Honkai Impact 3rd: Don't Die For Me/ Book 3 Paradise

Chapter 6 A Peek Under The Shell

"I'm drained," Sasha exclaimed, laying back on her bed. "Everything hurts. All of it? Yes, mam! Everything! All of it!"

It was the end of the day, an arduous day that had become routine for Sasha in the past few weeks. Needless to say, Sasha hadn't been spending enough time with her friends though such a price was worth her success. The courses that Frederick had her take were nearing completion. Formatting documents and reports was easily learned from Sasha. It wasn't dissimilar to running her mother's flowershop. Taxes, city permits, and other occasion policies made her way into her mother's lap. By extension, the flower girl who wished to take over her mother's shop learned the system as well. Not to mention the extensive paperwork that documented the growth of new various seeds. Countless plant journals were shelved in her parent's room, and Sasha too read them when not helping her mom.

"Perhaps you can ask for another teacher?"

"That's not what I want?"

"What about your other classes?"

"Yeah, it's quite easy. You would do well in it too. It's to do with what we learned from our past."

Henry shook his head and sighed. He was in Sasha's room, the estate turned orphanage. Not much adorned the walls but the window was populated by many flowers and vases. A bookshelf stuffed to the brim with leather-bound books and a wooden desk with loose compartments stood on opposing sides of the bed at the center of the room. A little ways from the door was a tea table Henry sat at, a tea set sat with him.

"It's going to be a struggle. I tried many methods but what kind of Valkyrie would need me to build a home for them? I'm not even an apprentice yet. I can't even contact the elites you require."

"I've had no luck either. I tried to ask Vera but she's a bit shut in. I don't even know if she's strong enough. I've also asked Eleanor but she refused and told me to quit."

"Her exact words?"

"No, she said Otto wouldn't want you to pursue this. She's not wrong."

"So you're thinking of quitting?"

"Never!"

"Then why did you call me here?"

"I just wanted someone to complain to. The witch has been pushing me past the limit every day and keeps on hounding me for more training. You're not strong enough yet. Your reflexes are too slow. Blah, blah, blah!"

"Then can't you just fill the elite requirement?"

"Not possible. My stigma doesn't even have special powers. The witch would never tell it to me straight but it was clear what she meant. For a Valkyrie I'm ordinary. My strength is the middle of the pack. I'm not even gifted with weapons. A spear and short sword, that's what I use. One for reach and the other for defense when someone is too close."

Henry scratched his head. Truth be told the impression Sasha had left on him would never fade away. She seemed strong enough when she apprehended that creep. If Sasha was average then how strong were the elites?

"Well, then you need a top-tier elite."

"Yeah but where am I going to find one? Henry rack your brains, how do I find one?" Sasha exclaimed, hugging her pillow and kicking her bed.

"I dunno. Get lucky I guess."

It was a warm summer afternoon and while the two friends laughed and joked inside the comfort of home, two strangers met on a shaded hill under a heart-like tree. One was a small girl dressed in all black. Flowers surrounded the grave she sat by. The other was walking up the hill, pink hair bringing vibrant colors to the empty place of rest.