A/N: Holy Damn This is like the hardest chapter i write, i don't know if this is even worth it or not.
Anyway this supposed to be Mei and Yuna PoV after that hanging out together chapter, but i realized i need to do Herrscher of thunder because she's pretty important.
I didn't expect this to be like almost 3k words but whatever.
Anyway i hope you enjoyed this chapter see ya~
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The Herrscher of Thunder doesn't remember the exact time she was born. She just knew that one day, she was there-floating quietly inside Mei's body, watching everything from her eyes like a passenger.
She wasn't born from any Honkai eruption, or from Mei absorbing Honkai energy like others. No, she came from something else-something more human.
A strong, overwhelming feeling that Mei kept locked deep inside her heart.
Loneliness.
And because of that, she wasn't like the Herrscher of the Void, who was born from hatred toward humanity. She didn't have any desire to kill humans like the Void did.
The only thing she had was curiosity, curiosity about her host, Mei.
Since she existed inside Mei's body, she could feel everything Mei felt. And that made her curious, because she could feel just how deeply sad and lonely her host truly was.
But she didn't understand how her host could always smile around people and help them, even when there was nothing to gain from it.
From the memories she inherited, it seemed like this was how Mei had always been since she was a child.
Helping anyone she could, even if it was a burden. And doing it all with a smile.
It seemed like Mei got that part of herself from someone she called "Mother."
But when no one was around-at night, when Mei was alone in her room, ready to sleep-she would always stare at her phone, waiting for a message.
A message that only came three times a month. But every time it did, she could feel how overwhelming Mei's happiness became.
Her father messaged her, just asking how she was doing. And that alone was enough to make her host feel truly happy.
After months of silently watching, she finally decided to speak to her.
The first time she talked, Mei jolted in surprise, glancing around the room in fear.
At first, Mei thought she had gone crazy-until the Herrscher of Thunder explained that she was another personality.
For the next few days, things were awkward. Mei felt weird talking to herself in an empty room, until she was told to just use her thoughts instead of speaking aloud.
And the moment she said that, Mei immediately began talking to her through her mind every day.
Mei was happy.
Happy to finally have someone she could talk to without putting on a fake expression.
Because this other self... could feel everything she felt.
After that, their daily life slowly started.
The Herrscher of Thunder would watch quietly while Mei went to school, study, join her club, help people, and act like nothing was wrong.
At night, Mei would lie on her bed, staring at the ceiling, and they'd talk about random things—how the day went, or how annoying some classmates were.
Just simple things.
A few months passed like that.
And before she realized it, Mei already got used to her other self being there.
She didn't treat her like a stranger anymore.
Instead, she felt like she was her older sister.
Someone always watching over her, listening to her without judgment, and never lying.
Even though they shared the same body, Mei felt less alone.
But still… she never told anyone about her other personality even to her maids and chauffeur.
She knew if she did, people would think she was crazy—talking to herself, smiling at nothing, laughing when no one said anything.
But then something surprising happened to her, when suddenly in a dream they meet face to face.
In the dream, Mei could see her other self clearly.
She looked almost identical—same height, same face, same long hair. But there were differences that set her apart. Two long horns curled out from her forehead, seems sharp and little menacing.
Her long purple hair was darker, almost plum at the tips, and it shimmered faintly with a soft violet glow, as if it were alive.
And her eyes—those glowing, bright purple eyes—felt like they could pierce through anything.
Anyone else might've been scared. But Mei wasn't.
Even though her other self looked like something out of a fantasy or horror movie, Mei didn't feel afraid at all. It was more like seeing a cosplayer she might have spotted on TV—strange, dramatic, maybe a little intense… but not frightening.
Just the two of them in the middle of a dream world, sitting beside each other under the starry sky, talking like real sisters.
Mei thought every day would continue like this—peaceful and quiet, where she could talk openly with her other self without worrying about keeping up the perfect mask of being the Raiden family's daughter.
"By the way, Raiden-san, did you hear we're getting two transfer students later?"
That was the first rumor she heard on the first day back to school after summer break.
The Herrscher of Thunder didn't care at all. Rumors about transfer students weren't anything new, so she paid no attention.
That is, until the classroom door opened.
Two girls walked in. One had long white hair and practically radiated energy. From a glance, she seemed like an ordinary person—just overly excited. But the other girl… the taller one with long black hair—
She was different.
Extremely different.
The moment her eyes landed on her, the Herrscher of Thunder's instincts screamed at her. Something about that girl was dangerous.
She didn't know why, but being near her was like standing in front of another Herrscher—one barely holding themselves together, like a volcano waiting to erupt.
She immediately warned Mei.
But Mei didn't take the warning seriously.
To everyone else, that girl looked completely normal—graceful, composed, even gentle. Her aura made people feel at ease around her, like she was someone easy to talk to and get close to. And sure enough, she made friends easily.
Unfortunately, the white-haired girl's sudden, loud introduction made things harder for her dark-haired companion.
Still, even with the easygoing atmosphere, the Herrscher of Thunder remained cautious.
At the very least, she needed to warn Mei again:
Don't get close to that woman.
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At the end of the day, Mei ended up guiding both of the new transfer students around the school, showing them all the facilities the academy had to offer.
At first, Mei was just being polite—smiling like usual, keeping her distance just like how she did with everyone else.
But the Herrscher of Thunder could feel it clearly.
Mei's curiosity started to grow the moment they began talking about sword styles.
It was just a casual conversation at first, but something about the taller black-haired girl—Reina—caught Mei's attention.
She could tell.
That woman wasn't just someone who practiced swordsmanship. She had the aura of someone dangerous.
And during the practice match between Mei and Reina, the Herrscher of Thunder could feel it again—
Reina was holding back.
A lot.
She immediately warned Mei not to take the match lightly, but unfortunately… it was already too late.
Even with all her years of Hokushin-Itto-ryu training, Mei couldn't do anything.
She was completely outmatched.
The moment Mei's shinai was knocked away, the Herrscher of Thunder could feel a wave of emotions hit her.
Frustration.
Embarrassment.
Sadness.
That familiar, quiet kind of sadness—the kind Mei always kept deep inside.
It was like her heart was whispering, "I've trained since I was a child… and yet I lost this easily?"
That night, Herrscher of Thunder stayed silent for a while before speaking to her gently,
"[Don't be too sad like that. Isn't it a good thing you met someone stronger? That means you have a new goal. Someone to catch up to.]"
After hearing that, Mei didn't respond with words.
But the next morning, her energy had changed.
She looked more focused. More serious.
She didn't say it out loud, but the Herrscher of Thunder could feel it—
Mei had made up her mind.
She would train harder.
She would become stronger.
And one day…
She would challenge Reina again for a rematch.
The days started shifting slowly after that.
Every day after school, Mei would go straight to the kendo club.
She trained longer than usual, sometimes even until the sun was already setting.
The Herrscher of Thunder could feel it. Mei wasn't just training—she was chasing something.
That match with Reina had lit something inside her.
But even with how serious she was with her kendo training, Mei didn't avoid the two transfer students.
She often talked with Reina and Kiana during lunch breaks or in the mornings before class.
At first it was just casual small talk…
But little by little, Mei found herself smiling more honestly around them.
It was… different.
Even Herrscher of Thunder noticed.
Those two were slowly breaking through the mask Mei always wore.
Especially Reina.
Then one day, Reina came back from her toilet break with someone new.
A quiet girl with messy long hair. She kept her head low and avoided eye contact with everyone.
Her name was Yuna.
Reina introduced her like it was normal, but her next words immediately froze Mei.
"She's being bullied by some students here."
At first, Mei couldn't believe it.
She was certain the students at this school were kind. Polite.
They were always smiling at her, always respectful.
They even praised her all the time.
"There's no way," Mei muttered inside her mind.
But Reina didn't stop there.
She explained more—how those same polite students ignored Yuna when she was hurt, how they whispered behind her back, and even laughed when she cried.
How they only ever acted kind in front of teachers or people like Mei.
The more Mei listened, the more her chest tightened.
And Herrscher of Thunder felt it clearly.
That mix of anger, disappointment, and something worse… betrayal.
Mei realized—
They weren't kind.
They were just wearing masks.
Just like her.
They only smiled at her because of her family name.
Because of what they could gain.
That night, Herrscher of Thunder didn't say anything.
She didn't have to. Mei's feelings were too clear.
And ever since that day, Mei decreasing helping other students like before.
She still wore her polite smile in class, still did what was expected as a Raiden…
But during lunch, after school, and any free time she had—
She stayed with Reina, Kiana, and now Yuna.
Because with them, she didn't need to wear a mask.
One day, Kiana suddenly invited everyone to hang out together on Sunday.
Mei agreed without much thought. It sounded fun—spending time with friends like them—and deep down, she hoped it might help them all grow a little closer.
Unfortunately, the day didn't start off so well for Mei. As she waited at the meeting spot, three men approached her. One asked for her number, another tried to convince her to go have fun with them. Even after Mei politely told them she was waiting for her friends, they didn't back off. They just kept talking, insisting.
Herrscher of Thunder, quietly watching from inside, almost offered her power to drive them away.
But just before things could escalate, Kiana and Reina arrived. The moment the two girls stepped in, the three men quickly left, finally leaving Mei alone.
Not long after, Yuna arrived, and from that point on, the day truly began.
They walked around, played games, ate food, and laughed together.
Meanwhile, Herrscher of Thunder stayed silent the entire time.
This day wasn't hers—it was Mei's. A rare chance to spend time with people who didn't care about her family status or her surname. People who just… liked her.
She still remained cautious around Reina. That lingering unease hadn't disappeared completely. But over the past two weeks, Reina hadn't done anything suspicious. It seemed she really didn't want to hurt anyone, and slowly, Herrscher of Thunder started to lower her guard.
And throughout the day, she could feel it clearly—something that rarely surfaced from Mei.
Pure joy.
Genuine happiness.
Mei was smiling, laughing, and joking with her friends. And even if it wasn't her own emotion, Herrscher of Thunder found herself smiling too.
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Later, they all went to the carnival as their final stop for the day. But the place was crowded, packed with people. In the chaos, they got separated.
In the end, Mei ended up alone with Reina. Just the two of them.
It was the first time she'd ever been alone with Reina. Usually, Kiana was always nearby. But now, for once, it was just the two of them—together.
Reina gently reached out and took Mei's hand, guiding her through the crowd as they walked side by side.
As they walked through the crowded carnival, Mei glanced down at her hand—still gently held by Reina.
She could feel the warmth of Reina's palm against hers. Soft, firm, and somehow comforting.
It was a small gesture, but for Mei, it meant more than she could say.
The rest of the evening felt like a dream. Reina led the way through the carnival, always one step ahead, always making sure Mei didn't get lost in the crowd or miss anything fun. She bought snacks, won games, and even helped Mei cheat a little during the ring toss. Every time Mei got confused or nervous, Reina was right there beside her with a calm smile.
Then came the moment Reina won a prize at one of the game booths—a large, pink Homu doll.
Reina held it out to her with a smile. "For you."
Mei froze. She rarely received presents—genuine ones, not gifts wrapped in business smiles or given out of obligation. The way Reina smiled as she handed it to her made something stir in her chest. A strange, fluttering feeling.
"Thank you…" Mei whispered, hugging the soft homu close.
It felt warm. Not just the doll, but something inside her.
For their final ride, they chose the spinning wheel—towering high above the carnival grounds, slowly rotating as passengers waited to reach the top.
Inside the quiet cabin, Mei and Reina decided to pass the time by asking each other questions. It was a casual suggestion, but Mei found herself enjoying the lighthearted exchange.
From all the things she could've asked, her curiosity lingered on something she had noticed for a while—the matching bracelets Reina and Kiana always wore. They never took them off, not even during practice or lunch.
When she finally asked about them, Reina explained with a calm voice that the bracelets were very important to both her and Kiana. They held personal meaning—something shared only between the two of them.
Hearing that, Mei felt an odd pang in her chest. Irritation? Annoyance? It flared up for just a split second before disappearing, leaving her feeling strangely uneasy. But before she could dwell on it, Reina offered to make one for her as well.
Mei felt warm at the gesture and smiled, genuinely happy. But after a brief pause, she politely declined. If everyone had one, then the meaning behind the bracelets would disappear. It was special because it was just for the two of them.
After that, they continued exchanging questions, the mood becoming lighter again except for the part where Reina suddenly kneeling in front of her.
Just as the cabin neared the top of the ride, Reina pulled out her phone and gestured toward the window, telling Mei to look outside.
Then, as if perfectly timed, the sky lit up with fireworks.
Bright colors exploded above them, painting the night in red, blue, and gold. Mei's eyes widened as she watched the lights dance across the sky. The sound of laughter, the smile from Reina in front of her, and the soft homu doll that she hug—it all blended together into something Mei couldn't explain.
Something was blooming in her chest.
A feeling she didn't understand.
Inside, Herrscher of Thunder quietly watched, unsure what to make of it. Mei's emotions were clearer than ever—joy, warmth, nervous excitement. But there was something else now too, something deeper, something unfamiliar even to her.
A strange pounding from Mei's heart.
A feeling the Herrscher couldn't name.
But it was getting stronger.
And it was all because of Reina.