One of the most funny things about the arguments of Lacenet shippers is how they respond to The Caretaker saying that Lace has the mind and body of a child because the body and mind of a child of course goes against their agenda so of course they have to explain it away but not completely because they can't just say he is lying because he is also the only source for Lace being "Immortal" which backs up another one of their arguments that "because Hornet and Lace are immortal they should of course kiss because neither will die of old age" (Even thou that just reducing Lace to another immortal companion but hey that's not what matters, what matters is ToXiC yUrI) so instead they come up with this tortured logic about what he says is still true but also incorrect about Lace's age but also correct about Lace being Immortal even thou he says both in the same sentence
I'm not per se against shipping Hornet with other immortals, but I really the take that dislike only another immortal could be a "true equal" to Hornet.
A huge part of her character is that she doesn't think her 'divine' status makes her superior to others. (if anything she might think it makes her worse cause got shit for it from the other Weavers as a kid)
But mostly she's not uppity out of humility, respect & wisdom & experience based lack of hubris. (as opposed to someone like GMS who'd have an entitled/supremacist/divine-right-of-kings attitude)
She has no issue respecting skilled mortals like Shakra & Karmelita as her equals, & it speaks to her character that she does.
It goes rather contrary to her character to make her into someone who doesn't really respect her friends. (& I don't see the appeal of that)
Plus, all her previous partners being mortals would suggest that that's who she's primarily attracted to. Of course it's possible that she just hasn't met a suitable Higher Being (at least one that wasn't an asshole) - but I'd think it'd be kinda interesting to look at it as yet another downside or complication of being a hybrid. Her lifespan didn't end up matching who she'd register as a possible mate.
It's not like I don't get why it would be interesting to explore her interacting with a "worthy opponent" or someone with a similar-ish background/parallels in some ways, but there's a long list of characters that would seem more suitable:
Pinstress - Also a lone survivor of her order who kept fighting an overmastering long time, remained tough despite long solitude, Hornet explicitly says that she likes her. (Srly ppl are sleeping on the old lady yuri potential here. Remember the "vampire with 90 year old gf" comics?)
Second Sentinel - also a lone survivor from a bygone gilded age, also outlived their siblings, also dutifully keeps to their post even when it seems hopeless, also kinda taciturn... Hornet considers them a friend & praises their skill.
Eva - fellow half-weaver demigod, about the same age with Hornet a bit younger, they bond about experiencing the same discrimination, high opinion of each other (you could also interpret them as related, but clearly more distant compared to how Lace just acts straight-up like a little sister; They're more like distant cousins or just members of the same clan/tribe, which is mostly what they interact like)
Even Shakra, though an ordinary mortal, has a lot in common with Hornet when you look at her "adopted" background in Deepnest & the Hive, being a tough survivor from a proud, war-like border tribe, a part of her background that she actually strongly identifies with, just from how she mainly calls herself "Hornet" & usually walks around in the traditional red outfit from Deepnest/ her "primary" identity being that of a hunter. There's that scene where Hornet very conspicously doesn't mention that she's part Weaver when the subject comes up after Bellhart is liberated. (presumably cause she wanted her new friend to keep seeing her as herself/ someone she's got stuff in common with, not as an extinct mythical beast.)
Lace (while she does have some parallels - mentor/student pairs often do) seems an odd choice as she's very explicitly not an equal, the generational gap is very apparent & constantly emphasized. Being immortal-ish puts her on the same "time scale" as the rest of her immortal relatives but she's still younger. (just like Hornet herself is younger generation compared to GMS, WL or Mr. Mushroom)
Also it imho misses the emotional meaning behind the "lonely immortal" trope... because there are very few immortals irl. Most videogame players or TV show watchers are not immortal jellyfish or douglas fir trees. So why do these types of stories move us & get us so emotional?
Because they're really about the inevitability of loss, change & partings in life & the struggle with investing in things & ppl emotionally knowing that you might separate, & how caring & attachment always brings the risk of pain.
So, clearly the answer to that is "you should care & get close to ppl anyway despite the possibility of loss, because being with others is worth the risk of pain & detaching yourself keeps you from appreciating things & ppl while they last", not "well, the loss of "little people" didn't matter anyway" or "you just gotta find some idealized perfect person loss will be impossible"
Her having given up on pursuing further partners is part of the general distancing from others that came about as as a result of living thru a zombie apocalypse without being able to do much to help (in the 1st game Hornet runs off from anyone who tries to talk to her & even those of her remaining contacts who are still alive, like Midwife, mention that she's gotten all distant & hasn't visited in ages, though she & the other survivors in Deepnest would actually consider it a morale boost to see more of their princess)
Over the course of the story she lets herself get close to ppl again (mostly as friends - but a partner shouldn't be that different in that regard) & is reminded of how rewarding & worth it that actually feels.
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