. "You know them?"
"Well…" March scratched her head before continuing, "Just as we arrived here, there was one of the first few people we interacted with, you could say we are friends! Right Stelle? We even played hide and seek with them."
"They're fun," Stelle added with a smile. "You should have got to know them, Dan Heng"
" I was busy," Dan Heng hummed, crossing his arms.
"Busy fighting in the arena?" March teased.
"Wait, you were in an arena?"
Dan Heng coughed slightly as he swayed his hand. "Ethan, you mentioned complications about your watch. Is there anything you want to fill in more to that?"
"It's…complicated," I replied, thinking it over. I was not bothered why he changed the topic suddenly like that." I'm not a technician nor an expert in this but I'm pretty sure my watch is broken. On how to fix it, I have no clue."
Dan Heng frowned. "That could be a problem. If Himeko were here then…"
I was surprised when she mentioned Himeko "Himeko?"
"You could say she's an expert in the Astral Express when dealing with technologies and inventions like yours. If she were here, maybe she could voice possible ways to fix your watch"
"That's certainly insightful and regretting" I replied, frowning. "What if we contact her?"
"I'm planning to but this place is far from safe. We need to go somewhere else quiet to contact her."
"Good point."
"Since you're here with us, you have fewer things to worry about especially that you've left your phone apparently."
Not like I was gonna deny it, but knowing there would be more problems arise in the future, I merely smiled. "That's something to look forward to, I guess."
"You don't sound hopeful."
I rolled my eyes. "I gotta ask, what's up with her?" I pointed at Bronya who tried every possible way to avoid eye contact with me.
"She's….complicated." That was all Dan Heng had to say.
"Don't we have complications today?" I remarked with a dry laugh. Seeing no one laugh at it, not like I was expecting anything, I added "So she's staying for us?"
"For now."
"You think she can be trusted?"
"She's a good person, that's all I can say,"
"That's merely subjective. You say that after we were ordered to be shot by her?"
"I believe that was all a misunderstanding." Dan Heng replied.
I couldn't help but stare at him suspiciously. Why the heck is he siding with the enemy? "Don't tell me she has enraptured you, Dan Heng? For being aloof most of the time, you're quite easily swayed by your feelings. You know, there's plenty of fish in the sea but if this is your choice then…"
"What you're saying is nonsense, Ethan and please don't misunderstand my intention" Dan Heng gave me a blank look, looking not amused by what I said. "I'm merely stating what I've observed from her during her time with us. So far, she doesn't meet what I expect from her from our initial encounter."
"I vouched for Dan Heng on this one," March interrupted with a serious expression. "She's pretty kind so far, she even bought food for a random kid using her pendant. It looked quite expensive. Or maybe she just have a soft spot for kids but that's something good, ain't it?"
"If you say it like that…She might not be too bad after all." I replied, half convinced of what they told me.
"What we should be worried about is the supreme guardian. We all know she has total control of Belobog and from what I've gathered. This part of Belobog, the underworld, is independent from her control."
I felt my interest piqued by his words as he continued.
"They don't seek to overthrow her, more like their seeking for equal treatment." He added. "I've heard from the common folks that she was the one who closed off the Underworld, sealing the two parts of Belobog from meeting each other. The reason for it is still unknown and it's what I want to find out."
" So meaning these two factions, as we call them, are at war with each other?"
"War is an overstatement, there is bad blood between them but no war...yet." Dan Heng clarified.
"How did you find time to gather that much info?"
"Someone has to do it if we want to continue smoothly in our Trailblazing expedition"
"Well, we started it rough I'd say."
Dan Heng agreed with that surprisingly. "Doesn't mean we can't turn things around."
I nodded at his words again. Pretty logical, Pretty smart.
"Sooooo Ethan, how can you turn back to your normal self?" March suddenly asked, bringing the conversation back to me. "Don't tell me you're gonna be stuck like that forever? Not like I'm hating your new look and all but you being a kid doesn't really fit well with your personality."
"I have no problem with it," Stelle voiced her opinion with a smile.
"What part of my personality doesn't fit well with my current body?" I asked March, curious why she mentioned it.
"Well.. for starters you do say a lot of bad words."
"....You know, from my perspective, you're a lot more of a child than I am," I told her and regretted it after how she responded to my comment.
"Hey!" She directly pinched my cheeks. I immediately winced at the pain. "Take that back!"
"Ow ow ow! Okay, I take it back!" I whined trying to pull her hand away.
"Say, you're sorry!"
"Now that's—OW OW! Okay Okay Okay! I'm sorry!"
March let go and a viscous smirk appeared on her face. "Bad children need to be disciplined."
I glared at her. "Anyways, that's what I'm still figuring out. Being a kid for this long is tiring, okay? It's like I'm in a filler episode in my life and I hate fillers, especially on animes." I frowned.
"Filler episode?" Stelle asked.
"Nothing, just some joke back at home."
"Hmm, I see."
"Nonetheless, we should probably resolve this issue of yours sooner." Dan Heng said gravely.
March's expression fell into a deep thought. "Yeah, I wish we could do something to help. Ms. Himeko is not here…So, maybe Natasha can help you?"
"I don't think she has that kind of compatibility." Dan Heng said.
"Ohh! What if this is the work of an Aeon?"
"That's highly unlikely."
While the two were conversing with one another, I noticed Stelle looking over to me at something. Her stare was too focused to my liking.
"What is it now?" I asked her and decided to indulge in whatever topic she would bring up.
"What's that purple blinking light in your watch? It's so pretty" I blinked at her words.
"What?" I shifted my gaze to my wrist and true to what she said, there was a purple light blinking rapidly on the screen on my watch.
"Uh.." I could feel my blood run cold. "Oh shit."
"Ethan?" Stelle called out my name.
"What's wrong?" Dan Heng finally noticed and so did March.
I gulped, I could feel my voice shaking as I spoke. "You guys remember the part where I told you about the purple lights and what happened to me after that?"
After hearing that, their expression quickly twisted into horror.
"Wait! We're here, so maybe we can be of help, right Dan Heng?" March, in panic, hurriedly asked the boy next to her who looked unsure of what to do.
"Ethan, are there any preventive measures that you know of? Any triggers?" Dan Heng tried to assess the situation but knowing that is far from the current knowledge I had of my predicament.
"Well, aside from excruciating pain right after this, I don't know,"
Dan Heng remained calm as he softly spoke again. "Ethan, listen, I need you to calm down. I know it won't help that much but it's a step trust me."
"I am calm" I replied quite defensively.
"Not when your hands are shaking uncontrollably."
Indeed they were. "I—I'm afraid that's all," I admitted.
I could see Dan Heng's conflicting expression but then March suddenly shouted at the spot.
"Oh wait, look! It stopped blinking!" This brought my attention back to the watch.
I was met by a bright screen, no longer was it blinking in purple light nor was it plain darkness. Upon seeing this, a kindle of hope lit into my heart.
"Orion?" I called out in my head. Hoping for a response, what I got was far from what I expected.
[SYSTEM–!]
[COMPRO—!]
[DEACTIVATING PREVE—]
[HOST---!]
'Orion!'
"Ethan! You're glowing!"
Huh? I snapped back, gazing at my hands, and saw a hue of light surrounding it, No, more like my entire body was being surrounded by it.
My body felt weak.
It felt like I was floating on air.
'What's happening?'
The last thing I saw before my vision was clouded by a mist was their horrified expressions.