Jaune: On the upside, I'm still alive, so she won't kill you. And hey, when it's about to rain, you'll be able to tell from miles away before it hits with your legs.
Jaune: The downside, though, is that you won't have legs after today.
... After that one official HSR video involving Firefly fighting against the Swarm... I'm questioning if she'll get PTSD from doing the SU, or if she'll go 'SAM uses RAGE' just to get some catharsis.
Like... she'll just exclusively and repeatedly go into the Swarm SU just to get some revenge and/or relive the moments of war. And after all of the blood and destruction, the moment she pops out with the rest of the team, she just says one word with a thousand-yard-stare:
"Again."
"But we got the full score-"
"I said... AGAIN."
The Swarm: *screeching*
Ruan Mei: (Fascinating…)
Caelus: Firefly please! It’s distortion level 20!
Sam: “I DREEEAAAMED OF A SCORCHED EARTH!”
Screwlum:*reading data* Is this what they call “The indomitable will of the human spirit?”
Herta:*watching the simulation* It’s called “they’re breaking everything!”
Screwlum:Should we pull them out?
Herta:Of course not! This is interesting! I want to see a simulated scorched earth operation.
Caelus, over mic: IT IS LESS INTERESTING UP CLOSE!
Qingque:*holds Belobog emblem* What’s this one do?
Seele:As long as you stick with me or my people, every 12 actions will cause the Engine of Creation to attack with us, and move the strongest of us forward to go on the offensive.
Qingque:Did you say 12 actions?
Seele:That’s right. Or else I wouldn’t be able to keep up with it much.
3 minutes later, in a fight.
Qingque: *flips 12 tiles*
The giant robot throws a massive punch and gives her another turn.
Qingue:….
Seele:See now you can again.
Another eight are flipped, an ult, and three tile attacks.
Go again
Qingque:Hey, soooo everyone take a seat and get comfortable. I think I’m just gonna stun lock them.
Seele:What?
Qingue:All I have to do is reach 12 actions, and I always get three free skill points while my ult counts as two actions.
Seele:Won’t you eventually run out of thought? Your luck won’t be perfect.
Sunday:I can push her up again. Also…*turns around*
Fugue:*holding cards* Got any sevens?
Sparkle: Go fish~
Sunday:Fool.
Sparkle:*gifts a dozen points* You know my quota. Have fun.
Seele:Oh yeah, her. Still, stay on guard. Our enemies will eventually get a chance to strike.
5 minutes later
Seele:HOW IS SHE STILL GOING!? We’ve been here forever!!
Qingque:Like I said, they can’t move unless I plan it, and we can’t take these guys in a fair fight.
Seele:At least let me fight a little!!
Qingque:Save your strength. If something goes wrong, you’ll have to one shot them and hopefully bring me back up.
HuoHuo:Uhhh, Miss? *points up*
The purple haired girl looks towards the sky behind the robot to see an even bigger, more imposing bundle of lightning.
Seele:How long has that been there?
HuoHuo:The entire time. Actions by are people charge it up and pushes it forward.
Seele:Then why isn’t it fighting! Aren’t you two from the same area!?
Fugue:Because our little gambler has managed to tame Lightning Lord. *shuffling deck* Qingue, you’re only flipping up to 11 actions, aren’t you?
Sunday:Ah, so that’s why. By attacking on the 12th, our massive Belobog friend gets to strike and bring Qingque’s next attack ahead of everything else. She’s not trying to fight alone…
Sparkle:She’s a big ol battery!!!!!
Seele:THAT THING HAS BEEN CHARGING THE ENTIRE TIME!?
Qingque:Aaaaannnnd that’s 200 stacks!!! For the Cloud Knights!!
Fugue & HuoHou:The Hunt is with us.
Tiles fly early, and lightning drops down like golden wall, leaving nothing left.
Qingque:….Belobog is pretty cool.
Seele:That took forever. I didn’t even get to go!
Sunday:It’ll go faster the more people we can recruit. Our enemies will get faster.
Qingque:I know, but if we can make it to my turn, the victory is ours. Still…sigh, I know who we need.
The Final Battle
Fu Xuan:Resonance, Belobog, Loufu, and Skill Points; only you would come up with such a lazy and efficient means of battle. It can’t even be called a wheelchair or speed tuning. Qingque, you’ve stopped all action value.
Qingque:Hey now, it’s a team effort. We had close calls making it here, but Lady Luck prevailed. Plus, I’m not really the only one pushing things to attack anymore.
Bronya:Never in my life would I believe this was possible. I just wish our opponent was a little more…unfamiliar.
Boss Gepard: *Hunched over* How did she poise break me with quantum!? Everything feels dizzying.
Fugue:Apologies! Yanqing, your turn.
Yanqing:I’m calling Diviner Fu’s bluff!
Fu Xuan:*puts down Royal Flush*
Yanqing:Dang it!!!
Sparkle:You’re really bad at this.
Gepard:Lady Bronya, please stop summoning your mother.
Bronya:I am so, so sorry. *advances Cocolia*
Everyone: “Power….translates into hope!”
Meteor falls on the troops, followed by a giant fist and lightning
HuoHuo:He’s really durable.
Bronya:Always has been. However….
20% HP
Qingue:And that’s all she wrote.
Seele:*stands up* And there it is.
Bronya:Just close your eyes, Gepard! I make this up to you!
Seele:Y’know, I think this is the first time I’m going to genuinely mean these words. Gepard, “Let me end your misery. I’ll free you from your chains…”
Silver Wolf:Wouldn’t have been easier to turn around?
Caelus:You’re taller upside down. Also, wouldn’t I be player number one?
Silver Wolf:Not after that comment. Anyways…*hands over slip*
Caelus:What’s this? *grabs it*
Silver Wolf:A list of things I need you to get. I’ll be too busy to find them myself. Thanks in advance. *walking away*
Caelus:Hold on! You drop a to-do list on me after showing up randomly then leave!? And here I thought you cherished your player two. I’m wounded.
Silver Wolf:Are you going to pout about.
Caelus:I just might howl. Perhaps another wolf will show up, or at least bring you back faster.
Silver Wolf:Howl and you’ll see how fast I’ll run in the opposite direction. Care a little bit about your image will ya? There’s people around.
Caelus:…*goes back to polishing* I shall get your things, I guess.
Silver Wolf:Are you actually sulking?
Caelus:Yes.
Silver Wolf:Sigh, can’t fault honesty I guess.
She does a triple take around the area, seeing if anyone worth being concerned about is around. With the cost clear, she speed walks over to Caelus, kisses his cheek, then leaves immediately.
Haven’t really said all my thoughts in regards to my “au” and it’s been awhile since I updated sooooo
Stelle has dark circles under her eyes from all the time displacing and waiting. She jokes that she looks more like a raccoon now. She’s traumatized. Her skin is a bit paler and cheeks are slimmer.
Himeko and Caelus have grown closer supporting each other when they were worried about the other’s.
March keeps a chair by her bed now. It was brought in when she was in a coma so Caelus wouldn’t sit on the floor anymore. Apparently he slept in the chair often.
The idea to mass publish “As I’ve Written” was Caelus’s after Stelle told him she wished the world could love her friends the way she did. He didn’t put his name anywhere on it. Stelle added him as the publisher when he wasn’t looking.
Stelle now drinks half a cup of Himeko’s coffee. She’s just built different now and wants to feel something.
Despite the double bed setup, Stelle and Caelus now go to sleep in the same bed. It’s usually his.
Stelle sometimes catches Caelus crying in his sleep and calling her name. Even if she’s ready to start the day, she won’t leave the bed until he wakes up.
Dan Heng is chattier and finds himself laughing more at March’s antics. Everyone finds it lovely.
Public displays of affection are now fully on the table. Stelle wants to hold hands and lean against her friends whenever possible.
Sunday occasionally tunes Stelle and Caelus to help them sleep soundly.
March will mentally bug Evernote until she gets a response. She likes to include her regularly in mental discussions. At night she tells Eve to feel free to walk around after bed. Not wanting to tire March out, the most she does is go to the main car and look at the universe; or bug Sunday.
Stelle was really out of it the first several weeks after beating Irontomb. She barely ate or anything. Caelus eventually grabbed the issue by the horns and some very intense confessions from both of them were made clear.
Dan Heng is still iffy on Evernight, but March makes them both chat.
Stelle has introduced Caelus as her boyfriend occasionally. No shame or stutters. Everyone was surprised. Especially him!.
Welt is Mr. Therapist. He catches the kids in quiet moments that feel too lonesome.
Caelus has a mix of guilt and imposter syndrome from not being on Amphoreus for most of the journey. Now he’s taking the lead in Planarcadia while Stelle is taking things a step at a time. She’s found comfort in being the Furbo’s president.
Stelle and Caelus try not to split up much for now, but will send messages if they’re apart.
Herta and Stelle have a better relationship
There’s now a decent gap in combat experience between Stelle and Caelus. Stelle is looking forward to whipping Caelus into shape.
March is keeping up with her sword training in secret. She’s weaving in her new found abilities. Evernight is dangerously excited to be wielding two swords.
Sleeping in darkness feels a little uncomfortable for Dan Heng and Stelle after so much time in Okema.
Stelle has gotten used to more logistical activities and money management. It creeps Caelus out, but he’s proud to not get stuck with those events 24/7. She still doesn’t like interviews or making public speeches but it’s less stressful.
Dan Heng can summon his tail whenever. March likes to bat it around
March is the only person to come out of this journey feeling 100% better than how she started. This newfound confidence and joy has her stepping up for her friends quicker than before. She just wants them safe and feeling happy.
Sunday finds all four of them sleeping in the same room sometimes. They invite him to join but he awkwardly declines 80% of the time. The other 20% is them going to sleep in a room he’s already sleeping in.
黄泉 by Fukuro袋子 [Twitter/X]
※Illustration shared with permission from the artist. If you like this artwork please support the artist by visiting the source.
飛霄 by Piukute062 [Twitter/X]
※Illustration shared with permission from the artist. If you like this artwork please support the artist by visiting the source.
Robin by NDGD [Twitter/X]
※Illustration shared with permission from the artist. If you like this artwork please support the artist by visiting the source.