A smile.
A smile was what the girl in the winter forest saw first after she fell face-first into the snow, having slid from her pack of things.
She looked almost like the girl, she also had blue eyes and white hair, it's just she was older! And wearing a uniform clearly not meant for the winter, isn't she cold? Unlike the girl, who wore a winter coat, pants, gloves, and boots, this older woman is practically wearing nothing to keep herself warm!
Though, her smile is comforting...
The woman helped the young girl up back to her feet after brushing the snow off of the girl's head, nodding to her when she was back standing on the snow covered ground. The young girl just nodded back and walked past the woman, grabbing her pack and almost falling to the ground again, but managing to catch herself before that could happen, wiping her face with her coat's sleeve before looking onwards, continuing to walk.
The older woman began to walk in the opposite direction as the girl, not at all bothered by the cold temperature that her clothes did not protect her from. She stopped in place, extending her arm to the sky, seeing the night sky filled with stars and the green lights displaying over her. It was a beautiful sight to see. She could only smile at the sight.
The woman continued to walk onwards after that. She probably would've stayed on her course had it not been for the orange hue not too far from her. She should just continue on, leaving whoever was there to their things, but she could make some time.
The woman continued to the orange light, hearing the crackling of the wood coming apart from the flames that ate away at it, a person in a white suit and Captain's Hat sitting on a log as they looked into the flames, only looking up when they heard the sound of snow crunching just ahead of them. The person could only smile at the sight.
"Kiana."
"Captain."
The Captain stood up from their place on the log, walking towards Kiana.
"Thought you could leave without saying goodbye?"
Kiana had a small laugh at that. "You were waiting for me?"
"I was"
"Isn't it a bit convenient you were just in the same forest as me? Far ahead of me so I could stumble upon your fire?"
It was the Captain's turn to have a laugh. "I suppose it is a bit convenient. Though it doesn't seem like you're against it being that convenient."
"I'm not," Kiana shook her head. "In fact, I'm glad it was convenient that you were here."
"I'm happy to hear that Kiana." The Captain sat back down on their spot on the log, moving their arm to the empty spot beside them. "Well come on now, sit. I'd like to spend some time with you."
Kiana sat beside her Captain without complaint, looking into the flames of the campfire as she rested her head on the Captain's shoulder. "I'm proud of you Kiana." She looked up at her Captain, seeing their face looking at hers. "I'm so proud of you. Look at who you've become. It feels so long ago that you were the same Kiana that was pumped to kick the Honkai like no tomorrow."
"Am I not anymore?" Kiana asked.
"Of course you still are, you just are now listening to your rational thoughts instead of your impulses." The Captain felt a jab in their side after that comment.
"I guess that's true, what else?" She asked, not hurt by the statement.
The Captain rubbed their side, not at all hurt at Kiana's action. "I remember how you and Bronya were with each other in the beginning, always at each other's throats and Mei having to stop it before you two started a civil war with each other in St. Freya's Dormitories."
"Hehe! That's certainly true! Who knows what would've happened if Mei wasn't there to prevent that from happening!"
"Theresa probably would've had to pay a massive bill on repairs alone, the next being any hospital bills you and Bronya gave each other, and a scolding from her."
"Yeah probably, makes me wanna just go and see that outcome!"
"Me too honestly! You'd probably be in a body cast and Bronya would have a scratch or something"
"Do you honestly think that would happen?" She asked playfully.
"That was a Kiana who acted on impulse and didn't think much things through, and Bronya was the complete opposite, plus she had Project Bunny with her at all times."
"Eh-" She tried to think of something to say, but knew that it was futile. "Yeah that would've most likely been the case. Anyways, what else do you remember, Captain?"
The Captain began to think of the old days, remembering something that their fellow Valkyrie beside them would do almost all the time, giving a smug smirk at the thought. "I can still remember the times you would flirt with Mei, making comments that were so suggestive." Kiana felt her face heat up at that, looking back at the flames heating her body. "Though I could never tell if you were just being platonic with her or if you really wanted to get into her pants~."
"C-Captain!" Kiana gave them another punch to the side, much more rougher this time, raising her hand to attack again..
"I'm kidding Kiana!" The Captain said as they raised their arms into the air.
"Yeah you better be Captain!" Kiana raised her hand back down, smiling at the Captain, until she saw their smirk.
"About the platonic pa-" A hit to the stomach this time.
"Captaaaaaain!" Kiana continued her assault on her Captain, the perfect snow was at this point now ruined by their wrestling, the two just laughing as they continued. The only time they started to stop was once Kiana's attacks started to slow down and she fell to the side of her Captain, seeing a destination she was originally going to.
"So... you'll be staying there for a long time huh?"
"Yeah, it'll be sad, but I'll be there, watching over you and the others."
A thought suddenly occurred in the Captain's mind. "Say, who was that little girl that you helped up from the snow?"
"I think it was me, Captain. My younger self."
"Really? How symbolic. Young Kiana Kaslana struggles to go through the snow so she could make it to the Earth due to being unprepared for the rough journey ahead, but is prepared with gear in her pack with all the things she needs to survive." The Captain took a look at Kiana's choice of clothing. "And proper clothes."
"Hey! Just because I chose to look like this doesn't give you the right to judge me!"
"How do you not feel cold wearing your old battlesuit? It looks like you're trying to be cold!"
"Neko~"
"Okay! Sorry! Not Neko Charm please!" The Captain raised their arms into the air again.
"That's right! And I can say the same to you! You're just wearing your Captain's clothes!"
"That's because I look absolutely fabulous in these clothes." The Captain said smugly, smiling at their own comment. The two had a good laugh at that before looking at Kiana's destination again, the latter feeling the mood slowly turning dim.
"How do you feel, Captain?" Kiana asked after some time, looking at her Captain as she sat up.
"I'm..." Kiana could see the pain in her Captain's eyes, but their smile was still showing, even as they too also got up from the snowy ground. "I'm a bit sad, Kiana. You are more than just a Valkyrie to me Kiana, you're my friend. Seeing you go just hurts, because I don't want to see you go."
Kiana wrapped her arms around her Captain, hugging them tightly. "I know, Captain. I'm sad too."
The Captain gladly reciprocated Kiana's hug. "I just want to have a time machine with me, right here and now, just so I can go back in time and remake all the times we spent together, and maybe make new memories with you and the others again."
"Hehe, me too Captain, but even we can't return to the good old days."
"Yeah, how unfortunate that we are still restricted by the laws of the universe..."
The two sat side by side with each other, not letting go of the other as they looked at the stars above them, and Kiana's destination.
"Kiana, promise me something?"
"What is it?" She turned to look at her friend.
"Promise me that your heart will remain as it is now?"
Kiana could only smile. "Of course Captain! I'll still be the Kiana you all know!"
"That's good to hear." The Captain stood up from the ground, raising their hand to Kiana. "Before you go, mind if I play you something on the violin?"
Kiana accepted their help, looking surprised. "You play the violin?"
"And sing too!"
"And sing?! How is it you never played for us?!"
The Captain turned red at the comment. "Ehh... embarrassment?"
Kiana could only laugh at the comment. "And why is it you're going to do it now?"
"Well... I'm not sure when I'll get to see you again Kiana, so I thought to do this now." The Captain went behind the log and somehow took out a violin and its bow, playing it to make sure it's in tune.
"Where did that come from?"
"I could say the same with seeing a younger you walking towards the earth twenty minutes ago, so best not to question it Kiana."
"Fair." Kiana sat down on the log where the Captain once was sitting, the latter still standing, beginning to let their voice out, ready to play the violin when needed.
* * *
"Is that all you came here with?" The Captain asked, having finished playing on their violin long ago.
When good old friends are going away
"Yeah, I came here with all of this!" Kiana gestured at herself.
Will you wish them to remember your name?
"You're sure you're not cold?" The Captain asked. "I could let you take my coat if you really need to."
When good old days are passing away
"I'm positive Captain." Kiana said, shaking her hands.
Will you promise your heart remains the same?
"Alright then." The two walked back to the open area of the forest they were in, seeing Kiana's final destination.
Never can we suspend the time
"You sure you'll be fine there?" The Captain asked, slightly shaking.
Having to leave the tracks behind
"Of course I will be Captain!" Kiana replied enthusiastically.
There is a longer way ahead, After all
"Then, I guess this is where we part ways..." The Captain said solemnly, looking at the sky.
There used to be a story teller
"I guess so..." Kiana said, about to leave.
Who always painted the sunshine and the rain
"Kiana?"
One has to eventually grow up
"Capta-" She saw tears falling from her friend's face.
Spending a lifetime to taste love and pain
"*Sniffle*"
Never can we suspend the time
"Why are you crying Captain?" She asked worried.
Having to leave the tracks behind
"It's just, I don't want to say goodbye, not yet at least..." The Captain admitted, covering their eyes.
There is a longer way ahead, After all
"Well..." Kiana walked up to them, giving them one last hug.
If it's too hard to say goodbye
"Then don't see it as goodbye Captain, see it as just our time to hang out is over, and we'll see each other again!"
Give us a try to sing a rhyme
"Alright, it's not goodbye."
"That's right, it's not goodbye, just see you later." Kiana began to walk down the forest again, by herself this time, glancing back as she saw her friend slowly disappear from her view. "See you later Captain!"
"See you later Kiana!"
Kiana's figure slowly started to get smaller and smaller, Kiana still making her way towards her destination. The Moon.
The Captain put their arm down, smiling one last time as they closed their eyes, saying one last thing.
"May you, the beauty of this world, always shine"
<2042 Words>