Archive of Our Own ^beta

Theresa Apocalypse usually wore a tough and haughty facade of herself when dealing with others, but there was only one person in the world she could never show such a side of herself to. 

He was many things to many different people. Depending on who was asked, he was either a brilliant leader, a hated enemy, a genius strategist, or an unstoppable, single-minded force of nature. He was all of those things and more, but to Theresa, he could only be her kind and caring grandfather. 

His bright blonde hair and vibrant green eyes were unmistakable through the holographic projection of himself emerging from Theresa’s desk that he used to speak with her in her quaint and well-kept office.

“My dear granddaughter Theresa, it’s a pleasure as always to see you again. I trust that you’re doing well,” his smooth voice said to her as she sat in her chair and tried to make herself as comfortable as possible. She would need to be for their meeting that had just begun. 

She picked up the glass of green liquid from her table and drank a sip before answering, not caring about appearances. 

“Good afternoon to you too, grandpa. I’m doing just fine, thanks for asking. And you?”

“My day just became better just by hearing that from you, Theresa. I’m delighted that you thought to ask about my own wellbeing, and I’m just as delighted to tell you that Schicksal has been operating at an unprecedented level of effectiveness these past few years.”

“It’s all because of you, grandpa Otto,” she replied. She knew that Schicksal was only as strong as its leader, and Otto Apocalypse, the current Overseer of Schicksal, was nothing if not strong. 

Otto smiled. It was a genuine one. “You flatter me, Theresa. But you know as well as I do that our meeting today isn’t to talk about myself.” 

“Yes, grandpa. You wanted to know about St. Freya’s performance and the status of the Fifth Valkyrja Squadron. I’ve already submitted my annual report to you, and I’m happy to answer any questions you might have about it.” 

“As proactive and responsible as ever, Theresa. I’ll do my best to not take up too much of your valuable time, so I’ll cut to the chase: I couldn’t help but notice that two members of your squadron have been under significant distress recently.”

Theresa shut her sky-blue eyes. She didn’t want to go over it again. “Yes, that’s correct. Major Murata Himeko has taken to alcohol to cope with the fact that she has less than a year to live. Bronya Zaychik, one of her subordinates, was reported as being in severe distress one night over her past, the reasons to which she hasn’t revealed to us yet. That’s why you sent the maid.”

Otto seemed to smile. “That’s right, Theresa. What’s about to happen to Major Murata is highly unfortunate since it’s always a shame to lose a valuable valkyrie so early. But it can’t be helped. It’s something that can eventually happen to any valkyrie, so it’s just another part of the job.”

Theresa grit her teeth at Otto’s dismissiveness for Himeko, her heartfelt friend, but she kept her furious comments to herself. 

“And as for the maid, I trust that her stay has been as welcoming as possible. Therapy can be just as difficult for the therapist as it is for the recipient,” Otto continued.

“Rita Rossweisse has been provided with the best accommodations St. Freya has to offer, grandpa. There’s no need to worry about her.”

“Good. I can only wait and hope that she and Miss Zaychik’s upcoming sessions are fruitful. And as for the other S-rank valkyrie currently staying at St. Freya…”

Theresa groaned to herself. She wanted to speak of Durandal even less. “Durandal, as you ordered her to, has settled in at St. Freya like a regular student. I can’t promise you that her experience is the same as one, though; she’s constantly been pestered by the other students in awe of her. That’s not something that can be avoided given her reputation, grandpa…I’ve even considered disguising her so she isn’t disturbed by her dozens of fans as soon as she walks into a classroom…”

He laughed. “That won’t be necessary, Theresa. Bianka can handle such things just fine. A few rabid fangirls are nothing she hasn’t dealt with before.”

The rest of their meeting continued in a similar fashion. They discussed the two other valkyries that made up Theresa’s squadron: Kiana Kaslana and Raiden Mei. Theresa answered any questions he had, which covered a wide variety of topics regarding their performance, temperament, and compatibility with the other members of their team. Eventually, they came to the subject of the valkyries’ leader: the captain of the Hyperion, who commanded the aerial battleship that they all served onboard. 

“You spoke very highly of your captain in your report, my dear granddaughter,” Otto said. “Has he really been as outstanding as you say?”

She determinedly nodded. “He has been and more. He’s the best captain the valkyries and I could have ever asked for. You chose well by assigning us to him onboard the Hyperion. I need to thank you for that, grandpa.”

Otto laughed. His laughter carried many different meanings. “I’m very pleased to hear that and not at all surprised. I never doubted our dear Johann Stern from the start. He’s always been a highly capable and dependable officer, and I knew he would put his skills to even better use as a captain. That he’s taken such good care of my precious granddaughter is proof in itself.”

Theresa raised her eyebrows. “You seem to know Johann well, grandpa.”

“Allow me to just say that we go a very, very long way back and that I’ve become quite fond of him over the years. You could ask him yourself when you have the opportunity to speak with him again. For now, though, I think our meeting has served its purpose. I’ve said and heard all I wanted to say and hear, so I’ll stop troubling you now, Theresa. Continue being the headmaster of St. Freya and teaching valkyries to be the best they can be, and of course, do assist Bianka and Rita with their duties should they ever require it.”

Theresa nodded with her eyes closed. She was about to end the meeting before Otto said one last thing to her.

“And Theresa…I have one request if you’re willing. It’s quite a small one, so it’s nothing to worry about.”

“What is it, grandpa?”

“Give my regards to Johann the next time you see him. I look forward to seeing the continued success of his career at Schicksal. Glory to Schicksal.”

Theresa returned the Schicksal motto, then gave her word that she would. The holographic Otto blinked out and vanished over the projector on her desk. 

She sighed and sat back in her chair, not knowing what to think. So much had happened in only a short time, and she needed time to gather her thoughts. She finished her glass of bitter melon juice before standing up and exiting her office. 

—--

She saw them before they saw her. They both had hair so bright and so red that they could be noticed even from a distance. As they got closer, Theresa could see the solemn, yet calm expressions on both of their faces.

They noticed her in turn, and they stopped in front of each other in the middle of the courtyard. 

“Welcome back, both of you,” Theresa said. “Mind if I ask where you two were just now?”

Neither seemed to want to answer as if they knew they’d been caught misbehaving. 

“Well…there’s a place in Soukai City that I thought would be a good place for us to blow off some steam, and I took Himeko there today. You might have heard of it, Theresa,” Johann finally said. 

“I can already guess that it’s someplace you probably shouldn’t have gone. Himeko?” Theresa curtly replied.

The redheaded woman seemed as reluctant to speak of this mysterious place as he was. Then she sighed. “Theresa, I’m not going to mince any words with you. Johann took me to a bar where we had a few drinks. Yes, I know. After what happened, I probably shouldn’t have agreed, but we’re being as responsible as we can be, and he’s keeping an eye out on how much I have and cutting me off if it comes to that. I hope you understand, Theresa.”

The nun wasn’t sure what to think about this. On one hand, too much alcohol had recently put Himeko in the hospital. On the other, she couldn’t blame her for wanting a brief respite from the inevitable that would occur in under a year. She turned her gaze to Johann, her bright blue eyes piercing into his.

“Fine. I get it, both of you. Just make sure to never take your eyes off her, Johann. I’m putting you in charge of taking care of Himeko, you got that?”

He nodded. “You didn’t need to tell me that, but I’m glad you did anyways.”

They began to part ways when Theresa spoke again. “You said that I might have heard of the bar that you went to. I find it funny that you’d say that since I wouldn’t be allowed in any of them because of…you know. But you’re right: I do keep an eye on the bars that serve what I’m interested in so I can have their drinks delivered here, and given Himeko’s excellent taste in alcoholic beverages, I’d be interested to hear which you went to today,” she said. 

Himeko and Johann glanced at each other, slightly amused. 

“I thought you only drank bitter melon juice, Theresa. I didn’t think you’d be so interested in drinking other stuff. It’s the Crowbar,” he answered. “It has the perfect atmosphere and not many other patrons, which is exactly what we were looking for. You can find it at -”

“Ah, that place? I already know where it’s at,“ Theresa interjected. “Actually, I was planning to order from them next. I think there’s a similar one like it in Arc City? What was its name again? Some kind of blackbird, I think…anyways, I was going to ask to speak with you alone, but that can wait for later. I’ll leave the two of you to do whatever.”

Theresa headed off, leaving them behind. They watched her walk away before doing the same.

In a way, she was glad she was able to put off giving Otto’s message to Johann. She knew that he reported to Otto directly, and she knew that their relationship could be tenuous at times, although she’d heard Johann speaking highly of Otto even as Otto had spoken highly about him earlier. The occasional disagreement, after all, did not lead to true animosity. 

Her mind then wandered from topic to different topic until she remembered that Bronya’s first session with Rita Rossweisse would be starting in a few minutes. She could only hope that it would go well.

—--

The biting cold of the world outside did not reach the maid. The warmth and softness of the armchair she sat in in one of St. Freya’s guest houses she had been provided with ensured that she would be left undisturbed by the elements. Warmer still was the cup of tea she gently held in her hands as she slowly took a sip of the fresh, steaming tea she had prepared herself, suffusing herself with even more warmth.

She had always considered tea preparation as an art form to be perfected and held in the highest regard. After all, a maid unable to prepare tea for her master was no maid at all. A maid unable to prepare tea for her honoured guest was even less of one. 

That honoured guest sat directly across from her in an armchair of her own with a small table between them, drinking the same tea the maid had prepared. She didn’t seem to think much of it either way. 

They had been sitting in silence for the past several minutes, drinking tea after the maid had welcomed her to the guest house that served as the setting of their first therapy session and all sessions in the future. She had prepared her signature tea beforehand, taking the utmost care to make sure that it was flawless for the sake of her guest who must have been cold after walking there in the chilly winter weather, in need of some warming up.

Finally, Rita broke the silence. 

“Is the tea to your liking, Master Bronya? I did my best to keep it as warm as possible in terms of both temperature and taste.”

The grey-haired girl didn’t respond at first, too focused on drinking her tea. It seemed like she did enjoy it after all. Finally, she placed it down onto the table in front of her and met Rita’s magenta eyes. 

“It’s very good, Miss Rossweisse. I appreciate that you made it for me.”

The maid laughed softly. “I’m pleased to hear that. But there’s no need to be so formal with me, Master Bronya. You may just call me Rita if you wish.” 

Bronya didn’t answer. She picked up her teacup and drank another sip of the steaming beverage.

“Would you like to know more about that tea that you enjoy so much?” Rita asked.

Bronya nodded. 

“Where I come from, tea is incredibly important. The leaves I used came from my homeland, in fact. It isn’t just any ordinary drink; it’s a lifestyle, an artform. Centuries of painstaking perfection has resulted in the delightful afternoon tea we’re having now. Isn’t it wonderful, Master Bronya?”

“Yes, Rita.”

“If so, then would you care to learn how I prepared this tea for you today? I’d be honoured to teach you about such a wonderful activity.”

Bronya was silent. She finished her tea, placed the cup down for the last time, and stared Rita in the eye. “I’m grateful that you offered. But I’ll need to politely decline. I know that you didn’t bring me here to teach me about tea, Rita. Please skip the formalities to save both of us our time.”

Rita laughed again, this time even more softly than before. “You’re a very astute young lady, Master Bronya. Precisely how I expected you to be before I met you. Oh, don’t be surprised; Schicksal keeps files for every valkyrie under its command…and for those who aren’t. And you’re correct: I’m here with you at St. Freya Academy because your captain reported you as being in severe distress one night. He was so concerned for you and wanted you to receive all the help you could. I was asked to do exactly this for you, and I gladly will. Is what I said correct, Master Bronya?”

Bronya was silent for a while more, then she nodded. “You are. I don’t deny any of what you said just now. I know why I’m here and why you’re also here."

Rita smiled before taking out her phone and pressing a button on it before putting it away. “That’s wonderful, Master Bronya. Acknowledging a problem is the very first step to solving it. Another step is becoming well-acquainted with those along the way who would help you solve it. I made you tea today to welcome you and to help you feel more at ease, and I offered to teach you how to make tea as a way for us to know each other better. I’m your friend, Bronya. I’m here to help you. I want you to know that.”

Bronya’s eyes closed, and she did not answer. Rita picked up the teapot on the table and carefully refilled Bronya’s teacup, which Bronya picked up and began drinking from again. Then, she began the session in earnest. 

“Is it alright if I ask you a question, Master Bronya?” 

When Bronya nodded, Rita continued. “So, how are you doing and feeling on this fine day?”

“The same as I always am.”

“Would you say that you’re feeling well, then?”

“...Yes. Because all my friends are here with me.”

“That’s an excellent reason to be feeling well. Who are your friends, Master Bronya?”

“Mei, Kiana, Principal Theresa, and Major Himeko.”

Rita’s eyes narrowed. Then, she smiled again. “They’re all wonderful people, Master Bronya. I’ve met them myself. You’re so lucky that they’re here for you and care so much for you.”

Bronya nodded.

“But Master Bronya…haven’t you forgotten a certain someone?”

“...No, I haven’t.”

“There's one person in the middle of all of this. One man who I think we both know.”

Bronya didn’t like the direction their conversation had turned, but she wasn’t going to shy away from it. 

“...Yes, Rita. There is one more person. My commander. My captain. Johann.”

Rita laughed again. There was no joy in her laughter. “I’m glad to hear you say that, Master Bronya. Yes, your captain is the reason why we’re here today. He placed his trust in me that I would help you feel better, and I’d hate to let him down. So let me ask you another question…what exactly happened the night he learned the reason why you needed my help?”

Rita picked up her teacup and drank a long draught as she stared at Bronya’s lidded eyes, waiting and preparing for her answer.

—--

He dreamed about her again.

He did not know who she was. He did not know how he knew of her. He did not know why her hair shimmered like silver, nor why her eyes were bluer than the sky above them as they lay beside each other on the field and watched the birds fly overhead and the clouds drifting apart and together again, forever forming new shapes that lasted for mere moments before transforming again into another. Some they recognized and pointed out. Others had no meaning. 

Then a dark, winged shape flew at him and struck him in the face - 

“Johann? Are you awake? I need to speak with you,” he heard a voice call from outside the door of his dormitory after several knocks. 

Still disoriented, he didn’t know where he was at first. With some difficulty, he managed to open his eyes, climb out of bed, walk to the door, and open it to see the diminutive girl waiting for him outside.

“There you are. About time you got up,” she said, her sky-blue eyes closed, her silver hair tied into a braid she kept over her shoulder. 

“...Theresa? Why did you wake me up? Do you need me for something?”

“Yes. You remember that Bronya’s room is right next to yours, right?”

Johann nodded. 

“...She isn’t coming out. I don’t know why. It’s like she’s scared of something. She won’t even answer me anymore. I’m so worried for her…could you try speaking with her? I don’t know who else to ask…Kiana, Mei, and Himeko already tried, but nothing worked…”

Alarmed, he quickly stepped out of his room and walked the brief distance over to Bronya’s, which was the one adjacent to his. He saw the other valkyries Theresa had mentioned standing nearby. They were all looking at him with concern and a little hope.

“You’re here, Johann,” Mei said. He hated seeing her so worried and anxious. “We’re all so worried for Bronya. She won’t come out, no matter what we try to say…”

He gently placed his hand on Mei’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, Mei. Just make sure you’re here for Bronya. That goes for you too, Kiana,” he said, turning his head to the other silver-haired girl. 

Kiana and Bronya had a fierce rivalry and at times seemed like they hated the other, but everyone knew that this was just on the surface, and they truly did care about each other. 

Kiana gazed back and nodded. “I’ll be here for Bronya. I may hate her sometimes, but that doesn’t mean that I actually hate her…” 

He glanced at Himeko standing behind them and knew that she felt the very same. Then he turned around and gently knocked on the door to Bronya’s dormitory.

“Bronya? Are you there? It’s me, your captain,” he called.

Silence.

“I’m worried for you, Bronya. I heard that you wouldn’t come out. Did something happen? You can talk to me about anything. I won’t mind.”

Several more seconds passed in tense silence. He was about to speak again before he heard the door being unlocked on the other side. The door slowly opened. Behind it stood a petite girl, her long hair falling behind her since she hadn’t tied it up with her two signature ribbons yet. 

Johann and everyone else breathed a sigh of relief. 

“There you are, Bronya. It’s so good to see that you’re alright. We thought that something had happened to you,” he said. He was about to reach forward and pat her on her head like he knew she always liked. It always made her feel better. 

But Bronya stepped back and evaded him. 

Before he could react to Bronya’s unexpected behaviour, Mei pushed him to the side and embraced Bronya as gently as she could.

“Why, Bronya? Why are you acting so strange? Did something happen? You can tell us anything…you know we’re here for you.”

“Bronya knows, Mei. Bronya is grateful. And she’s fine. There’s no need to worry about her.”

Bronya gently pushed Mei away before walking back into her room and closing the door again. The five of them looked between each other, wondering if they’d just returned to square one. They knew that whenever Bronya started to refer to herself in third person, it meant that she had been terribly upset by something.

“Theresa,” he asked, “I thought she was getting better. Wasn’t her first therapy session with Rita yesterday?”

Theresa slowly nodded. “It was. I don’t know why. I’ll need to speak to Rita and see if she knows anything.”

Kiana was gently hugging Mei, trying her best to make her feel better. They knew that Bronya had a troubled past, but they didn’t know any of the details of it.

The door finally reopened, and Bronya stepped out with her hair styled into two drill-like braids, now held up by a pair of black, triangular ribbons and wearing the school uniform of St. Freya, which for her was a white, buttoned shirt with a blue skirt. 

“Bronya?” they all asked. 

She stared at each of them in turn, her grey eyes unreadable. “What is it? Bronya is about to head for class now. She can have time for all of you afterwards,” she said curtly before turning around and walking away.

They felt relieved that Bronya could at least attend class, but this didn’t make them feel much better. None of them wanted to be the first to speak.

“Well, it’s time that you two headed for your own classes,” Himeko finally said to Kiana and Mei. “I’ll let your professors know the reason you were tardy, but that still doesn’t mean you can miss much more than you already have. Let’s go.” She nodded to Johann and Theresa before the three of them headed off, leaving the two of them behind.

Johann had so much to say, but he couldn’t bring himself to say any of it. At least until Theresa gently took his hand.

“Theresa?”

“Johann, would you care for some breakfast? You must be hungry since you haven’t eaten anything yet. I’d be happy to make some for you today.”

“Uh…sure, Theresa. That sounds great. What are you making?”

She smiled. “You’ll see. Just follow me.”

She let him get dressed first. He emerged from his room wearing a dark coat for the weather outside, then she led him outside the primary building of St. Freya and to her personal residence. 

His mind had been so focused on what had happened that morning that he only just realized that Theresa was holding his hand again, which was something they’d never done before. He blushed. But he didn’t let go.

He tried to make conversation to get his mind away from Bronya. 

“It’s pretty cold today, isn’t it?” he asked. 

“It is. But it’s always warm when you’re around.”

Despite himself, Johann laughed. “Do you really mean that, Theresa?”

“What do you think? Does the World’s Number One Cutie ever joke around?”

He laughed again. “She does. But she’s also serious when she needs to be.”

“It’s up to you which she is right now.”

They walked the remainder of the distance in silence before arriving at Theresa’s house and entering it, the warm air comforting both of them. He hung his coat on the coat rack, and then Theresa told him to wait in the dining room as she prepared breakfast for two. 

He recalled that he’d never had anything Theresa had made before, nor did he know that she could even cook. Given Kiana’s disastrous results every time she attempted to make something…he shuddered at the thought. Hopefully, not all Kaslanas were as…unblessed as her. He wasn’t actually sure if Theresa was a Kaslana or not, but he’d always assumed she was one by another name given how much she resembled Kiana. 

When he smelled the aromatic fragrance of her handiwork flowing from the kitchen, though, all of his worries were dispelled, and he suddenly found himself very hungry and looking forward to whatever Theresa was making.

“It’s almost done. Just a few more minutes,” he heard her call from the kitchen. “For now, you can prepare the table and help yourself to the bitter melon juice in the counter.”

He had no desire to have any of Theresa’s favourite drink. He’d given it the benefit of the doubt once and tried it, which he had immediately regretted. Even so, he decided not to turn down Theresa’s generous offer. He stood up, withdrew a bottle of it from a cupboard, and poured some of it into a cup. Then he placed two empty dishes and utensils on the table. 

He was still staring at the strange green liquid in front of him when Theresa walked out of the kitchen, holding a tray of stuffed and fried chicken wings that she gently set down on the table, their delightful smells even better than before.

“It smells amazing, Theresa,” Johann said. “And it looks even better.”

She smiled. She placed the tray in the middle of the table before filling his plate with several stuffed fried chicken wings, then sitting down.

“Mei taught me how to make these. I once made them for Kiana as punishment for when she skipped class,” she said.

“Huh? Punishment?”

She laughed. “That’s a story for another time. For now, let me know how you think of them.”

He carefully speared one of them with a fork before taking a bite. And it was delicious.

“Wow, Theresa. It’s so sweet…but it’s just the right amount of sweetness. It’s crunchy, too, and…it’s stuffed with mashed potatoes? Even better!”

“Do you really mean that, Johann?” she asked, blushing slightly. 

“Every word. You’re an amazing cook, Theresa. I can’t believe it took me this long to learn this about you,” he said between enthusiastic bites. 

“I’m glad you enjoy them.” 

Her face reddened even more before returning to her usual demure appearance. She hid a smile as she piled several pieces of her handiwork onto her own plate and began eating. She had to agree that they genuinely tasted very good. Nowhere as good as Mei’s, of course, but then again, only Bronya could hope to match her. At the thought of Bronya, Theresa’s mood dropped. 

Some of it must have manifested on the surface. Johann stopped eating once he noticed how uneasy she looked. 

“Are you alright, Theresa?”

“...I’m fine. It’s Bronya…and Himeko I’m worried about.”

He didn’t want any negativity ruining their breakfast, but he knew that putting off talking about the two of them would only lead to more of it. 

“So am I. And so are Kiana and Mei. We’re doing our best to be here for them and make them feel better, but…”

He received no answer. The chicken wings lay uneaten on the table, cold and tasteless. 

“I didn’t expect Bronya to immediately improve or anything after just one therapy session, but I never thought that she’d end up feeling even worse…” he continued, still feeling the knot of unease in his stomach that hadn’t disappeared since morning. He would do anything to make Bronya and Himeko feel better. He knew that he had already succeeded with Himeko, but Bronya…she had always been a reticent and reserved girl, and despite all that had happened between them after they had met, there was still so much more he did not know about her. He knew that this was because she had deliberately kept it hidden from them. Things that were exactly what that maid, Rita Rossweisse, was meant to uncover and help Bronya come to terms with. Whatever had happened, Rita seemed to have made things worse, although he tried not to blame the maid for any of it.

He closed his eyes, no longer able to eat anymore. It was only then when he heard the soft and barely-perceptible sound of a girl crying, so quiet that he thought he had imagined it. 

He opened his eyes and saw that they had been real. 

Tears streamed from Theresa’s closed eyes, dripping down her face and onto her food. She had tried to stop them. She had tried to keep her emotions hidden from him so she wouldn’t ruin his breakfast. But she couldn’t do anything.

“...Theresa, are you alright?” 

Soft, suppressed sobs were the only response. 

“Theresa, what’s wrong?” 

She sobbed several more times before finally being able to choke her words out. 

“I…I feel so helpless, so weak and powerless…I’m so scared for them, but there’s nothing I can do…I’m supposed to be Bronya’s headmaster, I’m supposed to be Himeko’s partner, but I can’t do anything for them…I’m such a failure, such a useless, worthless failure…”

He sadly watched her, trying his best to think of what he could do to help her feel better. This wasn’t the Theresa he knew. She’d always been so fierce and strong and cheerful. But he knew that like Bronya, Mei, Himeko, and Kiana, she had pain she tried to keep hidden away from her friends so she wouldn’t cause them to worry. But when that pain could no longer be hidden, it came out so much worse. 

He refused to let his dear friend and colleague suffer for even a second longer. 

“No, Theresa. You’re wrong. You aren’t a failure. You never have been. You’re the strongest valkyrie I know. You’re the best headmaster I know. You’re the best aunt to Kiana I know and the best leader to Bronya and Mei I know. And you’re the World’s Number One Cutie, remember?”

“But…but…”

“But what, Theresa? Are you trying to tell me that I’m wrong? That you’re bad at all of these things? That you aren’t the strong, responsible, and caring Theresa Apocalypse who I’ve fought alongside for over a year and who’s never let any of us down? Why do you feel like you’re a failure, Theresa?”

To his relief, she stopped sobbing, and her tears were slowly drying up on her small, delicate face. She wiped them away with the sleeve of her nun uniform before stabbing a chicken wing with a fork and swallowing it nearly whole. She quickly finished the rest of her plate before sitting back, crossing her arms, and closing her eyes.

“Finish your breakfast first, Johann. I don’t want you to hear what you’re about to hear on an empty stomach.”

He stared at her before slowly resuming his meal. To his disappointment, it tasted nowhere near as good as before. He emptied his plate, keeping a close eye on Theresa the entire time, before putting it to the side.

“That was an incredible breakfast, Theresa. If it’s alright, I’d like to cook some for you next time. Maybe even the same super sweet stuffed wings you made today.”

“Maybe. Anyways, you wanted to know why I felt this way?” she asked, her voice flat. “It’s a long story.”

“We have time.”

“...”

Theresa picked up the bottle of bitter melon juice and poured herself another glass. She drank it all in one go before refilling it. She repeated this process a number of times before Johann realized she was trying to stall.

“Are you going to tell me once the bottle’s empty, Theresa?”

“Ugh…alright, fine.” She emptied the cup for the last time before finally speaking the truth. “You don’t know much about my past, do you?”

He shook his head. “All I know is that you’re an S-rank valkyrie who’s older than she looks. I assumed that you were a Kaslana adopted into House Apocalypse.”

“Not many do. It’s not something that the Overseer and I have much interest in making widely known. And that assumption isn’t entirely right or wrong.”

“The Overseer? You mean Otto Apocalypse? Your grandfather?”

“Yes, him. He’s the one who kept my past a closely-guarded secret for over forty years.”

“F-forty years?” he exclaimed. 

He’d always known that Theresa must have been older than she looked. After all, no twelve year old could possibly ascend to become an S-rank valkyrie and manage the responsibilities and duties of a school for training students to potentially become more S-rank valkyries. He had assumed that she had been afflicted by an illness of some sort that stunted or slowed her growth, but he never expected her age to be over three times her outward appearance and twice his. For that matter, Otto himself looked rather young to be anyone’s grandfather.

“Yes, Johann. My birthdate…well, it can’t really be called a birthdate, because I was never really born…was in 1972. That was the year my…grandfather, Otto Apocalypse, created me in a test tube.”

His eyes widened in shock. “He…created you?”

“Yes. Along with many others before me as part of a secret project to ensure that House Apocalypse would always have the power to battle the Honkai because they lack the strength to do so themselves.”

“A…secret project?”

“Yes. As you know, Houses Kaslana and Schariac are naturally gifted with the supernatural strength needed to fight against the Honkai while House Apocalypse is not. Otto created a warrior that could be as strong as, or even stronger than them. That warrior is me.”

Johann didn’t know how to process this unbelievable information. But he trusted Theresa. He knew she would never lie to him.

“And yes. I can tell that you’re wondering if this is why I stopped growing. It was a side effect of my creation. I’ll never grow older than twelve. It’s alright, though; I came to terms with it decades ago. I don’t worry about it anymore, so neither should you.”

“I…I see,” he managed to say. 

Theresa offered him the bottle. This time, he accepted. He stared at the green liquid before taking a small sip. To his surprise, it wasn’t that bad, certainly not as bad as he remembered it. Maybe it was an acquired taste after all. 

“I’m guessing that none of what we say today should leave this house,” he said. “Otto kept it secret for a reason.”

She nodded. “He didn’t want others viewing me as a freak or a monster just because of the way I came to be. People can be cruel like that. Nothing like you, though. I could tell you all of this because I knew you wouldn’t see me any differently.”

He smiled. He reached over and gently placed his hand over hers. “You’ll always be Theresa to me. Nothing can ever change that.”

She blushed again. She quickly withdrew her hand. “If only grandpa saw me that way at first. I didn’t even have a name. I was just A-310. I was nothing to him. Nothing but an experiment. If I’d failed, he would have discarded me and started over to create another one of me. I was so scared of failing. Of disappointing him.”

“HE WHAT!” Johann shouted, outraged. He hadn’t thought the Overseer to be so callous and inhumane. He’d always thought highly of him, even if they hadn’t always agreed. “How dare he -” 

“It’s alright, Johann. For some reason, he wanted me to succeed. He wanted me to live a life of my own. He’s…a complicated man. It took a long time for him to finally accept me as his granddaughter, and I could feel that when he finally did, he genuinely saw me as his. He still does today. It's why he gave me my name: Theresa. I’m grateful to Otto that I have a life because it means that I can be happy with everyone here. With you. Please don’t be too angry at him…” she said quietly. 

He shut his eyes tight, attempting to re-evaluate his opinion of Otto against what Theresa had said. 

Otto was indeed a complicated man. The vastly different answers one would receive when asking different people of their opinions of him made that clear. Even so, he was undoubtedly the reason for Schicksal’s unprecedented success and ensured that all of Schicksal’s enemies would think twice, or several times more, before attempting a move against the organization. 

Otto was the one who had handpicked Johann to be the captain of Schicksal’s greatest battleship, the Hyperion. He was the reason why he had met the women whom he now cherished so much. He was the reason why he and Theresa could be having breakfast together. Why he was able to comfort and reassure her as was his duty.

When he reopened his eyes, they were filled with renewed determination. He stood up. He walked next to Theresa’s chair. He knelt down to her level.

“Johann?” she asked.

“Theresa, is it alright if I hug you?”

“Eh? Are you trying to be a pervert?”

“I want to make you feel better. I know you’ve been under a lot of pressure lately. I get that. Being a headmaster isn’t easy. Being a valkyrie isn’t easy. I thought my job as a captain was already hard enough, but I can’t even imagine how harder things must be for a valkyrie. That’s why I’m here for you…all of you. There isn’t much that I can do right now…but at least let me do this.”

Theresa stared at him for only a second before lifting her head back and laughing, her bright and clear voice infecting him with her own amusement and happiness. 

“I shouldn’t be surprised. This is just like you. You’ve already done this for Bronya, Mei, and Kiana, haven’t you?”

Before he could answer, Theresa stood up, raised her arms, and hugged him tightly. But not too tightly that he’d be injured by her strength that wouldn’t be expected of such a petite girl.

Smiling, he embraced her back. He ran his hand through her soft, silver hair, which she only rarely allowed him to do. She decided that she’d let him do it as much as he wants in the future. 

“You’re just like how I dreamed…” he murmured without thinking.

“Hmm? So you dreamed of me? I knew you were a pervert, Johann, but I didn’t think you’d go this far…”

Why had he said that? He hadn’t meant to say anything even though she truly had been.

“Uh…no, I mean -”

She laughed again and hugged him even tighter. 

“It’s alright. I feel better already, all thanks to you. Oh, and I remembered something…”

“What is it?”

“I spoke with grandpa Otto yesterday. We have remote meetings every now and then. This time, he told me to give you his regards. He really sees highly of you, and he wished you success with your career at Schicksal.”

“Oh…uh…I’m not sure what to say, but…I’ll thank him myself the next time I speak with him. Thank you for relaying me his message, Theresa.”

“He also said that you two go a long way back together. I’m very curious in exactly how long, Johann. Would you care to tell me your story? It’s only fair after I told you about mine…”

“Uh…I can. But can it wait for another time? Right now isn’t exactly the best time for this…but I promise that I’ll tell you someday, Theresa.”

Theresa grumbled in annoyance, but she acquiesced. “If you say so.”

Neither of them wanted to end the hug. They both felt so warm and safe in each other’s arms. When they finally and reluctantly withdrew, they gazed into each other’s eyes, filled with newfound determination. 

“I need to stay strong for both Bronya and Himeko. I can’t do that if I’m a snivelling wreck. Thank you again for helping me stand on my feet again. I’ll have a word with Bronya and Rita as soon as I can," Theresa said, her words like steel. 

He nodded. He sat back down. 

“For now, though, I’ll need to start thinking about dinner. What would you like this time?”

“Are you inviting me to dinner later, Theresa?” he asked, smiling. 

“Of course I am. Don’t question me.”

“Then I’d be glad to have some more of those stuffed fried chicken wings you just made. In fact, I’d love to learn to make them from you. Bronya and Mei have already taught me so much, and I’m looking forward to learning from you, too.”

Theresa quickly averted her gaze, blushing again. “You really mean that? That’s fine. I ran out of the ingredients, though. I’m heading out to buy more of them now. You can stay here or go wherever.”

She began walking out of her house, but then Johann stood up and put his coat back on. “‘Wherever’ would include helping you shop for them, wouldn’t it?” he asked before patting her on her head.

“...I suppose. Follow me, then.”

She tried to hide her smile from him. 

Together, they walked out of the house and toward the bridge that linked St. Freya to Soukai CIty. The day was cold, but also calm, and already they felt better than they had that terrible morning. 

Johann never saw the way she frowned. He never knew her thoughts that she hid from him.

I’m sorry, Johann…I’m sorry that I lied to you even though I know how much you trust me. I’m sorry that I never told you the whole story of my past…the real reason why he created me, and exactly what I am: a clone of Kallen Kaslana…how grandpa made…another one of me…how he forced me to fight and kill her, although I could never bring myself to… and how he…how he stole Kiana away…

She shut her eyes. She knew she wouldn’t trip and fall. He was holding her hand, keeping her safe by his side. 

I know what kind of man you are. I know how much you’d hate Otto if you truly knew what kind of man he is…you’d never forgive him. I’m already regretting that I told you how he treated me at first. You’d go so far to protect us from him. I don’t even know how far you’d go. But it’s okay. I’ll make sure that none of this ever needs to happen. You’ll always be my captain, Johann, and I’ll always protect you and make sure that you’re always safe here with me.

She squeezed his hand a little tighter. She met his gaze and smiled again. He smiled back.

—--

The biting cold of the world outside did not reach the maid, but she still felt cold inside. Colder than she had felt for so very long. 

She drank another mouthful of her handmade tea, but its warmth could not reach her. She placed the cup down in her lap and turned her magenta eyes to her client. 

Bronya drank her tea with even less enthusiasm than before. Evidently, it wasn’t enough to warm her up, either. 

“I’m glad you were willing to come here for another session, Master Bronya. That alone speaks of your willingness to stay on the path of recovery,” said Rita, drinking another sip of tea. 

“Yes, Rita. I do want to recover, and I’m willing to allow you to help me do so,” came the emotionless reply. 

“Of course, Master Bronya. I’m glad that you’ve placed your trust in me. But before we begin, I’d like to ask if your tea is to your liking. I used even more effort in perfecting it today to symbolize how I’ll expend even more effort for you.”

“It tastes quite fine, Rita. Thank you.”

“I used an additional, quite special ingredient this time. In fact, so special that I reserved it for your share of the tea alone. I couldn’t possibly think of wasting it on myself.”

“I see, Rita. Thank you.”

Rita smiled. It did not match her eyes. 

“So, Master Bronya. Would you like to resume from where we ended our previous session?”

“...”

Bronya felt slightly dizzy and drowsy. She didn’t sleep well last night. That must be why. She shook her head and drank another sip of her tea. 

“If I remember correctly, and I always do, you were speaking of each of your friends and the reasons why they were important to you. Do you remember? You told me that…” Rita picked up her notebook, “Kiana is a fool, but a well-meaning one, and although you argue with her quite often, you still acknowledge her as an important friend deep within. Mei is like an older sister to you, and she’s always so kind and caring as well as always cooking the best foods in the world. Himeko and Theresa are your teachers and caretakers, and they’ll always do everything they can to make you feel safe.”

Bronya nodded and emptied her cup. She stared at the bottom before refilling it from the teapot. 

“All very well. You’re so lucky to have so many people around you who care about you so much, Master Bronya. But for whatever reason, you refused to speak about your captain no matter how much I asked about him. Could it be that you dislike him? Perhaps it’s simply because he’s terrible at his job?”

Bronya couldn’t answer. Was it because she couldn’t bring herself to, or was it because she felt even drowsier than before?

“Last time, you weren’t even going to bring him up when I asked you about your friends, Master Bronya. I wondered why you wouldn’t even acknowledge him as one. Surely you’ve forged a strong bond with him as any valkyrie and commander should?”

Bronya tried to lift her cup to her mouth for another sip, but she felt so weak that she could barely even move her arm. What was happening to her? For the first time in so long, she felt the stirrings of fear growing within her.

The maid stared at her, her gaze boring into her and never relenting. Her smile widened. 

“Or could it be because…you don’t actually acknowledge your captain as a friend. No, of course you don’t. How could you? He’s so much more than just that to you, isn’t he?”

Rita smiled. She knew it was time. 

“I only wish that you were still able to speak and say this for yourself, Master Bronya. The paralyzing poison should have already taken effect in your body. Oh, did I forget to mention it? No, I haven’t. It’s the special ingredient I reserved just for you, remember? Now, you can only listen and wait.”

P…poison? 

“Yes, Master Bronya…or should I say, Miss Silver Wolf of the Urals. I know who you really are. You can’t hide from me.”

How did…she know…

“An assassin as famed as you should have known better than to accept a drink from your enemy. It’s a pity how many skills you must have lost as soon as you ceased to be one. But all that means is that my job only became easier,” laughed the maid.

Rita stood up. She walked over to Bronya. She never stopped smiling.

“Of course, it would be a shame for all of that perfectly good tea to go to waste. I did, after all, say that making tea is an artform. So is crafting poison. And so is what I’m about to do to you.”

Bronya tried to force her body to move. She couldn’t move. Nothing would let her move. She started to panic. 

Rita glanced at the teacup that Bronya still held in her now stiff hand. She pried Bronya’s fingers apart, picked up the cup, raised it to Bronya’s mouth that she opened, and tipped the scalding liquid down Bronya’s throat, forcing every last boiling drop into her. 

If Bronya had been able to, she would have screamed. It burned. It burned so much. 

Suddenly, a massive, clawed hand slashed at Rita, which she barely managed to dodge. It subsequently knocked over Bronya’s armchair, sending her crashing helplessly to the floor. Rita saw a massive robot that had suddenly manifested in the room out of thin air, charging up a laser blast in its cannon arm. 

The explosion would be deafening even if she dodged it. It would attract the attention of the entire school over to them. Rita couldn’t allow that to happen. 

In an instant, her scythe materialized in her hand, longer than she was tall, its lethal edge glinting from the light glowing in the barrel. She charged at her enemy faster than Bronya could even see. She raised her scythe, and with both arms and all of her strength, slashed it down on the robot’s arm, severing it. The truncated barrel of the cannon fell onto the floor with a loud clang, then vanished. An instant later, the entire robot had been cleaved in two, both halves falling to the floor before vanishing. It would automatically repair itself with time. But time was something that Bronya did not have.

Project…Bunny…no…

“My my, Bronya. How very rude of you. That machine of yours would have been so noisy that it’d have disturbed everyone on this peaceful island. I took the liberty of…quieting it. And now that I’ve ensured we won’t be interrupted again, let me say a few things that I’ve waited so long to say.” 

She dematerialized her scythe, then turned around and sat back down in her armchair, observing Bronya lying on the floor in helpless agony. 

“You don’t need to say it yourself, Bronya, not that you can given the circumstances. I know how you truly feel about your captain…Johann Stern. You love him. You love him with all of your being. You couldn’t hide it from me. How did I know? Spy drone, why don’t you reveal yourself to our guest?”

The spherical drone emerged from its invisible state, floating a short distance above them. It had been recording everything in the room. It had been analyzing Bronya’s emotional state. 

“Tell me how our dear guest is feeling right now.”

TARGET’S EMOTIONAL STATE HAS BECOME TERRIFIED, CONFUSED, PANICKED, AND IS IN PHYSICAL DISTRESS. 

She laughed softly. “That much was obvious. The spy drone can read your emotions, and whenever I asked you about our dear Johann, your heart rate sped up ever so slightly, and your emotional state turned to love, desire, and embarrassment.”

Johann…it hurts…

“You know, Bronya, I must give you the credit that’s due. Your disguise was quite convincing at first. No one knew where you really came from. All everyone knew was that you were an orphan raised at some forgettable orphanage in Siberia after your parents perished in the Second Honkai Eruption. Imagine our surprise, then, when Schicksal discovered strange readings of Honkai energy from the bottom of the Sea of Okhotsk and sent a submersible to investigate. What we found was something we had never expected: a hidden laboratory built on the seafloor, thousands of meters below the surface of the ocean. I’m sure you know what I’m speaking of.”

Bronya’s eyes widened. The poison allowed for that much.

“The laboratory must have been constructed to conduct experiments involving the Honkai. That in itself was of course nothing unique. Schicksal does this every day. But it wasn’t Schicksal’s doing, or we would have known about it otherwise. Its placement was quite clever, really; the ocean would normally have absorbed any small leakages of Honkai energy, leaving only trace amounts undetectable to our sensors. But only days before, an underwater earthquake had occurred in that region. The laboratory must have received enough damage to allow more Honkai energy than was ever intended to leak into the ocean…and straight to Schicksal.”

Rita’s cruel smile grew even wider. 

“After some investigation, we learned that the laboratory was codenamed ‘X-10’, and after even more investigation, it led back to a small, two-storey building in Siberia. That building is an orphanage founded by one of the leaders of Anti-Entropy. Cocolia.”

Bronya, still in so much pain, could barely even think, but she knew things would only become even worse for her. And she could do nothing about it.

“I was appalled, really. An orphanage is supposed to be a safe haven for children who need it the most. It shouldn’t be a source to draw test subjects from for human experiments. But it is what it is, and Schicksal managed to obtain a list of all the children who were known to have stayed in it. On that list was you, Bronya.”

Bronya squeezed her eyes shut as tight as she could, hoping that focusing on doing so would take her mind off the pain burning inside her. It didn’t work.

“Of course, it didn’t necessarily mean anything. Not all orphans who grew up in her orphanage were affiliated with Anti-Entropy. But from then on, we never stopped observing you. We never stopped waiting for you to one day tell someone about your past, perhaps confirming our suspicions.” 

“After all, an orphan is the best spy. No family to worry about being threatened. No friends. No one she’s loyal to…except to those who took her in. Anti-Entropy truly is an organization that would go to any lengths to achieve its goals, which I almost respect. But all good things must come to an end. Today, Bronya, your service to them ends.”

She tried to scream. Why couldn’t she scream? 

“And today, your false feelings for Johann end as well…did you really think that you could seduce and take him away from me, you little harlot? Rita, his first, true, and only love? And did you really think that your dormitories being directly next to each other was a coincidence? The Overseer wanted you two to get closer to each other. He hoped that you would open up your past to your captain as the cameras and microphones hidden in your rooms were watching and listening. That's how I know how he comforted you when you had a nightmare about your past one night, Miss Silver Wolf. Johann is such a kind man, isn’t he? Kind enough to get into bed with another woman."

Rita’s rage, barely restrained, filled the room.

"I suppose that they aren’t needed anymore. I’ve caught you in my little trap myself. My, my. What am I to do with a captured, rabid wolf?”

Rita casually picked up her teacup and enjoyed a long draught of her handmade tea, emptying the cup. She had filled it before adding the poison to the tea in the teapot. She wouldn’t be able to have more than a single cup of tea, but what she gained in return made the tradeoff a worthwhile one. She smiled, letting the warmth flow into her. She felt energized. Renewed. 

“I was ordered to bring you back to Schicksal headquarters for further interrogation. But I wonder if I should even bother. A little girl like you wouldn’t have been entrusted with the information we’d be interested in. I could quietly dispose of you right now and clean up the mess like any maid should. What would you say I should do, Master Bronya?” Rita said with a cruel laugh. “Oh, wait…you aren’t in a very talkative mood at the moment. Forgive me.”

She set her empty cup down on the table. She stood up. She manifested her scythe again. She pointed the blade directly at Bronya. 

Johann…

“That Murata woman as well. She stole the rose I left for my Johann. She doesn’t deserve it. It was never meant for her. I’d pay a visit to her next, but it’d be a waste of my valuable time. A maid is a very busy woman. And after all, she won’t be anyone’s problem in a year.”

Rita laughed one more time. She had made her final decision. She raised her scythe.

“Glory to Schicksal.”

The scythe descended. 

Johann…run…