Honkai Impact 3rd: The Uninvited Guests

Heya Lithnox here. I don't typically write here at the top but i would like to apologize for not making any chapters these past couple of days or this one being kinda shorter due to shitty work schedule. So yeah enjoy the chapter I guess... See y'all.

SHIORI POV

"Mhn~ Ahh... Finally finished this song. Who knew that finding the right vocals and trying to remember melodies from 7 years ago would be so damn hard? Gotta upload it into the cloud and dip before they show up again."

After turning off my laptop and putting it in my backpack, I left the hotel room. I went to the receptionist and handed over the keys, making sure to make a smooth exit. Right after that, I put on a mask, followed by a pair of sunglasses and my hoodie, which fit neatly on my head, keeping most of my features hidden.

'Why can't he just leave me alone after all these years? (*T^T) I can't even stay longer than 3 days in the same room unless I want to be raided by Otto's goons. Not to mention the couple of times where I was almost done for. I still have nightmares from those. (*ToT)'

*Ping*

'Hmm? A message from Misato: What's the problem now?'

Shiori: K >

Following Misato's instructions, I quickly made my way to the new location, blending in with the people wherever possible. It didn't take long for me to get into the room as the receptionist was already informed about me and told to keep it a secret. Going into the room, I saw Misato sitting on the bed, scrolling through her socials.

As soon as she heard me come in, she put down the phone while waving her hand and patting the spot next to her.

"Hey Shiori-chan, come sit down." she said calmly, to which I nodded and made my way closer.

"Hey, Misato-s~..." Misato shot me an eerie glance. "...~s-nee-chan, Misato-nee-chan. Why did you want to have a serious talk? It's not like how you usually like to do things."

"Well..." She softened her expression. "I noticed that you started acting different recently. Is everything alright, dear?"

"Uhh... yeah, everything's as ok as it can be."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah... it's fine."

*Sigh...* "Shiori... please stop lying to me and to yourself. I can see that you're not OK."

"No, I'm really fine 🙌. Just feeling a bit tired." I put on a fake smile to calm her worries.

"Shiori, look at me." She gently turns my face, meeting my gaze firmly. "We've known each other for what... 7 years at this point? I know that you've not been feeling fine these past few weeks. And don't say that you're fine; I can see from how you act or your music that something is wrong. What is it? Can you at least say something...? I just want to help you."

Despite me not daring to meet her gaze, I could feel the soft warmth of her palm on my shoulder, the comforting gesture bringing me a little closure.

"I-I can't... I can't do this anymore. *sniff* Always running, and running, and running, and running..." I felt my tears starting to gather as I tried expressing more and more of my frustrations and helplessness that have built up these past seven years. "But still barely getting away. *sniff* I can't even sleep without the fear of getting caught... *sniff* I didn't do anything to them; why can't they just leave me alone...? *sniff*"

Like a loving mother, she took notice of my tears, of the dam that was about to burst, allowing the turmoil hidden deep in my heart to come out, shimmering below the surface, until...

"It's alright, Shiori. Let it all out..."

...it spilled out. Tears began falling down my cheeks, running like waterfalls with no signs of stopping.

"...why... why can't they just let me be... why can't they just let me live my life... what did I do these past few years to make them so obsessed with me... I just made music... Is that such a crime... or is it that they want to do something to me? *sniff*"

"Yes, let it all out... Everything is going to be alright; just let it all out..."

Just like that, the sky turned from its soft blue hue to a lingering mix of warm colours, all of them spread across the horizon. We didn't care about time, nor did we bother ourselves with moving. She just held me, not letting go even for a moment.

"Misato-nee-san, why... why did you decide to stick with me after I left that company? Why did you decide to leave your job over me...?"

"Why did I decide to be with you instead? Hmm... I guess... it's because you remind me of my younger sister back when she was still around, and before I knew it... it was already too hard for me to let history repeat itself, especially sense you remind me of her so much..." As she started to reminisce about the past, her face just tensed ever so slightly, the hints of self-loathing clear in her eyes... 

The hatred was heavy, pointed inwards.

"Is that why you want me to constantly call you nee-san or nee-chan?"

"Yeah...sorry about that. It's just... something that I want, just a little thing I missed. It's one of the little joys in life I wish to keep."

"... Alright. Misato-nee-chan... I think I haven't been fully honest with you... I..."

The weight of what I was about to confess was heavy. It was my existence, the one thing I kept to myself for so long. She might think me crazy, that's for sure. After all, who in their right mind wouldn't? It sounded like a lie pulled out from the newest science fiction movie. Resigned to my fate, I chose to place my trust in her, opening up.

"I'm actually just a clone of someone made in a lab..."

*Knock Knock Knock*

"Open the doors peacefully or get subdued. You have fifteen seconds. 15!...14!..."

"Shiori, hide quickly now!"

I had no time to protest, since she quickly shoved me inside the closet, stuffing me inside a box.

"But..."

"No buts. No matter what happens, STAY QUIET! Let your onee-chan handle this."

She shot me a confident smile, yet the tremor on her lips spoke out louder than her hushed tone could.

"They are going to beat you up to get any info about me. At least let me help."

"No. Just stay here. Look, it doesn't matter if you're a clone of someone or anything else, strange as that is. You're your own person at this point and someone I cherish, and I will not let them take away someone dear to me, not again..." Her expression became stoic, and she closed the closet, awaiting the confrontation.

"...2!...1!..."

*Bang*

The door slammed against the wall, spinning in place as the hinges strained themselves. I could only peek through the closet doors as the people surrounded her, yet she stood in place, her body trembling slightly.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here? One old mutt still going around, sticking her nose into things she isn't supposed to."

The harsh voice belonged to a woman, one I hadn't seen before. With each slap of the metal baton against the inside of her palm, her rose gold hair fluttered slightly.

"As if you're any better. I see you still going around terrorizing people on their behalf..."

*slap*

"You talk a lot of shit for someone who cannot do anything about it," she grinned. "But you know what? You still haven't changed after all these years. How long ago was it? 8 or 9 years since you left? Things have turned rather boring with your leave. I'm sure that bitch would also be sad that you left."

"Don't you DARE speak about my sister like that, you whore—"

*Bang*

*Crack*

"Argh! Mghn..."

"Consider this a warning for running that shitty mouth of yours. Now tell us..."

She grabbed Misato by the hair, leaning closer.

"Where you have hidden her."

"... who?"

*Bang*

*Crack*

"Argh!!!"

"Don't play games, bitch. You know who I'm talking about."

"Not... a... chance..." She said with heavy breaths.

"Oh, it's gonna be like that, I see... fine then."

*Bang*

*Crack*

"AHHH!!!"

I could only watch, my blood burning in my veins. My muscles strained themselves, but I remained hidden, refusing to let her suffering to be in vain. The Kaslana blood in me, however, had a mind of its own trying to push me to act, artificial as it was.

"Hmm~ So how about now?" she grinned, her teeth showing with her gums, the sight diabolical.

"...Over... my... dead... body... bitch..."

*Bang*

*Crack*

"Ma'am, we need her alive for info. You know what awaits us back at HQ if we go too far. The Schicksal is no joke."

"*tsk* Fine, but keep your eyes on her at all times."

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Let's leave this shitty place already. More time spent here means less time for my training. Once I manage to surpass my superiors and I get HIS acknowledgment, no one in Japan will dare stand in my way."

"But ma'am, we still haven't finished clearing out the room for her—"

The subordinate had no time to finish speaking. She put a finger to her ear, listening to whatever orders came in through the communication device, nodding along.

"We're leaving; that's final. HQ called for us."

Without mercy, they grabbed Misato's broken body, tossing it around like a sack of trash. Her limbs simply flaunted in the air, each twist and turn causing her to groan in pain. I barely caught sight of the tears running down her face with a tiny cheeky smile. My vision fully blurred out in that moment.

The door remained open as they walked out, and I could just wait, alone, listening to the clock tick away, each second longer than the last. The sky was already dark as I crawled out, gasping for air, my sobs drowned in despair. Droplets of her blood were splattered on the floor, bits of the suffering she went through left behind as a testament.

Anger, loathing, misery, hate, helplessness, sadness... my emotions were a mess of the darkest things a heart could produce. I clenched my teeth, crying silently as my mind replayed the scene over and over and over... it was maddening. The cracking sounds, the muffled screams, her battered body. I kept gagging, hoping to empty myself of emotions, yet nothing came out.

The restless shaking only intensified as I crawled back inside the box, closing the closet doors as good as I could. For the time being, it felt like the only safe spot in the entire world. I didn't know when, but at some point, I stopped sobbing, yet my body trembled ever so slightly throughout the night, until somehow, I slipped out of consciousness and fallen asleep.